Looking at the Trees Instead of the Forest
By Ralph Head

LOOKING AT THE TREES INSTEAD OF THE FOREST

In 1786 a German poet named Christoph Martin Wieland coined a phrase in Musarion that is often used in commentary. Wieland wrote, "They cannot see the forest for the trees." The saying has been used thousands of times in social criticism, expressing the idea that men may become so involved in details (the trees) that they do not see the larger picture (the forest). The advice is well put, but in Freemasonry I suggest the opposite may also be good advice: Should we not look primarily at the lodge (the tree) where it all begins and from which the "forest" evolves?

A paramount question being asked today, "Is Freemasonry relevant to the needs of the younger generation of men?" The answer from those well versed in Masonic philosophy answer with an energetic "Yes."

Many of the contemporary young and even middle-aged are products of the college campus revolt of the 60s, observed or participated in the early drug culture, and either protested against Vietnam or crawled through its mud. In the years that followed they have been exposed to the most dramatic shift in social behavior in history.

The social revolution has receded, but in its wake are many men and women with more freedom than ever before but with lives lacking in meaning. What is missing for many of them is a sense of real values, reflected in today's lack of social integrity. (For references watch television news or read the front page of any newspaper.)

The answer to the question of Masonry's relevance to the younger generation lies in the Masonic lodge which offers its members a stabilizing influence in their lives. By promoting charity (remember the Masonic creed of faith, hope, and charity?) the new Mason learns that it is the foremost of all social virtues and by its practice Masons can make life better for those not so fortunate.

One of the greatest benefits the lodge offers to men of all ages is the opportunity to make long and valued friendships. In 1723, years before the United States became a nation, Dr. James Anderson published his Constitutions of Freemasonry, wherein he set forth the fundamental principles of Masonry. He wrote, "Masonry becomes the center of union and the means of conciliating true friendship among persons that must have remained at a perpetual distance."

Not all Masons pursue this benefit, but those who are active in their Masonic lodges (and in concordant and appendant bodies) come to know what true friendship means.

We must always be aware of Masonry's big picture: that the governing Grand Lodge does for the individual lodges that which they cannot do for themselves. (See rules and regulations, guardian of the ritual, the Masonic Homes, the California Masonic Foundation, and much more.)

But the most important element in the Masonic structure is the lodge. It is here that men from all walks of life find the Freemasonry, interpreted and indoctrinated, that will have a tremendous influence on their lives.

As nature nurtures trees, so do Masons strengthen and support their lodges through financial and moral support, and, most important, by their presence. Look well to the trees of Freemasonry.