About White River Lodge and Freemasonry in General
White River Lodge is a Masonic Lodge in Show Low, Arizona. On other pages of this Website are stories written by members who tell the history of this Lodge. Membership is by petition to the membership. Members of the Lodge are not allowed to solicit new members, but once a member realizes a man is interested, he will be able to assist the man in a membership quest. The quest involves being accepted by the Lodge and participating in three initiation ceremonies over a period of months. Each of the ceremonies, called degrees, requires a proficiency before one can continue to the next degree.
In a Blue Lodge where candidates are initiated into Freemasonry, candidates go through three degrees, Entered Apprentice Mason, Fellowcraft Mason, and Master Mason. Masons learn about Lodges, their history,
legends, and the relationship of Masonry to religion. Masonry teaches that it is not a religion, and that religion is a person’s private choice. In the Master Mason Degree (also called the Third Degree) Masons learn about the legend of the Grand Master Hiram of Abiff, who was accosted by three rough fellowcrafts working at the Building of King Solomon’s Temple. These three fellowcrafts, called Ruffians, betbetrayed,d killed the Grand Master Hiram of Abiff.
The legend of Hiram of Abiff represents how a person can be betrayed by those around him. Masons can find many examples of betrayal from ancient Egypt, Jesus being betrayed by is disciples before going to the cross, and the Knights Templar being betrayed by King Phillip the Fair and Pope Clement V in the early fourteenth century. This is a very moving degree and will make long lasting impression upon all who go through the degree.
Each state or country has autonomous Grand Lodges that govern respective Lodges in the area. There is not a national or international Masonic authority that governs the independent Grand Lodges. Each Grand Lodge in the world will monitor other Grand Lodges to ensure that they conform to Masonic Traditions. Masons may join other Masonic organizations such as the Scottish Rite, the various York Rite Organizations, and the Shrine whien they become Master Masons. The "higher degrees" in these other Masonic organizations have national organizations that either direct or govern the state-run bodies.
Although Masonic Lodges are spiritual in nature, Lodges do not sponsor or promote any religion. The Lodges encourage men to be active in the religion of their personal choice. Masonic Legends indicate that Masonic Lodges evolved from stone masons traveling to the Holy Land during the crusades to support the Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem also called the Knight Hospitallers. There are also links to the Knights Templar. Grand Lodges on every continent of the world can trace their heritage to a Grand Lodge that formed in London in 1717 from four lodges operating at the time.
The principal officer in a Lodge is the Worshipful Master. The term Worshipful comes from England and means Worthy of Respect. The Worshipful Master is usually elected for a year. This office requires proficiency in the Masonic Ritual, leadership ability, and the respect of the brothers of the Lodge. Once a Mason is installed as Master of a Lodge, he becomes a Past Master signifying an honorable status; a title he will hold for the rest of his life. Other Officers in order of level are Senior and Junior Wardens, Treasurer, Secretary, Chaplain, Marshal, Senior and Junior Deacons, Senior and Junior Stewards, and Tyler. The names of officers come from the sixteenth century.
In a Blue Lodge where candidates are initiated into Freemasonry, candidates go through three degrees, Entered Apprentice Mason, Fellowcraft Mason, and Master Mason. Masons learn about Lodges, their history,
legends, and the relationship of Masonry to religion. Masonry teaches that it is not a religion, and that religion is a person’s private choice. In the Master Mason Degree (also called the Third Degree) Masons learn about the legend of the Grand Master Hiram of Abiff, who was accosted by three rough fellowcrafts working at the Building of King Solomon’s Temple. These three fellowcrafts, called Ruffians, betbetrayed,d killed the Grand Master Hiram of Abiff.
The legend of Hiram of Abiff represents how a person can be betrayed by those around him. Masons can find many examples of betrayal from ancient Egypt, Jesus being betrayed by is disciples before going to the cross, and the Knights Templar being betrayed by King Phillip the Fair and Pope Clement V in the early fourteenth century. This is a very moving degree and will make long lasting impression upon all who go through the degree.
Each state or country has autonomous Grand Lodges that govern respective Lodges in the area. There is not a national or international Masonic authority that governs the independent Grand Lodges. Each Grand Lodge in the world will monitor other Grand Lodges to ensure that they conform to Masonic Traditions. Masons may join other Masonic organizations such as the Scottish Rite, the various York Rite Organizations, and the Shrine whien they become Master Masons. The "higher degrees" in these other Masonic organizations have national organizations that either direct or govern the state-run bodies.
Although Masonic Lodges are spiritual in nature, Lodges do not sponsor or promote any religion. The Lodges encourage men to be active in the religion of their personal choice. Masonic Legends indicate that Masonic Lodges evolved from stone masons traveling to the Holy Land during the crusades to support the Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem also called the Knight Hospitallers. There are also links to the Knights Templar. Grand Lodges on every continent of the world can trace their heritage to a Grand Lodge that formed in London in 1717 from four lodges operating at the time.
The principal officer in a Lodge is the Worshipful Master. The term Worshipful comes from England and means Worthy of Respect. The Worshipful Master is usually elected for a year. This office requires proficiency in the Masonic Ritual, leadership ability, and the respect of the brothers of the Lodge. Once a Mason is installed as Master of a Lodge, he becomes a Past Master signifying an honorable status; a title he will hold for the rest of his life. Other Officers in order of level are Senior and Junior Wardens, Treasurer, Secretary, Chaplain, Marshal, Senior and Junior Deacons, Senior and Junior Stewards, and Tyler. The names of officers come from the sixteenth century.
