Declaration of
Principles
of the Most Worshipful
Grand Lodge of
Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana
Adopted 24 May 1939
Revised 18 May 1949
Freemasonry is a charitable, benevolent, educational and religious
society. Its principles are proclaimed as widely as men will
hear. Its only secrets are in its methods of recognition and
of symbolic instruction.
It is charitable in that it is not organized for profit and none of
its income inures to the benefit of any individual, but all is devoted
to the promotion of the welfare and happiness of mankind.
It is benevolent in that it teaches and exemplifies altruism as a duty.
It is educational in that it teaches by prescribed ceremonials a
system of morality and brotherhood based upon the Sacred Law.
It is religious in that it teaches monotheism, the volume of the
Sacred Law is open upon its altars whenever a Lodge is in
session, reverence for God is ever present in its ceremonial, and
to its brethren are constantly addressed lessons of morality; yet
it is not sectarian or theological.
It is a social organization only so far as it furnishes additional
inducement that men may foregather in numbers, thereby providing
more material for its primary work of education, of worship, and of charity.
Through the improvement and strengthening of the character of the
individual man, Freemasonry seeks to improve the
community. Thus it impresses upon its members the principles of
personal righteousness and personal responsibility, enlightens
them as to those things which make for human welfare, and inspires
them with that feeling of charity, or good will, toward all
mankind which will move them to translate principle and conviction into action.
To that end, it teaches and stands for the worship of God; truth
and justice; fraternity and philanthropy; and enlightenment and
orderly liberty, civil, religious and intellectual. It charges each
of its members to be true and loyal to the government of the
country to which he owes allegiance and to be obedient to the
law of any State in which he may be.
Masonry abhors Communism as being repugnant to its conception of
the dignity of the individual personality, destructive of the
basic human rights which are the Divine heritage of all men, and
inimical to the fundamental Masonic tenet of faith in God.
It believes that the attainment of these objectives is best
accomplished by laying a broad basis of principle upon which men of
every race, country, sect and opinion may unite rather than by
setting up a restricted platform upon which only those of certain
races, creeds, and opinions can assemble.
Believing these things, this Grand Lodge affirms its continued
adherence to that ancient and approved rule of Freemasonry
which forbids the discussion in Masonic meetings of creeds, politics,
or other topics likely to excite personal animosities.
It further affirms its conviction that it is not only contrary to
the fundamental principles of Freemasonry, but dangerous to its
unity, strength, usefulness and welfare, for Masonic bodies to take
action or attempt to exercise pressure or influence for or
against any legislation, or in any way to attempt to procure the
election or appointment of government officials, or to influence
them, whether or not members of the Fraternity, in the performance
of their official duties. The true Freemason will act in civil
life according to his individual judgment and the dictates of his conscience.