What are the Secrets of Freemasonry?
Secrets of Freemasonry are divulged in this extract from a book by W. Bro. Dr David West.
‘No secret powers or hidden knowledge? No alchemy, no lead into gold? I fear not.
Except …
Freemasonry can produce such charitable funds that each year, in the UK, it is second in charitable giving only to the lottery, fully half going to non-Masonic causes. It can take an ordinary chap and turn him into a Master of the Lodge: capable of running a meeting, making a speech, learning and delivering from memory a part in the ritual at least the same length as Hamlet, and handling with aplomb such tricky words as acquiescence, corporeal, immemorial and even parallelopipedon. It enables everyone to shine, to take a place in the sun, to be recognised and congratulated and to feel good about themselves. Are these the secrets of Freemasonry?
It takes five million men (and several hundred thousand women) world wide, of divers nations, creeds and cultures, and makes them the firmest of life-long friends. It enables a stranger to find a welcome in virtually any city in the world, but most importantly, it creates goodness. Are these the secrets of Freemasonry?
Freemasons think the best of each other and seek to live up to the estimation of their brethren, setting high standards of behaviour by mutual expectation. They live by three principles: brotherly love, relief and truth. The first is clearly pictured above, the second is charity and the third concerns honesty in word and deed. These are the secrets of Freemasonry. Nothing occult but something of the very highest importance, especially in an ethically deprived world in which money is deemed to be the measure of success and morality increasingly subservient to it. Are these the secrets of Freemasonry?
Here is a bit of Masonic ritual which on special occasions finds the Master addressing the lodge at the end of a meeting. It is from what we call the Long Closing. It is fundamental to our beliefs and a statement which demonstrates our support to our brothers in freemasonry and also to anyone in the world who are not freemasons.
Remember that at this pedestal, you have solemnly and voluntarily vowed to relieve and befriend with unhesitating cordiality every Brother who might need your assistance; that you have promised to remind him in the most gentle manner of his failings and to aid and vindicate his character whenever wrongfully traduced; to suggest the most candid, the most palliating and the most favourable circumstances, even when his conduct is justly liable to reprehension and blame. Thus shall the world see how dearly Freemasons love each other.
But, my Brethren, you are expected to extend these noble and generous sentiments still further. Let me impress upon your minds, and may it be instilled into your hearts, that every human creature has a just claim on your kind offices. I therefore trust that you will be good to all. More particularly do I recommend to your care the household of the faithful, that by diligence and fidelity in the duties of your respective vocations, liberal beneficence and diffusive charity, by constancy and sincerity in your friendships, a uniformly kind, just, amiable and virtuous deportment, prove to the world the happy and beneficial effects of our ancient and honourable institution.
Let it not be said that you laboured in vain nor wasted your strength for nought; for your work is before the lord and your recompense is with god. Finally Brethren, be of one mind, live in peace and may the god of love and mercy delight to dwell amongst you and bless you for evermore.’
So, yes, there you have them. The secrets of Freemasonry …….
and the secrets of Freemasonry are valued by 6 million Freemasons throughout the world.
More information on the secrets of freemasonry from the United Grand Lodge of England.
