We are rapidly moving through the year and I am pleased with our efforts to educate and enlighten ourselves about the ways that Masons, through our concordant bodies, make an impact on our communities. This month we will have a presentation on the work of the Scottish Rite.

As I was pondering the role of Masonry in society, I considered that one of the obvious things that sets Masons apart is the strong moral code that we teach and (hopefully) live by. I performed a little research to see what I could find about studies examining the impact of a strong moral code on achievement. Not surprisingly, I found that many studies have been conducted to examine the impact of high morals and beliefs. These studies almost universally find a high correlation between a strong moral code and goal achievement, self-fulfillment, and social benefits (that is, community good).

It seems that students and business people who consciously apply the teachings of their religion or other source of morality during the daily decision making process, attain superior goal achievement results over those who do not. Moreover, they are able to be successful in times of stress, turbulence, instability, and trouble. Given the tough economic times that we live in, I encourage all to make a conscious effort to remember and apply our Masonic lessons in our everyday lives.