The Great Masonic Nation, USA

The Great Masonic Nation, USA

Freemasonry

The freemasonry defines itself as a discrete symbolic and nonreligious philosophical and philanthropic initiatory institution, founded on a sense of brotherhood. Its objective is the search for truth and promote the social and moral development of human beings, in addition to social progress. Masons are organized into structures called base lodges, which in turn can be grouped into a higher-level organization usually called "Grand Lodge", "Great Eastern" or "Grand Priory".

Freemasonry explains itself as a superb structure of morality, covert in allegory and demonstrated by symbols. The symbolism is primarily, but not entirely, strained from the manual tools of stonemasons - the square and compasses, the level and plumb rule, the trowel, and others. Each of these tools is attached to a moral message, although the designation is by no means coherent. The significance of the symbolism is imparted and explored through ritual.

Masonic Lodges

A Masonic lodge is a term quite difficult to understand for most people who are not Masons. A Masonic Lodge is also known as a lodge or private Constituent Lodge. It is a shelter and the basic organizational unit of Freemasonry and is essential to understand the lodge to understand Freemasonry. Freemasons meet as a lodge and lodge sometimes is used to refer to the structure in which the Freemasons meet. Therefore, a lodge is a meeting or a group of Masons who belong to the same group. It can also mean the place where Masons meet, although this second sense is not generally used by Masons. They say that Masons meet "as a lodge", whereas non-Masons often mistakenly say that Masons meet "in a lodge”. The physical building where Masons meet can be called a temp...

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...est Indies) on September 12th, 1748. Some believe he came to Boston in 1765 from Africa and was released in 1770. Such lodge of colored men was authorized as the African Lodge No. 1 by the Grand Lodge of England, in the city of Boston on April 29th, 1787. This lodge was allowed to establish other and became the mother lodge. There were some exceptional cases of integration of men of color in white lodges, like the lodge 116 of New Jersey and some lodges in Massachusetts and New York.

References:

Curl, James S. The art and architecture of Freemasonry: An introductory study. Overlook Press. NY, US. 1993.

Bullock, Steven C. Revolutionary brotherhood: Freemasonry and the transformation of the American social order, 1730-1840. University of North Carolina Press. USA. 1996.

Dumenil, Linn. Freemasonry and American culture, 1880-1930. Princeton University Press. US. 1984.