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About Freemasonry

No one knows with certainty how or when the Masonic Fraternity was formed. A widely accepted theory among Masonic scholars is that it arose from the stonemasons’ guilds during the Middle Ages. The language and symbols used in the fraternity’s rituals come from this era. The oldest document that makes reference to Masons is the Regius Poem, printed about 1390, which was a copy of an earlier work. In 1717, four lodges in London formed the first Grand Lodge of England, and records from that point on are more complete.

Within thirty years, the fraternity had spread throughout Europe and the American Colonies. Freemasonry became very popular in colonial America. George Washington was a Mason, Benjamin Franklin served as the head of the fraternity in Pennsylvania, as did Paul Revere and Joseph Warren in Massachusetts. Other well-known Masons involved with the founding of America included John Hancock, John Sullivan, Lafayette, Baron Fredrick Von Stuben, Nathanael Greene, and John Paul Jones. Chief Justice John Marshall, also a Mason, shaped the Supreme Court into its present form.

Over the centuries, Freemasonry has developed into a worldwide fraternity emphasizing personal study, self-improvement, and social betterment through individual involvement and philanthropy. During the late 1700s it was one of the organizations most responsible for spreading the ideals of the Enlightenment: the dignity of man, the liberty of the individual, the right of all persons to worship as they choose, the formation of democratic governments, and the importance of public education.

During the 1800s and early 1900s, Freemasonry grew dramatically. At that time, the government had provided no social “safety net.” The Masonic tradition of founding orphanages, homes for widows, and homes for the aged provided the only security many people knew. Today in North America, the Masonic Fraternity continues this tradition by giving almost $1.5 million each day to causes that include children’s hospitals, childhood language disorder treatment, eye disease care, medical research, and local community service.

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Interested in Becoming a Mason?

Freemasonry was founded by men who shared a commitment to supporting one another in friendship, fellowship, and service to mankind. For centuries, men have found spiritual and philosophical fulfillment as members of the fraternity, which still operates on those same core values today. For many, Freemasonry fulfills a part of themselves they always felt was missing — whether it be the social, the philosophical, the spiritual, the historical, or simply a sense of community with others who share their values.

To be considered for membership, a man must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have a sound reputation and come well-recommended by his peers
• Hold a belief in a Supreme Being (of any faith)
• Come of his own free will — no one is ever solicited to join

When you become a Freemason, you join a brotherhood of men who are invested in your growth and success. You will build lifelong friendships, focus your energies on an upright and truthful life, and — if you truly commit to its study — become a better man. As Gutzon Borglum, the Mason who sculpted Mount Rushmore, once said of his craft: “I merely knock away the stone I do not need, and the statue is there — it was there all the time.” So it is with Freemasonry. Like everything in life, you will receive from it what you put into it.