Lodge Burroughs Strange No. 87
Vijayawada, India

Masonry, Brethren, defies definition. No one, I sincerely believe, could contain all of it and pronounce, "This is Masonry. This is, where we can stop and let the world move past us".

At best one could say that it is an inspiring code, a glorious IDEAL, an unerring philosophy, that has at the very foundation unquestionable Reverence to all intensely loving Faith in the Great Architect of the Universe. On this foundation is built a virtuous conduct - the fine strands of virtue multiplying with increasing involvement, and longitude of practice. A wholesome sense of total morality, abundant fellow feeling, universal kinship, annihilating caste, creed, colour and clime are involuntarily generated in a true adherent of Masonry. On him soon dawns the light of knowledge. This knowledge ennobles his mind and totally elevates him, with the result that his contemplative mind slowly discovers the unholy presence in him of the sinful, baneful instincts of greed, avarice, anger, temper, conceit, pride malice, prejudice and the like. He also becomes aware of the degrading and degenerating effects of these worthless human failings, above which very few of us have yet risen.

Anything poisonous is at once dreaded. Anything injurious definitely bad is avoided. Thus the awareness of the debasing traits creates a mental revolution, and unless the mind is totally degenerate, it succeeds, to eschew in slow degrees these ignoble falsities, to ultimately become truly and fully a GOOD man to be deservedly honoured.

Let us for a moment examine the mechanics of Masonic transformation.

When a candidate is accepted for Initiation in a Lodge, no store is laid on his creed but his unquestionable reputation as a man of moral character is of course ascertained and ensured. And it is hoped that with such a background, he would bring credit tot he order by turning out to be a good mason and living a Godly and charitable life.

Obedience to the moral law is just as firmly inculcated in the initiate by the first charge, as the ceremonial prayers and the religiosity apparent increase his faith, leaving no loophole for him to turn a libertine. He will learn that God views the heart unlike man, who sees only the outside, enabling him to draw the moral never to betray his conscience. The candidate's religion is nor of consequence to our Order, to which the pre-requisite is his faith in the Architect of Heaven & Earth and his avowal to adhere to the sacred moral tenets.

Therefore we have masons of diverse faiths meeting under the common bond of fraternal love, viewing the errors and failings of each other and generally of men, with forgiveness and compassion, and vying with each other to prove to the world, by the excellence and super excellence of their behaviour, the happy effects and benefits bestowed by the institution.

Masonry brings together good men, who may otherwise have not met at all. Thus here we are, brethren, conciliating friendships under the universal philosophy of Masonry, which has ingrained in us our social duties. Piety to God, general philanthropy and the Brotherhood of man. Now IMAGINE a world of Good Masons - Real UTOPIA - Is it not ? May our Great Order spread enormously, ennobling millions by its unmatched philosophy.