Freemasons For Dummies -- About the Author -- Dedication -- Author's Acknowledgments -- Contents at a Glance -- Table of Contents -- Introduction -- About This Book -- Conventions Used in This Book -- What You're Not to Read -- Foolish Assumptions -- How This Book Is Organized -- Icons Used in This Book -- Where to Go from Here -- Part I: What Is Freemasonry? -- Chapter 1: Lodges, Aprons, and Funny Handshakes: Freemasonry 101 -- What Is Freemasonry? -- What Do Masons Do? -- Are [ Fill in the Blank] Freemasons, Too? -- Chapter 2: From Cathedrals to Lodge Rooms: A History of the Freemasons -- Turning Stonecutters into Gentlemen: Freemasonry before 1700 -- Building Men: The 1700s -- Growing, Changing, and Branching Out: The 1800s -- Surviving and Surging: The 1900s -- Experiencing the New Millennium: More Changes on the Way -- Chapter 3: The Philosophy of Freemasonry -- Defining What Masons Believe In -- Establishing a New World Order? -- Experiencing Mystic Masonry -- Chapter 4: Politics, Religion, and Freemasons: They Don't Mix -- Exploring the History of Religion and the Masons -- Refusing to Play Politics -- Part II: The Inner Workings of Freemasonry -- Chapter 5: How the Freemasons Are Organized: Who Does What and Why -- What's Inside the Lodge? -- Who's in Charge around Here? -- What Makes a Grand Lodge So, Well, Grand? -- What Is a Regular, Recognized Lodge? -- Chapter 6: The Ceremonies of Freemasons -- Understanding Where Masonic Ritual Comes From -- Performing the Rituals of the Modern Lodge -- Chapter 7: The Symbols of Freemasonry -- Symbolizing the Lessons of Freemasonry -- Deciphering the Key Masonic Ideas -- Explaining More Masonic Symbols -- Chapter 8: Myths and Misconceptions about Masons -- Digging to the Root of Freemasonry Misunderstandings -- Debunking Common Myths about Freemasonry.

Part III: When One Lodge Isn't Enough: The Appendant Bodies -- Chapter 9: Introducing the Appendant Bodies: Who's Who, and Who Isn't -- What Are Appendant Bodies? -- So What about These Other Groups? -- Chapter 10: The York Rite -- The York Rite System -- Royal Arch Masonry -- The Cryptic Rite -- Chivalric Masonry and the Knights Templar -- Other York Rite Bodies -- York Rite Charities -- Chapter 11: The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite -- Surveying the Scottish Rite System -- Seeing How the Scottish Rite Started -- Meeting Albert Pike: Sage of the Scottish Rite -- Listing the Degrees of the Scottish Rite -- Serving Communities through Charitable Work -- Chapter 12: Shriners International -- Getting to Know the Shriners -- Tracing the History from Partiers to Philanthropists -- Putting a Little of the Boy Back in the Man -- Considering the Shrine's Place in Freemasonry -- Chapter 13: The Extended Masonic Family -- Bringing Women into the Lodge -- Not Just Kidding Around: The Youth Groups -- Checking Out Lesser-Known Masonic Groups -- Investigating Masonic Research Societies -- Part IV -- Part IV: Freemasonry Today and Tomorrow -- Chapter 14: So Is It Still Relevant? -- A Breakdown in Community -- Where Freemasonry Fits In -- Chapter 15: Freemasons and the Future -- Speculating on the Future of the Craft -- Going Back to the Future -- Breaking Down Barriers through the Internet -- Chapter 16: So You Want to Become a Freemason -- Examining Why Men Become Masons -- To Be One, Ask One -- Joining a Lodge -- Part V -- Part V: The Part of Tens -- Chapter 17: Ten Groups of Famous Masons -- Founding Fathers -- Explorers and Adventurers -- Pioneers of Science and Medicine -- Actors and Entertainers -- Incredible Athletes -- Military Leaders -- Significant Businessmen -- Players in the World of Statecraft -- U. S. Civil Rights Leaders -- Men of Arts and Letters.

Chapter 18:Ten Amazing Conspiracies, Anti-Masons, and Hoaxes -- Leo Taxil and the Great Hoax! -- The Illuminati! -- Trilats, CFRs, and Bilderbergers, Oh My! -- The Secret 33rd Degree! -- Jack the Ripper: A Freemason! -- The Italian P2 Lodge Scandal! -- Washington, D. C., Is Satan's Road Map! -- Aleister Crowley, Satanist and Freemason! -- Freemasons Founded the Nazis! -- Masonic Cops! Masonic Judges! -- Chapter 19: Ten Cool Masonic Places -- George Washington Masonic Memorial ( Alexandria, Virginia) -- House of the Temple ( Washington, D. C.) -- Freemason's Hall ( Philadelphia) -- Masonic Temple ( Detroit) -- Grand Lodge of the State of New York ( New York City) -- Scottish Rite Cathedral ( Indianapolis) -- Freemason Hall ( London) -- Templar Church ( London) -- Rosslyn Chapel ( Roslin, Scotland) -- Grande Loge Nationale Française and Other Masonic Buildings ( Paris) -- Part VI: Appendixes -- Appendix A: The Regius Manuscript -- A Poem of Moral Duties -- Appendix B: Anderson's Constitutions -- The Charges Of A Free Mason -- Appendix C: Finding a Lodge -- Mainstream U. S. Grand Lodges -- Prince Hall Grand Lodges -- Canadian Grand Lodges -- Index.