The Level

Masons are egalitarian.
1. asserting, resulting from, or characterized by belief in the equality of all people, esp. in political, economic, or social life.
2. a person who adheres to egalitarian beliefs
(except when it come to titles)

At the end of every meeting (in my Lodge) the Master asks the Senior Warden, "How should Masons meet?" The Warden responds, "on the level"

Over at a Beacon of Masonic Light I read this entry today:

In our ritual, we talk about how as masons we meet and act upon the level, honestly, openly, and in a most friendly manner. This lodge takes that symbolically one step further, and the symbolism of that step struck me as somehow right.

On closing, the master asks the Senior Warden how masons should meet. In South Carolina, the Senior steps down TO the level before answering. Same for the Junior Warden, and lastly, the master, so along with the rest of this ritual, they all three, end up standing upon the level. Then, to carry the symbolism further, when the master asks the brethren to act together, everyone else steps down onto the level, out from the chairs before complying.

These simple gestures reinforce the words of the ritual, by example. We all meet and act upon the level, in word, and, in deed.

I love the symbolism of the level which that story demonstrates. It seems as if in our world people are always concerned with prestige and power. In the country where Masonry began there is a great deal of deference to "royal" blood. Almost as if the Queen and her family were different from the rest of us. Better. That is a mythology which they have perpetrated on their people and because of it they are deferred to and treated as if they were someone to be worshiped.

In America it seems to be the prestige of politics and money that sets people apart. Or "Hollywood celebrity" - I have never felt that way about celebrity or politician, royalty or any other such person. I have been on the receiving end of snubs from some of those folks but by in large I just shrug it off and go on my way. After all they have to get up and put their pants on one leg at a time just like the rest of us.

I think I got my training in this from my mother and my grandmother. Neither one of them worshiped person in other people. Neither one of them "knew a stranger" and both of them loved people and would often carry on conversations with complete strangers. Egalitarian.

In the Masonic fraternity the Master and the Wardens are elevated for "a time " above their fellows. The Junior Warden by one step, the Senior by two and the Master by three. When their term as Master is over they return to the level of the craft.

I once wrote a Past Master's ceremony for the end of a term as Master. It celebrated the Master's accomplishments but the main part of the ceremony was for the Master to descend the three steps to sit on a level with the craft. He vowed to support the current Master and assist him in every way he could. I use the scripture "God is no respecter of persons" as the theme. I believe that. God accepts all people, not for their "station," but for their love and goodness.

In Masonry we do not make use of titles such as "Doctor," "Judge" or "Reverend" (Well, OK I know of a couple of guys who do but I always felt that it was probably due to some lack of self-esteem in themselves that led them to insist on that.) Not that we don't use titles, we do but the titles we use are titles of office and for most of us we relegate them to the place from whence they came when we are out of office. Yes, a Past Grand Master is always going to be a Most Worshipful (in Iowa) but most of the ones I know value the "Brother" part of their title more than they do the honorarium that goes with past service.

The officer in a Masonic Body is not really there to be worshiped and deferred to but rather to lead and to serve. That service is what makes him worthy of the title. A good Master does not think of himself as "above" the others but rather "on the level" with them.

A Mason may be a doctor, a coach, a banker or a lawyer and yet he is equal and on the level with his brothers. In Masonry he is no better or worse than all of the other fellows he meets in the Lodge. The symbolism of the Level teaches us that important lesson. In fact we have many in our Lodge who could use the title "Dr." because they have college degrees. None of them do and I know that the professor and the mechanic meet on the level in Arcadia Lodge. They see mutual value in each other as Brother Masons.

In the working tool lecture it says that we are "traveling along that level of time to that undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns." That country is death and when we reach that place we all want for Great Architect to welcome us "on the level" with those welcome words. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

I still love Brother Bonney's term for us "a society of obligated men." To me one of those obligations is to meet my brother "on the level," to know him and care for him and his family because he is my Brother and I value him as such. And then to have fun being with him and my other Brothers.

My friend Jerry Marsengill (I do like to drop his name. Guess I do put some people on pedestals after all.) used to quote this poem. He too, was an egalitarian.

Sometimes when you are feeling important,
Sometimes when your ego is in bloom,
Sometimes when you take it for granted,
That you're the best qualified person in the room,
Sometimes when you feel your going
Would leave an unfillable hole.
Just follow this simple instruction, and see how it humbles your soul.
Put your hands in a bucket of water
Immerse them up to your wrist,
Pull them out and the hole that remains,
Is a measure of how you'll be missed.
You may splash all you please when you enter,
You may stir up the water galore,
But stop --- and you'll find in a minute,
That it looks just the same as before.
The moral of this is quite simple,
Just always do the best you can,
Be proud of yourself --- but rmember,
There is no indispensable man!

Author Unknown

ARTYAL - Hugs, j