No longer a secret society

9:47am Monday 12th November 2007

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Even today's members don't know how or when it all began.

But given that the historical backbone of Freemasonry is buried in myth, half-truths, secrecy and reticence, it is hardly surprising that its origins are difficult to unravel.

What is certain is that about 500 years ago the stonemasons' guild in England stopped being a closed shop. It began to accept men from other trades and passed to them the signs, passwords and rituals stonemasons had used to recognise each other since the 11th century. From that guild sprang today's international Freemasonry movement.

Unfortunately, it continues to be dismissed as a society of secrets and silly handshakes rather than as an organisation which, in England alone, raises millions of pounds for charity each year.

"Yes, we do have ceremonies and, no, I cannot tell you what exactly happens in those ceremonies," declared Brian Wright, press officer for the Essex Grand Lodge and a mason for 32 years.

"But I can tell you that a new lodge member will go through three ceremonies - a fourth if he becomes master of the lodge - and part of the ceremony involves enacting ritual dramas. There are, of course, many references to stonemasons."

The "secrecy" of the rituals not only binds members together but connects them to the movement's past, even though parts of that past are vague.

It doesn't make for better understanding of Freemasonry, especially as, until recently, masons refused even to acknowledge their own existence.

That, though, began to change in the late 1990s when the Grand Master of the United Lodge of England, the Duke of Kent, insisted the movement had to be more open.

"He said we couldn't continue as we were - we had to begin talking to people and explain about the work we do," explained Mr Wright. "So that is what we are doing."

The movement hadn't always been a byword for secrecy. Before the Second World War, Freemasonry, if not exactly up close and personal, was not hidden away and members would happily talk about themselves and their charity work.

"One reason for the secrecy was persecution," he explained. "Masons in Germany were arrested when Hitler and the Nazis came to power and sent to concentration camps."

Those arrests had a knock-on effect everywhere. Masons suddenly went silent. For the next 50 years, no matter what was written about the movement, no matter how defamatory, the response would always be "no comment".

"Not any more," said Mr Wright. "Rumours about what goes on in the masonic temple (meeting centre) took hold because we did not deny them. Now we are putting the record straight.

"We spent more than 50 years digging a hole for ourselves. We can't expect to get out of that hole overnight."

• For information about Freemasonry call Brian Wright on 01206 735524.

THE STRENGTH OF THE MASONIC MOVEMENT IN ESSEX

• Essex has more than 12,000 masons who are members of 330 lodges (grassroots groups) meeting in 27 masonic centres.

• Colchester has 13 lodges, Clacton eight and Harwich three.

• The number of members per lodge is between 20 and 50.

• All lodges are affiliated to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Essex, which is part of the United Grand Lodge of England, the world's senior grand lodge
• Essex Masters Lodge is made up of senior masons who were masters of their lodges. It has 1,000 members and is arguably the largest lodge in the world. It celebrates its centenary on November 25.

• Angel Lodge 51 in Colchester is Essex's oldest lodge. It first met on November 25, 1735.

WHAT IS FREEMASONRY?

Freemasonry is one of the world's oldest secular fraternal societies dating back to the 16th century and developed from the 11th century stonemasons' guild.

Members, who come from all walks of life - are taught moral and spiritual values by ritual dramas (ceremonies) which use stonemasons' customs and tools as allegorical guides.

Masons follow three principles - brotherly love (tolerance of others; kindness and understanding to all), relief (charity via cash donations and voluntary work), truth (via high moral standards).

FREEMASONS AND RELIGION

Freemasonry is not a religion nor a substitute for one.

Masons must believe in a Supreme Being, but the latter is an individual choice.

This means men from a wide range of faiths, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism have become Masons.

FREEMASONS AND WOMEN

Freemasonry is male-dominated.

It does not admit women as members, but this has not stopped women setting up their own lodges along freemasonary lines. Today, there are about 1,000 women masons in Essex.

FREEMASONS AND CHARITY

Essex masons raise cash for local and national charities.

The society's Grand Charity gives 50 per cent of money raised annually to national appeals. Last year it gave £600,000 to hospices in England and Wales.

The Grand Charity gives millions of pounds to national charities each year.

FREEMASONS AND TEDDY BEARS

Essex came up with the Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) scheme for hospitals and has so far provided more than 100,000 teddy bears for children.

Essex is currently helping masons in South Africa and Australia to set up similar schemes.