February 2012 Issue #49
Rudyard Kipling: Author, Poet, Journalist, and Freemason Plus a very special article written specifically for TWT by author Bro. Robert Lomas! Limited Edition Autographed PRINTED Copies Available. See inside for details. Featuring original papers by Brothers: Kyle Ferguson Matt Johnson Chase William Kruppo
Over 70 pages of Masonic Education
Jacob Lucas John Nagy P.D. Newman Scott Schwartzberg www.twtmag.com
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WELCOME
Hello Brethren, Welcome to the February 2012 issue of The Working Tools Magazine. This is a very special issue for me in many ways. Firstly, it contains an article written specifically for TWT by the best selling author Bro. Robert Lomas. If you’re friends with me on Facebook you no doubt have heard already about how excited I am about this. Secondly, I get numerous emails a month asking about a printed copy of TWT. I have said many times that without a cheap enough method of printing and delivery I didn’t want to offer it. As a compromise I am making this issue available as a “Special Edition” signed by Robert Lomas. I am hoping that this offsets the cost it takes to print and mail. If it sells well enough I will consider doing it again. Lastly, I broke my rule about very long articles in this issue and published a paper that a young Mason sent me in response to his Minister asking him about compatibility between his religion and Masonry. I felt it was important to run not only because it was very well written with excellent examples but also because it shows that even in 2012 there are misconceptions about Masonry even coming from highly educated people. I’m hoping many of you can use this to fight the ignorance. Cover Story I interviewed Author Bro/ Richard Jaffa of “Man and Mason- Rudyard Kipling”. The book is absolutely fascinating as is his interview. I really think you’ll enjoy the Q&A. You’ll also find some shorter poems of Kipling to help illustrate his works. Until next time...
Cory Sigler
Cory Sigler, PM
If you are going to Masonic Week 2012 , I would love to meet you there to say “Hi”.
Hawthorne Fortitude #200
Find me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/corysigler & facebook.com/twtmag
NEW EMAIL - TWTMAG@YAHOO.COM
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This Month in Masonry................................10 One Minute Mason.......................................11 Freemason Quotes.com..............................12 Old Tyler Talks by Carl Claudy...................13 Word of the Month.......................................14 Grand Lodge Spotlight................................15 Masons in the News.....................................37 Book review..................................................41
Featured Writers Robert Lomas..............................................17 John Nagy....................................................20 P.D. Newman................................................24 Kyle Ferguson..............................................27 Matt Johnson...............................................30 Chase William Kruppo................................32 Jacob Lucas….…….….…..………… 60 & 66
Cover- Rudyard Kipling...............................42 York Rite News & Information....................57 Scottish Rite News & Information..............64 Final Words.................................................70
Click on the page numbers to quickly jump to that page
The Working Tools is published monthly by Corsig Publishing & Cory Sigler, It is not affiliated with any Grand Lodge. Letters or inquiries should be directed to Cory Sigler, Editor, at E-mail: TWTMAG@yahoo.com All letters become the property of the Working Tools. Photographs and articles should be sent to the attention of the Editor. Every effort will be made to return photographs but this cannot be guaranteed. Please include a selfaddressed stamped envelope. The Editor reserves the right to edit all materials received.
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This Months Contributors
Scott Schwartzberg Raised in 2007 at USS New Jersey No. 62 in Cherry Hill, NJ, Scott is currently Marshall of Boynton Lodge No. 236, Boynton Beach, FL. He is one of the founding members of Boynton Lodge Esoteric Research Group (B.L.E.R.G.), a member of the SR Bodies at the Valley of Lake Worth, and YR Bodies of Ft. Lauderdale.
Matt Johnson Matt is a member of Pioneer Lodge #82 in Peoria, Arizona. He has taught college history courses and comes from a family of Freemasons dating back to the 1700s.
Kyle James Ferguson Junior Warden of Kingsbury Lodge No. 466, Olyphant, PA. He is a plural member of Union Lodge No. 291, F. & A.M. and a regular member of Lackawanna Chapter No. 185 RAM, and the Valley of Scranton AASR NMJ, all of Scranton, PA. He is also a member of The Masonic Society and a Level 1 Masonic Scholar in the PA Academy of Masonic Knowledge. He is an avid writer and authors the blog The Philosophical Freemason (http://philosophical). He resides with his wife in Dunmore, PA.
Dr. John S. Nagy is a Master Mason and author of the “Building Series” of Masonic Education books. His books and his workshops cover aspects of Masonry designed to Build Better Builders. You can find out more about him, his books and his workshops through his website at: http://www.coach.net
Chase William Kruppo Chase has been active in Freemasonry for 2 years. He was raised in June of 2010 at Madison Lodge #93 in Madison, NJ. He was a part of the Fall 2010 class of 32° Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite candidates for the Northern Valley of New Jersey. Currently serves as Senior Deacon.
Phillip Daniel. Newman is a member of Tupelo Lodge, No. 318 in Tupelo, MS. New Albany Chapter of R.A.M., No. 49 New Albany Council of R.&S.M., No. 3 Barney Trice Council of R.&.S.M., No. 48 (S.E.M.) New Albany Commandery of K.T., No. 29 Valley of Corinth, Orient of MS (A.&A.S.R., S.J.) MS College (S.R.I.C.F.)
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Cory: Every issue is better than the last. I don’t understand how you have time to do anything else‌. This looks like a monumental effort.
Mail Bag Dear Cory,
Bro. Cory: Once again, thanks for including me in The Working Tools Magazine. Since I edit a magazine myself I realize the amount of work it takes to get something like TWT magazine out the door. You do an amazing job of it. Thanks for all the work you do for our fraternity. S&F,
Thank you for your very good work with TWT! One comment though... In the story on page 32 in January 2012 edition of TWT you write: "European Union leaders met with THE GRAND MASTERS OF EUROPE". But only Romania, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Germany and Greece were mentioned in the story. There are quite a few more "Masonic" countries in Europe. Why were they not attending that meeting?
Steve
Love the new magazine format available online!!! Brian L Estes
Is there a hard copy of this magazine available by subscription for a fee?
Could the reason be that at least some Grand Lodges in the above mentioned countries are not regular and not recognized by regular Grand Lodges? Where were for example the GM's of the regular Grand Lodges of England, Scotland, Ireland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Finland etc. etc.? S&F Simo (Finland)
Harold Davidson
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TWT CONTEST WINNER The winner of the contest is
Bro David Berger Who answered the following correctly “5” jam-packed Sections filled with over “60”categories and Over “950” Uncommon Masonic Oriented Aphorisms with over “170” pages of quality information with footnotes and additional Masonic challenges throughout the book.
CONGRATULATIONS For more info on this book please visit http://www.coach.net/BP_review.htm www.twtmag.com
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Observing The Craft “The Pursuit of Excellence in Masonic Labor and Observation”
“One of the most important books that all Freemason’s have to read immediately” - Cory Sigler
Available now on Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Observing-Craft-Pursuit-ExcellenceObservance/
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This Month in Masonry
February Feb 7th- On this date in 1981, the Grand Lodge of Alaska was organized Feb 9th - On this date in 1909, Harry S. Truman received his 1st degree in Belton Lodge #450, Missouri. Feb 11th- On this date in 1988, a group of Masonic leaders met with President Ronald Reagan; the Grand Master of DC presented him with a certificate, and the Scottish Rite and Shrine made him an honorary member of those bodies. Feb 18th- On this date in 1909, U.S. President William Howard Taft received his 1st degree in Kilwinning Lodge #356, Cincinnati, Ohio Feb 19th- On this date in 1811, the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia was formed in Washington D.C. Feb 23rd- On this date in 1887, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle received his 2nd degree. Feb 24th- On this date in 1853, the Grand Lodge of Minnesota was formed
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Blogs
One Minute Mason Blog http://oneminutemason.blogspot.com/ By Bro Steve Harrison
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Freemason Quotes.com
Follow them on Facebook(facebook.com/freemasonquotes) Twitter (@FreemasonQts) "Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today." Mark Twain
"An economist's guess is liable to be as good as anybody else's." Will Rodgers
Benjamin Disraeli: "The fool wonders, the wise man asks."
Henry Ford: "Quality means doing it right when no one is looking."
What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” –Bro. Albert Pike "Democracy shows not only its power in reforming governments, but in regenerating a race of men and this is the greatest blessing of free governments." -Andrew Jackson “A champion is someone who gets up when he can't.” –Bro. Jack Dempsey
“Superhuman effort isn't worth a damn unless it achieves results.” –Bro. Ernest Shackleton
“Ideas are the great warriors of the world, and a war that has no idea behind it, is simply a brutality.”— Bro. James A. Garfield, 20th US President “The most important thing we can do is inspire young minds and to advance the kind of science, math and technology education that will help youngsters take us to the next phase of space travel.” –Bro. John Glenn www.twtmag.com
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Old Tyler Talks by Carl Claudy
"Well, they'll have to show me!" cried the New Brother to the Old Tiler, on guard in the anteroom with sword in hand. "Who will have to show you what?" inquired the guardian of the door. "The committee appointed to investigate a couple of petitions for reinstatement on the rolls of the lodge!" answered the New Brother. "Old Godfrey was dropped for nonpayment of dues thirty-six years ago. He has never petitioned this or any other lodge for membership since. Now he wants to reinstate himself. A brother Jerkins I never heard of, who was raised forty years ago and took a demit thirty-one years ago, wants to come back- he's never affiliated in all that time." "I've heard of those cases," mused the Old Tiler. "I helped raise them both." "You can't tell me they haven't put their eyes on our Masonic Home! Having reached an age which shows them some practical use for the fraternity, they now propose to pay a year's dues, and then get into the Home to be taken care of for the rest of their lives! But not if I can stop it! "Softly, softly, my brother!" warned the Old Tiler. "It is against the laws of the Grand Lodge to disclose to any one how you have voted or intend to vote on any application for membership." "Well, and I won't then!" cried the New Brother. "But they won't get in!" "Are you not previous in judgement?" inquired the Old Tiler, gently. "Seems to me you'd better wait and hear what the committees have to say on the matter." "What could the committees say? I won't let any softhearted committee pull anything on me. I love the lodge too much!" "Don't love her so much you forget that the 'greatest of these is charity!'" warned the Old Tiler. "Nor that these whose motives you judge are yet your brethren, sworn to the same obligations." "I happen to know something about these cases. Brother Godfrey was a spoiled child. As a young man he had so much money that he didn't know what to do with it. It was just carelessness that he allowed himself to be dropped N.P.D. He didn't care for Masonry. He was all for travel, a good
time, balls and parties and races and such. About ten years ago his wife died- he had a good wife and he was very fond of her. It changed him. He felt differently about many things. He commenced to do something for some one beside himself. He still has more money than he can spend. There is no possibility of his becoming a charge on the lodge. And I happen to know why he wants to come back." "Why is it?" "He's ashamed of himself!" answered the Old Tiler. "He's offered to pay back all the back dues, with interest. I told him we couldn't accept that; that he couldn't buy his way back into the lodge. But he is no worse off than another in like case. If he tells the committee what he told me, that he is old enough to know better and to value brotherhood; that he wants again to be a part of our gentle Craft and to make up for what he has lost all these years, they will doubtless report favorably. This lodge will not override its committee unless someone has something personal against him." "Oh, well, that's different, of course!" The New Brother looked a little ashamed. "How about Brother Jenkins?" "Well, he's different, too!" smiled the Old Tiler. "Brother Jenkins was a young man full of promise, fire and energy. He had a good position, a good income, a fine wife and four little children. Then he fell and hurt his head; he was two years under the doctor's care. They had no money; she went to work. Of course the lodge helped. He got his wits back and went to work, but he couldn't do any but physical labor. Something was gone from his mind. He was not crazy, but he couldn't think hard or long. So he became a carpenter. He paid back to the lodge every penny it had spent on him. Then he took his demit. He couldn't afford the dues and he wouldn't let us carry him. Somehow he brought up his children; they are all happily married now. The wife is dead, worn out. He is alone, with an income quite sufficient for his simple needs, and four stalwart children to care for him if it isn't enough. Now that he can afford it, he wants to come back into the lodge he loved and left." "Oh, you make me so ashamed! I'm a first-class moron and no Mason at all, to judge before I knew!" The New Brother looked at the Old Tiler remorsefully. "It never pays," grinned the Old Tiler. "I don't believe any one will want to drop a black cube for Brother Jenkins, do you?" "Not I!" cried the New Brother. "Didn't I tell you now to tell how you would vote?" chided the Old Tiler. But his eyes smiled TWT
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WORD OF THE MONTH
Masonic Symbolism & Words Brought to you by Www.masonicdictionary.com This Month’s Word is: Refreshment Friscus, or frescus, in the Latin had the meaning of new, fresh, recent; the re meant again; so that refresh means to renew, to make over, to undo the ravages of use and time, in Shakespeare’s phrase, “to knit up the raveled sleeve of care.” To “pass from labor to refreshment” is to find rest and recreation so as to undo the wearing effects of toil, as when a laborer knocks off at noon to eat his lunch and have a rest. - Source: 100 Words in Masonry
In Masonic language, refreshment is opposed in a peculiar sense to labor. While a Lodge is in activity it must be either at labor or at refreshment. If a Lodge is permanently closed until its next communication, the intervening period is one of abeyance, its activity for Masonic duty having for the time been suspended; although its powers and privileges as a Lodge still exist, and may be at any time resumed. But where it is only temporarily closed, with the intention of soon again resuming labor, the intermediate period is called a time of refreshment, and the Lodge is said not to be closed, but to be called from labor to refreshment. The phrase is an old one, and is found in the early rituals of the eighteenth Century. Calling from labor to refreshment differs from closing in this, that the ceremony is a very brief one, and that the Junior Warden then assumed the control of the draft, in token of which he erects his column on his stand or pedestal, while the Senior Warden lays his down. This is reversed in caging on, in which the ceremony is equally brief.
the visiting Brethren, after having duly ascertained that they were Freemasons. The junior Entered Apprentice was placed in the north to present the intrusion of cowans and eavesdroppers; and a long table, and sometimes two, where the Lodge was numerous, were extended in parallel lines from the pedestal to the place where the Wardens sat, on which appeared not only the emblems of Freemasonry, but also materials for refreshments-for in those days every section of the lecture had its peculiar toast or sentiment and at its conclusion the Lodge was called from labour to refreshment by certain ceremonies, and a toast, technically called "the Charge," was drunk in a bumper with the honours, and not infrequently accompanied by an appropriate song. After which the Lodge was called from refreshment to labour, and another section was delivered with the like result. At the present day, the banquets of Lodges, When they take place, are always held after the Lodge is closed; although they are still supposed to be under the charge of the Junior Warden. When modern Lodges are called to refreshment, it is either as a part of the ceremony of the Third Degree, or for a brief period; sometimes extending to more than a day when labor, which had not been finished, is to be resumed and concluded.
The word refreshment no longer bears the meaning among Freemasons that it formerly did. It signifies not necessarily eating and drinking, but simply cessation from labor. A Lodge at refreshment may thus be compared to any other society when in a recess During the whole of the eighteenth century, and part of the next, a different meaning was given to the word arising from a now obsolete usage, The mythical history of Freemasonry says that high which Doctor Oliver (Masonic Jurisprudence, page 210) thus twelve or noon was the hour at Solomon's Temple when the describes: Craft were permitted to suspend their labor, which was The Lodges in ancient times were not arranged according resumed an hour after. In reference to this myth, a Lodge is at all times supposed to be called from labor to refreshment to the practise in use amongst ourselves at the present day. at "high twelve," and to be called on again "one hour after The Worshipful Master, indeed, stood in the East, but both high twelve." the Wardens were placed in the West the South was occupied by the senior Entered Apprentice, whose business it - Source: Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry was to obey the instructions of the Master, and to welcome TWT
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Grand Lodge Spot Light - Delaware
Grand Lodge of Delaware http://www.masonsindelaware.org/ Third Floor 818 N. Market Street Wilmington, Delaware 19801 (302) 652-4614 Fax: (302) 652-4059
At a Grand Communication of a majority of the Lodges of Ancient York Masons established in the State of Delaware, held by appointment, at the Town Hall in the Borough of Wilmington, on Friday, the 6th day of June Anno Lucis 5806, Anno Domini 1806: Present. Lodge No. 31, Laurel Town, Sussex County, by its Representative, Worshipful Jesse Green, Past Master. Lodge No. 33, New Castle, New Castle County, by its Representatives, Worshipful John Crow, Master; Worshipful Evan Thomas, Past Master; Worshipful Maxwell Bines, Past Master. Lodge No. 96, Newark, New Castle County, by its Representative, Worshipful James Snow, Master. Lodge No. 14, Wilmington, New Castle County, by its Representatives, Worshipful Thomas Stockton, Master; Worshipful John Sellars, Past Master; Worshipful John Patterson, Past Master; James Tilton, Junior Warden. The Grand Lodge proceeded agreeably to regulation, to vote by ballot for Grand Officers for the ensuing year, to serve until the next annual elections, and the votes being taken by Lodges and counted the following were elected as the first officers of the new Grand Lodge of Delaware: Most Worshipful Gunning Bedford, Jr., Grand Master, Right Worshipful Jesse Green, Deputy Grand Master (Continued on page 16)
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Grand Lodge Spotlight- Delaware (Continued from page 15) Right Worshipful Joseph Israel, Senior Grand Warden, Right Worshipful John McBeth, Junior Grand Warden Right Worshipful Thomas Stockton, Grand Treasurer, Right Worshipful Edward Roche, Grand Secretary Worshipful John Sellars, Grand Marshal, Worshipful David Robinet, Grand Tyler.
Richard W. Aydelotte
Thus was the Grand Lodge of Delaware duly constituted on June 6th and 7th, 1806 by 13 brethren representing Lodges No. 14, No. 33. and No. 96 of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and No. 31 of the Grand Lodge of Maryland.
Grand Master
Thomas Stockton was named Charter Worshipful Master of Washington Lodge No. 1 (formerly No. 14); John Crow, Charter Master of St. John's Lodge No. 2 (formerly No. 33); George Read, Charter Master of Hiram Lodge No. 3 (formerly No. 96); and Thomas Skinner, Charter Master of Hope Lodge No. 4 (formerly No. 31). Charters were granted to the above Lodges under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Grand Lodge of Delaware and the Lodge numbers changed accordingly to those listed above. 1History of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Delaware, Green, Charles E. (1956)
Number of Lodges - 28 Membership
Membership
2010
2009
5110
5150
Gain/Loss
-40
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Special Guest Writer
By Brother Robert Lomas Editor Note- I consider Bro. Lomas a friend, an amazing scholar and a top notch Freemason. When he agreed to write this article about the books he read while on break from teaching University I was thrilled to say the least. Bro. Lomas is the best selling author of “The Hiram key”, “The Book of Hiram”, “The Second Messiah” among many others. Click here to go to his Amazon page. This is a huge honor for me and for TWT. My name is Robert Lomas, I am a scientist by training, a Freemason by inclination, a university lecturer by vocation, a writer by accident and a reader because I just love reading. The Christmas vacation is a time to relax and recover my sense of balance, after the busy Autumn term of the first module of my first-year course in basic statistics. The series of lectures have been delivered, the tutorials have been worked through, the mock exam been taken, the marks shared, the warnings given, and the students have all disappeared to their homes to enjoy the holiday and revise for their exam. It will take place in the first two weeks of the Spring Term which begins in the second week of January 2012. I have done all that I can to prepare my students, it's down to them now to practice and study so they turn up to the exam fully prepared.
TWT Exclusive
the Search for God by Carl Sagan. I have read almost everything Carl Sagan has written, including his fantastic Sci-Fi novel Contact. But this is something I never expected to read because Dr Sagan died in 1996 without ever finishing the book he planned to write, based on the Gifford Lecture he delivered in Glasgow in 1985. The Gifford Lectures were established by Adam, Lord Gifford (1820–1887), a senator of the College of Justice in Scotland. The purpose of his bequest to the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, St. Andrews and Aberdeen was to sponsor an annual lecture to “promote and diffuse the study of Natural Theology in the widest sense of the term—in other words, the knowledge of God”. I had stopped watching out for new books from Carl Sagan and so I was taken by surprise when his widow, Ann Druyan found his draft manuscript hidden amongst his papers and decided to complete it. But Santa turned up good and I got a copy in my Christmas stocking. The book is a series of transcripts of his Gifford lectures, delivered in Glasgow during 1985. The style of the book is different from his other works such as Cosmos or Contact which he deliberately prepared for written publication, as in this case much of the text is transcribed from his verbal presentations in the public lectures and also includes his impromptu responses to unscripted questions. But the book works well as it give a sense of being at the lecture.
The book has been sensitively edited by Ann Druyan. She has provided a final delightful opportunity to experience the rhetorical skill, and depth of thinking, of a man who Meanwhile the two weeks of the Christmas break is when I was brought up a Jew, had a great respect of the pervasive spend time with my family, sense of order he discovered through his telescopes and playing music together, eating and remote controlled space craft and was genuinely opened drinking too much, and find a minded about the root causes of reality and what we would quiet spot to read. So what did I call GAOTU. get to read during this precious period of down time? Two nonThe lecture series begins with the sense of wonder which fiction printed books and a anyone can feel by looking out into the heavens on a clear novella for my Kindle. night, moves on to discuss the place of humanity in the universe and then discusses the origins and probability of Let's start with the non-fiction the emergence of life. Having established a foundation of book I asked Santa to bring me. It the type of cosmos that humanity inhibits Sagan's next was The Varieties of Scientific poses the question "Are we alone?” He looks at the Experience: A Personal View of possibility of discovering and communicating with any
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Special Guest Writer intelligence which might have developed elsewhere in the universe, and whether any such contact has already taken place. Next his lectures move on to discuss the concept of God, and whether either human religious experiences or science can offer any insights. His penultimate lecture looks at the human condition and humanity's future prospects.
was cheap, cheerful and disposable. I now use my Kindle in the same way and browse for stuff I might not normally buy in Waterstones. Anyhow, to cut a long story short, whilst browsing the Amazon Kindle store I spotted something rather different. It was The Death of Bro. Cosmonaut ( A Peter Gower Masonic Mystery) written by an author I hadn't heard of called Julius Harlande. The blurb said "A Russian cosmonaut is found murdered in his Although Carl Sagan was not a Freemason he espouses London hotel room hours before delivering a lecture on the Masonic values when he makes a strong case for the need Soviet moon shots. The Metropolitan Police believe they to learn to love our fellow humans and how to cooperate have their man, and the case is closed. But in the moments with individuals whose views we do not accept. These are before he died, the victim left a series of clues – clues that principles which should be close to the heart of any Mason. only a fellow Freemason would understand." How could I Sagan makes the powerful point, in discussing the potential resist a tag line like that? I bought it for my Kindle. destructive power of humanity, that such cooperation is not needed to save the planet, as he comments "Whatever the I am not usually a great fan of detective fiction as it seems causes that divide us (humanity)... it is clear that the Earth to always be the same story, just the character's names will be here a thousand or a million years from now. The change, but I was tempted to read this ebook because its question, the key question, the central question - in a title hinted at a mix of Freemasonry, Space Travel and certain sense the only question - is, will we?" Murder. This looked to be a daring and heady mix for any writer to attempt and I love sampling new Sci-Fi. It was The final chapter is an inspirational exhortation to use the either going to be different or turgid. But I found I enjoyed skills of science, the insights of religion and the common it. It was a fast paced page-turner which managed to take cause of all earthlings to make the most of a tiny, island of me into the world of Masonic lodges and obscure secrets in life. Truth and Brotherly love shine through his thinking. I a way which I felt was totally authentic. The writer is found the book a wonderful inspirational read. It shows the obviously a Freemason and knows his Craft, yet he is also strength of the science method, the motivational urge of good story teller and brings his characters to life. (Without spiritual practice and urges all humanity to realize how spoiling this story I hope that in some future story the unusual our "pale blue dot" of a home is and how we author explains how a Lady Freemason got to be running should all try to take care of it. an escort agency, for as a character she seems to take her Masonic commitment seriously - I suspect it is plant for (http://www.amazon.com/Druyan-Sagan-Varietiesanother story - hint Julius if you read this!) ScientificExperience/dp/B004Q4MDKQ/ I reached the end of the book wondering just what this new ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=132 Masonic hero Peter Gower would do next, always a good 6734212&sr=8-4) sign that the character came to life for me. As the author says this is the first in a series of tales about his Masonic My second book was one I Detective, I look forward to reading more. I might even bought for myself. I have grow to like detective stories if they are as exciting and become addicted to ebooks different as this one was. since I bought myself a Kindle at the beginning of the summer. http://www.amazon.com/Death-Cosmonaut-Masonic(I can carry lots of books in it Mysteriesand also read it in the sunlight ebook/dp/B006LZ7DFS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8& whilst sitting by the beach qid=1326734612&sr=1-1 making sure the tide comes in and out on time!) I have rediscovered the joys of cheap, The third and final book I read over this Christmas was a impulse bought fiction. My Kindle has opened a portal into present from my old friend Mark Booth. (Mark edited my a whole new world of vibrant and different writing. For last book, a mix of memoir and Masonic philosophy, called example I like science-fiction and have found a plethora of The Lost Key). He sent me a copy of Rupert Sheldrake's writers, new ones such as Alun Blackwell, and old friends new book The Science Delusion with a little note saying he like Fred Hoyle, to enjoy. What I like about this ebook thought I would enjoy it, as Sheldrake was investigating medium is that it is rather like the weekly Sci-Fi mag the similar topics (the interface between science, reality Amazing Stories, I used to buy with my pocket money on a and human consciousness) to those I had written about in Saturday morning as a youngster and read over the The Lost Key, but Sheldrake had come to his conclusions weekend. It didn't matter it I didn't like all the stories as it
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Special Guest Writer via biology rather than by my mix of Freemasonry and quantum physics. For those Brethren who don't know of Dr Sheldrake, he is not a Freemason. He is a biologist with a distinguished track record as fellow of Clare College Cambridge where he served as Director of Studies in cell biology before heading up the Perrott-Warwick Project to investigate human abilities at Trinity College, Cambridge. He has published over 80 peer reviewed scientific papers and ten books. He studied natural sciences at Cambridge University where he got a double first in botany and biology. He then spent a year at Harvard studying the history and philosophy of Science before returning to Cambridge to take a Phd in biochemistry. His scientific credentials are sound, which makes the questions he poses, about the hidden mysteries of nature and science, in The Science Delusion worth considering. Having studied the science of living things for all of his academic life he has noticed that there is an interaction between consciousness and the structure of reality which fits uncomfortably alongside the reductionist assumptions of the neo-darwinist school of materialist biologists, led self-professed atheist Prof Richard Dawkins. The neo-Darwinists believe that life is simply a complex, but accidental, automation. It consists of chemical and physical interactions between purposeless particles and selfawareness is nothing more than a post hoc rationalization of predetermined outcomes ruled only by chance. The main thrust of their thesis is that life is a pointless and purposeless accident. I much prefer Freemasonry's teaching that life has a purpose and it might even be a purpose which we can contribute to as individuals if we reflect on it. As a physicist I have long known that my intent when devising a quantum experiment can have a considerable impact on the results I observe, even to the extent of creating a past for an experimental particle which had a multiple range of possible histories until I decided to observe it. I am also aware that I can force instantaneous action on quantum entangled particles over vast distances in total defiance of the relativistic speed limit of light. As Sheldrake points out there is not one scientific approach to understanding the nature of the universe, there are three. For the very large we have Relativity, for the very small we have Quantum Mechanics and for the human sized we have Newtonian Mechanics, and these three systems do not agree. Once we get down to the level of single atoms and
sub-atomic particles then quantum probabilities take over, but the moment we string together wires four atoms wide and 1 atom deep then the rules of Newtonian objects (Ohms Law) applies and the system become determinist. The problem Sheldrake identifies for the neo-Darwinist school of purposeless existence is that they are seeped in Newtonian thinking and fail to notice the role of the conscious observer in relativity and quantum mechanics. As a result they have created what is in effect an atheistic religion with its own dogmas and creeds. Sheldrake sees the issues of conscious purpose which arise when trying to reconcile the three viewpoints of science and in this book poses ten probing questions to address the boundaries between these conflicting areas of scientific knowledge. These range from asking if life is simply a complex, mechanism of dead matter, through whether memories are storied and retrieved from in quantum fields (he names these fields as morphic fields), rather than as material traces in brain matter to sweeping questions such as are the laws of nature fixed or do they evolve by interactions with conscious observation. The book is a carefully argued investigation of the main articles of faith of the neoDarwinist materialist religion and musters considerable evidence to suggest that their view is nowhere near a full explanation of universe. He also puts forward a series of challenging questions which offer ways of testing these, the currently accepted assumptions about hidden mysteries of nature and science in order to open up understanding of the greater mystery of the function of consciousness, or as we Freemasons put it how we relate to GAOTU. He closes his discussion with these powerful words. "The realization that the sciences do not know the fundamental answers leads to humility rather than arrogance and openness rather then dogmatism. Much remains to be discovered and rediscovered, including wisdom." As Brethren we should be open to the study of Wisdom, as well as Truth and Beauty. Although he is addressing issues at the forefront of modern physics Sheldrake is eminently readable and clear in his writing. A most enjoyable book which will challenge you to think again about the purpose of studying the hidden mysteries of nature and science to better know your maker. http://www.amazon.com/Science-Delusion-RupertSheldrake/dp/1444727931/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326 734758&sr=8-1 So that brethren is what I was reading over my Christmas vacation and what I thought of the books I managed to get through. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, enjoy making your daily steps in Masonic knowledge and have a Peaceful and Happy New Year in 2012.
TWT www.twtmag.com
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Author’s Note: We continue exploring the question, “
Added Flanking In Freemasonry, the Circumpunct is usually illustrated with two parallel lines flanking it along with a Bible found tangential to its upper most part. Freemasons are told that those two parallel lines represent the Holy Saint Johns. The symbolism behind these two Saints runs deep. To give this writing any reasonable length I shall forego some of the more usual Saintly allusions and simply focus upon aspects that assist in answering the initial question inspiring this writing. It is very important to understand how this Circumpunct’s flanking relates to the question at hand. Let’s continue to explore relevant connections. The line found to the left of the Circumpunct represents “most obvious Light.” This is alluded to by the day of celebration associated with St. 24th).
John the Baptist (June The obvious Light that it alludes to is that of a man’s behaviors. These behaviors reveal a man’s Passions and Desires, his Vices and Superfluities, his Virtues and his genuine Morality. It is very difficult to conceal from the world such things.
same Work. Should the Work be incomplete at any length, the line’s Length would reflect that fact. The length of this line and its importance become obvious once specific Work connections are both recognized and understood. The line found to the right of the Circumpunct is represents “least obvious Light.” This is alluded to by the day of celebration associated with St. John the Evangelist (December 27th). The least obvious Light that it alludes to is that of a man’s comprehension, otherwise known as his “Grasp.” Just as his left line’s length is proportional to the completed Entered Apprentice Work, when Freemasons are asked to Work on their right side, it is this line, the line represented by St. John the Evangelist, which symbolizes the focus of their Fellow Craft Work. Symbolically, the length of this line also represents the total of that same Work. Should a man not do the Work required to extend his Grasp, his right line’s length would reflect this too. Like its left counterpart, the length of this line and its importance become obvious once specific Work connections are both recognized and understood. This information reveals that it is the Work that Masons constitute the legs of the Compasses. That same Work also determines their relative lengths.
Angles If all this seems like it’s not truly addressing the original question, please be patient as this is When Freemasons are asked to Work on their left coming together with great purpose and in ways side, it is this line, the line representing St. John that shall satisfy beyond expectation. There are the Baptist, which symbolizes the focus of their specific angles in any approach to gathering Light Entered Apprentice Work. Symbolically, the that must be addressed to wrought suitable length of this line also represents the total of that (Continued on page 21) www.twtmag.com
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(Continued from page 20) comprehension. Those angles must be discussed for the response to have any significance. This next angle we’ll review deals with the Holy Saints Johns and it is exactly what needs to be addressed to reach the next step of understanding. Should you examine closely the connection between these two Working lines as they relate to the Holy Saint Johns, you would eventually come to understand that there are Forty-seven degrees of separation between the two. This is a very strange statement to make. These two lines are obviously parallel. How can there be any degrees of separation with such a configuration? They answer is found in changing one’s perspective. Once you realize that these lines represent parallel lines on a globe, the degrees of separation become apparent. This number, the “Forty-seven” in the degrees of separation, is obtained by measuring the distance that exists from one Global Tropic to another. The global Tropics, if you recall, are where the sun is directly overhead at both the Winter and Summer Solstices. These are the times of the year designated for honoring each of these two Saints. They are also Forty-seven Degrees apart or twenty-three and one half degrees North and South of the Equator. Vertices Approaching the question once again, it might still be a bit confusing to see how these two parallel lines have anything to do with the Working Tool in question, except for something that is not so obvious to those who have not done the Work. For those who have done the Work, it is obvious that the Working Tool in question exists as two separate legs prior to any Work being done. These legs remain unattached until the Work is completed.
Let me be more precise in what I am describing. These two parallel lines flanking the Circumpunct represent the Work of the first two Degrees. Once this Work is completed to reasonable satisfaction, they come together to form a Vertex. The joined legs of the Compasses represent this Vertex. The Distance that these two legs are capable of safely stretching is in direct proportion to the Work that each Mason has done upon them. When a Mason wears any representation of this Working Tool, it is a proclamation to the world, and especially to his Brothers, that he has indeed done the Work. And in case you haven’t figured out the answer to the original question, “ the answer should be clear.
If you are wondering what the “actual” degrees of separation between these legs are you have no further to look then Ritual. There are only 2 degrees of separation between the legs – .
Email Bro. John Nagy with any questions or comments about this or any other of his articles. (Online browsing only)
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Th e B Bu ild in g Be t t e r Bu i ld e r s B o o k Se r i e s This Masonic Education Series shares Light that helps ‘Build Masonic Mastery!’ – Dr. John S. Nagy You cannot find a better overview of the Veiled Work of Masons. This Uncommon Masonic Education book series shows the Work that brings ou t Mast ery in Masons. It assists Masons toward better understanding the Masonic Work that Freemasonry alludes to through its collective writings, Rituals, Lectures and Catechisms. Each book reveals: Important Connections Between and Within each of the Blue Lodge Degrees Specific Masonic Work, Its Basis and Supporting Background Key Themes that Explain Blue Lodge Symbolism, Gestures and Words Transformations and Results That Masons Can Expect (Who Do the Work!) These books assist Ment ors, Coaches, St udy Gr oups, Lect ur ers, I nst ru ct ors, Lodge Educat ion Of f icers and Gener al Lodge Mem bers with instruction that makes sense. In addition, these books are excellent for instructing higher Degree Candidates with the basics missed by typical Masonic Education offerings. These books cont ain: Concise Uncommon Masonic Educational Chapters Multitudes of Masonic Questions/Answers/Aphorisms Further Light not found in Lodges or Schools of Instruction Challenging and interesting side codes and ciphers
Imagine understanding, explaining and using Ritual better than you ever thought possible!
The Building Series Masonic Education materials help create a clearer and cleaner understanding of what is required to Build Bet t er Builders. These m at erials are f or Masons w ho w ant m ore! Volume 1 (MM Level) – Three Degree I nterconnections Volume 2 (EA Level), Volume 3 (FC Level) & Volume 4 (MM Level) – The respective Degree Work, its basis, its background and the interconnections within the Degree Video – A Jam-packed 77 minute Masonic Education Overview with additional activities and suggested readings For more information and purchase, go to http:/ / www.coach.net/ BuildingBuilders.htm www.twtmag.com
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“THE BEEHIVE: A MIGRATION OF MYTH” By Bro. P.D. Newman The flies seek filth: the bees seek honey. I shun the habits of the flies, and follow that of the bees. 1 Throughout a Mason’s career, he is confronted with a multitude of different symbols and allegories in numerous different Degrees and Rites. Among the many symbols presented to the attention of the Candidate upon his being Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason is that of the beehive. This, he is told, “is an emblem of industry, and recommends the practice of that virtue to all created beings 2…” But, as we shall see, legends surrounding the symbol of the beehive, as well as its cognates such as honey and the bee itself, are not only numerous throughout history but are also widespread among a number of diverse cultures. In describing the Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris, France, during its occupation by the emperor Napoleon, historian Benjamin Winkles observes that “[t]he throne occupied the whole breadth of the nave of the church, and was ascended by twentyfour steps, covered with carpets, the pattern of which was strewn with bees. On the steps were placed benches for the marshals, ministers, and officers of the household, covered with blue velvet, embroidered with golden bees. The emperor’s seat on the throne was elevated under a canopy of crimson velvet, embroidered with golden bees.” Commenting on this fact, Manly P. Hall adds in his The Secret Teachings of All Ages that “[a]t one time the bee was the emblem of the French kings. The rulers of France wore robes embroidered with bees, and the canopies of their thrones were decorated with gigantic figures of these insects.” He tells us further that “[t]he bee was used as a symbol of royalty by the immortal Charlemagne, and it is
probable that the fleur-de-lis, or lily of France, is merely a conventionalized bee and not a flower.” 3 The ancient Greeks called bees the Birds of the Muses and held that Zeus, the King of the Gods, was raised by the nymph Melissa who fed him on a steady diet of honey as opposed to milk. The name Melissa literally means honey bee, and was bestowed upon all of the nymphs who took part in nursing the deity. In other areas surrounding the Mediterranean, it was believed that bees were produced magically and spontaneously from the carcasses of rotting bulls. In his poem Fasti, Ovid recounts the story of Aristaeus from the Geoponica, an ancient book of agricultural folklore, which tells of a young shepherd who, after witnessing the total destruction of his hives, asks of a local wizard how he might recover his loss. “Kill a heifer” the wizard tells him, “and bury its carcass in the earth. The buried heifer will give the thing thou seekest of me.” Ovid goes on to assure his reader that “[t]he shepherd did [the wizard’s] bidding: swarms of bees hive out of the putrid beef...” A similar motif can be found in the literature of the ancient Hebrews regarding the Biblical Samson. In chapter 14 of The Book of Judges we learn of Samson’s violent run in with a “young lion” which Samson impressively “rent[…]as he would have rent a kid.” Coming across the carcass at a later date, as we are told in verse 8 of the chapter of the same, Samson “turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of [it].” Thus, while the decomposing animal may have changed from a heifer to that of a lion, we see that the curious association of bees and honey with (Continued on page 24) www.twtmag.com
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(Continued from page 23) a rotting carcass is by no means unique to the shores of the Mediterranean. Another example can be found in Angelo de Gubernatis’ exhaustive Zoological Mythology. Quoting from the works of Porphyrios, Gubernatis says that “the moon was also called a bee….[A]s the moon is the culminating point of the constellation of the bull 4, it is believed that bees are born in the bull’s carcass. Hence the name of bougeneis 5 given by the ancients to bees.” Gubernatis goes on to point out that “[s]ometimes, instead of the lunar bull we find the solar lion 6; and the lion in connection with bees occurred in the mysteries of Mithras.” In the words of Albert Pike, Mithras is “[t]he Sun, the Archimagus, that noblest and most powerful agent of divine power…” The Mysteries of Mithras were celebrated in Rome from the first to the fourth centuries and entailed, like Masonry, the progressive ascent of a hierarchical ladder of initiation 7. Archaeologist Franz Valery-Marie Cumont explains in his The Mysteries of Mithra that upon reaching a certain level of attainment, the initiate of the mysteries then came to be known as a ‘Lion,’ at which point, Cumont says, “honey was poured on his hands and applied to his tongue, as was the case with new-born children.” Thomas D. Worrel, in his talk The Symbolism of the Beehive and the Bee which he delivered to Mill Valley Masonic Lodge in 2000, observed that “[i]n Hindu myth and iconography, the bee surmounting a triangle is a symbol of Shiva. Sometimes we see a blue bee on the forehead of Krishna, as the avatar of Vishnu. Kama, the god of love, like Cupid has a bow and arrows, and the bow string is made up of bees. In the yogic doctrine, where each chakra emits a different sound in meditation, the lowest chakra (muldhahara) emits a hum likened in the writings to a bumblebee. Note that the first chakra represents our strongest bond to the material world and Eros or Cupid in Greek philosophy is the natural impelling force towards sensual objects.” Turning again to the work of Manly P. Hall, we read the following: “In India the god Prana – the personification of the
universal life force – is sometimes shown surrounded by a circle of bees.” He later asserts that “[b]ecause of its importance in pollinating flowers, the bee is the accepted symbol of the generative power.” The mystique of the honey bee has often led to its description as being an insect of otherworldly virtues. The ancient Egyptians, for example, believed that bees originated from a tear in the eye of the sun god. Similarly, the Christian mystic Hildegard von Bingen says in her monumental Physica, one of the earliest works on medicine in the West, that “[t]he honey bee is from the heat of the sun.” Manly P. Hall tells us that “[t]he bee is sacred to the goddess Venus [which], according to mystics, it is one of several forms of life which came to earth from the planet Venus millions of years ago,” and to quote once again from Angelo de Gubernatis, ”[t]he souls of the dead were supposed to come down from the moon upon the earth in the form of bees.” Lastly, in his Curiosities of Literature, Isaac D’Isreali recounts a story from the Jewish Talmud regarding the mysterious Queen Sheba who, “attracted by the splendor of his reputation, visited [Solomon] at his own court; there, one day to exercise the sagacity of the monarch, Sheba presented herself at the foot of the throne; in each hand she held a wreath; the one was composed of natural, and the other of artificial flowers. Art, in the labor if the mimetic wreath, has exquisitely imitated the lively hues of nature; so that at the distance it was held by the queen for the inspection of the king, it was deemed impossible for him to decide, which wreath was the production of nature, and which the work of art.” Following a moment of admitted perplexity, Solomon, “[o]bserving a cluster of bees hovering about a window,[…]commanded that it should be opened: it was opened; the bees rushed into the court, and alighted immediately on one of the wreaths, while not a single one fixed on the other.” Solomon also happens to be the alleged author of the Old Testament Book of Proverbs, wherein we are cryptically told that “wisdom is like honey...” (Continued on page 25) www.twtmag.com
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(Continued from page 24) Thus we see the emphasis that has come to be laid upon the beehive and its cognate symbols, bees and honey, throughout history and across cultures. Given the extraordinary characteristics attributed to these remarkable insects, it is no surprise that the beehive has also been a persistent and integral icon within the symbolism of the Craft. It is hoped that, whether these diligent creatures speak something to us of our own sense of industry, royalty, immortality or wisdom, they will speak nevertheless. For, the buzz of the hive resounds ever within the heart of every Master Mason, and the utterances thereof, if he but lend an ear to its incessant hum, shall be to him as honey from the comb, both golden rich and sweet.
Footnotes 1. Hindu monastic vow 2 . For a consideration of the concept of the drone as it is understood in Masonry, refer to Bro. Shawn Eyer’s The Beehive & the Stock of Knowledge. 3. This theory was first popularized by Hargrave Jennings in his enigmatic yet influential The Rosicrucians: Their Rites and Mysteries.
4. Taurus, the sign in which the moon is exalted according to classical astrology 5. meaning ‘bull-born’ 6. Leo, which in classical astrology is ruled by the sun
REFERENCES Berube, Conrad. The Bee-Riddled Carcass Cumont, Franz Valery-Marie. The Mysteries of Mithra De Gubernatis, Angelo. Zoological Mythology D’Israeli, Isaac. Curiosities of Literature Duncan’s Ritual of Freemasonry Eyer, Shawn. The Beehive & the Stock of Knowledge Hall, Manly P. The Secret Teachings of All Ages http://beelore.com/ Jennings, Hargrave. The Rosicrucians: Their Rites and Mysteries Ovid. Fasti Pike, Albert. Morals and Dogma: Annotated Edition Prabhavananda, Swami. How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali Ransome, Hilda M. The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore The Holy Bible: Master Mason Edition Von Bingen, Hildegard. Physica Winkles, Benjamin. French Cathedrals Worrel, Thomas D. The Symbolism of the Beehive and the Bee
7. The similarities between Freemasonry and the Mithraic Mysteries were explored by William Wynn Westcott in his paper Resemblances in Freemasonry to Mithra.
TWT
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Featured Writer- Bro. Kyle Ferguson “The Significance of the Point Within A Circle Bordered By Two Parallel Lines� By
Kyle James Ferguson
The point within a circle between two parallel lines is one of the most misunderstood symbols in all of Freemasonry. It is a symbol of what every Mason should strive to become. It describes a man who has found his divine center and, beyond that, has mastered himself so well that he is in perfect balance with himself. His external body is controlled by his internal divine presence which results in perfect balance. A point on its own is mathematically indefinable. Two points connected together forming a line can be mathematically defined but a singular point cannot. The circle, on the other hand, is a definable mathematically but only by the existence of the point within it. This is very important Masonically. To translate that into Masonic language, the point represents God. God is indefinable by our human standards. The circle represents man, which is definable by our human standards. But man (the circle) is only definable by the existence of God (the point) within it. We cannot define God. We can define man. But we cannot define man without God. The parallel lines represent two polar extremes. They are symbolic of the checkerboard floor seen in many Masonic lodges. The circle and point being within these two lines indicates the balance of man that was previously alluded to. In light of this interpretation of this symbol, this is quite possibly the most important Masonic symbol, save the Three Great Lights. The Point Within A Circle represents a level of consciousness that is the peak of human ability. A man who lives this symbol has learned to master his connection to the material world by not allowing the ego to govern his actions. Control has been passed on from the ego to the Self and
(Continued on page 27)
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Featured Writer- Bro. Kyle Ferguson (Continued from page 26)
highest point of consciousness. The only level higher than this within any man is his divine presence, which
the ego is used in its intended role as a messenger
we cannot psychologically enter, but only come into
between the Self and the outer world. The Junior
contact with. The Worshipful Master represents the
Warden in Lodge is a representation of the Self. The
level of the Spirit. At the center of this level is man’s
Junior Deacon is the ego. The Junior Deacon is an
connection to his Divine Presence, which is why the
excellent messenger but he is not fit to be in charge of
point is perfectly at the center of the circle in the
any aspects of the lodge. Since the Junior Warden is
symbol.
the lowest of the three commanding officers and is
Below is a diagram of the overlapping levels of
charged with the lodge at refreshment, he is therefore
consciousness that I described above, culminating in
representative of the Self, whose duty is to govern the
the Point Within The Circle at the top, man’s
psyche’s interaction with the outside world (the lodge
connection to his divine presence. I use a symbol very
at refreshment).
similar to this as my Mark in my Royal Arch Chapter.
The Soul follows the Self and is represented by the Senior Warden. The Soul is contained completely within the psyche of man and has no interaction with the physical world. He is a depository for intellectual knowledge. The reason why I mentioned the Junior Warden (Self) and Senior Warden (Soul) is that it is necessary to master these two elements before one can reach the level of spirit, of which the circle in the “Point Within A Circle” symbol represents. The Spirit is the www.twtmag.com
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Featured Writer- Bro. Kyle Ferguson The dot above the Worshipful Master’s location is the Point Within the Circle. The circle in the symbol is the circle of Spirit. This is as far as a man can progress in interior work: the level where he comes into contact with his internal presence of God. Every Mason should spend every day of his journey striving to always live from this point with the circle. As Masonic ritual says, it is the point from which we cannot err. When a man is making every decision in life from this level of consciousness, he will always make the right decision, the decision that is not only the best for him individually, but the best for mankind in general. Bro. Cliff Porter said at the recent Academy of Masonic Knowledge Meeting that Freemasonry is a selfish journey taken with others. I agree with this in the sense that each man must first progress through his own levels of consciousness to perfect himself but once a man reaches the level of contact with the divine presence, the selfish journey is over and his service to the betterment of mankind has now begun.
TWT
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FEATURED WRITER
“Ne Plus Ultra 3: The Sublime Degree of Master Mason”
The American Knights Templar will tell you that the Lost Word is the person referred to in chapter one of the Gospel of John. You may know His Name if you are given to celebrating Christmas and Easter. I know I do.
by Matt Johnson
It has also been said the Lost Word is like all things in Freemasonry…it is an allegory. An allegory for Divine Truth that is truly lost for all men until they find it… if they ever do. Which would make the This is the final installment in what was never search for it highly individualized in the Blue Lodge. intended to be a three part series, but I guess that is It would seem the lesson of the Royal Arch and the appropriate for the subject matter. After all, Scottish Rite is that Divine Truth is universal to all Freemasonry probably started out with one or two religions and owned by none. The Royal Arch degrees and then became three and then…33! strongly suggests this with it’s compound word. The Scottish Rite flat out tells you this as you go from the Every rite of Freemasonry agrees that the Master Mason’s degree is the highest degree in Freemasonry. 4th through 32nd degrees. It is plain to anyone who has The Royal Arch Mason will tell you that the Master read “Morals and Dogma”. It grooms you degree by Mason is missing the Lost Word and only they have it. degree until you are ready to receive it in the 32nd In England, the Royal Arch is part of the Master degree. Mason’s degree in theory so there really are only three degrees in England. And while authors such as David I would like to stop now and make it clear that Harrison make a strong case that the Royal Arch may while I have made no obligations beyond the third have been part of the plan all along, an equally strong degree, I have the deepest respect for my brothers in case can be made to say it never was. In the United all rites, be they York, Scottish or otherwise. I have States, the Royal Arch is actually the 7th degree of the revealed no secrets in this article. I only refer to things York Rite system and the 13th and 14th degrees of the they say on their own websites which anyone can read. Scottish Rite. The Scottish Rite degrees give you their Lost Word as well as let you know what the Lost Word is in the York Rite version of the Royal Arch. The Royal Arch in England, from what I understand, changed their “Lost Word” in the last several decades under pressure from the public. I think they should change it back. We have no reason to apologize to anyone for who we are. We are the “good guys” of history, but that is just my opinion.
I personally think the men who created the three degree system made it with a specific purpose in mind. They realized men are never changed suddenly. They grow incrementally… by degrees, little by little. Albert Pike understood this. Any Scottish Rite Mason understands this. So does any Master Mason who has truly taken the time to let the lessons of the three degrees and the Lodge sink in. Andrew Hammer understands this. The purpose of (Continued on page 30) www.twtmag.com
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Matt Johnson (Continued from page 29) Freemasonry is…as stated in “Approaching the Portals”: “to provide a way to help each member become a better person. We do not propose to take a bad man and make him good; rather, our aim is to take the good man and make him better. We try to place emphasis on the individual man by: 1. Strengthening his character. 2. Improving his moral and spiritual outlook. 3. Broadening his mental horizons. We try to impress upon the minds of our members the principles of personal responsibility and morality; to give each member an understanding of and feeling for Freemasonry’s character; and to have every member put these lessons into practice in his daily life. We try to build a better world by building better men to work in their own communities. Freemasonry believes in universal peace made possible by teaching its doctrine through the Brotherhood of Man and the Fatherhood of God.” I believe all the goals of Freemasonry can be accomplished through the local Lodge. I love the Lodge. The third degree is and will always be the “Ne Plus Ultra”. Pete Normand stated in his article “Explanation of the York Rites”:
later on in life. And while I maintain, as I did in the first part of this series, that the Lodge has everything a Freemason needs and that the Master Mason degree truly is the “ne plus ultra”, I am glad the other degrees are out there. Whatever it takes to help my brothers get closer to Divine Truth….to an understanding of universal truth and brotherhood, is fine with me. You get it all in the Lodge, you get it made more obvious to you in the Royal Arch and you get it told to you very plainly in the Scottish Rite. I have found the bio of Kevin R. Williams at near-death.com/about.html and the study of near death experiences in general to be quite in line with the discoveries, conclusions and writings of Freemasonry from the lectures of the three degrees to Pike to Hall. I am also a strong believer in the idea of a one true myth, much like Tolkien or Lewis. But that is my personal quest for Divine Truth as a Freemason. Yours may be very different. We are all brothers on this journey toward further light. I hope this little series has been a blessing to you. My intention with it was to show new Master Masons all the options they have in their search for further light in Freemasonry. Peace.
TWT
Email Matt with any questions or comments (online browsing only)
“Many hold the misguided belief that the M.M. Degree is not complete in and of itself, but needs the Royal Arch Degree for completion. Of course, this is nonsense. The Word of a MM is "lost" in the MM Degree because, philosophically, it is unknowable, or ineffable. The true "secret" of Masonry is that, in our lives, we are always searching for truth, and it will never be found until we reach our final reward. To suspect that the "lost word" is simply some mumbo-jumbo that will be given you in the Royal Arch degree after you pay your fee, only indicates that someone did not understand the real lessons of the MM Degree.” However, I have had the opportunity to view all of the degrees of the York and Scottish Rites as well as others. I think they are all beautiful and powerful. They all serve a purpose. I plan on joining the Scottish Rite because of this and perhaps the York Rite
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Featured Writer
“Regarding Freemasonry” Bro. Chase William Kruppo The following is a lengthy discourse on the nature of Freemasonry written for the non-Mason. It is an email that was sent to the pastor of my church who had made an inquiry about the Masonic medallion and stickers on my Jeep . I explained the best I could in the 7 minutes before Sunday service what Freemasonry is and the benevolent nature of the Craft with its intimate, separate, yet complementary role with organized religion. He then asked why would need anything to even complement it? Why be involved in Freemasonry at all if you are saved through grace and faith alone? I realize that I hardly have to defend Freemasonry, but I felt it was appropriate to the use the opportunity as a teaching experience to share the beauty I’ve found thus far in this great organization. Some new Masons and non-Masons would benefit greatly by reading this for content. Masonry is a truly a Craft of self-discovery. The back curtains are never really pulled away. Masons must seek the Light for themselves, talk with well-informed brethren, and dive in head-first to a world within itself. This article reveals some of the inner workings of how millions of men throughout the world can be united by a common bond, the Mystic Tie of brotherhood. My hope is that the reader can learn something new, reinforce their own beliefs, respond with a counter-argument, challenge and discuss what I have written with others, and thereby further the Craft through stricter examination of the perceptions of our gentle art. What is written comes from the perspective of a Master Mason from Northern New Jersey who has been in the fraternity for 2 years and thereby the explanations I’ve provided are derived from my relatively limited exposure to the whole of Freemasonry, the books I’ve read, the people I’ve talked with, and the orders to which I belong. As such, the details of membership, mode and manner of the Craft, and our governing bodies are geophysical relative and may not represent the circumstances in other parts of the United States and most certainly not in the rest of the world. Respectfully submitted with Light, Life, and Love from our Beneficent Creator, -Chase William Kruppo Junior Deacon (2012) Madison Lodge #93, Madison, NJ 32° AASR Northern Valley, NJ, Northern Jurisdiction
Tom, I’m so glad you approached me about the Masons yesterday. I’d love to be a resource to clarify any questions you may have. While I’m relatively new to the fraternity (joined in April of 2010), I am continuously reading Masonic literature on the history, philosophy, and application of Masonic principles. The following is a lengthy discourse I’ve spent several hours working on to give you a sense of what and who Freemasons are. Masonry spans many different subjects, histories, and concentrations, so your first resource would best be Wikipedia. From there you can get a basic understanding of what Freemasonry is and branch out to the more interesting facets. In a nutshell, Freemasonry is a system of morality (a code of ethics), veiled in allegory (expressed
in a way that can be interpreted subjectively by the recipient), and illustrated through symbols (taught in a way that hearkens back to the time when most people were illiterate and learned from masters drawing in the dirt on the floor to teach an apprentice). It is the oldest and largest fraternity in the world and exists in every corner of the free world and underground in countries where such organizations are illegal (Iran, North Korea). In it’s present state, the ritual of the Freemasons comes from northern England in the early 1700s where it was crafted by pious men of God (read: “Christians”) who applied the operative symbolism of the stone worker trade guilds to a speculative philosophical art. It went from medieval European cathedral builders to builders of “good men” on a foundation of service to God. Using the symbols of stone masons and the allegory of the building of King Solomon’s temple, we impart deep and virtuous teachings on our members.
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Featured Writer- Chase William Kruppo (Continued from page 31) Where most people are turned askew are the “secrets” of Freemasonry, which are the modes and manner of recognition (handshakes and passwords whereby two Masons may recognize each other in the darkness as well as in the light). Freemasonry is not a “secret society”, but more appropriately a “society with secrets”. As I explained, these secrets (the handshakes, passwords, and ritual) can all be found on Google in under 5 minutes and have been exposed in published writings back in the 1780s. There is also no “Masonic conspiracy” as perpetuated through Dan Brown and films like National Treasure. The idea that Freemasons are power brokers of the world stems from the fact that in early Masonic history, the men that associated fraternally in the taverns were the mayors, doctors, lawyers, clergy and merchants. The image of the wealthy and powerful meeting together was intimidating. But what conspiracy theorists never tell you is that the farmers, carpenters, blacksmiths and bakers were also in the Lodge room and had equal standing regardless of position in life outside the Lodge room. Masons meet on a plane of equality that disregards race, creed, color, sexual orientation, political views, material wealth and any other dividing bias. In fact, the reason why Masons dress in formalwear when we meet is to make a visual display of that equality, that regardless of whether you just got off the job from the bank or the bakery, we are all equal in the Lodge. I regularly meet with men through the fraternity who would be inaccessible to me if I didn’t have a Masonic introduction. The idea of spiritually aware, good-natured, Godfearing men meeting under the precept of brotherhood still attracts new members to join a massive network of men who prescribe to the same moral values as another Brother. It truly is a brotherhood. There are men who I’ve met who would drive 100 miles to help if I broke down on the side of the highway. Men who would give with all their ability if I were in financial trouble. Masons who would visit me daily in the hospital. And still there are a handful who would lay down their life for me if the situation arose. And more importantly, I do and would do the same for them. When I find someone to be a Mason, I know that his moral compass far exceeds my expectations of the non-Mason and that he is bound by certain oaths to serve God and his fellow man in a manner of service and dedication found in no other organization. I can go just about anywhere in the world and know that if I need help, or a place to stay, or a warm meal, I can find it.
national or international governing body. In the US, each Masonic lodge is chartered by the state’s Grand Lodge. It receives a warrant to meet as a regularly recognized body of Freemasons and enjoys parity and reciprocal recognition with lodges around the state, in other countries, throughout the world. The word “lodge” in Masonry means three or more Masons assembled in one place under the authority of God. It refers to the people as well as the place, just as “church” means two or more believers assembled in the name of God and also refers to the place in which they meet. While there is a statewide governing body, each individual lodge is free to operate the business of the lodge; its agenda, its events and activities, its buildings and grounds, as it sees fit, as determined by a democratic majority of its members. Each Lodge owns and operates its own facilities. While there are national and international conferences of Masonic bodies, they neither have the objective or authority to legislate on the behalf or to affect the local lodge. There is no Masonic, new world order, conspiracy. We have hard enough of a time planning a picnic let alone plotting world domination. Is it really that hard to believe that our God who created the infinite universe could gather a few million Masons under the banner of brotherly love? Furthermore, no one Mason speaks for Masonry. In similar fashion of the “leaderless” #OccupyWallSt protests, each Mason speaks for himself. The serious and vital truths we impart are entirely subjective - each Mason interprets the symbols and allegories for himself. As such, Masonry means something different to every other Mason. What I think and present here in no way represents the position and opinion of another Mason. There is no “guy at the top” that screams out marching orders and the rest of the Masonic world jumps like lemmings. In reality, the opposite is true. The leaders of the various Masonic organizations jump to the will of its membership. It doesn’t matter how many years a man has been a Mason, or how many ‘Grand Illustrious’ ‘Right Worshipful’ titles he has; no one Mason speaks for all of Freemasonry. Because Grand Lodges around the world seek parity with other Grand Lodges (sometimes called Grand Orients), there must be some steadfast principles that these bodies must agree on in order to reciprocate their mutual membership to the same institution of Masonry. We call these the Landmarks- both ancient and unchangeable precepts of Masonry. And even then there is disagreement with the exact number and order these Landmarks should follow. Depending on who and when you inquire, the Landmarks number from between as few as three and as many as forty. In the most commonly recognized Landmarks we find: Famed Masonic writer Dr. Albert Mackey wrote in his
Masonry is also very independent. There is no
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Featured Writer- Chase William Kruppo (Continued from page 32) 1856 Jurisprudence of Freemasonry the following Landmarks for the first time. Previous mention of the Landmarks and Ancient Charges were vagaries at best. 1. notional immemorial antiquity 2. universality 3. absolute “irrevocability” Joseph Fort Newton, in The Builders, offers a simple definition of the Landmarks as: “The fatherhood of God, the brotherhood of man, the moral law, the Golden Rule, and the hope of life everlasting.” Roscoe Pound subscribed to six landmarks: 1. Belief in a Supreme Being 2. Belief in the immortality of the soul 3. A “book of sacred law” as an indispensable part of the “furniture” (or furnishings) of the Lodge 4. The legend of the Third Degree 5. The secrets of Freemasonry: The modes of recognition and the symbolic ritual of the Lodge 6. That a Mason be a man, freeborn, and of lawful age. In the 1950s the Commission on Information for Recognition of the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America upheld three “ancient Landmarks”[a]: 1. Monotheism — An unalterable and continuing belief in God. 2. The Volume of The Sacred Law — an essential part of the furniture of the Lodge. 3. Prohibition of the discussion of Religion and Politics. When a Grand Lodge recognizes and reciprocates with another Grand Lodge, they consider each other as being “regular”- meaning they prescribe to the same foundational beliefs, and a Mason from one jurisdiction attending Lodge in the other would not differ on principle, though the manner of the ritual and the texts they refer to may vary. This is an important facet of Masonry. Because with thousands of Lodges across the world, how does anyone keep track of who is doing what? What’s to stop some nutter on the internet from pulling up the ritual, opening a “lodge” of his own, and charging dues for membership? Frightfully enough; nothing. It happens all the time. Especially in places where Freemasonry isn’t as prevalent or openly accessible to the public. India, for example, is
rife with fake “lodges” invented by scammers to steal money and bilk information from unsuspecting “members”. Often “teaching” bogus ritual designed to humiliate the “initiate” in back alley, store front “lodge rooms”. There are also Grand Lodges and Grand Orients that I, as a Mason part of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey for example, can’t interact with. They are called “irregular” because for one or another material reasons, the ritual and manner of carrying out Masonry is contrary to the generally accepted Landmarks that my Grand Lodge prescribes to. You’ll find this most commonly with the French Orients, who charter lodges here in the United States, and teach a brand of Freemasonry, while very rich in history and in sharing the same values of Masonry, allow women to enter their ranks. The acceptance of women into the Lodge in the US and in the United Grand Lodge of England is prohibited. Not on the basis of a sexual bias, but because the Entered Apprentice degree and the costume worn by the candidate for initiation would be inappropriate for a woman to wear in the polite company of men. That’s not to say that we strip naked and run around the room like a bunch of lunatics or have some awkward, homoerotic ritual. It’s simply just a white, cloth cape and white cloth trousers. That’s it. So eventually, we may see general acceptance of women into regularly recognized lodges as perceptions of human sexuality change and become more tolerant and less gender biased, but for the meantime, women can join the Order of the Eastern Star, or find a lodge that teaches the same ritual as the all-male Masonic bodies, but for women only. Be known, however, that being initiated into an “irregular” lodge precludes you from holding Masonic communication (meeting) with a “regular” lodge. But, when the day comes when Masons end their misogynistic approach, you would likely be allowed to be reinitiated into a “regular” lodge. Each year a book is published and distributed to all the Lodges that are regular and share reciprocal agreements. It’s basically like a worldwide directory of Lodges and Grand Lodges/Orients that you, as a regularly initiated Mason, may visit and communicate with. We keep a copy at the door of the Lodge so that visitors to the Lodge, if they are unfamiliar to us, can be determined as to whether or not the Lodge in which they hail from are regularly recognized. If you want to see direct democracy in action this season, you can either head down to your local #Occupy protest, or visit your local Masonic temple, where brethren have been meeting, breaking bread, and laboring in the quarries of Freemasonry humbly in a 100% democratic organization for well over 200 years. Every voice carries the same weight as another. This isn’t a Robert’s Rules of Order kinda thing. It’s wholly ritualized to create space and time for the voice of the people to be heard; minority views
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Featured Writer - Chase William Kruppo (Continued from page 33) to be considered; and blind, unanimous balloting to take place. In every Masonic lodge, there is an altar on which a Volume of Sacred Law is opened during meetings. It is symbolic of the Light of God that comes through His unerring word and that the Lodge is governed under His divine Truth. In most lodges, the Volume is the Holy Bible. But it may also be the Tanakh, the Koran, even the Book of Shadows for a Wiccan, in an extreme example. Whatever the belief of the congregant Masons, their holy book is represented as a source of Light (read:”knowledge”) on the altar. For example, at Acacia Lodge #20 in Dover, the Bible, Tanakh and Koran are always present on the altar because of its religiously diverse membership. So in reality, there is nothing secretive about the Masons today. It’s actually less secretive than the Roman Catholic fraternity and civic organization, the Knights of Columbus. Where as the Knights must invite you to become a member, the Masons follow a “2B1Ask1” model where someone interested in joining must ask to petition the Lodge for membership. Not the other way around. We also are expressly forbidden from actively soliciting membership, which is why some think we’re so secretive. To become a Mason, one must be a man (whatever your driver’s license says), over the age of 21, who doesn’t have a criminal record, is of sound mind, and believing in a Supreme Being. The Masons don’t mandate what that Supreme Being is called, and uses the umbrella term “Grand Architect of the Universe” and is referred to as ‘God’ or ‘Deity’ in our meetings and represented by the letter “G” in our square and compass symbol. This is where Randy got caught up with me and I have heard the same argument from another, more conservative evangelical Christian on my mission trip to El Salvador. Masonry is not a religion, or a substitute for religion. We don’t teach a path and we don’t offer salvation. We don’t tell people what to believe or where to seek God. We encourage Masons to be active in their local church or synagogue, but the imperative concept is that seeking the face of God is a personal journey, and not one that the Masons will dictate or enforce under a certain sect or brand of faith. We do teach tolerance for all faiths, the right to the freedom of religious belief, or non-belief, regardless of whether we agree or not with those beliefs, and defend that right of freedom for all people. But no atheist can be a Mason.
I’m relatively new to the evangelical contemporary Christian movement, but in my upbringing as a Catholic, evangelizing; converting heathens and non-believers, is not natural or encouraged, per say, save Catholic Charities missions. Going out and being the hands and feet of ministry was something that was talked about as a concept, but never practiced, at least in my church. Masonically, it is improper to impose or convert people from their own belief or non-belief. We endorse seeking God through whatever path makes sense in the time and place for an individual. For example, Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God works for me, right here, right now, but it might not be the case if I lived in China or India 3000 years ago. Masons concede that our human minds are too limited to know all the ways in which God works and are open to the idea that He may work through other prophets and paths to Him. A study of world religions reveals that for the most part, they all share many commonalities and even similar teachings and parables. Christianity remains to be the only one that teaches salvation through grace and the God who became flesh to become a blood sacrifice for our sins eternally. But simply because I believe that doesn’t negate or vilify the other belief systems in the world. I’m not going to use the idea of Jesus to place myself on a pedestal above Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Wiccans, Deists, and Atheists. But if someone comes to me asking for a path to the Light I would share with them the message of love and forgiveness of the Gospel. One facet of the Masonic lodge (the group of men meeting) is that any discussion of politics, religion, and personal gain are prohibited to keep the peace and harmony of the Lodge. Our meetings consist of a benediction, the Pledge of Allegiance (to the US flag), a review of sickness and distress amongst the members, paying the bills, new and old business, a closing prayer and God Bless America is sung. Our other activities include initiating new members, which is like a college fraternity initiation, except there is nothing contained within it that will humiliate, harm or embarrass members. No alcohol, no paddles, no goats. Very benign. Very symbolic. Very powerful presentation. It’s nearly word-for-word unchanged for over 200 years. The same cornerstone laying ceremony we conduct publicly today is the same ritual George Washington used when laying the cornerstone of the Capitol Building or when Masons laid the cornerstone of the Statue of Liberty (which was a statue designed by a French Mason and donated by French Freemasons to the people of America. It was American Freemasons who funded the construction of the Statue when it arrived here. And ironically, the statue is not just Lady Liberty, but a torch
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Featured Writer - Chase William Kruppo (Continued from page 34) bearer, the bringer of Light to a new world of darkness. A very Masonic theme.) Further, the flag of our country was made by Betsy Ross, whose husband was a member in the same Lodge as George Washington, who commissioned the work. There are many other similar Masonic connections with the history of our nation. Incidentally, the initiation ritual for many college fraternities are directly taken from Masonic ritual. We also are very active in the civic affairs of our community. We do a ton of volunteer work. Worldwide, Freemasons donate over $2 million a day to various charities. My Lodge in Madison does 2 blood drives every month, has 3 scholarships for local high schoolers, and has an “Angel Fund” where we partner with local schools and social services to anonymously cover any requested donation. For example, a child in Madison elementary school needs eyeglasses but the parents can’t afford them. The nurse tells the principal, the principal contacts us, and our Angel Fund committee dispatches services free of charge. The child can go to a doctor or pharmacy and we will already have arranged ahead of time to pay in full. In Boston, their Angel Fund is so large that they literally have warehouses of shoes, coats and clothing for children in need that are distributed across the state. All requests are processed and fulfilled in about 3 days. The recipient never knows who provided the services. And we like it that way. We don’t like to take credit for God’s work. A recent example of this at work was last year when a house fire destroyed a home in Madison, killing the single mother of two children. Our Lodge was contacted to help and we fully funded the cost of school lunch for the kids. They don’t know who took care of it or why, but they know that someone cares. That God cares. You may have heard of the Shriner’s hospital for burned or crippled children. The Shriner’s are an appendant order of Masonry, meaning you must be a Master Mason to join. We provide free medical care at these hospitals. Another branch of Freemasonry that I belong to called the Scottish Rite (which actually has its origins in France) runs children’s dyslexia centers around the country which offer free tutoring in a method of reading for people with learning disabilities. These free services, hospital treatments, and scholarships are available to anyone who needs help, not just Masons, their family or friends. In New Jersey, the Masons also donate time each Sunday at the VA hospitals to bring the veterans to Sunday services in the chapel. We believe it’s an important duty to so serve those who gave of themselves for the freedoms we so freely enjoy. Every year we also
host a Wheelchair Track & Field Meet, which is like a Special Olympics for disabled children. So, in addition to the esoteric philosophical teachings of the Masons, we live out a tangible expression of our service to God and our fellow man. Very much like how Liquid Church brings church to the people through its engaging outreach ministry. In the sense of a civic organization, the Masons are comparable to Kiwanis, Lions Club, or Rotary. And in matters of God, the Masons are like the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, which are devoted to God, but don’t say what God to which they are so devoted. On that note, to answer the root question; no, we don’t teach that Jesus is the only way to God. In fact we don’t tell Masons at all how to come to know God. We do teach that by humbling yourself to others, studying the science, art and mystery of our created world, and realizing the ultimate fate of our physical body and the resurrection of the eternal soul to a oneness with God, a Mason can work toward perfection and unity with the Creator. Sidebar: common phrases like “level with me”, “give me a square deal”, “rap of the gavel” or “he gave me the third degree” are Masonic in origin. I reached out to my friends on Facebook for some good articles and scholarly papers on the subject of Freemasonry and religion, specifically Christianity, and it was actually another member of the Morristown Campus Staff that pointed me to a website called MasonicWorld.com which houses 600+ articles, a glossary of Masonic terms, graphics, and short talk bulletins on every subject imaginable concerning Masonry. I’ve selected a handful of articles and papers that answer some of the questions you posed to me and I hope that the candor and at times, pedigree of the author, provides a more complete picture of how Freemasonry not only is compatible with Christianity, but draws people closer to our God. You asked me “If Christianity is complete on its own, why do you need Freemasonry at all?”. And the answer is, you don’t. You don’t need Freemasonry to worship God. But for our organization, you need to worship God to be a Mason. Freemasonry is religious in nature, but not a religion. It complements, meaning that it enhances the experience of a believer in God, the life of a follower of God, but doesn’t conflict or interfere with his duty to God, his country, or his fellow man.
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Featured Writer - Chase William Kruppo (Continued from page 35) The values of a Freemason- Faith, Hope, and Charity; are complemented by core tenets of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. Universal values that encompass and strengthen a Brother, or any person, for that matter. As your staff member Janet can attest, as a member of the Order of the Eastern Star (like a Masonic ladies auxiliary), Masonic values are universally applicable to all faiths and philosophies, most notably those that preach a message of love and compassion for our fellow brothers and sisters, especially the widows and orphans. Because of this, you will find about 80% of Masons are Christian, with the rest following other faiths. Our ritual has its beginnings in Christian England and much of our ritual draws directly from Scripture (KJV with the thees, thous, and thys). And while the Catholic Church is officially opposed to Freemasons, believing our ability to organize a threat to their establishment, we accept Catholic Brothers with open arms. The Masons carry a weird mythos and misunderstanding and if there are any questions I can answer that can clarify any of those points, I would be more than happy to do so. The more transparent Masons are and upfront with information about what we’re about, the less suspicious and critical the public can be. There are enough movies and History Channel documentaries to cause confusion. I’d love to provide insight. Scanning through the list of Masons below, you may be surprised by who is or was a Freemason. From all times, places, professions; Masonry persists. I also invite you to visit my Lodge in Madison or the lodge in Morristown to meet with other local Masons and learn about what we do. I also have a friend who is an evangelical minister as well as a Mason and would gladly share his experience. There is a lot of misinformation out there. And if I can help dispel rumor, I will do so honestly, respectfully, informatively and pleasurably. To conclude, it has been my experience that you will find no more humble a person, someone as selfless, serving, loving, and accepting than a Brother Mason, a Sister of the Eastern Star, or a child of DeMolay or Rainbow Girls/Job’s Daughters (Masonic youth groups). These people are truly the salt of the earth and I encourage you to embrace and learn from them rather than fear and reject them. You would be surprised how many Masons are in our Church, let alone our community, in the grocery store, pumping your gas, fixing your toilet, cleaning your gutters, filing your taxes, preparing your coffee or editing your morning paper.
Sincere regards and Happy Monday. Your Brother in Christ, - Chase William Kruppo References: Wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry List of notable Freemasonshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Freemasons How A Man Becomes A Masonhttp://www.mainemason.org/becomeone/index.asp A response to critics of Freemasonry http://www.masonicworld.com/education/files/apr02/inclu de/a_response_to_critics_of_freemas.htm Freemasonry and Religionhttp://www.masonicworld.com/education/files/artoct02/m asonry_and_religion.htm Is Freemasonry A Religion?http://www.masonicworld.com/education/files/frapr01. htm A collection of articles on Freemasonry and Religionhttp://www.masonicworld.com/education/files/artjuly01/ Freemasonryandreligionpart2.htm ”Our Trust Is In God”http://www.masonicworld.com/education/files/apr02/incl ude/our%20trust%20is%20in%20god.htm Are Freemasonry and Christianity Compatible?http://www.masonicworld.com/education/files/christianan dfreemacomp.htm
TWT
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Masons in the News
“Killed In the Line of Duty: Maricopa County Deputy William “Bill” Coleman”
Brother Bill Coleman was the newly installed JR. Warden of Pioneer Lodge #82 in Peoria, AZ.
Deputy Sheriff William Coleman, age 50, was shot and killed while responding to a burglary call in Anthem at approximately 4:15 am January 8, 2012. As he and another deputy arrived at the scene they encountered a male subject inside of a van at a medical building near the intersection of Anthem Way and Gavilan Peak Parkway. As they attempted to make contact with the man he opened fire on them with a rifle, striking Deputy Coleman below his vest. The suspect was killed by return gunfire from other deputies. Deputy Coleman was transported to John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. Deputy Coleman had served with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office for 20 years. He is survived by his wife and several children, two of whom are 4 and 7 years old. Last year, 2011, was one of the deadliest in recent history for law enforcement officers, with 173 killed in the line of duty as of Dec. 28, 2011, a 13 percent increase from 2010, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Of those, 68 federal, state and local officers were killed by gunfire in 2011, a 15 percent jump from the year before. So far in 2012, there have been four officers killed in the line of duty in the US, all by killed by gunfire. http://azfop.com/news/arizona/killed-in-the-line-of-duty-maricopa-county-deputy-william-billcoleman/
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Masons in the News
The Beginning History of Freemasonry in Iran According to historian Jafar Golshan, this is the first detailed volume ever written on the beginning of freemasonry in Iran after a century of the conception of Iranian Awakening Loge revealing new aspects of truth about the activities of these groups in Iran. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The critical session on "The Beginning of Freemasonry in Iran" was held on Sunday evening (1st January 2011) at the House of Literati with the presence of history expert Jafar Golshan, author Yahya Arya-Bakhshayesh and Khadijeh Masoumi. At the outset, Jafar Golshan – historian with over 15 years of research on contemporary history of Iran, said The Beginning History of Freemasonry in Iran is a five-volume series compiled under the supervision of Hozeh Honari's Bureau for Islamic Revolution Literature. The first two volumes are compiled by Hamidreza Shah Abadi and the rest are authored by Yahya Arya-Bakhshayesh. According to him, this is the first detailed volume ever written on the beginning of freemasonry in Iran after a century of the conception of Iranian Awakening Loge revealing new aspects of truth about the activities of these groups in Iran. While searching the houses of Pahlavi regime's big shots like Zaka-ol-Molk Foroughi after the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, new historical documents were discovered concerning freemasonry in Iran that are included in the present series. Emphasizing on the significance of these volumes, he added that by reading them one can learn more about two active parties of the 2nd and 3rd parliaments of Iran. Moreover, information about offstage lobbies show that from the Constitutional period onward, parliament speeches reveal collusion's made with-out the parliaments. Golshan continued: "The fifth volume also contains precious tables of information about sociopolitical and cultural relations in the history of Iran during the Constitutional Period and second World War.
volumes. The first volume offers the historical background of freemasonry in Iran, while the second volume focuses on the main members of the Loge. According to him, there were two main conditions for anyone entering the Loge: first, political and religious ideologies of individuals and secondly, their purpose of joining the Loge. Most members had introduced themselves as constitutionalists or liberals and had insisted on their feeling free of religious practice. "There were Shia Muslims among these members while very few Sunnis had joined the Loge. Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians and even important clergymen like Ayatollah Tabatabaei, Sheikh Zanjan Rouhani, and Seyyed Hassan Taghizadeh were also members of the Iranian Awakening Loge," he added. "The main goals of the members have been to serve the country and humanity, and development and elevation of society. Historical evidences show that many of these members like Kamal alMolk or Dehkhoda intended to serve the Iranian society and we should not term all freemasonry members as traitors." Arya-Bakhshayesh also mentioned that the fifth (and the last) volume will deal with the life of nine other member of Iranian Awakening Loge. Then comparing the French and the English Loges, he said: "They had essential differences with each other, as the English are veteran conservative freemasons who do not interfere with politics or religion, whereas French freemasonry is avant-garde and revolutionary believing that neither politics not religion should rule over them." He continued: "The first French loge in Iran attempts to promote French culture through establishing French schools and has proved successful. They made the best use of the Constitutional period and founded the Iranian Awakening Loge where even the women could take part. The English Loge, on the other hand, did not let women enter. The French act of letting in the women was in fact against the statute of freemasonry."
The next speaker was Yahya Arya-Bakhshayesh, author of He finally added that the relationship between the schools "The Beginning History of Freemasonry" in Iran who of political sciences and Iranian Awakening Loge is still began his speech by elaborating on the compilation of these missing in these volumes and requires further research.
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Masons in the News
Memory Lane: Pub’s handshake with Freemasons’ history In 1865, Queen Victoria was on the throne of England, and Freemasonry was in its infancy on the Fylde coast, with only two lodges having been formed.
masonic symbol of square and compasses can be seen painted on the gable end of the building.
In June of that year, the third lodge was formed in St Annes -– Triumph (1061). Four years later the Lodge of Fidelity (1256) was consecrated at Poulton.
However, earlier this month, at the installation meeting when Brian Horrocks became Worshipful Master, Jim Bennett, past Master of Lodge of Fidelity, presented a framed photograph of Sam Bamber to the lodge.
In those early days, the brethren would travel to lodges on horseback, pony and trap, bicycle, or even sometimes on foot.
Interestingly, the Lodge of Fidelity still has a connection with the man himself, as Sam Bamber’s great great grandson is a member of that lodge.
For many years, Clifton, Hesketh and Fidelity Lodges have all displayed framed photographs of Sam These were Clifton Lodge (No 703) in Blackpool and Bamber in their respective Masonic Halls, but not the Lodge of Triumph. Hesketh Lodge (950) in Fleetwood.
They were based in very different areas, yet all these four lodges had one thing in common: the name of Samuel Bamber. He was the most prominent Freemason of that era, being, at some time, Worshipful Master of all four lodges.
http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/lifestyle/memorylane/memory_lane_pub_s_handshake_with_freemasons_histor
y_1_4183730
A watchmaker by trade, Sam, as he preferred to be known, became landlord of the Number Four public house in Layton, which hit the headlines earlier this month when its doors closed. While remaining tightlipped about the reason, bosses at Thwaites, which owns the hostelry, have now recruited a new licensee and the pub has re-opened. The full title of the pub, at the junction of Layton Road and Newton Drive, is No 4 and Freemasons, and in this photograph from the early 1890s, the www.twtmag.com
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Masons in the News
Ministerial Masons
RABBIS who are also Freemasons – no, not the plot for Dan Brown’s latest Da Vinci Code sequel, but the topic of a historical paper being penned by emeritus rabbi of Sydney’s Great Synagogue, Rabbi Raymond Apple. “Freemasonry is a worldwide fraternity that has always had an attraction for Jews. The movement uses a great deal of Jewish material,” Rabbi Apple said. Founded in the Middle Ages, Freemasonry rituals were based mainly on the Old Testament. In an effort to appeal to men from all corners of Christendom the ideology was strictly non-denominational, which, according to Rabbi Apple, made it appealing to Jews. “Over the centuries many Jews, including leading rabbis, have been Freemasons. They must have felt good to encounter their own biblical figures, Noah, Nimrod, Solomon, Hiram and others, at a Masonic meeting. Those with a scholarly inclination were often motivated to research the Masonic application of Jewish legends.” The “dechristianisation” of Freemasonry, however, was not for the sake of Jews, and there is no evidence that there was any deliberate policy to recruit Jewish members. In fact, there was debate in some places about admitting Jews at all. “The explanation may have to do with a desire ‘to oblige (members) to that religion in which all men agree, leaving their particular opinions to themselves’, i.e. a non-denominational form of Christianity that would allow appeal to men of all shades of Christology. The fact that this made it easier for Jews was a mere by-product,” he said. To help him prepare his paper, Rabbi Apple is urging anyone with any information about Australian and New Zealand rabbis who were also Freemasons to get in touch. Anyone with information should contact Rabbi Apple at rabbiapple@oztorah.com.
http://www.jewishnews.net.au/ministerial-masons/24238
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BOOK REVIEW By Scott Schwartzberg
“MAN AND MASON – RUDYARD KIPLING” by Bro. Richard Jaffa. 2011, AuthorHouse UK Limited. 257 pages, paperback $18.68, Kindle version $9.39 at www.amazon.com. I have to admit, while I was aware, as are many of my Brothers, that Rudyard Kipling was a Mason, I was not very familiar with his work. I had read some poems, and saw the Disney version of The Jungle Book, and the movie The Man Who Would be King several times. After reading Bro. Jaffa’s book, I am now looking forward to reading some more of Kipling’s work. Jaffa points out that most of the study done on Kipling’s Masonic writing was either done by those who are not members of the Fraternity, or else was fairly limited in scope, looking for direct Masonic references within the work and cataloguing them. This book takes a more holistic approach, first studying Kipling’s life, and then examining the whole of his writings, taking an esoteric view when looking at the Masonic references. By not focusing on what is easily discerned, a task that has been done before, Jaffa peels back the veils, and discovers just how deeply his Masonic beliefs affected Kipling’s writing. One of the points permeating Kipling’s Masonic writing, as pointed out by Jaffa is the search for universal brotherhood. As this is one of the tenets of the Brotherhood that I was searching for myself, when I first submitted my petition to join, this connection is one that resonated strongly within me. Jaffa also points out some of the misconceptions that other biographers have noted, since they were not Freemasons. It has been stated that Kipling used his membership to penetrate the underworld of Lahore. This shows the lack of understanding of Masonry by outsiders, as does the statement that in Masonry, Kipling found a world religion. Kipling was aware that Freemasonry is not a religion, but instead cuts a path across and through religions, allowing men of many faiths to enjoy the benefits of Brotherhood.
The opening chapter is a biographical look at Kipling’s life, followed by a chapter examining his Masonic life. A third chapter focuses on Kipling’s philosophy, developed both inside and outside of the Lodge, but one which he took very seriously. These serve as a necessary opening to prepare the reader for the “meat” of the book. There are several chapters which examine the Masonic influences in Kipling’s writing – starting with the early short stories, continuing through to novels and poems. I smiled while reading about “The Man Who Would Be King,” remembering that film that I watched early in my own Masonic career (having seen it while in college, but not understanding the Masonic current running through it). Jaffa discusses both the story and the film version, and his writing makes me want to pick up the original story in the near future and read it for myself. While reading about Kim, I had one of the few thoughts that distracted me enough to have to put the book down and do a little research on my own. Perhaps it is because I am an American, but I do consider myself to be well-educated. I know that I do not know as much as I would like to about the Indian sub-continent. I had to put down the book to see exactly what a “sahib” was. I thought that I had a general idea, probably gleaned through watching movies, and it did turn out to be correct, but I still had needed to look it up. In India, it was used to mean “Grace,” or “Mister,” a term of respect. Overall, I was very happy to have the opportunity to read this book. I was not as familiar with Kipling’s work as I figured, but I aim to change that, directly as a result of reading this book. I was also very unaware of Kipling’s life, for example I never knew he resided in the United States at all. This book definitely lives up to its title – it discusses Rudyard Kipling, both as a Man and as a Mason – and does it well. I recommend this book to any Brother interested in being a well-read Mason.
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Cover- Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling: Author, Poet, Journalist, and Freemason Bio
several occasions for a knighthood, all of which he declined.
Joseph Rudyard Kipling 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936) was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature.
Kipling's subsequent reputation has changed according to the political and social climate of the age and the resulting contrasting views about him continued for much of the 20th century. George Orwell called him a "prophet of British imperialism". Literary critic Douglas Kerr wrote: "He [Kipling] is He was born in Bombay, in the Bombay Presidency of still an author who can inspire passionate British India, and was taken by his family to England disagreement and his place in literary and cultural when he was five ears old. Kipling is best known for history is far from settled. But as the age of the his works of fiction, including The Jungle Book (a European empires recedes, he is recognized as an collection of stories which includes "Rikki-Tikkiincomparable, if controversial, interpreter of how Tavi"), Just So Stories (1902) (1894), Kim (1901) (a empire was experienced. That, and an increasing tale of adventure), many short stories, including "The recognition of his extraordinary narrative gifts, make Man Who Would Be King" (1888); and his poems, him a force to be reckoned with." including Mandalay (1890), Gunga Din (1890), The Childhood White Man's Burden (1899) and If— (1910). He is regarded as a major "innovator in the art of the short Rudyard Kipling was born on 30 December 1865 in story"; his children's books are enduring classics of Bombay, in British India to Alice Kipling (née children's literature; and his best works are said to MacDonald) and (John) Lockwood Kipling. Alice (one of exhibit "a versatile and luminous narrative gift". four remarkable Victorian sisters) was a vivacious woman Kipling was one of the most popular writers in England, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry James said: "Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known." In 1907 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize, and to date he remains its youngest recipient. Among other honors, he was sounded out for the British Poet Laureateship and on
about whom a future Viceroy of India would say, "Dullness and Mrs. Kipling cannot exist in the same room." Lockwood Kipling, a sculptor and pottery designer, was the Principal and Professor of Architectural Sculpture at the newly founded Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy School of Art and Industry in Bombay. John and Alice had met in 1863 and courted at Rudyard Lake in Rudyard, Staffordshire, England. They married, and moved to India in 1865. They had been so moved by the
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Cover- Rudyard Kipling (Continued from 46 beauty of the Rudyard Lake area that when their first child was born, they included a reference to the lake in naming him. Alice's sister Georgiana was married to painter Edward Burne-Jones, and her sister Agnes was married to painter Edward Poynter. Kipling's most famous relative was his first cousin, Stanley Baldwin, who was Conservative Prime Minister of the UK three times in the 1920s and 1930s. According to Bernice M. Murphy, "Kipling’s parents considered themselves 'Anglo-Indians' (a term used in the 19th century for people of British origin living in India) and so too would their son, though he spent the bulk of his life elsewhere. Complex issues of identity and national allegiance would become prominent features in his fiction." Kipling referred to such conflicts; for example: "In the afternoon heats before we took our sleep, she (the Portuguese ayah, or nanny) or Meeta (the Hindu bearer, or male attendant) would tell us stories and Indian nursery songs all unforgotten, and we were sent into the diningroom after we had been dressed, with the caution 'Speak English now to Papa and Mamma.' So one spoke 'English', haltingly translated out of the vernacular idiom that one thought and dreamed in". Kipling's days of "strong light and darkness" in Bombay ended when he was five years old. As was the custom in British India, he and his three-year-old sister, Alice ("Trix"), were taken to England—in their case to Southsea (Portsmouth), to live with a couple who boarded children of British nationals who were serving in India. The two children lived with the couple, Captain and Mrs. Holloway, at their house, Lorne Lodge, for the next six years. In his autobiography, published some 65 years later, Kipling recalled the stay with horror, and wondered ironically if the combination of cruelty and neglect which he experienced there at the hands of Mrs. Holloway might not have hastened the onset of his literary life: "If you cross-examine a child of seven or eight on his day’s doings (specially when he wants to go to sleep) he will contradict himself very satisfactorily. If each contradiction be set down as a lie and retailed at breakfast, life is not easy. I have known a certain amount of bullying, but this was calculated torture — religious as well as scientific. Yet it made me give attention to the lies I soon found it necessary to tell: and this, I presume, is the foundation of literary effort". In January 1878 Kipling was admitted to the United Services College, at Westward Ho!, Devon, a school founded a few years earlier to prepare boys for the British Army. The school proved rough going for him at first, but later led to firm friendships, and provided the setting for his schoolboy stories Stalky & Co. (1899). During his time there, Kipling also met and fell in love with Florence Garrard, who was boarding with Trix at Southsea (to which Trix had returned). Florence was to become the model for
Maisie in Kipling's first novel, The Light that Failed (1891). Near the end of his stay at the school, it was decided that he lacked the academic ability to get into Oxford University on a scholarship and his parents lacked the wherewithal to finance him,so Lockwood obtained a job for his son in Lahore, Punjab (now in Pakistan), where Lockwood was now Principal of the Mayo College of Art and Curator of the Lahore Museum. Kipling was to be assistant editor of a small local newspaper, the Civil & Military Gazette. He sailed for India on 20 September 1882 and arrived in Bombay on 18 October. He described this moment years later: "So, at sixteen years and nine months, but looking four or five years older, and adorned with real whiskers which the scandalized Mother abolished within one hour of beholding, I found myself at Bombay where I was born, moving among sights and smells that made me deliver in the vernacular sentences whose meaning I knew not. Other Indian-born boys have told me how the same thing happened to them." This arrival changed Kipling, as he explains, "There were yet three or four days’ rail to Lahore, where my people lived. After these, my English years fell away, nor ever, I think, came back in full strength".
Early Travels The Civil and Military Gazette in Lahore, the newspaper which Kipling was to call "mistress and most true love," appeared six days a week throughout the year except for a one-day break each for Christmas and Easter. Kipling was worked hard by editor Stephen Wheeler, but Kipling's need to write was unstoppable. In 1886 he published his first collection of verse, Departmental Ditties. That year also brought a change of editors at the newspaper; Kay Robinson, the new editor, allowed more creative freedom and Kipling was asked to contribute short stories to the newspaper. During the summer of 1883, Kipling visited Shimla (then known as Simla), a well-known hill station and summer capital of British India. By then it was established practice for the Viceroy of India and the government to move to Simla for six months and the town became a "centre of power as well as pleasure." Kipling's family became yearly visitors to Simla and Lockwood Kipling was asked to serve in the Christ Church there. Rudyard Kipling returned to Simla for his annual leave each year from 1885 to 1888, and the town figured prominently in many of the stories that he wrote for the Gazette. He describes this time: "My month’s leave at Simla, or whatever Hill Station my people went to, was pure joy—every golden hour counted. It began in heat and discomfort, by rail and road. It ended in the cool evening, with a wood fire in one’s bedroom, and next morn—thirty more of them ahead!—the early cup of tea,
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Cover- Rudyard Kipling (Continued from page 43) the Mother who brought it in, and the long talks of us all together again. One had leisure to work, too, at whatever play-work was in one’s head, and that was usually full." Back in Lahore, some thirty-nine stories appeared in the Gazette between November 1886 and June 1887. Most of these stories were included in Plain Tales from the Hills, Kipling's first prose collection, which was published in Calcutta in January 1888, a month after his 22nd birthday. Kipling's time in Lahore, however, had come to an end. In November 1887 he was transferred to the Gazette's much larger sister newspaper, The Pioneer, in Allahabad in the United Provinces. Kipling's writing continued at a frenetic pace; in 1888 he published six collections of short stories: Soldiers Three, The Story of the Gadsbys, In Black and White, Under the Deodars, The Phantom Rickshaw, and Wee Willie Winkie, containing a total of 41 stories, some quite long. In addition, as The Pioneer's special correspondent in western region of Rajputana, he wrote many sketches that were later collected in Letters of Marque and published in From Sea to Sea and Other Sketches, Letters of Travel.
Elmira, New York, and was deeply impressed. He then crossed the Atlantic, and reached Liverpool in October 1889. He soon made his début in the London literary world to great acclaim.
Travels in the United States The couple settled upon a honeymoon that would take them first to the United States (including a stop at the Balestier family estate near Brattleboro, Vermont) and then on to Japan.[16] However, when they arrived in Yokohama, Japan, they discovered that their bank, The New Oriental Banking Corporation, had failed. Taking this loss in their stride, they returned to the U.S., back to Vermont—Carrie by this time was pregnant with their first child—and rented a small cottage on a farm near Brattleboro for ten dollars a month. According to Kipling, "We furnished it with a simplicity that fore-ran the hire-purchase system. We bought, second or third hand, a huge, hot-air stove which we installed in the cellar. We cut generous holes in our thin floors for its eight-inch [20 cm] tin pipes (why we were not burned in our beds each week of the winter I never can understand) and we were extraordinarily and self-centrally content."
Kipling was discharged from The Pioneer in early 1889, after a dispute. By this time he had been increasingly thinking about the future. He sold the rights to his six volumes of stories for £200 and a small royalty, and the Plain Tales for £50; in addition, from The Pioneer, he received six-months' salary in lieu of notice. He decided to use this money to make his way to London, the center of the literary universe in the British Empire. On 9 March In this house, which they called Bliss 1889, Kipling left India, traveling first to San Cottage, their first child, Josephine, Francisco via Rangoon, Singapore, Hong Kong and was born "in three foot of snow on the Japan. He then traveled through the United States, night of 29 December 1892. Her writing articles for The Pioneer that were later Mother’s birthday being the 31st and published in From Sea to Sea and Other Sketches, mine the 30th of the same month, we Letters of Travel. Starting his American travels in congratulated her on her sense of the San Francisco, Kipling journeyed north to Portland, fitness of things ..." Oregon; to Seattle, Washington; up into Canada, to Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia; back It was also in this cottage that the first into the U.S. to Yellowstone National Park; down drawings of the Jungle Books came to to Salt Lake City; then east to Omaha, Nebraska, Kipling: " . . workroom in the Bliss and on to Chicago, Illinois; then to Beaver, Cottage was seven feet by eight, and Pennsylvania on the Ohio River to visit the Hill from December to April the snow lay family; from there he went to Chautauqua with level with its window-sill. It chanced Professor Hill, and later to Niagara Falls, Toronto, that I had written a tale about Indian Washington, D.C., New York and Boston. In the Forestry work which included a boy course of this journey he met Mark Twain in
Bibliography The Story of the Gadsbys (1888) Plain Tales from the Hills (1888) The Phantom Rickshaw and other Eerie Tales (1888) The Light that Failed (1890) Mandalay (1890) (poetry) Gunga Din (1890) (poetry) Many Inventions (1893) (short stories) The Jungle Book (1894) (short stories) The Second Jungle Book (1895) (short stories) If— (1895) (poetry) The Seven Seas (1896) Captains Courageous (1897) Recessional (1897) The Day's Work (1898) Stalky & Co. (1899) The White Man's Burden (1899) Kim (1901) Just So Stories (1902) Puck of Pook's Hill (1906) Rewards and Fairies (1910) Life's Handicap (1915) (short stories) The Gods of the Copybook Headings (1919)
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Cover- Rudyard Kipling The first decade of the 20th century saw Kipling at the height of his popularity. In 1906 he wrote the song "Land of who had been brought up by wolves. In the stillness, and our Birth, We Pledge to Thee". In 1907 he was awarded the suspense, of the winter of ’92 some memory of the Masonic Nobel Prize for Literature. The prize citation said: "In Lions of my childhood’s magazine, and a phrase in consideration of the power of observation, originality of Haggard’s Nada the Lily, combined with the echo of this imagination, virility of ideas and remarkable talent for tale. After blocking out the main idea in my head, the pen narration which characterize the creations of this worldtook charge, and I watched it begin to write stories about famous author." Nobel prizes had been established in 1901 Mowgli and animals, which later grew into the two Jungle and Kipling was the first English-language recipient. At the Books ". With Josephine's arrival, Bliss Cottage was felt to award ceremony in Stockholm on 10 December 1907, the be congested, so eventually the couple bought land—10 Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy, Carl David acres (40,000 m2) on a rocky hillside overlooking the af Wirsén, praised both Kipling and three centuries of Connecticut River—from Carrie's brother Beatty Balestier, English literature and built their own house The Swedish Academy, in awarding the Nobel Prize in In the short span of four years, he produced, in addition to Literature this year to Rudyard Kipling, desires to pay a the Jungle Books, a collection of short stories (The Day's tribute of homage to the literature of England, so rich in Work), a novel (Captains Courageous), and a profusion of manifold glories, and to the greatest genius in the realm of poetry, including the volume The Seven Seas. The narrative that that country has produced in our times. collection of Barrack-Room Ballads, first published individually for the most part in 1890, which contains his "Book-ending" this achievement was the publication of two poems "Mandalay" and "Gunga Din" was issued in March connected poetry and story collections: Puck of Pook's Hill 1892. He especially enjoyed writing the Jungle Books— (1906), and Rewards and Fairies (1910). The latter both masterpieces of imaginative writing—and enjoyed, contained the poem "If—". In a 1995 BBC opinion poll, it too, corresponding with the many children who wrote to was voted the UK's favorite poem. This exhortation to selfhim about them. control and stoicism is arguably Kipling's most famous poem. The writing life in Naulakha was occasionally interrupted by visitors, including his father, who visited soon after his Kipling sympathized with the anti-Home Rule stance of retirement in 1893, and British author Arthur Conan Doyle, Irish Unionists. He was friends with Edward Carson, the who brought his golf-clubs, stayed for two days, and gave Dublin-born leader of Ulster Unionism, who raised the Kipling an extended golf lesson. Kipling seemed to take to Ulster Volunteers to oppose "Home Rule" in Ireland. golf, occasionally practicing with the local Congregational Kipling wrote the poem "Ulster" in 1912 reflecting this. minister, and even playing with red-painted balls when the Kipling was a staunch opponent of Bolshevism, a position ground was covered in snow. However, wintertime golf was which he shared with his friend Henry Rider Haggard. The "not altogether a success because there were no limits to a two had bonded upon Kipling's arrival in London in 1889 drive; the ball might skid two miles (3 km) down the long largely on the strength of their shared opinions, and they slope to Connecticut river." remained lifelong friends.
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From all accounts, Kipling loved the outdoors, not least of whose marvels in Vermont was the turning of the leaves each fall. He described this moment in a letter: "A little maple began it, flaming blood-red of a sudden where he stood against the dark green of a pine-belt. Next morning there was an answering signal from the swamp where the sumacs grow. Three days later, the hill-sides as fast as the eye could range were afire, and the roads paved, with crimson and gold. Then a wet wind blew, and ruined all the uniforms of that gorgeous army; and the oaks, who had held themselves in reserve, buckled on their dull and bronzed cuirasses and stood it out stiffly to the last blown leaf, till nothing remained but pencil-shadings of bare boughs, and one could see into the most private heart of the woods."
Peak of his Career
Many have wondered why he was never made Poet Laureate. Some claim that he was offered the post during the interregnum of 1892–96 and turned it down. At the beginning of World War I, like many other writers, Kipling wrote pamphlets which enthusiastically supported the UK's war aims.
Death Kipling kept writing until the early 1930s, but at a slower pace and with much less success than before. He died of a perforated duodenal ulcer on 18 January 1936, two days before George V, at the age of 70. (His death had in fact previously been incorrectly announced in a magazine, to which he wrote, "I've just read that I am dead. Don't forget to delete me from your list of subscribers.")
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Cover- Rudyard Kipling The Mother-Lodge There was Rundle, Station Master, An' Beazeley of the Rail, An' 'Ackman, Commissariat, An' Donkin' o' the Jail; An' Blake, Conductor-Sargent, Our Master twice was 'e, With 'im that kept the Europeshop, Old Framjee Eduljee.
(Continued from page 45) Rudyard Kipling was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium and his ashes were buried in Poets' Corner, part of the South Transept of Westminster Abbey, where many distinguished literary people are buried or commemorated.
Kipling so loved his Masonic experience that he memorialized its ideals in his famous poem, "The Mother Lodge".
Initiated: April 5, 1886 (by dispensation) Passed: May 3, 1886 Raised: December 6, 1886 Demitted: March 4, 1889 Hope and Perseverance Lodge No. 782. E.C. Outside -- "Sergeant! Sir! Salute! Salaam!" In 2010 the International Lahore, India Inside -- "Brother", an' it doesn't Astronomical Union do no 'arm. approved that a crater on Joined: July 8, 1909 Sociata Rosicruciana in We met upon the Level an' we the planet Mercury Anglia parted on the Square, would be named after An' I was Junior Deacon in my Kipling – one of ten Honorary Member: Mother-Lodge out there! newly discovered impact Author’s Lodge No. 3456, craters observed by the E.C. MESSENGER We'd Bola Nath, Accountant, spacecraft in 2008-9. Motherland Lodge No. An' Saul the Aden Jew, 3861, E.C. An' Din Mohammed, draughtsman Of the Survey Office too; There was Babu Chuckerbutty, An' Amir Singh the Sikh, An' Castro from the fittin'-sheds, The Roman Catholick! We 'adn't good regalia, An' our Lodge was old an' bare, But we knew the Ancient Landmarks, An' we kep' 'em to a hair; An' lookin' on it backwards It often strikes me thus, There ain't such things as infidels, Excep', per'aps, it's us. For monthly, after Labour, We'd all sit down and smoke (We dursn't give no banquits, Lest a Brother's caste were broke), An' man on man got talkin' Religion an' the rest, An' every man comparin' Of the God 'e knew the best. So man on man got talkin', An' not a Brother stirred
Freemasonry
Founding Member (January, 1922):
According to the English The Builders of the Silent magazine Masonic Cities Lodge No. 12, St. Illustrated, Kipling Omer, France, F.R. became a Freemason in about 1885, prior to the usual minimum age of 21. He was initiated into Hope and Perseverance Lodge No. 782 in Lahore. He later wrote to The Times, "I was Secretary for some years of the Lodge . . . , which included Brethren of at least four creeds. I was entered [as an Apprentice] by a member from Brahmo Somaj, a Hindu, passed [to the degree of Fellow Craft] by a Mohammedan, and TWT raised [to the degree of Master Mason] by an Englishman. Our Tyler was an Indian Jew."
(Con’t) Till mornin' waked the parrots An' that dam' brain-feverbird; We'd say 'twas 'ighly curious, An' we'd all ride 'ome to bed, With Mo'ammed, God, an' Shiva Changin' pickets in our 'ead. Full oft on Guv'ment service This rovin' foot 'ath pressed, An' bore fraternal greetin's To the Lodges east an' west, Accordin' as commanded From Kohat to Singapore, But I wish that I might see them In my Mother-Lodge once more! I wish that I might see them, My Brethren black an' brown, With the trichies smellin' pleasant An' the hog-darn passin' down; An' the old khansamah snorin' On the bottle-khana floor, Like a Master in good standing With my Mother-Lodge once more! Outside -- "Sergeant! Sir! Salute! Salaam!" Inside -- "Brother", an' it doesn't do no 'arm. We met upon the Level an' we parted on the Square, An' I was Junior Deacon in my Mother-Lodge out there!
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Cover- Rudyard Kipling
“Rudyard Kipling and Freemasonry” by W. Bro. S.P. Thompson, M.A., LL.M. Delivered before Lodge of Research No. 218 A.F. and A., Victoria, Australia. 5 June 1930. The first story in which Kipling makes use of his Masonic knowledge is The Man Who Would Be King, "Brother to a Prince and Fellow to a Beggar, if he be found worthy." Sir J. M. Barrie says that this story is "the most audacious thing in fiction, and yet reads as true as Robinson Crusoe. Other literary critics pronounce it Kipling’s best short story. The author, a pressman in a train journey, runs across two Freemasons down and out--Brother Peachey Carnehan and Brother Daniel Dravot. The acquaintance is started by Carnehan accosting the author, and asking him to take a message to Dravot. "I ask you, as a stranger going to the West," he said with emphasis. "Where have you come from?" said I. "From the East," said he, "and I am hoping that you will give him the message on the Square for the sake of my Mother as well as your own." Later the two seek advice from the author, fit out an expedition, and proceed to an uncivilized district beyond Afghanistan called Kabistan. Summer passed and winter thereafter came and passed again. Then one night Brother Dravot burst into the press-office more dead than alive and tells his story. I can only quote the chief Masonic references.
and they've come to find out. It’s God’s truth. I've known these long years that the Afghans knew up to the Fellowcraft Degree, but this is a miracle. A god and a Grand Master of the Craft am I, and a Lodge in the Third Degree I will open, and we'll raise the head priests and the chiefs of the villages." "It’s against all the law," I says, "holding a Lodge without warrant from anyone; and you know we never held office in any Lodge." "It’s a master-stroke o' Policy," says Dravot."I've forty chiefs at my heel, and passed and raised according to merit they shall be. Billet these men in the villages and see that we run up a Lodge of some kind. The Temple of Imbra will do for the Lodge room. The women must make aprons as you show them." "I showed the priest’s families how to make aprons of the degrees, but for Dravot’s apron the blue border and marks were made of turquoise lumps on white hide, not cloth." They gave themselves out to be Grand Masters in the Craft. Peachey said: "I felt uneasy, for I knew we'd have to fudge the Ritual, and I didn't know what the men knew." "The minute Dravot puts on the Master’s apron that the girls had made for him, the priest fetches a whoop and a howl, and tries to overturn the stone that Dravot was sitting on." "It’s all up now," I says."That comes of meddling with the Craft without a Warrant!" They turn over the stone and find on the bottom the Master’s Mark, same as was on Dravot’s apron, cut into the stone.
"Luck again," says Dravot, across the Lodge to me; "they say it’s the missing Mark that no one can understand the "Peachey," says Dravot, "we don't want to fight no more. why of. We're more than safe now." Then he bangs the butt The Craft’s the trick, so help me!" and he brings forth the of his gun for a gavel and says: "By virtue of the authority Chief called Billy Fish. vested in me by my right hand and the help of Peachey, I "Shake hands with him," says Dravot, and I shook hands declare myself Grand Master of all Freemasonry in Kafirstan in this, the Mother Lodge, o' the country, and and nearly dropped, for Billy Fish gave me the grip. I said nothing, but tried him with the Fellowcraft grip. He answers King of Kafirstan equally with Peachey!" At that he puts on his crown and I puts on mine. I was doing Senior Warden all right, and I tried the Master’s grip, but that was a slip. and we opens the Lodge in most ample form. It was an "A Fellow-craft he is!" I says to Dan. "Does he know the amazing miracle! The priests moved in Lodge through the first two Degrees almost without telling, as if the memory word?" was coming back to them. After that, Peachey and Dravot "He does," says Dan, "and all the priests know. It’s a raised such as was worthyhigh priests and Chiefs of far-off miracle! The chiefs and the priests can work a Fellow-craft villages. Billy Fish was the first, and I can tell you we Lodge in a way that’s very like ours, and the've cut the scared the soul out of him. It was not in any way according marks on the rocks, but they don't know the Third Degree, (Continued on page 48)
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Cover- Rudyard Kipling (Continued from page 47) to Ritual, but it served our turn. We didn't raise more than ten of the biggest men, because we didn't want to make the Degree common." Their rule was thus established, and Dravot says: "I'll write for a dispensation from the Grand Lodge for what I've done as Grand Master." Later Billy Fish says: "We thought you were men till you showed the sign of the Master." "I wished then," says Peachey, "that we had explained about the loss of the genuine secrets of a Master Mason at the first go-off."
"My father, he got these papers from the Jadoo-Gher what do you call that? Because he was in good standing." Then Chaplain Bennett, "Assuming that he is the son of a Mason, the sooner he goes to the Masonic Orphanage the better!" "Ah! that’s your opinion as Secretary to the Regimental Lodge," said Father Victor. The matter of Rivers of Healing, Red Bulls and Masonic Certificates goes for consideration to the Colonel. "Are you a Mason by any chance?" says Father Victor. "By Jove, I am, now I come to think of it." "That’s an additional reason," said the Colonel, absently. So Kim is clothed and educated at Masonic expense. Kim is a story that all should read. The theme of the story, the search for the Red Bull on the green field of Kim, the Little Friend of all the World, and the Lama’s search for his river of purification, might well have been inspired by the Masonic idea of the search for the lost word.
Trouble comes through Dravot taking to wife a girl, who bites him, draws blood, and thus he is then no longer regarded as a god. Wild commotion arises and Dravot is killed. Peachey escapes with Dravot’s head. At the conclusion of his story he shakes from a bag on the author’s In the medieval story, The Wrong Thing, Kipling has table the dried, withered head of Daniel Dravot. Freemasonry running in his thoughts. The story is of an ancient builder of a village hall. Hal o' the Draft is asked if "You knew Dravot, Sir! You knew Right Worshipful he wants a job. Brother Dravot! Look at him now." "No, faith!" he said, "only the Hall is as good and honest Peachey dies next day in the asylum. a piece of work as I've ever run a rule over. So, being born hereabouts, and being reckoned a master among masons, In the long story, Kim, the hero is introduced with a Masonic reference. Kim’s father, Kimball O'Hara, a young and accepted as a master mason, I made bold to pay my colour-sergeant of the Mavericks, an Irish regiment, fell to brotherly respects to the builder." drink and loafing, and later to opium, and died as poor whites die in India. "His estate at death," it is related, "consisted of three papers one he called ne varietur, because those words were written below his signature thereon, and another his 'clearance certificate.' The third was Kim’s birth-certificate. Those things, he was used to say, in his glorious opium hours, would yet make little Kimball a man. On no account was Kim to part with them, for they belonged to a great piece of magic such magic as men practised over yonder behind the Museum, in the big blue and white Jadoo-Gher—the Magic House, as we name the Masonic Lodge.
"Aa-um!" Mr. Springett looked important. "I be a bit rusty, but I'll try ye!"
"It would, he said, all come right some day, and Kim’s horn would be exalted between pillars—monstrous pillars—of beauty and strength."
'I know them accidents. There’s no way to disprove 'em. An' stones ain't the only things that slip,' Mr. Springett grunted.
He asked Hal several curious questions; and the answers must have pleased him, for he invited Hal to sit down. A further passage reads: "Hal pointed to a white scar on his cheek-bone.'This is a remembrance from the Master Watching Foreman of Masons on Magdalan Tower, because, please you, I dared to carve stone without their leave. They said a stone had slipped from the cornice by accident.'
Wandering about India with an old llama, Kim runs into his Still another passage reads: father’s regiment, and is questioned by the two Chaplains, 'I pledge you my Mark I never guessed it was the King one Bennett being Secretary to the regimental Masonic till that moment.' Lodge. Says Kim:
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'I would not put out bad work before I left the Lodge.'
Hal tells the Master of his struggle with Benedetto. 'Ah,' says the Master, shaking his finger. 'Benedetto, if you had killed my Hal I should have killed you in the cloister. But you are a craftsman, too, so I should have killed you like a craftsman, very,
very slowly in an hour, if I could spare the time!' That was Torrigiano, the Master." In Roman times the Order of Mithras was akin to Freemasonry.There is a reference in the story, On the Great Wall. "We came to know each other at a ceremony in our Temple in the dark. Yes in the Cave we first met, and we were both raised to the Degree of Gryphons together. Parnesius lifted his hand toward his neck for an instant." In the same volume, in The Winged Hats, we find this passage:
"Breast to breast!" he says, as the Tyrone was pushin' us forward, closer an' closer. "An hand over back!" sez a sarjint that was behin'. I saw a sword lick out past Crook’s ear like a snake’s tongue, an' the Paythan was took in the apple av his throat like a pig at Dromean Fair. "Thank ye, Brother Inner-Guard." sez Crook, cool as a cucumber widout salt. "I wanted that room." An' he went forward by the thickness av a man’s body, havin' turned the Paythan undher him. The man bit the heel off Crook’s boot in his death-bite. And this from Brother Square-Toes: "I saw my chief’s warbonnets sinking together down and down. Then they made the sign which no Indian makes outside of the Medicine Lodges a sweep of the right hand just clear of the dust and an inbend of the left knee at the same time, and those proud eagle feathers almost touched his boottop." This is from The Dog Hervey: "What’s that dog doing? A tremor shook him, and be put his hand on my knee, and whispered with great meaning, "I'll letter or halve it with you. There! You begin!"
"As I stopped, I saw he wore such a medal as I wear. Parnesius raised his hand to his neck. Therefore, when he could speak, I addressed him a certain question, which can "S," said I, to humour him, for a dog would most likely only be answered in a certain manner. He answered with the be standing or sitting, or, may be, scratching or sniffing or necessary word; the word that belongs to the Degree of staring. Gryphons in the science of Mithras, my God. I put my shield over him till he could stand up. He said, "What "Q," he went on, and I could feel the heat of his shaking now?" I said, "At your pleasure, my brother, to stay or go? hand. (He was a member of an attacking party of Vikings, whose "U," said I. There was no other letter possible; but I was life Parnesius saved.) shaking, too. "I know that those who worship Mithras are many, and of "I," all races, so I did not think much more upon the matter.
"N," A month later I saw Allo with his horses by the Temple of Panand he gave me a great necklace of gold studded with "T-i-n-g," he ran out. "There! that proves it. I knew you coral. At first I thought it was a bribe from some tradesman knew him. Between ourselves, old man, he-he’s been of the town meant for old Rutilianus. turning up lately a-a damn sight more often than I cared for. 'Nay,' said Allo. 'This a gift from Amal, that Winged Hat And a squinting dogdog that squints!I mean that’s a bit too much." whom you saved on the beach. He says--you are a Man."' Fort Newton suggests that Kipling’s Masonic references are In 1926 Kipling published a volume called Debits and Credits. In it there are no less than four Masonically too revealing. The following are some samples that might inspired stories, all four emanating from the imaginary be so regarded. This from With the Main Guard. London Lodge, Faith and Works, No. 5837, E.C. The "Knee to knee!" sings out Crook, with a laugh, when the rush of our comin' into the gut shtopped, an' he was huggin' a hairy great Paythan, neither bein' able to do anything to the other, tho' both was wishful.
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Cover- Rudyard Kipling (Continued from page 49) stories are entitled "In the Interests of the Brethren," "The Janeites," "A Madonna of the Trenches," and "A Friend of the Family." The characters are all soldier Freemasons. "In the Interests of the Brethren," first published in the 1918 Christmas issue of the Storyteller, is all Masonic, being a record of the doings at a special Lodge of Instruction held two afternoons and two evenings each week for soldiers sick and on leave during the War. You must read the story for yourselves. There is a good deal about Ritual in it. I can only give you a few extracts. "Now a Lodge of Instruction is mainly a parade ground for Ritual."
"As an aid, as an aid not as a substitute for Religion," the Clergyman snapped. "Oh, Lord! Can't we give Religion a rest for a bit?" the Doctor muttered. "It hasn't done so. I beg your pardon all round." The Clergyman was bristling. "Kamerad!" the wise Sergeant-Major went on, both hands up. "Certainly not as a substitute for a creed, but as an average plan of life. What I've seen at the front makes me sure of it." Says Brother Burgess:
"All Ritual is fortifying. Ritual’s a natural necessity for "All London’s full of the Craft, and no places for them to mankind. The more things are upset, the more they fly to it. meet in. Think of the possibilities of it. Think what could I abhor slovenly Ritual anywhere." "The Dominions are have been done by Masonry through Masonry for all the much keener on ritual than an average English Lodge." world. I hope I'm not censorious, but it sometimes crosses my mind that Grand Lodge may have thrown away its "When the amateurs, rather red and hot, had finished, chance in the war almost as much as the Church has." they demanded an exhibition working of their bungled ceremony by Regular Brethren of the Lodge. Then I realised for the first time what word-and-gesture-perfectRitual can be brought to mean. We all applauded, the onefooted Corporal most of all." Then Masonry as a religion is commented on. "Brother Burgess started. He told us sleepy old chaps in Lodge that what men wanted more than anything else was Lodges where they could sit and be happy like we are now. He was right, too. A man’s Lodge means more to him than people imagine. As our friend on your right said just now, very often Masonry’s the only practical creed we've ever listened to since we were children. Platitudes or no platitudes, it squares with what everybody knows ought to be done.' He sighed. 'And if this war hasn't brought home the Brotherhood of Man to us all, I'm a Hun!'
"Lucky for you the Padre is taking that chap to King’s Cross," said Brother Lemming. It is an interesting story with soldiers from all over the world dropping in. "Listen to the greetings. They'll be interesting. The crack of the great gavel brought us to our feet, after some surging and plunging among the cripples. Then the BatterySergeant-Major, in a trained voice, delivered hearty and fraternal greetings to 'Faith and Works' from his tropical District and Lodge. The others followed, in every tone between a grunt and a squeak. I heard 'Hauraki, 'InyangaUmbezi,' 'Aloha,' ’southern Lights' (from somewhere Punta Arenas way), 'Lodue of Rough Ashlars' (and that Newfoundland Naval Brother looked it), two or three stars of something or other, half-a-dozen cardinal virtues, variously arranged, hailing from Klondyke to Kalgoorlie, one Military Lodge on one of the fronts, thrown in with a severe Scotch burr by my friend of the head-bandages, and the rest as mixed as the Empire itself."
The one-footed R.A.M.C. on my right chuckled. 'D'you like it?' said the Doctor to him. 'Do I? It’s Heaven to me, sittin' in Lodge again. It’s all coming back now, watching their mistakes. I haven't much religion, but all I had I learnt in Lodge.' Recognising me, he flushed a little as one does The soldiers arriving have to be tested. when one says a thing twice over in another’s hearing. 'Yes, "veiled in all'gory and illustrated in symbols" the "They come in all shapes." Fatherhood of God, an' the Brotherhood of Man; an' what "Shapes was not a bad description, for my first patient more in Hell do you want? Look at 'em!" He broke off, was all head-bandages--escaped from an Officers' Hospital, giggling. "See! See! They've tied the whole thing into Pentonville way. He asked me in profane Scots how I knots." expected a man with only six teeth and half a lower lip to "We could do much with Masonry," says the Sergeant speak to any purpose, so we compromised on the signs. My Major (who was a Past District Grand Lodge Officer). last man nearly broke me down altogether. Everything seemed to have gone from him.
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Cover- Rudyard Kipling (Continued from page 50)
that his people had not been appreciated enough in England, or too fulsomely complimented by an hysterical Press."
'I don't blame you,' he gulped, at last. I wouldn't pass my own self on my answers, but I give you my word that so far as I've had any religion, it’s been all the religion I've had. "What your crowd down under are suffering from is For God’s sake, let me sit in Lodge again, Brother!"' growing-pains. You'll get over 'em in three hundred years or so if you're allowed to last so long." "The Janeites" devotees of Jane Austen, the novelist, is a story of the trenches. It is told at a Saturday afternoon "Who’s going to stoush us?" Orton (an Australian) asked cleaning up of regalia at Lodge Faith and Works. Visiting fiercely. After the story is told the teller says: "I've given it Brethren are helping "to polish Columns, Jewels, Working you just as it happened, word for word. I'd hate to have an Outfit and Organ." "A morose, one-legged Brother was Australian have it in for me for anything I'd done to his attending to the Emblems of Mortality with, I think, friend. Mark you, I don' say there’s anything wrong with rouge." you Australians, Brother Orton. I only say they ain't like us, or anyone else I know." "They ought," he volunteered to Brother Burgess as we passed, "to be between the colour of ripe apricots an' a half- Several passages in Kipling’s Letters of Travel reveal his smoked meerschaum. That’s how we kept 'em in my interest in Freemasonry. He tells how in the native town of Mother Lodge a treat to look at." Penang he found a large army of Chinese encamped in spacious street and houses. These Chinese were said to have the town entirely at their mercy. They were banded in secret societies. Kipling went to a Chinese theatre and The teller of the story states: "E'd never gone beyond the came to the conclusion that they were without nerves as Blue Degrees, 'e told me." "For one pound he conwithout digestion. He concludes in these words: "About imunicated me the password of the First Degree, which was this time the faces of the Chinese frightened me more than Tilniz an' trap-doors." ever, so I ran away to the outskirts of the town and saw a windowless house that carried the Square and Compasses A Madonna of the Trenches is a story of a shell-shocked in gold and teakwood above the door. I took heart at Brother, C. Strangwick, a young, tallish, new-made meeting these familiar things again, and knowing that Brother. "I noticed that, after Lodge-working, Keede (a where they were was good fellowship and much charity, in Doctor and Senior Warden) gave him a seat a couple of spite of all the secret societies in the world. Penang is to be rows in front of us, that he might enjoy a lecture on the 'Orientation of King Solomon’s Temple,' which an earnest congratulated on one of the prettiest little lodges in the East." Brother thought would be a nice interlude between labour and the high tea that we called our 'Banquet.' Even helped by tobacco it was a dreary performance. About half-way through, Strangwick, who had been fidgeting and twitching for some minutes, rose, drove back his chair, grinding across the tesselated floor, and yelped: 'Oh, my Aunt! I can't stand this any longer.' Under cover of a general laugh of assent he brushed past us and stumbled towards the door. Keede gets him in the Tyler’s Room, gives him sal volatile, and he is induced to tell his story and thus obtain relief."
In an account of his visit to Salt Lake City he comments: "To quench her (the white woman) "most natural rebellion, that amazing creed and fantastic jumble of Mahometanism, the Mosaical law and imperfectly comprehended fragments of Freemasonry, calls to its aid all the powers of a hell conceived and elaborated by coarse-minded hedgers and ditchers." "There is over the main door" (of the Temple) "some pitiful scratchings in stone representing the all-seeing eye, the Masonic grip, the sun, moon and stars, and perhaps other skittles." In another place "Canada possesses two pillars of Strength and Beauty in Quebec and Victoria." [Letters]
A Friend of the Family is a story told after "rather a long sitting at Lodge Faith and Works, 5837, E.C. Three initiations and two raisings, each conducted with the spaciousness and particularity that our Lodge prides itself Turning to Kipling’s verse, the earliest Masonic reference upon, made the Brethren a little silent, and the strains of is, I think, in certain music had not yet lifted from them." It is a story of some doings of an Australian soldier a Queensland drover The Widow at Windsor from the backblocks. The story is an extremely good one. "Hands off o' the sons o' the Widow, We are told "The Australian was full of racial grievances as must be in a young country; alternating between complaints
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"So it was ordered and so it was done,
Hand’s off o' the goods in 'er shop,
And the heavens of wood and the Masons of Mark,
For the Kings must come down an' the Emperors frown
With foc’sle hands of the Sidon run;
When the Widow at Windsor says "Stop!"
And Navy Lords from the Royal Ark
Then 'ere’s to the Lodge o' the Widow.
Came and sat down and were merry at mess
From the Pole to the Tropics it runs--
As Fellow-Craftsmen no more and no less."
To the Lodge that we tile with the rank an' file.
"Brother to Beggars and Fellow to Kings,
An' open in form with the guns.
Companion of Princes, forget these things!
Then 'ere’s to the sons o' the Widow,
Fellow-Craftsmen, forget these things!"
Wherever, 'owever they roam, Ere’s all they desire,
Then there is My New-cut Ashlar:
an' if they require
"My new-cut ashlar takes the light
A speedy return to their 'ome."
Where crimson-blank the windows flare; By my own work, before the night,
The Press
Great Overseer, I make my prayer.
"The soldier may forget his sword,
One stone the more swings to its place
The sailorman the sea,
In that dread temple of Thy Worth;
The Mason may forget the Word
It is enough that through Thy grace
And the Priest his litany."
I saw naught common on Thy earth.
You no doubt know The Mother Lodge-
Take not that vision from my ken;
"We hadn't good regalia,
Oh, whatsoe'er may spoil or speed,
An' our Lodge was old an' bare,
Help me to need no help from men
But we knew the Ancient Landmarks
That I may help such men as need."
An' kep' 'em to a hair. "Full oft on Guv'ment service
The Sons of Martha appeals to the Freemason as Masonically inspired:
This rovin' foot 'ath pressed, An' bore fraternal greetings To the Lodges East and West."
In the volume, Debits and Credits, we have Banquet Night
"They say to Mountains, 'Be ye removed.' They say to the lesser floods 'Be dry.' Under their rods are the rocks reproved they are not afraid of that which is high." Not as a ladder from earth to Heaven, not as a witness to any creed, Put simple service simply given to his own kind in their common need. "They do not teach that their God will rouse them a little before the nuts work loose; They (Continued on page 53)
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Cover- Rudyard Kipling (Continued from page 52) do not preach that His Pity allows them to leave their work when they damn-well choose. As in the thronged and lighted ways, so in the dark and the desert they stand, Wary and watchful all their days, that their Brethren’s days may be long in the land." The Palace. "When I was a King and a Mason-a Master proven and skilled I cleared me the ground for a palace such as a King should build." Kipling is fond of references to King Solomon: "One man in a thousand, Solomon says, Will stick more close than a brother," "Once in so often," King Solomon said, Watching his quarrymen drill the stone." "King Solomon drew merchantmen Because of his desire For peacocks, apes, and ivory From Tarshish unto Tyre. With cedars out of Lebanon Which Hiram rafted down, But we be only sailor men That use in London Town." In estimating the inspiration derived by Kipling from Freemasonry we must remember that his two grandfathers were Methodist ministers. I leave to others to say whether two grandfathers are more influential than one father. It therefore cannot be claimed, I think, that Kipling’s many Biblical references and his frequent adoption of Biblical language was due to Freemasonry. But in this connection it may be justly inferred that Kipling, becoming a Freemason at an impressionable age, and lecturing, as he did, to his Lodge on the origin and principles of Freemasonry, at the age of 22 years, received a broadening influence from Freemasonry. Toleration is a first principle of Freemasonry, and Kipling is an exponent of toleration. In Kim he concedes the better knowledge of and broader view of human nature possessed by the R.C. Chaplain, Father Victor, as compared with the Anglican Chaplain, Arthur Bennett. "Between himself and the Roman Catholic chaplain of the Irish contingent lay, as Bennett believed, an unbridgeable gulf, but it was noticeable that whenever the Church of England dealt with a human problem she was very likely to call in the Church
of Rome. Bennett’s official abhorrence of the Scarlet Woman and all her ways was only equaled by his private respect for Father Victor." Here is a little homily on toleration: "That when they bore me overmuch I will not shake mine ears, Recalling several thousand such whom I have bored to tears, And when they labour to impress, I will not doubt or scoff. Since I myself have, done no less, and sometimes pulled it off, For as ye come and as ye go, whatever grade ye be, The Rosicrucian Brethren are good enough for me." These lines call on me to close, lest I bore you overmuch. I will only briefly refer to Kipling’s last volume, A Book of Words, published in 1928; it contains selections from his speeches and addresses between 1906 and 1927. In it are further Masonic touches, such as: "They face the five great problems. I prefer to call them Points of Fellowship - Education, Immigration, Transportation, Irrigation and Administration." ("Address on Imperial Relations.") In The Verdict of Equals he visions for the Royal Geographical Society "a sumptuously equipped Lodge of Instruction, where men could find to their hand the whole history of travel." In an address to University College, Dundee, he says: "Independent men who have elected to be bound to hard work till their life’s end take little harm from being given the best equipment, the best thought-out set of working tools that can fit them for their callings." In 1925 he uttered one more reiteration of Masonic principles. "Our sane attitude towards each other must be that of good-will, a good-will just a little more persistent, just a little more indefatigable than the ill-will which is being fabricated elsewhere. For if good-will can once more be made normal, with it must return that will to work which is the trade mark of established health in a people. If the will to work be too long delayed, then, all that our race has made and stands for must pass into the hand of whatever nation first recovers that will." I will conclude with lines that appear to be Masonically inspired: "Buy my English posies! Ye that have your own, Buy them for a Brother’s sake, Overseas, alone: Weed ye trample underfoot, Floods his heart abrim Bird ye never heeded, Oh, she calls his dead to him! "Far and far our homes are set round the Seven Seas; Woe to us if we forget, we who hold by these! Unto each his mother-beach, bloom and bird and land Masters of the Seven Seas, oh, love and understand!"
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Interview with Bro. Richard Jaffa Author of “Men and Mason - Rudyard Kipling” By Cory Sigler Several months ago, I published a press release about a new book that caught my eye. It was about the Rudyard Kipling and the influence Masonry had on his writings. Sadly, the most I knew about him was from watching the 1975 Sean Connery and Michael Caine movie “The Man Who Would Be King”. I rushed over to my Ipad and saw that there was a Kindle version that could be immediately downloaded and read. Boy, am I glad that I did! I had very little idea how interesting Kipling was as a person nor how difficult of an upbringing he had. I assumed he lived a life with a silver spoon The book did a fantastic job showing the reader what made the man who he was and how Masonry played a tremendous part in his life. Since there is a book review by Scott Schwartzberg already in this issue I will not recap the whole book, instead I prepared a interview Q&A with Bro. Richard about his book, his experiences writing it and about his knowledge on all things Kipling. Here’s what we talked about…
1.
Bro. Jaffa, let’s start off by finding out more about your Masonic career. Mother Lodge, How long you have been in the Craft, Any other Masonic bodies you belong to ..etc. I was initiated in September 1970 into St. Paul’s Lodge No 43 ( E.C.) which was founded in 1733. I was Master for the first time in 1980 (and again in 2000) and Director of Ceremonies when the Lodge celebrated its 250th Anniversary in 1983. In that year and in 2008 on the Lodge’s 275th Anniversary, I wrote the history of the Lodge. I have been Master of three other Lodges at various times. I have also been Master of a Mark Lodge and a Provincial Officer in the Mark and also been in the three chairs in Royal Arch Masonry. In our
Province I have been both Senior Warden and an Assistant Provincial Grand Master. In the United Grand Lodge of England I was appointed as a Junior Grand Deacon and took part as an acting officer in the 275th Anniversary of UGLE being part of the column that escorted the MW Grand Master at that event which was attended by 16,000 Freemasons. My Lodge is twinned with Lodges in France and Germany where I have visited regularly.
2.
I just read this quote from Kipling that speaks greatly about our tolerance for all faiths and his appreciation of diversity. Can you tell us a little about his Masonic history and what he found so appealing that he wrote about it for years after? "I was Secretary for some years of the Lodge . . . , which included Brethren of at least four creeds. I was entered [as an Apprentice] by a member from Brahmo Somaj, a Hindu, passed [to the degree of Fellow Craft] by a Mohammedan, and raised [to the degree of Master Mason] by an Englishman. Our Tyler was an Indian Jew." I think that Kipling, possibly influenced by his father, decided that although he believed in God, he was uncomfortable with the limitations that religion sometimes imposed on people in terms of social contact. He was raised in a mostly Moslem city and later worked in the same city and seems to have great sympathy for the Moslems. He subsequently went to work in a more Hindu dominated city. My view is that Freemasonry offered him the opportunity to mix with these other religions socially for the first time. Generally the British administrators and military men did not mix with the Indians and I think Kipling disliked that separation. If you look at his poem The Mother Lodge that tends to confirm that view. I also think that being brought up in India he had a natural sympathy with Eastern religions. His portrayal of the Buddhist Lama in Kim is further evidence of that. I have developed this point in my book when
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Cover- Rudyard Kipling (Continued from page 54) examining Kipling’s philosophy. As to why Freemasonry continued to appear in his writing that is much easier to answer. Kipling had a huge thirst for knowledge and an amazing memory. I think sometimes he used Masonic ritual or words without even realizing he was doing it. My book details his short Masonic career which I think made an indelible impression on him.
3.
What drew you to Kipling that made you become an expert in his writings? About ten years ago I embarked on a Master Degree in English which included a course on Anglo-Indian literature. It was on reading Kim that the light dawned on me- and I immediately started researching Kipling’s interest and I was astonished how extensive it was. I found that non-Masons didn’t really understand why he had been a Freemason and how it influenced him. I do have a special affection for Kipling. The Jungle Book was my first experience of literature as a child.
4. What is your favorite story or poem of his, why? Difficult question. I think my favorite poem is The Mother Lodge. Although I don’t think it is an accurate reflection of Kipling’s own lodge in India it is a very affectionate and nostalgic picture of how he felt about his Freemasonry. Of the stories Kim is my first choice among the longer works but among the short stories I love The Janeites. Not only does it start with the Masonic setting but it is a rare glimpse of Kipling’s humour at a time when he was still suffering from the loss of his son in World War One. It might seem an odd choice but I do think it repays the time spent on it. Kipling’s stories can be quite quirky.
parents left him at Southsea. He denied that the experience scarred him for life but several of his biographers disagree and think it did affect his thinking.
6.
Kipling lived for many years in India, both as a child and again as an adult. Why did he prefer India over his motherland England?
I don’t think Kipling regarded England as his motherland. He was born in India and spent two important periods of his life there. Although many regard him as a typical Englishman Kipling himself once remarked that he never felt totally at home in England. If it hadn’t been for the disagreement with his brother in law, he would almost certainly have remained in the USA permanently. I think also he had been happiest in India. Throughout his life he was quite restless and traveled constantly.
7.
Kipling used Masonic words, phrases, characters and settings in many of his stories yet it is known that he only attended Lodge for a short period of time. In your opinion, why did he incorporate this into his work with such apparent admiration but spend so little time in the Craft? This is the hardest question. Firstly he had a great memory. He knew huge parts of the Bible which he had read as a child. Much of Masonic ritual has a poetic ring to it and Kipling would have appreciated this as poet himself. I am always asked why he never attended Lodges after he left India. There is no simple answer. As I have said he did travel a lot especially during the English winter. I also think his wife may have resisted his attendance at Lodge. He certainly didn’t lack invitations. I have dealt with this question at some length in my book.
8. 5. I was very surprised to learn that he had such a difficult upbringing. Does this reflect any in his writing? Are there any examples to where he alludes to this? His autobiography Something of Myself tells how he was regularly beaten by the woman in whose care he was left. Read his story Baa Baa Black Sheep which is almost certainly based on those experiences and reflects the unhappy time he had for several years after his
My favorite short story is “In the Interests of Brethren” from his collection “Debits and Credits”. It is a beautiful story telling of the generosity of the brethren and inherent giving nature that most Masons form over time to aid the needy and distressed. Do you have any thing you can share about this story or what message Kipling was trying make? I think that the real emphasis in this story is on the benefit of ritual. Burges , the main character repeats this several times in the story. Ritual is treated as a way of putting away the anxieties (Continued on page 56)
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Cover- Rudyard Kipling (Continued from page 55) about the War. The ritual has a therapeutic effect on the characters and I think he is very keen to make that point. I agree it is an unique story and I constantly tell Freemasons about it. It also demonstrates the extent of Kipling’s knowledge of Masonry and his warmth towards to Craft.
9.
Many of his stories have Masonic references as we discussed above. Do you think he might have added them to make his books more marketable, whether it be to the conspiracy minded or to the millions of Freemasons who would pick up on the hidden symbolism? An interesting question! I think he used Masonic references for dramatic effect. I actually believe he didn’t seriously consider whether the Masonic references would be appreciated or not. In his early work , like the Man Who Would be King, he used Freemasonry as a narrative device but with a great sense of fun. In Kim he used his knowledge as Charity Steward of his Lodge as to how orphan children were treated by their fathers’ lodges. TWT READER SUBMITTED QUESTIONS
1.
Out of all the Masons to write about, why Kipling?
I think that although Kipling was known to be a Freemason the extent of his writing about the Craft was not widely appreciated. I think he has much to say to us at the present time and I hope I will create some interest in his work as I think he has been neglected. There are plenty of other Freemasons one could write about – how about Mozart for Masons? Kipling is a complex character and I hope my book shows how as he grew older he used Freemasonry in his work in different ways. There is relatively little great art incorporating Freemasonry. I have mentioned Mozart and might add Tolstoy and Sibelius but then the list comes to an end.
2. As a fellow English Mason and author, do you share any common ground with Kipling? I wouldn’t make any claims except I did work as a national newspaper journalist in my twenties but apart from Freemasonry that is the only common ground.
3. How did Freemasonry play into Kipling's life? From both a personal and literary aspect. I think as a young man he enjoyed Freemasonry as a novel experience and a chance to meet fresh faces but in his later years he was a rather forlorn character having lost two of his three children and I think he found some solace in Freemasonry and that comes across very strongly in the Masonic stories in Debits and Credits. I do urge Brethren to read those stories as I am sure they will enjoy them
4.
What is it about Freemasonry that attracted Kipling? Please contrast against your own reasons and experience with the Fraternity. Other than the basic answer of "good morals, etc", what common philosophical and spiritual ground do you share with Kipling within the realm of Freemasonry? I think Kipling’s attraction initially was that he could meet men of all races and religions and that Freemasonry was a genuine brotherhood. He was also very young and extremely curious. I became Freemason at the suggestion of my father in law. I had recently lost my father who had also been a Freemason and it just seemed a natural progression. I think the vital elements are still brotherly love, relief and truth. I think there was an extra element for Kipling and one I would certainly wish to share. He thought that a man should be judged by his work. He thought that whatever a man’s standing in society, if he carried out his work conscientiously, he was as good as any other man. This fits so well with Freemasonry.
5. Do you like the film adaptation "The Man Who Would Be King"? Do you think Masonic fiction draws men to the Craft? I think the film is highly entertaining although it bears little relationship to large parts of the story, especially those parts about Freemasonry. This story has been a huge success for over a century and it is the one Kipling story where I wonder what the non-Masonic readers made of the Masonic elements. It certainly didn’t stop it being a great favorite.
To learn more about Bro. Jaffa’s book please click here Or visit his website at http://richardjaffa.com/ www.twtmag.com
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York Rite News & Information
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York Rite News & Information
http://www.yorkrite.com/MasonicWeek/ Hilton, Alexandria, Mark Center 5000 Seminary Rd., Alexandria, VA 22311 Reservations: 800-HILTONS or 703-845-1010 ON-LINE HOTEL RESERVATION FORM Group Name: AMD Masonic Week 2012 ~ Group Code: AMD The special room rate will be available until January 26th or until the group block is sold-out, whichever comes first
What is Masonic Week, or DC Masonic Week or AMD Masonic Week? by Sir Knights Thurman C. Pace Jr., M.E.H.P.G.M. and Dan Pushee P.C., KCT
Perhaps in can be defined as an "In-Gathering" of Masons of National Appendant Bodies for the purpose of conducting Annual Meetings. It provides an excellent opportunity to meet and "converse on the level" with many well known Freemasons, especially of the York Rite. It is also a time to enjoy excellent banquets and even "fun degrees". In the beginning: "The Sovereign College of Allied Masonic and Christian Degrees was established in Richmond, on January 15, 1892, by the Reverend Hartley Carmichael, who had immigrated to the United States via Canada from Dublin, Ireland. He presided over the College as Sovereign Grand Master until January 18, 1901. After Carmichael's death, the Sovereign College moved to Norway, Maine, where it met until 1933. In 1932, the Grand Council of Allied Masonic Degrees of the United States of America formed in Salisbury, North Carolina. In 1933, said Council entered into articles of Union with Sovereign College of the Allied Masonic and
Christian Degrees which was ratified by both parties. The Grand Council met in North Carolina through March 29, 1937, except for two years when meetings were held in Alexandria, VA. Effective February 21, 1938, the Grand Council moved to Washington, D.C., where it has met continuously through February, 2007, with the exception of 1945 when no annual meeting was held due to WWII. The first four meetings in D.C. were held at the Hamilton Hotel, the next two at the Washington Hotel, then nine at the Releigh Hotel, followed by five at the Statler Hotel. The first meeting at the Hotel Washington was on February 21, 1959, where the Grand Council met through the February, 2007, meeting for a total of 49 continuous Annual Meetings. In 2008 we returned to Alexandria, VA, where we last met in 1934." Through the years additional organizations have joined in
participating in what is now an "expanded week" of activities. www.twtmag.com
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Featured Writer- Bro. Jacob Lucas
ast month, I began a discussion of the Degrees of Freemasonry. The articles in the January issue dealt with the Preston-Webb and Scottish Rite derived versions of the Entered Apprentice Degree. In continuation, this issue has two articles on the Fellow Craft Degree, one for each of the versions with which I am familiar. In the next issue, this preliminary discussion on the three symbolic Degrees will be complete, and future articles will deal with higher degrees. Now that the Brother has been initiated into our Fraternity, he is no longer profane, but one of us. As operative stonemasons worked with young apprentices and taught them to advance their skills, to become a fellow of the craft, so too do Master Masons work with the Entered Apprentice Brother to help him to advance his skills. In many jurisdictions, the Entered Apprentice is required to recite a portion of the preceding Degree, from memory, in open Lodge. In other jurisdictions, he may prepare a paper, and present that in Lodge. This hearkens back to the days of operative masonry, where apprentices would be required to demonstrate proficient work in order to complete the apprenticeship. The lessons of the Entered Apprentice Degree were principally directed to the moral culture of the heart. Those in the Fellow Craft Degree are particularly devoted to scientific investigation. By an examination and prolonged study of the invariable truths of science, the mind is further developed, allowing us to show more reverence to the Great Architect of the Universe. Many of our Brothers seem to me to discount the Fellow Craft Degree, seeing it as merely a stepping stone between the Degrees of Entered Apprentice and Master Mason. I feel that this is completely missing the point of this Degree. As one who values education highly, this may be my favorite of the symbolic Degrees, with the focus on education. The Brother passing to the Degree of Fellow Craft is less nervous than a Candidate being initiated. He has some familiarity with the ritual as he goes through the ceremony. Much of the wording and the movement will be familiar. He is able to understand more of the process this time around, which is vital, especially when it comes to the lecture for the Degree. This lecture further instructs the Brother of the legend of the building of King Solomon’s Temple. There are several significant numbers explained and examples of these numbers given. First, there is a description of the entrance to the Temple. Later, the human senses are described, particularly those that have a special significance to our Fraternity. The classic orders of architecture, that science so closely linked to stone masons, are discussed for the Brother. In this part of the lecture, the liberal arts and sciences are stressed. The education of a Brother can make all the difference in how he grows in our Craft. He is instructed to study Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Mathematics, Geometry, Music, and Astronomy (see article by Cory Sigler in the January issue of The Working Tools). In the times of operative masonry, these subjects were considered essential for one to consider himself educated. There was not a system of public education at this time. Most people would learn what was necessary for their vocation. (Continued on page 60) www.twtmag.com
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Featured Writer- Bro. Jacob Lucas (Continued from page 59) Through application of the knowledge gained in these arts, one can master various skills needed to thrive in life. By application of the first three, the classical “Trivium,” one can develop leadership skills. The final four, the medieval “Quadrivium,” can be used in the building trades, among others. These subjects, primarily Mathematics and Geometry, would be needed for one to be a Master of masonry. In my Lodge, Brothers are typically only at the level of Fellow Craft for approximately one month, just long enough to learn their proficiency for this Degree. I find that there is a great deal of information covered in this Degree which can be used for the purposes of Masonic Education. The Degree of Fellow Craft was originally the final of the symbolic Degrees, with the Master Mason Degree as we now know it not appearing before the 1720s. Prior to that time, the term Master Mason would be applied to the Master of a particular Lodge, as a Master would be the leader of an operative mason worksite.
Sources Preston, William. Ilustrations of Masonry. The Ninth Edition: with Considerable Additions. 1796. Gale ECCO print edition. Webb, Thomas Smith. The Freemason’s Monitor, or Illustrations of Masonry: In Two Parts. 1797. Gale ECCO print edition. Cross, Jeremy Ladd. The True Masonic Chart: or Hieroglyphic Monitor; Containing All the Emblems Explained in the Degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, Master Mason, Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, Royal Arch, Royal Master and Select Master, Fourth Edition. 1826. Nabu Public Domain Reprint. The Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honorable Society of Free and Accepted Masons for the State of New Jersey. Ritual Cipher. 1967, reprinted 2006. The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Florida. Florida Masonic Code; Containing Instruction in the Entered Apprentice Degree, the Fellow Craft Degree, and the Master Mason Degree. First Edition 1995, correction 4 2008. Duncan, Malcolm C. Duncan’s Masonic Ritual and Monitor. 1866. Bessel, Paul. Web site of Masonic Information, http://bessel.org. Accessed on December 8, 2011.
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York Rite News & Information
http://travelingtemplar.blogspot.com/
“The Year of 13”
Al Capone was sentenced to prison on a Friday the 13th.
Getting away from this being the supposed year that the world ends, this is a very unusual year. The superstitious hold Friday the 13th has to be a day of either severe bad luck or good luck, but this year they have to wrangle with 3 of them, separated exactly 13 weeks apart (which has not happened since 1984 - the year of my birth).
Fidel Castro was born on Friday, August 13th, 1926.
Three Friday the 13ths happen every few years. The last was in 2009, and the next is 2015. What's special about 2012 — and what won't occur again until 2040 — is that this is happening during a leap year, says Tom Fernsler, a University of Delaware math professor who sometimes goes by the name Dr. 13.
Hubert Humphrey, the 38th Vice President of the USA, died on Friday, January 13th, 1978. The "Friday the 13th virus" infected hundreds of IBM computers across Great Britain on Friday, Jan. 13, 1989. This is one of the most famous early examples of a computer virus making headlines. Tupac Shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas on Friday, Sept. 13th, 1996.
Read More
Read More Triska
There are many historical events that have landed on Friday the 13th, the most well-known being the mass arrest of French Knights Templar on October 13th, 1307, by King Phillip IV as well as the death of the last Templar Grand Master, Jacques de Molay, who was burnt at the stake on an island near Notre Dame on Friday, March 13th, 1314.
Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13 while fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia. From the time of the Templar arrest to today there are many superstitions surrounding this day. 13 Superstitions about Friday the 13th
Some of historical events are: Butch Cassidy, a notorious American train and bank robber was born on Friday, April 13th, 1866.
1. There is at least one Friday the 13th every year, but no single year has more than three. 2. Months with a Friday the 13th always begin on a Sunday.
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York Rite News & Information 1. The longest period that can occur without a Friday the 13th is fourteen months.
of 13 (something as we saw above, the French even feared in some instances).
2. Legend has it if 13 people sit down to dinner together, one will die within the year. In France, diners can hire a quatorzieme, or professional 14th guest.
For many pagans, 13 is a lucky number, because it corresponds with the number of full moons each year, says Ivo Dominguez Jr., owner of Bell, Book & Candle, a pagan and occult book and gift shop in Dover, Del.
3. Friday is said to be the day when Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit, Abel was killed by Cain and Jesus Christ was crucified. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
The Numerology of 13
Many cities do not have a 13th Street or 13th Avenue.
The number 13 symbolizes the death to the matter or to oneself and the birth to the spirit: the passage on a Many buildings don't have a 13th floor. higher level of existence. One can see a bond between Jacob and his twelve sons as well as Christ to his 12 Most airports skip having a 13th gate and Apostles. According to the Druids the sacred cord has airplanes a 13th row. 13 segments. The Sumerians used a zodiac including 13 constellations and 26 main stars. The number 13 Many hospitals do not have a room number 13. also falls into the Fibonacci sequence. If you have 13 letters in your name, you have There are many more things tied to 13 such as the 13 the devil's luck - Jack the Ripper, Charles original colonies of America as well as the number Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer and Theodore Bundy conspiratorial tied to us Freemasons. all have 13 letters in their names.
9. There are 13 twists of the rope in a traditional hangman's noose and 13 steps leading up to the gallows. 10. In Formula 1 racing, there is no car with the number 13. The number has been removed after two drivers were killed in crashes, both driving cars numbered 13. 11. An urban myth states the British Royal Navy tried to dispel the superstition that sailing on Friday was bad luck. They built a ship named HMS Friday. On its maiden voyage, the vessel left dock on a Friday the 13th, and was never heard from again. Source
The number 13 and Friday are recurring presences in mythological, spiritual and religious tradition. In Christianity, 13 people attended the Last Supper before Judas' betrayal and Jesus' death on a Friday. A Norse myth warns of dire consequences for dining in groups
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York Rite News & Information “WHY A CRAFT MASON SHOULD JOIN A CHAPTER�
paraphernalia as well of the Officers. Thus the degrees in Craft Masonry and the Royal Arch Degree form a progressive group, offering us a philosophy of the spiritual life of man and diagram of the process of regeneration. It proclaims the fact that there exists a higher and more sacred path of life than that which was normally treat.
By. Ex. Comp. HORMUSJI S. JASSAWALA, M.B.E. In the Royal Arch Degree we are told that Nebuchadnezzar, To the question why a Craft mason should Join the Royal Arch, there have been different answers. One is that the Membership of a Royal Arch Chapter is the consummation of a Craft mason's Masonic career, while the other is that by so doing he is satisfied with his desire to join a distinct Order. And there is no denying the fact that there is some connection between the Craft and the Royal Arch Degree. To establish this connection, it is necessary to have a retrospect of the First Three Degrees. In the First Degree the Entered Apprentice begins with his Masonic career as an ordinary natural worldly man, i.e., the candidate is taught first to purify and subdue his sensual nature, to resist temptation, etc. and then to develop his mental and spiritual nature, i.e. to contemplate his intellectual faculties, so that the secrets of nature and the principles of intellectual truth are unveiled to his view. His mind thus purified by virtue and science, he is taught how to die and where he becomes a regenerated perfected man. He is regenerated, because by the utter surrendering of his old life and losing his Soul to save it, he rises from the dead, a Master, a just man, made perfect with larger consciousness and faculties - an efficient instrument for use by the Great Architect in his plan of rebuilding the Temple of fallen humanity.
King of Babylon, who destroyed Jerusalem and set fire to the Temple, carried away most of the inhabitants to Babylon, 416 years after the Temple was dedicated to Jehovah by King Solomon. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin, however, remained in captivity. King Cyrus of Persia taking pity on the calamities of the Jews issued an edict permitting them to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple of the Lord, which they did. The Babylonian bondage - allegorically speaking - is the bondage of the human soul. The edict of King Cyrus is the inward urge to build upon the ruins of man's natural self a nobler and worthier one. In one of the books on Freemasonry, I recollect having read that if a Craft mason is not able to join the other degrees like the Mark or the Ark Mariner, etc., he should at least join the Royal Arch. The underlying idea is that we should inculcate the moral principles embodied in the three Degrees, and attain perfection and divination aimed at in the Royal Arch Degree. The Royal Arch is considered a Supreme Degree, because it moves on a supremely high level through a long strenuous period of purification and mental discipline, - the climax of which reaches in the final merging of the Being in the Deity itself.
The Royal Arch, however, carried the process stage further by showing its fulfillment in the Exaltation or Apotheosis of Companions, we are all human beings and are well aware him who has undergone it, i.e., his deification or attribute of that to attain such a perfection is not an easy task. Hardly a few in the world have got the will and the strength to do so. divine powers. This, however, does not mean that we should consider Thus in the Fellow Craft degree, the candidate after a ourselves helpless and make no efforts towards goodness in rigorous discipline where he subdues his sensual nature, however small and humble a way to the best of our capacity proceeds to study the laws of nature, aims to become a - as no goodness small will be without its reward. perfected man, and then finally dies. He is buried and rises If this desire towards goodness were to pervade through again. Thus the Master Mason is raised from a figurative death to a reunion with the former companions of his tolls, every soul in however small a degree, the misery, the strife, the hatred which we now see throughout the world would implying the reintegration and resumption of all his old be mitigated at least to some extent. Let us pray to the True faculties and powers in a sublimated state. and Loving God Most High that he give us the will and the The Royal Arch Degree exhibits and exalts the candidates strength to attain this Aim. to a still higher Order of Life. Thus the Royal Arch Degree is an extension and completion of the Third Degree of which at one time it formed a part. This separation was T WT made more for convenience sake than for anything else, as the two parts in combination made an inconveniently long ritual. Moreover, It needed a change in the Craft
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Scottish Rite News & Information
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Scottish Rite News & Information
he purpose of this article is to explore the Fellow Craft Degree of Freemasonry of the Scottish Rite, primarily worked in the Caribbean and in continental Europe. Earlier in this issue of the magazine, there is an exploration of the Degree as worked in most of the mainstream Grand Lodges in the United States. There are many other versions of this Degree, in other rites, though since I am not as acquainted with these, I will not be discussing them. The first notable difference that I found in this Degree compared with the mainstream Preston-Webb version that I was familiar with is that the Brother going through this ceremony is not blindfolded. He comes into the Lodge, dressed as an Entered Apprentice. That would not be so different from the Degree as seen in my Lodge, except that the representation goes beyond the wearing of the apron, to the Brother actually carrying a working tool of that Degree with him. As in the preceding Degree, the Lodge has a different layout than that of a mainstream U.S. Lodge. The layout would be familiar to a member of the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, as that of the Lodge of Perfection. Another variation from the ceremony that is most familiar to me, the lecture is within the ritual itself, rather than added on at the end. That part of the ritual is worded similarly, even if the order within the Degree is changed, along with the Officer giving explanation. The Brother also learns about the officers of the Lodge, the orders of architecture, the human senses, and the liberal arts. In this Degree, the Brother is led around the Lodge on five circumambulatory voyages, signifying his age, when of this Degree. Albert Pike, in his version of the Degree, informs us that five is the number of years of study required by Pythagoras to advance in the Egyptian Mysteries, and required by his disciples in his own school of philosophy. The Brother Candidate, on each of the voyages, carries one or more working tools with him, and uses them in some way, after which the Master gives an explanation for the invention of each tool. When discussing the flight of stairs, Pike acknowledges the symbolism used in the Preston-Webb ritual, but he also informs us of other meanings, regarding the State.To im, the flight of three steps represent Liberty, Equality and Fraternity; the five, Executive Power, Legislative Authority, Judicial interpretation, the Church, and the Army; also represented by the five are symbolic of principle divisions of the religious – Polytheism, Philosophic Paganism, Hebraism (Judaism), Mahommedanism (Islam), and Christianty, or five different types of government over the centuries – the Patriarchal, the Despotic, the Oligarchic, the Republican, and the Limited Monarchial – all of which opens up fields of study for the Fellow Craft, who is charged to learn. The Working Tools of the Degree are the same as in the Preston-Webb derived ritual, although in the Scottish Rite ritual, the Brother physically uses the Tools on the Smooth Ashlar to “finish his work.” The seat of a Fellow Craft, in Scottish Rite Lodge, is in the South Corner, to work as a Fellow Craft, and also in the Northeast Corner, to assist the Entered Apprentice Masons. Pike likens the Apprentice to a youth, who has not attained his majority, and the Fellow Craft to a citizen, entitled to vote, to be allowed to hold office, and to have power, in public life. A true Fellow Craft is endowed with a well-rounded education; a man of science and virtue, as well as an artist. (Continued on page 66) www.twtmag.com
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Scottish Rite News & Information (Continued from page 65) As he has advanced a Degree in Masonry, he is told that he is now halfway between the things of earth and those of heaven; between the moral and political, and the philosophical and spiritual.
Sources De Hoyos, Art, 33°, G C . Scottish Rite Monitor and Guide, 2nd Edition – Revised and Enlarged, 2009. Hutchens, Rex R., 33°, G C . A Bridge to Light, 3rd Edition, 2006. Washington, DC. The Supreme Council, 33° Pike, Albert. The Porch and the Middle Chamber: Book of the Lodge. 1872. De Hoyos, Arturo, 33°, G C . Masonic Formulas and Rituals Transcribed by Albert Pike in 1854 and 1855. 2010. Ritual of the Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason Degrees for Exclusive Use of the Scottish Rite Blue Lodges Working Under the Jurisdiction of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana. Revised 1963. Blaisdell, W Ron. The Rituals of American Freemasonry. 2001.
TWT Email Bro. Jacob with any questions or comments about this or any other of his articles. (Online browsing only)
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“Good Morning Brethren!”
5:30 PM Reception, Cash Bar
“Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to join us at one of the three Scottish Rite leadership conferences in San Diego, St. Louis or Baltimore. There you will receive your instructions on membership, leadership, finance, development, and much more, to be disclosed upon your arrival. Be careful on your journey to meet us, and be sure to share this information with other like-minded Brethren who will also accept the challenge. As always, should you or any of your team be caught, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This message will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck.”
Saturday 7:15 AM Continental Breakfast 8:00 AM Membership Initiatives and Update
Appx. 9:00-11:30 AM, time subject to change Sentinel Training General Secretaries Meeting Scottish Rite Fellows Meeting
April 20-21, Baltimore, Maryland, Hosted by the Valley of Baltimore
10:15-12:00 PM Program Development Update
Hotel: Sheraton Inner Harbor, 300 South Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201
12:00-1:00 PM Lunch 1:30-3:15 PM Menu Selectable Conferences
Rates $149 single/double; Phone: 410347-1827 Website: sheraton.com/InnerHarbor
3:30-5:15 PM Presentation of the 4th Degree A.A.S.R.
Mission Possible: The 2012 Scottish Rite Leadership Conferences
Friday
Phone: 314-655-1234; Website: stlouisarch.hyatt.com
10:00 AM Break
5:15 PM Handling Matters Yet Unseen
Tentative Conference Agenda
Rates $115 single/double $155 Regency Club;
Our Host Locations: March 9-10, San Diego, California, Hosted by the Valley of San Diego
Registration Fees: Member: $175.00, (conference materials, reception, one breakfast and one lunch) Spouse: $50.00, (reception, one breakfast and one lunch)
Hotel: Towne and Country Resort and Conference Center, 500 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, CA, 92108 Rates: $115 single/double; Phone: 888-231-3058 Website: towncountry.com
Lunch, on your own 1:00 PM Conference Opening 1:30-4:45 PM Strategic Planning and dialogue sessions 5:00-5:15 PM Grand Commander’s Closing
March 23-24, St. Louis, Missouri, Hosted by the Valley of St. Louis Hotel: Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch, 315 Chestnut Street, St. Louis, MO 63102
TWT
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Scottish Rite News & Information
Southern Jurisdiction for the United Supreme Council, PHA, consists of the states: AL, AR, FL, GA, KT, LA, MD, MS, MO, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV, the The first Scottish Rite organization among AfricanAmericans was the African Grand Council of 1820 in territories of AZ, NM, the District of Columbia, and AK. The Northern Jurisdiction consists of the Philadelphia, which was referred to as a Council of Princes of Jerusalem. This Council arose through West following states: CO, CT, DE, ID, IL, IN, IO, KA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NY, ND, Indian migration, for Stephen Morin had propagated OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, WY, and that the Rite there. The Organization of the King David of the states outside Continental United States. Alaska Supreme Council grew out of the conferring in shall belong to the Northern also. Philadelphia (1850) of the 33rd Degree by Count DeSaint Laurent (also, Larine) of the Supreme Council of France and the Grand Commander of the Council of As a result of the conference of the Sovereign Grand Commanders of the two Supreme Councils, Northern Spain on David Leary, the first Black Inspectorand Southern Jurisdictions A.A.S.R., PHA, on August General of the Prince Hall Scottish Rite. 2, 1966, were established at the Cathedral, Fitzwater & Mole St. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The above In New York City, a Supreme Council of the United divisions were made based on a boundary developed States was established in 1864. Also in 1864, a by a joint committee in Wilmington, Delaware on separate Supreme Council was formed in New York, April 19, 1907 using the Mason-Dixon Line as an which was made up of members from the National official boundary. Compact Grand Lodge, from which a Southern Jurisdiction split off with the Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland. From the Philadelphia Council, a Today, Nevada, is in the Southern Jurisdiction and Arizona and New Mexico are States; Europe, England, Southern and Western Jurisdiction defected with Headquarters at Washington, D.C. In 1871 a fifth was Korea, Japan and the Middle East are also a part of the Southern Jurisdiction. established in Philadelphia, and was named King Fredrick Supreme Council. In 1881-1887, these five merged into 2 United Supreme Councils of the 33rd Degree: one for Northern Jurisdiction and one for Southern Jurisdiction.
History
Ill. Edward M. Thomas petitioned the King David Council, since he was residing in the District of Columbia, for the 33rd degree to be conferred on representative Masons in D.C., and on May 5, 1856, the conferment was made and a council was established. A fourth council was set up in Baltimore, Maryland and a fifth Council in Philadelphia. These 5 Councils petitioned for unity in a conference in New York City on January 13, 1881, and was responsible for the Articles of Union and two Supreme Councils of the Northern Jurisdiction (PHA) and the United Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction (PHA). The constitutions for the Southern Jurisdiction were established in 1887 and revised in 1917 and 1955. The
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Final Words
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