Boiling Spring Lodge #152 has been initiating, passing and raising candidates to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason in The Blue Lodge of Free Masonry for over 136 years.   

The Grand Lodge of England (formed in 1717) Charted Boiling Spring Lodge #152 of Rutherford NJ in 1882, through the Grand Lodge of NJ of Free & Accepted Masons.  We are proud to be stewards of this ancient and honorable fraternal institution continuing the Legacy of Freemasonry for future generations to benefit from.

What is the definition of Freemasonry? 

In old England, it was defined as "a system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols." Masonry is a course of moral instruction which uses both allegories and symbols to teach its lessons. 

Today, Freemasonry is defined as "an organized society of men symbolically applying the principles of operative Masonry and architecture to the science and art of character building". This means applying Masonic principles will make you a better person. 

What is the purpose of Masonry? 

Our Mission.  The basic purpose is "to make good men better." There is an emphasis placed on the individual man by strengthening his character, improving his moral and spiritual outlook, and broadening his mental horizons.  We can not make "a bad man good, only good men better."  One petitions for membership and only if they are then found well qualified are they accepted into a masonic lodge; to begin their journey and advance through the various degrees of Freemasonry.

Our Masonic "Lodge" or "Temple" in Rutherford, NJ

What We've Achieved

Boiling Spring Lodge #152 in Rutherford NJ has sponsored and donated to numerous charities.

Masonic Regalia & Rituals

Masonic Aprons

Aprons are considered the single most important piece of ceremonial regalia that Masons wear. They symbolize the connection to their medieval roots when stonemasons wore utilitarian aprons often made from sheep hide. The evolution of Masonic aprons is a fascinating story. Many are beautiful works of art reflecting needlework styles and fashions of their day. 

George Washington was initiated “as an Entered Apprentice” at the Freemason Lodge at Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1752. A year later, he became a Master Mason, the highest rank in the Fraternity of Freemasonry. Washington maintained his ties to the secrets of the society throughout his life.

Masonic Rituals

The 3 Degrees of Freemasonry in The Blue Lodge are

• 1st Degree Entered Apprentice Mason
• 2nd Degree Fellow Craft Mason
• 3rd Degree The Sublime Degree of Master Mason

Freemasonry is a peculiar system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated through symbols.  Knowledge about the art of Freemasonry is taught through "Masonic Rituals" which impress upon the candidate the moral lessons of Freemasonry.  These have been passed down to us from antiquity and are where the secrets and masonic knowledge of Freemasonry are communicated to it's initiates and members.

Appendent Bodies of Freemasonry

There are Various degrees of continued education or an expansion of masonic knowledge through appendant bodies of masonry such as the York Rite or The Scottish Rite.  However, The 3rd Degree or The Sublime Degree of Master Mason is the highest degree in Freemasonry.  This Degree is conferred in a Blue Lodge of Freemasonry, such as Boiling Spring Lodge #152 located in Rutherford, NJ.  Typically one must be a Master Mason before their involvement in these other masonic organizations.

The Tracing Board was used in Masonic Education and Lectures in Years Past

A Tracing Board was used, in years past and in some jurisdictions, in masonic degree work to illustrate ideas and principals put forth in it's degrees. The origins of the Tracing Board go back to the masonic lodges in the 18th century and before.  Although not typically in use today the masonic symbols they portray typify the various degrees.

In the beginning of Freemasonry, in England and around the World, Freemasons did not meet in a lodge hall. Instead they rented out the back room of a tavern or some other structure once a month, or however often they held their meetings.  Appropriate diagrams and other items indicating the lodge were drawn, often with chalk, on the floor of the tavern to indicate the information that they needed to convey in their degree work.

Some historical reference has the Tyler, probably as part of the ritual of the time, drawing a rectangle on the floor. Possibly to represent the security of the room as would be the Tyler's responsibility. As the degree progressed, the Worshipful Master or other officers of the lodge would fill the rectangle in with appropriate images. Most of which we would probably not recognize as being part of modern freemasonry, particularly as you go back into the 18th century and before.

After the degree was complete, the candidate would be directed to remove the chalk drawings with a mop and bucket. This would be a reminder of his oath of secrecy. 

During non-degree meetings they would still draw the chalk drawings as a reminder to the brothers of the lessons that the fraternity has taught.

Sometime in the 19th century as symbols were adopted by the fraternity more permanent mechanisms were used. These ranged from painted boards that could be displayed or carpets that could be laid down for candidates to see. Despite the fact that these had come into vogue in the fraternity at the time, most Grand Lodges discouraged their use since they were now a permanent display and could not be erased with a simple swipe of a mop.

By the 20th century the idea of the Tracing Board began to die out. Logically this probably coincided with more and more lodges moving from the back room of a tavern and into their own buildings. The idea that the lodge had to be 100% portable, sometimes referred to as a "lodge in a box", had gone away and it was now easier to have more permanent displays or larger items that could be used to illustrate the ideas and principles of Freemasonry.

Several examples of Tracing Boards still exist and can still be used to relate the concepts of Freemasonry to a candidate.

The Purpose of Freemasonry

What is the purpose of Masonry? 

The basic purpose is "to make good men better." There is an emphasis placed on the individual man by strengthening his character, improving his moral and spiritual outlook, and broadening his mental horizons. 

Masonry tries to educate its members about: 

• The principles of personal responsibility and righteousness
• Understanding of and feeling for Freemasonry's character
• How to put these lessons into practice in their daily life

We Build a Better World

This is how we try to build a better world - by building better men to work in their own communities. Freemasonry believes in universal peace made possible by teaching its doctrine through the Brotherhood of Man and the Natural Laws of a Supreme Being.

Origins of Freemasonry

How did Freemasonry originate? 

Masonic scholars are not sure at what point in time our Craft was born. Every Mason knows it goes far beyond written record, and we believe it was not always called Freemasonry. 

Some of the ancient mysteries of Egypt, Greece and the Orient influenced the ceremonies Masons use today. These ceremonies were desinged to test men, to allow only those who were worthy to be admitted. Our ceremonies are somewhat the same, less physical in nature, and more spiritual in form. 

Ancient Egypt

Cleopatra's Needle located in Central Park in New York City.  The Freemasons, indeed, say items found under the obelisk when it was moved from its home in Alexandria, where it was taken by the Romans in around 12 BC, demonstrate a link between Freemasonry and ancient Egypt.

The items, they say, included a perfect and rough ashlar or stone, a trowel and a diamond-shaped aperture said to represent the Master’s jewel, all important Masonic symbols. A parade of nine thousand Freemasons, described in the event’s program as “an escort of Knights Templar”, marched up Fifth Avenue for the cornerstone ceremony.

What caused the transistion from "Operative" to "Speculative" Masonry? 

Operative masonry can be traced back to the Middle Ages and beyond. Operative masons back then formed groups with structures similar to ours today. They had officers and stations just like ours. Other men were admitted only after they had served a number of years of apprenticeship. This is the source of the first degree, the Entered Apprentice. 

What is the difference between "Operative" and "Speculative" Masonry? 

Operative refers to the time in our history when masons actually did the physical labor of building. They were the best at their craft, and they kept secret their methods of building. Speculative refers to the peroid of time when men were accepted into the Craft without being physical builders, but rather were spiritual buildiers. 

Origin of Grand Lodge

What is the Grand Lodge? 

Modern speculative Freemasonry, as we know it today, owes its structure to the Grand Lodge. The first Grand Lodge under our present system of speculative Masonry was organized in London in 1717 and is known as the United Grand Lodge of England. 

With the exception of a few lodges, every regular Masonic lodge today was granted a charter or warrent from a Grand Lodge. Every Grand Lodge has a certain jurisdiction or area over which to preside. In the United States, the boundry of each state is that area governed by a separate Grand Lodge. 

What do the titles of Grand Lodges - A.F. & A.M. and F. & A.M. - mean? 

Titles of Grand Lodges in the United States vary. Some are called A.F. & A.M., which means Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. The other most commonly used title is F. & A.M., or Free and Accepted Masons. 

The reason for this difference is that in England when Grand Lodges first started, there was a rivalry between two factions of Masons. One faction adopted the title "Ancient" and the other did not. This carried over to the United States where both titles are still in existence. 

Two other titles exist in America. Masons in South Carolina call themselves A.F.M. - Ancient Free Masons. Those in the District of Columbia call themselves F.A.A.M. - Free and Accepted Masons. But no matter what the title, all lodges work toward the same end. 

What does the title of Free and Accepted mean? 

How did the words "free" and "accepted" originate? The ancient craftsmen were very skilled, and their craft was considered to be indispensible to the welfare of both church and state. For this reason, they were not placed under the same restrictions of other workers - they were "free" to do their work, travel and live their lives in a manner which befitted their importance. 

In Medival England, this freedom of movement was almost unheard. Most workers were under bond to the owners of the land on which they worked. We believe this freedom for the operative mason may date back as far as the year 946 in York. 

The word "accepted" also goes back to the time of the operative mason. During the latter years of the Middle ages, there were few educated men outside the monasteries of the church. Naturally, men wanted to become Freemasons to get the advantages the Craft had to offer. These men did not necessarily want to build buildings, they wanted to belong to the organization. 

These were "accepted" Masons rather than operative masons. This practice probably originated when some of the people for whom craftsmen were working asked to be admitted and the practice grew with time. This was a big boost to Masonry, because the secret techniques of building trades were becoming more widely known, the requirements of architecture were changing, and our operative membership was declining. By becoming "speculative," we grew rapidly. 

As time went on, there became more and more of the accepted members than there were operative members. Sometime in the late seventeenth century, we believe the accepted masons outnumbered the operative masons, and we became a speculative organization rather than operative one. 

Is Freemasonry a Secret Society? 

The answer is no. A secret society is one which conceals its membership, has secret meeting places, and of which the public has little or no knowledge of its organization or its principles. 

This does not fit our organization at all. We are not a secret society, but we are a society with secrets. Our secrets are maintained through a sense of tradition. These requirements have been handed down by word of mouth for centuries. 

Our purposes, ideals and principles may be learned by anyone who inquires and is accepted finding the qualified. There are numerous books on these subjects which are available to the public. We place public notices in the newspapers about our meetings, our members are often prominent citizens in the community, and our meeting places or temples are clearly marked as such. 

Is Freemasonry a Religion? 

Again, no. We do ask that you state that you believe in a Supreme Being. We do not require that you belong to a church, although many Masons are very active in their churches. Members have the right to belong to any church they want or free to practice any religion, and Freemasonry does not infringe on that right. However, members should not atempt to substitute the teachings of Freemasonry or membership in a lodge for their church. Masonry seeks only to unite men for the purpose of brotherhood - not religion. 

Atheism in Masonry

Can an atheist become a Mason? 

A candidate for Masonry must honestly profess a faith in a higher being when applying as a prerequisite for admission. An avowed athiest would not profess this belief and thus would not be admitted. 

Proper and Improper Subjects for Discussion In Lodge

Are there subjects that cannot be discussed in Lodge? 

Generally, religion and politics should not be discussed in lodge, and there are very good reasons not to discuss these topics. When we meet in a lodge, we are all on a common level and are not subject to the classes and distinctions of the outside world. Each brother is entitled to his own beliefs and may follow his own convictions. 

Our objective is to unite men and not to divide them. These subjects create honest differences of opinions which might well cause friction between brethren. 

Can there be arguments in the Lodge? 

There will also be subjects concerning the lodge's business that should be discussed. These discussions should be kept within the bounds of propriety, and everyone should be show a tolerance for the opinion of the other. 

Every Master wants harmony in his lodge, and once a matter has been put to vote in his lodge and a decision made, the decision should be accepted by all members, regardless of how they voted. 

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Are Masons encouraged to be active in their community? 

We try to teach every Mason to be a good citizen and to perform his civic duties. We do not try to keep anyone from expressing his opinion or from serving his city, county, state or nation in an honorable manner. However, anyone who serves in political office should not act politically as a Freemason, or in the name of Freemasonry, in exercising his rights - such as showing affiliation with any lodge in his campaign advertising. 

What are the qualifications of a Petitioner in the United States? 

First, he must be a man. Second, he must believe in a Supreme Being. Third, he must be 18 years of age. 

Why is it called the Blue Lodge? 

There are three reasons that could explain why this term originated. 

It could be because blue is generally regarded to be the color of truth and fidelity, and these are the basic teachings of the Craft. 

Blue also is the color used to characterize friendship, as in a true blue friend. 

Finally, blue has been used to trim and decorate Masonic aprons, collars and clothing down through the ages, and this could be why we call it the Blue Lodge. 

How can a candidate prepare himself for initiation? 

To receive the greatest benefit from the initiation ceremonies, a candidate should first prepare his mind for its reception. He should not be apprehensive and should enter the lodge with the attitude which will enable him to appreciate the serious and solemn ceremonies through which he will pass. The candidate should pay strict attention to every part of the ceremony in order that he may gain as much understanding as possible of the teachings of Freemasonry. 

The methods used in teaching are allegory and symbolism and will be new and unusual to the candidate. These methods have been used for almost three centuries and have not changed very much since they were originated. Finally, he should understand that every Mason in the lodge room is his friend and soon to be his brother. 

Is there any horseplay or hazing during the ceremonies? 

There is no place for horseplay or hazing during Masonic ceremonies, and the candidate can be assured there will be none. The rituals are serious and solemn, and are to teach spiritual lessons with great dignity. 

Anything which would be told the candidate in a joking manner or otherwise, serves only to desecrate the honorable purposes of Freemasonry. The candidate should have no apprehension about entering a lodge. He is always entering a society of freinds and brothers, where he will be treated with dignity and decorum at all times. 

What do Freemasons support? 

Freemasonry is not a fraternity or association of men banded together for social, political or economic advantages. Our foundation is built on a philosophy of freindship and brotherly love, but we also make many worthwhile contributions to our society. 

As Masons, we in New Jersey contribute toward the Masonic Home in Burlington, and many other charities throughout the State. 

There have been many famous men who were Masons. Some of the better known are: George Washington, Paul Revere, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin, Harry Truman, John Glenn, and Gerald Ford. 

How to Petition for Membership

To start the process, you must first submit a petition for membership. This petition will be read at a meeting of the Lodge you are seeking to join. You will then be visited by a small committee from the Lodge who will ascertain your qualifications and answer any questions you or your family may have regarding Freemasonry. At the next meeting, the members will vote on your petition for membership. Once approved, you will be asked to attend three successive meetings, during which you will learn the teachings of Freemasonry in ceremonies known as Degrees.

History

No one knows with certainty how or when the Masonic Fraternity was formed. A widely accepted theory among Masonic scholars is that it arose from the stonemasons’ guilds during the Middle Ages. The language and symbols used in the fraternity’s rituals come from this era. The oldest document that makes reference to Masons is the Regius Poem, printed about 1390, which was a copy of an earlier work. In 1717, four lodges in London formed the first Grand Lodge of England, and records from that point on are more complete.  For instance, the first Lodge in the Colonies was chartered in Boston in 1733, and the first Lodge in New Jersey, St. Johns #1, was chartered on July 3, 1787.

Within thirty years, the fraternity had spread throughout Europe and the American Colonies. Freemasonry became very popular in colonial America. George Washington was a Mason, Benjamin Franklin served as the head of the fraternity in Pennsylvania, as did Paul Revere and Joseph Warren in Massachusetts. Other well-known Masons involved with the founding of America included John Hancock, John Sullivan, Lafayette, Baron Fredrick von Stuben, Nathanael Greene, and John Paul Jones. Another Mason, Chief Justice John Marshall, shaped the Supreme Court into its present form.

Over the centuries, Freemasonry has developed into a worldwide fraternity emphasizing personal study, self-improvement, and social betterment via individual involvement and philanthropy. During the late 1700s it was one of the organizations most responsible for spreading the ideals of the Enlightenment: the dignity of man and the liberty of the individual, the right of all persons to worship as they choose, the formation of democratic governments, and the importance of public education. Masons supported the first public schools in both Europe and America.

During the 1800s and early 1900s, Freemasonry grew dramatically. At that time, the government had provided no social “safety net”. The Masonic tradition of founding orphanages, homes for widows, and homes for the aged provided the only security many people knew.

Today in North America, the Masonic Fraternity continues this tradition by giving almost $2 million each day to causes that range from operating children’s hospitals, providing treatment for childhood language disorders, treating eye diseases, funding medical research, contributing to local community service, and providing care to Masons and their families at Masonic Homes.

The four million Masons worldwide continue to help men and women face the problems of the 21st century by building bridges of brotherhood and instilling in the hearts of men ideals for a better tomorrow.