Masonic Treasures

Masonic Treasures

Author: V.W.Bro. Ambarish Singh Roy, P.DyG.Reg, P.Dy.RGM

A few years ago a movie called National Treasure piqued the interest of many movie-goers and either made them aware or sold an idea about Freemasonry to them. As a result, there was a flurry of activity in several lodges across America and of course the Internet where people flocked to learn more about Freemasonry and join Lodges. Most of them came looking for ‘Secrets’ pertaining to Masonry, affected by the ‘buried treasure’ syndrome. It took a lot of explaining to make them understand that the story followed by the movie was fiction. However, this onslaught did not stop at that, it continued to grow in both numbers and intensity after release of two of Dan Brown’s Novels and the Da Vinci saga that gripped several authors throughout the Western World. After the publication of ‘Da Vinci Code’ which makes fleeting, yet significant references to Freemasons, Dan Brown became a phenomenal success. This in turn brought some of his earlier works out of obscurity, one of which was ‘Angels & Demons’ where again he points a finger at Freemasons, this time alleging that our organisation was infiltrated and used as a cover by the Illuminati and the Knight Templars. It did not help matters much that he announced that his next novel ‘The Lost Symbol’ would entirely revolve around the subject of Freemasonry.

Such flashes in the pan do evoke a response from today’s generation, but unfortunately, mostly for all the wrong reasons, and it is a matter of debate whether such attention is indeed good for us. We may argue, that in today’s day and age marketing and propaganda of some sort is required if Freemasonry has to survive for another century, but the question here is – are all those joining due to these reasons joining for the sake of Freemasonry, to enrichen the Craft or just for idle curiosity or worse – gold-digging and treasure – hunting ? Even in our own Masonic circles, we find members who join for ‘pecuniary’ benefits viz: building social contacts, making business connections or simply to be a part of a social platform. They join the Lodge, come for a few meetings, attain a few degrees and then stop coming. For by then, either they have accomplished their worldly aims or lost interest altogether. Why they lose interest is however, an issue to be addressed separately, for it is a matter of great concern for any Lodge that new initiates stop coming and finally vanish.

It is important, however, to make people who come to us enquiring about Masonry, realize that Freemasonry does not offer material gains, it is not path to climbing the social ladder, and it is definitely not a place to further ones personal or social ambitions. I once came across a Masonic Website which perhaps put it best – “The Real Secret of Freemasonry – To Make Good Men Better”. I am reminded of an anecdote in this context. A wealthy farmer was very disappointed with his only son who was lazy and shied away from honest toil. No amount of coaxing or cajoling could make him lift the plough or tend to the fields or cattle. Finally, the farmer gave up, but secretly devised a plan to put him right. On his death bed, the farmer called his son and told him that he had hidden a great treasure for him somewhere in the fields, but to get it his son would have to till the land and offer a handful of seeds to each foot of land and water it regularly for two months. Only thereafter, said the farmer, would his son find the buried treasure. After his father’s funeral, the son immediately set out for the fields, tilled every inch of land and scattered seeds and watered it as instructed. He did so everyday for two months. On the morning after two months elapsed, he woke up before sunrise and ran to his fields, eager to be shown the path to his enormous fortune. To his surprise, he saw his land full of ripe, healthy crop, but no sign of treasure. Then with the rising sun, it dawned upon him what exactly his dying father had meant by ‘buried treasure’. Similarly, in Masonry, the treasures are there, but they are not pots of gold, but something intrinsic and far more valuable. Freemasonry isn’t a secret society sitting coiled up like a great anaconda on some buried treasure, it is not a charity alone, and it certainly isn’t a socio-cultural organisation. Those who claim it to be so, in my opinion, have thoroughly misunderstood Freemasonry. The primary and most important aim of Masonry is ‘character building’; making an upright God-loving, honourable man of high morals and unshakeable integrity. Isn’t that what pages and pages of Traditional History tell us?

For if candidates become true Freemasons, a Mason’s virtues –Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth will automatically follow and discontentment, malice or politics would never darken the door of any Lodge again.

The problem is that some people try to run Masonic bodies by mimicking other organisations. If we had to turn a Lodge into a Rotary or a Lion’s Club, why join a Lodge? There’s much to be had materialistically by becoming a Rotarian or a Lion instead. I do not intend to demean these Institutions by any means, what I simply wish to point out is that every organisation, more so an organisation as ancient and honourable as ours, has it’s own traditions, rules and regulations, which have maintained not only it’s exclusivity, but also have aided in the preservation of it’s individuality. We do not have to solve the problems that Freemasonry is facing today by any exterior means. If we simply follow the true edicts of Masonry and make true Freemasons, all the ambiguity would automatically cease to exist. A Lodge is a haven for any Freemason; he truly leaves the ‘profane’ world behind when he enters the Temple. It is an oasis for him in today’s world so full of cares and sorrows. It uplifts him momentarily by giving him a space to breathe and quench his thirst for something sublime and perhaps celestial.

It is no doubt important for Freemasonry to change with the times like any other organisation, but in doing so, let us not re-define or re-design Freemasonry. Let us keep it’s inimitable charm and values, that we Masons hold so close to our hearts, alive, to hand over to our next generation. Yes the next generation - our future, Freemasonry’s future, for they are the Initiates of today through whom Freemasonry will live and breathe tomorrow. Thus making it not just necessary, but imperative for us to act now and make Freemasons who will truly understand, cherish, and when the time comes, pass on the many treasures of Masonry.