This is a good place to understand the very basic differences between
the arch-rival branches of Masonry, i.e. the Ancient and Established
Scottish Rite versus the Modern "Reformed" British Rite:
http://www.shout.net/~bigred/Restoration.htm
Unfortunately the information even on that website is obscure and
wrong in many places, but the general details are correct. As should
be obvious, however, as of the late 18th century we can no longer
speak of a single, indivisible Freemasonry. Nor as some would believe
is there a recognized Unified Grand Lodge.
Now the Ancient and Established Scottish Rite are the original
Esoteric Fraternity stemming from a lineage going back to the Order of
the Knights Templar: the Knights Templar whom the Roman Catholic
Church turned on and organizationally destroyed on March 18, 1314:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Templar