When is a Man a Mason?

When he can look over the rivers, the far horizon with a profound sense of his own littleness in the vast scheme of things, and yet have faith, hope, and courage, which is the route of every virtue.

When he knows that down in his heart every man is noble, as vile, as divine, as diabolic, and as lonely as himself, and seeks to know, to forgive and to love his fellowman.

When he knows how to sympathize with man in their sorrows, yea, even in their sins-knowing that each man fights a hard fight against many odds.

When he knows how to make friends and to keep them, and above all how to keep friends with himself.

When he can love flowers, can hunt birds without a gun, and feel the thrill of an old forgotten joy when he hear the laugh of a child.

When he can be happy and high-minded amid the meaner drudgeries of life.

When star-crowned trees and the glint of sunlight on flowing waters subdue him like the thought of one much loved and longed dead.

When no voice of distress reaches his ears in vain, and no hand seek his aid without repose.

When he finds good in every faith that helps any man to lay hold of divine things and sees majestic in life, whatever the name of that faith may be.

When he can look into a wayside puddle and see something beyond mud, and into the face of the most forlorn fellow mortal and see something beyond sin.

When he knows how to pray, how to love, how to hope. When he has kept faith with himself, with his fellowman, and with his God, in his hand a sword for evil, in his heart a bit of a song-glad to live, but not afraid to die.

Such a man has found the only real secret of Masonry, and the one which it is trying to give to all the world.