History

Benjamin Franklin is one of the more celebrated Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Among other things, he is famous for having discovered electricity, for inventing bifocal glasses, and for assisting in convincing Congress to vote for American Independency. Benjamin’s Franklin Youth Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on 17 January 1706 to … Read more

One of the conspiracy theorists’ favorite whipping boys relative to Masonry is Albert Pike, a well-respected author and famous Mason. Youth Pike was born on 29 December 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was raised as a Christian and attended an Episcopal church. Freemasonry Pike was initiated an Entered Apprentice and passed to the degree of … Read more

There are two extremely common ideas that many (if not most) non-Masons hold about Freemasonry: that Freemasonry is a political force, and/or that Freemasonry is a religion. The Nature of Masonry The purpose of Freemasonry is to make good men better; not for one to be better than others, but rather for one to be … Read more

One category of the secrets that we as Freemasons are obligated to keep are our modes of recognition. These were traditionally used to verify whether a stranger from another land was a Mason or not. So what are these modes of recognition for Freemasons? Without revealing them, I will explain the nature of these and … Read more

As in many subjects, Freemasonry has its fair share of popular authors. One such author is Manly P Hall. Early Life and Publications Hall was born on 18 March 1901 in Peterborough, Ontario. Like many esoteric authors, Hall’s works seem to have been based on a deep research of ancient traditions and attempts to apply … Read more

Throughout the year, we celebrate various holidays. It may surprise you to learn that St. John the Evangelist’s day (December 27th) is significant to Freemasons in the United States of America and possibly elsewhere around the world. Why is St. John the Evangelist’s Day celebrated by Freemasons? The reason is that St. John the Evangelist … Read more

One of the reasons why so much mystery surrounds Freemasonry is because of all the gossip and rumors floating around claiming Freemasonry is some nefarious, malignant force, religious and/or political. Where do these rumors come from? Why is it that Masonry has been and continues to be a convenient scapegoat? The following is a relatively … Read more

One of my personal favorite crime stores ever has to be, the story of Jack The Ripper. Today, we’re taking a closer look at the allegations that claim Jack the Ripper was a Freemason. While there are legitimate reasons why this acquisition is made (which you’ll hear about below), as you may know already, no … Read more

It’s often asked what positive contributions to society Freemasons have achieved throughout history. Well, as it turns out, Freemasonry (through the many great men in its ranks), has contributed a LOT. We covered the brilliant scientists who were Freemasons in a recent post, but today we’re taking a look at what their inventions were, so … Read more

As you may know already, modern-day/speculative Freemasonry (as it is known and practiced today across the world) comes from the ancient guilds of operative stonemasons. Today, we’re taking a break from talking about Masonic history. Instead, we’re going to take a look at how the ancient stonemasons built the many architectural wonders and cathedrals that … Read more

George Washington, a Founding Father and 1st President of the United States of America once said; ‘Freemasonry is an institution founded on eternal reason and truth; whose deep basis is the civilization of mankind, and whose everlasting glory it is to have the immovable support of those two mighty pillars, science and morality.’ The importance … Read more

Are there members of the Royal Family who are also Freemasons? We get asked this question from time to time so I decided to lay it all out for you below. In this article, I’m going to share with you the start (history) of Freemasonry in the United Kingdom, the Notable Monarchs who were (at … Read more

One of the most-loved, most-admired Freemason and President will forever be George Washington. We’ve covered Washington’s involvement briefly in our previous guide listing the 15 Masonic US Presidents. Seeing how George Washington is such a celebrated and decorated figure in history, today we’ve decided to dig a bit deeper and bring forth 8 masonic facts … Read more

Freemasonry & Hollywood. What’s the connection here? Well, Freemasonry has been present in Hollywood since the early 1900s. For a large part of the twentieth century, masons held a prestigious societal position in the organization of the city and landscape. Over the years, there have been many notable changes. The membership level has shrunk. During … Read more

Freemasonry can be found all over the world, but what about in a strict communist country like China? In this guide, we’ll do our best to explain the history of Freemasonry in China. How Freemasonry made its way into China Who were the first Freemasons in China Which were the first Masonic Lodges in China … Read more

Which US Presidents were Freemasons? While many believe America is a country founded on Masonic principles and run by shadow-government Freemasons, the truth is much less interesting. In fact, only a handful of the Founding Fathers of the United States were Freemasons, and to date, there’s “only” been a total of 15 Masonic US Presidents. … Read more

The 4th of July is a very important date for both the United States and Freemasons and is celebrated by members of the Craft all over the world. Freemasons and this US holiday are interconnected by the events that took place on that date, which would not have been possible (or would have taken place … Read more