2nd Degree—Fellowcraft
The Importance of Geometry to the Mason
Considered the most important of the seven liberal arts and sciences by Masons as it can help in the explaination of the various things that the Supreme Architect designed and made available to us. Nice image.
But let us look at it from a different perspective, that of ourselves. How can this particular science be useful to us in regards to ourselves and to our personal growth?
As Humans we have this wonderful conception that we make everything that we use in our daily life without the help of Providence. We then try to define what it is that we have made and the various items used in detail forgetting that much of what we used is something that we had to take out of nature and then had to refine before we proceded to the next step.
Let us remember that Geometry takes in more then the formulations that we find in this particular science. It takes in understanding and perception both in what we view as well as what we see and feel about us. We have comfort zones that we utilize in public as well as in our private lives that while unseen can be defined by us to the point that others will understand that this is a general radius and distance that we only let certain others close to us as well as wish others to stay back from.
It allows us to delineate what is important to us by setting up a system that we can view in a way that would not only make sense to us but to others if we were to show them graphically how we felt at that point in time.
We are given instructions in how to build our own personal internal building with maps and charts and those items that make a solid unit. We are taught that strength comes in many ways during this time of our lives and that it is educational as well as a way to gain insight and further knowledge of the world and life in general. The concept of a building being built is one any person can understand both in thought and vision. To equate it to ourselves, as well as to those that we consider friends and intimates, is as unique as well as a simple gesture that causes us to inquire of ourselves what we know and how we know it. It is a more intimate look at ourselves versus the 1st degree.
The degree of Fellowcraft is special in and of itself as it is an intimate discussion from the floor of the lodge versus from the East. Its teacher is with the pupil during the instruction much like a tutor is to a student. The teacher is able to see if the information is coming across by visual cues that may be missed in the other degrees due to this proximity. It is also a chance for the candidate to feel less concerned about what the work is and to care more about what is being said to him and how he can absorb it more readily from this location. It is a more companionable time for the candidate.
