Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is the Masonry of today called
speculative?
A: The word is used in the sense that the Masonry of today is
theoretical, not practical, building; that it is a pursuit of
knowledge, not of the construction of edifices.
Q: How old is Masonry?
A: The Regius poem, which is the oldest Masonic document dates back
to as early as A.D. 926. Masonry being defined indicates in
practical terms dates to the middle ages(tenth or eleventh century).
The first Grand Lodge came into existence in 1717. Freemasonry in
the United States dates to 1730 and probably earlier.
Q:What's
a Mason?
A:That's not
a surprising question. Even though Masons(Freemasons)are members
of the largest and oldest fraternity in the
world, and even though almost everyone has a father or grandfather
or uncle who was a Mason, many people aren't quite certain just who
Masons are. The answer is simple. A Mason (or Freemason) is a member
of a fraternity known as Masonry (or Freemasonry). A fraternity is a
group of men (just as a sorority is a group of women) who join
together because: There are things they want to do in the world.
There are things they want to do inside their own minds. They enjoy
being together with men they like and respect.
Q:How
many freemasons are there in the world?
A:There
are 5 million Freemasons worldwide.
Q:Why
do Masons wear aprons?
A:The
use of the Apron is extremely old, not, as with the operative
Masons, as a protector of clothing and body against tools and stone,
but as a badge of honor. It was used by the priests of Israel,
by candidates for the mysteries of Mithras in Persia, by the ancient
Japanese in religious worship. Ethiopia knew aprons as did
Egypt. In all times and climes, it has been a badge of distinction.
It is as such that a Mason wears it. The material of the Masonic
apron - lambskin- is a symbol of innocence, as the lamb has
always been. Color and material are important in its symbolism but
Masonry admits the "symbol of the symbol" - as for instance, an
electric light in place of a candle. Hence a Mason has more
than once been "properly clothed" when the lambskin aprons of the
lodge were all in use and he came through the tiled door clad in a
white handkerchief!
