The Journal of The Masonic Society, Issue #14 by The Masonic Society

dly Apathy Michael R. Poll

The Journal

have ently I ank while d that it enough ged when ounted next day, the floor severed at the n to the hospital the doctors gave grene had set into that if he had not he would have d that if he had ove the arm, it The poison would y and nothing then man’s life was took action, but

all read or heard stories of individuals who have taken drastic steps to save their own lives read of a man who was doing some repair work on his water heater. He needed to reach fa lying on his back. While working in that position, his arm became wedged in the tank and was impossible to remove it. He screamed for help, but was alone in the house and no one outside to hear his cries. The man had spent several days trapped with his arm hopelessly he noticed a disturbing smell coming from inside the tank and around his arm. The man la that instinct must have taken over. He managed to reach a saw and began to cut off his arm several family members – concerned at not being able to reach him – found him unconsci in a pool of blood, elbow. The man w where he recovered him a sobering rep his arm, and he wa removed it when h died. The doctors a waited any longer t would have been to have spread throug would have saved h saved not just beca when he took actio

ined Masonry in number of my Masons, I knew osophy or history ew was that it was ok my joining to nt. Such ignorance masonry prior e of the exception y of the young dy know much read the popular, Freemasonry. of the Lodge derful, mysterious, p of seekers. They part of such an is not exactly what join.

the mid-’70s. Whil family members ha next to nothing of t of Freemasonry. Al a “good” organizat find out what “goo of the philosophy o to joining is becom than the rule today. men who join Mas of its philosophy. T new and exciting b They arrive at the with an awareness moral and enlighte want to share in an organization. But, s they always find w

Of The Masonic Society

numbers of demits, NPD, and participation are growing at an alarm The new reports paint a dismal pictu new members are coming fast, and sometimes in very good numbers, but we seem to be having trouble keeping them. So, why i ening and what do we do? Autumn 2011 Issue 14

t seems to be happening is the young men come to Freemasonry with an idea of what it should be and find that it is something v rent. Many come with the hopes of finding enlightening discussions, intellectual programs designed to lift us to new heights and arn more of ourselves and our world. Yet, sometimes all they find is “good ole boys” seeking to add another title, gain a bit more

The Masonic Design Company Bespoke Masonic Cufflinks & Pins

Personalized to include Name, Date, etc.

No Minimum Order

All cufflinks supplied with a free pin

www.masonicdesigncompany.com email: info@masonicdesigncompany.com

Autumn 2011

Issue 14

FEATURES

THE JOURNAL

OF THE

A Mason’s Cabletow

MASONIC SOCIETY

by Shawn Carrick

WWW.THEMASONICSOCIETY.COM

ISSN 2155-4145

Editor in Chief Christopher L. Hodapp Phone: 317-842-1103 editor@themasonicsociety.com

The Working Tools of a Canadian Mason by Michael Bayrak

1427 W. 86th Street, Suite 248 Indianapolis IN 46260-2103

Scottish Freemasonry... of Its Own Free Will and Accord

Editorial Committee Jay Hochberg - Submissions Editor Randy Williams - Assistant Editor

by Doug Bewick

Submit articles by email to: articles@themasonicsociety.com

Officers Michael R. Poll, President John R. Cline, 1st Vice President James R. Dillman, 2nd Vice President Nathan C. Brindle, Secretary/Treasurer Christopher L. Hodapp, Editor-in-Chief Directors Ronald Blaisdell Kenneth W. Davis Andrew Hammer Jay Hochberg James W. Hogg Mark Tabbert Randy Williams These guidelines apply to the reuse of articles, figures, charts and photos in the Journal of The Masonic Society. Authors need NOT contact the Journal to obtain rights to reuse their own material. They are automatically granted permission to do the following: Reuse the article in print collections of their own writing; Present a work orally in its entirety; Use an article in a thesis and/or dissertation; Reuse a figure, photo and/or table in future commercial and noncommercial works; Post a copy of the article electronically. Please note that Authors must include the following citation when using material that appeared in the Journal: “This article was originally published in The Journal of The Masonic Society. Author(s). Title. Journal Name. Year; Issue:pp-pp. © the Journal of The Masonic Society.” Apart from Author’s use, no material appearing in the Journal of The Masonic Society may be reprinted or electronically distributed without the written permission of the Editor. Published quarterly by The Masonic Society Inc. 1427 W. 86th Street, Suite 248, Indianapolis IN 46260-2103. Full membership for Master Masons in good standing of a lodge chartered by a grand lodge that is a member of the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons of North America (CGMMNA), or recognized by a CGMMNA member grand lodge. (includes Prince Hall Grand Lodges recognized by their counterpart CGMMNA state Grand Lodge): $39/ yr., ($49 outside US/Canada). Subscription for nonmembers: $39/yr., ($49 outside US/Canada). POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Journal of The Masonic Society, 1427 W. 86th Street, Suite 248, Indianapolis IN 46260-2103 © 2011 by The Masonic Society, Inc. All rights reserved. The MS circle and quill logo, and the name “The Masonic Society” are trademarks of The Masonic Society, Inc. and all rights are reserved.

Tamino’s Initiation: Vengeance, Virtue & Enlightenment In Mozart’s THE MAGIC FLUTE by R. Bradley Bunn, mms

21 Is Freemasonry Dangerous? by Jason E. Marshall

TMS Semi-Annual Meeting Recap by James R. Dillman

n-Dimensional Masonry

by Michael Bayrak SECTIONS 4 President’s Message

MASONIC TREASURES 32 Helsinki, Finland

6 News of the Society 7 Conferences, Speeches,

36 Symposia & Gatherings

8 Masonic News 27 Books, Arts, Styles & Manners 31 From the Editor This month’s cover features a reproduction of a square discovered in 1830 at Baal’s Bridge in Limerick, Ireland, inscribed with the motto, “I will strive to live with love & care upon the level by the square.” The original is held by Ancient Union Lodge #13 at the North Munster Masonic Centre in Ireland. The compasses are a reproduction of a medieval era instrument. Photo by Christopher Hodapp.

AUTUMN 2011 • 3

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The bright Future by Michael R. Poll, FMS

t was not too long ago when Most Worshipful Brother Roger Van Gorden contacted me with an idea of his. He wanted to create a new type of research society. Well, it was a good idea and his idea (The Masonic Society) is now one of the most respected and fastest growing and influential Masonic research organizations in the world. It was first an idea and then, after work, a reality. There is a lesson here. There is a trend here. It is not just hard work that made The Masonic Society what it is today. It was also the desire by Masons for something special and the timing that we arrived that made us a reality and a success. But, the Masonic Society is not alone. It’s not uncommon for me to be invited to lodges, but a recent invite was a bit different. I was invited to the first Table Lodge of O.K. Allen Lodge, UD in Shreveport, LA. O.K. Allen Lodge is the second Traditional Observance Lodge in Louisiana. By all standards, it was class event and complete success. Everyone present enjoyed a wonderful meal, toasts and true Masonic spirit was everywhere to be seen. But, there was an interesting conversation I had with the Worshipful Master, WBro. Bryan Price, before the dinner. Regardless of the obvious success of the event, he expressed some insecurity about the whole project in its early days. Some of the brothers saw his attempt at lifting up Masonry in his area as a statement that he found no value in what they were doing. How sad. Just because I like one flavor of ice cream does not mean that this is a statement that your favorite flavor is bad. My preference in flavors means nothing about anyone else’s favor preference. Freemasonry does not have to be a one flavor ice cream parlor. “Good” does not have to be singular. What was experienced by WBro. Price is about the same that was experienced in the early days of the creation of The Masonic Society. Some wondered why another research society was needed; some questioned our motives and still others found fault with every step we took. I believe there is something here that is worth a closer look. I believe that it would be very difficult to deny that we are in a time of change in Freemasonry. We are doing many things differently from just a handful of years ago. Our new members are expecting things from us that were not expected before. We are evolving. Change never occurs without some discomfort. “It’s always been done this way!” is a motto that is not without foundation. Many Masons who have been around for more than a few years do not exactly appreciate changes in what has become comfortable. A “Traditional Observance” Lodge?? What in the world is that?? What’s wrong with my lodge? Why do we have to change how we do things? Change happens. Natural selection happens. There is very little that we can do about it. If a new product comes out and it is popular, it will remain around. If a new product comes out and no one buys it, it goes away quickly. Sometimes a new product replaces an old product. Sometimes a new product carves out its own place and exists side by side with an old product. Time provides the answer to the success and longevity of every-

4 • AUTUMN 2011

thing. Sure, I have had things that I liked “go away” on me and I was not happy about it. I happened to like my rather large LP collection (that’s vinyl phonograph records for you young ones). But, what am I going to do? Things change. The Masonic Society exists today because it is a quality product and is desired by its members. O.K. Allen Lodge exists because it is a quality product and has been very well received. Who knows the future? Both may fade away or grow as valued, established and long-lived elements of Freemasonry. But, nothing will remain the same or as it is today. We either embrace change or we fight it. It’s an unproductive fight. The bright side is that the teachings of Freemasonry are becoming more and more a part of every aspect of Freemasonry. Who we are is being defined by what we actually teach rather than our size, political importance or what we simply claim to teach. Our philosophy is the hook that is being shown to bring in the new members, not how many Masonic presidents we have or the long lists of famous Masons. I find that good and positive. “Where’s the beef?” Here is the beef. We give the new members what they desire, what they were promised upon joining or they walk. Simple. Traditional Observance lodges are not being created to replace other lodges. They are being created because there is a desire for them by enough Masons that their creation becomes valid and workable. They provide that something for their members that they seek. They make no editorial (or, should not) concerning other types of Freemasonry other that they have the right to exist. They should not be feared, shunned or disapproved of by any Masons. Traditional Observance lodges are composed of caring Freemasons who desire to practice what they see as Freemasonry in a more formal setting. They are growing in number because they are being well received. We should take note. The changes that are taking place in Freemasonry today are evidence that we are very much alive. Maybe we are heading in a direction that some feel is too quick, too slow or problematic. That’s all our opinion. What’s important is that we are living in a time when all we need do is look around to see the historic changes that are taking place. Sure, it’s a fast ride for our leaders who may be concerned about doing the right thing and not being left in the dust, but what kind of true leader does not desire an element of risk? You want to fly with the eagles, then don’t be upset when you have to make quick turns. To the young brothers who desire that something and can’t find it in their area. Don’t settle. Look around. Be patient. Look for what others are doing. The internet puts the whole world at our finger tips and if what you seek is not in your area, maybe with a little effort it can come to you. We have an open book and upon it can be written just about anything. We are Freemasons. Enjoy the ride. Grow and learn.

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

News of the Society TMS Annual Meeting in Alexandria— Speaker: Brother Brett McKay

he Masonic Society’s 2012 Annual Meeting will once again be held during Masonic Week in Alexandria, VA, February 8-12. The meeting is set for Friday, February 10 at 6:00 P.M. in the host hotel, the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center. Here is a link to the official website where you can find registration and hotel reservation information. Please take note of the deadlines for meals and hotel reservations. We hope many of you will be able to join us. http://www.yorkrite.com/MasonicWeek/index.html The Annual Meeting will consist of a banquet, a short business meeting that will include election of officers for 2012 and 2013, and our speaker. The business portion of the evening will be intentionally brief as it is our desire that this evening be primarily devoted to education and fellowship. As usual, we will be hosting a hospitality room in the hotel. There will be snacks, libations, and plenty of good conversation. The Masonic Society hospitality suite is always a popular destination. Visitors have the opportunity to meet and mingle with many noted Masonic authors and educators, the TMS officers and directors, fellow members of TMS, and brethren from around the country and world. We are known for pouring with a heavy hand. The room number will be available in the hotel lobby. The featured speaker at the TMS Annual Meeting will be Brett McKay who with his wife Kate publishes The Art of Manliness blog and website. Brett hails from Tulsa, OK and was passed to the degree of Fellowcraft in his lodge, having made the decision to become a Freemason fairly recently. From The Art of Manliness webpage: Brett and Kate McKay are the married team behind the popular website, artofmanliness. com. Started in 2008, The Art of Manliness was designed to fill a niche in the men’s media market–a totally different kind of magazine for men. Instead of constantly regurgitating articles on six pack abs, boobs, and cars, The Art of Manliness focuses on reviving the lost art of manliness. We look to the past to find the best traditional manliness has to offer while leaving behind the

mistakes of yesteryear. We aim to teach the skills and virtues that turn boys into men of substance and character. The message of the Art of Manliness has deeply resonated with today’s men, catapulting the site to popularity. In just three years the site has grown to nearly 3 million visitors a month, over 4 million page views a month, and over 100,000 daily subscribers. In addition, the Art of Manliness has a thriving online social network called the Art of Manliness Community. With nearly 18,000 registered members and over 4,000 forum topics, we’ve developed a community of men (and some women) who have a passion for reviving the lost art of manliness. In 2009, the McKay’s published their first book The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man. Brett has a degree in Letters from the University of Oklahoma where he focused on classical history and philosophy. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Tulsa College of Law. Kate has a bachelor’s in history from Brigham Young University and graduated summa cum laude with a masters in religion from Oklahoma City University. The McKay’s live in Tulsa, OK with their son Gus. http://artofmanliness.com/ Brett and Kate’s latest book, The Art of ManlinessManvotionals: Timeless Wisdom and Advice on Living the 7 Manly Virtues, was recently released. Tickets for the banquet must be purchased in advance from the Masonic Week website. Price is $65 per person, and ladies and non-Masons are invited. Please join us for a great evening!

AUTUMN 2011 • 5

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

News of the Society ith great pride and appreciation, The Masonic Society welcomes the following brethren as our esteemed new members from July 1st through September 30th, 2011. Steven Aberblatt Brian V Adams Richard K Addison Dylan M Almendral Basem “Ben” Ibrahim Amin William Mirl Austin David Todd Ballenger Mourad Beni-ich Michael A Benson James Adam Billings Keith Brooks Paul Lynn Bullock Glenn Carlson Edguin Geovani Castellanos Robert Chan Robert K. Chapman, PGM Tom Christie John Rex Clark

Derek G. Conley Joseph F. Connolly II John P. Cox Todd Crane Dr. Stuart N Damon Carl W. Davis Lance Richard Dowle Gary Wayne Emerson Stephen James Escobedo Christopher Joseph Evans Harvey Fruchter Dr. Jack Henry Gerkovich John Adams Girvan Chad Goertz James P. Goltz Robert L Goode Allan Goodyer Charles Harper Sr.

D. J. Heathcote Steven K Hessler Paul D Hulseapple Joshua R. Jakobi Col Eric N Johnson Dr. Michael Kauss William Anthony Knopes Peter Malcolm Kovachevich John H Kuckuck Prof. Kent D. Kundert II Jonathan Law Samuel Davis Leinicke Robert J. Leyendecker Golden Lopez Richard Lynch Shawn D Mathis Timothy John Mayner John Mitchell

on’t forget to check our calendar and announcements page on the Masonic Society website at www. themasonicsociety.com. And please remember to submit your events to the link found on the website so we can continue to keep the Masonic world up to date with what’s happening in your neck of the woods. •

he Journal is always in need of your articles, news, announcements, photos and more. Please submit them as a Word document to: articles@themasonicsociety.com. When formatting and footnoting, please note that we prefer the Chicago Manual of Style. •

Renew your membership now online at www.themasonicsociety.com

6 • AUTUMN 2011

Conor Patrick Moran Ralph W. Morton Patrick I Muldoon Jamey D. Nealy Ian Nelson Wallace Nunes Prof. Rob Paixao Dominick Perkins Donald Poling Waylon Bryan Price Rick Priddis Aaron D Pursell Sr. Mark Edward Puwal Mariano A Quinto Paul O Ready Allen Record Ryan David Reese Dean D. Rein

DeWayne Richmond Daniel Rivera M. C. Rivetti Robert Rosenberg Frederick T Rossmark Jr. Gary Satterfield Maurice A Scott Joseph W. Sherwin Jim Smith II Alan T. Spreen Lorne Darryl Street Adam Sweet Aaron Tafoya Rex Vanderlinden Joshua M Warwick James C Wilson

IN MEMORIAM

rother James E. Stewart, Jr., 46, of Amesbury, MA and formerly of Newburyport, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at his residence. He was born on Oct. 6, 1964, in Camp Lejeune, N.C., son of James E. and Barbara L. (Sweetser) Stewart. James was a graduate of the Pentucket Regional High School with the class of 1982, and later graduated from NECC with a degree in computer engineering in 1996. He was employed at the former Arch Communications, Henschel Inc. in Newburyport, and was currently employed at Metro Credit Union in Chelsea as an IT specialist. James lived in Groveland most of his life and had been a resident of Amesbury for the past 11 years. He was a member and currently Worshipful Master of the Charles C. Dame Masonic Lodge A.F. & A.M. in Georgetown. James was a collector of crystal dragons and enjoyed watching the Boston Bruins, Red Sox and Patriots. He is survived by his parents, James E. Stewart, Sr. and Barbara L. (Sweetser) Stewart of Groveland; his sister, Debra A. Stewart, also of Groveland; as well as several aunts, uncles and cousins. RIP

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Conferences, Speeches, Symposia & Gatherings December 3, 2011 International Conference on American & Latin American Freemasonry: A new past & A new future December 3, 2011, UCLA Faculty Center, 480 Charles Young Dr. East, Los Angeles, CA 90095 Guest Speakers: Margaret Jacob, UCLA; José Antonio Ferrer Benimeli, Universidad de Zaragoza; Miguel Guzmán-Stein, Universidad de Costa Rica; Ricardo Martínez Esquivel, Universidad de Costa Rica; María Eugenia Vázquez Semadeni, UCLA; Guillermo de los Reyes Heredia, University of Houston. Sponsored by The Grand Lodge of F. & A.M. of California’s Institute for Masonic Studies & University of California, Los Angeles Contact the Grand Lodge of California, Adam Kendall at 415/292-9147 or email at akendall@ freemason.org. December 10, 2011 New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education No. 1786 Meets at Trenton Masonic Temple. 100 Barrack St., Trenton. 10 a.m. December 16, 2011 Author Andrew Hammer in St Louis W:.B:. Andrew Hammer, PM of Alexandria Washington Lodge No. 22 in Virginia, will be the ‘commencement’ speaker for the inaugural semester of a new Masonic education course for 27 lodges in St. Louis, created by Tuscan Lodge No. 360. http://www.mofreemason.com/tuscan360/ December 27, 2011 American Lodge of Research “The Beginnings of Indian Freemasonry” by W:. Gilbert Ferrer. French Ionic Room, Masonic Hall, 10th Floor, 71 West 23rd Street, New York, New York 10010 January 7, 2012 St Charles Lodge No. 241 St Charles, Missouri. Dinner 6PM, followed by presentation by Chris Hodapp FMS Jay Underdown w0ps@juno.com January 20-21, 2012 Texas Lodge of Research Host: Tyler Lodge No. 1233, Tyler. Website http://www.texaslodgeofresearch. org/ . E-mail inquiries to the Secretary at texaslodgeofresearch@yahoo.com February 8-12, 2012 Masonic Week, Hilton Mark Center Hotel Alexandria, VA February 10, 2012 The Masonic Society 4th Annual Dinner and Meeting Join us in Alexandria, Virginia, during Masonic Week for our 4th Annual Dinner and Meeting. Our speaker is Bret McKay. All reservations and payments to be made through the official Masonic Week 2012 organizers -- please see http://yorkrite.com/MasonicWeek/ for more information.

February 19-21, 2012 2012 Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia http://www.cgmna.org/Conference.htm March 3, 2012 Boynton Lodge Esoteric Research Group (BLERG) Masonic education seminar Boynton Lodge Esoteric Research Group (BLERG) is pleased to announce our next Masonic education seminar. Andrew Hammer, PM of AlexandriaWashington Lodge No. 22 is coming to speak about “Observing the Craft,” a stringent argument for the Symbolic Lodge as being the whole of Masonry. Tickets are $25, including lunch, and are available at http://blerg3.eventbrite.com/ More information: Scott Schwartzberg, sschwartzberg@comcast.net or Brian Work, brian_ work@yahoo.com March 16-17, 2012 Texas Lodge of Research Host: Fredericksburg Lodge No. 794, Fredericksburg. Website http://www.texaslodgeofresearch. org/ . E-mail inquiries to the Secretary at texaslodgeofresearch@yahoo.com March 23, 2012 South Bend Scottish Rite Research Guild WB Timothy Hogan, KCCH, to speak on “The Esoteric Explanation of Blue Lodge Freemasonry”. March 23rd 7:00pm @Garfield Lodge in Highland, IN. (Central Time) tfarster@gmail.com March 24, 2012 Detroit Masonic Center Levent Preceptory, Indiana’s medieval period recreation Knight’s Templar group, will confer the Order of the Temple. April 20-22, 2012 47th Annual Masonic Spring Workshop Delta Lodge at Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada This year’s theme is “Our Future Through Our Past,” and the keynote speaker is Robert L.D. Cooper, Curator and Librarian of the Grand Lodge of Scotland and author of several books including Cracking the Freemason’s Code and The Rosslyn Hoax. For more details and to register, please visit http:// www.masonicspringworkshop.ab.ca. April 27-29, 2012 Midwest Conference for Masonic Education Toledo, Ohio April 28, 2012 Symposium on American Freemasonry and Fraternalism The National Heritage Museum announces a call for papers for its biannual symposium, “Perspectives on American Freemasonry and Fraternalism,” to be held on Saturday, April 7, 2012, at the Museum in Lexington, Massachusetts. Deadline for papers is January 2nd. For more information about the National Heritage Museum, see http://www. nationalheritagemuseum.org. For questions, contact Aimee E. Newell as above, or call 781-457-4144.

April 28, 2012 South Bend Scottish Rite Research Guild Illustrious Rex Hutchens speaking on “Explanations of Masonic Symbolism”. April 28th 11:00am (est) @ the Scottish Rite Cathedral in South Bend, IN. tfarster@gmail.com May 15-20, 2012 Conference of Grand Masters Prince Hall Masons Sheraton Crescent Hotel, Phoenix, AZ http://www.conferenceofgrandmasterspha.org/ May 19, 2012 The Building Better Builders Workshop Kankakee Lodge #389 A.F.&A.M. presents The Building Better Builders Workshop by Dr. John S. Nagy at Kankakee Lodge #389, Kankakee, Illinois. Master Masons only. Tickets are $25 and includes morning refreshments and a full lunch. A major portion of the net proceeds will be donated to the Illinois Masonic Childrens Home. For questions, please send email to: kankakeefreemasons@yahoo.com May 22, 2012 South Bend Scottish Rite Research Guild WBro. Andrew Hammer will be speaking on his book “Observing the Craft”. May 22nd 7:00pm @ Porter Lodge in Valparaiso, IN. (Central Time) tfarster@gmail.com September 7-8, 2012 The Edges of Freemasonry – Western Esotericism and the Enlightenment This two-day conference is an international and academic event organized by the University of Tampere School of Social Sciences and Humanities in association with The Research Lodge Minerva No.27 of the Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Finland. The conference is open to scholars, researchers and post-graduate students from various disciplines, freemasons and the general public. The conference language is English. “http://www.edges.fi/” October 9-11, 2012 Masonic Library & Museum Association Annual Meeting Stillwater, Minnesota http://www.masoniclibraries.org/ February 17-19, 2013 2013 Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America Hyatt Crown Center Hotel, Kansas City, MO

Please send notices of your event to Jay Hochberg at articles@themasonicsociety.com AUTUMN 2011 • 7

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Masonic News

on Howard has announced he will not be directing the third film based on Dan Brown’s novels, The Lost Symbol, because of other projects. It was reported back in December that Dan Brown has taken over the scripting of the movie, choosing to do the adaptation himself this time. Still no firm release date has been announced, but Summer 2013 seems increasingly likely.

he Grand Lodge of Colorado AF&AM’s Library & Musum is located at the GLs building in Colorado Springs, but a portion of its collection is hitting the road this year. The program is a part of the 150th anniversary celebration of the establishment of Freemasonry in Colorado. Items on display include a walking stick made by William and James Dunlap and carried by Abraham Lincoln, who carved his monogram on the silver head during his 1960 campaign against Stephan Douglas, and a violin owned by Jefferson. The violin was manufactured between the late 1700s and early 1800s and is inscribed “TJ 1824.” Lincoln was not a Freemason but he maintained the highest level of respect for the institution. He petitioned Tyrian Lodge in Springfield, Ill., for membership shortly before his nomination for presidency in 1860, but withdrew his application for membership because he did not want to win the election because he was a Mason. He planned on reapplying for membership after his presidency. Other items on display include a Civil War bone pipe carved by a prisoner of war during the Civil War, a letter from George Washington to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, a picture of Theodore Roosevelt in Masonic dress and a variety of Past Grand Master and Past Master jewels and Grand Lodge officer pins, among other things. There is also information about the first cornerstone in Colorado, which was laid by the Grand Lodge of Colorado Territory, for the depot of the Denver Pacific Railway Company. The Colorado program is a unique way to bring Masonry and its history into local communities. The exhibit began touring the state in July 2010 and runs through December of 2011, lasting four to six weeks in each location. Any Colorado lodge that can provide suitable facilities and level of security (an alarm system is required) is eligible to receive the Museum’s traveling exhibit. There is actually no evidence whatsoever that Thomas Jefferson was a Freemason, even though his membership in the fraternity has been claimed off and on many times. There is the distant possibility that he joined the Lodge of the Nine Muses in Paris, but it has never been substantiated, nor have any records been found to definitively link him to Charlottesville, Virginia lodges. Still, many of his closest friends were brethren, as were his son-in-law Thomas M. Randolph, and his favorite grandson, Thomas Jefferson Randolph. And 8 • AUTUMN 2011

the Grand Lodge of South Carolina held a funeral procession in his honor. Enough question exists that the claim persists.

photo of alleged Norwegian mass-murderer, Anders Behring Breivik, dressed in Masonic regalia has been widely circulated across the web over the last two days. So, naturally, the usual lineup of anti-Masons, from the Daily Mail to David Icke and Alex Jones, are having a field day naming Breivik as a foot soldier in some worldwide Masonic revolution. Grand Master Ivar A. Skaar of the Grand Lodge of Norway has posted the following message on the GL website: “I am appalled by the terrible crime has been committed in the government quarter and the Utøya. We [express] sorrow and compassion for those who have been affected and their relatives. “It has emerged in the media that the accused has been a member of the Norwegian Order of Freemasons. He is now excluded with immediate effect. “Exclusion is an expression of the acts he is accused of having carried out and the values that appear to have motivated them is completely incompatible with what we stand for that order. “We build our business on Christian and humanist values and want our members to contribute to the promotion of charity, peace and goodness in people. “The police will of course get all the help and information we can help with.” One source says Breivik’s membership was in St. Olaus T.D. Tre Søiler No. 8 (the lodge of St. Olaf at the Three Columns) in Oslo. The Grand Lodge of Norway has approximately 20,000 members. It follows the Swedish Rite, which requires its members to declare a belief in Christianity.

he brethren of Euclid Lodge No. 65 in Naperville, Illinois are about to leave their mark on their town in a very big way. Naperville has a downtown arts program called the Century Art Walk, in which local businesses and artists provide murals on local buildings. Euclid No. 65 will be presenting a 12’ x 18’ mural depicting Masonry on the exterior wall of a local dry cleaners’ across from their Temple building. Euclid’s W:.M:. Neville Diamond was interviewed in the Naperville Sun Times, and discussed the design: “The piece will be painted on three signboards by local artist Marianne Lisson Kuhn. Unlike the mural she is currently working on, “Naperville Loves a Parade,” it won’t be seen until completion because she will be working on it at her home. It is likely to be revealed in a special ceremony sometime in November. The painting will depict George Washington with the American flag on one side, with Joseph Naper and the lodge building at 34 Jefferson Ave. on the other. Masonic sym-

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Masonic News bolism will include a black and white squared carpet with a tessellated border plus a square and compass. An eye with the letter G representing God with the sun’s rays is the worldwide symbol of masonry. They’ll [sic] also be two lists, one of famous people who were masons, the other of well-known Masonic Napervillians from the city’s past. “In those days membership of the temple was never as public as it is now,” Diamond said. “People may not know that so many of our founding fathers were Freemasons.”

t the Imperial session of Shriners International held in Denver on July 5th, 2011, a charter was granted to Emirat Temple in Heidelberg, Germany for all of Europe. Shrine Clubs in Europe go back to 1953, but Emirat is now officially the 194th Shrine Temple. Emirat currently sponsors clubs in Germany, Italy and Romania.

rother Nelson King passed away peacefully on August 17, 2011, according to a brief statement by his wife Ellen and his daughter Vicki Rout. Nelson had fallen and was hospitalized over the weekend. He was released to go home Sunday, but fell again, breaking his right shoulder and collarbone, and was readmitted yesterday. From his website: “Born June 13, 1945 in Montreal, received his primary education in Perth Ontario, and graduated from Banting Institute, University of Toronto, 1967. Married to Ellen, and has two children, Christopher, and Victoria and two granddaughters. Nelson was appointed Assistant Editor in 1992 and Editor in August 1994] of The Philalethes Society Journal of Masonic Research and Letters, the first non-United States Citizen to hold these positions. “He is also only the second Mason to ever hold the position of President and Editor of The Philalethes at the same time. He retired as Editor in June 2009. Nelson is a wellknown Masonic speaker, having spoken in the jurisdictions of Alberta, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Costa Rica, Cuba, The District of Columbia, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Jamacia [EC], Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. “Nelson developed the highly successful Internet Masonic Leadership Course. His book Confessions of a Born Again Fundamentalist Freemason has become a Masonic Best Seller.”

he Masonic Service Association of North America has released the list of U.S. and Canadian Masonic membership statistics. The total Masonic membership of North American continues to decline, and the numbers for 2010 were 1,373,453 (lowest since they began compiling stats in 1924). For Canada it is 86,210, a decline of 2,489 from 2009. However, the rate of decline is slowing, slowly. The grand lodges of the District of Columbia, Utah, Alabama, Hawaii, New Mexico and Newfoundland/Labrador all show gains for 2010.

esperate financial times combined with desperate structural issues sometimes call for creative funding alternatives when it comes to preserving our Masonic temples. Back in July, the Wheeling, West Virginia Scottish Rite Cathedral was presented with a $68,000 check from the West Virginia State Historical Society to help pay for the installation of a new roof. Their regular work sessions also bring in volunteers to attack painting, boiler, plaster and electrical problems on a regular basis. It is a labor of love to keep their building open and functioning. Get your building listed on the National Historic Register, form a 501-(c)3 foundation specifically to preserve your building so that you can give tax deductions for donations (money for fraternal organization use is NOT tax deductible), and start beating the bushes for help.

ack in March, the US Attorney’s Office in Kansas City, MO announced the federal indictment of Freemason Kirk McDaniel for embezzling $284,675 from the local York Rite bodies. The U.S. Attorney’s office in Kansas City says that 75-year-old McDaniel faces up to 30 years in prison following his guilty plea. McDaniel is a resident of Prairie Village, Kan. As the secretary of the York Rite Masonic Bodies in Kansas City, he also took over some duties of the treasurer, such as writing checks and transferring funds between accounts. From from June 2000 through September 2005, he served as Secretary for Oriental Commandery #35 Knights Templar, Orient Chapter #102 Royal Arch Masons, and Shekinah Council #24 Cryptic Masons. During that period he transferred nearly $285,000 from the organization into private investment and bank accounts he opened. Prosecutors say McDaniel has paid back about $105,000.

AUTUMN 2011 • 9

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Masonic News

he George Washington Masonic Memorial Association has announced the creation of a new Society comprised of a select group of members dedicated to supporting the Memorial and its Mission. The purpose of the new George Washington Memorial Society is to raise support for the George Washington Masonic Memorial and to increase awareness of the Memorial among Masons and in the community. Membership in the Society will consist exclusively of Charter Members and Regular Members. Charter Membership will be conferred for contributions of $1,000 or more to the Memorial with the membership application during the period from the foundation of the Society through February 22, 2013, and $250 or more per year thereafter. Regular Membership will be conferred for contributions of $500 or more to the Memorial with the membership application, and $250 or more per year thereafter. To join, see the Society’s website at http://gwmemorial. org/gwMemorialSociety.php

he Patriot Lodge U.D. is the newest lodge to be formed in Virginia in almost thirty years (not including research and daylight Lodges), and was issued its dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Virginia on September 28, 2010. It is an “academic” lodge that focuses its membership on the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of a college or university. Patriot Lodge works closely with George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, and was inspired by the example of The Harvard Lodge. The Patriot Lodge U.D. meets on the 3rd Friday of every month (dark in July and August) at the Mason Inn, George Mason University. Meeting starts at 7PM, dinner at 8PM, followed by a speaker, then close the Lodge.

he brethren of Mystic Star Lodge No. 69 in Rushford, Minnesota have a collection of early 20th century Edison wax and disc recordings of Masonic music on their website at http://www.mysticstarlodge69.com/fun.htm. They were created for lodges that had no organ or maybe just needed a little goading to get into the musical spirit. They were recorded between 1909 and perhaps the late 1920s. The collection includes music for the Entered Apprentice degree, the Master Mason’s funeral dirge, and a march created for Boston Commandery of Knights Templar. The site also includes lyrics, in case your lodge wants to revive some of these toe tapping hits.

10 • AUTUMN 2011

ore than 20 grand lodges, including most of Western Europe, plus U.S. GLs in Iowa and Massachusetts have suspended either temporarily or permanently recognition of the Grande Loge Nationale Française over its growing list of internal problems, and its embattled Grand Master François Stifani. Stifani has suspended more than 600 lodges, and a Paris civil court has appointed an administrator to sort out the organizational and financial problems.

eorge O. Braatz was selected recently as the new Executive Secretary of the Masonic Service Association of North America by MSA’s Executive Commissioners. Brother Braatz is a Past Grand Master and Grand Secretary Emeritus of the Grand Lodge of Ohio. He succeeds Richard E. Fletcher, who is retiring after 24 years of service as the chief operating officer of the MSA. Brother Fletcher is a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Vermont and has been recognized nationally as a leading voice speaking on behalf of Freemasonry. Brother Braatz, who has served for many years on the steering committee of MSA’s Masonic Information Center, is also currently a member of the board of directors of the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, VA. Over the years, he has been active in numerous Masonic activities at state and national levels. Congratulations, Brother Braatz!

he National Heritage Museum’s new exhibition, “Inspired by Fashion: American Masonic Regalia,” uses clothing and images from the Museum’s collection to trace the inspiration behind Masonic regalia and costume. Each section explores a different source – contemporary fashion, the military, Orientalism, and theater – in order to show the connections between everyday style and fraternal fashion. Open through March 10, 2012 at the National Heritage Museum, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, Massachusetts at the headquarters of the Scottish Rite NMJ. The Museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To learn more visit, NationalHeritageMuseum.org

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

he scene amidst which C

THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Please fill out this form and mail it with payment (check or money order drawn in US Dollars for the appropriate amount) to: The Masonic Society; Membership; 1427 W. 86th Street, Suite 248; Indianapolis, IN 46260-2103

Name (First)____________________________________________ Last___________________________________________ Name as you would like it to appear on your membership materials (card and patent):

______________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City ______________________________________________State/Province___________________________ ZIP or Postal Code _______________ Country ____________________________________________________ Email address ________________________________________________ Please choose one of the following: Regular Membership (1 year - US/Canada) $39.00

Regular Membership (1 year - outside of US/Canada) $49.00

I certify that I am a Master Mason in good standing of a lodge chartered by a grand lodge that is a member of the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons of North America (CGMMNA), or recognized by a CGMMNA member Grand Lodge. (Includes Prince Hall Grand Lodges recognized by their counterpart CGMMNA state Grand Lodge.)

Year made a Master Mason_________________ Primary Lodge Name & Number ____________________________________________________ Grand Lodge of ________________________________________________________________________Year you were born_________________ Subscription to the Journal of The Masonic Society ONLY Subscription Only (1 year - US/Canada) $39.00 Subscription Only (1 year - outside of US/Canada) $49.00 And please give us a bit of information about your reason for subscribing:

Freemason from jurisdiction NOT in amity with Conference of Grand Masters of Masons of North America or a member grand lodge. Library or Museum

Lodge

Academic

Other __________________________________________________

How did you hear about us?__________________________________________________________________________________________

Join online and pay with credit card via Paypal at www.themasonicsociety.com Join online and pay with credit card via Paypal at www.themasonicsociety.com

AUTUMN 2010 • 11 AUTUMN 2011 • 11

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

SYMBOLISM

A Mason’s Cable Tow by Shawn Carrick

NOTE: Despite the author’s assertions about universality in the first paragraph, the cable tow is not used in ritual degree work for the FC and MM degrees in Emulation-based working.

s Masons we solemnly agree to abide by our obligations and promises that we took at the altar in each degree. The cable tow is an integral symbol that is part of each degree’s impact on the Mason’s conscience. We learn about the cable tow in the first degree and it is reinforced as an important symbol in each additional Craft degree. An important question about this singular item is how the cable tow has been defined by different sources, depending on their interpretation of the degree. MasonicDictionary.com indicates that the cable tow “represents the candidate’s bond to his guide.” The Masonic Dictionary maintained by masonicworld.com indicates that the

“T

A cable tow consists of two separate ends connected together by a cord. One end of the cable tow represents the individual Mason while the other end represents the Fraternity or Lodge. When examining the cable tow, it is impossible to tell which end is which. It is this fluidity of symbolism and meaning that sets Masonry apart from any other fraternal organization. The cable tow reminds each Mason of his obligations and promises to the Lodge, while at the same time representing

he cable tow reminds each Mason of his obligations and promises to the Lodge, while at the same time representing the Fraternity’s obligations to a brother. How Masons fulfill their obligations differ based on their individual beliefs and interpretations.”

length of the cable tow was symbolically measured to be three miles in the early years, representing the length a Mason should be prepared to travel to relieve a brother in need, but “in present time it is usually considered to be about forty miles.” These definitions, while helpful, are just choices that an individual has made based on his personal beliefs and experiences. In the early years, from the 1700s up to the mid-1900s, members of a Lodge would typically live in close proximity to their Masonic Temple, which would be consistent with a threemile cable tow. The Lodge was an integral part of the local community and being able to attend Lodge communications was essential to a Mason’s experience. In the present time, members are not necessarily from the same town as the Lodge they attend; many times they come from surrounding communities and drive considerable distances to attend functions. They have chosen to be involved with a specific Lodge for a personal reason, or perhaps a specific Lodge is involved in an activity that is of interest and importance to the Mason. To better understand the length of a cable tow, we must understand the give and take a cable tow experiences and what the cable tow represents.

12 • AUTUMN 2011

the Fraternity’s obligations to a brother. How Masons fulfill their obligations differ based on their individual beliefs and interpretations. What act or acts fulfills a Mason’s obligations can vary greatly. It may be as simple as a having a conversation with a brother, or the aid could be more important and profound, such as providing emotional or financial support to a brother who is in need of assistance – or to the family of a brother who is called by the Grand Architect of the Universe to that house not made with hands…the celestial Lodge above. It is important to remember that the length of a Mason’s cable tow is ultimately set by the individual Mason and cannot be truly judged by any other individual. While three miles may be the proper length of a cable tow for one Mason, another Mason’s cable tow may be hundreds or even thousands of miles in length. Each length is determined by the individual’s moral principles, beliefs and particular circumstances. Ultimately, a Mason will pass judgment on himself based on the aid they have provided to others, but more especially a brother Mason. A question that I believe is fitting when looking at your cable

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

tow is, “When looking at the reflection in the mirror, do you like what you see – based on both what you have and have not done?” Masonry is a progressive science that helps to take good men and make them better, but it is not the Lodge alone that will help to make them better. Each Mason must work toward the goal of making himself better. By remembering our obligations and having a cable tow that is of appropriate length for providing aid and relief, Masons, with the help of the Lodge, will succeed in becoming better men to their families and to their communities.

“Creation”

Shawn Carrick is Junior Warden of Red Wing Lodge No.8 and a member of the Education Committee for the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of Minnesota. An earlier version of this article appeared in the T.F.S. (“Three, five and seven”) newsletter circulated by the Grand Lodge of Minnesota.

The Working Tools of a Canadian Mason by Michael Bayrak

The Working Tools of a Canadian Mason are the snow brush, the common shovel, and the hockey stick. The snow brush is the first implement put into the hands of the Canadian, in order to brush the snow off his vehicle and to scrape the ice off his windshield. The shovel is used to move snow off the driveway and sidewalk and throw it into heaping piles on the lawn so you can drive your vehicle in and out of the garage; and the hockey stick is to play hockey with friends and family on your nicely shaved driveway, or on the street in your neighbourhood in the cold snowy weather. Your choice, really. But as we are not American, but rather freezing and freaking cold Canadian Masons, we apply these tools to our morals, eh? In this sense, from the snow brush we learn a daily lesson of accumulation and instruction, for as it is divided into two parts, it recalls our minds the division of the year into two seasons – construction and winter – and directs us to apportion them to their proper objects, namely golfing and skiing. From the common shovel we learn that bad backs are more prominent than we thought; for the heart may stop and the headcold throb with pain if the hand be not prompt to lift the snow. From the hockey stick we learn that perspiration is necessary to establish hypothermia, that the icy material receives its slippery finish from repeated melting and freezing alone, that nothing short of inflatable exertion can induce the habit of puck handling, enlighten your behind, and render the goals pure. From the snow we deduce this moral; that igloos, grounded on accuracy, aided by seal skin and prevented by collapse will finally overcome all wind chill factors, raise the body temperature from despair and establish happiness in the paths of clear, sunny skies. Michael Bayrak became a Freemason in 1997 in Ivanhoe Lodge No. 142, Edmonton, Alberta, where he served as Master in 2006.

In the last issue of the Journal, we used John Bridegroom’s original artwork, “Creation,” as the cover art, but we failed to print the entire work as it was intended, due to formatting limitations of the cover. We promised John we’d publish the entire beautiful piece, and we hereby make amends. CH

AUTUMN 2011• 13

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

HISTORY

Scottish Freemasonry... of Its Own Free Will and Accord by Doug Bewick

he Premier Grand Lodge of England was established in 1717.

First and foremost, let me state that I have no problem whatsoever with the statement above. My problem – and I know that many of you share the same reservation – is in the related assertion that arose from its foundation: the theory that speculative Freemasonry didn’t exist prior to that year! It is not my intent to offend anyone reading this article by disagreeing, but in my opinion such a declaration is simply misleading and all-too typical of a time when early commentators attempted to distance the Craft from its humble roots. We need only look at the first meeting of that august body in London’s Goose and Grid-Iron public house to see an example of the inaccuracy of using 1717 as the “birth year” of speculative Masonry. What we know about this meeting was that there were representatives of four local Masonic Lodges in attendance – and one of those Lodges appears to have been made up solely of speculative members. Unless the Lodge that met in Westminster’s Rummer and Grapes Tavern was also established on the same day as the Grand Lodge – June 24, 1717 – we must concede that at least one Lodge of speculative Masons existed in England prior to that date. By considering relative proportions, my confidence is equally high in stating that there were likely many such speculatively biased Lodges already operating. This conundrum of origin has divided members of the Craft for nearly 300 years, with the majority siding with the Grand Lodge’s version of events. However, if we accept the contrary evidence stated above, a question remains: Where did Freemasonry come from? For years it has been suggested that the rituals of Scottish Freemasonry are among the oldest in the world, leading many researchers to argue a case for the Scottish Craft as a candidate for the source of origin. But how can this be proven, especially as the rituals were only ever preserved in the verbal tradition? Does evidence to substantiate the claim exist in some other form? In England the new Grand Lodge seemed determined to cover up any suggestion of a transition from operative to speculative Masonry and appears to have directed the early documentation to perpetuate such an appearance. The Grand Lodge of Scotland, on the other hand, was never permitted to be as dictatorial. Its authority was limited as a result of difficulties in establishing itself in the first place. If things had been more straightforward, a Scottish Grand Lodge would probably have been established in 1598 – a full 119 years before the Premier Grand Lodge! 14 • AUTUMN 2011

One of the main problems that arose during the 1598 attempt to establish a regulative structure in Scotland was the potential threat to the sovereignty of existing Lodges, and this was an issue that would continually raise its head until the last of the independents (The Lodge of Melrose) was finally chartered in 1891. The Grand Lodge of Scotland was eventually established in 1736, but many compromises had to be made and certain rules and regulations had to be relaxed in order to gain the acceptance and support of a majority of Lodges. These compromises allowed many nuances of the operative masons to remain intact within the Scottish speculative system. These nuances were lost to Freemasonry as it is practiced in almost every other country because of the drive to emulate the dominant English system. The desire to distance Freemasonry from its vernacular roots was not executed only at the Grand Lodge level; many individual English Lodges changed their names and started their record books afresh when they joined the Grand Lodge. There appears to be no suggestion that this was a prerequisite for membership, so we must therefore assume that it was either a statement or a trend. That trend was never emulated north of the border, and this characteristic Scottish stubbornness has given us, by means of preserved Lodge records, a traceable path that allows us to follow the gradual transition of Freemasonry from the operative to the speculative. Two early records in particular can be dated back prior to 1650, those being of Lodge (Mother) Kilwinning and The Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary’s Chapel). The Lodge of Melrose claims an existence as far back as 1136, but this has never been authenticated; its earliest verifiable date comes from its minute book commencing in 1674. In brief, these Lodge records and communications indicate a structure and hierarchy between Lodges, and they record details about the initiation of candidates and the authority of Masters and Wardens. Scottish history in general also gives clues to the development of an organized Masonic structure prior to 1717. For instance, around the year 1529 it appears that the Scottish Crown recognized that the quality of workmanship from Scottish craftsmen was in decline. To address the issue, the crown decided that a greater, external authority was required to regulate and standardize the work being produced. To this purpose, King James V appointed a regulative authority charged with the control and approval of all work carried out under Royal Charter. The governor in charge of this initiative was known as “The Master of the Works to the Crown of Scotland,” and his appointment was quite possibly the first

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

indication of a shift from operative to speculative authority. After a brief improvement, operative masonry in Scotland was once again in a poor state once by the end of the 16th century – to the point where, in 1598 the Master of the Works, William Schaw, attempted to halt the decline once and for all by establishing a set of guidelines for the governance of the Lodges within the kingdom. Toward this goal, Schaw caused a set of statutes to be drafted, copied and distributed to the Lodges of the day. The statutes were recorded in full in the minute book of the Lodge of Edinburgh, giving us an accurate account of their contents. “The Schaw Statutes of 1598” seems on the surface to be a simple document, setting out a basic set of rules and regulations for the governance of an individual Lodge, including monetary penalties for poor workmanship and unsafe practices. It also details a Lodge structure similar to what we see within our own order today. As straightforward as this document seemed, objections were made. The chief dissenter, Lodge Kilwinning, raised concerns with regards to its own “established customs and practices,” believing the new statutes belittled their status and threatened their sovereignty. This dissention led to the issuance of a new document in 1599, which attempted to nullify the protestations. Alas, other Lodges objected to the supplement and matters remained unresolved. At this point in proceedings, Schaw appears to have recognized that he was not the right man for the job and that (in the eyes of the established Lodges) he lacked the authority required to enforce the change. He therefore turned to a man whose office, history informed him, did command such authority. In 1601, Schaw wrote a letter to Sir William Sinclair, the Baron of Roslin, reminding him of the position of his ancestors as “patrons and protectors” of the Craft. Schaw wrote that the role had passed out of use “over the past few years, through negligence and slothfulness.” In this letter, Schaw offered Sinclair the commission and the chance to resume the Barony’s apparently hereditary role as head of the Craft in Scotland in exchange for assistance in passing the statutes. Sinclair failed to act on this offer. There is much speculation with regards to the validity of the hereditary position of Roslin as head of the Craft. However I feel that Schaw’s approach gives it some credence. The approach, in theory, could have been made to a Marquis, an Earl or a Duke – all of which are of higher rank and influence – but the approach was made to a Baron. Whether Schaw would have turned to another Lord after Roslin’s failure to respond was never to be seen, as Schaw died the following year in 1602. 1603 saw the “Union of the Crowns,” and with the seat of power moving from Edinburgh to London, things fell into stagnation and the status quo remained for another 25 years. By 1628, Masonry in Scotland was desperate for a resolution, to the point where the Masons themselves attempted to resolve the issue by producing a second “Roslin Letter.” This document was, unfortunately, greatly exaggerated and resulted in a royal rebuke for the Baron when he approached King Charles about the offer. As a result, Sinclair appears to have distanced himself

from the cause, forcing the Scottish Lodges to right their own ship, and thus shelving the plans for a Scottish governing body for another 106 years. From the time of the first “Schaw Statutes” until the establishment of the Scottish Grand Lodge, the Scottish Lodges appear to have begun recruiting non-operative (or accepted) members in a liberal manner; perhaps seeing the way that the non-operative “Master of the Works” had steadied the ship outside the Lodge inspired them to try something similar to right the list from within. Many minute books bear evidence to such acceptance. Some examples: • Edinburgh (Mary’s Chapel) records John Boswell as attesting his mark on June 8, 1600. • Edinburgh (Mary’s Chapel) records Dr. William Maxwell becoming a member in 1647. • The Lodge of Kilwinning records the Earls of Cassilis and Eglington becoming members in 1670. Within the Lodges, the number of these accepted members grew steadily over the years. Although the majority of Scottish Lodges were still chiefly operative, many were of mixed membership by the first meeting of the Grand Lodge of Scotland – and at least one appeared to have no operative members on its books whatsoever. In 1736, all Masonic Lodges in Scotland were invited to attend the inaugural meeting of the proposed new Grand Lodge, to be held in Edinburgh on November 30th. Of 100 lodges that were known to exist, only 33 sent representatives to the first assembly. Of those 33, 12 withdrew support. Only 21 out of 100 Lodges were therefore in favor of Grand Lodge at the beginning. The consensus of opinion was that if compromises were made and certain rules relaxed, then perhaps the apathy could be overcome and more Lodges would join the fold. The main objection to the establishment of the Grand Lodge in 1736 was similar to that confronted by Schaw in 1598: certain Lodges argued their seniority over the new Grand Lodge and felt that its establishment threatened their individual sovereignty and status. For a governing body to overlook such concerns would simply have caused those in contention to ignore the newly established authority and, in turn, threaten the reputation and standing of the new Grand Lodge; hence the need to meet them halfway. To this measure, Lodges under the Scottish constitution remain independent bodies in their own right, retaining many of their local practices and traditions. The dialects spoken in the rituals also became an issue, with many Lodges demanding to retain their individual wordings. A major (and important) point was therefore conceded by Grand Lodge, allowing the Lodges to prerserve their own rituals. Many people are surprised to learn that there is no such thing as a “standard” Scottish ritual. In theory, there could be as many rituals as there are Lodges, although in practice new Lodges AUTUMN 2011 • 15

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

tend to adopt existing rituals (usually those conferred by their sponsor Lodge) and adapt them to suit their own character. It is important here to note that the original sponsor Lodges (and therefore the roots of the adapted rituals) date back to at least 1599. This adaption of ancient rituals is the key to proving that Freemasonry existed prior to 1717. Internationally, the representative Grand Lodges dictate which ritual should be used. These rituals are considered sacrosanct, are therefore remain close to originals that have a source date reflective of the establishment of the respective Grand Lodge (the earliest being 1717). However, as we have discerned, thanks to the compromises made by the Scottish Grand Lodge and carefully preserved early Lodge records, evidence exists to prove that at least one of the adapted Scottish rituals predates the Grand Lodge of Scotland by (at least) 136 years – and that of England by 117 years! The rituals of modern Scottish Freemasonry contain many features that are still practiced by operative masons, the two most obvious being the practice of “covering the work” and the Mark degree. “Cover Your Work!” – Throughout the rituals and degrees of the operatives, there is one constant practice used to hide the secrets. This same measure is applied to this day in all Scottish speculative Lodges, where members are taught to always use the left hand to cover the grips being communicated. The Mark – To my knowledge, there is only one country in the world where the speculative Craft Lodges practice anything other than the canonical three degrees of Masonry, and that is Scotland. Scottish Freemasonry works the Mark Master Mason’s degree as part of its regular Craft system. This degree is normally practiced in other countries either as a separate, concordant body or as part of the Holy Royal Arch. The Mark Degree was conferred by the Scottish Lodges from approximately 1600 until 1819, when it moved to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Grand Chapter of the Holy Royal Arch of Scotland. This appears to have been an attempt to bring Scottish Freemasonry in line with the rest of the world but, again due to pressure from the constituent members, it was restored to Scottish Craft masonry in 1861. Such similarities cannot be considered a coincidence and serve to suggest that both operative and speculative rituals originate from a common source, prior to the schism, prior to 1717. So, let’s recap. We’ve visited the early records of known operative Lodges in Scotland and discovered evidence of ritual initiation and the acceptance of non-operative members from as early as 1600. We’ve investigated the need for authority and explored early attempts to regulate the Craft from as far back as 1529. We’ve illustrated the importance of documents such as the Schaw Statutes (1598 and 1599) and Roslin Letters (1601 and 1628) and how they reflect a desire for change. We’ve looked at the emergence of the Premier Grand Lodge of England and highlighted its heavy-handed approach to strengthen its authority and conceal its humble origins. We’ve looked at the emergence of the Grand Lodge of Scotland and illustrated that, to establish some modicum of authority, 16 • AUTUMN 2011

it had to relax the rules and regulations, and allow Scottish Freemasonry to develop “of its own freewill and accord.” Its unique development provides us with multiple sets of rituals displaying many practices similar to those of the modern operatives. Finally, we’ve taken these similarities and recognized them as evidence pointing to a form of moral teaching within the original operative system that can be called nothing but Freemasonry. And so we must conclude that, contrary to popular belief Freemasonry, did indeed exist long prior to 1717. Doug Bewick was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1966. He is a shipwright to trade and a structural designer by profession. In May 1985, Doug was initiated into Lodge Cochno No. 1304 on the register of The Grand Lodge of Scotland — the fifth generation of his family to take “the steps.” In August 2007, Doug took some more steps, this time onto a plane as he immigrated to Canada with his wife Lorna and son Connor. Doug currently resides in Edmonton, Alberta, where he affiliated with Ivanhoe Lodge No. 142 in January 2008. Doug has risen quickly through the chairs to the office of Senior Warden with Ivanhoe; he is also currently 2nd Principle of Capital City Royal Arch Chapter No. 13 and an active member of various other York Rite bodies.

Bibliography James Anderson, The Constitutions of the Free-Masons (1734) (Lincoln: Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln Faculty Publications, UNL Libraries, 2006), accessed September 14, 2011, http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1028&co ntext=libraryscience Thomas Carr, The Ritual of the Operative Free Masons (1911) (Ithica: Cornell University Library, 2010), accessed September 14, 2011, http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924030272508#page/n1/ mode/2up David Murray Lion, History of The Lodge of Edinburgh (1873) (Ithica: Cornell University Library, 1919), accessed September 16, 2011, http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924030291813/ cu31924030291813_djvu.txt William Schaw, “First Statutes (1598),” accessed September 15, 2011, http://www.lodgeroominternational.com/library/FREEBIES/ THESCHAWSTATUTES.pdf William Schaw, “Second Statutes (1599),” accessed September 15, 2011, http://www.lodgeroominternational.com/library/FREEBIES/ THESCHAWSTATUTES.pdf David Stevenson, “William Schaw, Master of Works and General Warden,” in The Origins of Freemasonry (Cambridge University Press, 2005), 34.

David Stevenson, “The Sinclairs of Roslin and the Master of Works,” in The Origins of Freemasonry (Cambridge University Press, 2005), 57.

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

CULTURE

Tamino’s Initiation: Vengeance, Virtue & Enlightenment In Mozart’s THE MAGIC FLUTE by R. Bradley Bunn

or what was to be his final opera, The Magic Flute, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart drew upon recent socio/politico events involving Freemasonry by modeling the opera’s arch-villain, the Queen of the Night after the 18th century Austrian empress Maria Theresia. The plot is driven by the actions of the Queen of the Night, who is bent upon the destruction of Sarastro and his order, much like her real-life model, who during her reign wanted the same for the Austrian Freemasons. The fictional Queen is the embodiment of intolerance, fanaticism, and ignorance: three of mankind’s worst enemies. She is the paradigm of that species of Monarch that rules his or her subjects by ‘keeping them in the dark,’ i.e., keeping them in a state of ignorance, a method employed with great success by tyrants in every age, whether they be political or religious. Her reign, therefore, can truly be described as a reign of darkness. In the Scottish Rite degree of Elu of the Nine, wherein the candidate confronts a villainous personification of ignorance, Albert Pike, writes that, “Over an ignorant people, tyrants, temporal and spiritual, will inevitably domineer, usurpation, civil and military, will use it ignorance as an instrument and weapon; and it will be enslaved by ambition and fanaticism or hypocrisy.” 1 In the opera’s First Act, the Queen of the Night uses the hero Prince Tamino’s ignorance and blind zeal to her advantage. She intentionally misleads him so that he is initially oblivious to the magnanimous character of Sarastro and his order, who represent the Freemasons of which both Mozart and his librettist Emmanual Schikaneder were members. When recounting to Tamino the harrowing details of her daughter Pamino’s abduction by Sarastro, the Queen portrays herself as a loving and distressed mother, while depicting Sarastro as an evil sorcerer. The Queen’s account of her daughter’s kidnapping is reminiscent of the myth of Persephone, which served as the basis for the Eleusinian Mysteries, but the Queen of the Night is no Demeter. Upon being shown a portrait of Pamino, Tamino falls instantly in love with the princess. The Queen promises Tamino that, in return for his rescuing Pamino, she will grant him her daughter’s hand in marriage. On hearing this Tamino, in the fashion of a knight-errant, sets off to save Pamino, and by doing so, plays right into the Queen’s hands, unwittingly becoming the weapon by which she hopes to destroy Sarastro and the brotherhood. Before setting off on his mission, Tamino receives from The Three Ladies, who are servants of the Queen, a flute possessing magical properties that endows its owner with ‘divine powers’, such as the power to reverse human suffering, convert sadness to happiness, and like Orpheus’s lyre, even enchant wild animals.2 Music and magic have often been allied, especially in the minds of renaissance thinkers and practitioners of magic such as Marsilio Ficino and Pico della Mirandola, who believed that music could be employed to draw the influence from a particular planetary god or intelligence.3 For the efficacy of such purposes, Renaissance magicians turned to the Orphic hymns. Mirandola writes, “Nothing is more effective in natural magic than the Orphic hymns, if there is added the due music, intention of soul, and other circumstances known to the wise.” 4 Like the ancient

Pythagoreans and Platonists, these practitioners subscribed to the theory of the music of the spheres or musica mundane, a theory that proposes that the whole universe is established on musical proportions.5 Accordingly, each planet produces a certain tone by its motion, and if a person were to reproduce that same tone using an instrument or the human voice he or she could actually attract power from that planet according to its disposition. For example, a person who is prone to melancholy, a temperament associated with the planet Saturn, might wish to play music that is jovial, which corresponds and is sympathetic to the planet Jupiter. In this way he or she will attract that planet’s influence by aligning or tuning his or her spirit to that of the planetary god thereby making themselves more jovial or Jupiter (Jove) like. Whether one believes in the music of the spheres or not, it cannot be denied that music has the extraordinary, almost magical ability to manipulate our moods, to comfort us and lift our spirits. I think Mozart would agree that music, unlike any other art, speaks directly to our spirits. During his journey Tamino travels to the three Temples, the meeting place of the Order and its leader Sarastro. Upon the first Temple is inscribed the word REASON, upon the second is the word WISDOM, and upon the third is the word NATURE. After not having gained admittance to either REASON or NATURE, Tamino tries the middle Temple, which is that of WISDOM, and is met by an Elderly Priest of the order who asks him, “What are you looking for in this sanctuary?”6 Tamino answers, “A place of virtue and love,” to which the Priest responds, “Your words are certainly noble! But how do you expect to find these? You’re not guided by love and courage, but by death and revenge.”7 The Priest informs Tamino that he will not find what he seeks until “the hand of friendship leads him into the sanctuary of the sacred brotherhood.” 8 While it would be arbitrary to speak on the significance of the number three in Freemasonry and every instance wherein it appears in the opera (which is not coincidental), here the symbolism of the three Temples suggests that reason and nature alone are not sufficient, for one must actively pursue wisdom. In “The Magic Flute” the path to wisdom is by way of initiation into the mysteries. From this point onward in the opera Tamino represents the neophyte or candidate, and like the candidate in the Entered Apprentice degree he is in ‘a state of darkness’, and though he sincerely desires to receive enlightenment he is still hoodwinked, not only by his prejudices, but also by his love for Pamino, for like the apprentice he has not yet learned to ‘subdue his passions’. As Act II opens we encounter the members of the brotherhood assembled in a palm grove to vote on Tamino’s eligibility to become a member of their order in which three questions are asked: “Is he virtuous?”; “Can he maintain his silence?”; and “Is he benevolent?”9 Only after the questions have been answered in the affirmative by Sarastro, who assures the assembly that Tamino’s “prejudices will disappear as soon as he becomes a part of our [their] brotherhood,” is Tamino accepted for initiation.10 AUTUMN 2011 • 17

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY trials, therefore, are symbolic of the soul’s gradual (by degrees) First, however, he must undergo a probationary period of silence, release from the bondage and the tyranny of the body. reminiscent of that vow of silence allegedly practiced by the Pythagoreans, as a means to convince the brotherhood of his ability In the 18th century a romantic school of thought existed that to hold his tongue concerning their secrets. Tamino, along with held that Freemasonry was a direct descendant of those ancient his companion Papageno, are left for a time alone in a darkened Mysteries, especially those of Egypt, and it was during this perichamber. The darkened chamber serves the same purpose as the od that Count Caglistro began propagating throughout Europe Masonic Chamber of Reflection (more prevalent in Mozart’s his own specialized brand of Masonry called the Egyptian Rite time), wherein the candidate is placed before his initiation, and of Freemasonry. This Rite was an androgynous body that acceptbeing surrounded by varied emblems of death, is given cause to ed men and women alike, which as we shall see later, will be relreflect upon his own mortality, as well as the seriousness of his evant to Pamino. It is very probable that while working on “The new undertaking. Papageno, unlike Tamino, wants no part of Magic Flute,” Mozart and his librettist were influenced by the this undertaking. He represents the rustic or base man because hypothesis of an Egyptian/Masonic connection. Scholars have he is ruled, not by the intellectual/spiritual, but by his animal also pointed out the similarities between The Magic Flute and nature, and it is because of his apathy towards enlightenment a popular 18th century novel titled The Life of Sethos, written and his easy willingness to be content only with the base necesby Abbe Jean Terrasson, a French professor of philosophy.14 The sities of life that he fails all the requirements for membership book recounts the story of a prince’s initiation into the Egyptian in the order. A good example of this attitude is when Papageno mysteries. It is also noteworthy to mention that on the authority tells one of the priests: “ I really don’t desire wisdom…I am a of Manly P. Hall, Austria signified Egypt in the “cryptic geograson of nature, who is content with sleep, food, and drink. And phy” employed by the quasi-Masonic order of the Illuminati.15 if possible, I would like to find a pretty little wife.”11 Eventually, Whatever their inspiration, Mozart and Shikaneder decided to Papageno is rewarded for being a good man. Needless to say, his set their story against the backdrop of Ancient Egypt, and cast reward doesn’t come in the form of enlightenment or wisdom, Freemasonry in the role of the Egyptian Mystery School. but in a “pretty little wife.” Just before Tamino begins his trials he is confronted once Tamino learns that he must endure yet further trials, conmore by The Three Ladies, the servants of the Queen of the sisting of a trial by fire, water, air and earth. Trial by the four priNight, who try unsuccessfully to dissuade him from joining the mordial elements is reputed to have been a practice of purificaorder. They tell him that: “It’s been said that these Priests have tion often associated with the ancient mysteries whereupon the nothing good in mind. They say that those who join the order initiations in both Freemasonry and The Magic Flute are modare condemned to hell!” 16 This is most likely an allusion to the eled. According to Robert Macoy’s Dictionary of Freemasonry, a attitude of the Roman Catholic Church towards Freemasonry in candidate in the ancient mysteries had to descend on hands and the 18th century, for they considered the Fraternity to be subverknees through a narrow tunnel until he reached a subterranean sive and incompatible with Christianity, or, in any case, Catholic cave, on the walls of which were inscribed the following words: orthodoxy. A good example of the Church’s stance on Freema“The mortal who shall travel over this road alone, without sonry can be found in a Papal Bull issued by Clement the XII in hesitating or looking behind, shall be purified by fire, by water 1738, of which the following is an extract: and by air, and if he can surmount the fear of death he shall “To enroll one’s self in one of their lodges is the same as emerge from the bosom of the earth; he shall revisit the light, incurring the brand of depravity and perverseness, for if they are and claim the right of preparing his soul for the reception of the not acting ill, they need not avoid the light. They have been banmysteries of the great goddess Isis.”12 ished from many countries as hostile to the safety of kingdoms. Unfortunately, we know very little of the actual contents of Wherefore we direct the faithful in Christ, both lay and cleric, those ancient rites because the obligations of secrecy were takthat no one dare to enter these Societies or to propagate, fosen more seriously than at the present. However, this particular ter, receive, conceal, afford them any facilities or advice or assist process of purification by the four elements is substantiated by them, directly or indirectly, on pain of excommunication etc.” 17 Apulieus, a 2nd century Roman author who gives a veiled deThis Bull was followed up again in 1751, by the Bull Proviscription of his own initiation into the Mysteries of Isis in his dus, which reiterates the same instructions contained in its prework Metamorphoses commonly known as The Golden Ass. He decessor. writes, “I drew near to the confines of death and trod the threshIt has been suggested that The Three Ladies in The Magic old of Proserpina, and before returning I journeyed through all Flute represent the Catholic Church, in that at the beginning of the elements.” 13 the opera they seem benevolent and morally upright. During Act The ultimate goal of the ancient Mysteries, such as those I they rescue Tamino by slaying a giant serpent with which he held at Eleusis, is said to have been teaching the doctrine of was struggling. This might possibly allude to the Church’s ‘sole’ the immortality of the soul, as Freemasonry now does. In the ability to save man’s soul and its power to crush Satan, whom mysteries this was accomplished through a dramatization of the many associate with the serpent in Genesis. However, the sercycle of the seasons in which the initiate took an active role by pent might, in another context, be seen as a bearer of knowledge personifying the sun. A single grain of wheat symbolized death or enlightenment since it was he who gave to our first parents and rebirth in the Eleusinian mysteries; the ear of wheat has now the fruit of knowledge divine. A similar view respecting the serbecome the Freemason’s sprig of acacia. The reason being for the pent in Christianity was revered by certain Gnostic sects under elements to have figured in so prominently with this theme is the name of Ophis, the good serpent of wisdom.18Furthermore, because the ancients, as evidenced in Plato’s Timaeus and “The the Queen’s Three Ladies can also be seen as meaning that the Tale of Er,” believed the human body (the microcosm) to be religious institution can sometimes be abused and misused as formed from the very same elements, which make up the unian instrument of the tyrant to subjugate the masses. Like the verse (the macrocosm)—a view that is supported by modern scimajority of Freemasonry’s detractors, the enemies of the secret ence. Accordingly, following the decomposition of the body, the brotherhood in The Magic Flute, are fueled by intolerance and elements are free to return and mingle with those of the universe superstition—the same fuel that throughout history has ignited and the soul is, thereby, free to return to its divine origin. The 18 • AUTUMN 2011

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY and fed the flames of countless stakes. Master Mason.22 The Queen of the Night’s self- portrayal as a distraught Before enduring the last two trials consisting of a trial by Demeter is utterly shattered when, after realizing that her plan fire and water, Tamino says, “Even death will not prevent me to use Tamino to kill Sarastro has failed, her fanatic hatred of from acting as a man, and from walking the path of virtue.” 23 the order drives her to decide on a different method of satisBy this point Pamino, with Sarastro’s blessing, has joined fying her craving for vengeance, even at the price of making Tamino and will be initiated also. The power of music or harher daughter a murderer. In Act II, Scene 3, the Queen places mony symbolized by the magic flute protects Tamino and Paa dagger in her daughter Pamino’s hand. The tense exchange mino throughout their final trials. It is revealed that the magic between mother and daughter leads up to what is perhaps the flute was fashioned by Pamino’s father from an ancient and saopera’s most memorable aria: cred oak. Earlier in the opera it’s intimated that Pamino’s father was a member of the brotherhood, for the Queen says that her “Hell’s revenge is raging in my heart husband originally possessed the seven-sided sun shield zodiac Death and despair wildly flame around that Sarastro wears (as a symbol of power), and that she had to “willfully” turn it over to him.24 This would seem to suggest Go forth, and bear my vengeance to that the sun shield was passed on successively through a line, Sarastro, or as my daughter, you shall be other than a royal line—perhaps, a priestly one. Tamino, who has braved death and overcome the fierce elements of his pasdisowned, and be forever rejected and forsaken. sions, and who is no longer guided by vengeance, blind faith Our natural bond will be destroyed forever or love, becomes worthy of a place in the order. Pamino, in if you do not kill Sarastro! reward of her virtue, and who along with Tamino, successfully passed through the trials also receives her place in the Temple Hear, gods of vengeance, hear a mother’s curse!” 19 of the Sun united with Tamino, among Sarastro and the priest However, Pamino chooses a different path than that of and priestesses who represent the enlightened. In addition, the hatred and vengeance, which is traveled by her mother, and final two trials of fire and water might allude to the alchemical instead she decides upon a path of love and forgiveness. Rather conjunction or the marriage of opposites, the union of fiery than despising her mother for her attempt to make her a murspirit with watery matter, which is the final step in the Great derer, Pamino, fearful that Sarastro will deal harshly with her Work of alchemy. In the finale of The Magic Flute, the Great mother for the failed assassination plot, out of a daughter’s Work is represented by the marriage of Tamino and Pamino, love, makes excuses for her mother’s actions and beseeches for the two become one, thus, signifying to the enlightened Sarastro to show mercy. Sarasto, exhibiting his characteristic audience that the Great Work has been accomplished. Howmagnanimous nature and that of his order expresses his views ever, it could not have been realized without the supervision on vengeance in the following lines: and guidance of Sarastro: “A wife unafraid of night and death / Deserves to be ordained.”25 The Queen of the Night and her “I know everything. I know that she is consorts’ power is destroyed and they, like Milton’s Fallen Star roaming between the walls of the temple, and his defeated legions, are hurled into eternal darkness. seeking revenge on me and mankind. But, I Another clue to a possible source of inspiration for Mowill show you how I take vengeance upon zart and Schikaneder, which has yet to be mentioned, lies in Saratro’s name, which conspicuously resembles that of Zarayour mother. thustra or Zoroaster, the prophet of Ahura-Mazda, the ancient Within these sacred walls, revenge and Persian god of light. Theirs was not the first Masonic Opera; some forty-two years prior we find Zoroastre by the French sorrow do not exist. When a man has composer, Jean-Philippe Rameau. Although it remains uncerfailed, only love will guide him to do his tain whether Rameau was a Freemason himself, we do know duty. Then he’ll walk happily to a better that his librettist Louis de Cahusac was a member of the Craft. Zoroastre, like its successor The Magic Flute, is essentially a life, guided by the hand of friendship. dramatization of the continual struggle between the forces of Within these sacred walls, where man loves light against those of darkness, wisdom and ignorance, and good and evil—those dualistic forces that maintain equilibhis fellow man, there is no treachery, rium, and are represented in every Masonic Lodge by the two because enemies are forgiven. Whoever Pillars, as well the Mosaic floor, and by the Square (matter) does not appreciate this knowledge, does not and Compasses (spiritBoth operas epitomize Freemasonry enlightenment ideals, and are permeated with Masonic symbol20 deserve to walk this earth.” ism and imagery. For instance, the sun shield zodiac Sarastro These words that are demonstrative of the moral teachings wears upon his chest signifies the sun, the most potent of all of the order concerning forgiveness and revenge strongly echo Masonic symbols. His teachings are the illuminating rays that those spoken earlier by the Elderly Priest, when he instructed chase away the superstitious night and, thus, end the reign of Tamino, who came to the Temple seeking vengeance, that he ignorance represented by the Queen, whose lunar emblem is would not find love and virtue until “the hand of friendship a fitting symbol because people once attributed madness and leads him into the sanctuary of the sacred brotherhood.”21 The delusion to the effects of the moon, from which the term ‘lu“hand of friendship” is analogous to the hand of a brother, nacy’ is derived. The moon (yet another Masonic symbol) may who after certain tests removes from the candidate’s eyes the also be viewed in the context as being a false/temporal light obstruction to the Light, which in Tamino’s case, are his forand knowledge, i.e., an inferior reflection of the true Light. In mer prejudices. In Mozart’s musical-allegory Sarastro calls it The Magic Flute the triumph of light over darkness, enlighten“the sublime light of the sanctuary,” an unmistakable allusion ment over ignorance, is not achieved by means of violent force to that Masonic Light attainable in the Sublime Degree of AUTUMN 2011 • 19

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

on the part of Sarastro, Tamino, or Pamino, but through each character’s steadfastness and continual commitment to truth and virtue, even in the face of death. The final chorus of the opera should be of special interest to Freemasons. First Sarastro begins by singing, “The sun’s radiant glory has vanquished the night, and has destroyed the deceiving powers of the hypocrites. (then follows the chorus) Glory to the consecrated! You have been guided through the darkness, thanks to Osiris, and thanks to Isis. The strong have conquered, and as their reward, they are crowned with eternal beauty and wisdom.” 15 It is here in the opera’s final chorus that Masons find an allusion to the three pillars designating Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty in the Lodge. Thanks to these suggestive words we can appreciate the esoteric message Mozart intended for the initiated among his audience. The great German poet, Freemason, and member of the Illuminati, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was so moved by “The Magic Flute,” that he even considered writing a sequel.26 Concerning the opera and its symbolism he wrote: “Granted that the majority of spectators care for nothing but what meets the eye, the initiated will not fail to grasp the higher meaning.” 27 The same meaning remains today to be interpreted by Masonic audiences who will but see and hear.

(Endnotes) 1 2 Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Ed. Burton D. Fisher. Miami: Opera Journey’s Publishing, 2005. 54. Print. 3 Walker, D.P. Spiritual & Demonic Magic from Ficino to Campanella. Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2003. 12. Print. 4 Farmer, S. A. Syncretism in the West: Pico’s 900 Theses (1486) The Evolution of Traditional Religious and Philosophical Systems. Temple: Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies, 1998. 505. Print 5 Ibid., p.14. 6 Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Ed. Burton D. Fisher. Miami: Opera Journey’s Publishing, 2005. 63. Print. 7 Ibid., p.64. 8 Ibid., p.66. 9 Ibid., p.73. 10 Ibid., p.73. 11 Ibid., p.77 12 Macoy, Robert. A Dictionary of Freemasonry. New York: Granercy Books, 1989. 124. Print. 20 • AUTUMN 2011

13 Apuleius. The Golden Ass. Trans. P. G. Walsh. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. 234. Print. 14 Hall, Manly P. Masonic Orders of Fraternity. Los Angeles: The Philosophical Research Society, Inc, 1995. 88. Print. 15 Ibid., p.93. 16 Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Ed. Burton D. Fisher. Miami: Opera Journey’s Publishing, 2005. 80. Print. 17 Coil, Henry W. Coil’s Masonic Encyclopedia. Richmond: Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply Co., INC., 1996. Print. 18 Chevalier, Jean & Gheerbrant, Alain. Dictionary of Symbols. Trans. John Buchanan-Brown. London: Penguin Books, 1996. 852. Print. 19 Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Ed. Burton D. Fisher. Miami: Opera Journey’s Publishing, 2005. 85. 20 Ibid., p.87. 21 Ibid., p.66. 22 Ibid., p.73. 23 Ibid., p.104. 24 Ibid., p.84. 25 Ibid., p.104. 26 Ibid., p.20. 27 Hall, Manly P. Masonic Orders of Fraternity. Los Angeles: The Philosophical Research Society, Inc, 1995. 91-92. Print.

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

ANTI-MASONRY

Is Freemasonry Dangerous? by Jason E. Marshall

reemasonry is undergoing a popular culture renaissance thanks to books such as Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, and movies like National Treasure. As always our great fraternity has always had its detractors who believe that we are somehow evil and subversive to established religion, established governments, etc. I am sure that most us have met one of these high-strung individuals in person at one point or another. One of the problems that the fraternity now has is that these detractors are now more vocal than ever thanks to the various outlets that are available to them through the internet. One can hardly Google the term “Freemason” without being inundated with anti-Masonic websites. The questions that must be addressed are, is the new popular culture view of the fraternity correct? are the anti-masons correct?, and what can we do to protect and grow our great fraternity? The image which popular culture is painting of the fraternity, is largely correct, or at least it is correct in what the fraternity should be. While the fraternity does not hide secret directions to some sort of material hidden treasure, it does hold secrets to an even more precious treasure. The fraternity is designed to help take an ordinary man of good character, and turn him into an extraordinary man. The fraternity takes a man and helps him unlock his secret treasure, which is his full hidden potential. There is a Masonic saying that states that, “no man is the same after arising from a Masonic alter as he was when he first knelt there”, and that is the Truth. The fraternity demands that its members take a look inside of themselves, and correct their flaws. The fraternity also demands that their members look outside of themselves, and actually take an active role in improving the world around them. Therefore, while the skullduggery that is portrayed in popular culture, is an exaggerated take on the fraternity; there is some truth to their concept of the fraternity. The fraternity has played a major role in shaping the character of great men throughout the world, and that is its greatest treasure, its greatest gift. For the anti-Masons, if the claim being levied against us is that we are somehow dangerous to the “establishment”, then I believe that we are. The beautiful degrees of our fraternity teach men to be independent freethinkers. The Blue Lodge degrees are designed to take a rough ashlar of a man, and help him to shape himself into a more perfect ashlar. In the drama of the 3rd degree the M.M. becomes GMHA who stands up to the demands of the T.R. even though he knows that he will pay for his silence with his life. This heroism should not be construed as stubbornness, or dismissed as a simple duty to keep construction secrets. GMHA chose to stand up to the T.R. and resist their demands because he had an absolute duty to himself, his employer, and society as a whole. Therefore, freemasons are taught to stand up for what is right no matter what the cost. The brothers of the S.R. even take an oath to stand up against oppression and do what is right, and to take on an oppressive government, religion, or any other body that oppresses its people. Therefore, if the “establishment” is somehow being oppressive, then they have a good reason to be weary, hence why the Nazi’s, the Fascists, and the Communists have made sure to try and snuff out the fraternity as soon as they got into power. Of course, most of the anti-masons believe that we are attempting to start some sort of New World Order, and they point to the symbolism present in Washington D.C., and on U.S. currency as proof positive that such a plan is well underway. In the best cases, this is simply a case of misplaced aggression, and in the worst cases supreme ignorance. As Bro. Jim Tresner (33rd G.C.) is fond of saying, “If the anti-masons, knew how much trouble Masons had organizing a picnic, they would realize that we could never pull something off like a world government”. In fact, the reasoning of anti-masons is even more ludicrous when you look at the fact that many of United States’ greatest

founding fathers were members of the Masonic fraternity. The whole reason that there is even a United States today is because the founding fathers decided to try a grand experiment in freedom, which although imperfect, has been an astounding success. Now then, what is to be done to preserve and protect the identity of the fraternity? The answer to that is simply for us to do what we do best, be what we were meant to be. Our grand fraternity has survived for centuries through the low after the Morgan Affair, and the high of the fraternal movement which swept the U.S. in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. While our fraternity can no longer boast the huge membership numbers that it enjoyed in the decades that followed World War II, our fraternity is still strong. However, we are at a precipice where we must decide whether or not we will continue to be relevant, or degrade ourselves and become irrelevant. If we look at the numerous fraternities that have failed during the last century, the main reason for their failure is that they lowered their standards. The failed fraternities, lost sight of what made them great to begin with. Therefore, we must keep site of what the fraternity is truly about, we must hold fast to the philosophical soul of the fraternity. We can cave to the pressure of the anti-masons, which has already been done to some extent, or we can keep our standards high and tighten our belts. If we cave to the pressures of the anti-masons and open our doors wide to any man, or perhaps any woman, who desires admission, then are we doing our fraternity justice? Are we doing what our Masonic forefathers had envisioned and hoped for when they authored our magnificent system? If we cheapen the fraternity and give our secrets away to any man who is willing to listen and perhaps sign a check, then we will effectively kill our fraternity. Our fraternity will cease to be relevant in the modern world once we give up the essence of what makes our fraternity so great. The essence of what makes our fraternity great is that we are a fraternity that teaches sublimely beautiful lessons to our members, in the comfort and privacy of a closed group of like-minded men. A man with a small amount of computer proficiency can find most of our “secrets” using a search engine in about 5 minutes. However, what the man with a computer cannot find is the “essence” of the fraternity, that man cannot truly experience the power which is contained within the degrees. Therefore, if we lose the essence of the fraternity, then we will give men no reason to continue to show up to Lodge, or even a reason to join to begin with. In order to preserve the essence of the fraternity, it is essential that we provide a place where men are excited to come to Lodge. A place where men can join together with their brethren and perform the ritual which has been passed down to us from generation to generation. The Lodge must be a place of intellectual and spiritual progression. In short, the Lodge must be something that the brother cannot get anyplace else. If we lead by example, and do what the fraternity was meant to do, then we will not have a membership problem, because we will be attracting quality men, who cannot help but share their enthusiasm about the fraternity with other quality men, who will also want to join. In conclusion, we must take a good long hard look at what the soul of the fraternity is about. We must live up to the standards that our forefathers put in place for us. We must once again become the driving force for freedom of thought and freedom of religion. We must stand strong and not waiver in our steadfast pursuit of Truth, no matter what our detractors say. We must live up to the standards of every E.A. who knocks on our doors looking for Truth. Therefore, guard the West Gate, pull out your rituals and study their meaning, study the teachings of the fraternity, become a true seeker of M.L., and the fraternity will continue to be relevant and thrive. AUTUMN 2011 • 21

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

SOCIETY

TMS Semi-Annual Meeting Recap by James R. Dillman

The Masonic Society’s 2011 Semi-Annual Meeting held in Salt Lake City was a tremendous success by any measure. Before I delve into a recap of the TMS meeting, I’d like to offer a few comments about the Rocky Mountain Masonic Conference, which preceded the TMS portion of the weekend. I hesitate to speculate as to how many brethren attended the RMMC since I never set foot inside the conference room. Suffice it to say that there was a very strong contingent of brethren from the Rocky Mountain States in attendance. Thursday evening I ventured over to the Salt Lake Masonic Temple, where the Utah brethren had been giving tours of the building to conference attendees. I was too late for a tour, but was able to spend some time meeting some of the brethren, including Grand Master of Utah John Liley. After spending an hour or so there, GM Liley, a very personable fellow, took me on an hour-plus tour of Salt Lake City. For those who have never been there, I encourage you pay a visit to the city, which is certainly one of the cleanest and most beautiful in the entire country. The city lies in a valley about 4300 feet above sea level and is surrounded by the Wasatch mountains, several of which peak at over 10,000 feet. The highest peaks are still snow-covered even though the summer temperatures routinely reach well into the nineties. We then stopped by the RMMC hospitality room in the Embassy Suites and I had a chance to meet and chat with many of the brethren in attendance. On Friday morning, I arrived at the Embassy Suites early to set up The Masonic Society’s table just outside the RMMC conference room. Our table was right next to one that Bro. Cliff Porter had set up to sell his current book, The Secret Psychology of Freemasonry. I had forgotten that Bro. Cliff and I had met previously at York Rite Week in Alexandria, VA a couple of years ago. It was nice to renew acquaintances and to spend some time chatting about Freemasonry, the great work that Enlightenment Lodge in Colorado Springs, CO is doing, and his trip to the Middle East that he had returned from only a few hours prior to hopping a plane to Salt Lake City. Bro. Cliff was selling and signing books at a very steady pace. There was a lot of interest in The Masonic Society and I kept quite busy speaking to the RMMC brethren about the mission of TMS both before and after the session and during their several breaks. I ultimately signed up twelve new TMS members over the course of the day. I had discussions with and handed out brochures to many more. On the opposite side of our table, Bro. David Heathcoate, one of the RMMC presenters, was selling Masonic jewels and 22 • AUTUMN 2011

books. Bro. David hails from Cheshire, England and has one of the largest Masonic jewel collections in the world. He is a frequent visitor to Salt Lake City as a result of his friendship with PGM of Utah Glen Cook, who owns a home in Scotland that he visits regularly. Bro. David’s lovely wife Carol manned the table during the sessions and was great company while the meeting was in progress. All of the proceeds from Bro. David’s sales go to Masonic charities in England. Bro. Tom Jackson, former Grand Secretary of Pennsylvania was another one of the presenters. Bro. Tom was in great spirits and looked healthy and rested. This comes as a great relief to many of us who saw him at York Rite Week in Alexandria last February, when he was just out of the hospital and a long way from being recovered from a serious illness. I regret not slipping inside the door to hear any of the presentations, particularly Bro. Cliff Porter’s. As noted above, Bro. Cliff was already doing quite well hawking his new book. The power of his presentation, however, became apparent to me when the RMMC brethren made a beeline for his table the moment the conference adjourned for a break. There were easily a couple of dozen attendees lined up to buy the book and the comments on his presentation were glowing. I estimate that not more than a handful of brethren walked out of the building Friday afternoon without a copy of the book. I look forward to reading the book as well. Congratulations to Bro. Cliff. After the RMMC adjourned, I hustled back to the hotel to join the TMS officers and directors in a conference call, during which TMS President Michael Poll conducted our regularly scheduled board of directors meeting. After the meeting, Bros. Ken Davis, Jay Williams, Pete Normand, and I headed downtown for a late dinner at the Market Street Grill. We all enjoyed a wonderful dinner of fresh halibut with Bernaise sauce. Those of you who know Pete also know that he is quite the storyteller. Ken and Jay, both PhD’s, are extremely bright men, not the least bit pretentious, and delightful dinner companions. In my book, there are few things on earth more enjoyable than great food in tandem with engaging company and I was blessed with an abundance of both. After dinner, Bro. Reed Fanning, who I swear knows everyone in the city, gave Pete and I a little taste of the Salt Lake City nightlife as we retired to a local microbrewery for a drink and a cigar before calling it a night. On Saturday morning, the newly-chartered Utah Mark Master Lodge met to confer the Mark Master degree in the Salt Lake City Masonic Temple. I had hoped to attend, but at

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

6:30 A.M., my body was still crying for more rest, so I decided to sleep in. My understanding is that a good contingent of brethren showed up to witness the conferral. Ken, Jay, and I arrived around noon to begin setting up for the TMS meeting. We were treated to a quick tour of the building by one of the Utah brethren prior to the meeting. The Salt Lake City Masonic Temple is home to several lodges and appendant bodies, including the Scottish Rite. The building has a number of themed lodgerooms, such as the Moorish Room and the Egyptian Room and has been wonderfully maintained. One of the most unique features is the highly-polished cork floors in several areas of the building. The building is a must-see if you ever get to Salt Lake City. Bro. Jay Williams led off the meeting with a fascinating presentation on Navajo culture and the similarity between Navajo architecture and that of Freemasonry. All Navajo dwellings are arranged according to a specific plan in which certain household functions are to be carried out in the East, West, North, and South portions of the structure. Bro. Glen Cook, PGM of Utah, then took the floor and offered a riveting dissertation on the some of the history concerning the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) and its relationship with Freemasonry, particularly with the Grand Lodge of Utah. I’m hopeful that we can convince Bro. Glen to submit his presentation in the form of an article for the Journal of the Masonic Society. Bro. Ken Davis proffered an interesting new perspective on the much-explored relationship between Tarot and Freemasonry. As those of us who know Bro. Ken have grown to expect, the presentation was well-researched and presented flawlessly. Bro. Ken, in concert with TMS member David Naughton-Shires of Ireland, who is a talented illustrator, is working on a Masonic Tarot deck of cards that will feature images of historically prominent Freemasons on the cards. Bro. Pete Normand closed out the day with an examination of the history Royal Arch degree. Bro. Pete challenged several of the most popular foregone conclusions about the degree by asking some compelling questions, urging the audience to apply common sense, to take into account the historical context of the times in which the degree was written, and apply all of this to the concept of higher degrees of Freemasonry. Bro. Pete has an easygoing, folksy manner that will captivate any audience and his great sense of humor always shines through. His ability to incorporate his talent for speaking with his vast knowledge of his topic is the reason he is one of the most sought after Masonic speakers in the country. Once the meeting was concluded, we retired to the Alta Club for our banquet. The Alta Club is a private club located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City just off Temple Square. The club was founded in 1883 and has recently undergone renovations costing several million dollars. The room where we held our banquet could not have been more perfect. It was intimate without being crowded and we all enjoyed a

wonderful meal of prime rib or chicken with all the trimmings. Grand Master of Utah John Liley provided a few brief, but appropriate words on the current state of Freemasonry. It was a nice wrap-up to a fabulous weekend. I would be remiss if I didn’t take the time to commend our hosts for their warm and gracious hospitality. Grand Master of Utah John Liley, who serves as President of the Rocky Mountain Masonic Conference, personally took the time to see that I had transportation from my hotel to events in other parts of the city and on the brink of a very busy weekend with a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders, ushered me around the city in his personal car for over an hour so I had the opportunity to see some of the local sights before returning home. Thank you, Bro. John. I had a great time on the tour of the city and will remember the view from the top of that mountain forever. PGM Glen Cook, the Chairman of the 2011 Rocky Mountain Masonic Conference, generously allowed The Masonic Society to use his name to procure the Alta Club as the venue for our banquet. He was always available whenever I needed to pick up the phone and ask a question about arrangements at the RMMC hotel or at the Alta Club. Only a few people know that this meeting came within forty-eight hours of being cancelled. Just three weeks before the deadline, we had only five members signed up to attend and two of those were TMS officers. I e-mailed both Bro. John and Bro. Glen and advised them that it looked hopeless and that we were probably going to have to cancel the entire event in couple of days. Both brothers responded by asking me to give them some time to go out and promote the event and promote it they did. The registrations began rolling in and before it was all over we had forty registrations paid in full. This happened for one simple reason. Bros. John and Glen asked and the brethren of Utah responded. I will be eternally grateful for the assistance of Bros. John and Glen and to the brethren of Utah for responding in such rapid fashion. I hope that The Masonic Society fulfilled your expectations on every front and that you feel like you got your money’s worth. My own expectations were exceeded far beyond what I ever could have imagined. The hospitality extended to me was second to none anywhere. I made many new friends and had the chance to catch up with a couple of old ones. Thanks, Reed, for being my after-hours host. I had a great time. Thanks once again to all of our presenters, who were the real heroes of this weekend. We came to Salt Lake City with hopes of adding illumination to the pathway of the craftsmen, to share in Masonic fellowship, and to promote the mission of The Masonic Society. I think we succeeded. JAMES DILLMAN IS 2ND VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY.

AUTUMN 2011 • 23

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

SYMBOLISM

n-Dimensional Masonry by Michael Bayrak Introduction

“T

he study of the liberal arts, that valuable branch of education which tends so effectively to polish and adorn the mind, is earnestly recommended to your consideration; especially the science of Geometry, which is established as the basis of our art. Geometry, or Masonry, originally synonymous terms, being of a divine and moral nature, is enriched with the most useful knowledge; while it proves the wonderful properties of nature, it demonstrates the more important truths of morality.” While I realize the preceding words may be foreign to some of our readers, those who work Preston Webb ritual, Modern English rites or Emulation will likely find the preceding sentence from the Canadian Rite Fellowcraft Charge quite familiar. In my opinion, for any Mason who wishes to begin a true Masonic journey, that bit of prose is the fundamental statement, or starting point if you will. Even though it directs us to consider all seven liberal arts, it implies that before we take on those infallible subjects, our first step must begin in the direction of geometry. Without the knowledge of geometry, especially on the fundamentals, there is no basis from which any other science or art can exist. So it makes sense to start our studious journey there. Because geometry is the basis for all things physical or operative, Freemasonry as its congruency is perhaps the basis – or at least one of the “beautiful systems” – for all things ADVERTISEMENT metaphysical or speculative. Therefore, using this comparison, at what geometric point, line, plane or space does the transition from “masonry” to “Freemasonry” begin and end? Where do we, as humans, begin to view things beyond the physical and peer into the metaphysical? To do that, we need to start with the basics of geometry and work our way up in knowledge, and then compare these findings with our Masonic ritual and symbols such as the working tools. Basic Geometry Some of the following may sound trivial from an academic view, but from an introspective Masonic view, the progression is profound. 0-Point: Begin with a point. A point has 0 dimensions and cannot be measured. 1-Line: Next you take two distinct points and connect them to make straight line. A line must consist of at least two points. This is the first dimension. The line can also extend indefinitely. 2-Plane: If another point is added outside the straight line, now 24 • AUTUMN 2011

you have a plane. A plane is two-dimensional, and again, infinite. A plane exists by consisting of at least three distinct points, of two distinct lines, or of a line and a point not on that line. 3-Space (or Cube): If a point, a line or a plane exist outside a plane, then you now have space. This is the third dimension. 4-Time: Time, which is deemed as the fourth dimension in physics, does not exist in geometry, but in theory, we can go beyond the third dimension. n-Cube: If two distinct points make a line, two distinct lines make a plane, and two distinct planes make space – what do two distinct spaces make? Answer: a four-dimensional cube.

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Therefore, two distinct four-dimensional cubes make a fivedimensional cube, and so on. You can try to picture a cube moving in space, but we are dealing with statics rather than physics, so there is no “movement.” Consider this equation: x < x2 < x3 < x4 … < x n < xn+1 as n → ∞ This is n-Dimensional Geometry, and it is difficult to comprehend in that it can no longer be drawn or modeled or physically exist in our three-dimensional space, but mathematically it does exist. So is this where we add the prefix “meta” to “physical” and begin to understand the transition from operative to speculative? n-Dimensions It is said in ritual that “geometry and Masonry are originally synonymous terms.” But what use is n-dimensional geometry to an operative Mason existing in our current three-dimensional space? Now here’s a bit of a jump. Allegorically, where did the builders of King Solomon’s Temple use a five-dimensional cube? Obviously in the physical sense, they did not. But what if I told you that I believe that they did? And if they used five dimensions, why not six, seven, 1024 and so on? I believe they used an n-dimensional cube because – by using this abstract concept of geometry coupled with Masonic ritual – we can see where it is implied in our speculative work. Remember this passage from the JW’s lecture? “Let me introduce you to the form of the Lodge, which is a parallelepipedon, in length from East to West, in breadth from North to South, in depth from the surface of the earth to its center, and even as high as the heavens. A parallelepipedon? What’s that? Length from East to West? Well how far is that? Breadth from North to South. How many miles is that? And as high as the heavens? How high is that? The answer is simple. A parallelepipedon is a geometrical polyhedron, as it has many sides or planes. If it has many planes, it has many spaces. If it has many spaces, then it has many n-dimensional cubes. Therefore, the form of the Lodge is infinite in space. It stretches out beyond the walls, the floor, and the ceiling toward infinity – beyond our three-dimensions up to the nth dimension. Why? Ritual tells us that “a Masonic Lodge is of this vast extent to show the universality of the science – and that a Mason’s charity knows no bounds, save those of prudence.” But how can one measure charity or love in defined dimensions? That love must originate from somewhere, and this three-dimensional building cannot be built without marking out a starting point on a plane where the cornerstone is to be laid. The Point As the basis of geometry begins with a single point, so too does Masonry. From the closing in the FC degree: WM: — Bro JW, in this position, what have you discovered? JW: — A sacred symbol, WM.

WM: — Bro SW, where is it situated? SW: — In the center of the building, WM. WM: — Bro JW, to whom does it allude? JW: — To God, the GGOTU, WM. The letter “G” that hangs in many Canadian Lodges above the altar is situated in the center of the building. And you, my brother Mason, are that building. As Masonry is presented to us, an important realization emerges. We begin to see that the Temple of Solomon – the Lodge itself being an earthly representation, coupled with the symbols and even the officer duties – is a spiritual representation of our human inner being and Divine Spirit. That Spirit is beyond physical dimension, or to look at it another way, it has no dimension. In the opening of the MM degree, the ritual catechism flows between the three principal officers and it is said that a MM “leaves the East and [goes] towards the West … to seek for that which was lost, which with your assistance and our own endeavors we hope to find … in the center – that point within a circle from which every part of the circumference is equidistant … because that is a point from which a MM cannot err.” “Cannot err”? Well, that’s just not humanly possible. As previously mentioned, EAs are told that the form of the Lodge is essentially infinite space beyond three dimensions. All FCs are said to “meet on the level,” on a single plane within this space, and MMs cannot err on a point on the plane. This continuum shows a progression from n-dimensions to zerodimension. The same can be said for the working tools. EAs use a 24-inch gauge, a common gavel and a chisel to work on a rough ashlar. The 24-inch gauge computes time; without time, without that added dimension onto a threedimensional object such as a rough ashlar, nothing can be achieved by the EA. You cannot use a gavel on a chisel unless time is added. “Perseverance (time) is necessary to establish perfection – for “the head may conceive and the heart devise in vain if the hand be not prompt to execute the design.” FCs use a square, level and a plumb rule. All are used in two dimensions to compare perpendiculars (two lines on a plane). These tools individually are timeless, as they do not require time for their purpose to be useful. Used together, they work in three dimensions. And note that these tools are the “movable jewels” of the three principal officers. In olden days, FCs could become wardens, but not until you had worked with the plumb rule and level could you work with a square, the Master’s jewel. Only when you have completed all three tools can you become a Past Master, prove the 47th Problem of Euclid, and wear it as a jewel. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. MMs use a skirret, a pencil and the compasses – all of which can produce a line in one dimension. “The skerrit acts on a center pin from which a line is drawn to mark out the ground for the foundation of the intended structure.” The compasses consist of two points, from which a line can be derived. While the compasses can draw out a circle, it can also create squares and perpendiculars using geometric techniques. That said, one point of the compasses cannot exist without the other point existing on a line, but that point must originate from its derivation at AUTUMN 2011 • 25

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

dimensionally from four dimensions toward zero. This 0th dimension is the limit we never reach. Reverting back to our original question of where the transition occurs from the physical to metaphysical, from operative to speculative, from masonry to Freemasonry, we have used geometry to build our case from a point in zero dimensions to an infinite number of points in n-dimensions. And now we have come “full circle” – using Masonic ritual to show the transition from the “vast extent” of our boundless Lodge and love, through the descending dimensions of the functions of the working tools we “apply to our morals,” and eventually returning to that dimensionless point of perfection in the center, where we can no longer err and where the “genuine secrets” are found. MICHAEL BAYRAK BECAME A FREEMASON IN 1997 IN IVANHOE LODGE NO. 142, EDMONTON, ALBERTA, WHERE HE SERVED AS MASTER IN 2006. HE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE SCOTTISH RITE, ROYAL ARCH AND ALLIED MASONIC DEGREES. HE RECENTLY SPENT FOUR YEARS TRAVELLING THROUGHOUT THE U.S. ON WORK CONTRACTS AND ESPECIALLY ENJOYED CONNECTING WITH HIS MASONIC BRETHREN AT VARIOUS LOCAL LODGES. another point, etc. The pencil is used to mark this originating point and draw lines. Again, where exactly is this originating point? The working tools of an EA, a FC and a MM progress their function

26 • AUTUMN 2011

Discover the history behind Dan Brown’s “The Lost Symbol”

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

THE GENTLEMAN MASON

Books, Arts, Styles & Manners BOOKS

The Secret Psychology of Freemasonry: Alchemy, Gnosis, and the Science of the Craft by Cliff Porter R. Gregory Starr, Editor Jim Tresner, Introduction Published by Starr Publishing, LLC (June 22, 2011) Paperback: 220 pages ISBN 0615497705 Review by Michael R. Poll

n college I once had an English professor who was something of a strange bird. He dressed and spoke like someone who lived on the street. Yet, he had not one, but two PhD’s in English. No one doubted that he was brilliant. I remember him once saying that language is a tool to be used with the same level of skill, and logic, as we would use any important tool. He said that how we use the “language tool” is important. We can write (or speak) to impress others or to communicate. His idea was that if we wish to successfully communicate what is in our minds, we should use the language that is best understood by the ones with whom we wish to communicate. It was how he taught. He did not have us running to the dictionary trying to find the meaning of obscure words peppered throughout his lectures. He used language that was understood by everyone and presented his material in the most understandable manner. He taught us. He did not try to simply impress us with his level of education. He was a great teacher. This is exactly what I love about Cliff Porter’s new book, “The Secret Psychology of Freemasonry.” What would seem to be a dry and daunting subject to explore, is, in fact, a very easy to read, easy to understand and valuable look at a deep aspect of Freemasonry. We are given clear examples, clear explanations and clear thoughts. In only a short time, the reader begins to understand why this book is valuable to him. Cliff Porter has greatly assisted those in search for the deeper aspects of Freemasonry by offering us a book that explores the reasons why Freemasonry touches that “something” within us and how we can best use the teachings to the benefit of us all. We learn the “whys” of Masonic philosophy, symbols and secrets; all with the goal of better helping us improve ourselves and finding our own path in the world. I highly recommend this book. Man and Mason—Rudyard Kipling by Richard Jaffa Published by Authorhouse (2011) Paperback: 255 pages ISBN 9781456781347

Through many poems, novels and stories, Kipling populated his work with Masonic characters, some heroic, some flawed, but always very human. While many biographers have told the story of Kipling’s life, none have zeroed in on his Masonic background specifically before this. Author Richard Jaffa has presented a detailed and rich narrative of the personal influences that made Kipling the fascinating author he became, but he has also delved deeply into the known facts about our famous brother’s Masonic career. He also lavishes great detail on all of Kipling’s Masonic works, in many cases tracking down the probable inspiration for the stories and characters. Jaffa is a meticulous author and leaves little to supposition. If you only know of Kipling through his Masonic tales like The Man Who Would be King or Kim, this volume is an enlightening book that will bring Brother Kipling alive for you. CH The Extraordinary Catalog of Peculiar Inventions by Julia Suits Published by Penguin (2011) Paperback: 203 pages ISBN 9780399536939 At the turn of the last century, forty-percent of all American men belonged to some kind of fraternal lodge of one kind or another, and Masonry didn’t have a corner on the market. There were Odd Fellows, Red Men, Woodmen, Eagles, Elks, Moose, Hoo Hoos, Owls and literally dozens of other groups, who didn’t take their initiation quite as seriously as the Masons did. Compared to some of them, the Shriners were downright tame. Providing wacky initiation devices for these groups fell to the inventive DeMoulin Brothers Company, who manufactured everything from electrified branding irons and bucking artificial goats to collapsing chairs and water squirting phones, all jam packed into their specialty catalogs for the various fraternities. While today just about everything in these catalogs would be considered hazing by most attorneys, at the time this was state-of-the-art initiation equipment. The DeMoulins were inventive, high tech artisans in their day (the company still exists today, mostly making band uniforms). Julia Suits has collected the very best—or worst—of these devices into one handy volume. It is a snapshot of a very different moment in time, when pranks like electrified welcome mats and exploding altars were considered good, clean fun by boys seeking a fun night out, and perhaps a little revenge on the next poor initiate. CH

Few authors of fiction have contributed more to the public face of Freemasonry than Brother Rudyard Kipling. AUTUMN 2011 • 27

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

THE GOOD LIFE Dudley Wristwatch The Barclay Watch Company $299 Direct from barclaywatch.com

The Barclay Watch Co. in North Apollo, Pennsylvania is offering a unique limited edition wristwatch. For those of us poor, distressed brethren whose pocketbooks can’t afford an antique Dudley pocket watch, W:.B:. Edwin L. Barclay. P.M. has created the next best thing. It is a numbered, limited edition wristwatch based on the Dudley classic symbolic design, fully visible from the watch’s face. From the Barclay website: Brother William Wallace Dudley built his factory in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, after working many years for the Hamilton Watch Company. Dudley produced pocket watches using the

28 • AUTUMN 2011

standard case and dial designs of that time period, but it was only upon turning the timepiece over that the exposed movement using the Masonic “emblems” was revealed. Fewer than 6,000 of these rare pieces were ever created before the popularity of the wristwatch, which surpassed the sales of all pocket watches around 1927, forced the Dudley Watch Company to close its doors forever. Brother Barclay has created a massive 40mm stainless steel wristwatch variation of the classic Dudley style. It contains gold-plated Masonic symbols, and a 17 jewel selfwinding mechanism that will never need a battery (a window on the back is also provided, and the self-winding mechanism is visible, for those of us who always wondered how they worked). Each watch is numbered, and only 2,500 will be produced. The watch comes with a leather strap, and in a beautiful presentation case. The price is currently $299, and Barclay Watch Co. is donating $40 from every watch sold, to Pennsylvania Masonic Charities (up to $100,000). I made an early birthday present to myself of one, and it is a most impressive piece. CH

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Looking for Masonic Society hats, shirts, cups, mousepads, Journal back issues and more? Visit our store at www.themasonicsociety.com where you’ll find a growing number of custom items to show your pride in membership!

Don’t keep your lapel pin collection hidden in a box or a drawer. Display them proudly with

www.lodgepinbanner.com

WMFH Supply

P.O. Box 30321 Spokane, WA 99223 AUTUMN 2011 • 29

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

FROM THE EDITOR

How Freemasons Invented America by Christopher L. Hodapp, fms

n 1722, an Englishman named Daniel Coxe wrote a book with the unwieldy title, A Description of the English Province of Carolana, by the Spaniards Call’d Florida, and by the French, La Louisiane, and also of the Great and Famous River Meschacebe, or Missisipi [sic]. You just don’t get really killer titles like this anymore. His father, Dr. Daniel Coxe II, physician to both King Charles II and Queen Anne, had been given what was the largest royal land grant to an individual in America. It included everything between the 31st and 36th north latitudes, west all the way to the Pacific – almost one-eighth of the total landmass of the United States and Canada –what now comprises parts of Virginia, Georgia, both Carolinas, Florida, Louisiana, plus everything on both sides of the Mississippi as far north as Kentucky. It is an unfortunate geopolitical law of survival that land is only yours if you can keep it. Coxe and his descendents tried to interest their English countrymen for almost a hundred years in colonizing the region, without much success. The family finally gave up and gave it back to the King in return for a nice, manageable farm in New York in 1769. Most Americans have never heard of Daniel Coxe or his book, much less that his family owned what about 95 million of us now water, mow and rake leaves off of every year. That’s a shame, because Daniel Coxe invented the United States. And he was a Freemason. In his book, Coxe the younger described the landscape, flora and fauna of this massive landscape, as told to him by traders, trappers and other ambitious travelers. It was essentially a lengthy brochure to interest potential colonists in the Carolana project, and as lavish and romantic descriptions of far-flung, exotic lands go, it’s a doozy. Spain and France both had territorial claims to much of the same area, and in the preface to his book, Coxe admits that defending it against foreign claim jumpers would be a tough job, especially if it had no settlers. At one point, he recommends that everything west of the Mississippi be given to the Spanish, and everything east of the river should be English land. Any French in the area, it was suggested, should just go home. One of his greatest frustrations was that the other existing English colonies, stretching along the eastern coastline of America, were a fractious bunch. One thing was certain: if the Spanish or the French decided to get frisky and flex their colonial muscles, it was a near total certainty that the individual English colonies would have no interest whatsoever in banding together to help defend their land from foreign powers, or even from hostile Indian tribes. The colonies were isolated and stubborn, each with their own governments, customs and attitudes. There were New York Dutch, Delaware Swedes, New Jersey Scots, Pennsylvania Quakers, Massachusetts Puritans and merchants, Virginia planters descended from fleeing English Cavaliers, and other groups that had settled in various regional areas. Every colony had its own identity. Their neighbors were, largely, strangers, and probably not to be entirely trusted. What Coxe the younger proposed was the first plan for a Union of the

Colonies. Coxe was a Mason, and a member of Lodge No. 8 at Devil’s Tavern in London. In 1730, while he was back visiting in London, Brother Daniel Coxe was named as the Provincial Grand Master for New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and in 1731, just prior to his return to America, he was toasted as the Provincial Grand Master of North America. While Coxe’s book was mostly his promotional scheme to drum up business, what he proposed was an assembly made up of delegates from every colony, and a national executive who would unite the states for their mutual benefit and protection – an arrangement strikingly similar to the administrative system of Freemasonry’s grand lodges. In 1754, in response to troubles in the West, the English recommended a union and federation of the colonies in order to defend them from the French. Freemason Benjamin Franklin was appointed as a representative from Pennsylvania to the Albany Congress, and proposed a Plan of Union remarkably similar to Coxe’s. What makes the proposals of Brothers Coxe and Franklin interesting is that their plans were essentially the same system used by Provincial Grand Lodges to govern Masonic lodges in their jurisdictions. Franklin would later say that his Albany plan was not adopted because it gave the colonies too much democracy, which worried both the King (who didn’t entirely trust his subjects) as well as the colonies (who didn’t entirely trust their neighbors). His proposal would ultimately be voted down by the colonies, who had no desire to work together, much less be watched over by a chief executive “PresidentGeneral.” But Franklin’s plan would be resurrected again and used as the framework for the Articles of Confederation that governed the states between the Revolution and the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. Freemasonry is so intertwined with the formation of what became the United States, and the system that governs it. When the Continental Congress declared independence from Britain in 1776, it appointed a committee to formulate a plan for the union of the states. Freemasons on the committee included John Dickinson, Thomas McKean, Joseph Hewes, Robert R. Livingston, and others.

AUTUMN 2011 • 31

The Masonic Society 1427 W. 86th Street, Ste. 248 Indianapolis, IN 46260-2103

Masonic Treasures In a park in the middle of Finland’s capital Helsinki there is an old lonely nameless grave. On a rough tombstone you can read this text in old Swedish: “It is not important if the world knows who rests here. God knows his merits and the poor bless his memory”. For more than two hundred years, this grave has been known as the “Freemason’s Grave”. In the beginning of last century, it played an important role in the history of Finnish Masonry. It is well known who rests there. He is major Fredrik Granatenhjelm, who died in 1784. In the next year, his body was moved from a graveyard to this lonely place in a park which he had loved. Later one of his friends erected the stone with the strange text – it tells about the fact that major Granatenhjelm had been a great benefactor. Quite soon after this, in 1809, Russia conquered Finland which had belonged to Sweden, and the country became an autonomous Grand Duchy in the Russian empire. Freemasonry in Finland faded away, and in 1822 it was forbidden in the whole empire. But the well-known Freemason’s Grave and its text upheld the fame of Freemasonry throughout those anti-Masonic years. There lived some Freemasons in Finland though during the Russian regime which lasted for more than a hundred years. They were merchants, sea captains etc. who had been raised abroad. In 1908, they had a secret meeting where they decided to establish a society who would lay a wreath on the Freemason’s Grave every year on 1 May which is the major’s birthday. So they began to meet yearly in secrecy and used to have a festive board together, but for caution, usually only one man went alone and laid the wreath on the grave, very early in the morning. In 1913, the society took the name Granatenhjelm Fund, according to the famed benefactor. Starting Freemasonry again in Finland became the main purpose of this fund. Soon after Finland became independent in 1917, this succeeded, and Swedish Freemasonry began its activities again in Finland in 1923. (A year earlier, in 1922, Craft Freemasonry of American origin was started in Finland, so that there are two parallel regular Masonic systems in Finland now, but that’s another story.) Today, the Freemason’s Grave still is a well-known old monument, and it still keeps up the fame of Freemasons as benefactors who do not seek their own glory. A wreath is still laid on the grave yearly on 1 May. The iron fence was erected by Freemasons in 1926. Text: Juhana Häme Photo: Lasse Hedman