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• What ?

• Who?

• Where ?

• When ?

• How ?

• What ?

• Who?

• Where ?

• When ?

• How ?

What Freemasonry IsWhat Freemasonry Is

• FREEMASONRY IS THE OLDEST, LARGEST FRATERNITY IN THE WORLD

– Freemasonry is one of the world’s oldest secular fraternal societies. Freemasonry is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values. It’s members are taught precepts by a series of ritual dramas, which follow ancient forms and use stonemason’s customs and tools as allegorical guides.

– The essential qualification for admission into and continuing membership is a belief in a Supreme Being. Membership is open to men of any race or religion who can fulfill this essential qualification and are of good repute.


• FREEMASONRY IS A SYSTEM OF MORAL CONDUCT.

– Freemasonry demands from its members a respect for the laws of the country in which a man works and lives. Its principles do not conflict with its members duties as citizens, but should strengthen them in fulfilling their private and public responsibilities. The use by a Freemason of his membership to promote his own or anyone else's business, professional or personal interests is condemned, and is contrary to the condition on which he sought admission to the Fraternity. His duty as a citizen must always prevail over any obligation to other Freemasons, and any attempt to shield a Freemason who has acted dishonorably or unlawfully is contrary to this prime duty.


• FREEMASONRY IS A WAY OF LIFE.

– Freemasonry can be traced to biblical times and has withstood to this day even when so many other organizations have come and gone.

• FREEMASONRY TEACHES MORALITY THROUGH SYMBOLS.

• FREEMASONRY USES RITES AND CEREMONIES TO INSTRUCT ITS MEMBERS.

• FREEMASONRY SEEKS TO MAKE GOOD MEN BETTER.


• THE THREE GREAT PRINCIPALS OF FREEMASONRY



• BROTHERLY LOVE– Every true Freemason will show tolerance and respect for the

opinions of others and behave with kindness and understanding to his fellow man.





• RELIEF– Freemasons are taught to practice charity, and to care, not only

for their own but also for the community as a whole, both by charitable giving, and by voluntary efforts and works as individuals.





• RELIEF– Freemasons are taught to practice charity, and to care, not only

for their own but also for the community as a whole, both by charitable giving, and by voluntary efforts and works as individuals.

• TRUTH– Freemasons strive for truth, requiring high moral standards and

aiming to achieve them in their own lives.



• BROTHERLY LOVE– Every true Freemason will show tolerance and respect for the opinions of

others and behave with kindness and understanding to his fellow man.

• RELIEF– Freemasons are taught to practice charity, and to care, not only for their

own but also for the community as a whole, both by charitable giving, and by voluntary efforts and works as individuals.

• TRUTH– Freemason strive for truth, requiring high moral standards and aiming to

achieve them in their own lives.

• Freemasons believe that these principals represent a way of achieving higher standards in life.

What Freemasonry Is NotWhat Freemasonry Is Not

• FREEMASONRY IS NOT A SECRET SOCIETY

– The secrets of Freemasonry are concerned with its traditional modes of recognition.

– It is not a secret society, since all its members are free to acknowledge their membership and will gladly do so in response to inquires for respectable reasons. It's constitutions and rules are available to the public. Anyone desiring a more than casual knowledge of Freemasonry need only to investigate a well stocked public library to peruse the wealth of volumes on the subject. Also, the Library of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania located at 1 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, welcomes any and all visitors to their extensive collection of books on the subject. There is nothing secret about its aims and principals. However, like many other societies and organizations, it regards some of its internal affairs as private matters for its members.


• FREEMASONRY IS NOT A RELIGION

– Nor is it a substitute for religion. Its essential qualification opens it to men of many religions and it expects them to continue to follow their own faith. It does not allow religion to be discussed at its meetings.


• FREEMASONRY IS NOT AN INSURANCE OR BENEFIT SOCIETY

• FREEMASONRY IS NOT ORGANIZED FOR PROFIT

• FREEMASONRY IS NOT A FORUM FOR DISCUSSION OF RELIGION, POLITICS OR OTHER PARTISAN AFFAIRS– The discussion of politics and religion at Masonic meetings is

strictly forbidden.

• FREEMASONRY IS NOT A CHARITY ORGANIZATION BUT IT MAKES CHARITY A DUTY– From it’s earliest days Freemasonry has been concerned with the

care of orphans, the sick, and the aged. This work continues today. In addition, large sums are given to national and local charities.


• IN PENNSYLVANIA ALONE OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS A DAY GO TO VARIOUS MASONIC CHARITIES

– Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children The Masonic Homes– The Masonic Children's Home Ronald McDonald House– Muscular Dystrophy Association Scholarships– The Knights Templar Eye Foundation Flood and Hurricane Relief– Higher Education Loans– The Scottish Rite Learning Centers for Dyslexic Children– Sponsors of Holy Land Pilgrimages for Rabbis and Ministers– Sponsorship of Masonic Youth Groups

• WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOANS, THERE IS NEVER A REPAYMENT REQUIRED FOR ANY MASONIC CHARITY

Who Freemasons AreWho Freemasons Are

• FREEMASONRY’S MEMBERS HAVE INCLUDED

• Kings• Presidents

• Prime Ministers• Statesmen• Generals• Admirals

• Supreme Court Justices• Corporate CEO's

• Opera stars• Movie stars

Who Freemasons AreWho Freemasons Are

• FREEMASONRY’S MEMBERS HAVE INCLUDED

• Kings• Presidents

• Prime Ministers• Statesmen• Generals• Admirals

• Supreme Court Justices• Corporate CEO's

• Opera stars• Movie stars

• and probably your next door neighbor.

Recently, Standard & Poor released a study which surveyed Presidents, Vice Presidents, Chief Executives, and Board Chairman of the Country's largest and

most prestigious corporations. 15,500 executives were asked about their Fraternal affiliations. Their top ten responses were….

TOP EXECUTIVES CHOOSE THE MASONIC FRATERNITY TWO TO ONE OVER ALL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS COMBINED

Who Belongs To What Fraternity ?Who Belongs To What Fraternity ?

•Masons 10,199

•Elks 394

•Knights of Columbus 941

•Lions International 415

•Knights of Pythias 199

•Moose 199

•Odd Fellows 159

•Eastern Star 88

•Eagles 58

•Woodmen of the World 31

Masons

Elks

K of C

Lions

Pythias

Moose

Fellows

Eastern Star

Eagles

Woodman

Historic FreemasonsHistoric Freemasons

• 16 PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES WERE OR CURRENTLY ARE FREEMASONS


• GEORGE WASHINGTON


• THOMAS JEFFERSON


• JAMES MONROE


• ANDREW JACKSON


• JAMES MADISON


• JAMES K. POLK


• JAMES BUCHANAN


• ANDREW JOHNSON


• JAMES A. GARFIELD


• WILLIAM MCKINLEY


• THEODORE ROOSEVELT


• WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT


• WARREN G. HARDING


• FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT


• HARRY S. TRUMAN


• GERALD FORD

Other Notable Historic FreemasonsOther Notable Historic Freemasons

• BENJAMIN FRANKLIN– Served as Grand Master of Pennsylvania.

• PAUL REVERE– As a silversmith, made all the Masonic Jewels for the Grand Lodge

of Massachusetts.

• RICHARD VAUX– Served as both Mayor of Philadelphia and Grand Master of Pennsylvania when the Masonic Temple and City Hall were built.

Freemasons in EntertainmentFreemasons in Entertainment

Roy Rogers Red Skelton

Freemasons in EntertainmentFreemasons in Entertainment

John Wayne Will Rogers

Other Notable Freemasonsin Entertainment

Other Notable Freemasonsin Entertainment

• Roy Acuff

• Gene Autry

• Irving Berlin

• Ernest Borgnine

• Roy Clark

• “Buffalo Bill” Cody

• W. C. Fields

• Clark Gable

• Arthur Godfrey

• Oliver Hardy

• Bob Hope

• Harry Houdini

• Grandpa Jones

• Harold C. Lloyd

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

• Charles Stratton

• Danny Thomas

• Will Rogers

Freemasons in SportsFreemasons in Sports

Richie AshburnArnold Palmer

Other Notable Freemasonsin Sports

Other Notable Freemasonsin Sports

• Sammy Baugh– Football

• Ty Cobb– First Baseball Hall of Famer

• Jack Dempsey– World Heavyweight Boxing Champion

• Lee Elia– former Phillies Manager

• Duke Kahanamoku– Olympic swimming and World Champion surfer

Other Notable FreemasonsOther Notable Freemasons

John Glenn

First American in space

Buzz Aldrin

Walked on the Moon

J. Edgar Hoover

Former head of Federal Bureau of

Investigation


Henry Ford

Pioneer AutomobileManufacturer

Sir Winston Churchill

StatesmanFormer Vice-Presidential Candidate

Jack Kemp


• Neil Armstrong– First American to Walk on the

Moon

• Frederic A. Bartoldi– Designer of the Statue of

Liberty

• Daniel Carter Beard– Founder of the Boy Scouts of

America

• Sir Alexander Fleming– Invented Penicillin

• Virgil (Gus) Grissom– U. S. Astronaut

• Francis Scott Key– Wrote the United States

National Anthem

• Charles Lindburgh– Aviator

• Drs. William and Charles Mayo

– Founders of the Mayo Clinic

• General Douglas Mac Arthur– Commander of the Armed

Forces in the Philippines

• Norman Vincent Peale– Founder of “Guidepost”

• Mark Twain– Novelist

• Earl Warren– U.S. Supreme Court Justice

Masonic Contributions To AmericaMasonic Contributions To America

• 13 SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WERE FREEMASONS.


• THE CORNERSTONES OF BOTH THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE U.S. CAPITAL WERE LAID BY THE MASONIC

FRATERNITY.


• THE CORNERSTONE OF THE PEDESTAL OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY WAS LAID BY THE GRAND LODGE OF NEW YORK.


• THE BIBLES WHICH BOTH GEORGE WASHINGTON AND GEORGE BUSH TOOK THEIR OATHS OF OFFICE BELONG TO A MASONIC LODGE.

• THE CORNERSTONE OF THE SOLDIER'S MEMORIAL AT GETTYSBURG NATIONAL CEMETERY WAS LAID BY THE GRAND LODGE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

• THE WASHINGTON AT PRAYER STATUE AT THE FREEDOMS FOUNDATION AT VALLEY FORGE WAS PAID FOR AND PRESENTED BY THE GRAND LODGE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Masonic TriviaMasonic Trivia

• CONSTRUCTION OF THE GRAND LODGE OF PENNSYLVANIA AT 1 NORTH BROAD STREET, WAS COMPLETED ON SEPT. 26, 1873.

• 33 MASONIC BODIES MEET IN THE GRAND LODGE BUILDING.


• THE FIRST GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND WAS CONSTITUTED IN 986 A.D.

• THE FIRST LODGE IN THE U.S. OPENED IN 1721 BOSTON, MASS, WORKING UNDER THE GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND.

• THE FIRST GRAND MASTER OF PENNSYLVANIA WAS WILLIAM ALLEN IN 1731.

• THE FIRST LODGE IN PENNSYLVANIA IS LODGE #2 CONSTITUTED IN 1761.


• IN 1992, THE FRIEND TO FRIEND MONUMENT IN GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY MONUMENT EVER DEDICATED ON NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PROPERTY BY A PRIVATE INSTITUTION. IT WAS PAID FOR AND IS MAINTAINED BY THE GRAND LODGE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

• IN 1997, THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARCH AT VALLEY FORGE WAS RESTORED BY THE GRAND LODGE OF PENNSYLVANIA.


• PRESENTLY, 444 LODGES OPERATE IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

• MEMBERSHIP IN PENNSYLVANIA LODGES IS 130,000.

• THERE ARE OVER 4 MILLION MEMBERS IN THE U.S.

• THERE ARE OVER 10 MILLION MEMBERS WORLDWIDE.

What Does Freemasonry Offer Me ?What Does Freemasonry Offer Me ?

• POSITIVE ACTIVITIES• FRIENDSHIPS AND BROTHERHOOD WORLDWIDE• CHANCE FOR A LEADERSHIP ROLE• CULTURAL EDUCATION AND A BETTER APPRECIATION

FOR THE ARTS• A CHANCE TO BETTER ONESELF MENTALLY, AND

SPIRITUALLY• HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDS• ADMISSION TO THE MASONIC HOMES• MEMBERSHIP IN THE MASONIC BLOOD CLUB AND

ORGAN DONOR CLUB• PRIDE, HONOR AND INTEGRITY

What Does Freemasonry OfferMy Family ?


• WIFE– Membership in Eastern Star, Amaranth, White Shrine Of Jerusalem,

Social Order Of The Beaucent, Knights Templar And Scottish Rite Ladies Auxiliaries

– Admission To The Masonic Homes– Access To Higher Education Funds– Membership In The Masonic Blood And Organ Donor Club

• SON - AGES 12-20– DeMolay for Boys– Access To Higher Education Funds– Membership In The Masonic Blood And Organ Donor Club



• DAUGHTER - AGES 12-20– Rainbow For Girls, Job’s Daughters– Admission To The Masonic Homes– Access To Higher Education Funds– Membership In The Masonic Blood And Organ Donor Club

• MOTHER– Admission To The Masonic Homes

• SISTER– Admission To The Masonic Homes

What Other Masonic Organizations Could I Join If I Became A Freemason ?

What Other Masonic Organizations Could I Join If I Became A Freemason ?

• THE CHAPTER OF ROYAL ARCH MASONS• THE COUNCIL OF ROYAL AND SELECT MASONS• THE COMMANDERY OF KNIGHTS TEMPLAR• THE SCOTTISH RITE• THE ANCIENT ARABIC ORDER OF NOBLES OF THE

MYSTIC SHRINE• THE TALL CEDARS OF LEBANON• THE NATIONAL CAMPING TRAVELERS• THE NATIONAL SOJOURNERS

– Each of these offer the aspiring Freemason the opportunity to further increase his knowledge in the Masonic Fraternity and to further his service to his fellow man.

How Does One Become A Freemason ?

How Does One Become A Freemason ?

• A MAN MUST SEEK MEMBERSHIP ON HIS OWN. – No One Will Ask You To Become A Mason.

• HE MUST BE RECOMMENDED BY TWO MASTER MASONS.

• HE MUST BE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY THE MEMBERSHIP.

• HE MUST RECEIVE THE THREE DEGREES IN FREEMASONRY TO BECOME A MASTER MASON.

Should I Seek Membership In The Masonic Fraternity ?


• Do you believe that there is such a thing as honor, and that a man has a responsibility to act with honor in everything he does?

– Masons teach that principal. We believe that a life not founded on honor is hollow and empty-that a man who acts without honor is less than a man.

• Do you believe in God?

– No atheist can be a Mason. Masons do not care what your individual faith is-that is a question between you and your God-but we do require that a man believe in a Supreme Being.



• Are you willing to allow others the same right to their own beliefs that you insist on yourself?

– Masonry insists on toleration-on the right of each person to think for himself in religious, social and political matters.

• Are you willing to give help to your Brothers when they need it, and to accept their help when you need it?

– Masonry is mutual help. Not just financial help (although that's there too) but help in the sense of being there when needed, giving support, lending a sympathetic ear.



• Do you believe that you have a responsibility to leave the world a better place than you found it?

– Masonry teaches that each man has a duty, not only to himself but to others. We must do what we can to make the world a better place. Whether that means cleaning up the environment, working on civic projects, or helping children to walk, read or see.

• Do you believe that it is not only more blessed to give than to receive, but that it's also more fun?

– Masons are involved with the problems and needs of others because we know it gives each of us a good feeling-unlike any other-to help. Much of our help is given anonymously. We're not after gratitude, we're more than rewarded by that feeling that comes from a job well done.



• Do you feel that there is something more to life than just financial success?

– Masons know that self-development is more precious than money in the bank or social position or political power. Those things often accompany self-development, but they are no substitute for it. Masons work at building their lives and character.

• Do you believe that a person should strive to be a good citizen and that we have a moral duty to be true to the country in which we live?

– Masons believe that a country is strong so long as freedom, equality, and the opportunity for human development is afforded to all. A Mason is true to his government and its ideals. He supports its laws and authority when both are just and equitably applied.



• Do you agree that a man should show compassion for others, that goodness of heart is among the most important of human values?

– Masons do. We believe in a certain reverence for living things, a tenderness toward people who suffer. a loving kindness for our fellow man, and a desire to do right because it is right.

• Do you believe that men should strive to live a Brotherly life?

– Masons see Brotherhood as a form of wisdom, a sort of bond that holds men together-a private friendship that tells us we owe it to each other to be just in our dealings and to refuse to speak evil of each other.



• If You Answered “YES”, You Should Consider Becoming A Mason.

• Freemasonry Offers Much to Its Members.





– It offers the opportunity to grow.– It offers the chance to make a difference, to build a better

world for our children.– It offers the chance to be with and work with men who

have the same values and ideals.





– It offers the opportunity to grow.– It offers the chance to make a difference, to build a better

world for our children.– It offers the chance to be with and work with men who

have the same values and ideals.

– Men who have answered “YES”.

2 BE 1 ASK 1

Produced by

Frederick J. Fedak, P.M.

Past Master of Widener-Apollo-Kensington Lodge No.

211

Free And Accepted Masons Of Pennsylvania

May 1999

Revised October 2005

© 1999, 2005

Documents

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