4 minute read

Mission of Masonry

Next Article
A Grand Night Out

A Grand Night Out

Masonry has long recognised that men need guidance in their search for light. Through the years our Fraternity has presented the ideal of perfect manhood, the ideal man, true to God, to his country, to his neighbour and to himself. It has been a great spiritual guide to the higher and nobler concepts of life. Masonry has opened the door to happiness for many men. It can mean much to you.

Masonry is a philosophy of life, teaching equality of men, a belief in the one true and living God, in the resurrection and in life everlasting. It is not a religion as it has no creed or dogma, yet its precepts and principles are based on the great truths found in the Volume of the Sacred Law we place on our Altar. Masonry is next to the church in the building of men's character, to make better men, the best that each man can become, the better to serve his fellowmen.

Advertisement

It presents a fellowship not equalled in any other organization. In Masonry a man is not regarded for his wealth or rank, but only for the fine qualities of his character, and for his desire to be of service to mankind. It is a fellowship, however, that we are inclined to overlook in these days when each hour is crowded with the demands of work and pleasure. It is time that we gave more thought to this wonderful fellowship, so generously given and so easily lost. With our meetings so often crowded with ritualistic work we are prone to neglect the very purpose for which we are taking men into our Fraternity. Time must be set aside for the enjoyment of that fellowship.

The ritualistic ceremony is simply a means of bringing the Brother into our fellowship. Let us not forget this important fact. To be worthy of this fellowship we ourselves must be friendly. We must have a sincere regard for our Brethren, showing a sympathetic understanding of their way of life, holding a tolerant judgment of their actions and expressing our outspoken praise for their service, while they are still in our midst. Let us give our earnest attention to this important Tenet of our Fraternity. Brotherly Love is more than just an empty phrase, to be heard and soon forgotten. It has a most significant meaning for each of us who are united by this fellowship in the bonds of a declared faith in God.

More and more Grand Lodges are coming to the realization that their members must be taught something of the history, traditions and purposes of our great Order, the meaning of its symbols, an explanation of its tenets and precepts; all are necessary for a proper understanding of the place of Masonry in our lives and in the world about us. With this knowledge and understanding Masonry can do much to advance this fellowship amongst men of all nations and bring happiness into their lives.

With shorter working hours today, men have more leisure time to devote to the interests of Masonry, to take a greater part in that glorious fellowship that is theirs for the asking, and to attain that happiness which is the object of our search. Masonry has another mission that could mean much to our nation and to the world in which we live. It could become one of the greatest forces for good in the world today, to make life worth while, and to bring happiness to the people of this earth.

There are nearly 4,000,000 Masons in the United States alone. Just think what a great influence Masonry could have if all of us carried out into the world the great precepts taught us at the Altar, and made them part of our lives. What a change it could bring to our homes, our communities, and to our nation. I do not mean that Masonry, as an organization, should take a stand for some particular programme, but for each member to so live and act that his light would shine before men as a living example of true manhood. Then justice and equality would prevail.

There can be no progress without faith, there must be a spiritual enlightenment in men. We must carry the torch to spread this faith, to banish fear and to reverse the trend to materialism that now menaces the peace of the world. Perhaps the story of the Transfiguration in the Volume of Sacred Law may suggest a way. As we read the account of this unusual and momentous event, we find Peter, James and John ascending a high mountain with Jesus. Reaching the top, they knelt to pray, and then, before their eyes, they saw Jesus transfigured, his raiment white and shining, and his face as radiant as the sun, and they beheld him talking with Moses and Elijah. Peter was so overwhelmed that he wanted to build three tabernacles on the mountain top to commemorate

Masonry is a philosophy of life

This article is from: