The subject of tonight’s lecture is “Science and the Second Degree of Masonry.” The Second Degree of Masonry, or the Fellow Craft Degree, is widely considered to thebe the “intellectual degree” of Ancient Craft Masonry. The Entered Apprentice Degree introduces us to the Craft, and it presents to us the elemental working tools of a Freemason, together with a simple, but profound, promise to keep the secrets of Freemasonry that will be entrusted to us.

The greatest misconception about Freemasonry, is that we are a secret society, when the actuality is that we’re a society with secrets. Like every fraternal order, except one, our records are standing in the light, for review for all. We don’t make it a secret whom the officers of the lodge are, nor special events, as each lodge in this day and age, has a website for the most part, filled with information that the lodge, the Worshipful Master feels that should be made public to all.

Freemasonry of the 21st century is not the freemasonry of the 20th or even the 19th century of past. In times of old, you were invited in, by that mysterious tap on the shoulder, and with acceptance, a would be Masonic Godfather to guide you through your journeys. As you travel within the lodge, experiencing, learning, studying and advancing to the next stage in your newly found Masonic life, you find yourself, like a babe in the woods, re-learning what you thought you knew is true and just, and with an open mind, you re-learn your life in the Masonic ways.

From the moment you’re made a Master Mason, you’re asked to serve in the line – before you’ve really had your first taste of Freemasonry. Now I do understand that a healthy line has new Masons within it, and perhaps a few that have served before, but the danger is to the young Master Mason, they can’t grasp fully the responsibility until they’ve experienced a few Stated Meetings, and or subsequent raisings.

I am very pleased to know my blue lodge is alive and well with new brethren commanding the stations, with the vigor, tonality and energy that any lodge could ever want to achieve. The brethren as always will change, but the immortal play continues.