IN and around the 17th century the myth of the ancient order of Freemasons began to appear all over Europe and the Americasin the three forms
Scottish Rite Freemasons
York Rite Freemasons
and
Reformed Scottish Rite Freemasons.

All claimed decent from the guild of Freemasons that built the First temple of Solomon and their three leaders the Brothers Jubal.

York rite has 5 levels of membership, Scottish rite has three official levels and an a fourth grade for the "special" members.
Reformed Scottish Rite has 33 level, and claims an even more illustrious history claiming decent from not only the masons but from the Knights Templar.

None of them are any such thing of course but from the 17th century establishment of the first Lodges and Temples, Mason's have had ways of recognising each other by secret signs and symbols an by their oaths of fidelity are obliged to help one another in business, commerce, law and politics.

This lead in the 1800's to the catholic church outlawing catholics from becoming masons as they too expected their male members to do the same thing for each other thus being a mason was a conflict of interests worthy of excommunication.
I other religions however, Freemasonry became integral, especially in Mormonism, where the Temple rituals of the Freemasons were stolen wholesale for the Temple ordinances of the LDS Priesthood. The Mormon church also provided an escape root for fleeing catholics via what they called the Perpetual emigration fund, allowing catholic Freemasons to flee to America.

In Europe, especially London Freemasonary became so rife in the Judiciary and the police that in 1920 the whole of (old) Scotland Yard was arrested for corruption and running a vice and pornography ring.
Though there is still Masonary entwined with the law in Britain, it has never been made illegal for police or judges to be members.

From these instances and a number of others the myth that the Freemasons rule the world sprang up and has formed the basis for many thrillers in fiction throughout the last 150 years.
They have been blamed for everything from the raise of fascism to being responsible for Jack the ripper, from being responsible for the American two party system and the civil war in the USA to building secret bases under the Vatican so the original illuminate could spy on the pope.

In truth it is pretty much a boys club (Girl's too since the founding of the Lodge of the eastern star and The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons) for doing favours, getting drunk and holding big dinners two or three times a years.