From the East – May 2022

Greetings Brethren,

WHAT IS A MASON?

At a recent workshop at the Fellowship Center that was convened to discuss membership and retention, a challenging question was asked, “How would you respond if a prospective candidate asks you to define a Mason?”

I find this question and its answer to be very challenging. How does one define a Mason succinctly and accurately? After all, a Mason can have many personal qualities and resources. He is certainly charitable; has a strong commitment to assist others, especially the brethren; has a strong interest in the wellbeing of the craft; joins other likeminded individuals towards achieving and maintaining excellence; values harmony; has integrity, diligence, temperance, and discretion; values science; treats others fairly and justly; and maintains a belief in a Deity. A Mason also has many other excellent qualities that are sometimes difficult to verbalize but perhaps can be guessed at by looking at the lives of famous Masons.

The above qualities can bring success to anyone no matter one’s skills or station in life. But it is helpful to keep in mind that there is tremendous power for achieving a successful life through faithful adherence to Masonic principles and precepts. This following brief list of Masons demonstrates to me that success and masonry are somehow linked and that it is certainly worthwhile to practice masonic values in whatever you do.

The following are some famous Masons: Andrew W. Mellon (Mellon National Bank) and Richard B. Mellon; Karl A. Menninger (Menninger Clinic); Theodore G. Montague (The Borden Company); Edwin Mosier (Mosier Safe Company); Charles W. Nash (The Nash Motor Company, which became American Motors); François-Marie Arouet, who wrote under the name Voltaire; Samuel Clemens, also known as Mark Twain; Jonathon Swift, who wrote Gulliver’s Travels; John Steinbeck, the author of Grapes of Wrath; Winston Churchill, who was a member of Studholme Alliance Lodge Number 1591 in London; John Glenn, who also was a 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason; Douglas MacArthur, who was part of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines; and Steve Wozniak, who was a member of Charity Lodge Number 362 in California.

Fraternally,
WM John Quintana