"Freemasonry (or Masonry) is dedicated to the Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God. It uses the tools and implements of ancient architectural craftsmen symbolically in a system of instruction designed to build character and moral values in its members.  Its singular purpose is to make good men better.  Its bonds of friendship, compassion, and brotherly love have survived even the most divisive political, military, and religious conflicts through the centuries.  Freemasonry is a fraternity which encourages its members to practice the faith of their personal acceptance.  Masonry teaches that each person, though self-improvement and helping others, has an obligation to make a difference for good in the world."¹

RETURN TO TOP

     "Masons (also known as Freemasons) belong to the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world. Today, there are more then two million Freemasons in North America.  Masons represent virtually every occupation and profession, yet within the fraternity, all meet as equals.  Masons come from diverse political ideologies, yet meet as friends.  Masons come from varied religious beliefs and creeds, yet all believe in one God.
     Many of North America's early patriots were Freemasons.  Thirteen signers of the Constitution and fourteen Presidents of the United States, including George Washington, were Masons.  In Canada, the  Father of the Confederation, Sir John A. MacDonald, was a Mason, as were other early Canadian and American leaders.
     One of the most fascinating aspects of Freemasonry is how so many men, from so many different walks of life, can meet together in peace, always conducting their affairs in harmony and friendship and calling each other "Brother.""¹

RETURN TO TOP

The first step to becoming a Mason is to ask a Mason to join, A mason will not ask you to join, you must come of your own free will.

One must also meet certain requirements, including:
        -Belief in a supreme being
        -Be a man
        -Free born
        -Of lawful age (18 in South Carolina)
        -Be of good character

At this point you must fill out a petition, and have it signed by two Master Masons, which will then be voted on by the lodge in which you have petitioned.

If found favorable, you will begin your Masonic journey by taking the first degree (the Entered Apprentice Degree)

After taking this degree you will have no less then 28 days to become proficient at the degree before you can take the second degree (the Fellow craft Degree) 

After this degree you will have another month to study and prepare to take the third degree (the Sublime degree of a Master Mason)

Once you have become a Master Mason, you have gained all the rights and privileges Masonry has to offer.

RETURN TO TOP

    " The Masonic experience encourages members to become better men, better husbands, better fathers, and better citizens.  The fraternal bonds formed in the Lodge help build lifelong friendships among men with similar goals and values.
     Beyond its focus on individual development and growth, Masonry is deeply involved in helping people.  The Freemasons of North America contribute over two million dollars a day to charitable causes.  The philanthropy represents an unparalleled example of the humanitarian commitment of this great and honorable Fraternity.
     Much of that assistance goes to people who are not Masons.  Some of these charities are vast projects.  The Shrine Masons (Shriners) operate the largest network of hospitals for burned and orthopaedically impaired children in the country, and there is never a fee for treatment.  The Scottish Rite Masons maintain a nationwide network of over 150 Childhood Language Disorder Clinics, Centers, and Programs.  Many other Masonic organizations sponsor a variety of philanthropies, including scholarship programs for students, and perform public service activities in their communities.  Masons also enjoy the fellowship of each other and their families in social and recreational activities."¹

RETURN TO TOP

     "The answer to that question is simple. No.
     We do use ritual in meetings, and because there is always an alter or table with the Volume of the Sacred Law open if a lodge is meeting, some people have confused Masonry with a religion, but it is not.  That does not mean that religion plays no part in Masonry-- it plays a very important part.  A person who wants to become a Mason must have a belief in God.  No atheist can ever become a Mason.  Meetings open with prayer, and a Mason is taught, as one of the first lessons of Masonry, that one should pray for divine counsel and guidance before starting an important  undertaking.  But that does not make Masonry a "religion."
     Sometimes people confuse Masonry with a religion because we call some Masonic buildings "temples."  But we use the word in the same since that Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes called the Supreme Court a "Temple of Justice" and because a Masonic lodge is a symbol of the Temple of Solomon.  Neither Masonry nor the Supreme Court is a religion just because its members meet in a "temple"
     In some ways, the relationship between Masonry and religion is like the relationship between the Parent-Teacher Association (the P.T.A.) and education.  Members of the P.T.A. believe in the importance of education.  They support it.  They assert that no man or woman can be a complete and whole individual or live up to his or her full potential without education.  They encourage their members to get involved with and to support their individual schools.
     But there are some things P.T.A.s do not do.  They don't teach. They don't tell people which school to attend.  They don't try to tell people what they should study or what their major should be.
     In much the same way, Masons believe in the importance of religion.  Masonry encourages every Mason to be active in the religion and church of his own choice.  Masonry teaches that without religion, he can never reach his full potential.
     But Freemasonry does not tell a person which religion he should practice or how he should practice it.  That is between the individual and God.  That is the function of his house of worship, not his fraternity.  And masonry is a fraternity, not a religion."2 

RETURN TO TOP

     "It really isn't "secretive," although it sometimes has that reputation.  Masons certainly don't make a secret of the fact that they are members of the fraternity.  We wear rings, lapel pins, and tie clasps with Masonic emblems like the Square and Compasses, the best known of Masonic signs which, logically, recall the fraternity's early symbolic roots in stone masonry.  Masonic buildings are clearly marked, and are usually listed in the phone book.  Lodge activities are not secret-- picnics and other events are even listed in the news papers, especially in smaller towns.  Many lodges have answering machines which give the upcoming lodge activities.  But there are some Masonic secrets, and they fall into two categories.
     The first are the way in which a man can identify himself as a Mason--grips and passwords.  We keep those private for obvious reasons.  It is not at all unknown for unscrupulous people to try to pass themselves off as Masons in order to get assistance under false pretenses.
     The second group is harder to describe, but they are the ones Masons usually mean if we talk about "Masonic secrets."  They are secrets because they literally can't be talked about, can't be put into words.  They are the changes that happen to a man when he really accepts responsibility for his own life and, at the same time, truly decides that his real happiness is in helping others.
     It's a wonderful feeling, but it's something you simply can't explain to another person.  That's why we sometimes say that Masonic secrets cannot (rather than "may not") be told.  Try telling someone exactly what you feel when you see a beautiful sunset, or when you hear music, like the national anthem, which suddenly stirs old memories, and you'll understand what we mean.
     "Secret societies" became very popular in America in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  There were literally hundreds of them, and most people belonged to two or three.  Many of them were modeled on Masonry and made a great point of having many "secrets."  Freemasonry got ranked with them.  But if Masonry is a secret society, it's the worst-kept secret in the world." 2

RETURN TO TOP

"The Shrine of North America is known for its colorful parades, circuses and clowns. But there is also a serious side to this international fraternity of approximately 500,000 men belonging to 191 Shrine Temples, or chapters, throughout North America. For 75 years, the Shrine has operated a network of specialized hospitals that treat children with orthopaedic problems, burns and spinal cord injuries, up to their 18th birthday, free of charge.

The Shrine was founded in 1872 by a group of 13 men belonging to the Masonic Order. It was originally established to provide fun and fellowship for its members. But as the organization grew, its members decided to dedicate their efforts to helping others by establishing an official Shrine philanthropy — a network of specialized hospitals that have provided expert medical care to more than 700,000 children, free of charge.

Since the first Shriners Hospital opened in 1922, the Shrine has supported what has come to be known as the "World's Greatest Philanthropy." The Shrine and its 22 hospitals, while maintaining separate legal and financial identities, are linked through the Shrine's continuing support of Shriners Hospitals.

The best known symbol of Shrinedom is the distinctive red fez that Shriners wear at official functions. Because Shriners are men who enjoy life, fun is a large part of the Shrine and the activities that help support the Shrine's philanthropy. Most Shrine Temples sponsor Shrine Clubs and special units, such as the motor corps, band or clown units and many other units of interest. They share in the camaraderie, deep friendships and good fellowship that are all part of being a Shriner."3

RETURN TO TOP

"The Scottish Rite is one of the two appendant bodies of Freemasonry in which a Master Mason may proceed after he has completed the three degrees of Blue Lodge, or Craft Lodge, Masonry. Any Master Mason in good standing may petition for membership. He must be judged of good moral character and be elected by the members. Neither Scottish in origin nor a rite in the religious sense, the Scottish Rite has as its ultimate goal mankind's moral and spiritual development.

The local Scottish Rite organization, called a "Valley," confers the 4th through 32nd degrees in degree-conferring meetings. The Scottish Rite is sometimes called the "College of Freemasonry," because it uses extensive allegory and drama to emphasize the message of its degrees. The degree work may, but not necessarily, be completed at one time.

The Scottish Rite shares the belief of all Masonic organizations that there is no higher degree than that of Master Mason. The degrees are in addition to, and in no way higher than, those of Blue Lodge, or Craft Lodge, Masonry. The degrees simply amplify and elaborate on the lessons of the craft, providing further knowledge of Masonry, the building of the Temple, and ancient religions, with memorable lessons ranging from the days of chivalry to modern times.

The Scottish Rite is said to have been brought to the New World in 1761. In 1801, the first Scottish Rite Supreme Council was established in South Carolina, becoming known as the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America, the Supreme Council 33rd degree, Mother Council of the World.

Twelve years later, this council authorized the formation of a second one in New York City, known as the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America. The Supreme Council of the Northern Jurisdiction, with headquarters in Lexington, Mass., consists of 15 states north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River. Membership in the Supreme Council of the Northern Jurisdiction is limited to 66 active 33rd degree Masons, excluding emeritus and past active members.

The Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction includes the other 35 states, plus the District of Columbia, Republic of Panama, China, Guam, Japan, Okinawa, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Taiwan. The Southern Jurisdiction has its headquarters in Washington, D.C. In addition, Canada's Scottish Rite is governed by the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of Canada, headquartered in Hamilton, Ontario, and Mexico also has its own Scottish Rite jurisdiction.

All Scottish Rite jurisdictions nominate a select few members to receive the 33rd Degree, Inspector General Honorary, in recognition of outstanding service to the Rite, or in public life, to the principles taught in the degrees. In the Southern Jurisdiction, the Supreme Council chooses 33rd degree members from among those who have previously received the rank and decoration of Knight Commander Court of Honor. The KCCH is bestowed in a Ceremonial of Investiture in recognition of outstanding service to the Rite, or in public life, to the principles taught in the degrees."3

RETURN TO TOP

"The York Rite is one of two appendant bodies of Freemasonry in which a Master Mason can proceed in Masonry after he has completed the three degrees of Blue (or Craft) Lodge Masonry (the other appendant body being the Scottish Rite). Any Master Mason in good standing may petition for membership. He must be judged of good moral character and be elected by the members.

Ancient York Rite Masonry, which took its name from the old English city of York, is considered by many Masonic historians to have been "original" Masonry. It is said that a British king who was converted to Christianity in York granted the original charter to the Masonic guilds there nearly 1,000 years ago. This organization apparently functioned for about 50 years, then faded, but it left traditions that were revived years later.

When Masons came from the British Isles to the New World, they brought with them Masonic degrees conferred in the mother country. Fearing that many of the lessons of ancient Freemasonry would be lost or altered by Masons scattering through the new land, early Masons arranged some of these lessons in a series of rites. The term York Rite has come to be applied to this series of degrees conferred in three primary bodies: the Royal Arch Chapter, the Council of Royal and Select Masters, and the Commandery of Knights Templar. These additional degrees supplement and amplify the Symbolic Degrees of Freemasonry, adding to the moral and spiritual lessons taught in the Lodge. Though not a religion in itself, York Rite Masonry develops themes based on Christianity.

In ancient Masonry, the Royal Arch Degree was conferred for a time in the Blue Lodge, but eventually evolved into a separate body in the York Rite. The degrees of the Royal Arch bring to completion the symbolism of ancient craft Masonry, and each degree has its own story to tell, its own lesson to teach, and its own moral truth to illustrate.

The Royal and Select Masters follows the Royal Arch. The degrees of this body each inculcates its own special historical and moral lesson. In some jurisdictions, membership in the Council of Royal and Select Masters is not a prerequisite for membership in the final York Rite body, the Knights Templar; the Council, however, is believed essential in fulfilling a Masonic education.

The Order of Knights Templar is considered the Christian branch of Freemasonry. The three orders in this body are the Order of the Red Cross, the Order of Malta and the Order of the Temple. These orders are founded upon the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ as related in the New Testament. A candidate for the orders must be of the Christian faith, accepting his individual obligations as a man, a Mason and a Christian, and in some jurisdictions must be a Companion of the Royal Arch in good standing. A genuine concern for others is one of the basic characteristics of Templary.

Local chapters of each of the three main bodies of the Rite are organized into state, provincial or regional organizations. Chapters of Royal Arch Masons are organized into Grand Chapters, which themselves form a unified association called the General Grand Chapter. Chapters of the Royal and Select Masters form Grand Councils, which together form the General Grand Council. And Commanderies of the Knights Templar are organized into Grand Commanderies by states, and those bodies form the Grand Encampment, Knights Templar of the U.S.A. In Canada, this body is known as the Sovereign Great Priory of Canada.

As in Craft Lodge Masonry, the governing bodies at the state or provincial level are autonomous and sovereign in their own jurisdiction. The Grand Chapters and Grand Councils may or may not choose to affiliate with the corresponding national or international governing body. Grand commanderies are required to belong to the Grand Encampment".3

RETURN TO TOP

YES, here is a small list of some of the more notable ones:

RETURN TO TOP

Footnotes:

1 - Taken from "Who Are The Masons? And What Do They Do?"    Published by the Masonic Information Center

2 - Taken from " Whats a Mason?" Published by the Masonic Information Center

3 - Taken from "Shrine of North America" Website