Reviews, cartoons and crosswords

from Freemasonry Today - Spring 2020 - Issue 49

by UGLE

What’s on

From book reviews to

cryptic crosswords

60 Reviews Books on the history of the Craft in Jamaica and collected lectures

62 Crosswords Try your hand at our two puzzles and enter our prize draws

Reviews

BOOKS WANTED FOR REVIEW FMT welcomes book submissions for review. We will consider all genres, and the only requirement is that the book has a connection to Freemasonry. To submit a book for review, go to the link below and complete the form. We will let you know if we need a physical copy of the book. The book must have an ISBN and be available for purchase by the general public (printed book, e-book, audiobook). www.freemasonrytoday.com/booksubmission

Royal Arch Masonry in the Province of Somerset from 1765 by John Bennett

Truly comprehensive A lavishly produced and readable Provincial history

If the title of this book was permissible as a subject on Mastermind, there is no doubt that John Bennett, the author and also the Grand Superintendent of Somerset, would win hands down. He has clearly poured himself into the task of compiling this history, the first complete one of its kind. It is full of biographical sketches, short histories of the chapters within his Province, a general history of the whole Province and its leaders over the last 250 years, lists of principal officers and chapters and much else – all accompanied by many dozens of photographs.

Bennett is obviously one of life’s enthusiasts. He has been the Grand Superintendent in Somerset since 2008, and it is clear that he is a most energetic man.

In the book he often refers to himself as ‘the Grand Superintendent, in and over, the Province of Somerset’, with the ‘in and over’ ponderously allotted its own sub-clause by the commas. This implies a sort of masonic pomposity that is difficult to reconcile with the beaming, jolly man who is in so many of the photos.

His appearances in the text he has written and in the photos he’s chosen to include are almost alarmingly frequent, but... why not? As someone once observed: ‘If you’ve got it, flaunt it.’ John Bennett certainly seems to have ‘it’ in abundance.

Certainly, there are a few howlers and oddities in the accompanying text, but this book does not pretend to be academic history: it is a labour of love. The effort he has put into compiling this readable, worthy and very interesting book is astonishing.

When it comes to Royal Arch Masonry in Somerset, John Bennett is a man for whom, it seems, nothing is too much trouble. Review by Cestrian

Royal Arch Masonry in the Province of Somerset from 1765, John Bennett, published by Spiderwize, 326 pages, £35.00 Masonic Jamaica and the Cayman Islands by Jackie Ranston

A cracking read A fascinating and well-written story

Although I’m not a particular fan of detailed masonic regional histories, I did find this one gripping. Using the spread of Freemasonry in Jamaica as a backbone, the author paints a very readable and fascinating picture of the history of the islands following the English capture of Jamaica from the Spanish in 1655. Freemasonry itself starts from when Captain William Douglas landed at Port Royal in 1738. Within a year the mother lodge of Kingston was set up and just three years later the first Provincial Grand Master had been appointed. Freemasonry’s long history of tolerance and charity shows up well here. One example is that of John, second Duke of Montagu and Grand Master from 1721 to 1723, who spent a great deal of time in ventures in the Caribbean.

In between attempts at colonising various islands, Montagu funded the education of Francis Williams, a free-born black man, whom he sent to be educated in England and later enrolled at Gray’s Inn. In later life, Williams attended meetings of the Royal Society, many members of whom were Freemasons.

The book is also full of character-driven adventure, with Spanish, French and English ships turning up and engaging in skirmishes, Freemason botanists taking a close interest in each other’s work (one of them was Sir Joseph Banks (1743–1820), the creator of Kew Gardens), and lodges being warranted not just from England, but Scotland and Ireland too, to give just a very few examples. It’s also noteworthy that after the full abolition of slavery in 1838, lodges were open to all Jamaican men whatever their race.

Full of excellent illustrations, this is the first volume of a projected series of two. It takes the history nearly up until 1890. I’m looking forward to the second volume. Review by Julian Perry

Masonic Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, Jackie Ranston, published by Freemasons Association of Jamaica, 285 pages, £35.00. Available from Lewis Masonic

I Greet You Well by Mike Lawrence

Just the ticket A good collection of very useful lodge lectures

Although at first glance it may seem just a collection of 12 lectures, I Greet You Well is in fact much more than just a compilation. Author Mike Lawrence cleverly stitches each lecture together to form an excellent and intellectually satisfying read. Although each can stand on its own, if they are read as a whole, the various subjects benefit.

Starting with the historical beginnings of Freemasonry, the author then delves further back in time, shedding light on how some of our traditions originated. He also debunks spurious myths and legends that long have dogged Freemasonry.

Lawrence deftly relates his lectures to our present ceremonies and clarifies the various allegories and symbols we use. The overall effect is to provide a better understanding of Freemasonry’s beginnings, its rituals and how it has evolved to become what it is today.

The author has clearly spent a great deal of time and effort on research. Rather than being inflexibly authoritative or rigidly dogmatic, he carefully provides room for readers to make their own final judgements.

Generously illustrated, I Greet You Well is fact-heavy, yet it makes for a light and straightforward read. Packed with interesting information, it is also well presented.

Whether for just reading at home or for using at lodge meetings if there are no candidates, Lawrence’s book is definitely worth buying – however much or little you may know about the evolution of Freemasonry. Review by Michael Duque

I Greet You Well, Mike Lawrence, published by Lewis Masonic, 223 pages, £14.99

MASONIC LIGHT

BEST IN SHOW!

Finding The Mark – The Collected Grand Stewards’ Lectures edited by Richard L Gan and Professor Aubrey Newman

A welcome addition Authoritative lectures from eminent Mark scholars

This rather interesting book brings together all of the Mark Grand Stewards’ lectures since they started in 2002.

Delivered each year at the Mark Grand Stewards’ Lodge, they are the equivalent of the Craft Prestonian and Royal Arch Batham lectures. In just the same way, they are delivered by speakers with good academic credentials.

There is a variety of subjects – treated rigorously and in depth – covered, ranging from early Mark ceremonies, the history of the Mark Grand Stewards’ Lodge, spirituality in the ceremonies and the teachings of the Mark, to name just a few.

I found the evidence of Mark Masonry hundreds of years before the foundation of Grand Mark Lodge in 1856 fascinating. Others might prefer the biographical content, for example. There is more or less something for everyone. Although each of the lectures stands on its own, read as a whole they provide an impressive overall view of the origins, development, management and ethos of Mark Masonry in England. Overall – as one would expect with such official addresses – there is a slight bias towards the activities of the higher echelons of the Order and the history and development of the way it is run from headquarters. If you are drawn to administrative history, there is plenty of fascinating material.

Anyone who is a Mark Mason will no doubt find this wellillustrated book a welcome addition to their library. Review by Reginald Church

Finding The Mark – The Collected Grand Stewards’ Lectures, edited by Richard L Gan and Aubrey Newman, published by Lewis Masonic, 400 pages, £25.00

Last issue’s crossword answers

Concise crossword answers ACROSS 1. Kabbala 5. Sumac 8. Picasso 9. Chair 10. Annul 11. Best man 12. Income 14. Ararat 17. Febrile 19. Depot 22. Nitro 23. Talaria 24. Atlas 25. Atheist DOWN 1. Kippa 2. Bacon 3. Absalom 4. Amoeba 5. Sects 6. Myanmar 7. Coronet 12. Infanta 13. Cubital 15. Rudolph 16. Bertha 18. Idols 20. Parsi 21. Toast

Cryptic crossword answers ACROSS 1. Nipter 4. Amaranth 9. Illth 10. Berliners 11. Slip 12. Cade 13. Moire 15. Learned 16. Loki 19. Quid 20. Tariffs 23. Gupta 24. Oiwa 25. Tabi 27. Acellular 28. Sudra 29. Excesses 30. Fringe DOWN 1. Nainsell 2. Pulvinar 3. Echt 5. Martello tower 6. Rainmakers 7. Noesis 8. Hosier 10. Bearded collie 14. Incunables 17. Off and on 18. Estivate 21. Agnate 22. Apneic 26. Msgr

The winner of our concise crossword: Wynne Evans, Shropshire The winner of our cryptic crossword: Geoffrey Silverman, Hertfordshire

See page 61 for last issue’s crossword answers and winners

ACROSS 7 Uniform worn by a servant, an official or a member of a City Company (6) 8 Spring or flinch back in fear, horror or disgust (6) 9 Conductor’s baton (4) 10 Fluent or persuasive (8) 11 Open-source operating system for smartphones and tablet computers (7) 13 Collective noun for herons (5) 15 Pleasing or valued person (5) 16 Secrete milk (7) 18 Selfless concern for others (8) 19 Lacking taste or style (4) 21 Respect and admiration (6) 22 Two-bladed cutting instrument (6) DOWN 1 Text speak for an annoying person (4) 2 Having a kind, gentle or sentimental nature (13) 3 Raised body temperature (7) 4 Giant hunter who became a constellation on death (5) 5 People one knows slightly (13) 6 Witching hour (8) 12 Not necessary (8) 14 Practitioner of manumancy (7) 17 Large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat (5) 20 Burning sensation (4) Concise crossword by Fulminata

Cryptic crossword by Pythian

ACROSS 6 Rank outsider has no resistance in depression (7) 7 Partly see idol on tv – a fleeting vision (7) 9 Milton’s scorched when judge leaves to change (5) 10 Master replaced by Lord Provost in eulogy gets cross (9) 11 Filth to behold in short masonic instrument (7) 13 Lacking strength, I see, leaves much as at that time (2,4) 15 Sees through elaborate thin disguises (13) 19 Idiotic exclamation by novice angler? (6) 20 Masonic boss admits doctor and he moves along grumbling heavily (7) 23 Turn up a bear from the east in exultant spirits (4-1-4) 24 Part of a chicken breast can become rancid (5) 26 Plenty make short entreaty to travellers (7) 27 After lyric song have horizontal kip (3-4) DOWN 1 Endless influence is the most important thing (4) 2 Drop in where whisky is shortly to be found (6) 3 Detailed plan of work for obscene copy (9) 4 Harem slaves love surrealist’s knocking shops initially (8) 5 Bob’s attachment rings apparently to kill Venus! (6,4) 6 Santa has drug in contract (6) 7 In Italy, there’s a hundred surrounded by green (4) 8 Presiding deities have miners in a tangle (6) 12 Fine tuned with carbon – corrupted but untainted (10) 14 In witty conversation, Brussels will not allow fenland city to leave! (9) 16 Attestor worried willing person (8) 17 Weirdly capote covers shoe, not back (6) 18 Particle for fashion (6) 21 Something astonishing to damage short sail (6) 22 A goy in Jerusalem can somehow embrace Hindhu philosophy (4) 25 A very long time emanating from 26 (4)

62 6 1

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27 24 25

Think you’re smart enough? Please send your completed Concise and/or Cryptic crossword puzzles to the Crossword Editor, Communications Department, Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ, with your contact details, including name and address. Closing date for entries is 18 April 2020. Open only to members of UGLE. Only one entry per person. Correct entries will be placed into a Concise Crossword prize draw and a Cryptic Crossword prize draw. Winners will be announced in the Summer edition of FMT and will receive a free publication from Letchworth’s, the shop at Freemasons’ Hall. For full terms and conditions, go to: www.ugle.org.uk/crossword-competition