Masons are godless, pagans. Masons are heretics, unbelievers. Masons in their "secret" rituals, step on the crucifix, spit on it. These, and more, are some of the myopic impressions that the "uninformed" and skeptics have on the members of probably the mother of all fraternities --- THE FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS. There are nothing further from the truth than these imagined, invented and drummed-up allegations. In fact, many if not all masons will over and attest to the fact that joining the fraternity has enhanced their understanding of their respective religions. That masonry taught them to search and pursue the more sublime meaning of belonging to a religious sect. That they have metamorphosed from a "come-what-may" attitude into thinking and active participants. From passive to active Christians and Muslims.

Masonry has installed in us a stronger FAITH IN GOD, and in all the things we believe in. To have faith requires courage and the ability to take a risk, the readiness ready to accept pain and disappointment. Whoever insist on safety and security as primary conditions of life cannot have faith. Whoever shuts himself off in a system of defense, where distance and possession are his means of security, makes himself a prisoner. To be loved and to love, need courage, the courage to judge certain values as of ultimate concern and take the jump and stake everything on these values.

DO MASONS PRAY? Of course, they do, and how! To us Masons, prayer reaches our lives as we begin to do things we could not have done unless we had prayed. We begin to believe, we seek forgiveness, we love those who would otherwise would have been unlovable to us, we attend to the important things in life. Prayer is not a pious addition to things we would have done, anyway. It is a force allowing things to happen which could not have occurred without it. Jesus could not have gone to the cross unless he had first prayed in Gethsemane. To us masons, prayer is a constant struggle to change ourselves. It is a battle to realize ever more fully that God has loved us, and loves us still. And for this our endless gratitude. Clearly, then, prayer is more a process of man being changed than of man calling to God to change or to effect change elsewhere.

Even among men, gratitude creates an intimate communion. Gratitude is ultimately such a strong bond that nothing can break it. How much more so with God. Because we fail to give thanks, we do not have communion with him. To pray means first to give thanks, and many never achieve true communion with Him in their prayers because they do not begin with thanksgiving.

Here's a "A Masons Prayer" which I reproduced from an old copy of The Cabletow, a copy of which I always carry in my wallet.

A MASON'S PRAYER

Architect Supreme, bend me to Thy will.
Draw Thy plans on the trestle-board of my heart
And commit me to thy builder's wisdom.

Shape Thou structure of my life
Into a temple of character
- a fortress of manhood
- a stronghold of justice.

Lead me in the paths of truth
- O Grand Master of the Universe,
That my thoughts and deeds
may bring honor to Thy cause.

Teach me that Charity with endureth all things,
And temper my passion in Thy holy fire.

Circumscribe and keep me within Thy laws,
And when it is appointed for me to judge,
Let me cleave to the plumbline of Thy divine righteousness.

Grant me fortitude to bear my sufferings by myself,
And when my travels are ended,
Take Thou this rough ashlard of mortality
unto Thy kingdom of Eternal Light.

Amen. So mote it be.

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