My Brother:
You have now received all the light which this Lodge may impart to you of our ritual, our procedure and our work. But possessing these, you will know that we have not taught you all that a Master Mason can learn.
In this book, the Holy writings, which is the volume of the sacred law to Freemasons, is the wisdom of the ages. It is given you here not as the special book of any religion. No matter what your faith may be, you will find in this book of books counsel, instruction, and inspiration. You may worship the God you know by any name you wish and yet find here the story of His mercy and His goodness.
If you are troubled, here you shall find ease. If you are joyful, in these pages will you find triumphant songs to sing. If grief visits your house, here is comfort.
To Masons this book is "The Rule and Guide of our Faith." Much of our ritual is based upon it. All of our truths are taken from it. On it we have all taken our obligations. On all Masonic Altars it lies open when Lodge is open. Nowhere may a Lodge be held without it.
The Holy writings belong to all men, but Freemasons have a special reverence for it as law as well as revealed religion.
This is the actual bible upon which you were obligated. Your name is written in it. It is now my pleasure to present it to you in the hope that you will use it and learn it, thus making of yourself a better and squarer stone for that temple not made with hands into which this, your Lodge, tries to build of all its Master Masons.
May the Great Architect bless you and cause His peace to come to you through the pages of His book.
You have now received all the light which this Lodge may impart to you of our ritual, our procedure and our work. But possessing these, you will know that we have not taught you all that a Master Mason can learn.
In this book, the Holy writings, which is the volume of the sacred law to Freemasons, is the wisdom of the ages. It is given you here not as the special book of any religion. No matter what your faith may be, you will find in this book of books counsel, instruction, and inspiration. You may worship the God you know by any name you wish and yet find here the story of His mercy and His goodness.
If you are troubled, here you shall find ease. If you are joyful, in these pages will you find triumphant songs to sing. If grief visits your house, here is comfort.
To Masons this book is "The Rule and Guide of our Faith." Much of our ritual is based upon it. All of our truths are taken from it. On it we have all taken our obligations. On all Masonic Altars it lies open when Lodge is open. Nowhere may a Lodge be held without it.
The Holy writings belong to all men, but Freemasons have a special reverence for it as law as well as revealed religion.
This is the actual bible upon which you were obligated. Your name is written in it. It is now my pleasure to present it to you in the hope that you will use it and learn it, thus making of yourself a better and squarer stone for that temple not made with hands into which this, your Lodge, tries to build of all its Master Masons.
May the Great Architect bless you and cause His peace to come to you through the pages of His book.