Men who are Masons get a lot out of their Fraternity. They get a chance to make new friends, do worthwhile things in their community and improve themselves as human beings. They have opportunities for ethical, moral, and spiritual growth. They have a support system in times of trouble, and they have a chance to be with other men, do things together, and talk and share their ideas and goals.

 

But our families get a lot out of Masonry, too. You may not be aware of all those benefits, but it's good to know them. Sometimes they can really make a difference!

 

First of all, there are lodge activities for the family

 

We know that a Mason's family is the most important thing in his life. We wouldn't respect him as a Brother if it weren't. So lodges plan activities in which the entire family can participate. There are picnics, dinners, dances, and social events of all kinds. The types of activities vary from lodge to lodge as the needs and interests of the people change, but all lodges share a joint commitment to the family. It's good for everyone for families to do things together and with their friends.

 

Then there are the Masonic youth organizations

 

The pressures on young people today are immense - far greater than those when most of us grew up. Drugs, crime, violence, AIDS -- none of these were major problems twenty years ago. Most of them existed, but the vast majority of the young never encountered them on a day-to-day basis. Now, they are very real threats in the everyday lives of most young people. Young men and women today live in a tough time with many temptations and unbelievable peer pressure.

 

Organizations for young people sponsored by Masons give your children an alternative; an opportunity to belong to a group that teaches leadership skills, social skills, and self-respect. For boys, there's the ORDER OF DEMOLAY. For girls, THE ORDER OF THE RAINBOW, and for girls from Masonic families, JOB'S DAUGHTERS. All three organizations teach the highest ideals of honor and respect for truth and charity. When drug dealers are on the streets or around the playground, it's good to know that Masonic organizations are promoting healthy ideals and goals.

 

There are organizations for wives too

 

The Order of the Eastern Star provides the same kinds of experiences for women as Masonry does for men. So does Amaranth, the Social Order of the Beauceant, and the White Shrine of Jerusalem. Not all are organized in every state and province, but at least one is there waiting to serve women who want to join with other women and share similar ideas and values.

 

And if you ever need help

 

In a strange town or a foreign city, help is as close as the nearest Mason. All you have to do is find one. Look for the Square and Compasses - you'll find one at the back of this brochure (and at the bottom of this page) - on a ring or pin, or look up the number of the lodge in the telephone book. Make yourself known as the wife, son, or daughter of a Mason, and you'll get all the help you need. Masons from the Arctic Circle to the South Pole have all promised to give you that help.

 

Your own town benefits too

 

Masons do many things to make their own communities better places in which to live. It takes many pages of computer printout to list the local projects in even one state or province in which Masons are involved. Such things as highway and street cleanup programs, Christmas baskets for the needy, eyeglasses for those who cannot afford them, support of anti-drug and anti-alcohol programs in the schools, buying supplies for teachers and classrooms, giving volunteer time to services for the elderly . . . the lists go on and on. But all these things make your town a better place for you to live. Masons care!

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That's the key - Masons care

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We care about our own development as men and Masons. We care about our country. We care about our individual faiths. We care about the poor, the sick, the helpless, and the hopeless.

 

And, especially, we care about our families. We care about our wives as independent, equal partners in life. We care about our children, not only because they represent hope for tomorrow but as growing, developing individuals who must be given every possible chance to be everything they can be.

 

Yes, Masons get a lot out of Masonry...

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• Brotherhood

• Growth

• Support

• Strength

• Faith and

• Mutual Help

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...and so will you!

 

 

We thank the Masonic Renewal Committee of North America for this brochure. If you are interested in the other members of our 'Masonic Family' right here in Vermont, please head to our page here which provides further links.