Why and how is ritual and symbolism used?

Ask any member about Masonic ritual and he is likely to explain it as a unique and inspiring experience. Ritual is core in Freemasonry. This ritual is unique in that is uses a range of objects, symbols and scenarios to disseminate the values, traditions and philosophical precepts of Freemasonry. These rituals are centuries old and have been used in Freemasonry for hundreds of years. An example of such symbolism is the use of medieval stonemason working tools as a vehicle of instruction.
Symbols in the Lodge room are used to define the rank of a Freemason. The most widely recognized symbol of Freemasonry is the Square and Compasses. The Square teaches us to conduct ourselves properly – as in ’square conduct’, and the compasses teach us to keep our passions and prejudices within due bounds.
Members wear the symbol to remind themselves of their obligation to the lesson learned in their lodges and to identify their membership to other Freemasons and all people. Masonic symbols have wide meanings – some directly relate to the tools used by operative Masons and some represent the need for order and direction in life.

What is the History of Freemasonry?

The precise origins of Freemasonry have been lost in time; however, it’s traditions date back to the Middle Ages and to the stone masons who built the cathedrals and castles of Europe. To construct them, it was necessary for men to have considerable knowledge of geometry, arithmetic and engineering. These highly skilled masons formed themselves into Lodges to protect the skills and secrets of their trade and to pass on their knowledge to worthy apprentices.  

Why do you call yourselves a fraternity?

One of the greatest things about Freemasonry is that men from all walks of life regardless of their face, creed, colour and social status can come together as equals and share a common bond of friendship and fraternity.
The members are banned from any political or religious discussion whilst at Lodge, to ensure peace and harmony is constant.
It must be noted that as a Freemason, a member’s family is to be valued above all else and should at all times take precedence over his Masonic membership. However, it is important that a member’s family understands his Masonic association and supports him in his development.

Freemasonry

Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around 5 million (including around 480,000 in England, Scotland and Ireland alone, and just under two million in the United States).[1][2] The various forms all share moral and metaphysical ideals, which include, in most cases, a constitutional declaration of belief in a Supreme Being.[3]

The fraternity is administratively organised into Grand Lodges (or sometimes Orients), each of which governs its own jurisdiction, which consists of subordinate (or constituent) Lodges. Grand Lodges recognise each other through a process of landmarks and regularity. There are also appendant bodies, which are organisations related to the main branch of Freemasonry, but with their own independent administration.

Freemasonry uses the metaphors of operative stonemasons’ tools and implements, against the allegorical backdrop of the building of King Solomon’s Temple, to convey what has been described by both Masons and critics as “a system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.”