It can be hard to know if you are interested in Freemasonry without knowing much about it. What is it to make a good man better? What do Freemasons do? The answer to these questions are vast and varied. The best way to find answers is to talk to a knowledgeable Freemason that you know. If you don’t know any Freemasons, the following briefly describes key features of the masonic experience, indicating some of what you would experience should you be successful in joining the Craft.
- Fellowship – Freemasonry brings men together in fraternal friendship; Freemasons refer to each other as “Brother” or “Brethren” as a reflection of that connection. Freemasonry reaches across political, religious, cultural, and social difference to emphasize our shared humanity. We come together to laugh, to unwind, to share ideas, to support, challenge, and inspire one another. Once a member, a Freemason gains the celebrated right of visitation – the right to attend any other Recognized Lodge across the world and join in fellowship wherever they may travel.
- Ceremony – Freemasonry welcomes brethren into the craft in a series of ceremonies which reach back as far as the ancient stonemasons guilds, and as Masonic tradition states, to “time immemorial.” These ceremonies are profound symbolic experiences, allegories which stay with Brethren of the craft for the rest of their lives. They are treasured memories and reservoirs of ongoing reflection on life and our place in the vastness of creation. We also value being part of those ceremonies for other new Freemasons, joining with them in this ancient, deep, shared experience of joining the Craft.
- Education & Personal Development – One feature of our meetings is ongoing education, with topics as varied as the membership of the craft, including: Rhetoric, Conducting a Business Meeting, Symbols and Jungian Archetypes, Tequila Appreciation and Tasting, Hermetic Philosophy, The Poetry of Robbie Burns, and Techniques to Improve Memory, to name just a few. Usually, those offering education are members of the craft sharing their experience, knowledge, or perspective with their brethren. Members can also seek personal development by participating in the Craft through opportunities for service and leadership within the lodge and the wider masonic organization.
- History & Tradition – Freemasonry is the oldest continuously operating Fraternity in the world, and to become a Freemason is to follow in the footsteps of many men reaching back through time. Your steps join with those of many historical luminaries, such as Mozart,Joseph Brant “Thayendanegea”, Robert Service, Buzz Aldrin, Steve Wozniak and many others, but, perhaps more importantly, they may also join with a grandfather, or great uncle, or even more distant Ancestor. Tradition draws us together not simply by bringing us together with brethren in the present, but unites us also with a long and storied history across time, and invites us to share in the continuation of this great story into posterity.
Of course, this is only a brief overview of what the experience of the craft in Lewis Lodge would be like. The only way to truly understand is to experience it yourself. If you are interested in finding out for yourself, please contact us, and we will be happy to start the conversation.