Musings about the Cable Tow

I wanted to do an educational program on affording brotherly support and found something that is amazingly well thought out in our ritual and that is in reference to the term cable tow. 

First what do I mean by brotherly support, know that this is not exclusively monetary, this could also be a listening ear, a supportive shoulder, or timely advise. 

Many of us have years of experience at life – we’ve gone through the turbulent waters of youth and learned our lessons the hard way.  This knowledge sometimes comes with the understanding that those lessons need to be navigated by the person experiencing them.  But, just being an ear to listen to – without judgement – is the best support you can give. 

That being said:

In the EA degree the candidate is told that the cable tow is applied so that it could be used to remove him if he does not comply with our requirements.  Later there are references in our ritual about answering or assisting “if within the length of my cable tow”. 

Now in Ohio the ritual is about answering lawful signs and summons not specifically about providing aid, but looking to older charges and rituals they do specifically refer to aiding or assisting if within the length of your cable tow, and I believe that was the intent of Ohio referring to a sign in our ritual which includes a sign of distress. 

So the detailed question becomes “how long is a cable tow”. 

Researching the terminology: this is exclusively a Masonic term – there is no tool actually called specifically a cable tow.  Some scholars in the past interpreted it, in reference to attending lodge, that if you are within 3 miles you need to attend lodge – clearly they were interpreting this distance of 3 miles based the era of walking not driving and on telling a member when they should attend lodge.  Could you imagine having a 3 mile rope around your neck.

There is also some confusion in which older penalties talk about being buried a cables length from shore at low water mark – this is clearly not the same cable tow either.

So, interpretively, looking that many of our working tools come from the implements used in stone masonry … what would a rope be used for?  Well, many things, you could use it to pull, secure, to climb up the building and lift your toolbox up to a higher level, you could lift stones to be placed… so a length of cable would change to what was needed and the task at hand… this … this adjustable rope length brings me to my point… and the amazing wisdom often hidden in our ancient ritual. 

Your personal cable tow length changes based on what you are capable of giving.  In Nursing we call this setting your personal boundaries.  And it is a very advanced concept and many people and professionals don’t know how to do this.  This often requires you to recognize your own personal issues prior to considering how much of your cable tow you can afford to give out. 

let me give you a real example from my life.  You have a bedroom available and a brother needs a place to stay – I did this with brother Ron when he was coming back to Ohio. But if you and your wife are having issues – it would be foolish to offer the room to a fellow brother if it would endanger your own relationship.  No one is expected to give more than what they can afford to give. Whether financially, emotionally or stability wise.

Perhaps a brother is having suicidal thoughts, and you personally have lost someone close to you to suicide and you can’t be an attentive ear to listen because it dregs up raw emotions of your own personal loss.  We recently lost a brother in Warren to suicide.  There is no shame in knowing that you might not be the right person to help or even listen.

Perhaps a brother simply needs a ride to lodge, and you don’t have the time after work to pick them up. No one is going to accuse you of not helping.

All of these real issues have come up in the recent past.  And knowing that you are allowed to set your own personal boundaries, that you can set the length of your own cable tow.  Gives you the power to control what affects you.

Maybe the group is texting each other at 3am and you need to work the next day.  Place the phone on silent and go back to sleep, or better yet, put your phone on do not disturb before you go to bed. 

Perhaps, the WM calls you and you and your wife are having “a discussion” I don’t care if you’re the secretary or not… his call does not get answered.

These are all examples of setting your own personal boundaries, we as brothers are stronger together.  But just as in the military – each individual of the lodge brings their own strengths to the team.  The Medic becomes the defacto medical resource .. though no one expects him to be a doctor.. he knows his limitations through experience and he’s been trained in it.  But when another member of the team is called upon to make medical decisions in the absence of the team medic … they may not know their own limitations and carry that guilt (whether they made that decision or not) for a long time … what I’m saying is that it’s ok to set your own boundaries… it’s ok to examine and know the length of your own cable tow.  And no one is going to judge you if you decide your own cable tow is not long enough to help.