FREEDOM AND FRATERNITY

I was going to start out by cracking a joke or quote a funny aphorism or maybe even tell a hilarious story until I realized that it is only three days before the fifth anniversary of that terrible event – 911; then all of the fun and the smiles and the jokes seemed meaningless, out of place and just inappropriate. I was jolted back by the violent reality that our cherished liberty, personal freedoms and way of life was attacked and threatened on that clear, innocent, and bright sunny September morning in 2001.

 Fifty-six years ago, on September 11th 1950; America was worried about the “Dick Tracy” Television show when it sparked a public uproar concerning violence – hardly seems important today. So I would like to focus on Freemasonry and how we as a Fraternity and as a Masonic Family united in purpose and belief contribute to the freedoms that are enjoyed by all in this Country.

Believe it or not, the month of September is very important to all Americans, especially the day of September 17th; it has a more profound influence on our lives than the fourth of July. “WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” The Constitution – our Constitution – together with its first ten amendments known as “The Bill of Rights” was signed on September 17, 1787. Twelve of the thirty-nine original signers were Masons and the oldest delegate was eighty-one year old brother Benjamin Franklin.
 

Within the Masonic Family the beliefs and actions of our many organizations and social orders and youth groups set the standard. We display our philosophy – our attitudes – our way of life and the importance these ideals play in what our Country, our Communities and our Families so desperately desire and so urgently need today – direction.

In narrowing down “Our” contribution to Freedom, I find the “Free” in Freemasonry symbolically represents freedom; freedom of choice pure and simple. There are three basic freedoms that come to mind: Freedom of intellect through thought and speech, freedom of religion through individual beliefs and worship and freedom of expression through creativity and hard work all of which cannot exist without individual responsibility and personal sacrifice. We demonstrate this responsibility in the commitments we make, in the obligations we pledge and in the oaths we take. We sacrifice personally by standing up, believing in and committing to a moral and just path. Our obligation of giving and sharing with all people demonstrates our willingness to sacrifice to help others. Many citizens have voluntarily given the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms.

When asked what is the essence of our America? Marilyn Vos Savant said, the essence of our America is “Finding and maintaining that perfect, delicate balance between freedom “to” and freedom “from”.”

The very essence of our Fraternity is “finding and maintaining that perfect, delicate balance” or equilibrium – that point within the circle – so perpetual in the truths set forth by our Forefathers. By balancing on that level plane between tolerance and intolerance, justice and injustice, honor and dishonor we follow a path from darkness to light, from ignorance to knowledge and from bondage to Freedom.

In 1909 in Heidelberg Germany, Otto Caspari, in his book “Freemasonry – Its Meaning and Significance”; wrote: “Why do we call ourselves Freemasons? Because as free men we are engaged in the construction of the temple of spiritual freedom. We wish to show by our deeds, that we are free men, not only amongst ourselves, but also in the family, in the State, and in Society. To us Freemasons the use of our freedom seems so much a matter of course that we hardly give it a thought, and only too often forget that one of the most important and difficult problems presents itself in that little word “free”, and in the intellectual freedom to which we Freemasons lay special claim.”

“We” contribute to the voice of freedom by believing in the freedom of intellect through thought and speech all the while maintaining civility among our craft, courtesy among our neighbors and tolerance toward to all people.
Along with many other important quotations, this sentence is inscribed on the Cox Corridor II, a House of Representatives corridor on the first floor of the United States Capitol: “Without Freedom of Thought, there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such Thing as publick Liberty, without Freedom of Speech.” This quote was written by Benjamin Franklin on July 9th 1722.

Adlai Stevenson wrote: “The first principle of a free society is an untrammeled flow of words in an open forum”. As Masons we meet upon the square and by that action we treat each other with dignity and respect, freely offering our opinions and respectively agreeing to disagree when an impasse is evident and a solution is not forthcoming.
Mark Twain in 1897 wrote; “It is by the goodness of God that in our Country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practice either of them.”
 

And it was writer P. J. O’Rourke who said, “There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences.” 

Yes, we all have the duty and responsibility to answer for our personal actions.
 “We” contribute to the spirit of freedom by believing in freedom of religion for all people. By exercising tolerance for the beliefs of others and their free exercise of that belief we insure our own religious freedom. By believing in the separation of religious institutions and government entities we prevent predominance in any one belief from controlling the individual freedoms of the many.
James Madison exemplified this belief when he said, “Religion, or the duty which we owe our Creator, and the manner of discharging it can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force and violence; and therefore all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience.”
The free exercise of religion according to ones conscience as well as forgiving our enemies has been a part of our religious heritage from the early beginning of this Country. Take this Minister’s question as an example:
 
Toward the end of the Sunday service, the Minister asked, “How many of you have forgiven your enemies?”
80% of the congregation held up their hands.
 The Minister then repeated his question. All responded this time, except one small elderly lady sitting in the last pew.
“Mrs. Jones? Are you not willing to forgive your enemies?”
“I don’t have any enemies,” she replied, smiling sweetly.
“Mrs. Jones, that is very unusual. How old are you?”
“Ninety-eight,” she replied.
“Oh, Mrs. Jones, would you please come down in front and tell us all how a person can live ninety-eight years and not have an enemy in the world?”
The little sweetheart of a lady tottered down the aisle, faced the congregation, and said:
“I outlived the witches.”
Sometimes ones actions do not involve turning the other cheek but rather having the fortitude to outlive your enemies.“We” contribute to the light of freedom by believing in the freedom of expression through creativity, good old Yankee ingenuity and just plain hard work. A Country of immigrants forming a Country united in a common belief – Freedom, one nation under God, indivisible. A Fraternity of Men forming a Fraternity of Masons united in a common belief – Freedom, one Fraternity under God, indivisible.
Henry C. Clausen, Sovereign Grand Commander from 1969 – 1985, of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Southern Jurisdiction, wrote, “Under God and Freedom, immigrants became Americans, and built for themselves and mankind such a heritage as the world had never before seen.”
For those of you, who are Scottish Rite Masons, you have come to understand the importance of what was portrayed in one section of the thirty-second degree that the feeble, the submissive and the cowardly bring forth slavery and a degrading bondage through the surrender of thinking for oneself. The enemies of human freedom and the ruin of republics are caused by pretentious demagogues who replace the true leaders through complacency of the people. We must be ever vigilant to incite men to be self-reliant and independent in order to maintain this Light, Liberty and freedom of religion that we all enjoy.
We as Masons – as a Fraternity – as a Masonic Family have built for ourselves and offer to mankind a fraternal heritage of freedom and tolerance visible for the entire world to see. Once viewed and understood will no doubt be admired and accepted for the truth that it is.
A few lyrics by Kris Kristofferson:
“FREEDOM’S JUST ANOTHER WORD FOR
NOTHIN’ LEFT TO LOSE
NOTHIN’, AIN’T WORTH NOTHING BUT IT’S FREE”
If we have nothing left to loose then we have lost our freedom to be free. What is your freedom worth to you?
  When you reflect upon the anniversary of the evil actions of others the next few days, remember “Our” contribution and “Our” choices; freedom of intellect, freedom of religion and freedom of expression. These freedoms are taken for granted by so many individuals in this Country who have forgotten that what it takes to stay free is the personal responsibility and individual sacrifice that we all must make.
 I leave you with one parting thought by P. J. O’Rourke:
“America wasn’t founded so that we could all be better. America was founded so we could all be anything we damned well pleased.”  Thank God we still have a choice!

“America wasn’t founded so that we could all be better. America was founded so we could all be anything we damned well pleased.”  Thank God we still have a choice!

Thank you and enjoy the rest of your evening.
Frank C. Baker, Worshipful Grand Orator – © 08 Sep 2006