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Let The Journey Begin
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and
darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light; and there was light."
Genesis 1, 1-3
PILLARS B. and J. were
within the porch of King Solomon's Temple. Boaz the name of the left
pillar means "in strength"; the right pillar, Jachin, means "God will
establish" . The globe on the left pillar represents earth; that on the
right, heaven. These brazen pillars with their globes are today the
columns of the Senior and Junior Wardens
MOSAIC PAVEMENT, a representation of the
ground floor of King Solomon's Temple. The Masonic Pavement is
emblematical of human life, checked with good and evil. Free And Accepted Masons
Freemasonry is the
world's oldest and largest fraternity.
Its history and tradition date
to antiquity. It is
reported to be over 1,000 years old and currently contains over
6 million members worldwide. Its
bonds of friendship, compassion and brotherly love have survived even the most divisive political, military and religious conflicts through the centuries.
Freemasonry is neither a forum nor a place for worship. Instead, it is a friend of all religions which are based upon the belief in one God.
Its singular purpose
is to make good men better.
Freemasons believe in the
Fatherhood of God,
the brotherhood of Man,
and of the immortality of the Soul.
A candidate for membership must express
his agreement with the above belief before he will be
considered to be accepted into the fraternity.
The mission
of Freemasonry is to promote a way of life that binds like-minded men in a
worldwide brotherhood that transcends all religious, ethnic, cultural,
social, and educational differences; by teaching the great principles of
brotherly love, relief, and truth; and, by the outward expression of
these, through its fellowship, its compassion, and its concern, to find
ways in which to serve God, family, country and self.
First let me state that I am
a Christian, first and foremost, and
would like to emphatically state that Masonry in no way contradicts
or detracts from my Christian beliefs, as some would have you believe.
In fact, all of the basic tenants of Free Masonry are derived from the
teachings we find in the Holy Bible. It has been reported that some
"Masons" have appeared on the "700 Club" to discuss
the "secrets of
Free Masonry" or to "put on the degrees", and I would like
for you to
consider this:
All Masons take an oath
to God that they will not divulge any of the secrets
of Masonry to anyone but to another known Mason. If someone claims to
divulge any of the Masonic rituals or rites, that person is a liar. He
either
lied at the altar before God, or he is a liar about being a Mason and of
the
things he is divulging, and therefore cannot be trusted or believed.
At This Altar, All Masons
Have Kneeled Before God.
On It, Are The Holy Scriptures
Because Of It, We Are Bound Together As Brothers
Without It, No Man Can Become A Mason.
At the opening and
closing of all Masonic gatherings, prayers
for guidance and of thanks are offered to Almighty God.
The pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of our Country is performed. Meetings of Free Masonry are only open to certified members
of the fraternity. No man may be admitted to a meeting until he
can satisfy the membership that he is in fact a Mason in good
standing. By this method, the integrity of the organization is
guaranteed and preserved.
The fraternity believes
that every human has an obligation to
befriend and assist all that are in need. Masons from around
the world contribute to many worthy charitable organizations,
such as children's hospitals and other organizations within their
communities; most usually done without fanfare or celebration.
Nearly everyone knows of the work done by the Scottish Rite and
Shriners to support their hospitals; but all may not be aware that
members of either of these organizations must first be a Mason.
Members of Masonic bodies in the United States give over
$2 million each day to charity .
The symbols of Free Masonry
are of those tools used
in the building of King Solomon's Temple. As the stone
masons of old used their tools to perfect and erect the
temple as designed by the Great Architect of The Universe,
Free and Accepted Masons use them as a reminder to prepare
and use their bodies as a temple for God and an example before men.
The Holy Bible is The Great Light of symbolic Masonry
and we are taught never to loose sight of it's teachings.
The Plumb
to walk upright before God and man,
The Trowel
to spread the cement of brotherly love;
cementing all mankind into one family.(The Trowel , by Michael
N. Salmore May 26, 1997)
The Gavel
to divest our hearts and minds of
all of the evils and pettiness of live, "will",
The Compasses
to limit our desires so that we may
live respected and die regretted,
The Letter
"G" for
geometry, necessary for
computing the angles in building the temple,
The Square
reminds us to regulate our actions and conduct
to be in harmony with the principles of morality and virtue,
The Mallet
The Chisel
"intellect" The 24
inch rule to allocate our time so as to
be used
for service to God and distressed Masons, "vital
feeling", The Working Tools of
FreeMasonary are composed of the Twenty-four-inch
gauge and Common Gavel standing for
purpose and power, and the Level, Square
and Plumb present basic ideas of
equality, morality and righteousness, so the Trowel
is Freemasonry's symbol of unity and brotherhood among men.
| What
Masonry is |
What
Masonry is not |
| It
is a voluntary association of men. |
It
does not solicit members. |
| It
is a system of moral conduct. |
It
is not an insurance or benefit society. |
| It
is a way of life. |
It
is neither a religion nor creed, nor a religious order. |
| It
is a fraternal society. |
It
is not a charity organization but makes charity a duty. |
| It
is religious in character. |
It
is not organized for profit. |
| It
teaches the Golden Rule. |
It
dictates to no man as to his beliefs, either religious or secular. |
| It
seeks to make good men better men. |
It
seeks no advantages for its members through business or politics. |
| It
teaches morality through symbolism. |
It
is not a forum for discussion of religion, politics or other
partisan affairs. |
| It
uses rites and ceremonies to instruct its members. |
It
is not a secret society as it does not conceal its existence or
purposes. |
| It
is based on a firm belief in the Fatherhood of God, the brotherhood
of Man and the Immortality of the Soul. |
The
Masonic Degrees
The Candidate receives three Masonic
Degrees, concluding with the Third (or Master Mason's) Degree. The Degrees
are solemn, enlightening, and an enjoyable experience with no
uncomfortable or embarrassing moments. It is here where the principals of
Freemasonry are taught and where the new Member learns that his family and
his own necessary vocations are to be considered above Freemasonry.
If you are a man, 18 or
older, have a belief in the above
principles, are of good moral repute and would like to become
a Mason, you must search out a Mason and request a petition.
After thorough investigation by the local lodge, you will be permitted
to receive the symbolic degrees of Free Masonry only if all members at
a stated meeting vote favorably. The vote is always by secret ballot
and must be unanimous for the applicant to be accepted.
For more information contact
Wor.
Jim Rule, our membership chairman.
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