What is Freemasonry

What is Freemasonry?

Freemasonry is one of the world’s oldest secular fraternal societies. It is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values. Its members are taught its precepts by a series of ritual dramas, which follow ancient forms, and use stonemasons’ customs and tools as allegorical guides.

It teaches self-knowledge through participation in a series of progressive ceremonies. Members are expected to be of high moral standing and are encouraged to continually improve themselves.

Freemasonry instils in its members a moral and ethical approach to life: its values are based on integrity, friendship, respect and charity. Members are urged to regard the interests of the family as paramount but, importantly, Freemasonry also teaches and practices concern for people, care for the less fortunate and help for those in need. 

Being a Freemason means different things to each of those who join. For some, it’s an opportunity to make new friends and acquaintances. For others it’s about being able to help deserving causes. But for the most, it is an enjoyable hobby which the majority of members stay a part of for many years.

Freemasonry has over 200,000 members within England and Wales making up over 7,000 lodges making it the largest fraternal organisation in the United Kingdom. 

Freemasonry History




The questions of when, how, why and where Freemasonry originated are still the subject of intense speculation. The general consensus amongst Masonic scholars is that it is believed to have originated in England in the late 16th or early 17th centuries, descending both directly and indirectly from the organisation of operative stonemasons who built the great cathedrals and castles of the Middle Ages.

Directly, by operative lodges accepting non-operative members, who gradually took over and transformed the lodges into purely speculative ones. Indirectly, in that a group of men interested in promoting tolerance in an intolerant age came together and adopted the stonemason’s tools and customs as allegorical aids to teach their precepts.
    
The early evidence of Freemasonry is very scarce. There are some one hundred and thirty versions of what are now known as the Old Charges, dating from circa 1390. These are parchment rolls up to nine feet in length or paper sheets formed into notebooks containing a legendary history of the mason trade and Charges reciting the duties of a mason to his God, his master, his craft and his fellows. 

The earliest evidence of the ‘making’ of an English non-operative Mason is that of Elias Ashmole, the Antiquary, made in a Lodge called for that purpose at Warrington, Cheshire, on 16th October 1646. He recorded the event, and a later visit to a London Lodge in 1682, in his diary.

Randle Holme III was a member of a lodge in Chester in the 1670s and by 1686 Freemasonry was well enough known to warrant a mention in Robert Plot’s Natural History of Staffordshire. There are claims that at least seven Lodges were meeting in London and one in York in the 1690s. Certainly we know that in 1705 there were four Lodges meeting in London and one each in York and Scarborough.



The Grand Lodge of England was formed, as the first Grand Lodge in the world, by the coming together of four London Lodges at the Goose and Gridiron Tavern, St. Paul’s Churchyard, on 24th June 1717. They elected Anthony Sayer, Gentleman, as the first Grand Master and resolved to meet annually at a Grand Feast.

The lodges began to attract men of intellect, notably Dr. John Theophilus Desaguliers (Grand Master 1719) and other members of the Royal Society and the aristocracy, (John 2nd Duke of Montagu, the first noble Grand Master 1721) who changed the Grand Lodge from a simple Feast to a regulatory body.

By 1730 the Grand Lodge had published its Constitutions (1723); begun to keep official Minutes (1723); issued an annual engraved List of Regular Lodges (1723); set up a Charity Committee and Central Charity Fund (1727); held authority over seventy four Lodges in England and Wales, and had begun to export the Craft abroad by issuing deputations to form lodges in Gibraltar and India.

Development at home was aided by the appointment by patent of Provincial Grand Masters to represent the Grand Master in the Counties. The success of the premier Grand Lodge was crowned in 1782 by the installation of HRH Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland as Grand Master.

 

In 1768 the premier Grand Lodge took the momentous decision to build a Hall as its headquarters in London. A site was purchased in Great Queen Street, an architectural competition held, the Foundation Stone laid, and on 23 May 1776 the Hall was formally dedicated to the purposes of Freemasonry.
In addition to providing offices and meeting rooms the Hall, fronted by the Freemasons’ Tavern, was to prove a popular venue for concerts, musical and literary recitals, dinners and balls during the London ‘season’.
Designed by Thomas Sandby (1721-1798), the Grand Hall survived until 1931 when it was found to be structurally unsound and was demolished.

 

The present, and third, Freemasons’ Hall was built 1927-1933, by voluntary subscriptions, as a memorial to those who gave their lives in the First World War.
In addition to being the headquarters of English Freemasonry the Hall provides a central meeting place for London Lodges and Chapters. There are nineteen Lodge rooms in addition to the Grand Temple, together with Conference and Committee Rooms for more informal meetings. Offices are provided for the Grand Secretary and his staff to administer the Craft, Royal Arch and Grand Charity, and workshops for the necessary maintenance of the fabric.
The Library and Museum act both as a repository for the records and treasures of Freemasonry and as an information centre for researchers and visitors from all over the world.



Why Join?
 
People have their own reasons why they join Freemasonry. Many come for the brotherhood, others for self-improvement; often people come wanting to follow in the footsteps of long standing family members.
 
Regardless of the reasons, all of those who join our ranks will ultimately get a sense of the undermentioned benefits that underlie our foundations.



Achievement 

Recognition for working hard and progressing through the various offices in the lodge to in time become Master of their Lodge.

Confidence

In getting up in front of their peers; whether delivering a piece of ritual or after dinner speech making.

Brotherhood 

 Making new friends and acquaintances from all walks of life, every background and age group.

Inclusion

Being a part of something special where every man is equal to the next no matter what their social or economic standing in life is.

Charity

Being able to contribute to deserving causes, both Masonic and non-Masonic.

Education and Knowledge

Learning from peers and mentors by practising ritual and discovering the history and mysteries of Freemasonry.

Self Improvement

Becoming a better version of yourself and thus making a more valuable contribution in life to your family and society in general.



Our fraternity has a rich and interesting history, which dates back more than three centuries. We strive to live to the highest moral and social standards, treating others as we would wish to be treated.


If these characteristics describe how you lead your life or the life you wish to attain, then Freemasonry could very well be for you!



  • Is Freemasonry a religious organisation?

    Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion, however it is religious in nature, as it requires its members to have faith in a Supreme Being or higher power than themselves, which should be according to the individual Mason’s belief. 


    It’s not a sectarian organisation and does not promote one religion over another. Masonic ceremonies describe a moral code, using basic principles that are common to all religions.


    One of the first rules of Freemasonry is that it forbids the discussion in Masonic meetings of matters concerning religion and politics — topics likely to cause personal arguments as this is where traditionally, many people hold firm views. Such discussion would likely upset the harmony of the lodge in which we work hard to maintain.


  • Why is Freemasonry so secretive?

    Freemasonry is not a ‘secret’ society, rather a society with secrets. The notion that we are secretive comes from a time, hundreds of years ago, where certain organisations had to meet in private to escape religious persecution or political paranoia. This is not relevant in todays’ open society. However, the need to maintain our ‘secrets’ or rather more aptly, traditions, are in order to preserve the integrity of our institution in the way our forbearers did. 


    Masonic Centres often hold open days where members are happy to give guided tours to the general public. Visitors can see inside the Masonic temples where the ceremonies take place and are free to ask as many questions as they like.


  • Do handshakes give members preferential treatment?

    The handshakes are signs used within Masonic ceremonies to distinguish ones level – much like a military rank slide. Certainly they can be used in everyday society, but to expect preferential treatment or some other form of advantage from fellow Freemasons is both misguided and contrary to one of the basic principles of the organisation and is highly frowned upon. 


    It has been said that some people become Freemasons for personal benefit. This statement is indeed true, but understood in the wrong context. The personal gain is in experiencing the warmth of an honourable society and being part of an organisation that works hard to help the less fortunate of the world.


  • Why do grown men dress up and hold strange ceremonies?

    Freemasonry has been in existence for over 300 years and over this time it has developed a pattern of rituals. They are no more outlandish than ceremonies such as the State Opening of Parliament but, like this event, they perform a valuable function in reminding members of the heritage and standards they are expected to maintain. Once people have become Freemasons and understand the context of the rituals and symbolism held there within, they no longer seem strange or out-dated.

  • What do Freemasons do in the Lodges?

    The majority of lodges meet four – six times a year, usually in the evenings. The formal part of the meetings are to conduct ceremonies that bring in new candidates or confer further ‘degrees’ upon members once they have made sufficient progression. Other parts of the meeting usually concern the need to support various charities and the welfare of our members in addition to the general business of running the lodge.


    After the formalities there is usually a three-course meal - ‘The Festive Board’, where we get to socialise with our members and guests. These proceedings nearly always involve charitable endeavours, toasts and heart felt speeches.


    Additionally there are weekly Lodge of Instruction meetings for those who want to progress, where members learn more about the principles of Freemasonry and to master the ritual performed in the ceremonies.


    There are also social and sporting events organised for members and their families throughout the year. 


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