Nine Reasons For Being Loyal To Freemasonry

This article was written by the late George Peter, Grand Historian of the Grand Lodge of NY.  Originally authored in the 80’s and reprinted in the 1990 revision of the Officers Training Guide, it still holds true today for Masons, not only in NY but around the globe.

Nine Reasons For Being Loyal To Freemasonry

1. Masonry is the oldest and most prestigious fraternal organization known to recorded history.
2. Fraternalism is needed more in our present society than perhaps ever before.
   1. Members of a family learn to love, respect, and appreciate, have compassion for and to live with other members of the family.
   2. Freemasonry is an extension of that family circle; through the expanded family, Masons learn to be better Brothers within the Masonic family and thence to the world at large.
3. Clergymen, educators, philosophers and social scientists of today cannot seem to agree on any particular set of moral values.  A genius of Freemasonry is the emphasis it places on supporting a set of moral values which have been honed by the test of time.  It is a privilege to be loyal to that fraternity which continues to stabilize a moral code that is being eroded by indecision, experimentation and indifference by others.
4. A second genius of Freemasonry is its proposition which states that one cannot build a better society without first building better ingredients of that society – e.g.; men.  Masons may be proud to support such a proposition by perfecting the effectiveness of this ritual which is filled with lessons of how to be a better and more “upright” person.
5. Freemasonry played a noble and impressive role in the formation of the United States government.  Much of the insights, concerns and brilliance of Masonic stalwarts such as George Washington, Ben Franklin, Peyton Randolph, Robert Livingston, and scores of others helped to develop that profound document that we call our Constitution.  Every Mason can be proud of the American and Masonic heritage which are so closely related.
6. The Masonic Home at Utica is an example of Masonic principle put into action.  Here, over 600 widows, orphans and older Masons are guests of New York State Freemasonry.  It is with a sense of satisfaction that every New York State Mason may know that he is a host to these members of the Masonic family.
7. The Masonic Medical Research Laboratory, also in Utica, and operated by the Grand Lodge of the State of New York, continues to make regular and important contributions to medical research which ultimately will lengthen the productive life of every human being.  Every Mason should be justly proud to support this work and is invited to share by contributing to the research through annual giving to the Masonic Brotherhood Fund.
8. Fraternities can help to break down the greatest of all barriers to a healthy society – the caste system which grows out of uncontrolled egos.  Freemasonry is uniquely effective in this effort by teaching that it is a place “for the high, the low, the rich, the poor to meet together – on the level”.  This one important contribution of Freemasonry is worth all the support that can be given to it.
9. Freemasonry is an international fraternity.  It exists in nearly every country in the world except where totalitarian governments have outlawed it by decree.  Freemasonry is perhaps the strongest tie that binds the world into a universal brotherhood.  It certainly has the potential to be even a stronger cord for that noble purpose.