An INTRODUCTION to FREEMASONRY
What is Freemasonry?
This article is intended to give an initial answer to the questions: who are the Freemasons, and what is Freemasonry?
First, it's important to qualify these answers with the proviso that they apply to English Freemasonry, under the jurisdiction of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE). Where appropriate comparisons are made with practices common in Freemasonry outside UGLE.
In addition to the basic information in this article, there are addresses of web pages you can go to for more information - page down to see a table of contents
Important DISCLAIMER
Please note that the information and opinions expressed in this article are
my own, and are not intended to represent an official statement or opinion of either my lodges or the United Grand Lodge of England.CONTENTS
Every territory (in the free world) has one or more Grand Lodges which regulate and control Freemasonry.
Each Grand Lodge is totally independent of every other Grand Lodge.
In the UK there are three Grand Lodges: the UGLE (includes Wales), the GL of Ireland (covers both Ulster and the Republic), and the GL of Scotland.
UGLE states that "it is declared and pronounced that pure Ancient Masonry consists of three degrees, and no more, viz., those of the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason, including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch".
These first three degrees of Masonry are what constitute Freemasonry.
Freemasonry is often referred to as the "Craft" or "Craft Masonry".This article covers only Freemasonry, and not Holy Royal Arch Masonry, which is organised under a related body known as Supreme Grand Chapter. Admission to Holy Royal Arch Masonry is restricted to Master Masons. (i.e. those who have completed their three degrees of Craft Masonry)
In the USA there are around 100 or so Grand Lodges. Some of these are known as "Prince Hall" Grand Lodges [PH GLs]: they were established for Afro-American freemasons in the era of US history when Afro-Americans were not accepted (or at least not often accepted) into the "caucasian" Grand Lodge system. In recent years, many PH GLs and non-PH GLs have recognised each other.
Unlike the USA, there has never been a race issue within the British Grand Lodges. The result is that Prince Hall GLs are unknown outside the USA or places where the USA has extended a masonic influence.
In addition, there are many "irregular" brands of freemasonry and pseudo-masonry in the USA. [See next section about irregularity]
CANADA has a mixture of mostly British derived Freemasonry with some Lodges working to the USA type rituals (both PH & non-PH)
Rest of British Commonwealth and Elsewhere
Most other British Commonwealth countries have either overseas districts of British Grand Lodges, or local Grand Lodges derived from them, or a combination of the two.
Other parts of the world (in particular European countries) have a plethora of Grand Lodges and/or Grand Orients. Care has to be exercised here, since some are "regular" and others "irregular". These various orders are not addressed in this article.
REGULARITY versus IRREGULARITY, and RECOGNITION
A "REGULAR" Grand Lodge (or individual Lodge) is one which abides by the principles which the three British Grand Lodges agreed in August 1938, and set in out in a document entitled " The AIMS and RELATIONSHIPS of the CRAFT"
An "IRREGULAR" Grand Lodge (or individual Lodge) is one which does not abide by these principles.
Examples of IRREGULAR practices are:-
-- the admission of women
-- the discussion of religious or political topics
Each Grand Lodge is an independent "sovereign" masonic body, and thus it is necessary for them to RECOGNISE each other, or NOT, as the case may be. For two Grand Lodges to recognise each other, they must both agree that they are both regular. They may also have other requirements to be satisfied before recognition is granted.
The basic requirements which UGLE seeks of another Grand Lodge, for recognition, are set out in a statement, issued in September 1929, with the self-explanatory title "
Basic Principles for Grand Lodge Recognition".The following sections of this article apply to the criteria for REGULAR Grand Lodges (and Lodges) only.
Freemasons from Regular Grand Lodges may NOT visit Lodges under Irregular Grand Lodges, and likewise, their members may not visit our Lodges.
Each Grand Lodge is composed of member LODGES. These will be a few Lodges which founded or pre-existed (but later joined) the Grand Lodge, plus mostly Lodges which were constituted by the authority of the Grand Master of a Grand Lodge. When a man joins the Freemasons, he is joining an individual Lodge within a Grand Lodge system.
The Grand Lodge system was founded to properly institute a system for the management of the Order. This included the establishment of the principles of Regularity and Recognition. The Grand Lodge also monitors the conduct of its constituent Lodges and their members: ensuring that they continue to obey the rules in its constitution, and that they adhere to the principles of Regular Freemasonry.
This article is not intended to go into detail of how Lodges and Grand Lodges are organised or governed. But every Lodge will have a Master, two Wardens, a Treasurer, a Secretary and other officers. Likewise, the Grand Lodge will have a Grand Master, two Grand Wardens, a Grand Treasurer, a Grand Secretary and other Grand Officers.
The Master "rules and directs" his Lodge, assisted by his Wardens. His role is thus principally that of a chairman, but he also decides the business of the Lodge at its meetings.
The Master is elected every year by the Lodge in a secret ballot – every member has a vote. The Treasurer is likewise elected every year by secret ballot. All the other officers within the Lodge for his year are either appointed by the Master or elected, in accordance with the rules contained in the Book of Constitutions of the United Grand Lodge of England.
Lodges are represented in meetings of the Grand Lodge by their Master, Wardens and all currently subscribing Past Masters. (a Past Master is a member who has served a year as the Master of a Lodge)
The Master is addressed as "Worshipful Master" by the other members of the Lodge in recognition of the importance of his position in the Lodge - the office of Master is the highest honour any Lodge has in its power to bestow on any of its members.
It should be noted that the term "Worshipful" does not have not have any religious connotations, but is simply a traditional means of addressing a person of high office. Outside Freemasonry, a similar example of the use of this word is found in the civic offices of Mayor and Magistrate - both of whom are addressed as "Your Worship".
Most totalitarian states have outlawed Freemasonry, these have included over time:
During
the Spanish civil war, the Falangists of General Franco murdered many Freemasons, forcing some to dig their own graves first. In the 2nd world war, the Nazis murdered many European freemasons and imprisoned others in concentration camps along with the Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and political dissidents.Any candidate who cannot give an unqualified response to this question must have his application referred to Grand Lodge for investigation and approval/rejection.
This last point is particularly important, as some people think (wrongly) that they will gain financial, business, political or other material benefits from joining.
You should also notice from the above, that there is no selection for membership based on religion (other than that atheists are excluded), politics, race or nationality. We have members of many different religious beliefs, who all come together in harmony within the lodge.
The PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES of FREEMASONRY TODAY
1. The Three great principles: Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.
their lives will be more satisfying and better spent.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 practise 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 as individuals.
TRUTH - Freemasons strive for truth, requiring high moral standards and aiming to achieve them in their own lives.
Freemasons believe that by following these three great principles
2. The preservation and use (for moral instruction) of the ceremonies or rituals which are performed on every candidate for:-
Initiation to the 1st Degree (Entered Apprentice)i)
and
some years lateriv) Installation into the Chair of the Lodge as Worshipful Master
3. The moral instruction of the ceremonies teaches Freemasons to fulfil their obligations, to:-
i) their God - this encourages improvement in spiritual well-being (in relation to the Freemason's personal religion)
ii) their Sovereign and/or Country - this encourages him to put service before self
iii) their neighbour,
variously as
- to society in general (often in the
form of charity),
- to friends and to family,
iv) their own good health and happiness, and
v) their Lodge and Freemasonry in general ( comes last )
Notice that in this list, a Freemason puts his religion, his allegiance, his family (and career) and himself above his Freemasonry.
These ceremonies are secular (i.e. non-religious) "plays" which are used to teach the mason the secrets of each degree, and also to teach and demonstrate moral/social lessons. The basis of these ceremonies is to be found in the Biblical account of the building of King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, but I must stress that there is no theological or doctrinal element to the ritual.
Within each ceremony, the candidate has explained to him the "secrets of the degree". These are the esoteric elements of the ceremonial ritual, including the special signs and other means by which he can prove to other brethren that he has indeed attained each degree.
It is these secrets, and only these secrets, which each candidate takes a solemn
Obligation to conceal.The obligation is taken on the Holy Book particular to the religious belief of the candidate concerned. For most Freemasons in England, this is the Christian Bible.
In order not to appear specifically of one religion, we refer to the Bible (or other Holy Book) as the Volume of the Sacred Law - no matter which book/religion is represented.
There are Jewish and Muslim lodges using the Torah and Koran respectively; and also lodges whose membership is from other religions where the Holy Book of those other religions is used.
It is not unusual, in some areas, for there to be lodges with a mixture of religious membership, having one Volume of the Sacred Law (i.e. different Holy Book) for each religion represented by their membership.
The BIBLICAL ORIGINS of Our CEREMONIES
Going back hundreds of years, we know that masonry used to be Christian in form, some lodges meeting in churches/cathedrals. It has never been a religious order or sect; but its members were Christians, in a place and time when State or Papal authorities would routinely torture and execute all "heretics".
One lodge used to meet near a cathedral, but move into it to administer the obligations at the altar there. In Scottish and US constitutions, lodges still have a symbolic altar in the room where they meet, on which is placed the Volume of the Sacred Law. In English Lodges, there is no altar, the Volume of the Sacred Law being placed on a pedestal in front of the Master.
However, shortly after the formation of the first Grand Lodge of England in 1717, the practice of Freemasonry began to be de-Christianised. This process was completed (in English Freemasonry) shortly after the Union of the two English Grand Lodges in 1813. This enables Freemasonry today to appeal to men of all religions.
Consequently, although the ceremonies of Freemasonry are founded on the account of the building of King Solomon's Temple in the Christian Bible, Freemasonry today is no longer Christian in form. Instead we use the biblical origins of our ceremonies to encourage each Freemason to get closer to his own God, whatever that may be, and not specifically to the Christian God.
Since Freemasonry is not a religion, and encompasses men from many different religions; Freemasons have long since evolved terms to describe the Supreme Being (i.e. Deity or God) in which each member must believe as a pre-condition of membership.
Within each of the degrees of Freemasonry, both the word "God", and other masonic terms are used. These again symbolise the Supreme Being in a manner which is both clearly understood as referring to a supreme deity, and at the same time not being implicitly restrictive to Christianity or any other individual religion.
Candidates for Freemasonry must have a religious tolerance, and be able to engage in a harmonious relationship with others of different religious beliefs. Likewise, it is recommend that persons who are not so minded are innately incompatible with Freemasonry, and that they should not seek to join.
As was explained above, our ceremonial work is wholly derived from the Biblical account of the building of King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. Consequently, our meeting rooms are held to be symbolic representations of that Temple. It is again important to stress that it is the building which is represented symbolically - not the religion of either Judaism or Christianity.
We do NOT discuss or participate in any religious or political matters. These subjects are taboo in the lodge.
We do NOT believe/Conduct any form of "Masonic" religious practice – other than some brief, totally non-denominational prayers which are deemed suitable for men of all religious beliefs to share. These prayers should be considered as the equivalent of those held in a school assembly, council chamber or the House of Commons etc., rather than as part of a religious service.
We do NOT indulge in secret schemes, plots or conspiracies.
We do NOT use masonic membership for personal gain
We do NOT use knowledge of another person's masonic membership to favour him at the expense of a non-mason.
We do NOT keep secret: knowledge of any criminal matters, or of dishonourable conduct, in an attempt protect a fellow mason - a Freemason is always expected to put his duty as a law-abiding citizen before any obligation to other Freemasons or Freemasonry in general.
The rules and regulations of the Order are contained in the Book of Constitutions, which is publicly available. Members whose conduct breaches the standards required of Freemasons will be disciplined with the punishments ranging from admonition to expulsion.
The Book of Constitutions is publicly available from UGLE at:- Freemasons’ Hall, 60 Great Queen Street, London.
I am afraid that there are no blood-curdling penalties applied – they never were. However, there are symbolic penalties which are meant to convey to the mason the seriousness with which he should take his Obligation to keep to himself the secrets and mysteries of the Order.
In some constitutions (i.e. Grand Lodge jurisdictions) these symbolic penalties are still contained within the Obligations, however in English Freemasonry they are simply described elsewhere in the ritual.
Contrary to the assertions of some who are opposed to Freemasonry, there has NEVER been any rule or regulation within masonry indicating that these symbolic penalties were ever actually to be imposed.
FREEMASONRY for WOMEN and CO-MASONRY
In addition to Freemasonry for Men, there have since the 19th Century been organisations which are considered to be "adoptive" of Freemasonry. These include:-
Co-Masonry : Admits both Men and Women members
Women's Masonry: Admits Women only
In England, there are two orders of Freemasonry for women (you can find them
HERE). UGLE considers them "regular" in every respect other than that they admit women. Consequently, they are (masonically speaking) not recognised.There is also a Co-Masonic order, but this is considered irregular by both the male and female orders - and in England at least has a very small membership.
For further information, you should consult the following URLs:-
1. The United Grand Lodge of England
2. The London Lodges Welcome Page
©
This site and its contents are Copyright 2000-2002 by R. White and other copyright holders. All rights reserved.
(click on above statement for full copyright notice)