Our History
The Original Masons
The Builders
This is Canterbury Cathedral, built by the original masons in the year 1070.
The first masons were tradesmen we refer to as operative masons. Because weapons weren’t allowed in the church, and the tools to cut stone could be considered weapons, the masons devised a way to cut every single stone to shape, offsite. The stones were then brought on site and assembled according to the master mason’s plan. Imagine the skill and knowledge that took!
The Lodges
Operative masons formed guilds and lived in lodges. There, a young man of good character, who otherwise might not have an opportunity for education, would be taught the skills and knowledge needed to become a master mason: designer, builder, and architect. Masonry has always been about growth and improvement.
Why did he have to be of good character? Because the lessons he learned were trade secrets, and masons were a business protecting their interests. Secrecy is maintained today for the sake of tradition.
Why “Free” Masons?
During the middle ages most people belonged to a Lord who owned the land they lived and worked on. They weren’t allowed to travel. The masons, due to the nature of their work, were free of this restriction, because they were highly skilled and sought after. Therefore, they were called free masons.
The Transition
Nobody knows exactly when operative masons started the transition into Speculative Masonry (non-working masons using the philosophy of masonry to build a better version of themselves). There are records that date back to the 1500s but it could be older than that.
Over time, the lodges became social clubs, and the principles of building an impressive structure became a roadmap for how to become a better person. Those Masons that weren’t builders were called “Accepted” Masons. And to make things more official, the Grand Lodge of England was formed in 1717.
Hence, modern Masons are referred to as Free and Accepted Masons or F.&A.M.
FAQs
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As an organization we are politically and religiously neutral. Individual members can have their own beliefs as long as they aren’t atheistic or anarchical. If we were to associate with a particular political party or religion, we would not last. Because long term, times will change and so will popular beliefs. Think about how different religion and especially politics were over 300 years ago.
Another reason is, that members must choose to become a Mason of their own free will. We are entirely composed of people who, in their hearts, wanted to become a Freemason
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Many men in modern and historical times are Masons. People like, George Washington, Nat King Cole, Benjamin Franklin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Buzz Aldrin, John Wayne, Steve Wozniak, Mark Twain, Jesse Jackson, John Elway, Harry Houdini, and many more!
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The first Masonic Lodge was St. John’s Lodge of Boston founded in 1733. Three years later a charter was issued for Ben Franklin to form a Lodge in Philadelphia. And it’s been growing ever since.
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There is no documentable answer to this question. There are records that go back hundreds of years of men becoming Masons, but there is no one person that can be named first.
