To learn to subdue my passions and improve myself in Masonry.
By Richard A. Graeter, 33º
Past Master of Caliburn Lodge #785
© 2015
Two infinitives; one lesson, no commas.
ThesecondquestionintheEnteredApprenticeExamis“Whatcameyouheretodo?”The
correctresponseis“TolearntosubduemypassionsandimprovemyselfinMasonry.”
Whilethisseemslikeastraight-forwardqueryandresponse,forthepastseveraldecades,there
hasbeenaragingdebateamongsomeMasonicscholarsastowhetherornottherebea
commabetweentheinfinitivephrases“tolearn”and“tosubduemypassions.”Nowtosome,
thismayseemlikeapointlessargumentnotunlikethemediaevalconundrumabouthowmany
angelscandanceontheheadofapin,butIassureyou,thecommacanmakeadifference.
Toillustrate,Iwillborrowanexamplefromalodgeeducationreportdeliveredbymygood
friendBrotherCameronPoetoLexingtonLodge#1.Inhisreport,Camerontoldthebrethren
aboutapopularcatalogforsillytrinketsandcleverclothingthathewaspagingthroughwhen
hecameacrossasweatshirtthatsaid“CommasSaveLives”.Itwasaccompaniedbythetwo
phrases,“Let’seat,Grandma.”And“Let’seatGrandma”.Withoutthecomma,thesecond
sentencebecomesacannibalisticimperativetodineongrandma,ratherthanapoliteinvitation
forgrandmatocometosupper.Clearly,commasmatter!
ThereasonsomeMasonsadvocateforthecommaistohighlighttheimportanceofeducation
forself-improvementinFreemasonry.Notsurprisingly,theyarguethattheprimarywaythat
FreemasonrymakesgoodmenbetteristhroughMasoniceducation.Whatprobablyhappened
wasthatoneday,azealousover-achievingLodgeEducationOfficerdecidedtoaddthecomma
tosetaparttheinfinitivephrase“tolearn”onitsown,andtherebyelevateits(andhis)
importance.Afterall,ifthemainreasonapoorblindcandidatebecomesaMasonis“tolearn,”
then,itmustbeaLodgeEducationOfficer’smission“toteach!”Sobytheinnovationofalittle
punctuation,theLodgeEducationOfficer’scentralroleinFreemasonrywasfirmlyestablished!
Whenwedisconnectthephrase“tolearn”from“tosubduemypassions”,however,we
generalizethetypeoflearningthatacandidateisintendedtoderivefromhisMasonic
experience.Agenericimperative“Tolearn”couldaseasilybeacommandtolearnabout
planningforone’sretirementasanythingelse.Anopeninvitationtolearnaboutgeneralthings
isvastlydifferencefromanimperativetolearnaboutasystemofmoralinstruction.Frankly,I
thinkthatoneofmymissionsislifeis“tolearn”regardlessofmymembershipinaMasonic
Lodge,andIdidnotseektobecomeaFreemasonsimply“tolearn”;rather,Ibecamea
Freemasontolearnmoreaboutitsuniquephilosophywhichformstheintellectualfoundation
uponwhichourgreatnationwasbuilt.
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Sodoesthatlittlecommabelongbetweenthosetwoinfinitives?Tofindouttheanswer,Ifirst
lookedtoourritual.ThemostdefinitiveanswertothisvexingquestionisinOhio’sTypewritten
Ritual,whereinthereisnocommainthereplytothequestion“Whatcameyouheretodo?”So
inOhioatleast,thatsettlesthequestion:thereisnocomma—period.
Asweprogressthroughthedegrees,wefindmoreevidencetosupporttheabsenceofa
comma.InexplainingtheGreatLightsofFreemasonry,theMasterinformseverynewly
enlightenedEnteredApprenticethattheCompassesaregiventous“tocircumscribeour
desiresandkeepourpassionswithindueboundswithallmankind.”Asthecandidate
progressesinsearchoffurtherLight,heisinformedintheFellowCraftLecturethat“BY
SPECULATIVEMASONRY,welearntosubduethepassions,actuponthesquare,keepatongue
ofgoodreport,maintainsecrecyandpracticecharity.AndinhisultimatequestformoreLight
intheMasterMasondegree,theMasterrevealsthat“bothpointsoftheCompassesare
elevatedabovetheSquare,whichistoteachyounevertolosesightofthemoralapplicationof
thisvaluableinstrument,bywhichwearetaughttocircumscribeourdesires,andkeepour
passionswithindueboundswithallmankind.”Nomentionofagenericimperative“tolearn”
appearshereorinanyotherpartofourritualinOhio.
TheritualinmanyjurisdictionsalignswithwhatwefindinOhio.Butcuriously,some
jurisdictions,likeNorthDakota,insertacommafollowing“tolearn.”Ifwegobacktosomeof
theearliestexposuresofMasonicrituals,however,theyalllacktheoffendingcomma,which
makesmesuspectthatNorthDakota’scommamaybeamoderninnovation.
InoneoftheearliestAmericanexposures,TheMysteriesofFreemasonry,revealedbythe
infamousCaptainWilliamMorgan,wefindthequestion“Whatcomestthouhithertodo?”
beingansweredby“Tolearntosubduemypassions,andimprovemyselfinthesecretartsand
mysteriesofAncientFreemasonry.”
IfwegobackevenfurthertothatmostfamousearlyexposureofFreemasonry,Prichard’s
MasonryDissected,wegetthispoeticresponsetothequestion“Whatdoyoucomehereto
do?”
NottodomyownproperWill,
ButtosubduemyPassionstill;
TheRulesofMasonryinhandtotake,
AnddailyProgressthereinmake.
Andfinally,ifweexaminetheEmulationritual,whichisoneofthemostprevalentworkings
usedbylodgesoftheUnitedGrandLodgeofEngland—themotherjurisdictionofall
Freemasonry—wefindthequestion“Sinceyoubringnothingbutheartygoodwishes,whatdo
youcomeheretodo?”answeredby“Tolearntoruleandsubduemypassions,andmakea
furtherprogressinMasonry.”Again,nocomma.
Inconclusion,itisclearfromthesepassagesthatthereoughtnaughtbeacommabetween“to
learn”and“tosubdue.”
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Whichallbegsthequestion...whyisthepresenceorabsenceofacommasoimportant?Does
itmatterifit’s“TolearntosubduemypassionsandimprovemyselfinMasonry”or“Tolearn,
tosubduemypassions,andimprovemyselfinMasonry.”?Well,actually,yes,itmattersquitea
bit.AndthekeytowhyitmattersisintheMaster’sadmonitionthatwe,asMasterMasons,
mustneverlosesightofthemoralapplicationofthecompasses,whichisthevaluable
instrumentbywhichwearetaughttocircumscribeourdesires,andkeepourpassionswithin
dueboundswithallmankind.”That,mybrethren,isthecorephilosophicalteachingof
Freemasonry–period(butagain,nocomma)!
Andtounderstandtheimportanceofthemoralapplicationofthecompasses,weneedtogo
backtotheformativeyearsofFreemasonry.Settingasidetheromanticmythologyofcathedral
buildersandtheKnightsTemplar,ModernSpeculativeFreemasonryisachildofitstimes.The
firstdocumentedFree-MasonicinitiationsareEliasAshmolein1646,andRobertMorayin1641.
Fromtheseinitiations,andthenatureofthemeninitiated,itcanbereasonableinferredthat
SpeculativeFreemasonrywasactiveintheearly17thCentury,placingitattheverybeginningof
theAgeoftheEnlightenment(1620sto1780s).AshmoleandMorayweregreatmindsof
scienceandlearning,bothbeingfoundingmembersoftheRoyalSociety,soitisreasonableto
inferthatFreemasonryinthe17thCenturywouldalsohavebeenintimatelyrelatedwith
EnlightenmentphilosophyifitattractedmensuchasAshmoleandMoray,whowerealso
animatedbythesamephilosophyandpassionforlearning.Andifweacceptthisastrue,thenit
wouldbereasonabletoexamineEnlightenmentphilosophyindetailtotrytomakesenseofour
Masonicritual.
Freemasonryisoftendescribedasapeculiarsystemofmorality,veiledinallegoryand
illustratedbysymbols.Upuntilthistime,thebasisforallmoralityinEuropewasChristianity
andtheHolyBible.Andinotherlands,theprevailingreligionformedthebasisofmoralityfor
otherpeoples,withtheunfortunateresultbeingthatwhileeveryculturehadamoralcode,
eachcodewasbasedonitsownexclusivesectarianreligiousbeliefthatwasnottransferrable
fromoneculturetotheother.Onthecontrary,thedifferenceinbeliefsoftenledtoconflict,
murder,andevengenocide.Whathumanityneededwasamoralcodethatwasnotdependent
onsectarianreligionandcouldthereforebeacceptedasequallyauthoritativebyall.Deriving
suchamoralcodewasacoremissionofEnlightenmentphilosophy,andarguablythe
EnlightenmentphilosopherwiththegreatestimpactinthisendeavorwasBenedictSpinoza.
Spinozaproposedthatthefoundationformoralityisvirtueandreason,andthisunderstanding
isthekeyEnlightenmentphilosophy.SpinozadevelopedhismoralcodeintheTheologicoPoliticalTreatisei,firstpublishedanonymouslyin1670byJanRieuwertszinAmsterdam,and
disparagedas“abookforgedinhell”,andtheEthicsii,whichwasconsideredsohereticalforits
day,wasnotpublisheduntilafterSpinoza’sdeathin1677.Intheseworks,Spinozaexplainsthat
mencanneverbeentirelyfreefromtheirpassions,buttheycanlearntoachievesomedegree
ofautonomyandfreedomfromtheirturmoiltotheextentthattheyareactivatedandguided
byreason.Theidealofthefree,rationalindividualpresentedinSpinoza’sEthicsprovidesa
modelforavirtuoushumanlifeliberatedfromirrationalpassions.
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IfthereisonethemethatrunsthroughoutallofSpinoza’swritings,itistheliberationfrom
bondage,whetherpsychological,political,orreligious.Spinoza’sEthicsandTheologico-Political
Treatisearepartofthesameoverallphilosophicalandpoliticalprojectinwhichhesoughtto
liberatethemindsofindividualsfromsuperstitionintheformer,andthelivesofcitizensfrom
ecclesiasticauthorityinthelatter.Hisgoalwasatolerantdemocraticsocietyofindividuals
whosedeedsareguidedbythetrue(moral)religion.Atthetimethathewrote,however,this
philosophywasbothhereticalandtreasonous,anditdeniedthereligiousauthorityofthe
priest,andbyimplication,thedivinerightoftheKingtorule.
IbelievethatitisSpinoza’sunderstandingoftherolethatreasonplaysinprovidingauniversal
basisforallmoralitythatliesatthecoreofMasonicphilosophyandritual,whichalsohelps
explainwhysecrecywassoimportanttoourearlybrethren.
Tounderstandwhytheimperative“tolearntosubduemypassions”issoimportant,wemust
firstunderstandwhatFreemasonrymeansbytheword“passions.”Itdoesnotmeanemotions
likelust,greed,anger,andhate.Hopefully,we,asgoodmen,learnedtocontrolsuchbase
passionslongbeforewefirstknockedonthedoorofFreemasonry.Rather,inthecontextof
Freemasonry,“passions”areirrationalbeliefsthatimprisonthemindsofmen,andprevent
themfromlivingalifeofvirtueinharmonywiththeirfellowmen.AccordingtoSpinoza,the
remedyforsuchalifemiredinthepassionsliesinvirtue,thatis,inthepursuitofknowledge
andunderstanding.
InthecaseoftheEthics,itisfreedomfromirrationalpassionssuchashopeandfearandthe
superstitiousbeliefsandactionstowhichtheygiverise.Thefreeindividualdescribedinthe
Ethicsactsfromknowledge,notemotion.IntheTreatise,Spinozamakesanextendedpleafor
freedominthecivicrealm:freedomofthoughtandexpression,andespeciallyfreedomof
philosophizingandfreedomofreligion.Theselattertwofreedomsarenottobeconfusedwith
eachother:oneregardsthepursuitoftruth,whiletheotherisaboutencouragingmoral
behavior.
TheEthicsandtheTreatisethuscomplementeachother.Totheextentthatapersonbecomes
morefreeasanindividualandmorerationalinhisbeliefs,thelesslikelyheistofallpreyto
superstitionandindenturehimselftoreligioussectarians.Andthemoreastateisliberated
fromecclesiasticinfluenceandgovernedbyliberaldemocraticprinciples,themorefreedom
therewillbeforcitizenstoengageinphilosophyanddiscoverthetruthsthatwillliberatetheir
minds.
AccordingtoSpinoza,truereligion—asopposedtosectarianreligion—isaboutnothingmore
thanmoralbehavior.Itisnotwhatyoubelievebutwhatyoudothatmatters.Thisphilosophyis
beautifullycapturedbyTheOldChargesofFreeandAcceptedMasons,firstpublishedbyJohn
Anderson.
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AMasonisoblig’d,byhisTenure,to
obeythemoralLaw;andifherightly
understandstheArt,hewillneverbea
stupidatheist,noranirreligiouslibertine.
ButthoughinancientTimesMasonswere
charg’dineveryCountrytobeofthe
ReligionofthatCountryorNation,
whateveritwas,yet’tisnowthought
moreexpedientonlytoobligethemto
thatReligioninwhichallMenagree,
leavingtheirparticularOpinionsto
themselves;thatis,tobegoodMenan
true,orMenofHonourandHonesty,by
whateverDenominationsorPersuasions
theymaybedistinguish’d;whereby
MasonrybecomestheCentreofUnion,
andtheMeansofconciliatingtrue
FriendshipamongPersonsthatmusthave
remain’dataperpetualDistance.
WhatSpinozawantstoseeisapoliticsofhope(foraheavenlyreward)andfear(ofeternal
punishment)bereplacedbyapoliticsofreason,virtue,freedom,andmoralbehavior.
“Itisthefundamentalpurposeofdemocracytoavoidthefolliesof
appetiteandtokeepmenwithintheboundsofreason,asfaraspossible,
sothattheymayliveinpeaceandharmony.”
Therepublicantraditiontendstoemphasizetheroleofthestateinmodelinggoodcitizens,and
sometimeseveninmakingthemintogoodpeople.Ineffect,Spinozaissayingthattheroleofa
republicandemocracyistomakegoodmenbetter.Soundfamiliar?
TheideasofSpinoza’sTreatiseinspiredrepublicanrevolutionariesinEngland,America,and
France.Totheextentthatwearecommittedtotheidealofasecularsocietyfreeofecclesiastic
influenceandgovernedbytoleration,liberty,andaconceptionofcivicvirtue;andinsofaraswe
thinkoftruereligiouspietyasconsistingoftreatingotherhumanbeingswithdignityand
respect,wearetheheirsofSpinoza’sscandaloustreatise,whichwhenboileddowntois
fundamentalcoreteachesustolearntosubdueourpassions.Andthatiswhyitiscriticalforus
tonotletacommagetintheway!
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i
Commentary on Spinoza’s Theologico-Political Treatise are derived from A Book Forged in Hell: Spinoza's
Scandalous Treatise and the Birth of the Secular Age, by Steven Nadler, Princeton University Press, ©
2011. Further citations are omitted.
Commentary on Spinoza’s Ethics are derived Spinoza's Book of Life: Freedom and Redemption in the Ethics,
ii
by Steven B. Smith, Yale University Press, © 2003. Further citations are omitted.
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