How to listen

Media

Part of The Cabletow

Title
How to listen
Language
English
Source
The Cabletow XXXIII (7) January 1958
Year
1958
Rights
In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Fulltext
who have passed to the Grand Lodge above, and bow before the Sovereign Grand Architect of the Universe. —H. L. Haywood HOW TO LISTEN Leon Godown, Editor The Orphans* Friend and Masonic Journal Occasionally we find ourself seated next to a brother in a lodge meeting who insists upon supplying us with unsolicited information. He seems only too glad to dish it out free of charge. We hear him say such things as "Where I come from, they say so-andso*' or "In my lodge the master does this or that," until we inwardly express the wish that our brother were back in his home lodge, where they do things to suit him. It was quite obvious that, in addition to the fact that he was getting little or nothing out of the work going on, he was making it reasonably sure those seated near him would find it almost impossible to gain anything of value from the lessons being presented at the moment. This brother's attitude brought to mind the story of the man, who, when approached by an angel, complained that this was a terrible world in which we live, and the angel's reply was, "Go, thou, and make it a better world; that’s what God put thee here to do." Did you ever stop to think why it is that Masons—real ones— can stand the constant repetition of the lectures? Many a man who knows them all by heart hears them again and again, and still de­ rives pleasure and profit from them. How is that possible? It is because he listens with his brain as well as with his ears. He is listening with an open mind for a message—rather than watching a pageant with mouth wide open, ready to find fault. He follows the words of ritual more or less automatically, because he knows them so well. But, he suddenly catches some emphasis or expression; some new thought is reflected in the message as delivered by a new voice, and the entire degree takes the shape of a newer and fresher rela­ tionship to him and to his life. So, my brethren, when you are present at the conferring of the degrees of Freemasonry, be sure to listen with more than your ears; listen with your mind and heart. By so doing, you will never depart from a meeting without being a little better man than you were before it was called to order. January, 1958 285
pages
265