General Discussion

As many Masonic Rulers will tell you, Freemasonry means different things to different people. I believe that is true. For some, it provides a never-ending depth of wonderous academic study and discovery, for others it is nothing more than a drinking club with a ritual problem. I believe most Masons sit somewhere in between those two extremes.

I would not say that Freemasonry taught me a new set of values. I felt comfortable from the start in Freemasonry because I found it further embedded and extolled the virtue of values I already held. Those values were most likely picked up from my father, who was a Mason, although he never talked about it at home. It allows me to meet people who I might not otherwise meet who share my values. It promotes and provides new, enduring friendships through the shared experience of our ritual. In this fast-changing turbulent world, Freemasonry also provides a reliable, unchanging anchor with its rigid rituals and protocols.

From an academic perspective, I enjoy discovering the meaning and lessons behind our symbols and allegory. That said, I have only a passing interest in tracing our origins back to Egyptian times or even earlier in history. The further back you try to connect Freemasonry with antiquity the more tenuous and fanciful the connections become, in my opinion. However, for some Masons such study provides many hours of fascinating research and forms a major part of their enjoyment of the Craft.

In short, Freemasonry provides a platform from which to extract enjoyment and personal development in many different ways. And of course, not forgetting the added satisfaction gained from giving service to the community in our charitable efforts.