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The Ten Commandments of Masonry I. God is the External, Omnipotent, Immutable WISDOM and Supreme INTELLIGENCE
and Exhaustless LOVE. Thou shalt adore, revere, and love Him! Thou shalt honor Him by practicing the virtues! II.
Thy religion shall be, to do good because it is a pleasure to thee, and not merely because it is a duty. That thou
mayest become the friend of the wise man, thou shalt obey his precepts! Thy soul is immortal! Thou shalt do
nothing to degrade it!
III. Thou shalt unceasingly war against vice! Thou shalt not do unto
others that which thou wouldst not wish them to do unto thee! Thou shalt be submissive to thy fortunes, and keep
burning the light of wisdom!
IV. Thou shalt honor thy parents! Thou shalt pay respect and homage to
the aged! Thou shalt instruct the young! Thou shalt protect and defend infancy and innocence!
V. Thou
shalt cherish thy wife and thy children! Thou shalt love thy country, and obey its laws!
VI.
Thy friend shall be to thee a second self! Misfortune shall not estrange thee from him! Thou shalt do for his memory
whatever thou wouldst do for him, if he were living.
VII. Thou shalt avoid and flee from insincere
friendships! Thou shalt in everything refrain from excess. Thou shalt fear to be the cause of a strain on thy memory!
VIII.
Thou shalt allow no passions of others profitable lessons to thyself! Thou shalt make the passions of others profitable
lessons to thyself! Thou shalt be indulgent to error!
IX. Thou shalt hear much: Thou
shalt speak little: Thou shalt act well! Thou shalt forget injuries! Thou shalt render good for evil! Thou
shalt not misuse either thy strength or thy superiority! X. Thou shalt study to know men; that thereby
thou mayest learn to know thyself! Thou shalt ever seek after virtue! Thou shalt be just! Thou shalt avoid
idleness!
But the great
commandment of Masonry is this: "A new commandment give I unto you: That ye love one another! He that saith he is
in the light, and hateth his brother, remaineth still in the darkness."
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