Everywhere in the world there is a natural law, that is, a constant mode of action, which seems to belong to the nature of things, to the constitution of the Universe. This fact is universal. In different departments we call this mode of action by different names, as the law of Matter, the law of Mind, the law of Morals, and the like. We mean by this, a certain mode of action which belongs to the material, mental, or moral forces, the mode in
which commonly they are found to act, and in which it is their ideal to act always. The ideal laws of matter we know only from the fact that they are always obeyed. To us the actual obedience is the only evidence of the ideal rule; for in respect to the conduct of the material world, the ideal and the actual are the same.
Pike begins this paragraph reminding us that the laws of matter are always obeyed. We have learned more in the 21st century about the laws of matter, but seldom have any of the laws of matter changed over time since first observed by the likes of Newton or Galileo or DaVinci. We summise that what ever force that was responsible for setting into motion these laws in the beginning, is still responsible for enforcing those laws today.
Therefore, by following these laws ourselves, we attract the forces into our lives that have ruled the universe from the start.
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The laws of matter we learn only by observation and experience. Before experience of the fact, no man could foretell that a body, falling toward the earth, would descend sixteen feet the first second, twice that the next, four times the third, and sixteen times the fourth. No mode of action in our consciousness anticipates this rule of action in the outer world. The same is true of all the laws of matter. The ideal law is known because it is a fact. The law is imperative. It must be obeyed without hesitation. Laws of crystallization, laws of proportion in chemical combination,--neither in these nor in any other law of Nature is there any mar-gin left for oscillation of disobedience. Only the primal will of God works in the material world, and no secondary finite will.
There are no exceptions to the great general law of Attraction, which binds atom to atom in the body of a rotifier visible only by aid of a microscope, orb to orb, system to system; gives unity to the world of things, and rounds these worlds of systems to a Universe. At first there seem to be exceptions to this law, as in growth and decomposition, in the repulsions of electricity; but at length all these are found to be special cases of the one great law of attraction acting in various modes.
Pike reminds us that the laws of nature as we know them are known to us through careful observation of the facts. Pike also reminds us that these laws of nature and attraction work in various modes, and what seems to be exceptions in the law of nature, is actually those very laws working together to create an organized universe.
Pike tells us “the ideal law is known becaause it is a fact…” and “the law is imperative” when discussing the laws of nature and attraction.
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The variety of effect of this law at first surprises the senses; but in the end the unity of cause astonishes the cultivated mind. Looked at in reference to this globe, an earthquake is no more than a chink that opens in a garden-walk of a dry day in Summer. A sponge is porous, having small spaces between the solid parts: the solar system is only moreporous, having larger room between the several orbs: the Universe yet more so, with spaces between the systems, as small, compared with infinite space, as those between the atoms that compose the bulk of the smallest invisible animalcule, of which millions swim in a drop of salt-water. The same attraction holds together the animalcule, the sponge, the system, and the Universe. Every particle of matter in that Universe is related to each and all the other particles; and attraction is their common bond.
In the spiritual world, the world of human consciousness, there
is also a law, an ideal mode of action for the spiritual forces of man. The law of Justice is as universal an one as the law of At-traction; though we are very far from being able to reconcile all the phenomena of Nature with it. The lark has the same right in our view, to live, to sing, to dart at pleasure through the ambient atmosphere, as the hawk has to ply his strong wings in the Summer sunshine: and yet the hawk pounces on and devours the harmless lark, as itdevours the worm, and as the worm devours the animalcule; and, so far as we know, there is nowhere, in any future state of animal existence, any compensation for this apparent injustice. Among the bees, one rules, while the others obey--some work, while others are idle. With the small ants, the soldiers feed on the proceeds of the workmen's labor. The lion lies in wait for and devours the antelope that has apparently as good a right to life as he. Among men, some govern and others serve, capital commands and labor obeys, and one race, superior in intellect, avails itself of the strong muscles of another that is inferior; and yet, for all this, no one impeaches the justice of God.
This is an interest set of paragraphs, part of which is solidly based on facts that can be readily oberserved in the 21st century, but when Pike writes of races having different capacties of intellect, we know that this is clearly part of the fallacies regarding race that were prevalent in the 1800s when Pike wrote Morals and Dogma.
But, lets take a look at what facts and observations Pike is meaning to convey:
Pike writes “Every particle of matter in that Universe is related to each and all the other particles; and ATTRACTION is their common bond.”
Pike is writing of this material world that we see in our human form.
Pike goes on to write of the spiritual world to say “In the spiritual world, the world of human conciousness there is also a law, and ideal mode of action for the spiritual forces of man. The law of JUSTICE is as universal (of) one as the law of At-traction;though we are very farfrom being able to reconcile all the phenomena of Nature with it."
Pike goes on to write of the way nature moves, one animal, having the same rights to live and exist as the other, devours that other animal to live without any compensation for this apparent injustice, so far as we know.
Yet, Pike writes “no one impeaches the justice of God."
As we observe the way in which the human system works, we do see one with more encroaching upon the rights of those with less. Whether “more” means wealth or intellect, no matter what sex or race, and less means the same, there does seem to be a system in place where there seems to one that takes “advantage” of another exploiting others to create “more” for those with much already.
Is this a just system?
What does the freemason do to right this system if it is indeed unjust?
Maybe first we shun the ideals of superiority. We can treat the workplace as we treat the Lodge Room where we do not discuss our religion or politics and we LIVE the principles of that religion or political ideology instead, if it is just.
Does the worshipful master exploit the entered apprentice because the entered apprentice may not have the same masonic education as the worshipful master does? OR does the worshipful Master TEACH the entered apprentice the ways of masonry so the entered apprentice can attain the role of an effective lodge leader one day?
Why are we not acting this same way in our places of employment? We should be leaders and teachers in the work place.
Who better to bring up future leaders than we who are principled in justice and fairness?
No doubt all these varied phenomena are consistent with one great law of justice; and the only difficulty is that we do not, and no doubt we cannot, understand that law. It is very easy for some dreaming and visionary theorist to say that it is most evidently unjust for the lion to devour the deer, and for the eagle to tear and eat the wren; but the trouble is, that we know of no other way, according to the frame, the constitution, and the organs which God has given them, in which the lion and the eagle could manage to live at all. Our little measure of justice is not God's measure. His justice does not require us to relieve the hard-working millions of all labor, to emancipate the serf or slave, unfitted to be free, from all control.
No doubt, underneath all the little bubbles, which are the lives, the wishes, the wills, and the plans of the two thousand millions or more of human beings on this earth (for bubbles they are, judging by the space and time they occupy in this great and age-outlasting sea of humankind),--no doubt, underneath them all resides one and the same eternal force, which they shape into this or the other special form; and over all the same paternal Providence presides, keeping eternal watch over the little and the great, and producing variety of effect from Unity of Force.
We will end today pondering these last paragraphs.
Pike reminds us that we, the human being, cannot really understand what is just. We rely on what we KNOW which comes from what we OBSERVE in our limited state of senses to believe what justice is.
Pike goes on to remind us that we must have a sense of what is bigger than we are, that which is more perfect than we are, to guide us to what is truly just so that we may impart that truer justice on others.
Much to ponder as we prepare for next weeks lesson as we will continue with chapter 31.
Thank you for taking time to read along today. Feel free to leave comments on your own observations of justice as this may help others.
Have a great week.
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