What is Freemasonry as Tolstoy describes it. Ten myths about modern Freemasonry

Description of the presentation by individual slides:

1 slide

Slide description:

2 slide

Slide description:

Tolstoy wrote about the historical truthfulness of the main characters in his work: “When I write historical things, I like to be true to the smallest details of reality.” “In those days they also loved, envied, sought truth, virtue, were carried away by passions; the mental and moral life was the same, sometimes even more refined than now...”

3 slide

Slide description:

Who are the Masons, where and when did they appear? According to the most common of them, the emergence of Freemasonry dates back to the times of King Solomon, who entrusted the coppersmith (architect) from Tire, Hiram Abiff, with the management and supervision of the construction of the temple in Jerusalem.

4 slide

Slide description:

The first version also echoes the idea that the ancestors of the Lodges of Freemasons (originally a lodge was simply a place for storing working tools and rest) were the Roman Colleges of Craftsmen or Comatians.

5 slide

Slide description:

The following legend indicates that Freemasonry comes from the Order of the Templars (Templars), which was defeated by the French king Philip IV and Pope Clement V for “Satanism, defamation of Christianity and money-grubbing”

6 slide

Slide description:

The way out of the impasse was for Pierre to meet Osip Alekseevich Bazdeev “What is bad? What is good? What should we love, what should we hate? Why live and what am I? What is life and death? What force controls everything?” he asked himself. And there was no answer to any of these questions." “No matter what he started to think about, he returned to the same questions that he could not resolve and could not stop asking himself. It was as if the main screw on which his whole life was held was twisted in his head. The screw would not go any further , did not come out, but spun around, not grabbing anything, still on the same groove, and it was impossible to stop turning it.”

7 slide

Slide description:

Rite of Initiation “Taking a handkerchief from the closet, Vellarsky placed it over Pierre’s eyes.” Pierre’s gaze stops at the robes of the Masons. They have "closed" leather gloves hands". Gloves ( white) in Masonic symbolism denoted purity of morals, “purity of hands.” The Mason wears a "white leather apron". This is a cufflink made of lamb skin, which in Masonic symbolism denoted purity of thoughts and innocence. The Mason "had something like a necklace on his neck."

8 slide

Slide description:

Rite of Passage “As a sign of obedience, I ask you to undress. - Pierre took off his tailcoat, vest and left boot as directed by the rhetorician. The Mason opened the shirt on his left chest... gave him a shoe for his left foot." The sword in Masonic symbolism meant justice as one of the strictest laws in the world; if injustice is hidden in the heart of the initiate, its fruits will find him in the future. At the same time, this is a reminder of God’s punishment awaiting the initiate if in the future he breaks the oaths given to the order and betrays its secrets.

Slide 9

Slide description:

Initiation rite Bezukhov hears the “Masonic knocking of hammers.” The knocking of hammers symbolized the trials that befall the initiate, the new brother. A hammer is a tool of spiritual labor in Masonic symbolism, used to cut off “unnecessary material”; An ordinary Masonic hammer is a mason's hammer with the non-working side of the butt, which serves as a wedge for splitting stone. Symbolized conscience, the spark of Divinity in man. Bezukhov is coming"on some kind of carpet." This item was also in Freemasonry symbolic meaning. “For greater clarity of the ritual, the chief spread a carpet on the floor in front of the newcomer, on which were depicted all the symbols that contained hidden meaning degrees"

10 slide

Slide description:

Rite of Initiation Symbolic in Freemasonry are also the “sun, moon... plumb line... wild stone and cubic stone, pillar, three windows” mentioned below. The sun in Masonic symbolism meant truth, courage, justice, an active force in the world, an all-animating spirit, the Masonic order; the moon meant pure love, matter, nature, as well as Christ and truth. Plumb meant equality; wild stone - rough morality, chaos; cubic - “processed” morality. A pillar in Masonic symbolism could mean wisdom, strength, beauty. The number three in Masonic symbolism means faith in Christ, hope for salvation, love for all humanity; improvement of the heart, mind, spirit; spirit, soul, body; Holy Trinity; three degrees of initiation in Johannine Freemasonry.

11 slide

Slide description:

Pierre's conversations with Prince Andrei in Bogucharovo Outside of Freemasonry, Bezukhov asserts, “everything is full of lies and untruths, but in the world, in the whole world there is a kingdom of truth, and we are now the children of the earth, and forever the children of the whole world.”

Many of us received our idea of ​​Freemasonry from history and fiction. But is it true? There are many myths that actually have nothing to do with reality and only distort the impression of this rather ancient teaching.

Myth one. Freemasonry is a sect

Has very little in common with sects. It is, rather, an esoteric society whose members are engaged in spiritual search. Outside the Masonic lodge, the life of its members is not controlled by anyone; a person can do whatever he wants, for example, go to church.

Myth two. It is known that many outstanding people belonged to Freemasonry, for example, Peter I and Pushkin

We will never know for sure. Lists of Masons are kept within the lodges and are not made public. Therefore, we can only assume that this or that person was or is a Freemason... By the way, the members of the lodges themselves are forbidden to talk about their comrades.

Myth three. We are ruled by the Masons

Rumors about " Masonic conspiracy" - complete nonsense. Freemasonry is not a political force and cannot in any way influence the life of the state. There is also no evidence that any representatives of government structures are members of Masonic lodges. Moreover, conversations about politics are prohibited at meetings of Masonic lodges.

Myth four. Only the “chosen ones” - representatives of the elite and bohemian circles - are accepted into the Freemasons. For example, businessmen, lawyers, scientists, writers, artists

The motto of Freemasonry is “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.” Therefore, theoretically, anyone can become a Freemason, regardless of their social or professional affiliation. Another thing is that you must be prepared for the fact that you will have to pay fees, as in every society, and they are not symbolic here... And in order to accept spiritual initiation, you need to have a certain level of development. Therefore, as a rule, more often people from certain social circles and with a corresponding level of material wealth come to Freemasonry.

Myth fifth. Membership in Masonic lodges may provide career or financial benefits

Nothing like that happens. The Masonic organization is a secret order where people come for spiritual interests, and not a public structure. Therefore, membership in it does not give the right to any social status. Moreover, members of the order are generally not recommended to talk about their affiliation with Freemasonry. Thus, it does not give any priorities.

Everyone who comes here... If it turns out that a person came for any social or material goods, he is immediately eliminated.

True, one of the main activities of the order is charity. An obligatory element of the ritual tradition is the so-called “Widow's Mug”. This is a bag with which all members of the lodge are passed around, and everyone has the right to put their donation into it. These donations are then used for charitable purposes. Members of the order can also provide assistance to their brothers who find themselves in distress.

Myth six. Freemasons single out “especially worthy” ones and invite them to join the order

In fact, direct campaigning is prohibited here. A member of the order may hint that he has an acquaintance in these circles and can recommend a candidate. No more…

Myth seventh. Upon entry into the order, candidates go through complex rituals

We mainly know about the introductory rituals of Freemasonry from Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace,” which describes the scene of Pierre Bezukhov’s acceptance into the Freemasons. In our time, they have also remained practically unchanged: questioning under a bandage, testing by the elements... But they are all symbolic in nature.

Myth eight. Women are not accepted into the Masons, according to at least, in Russia

Now mixed lodges have appeared in Russia, where women are also accepted. Although traditionally only men were selected for Masonic organizations.

The fact is that in Masonic rituals there are a lot of so-called security elements. For example, many of them are related to weapons. They enter the box under arches of swords. The first thing the initiate sees when the bandage is removed is a semicircle of people with swords in their hands, pointed at his chest. This ritual semicircle symbolizes the rays of the sun... To properly wield edged weapons, you need to be a very prepared person. I think that's why for a long time Women were not allowed into the order.

Myth nine. Masons recognize each other by special signs

Oddly enough, this is true. Masons can recognize each other by a special handshake. There is also a specific word that is used by members of the lodge. But this is a rather archaic tradition.

Myth tenth. Masons are prohibited from talking about the activities of the order

This is also true. Otherwise, the existence of the order will have no meaning at all. The Masonic organization has been closed from the very beginning, which means that the spiritual knowledge acquired by its members is not revealed to the uninitiated. After all, in order to perceive them, a person must have a certain level spiritual development and preparation.

The above excerpt ((Volume 2, Part 2, chapters 3 - 5)) from the novel "War and Peace" (1863 - 1869) by a Russian writer (1828 - 1910) describes how Pierre Bezukhov became interested in the ideas of Freemasonry and underwent an initiation ceremony into the Freemasons (see).

“I have the pleasure of speaking with Count Bezukhy, if I’m not mistaken,” said the traveler slowly and loudly. Pierre silently and questioningly looked through his glasses at his interlocutor.

“I heard about you,” continued the traveler, “and about the misfortune that befell you, my lord.” “He seemed to emphasize the last word, as if he said: “yes, misfortune, whatever you call it, I know that what happened to you in Moscow was a misfortune.” “I’m very sorry about that, my lord.”

Pierre blushed and, hastily lowering his legs from the bed, bent over to the old man, smiling unnaturally and timidly.

“I didn’t mention this to you out of curiosity, my lord, but for more important reasons.” “He paused, not letting Pierre out of his gaze, and shifted on the sofa, inviting Pierre to sit next to him with this gesture. It was unpleasant for Pierre to enter into conversation with this old man, but he, involuntarily submitting to him, came up and sat down next to him.

“You are unhappy, my lord,” he continued. -You are young, I am old. I would like to help you to the best of my ability.

“Oh, yes,” Pierre said with an unnatural smile. - Thank you very much...Where are you passing from? “The face of the traveler was not kind, even cold and stern, but despite that, both the speech and the face of the new acquaintance had an irresistible and attractive effect on Pierre.

“But if for some reason you don’t like talking to me,” said the old man, “then just say so, my lord.” – And he suddenly smiled with an unexpected, fatherly, tender smile.

“Oh no, not at all, on the contrary, I’m very glad to meet you,” said Pierre, and, looking again at the hands of his new acquaintance, he took a closer look at the ring. He saw Adam's head on it, a sign of Freemasonry.

“Let me ask,” he said. -Are you a Mason?

“Yes, I belong to the brotherhood of free stonemasons,” said the traveler, looking deeper and deeper into Pierre’s eyes. “Both on my own behalf and on their behalf, I extend a brotherly hand to you.”

“I’m afraid,” said Pierre, smiling and hesitating between the trust instilled in him by the personality of a Freemason, and the habit of mocking the beliefs of the Freemasons, “I’m afraid that I’m very far from understanding how to say this, I’m afraid that my way of thinking about everything the universe is so opposite to yours that we will not understand each other.

“I know your way of thinking,” said the Mason, “and that way of thinking that you are talking about, and which seems to you to be the product of your mental labor, is the way of thinking of most people, it is the monotonous fruit of pride, laziness and ignorance.” Excuse me, my lord, if I did not know him, I would not have spoken to you. Your way of thinking is a sad delusion.

“Just as I can assume that you are also in error,” said Pierre, smiling faintly.

“I will never dare to say that I know the truth,” said the Mason, more and more striking Pierre with his certainty and firmness of speech. – No one alone can reach the truth; “Only stone by stone, with the participation of everyone, millions of generations, from the forefather Adam to our time, is the temple being erected, which should be a worthy dwelling of the Great God,” said the Mason and closed his eyes.

“I must tell you, I don’t believe, I don’t... believe in God,” Pierre said with regret and effort, feeling the need to express the whole truth.

The Mason looked carefully at Pierre and smiled, as a rich man holding millions in his hands would smile at a poor man who would tell him that he, the poor man, does not have five rubles that can make him happy.

“Yes, you don’t know Him, my lord,” said the Mason. – You cannot know Him. You don't know Him, that's why you're unhappy.

“Yes, yes, I’m unhappy,” Pierre confirmed; - but what should I do?

“You don’t know Him, my lord, and that’s why you are very unhappy.” You don't know Him, but He is here, He is in me. He is in my words, He is in you, and even in those blasphemous speeches that you have uttered now! – the Mason said in a stern, trembling voice.

He paused and sighed, apparently trying to calm down.

“If He didn’t exist,” he said quietly, “you and I wouldn’t be talking about Him, my sir.” What, who were we talking about? Who did you deny? - he suddenly said with enthusiastic sternness and authority in his voice. – Who invented Him if He doesn’t exist? Why did you have the assumption that there is such an incomprehensible creature? Why did you and the whole world assume the existence of such an incomprehensible being, an omnipotent being, eternal and infinite in all its properties?... - He stopped and was silent for a long time.

Pierre could not and did not want to break this silence.

“He exists, but it’s difficult to understand Him,” the Freemason spoke again, looking not at Pierre’s face, but in front of him, with his senile hands, which from internal excitement could not remain calm, turning over the pages of the book. “If it were a person whose existence you doubted, I would bring this person to you, take him by the hand and show him to you.” But how can I, an insignificant mortal, show all His omnipotence, all eternity, all His goodness to the one who is blind, or to the one who closes his eyes so as not to see, not to understand Him, and not to see and not to understand all his abomination and depravity? – He paused. - Who are you? What you? “You dream of yourself that you are a wise man, because you could utter these blasphemous words,” he said with a gloomy and contemptuous grin, “and you are stupider and crazier than a small child who, playing with parts of a skillfully made clock, would dare to say that , because he does not understand the purpose of this watch, he does not believe in the master who made it. It is difficult to know Him... For centuries, from the forefather Adam to the present day, we have been working for this knowledge and are infinitely far from achieving our goal; but in not understanding Him we see only our weakness and His greatness... - Pierre, with a sinking heart, looking into the Freemason’s face with shining eyes, listened to him, did not interrupt, did not ask him, but with all his soul believed what this stranger was telling him. Did he believe those reasonable arguments that were in the Mason’s speech, or did he believe, as children believe, the intonations, conviction and cordiality that were in the Mason’s speech, the trembling of the voice that sometimes almost interrupted the Mason, or those sparkling, senile eyes that grew old in that the same conviction, or that calmness, firmness and knowledge of his purpose, which shone from the whole being of the Mason, and which especially struck him in comparison with his dejection and hopelessness; - but he wanted to believe with all his soul, and believed, and experienced a joyful feeling of calm, renewal and return to life.

“It is not comprehended by the mind, but is comprehended by life,” said the Mason.

“I don’t understand,” said Pierre, fearfully feeling the doubt rising within himself. He was afraid of the ambiguity and weakness of his interlocutor's arguments, he was afraid not to believe him. “I don’t understand,” he said, “how the human mind cannot comprehend the knowledge you are talking about.”

The Mason smiled his gentle, fatherly smile.

“The highest wisdom and truth are like the purest moisture that we want to absorb into ourselves,” he said. – Can I receive this pure moisture into an unclean vessel and judge its purity? Only by internal purification of myself can I bring the perceived moisture to a certain purity.

- Yes, yes, that's true! – Pierre said joyfully.

– The highest wisdom is not based on reason alone, not on those secular sciences of physics, history, chemistry, etc., into which mental knowledge is divided. There is only one highest wisdom. The highest wisdom has one science - the science of everything, the science that explains the entire universe and the place of man in it. In order to embrace this science, it is necessary to purify and renew one’s inner man, and therefore, before knowing, you need to believe and improve. And to achieve these goals, the light of God, called conscience, is embedded in our soul.

“Yes, yes,” Pierre confirmed.

– Look with spiritual eyes at your inner man and ask yourself if you are satisfied with yourself. What have you achieved with your mind alone? What are you? You are young, you are rich, you are smart, educated, my sir. What have you made of all these blessings given to you? Are you satisfied with yourself and your life?

“No, I hate my life,” Pierre said, wincing.

“You hate it, so change it, cleanse yourself, and as you cleanse yourself you will learn wisdom.” Look at your life, my lord. How did you spend it? In violent orgies and debauchery, receiving everything from society and giving nothing to it. You have received wealth. How did you use it? What have you done for your neighbor? Have you thought about the tens of thousands of your slaves, have you helped them physically and morally? No. You used their works to lead a dissolute life. That's what you did. Have you chosen a place of service where you can benefit your neighbor? No. You spent your life in idleness. Then you got married, my lord, took on the responsibility of leading a young woman, and what did you do? You did not help her, my sir, to find the path of truth, but plunged her into the abyss of lies and misfortune. A man insulted you and you killed him, and you say that you don't know God and that you hate your life. There is nothing fancy here, my sir! - After these words, the Mason, as if tired from a long conversation, again leaned his elbows on the back of the sofa and closed his eyes. Pierre looked at this stern, motionless, senile, almost dead face, and silently moved his lips. He wanted to say: yes, a vile, idle, depraved life - and did not dare to break the silence.

The Mason cleared his throat hoarsely and senilely and called to the servant.

- What about horses? – he asked, without looking at Pierre.

“They brought the change,” answered the servant. -Aren't you going to rest?

- No, they told me to lay it down.

“Will he really leave and leave me alone, without finishing everything and without promising me help?” thought Pierre, standing up and lowering his head, occasionally glancing at the Freemason, and starting to walk around the room. “Yes, I didn’t think so, but I led a despicable, depraved life, but I didn’t love it and didn’t want it,” thought Pierre, “but this man knows the truth, and if he wanted, he could reveal it to me.” . Pierre wanted and did not dare to tell this to the Mason. The person passing by, having packed his things with the usual, old hands, buttoned up his sheepskin coat. Having finished these matters, he turned to Bezukhoy and indifferently, in a polite tone, said to him:

-Where do you want to go now, my sir?

“Me?... I’m going to St. Petersburg,” Pierre answered in a childish, hesitant voice. - Thank you. I agree with you on everything. But don't think I'm so stupid. I wished with all my soul to be what you would have me to be; but I never found help in anyone... However, I myself am primarily to blame for everything. Help me, teach me and maybe I will... - Pierre could not speak further; he sniffled and turned away.

The Mason was silent for a long time, apparently thinking about something.

“Help is given only from God,” he said, “but the measure of help that our order has the power to give, he will give to you, my lord.” You are going to St. Petersburg, tell this to Count Villarsky (he took out his wallet and wrote a few words on a large sheet of paper folded in four). Let me give you one piece of advice. Having arrived in the capital, devote the first time to solitude, discussing yourself, and do not take the old path of life. Then I wish you a happy journey, my lord,” he said, noticing that his servant had entered the room, “and success...

The person passing was Osip Alekseevich Bazdeev, as Pierre learned from the caretaker’s book.

Bazdeev was one of the most famous Freemasons and Martinists back in Novikov’s time. Long after his departure, Pierre, without going to bed and without asking for horses, walked around the station room, pondering his vicious past and, with the delight of renewal, imagining his blissful, impeccable and virtuous future, which seemed so easy to him. He was, it seemed to him, vicious only because he somehow accidentally forgot how good it is to be virtuous. There was no trace of the former doubts left in his soul. He firmly believed in the possibility of a brotherhood of men united for the purpose of supporting each other in the path of virtue, and this was how Freemasonry seemed to him. Having arrived in St. Petersburg, Pierre did not notify anyone of his arrival, did not go anywhere, and began to spend whole days reading Thomas a à Kempis, a book that was delivered to him by an unknown person. Pierre understood one thing and one thing while reading this book; he understood the still unknown pleasure of believing in the possibility of achieving perfection and in the possibility of brotherly and active love

between people, revealed to him by Osip Alekseevich. A week after his arrival, the young Polish Count Villarsky, whom Pierre knew superficially from the St. Petersburg world, entered his room in the evening with the official and solemn air with which Dolokhov’s second entered his room and, closing the door behind him and making sure that there was no one in the room There was no one except Pierre, he turned to him:

The cold and stern tone of the man whom Pierre almost always saw at balls with an amiable smile, in the company of the most brilliant women, struck Pierre.

“Yes, I wish,” said Pierre.

Villarsky bowed his head. “One more question, Count,” he said, to which I ask you not as a future Mason, but as honest man(galant homme) I ask you to answer me with all sincerity: have you renounced your previous convictions, do you believe in God?

Pierre thought about it. “Yes... yes, I believe in God,” he said.

“In that case...” Villarsky began, but Pierre interrupted him. “Yes, I believe in God,” he said again.

“In that case, we can go,” said Villarsky. - My carriage is at your service.

Villarsky was silent all the way. To Pierre's questions about what he needed to do and how to answer, Villarsky only said that brothers more worthy of him would test him, and that Pierre needed nothing more than to tell the truth.

Entering the gate big house, where the lodge was located, and walking along a dark staircase, they entered a lighted, small hallway, where, without the help of servants, they took off their fur coats. From the hall they went into another room. A man in a strange dress appeared at the door. Villarsky, coming out to meet him, said something quietly to him in French and went to a small closet, in which Pierre noticed clothes he had never seen before. Taking a handkerchief from the closet, Villarsky placed it over Pierre's eyes and tied it in a knot from behind, painfully catching his hair in the knot. Then he bent him towards him, kissed him and, taking him by the hand, led him somewhere. Pierre was in pain from the knot in his hair, he winced in pain and smiled from shame of something. His huge figure with his arms down, with a wrinkled and smiling face, moved with uncertain timid steps behind Villarsky.

After walking him ten steps, Villarsky stopped.

“No matter what happens to you,” he said, “you must endure everything with courage if you firmly decide to join our brotherhood.” (Pierre answered in the affirmative by bowing his head.) When you hear a knock on the door, you will untie your eyes,” Villarsky added; – I wish you courage and success. And, shaking Pierre’s hand, Villarsky left.

Left alone, Pierre continued to smile the same way. Once or twice he shrugged his shoulders, raised his hand to the handkerchief, as if wanting to take it off, and lowered it again. The five minutes he spent with his eyes tied seemed like an hour. His hands were swollen, his legs were giving way; he thought he was tired. He experienced the most complex and varied feelings. He was afraid of what would happen to him, and even more afraid of not showing fear. He was curious to know what would happen to him, what would be revealed to him; but most of all he was happy that the moment had come when he would finally embark on that path of renewal and an active and virtuous life, which he had dreamed of since his meeting with Osip Alekseevich. Strong knocks were heard on the door. Pierre took off the bandage and looked around him. The room was black and dark: only in one place a lamp was burning, in something white. Pierre came closer and saw that the lamp stood on a black table, on which lay one open book. The book was the Gospel; that white thing in which the lamp was burning was a human skull with its holes and teeth. Having read the first words of the Gospel: “In the beginning was the word and the word was to God,” Pierre walked around the table and saw a large open box filled with something. It was a coffin with bones. He was not at all surprised by what he saw. Hoping to enter into a completely new life completely different from the previous one, he expected everything extraordinary, even more extraordinary than what he saw. The skull, the coffin, the Gospel - it seemed to him that he expected all this, expected even more. Trying to evoke a feeling of tenderness in himself, he looked around him. “God, death, love, brotherhood of people,” he said to himself, associating vague but joyful ideas of something with these words. The door opened and someone entered.

In the dim light, which Pierre had already managed to take a closer look at, a short man entered. Apparently entering the darkness from the light, this man stopped; then, with careful steps, he moved towards the table and placed his small hands, covered with leather gloves, on it.

This short man was dressed in a white leather apron that covered his chest and part of his legs, he had something like a necklace on his neck, and from behind the necklace protruded a tall, white frill that framed his elongated face, lit from below.

– Why did you come here? - asked the newcomer, following the rustle made by Pierre, turning in his direction. - Why do you, who do not believe in the truths of the light and do not see the light, why did you come here, what do you want from us? Wisdom, virtue, enlightenment?

The minute the door opened and he walked in Unknown person, Pierre experienced a feeling of fear and awe, similar to that, which he experienced in confession as a child: he felt face to face with a complete stranger in terms of living conditions and with a person close in the brotherhood of people. Pierre, with a breathless heartbeat, moved towards the rhetorician (that was the name in Freemasonry for the brother who prepares the seeker for entry into the brotherhood). Pierre, coming closer, recognized in the rhetorician a familiar person, Smolyaninov, but it was insulting to him to think that the person who entered was a familiar person: the person who entered was only a brother and a virtuous mentor. Pierre could not utter the words for a long time, so the rhetorician had to repeat his question.

“Yes, I... I... want an update,” Pierre said with difficulty.

“Okay,” said Smolyaninov, and immediately continued: “Do you have any idea about the means by which our holy order will help you achieve your goal?...” said the rhetorician calmly and quickly.

“I... hope... guidance... help... in renewal,” said Pierre with a trembling voice and difficulty in speaking, arising both from excitement and from the unfamiliarity of speaking in Russian about abstract subjects.

– What concept do you have about Freemasonry?

– I mean that Freemasonry is a fraterienité [brotherhood]

; and the equality of people with virtuous goals,” said Pierre, ashamed as he spoke of the inconsistency of his words with the solemnity of the moment. I mean…

“Okay,” the rhetorician said hastily, apparently quite satisfied with this answer. – Have you been looking for means to achieve your goal in religion?

“No, I considered it unfair and did not follow it,” Pierre said so quietly that the rhetorician did not hear him and asked what he was saying. “I was an atheist,” answered Pierre.

– You are looking for truth in order to follow its laws in life; therefore, you are seeking wisdom and virtue, are you not? - said the rhetorician after a minute of silence.

“Yes, yes,” Pierre confirmed.

The rhetorician cleared his throat, folded his gloved hands on his chest and began to speak:

“Now I must reveal to you the main goal of our order,” he said, “and if this goal coincides with yours, then you will benefit from joining our brotherhood.” First main goal and the entire foundation of our order, on which it is established, and which no human power can overthrow, is the preservation and transmission to posterity of a certain important sacrament... from the very ancient centuries and even from the first person who came down to us, on whom the fate of the human race, perhaps, depends on the sacraments. But since this sacrament is of such a nature that no one can know it or use it unless one has prepared oneself through long-term and diligent purification, not everyone can hope to find it soon. Therefore, we have a second goal, which is to prepare our members as much as possible, correct their hearts, purify and enlighten their minds with those means that have been revealed to us by tradition from men who have labored in seeking this sacrament, and thereby make them capable of the perception of it. By purifying and correcting our members, we try, thirdly, to correct the entire human race, offering it in our members an example of piety and virtue, and thereby trying with all our might to resist the evil that reigns in the world. Think about this, and I will come to you again,” he said and left the room.

“To resist the evil that reigns in the world...” Pierre repeated, and he imagined his future activities in this field. He imagined the same people as he himself was two weeks ago, and he mentally addressed an instructive and mentoring speech to them. He imagined vicious and unhappy people whom he helped in word and deed; imagined the oppressors from whom he saved their victims. Of the three goals named by the rhetorician, this last one - the correction of the human race - was especially close to Pierre. Some important sacrament mentioned by the rhetorician, although it incited his curiosity, did not seem significant to him; and the second goal, cleansing and correcting himself, occupied him little, because at that moment he felt with pleasure that he was already completely corrected from his previous vices and ready for only one good thing.

Half an hour later, the rhetorician returned to convey to the seeker those seven virtues corresponding to the seven steps of the Temple of Solomon, which every Mason had to cultivate in himself. These virtues were: 1) modesty, respect for the secrets of the order, 2) obedience to the highest ranks of the order, 3) good morals, 4) love of humanity, 5) courage, 6) generosity and 7) love of death.

“Seventhly, try,” said the rhetorician, “by frequently thinking about death to bring yourself to the point that it no longer seems to you a terrible enemy, but a friend... who frees the languishing soul from this miserable life in the works of virtue, to introduce it to a place of reward and reassurance.

“Yes, this must be so,” thought Pierre, when after these words the rhetorician left him again, leaving him to solitary reflection. “This should be so, but I am still so weak that I love my life, the meaning of which is only now gradually revealed to me.” But the other five virtues, which Pierre remembered as he ran through his fingers, he felt in his soul: and

courage, and generosity, and kindness, and love for humanity, and especially obedience, which did not even seem to him a virtue, but happiness. (He was so happy now to get rid of his arbitrariness and subordinate his will to those and those who knew the undoubted truth.) Pierre forgot the seventh virtue and could not remember it.

The third time, the rhetorician returned quickly and asked Pierre if he was still firm in his intentions, and whether he dared to subject himself to everything that was required of him.

“I’m ready for anything,” said Pierre.

“I must also tell you,” said the rhetorician, “that our order teaches its teaching not only in words, but by other means, which, perhaps, have a stronger effect on the true seeker of wisdom and virtue than verbal explanations alone.” This temple, with its decoration, which you see, should have already explained to your heart, if it is sincere, more than words; you will see, perhaps, with your further acceptance similar image explanations. Our Order imitates ancient societies that revealed their teachings in hieroglyphs. A hieroglyph, said the rhetorician, is the name of some thing not subject to feelings, which contains qualities similar to the one depicted.

Pierre knew very well what a hieroglyph was, but did not dare to speak. He listened silently to the rhetorician, feeling from everything that the tests would begin immediately.

“If you are firm, then I must begin to introduce you,” said the rhetorician, approaching Pierre closer. “As a sign of generosity, I ask you to give me all your precious things.”

“But I have nothing with me,” said Pierre, who believed that they were demanding that he give up everything he had.

– What you have on: watches, money, rings...

Pierre hastily took out his wallet and watch, and for a long time could not remove the wedding ring from his fat finger. When this was done, the Mason said:

– As a sign of obedience, I ask you to undress. - Pierre took off his tailcoat, vest and left boot as directed by the rhetorician. The Mason opened the shirt on his left chest, and, bending down, lifted his trouser leg on his left leg above the knee. Pierre hastily wanted to take off his right boot and roll up his trousers in order to save a stranger from this labor, but the Mason told him that this was not necessary - and handed him a shoe on his left foot. With a childish smile of modesty, doubt and self-mockery, which appeared on his face against his will, Pierre stood with his arms down and legs apart in front of his brother-rhetorician, awaiting his new orders.

“And finally, as a sign of sincerity, I ask you to reveal to me your main passion,” he said.

- My passion! I had so many,” Pierre said.

“That passion which, more than any other, made you hesitate on the path of virtue,” said the Mason.

Pierre paused, searching.

"Wine? Consolidation? Idleness? Laziness? Hotness? Anger? Women?" He went over his vices, mentally weighing them and not knowing which to give priority to.

– Last time I tell you: turn all your attention to yourself, put chains on your feelings and look for bliss not in passions, but in your heart. The source of bliss is not outside, but within us...

Pierre already felt within himself this refreshing source of bliss, now filling his soul with joy and tenderness.

Soon after this, it was no longer the former rhetorician who came for Pierre into the dark temple, but the guarantor Villarsky, whom he recognized by his voice. To new questions about the firmness of his intentions, Pierre answered: “Yes, yes, I agree,” and with a radiant childish smile, with an open, fat chest, unevenly and timidly walking with one barefoot and one shod foot, he went forward with Villarsky placed at his side. bare chest with a sword. From the room he was led along corridors, turning back and forth, and finally led to the doors of the box. Villarsky coughed, he was answered with Masonic knocks of hammers, the door opened in front of them. Someone's bass voice (Pierre's eyes were still blindfolded) asked him questions about who he was, where, when he was born? etc. Then they took him somewhere again, without untying his eyes, and while he walked they told him allegories about the labors of his journey, about sacred friendship, about the eternal Builder of the world, about the courage with which he must endure the labors and danger. During this journey, Pierre noticed that he was called either a seeker, or a sufferer, or a demander, and at the same time they knocked him with hammers and swords in different ways. While he was being led to some subject, he noticed that there was confusion and confusion between his leaders. He heard the people around him arguing among themselves in whispers and how one insisted that he be led along some kind of carpet. After that they took him right hand, they laid him on something, and with his left they ordered him to put a compass to his left chest, and forced him, repeating the words that the other was reading, to read the oath of allegiance to the laws of the order. Then they put out the candles, lit alcohol, as Pierre heard by the smell, and said that he would see a small light. The bandage was removed from him, and Pierre, as if in a dream, saw, in the faint light of the alcohol fire, several people who, wearing the same aprons as the rhetorician, stood opposite him and held swords pointed at his chest. Between them stood a man in a white, bloody shirt. Seeing this, Pierre moved his chest forward towards the swords, wanting them to stick into him. But the swords pulled away from him and the bandage was immediately put on him again. “Now you have seen a small light,” someone’s voice told him. Then they lit the candles again, said that he needed to see the full light, and again they took off the blindfold and more than ten voices suddenly said: sic transit gloria mundi. [this is how worldly glory passes.]

Pierre gradually began to come to his senses and look around the room where he was and the people in it. Around a long table covered in black sat about twelve people, all in the same clothes as those he had seen before. Pierre knew some of them from St. Petersburg society. An unfamiliar young man sat in the chair, wearing a special cross around his neck. On the right hand sat the Italian abbot whom Pierre had seen two years ago at Anna Pavlovna's. There was also one very important dignitary and one Swiss tutor who had previously lived with the Kuragins. Everyone was solemnly silent, listening to the words of the chairman, who was holding a hammer in his hand. There was a burning star embedded in the wall; on one side of the table there was a small carpet with various images, on the other there was something like an altar with a Gospel and a skull. Around the table there were 7 large, church-like candlesticks. Two of the brothers brought Pierre to the altar, put his legs in a rectangular position and ordered him to lie down, saying that he was throwing himself towards the gates of the temple.

“He must get a shovel first,” one of the brothers said in a whisper.

- A! completeness please,” said another.

Pierre, with confused, myopic eyes, disobeying, looked around him, and suddenly doubt came over him. "Where I am? What am I doing? Are they laughing at me? Will I be ashamed to remember this? But this doubt lasted only for an instant. Pierre looked back at the serious faces of the people around him, remembered everything he had already gone through, and realized that he could not stop halfway. He was horrified by his doubt and, trying to evoke the same feeling of tenderness in himself, threw himself towards the gates of the temple. And indeed a feeling of tenderness, even stronger than before, came over him. When he had been lying there for some time, they ordered him to get up and put on him the same white leather apron that the others were wearing, they gave him a shovel and three pairs of gloves, and then Great master turned to him. He told him to try not to stain the whiteness of this apron, which represents strength and purity; then about the unknown shovel he said that he should work with it to cleanse his heart from vices and condescendingly smooth over the heart of his neighbor with it. Then about the first men’s gloves he said that he could not know their meaning, but must keep them, about other men’s gloves he said that he should wear them in meetings, and finally about the third women’s gloves he said: “Dear brother, and these women’s gloves are for you.” the essence is determined. Give them to the woman you will honor the most. With this gift, assure the integrity of your heart to the one you choose as a worthy stonemason.” And after being silent for a while, he added: “But be careful, dear brother, that these gloves are not adorned by unclean hands.” While the great master was saying these last words, It seemed to Pierre that the chairman was embarrassed. Pierre became even more embarrassed, blushed to the point of tears, like children blush, began to look around restlessly, and an awkward silence ensued.

This silence was interrupted by one of the brothers, who, leading Pierre to the carpet, began to read to him from a notebook an explanation of all the figures depicted on it: the sun, the moon, the hammer. a plumb line, a shovel, a wild and cubic stone, a pillar, three windows, etc. Then Pierre was assigned his place, they showed him the signs of the box, said the opening word and finally allowed him to sit down. The Great Master began to read the charter. The charter was very long, and Pierre, from joy, excitement and shame, was not able to understand what was being read. He listened only to the last words of the charter, which he remembered.

“In our temples we do not know other degrees,” the great master read, “except those that are between virtue and vice. Beware of making any distinction that might upset equality. Fly to the aid of your brother, no matter who he is, guide the erring one, lift up the falling one, and never harbor anger or enmity against your brother. Be kind and friendly. Stir up the fire of virtue in all hearts. Share your happiness with your neighbor, and may envy never disturb this pure pleasure. Forgive your enemy, do not take revenge on him, except by doing him good. Having thus fulfilled the highest law, you will find traces of the ancient majesty you have lost.”

He finished and, standing up, hugged Pierre and kissed him. Pierre, with tears of joy in his eyes, looked around him, not knowing how to respond to the congratulations and renewal of acquaintances with whom he was surrounded. He did not recognize any acquaintances; in all these people he saw only brothers with whom he was eager to get down to business.

The great master slammed his hammer, everyone sat down, and one read a lesson on the need for humility.

The great master offered to perform the last duty, and an important dignitary, who bore the title of alms collector, began to make the rounds of the brothers. Pierre wanted to write down all the money he had on the alms sheet, but he was afraid to show pride by doing so, and he wrote down the same amount as others wrote down.

The meeting was over, and upon returning home, it seemed to Pierre that he had come from some long journey, where he had spent dozens of years, had completely changed and fell behind the previous order and habits of life.

(No ratings yet)

Other writings:

1. L. N. Tolstoy’s epic novel “War and Peace” is one of the pinnacles in world literature. It is striking in the scale of the life depicted, the versatility and diversity of the work. The author reviews different problems society at the beginning of the 19th century, trying to find answers. One of these problems Read More......
2. Pierre Bezukhoe is one of Tolstoy's favorite heroes. His life is a path of discovery and disappointment, a path of crisis and in many ways dramatic. Pierre is an emotional person. He is distinguished by a mind prone to dreamy philosophizing, absent-mindedness, weakness of will, lack of initiative, and exceptional kindness. Read More......
3. L. N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace” stands among best works world literature. It tells about significant events in the history of the country, highlights important periods folk life, ideals, life and morals of various strata of society. One of the main themes of the work is Read More......
4. In Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" only two heroes pass difficult path internal development, undergo spiritual evolution. These are the writer’s favorite heroes - Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov. Despite their significant differences (age, social status, character, etc.), heroes Read More ......
5. In Russian literature, perhaps, there is no work that can be compared with the epic novel “War and Peace” in terms of the significance of the problems raised in it, in terms of artistic expression narratives, according to educational impact. Hundreds pass before us human images, the destinies of some come into contact with the destinies of others, but Read More......
6. Prince Andrei Bolkonsky is an example strong personality. Tolstoy in every possible way emphasizes his desire for heroic deed, courageous traits of nature, consciousness of Prince Andrey own strength. On the contrary, friend Bolkonsky Pierre Bezukhov seems to be a weak man, but appearance– not at all heroic Read More ......
7. In the monumental epic novel “War and Peace,” L. N. Tolstoy reflected many large and small problems from the life of Russian society early XIX century. The search for the meaning of life, true and false heroism, love and hate, life and death - these are just the most important Read More ......
8. Real life in the novel it is presented in a dispute between Pierre Bezukhov and Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. These two young people imagine life differently. Some people believe that one should live only for others (like Pierre), while others believe that one should live only for oneself (like Prince Andrei). Each Read More......