Freemasonry is one of the world's oldest fraternal societies. Ancient Freemasonry's lessons of moral values (governing relations between people) and its acknowledgement, without crossing the boundaries of religion, that all depends on the providence of God, apply today with as much force as they did when it took its modern form at the turn of the 17th century. Freemasonry has "secrets" (used in proof of membership) but it is not a secret society. Some of its internal affairs are private and Freemasons incline to reticence about their membership because they are taught not to use it to advance their own interests.
Although all Masons are required to profess and continue in a belief in a Supreme Being, and their ceremonies include prayers, Freemasonry is no substitute for religion: it has and can have no theological doctrines; it offers no sacraments, and does not claim to lead to salvation.
The Essential Qualification for Membership
The essential qualification for admission into and continuing membership is a belief in a Supreme Being. Membership is open to men of any race or religion who can fulfil this essential qualification and are of good repute.
Freemasonry and Religion
Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. Its essential qualification opens it to men of many religions and it expects them to continue to follow their own faith. It does not allow religion to be discussed at its meetings.
Freemasonry and Politics
Freemasonry is non-political, and the discussion of politics at Masonic meetings is forbidden.
The Three Great Principles
For many years Freemasons have followed three great principles:
Brotherly Love
Every true Freemason will show tolerance and respect for the opinions of others and behave with kindness and understanding to his fellow creatures
Relief
Freemasons are taught to practice charity, and to care, not only for their own, but also for the community as a whole, both by charitable giving, and by voluntary efforts and works as individuals.
Truth
Freemasons strive for truth, requiring high moral standards and aiming to achieve them in their own lives.
Freemasons believe that these principles represent a way of achieving higher standards in life.
Charity
From its earliest days, Freemasonry has been concerned with care of orphans, the sick and the aged. This work continues today. In addition, large sums are given to the national and local charities.
Freemasonry and Society
Freemasonry demands from its members a respect for the law of the country in which a man works and lives.
Its principles do not in any way conflict with its members' duties as citizens, but should strengthen them in fulfilling their public and private responsibilites. The use by a Freemason of his membership to promote his own or anyone else's business, professional or personal interests is condemned, and is contrary to the conditions on which he sought admission to Freemasonry.
His duty as a citizen must always prevail over any obligation to other Freemasons, and any attempt to shield a Freemason who has acted dishonourably or unlawfully is contrary to his prime duty.
Secrecy
The secrets of Freemasonry are concerned with its traditional modes of recognition. It is not a secret society, since all members are free to acknowledge their membership and will do so in response to enquiries for respectable reasons. Its constitutions and rules are available to the public. There is no secret about any of its aims and principles. Like many other societies, it regards some of its internal affairs as private matters for its members.
Conclusion
A Freemason is encouraged to do his duty first to his God (by whatever name he is known) through his faith and religious practice; and then, without detriment to his family and those dependent on him, to his neighbour through charity and service.
None of these ideas is exclusively Masonic, but all should be universally acceptable. Freemasons are expected to follow them!
1) What is Freemasonry?
Freemasonry is the world's largest secular, fraternal and charitable organisation. It teaches moral lessons and self-knowledge through participation in a progression of allegorical two-part plays.
2) Why is Freemasonry a Secret Society?
We are not! Lodge meetings, like those of many other groups, are private and open only to members. The rules and aims of Freemasonry are available to the public. Meeting places are known and in many areas are used by the local community for activities other than Freemasonry. Members are encouraged to speak openly about Freemasonry.
3) What are the secrets of Freemasonry?
The secrets in Freemasonry are the traditional modes of recognition which are not used indiscriminately, but solely as a test of membership, e.g. when visiting a Lodge where you are not known.
4) What happens at Lodge Meetings?
The meetings in in two parts. As in any association there is a certain amount of administrative procedure - minutes of last meetings, proposing and balloting for new members, discussing and voting on financial matters, election of officers, news and correspondence. Then there are the ceremonies for admitting new Masons and the annual installation of the Master and appointment of officers.
The three ceremonies for admitting a new Mason are in two parts - a slight dramatic instruction in the principles and lessons taught in the Craft followed by a lecture in which the candidate's various duties are spelled out.
5) Isn't ritual out of place in a modern society?
No. The ritual is a shared experience which binds the members together. Its use of drama, allegory and symbolism impresses the principles and teachings more firmly in the mind of each candidate than if they were simply passed on to him in matter-of-fact modern language.
6) Why do Freemasons take oaths?
New members make solemn promises concerning their conduct in Lodge and society. Each member also promises to keep confidential the traditional methods of proving that he is a Freemason which he would us when visiting a lodge where he in not known. Freemasons do not swear allegiances to each other or to Freemasonry.
Freemasons promise to support others in times of need, but only if that support does not conflict with their duties to God, the law, their family or with their responsibilities as a Citizen.
7) Why do your 'obligations' contain hideous penalties?
They no longer do. When Masonic ritual was developing in the late 1600s and 1700s it was quite common for legal and civil oaths to include penalties and Freemasonry simply followed the practice of the times.
In Freemasonry, however, the physical penalties were always symbolic and were never carried out. After long discussion, they were removed from the promises in 1986.
8) Are Freemasons expected to prefer fellow Masons at the expense of others in giving jobs, promotions, contracts and alike?
Absolutely not! that would be a misuse of membership and subject to Masonic discipline. On his entry into Freemasonry each candidate states unequivocally that he expects no material gain from his membership. At various stages during the three ceremonies of his admission and when and when he is presented with a certificate from the Grand Lodge that the admission ceremonies have been completed, he is forcefully reminded that attempts to gain preferment or material gain for himself or others is a misuse of membership which will not be tolerated. The Book of Constitutions, which every candidate receives, contains strict rules governing abuse of membership which can result in penalties varying from temporary suspension to expulsion.
9) Isn't it true that Freemasons only look after each other?
No. From its earliest days, Freemasonry has been involved in charitable activities. Since its inception, Freemasonry has provided support no only for widows and orphans of Freemasons but also for many others within the community. Whilst some Masonic charities cater specifically but not exclusively for Masons or their dependents, others make significant grants to non-Masonic organisations. On a local level, lodges give substantial support to local causes.
10) Aren't you a religion or a rival to religion?
Emphatically not. Freemasonry requires a belief in God and its principles are common to many of the world's great religions. Freemasonry does not try to replace religion or substitute for it. Every candidate is exhorted to practice his religion and to regard its holy book as the unerring standard of truth. Freemasonry does not instruct its members in what their religious beliefs should be, nor does it offer offer sacraments. Freemasonry deals in relations between men; religion deals in man's relationship with his God.'
11) Why do you call it the VSL and not the Bible?
To the majority of Freemasons the Volume of the Sacred Law is the Bible. There are many in Freemasonry, however, who are not Christian and to them the Bible is not their sacred book and they will make their promises on the book which is regarded as sacred to their religion. The Bible will always be present in the majority of Lodges worldwide but as the organisation welcomes men of many different faiths, it is called the Volume of the Sacred Law. Thus, when the VLS is referred in ceremonies, to a non-Christian it will be the holy book of his religion and to a Christian it will be the Bible.
12) Why do you call God the Great Architect?
Freemasonry embraces all men who believe in God. Its membership includes includes Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Parsees and others. The use of descriptions such as the Great Architect of the Universe (GAOTU) prevents disharmony. The Great Architect is not a specific Masonic god or an attempt to combine gods into one. Thus, men of differing religions pray together without offence being given to any of them.
13) Why don't some Churches like Freemasonry?
There are elements within certain churches who misunderstand Freemasonry and confuse secular rituals with religious liturgy.
Although the Methodist Conference, General Synod of the Anglican Church as well as the Catholic and the Greek Orthodox Churches have occasionally criticised Freemasonry, in all these Churches there are Masons and indeed others who are dismayed that the Churches should attack Freemasonry, an organisation which has always encouraged its members to be active in their own religion.
14) Why will Freemasonry not accept Roman Catholics as members?
IT DOES. The prime qualification for admission into Freemasonry has always been belief in God. How that belief is expressed is entirely up to the individual.
Four Grand Masters of English Freemasonry have been Roman Catholics, moreover the Grand Chaplain of the Grand Regular Lodge of Italy, Don Sandro Naiaretti, was a priest of the Roman Catholic Church.
15) Isn't Freemasonry just another political group?
Emphatically not. Whilst individual Freemasons will have their own views on politics and state policy, Freemasonry as a body will never express a view on either. The discussion of politics at Masonic meetings has always been prohibited.
16) Is Freemasonry an international order?
Only in the sense that Freemasonry exists throughout the free world. Each Grand Lodge is sovereign and independent, and whilst following the same basic principles, may have differing ways of passing them on.
There is no international governing body for Freemasonry.
17) Why don't you have women members?
'Traditionally, Freemasonry under the United Grand Lodge of England as well as under other Grand Lodges worldwide has been restricted to men. The early stonemasons were all male, and when Freemasonry was organising, the position of women in society was different from today. If women wish to join Freemasonry there are separate Grand Lodges around the world restricted to women only.
18) Why do you wear regalia?
Wearing regalia is historical and symbolic and, like a uniform serves to indicate to members where they rank in the organisation.
19) How and when did Freemasonry start?
It is not known. The earliest recorded 'making' of a Freemason was in England and is that of Elias Ashmole in 1646. Organised Freemasonry began with the founding of the Grand Lodge of England on June 24, 1717, the first Grand Lodge in the world. Ireland followed in 1725 and Scotalnd in 1736. All the regular Grand Lodges in the world trace themselves to one or more Grand Lodges in the British Isles.
There are two main theories of origin. According to one, the operative stonemasons who built the great cathedrals and castles had lodges in which they discussed trade affairs. They had simple initiation ceremonies and, as there were no City and guild certificates, dues cards or trade membership cards, they adopted secret signs and words to demonstrate that they were trained masons when they moved from site to site. In the 1600s, these operative lodges began to accept non-operatives as "gentlemen-masons". Gradually these non-operatives took over the lodges and turned them from operative to 'free and accepted' or 'speculative' lodges.
The other theory is that in the late 1500s and early 1600s, there was a group which was interested in the promotion of religious and political tolerance in an age of great intolerance when differences of opinion on matters of religion and politics were to lead to bloody civil war. In forming Freemasonry, they were trying to make better men and build a better world. As the means of teaching those days was allegory and symbolism, they took the idea of building as the central allegory on which to form their system. The main source of allegory was the Bible, the contents of which were known to everyone even if they could not read, and the only building described in detail in the Bible was King Solomon's Temple, which became the basis of the ritual. The old trade guilds provided them with their basis administration of a Master, Wardens, Treasurer and Secretary, and the operative mason's tools provided them with a wealth of symbols with which to illustrate the moral teachings of Freemasonry.
