Freemasonry is a fraternity, not a religion.

Freemasonry is a fraternity, not a religion.
As a fraternal association dedicated to making good men better, 
Freemasonry respects the religious beliefs of all its members. 
Freemasonry has no theology and does not teach any method of 
salvation. In particular it does not claim that good works guarantee 
salvation.
Freemasons are united in their desire to be of service to mankind.
While Freemasonry supports homes for members and their spouses, most 
Masonic services, including Shrine medical and burn centers, are 
available to all citizens. In 1990, American Masonic philanthropy 
totaled more than $525 million, of which 58% went to the general 
public.
Freemasonry is an open, not secretive, society.
Masonic meetings are announced publicly, Masonic buildings are marked 
clearly and are listed in phone directories, and Masons proudly wear 
jewelry identifying their membership. Freemasons inherited a 
tradition of trade secrets from the cathedral building guilds of 
medieval Europe. The only "secrets" still belonging to modem Masonry 
are traditional passwords, signs of recognition, and dramatic 
presentation of moral lessons.
Freemasonry is open to all men of good character who believe in God.
Freemasonry does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, or 
social class.
The Masonic family of organizations is open to all.
Freemasonry admits only men, but many Masonic related organizations, 
such as the Eastern Star, Amaranth, Job's Daughters, Rainbow for 
Girls and DeMolay for Boys, offer ample opportunities for women and 
youth.
Freemasonry does not require improper oaths.
The solemn promises taken in Freemasonry are no different than the 
oaths taken in court or on entering the armed services. The much 
discussed "penalties," judicial remnants from an earlier age, are 
symbolic, not literal. They refer only to the pain any honest man 
should feel at the thought of violating his word.
Freemasonry teaches individual improvement through study.
Freemasonry encourages study, including literature by the great 
writers of ancient times. Freemasonry does not sanction the views of 
these authors but offers them for each individual's reflection and 
evaluation.
Freemasonry teaches in steps.
Masons learn through a series of lessons. These "degrees" of insight 
move from basic to more complex concepts. This no more hides the 
nature of Freemasonry from novice members than does having student 
understand fractions before calculus.
Masonry is practiced worldwide.
There are approximately 2.5 million Masons in the United States and 
nearly 6 million throughout the world.
Freemasonry has no single spokesman.
Freemasonry is made up of many individuals in numerous organizations, 
all subordinate to the Grand Lodge within their jurisdiction (i.e. 
state). None of these members organizations can speak for 
Freemasonry; that is the responsibility of each Grand Lodge within 
its jurisdiction. No Masonic body nor author, however respected, can 
usurp the authority of a Grand Lodge.
Appendant Bodies
Masonry has many groups, each with a special social, educational, or 
philanthropic focus. A man becomes a Mason in his local Lodge. Then 
he joins any of the following "Appendant Bodies": the Scottish Rite, 
York Rite (which includes the Royal Arch and Knights Templar), 
Shriners, Grottoes, Tall Cedars, etc.
Many of the world's most respected men including - business, 
military, intellectual, political and religious leaders - have been 
or are Masons.
Eddy Arnold Roy Acuff Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin 
Gene Autry Daniel C. Beard Francis J. Bellamy 
Irving Berlin Simon Bolivar Walter Boomer 
Gutzon Borglum Ernest Borgnine Omar Bradley 
James Buchanan Arleigh Burke Richard E. Byrd 
B. H. Carroll Mark Clark William Clark 
Dewitt Clinton Ty Cobb W. T. Connor 
Jack Dempsey James Doolittle Arthur Conan Doyle 
"Duke" Ellington Henry Ford Gerald Ford 
Benjamin Franklin Clark Cable James Garfield 
Arthur Godfrey Wolfgang von Goethe Barry Goldwater 
Samuel Gompers John Hancock Warren Harding 
Jesse Helms Sam Houston Burl Ives 
Andrew Jackson Andrew Johnson John Paul Jones 
Benito Juarez Rudyard Kipling Marquis de Lafayette
B. Lawrence John Lejeune Charles Lindbergh 
John Marshall George Marshall Thurgood Marshall 
Jose Marti Charles Mayo Douglas MacArthur 
Abner McCall William McKinley James Monroe 
Wolfgang Mozart Louie D. Newton Norman Vincent Peale 
J. C. Penney John Pershing Tames Polk 
Paul Revere Herbert Reynolds Roy Rogers 
Will Rogers Franklin D. Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt 
Thomas S. Roy L.R Scarborough Jean Sibelius
"Red" Skelton John Phillip Sousa William Howard Taft 
Danny Thomas Lowell Thomas Strom Thurmond 
George W. Truett Harry S. Truman Joseph Warren
John Wanamaker George Washington John Wayne
Original Brochure Published by 
THE MASONIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION 
OF THE UNITED STATES 
RLB / SGW / ACGL 1993 - '94 
"The Masonic Fraternity is one of the most helpfully mediating and 
conserving organizations among men, and I have never wavered from 
that childhood impression, but it has stood steadfastly with me 
through the busy and vast hurrying years."
George W. Truett
"I have been a Southern Baptist since my childhood. I have served two 
Baptist Churches as deacon and Sunday School teacher. I have been a 
Mason for 45 years."
Senator Jesse Helms 
"To me, Freemasonry is one form of dedication to God and service to 
humanity."
Norman Vincent Peale 
"Masons of highest ideals and morality have been and are men of 
Christian faith and spiritual convictions."
Warren C. Hultgren
"No one who does not observe, participate and experience the life and 
works of the Church; or the Lodge will be able to understand them. 
Understanding comes not from just talking the talk, but from walking 
the walk."
Abner V. McCall
2 B 1 ASK 1
Facts about . . .
F
R
E
E
M
A
S
O
N
R
Y








Quotes : 
" Spirituality is essentially a journey within. You need no preparations, no 
luggage to carry - nothing absolutely. What you need is just : LOVE ! And this 
Love, can only come as an after effect of self-actualization, achieved through 
the practice of meditative way of life."
- Anand Krishna -