The trowel

Media

Part of The Cabletow

Title
The trowel
Language
English
Source
The Cabletow III (3) January 1961
Year
1961
Subject
Freemasonry
Rights
In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Fulltext
THE TROWEL Freemasonry is a crusade for a better world. Each individual Mason has a mission to propagate brotherly love among men under an atmosphere of mu­ tual understanding and goodwill. Operative masons use trowels to spread the cement or mortar which unites the bricks or stones of a build­ ing into a common mass. The trowel is the instrument which is used to distribute the bonding material in the proper proportions between the separate building units of a structure. Spec illative Masons are taught to re­ gard the trowel as the principal tool of a Master Workman. Its symbolical use is to spread the cement of broth­ erly love and affection; and it is no mere coincidence that the principal working tool of a Master Mason is linked to the central purpose which freemasonry has always proclaimed. Obviously, freemasons should be concerned with a figurative trowel, a symbol, which represents a certain kind of behavior, a mode of conduct, which every Master Mason is charged to practice. In the transfer of ideas involved in such a metaphor, it is (lear that the individual Brother is being exhorted to become a trowel which distributes in proper propor­ tion the bonding materials of broth­ erly love and affection. He is to be a force which helps to unite the divid­ ed human units of society into a har­ monious structure of civilization. The founders of Speculative Frccmansonry bequeathed to their follow­ ers a book of moral charges. The "Ancient Constitutions" mean little if they are not interpreted as such, with he underlying idea being the ancient virtue of humanitas, the ability to express humane feelings,— kindness, gentleness, helpfulness, —by means of a benevolently disci­ plined character which has achieved good breeding and culture, and which displays them through brotherly love. The principal object of Freema­ sonry has always been to perfect the individual and to guide mankind to­ ward a better, more harmonious dev­ elopment. The individual Mason is a Builder on the Temple of Human Brotherhood: he is both the trowel and the cement which combine the units of society into a cohesive whole. Fhe brotherly love lie extends to others is the trowel; the appreciation and affection lie tirouses are the ce­ ment which helps to bind men clos­ er to each other. Clear as this central purpose seems to be in the ritual of Freemasonry, as well as in the teachings of Masonic thinkers in every generation, one is often led to wonder how many Ma­ sons have retillv understood this fun­ damental idea of Masonic humanitas. How many Brothers consciously use the trowel of brotherly love to spread the cement of appreciation and un­ derstanding? Masonic brotherly love is not a mere sentimentality, which one puts 83 on like an apron when one goes io lodge. The trowel of brotherly love cannot be restricted to applying the mortar of good will when one is deal­ ing with a Brother Mason. Brother­ ly love is a inode of conduct to which a Builder trains his emotions and feelings, for which he learns to sub­ due his passions, so that his trowel may spread the mortar of harmony among all men with whom he labors, not only Brother Masons. Masonic brotherly love is nor mere­ ly a breezy, cheerful "glad hand”, which manifests itself in a bubbling demonstrativeness with old and new acquaintances, but rarely has time to look or listen for the sounds ol spiri­ tual distress or human need in the hearts and voices of those atound us. Masonic brotherly love is not generally exemplified by the overpowcringly garrulous salesman who 'wants to do you a favor”. The mortar of brotherly love needs a stronger bonding ingredient than that; the trowel must distribute the cement in better proportions. Masonic brotherly love is not mere courtesy, either. To listen politely, to answer respectfully, to avoid giv­ ing pain may be some ol the marks of a gentleman; but they are not al­ ways the purposeful acts of a Builder who is consciously using the trowel of brotherly love and affection. Mere­ ly to acknowledge others, but not to respond to them, is using a thin wateriy mortar which will never bond the ashlars together properly. To loveothers is to accept them, their pre­ judices as well as their amiable vir­ tues, and to work with what thev have and really are. To reject them, no matter how courteously, is still a rejection, an ingredient which no good Builders puts into the mortar he mixes for the Temple of Brother­ ly Love. Yet, if these negative descriptions represented the chief misunderstand­ ings of the true nature of Freema­ sonry’s great purpose, to spread the cement of brotherly love and affec­ tion, they would merit little attention The great problem of the builder is that of indifference. The number of trowels that arc lying idle is stag­ gering. How often we hear people say, "Oh, I’d like to do something con­ structive, something fine. But I’m tied up in so many things. I’m called on for help, I’m on the go. so much I just don’t have time to think any­ more." Masons are people, and many a Mason has given a similar 1 espouse: "I just don’t have time to think about Masonry.” And so another trowel lies uselessly in the tool chest, while the Grand Architect cries for Master Workmen to mount the scaf­ folding of the Temple of Universal Brotherhood. The ingredients for the mortar are still packed in the storeroom; there aren’t enough Builders to mix the cement and carry it away. This is one of the widest held and most dangerous errors of our time, that a man is too busy to do some­ thing in accordance with his ideals, to be of help to others. As a matter of fact, the busier a man is, the more numerous are his opportunities to use the trowel of brotherly Jove and affection. Furthermore, in a willing­ ness to spread the cement of love and understanding lies the surest gua­ rantee of real inner peace and life­ 84 THE CABLE TOW January, 1961 long satisfaction. One doesn’t have io accomplish big things, or even to 'neglect one’s duties, to achieve those spiritual rewards. It is just such activity, the appli­ cation of the trowel of brotherly love, which Albert Schweitzer calls ’’the second lesson ol life”. It stim­ ulates noble and ennobling respons­ es; it awakens dormant and forgot­ ten powers. Unused human capabililites are given meaningful expression; and what this world needs most to­ day are people who concern them­ selves with the spiritual needs of others. Every man, believes Dr. Schweitzer, <an enrich and develop his personal­ ity, no matter how busy he may be, by seizing every opportunity to re­ lease the spiritual power of love which he possesses. How? By com­ pleting "the second lesson of life”, which to Masons means the faithful and proficient use of the trowel of brotherly love and affection. In a personal anecdote, the great philosopher illustrates what he means. "1 once sat next to a lively young man in a third class railroad com­ partment. He gave the impression that he was always aware of something not visible to the rest of us in the conditions around him. Opposite him sat a very nervous old man who seemed to be terribly worried. When the young man remarked that it would be dark before the train reach­ ed the next town, the old man be­ gan to cptiver and exclaimed fear­ fully, ’I don’t know what I’m going to do. Mv only son is in the hospital there. lie’s awfully sick. I got a telegram this morning to come as soon as possible. But I’m from the country; I’m afraid I’ll get lost in the big citv.- Whereupon the young man said reassuringly, ‘I know the town well. 1’11 get off with you and take you to your to your son. I’ll catch a later train.’ And as they got off the train, they walked along the platform like brothers.” Most of us go through life with our eyes closed to many of the op­ portunities which we have for work­ ing on the Temple of Universal Brotherhood. Struck by the dazzling strut tin e as designed upon the trestle­ board, we are blind to the little tasks which lie close at hand. We fail to grasp our trowels to spread the mort­ ar of understanding and good will in the situation right before us. And in this indifference may lie one of the greatest causes of the ill­ nesses which are troubling the Fra­ ternity today. In a simpler age, when Brothers really knew each other and lived with each other’s needs and tri­ umphs and tribulations, Masonic c harity and benevolence were the con­ cent of almost every Builder. He knew how to use the (towel of bro­ thel ly love and understanding. But with the tremendous growth in our membership and in the rootlessness of so much of our popula­ tion today, our Masonic benevolence has become institutionalized and consequently mote impersonal. Many a Brothei has seen a dazzling picture of his Masonic Home or Hospital: but it was just a vivid picture. It of brotherly love and affection. "The trowel is an instrument made use of . . .", but until it is actually employed, it is useless. It the greatest need of our time is for men who un­ derstand friendship, morality, and brotherly love. ... if the greatest danger to modern man is the loss of 85 individuality because of the demands for conformity and obedience to dog­ ma, Freemasons should be especially suited to fill the need and to over­ came the danger. But the trowel of every Master Mason must go to work each day! Just as operative masons use spe­ cial tools lor particular situations, so Speculative Masons must learn to use specialized trowels for spreading the cement of brotherly love and af­ fection. Operative craftsmen use cor­ ner trowels, curbing trowels, gutter­ ing trowels, brick trowels, pointing trowels, — each one shaped and fa­ shioned for a particular operation. Speculative Master Masons must learn to use the specialized trowels of appreciation, admiration, com­ pliment, and congratulation to spread lhe mortar of mutual esteem which harmonious community life requires. Speculative Master Masons must learn to use the specialized trowel of for­ bearance and conciliation to spread lhe cement of mutual respect and confidence without which democracy cannot function. Speculative Master Masons must learn to use the spe­ cialized trowel of reverence for truth and for the dignity of every indivi­ dual. No matter how disagreeable either may be. to infuse into public life the essential ingredients of per­ sonal freedom. Speculative Master Masons must learn to use the specialized trowel of kindness and gentleness, of compas­ sion and service to all men, if they would spread the cement of genuine love and understanding. This must be the great objective of Masonic education, if Builders are to learn how to use their tools properly, especially the trowel. This must be the fundamental program of Free­ masonry, if it is to remain true to the central purpose of its ancient charges and landmarks. Just as an operative workman learns to use each trowel for a par­ ticular need or situation, so every Master Mason needs to learn the uses of the spiritual trowels which symbolize the power of brotherly love and friendship. There is need in every lodge for more Masonic in­ struction than that contained in the ritual. Every Builder should be helped to that realization, so beautifully des­ cribed by Joseph Fort Newton, which tomes to proficient Craftsmen who have learned to use the trowel: “When is a man a Mason? When he knows how to sympathize with men in their sorrows, yea even in their sins — knotting that each man fights a hard battle against many odds. . When no voice of distress reaches his cars in vain, and no hand seeks his aid without response. When he finds good in every faith that helps any man to lay hold of divine things and sees majestic meanings in life, whatever the faith may be. . . . When he knows that down in his heart every man is as noble, as vile, as divine, as diabolic, and as lonely as himself, and seeks to know, to for­ give, and to love his fellow man.” AAA THE CABLE TOW January,1961
pages
83-86