Masonry behind the Masonry

I am reposting this with permission of the Author. I've kept his name off the post for privacy concerns.

I am really not sure what to type. I really do have such strong emotion tied to the craft. Just for a little background about my Masonic journey so you guys can see where I am coming from. The reason why I became a mason was when I was in the Army my mom passed away and the person who helped me get home also happened to be a brother of the craft and my commanding officer.

Then after getting out of the Army and finishing school at 6-0 Penn State J tragedy struck again and my dad passed away in Jan 05. I always tried to talk my dad into joining but he said he didn't have the time. My father was a natural leader and mentor. At his funeral about four guys came up to me and they all had square and compasses on their lapels. They approached and said their condolences being pretty active I know most masons that are under forty in my area and I was quite confused. One of them stepped forward and said we joined the masons because of your father.

This of course confused me but made me realize the importance of Freemasonry on my life. I joined in 2000 right after the Army because of my C/O, made it to SW then had to finish my last two years at University Park. So now I am touching up on my degree work and getting ready to enter the east [Become master of the lodge].

Today I went to a meeting of the Pa Academy of research and got to listen to some interesting presentations. I don't know maybe I just am a little to hardcore about freemasonry. I give presentations at my lodge at it seems to fall on deaf ears. About a year ago a lodge in turkey was bombed and few American masons even know about it, yet we concern ourselves with just churning out members. I hear some members complain about one day classes but in the 1720's a lot of masons got the degrees in one night. So I just get discouraged sometimes.

Also the quote the brother provided means a lot to me…..
"There is a Masonry which is behind Masonry and is not commonly communicated in lodges, though at the right time it is made known to the right person. But it is requisite that he should come in by the door and should pass through the preliminary grades to attain the ineffable ends"

I am just worried that if I ever voiced my opinion in person that
people might think less of me or that I am insincere. I truly feel
that at a lot of functions brothers are just chasing titles and rank
rather then contemplating the beauty of the work and its meanings.

So, there's a little snippet about Freemasonry, from a Freemason. He loves the craft, as many of us do, but many of us have different ideas of what it is and what it could be. For some, it's a way of life. For others, it's a fraternity like any other. The quote he lists is accurate. There is more to the Craft than many would have us believe, although I don't believe the sinister agenda guff that many people throw around.