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George Washington Lodge No. 820 Ancient Free & Accepted Masons under the American Canadian Grand Lodge United Grand Lodges of Germany Zhd. Gashthaus
Schleppi
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REMEMBERHere are a few important things you should know and consider before applying to join the Masonic Fraternity. Masonry has in all ages insisted that men shall come to its doors entirely of their own free will; not from feelings of curiosity, but from a favorable opinion of the Institution and a desire to be numbered among its members. Freemasonry is a fraternity which teaches ethics and morality. Although it is not in any sense a religion or a substitute for religion, we do require that men who join believe in God and in the brotherhood of man. No atheist can become a Mason. Although we require that a member believe in God, we never try to tell a man how he should conceive of God, what faith he should practice or what worship he should follow. Those are questions of individual conscience, and the member must find those answers within his own faith. Masonry has for its foundation the great principles of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. Freemasonry distinguishes between patriotism and partisanship. While patriotism is encouraged as an essential virtue both within and without the Lodge, no partisan or political discussion is allowed within the Lodge. The essential purpose of Freemasonry is the further development of the individual Mason as an honest, ethical, moral, sincere, caring and charitable man, learning more about his own potential as a human being and developing his intellectual and spiritual character. A man should never enter the Fraternity in the hope of making business connections or for any other sort of professional or monetary gain. If he does, he will be disappointed, for they will not be found there. What he will find is a group of like-minded men, who are willing to treat him as a Brother and share in a deep and rewarding fellowship with him. He will find true friends and life-long companions. We expect men who petition for the Degrees (Membership) to be good men, but not to be perfect. We know that all men have limitations and weaknesses. Our questions are: Does he care about others? Does he feel a responsibility to improve himself and to make the lives of others better as best he can? Is he willing to be open and honest with us and with himself? We are glad that you are interested in the Masonic Fraternity, and we are willing to share it with you. If you decide that you wish to join the Masonic Fraternity you will be given an application form. Inside the application you will find several questions. They are not asked out of idle curiosity. When we accept a man as a Brother, we make a sincere promise to him that we will trust him completely and will treat his needs and his interests just as if they were our own. This application, and the visit some Lodge Brothers will make with you, will begin a process of sharing information which is vital if both you and we are to be comfortable in the relationship.
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