When a recent prospect was considering becoming a Mason, he found a YouTube video to be a very helpful source.

He also read “Freemasons for Dummies.” Both “how-to” guides didn’t reveal any secrets, but gave him enough background information on the fraternal organization to ease his decision to join.
Masons are hoping that the newest media source – Dan Brown’s recently released novel with freemasonry on center stage at the nation’s capital – will have the same effect of attracting such curiosity.

It already has.

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He and other lodge members have read Brown’s novel,“The Lost Symbol,” which was released Sept. 15. Brown, author of “The Da Vinci Code,” takes readers through a symbol expert’s mission to find a Masonic pyramid that unlocks an ancient secret.

And because of the hype over its release, the Masons decided to hold an open house, in early October, to talk about the book and answer questions the public may have.

According to local Masons, Brown’s portrayal of the Masonry, the world’s oldest fraternal order, was accurate, if not a bit sensational. Overall, they are pleased with his work, and hope that by demystifying the organization, Brown has helped it along.

However, Brown may have revealed too much information, or at least information that Masons wouldn’t easily divulge themselves. Particularly, the rituals in which new members are initiated were “too fantastic” in the fictional novel.

Occasionally, he would read something that would make George Washington, one of many presidents who were Masons, roll over in his grave:“There were some things in there that I read them and I go,‘OK, well I guess everybody knows that now,”

But Masons said that it’s not necessarily what people may find out that worries them, it’s that too much information can threaten the fraternity’s basic tenets.

When he was initiated a year ago, our 27-year-old prospect didn’t necessarily want to know everything about the vows he was taking or the meaning of all the symbols surrounding him. That’s why he didn’t try to Google too much ahead of time.

“The Masonic initiation rituals should really speak to the person, I don’t want to go into it knowing what’s going to happen – it’s not going to have the same effect then. I want to go in with an open mind.”

The book’s revelations are also not very worrisome because they’re nothing new: If someone worked hard enough to find secrets out, they can.

“We haven’t seen anything yet in Masonry, as far as information is concerned, that isn’t actually available on the Internet,”

“It’s brought us a lot of people, a lot of young men, who know much more than they did before,”“The bad thing is they know much more than they did before.”

“We’re just a private society that enjoys the fellowship of our members,”

And whatever truths are revealed – or exaggerated – in “The Lost Symbol,” Masons say they’re available to tell their side of the story.

“Based on members we’ve seen come into our lodge, it’s not based on some fanatical belief that they’re going to find some great big secrets or buried treasure,”“They have good, solid reasons for wanting to join Masonry, most of which are grounded in fraternity, brotherhood, camaraderie; some, a sincere wish to do good in the community.”

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