Compiled by Greg Stewart

http://www.freemasoninformation.com

An E-BookOn the Ancient And HonorableFraternity

What is

Freemasonry

What is Freemasonry?

Why This E-book

Today many books exist on the subject of Freemasonry available at a variety of retail outlets and libraries. In those volumes are a variety of specific details andresearch that delve to great depths on the subject matter, often looking to findits historical or symbolic roots lost in the passage of time. These books areimportant, and a great resource to anyone who is looking to round and develophis or her interest in the gentle craft.Missing from that collection however are works that speak of the fraternity in amore modern context. Absent is the present day goings on, of how and whysomeone would want to become a Freemason. Often, the acronym of 2B1ask1is the favored way to communicate the idea that to become a Freemason aninterested party simply needs to ask another Freemason how. And, as the reachof the fraternity has diminished over the years, interested men are finding itincreasingly more difficult to find someone even to ask.How can you ask one to be one, when you don’t know one?In that question rests the reason for this e-book. For the fraternity to enter intothe 21st century digital age, it needs to be approachable and available, and beso in a way that those interested can find them. Many web sites exist on-line,catering to a variety of reader types, from veteran members researching the lat-est paper topics to social discussion boards where the finite points of symbolsare discussed. Some of these sites have some degree of information. None of them however focus specifically on the present tense idea of what Freemasonryis, today, right now.So, to address that absence, this e-book was created to help address the ques-tion “What is Freemasonry?” In its present tense, and not in a manner that ne-cessitates a long detail of the past.I hope, in some small measure, this book answers some of the questions thatsomeone new to the fraternity would ask. And, in answering them, I hope itcompels them to learn more.

What is Freemasonry?

Introduction

Freemasonry has a long and active history in North America. Its origins can betraced into England, and the organization of the United Grand Lodge in 1717,which coalesced out of several existent lodges into one governing body. Its trueand exact age, however, is lost in the sands of time.Some have posited a connection to the Knights Templar, some to the TempleBuilders of the Renaissance, and others to the Christian Mystics whose study of the Cabala was shunned by the Catholic, Anglican, and later Protestant churchesthat dominated Europe. Many historians, Masonic or otherwise, study Freema-sonry and its roots in the past looking for its connections and links to themodern age.Outside of that historical quest the regular practice of Freemasonry continueson everyday around us.I’ve heard said, and repeated on many occasions, that the practice of Freema-sonry is about the journey and not the end destination. That it is not abouthow we arrived at where we are today but rather a culmination of our historyand philosophy that equates to the modern practice. To that end, Freemasonryis at its heart the study and practice to encompass all perspectives, so that inour time as Masons through the liberal arts and sciences, we can better serveand contribute to the society in which we exist.This short volume is meant to be a tool to inform the reader on the fraternity of Freemasonry as a free resource on the web. It’s value is in the hands of thoseunfamiliar with the fraternity or to those who simply asks the question “What isFreemasonry?” The answers to the questions within grew out of personal cor-respondences over the course of several weeks. They are by no means the onlyanswer to and represent my own perspective as no one man can speak for thefraternity, these are only one mans perspective on them.I encourage the reader to reach out and ask a Mason about Freemasonry.

Greg Stewart

Masonic Traveler

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