​Ruins of great edifices and artifices represent devastation – devastation brought about by the weathering nature of time, war, and violence.  Shakespeare describes this in masterful language in his celebrated “Sonnet 55” as he speaks of “unswept stone besmeared with sluttish time” and laments that
 
              . . .  wasteful war shall statues overturn,
              And broils root out the work of masonry . . .
 
Shakespeare, although not a Mason, well understood that the lapse of time, the ruthless hand of ignorance, and the devastations of war have laid waste and destroyed many valuable monuments of antiquity upon which the utmost exertions of human genius have been employed. Indeed, this thought permeates Masonic Degrees and oral tradition, for even the masterful building which lies at the heart of Masonic Ritual, the Temple of Solomon, so spacious and magnificent, and constructed by so many celebrated artists, escaped not the unsparing ravages of barbarous force. 

Remembrance of ruins as symbols of the passage of time and the destruction wrought by war and violence, however, is somewhat offset by their inspirational quality, promoting both aesthetic and moral reflection.  “Wondrous is this masonry, shattered by the Fates!” wrote the anonymous medieval Anglo-Saxon poet of yore. Here and elsewhere in the gifted modern translation of N. Kershaw, the writer of this poem now known simply as “The Ruin” speaks of a crumbling ancient bath built by the ancient Romans during their occupation of Britain.  This unknown bard speaks of the shattered buildings, the collapsed roof, and the towers in ruins, but also uses these images to imagine a past he could not see visually, but is able to imagine with its “banqueting halls, full of the joy of life” and “many a warrior, joyous hearted and radiant with gold.”  Ironically, portions of this poem itself from the “Exeter Book” have been destroyed by fire, so the now-disjointed words continue to compel readers of today to wonder about, and be inspired by, the ruined ephemeral triumphs of a medieval writer envisioning a more ancient past.  Insightful readers of the poem in our own era may also pause to reflect on the eventual fate of the architectural, monumental, and technological achievements of our own era.    

During the Romantic Age of the nineteenth-century, artists viewed ruins and literary fragments of the past as indicative of longing for the sublime, with missing portions seen as expressing the ineffable.  Painters such as J.M.W. Turner and sketch artists such as Gustave Doré delighted in portraying ruins of the medieval and classical past in art works, from what remains of Tintern Abbey to the classical columns representing, in the words of the poet Poe, “the glory that was Greece, the grandeur that was Rome.” Some nobility of the 1800’s would even have new “ruins” constructed on their estates. In a sense, ruins and legends of ruins may be said to have suggested and informed important passages of Masonic Ritual itself.    

Just as ruins urge us on to imagine artistic masterpieces and past civilizations, they also have the power to stir the imagination of the present. The Parthenon in Athens, the Forum Romanum of Rome, and other ruins of the classical era inspired modern architectural wonders in our capital city such as the buildings of the Supreme Court, the National Archives, the Library of Congress, Lincoln Memorial, and of course the Capitol Building itself.  These efforts give concrete meaning to the words of the biblical prophet Isaiah that “they shall build the places that have been waste from of old, and shall raise up ancient ruins . . . ”  (Isaiah 61: 4; Douay-Rheims American translation of 1899). At the same time, the ruins of the medieval and ancient past cause us to reflect upon the eventual fate of our own monuments, both personal and collective.

​Pictured above:  Watercolor and pen-and-ink art by Cordelia Dreisonstok, inspired by works of J.M.W. Turner and Gustave Doré.  Proof that ruins (and artistic renderings of them) continue to inspire artists today!

​The Fourth of July is a very special day which reminds American citizens of the privilege of having an independent nation in which they are in full charge of their own affairs and make their own decisions. On Independence Day, Masons can take pride in the fact that so many of the Founding Fathers who declared independence, most notably George Washington, were members of the Craft.

Yet the notion of independence may be said to have a special significance within Freemasonry itself.  Masonically, it reminds us of the common gavel, that gavel which constantly reminds us that we as Freemasons will never submit to be ruled against our own free will and accord.  As Albert Pike phrases it in his First Degree lecture in Morals and Dogma:  “The Force of the people, or the popular will, in action and exerted, [is] symbolized by the Gavel, regulated and guided by and acting within the limits of Law and Order . . . ” We together as a whole -- made up of individuals -- determine our destiny and design our plans without the influence of any external agents, and consequently our Masonic Institution can never be dominated by any specific religious denomination or political party.

On the night of July Fourth, we will see and hear the fireworks, echoing the cannons of the victorious battle of freedom so that our flag may proudly wave in the serene sky of Independence.   We are reminded that our forefathers shed their blood to earn the respect of every nation in the world. On a Fourth of July long ago in 1837, the poet and philosopher Emerson celebrated that

    Spirit, that made those heroes dare
    To die, and leave their children free . . .
 
We continue to savor the taste of that freedom which draws the admiration of  friends and the grudging respect of foes.

Let us then celebrate this most solemn occasion and prove ourselves to be deserving of this honor. Let us renew our vow to defend our nation and show our solidarity and strengthen our morale should any enemy ever dare to challenge our freedom and independence.
 
 
Sincerely and fraternally,
 
Charbel T. Fahed
Grand Master of Masons
Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia

In fact, I may say, that the birth of this mighty enterprise [the telegraph] is to a great extended due to [French’s] active labors in its behalf. In a conversation, only a few days before his death, I incidentally remarked his connection with the infancy of Professor Morse’s great invention, and he then related the manner in which the enterprise was first inaugurated.
 
He said that while the bill was pending in the House -- he being Assistant Clerk at the time -- his efforts in its behalf were earnestly solicited by Professor Morse and his friends. He examined carefully into the merits of the scheme, and became convinced of its feasibility and utility. But how to get it through the House was the question. Congress was then suffering with one of its periodical attacks of economy, and days of the session were drawing to a close, business was pressing, and the members almost universally regarded the enterprise as chimerical.
 
Brother French, however, moved by the anxiety of Professor Morse, determined to undertake this almost hopeless task. He approached the members but could find no favor from them. Finally he laid the matter before the Speaker, and told him the bill must pass. “Surely, Mr. French, you do not believe in such chimerical nonsense,” was the response. “Surely I do,” was the reply, “and you and I will live to see these lines stretching all over the world. I tell you, Mr. Speaker, we must pass this bill through.” “Well,” said the Speaker, “I don’t believe in it, but to do you a favor, we will try. You, as assistant clerk, have charge of the table. I will call on you today for miscellaneous and unimportant bills, and in a moment of confusion, when the members have become accustomed to voting ‘aye,’ you slip in this, only don’t call the title too loud, and I will try to put it through without observation.”
 
The ruse was successful. The bill was strategically introduced in a moment of extreme confusion and passed by an almost unanimous vote. Thus, by the efforts of one true man, of a vision of a little more extensive than ordinary, was an enterprise inaugurated, compelling the lightings of heaven to the service of man, destined with its silent voice to control the destinies of nations, to raise up and destroy empires, to carry messages of woe to the afflicted, and tidings of glad joy to the rejoicing.
​

With some quick thinking and help from the Speaker of the House, French was able to quietly sneak More’s request into appropriations. The event highlights an interesting moment in the history of the United States, as many members of Congress doubted the utility or necessity of a telegraphic system. 

Two years after this event, French became the Chief Clerk of the House, but in 1847 lost re-election by a single vote. His interest in the telegraph, however, continued and he left public office to serve as the President of the first telegraph company in the United States, Morse’s Magnetic Telegraph Company.
 
Brown concludes his story saying:
 
For the next few years, [French] devoted himself exclusively to its interests, and it is largely owing to his energy, enterprise, and business tact, that this wonderful invention was raised from infancy to full manhood, and has spread itself across the face of the whole earth, across the towering mountains and under the swelling billows, bearing the whispers of man to man for thousands and thousands of miles.

French’s “maneuver” in the House and his later service as President of the Morse Magnetic Telegraph Company helped to bring about a communications revolution by the mid-nineteenth century. And by 1854, telegraph lines out-paced their railroad counterparts with over 23,000 miles of wire in operation.​

Masonry is travelling, as we all know, and I have had many opportunities to undertake journeys as Grand Master, including to Lebanon, the Philippines, and Italy. This month, I would like to share my experiences in Italy, as much of the classical, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture we associate with Masonry is also associated with the Italian Peninsula. Indeed, the first European country which triggered the Renaissance was Italy, namely, the romantic and glamorous city of Florence.  From there the Renaissance spread throughout Europe, making Italy an important font of European culture. 
​
During my recent visit to the Grand Lodge of Italy with our Grand Secretary, we deeply enriched our minds with the most valuable jewels of the Renaissance.  We started in Rome – “Rome is a world,” wrote our Masonic Brother Goethe in Italian Journey, “and one must spend years before one can become at all acquainted with it.” 

Nonetheless, our all-too-short  visit to the ruins of the ancient Roman Coliseum and our subsequent  viewing of the colonnade and elaborations of St. Peter’s sculpted by Bernini in the Baroque era were reminders of how swiftly the sands of time run for man and his creations, from century to century and from millennium to millennium.  Yet these wonderful expressions of architecture crafted by operative Masons transcend history and are truly monuments to the greatness of the human spirit, from generation to generation.

From Rome, we drove about five hours to Rimini, a gorgeous city lying on a Mediterranean beach which attracts people from all over the world.  Here in the midst of such natural beauty at the seashore, the thoughtful traveler may ruminate of the fragile state of man against the powerful forces of nature.  Again, turning to Bro. Goethe’s Italian Journey: “In the upper provinces, Rimini . . . has suffered.   The earth has strange humours, and people talk of earthquakes here just as we do of wind and weather.”  One cannot think of Roman Pompei without remembering its ancient destruction at the whims of a volcano. This is ever a reminder that just as man thinks his greatness is still aspiring, he falls, like autumn leaves, to enrich our mother earth.

In the coming issue of The Voice of Freemasonry, I will be sharing more thoughts on my “Masonic Italian Journey.” In the meantime, summer is a time when many of us go on vacation – a necessary break from our routine labors which allows us to recharge with the required energy needed to propel us into real action and productive accomplishment as we return to our everyday lives. Let me encourage all Brethren, if within the length of their cable-tow, not merely to use vacation time as a reduced work schedule.  It is rather time to “vacate” the house and the usual locales and use free time for travel and the wonderful opportunities it provides for recreation, learning, and personal development. 

On the afternoon of March 17, 2019, as Grand Master accompanied by members of the Grand Lodge and with three other Grand Masters in attendance, I joined the Tall Cedars of Lebanon and laid a wreath at the tomb of our late brother George Washington, the father of our beloved country, first president of the United States, and a great light in Masonry.  I noticed there at Mount Vernon a cedar of Lebanon which shades the sacred grave area where we were standing.  The tall, sturdy cedar under which we gathered that day testifies to the strong resolution and firm determination for our Masonic fraternity to exist and remain standing tall and proud from age to age. The cedar tree reminds us of the valuable principles transmitted throughout history to practice our Masonic values and preserve the most sacred Landmarks of our order.

Bearing in mind the strength and beauty of the cedar trees of Lebanon, it is little wonder that King Solomon, our ancient Grand Master, in constructing the Temple around which all Masonic Ritual revolves, asked that Hiram, King of Tyre, “hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon” (1 Kings 5: 6).  We know from the biblical text that Hiram responded by “[giving] Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire” (1 Kings 5: 10) and that the trees were felled and prepared in the forests of Lebanon, carried by sea in floats to Joppa, and from thence by land to Jerusalem, in order to build and adorn the Temple.  When the building was completed, of course, it bore resemblance to the handy workmanship of the Supreme Architect of the Universe.

Such is the importance of the cedar trees of Lebanon in Scripture and in our Ritual, relative to the building of King Solomon’s Temple.  Even though “trees that are [hewn] for building by art are made to differ from those which abide in the wood[s],“ as John Bunyan writes in describing Solomon’s Temple Spiritualized, the cedar trees of Lebanon in their natural state have a beauty which is awe-inspiring and reflective of the majesty of God. I would like to take this opportunity to extend an invitation to everyone desirous to visit the actual cedars in Lebanon, some of which date back thousands of years. Reflecting upon the cedars of Lebanon and that one tree which stood high above us that March day providing shade at Mount Vernon, I can do no better than close with the following short poem written by a Masonic Brother:

The architecture of Freemasonry is altogether related to the construction of public edifices, and principally sacred or religious ones -- such as temples, cathedrals, churches -- and of these, masonically (sic), the temple of Solomon is the archetype.
​
                                                                                                                      - Albert Mackey, The Symbolism of Freemasonry (1892)​

​King Solomon’s Temple is indeed the building around which Freemasonry and all its allegories revolve. Yet for many, the awe of the building craft is first experienced while visiting one of the great medieval cathedrals of Europe, or the National Cathedral here in Washington, D.C.  “One has only to stand in the great cathedrals of Europe and gaze up at their vaulted ceilings or to behold the sky-piercing spires, ever pointed upward to the one true God, to be overwhelmed with the idea that the men who constructed these marvelous edifices possessed an intellectuality, a culture, and a knowledge of the building art, far in advance of the times in which they lived,” writes Delmar Duane Darrah in his History and Evolution of Freemasonry. 

such as Notre Dame which took several centuries to build can possibly be fully restored in five years.  However, we should nonetheless take great inspiration from the resilience of operative Masons and the French people who are so determined to rebuild Notre Dame.

In the same way, we as speculative Masons also must not expect to build the Temple of Humanity overnight. While a great deal of progress may be made in a five-year period, smoothing out the rough ashlar into the more perfect ashlar is the work of a lifetime.  Sometimes the work proceeds rapidly and sometimes slowly, and there can be setbacks. Indeed, it is a task and an ideal which may never be realized fully in this world, but rather in the world which is to come. Nevertheless, that which was lost may be found.  Let us take this as an inspiration to continue to work on our own rough ashlars, building our own private temples within, and constructing the Temple of Humanity to create a better world for all.

​Remarks on the “Three E’s” which lie at the heart of Masonry were made by Charbel T. Fahed, Grand Master of Masons of the District of Columbia, at his Grand Visitation to Arminius Lodge No. 25 on 18 March 2019.  He expands upon this speech here:

Freemasonry is ultimately about a thirst for knowledge. There are different types of knowledge, and Masonic knowledge may be explained three-fold as the “Triple E” of  Education, Ethics, and Empathy. We must urge ourselves to work for years to come in furthering and promoting these principles.
 
The mind is like a diamond in the raw. It is rude and unpolished, but using a chisel, we bring out its beauty with great dedication through Education. As the Masonic scholar Albert Mackey phrases it in his Symbolism of Freemasonry: 
 
"The rough and unpolished stone is a symbol of man's natural state -- ignorant, uncultivated, and, as the Roman historian [Sallust] expresses it, ‘groveling to the earth, like the beasts of the field, and obedient to every sordid appetite;’ but when education has exerted its salutary influences in expanding his intellect, in restraining his hitherto unruly passions, and purifying his life, he is then represented by the perfect ashlar, or finished stone, which, under the skilful hands of the workman, has been smoothed, and squared, and fitted for its appropriate place in the building." (Italics for emphasis mine.)
 
One way in which Education has a benevolent influence is by bringing Light -- intellectual and moral -- to educate those who have not had a chance to learn Empathy. We must ever “walk the extra mile” and do our duty as Masons in order to encourage Empathy in our sphere and world.   Empathy is charity -- not in the sense of mere money, but rather in the exercise of brotherly love. Sometimes it is just a smile towards a person who is depressed or ill.  The practice of Empathy is enshrined everywhere in our Ritual.  The Masonic philosopher Albert Pike, writing in Morals and Dogma, notes that a nexus between empathy and compassion extends back to time immemorial: “Sensibility, above all, and compassion for the misfortunes of others,” Pike writes, “were precious virtues, which initiation strove to encourage.”  What better source is there from both Ritual and Masonic experience is there than the Initiation, in which we are reminded to look out for the welfare of a distressed worthy Brother? 
 
Empathy, of course, is closely intertwined with ethics.  Indeed, we walk as upright by following a code of ethics. While many see ethics as restrictions on conduct, the philosopher Baruch Spinoza reminds us ethics is "a way leading to freedom." Spinoza writes this in his Ethica Ordine Geometrico Demonstrata, a title which translates appropriately for us as Masons interested in Geometry as “Ethics, Demonstrated in Geometrical Order.”
 
Like Empathy, we receive our ethical education and its concomitant “way of leading to freedom” via Ritual. This underscores the importance of memorizing ritual! Memorizing Ritual makes it and the ethical lessons it teaches a part of us, rather like prayer itself.

Masonry is an ever-progressing ascent into higher spiritual and intellectual knowledge and Light.  We know this, for instance, in the second degree, as we progress up the three, five, and seven steps to enter the Middle Chamber. 
Let us focus for a moment, however, not on the steps but on the symbolic Ladder of Masonry.  Dr. Albert Mackey writes in his classic work The Symbolism of Freemasonry:

The lodge, as a representative of the world, is of course supposed to have no other roof than the heavens  . . .  another symbol—the theological ladder—is so intimately connected with it . . .  Now, this mystic ladder, which connects the ground floor of the lodge with its roof or covering, is another important and interesting link, which binds, with one common chain, the symbolism and ceremonies of Freemasonry, and the symbolism and rites of the ancient initiations. This mystical ladder, which in Masonry is referred to "the theological ladder, which Jacob in his vision saw, reaching from earth to heaven," was widely dispersed among the religions of antiquity, where it was always supposed to consist of seven rounds or steps.

“Jacob’s Ladder” is a painting by the British poet, mystic, and visual artist William Blake which combines the ladder imagery with the step imagery both so much at home in Freemasonry.  In the fluid lines and pastel colors for which he is noted, Blake presents Jacob’s Ladder as a “flight of winding stairs,” with angels ascending from earth past the stars and to the sun (see illustration below).

Returning to Masonic tradition proper, the Ladder is presented in Scottish Rite Masonry as a unique Emblem, and represents in its most direct sense the Ladder or staircase on which the Patriarch Jacob saw “the angels of God were ascending and descending” (Genesis 28: 12) as Jacob was told the destiny of the people of Israel.  Masonic scholar Albert Pike, in a discussion in Morals and Dogma, implies that as it forms a triangle, Jacob’s Ladder can be likened in a shape to the mystical pyramids of Egypt. (P. 234, classic edition)  Based on Talmudic and Kabbalistic traditions, Jewish Tales and Legends (Mendel G. Glenn, New York, 1929) suggests a more somber interpretation:  “Four angels bearing the visage of humans began to ascend the ladder” – four angels representing the nations which would come to rule over the Israelites:  Babylon, Media, Greece, and Rome. (P. 124)  
​
In Christian tradition, the Ladder is Emblematical of Saint Paul’s list of greatest virtues:  Faith, Hope, and Charity (1 Corinthians 13: 13).  Attending our Lodges and other Masonic bodies regularly reminds us of such striking incidents and Symbols of morality within the Degrees and the diversity of interpretations for the reflective Mason to consider.

One of the common complaints I often hear is about the drop of membership in our Fraternity. I hear this comment year in and year out, and it appears to me that we complain but ignore the main reason why we have such a decline in some jurisdictions.
 
At a certain high school, a professor asked students in a social science class to identify the reason why there is so much divorce in our society. One student replied that the reason for divorce was marriage.  We could apply this same joke to our Masonic Fraternity: The reason why many brothers were dropped for NPD or dropped themselves out by submitting a demit was because they were Masons.
 
A decent portion of many prospective Brothers knocking at our door have no idea as to what to expect upon joining our great Fraternity. We indeed ask those candidates lingering in the darkness such questions as, “What came you here to do?” More often than not, we prompt them to give the right answer that they use in the same way a parrot back without conceiving or penetrating any depth of the actual meaning. And once these newly-minted Masons are within our portals, many beat about in the darkness seeking little instruction or guidance, and they begin to wonder why they are here in the first place. Eventually, without direction and suffering from the heavy weight of boredom, these men consequently give up on Masonry.
 
No less than Albert Pike, writing in Morals and Dogma, reminds us that “the Degree of Apprentice raises a corner of the veil” (p. 219, classic edition), and we should find it highly troubling that candidates are unaffected or have a blasé attitude as they begin to see revealed behind the veil the beauty and mysteries of Freemasonry, though only partially.  All this should whet the appetites of our candidates for more Light in Masonry.
 
In order to rectify the situation whereby members join only to lose interest, it is imperative that we leave off worrying about numbers, and instead be seriously concerned about the quality of people we select whom we would be proud to call “Brother.”  As many worry about the decrease in membership among the Craft, I worry rather about the increase. I would prefer to mingle with a few Brothers and students of our Royal Art than a multitude of those who do not comprehend, internalize, and reflect what we claim to be. If gold existed in as much abundance as copper or iron, then it would not be costly or unique in value.  In fact, it would cease to be a precious metal.
 
My strong recommendation is to undertake a diligent search about those who are knocking at the West Gate, and if we find them worthy and of kindred spirit, then we should pay our utmost attention to them. We must explore their motives for becoming Masons. Let us assign them the task of telling us, in their own words, what Masonry is about, rather than our telling them who we are. Let us get a serious and concrete commitment from them about how they can contribute to the Fraternity. Let us ensure that they are truly open to receiving rather than having forced upon them the precious gift of Masonic knowledge, that they may ingest it and become part of our living Temple.
 
Brethren, it is incumbent upon us to maintain the high standards of our institution. Please safeguard the high qualities of our magnificent Brotherhood, sponsor discerning candidates, and impress upon our petitioners the importance of Education, Ethics, and Empathy in order that we may define who we are and where we stand.