On the ride to Bald Hills, Pierre was thinking that Prince Andrew was not happy, had gone astray, did not see the true light, and that he, Pierre, ought to aid, enlighten, and raise him. At length, Pierre says to Andrew “Do you know what saved me? Freemasonry!” Pierre tries to tell Andrew all about Freemasonry, to explain how Freemasonry has helped him and how it could help Andrew too. He says they teach the best, the eternal, aspects of humanity. Its the teachings of Christianity freed from the bonds of State and Church, a teaching of equality, brotherhood, and love. Andrew is mostly silent but listens to Pierre respectfully. As they are crossing a river by ferry, for a minute Andrew thinks that Pierre is correct. Maybe Freemasonry is the answer. But, then too Andrew remembers the pain he suffered from losing Lise, and that seems more real to him. As they disembark from the ferry, it seems that Pierre has not converted Andrew to Freemasonry, but he has planted a seed which may bear fruit later.
quote from the chapter:
(Andrew) sighed, and glanced with a radiant, childlike, tender look at Pierre’s face, flushed and rapturous, but yet shy before his superior friend. Yes, if it only were so! said Prince Andrew. However, it is time to get on, he added, and, stepping off the raft, he looked up at the sky to which Pierre had pointed, and for the first time since Austerlitz saw that high, everlasting sky he had seen while lying on that battlefield; and something that had long been slumbering, something that was best within him, suddenly awoke, joyful and youthful, in his soul. It vanished as soon as he returned to the customary conditions of his life, but he knew that this feeling which he did not know how to develop existed within him. His meeting with Pierre formed an epoch in Prince Andrew’s life. Though outwardly he continued to live in the same old way, inwardly he began a new life.
Book 5, Chapter 12
Pierre tries to share Freemasonry with Andrew.
Summary:
On the ride to Bald Hills, Pierre was thinking that Prince Andrew was not happy, had gone astray, did not see the true light, and that he, Pierre, ought to aid, enlighten, and raise him. At length, Pierre says to Andrew “Do you know what saved me? Freemasonry!” Pierre tries to tell Andrew all about Freemasonry, to explain how Freemasonry has helped him and how it could help Andrew too. He says they teach the best, the eternal, aspects of humanity. Its the teachings of Christianity freed from the bonds of State and Church, a teaching of equality, brotherhood, and love. Andrew is mostly silent but listens to Pierre respectfully. As they are crossing a river by ferry, for a minute Andrew thinks that Pierre is correct. Maybe Freemasonry is the answer. But, then too Andrew remembers the pain he suffered from losing Lise, and that seems more real to him. As they disembark from the ferry, it seems that Pierre has not converted Andrew to Freemasonry, but he has planted a seed which may bear fruit later.
quote from the chapter:
(Andrew) sighed, and glanced with a radiant, childlike, tender look at Pierre’s face, flushed and rapturous, but yet shy before his superior friend. Yes, if it only were so! said Prince Andrew. However, it is time to get on, he added, and, stepping off the raft, he looked up at the sky to which Pierre had pointed, and for the first time since Austerlitz saw that high, everlasting sky he had seen while lying on that battlefield; and something that had long been slumbering, something that was best within him, suddenly awoke, joyful and youthful, in his soul. It vanished as soon as he returned to the customary conditions of his life, but he knew that this feeling which he did not know how to develop existed within him. His meeting with Pierre formed an epoch in Prince Andrew’s life. Though outwardly he continued to live in the same old way, inwardly he began a new life.
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