The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland.
Scottish Freemasonry, An Introduction.
A Way of Life and an Education.
These descriptive names show the importance the Freemason places on his Supreme Being in the order of things in life.
Principles
The good Freemasons builds there principles into his daily life as a law abiding man and citizen of the world.
Brotherly Love.
Relief
Truth
An Education
When the candidate has grasped the teaching of one degree, that door is opened by his progress to the next degree.
Freemasonry is believed to have begun its evolution 500 or more years ago in Scotland among the hands of working, skilled, builder's known as "masons" (stonemasons).
The traditional framework into which most Masonic degrees are woven is the story and symbolism of King Solomon's Temple. Masonic teaching is a system of education related to the building of Temple - especially the activities and traditional skills of those by whom it was designed and build, and is intended to maintain the interest of the candidate as he progresses through the Masonic degrees, thus rendering his development more effective.
Freemasonry and Religion.
Freemasonry is most certainly not a religion. It has no "Masonic" God. When Freemasons pray together, as they do in their Lodges, each is addressing his personal Supreme Being. So Freemasons of many creeds can in love and fellowship meet and pray together, irrespective of their individual religions.
The Holy Book (Known to Freemasons as the Volume of the Sacred Law) of each religion represented in the Lodge is open during meetings. It is common for 5 or 6 different V.S.L's to lie open during Lodge Meetings.
Freemasonry and Politics.
A man's politics are his own concern and the Craft, being completely non-political, will never interfere in the world of politics nor will the Grand Lodge of Scotland express any views on political ideology or theories.
Freemasonry and Secrecy.
The Masonic Temple is usually a fairly conspicuous building in most communities.
In Scotland many Lodge's advertise and publish details of their meetings in the local press.
The Museum and Library of The Grand Lodge of Scotland are open to-and used by-members of the public who are Not Freemasons. Are these the hallmarks of a secret society?.
The truth is that the principles and many of the practises of Freemasonry are anything but secret. Members are perfectly free to make it known that they are Freemasons. The only Masonic "secrets" are just those methods which members of various degrees throughout the world use to recognise and greet each other. It's as simple as that!
Summary
Its principles are just steady standards of life and conduct in a changing world. The practice by the Freemason of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth and the other principles of the Craft will go a long way to making a good man better.
The Grand Lodge of Scotland.
Further information about Scottish Freemasonry is available from:
The Grand Secretary's Office.
Grand Lodge of Scotland.
Freemasons' Hall
96 George Street
Edinburgh EH2 3DH.
Tel: 0131 225 5577
Fax: 0131 225 3953