Page 51 - Education Programs

the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his
long home, and the mourners go about the streets; or ever the silver cord be loosed,
or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the cistern. Then shall the
dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes 12:1-7
The Book of Ecclesiastes was supposedly written by Solomon in order to show the vanity of the
world, and of human life, and that no happiness can be expected by the human soul, but in the fear,
love and obedience of God.
The Twelfth Chapter begins with the admonition to every person that he should remember to
worship and praise God as his Creator beginning in the early days of his youth, while his mind is
still strong and sharp, and not distracted by trivial or worldly matters, or weakened by the physical
infirmities of old age. The remaining verses of this Scriptural reference describe, in a mystical
way, the many ailments and infirmities that mark our passage into old age, up to and including the
death of the physical body and the return of our spirit to its Creator.
The theme set forth by this Scripture for the candidate desirous of attaining the sublime degree of
Master Mason is that death awaits us all. Just as Solomon expressed throughout the Book of
Ecclesiastes, all earthly ambitions are but vanity and there is no real happiness to be gained in this
world except in the nurturing and development of our soul through love of God and obedience to
His will.

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