1. What is Freemasonry? A fraternity of men dedicated to building the moral character of its members and the preservation of personal freedom.

2. Is Masonry a religion? No. Every applicant must express a belief in a Supreme Being to whom all men are accountable but no particular religious affiliation is required.

3. When did Masonry start? Informally Masonry started many centuries ago, but formally it began in 1717 in London England.

4. Are there Masons in other countries? There are about 6 million Masons worldwide.

5. How many Masons are there in the USA? There are about 2.5 Million Masons in the USA.

6. Who is the leader of The Masonic Lodge? We take direction from our United Supreme Grand Counsel. However; each State has its own Grand Lodge whose presiding officer is the Grand Master of that state.

7. Who formed the Freemasons? One theory is that the organization was developed by the ancient stone masons. Another is that it originated with the Knights Templar.

8. Who were the Knights Templar? A military group formed during the Crusades to protect pilgrims traveling to and from the Holy Land. Templars are credited with forming an elaborate banking system. King Phillip the Fair of France desired their wealth; being assisted by Pope Clemente V he arrested the Knights Templar for heresy and executed many of them on  Friday, October 9, 1307.

9. Did the Knights Templar take oaths of secrecy prior to 1717? Yes as their life depended upon being faithful to fellow Tem-plars.

10. Do Masons of today take oaths? Yes, sym-bolical oaths are required of every Mason in remembrance of those imposed on the Stone Masons during the Middle Ages.

11. Does Masonry teach morality? Rituals teaching faithfulness and charity are expressed using allegories and symbols.

12. How are these teachings enforced? Erring Masons are counseled by their brothers. Those refusing help are expelled from the Fraternity.

13. Are Masons charitable? Yes. In the USA Masonic organizations contribute over $2 million daily to hospitals, language disorder programs, eye clinics, and various other causes.

14. What is a 32nd degree Mason? A 32nd degree Mason is a man who has received the 4th through the 32nd degrees form The Scottish Rite of Free Masonry, an appendant body of Masonry that furthers the moral and religious philosophies of Masonry..

15. What is a Shriner? A Shriner is a Mason who has affiliated with the Shrine Organization of America, another appendant organization of Masonry.

16. What is an appendant body or organization? An appendant body relies on the Masonic Fraternity for their membership, therefore, the term appendant

17. What is the York Rite? The York Rite is a system of degrees including the Blue Lodge, Royal Arch, Cryptic Degrees and Knights Tem-plar.

18. Who can become a Mason? In Washington, D.C. a man must be 18 years old of good character and reputation and been a resident of the state for one year.

19. How does one usually learn about the Masonic Fraternity? One usually notices the good works and conduct of individual Masons.

20. How does a man become a Mason? Since Masons cannot solicit members, the first step in becoming a Mason is to ask a member of a local lodge for a petition, complete it, and submit the petition with the signature of two members of that lodge to the lodge for consideration. All petitions must receive 100% approval when voted on by the lodge. After this the man submitting the petition will be notified and a time will be set for his initiation, or his money returned if he is rejected.

21. How many degrees are there in Masonry? There are three degrees in Masonry which are Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason.

22 How long does it take for one to become a Mason? This will depend on the jurisdiction.

23. Is memory work required? Yes.

24. What must be memorized? Each degree has a catechetical lecture relating to the procedural events carried out during the conferral of each degree.

25. How does one learn his catechetical lectures? A teacher will be provided by the Lodge.

26. How much does it cost to join Masonry? Each Lodge sets their Fees for the degrees but the average cost for the degrees will vary .

27. Are there annual dues? Yes.

28. How much are the annual dues? Each lodge sets their annual dues.

29. Do Masons have a particular form of dress? Yes.

30. Why do Masons wear a white apron? The apron of a Mason is intended to remind him of purity, and he is admonished to live his life in a manner that does not discredit himself or the fraternity.

31. Can a Mason’s wife attend Lodge? No, but there are many functions for all family members.

32. Are there any Masonic related groups for family members? Yes.

33. What are these groups? Eastern Star for the ladies, Rainbow Girls for girls, and DeMo-lay and young Solamons for boys, other organizations exist but these are the most common.

34. Do Masons perform a Masonic Funeral service? Yes. When the family requests the Lodge to do so, Masons will recite the time-honored ritual of memorial for a departed Brother.

35. Is Masonry a patriotic organization? Yes. Masons are taught to obey the laws of the country in which they reside. In the USA Masons support many patriotic activities.

36. Is Masonry a secret organization? Masonry is not a secret organization; however, Masonry is a private organization with some secrets shared only with its members.

37. Is the Holy Bible displayed in the Lodge Hall? Yes, Lodges in Washington, D.C. and the USA prominently display the Holy Bible.

38. What other emblems are displayed by Masons? The Square and Compasses are the only other two emblems required in the Lodge Hall.

39. Does Masonry teach that performing good works will gain admittance into Heaven? Abso-lutely not; admittance into heaven is in the realm of the spiritual and is definitely not the prerogative of any fraternal organization.

40. Do Masons become so involved that they neglect their families? Masons are taught that they should never neglect their families, their vocation, their church or their spiritual obliga-tions. Masonry comes after these obligations are fulfilled.

41. Has Masonry been attacked by religious groups? Yes, through the ages some organized religious groups have condemned Freemasonry. Recently, several radio and TV evangelist have joined the attack in order to sell their books, CD's and tapes. Other uninformed and biased non-Masons have carried on hate campaigns.

42. How does Masonry respond to these at-tacks? In the past Masons have ignored such talk. However, recent attacks have been countered with intelligent and nonaggressive rhetoric.

43. What notable men have been Masons? Fourteen US presidents, including all three from Tennessee, several astronauts, Governors, and many members of congress have been Masons.

44. Why are so many Masons in public office? The Masonic ritual assist one in gaining self-confidence, developing leadership skills, and promoting a belief in Brotherly Love, Truth, and Relief as well as strengthening good moral character.

45. What is the most important reason for joining the Masonic Fraternity? The promise of the Masonic Fraternity is to widen your circle of friend of good upright men who are moral individuals and to offer you the chance to grow as an individual.

If you have other questions relating to Masonry or the Lodge any well informed Mason will be happy to assist you or direct you to an individual who should be able to answer your questions.