Are We Making Good Men Better?: A Quest for Knowledge and Spiritual Growth

I congratulate you on your enthusiasm for the Fraternity; here you will find an honest observation of the Craft as I see it. Based on my Masonic experiences of nearly forty years working in the quarries of something I hold very near and dear to my soul. Unbeknownst to me, my Masonic career started in a clandestine Lodge, which practiced the Scottish Rite Obedience, and where for a young man of twenty one years I was very involved in the operations of the Lodge and the parent body. There I learned many lessons about Masonry and life until sometime later when I discovered the difference between Regular and Clandestine Freemasonry. Joining regular Freemasonry I applied myself just as hard because of the love for the Craft and what it meant to me, in my home Lodge I found many great Masons that looked out for my welfare and became Mentors not only by words but by deeds. I wanted to live a Masonic Way of life and share that knowledge with my Lodge Brothers. The good Lord has been kind to me and allowed me to reach offices within the Fraternity I thought not possible, for several reasons I was outspoken, and more importantly I was not a sycophant, and even with my limitations I was able to reach the office of Grand Master in 2012. I took a good long look at the fraternal side of Freemasonry, which very few do and what I found was not pretty. This has laid heavy on my mind and has made me follow a course where I needed to share this information with those likeminded Masons in our Fraternity, hoping that as a result of it we can bring a renewed interest and awareness to our Fraternity that we may be able to influence it for the better. There are many Masonic authors, that have written countless volumes about the Craft mysteries, rituals, symbolism, history, philosophy, etc., but not many will speak to you about the state of the Craft and this book addresses some of the areas which raised grave concern to me. Concern enough to lead me to write this small book to address them in what I think will shed some light on the things that matter to our Fraternity for its survival. As Masons we should be free thinkers, and in order to fulfill this requirement we must have knowledge of that which Freemasonry is supposed to be and we can only obtain that knowledge from reading and research. We need to become well acquainted with our Constitutions, Rules and Regulations that we may observe them as they were intended and make sure others follow them as well, as we swore to in our different obligations and charges as members of this Fraternity. If Masonry is our profession than we must practice the Mystic Art in and out of our Lodges and need to be examples for our Brethren from the way we dress to the way we behave. We must have the knowledge and impart that knowledge to those less informed, as well as sharing it with all our Brothers that we may elevate Freemasonry not only for our member but for the benefit of mankind. If we are going to “Make Good Men Better” one man at a time we must first place our house in order and I believe this book will help you do just that. Our task is too important, the results are vital not only for our survival but to also fulfill our goal of making good men better for the benefit of mankind. Freemasonry is for us to save or lose; I hope this book can assist you in seeing the difference between where we are and where we need to be. The future is ours, I pray we can be able to stand tall and proclaim victory with a resounding YES to the question. Are We Making Good Men Better? In conclusion, I hope this book opens new horizons and guides your footsteps in search of further light in Masonry, and that it sparks the flame in your lantern of knowledge to ever burn brighter for your lifetime commitment of seeking truth and knowledge.