Address of R.W.Bro. Jeffrey L. Froud
on His Official Visit to Unity Lodge, February, 14, 2001

Brotherhood

In a sense, asking the question "what is Freemasonry?" may sound like self-absorbed navel gazing. However, I am sure we have all felt its practical significance when we have tried to explain essence of Masonry to a non-member.

As I have said before, Masonry is not a religion. This seems so obvious as to require no elaboration.

Masonry is also not a trade organization. We profess to be descended from the guilds of operative Masons that existed in the middle ages and before. However, nothing in our current principles and procedures relates to labour-management relations or the practice of a trade.

The ancient origins of our Craft add to its romance and mystery and contribute to its uniqueness. Whatever their historical accuracy, the allusions in our ritual to the construction of King Solomon’s temple are credible and instructive. As well, no doubt our ritual is very similar to that for the initiation of apprentice Masons into the journeymen’s ranks in medieval times. The Regius Manuscript, dated to 1390 AD, attests to this.

For those of the Brethren interested in the lives of the medieval Masons who built the great cathedrals of Europe, I would suggest the novel, The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett. It is a long fictional account of the lives of a master builder and his contemporaries told in a very interesting way. This is popular fiction, with all of the trappings characteristic of the class, but is the most well-read of all Follett’s books.

We are not a service club. We advocate the practice of every social and moral virtue and to be of service to our fellow citizens is undeniably such a virtue. However, it is not the purpose of our Masonic Lodges to serve as an organization for the exercise of that virtue. That our efforts to encourage the improvement of our character may take the form of public service is a consequence, not a mission, of our organization. It has been said that, "For more than two centuries, Freemasonry as we know it has pursued its peaceful way alone. It has not sought public acclaim; it has asked no help from outside its circle; it has permitted the world to think what it may about its objects and its works. Its best advertisement has been the fact that it does not advertise itself or its works. It has had, and today has, only one job to perform, only one reason for its existence. That job is to take material that comes to it and make good men and better men out of that material. Everything else, our charities, all our works, are incidental to that one purpose."

What we are is a fraternal organization - a brotherhood.

Just as a university fraternity seeks to provide an institutional framework to promote the success if its members during their academic careers and beyond, so Masonry endeavours to facilitate the moral maturity of the Brethren.

To enhance our opportunities to exercise and promote our principles, Masons utilize several other organizations. We cultivate our faith by membership and participation in our churches. We contribute to good government by joining political parties, standing for elective office and serving on boards of governmental, civic and administrative institutions. Service clubs provide us an outlet for works of charity and public service.

Possessing a more direct connection with Masonry are so-called "concordant bodies," which we formally recognize in section 147 on our Constitution. The Scottish and York Rites afford us the opportunity to develop in Masonic knowledge, the Order of the Eastern Star permits us to share our Masonic lives more directly with our ladies, while the Ancient Order of the Nobles of The Mystic Shrine serves as a social and service club indirectly affiliated with our Lodges.

Today, we must recognize that circumstances have changed and are continuing to change. It is difficult and sometimes disheartening to face an uncertain future. Masonry, like every other institution, must live with that insecurity. While we adhere to the Ancient Landmarks of our order, we must face tomorrow with an open mind. We have to seek ways in which we can continue to appeal to new members. We ought to maintain a progressive, relevant program to keep the Brethren involved and fulfilled.

For this reason, The Masonic Foundation is given a prominent role on the Grand Lodge agenda. The Public Relations Committee is offering financial support for District Information Booths and Grand Lodge is continuing to provide us with pamphlets and other information to assist in familiarizing prospective candidates with our Craft. We are given support in the use of computers to improve record keeping and communication in our Lodges.

We are remarkably fortunate to have the kind of devoted members who are willing to spend hours of their time and sometimes thousands of dollars of their own money to keep the lines of communication between Masons open. The benefit of their expertise and experience is invaluable in ensuring that we meet difficulties as they arise.

At the same time, our membership itself is dedicated to maintaining that peace and harmony which should ever characterize the Lodge. We should never forget that this is a duty incumbent on each of us. We have to balance a respect for our traditions with the need to adapt to a world in transition.

One responsibility imposed on us as Masons is to never propose anyone for membership in the Craft unless we have good reason to believe that he will reflect honourably on our choice.

It goes without saying that we are all concerned with the decline in membership in the Craft. Nonetheless, nothing is more damaging to Freemasonry than an unhappy or rogue member. Clearly, a candidate whose investigation overlooks deficiencies of character can bring the Lodge into disrepute by his misconduct. However, almost as bad is the candidate who joins the Craft for the wrong reasons. If a Brother feels that misrepresentation has lured him into Masonry, he can communicate a distorted opinion of our Order to others. This type of antagonism can be more difficult to deal with than the overt malicious concoctions of the anti-Masons.

We have a duty to preserve our Order by ensuring that our prospective candidates are well informed about the nature of our Craft before we sign their application. Members of the investigating committee must make a genuine effort to meaningfully explore the applicant’s suitability for membership. The members at large should be alert to any warning signs and report any concerns to the Investigating Committee. Finally, we must remember to try to avoid the disquiet visited on the Lodge when a candidate is rejected. It is a source of acute embarrassment to members and visitors alike. However, the vote on the application is as serious as any responsibility we bear for the protection of the Craft.

To quote from M.W. Bro. William Wright’s Grand Master’s Address in 1956, "And now a look at the future. Brethren, there is nothing that this world needs now more than the making of friends among men. Freemasonry can help supply that need. It can become a centre of friendship. That is one of the great purposes of our fraternity; to be a focus of fellowship in which men may be brought together that they may know and understand, and therefore love each other . . . The moral order of the universe is our permanent objective. God is our hope. This is His world. Therefore, look to the future in faith and optimism. In all your Masonic endeavours remain constant in loyalty to the ancient landmarks. Thus, together we shall go forward. We shall not fail."

Thank you, Brethren.

R.W.Bro. Jeffrey L. Froud, DDGM