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Freemasonry under the United Grand Lodge of England is the UK's largest,
secular fraternal and charitable organisation It has over 300,000
members in nearly 8,000 lodges throughout England and Wales and 30,000 more
members overseas.
The United Grand Lodge of England has published a booklet called "Becoming
a Mason". In addition, there are various other useful notes to be
found on the UGLE website.
The Buckinghamshire Provincial Grand Lodge also has information about
becoming a Freemason.
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If you are thinking of becoming a Mason, please read the following:
What every candidate should know
- Masonry
consists of a body of men banded together to preserve the secrets, customs and
ceremonials handed down to them and for the purpose of mutual, intellectual,
social and moral improvement. Its members endeavour to cultivate and exhibit
brotherly love, relief and truth, not only to one another, but to the World at
large.
- A basic
condition of admission into, and membership of the Order is a belief in the
Supreme Being.
This is essential and admits of no compromise.
- It recognises
no distinctions of religion and while inculcating in each of its members the
duties of loyalty and citizenship, it does not permit any of its members,
either in Lodge or in their capacity as Freemasons, to discuss theological or
political questions.
- It offers no
pecuniary advantages binding one Mason to deal with another, or to support him
in any way in the ordinary relations of life.
- It has certain
Charities, but is not in any sense whatever a benefit society, nor is it based
upon any calculations which would render this possible. The Charities are
solely for those who, having been in good circumstances, have been overtaken
by misfortune or adversity. Neither a Mason, his wife, nor his children have
any claim upon them.
- Masonry
teaches that a man's duty is to himself, his wife, his family and his
connections. No one should join the Order who cannot well afford to pay the
Initiation fees and subscription to his Lodge as well as to the Masonic
Charities and this without detriment to the comfort and well being of those
who have any claim on his support.
Therefore
everyone, before offering himself as a candidate, should be well assured in his
own mind:
- That he
sincerely desires the intellectual and moral improvement of himself and his
fellow creatures.
- That he is
willing to devote part of his time, his means and his efforts in the promotion
of brotherly love, relief and truth.
- That he seeks
no commercial, social or pecuniary advantages.
- That he is
able to afford the necessary expenditure without injury to himself or his
connections
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