Edmund Cohen, 33°

Illustrious Brother Cohen offers his explanation
of the fundamental purpose of Freemasonry.

I routinely get asked, “What Do Masons Do?” Most often, it is by non-Masons, but this is a question also on the minds of many Masons as well.

When non-Masons ask me this question, it reflects their curiosity. When Masons ask it, it reflects their disappointment. The part of Freemasonry that they have seen so far has been an anemic version of what they were led to expect, and frankly a pale shadow of what Freemasonry really is.

So what is our purpose? “What do Masons do?” Well, I promise to get to that, but the question behind the question––the real issue––is “What is Freemasonry all about?”

I can sum it up in three, brief statements:

• Freemasonry is a way of life.
• It is a universal brotherhood.
• It is a force for good.

First and foremost, Freemasonry is a way of life. We stress respect for God and country, and respect for others—the Golden Rule.

In our first degree, the Entered Apprentice Degree, we teach moral principles. We stress one’s duty to God, in never mentioning His name but with reverential awe and in seeking His aid in all of our laudable undertakings. We stress a duty to others in acting upon the square and doing unto them as we wish they would do unto us. And we stress a duty to ourselves, in avoiding all irregularity and intemperance, which would debase our dignity.

In our second degree, the Fellow Craft Degree, we stress the study of every useful art that would make us good and peaceful citizens, productive and useful to our families and our communities, bringing honor to our Fraternity, our country, and ourselves.

And, in the Third Degree, the Master Mason Degree, we are concerned with the spiritual values that separate man from other creatures and make us worthy of our Creator.

Next, Freemasonry is a universal brotherhood. Many of these ideas taught in our degrees would find broad acceptance around the world, but giving lip service to great principles is not what Freemasonry is about. We seek to incorporate these principles into our daily lives. We are not merely concerned about morality, but about being moral, not merely interested in ethics, but about being ethical, and not merely talking about friendship, but being a friend. And we work at this every day. It is not easy to live up to our Masonic obligations—to do what is right, rather than what is expedient, but we try hard.

Many of the great religions would subscribe to these same moral principles. They seek to imbue them in their faith and to encourage others to become a part of their tradition. Freemasonry, which demands a belief in God as a condition of membership, encourages its members to attend to their own religious obligations and to participate fully in their churches, temples, and mosques. But, Freemasonry is a universal brotherhood. We reach across the great religious traditions to join together men who would otherwise remain at a perpetual distance. We reach across social and economic lines to attract men who work with their hands and men who work with their pens. We join together the young and the not-so young, the rich and the not-so rich. Our purpose is disinterested fellowship, building life-long friendships, and strengthening and improving our character. We do not compete to be better than one another; we compete to be better than we now are.

And third, Freemasonry is a force for good. We live in troubled times, when hatred seems to trump reason, and even good men are content to sit on the sidelines allowing injustice and intolerance to triumph. But Freemasonry stands as a beacon of hope in a troubled world, a standard of integrity that confronts the corruption that is far too prevalent, and a model of courtesy and caring in an ever more hostile and impersonal world. We fight for democratic values, for freedom of expression, and for religious toleration. Rather than promoting strife and divisiveness, we seek to unite men of good will. We are a force for good in our communities.

Yes, when you ask, “What do Masons Do?” the answer is, “Quite a lot.” We care for our widows and orphans. We are involved in any number of charitable undertakings. We are men of integrity and honor on whom you can count. We are good and loyal friends, and our word is our bond. We have educational meetings for our members and social events for our families, and we build upon our rich traditions But all that is derivative. What is even more important is what Freemasonry is all about.

Edmund Cohen is a senior executive with the Federal government. An attorney and member of the D.C. and Virginia bars, he is a member of the Valley of Alexandria, Virginia. Bro. Cohen, a Past Master of Henry Lodge No. 57 in Fairfax, Virginia and a Past District Deputy Grand Master, is currently serving as Grand Senior Deacon of the Grand Lodge of Virginia. Contacts: 1442 Creekside Court, Vienna, Virginia 22182-1701; cohene@erols.com.