The Order of Freemasons belongs to the category of knightly orders. Its aim is the improvement of human kind and the good of the country and of all humanity. Freemasons of all countries are members of the same family, same as for the species we all belong to, the planet we all inhabit and the nature we can contemplate.
The grounding principle of freemasonry is the faith in a supreme power which it honours under the name of Great Architect Of the Universe. Its principles can be narrowed down to two statements: know yourself and love your neighbour as you love yourself. It is a free association of independent human beings, who are subject only to their conscience and who commit to practicing an ideal of peace, love and fraternity. Its scope is the moral improvement of humanity, its means the promotion of a true philanthropy, through the adoption of symbolic forms and uses. Its compels its affiliates to the respect of other people's opinion and forbids them from entertaining themselves with political and religious discussions during the meetings, so to focus on the edification of a permanent centre of fraternal union, where a perfect harmony of thought can rule.
Freemasons gather in special places named lodges, where they work ritually with constance and commitment and cannot admit but men and women of age and pristine reputation, people of honour, loyal and moderate, under all circumstances dignified to be named their brothers and sisters. In the lodges, they learn to love humanity and their country, to be subordinate to the law, to consider work as a duty essential to human beings, which fortifies and helps self-improvement, and therefore to honour work in all its forms. They also learn to promote the Obedience usefully through their example, their words and writing at every suitable occasion, yet keeping the masonic secret, and to remember that freemasons must strive relentlessly to help and protect their brothers and sisters, even up to the ultimate sacrifice, and to remain calm and thoughtful, namely self-conscious and -controlled, under every circumstance in their personal life or activity.
The Principles of The Ancient and Accepted Freemasons are:
I. STUDY
Freemasons consider STUDY as a means to EDUCATE ONESELF and LIVE in RECTITUDE
II. VALUES
Freemasons consider VALUES as UNIVERSAL MORAL LAWS
III. TRADITION
Freemasons consider TRADITION as a SACRED AND ETERNAL BEQUEST
“That, which your fathers bequeathed you, you shall conquer again, if you wish to really owe it”.
Faust, Wolfgang Goethe