
From The Western Mason - March 1991

Official Organ of the Grand Lodge of Western Australia

ROTARY AND FREEMASONRY

At the meeting of the Rotary Club of Nedlands Western Australia held on
10th January, 1991The Club was addressed by one of its members, Rotarian
Arthur Smith who has recently completed a three year term as Grand Master
of the Grand Lodge of Western Australian Freemasons. He accepted a
challenge to present to his Club an outline of similarities between Rotary
and Freemasonry which are two of the most prominent organisations operating
in today's society. The following is a precis of his address:

Any attempt to discuss the similarities of 
Masonry and Rotary in the brief time available 
at a lunchtime Rotary meeting must inevitably 
mean that it is possible only to touch briefly 
on some aspects of the theme and requires an 
understanding of the origins, objectives and 
modus operandi of both organisations.

ORIGINS OF ROTARY:
Rotary was born out of an idea that came 
from the facile brain and lonely heart of Paul 
Harris, a young Chicago lawyer in 1905. He 
gathered three of his friends to talk about the 
idea of a club where one person from each 
occupation could meet on an informal basis. 
It is interesting to note the three men who 
Paul Harris chose to help him found his club. 
They were: Gus Lochr - Mining Engineer; 
Hiram Shorey - Merchant Tailor; Silvester 
Schide - Coal Dealer; what a diverse group 
they were!

ORIGIN OF FREEMASONRY:
Freemasonry is of course much older than 
Rotary, although nobody can be quite sure 
exactly when it originated.

However most Masonic scholars today 
would agree that it probably had its origins in 
the groups of stonemasons who worked on 
the great cathedrals of England and Europe. 
Those magnificent buildings took centuries 
to build and often generations of the same 
family would be involved in the building.

Often it was necessary for the Masons to live 
'on the job' and they would erect a temporary 
building in which they housed their tools and 
in which they lived. You can appreciate that 
living together for such a long period they 
developed special close ties that banded them 
together.
From time to time they would find it 
necessary to accept into their number carefully 
selected young men of good character to be 
trained as apprentices. Because these young 
men would also be living away from home 
the Masons taught them not only the skills of 
the trade but also imparted lessons about life 
and morality. To do this they took the tools 
with which they worked day by day the 
Square, Level, Plumb Rule, Chisel, Mallet, 
24 inch gauge and invested these tools with 
symbolic meanings.
When the building of the great cathedrals
came to an end, those groups of operative 
masons wanted to continue to enjoy the 
fellowship which they had exprienced with 
one another. So they began to take into their 
number men of good character who were not 
Operative Masons. These men became known 
as Speculative or Syrnbolic Masons.
And that is really what modern day 
Freemasons are. They are groups of men who 
meet together and who by use of ritual and 
drama based upon those old working tools 
and the legends surrounding the building 
of King Solomon's temple, impart valuable 
teaching about the meaning of life and 
morality. If you think that that is old 
fashioned, well so be it! And I suggest to you 
that there never was a time in the world's 
history like the present time when emphasis 
needs to be placed on moral and ethical 
values. We have only to look at the scandals 
BASED ON FELLOWSHIP:
The first objective of Rotary is 'The 
development of acquaintance as an 
opportunity for service'.

The first principle of Freemasonry is 
"Brotherly Love". Not that the term is meant 
to be exclusive for a Mason is taught that he 
has a duty to all men.

As in Rotary so in Masonry special bonds of 
friendship are formed between the members 
of each lodge in the same way that Rotarians 
of a particular club develop similar ties of 
affection.

It is significant that much Rotary fellowship 
is engendered around the meal table. Masonic 
meetings are followed by a time of fellowship 
around the supper table.

BOTH ROTARY AND MASONRY HAVE 
CRITERIA FOR MEMBERSHIP:
The criteria for membership of Rotary is 
that a person is a leader in his (or her) chosen 
profession or occupation and is a good 
citizen. Admission to membership is not 
automatic and must be approved by the club. 
The proposed member must also be eligible 
to fill a vacant classification.

The criteria for membership of a Masonic 
Lodge are:

(a) A male person of 21 years of age 
(b) Of good moral character
(c) Must express a belief in a Supreme Being

Membership likewise is not automatic. Like 
Rotary each proposed new member is 
interviewed and reports are sought as to his 
suitability. He must then be voted into
membership.

Applying such criteria Masonry and Rotary 
are able to accept as members men from all 
walks of life and all religious persuasions.

Masonry is not as some would tell you a 
Religion. Indeed it has amongst its members 
men of many different faiths. I have been 
present at a Masonic meeting when there 
were present an Anglican Bishop, a Uniting 
Church Minister, a Jewish Rabbi and a 
Salvation Army Officer. All meeting in 
complete harmony. It is therefore one of the 
great unifying forces in society.

Some people would tell you that you cannot 
be a Mason and a Christian. I emphatically 
reject that idea. This is not the time nor the 
place to debate that notion. Simply let me say 
that amongst the membership of Freemasonry 
there have been and still are many 
distinguished clergy including Archbishops 
of Canterbury. I have been a Freemason for 
36 years and in all that time I have been an 
active Churchman and I have never found 
any conflict between my membership of the 
Craft and my religious faith.

IN ROTARY AS IN FREEMASONRY 
THERE IS EMPHASIS ON
EQUALITY AMONGST THE MEMBERS: 
One of the good things about RotaFy is that 
in it all members are equal. True it is that we 
have a President and other of fice bearers but 
these are functional requirements rather than 
giving superior statu's.

In Rotary it does not matter what your 
position in society is. Be you a peer of the 
realm or the most lowly businessman in 
Rotary you will be known by your christian 
or given name.

In Freemasonry every member is known as 
a Brother. Like Rotary there are office 
bearers but these too are functional rather 
than conferring superiority. The Craft 
emphasises the brotherhood of man under 
the Fatherhood of God.

YOU DON'T JOIN ROTARY OR
FREEMASONRY FOR WHAT YOU CAN 
GET OUT OF IT:
That was not always true about Rotary. 
Indeed few Rotarians are aware that the 1910 
Convention of Rotary (just five years after its 
formation) adopted a fifth objective for 
Rotary which was as follows:

" To advance the business interests of
individual members"

By the time of the 1912 Convention that 
objective had been deleted and the concept of 
"Service Above Self" became a dominant 
theme of Rotary.
Today the use of one's membership of 
Rotary to gain privileges or the displaying of 
Rotary emblems in connection with one's 
business is frowned upon by Rotary.
The same is true of Freemasonry. 

BOTH ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
A PROUD RECORD nF COMMUNITY 
SERVICE:
In every community Rotary has a proud 
record of commuity service. There are many 
examples of this, but let me remind you that 
Rotary was the driving force behind the 
establishment of the Medical School at the 
University of Western Australia. It was Rotary 
that pioneered the Medic Alert bracelet in 
this State. It was Rotary that built Inter-
national House at Curtin University.
Freemasonry is not essentially a service 
organisation in the same way as Rotary is, 
but nevertheless in this State as elsewhere it 
has become involved in community projects. 
In Western Australia the Grand Lodge of 
Freemasons provide low cost housing for 
some 472 needy people. It conducts a hostel 
and nursing home for 105 people. Scholarships 
are provided to worthy young people 
proceeding to tertiary education. It 
encourages good citizenship by providing an 
annual prize for citizenship in many schools.
The important point to note is that 
Freemasonry (like Rotary) does not require 
masonic affiliation to enable people to receive 
these benefits. The sole criteria is genuine 
need.

BOTH ORGANISATIONS HAVE AN 
INTERNATIONAL ASPECT:
Rotary's objectives include the advancement 
of international understanding, goodwill and 
peace. Rotary is to be found in an increasing 
number of countries throughout the world. 
So is Freemasonry. The bonds forged at 
international level by these two organisations 
are a force for good in the international 
arena. At this time in the world's history 
when the world stands on the brink of yet 
another war, what a pity it is that goodwill 
which exists between Masons and Rotarians 
across national borders could not somehow 
be mobilised to prevent war.

BOTH ORGANISATIONS SET
STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AND 
ETHICS:
Here are some words from the objects o~ 
Rotary:
*High Ethical Standards
~The dignifying by every Rotarian of his 
occupation

A NOTABLE DIFFERENCE:
There is one notable difference between 
Rotary and Freemasonry.

Nobody becomes a Rotarian until he (or 
she) is invited by a Rotary Club to do so.

Conversely you will never be asked to 
become a Freemason. Your Masonic friends 
may drop a hint or two now and then but it is 
a cornerstone of Freemasonry that men who 
wish to become Freemasons must ask to be 
admitted to the order. If you want to know 
more ask any of your Masonic friends.

A PRIVILEGE AND A CHALLENGE:
In my youth I learnt some words written by 
R. L. Sharpe and with them I close!

Isn't it strange 
That princes and kings, 
And clowns that caper 
In sawdust rings, 
And common people 
Like you and me 
Are builders for eternity? 
Each is given a bag of tools 
A shapeless mass 
A book of rules; 
And each must make-- 
Ere life is flown 
A stumbling block 
Or a stepping stone.

I believe that both Rotary and Freemasonry 
provide us with tools to build stepping stones 
in our world that men may rise to higher and 
better things. For that reason I am proud to 
be a Rotarian and I am proud to be a 
Freemason.

Masonry promotes the concept of a high 
standard of morality and urges its members 
to live up to those standards.

Being human, from time to time there are 
those who let the side down whether it be in 
Rotary or in Masonry but that does not mean 
we should not have standards. I have a great 
concern that standards should be maintained 
and without wishing to sound in any way 
"holier than thou" let me say that I squirm in 
my seat when sometimes I hear risque stories 
or the inappropriate use of the name of the 
Diety. There is no place in either Rotary or 
Masonry for such things and we must always 
be on our guard against them.

We have inherited from the founders of 
these two organisations a rich tradition of 
dignity, decency and ethical standards. It is 
our responsibility in this age to maintain 
those standards and pass them on untarnished 
to futulre generations.
