DDGM Messages for 2005-2006

The Value of Freemasonry

How would you describe the value of Free Masonry if someone asked?

I passed around a $100.00 bill this evening for all of you to inspect, touch and even moralize on. How do you feel this applies to the value of Free Masonry? R. W. Bro. Daniels puts complete evenings together for masons to learn how things relate to Masonry that you would have no idea at first, how they apply. I am going to try to explain how I think this $100.00 bill applies to masonry.

While it costs all of us money to join Masonry, this is not how I feel it is connected to it. All of us have touched this bill and because of that we have left our fingerprint on it by which we can be identified. As masons we leave a fingerprint of sorts on all who come in contact with us and everyone can now identify us as masons. To leave the right fingerprint or more literally the right total image is of the most importance.

How many would like to keep this $100.00? You will notice it is just a piece of paper as simple as it may be. You will also notice it is quite dirty and is quite wrinkled. The corners may get worn and it may end up being torn or faded. However, no matter what happens to it, the value is still the same when it is used to purchase something.

Masonry, my friends, has gone through the same trials that this money has gone through. Through the years Masonry has been referred to as a secret society, a cult, and has even been associated with the Klu Klux Klan. Many times when people don't understand something they start to form their own opinions from very limited information. Masonry has endured all the bad things people have said and done to destroy our Fraternity from it's beginning. If you were able to research the history of Masonry you would find several times when Masonry endured many hardships and times when others would have torn it apart to dismantled it completely. It has gone through times of declining membership similar to now. Many times people have thought of Masonry as a questionable organization that has the ultimate mission to take down Governments.

Anything that has existed as long as Masonry is bound to carry many of the fingerprints from the past. It is from these very fingerprints we gain our strength and integrity. Nothing has been able to take away the value Free Masonry brings to society. Nothing has derailed it from its holy mission. It still presents to all its members, the same high moral standards by which all men should live their lives. It allows men to be free to apply its symbolism to their life and their own life circumstances as they see fit, with no danger of persecution.

The value of Free Masonry cannot be fully described in this short presentation. Its value would be different for each of you and all would be correct in your own explanation. It allows all masons to derive lessons of virtue to make life better for them, their families and their community. Masonry touches all of us in different ways if we are strictly obedient to its precepts. The value of Free Masonry is the common bond we have with our brothers from the past and the foundation we are laying for our brothers of our Fraternity in the future.

However, my Brethren the true value of Free Masonry is you, the Brethren of this wonderful craft that I have had the pleasure to work with over the last thirty years of my Masonic career. It has been a pleasure to enjoy your company and receive your guidance not only in Masonry, but also for life. Many of my life lessons have been learned right within these four walls and it is because of you. I appreciate the confidence you have in my ability to be your representative of Grand Lodge in the capacity of District Deputy Grand Master, an honour only a few ever have the opportunity to experience. It will be my pleasure to work with you, my Brethren to continue to make Masonry all it can be in Brant District and in the communities where we live.

Yes my Brethren Free Masonry has great value; we need to let everyone see that value. Remember, the image people will have of Free Masonry will be what they see in each and every member, even if they don't realize that he is a Mason. We all need to project an image that will make people say "that man is a Mason."

Remember my theme for the year, "If it is to be it is up to me."