THE USENET FAQ
Version 1.2
March 24, 1995
Article: 3187 of alt.freemasonry
From: afabbro@umich.edu (Andrew Philip
Fabbro)
Newsgroups:
alt.freemasonry,alt.masonic.members,alt.masonic.demolay
Subject: (NEW) USENET Masonry FAQ v1.2
Date: 24 Mar 1995 06:22:30 GMT
Organization: University of Michigan
Lines: 1758
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. MASONRY ON USENET AND THE
INTERNET
(1) Where is this FAQ available?
(2) Is there a mailing list?
(3) Are there any FTP sites?
(4) Are there any Wide World Web Masonic
resources?
(5) What about CompuServe, AOL, Prodigy,
Genie, Delphi, and other commercial services?
(6) What is alt.freemasonry for?
(7) What is alt.masonic.members for?
(8) What is alt.masonic.demolay for?
(9) Hey!
Somebody just posted some nonsense about how Masons worship Satan and
sell their soul to the Reverend Moon! What
should I do about it?
II. WHO/WHAT ARE MASONS?
(1) What is Freemasonry?
(2) What is the Scottish Rite?
(3) What is the York Rite?
(4) What is the Shrine?
(5) What is the Eastern Star?
(6) What is DeMolay?
(7) What is Rainbow?
(8) What are some other Masonic
organizations?
(9) What is Co-Masonry?
(10) What is Prince Hall Masonry?
(11) What is a 33rd degree Mason?
(12) Are there any Masonic functions that I
can attend as a non-Mason?
(13) Who is the head of the Masons?
(14) Are there dues, fees, etc associated
with being a Mason?
(15) I hear Masons refer to an
"apron". What is that?
(16) What is a "Masonic Funeral"?
III. PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS &
MYTHS
(1) Are Masons just a bunch of old men?
Isn't Masonry dying out?
(2) Aren't Masons racist/elitist?
(3) Isn't Masonry just a place where
businessmen make deals?
(4) I see titles like "Worshipful
Master" and "Senior Deacon"—is this some kind of cult?
(5) Masonry is a secret society, right?
(6) Masonry is a religion, right?
(7) Are Masons really controlling the
world/meeting with the Bavarian Illuminati/members of the Trilateralist?
Commission/etc?
(8) Masons are anti-Catholic, right?
(9) Masonic rituals are demeaning or
embarrassing to the candidate, right?
(10) I heard/read a Mason talking about a
"Masonic Bible". Do
Masons have their own Bible?
(11) I see that Masonic buildings are
called Temples. Does that mean that
Masons worship there?
IV. HOW DO I BECOME A MASON?
(1) What are the requirements for becoming a
Mason?
(2) Who can be Masons?
(3) Can homosexuals be Masons?
(4) I have a physical disability.
Can I be a Mason?
(5) Can atheist be a Mason?
(6) Do Masons accept Catholics?
(7) Can Wiccans be Masons?
(8) What if my religion does not allow the
swearing of oaths?
(9) Do I have to be invited?
(10) OK, I'm interested-- how do I proceed?
V. HISTORY
(1) Where did Masons come from?
(2) What US Presidents have been Masons?
(3) Was Thomas Jefferson a Mason?
Patrick Henry? Abraham Lincoln?
(4) What famous people have been Masons?
(5) What famous buildings in the US have been
laid Masonically?
(6) What's the difference between AF&AM
and F&AM?
(7) Was Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon
Church, a Mason?
(8) What is the oldest Lodge Room in the
world? In the US?
(9) Is it true that all of George
Washington's generals during the Revolutionary War were Masons?
(10) Is it true that all the signers of the
Declaration of Independence were
Masons? The Articles of
Confederation? The
Constitution?
(11) George Washington turned down the title
of "Grand Master of the United States"-- true?
(12) Why do some Lodges meet on a certain
day of the week "following the
full moon"? Are Masons some
kind of moon worshippers?
(13) Did Masons suffer at the hands of the
Nazis?
(14) Are Masons connected to Greek-letter
college fraternities?
(15) I want information on Masonic history.
What books would be good introductions?
(16) My local Library doesn't have any books
on Freemasonry, where can I find them?
(17) What movies/books feature Masonry?
IMPORTANT NOTE, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, INTRODUCTION, REVISIONS, AND
A NOTE ON WORLDWIDE MASONRY
(1) Important Note
I compiled/authored versions of this FAQ up to this version
(1.2). Unfortunately, I no longer
have the time available to maintain it. Someone
(singular or plural) will either step forward to maintain this FAQ or it will be
frozen at this version. I propose
that a version 1.3 be issued giving information on how to contact whoever will
be maintaining this FAQ. In the
meantime, asking on alt.freemasonry should elicit response.
Please do not e-mail me with corrections or additions.
If there is some major error of fact in this version, I will correct it,
but only if it is truly serious.
(2) Acknowledgements
Since undertaking this project, my mailbox has literally overflowed (even
overquota'd!) with helpful letters from Brothers offering to write, revise, and
provide information. Many sections
of this FAQ were written by brothers (and sisters) whose wisdom, experience, and
knowledge is a truly wonderful resource. Thanks
to ALL who've written me. I tried
to acknowledge everyone personally, but if I missed you, it wasn't intentional.
Honor Roll:
Peter T. Arnold,
Ron Boutwell, Denis Constales, Steven Cranmer, Earl K.
Dille, Bob Dixon, Hans Prag Enator, Ed Greenberg, Bill Hickey, Roger
Ingersoll, Joy Leavy, Paul Leger, Steve Lubetkin, Trevor W.
McKeown, Bill Menees, Henry Miller, Stephen Morris, Roderick
Morrison, Nick Oliver, Tony Olivero, Bruce Perrussel, Charles Plater,
Mark Saunders, Tom Schnorrenberg, Michael Shelby, Robert H.
Starr, Dave Stites, David R. B.
Walker, Don Williams, Catherine Yronwode, Jeffrey Zeth, and a few others
whose names I couldn't discern from
their e-mail addresses. Special
thanks to Roger Ingersoll, whose Masonic FTP archives provided substantial
portions of this FAQ. Where
possible, I have included specific credits to the authors of those files, though
several are anonymous. Note that
one of the sources credited here is FMBITS.TXT, which has the following
disclaimer as its preface: "With apologies, the original source for the
following information has been lost. It
probably came from either the Philatethes or the Southern California Research Lodge. The file
has been stored in my Computer for a couple of years.
Enjoy!
William N. Wine
(Sysop) #72435,1512 [ Masonry Forum Compuserve 07/11/93]".
Special thanks to Steve Lubetkin, who dug up the list of US
Grand Lodges. Finally, thanks to
the Grand Lodge of Michigan, whose lectures provided the basis of the
"Famous Freemasons" list, and to many research lodges, whose work over
the years has provided much of the information contained here.
(3) Introduction
This FAQ is version 1.2, which includes a number of
revisions, suggestions, and reactions to version 1.1. Part (4) of this part details the changes and additions in
this section. Any question you see
marked with an asterisk should be considered incomplete. Finally, it should be stated without fail that no Mason, no
Master, no Grand Master can speak for all of Masonry. The answers provided herein are not "authoritative"
in the sense that they are universally true for all Masons everywhere and
reflect the beliefs of all Masons. There
are differences between each jurisdiction, and in general there are differences
between US Grand Lodges and Grand Lodges in other countries.
Of course, the high ideals and noble principles of
Masonry remain the same the world over, but some of the fine points and
details may vary. So
remember: nothing here is "gospel".
This FAQ is intended to provide a summation of commonly-given answers to
commonly-asked questions on the net.
(4) Revisions in This Edition
In no particular order:
- Major
reorganization of contents, as per many suggestions
- What
was Section III in version 1.1 has been removed. This section contained the "common flames and
trolls" responses. The
rationale was that (1) this section was large, and (2) it
was an over-response to a problem that has (in the main) abated.
Additionally, some of the statements in this section would have
required better documentation and I didn't have
time to provide proper sources.
- Note
on the American slant of this FAQ added.
- Information
on Co-Masonry added...I went with a very minimalist
section, mainly because I'm short on time.
More information is available
and perhaps should be added.
- OES
material corrected (regarding Pennsylvania).
- Prince
Hall section revised to include UGLE's recognition.
- More
Famous Masons added, and some minor editing was done to the list (Wally
Schirra was previously listed twice, for instance).
- Presidents'
list revised to include note on Reagan, changing Madison to Monroe (oops!), Andrew Johnson added, and
note on McKinley.
- York
Rite information corrected (one sentence had previously stated that the
Consistory was part of the York Rite).
- Information
on America On-Line added.
- Information
on other Masonic groups added.
- FidoNet
information added, as well as mention of David Stites' FTP site.
- Mailing
list subscription request address changed
- Clarification
made on the AASR (that the FAQ refers to it only,
not the European Rectified Scottish Rite).
- The
question "Can Catholics Be Masons" has been changed to
"Do Masons accept Catholics", primarily because I didn't
want to get into an overlong
discussion on the issue. This
is a Masonic FAQ, not a
Catholic FAQ, so I provided the answer from Masonry's
side of things, leaving discussion from the Catholic side to Catholic
FAQs.
(5) A Note on Worldwide Masonry
An American wrote this FAQ and the majority of those who've
contributed material are also Americans. This unfortunately lends a
very American flavor to the material.
While the tenets and noble principles of Masonry are the same everywhere,
there is some difference in organizational structure, ritual work, policies,
procedures, etc. in
non-US GLs (and even among US GLs).
I am always more than happy to include material on Masonry outside of the
US and examples of how Masonry differs in non-US jurisdictions, and what I've
received I've included. This is
simply a disclaimer that the material herein is derived from primarily American
sources and when in doubt, check with the Grand Lodge in your jurisdiction.
back
to top
I. MASONRY ON USENET AND THE
INTERNET
(1) Where is this FAQ available?
This FAQ is available by e-mail request via Roger
Ingersoll's automated e-mail system. Send
mail to rogeri@netcom.com with a subject of GET FAQ.
This FAQ is also available by FTP from Roger Ingersoll's
FTP archives (see question 3 of this section).
It is available on the AFS file system, in the /afs/umich.edu/users/a/f/afabbro/Public
directory.
This FAQ can also be read on the Web.
Look on ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ds/dstites/home/masfaq/masfaq_0.html.
This may not necessarily be the most current version (HTMLizing takes
time!)
The latest version of this FAQ may also be obtained on
Fidonet by FREQ-ing the "magic" name MASFAQ from 1:202/106, (Hiram's
Valley BBS).
It is posted monthly to alt.freemasonry,
alt.masonic.demolay, and alt.masonic.members.
(2) Is there a mailing list?
Yes. Send
e-mail to freemasonry-list-request@sacsa3.mp.usbr.gov
with a message asking to be subscribed (e.g., "Please subscribe me.
My name is Benjamin Franklin and my e-mail address is
bfranklin@cont.congress.gov").
The exact syntax of your request is not important, as it will be read by
a human.
(3) Are there any FTP sites?
Yes. Roger
Ingersoll maintains a large collection of Masonic material at ftp.netcom.com, in
the /pub/ro/rogeri/freemasonry directory.
While you're there, take a look in Dave Stites' site (say
that three times fast, I dare you), which is /pub/ds/dstites/freemasonry
(4) Are there any Wide World Web Masonic resources?
Yes. Try http://www.mit.edudryfoo/Masons/Main-page.html
(5) What about CompuServe, AOL, Prodigy, Genie, Delphi, and
other commercial services?
On CompuServe, type GO MASONRY to reach the Masonry forum.
The CIS Masonry forum has an excellent library of files on Masonry, and
the forum contains very good discussion.
On America On-Line: There are four Masonic discussion
folders in two different areas. Each
area has a Masonic Youth Groups section and a Freemasonry section.
To get to the first area use keyword: Exchange, then press the
Communities Center button, then go to the Organizations Board.
In that folder are the discussion groups called Freemasonry Online and
Masonic Youth Organizations. To get
to the second, use keyword: Religion, then go to Other Religions, and then
select Other Religions again in the new list.
Masonic Youth Groups and Freemasonry should be in there somewhere
(commercial providers have a habit of incorrectly placing Masonry in the
"religion" section-- Genie used to
do this). The first area is
probably the better of the two.
You can also search the software libraries on AOL using the
keyword "Mason". Also,
searching the member directory using the keyword "Mason" will give you
a list of many other Masons on AOL.
AOL also has a "CyberLodge".
E-mail Fronefield@aol.com for a copy of the trestleboard.
The "CyberLodge" meets in the "Public Chat Room" by
the name of "Freemasonry." Meetings
are held at 9:00PM Eastern on the second Wednesday and 8:00PM Eastern on the
fourth Sunday of each month.
(Thanks to Bill Menees for the information on AOL)
(6) What is alt.freemasonry for?
Alt.freemasonry is intended for general discussion of
Masonry and related topics. Almost
any question regarding Masonry is welcome there.
Both Masons and non-Masons are welcome.
(7) What is alt.masonic.members for?
Alt.masonic.members is intended to be a home for USENET
Masons to talk about the Craft, though non-Masons are welcome to participate.
The focus in a.m.m., however, is on discussion among people already
familiar with Masonry or people who are Masons, so questions about becoming a
Mason or what the York Rite is would be inappropriate (feel free to post such
questions in alt.freemasonry instead).
Of course, neither newsgroup (or the mailing list) is
considered Tiled and non-Masons read both regularly, so Brothers should not post
anything that they would not normally discuss with non-Masons.
Discussion on Co-Masonry (a form of Masonry which includes
both men and women) is welcome in either a.f or a.m.m.
(8) What is alt.masonic.demolay for?
A.m.d. is for discussion regarding DeMolay (shocker, huh?)
See III, 6 if you don't know what DeMolay is.
(9) Hey! Somebody
just posted some nonsense about how Masons worship Satan and sell their soul to
the Reverend Moon! What should I do
about it?
Periodically, someone will post obvious flame-bait on one
of the Masonic newsgroups. Masons
who read the newsgroup obviously want to post and rebut these false claims.
However, keep in mind that a single bit of bait that takes 30 seconds to
write ("Masons are all KKK members!") can consume hours of time in
rebuttal. Half-a-dozen flame-bait
posts can drown the newsgroup in meaningless flame-wars that asphyxiate any
serious conversation. On the other hand, if the poster finds that his ramblings are
simply being ignored, he will likely become bored and go off to alt.get-a-life
and mingle with his own kind.
Some readers feel that these claims must be addressed,
otherwise USENET readers will get the wrong impression about Masonry.
There is some truth in this, though to be frank, if someone is willing to
get his information from someone who posts unsubstantiated one-line attacks with
half-a-dozen misspelled words, there is probably little hope.
However, this FAQ has been created to provide an answer to these nonsense
posts, so that Masons can simply say "read the FAQ" rather than having
to recreate its answers every time.
Still, some people will want to reply.
In descending order of desirability, here is a hierarchy of possible
responses:
(a) Ignore it.
The person involved obviously is trying to stir up a flame-war, or bait
Masons into saying something nasty in return so he can point and say "See!
Masons are name-callers!"
(b) Respond via e-mail. Point the poster to this FAQ, or write your own response.
(c) Post a follow-up designed to entertain
newsgroup readers. For example, if
someone posts claiming that Masons are part of a global conspiracy, a gag post
about channeling Adam Weishaupt of the Bavarian Illuminati or stating that
Masons receive their daily to-do lists from root@universe.org would show the
folly of the poster's ideas while still contributing something enjoyable to the
newsgroup's readers.
(d) If the poster's flame-bait is something not
covered in this FAQ and you feel that you just can't hold back from responding,
please:
(1) remove any cross-posts (in
both the posting and the follow-ups). Some
trollers will post a bit of bait in alt.freemasonry and cross-post it to a
half-dozen different groups, thus assuring that they receive at least some
response somewhere, which will be echoed to all the other groups...can you say
snowball?
(2) If it not covered in this
FAQ, please send a copy of the original post and your reply to afabbro@umich.edu,
so it may be included future editions. No
one has yet claimed that Masonry is really a secret martial art or that Master
Masons have a special power to buy real estate no-money-down, but if someone
does, a Q&A just for them will be added.
Finally, remember that there are people who have genuine
questions or misconceptions about Masonry and are not trying to flame anyone but
rather simply want answers. Just
because they have misconceptions does not mean they are trying to provoke
anyone. You can usually tell the
difference by the tone of the post:
- Honest
Question: "I read in the Weekly World News that Masons have ties to the
KKK and are prejudiced and don't allow blacks to be members.
Is this true?"
- Flame-Bait:
"You Masons are all Klansmen and bigots, aren't you? How do you
live with yourselves? Do you
enjoy harassing ethnic minorities?"
- Honest
Question: "I've heard that Catholics can't be Masons.
Is this true? Are there any Catholic Masons? What is the issue here?"
- Flame-Bait:
"How can you Masons lie about Catholics, saying they can be
Masons? Why are you trying to
deceive everyone? What is your hidden agenda?"
- Honest
Question: "I thought Masonry was a fraternity, but I read that you have
to profess some kind of faith in God, or that people pray in Lodge.
Is Masonry a religion?"
- Flame-Bait:
"Masonry is a religion, and you have to give up your religion to
be a Mason! Don't believe what Masons tell you!"
Those asking honest questions will usually respond with a
thanks and consider the information given.
Those seeking to sow the seeds of a flame-war will simply switch subjects
endlessly and ignore any responses.
back
to top
II. WHO/WHAT ARE MASONS?
(1) What is Freemasonry?
Freemasonry (or simply, Masonry) 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 often been observed that men are the products of
everything they come into contact with during their lifetime.
Masonry offers a man an opportunity to come into regular, enjoyable
contact with men of good character, thus reinforcing his own personal moral
development. Of course, Masonry is
also meant to be enjoyed by its membership, so the order should not be viewed
simply as a philosophical club, but rather a
vibrant fellowship of men who seek to enjoy each other's company, a
fraternity.
To maintain this fraternity, discussion of religion and
politics within the Lodge is forbidden, as these subjects are those that have
often divided men in the past. Masons
cover the spectrum of both religious and political beliefs and encourages a man
to be religious without advocating a particular religion, and to be active in
his community without advocating a particular medium of political expression.
While there probably are some actual stone-workers who are
Masons, Masonry does not teach is membership the literal techniques of
stonework. Rather, it takes the
actual "operative" work of Medieval Masons and uses it as an allegory
for moral development. Thus, the
symbols of Masonry are the common tools that were used by medieval stonemasons:
the gavel, the rule, the compass, the square, the level, etc. Each of these has a symbolic meaning in Masonry.
For example, Masons are said to meet "on the level", meaning
that all Masons are brothers, regardless of social status, personal wealth, or
office within the Lodge or in the world at large.
Similar symbolism exists for other tools.
Masonry is distinguished from other fraternal orders by its
emphasis on moral character, its ornate rituals, and its long tradition and
history, which dates back to at least the 17th century in modern form, the 14th
century (c. 1350-1390) in the
written evidence of its precursors, and back to the mists of antiquity in its
origin. Masonry has a continuously
documented paper history (i.e., Lodge to Lodge) since 1717, though historical
analysis shows Masonry to be much older.
There are also a great many things that Masonry is NOT: a
religion, a secret society, etc., and these will be covered later in this FAQ.
There are three degrees in Masonry.
Other appendant bodies confer additional degrees, up to the 32nd (or the
honorary 33rd) of the Scottish Rite, but in symbolic Masonry (or Blue Lodge
Masonry) proper, there are only three. At
the Blue Lodge, Masons receive the degrees of Entered Apprentice (first degree),
Fellowcraft (second degree), and Master Mason (third degree).
Promotion generally requires the mastery of a small body of memorized
material, the contents of which varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
In some jurisdictions, only the signs, tokens, and grips of each degree
must be learned; in others, a longer amount of material.
Of course, no Mason would ever look down upon a Brother
simply because he was of a lower degree-- the degrees do not exist to create a
pecking order or to confer rank. Rather,
they are a system of initiation that allows men to become familiar with the
august and ancient history and principles of Masonry at a comfortable pace.
Proceeding from Entered Apprentice to Master Mason in the US can take as
little as three months, while in England, the degrees are spaced apart by a
year's interval.
Most Lodges have regular communications (meetings) once a
month, that are also referred to as "business meetings".
In the US, these are typically only open to Master Masons.
In England, these meetings are usually opened in the first degree, and
EAs may attend). Conferring of
degrees is usually done at other meetings during the month.
While conferral of degrees and mundane business do take up
a lot of a Lodge's time, there are a host of other activities that Masons engage
in within the fraternity. Charitable
work is often done, in the form of fundraisers, community volunteer work, etc.
And there are also a great many things done for the simple pleasure of
company: monthly breakfasts or dinners, picnics, card/chess matches, lecturers
on Masonic history, you name it. Masonry
is a fraternity, and its membership seeks to have fun.
Local Masonic Lodges are organized under Grand Lodges.
In the United States, each state has its own Grand Lodge, which is a peer
with every other Grand Lodge. There
is not "Grandest Lodge"-- each Grand Lodge is supreme in its
jurisdiction (e.g., in the US, in its state) but has no authority elsewhere.
Of course, this does not mean that Masonry in New York is radically
different than Masonry in Scotland or New Mexico.
Masons are very traditional and the differences between Grand Lodges are
usually minor.
The head of a Lodge is given the title Worshipful Master.
This, of course, does not imply that Masons worship him; it is merely a
stylish title. Masonic Lodges can
be found in many cities, of all sizes, around the world.
There are presently approximately 5 million Masons, half of which are in the United States.
(2) What is
the Scottish Rite?
The Scottish Rite is an appendant body of Masonry, meaning
that it is not part of the Blue Lodge per se, but closely associated with
Masonry. It requires that a man be
a Master Mason before joining the Scottish Rite.
The Scottish Rite confers the 4th through 32nd degrees.
The degree work may be, but is not necessarily, completed at one time.
Any Master Mason is eligible to join the Scottish Rite. The degrees of the Scottish Rite continue the symbolism of
the first three Masonic degrees. For
a discussion of the 33rd degree, see question 9 of this section.
The above refers to the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite (AASR),
not the Rectified Scottish Rite , which exists both in UGLE-recognized and
non-recognized Masonic bodies in the Europe.
(3) What is the York Rite?
The York Rite, like the Scottish Rite, is an appendant body
of Masonry, and confers degrees beyond the Blue Lodge's three degrees.
It consists of nine degrees
additional degrees: Mark Master, Past Master, Most
Excellent Master, and Royal Arch Mason; the Cryptic Degrees of the Royal
Master, Select Master, and Super Excellent Master; and the Chivalric Orders of
the Order of the Red Cross, Order of the Knights of Malta and the Order of
Knights Templar.
The Temple degrees, which comprise the top degrees of the
York Rite are specifically Christian. Or
at least, it can be stated that the oath is: in some Grand Lodges in the US and
abroad, one need not be a Christian, but rather only be willing to take a
Christian OATH. The difference here
is that there are some who would willingly swear to defend the Christian faith
on the grounds that they would defend any man's faith.
The Chapter (or Royal Arch) and Council Of Royal And Select Masters
(Cryptic Rite), which comprise the first two sections of the York Rite, are not
specifically Christian.
As with most things Masonic, discuss any concerns with your
local York Rite, who can advise you regarding your eligibility.
(4) What is the Shrine?
The Shrine is not an appendant body of Masonry, though the
distinction would escape many. The
Shrine confers no additional degrees. It
was founded in 1872 (the Mecca Temple in New York City) and an Arabic theme was
chosen. Hence, the distinctive red
fez that Shriners wear at official functions.
Members of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles the
Mystic Shrine for North America (AASONM is an anagram for "A MASON")
are members of the Scottish Rite's 32nd degree, and/or Knights Templer of the
York Rite. The Shrine is most noted
for its emphasis on philanthropy and its jolly outlook on life-- it has been
called "the playground of Masonry".
This is expressed as "Pleasure without intemperance, hospitality
without rudeness, and jollity without coarseness."
The Royal Order of Jesters is a group drawn from Shrine
membership, by invitation only.
(5) What is the Eastern Star?
The Order of the Eastern Star is an adoptive rite of
Freemasonry with teachings based on the Bible and objectives that are charitable
and benevolent. The founder of OES
was Dr. Robert Morris, a
lawyer and educator from Boston, Massachusetts, who was a Master Mason and Past
Grand Master of Kentucky. Dr. Morris intended his creation to become a female branch of
Freemasonry, but he failed to overcome the great opposition this idea
engendered. After his first
published ritual in 1849-50, he became associated with Robert Macoy who wrote
and published a ritual based on Morris' in 1867.
The first Grand Chapter was organized in Michigan in the same year.
(There is evidence for an organization of the same name founded variously
in 1788 or 1793, but this group was defunct by 1867.)
Subordinate (local) chapters operate under charter from state level grand
chapters which are responsible to the General Grand Chapter at the International
Eastern Star temple in Washington, D.C.
Members must be eighteen years or older and either Master
Masons in good standing or properly related to a Master Mason in good standing.
The latter category includes wives; widows; sisters; daughters; mothers;
granddaughters; step-mothers; step daughters; step-sisters; and half-sisters.
In 1994 this was expanded to include nieces, daughters-in-law, and
grandmothers.
Each chapter has eighteen officers, some elected and others
appointed. Two offices are
specifically male (Patron and Associate Patron) while nine offices are
specifically female (including Matron and Associate Matron).
While the Worthy Matron is considered to be the presiding officer of the
chapter, the degrees cannot be conferred without a presiding brother in good
standing (hence the Patron and Associate Patron).
Each chapter retains the right to decide who shall be a
member of the organization. Election
to the degrees must be unanimous, without debate, and secret.
The successful candidate must profess a belief in a Supreme Being and is
initiated in five degrees, which are conferred in one ceremony.
(When Eastern Star was created, it was intended to be the first of a
three degree series. The second and
third degrees were Queen of the South and the Order of the Amaranth,
respectively.)
Interestingly enough, OES requires only the belief in a
Supreme Being even though the degrees are based in both the Old and New
Testaments. While non-Christians
are not specifically barred from membership, it would seem to be difficult to be
other than Christian and belong to the Order.
(Thanks to Joy Leavy for this section)
(6) What is DeMolay?
The International Order of DeMolay is the world's largest
fraternal organization for young men between the ages of 13 and 21.
The Order was founded in Kansas City, Missouri on March 24, 1919 by Frank
Sherman Land. DeMolay Chapters are sponsored by Masonic Lodges, and some
members of the sponsoring body also serve as Advisors on the Chapter's Advisory
Council. Structurally, it is
similar to Masonry. The officers of
a Chapter are the Master Councilor, Senior Councilor, Junior Councilor, Senior
Deacon, Junior Deacon, Senior Steward, Junior Steward, Orator, Scribe, Marshal,
Chaplain, Standard Bearer, Sentinel, Almoner, and seven Preceptors.
DeMolay Chapters hold monthly or bi-weekly meetings with
Masonic-like Ritual. Other
activities include athletic tournaments and events, social functions (joint
activities with Rainbow are encouraged), fund-raising activities, Masonic
service activities, and civic and philanthropic activities.
DeMolays are taught the seven cardinal virtues of the
Order-- filial love, reverence for sacred things, courtesy, comradeship,
fidelity, cleanness, and patriotism-- and the importance of practicing them in
their daily lives.
The Order's namesake is Jacques DeMolay, who was the last
Grand Master of the Knights Templar and who was executed by the Inquisition on
March 18, 1314. Louis Lower, the
first DeMolay, and his group of friends, when asked by Dad Land to choose a name
for their group, believed that his heroic fidelity and loyalty to his fellow
Templars were qualities with which they wanted their group to be identified.
Mind you, Dad Land explained this to them before they chose their name.
A fascinating book about the history of the Order and the
life of Frank S. Land (1890-1959),
titled "Hi! Dad," is available from the DeMolay and More Store or
practically any member of the Order. The
phone number of the DeMolay and More Store is 1-800-DEMOLAY.
(thanks to Tom Schnorrenberg)
(7) What is Rainbow?
Rainbow is the complement to DeMolay, enrolling girls
between the age of 13 and 20 if
they are related to members of a Masonic Lodge
or the Eastern Star. It
confers two degrees, the Initiatory and the Grand Cross of Color.
(8) What are some other Masonic organizations?
Acacia: A
college fraternity for Master Masons, the sons of Masons, and young men recommended by two Masons one of whom is an Acacian
himself. The national
governing board is composed exclusively of
32nd and 33rd degree Masons.
Order of Amaranth: Open
to Masons and their wives, mothers, daughters,
widows, and sisters. At
least one Master Mason must be present at every
initiation. It confers only one
degree.
Daughters of Mokanna:
An auxiliary organization of the Grotto comprised
of the wives, mothers, daughters, widows, and sisters of the
Master Masons in the Grotto.
Daughters of the Nile:
An auxiliary organization for the wives, mothers, daughters, widows, and sisters of members of the
Shrine.
Desoms: An
organization for deaf Masons.
Grotto: A fun
organization open to Master Masons. It
imitates the Shrine to a large
degree, but requires only that a member be a
Master Mason rather than a 32nd degree Mason or Knight Templar.
Officially known as The Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the
Enchanted Realm (MOVPER).
High Twelve International:
An organization of Master Masons that usually meet for lunch, enjoy
fellowship, and support Masonic causes, with special emphasis on youth and
patriotic endeavors.
Job's Daughters: Enrolls
girls between the ages of 13 and 20 that have
some Masonic relative. They
must profess a belief in God, the Ten Commandments,
and the Lord's prayer.
L.O.S. of N.A.:
The Ladies' Oriental Shrine of North America.
Another auxiliary for the
wives, mothers, daughters, widows, and sisters
of Shrine members.
National Sojourners, Inc.:
Open to Master Masons which are U.S.
citizens and who have served or are serving as a commissioned or
warrant officer in the United States military or in any armed service of
a nation allied with the US in time of war.
Philalethes: A
group for Masons interested in Masonic philosophy and history.
Royal Order of Scotland:
An organization for Christian Masons who have been 32nd degree Masons or
Knights Templar for five or more years.
Tall Cedars of Lebanon:
A fun organization for Master Masons similar to the
Grotto. It confers the two degrees
of the Royal Court and the Sidonian.
White Shrine of Jerusalem:
For Master Masons and their wives, mothers, daughters, widows, and sisters.
Members must profess a belief in the
defense of the Christian religion.
(thanks to Bill Menees for providing this section)
(9) What is Co-Masonry?
Co-Masonry refers to Masonic Lodges that admit both men and
women. Co-Masonry traces its heritage back to the 19th century.
There are two Grand Lodges of Co-Masonry with jurisdiction
in America: Le Droit Humain, a GL
based in Paris, France and the original Co-Masonic organization in the US, and
the American Federation of Human
Rights (aka American Co-Masonry), which is based in Larkspur, Colorado.
The degree structure differs slightly from standard Blue
Lodge structure (i.e., the Scottish
Rite is worked as part of the regular
Lodge, not a separate organization), but in most things Co-Masonic lodges
function as regular Masonic lodges.
(10) What is Prince Hall Masonry?
NOTE: This section is excerpted from the Grand Lodge of New
Brunswick's annual communication. I
wish there were some Prince Hall Masons who could provide better information.
"There are some schools of thought that Prince Hall
(his name not a title) was born in
Barbados to a free black woman and a Scottish
father. He emigrated to the Colony
of Boston, Mass. and acquired real estate, making him eligible to vote.
It was also documented that
he was a devout Christian and a leather-worker by
trade. On March 6, 1775,
during the American War of Independence,
Prince Hall along with fourteen men of color were made Masons in Army Lodge #441
of the Irish Constitution. When
Army Lodge moved on, the aforesaid brethren were issued a permit
authorizing them to appear publicly as a Masonic body for the
purpose of celebrating the feast of St.
John and to bury their dead.
On March 2, 1784, these same brethren applied to the Grand
Lodge of England for a charter,
which was subsequently issued to them on
September 29, 1784. They were
warranted under the name of African
Lodge, No. 459 on the register of
the Grand Lodge of England by
authority of then Grand Master, the Duke of
Cumberland. Prince Hall was
the first Master. That charter,
which is authenticated and in
safekeeping, is believed to be the only original
charter issued from the Grand Lodge of England still in
the possession of any Lodge in the United States.
African Lodge allowed itself to slip into arrears in the
late 1790's and was stricken from
the rolls after the Union of 1813, although
it had attempted correspondence in 1802 and 1806. In 1827, after
other unreplied-to attempts at communication, it
declared its independence of any external authority and began to
call itself African Grand Lodge No.
1.
It is interesting to note that when the Massachusetts
lodges which were acting as a
Provincial Grand Lodge declared themselves
an independent Grand Lodge, and even when the present Grand Lodge
of Massachusetts was formed by the amalgamation of two separate
Grand Lodges, African Lodge was not invited to take part, even
though it held a warrant every bit as valid as those others.
This may be explained in
part by this 1795 quote from John Eliot, who
later became Grand Chaplain of the Gr.
Lodge of Mass. He wrote, "White
Masons, who are not more skilled in geometry than their
black brethren, will not acknowledge them...
.the truth is they are
ashamed of being on an equality with blacks."
Today there are 45 Grand Lodges (the latest being the just
formed "Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the
Caribbean") that trace their origin back to African Lodge #459.
There are more than 5000 Prince Hall Lodges and over 300,000
members. So far as it is
known, their ritual, their secrets, their
procedures, their requirements, their beliefs, their tenets
or fundamental principles, are all either identical with ours, or
recognizably similar." (by.. W
Bro. Roy Cassidy)
To add to this:
The United Grand Lodge of England has now officially
recognized Prince Hall Lodges. Many
US Grand Lodges have recognized PH GLs within their jurisdictions, and it has
been or is being discussed in other
jurisdictions. Since every Grand
Lodge is autonomous and the supreme
authority in its jurisdiction, this issue must be
approached on a state-by-state basis.
Some have criticized Masonry as "segregated" due
to the Prince Hall Lodges, but this is a ridiculous claim, since there are many
black Masons in non-PH Lodges and white members in PH Lodges, and displays
a fundamental ignorance of Masonic history.
(11) What is a 33rd degree Mason?
The Scottish Rite awards a special honorary degree, the
33rd, to those it feels has made an
outstanding contribution to Masonry, the
community as a whole, and to mankind. There is no way to "achieve" this degree or
"take" it, in the sense that one takes the 4th through 32nd degrees in
the Scottish Rite. It is a singular
honor, rarely bestowed, and greatly admired.
(12) Are there any Masonic functions that I can attend as
a non-Mason?
Yes. Many
Lodges open their installation of officers to the public. Once a year, a new
Worshipful Master takes office. The
ceremony performed during his
inauguration is public. It is not
the same ceremony as would be
performed in a regular Masonic ritual or degree, but it does have the flavoring of Masonic symbolism and allows the public
to "get a feel for
Masonry" without being Masons. NOTE:
Not all jurisdictions have public
installations. Call or write your
local lodge for details.
In addition, many Lodges sponsor public functions
throughout the year, such as
dinners or charity functions, designed to allow non-Masons who
are interested in Masonry the chance to talk with Masons and ask
questions. For information, call
your local Lodge.
(13) Who is the head of the Masons?
No one. Each
Grand Lodge has its own jurisdiction and is the supreme authority within that
jurisdiction. Obviously, many Grand
Lodges have regular communication with each other, but official policy in one
has no effect in another.
(14) Are there dues, fees, etc.
associated with being a Mason?
Yes. Like all
organizations, Lodges must be able to pay their light bills.
Typically, there is a one-time fee for the three degrees of Masonry, as
well as regular annual dues. But
these vary widely depending on the number of members, cost of living (rent in
Manhattan is higher than it is in rural Oklahoma), the actual physical
facilities of the Lodge, etc. The
fees and dues, however, are not prohibitively expensive (the author is a college
student and has no problem with them). Rather
than give a single figure which may be very different than your local Lodge
charges, or publishing an extended table of costs, it is easiest to simply refer
the interested to their local Lodge.
Incidentally, many Grand Lodge jurisdictions provide for
"life membership" after a Mason has paid dues for a long period.
For example, in Michigan a
Mason is no longer asked to pay dues after he has been a Mason for forty years.
Other jurisdictions allow members
to pay a lump sum for life membership. As
with almost everything in Masonry, check with your local Grand Lodge or Lodge
for more information.
(15) I hear Masons refer to an "apron".
What is that?
"During the ceremonies of his initiation, each Mason
is presented with a white apron. It
is, to him, an emblem of innocence and the badge of a Mason. It has, in all ages, been cherished by the rich, the poor,
the high and the low. It is his for
life. He will never receive another
one and has, therefore, been cautioned to take it home and instructed in its
care. While perfectly satisfactory
for him to do so if he desires, he need not bring it to Lodge, as linen aprons
are provided for his use meetings." (From a pamphlet, "To the Lady and
Family of a Mason")
The above applies to the US. In many other countries, the Master Mason owns his regalia
and brings it to the Lodge.
(16) What is a "Masonic Funeral"?
"Any member who was in good standing at the time of
his death is entitled to a Masonic funeral if he or his family requests it.
Such a request should be made to the Master of his Lodge who will make
the necessary arrangements with the family, the mortuary, and the minister.
A service is authorized by the jurisdiction in which
you are located, and consists of participation at the mortuary, the
beginning at the mortuary and the closing at the graveside, or graveside only.
Pallbearers will be furnished at the request of the family.
In general, the Lodge will do as much or as little as the nearest
relative wishes it to do." (From a pamphlet, "To the Lady and Family of a Mason")
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to top
III. PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS &
MYTHS
(1) Are Masons just a bunch of old men?
Isn't Masonry dying out?
As regards the United States:
There is no doubt that the population of Masons is aging.
There was a huge increase in membership in almost all fraternal orders
after World War II, including Masonry. This
peaked at sometime in the late 50s. During
the social turbulence and generational strains of the 60s and 70s, new
membership fell off, with the result that by the 1980s, total membership was in
sharp decline.
However, there are signs that membership has leveled out,
or is gaining in some areas. In
many lodges, there are a great number of 50-and-up members, and a number of
30-and-under members, with a gulf in between, representing where Baby Boomers
would have been. Of course, we are speaking in broad generalities here-- there
is no way to know the demographics of your local Lodge without asking one of its
members.
The overall point is that Masonic membership, when talking
on a national scale, has probably
hit a stable membership base, after a huge
surge and then fall in membership.
(Please submit information on other parts of the world)
(2) Aren't Masons racist/elitist?
Regarding racism: Masonry explicitly states the equality of
men, regardless of race, creed, or
color. But there are some Masons
who are prejudiced, and this is unfortunate, saddening, and
unMasonic. However, it is
not representative of Masonry as a whole,
or representative of anything except a tiny minority of
Masons. There are Masons of
all ethnic backgrounds.
"Elitism" is harder to define.
If you mean that Masons are highly selective in their membership, then
yes, Masons are elitists. But just criteria is used: men of good character, of good
report, who believe in God. Does
the majority of the population fit that criteria?
If you think not, then you could say that Masons are elitists.
The idea that Masonry is only open to the patrician class,
the landed gentry, and the wealthy is incorrect. There are Masons of all economic backgrounds.
Indeed, there are Lodges which are mostly or wholly made up of
blue-collar workers due to local demographics.
(3) Isn't Masonry just a place where businessmen make
deals?
No. In fact,
most Masons believe that to trade with a Brother Mason only because he is a
Mason is unMasonic. Even more
importantly, anyone who attempts to
join a Lodge solely for business reasons will not be given a petition.
Masons, however, are friends, and it is not surprising that
many Masons do trade with Brothers.
For one thing, they are dealing with people that are of good character
and can be trusted, which is no small statement in the modern marketplace.
But Masonry is not a "place to network".
Yes, some men do view one of
the benefits of membership as an additional source of
customers or partners, but few would say that is the only reason they
became Masons. The work involved in
the degrees alone would make this a poor investment-- better to join the Rotary
Club or other business group.
(4) I see titles like "Worshipful Master" and
"Senior Deacon"-- is this some
kind of cult?
No. The titles
are simply colorful, stylish, and full of ancient
symbolism. No Mason worships
the Master of the Lodge, nor does a Senior
(or Junior) Deacon engage in religious actions, as a Deacon of a church
might.
(5) Masonry is a secret society, right?
Wrong. Secret
societies are generally defined as organizations which are unknown to the public
and whose existence is denied. The
Bavarian Illuminati and the Mafia would be examples of secret societies.
Masonry, on the other hand, is well-known and proudly
displays its existence. Masonic
Temples are clearly marked as such, and many Lodges are listed in the yellow
pages (usually under "Fraternal Orders").
Members often wear rings or tie-clips that identify themselves as Masons,
and Masons often participate in community charity work.
Finally, some Masonic functions are open to the public.
Masonry is not a secret society, but rather a society with
a few secrets. These are mainly modes of recognition-- the signals, grips,
signs, and phrases by which Masons recognize each other. The actual degree rituals are considered secret as well, not
because there is anything that would harm
Masonry by their revelation, but rather because they are more
meaningful if the candidate does not know what is going to go on during
them beforehand (see question 9 of this section if that makes you
nervous).
It should be pointed out that many other organizations have
a similar class of secrets.
College fraternities (a.k.a. "Greek
letter organizations") often have small secrets known only to
their members, allowing them to travel from house to house and still be known.
(6) Masonry is a religion, right?
Wrong.
Masonry is not a religion "by the definitions most
people use. Religion,
as the term is commonly used, implies several things: a plan for
salvation or path by which one reaches the after-life; a theology which attempts
to describe the nature of God; and the description of ways or practices by
which a man or woman may seek to communicate with God.
Masonry does none of those things. We
offer no plan of salvation. With
the exception of saying that He is
a loving Father who desires only good for His children,
we make no effort to describe the nature of God.
And while we open and close
our meetings with prayer, and we teach that no man should ever begin any
important undertaking without first seeking the guidance of God, we
never tell a man how he should pray or for what he should pray. Instead, we tell
him that he must find the answers to these great questions in his
own faith, in his church or synagogue or other house of worship.
We urge men not to neglect
their spiritual development and to be faithful in the
practice of their religion. As
the Grand Lodge of England wrote in 'Freemasonry
and Religion', 'Freemasonry is far from indifferent to
religion. Without
interfering in religious practice, it expects each
member to follow his own faith, and to place above all other duties his
duty to God by whatever name He is known.'
Masonry itself makes only a simple
religious demand on a man--he must believe that he has an immortal soul and he must believe in God.
No atheist can be a Mason." (Dr.
Jim Tresner, 33rd degree)
"Freemasonry has no dogma or theology.
It teaches that it is important for
every man to have a religion of his choice and to be faithful to it.
A good Mason is made even more faithful to the tenets of his faith by
membership." (Rev. Norman
Vincent Peale, who was also a Mason)
(7) Are Masons really controlling the world/meeting with
the Bavarian Illuminati/members of the Trilateralist Commission/etc?
Yes, not to mention the International Jewish Conspiracy,
the Elders of Zion, Inver Brass, S.P.E.C.T.R.E., and the minions of Cthulhu.
Anyone who believes that Masons are the Master Puppeteers
of the globe either is pulling your leg, has read too much Robert Anton Wilson,
or is in need of serious psychotherapy.
(8) Masons are anti-Catholic, right?
Wrong. There
is nothing anti-Catholic in Masonry, in its traditions, its rituals, or its
beliefs.
(9) Masonic rituals are demeaning or embarrassing to the
candidate, right?
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The rituals (degrees) are designed
to reinforce virtues that the Craft finds desirable, such as
Justice, Brotherly Love, Truth, and the like.
The rituals are actually quite
beautiful and filled with ancient language and much symbolism.
At no point, however, is the candidate asked to do anything that would
embarrass or demean him, nor anything that would violate his obligations
to his faith, country, or the law.
(10) I heard/read a Mason talking about a "Masonic
Bible". Do Masons have their
own Bible?
"No. The
Bibles sometimes called 'Masonic Bibles' are just Bibles to which a concordance,
giving the Biblical citations on which the
Masonic Ritual is based, has been added. Sometimes reference material
on Masonic history is included. Anyone
is welcome to read one." (Dr. Jim Tresner, 33rd degree)
(11) I see that Masonic buildings are called Temples.
Does that mean that Masons worship there?
No. "Webster's
New Twentieth Century Dictionary provides a definition for the word 'temple'
which is as good an explanation as any: 'a building, usually of imposing size,
serving the public or an organization in some special way; as, a temple of art,
a Masonic temple'". (Dr.
Jim Tresner. 33rd degree)
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to top
IV. HOW DO I BECOME A MASON?
(1) What are the requirements for becoming a Mason?
Candidates must be male, at least 21 years of age, able to
profess a belief in God, and of
good character.
For information on mixed-sex Masonry, see the discussion on
Co-Masonry in II, 7.
Some Grand Lodges also have a residency requirement; for
example, the Grand Lodge of
Michigan requires candidates to have lived in its
jurisdiction (Michigan) for a minimum of one year.
There are some exceptions to the age requirement.
For example, in England and Virginia, the direct relatives of Master
Masons in good standing are eligible to join at the age of 18.
In some jurisdictions, DeMolays may join upon reaching their 18th
birthday.
(2) Who can be Masons?
Any human who meets the requirements listed in question (1)
of this section is eligible,
regardless of race or color.
Some have speculated that while there is no official
prohibition against, say, blacks or
Asians from becoming Masons, there is a de facto prohibition because they would
never be voted into a lodge. This
is false. There are Masons of all
ethnic backgrounds.
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