About Freemasonry

Modern Freemasonry is descended from the ancient guild system of European stonemasons and construction workers. Some aspects of Freemasonry's modern ritual can be traced back nearly 1000 years. The Freemasons kept their trade secrets secret (primarily mathematic and construction knowledge), as did most guilds such as ironmongers, bakers, and weavers to name a few. This secrecy protected the quality of the guild's work and ensured job security for its members.

The Freemasons influence peaked during the Renaissance, but declined in tandem with the decline of monumental church architecture in the 16th and 17th centuries. Between the Renaissance and the Enlightenment learned Freemasons (operative members) began accepting non-masons (speculative members) into their ranks as patrons of their art. These "speculative" patrons tended to be men of letters and wise influential statesmen.

The guild of Freemasons transformed into a social and fraternal institution in the 17th and 18th centuries. During this time they used the tools and legends of their trade as metaphors to emphasize internal enlightenment and personal growth among the fraternity's members. The men within its ranks influenced the development of modern concepts of democracy and personal liberty—ideals that aided the the transformation and creation of many western democracies—particularly the United States.

Freemasonry was reputedly established in North Carolina at Masonborough in the mid-1730s. However, the first documented evidence of Masonic activity in the state can be dated to Wilmington and New Bern during the early 1750s. In 1771 the Duke of Beaufort commissioned Joseph Montfort Provincial Grand Master of North Carolina, a post he ably held until his death in 1776. Between Montfort's death and the end of the American Revolution, the Provincial Grand Lodge Lodge of North Carolina essentially ceased to exist, though individual lodges continued to operate. In 1787 several delegates from several lodges across the state met at Tarborough to establish a new Grand Lodge and elected Samuel Johnston as their new Grand Master.

Freemasonry Today

There is no singular definition of Freemasonry. Freemasonry is many different things to each man who joins the fraternity. For some it is a place to make friends and acquaintances. For others it is a place to engage in introspection or discuss philosophy. And, for others it is a place to practice charity and goodwill. Through each of these endeavors—and countless more—Freemasonry seeks to unite good men of all backgrounds and make them better husbands, fathers, and citizens by encouraging and cultivating friendship, morality, and brotherly love.

Freemasonry is the world's oldest and largest non-religious, non-political, fraternal and charitable organization. It teaches self-knowledge through participation in a progression of initiatic rites. Members are expected to be of high moral standing and are encouraged to speak openly about Freemasonry.

Freemasonry is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values. Its members are taught its principles (moral lessons and self-knowledge) by a series of ritual dramas—a progression of allegorical "degrees" which are learned by heart and performed within each Lodge— which follow ancient forms, and use stonemasons' customs and tools as allegorical guides.

Freemasonry instills in its members a moral and ethical approach to life: its values are based on integrity, kindness, honesty and fairness. Members are urged to regard the interests of the family as paramount but, importantly, Freemasonry also teaches concern for people, care for the less fortunate, and help for those in need.

Freemasonry Revealed

Freemasonry is the oldest and largest fraternity known. As is customary with any concept of thought, it has enjoyed times of great renown and prestige, and it has experienced times of adversity. Today, in the early twenty-first century, it remains a vibrant organization that is attracting adherents over all the world.

Over the years, a great deal has been written and said concerning the Masonic Fraternity; much of it fact and much of it fiction. The fraternity is so old and so many of its records have been lost or destroyed, or never written, that a vast amount of Masonic lore is admittedly legend. Although so many of the legends of Freemasonry tie in so perfectly with authenticated records that many accord the legends the status of fact, most Masonic historians take pains to distinguish between that which can be proven and that which cannot. It is perhaps inevitable that myths have arisen with respect to Freemasonry, some of them advanced by its supporters and others of them promoted by its detractors, and that the dissemination of these myths has produced confused conceptions of Freemasonry in the minds of those who have not troubled to avail themselves of the facts.

This narrative deals only with the bare essentials of Masonic history, concerning itself primarily with providing a simple and factual account of the fraternity as it has revealed itself to a member of some forty-five years' standing. It is the author's hope that this account will dispel some of the existing confusion and that it will prove interesting and revealing to Masons and non-Masons alike.