h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A well written article. I might use some of it in a Lodge of Instruction!!


Get yourself a or a , maybe even a before you read this, it's a little long! (For me anyway)
The following are some of the items covered in a publication by The United Grand Lodge of England, entitled "Your questions answered" This book can be handed to any prospective Candidate and, as such, the contents are not "secret"

What is Freemasonry?
Freemasonry is the UK's largest secular, fraternal and charitable organisation. It teaches moral lessons and self-knowledge through participation in a progression of allegoric two part plays.

Why are you a secret society?
We are not, but Lodge Meetings, like those of many other organisations, are private and open only to Members. The rules and aims of Freemasonry are available to the public. Meeting places are known and in many areas are used by the local community for activities other than Freemasonry. Members are encouraged to speak openly about Freemasonry.

What are the secrets of Freemasonry?
The secrets are traditional modes of recognition which are not used indiscriminately, but solely as a test of Membership, e.g. when visiting a Lodge where you are not known.

What happens at a Lodge Meeting?
The meeting is in two parts. As in any association there is a certain amount of administrative procedure - minutes of the last Meeting, proposing and balloting for new Members, discussing and voting on financial matters, election of Officers, news and correspondence. Then there are the ceremonies for admitting new Masons and the annual Installation of the Master and appointment of Officers. The three ceremonies for admitting a new Mason are in two parts - a slight dramatic instruction in the principles and lessons taught in the Craft followed by a lecture in which the Candidate's various duties are spelled out.

Why do Freemasons take oaths?
New Members make solemn promises concerning their conduct in Lodge and society. Each Member also promises to keep confidential the traditional methods of proving that he is a Freemason which he would use when visiting a Lodge where he is not known. Freemasons do not swear allegiances to each other, or to Freemasonry. Freemasons promise to support others in times of need, but only if that support does not conflict with their duties to God, the law, their family or with their responsibilities as a citizen.

Are Freemasons expected to prefer fellow Masons at the expense of others in giving jobs, promotions, contracts and the like?
Absolutely not. That would be a misuse of Membership and subject to Masionic discipline. On his entry into Freemasonry each Candidate states unequivocally that he expects no material gain from his Membership. At various stages during the three ceremonies of his admission and when he is presented with a certificate from Grand Lodge that the admission ceremonies have been completed, he is forcefully reminded that attempts to gain preferment or material gain for himself or others are a misuse of Membership which will not be tolerated. The Book of Constitutions, which every Candidate receives, contains strict rules governing abuse of Membership which can result in penalties from temporary suspension to expulsion.

It might be useful to include some of the above in the article!

LI.

The document you refer to was one I used in the research for this article, it is also downloadable in PDF format from the Grand Lodge web-site

I thought it might be, a lot of the wording was similar, but I could not find it!

but I got the paper version (thanks Dad )

It sort of inspired me but I did also use other material to try and get a balanced article