I am Master hear me roar !!! I am Potentate bow before me !!! I am Grand (you fill in the blank) kiss my ring.............
Luckily most men don't seek power and even luckier most that do humbly seek not for their own benefit. But history is full of those who seek it for their own glory or who once get it become intoxicated with its effect. Our fraternity is set up with a system of government that is a dictatorship, one of the most abused systems in the history of the world since in this system the man at the top is the "The Man". To think that because of the nature and philosophy of our fraternity that we are immune to abuse would be naive. Now I still believe this is the right form of government for our fraternity and it has worked well for centuries. Most Masters only have one year to govern and any other form of government would simply be to cumbersome to operate under. Hopefully the cream still rises to the top but with thinning numbers and less willing to step up to the plate I think the odds have greatly increased for the wrong people to succeed.
I recently listened to a horror story that happened in one of our appendent bodies, the "leader" did so much damage in his one year that the ramifications will be felt for years to come. In a recent blog by a fellow mason he accounts on how after a degree a Grand Line officer suddenly quizzed his candidate on proficiency. I found this outrageous, what would possess a brother to potentially embarrass a candidate, the Master and the Lodge. I am sorry but talk about drunk with power, hopefully I will only be sitting on the sidelines when this one comes to power. I watched in disgust earlier this year after serving as Master on an elite degree team how the peacocks fluffed each other after the degree. I left thinking this is not the fraternity I know and love, will I serve again ????????
I guess us purest can still can still be proud of what we accomplish at the local level and help ensure that brotherly love still prevails. I will end with this word of caution: When you select Stewards this year, is this a man you want to lead your lodge ?
2 comments:
I have to agree with you Paul. One of the things that really ticks me off is watching the guys who do the initiating, spending the rest of the night patting each other on the back instead of welcoming their new "Brother". When I was raised I was very disappointed by the very limited welcome I received. I always go out of my way to try to make sure the degrees and afterward are for the new guys and not about us who did them! That is what we are supposed to be about right. Brotherhood.
Well said Brother. In NY we are taught that upon your entrance to the Craft that the greatest honor that can be bestowed is the white apron and the highest title is "My Brother". It is unfortunate that this gets obscured by some.
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