Articles & Books From Freemasonry

Article / Updated 10-27-2021
In order to become a Freemason, you need some basic qualifications (specific qualifications vary from one lodge to the next, but some general rules apply). But if you meet the Freemason criteria, you still have to go through a process, from petitioning to becoming a full member. Basic qualifications The qualifications to join a lodge vary from one jurisdiction to another, but some basic qualifications are common to all regular Masonic lodges: You must believe in a supreme being.
Freemasons For Dummies
Unravel the mysteries of the Masons All the myths and rumors about Masonic organizations probably have you wondering "what do Masons really do?" Questions like this one are a natural by-product of being the oldest and largest "secret society" in the world. This book is an ideal starting place to find answers to your questions about the secret and not-so-secret things about Freemasonry.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 09-24-2021
Freemasons are part of an ancient tradition with rituals and symbols all their own. As a Mason, you can earn degrees, join esoteric and social organizations, and become privy to the language and abbreviations specific to Freemasonry.Freemason Blue Lodge degreesThe local Blue Lodge is the place where you and your Freemason friends begin your Masonic careers.
Article / Updated 02-04-2020
One of the unshakable tenets of regular, recognized Freemasonry is that it's an organization for men only. Beginning in the mid-1800s, several groups for women related to Freemasons were created, with varying degrees of success. The Order of the Eastern Star The Order of the Eastern Star (OES) was created to be a Masonic-style organization open to women, without simply being a copy, parody, or rip-off of the Masonic degrees.
Article / Updated 02-04-2020
There is no international administrative or controlling authority over Freemasonry. There's no office anyone can call to get the official, worldwide policy position of Freemasons, because there is no such policy. In the United States, each state has its own Grand Lodge. But there are basic beliefs common to all regular, mainstream Masonic organizations.
Article / Updated 02-04-2020
The word lodge really has two meanings to a Freemason. It is both a place where Masonic meetings are held, and a collective term for the members who meet there. So, as weird as it sounds, you could say that a lodge meets in a lodge. In fact, many different lodges can meet at different times in the same lodge building.
Article / Updated 02-04-2020
An overwhelming number of the world’s best and brightest have been or are Freemasons. These groups give you far from a comprehensive list — they're just a sampling: Founding fathers: America’s most famous Freemason, George Washington was initiated in 1752, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Other founding fathers who were also Masons include Benjamin Franklin, Marquis de Lafayette, Robert R.
Article / Updated 02-04-2020
The Freemasons use all kinds of symbols to represent the practices and beliefs of their order. Many of these Masonic symbols originate from the masonry trade and the Christian Bible. Scythe and hourglass: The scythe is to remind Masons of the ever-present danger of death that awaits us all. Like the scythe, the hourglass is an emblem of mortality.
Article / Updated 07-24-2016
Freemasons encourage young people to become involved in their rituals. Over the years Freemasons have started several groups for young people. You need to have a Masonic connection to join the Order of DeMolay or Job’s Daughters, but a girl of any race, creed, or religion can join the International Order of the Rainbow.
Article / Updated 07-24-2016
Freemasons are generally a social bunch who want more and more people to join in their love for their rituals. The mid-1800s saw the addition of more groups joining the Masonic family, including groups for female relatives of Masons, as well as their children.Called appendant bodies, some of these groups developed to confer more-involved, Masonic-style degrees.