The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

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Chapter 8 - Categorization of Rituals
There is another hint at patriotism in the charge of the Third Degree that
gives the candidate guidelines for his behavior, referring to the "greatness" of the
U.S.A.:
Make others know always that a gentleman stands before them. The
teaching of this degree, then, is that it is your duty to make the most and
the best of yourself. It is your duty as a man among men; as a son, or
husband, or father; as a citizen of this great Republic; as a duly
obligated Master Mason; as the most glorious climax of all created
things; for the true man is the human image of the Mason's God. 1670
Group 3 tells us that most androgynous orders have a Flag present and pledge
allegiance to it, without making a great fuss about it. The same is valid for other
fraternal orders, like the Woodmen and the Knights of Pythias. The Flag belongs
to the furniture of their meeting places, but it is not treated in a very special way,
since the focus lies on other symbols.
Group 4 is very interesting. It shows that "fun" organizations stress their
"Americanism," to underline that their Illustrious Potentates are all good folks
and good Americans, mostly with great pomp. These are also the orders which
like to show off in processions through the streets, where the members can boast
their shiny jewels, badges, and uniforms. Such formations are similar to military
marches and therefore have a flair of patriotism about them - even when the
"Knights" do not fight real battles any more. But what is most striking is the fact
that quasi-Masonic youth organizations create a real to-do about Flag
processions and ceremonies. The Rainbow Girls find hidden treasures like the
Flag, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the U.S., and both
the Rainbow Girls and the DeMolay boys have objects (e.g. jewels, candles) or
officers named "Patriotism." This proves that the rituals are intended to teach the
young people to be good Americans. If there were not so many other religious
and moral tenets of these youth orders, one could suspect that they are abused for
infiltrating political schemes (even if only positive ones) in the children's minds.
There remains the question, what about Masonic rituals from other nations,
do they equally contain allusions to patriotism? A survey referring to all the
other countries is beyond the scope of this dissertation. We can only speak for
the few European rituals we have acquired for comparative purposes, namely a
Scottish Craft ritual from 1915, a Mark Ritual printed in London, and a German
Craft ritual that was worked some time between 1874 and 1935 by the "Grand
Lodge of the Sun" at Bayreuth. 1671 In none of them occur any patriotic
sentiments, neither in songs, nor in the ceremonies, and there is no Flag
displayed, as expected. Without being able to furnish any more material from
other countries and times, we would like to put up the hypothesis that patriotism
1670 Nizzardini (publ.), p. 192.
1671 We have consulted The 'Standard' Ritual of Scottish Freemasonry (1915) and Kessinger
Publishing Company (ed.), The Secret Rituals of the Masonic Grand Lodge of the Sun. For the
other "non-patriotic" rituals, see bibliography.