Freemasonry is the world's oldest and largest fraternity. It is comprised of adult men of good character from every country, religion, race, age, income, education, and opinion, who believe in a Supreme Being. Its body of knowledge and system of ethics is based on the belief that each man has a responsibility to improve himself while being devoted to his family, faith, country, and fraternity.

Freemasonry (often simplified to Masonry) enhances and strengthens the character of the individual man by providing opportunities for fellowship, charity, education, and leadership based on the three ancient Masonic tenets: Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. Freemasonry is a crowning legacy of this venerable heritage as we strive to make good men better. 18th Century Beginnings The organization, as we know it today, began in the early 18th century in England when the Masons started to accept members who were not members of the Mason's craft these men were referred to as "speculative Masons" or "accepted Masons." Freemasonry Comes to America Freemasonry was brought to the United States by our early settlers and the craft became very popular in colonial America.

Henry Price, a Boston merchant and tailor, received a deputation from the Grand Lord of England to form the first Provincial Grand Lodge in the Western Hemisphere. Our Founding Fathers Among the countrys early Masonic leaders were George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, and John Hancock. Another influential Mason, Chief Justice John Marshall, served as Chief of the Supreme Court for more than 34 years and shaped the court into its present form Worldwide Charity In the 1800s, at a time when the U.S. government provided no social "safety net," the Masonic tradition of founding orphanages, homes for widows, and care for the aged provided the only protection many people knew.

Over the centuries, Freemasonry has developed into a worldwide fraternity emphasizing personal study, self-improvement, and social betterment by way of individual involvement and philanthropy. The dignity of man, the liberty of the individual, the right of all persons to worship as they choose, and the importance of education stand at the forefront of Masonic thought. Today, there are approximately five million Freemasons throughout the world.

Nearly three million of them reside in the United States. At the dawn of the 21st century, Freemasons continue their tradition of building bridges of brotherhood as they strive to make good men better.

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