Provincial
Grand Lodge for ShropshireFrequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to become a Freemason?
What happens at a Lodge Meeting?
I've heard that grown men run around with their trousers rolled up. Is this true?
Are Freemasons expected to prefer fellow Masons?
Do Freemasons support others as well as each other?
Q: What is Freemasonry?
A: The largest secular, fraternal
and charitable organisation in the United Kingdom. It teaches
self-knowledge through participation in a progression of ceremonies.
To find out more please click on the 'Becoming a Freemason' link in
the navigation bar to the left. There, you will find a booklet
you can download and read at your leisure.
Q: How much does it cost to become a Freemason??
A: We pride ourselves in being open to all and within
the reach of everyone, the cost is therefore very
modest. There is a joining fee which usually includes the
cost of the apron. Thereafter, there is an annual membership fee
of around £110 and an annual charity subscription of £35 or whatever the
member is able to give.
Q: Are you a secret society?
A: We are not, but Lodge meetings, like those of many
other groups, 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.
Q: How do I become a
Freemason?
A: It is very straightforward. If you know anyone
who is a Freemason then approach them directly. Otherwise, contact
the Secretary of a Lodge in your area; you can find your nearest Lodge
by looking at the Craft Lodges link in the Navigation pane to the left
and clicking on it. Or, you can contact the Provincial Grand
Secretary (on the Contacts link) and he will gladly put you in touch
with the relevant Lodge Secretary. Most Lodges hold 'Gentlemen's
Evenings' once a year for prospective candidates where you will be able
to meet and talk to others about Freemasonry over a relaxed evening
meal.
Q: What happens at a Lodge Meeting?
A: 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,
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.
Q:
I've heard that grown men run around with their trousers rolled up.
Is this true?
A: It
is true that candidates have to roll up their trouser legs during the
three ceremonies when they are being admitted to membership but not
thereafter. Taken
out of context, this can seem amusing, but like many other aspects of
Freemasonry, it has a symbolic meaning.
Q: Are Freemasons expected to prefer fellow Masons at the expense of
others in giving jobs, promotions, contracts and the like?
A:
Absolutely not. That would be a misuse of membership and subject
to Masonic 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 is 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
varying from temporary suspension to expulsion.
Q: Do Freemasons support others as well as each other?
A: Yes.
From its earliest days, Freemasonry has been involved in charitable
activities. Since its inception, Freemasonry has provided support
not only for widows and orphans of Freemasons but also for many other
within the community. Whilst some Masonic charities cater
specifically but not exclusively for Masons or their dependents, others
make significant grants to non-Masonic organizations. On a local
level, lodges give substantial support to local causes.
Q: Are you a religious order?
A:
Emphatically not. Freemasonry requires a belief in God and its
principles are common to many of the world's great religions.
Freemasonry does not try to replace religion or substitute for it.
Every candidate is exhorted to practise his religion and to regard its
holy book as the unerring standard of truth. Freemasonry does not
instruct its members in what their religious beliefs should be, nor does
it offer sacraments. Freemasonry deals in relations between men;
religion deals in a man's relationship with his God.