more light #99
Masonry's Decalog
by Ed Halpaus
Grand Lodge Education Officer
Grand Lodge of A. F. & A. M. of Minnesota
Brother Albert Pike in his book Morals and Dogma on pages 17 & 18 describes
Masonry’s Decalogue.
“Masonry has its Decalogue, which is its law to its initiates. These are its Ten
Commandments
I. “O .•. God is the eternal, omnipotent, Immutable Wisdom and Supreme
Intelligence and Exhaustless Love.
Thou shalt adore, revere, and love Him!
Thou shalt honor Him by practicing the virtues!
II. “O .•. Thy religion shall be, to do good because it is a pleasure to thee,
and not merely because it is a duty.
That thou mayest become a friend to the wise man, thou shalt obey its precepts!
Thy soul is immortal! Thou shalt do nothing to degrade it!
III. “O .•. Thou shalt unceasingly war against vice!
Thou shalt not do unto others that which thou wouldst not wish them to do unto
thee!
Thou shalt be submissive to thy fortunes, and keep burning the light of wisdom!
IV. “O .•. Thou shalt honor thy parents!
Thou shalt pay respect and homage to the aged!
Thou shalt instruct the young!
Thou shalt protect and defend infancy and innocence!
V. “O .•. Thou shalt cherish thy wife and thy children! Thou shalt love thy
country, and obey its laws!
VI. “O .•. Thy friend shall be to thee a second self! Misfortunes shall not
estrange thee from him!
Thou shalt do for his memory whatever thou wouldst do for him, if he were
living!
VII. “O .•. Thou shalt avoid and flee from insincere friendships!
Thou shalt in everything refrain from excess!
Thou shalt fear to be the cause of a stain on thy memory!
VIII. “O .•. Thou shalt allow no passions to become thy master!
Thou shalt make the passions of others profitable lessons to thyself!
Thou shalt be indulgent to error!
IX. “O .•. Thou shalt hear much: Thou shalt speak little: Thou shalt act well!
Thou shalt forget injuries!
Thou shalt render good for evil!
X. “O .•. Thou shalt study to know men; that thereby thou mayest learn to know
thyself!
Thou shalt ever seek after virtue!
Thou shalt be just!
Thou shalt avoid idleness!
“But the greatest commandment of Masonry is this: ‘A new commandment give I unto
you: that ye love one another! He that saith that he is in the light, and hateth
his brother, remaineth still in the darkness.’
“Such are the moral duties of a Mason.”
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