Page 6 - ASHLAR - July-Sept 2020

N A L G R
I O
G E AND LODGE
The Ashlar R Vol. XVI Issue II
Craft Ritual – Not missing the wood for the tree?
By Bro Lt Col Yeshwant Umralkar, Lodge Level No 41
I have recently been given the 25 years jewel. members of this antient society so that we may
Like so many British legacies that we continue play a positive role in the world outside the
to follow and observe. Just like in the army we lodge in which we reside for a better part of our
get the LSM (long service medal on completion lives. This is more so since we being
of 9 years and 20 years. That aside, 25 years is speculative, free and accepted and not
a long time and makes one wonder if one has operative masons and the Craft's rituals are
really become a better man as a mason after aimed at betterment of the lodge members as
such a long association. No easy answers to members of the society.
that because only those around you will vouch So, how do the rituals act as guides that tell us
for it. One way to judge for oneself if one has subtly how our demeanour should be in life
become a better member of the society is to do outside the lodge? Let us look at the craft rituals
some serious introspection and seek the as we go through them, the journey to
answers in the rituals of the craft that we take becoming an Entered Apprentice Free Mason,
part in at regular intervals in the lodge meetings a Fellow Craft Free Mason and a Master
we attend. Mason.
One would remember the Craft's reply to the The Initiation Ceremony
question “What is Free Masonry?” which is “it is At the time of the Candidate's entry into the
a peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory Lodge, the Worshipful Master inquires of the
and illustrated by symbols”. Inner Guard how does the Candidate hope to
Free Masonry is a system that helps a man obtain the privileges of Freemasonry. The
become a good member of the society he lives response is “By the help of God, being free and
in. And the rituals of the Craft remind us of our of good report”
role in the society at every step, through the Here are three sets of key words or phrases that
obligation, the investiture, the entrustment, the we must bear in mind. The first being “By the
address, the charges, the presentation of help of God”, which means that as a good
working tools and the tracing board, the mason it would be a pre-requisite that the
ceremonies of opening and closing, all part of candidate believes in God or the Great Architect
the rituals that take a free mason through of the Universe as we in the Craft know him. So,
various degrees. In fact,at every step of the the first lesson is believe in God, for He will help
ritual, the mason is actually acting out that role you along your way in life. The second is “being
which is expected of him in his real life as a free”. To my understanding, being free means
member of any society that he lives in. you should be free of any incumbrances that
We are always told by the Worshipful Master to might be affecting your morality, in other words
be prepared well for participating in the rituals, you should be upright in life, and the third is “of
the aim of which is to impress upon the good report” which alludes to you having a good
Candidate that he is joining a society that takes reputation in the society, in other words you
itself seriously. When I say in the title “Craft ritual should always do good as a useful member of
– not missing the wood for the tree?” , I want to the society so that your general standing is
convey that while we might learn by heart our worth recommending.
role in the ritual and perform it to perfection, we So, you are well and worthily recommended,
should not look at that role from the confines of proposed and approved for admission to
the ritual but see the larger picture, the picture of Freemasonry only if you meet the above three
life and the subtle nudging that it gives us to act conditions.
more appropriately in life. The other being that Therefore, it is supposed that you already have
we as Free Masons must imbibe lessons that the basic qualities that would qualify you for
the rituals appear or intend to impart to us as membership of the Craft to which you humbly

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