Freemasons For Dummies

Christopher Hodapp 33° has spent most of his adult life as a member of the Freemasons, rising to the status of 33rd degree in the Scottish Rite. His long list of authoring credits includes several books on Freemasonry as well as RVs & Campers For Dummies. He has appeared as an expert on Freemasonry on several shows on the History Channel, Discovery Channel, TruTV, and American Heroes Channel.

• Introduction 1About This Book 2Foolish Assumptions 4Icons Used in This Book 5Beyond the Book 6Where to Go from Here 6Part 1: What is Freemasonry? 7Chapter 1: Lodges, Aprons, and Funny Handshakes: Freemasonry 101 9What Is Freemasonry? 11What Do Masons Do? 12Conferring the three degrees 12Meeting in lodges, blue lodges, craft lodges, and more 13Wearing aprons (Real men do it!) 14Keeping “secrets” 15Performing public ceremonies 16Providing something for everyone 17Are [Fill in the Blank] Freemasons, Too? 17Chapter 2: From Cathedrals to Lodge Rooms: A History of the Freemasons 21Turning Stonecutters into Gentlemen: Freemasonry before 1700 22Operative Masons: The great builders 22Speculative Masons and the big change 29Building Men: The 1700s 32Founding the first Grand Lodge 32Establishing Masonry in America 39Finding favor and persecution during and after the French Revolution 44Growing, Changing, and Branching Out: The 1800s 45Reuniting Antients and Moderns 46Spreading throughout America 46Surviving and Surging: The 1900s 52Relieving social concerns in the early 1900s 53Being cast as villains and heroes in World War II 53Growing again post-war 54Declining in the ’60s 54Experiencing the 21st Century: More Changes on the Way 55The Internet 56Masonic podcasts 56Popular culture 57Changes in Masonic practices 57Traditional Observance lodges 58University lodges 58What’s next? 59Chapter 3: The Philosophy of Freemasonry 61Defining What Masons Believe In 62Promoting brotherly love, relief, and truth 62Adhering to basic principles 64Establishing a New World Order? 67Experiencing Mystic Masonry 68Connecting members through a mystic tie 69Expressing concepts through symbolism 69Chapter 4: Politics, Religion, and Freemasons: They Don’t Mix 71Exploring the History of Religion and the Masons 72Bringing limited religion into the lodge 73Examining the history of Freemasonry and Catholicism 75Pairing Freemasons and Protestants peacefully (mostly) 79Bridging great divides: Freemasonry and Judaism 81Finding conflict between Freemasonry and Islam (where none exists) 84Refusing to Play Politics 86Placing Freemasonry amid the political turmoil of 18th-century Europe 87Sparking anarchy in French lodges 87Surviving the revolution 89Enduring the rule of dictators 92Continuing to weather distrust 95Maintaining brotherhood during war 96Part 2: The Inner Workings of Freemasonry 99Chapter 5: How the Freemasons Are Organized: Who Does What and Why 101What’s Inside the Lodge? 102Examining the lodge room 103Meeting and eating at the lodge 104Who’s in Charge around Here? 105Officers in the progressive line 106Officers not in the progressive line 111What Makes a Grand Lodge So, Well, Grand? 116The Grand Master 117The rules 118What Is a Regular, Recognized Lodge? 119Which one’s legit? Sorting through multiple Grand Lodges 120Irregular, unrecognized, and all over the place: Lodges out of the mainstream 123Chapter 6: The Ceremonies of Freemasons 131Understanding Where Masonic Ritual Comes From 132The historical medieval guild rituals 133The written account 137Performing the Rituals of the Modern Lodge 139Setting the stage for the ritual 139Entered Apprentice: Initiation and youth 141Fellow Craft: Passing through manhood 143Master Mason: Raising, age, and death 144Movin’ on up! 145Chapter 7: The Symbols of Freemasonry 147Symbolizing the Lessons of Freemasonry 148Deciphering the Key Masonic Ideas 149The number three 150Tracing boards: 18th-century PowerPoint 150Solomon’s Temple 151Square and compass(es) 155Explaining More Masonic Symbols 156Scythe and hourglass 156The 47th Problem of Euclid or the Pythagorean theorem 156Jacob’s ladder 157Anchor and ark 157Sun, eye, Moon, and stars 157Lamb and lambskin apron 158Slipper 158Point within a circle and parallel lines 159Pot of incense 160Beehive 160Plumb 161Level 161Letter G 162Five-pointed star 163Naked heart and sword 164Tyler’s sword and the Book of Constitutions 165Trowel 165Handshake 165Rough and perfect (or smooth) ashlars 165Pillars 16624-inch gauge and the common gavel 167The shovel, setting maul, coffin, and sprig of acacia 167Chapter 8: Myths and Misconceptions about Masons 169Digging to the Root of Freemasonry Misunderstandings 170Debunking Common Myths about Freemasonry 171Riding the lodge goat 171Keeping an eye on you with the all-seeing eye and the U.S $1 bill 172Reading a Masonic bible 173Worshipping strange gods 174Pairing up Pike and Lucifer 178Taking over the world 180Breaking the law 181Part 3: When One Lodge isn’t Enough: The Appendant Bodies 183Chapter 9: Introducing the Appendant Bodies: Who’s Who, and Who Isn’t 185What Are Appendant Bodies? 187Concordant bodies 187Appendant bodies 190What About These Other Groups? 192Animal lodges 193Service clubs 194Other unrelated fraternal groups 196Masonic-sounding groups 199Chapter 10: The York Rite 203The York Rite System 204Why York? 205How it’s organized 205Royal Arch Masonry 207Mark Master 208Past Master 208Most Excellent Master 210Royal Arch 210The Cryptic Rite 210Chivalric Masonry and the Knights Templar 212The chivalric orders 213A crash course in Templar history 215Other York Rite Bodies 222York Rite College 222Knight Masons 222Allied Masonic Degrees 223Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis (SRICF) 223Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests 225Knights of the York Cross of Honour 225Red Cross of Constantine 225St Thomas of Acon 225The Operatives 226The Masonic Order of Athelstan in England, Wales, and Its Provinces Overseas 226York Rite Charities 227Chapter 11: The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite 229Surveying the Scottish Rite System 231Organization: Meeting the departments that confer degrees 231Membership: Earning degrees in the Scottish Rite 232Presentation: Raising the curtain and lighting the lights 234Tracing the Scottish Rite’s Origins 236France: Freemasonry’s foundry furnace 236The Americas: The Scottish Rite’s real home 237Introducing Albert Pike: Sage of the Scottish Rite 238Pike’s life outside of Masonry 239Discovering Freemasonry 239Writing and revising rituals, morals, and dogma 242Putting Pike in perspective 242Listing the Degrees of the Scottish Rite 244The Southern Jurisdiction degrees 244The Northern Masonic Jurisdiction degrees 246Serving Communities through Charitable Work 247Chapter 12: Shriners International 249Getting to Know the Shriners 250Tracing the History from Partiers to Philanthropists 250The Knickerbocker boys start the fun 251So why the goofy hats? 251The first growth of the Shrine 252Polio and the first Shrine hospital 252Depression and growth 253Greatest philanthropy in the world 253Putting a Little of the Boy Back in the Man 255Getting initiated 255Gathering at the oasis 255Forming units to suit every Shriner 256Having fun in little cars 257Considering the Shrine’s Place in Freemasonry 258Chapter 13: The Extended Masonic Family 261Bringing Women into the Lodge 262The Order of the Eastern Star 262The Order of the Amaranth 267The White Shrine of Jerusalem 268The Social Order of the Beauceant 269Not Just Kidding Around: The Youth Groups 270DeMolay International for boys 270The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls 271Job’s Daughters 273Checking Out Lesser-Known Masonic Groups 274The Mystic Order of the Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm of North America 274The Ancient Egyptian Order of SCIOTS 275The Tall Cedars of Lebanon of North America 275National Sojourners 276High Twelve International 277Widows Sons 277Investigating Masonic Research Societies 278Quatuor Coronati Lodge No 2076 278Philalethes Society 279Phylaxis Society 279Scottish Rite Research Society 279The Masonic Society 280Lodges of research 280Part 4: Freemasonry Today and Tomorrow 281Chapter 14: Why Freemasonry is Still Relevant 283A Breakdown in Community 284Isolating individuals 285Disconnecting from each other 285Getting shortchanged in social capital 286Where Freemasonry Fits In 287Making good men better ones 288Providing something for everybody 289Supporting brotherly love 289Involving people in charitable work 291Practicing religious tolerance 291Giving comfort through constancy 292Chapter 15: Freemasons and the Future 295Speculating on the Future of the Craft 297One-day classes 297Advertising and Masonry’s public image 298Paying your dues 299Going Back to the Future 300Reducing Masonic real estate 301Growing the Observant-style lodge movement 302Returning to old ways 303Exploring ancient lessons with new technology 303“Masoning” on the Internet 304Freemasonry online 304Blurring the concepts of recognition 305Contending with anti-social social media 305Chapter 16: So You Want to Become a Freemason 307Examining Why Men Become Masons 308What’s in it for you 308Hearing from Masons themselves 309Why I joined 310To Be One, Ask One 312Finding a Freemason 312Finding a lodge 313Joining a Lodge 314Qualifying for membership 314Petitioning to join the lodge 315Being investigated 316Balloting 316Scheduling your degree ceremonies 318Being welcomed as a Brother 318Part 5: The Part of Tens 321Chapter 17: Ten Groups of Famous Masons 323Founding Fathers 323Explorers and Adventurers 325Pioneers of Science and Medicine 326Actors and Entertainers 326Incredible Athletes 327Military Leaders 328Significant Businessmen 329Players in the World of Statecraft 329U.S Civil Rights Leaders 330Men of Arts and Letters 331Chapter 18: Ten Amazing Conspiracies, Anti-Masons, and Hoaxes 333Leo Taxil and the Great Hoax! 333The Illuminati! 335Trilats, CFRs, and Bilderbergers, Oh My! 336The Secret 33rd Degree! 338Jack the Ripper: A Freemason! 338The Italian P2 Lodge Scandal! 340Washington, D.C., Is Satan’s Road Map! 341Aleister Crowley, Satanist and Freemason! 342Freemasons Founded the Nazis! 343Masonic Cops! Masonic Judges! 344Chapter 19: Ten Cool Masonic Places 347George Washington Masonic National Memorial (Alexandria, Virginia) 348House of the Temple (Washington, D.C.) 348Freemason’s Hall (Philadelphia) 349Masonic Temple (Detroit) 349Grand Lodge of New York Masonic Hall (New York City) 350Scottish Rite Cathedral (Indianapolis) 350Freemason Hall (London) 350Templar Church (London) 351Rosslyn Chapel (Roslin, Scotland) 351Musée de la Francmaçonnerie and other Masonic sites (Paris) 351Part 6: Appendixes 353Appendix A: The Regius Manuscript 355A Poem of Moral Duties 356Appendix B: Anderson’s Constitutions 379The Charges Of A Free Mason 379i Concerning God And Religion 380ii Of The Civil Magistrate Supreme And Subordinate 380iii Of Lodges 381iv Of Masters, Wardens, Fellows, And Apprentices 381v Of The Management Of The Craft In Working 382vi Of Behavior 383Appendix C: Finding a Lodge 387Mainstream U.S Grand Lodges 387Prince Hall Grand Lodges 391Canadian Grand Lodges 394Index 397