Freemasonry and its universal principles
1. Universal Freemasonry and its principles
Freemasonry is an initiatory order based on traditional and universal fraternity
It is an alliance of free men and morals, of all origins,
of all nationalities and creeds.
Freemasonry is to the moral improvement of mankind.
To this end, the Freemasons are working on continuous improvement of the condition
human, both spiritually and in terms of material well-being.
The Masons recognize each other as brothers and must help and
assistance, even at the peril of their lives. They must, likewise, to rescue
any person in danger.
In the constant search for truth and justice, the Freemasons
accept no hindrance and not set themselves no limits.
They respect the thoughts of others and self-expression, they seek conciliation
opposites and want to unite men in the practice of universal moral
and respect for individual personalities. They see work as a
duty and a right.
The Freemasons must respect the laws and the legitimate authority of the country
which they must meet and freely.
They are enlightened citizens and subjects and their lives conform to the requirements
their conscience.
In the practice of art, they ensure compliance with traditional rules and customs
of the Order.
Freemasons in the pursuit of a common ideal, recognize each other by
words, signs and touching they traditionally communicate
houses during the initiation ceremonies.
These words, signs and touch, as well as the rites and symbols,
are subject to an inviolable secrecy and may not be disclosed to anyone who has
not qualified to know them.
Each Freemason is free to do or not to report on its quality,
but he can not reveal that of a brother.
The Freemasons join together to form, in accordance with
Masonic tradition, the autonomous communities which take the name of Lodges.
Every Lodge is governed in accordance with decisions taken by the majority of
Master Masons met in keeping requirement, but it can not depart from the principles
General Freemasonry or Statutes of obedience to which it belongs.
Lodges are grouped into Grand Lodges, national power and independent
guardians of tradition, exercising exclusive jurisdiction and undivided in the three
degrees of Freemasonry: those of Apprentice, Journeyman and Master.
Grand Lodges are governed according to traditional principles of
Universal Order, to their own constitutions and laws they have
regular data.
They respect the sovereignty and independence of other powers Masonic
and refrain from any interference in their internal affairs.
They maintain relations between them necessary for the cohesion of the universal order.
They freely conclude treaties and alliances with each sibling, but
recognize no national or international Masonic authority over them.
They decide independently to provide regulation and administration,
their justice and internal discipline.
Is maintained and the universality of the Masonic Order in accordance with
the personality of each national Masonic body in the autonomy of
each Lodge and that of individual freedom of each brother, so among all
Freemasons rule of Love, Harmony and Concord.
2. Origin of Freemasonry
The history of Freemasonry can be divided into three periods:
There have been a first operative Masonry itself, which includes
that people in construction trades.
In a second step, these boxes will receive the foreign men
business but quality, which will become Accepted Masons.
Finally, the boxes will lose operational nature, to become purely speculative.
It should be remembered quickly what the Masonry business.
It is related to construction, it should be noted that, of all time, the builders
had the feeling of being sacred work. Include, on the builders
cathedrals, these lines of Albert Lantoine, historian of Freemasonry.
The Art which was to apportion the various parts of a monument, to draw
arrows and bold towers, to bend to grand arches, on which,
sound, far from diminishing, taking a more harmonious scale, seemed an art
magical.
These operative Masons moved to town and had no permanent home.
They used to store tools, meet, learn, work or preparing
relax, called the local lodges. they were called Freemasons because
they were not subject to a fee. They were frank, that is free.
The obligations of Freemasons become operative moral law, the
tools consruction become symbols, and social promotion
workers translates into improved moral, spiritual and material
of society.
3. The Masonic Secret
The secret Masonic is primarily spiritual in nature and does not cover any
conspiracy or racketeering.
First, it lies in the absolute incomminicable experience
initiation. To have lived is still essential and can not be restored by a
rational discourse.
To be authentic and effective, this initiatory experience can only exist between
people practicing the same rule, claiming a common tradition, which leads
exclude the places where it is practiced every person who has not committed
in this way.
The secret is required to Masonic Freemason on two essential points:
■ The contents of initiation for the reasons set out above.
■ Quality Masonic others. While every Freemason is free
to do or not state Masonic membership, he must never make state
that of others.
4. Recognition and regularity
We often hear, as much among the Freemasons and outside the
Freemasonry, regularity and recognition. As many people
confuse these two concepts or do not know that they mean a brief
explanation seems appropriate.
Regularity is the respect of a number of criteria that make a Lodge or-
a real-Masonic Obedience. This pattern differs from the very
Many imitations of Freemasonry that have raged over the centuries and
still exist today. The criteria for the predominantly régularités’inspirent
Loads of old Constitutions of Anderson from 1723. To be
Masonic regular a Lodge must:
1. Together in one place, whose entry is restricted to Masons, men
free and of good character, working a traditional ritual inspired by the texts
Bible relating to the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem and
major figures who took part
2. The ban in it any political or religious debate and work under
the invocation and the Glory of the Grand Architect of the Universe in the presence of
the Square, the Compass and the Volume of Sacred Law.
3. Admit in it that men who have shown their qualities
human and their ability to improve, without discrimination of religion,
property, social status or ethnic origin. These men are
individually introduced through a ritual based on the biblical text.
For a Grand Lodge must be regular, and more of this. :
Be there from time immemorial, that is to say, since before 1717 or have been
created by a patent from a Regular Grand Lodge.
Be composed of at least three lodges from a regular obedience
Being totally independent of any other Masonic Power
domestic or foreign, of any system or political party and all religion
or church.
Recognition against an administrative agreement is taking place between two
Masonic, by which these persuasions agree to recognize the
degrees awarded by one and another and allow mutual visits of the members.
Purely political agreement gives no indication as to the legality
of one or other of the faiths involved. It is common persuasions
regular and irregular according to the criteria above, are linked together
by mutual recognition agreements.