Love Thy Elder Brothers

By Matthew R. Stolz, PHP of Macon Chapter No. 21, R.A.M.

In the Past Master (Virtual) Degree, the duty to care for our elder Brethren is illustrated in a most touching manner. When it comes to aging, the old adage often holds true: The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. It is certainly no fault of a Brother if the passing years have left him physically unable to do what he did when he was younger. Other times, it is the mind that grows weak with age. A fortunate few live out their days in exceptionally good physical and mental health until the Grand Master of Heaven and Earth calls them home. In any event, a Brother remains a Brother, regardless of his physical or mental status, and, as such, he deserves our Brotherly Love until his dying day and beyond. If we are fortunate enough to have these elder Brothers in our lives, then we should, if at all possible, learn from them while they are still able to teach and we are still able to learn. As James Douglas Morrison of The Doors put it, “The future’s uncertain, and the end is always near.” We must live in the now and act while we are able to do so. I am reminded of the plight of the Native American people: It has been said that for every elder who passes away, it is like losing another Library of Alexandria, for each elder contains the entirety of the wisdom their people have acquired over countless generations. 

In “The New American Mason: Generations Together in Private Conclaves of Manhood” (Royal Arch Mason Magazine, Vol. 30, No. 1, Spring 2011, page 21), Robert G. Davis describes Freemasonry at its best as, “generations of men sharing the mutual quest of discovering the mature masculine within themselves, which leads them to personal development, self improvement and clarity of understanding.” To paraphrase Companion Davis, Freemasonry may be the last remaining college of manhood, so to speak, where men may learn to be men, and if the Craft is not the last remaining such college, then, at the very least, we can say that it is definitely the oldest. This value of our gentle Craft cannot be overstated. Many men these days did not grow up with a father in the home. Other times, even if he was physically present, he may not have been an active, engaged, or available (temporally or emotionally) father. On the other hand, a man’s relationship with his father may not have been the best, perhaps even dysfunctional, or perhaps his father was not the best role model. Sometimes, the same could be said of other men in a man’s life: brothers, other relatives, friends, what have you. In many cases, Freemasonry may be the only source in a man’s life where he can truly learn what it means to be a man, even how to be a man, from other good men. These days, when one’s birth family lets one down, it is said that one should instead turn to one’s chosen family, to the people with whom one chooses to surround one’s self. Freemasonry, as a voluntary, fraternal organization, is an excellent example of chosen family. 

Let us, therefore, care for our elder Brothers in accordance with their needs and our abilities. Let us cherish these elder Brothers and spend time with them while they are here among us on Earth. Let us learn all we can from them while we yet have time and opportunity. Finally, when they are called home to the Celestial Lodge above, let us then look around at the younger Brothers in our midst and ask ourselves if perhaps it is not time for us to make the transition from learning from our elder Brothers to teaching our younger Brothers. After all, a man may die, but his legacy lives on!