Grand Master's Messages

M.'.W.'. Edward Gilbert's messages to the Craft are all on-line:

• Independence Day
• St. John's Day (address at investiture ceremony)
• Memorial Day
• Father's Day & Flag Day
• Mother's Day

Grand Secretary's Messages

R.'.W.'. Gilbert Savitzky's messages intended for a wide audience will be posted here:

• BE IT KNOWN 2008

Welcome

Our doors are always open! We practice the principles that make our country great — at Masonic lodges, all men are equal, regardless of income, race, or religion. There are over 13,000 lodges in the U.S. You’ll find one in most small towns, and large cities usually have several. You can travel almost any place in the world and find the warm hand of brotherhood extended to you.

Who We Are

We are the Masons. We believe in helping others. We believe there is more to life than pleasure and money. We respect the opinions of others. And we all want to grow and develop as human beings. Masons are moral, honest men who work together to improve themselves and their communities. Our motto is “friendship, morality, and brotherly love.”

Masonry and You

Are there things you want to accomplish in your life? Are there ways you want to enrich yourself? Do you enjoy being with people you like and respect? As a Mason, you’ll find friendship and fraternity. You’ll develop life skills like self-confidence, leadership, and effective communication. You’ll learn to work as part of a team — and to better yourself as you help others. Think about becoming one today.

What We Do For Others

Our main focus is on community service. We organize blood drives, volunteer at local schools, and run a Child ID program that reaches 15,000 children each year. We operate the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory in Utica, NY. And New York State Masons also sponsor training sessions for school districts to help them identify children at risk for substance abuse.

History

Masonry is the oldest fraternity in the world, although no one can claim to know its exact origins. There is evidence that the Masonry we know today probably grew out of the guilds of stonemasons who built the castles and cathedrals of the Middle Ages. In the U.S., many of the Founding Fathers were Masons, including Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. From presidents, astronauts, and sports heroes to carpenters, CEOs, and bus drivers, millions of Masons have made our country what it is today. As Masons, history, tradition, and pride are central concepts in our lives.

This Web Site

We use this site not only to publish official pronouncements from Grand Lodge (labeled as such with prior approval from the Grand Master and Grand Secretary) but also to provide general information about Masonry to the public, to update the Brethren on Grand Lodge matters, to help our committee members and program volunteers coordinate their activities, to aid our District and Lodge officers in promoting their events and to offer a general forum for sharing information of interest to our Masonic family. If you have comments or technical questions about the site, e-mail the webmaster or if you have material for us to post (please, not huge monolithic files nor grainy scans of hardcopy) please submit it via the cognizant committee chairman or officer. If you are trying to reach Grand Lodge itself, our Constitutional point of contact is our Grand Secretary or his Assistant Grand Secretary.