Thoughts to ponder…

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF FREEMASONRY

 By Albert Pike

Morals and Dogma

God is the Eternal, Omnipotent WISDOM and Supreme INTELLIGENCE and Exhaustless LOVE. Thou shalt, adore, revere, and love Him! Thou shalt honor Him by practicing the virtues!

The 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 the friend of the wise man, thou shalt obey his precepts! Thy soul immortal! Thou shalt do nothing to degrade it!

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.

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!

Thou shalt cherish thy wife and thy children! Thou shalt love thy country and obey its laws!

Thy friend shall be to thee a second self! Misfortune shall not estrange thee from him! Thou shalt do for his memory whatever would do for him, if he were living!

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!

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!

Thou shalt hear much! Thou shalt speak little! Thou shalt act well! Thou shalt forget injuries! Thou shalt render good for evil! Thou shalt not misuse either thy strength or the superiority!

Thou shalt study to know men! That thereby you mayest learn to know thyself! Thou shalt ever seek after virtue! Thou shalt be just! Thou shalt avoid idleness!

But the great commandment of Masonry is this: “A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another! He that saith he is in the light, and hate his brother, remain still in the darkness.”