Bawtry Freemasons lodge crest

Lodge 5174 Masonic Province of Yorkshire West Riding

Since 1930 Bawtry has been home to our small and friendly Lodge. Meeting on the first Tuesday from September to April and the second Tuesday in May. Pre-arranged visitors are always welcome, as are expressions of interest from prospective members.

Frequently Asked Questions

Freemasonry is the UK's largest secular, fraternal, and charitable organisation. It teaches moral lessons and self-knowledge through participation in a progression of allegorical two-part plays.

The meeting is in two parts. As in any association, there is a certain amount of administrative procedure: minutes of the last meeting, proposing and balloting for new members, discussing and voting on financial matters, the election of officers, news, and correspondence. Then there are the ceremonies for admitting new Masons and the annual installation of the Master and the appointment of officers. The three ceremonies for admitting a new Mason are in two parts: a short dramatic instruction in the principles and lessons taught in the Craft, followed by a lecture in which the candidate's various duties are spelt out.

It is not known. The earliest recorded 'making' of a Freemason in England is that of Elias Ashmole in 1646. 'Organised' Freemasonry began with the founding of the Grand Lodge of England on 24th June 1717, the first Grand Lodge in the world. Ireland followed in 1725 and Scotland in 1736. All the regular Grand Lodges in the world trace themselves back to one or more of the Grand Lodges in the British Isles.

There are two main theories of origin. According to one, the operative stonemasons who built the great cathedrals and castles had lodges in which they discussed trade affairs. They had simple initiation ceremonies and, as there were no City and Guilds certificates, dues cards, or trade union membership cards, they adopted secret signs and words to demonstrate that they were trained masons when they moved from site to site. In the 1600s these operative lodges began to accept non-operatives as 'gentleman masons'. Gradually these non-operatives took over the lodges and turned them from operative to 'free and accepted', or 'speculative', lodges.

The other theory is that in the late 1500s and early 1600s there was a group interested in the promotion of religious and political tolerance in an age of great intolerance, when differences of opinion on matters of religion and politics were to lead to bloody civil war. In forming Freemasonry they were trying to make better men and build a better world. As the means of teaching in those days was by allegory and symbolism, they took the idea of building as the central allegory on which to form their system.

The main source of allegory was the Bible, the contents of which were known to everyone even if they could not read, and the only building described in detail in the Bible was King Solomon's Temple, which became the basis of the ritual. The old trade guilds provided them with their basic administration of a Master, Wardens, Treasurer, and Secretary, and the operative mason's tools provided them with a wealth of symbols with which to illustrate the moral teachings of Freemasonry.

Basic Freemasonry consists of three 'Craft' degrees (Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason) completed by the Royal Arch degree (Chapter). There are many other Masonic degrees and Orders which are called 'additional' because they add to the basis of the Craft and Royal Arch. They are not basic to Freemasonry but add to it by further expounding and illustrating the principles stated in the Craft and Royal Arch. Some of these additional degrees are numerically superior to the third degree, but this does not affect the fact that they are additional to and not in any way superior to or higher than the Craft. The ranks that these additional degrees carry have no standing within the Craft or Royal Arch.

It varies from lodge to lodge, but anyone wishing to join can find a lodge to suit his pocket. On entry there is an initiation fee, an annual subscription to the lodge which covers his membership and the administrative cost of running the lodge, and a registration fee for Provincial Grand Lodge and Grand Lodge. It is usual to have a meal after the meeting; the cost of this is usually settled in the evening.

It is entirely up to the individual member what he gives to charity, but it should always be without detriment to his other responsibilities. Similarly, he may join as many lodges as his time and pocket can allow as long as it does not adversely affect his family life and responsibilities.

Under the United Grand Lodge of England there are over 200,000 Freemasons, meeting in over 7,000 lodges. There are separate Grand Lodges for Ireland (which covers north and south) and Scotland. There are thought to be approximately six million members worldwide.

We are not. Lodge meetings, like those of many other groups, are private and open only to members. The rules and aims of Freemasonry are available to the public. Meeting places are known and in many areas are used by the local community for activities other than Freemasonry. Members are encouraged to speak openly about Freemasonry.

No. The ritual is a shared experience that binds the members together. Its use of drama, allegory, and symbolism impresses the principles and teachings more firmly in the mind of each candidate than if they were simply passed on to him in matter-of-fact modern language.

New members make solemn promises concerning their conduct in Lodge and society. Each member also promises to keep confidential the traditional methods of proving that he is a Freemason, which he would use when visiting a Lodge where he is not known. Freemasons do not swear allegiances to each other or to Freemasonry. Freemasons promise to support others in times of need, but only if that support does not conflict with their duties to God, the law, their family, or their responsibilities as a citizen.

They no longer do. When Masonic ritual was developing in the late 1600s and 1700s it was quite common for legal and civil oaths to include physical penalties, and Freemasonry simply followed the practice of the times. In Freemasonry, however, the physical penalties were always symbolic and were never carried out. After a long discussion they were removed from the promises in 1986.

Wearing regalia is historical and symbolic and, like a uniform, serves to indicate to members where they rank in the organisation.

It is true that candidates have to roll up their trouser legs during the three ceremonies when they are being admitted to membership. Taken out of context this can seem amusing, but like many other aspects of Freemasonry it has a symbolic meaning.

No. From its earliest days Freemasonry has been involved in charitable activities. Since its inception Freemasonry has provided support not only for widows and orphans of Freemasons but also for many others within the community. Whilst some Masonic charities cater specifically but not exclusively for Masons or their dependents, others make significant grants to non-Masonic organisations. On a local level, Lodges give substantial support to local causes.

Absolutely not. That would be a misuse of membership and subject to Masonic discipline. On his entry into Freemasonry, each candidate states unequivocally that he expects no material gain from his membership. At various stages during the three ceremonies of his admission, and when he is presented with a certificate from Grand Lodge that the admission ceremonies have been completed, he is forcefully reminded that attempts to gain preferment or material gain for himself or others are a misuse of membership which will not be tolerated. The Book of Constitutions, which every candidate receives, contains strict rules governing abuse of membership that can result in penalties varying from temporary suspension to expulsion.

Emphatically not. Freemasonry requires a belief in God, and its principles are common to many of the world's great religions. Freemasonry does not try to replace religion or substitute for it. Every candidate is exhorted to practise his religion and to regard its holy book as the unerring standard of truth. Freemasonry does not instruct its members in what their religious beliefs should be, nor does it offer sacraments. Freemasonry deals in relations between men; religion deals in a man's relationship with his God.

Freemasonry embraces all men who believe in God. Its membership includes Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Parsees, and others. The use of descriptions such as the Great Architect prevents disharmony. The Great Architect is not a specific Masonic god or an attempt to combine all gods into one. Thus men of differing religions pray together without offence being given to any of them.

To the majority of Freemasons the Volume of Sacred Law is the Bible. There are many in Freemasonry, however, who are not Christian and to them the Bible is not their sacred book; they will make their promises on the book which is regarded as sacred to their religion. The Bible will always be present in an English lodge but, as the organisation welcomes men of many different faiths, it is called the Volume of Sacred Law. Thus, when the Volume of Sacred Law is referred to in ceremonies, to a non-Christian it will be the holy book of his religion and to a Christian it will be the Bible.

It does. The prime qualification for admission into Freemasonry has always been a belief in God. How that belief is expressed is entirely up to the individual.

Four Grand Masters of English Freemasonry have been Roman Catholics, and there are many Roman Catholic Freemasons today.

There are elements within certain churches that misunderstand Freemasonry and confuse secular rituals with religious liturgy. Although the Methodist Conference and the General Synod of the Anglican Church have occasionally criticised Freemasonry, in both Churches there are many Masons and others who are dismayed that the Churches should attack Freemasonry, an organisation which has always encouraged its members to be active in their own religion.

Emphatically not. Whilst individual Freemasons will have their own views on politics and state policy, Freemasonry as a body will never express a view on either. The discussion of politics at Masonic meetings has always been prohibited.

There are groups in other countries who call themselves Masonic and involve themselves in political matters. They are not recognised or countenanced by the Grand Lodges who follow the basic principles of Freemasonry and ban the discussion of politics and religion at their meetings.

Only in the sense that Freemasonry exists throughout the free world. Each Grand Lodge is sovereign and independent and, whilst following the same basic principles, may have different ways of passing them on. There is no international governing body for Freemasonry.

None. There are numerous fraternal orders and Friendly Societies whose rituals, regalia, and organisation are similar in some respects to Freemasonry's. They have no formal or informal connections with Freemasonry.

Traditionally, Freemasonry under the United Grand Lodge of England has been restricted to men. The early stonemasons were all male, and when Freemasonry was organising the position of women in society was different from today. If women wish to join Freemasonry, there are two separate Grand Lodges in England restricted to women only.
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