Having Been Tried, Never Denied

What That Line Means and Why It Is So Valid In Our Ritual

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Michael Arce

"Having been tried, never denied, and ready to be tried again." Those words have fascinated me from when I first studied ritual to earn proficiency. Why do we say them? What do they mean? And how does that phrase make me a Freemason? I asked so many questions. In the examination, the position of that answer comes as part of the supporting evidence of your identity as a Mason. If you trace the steps of our ritual in your mind, you can recall the direction your route took to confirm that you were qualified to enter our fraternity. As a man in your community, you showed an interest in Freemasonry. You contacted a Lodge, maybe came to a few dinners, met the Brothers and at some point, asked to join. It's at that moment that you completed a petition, answered essential questions about your beliefs and values, sought out a Brother to attest for you, and listed some references. What I described is the typical application process that most gentleman experience in joining a Lodge. But that's not really where your Masonic journey begins. We are told that we are first made a Mason in our hearts, then in a Lodge. What does that mean? That you are born with the search for Light impressed in your soul, that you live a life full of experiences, and that a certain point your heart syncs with your mind - directing your steps to a Masonic Lodge.

Having been tried, never denied

Countless songs and stories have been written on the experience we call life. I was shopping for a new winter coat for my girlfriend when The Mighty Mighty Bosstones song, "The Impression That I Get" played on the speakers overhead. I recognized it instantly because it was one of my favorite "SKA" songs from the '90s. I laughed to myself when the song hit the first line in the chorus. I'll let you listen to it, see if you get the inside joke. "The Impression That I Get" covers a wide range of daunting experiences in life. Tests, you might say. The song starts with a series of situations; odds stacked up high, needing strength you didn't possess, rising above the rest. As each challenge is presented, the singer poses the question, "it makes me wonder if I could?" By the time we hit the song's bridge, the lyrics change from wondering if one could pass the test to believing that, "If I was, I would pass." Why the change? As the song goes, "'Cause I know someone who has." The debate has continued since 1997 on the meaning behind the song. Did Dickie Barrett (songwriter/lead singer) write it for a friend who's brother died of leukemia? Was it a statement about the AIDS testing that was happening at the end of the 90s epidemic? Perhaps he wrote it after going through some unthinkable tragedy? In the 22 years following the song's release, it is safe to bet that we will never really know the story behind the song. We know this; the questions posed in "The Impression That I Get," reinforce the lesson of persistence through life's challenges stemming from a belief in ourselves and something larger than yourself.

Ready to be tried again

We understand that you were born a Mason in your heart. That your experiences in life shape your perspectives, your values, your beliefs. Our ritual evolved from ancient methods of worship that now provide learning opportunities with each degree building upon the preceding lesson. As you work on completing the three degrees of Freemasonry, you submit to situations, mentally and physically, that test your knowledge of what you have learned. You must pass these tests to advance. By participating in each degree, men acknowledge this trial as they prepare to obligate themselves to something much larger than himself. Throughout our degrees and study of the lessons found in the ritual, we are paired with a faithful friend, a fellow Brother who guides us with his words and steps. We don't have to know how to navigate through each situation or lesson - we must trust "someone who has." Having been tried, never denied, and ready to be tried again prepares one for the lifetime of learning as a Freemason. As Master Masons, we are presented Working Tools to use in our everyday lives, each with its own specific purpose for the unique daily challenges we face. PM Bill Hosler reminds us of the explanation of the ashlars in Lodge rooms, how that lesson encompasses the repetitious cycle of life. "Masonry takes that Ashland and helps shape it for the builders use. You continue through life, raking everything it tries to hand you, and the whole time your Ashland continues to get smoother and not cracking from defects of the constant work from life’s working tools. You made it through being never denied. You continue to become a better man, one who is 'willing to be tried again.'"

~MA

Brother Michael Arce is the Junior Warden of St. George’s #6, Schenectady and a member of Mt. Zion #311, Troy New York. When not in Lodge, Bro. Arce is the Marketing Manager for Capital Cardiology Associates in Albany, New York. He enjoys meeting new Brothers and hearing how the Craft has enriched their lives. He can be reached at: michael.arce@me.com

Often Tried, Never Denied

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

“I have been often tried, never denied, and willing to be tried again.” When I first heard these words during my Masonic work I truly had no idea what the line meant. A Brother I know told me at the time “It means no one stopped you from becoming a Mason.” At the time I thought to myself, "Okay, That makes sense." (At least as much sense as any of these funny sounding words in the catechism did.) But honestly, recently I’m beginning to think this phrase has a different meaning, or at least it has an alternate one.

For the last few months, myself and another Midnight Freemason have been, I feel, targeted by people on social media in order to stop us from publishing Masonic education. Recently I was banned from a Masonic group. Honestly it shocked me. Upon investigation I was told by a moderator of the group I was turned in because, “Masonic education offended them."

Since then my posts have been turned into Facebook as “Spam” and my author page was unpublished by the site because I had been turned in for “offensive content”. I wasn’t allowed to share posts or even post on my own page for several weeks. In this time I truly began to think, "I should just stop writing, sit down in my easy chair and just educate myself." It was about this time that phrase from my Masonic work came to mind. I realized for centuries our Brethren haven been, “often tried” in the public for just for the offense of “Being a member of the Freemasons.”

From the anti Masonic period in the nineteenth century, when Masons faced discrimination, examples being; getting fired from their jobs,  not being able to rent houses and families being forced to leave communities which they had once called home.

During the Spanish Inquisition men who were suspected of being members of the Fraternity were imprisoned and tortured until they would finally, under duress, confess to the horrific offense of being a Freemason. During the Third Reich, many Freemasons were placed in concentration camps and murdered because Hitler was so intimated by our Masonic light, he knew the darkness he preached was no match for it.

Even today there are Brethren being tried in the United Kingdom because they are Masons. I have a personal friend who would have been expelled from the college he was attending if it were outed that he was a Mason. Even as I write these words there are places in the Middle East where it is a capital offense to take the obligations we took at the altar of Freemasonry. It seems sometimes “being often tried” is just part of the weight you feel when you wear a Masonic ring

When these accusations were leveled against me, I felt the need to defend myself against these accusations. I knew I was innocent and appealed. Within a few days Facebook reviewed the evidence and found in my favor. My posting privileges were restored and my authors page was republished. Not only did I feel vindicated but I knew once the evidence was judged I could  claim, “I was never denied”.

“I am willing to be tried again”, because I know if I just throw down my working tools and walk away out of frustration, I'm not just failing myself, but I'm failing those who have written me to tell me they like my writing and have been touched and inspired by my work. I would also be disappointing all the Brethren who came before me and suffered discrimination, hatred or even faced imprisonment, torture or death just because of those vows we all took. I will not allow a few closed minds and hearts filled with hatred to make me leave the Fraternity which I love.

My Brother I’m sure many of you have been, “Often tried". Each of us have viewed things within the Fraternity that angered or disappointed us. The wagging finger of a Past Master or trying to stay awake during a boring meeting or something else that frustrated you to the point that you just want to walk out the door of that lodge room and never return. But my question is, "Did you quit or did you decide you were “Willing to be tried again?”"

Think about it. Every member who gets frustrated with he Grand Lodge red tape or  the ever-present, “We’ve never done it that way”, who walks away, is one less person to help us develop the Craft into the Fraternity we want it to be. Each empty seat in that lodge room is one less vote to counterman that crusty stick-in-the-mud who refuses to allow the lodge to try new things. That empty seat is also one less Brother who can help with a lodge committee or serve in an office. Ultimately each man who picks up his ball and goes home is one less vote in a lodge, one less-voice for change and prolongs the struggle. Stay, help put the Craft on a solid foundation and make it ready to face new generations.

If we stand up, as a group and declare we are “Willing to be tried again.”, as a group there is no way we can, “Ever be denied again.”

~BH

WB Bill Hosler was made a Master Mason in 2002 in Three Rivers Lodge #733 in Indiana. He served as Worshipful Master in 2007 and became a member of the internet committee for Indiana's Grand Lodge. Bill is currently a member of Roff Lodge No. 169 in Roff Oklahoma and Lebanon Lodge No. 837 in Frisco,Texas. Bill is also a member of the Valley of Fort Wayne Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in Indiana. A typical active Freemason, Bill also served as the High Priest of Fort Wayne's Chapter of the York Rite No. 19 and was commander of of the Fort Wayne Commandery No. 4 of the Knight Templar. During all this he also served as the webmaster and magazine editor for the Mizpah Shrine in Fort Wayne Indiana.