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Scottish Rite Research Society ‘Studying our past to illuminate our future’
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s I sat in the Salt Lake City airport for 22 hours trying to find a flight home after mine was cancelled I had the opportunity to do some reading. I never travel with out several books, and usually at least one of them relates to Masonry. So in a quiet corner of the airport, at 2 am I was reading “God’s Soldiers” by Dudley Wright originally published in the 1920’s.
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his book is a spine chilling narrative for any Freemason as it addresses the arrest and interrogation of Freemasons up and into the 19th century by the Inquisition. Many of you might hear that name and think it died centuries before, but it did not and was actively pursuing Freemasons into the 1800’s in countries where it held sway. It made me about why we tyle our door, and how important the Tyler is to our Brotherhood.
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hen we hear our ritual recited at each meeting the words sometimes sound archaic, but when you reflect on them you realize that when they were first uttered in a masonic lodge they heralded the coming of democracy, liberty and justice for the common person in a world ruled by wealth, royalty and state religions.
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n a time of almost overwhelming oppresand protected by our oaths, nascent about the freedom of religion, the freedom and the freedom of movement. In short, first conceived as something real and enof those sanctuaries of conscience and and Lafayette to name a few.
sion, behind the safety of our tyled doors ideas were beginning to be discussed, ideas to pursue liberty, the freedom of thought in those tiny lodges the modern world was during. Look at the men who walked out changed the world, Franklin, Washington,
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ach era has its taboo subject, each time has its inquisition driven by those established in power and wealth who would retard or extinguish the birth of a new better world. Never forget your brothers in Light who died for believing in freedom, science, and justice, in short hope of a better world for all mankind. So often in the past that new world has been conceived first in a Lodge dedicated to the Holy Sts John. We, as Freemasons, should foster and promote a better world and we should stand ready to shield and defend it against those who would oppose it. The first soldier in the army of the Light is the Tyler. Next meeting thank him for his service.
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y Brethren the Scottish Rite Research Society is not a university, its not a place to get schooled in our history. It’s a band of brothers dedicated to the discovery of more Light. Please, join us in this quest. Our world, our time, as all times needs your dedicated service to explore, preserve and expand our special Light to the world. Thank you! Mike Priddy, 32° http://www.scottishriteresearch.com
(The Scottish Rite Research Society® (SRRS) was formed on May 8, 1991, when fourteen Scottish Rite Freemasons were granted a charter by the Supreme Council, 33°, S.J. The administrative offices of the SRRS are at the House of the Temple in Washington, D.C., under the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite. Activities and publications of the Society are governed by a Board of Directors, who are all Life Members of the Society, representing Scottish Rite valleys across the country.)