T H E

U S E N E T

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FAQ

Version 1.6
August 2006
Revised January 2010

I. IMPORTANT NOTE, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, INTRODUCTION, A NOTE ON
WORLD-WIDE MASONRY AND TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Important Note

I have stepped forward to update the FAQ. I'm working
on this in my spare time. Please contact me with any
information that you would like added or corrected in
the FAQ.
Larry W <larryw AT holbrookmasons DOT org>
Holbrook Lodge #30

Roger Ingersoll made some minor corrections to World
Wide Web pages and other minor changes.

Andrew Fabbro compiled/authored versions of this FAQ up to
version 1.2. Unfortunately, he no longer had the time
available to maintain it.

Ed King maintains version 1.5a of this FAQ on his web
site, www.masonicinfo.com/usenetfaq.htm

2. Acknowledgements.

Since I assumed revision duties, I have received some
helpful letters, but I would dearly like to see more.
Many sections of this FAQ were written by brothers
(and sisters) whose wisdom, experience, and knowledge
is a truly wonderful resource. Thanks to ALL who've
written me. I tried to acknowledge everyone personally,
but if I missed you, it wasn't intentional.

Honor Roll: Peter T. Arnold, Ron Boutwell, Denis
Constales, Steven Cranmer, Earl K. Dille, Bob Dixon,
Hans Prag Enator, Ed Greenberg, Bill Hickey, Roger
Ingersoll, Ed King, Joy Leavy, Paul Leger, Steve
Lubetkin, Trevor W. McKeown, Bill Menees, Henry Miller,
Stephen Morris, Roderick Morrison, Nick Oliver, Tony
Olivero, Bruce Perrussel, Charles Plater, Mark
Saunders, Tom Schnorrenberg, Michael Shelby, Robert H.
Starr, Dave Stites, David R. B. Walker, Don Williams,
Catherine Yronwode, Jeffrey Zeth, and a few others
whose names I couldn't discern from their e-mail
addresses.

Special thanks to Roger Ingersoll, whose Masonic FTP
archives provided substantial portions of this FAQ.
Where possible, I have included specific credits to the
authors of those files, though several are anonymous.
Note that one of the sources credited here is
FMBITS.TXT, which has the following disclaimer as its
preface: "With apologies, the original source for the
following information has been lost. It probably came
from either the Philatethes or the Southern California
Research Lodge. The file has been stored in my Computer
for a couple of years. Enjoy! William N. Wine (Sysop)
#72435,1512 [Masonry Forum Compuserve 07/11/93]".
Special thanks to Steve Lubetkin, who dug up the list
of US Grand Lodges.

Finally, thanks to the Grand Lodge of Michigan, whose
lectures provided the basis of the "Famous Freemasons"
list, and to many research lodges, whose work over the
years has provided much of the information contained
here.

3. Introduction

This FAQ is version 1.6, which revises and updates many
portions.

Any question you see marked with an asterisk should be
considered incomplete.

Finally, it should be stated without fail that no Mason, no
Master, no Grand Master can speak for all of Masonry. The
answers provided herein are not "authoritative"; they are
not universally true for all Masons everywhere and do not
reflect the beliefs of all Masons. There are differences
between each jurisdiction, and in general there are
differences between US Grand Lodges and Grand Lodges in
other countries. Of course, the high ideals and noble
principles of Masonry remain the same the world over, but
some of the fine points and details may vary. So remember:
nothing here is "gospel". This FAQ is intended to provide a
summation of commonly-given answers to commonly-asked
questions on the net.

Andrew Fabbro (Original FAQ caretaker)
Ed King (Current FAQ caretaker)
Larry W (current FAQ editor)
larryw AT holbrookmasons DOT org

4. A Note on World-Wide Masonry

This FAQ was written and updated by Americans and the
majority of those who've contributed material are also
Americans. This unfortunately lends a very American flavor
to the material. While the tenets and noble principles of
Masonry are the same everywhere, there is some difference
in organizational structure, ritual work, policies,
procedures, etc. in non-US GLs (and even among US GLs). I
am always more than happy to include material on Masonry
outside of the US and examples of how Masonry differs in
non-US jurisdictions, and what I've received I've included.
This is simply a disclaimer that the material herein is
derived from primarily American sources and when in doubt,
check with the Grand Lodge in your jurisdiction.

5. Table of Contents

II. MASONRY ON USENET AND THE INTERNET
1. Where is this FAQ available?
2. Is there a mailing list?
3. Are there any FTP sites?
4. Are there any Wide World Web Masonic resources?
5. What about CompuServe, AOL, Prodigy, GEnie,
Delphi, and other commercial services?
6. What is alt.freemasonry for?
7. What is alt.masonic.members for?
8. What is alt.masonic.demolay for?
9. Hey! Somebody just posted some nonsense about
how Masons worship Satan and sell their soul to
the Reverend Moon! What should I do about it?
III. WHO/WHAT ARE MASONS?
1. What is Freemasonry?
2. What is the Scottish Rite?
3. What is the York Rite?
4. What is the Shrine?
5. What is the Eastern Star?
6. Are there youth groups?
7. What are some other Masonic organizations?
8. What is Co-Masonry?
9. What is Prince Hall Masonry?
10. What is a 33rd degree Mason?
11. Are there any Masonic functions that I can
attend as a non-Mason?
12. Who is the head of the Masons?
13. What about this UGLE I see all the time?
14. Are there dues, fees, etc. associated with
being a Mason?
15. I hear Masons refer to an "apron". What is
that?
16. What is a "Masonic Funeral"?
IV. PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS & MYTHS
1. Are Masons just a bunch of old men? Isn't
Masonry dying out?
2. Aren't Masons racist/elitist?
3. Isn't Masonry just a place where businessmen
make deals?
4. I see titles like "Worshipful Master" and
"Senior Deacon" - is this some kind of cult?
5. Masonry is a secret society, right?
6. Masonry is a religion, right?
7. Masons are anti-Catholic, right? Don't Masons
hate Catholics?
8. Masons are anti-{fill in the religion}, right?
9. What about the Masonic god Jabulon?
10. Masonic rituals are demeaning or embarrassing
to the candidate, right?
11. I heard/read a Mason talking about a "Masonic
Bible". Do Masons have their own Bible?
12. I see that Masonic buildings are called
Temples. Does that mean that Masons worship
there?
13. I see Masons called satan worshipers,
criminals, money lovers, ad infinitum. Any of
that true?
14. I've heard the Masonic CHIP program implants
microchips in kids. Any truth to that?
15. The all-seeing eye and pyramid in the Great
Seal are Masonic, right?
16. Does Masonry have a hidden religious agenda or
practice that is known only to "higher" Masons?
17. Why is it so hard to find an official statement
of Masonic dogma?
18. But isn't the Masonic scholar Albert Pike's
major book entitled Morals and Dogma?
19. Which Masonic writers does Masonry consider
authoritative?
V. HOW DO I BECOME A MASON?
1. What are the requirements for becoming a Mason?
2. Can <fill in an ethnic group>s be Masons?
3. Can homosexuals be Masons?
4. I have a physical disability. Can I be a Mason?
5. Can <fill in the name of the religion> be a
Mason?
6. Do Masons accept Catholics?
7. Can Wiccans be Masons?
8. What if my religion does not allow the swearing
of oaths?
9. Do I have to be invited?
10. OK, I'm interested - how do I proceed?
VI. HISTORY
1. Where did Masons come from?
2. What US Presidents have been Masons?
3. Was Thomas Jefferson a Mason? Patrick Henry?
Abraham Lincoln?
4. What famous people have been Masons?
5. What famous buildings in the US have been laid
Masonically?
6. What's the difference between AF&AM and F&AM?
7. Was Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church,
a Mason?
8. What is the oldest Lodge Room in the world? In
the US?
9. Is it true that all of George Washington's
generals during the Revolutionary War were
Masons?
10. Is it true that all the signers of the
Declaration of Independence were Masons? The
Articles of Confederation? The Constitution?
11. George Washington turned down the title of
"Grand Master of the United States" -- true?
12. Why do some Lodges meet on a certain day of the
week "following the full moon"? Are Masons some
kind of moon worshipers?
13. Did Masons suffer at the hands of the Nazis?
14. Are Masons connected to Greek-letter
fraternities?
15. I want information on Masonic history. What
books would be good introductions?
16. My local Library doesn't have any books on
Freemasonry, where can I find them?
17. What movies/books feature Masonry?
18. Are there any online resources?

---===---

II. MASONRY ON USENET AND THE INTERNET

1. Where is this FAQ available?

There are three sources:

* Via Usenet. This FAQ is normally posted every Saturday
at 08:00 Pacific. It is archived by Google and the
most recent posting can be found at
groups.google.com/groups/search?q=usenet+masonry+faq&
start=0&scoring=d& (or tinyurl.com/rrmp8 for short).
* Via the web at www.masonicinfo.com/usenetfaq.htm.
This is currently version 1.5a.
* Via email from larryw AT holbrookmasons DOT org.
Please remember that generic Masonic discussions
should be done in one of the public forums like
alt.freemasonry.

2. Is there a mailing list?

Yes, there are several from which to choose. A recent
search found
dmoz.org/Society/Organizations/Fraternal/Freemasonry/,
which lists several mailing lists.

3. Are there any FTP sites?

Yes, but they are few and far-between. One site has
withstood the test of time: Hiram's Oasis. It can be
accessed via FTP at ftp.kena.org in folder /Hirams, or via
a web browser at ftp.kena.org/Hirams/

4. Are there any Wide World Web Masonic resources?

Oh, yes, and their number is increasing all the time. The
most commonly referred site is
web.mit.edu/dryfoo/www/Mason/. This FAQ is maintained at
another fine site: www.masonicinfo.com.

5. What about CompuServe, AOL, Prodigy, GEnie, Delphi, and
other commercial services?

(I am not a subscriber to any of these commercial services;
if you have more up-to-date information, please drop me a
note.)

On CompuServe, type GO MASONRY to reach the Masonry forum.
The CIS Masonry forum has an excellent library of files on
Masonry, and the forum contains very good discussions.

On America On-Line: There are four Masonic discussion
folders in two different areas. Each area has a Masonic
Youth Groups section and a Freemasonry section. To get to
the first area use keyword: Exchange, then press the
Communities Center button, and then go to the Organizations
Board. In that folder are the discussion groups called
Freemasonry Online and Masonic Youth Organizations. To get
to the second, use keyword: Religion, then go to Other
Religions, and then select Other Religions again in the new
list. Masonic Youth Groups and Freemasonry should be in
there somewhere (commercial providers have a habit of
incorrectly placing Masonry in the "religion" section --
GEnie used to do this). The first area is probably the
better of the two.

You can also search the software libraries on AOL using the
keyword "Mason". Also, searching the member directory using
the keyword "Mason" will give you a list of many other
Masons on AOL.

AOL also has a "CyberLodge". E-mail Fronefield AT aol DOT
com for a copy of the trestleboard. The "CyberLodge" meets
in the "Public Chat Room" by the name of "Freemasonry."
Meetings are held at 9:00PM Eastern on the second Wednesday
and 8:00PM Eastern on the fourth Sunday of each month.
(Thanks to Bill Menees for the information on AOL)

6. What is alt.freemasonry for?

Alt.freemasonry is a Usenet newsgorpu intended for general
discussion of Masonry and related topics. Almost any
question regarding Masonry is welcome there. Both Masons
and non-Masons are welcome.

7. What is alt.masonic.members for?

Alt.masonic.members is intended to be a home for USENET
Masons to talk about the Craft, though non-Masons are
welcome to participate. The focus in a.m.m., however, is on
discussion among people already familiar with Masonry or
people who are Masons, so questions about becoming a Mason
or what the York Rite is would be inappropriate (feel free
to post such questions in alt.freemasonry instead).

Of course, no newsgroup (or mailing list) should be
considered Tiled; non-Masons read them regularly, so
Brothers should not post anything that they would not
normally discuss with non-Masons.

Discussion on Co-Masonry (a form of Masonry which includes
both men and women) is welcome in either a.f or a.m.m.

8. What is alt.masonic.demolay for?

A.m.d. is for discussion regarding DeMolay (shocker, huh?)
See section III.6 if you don't know what DeMolay is.

9. Hey! Somebody just posted some nonsense about how Masons
worship Satan and sell their soul to the Reverend Moon!
What should I do about it?

Periodically (well, more like frequently, someone will post
obvious flame-bait on one of the Masonic newsgroups. Masons
who read the newsgroup obviously want to post and rebut
these false claims. However, keep in mind that a single bit
of bait that takes 30 seconds to write ("Masons are all KKK
members!") can consume hours of time in rebuttal. Half-a-
dozen flame-bait posts can drown the newsgroup in
meaningless flame-wars that asphyxiate any serious
conversation. On the other hand, if the poster finds that
his ramblings are simply being ignored, he will likely
become bored and go off to alt.get-a-life and mingle with
his own kind.

Some readers feel that these claims must be addressed;
otherwise USENET readers will get the wrong impression
about Masonry. There is some truth in this, though to be
frank, if someone is willing to get his information from
someone who posts unsubstantiated one-line attacks with
half-a-dozen misspelled words, there is probably little
hope. However, this FAQ has been created to provide an
answer to these nonsense posts, so that Masons can simply
say "read the FAQ" rather than having to recreate its
answers every time.

Still, some people will want to reply. In descending order
of desirability, here is a hierarchy of possible responses:

a. Ignore it. The person involved obviously is trying to
stir up a flame-war, or bait Masons into saying
something nasty in return so he can point and say
"See! Masons are name-callers!"

b. Respond via e-mail. Point the poster to this FAQ, or
write your own response.

c. Post a followup designed to entertain newsgroup
readers. For example, if someone posts claiming that
Masons are part of a global conspiracy, a gag post
about channeling Adam Weishaupt of the Bavarian
Illuminati or stating that Masons receive their daily
to-do lists from root@universe.org would show the
folly of the poster's ideas while still contributing
something enjoyable to the group's readers.

d. If the poster's flame-bait is something not covered
in this FAQ and you feel that you just can't hold
back from responding, please:

1. Remove any cross-posts (in both the posting and
the followups). Some trollers will post a bit
of bait in alt.freemasonry and cross-post it to
a half-dozen different groups, thus assuring
that they receive at least some response
somewhere, which will be echoed to all the
other groups... can you say snowball?

2. If it not covered in this FAQ, please send a
copy of the original post and your reply to
larryw AT holbrookmasons DOT org, so it may be
included future editions. No one has yet
claimed that Masonry is really a secret martial
art or that Master Masons have a special power
to buy real estate no-money-down, but if
someone does, a Q&A just for them will be
added.

Finally, remember that there are people who have genuine
questions or misconceptions about Masonry and are not
trying to flame anyone but rather simply want answers. Just
because they have misconceptions does not mean they are
trying to provoke anyone. You can usually tell the
difference by the tone of the post:

Honest Question: "I read in the Weekly World News that
Masons have ties to the KKK and are
prejudiced and don't allow blacks to be
members. Is this true?"
Flame-Bait: "You Masons are all Klansmen and bigots,
aren't you? How do you live with
yourselves? Do you enjoy harassing
minorities?"

Honest Question: "I've heard that Catholics can't be
Masons. Is this true? Are there any
Catholic Masons? What is the issue here?"
Flame-Bait: "How can you Masons lie about Catholics,
saying they can be Masons? Why are you
trying to deceive everyone? What is your
hidden agenda?"

Honest Question: "I thought Masonry was a fraternity, but I
read that you have to profess some kind of
faith in God, or that people pray in
Lodge. Is Masonry a religion?"
Flame-Bait: "Masonry is a religion, and you have to
give up your religion to be a Mason! Don't
believe what Masons tell you!"

You get the idea. Those asking honest questions will
usually respond with a "thanks" and consider the
information given. Those seeking to sow the seeds of a
flame-war will simply switch subjects endlessly and ignore
any responses.

---===---

III. WHO/WHAT ARE MASONS?

1. What is Freemasonry?

Freemasonry (or simply, Masonry) is a fraternal order whose
basic tenets are brotherly love, relief (philanthropy), and
truth. We strive to enjoy the company of our brother
Masons, assist them in times of personal trouble, and
reinforce essential moral values. There is an old adage
that Masonry "takes good men and makes them better, which
is our goal.

It has often been observed that men are the products of
everything with which they come into contact during their
lifetime. Masonry offers a man an opportunity to come into
regular, enjoyable contact with men of good character, thus
reinforcing his own personal moral development. Of course,
Masonry is also meant to be enjoyed by its membership, so
the order should not be viewed simply as a philosophical
club but rather a vibrant fellowship of men who seek to
enjoy each other's company; a fraternity.

To maintain this fraternity, discussion of secular religion
and partisan politics within the Lodge is not permitted as
these subjects are those that have often divided men in the
past. Masons cover the spectrum of both religious and
political beliefs. Masonry encourages a man to be religious
without advocating a particular religion, and to be active
in his community without advocating a particular medium of
political expression.

While there are probably some actual stone-workers who are
Masons, the operative art is not taught to Masons. Rather,
Masonry takes the "operative" work of medieval stonemasons
and uses it as an allegory for moral development. Thus the
symbols of Masonry are the common tools that used by
medieval stonemasons, including the gavel, the rule, the
compasses, the square and the level. Each of these has a
symbolic meaning in Masonry. For example, Masons are said
to meet "on the level, meaning that all Masons are
brothers, regardless of social status, personal wealth or
office within the Lodge or in the world at large. Similar
symbolism exists for other tools.

Masonry is distinguished from other fraternal orders by its
emphasis on moral character, its ornate rituals, and its
long tradition and history, which dates back to at least
the 17th century in modern form, the 14th century (c. 1350-
1390) in the written evidence of its precursors, and back
to the mists of antiquity: Since 1598 in Scotland upon the
introduction of the Schaw Statutes, which required lodges
there to keep records of proceedings; Since 1723 in
England, which is the earliest the records go back --
written records of the Grand Lodge of England formed in
1717 did not commence straight away. (Thanks to Richard
White for these dates.)

There are also a great many things that Masonry is NOT: a
religion, a cult, a political power, etc. We'll address
these and many more in this FAQ.

There are three degrees in Masonry: Entered Apprentice
(first degree), Fellow Craft (second degree), and Master
Mason (third degree). Advancement generally requires the
mastery of a small body of memorized material, the contents
of which varies from one jurisdiction to another. In some
jurisdictions, only the signs, tokens, and grips of each
degree must be learned; more material in others. Other
appendant bodies confer additional degrees, up to the 32nd
(or the honorary 33rd) of the Scottish Rite, but in
symbolic Masonry (or Blue Lodge Masonry) proper, there are
only three.

Of course, no Mason would ever look down upon a Brother
simply because he was of a lower degree - the degrees do
not exist to create a pecking order or to confer rank.
Rather, they are a system of initiation that allows men to
become familiar with the august and ancient history and
principles of Masonry at a comfortable pace. Proceeding
from Entered Apprentice to Master Mason in the US can take
as little as three months, while in England the degrees are
usually spaced farther apart. Additionally, some US Grand
Lodges now hold one-day classes wherein all three degrees
are conferred during a single day.

Most Lodges have regular "stated" communications (meetings)
once or twice a month that may also be referred to as
"business meetings." In many Lodges in the US, these are
open only to Master Masons, but a growing number of
jurisdictions allow lodges to open on whatever degree
necessary to accommodate a Fellow Craft or Entered
Apprentice Mason. In England, these meetings are always
opened in the first degree, and Entered Apprentices may
attend with the exception of grand lodge and
provincial/district grand lodge. Conferring of degrees is
usually done at other "special" meetings (a.k.a degree
nights) because of the time involved, although degree
conferral can take place at a stated communication.

While conferral of degrees and mundane business do take up
a lot of a Lodge's time, there are a host of other
activities within the fraternity. Charitable work is often
done in the form of fund-raisers, community volunteer work
and so on. And there are also a great many things done for
the simple pleasure of company: monthly breakfasts or
dinners, picnics, card/chess matches, lectures on Masonic
history; you name it. Masonry is a fraternity, and its
membership seeks to have fun.

Local Masonic Lodges are organized under Grand Lodges. In
the United States, each state has its own Grand Lodge,
which is a peer with every other Grand Lodge. There is no
"Grandest Lodge" in the United States -- each Grand Lodge
is supreme in its jurisdiction, usually a single U.S.
State, and has no authority elsewhere*. Of course, this
does not mean that Masonry in New York is radically
different than Masonry in Scotland or New Mexico. Masons
are very traditional and the differences between Grand
Lodges are usually minor.

(* Masonic jurisdictions can extend outside state or
national borders, most often to support and govern lodges
on overseas military bases, such as those currently in
Iraq.)

The head of a Lodge is given the title Worshipful Master.
This does not imply that Masons worship him; it is merely a
stylish title similar to Honorable or Sir.

Masonic Lodges can be found in many cities, of all sizes,
around the world. There are presently approximately 1.5
million Masons in the U.S., approximately four million
worldwide.

2. What is the Scottish Rite?

The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite (AASR) is an appendant
body of Masonry, meaning that it is not part of Craft
Masonry but it is closely associated.

It requires that a man be a Master Mason before joining and
confers the 4th through 32nd degrees (remember, a Master
Mason has received three degrees). The degree work may be,
but is not necessarily, completed at one time. The degrees
of the Scottish Rite continue the symbolism of the first
three Masonic degrees. For a discussion of the 33rd degree,
see question 11 in this section.

In England this order is known as "Rose Croix." While it is
slightly different, it still has a 33-degree system.

The above refers to the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite
(AASR), not the Rectified Scottish Rite, which exists both
in UGLE- and non-recognized Masonic bodies in Europe.

3. What is the York Rite?

The York Rite, like the Scottish Rite, is an appendant body
of Masonry, and confers nine degrees beyond the Master
Mason degree. The Temple degrees, which comprise the top
degrees of the York Rite are specifically Christian. Or at
least it can be stated that the oath is: in some Grand
Lodges in the US and abroad, one need not be a Christian,
but rather only be willing to take a Christian OATH. The
difference here is that there are some who would willingly
swear to defend the Christian faith on the grounds that
they would defend any man's faith. The Chapter (or Royal
Arch) and Council Of Royal and Select Masters (Cryptic
Rite), which comprise the first two sections of the York
Rite, are not specifically Christian.

The York Rite does not exist as a unified order in England.
Each of the orders contained in the US York Rite Bodies is
separate and independent in England, and there is no
progression from one of the orders to the next. Beyond the
Craft, written by Keith Jackson, gives concise descriptions
of all the orders in England.

4. What is the Shrine?

The Shrine is not an appendant body of Masonry, though the
distinction would escape many. The Shrine confers no
additional degrees. It was founded in 1872 (the Mecca
Temple in New York City) and an Arabic theme was chosen.
Hence, the distinctive red fez that Shriners wear at
official functions.

Members of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles the
Mystic Shrine for North America (AAONMS is an anagram for
"A MASON") are required to be Master Masons in good
standing with their lodge. The Shrine is most noted for its
emphasis on philanthropy and its jolly outlook on life --
it has been called "the playground of Masonry". This is
expressed as "pleasure without intemperance, hospitality
without rudeness, and jollity without coarseness."

The Royal Order of Jesters is a group drawn from Shrine
membership, by invitation only.

5. What is the Eastern Star?

The Order of the Eastern Star is an adoptive rite of
Freemasonry with teachings based on the Bible and
objectives that are charitable and benevolent. The founder
of OES was Dr. Robert Morris, a lawyer and educator from
Boston, Massachusetts, who was a Master Mason and Past
Grand Master of Kentucky. Dr. Morris intended his creation
to become a female branch of Freemasonry, but he failed to
overcome the great opposition this idea engendered. After
his first published ritual in 1849-50, he became associated
with Robert Macoy who wrote and published a ritual based on
Morris's in 1867. The first Grand Chapter was organized in
Michigan in the same year. (There is evidence of an
organization of the same name founded variously in 1788 or
1793, but this group was defunct by 1867.) Subordinate
(local) chapters operate under charter from state level
grand chapters which are responsible to the General Grand
Chapter at the International Eastern Star Temple in
Washington, D.C.

Members must be eighteen years or older and either Master
Masons in good standing or properly related to a Master
Mason in good standing: wives; widows; sisters; daughters;
mothers; granddaughters; stepmothers; stepdaughters;
stepsisters; and half-sisters. Recently this was expanded
to include nieces, daughters-in-law, and grandmothers, and
further expanded to include Rainbow Girls (see question 6.b
in this section) 18 and older and majority members.

Each chapter has eighteen officers, some elected and others
appointed. Two offices are specifically male (Worthy Patron
and Associate Patron) while nine offices are specifically
female (including Worthy Matron and Associate Matron).
While the Worthy Matron is considered to be the presiding
officer of the chapter, the degrees cannot be conferred
without a presiding brother in good standing (hence the
Worthy Patron and Associate Patron).

Each chapter retains the right to decide who shall be a
member of the organization. Election to the degrees must be
unanimous, without debate, and secret. The successful
candidate must profess a belief in a Supreme Being and is
initiated in five degrees, which are conferred in one
ceremony. (When Eastern Star was created, it was intended
to be the first of a three degree series. The second and
third degrees were Queen of the South and the Order of the
Amaranth, respectively.)

Interestingly enough, OES requires only the belief in a
Supreme Being even though the degrees are based in both the
Old and New Testaments. While non-Christians are not
specifically barred from membership, it would seem to be
difficult to be other than Christian and belong to the
Order. (Thanks to Joy Leavy for this section.)

6. Are there youth groups?

Yes, there are, and they are thus described:

a. DeMolay: The International Order of DeMolay is the
world's largest fraternal organization for young men
between the ages of 12 and 21. The Order was founded
in Kansas City, Missouri on March 24, 1919 by Frank
Sherman Land. DeMolay Chapters are sponsored by
Masonic Lodges, and some members of the sponsoring
body also serve as Advisors on the Chapter's Advisory
Council. Structurally, it is similar to Masonry. The
Master Councilor is the presiding youth in a chapter.

DeMolay Chapters hold monthly or bi-weekly meetings
with Masonic-like Ritual. Other activities include
athletic tournaments and events, social functions
(joint activities with Rainbow are encouraged), fund-
raising activities, Masonic service activities, and
civic and philanthropic activities.

DeMolays are taught the seven cardinal virtues of the
Order -- filial love, reverence for sacred things,
courtesy, comradeship, fidelity, cleanness, and
patriotism -- and the importance of practicing them
in their daily lives.

The Order's namesake is Jacques DeMolay, who was the
last Grand Master of the Knights Templar and who was
executed by Philip IV's soldiers on March 18, 1314.
Louis Lower, the first DeMolay, and his group of
friends, when asked by Dad Land to choose a name for
their group, believed that his heroic fidelity and
loyalty to his fellow Templars were qualities with
which they wanted their group to be identified. Mind
you, Dad Land explained this to them before they
chose their name.

A fascinating book about the history of the Order and
the life of Frank S. Land (1890-1959), titled "Hi!
Dad," is available from the DeMolay and More Store or
practically any member of the Order. The phone number
of the DeMolay and More Store is 1-800-DEMOLAY.
(Thanks to Tom Schnorrenberg)

b. Rainbow: The International Order of the Rainbow for
Girls (or IORG, or Rainbow) is a non-profit,
fraternal youth service organization for girls
between the ages of 11-20. The Order was founded in
McAlester, Oklahoma on April 6, 1922 by Reverend W.
Mark Sexton, a 33rd degree Mason. Rainbow Assemblies
are usually sponsored by Eastern Star Chapters, or by
Masonic Lodges or other Masonic bodies, and some
members also serve on the Assembly's Advisory Board.
The Worthy Advisor is the presiding youth in an
Assembly.

Rainbow Assemblies hold bi-weekly meetings with a
Masonic-like ritual.

Rainbow provides an environment where young women gain
self- confidence and self-respect while practicing
reverence, patriotism, love and service. Rainbow
teaches leadership skills, service to the community
and patriotism to our country and respect for all.
There are seven degrees, represented by colors of the
rainbow: Red for Love, Orange for Religion, Yellow for
Nature, Green for Immortality, Blue for Fidelity,
Indigo for Patriotism and Violet for Service.

It is not a religion, cult or secret order. Nor is it
connected with any other group using "rainbow" in
their name or logo. Rainbow is a character-building
service organization that is open to all girls
regardless of their religious belief.

More information about Rainbow can be found at the
Supreme Assembly web site: www.gorainbow.org/

c. Job's Daughters: The International Order of Job's
Daughters is an organization of young women between
the ages of 11 and 20 who are related to a Master
Mason and share a common bond. They have members in
the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil and the
Philippines. They enjoy activities such as swimming
parties, dances, family picnics, slumber parties,
miniature golf, marching in parades, travel and so
on.

Throughout the year, they perform service projects to
help their community, the less fortunate, and other
charities. They actively support the Hearing Impaired
Kids Endowment (HIKE) Fund, which purchases hearing
assistance devices for hearing impaired children.

By holding various offices in Job's Daughters, they
gain valuable leadership experience, team spirit and
learn democratic principles. Job's Daughters can
qualify for various scholarships that are offered in
a state-wide and a national level.

All Job's Daughters are members of a local chapter
called a Bethel. Members of a Bethel elect their own
officers, decide their own activities, and plan their
own events. In short, Job's Daughters International
offers the qualities that today's young women want
and need from organizations that earn their
commitment: fun, friendship, helping others, and the
chance to learn organizational and leadership skills.

For more information, visit www.iojd.org/

d. Triangles: The Organization of Triangles, Inc., is a
Masonic Youth Organization. It was established in
1925 as "Daughters of the Eastern Star", and in 1961
was incorporated with its name being The Organization
of Triangles, Inc. Triangles is only active in New
York State and does not have affiliations in any
other state or country.

Any girl between the ages of 10 and 21 years of age,
and is related by blood, marriage, or adoption to a
Master Mason, a member of the Order of the Eastern
Star, or a member of the Order of the Amaranth in
good standing, is eligible for membership. In
addition, a Master Mason, Eastern Star, or Amaranth
member may easily sponsor a girl for membership in
the Organization of Triangles, Inc.

For more information on how to join, visit
www.nytriangle.org/

7. What are some other Masonic organizations?

a. Acacia: A college fraternity for Master Masons, the
sons of Masons, and young men recommended by two
Masons one of whom is an Acacian himself. The
national governing board is composed exclusively of
32nd and 33rd degree Masons. (www.acacia.org/)

b. Order of Amaranth: Open to Masons and their wives,
mothers, daughters, widows, and sisters. At least one
Master Mason must be present at every initiation. It
confers only one degree. (www.amaranth.org/)

c. Daughters of Mokanna: An auxiliary organization of
the Grotto comprised of the wives, mothers,
daughters, widows, and sisters of the Master Masons
in the Grotto.

d. Daughters of the Nile: An auxiliary organization for
the wives, mothers, daughters, widows, and sisters of
members of the Shrine.

e. Desoms: An organization for deaf Masons.

f. Grotto: A fun organization open to Master Masons. It
imitates the Shrine to a large degree, but requires
only that a member be a Master Mason rather than a
32nd degree Mason or Knight Templar. Officially known
as The Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the
Enchanted Realm (MOVPER).

g. High Twelve International: An organization of Master
Masons that usually meet for lunch, enjoy fellowship,
and support Masonic causes, with special emphasis on
youth and patriotic endeavors.

h. L.O.S. of N.A.: The Ladies' Oriental Shrine of North
America. Another auxiliary for the wives, mothers,
daughters, widows, and sisters of Shrine members.

i. National Sojourners, Inc.: This organization, founded
to meet the needs of the military Mason in times of
war and peace requires its members to be citizens of
the US who are Master Masons in good standing in a
duly constituted Lodge of Master Masons recognized by
and maintaining fraternal relations with a majority
of the Regular Grand Lodges in the United States and
who are serving or who have served honorably as a
Commissioned, Warrant, or Senior Non-Commissioned
Officer of the uniformed services of the United
States or who have served in time of war as a
Commissioned or Warrant Officer or the equivalent in
an armed service of a nation allied with the United
States or are regularly elected to Honorary
Membership.

j. Philalethes Society: The oldest and largest Masonic
research organization, for Masons interested in
Masonic philosophy and history.

k. Royal Order of Scotland: An organization for
Christian Masons who have been 32nd degree Masons or
Knights Templar for five or more years.

l. Tall Cedars of Lebanon: A fun organization for Master
Masons similar to the Grotto. It confers the two
degrees of the Royal Court and the Sidonian.

m. White Shrine of Jerusalem: For Master Masons and
their wives, mothers, daughters, widows, and sisters.
Members must profess a belief in the defense of the
Christian religion. (thanks to Bill Menees for
providing this section and Ed King for updating it.)

8. What is Co-Masonry?

Co-Masonry, also known as Adoptive Masonry, refers to
Masonic Lodges that admit both men and women. Co-Masonry
traces its heritage back to the 19th century.

There are two Grand Lodges of Co-Masonry with jurisdiction
in America: Le Droit Humain, based in Paris, France and the
original Co-Masonic organization in the US; and the
American Federation of Human Rights (American Co-Masonry),
based in Larkspur, Colorado.

The degree structure differs slightly from standard Blue
Lodge structure (i.e.: the Scottish Rite is worked as part
of the regular Lodge, not a separate organization), but in
most things Co-Masonic lodges function as regular Masonic
lodges.

There are a few feminine grand lodges, which are considered
by the UGLE to be regular, with the exception of the
initiation of women.

9. What is Prince Hall Masonry?

NOTE: This section is excerpted from the Grand Lodge of New
Brunswick's annual communication. I wish there were some
Prince Hall Masons who could provide better information.

"There are some schools of thought that Prince Hall (his
name not a title) was born in Barbados to a free black
woman and a Scottish father. He emigrated to the Colony of
Boston, Mass. and acquired real estate, making him eligible
to vote. It was also documented that he was a devout
Christian and a leather-worker by trade. On March 6, 1775,
during the American War of Independence, Prince Hall along
with fourteen men of color were made Masons in Army Lodge
#441 of the Irish Constitution. When Army Lodge moved on,
the aforesaid brethren were issued a permit authorizing
them to appear publicly as a Masonic body for the purpose
of celebrating the feast of St. John and to bury their
dead.

On March 2, 1784, these same brethren applied to the Grand
Lodge of England for a charter, which was subsequently
issued to them on September 29, 1784. They were warranted
under the name of African Lodge, No. 459 on the register of
the Grand Lodge of England by authority of then Grand
Master, the Duke of Cumberland. Prince Hall was the first
Master. That charter, which is authenticated and in
safekeeping, is believed to be the only original charter
issued from the Grand Lodge of England still in the
possession of any Lodge in the United States.

African Lodge allowed itself to slip into arrears in the
late 1790's and was stricken from the rolls after the Union
of 1813, although it had attempted correspondence in 1802
and 1806. In 1827, after other unreplied-to attempts at
communication, it declared its independence of any external
authority and began to call itself African Grand Lodge No.
1.

It is interesting to note that when the Massachusetts
lodges which were acting as a Provincial Grand Lodge
declared themselves an independent Grand Lodge, and even
when the present Grand Lodge of Massachusetts was formed by
the amalgamation of two separate Grand Lodges, African
Lodge was not invited to take part, even though it held a
warrant every bit as valid as those others. This may be
explained in part by this 1795 quote from John Eliot, who
later became Grand Chaplain of the Gr. Lodge of Mass. He
wrote, "White Masons, who are not more skilled in geometry
than their black brethren, will not acknowledge them ...
the truth is they are ashamed of being on an equality with
blacks."

Today there are 45 Grand Lodges (the latest being the just
formed "Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the
Caribbean") that trace their origin back to African Lodge
#459. There are more than 5000 Prince Hall Lodges and over
300,000 members. So far as it is known, their ritual, their
secrets, their procedures, their requirements, their
beliefs, their tenets or fundamental principles, are all
either identical with ours, or recognizably similar." (by.
W Bro. Roy Cassidy)

To add to this:

The United Grand Lodge of England has now officially
recognized Prince Hall Lodges. Many US Grand Lodges have
recognized PH GLs within their jurisdictions, and it has
been or is being discussed in other jurisdictions. Since
every Grand Lodge is autonomous and the supreme authority
in its jurisdiction, this issue must be approached on a
state-by-state basis.

Some have criticized Masonry as "segregated" due to the
Prince Hall Lodges, but this is a ridiculous claim, since
there are many black Masons in non-PH Lodges and white
members in PH Lodges, and displays a fundamental ignorance
of Masonic history.

10. What is a 33rd degree Mason?

The Scottish Rite awards a special honorary degree, the
33rd, to those it feels has made an outstanding
contribution to Masonry, the community as a whole, and to
mankind. There is no way to "achieve" this degree or "take"
it, in the sense that one takes the 4th through 32nd
degrees in the Scottish Rite. It is a singular honor,
rarely bestowed, and greatly admired.

11. Are there any Masonic functions that I can attend as a non-
Mason?

Yes. Many Lodges open their installation of officers to the
public. Once a year, a new Worshipful Master takes office.
The ceremony performed during his inauguration is public.
It is not the same ceremony as would be performed in a
regular Masonic ritual or degree, but it does have the
flavoring of Masonic symbolism and allows the public to
"get a feel for Masonry" without being Masons. NOTE: Not
all jurisdictions have public installations. Call or write
your local lodge for details.

In addition, many Lodges sponsor public functions
throughout the year, such as dinners or charity functions,
designed to allow non-Masons who are interested in Masonry
the chance to talk with Masons and ask questions. For
information, call your local Lodge.

12. Who is the head of the Masons?

No one. Each Grand Lodge has its own jurisdiction and is
the supreme authority within that jurisdiction. Obviously,
many Grand Lodges have regular communication with each
other, but official policy in one has no effect in another.

13. What about this UGLE I see all the time?

In the 1700s, the Grand Lodge began making changes to the
ritual. Some Lodges didn't like these modernizations and so
splintered off to form a Grand Lodge of Ancient Masons.
Three quarters of a century later, the two Grand Lodges
united to form the United Grand Lodge of England.

The UGLE and the moderns Grand Lodge are considered by many
to be the birthplace of the Freemasonry we know today, but
they don't enjoy any authority over any other Grand Lodges
around the world.

14. Are there dues, fees, etc. associated with being a Mason?

Yes. Like all organizations, Lodges must be able to pay
their light bills. Typically, there is a one-time fee for
the three degrees of Masonry, as well as regular annual
dues. But these vary widely depending on the number of
members, cost of living (rent in Manhattan is higher than
it is in rural Oklahoma), the actual physical facilities of
the Lodge, etc. The fees and dues, however, are not
prohibitively expensive (the original author was a college
student and had no problem with them). Rather than give a
single figure which may be very different than your local
Lodge charges, or publishing an extended table of costs, it
is easiest to simply refer the interested to their local
Lodge.

Incidentally, many Grand Lodge jurisdictions provide for
"life membership" after a Mason has paid dues for a long
period. For example, in Michigan a Mason is no longer asked
to pay dues after he has been a Mason for forty years.
Other jurisdictions allow members to pay a lump sum for
life membership. As with almost everything in Masonry,
check with your local Grand Lodge or Lodge for more
information.

15. I hear Masons refer to an "apron". What is that?

"During the ceremonies of his initiation, each Mason is
presented with a white apron. It is, to him, an emblem of
innocence and the badge of a Mason. It has, in all ages,
been cherished by the rich, the poor, the high and the low.
It is his for life. He will never receive another one and
has, therefore, been cautioned to take it home and
instructed in its care. While perfectly satisfactory for
him to do so if he desires, he need not bring it to Lodge,
as linen aprons are provided for his use meetings." (From a
pamphlet, "To the Lady and Family of a Mason")

The above applies to the US. In many other countries, the
Master Mason owns his regalia and brings it to the Lodge.

16. What is a "Masonic Funeral"?

"Any member who was in good standing at the time of his
death is entitled to a Masonic funeral if he or his family
requests it. Such a request should be made to the Master of
his Lodge who will make the necessary arrangements with the
family, the mortuary, and the minister. A service is
authorized by the jurisdiction in which you are located,
and consists of participation at the mortuary, the
beginning at the mortuary and the closing at the graveside,
or graveside only. Pallbearers will be furnished at the
request of the family. In general, the Lodge will do as
much or as little as the nearest relative wishes it to do."
(From a pamphlet, "To the Lady and Family of a Mason")

---===---

IV. PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS & MYTHS

1. Are Masons just a bunch of old men? Isn't Masonry dying
out?

As regards the United States:

There is no doubt that the population of Masons is aging.
There was a huge increase in membership in almost all
fraternal orders after World War II, including Masonry.
This peaked at sometime in the late 50s. During the social
turbulence and generational strains of the 60s and 70s, new
membership fell off, with the result that by the 1980s,
total membership was in sharp decline.

However, there are signs that membership has leveled out,
or is gaining in some areas. In many lodges, there are a
great number of 50-and-up members, and a number of 30-and-
under members, with a gulf in between, representing where
Baby Boomers would have been. Of course, we are speaking in
broad generalities here - there is no way to know the
demographics of your local Lodge without asking one of its
members.

The overall point is that Masonic membership, when talking
on a national scale, has probably hit a stable membership
base, after a huge surge and then fall in membership.

Statistics compiled from many jurisdictions in the English-
speaking world by Worshipful Brother John Belton for
Internet Lodge No. 9659, England, demonstrate that almost
universally there were two anomalous initiation spikes
preceding the two world wars with an overall membership
peak in the late 1950s to mid-1960s. The post-war
membership boom is a myth. (Please submit information on
other parts of the world)

2. Aren't Masons racist/elitist?

Regarding racism: Masonry explicitly states the equality of
men, regardless of race, creed, or color. But there are
some Masons who are prejudiced, and this is unfortunate,
saddening, and unMasonic. However, it is not representative
of Masonry as a whole, or representative of anything except
a tiny minority of Masons. There are Masons of all ethnic
backgrounds.

"Elitism" is harder to define. If you mean that Masons are
highly selective in their membership, then yes, Masons are
elitists. But just criteria is used: men of good character,
of good report, who believe in God. Does the majority of
the population fit that criteria? If you think not, then
you could say that Masons are elitists.

The idea that Masonry is only open to the patrician class,
the landed gentry, and the wealthy is incorrect. There are
Masons of all economic backgrounds. Indeed, there are
Lodges which are mostly or wholly made up of blue-collar
workers due to local demographics.

3. Isn't Masonry just a place where businessmen make deals?

No. In fact, most Masons believe that to trade with a
Brother Mason only because he is a Mason is unMasonic. Even
more importantly, anyone who attempts to join a Lodge
solely for business reasons will not be given a petition.

Masons, however, are friends, and it is not surprising that
many Masons do trade with Brothers. For one thing, they are
dealing with people that are of good character and can be
trusted, which is no small statement in the modern
marketplace. But Masonry is not a "place to network".

Yes, some men do view one of the benefits of membership as
an additional source of customers or partners, but few
would say that is the only reason they became Masons. The
work involved in the degrees alone would make this a poor
investment -- better to join the Rotary Club or other
business group.

4. I see titles like "Worshipful Master" and "Senior Deacon" -
is this some kind of cult?

No. The titles are simply colorful, stylish, and full of
ancient symbolism. No Mason worships the Master of the
Lodge, nor does a Senior (or Junior) Deacon engage in
religious actions, as might a Deacon of a church.

5. Masonry is a secret society, right?

Wrong. Secret societies are generally defined as
organizations which are unknown to the public and whose
existence is denied. The Bavarian Illuminati and the Mafia
would be examples of secret societies. "The emphasis in
Freemasonry is not on secrecy but on discretion and
privacy." (Trevor W. McKeown)

Masonry, on the other hand, is well-known and proudly
displays its existence. Masonic Temples are clearly marked
as such, and many Lodges are listed in the yellow pages
(usually under Fraternal Orders"). Members often wear rings
or tie clips that identify themselves as Masons, and Masons
often participate in community charity work. Finally, some
Masonic functions are open to the public.

Though some Masonic texts have labeled Masonry as a secret
society, it is not; but rather a society with a few
secrets. These are mainly modes of recognition -- the
signals, grips, signs, and phrases by which Masons
recognize each other. The actual degree rituals are
considered secret as well, not because there is anything
that would harm Masonry by their revelation, but rather
because they are more meaningful if the candidate does not
know what is going to go on during them beforehand.

It should be pointed out that many other organizations have
a similar class of secrets. College fraternities (Greek
letter organizations) often have small secrets known only
to their members, allowing them to travel from house to
house and still be known. Businesses rarely disclose the
minutes of their closed-door meetings or trade secrets.

6. Masonry is a religion, right?

Masonry is not a religion "by the definitions most people
use. Religion, as the term is commonly used, implies
several things: a plan for salvation or path by which one
reaches the after-life; a theology, which attempts to
describe the nature of God; and the description of ways or
practices by which a man or woman may seek to communicate
with God. Masonry does none of those things. We offer no
plan of salvation. With the exception of saying that He is
a loving Father who desires only good for His children, we
make no effort to describe the nature of God. And while we
open and close our meetings with prayer, and we teach that
no man should ever begin any important undertaking without
first seeking the guidance of God, we never tell a man how
he should pray or for what he should pray. Instead, we tell
him that he must find the answers to these great questions
in his own faith, in his church or synagogue or other house
of worship. We urge men not to neglect their spiritual
development and to be faithful in the practice of their
religion. As the Grand Lodge of England wrote in
'Freemasonry and Religion', 'Freemasonry is far from
indifferent to religion. Without interfering in religious
practice, it expects each member to follow his own faith,
and to place above all other duties his duty to God by
whatever name He is known.' Masonry itself makes only a
simple religious demand on a man--he must believe that he
has an immortal soul and he must believe in God. No atheist
can be a Mason." (Dr. Jim Tresner, 33rd degree)

"Freemasonry has no dogma or theology. It teaches that it
is important for every man to have a religion of his choice
and to be faithful to it. A good Mason is made even more
faithful to the tenets of his faith by membership." (Rev.
Norman Vincent Peale, who was also a Mason)

Are Masons really controlling the world/meeting with the
Bavarian Illuminati/members of the Trilateral
Commission/etc?

Anyone who believes that Masons are the Master Puppeteers
of the globe either is pulling your leg or has read too
much Robert Anton Wilson. A non-Mason once suggested that
if Masons were controlling the world they are doing a poor
job of it.

Detractors and conspiracy theorists often use flawed logic
to make such a claim. They discover that several men in
considerably powerful political or judicial stations are
Masons and conclude that Masons are trying to take over.
What they don't consider is that they have as much right,
opportunity and responsibility as every other citizen to be
an active member of their communities, that Masonry affords
none of these to its members.

For more information, please see www.masonicinfo.com and/or
anti-masonry.info/anti-masonry_faq

7. Masons are anti-Catholic, right? Don't Masons hate
Catholics?

There is nothing anti-Catholic in Masonry, in its
traditions, its rituals, or its beliefs. "Freemasonry today
is no more anti-Catholic than it is anti-vegetarian.
Freemasonry is composed of men with the same fears, wants,
and wishes of the general population and thus individual
Masons may exhibit certain characteristics, mirroring that
of the general population.

Because of Papal pronouncements against Freemasonry (Masons
are decried as being 'Humanist' -- whatever that means),
those of the Catholic faith are greatly under-represented
compared to the population as a whole - and as a result,
views held by individual Masons would have been reflective
of that biased selection. As an organization, however,
Freemasonry takes no position whatsoever on any religion
and in fact encourages toleration in all its members.
(www.masonicinfo.com/)

8. Masons are anti-{fill in the religion}, right?

No. Masons are brothers and friends regardless of their
religious belief, race, creed, color, financial or
political status. Because most religions teach that only
their dogma leads to salvation, their leaders sometimes
cannot accept that Masonry allows men of all faiths to be
members. Masonry is no different than a business or bowling
team in that specific faith of its members has no bearing.

9. What about the Masonic god Jabulon?

Any talk about a Masonic god is pure conjecture and
misinterpretation. Since Masonry is not a religion, it can
have no god of its own.

Detractors will quickly point out (and with very little
accuracy) that the Mark Master Mason degree contains the
word Jabulon, in various spellings depending upon which web
site they plagiarized and imply that it means the god of
Masonry. In fact, according to Dunca's Ritual and Monitor,
it is part of the Royal Arch Degree, which, as we all know,
is not considered a primary organization within Masonry but
an ancillary or concordant body.

Also according to Duncan's, the word is described as being
a combination of three different names for God: JAO or JAH
being Syrian, BEL or BUL being Chaldean or Phoenecian and
AUN or AUM being Hindu or Egyptian. According to Duncan's
it is uttered in part of the degree along with the words
Jehovah and God. Quite obviously not the name of some
mythical Masonic god. And finding the description of the
word is actually a footnote is hardly reverent considering
the import our detractors place upon the word.

In some jurisdictions, the Royal Arch degree ritual does
not contain the word, which should be another indicator
that it does not represent a Masonic god.

10. Masonic rituals are demeaning or embarrassing to the
candidate, right?

Nothing could be further from the truth. Masonic rituals
are designed to reinforce virtues that the Craft finds
desirable, such as Justice, Brotherly Love, Truth, and the
like. The ceremonies are actually quite beautiful and
filled with ancient language and much symbolism.

At no point, however, is the candidate asked to do anything
that would embarrass or demean him, nor anything that would
violate his obligations to his faith, country, or the law.

11. I heard/read a Mason talking about a "Masonic Bible". Do
Masons have their own Bible?

No. Something referred to as a Masonic Bible is usually a
King James Version Bible with the Old (and possibly New)
Testament in its unedited entirety, but also contains
additional information, such as citations on which the
Masonic Ritual is based or reference material on Masonic
history is included. Anyone is welcome to read one. (based
upon Dr. Jim Tresner, 33rd degree)

12. I see that Masonic buildings are called Temples. Does that
mean that Masons worship there?

No. "Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary provides a
definition for the word 'temple' which is as good an
explanation as any: 'a building, usually of imposing size,
serving the public or an organization in some special way;
as, a temple of art, a Masonic temple'". (Dr. Jim Tresner.
33rd degree)

13. I see Masons called satan worshipers, criminals, money
lovers, ad infinitum. Any of that true?

No. Masonry, as a non-denominational organization, does not
worship any being or god. Members must profess a belief in
a Supreme being, but how one worships is left up to the
individual. There are no satanic rituals, no animals, no
blood rituals, no sexual acts nothing one would not find in
any church or synagogue.

Masonry teaches honesty, truth, charity, hope, and many
other tenets that are in keeping with good moral character,
none of which are compatible with criminal activities.

Masonry teaches charity and relief, which are incompatible
with "monied evil."

14. I've heard the Masonic CHIP program implants microchips in
kids. Any truth to that?

First a bit about the national program from their website:
"The National Child Identification Program is a
community service initiative dedicated to ...
providing parents and guardians with a tool they
can use to help protect their children. The I.D.
Kit allows parents to collect specific
information by easily recording the physical
characteristics and fingerprints of their
children on identification cards that are then
kept at home by the parent or guardian. If ever
needed, this I.D. Kit will give authorities
vital information to assist their efforts to
locate a missing child."
- www.childidprogram.com/

They sell a kit for use by parents, which includes a
fingerprinting card, a DNA collection envelope and a wallet
card.

The CHild Identification Program (CHIP) sponsored and
operated by many Masonic Grand Lodges provides similar kits
but also assists in processing and provides a photo ID
card. The Masonic programs vary depending on the sponsor,
but are free and usually include a photograph, bite
impression, finger prints, video interview and DNA and
scent samples.

Everything that was collected, in plain view of the
parents, is packaged up into an identity kit and returned
to the parents. If anything is kept by the program
operators, it would be with the parent's permission and in
accordance with the various U.S. Identity protection laws,
and for the sole purpose of delivering to a national child
protection agency.

Recently (Summer 2007) there have been claims that the
Masonic programs are actually used to implant microchips in
children. Their case seems to rely heavily on the fact that
the CHIP acronym can be found in "microchip", but they have
yet to produce any evidence that any child ID program,
Masonic or otherwise, is in any way involved in the
implanting of tracking microchips. These allegations are
nothing more than a vain attempt by the ignorant to spread
fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD), and this author hopes
that readers will do their own research and draw their own
conclusions instead of relying on the rantings of others.

15. The all-seeing eye and pyramid in the Great Seal are
Masonic, right?

No. The unfinished pyramid in the Great Seal of the United
States is actually the design of a non-Mason. Only one
Mason worked on the Great Seal. The all-seeing eye,
symbolic to many as the Supreme Creator, has been used by
Masons, but it is not a universally-accepted Masonic
symbol. Many have used the all-seeing eye in their art, and
few of them are Masons.

The pyramid has been linked to the triangle, which is
symbolic in many Masonic Lodges. But a pyramid is not a
triangle. There is no Masonically symbolic import to the
pyramid.

16. Does Masonry have a hidden religious agenda or practice
that is known only to "higher" Masons?

No. The religious position of Freemasonry is stated often
and openly, and we've already mentioned it above. A Mason
must believe in Deity, and he is actively encouraged to
practice his individual faith. Masonry has no "god" of its
own. Some anti-Masons have said that we are not allowed to
mention the name of Deity in Lodge, but that simply isn't
true; in many jurisdictions, the letter G, found inside the
square & compasses symbol, represents God (it also
represents geometry). It is true that we, generally, use
some other term ("The Grand Architect of the Universe" is
most common) to refer to God. That is done only to avoid
giving religious offense to anyone whose faith prefers to
refer to God by another name. But the God to whom Masons
pray is the God to whom all pray.

But haven't some Masonic writers said that the information
given in the early Masonic Degrees is incomplete or even
misleading?

It's a matter of Masonic authors writing to those they
assume have a background of appropriate knowledge. Another
way we say the same thing is: "Masonry is a progressive
science, revealed by degrees." There nothing astonishing
and certainly nothing sinister in that. ALL knowledge is
gained bit by bit, and this is especially true in ethics
and morality. A minister would do very little good if he
gave a new member of his church complex texts like the
works of Cyprian, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen.
Greater good would be accomplished by starting with less
complex authors. Similarly, Masonry introduces the idea of
ethics and morality, and gives some practical instruction
in each. But then it says to the Mason, "We teach by
symbols because symbols can be constantly explored. Think
about these things, read what others have written. Only in
that way can you make the knowledge and insight really your
own." Masonry tries very hard to raise questions, and to
help its members acquire the tools for thought -- but we do
not try to give answers.

17. Why is it so hard to find an official statement of Masonic
dogma?

Simply put: Because there is no such a thing. We've already
mentioned everything Masonry has to say officially on the
topic. To go further, as an official position, would be to
deny a man his right to think for himself and his right to
follow the dictates of his own faith. Each Mason has a
right to seek in Masonry for what he wants to find. It is
his right to believe as he wishes; BUT it is not his right
to force that belief on others.

18. But isn't the Masonic scholar Albert Pike's major book
entitled Morals and Dogma?

Yes. As is clear from his writings, however, Pike is using
the word in its original Greek sense of "that which I think
is true," or "that which has been thought to be true," not
in the modern sense of "this is what you are required to
believe."

And the question of Morals and Dogma brings up an important
point. Anti-Masonic writers are forever "discovering"
something they find shocking in the book, largely because
they don't under- stand what kind of book it is. Pike was
attempting the almost impossible task of surveying and
condensing the whole history of human thought in philosophy
into one volume. He writes about the things which were
believed in ancient Egypt, China, Persia; all over the
world. It's easy to take a paragraph out of context -- as
one writer does with Pike's comment about the Ancient
Egyptian belief in Osiris -- and then insist that Masons
teach and believe that all good comes from Osiris. But a
history lesson is not a statement of theology.

Some of the anti-Masonic writers seem almost deliberately
to twist things to make them say what they want. As an
example, the same writer takes a passage in which Pike is
contrasting the immortality of the soul with the temporary
nature of earthly things. To illustrate the impermanence of
the body as opposed to the soul, Pike notes that, when we
die, our bodies return again to the earth. The minerals of
which the body was composed may scatter far. Those minerals
may be picked up again by the roots of plants, grow into
food, and be eaten by other men. This, the anti-Masonic
writer suggests, is pagan Masonic communion -- eating the
dead! A simple illustration is distorted into a cannibal
feast.

19. Which Masonic writers does Masonry consider authoritative?

If you mean "authoritative" in the sense that they speak
for the Fraternity or that what they say is "binding" upon
Masons, then the answer is none. Each Mason must think for
himself, and is entitled to write whatever he wishes. It's
like the situation in studying government; if a person
really wants to understand American government, he or she
almost has to read Madison's and Hamilton's Federalist
Papers as well as De Tocqueville and the history of the
Constitutional Convention. But none of these are the law --
they are just commentaries on the way the law was made, and
the thinking of the people who write the Constitution.

And it is like that with Masonic writers: Some have a lot
of value to say -- some are useless (each man can write
whatever he wants, after all) -- but none of them speaks
for Masonry. He can only speak for himself.

---===---

V. HOW DO I BECOME A MASON?

1. What are the requirements for becoming a Mason?

There are several requirements, the details of which vary
from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. In tone, however, they
are pretty consistent and worth posting for anyone who is
actually interested in learning something about the
fraternity of Freemasonry.

* You have to make application for membership willingly
and not because of coercion or mercenary motives.
* You have to be of lawful age in your jurisdiction, of
sound mind, and legally entitled to apply.
* You have to believe in a Supreme Being as Creator of
the Universe.
* You have to be of good moral character.
* You have to be willing to respect and protect the
privacies of the fraternity (our handshakes and
passwords), of the Lodge (who is ill or late with
their dues), and of your Brethren (the fact that he
HATES spinach, but eats it anyway when his wife cooks
it because he loves HER must remain between the two
of you), so long as none of these involve a crime
such as Murder or Treason.
* You have to be willing to respect the ceremonies of
the fraternity and not go changing them without
permission of the governing body in your
jurisdiction.
* You have to be willing to regard the whole human
species as one family, Created by One Almighty
Parent, and to treat others accordingly.
* You have to be willing to place your duty to Deity
first and foremost, your duty to yourself and family
next, your duty to your neighbor and your country
next and to the fraternity last among these.
* You have to be willing to help others in distress, so
far as you can without incurring harm to yourself or
your family who depends on you.
* You have to be willing to comport yourself with honor
and dignity, behaving as an honorable individual
should. A part of this is that you have to be willing
to recognize that someone else's beliefs and opinions
in matters appertaining to religion, politics and
economics are as true for, and as precious to, them
as yours are to you. As you want them to respect
yours, you must be willing and able to respect
theirs.
* Finally, you have to be willing to obey the rules and
regulations of the fraternity in matters appertaining
to the fraternity.
(Thanks to Gene Goldman)

2. Can <fill in an ethnic group>s be Masons?

Any human who meets the requirements listed in question 1
above is eligible, regardless of race or color.

Some have speculated that while there is no official
prohibition against, say, blacks or Asians from becoming
Masons, there is a de facto prohibition because they would
never be voted into a lodge. This is false. There are
Masons of all ethnic backgrounds.

However, it is fair to state that Masons, as humans, are
prone to the kinds of prejudices that all humans may
succumb to. Since the vote to admit a candidate is
anonymous and must be unanimous, one man's unspoken
prejudice is sufficient to deny entry to a man (except, of
course, in those jurisdictions which require more than one
'no' vote to deny entrance, but you get the idea).
Prejudice is inexcusable and irreconcilable with Masonry,
but then, it is also irreconcilable with Christianity,
Judaism, and Islam, and there are certainly Christians,
Jews, and Muslims who harbor prejudices.

So it is possible that a Mason, acting unMasonically, could
act to keep a member out without due cause. But this is not
common, nor is it representative of Masonry in general, nor
does it conform to the high ideals of Masonry.

3. Can homosexuals be Masons?

Yes, and there are homosexual Masons. A man's sexual
preference is not questioned. There is the consideration
that some men may view homosexuality as being immoral; that
homosexuals are not men of "good character". This is
generally not due to any specific prejudice but rather due
to religious belief (depending on how one interprets St.
Paul, for example). However, judging by conversation on
alt.freemasonry, it is safe to say that Masons generally
would not regard homosexuality as a barrier to membership.

4. I have a physical disability. Can I be a Mason?

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided you can attend
Lodge (and meet the non-physical criteria in question (1)
of this section). Paraplegics have been made Masons, as
have the blind, the deaf, and others with a variety of
physical handicaps. Minor modifications may need to be done
to the rituals (e.g., employing sign language, modifying
points where the candidate stands if the candidate is in a
wheelchair, etc.) but most Lodges are willing to
accommodate candidates.

In medieval times, the requirement to have a sound body
free of physical defect was a serious one, since the work
of stonemasonry was physically difficult. Some Grand Lodges
did carry this requirement into symbolic (non-operative or
speculative) Masonry. However, in recent times this has all
but been eliminated. Talk to your local Lodge if you have
any questions.

5. Can <fill in the name of the religion> be a Mason?

The only religious requirement is that candidates believe
in the Supreme Being. If you can in good faith profess a
belief in the Supreme Being, you are eligible to be a
Mason. No atheists will ever knowingly be made a Mason.

There are Christian (Catholic, Protestant, Mormon), Jewish,
and Muslim Masons. It would be tedious and pointless to go
into a religion-by-religion (and then denomination-by-
denomination) discussion. The key points to remember are
the requirement of belief in the Supreme Being and the fact
that Masonry is a fraternity, not a religion.

6. Do Masons accept Catholics?

Catholicism is only mentioned specifically because it has
generated a lot of traffic in the past on the Masonic
newsgroups. There is no prohibition in any Grand Lodge
jurisdiction against Catholics being made Masons.

Please bear in mind that discussion of this subject on the
Masonic newsgroups invariably generates a very high noise-
to-signal ratio.

7. Can Wiccans be Masons?

This religion is specifically mentioned only because it has
been often debated on alt.freemasonry. It is possible to
get into very involved discussions on the nature of Wiccan
beliefs and their compatibility with Masonry, but the only
possible arbitrator is your Grand Lodge. To that end, it is
suggested that if you have more specific questions, contact
your local Lodge.

Again, the same could be said about a number of religions,
and Wicca is only mentioned specifically because it has
been brought up repeatedly on the Masonic newsgroups.
Please bear in mind that discussion of this subject on the
USENET Masonic newsgroups invariably generates more heat
than light.

8. What if my religion does not allow the swearing of oaths?

Some Grand Lodges allow affirmations to be used instead of
the traditional Masonic oath. This is more common in Europe
than in the United States. In all cases, it is best to
check with the Grand Lodge in your jurisdiction (or your
local Lodge) for more specific information.

9. Do I have to be invited?

No, and you should never wait to be invited. Masons in the
U.S. are prohibited from asking others to join the
fraternity to insure that candidates come of their own free
will.

As with many things Masonic, there are some exceptions to
this rule. Some Grand Lodges allow solicitation, such as in
the form of an information kiosk, provided it is low-key
and with the strict provision that no pressure be applied.
Still, you don't *need* to be invited in any jurisdiction;
and if you're interested, act.

10. OK, I'm interested - how do I proceed?

If you know a Mason, ask him about membership. He will be
glad to tell you all about the Craft and the local lodge,
and give you a petition if you wish to join.

If you do not know a Mason, drop a letter or email to the
local lodge and one of the officers will call you (or call
the lodge, though you may not get an answer unless someone
is actually there). You may also wish to visit a local
lodge and become acquainted with the brothers meeting
there. Most lodges are listed in the telephone book, along
with their meeting dates and times.

Typically, the process in America is as follows:

The applicant fills out a petition, which asks for personal
references and one or two Masonic sponsors. If you don't
know any Masons, arrangements will be made for you to
become acquainted. Those whom you meet would eventually
sponsor you.

The petition is read at the next business meeting, which
for many lodges is during the first week of the month. A
committee is formed to investigate the candidate. The
petition also asks for two character references.

The committee meets with the candidate to answer questions.
These questions are very informal; the committee confirms
that the candidate meets membership criteria, that he was
not coerced into petitioning, and to get to know him. This
is not a "grilling session", but rather a friendly and
casual chat to make certain that the candidate has been
properly informed about Masonry and was not improperly
solicited. The committee also contacts the character
references listed on the petition (typically asking if they
know any reason why the candidate should not be accepted,
etc.)

The committee then reports back to the lodge during the
next business meeting and the candidate is voted on. If
accepted, someone from the lodge (often the Secretary)
contacts the candidate and informs him that he has been
accepted and schedules a date for the Entered Apprentice
degree.

---===---

VI. HISTORY

1. Where did Masons come from?

A fascinating question! And, alas, impossible to answer
within the confines of this FAQ. There are a number of
theories, a lot of debate, and a lot of musty history
books. Some of the books listed in question 15 of this
section should be of help. As a *very* brief overview, here
is part of an essay by Henry C. Clausen, a noted Masonic
author. This is, of course, just one point of view -- many
other theories exist, but Clausen nicely covers the basics:

"Our Masonic antiquity is demonstrated by a so-called
Regius Manuscript written around the year 1390, when King
Richard II reigned in England, a century before Columbus.
It was part of the King's Library that George II presented
to the British Museum in 1757. Rediscovered by James O.
Halliwell, a non-Mason, and rebound in its present form in
1838, it consists of 794 lines of rhymed English verse and
claims there was an introduction of Masonry into England
during the reign of Athelstan, who ascended the throne in
A.D. 925. It sets forth regulations for the Society,
fifteen articles and fifteen points and rules of behavior
at church, teaching duties to God and Church and Country,
and inculcating brotherhood. While the real roots of
Masonry are lost in faraway mists, these items show that
our recorded history goes back well over 600 years. Further
proof is furnished through English statutes as, for
example, one of 1350 (25 Edward III, Cap. III) which
regulated wages of a "Master...Mason at 4 pence per day."
The Fabric Role of the 12th century Exeter Cathedral
referred to "Freemasons."

The historical advance of science also treats of our
operative ancient brethren who were architects and
stonemasons of geometry. It is apparent from this portrayal
that they had a very real and personal identification with
the Deity and that this fervent devotion provided energy to
build cathedrals. They embraced the teachings of Plato and
understood and applied Pythagorean relationships. Just as
there is a beauty of harmony credited to mathematical
relationships on which music is based, in precisely the
same way these master geometricians treated architecture.
The architects and stonemasons became the personification
of geometry, performing extraordinary feats with squares
and compasses. Geometrical proportion, not measurement, was
the rule. Their marks as stonemasons were derived from
geometric constructions. The mighty works they wrought,
cathedrals with Gothic spires pointing toward the heavens,
and especially their "association," were not without danger
and opposition, bearing in mind the Inquisition established
in 1229, the Saint Bartholomew's Eve Massacre of 1572, and
the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. These
historical points remind us of the need for our cautions
against cowans and eavesdroppers.

Our operative Brethren of the Middle Ages thus were the
builders of mighty cathedrals throughout the British Isles
and continental Europe, many of which still stand. These
skilled craftsmen wrote in enduring stone impressive
stories of achievement, frequently chiseled with symbolic
markings. With these architectural structures of these
master builders there was a companion moral code. These
grew up together. Out of this background modern Freemasonry
was born.

Although "Lodges" had existed for centuries, four of the
"old" Lodges met in London on St. John the Baptist's Day,
June 24, 1717, and formed the first Grand Lodge of England,
thereafter known as the Premier Grand Lodge of the world.
No longer operative as of old, the Masons carried on the
traditions and used the tools of the craft as emblems to
symbolize principles of conduct in a continued effort to
build a better world.

The American colonial Masonic organizations stemmed from
this Grand Lodge of England and were formed soon after
1717. Its then Grand Master appointed Colonel Daniel Coxe
as Provincial Grand Master of New York, New Jersy and
Pennsylvania on June 5, 1730, and Henry Price of Boston as
Provincial Grand Master of New England in April 1733."
- Henry C. Clausen

2. What US Presidents have been Masons?

George Washington William McKinley
James Monroe Theodore Roosevelt
Andrew Jackson William Howard Taft
James Polk Warren G. Harding
James Buchanan Franklin D. Roosevelt
Andrew Johnson Harry S. Truman
James Garfield (Lyndon B. Johnson)
Gerald R. Ford

Notes (in chronological order):

William McKinley's Masonic membership has not been
confirmed 100%, though his name does appear on several
lists. Hopefully, someone will be able to provide a
definitive yes or no.

William Howard Taft was made a Mason At Sight by the Grand
Master of Ohio and later raised to Grand Master of Ohio in
1909.

Harry S. Truman was also Grand Master of his home state,
Missouri.

Lyndon Johnson was an Entered Apprentice, but never
progressed beyond that degree.

Ronald Reagan is not a craft Mason. He was made an honorary
33rd degree Mason by the Southern Jurisdiction of the AASR
and an honorary member of the Imperial Council of the
Shrine, but he was never entered, passed, and raised as a
Mason, nor was he ever made a Mason at sight. (Source:
Robinson's "Born in Blood")

Bill Clinton is not a Mason, though he was a member of
DeMolay.

Many other leaders in government have been Masons: "They
have included fourteen Presidents and eighteen Vice
Presidents of the United States; a majority of the Justices
of the United States Supreme Court, of the Governors of
States, of the members of the Senate, and a large
percentage of the Congressmen. Five Chief Justices of the
United States were Masons and two were Grand Masters. The
five were Oliver Ellsworth, John Marshall (also Grand
Master of Masons in Virginia), William Howard Taft,
Frederick M. Vinson and Earl Warren (also Grand Master of
Masons in California.)"
- Henry C. Clausen

3. Was Thomas Jefferson a Mason? Patrick Henry? Abraham
Lincoln?

No, no, and no. As for the first two, "an exhaustive search
of Masonic records in Virginia, and elsewhere, offers no
iota of evidence to make them Freemasons. Jefferson
participated in the cornerstone laying of his University at
Charlottesville, which was done Masonically. He praised
Freemasonry and his own words proved he had never been a
member of the Craft." (FMBITS.TXT)

There is some evidence that Abraham Lincoln intended to
become a Mason when he returned to Springfield after his
second term in office, had he not been assassinated in
1865.

4. What famous people have been Masons?

This is by no means a complete list. This list also
includes Prince Hall Masons.

FROM THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (other than Presidents):
Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Paul Revere, John Paul
Jones, LaFayette, Rufus King, James Otis, Baron von
Steuben, Joseph Warren, Benedict Arnold (well, you can't
win them all)

POLITICAL LEADERS: Winston Churchill, Simon Bolivar, Edmund
Burke, Benito Juarez, Edward VII, George VI, Bernardo
O'Higgins, Jose' de San Martin, Francisco de Paula
Santander, Jose'Rizal, Jose' Marti, Pandit Nehru, Lajos
Kossuth, Jonas Furrer, Guiseppe Mazzini, Eduard Benes, John
A. Macdonald, Aaron Burr, George McGovern, Barry Goldwater,
Estes Kefauver, Adlai Stevenson (not the governor of
Illinois but his father, who was Vice President in 1892),
Thomas E. Dewey, Alf Landon, Hubert H. Humphrey, Wendell
Wilke, W.E.B. DuBois, William Jennings Bryant

MILITARY LEADERS: Omar Bradley, John J. Pershing, Douglas
McArthur, General Winfield Scott, Captain Eddie
Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, General Mark Clark, General
George C. Marshall

REPUBLIC OF TEXAS: Sam Houston, Stephen Austin, Davy
Crockett, Jim Bowie, William B. Travis (and, it should be
added, General Santa Ana)

FINE ARTS: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (and his father,
Leopold), Ludwig von Beethoven, Jean Sibelius, Franz Liszt,
Josef Haydn, Irving Berlin, Gutzon Borglum, Charles W.
Peale, Alfons M. Mucha, John Philip Sousa, both Gilbert &
Sullivan, George Gershwin, George M. Cohen, Count Basie,
Nat King Cole, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Signmund Romberg

ACTORS: John Wayne, Red Skelton, Clark Gable, W.C. Fields,
Will Rogers, Burl Ives, Roy Rogers, Danny Thomas, Ernest
Borgnine, Oliver Hardy, Tom Mix, Audie Murphy, Gene Autry,
Wallace Beery, Eddie Cantor

INDUSTRY & LABOR: Henry Ford, Samuel Gompers, Walter P.
Chrysler, John Wanamaker, S.S. Kresge, J.C. Penney, John
Jacob Astor, John L. Lewis

ADVENTURERS: Lewis & Clark, Charles A. Lindberg, Kit
Carson, Roald Amundsen, Adm. Richard Byrd, Commodore Robert
Peary

PHILOSOPHERS: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Gotthold E.
Lessing, Voltaire (Francois Marie Arouet)

ATHLETES: Bob Feller, Tris Speaker, Ty Cobb, Paul "Dizzy"
Trout, Harry Carey, Dell Rice, Jimmy Fox, Joe Tinker (of
"Tinker to Evers to Chance"), Jack Dempsey, Arnold Palmer,
Jack Arthur Johnson

ASTRONAUTS: Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr., Leroy Gordon
Cooper, Donn F. Eisele, Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, Edgar D.
Mitchell, Walter M. Schirra, Jr., Thomas P. Stafford, Paul
J. Weitz, James B. Irwin, John Glenn.

WRITERS: Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), Sir Walter Scott,
Rudyard Kipling, Robert Burns, Wassily I. Maikow, Heinrich
Heine, Jean P.C. de Florian, Leopoldo Lugoner, Antonio de
Castro Alves, James Boswell, Alexander Pushkin, Arthur
Conan Doyle, Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde

LAW: John Marshall, Earl Warren, Thurgood Marshall

MEDICINE: Drs. Alexander Fleming, Jules Bordet, Antoine
DePage, Edward Jenner, Charles and William Mayo, Karl and
William Menninger

SCIENCE: Hans C. Orsted, Jons Jakob Frk. von Berzelius,
Alfred Edmund Brehm, Luther Burbank, Johan Ernst Gunnerus,
Albert Abraham Michelson, Gaspard Monge, C.F.S. Hahnemann,
Pedro N. Arata, Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, Alexander
Fleming, James Smithson

...as well as Harry Houdini, Norman Vincent Peale, David
Sarnoff, Thomas J. Watson, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Cecil J.
Rhodes, Marvin Zindler, and many, many more.

5. What famous buildings in the US have been laid Masonically?

The U. S. Capitol
The Smithsonian Institution
Jackson Hall
The National Education Association Building
The Army War College Building
House of Representatives Office Building
The Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is in Alexandria, Virginia, and
honors our first President and Brother Mason, George
Washington. (FMBITS.TXT)

6. What's the difference between AF&AM and F&AM?

Today, there is no difference. F&AM means "Free & Accepted
Masons"; AF&AM means "Ancient Free & Accepted Masons".

In 1723, a second Grand Lodge formed, which styled itself
as ancient. It issued charters in the colonies, as did the
original Grand Lodge. By the time the two Grand Lodges
united in 1813, many U.S. Grand Lodges had been formed in
the United States, and each adopted one or the other
designations.

7. Was Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church, a Mason?

(This section provided by Brother Bob Dixon, with corrections
provided by MWB Glen Cook, PGM of Utah; the use of the first
person is his)

"Joseph Smith was a Mason, as were the following four presidents
of the LDS church.

"From about 1839 to about 1846 most of the members of the church
gathered to Nauvoo, Illinois, and there were at least four lodges
in operation there." The Grand Lodge of Illinois took action due
to the irregulatiries in those Lodges, revoking their charters.

"He was murdered by a mob in 1844, and Brigham Young felt it was
as a result of a Masonic conspiracy. He prohibited Mormons from
being Masons," which remained in effect until rescinded by
President Kimball in the mid-1980s. "The ill feelings went both
ways, as the Grand Lodge of Utah prohibited Latter-Day Saints
(Mormons) from becoming members until about 1984.

"There are no particular restrictions on Mormons being Masons. We
are continually counselled to put our families and Christ first,
which many interpret as counsel to avoid most activities outside
family and church. This is a personal choice, though, and not a
matter of strict doctrine.

"We perform certain ordinances such as baptisms for the dead and
eternal marriages in our temples, and minor portions of those
ordinances bear very surface similarity to parts of the Masonic
degrees. The whole scope and character is much different, though.
Where (I feel, anyway) that the masonic degree work revolves around
our place in God's kingdom here on the earth, our temple rituals
deal with creation and our place in the eternities."

(A minor historical note: Smith was allowed to progress through
the degrees without delay, the usual waiting period being waived
by the Grand Master of Illinois)

8. What is the oldest Lodge Room in the world? In the US?

"St. John's Chapel, Edinburgh, Scotland is said to be the
oldest Masonic Lodge Room (1736) in the world. The oldest
known Lodge Room in the U.S. is situated in Prentiss House,
Marble head, Massachusetts (1760).The oldest Masonic Lodge
Building is the Lodge Hall of Royal White Hart Lodge No. 2,
Halltax, Northings, North Carolina (1771)." (FMBITS.TXT)

Other information disagrees with this, stating that the
oldest American Lodge Room is "Masons Hall in Richmond,
Virginia, the home of Richmond Randolph Lodge No. 19 and
Richmond Royal Arch Chapter No. 3. The building owned by
Royal White Hart Lodge wasn't built until 1821. Masons Hall
was built in 1785. It was originally the home of Richmond
Lodge No. 10, the first wholly new Lodge chartered by the
Grand Lodge of Virginia. It was also the first permanent
home of the Grand Lodge of Virginia." (from Northern Light)

9. Is it true that all of George Washington's generals during
the Revolutionary War were Masons?

No. 33 of the generals serving under Washington were
Masons. A substantial number, but not "all".

10. Is it true that all the signers of the Declaration of
Independence were Masons? The Articles of Confederation?
The Constitution?

No. Contrary to what David Icke believes, Masons
constituted ten of the signers of the Articles, nine
signers of the Declaration, and thirteen signers of the
Constitution.

Additionally, Edmund Randolph, Grand Master of Virginia,
was an active participant at the Constitutional Convention,
though he didn't sign the document. It should also be noted
that four Presidents of the Continental Congresses were
Freemasons: Peyton Randolph of Virginia, John Hancock of
Massachusetts, Henry Laurens of South Carolina, and Arthur
St. Clair of Pennsylvania. (Northern Light)

11. George Washington turned down the title of "Grand Master of
the United States" -- true?

Yes, sort of. The American Union Lodge proposed that
Washington become "General Grand Master of the United
States", a title to be held in the "National Grand Lodge".
However, there were many others who also disagreed with the
idea of a National Grand Lodge, so it was never a serious
proposal.

Washington was Master of Alexandria Lodge No. 22 in
Virginia, whose Grand Master was then Edmund Randolph.
Washington was never Grand Master of Virginia (or any other
jurisdiction).

12. Why do some Lodges meet on a certain day of the week
"following the full moon"? Are Masons some kind of moon
worshipers?

The reason is actually simple practicality. Masonic Lodges
meet at night, since their membership typically works
during the day. Before street lights were available in the
19th century, men walked to Lodge in the dark of night and
it was common to schedule Lodge meetings shortly after a
full moon to provide maximum illumination for Brothers'
walk to and from Lodge.

Obviously, this is no longer an issue, though some Lodges
whose history stretches back into the 19th century or
earlier still schedule their meetings by the moon's period.
These are sometimes referred to as "moon Lodges".

13. Did Masons suffer at the hands of the Nazis?

Yes. The exact numbers are unknown. Lt. Col. David Boyd
wrote that 85,000 German Masons were killed by the Nazis,
though other research has found that this number may be off
by as much as a third. This figure does not include any of
the nations the Nazis occupied.

Regardless of the actual number killed, it is clear that
Hitler viewed Masonry, which exalts truth, toleration,
brotherly love, and free thought, to be dangerous and a
threat to his regime. Ironically, in his last days in his
bunker in Berlin, Hitler had a painting of Frederick the
Great in his chambers. Frederick the Great was a Mason.

14. Are Masons connected to Greek-letter fraternities?

No, however there is one styled after Greek houses. Called
Acacia, it was founded by Masons attending the University
of Michigan in 1904. It was originally open only to Masons,
but that requirement was dropped.

For more information, please visit www.acacia.org/.

15. I want information on Masonic history. What books would be
good introductions?

Hodapp, Chris _Freemasons for Dummies_ Recently published,
this is a clear, well-written reference for Masons and non-
Masons alike.

Virtually anything by Allen Roberts.

Robinson, John J. _A Pilgrim's Path_
Robinson, John J. _Born in Blood_

Stevenson, David, PhD. _The Origins of Freemasonry:
Scotland's Century 1590-1710_ (Cambridge, New York:
Cambridge University Press, 1988).

"Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia" is an excellent reference.

16. My local Library doesn't have any books on Freemasonry,
where can I find them?

Many Lodges maintain their own libraries as do the Grand
Lodges. Some larger public Libraries also may have a better
collection than a smaller Library. Unfortunately,
bookstores do not typically carry a wide assortment of
Masonic related books; however, there are several sources
to purchase books:

Macoy Publishing (804) 262-6551
P.O. Box 9759
Richmond, VA 23228

Anchor Communications (804) 737-4498
110 Quince Ave. Drawer 70
Highland Springs, VA 23075

Look at Roger Ingersoll's home page or web site for free
publications and addresses of other sources of Masonic
books.

17. What movies/books feature Masonry?

"The Man Who Would Be King", by Brother Rudyard Kipling. A
good story, later made into an excellent film, starring
Michael Caine, Sean Connery and Christopher Plummer. Its
portrayal of Masonic history is quite fanciful, of course.

"Murder by Decree" A Sherlock Holmes movie, concerning the
Master Sleuth's hunt for Jack the Ripper. It does not
portray Masonry in an honest, accurate, or favorable light.
A good movie, but it is important to remember that no Mason
would ever knowingly commit a crime for a Brother.
Incidentally, Edward VII was actually a Mason. (The story
is not one of Brother Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's).

"From Hell" A movie which makes yet another attempt to link
Freemasonry to the Jack the Ripper murders.

"National Treasure" An action movie that suggests that
Masons had hidden a great treasure and left clues to its
location in several places, including the back of the
Declaration of Independence. Although there are a few
inconsistencies, attributed to Hollywood's skill at
glittering up an otherwise plain story, the movie does cast
the Fraternity in a good light.

For more Masonic movie information, please visit
http:freemasonry.bcy.ca/fiction/cinema.html

The "Turmgesellschaft" in Goethe's "Wilhelm Meister" novels
is certainly of Masonic origin.

In Tolstoy's "War and Peace", the Masonic initiation ritual
of the character Pierre Besouchoff is described in great
detail.

There is also a modest body of Masonic poetry: Kipling's
"The Palace" and "Mother Lodge", Burns's "Masonic
Farewell", Goethe's "Mason Lodge", Leigh Hunt's "Abou Ben
Adhem", Carruth's "Each in His Own Tongue", Burns's "On the
Apron", Meredith's "Ebony Staff of Solomon", Bowman's
"Voice of America", Malloch's "Father's Lodge" and Nesbit's
"I Sat in Lodge with You." (Carl H. Claudy)

In addition, Right Worshipful Brother Trevor W. McKeown
kindly provided the following reading list:

The Freemason at Work by Harry Carr, revised by Frederick
Smyth.
Ian Allan Lewis Masonic Ltd. Riverdene Business Park,
Molesey Road, Hersham Surrey KT12 4RG. ISBN: 0 85318 189 6
hc 404 pp.

Symbolism in Craft Freemasonry by Colin Dyer.
Lewis Masonic, Ian Allen Regalia Ltd., Terminal House
Shepperton Surrey. ISBN: 0 85318 130 6 pb 1983 [0 85318 102
0 clothbound, 1991] 184 pp.

Workman Unashamed, The Testimony of a Christian Freemason
by Christopher Haffner.
Lewis Masonic, Ian Allan Regalia Ltd, Terminal House
Shepperton Surrey. ISBN: 0 85318 167 5. hc. 271 pp.

Early Masonic Pamphlets, reprinted and edited by Douglas
Knoop and G.P. Jones and Douglas Hamer.
Q.C. Correspondence Circle Ltd. 60 Great Queen Street,
London WC2B 5BA: 1978. ISBN: 0 9502001 3 1. 338 pp. [tel:
0171-405 7340, fax:0171-404 8131]

Fundamentalism & Freemasonry, The Southern Baptist
Investigation of the Fraternal Order by Gary Leazer.
M. Evans and Company, Inc. 216 East 49th Street, New York,
New York 10017. ISBN: 0-87131-775-3 (cloth). 252 pp.

Freemasonry, A Journey through Ritual and Symbol by W. Kirk
MacNulty.
Thames and Hudson Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, New
York 10110: Reprinted 1999. ISBN: 0-500-81037-0. pb. 96 pp.

Freemasonry, The Study of a Phenomenon by Alexander
Piatigorsky.
The Harvill Press, 2 Aztec Row, Berners Road, London N1
0PW: 1997. ISBN: 1 89046 265 0. pb. 398 pp.

The Freemasons by Jasper Ridley.
Constable & Robinson Ltd, 3 The Lanchesters, 162 Fulham
Palace Road, London W6 9ER: 1999. ISBN: 1-84119-238-4. pb
340 pp.

The Origins of Freemasonry : Scotland's Century, 1590-1710
David Stevenson.
Paperback, Cambridge University Press: 1990

18. Are there any online resources?

There certainly are:

www.gpdemolay.org/freemasonry/
www.freemasonry.org/
www.masonicinfo.com/
web.mit.edu/dryfoo/Masonry/
www.canonbury.ac.uk/
www.shef.ac.uk/~crf/
www.internetloge.de/hotlinks/hyplink.htm
www.freemasonrytoday.co.uk/
mastermason.com/
bessel.org/
links.hiram.net/
welcome.to/psfreemasonry
www.qccc.co.uk/
www.freemasoninformation.com/

It should also be noted that there are many anti-Masonic
resources, but personal experience indicates that many of
them refer to each other when citing "fact", which is to
say that a majority of their claims are baseless and built
on a foundation of hatred, intolerance or ignorance.