Who are Masons?
Masons are men, like your grandpa, dad, or uncle, who join clubs they call Lodges, where they can meet friends from all over the world.
You can find Masons if you look at their car tags, jackets, or rings and see an emblem with a compass to make circles like the one above, a two headed eagle, or an Aladdin's sword.
At parades and football games, they might be wearing a white apron, a hat with white feathers, or a red fez with a tassel. Sometimes they carry swords, flags, or musical instruments. A group of Masons might include clowns, camels, and horses, or they might be driving miniature cars and motorcycles. They might be called Scottish Rite, Commandery, or Shriners, but they all belong to the same worldwide club of Masons.
They put on dances, dinners, fish fires, and barbeques to raise money for children's hospitals and for medical research. They also give money to help youth groups and for scholarships. Masons do all kinds of good things!
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What is Freemasonry? Freemasonry
is the oldest and the largest fraternal order in the world. Although
it is not a religion, its members are dedicated to serving God,
as well as family, fellowman, and country. Freemasonry is a system
of morality, veiled in allegory, illustrated by symbols. Many of
our nation's founders were Freemasons, as well as fourteen Presidents
of the United States, beginning with George Washington. Community service and charitable works are principal Masonic activities. They sponsor or support local projects ranging from the recognition of the achievements of others such as public educators and safety officers to scholarship programs. Collectively, Freemasonry and its concordant bodies in America spend more than two million dollars per day on numerous charities. Any man of good moral character who believes in a Supreme Being and a life after death may petition to become a Freemason. To be one, ask one. For the Grand Lodge of Oregon's explanation of Masonry, click here. Famous Masons Besides George Washington, many of our founding fathers were Freemasons, including Benjamin Franklin (who served as Grand Master of Pennsylvania), John Hancock, and seven other signers of the Declaration of Independence, as well as Thomas Paine, John Paul Jones, General Lafayette, Paul Revere and many of the participants in the Boston Tea Party. Other famous Freemasons in American history include Lewis & Clark, Steven Austin, Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett, Sam Houston, and other fighters at the Alamo, Buffalo Bill Cody, Kit Carson, W.C. Fields, Harry Houdini, John Phillips Sousa, Omar Bradley, Charles Lindbergh, Douglas MacArthur, and Audie Murphy. More recent Masons include Astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, Gordie Cooper, Guss Grissom, and John Glenn, entertainers Louis Armstrong, Gene Autry, Count Basie, Ernest Borgnine, Duke Ellington, Burl Ives, Will Rogers, Mel Tillis, and John Wayne, and politicians Bob Dole, Sam Ervin, Jesse Helms, J. Edgar Hoover, Trent Lott, Thurgood Marshall, Sam Nunn, and Earl Warren. |
The Masonic Presidents |
Concordant Bodies
There are many organizations associated with Masonry. Some are for the family members of Masons, like Amaranth, DeMolay, Eastern Star, Job's Daughters, and Rainbow Girls. The Scottish and York Rite organizations are available to Master Masons who wish to learn the mysteries of Ancient Craft Masonry, while the Shrine clubs are social and charitable organizations. To learn more about them, click here.
