What is Freemasonry?
The following information was compiled from
questions and answers about Freemasonry from
FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) on alt.freemason
and alt.masonic.members
What is Freemasonry?
Freemasonry (or simply, Masonry) is a fraternal
order whose basic tenets are brotherly love,
relief (philanthropy), and truth. We strive
to enjoy the company of our brother Masons,
assist them in times of personal trouble,
and reinforce essential moral values. There
is an old adage that Masonry "takes
good men and makes them better", which
is our goal.
It has often been observed that men are the
products of everything they come into contact
with during their lifetime. Masonry offers
a man an opportunity to come into regular,
enjoyable contact with men of good character,
thus reinforcing his own personal moral development.
Of course, Masonry is also meant to be enjoyed
by its membership, so the order should not
be viewed simply as a philosophical club,
but rather a vibrant fellowship of men who
seek to enjoy each other's company. In other
words, we are a fraternity.To maintain this
fraternity, discussion of religion and politics
within the Lodge is forbidden as these subjects
are those which have often divided men in
the past. Masons cover the spectrum of both
religious and political beliefs, encourages
a man to be religious without advocating
a particular religion, and to be active in
his community without advocating a particular
medium of political expression.
While there probably are some actual stone-workers
who are Masons, Masonry does not teach is
membership the literal techniques of stonework.
Rather, it takes the actual "operative"
work of Medieval Masons and uses it as an
allegory for moral development. Thus, the
symbols of Masonry are the common tools that
were used by medieval stonemasons: the common
gavel, the rule, the compass, the square,
the level, the heavy-set maul, etc. Each
of these has a symbolic meaning in Masonry.
For example, Masons are said to meet "on
the level", meaning that all Masons
are brothers, regardless of social status,
personal wealth, or office within the Lodge
or in the world at large. Similar symbolism
exists for other tools.
Masonry is distinguished from other fraternal
orders by its emphasis on moral character,
its ornate rituals, and its long tradition
and history, which dates back to at least
the 17th century in modern form, the 14th
century (c. 1350-1390) in the written evidence
of its precursors, and back to the mists
of antiquity in its origin. Masonry has a
continuously documented paper history (i.e.,
Lodge to Lodge) since 1717, though historical
analysis shows Masonry to be much older.
There are also a great many things that Masonry
is NOT: a religion, a secret society, used
for personal gain etc.,
There are three degrees in Masonry. Other
appendant bodies confer additional degrees,
up to the 32nd (or the honorary 33rd) of
the Scottish Rite, but in symbolic Masonry
proper, there are only three. At the Lodge,
Masons receive the degrees of Entered Apprentice
(First Degree), Fellowcraft (Second Degree),
and Master Mason (Third Degree). Promotion
generally requires the mastery of a small
body of memorized material, the contents
of which varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
In some jurisdictions, only the signs, tokens,
and grips of each degree must be learned;
in others, a longer amount of material. Of
course, no Mason would ever look down upon
a Brother simply because he was of a lower
degree-- the degrees do not exist to create
a pecking order or to confer rank. Rather,
they are a system of initiation that allows
men to become familiar with the august and
ancient history and principles of Masonry
at a comfortable pace. Proceeding from Entered
Apprentice to Master Mason in Canada can
take as little as three months, while in
England, the degrees are spaced apart by
a year's interval.
Most Lodges have regular communications (meetings)
once a month, that are also referred to as
"business meetings". In the some
jurisdictions, these are typically only open
to Master Masons. In other jurisdictions,
these meetings are opened in the first degree,
and Entered Apprentices may attend. Conferring
of degrees can be done during a regular communication
or during a separate meeting during any month.
This practice can vary from Lodge to Lodge
and jurisdiction to jurisdiction..
While conferral of degrees and mundane business
do take up a lot of a Lodge's time, there
are a host of other activities that Masons
engage in within the fraternity. Charitable
work is often done, in the form of fundraisers,
community volunteer work, etc. And there
are also a great many things done for the
simple pleasure of company: monthly breakfasts
or dinners, picnics, card/chess matches,
lecturers on Masonic history, you name it.
Masonry is a fraternity, and its membership
seeks to have fun.
Local Masonic Lodges are organized under
Grand Lodges. In Canada, each province has
its own Grand Lodge, which is a peer with
every other Grand Lodge. There is no "Grandest
Lodge"-- each Grand Lodge is supreme
in its jurisdiction but has no authority
elsewhere. Of course, this does not mean
that Masonry in Alberta is radically different
than Masonry in Scotland or Ontario or India.
Masons are very traditional and the differences
between Grand Lodges are usually minor.
The head of a Lodge is given the title Worshipful
Master. This, of course, does not imply that
Masons worship him; it is merely a stylish
title. Masonic Lodges can be found in many
cities, of all sizes, around the world. There
are presently approximately 5 million Masons
worldwide.
If you desire more information on becoming
a Mason, please feel free to email us at
the link below.
The Easiest Way To Become One Is To Ask One!
