The Lodge

The word Lodge means both a group of masons meeting, and the room or building in which they meet. The word is derived from the temporary structures which stonemasons built against the sides of great buildings during construction. In winter, when work outside had to stop because of severe weather, the stonemasons lived and carved stone inside these lodges.

Masonic buildings are sometimes known as Temples because much of the symbolism that Masonry uses to teach its lessons comes from the building of King Solomon's Temple in the Holy Land.

Types of Lodge

Blue Lodges, Craft Lodges or Ancient Craft Lodges refer to the lodges that work the first three Masonic degrees, rather than the appendant Masonic orders such as York Rite and Scottish Rite. The term "Craft Lodge" is used in Great Britain. The Blue Lodge is said to refer to the traditional colour of regalia in Lodges derived from English or Irish Freemasonry. Although the term was originally frowned upon, it has gained widespread and mainstream usage in America in recent times.

Research Lodges have the purpose of furthering Masonic scholarship. Quatuor Coronati Lodge No 2076 in London is the preeminenet example of a Research Lodge; it has a strictly limited membership and receives visitors and papers from all over the world. There are other well-known Research Lodges in other jurisdictions. Research Lodges usually meet less frequently than Blue Lodges and do not confer degrees.

A Lodge of Instruction may be associated with a Lodge, but is not constituted separately. The Lodge of Instruction provides the Officers and those who wish to become Officers an opportunity to rehearse ritual under the guidance of an experienced brother; there may also be lectures around the ritual and the symbolism in the lodge within a Lodge of Instruction, in order to develop the knowledge and understanding of the membership.

The term Mother Lodge is frequently used to identify the particular Lodge where an individual was first "made a Mason" (i.e. received his Entered Apprentice degree). 'Mother Lodge' may also refer to a Lodge which sponsors the creation of a new Lodge, the Daughter Lodge, to be warranted under the jurisdiction of the same Grand Lodge; specific procedures pertaining to this vary throughout history and in different jurisdictions. Lodge Mother Kilwinning No. 0 in the Grand Lodge of Scotland is known as the Mother Lodge of Scotland, having been referred to in the Schaw Statutes of 1598 and 1599, and having itself warranted other Lodges at a time when it did not subscribe to a Grand Lodge.