Freemasonry is one of the world's oldest secular fraternal societies. It is a society of men concerned with high moral and spiritual values, and belief in the betterment of mankind in general. Its members are taught its precepts by a series of ritual dramas, which follow ancient forms, and use stonemasons' customs and tools as allegorical guides.

Freemasonry is a heartfelt sharing, by men who have their own personal religious and moral convictions, of certain insights into the nature of existence that can only be communicated by an ancient and agreed form of words that require careful memorisation and constant meditation.

A Freemason is encouraged to do his duty first to his God through his faith and religious practice; and then, without detriment to his family and those dependent on him, to his neighbour through charity and service. None of these ideas is exclusively Masonic, but all should be universally acceptable. Freemasons are expected to follow them.

The proper, memorised and considered reply to the question "What is Freemasonry?" is "A peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols". It is not a code of life or a guide to morality, but a 'peculiar system'. What does that mean? Remember that 'peculiar' two hundred years ago did not have the same meaning as it has now (i.e. strange or odd). It had the same meaning as the modern word 'particular' i.e. special or characteristic - even private or personal. It is not, nor is it meant to be, another set of Ten Commandments. It is something other than them, something peculiar and distinctive, something that is worth having though not necessarily as one would claim for a religion. It is moreover an intangible but experienced fellowship that is in itself a 'secret' - a mystery.