- Masonry has many charms, symbols, and talismans. We wear them with pride. They belong to the fraternity and express to others what we are and what we represent. After all, the keystone of the arch can be no stronger than the fidelity of the craft who support the foundation.
One of those invisible talismans of our ancient order is the Golden Rule. It is a discipline that seems to have gone out of favor in our frenzied day and age. Who can practice it when you read of persons being jeopardized by some drug-addicted criminal? The theme of today is to be as indifferent as possible to any stranger that crosses your path.
Do you think it was much different in the time of Confucius? The Golden Rule was one of the key thoughts then. Or, in the time of Jesus who put the Golden Rule front and center in his teaching. Both of these men stated that the true worth of any person could be measured by the adherence to the Golden Rule. Regardless of our prejudices or jealousies or anxieties, we touch the keystone of behavior in how one person treats another.
Certainly, it would ease a lot of tensions if we could see in the faces of people, not their differences but their common feelings, which all of us share. Everyone hates, loves, worries, and is happy. The question is, what would we like to expect from others? Or, what would others like to expect from us? Mostly it's consideration, to know that others care about us as we care about them.
In Greek, the word for kindness is "xhestos" and the word for Christ is "Christos!" Is it any wonder that Christians were known as the people of kindness? That was the spirit which changed the world. The Golden Rule is not an easy way out. It is the strong man's way to face reality. It is the ideal and challenge of every Mason. "So many gods, so many creeds, so many paths that wind and wind; while just the art of being kind is all that this world needs."
"Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."
The late Reverend Sir Knight Donald C. Kerr, a member of Beauseant Commandery No. 8, Baltimore, MD, was Pastor-emeritus of the Roland Park Presbyterian Church in Baltimore. He submitted many seasonal articles to the Knight Templar magazine over the years, and this is one that was not previously published. We publish it here in his memory.
