A Masonic Revolution - Education and the Front Lines of a War to Save Freemasonry

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert H. Johnson

There I was, leveling out at 30 thousand and snapping into Biscoff cookies. Why? Because It was happening again—Masonic Con. This marks the fourth year in a row that the event has been going on. Put on by an extraordinary group of Masons in Attleboro Massachusetts, this year was another home-run. Three years ago, I first went to this conference. I delivered a talk on Colonial America and Freemasonry to a packed room of Masons, their ladies and the profane. It was unreal. The technology was worked out, the schedule of speakers was amazing, and the venders… let's just say I spent a lot of money.

Last year was even bigger. It felt like San Diego Comic-Con but you know, for Freemasons. I hosted a discussion on Star Wars and Freemasonry with my good friend and occasional guest contributor here, RW:. Michael Jarzebek. Again, what an incredible time. Both years we marked with special tours of historical sites in and around the New England area by the mastermind of Masonic Con, Bryan Simmons, a Masonic titan in his own right. I spent time with men who inspire me, who I love and who bring out the best of me. Of course, there are Brothers that I know that couldn’t make the conferences, and I missed them.

Arriving at Logan Intl. Airport in Boston an hour late due to weather, I met up with Bro. Joe Martinez and we drove into Attleboro together. We caught up on news of our families, our jobs, our gripes and our joys. You know how it goes with a Brother in the car, the radio never comes on. Once in town, we met up with Mike Hambrecht and drove to a great restaurant and pub for some long-awaited beer and food. Yeah, we ate too much. Well, I did anyway.

This year was marked with some differences. Notably, I missed my good friend and Brother Alex Powers. You might know him from his podcast called “Historical Light”. Or maybe you’re just a participant in the Facebook group of the same name. Alex couldn’t be with us for personal reasons this year and that’s all I’ll say. But he was missed. I also missed one of my muses, Dago Rodriguez of Fraternal Review. 

 

That aside, this weekend was AMAZING...yet again. A full lineup of speakers which you can check out by clicking HERE. One of the presentations I was extremely excited about was on Tombstone Lodge. You might remember something I did about a fictitious lodge of gold on an old radio program called Masonic Radio Theatre. Chris Douglas did a great job on this presentation. I learned a lot. I also learned that Chris is an astounding creator as well. Check out these cuff links and this pin I acquired from him. “You're wearing real history.”, he tells me, as I put the pin on my lapel. He was right. I really was, and damn, it looked nice too.

I met Travis Simpkins, another contributor to our blog, for the very first time in person. He was as I imagined, a perfect gentleman, a model Mason. He brought along his wife, who also is a very talented artist. I had waited a long time to meet them and I finally had. Along with meeting them, I was able to really connect with several readers of this blog and listeners to the podcasts (WCY and TMR). To connect with the listeners is…”an opportunity I have long sought.” Alright, I admit that was a bad joke.

But seriously, it means so much to talk, to share and to listen to what you all think, not just about what I produce, but the things that are happening in the lodges around the country. It’s crucial to understanding and perpetuating Masonic Education—the reason for the Craft.

Speaking of education, I finally sat in the same room as Nicholas Laine of Castle Island Virtual Lodge out of Manitoba. Yep— he’s a real guy. Not just a computer simulation as I had once suspected. The Brothers from Canada were so gracious, and I’ve learned so much from attending the lodge they maintain. In fact, look for some exciting news coming very soon related to…well, you’ll just have to wait. 

Masonic Con at Ezekiel Bates somewhat kicks off the “season” for Masonic education conferences. Next weekend is the Mid-West conference on Masonic Education. After this, in June is the Inaugural Mid-Atlantic Esotericon, followed by the first ever South Pasadena Masonic Con on the West Coast which is then followed up by Camp Masonry! Can you believe all these opportunities for education and fellowship?

I won’t be missing any of it. I’ll be at all of them. Why? Because like all of you, I love Masonic Education. This year was the first time I attended Masonic Con in Attleboro and wasn’t a speaker. This made it a much different experience. As I stated, I was able to really connect with my Brothers. I spent the majority of my days with the lads from the Masonic Roundtable and the architect of Esotericon, Joe Martinez.

So many people made this weekend special. Talking with friends I’ve not seen in a year. Literally. Ryan Flynn, Mike Jarzabek, Nicholas Harvey, Aaron Chauncey, Chris Hodapp and more. Chris Hodapp actually wasn’t scheduled to speak but pinched hit due to a speaker not being present. He had a key gem that I took away from his talk and I want to share it with you. Paraphrasing, he said, “…Stop telling men that they will get out of Freemasonry what they put into it!” He then flipped the script as JFK once did. Chris continued, “…You will get out of your members what you invest in them.” I saw pencils taken to paper, scribbling this down, trying not to miss the next thing he’d say. It was so simple, yet…this was maybe…kind of new.

The weekend really culminated for me, and I’m sure many others at the Festive Board. The MC, Brian Simmons kicked it off with a toast and then asked the ladies present to talk about Freemasonry. Those ladies…I can’t tell you how amazing they were. It made me think about my own wife, who many of you know and how supportive she is with everything in my life. I wished she had been there. There’s no way she’s getting out of it next year.

When I began this write this up, my goal was to give a review of Masonic Con 2019. That’s probably not what we have here though. More of my reminiscing of the days I was there. There were many things I witnessed and heard this past weekend that I will inevitably write about. Here in this article though are a few I wanted to mention up front.

At the end of the day, I asked Brother Carlos Hernandez of Ascended Masters if he needed any help with packing up. While we chatted, a Brother approached and was buying a ring from him. This Brother was looking at the same ring I was looking at. He asked Carlos if he had the ring in a size 10, which coincidentally, was the same size ring I wore. When Carlos said he did have one, I asked him to get one out for me too. I’d like to buy one. At this, the brother who had approached to buy the ring expressed to me his gratitude for the WCY Podcast and that although he’d not been able to contribute to producing the show or donate, he wanted to buy this ring for me. I was completely taken aback. I didn’t know what to say. It was a moment in which I felt this overwhelming gratitude and I tried to explain that this wasn’t necessary. This brother would have none of it. He paid for the rings. We bot put them on and shook hands. It’s kind of a thing now. The ring is more than a neat design, it means something else. For me it’s representative of this Brother, and the mutual gratitude we felt. It’s apropos that the ring itself is the Ouroboros. I will say it again. Brother, you know who you are. Thank you!

Next was when the adept, Ben Wallace told us about the importance of two grown-ass men being able to say, “I love you.” to one another. It was a powerful moment that everyone in that room felt. And he was right. It’s something that is important. So do that. Next time you’re at lodge, tell a Brother, “I love you.”

Next was a moment in which Brother David Riley talked about what Freemasonry had done for him— accepted who he was and all that came with that. It was so powerful and so important, I asked that Brother to do his best in retelling it on the WCY Podcast.

Finally as the night wrapped up, the Festive Board was over and the lodge was nearly empty. I got to connect with Carlos Hernandez a little more. And I have to say, I found a man so dedicated to the Craft and to his art that it inspired me.

To all my Brothers of Ezekiel Bates, I want to thank you for putting this on again. It is the Granddaddy of Masonic Conferences. Yes, there are conferences put on by Grand Jurisdictions and all that, but those are full of pomp. Endless introductions. And so many backscratching lackeys…well, you get it. This was a local lodge, without Grand Lodge support, putting on an event that dwarfed anything that had been done before in their area. I believe in the mission so much, I “pluralled” up there. While I can’t attend but one meeting a year, the dues I pay is a small way I can vote with my dollars. It’s what I feel is important. But also, many men have also done the same. Ezekiel Bates boasts a membership of several out-of-state members for this very reason.

While at the airport reminiscing about the past few days, the emotions riding high and trying to make sense of the reality that we’d all have to go back home, to our own lodges. Our stale meetings of no education, no real brotherhood and sad Past Master luncheons that always have “endless soda, tea and coffee.” I received a text from Nicholas Harvey. He mentioned something similar. How do we bring this home? How can we do it? Perhaps this is one small way—to write about it. To tell others, to evangelize it.

While walking across the street in Cambridge, MA. On the way to see North Bridge, there is a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson etched into the walkway.

“The thunderbolt fell on an inch of ground, but the light of it fills the horizon.” 

I think that quote is one to contemplate, it’s so very relevant in our situation. It just might be…a revolution.

This year's Masonic Con was a success.

~RHJ 

RWB, Robert Johnson is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183 UD. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatrewhich focus on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry. He is the co-author of "It's Business Time - Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry" and is currently working on a book of Masonic essays and one on Occult Anatomy to be released soon.

A Remarkable Evening At Lodge Vitruvian

by Midnight Freemasons Founder

Todd E. Creason, 33° 

Broad Ripple Lodge, Indianapolis, IN

There have only been a few times in the years I’ve been a Freemason when the experience actually met my expectation of what Freemasonry would be like before I joined. My visit to Lodge Vitruvian in Indianapolis this week was one of those times.

I was invited to speak at Lodge Vitruvian, and I thought it would be a very good opportunity to talk about some of the topics I plan to cover in a book I’ve been researching. As a writer, I’ve learned things that can fascinate me for months on end aren’t always as interesting to other people. Of course it’s a long drive, so I invited Midnight Freemasons Contributors Greg Knott and Darin Lahners along for the ride.

Vitruvian meets at Broad Ripple Lodge—I was a little disappointed when we arrived. It’s a very ordinary looking commercial building.  It could have been an attorney office, or an accounting firm, or a dentist’s office.

(left to right) Greg Knott, Darin Lahners, and Todd E. Creason deal with conflicting device navigation advice in regards to the best route to Vitruvian Lodge.  How did we ever manage to find anything before cell phones?

But as they say, don’t judge a book by the cover. As soon as we walked into the Lodge room all three of us were absolutely stunned. The Lodge is elegantly furnished, and meticulously decorated from floors, to walls, to the ceiling. The ambient lighting in the Lodge room was unlike anything I’ve seen in a Lodge. There were richly detailed murals painted on all the walls. And there was classic music playing low in the background. It was a lot to take in. It was a regularly stated meeting, but the officers arrived in tuxedos and white gloves. Conversations in the Lodge room prior to the meeting were quiet and subdued. It was a very different atmosphere than what the three of us were accustomed to.

Lodge Vitruvian is a European Concept Lodge. I couldn’t have been more impressed with their ritual, their tightly run and well organized meeting, and the formality of the Lodge members before, during and after the meeting. It was amazing to see, because Vitruvian Lodge is actually doing what I’ve been writing about for more than a decade. The Lodge’s focus is on Masonry—the application of Freemasonry, the member experience, personal growth of each member, and Masonic education. They are a lot further down the road towards that goal that we are in my part of the world, and they’re doing a lot of very smart things.

Todd E. Creason's talk to the members and spouses at the Festive Board

They intentionally keep their membership small (less than fifty, but they consider about 36 the perfect number of members). If they were ever to grow beyond that size, their plan is to split the Lodge. And those members pay a good chunk more in annual dues than most Masons in the U.S. And the reason they’re willing to do that? They get their money’s worth! They know that because they communicate with their members. They discussed a survey they recently did with their members. They ask their members if they were happy in their membership. They asked them what kinds of things they’d like to see the Lodge do. They asked them all kinds of questions on that survey. It tells the leadership how they can best serve their membership.

There have been a number of us on the Midnight Freemasons that have said many times before that Freemasonry is being made too easy, and is being sold too cheap. I absolutely believe that. It’s a very reasonable belief to hold that we appreciate things much more when we have to work hard for them. It is also reasonable to believe that if your dues are high, those that seek to join your ranks really want to be involved in what you’re doing, and are much more likely to participate in what you’re trying to build. Well, Vitruvian certainly seems to have proven the point so many of us have been trying to make for so long. If they were closer, they’d have my petition in a minute, and I’d gladly pay those dues. The difference between my experience there, and my normal Lodge meeting night is the difference between night and day.

After the meeting, we adjourned to the Festive Board at a local restaurant—the setting the Lodge has chosen was just as impressive as the Lodge they meet in. It was elegantly old world from its dark wood paneling to its décor.  I don’t think Freemasons themselves could have designed a more perfect space for a Masonic Festive Board--it's the kind of place where you wouldn't be surprised to see Sir Arthur Conan Doyle smoking a pipe in a corner chair while perusing the newspaper.  There were appetizers, cocktails, and amazing conversations. I gave my presentation on character in the social media age, and we enjoyed a fabulous dinner.

You can read more about Lodge Vitruvian on their website.  They also do a much better job than I have at describing what it means to be a "European Concept Lodge." 

We certainly enjoyed our visit, and we made many new friends. Freemasonry as it was meant to be is alive and well at Vitruvian. The Midnight Freemasons were invited back—and I would be very surprised if we didn’t take them up on that invitation. It was wonderful to see that there are still Freemasons that understand that Freemasonry isn’t just a social group—it’s a way of life. It’s a set of moral tenets that are to be applied rather than given lip-service. It's a lifelong pursuit of personal growth, character development, and knowledge.  And it was nice to see that the direction we’ve been heading in our neck of the woods is the correct path for our Fraternity.

Without question, Freemasonry has helped to shape our country in the past. The world today has never been more in need of men of character—like Freemasons. But if we’re going to provide the world with the caliber of men it needs as we have in the past, we’re going to have to start building them again from the foundation up. Freemasonry is meant to be so much more than a social club and a philanthropy—its purpose first and foremost is as a moral and ethical improvement center. We need to start seeing it that way again.

~TEC
  
Todd E. Creason, 33° is an award winning author of several books and novels, including the Famous American Freemasons series.  He is the author of the the From Labor To Refreshment blog.  He is a Past Master of Homer Lodge No. 199 and Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL) where he currently serves as Secretary.  He is a a Past Sovereign Master of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees.  He is a Fellow at the Missouri Lodge of Research (FMLR).  He is a charter member of the a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter No. 282 and currently serves as EHP.  He is also a member of Tuscola Odd Fellows Lodge No. 316.  You can contact him at: webmaster@toddcreason.org

In My Room

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

“There's a world where I can go and tell my secrets to

In my room, in my room

In this world I lock out all my worries and my fears

In my room, in my room”

The lyrics above are from the song “In My Room”, written by Brian Wilson and Gary Usher. The song was released by the group the Beach boys in 1963 and was the “B” side to their hit entitled “Be True to Your School.” Wilson said the song was inspired by his bedroom growing up in California in the 50’s. He claimed his bedroom was, “his kingdom”, a place of solitude away from the prying eyes of the outside world. Or as the lyrics say “...a place to tell my secrets to.”

I could totally identify with this song as a young tween through my teenage years. There was nothing like the privacy of my room. The space had once been an open porch on the back of the house in which my father enclosed and converted into a laundry room for my mother. As we grew, the room was converted into a bedroom, I was the oldest child so it was offered to me. Since it had once been a porch there was no heating in the space, so it was cold in the winter and hot in the summer. It was just a ten foot by ten foot room with unfinished sheetrock for walls and a linoleum floor but to me it was my sanctuary.

My room was a place where I could escape from my younger siblings and be who I wanted to be. A no judgment zone. I remember lying in my bed, dreaming of my future far away from the small Indiana town I grew up in. I dreamed of traveling the world, finding my place where I was meant to be. It was a place I could contemplate my life, where I nurtured my hopes and dreams and sometimes, consoled myself after a defeat, which at the time seemed devastating. To me it was a place where I learned to think critically and where to study; not only what I learned from books, but what I learned from life and about myself.

My room was also the place I could invite my friends and we could talk about anything inside those four walls, and not worry about someone hearing our secrets and telling others. From our fears to confessing to the undying love we had for our latest crush to well, just about anything else. We were safe to express our feelings and be who we were and who we wanted to be. It was one of my first steps in creating trust and friendships that last a lifetime. I learned how important it was to keep my word and the secrets of someone else and how important it was to me that my secrets be kept and the importance of judging in whom you put your trust. I think I am safe in saying my room was the place my heart was first prepared to become a Mason.

As you grow older chances are you will lose this private space. If you go to college, you will share a dorm room with another person. If you skip college unless, you are very lucky, you will have to share a space with a roommate, because entry level pay rarely allows a young person the luxury of renting a home or apartment by yourself. As you continue down life’s road you will meet someone you want to share the rest of your life with. This means you will share a bedroom with your mate and all the rest of your dwelling will be shared spaces with your spouse or your children or both.

The men I know handle this issue in several different ways. Some men build themselves a shop where they can do woodworking or work on cars in their garages. Others create a den or a study where they will retreat for solitude. I believe whether they realize it or not I think this recent trend for men to want to build “Man caves” is a way to cure this unspoken need most men have in their lives for a place, away from the family. A place they love for a little while just to sit and reflect on their lives and perhaps recharge themselves. (All of these are much better than my father’s method, which was locking himself in the family bathroom for a long period with the newspaper for a prolonged period.)

It’s just my option but I think, unconsciously, we're looking for this refuge when they look at joining a Masonic lodge. These men who are searching for spirituality are looking for a place of self-reflection and a place where they will find likeminded men who won’t judge them, who will listen to their hopes and fears and help them on their journey for self-reflection.

It has been said in the past that Masonic lodges were the choice place for men returning from fighting World War II. These servicemen were looking for a type of brotherhood that they experienced while they were in the service. Men who understand them and what they went through. I think this may be why the group Tom Brokaw dubbed, “The greatest generation” became known as a group of “Joiners."  They were all looking for someone or something to help them find their place in life or help them endure the memories they were trying to suppress.

As the years have progressed, so have several generations of men. While I believe the men of today still want friendship, like their grandfathers did, they are also looking for a way to “connect” with other men--in a real time, person to person. These young men are looking to fill a void in themselves. Many are looking for a spiritual and an intellectual path to guide themselves through their lives. In a world where friendships and all the information of a millennium can be accessed with the stroke of a computer key or the touch of a tiny screen on a mobile device, they want a place where they can go and become a better man and at the same time build lifelong friendships, and a way to define who they are through self-reflection, education and genuine human interactions.

I know everyone didn’t grow up with a room to themselves like I did and sadly many people didn’t have a great childhood. There is no way I can change those experiences, but I feel like I can be a small part of the change for their experience in the lodge room. Just like those who grew up in a less than ideal atmosphere, many brethren leave our lodges behind because their experiences inside the lodge room weren’t as fulfilling as they had envisioned.

Many younger men aren’t finding the experience they were looking for inside our rooms. They come to us seeking education, not only about how the world works and history, but they hope to discover something within themselves which will make them better husbands, fathers and all-around better men. The experience of listening to minutes and the desperation of the treasurer and the pleas of members for help with degree work or to flip pancakes isn’t what they expected, so they leave us behind. Many of them do find that peace and knowledge within a traditional observance lodge but not every brother is lucky enough to have a lodge like that in his area. I believe this is a real shame. Not only are we missing the opportunity to ensure the future of the Craft but also we miss the opportunity to fulfill our purpose.

As we tell the world, “We make good men better.”, we have an opportunity to give these young men the quiet refuge of a safe, and contemplative space for themselves. We are also missing the opportunity to help these men walk down that level of life, giving them the good and wholesome instruction we received through our own lives--our fortunes and mistakes. A chance to share what we have learned from each other. 

I wish I could wave a magic wand and create a lodge experience I had in my mother lodge. Sadly, most of those Brethren have slipped away to the celestial lodge above. There isn’t a day that goes by that my mind doesn’t drift back to the fun I had with those guys, inside that sixty foot by forty-foot room. It was the room in which I was raised, received my Past Master’s degree and served in the oriental chair. Those memories, they always bring a smile to my face.

I know this song is not in any way related to Masonry, but while listening to the song I can’t help but find things in the lyrics which remind me of my Masonic journey.

"Now it's dark and I'm alone

But I won't be afraid

In my room

In my room"

~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.

Masonry & The Martial Arts

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

Brother David Pugh

Freemasonry and traditional Martial Arts are two of my passions and favorite subjects to practice and study. On the surface they may appear to be completely different. Freemasonry is a beautiful system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols, while the martial arts are a system of deadly self-defense techniques.  However, it is this author’s position that they are very similar in structure, philosophy, and goals for their students. The aim of this humble paper is to present their benefits and similarities to my fellow Freemasons, with the hope of inspiring new and continued interest, study, and participation in both disciplines. Please note that for the scope of this work when the term Martial Arts is used, it is referring to traditional martial art styles like Taekwondo,Shotokan Karate, or Wing Chun Kung Fu.

Let us first examine the structure of both entities. Historically both Freemasonry and the martial arts required a screening process before letting people join their ranks and obtain their “secrets”. General Hong Hi Choi the founder of Taekwondo states “A close scrutiny is made on the mental make up as well as the background of any applicant prior to his or her admission to the gymnasium.” While Freemasonry still has this practice, most modern martial arts schools especially in America will allow anyone with the financial means to join their “Dojo” and start training. Historically however, this was not the case as the martial arts were passed down within a specific family line or clan and if someone outside of that group wanted to learn they had to be “vouched for”.  

Both of these systems were also practiced in secret. "Training in karate was always conducted with the utmost secrecy in Okinawa, with no one teaching or training openly in the arts as done today.” The reason for this secrecy was a matter of life and death for both the Freemason and the Martial Artist. During the time of operative masonry, the knowledge the Freemasons possessed was their trade and subsequently, how they fed their families. If cowans and eavesdroppers were allowed to gain their secret information, they could take work away from those who were duly and truly prepared. In a very real way this was a matter of life and death for the Mason and his family. In the same way, if the martial artist’s techniques or “secrets” were revealed to a hostile person, tribe, or village, they could use that information to defeat them in combat and once again, meeting the Angel of Death becomes a real possibility.

Both disciplines have a Master and Grand Master that sets the adherents to work and gives them good and wholesome instruction for their labors. They both are a progressive science with grades or degrees and in order for a student to advance they must show suitable proficiency in the proceeding level’s material. In addition part of that material involves memorizing  physical movements in a certain order which Freemasonry calls due guards & signs, and the Martial Arts call forms, kata, or poomse.

Finally  both present their information in a exoteric and esoteric format. For example the public can see a martial artist demonstrating a form or kata that may have movements that look like dancing (exoteric) but they are really deadly fighting techniques (esoteric). The true meaning is only taught to the initiated which is the esoteric knowledge. As a martial arts instructor I still teach by this traditional formula.

Freemasonry aims  to make good men better, and it’s design is to make its votaries wiser, better, and consequently happier! Our ritual teaches us that Masonry is concerned with developing the internal qualities of Man. The martial arts also have the same goal as stated in the following quote from Master Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan Karate and often referred to as the father of modern Karate.

“Those who follow Karate-do will develop courage and fortitude. These qualities do not have to do with strong actions or with the development of strong techniques as such. Emphasis is placed on the development of the mind rather than on techniques. In a time of grave public crisis , one must have the courage, if required for the sake of justice, to face a million and one opponents.”

In addition Taekwondo has the five tenets of Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, and Indomitable Spirit, which each student is charged to inculcate.  These are very similar to the four cardinal virtues of Freemasonry which are  Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, and Justice. They do not correlate directly but there is significant overlap. For example Integrity relates to Justice, as Perseverance & Indomitable Spirit correspond with Fortitude, and Self Control with Temperance. In addition to internal development, improving one’s community is also something that both systems encourage.

As Masons we learn the following from the Volume of Sacred Law, “And now abideth faith,hope, and charity,these three: but the greatest of these is charity.” Grand Master Hong Hi Choi in his Taekwondo Master text stated the following regarding community service: “...by rendering their labour to the public work and to the poor villages during their leisure hours so that they may teach themselves the spirit of the public service and mutual help.” Both Masons and Martial Artists as they labor to subdue their passions and improve themselves in either respective systems, should also help to  transform and build their communities. For those of us who labor in both quarries we have a double responsibility to extend our cable tow in service to others. The best example of this and the harmony between  Masonry and the Martial Arts is Shotokan Karate Lodge 9752 UGLE.

In conclusion, both Masonry and the Martial Arts are progressive sciences with similar structure and goals to develop the moral character of their votaries. As the student cultivates the internal attributes of brotherly love, relief, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, justice etc., it is hoped that these will be extended to his fellow man and the community at large. It is my hope that after reading this brief comparison, my Brothers who are not martial artist may consider taking that first step and begin training in a style of their choice. For my Brothers, who travel on both paths, may this discussion increase your interest, focus, and passion to study and train harder-- to become the best Mason and Martial Artist that you can be!

References: 

Choi,Hong HI(1965) Taekwondo The Art Of Self Defence,Los Angeles California: Masters Publication

Gichin Funakoshi(1973) Karate-Do Kyohan The Master Text, New York New York: Kodansha America

Tedeschi,Marc(2003) Taekwondo The Essential Introduction, Trumbull, CT: Weatherhill Inc

Holy Bible 1st Corinthians 13:13 KJV

http://shotokanlodge.com/

Yours in Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth

Brother David Pugh SW

Plumbline Lodge#116

Subordinate to the

Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois and Its Jurisdiction

Master Instructor

Warriors Martial Arts

5th Degree Black Belt- Taekwondo (WTF)

Black Sash- Ip Man Wing Chun( under Master Sam Chan)

Certified Instructor- Jeet Kun Do Concepts (Harris International JKD Federation)  

Brother David Pugh serves as the Senior Warden of Plumbine Lodge No. 116 in Chicago,IL subordinate to the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois. He is also a member of Eureka Chapter #3, Holy Royal Arch Masons, a subordinate Chapter of the Most Excellent Prince Hall Grand Chapter, Holy Royal Arch Masons. In addition Brother Pugh is a member of the Phylaxis Society and currently serves as the appointed Director of the Commission on Bogus Masonic Practices. He can be contacted at warriorstkd@gmail.com