THE FELLOWSHIP OF MASONRY

THE FELLOWSHIP OF MASONRY

Author: The Builder Magazine

Year: 1917

In a 1917 address titled "THE FELLOWSHIP OF MASONRY," Brother John Lewin McLeish presents Freemasonry as a powerful, universal, and ancient brotherhood uniquely equipped to address the "new problems" facing humanity at the height of World War I. He defines Masonry as a "Mighty Fellowship" animated by the ideals of brotherly love, relief, and truth, founded on the dogma of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. To illustrate the fraternity's global reach and potential, McLeish provides a snapshot of its numerical strength at the time: United States: Nearly two million members under 49 Grand Lodges. England: 2,578 subordinate lodges. Canada: Over 100,000 Masons under eight Grand Lodges. He also notes the presence of Grand Lodges across Germany (8), South America (6), Australia (6), India (5), and numerous other countries, emphasizing the "Universality of the Great Brotherhood." McLeish strongly criticizes the "Button Mason"—the member who wears the emblem with pride but has been rushed through the degrees and remains ignorant of the fraternity's history, symbolism, and purpose. He argues that this indifference is one of the Craft's greatest weaknesses. He then provides a d