Freemasonry is the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world. It is a brotherhood of men who seek to improve themselves and their communities by living according to the moral lessons taught in the lodge. Masons often describe the fraternity simply: Freemasonry takes good men and makes them better.
Where Freemasonry Came From
Freemasonry grew out of the guilds of stonemasons who built the castles and cathedrals of medieval Europe. These operative masons guarded the secrets of their craft, recognized one another by private signs, and organized themselves into lodges. Over the 1600s, lodges began to accept members who were not working stonemasons at all. These speculative or "accepted" Masons used the tools and language of the builder's trade as symbols for building moral character.
On June 24, 1717, four London lodges met to form the first Grand Lodge, and modern organized Freemasonry was born. The fraternity spread quickly across Europe and to the American colonies. Many of America's founders were Masons, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Paul Revere, and Masonic lodges have been part of American community life ever since.
What Masons Believe
Freemasonry is not a religion and is not a substitute for one. It welcomes men of many faiths and asks only that every member profess a belief in a Supreme Being, whom Masons refer to as the Great Architect of the Universe. Religion and partisan politics are not debated in the lodge, so that brothers of every background can meet in harmony.
Masonry teaches a way of life built on its three great tenets, Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth, and on the four cardinal virtues of Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence and Justice. Masons are taught to be faithful to God, loyal to their country, devoted to their families, honest in their dealings, and charitable to all.
The Three Degrees
A man becomes a Master Mason by receiving three degrees, each a step in a symbolic journey:
- Entered Apprentice. The first degree marks a man's entrance into the fraternity. It teaches the importance of preparation, humility, and the use of the Twenty-four Inch Gauge and Common Gavel to divide one's time wisely and to remove the rough edges of character.
- Fellowcraft. The second degree represents the years of manhood and the pursuit of knowledge. It celebrates learning, the liberal arts and sciences, and the working tools of the Square, Level and Plumb.
- Master Mason. The third and highest degree of the Blue Lodge teaches lessons of fidelity, integrity and the immortality of the soul. A Master Mason may vote, hold office, and visit lodges around the world.
Is Freemasonry a Secret Society?
No. Masons are proud of their membership, lodges are marked by signs and listed publicly, and the fraternity's purposes and principles are openly published, including on this website. Freemasonry is better described as a society with a few secrets: the traditional modes of recognition and the private ceremonies of the degrees, which are kept so that each new member experiences them fresh, just as the brothers before him did.
The Masonic Family
Once a man is a Master Mason he may also join the many appendant bodies that build upon the Blue Lodge, including the York Rite, the Scottish Rite, and the Shriners, known for their network of children's hospitals. Wives, daughters and other relatives may take part in organizations such as the Order of the Eastern Star, and young people in Rainbow for Girls, Job's Daughters and DeMolay.
Charity: Masonic Relief
Charity is at the heart of Freemasonry. Across America, Masonic organizations give enormous sums every year to hospitals, scholarships, disaster relief, and care for widows, orphans and aged brethren. Just as important is the quiet, personal help Masons give to neighbors in their own towns, the kind of relief Springfield Lodge No. 440 practices here in Effingham County.