A lumberman discusses Masonry
in the context of his profession.

B ro. W. Howard Coop’s article “ Consider the Sequoia” (Scottish Rite Journal, March-April 2004) extolled the virtues of the Sequoia Gigantea of California and mentioned the ways in which this tree exemplifies Masonry in that its interlocking roots enable it to stand tall and live long. As a result, it is one of the oldest trees and probably one of the largest in terms of weight.
However, in sheer terms of longevity, the bristlecone pine, which grows at twice the mountain elevations of the Gigantea, is the real Methuselah of trees, with its wind-warped and twisted existence, deformed by all the adversities of nature, yet it still manages to survive for as long as 12,000 years.

Muir Woods National Park Photo: Courtesy of California Redwood Association

Also, perhaps the more common redwood, Sequoia Semper-virens (Always Living), might be a better example of the virtues of Freemasonry. Why is it designated as “always living”? Because when one is cut down, the perimeter of the stump sprouts, and in 60 to 70 years, a ring of mature trees surround the stump. If the stump had been removed, the larger roots would sprout; if these sprouts were removed, the smaller roots would sprout; and, finally, the thousands of seeds the tree had produced would sprout to a miniature forest of seedlings. Hopefully, this is the way Freemasonry survives, not through weight or size, but through new generations replacing the old.
Whereas the Gigantea lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the coast redwood grows in the coastal river valleys of Northern California and Oregon, especially in the fertile lower flats, but usually inland “only as far as the fog flows.” Similarly, Masonry should reach, to correct it, as far as the fog of ignorance, prejudice, or evil flows in the world.
The Sempervirens has many other virtues, just as Freemasons have hidden virtues. Although coastal redwood, when dry, is five-sixths the weight of Douglas fir, the most common structural wood, redwood has nearly nine-tenths the strength. Gigantea does not have this fiber strength and shatters under stress, so its wood is seldom used structurally. Sempervirens is also renowned for its beauty, durability, and its resistance to rot, insects, and fire. Visitors to the redwoods often mention the cathedral-like silence in these groves, with only the whispering of the wind. With few insects, there are few birdsongs to be heard. Several years ago, redwood logs were unearthed which had been buried by landslides 30 feet under stumps of trees that were hundreds of years old. Those logs, largely without rot, were cut into lumber samples. Redwood has been used to build firewalls, because the surface chars and slows the fire. Redwood bark had been used for insulation, just as Masonry may insulate against the evils of the world, and Masonic principles could be as a firewall to slow the flames of destructive passions.
Masonry needs to emulate the Sequoia Sempervirens, which is the fastest growing commercial tree, often reaching 4- or 5-foot diameters in 75 years under good conditions. Our Brotherhood needs similar growth so that future generations may share the same ideals to build better men and structure a better world.

To obtain sequoia seedlings, contact Bro. Joseph A. Succuro, 32°, at: j-succuro2@verizon.net

Stuart H. Jones, a lumber salesman for half a century, knows his woods and has been a member of the Scottish Rite Bodies and Al Bahr Shrine in San Diego for 25 years and of Manawa-Weyauwega-New London Lodge #82, Manawa, Wisconsin, since 1942. Contacts: 1130 S. Myrtle Ave., Yuma, AZ 85364-3541; phone 928-782-6365; fax 928-782-6372.