NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Freemasons

The Square and Compasses - a symbol of Freemasonry (the G is used primarily in North America, it represents God.) (The G is also said to represent the Great Architech) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible...

American Square & Compasses

Freemasonry is a worldwide A fraternal organization is an organization that represents the relationship between its members as akin to brotherhood. There is a great deal of overlap between the terms Friendly Society and fraternal organization. Most mystical organizations are also fraternal. See also Ordo Templi Orientis Freemasonry Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis Service... fraternal organization. Its members are joined together by shared ideals of both a moral and Metaphysical may refer to: Metaphysics, a branch of philosophy dealing with the ultimate nature of reality; or The Metaphysical poets, a poetic school from seventeenth century England who correspond with baroque period in European literature. A style of painting invented by Giorgio De Chirico. This is a disambiguation page —... metaphysical nature, and, in most of its branches, by a common belief in a This article focuses on the concept of singular, monotheistic God. See deity, gods, or goddesses for details on divine entities in specific religions and mythologies. God is a term referring to the concept of a supreme being, generally believed to be ruler or creator of, and/or immanent within, the... Supreme Being. Freemasonry is an Esotericism is the study of knowledge and systems of thought which are usually intended to be philosophical or ethical and mystic. Although most esoteric knowledge was once held in secret, it is now commonly taught openly. It is generally distinct from organized religion, which teaches more openly. While esotericism tends... esoteric art, in that certain aspects of its internal work are not generally revealed to the public. Masons give numerous reasons for this, one of which is that Freemasonry uses an Coming from the Latin, initiation implies a beginning. The related term, initiate, means to begin or start a particular action, event, circumstance, or happening. But it is also an ending as existence on one level drops away in an ascension to the next. An initiation is also a ceremony by... initiatory system of degrees to explore Ethics is a general term for what is often described as the science (study) of morality. In philosophy, ethical behavior is that which is good or right. The Western tradition of ethics is sometimes called moral philosophy. This is one part of value theory (axiology) – the other part is... ethical and Philosophy (from the Greek words philos and sophia meaning love of wisdom) is understood in different ways historically and by different philosophers. It, therefore, requires a meta-philosophy to adjudicate. Although it can be conceded that philosophy aims at some kind of understanding, knowledge or wisdom about fundamental matters such... philosophical issues, and this system is less effective if the observer knows beforehand what will happen. It often calls itself "a peculiar system of Morality is a complex of principles based on cultural, religious, and philosophical concepts and beliefs, by which an individual determines whether his or her actions are right or wrong. These concepts and beliefs are often generalized and codified by a culture or group, and thus serve to regulate the behaviour... morality veiled in An allegory (from Greek αλλος, allos, other, and αγορευειν, agoreuein, to speak in public) is a figurative representation conveying a meaning other than and in addition to the literal. It is generally treated as a figure of rhetoric... allegory and illustrated by A symbol or (in many senses) token is a representation of something — an idea, object, concept, quality, etc.. Contents // 1 Nature of symbols 2 Use of symbols 3 Etymology 4 See also 5 External links Nature of symbols A symbol can be a material object whose shape or origin... symbols."

Organizational structure

Main article: A Grand Lodge is a governing body of basic Freemasonry, though those Masonic governing bodies whose member lodges accept atheists are known as Grand Orients. The first Grand Lodge was established in England in 1717. The head of a Grand Lodge is a Grand Master, and the other Grand Lodge... Grand Lodge

There are many different jurisdictions of governance of Freemasonry, each sovereign and independent of the others, and usually defined according to a geographic territory. There is thus no central Masonic authority, although each jurisdiction maintains a list of other jurisdictions that it formally recognizes. If the other jurisdiction reciprocates the recognition, the two jurisdictions are said to be in amity, which permits the members of the one jurisdiction to attend closed meetings of the other jurisdiction's Lodges, and vice-versa. Generally speaking, to be recognized by another jurisdiction, one must (at least) meet that jurisdiction's requirements for regularity. This generally means that one must have in place, at least, the ancient landmarks of Freemasonry—the essential characteristics considered to be universal to Freemasonry in any culture. In keeping with the decentralized and non-dogmatic nature of Freemasonry, however, there is no universally accepted list of landmarks, and even jurisdictions in amity with each other often have completely different ideas as to what those landmarks are. Many jurisdictions take no official position at all as to what the landmarks are. Much of the landscape of Washington D.C. was in fact inspired by, or directly designed by Freemasons including the layout of national buildings, the mapping of streets and roadways, and the placement of national monuments which has caused some to speculate that some of the occult practices and symbolism prominent in Freemasonry have embedded themselves within the structure of several governments — in this case, the United States.

There is no tidy way to split jurisdictions into separate camps. For instance, jurisdiction A might recognize B, which recognizes C, which does not recognize A. In addition, the geographical territory of one jurisdiction may overlap with another's, which may affect their relations, for purely territorial reasons. In other cases, one jurisdiction may overlook irregularities in another due simply to a desire to maintain friendly relations. Also, a jurisdiction may be formally affiliated with one tradition, while maintaining informal ties with the other. For all these reasons, labels like "Anglo" and "Continental" must be taken only as rough indicators, not as any kind of clear designation.

Download high resolution version (750x935, 134 KB)Freemasons’ Hall in Great Queen Street, London, England. The Hall is the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England and a meeting place for the Lodges in the London area. The art deco building was built between 1927 and 1933 as...

The Freemasons' Hall in Great Queen Street, London, England

The ruling authority of a Masonic jurisdiction is usually called a A Grand Lodge is a governing body of basic Freemasonry, though those Masonic governing bodies whose member lodges accept atheists are known as Grand Orients. The first Grand Lodge was established in England in 1717. The head of a Grand Lodge is a Grand Master, and the other Grand Lodge... Grand Lodge, or sometimes a Grand Orient. These normally correspond to a single country, although their territory can be defined more broadly or narrower than that. (In North America, each state and province has its own Grand Lodge.) The oldest jurisdiction in the Anglo branch of Freemasonry is the Grand Lodge of England (http://www.grand-lodge.org/) (GLE),(Moderns)founded in Years: 1714 1715 1716 - 1717 - 1718 1719 1720 Decades: 1680s 1690s 1700s - 1710s - 1720s 1730s 1740s Centuries: 17th century - 18th century - 19th century 1717 in literature 1717 in music 1717 in science List of state leaders in 1717 List of religious leaders in 1717 Contents // 1 Events 2 Ongoing events... 1717. This later became the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) when it joined with another English Grand Lodge (Antients) in 1813. Its headquarters are at Freemasons Hall, Great Queen Street, London. The oldest in the Continental branch is the Grand Orient de France (GOdF), founded in Years: 1725 1726 1727 - 1728 - 1729 1730 1731 Decades: 1690s 1700s 1710s - 1720s - 1730s 1740s 1750s Centuries: 17th century - 18th century - 19th century 1728 in literature 1728 in music 1728 in science List of state leaders in 1728 List of religious leaders in 1728 Events Astronomical aberration discovered by the... 1728. At one time, these branches recognized each other, but most jurisdictions cut off formal relations with the GOdF sometime after it started accepting atheists in 1877 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). Contents // 1 Events 1.1 January - April 1.2 May - August 1.3 September - December 1.4 Unknown date 2 Births 3 Deaths Events January - April January 1 - Queen Victoria proclaimed Empress of India by the Royal Titles... 1877. In most Latin countries, as well as in The Kingdom of Belgium ( Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. Belgium is at a cultural crossroad between Germanic Europe and Romance Europe. It has Dutch speakers... Belgium, the French style of Freemasonry predominates. The rest of the world, accounting for the bulk of Freemasonry, tends to follow the English lead.

UGLE requires all British members to check with them before visiting lodges abroad to confirm amity - for example visiting American, when used as an adjective, can mean of the United States of America or of or relating to the Americas; when used as a noun, United States citizen, residing in the Americas, or less frequently American English. English language speakers, especially outside of Latin America, generally use American to... American lodges is discouraged.

Lodges

Contrary to popular belief, Freemasons meet as a In most areas of the world Masons gather together in Masonic Lodges to work the three degrees of Freemasonry: 1° = Entered Apprentice 2° = Fellow Craft 3° = Master Mason Blue Lodge is used to specify the basic Masonic Lodge granting the first three degrees and to differentiate it from other Masonic... Lodge and not in a lodge. (This is similar to the distinction made by Christians who meet as a church, with the actual building officially considered no more than a meeting place.)

According to masonic legend (see American Square & Compasses Freemasonry is a worldwide fraternal organization. Its members are joined together by shared ideals of both a moral and metaphysical nature, and, in most of its branches, by a common belief in a Supreme Being. Freemasonry is an esoteric art, in that certain aspects of its... below), the operative lodges constructed a lodge building adjacent to their work site where the masons could meet for instruction and social contact. Normally this was on the southern side of the site (in Europe, the side with the sun warming the stones during the day.) The social part of the building was on the southern side, hence the social gathering of the lodge is still called the South.

Early speculative lodges met in A tavern is, loosely, a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and, more than likely, also be served food, though not licenced to put up guests. The word derives from the Latin taverna whose original meaning was a shed or workshop. The distinction of a tavern... taverns and other convenient public meeting places, and employed a Tyler can mean several things. Tyler is a city in Smith County, Texas Tyler is also a city in Lincoln County, Minnesota People named Tyler: Bonnie Tyler Liv Tyler John Tyler Steven Tyler Wat Tyler Tyler Durden Tyler Hamilton Tyler is the name of the office of outer guard of... Tyler to guard the door from both malicious and simply curious people.

Lodge buildings have for many years been known as a Temple. In many countries this term has now been replaced by Masonic Centre. (See also A member of the Syrian Corvettes group of Shriners participates in a Memorial Day parade The Shriners, or Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, are an Order appendant to Freemasonry. Until 2000, one had to complete the Scottish Rite or York Rite degrees of Masonry to... Shriners and their Temples.)

In the United States specifically, Masonic Lodges are typically known as "Blue Lodges" and are the foundation of a collection of Masonic groups or bodies: The York Rite is one of the two main branches of Freemasonry in the United States which a Master Mason may decide to join for further exposure to Masonic knowledge, the other branch being the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. Some obediences of the Scottish Rite may confer some of... York Rite, The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite is a Masonic Order. The Scottish Rite is one of the two main branches of Freemasonry in the United States which a Master Mason may decide to join for further exposure to Masonic knowledge. The other main branch is the York Rite. The Scottish... Scottish Rite and A member of the Syrian Corvettes group of Shriners participates in a Memorial Day parade The Shriners, or Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, are an Order appendant to Freemasonry. Until 2000, one had to complete the Scottish Rite or York Rite degrees of Masonry to... The Shrine. To be a member of these other bodies, a man must pay dues to a Blue Lodge. The Blue Lodge and its ceremonies establish the fundamental bond which makes all Masons "brothers", and is the cement which binds all other appended Masonic bodies together.

Specialist lodges

The most obvious are the system of lodges of "Research and Instruction" (R&I) which are specially constituted. These are associated with a world-wide organization of Masonic research, typically specialising in discovering and interpreting historical records and the meanings of Masonic symbolism left unrecorded, and for preserving the format of, and developing, Masonic ritual. Membership of these lodges is typically open to interested members of other, normally-constituted lodges.

These are distinct from lodges formed by groupings of persons with similar interests or background, such as "old boy" lodges associated with certain schools, universities, military units, or businesses.

Concordant and appendant bodies

Freemasonry is associated with several appendant bodies, such as the The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite is a Masonic Order. The Scottish Rite is one of the two main branches of Freemasonry in the United States which a Master Mason may decide to join for further exposure to Masonic knowledge. The other main branch is the York Rite. The Scottish... Scottish Rite, which is actually a complete system of Freemasonry, developed on the Continent, particularly France, and the The York Rite is one of the two main branches of Freemasonry in the United States which a Master Mason may decide to join for further exposure to Masonic knowledge, the other branch being the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. Some obediences of the Scottish Rite may confer some of... York Rite, which includes three sovereign and distinct rites, including the Holy Royal Arch, Royal and Select Masters (aka Cryptic Masonry) and Knights Templar. In regard to the (masonic) Templars, this particular organization is limited to Royal Arch and Cryptic Masons of the Christian faith and does not in any way impose this requirement on the entire York Rite system, as is commonly and erroneously believed. Other groups include the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine ( A member of the Syrian Corvettes group of Shriners participates in a Memorial Day parade The Shriners, or Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, are an Order appendant to Freemasonry. Until 2000, one had to complete the Scottish Rite or York Rite degrees of Masonry to... Shriners), the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm ( A Grotto is a small cave, usually near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide. Associated with spirits, mermaids, pirates, smugglers, treasure. The word comes from Italian grotta, Vulgar Latin grupta, Latin crypta, (a crypt). It is related to the word grotesque: in the 15th century... Grotto), the The Tall Cedars of Lebanon is one of the various appendant bodies of Freemasonry, open only to Master Masons in good standing in a regular Masonic Lodge. Categories: Organization stubs | Masonic Organizations ... Tall Cedars of Lebanon, and the Ancient and Heroic Order of the Gordian Knot (http://mill-valley.freemasonry.biz/gordian-knot-order.htm), among numerous others, all of which tend to expand on the teachings of Craft or Blue Lodge Freemasonry—often with additional so-called higher degrees—while improving their members and society as a whole. The Shrine and Grotto tend to emphasise fun and philanthropy and are largely a North American phenomenon.

Different jurisdictions vary in how they define their relationship with such bodies. Some of these organizations may have additional religious requirements, compared to Freemasonry proper (or " In most areas of the world Masons gather together in Masonic Lodges to work the three degrees of Freemasonry: 1° = Entered Apprentice 2° = Fellow Craft 3° = Master Mason Blue Lodge is used to specify the basic Masonic Lodge granting the first three degrees and to differentiate it from other Masonic... Craft Masonry"), since they elaborate on Masonic teachings from a particular perspective.

There are also certain youth organizations (mainly North American) which are associated with Freemasonry, but are not necessarily Masonic in their content, such as the The Order of DeMolay is an international youth fraternity for young men between the ages of 12 to 21. It is founded in Freemasonry, and serves to teach young men moral principles. The Order was founded in 1919 in the United States of America by Frank Sherman Land and nine... Order of DeMolay (for boys aged 12–21 who have Masonic sponsorship), Job's Daughters (for girls aged 10-20 with proper Masonic relationship) and the The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls (IORG) is a youth service organization . The girls learn about charity, hope, and service through their work and involvement with their annual local and Grand (state or country) service projects. The order was created in 1922 when the Reverend W. Mark Sexson... International Order of the Rainbow for Girls (for girls 11–20 who have Masonic sponsorship). The The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is an organization for boys between the ages of 7 and 18, and for both young men and women between the ages of 14 and 21, based in the United States of America, with some presence in other countries. BSA is part of the... Boy Scouts of America was first nationally commissioned by Freemason Daniel Carter Beard. Beard exemplified the Masonic ideals throughout the Scouting program.

Membership

Freemasons are expected to exhibit the utmost tolerance both in Lodge and in their daily lives. Freemasonry will thus accept members from almost any religion, including all denominations of For other uses of the term Christian, see Christian (disambiguation). This article forms part of the seriesChristianity History of Christianity Christian Worldview Creeds · Philosophy · Theology Creation · Fall · Original sin · Incarnation Salvation · End Times · Divine grace · Faith · Prayer · Liturgy · Fasting... Christianity, For a discussion of Jews as an ethnicity or ethnic group see the article on Jew. The Star of David, a common symbol of Jews and Judaism Judaism is the religion and culture of the Jewish people and one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths. It is also one of... Judaism, This article forms part of the seriesIslam Vocabulary of Islam Five Pillars Profession of faith Prayer · Alms · Fasting Pilgrimage to Mecca Jihad (See Sixth pillar of Islam) Major Figures Muhammad Prophets of Islam Caliph · Shia Imam · The Mahdi Companions of Muhammad Holy Cities Events Mecca ·... Islam, Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. Buddhism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, who lived between approximately 563 and 483 BCE. Originating in India, Buddhism gradually... Buddhism, and so forth. Exactly how far this goes depends on the particular branch or jurisdiction of Freemasonry one is dealing with. Deism is belief in a God or first cause based on reason, rather than on faith or revelation, and thus a form of theism in opposition to fideism. Deism is usually synonymous with natural religion in 18th century Enlightenment writings. Deism originated in 17th century Europe, gaining popularity in the... Deists have traditionally been accepted. In Lodges derived from the Grand Orient of France and in certain other groups of Lodges, For information about the band, see Atheist (band). Atheism is the condition of being without theistic beliefs and alternatively the disbelief in the existence of deities. In antiquity, atheism was represented by Epicureanism. It disappeared from European philosophy when Christianity became dominant. During the Age of Enlightenment, atheism re-emerged... atheists and Agnosticism is the philosophical and theological view that the existence of God, gods or deities is either unknown or inherently unknowable. The term and the related agnostic were coined by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1869 and are also used to describe those who are unconvinced or noncommittal about the existence... agnostics are also accepted, without qualification. Most other branches currently require a belief in a Supreme Being. But even there, one finds a high degree of non-dogmatism, and the phrase Supreme Being is often given a very broad interpretation, usually allowing Deism and often even allowing naturalistic views of "God/Nature" in the tradition of Baruch Spinoza Benedictus de Spinoza (November 24, 1632 _ February 21, 1677), named Baruch Spinoza by his synagogue elders and known as Bento de Spinoza or Bento dEspiñoza in the community in which he grew up. Along with René Descartes and Gottfried Wilhelm Freiherr von Leibniz, he was... Spinoza and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (pronounced [gø tə]) (August 26, 1749–March 22, 1832) was a German writer, politician, humanist, scientist, and philosopher. As a writer, Goethe was one of the paramount figures of German literature and European Romanticism during and around the 18th... Goethe (himself a Freemason), or views of The Ultimate is a general term embracing the concept of an ultimate supernatural reality which transcends material reality and from which, according to a broad spectrum of Eastern philosophies and religions, material reality derives. The Ultimate is Generally non-anthropomorphic and may or may not (depending on ones specific doctrine... The Ultimate or Cosmic Oneness, such as found in some Eastern religions and in Western In philosophy, idealism is any theory positing the primacy of spirit, mind, or language over matter. It includes claiming that thought has some crucial role in making the world the way it is--that thought and the world are made for one another, or that they make one another. (For... idealism (or for that matter, in modern Cosmology is the study of the large-scale structure and history of the universe. In particular, it deals with subjects regarding its origin and evolution. It is studied by Astronomy, Philosophy, and Religion. See also cosmogony. Subjects in cosmology include: Contents // 1 Physical cosmology 2 Other cosmologies 2.1 Philosophical... cosmology). In some other (mostly English-speaking) jurisdictions, Freemasonry is not as tolerant of naturalism as it was in the 18th century, and specific religious requirements with more Theism is the belief in one or more gods or goddesses. More specifically, it may also mean the belief in God, a god, or gods, who is/are actively involved in maintaining the Universe. This secondary meaning is shown in context to other beliefs concerning the divine below. The term... theistic and orthodox overtones have been added since the early Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. In the sense of the Common Era... 19th century, including (mostly in North America) belief in the immortality of the soul. The Freemasonry that predominates in This article is part of the Scandinavia series Viking Age Ting Kalmar Union Denmark-Norway Sweden-Norway Monetary Union Defense union Languages Mountains Peninsula Varangian Viking History of Sweden History of Norway History of Denmark Scandinavia is the cultural and historic region of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The Scandinavian countries are... Scandinavia, known as the The Swedish Rite is a variation of Freemasonry that is worked in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. A slight variation is common in parts of Germany under the Grosse Landesloge der Freimaurer von Deutschland. The Rite is divided into three divisions: St. Johns (Craft) degrees (I - III), St... Swedish Rite, accepts only Christians.

Traditionally membership was limited to men only, and the inclusion of women is still a matter of controversy in many jurisdictions. The "free born" requirement does not come up in modern Lodges, and there is no indication that it would ever be enforced, but remains there for historical reasons. The "sound body" requirement is today generally taken to mean physically capable of taking part in Lodge rituals, and most Lodges today are quite flexible in accommodating disabled candidates.

Freemasonry upholds the principles of "Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth" (or in France: "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity"). It teaches moral lessons through rituals. Members working through the rituals are taught by "degrees". Freemasons are also commonly involved in public service and charity work, as well as providing a social outlet for their members. There is considerable variance in the emphasis on these different aspects of Masonry around the world. In Continental Europe, the philosophical side of Freemasonry is more emphasized, while in Britain, North America, and the English-speaking parts of the world, the charity, service and social club aspects are more emphasized.

While Freemasonry as an organization does not directly involve itself in politics, its members have tended over the years to support certain kinds of political causes with which they have become associated in the public eye: the separation of Church and State, the establishment of secular public schools, and democratic revolutions (in the Before the Revolution: The 13 colonies are in red, the pink area was claimed by Great Britain after the French and Indian War, and the orange region was claimed by Spain. The American Revolution refers to the series of events, ideas, and changes that resulted in the political separation of... United States and The period of the French Revolution in the history of France covers the years between 1789 and 1799, in which democrats and republicans overthrew the absolute monarchy and the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. While France would oscillate among republic, empire, and monarchy for 75 years... France on a smaller scale, but on a larger scale in other places such as Mexico, Brazil, and repeatedly in Italy).

Many organizations with various religious and political purposes have been inspired by Freemasonry, and are sometimes confused with it, such as the Protestant The Orange Order is a Protestant fraternal organisation largely based in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland which also has a worldwide membership. In Northern Ireland it is formally associated with the Ulster Unionist Party, but many of its members also belong to the Democratic Unionist Party. The... Loyal Orange Association and the Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. In the sense of the Common Era... 19th century Italian The Carbonari (coal-burners) were groups of secret revolutionary societies founded in early 19th century Italy, and instrumental in organising revolution in Italy in 1820 and 1848. They were organised in the fashion of Freemasonry, broken into small cells scattered across Italy. Idealistically, they sought the creation of a liberal... Carbonari, which pursued This article is part of or related to the Liberalism series Liberalism Liberalism worldwide List of liberal parties Liberal International - ELDR Liberal democracy List of liberal theorists A short liberal bibliography Liberalism is a political current embracing several historical and present-day ideologies that claim defense of individual liberty as... Liberalism and Italian unification, also known as Risorgimento (resurrection), was a historical process by which the Kingdom of Sardinia (ruled by the Savoy dynasty with Turin as its capital) gradually conquered the Italian peninsula, including the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the Duchy of Modena, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchy... Italian Unity. Many other purely A fraternal organization is an organization that represents the relationship between its members as akin to brotherhood. There is a great deal of overlap between the terms Friendly Society and fraternal organization. Most mystical organizations are also fraternal. See also Ordo Templi Orientis Freemasonry Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis Service... fraternal organizations, too numerous to mention, have also been inspired by Masonry to a greater or lesser extent.

Freemasonry is often called a A secret society is a social organization that requires its members to conceal certain activities—such as rites of initiation or club ceremonies—from outsiders. Members may be required to conceal or deny their membership, and are often sworn to hold the societys secrets by an oath... secret society, and in fact is considered by many to be the very prototype for such societies. Many Masons say that it is more accurately described as a "society with secrets". The degree of secrecy varies widely around the world. In English-speaking countries, most Masons are completely public with their affiliation, Masonic buildings are clearly marked, and meeting times are generally a matter of public record. In other countries, where Freemasonry has been more recently, or is even currently, suppressed by the government, secrecy may be practised more in earnest. Even in the English-speaking world, the precise details of the rituals are not made public, and Freemasons have a system of secret modes of recognition, such as the Masonic secret grip (by which Masons can recognize each other "in the dark as well as in the light"); however, Masons acknowledge that these "secrets" have been widely available in printed exposés and anti-Masonic literature for, literally, centuries.

See also: Freemasonry is not a secret society, and throughout history prominent members of the fraternity have made no secret of their involvement. As a result, many famous (and infamous) Freemasons are well-known. These run the gamut from dictators to revolutionaries, segregationists to civil rights leaders, industrialists to labor activists, humanitarians... List of famous Freemasons

Women in Freemasonry

The position of women within Freemasonry is complex. Traditionally, only men could be made Freemasons.

Perhaps the most authoritative account of a woman being admitted to Freemasonry surrounds Elizabeth Aldworth (nee St. Leger) who is reported to have viewed the proceedings of a lodge meeting held at Doneraile House, the house of her father, first A viscount is a member of the European nobility, especially of France, and of the British peerage, where a viscount ranks above a baron, below an earl (a count in France), and corresponds in Britain to the Anglo-Saxon shire reeve. A viscount is said to hold a viscounty or... Viscount Doneraile, a resident of County Cork Area: 7,457 km² Capital: Cork Code: C Population: 447,829 (2002) Province: Munster County Cork (Contae Chorcaí in Irish) is the most southwesterly and the largest of the modern counties of Ireland. The county is often referred to as The Rebel County because it has often taken... Cork, A true colour image of Ireland, captured by a NASA satellite on January 4, 2003. Scotland, the Isle of Man and Wales are visible to the east. Ireland is located west of the European landmass, which is part of the continent of Eurasia. Ireland (Éire in Irish) is the... Ireland. In the early part of the (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. Historians will sometimes specifically refer to the 18th century as 1715-1789, denoting the period of time between the death... 18th century, it was customary for lodges to be regularly held in private houses; this lodge was duly warranted as number 150 on the register of the Grand Lodge of Ireland. Apparently, she removed a brick and saw the ceremony in the room beyond. After being discovered, Elizabeth's situation was discussed by the lodge and it was decided that she should be initiated into Freemasonry. The story is supported by other accounts that record how she was a subscriber to the Irish Book of Constitutions of 1744 and that she frequently attended, wearing her Masonic regalia, entertainments that were given under Masonic auspices for the benefit of the poor and distressed. She afterwards married Mr. Richard Aldworth of Newmarket. It is also reported that when she died she was accorded the honour of a Masonic burial.

International Co-Masonry began in The French Republic or France ( French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. France is a democracy organised as a... France in 1882 with the initiation of Maria Deraismes, born August 17, 1828 - February 6, 1894, was a French author and major pioneering force for womens rights. Maria Deraismes Born in Paris, Maria Deraismes grew up in Pontoise in the citys northwest outskirts. From a prosperous middle class family, she was well educated and raised... Maria Deraismes into the Loge Libre Penseurs (Freethinkers Lodge), a men's lodge under the Grande Loge Symbolique de France. Along with activist Georges Martin, in 1893 Maria Deraismes oversaw the initiation of sixteen women into the first lodge in the world to have both men and women as members, creating Le Droit Humain.

In the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and a member of the British Commonwealth and European Union. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, UK or, inaccurately, as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent parts. Three of these parts... United Kingdom and The French Republic or France ( French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. France is a democracy organised as a... France, and most other countries, women still generally join co-Masonic Lodges, such as those under the international jurisdiction Le Droit Humain (LDH), which admit both men and women, or they join Lodges under local jurisdictions that admit only women. In World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and in population after Eurasia and Africa. It is bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the... North America, it is more common for women not to become Freemasons per se, but to join an associated body with its own, separate traditions, such as the The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest fraternal organization in the world that both men and women can join. It was established in 1850 by Robert Morris, a lawyer and educator from Boston, Massachusetts who had been an official with the Freemasons. It is based on teachings from... Order of the Eastern Star (OES), which admits only male Freemasons and their female relatives. In the The Netherlands ( Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands ( Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). The Netherlands is a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch, located in northwestern Europe. It borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the... Netherlands, there is a completely separate, although allied, sorority for women, the Order of Weavers (OOW), which uses symbols from weaving rather than stonemasonry.

The GOdF and other Continental jurisdictions give full formal recognition to co-Freemasonry and women's Freemasonry. The UGLE and other Anglo jurisdictions do not formally recognize any Masonic body that accepts women, although in many countries they have an understanding and a kind of informal acceptance that such bodies are part of Freemasonry in a larger sense. The UGLE, for instance, has recognized (since 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. Years: 1995 1996 1997 - 1998 - 1999 2000 2001 Decades: 1960s 1970s 1980s - 1990s - 2000s 2010s 2020s Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century 1998 in topic: Arts Architecture - Art... 1998) two local women's jurisdictions as regular in practice, except for their inclusion of women, and has indicated that, while not formally recognized, these bodies may be regarded as part of Freemasonry. Thus, the position of women in Freemasonry is rapidly changing in the English-speaking world. While in many cases North America is following England's lead on the issue of women, the remaining resistance to women in Freemasonry is mostly concentrated there.

Prince Hall Masonry

In Years: 1772 1773 1774 - 1775 - 1776 1777 1778 Decades: 1740s 1750s 1760s - 1770s - 1780s 1790s 1800s Centuries: 17th century - 18th century - 19th century 1775 in art 1775 in literature 1775 in music 1775 in science List of state leaders in 1775 List of religious leaders in 1775 Contents // 1 Events... 1775, an African Americans, also known as Afro-Americans or black Americans, are an ethnic group in the United States of America whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Sub-Saharan and West Africa. The majority of African Americans are of African, European and Native American ancestry. Terms for African... African American named Prince Hall (c. 1735-December 4, 1807) is considered the founder of black Freemasonry in the United States, known today as Prince Hall Freemasonry. No record of his birth has yet been found, although he is variously stated to have been born in Africa or Barbados and brought to North... Prince Hall was initiated into an Irish Constitution Military Lodge, along with fourteen other African Americans, all of whom were free by birth. When the Military Lodge left the area, the African Americans were given the authority to meet as a Lodge, form Processions on the days of the Saints John, and conduct Masonic funerals, but not to confer degrees nor to do other Masonic Work. These individuals applied for, and obtained, a Warrant for Charter from the Grand Lodge of England in Years: 1781 1782 1783 - 1784 - 1785 1786 1787 Decades: 1750s 1760s 1770s - 1780s - 1790s 1800s 1810s Centuries: 17th century - 18th century - 19th century 1784 in art 1784 in literature 1784 in music 1784 in science List of state leaders in 1784 List of religious leaders in 1784 Events January 6... 1784 and formed African Lodge #459. Despite being stricken from the rolls like all American Grand Lodges after the merger of the "Premier" Grand Lodge and the "Ancient" Grand Lodge in Years: 1810 1811 1812 - 1813 - 1814 1815 1816 Decades: 1780s 1790s 1800s - 1810s - 1820s 1830s 1840s Centuries: 18th century - 19th century - 20th century 1813 in art 1813 in literature 1813 in science 1813 in music 1813 in sports List of state leaders in 1813 List of religious leaders in 1813... 1813 when they formed the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), the Lodge restyled itself as the African Lodge #1 (not to be confused with the various Grand Lodges on the Continent of World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest continent in both area and population, after Eurasia. At about 30,244,050 km2 (11,677,240 mi2) including its adjacent islands, it covers 20.3 percent of the total land... Africa) and separated from UGLE-recognised Masonry. This led to a tradition of separate, predominantly African American jurisdictions in North America, known collectively as Prince Hall Freemasonry. Widespread An African-American drinks out of a water fountain marked for colored in 1939 at a street car terminal in Oklahoma City. Racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human capacities, that a certain race is inherently superior or inferior to others, and/or that individuals... racism and Segregation means separation. Its specific meaning varies with the context. Human rights: Racial segregation is the separation of humans according to race. Sex segregation is the separation of humans according to gender. Biology: The separation of homologous chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis. Known as Mendels theory of Segregation. See... segregation in North America made it impossible for African Americans to join many so-called "mainstream" Lodges, and many mainstream Grand Lodges in North America refused to recognize as legitimate the Prince Hall Lodges and Prince Hall Masons in their jurisdictions.

Presently, Prince Hall Masonry is recognized by some UGLE-recognized Grand Lodges and not by others, and appears to be working its way toward full recognition (see [1] (http://www.mindspring.com/~johnsonx/whoisph.htm)).

John Marrant the Selina, Countess of Huntingdon (August 24, 1707 - June 17, 1791) was an English religious leader who played a prominent part in the Methodist movement in England and Wales. She was born as Selina Shirley, the second daughter of Washington Shirley, 2nd Earl Ferrers, at Staunton Harold, a mansion near Ashby... Huntingdonian minister preached to the Prince Hall Lodge on 24th June 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). Contents // 1 Events 1.1 Ongoing events 2 Births 3 Deaths Events January 7 - First nationwide United States election January 21 - The first American novel, The Power of Sympathy or the Triumph of Nature Founded in Truth, is... 1789. His Nova Scotia (Flag of Nova Scotia) (Coat of Arms of Nova Scotia) Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (One defends and the other conquers) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Lieutenant Governor Myra A. Freeman Premier John Hamm (PC) Area 55,284 km² (12th) - Land... Nova Scotia congregation was significant in the successful agitation for repatriation by Black Loyalists as well as the subsequent revolt which occurred in The Republic of Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The country is bordered by Guinea in the north and Liberia in the southeast. Republic of Sierra Leone (In Detail) (Full size) National motto: Unity - Freedom - Justice Official language English Capital Freetown... Sierra Leone in 1800 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). Contents // 1 Events 1.1 Ongoing events 2 Births 3 Deaths Events March 14 - Cardinal Barnaba Chiaramonti is elected pope Pius VII. March 21 - Pius VII becomes Pope April 24 - US Library of Congress founded. May 5 - Great... 1800.

Ritual and symbols

The Freemasons rely heavily on the This article is about the built environment. For other uses of the term Architecture see Architecture (disambiguation) Architecture (in Greek αρχή = first and τέχνη = craftsmanship) is the art and science of designing buildings. A wider definition would include within its scope the design... architectural symbolism of the Middle Ages by region Medieval Britain Medieval France Medieval Germany Medieval Italy Medieval Spain Byzantine Empire by topic Art Literature Poetry Music Architecture Philosophy Universities Technology Warfare Fortifications The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of... medieval operative Masons who actually worked in Rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids. Rocks are classified by mineral and chemical composition; and also by the processes that formed them. Rocks are thus separated into igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Igneous rocks are formed from molten magma, sedimentary rocks by deposition and compression... stone. One of their principal symbols is the square and COMPASS is an acronym for COMPrehensive ASSembler. COMPASS is a macro assembly language on Control Data Corporations 3000 series , 6400 series, 7600 and CYBER 7 series mainframe computers. There are two flavors of COMPASS : COMPASS CP is the assembly language for the CP (Central Processor), the processor running... compasses, tools of the trade, so arranged as to form a quadrilateral. The square is sometimes said to represent matter, and the compasses spirit or mind. Alternatively, the square might be said to represent the world of the concrete, or the measure of objective reality, while the compasses represent abstraction, or subjective judgment, and so forth (Freemasonry being non-dogmatic, there is no written-in-stone interpretation for any of these symbols). The compasses straddle the square, representing the interdependence between the two. In the space between the two, there is optionally placed a symbol of metaphysical significance. Sometimes, this is a blazing star or other symbol of Light, representing Truth or knowledge. Alternatively, there is often a letter G placed there, usually said to represent This article focuses on the monotheistic concept of a singular God. See deity or goddesses for details on divine entities in specific religions and mythologies. The term God designates a universal Supreme Being. There are countless variant definitions of God, however. For example: Many religious and philosophic systems consider God... God and/or Geometry (from the Greek words Ge = earth and metro = measure) is the branch of mathematics first introduced by Theaetetus dealing with spatial relationships. From experience, or possibly intuitively, people characterize space by certain fundamental qualities, which are termed axioms in geometry. Such axioms are insusceptible to proof, but can be... Geometry.

The square and compasses are displayed at all Masonic meetings, along with the open Volume of the Sacred Law (or Lore) (VSL). In English-speaking countries, this is usually a The Bible (From Greek βιβλιος biblios, meaning book, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported papyrus) is a word applied to sacred scriptures. Although most often... Holy Bible, but it can be whatever book(s) of inspiration or scripture that the members of a particular Lodge or jurisdiction feel they draw on—whether the Bible, the This article forms part of the series Islam Vocabulary of Islam Five Pillars Profession of faith Prayer · Alms · Fasting Pilgrimage to Mecca Jihad (See Sixth pillar of Islam) Major Figures Muhammad Prophets of Islam Caliph · Shia Imam · The Mahdi Companions of Muhammad Holy Cities Events Mecca... Qur'an, or other Volumes. In many French Lodges, the Masonic Constitutions are used. In a few cases, a blank book has been used, where the religious makeup of a Lodge was too diverse to permit an easy choice of VSL. In addition to its role as a symbol of written wisdom, inspiration, and sometimes as the revealed will of the Deity, the VSL is what Masonic obligations are taken upon.

Much of Masonic symbolism is mathematical in nature, and in particular geometrical, which is probably a reason Freemasonry has attracted so many rationalists (such as Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (November 21, 1694—May 30, 1778), better known by the pen name Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment writer, deist and philosopher. Contents // 1 Biography 1.1 Exile to England 1.2 Return to Paris 1.3 Cirey 1.4 Frederick the Great 1.5... Voltaire, Johann Gottlieb Fichte Johann Gottlieb Fichte (May 19, 1762 - January 27, 1814) has significance in the history of Western philosophy as one of the progenitors of German idealism and as a follower of Kant. Fichte did not endorse Kants argument for the existence of noumena, of things as they... Fichte, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (pronounced [gø tə]) (August 26, 1749–March 22, 1832) was a German writer, politician, humanist, scientist, and philosopher. As a writer, Goethe was one of the paramount figures of German literature and European Romanticism during and around the 18th... Goethe, Order: 1st President Vice President: John Adams Term of office: April 30, 1789 – March 3, 1797 Preceded by: None Succeeded by: John Adams Date of birth: February 22, 1732 Place of birth: Westmoreland, Virginia Date of death: December... George Washington, Franklin, an engraving from a painting by Duplessis Dr. Benjamin Franklin ( January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790) was an American printer, journalist, publisher, author, philanthropist, abolitionist, public servant, scientist, librarian, diplomat, and inventor. One of the leaders of the American Revolution, he was well known also for his many... Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Langhorne Clemens Samuel Langhorne Clemens better known by his pen name, Mark Twain, American humorist and writer Born November 30, 1835 Florida, Missouri, USA Died April 21, 1910 Elmira, New York, USA Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 - April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain... Mark Twain and many others). No particular metaphysical theory is advanced by Freemasonry, however, although there seems to be some influence from the Pythagoras (582 BC – 496 BC, Greek: Πυθαγόρας) was an Ionian mathematician and philosopher, known best for formulating the Pythagorean theorem. Bust of Pythagoras Known as the father of numbers, he made influential contributions to Greek philosophy and religious teaching in the... Pythagoreans, from Neoplatonism (also Neo-Platonism) is an ancient school of philosophy beginning in the 3rd century A.D. It was based on the teachings of Plato and Platonists; but it interpreted Plato in many new ways, such that Neoplatonism was quite different from what Plato taught, though not many Neoplatonists would... Neo-Platonism, and from early modern This article is not about continental rationalism. Rationalism, also known as the rationalist movement, is a philosophical doctrine that asserts that the truth should be determined by reason and factual analysis, rather than faith, dogma or religious teaching. Rationalism has some similarities in ideology and intent to secular humanism and... Rationalism.

In keeping with the geometrical and architectural theme of Freemasonry, the Supreme Being (or God, or Creative Principle) is sometimes also referred to in Masonic ritual as the Grand Geometer, or the Great Architect of the Universe (GAOTU). Freemasons use a variety of labels for this concept in order to avoid the idea that they are talking about any one religion's particular God or God-like concept.

Degrees

One works through each degree by taking part in a ritual, essentially a medieval morality Play, in which one plays a role, along with members of the Lodge that one is joining. The setting is Biblical—the building of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem—although the stories themselves are not directly from the Bible, and not intended to be necessarily Jewish or Christian in nature. Nothing supernatural happens in these stories. The Temple can be taken to represent the "temple" of the individual human being, that of the human community, or of the entire universe.

As one works through the degrees, one studies the lessons and interprets them for oneself. There are as many ways to interpret the rituals as there are Masons, and no Mason may dictate to any other Mason how he is to interpret them. No particular truths are espoused, but a common structure—speaking symbolically to universal human archetypes—provides for each Mason a means to come to his own answers to life's important questions. Freemasons working through the degrees are often (especially in Continental Europe) asked to prepare papers on related philosophical topics, and present lectures.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (January 27, 1756 – December 5, 1791) was one of the most significant and influential of all composers of Western classical music. His works are loved by many and are frequently performed. Contents // 1 Life 1.1 The years of travel 1.2 Mozart... Mozart was a Freemason, and his opera, Die Zauberflöte (English title: The Magic Flute) is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with libretto in German by Emanuel Schikaneder. This opera is in the form of a singspiel, a popular form which included both sung numbers and spoken dialogue. Schikaneder was Mozarts lodge... The Magic Flute, makes extensive use of Masonic symbolism. Two books that give a general feel for the symbolism and its interpretation are:

The British author Rudyard Kipling, British author Joseph Rudyard Kipling (December 30, 1865 – January 18, 1936) was a British author and poet, born in India. He is best known for the childrens story The Jungle Book (1894), the Indian spy novel Kim (1901), the poems Gunga Din (1892) and If—... Rudyard Kipling also made use of Masonic symbolism and myth in his story, " The Man Who Would Be King DVD The Man Who Would Be A King is a short story written by Rudyard Kipling that tells the tale of two soldier adventurers, Daniel Dravot and Peachy Taliaferro Carnahan, who disguise themselves and set off from 19th century India to become kings of... The Man Who Would Be King", which was later made into a film. Two adventurers are taken to be representatives of Bust of Alexander the Great in the British Museum. For other Alexanders, see Alexander (disambiguation) Alexander III, in Greek ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ (late July, 356 BC–June 10, 323 BC), King of Macedon (336 BC-323 BC... Alexander the Great because of their Masonic emblems.

Freemasonry in the language

An expression often used in Masonic circles is to be on the square, meaning to be a reliable sort of person, and this has entered common usage. Other phrases from Freemasonry in common use include meeting on the level (without regard to social, economic, religious or cultural differences). The practice of Freemasonry is referred to amongst its members as the Craft.

Landmarks

Landmarks are the ancient and unchangeable precepts of Masonry, the standards by which regularity of Lodges and Grand Lodges is judged. However, since each Grand Lodge is self-governing and no single authority exists over Craft Masonry, even these supposedly-inviolable principles can and do vary, leading to controversies and inconsistency of recognition. Some examples of common landmarks include:

Research

Additionally, most Masonic jurisdictions appoint Lecturers who are empowered to research, develop and/or deliver lectures in lodges for the purpose of instructing the members.

On March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). There are 301 days remaining. March Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19... 5 March 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. By strict interpretation of the Gregorian Calendar, 2001 is also the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millenium. Popular culture, however, often views the year 2000 as holding this distinction. 2001 is also the year... 2001, the University of Sheffield Rerum Cognoscere Causas (To discover the causes of things) Established 1897 (became university 1905) School type State Religious affiliation None Vice-Chancellor Bob Boucher Location Sheffield, England Enrolment 25,504 (18,651 undergraduate; 6,853 postgraduate) Faculty 1,387 Campus Urban Sports teams BUSA league Homepage www... University of Sheffield in England (In detail) (In detail) Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Official language None; English is de facto Capital London Capitals coordinates 51° 30 N, 0° 10 W Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population - Total (2001... England established the Centre for Research into Freemasonry (http://www.shef.ac.uk/~crf/), as part of the University's Humanities Research Institute, that "undertakes and promotes objective scholarly research into the historical, social and cultural impact of freemasonry, particularly in Britain." The CRF is headed by Professor Andrew Prescott, a Middle Ages by region Medieval Britain Medieval France Medieval Germany Medieval Italy Medieval Spain Byzantine Empire by topic Art Literature Poetry Music Architecture Philosophy Universities Technology Warfare Fortifications The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of... medieval historian and expert on humanities computing, who was initially seconded from the British Library main building, London The British Library is the United Kingdom and one of the worlds largest research libraries, holding over 150 million items and adding some 3 million every year. As of March 2004 the library holds 11.2 million monographs and receives more than 41,500... British Library to the University of Sheffield for three years to establish the new Centre.

Most Grand Lodges and many regional Masonic Centres/Temples have a library, which is used for research.

One notable collection is the collection at the library (http://lib.amu.edu.pl/specjalne/masonbr.htm) of the The University of Poznan (Polish Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza) is one of the major Polish universities, opened on May 7th, 1919 in Poznań. It is named after the most famous Polish poet, Adam Mickiewicz. Adam Mickiewicz University Data Polish Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza Latin Established 1919 Location Poznań... University of Poznan in The Republic of Poland, a democratic country with a population of 38,626,349 and area of 312,685 km², is located in Central Europe, between Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania... Poland. Some 80,000 books are housed at the main library and the A château ( French for castle; plural châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of gentry, usually French, with or without fortifications. The urban counterpart of château is palais (palace). Contents // 1 The concept 2... Chateau de Ciazen some 80km distant. These were reportedly collected during Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (60,000 ft) into the air. August 9, 1945 World War II was a global conflict that started in 7 July 1937 in Asia and 1 September 1939 in Europe and lasted until 1945, involving the majority of the... World War II when Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Himmler (October 7, 1900 - May 23, 1945) was the commander of the German Schutzstaffel and one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany. As Reichsführer-SS, he led the SS, and all of its combined offices, and was one of the key figures in the... Heinrich Himmler's For other uses of the abbreviation SS, see SS (disambiguation) The Schutzstaffel (Protective Squadron), or SS, was a large paramilitary organization that belonged to the Nazi party. The Nazis regarded the SS as an elite unit, based on the Praetorian Guard, with all SS personnel selected on racial and ideological... SS confiscated the books of Masonic libraries in The Federal Republic of Germany ( German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is one of the worlds leading industrialised countries, located in the heart of Europe. Due to its central location, Germany has more neighbours than any other European country: these are Denmark in the north, Poland and the Czech Republic in the... Germany and other occupied countries such as The Kingdom of Belgium ( Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. Belgium is at a cultural crossroad between Germanic Europe and Romance Europe. It has Dutch speakers... Belgium and stored this archive in Poland.

History of Freemasonry

Main article: There are very few incontrovertible facts about the origins of Freemasonry. Probably the single most significant event was the formation of the first Grand Lodge in London in 1717. Working backwards from that time, the following facts or landmarks stand out: 1733 July 30 first Freemasons lodge opened in what... History of Freemasonry

Freemasonry has been said to be an institutional outgrowth of the Middle Ages by region Medieval Britain Medieval France Medieval Germany Medieval Italy Medieval Spain Byzantine Empire by topic Art Literature Poetry Music Architecture Philosophy Universities Technology Warfare Fortifications The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of... medieval A guild is an association of persons of the same trade or pursuits, formed to protect mutual interests and maintain standards of morality or conduct. Historically they were small business associations, since each crafter was a self-employed individual artisan or part of a small craft shop or co-operative... guilds of The London Guild of Masons was formed in 1356. This was considerably later than most of the other guilds. There was in Saxon England almost no tradition of building in stone. Following the Norman Conquest the many building projects they initiated would necessarily have been directed by master masons from... stonemasons (1), a direct descendant of the "Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem" (the The Seal of the Knights — the two riders have been interpreted as a sign of poverty or the duality of monk/soldier. The first of the military orders, the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon, widely known as the Knights Templar, was founded in 1118, in... Knights Templar) (2), an offshoot of the ancient This article or section should be merged with Mystery religion Mystery schools were the schools of ancient Egypt and its early kings. The schools were told to have great secrets about creation and the earliest civilization, and also passed on, through symbolism, allegory, math, and, what some researchers would say... Mystery schools (1), an administrative arm of the Prieuré de Sion, usually rendered in English translation as Priory of Sion or even Priory of Zion, is an elusive protagonist in many works of both non-fiction and fiction. It has been characterized as anything from the most covertly powerful secret society in Western history to a modern Rosicrucian... Priory of Sion (3), the Roman Collegia (1), the This article needs cleanup. Please edit this article to conform to a higher standard of article quality. At some point in time, there was an island named Comacina.[circa 1598]. This island was dedicated to St. John the Baptist and an annual festival and midsummer [sic] pageant are observed in... Comacine masters (1), intellectual descendants of Noah or Nóach (Rest, Standard Hebrew נוֹחַ Nóaḥ, Tiberian Hebrew נֹחַ Nōªḥ; Arabic نوح Nūḥ) is a character from the Book of Genesis who builds an ark to save his family and the world... Noah (1), and to have many other various and sundry origins. Others will claim that it dates back only to the late (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. During this period, the power of England and the United Provinces increased; while that of Spain and Portugal declined. Similarly, the power... 17th century, and has no real connections at all to earlier organizations. These theories are noted in numerous different texts, and the following are but examples pulled from a sea of books:

Much of this is highly speculative, and the precise origins of Freemasonry may be lost in history. It is likely that Freemasonry is not a straightforward outgrowth of medieval A guild is an association of persons of the same trade or pursuits, formed to protect mutual interests and maintain standards of morality or conduct. Historically they were small business associations, since each crafter was a self-employed individual artisan or part of a small craft shop or co-operative... guilds of The London Guild of Masons was formed in 1356. This was considerably later than most of the other guilds. There was in Saxon England almost no tradition of building in stone. Following the Norman Conquest the many building projects they initiated would necessarily have been directed by master masons from... stonemasons, for numerous reasons well documented in Born in Blood. Amongst the reasons for this conclusion are the fact that stonemasons' guilds do not appear to predate reasonable estimates for the time of Freemasonry's origin, that stonemasons lived near their worksite and thus had no need for secret signs to identify themselves, and that the "Ancient Charges" of Freemasonry are nonsensical when thought of as being rules for a stonemasons' guild.

Freemasonry is said by some, especially amongst Masons practising the The York Rite is one of the two main branches of Freemasonry in the United States which a Master Mason may decide to join for further exposure to Masonic knowledge, the other branch being the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. Some obediences of the Scottish Rite may confer some of... York Rite, to have existed even at the time of King Athelstan Rank: 9th Ruled: August 2, 924–October 27, 939 Predecessor: Ethelweard Date of Birth: 895 Place of Birth: Wessex, England Wife: Never married Buried: Malmesbury Abbey Date of Death: October 27, 939 Parents: Edward the Elder and Egwina Athelstan (c. 895–October 27, 939) was the King... Athelstan of England, in the ( 9th century - 10th century - 11th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. Contents // 1 Events 2 Significant people 3 Inventions, discoveries, introductions 4 Decades and years Events The beginning of the Medieval Warm... 10th century C.E. Athelstan is said by some to have been converted to Christianity in This article is about the English city. For other meanings, see York (disambiguation). City of York Geography Status: Unitary, City Region: Yorkshire and the Humber Ceremonial County: North Yorkshire Area: - Total Ranked 166th 271.94 km² Admin. HQ: York ONS code: 00FF Demographics Population: - Total (2002 est.) - Density Ranked 76th... York, and to have issued the first Charter to the Masonic Lodges there. This story is not currently substantiated (the dynasty had already been Christian for centuries).

Some critics and members of The Salt Lake City temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon Church, or LDS Church, is the largest denomination within the Latter... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints note similarities between the church's sacred " The Nauvoo, Illinois Temple was originally destroyed shortly after the death of Mormonisms founder, Joseph Smith, Jr. It was rebuilt, and the temple was rededicated in 2002 In Mormonism, the Endowment, also known historically as the Holy Order, is a sacred ritual usually performed in temples. Instituted by Joseph... Endowments" performed in LDS temples, and masonic rituals. Some Mormons have said this similarity may be because the Masonic rituals are descended from those given by This article focuses on the monotheistic concept of a singular God. See deity or goddesses for details on divine entities in specific religions and mythologies. The term God designates a universal Supreme Being. There are countless variant definitions of God, however. For example: Many religious and philosophic systems consider God... God at the Solomons Temple was the first Jewish temple in Jerusalem which functioned as a religious focal point for worship and the sacrifices known as the korbanot in ancient Judaism. Before his death, King David had provided materials in great abundance for the building of the temple on the summit of... Temple of Solomon, and still contain many of the original truths. It may also be that early Mormon leaders (including Smith) were members of Masonic Lodges and incorporated their liturgy into the new religion.

The Catholic Church is also extremely hostile to Freemasonry, deeming it at least partly responsible for the The period of the French Revolution in the history of France covers the years between 1789 and 1799, in which democrats and republicans overthrew the absolute monarchy and the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. While France would oscillate among republic, empire, and monarchy for 75 years... French Revolution and the resulting decline of the church in Europe. The The Knights of Columbus is a Roman Catholic fraternal organization, named in honor of Christopher Columbus. It is open to membership to Catholic men age 18 and over. It was founded by a Catholic priest, Father Michael J. McGivney in New Haven, Connecticut on February 2, 1882, and incorporated under... Knights of Columbus and other Catholic fraternal organizations were established to provide alternatives to Freemasonry for observant Catholics.

Although most members of masonic lodges are Protestant, many Protestant denominations also hold that Freemasonry is incompatible with being a member of a community of Christian faith. This may be based on scripture that "no man can serve two masters" or a holdover of lingering suspicion of the secrecy and ritualism of Freemasonry.

The basic objection of established Christian denominations, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, to Freemasonry is that the " Esotericism is the study of knowledge and systems of thought which are usually intended to be philosophical or ethical and mystic. Although most esoteric knowledge was once held in secret, it is now commonly taught openly. It is generally distinct from organized religion, which teaches more openly. While esotericism tends... esoteric" aspect of Masonic ritual is synonymous with Gnosticism is a blanket term for various religions and sects most prominent in the first few centuries A.D. Contents // 1 General characteristics 2 Valentinians 3 Matter 4 Theology 5 Lifestyle 6 Gnostic sects 7 Sources 8 Origins of Gnosticism 9 Gnostic texts 10 Notable Gnostics 11 Gnosticism in modern... Gnosticism, which was declared Heresy, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a theological or religious opinion or doctrine maintained in opposition, or held to be contrary, to the ‘catholic’ or orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, to that of any church, creed, or religious system, considered as orthodox... heretical by the early Christian church. Gnosticism is identified with the early Christian churches west of the Red Sea, such as the Egyptian and Ethiopean Coptic is an adjective referring to the original inhabitants of Egypt, the Copts. it can refer to: The Copts Coptic Christianity Coptic Language Coptic Alphabet See also: Coptic Art Coptic Calendar Coptic Music Egypt This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise... Coptic churches. The Nag Hammâdi is a village in the middle of Egypt, called Chenoboskion in classical antiquity, about 225 kilometres north-west of Aswan with some 30.000 citizens. It is mostly a peasant area where goods such as sugar and aluminium are produced. Contents // 1 The Nag Hammadi Library 2... Nag Hammadi scrolls, discovered in The Arab Republic of Egypt, commonly known as Egypt, (in Arabic: مصر, romanized Mişr or Maşr, in Egyptian dialect) is a republic mostly located in northeastern Africa. Covering an area of about 1,020,000 km², it includes the Sinai Peninsula (considered part of... Egypt, in 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). Contents // 1 Events 1.1 January 1.2 February 1.3 March 1.4 April 1.5 May 1.6 June 1.7 July 1.8 August 1.9 September 1.10 October 1.11 November... 1945, which contain such In Judeo-Christian theologies, apocrypha refers to religious Sacred text that have questionable authenticity or are otherwise disputed. When most in the Western world refer to the Apocrypha, they are typically referring to the 14 books excluded from Protestant Bibles (see below). Contents // 1 Definition 2 Apocrypha of the Bible... apocrypha as the The Gospel of Thomas, completely preserved in a papyrus Coptic manuscript discovered in 1945 at Nag Hammadi, Egypt, is a list of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus. Some of those sayings resemble those found in the four canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), but other sayings were unknown until... Gospel of Thomas, are considered to be Gnostic inspired or influenced. Thus, the possible connection between Gnosticism and the mythical Map of Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt was the civilization of the Nile Valley between about 3000 BC and the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. As a civilization based on irrigation it is the quintessential example of an hydraulic empire. Contents // 1 History 2 Language 3... Egyptian roots of Freemasonry is a subject of interest. The The Temple of the Rosy Cross, Teophilus Schweighardt Constantiens, 1618 The Rosicrucians are a legendary and secretive order dating from the 15th or 17th century, generally associated with the symbol of the Rose Cross, which is also used in certain rituals of the Freemasons. Several modern societies have been formed... Rosicrucians claim such a connection.

A more historically reliable (although still not unassailable) source asserting the antiquity of Freemasonry is the The Halliwell Manuscript, also known as the Regius Poem, is the first known Masonic text. External links Halliwell Manuscript, with translation Categories: Substubs ... Halliwell Manuscript or Regius Poem, which is believed to date from ca. Years: 1387 1388 1389 - 1390 - 1391 1392 1393 Decades: 1360s 1370s 1380s - 1390s - 1400s 1410s 1420s Centuries: 13th century - 14th century - 15th century Events Births future Byzantine Emperor John VIII Palaeologus future ruler of Wallachia Vlad II Dracul (estimated date). Deaths October 9 - John I of Castile, from a fall... 1390, and which makes reference to several concepts and phrases similar to those found in Freemasonry. The manuscript itself refers to an earlier document, of which it seems to be an elaboration.

It seems reasonable to suppose that, whatever its precise origins, Freemasonry provided a haven for the unorthodox and their sympathizers during a time when such activity could result in one's death, and that this has something to do with the tradition of secret meetings and handshakes. As the Middle Ages gave way to the Modern Age, the need for secrecy subsided, and Freemasons began to openly declare their association with the fraternity, which began to organize itself more formally. In Years: 1714 1715 1716 - 1717 - 1718 1719 1720 Decades: 1680s 1690s 1700s - 1710s - 1720s 1730s 1740s Centuries: 17th century - 18th century - 19th century 1717 in literature 1717 in music 1717 in science List of state leaders in 1717 List of religious leaders in 1717 Contents // 1 Events 2 Ongoing events... 1717, four Lodges which met at the "Apple-Tree Tavern, the Crown Ale-House near Drury Lane, the Goose and Gridiron in St. Paul's Churchyard, and the Rummer and Grapes Tavern in Westminster" in London — containing the City of London — is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England and a major world city. With over seven million inhabitants (Londoners) in Greater London area, it is amongst the most densely populated areas in Western Europe. Founded as Londinium, the capital of... London, England (as recounted in (2)) combined together and formed the first public Grand Lodge, the Premier Grand Lodge of England (PGLE). The years following saw Grand Lodges open throughout Europe, as the new Freemasonry spread rapidly. How much of this was the spreading of Freemasonry itself, and how much was the public organization of pre-existing secret lodges, is not possible to say with certainty. The PGLE in the beginning did not have the current three degrees, but only the first two. The third degree appeared, so far as we know, around Years: 1722 1723 1724 - 1725 - 1726 1727 1728 Decades: 1690s 1700s 1710s - 1720s - 1730s 1740s 1750s Centuries: 17th century - 18th century - 19th century 1725 in literature 1725 in music 1725 in science List of state leaders in 1725 List of religious leaders in 1725 Events February 8 - Catherine I became... 1725.

Opinions about the origins, objectives and future of Freemasonry remain controversial from the times of its inception to our times. For example, Shoko Asahara (left), with Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya With Dalai Lama XIV Shōkō Asahara (麻原彰晃 Asahara Shōkō), March 2, 1955 is the founder of the Japanese Buddhist religious group Aleph (formerly called Aum Shinrikyo). Contents // 1 Early years 2 Relentless religious... Shoko Asahara, founder of the controversial Japanese religious group Aum Shinrikyo (also spelled Om Shin Rikyo) was a Buddhist religious group based in Japan. It gained international notoriety in 1995, when its founder, Shōkō Asahara, and a group of followers were accused of carrying out a poison gas attack on a Tokyo subway. Since 2000, it... Aum Shinrikyo, has prophesized in some of his sermons that "in the future, Freemasonry will merge into united stream" with Aum Shinrikyo.

According to Sir Richard Burton, "Sufi-ism [was] the Eastern parent of Freemasonry." (See, F. Hitchman, Burton, Volume 1, p. 286) The possibility that Burton was correct is examined in detail by Idries Shah in his book entitled The Sufis, beginning on page 205.

The two great schisms of Freemasonry ( Years: 1750 1751 1752 - 1753 - 1754 1755 1756 Decades: 1720s 1730s 1740s - 1750s - 1760s 1770s 1780s Centuries: 17th century - 18th century - 19th century 1753 in art 1753 in literature 1753 in music 1753 in science List of state leaders in 1753 List of religious leaders in 1753 Events January 1... 1753 and 1877 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). Contents // 1 Events 1.1 January - April 1.2 May - August 1.3 September - December 1.4 Unknown date 2 Births 3 Deaths Events January - April January 1 - Queen Victoria proclaimed Empress of India by the Royal Titles... 1877)

The PGLE (Premier Grand Lodge of England), along with those jurisdictions with which it was in amity, later came to be known colloquially as the Moderns, to distinguish them from a newer, rival group of Freemasonry, known as the Antients. The Antients broke away and formed their own Grand Lodge in Years: 1750 1751 1752 - 1753 - 1754 1755 1756 Decades: 1720s 1730s 1740s - 1750s - 1760s 1770s 1780s Centuries: 17th century - 18th century - 19th century 1753 in art 1753 in literature 1753 in music 1753 in science List of state leaders in 1753 List of religious leaders in 1753 Events January 1... 1753, prompted by the PGLE's making changes to the secret modes of recognition. Tensions between the two groups were very high at times. Franklin, an engraving from a painting by Duplessis Dr. Benjamin Franklin ( January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790) was an American printer, journalist, publisher, author, philanthropist, abolitionist, public servant, scientist, librarian, diplomat, and inventor. One of the leaders of the American Revolution, he was well known also for his many... Benjamin Franklin was a Modern and a deist, for instance, but by the time he died, his Lodge had gone Antient, and would no longer recognize him as one of their own, declining even to give him a Masonic funeral (see Revolutionary Brotherhood, by Steven C. Bullock, Univ. N. Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. Years: 1993 1994 1995 - 1996 - 1997 1998 1999 Decades: 1960s 1970s 1980s - 1990s - 2000s 2010s 2020s Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century 1996 in topic: Arts... 1996).

The schism was healed in the years following Years: 1810 1811 1812 - 1813 - 1814 1815 1816 Decades: 1780s 1790s 1800s - 1810s - 1820s 1830s 1840s Centuries: 18th century - 19th century - 20th century 1813 in art 1813 in literature 1813 in science 1813 in music 1813 in sports List of state leaders in 1813 List of religious leaders in 1813... 1813, when the competing Grand Lodges were amalgamated, by virtue of a delicately worded compromise which left English Masonry clearly not Christian, returned the modes of recognition to their pre-1753 form, kept Freemasonry per se as consisting of three degrees only, but which was ambiguously worded so as to allow the Moderns to think of the Antient Royal Arch degree as an optional higher degree, while still allowing the Antients to view it as the completion of the third degree (see [2] (http://freemasonry.org/psoc/pragmatic.htm)).

Because both the Antients and the Moderns had daughter Lodges throughout the world, and because many of those Lodges still exist, there is a great deal of variability in the Ritual used today, even between UGLE-recognized jurisdictions. Most Lodges conduct their Work in accordance with an agreed-upon single Rite, such as the York Rite (which is popular in the United States; not to be confused with The York Rite is one of the two main branches of Freemasonry in the United States which a Master Mason may decide to join for further exposure to Masonic knowledge, the other branch being the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. Some obediences of the Scottish Rite may confer some of... York Rite), or the Canadian Rite (which is, in some ways, a concordance between the Rites used by the Antients and Moderns).

The second great schism in Freemasonry occurred in the years following 1877 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). Contents // 1 Events 1.1 January - April 1.2 May - August 1.3 September - December 1.4 Unknown date 2 Births 3 Deaths Events January - April January 1 - Queen Victoria proclaimed Empress of India by the Royal Titles... 1877, when the GOdF started accepting atheists unreservedly. While the issue of atheism is probably the greatest single factor in the split with the GOdF, the English also point to the French recognition of women's Masonry and co-Masonry, as well as the tendency of French Masons to be more willing to discuss religion and politics in Lodge. While the French curtail such discussion, they do not ban it as outright as do the English (see [3] (http://bessel.org/masrec/france.htm)). The schism between the two branches has occasionally been breached for short periods of time, especially during the Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. Battle aftermath. Remains of the Chateau Wood World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War, the War of the Nations, and the War to End All Wars, was a world conflict occurring from 1914 to... First World War when American Masons overseas wanted to be able to visit French Lodges (see [4] (http://www.bessel.org/recfranc.htm)).

Concerning religious requirements, the oldest constitution of Freemasonry (that of Anderson, Years: 1720 1721 1722 - 1723 - 1724 1725 1726 Decades: 1690s 1700s 1710s - 1720s - 1730s 1740s 1750s Centuries: 17th century - 18th century - 19th century 1723 in literature 1723 in music 1723 in science List of state leaders in 1723 List of religious leaders in 1723 Events February 16 - Louis XV of... 1723) says only that a Mason "will never be a stupid Atheist nor an irreligious Libertine" if he "rightly understands the Art". The only religion required was "that Religion in which all Men agree, leaving their particular Opinions to themselves" ([5] (http://www.2be1ask1.com/library/anderson.html)). Masons disagree as to whether "stupid" and "irreligious" are meant as necessary or as accidental modifiers of "atheist" and "libertine". It is possible the ambiguity is intentional. In 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). Contents // 1 Events 2 Ongoing events 3 Births 4 Deaths Events January 3 - Austria, Britain, and France form a secret defensive alliance treaty against Prussia and Russia. January 4 - Netherlands, Foundation of the first dutch student association, the... 1815, the newly amalgamated UGLE changed Anderson's constitutions to include more orthodox overtones: "Let a man's religion or mode of worship be what it may, he is not excluded from the Order, provided he believes in the glorious Architect of heaven and earth, and practices the sacred duties of morality." The English enforce this with a requirement for belief in a Supreme Being, and in his revealed will. While these requirements can still be interpreted in a non-theistic manner, they made it more difficult for unorthodox believers to enter the fraternity.

In Years: 1846 1847 1848 - 1849 - 1850 1851 1852 Decades: 1810s 1820s 1830s - 1840s - 1850s 1860s 1870s Centuries: 18th century - 19th century - 20th century 1849 in art 1849 in literature 1849 in rail transport 1849 in science 1849 in music 1849 in sports List of state leaders in 1849 List of... 1849, the GOdF followed the English lead by adopting the "Supreme Being" requirement, but there was increasing pressure in Latin countries to openly admit atheists. There was an attempt at a compromise in 1875 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). Contents // 1 Events 1.1 January - April 1.2 May - August 1.3 September - December 1.4 Unknown date 2 Births 3 Deaths Events January - April January 12 - Kwang-su becomes emperor of China. February 27 - Newton Booth... 1875, by allowing the alternative phrase "Creative Principle" (which was less theistic-sounding than "Supreme Being"), but this was ultimately not enough for the GOdF, and in 1877 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). Contents // 1 Events 1.1 January - April 1.2 May - August 1.3 September - December 1.4 Unknown date 2 Births 3 Deaths Events January - April January 1 - Queen Victoria proclaimed Empress of India by the Royal Titles... 1877 they went back to having no religious entrance requirements, adopting the original Anderson document of Years: 1720 1721 1722 - 1723 - 1724 1725 1726 Decades: 1690s 1700s 1710s - 1720s - 1730s 1740s 1750s Centuries: 17th century - 18th century - 19th century 1723 in literature 1723 in music 1723 in science List of state leaders in 1723 List of religious leaders in 1723 Events February 16 - Louis XV of... 1723 as their official Constitutions. They also created a modified ritual that made no direct verbal reference to the G.A.O.T.U. (although, as a symbol, it was arguably still present). This new Rite did not replace the older ones, but was added as an alternative (European jurisdictions in general tend not to restrict themselves to a single Rite, like most North American jurisdictions, but offer a menu of Rites, from which their Lodges can choose.)

Freemasonry and anticlericalism

Historically, Freemasonry has been identified with 19th-century Bourgeois at the end of the thirteenth century. --facsimile of Miniature in Manuscript no. 6820, in the National Library of Paris. The bourgeoisie is one of the wealthy classes into which a capitalist society is typically divided, according to certain western schools of economic thought, especially Marxism. The term is... bourgeois This article is part of or related to the Liberalism series Liberalism Liberalism worldwide List of liberal parties Liberal International - ELDR Liberal democracy List of liberal theorists A short liberal bibliography Liberalism is a political current embracing several historical and present-day ideologies that claim defense of individual liberty as... liberalism, and Freemasons have often tended to regard traditional For other uses of the term Christian, see Christian (disambiguation). This article forms part of the seriesChristianity History of Christianity Christian Worldview Creeds · Philosophy · Theology Creation · Fall · Original sin · Incarnation Salvation · End Times · Divine grace · Faith · Prayer · Liturgy · Fasting... Christianity as allied to A reactionary (sometimes: reactionist) is someone who seeks to restore conditions to those of a previous era. The political attitude of a reactionary is reaction, reactionism (sometimes: reactionaryism). Reaction is always presented against something that it opposes. Reactionary comes from the French word réactionnaire, coined in the early 19th... reactionary powers defending the status quo against the advance of human Statue of Liberty - Liberty is one meaning of freedom. Contents // 1 Definition 2 In Philosophy and History 3 Examples of usage 3.1 Quotes about freedom 4 See also 5 External links Definition Freedom refers in a very general sense to the state of being free (unrestricted, unconfined or unfettered... freedom. Masonic lodges of this period were often associated with Anti-clericalism is a movement that opposes religious interference into public and political life and more generally the encroachment of religion in the citizens lives. It suggests a more active and partisan role than mere laïcité. France Anti-clericalism is particularly discussed in the context of the French Third... anticlericalism, and were part of a broader movement, as is pointed out by Ralph Gibson: "The republican enemies of the Church did not simply attack it on the grounds of its political alignment, but also in terms of more positive ideologies: to the old traditions of the For the period in European history, The Age of Enlightenment For the corresponding movement in the European Jewish community, see Haskalah. For the Hindu religious concept of enlightenment, see moksha For the Buddhist religious concept, see enlightenment (Buddhism) For analysis of the philosphical concept, see Enlightenment (concept) For the 1990... Enlightenment were added first This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. If an article link referred you here, you might want to go back and fix it to point directly to the intended page. Positivism can have several meanings. Philosophy and... positivism, and then The term scientism is a relatively newly coined word that refers to certain epistemologies based on science. The word has several different meanings: Scientism usually means the acceptance of scientific theory and scientific methods as applicable in all fields of inquiry about the world, including morality, ethics, art, and religion... scientism. For the scientific journal named Science, see Science (journal). Science is both a process of gaining knowledge, and the organized body of knowledge gained by this process. The scientific process is the systematic acquisition of new knowledge about a system. This systematic acquisition is generally the scientific method, and the... Science was supposed to be the key to the understanding of the universe, and even to enable men to grasp its essential meaning. Terms like SOSE (Studies of Society & the Environment) not only refer to social sciences but also studies of the environment. See geography for such a subject. The social sciences comprise the application of scientific methods to the study of the human aspects of the world. They are also known... Social science was believed to be able to provide the basis for an Ethics is a general term for what is often described as the science (study) of morality. In philosophy, ethical behavior is that which is good or right. The Western tradition of ethics is sometimes called moral philosophy. This is one part of value theory (axiology) – the other part is... ethical system. This new faith was ardently preached under the Governments of France series Gaul Franks Valois Dynasty Bourbon Dynasty National Convention Directory Consulate First Empire House of Bourbon (restored) House of Orleans Second Republic Second Empire Third Republic Vichy France Fourth Republic Fifth Republic The French Third Republic, (in French, Troisième Republique, sometimes written as IIIè... Third Republic in Masonic lodges and circles of libre pensée, in learned journals, and in educated republican society in general" (A Social History of French Catholicism, 1789-1914 [London & New York: Routledge, 1989], pp.237-38).

Controversies over the historical involvements of Freemasonry and anticlericalism reach a peak in attempting to understand the role of Freemasonry in the history of anticlericalism in The Republic of Portugal (República Portuguesa), or Portugal, is a democratic republic located on the west and southwest parts of the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe; it is the westernmost country in continental Europe. Portugal is bordered by Spain to the north and east and by the Atlantic... Portugal, The Italian Republic or Italy ( Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. It comprises a boot-shaped peninsula and two large islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia, and shares its northern alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent countries of San... Italy, and The United Mexican States or Mexico ( Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos or México; regarding the use of the variant spelling Méjico, see section The name below) is a country located in North America, bordered to the north by the United States of America, to the southeast by... Mexico.

Freemasons were prominent in the foundation of the modern Mexican state and the Three Names One Party 4 March 1929 Plutarco Elías Calles Founded as: Partido Nacional Revolucionario (National Revolutionary Party – PNR) 30 March 1938 Lázaro Cárdenas PNR dissolved. New name: Partido de la Revolución Mexicana (Party of the Mexican Revolution –... Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the writing of its anticlerical constitution. Under the regime of Plutarco Elías Calles, the enforcement of anticlerical laws provoked the The Cristero War was brought about in response to the anti-Catholic laws of Plutarco Elías Calles The struggle between church and state in Mexico broke out in armed conflict during the Cristero War of 1926–1929. This was a popular uprising against the anti-clerical provisions of... Cristero War.

These animosities persist. As recently as 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. It was designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) Elections were held in 73 countries during 2004. See a list of elections... 2004, Norberto Cardinal Rivera (http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/brivera.html) of Mexico at a conference in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico Nickname La Ciudad de los Palacios (The City of Palaces) Latitude 19° 24 - 19° 03 N Longitude 98° 57 - 99° 22 W Chief of Government Andrés Manuel López Obrador Surface (km²) 1 547 km² (D.F.) Surface (km²) 4 986 km² (Greater Mexico... Mexico City denounced the influence of Freemasonry.

Criticism and repression

Freemasonry has been a long-time favorite target of This proposed logo for a US government agency was dropped due to fears that its masonic symbolism would provoke conspiracy theories A conspiracy theory is a theory that claims an event or series of events is the result of secret manipulations by two or more individuals or an organization, rather... conspiracy theorists, who see it as an For other uses of this term, see occult (disambiguation). The word occult comes from Latin occultus (hidden), referring to the knowledge of the secret or knowledge of the hidden and often meaning knowledge of the supernatural, as opposed to knowledge of the visible or knowledge of the measurable, usually referred... occult and Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. Start the EVIL article If you have created this page in the past few minutes and it has not yet appeared, it may not be visible due to a delay in updating the database. Please wait and check again... evil power, often associated with For a discussion of Jews as an ethnicity or ethnic group see the article on Jew. The Star of David, a common symbol of Jews and Judaism Judaism is the religion and culture of the Jewish people and one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths. It is also one of... Judaism, and usually either bent on world domination, or already secretly in control of world politics.

Freemasonry is almost universally banned in totalitarian states. In 1925, it was outlawed in Fascist Italy. In The Nazi party used a right-facing swastika as their symbol and the red and black colors were said to represent Blut und Boden (blood and soil). Black, white, and red were in fact the colors of the old North German Confederation flag (invented by Otto von Bismarck, based on... Nazi Germany, Freemasons were sent to concentration camps and all Masonic Lodges were ordered shut down. German Masons used the blue Forget-me-nots Wood Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica) Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: not currently assigned Family: Boraginaceae Genus: Myosotis Species about 50 The Forget-me-nots are the genus Myosotis of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae. There are about 50 species in the... forget-me-not as a secret means of recognition and as a substitute for the traditional (and too easily recognized) square and compasses. According to some interpretations of In Western culture, canon law is the law of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. The Eastern Orthodox concept of canon law is similar to but not identical to the more legislative and juridical model of the West. In both traditions, a canon is a rule adopted by a council... canon law, The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. Members generally prefer the term Catholic Church, but this term has multiple meanings (see Catholicism); the term Roman Catholic Church is used in this article to avoid... Roman Catholics are forbidden to become Freemasons by their church, though Freemasons do not bar Roman Catholics and it is not terribly unusual to find Catholic members. The Eastern Orthodox church forbids its members from being masons. Freemasonry is also discouraged by some Note that this kind of denomination is not that of a coin or banknote. A religious denomination, (also simply denomination) is a large, long-established subgroup within a religion that has been in existence for many years. The term is frequently used to describe the different Christian churches (Eastern Orthodoxy... denominations of The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. This article forms part of the series Christianity History of Christianity Christian Worldview Creeds · Philosophy &#183 Theology Creation · Fall · Original sin · Incarnation Salvation · End Times · Divine grace · Faith · Prayer · Liturgy · Fasting... Protestantism.

In modern This article deals with democracy in its modern sense. For other meanings, see Democracy (disambiguation). This article is part of the series on Politics Politics Political philosophy Political science Politics by country Political party: by country, by name, by ideology Election: calendar, by country Related topics Democracy is a form... democracies, Freemasonry is occasionally accused of being a sort of club, or network, where a lot of Influence peddling is the practice of using ones influence with persons in authority to obtain favors or preferential treatment for another, usually in return for payment. Also called traffic of influence. See also: corruption, bribery, logrolling Categories: Corruption | Stub ... influence peddling, and perhaps illegal dealings, take place. In the early 1800s, William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance in 1826 sparked a powerful anti-Freemason movement in the United States. Originally from Virginia, he arrived in Batavia in 1824, claiming to have served with distinction during the War of 1812. After some time in town, he joined... William Morgan disappeared after threatening to expose Freemasonry's secrets, causing some to claim that he had been murdered by Masons.

In The Italian Republic or Italy ( Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. It comprises a boot-shaped peninsula and two large islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia, and shares its northern alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent countries of San... Italy, in the 1970s - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes.css; @import /skins/monobook/IE55Fixes.css; @import /skins/monobook/IE60Fixes.css; /**/ 1970s From Wikipedia Millennia: 1st millennium - 2nd millennium - 3rd millennium Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century Decades: 1940s 1950s 1960s - 1970s - 1980s 1990s 2000s Years: 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976... 1970s, the P2 lodge was investigated in the wake of a financial scandal and a suspicious death. As a result, the lodge was expelled from Italian Masonry (although it continued to function independently).

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In the Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century Decades: 1960s 1970s 1980s - 1990s - 2000s 2010s 2020s Years: 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Contents // 1 Events and trends 1.1 Technology 1.2 Science 1.3 War, peace and politics 1.4 Economics 1.5 Culture 1... 1990s in The word Britain is used to refer to the United Kingdom (UK) the island of Great Britain, which consists of the countries of England, Scotland, and Wales sometimes the Roman province called Britain or Britannia The word British generally means belonging to or associated with Britain in either of the... Britain, the The Labour Party is a centre-left or social democratic political party in Britain (see British politics), and one of the United Kingdoms three main political parties. Under its leader Tony Blair it won a landslide in the 1997 general election, and formed its first government since 1979. It... Labour Party government tried unsuccessfully to pass a law requiring all public officials who were Masons to make their affiliation public.

Contemporary challenges

Freemasonry in some districts of the United States, the UK and other Anglo jurisdictions is losing members faster than it can get new petitioners. In the United States, the average age of members is around 45. By contrast, in South America and Continental Europe the number of Masons is generally on the rise.

Many Grand Lodges in the U.S. have tried a variety of often-controversial measures to address declining membership, including "one-day" ceremonies of the three degrees for large groups of candidates (as opposed to individual degree conferrals taking months or years to complete), advertising on billboards, and even active recruitment of new candidates by members (as opposed to the tradition of considering only those who actively seek membership for themselves). Some Masons object to the traditions and principles of Freemasonry being diluted by these "innovations", feeling that the Fraternity has survived centuries of social change without changing itself; others cite a need for Freemasonry to modernize and make itself relevant to new generations.

U.S. Freemasonry also faces an image problem because some people perceive it as being An African-American drinks out of a water fountain marked for colored in 1939 at a street car terminal in Oklahoma City. Racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human capacities, that a certain race is inherently superior or inferior to others, and/or that individuals... racist. This is due in part to the fact that only three Grand Lodges in the states that were part of the For other meanings of confederate and confederacy, see confederacy (disambiguation) Confederate States of America (Confederate Flag) (Confederate Seal) National Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God our Vindicator) Official language English de facto nationwide Various European and Native American languages regionally Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861... Confederacy during the Military history of the United States Conflict American Civil War Date 1861– 1865 Place Principally in the southern United States; also in eastern, central and southwestern regions Result Defeat of seceding CSA Battles of the American Civil War Combatants United States of America USA flag 1861– 1863. 34... Civil War era now recognize their Prince Hall (c. 1735-December 4, 1807) is considered the founder of black Freemasonry in the United States, known today as Prince Hall Freemasonry. No record of his birth has yet been found, although he is variously stated to have been born in Africa or Barbados and brought to North... Prince Hall counterparts (all those in the Northern part of the U.S., including State of Alaska ( Flag of Alaska) (Seal of Alaska) State nickname: The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun Other U.S. States Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Governor Frank Murkowski Official languages English Area 1,717,854 km² (1st) - Land 1,481,347 km... Alaska and For the 1959 novel and 1966 movie, see Hawaii (novel). State of Hawaii Hawai‘i (Flag of Hawaii) (Seal of Hawaii) State nickname: The Aloha State Other U.S. States Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Governor Linda Lingle Official languages Hawaiian and English Area 28,337 km... Hawaii, recognize their Prince Hall counterparts; see [6] (http://bessel.org/masrec/phamapshistorical.htm)).

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