National Heritage Museum “New Perspectives” deadline looms!
March 11, 2010 by masonictraveler
Filed under Sojourners
Lexington, Massachusetts – Are you registered yet?
This has been posted a few times, but some changes to the schedule have been made, and your shot at early registration is coming to a close, so if your in or around the Lexington Mass area, you need to attend this symposium!
Registration deadline draws near! Register by March 24, 2010.
On April 9, 2010, the National Heritage Museum, in Lexington, Massachusetts, will hold a symposium, “New Perspectives on American Freemasonry and Fraternalism.”
The symposium seeks to present the newest research on American fraternal groups from the past through the present day. By 1900, over 250 American fraternal groups existed, numbering six million members. The study of their activities and influence in the United States, past and present, offers the potential for new interpretations of American society and culture.
Jessica Harland-Jacobs, Associate Professor of History at the University of Florida, and author of Builders of Empire: Freemasonry and British Imperialism, 1717-1927, will open the day with a key note titled “Worlds of Brothers,” Harland-Jacobs’ paper will survey and assess the scholarship on American fraternalism and Freemasonry. Drawing on examples from the 1700s, 1800s and 1900s, she will demonstrate that applying world history methodologies pays great dividends for our understanding of fraternalism as a historical phenomenon. Harland-Jacobs will conclude with some thoughts on how global perspectives can benefit contemporary American brotherhoods.
Professor Harlan Jacobs was a guest in Masonic Central in 2008.
Six scholars from the United States, Canada, and Britain will fill the day’s program:
- Ami Pflugran-Jackisch, Assistant Professor of History, University of Michigan – Flint, “Brothers of a Vow: Secret Fraternal Orders in Antebellum Virginia”
- Hannah M. Lane, Assistant Professor, Mount Allison University, “Freemasonry and Identity/ies in 19th-Century New Brunswick and Eastern Maine”
- Nicholas Bell, Curator, Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, “An Ark of the New Republic”
- David Bjelajac, Professor of Art History, George Washington University, “Freemasonry, Thomas Cole (1801-1848) and the Fraternal Ethos of American Art”
- Kristofer Allerfeldt, Exeter University, “Nationalism, Masons, Klansmen and Kansas in the 1920s”
- Adam G. Kendall, Henry W. Coil Library and Museum, “Klad in White Hoods and Aprons: American Fraternal Identities, Freemasonry, and the Ku Klux Klan in California, 1921-1928″
Adam was a guest on Masonic Central in 2008.
The symposium is funded in part by the Supreme Council, 33°, N. M. J., U.S.A. Registration is $50 ($45 for museum members) and includes morning refreshments, lunch and a closing reception.
To register,
Visit the Museum’s website, www.nationalheritagemuseum.org for a printable registration form and fax to 781-861-9846, or contact Claudia Roche via e-mail at croche@monh.org or 781-861-6559, x 4142 for sending options.
Registration deadline is MARCH 24 – Event is April 9th!
Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now!
Have you… March 3, 2010 by mtadmin by W:.Tim Bryce, PM, MPS One of my forte’s as a writer and a Mason is to be able to bring up touchy subjects such as Prince Hall recognition, alcohol in the Lodge, Grand Lodge government, etc. This has garnered me a lot of recognition, mostly positive, but there are some Brothers who object to my airing our dirty laundry in public. Some have suggested I should just stick to the philosophical and esoteric side of the fraternity and leave administrative subjects alone. I guess I view myself as the kid who says, “the Emperor has no clothes.” For example, we recently concluded the Grand Communications in my jurisdiction where the Grand Master and Grand Secretary reported on membership. Since my year in the East (2003) I have been monitoring membership statistics as reported by the Grand Lodge. On the average we have been losing approximately 1,200 members per year. 2008 also represents the year when we officially went under the 50,000 mark in terms of members. Interestingly, we raised more Brothers in 2008 than 2003 (a total of 1,355 in 2008), but I also noticed we continue to lose Brothers due to Suspension for Non-Payment of Dues and for those who simply take a Dimit (a total of 1,512 in 2008). This deficit has been with us ever since I started to monitor these statistics and probably well before it. One has to wonder why these Brothers are dropping out. I can only think of three reasons: to possibly transfer to another Masonic jurisdiction; they no longer enjoy it, or; they simply no longer see the value in Freemasonry. I can understand transfers, but this is a minuscule number. However, the latter reasons suggests to me that Freemasonry is slowly becoming irrelevant. Frankly, I suspect Florida is not alone in this regards. We can pretend to ignore these numbers and maintain the status quo or we can face it like men, talk about it, and try to come up with new and imaginative ideas for addressing the problem. I find it interesting that people want me to write about what happened in the fraternity 100 years ago. Although this may very well be of interest, I am more concerned with what the state of our fraternity will be 100 years from now. The question that keeps bouncing through my mind is how will our successors remember us, “As the generation who dropped the ball or the group who picked it up and ran for a touchdown?” This can only be done by holding frank and candid discussions on the problems of the day, not by sticking our heads in the sand. I tend to believe it is more unMasonic to ignore a problem than to talk about it. My critics have accused me of being too pessimistic. Actually, I’m not. To paraphrase Bro. Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), “I am an optimist who hasn’t arrived.” Keep the Faith. NOTE: The opinions expressed in this essay are my own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any Grand Masonic jurisdiction or any other Masonic related body. As with all of my Masonic articles herein, please feel free to reuse them in Masonic publications or re-post them on Masonic web sites (except Florida). When doing so, please add the following: Article reprinted with permission of the author and www.FreemasonInformation.com Please forward me a copy of the publication when it is produced. To receive notices of Tim’s writings, subscribe to his Discussion Group. You can also “tune in” to Bro. Tim’s audio podcasts at the “Lodgeroom International” (UK): http://podcast.lodgeroominternational.com/ Copyright © 2010 by Tim Bryce
Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now! Have you… February 11, 2010 by mtadmin by W:.Tim Bryce, PM, MPS “When we eat with our Brothers, we digest more than the meal.” Serving a meal either prior to or immediately following a Lodge meeting has been an inherent part of our Masonic culture for many years. Brothers attend such meals more for the camaraderie it offers than anything else. Although there are no definitive figures on the subject, many Masons assume the meal has a direct bearing on meeting attendance. I tend to believe this. Further, the cheaper the meal, the less likely people are willing to attend. I recently went out on the Internet to ask the Brethren about this subject and received considerable responses for which I thank all of you for your input. Just about everyone seemed to confirm the correlation between meals and attendance. But I noticed substantial differences in how meals were treated in North America versus the United Kingdom. The North Americans seem to treat the meal much more casually than their counterparts in the UK where it is not unusual to have a catered “Festive Boards” AFTER the meeting and at a higher price than most North American Brothers would pay. In North America, most meals are prepared under the supervision of the Junior Warden, a task that is seldom relished. But if the Junior Warden executes his job with a little imagination and effort, he can have a profound effect on Lodge attendance. I’ve met some Junior Wardens who simply do not care, and you would be lucky to get punch and cookies from them. However, I have met others who love their job and offer cuisine the Brethren greatly appreciate. So much so, they frequently return to Lodge for more. In most Lodges in North America, a simple donation is requested to offset the cost of the meal, anywhere from $1 to $8 is common. In the UK, on the other hand, the meals can get as high as $25-$40, an outrageous fee by most North American standards. But then again, it is not uncommon for our UK Brothers to use professional caterers for their festive boards. In North America, the nutritional value of the meals is questionable, since most Lodges rely on pasta dishes and a lot of starches that “sticks to the ribs.” If you are on a diet, you will probably want to avoid a Masonic meal. And because most Junior Wardens operate on a tight budget (some use the adjective “shoestring”), the fare is often basic. Here are some prime examples of typical meals served at North American Lodge meetings: (You do not see much in the way of fruits and vegetables do you?) This is not to suggest North American Masons are incapable of preparing some fine meals, but they are served infrequently and reserved for special occasions such as a visit by the Grand Master, or a special year-end meal. Although you won’t find lobster tails or chateaubriand on the menu, here are the more common examples of special fare served: Some of these are a bit avant-garde as meals, but they inevitably draw a lot of Brothers to Lodge meetings. Although our UK Brethren typically enjoy catered affairs, they also have thier own fare they enjoy, including: As one UK Brother explained to me, “The idea of UGLE members cooking meals for themselves is unheard of to my knowledge. Usually a chef or cook is used and paid waitresses (a few may utilize the stewards) serve the meals. Members pay the going rate for a three course meal (say about $26 – $40 – a lot more in London) excluding alcohol. They regard the fellowship (and cost) of dining as a very important part of their Masonry. The idea of having poorly catered meals would be unacceptable. Under the UGLE, you are not allowed to use lodge funds to subsidize meals. All dining must be self-financed.” Like it or not, Masonic meals are an important part of a Lodge meeting. And think about it, do we attend Lodge simply to listen to a meeting or do we come for the warmth and camaraderie of our Brothers? A meal greatly facilitates brotherhood. For those Junior Wardens who cannot think of a cost-effective meal to serve at a Lodge meeting, I’ve just given you a couple dozen ideas for you to consider. Keep the Faith. NOTE: The opinions expressed in this essay are my own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any Grand Masonic jurisdiction or any other Masonic related body. As with all of my Masonic articles herein, please feel free to reuse them in Masonic publications or re-post them on Masonic web sites (except Florida). When doing so, please add the following: Article reprinted with permission of the author and www.FreemasonInformation.com Please forward me a copy of the publication when it is produced. To receive notices of Tim’s writings, subscribe to his Discussion Group. You can also “tune in” to Bro. Tim’s audio podcasts at the “Lodgeroom International” (UK): http://podcast.lodgeroominternational.com/ Also be sure to check out Tim’s “Pet Peeve of the Week” (non-Masonic related) at: http://www.phmainstreet.com/timbryce.htm Copyright © 2010 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now! Have you… January 27, 2010 by mtadmin by W:.Tim Bryce, PM, MPS Masons have been meeting upon the level and parting on the square well before the formation of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717 (the first “Grand Lodge”). The invention of the Grand Lodge system was inevitable as it afforded Masons a means to administer Freemasonry on a consistent basis to suit local customs and cultural requirements. Establishing Grand jurisdictions to conform with political boundaries makes sense in that it allows Masons to legally operate under the particular laws of the state they are living. This brings up an important point, the Grand Lodge system was originally designed to serve administrative purposes only. In other words, it is a servant of the Craft, not the other way around. It has long been understood that the authority over the activities of a local particular Lodge (aka Blue or Craft Lodge) primarily resides in the officers and members of the particular Lodge itself, not the Grand Lodge. However, over the years, we have seen a transition whereby the authority of the Grand Lodge supersedes the particular Lodge, thereby they serve the Grand Lodge and not the reverse. Let me give you an example, I recently returned from our Grand Communications which, as most of you know, is intended to elect new Grand Lodge officers and vote on legislation. This particular Grand Communications annoyed the Craft greatly. I heard it described by delegates as the worst communications in recent memory, a model of inefficiency, a farce, the “Grand Master’s Coronation” and the “Grand Waste of Time” (and these are the kinder adjectives without the expletives). Why the disgruntlement? Because delegates felt their time and expense were taken for granted by the Grand Lodge. Had the Grand Master wanted to conduct the true business of the Grand Lodge in one day, he could have easily done so if he wanted. He didn’t. Instead, the Craft suffered through endless introductions, was bored to death by committee reports as preprinted and included in the delegate’s packet of materials, and put to sleep by several unrelated speeches intended to pad time. To add insult to injury, little was accomplished in terms of legislation and the status quo was safely guarded again for another year. In other words, no progress was made. The Craft was so incensed by the Communications, I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a sharp decline in attendance next year. Regardless of the outcome, what disturbed me the most was the total lack of consideration for the Craft, only for the Grand Lodge officers. Brothers sacrificed a national holiday and a work day to attend a meeting that squandered their time. It wasn’t the Craft that was glorified, it was the Grand Line. My response to this was, “Haven’t we got this backwards?” It seems to me that instead of having humble servants of the Craft, we have created a Royal Family that answers to nobody. The true power of Freemasonry belongs to the particular Lodge, not the Grand Lodge which should be nothing more than an administrative function. When it oversteps its authority and usurps the authority of the particular Lodge unnecessarily, than we have an unsavory situation emerging. For those who believe in the tyrannical power of the Grand Lodge, I have two words of advice: Remember Runnymede. Keep the Faith. NOTE: As with all of my Masonic articles herein, please feel free to reuse them in Masonic publications or re-post them on Masonic web sites (except Florida). When doing so, please add the following: Article reprinted with permission of the author and www.FreemasonInformation.com Please forward me a copy of the publication when it is produced. To receive notices of Tim’s writings, subscribe to his Discussion Group. You can also “tune in” to Bro. Tim’s audio podcasts at the “Lodgeroom International” (UK): http://podcast.lodgeroominternational.com/ Also be sure to check out Tim’s “Pet Peeve of the Week” (non-Masonic related) at: http://www.phmainstreet.com/timbryce.htm Copyright © 2010 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now! Have you… January 22, 2010 by mtadmin by Adrian T. Taylor, Ph.D. Introduction In the text “Accosting the African Origins of Freemasonry, and Beyond,”[1] this researcher took up the problem of the African/Egyptian origins of Freemasonry. In the latter text, a representative argument was reviewed, as portrayed by Lanier A. Watkins.[2] In Bro. Watkin’s text, a variety of figures peculiar to members of the Craft were displayed, juxtaposed to similar figures found in ancient Egypt, as we can see in Figure 1. Figure 1: Images Peculiar to Freemasons[3] Upon displaying similar figures, it was then contended by Bro. Watkins that “with sufficient evidence it is sensible to suggest that many of the signs used in our modern craft may have their origin in [a] much older African Culture.”[4] Assessing the latter text, this researcher argued that “sufficient evidence” had been crafted to simply “suggest” that Freemasonry “may” have an African origin, given that anyone can effectively suggest anything, no matter a suggestion’s truth-value. Conversely, this researcher argued that “sufficient evidence” had not been crafted, on the latter grounds, for there to be a definitive/clear African Origins of Freemasonry, beyond a simple suggestion. Essentially, this researcher argued that Bro. Watkin’s “suggestion” was too permissive, though consequential. Later, this researcher created a framework for what can count as “sufficient evidence,” to responsibly examine the question: Is there an African Origin of Freemasonry? Consequently, this researcher constructed Three Stations that needed to be circumambulated, that of (1) The Secret History Station, (2) The Generation of the Ritual Station, and (3) The Egyptian Meaning Station. In this paper “The Generation of the Ritual Station” will be reviewed. It will be reviewed focused on tracing the generation of the third degree, in light of the purported similarities between the Legend of Hiram Abiff and the Legend of the Egyptian deity Osiris,[5] as originally portrayed by the Greek, Plutarch (46 – 120 C.E.).[6] The Generation of the Ritual Station Ritual and ceremony are nothing new to Freemasonry and society at large. Ritual and ceremony attempt to buttress and communicate shared values and experiences, over time. In the Craft, allusions to ritual and ceremony can be traced to the oldest Freemasonic document of record, the Regius Manuscript/poem. It was written circa 1390 C.E. and is sometimes referred to as the Halliwell manuscript, grouped with the Gothic Constitutions, which traces Freemasonry’s legendary/mythic origins to ancient Egypt.[7] In society, ritual and ceremony are seemingly ubiquitous, ranging from the profane (putting on your Washington Redskins jersey before the big game against the Dallas Cowboys) to the profound (listening to the bride and groom at a wedding ceremony, pledge: “until death do us part!”). Nonetheless, Freemasonry is distinguished by its “secret” initiatory ritual ceremonies which progress by degrees of instruction. Traditionally, secrets were kept for proprietary reasons (as vital trade secretes) by the operative stonemasons of Gothic Cathedrals and were communicated orally because much of Europe at that time was illiterate. Effectively, said ritual ceremonies have been participatory, morality plays, attempting to communicate the core values (e.g. faith, hope and charity) and virtues (e.g. brotherly love, relief and truth) of the Craft. It is here, in the space of ritual and ceremony, where the problem of the African Origins of Freemasonry arises, particularly focused on the generation of the third degree. Some essentially see the Legend of Osiris dramatically reworked in the finished Legend of Hiram Abiff.[8] To move beyond a simple suggestion on the African Origins of Freemasonry, towards a negotiation of “sufficient evidence,” we need to (1) trace the genealogy of the third degree, and (2) pay particular attention to the dispensation of Dr. John Theophilus Desaguliers, who according to Dr. David Harris, a Mason, was the key generator of the third degree ritual.[9] The Genealogy of the Third Degree When we assess the earliest, operative stonemason records of the Craft, we essentially find a rather straightforward singular ritual and ceremony. When a man was made a Mason, after, in some instances, at least seven years of apprenticeship, he was read a legendary history of the craft. Additionally, he was instructed to take an oath of fidelity, with his hands placed on the Bible, before he was recognized as a Fellow of the Craft or an operative Journeyman (both terms denoting a full Mason). Based on the available evidence, we find that over time the ceremonies became more elaborate, and two degrees emerged.[10] Rooted in British culture and custom, we can find the construction of instructive questions and answers to be committed to memory, new modes of recognition, the creation of terrible pledges of trustworthiness, the communication of various lectures informed by the Bible, and the creation of various symbolic rites. As the Craft began to change from an operative labor guild (of stone builders) into a speculative society (of moral-character builders), the ceremonies and symbolism began to change. This gradual change was informed by the decline in palace and cathedral constructing. It was also a reflection of the renegotiation between faith, reason and the State, rooted in the Renaissance and the Scottish Enlightenment.[11] These changes were eventually reflected in the second degree. In time, more non-operative masons were freely “accepted” as members and began to replace/dominate the old stonemason guilds. According to most accounts, Elias Ashmole (hermeticist, alchemist and founding member of the Royal Society) is the first Free and Accepted “speculative” (or philosophical) Mason. In his diary, Ashmole recorded his “acceptance” into the Craft in 1646, at a tavern in Warrington, England.[12] Eventually, the Craft changed from a two degree system in 1717 (the first degree was for Entered Apprentices and the second degree was for Masters or Fellows of the Craft) to a three degree system, securely established by 1730 (the Entered Apprentice, and the Fellow Craft degrees, with the addition of a third degree, for the Master Mason). The latter transition from a two degree to a three degree system has been traced by recognizing that the Premier Grand Lodge of England only worked two degrees in 1717. This can also be traced by tracking “Two early manuscripts of 1711 and 1726 (Trinity College, Dublin MS. and Graham MS.), an expose of 1723 (A Mason’s Examination), and two minutes of 1725,” indicating that a third degree was being worked. Further, it was clearly established that three degrees were in use with the introduction of the bestselling expose of 1730, Samuel Prichard’s Masonry Dissected.[13] According to Dr. Harrison, “The changes in ritual, the reorganization, and the centralisation [sic] that would be administered as a result of the new Grand Lodge eventually resulted in rebellion, most notably in York and with the creation of the rival ‘Antients’ [sic] in 1751,” only to be harmonized at the Union of 1813, as the United Grand Lodge of England.[14] Within this milieu, there are credible reports that one of the earliest depictions of the third degree was “performed as a play by an all-Masonic cast at the Philo Musicae et Architecturae Societas Apollini (Apollonian Society for Lovers of Music and Architecture) in London.” In this original play, we find that “it dramatically told two stories: the building of King Solomon’s Temple and the death of Noah, and with his death, the loss of his ‘secret knowledge.’”[15] In a later edition of Dr. James Anderson’s Constitutions of 1738 we find that a “Noachidae was the first name of the Masons, according to some old tradition” meaning “sons of Noah.”[16] For Anderson, his legendary conception of Noah was consequential insofar as Noah “was commanded and directed of God to build the great Ark” and that he and “his three Sons, JAPHET, SHEM, and HAM, all Masons true, brought with them over the Flood the [Masonic] Traditions and Arts of the Ante-deluvians.”[17] This ongoing transition helped to facilitate the consummation of what we now know as Blue Lodge Freemasonry. When the third degree ritual took its final form, in light of the contemporary debate about the nature of its origins,[18] we know that the new ceremony featured a legend about a Grand Master Mason Hiram Abiff, a widow’s son—replacing, but combining many of the original elements from the Masonic legend of Noah. Assessing the accepted legend, we essentially find a narrative featuring Grand Masters, King Solomon of Israel, King Hiram of Tyre, and Hiram Abiff, focused on the building of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. According to one amended account, from the Masonic Scholar Brent Morris, King Solomon organized the works by skill for work efficiency. King Hiram furnished building supplies and workers for the Temple. Hiram Abiff was the master builder, responsible for all of the decorations of the Temple… Three Fellowcraft Masons were impatient to receive the Master Mason word, and tried to extort it from Hiram Abiff. He refused to reveal the secret and was murdered. The murderers hastily buried the body of Hiram outside the city and tried to escape. They were captured, returned to Solomon for judgment, and punished. The body of Hiram was found and reburied in a more dignified grave.[19] The allegorical meaning and/or allusions of the above mentioned legend are going to vary depending on the contingencies of a given evaluator.[20] Yet, if we take the recent work of Dr. Harris seriously, focused on the dispensation of Dr. John Theophilus Desaguliers, [21] we may be able to more responsibly ascertain what influenced the generation of the third degree—the degree where some contend that the Legends of Noah and Hiram Abiff were inspired by the Legend of Osiris. The Dispensation of Dr. John Theophilus Desaguliers According to Dr. David Harrison, in the text Genesis of Freemasonry As has already been reviewed in this text, the ritual ceremonies of Freemasonry have emerged over time. Based on the documented evidence, the Craft first had one, two, and then three degrees of instruction—along with the proliferation of degrees in our times. More importantly, we can say that the latter degrees mirrored the social/political worlds in which they emerged, culminating in the transformative nature of the third degree. In the social world of early to mid 18th century Britain, we can find a renegotiation between what can be framed as Classical and Modern traditions. This is reflected, in part, by the Classical traditions of the Bible, Stonemasons Guilds, and Esoterica (magic, alchemy, and hermeticism); and, in part, by the Early to Modern traditions of the Renaissance and the Scottish Enlightenment (rooted in Esoteric speculations, Reason and Science).[24] As such, the Classical and Modern traditions, in conflict with each other during the dispensation of Early to Modern Europe, and even in our times, found a place to lodge, symbolically in Solomon’s Temple. Assessing the historical record, (Rev. Dr. James) Anderson and (Rev. Dr. John Theophilus) Desaguliers (both members of the Royal Society) are credited with transforming the latter conflict, playing significant roles in getting this work done through the creation of the Book of Constitutions (1723) and the generation of the third degree (1720s), respectively. Accordingly, the historical record demonstrates that “Desaguliers, with the assistance of Anderson, reconstructed the ritual with dramatic and theatrical flare.”[25] Further, we find that codifying third degree “ritual changes date to the early 1720s, and occur after Desaguliers visited the Lodge of Edinburgh that met at St. Mary’s Chapel.” A growing consensus of historians are contending that “elements of what was to become the Third Degree ritual were designed during this period, the changes perhaps being influenced by what Desaguliers had witnessed in the lodge in Scotland” and his collection of “Old Charges” and/or “Curious Writings.”[26] Little is known about the life of Desaguliers. In 1683, Desaguliers was born in France – during a time of political tumult and religious intolerance. Eventually, his family fled to England. It is reported that in the early 1700s he attended Oxford University, became a member, and eventual curator, of the Royal Society,[27] and “quickly penetrated [Sir. Isaac] Newton’s circle” of natural philosophers (denoting early scientists).[28] As such, we find that Desaguliers established a significant relationship with Newton, accepted as the keystone of the scientific revolution.[29] Newton was also recognized as an Esotericist in his times given his translation of The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus, and his “obsession” with measuring and discovering the “occult” mysteries of Solomon’s Temple. It is also reported that Newton became the godfather of one of Desaguliers’ children, and that Desaguliers’ “experiments even influenced some of Newton’s own ideas, such as the transmission of heat through a vacuum.”[30] As well as being an early scientist, Desaguliers became a Reverend (and Huguenot minister) with the Church of England. In his own life, eventually embodied in the confluence of influences on the generation of the third degree, we see that Nature’s God can be ascertained through Faith and Reason. Faith and Reason were not mutually excluded; they were essentially two different epistemologies that could be valued to secure more light. Moreover, records indicate that he was at the founding of the Premier Grand Lodge of 1717. In 1719, he was the Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge, a position that surely solidified his place and respect in the Craft, informing the authority that he was granted to re-work the third degree. Before he died, apparently with little pomp and ceremony in 1744, it is reported that he served as Deputy Grand Master more than once. Focused on Desaguliers’ dispensation, and the factors that contributed to the actual generation of the third degree, we find the renegotiation between the past and his working present. By this, we are referencing the dispensation of Desaguliers and his attempt to synthesize the Classical and Modern traditions, embodied within the third degree. The Classical and Modern Traditions There were a variety of streams at work during the dispensation of Desaguliers’ third degree work. One was the Classical Tradition, informed, in part, by the Bible, Stonemasons Guilds, and Esoterica (magic, hermeticism and alchemy). The other was the Modern Tradition, informed, in part, by all that came before it, and the light of the Renaissance and the Scottish Enlightenment. Assessing the earliest records of the Modern Craft, Freemasonry’s Judeo-Christian foundations are clear.[31] During the dispensation of Desaguliers, Protestant England was still in flux, religiously and politically. England was still recovering from the political and religious turmoil-warfare that followed from Henry the VIII’s decision to separate from the Church of Rome two centuries earlier. Within this space, Freemasons wanted to establish harmony. According to Masonic scholar Mark A. Tabbert, they “sought to avoid theological and political differences by subscribing to a viewpoint that supported a universal affirmation of man’s dependence on God, the existence of an afterlife, and the wisdom conveyed through Holy Scripture and evident in the designs of nature.” Henceforth, Masons pledged to support “that religion in which all men agree,” essentially Christianity, given the dispensation of which this passage emerged, “leaving their particular opinions to themselves.” Thus, Freemasonry is often framed as “a brotherhood of man under the Fatherhood of God.”[32] As has been reviewed, Freemasonry pulls from the operative Stonemasons Guilds of Medieval Europe. Assessing the nature and organization of the latter guilds, the literature suggests that they were “comprised of ‘laborers,’ who wrought the stone; ‘foremen,’ who supervised the work, and ‘architects,’ who were the master overseers.” These “Guilds oversaw a craftsman’s progress from apprentice to master, maintained the quality and ownership of the craft, and provided assistance to the brothers in time of need.” Further, “A stonemason’s ‘lodge’ was located at the site and was the place where mason gathered, received instruction and stored their tools.”[33] Historicizing the religious tolerance and respect for the State that we often find in the Craft, it becomes clear that it is rooted in the operative past. On the one hand, stonemasons built cathedrals for the Church, and on the other hand they built castles for the King. To maintain harmony, and regulate the order, the accepted history of the Craft suggests that stonemasons “drew up long lists of rules or ‘charges;’ that articulated their mythical history, established their local authority, and required the members to be faithful Christians and loyal subjects to the king.” To keep trade secrets and acknowledge rank, “hand signs and grips” were contrived, which allowed senior craftsmen to travel to “distant job sites.”[34] As times and historical conditions changed, so too did the craft from an operative system to a speculative system, appealing to the metaphors of architecture. During the dispensation of Desaguliers, an Esoteric tradition of magic, hermeticism and alchemy was also at work. Often, Esoteric matters are synonymous with the occult or “sinister” issues of deliberately hidden/veiled secrets. Allegations of “black” magic and the Craft are old. Confronting the reality that “Freemasonry is referred to as the Craft suggests” for Harrison, “a direct link to the craft guilds of the medieval period, yet elements of the ritual and the symbolism also hint at connections with the occult and particularly with witchcraft.”[35] During Freemasonry’s formative years, allegations of “black” magic were addressed by James Anderson (Book of Constitutions, 1738) and Laurence Dermott (Ahiman Rezon, 1778). Anderson dealt with the allegation that Masons raised “the Devil in a Circle,” and Dermott recognized that “free masons were supposed to have a power to raise the Devil,” such that people were “forbid by the clergy to use the black art.”[36] Beyond said allegations, the work of Harrison displays some more than curious connections with the Craft and magic. For Harrison, there are connections between the following: “The ‘casting’ or ‘drawing’ of circles” used in early rituals; “the use of candles within the ritual, lit at the opening and blown out at the close of the lodge,” is thought to be “reminiscent of magic ceremonies, assisting in developing the atmosphere of the lodge room already charged with ambience created by the display of powerful symbolism and poetical ritual;” the reality that early lodges “met once a month during the time of the full moon,” like the ancient Druids; there are suspicious links recorded in 1586 of “Noah’s son Ham being linked to the black arts,” connected “to a gruesome story of necromancy;” and the prevalence of numerology, associated with “Masonic magical numbers, such as three, five, seven and 15.”[37] The search for “lost knowledge” was also on offer during the dispensation of Desaguliers. This theme was captured in the practices of hermeticism and alchemy, both tracing their roots to ancient Egypt. Those that were disposed to the latter practices were persecuted as magicians, as such, by the Catholic Church, tortured and burned at the stake, alongside the philosophers and scientists.[38] Beyond Desaguliers, the emergence of speculative Freemasonry is fundamentally connected to esoteric matters (i.e. hermeticism and alchemy) as portrayed by the interests of Elias Ashmole (the first Free and Accepted Mason of record). He is cited for his translation of The Hermetic Arcanum (or The secret work of the hermetic philosophy), and his defense of the Rosicrucians in the text Theatrum Chemicum Brittannicum During the dispensation of Desaguliers, Egypt was the eternal, attractive enigma, especially for Esotericists.[40] Egypt was thought to be “the fount of all wisdom and the stronghold of hermetic lore.”[41] However, the dispensation of Desaguliers was not unique. The fascination with Egypt started with the Greeks; was constitutive of the legendary founding of the Craft as portrayed by the Gothic Constitutions;[42] and continues to this very day.[43] People during the dispensation of Desaguliers learned about Egypt through existent texts/translations of the Greeks, and others, which informed hermeticism and alchemy (and its “imagined” institutional perpetuation via the Rosicrucians). Though the hieroglyphs were not deciphered until 1822 by Jean-Francois Champollion, Egypt was not a complete enigma. Renaissance and Enlightenment Europe learned about Egypt through the works of Herodotus, Plato, Plutarch, Strabo, Diodorus, Iamblichus, Clement of Alexandra, Horapollo, Apuleius, and others; and texts like the tractate Asclepius, the Corpus Hermeticum, the Tabula Smaragdina, and the Rosicrucian text Fama Fraternitatis (The Rosicrucian Manuscripts) The patron of Hermeticism is fictitious. Hermes never existed in his many purported guises. In the foundational text The Secret History of Hermes Trismegistus: Hermeticism from Ancient to Modern Times For the Egyptians, Thoth (who the Egyptians called Tehuti) was mysteriously born in some accounts from the semen of the deities Horus and Set, containing within his being two warring elements. Thoth was typically symbolized by an ibis, a baboon, the head of an ibis on the body of a man, or as a human sage.[46] Figure 2: Image of Thoth[47] Thoth had many characteristics. In different dispensations, he was known as the deity of wisdom, inventor of writing/hieroglyphs, generator of sacred literature, superintendent of justice, inventor of the calendar, author of measurement, measurer of time, generator of rituals and sacred offerings, and inventor/practitioner of magic.[48] In Egypt’s Hellenized (or Grecian) period (circa 332 B.C.E to 30 C.E.), his magical and/or “mysterious” elements became privileged, focused on easing one’s passage to the netherworld, such that it even became inappropriate to even speak his name.[49] After Alexander of Macedonia conquered Egypt in 332 B.C.E., Thoth became Hermes Trismegistus (thrice great), first portrayed by Akhmim in 240 C.E., though referred to as “twice great” around 570 B.C.E.[50] Figure 3: Image of Hermes Trismegistus[51] For the Greeks, Hermes was originally the “helpful messenger of the gods,” according to Ebeling. He had many attributes, from the god of community to the god of oratory. Similar to Thoth, “he conducted the souls of the dead in the netherworld… out of the shadowy realm and into the world above.”[52] When he was merged with Thoth, he took on a new legend and attributes. He became the deity “of all wisdom, philosophy, and theology,” even teaching philosophy to the Greeks under his pseudepigrapha.[53] He also became the deity of the “Egyptian Mysteries,” though there are grounds for a “hermetic lore” being rooted in Egypt.[54] Typically when people talk of the “Egyptian Mysteries,” they are appealing to notions of Egyptian secrets, sacred ritual, and ceremony—all attributed to Thoth. This brings us to “The Legend of Osiris,” and attendant ritual, ceremony and “mystery.” Figure 4: Image of Horus (left), Osiris (center), and Isis/Hathor (right)[55] Assessing the nature of the legend, we find the following amended account by the British Museum: Osiris was the king of the earth and Isis was the queen. Osiris was a good king, and he ruled over the earth for many years. However, everything was not well. Seth [or Set/Typhon] was jealous of Osiris because he wanted to be the ruler of the earth. He grew angrier and angrier until one day he killed Osiris. Osiris went down into the underworld and Seth remained on earth and became king. Osiris and Isis had one son called Horus. Horus battled against Seth and regained the throne. After that, Horus was the king of the earth and Osiris was the king of the underworld.[56] Ironically, at least during the Hellenized period of Egypt, if there were any secrets, they were out. The Legend of Osiris was public knowledge. As such, the “Egyptian Mysteries” were not so mysterious/secret. It was dramatically/symbolically depicted by Plutarch circa 100 C.E; viewed as a public morality play and seemingly derided by the Christian Minucius Felix circa 200 C.E.; and it was referenced as a three degree initiation ritual by Apuleius circa 200 C.E., though expressed cautiously.[57] The words of Apuleius are instructive, given that his work appears to be the ancient foundation of Masonic ritual and ceremony: Perhaps, curious reader, you may be eager to know what was then said and done [during the Mystery Initiation/s of Isis/Osiris]. I would tell you were it lawful for you to hear. But both the ears that heard those things and the tongues that told them would reap the evil results of their rashness. Still, however, kept in suspense, as you probably are, with religious longing, I will not torment you with long-protracted anxiety. Hear, therefore, but believe what is the truth. I approached the confines of death, and, having trod on the threshold of Proserpine, I returned there from, being borne through all the elements. At midnight I saw the sun shining with its brilliant light; and I approached the presence of the gods beneath and the gods above, and stood near and worshipped them. Behold, I have related to you things of which, though heard by you, you must necessarily remain ignorant.[58] In the passage above, we find Apuleius referencing a kind of dreadful death and “resurrection,” in this world, alluding to the immortality of the soul, in the next. Similar textual references can be found in Egypt, when tracing the travels of the sun god Ra and the tests of his companions in the netherworld by ferryman and the guardians of the gates.[59] Beyond ritual and ceremony, and the variety of texts that are attributed to Hermes, hermeticism was/is essentially a holistic-pantheistic philosophy, developed to communicate the following maxims: “That which is above is the same as that which is below;” and “all is part of one, or one is all.”[60] Ritual ceremonies of initiation were contrived to make this ethos dramatically experiential, in Hellenized Egypt. Accordingly, this was the knowledge that was lost, which needed to be found. Informed by this “lost knowledge,” Ashmole, Newton (alchemist and purported Rosicrucian), Desaguliers and others in their dispensation, in the midst of the tensions between faith, reason and the State, would endeavor to recover and reconstruct the foundations for the idea that that there needn’t be any “false” distinctions between Man, Earth, and Cosmos. All is One, Spirit/Light. Alchemy, rooted in spiritual transformation, through the metaphor of turning base metals into gold, is also traced to Egypt. It is important to account for given its practice during the dispensation of Desaguliers.[61] According to the literature, it appears that alchemy “first flourished in Hellenistic Egypt in the first century.” It is an amalgamation of various philosophies, like the naturalist philosophy of Aristotle, the tenants of Stoicism, Gnostic doctrine, Babylonian astrological lore, “and motifs from Egyptian mythology, particularly the myth of Osiris.”[62] The first recorded alchemical text is attributed to Zosimus. Valuing the hermetic doctrine, we find Zosimus communicating the following ethos: In his Book on Immateriality, Hermes rejects magic [in opposition to Zoroaster] and says: ‘Pneumatic man, who has known himself, must neither achieve anything whatsoever with the help of magic, even if it is generally useful, nor must he defy necessity, but allow it to act according to its nature and its will. And he must now allow himself to be distracted along the way from his search for himself, to know God, and to understand the ineffable Trinity; and he must leave the filth subjected to him, that is, the body to Destiny, to do with it what it will.’[63] Later in the aforementioned text, laboratory experiments are on display for transforming base metals into finer substances. “But the spiritual side of alchemy predominates,” ultimately citing “the authority of Hermes Trismegistus.” As such, chemical metaphors are used to allude to “knowledge of self, God and nature.”[64] The latter realities were brought together, informed by the Scottish Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th Century, rooted in the Renaissance. The Renaissance, French for “rebirth,” was a period where Europe was effectively raised from the Dark Ages, imposed by ignorance, superstition and fear,[65] into the light of the ancient world, as preserved by the Monastery,[66] and the Moors from North Africa.[67] It was at once a dispensation where “artistic, social, scientific, and political thought turned in new directions.”[68] In Eric Hornung’s text The Secret Lore of Egypt we find that the Renaissance becomes important because this renewed “encounter with Greek literature [e.g. Plutarch, Diodorus and Iamblichus], particularly in the framework of the Platonic Academy in Florence, awakened fresh interest in the classical accounts of Egypt and its superior wisdom.” Similarly, “There was a special focus on late antiquity, an epoch that was thoroughly imbued with Egypt, while classical antiquity remained in the shadows.”[69] Overtime, “Renaissance Hermeticism quickly spread to England, where Thomas More wrote a biography of Pico della Mirandola and depicted a religion with expressly Hermetic traits in this Utopia (1516) and also propagated the idea of religious freedom.”[70] These ideas were also foundationally advanced, and re-imagined in England, through the New Atlantis (1626) by Francis Bacon.[71] Rosicrucianism, rooted in Renaissance Hermeticism and alchemy, would also “spread to England,” committed to the “idea of religious freedom,” captured in the text Fama Fraternitatis. Though the founder (Christian Rosenkreutz) and the beginning of the order appear to be legendary, the following is clear about the Rosicrucians, for the purposes of this research: they emerged in the beginning of the 17th century; they are rooted in hermeticism and alchemy; they trace their legendary roots back to ancient Egypt; and according to the illuminating work of Hornung, “The New Order proved to be attractive to many Freemasons,” especially informed by their religious tolerance.[72] “During the religious and political wars that spread throughout Western Europe in the wake of the Protestant Reformation, intellectuals, artists, scientists and theologians were often forced to relocate in search of safety,” according to Tabbert. Britain became the destiny, in part, and “public taverns and coffeehouses became popular places for cultured gentlemen to gather for intelligent and social discourse.”[73] This is the dispensation where men like “Robert Boyle, Sir Isaac Newton and Elias Ashmole” got together to found the Royal Society, practice natural philosophy and “discover ways to gain personal improvement, bring order to society and understand the whole Universe,” in concert with faith.[74] Figure 5: Image of King Solomon’s Temple[75] The various elements that made up the Classical and Modern traditions came together in the biblical depiction of King Solomon’s Temple (I Kings and 2 Chronicles) for Desaguliers (and Anderson). During the dispensation of Desaguliers, many natural philosophers published treatises on its nature. It was contended by the likes of Newton, and others, that “the Temple’s architecture and ornaments held mathematical and geometrical keys to understanding the Nature of God and His creation.”[76] Accordingly, Faith and Reason would be brought together for Desaguliers in the third degree ritual. Today, Solomon’s Temple is used as a symbol to unify the Craft, rooted in the Classical and Modern traditions, Faith and Reason. Conclusion Accosting the permissive suggestion of Bro. Watkins, that “sufficient evidence” was essentially at hand for an African Origins of Freemasonry, by displaying various figures from Egypt next to “similar” figures peculiar to members of the Craft, this researcher sought to create a more responsible framework to answer the question: Is there an African Origin of Freemasonry? Consequently, Three Stations of circumambulation were created for negotiation, (1) The Secret History Station, (2) The Generation of the Ritual Station, and (3) The Egyptian Meaning Station. In this paper, “The Generation of the Ritual Station” was assessed. It was reviewed focused on tracing the generation of the third degree, in light of the purported similarities between the Legend of Hiram Abiff and the Legend of the Egyptian deity Osiris, as originally portrayed by the Greek, Plutarch. Establishing what can count as “sufficient evidence” for said question was the charge, beyond gross speculations. As such, the genealogy of the third degree was traced; and the dispensation of Dr. John Theophilus Desaguliers was reviewed. Upon reviewing the genealogy of the third degree, we found that it slowly emerged in Medieval Europe, from an operative one degree stonemason’s guild, to a speculative three degree system. Upon reviewing the dispensation of Desaguliers, we found that a variety of streams were at work. One was the Classical Tradition, informed, in part, by the Bible, Stonemason’s Guilds, and Esoterica (magic, hermeticism and alchemy). The other was the Modern Tradition, informed, in part, by all that came before it, and the light of the Renaissance and the Scottish Enlightenment. In light of the above, we can conclude the following on the problem of the African Origin of Freemasonry, upon our encounter with “The Generation of the Ritual Station”: Nevertheless, based on “sufficient evidence,” we can conclude the following: Though disturbed, there are two more stations to cross if we want to secure More Light, focused on the problem of the African/Egyptian Origins of Freemasonry. Endnotes [2] See Taylor, “Accosting the African Origins of Freemasonry, and Beyond” for a reference to Lanier A. Watkins text “Origins, 1717 or Antiquity?” [3] Ibid. [4] Ibid. [5] For a representative text, see Albert G. Mackey, “The Ancient Mysteries” (1882) in The Symbolism of Freemasonry (Forgotten Books, 2008). [6] See Plutarch, “Isis and Osiris” in Plutarch: Moralia, Volume VII [7] See Christopher Hodapp, “Appendix A: The Regius Manuscript” in Freemasons for Dummies (New Jersey: For Dummies, 2005). [8] See Mackey. Also, see Russell R. Boedeker’s review of the matter “Albert Pike: Trilogy of Thoughts” (Pietre-Stones Review of Freemasonry, September 15, 2007) http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/albert_pike.html (November 28, 2009). [9] See David Harrison, The Genesis of Freemasonry (Hersham, Surrey KT12 4RG: Ian Allan Publishing, 2009). [10] Hodapp, 119. [11] See Melvyn Bragg, “Scottish Enlightenment” (BBC Radio 4, History, In Our Time, December 5, 2002) http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/inourtime/inourtime_20021205.shtml (accessed January 6, 2010). [12] Harrison, 14. [13] See S. Brent Morris, The Complete Idiots Guide to Freemasonry (New York: Alpha, 2006), 22. [14] Harrison, 10. [15] Hodapp, 121 [16] Harrison, 123. [17] See James Anderson, The Constitutions of the Free-Masons (1734), (Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2006) http://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/history/anderson/1734.pdf (accessed November 29, 2009), 7 of 51. [18] Morris, 11. [19] Ibid., 12. [20] The meaning of the third degree ritual resurrection takes on a variety of different meanings, from faith in one’s word, the raising of Lazarus or Elijah, the eternal quest to find lost ancient/secret wisdom, the death and Resurrection of Christ, the dismembering and reassembling of Osiris, the immortality of the soul, the illusion of death, to the cycles of death and rebirth in nature itself, and beyond. [21] See Erik Hornung (translated from German by David Lorton) The Secret Lore of Egypt (New York: Cornell University Press, 2001). [22] Harrison, 201. [23] Ibid., 120. [24] Ibid., 112. [25] Ibid., 117. [26] Ibid., 113 – 114. [27] See Melvyn Bragg, “The Royal Society” (BBC Radio 4, History, In Our Time, January 4th and 5th 2010) http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/inourtime/inourtime.shtml (accessed January 6, 2010). [28] Ibid., 126. [29] See Dr. Robert A. Hatch, “Sir Isaac Newton” (The Scientific Revolution Homepage, 1998) http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/rhatch/pages/01-Courses/current-courses/08sr-newton.htm (accessed November 28, 2009). [30] Harrison, 126. [31] See Anderson’s, The Constitutions of the Free-Masons (1734) for a prime example of the Judeo-Christian roots of the Craft. In his text he frames the history-genealogy of Masonry squarely within the Biblical tradition. [32] See Mark A. Tabbert, American Freemasons (New York: New York University Press, 2006), 18. [33] Tabbert, 18 – 19. [34] Tabbert, 19. [35] Harrison, 49. [36] Ibid., 49 – 50. [37] Ibid., 48 – 54. [38] Hornung, 90 – 91. [39] Harrison, 25. [40] See Hornung’s “Introduction.” And see Jan Assmann’s “Forward” in Florian Ebeling’s text (translated by Florian Ebeling) The Secret History of Hermes Trismegistus (New York: Cornell University Press, 2007). [41] Hornung, 1. [42] See Hodapp. [43] To view how Egyptologists account for an Afrocentric conception of ancient Egypt, see Hornung’s chapter “18. Egypt à la Mode: Modern Egytosophy and Afrocentrism.” [44] See Ebeling and Hornung. [45] Ebeling, 3. [46] Hornung, 6. [47] See “Tehuti/Thoth” (Google Images, 2009) http://www.hyperflight.com/images/thoth.jpeg.jpg (November 28, 2009). [48] Hornung, 9. [49] Ibid. [50] Ibid., 9 – 10. [51] See “Hermes Trismegistus” (Google Images, 2009) http://www.esoteric.msu.edu/jpg/trismegistus.jpeg (November 28, 2009). [52] Ebeling, 4 – 5. [53] Ibid., 6 – 7. [54] See Hornung, “1. The Ancient Roots of the ‘Other’ Egypt.” [55] See “Horus, Osiris, and Isis” (Google Images, 2009) http://www.ancientsculpturegallery.com/images/206.jpg (accessed November 28, 2009). [56] See “Story” focused on “Ancient Egypt” (The British Museum, 1999) http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/gods/story/page8.html (accessed November 28, 2009). [57] Hornung, 13. [58] For a summary of this passage see Hornung, 14. See P.G. Walsh, Apuleius: The Golden Ass (Translated With Introduction and Explanatory Notes.), (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994). [59] Hornung, 14 – 15. [60] Ibid., 14. [61] See Ebeling’s chapter entry “Prehistory and Early History of a Phantasm” focused on section “4. Hermes: Astrologer, Magus, and Alchemist.” [62] Ibid., 25. [63] Ibid., 26. [64] Ibid., 27. [65] See The Dark Ages (The History Channel: DVD), (A&E Home Video, 2007). [66] Tabbert, 16 – 17. [67] See Ivan Van Sertima, The Golden Age of the Moor (New Jersey: Transaction Publishers, 1991). [68] See “Renaissance” (Annenberg Media, 2009) http://www.learner.org/interactives/renaissance/index.html (accessed November 28, 2009). [69] Hornung, 83. [70] Ibid., 88. [71] See the text edited by Michael R. Poll, “New Atlantis” by Francis Bacon, in Collected Rosicrucian Thought (Louisiana: Cornerstone Book, 2007). [72] See Hornung, “13. ‘Reformation of the Whole Wide World’: The Rosicrucians.” [73] Tabbert, 20. [74] Ibid., 20. [75] See “Solomon’s Temple” (Google Images, 2009) http://sacredsymbolic.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/solomons_temple_jerusalem.jpg (accessed November 29, 2009). [76] Ibid., 23. [77] See Plutarch. [78] See Hornung, “2. Foreign Wonderland of the Nile: The Greek Writers.” [79] See Hodapp, “Appendix A: The Regius Manuscript.” [80] See Harrison, 25. [81] See Harrison, “Freemasonry in Flux: Desaguliers, the Masonic Enlightenment and the Birth of Modern Freemasonry.” [82] See Ebeling, “I. Prehistory and Early History of a Phantasm.” [83] See Ebeling, 25, 28, 33, 37 – 40, 50 – 51, 57, 76, 84 – 85, 89, 99, and 105 – 106. Also see Hornung, 12, 20 – 22, 53, 84 – 85, 93, 103, and 118 – 121. [84] See Hornung, “13. ‘Reformation of the Whole Wide World’: The Rosicrucians.”
Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now! Have you… January 9, 2010 by mtadmin by Br. Martin Faulks. Franz Bardon He is one of the most important but least known magicians and spiritual teachers of the Twentieth Century. He published a complete path of spiritual and magical development that is completely based of the four elements and stands beyond any tradition. Known only through the four books he wrote which were published in the 1950’s and through the writing of his students. Many have borrowed his techniques and terminology without giving him proper credit, indeed no matter what tradition you follow the chances are you are practicing at least one exercise from Franz Bardons first book “Initiation Into Hermetics” . But who was Franz Bardon? Unlike most “Magus” of the time, Bardon seemed far more interested in producing something of value than he did in trying to create a legend about himself. Indeed unlike a few other authors that could be mentioned he hardly ever mentions himself in any of his works. To find more about Franz Bardon we need to read the accounts of his life left by others. Our two main sources are Frabato the Magican an occult novel/biography or Franz Bardon written by his secretary Otti Votavova and Memories of Franz Bardon by his son Lumir and his student Dr M.K. Though the two accounts do have some contradictions they all agree on the following. Franz Bardon was the oldest of 13 children, and the only son of a very devout Christian mystic, Viktor Bardon. Viktor felt that he was unable to obtain his spiritual goals and prayed that he receive this blessing. The story is that a sudden change came over his son. His parents and teachers become amazed by the sudden change as the boy developed a calm and wise temperament over night. An advanced soul entered the body of his son Franz to become Viktor’s spiritual teacher. We are told nothing more about Bardon until he is an adult when he makes a living as stage magician with a twist! Under the stage name Frabato (Franz Bardon- Troppau-Opava) we are given accounts of his performance in which he demonstrated genuine magical abilities where most stage magicians use tricks. The reading of minds, healing, astral projection,Mind control, levitation and much more. A little research assured me that Bardon did indeed gain some fame in Germany in the 1920’s and 1930’s under the stage name “Frabato” A Life of Persecution As Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party gained power in the 1930’s occultists and spiritual groups were banned. Gipsy and Freemasons were taken to the concentration camps along with the Jews. In occupied country followers of the old ways were hunted down. Otti Votavova states that Hitler belonged to the legendary “FOCG” or “99 Lodge” of black magicians, described in Frabato The Magician. In both accounts we hear of the attempts of this organisation to bring Franz Bardon into their fold and the eventual magical battle that ensures. Bardon however is eventually arrested by the Nazis and imprisoned in late 1941 along with one of his students. While the prisoners were being whipped, the disciple lost his control and uttered a kabbalistic formula to immobilize the torturers. However, the effects of the formula eventually wore off and the disciple was shot in revenge. When he refused to help them, the Nazis cruelly tortured Bardon. Among other things, they performed operations without anesthesia, and forged iron rings around his ankles and fixed heavy iron balls to them. After regaining his freedom, Bardon recommenced his occult work and healing. This type of thing was strongly discouraged in the very repressive political climate of post war Czechoslovakia and indeed it turns out that the new Russian Communist ideologies persecuted free-thinkers, Gypsies, Jews, and anyone interested in the occult or esoteric subjects as efficiently as the former Nazi Rulers. In 1958 Bardon was arrested by the communist government for his occult practices and died the same year under mysterious circumstances. Franz Bardon’s Teachings Bardon’s works are most notable for their simplicity, their relatively small theoretical sections, and heavy emphasis on practice. Franz Bardon is of the old school of occult thought. To him we are dealing with real spiritual forces that you can learn with practice to draw into yourself and control, direct and condense. In his books you will find instruction on all magical exercises Talismans,astral projection, mediation, control of the elements, concentration, mind reading, self hypnosis,spirit summoning, magical words and gestures, healing, Clairvoyance meditation/mental control, refining and balancing of the spirit, control of the elemental powers, conversation with unseen beings, astral projection, scrying, invocation of higher forces, invisibility, construction of talismans, fluid condensers, creation of elemental beings, magical pictures, loading and protecting a room/space and much much more.The whole course is completely based on the Four elements and directed towards physically tangible results. One thing that makes an enduring impression is Bardon’s evident sincerity. He insists frequently that he is doing as much as possible to transmit a system of occult development to the serious student who is either unable to find a teacher or work in a group. .His stated purpose was to give the serious student of magic the most complete and best possible magickal instruction obtainable outside of an occult lodge and without the benefit of a personal teacher. Did he succeed? The only way to judge is by trying his curriculum yourself. Books by or about Franz Bardon Initiation into Hermetics The Practice of Magical Evocation The Key to the True Kabbalah Questions to the Master By Franz Bardon Published by Merkur Publishing Memories of Franz Bardon By Lumir Bardon and Dr M.K Published by Merkur Publishing Frabato the Magician A Bardon Companion: Commentary Upon Franz Bardon’s Books Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now! Have you… November 6, 2009 by mtadmin by W:.Tim Bryce, PM, MPS “The audit is an essential part of the checks and balances in the Lodge.” Like any organization, be it a public corporation or a nonprofit institution, it is necessary to periodically review the financial status of the entity which is typically performed on an annual basis (such as at the end of the financial year). Such analysis is essential in order to verify that accounting is being properly performed and that the powers that be are competently and correctly discharging their fiduciary responsibilities. It is also invaluable to assure no improprieties are being performed on the institution’s finances. I cannot image any institution, large or small, profit or nonprofit, not performing such a function. In accounting there are fundamentally three levels of review: a “compilation” to check if the numbers add up correctly; a “financial review” which checks the numbers and comments accordingly, and; an “audit” which is an extensive review of numbers and procedures (and a costly undertaking I might add). In Freemasonry, we tend to avoid examinations of any kind from outside parties, preferring instead to analyze the Lodge’s finances internally. In my neck of the woods, the Lodge Audit is the responsibility of the Lodge’s Finance Committee to perform which is chaired by the Senior Warden and two other committeemen appointed by the Worshipful Master. These two other committeemen specifically do not include the Secretary, the Treasurer, or the Worshipful Master, since they are part of the process under review. Hopefully, the two other committeemen have some experience in accounting but quite often they do not and usually consist of Brothers who are experienced businessmen or Past Masters. Remarkably, I have seen Lodges who haven’t a clue as to how to perform a Lodge Audit and, as a result, shy away from performing it or do a superficial job. Either way, this does a disservice to the Lodge which depends on accurate financial records. Actually, the process is not that difficult and can be performed in a reasonably short period of time assuming you know what to look for. There are basically two things to examine in performing a Lodge Audit: procedures and data. Procedurally, all income and expenses typically begin with the Secretary who records both in a ledger of some kind, either a cash book or using computer software (although cash books are fine, electronic spreadsheets and financial software offers the ability to automatically total accounts, thus simplifying the audit as well as for budgeting purposes). For every expense, large or small, the Secretary is to write a voucher which is to be countersigned by the Worshipful Master and passed on to the Treasurer for payment. Some Lodges have their bills paid automatically each month electronically, such as for utilities and telephones for example. Regardless how the bill is to be paid, either electronically or manually, all expenses require an authorized voucher. Money is collected by the Secretary (and recorded as mentioned), before being transferred to the Treasurer for deposit in a financial institution. The Treasurer should then record all transactions (both debits and credits) either using a register (check book) or using an electronic banking system (such as Quicken, MS Money, or Quick Books). The benefit of these electronic banking systems is that they are very reliable in calculating balances and provides a convenient means to audit transactions (as well as monitoring budgets). The Treasurer should also have on hand an organized set of bank statements which the Finance Committee should examine carefully and compare to the transactions as recorded by both the Treasurer and Secretary. To summarize the items to be reviewed by the Finance Committee:
The Finance Committee should now be in a position to write the Lodge Audit. This should be done fairly and impartially with no malice or favoritism. The audit should address the following considerations:
The final report should mention what was examined and itemize any problems that require correction. Bottom-line, the Finance Committee should determine if the Lodge’s finances are being properly recorded and managed. Keep the report short and to the point. Do not be vindictive or complimentary, keep it all “matter of fact” and professional. If necessary, recommendations for improving the management of finances should also be noted. All members of the Finance Committee should sign the Lodge Audit. There may be other elements and formal reports required by your Grand Jurisdiction to complete, what I have mentioned here represents the basics. The Lodge Audit represents an essential part of the “checks and balances” in managing the financial resources of the Lodge. It is a serious responsibility to perform, one that should not be taken lightly. We may not like what the audit has to say, but it is an invaluable safety valve which all Lodge officers should take to heart. Keep the Faith. NOTE: The opinions expressed in this essay are my own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any Grand Masonic jurisdiction or any other Masonic related body. As with all of my Masonic articles herein, please feel free to reuse them in Masonic publications or re-post them on Masonic web sites (except Florida). When doing so, please add the following: Article reprinted with permission of the author and www.FreemasonInformation.com Please forward me a copy of the publication when it is produced. To receive notices of Tim’s writings, subscribe to his Discussion Group. You can also “tune in” to Bro. Tim’s audio podcasts at the “Lodgeroom International” (UK): http://podcast.lodgeroominternational.com/ Also be sure to check out Tim’s “Pet Peeve of the Week” (non-Masonic related) at: http://www.phmainstreet.com/timbryce.htm Copyright © 2008 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved. Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now! Have you… October 23, 2009 by mtadmin by W:.Tim Bryce, PM, MPS “A Foot Soldier for Freemasonry” Shortly after I wrote the “Masonic Manifesto” last September, I happened to attend a local Masonic meeting. Afterwards, a group of Brothers stopped by a local watering hole to have a drink and shoot the breeze. One of the Brothers there caught me off guard when he asked me, “Why do you hate the Fraternity so much?” Frankly, I was startled by the question and asked him why he thought this was so. He contended that I was overtly trying to change the fraternity when there really wasn’t anything wrong with it. He even went so far as to suggest that I should start my own fraternity and leave Freemasonry alone. Please keep in mind this was not a malicious attack as the Brother and I have known each other for a long time and have worked together on many projects. However, my various Masonic activities have not gone unnoticed and is starting to be perceived as a threat. Let me now change gears for a moment and describe another Masonic meeting I recently attended where various Brothers were asked to describe their views of Freemasonry. Most talked about the virtues of the Brotherhood, where a man’s word is his bond, that we can talk “on the level,” and that a support network of Brothers is very comforting. When my turn came, I described Freemasonry as “further light.” Yes, I enjoy the Brotherhood as much as the others did, but I see Freemasonry as a beautiful concept that, if practiced properly, would lead to world peace and prosperity (I guess it is the idealist in me that causes me to think this way). Nonetheless, I see the fraternity in terms of where it should be and believe as Masons we have a duty to evolve and constantly seek perfection. Now, tying the two stories together, do I hate Freemasonry? Absolutely not. Would I be so active in it if I didn’t believe in its concepts? I enjoy our degrees and am proud of our Masonic heritage, as I believe all Masons should be. However, Freemasonry is a society that is not without its faults. It is far from perfect and we should always aspire to improve it. I am not one to sit back and simply grumble about something from the sidelines. Instead, I have chosen to take a proactive role and have introduced ideas and legislation to help improve it. This does not sit well with the powers that be (the “old-guard”) and I am eyed suspiciously as to my motives. Some demand total obedience and suggest I should be in lockstep with the current policies and keep my mouth shut. I’m sorry, but I live in a free country where the individual is encouraged to think and innovate. I even had some Brothers advise me to be a little more “politically correct,” otherwise I would never be appointed District Deputy Grand Master for our area. I countered, “What’s more important, Freemasonry or whether I get an appointed position?” In other words, they are suggesting I do nothing, get advanced and allow the fraternity to stagnate. This is troubling to me. I don’t want to see the fraternity castrated due to apathy. In the various professional and nonprofit groups I am involved with there seems to be an escalation in the viciousness of our discourse. Instead of discussing problems rationally, we must immediately choose sides and defend it to the bitter end. I am also seeing this viciousness permeate Freemasonry where I never dreamt it would occur. I always believed when a Brother took the floor, he was allowed to speak his mind, right or wrong, without fear of retribution. Following this, an opposing dialogue can be conducted by other Brothers and the Craft could formulate its decisions accordingly. But I’m afraid this is no longer happening as the powers in authority tend to manipulate opinion and suppress opposing views. Consequently, harmony in the Lodge is often sacrificed. Bottom-line, in order for Freemasonry to flourish and aspire towards “further light” the Craft must be allowed to discuss and debate Masonic issues on the level and without fear of persecution. No subject should be considered taboo. A healthy dialog is vital to the perpetuation and continued improvement of Freemasonry. Such discourse must be done with candor, honesty, and respect for the rights of all participants. If we fail to do so, we are sticking are heads in the sands and our light will undoubtedly fade away. This would be a tragedy. Keep the Faith. NOTE: As with all of my articles herein, please feel free to reuse them in Masonic publications or re-post them on Masonic web sites (except Florida). When doing so, please add the following: Article reprinted with permission of the author and “FreeMason Information” http://www.freemasoninformation.com/ Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now! Have you… October 15, 2009 by mtadmin by W:.Tim Bryce, PM, MPS Early last year I lost my father, a 57 year Mason. I had the pleasure of calling him “Brother,” as he raised me to the sublime degree of Master Mason many years ago. He was a loyal Mason and we gave him a Masonic Memorial Service that was well attended by Brothers from Florida’s Districts 20 & 21. His home lodge, Lodge of the Ancient Landmarks No. 441 F.& A.M. of Buffalo, New York was also represented. This was certainly appreciated by my family and I know my father would have liked it. Having said this, my thoughts turn to Masonic funeral services in general. I have attended many such services over the years and I have found them to be greatly appreciated by the families of the deceased. Many are overwhelmed by the love and support the Masons express during the service. As far as I’m concerned, attending a Masonic service is the very least we can do for a Brother, regardless if he is a local member or from a distant jurisdiction. I am always amazed how some Brothers are unwilling to attend such a service. Many mistakenly believe they have to belong to an Acacia/funeral committee in order to participate. In reality, it is our duty as a Mason to attend such a service whether we know the Brother or not. I realize some services are performed during the day when many of us are working and unable to attend. But aside from this, if there is a Masonic service to be performed, and our cable-tow permits us, we should be in attendance. Many claim they simply are unaware of the passing of Brothers. All you need to do is browse the obituaries of the local newspapers, either the printed form or on the Internet. As for me, I have bookmarked the obituary sections of the local newspapers and regularly scan them using keywords such as “Mason” and “Lodge.” When I come upon a Brother from a northern jurisdiction, I e-mail the obit to his Grand Lodge and, if I can find it, his home Lodge. As a past Secretary myself, I know this is very much appreciated. Regardless if you scan the obits on the Internet or in the printed version, there should be at least one person in your Lodge charged with monitoring the passing of Masons. Although the Worshipful Master should be made aware of the passing of a Brother, the responsibility is typically delegated to the Secretary, the Chaplain, or the chairman of your funeral committee. Also Brothers, please dress properly for a funeral. In Florida, for example, it is customary to wear a dark suit and tie; a tuxedo is not considered appropriate, nor are dungarees and shorts. Plain white aprons are the norm, not Lodge officer or Past Master aprons. Funeral committees usually make aprons available to Masons attending the service, but you may also want to bring your own in case they run short of aprons. Prior to the funeral, the Brother’s Masonic background should be verified by his home jurisdiction, so that we might know more about the Brother and assure he is in good standing with his Lodge. If you become involved with a committee charged with performing a Masonic funeral service, be sure you know your responsibilities, your lines (if any) and how to deport yourself during the service. Rehearsals are invaluable to assure the service comes off polished and dignified. Further, talk with the clergy or funeral directors involved prior to the service to assure the ceremony is well organized and runs like clockwork. Attending or performing a Masonic service is not complicated, nor is it time consuming. And I can tell you this, a little dignity, a little polish, and a little sympathy is very much appreciated by the family of our departed Brother. Keep the Faith. NOTE: As with all of my Masonic articles herein, please feel free to reuse them in Masonic publications or re-post them on Masonic web sites (except Florida). When doing so, please add the following: Article reprinted with permission of the author and “http://www.FreemasonInformation.com” Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now! Have you… October 14, 2009 by mtadmin DIOGENES Diogenes was a very playful philosopher who liked to use great wit when challenging the values and beliefs of his fellow citizens in ancient Athens. He lived in great poverty, probably begging and stealing his food, and steadfastly disdained all forms of luxury. It was because of his determination to follow his own dictates and not adhere to the conventions of society that he was given the epithet “dog,” from which the name “cynic” is derived. [i] In winter Diogenes walked barefoot in the snow. In summer he rolled in the hot sand. He did this to harden himself against discomfort. “But aren’t you overdoing it a little?” a disciple asked. “Of course,” replied Diogenes, “I am like a teacher of choruses who has to sing louder than the rest in order they may get the right note.” How do you mentor your new masons? Do you hand them a book and say memorise this and call me in a month? Or do you teach him the catechism then slap him on the back say congratulations and forget about him? It is a sad fact that most masons lead a double life. They never try to get to know or help out the candidate, sure they come out to lodge and help with the ritual but who lives the example outside the lodge. M W Brother Herman Forester GM, GLKY puts it very eloquently in the Masonic Home Journal June 2009: “The Brotherhood of Freemasonry is not just something we belong to, it is a way of life which has been passed down through the ages, Freemasonry teaches us to be better than ourselves. It is about the good things about man, love of God, love of our fellow man, made in God’s image, our families, neighbors, community and country. The teachings of Masonry are so important to a world desperately seeking the things that Masonry teaches. Brothers, let us all stand together for the right things, which are not always the most popular things, harmony and Brotherly love must always prevail in our Lodges. Honor, integrity and unity must set the standard for all who wear the square and compass, and a rallying point to live by not hollow words but noble actions and deeds for all to see.” I have had the pleasure of taking a young mason under my wing and helping him to understand masonry both in and out side of lodge. He is a sponge soaking up what ever I put before him. Not everything you see or read is correct so careful study is required this actually benefits both of us, as he learns so do I. I show him both sides the correct as well as the incorrect ways of masonry. The Masonic Journey is of an individual nature. Each individual must choose his path if he is not mentored he may become lost and fall off the path, but those who are mentored and have someone to look to for guidance will keep to their path and grow. 15 Masons gathered to make you a EA, 15 Masons gathered to pass you to Fellowcraft, 33 Masons gathered to make you a Master Mason. What did you do? Well I walked barefoot in the snow and rolled in the hot sand so that my voice could be heard above the chorus! [i] From the web site of David Quinn Wor.Bro. Ian M. Donald fraternally Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now! Have you…
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Airing Dirty Laundry
Filed under Sojourners
timb001@phmainstreet.com
Palm Harbor, Florida, USA
“A Foot Soldier for Freemasonry”
Originally published in 2008.
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What’s for Dinner?
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timb001@phmainstreet.com
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“A Foot Soldier for Freemasonry”
Originally published in 2008.
- Bryce’s Law
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Grand Lodge vs. Blue Lodge: Who Serves Who?
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“A Foot Soldier for Freemasonry”
Originally published in 2008
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Tracing the Generation of the Third Degree
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Founding Member of the David A. McWilliams, Sr. Research & Education Lodge
F&AM, PHA DC
[1] See Dr. Adrian Taylor, “Accosting the African Origins of Freemasonry, and Beyond,” in The Phylaxis (Volume 36, Number 4, Winter 2009).
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The Unknown Elementalist: Franz Bardon
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The necissity of Lodge audits
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“A Foot Soldier for Freemasonry”
- Bryce’s Law
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Seeking Further Light
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Masonic Funerals – Understanding our duty.
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“A Foot Soldier for Freemasonry”
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Teachings of Diogenes – Lesson No.3 – LIght of Teaching
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(c. 412- c. 323 B.C.)Lesson No. 3 Light of Teaching
“Did you ever think?
Wor. Bro. Ian M. Donald
A man is not measured by how tall he stands,
But by how often he bends to help, comfort and teach!
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