Masonry (or Freemasonry) is the oldest fraternity in the world and dates back about 300 years or more. No one knows just how old it is, because the actual origins have been lost in time. Probably, it arose from the guilds of stonemasons who built the temples, castles and cathedrals during the Middle Ages.
In 1717, Freemasonry created a formal organization in England wherein the First Grand Lodge was formed. A Grand Lodge is an administrative body in charge of Masonry in a particular geographical area. In the United Kingdom, it is located in London viz. The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) . In the United States, there is a Grand Lodge in each state and the District of Columbia. In Canada, there is a Grand Lodge in each province. Local organizations of Masons are called Lodges. There are Lodges in most towns, and large cities usually have several Lodges. There are about 6800 Lodges in the United Kingdom and 13,200 Lodges in the United States.
Freemasonry has always been a fraternal society that is independent of religion and politics. It is a society that brings good men together in order to help them improve in all areas of their life, including profession, and to encourage greater activity within the local community. Different people join the freemasons for different reasons; some join for the community, some for the charitable work, and some because they see it as an enjoyable hobby.
The group’s Tenets are based on Integrity, Fairness, and Kindness and members are encouraged to put family and community first, before everything else.
There are many myths and misunderstandings surrounding freemasonry and its membership, but Lodges are now more open than ever before and members continue to do work for needy members of society.
There are, in fact, many principles of freemasonry, but there are three primary Tenets that every member agrees to abide by when they join a Lodge.
Brotherly Love – meaning a love, kindness, and respect for all people, not just for fellow members.
Relief –ensuring that other members of the wider community, as well as the freemasonry community, are cared for. This includes the giving and performing of charity and charitable actions.
Truth –Freemasons are encouraged to be honest and truthful in all areas of life, and to meet high moral standards.
The word "Lodge" means both, a group of Masons meeting at a place ,as also, the room or building in which they meet. Masonic buildings are also called "Temples" because, much of the symbolism freemasonry uses to teach its lessons, comes from the building of King Solomon' s Temple in the Holy Land. The term "Lodge" itself comes from the structures which the stonemasons built alongside the temples during their construction. In winter, when construction had to stop, they lived in these Lodges and worked on carving stones. Every Lodge has an Altar which has Volume of the Sacred Law on it.
Lodge meetings are a major part of membership, but this is far from the only activity that members undertake. One of the founding principles of Freemasons is to be an active and beneficial member of the wider community, and charitable work is a major part of the group for a lot of our members. Sporting activities, fundraising days, walks, picnics, and many other activities are arranged by each Lodge, and there are some local, state level and national events that bring Lodges together. Formal and informal events are also arranged which not only welcome members, but their wives , families and friends too.
Lodge Meetings :Lodge meetings are usually conducted once a month, and there are two basic types. The first type of the meeting is concerned with the business element, including discussion of minutes from the last meeting, initiating new members, etc… The Secretary reads out any correspondence received from the District Grand Lodge , the Treasurer provides a financial update, and the Almoner advises of any members that are sick and unable to attend, while the Charity Steward provides an update on charitable activities and donations. A ceremony may be held for any candidate that reaches the next degree, and the meeting is rounded off with a meal, which is called a Festive Board.
Freemasonry is not a secretive society, although there are some elements of the Craft, and especially Lodge meetings, are reserved only for members. Although masonry was initially quite secretive, the requirements for membership, tenets of the group, and even many of the practices are well-known, have now been published in newspapers and magazines, and can be found online, including on this website.
Members are encouraged to be open and to speak as freely as they wish about freemasonry, with a few exceptions of course .The secret handshake, and secret greetings, are used primarily as a means of recognition and identification, but these do still hold today.
Freemasonry is absolutely not a religion, nor does it pertain to be, and nor does it aim to rival any religion. One of the requirements of membership is that a person believes in a Supreme Being, but every member is free and encouraged to follow his own belief.
Sometimes people confuse Masonry with a religion because we call some Masonic buildings "Temples" . However, we use the word in the same sense that Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes called the Supreme Court a "Temple of Justice" and because a Masonic Lodge is a symbol of the Temple of Solomon. Neither Masonry, nor the Supreme Court, is a religion just because its members meet in a "Temple."
Discussion on religion is prohibited, and one of the beneficial features of Lodge meetings is that it offers a place for men to meet and talk freely, bringing together people of many different faiths and religions.
Freemasonry is described in its own Ritual as a Peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols The Symbolism of freemasonry is found throughout the Masonic Lodge, and contains many of the working tools of a medieval or renaissance stonemason. The whole system is transmitted to initiates through the medium of Masonic ritual, which consists of lectures and allegorical plays.
Masonry uses rituals because it is an effective way to teach important ideals -- the values we have talked about earlier, and it reminds us where we are, just as the ritual of a business meeting reminds people where they are and what they are supposed to be doing.
Symbols are used in all walks of life, just as we do a ritual and we use them because they help us communicate with ease. When you see a Stop Sign , you know what it means, even if you cannot read the word "Stop" . In fact, using symbols is probably the oldest way of communication and the oldest way of teaching. Masonry uses symbols for the same reason. The form of the "Square and Compass" is the most widely used and known symbol of Freemasonry. In a way, this symbol is a kind of trademark for the masonic fraternity. When you see the Square and Compass on a building, you know that Masons meet there and likewise all symbols have a meaning.
There are many benefits, and different people do take different benefits from their membership. Camaraderie is an important benefit, and many members forge lifelong friendships that are never broken. The feeling of giving back to the community, through charitable donations or through the charitable giving of one’s time, is also seen as a benefit. The ritual ceremony also has a lot to offer, in terms of teaching moral values and lessons that can guide a person through life. Typically, your reasons for joining will offer the greatest benefit, so if you are joining to forge new friendships, then this is likely to be the greatest reward.
There are certain criteria that must be met to determine eligibility, but these are relatively simple and most people that wish to join Freemasonry find that they are able to do so.
Lodge requirements may differ, but it is generally accepted that you be male, aged 21 , believe in a Supreme Being, and you must want to join of your own free will.
There are no financial requirements, except that you can reasonably afford to pay the Lodge fees.
Joining Masonry is like making a permanent life commitment to live in certain ways to live with honour and integrity, to be willing to share with and care about others, to trust each other, and to place ultimate trust in God.
So, when a man decides he wants to be a Mason, he expresses his desire to a Mason, who in turn informs his Lodge. The Master of the Lodge will appoint a committee to visit the man and his family, find out a little about him and why he wants to be a Mason, tell him and his family about Masonry, and answer their questions. The committee reports accordingly to the Lodge, and the Lodge PC finding everything to be in order will give a Form of Membership to be completed by the candidate. The Lodge then Ballots on his joining . If the Ballot is in the affirmative -- and it usually is -- the Lodge will contact the candidate and proceed with the ceremony for the Initiation at a suitable date.
Although wives and family members are welcomed and encouraged to attend certain functions, including dinners , the Lodge meetings are reserved solely for men.
The regalia worn by members during Lodge meetings has historical significance, and it is an important part of our tradition that we continue to follow.
The primary purpose of our attire is, like in many cases where uniform is worn, is to easily recognise the rank of the wearer without having to ask.
Another area where myths tend to outweigh fact is in the financial requirements for membership. People from all walks of life can be members of the Freemasonry. There are no minimum earning requirements, and no preference is given to those with the highest salary.
It is necessary to pay lodge fees, in the same way that you would pay membership fees for virtually any group or society membership.
It is necessary to pay lodge fees, in the same way that you would pay membership fees for virtually any group or society membership.
You may also need to buy regalia as you progress through the degrees.
Although charity is an important part of what we do, the Freemasons encourage members to look after family and private financial matters first, so members are not forced to donate, and are only encouraged to donate what they can reasonably afford after securing their own financial needs.
At Lodge Corinth 1122 E.C. we see ourselves as being a progressive and friendly body of men who enjoy talking to people about Freemasonry and explaining why we enjoy it so much.
There is a common misconception that you have to be invited to join Freemasonry by another Freemason, but this is just not the case. We welcome enquiries and membership requests from men who previously had no direct contact with Freemasonry and have a general interest in the work that we do along with wanting to be a part of a wonderful and global society.
If you have an interest in Freemasonry and would like to join Lodge Corinth 1122 E.C. in Nagpur and would like to speak to one of our members we would be more than happy to make arrangements and accommodate you. The first thing to do is send us a confidential email with your contact details and a short message so that we can organise a meeting and talk things through with you. All of us at Lodge Corinth have found that talking through Freemasonry and the Members Pathway Scheme with a prospective member was a great help in making the decision to join. There is no pressure to join us and we would hope that you took the time to meet other members of the Lodge, join us at a dinner and see for yourself what Freemasonry is all about.
Getting in contact with us could not be simpler, send us a confidential email to [email protected] and we will do our best to get back to you at the very earliest.