COMPLETING THE PICTURE: THE ART OF BUILDING FOUNDATIONS

What have we done with our best intentions? Today, the entire ethos of freemasonry has been locked away, ignored while a large number of older, senior masons do what old men always do; reminisce.  From the start,our focus was to establish lodges and build a network extending masonry throughout 1,000,000 sq Km called Ontario. The templates handed to us were made with history unique to other lands, without warnings and caveats.  To gain traction we modified criteria. The very definition of a true mason took out provision of purpose and emphasized friendship and kindliness.  Lacking a fuller understanding, they were encouraged to focus on being called a mason.  Qualifiers and challenges enabling a man to prove his worth, were removed from the conversation.   The formula worked so successfully that our number exploded until our own state of incompletion visited us following WW11. Around the world masonry is experiencing similar outcomes. Expecting students of the frontier development plan to come up with a new plan to meet current need, is fraught. It is asking these men to detach from something they hold true and dear. It is asking too much.  As we tred water, we lost relevancy. Far from being ahead of trends timid self-conscious decision making failed us. So I ask- how does a man ever learn to prove his worth to himself if freemasonry in Upper Canada has withdrawn the opportunity to find the truth about himself?  How can we expect men who are proud to call themselves a mason to take on the work of becoming a mason?  We can't. Freemasonry moves on, hidden this pastiche. Insightful masons are in the minority. They won't win popular votes yet they are the guarantee, that validation is found within and that is where they take the path less trodden.  Success is what others say about a man, not what he thinks of himself- self absorbed and boring as hell.  Step up. Together.