In the last few years there have been several books and movies depicting Freemasons. I would like to tell you a little about who the Masons are. We are not a secret society, we are a fraternity. In fact, Masons are the oldest continuous fraternity in the world. The first speculative Grand Lodge was formed in York, England, in 1717. Prior to that in 926 A.D. operative Stone Masons joined with the Knights Templar to form guilds called Freemasons.
The Masons are not a religion, although in order to be a Mason one must profess a belief in a supreme being (God). An atheist cannot become a Mason. A Mason can be Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Islamic or whatever religion you choose. Religion and politics are forbidden topics of discussion within a Masonic Lodge room. A Masonic Lodge room may be one of the only places in the free world where men of all religions and various backgrounds can meet as equals and on the level.
A Mason can be your neighbor, an employee, your boss, a community leader or even your minister, but whoever they are you can bet they are patriotic. Masons are sworn to be loyal citizens and support their governments and obey the laws of the land.
Many notable people have been Masons, including 14 of our past presidents. George Washington chose many of his top officers based on their Masonic affiliation, not so much as they had better military credentials, but he felt he could trust them based on fraternal ties. It has often been said that Masons take good men and give them the tools to become better men.
The Masons are not a benevolent organization; we however are charitable - donating over $2,000,000 a day to charities, mostly the Shrine Hospitals, 20 of them in all. The Shrine Hospitals take care of burned and crippled children. There is never a charge for medical care received at a Shrine Hospital. All Shriners are Masons.
There are many other organizations affiliated with the Masons, such as the Order of the Eastern Star, the York Rite and the Scottish Rite and youth groups such as the DeMolay, Jobs Daughters and the Rainbow Girls. There is something in Masonry for everyone.
Good men as young as 18 can become a Mason, but in order to join you have to ask a Mason. We do not solicit members.
Freemasons have been in Winnemucca since 1874 and are an important part of our community. If you would like more information about the Masons, you can obtain information by asking any Mason or by calling W.A. "Skip" Hammargren, Worshipful Master of Winnemucca Lodge No. 19, at (775) 304-3599.
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