Freemasonry and Attitudes by
Sir Knight Jeffrey Kuntz
reemasonry is a wonderful thing. I once heard a widely respected Methodist minister, Reverend and Brother Derwood A. Strunk, Jr., give a speech at a Masonic event open to the public. He held up his hand bearing his Masonic ring and basically told those in attendance that the ring represented something just as sacred to him as his church. That seemed to me to be about the most profound statement that I had ever heard in the interest of Freemasonry. Quite honestly, if I may say it, I feel the same way about my Masonic membership. We live in a time when both the church and Freemasonry are needed perhaps more than ever, yet, both of these grand institutions are suffering from waning attendance and other laxities of our modern society. What I find just as troubling is what appears to be the dwindling status of the teachings and philosophy within the membership of our great fraternity. Thankfully, there are those among us who are genuinely devoted to Freemasonry, including some of the younger generation who have joined in more recent years. Our hearts must go out to them to show our appreciation and to encourage them to stay devotedly focused on the work and remain active. On the other hand, unfortunately, there are too often a few who join mainly for whatever personal gain they might expect and those who possess but a mere inkling of the real meaning and purpose of Freemasonry.
F
knight templar
There seems to me to be a great need for some kind of reform and edification within our noble order. The true purpose and meaning are, at times at least, all but lost. The fellowship is very nice, but the fraternity sometimes appears to be almost reduced to a mere social organization. Freemasonry is much more than that. We need to first keep in mind that this brotherhood of ours is largely founded on Judeo-Christian principles and religious philosophy. These things are also the basis for our love of freedom and humanity as Americans, as are some of the most important documents created by our Founding Fathers, such as the Declaration of Independence. In certain biblical passages, such as in the New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles, it tells how the Christians acted and prayed “with one accord.” Freemasons are supposed to always be with one accord. There are occasions when this is sadly not the case. As written in certain degree manuals and other rituals such as installation ceremonies, all Masons are coequal. Upon close observation of the interaction among members, both within and outside the fraternal bodies, this sadly but clearly is not always the reality. As in many organizations, cliques are formed. As the apostle Paul wrote in his First Letter to the Corinthians: “For there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.” (12:25, KJV) 21
