Freemasonry is a society of
men, religious in character and based on the principle of the
Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man, which does
charitable work in the community and amongst its members.
Freemasonry is one the world's oldest fraternal societies.
Through its teachings and
ceremonies
it seeks to make good men better thereby making
the world a better place in which
to live.Each ceremony conveys
a message
to the
candidate,a reason why Freemasons do not go around
broadcasting the content, as it would spoil it for the
candidate - as in the same way you would not tell someone the
ending of a book or a movie.
It is a "voluntary" association in
that no one is invited to become a member, and Freemasonry never
solicits anyone to become a member.
A
prospective member must truly come of his own free will and
accord.
It is not a religion but most
Freemasons do belong to an established Church. Members do not
go to the Lodge to worship God, they do that when each
Freemason goes to his own church. It is religious, in that one
cannot become a Freemason unless he believes in a Supreme Being.
There is no religious test applied
to the prospective member,nor is one required or asked to
subscribe to any religious dogma or tenet.Freemasonry encourages
its members to do their duty to their God ( by whatever name he
is known) through their faith and religious practice.
Freemasons are not
allowed to discuss religion at meetings.Freemasonry is also
strictly non-politcal and the discussion of politics at
masonic meetings is expressly forbidden.
Freemasonry
is not a 'secret society' because it does not hide its
existence, members do not hide their membership.Freemasons
do not promise to keep their membership as a secret;
when and where Freemasons meet are matters of public record, as
one can look up the telephone numbers in the directory.
However,It
regards some of its internal affairs and
its
traditional modes of recognition
as private matters for its members.
Non-Masons sometimes wonder at the
close bond that exists between Freemasons. Freemasons are bound
together by a deep and abiding knowledge that each one has
accepted certain high ethical standards of conduct, which insure
a bond of faith and confidence
Freemasons are proud to proclaim to
the world that we are a serious organization of mature
persons,which instills a love of God, teaches charity in its
broadest sense, and shows each member how to live a better life.
How Does a Man Become a
Mason?
Membership is open to men of all faiths
who are are law-abiding,of good character and
who acknowledge a belief in a Supreme Being (God)
.Freemasonry is a multi-racial and
multi-cultural organisation.It has always
attracted men of goodwill from all sectors of
the community into membership.
For hundreds of years, Masons have been
forbidden to ask others to join the
fraternity.Some men are surprised that no one
has ever asked them to become a Mason,which may
convey the feeling that the Masons in their
vicinity think they are not "good enough" to
join their organisation. It does not work that
way. We can talk to friends about Masonry, and
tell them about the things that Masonry does. We
can even tell them why we enjoy it, but we
cannot ask, much less pressure, anyone to join.
There is a good reason for such a
stance,however we are not trying to be
exclusive.Becoming a Mason is a very serious
undertaking as one in joining Masonry is making
a permanent life commitment to live in certain
ways; such as living with honour and integrity,
willing to share with and caring about others,
trusting each other, and placing ultimate trust
in God.Hence,no one should be "talked into"
making such a decision.
When a man decides he wants to be a Mason, he
asks a Mason for a petition or application. He
fills it out and gives it to the Mason, and that
Mason takes it to his lodge. The Master of the
lodge will appoint a committee to visit with the
man and his family, find out a little about him
and why he wants to be a Mason, tell him and his
family about Masonry, and answer their
questions. The committee reports to the lodge,
and the lodge votes on the petition. If the vote
is affirmative -- the lodge will contact the man
to set the date for the Entered Apprentice
Degree. When the person completes all three
degrees, he is a Master Mason and a full member
of the fraternity. |
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Structure of Freemasonry
The Masonic Lodge, often known
as Symbolic Lodge , Blue Lodge , or Craft Lodge receives and
acts upon petitions for the three degrees in Freemasonry. These
degrees are: Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason.
There is no higher degree than
that of the Master Mason (the Third Degree). However, for those
men who would like to receive additional instruction and
explanation regarding the allegory and symbolism learned in the
Masonic Lodge there are three additional Appendant or Concordant
bodies that can be entered. These are:
The York Rite is one of the
appendant bodies of Freemasonry in which a Master Mason may
proceed to supplement and amplify the Blue Lodge degrees,
affording historical background on the work and meaning of
Freemasonry. The York Rite takes its name from the old English
city of York. The York Rite is not a religion in itself, it
does, however, develop themes based on the Medieval Crusades.
In the York Rite, A Master
Mason may become a member of three bodies -
The Chapter of Royal Arch
Masons
The Council of Cryptic Masons
(Royal and Select Masters)
The Commandery of the Knights
Templar
The Scottish Rite work
amplifies and elaborates the lessons of the Blue Lodge degrees.
As with Freemasonry,Scottish Rite is not a religion and it is
non-denominational, although it does require a belief in a
Supreme Being.
A Master Mason may achieve 29
degrees - the fourth through thirty-second - in the Scottish
Rite. Degree structure organisation differs somewhat in various
jurisdictions throughout the world.The basic purposes and
principles remain the same.
Southern Jurisdiction
Lodge of Perfection (Degrees
4-14)
Chapter
of Rose Croix (Degrees15-18)
Council of
Kadosh (Degrees19-30)
Consistory
(Degrees 31-32)
Supreme Council
(33rd Degree)
Northern
Jurisdiction
Lodge of
Perfection - (Degrees 4 - 14)
Council of
Princes of Jerusalem (Degrees 15 -16)
Chapter of
Rose Croix (Degrees 17 - 18)
Consistory
(Degrees 19 - 32)
Supreme Council (33rd
Degree)
A 33rd Degree is bestowed on
men who have given outstanding service to Freemasonry or to
their communities.
After
a Master Mason has achieved the Thirty Second Degree Scottish
Rite or the Knights Templar Degree in York Rite, he can
petition to become a Noble of the Mystic Shrine.
The Shrine has always been
involved in charitable endeavours.
Today, the Shrine operates orthopaedic hospitals and three
burns institutes where children, up to their 18th birthday,
regardless of race, religion or relationship to a Shriner,
receive excellent medical care... absolutely free.
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