The Doubting Mason

 

Every so often a Masonic book comes along that catches my attention. One such title just made itself known to me. I generally do not warm to books that fit the genre that offers daily or in this case weekly Wisdom. Books that purport to offer a gem a day usually lose me by day two. This book is different. First of all, it doesn't really offer "a gem a day" and as the title suggests it offers doubt.  WEEKLY MASONIC DOUBTS: A pocket companion of squarely critical ponderings for the 21st century by István Horváth is well worth your time.

 To begin with, in the beginning of the book he offers two quotes. The second of them is what told me before the book even began that this was going to be a good read. 

"Let Masonry use the pen and the printing-press in the free State against the Demagogue; in the Despotism against the Tyrant." - Albert Pike

That is a very relevent observation today,

Brother Horváth manages to cut through the usual noise to pinpoint some very significant if obvious truths which most masons tend to ignore. One of these truths is that there are multiple Freemasonries in the world rather than one. He also notes that it should give us pause for thought that an institution that prides itself as being the most tolerant fraternity in the world cannot get the two major branches of their institution to talk to each other and respect each other.

This book is in part about looking at ourselves as masons, warts and all. Go read it.