In Medieval times, a guild was a union of men in the same craft or trade designed to uphold standards and protect the members. Now, it is defined as any association for mutual aid and the promotion of common interests.

Many believe that Freemasonry had its roots in those guilds of the Middle Ages that built the great cathedrals of Europe.

The Minnesota Masonic Lawyers Guild has been formed, not to become another lodge, but as a Masonic Club to provide educational and social activities for Masons (and their guests) who happen to be attorneys, paralegals, judges, law clerks or law students.

After several months of planning, the Lawyers Guild will kick off its formal activities with a continuing legal education program and table lodge June 23. A program in Elimination of Bias will be presented which will highlight Masonic principles as they apply to the law. Application has been made for credit for continuing legal education.

Following the program, the participants will enjoy a table lodge, complete with the seven toasts. Cost for the education program and the table lodge will be about what the education alone normally costs.

One of the challenges in establishing the Lawyers Guild is the building of a mailing list.  Currently, there are about 130 Masons who have been identified as attorneys or other law related. If you are an attorney and would like to be on the mailing, please contact the Grand Secretary and let him know you’d like your name to be added to the Lawyers Guild mailing list.

The Grand Lodge hopes to establish other business, professional or other common interest guilds or Masonic Clubs. If you have an idea for such a club, please contact the Grand Secretary. There are brothers who would like nothing better than to help establish a new guild or club!

Are you interested in knowing about the Masonic organization known as Prince Hall Masonry? Here is a bit of their historical background.

The new movie National Treasure, starring Nicholas Cage, opened in theaters across the nation on November 19th, 2004. It quickly rose to be the number one film for three weeks, and has generated an extremely wide public awareness of Freemasonry. Most importantly, it portrays Masonry in a positive light and accents the significance of the Founding Fathers to our national identity. Many of these early patriots identified as Masons in the film, like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, are well known. Only one reference is not correct. Early in the movie, Charles Carroll, identified as the last survivor of the 56 patriots who signed the Declaration of Independence, is portrayed as a Freemason. Charles Carroll of Maryland was not a member of the Fraternity. (Historically, it is believed the reason he was identified as a Mason is that he was present at the laying of the cornerstone of the B&O Railroad.)

Most of the movie is entirely fictional. There is no “National Treasure,” as defined by the film, nor were Freemasons as a group ever involved in collection and safeguarding valuable antiquities on behalf of all humanity. Nevertheless, Masonic principles and values are referenced many times in the film, and the audience receives a very favorable impression of the Craft. The movie is rated PG because of “mild violence.” It really is a family movie, and one all Masons should enjoy. It might even be fun for a lodge to have a “movie night” and sponsor members and their families who wish to attend. Discussions about the film should result in many beneficial insights regarding Freemasonry among both Masons and the general public.

Reproduced in full, with permission of the Masonic Service Association of N.A., from the Focus newsletter, Vol. 11, Issue 4, Dec 2004.