In our travels through Freemasonry we run into all different kinds of men and personalities. With time though, some categories start to come forward: Historians, Esoterics, Saplings, Ritualists, Caretakers, Fraternalists, and Ashlars. Many brothers you know may be a combination of two types.

Each kind of brother brings a unique perspective and set of strengths to a blue lodge, and a lodge is stronger for having at least one of each kind. This article is intended to describe each kind of Freemason and draw out what they do for the Craft, and why they’re so important to keeping Freemasonry vital.

Consider for yourself: what kind of Freemason are you? What does that say about your unique talents and benefits you bring to your lodge?

Fraternalists

This brother is the life of the party, and is in Freemasonry for its social aspects. He is constantly using his trowel to spread the cement of brotherly love and affection, and values the fraternity for the social bonds that it creates. The Fraternalist tends to be outgoing and sociable, putting other brothers at ease, and knit together friendships in lodge and promote trust.

Historians

This brother knows the names of many past masters who came before. He gets excited talking about the unbroken thread of the Craft through time, and may have his own theories about how it started. Historians care about the institution itself, and help other brothers not to forget where freemasonry came from and what it is about. Historians tend to overlap with caretakers.

Esoterics

This brother is most engaged when the conversation gets philosophical. Symbols and allegory are this mason’s stock and trade; he may appear to other brothers as one of the more “far out” members with a head full of ideas, but he helps all of the brethren remember that the Craft’s meaning goes well beyond paying the bills and running the stated meetings, and causes brothers to think for themselves. Often, the esoterics push forward the agenda of lodge education.

Albert Pike, the Esotericist

Saplings

This brother will say that freemasonry makes good men better, and is committed to individual personal growth. He is a sapling because he is trying to grow up, not because he is necessarily young. Saplings are often open-minded and willing to help. Saplings make excellent examples and reminders for other brothers who know that they need to work on smoothing their ashlars but sometimes find life’s obligations getting in the way.

The Ritualist

Ritualists are the brother who is always ready to feed the correct next line, and who can explain why a thing is said the way that it is. This brother is probably who your lodge turns to when it’s time to take a recent EA through the traditional method. The body of work is so large, ritualists are usually either past masters with long tenure, or energetic saplings. Ritualists also overlap with saplings, because most brothers of this type will tell you that they are still learning new things from the ritual every year. Ritualists are the core of how the Craft delivers its work, and are often the backbone of blue lodge education and mentoring.

Caretakers

The caretaker brother is the one who cares the most about freemasonry as an institution. He knows how things are done, and looks to the details and logistics around the lodge. Caretakers are critical to the day-to-day functioning of the craft, because they keep the lights on, food on the table, and the hive of masons functioning. As a result of their history often have strong opinions about how masonry is done right, and so overlap with the Historian.

Ashlars

An Ashlar is a brother you haven’t seen in lodge much recently. We don’t know where he is in his journey, and we wish we saw more of him. Lodge activities may not be within the length of the ashlar’s cable tow, but we know he’s still out there — he may occasionally respond to an email, and he keeps paying his dues year after year. Ashlars comprise a huge number of Freemasons, even if they aren’t highly active — and represent to the outside world what the craft is, and critically help pay the bills in any blue lodge. This means that Ashlars overlap with Caretakers, as they are a form of Caretaker, whether they know it or not.

Summary

For the craft to stay vital over the long term, it must engage the bretheren, help them improve themselves, teach them something, and do the basic work of Masonry. The craft has to do all of this while still not losing sight of where it came from, and while managing to keep the lights on and food on the table. This is a very tall order, and no small handful of masons can do this by themselves in the long run.

Each Mason has something crucial to offer his lodge, like an individual thread in the fabric of the lodge. Thinking about a lodge membership in these terms may suggest to you a brother whose talents are being under-utilized, or may even bring to mind something that you can do for yours.