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Frequentley Asked Questions |
| Freemasonry under the United Grand Lodge of England is the UK's largest,
secular fraternal and charitable organisation.
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| It has over 300,000 members working in nearly 8,000 lodges throughout England
and Wales and 30,000 more members oversea.
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| The United Grand Lodge of England publish two booklets, one "Your Questions
Answered" which can be read as the FAQ's web page below and the other
"Freemasonry: An Approach to Life". Both are available from the
United
Grand Lodge of England web site or can be downloaded as a pdf files by
clicking the links below:
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"Your Questions
Answered" |
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"Freemasonry: An Approach
to Life" |
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Adobe Acrobat Reader can
be downloaded by clicking on the link:
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| What is Freemasonry? |
| Why are you a secret society? |
| What are the secrets of Freemasonry? |
| What happens at a lodge meeting? |
| Isn't ritual out of place in modern society? |
| Why do grown men run around with their trousers
rolled up? |
| Why do Freemasons take oaths? |
| Why do your 'obligations' contain hideous penalties? |
| Are Freemasons expected to prefer fellow Masons at
the expense of others in giving jobs, promotions, contacts and the like? |
| Isn't it true that Freemasons only look after each
other? |
| Aren't you a religion or a rival religion? |
| Why do you call it the VSL and not the Bible? |
| Why do you call God the Great Architect? |
| Why don't some churches like Freemasonry? |
| Why will Freemasonry not accept Roman Catholics as
members? |
| Isn't Freemasonry just another political pressure
group? |
| Are there not Masonic groups who are involved in
politics? |
| Is Freemasonry an international Order? |
| What is the relationship between Freemasonry and
groups like the Orange Order, Odd Fellows and Buffaloes? |
| Why don't you have women members? |
| Why do you wear regalia? |
| How many Freemasons are there? |
| How and when did Freemasonry start? |
| How many degrees are there in Freemasonry? |
| How much does it cost to be a Freemason? |
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Freemasonry is the U.K.’s largest secular, fraternal and
charitable organisation. It teaches moral lessons and self-knowledge through
participation in a progression of allegorical two-part plays.
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We are not, but lodge meetings, like those of many other groups,
are private and open only to members. The rules and aims of Freemasonry are
available to the public. Meeting places are known and in many areas are used by
the local community for activities other than Freemasonry. Members are
encouraged to speak openly about Freemasonry.
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The secrets in Freemasonry are the traditional modes of
recognition which are not used indiscriminately, but solely as a test of
membership, e.g. when visiting a Lodge where you are not known.
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The meeting is in two parts. As in any association there is a
certain amount of administrative procedure - minutes of last meeting, proposing
and balloting for new members, discussing and voting on financial matters,
election of officers, news and correspondence. Then there are the ceremonies for
admitting new Masons and the annual installation of the Master and appointment
of officers. The three ceremonies for admitting a new Mason are in two parts - a
slight dramatic instruction in the principles and lessons taught in the Craft
followed by a lecture in which the candidate's various duties are spelled out.
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No. The ritual is a shared experience which binds the members
together. Its use of drama, allegory and symbolism impresses the principles and
teachings more firmly in the mind of each candidate than if they were simply
passed on to him in matter-of-fact modern language.
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It is true that candidates have to roll up their trouser legs
during the three ceremonies when they are being admitted to membership. Taken
out of context, this can seem amusing, but like many other aspects of
Freemasonry, it has a symbolic meaning.
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New members make solemn promises concerning their conduct in
Lodge and in society. Each member also promises to keep confidential the
traditional methods of proving that he is a Freemason which he would use when
visiting a lodge where he is not known. Freemasons do not swear allegiances to
each other or to Freemasonry. Freemasons promise to support others in times of
need, but only if that support does not conflict with their duties to God, the
law, their family or with their responsibilities as a Citizen.
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They no longer do. When Masonic ritual was developing in the
late 1600s and 1700s it was quite common for legal and civil oaths to include
physical penalties and Freemasonry simply followed the practice of the times. In
Freemasonry, however, the physical penalties were always symbolic and were never
carried out. After long discussion, they were removed from the promises in 1986.
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Absolutely not. That would be a misuse of membership and subject
to Masonic discipline. On his entry into Freemasonry each candidate states
unequivocally that he expects no material gain from his membership. At various
stages during the three ceremonies of his admission and when he is presented
with a certificate from Grand Lodge that the admission ceremonies have been
completed, he is forcefully reminded that attempts to gain preferment or
material gain for himself or others is a misuse of membership which will not be
tolerated. The Book of Constitutions, which every candidate receives, contains
strict rules governing abuse of membership which can result in penalties varying
from temporary suspension to expulsion.
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No. From its earliest days, Freemasonry has been involved in
charitable activities. Since its inception, Freemasonry has provided support not
only for widows and orphans of Freemasons but also for many others within the
community. Whilst some Masonic charities cater specifically but not exclusively
for Masons or their dependents, others make significant grants to non- Masonic
organisations. On a local level, lodges give substantial support to local
causes.
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Emphatically not. Freemasonry requires a belief in God and its
principles are common to many of the world's great religions. Freemasonry does
not try to replace religion or substitute for it. Every candidate is exhorted to
practise his religion and to regard its holy book as the unerring standard of
truth. Freemasonry does not instruct its members in what their religious beliefs
should be, nor does it offer sacraments. Freemasonry deals in relations between
men; religion deals in a man's relationship with his God.
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To the majority of Freemasons the Volume of the Sacred Law is
the Bible. There are many in Freemasonry, however, who are not Christian and to
them the Bible is not their sacred book and they will make their promises on the
book which is regarded as sacred to their religion. The Bible will always be
present in an English lodge but as the organisation welcomes men of many
different faiths, it is called the Volume of the Sacred Law. Thus, when the
Volume of the Sacred Law is referred to in ceremonies, to a non-Christian it
will be the holy book of his religion and to a Christian it will be the Bible.
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Freemasonry embraces all men who believe in God. Its membership
includes Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Parsees and others. The use
of descriptions such as the Great Architect prevents disharmony. The Great
Architect is not a specific Masonic god or an attempt to combine all gods into
one. Thus, men of differing religions pray together without offence being given
to any of them.
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There are elements within certain churches who misunderstand
Freemasonry and confuse secular rituals with religious liturgy.
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Although the Methodist Conference and the General Synod of the
Anglican Church have occasionally criticised Freemasonry, in both Churches there
are many Masons and indeed others who are dismayed that the Churches should
attack Freemasonry, an organisation which has always encouraged its members to
be active in their own religion.
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It does. The prime qualification for admission into Freemasonry
has always been a belief in God. How that belief is expressed is entirely up to
the individual.
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Four Grand Masters of English Freemasonry have been Roman
Catholics. There are many Roman Catholic Freemasons.
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Emphatically not. Whilst individual Freemasons will have their
own views on politics and state policy, Freemasonry as a body will never express
a view on either. The discussion of politics at Masonic meetings has always been
prohibited.
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There are groups in other countries who call themselves
Freemasons and who involve themselves in political matters. They are not
recognised or countenanced by the United Grand Lodge of England and other
regular Grand Lodges who follow the basic principles of Freemasonry and ban the
discussion of politics and religion at their meetings.
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Only in the sense that Freemasonry exists throughout the free
world. Each Grand Lodge is sovereign and independent, and whilst following the
same basic principles, may have differing ways of passing them on. There is no
international governing body for Freemasonry.
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None. There are numerous fraternal orders and Friendly Societies
whose rituals, regalia and organisation are similar in some respects to
Freemasonry's. They have no formal or informal connections with Freemasonry.
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Traditionally, Freemasonry under the United Grand Lodge of
England has been restricted to men. The early stonemasons were all male, and
when Freemasonry was organising, the position of women in society was different
from today. If women wish to join Freemasonry, there are two separate Grand
Lodges in England restricted to women only.
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Wearing regalia is historical and symbolic and, like a uniform,
serves to indicate to members where they rank in the organisation.
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Under the United Grand Lodge of England, there are 330,000
Freemasons, meeting in 8,644 lodges. There are separate Grand Lodges for Ireland
(which covers north and south) and Scotland, with a combined membership of
150,000. Worldwide, there are probably 5 million members.
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It is not known. The earliest recorded 'making' of a Freemason
in England is that of Elias Ashmole in 1646. Organised Freemasonry began with
the founding of the Grand Lodge of England on 24 June 1717, the first Grand
Lodge in the world. Ireland followed in 1725 and Scotland in 1736. All the
regular Grand Lodges in the world trace themselves back to one or more of the
Grand Lodges in the British Isles.
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There are two main theories of origin. According to one, the
operative stonemasons who built the great cathedrals and castles had lodges in
which they discussed trade affairs. They had simple initiation ceremonies and,
as there were no City and Guilds certificates, dues cards or trade union
membership cards, they adopted secret signs and words to demonstrate that they
were trained masons when they moved from site to site. In the 1600s, these
operative lodges began to accept non-operatives as "gentlemen masons".
Gradually these non-operatives took over the lodges and turned them from
operative to ‘free and accepted’ or ‘speculative’ lodges.
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The other theory is that in the late 1500s and early 1600s,
there was a group which was interested in the promotion of religious and
political tolerance in an age of great intolerance when differences of opinion
on matters of religion and politics were to lead to bloody civil war. In forming
Freemasonry, they were trying to make better men and build a better world. As
the means of teaching in those days was by allegory and symbolism, they took the
idea of building as the central allegory on which to form their system. The main
source of allegory was the Bible, the contents of which were known to everyone
even if they could not read, and the only building described in detail in the
Bible was King Solomon’s Temple, which became the basis of the ritual. The old
trade guilds provided them with their basis administration of a Master, Wardens,
Treasurer and Secretary, and the operative mason’s tools provided them with a
wealth of symbols with which to illustrate the moral teachings of Freemasonry.
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Basic Freemasonry consists of the three 'Craft' degrees (Entered
Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason) completed by the Royal Arch degree
(Chapter). There are many other Masonic degrees and Orders which are called
'additional' because they add to the basis of the Craft and Royal Arch. They are
not basic to Freemasonry but add to it by further expounding and illustrating
the principles stated in the Craft and Royal Arch. Some of these additional
degrees are numerically superior to the third degree but this does not affect
the fact that they are additional to and not in anyway superior to or higher
than the Craft. The ranks that these additional degrees carry have no standing
with the Craft or Royal Arch.
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It varies from lodge to lodge but anyone wishing to join can
find a lodge to suit his pocket. On entry, there is an initiation fee and an
apron to buy. A member pays an annual subscription to his lodge which covers his
membership and the administrative cost of running the lodge. It is usual to have
a meal after the meeting; the cost of this can be included either in the annual
subscription or paid for at the time. It is entirely up to the individual member
what he gives to Charity, but it should always be without detriment to his other
responsibilities. Similarly, he may join as many lodges as his time and pocket
can allow as long as it does not adversely affect his family life and
responsibilities.
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United Grand Lodge of England
January 1999
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This page has been approved by the United Grand Lodge of England
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