Freemasonry is comprised of men of good will, of good character and good reputation, who believe in a supreme being and practice the spirit of the universal brotherhood of man, who are loyal to their country, devoted to the principles of friendship and fellowship, and who aim to be of service to all mankind.
The mission of Masonry is to help build a better world through its process of building better men to live in it, by urging the practice of brotherly love for all, charitable relief for those who may be in need, and morality and good citizenship in every community. Freemasonry acts as a charitable, educational, social and character building society.
Freemasonry is not a mere social institution. Its primary purpose is the advancement of its doctrines of temperance, fortitude, prudence, justice, brotherly love, relief and truth. It is not an insurance or burial society, or a vehicle to increase one's personal, political or business ambitions.
Freemasonry requires a belief in a Supreme Being and while religious in its concepts, is not a religion or substitute for religion. Masonic ritual teaches responsibility to a Supreme Being and so should strengthen one's loyalty to a member's church, mosque or synagogue.
In the interest of harmony, partisan political discussions are prohibited. A Mason's political beliefs are his own but must conform to good citizenship. A member running for public office has no right to expect the support of other Masons merely because he is a lodge member.
Freemasonry means that no man will ever introduce controversial sectarian questions into the lodge; he will pay no heed to those who attack the Fraternity; he will adhere to his belief in the Great Architect of the Universe and be ever loyal to his religious organization; he will remain a good citizen, obeying the laws of Freemasonry and the civic laws under whose protection he lives.
If you are interested in joining the Masons you must fill out an application for membership, called a petitio. To apply, follow these steps:
Please fill out the petition as completely as possible and designate the location where you would like to take your Degrees.
Give the petition to the Mason that you know, and he will take it to the Lodge you wish to join. You can choose a lodge from the list or to find an e-mailaddress, contact a Lodge in your area, and the members will contact you to meet and inform you about the Craft.
After filling out the petition and making contact with the Lodge, the Lodge will assign members to review your petition, conduct an interview, and then present your petition before lodge members for acceptance into the fraternity .
If your petition is approved by the Lodge you will be contacted by the Lodge regarding the selection of a mentor, who must be with you throughout the Degrees and during your first months as a Mason. You may select a mentor yourself or have one assigned to you. You will also be notified of the time and place to report for the Degrees.
We look forward to welcoming you as a Brother Mason.
Is Masonry a Religion?
Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. It requires of its members a belief in God as part of the obligation of every responsible adult, but advocates nonsectarian faith or practice. Masonic ceremonies include prayers, both traditional and extempore, to reaffirm each individual's dependence on God and to seek divine guidance. Freemasonry is open to men of any faith, but religion may not be discussed at Masonic meetings.
Does Masonry Include Women?
In Freemasonry, as in all other areas of life, women play an important role. The opportunities for women to participate in Freemasonry are widespread and meet a variety of needs, from social interaction in the Orders for both men and women, to the unique needs met in the "women only" Masonic-related organizations. The moral and ethical values that Freemasonry encourages are universal and not gender-based.
Masonic Lodges maintain today a long-standing tradition of restricting membership in Freemasonry to men. This tradition is based on the historical all male membership of stonemasons guilds. During the Middle Ages, men traveled far from home and lived in lodges while constructing great cathedrals throughout Europe.
Is Masonry a Secret Society?
People sometimes refer to Freemasonry as being a "Secret Society." In one sense the statement is true. Any social group or private business is "secret" in the sense that its business meetings may be open only to its members. In Freemasonry, the process of joining is also a private matter, and its members are pledged not to discuss with nonmembers certain parts of the ceremonies associated with the organization.
Freemasonry does have certain handshakes and passwords, customs incorporated into later fraternities, which are kept private. They are means of recognizing each other--necessary in an organization which spans the entire world and which encompasses many languages.
How is Masonry Organized?
Freemasonry is the oldest fraternal organization for men in the world, and its organizational structure shows its age. The basic organizational unit of the fraternity is the lodge. We believe the term comes from the lodges (shelters) constructed at the building sites of cathedrals and castles during the Middle Ages. Masons worked and lived in these shelters. Each lodge is headed by an officer called the "Worshipful Master." "Worshipful" means "highly respected" or "honored." The term comes from the judicial system of England and carries no religious implication. "Master" means "leader," or "best qualified," as in "Concert Master" or "Master Architect." Each officer of a lodge has a title that originated during the Middle Ages.
Until 1717, each lodge of Masons was autonomous. On June 24, 1717, four of the lodges operating in London met together to form the first Grand Lodge of England. It became the first administrative or policy-making body of Freemasonry. Masonic lodges still retain autonomy over their finances, activities, officer election, fundraising, and joining ceremonies. But administratively, each State or Province has a Grand Lodge which co-ordinates activities, serves as a central source of record keeping, and performs other administrative and policy functions for the fraternity. ]The state president is called the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge. He has broad powers in overseeing the progress of the fraternity and while there is no national spokesperson for the fraternity, within his own state (Jurisdiction) he is the chief spokesman.
