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Creed
The creed for Sigma Phi Epsilon was written by the late Oscar E. Draper, former
Grand Chapter President in 1928-29.
The creed is a statement which summarizes the beliefs of the fraternity and
the expectations of every brother.
Oscar E. Draper
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 for 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 the man more note
worthy then 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 of 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 of 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 be found the scholar, the athlete,
the builder and 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
respect duly 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
those 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.
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