Hello my name is paul and i’m a freemason you have this tape because the mason who gave it to you believes you have the intrinsic qualities to become a freemason he enjoys freemasonry and gets a lot out of it and he thinks you might too i’m going to talk to you about the
Wonderful fraternity called freemasonry and answer some of the most common questions asked about our organization let’s start by defining freemasonry freemasonry is the oldest largest and most philanthropic fraternity in the world its members are called brothers and we feel bound to each other by ties of brotherhood
I know that i can turn to any brother anywhere in the world for help but by the same token i’m ready to help any brother who needs me our families are also served by these ties of brotherhood i know a brother who taught his children that if they were lost or in trouble
They should not only find a police officer but also look for a man wearing a masonic ring if they see that ring they know they can safely ask for help in these days of stranger danger that means a lot it’s hard for me to put into words what this brotherhood idea really means
It’s truly a sense of belonging of being a part of something of having an emotional and psychological bond with millions of men masons say they never meet as strangers i can walk into any masonic lodge anywhere in the world and even if i don’t know a single brother there i feel right at
Home i’ll be welcomed warmly and know that the people care about me in short i’ll belong no matter where i am as a freemason you never feel like a stranger when you’re among your brothers so now you know about the brotherhood of freemasonry let’s talk next about
Masonic philosophy a way of looking at the world and a way of life masons believe in honor integrity patriotism service to others we believe that learning is a lifelong process and we’re dedicated to increasing our self-knowledge as well as our knowledge of the world we live in
Supports each man’s right to think for himself in political religious and personal matters politics and religion are never discussed in a masonic lodge we teach ethics our members accept that we must take personal responsibility for their own actions the time-honored principles of accountability and truth are an integral part of the masonic teachings
Freemasonry has always attracted men who make a difference who are dedicated to the ideas of liberty and justice throughout history masons have been at the forefront of democratic movements leaders such as garibaldi bolivar and lafayette were loyal freemasons and freemasons greatly influenced the development of our own nation
Many of our founding fathers were brothers including george washington benjamin franklin john hancock paul revere among the many other masons who have served this nation were presidents theodore and franklin roosevelt as well as harry truman we believe that accomplishments of these men were strongly influenced by their belief in the masonic creed of
Friendship morality and brotherly love american and world history has been written and shaped by men who were exposed to the same fraternal bonds that you will experience if you join us as a masonic brother how is this unique fraternity of masonry relevant to the modern life charity and community service are cornerstones of
Our philosophy and we aggressively translate that philosophy into action each and every day in the united states alone the family of freemasonry donates more than one and a half million dollars to charity freemasons actively participate in improving the health and the welfare of our whole community from the meeting of the needs of
Children to the ensuring of the care for the elderly thousands of scholarship dollars are awarded each year and we support 19 children’s hospitals and three burn centers where patients are never charged for the treatment we fund special learning developmental centers to help children with learning disabilities and we take a special
Interest in vision protection and improvement efforts masons also make a significant community service contribution in their local areas here in new york state we provide a 360 acre complex in utica that encompasses a masonic home for the elderly an independent living center and a world renowned medical research laboratory
In the androgdac mountains our 1500 acre youth camp on beautiful round lake offers two three week camping sessions one for girls and one for boys campers are between the ages of 11 and 16 and our relatives or friends of masons my point in telling you all this is to
Help you see that masons are determined to make the world a better place while making themselves better men many people want to know how old freemasonry is the answer is that no one knows for sure its present form of organization dates back from 1717 when several masonic lodges in
England came together to form a grand lodge there is historical evidence that masonry had been around for a long time by then is masonry a religion no masonry is not a religion nor is it a substitute for religion brothers are encouraged to be committed to the faith of their choice
Masonry is however spiritual the lessons that we teach stem from the great moral principles a requirement for membership is belief in a supreme being and the immortality of the soul but how you believe in those soaring concepts is a personal matter masonry excludes no man on the basis of religion or race
The cost involved in becoming a mason and maintaining your membership varies by large and so you should ask the brother who gave you this tape about them but remember that masonry doesn’t judge a man on his money social status or other such measures the story is told that president truman
A past grand master of masons frequently attended lodge meetings across the country while he was in office at these gatherings he was happy to be called brother masonry measures a man’s heart not his bank account we’re looking for good men who are willing to become better
We want men who have the incentive and the courage to do what’s right men who will help who will care who will build men who will feel and show their compassion remember you’re hearing this tape because your friend believed that you are such a man freemasonry and what it represents
Appeals to men across a broad spectrum of age experience education and position we’re proud to count american astronauts among our brothers two masonic flags went to the moon thanks to them i’ll bet i’d be safe in saying you’re a busy man and that you already have a lot
Of demands on your time why should you stretch yourself further and become a freemason the best way i can answer that is to give you my own reasons for belonging i look at it as an opportunity to help make the world a little better place in freemasonry i associate with other
Men who share this thinking and by working together we make a difference i also enjoy getting together with men of character and conscience away from the daily grind i’m proud to be a member of an organization that has existed for centuries my grandfather was a mason and although
He died when i was only five years old i feel i know the kind of man he was because of my association with freemasonry here’s the question i hope you’re asking right now how do i become a mason i can guarantee you that the brother who
Gave you this tape would be thrilled to have you apply for membership in his masonic lodge he will tell you that this says to be an act of your own free will and accord he’ll give you a petition that’s an application for membership which you’ll personally fill out and return to him to
Take to his lodge there a committee usually three men will be assigned to call on you so everyone can get acquainted with each other and you and your family will be able to ask any questions you might have after this visit the committee will report back to the lodge members and
They will vote on your membership if you’re elected to take the first degree a brother will call on you to let you know the date and time of the initiation event a degree you ask initiation a degree is simply a stage of membership and there are three stages each earned
In an initiation ceremony the first is the entered apprentice degree the second is the fellowcraft degree and the third is master mason the degrees are like dramatic performances with meaningful messages that teach important and progressive lessons i give you my word that there is absolutely nothing in the degrees that’s silly or humiliating
That would break one of the oldest and strictest rules of freemasonry the degrees teach wise and solemn truths through the century-old allegories and symbols after completing the degrees you will understand their meaning and significance once you take the third degree you become a full-fledged master mason with all the responsibilities
Rights and privileges that come with this ancient and honorable title do you think that freemasonry is a secret society it’s not our lodges are marked brethren wear rings and pins with masonic insignia and proudly display the square encompasses on their cars we do have words and handshakes that we
Keep to ourselves so we can recognize each other as masons but that’s all on this tape i’ve tried to give you a sense of what masonry means to me and millions like me i’m convinced that it has helped me become a better man and father masonry believes you will experience
This kind of personal growth for yourselves i hope i’ve addressed the questions that you might have about our fraternity and if you have other questions or would like more detail about anything i’ve talked about your friend will happily answer them or put you in touch with someone who can
Thank you for taking the time to listen to me today i hope that someday soon i’ll be able to call you my brother if you have any further questions please ask the brother that gave you this recording or call 1-877-ny masons you
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