Bro, this piece was written 50 years ago, and I feel still revelant today
PITFALLS OF NOVICE MASONIC STUDENTS
By W.L. Dickey, M.P.S. (N. Dak.)
BEING one of the above mentioned students, I find the going quite rough with
regard to the writing of the "experts." Living as I do, 225 miles from the
nearest Masonic library, and many times that distance from the larger
libraries, it is utterly impossible to spend any time persuing the thousands
upon thousands of volumes that have been written upon Masonic matters.
To partly make up for loss of literature available to those more fortunately
located, it is necessary to amass as authentic a small library as funds will
allow. To anyone who is not blessed with worldly possessions this is quite a
problem. Books of necessity must cost money, and funds are available for
this purpose only on a very limited basis. To one so situated, everything
else must come first; books second. So by the most frugal pattern of
expenditures it takes many years to gather even a small 75 volume library.
Books are available from many Masonic libraries, of course, however this
does not always meet the requirements. In the first place we novices do not
know just which works are the best to request. So many different authors
take such a varied view of any given subject. One will say so-and-so, and
the next will say not-so. How is a novice to know which is correct? Another
disadvantage in borrowing books is the fact that they must be returned after
a reasonable time. This is as it should be, for some one else may be waiting
for the return of the very volume you have. One can not memorize the volume
borrowed, line by line, page by page nor chapter by chapter. A few notes can
be made, and that is the only thing one can refer to after the book has been
returned to the library. This is most unsatisfactory because the notes can
not give the author's complete coverage of any one subject. Then on gets
another volume and comes to an article on the subject in question. They do
not agree. One can not refer back to the first volume because he has had to
return it a long time ago.
Gould says one thing, Mackey another. Then along comes Knoop, Jones,
Denslow, Bede, Pike, Cerza, Haywood, Claudy, and hundreds of others too
numerous to mention. While they agree in the main on the most important
parts, yet there is a vast amount of disagreement on details.
As an example: Along comes a volume which goes into great details, with
pictures of small figurines, in characteristic poses, found
hither-thither-and-yon and proves, to this author's satisfaction, at least,
that Masonry originated in his country even many centuries prior to the
formation of the Mother Grand Lodge. Then comes a picture of some stones
found somewhere that had been placed there hundreds of years ago, in certain
positions, to prove that the Druids were the original Masons.
We see a picture of Lincoln dressed in Masonic regalia to "prove" that this
great man was a Mason, when no such record has been uncovered to date. (Of
course Lincoln was a Mason at heart! ) Any picture can be easily and simply
faked. We novices ask, "Was this done?"
Then we come across a Mason who expounds at length on his particular hobby,
and to "prove" his point he says: "I read it in a book!" The longer and
louder he expounds the less and less we novices take his ideas to heart. We
pass it off with: Just another pitfall.
Not long ago we read an article, complete with pictures of ancient paintings
or drawings, showing a workman wearing an apron "With the top turned up."
The supposition appeared to be that this proved the wearer to be a Mason.
Foolish? Of course, but to some of we novices things like that cause
wonderment.
Literally hundreds of examples like this could be mentioned, covering this
same line of thought, but this will suffice to make the point clear.
That point is: How much credence can the novice put in all this? He can not
afford to purchase a fine Masonic library of his own where he can digest the
writings during his leisure hours. One can not keep volumes borrowed from
one of the many wonderful libraries for very long, so when he reads one
statement, he has no method of checking one author against another. No
wonder we novices are confused, to say the least. Then we assist in the
conferring of degree work in the York and Scottish Rites. Their symbolisms
do not agree in many instances. How is the novice to decide which is
correct?
Many years ago when I saw the Great Lights for the first time in my life, I
thought it to be the most beautiful sight I ever beheld. To make that
evening more fully complete, the Master approached me and presented my
apron. He ordered me to carry it to the Senior Warden, who taught me to wear
it with top turned up. At the close of the evening, my thoughts were that
nothing, absolutely nothing, in this world could be more thought provoking,
nor beautiful, than that which I had just witnessed. Throughout the many
years since that first appearance in a Masonic Lodge, the vision has stayed
with me in my inner eye. Of course the impact of what I had seen and heard
was to be more fully explained to me as time slowly slipped along. Since
that night I have slowly trod the Master's Carpet, through the York and
Scottish Rites.
Masonry has played a tremendously important part in my life. I slowly
received "more light" in our beloved Brotherhood, I began to wonder about a
few things. Thus began my novice career as a student, and I am still in that
class.
Especially did the presence of the Holy Bible upon the altar in degree after
degree impress me more fully in those days now long past. I could not help
but wonder just how there could be such a wide divergence of opinions on
religious matters when it seemed that the same Holy Bible was the fountain
head of all the various beliefs. This was my first introduction to the
problem as outlined in the fore part of this paper. How it seemed to me,
could there possibly be such a vast difference in opinions upon matters
pertaining to the Bible? Now comes the question of why there is such a
difference in the opinions of the learned students of Masonry ?
I also wondered just why there was a difference in the political
affiliations of my Brothers.
But, Eureka, human nature is human nature!
Long ago I quit worrying about all these things. I interpret the Holy Bible
as God has given me ability to do so. The same is true with Masonry.
Disregarding the minor differences of opinions among the divinity and
Masonic experts, I ask myself this question: "What can religion and Masonry
do for me"?
So I go merrily along my pathway as a novice student, doing the best I can
to interweave the Bible and Masonry into my daily life.
A poet of so long ago, whose name has faded from my memory, aptly said:
Give me the Great White Way,
Or the gray pathway to the sea,
The winds way, and the waves way,
And the heart ache still in me.
.
__,_._,___
