It has often been repeated that the true purpose of Masonry is to make good men better. As to how it actually does so remains a mystery that few take the time to ponder.
Some suggest that it is the constant emphasis on morality in Masonic teachings that holds the key. But there may be another, more subtle force at play – an element neither part nor overtly intended in the design of Masonry, but something inadvertent and incidental.
Morality, to be sure, is an apparent answer to the question of how Masonry improves the lives of its members. Yet moral teachings abound in so many other domains, such as schools and churches.
They are expounded regularly from pulpits and podiums, and yet, few are ever deeply changed by them. Masonry, however, seems to work a more profound magic, affecting a transformation in character more effective and enduring.
What then is the secret behind this transformation? There is obviously no single answer, for Masonry is host to many secrets, each lending itself in its own way to the overall effectiveness of the Craft.
Some of these secrets, strictly speaking, do not have anything to do with Masonry at all, but, serendipitously, use Masonry as an unintentional and fortunate medium. Among these, perhaps even the greatest of these, is the power of secrecy itself.
The Need for Secrecy
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“Why do Masons guard their secrets so closely?” some ask. “What could they possibly have to hide? If their secrets are pure and not sinister, why not share them with the rest of the world?”
These are the persistent queries cast by critics and conspiracy theorists who view secrecy with suspicion. After all, secrecy itself suggests deception, as though no group would ever shroud their practices from the public unless they harbored dark or dubious intent.
Masons, for their part, are quick to assure the public that their secrets conceal no wickedness. But alas, they often struggle and fall short to fully allay public distrust, for indeed, Masons do keep certain knowledge guarded from prying eyes.
Their refusal to share these sacred traditions inevitably invites doubt and paranoia – shadows that follow secrecy wherever it may be. But their silence holds no malice nor admission of guilt, rather a disciplined restraint – a reverent respect for what they hold sacred.
Masons themselves know with certainty that there is nothing at all degenerate in their practices. Quite the opposite actually, for they believe that Masonry is a force for good, imparting lessons in moral living and upright character.
It does not contain, as some imagine, any blueprint of forbidden power or sinister agenda. The only apparent “secrets” are merely the modes-of-recognition (which includes signs, tokens, and words) they learned, the obligations they swore, and the rituals they underwent, all of which have been disclosed many times over in the public domain.
No critic, however ardent, has ever unearthed evidence of the nefarious in these practices, despite the endless stream of accusations and conjecture.
So, if all these purported secrets are already laid bare, why do Masons still put emphasis on keeping secrets to this day? The reason lies beyond the secrets themselves. It rests in the very concept of secrecy itself.
The Purpose of Secrecy
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Masonic secrecy is less about what is hidden and more about the concept of secrecy. Masons embrace secrecy not just to conceal but, more importantly, to fosters respect, unity, and self-control.
To Masons, secrecy is a virtue, instead of something evil as what many believe. Secrecy enables them to identify and confirm each other as belonging to the same Fraternity, protecting their privacy from intruders and pretenders, and safeguarding their dignity from being maligned or ridiculed by outsiders who might have misunderstood notions on what they do.
Moreover, secrecy evokes a mystique that appeals to men of a certain quality – those driven by an insatiable thirst for knowledge, improvement, and higher understanding. It is this aura that draws men of like minds to seek the Craft, lured not by promises of worldly gain but by the prospect of inner enrichment.
Within Masonry lies a unique instruction of concealment and revelation. The ritualistic degrees through which knowledge is progressively revealed embody the core principle of veiling and unveiling. An initiate begins his journey shrouded in darkness, a symbol of ignorance.
But this darkness is not to obscure the Light, which represents wisdom and understanding; rather, it prepares him to encounter this Light incrementally.
Revelation comes slowly, as the initiate’s eyes adjust to the radiance that awaits him. The gradual exposure ensures that he absorbs each insight, each wisdom, with proper reverence, thus preparing him for further illumination.
Imagine, if you will, spending time in pitch darkness, then abruptly stepping into a room bathed in full bright sunlight. Your eyes squint, your vision blurs.
Comprehension escapes you. It is as though the light, instead of granting sight, blinds and disorients. But if the light grows gradually, the eyes adjust, and one begins to see not only the brilliance but the details and depths.
This is the essence of Masonic instruction. Its secrets are revealed in progression, allowing the initiate to ponder each point of light before the next is revealed. He learns, not in haste, but in patience, appreciating each revelation and allowing it to illuminate the next.
He beholds each knowledge grow until he is fully prepared to encounter the full brilliance of understanding without being overwhelmed or disoriented. He then begins to understand that true wisdom lies not in the knowledge itself, but in his measured acquisition of the same.
The use of secrecy in Masonry, therefore, is never to obscure the path but to illuminate it in measured stages. Truly, it is a progressive moral science, whose methods have enable Masons throughout the ages to grasp more where others have gone blind and saw nothing but blur.
The Virtue of Secrecy
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Masonic philosophers in the past had always affirmed that Masonic secrecy serves to cultivate honour, self-control, and trustworthiness.
The ability to keep one’s word, to restrain the impulse to divulge, to safeguard another’s confidence – these are all hallmarks of moral integrity.
Through grips and passwords, a Mason could rehearse the practice of self-discipline, earning the trust of his brethren, maintaining discretion, and ultimately building character. He then learns that the value of a secret lies not in its substance but in the integrity with which it is held.
The secret, then, is less about the information initially withheld and more about the will and virtue required to uphold its sanctity. It has never been about the secret itself, rather about how a Mason manages to keep it as such.
By holding his word inviolable, he cultivates a discipline that transcends words, strengthening the bonds of fellowship and fortifying his spirit against the temptations of betrayal.
He who can keep secrets has truly mastered control over himself, unlocking other virtues of human potential, and making himself better, even great.
It is perhaps no wonder that so many great men throughout history have been Masons.
For secrecy, far from being a force of darkness, stands as a virtue and discipline that leads to wisdom and integrity.
Thus, in Masonry, secrecy is neither darkness nor deception. It is a guiding light, a virtue that calls forth the best within us and leads us ever forward in the pursuit of wisdom and in the perfection of the self- quite literally making good men better.
Article by: Giovanni A. Villegas
Giovanni A. Villegas is a Master Mason from the Philippines. He has served as Editor and Associate Editor for various Masonic publications thereat, including The Cable Tow magazine of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines, The Pearl newsletter of the Societas Rosicruciana In Civitatibus Foederatis (SRICF), and Luxis Quarterly of the lodge to which he belongs.
He has written many academic papers and articles for other Masonic publications including Ad Lucem of the SRICF, the Journal of the Masonic Society USA, the Knight Templar Magazine of the Grand Encampment USA, the Far Eastern Freemason of the Supreme Council 33° of the Philippines, and the Cross Keys of Lodge Houstoun St. Johnstone under the Grand Lodge of Scotland.
For a time, he belonged to foreign research groups such as the Scottish Rite Research Society and the Grand College of Rites USA. Currently, Villegas holds membership in various other Masonic orders such as the Royal Arch, Cryptic Masonry, Knights Templar, the Allied Masonic Degrees, York Rite College, the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and the Masonic Order of Athelstan.
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