The Work of Freemasonry.

Freemasons are grouped into Lodges, where teaching takes place through initiation in a series of successive degrees during ritual ceremonies.

This teaching is carried out by a method that essentially uses a set of symbols inspired either by certain passages of Scripture, notably those related to the building of Solomon’s Temple, or by certain mythical themes. It calls for the full range of a man’s intellectual and logical faculties, his imagination, heart and intuition and has nothing in common with dogmatic instruction. Meetings usually take place in the evening, two or three times a month, except during the summer.

Apart from its teaching through initiation, Freemasonry encourages in its members a warm feeling of Brotherhood, since they come together in conditions of complete equality, whatever their social position. For instance, the ceremony in which King George VI of England became a joining member of the Scottish Lodge at Balmoral was presided over by the village postman, who was the Worshipful Master of the Lodge.  Freemasonry only recognises differences due to personal merit and brings together men from all walks of life.

As Freemasons, members of the Order are builders.  Through the rituals in which they take part, their meditation and their work of introspection, they are builders of a spiritual temple: building themselves, becoming more enlightened, more fraternal and more concerned with things eternal than temporal and with the essential rather than the haphazard.

Ritual meetings are often followed by a meal together. A typical feature of Masonic life is undoubtedly the contrast between the precision and solemnity of the meetings and the relaxed, friendly and light-hearted atmosphere that prevails afterwards.