Its arcane rituals, whispered passwords and mysterious handshakes have survived centuries of persecution, but now the future of Freemasonry may be under threat - from the smoking ban.

Lodges have reported a sharp drop in attendances since the ban was introduced because smokers are too embarrassed to be seen lighting up outside.

Attendances have been hit in small communities where Masons fear being identified when they go outside to have a cigarette dressed in their regalia.

The number of Freemasons attending on Lodge in Fife has fallen 20% over the past year and other Lodges are said to be concerned that a growing number of smokers are staying away from meetings.

"We have long ceremonies usually lasting about a couple of hours", said one Mason from Fife, who asked not to be named.

"Before the smoking ban was brought in, members could pop into a back room at the Lodge and have a smoke during the three-minute adjournment.

Now they have to go outside because of the smoking ban and they don't like it because they have their aprons on and are immediately identified as Masons. I don't mind being seen in public with my apron on, but some of the older members feel embarrassed and, as a result, are just not turning up for Lodge meetings."

The Freemason said that before the smoking ban was intorduced last March, about 50 members regularly attended his local Lodge. Now, only 40 do so. He added that other Lodges were struggling to persuade smokers to attend meetings.

I've been to meetings all over Scotland and everyone is saying there has been a dip in the number of people coming along to meetings because of the smoking ban," he said.

"I've been to meetings in the Western Isles and Inverness and people there have told me there has been quite a dip there too."

Freemasonry was founded in Scotland by the St. Clairs [sic] of Roslin and the first minuted meetings were recorded in Edinburgh in 1599. The Grand Lodge of Scotland was formed in 1725 and prominent Scots Masons have included Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, Aurthur Conan Doyle and Sir Harry Lauder.

Sir Archibald Ewing [sic] is the 109th Grand Master Mason in [sic] Scotland, while the Duke of Kent is is the Grand Master of English Masons. There are currently arounf 75,000 Masons in Scotland attending more than 660 Lodges.

Worldwide the movement has a further 480 Lodges in 47 countries.

While the organisation has been dogged by allegations of excessive secrecy and cronyism, it has tried in recent years to challenge public perception by being more open about what goes on behind closed doors.

In 1986, the Freemasons changed their oath so that members no longer had to agree to have their tongues cut out if they revealed the secrets of the organisation.

The judiciary, police service operate under voluntary arrangements for Masons in their ranks to reveal their membership, although implementation of the system is patchy.

Members of the Scottish parliament are encouraged to declare their membership under their code of conduct. In 2002, David McLetchie, the former Tory leader, admitted he had been [sic] a Freemason.

Kathleen Nutt. The Sunday Times. 25th March 2007

Kathleen Nutt, a Sunday Times writer, telephoned the Grand Secretary, David M. Begg, on Thursday, 23rd March to ask for an official Grand Lodge comment and to check whether the smoking ban had, in fact, affected attendances at Scottish Lodges. She was informed that the story was nonsense and that to publish otherwise would simply be wrong. The story, as above, was published anyway. In other words, having sought an official comment from the Grand Lodge of Scotland it was completely ignored.

Secret Handshake:

Worldwide there might be 480 Lodges affliated to the Grand Lodge of Scotland, but millions are affliated to Freemasonry the world over, all assisting mankind through usually unpublicised charitable works (Smoking ban may stub out Freemasons, News, last week). I hardly think smoking could be a rite-destroying mechanism. Look at Allam Massie (Focus) to see the addicted at work and play.

G. Smith, Cromdale.

Letters page. The Sunday Times, 1st April 2007.