F.A.Q.

The use of the word ritual is in describing the rhythmic practice of the same ceremony at each occasion. Often there is a connotation of something sinister or counter to popular practice, but to the contrary, it is meant to imply that the degrees are an established or prescribed procedure to convey the knowledge of the Fraternity in a repetition.

What this means is that the same ceremony is practiced with each aspirant into the fraternal fold so that each man undergoes the same experience creating a unifying shared experience.

Traditionally, Freemasonry has been restricted to men. The early stonemasons were all male, and when Freemasonry was organizing, the position of women in society was different from today. If women wish to join Freemasonry, there are separate Grand Lodges restricted to women only.

Yes and no. The aims of Freemasonry are not specifically to embolden patriotism. It does however promote a strong affinity towards a passionate interest in the nation in which the Freemason resides. It encourages more than a passive interest in the development of civil society and our roles as citizens in it. The patriotism that is displayed is the result of that interest in the well-being of society itself.

The fraternity does strongly encourage the adherence and following of the principals and laws of the country in which the man lives.

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.

We are not, but 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.

It is not known, but it is well documented that the first recorded initiation in England was that of Sir Robert Moray (one of the outstanding Scots of the seventeenth century) on 20th May 1641. This took place in a Scottish Lodge just outside of Newcastle upon Tyne when the Scots Army was laying siege to Newcastle upon Tyne. A meeting of the Lodge of Edinburgh, St. Mary's Chapel took place and Sir Robert Moray was initiated. The earliest recorded making of a Freemason in an English Lodge is that of Elias Ashmole in 1646.

The history of modern Freemasonry is fairly understood, but once you get beyond the 1700's things get lost to the sands of time.

One of the beauties of Freemasonry is that it allows the member to stretch his mind to think about a variety of topics not typically explored in mainstream history. Some Masonic historians attempt to explain and look at the connections or possibilities in history that are often overlooked, especially to the recent past and into the not so recent historical world.

Freemasonry (Masonry) is the world's largest secular, fraternal and charitable organization. It teaches moral lessons and self-knowledge through participation in a progression of allegorical two-part plays.

To the majority of Freemasons the Volume of the Sacred Law is the Bible. However, there are many Freemasons who are not Christian and to them the Bible is not their sacred book. They will make their promises on the book which is regarded as sacred to their religion.

The two cardinal rules not to talk about in lodge are religion and politics, as Freemasonry is concerned specifically with neither.

This is an odd paradox in that fundamentally it promotes the individual connection to the Divine, but it admonishes us to not promote one belief system over another. Other topics such as work, family, business or other interests are openly talked about and should be amongst brothers as it builds our fraternal bonds.