{"id":14580,"date":"2022-03-09T13:10:09","date_gmt":"2022-03-09T21:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freemason.org\/?page_id=14580"},"modified":"2024-05-14T12:59:00","modified_gmt":"2024-05-14T19:59:00","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/freemason.org\/history\/","title":{"rendered":"History of Freemasonry"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"14580\" class=\"elementor elementor-14580\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-563fa08 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"563fa08\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-656dd6e\" data-id=\"656dd6e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-498637c elementor-widget elementor-widget-full_page_js\" data-id=\"498637c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"full_page_js.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t      <div class=\"slide-nav\">\n        <nav>\n\t\t\t\t\t          <div class=\"perm-links\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"connect-link\" style=\"font-size: 18px;\" href=\"https:\/\/freemason.org\/discover-masonry\/connect\/\">Connect<br\/> to a Lodge<\/a>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/freemason.org\/discover-masonry\/lodge-locator\/\">Lodge Locator<\/a>\n          <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"gScroll js-nav-links\" href=\"#slide-1b665e6\">01<br>How Did Freemasonry Begin?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"gScroll js-nav-links\" href=\"#slide-ae1ac05\">02<br>What Are Some of Masonry's Traditions?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"gScroll js-nav-links\" href=\"#slide-a4ec331\">03<br>What Is the Square and Compass?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"gScroll js-nav-links\" href=\"#slide-bea0d3b\">04<br>When Did Masonry Come to California?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"gScroll js-nav-links\" href=\"#slide-c25803e\">05<br>What Is the California Masonic Memorial Temple?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"gScroll js-nav-links\" href=\"#slide-a19dac7\">06<br>Who Are Some Famous Freemasons?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"gScroll js-nav-links\" href=\"#slide-3cd2476\">07<br>California Masonry Today<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t        <\/nav>\n      <\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"cta-button\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"slide-cta-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/freemason.org\/discover-masonry\/connect\/\">Connect to a Lodge<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n      <div id=\"the-slides\" class=\"fullpage-js-slideshow\">\n                  <div id=\"slide-1b665e6\" class=\"fullpage-js-slideshow__slide slidez-1b665e6\">\n                          <div class=\"backgroundz-img backgroundz-img-1b665e6\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/freemason.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Masonic-Temple-Front_NovDec-2020-1.jpg'); background-position: center center; background-size: cover; background-repeat: ; background-color: ;\"><\/div>\n                                      <div class=\"intro-contentz\" >\n                <h2>History of Freemasonry<\/h2>\n                <p>Scroll down to learn more<\/p>              <\/div>\n              <div class=\"arrow\"><span><\/span><\/div>\n            \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"full-slideshow__contentz copyz copy-1b665e6\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"copyz-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>How Did Freemasonry Begin?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The history of Freemasonry begins with stonemasons during the Middle Ages. That's when the guilds established a series of handshakes, passwords, and other secret symbols to protect their trade secrets and prove their credentials. From there, many of these early Masons organized themselves into Masonic \u201clodges\u201d to take care of one another and their families in case of injury or death.<\/p><p>By the 17th century, these lodges had transformed from groups of literal stonemasons into what's called \u201cSpeculative\u201d\u00a0 Masons. Members of these lodges, called Freemasons, gathered to learn a series of moral teachings.\u00a0<\/p><p>In 1717, four of these lodges came together in London to form the first \u201cgrand lodge\u201d in the world. Masons eventually formed grand lodges in Ireland and Scotland, then the rest of Europe. Before long, Masons had established lodges all around the world.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"section_cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"copy-cta\" href=\"https:\/\/freemason.org\/discover-masonry\/connect\/\">Connect to a Lodge<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t          <\/div>\n                      <script>\n              jQuery( document ).ready(function() {\n                gsap.to(\".slide-nav\", {\n                  scrollTrigger: {\n                    trigger: \".slidez-1b665e6\",\n                    start: 'top',\n                    end: 'center',\n                    scrub: true\n                  },\n                  opacity: 1\n                });\n              });\n            <\/script>\n            <script>\n              jQuery( document ).ready(function() {\n                gsap.to(\".cta-button\", {\n                  scrollTrigger: {\n                    trigger: \".slidez-1b665e6\",\n                    start: 'top',\n                    end: 'center',\n                    scrub: true\n                  },\n                  top: 15\n                });\n              });\n            <\/script>\n          \n          \n\n          <script>\n          jQuery( document ).ready(function() {\n            ScrollTrigger.create({\n              trigger: '.slidez-1b665e6',\n              \/\/ scroller: '.fullpage-js-slideshow',\n              start: 'top top',\n              \/\/ endTrigger: '.slide2',\n              \/\/ end: 'bottom 50%+=100px',\n              pin: '.backgroundz-img-1b665e6',\n              pinSpacing: false,\n            })\n          });\n          <\/script>\n                  <div id=\"slide-ae1ac05\" class=\"fullpage-js-slideshow__slide slidez-ae1ac05\">\n                          <div class=\"backgroundz-img backgroundz-img-ae1ac05\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/freemason.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Sept-25-1957_Portsmouth-Square_Charles-Adams-scaled.jpg'); background-position: center center; background-size: cover; background-repeat: ; background-color: ;\"><\/div>\n                        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"full-slideshow__contentz copyz copy-ae1ac05\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"copyz-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>What Are Some of Masonry's Traditions?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Freemasonry\u2019s history and traditions date back more than 300 years. Many are known to the public\u2014for instance, the laying of the <a href=\"https:\/\/californiafreemason.org\/2021\/10\/06\/the-portable-masonic-cornerstone-kit\/\">cornerstone of a new civic building<\/a> (as seen here, in 1957 in San Francisco's Portsmouth Square). Only members are allowed to know some of the others, such as the secret ritual used to admit and progress candidates.<\/p><p>Within each lodge, though, you\u2019ll notice a few constants:<\/p><ul><li><strong>A lodge\u2019s leaders<\/strong>, or officers, hold titles that have been passed down from the ancient stonemasons\u2019 guilds, including the master (the highest-ranking officer), wardens, and a tiler. Masonic lodge officers are elected to one-year terms.<\/li><li><strong>Masons wear<\/strong> a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_oiEKKitMz8&amp;t=1s\">white apron<\/a> during lodge meetings. Officers may also wear special aprons, collars, jewels, and gloves representing their station.<\/li><li><strong>The lodge room<\/strong>, where official meetings and ceremonies take place, is filled with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YkZ94qksffM&amp;t=23s\">specific Masonic symbols<\/a>, from the checkerboard flooring to the seating arrangement.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"section_cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"copy-cta\" href=\"https:\/\/freemason.org\/discover-masonry\/connect\/\">Connect to a Lodge<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t          <\/div>\n          \n          \n\n          <script>\n          jQuery( document ).ready(function() {\n            ScrollTrigger.create({\n              trigger: '.slidez-ae1ac05',\n              \/\/ scroller: '.fullpage-js-slideshow',\n              start: 'top top',\n              \/\/ endTrigger: '.slide2',\n              \/\/ end: 'bottom 50%+=100px',\n              pin: '.backgroundz-img-ae1ac05',\n              pinSpacing: false,\n            })\n          });\n          <\/script>\n                  <div id=\"slide-a4ec331\" class=\"fullpage-js-slideshow__slide slidez-a4ec331\">\n                          <div class=\"backgroundz-img backgroundz-img-a4ec331\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/freemason.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/IMG_4930.jpg'); background-position: center center; background-size: cover; background-repeat: ; background-color: ;\"><\/div>\n                        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"full-slideshow__contentz copyz copy-a4ec331\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"copyz-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>What Is the Square and Compass?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Masonic square and compass is the most common symbol in Masonry, used to represent Freemasons and Masonic lodges around the world. The square and compass are two of the tools that ancient stonemasons used to work stone. But to modern Freemasons, they\u2019re symbols for building character. The letter \u201cG\u201d at the center stands for <em>geometry<\/em>, the basis for stonemasonry\u2014and, symbolically, modern Freemasonry.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"section-callout\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"callout-title\">Did you know?<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"callout-content\">While Freemasonry welcomes members from all religious and spiritual beliefs, its traditions are grounded in a faith in a higher power, or a \u201cGreat Architect of the Universe.\u201d<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"section_cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"copy-cta\" href=\"https:\/\/freemason.org\/discover-masonry\/connect\/\">Connect to a Lodge<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t          <\/div>\n          \n          \n\n          <script>\n          jQuery( document ).ready(function() {\n            ScrollTrigger.create({\n              trigger: '.slidez-a4ec331',\n              \/\/ scroller: '.fullpage-js-slideshow',\n              start: 'top top',\n              \/\/ endTrigger: '.slide2',\n              \/\/ end: 'bottom 50%+=100px',\n              pin: '.backgroundz-img-a4ec331',\n              pinSpacing: false,\n            })\n          });\n          <\/script>\n                  <div id=\"slide-bea0d3b\" class=\"fullpage-js-slideshow__slide slidez-bea0d3b\">\n                          <div class=\"backgroundz-img backgroundz-img-bea0d3b\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/freemason.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/DSC01664-1.jpg'); background-position: center center; background-size: cover; background-repeat: ; background-color: ;\"><\/div>\n                        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"full-slideshow__contentz copyz copy-bea0d3b\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"copyz-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>When Did Masonry Come to California?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Masons play an enormous role in California history. Freemasonry first came to California during the gold rush. As people poured into the state from all around the world, many brought with them charters from Masonic lodges back home. Once here, they formed into small campside lodges\u2014often among the <a href=\"https:\/\/californiafreemason.org\/2019\/11\/24\/golden-revival\/\">first institutions in the new towns of gold country<\/a> (such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HarmonyMasonicLodgeNo164\/\">Harmony Lodge No. 164<\/a>, chartered in 1864 in Sierra City, seen here).<\/p><p>The Grand Lodge of California was established in Sacramento in 1850, a few months before California became a state. A decade later, California Freemasonry had more than 5,000 members, and lodges up and down the state. Many of the leaders of early California counted themselves among its members.<\/p><p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.masonicheritage.org\/\">Learn more about the history of Freemasonry in California<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"section_cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"copy-cta\" href=\"https:\/\/freemason.org\/discover-masonry\/connect\/\">Connect to a Lodge<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t          <\/div>\n          \n          \n\n          <script>\n          jQuery( document ).ready(function() {\n            ScrollTrigger.create({\n              trigger: '.slidez-bea0d3b',\n              \/\/ scroller: '.fullpage-js-slideshow',\n              start: 'top top',\n              \/\/ endTrigger: '.slide2',\n              \/\/ end: 'bottom 50%+=100px',\n              pin: '.backgroundz-img-bea0d3b',\n              pinSpacing: false,\n            })\n          });\n          <\/script>\n                  <div id=\"slide-c25803e\" class=\"fullpage-js-slideshow__slide slidez-c25803e\">\n                          <div class=\"backgroundz-vid backgroundz-img-c25803e\">\n                <video id=\"background-video\" class=\"bvidz background-img-c25803e\" autoplay loop muted >\n                  <source src=\"https:\/\/freemason.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/CMMT-aerial-1.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\">\n                <\/video>\n              <\/div>\n                        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"full-slideshow__contentz copyz copy-c25803e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"copyz-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>What Is the California Masonic Memorial Temple?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The California Masonic Memorial Temple, in San Francisco, is the home of the Grand Lodge of California. It\u2019s where members of the fraternity gather for their annual meeting and convention. It also serves as headquarters for the administrative staff and <span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">houses the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.masonicheritage.org\/\">Henry Wilson Coil Library and Museum of Freemasonry<\/a>. In <\/span>addition to Masonic uses, the building houses the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sfmasonic.com\/\">SFMasonic<\/a>, a concert and events venue.<\/p><p>The California Masonic Memorial Temple is impossible to miss. The white marble building, which was built in 1958, is an icon of midcentury architecture. Its exterior features a 12-foot-high frieze depicting the four branches of the armed forces. On the inside, there\u2019s an even bigger surprise: a 38- by 48-foot <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fKdSc7efLdM&amp;t=38s\">endomosaic mural<\/a> depicting the history of Freemasonry in California by artist Emile Norman.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"section_cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"copy-cta\" href=\"https:\/\/freemason.org\/discover-masonry\/connect\/\">Connect to a Lodge<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t          <\/div>\n          \n          \n\n          <script>\n          jQuery( document ).ready(function() {\n            ScrollTrigger.create({\n              trigger: '.slidez-c25803e',\n              \/\/ scroller: '.fullpage-js-slideshow',\n              start: 'top top',\n              \/\/ endTrigger: '.slide2',\n              \/\/ end: 'bottom 50%+=100px',\n              pin: '.backgroundz-img-c25803e',\n              pinSpacing: false,\n            })\n          });\n          <\/script>\n                  <div id=\"slide-a19dac7\" class=\"fullpage-js-slideshow__slide slidez-a19dac7\">\n                          <div class=\"backgroundz-img backgroundz-img-a19dac7\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/freemason.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/C9A5388-2-1.jpg'); background-position: center center; background-size: cover; background-repeat: ; background-color: ;\"><\/div>\n                        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"full-slideshow__contentz copyz copy-a19dac7\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"copyz-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Who Are Some Famous Freemasons?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Freemasons share a desire to make the world a better place. So it\u2019s no surprise that the list of famous Freemasons is long and varied. Here are just a few you might recognize.<\/p><ul><li><strong>Founding fathers<\/strong> like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Miguel Hidalgo<\/li><li><strong>Civil rights leaders<\/strong> including Booker T. Washington, Medger Evers, and John Lewis<\/li><li><strong>Explorers<\/strong>\u00a0Davey Crockett, Charles Lindbergh, and Buzz Aldrin<\/li><li><strong>Musicians<\/strong>\u00a0Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and William \u201cCount\u201d Basie<\/li><li><strong>Writers<\/strong> Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, and Ernest Hemingway<\/li><li><strong>Athletes<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cSugar\u201d Ray Robinson, Jack Dempsey, and Scottie Pippin<\/li><li><strong>Entertainers and actors<\/strong> including John Wayne, Harry Houdini, and Brad Paisley<\/li><li><strong>Business leaders<\/strong>\u00a0Henry Ford, Charles Hilton, and Colonel Harland Sanders<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"section-callout\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"callout-title\">Did you know?<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"callout-content\">To date, 19 California governors have been Masons. At a local level, your community\u2019s history books probably include lots of important Freemasons, too. <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"section_cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"copy-cta\" href=\"https:\/\/freemason.org\/discover-masonry\/connect\/\">Connect to a Lodge<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t          <\/div>\n          \n          \n\n          <script>\n          jQuery( document ).ready(function() {\n            ScrollTrigger.create({\n              trigger: '.slidez-a19dac7',\n              \/\/ scroller: '.fullpage-js-slideshow',\n              start: 'top top',\n              \/\/ endTrigger: '.slide2',\n              \/\/ end: 'bottom 50%+=100px',\n              pin: '.backgroundz-img-a19dac7',\n              pinSpacing: false,\n            })\n          });\n          <\/script>\n                  <div id=\"slide-3cd2476\" class=\"fullpage-js-slideshow__slide slidez-3cd2476\">\n                          <div class=\"backgroundz-img backgroundz-img-3cd2476\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/freemason.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/172nd-AC-Cocktails-100821_035-1-scaled.jpg'); background-position: center center; background-size: cover; background-repeat: ; background-color: ;\"><\/div>\n                        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"full-slideshow__contentz copyz copy-3cd2476\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"copyz-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>California Masonry Today<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Today, the Masons of California include approximately 40,000 members spread across some 332 lodges in practically every part of California. They include business owners, artists, students, doctors, lawyers, accountants, engineers, first responders, members of the armed forces, and just about everything in between.\u00a0<\/p><p>Learn more about the fraternity and Masonry today by subscribing to our quarterly magazine, <a href=\"http:\/\/californiafreemason.org\"><em>California Freemason<\/em><\/a>. A <a href=\"https:\/\/californiafreemason.org\/subscribe\/\">digital-only subscription is free<\/a> and will be emailed to you with each new issue.<\/p><p>And to learn more about membership, sign up to be <a href=\"https:\/\/freemason.org\/discover-masonry\/connect\/\">connected to a lodge<\/a> in your area.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"section_cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"copy-cta\" href=\"https:\/\/californiafreemason.org\/subscribe\/\">Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t          <\/div>\n          \n          \n\n          <script>\n          jQuery( document ).ready(function() {\n            ScrollTrigger.create({\n              trigger: '.slidez-3cd2476',\n              \/\/ scroller: '.fullpage-js-slideshow',\n              start: 'top top',\n              \/\/ endTrigger: '.slide2',\n              \/\/ end: 'bottom 50%+=100px',\n              pin: '.backgroundz-img-3cd2476',\n              pinSpacing: false,\n            })\n          });\n          <\/script>\n        \t\t\t\t        <div id=\"slide-outro\" class=\"slide slide-outro\">\n          <div class=\"backgroundz-img-outro\" style=\"background-color: #fff; background-image: url('https:\/\/freemason.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SCbackground.png')\"><\/div>\n          <div class=\"outro-content\">\n            <p class=\"outro_title\">Next Steps<\/p>\n                          <a class=\"outro_link\" href=\"https:\/\/freemason.org\/masonic-organizations\">Other Masonic Organizations<\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <script>\n          jQuery( document ).ready(function() {\n            ScrollTrigger.create({\n              trigger: '.slide-outro',\n              start: 'top top',\n              pin: '.backgroundz-img-outro',\n              pinSpacing: false,\n            })\n          });\n          <\/script>\n      <\/div>\n\t  \n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Connect to a Lodge Lodge Locator 01How Did Freemasonry Begin? 02What Are Some of Masonry&#8217;s Traditions? 03What Is the Square and Compass? 04When Did Masonry Come to California? 05What Is the California Masonic Memorial Temple? 06Who Are Some Famous Freemasons? 07California Masonry Today History of Freemasonry Scroll down to learn more How Did Freemasonry Begin? [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"12406,928,3048,7909,5510,5256","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"unboxed","site-sidebar-style":"unboxed","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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