By BROTHER MEDARDO BENJAMIN APACIBLE, PM, PDDGM
I have been a Master Mason for over 28 years and still crave for more Masonic knowledge. It seems that the study of Masonry is a never ending undertaking
To this date I still search for the true and universally accepted meaning among Masons of ”MASONIC COMMUNICATION or MASONIC INTERCOURSE”.
It is said that the Grand Master possesses awesome powers and is limited only by the Ancient Landmarks, the Constitution & By-Laws, the customs, traditions, and practices. He can declare a congregation of Masons belonging to different Grand Lodges not recognized by the other, fellowship or otherwise, as violation of Masonic Communication.
Our Masonic Law Book does not clearly define what is Masonic Communication or Masonic Intercourse. However, it is also said that prudence dictates that it is up to individual’s perception whether a gathering is a Masonic Communication. Again, the Grand Master can declare whether such is a Masonic Communication.
Some also say that public installation of officers, Job's Daughter, DeMolay are part of Masonic Communications. But if it were such, the more non-masons must not be invited or allowed inside a public installation. Then why should it be called a Public Installation if it is not open to everybody, masons and non-masons alike?
And finally some say it is a violation of our obligation, constitution, etc… to have Masonic Communication or Masonic Intercourse with non-recognized or clandestine Masons.
This reminds us of the article of the late WB Theron Dunn “ON MASONIC REGULARITY” particularly in the paragraph on Masonic Communication. Said he:
“Masonic Communication, or as it is alternately called, Masonic Intercourse, involves any type of communication involving sharing the secrets of masonry. Primarily, that is sitting in a tyled lodge session, which is any type of Masonic meeting where the general public is NOT allowed, or where the qualification for attendance is being a Mason”.
1
And in support to this portion of his article is the meaning of COMMUNICATION as found in the on line Masonic Dictionary.
http://www.masonicd ictionary. com/contact. html
Communication, Masonic
The term communication with respect to Freemasonry is often misunderstood. Communication in this sense means a lodge meeting. Therefore the injunction that a Mason is not to hold Masonic Communication with a clandestine mason simply means you are prohibited from sitting in the same lodge room. (See following definitions for support)
- Source: MasonicDictionary.com
COMMUNICATION
There is some dispute as to the origin of this word but usually it is held to have come from communis, a Latin term for general, or universal, whence our common, common wealth, communion, communism, communal and many similar words. To communicate is to share something with others so that all may partake of it; a communication is an act, transaction, or deliberation shared in by all present. From this it will be seen how appropriate is our use of the word to designate those official Lodge meetings in which all members have a part or a voice.
- Source: 100 Words in Masonry
COMMUNICATION
The meeting of a Lodge is so called. There is a peculiar significance in this term. To communicate, which, in the Old English form, was to common, originally meant to share in common with others. The great sacrament of the Christian Church, which denotes a participation in the mysteries of the religion and a fellowship in the church, is called a communion, which is fundamentally the same as a communication, for he who partakes of the communion is said to communicate. Hence the meetings of Masonic Lodges are called communications, to signify that it is not simply the ordinary meeting of a society for the transaction of business, but that such meeting is the fellowship of men engaged in a common pursuit, and governed by a common principle, and that there is therein a communication or participation of those feelings and sentiments that constitute a true brotherhood.
2
The communications of Lodges are regular or stated and special or emergent. Regular communications are held under the provision of the by-laws, but special communications are called by order of the Master. It is a regulation that no special communication can alter, amend, or rescind the proceedings of a regular communication.
- Source: Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry
It is clear in the widely accepted definition that Masonic Communication or Masonic Intercourse is done or consummated in a Tyled Lodge.
Will Fellowships, Mixers, Birthday Celebrations/Parties, and other social activities with the so called Non-Recognized or Clandestine Masons outside a Tyled Lodge be considered Masonic Communication or Masonic Intercourse? Will participation in these activities outside a Tyled Lodge violate the injunction that a Mason is not to hold Masonic Communication or Masonic Intercourse with a Clandestine Mason? Is it within the powers of the Grand Master to declare such social activities outside a Tyled Lodge a violation of Masonic Communication or Masonic Intercourse despite the absence of a clear definition of the same in our Masonic Law Book?
I really find it odd that in the absence of a clear definition of MASONIC COMMUNICATION or MASONIC INTERCOURSE in our Masonic Law Book, it is left to the individual Masons’ perception whether a gathering is a Masonic Communication or not and/or leave it to the discretionary powers of the Grand Master to declare if the same is or is not.. Don’t you think it is about time the authorities in our Grand Jurisdiction come up with the definition of MASONIC COMMUNICATION or MASONIC INTERCOURSE?
In the early part of this year, I wrote and posted in the email an article titled “A SIMPLE WISH FROM A FAITHFUL HEART”. Allow me to share with you this article:
We had experienced how Masons engaged themselves into healthy and at times unhealthy debates on matters pertaining to our Fraternity. Unhealthy because at times it resulted to outright disrespect for one another. This had happened not only inside the Lodge but also outside the Lodge particularly in the course of exchange of emails and text messages and even during fellowship.
For an ordinary Mason with a simple faithful heart, it hurts, really, really hurts.
It is the wish of this faithful heart that each and every Mason respect others’ opinion, belief and understanding on what really our Fraternity stands for. A wish
3
that we Masons can show mankind that we practise mutual respect for one another regardless of color, creed and affiliation.
It is the simple wish of this faithful heart to immediately resolve existing factionalism and divisiveness in our respective Lodges thereby strengthening not only the Lodges but Masonic Districts and Grand Lodges as well.
It is the wish of this faithful heart that the newly elected and appointed officers of each and every Lodge lead the brethren in fulfilling this simple wish.
Finally, it is the simple wish of this faithful heart that as we enter the year 2008, we, Masons, live up, in and outside of our respective Lodges, our continuing commitment to our fraternity, BROTHERLY LOVE .'. RELIEF .'. TRUTH .'. LIBERTY .'. EQUALITY .'. FRATERNITY and make 2008 a true and fulfilling Masonic Year.
This article seems to be allied to the speech of MW REYNATO S. PUNO, PGM on ‘HARMONY” during the 92ND Grand Lodge of the Philippines Annual Communication held in Bacolod City on April 23 to 26, 2008 and the one liner in his speech that stuck in my mind is “HARMONY MUST BE A WAY OF LIFE OF EVERY MASON”.
And in the same occasion, the inaugural speech of the newly installed Grand Master, MW Pacifico “Boy” Aniag, was also on ‘HARMONY” which coincides with his theme for this Masonic Year “HARMONY THE STRENGTH AND BEAUTY OF MASONRY”.
The same word “HARMONY” is also mentioned in the opening and closing of our lodge. “HARMONY BEING THE STRENGTH AND SUPPORT OF ALL SOCIETIES ESPECIALLY OF OUR”.
But is “HARMONY” truly and faithfully practiced in Freemasonry?
Again, allow me to share with you excerpts of the article “A UNIVERSAL MASONRY?” by Bro. Conrad Hann, P.G.M., Deputy Executive Secretary, Masonic Service Association, Deputy Executive Secretary, Masonic Service Association, Washington, D.C. which may help answer this question.
“Masonic universality is labeled ‘just a dream.’ Like the phrase, ‘the pursuit of happiness’…….. In the words of one Masonic encyclopedist, ‘the progress made by the Fraternity in attaining or preserving universality has over the past two centuries been nil’……… Differences in rules of procedure, lack of unity in the fundamental definition of what Freemasonry
4
really is, the intrusion of religious concepts and political prejudices, the excessive size of many Lodges which has robbed the individual member of his importance as a Mason - all these have helped to erode the universality of Freemasonry which is summed up in the fraternal shibboleth, ‘the Brotherhood of Man’…….. Almost every initiate is led to believe that Freemasonry is a world-wide, a ‘universal’ fraternity, which admits to its membership and privileges worthy men of every country, sect, and opinion. He also presumes that Masons everywhere are motivated by the same ideals and that fraternal intercourse is always and everywhere possible…….. It is still a ‘dream’ of dedicated Masons, even though it has never existed in all the relationships which have developed between various groups of the Craft. Are ‘they’ regular? That's a question which still suggests how lacking in universality Freemasonry is……… there are distinct differences in Freemasonry in various regions…….. These differences have very little to do with the ritual and the ceremonies. They are differences of interpretation and definition about what Freemasonry really is and what its most important purpose should be……. No Speculative Mason can deride the dream of a universal Masonry, a universal Brotherhood of Man, without undermining the one common and universal aspiration of the fraternity which has appealed to men in every age and climate. The Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God is the universal dream of men of good will everywhere who call themselves Masons…….. To abandon that dream is to abandon Freemasonry. To abolish those tenets is to abolish Freemasonry. A Mason must dream if he is to continue his speculative building……… A universal Masonry? Keep dreaming and building; it's on its way!”
Summing up all these, it is my belief and hope that there should never be any hindrance or law prohibiting the communication with non-recognized or clandestine Masons outside a Tyled Lodge thereby fostering Harmony and Brotherly Love among Masons regardless of color, creed and affiliation, give a true meaning to the “Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God” and fulfill the dream of a Universal Masonry. It is also my honest belief that if there is “Mutual Respect”, the spirit of “Harmony” will be strengthened and eventually put into practice the true meaning of “Brotherly Love, Relief, Truth, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity”.
Together brethren we can achieve all these.
May the GAOTU bless and guide all Masons withersoever dispersed.
I have been a Master Mason for over 28 years and still crave for more Masonic knowledge. It seems that the study of Masonry is a never ending undertaking
To this date I still search for the true and universally accepted meaning among Masons of ”MASONIC COMMUNICATION or MASONIC INTERCOURSE”.
It is said that the Grand Master possesses awesome powers and is limited only by the Ancient Landmarks, the Constitution & By-Laws, the customs, traditions, and practices. He can declare a congregation of Masons belonging to different Grand Lodges not recognized by the other, fellowship or otherwise, as violation of Masonic Communication.
Our Masonic Law Book does not clearly define what is Masonic Communication or Masonic Intercourse. However, it is also said that prudence dictates that it is up to individual’s perception whether a gathering is a Masonic Communication. Again, the Grand Master can declare whether such is a Masonic Communication.
Some also say that public installation of officers, Job's Daughter, DeMolay are part of Masonic Communications. But if it were such, the more non-masons must not be invited or allowed inside a public installation. Then why should it be called a Public Installation if it is not open to everybody, masons and non-masons alike?
And finally some say it is a violation of our obligation, constitution, etc… to have Masonic Communication or Masonic Intercourse with non-recognized or clandestine Masons.
This reminds us of the article of the late WB Theron Dunn “ON MASONIC REGULARITY” particularly in the paragraph on Masonic Communication. Said he:
“Masonic Communication, or as it is alternately called, Masonic Intercourse, involves any type of communication involving sharing the secrets of masonry. Primarily, that is sitting in a tyled lodge session, which is any type of Masonic meeting where the general public is NOT allowed, or where the qualification for attendance is being a Mason”.
1
And in support to this portion of his article is the meaning of COMMUNICATION as found in the on line Masonic Dictionary.
http://www.masonicd ictionary. com/contact. html
Communication, Masonic
The term communication with respect to Freemasonry is often misunderstood. Communication in this sense means a lodge meeting. Therefore the injunction that a Mason is not to hold Masonic Communication with a clandestine mason simply means you are prohibited from sitting in the same lodge room. (See following definitions for support)
- Source: MasonicDictionary.com
COMMUNICATION
There is some dispute as to the origin of this word but usually it is held to have come from communis, a Latin term for general, or universal, whence our common, common wealth, communion, communism, communal and many similar words. To communicate is to share something with others so that all may partake of it; a communication is an act, transaction, or deliberation shared in by all present. From this it will be seen how appropriate is our use of the word to designate those official Lodge meetings in which all members have a part or a voice.
- Source: 100 Words in Masonry
COMMUNICATION
The meeting of a Lodge is so called. There is a peculiar significance in this term. To communicate, which, in the Old English form, was to common, originally meant to share in common with others. The great sacrament of the Christian Church, which denotes a participation in the mysteries of the religion and a fellowship in the church, is called a communion, which is fundamentally the same as a communication, for he who partakes of the communion is said to communicate. Hence the meetings of Masonic Lodges are called communications, to signify that it is not simply the ordinary meeting of a society for the transaction of business, but that such meeting is the fellowship of men engaged in a common pursuit, and governed by a common principle, and that there is therein a communication or participation of those feelings and sentiments that constitute a true brotherhood.
2
The communications of Lodges are regular or stated and special or emergent. Regular communications are held under the provision of the by-laws, but special communications are called by order of the Master. It is a regulation that no special communication can alter, amend, or rescind the proceedings of a regular communication.
- Source: Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry
It is clear in the widely accepted definition that Masonic Communication or Masonic Intercourse is done or consummated in a Tyled Lodge.
Will Fellowships, Mixers, Birthday Celebrations/Parties, and other social activities with the so called Non-Recognized or Clandestine Masons outside a Tyled Lodge be considered Masonic Communication or Masonic Intercourse? Will participation in these activities outside a Tyled Lodge violate the injunction that a Mason is not to hold Masonic Communication or Masonic Intercourse with a Clandestine Mason? Is it within the powers of the Grand Master to declare such social activities outside a Tyled Lodge a violation of Masonic Communication or Masonic Intercourse despite the absence of a clear definition of the same in our Masonic Law Book?
I really find it odd that in the absence of a clear definition of MASONIC COMMUNICATION or MASONIC INTERCOURSE in our Masonic Law Book, it is left to the individual Masons’ perception whether a gathering is a Masonic Communication or not and/or leave it to the discretionary powers of the Grand Master to declare if the same is or is not.. Don’t you think it is about time the authorities in our Grand Jurisdiction come up with the definition of MASONIC COMMUNICATION or MASONIC INTERCOURSE?
In the early part of this year, I wrote and posted in the email an article titled “A SIMPLE WISH FROM A FAITHFUL HEART”. Allow me to share with you this article:
We had experienced how Masons engaged themselves into healthy and at times unhealthy debates on matters pertaining to our Fraternity. Unhealthy because at times it resulted to outright disrespect for one another. This had happened not only inside the Lodge but also outside the Lodge particularly in the course of exchange of emails and text messages and even during fellowship.
For an ordinary Mason with a simple faithful heart, it hurts, really, really hurts.
It is the wish of this faithful heart that each and every Mason respect others’ opinion, belief and understanding on what really our Fraternity stands for. A wish
3
that we Masons can show mankind that we practise mutual respect for one another regardless of color, creed and affiliation.
It is the simple wish of this faithful heart to immediately resolve existing factionalism and divisiveness in our respective Lodges thereby strengthening not only the Lodges but Masonic Districts and Grand Lodges as well.
It is the wish of this faithful heart that the newly elected and appointed officers of each and every Lodge lead the brethren in fulfilling this simple wish.
Finally, it is the simple wish of this faithful heart that as we enter the year 2008, we, Masons, live up, in and outside of our respective Lodges, our continuing commitment to our fraternity, BROTHERLY LOVE .'. RELIEF .'. TRUTH .'. LIBERTY .'. EQUALITY .'. FRATERNITY and make 2008 a true and fulfilling Masonic Year.
This article seems to be allied to the speech of MW REYNATO S. PUNO, PGM on ‘HARMONY” during the 92ND Grand Lodge of the Philippines Annual Communication held in Bacolod City on April 23 to 26, 2008 and the one liner in his speech that stuck in my mind is “HARMONY MUST BE A WAY OF LIFE OF EVERY MASON”.
And in the same occasion, the inaugural speech of the newly installed Grand Master, MW Pacifico “Boy” Aniag, was also on ‘HARMONY” which coincides with his theme for this Masonic Year “HARMONY THE STRENGTH AND BEAUTY OF MASONRY”.
The same word “HARMONY” is also mentioned in the opening and closing of our lodge. “HARMONY BEING THE STRENGTH AND SUPPORT OF ALL SOCIETIES ESPECIALLY OF OUR”.
But is “HARMONY” truly and faithfully practiced in Freemasonry?
Again, allow me to share with you excerpts of the article “A UNIVERSAL MASONRY?” by Bro. Conrad Hann, P.G.M., Deputy Executive Secretary, Masonic Service Association, Deputy Executive Secretary, Masonic Service Association, Washington, D.C. which may help answer this question.
“Masonic universality is labeled ‘just a dream.’ Like the phrase, ‘the pursuit of happiness’…….. In the words of one Masonic encyclopedist, ‘the progress made by the Fraternity in attaining or preserving universality has over the past two centuries been nil’……… Differences in rules of procedure, lack of unity in the fundamental definition of what Freemasonry
4
really is, the intrusion of religious concepts and political prejudices, the excessive size of many Lodges which has robbed the individual member of his importance as a Mason - all these have helped to erode the universality of Freemasonry which is summed up in the fraternal shibboleth, ‘the Brotherhood of Man’…….. Almost every initiate is led to believe that Freemasonry is a world-wide, a ‘universal’ fraternity, which admits to its membership and privileges worthy men of every country, sect, and opinion. He also presumes that Masons everywhere are motivated by the same ideals and that fraternal intercourse is always and everywhere possible…….. It is still a ‘dream’ of dedicated Masons, even though it has never existed in all the relationships which have developed between various groups of the Craft. Are ‘they’ regular? That's a question which still suggests how lacking in universality Freemasonry is……… there are distinct differences in Freemasonry in various regions…….. These differences have very little to do with the ritual and the ceremonies. They are differences of interpretation and definition about what Freemasonry really is and what its most important purpose should be……. No Speculative Mason can deride the dream of a universal Masonry, a universal Brotherhood of Man, without undermining the one common and universal aspiration of the fraternity which has appealed to men in every age and climate. The Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God is the universal dream of men of good will everywhere who call themselves Masons…….. To abandon that dream is to abandon Freemasonry. To abolish those tenets is to abolish Freemasonry. A Mason must dream if he is to continue his speculative building……… A universal Masonry? Keep dreaming and building; it's on its way!”
Summing up all these, it is my belief and hope that there should never be any hindrance or law prohibiting the communication with non-recognized or clandestine Masons outside a Tyled Lodge thereby fostering Harmony and Brotherly Love among Masons regardless of color, creed and affiliation, give a true meaning to the “Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God” and fulfill the dream of a Universal Masonry. It is also my honest belief that if there is “Mutual Respect”, the spirit of “Harmony” will be strengthened and eventually put into practice the true meaning of “Brotherly Love, Relief, Truth, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity”.
Together brethren we can achieve all these.
May the GAOTU bless and guide all Masons withersoever dispersed.
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