Fellowcraft Lecture, so we are not there yet?

 

You finally made it thru the fellowcraft degree.  You have learned starting from the ‘blank slate’ after the entered apprentice degree about Equality, Virtue, and Morality.    You are now in great position to finally after months and months of study to learn about the third degree.

Well, not so fast.  Now we have the lectures of this degree with all the pillars and steps leading to who knows where.  So we are still not ready for that third degree.   How much more perfect do you need to be?

So first we learned about some pillars with the earth and solar system on them.  Contemplation of the wonders of the earth and the sky should inspire us with the works of Deity.   Also to encourage studying the wonders of astronomy, geography, navigation.  All those things which advanced ancient civilizations.

They have recently deciphered some Summerian texts that show how much they knew about the celestial bodies and even developed calculus to compute orbits.

What about the 3, 5 and 7 steps?  The 3 steps represent the 3 great supports of Masonry, Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty.    We need wisdom to figure out any number of things in life.  What did God grant Solomon?  Wisdom, to accomplish all the great works.   Strength to support all the things we want to accomplish.  Not just physical strength, but mental strength.   Being able to use discernment,  especially with all the social media that we have.    Here are some tips to help develop mental toughness:

1. Focus on the Positive, develop a personal affirmation

2. Try something new, acquiring new skills develops a sense of mastery.

3. Practice acceptance, not trying to control everything, it reduces anxiety and depression

4.Keep you perspective, “See it as it is, not worse than it is”

5. Find a role model, someone that overcame similar challenges shows you are not alone.

https://www.onepeloton.com/blog/habits-that-build-mental-toughness

 

Beauty to adorn all great and important undertakings.  When we can find the beauty around us and understand that our world, our life, isn't purely negative, we enhance our well-being. Appreciation of beauty is valuable in its own right and as a tool that serves to motivate us to find and create more goodness.

 

Then we see 5 steps showing the 5 senses.   Hearing, Seeing, Feeling, Smelling, Tasting.  In Masonry we teach many of the symbols, signs, grips using the first three.  The last two and mainly for the dinner before lodge.  (Ok, that was a joke).

 

Then we have the seven steps.  The liberal arts and sciences of Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Arithmetic, Geometry, Music and Astronomy.  

 

We have to be able to put our thoughts into proper form for others to be able to comprehend.  

We use logic to learn how to think and reason, and subordinate language to our thoughts.   

Arithmetic to properly use in our daily lives.  Geometry the understanding of construction and building.  

So why is music important.  Many studies have shown the effect music has on our conscience.  In both World Wars the Army printed songbooks for all soldiers with words to all the popular songs.  They knew this was important to keep morale up, create community, and commemorate the dead. 

 

The liberal arts have always been important to better yourself.   A man named Mortimer Adler in the 1950’s put together a list of the Great Books of the Western World.  Encyclopedia Britannica put them all in a collection of 54 volumes.  It was such acclaim they put him on the cover of Time Magazine. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Books_of_the_Western_World.  There are several groups that reads the books and discuss online if you are interested and have years to read.

 

So how long to start studying and better yourself and your mind?   Yes, another lifetime of work.  Then maybe we are finally ready for that third degree.