The post A Curated Masonic Lifestyle & Heritage magazine! appeared first on KZN Freemasonry.

Introduction

In this article, we will examine just a few of the questions which are often asked about our Ancient Craft. We do not pretend to attempt to answer all of your questions or to explore Freemasonry in a great amount of detail. Freemasonry has existed for hundreds of years now and to even try to cover its many facets in a few brief paragraphs would clearly be impossible. Hopefully, however, we will provide answers to some of the questions you may have wanted to ask and will stimulate other questions you may wish to raise later.

What is Freemasonry?

Freemasonry is the world’s oldest and largest secular, fraternal and charitable society and has several million members spread throughout the world. It is a universal society of men who seek to improve themselves through their association with one another and their families. Freemasonry promotes the basic precepts of Truth, Morality and Brotherly Love. It brings good men together for fellowship and the promotion of integrity and good citizenship. It encourages charitable activity and social awareness and strives, through its teachings, to uplift its members and assist them in their efforts to promote high moral standards, to live decent lives and to conduct themselves to the benefit of others.

No Freemason is ever asked to perform any task or take any oath which may conflict with his duties to his God, his family or as a citizen. Freemasonry is not a religion, but it demands that every member believes in a power greater than man. It does not focus solely on charity, but strongly promotes charitable activities and encourages members to assist those less fortunate than themselves. It is certainly not politically motivated, but it expects its members to play a meaningful role in society.

In simplest terms, Freemasonry’s aim is to improve the world we live in by uplifting the moral and spiritual standards of the men living in it.

Where did Freemasonry Originate?

Freemasonry is many centuries old and scholars do not agree about precisely where and when it began. The most commonly accepted theory is that the origins of modern Freemasonry reach back to medieval times when the great cathedrals of Europe were built. The stonemasons who created these awe-inspiring Gothic structures formed craft guilds to protect the secrets of their trade, to help one another and to pass on their knowledge to worthy apprentices.

In 17^th century England, these guilds began accepting honorary members, men of learning and position. These new members were not working stonemasons or even associated with the building trades. As “accepted Masons” they eventually developed into a separate organisation. They were now referred to as Free and Accepted masons, this forming the basis of Freemasonry. The earliest recorded “making” of a Freemason was in 1646, being that of one Elias Ashmole, while formally organised Freemasonry, as we know it today, began with the founding of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717.

In 1772, the Dutch introduced Freemasonry to South Africa and Lodge de Goede Hoop was established in Cape Town. The Lodge is still operating today and is the Mother Lodge for all local Freemasonry. The Lodge buildings were established over 200 years ago and are situated alongside the Houses of Parliament. The Lodge itself has played a leading role in the Cape’s history and its past members include an impressive list of eminent citizens.

Is Freemasonry a Secret Society?

In recent times, one of the main challenges faced by the Order has been to dispel the impression it has created about itself as being a Secret Society. It most certainly is not! The reality is that the rules and aims of Freemasonry are available to the public, its meeting places are well known and its members are encouraged to speak about Freemasonry. Many books have been written about Freemasonry and you are sure to find some at your local bookshop or library. Many members wear distinctive Masonic rings or lapel pins to show their pride in being part of this ancient and honourable fraternity.

Traditionally, Freemasonry has not advertised itself or drawn attention to its good works and this, in itself, has contributed to some of the suspicion aroused. You will observe, however, that this is changing and, indeed, this pamphlet is an example of a more open approach. The problem with being low key is that one encourages speculation – and it is a sad indictment of modern society that such speculation is invariably negative. Freemasonry clearly needs to be better promoted.

It is true that there are means which enable members to recognise one another as Freemasons, but this is hardly an unusual occurrence in modern society. After all, we have pin numbers at our banks, membership numbers at our clubs and fingerprints are recorded for our ID documents. Proving that people are who they claim to be is a common challenge – and Freemasonry is no different.

Freemasonry does not publicise the content of the ceremonies for its various degrees, although you could certainly read about them if you chose to. Frankly, though, you should avoid the research. Each degree is a unique and unforgettable experience, greatly enhanced by the candidate not knowing what to expect. This does, of course, require a level of trust, but you are assured that our ceremonies are extremely enlightening and are most certainly not humiliating or offensive in any way whatsoever.

What Happens at Masonic Meetings?

The Grand Lodge of South Africa is sub-divided into 5 Divisions, each comprising several Lodges. Individual Freemasons belong to these Lodges. Initially, new members will join a single Lodge but, in time, they may join other Lodges or side degrees allied to the Craft.

Lodges have 2 formal meetings a month – the Board of Management and the Ceremonial Working. At the Board of Management, business issues related to the effective running of the Lodge are discussed, including charitable functions, social events, finance and planned Ceremonial workings.

At the Ceremonial workings, the Lodge confers basic degrees on candidates or installs a new Master. It is also common practice to have lectures and discussions on various Masonic topics and most Lodges cater for Ladies’ nights where the members’ partners are included in formal Lodge activities.

The 3 basic degrees of Freemasonry are the Apprentice (1^st degree), Fellowcraft (2^nd degree) and Master Mason (3^rd degree) and these are conferred at 3 separate meetings over a period of several months. The solemn process is an enlightening and interesting experience for the candidate and, in between meetings he is given further instruction concerning the meaning of the ritualistic ceremony in which he has participated. He may also be given the opportunity to memorise a few key passages from the ritual, so that he may participate more fully in future workings.

The Masonic ritual dramatises its philosophy of the importance of a moral life. It uses the tools of ancient stonemasons as symbols to teach such ideals. A Mason promises to build his life and character with the same care and precision that stonemasons used to build great Cathedrals so many years ago.

It is also common practice for members to visit other Lodges and this enables them to expand their sphere of contacts and to learn more about the Order. At the end of all meetings, the members partake in light refreshment, which provides a platform for getting to know other members better and to discuss issues of common interest. It is worth noting, however, that any discussion on potentially controversial topics, such as politics or religion, is forbidden at Lodge functions.

What Sort of Man is Suited to Freemasonry?

According to its own rules, Freemasonry accepts “Free men of good repute”. Clearly, however, we need to explore this in a little more detail as there are 2 issues to be addressed here. We first need to define what Freemasonry sets as its basic requirements and we then need to examine the type of man who would want to associate himself with us and is likely to derive real benefit from our Order.

To be a Freemason, a man has to believe in a Supreme Being and our Order welcomes good men of all religious persuasions. It must be stressed, however, that we do not accept atheists, men with a criminal record or unrehabilitated insolvents. If you are married, you must have your wife’s support, as Freemasonry strongly believes that a man’s family is more important to him than the Order.

The type of man which Freemasonry is most likely to appeal to tends to be a more subjective issue. He will want to improve himself and to be associated with men who are seriously endeavouring to live better lives. He will be stimulated by helping others and will be striving for inner fulfilment. He may be attracted to the historical aspects of the Order, enjoy the active participation in charitable efforts or be fascinated by debates on the deeper meaning of symbolism. Above all, he will want to contribute. If he expected to gain material benefits as a result of joining the Order, he is likely to be disappointed.

Who, for example, have been Freemasons?

Freemasonry has attracted many highly respected men from throughout society.

Included are Sir Winston Churchill, American Presidents such as George Washington, both Roosevelts and Gerald Ford, Simon Bolivar, King George VI, Kings Edward VII and VIII and similar men. Literary giants include Robert Burns, Rudyard Kipling, Alexander Pushkin, Mark Twain, Johann Goethe and Sir Walter Scott; composers include Beethoven, Mozart, Sibelius and Sousa; top sportsmen include Jack Dempsey and Arnold Palmer and explorers include the likes of John Glenn, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Buzz Aldrin, Sir Ernest Shackleton and Richard Byrd. The list is extensive and several, such as the actor, Ernest Borgnine, have achieved high Masonic status.

It is also worth noting that a number of religious leaders have been active Freemasons, including the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sir Israel Brodie, who was Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth, and such Islamic leaders as the 3^rd Aga Khan.

South African Freemasons include Cecil John Rhodes, CJ Langenhoven, Piet Retief, Louis Thibault, General Louis Botha and Charles Bell, after whom Bellville was named. The list of famous Masons is extensive and well illustrates the diversity of the personalities who may be attracted to our Order.

How does Freemasonry Relate to Religion?

Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. While it demands that its members believe in a Supreme Being, it provides no system of faith. The names used for the Supreme Being enable men of different faith to join in prayer (to God as each sees Him) without the terms of the prayer causing dissension among them. Freemasons meet in common respect for the Supreme Being as He remains Supreme in each of their religions. Freemasonry has no desire to combine religions, but supports all religions and encourages its members to actively support their personal beliefs.

As the past few years have seen a number of unfortunate misinterpretations between the Church and Freemasonry, it is important that you fully understand Freemasonry’s position on this issue. It cannot be emphasised too strongly that Freemasonry, indeed, lacks the basic elements of a religion: it has no theological doctrine and, by forbidding religious discussion at its meetings will not allow a Masonic theological doctrine to develop; it offers no sacraments and it does not claim to lead to salvation by works, by secret knowledge or by any other means.

Far from being indifferent too or in conflict with religion, without interfering in religious practice, Freemasonry 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 to him. Its moral teachings are acceptable to all religions.

How does Freemasonry provide Charity?

From its earliest days, Freemasonry has been involved in charitable activities and has provided support for many worthy causes, including widows and orphans of Freemasons, their families and friends. Grants, donations and active support have been provided to Masonic and non-Masonic charities alike.

Locally, we own Masonic Homes for Seniors and for Quadriplegics, and we run such events as our annual Masonic Spring Ball, which raise substantial funds towards these projects. We also actively participate at public events such as the Maynardville Carnival and our individual Lodges contribute to a range of needy charities including hospitals, disadvantaged children, the handicapped and the elderly.

Internationally, Freemasonry has earned a great deal of respect for its charitable contributions. Many of the Grand Lodges have Homes, Hospitals or similar facilities, while the United States Freemasons, for example, donate over 2 million dollars a day to charity.

What would Freemasonry expect from Me?

On joining a Lodge, you would be expected to regularly attend it’s monthly Board of Management and Ceremonial workings and will be encouraged to participate in occasional visits to other Lodges. Your Lodge is likely to have social events and would include you in their charitable activities. In many cases, activities will include wives and families. You will be encouraged to study the rituals and to prepare yourself to participate in them. As far as activities are concerned, these are the total “expectations”.

Financially, there will be a joining fee and annual subscription, which will be detailed to you prior to the processing of your application. As with all societies, you would be expected to be in good standing.

As you progress in the Order, you may well find yourself drawn into side degrees or other activities. This is part of the growth process and individual members decide for themselves where their interests lie. You are not, however, compelled to involve yourself more than you are in a position to and would have to judge for yourself the extent to which you are able to participate. Freemasonry really does have a great deal to offer and some of the additional activities can be extremely rewarding.

How do I become a Freemason?

If you meet the criteria that Freemasonry has specified and are satisfied that you would like to be a Freemason, You APPLY to join our Order. The principle here is an important one. While you have, hopefully, been given all the information you need on which to base your decision and may be considered an ideal candidate, you are unlikely to be asked to join. You may well be encouraged to do so by men who know you well, but it is a Masonic principle that new members join us of their own free will and we would be most concerned if you had been persuaded to do so against your own judgement.

If you are interested in joining us, Tell us. Who knows, it could be the first real step of your Masonic career and could open the door to the manifold blessings offered by our Ancient and Honourable Order.

Freemasonry – A better World, through a better Man!

RW Bro Geoff Edwards – Deputy Grand Master GLSA

The post Freemasonry-Some Questions Answered appeared first on KZN Freemasonry.

The District Grand Lodge of Natal (English Constitution) gratefully acknowledges that this paper was inspired by a book entitled The Making of a Mason’ which served as a model and catalyst for this and subsequent papers. The author of the book, Bro George Draffen of Newington, OBE, O.St.J, RW Past Depute Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland; Past Grand Junior Deacon in the United Grand Lodge of England, and Prestonian Lecturer for 1956. Also a Past Master of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 EC and twenty‑five years Editor of the Grand Lodge of Scotland Year Book. ‘The Making of a Mason’ was published by A. Levis (Masonic Publishers) Ltd, Terminal House, Shepperton, Middlesex, England

What Is Freemasonry?

               The Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons is the oldest, largest and most widely known fraternal organisation in the world. Volumes have been written about it, yet it remains a mystery to many people. This summary, issued by the District Grand Lodge of Natal (English Constitution), is an attempt to present some of the facts and facets of Freemasonry for the information and benefit of those interested.

What it is — and what it is Not

               Freemasonry is a charitable, benevolent, educational and religious society. However, it is neither a religion, nor a substitute for one.

               Some people believe it is, and that it will conflict with some of the teachings of their own religion. Masonry, however, has no creed, sacraments or religious dogma, ancient or modern. It espouses none of them; neither is it subservient to any. It does seek to inculcate a standard of conduct which it believes will be acceptable to all creeds, but studiously refrains from intervening in the field of dogma or theology.

               A declared belief in a Supreme Being is a basic prerequisite for membership. This ensures that each applicant has some form of religious belief before admission, and each Mason is expected to pursue his own worship, in his own fashion, according to his own faith.

               Masons do not discuss religion or political matters in their lodges, nor does any lodge endorse candidates of any political persuasion. As an individual, however, the Freemason is urged to meet his responsibilities and play an active part in civic affairs. It charges all its members to be true and loyal to the government of the country to which they owe allegiance, and to be obedient to the laws of any state in which they may be.

               Freemasonry is not an insurance or beneficial society but it is a benevolent society. Within the bounds of its resources, it provides assistance and support to the less fortunate through times of hardship, and its members are taught to be of service to mankind.

Teachings

               It is educational in that it teaches, by prescribed ceremonials, a system of morality and brotherhood based upon the Sacred Law. It teaches the Golden Rule, that is, that we should treat others as we would like them to treat us. It seeks to make good men better, through its firm belief in the brotherhood of mankind, and the immortality of the human soul.

               It is religious in that it teaches monotheism; the Volume of the Sacred Law is open whenever a lodge is in session. Reverence for God is ever present in its ceremonial, and to its brethren are constantly addressed lessons of morality; yet it is not sectarian or theological.

It uses builders’ tools as symbols to teach the basic moral truths, thereby impressing on the minds of its members the cardinal virtues: brotherly love, relief and truth, which should be applied to their everyday activities.

               Through the improvement and strengthening of the character of the individual man, Freemasonry seeks to improve the community. Thus it impresses upon its members the principles of personal righteousness and personal responsibility, enlightens them as to those things which make for human welfare, and inspires them with that feeling of charity and goodwill towards mankind, which will move them to translate principle and conviction into generous action.

               However, it teaches that a man’s first duty is to his family and connections. It warns that no one should join the Order who cannot well afford to pay the fees and subscriptions, both to his lodge and to the Masonic charities, without detriment to the comfort and wellbeing of those who have any claim to his support.

Its Principles

               The principles of Freemasonry are proclaimed as widely as men will hear. Its only secrets are in its methods of recognition and symbolic instruction. It is charitable in that it is not organised for profit and none of its income benefits any individual, but is devoted to the promotion of the welfare and happiness of mankind. It is benevolent in that it teaches and exemplifies altruism as a duty.

Its Benevolence

               Every Masonic lodge is encouraged to participate, insofar as the means of its membership will allow, in worthwhile charitable projects. There is the Natal District Benevolent Fund from which relief is granted to Masonic brethren or their dependents in distress, through reason of age, indigence, or other misfortune. The Natal District Masonic Foundation presently provides housing for elderly Masons at Pietermaritzburg, Pinetown and Park Rynie. Together with the other Masonic Constitutions in Natal, the Wesley Francis Memorial Masonic Education Fund grants bursaries to the children of Masons. The Natal District Centenary General Charity Fund has presented the Pain Control Clinic at Addington Hospital with complex specialised equipment, has sponsored a Day Care Clinic at the Highway Hospice at Sherwood, a sun lounge for paraplegics at the Homes for the aged at Greytown and supplies essential equipment to various charitable institutions. It supports such general appeals as Child Welfare in Durban and Pietermaritzburg, charities nominated by Masters of Lodges or Mayors of various country towns in which lodges are established, and the Red Cross Drought and Flood Relief Fund. These are examples of the work that Masons find to do.

Its History

               Freemasonry traces its ancestry to the operative crafts which, records indicate, were introduced into England as early as 674 A.D. It is directly descended from those associations of operative craftsmen, primarily the cathedral builders of the Middle Ages. These men, because of their expertise, knowledge and skills, were permitted special travel privileges and moved from country to country employing the secrets and skills of their craft. These master‑craftsmen developed means of recognition and identification to safeguard their profession.

               In the 17th and 18th centuries, as cathedral building came to an end, numbers of these operative stonemasons’ guilds or lodges began to accept, as members, men who were not directly connected with the builder’s craft. These were called accepted or speculative Masons. Gradually the lodges came to be composed almost entirely of members of this group, and it is from them that the Freemasonry of today is descended.

               In 1717, four lodges of Freemasons meeting in London, formed the first Grand Lodge of Freemasons in the world, which chartered symbolic lodges in many countries including America, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and others. Today there are more than 150 Grand Lodges in the free countries of the world, with membership of more than six million Masons.

Its Composition

The basic unit of all Grand Lodges is the Masonic lodge, sometimes called the symbolic lodge, blue lodge or craft lodge. It is the Masonic lodge which receives petitions from candidates for membership, and confers upon them the principal Masonic degrees which form the foundation of all Masonic progress.

               Our lodges in Natal are established at Amanzimtoti, Assegai, Bellair, Camperdown, Dundee, Durban, Empangeni,  Harrismith, Hilton, Ixopo, Kloof, Kokstad, Ladysmith, Newcastle, Pietermaritzburg, Margate, Umhlali and Westville.

               There are now 34 such lodges under the jurisdiction of the District Grand Lodge of Natal (English Constitution), clearly widely dispersed throughout the District. Lodges under the authority of other Constitutions, Irish, Scottish, and South African, work side by side with the English in complete amity and concord here in Natal.

Its Ultimate Aim

               ‘Every man needs sincere friendship which is not always the easiest commodity to find. How fortunate we in Freemasonry are that we are given such wonderful opportunities for making and cementing such sincere friendship and goodwill. Eventually man realises that the golden links which sustain interest to the end are the friends who have remained true through the years, who have shared both our happiness and our sorrows, and we well know that many of these friendships have been made in lodge.

               Barriers of race, creed, habit, training and interest separate men today, as if some evil genius were bent on keeping man from his fellows; begetting suspicion, uncharit ableness and hate. Amid wars, waste and woe, amidst feud, faction and folly, Freemasonry — the oldest and most widely spread Fraternal Organisation — toils on behalf of friendship.

               Each lodge is an oasis of equality and goodwill in a desert of strife, working to weld mankind into a league of sympathy and service. There men meet as man to man without vanity and without pretence, without feud and without reproach. Masonry has no other mission than to ennoble and exalt humanity, to bring light out of darkness, beauty out of angularity, to make every hard‑won inheritance more secure, every sanctuary more sacred, and every life more radiant’.

Freemasonry and the Church

Controversy

               From time to time there flares up in the Press and elsewhere, the age‑old controversy about Freemasonry and Religion and the question is asked ‘Can one be a Freemason and a Christian?’ This question has recently been asked again in Britain, and I understand that it is being asked here as well. So let us first of all get that thorny riddle out of the way. ‘Can one be Freemason and a Christian?’ Now this question is based on the assumption that Freemasonry must be a sort of religion itself and therefore is in some way a rival to Christianity. Far from it. Christianity is a religion; it is a way of life in the worship of Jesus Christ — a proclamation of the love of God to all mankind.

               Freemasonry is not a religion. It is defined as a system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. It is therefore no more difficult for a man to be a Christian and a Mason that it is for him to be a Christian and a Conservative or a Liberal. For Conservatism and Liberalism are not religions either, but systems of politics. No. Freemasonry is not a religion. ‘But’, says the critic, ‘Freemasons have a Bible in the Lodge’. True, but then every court of law has a Bible and every bedroom in our hotels has a Bible. Does that make Law or hotel‑keeping into a religion? But Freemasons open their Lodge with a prayer’. Yes, and so does Parliament open with a prayer, and many a city or town Council does the same. Does that make them a religion? The real confusion arises, of course, because Freemasonry, unlike politics, demands of all its prospective members that they should believe and trust in God.

               It does not specify how they should express their belief — it leaves that, quite properly, to religion — but it does demand belief. In this demand Freemasonry is one of the few survivals of the faith of the past — for time was, and not so long ago either, when admission to any profession and organisation, and certainly admission to Universities, was only possible to those who were prepared to express belief in God.

               Attempts have been made to get Freemasonry to alter its rules on this subject, but the Craft has, quite properly, resisted all such attempts and holds to its traditional principle — long may it continue to do so — thereby ensuring that although it is not, and never can be, a religion in itself, yet all its members must be men of religion before they can enter the Order, and we hope that through this system of morality the religious life of every member will be strengthened and enriched.

Perfectionists

               However, Freemasonry’s connection with the Church is a good deal stronger than you might think. History shows us that Lodges of operative Masons first came into prominence in Europe in the 12th, 13th and 14th ceniuries, at the same time when so many of our great cathedrals and parish churches were being built. You see, such a specialised job as building a cathedral could seldom be carried out by local labour. It would be necessary to employ experts, professional masons who had served their apprenticeship under a master and had made such progress that they were now recognised as craftsmen.

               The building of such a church might take several months or it might take a number of years, depending on the size and complexity of the structure, and then, when the building was completed the masons would move on to start work on another church, perhaps many miles away.

               Now two things about these mediaeval masons are particularly worth our notice. First, the supreme excellence of their workmanship. They were not working for men; they were working for God, and only the best was good enough. Absolute squareness, scrupulous care on levels and perpendiculars, perfection of finish; these were the high standards they set themselves and without such standards our great cathedral8 and minsters and churches could never have lasted, as they have, down to the present day. Though many of them are appealing for vast sums of money for necessary repairs yet all the defects in the structures now being revealed are due to the natural deterioration of materials or subsequent damage from bombs or traffic or other causes. In not one single case has it been shown that the repairs are due to bad workmanship of the original builders.

No — these old masons were perfectionists.

They were building for God and they were building for eternity. There was no question of ‘Oh! This will have to do for now’. They never considered just the outward appearance; their work was perfect through and through. So this is the first thing about them — the excellence of their workmanship.

The Lodge

               And the second thing we notice was the very temporary nature of their employment. They built for eternity, but they themselves were constantly on the move. You see, the nature of their work make it impossible to settle down in any one place for very long. You cannot decide to set up a Cathedral Factory or send out parish churches by parcel post. You have to work on the spot where the thing is going to be for ever, and when it is completed you have to leave it and move on.

               And just as our modern contractor, when he is beginning a building, sets up a wooden hut called a Site office, which is the headquarters of everything, so the old mediaeval masons, before they began work on their cathedral, used to put up a hut or a hall or a large room as a temporary structure on the site. And because temporary, they didn’t call it a hall or a hut — they called it a Lodge — and here indeed they lodged during the time that the church was being built. Here in this Lodge were deposited the designs and working plans under lock and key. There was no law of copyright in those days and unscrupulous rivals might borrow and use.

               In this Lodge, also, the masons met to discuss the next day’s work, to receive instructions from the master builder, and to admit and educate apprentices in the craft.

Again it was necessary on those occasions to exclude strangers, for the mason’s knowledge had been learned the hard way; it wasn’t lightly to be given away to anyone who happened to want it. The doors were locked and one of them stood outside to give warning of the approach of strangers. And then from time to time, masons from other places would come seeking work, and to make sure that they were genuine and not intruders or cowans, as they were called, it was necessary to have means of recognition — signs, tokens, passwords, known only to those genuinely qualified and not given to anyone who had not proved himself worthy to receive them. These signs, tokens and words were not, of course, ‘the secrets’ themselves, but guards to the secrets. The real secrets consisted of what we would call ‘tricks of the trade’, such as how to form right angles, how to lay levels and prove perpendiculars, and so on. The signs, tokens and words were only given to those who had learnt the trade in a regular and honest way, It was in this way and in this way only that those standards of excellence could be maintained — at the same time making it possible for genuine masons to move freely from one lodge to another and find a fraternal welcome wherever they went.

A Way of Living

               Such are the origins of the Lodges of operative masons in Europe. Later generations, realising the immense value of those standards of excellence, found that they need not be limited to operative building only, but could be applied to life. So there came into being the modern system of free and accepted, or speculative Masonry in which men endeavour, by brotherly love, relief and truth, to apply these standards of excellence to their way of living.

               There are so many ways of living, so many different motives by which man can do his daily work. A number of men can be doing just the same job with very different motives in mind. There is a delightful story told — I don’t know if it’s true or not but it ought to be — of the time when our Brother Christopher Wren was building St Paul’s Cathedral, and it is said that on one day he disguised himself and went into the workshop to see how is workmen were getting on. And he found three of them there, all doing the same job — smoothing and preparing the stone for the hands of the more expert workmen. And he came to the first man and said ‘What are you doing?’ The man said ‘I’m chippin’ bits off this ‘ere stone until it’s two foot by three foot by two foot six and very boring it is too’. And Wren went on to the next man and said, ‘What are you doing?’ ‘I’m earning one‑and‑six a day and it isn’t very much when you’ve got a wife and six kids to look after and you want to save a bit for your old age’. And Wren went on to the third man and said ‘What are you doing?”Ah!’ said the man, ‘I’m a lucky chap I am. I’m helping a chap called Christopher Wren to build a cathedral’. And they were all doing the same job. This is a splendid example of three different way of looking at life — either as a daily grind that’s got to be done however dull or boring, or as an opportunity to make money to have time for other things or as a part of a grand design by a Great Architect in which every part is important.

The Third Dimension

               Full life, like architecture, has to have three dimensions. Some people live in only one dimension, concentrating on self‑interest alone they move forward in a straight line caring for nobody and nothing else. It’s a kind of life, but really you could only call it bare existence.

               Others live in two dimensions, letting their straight line broaden out into square measurement, considering others and having some contact with the interests and concerns of their neighbours. This is obviously better, but two dimensional pictures are flat, without depth, and cannot stand up to all the strains and stresses of living.

               And some there are who have found the third dimension of life, looking not only forward to their own interests, and sideways to their neighbours’, but also upwards towards God their Maker.

               This ‘Three‑D’ living gives height and depth and solidity to everything we do. For thus the square of regularity is converted into the cube of perfection. It is this third dimension of life which is the particular care of religion. It is this third dimension that lifts Freemasonry out of the category of a mere social club and gives it a moral and spiritual value of its own, putting duty towards God, your neighbour and yourself as its three objectives — and putting them in that order.

               Long may the historic and honourable connection between the Church and the Craft continue. May our religion help us to see the importance of the third dimension of life in its true proportion and may Freemasonry, by remaining true to its principles, inspire the world with reverence and love for that Great Architect of the Universe by whom and for whom alone we build our churches and our lives, by whose love we are sustained and by whose hand we are guided. To Him be all honour, glory, dominion and praise, henceforth and for evermore.

That the World May Know —

               MW Pro Grand Master:

               On a number of occasions Grand Chapter has had the benefit of a lecture from W Bro Canon Tydeman. Now it is Grand Lodge’s turn, and it is with pleasure that I call on him for his address under the title “That the world may know —”

               RW Bro the Rev. Canon Richard Tydeman, OSM, PJGW:

               MW Pro Grand Master and Brethren, such is the nature of our constitution, that there are still far too many people in the world who have entirely wrong ideas about Freemasonry, and not nearly enough Masons who are willing or able to put them right.

               So what is it about Masonry that makes it ‘special’ and how can we express this in simple language for the non‑Mason to understand?

               Let us go back to the basic question: What is Freemasonry? Answer: a peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. Yes, Masonry is a system of morality, not a system of belief or a system of faith, but a system of morality. Now morality is a highly topical subject at the present time, with politicians, archbishops and educationalists all crying out for a return to morals. So the next question must be: What are morals? And put into Masonic language the answer is that morals are the building blocks of which all human life is built up.

               Let me explain.

               Historically, Freemasonry came into prominence in this country in the early eighteenth century at a time of great moral laxity, dishonesty and vice. Into that unfortunate climate  came Lodges of men who had promised under solemn oath that they would obey the moral law; trust and assist each other and render themselves more extensively serviceable to the outside world. Religion did not come into it beyond the acknowledgment of a belief in God and a respect for the Holy Bible; and naturally they began and ended their meetings with a brief prayer ‑ as indeed did Parliament, town councils, universities and schools everywhere.

               Those early brethren did not recruit or proselytise, they just lived according to their principles and trusted that a favourable opinion preconceived of their institution would prompt other like‑minded men to seek membership. It may have been just coincidence that operative Masons had been using the language of building for so many centuries, but this appealed strongly to our eighteenth century predecessors, and they began to talk in what might be called ‘architectural language’.

               In other words they said: man is a craftsman; he is sent here by a Great Architect who has supplied him with working plans in the Volume of the Sacred Law, and whether he builds his life in the shape of a church, or a mosque, a synagogue or a temple, the basic moral rules are the same: it has to be made of materials as near perfection as we can achieve. Just as each stone in a building must be square, level and upright, so each part of our life must have the same qualities. One stone that is not square could ruin the whole building.

               In this simple language Masons are still reminded, in a series of symbols and allegories of the basic principles of morality. This does not make Masonry a religion, as some have suggested. Candidates are men of religion before they come in ‑ indeed it is only men of religion who are permitted to come in, for a belief in God is an essential qualification. The nature of the candidate’s religion is not our concern; the shape of his building may be very different from ours, but it has to be built of the same materials and conform to the same rules, ‑ and this is what Masonry constantly declares.

               Having expressed his belief in God, the candidate is then instructed how to build on that foundation by obedience to the moral rules and patterns which he finds in his working plans ‑ and those moral rules are the same for all men and all religions.

               Oh yes, Masonry has a social side too ‑ that is where the Brotherly Love comes in ‑ and it is a charitable organisation of some magnitude ‑ that is the Relief aspect‑ but perhaps we do not say enough about the Truth, for I think this is one of the things that makes Masonry “special”. You see, there is Brotherly Love in a Sports Club, and charitable Relief abounds in such organisations as Rotary; but Masonry goes further by upholding the eternal Truth of the moral law as symbolised in the eternal rules of good building. It is this side of Masonry that I am always trying to emphasise, and I fmd it is something that most people can appreciate and understand.

               But, says the critic, if it is as simple as all that, why the secrecy? Why not let everyone in on the act?

               This brings us to another aspect which makes Masonry “special”: I call it “the shared experience”.

               Comedians can always get a laugh out of “these Masons with their rolled‑up trouser‑legs”; but that is only a small part of the story. The truth is that to become a Mason one has to approach in a state of self‑humiliation, blind, lame, half‑dressed and penniless, with hangman’s noose at the ready. In this way, and in this way only, can a man accept the privileges of Masonry: he has to come properly prepared and humbly soliciting.

               However, the candidate has this consolation and encouragement: he knows that every man in that room has gone through exactly the same experience. There are no short cuts. One can be given a University Degree without actually working for it; one can become a commissioned officer in the Forces without going through the ranks, but there is no other way of becoming a Mason than by sharing in that experience of humility and helpless indigence.

               It would be manifestly unfair and inequitable to admit to our ceremonies anyone who has not shared in that experience; hence the secrecy. The old operative Mason guarded the secrets of his craft by sharing passwords and signs. We do the same; but words and signs are not the secrets themselves, they are the guards to that shared experience which is the real secret of Freemasonry.

               Now, I can see no good reason why the public should not be told all this so that they can judge for themselves. I am not saying we should open our meetings to non‑Masons ‑ that would defeat the concept of the “shared experience” ‑ but it must surely be a good thing for the world to know what it is that we stand for, and what we have solemnly promised to do.

               Of course this puts a tremendous burden on ourselves, and it is right that it should. Just, upright and free men of mature age, sound judgement and strict morals should be prepared to stand up and be counted. If the world knew just how serious are the promises we make, there would be even more criticism of those who are found guilty of “un‑Masonic conduct”. Promises do not cease to operate as soon as the Lodge is closed: we are charged to practise out of the Lodge those duties we have been taught in it, and thus prove to the world the happy and beneficial effects of our ancient institution.

               A good building not only has to protect and provide for those within its walls, it also has to look good to those outside, and to stand up to the slings and arrows of the invidious and all the changes of the climate. Freemasonry has succeeded in doing this for several centuries already, and I have no doubt that, with our fidelity, and with our obedience to the moral law, it will continue to grow in strength and significance throughout the centuries that lie ahead.

               MW Pro Grand Master:

               Brethren, the volume of applause demonstrates, I don’t need to tell you, how fascinating and worthwhile that was, and I express our thanks, very much, to Canon Richard.

The post A Guide to Freemasonry-Freemasonry and the Church appeared first on KZN Freemasonry.

“The District Grand Lodge of Natal (EC) gratefully acknowledges inspiration from a book ‘The Making of a Mason’ which served as a model and catalyst for this Series. The author, Bro George Draffen of Newington, OBE, OStJ, Past Depute Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland is also Past Junior Grand Deacon in the United Grand Lodge of England, and Prestonian Lecturer for 1956. A Past Master of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 EC, and twenty‑five years Editor of the Grand Lodge of Scotland Yearbook. Published by A Lewis (Masonic Publishers) Ltd, Terminal House, Shepperton, Middlesex, England, and printed by The Garden City Press Ltd, Letchworth, Hertfordshire, England.

The District Grand Master of English Freemasonry in Natal acknowledges encouragement and assistance from his Advisory Committee; from individual members of the Athenaeum Lodge of Research, and from the Masonic Lecture Team in the preparation of this Masonic Enlightenment Series. His special thanks are due to W Bro Bill Ramsden for direction and advice, to W Bro Jack Edwards for contagious enthusiasm from the inception of the idea, which originated from W Bro Joe Ludlow — a visitor to these shores — in an impassioned plea to provide basic information to the ‘grass‑roots’. He extends thanks also to St Alban’s Lodge, No 3906 EC for providing the opportunity to present this paper initially on 1st April, 1985, when the message was: ‘What must be made clear is that Masonry is a life to be lived — not a formality to be perfunctorily performed — and that, grounded in religion, mellowed by good‑fellowship, it is dedicated to generating Brotherly Love and Goodwill among all men’.

Historical Outline

            In the history books Freemasonry has a chapter of its own. When you have become a Mason it is a chapter you will wish to read, as much for its own fascination as for the light it will throw on your path as a Mason.

            Men in all ages and in all lands, have formed select societies, have made use of ceremonies of initiation, employed symbols, emblems and means of recognition. The oldest of all existing written records of our Craft is a manuscript produced by some unknown brother in England about 1390. That was nearly six centuries ago. But the document itself shows that even then Freemasonry was already very old.

            At the time the document was written all Freemasons were Operatives; that is, they were workers engaged on buildings. Such builders were then called ‘masons’. There were many kinds of masons, but the evidence indicates that those who were called ‘Freemasons’ were those of a superior type who designed, supervised and erected the great cathedrals and other marvellous structures in the Gothic style of architecture.

            Where a number of Freemasons worked together on a building over a period of years, they organised a lodge which might meet in a temporary building, or in one of the rooms of an uncompleted structure. Such a lodge was governed by a Worshipful Master assisted by Wardens; it had a Secretary to keep its books, a Treasurer to keep and disburse its funds, a charity chest from which to dispense relief to members in accident, sickness or distress, and to widows or orphans of Master Masons. It met in regular communication, divided its membership into grades, admitted members by initiation — in short, it was in all essentials what a masonic lodge is today.

            Training men for such work called for a long period of severe discipline. Boys sound in body, keen in mind, and of good reputation were taken at the age of ten or twelve, and apprenticed to some Master Mason for a number of years, usually seven. The Master Mason was such a boy’s father in Freemasonry, his tutor, his monitor and his guide, who taught him both the theories and practices of the Craft. The young beginner was called an Apprentice. After he was able to give evidence of his fitness, his name was entered on the lodge books, whereupon he was known as an Entered Apprentice. After his apprenticeship, he was called upon to prove his skill by producing what was called a ‘Master’s piece’ which, if acceptable, entitled him to become a full member of the Craft. Hence, in the sense that the word ‘fellow’ denotes ‘full’, a Fellow of the Craft. As at that time there were no more than two degrees, and he had now mastered his trade, he was called a Master Mason.

            Having completed their work in one community these Freemasons would move to another, setting up their lodges wherever they went, while other types of masons were compelled to live and work in the same community under local restrictions. A number of historians believe it may have been because they were free of such restrictions that they were called ‘Freemasons’.

            The Operative period of the fraternity flourished for generations. Then came a great change in its fortunes. Euclid’s geometry was re‑discovered and published, giving away many of the masons’ old trade secrets. The Reformation came and the Gothic style of architecture began to die out; social conditions underwent a revolution, laws were changed, and various factors brought about such a decline in the Craft that only a small lodge here and there clung to a precarious existence.

            To recruit their numbers, the Freemasons adopted a new practice; they began to accept as members non‑Operatives who had no intention of becoming builders; usually enlightened gentlemen who, out of curiosity, for social reasons, or from interest in historical or ancient customs, became interested. And because they were thus accepted, they were called ‘Accepted Masons’. As time passed, their numbers increased until they overcame the Operatives in both numbers and influence.

            As a result of this revolutionary step the Craft set out on a new path, and on St John the Baptist’s Day, 24th June, 1717, four old lodges of London and Westminster met in London and organised a Grand Lodge.

            Within a few years the Craft had transformed itself from an Operative body into a Speculative Fraternity. By ‘speculative’ is meant Masonry in a moral or symbolical sense. The old two degrees were reorganised into the three degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason. Lodges were chartered in many countries to accommodate the fraternity’s rapidly increasing membership. This was the beginning of organised Speculative Freemasonry as we now know it, and it must be clear that it did not spring full‑ formed out of nothing in 1717, but was a gradual development from the original builders of the Middle Ages.

            Grand Lodges followed in Scotland, Ireland and on the Continent before a second one was formed in England. Early American Lodges — of which the earliest known was organised in Philadelphia in 1730, were placed under the charge of Provincial Grand Lodges of England, Scotland or Ireland.

            Today we are builders too — except that where our forebears erected buildings, we try to build manhood. Their tools we have transformed into emblems of moral and spiritual values; their practices and secrets we have embodied in the Royal Art of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. Their rituals, mellowed, enriched and beautified with the passage of time, we employ in instructing our candidates and elevating them. All that was living and permanent we have preserved, and we use it on behalf of tolerance, goodwill, kindliness, charity and brotherhood among men. Such is our heritage, and as you enter into the spirit of it, you will discover it inexhaustible in interest and life‑long in its appeal; a power in your life to enrich, ennoble and inspire.

The Landmarks

Before the development of modern surveying, to establish the permanent boundaries of a property was a difficult and often perplexing problem. Almost the only method men could devise was to fix upon some feature, draw a line from it to another feature, thus establishing the limits of a property. It is, therefore, easy to understand why the destruction or removal of a ‘landmark’ was deemed so serious an offence!

            Freemasonry has honoured this term as a name for one of the most important of its basic laws, namely, that there are certain principles, practices, traditions, usages and customs which cannot be changed by any Mason, lodge or Grand Lodge. Hence the term ‘Ancient Landmarks’. Freemasonry has an identity, a character of its own. Some things in it can be abolished, changed or modified without destroying that identity. These changes are acceptable because, after they have been made, Freemasonry continues as before! But there are other changes which, if made, would destroy Freemasonry itself. The Landmarks therefore signify that which is essential to the identity and integrity of Masonry, and whatever is found necessary to maintain and secure the perpetuity of Masonry has the property of a Landmark. Inevitably every Masonic authority varies in its assessment of them but, for the purpose of this exercise, we shall concern ourselves purely with those quoted by our source.        

            It is stated that Freemasonry began six or seven hundred years ago with the Operative Masons of Europe and Britain. Many of their arts, practices, customs, symbols and emblems became permanently embodied in the very nature of Masonry. If all that we inherited should be destroyed or abolished, not only would it destroy our connections with our history, but would, at the same time change our fraternity out of all recognition. Here is clearly something with the property of a Land mark.

            Many things in Masonry are kept secret from the outside world. This secrecy is not a pose to gratify a desire for mystification, but is so essential to the very nature of the Craft that we could not even conceive of Masonry without it. Gone would be the ritual, the obligations, the modes of recognition, and all that homelike privacy which makes lodge so delightful. Secrecy also therefore has the property of a Landmark.

            Ever since it began Masonry has admitted only adult men to membership. Each petitioner is required to possess certain qualifications, must be well recommended, of good character, free born, and of mature age. If these qualifications were removed, men of every sort would flock in; men not mentally or morally capable of living the Masonic life. The result would be no Masonry to live!

            But it is not sufficient for a petitioner to be well qualified; he must also pass through the ceremony of initiation, which has been an integral part of the Craft from the very beginning. Eliminate initiation and it is possible that some sort of society would remain, but it would not be Freemasonry.

            Another equally essential factor is the secret ballot. Because, since our principal purpose is to bring suitable men together into brotherly relations, it is absolutely necessary that such as are admitted do not disturb our harmony, but ensure its spread.

The ritual, with its assemblage of symbols, emblems, allegories and customs, is yet another factor belonging to the very essence of Freemasonry, and belongs so essentially to it, that without it the Craft would be devoid of light and warmth.

The sovereignty of Grand Lodge, the corresponding sovereignty of the lodge within its own jurisdiction, and the sovereignty of the unwritten law are a similar necessity. For without such sovereignty anarchy would ensue, and the fraternity would be battered to pieces by the discordant forces generated.

            Every Mason must have respect for, and obedience to the civil law; no Mason may engage in feuds or rebellions; no political discussion can be brought into our assemblies. Were this abolished, our organisation would soon be taken captive by some political or social party, and would perish at the first turnover of political power.

            To the same effect is the ancient law which forbids a candidate or brother being questioned as to his particular beliefs; also that no sectarian doctrine should intrude in a lodge. This constraint is utterly fundamental to the preservation of the Masonic concept of a universal brotherhood, expressed by the ideal of Brotherly Love. Without this discipline, the present harmony would be completely destroyed and fragmented into divergent and possibly conflicting factions, resulting in the ultimate destruction of the whole Masonic ethic.

            What may be described as the crowning Landmark of all is the belief in God, belief in Immortality, belief in prayer! Here is the religious basis of Freemasonry — and when the word ‘basis’ is used, it is used in the literal sense. If the spiritual life were destroyed, our fraternity would — God forbid — degenerate into a mere social club!

            You are not yet a Mason. When you are you will have the advantage of seeing it from the inside as well as from the outside. But at present this explanation is most important to you; it makes plain that Freemasonry is clearly conscious of what belongs to its proper nature. Against every possible influence it guards and cherishes that nature continually; a petitioner who comes into its membership must accept it as he finds it, for there is no way that Freemasonry may be changed to suit the petitioner! To become a Mason, therefore, you must be ready in all sincerity, to give whole‑hearted assent to its teachings and principles, obedience to its laws and regulations, and observance to its ancient Landmarks.

The Tenets

            A tenet is a teaching so obviously true — so universally accepted — that we believe it without question, and always take it for granted. The principle tenets of Freemasonry are Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. We consider them to be true in the sense that no man can question them. They are obvious, self‑proving, axiomatic!

            Have you always considered them to be so? Is it not a common attitude for men to consider Brotherly Love, for example, to be highly desirable, yet hardly practicable? Is it not more of a vision, to be dreamed of but never possessed? Is it not a challenge for Freemasonry to call such things a ‘tenet’, for that means that they are not only true, but plainly and obviously and necessarily true! Until you grasp this fact, until you can see for yourself that our teachings are realities — and not visionary ideals — you may have difficulty in understanding Masonic teachings. For Freemasonry does not teach us that Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth ought to be true — that it would be better for all of us if they were true — it tells us that they are true! The question is not whether we shall believe in them or not, the question is what we are going to do about them?

            Let us reflect upon the Principle Tenets beginning with Brotherly Love. Manifestly, it means that we place on another man the highest valuation as a friend, a companion, an associate and a neighbour. Life does not accord us too many opportunities of forming such friendships. It is enough merely to be with him, merely to spend time in his company, to have the privilege of working with him. This is all we ask! We should not expect that from our relationship we shall make money, or expect to further our business interests, or achieve some other form of gain. Our association with such a man is its own justification and its own reward. It is nevertheless true that the more devoted we are to worthy common causes — the more empathy develops between us — the more likely it is that, all things being equal, we will elect to deal with a brother Mason whose principles we acknowledge and share.

            Brotherly Love is one of the supreme prizes, and Freemasonry builds on the fact that without it, life is lonely and unhappy. It provides unequalled opportunities for fellowship, encourages us to understand and practice it, which makes it one of the laws of our existence.

            Relief, which stands next in the order, takes it for granted that any man — no matter‑ how industrious and cautious he may be — may, through some sudden misfortune or other conditions over which he has no control, find himself in temporary need of a helping hand. To extend help in such circumstances is one of the natural and inevitable acts of brotherhood which by its very nature, includes as apart of itself, this willingness to provide assistance.

            Truth — the third of the Principal Tenets — demands something more than the search for truth in the intellectual sense. By Truth is meant that if we are to enjoy a permanent brotherhood, its members must be truthful in character and habit: dependable, men of honour as well as honesty; men on whom we can rely to be faithful and loyal friends. Surely no argument is needed to prove that Truth, as thus understood, is a necessity which we must consider as being beyond question!

            Such are the Principal Tenets. You may not find any of them novel, or even particularly exciting. Novelty, however, while it may at times have its own interest, is not to be compared in value with the knowledge that the truths on which Freemasonry is founded are eternal. In them is a ceaseless inspiration and an inexhaustible appeal. They are the tenets of Freemasonry because always and everywhere, they have been the tenets of human life.

The Qualifications

            The word ‘qualifications’ defines itself. It derives from a Latin term which means ‘value’. The Anglo‑Saxon term for the same idea was ‘worth’, from which we have ‘worthful’ and ‘worshipful’. Consequently, by a petitioner’s qualifications what is meant is the ‘worths’ or values he may possess to entitle him to fill a place in the fellowship of Masons.

            These values are of two kinds, internal and external. The first ‘internal’ qualification is that the applicant must come ‘of his own free will and accord’, and the second, that he comes ‘uninfluenced by mercenary or other unworthy motive’. Clearly, then, he should not expect business, professional, or financial opportunities to emerge from his membership of the fraternity, but, by the same token, no member has the right to solicit such favours from him.

            These qualifications are described as ‘internal’ because they derive from motives, and only an individual can know his own.

            The external qualifications may, for the sake of convenience, be divided under four heads — the physical, mental, political and the moral. Under the physical, he must be of lawful age because no person can undertake Masonic obligations except when he has reached the age of discretion, and is legally responsible for his undertakings.

            The mental qualifications are not expressly defined, but are clearly implied. Much is taught a Mason, and much is demanded of him. It is therefore reasonable to suppose that he must be required to possess a certain intellectual capacity to enable him to comprehend our system.

            The political qualifications require that he be a free man; that he must be, in the true sense — his own master! Free to discharge his Masonic duties without interference. In addition, he must possess a sound reputation among those who know him best. Of even greater importance is that he be a good citizen, one who obeys the law; who is obedient — as the Ancient Charges express it — to the Civil Magistrate! He must be in all respects, one who supports the peace and good order of society.

            The moral qualifications are that he should believe in God, in Immortality, and that the Volume of the Sacred Law — in our case the Holy Bible — should be the rule and guide of his faith. At the same time it is essential that he practice tolerance. He will not be asked the particular form or mode of his faith, nor should he seek to discover that of his brethren.

            In this list of qualifications we have a portrait of the Mason drawn by the fraternity itself, and that portrait is official. So imperious is the fraternity’s moral requirement, that to think of a Mason as not devoted to integrity and rectitude of character is a contradiction in terms. How necessary it is that you grasp this fact in your endeavour to arrive at a true understanding of Freemasonry, it would be impossible to exaggerate!

            And so — the prospective candidate being satisfied — to the petition itself. The applicant must sign it, and, supported by two members of the lodge, it will be presented at a regular meeting of the lodge. A month later, the details having been circulated to all other lodges in the District, a ballot will be taken. For the petitioner to be elected, the ballot — which elects for the first three degrees — must be favourable; whereupon an initiation fee will become payable.

            You will see from all this, with a clearness beyond the possibility of misunderstanding, how the petitioner’s qualifications stand at the centre of the Craft, to qualify him to abide by our standards and recognise the goal of all Masonic endeavour.

            It is not sufficient that a man should possess such qualifications for the mere purpose of petitioning for membership; they are permanently required of us all — as long as we remain members of the Craft!

            Finally and above all, it must be said that Freemasonry will never demand anything which may conflict with your duty to your neighbour, to your country, to your family, or — indeed, to your God.

The post A Guide to Freemasonry-Pre Initiation appeared first on KZN Freemasonry.

Every candidate for initiation into the mysteries of Freemasonry must meet certain essential conditions. These qualifications are of two kinds: Internal and External.

The internal qualifications are those that arise from within the individual—his motives, intentions, and personal disposition. The external qualifications relate to his outward and apparent suitability. These external qualifications may be broadly considered under the following headings: Moral, Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, and Civic.

Morally, the candidate should strive to observe the principles of the moral law and live a life of integrity and virtue.
Spiritually, he should hold a belief in a Supreme Being and recognise a higher moral order, including an appreciation of the enduring nature of the human spirit.
Physically, the candidate should be of lawful age and capable of participating meaningfully in the ceremonies and activities of the Order. Freemasonry does not exclude individuals based on physical differences or disabilities, provided they are able to engage in the Masonic experience.
Intellectually, he should possess sufficient understanding and awareness to appreciate the teachings, symbolism, and responsibilities of the Craft, recognising that members come from diverse educational backgrounds.
Civically, he should be a law-abiding individual who respects the principles of freedom of conscience, personal responsibility, and good citizenship.

Internal Qualifications

The applicant must:

• Come of his own free will and accord. His application must be voluntary and not the result of undue persuasion.
• Not be motivated by personal gain or material advantage.
• Be inspired by a sincere respect for the values and principles of Freemasonry.
• Be willing to conform, in good faith, to the established customs and usages of the Fraternity.

External Qualifications

Moral
A candidate should live in accordance with the principles of honesty, integrity, and respect for others, earning both self-respect and the regard of the community.

Spiritual
Freemasonry is tolerant of diverse beliefs, but requires that candidates hold a belief in a Supreme Being and in a moral or spiritual dimension to life. No further inquiry is made into specific religious views.

Physical
The candidate should be of mature age and able to participate in the ceremonies and activities of the Craft. Physical ability is not judged by perfection of form, and reasonable accommodations may be made where appropriate.

Intellectual
A candidate should be capable of understanding and reflecting upon the teachings and responsibilities of Freemasonry. While formal education levels may vary, a willingness to learn and engage meaningfully is essential.

Civic
The candidate should be a responsible and law-abiding member of society, committed to the principles of freedom, fairness, and respect for others, and mindful of his duties within the community.

The post Qualification of Candidates for Freemasonry appeared first on KZN Freemasonry.

Freemasonry is one of the world’s oldest fraternal societies. The lessons Freemasonry teaches in its ceremonies are to do with moral values (governing relations between people) and its acknowledgement, without in any way crossing the boundaries of religion that everything depends on the providence of God. Freemasons feel that these lessons apply just as much today as they did when it took its modern form at the turn of the 17th century.

Despite what some people claim, Freemasonry is not in any way a secret society. Freemasonry’s so-called secrets are solely used as a ceremonial way of demonstrating that one is a Freemason when in Lodge meetings. In any case, they have been exposed by the media for almost as long as Freemasonry has existed and are not important information anyway. The real point of a Freemason promising not to reveal them is basically a dramatic way of promising to keep one’s promises in general.

Other reasons why Freemasonry cannot be called a secret society are that Freemasons do not promise to keep their membership secret (they can tell anyone they wish), where and when Freemasons meet are matters of public record (you can look up Masonic centres in telephone directories) and our rule book, the Book of Constitutions and our aims are readily available to anyone. It is ironic that because Freemasons used to be reticent about their membership (because they were and still are taught never to use it to advance their own interests), some critics have taken this the wrong way and think that there is something secretive and nasty going on. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Masonic ceremonies are secular morality plays which are learned by heart by members of the lodge for the benefit of the person who is becoming a Freemason or who wishes to explore Freemasonry further. Each ceremony has a message for the candidate. A further reason why Freemasons do not go around broadcasting their contents is simply because it would spoil it for the candidate – exactly as in the same way you would not tell someone the ending of a book or a film. Under the English Constitution, basic Freemasonry is divided into two parts, called the Craft and the Royal Arch.

For Freemasons who really want to explore the subject in more depth there is a host of other ceremonies, which, for historical reasons, are not administered by the United Grand Lodge of England. All English Freemasons experience the three Craft (or basic) ceremonies unless they drop out from Freemasonry very early on. These three ceremonies (or degrees as we call them) look at the relations between people, man’s natural equality and his dependence on others, the importance of education and the rewards of labour, fidelity to a promise, contemplation of inevitable death, and one’s duty to others. A fourth ceremony – the Royal Arch emphasises man’s dependence on God. Although all Freemasons are required to profess and continue in a belief in a Supreme Being, and their ceremonies include prayers, Freemasonry is not in any way a substitute for religion. It has and can have no theological doctrines, it offers no sacraments, and it does not claim to lead to salvation.

By having prayers at its meetings Freemasonry is no more in competition with religion than, say, having a meal at which grace is said. Furthermore, Freemasons are not allowed to discuss religion at meetings. Freemasonry is also strictly non-political and the discussion of politics at Masonic meetings is expressly forbidden. These rules both stem from Freemasonry’s aims to encourage its members to discover what people from all different backgrounds have in common. As is well known, debate about religion and politics has all too often led, when allowed to run riot, to discrimination, persecution and war. A Freemason is thus basically encouraged to do his duty first to his God (by whatever name he is known) through his faith and religious practice, and then, without detriment to his family and those dependent on him, to his neighbour through charity and service. None of these ideas is exclusive to Freemasonry, but all should be universally acceptable and Freemasons are expected to follow them.

The Ceremonies

Masonic ceremonies are a means to an end. In Freemasonry the ceremony (or ritual as it is often known) is the means by which the principles of Freemasonry are passed on to the candidate in a dramatic way. Even though prayers are used at certain points, the ritual is quite categorically not a religious ceremony. It is merely a formalised set of dramas used to introduce new members into Freemasonry and explain to them what it is they are joining and what will be expected of them. Freemasons have traditionally kept the ceremonies to themselves for a very simple reason. If someone wishing to become a Freemason knew how the stories went it would ruin the effect, much as in the same way as being told the end of a book or a film ruins them. Freemasons do not make some dreadful oath not to reveal anything they do in lodge meetings.

So why use ritual? There are two reasons. First, by using formalised ceremonies everyone enters Freemasonry on an equal basis and shares the same experience, whatever their position or status outside the Craft may be. Secondly, by continuing to use ceremonies that incorporate drama, allegory and symbolism, the principles of Freemasonry are very forcibly impressed upon the candidate’s mind. The origins of the ritual, like the origins of Freemasonry itself, have not yet been discovered. Other than that they had a ‘mason word’ we have no idea what ceremonies were used in Scottish operative lodges. The earliest evidence we have comes from two sources: a set of over one hundred versions of a document now known as the Old Charges and Dr Robert Plot’s Natural History of Staffordshire. Although the versions of the Old Charges differ in detail they conform to a pattern.

This is largely a legendary history of the mason craft followed by a set of rules (or ‘charges’) by which they were to conduct themselves both at work and in life in general. The various versions dating from the second half of the 1600s give an inkling of ritual practice. An obligation was taken on the Bible, to preserve the mysteries of the Craft; the mason word and sign were communicated; the charges were read, telling the new mason of his duty to God, his master and his fellow man; and the legendary history was read. Dr Plot adds one or two minor details including the wearing of aprons and the presentation to the candidate of two sets of white gloves, one for himself and one for his wife. It is not until 1690 that we get evidence of ritual content with the Edinburgh Register House manuscript – a set of questions and answers describing a simple ceremony and the signs.

From 1690 to 1729 a number of manuscript and printed questions and answers of varying states of completeness have survived. These show a simple two-degree system (Entered Apprentice and Fellow Craft), the taking of an obligation on the Bible (sometimes including a physical penalty), the communication of signs and words for each degree and a very simple symbolism based upon stonemasons’ tools. The earliest reference to a third degree, so far discovered, comes in 1725 but it is not until 1730 that we have any idea of its content. In that year Samuel Prichard published his exposure Masonry Dissected. This shows a system of three separate degrees – Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason – each with its own sign and word but with only an obligation in the first degree.

The ceremonies were in two parts: the communicating of the sign and word, in each case followed by a short set of questions and answers in which the ceremony and the purpose of the degree is explained, again using simple symbolism based on the stone masons tools. From the 1770s onwards the lectures based on questions and answers began to be expanded, incorporating symbolical explanations of the way the candidate was prepared for each degree. They also included additional stonemasons tools to illustrate virtues expected to be practised by Freemasons and symbolical explanations of the furniture of the Lodge room and the regalia worn by the members.

Under the rival Grand Lodges in England there had been differences in the way of carrying out the ceremonies in lodges. When the two Grand Lodges united in 1813, a Lodge of Reconciliation was set up to produce a standard form of ritual to be used by all lodges. The Lodge of Reconciliation spent two years deliberating and in 1816 its recommendations were accepted by Grand Lodge and ordered to be adopted by every lodge. In essence the Lodge of Reconciliation expanded the simple 18th century ceremonies by incorporating material from the lectures, which gradually dropped out of use, except in the Emulation Lodge of Improvement.

As Grand Lodge refused to allow the new ritual to be printed or circulated in manuscript, arranging instead for it to be demonstrated and passed on by word of mouth, the aim of producing a standard working to be carried out in every lodge was never in fact achieved. The methods of promulgation of the new system together with a refusal to give up idiosyncratic local differences has led to a wide variety of workings being practised in English lodges. The basic framework of the ceremonies is the same but there are differences of wording and of the manner of carrying out the ceremonies and in some workings there are additional or extended charges and lectures. The ritual for each of the three Craft degrees today falls into two parts.

The first is a rather dramatic play in which the candidate is introduced, demonstrates his qualifications for the degree, takes his obligation, and has the signs and words communicated and explained to him. The second part of each ceremony is a formal charge or lecture in which the purpose of the degree and a Freemasons’ duties are explained. The Charge to the Initiate is possibly one of the most succinct explanations in the English language of how to live a good and useful life. The ritual is not set in tablets of stone and has changed and developed over the nearly three hundred years for which evidence exists. A comparison of the earliest simple sets of questions and answers with the ceremonies of today shows how extensive the development has been. Sometimes the changes have been imperceptible, while at others they have been highly publicised.

Although changes have occurred they have not altered the basic nature of the Craft. One of the major changes, which began imperceptibly, had been the de-christianising of the ritual. In the early days much of the simple symbolism used could have given a distinctly Trinitarian Christian explanation and the two Saints John (the Baptist and the Evangelist) were claimed as patrons of the order. In the 18th century, as non-Christians began to seek admission, the Christian references began to be softened and then gradually removed, so that men of different faiths could meet in amity. The process was completed by the Lodge of Reconciliation in 1814-1816, resulting in the Craft becoming truly universal and able to accommodate anyone with a belief in a supreme being, however he expressed that belief.

In the firm belief that the ritual is self-explanatory, Grand Lodge has always refused to issue handbooks further explaining the meaning of and symbolism in the three Craft degrees. Enthusiastic Masonic writers, however, have produced books in which they have given personal, and often very idiosyncratic, interpretations of the ritual. In some cases the religious gloss writers have put upon the ritual is deeply offensive to the great majority of Freemasons. It cannot be too highly stressed that these interpretations are entirely personal to their authors and neither have the sanction of Grand Lodge nor do they reflect either Grand Lodge’s views or those of the Craft in general.

How Freemasonry Started

In the ceremonies Freemasons are told that Freemasonry was in existence when King Solomon built the Temple at Jerusalem and that the masons who built the Temple were organised into Lodges. Freemasons are also told that King Solomon, King Hiram of Tyre and Hiram Abif ruled over those lodges as equal Grand Masters. The ceremonies, however, are built up of allegory and symbolism and the stories they weave around the building of the Temple are obviously not literal or historical facts but a dramatic means of explaining the principles of Freemasonry. Freemasonry neither originated nor existed in Solomon’s time.

Many well-meaning but misguided historians, both Masons and non-Masons, have tried to prove that Freemasonry was a lineal descendant or a modern version of the mysteries of classical Greece and Rome or derived from the religion of the Egyptian pyramid builders.

Other theories reckon that Freemasonry sprang from bands of travelling stonemasons acting by Papal authority. Others still are convinced that Freemasonry evolved from a band of Knights Templar who escaped to Scotland after the order was persecuted in Europe. Some historians have even claimed that Freemasonry derives in some way from the shadowy and mysterious Rosicrucian Brotherhood which may or may not have existed in Europe in the early 1600s. All of these theories have been looked at time and again but no hard evidence has yet been found to give any of them credibility. The honest answers to the questions when, where and why Freemasonry originated are that we simply do not know. Early evidence for Freemasonry is very meagre and not enough has yet been discovered – if indeed it even exists – to prove any theory. The general agreement amongst serious Masonic historians and researchers is that Freemasonry has arisen, either directly or indirectly, from the medieval stonemasons (or operative masons) who built great cathedrals and castles. Those who favour the direct descent from operative masonry say there were three stages to the evolution of Freemasonry.

The stonemasons gathered in huts (lodges) to rest and eat. These lodges gradually became not the hut but the grouping together of stonemasons to regulate their craft. In time, and in common with other trades, they developed primitive initiation ceremonies for new apprentices. As stonemasons could easily travel all over the country from one building site to another, and as there were also no trade union cards or certificates of apprenticeship they began to adopt a private word which a travelling stonemason could use when he arrived at a new site, to prove that he was properly trained and had been a member of a lodge. It was, after all, easier to communicate a special word to prove that you knew what you were doing and were entitled to the wages it deserved that to spend hours carving a block of stone to demonstrate your skills.

We know that in the early 1600s these operative lodges began to admit men who had no connection with the trade – accepted or ‘gentlemen’ masons. Why this was done and what form of ceremony was used is not known. As the 1600s drew to a close more and more gentlemen began to join the lodges, gradually taking them over and turning them into lodges of free and accepted or speculative masons, no longer having any connection with the stonemasons’ craft. The only problem with this theory is that it is based solely on evidence from Scotland. There is ample evidence of Scottish operative lodges, geographically defined units with the backing of statute law to control what was termed ‘the mason trade’. There is also plenty of evidence that these lodges began to admit gentlemen as accepted masons, but no evidence so far that these accepted members were other than honorary masons, or that they in any way altered the nature of the operative lodges.

No evidence has come to light, after more than a hundred years of searching building archives, for a similar development in England. Medieval building records have references to mason’s lodges but after 1400, apart from masons’ guilds in some towns, there is no evidence for operative lodges. Yet it is in England that the first evidence of a lodge completely made up of non-operative masons is found. Elias Ashmole, the Antiquary and Founder of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, records in his diary for 1646 that he was made a Free Mason in a lodge held for that purpose at his father-in-law’s house in Warrington. He records who was present, all of whom have been researched and have been found to have no connection with operative masonry.  English evidence through the 1600s points to Freemasonry existing apart from any actual or supposed organisation of operative stonemasons.

This total lack of evidence for the existence of operative Lodges but evidence of ‘accepted’ masons has led to the theory of an indirect link between operative stonemasonry and Freemasonry. Those who support the indirect link argue that Freemasonry was brought into being by a group of men in the late 1500s or early 1600s. This was a period of great religious and political turmoil and intolerance. Men were unable to meet together without differences of political and religious opinion leading to arguments. Families were split by opposing views and the English civil war of 1642-6 was the ultimate outcome. Those who support the indirect link believe that the originators of Freemasonry were men who wished to promote tolerance and build a better world in which men of differing opinions could peacefully co-exist and work together for the betterment of mankind. In the custom of their times they used allegory and symbolism to pass on their ideas.

As their central idea was one of building a better society they borrowed their forms and symbols from the operative builders’ craft and took their central allegory from the Bible, the common source book known to all, in which the only building described in any detail is King Solomon’s Temple. Stonemasons’ tools also provided them with a multiplicity of emblems to illustrate the principles they were putting forward. A newer theory places the origin of Freemasonry within a charitable framework. In the 1600s there was no welfare state, anyone falling ill or becoming disabled had to rely on friends and the Poor Law for support. In the 1600s many trades had what have become known as box clubs.

These grew out of the convivial gatherings of members of a particular trade during meetings of which all present would put money into a communal box, knowing that if they fell on hard times they could apply for relief from the box. From surviving evidence these box clubs are known to have begun to admit members not of their trade and to have had many of the characteristics of early Masonic lodges. They met in taverns, had simple initiation ceremonies and passwords and practised charity on a local scale. Perhaps Freemasonry had its origins in just such a box club for operative masons.

Although it is not yet possible to say when, why or where Freemasonry originated it is known where and when “organised” Freemasonry began. On 24 June 1717 four London lodges came together at the Goose and Gridiron Ale House in St Paul’s Churchyard, formed themselves into a Grand Lodge and elected a Grand Master (Anthony Sayer) and Grand Wardens. For the first few years the Grand Lodge was simply an annual feast at which the Grand Master and Wardens were elected, but in 1721 other meetings began to be held and the Grand Lodge began to be a regulatory body. By 1730 it had more than one hundred lodges under its control (including one in Spain and one in India), had published a Book of Constitutions, began to operate a central charity fund, and had attracted a wide spectrum of society into its lodges. In 1751 a rival Grand Lodge appeared, made up of Freemasons of mainly Irish extraction who had been unable to join lodges in London.

Its founders claimed that the original Grand Lodge had departed from the established customs of the Craft and that they intended practising Freemasonry ‘according to the Old Institutions’. Confusingly they called themselves the Grand Lodge of Antients and dubbed their senior rival ‘Moderns’.

The two rivals existed side by side, both at home and abroad, for 63 years, neither regarding the other as regular or each other’s members as regularly made Freemasons. Attempts at a union of the two rivals began in the late 1790s but it was not until 1809 that negotiating committees were set up. They moved slowly and it was not until His Royal Highness Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex became Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge and his brother, His Royal Highness Edward, Duke of Kent, became Grand Master of the Antients Grand Lodge, both in 1813, that serious steps were taken.

In little more than six weeks the two brothers had formulated and gained agreement to the Articles of Union between the two Grand Lodges and arranged the great ceremony by which the United Grand Lodge of England came into being on 27 December 1813. The formation of the premier Grand Lodge in 1717 had been followed, around 1725, by the Grand Lodge of Ireland and, in 1736, the Grand Lodge of Scotland. These three Grand Lodges, together with Antients Grand Lodge, did much to spread Freemasonry throughout the world, to the extent that all regular Grand Lodges throughout the world, whatever the immediate means of their formation, ultimately trace their origins back to one, or a combination, of the Grand Lodges within the British Isles.

The post What is Feemasonry ? appeared first on KZN Freemasonry.