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About Freemasonry - What is it that we do?
Freemasons meet in private Lodges, which are situated in almost every country in the world.
A Lodge can have a membership from about 20 to several hundreds. We have members who are part of our Royal family, professions, trades, skills, arts, sciences, businesses, manual occupations - both the employed and self-employed - and, sadly in these days, the unemployed.
When a person is admitted, he becomes known as a 'Brother' and remains so for the rest of his Masonic career.
When a man joins Freemasonry, he must take part in 3 different ritual dramas, which are known as 'degrees'. The messages of the degrees are briefly:
First Degree
The candidate is admitted as an 'Entered Apprentice' he learns about man's natural equality and dependence on others; his civil and moral duties; moral truth and virtue.
Second Degree
The candidate becomes a 'Fellow Craft' the effect of Nature and Science; the rewards of labour.
Third Degree
The candidate becomes a 'Master Mason' contemplation of mortality; honour and fidelity; duty to others; a deeper knowledge of himself.
Repertoire of Lectures available
Amongst the repertoire of Lectures available from the Association´s Lecturers are:
| What´s in a Name. |
| Masonic Victoria Crosses. |
| Sir Walter Stansfield, Soldier, Policeman and Freemason. |
| Your question´s answered. |
| The Green Man. |
| The Royal Arch Jewel. |
| More Ancient than the Golden Fleece. |
| Solomon´s Temple. |
| On being made a Mason. |
| The Lodge, its Jewels, Ornaments and Furniture. |
| William Price Smith, P.G.St.B., P.Pr.G.Sec. (N. Wales), his contribution to Masonry in North Wales. |
| Travelling Men East of the Mississippi. |
| Masonic Staffordshire Portrait Figures of the Victorian Era |
| French Masonry - a tribute to the late W.Bro. Peter Timney, P.Pr.S.G.W. (Somerset). |
| The Six Grand Lodges of England. |
| A Brief Insight of The Medieval Operative Mason. |
| Five Worthy Masons. |
| Astronomy - one of the Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences. |
| The Degrees of Obligation and Penalty. |
| Some Masonic Questions and Answers. |
| And illustrated by Symbols. |
| A development of the Masonic Apron. |
| Numbers in Freemasonry and their Recurring Nature. |
| Masonic Jewels - An illustrated Lecture. |
| The Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences - (Stamps Part 1). |
| Famous Masons depicted on Stamps - (Stamps Part 2). |
| Royal Freemasons - (Stamps Part 3). |
| St Catherine and her Wheel. |
| Roman Freemasonry. |
| Reflections on the History of the North Wales Province. |
| How many Tylers did you say? - Recollections of a wartime prisoner of War. |
| A Lecture Team renders the Three Degree Ceremonies as practised in Jersey circa 1760 |
A full updated list of Lecturers and their contact details is sent to Lodge Secretaries and Chapter Scribes E. annually.
Further details are available from the Secretary of the Association : (Hint)
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What Happens on a Lodge Evening?
Usually one of the ceremonies, as briefly described in the opposite sidebar, takes place in the Lodge room, and this may be followed by the social part of the evening, the 'after-proceedings', often historically known as the 'Festive Board'.
At the Festive Board, members may have dinner and/or refreshments. Toasts are given to the Queen and various distinguished members of the Order, there are a few short speeches and there is occasionally an item of entertainment.
Offices and Ranks
Some time after a mason completes his Third degree, he may be invited, or express a desire, to take an office in the Lodge.
This means he will be taking part in the dramatic representation of the moral messages mentioned above.
He will progress through the offices, usually on a yearly basis, until the office of Master of the Lodge is attained.
He is under no obligation to undertake any of these offices but many men find, within a Lodge, it is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a Freemason and that they are helped to discover their own talents and to gain increased confidence in themselves.
Charity
An important and integral part of Freemasonry is the practice of charity.
