We asked a Fellowcraft who has been in our Lodge now for almost 2 years for his impressions of Freemasonry and as to how he relates to it today.

Very slightly modified I give you his reply; it really moved us all to hear his eloquence.
You have his/our permission to relate this to any new candidate for Freemasonry 1st Degree
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Master of the Lodge, Masters, Fellow brothers
First of all I am honoured to have called upon to address you this evening on the subject of my first impressions of Freemasonry.
As the newest member of this lodge and a member for just over a year and a half, I have the following to recall when I was approached at first to join, I was very apprehensive about whether I was about to do the right thing and what the craft was all about.

What I did feel, was that after meeting fellow members of the lodge, I felt a sense of belonging and immediately wanted to be part of all that was required of me.
The first night initiation was my first step to a rich and rewarding experience that has enhanced my life. But there are some things that I will never forget. There was a foundation of trust...trust in God as the One to whom I could look for support and counsel...trust in a Brother who could lead me in my blindness to the light of understanding.

I discovered the reality of prayer as the place to begin before undertaking any task. So I began the journey that through the years was to lead me to a new understanding of myself, my fellow human beings and God. I was thoroughly impressed. All of the officers of the lodge were wearing tuxedos with ornate aprons which showed the office that they held or indicated offices that they had held in the past.

These fellow brothers are the ones that I need to respect and look up to; they are the ones to take me on my future journey. I believe that Freemasonry is a continual life learning experience, you can never know enough or know everything, like the degrees in the university world, the real experience is only when you start practising your knowledge and craft, also what you as a person can enrich and bring your inner gifts to the wellbeing of your fellow man, that will set you apart.
On that journey I discovered that I was not searching for some particular religious creed that would set me apart from other people. I was in fact discovering some great principles that would enable me to live life at its very best. Principles like faith...hope...charity...wisdom... beauty...truth. I would discover that there is a universal love and respect for all persons of all religious creeds and beliefs.

My Masonry would let me stand with my Brothers as an equal no matter what their theology or religious beliefs. While Masonry has never been a religion for me, it has set before me some very high moral and ethical standards that have supported my religious beliefs. It has also confirmed my duty to support my fellow brothers and “feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and support the widows and orphans”
Brothers we live today in a world that has seen changes and events not seen the start of this century. I believe that our fellow man has been driven away from all the needed good family and living values toward a life of greed and personal interest, and so we see our planet infected with this curse.

I believe that Freemasonry is the best alternative to this, our very values and beliefs set us apart from those other people, we have a code, symbols and beliefs that are unbreakable and hold us firm in the uncertain times ahead. Call this our constitution our ark our stone.

The lodge meetings have become the highlight of my monthly events and when there is not a meeting the month seems different. Something is missing. To dress up in our finest uniform and aprons is reserved for this very calling.

I would like to address an issue which I believe is the guarantee for our Lodge's future, we need to and with a real sense of urgency get new members to increase our numbers, this is our blood and foundation for the future, we just cant go out and recruit members, but maybe within our own family and friends circle are excellent potential future masons.


While Freemasonry discourages networking like other organizations, I believe that we can turn to each other about things that we need and the trust between us will allow that help needed.
I think that we need to have more social and family events which were great past events like the trip to the north and the yearly barbeque.

My fellow brethren, thank you for your support and allowing me to advance to the second degree, another level still awaits me and I look forward with your combined help and guidance to reach the 3rd degree. In the short time, that i have been has changed me a full 360 degrees around and given me the tools and guidance that I will endeavor to follow in my life, which is in itself a journey.

Best regards and my appreciation and thanks to you all.

Beautiful, thank you for sharing.