The Perfect Mason
Unraveling the true identity of a 'perfect' Mason - might it be a stark contrast to your initial notions? A thoughtful exploration awaits you!
Over the weekend, I was presenting a membership seminar called “Freemasonry Explained!”
This information session for men who are interested in Freemasonry is designed to help them understand what it means to Become a Freemason.
It covers everything about Freemasonry that one should know before making the decision to become a Mason.
I have been working on this program because unfortunately, in many cases, this step is missed in our processes for candidates, and we hurry them through without thorough preparation.
We just invite them for 3 Souths, tell them they will find out once they join, and then, they spend their time going through degrees trying to work out what Freemasonry is.
But more importantly, it helps them understand the difference between “joining” vs “becoming”, clears myths & misconceptions, and gives the right information so they are not led to the perils of all the garbage online about the Craft.
At the end of the seminar, there is an open questions & answers. I encourage all attendees to ask any questions that come to mind and I promise to answer them truthfully and transparently, subject to the caveat that if the answer would reveal a “spoiler” or a “secret” then I will share what I can without giving it away.
One question came up that made me pause.
A potential candidate asked, “What is the Perfect Mason?”
This thoughtful query pushed me to consider how one might define the 'perfect' mason, and how that would look in real life.
When we imagine a "perfect" Mason, we often think of someone who:
Attends all lodge meetings and Masonic events,
Has held every office within the lodge, including Master,
Recites rituals flawlessly,
Participates in every Masonic order and has been in every chair,
Continually attends and contributes to these orders,
Can spontaneously perform any degree of Masonic work,
Has served the Grand Lodge in every possible role,
Gives to charity in both time and money.
This checklist might describe the “perfect mason” in some people's eyes, the kind of person we'd look up to. But to me, this doesn't describe the perfect Mason at all.
In fact, it suggests that such a brother is missing the point of Freemasonry.
He's ignoring not only the teachings of Freemasonry but also its guidance on how to live a full and balanced life.
Freemasonry is about more than checklists and achievements.
Our Masonic ceremonies define a 'perfect' mason as someone who lives out our teachings in all aspects of life.
A mason so focused on tasks and titles might be further from true perfection than when he first joined.
One of the first teachings in Freemasonry involves our own Sacred Religious Text and two key symbols: the Square and Compasses.
Our Sacred Text teaches us about our obligations to our own individual higher powers.
The Square is a reminder to regulate our conduct
while the Compasses encourage us to keep our passions and prejudices within reasonable limits.
Consider this: a Mason so caught up in Masonic activities that he neglects time for personal faith is straying from these teachings. He might even be replacing faith with Freemasonry, which isn't the purpose of the Craft.
Freemasonry emphasizes personal faith and spirituality and encourages us to dedicate time to our individual beliefs. All faiths require time for prayer, studying religious texts, and focusing on spiritual matters.
If a Mason's life is consumed by Masonic activities, where is the time for his faith? This neglect of spiritual duties contradicts the Masonic principles.
Consider also the Square, which instructs us to regulate our conduct.
It doesn't merely mean 'behave properly.' It suggests living by a set of rules and standards.
For example, from the lessons in Freemasonry, we're encouraged to manage our time wisely, balancing work, rest, civic duties, spiritual practices, and charity.
A Mason who fails to manage his time and responsibilities effectively is not following these principles. Being so consumed with Masonic duties to the detriment of himself or his family is another failure.
So far, this 'perfect' Mason has missed two out of three basic teachings.
Can we also agree that he's let his passion for Freemasonry override the instruction from the Compasses, that he’s failing to keep his passions and prejudices in check?
Despite seeming perfect on the outside, this 'perfect' Mason has overlooked all three aspects of the first Masonic teaching.
So, if this isn't perfection, then what is?
It's easy to dismiss perfection as unattainable, but our ceremonies do provide a definition: Perfection in Freemasonry is to be a lifelong student, to strive to live according to our teachings every day.
Perfection is not an endpoint, but a process. It's about making progress because progress is perfection. Consistent efforts to learn and live out the lessons & principles of Freemasonry is what defines perfection.
A 'perfect' Mason is one who strives for personal growth. Perhaps he's not a polished public speaker, but he challenges himself to make a toast at a lodge meeting. Despite being nervous, he stands up and speaks, adding a few more words each time.
A 'perfect' Mason learns from his experiences, applying the Masonic teachings to his professional life. He makes time for family, work, and Freemasonry, and regularly attends lodge meetings to share his burdens and receive support from his brothers.
A 'perfect' Mason puts in his best effort in whatever he does. Consider an example to learn a charge. He might stumble through it completely, but he put his best effort in, and with the encouragement and support of his brothers, he improves with each attempt.
A 'perfect' Mason makes mistakes but looks to his faith and the principles of Masonry for guidance. He learns from these mistakes and does better the next time.
Simply doing one's best, working within our individual capabilities, learning and applying Freemasonry's lessons in daily life, becoming a better man today than we were yesterday, these are the marks of a perfect Mason.