“The mission of freemasonry in Colorado is to teach and perpetuate a fraternal way of life that promotes brotherhood and self improvement through education, moral standards, charity, and community involvement.”
To Be One Ask One (2B1Ask1)
Ever think about becoming a Mason? Well, if you know a Mason the best thing to do is talk to him. Ask him why he belongs, ask him what he enjoys about his Lodge, ask him about what Masonry means to him. Some men are more willing to talk about Masonry than others, but most will share a great deal once they determine you are genuinely interested and show an eagerness to learn. Some Masons who have been involved for a long time may seem at first reluctant. This may be their way to decide if you are really interested, so be persistent if you are. If you do not know a Mason there are a number of ways you can meet one. Locate your local Grand Lodge, if you are in Colorado it can be found at http://www.coloradofreemasons.org/
Do your own research. Use the internet or use your library. There is an abundance of information available, some of it good, some of it not. So, explore and learn about this journey.
What is Freemasonry?
This is a difficult question to answer. There are a great many definitions of what Freemasonry is. One possible answer to this age old question might be: Masonry is an organization of men bound together with a mutual philosophy of moral standards, mutual understanding, and a Brotherhood in which all men are on a level and equal. Masonry is a precept or code that has endured down through the centuries, pointing mankind toward a higher dignity and a greater destiny.
Masonry is a way of life which includes kindness in the home; in business; courtesy toward others; dependability in work; compassion for the unfortunate; resistance to evil; help for the weak; forgiveness for the penitent; concern for good government; support of public education; high morality; love for one another and above all, a living, practicing reverence and love for God. Masonry is founded on the firm belief in the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man, and the immortality of the soul. First of all a Mason believes in God. This is indispensable.
What is the Basic Purpose or Goal of Freemasonry?
Through the improvement and strengthening of the character of the individual man, Freemasonry seeks to improve the community. Thus it impresses upon its members the principles of personal righteousness and personal responsibility, enlightens them as to those things which improve human welfare and inspires them with that feeling of charity, or good will, toward all mankind which will move them to translate principle and conviction into action.
Freemasonry also seeks to enlighten the mind, promote peace and understanding – and whatever may enhance and adorn man’s contacts with man – and to stimulate the noble and generous impulses of the human heart to practice its basic tenets of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.
The Fraternity stands firmly on the bedrock foundation of Brotherhood – universal Brotherhood – and all that is implied by that noble word.
Freemasonry in Colorado
Freemasonry (Masonry) is the oldest Fraternity in the world. No one knows just how old Masonry is because the actual origins have been lost in time. Probably, Masonry arose from the guilds of stone Masons who built the castles and cathedrals during the middle Ages. These Masons had the freedom to move from site to site and even to different countries while other people of the time could not. Hence the term Freemasons. Masons organized themselves into Lodges and/or Guilds, using the secrets of their Craft to identify themselves. The square and compasses, tools of the stonemasons trade became the Symbol of the Fraternity.
In 1717, a formal organization of Freemasons was created in England when the first Grand Lodge was formed. A Grand Lodge is the administrative body in charge of Masonry in some geographical area. Frequently different Grand Lodges operate in the same geographical area. Presently the Masonic Fraternity is worldwide. In the United States alone there are about 2 million Freemasons, they contribute over $2,000,000 each day toward philanthropic activities. Today, Freemasonry is composed of men bound together not by trade, but by their desire to be Fraternal Brothers. Through strengthening of the individual’s character, Masonry seeks to improve the community and make good men better.
Freemasonry arrived in what is now Colorado with the early miners and settlers. The first issue of the Rocky Mountain News in 1859 carried a notice of a Masonic Meeting. Following the formation of the Territory of Colorado in February of 1861, three Lodges joined together on August 2, 1861, to organize the Grand Lodge of Colorado.
In Colorado the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons and the Grand Lodge of Colorado Free and Accepted Masons have officially recognized one another and have, by treaty, agreed to share Concurrent Jurisdiction.
There are approximately 16,000 Masons in Colorado, many of whom belong to the Scottish Rite and/or York Rite of Freemasonry. Proficient Master Masons may become Shriners. Freemasons, Scottish Rite Masons, York Rite Masons and Shriners support many philanthropic works such as: scholarships, medical research, homes, Scottish Rite Centers for Childhood Language Disorders and Shriners Hospitals for Children. Other organizations, which are related to the Masonic movement, are formed for women and young people.
Masonry is not a religion. Masonry accepts all men regardless of their religion. Masonry encourages men to participate in their religious services and worship according to their faith. One of the traditions of the Fraternity is that a man must join of his own free will. A man desiring to become a Mason may request a Petition from a friend who is a Mason. Under present regulations a Mason may invite a friend to submit a Petition for Membership. However, Membership requires the following: a belief in the existence of a Supreme Being, that a man be of good moral character and be at least 18 years of age.
Who Becomes a Freemason?
Many Masons become Masons because a family member is, or was a Mason. Others become Masons because they have friends or co-workers who are Masons. Even with that it is difficult to learn about Masonry. Questions like what are the benefits of Masonry? What could being a Mason mean to me? Men who have belonged to things that seem larger than life, that have great purpose or have been part of a group that had a strong determination to accomplish something share a similar experience. It is a bond that is deeper than friendship and equally loyal. A Mason can meet a Mason in any part of the world and be welcomed as if lifelong friends. This is because they are joined by a collective experience and a shared commitment to moral integrity. Men who meet regularly and share a Lodge find fellowship and a commonality of interest to be better men. This is the crux of Masonry, this deep determination to be a better man, a more meaningful part of society and a light to other men. The vehicle for this in Masonry is through the study of history and the use of metaphor in teaching great truths as well as in the discussion of principles of healthy and moral behavior. It is exemplified through the living examples of Brother Master Masons within and outside of a Lodge.
Is Masonry for you? Listen deeply. What do you most want?
Still have questions?
Find a Mason and talk with him.