Searching for Morals and Dogma

By Rudy Olano, IM

16Aug05

A brother sometime ago requested assistance in finding a copy of the original documents which serve as the basis for Albert Pike’s opus Morals and Dogma. It stands to reasons that Pike consulted various references in his book. The catch was that the Morals & Dogmas was published in 1871 therefore any references before that time might be tad hard to find. Books such as Clausen's Commentary on Morals & Dogma and the relatively new book, Bridge to Light by Hutchens which "replaced" Morals & Dogma as a gift to new Scottish Rite Masons can be valuable sources for understanding Pike’s work. Albert Mackey who introduced Pike to Scottish Rite recognized the diversity of various SR degree works. He encouraged Pike to write a standard ritual for the A&ASR. M&D came about, the point is that half of Pike work was compilation of other works which the preface of the book declared, "In preparing this work, the Grand Commander has been about equally Author and Complier; since he has extracted quite half its contents from the works of the best writers and philosophic or eloquent thinkers. Perhaps it would have been better and more acceptable if he had extracted more and written less."

Our brother quest to find for materials used in writing the M&D is like looking for the references used in writing the Bible. It is important to note that I am not comparing the content of those books/volumes but rather using the analogy of questioning the source of the information. Some people accept them as it is/was, other people often called as freethinkers ask questions such as that. If I may be allowed to say a word regarding freethinking, the first thing to remember is be careful of what you learned for often times, you will find something that might cause you sleepless nights.

On the positive note, this writer was glad as the line of question indicates that our brother is well on his way in his Masonic journey. He chooses to study Pike’s Morals & Dogma as his quest--- as his Lost Word. By not accepting what was written and asking the sources of the script, our brother displayed something beyond customary and contemporary Masonic attribute. He understands that something important was lost and what he has in possession is the substitute. It appears that our brother is searching for not what the M&D contains but a more important question of how it was created. Very advance state of thinking---looking for the root of knowledge, seeking out the Truth.

In our modern day world, many of our brothers never went beyond realizing that something important was lost therefore, seems uncaring on the next phase of journey---searching for something which was lost. It is ironic that the very notion itself appeared to be lost as brethren often interpreted correctly that the Hiram Legend was about keeping steadfast in ones principle in face of death. But there are more to it; the Tragedy in the Temple is only a part of the Mysteries/Lessons in Freemasonry. Taken the totality of the complete ancient rituals, we are being taught to accept that we lost something valuable, search for what was lost and finally to preserve it when you found the real Word. It is the path of our Masonic journey. With careful and diligent search we might find the Truth before the last grain of sand runs out in the hourglass. Such is the path of our travel and our Faith