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About Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal
organization dedicated to Brotherly Love,
Relief and Truth.
Brotherly Love: How a man chooses to
practice his personal religious beliefs is
left entirely up to him, but Freemasonry
recognizes the strong bond which unites all
people under One Creator. Our members
include men from a wide range of religious
backgrounds, but each of them shares a
commitment to this important principle. Relief: Because of our strong bond of
Brotherly Love, Masons provide Relief to
help those who are in need. This includes
the notion of charity, and Masons provide
much assistance to worthy charities, but it
also means offering a helping hand, in other
ways, to people that need assistance. Truth: As Masons, we are committed to
being honest and truthful with other people.
The Masonic Fraternity teaches a man to be
faithful to his responsibilities to God, his
Country, his fellow man, his family and
himself. The Masonic principle of Truth also
teaches a man to search for wisdom and
understanding. For only in this way can he
grow and become a better person. The pursuit
of knowledge is at the very heart of our
purpose. FRANKLIN ON FREEMASONRY: Freemasonry has tenets peculiar to
itself. They serve as testimonials of
character and qualifications, which are only
conferred after due course of instruction
and examination. These are of no small
value; they speak a universal language, and
act as a passport to the attentions and
support of the initiated in all parts of the
world. They cannot be lost as long as memory
retains its power. Let the possessor of them
be expatriated, shipwrecked or imprisoned,
let him be stripped of everything he has got
in the world, still those credentials
remain, and are available for use as
circumstances require. The good effects they
have produced are established by the most
incontestable facts of history. They have
stayed the uplifted hand of the destroyer;
they have softened the asperities of the
tyrant; they have mitigated the horrors of
captivity; they have subdued the rancor of
malevolence; and broken down the barriers of
political animosity and sectarian
alienation. On the field of battle, in the
solitudes of the uncultivated forest, or in
the busy haunts of the crowded city, they
have made men of the most hostile feelings,
the most distant regions, and diversified
conditions, rush to the aid of each other,
and feel a special joy and satisfaction that
they have been able to afford relief to a
Brother Mason. |
