“You don’t seem very charitable towards some of those who are writing about Freemasonry.” said the young man. As they sat together in the dimly lit storage room on the upper floor of the Masonic Hall, he wondered why it really mattered to anyone – least of all, Lodge’s Webmaster. “I’m not sure I totally follow your logic. After all, they’re just stating their opinion, right?”
The Old Webmaster let out a sigh. The young man could tell that this was a troubling topic for some reason. “What’s said or written can confuse people – terribly! Surely you understand how confused you are right now.”
“That’s true. I mean, there’s SO much…. but if a Mason tells others that something happened and he’s in error, what’s the harm? Other Masons will know he’s wrong….”
“If only that were the case.” said The Old Webmaster. The young man could see his figure lean back into the shadows further.
“I… I still don’t understand.” The Old Webmaster had been in some lengthy discussions on this topic over the years. The crux of the controversy seemed to be that everyone was entitled to their opinion and so anyone should be able to write or say whatever they wanted. So often, their opinions were presented as fact – and were misleading those like this potential candidate…. He continued,
“In Freemasonry, you’ll find that there are also a great many opportunities to do Masonic research. Those who want to do it more than just dabble will ultimately become affiliated with a Research Lodge in addition to their own. They’ll read vociferously and then they’ll meet with like-minded men who will challenge their assumptions and cause them to dig deeper into their subjects of interest. There are also international Masonic research organizations that are great places to test one’s theories. With the daily increase in Masons online, it’s easy to connect with other Masonic authors and researchers. Some folks like to proclaim themselves experts on Freemasonry but they can’t stand the justified criticism of their work. If you’re serious about Masonic research and aren’t doing things for your own ego, you’ll allow your material to be ‘peer reviewed’. It’s what moves things from mere speculation.”
“So to answer your question about how to judge:” The Old Webmaster continued, ” I think there are two things to look for. First, there should always be some external evidence that the person knows what they’re talking about, either through recognition by Masonic groups or by the person’s position within the structure of Freemasonry. Second, their hypotheses must be supported with documentation: footnotes, endnotes, etc. – and you should read those to determine whether they’re self-serving or the writer/author is ‘cherry-picking’. Anybody can blather – and many do about Freemasonry.”
“But what about non-Masons writing about Freemasonry? Are the secrets….”
The Old Webmaster interrupted - but gently. “There are some excellent non-Masons who are researching Freemasonry today. They are, though, academics whose training has prepared them to travel down these roads in a methodical way. We’ve got a couple of their books across the hall in our Lodge Library’s bookcase. I’ll show that to you later on.”
“So if I join a research lodge, then…. Well, just joining won’t make me an authority, will it?”
“Of course not.” replied the Old Webmaster, gently. “It will, though, encourage you to think more about your hypotheses, permit you to ask others about their research in those areas, and find perhaps even more resources and links than you’d otherwise have imagined. And you need to look too at the bizarre claims that some authors and speakers make. Do you remember that fellow here in town that used to advertize on television ‘I can get you the best possible hearing aid at the lowest possible price!’? Did you ever stop to ask yourself what he was REALLY saying?”
The young man just shook his head. He’d heard that ad a million times but he suddenly realized just how hollow it was. It was becoming a lot clearer that this Masonic experience was more than just handshakes and ritual – if he chose to really get into it!
They sat in silence. The Old Webmaster waited for the question he knew would follow.
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