The Ashlar Revisited: Reassessing the Rough Edges We Still Carry

In the earliest moments of a Mason’s journey, one symbol stands as both familiar and mysterious: the Ashlar.

The Rough Ashlar represents what we are when we first come to the Craft—unshaped, imperfect, full of potential but lacking refinement. The Perfect Ashlar, we are told, is what we are meant to become, a reflection of a man who has worked upon himself with the tools of virtue and the principles of Freemasonry.

But with time and experience, the Ashlar reveals a deeper truth.

It is not simply a one-time transformation from rough to smooth. It is a cycle. A process. A continual act of self-examination and refinement. And that realization requires us—even as long-standing Masons—to revisit the Ashlar we once believed was already perfected.

The Illusion of Completion

There is a quiet danger in thinking the work is finished.

A Brother who has memorized the ritual, held office, or attended Lodge faithfully for years may believe he has reached the final shape—that his Ashlar is already polished and the work complete.

But character does not remain fixed. Time changes us. Life leaves marks. Difficult seasons, subtle resentments, spiritual fatigue, or unchecked pride can all dull the sharp edges of our moral clarity.

We do not reach a summit and stay there by default, but through vigilance.

Freemasonry, then, is not a journey with a finish line. It is a lifelong discipline. And that means we must keep returning to the Ashlar—not out of failure, but out of wisdom.

The Roughness That Returns

Even the most seasoned Mason carries flaws that return with age or circumstance.

A Brother who once had endless patience may now struggle with irritability. One who was once humble may feel tempted by pride in titles or recognition. Another may become passive, letting the duties of the Craft fall on others while retreating into comfort.

These are not failures to be ashamed of. They are part of the human experience.

But they must be named—and confronted.

The Rough Ashlar still lives within us. And every so often, it demands our attention.

The Tools Are Not Just for the Young

Too often, we think the working tools of Masonry are for the newly initiated.

We associate the gavel, square, and plumb with learning stages—things we teach others but no longer need ourselves.

That is a mistake.

The tools are not just reminders of early lessons. They are instruments to be used again and again. And they are often more needed later in life, when our errors are harder to admit and our patterns more difficult to break.

The square still checks our moral alignment.

The level still reminds us of equality and humility.

The plumb still calls us to uprightness.

These tools were never meant to be put away once we received the Master Mason degree—they are meant to live with us, every day of our lives.

Character Is a Living Stone

If your Ashlar was shaped perfectly ten years ago, who is to say it remains so today?

The man who shaped it is not the same. He has faced new tests. He has endured losses, grown in new directions, and hardened in unexpected ways.

We often evaluate past behavior and congratulate ourselves, but we do not always look at who we are now with the same scrutiny.

The question is not whether we have been good Masons.

The question is whether we are good Masons now.

Do we still serve others when no one is watching?

Do we guard our tongues when gossip is easy?

Do we pursue truth when it costs us something?

This is the ongoing Work of the Ashlar.

The Courage to Begin Again

It takes courage to admit we must return to the quarry—to look at ourselves honestly and say, “There is still work to be done.”

But this is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of maturity.

The Brother who continually examines himself is the one who keeps growing. He does not allow titles, years of service, or status in the Lodge to blind him to his remaining flaws.

Instead, he picks up the tools again.

He listens more than he speaks.

He confesses before he is accused.

He mends what is broken rather than hiding it.

This is not regression—it is progression of the highest kind.

The Ashlar Is Never Truly Finished

There is a sacred humility in understanding that we will never reach perfect completion.

Even the Perfect Ashlar in our Lodge is not meant to suggest literal flawlessness. Rather, it points toward the ideal—a state we must always aim for, even if we never fully arrive.

The important thing is not reaching the end.

The important thing is continuing the Work.

Every time we kneel in prayer, help a Brother, resist temptation, or choose discipline over comfort, we take another chip off the stone.

Over time, our Ashlar may grow closer to perfection. But the striving itself is what makes us Masons.

A Call to the Seasoned Brethren

This reflection is not just for the newly initiated. It is especially for those who have been Masons for decades.

You are the example.

Your Ashlar is the one others look to.

But your example will ring hollow if it is not active and alive.

Revisit your foundations.

Reassess the parts of your character that may have calcified.

Ask yourself honestly where old flaws may have reemerged.

Take pride not in your status, but in your willingness to keep refining.

Conclusion: The Stone and the Standard

Freemasonry is not about appearing perfect. It is about working faithfully.

So let us return to our Ashlar.

Let us rediscover the joy of the Work.

Let us reapply the tools with steady hands and open hearts.

Because as long as we are breathing, there are rough edges to smooth.

And that is not a burden. It is a privilege.

So let us begin again.

And let the Work continue.

- Courtesy of Masonic Find