Page 7 - ASHLAR - July-Sept 2020

N A L G R
I G O AND LODGE
The Ashlar E R Vol. XVI Issue II
solicit to be admitted. Here is another pre- “The Compasses for the practising mason is a
requisite. You have to leave all your ego, tool for the measurement of the architect's
haughtiness and other such offending qualities plans, and to enable him to give those just
behind, and approach the Institution with proportions which will ensure beauty as well as
humility. Another hint here to the budding stability to his work”;
mason, humility in day-to-day dealings in the In our context, the Compasses teach us the
society will take you far. obligation which we owe ourselves, which is the
Thus far, the Candidate has only been primary, imperative, everyday duty of
approved to be admitted but the ritual through circumscribing our passions, and keeping our
questions and answers has already established desires within due bounds.
that he possesses the required qualities. In the Entrustment, the Worshipful Master tells
Now, as the Candidate is put through the the Candidate to assume an erect posture with
process of initiation, one finds that at regular his feet formed in a square. Telling him “your
intervals the ritual reminds him that God is body being thus considered an emblem of your
supreme in Masonry and so should He be in real mind and your feet of the rectitude of your
life. The Worshipful Master invokes the actions”, in other words advising the Candidate
blessings of Heaven as the prayer, addressed to be always upright and act in morally
to the Almighty Architect of the Universe, pleads appropriate manner in daily life.
to enable the Candidate to unfold the beauties During the Charge in the North East, the
of godliness. Again, God is on the highest Candidate is told that Charity is the
pedestal. distinguishing characteristic of a freemason,
Then during the Obligation, the Candidate who and that it has “the approbation of Heaven and
has been in darkness throughout the ritual thus Earth and like its sister Mercy blesses him who
far is restored the blessing of light. At the same gives as well as him who receives”. Another
time, the Worshipful Master invites his attention lesson for the Freemason, extend charity to the
to the three great lights of freemasonry, besides needy in real life and you will be blessed.
the Volumes of Sacred Law, namely, Level, Thus, through the ritual, thus far, the Candidate
Square and the Compass. The Sacred Writings has been taught the following values he must
govern our faith, in other words, the candidate is imbibe and possess in order to be a good
once again reminded that faith in God should be member of the society that he lives in:
his guiding light in life as well. The Square has -Must have faith in God
been from time immemorial one of the essential -Must be free from moral encumbrances
tools of a practicing mason, as it assists him to -Must be a do-gooder
test the accuracy of the sides of a stone to -Must be humble
ascertain that the stone's angles matched the -Must possess high morals
square's "true" right angle. In real life for -Must believe in equality of man
speculative masons as we, it is a symbol of -Must be able to control his passions
morality. -Must practise charity.
The Level, for a practicing mason is a tool for the So, returning to the title of this article, let us
purpose of proving horizontal. However, for learn the Craft ritual to become good ritualists
speculative masons the Level teaches equality, and at the same time not miss out the larger
and that is a truth that needs to be carefully meaning that the ritual seeks to convey so that
understood. “It is the common human lot, guided by it we can become better members of
moved by the same great faith and fears, the society that we live in.
walking on the Level of Time until Death, by its
grim democracy, erases all distinctions and
reduces all to the same level”. So, irrespective
of the inequality that might be seen to exist due
to circumstance, everybody is an equal.

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