What is Masonry?
Masonry (Freemasonry) is the oldest and one of the largest fraternities in the world, and encourages good citizenship and political expression, but is not a political or religious organization. Its charitable activities are manifold; yet, it is not a welfare or benefit organization. Masonry teaches that each person has a responsibility to make things better in the world. Most individuals will not be the ones to find a cure for cancer, or eliminate poverty, or help create world peace. Yet, every man, woman, and child is capable of doing something to help others, or to make things a little better. Masonry is deeply involved with helping people — it contributes millions of dollars every day in the United States alone, just to make life a little easier. The great majority of that help goes to people who are not Masons. Some of the Masonic charities are vast projects.
What is Freemasonry? Masons, also known as Freemasons, belong to the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world. There are more than 2 million Freemasons in North America. Masons represent virtually every occupation and profession, yet within the fraternity, all meet as equals. Masons come from diverse political ideologies, yet meet as friends. Masons come from varied religious beliefs and creeds, yet all beleive in one God. One of the most fascinating aspects of Freemasonry is how so many men, from so many walks of life, can meet together in peace, always conducting their affairs in harmony and friendship and calling each other “Brother”. Freemasonry 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
I ve been a Mason six months now and I ought to know something about Masonry. But there are more secrets in the fraternity I don’t know than those I have been told!” The New Brother was puzzled. The Old Tiler laid down his sword, picked up a half-smoked cigar and lit it, and settled back in his chair. “Get it out of your system,” he invited. “Is Masonry a religion,” continued the New Brother, “or a system of philosophy, or a childish getting together of men who like to play politics and wear titles? I have heard it called all three. Sometimes I think it’s one and sometimes the other. What do you think?” “It isn’t a childish getting together for the love of titles and honors,” answered the Old Tiler. “Men would soon’ invent a much better organization for the satisfaction of such purposes. In fact, he has invented better ones. Men who want to play politics and be called the Grand High Cockalorum of the Exalted Central Chamber of the Secret Sanctorum can join these. If Masonry were nothi
So, is Masonry education? Yes. In a very real sense, education is at the center of Masonry. We have stressed its importance for a very long time. Back in the Middle Ages, schools were held in the lodges of stonemasons. You have to know a lot to build a cathedral — geometry, and structural engineering, and mathematics, just for a start. And that education was not very widely available. All the formal schools and colleges trained people for careers in the church, or in law or medicine. And you had to be a member of the social upper classes to go to those schools. Stonemasons did not come from the aristocracy. And so the lodges had to teach the necessary skills and information. Freemasonry’s dedication to education started there. It has continued. Masons started some of the first public schools in both Europe and America. We supported legislation to make education universal. In the 1800s Masons as a group lobbied for the establishment of state supported education and federal land grant c
