224 S. High St
Lancaster, OH 43130
614-908-3955
Lancaster Ohio Masonic Temple
  • Home
    • TRESTLEBOARD (Calendar)
    • Temple History >
      • Grand Master Charles R. Sherman
    • Photos of the Temple
    • About
    • Theatre & Concert events
    • Chili Cookoff
    • Raffles
  • Masonic Lodge
    • Freemasonry Explained
    • How to Join
    • Masons at Work
    • Scholarships
    • Grand Lodge of Ohio
    • 13th Masonic District of Ohio
    • Appendant Bodies
    • Past Masters of Lancaster #57 >
      • Grand Lodge Officers from Lancaster #57
    • Member Log-in (Grandview)
  • Appendant Bodies
    • York Rite at Lancaster Masonic Lodge >
      • Chapter #11, R.A.M.
      • Council #3, R.&S.M.
      • Commandery #2 K.T.
    • Grand Chapter R.A.M. of Ohio
    • Grand Council R.&S.M. of Ohio
    • Grand Commandery K.T. of Ohio
    • Scottish Rite >
      • Northern Masonic Jurisdiction
      • Valley of Columbus
    • Shrine >
      • Tarhe Shrine Club
      • Aladdin Shrine
      • Shriners Hospitals
    • White Shrine of Jerusalem
    • Parthenia #124 OES
  • FACILITY RENTAL
    • Gallery
  • Contact
Freemasonry is a fraternal organization that traces its origins to the local fraternities of stonemasons, which from the end of the fourteenth century regulated the qualifications of masons and their interaction with authorities and clients. The degrees of freemasonry, retain the three grades of medieval craft guilds, those of Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason. These are the degrees offered by craft, or "blue lodge" Freemasonry. There are additional degrees, which vary with locality and jurisdiction, and are now administered by different bodies than the craft degrees.

The basic local organizational unit of Freemasonry is the lodge. The lodges are usually supervised and governed at the regional level (in the US each state and the District of Columbia) by a Grand Lodge. There is no international, world-wide Grand Lodge that supervises all of Freemasonry. Each Grand Lodge is independent, and they do not necessarily recognize each other as being legitimate.


Freemasonry describes itself as a beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. The symbolism is mainly, but not exclusively, drawn from the manual tools of stonemasons - the square and compasses, the level and plumb rule, the trowel, among others. A moral lesson is attached to each of these tools. The meaning of the symbolism is taught and explored through ritual.

All Freemasons begin their journey in the Craft by being progressively initiated, passed and raised into the three degrees of craft, or blue lodge Masonry. During these three rituals, the candidate is progressively taught the meanings of the lodge symbols, and entrusted with grips, signs and words to signify to other Masons that he has been so initiated. The initiations are part allegory and part lecture, and revolve around the construction of the Temple of Solomon, and the artistry and death of his chief architect, Hiram Abiff.  While many different versions of these rituals exist, with two different lodge layouts and versions of the Hiram myth, each version is recognizable to any Freemason from any jurisdiction.



Adapted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry 

Lancaster Masonic Temple
224 S. High St.
Lancaster, OH 43130
Phone: 614-908-3955
​Email: [email protected]

Photo credits:
Brother Nick Powell

Brothers of Lancaster #57


Website Design by:
Worshipful Brother Scott Snider

Webmaster:


2024 Lodge Officers:
Worshipful Master: James E. Beadle
Senior Warden: Craig Miller
Junior Warden:  Mike Flowers
Treasurer: Jim Bradford
Asst. Treasurer:  William Duerson
Acting Secretary: Jonathan Allison PM   
Asst. Secretary:  Frank Stuck PDDGM  
Senior Deacon: Edward Miller
Junior Deacon: Ruban Banks 
Tyler:  Ray Stebelton
Senior Steward:    Billy Arnold 
Junior Steward:                         
L.E.O.:  Jonathan Allison PM
Assistant L.E.O.:                              
Chaplain: Bill Arnold PM
Assistant Chaplain:                                
Lodge Advisor: Frank Stuck PM, PDDGM