Freemasonry

n. Freemasons in a collective manner, fraternal organization advocating mutual assistance and brotherly love among its members the principal symbols of which are the square and compasses; principles of the Freemason; smutual understanding, brotherhood;

Freemasonry is a fraternal organization that arose from obscure origins (theorised to be anywhere from the time of the building of King Solomon's Temple to the mid-1600s). Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, and has millions of members. The various forms all share moral and metaphysical ideals, which include, in most cases, a constitutional declaration of belief in a Supreme Being.
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Noun
1. Freemasons collectively
(synonym) Masonry
(hypernym) secret society
(member-meronym) Freemason, Mason

Noun
1. a natural or instinctive fellowship between people of similar interests; "he enjoyed the freemasonry of the Press"
(hypernym) company, companionship, fellowship, society

(n.)
The institutions or the practices of freemasons.
  

Masonry Operative masonry, the art of building in stone; speculative and emblematic Freemasonry, called such since 1717 when four English Lodges of operative masons established the Grand Lodge of England of Speculative and Emblematic Freemasonry, so called because building materials, tools, and instruments are symbolically and analogically used in the building of the universe and of man as a temple enshrining a god. Originally, however, among the ancient Masons, and today throughout the Orient "wherever magic and the wisdom-religion are studied, its practitioners and students are known among their craft as Builders -- for they build the temple of knowledge, of secret science. Those of the adepts who are active, are styled practical or operative Builders, while the students, or neophytes are classed as speculative or theoretical. The former exemplify in works their control over the forces of inanimate as well as animate nature; the latter are but perfecting themselves in the rudiments of the sacred science" (IU 2:392).
Modern Freemasonry includes many Rites and Degrees, all the so-called higher degrees being based upon the three fundamental craft degrees --
1) Entered Apprentice;
2) Fellow Craft; and
3) Master Mason -- which degrees alone comprise true Masonic secrets and have any valid claim to descent from ancient Masonry.
to be continue "Masonry2 "