Some people look into joining Masonry because they believe that they can make some money as Masons.
Some people also join thinking that, like an insurance or benefit society, the Lodge will just give one money.
These are mercenary motives, which are actually wrong reasons to join Masonry as detailed in one of our recent articles.
One should seek to become a Mason for moral self-improvement and service to the community, not for material or financial gain.
That all stated, is it possible to benefit financially from Freemasonry? Yes, it is possible; but not to the extent that you may be thinking.
Career Opportunities
There are some grand lodge jurisdictions that are so large that they must hire people on in order to help keep the Craft running smoothly.
Take, for example, the United Grand Lodge of England:
In the past they have offered salaries over the years for various positions, including administrative assistants and social media executives.
Granted, these and other like positions are open to Masons and non-Masons alike; but what better way for a Mason to live than as a full-time Mason? Most Masons have to wait until retirement in order to achieve that dream.
Even in some smaller jurisdictions, our larger, older temples sometimes have hired staff present to ensure that the buildings are in working order (and sometimes to give tours to the public, which I think is always fun).
Writing
As a Mason, one may decide to write about his firsthand experiences and understandings about Masonry, how it works, the culture(s) attached to it, and so on. Perhaps he decides to self-publish; perhaps someone sees his content and offers to publish it.
Either of these are possibilities.
Expectations
Outside of actual careers (like the salaried positions given as examples above), there are mixed feelings in the Craft about making money off of it.
Freemasonry is an organization of selflessness, so some do not take kindly to others making a profit from it.
I have personally made money by writing about my experiences and understanding of the Craft; however, after church tithing and state/federal taxes, the money that I make therefrom goes mostly towards expenses for Masonic duties (i.e., traveling to grand lodge communication, traveling to the homes of lodge brethren to coach them on catechisms, etc.), Masonic materials, Masonic charities, other charities, and so on.
I am aware of some Masons who live off of selling books on Masonry; I am aware of others who make a living off of blog posts regarding Masonic news from around the world.
Financial Assistance
There are some fraternal organizations (for example, the Order of the Elks, the Knights of Columbus, and so on) that have their own insurances. Freemasonry does not itself have one.
Resultantly, Masonic Lodges are typically not equipped to provide financial assistance/relief to fellow brethren.
This does not mean that we will not do our best to pitch in to help a brother when needed.
We will absolutely do our best by individually chipping in whatever we can (without material injury to ourselves or those dependent upon us). However, it might not be enough and one should therefore not expect the Lodge to be sufficient as a primary source for material welfare.
Conclusion
It is possible to make money from being a Mason. In my personal opinion, however, such should only be dedicated to fulfilling one’s respective duties to God, family, neighbor, country, and self; it should not be spent on whims, frivolities, or wants, but rather on the needs of self and of others.
That stated, if you are a Mason and you seek to make money via means related to Masonry, I leave it to your judgment how such money should be spent.
Nobody knows your needs better than you do.
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This article was written for MasonicFind.com by Brandon Cole, SW.
