Freemasonry
Who Really are the Freemasons?
Throughout modern history, an organization known as the Freemasons has created controversy and raised many questions about the true purpose or purposes behind their activities.
It is said to be the world’s oldest and largest fraternity. It proclaims itself to be a group
“comprised of adult men (18+) of good character from every country, religion, race, age, income, education, and opinion, who believe in a supreme being.”(What is Freemasonry?). Furthermore, the Freemasons claim to promote the idea that “each man has responsibility to improve himself while being devoted to his family, faith, country, and fraternity.”(What is Freemasonry?). This sounds innocent enough, but does it provide a full picture of Freemasonry? While always a secretive organization, several events in modern times have led to an increased interest in the Freemasonry and suspicions about the actual reasons for their existence.
How did the Freemasonry begin? One theory is that the Freemasons were originally a group of tradesmen who worked as masons. (www.grandlodge-tn.org) A mason is, by dictionary definition, “a person whose trade is building with units of various natural or artificial mineral products, as stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or tiles, usually with the use of mortar or cement as a bonding agent”. (www.dictionary.com). And according to historical records, the Freemasons began as illegal trade unions of stonemasons in England during the late Middle Ages.
(Ridley,p.6). However, from the 1500’s to the 1700’s, Freemasonry was transformed from an illegal union of stonemasons into an organization of gentlemen that claimed to promote the tolerance of different religions while maintaining a belief in “god”. (Ibid, p. 17). June 24, 1717, was the official date when “organized” Freemasonry began when four London “lodges” – or groups of masons – came together to form a “Grand Lodge” and elected a “Grand Master”.
Throughout modern history, an organization known as the Freemasons has created controversy and raised many questions about the true purpose or purposes behind their activities.
It is said to be the world’s oldest and largest fraternity. It proclaims itself to be a group
“comprised of adult men (18+) of good character from every country, religion, race, age, income, education, and opinion, who believe in a supreme being.”(What is Freemasonry?). Furthermore, the Freemasons claim to promote the idea that “each man has responsibility to improve himself while being devoted to his family, faith, country, and fraternity.”(What is Freemasonry?). This sounds innocent enough, but does it provide a full picture of Freemasonry? While always a secretive organization, several events in modern times have led to an increased interest in the Freemasonry and suspicions about the actual reasons for their existence.
How did the Freemasonry begin? One theory is that the Freemasons were originally a group of tradesmen who worked as masons. (www.grandlodge-tn.org) A mason is, by dictionary definition, “a person whose trade is building with units of various natural or artificial mineral products, as stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or tiles, usually with the use of mortar or cement as a bonding agent”. (www.dictionary.com). And according to historical records, the Freemasons began as illegal trade unions of stonemasons in England during the late Middle Ages.
(Ridley,p.6). However, from the 1500’s to the 1700’s, Freemasonry was transformed from an illegal union of stonemasons into an organization of gentlemen that claimed to promote the tolerance of different religions while maintaining a belief in “god”. (Ibid, p. 17). June 24, 1717, was the official date when “organized” Freemasonry began when four London “lodges” – or groups of masons – came together to form a “Grand Lodge” and elected a “Grand Master”.