Message from the President General

                                                                                     BRIDGING THE GAP

                     "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

          he same was in the beginning with God. "All things were made by him; and without him was not 

               anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men."   John 1:1-5

Greetings,

Fraternal Brothers that sit in the ruling council of seven of the Masonic Congress, thanks for your loyalty to the Masonic Institution.  Over the years, Satan has tried to infiltrate and find a seat in the mist, but we has been kept OUT.  We have shown the ability to help those in need, the strength to forgive those who cause the institution pain and the wisdom to know the difference.

You have shown courage, your willingness to dedicate yourself, your fortitude and perseverance, and the inherent desire for the institution to succeed. You have set a great example of the link between this great Masonic brotherhood and the body of believers in Christ. The Lord has truly given you as a gift to be heard by all.

The study of Masonic institution leads us to the correct knowledge of God. The correct knowledge of God leads to the true worship of Him. The true worship of God places us in harmony with all that is true and good. It enlarges our powers for usefulness in every vocation, station, position, or condition in life, thereby making us a good citizenship, in whom we find a true neighbor, a generous friend, and a clear-cut and well-defined power of circumscribing our desires and keeping our passions in due bounds. 

The principles of Freemasonry have survived the fall of man, the destruction of the flood and the confusion of tongues. They have survived the rise and fall of empires and the decay of republic; these principles were matured at the cradle of new-born nations, and have hallowed the graves of sleeping heroes; were triumphant as the mighty flood and everlasting as the mountains. They have spanned the vast oceans and planted the banner of Masonry in every nation under the sun. 

We must pursue our researches until we find the thought that lay in the minds of those who created the institution and founded our mysteries. Then we shall know precisely what they mean; we shall see in them a grand series of moral and philosophical dramas, most eloquent and instructive., gleaming with sublime ideas, as the heavens glow with stars.

The higher idea of truth which pervades the whole Masonic system, and which is symbolized by the world, is that which is properly expressed in a knowledge of God. 

Independent of God, there is no knowledge, there is no wisdom and there is no truth, and without God, they cannot exist. It is impossible for man to discover the truth, which has always existed; unless he believes in God, therefore, we say, the truths of Masonry are co-equal and co-external with the Supreme Ruler of the universe. 

Masonry is the great highway leading from wrong to right, from falsehood to truth, from evil to good, and from earth to heaven. It is the champion of wisdom, strength, beauty, virtue and purity, and it is the eternal enemy of ignorance, weakness, ugliness, libertinism, vice and corruption. 

Since God is the Creator, all men and women are the children of God. Because of that, all men and women are brothers and sisters, entitled to dignity, respect for their opinions, and consideration of their feelings.

No one has the right to tell another person what he or she must think or believe. Each man and woman has an absolute right to intellectual, spiritual, economic, and political freedom. This is a right given by God, not by man. ALL TYRANNY, IN EVERY FORM, IS ILLEGITIMATE.

Each person must learn and practice self-control. Each person must make sure his spiritual nature triumphs over his animal nature. Another way to say the same thing is that even when we are tempted to anger, we must not be violent. Even when we are tempted to selfishness, we must be charitable. Even when we want to "write someone off," we must remember that he or she is a human and entitled to our respect. Even when we want to give up, we must go on. Even when we are hated, we must return love, or, at a minimum, we must not hate back. It is not easy!

Always remember, the Institution is dedicated to God, to the common good of mankind, common service, and common freedoms. 

Hon. Charles J. Clarke, 33°

President General