History of the Masons, Outline Example

Introduction

• The masons are a fraternal organization that have existed since the Middle Ages
• Throughout history that masons have acted as a secret organization that first acted as a medieval craft guild
• The history of the masons can be summarized by highlighting three events
• The establishment of lodges
• The admission of general members of the population into the society
• The evolution of hierarchy within the society that lasts within the organization today
• Much mystery continues to surround the actions of the masons today

The Establishment of Lodges

• There is evidence of masonry throughout history, but the establishment of lodges enabled the culture of the organization to spread in secret
• The oldest known evidence of a masonic lodge was King Solomon’s Temple
• The establishment of the lodge was meant to demonstrate the free status of working-class individuals that were members of the organization (Morris 85)
• In time, lodges became synonymous with guilds in which masons were able to practice their own unique craft

The Acceptance of New Members

• The 1700s sparked a spread of Grand Lodges established by non-masons
• This event was concurrent with the rise of the working class
• The unaffiliated masons established these lodges across the world in many different countries (Frazer 108)
• Although some of these newly established lodges were never recognized by the mason officials, this allowed new members to enter the mason culture, as all of these individuals were joined together by the labor they performed

The Masons in the World Today

• Today, the masons are willing to accept individuals into their organization based on their interest
• After demonstrating interest in a given lodge, the members must interview the new member and approve their request to join (Kidd 204)
• Candidates must be considered free and demonstrate a good character to be accepted
• Some mason groups require their members to follow specific religions
• Modern masons are still required to keep their activity with the masons secretive

Conclusion

• Mason groups have been around since early history
• While the groups were generally considered to be exclusive, they have evolved to allow more outside members to join
• The evolution that the masons have experienced throughout their history have allowed them to continue to survive into the modern era

Works Cited

Frazer A. The Weaker Vessel. Mandarin Paperbacks, 1989.

Kidd K. Haunted Chambers: the Lives of Early Women Freemasons. Cornerstone, 2009.

Morris SB. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Freemasonry. New York: Alpha Books, 2006.