FAQ Categories
FAQ Categories
Most Common Questions
Freemasonry is one of the oldest fraternal organizations in the world with roots that date back to Medieval times when stonemasons held close the secrets and lessons of their guild. Today, Masons live by many of the same timeless and tested values in a fraternity that is ever renewed by new members seeking to live by the values of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.
The following will answer frequently asked questions about Freemasonry. Don’t see what you need? Let us know.
Freemasonry Scout
What is Freemasonry? Explore the foundations of our fraternity, what it means to be a Mason, and learn the history of this great organization.
Joining Freemasonry Scout
With 68,000 Masons and 440 local Lodges, Ohio has one of the largest Masonic memberships of any state in the country. Learn about the process of becoming an Ohio Mason and the requirements involved.
Membership
Once you’re a member of Freemasonry, what does life in the fraternity look like? Learn about the Masonic Lodge, Degrees of Freemasonry, and the benefits of becoming a Mason in the great masonry scout.
Grand Lodge of masonry Leadership
The Masonry functions as the governing body for its networks of over 4440 Masonic lodges and 868,000 members throughout the world. Learn about the values of leadership, the role of the Grand Master and more.
Charities
Charitable Relief is one of the core tenets of Freemasonry. The Masonry passionately supports charitable efforts throughout the state that benefit fellow Masons and their families when in need of support, dedicated students and their school systems, and veterans and first responders. Learn about the many charitable efforts of Freemasonry scout.
When did Freemasonry start?
Modern Freemasonry was established in England in 1717, although its exact origins are lost in the unrecorded history of medieval times. Its roots are found in guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons. As a stonemason grew in his craft, he was entered into the appropriate rank: apprentice, journeyman (now called Fellow Craft) and master mason.
At each stage, the craftsman was entrusted with the secrets of each level, which include passwords and grips (or handshake) made known to him only upon due inspection of necessary proficiency by a master of the craft. This way, as stonemasons migrated across Europe to the next job, each man was assured proper pay and privilege commensurate with his skill level, and clients were assured of the quality of work. Today, Freemasonry shares this same system of secrets, ritual and growth, though the work has shifted from building edifices to building oneself in good character.
How many Freemasons are there?
According to the United Grand Lodge of England, there are 6 million + Freemasons worldwide.
WHAT ARE THE DEGREES OF FREEMASONRY?
The experience of becoming a member of a Masonic Lodge is divided into three ceremonial stages that Masons call “degrees.” The three degrees of Freemasonry are Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason. They are loosely based upon the journeyman system, which was used to educate Medieval Craftsmen. Symbolically, the degrees represent the three stages of human development: youth, manhood and age.
1st Degree:
Entered Apprentice
This is a candidate’s first experience with the ceremonies of the Fraternity, and like all Masonic ceremonies, it is a solemn and meaningful event. Once a candidate completes the Entered Apprentice ceremony, he takes his first step as a Freemason and enjoys the title of “Brother.” Learn more about the Entered Apprentice degree.
2nd Degree:
Fellow Craft
The second Masonic degree exposes a Brother to more of the symbolism and philosophy of the Fraternity. For skilled Craftsmen, this degree would have marked a person’s progress from an apprentice to a journeyman. Read about the privileges of the Fellow Craft degree.
3rd Degree:
Master Mason
The last of the Lodge ceremonies, the Master Mason degree, makes a candidate a full member of the Fraternity, enjoying both the rights and responsibilities of membership. Discover the meaning of the Master Mason degree.
What symbols are used in Freemasonry? What do the Masonic symbols mean?
Sometimes, as the old saying goes, a picture can say a thousand words. Dating back to its roots in Medieval times, Freemasonry makes use of many symbols. These symbols served several purposes: to teach those not adept at reading the written word, to encourage men to interpret and form their own opinions, to remind Masons of their obligations, and to identify Masons to one another. The most well-known of all Masonic symbols are the square & compasses, which stand for morality, honesty and fair dealings with others. Click on these links to learn more about the square and compasses, the Masonic apron, the working tools of an accepted Mason, and King Solomon’s Temple, as part of our “behind the Masonic symbol” blog series.
What Is A Masonic Lodge
A Masonic lodge is where local Freemasons meet and work. More than the location, the lodge itself is its members and their united actions to promote Masonic values and enjoy each other’s company. It is during these closed meetings that Freemasons perform ritual and other teachings of the craft. The building itself can be as formal as the great Grand Lodges or as simple as a single room in a local building. Every Freemason begins his journey in the Craft in a lodge, where he receives the first three Degrees in Masonry.
The traditions of the lodge are founded upon the building of King Solomon’s Temple, and its fraternal ceremonies use the working tools of the stonemasons to symbolize moral lessons of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. For example, Masons are reminded at Lodge to meet upon the level of equality, act by the plumb of uprightness, and part upon the square of virtue.
Visit our lodge locator page to find a lodge near you.
Is Freemasonry a religion?
Freemasonry is not meant in any way to interfere with an individual’s commitment to his faith, family or occupation. Freemasonry is not and never can be a replacement for these important institutions; rather, it is a positive environment that reminds every Freemason of his duty to himself, his family, community and the Supreme Architect (an individual’s own definition of a Supreme Being.)