On the European mainland, after 50 years of fighting, the Concordat of Worms provided a similar, but longer lasting, compromise when signed on September 23, 1122. It eliminated lay investiture, while leaving secular leaders some room for unofficial but significant influence in the appointment process.
The Freemasons is a fraternal organization formed in the late 16th or early 17th century, which permits men of any religion to join.
The origins of the Masons or what is officially called freemasonry are hard to pinpoint. With the decline of cathedral building in the aftermath of the Protestant movement, mason guilds began accepting non-masons as members to bolster their dwindling membership.