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Here at the Valley of Portland, we join our masonic brothers around the world in being serious-minded about becoming our best selves and in offering caring, devoted service to others. As we discussed in our recent blog “What is Masculinity? A Valley of Portland Response,” we emphatically believe the world needs more men of honor—more men whose lives are grounded on unwavering values and principles. For Freemasons, there are 3 Great Principles of Freemasonry that are absolutely crucial to a man becoming all he can be: Brotherly Love, Relief (Charity), and Truth. Let’s take a few minutes to look more closely at each of these 3 Great Principles, and at how membership in the Valley of Portland helps you uphold them.

Brotherly Love

Every true Freemason will show tolerance and respect for the opinions of others, and behave with kindness and understanding to his fellow creatures.

Relief (Charity)

Freemasons are taught to practice charity and to care not only for their own, but also for their community as a whole, both by charitable giving and by voluntary efforts as individuals.

Truth

Freemasons strive for truth, requiring high moral standards and aiming to achieve them in their own lives.

When you join and become fully involved with the Valley of Portland, you’ll see every day how these 3 Great Principles of Freemasonry “combine forces” to empower you and make you all you can be—to yourself, your family, your community, and to God. You’ll see that—by living these 3 Great Principles—you can work to bring about loving kindness in the home, honesty in business, courtesy and civility in society, fairness in work, pity and concern for those less fortunate, resistance of evil, help for the weak, forgiveness for the penitent, love for one another, and—above all—reverence and love for God.

A Special Word about Relief (Charity)

As you go deeper into your Freemasonry journey, you’ll be struck—time and again—by how much the 3 Great Principles of Freemasonry complement and empower each other. Without a true embrace of Brotherly Love and a courageous embrace of Truth, your efforts at Relief (Charity) might lack the passion and effectiveness they otherwise would have. But when you DO embrace all 3 Great Principles, you’ll see how life-changing your works of kindness and charity for others can be.      

You’ll also see specific ways we here at the Valley of Portland “walk the talk” to lovingly help those in need. As we discussed in our recent blogs “Valley of Portland Urges Support of the Blue Envelope Appeal” and “Valley of Portland Partners with Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation,” we remain actively focused, year-round, on how we can better serve our local communities and our neighbors living in them. It all comes down to building your life on a firm foundation of principles and values. That’s the Freemason way.

 

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland is available here and at our website here. Interested in learning more about local events? Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in completing the application process can do so by filling out the online application here.

 

The debate has raged since the 1960s, if not before: What is masculinity? What should a man do and be? What is a “real man” versus a man who embodies “toxic masculinity?” One look at national bestseller lists reveals that, if anything, interest in the topic is growing stronger by the day. Titles that tackle the subject include The Masculinity Manifesto, The Mask of Masculinity, Reinventing Masculinity … it goes on and on. So here at the Valley of Portland, we wanted to take a few minutes to look at this deeply important topic and share our perspective on it.

A Foundation of Values

Abraham Lincoln famously said: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” But is also cannot stand if it lacks a strong foundation. Here at the Valley of Portland and among our Masonic brothers worldwide, we believe that foundation is comprised of the enduring values we’ve cherished and upheld for centuries—as they apply to today’s men and today’s world. Think about it: We are living—sadly—in a world where lying … bullying … cheating … demonstrating a lack of respect for women and/or for people from other cultures, and more … are too often met with male silence or with outright male affirmation. One critical way to battle this tide is by men stepping up and rejecting it. And we believe one clear pathway for doing that is by actively embracing the Masonic values we lay out in our Mission Statement, which reads:

It is the mission of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, to improve its members and enhance the communities in which they live by teaching and emulating the principles of Brotherly Love, Tolerance, Charity, and Truth, while actively embracing high social, moral, and spiritual values, including fellowship, compassion, and dedication to God, family, and country.           

“The World Needs Men of Honor”

As discussed in the video “Not Just a Man. A Mason,” we Masons have, for 300 years, helped men become the best version of themselves. We don’t do that by giving them a gym pass or changing their diet, or helping them navigate the business world. We do that through our fraternity and by inviting each man to take an oath of Service, Integrity, and Brotherly Love—placing THOSE values at the center of what they embrace as true masculinity.

A Final Word

In his book Understanding Manhood in America: Freemasonry’s Enduring Path to the Mature Masculine, Robert G. Davis asserts that the road to the “mature masculine” is not an easy road; it involves work, perseverance, and a commitment to personal responsibility. Stated another way, it involves a deep commitment to living a values-centered life. Here at the Valley of Portland and throughout the Masonic world, that is exactly the kind of masculinity we strive to manifest each and every day of the year.

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland is available here and at our website here. Interested in learning more about local events? Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in completing the application process can do so by filling out the online application here.