The Rough Ashlar and the Empty Wallet
A Lesson on Industry and the Rite of Destitution by James A. Clark
Brethren,
We are all familiar with that pivotal moment in the Entered Apprentice degree—the Rite of Destitution. We stand in the Northeast Corner, possessing nothing of value, to learn a lesson about charity and the true wealth of the heart. But there is a deeper, more practical lesson in that moment of emptiness: it is the starting point of all construction.
There is a modern allegory that mirrors this Masonic teaching perfectly. It concerns a man known to the world as “The Rock”, Dwayne Johnson. Before he was a global icon, he was simply a man standing in his own Northeast Corner. He had been cut from his football team, he had no employment, and upon emptying his pockets, he found he possessed exactly seven dollars.
He was, in every operative sense, a Rough Ashlar—unformed, jagged, and resting on a foundation of failure.
However, Masonry teaches us that the Rough Ashlar contains the Perfect Ashlar within it; it only requires the proper use of the working tools to reveal it. Johnson’s story is a great example in the application of those tools.
The Common Gavel: Divesting the Vices
In that moment of destitution, Johnson made a vow. He said, “This will never happen again.”
He realized that while he could not control the world around him (the quarry), he could control his own actions (the chisel). He stopped waiting for a miracle and started using the Common Gavel. He began to break off the vices of self-pity, the superfluities of excuses, and the rough edges of despair.
He determined that if he could not control the opportunity, he would control the effort. This is the essence of the Gavel: stripping away the emotional and mental debris that prevents the stone from being true.
The 24-Inch Gauge: The Stewardship of Time
Johnson became famous for his “4 AM” mentality. This is nothing less than a rigorous application of the 24-Inch Gauge.
While others slept or wasted their hours in idleness, he found a part of the day for the service of God and a distressed worthy brother—that brother being his future self. He understood that time is the only currency that matters when the wallet is empty. By strictly allocating his time to labor, he turned his “seven bucks” into a foundation.
The Beehive: The Lesson of Industry
The Master Mason’s degree teaches us to view the Beehive as an emblem of industry. We are taught that he that will not endeavor to add to the common stock of knowledge and understanding is a drone in the hive of nature.
Johnson did not build his “brand” on muscles alone; he built it on the reputation of being the hardest worker in the room. In Masonic terms, he was a faithful laborer who earned his wages. He proved that Labor is Worship. His success was not a gift; it was the wages due to a Master who had mastered his craft.
The Cement of Experience
The text tells us: “Your brand does not grow from your victories. Your brand grows from your vows.”
As Masons, we might phrase this differently: Your character is not built by your titles, but by your obligations.
Every Mason has had a “Seven Bucks” moment. Perhaps it was a business failure, a divorce, a loss of faith, or a time of darkness. The world tells us to hide these cracks in the stone. Masonry tells us that these are the experiences that, when bound together by the cement of brotherly love and affection for truth, make the wall strong.
The lesson of the Empty Wallet is this: Do not despise the day of small beginnings.
Do not look at your Rough Ashlar with shame. That moment of having “nothing” is the only moment where you are free to decide exactly what you will build.
Your lowest moment is not your identity, my Brethren. It is simply the ground floor of the Temple you are building.
Therefore, let us imitate this example:
- Take the Gavel to your excuses.
- Apply the Gauge to your daily hours.
- Let the Plumb of your conscience determine your uprightness.
And remember, the stone that the builders rejected often becomes the headstone of the corner.
Questions for the Sideliners
- Have you ever viewed a low point in your life as a “foundation” rather than a failure?
- Looking at your own “24-inch gauge,” are you allocating time for your own spiritual growth, or just work?
- What is one “rough edge” or excuse you need to break off with the Gavel this month?
So Mote It Be.
James A. Clark
Author’s Note: The following story is derived from popular anecdote found in general reading. No historical evidence is offered to verify its complete accuracy; it has been adapted here solely to illustrate a Masonic application of self-improvement and discipline. I am pretty certain “The Rock” is not a mason, though I don’t know for certain.
