The Lost Key: An Explanation of Masonic Symbols

96The Lost Keya tremendous effect even though a man were hostile to moralityand unwilling to be taught. This is, of course, unthinkable.Masons enter Masonry of their own free wiII and accord, but ifthese dramatic presentations of the symbols would have an effectwhen the mind of the spectator is hostile, how immeasurablygreater must be the effect when the mind is friendly and favorable.It only needs that the rank and file of Masonry be taught themeanings. Give them Light and yet more light and soon Masonrywill come into her own, soon the great fraternity will stir itself aslife returns once more to the shells and husks of the Rituals andMasons will take their rightful place as the advance guard ofhuman evolution, the leaders of humanity.279. From the foregoing one may see how vitally necessary it is tothe Mason on the side lines and also to the candidate that theritualistic work be well done. It is the custom of many writers tosneer at the “parrot like” perfection which many Lodges seek toattain, but, as a matter of fact, that machine-like perfection is mostdesirable. The Ritual which is full. of flaws and mistakes andomissions, is so because the members of the Lodge have been toolazy to attend to their work. This attitude of mind must inevitablyproduce its effect which even those who deny the existence of“vibrations” are compelled to admit. Anything which is worthdoing at all is worth doing weIl, as well as we can possibly do it.How much more should attention be given to the perfect presentationof so important a work as a Masonic Ritual. All praise tothose faithful ones who have stuck to their ideal of as nearlyperfect a ritual as they could manage. When they see andcomprehend the real function of the Masonic Rituals they willrealize how correct their intuition was.