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[[Image:Mason.jpg|right]]

[[Image:Mason.jpg|right]]

 

'''Freemasonry''' is a fraternity for men, with a worldwide membership of around 4 million. Local branches are called 'lodges', and the members meet together and perform rituals teaching moral truths, similar to short plays, supposedly based on Biblical imagery mostly concerned with the building of [[Solomon's Temple]] in [[Jerusalem]].  

'''Freemasonry''' is a fraternity for men, with a worldwide membership of around 4 million. Local branches are called 'lodges', and the members meet together and perform rituals teaching moral truths, similar to short plays, supposedly based on Biblical imagery mostly concerned with the building of [[Solomon's Temple]] in [[Jerusalem]].  

Perhaps the best-known Freemasons appendant body in the USA are the Shriners, who raise funds for children's hospitals and other charities.  

Perhaps the best-known Freemasons appendant body in the USA are the Shriners, who raise funds for children's hospitals and other charities.  

Membership dues can vary widely between jurisdictions and individual lodges, which frequently raise money for charity.

Membership dues can vary widely between jurisdictions and individual lodges, which frequently raise money for charity.

 

Historically, Freemasons played a pivotal role in the [[United States]] in blocking [[communism]] from taking control of the [[White House]] or [[U.S. Supreme Court]].  In 1944, the dying Freemason President [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt]] put a fellow Freemason [[Harry Truman]] on his ticket to replace his Vice President, [[Henry Wallace]], a communist sympathizer.  This enabled the Freemason Truman to become president in 1945 and he subsequently appointed four Freemasons (Burton, Vinson, Clark, and Minson), all anti-communists, to the Supreme Court.

The central tenets of Freemasonry are:  

The central tenets of Freemasonry are:  

==History==  

==History==  

There is little known for certain about the beginnings of Freemasonry. Masonic legends claim various theories about its origins, including some considered, even by Masons, to be improbable. Certainly, lodges of "operative" Freemasons (men who worked stone and built with it) were formed around the major religious and civil work places during the Middle Ages in Europe and the British Isles. These lodges were early societies or guilds for the craftsmen, and places where an apprentice could be taught. The lodges also taught morality.

There is little known for certain about the beginnings of Freemasonry. Masonic legends claim various theories about its origins, including some considered, even by Masons, to be improbable. Certainly, lodges of "operative" Freemasons (men who worked stone and built with it) were formed around the major religious and civil work places during the Middle Ages in Europe and the British Isles. These lodges were early societies or guilds for the craftsmen, and places where an apprentice could be taught. The lodges also taught [[tolerance]].

When a man moved to another site he took special symbols, signs, and handshakes that were recognizable to the senior masons and formed a means of recognition of his standing in the wider society of masons. Over time, non-masons learned of the moral teaching and social atmosphere of the lodge and were admitted as non-operative or "speculative" masons. (However, some claim that the lodges first started with the ancient Hebrews or with Pythagoras or Euclid, both ancient Greek geometers. This is supposed to explain Masonry's emphasis upon geometric symbolism.)  

When a man moved to another site he took special symbols, signs, and handshakes that were recognizable to the senior masons and formed a means of recognition of his standing in the wider society of masons. Over time, non-masons learned of the moral teaching and social atmosphere of the lodge and were admitted as non-operative or "speculative" masons. (However, some claim that the lodges first started with the ancient Hebrews or with Pythagoras or Euclid, both ancient Greek geometers. This is supposed to explain Masonry's emphasis upon geometric symbolism.)  

In 1717 four lodges met together at a public house (pub, or hotel) in London and formed the Grand Lodge of England. It later chartered grand lodges in other countries.

In 1717 four lodges met together at a public house (pub, or hotel) in London and formed the Grand Lodge of England. It later chartered grand lodges in other countries.

 

In 1923 the Italian leader [[Mussolini]] ordered through his Fascist Council that members of the ruling Fascist political party who were Freemasons had to give up one or the other. In 1925 Mussolini stated publicly that although Anglo-American Freemasonry was acceptable to him, the Grand Orient Freemasonry of Italy was part of the larger French Grand Orient, which he stated was subversive.He then outlawed Grand Orient Freemasonry.<ref name="bessel.org">[http://bessel.org/naziartl.htm]</ref>

In 1923 the Italian leader [[Mussolini]] ordered through his Fascist Council that members of the ruling Fascist political party who were Freemasons had to give up one or the other. In 1925 Mussolini stated publicly that although Anglo-American Freemasonry was acceptable to him, the Grand Orient Freemasonry of Italy was part of the larger French Grand Orient, which he stated was subversive.He then outlawed Grand Orient Freemasonry.<ref name="bessel.org">[http://bessel.org/naziartl.htm]</ref>

After [[Adolf Hitler]] came to power he outlawed Freemasonry in [[Germany]]. That year in April, Herman Goering, a German public official, held a meeting with the Grand Master of German Freemasonry, and told him Freemasonry would not be tolerated in Germany anymore. At first Hitler only outlawed the pro-Jewish Humantirian Freemasonic lodges in 1933. But in 1935 he outlawed Freemasonry in all its forms, including the highly anti-Jewish Prussian Grand Lodges.<ref>Short, Martin Inside the Brotherhood: Explosive Secrets of the Freemasons HarperCollins page 27</ref><ref>[http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007187]</ref> Robert Jackson, the US prosecuting attorney at the Nuremberg trials, stated, "It is not generally understood that among the earliest and most savage of the many persecutions undertaken by every modern dictatorship are those directed against the Free Masons".<ref name="bessel.org"/>

After [[Adolf Hitler]] came to power he outlawed Freemasonry in [[Germany]]. That year in April, Herman Goering, a German public official, held a meeting with the Grand Master of German Freemasonry, and told him Freemasonry would not be tolerated in Germany anymore. At first Hitler only outlawed the pro-Jewish Humantirian Freemasonic lodges in 1933. But in 1935 he outlawed Freemasonry in all its forms, including the highly anti-Jewish Prussian Grand Lodges.<ref>Short, Martin Inside the Brotherhood: Explosive Secrets of the Freemasons HarperCollins page 27</ref><ref>[http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007187]</ref> Robert Jackson, the US prosecuting attorney at the Nuremberg trials, stated, "It is not generally understood that among the earliest and most savage of the many persecutions undertaken by every modern dictatorship are those directed against the Free Masons".<ref name="bessel.org"/>

==Famous Freemasons==  

==Famous Freemasons==  

   

   

*Kermit W. Richardson: National Master, National Grange  

*Kermit W. Richardson: National Master, National Grange  

<u>Historically well-known Masons:</u>  

<u>Historically well-known Masons:</u>  

*Sir John J.C. Abbott, Prime Minister of Canada (1821-1893)  

*Sir John J.C. Abbott, Prime Minister of Canada (1821-1893)  

*Sir Joseph Banks, naturalist, biologist, explorer (1744 - 1820)  

*Sir Joseph Banks, naturalist, biologist, explorer (1744-1820)  

*Frédéric A. Bartholdi, French sculptor best known for his figure ''Liberty Enlightening the World'', also known as the [[Statue of Liberty]], (1834-1904)  

*Frédéric A. Bartholdi, French sculptor best known for his figure ''Liberty Enlightening the World'', also known as the [[Statue of Liberty]], (1834-1904)  

*[[Robert Burns]], Scottish nationalist, poet (1759 - 1796)  

*[[Robert Burns]], Scottish nationalist, poet (1759-1796)  

*[[Robert Byrd]]: Senator, the longest-serving member of the US Congress  

*[[Robert Byrd]]: Senator, the longest-serving member of the US Congress  

*Lord [[Randolph Churchill]]: British statesman (1849 - 1895)  

*Lord [[Randolph Churchill]]: British statesman (1849-1895)  

*Sir [[Winston Churchill]]: British politician (1874 - 1965)

*Sir [[Winston Churchill]]: British politician (1874-1965)

*[[Ty Cobb]]: baseball legend

*[[Ty Cobb]]: baseball legend

*[[Theodore Roosevelt]]: US president (1858 - 1919)

*[[Theodore Roosevelt]]: US president (1858-1919)

*Sir [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] (1859-1930): author of the Sherlock Holmes stories and novels

*Sir [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] (1859-1930): author of the Sherlock Holmes stories and novels

*HM [[Edward VIII]]: King, Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England

*HM [[Edward VIII]]: King, Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England

*The Most Rev. Geoffrey Fisher (1887 - 1972): Archbishop of [[Canterbury]]  

*The Most Rev. Geoffrey Fisher (1887-1972): Archbishop of [[Canterbury]]  

*Sir Alexander Fleming (1881 - 1955): medical doctor who discovered penicillin

*Sir Alexander Fleming (1881-1955): medical doctor who discovered penicillin

*[[Gerald R. Ford]]: US President  

*[[Gerald R. Ford]]: US President  

   

   

*Sir [[William S. Gilbert]] (1836-1911): poet/librettist (Gilbert and Sullivan)

*Sir [[William S. Gilbert]] (1836-1911): poet/librettist (Gilbert and Sullivan)

*Tim Horton (1930-1974): Toronto Maple Leafs hockey standout and founder of Tim Horton's restaurants

*Tim Horton (1930-1974): Toronto Maple Leafs hockey standout and founder of Tim Horton's restaurants

*Motilal Nehru (1861-1931)<ref>https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/Nehru-Vivekananda-Tata-were-also-Freemasons/article20544410.ece</ref>

*Motilal Nehru (1861-1931)<ref>https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/Nehru-Vivekananda-Tata-were-also-Freemasons/article20544410.ece</ref>

*Aga Khan III (1877-1957):One of the founders of the [[Muslim League]]<ref>https://freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/khan_a/khan_a.html</ref>

*Aga Khan III (1877-1957): One of the founders of the [[Muslim League]]<ref>https://freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/khan_a/khan_a.html</ref>

 

*[[Lyndon B. Johnson]] (1908-1973): 36th President of the United States<ref>https://www.lodgeofunity.org.uk/extracts-from-the-minutes/famous-masons/</ref>

*[[Lyndon B Johnson]] (1908-1973):36th President of the United States<ref>https://www.lodgeofunity.org.uk/extracts-from-the-minutes/famous-masons/</ref>

*[[Bob Dole]]: [[Republican]] nominee for president in 1996.

==Women and Freemasonry==  

==Women and Freemasonry==