Lodge Burroughs Strange No. 87
Vijayawada, India

The Preamble to the Constitution of India runs as follows :-

WE THE PEOPLE OF INDIA having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Democratic Republic and to secure to all its citizens : Justice, social, economic and political: liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; Equality of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity of the Nation : In Our Constituent Assembly this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do hereby adopt enact and give to our selves this constitution. The Preamble to our Constitution serves to indicate the source from which the Constitution derives its authority and states the objects the Constitution seeks to establish and promote. Among other objects the Constitution seeks to fulfil, one's attention is drawn to Fraternity, Secularism and Equality. Freemasonry if studied carefully and truly practised will serve to achieve these laudable objects of the Constitution.

By Fraternity, it is the spirit of brotherhood that the Preamble of our Constitution refers to. India is composed of people of so many races, religions, languages and cultures. The unity of its people can only be attained if there is a sense of brotherhood among them. Article 1 of the Declaration of Human Rights as adopted by the United Nations lays down - "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." Freemasonry teaches its adherents to believe in the Father-hood of God and Brotherhood of Man. It is this basic principle on which Freemasonry is founded and despite the fact that we practice different religious, speak different languages, wear clothes in a multiplicity of styles yet Free masons are one because we as Freemasons think and feel as a single unit being members of this great Fraternity. In this way we help in the unification of the country. The Freemasons are well fitted by their training in the principles and tenets of the Craft to take a determined stand against anything which may lead to disintegration National integration is more of a moral than a political or social issue. Masonry creates good understanding and moral standards which cannot be achieved by enactments of laws or by the promulgation of ordinances. It therefore follows that the teachings of Freemasonry substantially fulfils the underlying motives and objects sought to be achieved by the Constitution of India and the mischief the Constitution is intended to redress.

The Constitution of India guarantees that no person of a particular religion shall be treated unfavourably by the state when compared with persons of other religions. It further guarantees free exercise of religion. In other words India is a secular state. A secular state therefore means a state which has no religion of its own as opposed to theocratic states and such a state refrains from discriminating on grounds of religion. Similarly, Freemasonry is a secular institution and fully satisfies in this respect the requirement of the Constitution of India. One of the qualifications for joining the Craft is a belief in God and it did not matter to what religion the candidate belonged. Under the Grand Lodge of India it is significant to note that the scriptures of all religions practised in India is placed on the alter to show that Masonry is a secular institution. Here again Freemasonry fulfils another requirement of the Constitution.

If the high ethical principles for which Masonry stands is practised by the Masons not only inside the Lodge but also outside in the discharge of private and public avocations some of the objects the Constitution of India seeks to promote can be achieved by the efforts of Freemasons. There can be no doubt that Freemasonry can have a beneficial and lasting effect upon the body politic of this country as it propagates some of the Principles enshrined in the Constitution of India. India is a democracy. In its from of Government supreme power is vested in the people collectively and the country is administered by the chosen representatives of the people. One of the directive principles of the Constitution is for the state to secure a social order for the welfare of the people. The Constitution aims at equality. Here again the principles of masonry and the laws of our institution can play a notable role. Freemasons believe in complete equality and it is said that we are all on the level. The principles of democracy can be more easily understood by the instructed than by the uninstructed and outside world. By training Masons are more prone to grasp the fundamentals of democracy than others. In their individual capacity the Masons can play a noble part in the administration of the country. If, therefore, the Craft has to play its part, it is essential that we make certain that our candidates fully understand the teachings of the Craft. Each candidate must be fully aware of his rights and duties. Of late it is noticed that members are enrolled indiscriminately. The result is that they do not grasp the significance of Masonic principles and are not able to practice them in the exercise of their civic duties. We have to guard against this.

While books by John Gunther, namely Inside U.S.A. the following passage struck me as of some importance of Freemasons;- "Another powerful element in Iowa is Masonry. Of 108 members of the lower house of the legislature above seventy belong to the Masonic order, though nobody ever runs "as" a Mason, and on seldom is a man asked directly if he is one not. Most of the top officials of the state as Masons. Two things explain this : (1) Masons is a kind of badge of respectability, not only Iowa but in almost all the Mississippi best states: (2) A man comes up through the local Masonic lodge, and if he shows leadership, pushed outward to the legislature or to other public office as a matter of course." This how Masonry works in some of the states U.S.A. and Masons are held in high esteem the people due to their conduct and they see to have imbibed the true spirit of Masonry those states of U.S.A. There are a number points of similarity between the Constitution India and Freemasonry. The members of the Craft can play a leading part in many spheres in securing some of the objects the Constitution of India seeks to establish and promote. It is however not suggested that politics at controversies of state policy by brought inside the Lodge. There can never be a discussion of political issues in a Lodge. All that is intend to be conveyed is that Freemasons are we equipped to comprehend certain fundament or essential nature of the Constitution of India and transmit the same to others and thus please an important role in enhancing the dignity at importance of Freemasonry in the eyes of the common man.