“Why?” is a large and profound question. In that spirit, some people once asked, “Why join a Masonic lodge?”
In hindsight, as a Freemason who belonged to Buffalo Park Lodge and later served as the Past Master of another lodge in Ontario, I might instead ask, “Why do some men choose not to explore Freemasonry?”
Do you have all of life’s answers? Are there no challenges remaining, nothing new to experience and no new friendships to make? Most people would not answer yes to all those questions.
No organization can provide new answers that are not already found within the Bible. A Bible—traditionally a King James Version—was present in the lodge room, as it was in many homes. A Masonic lodge was a fraternity, not a church. Its traditions assumed that members held a personal belief in God, while avoiding denominational disputes.
A lodge could be a place to form friendships and spend time in the company of men of different ages and backgrounds. Members might gain a clearer understanding of the world around them and, in turn, a better understanding of themselves.
Along the way there could be a dash of theatre, shared meals, refreshments, jokes and good, clean fun. The lodge was not primarily a service club or a social drinking club, although members sometimes participated in helpful community activities.
The traditional aim was often summarized as helping to “make good men better.” For some members, that meant friendship, reflection, self-improvement, responsibility and service to others.
The wording has been lightly corrected for spelling, grammar and clarity. The first-person viewpoint and central ideas have been retained from the original lodge website.