This page attempts to answer some of the questions most frequently asked about Freemasonry. If your question is not answered here, the United Grand Lodge of England website has further information.

Is information on Freemasonry freely available to the public at large?
What are the secrets of Freemasonry?
Isn’t ritual out of place in modern society?
Why do grown men run around with their trousers rolled up?
Why do Freemasons take oaths?
Why do the Oaths contain hideous penalties?
Are Freemasons expected to favour fellow masons when considering jobs, promotions, contracts or such like?
Isn’t it true that Freemasons only look after each other?
Aren’t you a religion or a rival to religion?
Why do you call God the ‘Great Architect’?
Do wives and partners have any involvement with Lodge activities?
What costs are involved in being a Freemason?
Why do some churches not like Freemasonry?
Why will Freemasonry not accept Roman Catholics as members?
Isn’t Freemasonry just another political pressure group?
Are there not Masonic groups who are involved in politics?
Is Freemasonry an international Order?
Is there any relationship between Freemasonry and groups like the Orange Order, Odd Fellows and Buffaloes?
Why don’t you have women members?

Q. Is information on Freemasonry freely available to the public at large?
Lodge meetings, like many other groups, are private and open only to members. The rules and aims of Freemasonry are available to the public and many books on the subject including our ritual books are available from libraries. Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodges have websites like this where Masonic information is displayed. Meeting places are known and their telephone numbers are in most directories. In many areas, they are used by the local community for activities other than Freemasonry. Members are encouraged to speak openly about Freemasonry and, indeed, many Provinces, including our own, hold Open Days and Gentleman’s evenings to encourage questions to be asked and the aims and achievements of our Order to become known. You will also see photographs and editorial in many local newspapers where, for example, masons have raised money for charities in the area. Masons have sometimes been understandably reticent about discussing their membership, perhaps fearing discrimination which may have adversely affected their employment. Such discrimination has been successfully challenged legally by Grand Lodge.

Q. What are the secrets of Freemasonry?
The secrets in Freemasonry are the traditional modes of recognition which are not used indiscriminately but solely as a test of membership e.g. when visiting a Lodge where you are not known.

Q. Isn’t ritual out of place in modern society?
No. The ritual that makes up a ceremony is a shared experience which binds the members together. Its ancient use of drama, allegory and symbolism impresses the principles and teachings of Freemasonry more firmly in the mind of each candidate than if they were simply passed on to him in matter of fact modern language.

Q. Why do grown men run around with their trousers rolled up?
It is true that candidates have to roll up their trouser legs during ceremonies when they are being admitted to membership. Taken out of context, this can seem amusing but, like many other aspects of Freemasonry, it has a symbolic meaning.

Q. Why do Freemasons take oaths?
New members make solemn promises concerning their conduct in the Lodge and in society. Each member also promises to keep confidential the traditional methods of proving that he is a Freemason which he would use when visiting a Lodge where he is not known. We do not swear allegiances to each other or to Freemasonry. We promise to support others in times of need but only if that support does not conflict with our duties to God, the law, our family or with our responsibilities as citizens.

Q. Why do the Oaths contain hideous penalties?
They no longer do. When Masonic ritual was developing in the late 1600s and 1700s, it was quite common for legal and civil oaths to include physical penalties and Freemasonry simply followed the practice of the times. In Freemasonry, however, the physical penalties were always symbolic and were never carried out, referring only to the pain any decent man should feel at the thought of violating his word. After long discussion, the penalties were removed from the Oaths in 1986 and are only referred to now in the past tense.

Q. Are Freemasons expected to favour fellow masons when considering jobs, promotions, contracts or such like?
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. 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. Isn’t it true that Freemasons only look after each other?
No. From its earliest days, Freemasonry has been involved in charitable activities and has provided support for not only widows and orphans of Freemasons but also for many others within the community. Whilst some Masonic charities cater specifically but not exclusively for Masons or their dependants, others make significant grants to non-Masonic organisations. Lodges also give substantial support to many local causes.

Q. Aren’t you a religion or a rival to religion?
Emphatically not. Freemasonry requires a belief in a Supreme Being and its principles are common to many of the world’s great religions, but Freemasonry does not try to replace religion or substitute for it. Every candidate is exhorted to practise his own religion and to regard his holy book as the unerring standard of truth. Freemasonry does not instruct its members in what their religious beliefs should be; neither does it offer sacraments or any road to salvation. It deals in relationships between men, whereas religion deals with a man’s relationship with his God.

Q. Why do you call God the ‘Great Architect’?
Freemasonry embraces all men who believe in a supreme being. Its membership includes Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Parsees and many others. The use of descriptions such as the ‘Great Architect’ prevents disharmony as it is neither a specific Masonic god nor an attempt to combine all gods into one. Thus, men of differing religions pray together without offence being given to any of them.

Q. Do wives and partners have any involvement with Lodge activities?
We feel it is important for us to have the support of our partners and therefore involve them wherever possible. All Lodges in this Province have extensive social programs with something for everyone, and many of our partners make new friends and expand their social activities through our involvement with Freemasonry. They are encouraged to attend Lodge social events and, indeed, they are often active in organising some of those social activities.

Q What costs are involved in being a Freemason?
On entry there is an initiation fee and an apron to buy. A member pays an annual subscription to his Lodge which covers his membership and the administrative cost of running the Lodge. It is usual to have a meal after the meeting; the cost of this varies depending on the type of meal the Lodge provides. It is entirely up to the individual member what he gives to Charity, but it should always be without detriment to his other responsibilities.

Q. Why do some churches not like Freemasonry?
There are elements within certain churches that misunderstand Freemasonry and confuse secular rituals with religious liturgy. Although the Methodist Conference and the General Synod of the Anglican Church have occasionally criticised Freemasonry, in both Churches, there are many masons and, indeed, others who are dismayed that the Churches should attack our Order, an organisation which has always encouraged its members to be active in their own religion. Many clergymen are masons.

Q. Why will Freemasonry not accept Roman Catholics as members?
It does. The prime qualification for admission into Freemasonry has always been a belief in God. How that belief is expressed is entirely up to the individual. Four Grand Masters of English Freemasonry have been Roman Catholics and there are many Catholic masons.

Q. Isn’t Freemasonry just another political pressure group?
Emphatically not. Whilst individual Freemasons will have their own views on politics and may, indeed, be very active politicians, Freemasonry, as a body, will never express a political view. The discussion of politics at Masonic meetings has always been prohibited.

Q. Are there not Masonic groups who are involved in politics?
There are groups in other countries who call themselves Freemasons and who involve themselves in political matters. They are not recognised or countenanced by the United Grand Lodge of England or by other regular Grand Lodges who follow the basic principles of our Order and who ban the discussion of politics and religion at their meetings.

Q. Is Freemasonry an international Order?
Only in the sense that Freemasonry exists throughout the free world. Each Grand Lodge is sovereign and independent and, whilst following the same basic principles, they may have differing ways of passing them on. There is no international governing body for Freemasonry.

Q. Is there any relationship between Freemasonry and groups like the Orange Order, Odd Fellows and Buffaloes?
None. There are numerous fraternal orders and Friendly Societies whose ceremonies, regalia and organisation are similar in some respects to those in Freemasonry. They have no formal or informal connections with our Order.

Q. Why don’t you have women members?
Traditionally, Freemasonry under the United Grand Lodge of England has been restricted to men. The early stonemasons were all male and, when Freemasonry was being organised, the position of women in society was different from today. However, if women wish to join Freemasonry, there are two separate Grand Lodges in England restricted to women only.