Over the past week, we have seen allegations made against our organisation. This prompted the above response from our HQ. Articles were published in various newspapers, the statements of which were proved to be false.

I think it is a real shame that those who really don’t know about our organisation and the members of it feel that they are in a position to make allegations that are false.

I for one am very proud to be a Freemason, I like what it stands for, what it does and what is involved in being a member. I agree from the outside that our ceremonies may seem strange, and have to say when I joined at first I still thought it was weird!! However, a comment that was made on the recent Sky news documentary about Freemasonry summed it up for me. “Once you are in it you get it”. This is so true. I enjoy the “ritual”, it doesn’t do anyone any harm, no one is hurt by it and in a way its a bit like Masonic amateur dramatics. It isn’t secret at all, anyone can go to a Masonic shop and buy a copy of our ritual book or even find it on the internet. If anyone were to ask me what happens during the ceremony I would happily tell them. However, I wouldn’t tell someone who was going to go through it as it would spoil the surprise.

As for all of the secret passwords and handshakes etc. You can also find these on the internet. The reason why a Mason will never tell you about them is that he or she has made a promise not to disclose them. Now let’s be honest these passwords are not the nuclear codes or the entry code to the bank of England. If I told you them nothing would happen, the world wouldn’t stop revolving and life would continue as normal. But the reason I won’t is simple. From my own personal point of view I take pride in my word and will always keep a promise (in this case not to reveal the passwords etc), but as I said you can find them all on the internet.

So why do we have them? Well if you go back to the people that started Freemasonry, they were stone masons, very highly skilled people. Most of them couldn’t read or write, so when they progressed through their training and gained their qualification, they couldn’t be given a certificate or PIN number. They were given a method of greeting a future employer, that was by way of a handshake, a password and a sign. As a mark of respect, we use these methods in our ceremonies and promise to keep them secret just like they did.

So does this give me an advantage over other people, definitely not!! Picture this…. Later on today I’m driving my car and go over the speed limit. I get stopped by the police and quite rightly so. The officer approaches the car, I get out and shake his hand and give him the grip of a Master Mason. I say a word to him he has probably never heard before, I start waving my arms about like a loony. What is he going to do?? He is going to say to me, “have you been drinking sir?”, blow into this machine. Is it going to get me off of the fine etc, no, even if he or she is a Freemason. He definitely isn’t going to say, great your a Mason carry on and do what you want!

So why am I a Freemason? I enjoy it, I love its ability to donate millions to charity, I really enjoy the company of the people I meet on my travels. I have met so many people from different backgrounds who I would never have met had I not joined.  I enjoy the laughs and banter we have at meetings, I love the food and occasionally the wine too!! Would I have joined if I thought it was corrupt, certainly not. Would I encourage my Sons to join an organisation like that? Definitely not!! But it isn’t like that so I would be delighted if they joined and would happily initiate them myself.

So to all the journalists that have given us bad press and people who still think we are trying to take over the world and are just trying to get privileges not available to non Masons, I say this. Come to our open days and ask lots of question and find out from the members. If it was up to me I would I would like you to be able to watch a meeting and see what we do, I would like you to be able to put microphones around the place and hidden cameras into the meetings of the executive etc. The reason I say this is I know you wouldn’t hear anything that is wrong, illegal or immoral. If you do I would be the first to resign.

So let us do what we do, it doesn’t hurt anyone or damage our planet. Yes, it may sound weird when you read it, but when you’re involved in it then you get it. We will continue to do what we do and raise the money we do. We will continue to provide large emergency donations as soon as disasters happen. Why do we do this? It’s not to get promoted in our jobs or to get off of a parking ticket. We do it because we are Freemasons and its what we do! Sadly that is the one secret we have kept really well for far too long!!!!

Bro Mark Davis