Lincoln's second inaugaral address is filled with beautiful references to Masonic terms. Was Lincoln a Mason? If so, what degree?

askelon

As far as I can tell, no, Lincoln was not a Mason. http://bessel.org/lincmasn.htm http://hiraimsminute.blogspot.com/2008/02/abraham-lincoln-freemasonry.html Jan 21 09, 11:55 AM

zbeckabee

Carl Sandburg said, in a chapter about Lincoln's political activities in his biography of Lincoln, "Though not a Mason, he [Lincoln] had at hand a personal copy of the bound 'Proceedings of the Grand Royal ArchChapter of the State of Illinois,' being reports of conventions of the Masonic order for the years 1851-1857." Abraham Lincoln was not a Mason, but he possessed and displayed all the important qualities of Freemasonry: faith, hope, and charity, belief in God, the equality of all people, and the ability of each person to improve. http://www.calodges.org/no670/tbpdf/tb2008/02febtb08articles.pdf Jan 21 09, 1:45 PM