| Freemasonry (Masonry) is the oldest Fraternity in the world. No one knows just how old Masonry is because the actual origins have been lost in time. Probably, Masonry arose from the guilds of stone Masons who built the castles and cathedrals during the middle Ages. These Masons had the freedom to move from site to site and even to different countries while other people of the time could not. Hence the term Freemasons. Masons organized themselves into Lodges and/or Guilds, using the Secrets of their Craft to identify themselves. The square and compasses, tools of the stonemasons trade became the Symbol of the Fraternity. In 1717, a formal organization of Freemasons was created in England when the first Grand Lodge was formed. A Grand Lodge is the administrative body in charge of Masonry in some geographical area. Frequently different Grand Lodges operate in the same geographical area. Presently the Masonic Fraternity is worldwide. In the United States alone there are about 2 million Freemasons, they contribute over $2,000,000 each day toward philanthropic activities. Today, Freemasonry is composed of men bound together not by trade, but by their desire to be Fraternal Brothers. Through strengthening of the individual's character, Masonry seeks to improve the community and make good men better. Freemasonry arrived in what is now Colorado with the early miners. The first issue of the Rocky Mountain News in 1859 carried a notice of a Masonic Meeting. Following the formation of the Territory of Colorado in February of 1861, three Lodges joined together on August 2, 1861, to organize the Grand Lodge of Colorado. In Colorado the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons and the Grand Lodge of Colorado Ancient Free and Accepted Masons have officially recognized one another and have, by treaty, agreed to share Concurrent Jurisdiction. There are approximately 16,000 Masons in Colorado, many of whom belong to the Scottish Rite and/or York Rite of Freemasonry. Proficient Master Masons may become Shriners. Freemasons, Scottish Rite Masons, York Rite Masons, and Shriners support many philanthropic works such as: scholarships, medical research, homes, Scottish Rite Centers for Childhood Language Disorders, and Shriners Hospitals for Children. Other organizations, which are related to the Masonic movement, are formed for women and young people. Masonry is not a religion. Masonry accepts all men regardless of their religion. Masonry encourages men to participate in their religious services and worship according to their faith. One of the traditions of the Fraternity is that a man must join of his own free will. A man desiring to become a Mason may request a Petition from a friend who is a Mason. Under present regulations a Mason may invite a friend to submit a Petition for Membership. However, Membership requires the following; a belief in the existence of a Supreme Being, that a man be of good moral character, and be at least 18 years of age.
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Colorado Freemasonry 
