The purpose of a Masonic Lodge is to provide officers and those who wish to become officers the opportunity to rehearse the ritual under the guidance of an experienced brother. There may also be lectures on ritual and symbolism in the lodge within an Instructional Lodge, in order to develop knowledge and understanding. Becoming a Mason involves committing to developing one's own potential, to fulfilling the values that consider all humanity as equal, and to helping other members of our community. In addition to the main groups of Freemasonry derived from the British tradition, there are also several attached groups that are mainly social or recreational in character, that do not have an official position in Freemasonry, but come from the highest levels of society.
Famous Masons include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Davy Crockett, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Henry Ford, Paul Robeson, and astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Freemasonry is rife with symbolism, and while much has been said about the secrets and mysteries of the trade, most of its famous symbols have direct meaning. Masons come from all walks of life, as long as they can afford the annual subscription. However, all Masons agree on five basic understandings or beliefs about how to live and build a good life with each other.
From some of these lodges, modern, symbolic or speculative Masonry developed, which adopted the rites and ornaments of ancient religious orders and chivalric brotherhoods. Nationally organized Freemasonry began in 1717 with the founding of the Grand Lodge, an association of Masonic lodges in England. All of this is done in a formal ceremony that is centuries old and is designed to teach Masons important lessons and make them reflect on their own nature, actions, and being. Propagated by the advance of the British Empire, Freemasonry is still very popular in the British Isles and other native countries of the empire.
The working-class masons had lodges where they talked about their trade, but with the decline in the construction of cathedrals, some lodges began to accept honorary members. In other words, each Masonic lodge is comprised of a lodge of enrolled apprentices, a lodge of fellows, and a lodge of Masonic masters. The physical and literal nature of how to enter a Masonic Lodge is the same everywhere.
