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Who Are The
Masons?
 Masonic
Information Center
8120 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, Md. 20910–4785
Masons (also known as Freemasons) belong to the
oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world. Today, there are now
more than two million Masons 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 Masons.
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."
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. Masonry is a fraternity which
encourages its members to practice the faith of their personal acceptance.
Masonry teaches that each person, through self-improvement and helping others,
has an obligation to make a difference for good in the world.
No one knows just how old Freemasonry is because the
actual origins have been lost in time. Most scholars believe Masonry arose from
the guilds of stonemasons who built the majestic castles and cathedrals in the
Middle Ages. In 1717, Masonry created a formal organization when four Lodges in
London joined to form England's first Grand Lodge. By 1731, when Benjamin
Franklin joined the Fraternity, there were already several Lodges in the
Colonies, and in Canada the first Lodge was established in 1738.
Today, Masonic Lodges are found in almost every
community throughout North America, and in large cities there are usually
several Lodges. A Mason can travel to almost any country in the world and find a
Masonic Lodge where he will be welcomed as a "Brother."
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What Do Masons Do?
 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. This 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
orthopedically impaired children in the country, and there is never a fee
for treatment. The Scottish Rite Masons in the Southern Jurisdiction
maintain a network, as of 2001, of 150 Childhood Language Disorder Clinics,
Centers, and Programs. Other Masonic organizations sponsor a variety of
philanthropies, including scholarship programs (photo above) and perform
public service activities in their communities. Masons also enjoy the
fellowship of each other and their families in social and recreational
activities. |
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Several
Masonic Principles Are:
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Faith must be the center of our lives.
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All men and women are the children of God.
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No one has the right to tell another person what he
or she must
think or believe.
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Each person has a responsibility to be a good
citizen, obeying the law.
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It is important to work to make the world a better
place for all.
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Honor and integrity are keys to a meaningful life.
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What Is The Masonic Lodge?
The word Lodge means both a group of Masons meeting together as well as
the room or building in which they meet. Masonic buildings are sometimes
called "temples" because the original meaning of the term was "place of
knowledge," and Masonry encourages the advancement of knowledge.
Masonic Lodges usually meet once or
twice a month to conduct regular business, vote upon petitions for
membership, and bring new Masons into the Fraternity through three
ceremonies called Degrees. In the Lodge room, Masons share in a variety of
programs. Here the bonds of friendship and fellowship are formed and
strengthened. |
Who Can Qualify To
Join?
Applicants must be men of good character who believe in
a Supreme Being. To become a Mason, one must petition a particular Lodge. The
Master of the Lodge appoints a committee to visit the applicant prior to the
Lodge balloting upon his petition.
So Who
Are The Masons?
Masons are men of good character who strive to improve themselves and make
the world a better place. They belong to the oldest and most honorable
Fraternity known to man. If you think you may be interested in becoming a
member, you can begin by contacting a Lodge in your area or speaking to a Mason.
Men of Character And Integrity Join The Masons
Most are men who go about their jobs and professions with no hint they are
Freemasons except for the way they lead their lives. Many are readily
recognizable by name, face, or accomplishment. George Washington and 13 other
Presidents, 8 Vice Presidents, and 42 Justices of the Supreme Court have been
Masons.
Some Notable Masons
Eddy Arnold
Roy Acuff
Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin*
Gene Autry
L. Van Beethoven
Irving Berlin
Simon Bolivar
Gutzon Borglum
Ernest Borgnine
Omar Bradley
Richard E. Byrd
DeWitt Clinton
Ty Cobb
George M. Cohan
Davy Crockett
Norm Crosby
Cecil B. deMille
Jack Dempsey
John Diefenbaker*
Jimmy Doolittle
Duke Ellington
Sir Alexander Fleming
Gerald R. Ford*
Henry Ford |
Benjamin
Franklin
Clark Gable
Benjamin Gilman*
John Glenn
Arthur Godfrey
Barry Goldwater
John Hancock
Harry Hershfield
Harry Houdini
Sam Houston
Hubert H. Humphrey
Burl Ives
Andrew Jackson
Al Jolson
John Paul Jones
Jack Kemp
Rudyard Kipling
Marquis de Lafayette
Fiorello LaGuardia
Charles Lindberg
Douglas MacArthur*
George C. Marshall
Thurgood Marshall
Charles W. Mayo |
William
McKinley
Lauritz Melchior
James Monroe
Wolfgang A. Mozart*
Arnold Palmer*
Dr. Norman V. Peale*
J. C. Penney
John Pershing
Eddie Rickenbacker
Branch Rickey
Will Rogers
Theodore Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
David Sarnoff
Jean Sibelius
Red Skelton
John Philip Sousa*
Danny Thomas
Dave Thomas*
Lowell Thomas
Harry S. Truman*
George Washington*
Thomas J. Watson
John Wayne |
*Pictured
below
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The above article is
published by and available as a color brochure from the Masonic Information
Center, 8120 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910–4785, Tel: (301)
588–4010; Fax: (301) 608–3457; Web site: http://www.msana.com; E-mail: msana@ix.netcom.com |
| Can you name all these
famous Masons? Try and then check their names below (listed top to bottom,
left to right). They are only a few of the many thousands of good men who,
as Masons, have learned to better themselves, their families, their
communities, and the world. Scroll down for the answers. |
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Answers:
George Washington, Norman Vincent Peale, Wolfgang A.
Mozart, Harry S. Truman, Douglas MacArthur, Arnold Palmer, John Diefenbaker,
Dave Thomas, John Philip Sousa, Gerald R. Ford, Benjamin Gilman, Edwin "Buzz"
Aldrin(Reprinted with Permission from the Scottish
Rite Journal Oct. 2001)
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