Address of R.W. Bro. Jeffrey L. Froud
on His Official Visit to Granite Lodge, April 18, 2001

Truth a Grand Principle

I have already had occasion to discuss two of the Grand Principles on which Masonry is founded - Brotherly Love and Relief. In order to render this circle complete, I would like to say a few words about the third Grand Principle, Truth.

It has been said that a lawyer wouldn’t know the truth if he tripped over. However, I would suggest that lawyers are no different from anyone else - they emphasize those truths which support their cause and overlook those that do not.

In one sense, we all know the truth because truth can be defined as "what we know."

Still, there are different kinds of truth.

In the Lodge of Perfection, we were told that as the ray of light is separable into rays of different colours, so is the truth separable into kinds. It is the province of Masonry to teach all truths, not moral truth alone, but political and philosophical and even religious truth, so far as concerns the great and fundamental principles of each.

Truth has been described this way:

"Truth exists and is an absolute. Contrary to the mush-minded meanderings of modern educators, truth is not relative. If my truth differs from your truth, that can only be because either one or both of us is unaware of the truth and has called something true which is not. Truth must have not the slightest touch of Maybe to it. Maybe is a corruption to Truth and if it touches Truth, then Truth becomes Maybe. Truth can stand in the brightest light of examination and cast no shadow because Truth is a light unto itself that outshines all others. Truth is more and beyond that which is true. Ideas may be true or false, statements may be true or false, people may be true or false but Truth stands above these things and provides the standard and measure by which they are to be judged. Truth is therefore perfection and how is one to know Truth? . . . The Truth that I speak of is a person and that person is God."

So, pursuit of the knowledge of the will of the Divine Being is the pursuit of truth.

According to Mackey, "The real object of Freemasonry, in a philosophical and religious sense, is the search for truth. This truth is, therefore, symbolized by the Word. From the first entrance of the Apprentice into the Lodge, until his reception of the highest degree, this search is continued. It is not always found and a substitute must sometimes be provided. Yet whatever be the labours he may perform, whatever the ceremonies through which he may pass, whatever the symbols in which he may be instructed, whatever the reward he may obtain, the true end of all is the attainment of truth. This idea of truth is not the same as that expressed in the lecture of the First Degree, where Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth are there said to be the ‘three great tenets of a Mason’s profession.’ In that connection, truth, which is called a ‘divine attribute, the foundation of every virtue’ is synonymous with sincerity, honesty of expression and plain dealing. The higher idea of truth which pervades the whole Masonic system, and which is symbolized by the Word, is that which is properly expressed to a knowledge of God."

In particular, two philosophical theories of truth may add to our appreciation of this quality. Be aware ‘though, that they may resemble the two theories to arguing with women - Neither one works.

In philosophy, the Correspondence Theory of Truth, described by Bertrand Russell and others, holds that a proposition is true if it corresponds with observable fact. Where the proposition is not capable of objective proof, the proposition is said to be true if the opinion professed is honestly held. Individual perception, or belief is considered truth. Mackey’s definition seems to coincide with this approach. Certainly, this definition requires honesty, but is it the definition of truth that Masons seek?

I have two objections to this notion of truth. First, objective truth can change. In the time before Galileo, the proposition that the world was flat was true, since the state of human knowledge of the physical world proved it to be so. In our own lifetimes, it was true that the atom was the smallest unit of matter - until they discovered quarks. Therefore, the results of observation do not always provide the definite and definitive outcome that I would hope to find in the pursuit of truth.

Second, many beliefs which are honestly held have led to horrendous results. Innumerable instances of discrimination, oppression, violence and war have flowed from honest adherence to a set of beliefs that no Mason would condone.

Other philosophers have produced the Coherence Theory of Truth which says that the more our beliefs support each other, the truer they become. This theory implies that there is a scale on which truth can be measured, and every belief ranks somewhere on the scale. The more supported, or less contradictory our beliefs are, then the truer they become. The highest rating on the scale of truth, or absolute truth, is considered to be a system of beliefs which has no contradictions or loopholes. At this level, a belief becomes fact. This is also called the theory of absolute idealists, since the only entity capable of holding incontrovertible beliefs is an omniscient being.

Ultimately, then, the knowledge of God - his nature and his will - is surely the road to truth.

Innumerable other philosophical theories deal with the nature of truth, but these two may serve to aid our understanding of the meaning of this Grand Principle of the Craft.

What does this tell us about the practice of this Masonic virtue? That we must strive to inform ourselves as fully as possible of the facts and the bodies of thought which influence the world. The nature of our physical world and the values and aspirations of its inhabitants are infinitely complex and stimulating. The greater our understanding of them, the closer we approach Gods all-knowing wisdom, the nearer we come to knowing the truth about our world, our neighbours and ourselves.

Reality can change as we gain access to new information. The proposition that the world was flat was not a lie when no one knew otherwise. However, to hold to that proposition now is intellectually dishonest and un-Masonic.

We need to be honest, not only with others, but with ourselves. We must free ourselves from the dominion of pride and prejudice; we must look beyond the narrow confines of particular institutions. Our divinely sponsored wisdom will then enable us to proclaim the truth with confidence, supported by an non-contradicted system of beliefs.

After all, if you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything!

The Psalmist said, "Praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord."

Thank you, Brethren.

R.W.Bro. Jeffrey L. Froud, DDGM

http://www.don-henley.com/main/truth.htm 

http://www.cvu.cssd.k12.vt.us/departments/english/greece/Students'work/truth.html