I've noticed that the masonic lodges in Queensland Australia usually have their front doors facing either at right angles to, or on the opposite side of the building from the road.
As I briefly mentioned in my member introduction page, my dad was a Worshipful Master in the masons. I've read a lot of the worrying (but fairly convincing) stuff about them, and to date I haven't been able to work out to what level my dad was 'in' with the masons. He died 34 years ago, so I can't ask him! 
The thing that really intrigued me was - what on 'earth' do they swear on that ensures that NOT ONE mason EVER divulges ANYTHING about what they do? I've known a few chatter boxes who love to brag about this and that, who have been masons, and they won't say ZIP about anything at all.
Here are a couple of links - one to the lodge that my dad was WM of in England - the architecture is fantastic. The other shows an old (C 1760) masonic apron with some symbology on it.
www.portsunlight.org.uk/gallery/
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/lady … capron.asp
Quote from the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunligh - tLord Leverhulme became involved with Freemasonry through his business. In 1902 he was the first initiate of a new lodge bearing his name established by some of his employees. He was rapidly promoted to high office at both local and national level. He founded a number of lodges and was a generous benefactor of Masonic charities.
Leverhulme saw Freemasonry as a useful tool to promote social cohesion and high standards of personal conduct among his male workforce. The Masonic network he established at Port Sunlight deliberately reinforced the existing hierarchy within Lever Brothers. Separate lodges were created for managers, supervisors and workers. Freemasonry was an important instrument in his paternalistic policy for the welfare of his workers.
Much of Leverhulme’s Masonic collection came from Albert Calvert, an unsuccessful and somewhat disreputable businessman. Calvert began collecting Masonic memorabilia after joining the order in 1894. Following the collapse of all his enterprises by the end of the First World War, Calvert offered his collection to Leverhulme, who acquired them at bargain prices.
The earliest Freemasons’ aprons were plain lambskins. The practice of decorating them, initially with simple drawings or paintings, began in the 1750s. This is a very early example of the type. Later examples were made of silk or satin with very fine painted or embroidered decoration.
Now my dad DID show me his (two) little black books (when I was between 8 & 10 years old). This leads me to think he was showing me whatever he could within the confines of his imposed silence.
These books were written in encoded language so we mere mortals can't understand them. One of them was a WM's ritual book, that he had to learn by heart before his meetings. He'd walk around the house with it muttering to himself before the lodge met.
The other book talked about Soloman. There were also 4 or 5 'tracing boards'. These were symbolic pictures which to me now would probably mean something. I think he explained them at the time, but I can't remember much now (sigh)!
From memory, one had a ladder (Jacob's) going up to the clouds with ?an eye? in it and sun behind it. That to me now would symbolise climbing the ladder of consciousness to ?christ consciousness?
That and/or other tracing boards had pillars, the black and white floor tiles. The last one was intriguing. Again, from memory it had a coffin. That to me now would symbolise death of the ego.
As I said, I don't know what 'level' of a mason my dad was - he did go to up to the masonic lodge in London (he was a free man of London for the work he did in the second world war - met Churchill a couple of times) every now and then, so he was in there with the big wigs (scary to think what that could mean).
But I do know that he was well remembered when he died. He often gave people money (Up to UKP 500 which was a lot in those days) if they were in need - without regard to himself. "Don't worry about it, money will come", he would say. Also, he believed that he was a spirit in a body because he said "don't worry spending money on my funeral, stick my body on the compost heap - I won't be in it when I've died".
One thing that stuck in my mind that he told me when I was about 8 when I asked if Jesus Christ was The Son of God. He said "He was a good man who did many good thingsbut he was no more or less a son of God than you or I".
I feel in my heart that though he was in the Masons, he was himself a good man. (I know that is what I wish to believe). But from my own memory of him, and also from what others have said about him, that is so.
But I digress ... that's my own stuff that I have to work through and hopefully this topic will help me understand better.
I hope the info above is useful.
"And your truth will set you free!" Cipher
"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift. The rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society which honours the servant but has forgotten the gift." Albert Einstein
