The North Carolina Mason

Page 8 The North Carolina Mason March/April 2020 BRADSHAW from page 5 ESOTERICA from page 5 breath because engagement with a symbol comes from the deepest core of who you are: Your true self as opposed to the ego self you portray daily to others. Listen to this part of yourself. What is it telling you? Take time to stop, contemplate, plan, and act on the knowledge (symbolized by light) shed on you by the symbol. is, brethren, is Masonic labor; this is one of the most powerful and valuable aspects of our frater- nity. We are taught that the principal tenets of a Mason's profession are Broth- erly Love, Relief, and Truth. When you care for a brother – speak to him, shake his hand and genuinely care for him – that's Brotherly Love. When you give selflessly of your time or money – visiting your sick brethren, checking in on your brother's widow, or participating in a fundraiser – that's Relief. But listening to Providence's power through the ritual and symbolism, then contemplating what it means to you – that's the start of Truth. However, Truth only comes to fruition when you take the necessary steps of laying the designs on the trestle board (the plan for change) and follow a course of action based on those plans. ereby building your new Masonic edifice (the better you), bringing it closer to completion so you can receive the Master's Word – the connection to Deity. at's Truth. at's Masonic labor. Aligning your thoughts, words and deeds with your true self – releasing the ego, the facade of who you are. rough this Masonic labor, slowly chipping away at your rough Ashlar, measuring with the square, level and plumb, to ensure you stay true, you make yourself worthy of the title of Master Mason and are finally able to place your perfected stone with the others of the great Temple of the Universe, using the trowel to spread the cement which unites your stone with the others. Masonic labor, the search for Truth, the contempla- tion of who you are, finding balance and alignment with all parts of yourself and Deity. at is the goal of our Masonic symbols and is what makes them the "soul" of our fraternity. If you've ever been watching a degree or studying our ritual and you recognized something about a symbol you hadn't consid- ered before, please let me know. Did it cause a transformation in the way you think, speak or act? I'm interested in hearing about it – just email me at sbradshaw@ glnc.us, or if you prefer, send me a letter to the Grand Lodge. ey'll get it to me. Brethren, keep the light and tell your story! minefields of Masonic ritual and allegory. ese two men were Past Masters Charles Page Separk and John Samuel White. Charlie and Jack were old and I was young. Collectively they knew the allegory of the ritual and its esoteric base. Charlie had served on the Board of Custodians and was part of the group that put together the OSW. He spent much time talking with me, not only about how the OSW came together, but the logic behind each part of the ritual. Brother Jack had the patience of Job with me. We spent many hours sitting in the East in Hiram #40, with an empty hall, as he walked me through each element of the ritual. At every point he would stop and explain the "why and some- thing." So much for rote. Jack believed no lesson should be half-learned. He encouraged me to get into Masonic writings, dictionaries, and monitors to learn our language, always stressing that everything means something, and something, and then something else. As this column matures, I trust it will create an exchange of interest to learn the esoteric background of the why and what of our ritual. With this introduction, I propose in subsequent columns to work through each degree, lecture, open and closing and the cate- chisms … if we live long enough. ere is a long road ahead and light will be added to light with each rise in the road. Hiram's Whisper is a vocabulary app for the Freemasons of North Carolina. You must be a member in Good Standing of the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina in order to access this app. You will be required to submit your name and membership number to verify your affiliation. You may then access up to 10 words within a 24-hour period. Truth only comes to fruition when you take the necessary steps of laying the designs on the trestle board (the plan for change) and follow a course of action based on those plans. The Mason O cial Publication of e Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina Volume 145 Number 2 Oxford, North Carolina March/April 2020 NORTH CAROLINA ■ see SLOW LANE page 2 LIFE in the lane SLOW By Beth Grace Mason Editor Nobody wanted to make history this way. But history was made in March when the novel coronavirus made landing in the United States and sent all of us indoors for an inde€ nite hibernation. Grand Master Shaun Bradshaw, after a week of Craft-wide alerts asking brethren to be careful, be aware and exercise an abundance of caution, made the hard call on March 16. "In light of recent events, the spread of COVID-19, and upon the recommenda- tions of our local, state, and federal govern- ments, it is my Order that all Freemasons and lodges in this Grand Jurisdiction conform to the recommendations and civil law of the land, and that all lodge meet- ings and Masonic gatherings cease at high twelve on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, until further notice," he wrote. Lodges statewide complied and even the Grand Lodge in Raleigh locked its doors – while sta– continue to work inside, maintaining proper distances. e GL cut sta ng to two people at a time on March 20. e other two sta– were working from home. Both the Masonic Home for Children and WhiteStone: A Masonic and Eastern Star Community had to make the call to restrict visitors. Business continued at the School of Graphic Arts on the MHCO campus, but access to the building was restricted. Davie Academy and Wilk- erson College sessions were postponed as were education meetings to help lodges applying for Lion & Pillar honors. is is the € rst time a sitting Grand Master in North Carolina has issued a statewide order closing lodges and cancel- ling meetings, says Jonathan Underwood, assistant Grand Secretary. Individual districts called for their lodges to close at times during the 1918 › u pandemic that infected about a third of the world's popu- lation. ere's no evidence in proceedings from that year that the Grand Master issued a blanket closure order. At presstime in late March, while Masons self-isolated, many still o– ered a helping hand to their lodge brethren, COVID-19 virus shuts down lodges, but not Freemasonry Sign posted on the road into the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford with notice that the campus is closed to visitors. For those stuck at home, reading online has become a great way to pass the time. While you're surfing, check out the NC Mason online! But if you want to help us save money (our printing budget is smaller this year and we'd love your help!), just send a note to ncmason@glnc.us with these words in the subject line: OPT OUT, and in the body of the email, include your full name and mailing address. We'll take it from there.!

• Cover