An Introduction to Freemasonry
Dogged by conspiracy theories, implicated in countless political intrigues, and long seen as a secretive, shadowy international society dominated by ancient rituals, there are very few people who can accurately or confidently describe who the Freemasons are or what they do.
What is Freemasonry?
Freemasonry is one of the worlds oldest and largest non-religious, non-political, fraternal and charitable organisations, according to the United Grand Lodge of England, the governing body of Freemasonry in England, which teaches self-knowledge through participation in a progression of ceremonies and is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values.
Who is a Freemason?
Working to make good men better, Masons call each other brothers because they believe they are all equal. Through charitable work they climb up the hierarchy, wearing traditional regalia to indicate their rank within the organisation.
Who make a good Freemason?
Generally, to be accepted for initiation as a regular Freemason a candidate must be male; aged over 21; come of his own free will; be of good morals, reputation and financial standing and believe in some kind of Supreme Being.
The basic, local organisational unit of Freemasonry is the Lodge, usually supervised and governed by a sovereign Grand Lodge, who meet regularly to conduct organisational business, elect new members, have dinners and perform ceremonies to confer Masonic degrees. The bulk of Masonic ritual consists of degree ceremonies, through which candidates are progressively initiated into Freemasonry. There are three basic degree levels: Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason.
History of First Grand Lodge
The first Grand Lodge was founded only a few years after George I, the first Hanoverian king of the Kingdom of Great Britain, ascended to the throne in August 1714 and the end of the first Jacobite rising of 1715. Officially, the Grand Lodge was founded on 24 June 1717, St. John the Baptist’s day, when four existing Lodges gathered at the Goose and Gridiron alehouse in St Paul’s churchyard, London and constituted themselves as a Grand Lodge. It is this date which is often cited as the founding day of Freemasonry in its modern sense.
The First Four Lodges
The four Lodges, which had existed for some time, had previously met together in 1716 at the Apple Tree Tavern and resolved to hold an annual assembly and feast and choose a Grand Master from amongst themselves.
All four Lodges were simply named after the public houses in which they met:
- The Goose and Gridiron alehouse (now called Lodge of Antiquity No.2)
- The Crown alehouse in Parkers Lane, off Drury Lane
- The Apple Tree Tavern in Charles Street, Covent Garden(now called Lodge of Fortitude and Old Cumberland No.12)
- The Rummer and Grapes tavern in Channel Row, Westminster (now called Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge No. IV)
The new body became known as the Grand Lodge of London and Westminster, later calling itself the Grand Lodge of England (although convention calls it the Premier Grand Lodge of England to distinguish it from its rival the Ancient Grand Lodge of England).
The First Grand Master
Anthony Sayer, believed to be the oldest of the existing Master Masons, was elected the first Grand Master, although little is known about him.
The next Grand Master
George Payne was the last commoner to serve as Grand Master he rose to a high position within the Commissioners of Taxes and served as Grand Master twice in 1718-19 and 1720-21.
The year in between was taken by John Theophilus Desaguliers, an eminent scientist, clergyman, Fellow of the Royal Society and pupil of Sir Isaac Newton. Thereafter, in what might be regarded as a deliberate attempt to raise the profile of the organisation, every Grand Master has been a member of the nobility.