Patshull Lodge

Why do Freemasons have a funny Handshake?

Freemasonry is a very old society that pre-dates many present day institutions. The earliest Masonic records are to be found in Scotland and date from a time when members of Lodges were mainly illiterate. As stone masons had to travel all over the country, and occasionally overseas, some simple method of recognition had to be devised in order to secure employment appropriate to the degree of skill of each individual. Modern day Freemasonry continues that practice. Other organizations use different methods to identify between those who are members and those who are not. A membership card is the most common form and instantly shows that one is a member of a particular society etc. A membership card, or anything in writing, would have been useless to an illiterate stone mason. Freemasonry is a very traditional institution, proud of its history and what it stands for. It simply continues to use practices established centuries ago.


How do I become a Freemason?

Usually by asking another Freemason. It is a general rule that a Freemason will not solicit men for membership. There are occasions when a member of the family, a close personal friend, will be asked but this is a matter for the individual Freemason concerned.


What Qualifications are Required


There are several. An applicant must believe in a Supreme Being but Freemasonry will not provide any further definition and the nature of that Being must be determined by the applicant himself. The applicant must be an upright man of good moral character and be at least twenty-one years old. He must not have a criminal record. He must be able to meet his financial commitments to his family before those to Freemasonry.