Freemasonry | Definition, History, Stages, Lodges, & Facts (2024)

secret organization

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What are the origins of Freemasonry?

The origins of Freemasonry are not known definitively. National organized Freemasonry began in 1717 with the founding of the Grand Lodge—an association of Masonic lodges—in England. However, Freemason societies have existed for much longer. The most popular theory is that Freemasonry emerged out of the stonemasonry guilds of the Middle Ages. Working stonemasons had lodges where they discussed their trade, but, with the decline of cathedral building, some lodges began to accept honorary members. Some of these operative lodges thus became “speculative” lodges, giving rise to symbolic Freemasonry. In the 17th and 18th centuries these lodges adopted the trappings of ancient religious orders and chivalric brotherhoods. Freemasons themselves, over the centuries, have developed a mythologized history for their society, tracing their lineage back to King Solomon.

What do Freemasons believe?

Freemasonry has always been religious in character, though it subscribes to no particular orthodoxy. To become a Freemason, the applicant has to be an adult male and must believe in the existence of a supreme being and in the immortality of the soul. The teachings of Freemasonry enjoin morality, charity, and obedience to the law of the land. It is not, however, a Christian institution, though it is often taken to be such. In fact, Freemasonry has received considerable opposition from organized religion, the Roman Catholic Church in particular. In practice, some lodges have been accused of religious prejudices, specifically against Jews and Catholics. They have also been accused of anticlericalism in Latin American countries. In Anglo-American countries the membership consists of mostly white Protestants; some lodges have been accused of prejudice against nonwhites.

Does Freemasonry still exist today?

Freemasonry remains most popular in theBritish Islesand countries that were originally within the British Empire. Estimates of the worldwide membership of Freemasonry in the early 21st century ranged from about two million to more than six million. Affirmation of a belief in a higher being is still a requirement to join Masonic lodges, though they are largely secular institutions that serve social networking purposes and often serve as charitable donors. They have been met with criticism over the years for being elitist men’s clubs. Today there are separate Freemason lodges in Britain for women as well as for men. Additionally, there are a number of groups—prevalent especially in the United States—that have no official standing in Freemasonry but draw their membership from the higher degrees of Freemason society. There are also special orders for boys and girls. English Freemasons are forbidden to affiliate with these quasi-Masonic societies.

Freemasonry, the teachings and practices of the fraternal (men-only) order of Free and Accepted Masons, the largest worldwide secret society—an oath-bound society, often devoted to fellowship, moral discipline, and mutual assistance, that conceals at least some of its rituals, customs, or activities from the public (secret societies do not necessarily conceal their membership or existence). Spread by the advance of the British Empire, Freemasonry remains most popular in the British Isles and in other countries originally within the empire. Estimates of the worldwide membership of Freemasonry in the early 21st century ranged from about two million to more than six million.

Freemasonry evolved from the guilds of stonemasons and cathedral builders of the Middle Ages. With the decline of cathedral building, some lodges of operative (working) masons began to accept honorary members to bolster their declining membership. From a few of these lodges developed modern symbolic or speculative Freemasonry, which particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries adopted the rites and trappings of ancient religious orders and of chivalric brotherhoods. In 1717 the first Grand Lodge, an association of lodges, was founded in England.

Freemasonry has, almost from its inception, encountered considerable opposition from organized religion, especially from the Roman Catholic Church, and from various states. Freemasonry is not a Christian institution, though it has often been mistaken for such. Freemasonry contains many of the elements of a religion; its teachings enjoin morality, charity, and obedience to the law of the land. In most traditions, the applicant for admission is required to be an adult male, and all applicants must also believe in the existence of a Supreme Being and in the immortality of the soul. In practice, some lodges have been charged with prejudice against Jews, Catholics, and nonwhites. Generally, Freemasonry in Latin countries has attracted those who question religious dogma or who oppose the clergy (see anticlericalism), whereas in the Anglo-Saxon countries the membership is drawn largely from among white Protestants. The modern French tradition, founded in the 19th century and known as Co-Freemasonry or Le Droit Humain, admits both women and men.

In most lodges in most countries, Freemasons are divided into three major degrees—entered apprentice, fellow of the craft, and master mason. In many lodges there are numerous degrees—sometimes as many as a thousand—superimposed on the three major divisions; these organizational features are not uniform from country to country.

In addition to the main bodies of Freemasonry derived from the British tradition, there are also a number of appendant groups that are primarily social or recreational in character, having no official standing in Freemasonry but drawing their membership from the higher degrees of the society. They are especially prevalent in the United States. Among those known for their charitable work are the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (the “Shriners”). In Britain and certain other countries there are separate lodges restricted to women. In addition, female relatives of master masons may join the Order of the Eastern Star, which is open to both women and men; boys may join the Order of DeMolay or the Order of the Builders; and girls may join the Order of Job’s Daughters or the Order of the Rainbow. English Masons are forbidden to affiliate with any of the recreational organizations or quasi-Masonic societies, on pain of suspension.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Brian Duignan.