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What is a Lodge?
Just a Building?
The term "lodge" itself comes from the structures which the stonemasons built against the sides of the cathedrals during construction. In winter, when building had to stop, they lived in these lodges and worked at carving stone.
But a Masonic lodge is more than a building; it is a living, breathing organization made up of and sustained by the members themselves. It is a tight-knit group of men who make solemn vows to one another and become comrades in Masonry and life.
Above all, a Masonic lodge represents open arms, a helping hand, and brotherly love to every Mason, anywhere, at any time.
Inside the Lodge
No two Masonic lodges are the same. All have unique personalities driven by their members. Beyond the monthly meetings, a Masonic lodge is a place for dinners, special events, and just hanging out.
From the outside, a Masonic lodge can look rather mundane. But inside the lodge room itself, Freemasonry comes to life, often with age-old artifacts, art, and the pageantry of our sacred ritual. More than anything, when Masons gather in the lodge, it’s a reaffirmation of our Masonic values of brotherly love, relief, and truth.
A unique aspect of lodge life is the coming together of generations and differing backgrounds. To become a Mason, one only needs to be a man of good character and to believe in a God, whatever form that may take for each individual. What binds Freemasons together is our obligation to each other to become the best possible versions of ourselves.
With this bond as common ground, strong, lifelong friendships form naturally between men of different generations, religions, races, economic backgrounds, or political beliefs. Ask any Mason, and he’s sure to tell you that through the lodge, he has become Brothers with men whom he may otherwise never have crossed paths with in everyday life. This is one of the fundamental constancies of life as a Freemason.
Masonic Symbolism
Freemasonry is rife with symbolism, and, while much has been made about the secrets and mysteries of the craft, most of its famous symbols are straightforward in meaning.
Of the many symbols of Freemasonry, the most prominent is the square and compasses. The unofficial trademark of Freemasonry, these symbols are said to have descended from the stonemasons, or operative masons, of old and represent the actual tools they used as builders.
In modern-day Freemasonry, the square represents honor, integrity, truthfulness, and the ways in which we should relate to the people around us. The compasses represent the importance of self-control and of leading a truly spiritual life. The G stands for God, who must reside at the center of our thoughts and deeds as Freemasons.
Using these symbols is an easy way to remind ourselves as men and Freemasons of the obligation we have to lead a true and virtuous life.