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

Chapter 2 – Historical Background 77
kept the custom of rough initiation ceremonies, mistaking them for tests of
courage: "La pratique d'épreuves physiques brutales s'est maintenue aux U.S.A.,
où elles sont encouragées en vue d'éprouver le courage du candidat. L'une d'elles
consiste à lui ordonner de sauter, pieds nus, sur un plancher tapissé d'énormes
clous... en caoutchouc." 203 This statement is in the same tone as the quotation
introducing Chapter 2., that Masonry developed in the U.S. as football
transmuted into rugby when imported overseas. However, "brutal" physical tests
were not detected in American rituals during our investigation of the material.
Perhaps, Mellor refers to fun ceremonies like "riding the goat" (see Section
9.3.2). These are rare exceptions in the otherwise very solemn ceremonies. If
Mellor has in mind other orders like the Shrine - where, admittedly, the
candidates are not handled with kid gloves - it has to be remembered that the
Shrine is not "Masonry" but called the "Master Mason's playground" (cf. Section
7.3.1). Possibly, Mellor mistakes Freemasonry for another fraternity, the Knights
of Pythias. The aim of Chapter 8. on different rituals will be to clearly show the
differences between the symbolic teachings of Freemasonry and the fun
ceremonies, wrapped in imitative rituals with Biblical flavor, of non-Masonic
societies, behind which lie mostly economic reasons.
203 Mellor, La Vie Quotidienne de la Franc-Maςonnerie Franςaise du XVIIIe siècle à nos Jours, p.
40. The statement about the "rubber nails" on which Masonic candidates, according to Mellor,
have to stand is very questionable. Such tests of courage can be observed in the Knights of Pythias
(cf. Section 7.3.4), where the neophyte is made to stand with his bare feet on the points of sharp
swords which, in fact, are made of rubber.