Have you ever wondered what was behind those great brick walls of the Masonic Lodge in Newtonville, MA? Although there is an aura of mystery around the Freemasons and their traditions, the fraternal order is all about living right and helping to improve the quality of life for others.
“The great secret of Freemasonry is that there is no secret at all.” ~Benjamin Franklin
Some of the traditions come from the days when Freemasons traveled Europe laying stones for the great cathedrals, Masons have continued to participate in these traditions steeped in ritual partly founded on metaphors of architecture. Throughout history, the brotherhood of Masons share values that encompass the importance of forming deep and lasting friendships that transcend the boundaries of race, religion, and culture.
The nature of Masonic ritual is both complex and beautiful. “Ritual” is a formal ceremony of initiation which recites certain tenets and truths that have been passed down for generations – mostly from mouth to ear. This “Ritual” takes the form of lectures and theater in the Lodge, and is used to teach new Masons the value of true friendship, the benefits of knowledge, and the necessity of helping those in need. ~ http://www.massfreemasonry.org
The Masons are very much active participants in the Newtonville community and beyond! The 32° Masonic Learning Center is a school of children with dyslexia, speech and hearing disorders. The Masons sponsor a free Youth Identification Program called MyChip.org which provides prevention education and abduction awareness for parents. Other works include the Masonic Angel Foundation provided modest support to local children who do not fit the criteria for the usual social services and the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
There is so much more to this rich story, including the Rainbow Girls, an International organization with fun events to empower girls ages 11-20! Read more about the Masons at www.dalhousielodge.org.