…presented at St. John's Lodge No. 82, Paris, November 8, 2005.

The North East Angle

Some of you will remember sometimes I will mention that I feel that the North East Angle is the one piece in the ritual I feel may be a little excessive for the new initiate. We take all of his earthly possessions before we bring him into the lodge and not long after we ask him to make a charitable donation. I know when I was initiated into Masonry, I felt very uncomfortable because they knew very well that I had nothing to give because they had taken it from me. I have often wondered why they would do that to a person who they had investigated and found suitable to join their fraternity.

Earlier this year on one of my fraternal visits to Hiram lodge, at an initiation, I informed the Master that he would have to send the Jr. Deacon and the candidate back out of the lodge to sign the Tyler 's register before the ceremony of the initiation could continue. More than a few eyebrows were raised. However, what happened toward the end of the evening was even more eye opening to me. W. Bro. Lawrence Thorell on his way out said to me "Thank you for helping me make a daily advancement in Masonic knowledge." Hence, I decided to put that into practise and learn more about the North East Angle. My researches lead me to the book "Beyond the Pillars." The following is what I found.(Beyond the Pillars page 95)

"The lecture in the north-east angle of the lodge can be extremely effective. The candidate has entered a new phase of life and is about to construct a temple of character and conduct which no one but he can build. Since he is still an E.A., he requires instruction in the proper formulation of the plans and the process of construction. He is therefore placed in the north-east angle of the lodge, the symbolic meeting place of darkness and light. On this new dawn he is ready to start work in a new and challenging endeavour. All buildings, physical or moral, require a foundation stone. For the Mason's temple it is Charity.

Here the candidate, who himself represents the corner-stone, declares publicly his attitude toward charity. He is invited to make a charitable donation. Naturally he is still influenced by the values of the material world, and since he has been divested of all money and metallic substances he has nothing material to offer. Even so, though he may not yet realize it, he does have much to give in the name of true charity. He has himself to offer, and his God given talents, for the good of his fellow men. In Masonry charity has the rich connotation of love, of kindly good will and regard for others. The true Mason will be slow to anger and ready to forgive. He will support a falling brother and warn him of approaching danger. He will not open his ear to slander and will close his lips to unkindly reproach. Nor will he limit such benevolent sentiments to those who are bound to him by ties of kindred or social association. His love will extend to any brother, no matter where he may be found beneath the canopy of Heaven. A worthy Mason who is destitute will find in every clime a brother and in every land a home."

You see my Brethren I had formed an opinion before I had all the information I needed.

We all have much to offer even though we don't have the traditional charity that most people assume is charity - money. Indeed money may be the easiest of all charities to give. Brethren, a soft shoulder to cry on, a listening ear or a comforting arm in a time of need are all acts of charity. Many of these simple acts can have far reaching effects that last for years that no amount of money can ever hope to accomplish. Just regard for our fellow man is a charity that is in all of us and basically costs us nothing to give. It gives us back the greatest rewards, the smile that happens on the inside of our souls that only we can feel because we did the good act not for ourselves but for the cause of good.

If it is to be it is up to me.