Saturday, August 22, 2009

"The critics of our fraternity claim that Freemasonry has outlived it's usefulness"

My Brothers, these are indeed strange times we live in. The economy has been shaken to its foundation, people are out of work, companies are closing their doors, morality is crumbling, we have considerable political wrangling and backbiting underfoot, we have grave concerns about health care and the national debt, the country is still on guard against terrorism, and the nuclear threat has never dissipated. Obviously, we can ill-afford to conduct business as usual. If we are to survive, we must find new and imaginative ways to grow and evolve. Maintaining the status quo is simply not an option. As we have learned, stagnation means death. The critics of our fraternity claim that Freemasonry has outlived its usefulness; that it is no longer in step with the times; that it is actually an evil society that must be stamped out. I vehemently disagree. Although we are an imperfect society with our own unique set of problems, I hardly believe we are an obsolete institution. Now, more than ever, the world needs more Freemasonry, not less. We need more patriotism and civic pride, not less. We need more cooperation, loyalty, and teamwork, not less. We need more religious tolerance, not less. We need more Faith, Hope, and Charity, not less. We need more positive examples of ethics and pride in workmanship, not less. We need more Friendship, Morality, and Brotherly Love, not less. To do all this, we need more honest and respectful debate, not less. Yes, we need more Freemasonry, not less. Maybe I’m old fashioned; maybe I’m wrong, but this is how I see True Masonry; a universal and beautiful concept embraced by men around the world. We must remain the example for others to emulate. We must practice what we preach. And Brothers, consider this: If not us, who? Our Politicians? The media? Religious zealots? Who? Freemasonry is uniquely qualified to lead the charge. We are not a religious or political organization, we represent a cross-section of people from all social strata, located around the world, with honorable intentions. We are well established and have a strong historical background. As long as we do not deviate from the basic tenets of Freemasonry, we’ll be fine. I therefore admonish all of you to redouble your efforts as Masons and help perpetuate this great fraternity and make the world a better place. Thank you. Keep the Faith! NOTE: The opinions expressed in this essay are my own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any Grand Masonic jurisdiction or any other Masonic related body.

Article reprinted with permission of the author and “Freemason Information”
http://www.FreemasonInformation.com/