Masons older than they know

Secret society, or simply a men's club with a history so long it exceeds recorded memory? Movie plots and bestselling novels notwithstanding, the charitable Freemasons are not without secrecy or mystery, but perhaps not the kind you think.

Never mind the Da Vinci Code and all-seeing eye on a dollar bill (an ancient symbol in many cultures which connotes wisdom, awareness, and truth). As entertaining as it may be to surmise otherwise, just because a symbol - or parts thereof, more accurately - is popularly used by many throughout the centuries does not mean it's all by the same design. The facts are interesting enough without the Hollywood hype.

Fact: Not even Masons know how old they are. Groups resembling the Masonic Fraternity existed before the Middle Ages, but that's the earliest reliable record of a society of stonemasons' guilds. These men often lived away from home with one another for the long periods of time required to erect major buildings, so a fraternity and mutual reliance made sense, a sort of family bond. The rituals (which men have always enjoyed and incorporated into their society with one another, including religion and politics) still used today come from this era, as described in a poem circa 1390, which was only a copy of an earlier work. The next best record is four centuries later, when four lodges (what each local group is called) in London merged to form the first "Grand Lodge of England."

Fact: Many of America's forefathers were Masons. By 1750 there were lodges in the colonies, whose "brothers" included George Washington, Ben Franklin, Paul Revere, John Hancock, and Nathaniel Greene, to name a few. More modern masons include Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall, Will Rogers, and General MacArthur. Be careful on the Web, which has much misinformation; an official list of famous Masons is at Masonicinfo.com.

Fact: Freemasonry emphasizes study, self-improvement and social betterment via volunteering and philanthropy (to the tune of more than $500 million annually in the U.S.). The three basic levels, or degrees, of masonry are reminiscent of its stonemason origins: apprentice, fellowcraft, and master mason, each including duties toward fellow man in addition to privilege. Passing from one to another involves formal ritual, although Masons also congregate casually for social and volunteer events. Masons throughout history and today found and fund orphanages, hospitals and homes for the aged, and veterans' programs.

"To relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent on all men, but particularly on Freemasons, who are linked together by an indissoluble chain of sincere affection. To soothe the unhappy, to sympathize with their misfortunes, to compassionate their miseries, and to restore peace to their troubled minds, is the great aim we have in view. On this basis we form our friendships and establish our connections." - Illustrations of Masonry, by William Preston 1772

Fact: It isn't a secret organization, but like some college fraternities, religions, and members-only groups, it has its secrets, a fact Masons freely admit and describe as related to their advancement practices. Yes; they do have a secret handshake. But so did my schoolmates; belonging, a sense of brotherhood or sisterhood - these make us feel good. In Masonry, it also tells fellow Masons whom they can rely on in need.

Let's face it: Human beings love, even need, to feel special; memberships and exclusivities of rank and knowledge which others don't have help us feel that way. On the flip side, secrecy of which we are not part makes us feel distrustful, and feels more threatening to the insecure when the group holding the "secrets" is large in number (throughout the years); hence the aura of mystery and malice by some toward Masons. But since when does a private club have to make its business public?

Fact: Masons profess a belief in one god, but Freemasonry is not a religion. Their broadminded respect for individual choice regarding spirituality is part of their heritage. In the 1700s the Freemasons dedicated themselves to the ideals of the Enlightenment: The dignity of man and the liberty of the individual, the right of all persons to worship as they choose, the formation of democratic governments, as well as the importance of public education. Masons supported the first public schools in both Europe and America.

For more information about Masons, see the Masonic Information Center at Mic.com and Masonic Service Association at Msana.com. My thanks to reader J. McConnell for the topic suggestion.

Sholeh Patrick, JD, is a columnist for Hagadone Newspapers. Contact her at [email protected].