What Does a Mason Do?
The Masonic experience encourages members to become better men, better husbands, better fathers and better citizens. The fraternal bonds formed in the Lodge help build lifelong friendships among men with similar goals and values.
Masons are deeply involved in helping people. The Freemasons of North America contribute more than $2 million a day to charities, representing an unparalleled example of the Masonic Fraternity's humanitarian commitment. Much of that assistance goes to people who are not Masons. The Shrine Masons operate the nation's largest network of hospitals for burned and orthopedically impaired children, and there is never a fee for treatment. The Scottish Rite of Masons maintains a national network of more than 150 childhood language disorder clinics, centers, and programs. Other Masonic organizations sponsor a variety of philanthropic initiatives, including scholarship programs for students, and provide public services in their communities. Masons also enjoy the fellowship of social and recreational activities.
Even though Masons (freemasons) are members of the largest and oldest fraternity in the world, and even though almost everyone has a father or grandfather, or uncle who was a mason, many people aren't quite certain just who Masons are.
The answer is simple. A mason (or Freemason) is a member of a fraternity known as Masonry. A fraternity is a group of men who join together to work towards common goals and enjoy each other's company.
Where Did Masonry Originate?
Freemasonry is the oldest fraternity in the world. No one knows exactly how old it is because its origins have been lost to time. Probably, it arose from the guilds of stonemasons who built the castles and cathedrals of the Middle Ages. Possibly, they were influenced by groups such as the Knights Templar, an order of Christian warrior-monks founded in 1118 to protect pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land.
In 1717, Masonry established a formal organization in England with the creation of the first Grand Lodge. A Grand Lodge is the administrative body in charge of Masonry in a geographical area. In the United States, there is a Grand Lodge for each state and the District of Columbia. In Canada, there is a Grand Lodge for each province. Local organizations of Masons are called lodges; there are about 13,200 Lodges in the United States.
Masons are deeply involved in helping people. The Freemasons of North America contribute more than $2 million a day to charities, representing an unparalleled example of the Masonic fraternity's humanitarian commitment. Much of that assistance goes to people who are not Masons. Shriners International, who are all Masons, operates the nation's largest network of hospitals for burned and orthopedically impaired children, and there is never a fee for treatment. The Scottish Rite of Masons maintains a national network of more than 150 childhood language disorder clinics, centers, and programs. Other Masonic organizations sponsor a variety of philanthropic initiatives, including scholarship programs for students, and provide public services in their communities. Masons also enjoy the fellowship of social and recreational activities.
Even though Masons (Freemasons) are members of the largest and oldest fraternity in the world, and even though almost everyone has a father or grandfather, or uncle who was a mason, many people aren't quite certain just who Masons are.
The answer is simple. A Mason (or Freemason) is a member of a fraternity known as Masonry. A fraternity is a group of men who join together to work towards common goals and enjoy each other's company.
What are the goals and causes of Freemasonry?
Masonry teaches that a person has a responsibility to make the world better. Masonry is deeply involved in helping people. Masons spend more than $2 million dollars every day in the United States, just to help people.
The vast majority of this money goes to people who are not Masons. Some of these charities are large projects supported and operated by Masons, such as the Shriners' Hospitals for crippled and burned children.
While this may be the best-known Masonic Charity, lodges throughout Maryland are involved in many other local charities and causes. Another example would be participation through donation and service to community organizations such as the Chip Program (Child identification), Fish Food Program, and helping feed the hungry. Adopting families at Thanksgiving and Christmas, to name a few.