Freemasonry

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Freemasonry is a fraternal organization, that is, an organisation for men, with a worldwide membership of around 3 million. Local branches are called 'lodges', and the members meet together and perform rituals teaching moral truths, similar to short plays, based on Biblical imagery mostly concerned with the building of Solomon's temple in Jerusalem.

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

Membership dues can vary widely between jurisdictions and individual lodges. Meals are often eaten before or after meetings. Lodges also frequently raise money for charity.

Beliefs

The central tenets of Freemasonry are:

  • Brotherly Love - the regard men have for each other;
  • Relief - relieving the necessities and destitution a man sees around him (charity);
  • Truth - being true to himself, his brother Masons, and others around him.

The most recognisable symbol of Freemasonry is the "Square and Compass," which is used to teach, respectively, "square conduct towards others" and "keeping passions and prejudices within due bounds".

For most jurisdictions of Freemasonry there is a rule that the members must believe in a god or supreme being and in the immortality of the soul. In Masonry, the supreme being is sometime called "The Great Architect of the Universe," a term that is said to be traceable back to the Christian thelogian, John Calvin.

Contrary to popular belief, Freemasons are not taught to 'prefer' other Masons or to do them special favors. They are pledged, however, to come to the assistance of other Masons if they are in need, so long as this does not involve any violation of one's ethical standards or imperil the well-being of the assisting Mason's family.

Degrees

Standard Freemasonry is divided into three degrees:

  • the first is called Entered Apprentice,
  • the second is Fellow Craft, and
  • the third is Master Mason.

Progressing through the degrees traditionally involves memorization. After the third degree a Freemason may go on to other Masonic bodies such as the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and the York Rite. These are considered to be branches of Freemasonry, never "higher" or superior degrees above that of Master Mason.

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 instilled moral teaching. When a man moved to another site he took special symbols, signs, and handshakes that were recognisable 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.

Famous Freemasons

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Living/active Masons:

Historically well known Masons:


Women and Freemasonry

Women are accepted into the social events surrounding Freemasonry.

An organisation for women associated with Freemasonry is the Order of the Eastern Star, and Freemasons may attend their meetings.

Irregular Freemasonry including women

There are some branches that also accept women ("Co-masonry") and a few exclusively for women. These are not considered "regular" by Freemasons, and men can be expelled from their lodges if they are known to have attended meetings of these so-called "clandestine" organisations.

External links

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