The Ritual and Practice of our gentle Craft speak little of holidays proper, other than those days commemortaing the two patron saints of guild Masons – St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist. Yet Masonic writers such as Albert Pike are not silent on the subject of Christmas and speak more especially on the earlier traditions of the Winter Solstice. In Morals and Dogma (Commentary on the Twenty-fifth Degree), Pike – ever the poet – writes lyrically that:
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at the Winter Solstice the earth was wrinkled with Frost, the trees were leafless, and the Sun, reaching the most Southern point in his career, seemed to hesitate whether to continue descending, to leave the world to darkness and despair, or to turn upon his steps and retrace his course to the Northward, bringing back seed-time and Spring, and green leaves and flowers, and all the delights of love.
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Free-Masonry honours that universal “Religion in which all Men agree,” yet urges inexorably each member onwards to a discovery of his own spiritual truth. As such, Masonry is at once a fraternal community of those who strive towards moral betterment and yet an impetus to the individual human being to engage in his own unique search for further Light. As we prepare to take up the Working Tools in the coming year to smooth out our own rough ashlars in the profane world, it might be timely as well during the holidays which encircle the Winter Solstice to contemplate the Ineffable Truths to which the path of the Mason must ever lead.