Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Part I: What Is Freemasonry? 9
Chapter 1: Lodges, Aprons, and Funny Handshakes: Freemasonry 101 11
Chapter 2: From Cathedrals to Lodge Rooms: A History of the Freemasons 21
Chapter 3: The Philosophy of Freemasonry 55
Chapter 4: Politics, Religion, and Freemasons: They Don’t Mix 63
Part II: The Inner Workings of Freemasonry 89
Chapter 5: How the Freemasons Are Organized: Who Does What and Why 91
Chapter 6: The Ceremonies of Freemasons 115
Chapter 7: The Symbols of Freemasonry 129
Chapter 8: Myths and Misconceptions about Masons 151
Part III: When One Lodge Isn’t Enough: The Appendant Bodies 163
Chapter 9: Introducing the Appendant Bodies: Who’s Who, and Who Isn’t 165
Chapter 10: The York Rite 181
Chapter 11: The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite 203
Chapter 12: Shriners International 221
Chapter 13: The Extended Masonic Family 231
Part IV: Freemasonry Today and Tomorrow 249
Chapter 14: So Is It Still Relevant? 251
Chapter 15: Freemasons and the Future 259
Chapter 16: So You Want to Become a Freemason 267
Part V: The Part of Tens 279
Chapter 17: Ten Groups of Famous Masons 281
Chapter 18: Ten Amazing Conspiracies, Anti-Masons, and Hoaxes 289
Chapter 19: Ten Cool Masonic Places 301
Part VI: Appendixes 305
Appendix A: The Regius Manuscript 307
Appendix B: Anderson’s Constitutions 329
Appendix C: Finding a Lodge 335
Index 347
