Over the past 15 years or so, many people have asked me about the state of Freemasonry in the United States. Several people have asked me to share my opinion on the similarities and differences between American and European Freemasonry. I have attempted to answer these questions in several lectures. A compiled and edited version of these lectures follows below.
In my experience, American lodges share more information about Freemasonry. For example, their websites list lodges, offices, and leaders, and include not only names and contact details, but also photos! Even on social media.
The website of the first lodge I contacted explicitly stated that they welcomed traveling Freemasons, and they finally recommended an event that appealed to me.
Another characteristic of US lodges is that internal information is shared only with members on password-protected pages. However, larger lodges publish extensive online newsletters.
Many lodges have a forum page. In fact, it is rather a more open approach.
In a society where democracy is natural and self-evident, where religion and affiliation are not secrets, and where citizens do not suffer disadvantages for expressing their personal opinions, openness is a social requirement.
Freemason membership in the USA
I can only speculate about the global spread of Freemasonry. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, which I hold in high regard, the number of Freemasons at the beginning of the 21st century ranged from two million to more than six million.
According to a 2014 Google search, membership in the United States fell from nearly 4.1 million in 1960 to 1.3 million in 2012. Thus, Freemasonry membership in the US declined significantly after peaking in the mid-20th century.
Many lodges are working on membership retention and recruitment programs. Some lodges are looking for new ways to adapt to changing social norms.
I would like to note that the figures presented here are estimates, as Grand Lodges record membership numbers in different ways.
It is important to note that Freemasonry in the United States is organized by Grand Lodges. There is no such thing as a Grand Lodge of the United States, as each state operates its own Grand Lodge.
There is a symbolic Grand Lodge in every state, plus one in Washington, D.C., for a total of 51 jurisdictions in the United States.
In addition, there is the Prince Hall African American Freemasonry, which has its own Grand Lodges. Prince Hall Freemasonry has 47 Grand Lodges.
Prince Hall New York headquarters
Most Grand Lodges in the US now recognize Prince Hall’s sister organizations operating in the same state, allowing for reciprocal visits. However, some states have not yet granted recognition.
At the time of writing (editor’s note: September 2025), Grand Lodges in the United States have a total of approximately 875,000 members. This is further augmented by Prince Hall Freemasonry, which has more than 300,000 members.
The authenticity of this data has been verified by the Masonic Service Association of North America (MSANA). According to their report, in 2023, there were 869,429 Freemasons in the United States affiliated with the major Grand Lodges.
The difference is partly because different Grand Lodges count membership differently: some include everyone who has joined in the count, others include only masters, and others include those who are members of more than one lodge (“multiple” membership).
Thus, it can be said that today (2025), there are approximately 1.1–1.2 million Freemasons in the United States, depending on how we define the term “member” and whether we include inactive members.
According to a statement found on the internet:
“Joining a Masonic lodge still requires a belief in a higher power, although they are largely secular institutions that serve social networking purposes and often act as charitable donors. Over the years, they have been criticized for being elitist men’s clubs. Today, there are separate Masonic lodges for both women and men in Great Britain. In addition, there are several groups, particularly prevalent in the United States, that have no official position in Freemasonry but draw their membership from the higher degrees of Masonic society. English Freemasons are prohibited from joining these quasi-Masonic societies.”
Apart from the details, there are basically two main branches of Freemasonry. One is called Regular Freemasonry, and the other is called Non-Regular Freemasonry. This is often simplified into the English and French traditions.
In principle, there are several traditions in the United States, but I must add that in New York State, in New York City, I have only found lodges following the “English,” York, and Scottish rites. I will say a few words about this later. The fundamental reasons for this can be found in American history.
The ritual systems of Freemasonry operating in the United States are basically the “Blue Lodges.” This can be considered general in “traditional” Freemasonry.
There are two main rites: the York Rite and the Scottish Rite (Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite).
Within the latter, there are two main jurisdictions: the Southern and Northern Masonic jurisdictions.
In some states or lodges, the first three degrees use different ritual work, which are variations of the Blue Lodge ritual. For example, there are differences in some lodges in Louisiana, California, and New York.
In addition to the two major organizations, there are also the Grand Orient Lodge system and “La Droit Human” in the United States. In addition to the York or Scottish Rite, there are also so-called “auxiliary orders” or associated bodies, such as the Eastern Star and the Shriners.
Grand Orient USA Freemasons
The organization is often referred to as the Grand Orient of the United States of America (GOUSA). It was established in 2001 in the United States as an alternative Masonic structure, inspired by the Grand Orient de France and other European traditions.
The philosophy of Grand Orient USA is consistent with European “liberal” Freemasonry. It differs fundamentally in that it is secular, inclusive, and socially progressive, but it does not have mutual recognition with most American Masonic organizations.
GOUSA is not recognized by the “traditional” Grand Lodges of the United States because, unlike the most respected American lodges (which require belief in the Supreme Being), GOUSA lodges do not require belief in God.
Their approach follows that of the Grand Orient de France, focusing on freedom of conscience and secularism, and often dealing with social and philosophical issues.
The rituals are often based on the French rite, but some lodges also use other systems (such as Scottish Rite ceremonies).
Their membership is relatively small, as GOUSA lodges attract members who are not accepted by more well-known Masonic lodges and who seek European (French) style Freemasonry.
In Europe and South America, liberal/continental Grand Orients recognize them, but Anglo-American Freemasonry does not.
The movement known as “Continental Freemasonry” in America is relatively rare not only in the US but throughout North America, but there are still a few active continental-style organizations.
In 2010, we managed to contact their Grand Master, but even then, they did not provide any meaningful information about themselves. Their last Facebook post dates back to 2014. All we know about them is that they previously had approximately 4,000 followers. According to their post, they operated as a charitable nonprofit organization. They described themselves as “The Voice of Reformation in American Freemasonry.”
I would like to note here that we can only talk about the Grand Orient in principle, because it has ceased to exist in New York State, for example. They no longer even have a website.
In the US, there is a saying that if an organization does not even have a website, it does not exist!
Le Droit Humain
Le Droit Humain – USA Federation is the American branch of an international Masonic order. It admits both men and women, follows the Scottish Rite up to the 33rd degree, and emphasizes human rights, equality, and universal brotherhood instead of traditional religious requirements.
It was founded in France in 1893 as the first truly coeducational Masonic order, open to both men and women. The American Federation is the American branch of this worldwide organization.
Its philosophy is rooted in human rights and universal brotherhood and inspired by the ideals of the French Revolution: liberty, equality, fraternity. It emphasizes the unity of humanity, human rights, ethics, and the equality of genders, races, religions, and philosophies.
Members are free to choose any religious belief or decide not to follow any religion at all.
It encourages the spiritual, moral, and intellectual development of its members. It promotes justice, equality, charity, and peace in society.
It places less emphasis on large-scale public charity work and focuses more on education, social justice, and philosophical research.
The Le Droit Humain Federation of the United States is part of the Paris-based International Order. It primarily uses the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite (AASR) ritual system, which was developed in accordance with Masonic practice.
The American branches do not recognize it, but they are on friendly terms with other liberal Masonic organizations (e.g., Grand Orient de France, Grand Orient USA).
The Order of the Eastern Star
The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest fraternal organization associated with Freemasonry, open to both men and women. To become a member, men must be Master Masons. Women must be related to a Master Mason (wife, daughter, mother, sister, etc.).
Founded in 1850, it focuses on moral development, charity, and community service through the use of biblical heroines and allegories. Its members believe in a Supreme Being and participate in charitable work for the benefit of their communities.
Its goals are to promote charity, truth, and loving kindness in everyday life, to encourage moral development, and to serve the community. There is a strong emphasis on Christian biblical heroines, although members of all faiths are welcome.
The organization’s emblem is a five-pointed star, with each point a different color. Each point of the star represents a biblical woman and a corresponding virtue:
Adah (blue) – Obedience and love of children.
Ruth (yellow) – Loyalty and friendship.
Esther (white) – Courage and faith.
Martha (green) – Hope and immortality.
Electa (red) – Love and hospitality.
The rituals are moral in nature, not secret as in Freemasonry, and are often based on scripture. There is a strong emphasis on charitable work, including scholarships, cancer research funding, disaster relief, and community service.
Shriners International
Shriners on their website
Shriners International is a Masonic organization focused on brotherhood and charity, making it one of the largest fundraising organizations in the United States.
It was founded in New York in 1872. Only Master Masons can become members. Members can be recognized by their red fez hats.
While Freemasonry emphasizes moral development, Shriners’ Freemasonry emphasizes camaraderie and charitable work.
Their motto is “Do good and feel good.”
Shriners are best known for their hospitals and medical care for children.
The Shriners Hospitals for Children network (best known for its television commercials) was established in 1922. It provides personalized pediatric care, regardless of families’ ability to pay. Its main areas of activity are orthopedics, burns, spinal injuries, and cleft lip/palate. Today, Shriners Children’s operates more than 20 healthcare facilities in North America and around the world.
There are more than 200,000 Shriners members worldwide (based on 2020 data).
Other Masonic organizations in the USA
● George Washington Union No. 1 Lodge has existed since 1976. Their concept is absolute freedom of conscience. The lodge received its charter from the Grand Orient de France. They belong to the European association known as “CLIPSAS”. (CLIPSAS = Centre de Liaison et d’Information des Puissances maçonniques Signataires de l’Appel de Strasbourg) By 2001, several other continental-style lodges had been established in North America, working in cooperation with the Washington Union and the Grand Orient de France.
● The Belgian women’s grand lodge and the French women’s lodge have lodges in North America.
● The Grande Loge Nationale du Canada (which is a member of CLIPSAS) has 15 lodges, mainly in Quebec and Montreal.
● Mexico has a Spanish-speaking Mexican Grand Orient (also a member of CLIPSAS).
Several English-speaking groups belong to the continental traditions.
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
We must also mention the Scottish Rite lodges. There is a special condition attached to their operation. One of the conditions for admission to the lodges of the Scottish Rite is that the applicant must already be a master in another lodge.
In the United States, the Scottish Rite is officially recognized by the Grand Lodges as an extension of the degrees of Freemasonry. In the Scottish Rite, the “central authority” is called the Supreme Council.
In the United States, members of the Scottish Rite can be elected to the 33rd degree by the Supreme Council. According to their statutes, this degree is awarded to members who have made a significant contribution to society or to Freemasonry.
I have heard of three Supreme Councils in the United States. There is one in Washington, D.C. (the Southerners), one in Lexington, Massachusetts (the Northerners), but I have also heard of the Louisiana Supreme Council. The latter was founded in New Orleans in 1839 and continues to operate there to this day.
The Southern Jurisdiction, which operates in Washington, D.C. (I have heard it referred to as the “world’s supreme mother council”), was founded in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1801. It oversees the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in 35 states.
The Northern Jurisdiction, founded in 1813 and headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts, oversees the bodies of fifteen states. This includes the New York Valley, which operates in New York State.
I had a conversation with the Grand Master of the New York Valley. He told me that he is aware that in Europe, including Hungary, it takes years of serious training to reach the 33rd degree. Here in the US, however, the time is much shorter, and the path is simpler.
To my knowledge, in the Northern Jurisdiction, it takes 46 months to reach the 33rd degree.
They consider their mission to be
“Our cause is human development, our highest desire is freedom of thought, our mission is freedom of conscience, and our ultimate goal is to guarantee equal rights for all people, wherever they live.”
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite needs more members than ever before. Therefore, in the fall of 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they organized a series of online events called Virtual Reunion. Their undisguised goal was, I would say, to strengthen their recruitment efforts.
They used the latest American sales and marketing methods to achieve their goal. During Zoom conversations, which I would describe as aggressive, applicants were persuaded to join the Scottish Rite lodge.
Their stated goal is noble:
“We need morally sound, noble people and the principles of craftsmanship to guide us in creating a better, new ‘normal’ world. We need community leaders who are willing to stand by the disadvantaged and offer comfort during destruction. We must continue the good work of our charitable organizations and brotherhood; we must continue the magic of the Scottish Rite.”
The building of the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction in Washington
A brief history of Freemasonry in America
The first Freemasons arrived in America with the colonists. According to some sources, John Skene was the first Freemason to arrive in America in 1682, while other sources claim it was Johnatal Beider.
According to the Grand Lodge of the United States of America, Freemasonry in the United States is the third oldest in the world, after England and Ireland.
According to records, the first American Grand Lodge was founded in 1731 as the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia and Boston were the centers from which Freemasonry spread throughout America.
It is a historical fact that Freemasonry had a significant impact on the development of American civilization and democratic state institutions. Freemasons had an enormous influence on the history of the United States.
To prove this, let’s look at some facts:
1 Many of the fighters for American independence, among the most prominent historical figures in the United States, were well-known Freemasons. Among them was John Hancock, a well-known Freemason who was Massachusetts’ delegate to the Continental Congress and, as such, was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence. In addition to him, there were 14 other Freemasons among the signatories of the Declaration of Independence, which was adopted on July 4, 1776.
This document declared the independence of the United States from Great Britain and proclaimed the United States’ freedom.
This document also stated that
“all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
2. The Constitutional Convention that created the US Constitution took place in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787. Twenty-eight of the signatories of the US Constitution were Freemasons.
3. The first American president, George Washington, was a Freemason. In fact, he is considered the most famous American Freemason in the United States.
4. Another great figure among the founding fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin, was also a Freemason. It is important to note that, in addition to serving as the presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention, he was a well-known diplomat—he was the US ambassador to France—and one of his enduring achievements was establishing the first free library in the United States. He is also credited with other roles, including those of writer, printer, political philosopher, politician, scientist, inventor, humorist, and civil activist. However, he also clearly contributed to the development of American society by being the first Postmaster General of the United States. And there is no doubt that he was a Freemason.
5. Fourteen of the 45 presidents of the United States were Freemasons. Starting with the first American president, George Washington, and continuing through the well-known presidents of the last century, such as Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Gerald Ford, many were active Freemasons, and several were grand masters. In addition, it is well known in Masonic circles that Lyndon B. Johnson was a Masonic apprentice but did not advance further.
Ronald Reagan is known to have been an honorary Mason.
The young Bill Clinton was a member of the DeMolay Order. There is also historical evidence suggesting that Thomas Jefferson was a Freemason; however, there is no record of his being initiated into any lodge.
According to recent reports, J. Biden joined the Freemasons after his presidency ended. On January 19, 2025, former US President Joe Biden became a Freemason after the Prince Hall Grand Lodge in South Carolina passed a “membership resolution” in his favor. His membership was announced at a ceremony at which Victor C. Major, Grand Master of the South Carolina Lodge, said:
“I… on behalf of the members of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of South Carolina, in recognition of his outstanding service to the United States of America, hereby admit President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. to membership in this Grand Lodge.”
There are some things that many people believed, or still claim today, to be related to Freemasonry, but it has been proven that these popular beliefs are not true.
Legends are just legends, fairy tales. Such is the case with the Great Seal of the United States and the legend of the dollar.
Many people claim that the symbols on the Great Seal of the United States and the dollar bill are related to Freemasonry.
Available online:
“The Great Seal of the United States is not a Masonic emblem, does not contain hidden Masonic symbols, and was not designed by Freemasons. … The all-seeing eye of Providence is a common symbol used by Freemasons and others to represent God’s omniscience, and when combined with a pyramid, it has no official Masonic meaning. (Some lodges subsequently used the eye in the pyramid as a visual element, but no Grand Lodge ever accepted it as a symbol.)”
It sounds true, but ultimately it is not true; it is only folklore, legend. The facts are that Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were initially involved in the design of the Great Seal of the United States.
Freemasonry in America Today
“Mecca Temple” on a postcard
In an online article, the author claimed that Freemasonry was in decline and that some Masonic buildings in the US had been converted into cinemas, for example. Unfortunately, it is true that membership in the United States fell from nearly 4.1 million in the 1960s to roughly one million in 2017.
According to official statistics, in 1924 there were more than 3 million Freemasons registered in the US, and in 1955 the number was over 4 million, but by 2017 it had fallen to just over 1 million.
As I mentioned earlier, in 2019, more than 390 Masonic buildings were registered in the United States.
There is a building in New York City that was built by Freemasons but is no longer used as a lodge.
This is the building known as the “Mecca Temple” in New York City, which was built as a mosque and was originally used for Masonic lodge purposes.
The Level Club building in New York was designed as a Masonic club. It opened in 1927.
It included a large banquet hall, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a gym, a theater seating 1,500, and a roof garden. Today, it is no longer used for Masonic purposes.
Today, the Masonic Hall in Manhattan is primarily used for Masonic purposes. The building consists of two parts. One-part functions as a commercial enterprise and office building, with income from which provides the basis for maintaining the NY Lodge and its charitable activities. The building is large enough to accommodate a Masonic temple seating 1,200 people, nearly 20 Masonic halls seating 150 each, several meeting rooms, and the Robert R. Livingston Masonic Library and Museum.
Perhaps the most beautiful Masonic temple in the United States is in Philadelphia. The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania is the state’s Masonic organization. The Grand Lodge is the oldest in the United States and the third-oldest in the world, after England and Ireland. It was originally founded in 1731 as the Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Benjamin Franklin was twice Grand Master of this Grand Lodge, in 1734 and 1749.
It should be clearly understood that most American Freemasons belong to Grand Lodges that follow the Anglo-American Masonic tradition.
Of course, there are lodges that do not belong to the English type, or Symbolic Freemasonry, but consider themselves to belong to the Grand Orient de France and are affiliated with lodges recognized by the GOdF.
Fundamental Differences
The Question of Belief in God
Anglo-American lodges insist that their members believe in God. That is, atheists are categorically not accepted as members. In 1877, the Grand Orient de France (GOdF) adopted this requirement, after which the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) withdrew its recognition of GOdF.
There are also claims on the Internet that belief in God has been a requirement of Freemasonry from the beginning.
Perhaps one of the earliest known Masonic documents, the Regius Poem, also known as the Halliwell Manuscript, which dates from the 1390s, already addresses this issue.
The manuscript states that a Freemason “must always love God and the holy Church well”.
Several American Grand Lodges had previously withdrawn their recognition of the GOdF sometime in the 1860s, as a result of a jurisdictional dispute unrelated to the GOdF’s views on religion.
Approximately fifty years later, sometime during World War I, several American Grand Lodges restored their recognition of the GOdF.
Women’s Participation in Freemasonry
Freemasonry is divided not only by religious considerations but also by the fact that French and Anglo-American Freemasons differ on the participation of women.
The reason for the disharmony between the two Masonic schools is therefore also the question of whether women’s, or perhaps “mixed” Masonic groups can be established. Anglo-American Freemasons insist on the operation of the original lodges established for men only. Therefore, we must clearly see that at present no Grand Lodge in the United States recognizes the GOdF and its affiliated lodges. These two questions remain a cardinal difference between the two schools to this day.
So, if the basic principle is the same, then what could be the difference in principle?
I would say it is a point of view. I could also call it an attitude.
While European Freemasonry – as I see it – emphasizes morality, understanding, and helping people understand human thinking, American Freemasonry emphasizes charitable activities.
In my experience, there is almost no lodge work without a lecture. Someone once put it humorously that yes, we have lectures, but we are not a self-education circle. There is no occasion at lodge work in the USA where money, charitable activities, and philanthropy are not discussed.
Human thinking and its discussion are, unfortunately, less common topics at lodge work.
The exception to this is Scottish Rite lodge work. Whenever I have been lucky enough to visit a Scottish lodge, there has always been some lecture.
I recently visited a lodge work where one of the leaders of a Scottish lodge gave a lecture on how in the Bible – the Old Testament – there are references that have influenced Freemasonry, in other words, where in Freemasonry we can find events and ideas found in the Old Testament.
A counterexample of this is another lodge, the latter four functions, which took place on Zoom due to the Covid-19 epidemic, and had no other topic than the lawyer’s proposal to change the Statutes of a Freemasonry Foundation dealing with charitable activities and its acceptance and voting.
“Not just a man. A Mason”
The Grand Lodge of New York’s motto defines the thinking of the affiliated lodges. I could put it this way: this is the slogan most characteristic of American Freemasonry. And there is another such slogan. It is said in American Masonic apprenticeship that the most important message is:
The common goal of Freemasons: to make good people better.
It is not just New York Masons who think this way. The Washington State Grand Lodge website states the same idea:
“Becoming a Freemason has many personal advantages, and the benefits may vary from person to person. But all Freemasons have a common goal: to make good men better.”
Democracy
While the lodges of the Grand Orient rally behind the motto of the French Revolution, “Liberty, Fraternity, Equality,” the basic ideas of American lodges are derived from the American Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.
The American Declaration of Independence enshrines the principles of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness,” which means that every person has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
This is also reflected in the US Constitution. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which begins with “We the People,” defines the five freedoms protected by the Constitution. It defines the freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government for Americans.
Freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion are all essential elements of democracy.
This is, of course, reflected in American Freemasonry. I think I can best illustrate this with an example.
As a traveling Freemason, I was fortunate enough to attend an initiation ceremony at a lodge in New York. Here, I saw that the three candidates of the lodge waiting for initiation represented three religions. This fact was also shown by placing three holy books on the table.
There was the Koran in addition to the Old and New Testaments. All three candidates were able to place their hands on that holy book when taking the oath, which is the holy document of their religion.
I believe that this was not only a declaration of religious freedom and religious tolerance, but also a fundamental manifestation of democracy.
To explain this, it should also be noted that during the inauguration of American presidents, it is not just a protocol task to choose which Bible the president-elect wishes to take the oath on. The Masonic oath can also be compared to this oath.
Opportunities
The New York Masonic community has many opportunities that cater to the widest range of Masonic life. Just to name a few: the opportunity to rent out the various rooms of the New York Masonic Hall for events, and to visit and conduct research at the Chancellor Robert R Livingston Masonic Library and Museum.
The Masonic Community
The effort to create the Masonic Care Community dates to the mid-1800s. It was established for needy Masons, their wives, widows, and orphans.
The Masonic Care Community opened its doors in May 1893 as a Masonic home. Today, the facility is open, caring for over 500 seniors on approximately 1000 acres. It offers its residents a safe, rural setting with a lake, a stream, and a forest.
One website states this:
“Our Mission: To support, nurture, and educate those whose lives we touch, through exceptional care and service, with compassion and pride, based on the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief, truth, and integrity.”
Camp Turk
Located on over 1,500 acres of wooded land in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, just 45 minutes north of Utica, NY, the camp offers incredible outdoor fun opportunities for children and youth ages 8-16.
Research – Masonic Medical Research Institute
The Institute’s mission is to conduct high-quality basic biomedical and clinical research to understand the molecular mechanisms of disease and to develop future medical cures and treatments.
The Institute’s vision is to build scientific teams that combine molecular biology, chemistry, computer science, technology, and engineering to develop new approaches to understanding the causes of disease.
Chancellor Robert R Livingston Masonic Library
The library serves as the Grand Lodge of New York’s central research library. It sees its mission as collecting, preserving, interpreting, and supporting research and education for a scholarly community, including Masons, academics, students of higher education institutions, and the public.
Chancellor Robert R Livingston Masonic Library
For Wandering Freemasons
If we ask on the Internet what the Masonic places are that should be visited by those interested in Freemasonry, the five most visited places that Google recommends are:
George Washington Masonic Memorial in Washington, DC
Also known as “one of the great wonders of the Masonic world”, the Masonic Temple, Library, and Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Oklahoma Guthrie Scottish Rite Church
The Masonic Temple in Detroit, Michigan
Masonic Hall New York
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