The basic tenets or principles of Freemasonry are said to be: Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. I like to rephrase them as: Tolerance, Charity and Sincerity. That seems less ambiguous to me. In fact, my theme is: Freemasons: TOLERANT, Charitable and Sincere. Tolerant is intentionally capitalized. It is the cornerstone upon which all of Freemasonry must build. None of us knows all that is truth, nor are we right all of the time, nor are we perfect. As a Christian I may strongly believe that I know the way to eternal life. But as a Freemason, I respect any man, whether he is a Muslim, a Jew or of any faith, who believes another way will lead him to the same or similar eternal life and I can live peacefully with him. With tolerance as a base, many Freemasons see charity as the most important aspect of Freemasonry and still others see the sincerity of proper ritual work as the most important. They are all correct. It has been said that the only true secret in Freemasonry is what it means to you. Take that meaning of Freemasonry, your personal Freemasonry, and begin to improve yourself first, then your Brothers, then your community, and then the World. Know that within every human lies the potential for great good and great evil. Always struggle to develop the good and eliminate the evil.

There are also four virtues identified as the most important virtues for a Freemason. They are: Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence and Justice. I like to rephrase them as: Moderation, Endurance in the face of adversity, Caution and Fairness. These are virtues that all Freemasons must live by in all their actions with all mankind. A Freemason’s actions should always be seen as moderate and self restrained. A Freemason’s actions should always show his strength of mind that allows him to endure pain or adversity with courage. A Freemason’s actions should always show good judgment, common sense and caution, especially in the conduct of practical matters. A Freemason’s actions and attitudes should always show fairness and conformity to moral rightness. This is a tough duty, especially since we are human, and then by definition imperfect. But it is our duty.

So what is Freemasonry?

It is up to you. But know that as a Freemason you are part of the world’s oldest and largest Fraternity, a Fraternity dedicated to enlightenment, and that you share a common bond with a Band of Brothers holding fast to the same principles, virtues and values. That is indeed a satisfying and fulfilling feeling.