Foundations of Obligation

And to keep me steadfast in the due performance of the same...

Brethren, We are men with one thing in common, we have all placed our hands upon a Volume of Sacred Law a minimum of three times, some of us many more, and have taken a solemn oath and obligation in the eyes of the Great Architect to live by a certain moral and ethical code. 

We have made a pact with the Creator that we will abide by a set of rules, which in my eyes, is supposed to set me a step above men that are yet uninitiated.  Why do I say that?  Because, the profane can live by those same moral codes.  I say that because we MUST live by that morality we have sworn to abide by.  We do not have a choice, lest we break that pact with the Creator.

We as Masons, of our own free will and accord, have obligated ourselves to lead a life of chivalric value.  In a nutshell, what are those values that we have so often heard while at the alter?  They are similar to the codes and values to the Knights of history. 

The Knights Code of Chivalry and the vows of Knighthood

The Knights Code of Chivalry described in the Song of Roland and an excellent representation of the Knights Codes of Chivalry are as follows:

·         To fear God and maintain His Church

·         To serve the liege lord in valour and faith

·         To protect the weak and defenseless

·         To give succour to widows and orphans

·         To refrain from the wanton giving of offence

·         To live by honour and for glory

·         To despise pecuniary reward

·         To fight for the welfare of all

·         To obey those placed in authority

·         To guard the honour of fellow knights

·         To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit

·         To keep faith

·         At all times to speak the truth

·         To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun

·         To respect the honour of women

·         Never to refuse a challenge from an equal

·         Never to turn the back upon a foe

Of the seventeen entries in the Knights Codes of Chivalry, according to the Song of Roland, at least 12 relate to acts of chivalry as opposed to combat.  (http://www.lordsandladies.org/knights-code-of-chivalry.htm, 8/14/2014)

While the vows we took in our three degrees, or 7, 13 or 32 degrees, are not verbatim, the basis or the foundation are similar. 

This is not a code that is exclusive to western civilization, what we as westerners know as Chivalry, those with a knowledge of Eastern history, know an evolution of behavior existed concurrently with the age of chivalry, on the other side of the world.  The Code of Bushido a strict code that dsemanded:

·         loyalty ·         devotion ·         obedience ·         duty

·         filial piety ·         respect ·         self sacrifice ·         honor to the death

The code embraced seven virtues, which were:

·         Gi - Rectitude

·         Yu - Courage

·         Jin - Benevolence

·         Rei - Respect

·         Makoto - Honesty

·         Meiyo - Honor

·         Chugi - Loyalty

Samurai Bushido can be summed up in four main principles of a strict military code of honor and devotion:

1. Frugality - Living simply no matter of your wealth nor stature in life.
2. Loyalty - Devotion and obedience to your lord
3. Martial Mastery - Learning to fight with weapons and without
4. Honor to the Death - A dishonored warrior's only redemption was seppuku

(http://www.bigbearacademy.com/bushido-code.html)

The concept even existed within early 15^th century (and earlier) Albanian / Islamic cultures as the pillars of Kanun suggest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanun_(Albania) ):

·         Honour

·         Hospitality

·         Right Conduct

·         Kin Loyalty

And the bebouin concept of Diyafa (hospitality):  a virtue closely linked to sharaf. If required, even an enemy must be given shelter and fed for some days. Poverty does not exempt one from one's duties in this regard. Generosity is a related virtue, and in many Bedouin societies gifts must be offered and cannot be declined. The destitute are looked after by the community, and tithing is mandatory in many Bedouin societies. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor_codes_of_the_Bedouin)

The concept of Chivalry and Honor transcend the vastness of the globe and evolved concurrently across cultures.  Why is it so foreign to us as men in the 21^st century?

If we are to survive as an organization, we need to get back to the basics and embrace the oaths and obligations we have sworn to live by.  We need to set aside our petty differences and embrace each other as brothers.  We need to set aside the politics which we encounter and learn to find resolutions though the subduing of our passions.  We need to use these obligations to improve ourselves as men thus improving ourselves through Masonry.  We need to show the new people that come to our light, that we actually live by these obligations and not just go through the motions.

We as the Masters form the perfect ashlars through example.  Young men are impressionable and look to their elders as role models.  If they see that we, as the leaders of the Craft, do not take our obligations seriously, they quickly learn by that example and soon follow suit.  Many of the men that come to us, may not have had strong male role models in their lives, many may have been the product of single parent households.  They look at what the veteran members do and often follow our lead by the examples we set. 

I can reasonably say, I may not believe that the wrath of God will come down upon you for not being true to the obligations which you took, but the honor you keep as a man may wane if you yourself do not take that honor seriously.   

Look deep into yourself, re-read some of the many obligations which you swore before your Creator that you would keep and perform the same, and ask yourself, is that me?  Am I living by those furthermores? 

Read the charges of each of those degrees.  The charge, a duty or a responsibility laid down and entrusted to you by the Craft, just as beholden as the obligation itself.  Read that Charge and ask, am I living that life?  Do I deserve to wear that ring which I have placed on my finger?  The ring which serves to remind me of my Masonic vows, just as a wedding band serves to remind a man of the vows which he took to his life partner? 

We are, or rather should be, that League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.  We should be looked upon as men of honor, men who are solemn to their vows, who can be trusted unconditionally on their word.  We once were, if we are to survive, we need to regain some of that valor. 

I am not perfect, I stray from living in the light as I have vowed to do, none of us are.  But to make the attempt, to try is all one can ask for.  To try would symbolically be the common gavel, stripping away the superfluities and vices of life, thereby making our minds, the living stones we have become, to better fit into the foundation of the temple which we strive to lay down as leaders.  Without those foundational stones, fitting perfectly, the foundation cannot be built.  Without the foundation, how do we as Masons, as Masters,  even begin to build a Temple?