Open Day talk - 14 October, 2018: by Bro. Renée Jonas 32°

You have probably been told that Freemasonry is for men only. Well, for the past 102 years here in Perth, men and women have been performing the Ancient Rites of Freemasonry together.

Co-Masonic Temple, Perth

Good Afternoon. Because of your presence here today, I take it that you are curious to see both a Masonic Temple and to hear what it is all about. Well as my wise and learned friend has explained about the building and its officers, let me try to shine some light on what it's all about.

You have probably been told that Freemasonry is for men only. Well, for the past 102 years here in Perth, men and women have been performing the Ancient Rites of Freemasonry together. The first Co-Masonic Lodge being held here in the home of a member in 1916. And for 82 years this Co-Masonic temple we are in, has stood on this site. The Foundation Stone was laid on 2nd October, 1936.

The fact that Male Freemasonry didn't know, or chose to ignore or dismiss the fact, and do so even now, shows in my opinion their hostility, but to be more generous, perhaps due to their shortsightedness or even perhaps to their ignorance.

Some of the most prominent, progressive ladies of Perth society were instrumental in establishing the first Co-Masonic Lodge, called St. Cuthberts. These same farsighted women were instrumental in the establishment of the Children's Hospital, the formation of the Womens' Service Guild and many other of our institutions..

To mention a few of these our Founding Members, there was Mrs. Edith Cowan, Australia's first woman Member of Parliament, as well as Mrs. Elizabeth Riechbeth, West Australia;s first woman Justice of the Peace, and Mrs. Muriel Chase, a Foundation Member of the Silver Chain.

Anyone who knows anything about Freemasonry, knows that King Solomon looms largely therein. Why? Mention the man, King Solomon, and what does it bring up in your mind? A Wise Man of Wisdom. The same applies to the Temple he has caused to be built, using the same basic formula of a double square, of the famous but basic, tabernacle, constructed under the instruction of God, in the desert during the Exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt. But this time using the finest of human skills and artistry, in striving for perfection.

So, mention King Solomon's Temple and what does that bring up in your mind? Perfection. So something about achieving wisdom which may then lead on to perfection seems to be what it is all about.

We have all heard about the so-called secrets, but this is nothing more than requiring members to observe confidentiality about who are members and of the things they learn in the Lodge, as it is for their eyes and ears only. For they have knocked, sought and finally found and opened the door to the spiritual light for themselves, through the willing and loving encouragement of thei newfound Brothers.

In Co-Freemasonry we do not trace our beginnings simply to the Medieval Guilds and going back to the building of the old Cathedrals, though we do realise that these all made great contributions to Freemasonry over time. But when studying Antiquity, we find ourselves on familiar ground with the great Mystery Schools of India, Egypt, Greece, and Mesopotamia as to certain rituals, steps and even significant Signs and words. A bit too much of a co-incidence.

Do you know that these Ancient Mystery Schools of Egypt, Greece and Mesopotamia were available to educated men and women alike?

The importance to Co-Freemasons is that the inner spiritual realities which underlie the outer symbolic forms will reveal the Mysteries.

Well, you may ask why do we worry about the Ancient Mysteries today in our modern world?

Here I will quote to you from a well respected Masonic author: "Masonry is called on to destroy the terrible bondage of Pride, Ignorance, Ambition and False Knowledge. This is because the profane world is so accustomed to these dis-orders, that Freemasonry has had to surround itself with mysteries that it will reveal only by degrees. And further, it desires 'to lead Science back to the Wisdom of the Ages and to Truth.' Such is the aim of Freemasonry in all its Degrees."

Here again, I will quote, but this time from one of the world's most respected scientists, Albert Einstein, who said: "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.

As the major preoccupation of humanity down the ages, and indeed the basis of all spiritual quests has been the search for the light, we feel we are on the right path.

We are all about change and renewal, for we Freemasons are on a great quest ourselves, traveling from darkness to light. To bring us to the light, practices of Initiation are involved. This word Initiation is not all about 'spookiness' but is taken from the Latin "in ire" meaning to go inwards, beyond the merely material surfaces of things.

Thus, Initiation is necessary to gradually raise our mental and spiritual consciousness to higher levels by degrees, for adapting to new conditions should best be slow and steady. For example, we don't go from Kindergarten straight on to High school, but progress on through primary grades to the higher.

One great help in achieving these levels is through using both symbols and allegories. Symbols are used as representative of and the revelation of something other or similar (such as something white can represent Purity). While by Allegories we can use stories or plays to convey a similar event into a similar message.

When you look about you in this building you can see many Symbols scattered about, and that is not just for aesthetic value, but to convey subtle messages and concepts, independently of the perceptions of the natural senses, shining light on their real meanings (many coming from antiquity).

One such well recognised Masonic Symbol is that of the Square and the Compasses together. The Square, representing the Material side of life, with the Compasses representing the Spiritual side. If the Compasses overshadow the Square, that reveals the Spiritual side overcoming the material side.

The work of the Masonic Fraternity is not an arbitrary and senseless system of symbolic procedures and ceremonial rituals but is an allegorical portrayal of a great and Divine process, whereby the Will of God works out in relation to humanity through the Wisdom, Strength and Beauty of the Creator within Hos Universe. This is revealed in the Symbolism of the Blue Lodge in its 3 Degrees and the succeeding Scottish Degrees to the total number of 33.

So, we in Co-Freemasonry work and study to uncover this Plan of the Creator for His Universe as a whole. As we follow the Ancient Hermetic Rule - 'As above, so below' - we take our theme from the Universe and find it duplicated in miniature in Humanity. Therefore, we consider that Masonry depicts the steady progress of the whole of Humanity from Darkness to Light.

The person seeking to join the Lodge usually expresses a desire - a wish well expressed by probably the oldest prayer in the world, and which is still used daily by millions of our fellow men in the East:

From the Unreal lead me to the REAL

From the Darkness lead me to LIGHT

From the Mortal bring me to IMMORTALITY

And curiously these also are echoed in the Three Degrees of Blue Masonry.

We also work and study towards the unfoldment of individuals as they progress from Degree to Degree, mastering step by step the work of the Craft, till finally the Master Mason Degree is obtained, whence they are then qualified to take on the responsibilities of Master Builder.

In darkness we come to Freemasonry seeking the Light, but within each human being is the place of Light, and within the Temple of the human spirit must the way be sought. Of this reality the outer form of Freemasonry is only the Symbol of Light within the individual, reflecting the Light within the Universe.

Remember that carved above the entrance to the Eleusian Mysteries were the words: Man, know Thyself.

So our work here is a character building and transforming exercise. We take a chunk of rough rock (which is our imperfect selves) and using much energy, knock off all lumps and bumps, then after that, do further work to smooth the surface and produce a perfectly square and polished stone, to be fitted into its place in the Temple of Humanity which The Great Architect of the Universe is building.

So our work is to discover the purpose of The Great Architect of the Universe. For as the Temple is built, His glory can be revealed and it is also to give inspiration to the individual to bring significant beneficial changes in life and attitudes and to those of others. But the overriding purpose is the Law of Love.

Thank you for attending and if you wish to make further enquiries, ask our members who will be pleased to help you.

Renee Jonas, 32°