The rank of Past Grand Master is associated with many happy and delightful experiences, not the least of which is the privilege of having been found worthy to present this paper in a place dedicated to virtue, to benevolence and to Freemasonry.

I hope that nothing I am about to say will be allowed to mask the sense of privilege which I feel of being able to engage with the best minds in contemporary Freemasonry and to address so respectable an audience as this Grand Lodge, which I salute as a faithful guardian of the fundamentals of our noble Order to whom we are bound by every tie of gratitude and for whose virtues we feel every sentiment of admiration and esteem.

This communication breathes that true Masonic spirit which permeates and actuates the smallest group of Brethren just as much as it does the larger assemblies. Let us, therefore, be instrumental in the advancement and education of the Craft, whose work is to bring goodwill into the community, to uplift mankind and to have an impact upon the life and the character of men and Masons everywhere.

Brethren, it is not my intention to enter into an elaborate disquisition concerning Masonry. That task far exceeds the limits of my abilities; I shall only venture to submit to your serious consideration a few observations.

Those words are not an example of 20th century modesty or understatement; and I will hasten to reveal they are, in fact, the opening words of the Oration given by Brother William Preston himself in 1772, when he introduced the first of his famous Masonic lectures. All the same it is this spirit that the following thoughts, suggested by our Grand Master in late October, are offered on the subject of: "Freemasonry's Responsibility to Society" and is dedicated to the Brothers of the American Canadian Grand Lodge.

By a long process in which speculative Masons have drawn upon material from former times, from the freestone masons, the Volume of Sacred Law and from ancient sources unconnected with either, is little short of amazing.  By a long process of refinement, by adding and discarding system has been developed which despite alt the anomalies and anachronisms inevitable in such growth, is nevertheless surprisingly harmonious. We ourselves compass the structure and the curriculum of our Masonic Temple; let ourselves be the Temple, which shall stand in great proportion unto all eternity.  This requires, however, a lifelong educational process to become intellectually fitted to comprehend and practice such alleged responsibility; the rough ashlar must be trued, squared and polished for its appropriate place in the structure of the Masonic edifice.  All ethical forces at man's disposal are a Mason's working tools.  Morality, friendship and fraternal love are such forces which first unite and then cement goodwill in society. Our task today, as ever, is to make men better, more tolerant and consequently happier.

Word fashions come and go. Slogans are widely used to put across a point, to convey an idea, sometimes to cause a thought. Most of these have political or commercial origins and are used to promote an individual's interest or to sell the public some bill of goods offered by a business. Even Freemasonry is not immune from modern sloganeering. Change sometimes seems to become fetish; some advocate a special Masonic image. And even such serious topics as "Human rights of the future of our Society, carry the implication of change and we are in grave danger of being coerced into sweeping changes purely as a sign of the times. They are too self evident to speculative Masons to react ostentatious about their practical application or to proclaim them from the housetops.  Yet, the challenge becomes apparent, a challenge toward off approaching danger due to misinterpretation.

I do not construe this as indicating that we should shun all changes, or that we should cease our efforts to constantly seek improvement. But I do believe that we should abandon no standards until we are morally certain that we have replaced them with better and more effective ones, and I pray the basic principles of Masonry will always escape the ravages of changing times.

Webster's definition for "responsibility" is synonymous with obligation, duty and accountability, and encompasses many facets of the way of life which we adopted when we became members of the Order. Wherever Masonry flourished the highest standards of living have been obtained; and wherever it has been cast out, the standards of living have immediately gone down, civilization has deteriorated and the freedom of the people abolished.

I believe the great work of Freemasonry is to raise mankind to a higher realization of the beauty of truth, the importance of human freedom, the building of character, the glory of service in every good and charitable cause. Deeply convinced that the world of tomorrow can be a better one than that of today if the minds and hearts of the people are regenerated, Masonry has ever sought to build not only temples, but also character, thereby strengthening the moral fiber of its votaries. It is in memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice in order that we might have freedom to worship, freedom to think, freedom to live as Free and Accepted Masons.

Our contribution to mankind down through the centuries has been significant, whether it be in the fields of government, education, literature, medicine, music or almost any other area we could name. This is not so much because of any direct involvement, for such would be contrary to our high principles, but rather is the result of individuals practicing Masonic precepts in their daily lives. The precepts and teachings of our Order in seeking tolerance and personal liberty for all and a desire to be better men and citizens have been instrumental in the formation of our free nations, where common duties inculcate commonly shared responsibilities. In this process we never measure our progress by the degrees we have received, rather than the degrees with which we throw our influence into applied Masonic teachings and education. It is not possible for anyone to be great or accomplished great things. But we can all work to the limit of our power, meet and master the problem of the hour, and be thankful for our blessings. The resources are inexhaustible, and "(of whom much is given, of him shall be much required". This requires a special mental and spiritual preparation, a never ending process, beginning in our heart, to absorb that what we term Masonic Light.

Benjamin Franklin said: "We gave you a republic, if you can keep it"; expressed Masonically: we gave you your working tools, keep and use them wisely. I realize that the trouble with responsibility is that it always comes disguised as hard work. And it begins with our responsibility to the Craft in general and to our own Lodge in particular.

The Valley of Columbus is establishing a paver garden in front of the Scottish Rite Center. It will start at the bottom of the steps on both sides of the front porch and extend to the end of each side of the building. It will be similar to the pavers at the Masonic Children's Home in Macon. This is a great opportunity to support the Valley of Columbus Building Fund by purchasing a paver, and to honor those people or organizations that have a special meaning to you (to include yourself!). Complete the order form in this issues of The Ashlar or open in a new window HERE.