VOL. 45
The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
WINTER 2019
NUMBER 2
The Official Publication of The Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana, F & A.M. 1
Inside this issue...
THE LOUISIANA FREEMASON is the Official Publication of The Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana, F & A.M., digitally published quarterly and in print annually for members of Lodges in Louisiana. THE LOUISIANA FREEMASON will accept unsolicited articles, with the right to edit and use when space permits. Articles and pictures become the property of the magazine. Articles that are printed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana. Email/Address Changes should be sent to the Lodge Secretary.
From the Grand Secretary
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Our Changing Freemasonry by Brother Michael Poll
Hermeticism & The Craft by Brother Taylor Nauta
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Masonic Service Awards
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Shakespeare in Ritual by Brother Chad Koelling
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Grand Masters Charitable Appeal
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Masonic Library & Museum Feature
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The Louisiana Freemason Throwback
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End-of-the-Year Secretary Reminder
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Committee To Supervise Publication of
THE LOUISIANA FREEMASON Steven S. A. Pence, PM Editor-in-Chief 105 Bay Hills Dr. • Benton, LA 71006
Joshua Gary “Gar” Pickering, Managing Editor/ Committee Chairman 2207 Hill Street • Alexandria, LA 71301 A. Nicholas “Nick” Auck, PM J. Quincy Gotte, PM Richard D. Mahoney, PM Send all email or mail for consideration for publication in The Louisiana Freemason to: J. Gary Pickering c/o The LOUISIANA FREEMASON 5746 Masonic Dr., Alexandria, LA 71301
Email: gar@la-mason.com
2019-2020 Grand Lodge Officers Steven S. A. Pence, Grand Master James E. Steen, Deputy Grand Master Terrell D. Fowler, Grand Senior Warden Jay B. McCallum, Grand Junior Warden Charles R. Smith, Grand Treasurer Woody D. Bilyeu, PGM, Grand Secretary Dennis F. Snoddy, Grand Chaplain John F. Knox, Grand Marshal Jimmie D. Dunkin Grand Senior Deacon Michael D. West, Grand Junior Deacon Steven L. Jennings, Grand Sword Bearer Kirby J. Henry, Grand Pursuivant Johnny C. Byrd, Grand Standard Bearer Murray E. Seals, Grand Tyler Camile J. Guidry, Jr., Grand Master Expert Don A. Springler, Grand Hospitalier John B. Becton, Grand Inner Guard
Visit the Grand Lodge online... www.la-mason.com
www.library.la-mason.com
@LouisianaGrandLodge
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Willey G. Bell, III, Grand Photographer J. Keith Gates, Grand Organist J. Andrew Owen, Grand Musician
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I.C. Turnley, Jr., MD, PGM, Grand Physician
On the cover: A procession of brethren at a district meeting in Houma, Louisiana in October 1941. // Winter From the Archives of The the Louisiana Freemason Masonic Library & 2019 Museum.
From the Grand Secretary...
I
have been notified recently of direct contact being made between our Local Lodges and other Grand Jurisdictions. I would like to clarify the Masonic Protocol to be followed when needing information from other Grand Jurisdictions.
When a member of a Grand Jurisdiction wishes to contact another Grand Jurisdiction for Masonic information pertaining to Lodges, members, operations, Masonic Law, etc., a request should be made through the Grand Lodge of which they are a member via the Grand Master or Grand Secretary. With the Grand Master or Grand Secretary’s permission an official request will be made on the member’s behalf and all continuing correspondence will be transmitted through the respective Grand Lodge offices. The Local Lodges may be contacted by their respective Grand Lodge office for any required documents or information. In most cases, this Masonic Protocol is just a formality and good practice. Understanding the ease of gaining information through the internet, I wish to make sure we do not jeopardize the amity we share between our Grand Jurisdiction and other Grand Jurisdictions. I respectfully ask that all requests are placed through the Grand Lodge office so we are aware of member and Lodge intentions.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
Fraternally yours,
M: W: B: Woody D. Bilyeu Grand Secretary
The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
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Our Changing Freemasonry
by Michael R. Poll, PM
From the Archives of the Louisiana Masonic Library & Museum Most Worshipful Brother Charles Francis Ratcliff, PGM (1938) being presented with his 50 year pin, in 1943, by Most Worshipful Brother W.D. Haas, PGM (1933) at a district meeting at Trinity Union No. 372, in Baton Rouge.
O
young kids are creating trouble! They are trying to shove new things on us that we don’t want or understand. They want us to change from how we have always done things. They are the problem!”
One group is mostly composed of, but not all, younger Masons. They point at the older Masons and say that they are the source of the problems. “It’s those old guys! They refuse to change! All they want out of Freemasonry is to read minutes and argue over bills. They want nothing else and know nothing else!” The other unhappy group is the older Masons. Again, not all, but mostly. They point at the young Masons and say that they are the problem. “Those
Two sides with firm opinions on problems along with who and what is wrong. So, which side is the right side? To begin to understand this situation and problem, I believe that we need to first look at the concept of change itself. The truth of the matter is that it does not matter what anyone likes, dislikes, wants, or doesn’t want. Change is going to happen. It happens every day. Our grass keeps needing cutting, our house needs to be repainted, and we gain weight and hurt where we never hurt before. Change is natural. It happens to everyone and everything, and Freemasonry is constantly changing. I once heard someone say with all the authority in the world, “Freemasonry does not change. In fact, innovations
ver the last few years, I’ve received a good many emails from Masons in a number of different jurisdictions. Regardless of where the mail comes from, much of it seems to have a common theme. They basically say, “I am not happy.” Then when they give their reason as to why they are not happy, it has something to do with some aspect of change. But they are not all in agreement as to the deeper problems. It is here that divisions begin.
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The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
are not permitted in Masonry.” Well, that’s just nonsense. Freemasonry is constantly changing. Every year at Grand Lodge, resolutions are passed that change Masonry in that jurisdiction. In Lodges, bylaws are changed, members join, and members die. These are changes. Elections (changes) are held every year in Lodges, Grand Lodges, and other bodies. What is meant is that unauthorized, or improper, changes are not allowed. For example, let’s say that a Worshipful Master comes to a meeting and out of the blue makes an announcement; he tells the Lodge that he has been thinking, and decided that the lodge building is not suitable. So, on his own, he sold the building and bought another building in the Lodge’s name across town. He even changed the meeting date for good measure. Well, that’s an unauthorized and improper change. The Worshipful Master of a Lodge does not have the authority, on his own, to sell or buy property for the Lodge without the Lodge’s permission. It does not mean that it can’t be done, but there is an established procedure for the operation of the Lodge. We are an organization of rules and laws. We are all bound to those rules and must follow them. Change happens all the time, but it is unauthorized changes that our rules and laws do not allow. Freemasonry is also tied to society. What affects the community, affects us. In fact, I believe that changes in society in the first half of the Twentieth Century play a role in what’s happening in Freemasonry today. Let’s look at just a few of those changes.World War I, The Great Depression, and World War II — they certainly changed the world. It was a horrible first half of the century. Sometime back, I watched a documentary about London and Berlin during World War II. Both cities were heavily bombed during the war with scars remaining from the bombings even today. London was bombed by the Germans and Berlin by the Allies. What surprised me was the number of bombs dropped on both cities. Literally thousands and thousands of bombs were dropped on both cities. The cities were very badly damaged. One eyewitness account said that when the bombing started, and the bombers flew overhead, there were so many of them that they blocked out the sun. Then the war ended. It was how it ended that changed the world forever.
At the close of the war, one bomber flew over the city of Hiroshima, Japan. That one bomber carried one bomb. That one bomb destroyed the entire city. A few days later, one bomber flew over Nagasaki and dropped one bomb. That one bomb destroyed that whole city. Never had the world seen so much destruction power from any one weapon. Japan surrendered, and the world was never the same again. I wasn’t born until after the war was over. I never lived in a nonnuclear world. But the dropping of those bombs must have changed something deep within the people living during that time. How could it not? I won’t attempt to go into the minds of anyone else, but at the close of the war there seems to have been a tremendous change in the United States. If you stop and think about it, we had a half a century of horribly difficult times — war, poverty, hunger, loss of everything. It seems that at the close of WWII everyone just wanted to stop and take a break from trouble. They wanted a rest, some niceness, a bit of a vacation from hardship and pain. People now had a few dollars in their pockets and they wanted to use it in ways that created enjoyment. My grandfather was Worshipful Master of Friends of Harmony Lodge No. 58 in New Orleans in 1945. This would become my Mother Lodge thirty years later. I used to hear stories about how Masons went to Lodge during this time. Friends of Harmony, along with a number of other Lodges, met in the old Masonic Temple Building on St. Charles Avenue. Lodge meeting nights were more of a family event. The entire family would go to the Temple Building and then go to the second floor. There was a large dining hall there with a full-size kitchen attached to it. Everyone would have dinner there. They would visit, talk with friends, and eat a nice dinner. It was an enjoyable time. After everyone finished dinner, the men would go upstairs to their Lodge meetings and the wives and children would go downstairs to the basement. In the basement, there was an Olympic size swimming pool where the kids would go swimming. It was a great time for everyone. The kids would enjoy themselves in the pool and the ladies would visit with each other. After the meeting was over, the men would come down to the swimming pool and everyone would visit for a little while longer. Maybe they’d go upstairs to the second floor continued on page 14
The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
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Hermeticism & The Craft
by Bro. Taylor Nauta, PM
Part 1: Alchemy & Hermeticism
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lchemy, which is often described as The Art of Transformation, has taken on many forms throughout the centuries. It was practiced by the ancient Chinese, the ancient Egyptians, the medieval Arab nations, and others. But the biggest contributor of alchemical ideas into the Western World was undoubtedly Egypt. In fact, the word “alchemy” is derived from the words “al kemet”; meaning “the Black Land”. Kemet was an ancient name for Egypt. Some suppose that the darkness of the fertile soil throughout the Nile River Delta is the reason why Egypt was anciently referred to as Kemet. Regardless of whether the origin of that word is true or not, however, one thing is certain: Egypt was a crossroads of learning and culture from ancient times all the way up to the Hellenistic Period; and alchemy was a science that the Egyptians had been developing for millennia. Hellenistic Alexandria, in particular, was widely known as a repository of alchemical knowledge. The most important alchemical texts from Hellenistic Egypt are the “Emerald Tablet” and the “Corpus Hermeticum”; a collection of texts attributed to “Hermes Trismegistus”, who is considered by many to be the Father of Alchemy. Those books have influenced alchemical philosophy in the Western World more than any other works known to man. Hermeticism is a syncretic philosophy that likely emerged in Hellenistic Egypt during the 3rd century AD, being a mixture of various concepts found in the popular religions and philosophies of that same time period; such as early Christianity, Gnosticism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Neoplatonism, Orphism, and Pythagoreanism. Hermes Trismegistus, the key figure of Hermeticism, was a mythological character whom I believe to be an amalgamation of the Greek Hermes, the Roman Mercurius, the Hebrew Enoch, and the Egyptian Thoth. Some have even compared him to Moses, since they are both teachers and liberators who communicated with God and relayed His message to the people, both freeing their respective peoples from a form of bondage. 6
Engraving of Hermes Trismegistus by Pierre Mussard, Historia Deorum Fatidicorum, Venice, 1675
In the “Poimandres”, which is the first book in the “Corpus Hermeticum”, you’ll find a dialogue between Hermes Trismegistus and a deity referring to itself as the Nous, or Omnipresent Mind. In this dialogue, an interesting Creation Story is told. To briefly summarize the Hermetic Creation Myth, the All-Mind showed Hermes Trismegistus a vision of Creation. In the beginning, there was infinite and limitless Light, from which came forth an intense Darkness that became moist matter; the Primordial Matter. Out of this First Matter sprang forth the four elements of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. At this point, all matter existed in a form of chaos. It was simply moist nature, formless and unorganized. But then the All-Mind, who was the Limitless Light and the Will behind all causes, spoke a Word(Logos) into the chaos. That The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
Word, which was the Son of the Father God, then organized the chaotic matter into the Cosmos; forming the Earth and the Seven Rulers(alluding to the seven celestial spheres which are visible to the naked eye: the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, & Saturn) to encircle it roundabout. It was explained to Hermes that these Seven Rulers govern the destinies of Men. After matter was formed, the Soul of Man was formed in the image of God. And when the Soul of Man saw his own reflection in the waters of Earth, he fell in love with it and wanted to dwell there in the moist matter where he beheld his image(much like in the classic story of Narcissus). His will then made it so, and he descended down through the Seven Heavens, accumulating attributes from each of the Seven Rulers(the planets) on his way down, and then he landed on Earth where he finally became fully encased in matter; incarnated into human form and subject to all the cycles and vicissitudes of life. There he would endure reincarnation after reincarnation until he achieved Gnosis; a true knowledge of himself and his divine origin. Only then could the human soul be liberated from the corporeal body it had been encased in, freed from the cycle of reincarnation, and reintegrated with God. According to the legend contained in “The Corpus Hermeticum”, the All-Mind charged Hermes Trismegistus with the duty to teach mankind this doctrine of liberation and reintegration by Gnosis. The whole idea is very similar to the Hindu belief that a person will continue to be reincarnated until he reaches a level of consciousness where he is able to understand the relationship between Brahma and man. The Hindus refer to this elevated state of consciousness as Nirvana. They believe that once a man achieves Nirvana, then he will finally be able to enter into the afterlife. The Hermetic concept of the soul needing to be liberated from the body is much like the Gnostic concept of the soul being imprisoned in matter. And in some ways, the Hermetic Creation Myth is similar to the story of Adam & Eve and their fall from the Garden of Eden. The reason for the Fall is basically the same in both stories. It was because of selfish pride, the first sin. Adam & Eve partaking of the forbidden fruit was equivalent to saying, “I know what’s best for me better than God does. The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
Therefore, I’ll do what I want rather than what He wants.” Or, “I prefer to do that which is pleasing to my senses more than that which is pleasing to God.” In the Hermetic Creation Story, Man becoming enamored with his own reflection and desiring to live in the material world was equivalent to him saying, “I desire the sensual pleasures and visual appeal of the material world more than I desire to dwell with God”. Such foolish pride and selfishness distances us from God, making us blind to the Light and deaf to the Truth. Though the cause of the Fall of Man is similar in the Hermetic and Judeo-Christian traditions, they differ in the means by which Man can return from his fallen state to his First Estate. According to the Hermetic philosophy, Man only needs to “know himself ”; realizing his divine origin and reascending through the Seven Heavens by becoming detached from all materialism and worldly desires. Hermetic philosophy, just like Gnosticism, suggests that Man can save himself. In the Jewish tradition, it’s believed that one must keep God’s commandments as they are written in the Torah. But in the Christian tradition, it is believed that Man can only be saved by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ; trusting in his messianic merits to lift you out of the world of sin & suffering by His strong grip, raising you from a dead level to a living perpendicular. Another similarity between Hermeticism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity is the notion that God spoke a Word that created order out of chaos. In the Kabbalistic tradition, it is believed that En Sof, the infinite and self-existent Father God, had the Will to create. Before He could do so, however, He first had to make a space within Himself. Being Infinite, there could be no space that wasn’t already filled by Him. So, in an act which the Lurianic Kabbalists refer to as Tzimtzum, En Sof formed a space for creation by withdrawing Himself from all sides. Then He spoke a Word into that space, and that Word created everything that exists by the Will of En Sof. To the Kabbalists, that word is the Tetragrammaton; YHVH. Now compare that with John 1:1-3. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any
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“
Masonic Service Awards In September, two Louisiana Masons were presented with the prestigious “Gold Honor Award”, by Louisiana York Rite College No. 99. The Gold Honor Award is presented in recognition of outstanding service to Freemasonry by the York Rite Sovereign College of North America. On Thursday, September 12, 2019, at Rudolph Krause Lodge No. 433, W: Bro. David W. Scritchfield, P.M. was presented with a “Gold Honor Award” by Past Governor of Louisiana York Rite College No. 99, M:W: Bro. J. F. “Jeff” Webb, P.G.M., and R:W: Bro. Terrell “Terry” D. Fowler, Grand Senior Warden, Grand Lodge of Louisiana. The presentation was a complete surprise to Bro. Scritchfield, during an “open” meeting which afforded his wife, family, and a large turn-out of his brother Masons the opportunity to witness the joyful presentation. On Wednesday, September 25, 2019, at Vinton Lodge No. 364, W: Bro. Louis J. Freeman, P.M. was presented his “Gold Honor Award”. Brother Freeman was completely unaware of the honor he was about to receive, which made it even more special for those in attendance who love and appreciate him so much. Vinton Lodge entertained the most guests it’d had in quite some time. In attendance were 52 Masons and guests, including many Grand Lodge and York Rite brothers, to join in celebrating Worshipful Brother Freeman’s excellent and long-standing record of excellence in Louisiana Masonic service. 8
Pictured left to right: M:W: Bro. J. F. “Jeff” Webb, PGM, W: Bro. David W. Scritchfield, P.M., and R:W: Bro. Terrell “Terry” D. Fowler, Grand Senior Warden of GL of Louisiana.
Pictured left to right: R:E: Keith Powell, Grand Treasurer, Grand Chapter, R.A.M., Mrs. Louis Freeman, W: Bro. Louis J. Freeman, P.M., M:W: Bro. J. F. “Jeff” Webb, PGM, and R:W: Bro. Terrell “Terry” D. Fowler, Grand Senior Warden of GL of Louisiana. The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
thing made that was made.” From a Christian perspective, Jesus was and is that Creative Word; the Logos.
Part 2: Gnosis
In my opinion the Hermetic creation story, like all creation stories, is not something that’s meant to be taken literally. Rather than being historically factual narrative or a means of obtaining eternal salvation, I believe it to be an allegory alluding to the manner in which we can become free of the superfluities and vices that hold us back from becoming spiritually awakened in this earthly life.
Life is what you make of it. If you are a slave to your physical appetites and passions, allowing your emotions to toss you to and fro like a feather in the wind, allowing your thoughts to drift aimlessly like a ship without a rudder, your life will likely be hell on Earth. But if you can subdue your passions, control your emotions, direct your thoughts productively, and live in harmony with God’s Divine Will, you could enjoy a life of peace and tranquility that would feel very much like Heaven on Earth. This inner-Heaven within ourselves is what I believe Hermeticism, Kabbalah, Freemasonry, and the whole Western Esoteric Tradition can teach us how to find. It brings to mind a certain passage of scripture from the book of Luke. “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21)
I believe that the Hermetic endeavor to re-ascend through the Seven Heavens is synonymous to the Fellowcraft’s ascent up the Winding Staircase, the Kabbalistic ascent up the Sephirothic Tree of Life, and Jacob’s vision of the Mystic Ladder. It represents an ascent of one’s consciousness; an inward journey in which one travels up into the Middle Chamber of his own psyche, there discovering his true nature and potential. This inward ascent is achieved by subduing your passions with discipline, balancing your emotions with logic and reason, making your thoughts subordinate to your will, and harmonizing your will with the Divine Will of God. While this may not save you from eternal suffering, it can save you from a lot of suffering here and now. Being neither a religion nor a substitute for religion, Freemasonry doesn’t offer anyone a path to salvation. While it is required that we believe in a Supreme Being, Freemasonry makes no attempt at persuading us to believe or disbelieve in any particular creed. Each individual Mason is encouraged to practice the religion that seems right to him. Indeed, Freemasonry leaves your eternal salvation between you and your God. It is not the purpose of Freemasonry to guarantee you anything in the afterlife. The chief purpose of Freemasonry, Initiation, the Western Mystery Tradition, and the whole study of Esotericism is to make you as wise, mature, responsible, industrious, patient, kind, loving, empathetic, compassionate, knowledgeable, and happy as possible during THIS life! “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” (John 9:4)
“Rebis”, from “Theoria Philosophiae Hermeticae” (1617) by Heinrich Nollius. The Rebis (a word derived from the Latin res bina, which means dual or double matter) is symbolic of the final product of the alchemical magnum opus or great work. continued on page 18
The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
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The Most Important Thing:
SHAKESPEARE IN RITUAL
by Bro Chad Koelling, D.D.G.M., 20th District
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o be certain, the title of this musing was carefully chosen to hopefully attract the reader’s attention to this article. Hopefully, if one has continued reading it this far, it has worked and one will keep reading to the end. After all, it is the most important thing. What am I talking about? Ritual of course. It is what we do to raise Master Mason, Enter Apprentices and Pass Fellows after all. That does not exactly do much to satisfy the curiosity though, so let us get to the point. If someone were to ask, “What is the most important thing in the entire ritual,” what kind of answers would one expect to hear? I can think of many that have probably popped into the minds of those Brothers who may have made it this far. Take a second and repeat the question, “What is the most important thing in the entire ritual?” Truly ponder the answer. Many of my lodge Brothers have already heard me speak on this point, but hopefully, they too will continue reading. Is it the obligation? Certainly that is the most important thing. After all, the obligation is what we claim makes us who we are, but is it the most important thing? Is the explanation of certain signs or grips? Those are important because without them we may not travel very far, but is it the most important thing? Perhaps it is one of the many myriad lectures given throughout the beautifully illustrated degree work we pass from candidate to candidate. After all, we are moral builders. The lectures are where we have placed our moral teachings. Without those, we could no longer claim to be moral and beneficient builders spreading light and knowledge, but again I ask is it the most important thing? All of the above is certainly important, and to many of the faithful craftsmen these, or other things they may come with, are certainly the most important thing to them. None of the answers are wrong. Keep in mind that this is an opinion article and I would be free to sit with anyone and 10
philosophize about many of the wonderful topics that are available to peruse in our libraries. I personally believe the one most important thing is not to be found any of our books, ciphers, or monitors but still presents itself as the most important thing we (fail) to do, and as a former District Grand Lecturer and current District Deputy Grand Master, I have traveled to many degrees and found this one thing to be lacking in just about all places. Before I get into The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
Shakespeare, I would like to point out a few things about Louisiana’s Handbook of Masonic Law. In the Digest of Edicts under “Dues cards and Life Membership Cards,” we find the entry for the minimum costs to be paid for the three degrees. At the time of this writing, the minimum that can be charged is “$90... and in addition thereto the funds for Masonic Charities and the Grand Lodge Special Purposes Fund assessments where applicable (Grand Lodge of Louisiana F & A M, 2018).” In the Model Form of By-Laws, we find that “each candidate before he shall receive the Entered Apprentice degree shall make a donation of five dollars for Masonic Charities...and five dollars donation to the George Washington National Memorial at Alexandria, Virginia.” At this point, we’ve asked the candidate for $100. We still have to conduct a background check, which costs an additional fee, and we demand the candidate subject himself to an intrusion of his home by the investigation committee. No sweat. We have all gone through it, and here we are. Now for the most important thing. Was Shakespeare a Master Mason? I do not know nor do I know that is the most important thing in this article. If one believes that’s where I am going he has not been paying attention. So that I may get to the point, I would like to turn to perhaps the most famous of his works in Scene 2 of Act 2 that contains the most famous line, “Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo (Shakespeare, n.d.)?” I shall not start there, however. Our star shall remain the same though. A few lines later, she says, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet.” That is very much true. Calling something by some other name does not change that thing. Why just today I was talking with Brother Young who said, “If I call my toes fingers how many fingers would I have?” The answer? Ten. He would still only have 10 fingers regardless of what name we project onto his toes because the name does not change the substance. Perhaps, you have guessed by now that I am referring to a name. More particularly what I am referring to is the name of the candidate. I travel to far too many degrees where the The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
degree team does not know the candidate’s name. Many times slips of paper are passed out, but no one knows how to pronounce it, or worse they make it up as they go. Let me reiterate this is just my own opinion, based on my own observations. However, how can we keep people around if after at a minimum of 28 days, one home invasion, one privacy intrusion, and at least $100 of the candidate’s income that he could have spent on anything else in the world if we won’t even bother to learn their name? We seem to have lost the personal experience that Masonry once had, and we are telling the candidate, “Your name is not important to us.” Truth is he does not know many of our names either, but we are trying to attract him and build him up, not the other way around. Most lodges have practice nights. Someone at the lodge has made contact with him at some point. There has to be at least one person that has asked, “How do you pronounce your name?” If there isn’t, why not? A minimum of five Master Masons has been in contact with the candidate, and no one has bothered to learn it. But, we “investigated” him, we insured the money was available, and did all of the other things we have to do, but without learning his name, the first impression presented to him was that we do not care who you are. You may now think this is silly, or that I am overreacting, but seriously consider it for one moment. If you’ve been through any of our initiations or degrees, how much did you remember when you left that night? Probably not a lot. Your mentor called you, you followed his lead and you learned the catechism. If you were like me you might not have even been sure what was being taught in the catechism was in the degree, but you knew you had to learn it. I can tell you what did stick with me. No one knew my name. We say it far too many times in the conferring of the degrees to not get it right. Outside of lodge in our country, we build walls, monuments, and testimonies to the men and women who have died fighting for this country. Many of them contain names, and nothing more, so they are not forgotten. If a telemarketer calls our phones and mispronounces our names what is our response? Mine usually is to hang up because I know if 11
they don’t know my name they don’t know me. Sometimes if it’s an important call I correct them because my name is important to me. Grand Sessions everywhere spend hours each year just introducing people from other Grand Jurisdictions and Appendant Organizations; by name. My dog of eleven years passed recently, and a friend passed on his sympathies, even calling my dog by his name. That was a small measure but it made me feel well to know that my friend knew his name. He cared enough about my dog to learn that. We all know names are important. Not that candidate’s name though? We are told that “Masonry is dying”, that “we need more bodies”, but Masonry was never meant to be something done in weeks or days. Masonry of old was a very personal time of getting to know each other from mouth to ear. It was a time for us to get to know one another. Mentors would start even before the first degree. Somewhere along the way, we have lost that. To emphasize my point I would like to devote this paragraph to Dale Carnegie. He said, “Using a person’s name is crucial, especially when meeting those we don’t see very often. Respect and acceptance stem from simple acts such as remembering a person’s name and using it whenever appropriate. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language(Carnegie, 1936).” In the same respect, a name said consistently incorrectly over the course of a couple of hours, in a room where all you can do is hear what is going on, must have quite the opposite effect. If we fail to learn to say his name we are sending a clear message to him. Learn his name...it is only three more words.
How do I close this work? I am sure that there are some who will read this who disagree or think this was all unimportant; whatever their names are. We as Masons cannot recruit, but how can we retain if we will not even take the time to know who is in our midst? Learning the work, lectures, and all that goes with it is certainly important. The candidate will not memorize anything from the night of his degree, but if a lodge cannot learn his name he will remember how it was mispronounced. How should we then expect him to ever return? Now that this is complete I have one final evidence. I never mentioned the name of a play, nor the protagonist of whom I quoted in this paper. However, the reader surely knows not only who was speaking, but also the name of the work. Let us labor to bring back the personal experiences Freemasonry once had. Our candidates deserve if and it is one step closer on the path to return the fraternity to its former glory where fellowship abounded, brother love flourished, and members knew the names, not only of the members, but of their families and pets.
Bibliography: Carnegie, D. (1936). How to Win Friends and Influence People. New York: Simon and Schuster. Grand Lodge of Louisiana F & A M. (2018). Digest of Edicts/Handbook of Masonic Law (p. 80). Alexandria, LA. Shakespeare, W. Romeo & Juliet, My Shakespeare: myshakespeare.com/romeo-and-juliet/act-2-scene-2
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The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
The Grand Master’s Charitable Appeal We are proud of the accomplishments and mindful of the awesome responsibilities we share as brothers in our over two hundred years of Freemasonry in our great state. Together we have taken the legacy of our past and translated that into strong initiatives that make us the most caring of all fraternities: 1. A statewide network of Masonic learning center dyslexia programs for children was created. 2. The Library and Museum Foundation dedicated to restoring and preserving our Masonic treasures was created 3. The Masonic Home Educational Foundation continues its purpose of providing scholarships to deserving college students. I am asking you to please join me in making a generous donation at this time. If you donate $100, you will receive a beautiful Masonic medallion, seen below, featuring our Grand Lodge Seal on one side, and your name engraved on the reverse. Due to unforeseen circumstances in 2017, we were unable to produce Most Worshipful Guy A. Jenkin’s Grand Master’s medallion. I am excited to announce that we are now making it available. A donation of $150 will receive both my and Most Worshipful Brother Jenkins’ personalized medallions. Please know that you may designate how you want your donation to be used to support our worthy endeavors. Sincerest thanks,
Visit www.la-mason.com/grand-masters-appeal to donate online!
Special Thanks to all who have donated to the Grand Master’s Appeal so far! Ronald Dan Alford Frank Allen August Herbert Amy, Jr. James Loyde Anderson Christopher Anthony Sampson Ardoin James K Armitage Anthony Nicholas Auck Oley Joseph Autin Kenneth Randle Bailey
Glenn Berkley Barbay, Jr. Billy E Barnes Calvin Charles Barnhill Kenneth Bell James R Bell, Jr. Paul Kent Bellon Jimmy Day Benefield William Benjamin Bruce Bennett Clay Latham Benton
Leon Joseph Bergeron Richard L Berry Gary Wayne Berry Jerry Wayne Black Gilbert Curtis Blalock James S. Blossman, Jr. Clayton J. Borne, III William Borstel Jack Norman Bossier Werlyn Russell Bourgeois
Daniel Bourque Joe Bowles Walter Shirley Boyd Amos Preston Boyd Benjamin Wade Brannan, III Rickey Anthony Breaux Irvin Adam Breaux John Morton Bufkin Paul Bush Edward Murrell Butler continued on page 27
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Our Changing Freemasonry, from page 5
to get a little dessert and a last cup of coffee. Everyone then went home. It was an enjoyable evening for everyone.This was generally what was needed — a little niceness, peace, and enjoyment. I can’t say that this exact experience was had by everyone in every Lodge across the United States, but I can tell you that something strange and unexplained happened during this time. Masonic membership spiked and reached a height in numbers that had never been reached before. For reasons that have never been explained, new members came to Masonry, and in record numbers. So many new members came that Grand Lodges were forced to restructure and expand in order to accommodate all the new members. Where once a single Grand Secretary could once handle the records, a staff of secretaries was needed in order to handle the many new records and business matters. I found no reason ever given for the great increase in members during the time following World War II, but it does seem clear that there was something in Freemasonry that appealed to many more men than previously. It may have been the enjoyable atmosphere of the Masonic experience, or maybe something deeper and unexplained having to do with the nature of the rituals and ceremonies. Regardless of why, membership across the United States, and the world, dramatically increased. If the membership in Freemasonry grew because of some desire for enjoyment and pleasant times and if that desire was being filled by the Masonic experience, then we can see competition developing in ways like never before. An invention came during this time that again changed the world — the television set. As a young boy, I remember my parents were the first ones in our family to have a television. I well remember both sets of grandparents, as well as aunts and uncles, coming over to watch television. It was the thing to do. Everyone was amazed. There was something sitting there in the living room that was just as good as going to the movies, actually better, because you didn’t have to leave your house. It was right there for you to watch. Soon, the TV was on all the time so that you could watch your favorite show. But that was not all. Before too long other inventions directly associated with the television came along to make 14
life more convenient and enjoyable — TV dinners and TV trays. Now, we could all sit around the TV, eat our TV dinners on TV trays while watching our favorite TV show. It was great! Soon more and more inventions came out to make life simpler, more convenient, and enjoyable. We didn’t have to leave the house to have great entertainment. By the 1960s and early 70s the dramatic increase in Masonic membership peaked and memberships began to decline. Just like there is no firm reason for the increase, there was no firm reason for the decrease. But, maybe if this desire for entertainment caused the increase, then that same desire caused the decrease when new and better entertainment was found. Regardless of the reason, by the time I joined Freemasonry in the mid-1970s, there was true concern in the Grand Lodges about membership. Because the Grand Lodges were forced to expand their infrastructure to accommodate all the new members, the decrease in members and dues, were hitting the Lodges and Grand Lodges across the U.S. hard. It was a money problem. Without the same level of membership that caused the expansions, Lodges and Grand Lodges began to run into financial difficulties. But then by the 1980s, another change took place. A book by the title of Holy Blood, Holy Grail was published by several English Freemasons.1 It struck a chord with society and became a bestseller. The book was basically a metaphysical mystery about the Knights Templar, Freemasonry, secret societies, and the Roman Catholic Church. It contained all the elements to grab hold of the interest of a society looking for something new. This was the book that ended up inspiring a whole series of books and movies by Dan Brown and others on the same subject. Suddenly, Freemasonry was in the forefront of the public. It was the entertainment of the moment. Once again, Masonic membership went on the rise. You would think that this was a good thing for Freemasonry, and it was for a little while, but then no sooner did many who joined turn around and walk away. In many areas, it was a near revolving door of new members. Many joined only to soon leave. Why? Well, the answer to this question may be a little easier and The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
clearer than the decrease in members in the 1960s and early 70s. Many of the young Masons who joined and quickly left were vocal about why they were leaving. Simply put, what they found in the Masonic Lodge was not the Freemasonry that they expected when they joined. Exactly what did they find, and what did they expect? That brings us to today, and the divisions we see in Freemasonry. On one side, we have Lodges that have existed for a long time pretty much on autopilot. Little-to-no-education (and that would be Masonic education) has taken place in these Lodges for many years. They have become little more than second-rate social clubs consisting of a meal before the meeting and then the meeting consisting of reading minutes and discussing bills. Every now and then, initiations do take place. They are often done poorly, and when the degrees are completed, new members are introduced to Freemasonry not with education, but with the same autopilot routine of the business meeting. Young Masons are often upset that their understanding of Freemasonry, the one that they held before they joined, and saw in the books and movies, doesn’t seem to exist. Within the ritual and symbolism of Freemasonry, they can see where the teachings can and do still exist. They may even were once worked and taught, but what happened? Why are we a shell of what we can be and maybe once were? This is the division and the situation currently existing. One side wants more, and the other side believes that what we have is all there is. Both sides point to the other as the source of the problems. Who is right, and who is wrong? If we go back in time to the period just following World War II and the time of the unexplained dramatic increase in members, maybe we can find some answers. When all of a sudden new members begin joining, changes were required in Freemasonry. It was necessary to accommodate all the new members. Grand Lodges had to add new staff to properly account for the new members and do the necessary paperwork. But what about the Masonic Work, the teaching and education of new Freemasons? Let’s look at that. When I joined Freemasonry in the mid-1970s, I was told by older members about a time when the Lodge was filled to the brim with members. By the time I joined, the decrease in The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
membership was already well underway. When I joined there were no active members serving as Stewards of the Lodge. Technically, there were Stewards on the list of officers, but they were not active. They were just names placed on the offices list to fill the holes needed. They never attended and were kept on simply to give the appearance of a full officer lineup. But that was not always the case. I was told of a time when there was not only a Senior and Junior Steward, but at least a half-dozen other Junior Stewards. The officers were required to attend all meetings, and if any of the Junior Stewards missed a meeting or two without good cause, they were removed from office. Actually, this rule was for any of the officers. You were present and did the work or you did not advance. There were many others present who were ready, willing, and eager to advance and do the work necessary. But right there was the problem of the new large membership. What work was necessary, and how was it accomplished? Was it just showing up? Masonic education had always been taught in the Lodge by instructors who were skilled in Masonic ritual, symbolism, and philosophy. Instruction would take place by means of classes held on meeting nights, evenings when there were no meetings, or on weekends. Instruction could take place in the Lodge, the home of the instructor, or anywhere. The large increase of new members, however, placed a burden on the instructors. Where, at one time, instructors had one or two candidates for instruction, the large increase of new members made these classes of instruction larger. I believe that here was planted the seeds for lack of education and instruction. Simply put, the instructors were overwhelmed. There were too many candidates and new Masons for proper instruction. The instructors were not instructed themselves in how to deal with large classes of instruction. It was a new situation and one that the instructors themselves were not prepared to handle. I believe that it is here that education began to slip. Because the instructors were overwhelmed things began to slip through the cracks. Not everything previously taught to new members was being taught. Candidates and new members with only some of the education previously given began working their way into the chairs of the Lodge. Education began slipping with a little being left out of each generation 15
of new members. In time, the semi-taught Masons became the instructors themselves. Semi-taught Masons soon became senior Past Masters and Grand Lodge officers. These Masons, even if sincere and dedicated, could not teach what they were not taught. And then came the dramatic decrease in members. Not only were Lodges and Grand Lodges facing a situation where leadership was being filled by those with only some of the education necessary, but stations were being filled by whoever happened to be there, qualified or not. Not only was education slipping, but in too many cases, the skill necessary to hold office. The structure and integrity of the Masonic organization began to slip. But for as long as I can remember, there has been an interesting situation that has existed in Lodges, or, should I say, with some members. In looking back, I can think of the very early days in my Masonic career. There are some Masons who stand out in my memory. Some of these Masons had absolutely no interest in, or knowledge of, Masonic history or philosophy, and they were, frankly, horrible at ritual. But these Masons were as good and decent human beings as the day was long. Whenever anything needed to be done, they were there. They were at every meeting and were always prepared to do whatever needed being done at a moment’s notice. If the Lodge needed cleaning up, they were there. If a large purchase was to be made and a committee was needed to check out the various companies to see which was the best deal, they were there to serve on any committee. If someone’s car broke down in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night, one call to any of these brothers and they were there to help. These Masons were not skilled in any of the Masonic history, philosophy, or ritual but they would give you the shirt off their back without hesitation. They would do whatever was in their ability to do for the Lodge or any member. These were the members who kept many of the Lodges alive during the tough periods of very low membership. How can any thinking or reasonable Mason say that these Masons are not true brothers? I believe that it’s time that those on both sides of this division stop for a minute and think. It is very true that Masonic education consists of the history, philosophy, operation, and
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ritual of Freemasonry. It is also very true that many of the older members have little to no knowledge of many, if any, of these necessary Masonic skills. But I believe that it is just possible that the Masonic change that is taking place contains an aspect that we may not have thought about previously. Humans are of a dual nature. We have a physical aspect and a spiritual aspect. Physically, we live in this world and are affected by everything around us. We grow hungry, tired, affected by the climate and everything existing in the physical world. But we also have a spiritual side or a divine spark within us all. We have the ability to know right from wrong, and the ability to recognize that something exists greater than us. Maybe, just maybe, this change that is taking place in Freemasonry is a natural one. This change could be designed to match Freemasonry with the dual nature of humanity. Maybe, it’s important to have some Lodges existing that are little more than social clubs composed of good decent Masons with little to no desire for the deeper aspects of Freemasonry. Maybe, it’s also important to have Lodges that are centers of esoteric enlightenment. Why is this a problem? The only problem that I can see is when anyone tries to tell another the path that the other needs to take. I believe that we need to focus more on our own path, our own work, and allow the other guy the freedom and ability to follow whatever path he chooses. The change may well deal with how we react to other Masons and the respect that we should give to what they believe, want, and need. I believe that the years of hard times has made some too possessive of their Lodges as well as their beliefs of how things “should be done.” I’ve seen an almost fanatical attachment to a Lodge, even sometimes placing more importance on one Lodge than is given to Freemasonry itself. The idea of a Lodge failing becomes a personal failure. It is completely unacceptable. A new Mason who joins a Lodge is sometimes taught that one must be loyal to his Lodge (and its members) regardless of what is offered or the condition of the Lodge. It is here that the validity of the arguments of some of the young Masons need to be recognized. I believe that it is fine if one chooses to work in a Lodge that is minimalistic in nature. A Lodge that only reads minutes,
The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
pays bills, and acts as a social club can be Masonic, if that’s what its members want, and it is not in danger of ceasing to exist. What is not fine is if someone joins that Lodge expecting more out of Freemasonry, is told that it does not exist in that Lodge, and then the young Mason is told that he is disloyal if he desires leaving that Lodge for another more akin to his vision of Freemasonry. We cannot be possessive and selfish of our Freemasonry. We cannot accuse young Masons of disloyalty or claim that they lack commitment if they do not find the working of our Lodge acceptable and seek to find what they need in another Lodge. All of us have the right to the Masonic experience that we want and need. Once we recognize who and what we are, we can attract those of like mind and exist as a Lodge or body as we choose. On the other hand, if a Lodge is successfully working on a minimalistic structure and this is the choice of the membership, then it also has the right to exist as it chooses. Masons should not try to force esoteric or deeper teachings on a Lodge that does not desire or understand these teachings. We should all find and work with and in the type of Lodge that we choose. This is a right that should belong to everyone. It’s okay to move to another Lodge more in line with our own path and thinking if needed. It is not okay to force change that is undesired or to deny another sincere Mason from following his own path. We must understand that sincere Masons and Lodges can have differences of opinions and goals. We need to respect those differences and associate ourselves with Lodges matching our own skills, desires, and paths. This is the only way that I can see us moving forward in a positive way for the benefit of everyone.
Of course, none of this is meant to suggest that we should try to change reality. We can’t call an apple an orange or Masonic entertainment programs, actual Masonic education programs. If we are real about who and what we are, we have the potential to exist in peace. We can grow. Freemasonry is all about personal growth. Our long-professed claim is that we take good men and make them better. We do not claim to take good men and change how they think and what they want into something that we think and want. Older and younger Masons need to recognize that the other side has a right to think and believe as they choose. We can’t force what we want on others nor should we allow what others believe or want to be forced on us. Older Masons must recognize that the younger Masons have a different path, and they are the future of Freemasonry. We must not step on them or make life difficult for them. Younger Masons must recognize that the older Masons kept Freemasonry alive during very difficult times, maybe even before they were born. In either case, nasty comments or actions are unfitting of any Freemason. Both sides need to look at the other with admiration for what they did in the past and what they can do in the future. We must come together, respect each other, and see the benefit of different styles of Freemasonry. It’s okay to be us and want what we want. We can be different and be brothers. Together we can do wonderful things. We can build wonderful internal monuments and cathedrals. We can be Freemasons.
Notes: 1. Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln, Holy Blood, Holy Grail: The Secret History of Christ & The Shocking Legacy of the Grail, (London: Jonathan Cape, 1982). The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
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Hermeticism, from page 9
The Hermetic endeavor to ascend up through the Seven Heavens allegorically alludes to the pursuit of Self Knowledge. Each of the seven planetary “rulers” represents an aspect of your Psyche(or Soul) that must be rectified. The Kundalini Yoga concept of the seven chakras is another symbolic illustration of the same thing. Through deep introspection and meditation you may learn to know yourself by ascending the different levels of your consciousness, gradually rectifying all that is discordant and noxious along the way. In doing this, it is possible to realize your full potential and even experience a level of consciousness that transcends the five senses; an ineffable experience in which you would intuitively sense that everything exists in a state of Infinite Oneness. It’s a state of consciousness where time and space are no longer relevant. Even the notion of the Self(or the Ego) becomes irrelevant, leaving you overcome by an indescribable feeling of interconnectedness; a feeling that nothing is wholly independent or entirely emancipated rom the Source, and that human souls are like individual rays of light emanated from the Infinite Source of all Light at the center of existence. This profound sense of interconnectedness and/or Oneness tends to make a person more compassionate and empathetic towards their fellow men. To someone who has experienced this, Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:40 will be very meaningful. “Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Some would call this a Mystical Experience. The Zen tradition refers to this sudden-awakening experience as Sartori, meaning comprehension or understanding. It is what the Buddhists call Enlightenment, when one achieves Buddhahood; becoming a Bodhicitta or Bodhisattva. The Kabbalists understand it as the hidden Sephira, Da’ath(Knowledge), between Tifereith and Keter on the Tree of Life. The Hindus call it Nirvana, as I mentioned earlier. And the Gnostics and Hermeticists both refer to it as Gnosis. Regardless of what you would like to call it, you must purify your heart and mind in order to achieve such an elevated state of consciousness. If your mind is polluted with worldly distractions, you can’t enter into higher realms of consciousness
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where the highest Truths are learned. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) This is my personal understanding of the Christian term “born again”. We must become dead to sin and impurity, and be born again into a lifestyle of pure intentions that are rooted in Love. Dead to materialism and reborn into a more spiritual life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) Any Royal Arch Mason ought to quickly realize that there’s a significant reason why the Word is discovered amidst the ruins of the first temple while making preparations to build the second one. I believe that nearly every passage of scripture has an exoteric, surface-level meaning and an esoteric, inner meaning. Most of it is allegory and symbol. Think of Jesus’ words in Matthew 13:13. “Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” Sometimes an allegory or myth is more true than a factual account. Myths often contain truth in the truest sense. Like Marcus Borg so eloquently said, “the Bible is true; and some of it actually happened.” Going back to the Hermetic aphorism “As Above So Below”, I’m of the opinion that the exoteric meaning often pertains to the big picture(or the Macrocosm) and the esoteric meaning pertains to your psyche(the Microcosm). As it is said that Man contains a little universe within himself, every Divine Principle in the Universe also has an application that is mirrored within the Soul or Psyche of each individual person. Thus, I interpret Matthew 5:8(“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God) both literally and allegorically. The exoteric meaning is that the pure in heart will literally see God when they die and meet their maker on Judgement Day, but the esoteric meaning is that they will also see manifestations of Him within themselves and all around them while they yet live in the flesh. Jesus said, “...the kingdom of God is within you.”(Luke 17:21) “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” (John 15:4) “I will not leave you comfortless: The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:18-21)
Jesus said that He will manifest himself unto those who keep His commandments. But what are His commandments, exactly? When a certain Lawyer asked Jesus, “What is the Greatest Commandment?”, Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40) Love is the answer if you wish to know God. In order to have a pure heart that is fit for the indwelling Spirit of God, the intentions of your heart must be rooted in Love. “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8) Is it any wonder, then, that the most important working tool of a Master Mason is the trowel? Whereas the Operative Mason uses his trowel to spread cement that will bind stones together, we Speculative Masons are taught to use our trowels for the more noble and glorious purpose of spreading the cement of Brotherly Love. After all, Love is the bond of peace and the perfection of every virtue. As Masons, we use the trowel as a tool to bind individual Ashlars, which are symbolic representations of people, together into one glorious temple erected to God by spreading that cement of Brotherly Love. Christians refer to the same general idea when they talk about the church being one Body of Christ, with Christ being the head of the body and the cornerstone of the temple made without hands.
Part 3: As Above, So Below. “The Great Seal of Solomon”, is a symbolic depiction of the concept of Correspondence found in the book, “Transcendental Magic”, by Eliphas Lévi. Explaining this symbol in his own words, Lévi wrote: “The Double Triangle of Solomon, represented by the two Ancients of the Kabbalah; the Macroprosopus and the Microprosopus; the God of Light and the God of Reflections; mercy and vengeance; the white Jehovah and the black Jehovah.”
The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
The most famous Hermetic aphorism is surely “As Above So Below”, which is found in the “Emerald Tablet”; a short book attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. In the Hermetic tradition, this phrase typically alludes to the concept of Correspondence. The basic premise of this concept is that the invisible world has an effect on the material world, and vice versa. That which is planned in Heaven is manifested on Earth, and that which occurs on Earth effects that which occurs in Heaven. All planes of existence correspond with one another. Also, it’s often interpreted to mean that the motions and relative positions of the Sun, moon, planets,
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and stars have a direct effect on the personalities, moods, and destinies of human beings. The Kabbalists share a similar idea. They perceive that Man is made in the image of God. Whereas God contains the entire cosmos, Man contains a miniature universe within himself. “That which is above(God & the Cosmos) is like unto that which is below(Man)”, just differing in scale and perfection. The Kabbalists refer to these two corresponding aspects of reality as the Arich Anpin(Great Countenance) and Zeir Anpin(Lesser Countenance). Some books, such as the “Kabbalah Denudata”, refer to them as the Macroprosopos and Microprosopus. A more recent and more often used expression is that of the Macrocosm and Microcosm. Robert Fludd described Man as the Microcosm, stating that “Man is a whole world of its own, called microcosm for it displays a miniature pattern of all the parts of the universe.” (Quote from Robert Fludd’s “Utriusque Cosmic Historia”, II; quoted by Pierre A. Riffard in Dictionnaire de l’ésotérisme, Paris: Payot, 1983, 34.) Origen of Alexandria, one of the most influential scholars in the early years of Christianity, said something very similar. “Understand that you are another little world, and have within you the sun, the moon, and also the stars.” (Origen, Homiliae in Leviticum, V, 2; in Jung, CW16, p. 197.) The above illustration, titled “The Great Seal of Solomon”, is a symbolic depiction of the concept of Correspondence found in the book, “Transcendental Magic”, by Eliphas Lévi. Explaining this symbol in his own words, Lévi wrote: “The Double Triangle of Solomon, represented by the two Ancients of the Kabbalah; the Macroprosopus and the Microprosopus; the God of Light and the God of Reflections; mercy and vengeance; the white Jehovah and the black Jehovah.” The concept of Correspondence and the aphorism “As Above So Below” are often been symbolized by two interlaced triangles; one with the apex pointing upwards, and one oriented downwards. It is sometimes said that the upward triangle represents masculine energy and the downward triangle represents feminine energy. They are the Alchemical shorthand symbols for the classical elements of Fire and Water, respectively. Also, it has been said that the downward 20
triangle represents God’s outpouring of Love towards man on Earth and the upward triangle represents Man’s aspiration to know and return to God. I like to think of the top triangle as a representation of God, and the bottom triangle as a representation of Man; the two being intermingled in the relationship of Creator and Creation. But I’d also like to offer another interpretation, one that is more practical in its daily application. Personally, I interpret the “Above” as being an allusion to thought, and “Below” as an allusion to action. In other words, what you think in your mind(Above) will ultimately become manifest in your actions and overall character(Below). Your thoughts give birth to your emotions, your emotions give birth to your actions, and your actions(or lack thereof) determine your character and legacy. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”. (Proverbs 23:7) This practical concept is what I believe to be illustrated by the iconic Masonic emblem comprised of the Square and Compasses. The Square represents the Body and all things Physical, since it is a tool used to measure and “square” physical objects; and also since a square consists of four points, alluding to the four material elements that symbolically compose everything that is tangible. Earth, Water, Air, & Fire. The Compass, however, is a symbol representing the Mind(or the Soul) and all things Spiritual. Since it is a chief instrument of the Astronomer, used for the purpose of recording and measuring the circular revolutions of heavenly bodies, it symbolizes that which is Heavenly; whereas Square symbolizes that which is Earthly. With both points of the Compasses laying on top of the square, it is a symbol of self mastery; representing the physical passions being subdued by the willful powers of the mind. Mind over matter. Spirituality over materiality. With the added G in the middle, I think it becomes even more meaningful; alluding to the omnipresence of God, the relationship between God & Man, and the part of Man that is inherently divine and immortal. The Soul. The contents of your heart, which are your thoughts and intentions, will eventually become manifested in your countenance, words, and deeds. Even if you think you’re a master at keeping up an outward facade while concealing your inner feelings and intentions, no secrets can be kept from God. Nothing is hidden from Him whose all-seeing eye perceives The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
Alchemical diagram from “Theatrum Chymicum”, 1614, by Daniel Stolz von Stolzenberg. into the deepest recesses of your heart. Do you remember what Jesus said about impure thoughts in the Sermon on the Mount? He said, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matt 5:27-28) Another Bible verse also comes to mind in regards to guarding one’s heart: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23 KJV) This verse is phrased somewhat opaquely in the King James Version. In the New International Version, however, the meaning is clear: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” It’s easy to control your outward The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
behaviors. Such is the responsibility of every responsible adult. But it’s a much greater challenge to make your thoughts subordinate to your will, which is essential for anyone who wishes to achieve any degree of self mastery. It may seem like your private thoughts are harmless and inconsequential, but the truth is that your thoughts create your reality. The thoughts you think in your mind will inevitably affect your emotions. If left unchecked, unruly thoughts will lead to unruly passions. Thus, in order to successfully subdue your passions, you must be able to guide and direct your thoughts in a manner that is pure, wholesome, and productive. To further elaborate on this from a Biblical perspective, I interpret “As Above So Below” to partially mean the same 21
Louisiana Masonic Library & Museum Feature beginning the practice of Mesmerism in 1842. By 1884 he was conducing his experiments in Mesmerism, and recorded his results in a journal that is now in the vaults of the Historic New Orleans Collection’s Williams Research Center. A Civil War Era oil portrait is also in the HNOC’s collection, and can be seen here.
“Bro. Thomas Cripps was for many years the devoted Organist of this Grand Lodge. He had his place among us, and stood for the inculcation of the soul stirring and the soul soothing virtues of music, that liberal art and that liberal science that holds such an important place in Masonry. He did us good, and we are deeply thankful for the kindly influences of the kind-hearted, the late Grand Organist.” – From the 1894 Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana
THE DOOR OF THE HEART by Brother Robert Morris, L.L.D.,
19th Century Masonic Poet Laureate This is an original photograph (circa 1880s) of Worshipful Brother Thomas Cripps, 33°. It is just one of dozens of old photos of Past Grand Masters, Grand Commanders, Grand High Priests, and others in a beautiful little leather photo album from the same period. Brother Cripps was the Grand Organist from 1873 until his death in 1893. He immigrated to the United States from London, England in 1836. His first job in New Orleans was as Chorus Master at the American Theater on Camp Street, until it was destroyed by fire in 1842. He served in the Confederacy as a Quartermaster, and was later the organist for Universalist congregation known as “Pastor Clapp’s”, or “The Stranger’s Church”, which officially named “The Church of the Messiah”, and was located at St. Charles Avenue and Julia Street in New Orleans. It is interesting to note that he was also a Mesmerist and Spiritualist, 22
From his book, The Poetry of Freemasonry (1895), available at the Lousiana Masonic Library & Museum Tyle the door carefully, Brothers of skill, Vigilant workers in valley and hill! Cowans and eavesdroppers ever alert, Tyle the door carefully, door of the heart. Carefully, carefully, tyle the door carefully, Tyle the Door carefully, door of the heart. Guard it from envyings, let them not in ; Malice and whisperings, creatures of sin ; Bid all unrighteousness sternly depart, Brothers in holiness, tyling the heart. Holily, holily, tyle the door holily, Tyle the Door carefully, door of the heart. But should the Angels of Mercy draw nigh, Messengers sent from the Master on high Should they come knocking with mystical art, Joyfully open the door of the heart! Joyfully, joyfully, ope the door joyfully, Ope the door joyfully, door of the heart. Are they not present, those angels, to-night, Laden with riches and sparkling with light? Oh, to enjoy all the bliss they impart, Let us in gratitude, open the heart ! Gratefully, thankfully, ope the door thankfully, The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019 Open the Door thankfully, door of the heart.
thing as what is said in the Lord’s prayer. “Thy Kingdom come, thy Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven”...And I also relate it to what Jesus said while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Not my will, but Thine be done!” It is a challenging thing to make your thoughts subordinate to your will, but it is yet another to align your will with the Will of God. At the end of the day, your will is the only thing you can give God that He doesn’t already have. He owns everything that exists. However, he gave you free agency; the freedom to make your own choices, for better or worse. What you do with that free agency is up to you. This life is yours to live. You’ve been invested with time, which we Masons symbolize with the twenty-four inch gauge: You can spend it on efforts to satisfy your own selfish desires, or you can spend it in the service of God and your fellow man. You can reserve your it for your own designs, or you can surrender it to God. How will you use the 24 inch gauge that you’ve been given? …”choose you this day whom ye will serve…” (Joshua 24:15)
Part 4: V.I.T.R.I.O.L. The Alchemical acronym V.I.T.R.I.O.L., which is commonly found written on the walls of some Chambers of Reflection, stands for the Latin phrase “Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem”. In English, this means “Visit the Inner Earth and, rectifying, you’ll find the Hidden Stone”. It is an allusion to the alchemical quest to find the Philosopher’s Stone; a symbolic metaphor for the Absolute Truth and the Divine Principle concealed within all things. Any Scottish Rite Mason who is familiar with the legend of the 13° Royal Arch of Enoch Degree ought to see some very deliberate parallels here. VITRIOL is also an Alchemical term for the chemical now known as sulfuric acid, often depicted symbolically as a green lion. Sulfuric acid was used in the process of divesting base metals and alloys from gold, since it will devour all metals with the exception of gold. Given the context of its use in the Chamber of Reflection, the acronym VITRIOL denotes that the candidate is about to undergo a symbolic transformation via initiation and introspection. Just as sulfuric acid divests The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
gold of alloys and minerals that diminish its purity and value, so does the VITRIOL of introspection and reflection divest your heart and mind of vices and superfluities that weigh you down and hold you back from your higher potential. By descending into the “inner earth” of your very being, which is your psyche or soul, rectifying that which is superfluous or noxious therein, you’ll discover transcendent Truth and emerge reborn. Freemasonry is an interior journey. The Temple is a representation of you, and its various floors and chambers represent different parts of your psyche. As we travel Eastward towards the Source of Light, it is symbolic of an inward journey towards the Source from whence the Soul and all Truth emanates. Why do you suppose that it is in the Middle Chamber that the Fellow-Craft earns his wages and learns about the letter G? The Middle Chamber represents the very center of your being, the secret vault within you, where you may learn to “Know Yourself ” and become more conscious of your Creator. I conclude this paper by asserting that Alchemy, Hermeticism, and Freemasonry are inseparably linked. All three traditions are about transformation, liberation, and the pursuit of perfection. The alchemist seeks to transform lead into gold while the Mason seeks to transform the rough ashlar into a perfect ashlar, and the hermeticist ascends the seven heavens to become liberated from materialism while the Mason ascends the seven liberal arts and sciences to become liberated from the bondage of ignorance. Alchemy and Hermeticism definitely played a role in inspiring the formation and development of Freemasonry. Sir Robert Moray and Elias Ashmole, two of the earliest speculative Masons known to Masonic historians, initiated in 1642 and 1646 respectively, were both very interested in alchemy, Hermeticism, and Rosicrucianism. It’s no coincidence that our Craft shares similarities with these profound systems of esoteric philosophy and inner transformation. It is by design.
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The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
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End of the Year Reminders for Lodge Secretaries
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Dues notices should have been sent out to members several weeks ago, and possible “N.P.D. Notices� should have been sent by October 1, 2019
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All database entries (Petitions, Reinstatements, Suspensions, Etc) must be entered into the database no later than 10pm on 12/31/19.
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All completed demit forms must be receieved by the Grand Lodge Office by 12/20/19 to be processed. Please send original form to Michelle at the Grand Lodge Office at 5746 Masonic Dr., Alexandria, LA 71301
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Per Capita Assessments (Annual Returns) will be finalized beginning 01/01/20, and payments will be accepted through 02/01/20 only.
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If you wish for the Grand Lodge to process your 990-N, the form is due to the Grand Lodge no later than 11/15/19. Please email to Mary@La-Mason.com.
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Proceeding request forms that were mailed with the directories and law revisions must be received by 11/30/19. Please email to Kim@La-Mason.com.
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2020 Training Retreat registration forms are to to the Grand Lodge no later than 01/15/20. Please email to Mary@La-Mason.com.
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2020 Lodge Officer forms should be sent to the Grand Lodge no later t han 01/10/20. Please email to Chad@La-Mason.com.
The Louisiana Freemason // Winter 2019
William Cain Christopher Cannon George Julian Cavys, Jr. H C Chapman Charles Coburn Vernon R Coon C Coppedge James W Covington John Robert Cox Eddie Wayne Crawford William Harvey Crenshaw Tommy Gene Crenshaw Milton Crosby Ronald Kynell Davis Marvin Arnold Davis Mark Richard Detiveaux Melvin E Deville Harold Merritt Dixon Nick Andrew Doucet Billy Dowers John H E Downs, Jr. Francis Dubois Richard Lee Dubois Edward Louis Dubois Cecil P Dufrene Jimmie Dean Dunkin Earl J Durand H Edward Durham Richard Clark Earl Virgil Eugene Easley, Jr. Ronald Eugene Ellerbe Connor C Elliott Douglas Elston James Riley Epperly, Jr. Larry Bruce Evans Ramon Daniel Fernandez William Melvin Ferrington John Finley Raymond Lawrence Fisher Johnnie Martin Foco Ronald Dean Fontenot Terrell Dwight Fowler W A Fritz Robert Michael Fuqua James Calvin Futch Carroll Garner Henry P Garner Julius William Gates Leon Gaudet Michael Louis Gaudet, Sr. Vincent Joseph Gennusa, III Leonil Joseph Gerard John Edward Gilcrease Arthur Huey Gill Charles E Glover Nicholas E Goeders James Gott Wilson Grappe Will P Gray, USN/PGM Harvey Victor Grimball Eugene Guillot
Frank A Guraedy Wilbur Eugene Haley William Hall John Hamberlin James Harrell Jimmy Ralph Harris James Hart Francis Ray Hebert Ivan J. Hebert Kenneth Paul Hendrickson Michael Henk Thomas I. Hennigan Lloyd Eugene Hennigan, Jr. Kirby John Henry Otis Lee Henson Dorian Paul Heroman Carroll Rennie Hickman W James Hill, III Glendon Doyle Hillman John Nicholas Hodge, Jr. Gerald R. Hoffpauir Elige Jim Hollifield, III Frank Roger Hornsby George Horst Edwin Horton Gerald Huey Houston John Alan Iskenderian Shelby Ray Jackson, Jr. Roy Paris Jacobs Richard Leo James Ronnie Lee Jenkins Guy A Jenkins, PGM Ronald Wayne Jones Kerschel Jones Joe Butler Jordan Glenn Louis Juneau Alfred John Juno, Jr. Karl Kirk Keller Flacy Kenly Richard J. Kennedy Harry Aron Knight Jeffrey Alan Knight Dave Hugh Krasner Vijay Kumar Edward Allen Lamkin Gerald Lawson Junior J. Lebeouf Kenneth James Leboeuf Wilson Paul Lemoine, Jr. Wayland Duane Lewis Robert Lewis Robert Eugene Lewis Richard Linam Roy Allen Livingston Anthony Lowrie Benjamin Joshua Lyons, III James Joseph Marsiglia, Sr. Bobby Ray Martin David Michael Martin Paul Martin James Earl Mathews
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James David Maxey, Sr. Jeffrey Maynor Virgil Lee Moore Bryan Moore James Houston Morgan, III Toni Joe Morris Donald Lewis Morrison Lawrence Felix Motty Larry Douglas Muller Herman Nash Ray Noble Dana Noori James E. Orr, Jr. Harold Alvin Ostendorf, Jr. George A. Pankey Charles Wesley Parnicza Samuel H Patrick, Sr. William Andrew Paul Charles Hardin Penn, III William Perkins Billy Leary Pettigrew Roland Joseph Pfister Hugh Thomas Pirie Max Ploeger, III Steven Plotkin Paul M Plummer Raymond Powell Cecil Pryor Anthony Radosti Monty Larry Reed Martin John Reinschmidt Mike Renfrow Kenneth V Richmond James Rigdon Michael Eugene Robertson, Sr. Richard Dale Robertson Robert Clifton Rowell Art Ruiz Alan Robert Sacks Thomas Gordon Sadler James Sanca Dwight Joseph Savoie Murray Edward Seals, Jr. Robert Norman Severance John Sharlow Karey Sharp Clint Edwin Shepard, II James Singletary Bobby Ray Singletary Mannie Stanley Skursky Larry Smith Ballard Lee Smith Delbert Alvin Smith Charles Richard Smith James Neal Smith James Kenneth Smith Richard Bruce Smith Burleigh Eugene Soape Charlie Chalmus Sorrell, Jr. David Franklin Spivey, Sr. Chester Stark
Orville Dean Steadman James Edward Steen George Arnold Stennett Sam Ferrand Steven Edwin Keith Stevens John Thomas Stiles, Jr. Richard Leonard Stout Charles Clifton Stutson Rodolfo Salvador Sutis Wayne Joseph Tamborella James Harold Tarver Seth Thomas Mark Dennis Thomas Scott Ramsey Thompson Rex Wood Thornhill Fay Guyton Thurman John Banks Tilmon James Thomas Tingstrom, IV James Carroll Tinsley Jack Tolson Frederick Lawrence Tomlinson Vincent Depaul Troxclair James Turner William Reese Turton Lynn Underwood Edward Ursin Jimmie Dale Usrey Peter Joseph Vicari, Jr. Anthony John Vicari Gary Alfred Vinyard Robert Doyle Waddle John C Walek Conrad Edmond Wall, Sr. Kenneth Clyde Warner Weldon Warren Merwyn Conley Watkins Lonnie Ray Weatherford Jules Frederick Webb James Michael Welch Luther Daniel Wells Don Taylor Whiddon Basil M Whitaker Willard White Luvell White Jay Williams Marcus Llyn Williams John Randolph Williams Kenneth Paul Wilson James Edward Wingate Raymond Phillip Winters Bobby K Woods Philip Woods Joe Owen Wray, Jr. Thomas Miller Wright Glenn Gary Wyatt Elijah Orum Young, Jr Ernest Lee Young Jerry Lynn Young Mayther Ray Young Gary Marshal Ziegler
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