A famous philosopher once said, "Bees will not work except in silence; neither will virtue work except in secrecy." The Masons (also known as the Freemasons) have been around almost since the beginning of time as their history will tell you. They started out as members of the stonemason craft and, through the years, developed into an organization open to every man, regardless of his occupation. Their goal is to come together to promote a better society and a better world. Their stance is that works of good quality and high merit can only be accomplished in silence, or through secret acts. Because of this level of secrecy, though, hundreds of myths and mysteries have appeared in popular culture.
1. What is the ritual of the entrance ceremony? The first stage or degree of entering into Freemasonry is that of "Entered Apprentice." Each jurisdiction, or branch, of Masonic lodge is free to set their own ceremonial rituals within certain parameters. The initiation, they say, is an experience you will never forget. The beginning of the ceremony to become an Entered Apprentice includes a "hoodwink" covering, which is meant to symbolize the secrecy and privacy surrounding Freemasonry, and it also represents the ignorance of the "un"-initiated until such time as they begin their search for Truth within the boundaries of the Freemasonry fraternity. To know "all" their secrets, you will need to join and journey to the status of Master Mason.
2. What does the secret handshake mean? The Mason's secret handshake was meant to identify members among those who had not met before or who did not know each other. There was also a special hand "grip," and sometimes the use of a password. All these were done to say, "I am one with you" in the beliefs of the fraternity known as the Masons.
3. Is it a fraternity or a religion? Masonry has been described as a "fraternity within a fraternity." The outward appearance of the group known as the Masons has the goals of promoting a better community and society through good works. Others should take note that there is an inward "elite" group of brothers who toil unknown and attend to a higher path. Sometimes that "higher path" might lead into dark places before their higher plane is seen and recognized.
4. Are the Masons Christian-based or cult-based? Masons want you to believe that God and the Bible are important parts of Freemasonry. The Bible is laid open on every altar of every Masonic lodge and the oaths taken by new members are done so with the aid of the Bible to give their statements weight and lend credulity to their words. The Masons believe in accepting men of all faiths, no matter by what name they call God, or the Divine One. They know the "One" that is considered the supreme deity, called by another name, is still the same God.
However, there are some acts believed to have been perpetrated by Masons that would lead one to believe they are not all freewill and goodness. One such story, detailed in "The Strange Disappearance of Captain William Morgan," tells the tale of how Mr. Morgan was kidnapped by a group of Freemasons and then murdered because he was going to publish a book revealing the secret workings of the "inner society" of Freemasonry.
5. Are Masons a "Secret Society," or do their actions and feelings just defy words to explain them? The Masonic Information Center will tell you that, if the Masons are supposed to be a "Secret Society," then it would be the "worst-kept secret in the world." In the late 1800s and early 1900s, secret societies became very popular and some of them were modeled after the Masons. The Masonic Information Center will go as far as to tell you that didn't necessarily make the Masons one of them.
The Masons have lapel pins, rings, and tie clasps to indicate their affiliation. Linking the name of their organization with "secrets" may have to do with the fact that the overwhelming joy of satisfaction they feel with the accomplishments of goodwill of their group may be just too good to put into words.
The Masons would like you to believe they have no real secrets, but . . . is that just want they want you to believe or is it the truth? The answer to that is still a mystery. It is likely to remain a mystery until such time as you decide to journey down the path that will lead you to the inner workings and society of the Masons, and there you can decide for yourself.
To learn more about the Freemasons and discover the story behind the disappearance of Captain William Morgan in 1826 in New York, visit http://www.ad-hoc-productions.com/index.html.
Michael Keene is the award winning producer of a number of independent historical documentaries including Visions: True Stories of the Supernatural.
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