          This file is copyright (c) 1996 The Philalethes Society and all
          rights including any redistribution rights are reserved by the
          copyright holder. Permission to quote from, redistribute or to
          otherwise use these materials must be obtained from the
          copyright holder directly by contacting The Philalethes,
          Nelson King, FPS, Editor, 2 Knockbolt Crescent, Agincourt
          Ontario Canada, M1S 2P6. Tel: 416-293-8071 Fax:
          416-293-8634 or CIS: 71202,22 or nking@freemasonry.org
          
          WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO CALL ANOTHER MAN
          BROTHER?
          by
          Kevin M. Tuck, MPS
          
          
          What does it mean to call another man Brother? Is this
          simply a term we use to refer to one another to set us apart
          from everyone else? Do we do it because everyone else
          does it? Is it because we are obligated to do so?
          How is it that two men who have never met one another can
          meet on the level and treat each other like Brothers? Before
          becoming a Mason, I, like most people, was cautious upon
          meeting strangers. The process of getting to know someone
          can take weeks, months, or years. Can this person be
          trusted? Do we have anything in common?
          And yet, as a Freemason I can meet a man with whom I
          have never spoken, about whom I know nothing, except that
          he is also a Freemason. And that is enough. Without
          hesitation, I am prepared to render any and all assistance to
          him. I trust his word implicitly. I will go to the length of my
          cabletow for this man I have never met. He is truly my
          Brother.
          There is a certain bond that exists which I find difficult to
          express. Perhaps, like the Tao, when looked for it cannot be
          seen; reached for, it cannot be grasped; listened for, it
          cannot be heard. And yet, it is there. Undeniably present and
          unshakable.
          I am profoundly moved by the acceptance I have found
          within the Craft. I am not referring to simple comraderie,
          although that in itself is a wonderful thing. I have the feeling
          of coming home after being away for a very long time. The
          men whom I call Brethren are the most honest, most sincere,
          most caring, and most wonderful men that I have ever had
          the pleasure to meet. When I think of all I have learned thus
          far, and all I still have to learn, I realize that I can never truly
          repay the debt I owe. None of us can. But this debt is not like
          money owed. It is a debt which makes each of us richer and
          better. I now realize that Freemasonry holds the key to the
          greatest secret of them all. And yet, it is not really a secret.
          Is it?
          As we look around the world today and back through the
          veils of history, we see that mankind has always been at
          war. Hatred has twisted the minds of men, turning brother
          against brother. Religion and politics have lead to the
          senseless slaughter of millions upon millions of people. Fear
          and paranoia have shaped the development of civilizations
          since the beginning of time.
          But we, as Freemasons, have discovered the most profound
          of all secrets. And that secret is that WE ARE ALL
          BROTHERS UNDER THE FATHERHOOD OF THE GREAT
          ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE. This simple truth allows
          each and every one of us to treat one another with dignity,
          respect, and caring. If we find a Brother in need, we give him
          aid and comfort without hesitation and without thinking of
          what we can gain in return. Within the body of a Lodge, we
          are all equal. Certainly, some may have more money, others
          may be more intelligent, but these things are irrelevant. What
          matters is only that the man next to us is a Brother. Our
          shared experience of being Entered, Passed, and finally
          Raised, regardless of our personal religious belief,
          regardless or our nationality or political opinions, makes us
          Brothers.
          This simple yet profound Truth has the potential to change
          the world. My Brothers, we hold the key. What we choose to
          do with this key is up to each and every one of us. What
          does the future hold for mankind? No one knows. But
          imagine a world where every man, woman, and child lived
          this Truth. Impossible? I think not. We are proof of that.
          Every time we reach out a helping hand to a Brother in need,
          every time we live the teachings of Masonry, we bring this
          reality a little closer. The future is what we make it. Let us
          resolve to make our Masonic future the beginning of truly 
          Universal Freemasonry.