Further Light

Volume XLII Issue 1 Winter 2015

A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE FLORIDA LODGE OF RESEARCH

__________________________________________

The Florida Lodge of Research was established in December 1973 as a fully

chartered subordinate lodge of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Florida

Journal of the Florida Lodge

of Research

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Front Matter

Statement of Purpose/Call for Papers/Next FLOR Meeting……...………………………………2

2014 Officers of the Florida Lodge of Research……………………………………….…………3

Past Masters of the Florida Lodge of Research..…………………………………….........………4

Article Submission Guidelines...…………….……………………………………………....……5

Message from Worshipful Master David T. Agster………...…………………………………….6

Journal Articles

Fixing Masonry for the 21st Century, by Jay B. Kosner, Ed.D………………………………..…8

Standing Proficiency, by David J. Reilly, 33rd Degree...…..………..………..………………....11

Learn to Subdue Our Passions: Ethical Decision Making, by Oscar Patterson III, Ph.D……….13

18th Degree of the Scottish Rite: Knight of the Rose Croix, by Milledge Murphrey, Ph.D….….16

The Flag Ceremony, by C.J. “Sam” Pesola, P.D.D.G.M., P.D.I………………………………....20

Back Matter

Petition for Annual/Reinstatement Membership to Florida Lodge of Research…………..…….20

Petition for Lifetime Membership in Florida Lodge of Research…….…………………............21

Sponsors………………………………........................................................................................22

The Editor of the Further Light journal is Brother Brian P. Stricker who welcomes

and encourages input from the membership as to the style and content of

the journal.

Email: bpstricker@gmail.com Phone: 813-833-9630

The Further Light journal is authorized

for publication under the Bylaws of

The Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of the State of Florida

220 North Ocean Street Jacksonville, FL 32202

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STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The Florida Lodge of Research is formed for the purpose of promoting,

encouraging, conducting and fostering Masonic research and study for

the purpose of spreading Masonic light and knowledge.

CALL FOR ARTICLES

The Florida Lodge of Research is member driven and needs member

participation in the form of research articles. Members who have an

article they would like to submit for publication should review the

guidelines on page two and send their articles in Word format via

email to the Senior Warden of the Florida Lodge of Research, P:. M:.

David Agster, at davidagster@gmail.com or via regular U.S mail to

4001 S. West Shore Blvd., Apt. 310, Tampa FL 33611-1016.

FLORIDA LODGE OF RESEARCH

2015 MEETINGS

January 17th (Officer Installation) 1PM Fellowship Lodge #265 (Tampa, FL)

May 23rd (Stated Communication) 3PM (Salon 9) Rosen Plaza Hotel (Orlando FL)

August 22nd (Special Communication) 1PM Grand Lodge Building (Jacksonville, FL)

December 19th (Annual Communication) 1PM Northside Lodge #283 (St. Petersburg, FL)

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FLORIDA LODGE OF RESEARCH

2014 Lodge Officers

Worshipful Master David T. Agster

Phone: 813-817-9444 Email: davidagster@gmail.com

Senior Warden Eric B. West Junior Warden Robert Cooper, Sr. Phone: 941-966-8345 Email: ebwest@comcast.net Treasurer Brian P. Stricker Secretary W:. Stuart Graff Phone: 813-833-9630 Email: bpstricker@gmail.com Senior Deacon A.J. Ahrens, III Junior Deacon Dean Sever Phone: 727-800-9029 Email: w8im@tampabay.rr.com Senior Steward Michael D. Sever Junior Steward Jay Kosner Phone: 727-278-4445 Email: msever1@tampabay.rr.com Marshal Richard S. Agster Chaplain W:.M:. Robert L. Phillips Phone: 813-281-1020 Email: lawrsa@aol.com Tyler Bahram “Tony” Hedayat Musician David Meade Email: bthedayat@gmail.com

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Past Masters Of the Florida Lodge of Research

1973 J. Roy Crowther, P.G.M.* 1993 S. Donald Zolonz

1974 J. Roy Crowther, P.G.M. 1994 Maurice Dalton, Jr.

1975 Harvey B. Eddy, P.G.M.* 1995 Daniel E. Dale*

1976 George Levene 1996 L. Richard Kasten

1977 Robert E. Prest 1997 L. Richard Kasten

1978 Bradley R. Pruitt 1998 Gerald E. Landon

1979 Belton E. Jennings* 1999 Franklin H. Mountcastle

1979 H. Clay Bailey, III 2000 Ormond Van Arsdall

1980 T. Frank Trowell 2001 Gennaro Lume

1981 James P. Trowell 2002 Luther Bodiford, III

1982 Charles B. Finney 2003 Keith W. Dean, P.G.M.*

1983 C. Allen Pattison* 2004 Dean F. Harwood

1984 Ernesto Fuste 2005 Don Harwood

1985 Robert E. Fussell 2006 George Young

1986 Hugh F. Moore* 2007 Bob Ramieh

1987 L. Peck Perkins 2008 Milledge Murphey

1988 Clyde Lonicker 2009 Don Shearer

1989 Theodore H. Carpenter 2010 John Wermann

1990 William R. Taylor 2011 Harry Klaus

1991 Glenn G. Gomez 2012 Henry Jehan

1992 Clarence N. Gruber 2013 Robbie Robertson

1993 Thomas H. Adams* 2014 Richard S. Agster

* Deceased

Article Submissions Guidelines

Articles submitted must be in accordance with the Charter of the Florida Lodge of Research

AND be authored by a current member(s) of the Florida Lodge of Research.

CONTENT: Articles shall focus on research of Freemasonry and be of general interest to

the Florida Lodge of Research general membership. Articles should feature a topic which

the majority of the Masonic fraternity is not aware of and which will provide them with

information which will enhance their experience as a Mason while allowing them to

become better informed Brethren.

All articles shall be reviewed by the Further Light publication committee for accuracy and

authenticity of research.

All article submissions should be created and sent in an electronic format – ‘WORD’

format preferred – another electronic form is acceptable as long as it can be edited for

publication.

Articles are to be forwarded to P:.M:. David Agster at davidagster@gmail.com or via

regular U.S mail to 4001 S. West Shore Blvd., Apt. 310, Tampa FL 33611-1016.

The article researcher(s) must provide credit to the sources from which their information

originated. Articles must have proper citations throughout the writing to avoid any issues

of plagiarism.

The citation style preferred is the Chicago/Turabian style, but any other professional

citation style with which the author is familiar is acceptable.

Articles must adhere to the following formatting specifications:

1. Heading/Title: Arial Black font (16 font size and ‘Bold’)

2. Body: Times New Roman font (12 font size) - ‘Aligned Left’ – do not ‘Center’ or

‘Justify’ the text.

3. Citations/References: Times New Roman font (10 font size) – Chicago/Turabian style

preferred and may be placed at the bottom of each page or as ‘Endnotes’.

4. Text borders: 1” top/bottom/left/right – This is the normal border when most Word

documents are opened.

5. Length: Although shorter articles are acceptable, no article shall be longer than four

(4) single-spaced pages in length, including artwork and citations.

6. DO NOT INSERT PAGE NUMBERS! 7. Articles must be signed by the author(s)/researcher(s) with their name(s), title(s), lodge

name(s), lodge number(s), and the lodge location(s).

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FROM THE EAST

Thank you all again for having the confidence in me to elect me your Worshipful Master for 2015.

It is my sincerest hope to take the excellent progress we have had in the past few years and kick it

up a notch, so to speak. I have some new and exciting projects I am pleased to propose to you for

your consideration today. But first off, I’d like to give a huge thank you to all the Brothers who

have made it possible for this Lodge to be where it is today.

To our Secretary, Bro. Stu Graff, and our Treasurer and Editor, Bro. Brian Stricker. They each

have done a yeoman’s job in carrying out the necessary tasks to keep everything moving forward

in a proper manner. You have my sincerest thanks for all you do, Brothers. To the Past Masters. I

personally want to thank Bro. John Wermann, who had the confidence to recruit me to the

appointed line; Bro. Robbie Robertson, who worked tirelessly to smooth out the issues with the

By-Laws; and of course, Bro. Richard Agster, who has always been my role model and inspiration

in my Masonic career. Finally, many thanks to you, dear reader; for without you, this journal has

no purpose.

At the Annual Meeting in December, we voted to adopt the By-Laws that were printed in our

October 2014 issue of Further Light. Those are now on their way to the Grand Lodge for final

approval.

We had our Installation of Officers on January 17, 2015, at Fellowship Lodge No. 265 in Tampa,

Florida. This was the first installation in recent memory that was open to the public, and it turned

out to be a great afternoon of food and fellowship, including a well-done educational presentation

by our own Bro. Henry Jehan.

We also have our website and Facebook page up and running with the most up-to-date information,

including the meeting dates for 2015 and the updated information for our officers. Be sure to visit

our website at flor999.org and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/FLR999.

Now on to the really exciting part.

Our statement of purpose is two-fold. It says we are, “formed for the purpose of promoting,

encouraging, conducting and fostering Masonic research and study,” and this is, “for the purpose

of spreading Masonic light and knowledge.” So what I get from that is we are not only to conduct

our own Masonic research but also to promote, encourage and foster it in others. The old adage

about giving a man a fish versus teaching a man to fish applies here. With that theme in mind, this

year I would like to direct our efforts towards four main areas of focus.

The first is to keep the Further Light a scholarly journal of quality and integrity. This is self-

evident.

The second is to increase awareness of the Florida Lodge of Research (“our brand”) with the

Particular Lodges around the state. One of the ways I am thinking to further this is to have a table

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at the Annual Communication of Grand Lodge with information concerning who we are and the

programs we have available for the Lodges.

“Programs?” you say. Yes, dear reader, my last two areas of focus are projects which will hopefully

be the seeds for future programs the Florida Lodge of Research will have ready and available for

the particular lodges and for Florida Masonry at large.

Brothers, I am pleased to introduce our first research project, the Lodge Library Assistance Project

(or LLAP)! The goal is fairly straightforward, “to create an easy, step-by-step guide which will

provide everything needed for a Lodge to start their own Masonic library.” This will be scalable

to fit the Lodge’s size, income, and physical space; it will include options for if they want to start

accessions, circulation, or e-cataloging; and possibly even include a starter kit of books and

supplies to get them going. Because nothing beats a good book in your LLAP.

Last but not least, I am pleased to introduce the second research project this year, the University

Project (or UP)! The goal here is also fairly straightforward, “to create a Masonic presence on

university campuses.” Let that sink in for a moment.

We have been slowly losing members for so long now that I can remember the same speeches

about membership loss being given when I was a child sitting listening to speeches at Grand Lodge.

At the same time, we here in Florida have lowered the minimum age to 18, as of a few years ago.

Remember what you were doing when you were 18? For most of you, you had just left home and

family. You had left all your high school friends behind, maybe even a high school sweetheart.

You knew nobody.

That’s why the Greek system works so well in college, because it provides new students with that

instant circle of friends and brothers that they can rely on. So I say, why not Masonry? With a little

bit of effort, we can be a viable alternative to the Greeks, bringing in an environment where our

system of morality – where our principle tenets of brotherly love, relief and truth – make a lasting

impression on young men’s lives, giving them that strong moral foundation and strong ties of

brotherhood that they need so badly during college and for all the years to come. Dear readers, I

can think of no nobler way to spread Masonic Light and knowledge than to those who crave it the

most.

The Florida Lodge of Research has been the “number one Masonic think tank” in the State of

Florida for many years now. I know we have an excellent brain trust at our disposal. With our

concentrated efforts and a little bit of study, we can make these projects a reality. I hope that you

will assist me this year in making this happen. If you are interested and would like to help with

these projects, please contact me. My information is listed in sections earlier in this issue.

So let’s make this an exciting, challenging, and truly rewarding 2015! I’m looking forward to it!

Sincerely and Fraternally,

David T. Agster

Worshipful Master 2015

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FIXING MASONRY FOR THE 21ST

CENTURY

Jay B. Kosner, Ed.D.

Groveland Lodge 190

INTRODUCTION

Masonry has existed in the United States since the birth of this great nation. Indeed, many of the

men who signed the first constitution and the Declaration of Independence were Masons.

Following the birth of the United States, Masonry witnessed strong growth in the 19th and 20th

centuries. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, men living in small communities who shared similar

interests found themselves entering Masonry for both expression of mind and for the camaraderie

that men shared by belonging to the same fraternity. Although not necessarily written, it was

understood that men went to work each day to earn money for their family, to hunt for food, and

provide for the overall good of their respective communities. Although there were a few jobs for

women (nursing and school teaching), most women were relegated to household chores and child

rearing.

The Industrial Revolution brought about changes in the nation’s economy. What was once a

primarily agricultural society was quickly changing America to an industrial society where men

used heavy equipment assisted by their brawn to manufacture hard goods. Those products, once

singularly produced by artisans, were now being produced on assembly lines. As the American

economy became stronger it was still an economy of men. Women were still thought of as a gentler

species who their men thought were more comfortable spending their time with household chores

and child rearing.

The economy started changing during World War Two. With their men away at-war, women were

called upon to replace their husbands, especially on those assembly lines which affected the war

effort. Some of us remember Rosie the Riveter. But Rosie wasn’t the only woman involved in the

war effort. All over America women were called upon to work on assembly lines, whether

manufacturing bullets or assembling Jeeps. Indeed, women contributed greatly to the American

economy, beginning in the Second World War and continuing after the war.

By the end of the Korean Conflict, post-secondary educators began offering higher education to

women. There was money to be made by colleges from student enrollment, and those students

were being sought regardless of gender. At the same time, businesses found that good managers

came from experienced production people, and among those production people were now men and

women.

In the 1960s, the economy tightened up; inflation went through the roof. Families found they could

no longer exist on a single income. Both men and women entered the business world, leaving child

rearing to daycare centers and housework to people hired to do those chores. As women continue

to find success in the marketplace we have entered the 21st century. There are plenty of jobs for

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both genders; sometimes women are earning greater incomes than their husbands. These women

are no longer relegated to their households. More and more men assist their wives with child-

rearing, and among households where hiring housekeepers is not a reality, both husband and wife

share with these chores. Women are no longer willing to let their husbands shed their household

responsibilities so they (men) can attend Lodge meetings while their wives stay home. The

American household has changed, and if our fraternity is going to continue to thrive, we have got

to understand that the wives of the 1910 are NOT like the wives of 2010!

CO-MASONRY

In the early 18th century and continuing to the early 20th century there was a movement in French

Masonic Lodges, Le Droit Humain, which set-up Co-Masonry. Co-masonry means that Grand

Lodges will accept both women and men as Freemasons. The Le Droit Humain movement found

its way into the United States in 1903; it was immediately declared clandestine by every male

controlled Grand Lodge in every state. Although Le Droit Humain has had its ups and downs—

rules being changed, some worldwide lodges accepting the movement and other Lodges (including

the United States) not accepting the movement—Le Droit Humain is still in existence with national

headquarters located in Larkspur, CO.

A single issue that has recently surfaced in Le Droit Humain is their willingness to accept members

who do not believe in Deity. Thus, atheists may be members. This single point alone will always

keep Le Droit Humain separate from American Masonry. However, this writer notes that it is

physically impossible to not believe in something which does not exist. Therefore, to say that one

does not believe in Deity is to say that the atheist must first believe (in Deity) but may not believe

that said Deity is responsible for those things the rest of us believe are attributed to our Deity.

THE ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR

Over the last two decades (the time of my Masonic affiliation) I have often heard the Order of the

Eastern star referred to as Co-Masonry. Indeed, the OES is not Masonry in any sense. OES requires

at least one male Master Mason (Worthy Patron) to be present at their meetings; without a Worthy

patron present the OES meeting cannot continue. In addition, all OES members must somehow be

related to Master Masons in good standing in their Lodges. OES members may be wives,

daughters, etc. of Master Masons. Thus, the OES is considered a separate but associated body of

Freemasonry. Also, unlike male Freemasons the OES cannot confer degrees. Florida’s OES web

page lists the organization as a social group based on scriptural findings. The website continues in

its description of men and women bound together by high moral values. The order is built upon

charity, truth, and loving kindness.

CONCLUSION

The world as we know it has changed. From the birth of our nation until the mid-1950s there

existed a deep chasm between men and women. Men had many different opportunities to earn their

living—to support their families—from manual labor to professional opportunities.

9

Regardless of how men earned their living, with the exception of nursing and school teaching, the

only opportunities open to women were child rearing and housewifery. With their men away at

war many women were recruited for the labor market in order that the United States might keep

its economic wheels turning.

When the war ended and men returned home, women who had been forced into the labor market

found new advantages in working outside of the home. As the economy tightened in the 1960s,

even more women sought jobs outside of the family household. Today, 50 years later, jobs abound

for both genders. In some cases women make more than men. In other cases, some men have

chosen to stay home, raise their kids and maintain the household while their highly-paid wives

earn the money for their family.

Men no longer find the freedom to leave work, head to the pub for a couple of hours, and then

head to the Masonic Lodge or some other organization while their wives are at home. As such,

membership in organizations like the Masons is declining. However, Masonry is not alone in this

decline, which is also being felt in veterans’ groups as well as in other neighborhood service

organizations.

There have been no studies conducted anywhere in the United States that would suggest co-

Masonry would increase our membership—mainly because as far back as 1903, when co-Masonry

first came to the United States, it was declared clandestine by every Grand Lodge in every state of

the Union.

The writer doesn’t know if co-Masonry will ever be accepted anywhere in the United States. In

addition, he doesn’t know if co-Masonry will help to increase our membership. What he does know

is:

Each of us has a mother whom we honor and cherish.

Each of us has a wife who we would lay down our lives to protect.

Some of us have daughters for who we wish the greatest success.

Mothers, wives, and daughters—with whom we share our days, our successes, and our fortunes—

honorable in every sense, but somehow not honorable enough to be our “brother” in an active

Lodge room!

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Standing Proficiency

David J. Reilly 33°

Harmonia Lodge #138, West Palm Beach, FL

Standing Proficiency in Masonry is the act of standing in the lodge room and doing a dialog or a

monolog of obligation for the three degrees. There is a variety of feelings Masons get when this

subject is talked about or even brought to mind. Many Masons will remember their own trial and

jubilation of the memory work that they achieved and then were tested upon. Some will remember

the fear of not having the proper answers. Some will think of various proficiencies and the various

levels they have witnessed Masons standing their proficiency. Some Masons will sigh and think,

“I am glad I don’t have to do that again, I don’t think I could do it now, my memory just isn’t what

it used to be”. Some will remember the times of visiting another Lodge and having to pass

examination to enter.

There are many reasons for us to enter Masonry as there are Masons. Many out of curiosity, many

out of doing and going along with friends who sought a Masonic route, and many of us did it out

of respect of family and friends, to go the way of our grandfathers , an uncle, or a father. I am

happy to say that my father was the main reason for me entering Masonry. All my life it wasn’t

so much are you but when you enter Masonry. I think back and most of my childhood was spent

around Masons. I thought everyone was a Mason, Scottish Rite, York Rite and a Shriner at that.

I guess where I grew up and when I grew up I was very fortunate to be exposed to so many fine

men who shared in Masonic virtues and values. I grew up in the shadow of attorneys, judges,

businessmen, and doctors. These were men were movers and shakers of our town, I was a part of

their history and they became a part of mine. I grew up being proud of my father but as a youngster

I was proud because I was supposed to be. Today my father has passed on, but I am really proud

of him. He taught me not only the Masonry I needed to know to pass my proficiency in Blue

Lodge, but he also gave me the history of my life that I might stand proficiency as an adult. The

men in my father’s life I knew respected and got to hear their stories. I was given the time and

given the ability to take a moment and listen to someone just talk about their own lives. To get a

Mason to share some of that story is a degree in itself. Men of the craft are humble and to brag is

just not one of the characteristics of a Mason. It is the sharing of each other’s trials and tribulations

that allow us to continue and to help to make each of us better men. It is that shared hope and faith

that makes us want to continue, to r reach out to others, or strive a little more on our own to excel.

It is never too soon as Masons to begin thinking about Standing Proficiency in that Celestial Lodge

Room. How will we answer the questions there? Hopefully we will have the answers and we

won’t have to ask the questions. It seems to me that these lessons we have acted upon on earth

educate us so when we stand proficiency in that “celestial lodge” our guide will remain silent, we

ourselves will have to answer if we are worthy and well qualified, and we will need to be known

by others by words, tokens, and deeds. There will be more.

What about those Masonic Cardinal Virtues, did we live by what we said we would? Did we

contribute to the relief of those we said we could? Did we stand by while others went in want?

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Did we extend the light of knowledge to ourselves and fight against ignorance and did we stand

for tolerance or allow intolerance? Did we strive to understand this world and our presence in it?

Did we work in the Masters Garden, did we sow and then reap or did we reap what others had

sown? Is that Emblem of Innocence soiled from the toil in this world or soiled from lack of toil?

My brother it is never too late to clean your apron but stains can only be brightened by the quarry

dust from the labor in the quarry of mankind that the Master has set on the trestle board of life. In

the movie “Big Jim McClain” starring john Wayne, and James Arness, the movie begins and ends

with a statement for Noah Webster, “How stands the Union now?”2 At the end of the movie, John

Wayne answers Webster’s question and the movie ends with “Just fine, that’s how she stands sir.”

I believe that we as Masons will be able to “stand proficiency” in the same way. “Just Fine Sir.”

1. Grand Lodge of Florida, Florida Masonic Monitor (Twenty-third edition, 1992, Corrected

1995), 42-43.

2. Warner Brothers Movie Big Jim McClain (Initial release: 1952 Initial DVD release: May 22,

2007) Director: Edward Ludwig.

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Learn to Subdue Our Passions:

Ethical Decision Making

by

Oscar Patterson III, Ph.D.

A real Freemason “restrains his passions because they cannot be indulged without injuring

his neighbor or himself.”1 Every significant moral philosopher from Plato to Aquinas, from

Voltaire to Durkheim and from Ancrombe to even more recent thinkers share a focus on

temperance and ask the same two questions: How ought we to live and what is good?

Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E.) noted that good is the object of all human striving suggesting

that a prime object for man should be to “know thyself” but to do so without excess. He also notes

that what is good is that which is both useful to man and, more importantly, enables him to live at

peace within society. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274 A.D.) noted that man is naturally inclined to

do that which is right and that ethical behavior follows that natural inclination. Do what is right,

Aquinas suggested, and ethical behavior follows. Even Machiavelli (1469-1527 A.D.) in his

complicated, pragmatic outlook suggests decisions are made best when passion is absent. Voltaire

(1694-1778 A.D.) tells us that we must use our reason to balance our natural tendency to passion

and informs us that what is sensible is to act for the greater good of society.

The contention between passion and reason, according to Rousseau (1712-1778 A.D.),

requires man to use both his conscience and his compassion to make ethical decisions and Spinoza

(1632-1677 A.D.) tells us to use our reason to determine a proper course for action. In the 19th

century, John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), a British philosopher, wrote that man should act by the rule

that whatever he does should be that which will bring the greatest good and notes that “moral

behavior” comes from within, not without. During the same century, Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-

1860), writing in Germany, tells us to think carefully about any action, to act with compassion, to

respect ourselves and others, and to use experience to achieve balance in our thinking. All of the

philosophers noted above are addressing the same issue: how to make ethical decisions.

Morals and ethics are not easily differentiated. Some argue that morality is the common,

everyday evaluation of acceptable behavior while ethics is the reflection on personal and social

consciousness. Everyone, it is suggested (except some psychopaths), has a moral sense but not

everyone has the capability of thinking critically about their decisions, actions and emotions.

Ethics, it is often noted, is derived from the Greek word ethos, meaning character or personal

disposition while moral is derived from the Latin word mos, meaning custom. For the purpose of

this paper, ethics will be considered as the individual’s ability to determine right and wrong and to

act accordingly. Ethics will be accepted as being directly influenced by societal values which

point to standards or codes of conduct or behavior expected by the group.

Ethical decision making, then, will be accepted as that process through which men stabilize

society and function successfully within a social setting. They will also be considered as those

decisions that serve the common good as they reduce fear within the individual and group.

The Ten Commandments

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1 “Character of a Freemason” in The Farmer’s Almanac, Andover, Mass., 1823.

A great deal of western tradition is based on the Decalogue or Ten Commandments as found in

Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. This set of biblical admonitions relates to both worship and ethics.

They include specific regulations for the worship of God, the sanctity of the Sabbath and a strong

prohibition against idolatry and blasphemy. They also speak directly to societal issues such as

murder, theft, dishonesty and adultery. The Decalogue is fundamental to both Christianity and

Judaism, and the Quran speaks of 10 commandments.

The first four specifically address religious practice: you shall have no other gods before

me; you shall have no false idols; you will not take the Lord’s name in vain; and, remember the

Sabbath Day. The other six deal with more practical, societal issues: honor father and mother;

don’t commit murder; don’t steal; don’t commit adultery; don’t lie (bear false witness); and don’t

covet what your neighbor has. These last six are those most directly related to the above definition

of ethical decision making: making those decisions necessary to the stability of society and

reducing fear in others.

Let us consider, as an example, the prohibition against murder. The Hebrew words lo

tirtzach are commonly translated as “thou shalt not kill,” but textual analysis suggests that a more

accurate translation would be “thou shalt not murder” or do not kill unlawfully. Both the Old and

New Testaments concur that murder is a grave evil and link murder to the question of blood guilt

which often leads to revenge. When a person is in fear of being murdered—killed unlawfully—

he will act in a manner consistent with that fear. And those actions may result in unintended

consequences. Fear increases stress, both physical and psychological, taking a marked tool on the

human psyche. Reduce the fear by a strong admonishment against the action and man is able to

function successfully within a societal setting. Consider the soldier on patrol in a combat zone.

His anxiety is enhanced and his stress level significantly increased because of the fear that he might

be killed or injured at the next step. When you transfer that level of hyper alertness—fear--to the

civilian setting, the results are well documented in studies dealing with post-traumatic stress

disorder. Reduce the fear and you reduce the internal cues that lead to psychological problem.

Ethical Decision Making

Ethical decision making leads to ethical behavior. It requires that standards be set high and

so maintained; that those standards be made known to all members of the group; that those

standards be enforced in some manner; and, finally, that we understand that we are human and

make mistakes. Ethical decision making requires the individual to place upon himself a moral

obligation to adhere to the standards of the group and to act as a guardian for those standards by

keeping his moral code above reproach. Not only should one not do wrong, one should not give

the appearance of doing wrong. Perception—what one thinks about you—carries as much or more

weight than your behavior.

A person who makes good ethical decisions is one who possesses an excellent character.

Thomas Paine (who may or may not have been a Freemason, solid evidence either way is lacking)

stated that “reputation is what men and women think of us . . . character is what God and the

Angles know of us.”2 A man of principle is not a man who understands a principle, but one who

understands, accepts and lives by that principle. Thus proper decision making is based on having

good judgment—not influenced by passion—and using common sense. The outcome of ethical

decision making is expressed through courtesy, compassion and an appreciation of human dignity.

14

2 “The Crisis,” in Common Sense.

Wisdom is knowing, virtue is doing.

Ethical decision making is in the best self-interest of the individual since it impacts directly

upon his interaction within society. Doing the right thing will, ultimately, serve you as well as it

will your neighbor. To do the right thing, though, one must be honest with himself. Unreality is

unreality and has no value in the decision making process. Nothing, be it love, fame or riches, is

of value if obtained by fraud. At the same time, one must respect himself, but pride is not to be

confuse with arrogance. Rational pride is the understanding that who you are and what you are is

based upon your values and serves society by enabling you to treat all people in accordance with

their actions and standards not your preconceived notions or opinions.

The public has high expectations of Freemasons who espouse a strong system of ethical

decision making and moral behavior. They expect good judgment, common sense, honesty,

fairness and equality. As Freemasons, we have become “lightning rods” for the indignation of

those who do not understand our ancient and honorable Fraternity. If we, as Freemasons, make

sound, ethical decisions and maintain clear moral standards, publically and privately, character

assignation from external as well as internal sources is rendered mote. Your actions and decisions

reflect not only on you, but also on your family, friends, co-workers and Freemasonry.

Improve yourself

Sound ethical decision making is based on development of good character traits as well as

on knowing the right way to behave and doing it. Those character traits include courage, justice,

compassion and temperance (see the Entered Apprentice Degree lecture).

As a Freemason, our fundamental duty is to serve our brothers and mankind. We should

keep our private lives unsullied and keep ever secret that which is confided to us unless that

revelation is necessary to the proper administration of justice. We should be courteous to our

brothers and act without favor, malice or ill-will

When making an ethical decision, one must avoid the obvious traps: everyone else does

it; nobody will care; no one will know; that’s close enough; and some rules are made to be broken.

Ethical decision making is the realization that knowing what is right is doing what is right. Acting

ethically and making ethical decisions are not things that you turn on or off at will. It is part of

your internal makeup. Sound ethical decisions mark the very character of a man and can be

summed up in five words: duty, honor, integrity, loyalty and compassion.

General Douglas MacArthur, a Freemason, admonished the cadets at West Point in his

farewell address to the corps to “Never forget these requirements, these ethics. Rather, cherish

them, keep them close to your heart, and hold them in reverence . . . for as long as you live. They

will never fail you.”3 We would do will to follow our distinguished Brother’s advice.

Author: Oscar Patterson III is a member of Ashlar Lodge No. 98 in St. Augustine, FL. He received

the BA in Religion and Philosophy; the M.F.A. in Design; and the Ph.D. in Human

Communication. He has been a juvenile officer, a Methodist minister, an infantry officer in

Vietnam, and a university professor and administrator. He is now retired and works part-time in

law enforcement while continuing to lecture.

15

3 Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s Address to the Corps of Cadets, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY, May 12,

1962.

18th

Degree of the Scottish Rite:

Knight of the Rose Croix

Scottish Rite College of the Consistory

Milledge Murphey, Ph.D., 33rd, KYCH, PDDGM, PDI

Professor Emeritus, University of Florida

I have selected a statement to define my first of two essays concerning this level. This statement

is that one of the principle philosophical teachings of the 18th Degree is that general equilibrium

and balanced harmony results from the interaction between opposing and contrary forces. This

statement applies to humans, who through conscience, moral strength, and willpower, can

internally reconcile these personal and internalized conflicting tendencies, thus achieving internal

equilibrium. This degree is concerned primarily with the duality between the concepts of faith and

reason, and this essay considers faith and reason, which are in fact opposites, and thus diametrically

opposite of equilibrium, while at the same time they are not hostile concepts (to each other). This

is an extremely delicate and detailed expose, as these concepts are at once legendary, spiritual, and

realistic in the context of the 18th Degree.

Few Masons who are exposed to the 18th Degree ritual consider its deepest meanings which

are directly confronted in the topic (above), and which are thus considered in this essay. I asked a

number of 33rd Degree and K.C.C.H. Masons who are members in the Valley of Ocala for their

opinions on this subject after I received it from the College of the Consistory. I was surprised that

even members of the 18th Degree ritual team in the valley had not considered the intricate question

posed for this College of the Consistory essay. Thus, this degree is of major significance to all

Scottish Rite Masons who desire to explore and learn from its content, as few have considered its

deeper and more comprehensive meanings.

The duality in the faith/reason dyad is profound in that faith is essentially surreal, and often

stated as legend or myth, whereas reason is the confrontation with concrete reality, and the

confrontation with it in order to succeed in the current real time environment. One might ask the

question, can faith be rational?, and thus the duality problem is internalized. To accept any concept,

behavior, physical element in the real world, or action on faith, with no consideration for reason,

can be interpreted as foolish in the current social world. Must an individual then accept anything

on faith alone? Clearly the answer is a resounding yes, as most religious belief is based solely in

faith, with, for example, the mythical and legendary based Bible being the written basis for the

tenets of the Christian religion, and the Koran being the basis for the Muslim religion. Thus, while

faith and reason seem diametrically opposed and in conflict, in actual practice they are intertwined

irrevocably in the minds of all men who attempt to understand the relationship. In practice, men

actually bounce alternately between the two concepts, accepting one and then the other

alternatively. In the foregoing example, two very different religious philosophical positions are

also clearly different, yet they exist in the same society currently. In order to achieve the balance

between these concepts, and internalize them, men must have faith in reason, thus the two terms,

and their meanings, are, or potentially may be, conjoined within an individual. Should this

16

occur without insight, mental turmoil may result in the thinking individual.

Men can use their conscience complete with their grounding principles of right and wrong to gain

access to the faith/reason equilibrium that is essential if they are to attain harmony in their lives.

The construct of conscience in men of intelligence and reason, allows them to accommodate the

seemingly opposed forces, with resultant appropriate thought and behavior. The strength of

personal moral conviction enables the mature man to develop the willpower to overcome the

seemingly opposed forces within himself, and thus to behave appropriately and successfully. Men

who cannot effect this personal and internal transition within themselves are often consider odd,

mentally deranged, or psychotic, and they are always unsuccessful in their dealings with society.

Those who do make the internal accommodation described in the foregoing, and who use great

willpower, are often those who are famed and very successful in society. Thus internal personal

congruence is the goal of Masonic teaching as clearly demonstrated by the content, and consequent

enlightenment, provided by a study of the 18th Degree.

This consideration brings me to a narrative point wherein I must consider the Aadded

assignment for the Adept - The Mystic Journey@ statement included with the material for the 18th

Degree Scottish Rite College of the Consistory essay, in the context of current Masonic doctrine,

and the challenges and problems confronted by the fraternity at present. I do this from the

perspective of the 18th Degree, as this degree, if properly understood by the entire fraternity, might

mitigate the existing and current problems experienced by the fraternity worldwide (to some

extent). It seems that today the fraternity has elevated many men to leadership positions who were

not congruent during their pre Masonic membership professional lives, often being personally

unsuccessful professionally, and then late in life seeking recognition, and in fact worship, by their

fellow Masons. These men value only the titles, recognitions, and accouterments provided by the

fraternity, and have little or no understanding of the principles portrayed in the degrees. Whereas

the core of value in the Masonic experience is in fact the content and meaning provided within the

degree ritual, and not in the symbolism and tokens provided therein (these are in fact virtually

valueless in terms of the faith/reason construct previously discussed).

One hundred or more years ago, Masonic Membership was universally considered an honor

desired by most men of success and substance, and was often necessary if a politically inclined

man wanted to be successful at the polls. Further, political success at the state and national level

was enhanced by such membership and activity among those seeking office. Today this is not the

case at all. Why has this loss of influence transpired and what does it have to do with the 18th

Degree and the faith/reason dyad? One can speculate that as the fraternity has matured and became

more Amember numbers@ focused, rather than member quality focused, loss of member quality

has ensued. Persons have been and continue to be voted into the fraternity who have not been

successful in their professional lives. As these individuals became members and moved into the

offices of higher order, accomplished men who were members, or who became new members,

perceived the diminution in leadership quality, and thus dimited or ceased being interested in the

fraternity. This fact has thus increased the relative number of such individuals as members of the

fraternity and decreased the number of men of substance who seek or maintain membership.

17

Many examples of the effect of unsuccessful men occupying leadership positions could be

stated herein, and I will use only one such example which is: The man in the East who cannot

speak or write acceptable English, and who therefore fails in ritual and leadership roles. Such men,

when viewed in exalted roles in the fraternity, repel others who are professionally successful and

highly educated, as such accomplished men quickly no longer desire to associate with such banal

men. Across the years, this tenancy has continued to accelerate geometrically so that today few

social leaders, politicians, highly educated and professional men seek membership in the fraternity.

For those few who do seek membership, such membership is often short lived as these men of

substance view the less substantive leadership in the fraternity and desire to leave it. A frequently

heard statement today concerning the definition of what the fraternity is includes the axiom, Aa

group of old blue collar workers seeking ego gratification and pseudo titles and recognitions after

a life of mediocre professional performance@. In the Masonic context where all members are Aon

the level@ this is a disturbing thought brought to the fore by the content of the 18th Degree.

As we continue to research and write concerning the importance of the degrees of the Scottish

rite, I am reminded of the need to revitalize the fraternity worldwide, and particularly in the United

States. As the foregoing discussion indicates, perhaps the College of the Consistory can serve as a

major vehicle in that direction. The truths included in the degrees about which essays are being

written can, if promulgated widely in the fraternity, increase unique knowledge which may become

more common among members, with the result that membership quality may be gradually

improved. The 18th degree is a key to such increase in knowledge which is relevant to improvement

in fraternal quality in that faith and reason as a dichotomy can be dispelled via the understanding

provided through study of this critical dyad in the Masonic context. Men who read and study the

meanings of the degree will perceive the Masonic light provided by the amalgam of these two

opposed concepts into the internal Masonic ideal. Given this understanding of the 18th Degree such

men can then lead the fraternity to new heights. The Scottish Rite can become the vehicle for

renewed quality and quantity in terms of membership, if the essays, and consequent understandings

provided in the Scottish Rite Degrees can become common knowledge among Masons.

Perhaps the faith/reason based 18th Degree of the Scottish Rite could be a basis for the

fraternity, at the Blue Lodge level, to begin more strongly encouraging all Blue Lodge Masons to

seek correct and in depth light in Masonry by moving through the Scottish Rite to the 32nd Degree.

If all Blue Lodge Masons would choose this route after becoming Master Masons, many of the

misunderstandings which are now rampant in the fraternity, and in society at large, could be

mitigated. Thus, as the College of the Consistory is considered for national acceptance by the

Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite, the potential exists for profound improvement in the

fraternity at large. I believe that if we, as Adepts of the College of the Consistory, will develop our

essays so that they relate to current Masonic challenges as reflected in the time honored degrees,

we may have a positive impact on future Masonic development. The personal congruence that is

espoused in the 18th degree has the potential for such positive impact if the meanings of the degree

are promulgated to Masons at large, with consequent understanding and adherence by members.

In summary then, the 18th degree includes personality and behavioral congruence potential

for all Masons who understand its faith and reason basis. With renewed interest in, and knowledge

18

of the duality presented in this degree coming to the Masonic fore, the Scottish Rite is enhanced,

and the fraternity improved. The personal internal equilibrium of all men is important, and within

Masonry it is a necessity. The 18th degree of the Scottish Rite is therefore a major key in our study

and reporting of the initial, and ongoing rationale for continuing the promulgation of all Scottish

Rite Degrees in perpetuity.

19

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