Changes

==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==