You may have heard that Freemasons rule the world, worship the devil, are members of a cult, only recruit from certain classes and ethnicities and that Freemasonry is a secret society where police and criminals socialise together.

These are the common myths that most people have heard and sadly believe. So just who and what are we?

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Freemasonry is one the oldest social and charitable organisations in the world, based on the principles of medieval stonemasons who would travel around to find work, building

castles, churches and cathedrals. They would wear aprons to keep clean and gloves to protect their hands. To prove their qualifications they would use words, grips and signs.

Building analogies are used throughout masonry such as a squares, uprights, and rough and smooth ashlars but as Freesmasons are not active stonemasons, they apply squares and uprights to everyday moral and social virtues. Having perfectly square corners when building is critical to ensuring buildings do not lean and are structurally strong and sound. In Freemasonry, this symbol is used to teach lessons of morality. The notion is that being “square” in your actions implies being honest and fair. Uprights (symbolized by the plumb rule) teach masons to just, honest and upright in all their actions. The rough ashlar represents a new member, an apprentice learning his trade. The smooth ashlar a perfectly dressed stone formed only by skilled hands represents the progression made by the apprentice to master mason. 

 

So what makes a freemason?

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Well, we are bankers, mechanics, CEOs, carpenters, estate agents, Taxi drivers, doctors and machine operators. Of course we have members who are Judges, police officers and lawyers but anyone wishing to join must declare any criminal convictions they may have which could lead to a refusal of membership.

We are Christian, Sikh, Jewish, Muslim, (you do have to believe in a superior being but any one religion is not what freemasonry is about) we are from all walks of life, all professions, all ethnicities, all religions.

We all however have a few things in common. We believe in brotherly love, charity and benevolence, we are sociable and respectable in life and to each other and follow a moral high standing.

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Below is a short video produced by the United Grand Lodge of England, briefly outlining why people wanted to join freemasonry and what it means to them. If you feel that Freemasonry is something you would enjoy, then please watch the video and then afterward click the link below it.