A short two hundred years ago, most entertained themselves with social gatherings, games, and (if one was wealthy enough) books and theatre.
Today, we live in a world of instant gratification. Whatever you want to do, there is likely a website or a mobile app for it. With credit cards, we make instant purchases and can enjoy our purchases immediately, all from the comfort of our respective homes.
With all these modern conveniences, why should anyone be a Freemason today?
What are the benefits of becoming a Freemason?
Freemasonry makes good men better and allows for a higher quality of life.
8 Benefits of Becoming A Freemason
- Moral Self-Improvement
- Increased Brotherhood
- Community
- Relief/Charity to Others
- Relief/Charity to Each Other
- Leadership Skills
- Education
- Mentors
Moral Self-Improvement
Freemasonry is, first and foremost, a beautiful system of morals, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.
As a fraternity, it offers tools whereby the Mason may augment, magnify, or build upon his already-existing moral foundation. These tools are neutral both religiously and politically, so they are fit for everyone to use.
Take, for example, the Square.
As a symbol, the Square teaches us to square our actions by the precepts contained in our respective Volumes of Sacred Law (whether it is the Bible for the Christian, the Qur’an for the Muslim, the Torah for the Jew, etc.).
Today especially, we see square angles in just about everything: buildings, windows, computer monitors, TVs, books, etc.
If a Mason is attentive to the world around him, he has constant reminders that bring his respective Volume of Sacred Law to mind, leading him to ask himself,
“Am I acting the way that I should as a follower of my respective faith? What have I done wrong today that I can correct tomorrow?”
The obligations that we take upon ourselves and the charges that we are given in Masonry expect us to be the best that we can be as men of faith, fathers, brothers, sons, citizens, employers, employees, etc.
In every aspect of life, Masonry gives us a standard to meet; it is up to us as Masons not only to meet that standard but also to heighten it so that we will strive to be better tomorrow than we are today.
Increased Brotherhood
Here in the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge F&AM of Utah, we address our petitioners with the honorific mister; after they have taken their first Masonic obligation as an Entered Apprentice, however, we call them brother.
I assume that it is the same in most if not all other grand lodge jurisdictions. We do not confer this title lightly; its importance to us is only evidenced in part by the investigation process that each petitioner must go through.
This leads to one of the three tenets of our Fraternity: Brotherly Love. I have a younger brother (biologically). After my wife, he is my best friend. After him, I have similarly high regards for my Masonic brethren; I consider them as family, which consideration I have found to be largely reciprocated.
If you are given the opportunity to serve the lodge in any capacity (appointed or elected), this will be symbolic of the level of brotherly trust that your lodge has in you to carry out the duties of that capacity.
Whenever you ballot to elect any of your lodge brethren, you are showing that same brotherly trust towards them (even though your ballot is anonymous). If you are ever in the position to appoint others, then those appointments will also be indicative of that same brotherly trust that you have for them.
That is trust not only to lead the lodge in some capacity, but also to be an official representative of the lodge to the grand lodge and, just as importantly if not more so, to the local community.
Community
Masons are to mix with the world.
Given that Freemasonry is a civic fraternity, each Mason is given the opportunity to get to know others.
I am not talking about looking at people’s social media profiles or interacting virtually (unless, of course, a global pandemic leaves little choice in the matter);
I mean getting to know someone in-person. While a social medium can be a wonderful tool to augment our community relationships, it can never serve as a substantial substitute for them.
In addition, we are to help build the community. Just as the forebears of Freemasonry were men who constructed grand buildings of stone, so are we to improve ourselves and to build up those around us.
Relief/Charity to Others
Relief (or Charity in some grand lodge jurisdictions) is another of the three tenets of Freemasonry.
A Mason is to be serviceable to his fellow man. When you become a Freemason, you open yourself up to new opportunities to serve other people: Masons and non-Masons alike.
Service is charity in action.
By serving other people, we ourselves become more patient and selfless.
We are given projects that cannot be carried out instantaneously. Though there are plenty of mobile apps that allow us to serve others, the opportunities for service increase substantially when we look to meet needs physically.
When I joined my lodge, it was struggling to find its niche in the community.
After a few years of trying different things, it found and implemented a successful program called Bikes-for-Books; this program challenges children at local elementary schools to read as many books as they can, with each completed book equaling a chance to win a bicycle with protective gear.
My lodge raises funds to provide two bikes with gear per grade per school per scholastic year. As mentioned, we also do regular blood drives for the local American Red Cross.
Your lodge will hopefully be active in serving other people. As your lodge grows, its capabilities (and therefore opportunities) to serve will also grow.
As a result, your personal involvement will give rise to opportunities to develop the traits and characteristics needed to be an effective leader.
Relief/Charity to Each Other
In addition, though Freemasonry is neither a benefit nor an insurance society, we still do our best to help each other when it is needed. I have a personal experience in this area as well.
I would like for the reader to keep in mind that the following anecdote is a far cry from networking.
The purpose of Freemasonry is not for the Mason to seek employment nor to advance himself in his career; such are mercenary motives.
There is a monumental difference between 1) joining a group for networking or employment opportunities and 2) already being a part of a group where someone happens to be capable and willing to help you out of a financial tough spot.
Shortly after I became a Master Mason, I lost my job. A fellow Mason who owned his own cleaning business reached out to me. He had a huge project (construction clean-up for a new local medical school) and needed to hire some help.
My wife and I were the first whom he brought on to his team.
Almost every day, he paid for lunch for the whole crew; on days when he could not make it with us due to meetings, he entrusted me with his credit card to pay for those lunches. He also entrusted me with his credit card whenever an emergency trip had to be made to the local cleaning product store.
This level of love that he had for all of us and the trust that he had in me speaks volumes, I think, of the qualities that Masons are expected to have.
The more that we can have and merit trusting relationships like this, the better we can be in building our communities.
This theme of charity and brotherly trust that Masons have for each other has been seen and heard of in various situations throughout the history of the Fraternity.
There are even accounts from during the American Civil War when Masons on opposing sides would show mercy to captive brethren, administer burial rites for fallen brethren, or even occasionally meet as Masons during temporary truces.
No matter where you are traveling in the world, if you ever have any difficulty and need help, you can call on your fellow Masons for assistance (if there are any in the area, of course).
It is not guaranteed that we will be able to help, but we are still obligated to do their best.
If you do not know any Masons in the area, reach out to your lodge Secretary to see if he (through the Grand Lodge Secretary) can contact the local Masons in the area and put you in contact with them.
Leadership Skills
A natural side-effect of being a Freemason is developing the skills necessary to be an effective leader.
Whether you become a lodge officer, are appointed to chair a committee, or are asked to head a specific charity or service project, it is impossible to avoid the opportunities to improve your leadership skills.
I personally have had to develop leadership skills within the past couple of years to be an effective chairman of my lodge’s investigation committee, to coordinate blood drives for the local American Red Cross, and in the offices that I have held in the lodge.
This year as Senior Warden, I will have to develop those skills even more in case I am elected to be the Worshipful Master for the following year.
Education
Masons are ever to be learning and to apply to their lives what values they learn. It does not matter how this is accomplished, whether it be by going to school, by reading daily, or even by emulating a neighbor’s good habit.
As has been discussed in this article, one can develop many traits either by serving the community as a Freemason or in one’s association with fellow Freemasons. I mentioned that I worked two different jobs that were extended to me by fellow Masons.
In the first, I certainly learned a lot about air purification and cleaning that I had never thought about. In construction clean-up, I learned a lot about patience, humility, and charity from the owners of the company.
There is also the aspect of Masonic ritual, which is standardized and most of which is delivered from memory. As has been stated above, Masonry is a beautiful system of morals.
Masonic ritual is used to convey and teach those morals. I have yet to come across any memorized part that did not teach me something about how to be a better person. Every time I go to a regularly stated meeting or a degree ceremony, I learn something new.
Mentors
This section goes along with brotherhood, leadership skills, and education; however, I feel that it deserves its own mention.
A wonderful aspect about Freemasonry is the age range. I joined at 25 years-old; most members of my lodge at that time ranged from their 40s to their 90s.
This provides me with a wealth of experience to draw upon.
If I am ever facing a difficulty of most any kind, I can ask a fellow Mason for his advice on the subject. If he has any to offer, then he will. Now that a few years have passed, I am starting to be eased into a similar position with new petitioners who are becoming Masons.
Now that I have been an officer of the lodge for a few years, it is also becoming frequent that new officers will ask me for advice on how their duties can best be carried out.
I am privileged to have a variety of mentors in my lodge and do not know where I would be in my life without them.
It should be noted that your mentors do not necessarily have to be older than you. I have seen quite a few brethren who are mentors to each other on various topics.
Conclusion
The purpose of this article is not to convey that Freemasonry is the only thing that will make good men better.
On the contrary, there are various ways to achieve self-improvement. As illustrated above, however, Freemasonry combines various aspects into its expectations for its members.
In addition, I am not conveying that Freemasonry makes good men better than what other people are; instead, it makes good men better today than they were the day before.
Freemasonry has given me various opportunities to serve others. It has also afforded me the ability to learn various leadership skills on-the-go.
I have also formed lasting relationships with men whom I genuinely feel are my brethren, no matter from whichever walks of life they each have come. I learn something new whenever I attend a Masonic function.
You will notice that I stated at the beginning of this article that Freemasonry will give opportunities for a life of higher quality.
All of these are examples of that.
You might not become rich (especially if you are always traveling to grand lodge events and/or paying annual dues for multiple lodges and appendant/concordant bodies),
But you will certainly enjoy a higher caliber of life from the brotherhood you have, the service/charity you render, the skills you learn, the mentors you gain, and the moral character that you develop.
Interested in joining? Here’s our guide on how to become a Freemason.
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This article was written for MasonicFind.com by Brandon Cole, SW.
Thanks for your great information.
You’re most welcome Sara! 🙂
Best yet! Thank you Brother. I am sharing this with my other Brothers.
Awesome! You’re very welcome Marc and thanks for sharing ! 🙂
Thanks a lot
You’re welcome 😉
Superb! Thanks a lot for the information.
The main bebefit is to find the path to the true ligth, I mean the self knoledge that allow us to be a kind person, good citizen and good example to our family, te whole Mankind. Easy to say but no so simply to realize. TAF
I am very happy to read those things ,and it is so very true
From my experience with freemasonry freemasonry is 90% charitable giving 10% sweat My father is a mason my grandfather was a mason both were devoted to the craft ive started becoming a mason but my memory is not what it once was so its hard for me
As for getting rich as a freemason you do get rich ! but not in monetary means but in spiritual living by living with a clean walk with the Lord as i see it
A wholesome life is yours for the living masons just give you a guide and a discipline to follow with it .
My Grandfather and father have many many friends and brothers in masonry very good God loving people in my estimation i think of it as a social network unplugged !
As a child growing up with my father practising in front of a mirror to thank his brothers and praise God i seen the value in a Masonic life but to my detriment i waited to this latter age to join
As far as paying Dues you pay dues at a country club and get less knowledge from it than you do from Masonry in my view Masonry can be a great way of life and a great path to learning Brotherhood in God !
Just my 2 cents
Do freemasonry believe in Jesus Christ? Am willing to join but I wanted to be sure if i can still take Jesus as my saviour?
thanks for making to know the real truth about freemasonry and the benefits and most especially the charity work which is very interesting and if giving the chance to become a member i love the charity work and pay my annaul fees for the charity work
my future son-in-law showed me a plaque of him and his grandfather who was a freemason and a auditor. i told him to go down to the city(new york)and look into his grandfathers time with them. would it be of benefit to him,and would it be possible for him to join. my son-in-law is a police officer with the DEP. your advice would be wellcomed!
I have challenges paying my school fees, and it seems I may drop out of school due to that. Can I get help from the fraternity if I join?
Very true words brother
Thank you bro Thadd for your kind words ! 🙂
Can’t wait to Join, I’m very excited to start my journey on becoming a new man
Couldn’t have put it any better brother
Thanks Bro Ian 🙂
Please i want to be a member of the freemansonry and live in thailand can someone help me out
Check out our article on How To Become A Freemason.
Thank you for that important information
Is there any blood sacrifice required before being initiated in the masonic world
No that is not a requirement. 🙂
Thanks for the info im thinking about joining not sure yet and wondering if i could afford to join depending on fees.
Fees range from lodge to lodge, if you think one is “expensive” try another one.
Im am willing to join Masons today or whenever an I will do whatever it takes to be com one
See our post how to become a freemason.
All great point…… The only regret I have about being a freemason is, I didn’t join sooner in life….
Awesome ! Thanks Neil for stopping by! 🙂
Great insite to the craft, I will save it and pass it on when ever I can.
Good job, well done.
Take care, Bob
Cheers Robert. Much appreciated.
i had been initiated since ten years i know have 7 years old in mason age calendar but ineed help please some one wrote me back in order to talk about the problems please
Feel free to contact us in private.
I love the way you impart this information, so many time that I wish I had this when I first start from the darkness in to the light and as I continue I get so much light that I am going to return a man with even more light to impart with to other.
Thank u for the insight I have my interview in the morning
Awesome! :)))
Please I was try to join the masonic group but there is a some thing confuse me is,’ if I joint masonry I may get opportunity to be giving money and car as a New member.
No you will not get anything when you become a member. Please do not join any lodge that says you will! There are a lot of scams happening like this.
Once again another great article for those wanting to join & for some all ready Brother’s.
Thanks you so much, you are a man of wisdom!
I want to join in this family, please help me.
See our guide on how to join the freemasons here.
Ive only been on this website for 10 minutes and its been so helpfull.
Im going through my 1st on Monday coming and the nerves are starting to kick in. Im really excited and cant wait to be part of such a large family 🙂
Glad to hear Chris. Hope you enjoyed your first degree! 🙂 Mind blowing right? Welcome to the brotherhood, brother!
I studied film and tv technology and graduated in 2014 , I don’t have a good job nor earn that much …. can i join the family?
See our guide on how to join. 🙂
Please am a women in Ghana in west Africa am not working can I join the freemasonry? If yes then please help me to join.
Hey there Rita. I am sorry to tell you but masonic lodges are very few, you can see our interview with a female freemason here. But I doubt there will be any in Ghana. :/
Good day!
I actually had a simple, complicated question.
I don’t practice the Christian faith and I live in the US. But from the quotes and wisdoms of the masons, I have been entrigued.
So to my question, do I have to follow the Abrahamic religions to become a brother?
No, ever mason is free to follow his own religion. Masonry does not require you to follow a certain religion.
can Freemason get me out of poverty
Sorry but It can’t brother. Freemasonry will not give you money.
I’ve really enjoyed this piece of information. Buh I ave a question to ask. please what’s the difference between Freemasonry and Illuminati?
Dennis – Ghana
It has always been my wish to become a mason,i want to become a better man and find myself in the midst of better and dignified organisation.ive read a lot about freemasonry and I really wanna join,not because of money or fame or anything flashy,my dream is to become a better man with good morality with mankind though there’re many ways to become a better man but I believe freemason is the best means to accept your goodness in the midst of million of better men.i am in Kumasi and want to deliver my letter to the Secretary but I know no branch in kumasi,Ghana.can you please help me out???
Thanks for the info.I would like to join but I need more time to think,im a Christian im also thinking if joining will not conflicts with Christianity.
Is it voluntarily to quit after joining
What are the consequences of quitting the Craft.
Nothing much really happens. But why are you thinking of quitting ?
I’m not a freemason yet – actually of course but I would reply to the question . Dear writer of the article does refer to six benefits of freemasonry or in a better word to be a freemason; some elements like : Second Family, to have a nice sense of a sort of twofold relationaship between you and the second family which in this way your brothers all around the world are counted yours, your own family; you feel to be a part of something bigger than you … What? The world … the community of your brothers all around the world, your second family … Mankind … To be equal to all , sense of equality; changing your attitude to charity works and Walking in the way of Light to becoming a better person . The respectable writer also refers to some of the false thought on the freemasonry like : a way to make mony! or to be rich! or making some connections for buisiness! and as such …
All of these statements are considered as a series of Truths . But in my opinion freemasonry during these centuries was never defeated why? That’s obvious because it was never been formed as an idiology ; idiology are always adjudged to be failured ; idiology is a hard, harsh and intolerant phenomenon while freemasonry was \ is \ will be an open idea – philosophical and logical at the same time which can be corrected by a suggestion or a simple hint . To writing about ‘ The Benefits Of Being A Freemasonry ‘ is not absurd but is tautological to some extent . Being a Mason, Being a Freemason is a great Benefit indispensiblity, on the one hand and has a numerous benefits on the other hand, namely threre is ‘ there are no any limits for and freemasonry’s benefits goes to infinity . ( This note was written suddenly and without any draft or rough copy . I hope for reader’s connivance and their kind indulgence . I’m proud of to be a freemason, personaly . What will be happened if actually I become a freemason?
Yours
Sincerely
A.h. Kh. Randgbar
One of the greatest feelings is becoming a Mason. What you put in is what you get out. Learning the craft and sharing fellowship with your brothers is beautiful. Doesn’t matter what walk of life you come from, everyone is treated equal. The charity is heart-warming to know your helping those in need.
Hope all my brothers across the world, is doing good!
I’m living in iran and i want to be a mason. based on researches the nearest lodge in is istanbul . so could go there and join the brotherhood?my problem is that i cant be in turky for a long time i just can go once every month . so despite all this . is it possible for me to be a member?
Is the Sabean Ritual Order or the Golden Dawn apart of the Masons?
Thank you.
It’s not the same as Freemasonry, but they have a lot of things in common with Freemasonry. See this here.
I am in the 18th and have found Masons to be a marvelous group of people with high moral values. The Brethern are supportive of one another and many charities.
I sincerely believe that I have been enriched by coming into contact with persons from diverse backgrounds that I would not have met under other circumstances.
Hello, I’m 22 years old and just recently stumbled onto this. First off, I read the part about needing to follow a supreme being and I’m curious if being Agnostic would still fall into that category? Secondly, my grandfather is a mason and I’m wondering if having a family member in the organization would increase my odds of joining? Finally, seeing as I’m still in college and trying to maintain both a full time job and full time schooling, how much time would being a mason take up in my day to day life?
I Mason from Russia. I’ve been in a fraternity for 12 years. Everything that is written in this article is the absolute truth.
Great article brother I would agree with all that was said, from the outside it is difficult to understand the fraternity that is the craft unless you have experienced it. I am English, I was initiated whilst living in France and now am a Spanish mason. I would like make two points, number one we always tell potential candidates that although it has free in the title it is never free. Two in some of the assumed benefits are reasons to be rejected as a candidate. If your reason for joining is for personal gain then you are joining the wrong organization. I will share this with my brothers thank you for taking the time to explain the craft and to promote it.
What are the differences between Freemasons and Illuminati please are they the same
You can learn more about the two here.
I’ve been reading James Allen Treasure (Mind is the master) and decided to explore more about masonry. I’m truly enlightened.
Thinking bout joining
Go for it. 🙂
Is it ok to be a Christian (Jesus follower) and be a Mason? Throughout this whole thing, I believe twice this was asked in different wording but was never answered. Not sure if this was on purpose or just an oversight. I am currently filling out a petition. I have two friends who say that doesn’t matter at all. Anyways, I was just curious about the Christian thing also. I hope the Masons doesn’t contradict. Thanks for the article. I really enjoyed it.
You are very welcome Kevin.
I passed my screening process, and brothers are ready to visit my home to meet me and my wife. I’m know a little nervous, and not sure if I could commit based on time and finances… any suggestions
Well done Chris! Hope all is well!
What happens in case you run poor and you can’t afford your dues anymore since life isn’t a straight line.
The best thing to do in this case is to discuss it with your Lodge/Brethren.