Freemasonry is the largest Fraternity in the world with over 5 million Master Masons worldwide. It is also the oldest. In fact, next year on June 24, 2017, we will celebrate the tricentennial.
The word Fraternity comes from the Latin word “Frater” which means Brother. Freemasonry is a Brotherhood of men tied together by the sacred bond of our obligations, which we take kneeling at an altar with our hands on our sacred book. Masons come from all walks of life, from different political beliefs, and from different religions. Yet when we come together we meet on the level and form a common bond.
We are committed to giving each other mutual support, understanding, and affection. This magical phenomenon has been referred to as the Mystic Tie, which Allen Roberts discusses in his book by the same name. This is an awesome book and I would encourage everyone to check it out.
We often hear the term “Brotherly Love”, but what exactly is it? I would like to read a partial quote from Brother Carl Claudy. He states, “Brotherly Love is not a tangible commodity. We cannot touch it or weigh it, smell it or taste it. Yet it is reality; it can be creative, it can be fostered, it can be a dynamic power…” It is the Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like them to treat you. As one of our three tenants, I believe that Brotherly Love is a binding force that makes our Fraternity strong and why it has survived the test of time.
Many other organizations and fraternities over the years have tried to imitate Freemasonry. Many have failed and none have been as successful or as enduring. There are many reasons why Freemasonry has succeeded when others have failed, which brings us to today’s topic.
 I came across two short talks which discuss The Five Points of Fellowship. One is written for the Grand Lodge of Texas and the other by Brother William R. Fischer. I believe there are certain duties every Master Mason owes to his brethren, his family, his neighbors, and his community. The Five Points of Fellowship includes the following:
1.                  To Serve
2.                  To Pray for
3.                  To Keep the Secrets of
4.                  To Give Support
5.                  To Counsel
The first point of fellowship is to serve. As Masons, we have made a commitment to help and serve our families, our brothers, our friends, and even strangers, when the need arises. It is our obligation as a Mason to come to the aid of a Brother, their widow, or their orphan in need.
Allen Roberts, in his book The Mystic Tie, tells the story of Lee Newton who fought for the south during the Civil War. Lee was an officer in the confederate army. He had just been raised to a Master Mason when he was captured by Union Troops and taken to a prison camp in Rock Island, Illinois. Not being able to withstand the weather, he became deathly ill. The commanding officer of the camp was also a Mason. It was brought to his attention that a southern officer had become deathly ill and that he was a Mason. The commander had his men bring Newton to his personal home where he was nursed back to health.
When the war had ended the commander gave Newton money and a sidearm, and made sure he made it safely back to his home in Decatur, Texas. Now the important point here is, had Lee Newton died during the war, Joseph Newton, his son, one of the most brilliant Masonic writers and scholars, would have never been born. What a loss that would have been to Modern Freemasonry here in the United States.
For you Civil War buffs like me there are more stories about Masons coming to the aide of one another in The Mystic Tie and House Undivided, both written by Allen Roberts.  On Episode 22, we interviewed Bro Christopher Hodapp, author of Freemasons FOR DUMMIES, who tells the story of his father-in-law who spent most of his life living in Indiana, and who he had retired living in Texas.