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

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Chapter 10 - Conclusion
be envied. But we are told that this is not the case with all Masons; for
though these arts are among them, yet some want capacity, and others
industry to acquire them. 2006
Not satisfied with Locke's limited observation, Lawrence regrets that the
philosopher has confined his study only to the universal "language" without
seeing the broader aspect of the universality of Freemasonry, which is not
rendered by mere words or signs. Locke has touched this aspect by continuing
with the remark that what he most desired to know of all the Masonic arts and
secrets was 'The Skylle of becomynge gude and parfyghte;' 2007 which, according
to Lawrence, already comes nearer to the true definition of its universality. This
is precisely what we have tried to outline in this book - the Masonic "skill of
becoming good and perfect" is just another expression for the moral system of
the fraternity. The Masonic "language" would be imperfect without its moral,
social, and philosophical claims.
10.2 The Wording and Ritual
Under the heading "Puerility of Rituals," Coil argues in his encyclopedia that
"[c]harges of incongruities, inconsistencies, puerilities, vicious penalties and the
like defects in the rituals are sometimes confused with charges of various faults
of Freemasonry. The substance of Freemasonry is certainly subject to no such
criticism, but the rituals are in places subject to all of them and need
revision." 2008 Coil further states that "[t]he old idea that nothing can be changed
even for improvement in Freemasonry is a mistake. The rituals have been revised
again and again and still contain crudities that ought not longer to be
tolerated." 2009 However, it is not easy to change a ritualistic text. Here, we have
to ask ourselves several questions: Who is authorized to change rituals? Whom
could one hurt with it? And finally - is it worth while? In England, as the
following quotation from Henderson and Pope's Freemasonry Universal from
2000 states, it could be unwise to discuss this matter with Masons, since they are
very proud of their respective ritualistic version. Since the differences are only
minimal, it would make no sense to ignite a partisan war between different ritual
adherents on trivial aestheticism:
With the exception of the Bristol working and possibly a few others,
English rituals are quite similar. Between some, the only difference is
minor wording, although the adherents of each ritual form are often
extremely partisan, and it therefore may be unwise to enter into a
2006 Lawrence, Practical Masonic Lectures, p. 337/338.
2007 Cf. Lawrence, Practical Masonic Lectures, p. 338.
2008 CME, p. 568.
2009 Ibid.