Masonry and the teacher

Title

Creator

Tolentino, Gerardo

Language

English

Year

1964

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

Masonry And The Teacher By GERARDO TOLENTINO MW SIXTO LOPEZ (Batulao) Lodge 129 Balayan, Batangas We, as Masons, indulge in different businesses and professions. We have among us merchants, busi nessmen, engineers, lawyers, teachers, c lerks and many others. As a teach er, therefore, I will talk on the rela tion between a Mason and a Teacher. Will a Mason make a good teacher? And will a teacher make a good Ma son? To both questions, inv ans wer is, "Yes.'’ What do I mean by a good teach er? I will picture to you one whom 1 believe is a good teacher. A person armed with book learning—nothing more—is a mere automaton, in the words of Past Cirand Master Ccnon Cervantes. Should he use that meager knowledge to corrupt his fellowmen, he poses a real menace to any com munity. Book learning, therefore, is not enough to make a man a good teacher. On the other hand, factual knowledge is nothing more than an aggregate collection of facts from different authors. It is often dis jointed, loosely integrated and nar tow in horizon. Life to be success fully lived out must be a continuous and upward climb to a higher and more inviolate sell. Likewise, there fore, possession of mere factual knowl edge will not make one a good teach er. What things then are necessary to make a man a good teacher il book learning alone or tactual knowl edge alone are not enough to make him one? To be a good teacher, a man must possess wisdom lot wisdom is all prevailing and includes all the great qualities of understanding, kindness, compassion, mercy, honesty, and other eternal virtues. It is the quintessence of human goodness which when channeled into creative energy finds its expressions in fine deeds. He must possess and practice charity lot charity is the love of God and tlie love of men. Love entails self-abnegation, mutual trust and loftiness of purpose. It seeks to give rather than to gel. One of the beautiful paradoxes of life is that the more I.ovc gives, the more it gets. He must have faith. Faith in its truest and best sense is the belief in the eternal value of life, especially in tile lace of overwhelming odds. There are several kinds of faith. Faith in one’s beliefs, faith in man. and faith in God. Most mortals have experienced these various laiths in.almost every realm of human en deavor. The soul would indeed be dead if il did not have a semblance of faith to ding to. He should have faith, otherwise, he would be as dial! before the wind, insecure and chart lie should have moderation, Im moderation is the absence of excess and the observance of reasonable limits. Excess even of a virtue pro duces the ill effects of a vice. For instance, religion in proportionate measures, is commendable, but catTurn to pogo 420 June 1964 411 TEODORO M. KALAW. . . (From pogo 404) pioneered in advocating in Asia the modern Libertarian Movement un der the slogan of “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity,” Teodoro M. Kalaw adopted the international movement lor the Brotherhood of Man, irres pective of race or creed, under the Fatherhood of God, and was its scholarly interpreter. When the story of Filipino-American relation is fully evaluated, the role of Kalaw as an international statesman will be invoked to prove the validity ol the Brotherhood of Man in settling inter racial relations today. With the power to destroy all of mankind now in the hands of man, i expectable authors and writers earnestly insist that Brotherly Love which is the spiritual basis of De mocracy, has become a necessity in today's world, if mankind is to sur vive. It is also gratifying to note i hat thc implementation of the Brotherhood of Man as a way of life has recently been the concern of the ihrec main divisions of Christendom under the leadership of the late Pope John the XXIII, followed today by Pope Paul VI. When the principle of the Brotherhood of Man under i he Fatherhood of God is actually implemented among the free and equal nations of the earth, irrespec tive of race or creed, Teodoro M. Kalaw will be regarded and honored as its principal crusader and inter preter in 20th century Asia, and not only in the land of his birth. The Teodoro M. Kalaw Society is deeply grateful to the officials of the CSity of Manila for their vision and wisdom in helping to perpetuate the memory of not only a great na tion builder, but also one who did much that the world may be one. MASONRY AND THE. . . (From pogo 411) ried to extremes, becomes bigotry or even persecution. Thus there is set a demarcation line beyond which any good carried to an extreme excess creates the harmful effects of an evil. Because of the proper lack ol moderation, brilliant men who have burnt candles at both ends, have died before their fullest potentialities have been developed. He must possess fortitude. Webs ter defines fortitude as that strength or firmness of mind which enables a person to encounter danger with coolness and courage, or to beat pain or adversity without murmur ing, depression or despondency. Danger comes to everyone-prince or pauper—just or unjust, but it is only a select few who respond to il as warriors thrilling to a challenge, with all the senses and intellect hone to conquer or triumph. Facing any danger with coolness is a battle hall won. And it is only men with for titude that are capable of keeping cool in the face of dangers or death. You have now the picture of a man whom I believe will make a good teacher. He has wisdom. He pos sesses charity, faith, moderation and fortitude. Happily and luckily, my brethren, Masons are termed and im bued with all these traits. These are some of the teachings of Masonry and all good Masons possess these traits. These arc virtues which good Masons preach and practice. My conclusion, therefore, is — if these traits will make a man a good teacher and these traits are posses sions of good Masons, a good Ma son then will make a good teacher and vice versa, a good teacher will make a good Mason. 420 The Cabletow

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