MasonicWorld’s Blog and News

They are popularly known as a shadowy organization connected with the Holy Grail, the global illuminati and who knows what other manner of shadowy conspiracy theories.

But now the freemasons are hoping to reveal a new image to the public after years of misinformation.

Richard Goddard, the provincial grand master for Worcestershire, says he is hoping to radically modernise the public profile of freemasonry with a new policy of openness.

The secretive order was driven underground by persecution from the Nazis in the darkest days of the Second World War, and has kept itself hidden from the public eye ever since.

But Mr Goddard – whose order takes in much of Birmingham and has its headquarters in Kings Heath – said he wanted to shed the secret image.  Click here to read more.

As the world’s oldest and largest fraternity, Freemasonry teaches tenets of brotherly love and truth with an eye toward building a better world by building better men. More than 7,000 Freemasons in Vermont are encouraged to practice temperance, fortitude, justice and charity, and to reach their fullest potential. This system of morality is based on the legends of brotherhood that began in the building of great cathedrals.

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Shriners of North America.

The Masonic Temple of Philadelphia has always been shrouded in levels of mystery, but one of those will begin being lifted in time for the temple’s 135th anniversary Sept. 26.

"I think you’ll see scaffolding start to come down in the early fall," said Andrew A. Zellers-Frederick, executive director of the Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania, who is overseeing the exterior restoration, expected to cost $8 million to $10 million.

The temple, on Broad Street just north of City Hall, is home of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania.

Continue Reading Click Here

Now not only are there an estimated 20,000 women freemasons in Britain alone, but their male counterparts in the United Grand Lodge of England have decided to give the ladies a pat on the back by celebrating their centenary year with a special exhibition at their headquarters in Covent Garden, starting on June 4. It will be the first British exhibition on women and their involvement with freemasonry.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article3620126.ece

Other links:

One hundred years ago a new Masonic organisation was formed in London. It was the first Grand Lodge founded in England to admit men and women as members on an equal basis. From its formation in 1717, the governing body of English freemasonry had restricted its membership to men. By the end of the nineteenth century women were campaigning for full civic and legal rights and wanted to join Masonic lodges too. Women and Freemasonry: The Centenary exhibition at the Library and Museum of Freemasonry at Freemasons’ Hall in Covent Garden traces the history of their campaign. Women and Freemasonry: The Centenary runs from Wednesday 4 June to Friday 19 December 2008 (weekdays only) and is free of charge to all visitors.

http://www.freemasonry.london.museum/exhibits/women-freemasonry.php

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, Minn., April 10 /PRNewswire/ — The University of Minnesota has received its largest gift ever — $65 million from Minnesota Masonic Charities — to the University of Minnesota Cancer Center. With this pledge, Masonic support of cancer research and care at the University of Minnesota over the past 53 years totals $100 million. In recognition of this record-breaking gift, the University of Minnesota Cancer Center will now be called the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota.

"The Masonic Fraternity is proud to expand its partnership with the Masonic Cancer Center for a cure. The gift is new, but the giving is not," said Raymond G. Christensen, M.D., Grand Master of the state’s nearly 17,000 Masons.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/masons-give-u-of-minnesota-65-million-for-cancer-research,347520.shtml

We updated our screensavers today.

The new screensavers were developed from our "premium" graphics we launched last month at MasonicSoftware.com. 

You can download your free screensavers at: http://www.masonicworld.com/screensaver

Enjoy!

Aspiring for world supremacy? Then the Russian Freemasons are not the group to join.

"Many walk away disappointed when they don’t find buttons to operate the world behind my armchair," Russia’s top Freemason, former presidential candidate Andrei Bogdanov, said jokingly in his office in central Moscow.

Freemasonry — whose obscure origins have been traced to sometime between the building of King Solomon’s temple in the 10th century B.C. and the 16th century A.D. — once boasted an elite following in Russia, including 18th- and 19th-century nobility, poet Alexander Pushkin, architect Vasily Bazhenov and war heroes Alexander Suvorov and Mikhail Kutuzov.

These days, however, it is a more modest order. Indeed, the secret fraternity does not count any billionaires or senior politicians as members, said three Freemasons and two historians.

Continue reading: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2008/03/28/002.html

During the course of any given day I field many questions on Freemasonry.  This particular question had me at a loss.  Ronn wanted to know the story behind this Masonic fishing hook. 

Figured I’d put this out to the blog in the hopes that someone can point Ronn in the right direction.  The information he has so far:

I have found no one who collects hooks who has any information on why the symbol would be on the hook. The makers are known though, with the original company opening in 1820 and taking on the Clerk, Green & Baker name in 1859. The hook was found with five others of the same vintage but different names and none with the symbol. I am not sure this hook was but am that the others were made in England.

If you have any additional information to provide please contact Ronn at: http://www.ronnlucassr.com/  (contact link on the bottom left).  In addition, it seems he makes hooks, so maybe if anyone is interested he might be able to resurrect the Masonic fishing hook (I googled and did not find other Masonic fishing hooks).  *I am not affiliated with Ronn or his business.  I am sure he would appreciate any help someone could provide.