What is Freemasonry?
In 17th and 18th century England, Masons defined their fraternity as "a system of morality,
veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols."
Today we might define it as "an organized society of men who symbolically apply
the principles of operative masonry and architecture to the science and art of
character building." What Freemasonry teaches is not at all secret. It teaches
its members to be better men. However, based upon tradition,
Freemasonry teaches through ritual -- some of which is secret.
Masonry tries to build a better world by making "better men out of good men," by
strengthening their character, improving their moral and spiritual outlook and broadening
their mental horizons.
Freemasonry is more than just a fraternal or social organization. Our
fraternity is based on friendship and brotherly love, so we make many worthwhile
contributions to society. Nationwide, Masons contribute more than a million dollars a day
to charity.
Is Masonry a religion?
No! Masonry is not a religion, nor is it designed or intended to replace
(or substitute for) religion in its members' lives. We do not require
that members belong to a church, but they may belong to any church they wish.
We do ask, however, that each prospective member state that he believes
in a Supreme Being. Masonry seeks only to unite men for the purpose of brotherhood, not religion.
The Qualifications For Petitioning For Membership in Illinois
The first step toward becoming a member of the Masonic fraternity
is to ask a Mason for a petition to a Masonic lodge. In Illinois, to become a Mason, you must:
- Be a man
- Believe in a Supreme Deity
- Be 18 years old
- Be able to read and write English
- Have resided in Illinois for at least six months
Our ceremonies involve no hazing, horseplay or physical mistreatment
of any kind. Candidates find the initiation ritual a solemn, beautiful
and moving experience. Every word is spoken from memory, as has been
our practice from Masonry's earliest days. The ritual itself has
remained virtually unchanged for nearly three centuries. And finally,
every man in the lodge is a friend -- and will be a brother.
For a more detailed explanation, please visit the
Grand Lodge, A.F. and
A.M. website.
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