Welcome to Lodge St John (Operative) No 37

What is Freemasonry?

Freemasonry in Scotland is carried out in Lodges, under a Charter issued by the Grand Lodge of Scotland. Freemasonry is grounded in three specific virtues which are at the core of Masonic teachings:

Brotherly Love – towards all mankind and especially to other Masons.

Relief – to relieve the suffering of others and to act charitably towards society.

Truth – which is represented by the Divine in its multiplicity and diversity, as understood by all men.

Who are Freemasons?

Masons are men who have joined a fraternity, and who refer to themselves as Freemasons. The main principles of Freemasonry insist that each member should: show tolerance, respect and kindness in his actions toward others; practice charity and care for the community as a whole; and strive to achieve high moral standards in his life and actions.

Origins of Freemasonry

Freemasonry (or Masonry) consists of fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local fraternities of stonemasons, which, from the end of the fourteenth century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities and clients.

Freemasonry describes itself as a “beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols”.