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© History Oasis
"Freemasonry is a great institution, but it is like all human institutions - it has its shams and its frauds."
—Mark Twain
Freemasonry is a fraternal society that started in the late 16th or early 17th century. Today, it exists in various forms around the world.
Here are some famous historical figures who were Freemasons and what they accomplished.
The specifics of what they did as Freemasons aren't well-documented. Freemasonry keeps many secrets.
George Washington's face is everywhere in American history.
Washington, the nation's first president, was a revered statesman with a keen intellect and an indomitable spirit.
Few know that Washington joined Freemasonry at age 20.
The rituals, lore, and values of the brotherhood shaped his leadership and his future.
Washington's Masonic connections run deep.
The organization shaped his principles and molded his worldview. It was a cornerstone of his life.
Freemasonry took root in him and bore fruit in how he led, favoring democracy, liberty, equality, and fraternity—all cornerstones of the Masonic order.
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Benjamin Franklin—polymath, inventor, statesman, and philosopher—needs no introduction.
Less known is his connection to Freemasonry.
Franklin's initiation was not about status or community.
It was a meeting with a way of life, a system of values, an ethos that lit his path. The famed Masonic symbols of the square and compass guided him through the complexities of life and leadership.
Franklin took up the Masonic mantle of leadership and became Grand Master of Masons in Pennsylvania.
He sat in the revered East of the Masonic lodge and embraced the responsibilities and challenges this role brought.
He worked to better the lives of his brethren, the community, and the world beyond the lodge's walls.
Franklin's influence on the birth of the United States was significant and marked by his Masonic affiliations.
As one of the architects of the U.S. Constitution, Franklin brought Masonic principles of brotherhood, equality, and justice into the heart of the nation's foundational document.
His commitment to these values, born in the fraternity of Freemasonry, found expression in the U.S. Constitution.
From gilded concert halls to humble classrooms, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart means brilliance and creativity.
Behind the composer's quill and melodies was a man deeply influenced by his Masonic membership.
Mozart joined Freemasonry in 1784. In the brotherhood, he found not just friends but an ethos that spoke to his heart.
Mozart's Masonic affiliation shows best in his opera "The Magic Flute."
This isn't just music. It's a canvas painted with Freemasonry.
The opera overflows with Masonic symbols, from the number three (sacred to Masons) to themes of enlightenment and virtue overcoming ignorance and vice.
This is Mozart the Freemason speaking, not just Mozart the composer.
Mark Twain—a name that evokes the Mississippi River, Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and 19th-century America.
The man behind the pen name, Samuel Clemens, was not just a storyteller.
He was also a Freemason.
Twain joined the Polar Star Lodge No. 79 A.F.&A.M. in St. Louis. He joined the ranks of other influential Masons, a fraternity that valued wisdom, integrity, and moral compass—attributes Twain came to embody.
Twain was known for his unique blend of wit, humor, and biting social commentary.
These elements didn't just entertain. They reflected his life and the lessons he learned as a Freemason.
As he worked on his craft and honed his writing, Twain was also working on his Masonic journey, aiming for personal growth and moral uprightness extolled in Masonic teachings.
Sir Winston Churchill, the British statesman known for his unyielding resolve during World War II, was also a Freemason.
Churchill joined the Studholme Lodge No. 1591 in London in 1901.
This initiation began a Masonic journey that would subtly yet profoundly influence his leadership style and his vision for the world.
As Prime Minister, Churchill showed indomitable will and unflinching commitment to Britain's survival and success.
Beneath the stoicism and steely determination was a man deeply influenced by Masonic principles.
The fraternal values of unity, tolerance, and brotherhood—central tenets of Freemasonry—found expression in Churchill's leadership and his vision for post-war Europe.
Churchill's Masonic ideals shone through not just in conflict.
His call for a united Europe, a 'fraternity of nations', echoed Masonic principles of universal brotherhood and peace.
Churchill's vision was not of isolated nations but of a cooperative community working toward shared prosperity, a dream that resonates with the Masonic call for unity and fraternity.
Henry Ford put the world on wheels. He's celebrated as a revolutionary in the automotive industry.
Lesser known is his connection to Freemasonry.
Ford joined the Palestine Lodge No. 357 in Detroit. In Freemasonry, he discovered a system of values that resonated with his own beliefs and principles, influencing how he approached business.
Ford's contribution to the industrial world is monumental. His development of the assembly line technique changed mass production, setting new standards for accessibility in the automotive industry.
Beneath the mechanics and manufacturing lay the principles of a Freemason.
The assembly line wasn't just about production. It reflected Masonic values of order, precision, and integrity.
Buzz Aldrin's name is etched in human history as the second man to walk on the moon.
On Earth, Aldrin also embarked on another journey, not through outer space but through the symbols and rituals of Freemasonry.
As a Freemason, Aldrin was guided by Masonic principles of truth, morality, and enlightenment—the same principles that characterized his contribution to space exploration.
In 1969, Aldrin undertook an expedition that was both scientific and symbolically Masonic.
When he embarked on the Apollo 11 mission, he carried a special deputation from his Grand Lodge.
A symbol of Freemasonry's reach, its universal values, and its aspirations for human progress and enlightenment.
John Wayne, the quintessential symbol of American ruggedness and machismo, spent a lifetime portraying characters who embodied courage, integrity, and a rugged sense of justice.
But not until the twilight of his life did Wayne discover another role—that of a Freemason.
Wayne joined the Marion McDaniel Lodge No. 56 in Tucson, Arizona, in 1970. In Freemasonry, he found an ethos that resonated with the values he held dear and had spent a lifetime portraying.
Wayne's roles in Westerns often highlighted themes of justice, honor, and courage—values deeply embedded in Masonic teachings.
His characters were men of action, principle, and integrity. These were not just roles for Wayne. They were expressions of a man who believed in the power of virtue and the strength of moral character—ideas central to Freemasonry.
Giuseppe Garibaldi means Italian unity and nationalism.
Known for his role in Italy's unification process, Garibaldi was more than just a general and politician.
He was also a Freemason. This fraternity, with its ideals of brotherhood and equality, found a fervent advocate in Garibaldi and deeply influenced his vision for Italy.
As a leader, Garibaldi embodied the principles that form the bedrock of Freemasonry.
His commitment to brotherhood and equality, his unyielding pursuit of justice, and his dedication to national unity all reflect his Masonic ideals.
Garibaldi was not just leading a political campaign. He was leading a Masonic crusade for unity and equality.
The unification of Italy was more than a political movement.
For Garibaldi, it was a Masonic quest.
He saw in the ideals of Freemasonry a blueprint for a united, egalitarian Italy.
His efforts toward unification weren't just driven by nationalist fervor but by a deeply held belief in Masonic values of brotherhood, equality, and justice.
Sir Alexander Fleming, best known for discovering penicillin, was not just a brilliant scientist. He was also a Freemason.
His entry into the fraternity was marked by the same curiosity and quest for knowledge that would later drive his revolutionary work in medicine.
Fleming's discovery of penicillin is hailed as a landmark breakthrough.
Less known is how his Masonic background influenced his scientific work.
Freemasonry's commitment to the pursuit of knowledge, its reverence for wisdom and enlightenment—all echo in Fleming's relentless pursuit of scientific truth.
Fleming's penicillin was a breakthrough of colossal proportions. It revolutionized medicine, saved countless lives, and earned him a Nobel Prize.
It was more than a scientific discovery.
It embodied Masonic values of service, charity, and the pursuit of knowledge for the betterment of humanity.
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