Many of you know that I have been a
member of the Freemasons for about 40 years, and had the privilege of serving
as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota in 2009-2010.[1]
No one can know for certain when and how
Freemasonry was formed. The most likely
explanation is that it is an extension of the great cathedral builders of the
Middle Ages. These craftsmen not only
worked together, they lived together in structures called “lodges”. They passed on their knowledge of
architecture and masonry to apprentices and fellows of the work, who aspired to
be masters.
They also enforced a moral code and
enjoyed fellowship in their leisure hours.
Over time, citizens of the communities
where these cathedrals were being built became intrigued and some were invited
to join as honorary, or speculative, Masons.
300 years ago, on 24 June 1717 four
London Lodges, which had existed for some time, came together at the Goose
and Gridiron Tavern in St Paul’s Churchyard, declared themselves a Grand
Lodge and elected Anthony Sayer as their Grand Master. This was the first Grand
Lodge in the world.[2]
In order to become a Mason, a person
must be a man, of the age of majority, of good moral repute and have a belief
in a Supreme Being. That Being may be
called Jesus, God, Yahweh, Allah or the Great Spirit. On the pedestal in the middle of the lodge
hall (called the altar), is found the book of sacred scripture. It may be a Christian Bible, a Tanach[3] or the Quran. It may be all three.[4]
In 1717, Europe and England were not far
removed from the religious wars that plagued them in the 16th and 17th
centuries. The lodge was one place where
members of all religions could meet in safety and fellowship. The same could be said today, where Jews,
Christians and Muslims can meet. While
Masons begin and end their meetings with prayer, we refer to the Deity as the
Grand Architect of the Universe so that all brothers may pray to God as he
believes Him to be.
Many of the Founding Fathers of our
great nation were Masons. A case can be
made that the Freedom of Religion in our Bill of Rights is there because of
Freemasonry.
[3]
Though the terms
"Bible" and "Old Testament" are commonly used by non-Jews
to describe Judaism's scriptures, the appropriate term is "Tanach,"
which is derived as an acronym from the Hebrew letters of its three components:
Torah, Nevi'im and Ketuvim. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-tanakh-full-text
[4] I
have been in lodge where all three are displayed next to each other.
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