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When is a Man a Mason?

Blake Bowden

Administrator
Staff Member
When he can look out over the river, the hills, and the far horizon with a profound sense of his own littleness in the vast scheme of things, and yet have faith, hope, and courage which is the root of every virtue.

When he knows that down in his heart every man is a noble, as vile, as divine, as diabolic, and as lonely as himself, and seeks to know, to forgive, and to love his fellow man.

When he knows how to sympathize with men in their sor- rows, yea, even in their sins knowing that each man fights a hard fight against many odds.

When he has learned how to make friends and to keep them, above all how to keep friends with himself.

When he loves flowers, can hunt birds without a gun, and feels the thrill of an old forgotten joy when he hears the laugh of a little child.

When he can be happy and high-minded amid the meaner drudgeries of life.

When star-crowned trees and the glint on sunlight of flow- ing waters, subdue him like the thought of one much loved and long dead.

When no voice of distress reaches his ears in vain, and no hand seeks his aid without response.

When he finds good in every faith that helps any man to lay hold of divine things and sees majestic meanings in life, whatever the name of that faith may be.

When he can look into a wayside puddle and see some- thing beyond mud, and into the face of the most forlorn fellow mortal and see something beyond sin.

When he knows how to pray, how to love, how to hope.

When he has kept faith with himself, with his fellow man, and with his God; in his hand a sword of evil, in his heart a bit of a song - glad to live, but not afraid to die!

Such a man has found the only real secret of Masonry, and the one which it is trying to give to all the world.

Source:
Rev Joseph Fort Newton
 

MaineMason

Registered User
A man is made a Mason first in his heart. I don't know about other Grand Lodge jurisdictions but in Maine, when one is raised, we have a "charge" which is alternately called the "candlelight" or "Canadian" charge (it is not Canadian, but that's beside the point). "On yonder book, ...." My father, who was raised in Massachusetts had never heard it and so we researched it together. I don't believe that I violate my oath or obligation to quote a bit of it here:

On yonder book, three oaths you took and you should break them never
But stand by this(10), and this(11), and this(12), forever and forever.

These are our vows, be these our care,
And may such light be given
In answer to our earnest prayer
That we may ever do or dare.
All that Gods gracious laws enjoin
That, so,when shades of night decline.
We may be found in heaven.

This Charge we take with great reverence in the lodges of the Grand Lodge of Maine, standing, with the sign of Fidelity as it is spoken to the one who was just raised.
 

MaineMason

Registered User
I have seen a close variation of this in Texas. It is optional, after the formal degree work, and is quite beautiful when delivered by an older brother.
It is usually delivered by a PM, or the WM, or the Chaplain here in Maine. It can be found in its entirety by a simply Google search under "Candlelight Charge".
 
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