It is a voluntary association of men.
It is a system of moral conduct.
It is a way of life.
It is a fraternal society.
It is religious in its character.
It teaches the Golden Rule.
It seeks to make good men better men.
It teaches morality through symbolism.
It uses rites and ceremonies to instruct its members.
It is based on a firm belief in the Fatherhood of God, the Brotherhood of Man, and the Immortality of the Soul.
