From the Worshipful Master

Dictionary.com defines “obligation” as “something by which a person is bound or obliged to do certain things, and which arises out of a sense of duty or results from custom, law, etc.”
Many people take obligations, for professional, religious, even personal reasons. Masons take obligations when they make their way through the degrees.

Some parts of these obligations are metaphorical; they pertain to things that will not literally happen, but which are meant to drive home the seriousness of the obligations. Other parts are literal, and the mason is meant to keep these points of the obligation.

We make these obligations before God, because we believe that without a higher power to which we are beholden for these obligations, they have no weight.
Those who would falsely vilify masons would have people believe that the obligations we take conceal dark secrets. It was Benjamin Franklin, though, before he ever became a mason himself, who said, “I suspect their greatest secret is that they have no secrets.”

And he was right. We keep things secret to give them weight, not through any fear of their revelation. We take obligations to keep those secrets to give them weight, in turn, and remind us how important they are. Because while we are not obligated to do good, and be better, to uphold equality, honor, and truth, we obligated ourselves to do those things.
And that makes the obligations all the stronger.

Bryan Bullock
Worshipful Master

From the Senior Warden

I began teaching education night in January 2015. The topic was on the symbolism of secrets and the roll secrets play in Masonic philosophy. During that night we played a little game I called ‘the obligation game.’ At the beginning of night, cards were passed out with a certain “obligation” for the participants to do. Some of these included “remaining silent,” “speak with an accent,” “answer any question asked you,” and “always sound sarcastic.” Then the discussion on the night’s topic commenced. After the discussion, the game was to guess what everybody’s “obligation” was.

This game was somewhat goofy, but the lessons are serious. As Freemasons, we tread the path that our brothers and fellows have trod before us as we were initiated, passed, and raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason. We have all taken the same obligations. The question should be asked “How do we know if a Mason is keeping his obligations?”

If you have met a Mason who has, you JUST KNOW. He does not divulge what is meant to be secret. He is quick to offer a helping hand in Lodge or to a brother in need. He does not let petty squabbling get between him and his brothers. He takes care of his family and has his priorities straight. Ideally, if we each lived our obligations to their fullest, then those who are not Freemasons would already know what are obligations were by our actions!

Christopher Huson
Senior Warden

From the Junior Warden

The keeping of obligations is not only a cornerstone of Masonry, but of our society as a whole. By them, we keep the secrets of Freemasonry, as well as our word, and our daily responsibilities. They can be as simple as the daily keeping of our homes, or as solemn as oaths to our country, or to God.

Our communities stand, or fall, on the keeping of our obligations; even ones we may consider ‘of little consequence’ in our daily lives. A community cannot stand if your neighbor cannot trust you at your word. Look well to your existing obligations, large and small, and do not make new ones without careful consideration as to whether or not you’ll be able to fulfill them.

Cameron Smith
Junior Warden