The Meaning of Masonry

The Meaning of Masonry is a book by W. L. Wilmshurst, first published in 1922. Written by a practising Mason and careful student of esoteric tradition, it presents Freemasonry not as mere social ritual but as a living symbolic system: a road of moral and spiritual initiation that draws on ancient mystery teachings.

Wilmshurst explains the rites and symbols with a conservative respect for tradition while asking probing, philosophical questions about their purpose—why the Craft works the way it does and how its forms aim to shape character and consciousness. The book reads as both a guide for Masons seeking depth and an invitation to serious students of Western esotericism.

Its emphasis is on interior development—inner light, the discipline of moral work, and the symbolic architecture of spiritual progress—rather than on institutional history or practical lodge procedure. It remains a standard reference for readers interested in Masonic symbolism, initiation, and the Craft’s place among traditional mystery paths.