The Structure of Freemasonry

by Mason Bond

Freemasonrys' structure is one of the hardest things to explain due to the nature of the modern world.

Due to the many titles and ranks in the masonic structure people outside the craft, and in fact some uneducated brethren within, see this hierachy of seniority with one person being more advanced, or more senior, than another which is completely untrue.

One of the main aims of Freemasonry is equality, all social and professional standings in normal life are left outside the lodge, why if they were just going to enforce their own versions within?

The various ranks in Freemasonry are nothing more than titles, job descriptions if you will, it does not denote seniority, a Master Mason is no less a Freemason than the Master of the Lodge, a Provincial Officer is not senior to that of an Officer of the Lodge and a Grand Officer is no more senior, or important, than a Master Mason.

If there was to be an important station within Freemasonry, if one person would be held higher than any other, it would be the Apprentice, the initial "stage" of a Freemasonry. This would seem strange to anyone outside the fraternity, but ask any Freemason;

Which stone is the most important of any building?

Is it the beautified capstone, the carved keystone of the arch, no. It is the foundation stone, the cornerstone, the first stone that is laid. And so with Freemasonry itself it is the first stage that the most important, that of the Entered Apprentice.

I have spoken to numerous brethren on this topic, and thanks to the internet these discussions have been with Freemasons the world over, and sometimes it is hard even for them to grasp it, so it is understandable that those not of the noble craft would struggle.

Maybe to explain the process of progression, known as the "line", or more importantly what happens at the end of the line would help.

In a Freemason Lodge there is a progressive line through the available offices until you reach the chair of Master of the Lodge, otherwise known as Worshipful Master, and although different jurisdiction have different officers there is a "rule of thumb" for which I will now cover.

The first office of a Lodge is Steward, an office which teaches humility by it's nature of servitude, and from here you progress to Inner Guard, the most exterior office other than that of Tyler who is situated outside the lodge. From here you go to Jiunior Deacon, Senior Deacon, Junior Warden, Senior Warden and finally Worshipful Master. Now in some jurisdictions these will be known by different names, or they may not use all of them, but hopefully you will get the important point of the progressive line.

Once a Freemason has reach and passed the chair of Worshipful Master he becomes a Past Master, but should he re-enter the line, and this is what underlines the fact that all brethren are equal regardless of rank, he starts again as Steward.

Remember the virtue taught by this office, humility, and it is a hard lesson once you've been at the "top" so to speak, but a valuable lesson to a Freemason!

In Freemasonry ALL brethren are equal, not only regardless of their social or professional status, but also regardless of their rank in Freemasonry, for all ranks are both merely a job description and temporary where we travel full circle back to the beginning!

Mason Bond Esq.