In 1808, Pierre on returning to Petersburg finds himself in a leading position among the Petersburg Freemasons. He picks up more and more Freemason responsibilities. Doing so much work himself, Pierre notices that many of his fellows seem to lack commitment to the lodge and its ideas. Meanwhile, Pierre’s personal life continues as before, with the same infatuations and dissipations, dining and drinking, and very much living the bachelor life. Frustrated with how poorly his Freemason work seems to be going, toward the end of the year he goes abroad to be initiated into the higher secrets of the order. Upon his return, he delivers a critical speech to the group, telling them they all really need to shape up. At the end of the meeting the Grand Master reproves Pierre for his critical tone, and accuses him of being moved by strife. When Pierre sees that his ideas are not going to be accepted and put into effect, Pierre walks out before the meeting is over.
quote from the chapter:
Pierre began to feel dissatisfied with what he was doing. Freemasonry, at any rate as he saw it here, sometimes seemed to him based merely on externals. He did not think of doubting Freemasonry itself, but suspected that Russian Masonry had taken a wrong path and deviated from its original principles. And so toward the end of the year he went abroad to be initiated into the higher secrets of the order.
Book 6, Chapter 7
Pierre’s Freemason life goes off track.
Summary:
In 1808, Pierre on returning to Petersburg finds himself in a leading position among the Petersburg Freemasons. He picks up more and more Freemason responsibilities. Doing so much work himself, Pierre notices that many of his fellows seem to lack commitment to the lodge and its ideas. Meanwhile, Pierre’s personal life continues as before, with the same infatuations and dissipations, dining and drinking, and very much living the bachelor life. Frustrated with how poorly his Freemason work seems to be going, toward the end of the year he goes abroad to be initiated into the higher secrets of the order. Upon his return, he delivers a critical speech to the group, telling them they all really need to shape up. At the end of the meeting the Grand Master reproves Pierre for his critical tone, and accuses him of being moved by strife. When Pierre sees that his ideas are not going to be accepted and put into effect, Pierre walks out before the meeting is over.
quote from the chapter:
Pierre began to feel dissatisfied with what he was doing. Freemasonry, at any rate as he saw it here, sometimes seemed to him based merely on externals. He did not think of doubting Freemasonry itself, but suspected that Russian Masonry had taken a wrong path and deviated from its original principles. And so toward the end of the year he went abroad to be initiated into the higher secrets of the order.
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