Smithfield Masonic Education Institute

Areas of Study:

• Historical Masonry: The Emergence of Modern Masonry
• Legislative Masonry: Masonic Organization and Administration
• Philosophical Masonry: Masonic Precepts
• Symbolical Masonry: The Lodge and the Craft Degrees

Historical Masonry

• A Short Outline of Architectural Masonry
• The Medieval Operative Mason
• The English Guilds
• The London Company of Freemasons
• The Old Manuscript Charges
• The 'Acception' in the Masons' Company

• The Emergence of Speculative Masonry
• The Rosicrucian's and the Emergence
• The Evolution of Scottish Freemasonry and its Influence on Early Freemasonry in England
• How we got the Word "Freemason"

• The First Grand Lodge (1717)
• The Rival Grand Lodge of the "Antients"
• Other English Grand Lodges
• The United Grand Lodge, 1813, and its Effect on Present-day Craft Ritual

Legislative Masonry: Masonic Organization and Administration

• Ancient Constitutions
• Codes of Law
• Grand Lodge Practices
• Relationship to Constituent Lodges
• Official Duties and Prerogatives

• National Masonry
• Organization
• Qualifications of Candidates
• Initiation, Passing and Raising

• Visitation
• Change of Membership

Philosophical Masonry: Masonic Purposes and Doctrines

• Morality -- The Lesson of the Entered Apprentice Degree
• The Purpose of Freemasonry
• The Pursuit of Happiness
• The Brotherhood of Man Under the Fatherhood of God

• The Contents of the Fellowcraft Degree
• Virtue
• Fortitude, Prudence, Temperance, Justice
• Brotherly Love, Relief, Truth
• Charity

• The Individual in Freemasonry
• Masonic Rededication
• Audi, Vide, Tace

Symbolical Masonry

• The Lodge
• Warrants, Certificates and the Masonic Calendar
• Wardens and Deacons
• The Tyler
• Floor-drawings, Cloths, Carpets, and Tracing boards
• The Ashlars
• The Cowan

• The Working Tools
• Masonic Clothing
• The Lodge at Refreshment
• Masonic Mourning
• How the Masonic Degrees came to us
• Initiation
• The Fellowcraft and his Degree

• The Hiramic Legend of the Third Degree
• The Foundation Stone
• The Freemason's Landmarks
• The Freemason's Saints