mcm1113 - 14 March 2010 09:04 PM
I am working on a project in college about the free masons. I had a couple of questions, and was hoping that someone would be able to help me answer them.
Wow, if I was your teacher for this class, the first thing I would tell you is to narrow your paper focus more—you’re talking about hundreds, possibly THOUSANDS of years of history with your current questions! Exactly how long do you want this paper to be?
mcm1113 - 14 March 2010 09:04 PM
When did Freemasonry start?
The answer is still up for debate. Check the FAQ section of this forum for a pretty thorough but brief explaination.
mcm1113 - 14 March 2010 09:04 PM
What are important dates/events in the history of Freemasons?
Again, with a narrower focus this would be easier to answer. I would suggest that you focus on Freemasonry in the US, if only because historical records were better kept and preserved during that time than in the earlier times of Masonry’s existence.
mcm1113 - 14 March 2010 09:04 PM
Who were some famous Freemasons from the United States?
You shouldn’t have to look far for this list, I’m not going to type it out myself. Google “famous freemasons” and you’ll get more names than you possibly imagined!
mcm1113 - 14 March 2010 09:04 PM
What are some anti-Masonry thoughts/organizations?
—That it is a religion
—That it is involved in government decisions or takeover of government
—That it is a cult or a secret society. By definition a cult is centered around a personality functioning as the leader, who controls your thinking, which we don’t have. A secret society conceals itself from common knowledge, which means we would be doing it wrong by having signs, insignias, apparel/uniforms of a sort, publicly marked buildings, published contact information in the phone book and internet, etc.
As far as organizations, I don’t think there are any formal groups anymore. In general any organization or political ideal that dislikes freedom of expression tends to cast Freemasonry in a negative light.
mcm1113 - 14 March 2010 09:04 PM
Can you give me any information about Freemasonry in NH?
Your best source is the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire http://nhgrandlodge.org/
mcm1113 - 14 March 2010 09:04 PM
What are some organizations similar to Freemasons?
If by similar you mean fraternal organizations, there are many: The Elks, the Eagles, the Moose, the Oddfellows, the Knights of Columbus to name a few. But these are similar only in that they gather men for a common purpose—what they do in their meetings is not necessarily what happens in a Masonic meeting.
mcm1113 - 14 March 2010 09:04 PM
Anything else that you can tell me would also be greatly appreicated. Thank you in advance for your time, consideration, and answer.
If you narrow your focus to American Freemasonry, I suggest finding the book “American Freemasons: Three centuries of building commmunities” by Mark Tabbert
