Aims & Objects of Freemasonry
On the aims and objects of Freemasonry, alone, volumes might be written; but, as our space is limited, we are obliged to content ourselves with as concise a reference thereto as is possible, and in furtherance of this view we conceive that we can scarcely do better than quote a brief, but admirably prepared, manifesto put forward upon the subject by the Freemasons of Portugal in the year 1869.
“Freemasonry is a great association of men who have made it their task to live in perfect equality, intimately united by the bonds of mutual confidence, mutual esteem, and friendship, under the name of brothers – the sweetest and truest appellation they could attribute to themselves – and to stimulate each other to the practice of benevolence and charity.
“Freemasonry is great in the eyes of the generous, good, and honest, nothing to the narrowminded, the wicked, the faithless.
It is sublime; it is everything to the wise and virtuous; it is nothing to the ambitious, the covetous, the false.
It is great to the sensible man, the sincere, and the generous, who is conscious of the infirmities of man, and who feels the obligation of healing them.
“Freemasonry is neither a conspiracy nor a party affair; it neither serves ambition nor deceit. It is order and truth in all things. It hates all vices; it loves every virtue. It is the Godly voice which calleth upon us to love and help each other. It is tranquility in storms, a beacon in shipwreck, and consolation in misfortune; it is, in a word, the true union of nations.
“Freemasonry is august, it is everything to those who comprehend it; It is nothing to those whose heart and soul are dead.
“Freemasonry is an institution which allows no doubt, no contest as to its principles.
It is the purest and simplest of all institutions. Its principles are such as to agree best with that reason so liberally bestowed on us by the G. A. O. T. U.
“Freemasonry is neither a religious sect nor a political party; it embraces, however, all parties, all sects, in order to unite all its disciples in one common brotherhood.
“Freemasonry is the touchstone for every truth. It is the torch of reason, serving to distinguish good from evil, truth from falsehood, courage from cowardice, and generosity from selfishness.
It teaches us to conquer the obstacles which ignorance, fanaticism, and prejudice oppose to it.”
Can you answer the following three questions regarding the blog?
