Not So Secret Society

The interaction of Masons within Fairfield County are beneficial for the community. The masonic societies of Fairfield County hold a long history that most people in the community do not know. Freemasonry, a fraternity that dates back to the 14th Century, is a system of organizations that practice applications of centralized morality and applications of virtues. In Masonic Lodges, it is known that participants believe in a “Supreme Being”. Different associate bodies of Masonry, like York Rite, Scottish Rite or the Shriners, all maintain the basic masonic principles but are different in membership and application. Masonry is deemed as a society with secrets, which is significant because the practices done in lodges are sacred and not known to the public. I interviewed a local resident, Mr. Bobby Albert, the Deputy District Grand Master Mason of the twenty-third Masonic District. My objective from the interview was to gain knowledge from him and understand a seasoned mason’s point of view on his beliefs, experience, and community. I asked him several questions pertaining to his experiences, challenges, and feelings about the fraternity along with what it is Freemasonry in a whole. For example, I asked Mr. Albert the question: What does Freemasonry mean to you? He replied: “Freemasonry to me is a fraternity of brothers that I can count on.” Also, having the betterment of the community in mind, I asked him: How can Masons impact Fairfield County. He said: “ We can impact our community through one of our main principles-charity. We take care of our brothers and their families and have contributed to non-masons in need of assistance at times.” As for being a mason, I asked him should the fraternity be involved in their community. He stated that the fraternity provides scholarships to college-bound students and host events such as Ladies Night in which they invite the Volunteer Fire Department. I interviewed another local mason, Mr. Brunson, who is a Prince Hall Mason. I asked questions about his Masonic process and why he chose to be inducted into the brotherhood. He stated that he chose to seek membership in masonry because the concepts of masonry were intriguing and eye-catching to him. He also shed light on how Masons can start impacting their community more by offering a male youth outreach program. He said that local lodges can really influence the younger males of Fairfield County by becoming mentors and helping to guide those young men into manhood. He said that it is important for Masons to offer charity back to their community, in an effort to create a cohesive bond between the different generations of men within the county. He stressed the Three Great Principles: Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth, which are the basic virtues that Masons live and guide their lives by. Around communities, masons congregate in their various types of lodges. They are all based on the blue lodge, which contain the first three degrees of Masonry. The masons of Fairfield County benefit the community by engaging with students that live in the county. It is also beneficial that they expose some of what they do as a mason to the public. This ensures that the well sought coming together of brethren in the community is accomplished. I feel that the masons can influence the people within the county through teaching, leading, and most importantly charity. If they would be willing to share their fellowship they would have a positive impact on the community, not only today, but in years to come.