Greetings, Brethren. 

 

It being the month of February, it had me thinking about love, romantic and otherwise (and reminded me that I need to look for something special to give Dawn on the 14th for Valentine's Day!) 

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Of all the reference to Brotherly Love, this seems fitting for Masons as not only does it speak to Brotherly Love, but it also contains other principal tenets of Masonry, that of Relief, to compassionate their miseries, and that of Truth, as we join in promoting each other’s welfare. 

 

Wow! All three principal tenants in one?  This John character must be a Mason! (or at least I’ll wager he has connections).

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John 3:17 says “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in Him?" 

 

Charity is the heartbeat of compassion. It is through giving and doing something that we can demonstrate our Brotherly Love. 

 

As you all may know, I am quite fond of our Founding Fathers and so had to include Benjamin Franklin on some of this Brotherly Love fest.

 

A Parable on Brotherly Love

Written by Benjamin Franklin in 1755

 

In a letter to Benjamin Vaughan, dated November 02, 1789, Franklin discussed his “Chapter of Abraham and the Stranger” and then went on to say: “When I wrote that in the form you now have it, I wrote also another, the hint of which was also taken from an ancient Jewish tradition; but, not having the same success with it as the other, I laid it aside, and have not seen it for thirty years past, till within these few days a lady of my acquaintance furnished me with a copy, which she had preserved. I think however it is not a bad one, and send it to you enclosed.”

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The “ancient Jewish tradition” that provided Franklin the “hint” for this parable derives from the Babylonian Talmud. To think that Franklin had this buried for 30 years. This is a bit heavy, not the easiest of reads, but it reveals some of the genius of Franklin and his thorough familiarity with the Old Testament.

 

1. In those days there was no worker of iron in all the land, and the merchants of Midian passed by with their camels, bearing spices, myrrh, balm, and wares of iron. And Reuben bought an ax from the Ishmaelite merchants, which he prized highly, for there were none in his father’s house.

 

2. And Simeon said unto Reuben, his brother, "Lend me, I pray thee, thine ax." But he refused, and would not.

 

3. And Levi also said unto him, "My brother, lend me thine ax." And he refused him also.

 

4. Then came Judah unto Reuben and entreated him, saying, "Lo, thou lovest me, and I have always loved thee do not refuse me the use of thine Ax, for I desire it earnestly."

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5. But Reuben turned from him and refused him likewise.

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6. Now it came to pass that Reuben hewed timber on the bank of the river, and the ax fell therein, and he could by no means find it.

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7. But Simeon, Levi, and Judah, had sent a messenger after the Ishmaelites with money and had bought for each of them an ax also.

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8. Then came Reuben unto Simeon, and said unto him, "Lo, I have lost mine ax, and my work is unfinished, lend me thine, I pray thee."

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9. And Simeon answered, saying, "Thou wouldest not lend me thine ax, therefore will I not lend thee mine."

 

10. Then went he unto Levi, and said unto him, "My Brother, thou knowest my loss and my necessity; lend me, I pray thee, thine ax."

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11. And Levi reproached him, saying, "Thou wouldest not lend me thine when I desired it, but I will be better than thee, and will lend thee mine."

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12. And Reuben was grieved at the rebuke of Levi; and being ashamed, turned from him, and took not the ax; but sought his Brother Judah.

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13. And as he drew near, Judah beheld his countenance as it were confused with grief and shame; and he prevented him, saying, "My Brother, I know thy loss, but why should it grieve thee? Lo, have I not an ax that will serve both thee and me? Take it, I pray thee, and use it as thine own."

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14. And Reuben fell on his neck, and kissed him with tears, saying, "Thy kindness is great, but thy goodness in forgiving me is greater. Lo thou art indeed a Brother, and whilst I live will I surely love thee."

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15. And Judah said, "Let us also love our other brethren. Behold, are we not all of one blood?"

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16. And Joseph saw these things and reported them to his father, Jacob.

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17. And Jacob said, Reuben did wrong but he repented, Simeon also did wrong, and Levi was not altogether blameless.

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18. But the Heart of Judah is princely. Judah hath the soul of a King. His father's children shall bow down before him, and he shall rule over his brethren, nor shall the scepter depart from his house, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes.

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[Original source: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 6, April 1, 1755, Yale University Press, 1963]

 

As I’m sure we all remember from that first lecture we received from the Master of the Lodge

 

“By the exercise of Brotherly Love, we are taught to regard the whole human species as one family - the high and the low, the rich and the poor, (those with axes and no axes, per Benjamin) - who, as created by one almighty parent, and inhabitants of the same planet, are to aid, support, and protect each other."

 

On this principle, Masonry unites men of every country, sect, and opinion; and causes true friendship to exist among those who might otherwise have remained at a perpetual distance.

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I am so grateful to you my Brethren, that we have crossed that perpetuity and have thus created true friendship, enriched with the sublime principle of Brotherly Love through our travels together in Masonry. 

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