Posted by Mason Zone on Nov 19th 2023
Modern Freemasonry broadly consists of two main recognition groups: Regular Freemasonry, which insists that a volume of scripture be open in a working lodge, that every member professes belief in a Supreme Being, that no women be admitted, and that the discussion of religion and politics do not take place within the lodge; and Continental Freemasonry, which consists of the jurisdictions that have removed some, or all, of these restrictions.
The basic, local organizational unit of Freemasonry is the Lodge. These private Lodges are usually supervised at the regional level (usually coterminous with a state, province, or national border) by a Grand Lodge or Grand Orient.
There is no international, worldwide Grand Lodge that supervises all of Freemasonry; each Grand Lodge is independent, and they do not necessarily recognize each other as being legitimate. The degrees of Freemasonry retain the three grades of medieval craft guilds, those of Entered Apprentice, Journeyman or fellow (now called Fellowcraft), and Master Mason. The candidate of these three degrees is progressively taught the meanings of the symbols of Freemasonry and entrusted with grips, signs, and words to signify to other members that he has been so initiated.
The degrees are part allegorical morality play and part lecture. These three degrees form Craft (or Blue Lodge) Freemasonry, and members of any of these degrees are known as Freemasons or Masons. Once the Craft degrees have been conferred upon a Mason, he is qualified to join various "Concordant bodies" which offer additional degrees. These organizations are usually administered separately from the Grand Lodges who administer the Craft degrees. The extra degrees vary with locality and jurisdiction. What do Masons believe in?
What do Masons believe in?
A Thirdty Third Degree (33°) Mason is a Master Mason who has exhibited knowledge, passion and sacrifice to his craft. The Supreme Council awards the 33° as a way of honoring outstanding and selfless work performed in the Rite or in public life. At its annual session the Supreme Council elects members of the Rite [...]
The basic unit of Freemasonry is the Masonic Lodge, which alone can "make" (initiate) a Freemason. Such lodges are controlled by a Grand Lodge with national or regional authority for all lodges within its territory. A masonic lodge confers the three masonic degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft (or Fellow Craft), and Master Mason. Whilst there [...]
The “G” at its center remains subject to dispute; some experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for example, believe the “G” in the symbol's center represents geometry, a critical field to the first Freemasons, while others believe it represents God, the “Grand Architect of the Universe.” What does your lodge think?
How does a woman become an Eastern star? Originally, a woman would have to be the daughter, widow, wife, sister, or mother of a Master Mason. The Order now allows other relatives as well as allowing Job's Daughters, Rainbow Girls, and Members of the Organization of Triangles (NY only) to become members when of age.
Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt received his 1st degree on the 2nd of January, 1901.
Freemason James Garfield was the 20th President of the United States. (Magnolia Lodge No. 20 in Ohio, 1861).
During the American Civil War, enemy soldiers who recognized each other as #Freemasons saved each other. Even during war, loyalty to the craft did not fade. (Below is a Masonic Monument at The Maine Masonic Civil War Library and Museum in Portland, Maine.)