There are few things that give me as much comfort as when the Worshipful Master of a Lodge calls the assembled Masons to order with the “ancient” words that are always used to set a meeting in motion.
On the second Friday of the month a new Worshipful Master, previously elected, recently installed, and now in his chair in the East of the Lodge for the first time, intoned those words as if he’d been doing this all his life. And thus began the first business meeting of the year.
Since the publication of Dan Brown’s latest book, much has been made and said of Masons and Masonry. Curiosity in Utah certainly rose when Channel 2 News did a piece on the connections between the Utah Fraternity and the predominant religion.
An Open House across the state saw thousands (more than 3,000 in the Salt Lake Mason Temple alone) brave the cold and a blowing snow storm not only to see the place where Masons meet, but also to talk with real, live Utah Masons.
To understand better, those interested visitors politely asked questions and those questions were not at all unfamiliar to the Masons who answered the queries. “I thought Mormons were barred from joining, can they?” and “What do I need to do to join?” were heard right along with such questions as, “I think my Grandfather was a Mason, how can I find out if he was?” and “What do you do in your meetings?”
And some of those folks, including Channel 2 News Anchor Mark Kobel, wanted to know why we joined: “What is the draw?” he asked several, and “What makes you stay?”
One of the many reasons I continue to faithfully attend is it is pretty reassuring to meet with my fraternal brothers in a familiar setting and hear those ancient words used to begin our meeting, no matter who may be “sitting in the East,” or whatever else is going on in the world.
That continuity from an earlier age, and the company of such good men are such simple things. But as I get older, they bring peace and contentment to my soul.
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