Thanks for the kind words. Feel free to ask any questions you have, and I will answer to the best of my ability. I started this blog so I could help spread knowledge on the Craft and extinguish ignorance.

MASONIC IDEALS AND DUTIES

To God:

Although Freemasonry is not a religion, it seeks to inculcate reverence for God. In Freemasonry, God is represented as the Creator and Architect of the Universe. In its rituals and symbols, Freemasonry seeks to emulate the architectural action of God, while seeking a greater understanding of the Creator.

To Your Neighbor

Freemasonry has three principal tenets: Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.

Brotherly Love teaches the Freemason to regard the whole of humanity as our brothers and to approach all men with an open heart, judging each man as an individual and never for the honors that the world at large may have seen fit to bestow.

The tenet of Relief is an application of Brotherly Love: by contributing to the relief of a person in distress the Freemason acts as a brother towards humanity. When contributing to someone’s relief the Freemason does not seek attention or fame; he acts out of a true love for humanity, not celebrity.

Binding the first two tenets is the tenet of Truth. In all of his dealings, the Freemason strives to avoid deceit and hypocrisy, treating everyone as an equal. Have you someone say that something is “on the level”? This expression comes from Freemasonry, and exemplifies the tenet of Truth: treating everyone equally, and always dealing plainly with them.

To Yourself

In order to balance his obligations, a Freemason has a duty to himself. In this sphere, the duty of a Freemason extends to pursuing a vocation, constantly learning, and keeping his duties to his family.

Industriousness is a virtue that is regarded highly in Freemasonry, and hearkens back to the duty we owe to God. By contributing to God’s creation through his labors, the Freemason enriches all around him and enables himself to carry out his duty of Relief.

Since God gave all men the capability of rational thought, Freemasonry encourages its members to always increase their education, particularly in the seven liberal arts and sciences. By compassing these fields, the Freemason enriches his mind and gains a greater understanding of God’s creation.

Freemasonry teaches us, though, to temper our zeal when pursuing these goals. In order to live up to the ideals of Freemasonry, each Mason must also find time for his family. Family is so important to a Freemason that he may be excused from other duties if it interferes with his duty to his family.

Keeping our Passions Within Due Bounds

The most recognized symbols of a Freemason are the Square and Compass. The Square teaches the Freemason to always act towards others as he wishes they would act toward him, while the Compasses teach us to temper our actions and never to overstep our bounds in any of our endeavours.

As Freemasons we are always striving to keep the lessons of these symbols in our daily lives. By doing so we hope to ensure good reputations for ourselves, and our Fraternity, in both the public and private spheres of activity.

As a Citizen

Since Freemasonry is an ancient Fraternity, it has a deep reverence for the privilege of being a citizen. In ancient times, not all people within a country were eligible to be citizens; it was a privilege given to a few only.

Part of being a good citizen means to never interfere with a just government, and to live by its laws and perform the duties incumbent upon all citizens. A Freemason must never countenance rebellion against a good government, and must OPPOSE ALL TYRANNY THAT HE FINDS.

As far as the aura that surrounds Freemasonry goes, I attribute it to the universality of the Symbols that are treated therein.