IN MAN, BORN FREE…
“… Cast out this slave woman and her son; for the son
of this slave will not be heir with my son…”
generally 21:10
As true as the above may be, it does not go far enough in interpreting what Freemasonry intends being born free to symbolize. It is equally important to also understand how this relates to Freemasonry’s attitude towards despotism and humanity’s relentless pursuit of freedom. Within the teachings of the Craft we learn that life is a law of Nature and that he who imposes his own selfish desires on another man’s natural spirit of freedom is a criminal against the laws of Nature. Succumbing to the infiltrations of the immense “I” of the despot is equivalent to sacrificing freedom on the altar of materialism. If a man does not resist these infiltrations, he is doomed to be absorbed by them, making the world less free than it was before.
What threats to freedom does a Freemason oppose? And how does a Mason manifest his resistance to such threats? War and rebellion are far from the thoughts of a true Mason. Peace, harmony and goodwill towards all mankind are his motto. He is bound by his vows to render due obedience to the laws under which he lives.
When the United States of America was on the brink of civil war in the late 1850s, Grand Masters from many states spoke of the need for all men to take a deep breath and find a way to avoid bloodshed. Neither openly promoted the start of hostilities, whether their constituents resided in the North or the South. However, once the war began, Masons on both sides of the great divide fought and died battle after battle.
Masons are united in eternal hostility to tyranny and despotic power. Those evils are not found only among the legendary tyrants of history, like Hitler, Stalin, and the beasts of today who slaughter their own relatives in order to consolidate and perpetuate political power. Rather, they are found everywhere where men act to shorten the lives of many for the benefit of one. Tyranny and despotism have been found to reside in churches as well as castles. Wherever life is extinguished, compressed, stifled, corrupted, or diminished to suit the will of one over many, tyranny and despotism reign. It is these that weaken the soul of humanity and shackle the will of every free person. It is these that Freemasonry abhors and resists. That resistance is embodied by the inculcation of universal benevolence, tolerance, and love for all mankind.
Where darkness reigns in the hearts of men, that is where the light of Freemasonry must shine brightest. We are reminded of the parable in our Holy Scriptures that teaches us that a shining lamp should not be placed where it cannot be seen. The unwarranted taking of human life is not mitigated by taking life either in revenge or in a misguided effort that is so necessary to defeat our enemies. Freemasonry does not teach “an eye for an eye”, but rather love instead of hate; peace instead of war; and tolerance against domination. It is that lamp that must be kept open for all to see.
Peacefully, however, Masons have pledged for centuries to resist arbitrary power and rule. That is no longer a call to war that Mahatma Gandhi called his people to war against the colonialists in India. Rather, it is a vow to use whatever means are available to effect change peacefully; be personally the absolute owner of your voice, vote and opinion; and never allow another to dictate in matters of conscience.
Perhaps the greatest threat to man’s freedom does not come from evil monarchs, dictators, or rulers, but from generally well-meaning people who allow themselves the unseemly luxury of tarnishing someone else’s good name. In legal circles, such conduct is called libel or slander. Around the water cooler of many workplaces it is simply called a gadget. On prime-time television, it’s often referred to as good journalism.
An idle tongue wags, not caring that the story about the man on the corner is only half true. Suddenly, another human being is imprisoned by the disapproval of many and he may not easily free himself, even if he manages to prove the story false. Many will say: “Where there is smoke, there is fire”, and therefore the damage will be irreparable. However, a Mason takes vows that bind him to protect the good name of a fellow Mason, a vow that is far more meaningful than ever in this age of instant communication. A lack of fidelity here could leave a mark on another brother that may never be erased. It doesn’t matter that the violation actually involves a truthful statement about another sibling’s faults or shortcomings. That is not the test in Freemasonry, because those in the Craft know that there is more than enough misery to be spread among all of God’s people. A breaking of the vow occurs whenever there is a possibility that another brother, his family or friends will be slighted for something said by another brother. The reason is simple: such a violation implies the potential compromise of another brother’s freedom.
Thus, being born free means something more than being born free, or never having worn the chains of slavery. All men are destined by nature to be free and it is to this truth that the phrase born free belongs. Men have made other men slaves, but God has never done it. Men have created prisons to house criminals, not so with God. If it is true that man is put here on earth to learn what God wants of him, then man must also learn how to keep all men free. We are not talking here about opening the doors for dangerous criminals to roam and victimize society. But we do call on society to put aside its frustration and work tirelessly to understand why man offends others unlawfully and how best to effect behavioral change peacefully. This will not happen instantly, or even in a generation. The stain of poverty, violence and fear is indeed difficult to remove and may require several lifetimes of several generations. But regardless of the difficulty, this must be a fundamental goal of every Mason: to work against everything that threatens to enslave humanity.