OUR FRATERNITY
Freemasonry is
a system of morality,
veiled in allegory,
and illustrated by symbols.
WHAT IS FREEMASONRY?
Our fraternity is one of the world’s oldest social and charitable organizations, with its origins rooted in the traditions of the operative stonemasons.
HOW FREEMASONRY DEVELOPED
We derive from the guilds of masons who built the Gothic cathedrals in the Medieval period. They would establish a lodge structure next to their building site where they would draw out designs for the building's architecture, hold meetings, and train apprentices. These stonemasons would often travel to find work in new places. To demonstrate their level of qualification, they would use grips, words and signs in order to distinguish themselves from unqualified builders.
THE BIRTH OF SPECULATIVE MASONRY
At some point in this early history, Lodges began allowing those who weren’t operative masons to join. This was an appealing opportunity because of the advanced mathematics, geometry, and general liberal arts that were taught in them. These men were called speculative Masons. They started using the tools of the craft as symbols for personal and moral development.
FREEMASONRY TODAY
The fraternity globally has:
5-6 MILLION MEMBERS
150-200 THOUSAND ACTIVE LODGES
*Approximate Figures