Freemasonry is a fraternal organization 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 six million, two million of them in the U.S. But many of us know very little about them; their secret handshakes and symbols. Add to that the fact that many people have negative feelings about the Masons got them from Dan Brown's book and movie, The DaVinci Code.

But, according to the Grand Lodge of British Columbia, Dan Brown’s understanding of modern Freemasonry is just plain wrong. The list of his Masonic errors is large: Walt Disney was not a freemason, and his claims that the Knights Templar were master stonemasons or even linked to modern Freemasonry, is wrong. But Freemasonry faces a far more insidious threat; that of being fictionalized or trivialized.

But you can learn more about the world's oldest and largest fraternal organization, the Masons, when the St Charles Masonic Temple throws open their doors for an Open House from noon to 3pm on Saturday August 28th. This open house is sponsored by St Charles Lodge 241 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and Pride of the West Lodge 179 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Not only that, representatives of affiliated organizations, such as the Order of Eastern Star, the Order of DeMolay for boys and the Order of Rainbow for girls will be on hand to explain their groups. The St Charles Masonic Temple is located at 2150 Collier Corporate Parkway in St Charles.