Masonic Civility

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R.W.Bro. Phil Zubrycki Empire Lodge No.127,
G.R.M., A.F. A.M.
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What is Freemasonry?
A beautiful system of Morality
Veiled in Allegory
and illustrated by symbols
(The Work, 1996, p.62)
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The Masonic System of Morality
The veiled allegory directs us to the moral
virtues.
Much like a person making their way through a
fog of misinterpretation, misdirection, and false
assumptions the allegory remains mysterious, and
obscured .
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The Masonic System of Morality
The symbols represent the moral virtues we
endeavor to emulate and inculcate.
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ILLUSTRATED BY SYMBOLS
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ILLUSTRATED BY SYMBOLS
The Symbols may be pictures or words.

• virtue
• honour
• mercy

• secrecy
• fidelity
• obedience

These symbols are defined as each individual
perceives them and understands their meaning.

• temperance
• fortitude
• prudence
• justice

• faith
• hope
• charity
• benevolence

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ILLUSTRATED BY SYMBOLS
The Symbols may be pictures or words.
These symbols are defined as each
individual perceives and understands their
meaning.

• secrecy
• fidelity
• obedience

• virtue
• honour
• mercy

• temperance
• fortitude
• prudence
• justice

• faith
• hope
• charity
• benevolence

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• The Masonic System of Morality

• temperance
• fortitude
• prudence
• justice

• secrecy
• fidelity
• obedience

• virtue
• honour
• mercy

• faith
• hope
• charity
• benevolence

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What are these virtues? What do they represent?
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Temperance Is that due restraint upon the
affections and passions which renders the body
tame and governable, and frees the mind from the
allurements of vice.
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Fortitude Is that noble and steady purpose of
the mind, whereby we are enabled to undergo any
pain, peril or danger, when prudently deemed
expedient.
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Prudence Teaches us to regulate our lives and
actions agreeably to the dictates of reason, and
is that habit by which we wisely judge and
carefully determine, on all things relative to
our present, as well as to our future happiness.
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Justice Is that Standard, or boundary of right,
which enables us to render to every man his just
due, without distinction.
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Virtue A particular moral excellence. (Webster
s New Collegiate Dictionary, 1974)
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Honour A keen sense of ethical conduct
INTEGRITY, ones word given as a guarantee of
performance (Websters New Collegiate
Dictionary, 1974)
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Mercy MERCY implies compassion that forebears
punishing even when justice demands it or that
extends help even to the lowliest or most
undeserving (Websters New Collegiate
Dictionary, 1974)
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Faith firm belief in something for which there
is no proof (Websters New Collegiate
Dictionary, 1974) faith in God (The Work, 1996,
p.53)
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Hope desire accompanied by expectation of or
belief in fulfillment (Websters New Collegiate
Dictionary, 1974) Hope in immortality (The
Work, 1996, p.53)
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Charity Charity, comprehends the whole (The
Work, 1996, p.53) Love of all
mankind (Websters New Collegiate Dictionary,
1974)
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Benevolence To do good, an act of kindness, or a
generous gift. (Websters New Collegiate
Dictionary, 1974)
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Loyalty unswerving in allegiance (Websters
New Collegiate Dictionary, 1974) a lively
sense of the value of the institution of ones
country and of ones fellow citizens together
with an earnest will and endeavour to preserve
the one and serve the other. (The Work, 1996,
p.59)
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Obedience submission to laws and
authority (Websters New Collegiate Dictionary,
1974) be proved by a close conformity to all
our laws and regulationsand by a perfect
submission to the Master and his Wardens whilst
acting in the discharge of their respective
duties. (The Work, 1996, p.59)
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Secrecy Marked by the habit of discretion.
Something kept from the knowledge of others or
shared confidentially with a few. (Websters New
Collegiate Dictionary, 1974)
BONE BOX by William Ray Fischer
In the early lectures of the last century, now
obsolete these questions were used as a test Q -
Have you any keys to the secrets of a Mason? A -
Yes. Q - Where do you keep them? A - in a bone
box, that neither opens nor shuts but with Ivory
Keys The Bone Box is the mouth, the Ivory Keys
the teeth. The key to the secrets is the tongue.
Http//users.1st.net/fischer/SHORT48.HTM
Secrecy may be said to consist in the inviolable
adherence to the obligations you have entered
into, never to improperly reveal. (The Work,
1996, p.59)
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Fidelity The quality or state of being faithful,
showing allegiance, or loyalty. (Websters New
Collegiate Dictionary, 1974)
fidelity must be exemplified by a strict
observance of the constitution of the
fraternity by adhering to the landmarks of the
order (The Work, 1996, p.59)
We lock up our secrets in the safe and sacred
repository of our heart with fidelity.. (The
Work, 1996, p.18)
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What are the principles of Freemasonry?
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Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth
Are the fundamental principles of
Freemasonry. (The Work, 1996, p.56)
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Brotherly Love
All of humanity is of one parent and all Masons
are brothers of one large family of all humanity
and specially one Mason with another.

• temperance
• fortitude
• prudence
• justice

• virtue
• honour
• mercy

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Relief
To relieve the distressed is a duty of all
Masons, and particularly with our brothers.
Together We form a chain of sincere affection.

• faith
• hope
• charity
• benevolence

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Truth
Truth is the foundation of every virtue.
Hypocrisy and deceit are unknown among us.
Sincerity and plain dealing will distinguish us.
The heart and tongue will join in promoting each
others welfare and rejoice in each others
prosperity.

• secrecy
• fidelity
• obedience

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Our Lodges are supported by three pillars
Why are the columns of special importance?
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Our Lodges are supported by three pillars
WISDOM STRENGTH BEAUTY
Ionic
Corinthian
Doric
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A beautiful system of Morality
W I S D O M
S T R E N G T H
B E A U T Y
Brotherly Love
Truth
Relief

• temperance
• fortitude
• prudence
• justice

• virtue
• honour
• mercy

• Faith
• hope
• charity
• benevolence

• secrecy
• fidelity
• obedience
• loyalty

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A beautiful system of Morality
makes good men better.
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Masonry makes good men better.
It is in the Entered Apprentice degree the newly
initiated brother gets his instruction to build
his moral future, his Masonic Character, and his
Grand Lodge above.
Master Sr. Warden Jr.Warden
Wisdom Strength Beauty Brotherly Love
Relief Truth
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fidelity must be exemplified by a strict
observance of the constitution of the
fraternity by adhering to the landmarks of the
order (The Work, 1996, p.59)
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What is a Landmark?
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The term "Landmark" is found in Proverbs 2228
"Remove not the ancient landmark which thy
fathers have set." In ancient times, it was
customary to mark the boundaries of land by means
of stone pillars. Removal of these would cause
much confusion, men having no other guide than
these pillars by which to distinguish the limits
of their property. Therefore to remove them was
considered a heinous crime. Jewish law says "Thou
shalt not remove thy neighbours' landmark, which
they of old time have set in thine
inheritance." Hence landmarks are those peculiar
marks by which we are able to designate our
inheritance. They define what is being passed on
to us. In the case of freemasonry, they are
called the landmarks of the order. Grand Lodge of
British Columbia and Yukon, http//freemasonry.bcy
.ca/texts/landmarks.html (2005, Oct.)
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The Landmarks of Freemasonry, as compiled by
Albert Mackey in 1858,
Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon,
http//freemasonry.bcy.ca/grandlodge/landmarks.htm
l(2005, Oct.)
1.The modes of RECOGNITION. 2.THE DIVISION OF
SYMBOLIC MASONRY INTO THREE DEGREES. 3.The Legend
of the THIRD DEGREE. 4.THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
FRATERNITY BY A PRESIDING OFFICER called a Grand
Master. 5.The prerogative of the Grand Master to
preside over every assembly of the craft. 6.The
prerogative of the Grand Master to grant
Dispensations for conferring degrees at irregular
times. 7.The prerogative of the Grand Master to
give dispensations for opening and holding
Lodges. 8.The prerogative of the Grand Master to
make masons at sight. 9.The necessity of masons
to congregate in lodges. 10.The government of the
craft, when so congregated in a Lodge by a Master
and two Wardens. 11.The necessity that every
lodge, when congregated, should be duly
tiled. 12.The right of every mason to be
represented in all general meetings of the craft
and to instruct his representatives. 13.The Right
of every mason to appeal from the decision of his
brethren in Lodge convened, to the Grand Lodge or
General Assembly of Masons. 14.THE RIGHT OF EVERY
MASON TO VISIT and sit in every regular
Lodge. 15.No visitor, unknown as a Mason, can
enter a Lodge without first passing an
examination according to ancient usage 16.No
Lodge can interfere in the business of another
Lodge, nor give degrees to brethren who are
members of other Lodges 17.Every freemason is
Amenable to the Laws and Regulations of the
masonic jurisdiction in which he
resides. 18.Qualifications of a candidate that
he shall be a man, unmultilated, free born, and
of mature age. 19.A belief in the existence of
God. 20.Subsidiary to this belief in God, is the
belief in a resurrection to a future life. 21.A
"Book of the Law" shall constitute an
indispensable part of the furniture of every
Lodge. 22.THE EQUALITY OF ALL MASONS. 23.The
secrecy of the institution. 24.The foundation of
a Speculative Science, for purposes of religious
or moral teaching. 25.These Landmarks can never
be changed.
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The Landmarks of Freemasonry, as compiled by
Albert Mackey in 1858,
Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon,
http//freemasonry.bcy.ca/grandlodge/landmarks.htm
l(2005, Oct.)
The Landmarks of Freemasonry, as compiled by
Albert Mackey in 1858, are not universally
accepted they are not really landmarks at all.
For example, the "three" degrees of Craft
Freemasonry aren't a landmark. The Third Degree
didn't exist at the time of the formation of the
first Grand Lodge in England. Landmark 8 is also
a controversial item in some jurisdictions.
Landmark 14 is noteworthy since in some
jurisdictions, visiting is considered a
privilege. Landmark 20, regarding resurrection,
raises theological questions which some
jurisdictions feel unqualified to address. This
enumeration of Landmarks has not been accepted or
authorized by this Grand Lodge and is only
presented as an historical document.
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The best writers are unanimous on two essential
points, the two point test a landmark must have
existed from the "time whereof the memory of man
runneth not to the contrary" and a landmark is an
element in the form or essence of the Society of
such importance that Freemasonry would no longer
be freemasonry if it were removed. In other
words, they are something perpetual and
unchanging. Grand Lodge of British Columbia and
Yukon, http//freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/landmarks.h
tml (2005, Oct.)
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• In attempting to define the definition of an
  Ancient Landmark there are two essential points
  that must be seriously taken into consideration
• . It must have existed from the time whereof the
  memory of man runneth not to the contrary.
• . It must be an element in the form or essence of
  the society of such importance that Freemasonry
  would no longer be Freemasonry if it were
  removed.
• (Masonic Civility, Fergusson J.A., p.57)

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If we accept the fact that an Ancient Landmark
is such that it existed from the time whereof
the memory of man runneth not to the contrary,
then we cannot in all honesty, attempt to
document them in writing, under any
circumstances (Masonic Civility, Fergusson
J.A., p.57)
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A beautiful system of Morality is a
Landmark in every sense of the word.
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A beautiful system of Morality
is what Masonry is!
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A beautiful system of Morality
- is not written.
- cannot be held, transferred, or sold
- is locked in our heart.
- is veiled, hidden, a mystery, or a secret.
- is illustrated to only Freemasons who
understand.
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A beautiful system of Morality is a
Landmark.
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• A beautiful system of Morality
• is a Landmark.
• Masonic Morality has existed from before we can
  remember it not existing

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• A beautiful system of Morality
• is a Landmark.
• Masonic Morality has existed from before we can
  remember it not existing
• Masonic Morality marks a boundary

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• A beautiful system of Morality
• is a Landmark.
• Masonic Morality has existed from before we can
  remember it not existing
• Masonic Morality marks a boundary
• Masonic Morality is not written

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• A beautiful system of Morality
• is a Landmark.
• Masonic Morality has existed from before we can
  remember it not existing
• Masonic Morality marks a boundary
• Masonic Morality is not written
• Masonry would not be Masonry if not for Masonic
  Morality

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A question to a Masonic Brother
Q. What is Freemasonry?
Ans. A beautiful system of Morality
Veiled in Allegory
and illustrated by symbols
(The Work, 1996, p.62)
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The answer to the question has not changed
since the establishment of Masonry as an
organization of men of good moral standing.
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We may have FORGOTTEN the importance of this
most basic foundation of principle.
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Perhaps the application and importance of these
values of Moral Virtue have lost their
prominence in our labour.
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However I would prefer to believe that - These
most basic values inculcated in the first degree
may be so firmly integrated into our behavior
that we practice them without conscious thought
and forget the source of our wisdom, strength,
and beauty much like the foundation of a
building is out of sight and forgotten, until it
should fail.
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So what might causes a Freemason to strictly
adhere to the basic principles of Freemasonry
with that certain strength of conviction all
Masonic Brethren profess to hold dear and in
high esteem?
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fidelity must be exemplified by a strict
observance of the constitution of the
fraternity by adhering to the landmarks of the
order (The Work, 1996, p.59)
We lock up our secrets in the safe and sacred
repository of our heart with fidelity.. (The
Work, 1996, p.18)
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A beautiful system of Morality
3 Pillars of WISDOM, STRENGTH
BEAUTY constructed on a base of BROTHERLY LOVE,
RELIEF and TRUTH resting on a foundation of
MASONIC VIRTUES
is the Landmark we must bring to the future
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Before We act, think What would a Mason do?.
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Bringing the Past to the future
In conclusion
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In the 21st century Brethren will be openly and
honestly discussing the cultural importance of
Masonry in terms completely acceptable to a
community. The heart of Freemasonry can never
change, but the face of Freemasonry has been
changing imperceptibly, and must continue to
change in accordance with the outlook and
attitude of a modern day culture if it is to
remain relevant. (Allen, Stuart, Senior Grand
Warden, G.L. of MB, presented to the Banff
Conference)
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Bringing the Past to the future
A beautiful system of Morality
is the Landmark we must bring to the future
WISDOM, STRENGTH, BEAUTY BROTHERLY LOVE,
RELIEF and TRUTH MASONIC VIRTUES
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Bringing the Past to the future
A beautiful system of Morality
is the past we must bring to the future
Thank you for your attention.
Respectfully submitted by R.W.Bro. Phil
Zubrycki The views expressed are entirely those
of the author and in no way, shape, or form
represent the official position of any official
Masonic Organization.