Paying money is a part of most any large enterprise. Bills have to be paid by some means. The amounts are not that outrageous. Something like $200 a year?

There is no hoarding of knowledge. Most of the knowledge is public information these days anyway. It is the use of that knowledge that is where the meat is.

Most anyone can join a lodge. The requirements are not that stringent. I was surprised when I got in as a 20 something year old fuck-up.

The secrecy component is not so much about keeping things hidden it is more about charging the knowledge contained within the structure of the secrecy.