AIMS and RELATIONSHIPS of the CRAFT
IN AUGUST 1938, THE GRAND LODGES OF ENGLAND, IRELAND, AND SCOTLAND EACH
AGREED UPON AND ISSUED A STATEMENT IDENTICAL IN TERMS EXCEPT THAT THE
NAME OF THE ISSUING GRAND LODGE APPEARED THROUGHOUT. THIS STATEMENT,
WHICH WAS ENTITLED “AIMS AND RELATIONSHIPS OF THE CRAFT”, WAS IN THE
FOLLOWING TERMS.
AGREED UPON AND ISSUED A STATEMENT IDENTICAL IN TERMS EXCEPT THAT THE
NAME OF THE ISSUING GRAND LODGE APPEARED THROUGHOUT. THIS STATEMENT,
WHICH WAS ENTITLED “AIMS AND RELATIONSHIPS OF THE CRAFT”, WAS IN THE
FOLLOWING TERMS.
1. FROM TIME TO TIME THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND HAS DEEMED IT DESIRABLE TO SET
FORTH IN PRECISE FORM THE AIMS OF FREEMASONRY AS CONSISTENTLY PRACTISED UNDER ITS
JURISDICTION SINCE IT CAME INTO BEING AS AN ORGANISED BODY IN 1736, AND ALSO TO DEFINE
THE PRINCIPLES GOVERNING ITS RELATIONS WITH THOSE OTHER GRAND LODGES WITH WHICH IT
IS IN FRATERNAL ACCORD.
2, IN VIEW OF REPRESENTATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN RECEIVED, AND OF STATEMENTS RECENTLY
ISSUED WHICH HAVE DISTORTED OR OBSCURED THE TRUE OBJECTS OF FREEMASONRY, IT IS ONCE
AGAIN CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO EMPHASISE CERTAIN FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE ORDER.
3. THE FIRST CONDITION OF ADMISSION INTO , AND MEMBERSHIP OF, THE ORDER IS A BELIEF IN A
SUPREME BEING. THIS IS ESSENTIAL AND ADMITS NO COMPROMISE.
4. THE BIBLE, REFERRED TO BY FREEMASONS AS THE VOLUME OF THE SACRED LAW, IS ALWAYS
OPEN IN THE LODGES. EVERY CANDIDATE IS REQUIRED TO TAKE HIS OBLIGATION ON THAT BOOK,
OR ON THE VOLUME WHICH IS HELD BY HIS PARTICULAR CREED TO IMPART SANCTITY TO AN
OATH OR PROMISE TAKEN UPON IT.
5. EVERYONE WHO ENTERS FREEMASONRY IS, AT THE OUTSET STRICTLY FORBIDDEN TO
COUNTENANCE ANY ACT WHICH MAY HAVE A TENDENCY TO SUBVERT THE PEACE AND GOOD ORDER
OF SOCIETY, HE MUST PAY DUE OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW OF ANY STATE IN WHICH HE RESIDES OR
WHICH MAY AFFORD HIM PROTECTION, AND HE MUST NEVER BE REMISS IN THE ALLEGIANCE
DUE TO THE SOVEREIGN OF HIS NATIVE LAND.
6. WHILE SCOTTISH FREEMASONRY THUS INCULCATES IN EACH OF ITS MEMBERS THE DUTIES OF
LOYALTY AND CITIZENSHIP, IT RESERVES TO THE INDIVIDUAL THE RIGHT TO HOLD HIS OWN
OPINION WITH REGARD TO PUBLIC AFFAIRS. BUT NEITHER IN ANY LODGE NOR AT ANY TIME IN
HIS CAPACITY AS A FREEMASON IS HE PERMITTED TO DISCUSS OR TO ADVANCE HIS VIEWS ON
THEOLOGICAL OR POLITICAL QUESTIONS.
7. THE GRAND LODGE HAS ALWAYS CONSISTENTLY REFUSED TO EXPRESS ANY OPINION ON
QUESTIONS OF FOREIGN OR DOMESTIC STATE POLICY EITHER AT HOME OR ABROAD, AND IT WILL
NOT ALLOW ITS NAME TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ANY ACTION, HOWEVER HUMANITARIAN IT MAY
APPEAR TO BE, WHICH INFRINGES ITS UNALTERABLE POLICY OF STANDING ALOOF FROM EVERY
QUESTION AFFECTING THE RELATIONS BETWEEN ONE GOVERNMENT AND ANOTHER OR BETWEEN
POLITICAL PARTIES, OR QUESTIONS AS TO RIVAL THEORIES OF GOVERNMENT.
8. THE GRAND LODGE IS AWARE THAT THERE DO EXIST BODIES STYLING THEMSELVES FREEMASONS,
WHICH DO NOT ADHERE TO THESE PRINCIPLES, AND WHILE THAT ATTITUDE EXISTS THE GRAND
LODGE OF SCOTLAND REFUSES ABSOLUTELY TO HAVE ANY RELATIONS WITH SUCH BODIES OR TO
REGARD THEM AS FREEMASONS.
9. THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND IS A SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT BODY PRACTISING
FREEMASONRY ONLY WITHIN THE THREE DEGREES AND ONLY WITHIN THE LIMITS DEFINED IN ITS
CONSTITUTION. IT DOES NOT RECOGNISE OR ADMIT THE EXISTENCE OF ANY SUPERIOR MASONIC
AUTHORITY HOWEVER STYLED.
10. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION THE GRAND LODGE HAS REFUSED, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO
REFUSE, TO PARTICIPATE IN CONFERENCES WITH SO-CALLED INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
CLAIMING TO REPRESENT FREEMASONRY, WHICH ADMIT TO MEMBERSHIP BODIES FAILING TO
CONFORM STRICTLY TO THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND IS
FOUNDED. THE GRAND LODGE DOES NOT ADMIT ANY SUCH CLAIM, NOR CAN IT’S VIEWS BE
REPRESENTED BY ANY SUCH ASSOCIATION.
11. THERE IS NO SECRET WITH REGARD TO ANY OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FREEMASONRY,
SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN STATED ABOVE. THE GRAND LODGE WILL ALWAYS CONSIDER THE
RECOGNITION OF THOSE GRAND LODGES WHICH PROFESS AND PRACTISE, AND CAN SHOW THAT
THEY HAVE CONSISTENTLY PROFESSED AND PRACTISED, THOSE ESTABLISHED AND UNALTERED
PRINCIPLES, BUT IN NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL IT ENTER INTO DISCUSSION WITH A VIEW TO ANY
NEW OR VARIED INTERPRETATION OF THEM. THEY MUST BE ACCEPTED AND PRACTISED
WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND IN THERE ENTIRETY BY THOSE WHO DESIRE TO BE RECOGNISED AS
FREEMASONS BY THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND.
FORTH IN PRECISE FORM THE AIMS OF FREEMASONRY AS CONSISTENTLY PRACTISED UNDER ITS
JURISDICTION SINCE IT CAME INTO BEING AS AN ORGANISED BODY IN 1736, AND ALSO TO DEFINE
THE PRINCIPLES GOVERNING ITS RELATIONS WITH THOSE OTHER GRAND LODGES WITH WHICH IT
IS IN FRATERNAL ACCORD.
2, IN VIEW OF REPRESENTATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN RECEIVED, AND OF STATEMENTS RECENTLY
ISSUED WHICH HAVE DISTORTED OR OBSCURED THE TRUE OBJECTS OF FREEMASONRY, IT IS ONCE
AGAIN CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO EMPHASISE CERTAIN FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE ORDER.
3. THE FIRST CONDITION OF ADMISSION INTO , AND MEMBERSHIP OF, THE ORDER IS A BELIEF IN A
SUPREME BEING. THIS IS ESSENTIAL AND ADMITS NO COMPROMISE.
4. THE BIBLE, REFERRED TO BY FREEMASONS AS THE VOLUME OF THE SACRED LAW, IS ALWAYS
OPEN IN THE LODGES. EVERY CANDIDATE IS REQUIRED TO TAKE HIS OBLIGATION ON THAT BOOK,
OR ON THE VOLUME WHICH IS HELD BY HIS PARTICULAR CREED TO IMPART SANCTITY TO AN
OATH OR PROMISE TAKEN UPON IT.
5. EVERYONE WHO ENTERS FREEMASONRY IS, AT THE OUTSET STRICTLY FORBIDDEN TO
COUNTENANCE ANY ACT WHICH MAY HAVE A TENDENCY TO SUBVERT THE PEACE AND GOOD ORDER
OF SOCIETY, HE MUST PAY DUE OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW OF ANY STATE IN WHICH HE RESIDES OR
WHICH MAY AFFORD HIM PROTECTION, AND HE MUST NEVER BE REMISS IN THE ALLEGIANCE
DUE TO THE SOVEREIGN OF HIS NATIVE LAND.
6. WHILE SCOTTISH FREEMASONRY THUS INCULCATES IN EACH OF ITS MEMBERS THE DUTIES OF
LOYALTY AND CITIZENSHIP, IT RESERVES TO THE INDIVIDUAL THE RIGHT TO HOLD HIS OWN
OPINION WITH REGARD TO PUBLIC AFFAIRS. BUT NEITHER IN ANY LODGE NOR AT ANY TIME IN
HIS CAPACITY AS A FREEMASON IS HE PERMITTED TO DISCUSS OR TO ADVANCE HIS VIEWS ON
THEOLOGICAL OR POLITICAL QUESTIONS.
7. THE GRAND LODGE HAS ALWAYS CONSISTENTLY REFUSED TO EXPRESS ANY OPINION ON
QUESTIONS OF FOREIGN OR DOMESTIC STATE POLICY EITHER AT HOME OR ABROAD, AND IT WILL
NOT ALLOW ITS NAME TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ANY ACTION, HOWEVER HUMANITARIAN IT MAY
APPEAR TO BE, WHICH INFRINGES ITS UNALTERABLE POLICY OF STANDING ALOOF FROM EVERY
QUESTION AFFECTING THE RELATIONS BETWEEN ONE GOVERNMENT AND ANOTHER OR BETWEEN
POLITICAL PARTIES, OR QUESTIONS AS TO RIVAL THEORIES OF GOVERNMENT.
8. THE GRAND LODGE IS AWARE THAT THERE DO EXIST BODIES STYLING THEMSELVES FREEMASONS,
WHICH DO NOT ADHERE TO THESE PRINCIPLES, AND WHILE THAT ATTITUDE EXISTS THE GRAND
LODGE OF SCOTLAND REFUSES ABSOLUTELY TO HAVE ANY RELATIONS WITH SUCH BODIES OR TO
REGARD THEM AS FREEMASONS.
9. THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND IS A SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT BODY PRACTISING
FREEMASONRY ONLY WITHIN THE THREE DEGREES AND ONLY WITHIN THE LIMITS DEFINED IN ITS
CONSTITUTION. IT DOES NOT RECOGNISE OR ADMIT THE EXISTENCE OF ANY SUPERIOR MASONIC
AUTHORITY HOWEVER STYLED.
10. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION THE GRAND LODGE HAS REFUSED, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO
REFUSE, TO PARTICIPATE IN CONFERENCES WITH SO-
CONFORM STRICTLY TO THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND IS
FOUNDED. THE GRAND LODGE DOES NOT ADMIT ANY SUCH CLAIM, NOR CAN IT’S VIEWS BE
REPRESENTED BY ANY SUCH ASSOCIATION.
11. THERE IS NO SECRET WITH REGARD TO ANY OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FREEMASONRY,
SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN STATED ABOVE. THE GRAND LODGE WILL ALWAYS CONSIDER THE
RECOGNITION OF THOSE GRAND LODGES WHICH PROFESS AND PRACTISE, AND CAN SHOW THAT
THEY HAVE CONSISTENTLY PROFESSED AND PRACTISED, THOSE ESTABLISHED AND UNALTERED
PRINCIPLES, BUT IN NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL IT ENTER INTO DISCUSSION WITH A VIEW TO ANY
NEW OR VARIED INTERPRETATION OF THEM. THEY MUST BE ACCEPTED AND PRACTISED
WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND IN THERE ENTIRETY BY THOSE WHO DESIRE TO BE RECOGNISED AS
FREEMASONS BY THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND.
THE AIMS AND RELATIONSHIPS OF THE CRAFT
© LODGE EARL HAIG 1260, 2005 - 2007
