The Ancient Landmarks of Freemasonry

  1. The modes of recognition
  2. The division of symbolic Masonry into three degrees
  3. The Legend of the Third Degree
  4. The government of the fraternity by a presiding officer called a Grand Master
  5. The prerogative of the Grand Master to preside over every assembly of the Craft, wheresoever and whensoever held
  6. The prerogative of the Grand Master to grant Dispensations for conferring degrees at irregular times
  7. The prerogative of the Grand Master to give dispensations for opening and holding Lodges
  8. The prerogative of the Grand Master to make Freemasons at sight
  9. The necessity for Freemasons to congregate in lodges
  10. The government of the Craft, when so congregated in a Lodge by a Master and two Wardens
  11. The necessity that every lodge, when congregated, should be duly tiled
  12. The right of every Freemason to be represented in all general meetings of the Craft and to instruct his representatives
  13. The right of every Freemason to appeal from the decision of his brethren in Lodge convened, to the Grand Lodge or Grand Assembly of Freemasons
  14. The right of every Freemason to visit and sit in every “regular” Lodge
  15. No visitor, unknown to the brethren present, or to some one of them as a Freemason, can enter a Lodge without first passing an examination according to ancient usage
  16. No Lodge can interfere in the business of another Lodge, nor give degrees to brethren who are members of other Lodges
  17. Every Freemason is amenable to the Laws and Regulations of the Masonic Jurisdiction in which he resides, and this although he may not be a member of any Lodge
  18. Certain qualifications of candidates for initiation are (1) he shall be a man, (2) shall be unmutilated, (3) free born, (4) and of mature age
  19. A belief in the existence of a God as the Grand Architect of the Universe
  20. The belief in a resurrection to a future life
  21. A “Book of the Law” shall constitute an indispensable part of the furniture of every Lodge
  22. The equality of all Masons
  23. The secrecy of the institution
  24. The foundation of a Speculative Science upon an Operative Art, and the symbolic use and explanation of the terms of that art, for purposes of religious or moral teaching
  25. These Landmarks can NEVER be changed