I
believe in the American college fraternity. I believe in Sigma Phi Epsilon.
I believe in this Fraternity because it would have me strive in every way to
live up to the high principles in which it stands. These are Virtue, Diligence,
and Brotherly Love.
I believe that the word Virtue is an inclusive term; that it is not enough that
I be merely passively virtuous: I must be positive on virtue's behalf. Therefore,
I will stand aggressively for honesty in all walks of life, and I will speak
cleanly, play cleanly, and live cleanly. Whenever I can, I will oppose lawlessness
and vice.
I believe that unless I succeed in being Diligent, I cannot be a good Fraternity
member. Believing that my Fraternity can be no greater than any of its members,
I shall strive to make it so high and so worthy that men will consider it an
honor and privilege to belong to it, and will strive to be admitted to it. I
will not offer concessions to an individual to secure his affiliation, for thus
making concessions makes the man more noteworthy than the Fraternity and hence
only succeeds in lowering it in his estimation as well as mine.
I believe that Brotherly Love Must be given in order to be received, and that
it cannot exist without triumph of the principles of Virtue and Diligence, for
these are essential parts of it.
I believe that a man will be made better for having been a member in my Fraternity.
I know that I cannot expect the Neophyte to be a finished product. Rather, I
will try to discover whether or not the environment and contact with men of
high ideals will make him a good Fraternity man.
I believe that as a good Fraternity member I must share a rich kinship of spirit
with my brothers. Yet I realize that the members must be men of diversified
abilities and talents. Among them are to found the scholar, the athlete, the
builder and craftsman, and the organization leader. But the scholar cannot make
a fraternity. Nor can the athlete. Nor the craftsman. The good Fraternity member
must be par excellent in manhood.
I believe that to be a good member I must be loyal to my Fraternity. In order
to be loyal to it, I must love it. In order to love it I must strive constantly
to make it worthy of my love. To be loyal to my Fraternity, I must gain a knowledge
of it so that I may understand it. I have an obligation to understand what brotherhood
means.
I believe that in any organized society group rights and privileges are based
on individual rights and privileges; that in my Fraternity I possess the same
rights and privileges and have the same duties as my fellow members. Therefore,
I shall at all times duly respect the rights of others.
I believe that obedience to the laws of my community and my country is essential
to good citizenship; that the laws and rules of my Fraternity and my chapter
are intended to regulate the actions of its members, one with another, and that
without fidelity to the laws and rules I cannot be a good citizen and a worthy
member of Sigma Phi Epsilon.
I believe I should be generous with the faults of a brother, as I should wish
him to be with mine.
