IF THERE'S CLAMOUR IT MUST BE BRETHREN HAVING A GOOD TIME

Don't despair. Masonry has always been cloaked in mystery. But if you want to know 'the truth' watch the behaviour of a man.  It will reveal all his secrets, all his doubts, his honesty or deceptions. Inside, is where men step on stage to join or not join in the production of harmony.  If you have a capacity for compromise and coordinate your actions with those of others on the same page, you will still find masonry elevating.  When we rehearse we reveal who has or has not put in the hours. We see you has talent and who is journeyman. Who is the soloist and who is in the chorus?  If the troop is confident at the onset about their mutual vulnerabilty, they will experience that evasive compatibilty. In our case, the arts and sciences prompt and remind as well as define. We are entry level learners of a company with headliners. Learning to be at ease with our traditions takes a time. Some are completely satisfied with manners, even if they have missed the point. It's ironic manners that ease social awkwardness are 'taught' with a switch and a sharp tongue.  Instead, this troop does it casually, brother to brother, sister to sister and we pick up on them to assure we stay in character.  Do old men act like old men? Inescapably we can bristle at the slightest perceived disagreements. Why we can even invent them to ensure we stay in the comfort zone, in the audience looking up at performers who have honed their talents.  If we didn't have an audience we wouldn't have a performance.