Temple Lodge 128

06/30/2026

🇺🇸 Temple Lodge No. 128, A.F. & A.M., Denton, Maryland 🇺🇸

| Celebrating 250 Years of American Independence

As America celebrates her 250th anniversary, it is fitting to reflect on the relationship between Freemasonry and the ideals upon which our Republic was built.

Freemasonry did not establish the United States as an institution, nor did the Fraternity dictate the structure of our government. Yet many of the men who secured our independence and shaped our nation were Freemasons whose moral education was rooted in the timeless principles of the Craft.

Within a Masonic Lodge, every Brother meets upon the Level. No man is born to privilege. Officers are elected by the membership rather than inheriting authority. The Lodge is governed by written constitutions, established rules, and the consent of its members. Debate is conducted with civility, every Brother has a voice, and those entrusted with leadership are accountable to the Brethren they serve.

These principles of constitutional government, representative leadership, equality before the law, personal responsibility, and respect for individual conscience were also embraced by many of the men who established the United States. While these ideals were part of the broader Enlightenment, Freemasonry provided a place where they were regularly taught, practiced, and reinforced.

Known Freemasons Who Signed the Declaration of Independence

• Benjamin Franklin
• John Hancock
• William Ellery
• Joseph Hewes
• William Hooper
• Robert Treat Paine
• Richard Stockton
• George Walton
• William Whipple

Prominent Freemasons of the Revolutionary War

⭐ George Washington - Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and first President of the United States.

⭐ Marquis de Lafayette - French general whose leadership and influence helped secure the French alliance that proved decisive in defeating Britain.

⭐ Baron Friedrich von Steuben - The Prussian officer whose training transformed the Continental Army into a disciplined fighting force at Valley Forge.

⭐ Nathanael Greene - Washington’s most trusted field commander whose Southern Campaign exhausted British forces and paved the way for victory.

⭐ Henry Knox - Chief of Artillery whose transport of cannon from Fort Ticonderoga forced the British evacuation of Boston.

⭐ Benjamin Lincoln - Major General who accepted the British surrender at Yorktown on behalf of General Washington.

Other known Masonic generals include Israel Putnam, John Sullivan, Hugh Mercer, Richard Montgomery, John Glover, Mordecai Gist, Arthur St. Clair, John Stark, William Woodford, Otho Holland Williams, Rufus Putnam, John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg, David Wooster, James Clinton, Edward Hand, Samuel Holden Parsons, James Mitchell Varnum, George Weedon, Elias Dayton, William Maxwell, John Paterson, John Nixon, James Hogun, Jethro Sumner, William Thompson, and several others. Historians have documented 33 of the 81 Continental Army general officers as Freemasons.

Perhaps no single image better symbolizes the connection between Freemasonry and the birth of our nation than this: when George Washington took the first Presidential Oath of Office, the Bible upon which he swore was provided by St. John’s Lodge No. 1 in New York.

America was not founded by Freemasonry, but many of her founders were Freemasons. The lessons taught within the Lodge including integrity, virtue, liberty under law, self-government, religious tolerance, charity, and Brotherly Love helped shape the character of men who would shape a nation.

Two hundred and fifty years later, those same principles continue to inspire Freemasons around the world as we strive to build better men, stronger communities, and a more virtuous society.

Happy 250th Birthday, America! 🇺🇸

Interested in learning more about Freemasonry?

Temple Lodge No. 128 welcomes good men of character who believe in a Supreme Being and desire to improve themselves while serving their families, communities, and fellow man.

Learn more about Freemasonry in Maryland and how to begin your journey:
https://mdmasons.org/about-md-masons/

Or send Temple Lodge No. 128 a message here on Facebook. We’d be happy to answer your questions and introduce you to the Craft.

Fraternally shared by the Brethren of Temple Lodge No. 128, A.F. & A.M., Denton, Maryland.

© Temple Lodge No. 128, Denton, Maryland

05/31/2026

Today, May 31, 2026, marks the 225th anniversary of the opening of the first Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree in Charleston, South Carolina, on May 31, 1801.

That moment is often remembered as the birth of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite as we know it today. Charleston became known as the home of the “Mother Supreme Council of the World,” because regular Supreme Councils throughout the world trace their lineage, directly or indirectly, back to that first Council.

The early Scottish Rite did not replace the Blue Lodge. It built upon it. A man first becomes a Mason in his symbolic lodge, but the Scottish Rite gives the Master Mason a broader field of study: morality, philosophy, history, symbolism, duty, faith, justice, and the lifelong search for further Light.

The 33rd Degree has also been the subject of many conspiracy theories over the years. In reality, the 33rd Degree is not a secret position of power or hidden control. It is an honorary degree conferred upon Scottish Rite Masons who have given notable service to the fraternity, their communities, and humanity. Most Scottish Rite Masons are 32nd Degree Masons, and the highest degree any Mason truly “earns” in the foundational sense is still the Third Degree, the degree of Master Mason.

So today, we remember not just the founding of another Masonic body, but the beginning of a system of Masonic education that has shaped generations of Brothers around the world.

The Blue Lodge makes Masons. The Scottish Rite gives Masons more tools with which to build.

05/25/2026

Memorial Day has a meaningful connection to the Masonic fraternity through Brother John A. Logan.

Logan was born in southern Illinois and served in the Mexican-American War before rising to the rank of Major General in the Union Army during the Civil War. Though he came from a region where Southern sympathies were not uncommon, Logan stood firmly for the Union and fought against the Confederacy in major campaigns including Fort Donelson, Vicksburg, Atlanta, and the Carolinas.

After the war, Brother Logan became Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, a Union veterans’ organization. In 1868, he issued the order calling for May 30th to be set aside as Decoration Day, a day to decorate the graves of those who had fallen in the Civil War. That observance would later become what we now know as Memorial Day.

As Americans, we remember all who gave their lives in service to our country. As Masons, we are reminded of our duty to honor the dead, comfort the living, and preserve the memory of those whose sacrifice helped secure the freedoms we enjoy.

May we never forget them.

From Temple Lodge No. 128, we wish everyone a safe and meaningful Memorial Day.

05/07/2026

Some doors lead to rooms. Others lead to a different way of life.

Freemasonry is for men who believe character still matters, that friendship should be more than casual, and that service to others is part of a well-lived life.

Within the Lodge, men from different walks of life meet as Brothers. They learn from tradition, strengthen one another through fellowship, and work to carry the lessons of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth into their homes, families, workplaces, and communities.

It is not about being perfect. It is about being willing to grow.

For the man seeking purpose, good counsel, meaningful friendship, and a place to do something worthwhile, the door is open.

Learn more about Maryland Freemasonry here:
https://mdmasons.org/about-md-masons/

05/07/2026

Seeking light?

Freemasonry is a path for good men who are searching for something deeper: brotherhood, wisdom, moral growth, service, and a life built on faith and character.

Through symbolism, allegory, tradition, and fellowship, Masonry encourages a man to improve himself, support his brothers, serve his community, and seek more light in his own life.

For those who feel drawn toward meaning, purpose, and becoming better than they were yesterday, Freemasonry may be worth exploring.

Ask a Mason about your local lodge.

Learn more about Maryland Freemasonry here:
https://mdmasons.org/about-md-masons/

05/07/2026

“Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Matthew 7:7

Freemasonry begins with a simple idea: a good man must seek. He must ask. He must knock.

Behind the door is not a shortcut, a title, or a secret path to worldly gain. It is a lifelong journey of brotherhood, moral instruction, self-improvement, service, faith, and the pursuit of light.

For generations, men have come to the door of the Lodge seeking something deeper: wisdom, fellowship, character, and a better way to live.

If you are a good man seeking purpose, brotherhood, and personal growth, perhaps it is time to knock.

Temple Lodge No. 128
Denton, Maryland

Learn more about Maryland Freemasonry here:
https://mdmasons.org/about-md-masons/

05/04/2026

05/04/2026

Freemasonry is open to good men who are seeking brotherhood, moral growth, and a deeper commitment to living with faith, integrity, and purpose.

In Maryland, a man must be at least 18 years old, be of good character and reputation, and have a sincere belief in God or a Supreme Being. Exact procedures may vary by lodge, but the first step is simple: ask.

Freemasonry is not about being perfect. It is about being willing to improve yourself, support your brothers, serve your community, and walk through life by principles greater than yourself.

If these qualifications describe you, consider taking the next step.

Ask a Mason about your local lodge.

https://mdmasons.org/about-md-masons/