The Journal of The Masonic Society, Issue #26

The Journal

Of The Masonic Society

Fall 2014

Issue 26

Fall 2014 THE JOURNAL

Issue 26

FEATURES

OF THE

MASONIC SOCIETY WWW.THEMASONICSOCIETY.COM

ISSN 2155-4145

Executive Editor Michael Halleran editor@themasonicsociety.com

1427 W. 86th Street, Suite 248 Indianapolis IN 46260-2103 Editorial Committee Kenneth W. Davis - Reviews Editor Queries concerning prospective articles should be sent to: paper-submissions@themasonicsociety.com Design & layout John A. Bridegroom, FMS - Art Director Advertising Jay Hochberg, FMS - Advertising Director ads@themasonicsociety.com Officers James R. Dillman, President Clayton J. Borne III, 1st Vice President Patrick C. Craddock, 2nd Vice president Nathan C. Brindle, Secretary/Treasurer Christopher L. Hodapp, Editor Emeritus

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Masonic Restoration Foundation

by Jay Hochberg, FMS

12

Elus in an Envelope

by Casey A. Fletcher, MMS

16

A Brief Historiography on the Persecution of Freemasons during the Spanish Inquisition

by Laura M. Wilhelm

22

Freemasonry and your Return on Investment

by Mohamad A. Yatim, MMS

Directors Kenneth W. Davis José O. Díaz Andrew Hammer Aaron Shoemaker Gregg Hall Gregory J. Knott Gord Vokes

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SECTIONS 4 President’s Message 5 News of the Society 8 Conferences, Speeches, Symposia & Gatherings 9 36 From the Editor 28 The Observant Mason 30 Masonic Collectibles 32 Book Reviews THE COVER: Stained glass windows from the interior of York Minster in York, England. The seat of the Archbishop of York and the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe, these windows were preserved by the Freemasons of York at great cost. Inspection of the stones set in the foundation of the minster reveals another point of Masonic interest -- masons marks -- some of which date to the thirteenth century. See F.W. Brooks, Mason’s Marks, East Yorkshire Local History Society, 1961.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Freemasonry Works.

by James Dillman, FMS

T

he following is excerpted from the History of Tipton Lodge No. 33 F. & A.M., August 25, 1828 to January 6, 1928. Tipton No. 33 is still an active lodge located in Logansport, IN. The excerpt is a report from the lodge’s Committee of Morality.

The committee members make some very poignant comments that not only provide a glimpse of what the Freemasons of that era considered the most important aspects of the fraternity, but we also note a familiar refrain concerning the West Gate. Here is the excerpt exactly as it appears in the book, unedited for grammar or spelling: “The committee to whom was recommitted their report of March 6, 1841 to which was taken some exceptions ask leave to report: That as a committee of Morality whose duty it is to note the virtuous character of the members of the Institution, they find but little to commend and much to censure. It is a lamentable fact which we should henceforth guard against by a strict attention to the ancient landmarks of our Craft, that abuses of a dangerous character have crept in among us and are now struggling to overthrow what little remaining virtue we may boast of in the Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. We account for the existence of these abuses in but one way- the pale of the Institution has been extended too far, her mantle has been spread over those who have not deserved her smiles. In short too great anxiety has been uppermost among the members to increase our membership without regard to the quality and character of the material so coming among us.

“There is a want of charity among us, a total disregard of the many injunctions committed to us on entering the Lodge, and abundance of feeling at war with the most sacred of our obligations. Your committee reports no particular instances of un-Masonic conduct. Instances of deviation from our duty and character as Masons are common and need no particularity.

Benevolence seems to have been thrown aside, and every man take care of himself, principle has usurped the pale of brotherly love. When do we see evidences of greater regard for Morality and virtue in the Masonic Lodge than in the broad and cloudless world. Where are the evidences of kindness to one another, the affection, the caution, the assistance? Where are they?

They are not among us. Faith, Hope, and Brotherly Love, the foundation stones of our Order are crumbling under the repeated attacks the Institution has received from its own members. Brethren, suffer your committee to suggest that these evils can be remedied, and to hope that efforts will be made among the members to root out the evil in our midst. Let us walk upright on the straight line which admits of no curve before God, evermore laboring to square both word and deed in all the varied concerns of man with fellow man, by the Golden Square and Perfect Rule of our Grand Master, the artificer of our destinies, ever bearing in remembrance the fact that we are traveling together on the level of time to the realm of eternity where words and actions shall be weighed in the even balance of eternal rectitude.”

“John Green J. C. Douglas Jacob Hull Committee of Morality.”1

That such a committee even existed in a Masonic lodge is probably news to most of you and it’s difficult to picture modern Freemasons 4 • FALL 2014

subjecting themselves to the whims of such a committee. We live in a decidedly different world today and, for better or worse, Masonic trials for perceived moral lapses not dealt with in the courts are largely a thing of the past. Some would say that moral relativity has infiltrated Freemasonry while others suggest that Freemasonry has simply evolved along with the remainder of society. However you choose to label it, it is indisputable that many Freemasons of today routinely engage in conduct that would not have been condoned in most lodges one hundred years ago.

My response to this is that whispering good counsel in the ear of a brother to remind him of his faults is generally a preferred alternative to suspension or expulsion when the situation allows for it, with the understanding that it sometimes doesn’t. I also accept that even George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, who are frequently alluded to as de facto models of Masonic character and integrity, were flawed individuals and that, like them, we are each men of our time.

I recall getting a bit of a chuckle out of the above report when reading it for the first time. There were apparently just as many fingers pointed at the West Gate 173 years ago as there are today. Freemasons who can agree on little else easily arrive at a consensus that we’re initiating too many undeserving men. Of course, it’s always those other guys who are letting the bad seeds into the fraternity. Insert condescending wink here.

The wisdom of the brethren who made this report is evident in the second paragraph. The authors believed that Tipton Lodge had lost its way- that the charity and morality that once prevailed had disappeared.

Has your lodge lost its way? Is it so caught up in the minutiae of ritual, customs, regulations, membership campaigns, and social activities that the true work of a Masonic lodge is being ignored?

During our founding-President Roger Van Gorden’s year as Grand Master of Indiana, he adopted a simple theme, “Try Freemasonry.” If you boil the committee report down to its essence, that is precisely what those brethren are asking of their members. In response to PGM Van Gorden, I’m adopting a theme for the remainder of my term as President of The Masonic Society, “Freemasonry Works.” Give it a try and it will work for you and your lodge.

On behalf of the officers, directors, and editorial staff of The Masonic Society, I trust you have had an enjoyable holiday season and I extend greetings and wishes for a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.

NOTES 1 Organization And History Of Tipton Lodge No. 33, F. & A.M., August 25, 1828 to January 6, 1928, Joseph E. Crain, The LongwellCummings Co., Logansport, IN, 1928.

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News of the Society IN MEMORIAM: LONNIE JOLMA TMS Founding Member Lawrence “Lonnie” Jolma was called to the Lodge on High September 24. Jolma was halfway through his term as Most Illustrious Grand Chancellor of the Grand College of Rites of the USA. Source: themagpiemason. blogspot.com FRATERNAL RELATIONS IMPROVE IN TEXAS In November, the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas announced its membership had voted to permit inter-visitation with the brethren of the Grand Lodge of Texas, pending the latter’s scheduled vote on the same question in December. The jurisdictions recognized each other in 2006 NEW BOOK ON MASONIC LIFE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON

BY MARK TABBERT

Founding Fellow Mark Tabbert, who also is Director of Collections at the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Virginia, announced his project to publish a book on the Masonic life of George Washington. A Deserving Brother: George Washington and Freemasonry will be a well researched account that will retire the many legends and misunderstandings surrounding America’s most famous Mason. Tabbert has a blog to chart his research progress at georgewashingtonfreemason.org.

PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY HOSTS BURKLE At the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge, TMS Founding Member Steve Burkle was one of the two presenters welcomed to the podium Saturday, October 18. Burkle spoke on “Early Adoption of Paracelsus’ Alchemical Catechism by the Craft,” an exploration of alchemist literature of the seventeenth century that Burkle says influenced rituals of Craft lodge rituals, as well as Scottish Rite and Masonic Rosicrucian rituals. Behind the scenes at the Academy, Secretary and TMS Fellow George Haynes labors diligently to bring worthy and well qualified scholars to speak at its biannual sessions.

TMS Member George Braatz, Executive Secretary of the Masonic Service Association of North America, will address the Academy’s March 21, 2015 session on the results of a revealing survey recently taken by MSANA. TMS BRETHREN RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE Quatuor Coronati No. 2076 in London, the world’s first lodge of Masonic research, has elected TMS Founding Fellow Kent Henderson to its membership. Henderson, the first Australian to receive this

distinction, is well known around the world for his leadership in numerous research lodges and research societies, as well as for his many published writings.

The Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States bestowed its Knight Grand Cross of the Temple, its highest decoration, upon Sir Knight Makia L. Pai this fall, in recognition of his exemplary service to the Chivalric Rite. Pai, a Founding Member of the Masonic Society, served as Eminent Commander of KensingtonKadosh Commandery No. 54 in Pennsylvania in 2010, and serves currently as Eminent Commander of Helena No. 3 in New Jersey.

TMS Fellow John Bridegroom, Art Director of The Journal, was inducted into DeMolay of Indiana’s Legion of Honor in November. “The Order of Demolay, and all of our youth groups, are amazing organizations that every Master Mason should nurture and support,” Bridegroom says. “Seeing these young men and women embracing the principles of our great fraternity so enthusiastically fills me with hope for our future. I couldn’t be more honored and humbled to be recognized by an organization that I hold in such high regard.” Legion of Honor recipients must have actively demonstrated outstanding leadership in some field of endeavor, whether it be a civic, professional, fraternal or spiritual arena, according to the DeMolay website. It consists of men who can be implicitly relied upon, as the years pass, to aid young men in carrying the ideals of DeMolay into every walk of life.”

2015 PRESTONIAN LECTURER NAMED The United Grand Lodge of England has announced its Prestonian Lecturer for 2015.

Roger Burt will travel England and beyond to present “Wherever Dispersed: The Traveling Mason,” and raise funds for a registered charity in the process. Burt is a Past Master of both Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 and Vectis Lodge No. 3075. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the Geological Society, Burt also is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Exeter, and an Honorary Professor in the former Center for Research into Freemasonry at the University of Sheffield.

Source: themagpiemason.blogspot.com FALL 2014 • 5

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News of the Society UKRAINE REBELS BLAME MASONS FOR CONFLICT An official of the breakaway, pro-Russian faction in Ukraine blames Freemasonry for that region’s troubles. On August 15, The Moscow Times reported the comments of Vladimir Antyufeyev, Deputy Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, who attributed the war in Ukraine to “fascists and Masons.” The DPR is the movement fighting for secession from Ukraine and for union with Russia.

“When asked whether he was serious,” the Times reported, “he queried back: ‘Aren’t we aware of the influence that Masonic lodges wield in the West?’”

Source: themoscowtimes.com ISIS DENOUNCES ‘AGENTS OF FREEMASONS’ In a communiqué dated August 17, the media office of ISIS praised its army for its victories over “the slaves of secularism and agents of the Freemasons” of the “Kurdish-Crusader alliance.” By “crusader,” the terrorist group means the United States.

Source: frontpagemag.com MRF TO MEET IN PHILADELPHIA NEXT AUGUST The Masonic Restoration Foundation, an independent think-tank that aids lodges in its specific course of improvement, will host its Sixth Annual Symposium at the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania August 21-23, 2015. Accommodations will be available at the Courtyard Philadelphia Downtown at a group rate of $129 a night.

Source: masonicrestorationfoundation.org UGLE LODGES OPEN THEIR DOORS TO PUBLIC An apparent public relations effort was undertaken in England in recent months, as multiple lodges’ outreach events were covered in the press.

A reporter from the Chorley Guardian was invited to Masonic Hall in Leyland to interview the brethren about Masonry finding its place in the modern world. “We bit the bullet this year by getting involved in the Leyland Festival,” Stewart Seddon was quoted saying. “A lot of people came to our stall to ask about Freemasonry, and we talked about how we can help with charity donations. We’ve got to adapt and change our attitudes and perceptions. Freemasons are becoming enlightened again.” In addition, Leyland Masons launched a website recently that draws 12,000 visitors per month, the story stated.

Montgomerie Lodge in the village of Diss was to host an open house on October 13, the Diss Express reported in advance.

In September, Stourbridge News reported an upcoming public event to be hosted by Stourbridge Lodge. Alan Payne, chairman of the 6 • FALL 2014

Stourbridge Masonic Management Company, was quoted saying “Although Freemasonry went through a period of being rather inward looking, it is now very open—to the extent that Masonic authorities even have official websites and individual members are perfectly at liberty, indeed encouraged, to let their membership be known. The only very strict rule being that they should never do so for improper reasons, such as trying to take advantage of it.”

The Accrington Observer publicized a then upcoming lodge event at Masonic Hall in Accrington, where the brethren were to reveal the results of a £100,000 ($162,000) renovation of the building’s dining room, named Adelaide Suite. “Everyone knows us for our extensive charitable works in the community, but we also serve the town with our high class catering and attentive service at the Masonic Hall,” lodge spokesman Chris May was quoted saying.

NEW BOOK FROM TMS MEMBER In October, Arcadia Publishing added a new title to its “Images of America” series of photographic history books with Cincinnati’s Freemasons by Bro. Donald I. Crews of Ohio, a Member of The Masonic Society. The 210-page book is available from major on-line book retailers.

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News of the Society ith great pride and appreciation, The Masonic Society welcomes the following brethren as our esteemed new members.

Ricky L Avery

Jeramie D. Hammond

Shawn Michael Perry

Joe V Bolin

Klent Evern Harkness

Ricardo A Preciado

Michael Paul Belan Shawn Broadbent

Adam Michael Bryan

Bradley James Burton William S Catrette Jason L Childers

Matthew R Chojnacki Edward T Clifford Thomas D Cox

Raymond Kevin Edge Robert E. Frierson Mark S Furo

D. Christopher Gillette John Joseph Grace

Charles Anthony Hall

Michael Harboll

Michael J Holeman

Jared Dean Pollard

Edward K Rutledge

Cullen Royce Honeycutt Dennis Keith Sehmer Matthew Jared Inyart

Eric S. Sims

Daniel J Martin

Chuck Stowe

Dick Miller

Jorge E. Torres

Dr. Theodore S Jackson Dale L. Smout Kenneth G Martin John E. Mitchell

Gordon A Moccio

Christopher James Munford

Salvatore Musumeci James North

Michael Duffy Pavone

James Thomas Thomas C. Tuchschmidt Richard A Verde Mark A Wallace

Jason Williams

Jordan Tyler Yelinek

IN MEMORIAM

W

Bro. Richard “Dick” E. Eades, a founding member of the Society since 12/4/2008, passed away on March 12, 2014, at the age of 78. A prolific Masonic author, Dick wrote various locally published histories, including “History of Phoenix Lodge” (1971), “History of Dansville Chapter No. 91” (1975), “History of Hornellsville Council” (1982), “History of DeMolay Commandery” (1983), “History of Rome Commandery” (1994); and “History of The Shrine Circus In Utica” (1996). He has also written papers and presented programs on various Masonic subjects, such as Black Freemasonry, Masons at the Constitutional Convention, The Morgan Affair, Sources of Masonic Research, and Women and Masonry.

Papers which have previously appeared in the Transactions of the American Lodge of Research include History of Rome Commandery No. 45 ... (Volume 24 - 1995), Morgan - The Impact on Masonry (Volume 26 - 1997), and History of Masonry in the Town of Verona, Oneida County, New York 1812-1990 (Volume 30-2001).

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Renew your membership now online at www.themasonicsociety.com

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Conferences, Speeches, Symposia & Gatherings January 5, 2015 Wappingers Lodge No. 671 (150 Myers Corners Road, Wappingers Falls, New York) will host Mohamad Yatim of New Jersey to speak on “The Chamber of Reflection.”

January 14, 2015 Mariners Lodge No. 67 in New York City will host Oscar Alleyne to speak on “The Frontispiece of the Original King James Version of the Bible and Its Connection to Masonry.” 71 W. 23rd Street in Manhattan (Masonic Hall) on the eighth floor at 7 p.m.

January 17, 2015 Massachusetts Lodge of Research to meet.

Progress TBA. www.masslodgeofresearch.org January 17, 2015 Texas Lodge of Research’s winter stated meeting will be hosted by Alamo Lodge No. 44 at the San Antonio Scottish Rite Temple.

Opening at 10 a.m. with presentation of papers following lunch. Dress for Full Members of TLR will be academic regalia. www.texaslodgeofresearch.org January 30-February 1, 2015 Masonic Week at Reston, Virginia Annual meetings and festivities to include The Masonic Society’s Feast and Forum with speaker Michael Halleran.

February 14, 2015 West New York Lodge of Research No. 9007 will meet at 10 a.m. in the Cheektowaga Masonic Center. Progress TBA. wnylodgeofresearch.us February 20, 2015 Philosophic Lodge of Research in Connecticut will meet at 6:30 p.m. at the Masonic Eastern Star Building at 324 Main Street in Cromwell for Shawn Coultier’s presentation on “Corn, Wine, and Oil.” Dinner, at ABC Trattoria, will precede the meeting. www.philosophiclodgeresearch.org March 2, 2015 Wappingers Lodge No. 671 (150 Myers Corners Road, Wappingers Falls, New York) will host Moises Gomez of New Jersey to speak on “The Memphis-Mizraim Rite: A Study of the Higher Degrees.”

March 5-7, 2015 Phylaxis Society’s 2015 Convention will be held in Ontario, Canada. thephylaxis.org/phylaxis/conv_2015.php March 10, 2015 Northern California Research Lodge to meet at 7 p.m. at San Francisco Scottish Rite Masonic Center. Progress TBA. hncrl.info March 11, 2015 Mariners Lodge No. 67 in New York City will host Matt King to speak on “Sacred Sounds and Symbols of Freemasonry.” 71 W. 23rd Street in Manhattan (Masonic Hall) on the eighth floor at 7 p.m.

March 14, 2015 Andersonville National Historic Site in Andersonville, Georgia will feature Michael Halleran to speak on “Gentlemen of the White Apron, Masonic POWs.” March 14, 2015 New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education No. 1786 to meet at 10 a.m. at Hightstown-Apollo Lodge in Hightstown, New Jersey.

March 19, 2015 The Wendell K. Walker Memorial Lecture to be hosted by Independent Royal Arch Lodge No. 2 in New York City. Progress TBA. March 19-21

Andrew Hammer, and John Bizzack will be featured speakers at the 159th Annual Communication, Grand Lodge of Kansas, Capitol Plaza Hotel in Topeka.

March 21, 2015 Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge to host its Spring session, welcoming to the podium George Braatz, Executive Director of the Masonic Service Association of North America; and Mr. Kenneth Loiselle, author of Brotherly Love: Freemasonry and Male Friendship in Enlightenment France. 9 a.m. at the Freemason Cultural Center of the Elizabethtown Campus. RSVP to Secretary George Haynes at amksecretary@ pagrandlodge.org

March 28, 2015 Maine Lodge of Research will meet at 9 a.m. in the Bangor Masonic Center, located at 294 Union Street. Progress TBA. www.mainemason.org/mlr April 8, 2015 Anniversary Lodge of Research will meet jointly with Burns Lodge No. 66 in Littleton, New Hampshire. Details TBA. www.anniversarylodge.org April 17, 2015 Utah Masonic Research Society to meet at 7 p.m. in the Salt Lake Masonic Temple.

Guest speaker: Mark A. Tabbert.

April 18, 2015 Second Annual Masonic Education Symposium hosted by Pleiades Lodge No. 478. Seven speakers, including keynote Russell Schlosser, are scheduled to appear at the Westchester Masonic Temple at 10210 Canterbury Avenue in Westchester, Illinois. $40 per person. The lodge has a Facebook page for information.

April 25, 2015 Fontana Lodge No. 653 in Fontana, California will host A Day of Masonic Light with speakers Charles Harper, Robert Herd, Timothy Hogan, and Anthony Mongelli. $25 per person. Master Masons only. Contact info653@calodges.org May 2015 International Conference on the History of Freemasonry, scheduled to take place in Ontario, Canada, has been canceled.

Ontario Masons reportedly are endeavoring to host an event under their own auspices.

Progress TBA. May 29-30, 2015 World Conference on Fraternalism, Freemasonry, and History: Research in Ritual, Secrecy, and Civil Society to take place at Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, France, hosted by Policy Studies Organization. Progress TBA. Call for papers now open. Visit www.ipsonet.org/ conferences/ritualconference-main July 8, 2015 Anniversary Lodge of Research will meet at the Portsmouth Masonic Temple, located at 351 Middle Street in Portsmouth, New Hampshire for its installation of officers.

Supper at 6 p.m. Lodge opens at 7. www.anniversarylodge.org

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FROM THE EDITOR

The Heisenberg Effect

by Michael Halleran, Editor

or how many will be attending.

In many jurisdictions, perhaps most, lodge visits by the Grand Master are planned and eagerly anticipated events. The lodge may invite him to present service emblems or awards, to re-consecrate a lodge hall, or to preside over some other ceremony, and these events are usually planned some time in advance. Depending on the lodge, the planning can be minutely detailed, or it can be a laissez faire arrangement where, until the moment the first emblem is pinned to a coat, no one knows who

Either way, these events are enormously important to lodges, and Grand Lodges recognize this. They try to accommodate every request for official visits.

D

Official visits by Grand Lodge officers or (God forbid) the Grand Master, often provide little insight on the lodge.

The first surprise visit during my term of office happened by accident.

I just happened to be in town at the time of a lodge meeting and I decided to attend. I arrived a little late and expected to see the Tyler in his apartment, but he was seated in the lodge listening to Masonic education by the District Deputy. I could see him through a crack in the door, but he didn’t see me. Donning my regalia, I waited until the District Deputy was winding up before assailing the door with an almighty knock.

Alarums and excursions followed, but only briefly, and I came away surprised at how positive the evening had gone. Once they figured out I was just there to sit in lodge with them, the brethren were tickled pink. That visit and the dozen or so others since have confirmed to me that the Grand Master should spend as much time as possible in the lodges, watching and learning.

onning my regalia, I waited until the District Deputy was winding up before assailing the door with an almighty knock.

Unplanned visits by the Grand Master, however, are usually rare events, and in some cases they not always pleasant ones. When the Grand Master turns up at a lodge unannounced, lodge members often wonder what they’ve done to merit such a visit, and it’s not uncommon to see a few eyes dart furtively to the lodge charter.

To some extent the presence of Grand Lodge officers at any lodge meeting will alter the picture. But we get a much more accurate observation if the Grand Master appears unlooked for, and simply watches what unfolds.

Surprise visits by the chief executive should not be reserved for disciplinary measures, however, because they present a perspective on the lodge that cannot obtained otherwise. At emblem presentations, dedications, or awards nights, the ceremony itself obscures the true picture of the lodge. And although basic observations on attendance, physical condition, and basic functionality of the lodge will be on display, the finer points of how the lodge works through the various issues it is confronted with remain veiled.

The German physicist Werner Heisenberg described the limitations on observation where the act of observation affects the object being observed.

And whether one is observing sub-atomic particles under a microscope, as Heisenberg was, or simply trying to take the temperature of a given lodge, the effect is similar.

The surprise visits aren’t always eventful; sometimes I just listened to Masonic Ed, or the minutes, or observed degree work like any other brother. At others, I watched the lodges dealing with serious financial issues, discussions of real problems, and in one memorable visit, I watched a spirited debate, led by a young and motivated Senior Warden, about whether or not the lodge should spend tens of thousands of dollars to renovate an aging lodge room. To my delight, they decided on just that. If I would have been expected, if it would have been awards night, I would have missed it.

And besides, they jump like hell when you pound on the door.

ABOUT THE EDITOR: Michael Halleran is the sitting Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Kansas A.F.& A.M.

Photo credit: Grand Lodge of Kansas A.F.&A.M. SPRING 2014 • 9

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NEWS

Masonic Restoration Foundation meets in Ohio

By Jay Hochberg, FMS The Masonic Restoration Foundation hosted its Fifth Annual Symposium in August at the Cincinnati Masonic Center in Ohio, drawing hundreds of Freemasons to learn about the idea of improving their lodges by restoring many of the historical elements of Masonry to the lodge experience. Founded in 2001, the MRF, according to its website, “serves as a clearinghouse of best practices in Freemasonry. Its supporters share ideas and information, discuss Masonic topics, and conduct local, regional and national Masonic education conferences upon request of members or lodges, and with permission of the Grand Lodge in which its events are held.” This event was hosted jointly by Caliburn Lodge No. 785 and Arts & Sciences Lodge No. 792, both of Ohio, with Lodge Vitruvian No. 767 of Indiana and Lodge Ad Lucem No. 812 of Pennsylvania. The itinerary kept its participants and guests active with discussions, lectures, meals, and ritual, among other attractions. All who presented lectures during the symposium are brethren of The Masonic Society.

importance of status. And the way we sustain status in our lodges over time is when the upper level men become mentors to the lower level men and the upper level men are consciously aware that the subject of mentoring is social honor—which can only be taught through life experience and symbolic interaction.”

TMS Member Donald Crews began the symposium with his history of Freemasonry in Ohio, an informative and very interactive talk that engaged the brethren. All adjourned to the ballroom for a festive board hosted by Lodge Vitruvian. The fine meal with ample libations for the toasts would have been enough, but MRF Past President Robert G. Davis of Oklahoma (a Founding Fellow of TMS) complemented the affair with his well received lecture “Journey to the Masculine Soul.” “When we create lodges where the overriding vision is social honor and we select men of status to join our ranks, we sustain the cultural paradigm upon which Freemasonry was erected,” he said. “We educate and demonstrate to every generation of members the Masonic

The next morning a lodge of Master Masons was opened by Arts & Sciences Lodge, a self-styled “best practices” lodge chartered in 2010.

Refreshment was called so that the day’s programs could begin. TMS Founding Member Daniel Hrinko of Ohio, a psychologist, discussed “The Initiatory Experience and Human Nature.” Hrinko explained in plain language the mutual benefits of a lodge bringing a new man into the fraternity, and cautioned that each petitioner deserves particular care. He advocates devoting up to six months to help a petitioner and the lodge decide if they are right for one another—a busy period of establishing trust, building a potentially lasting connection that is a fundamental to the initiatory experience. “We do things for emotional

Davis’ term “social honor” is key. “In the hierarchical relations of lodge, we are indeed superiors, inferiors, and equals to each other, and it is essential that we play roles as all three,” he added. “We must be prepared to pass from one position to another just as we are born, age, and die.

We must be taught, as we must teach others. This is the true dynamic of our society of Brothers. There is a time to rule, a time to be ruled, and finally, there is a time to pass the reins to the next generation. Tying this to social honor—the inferior, no less than his superior—regulates the social contract we have with each other as Brothers,” Davis explained.

“We cannot have friends who are not equals.”

The altar of Arts and Sciences Lodge No. 792 of Ohio displays six Volumes of Sacred Law. Next to the Holy Bible are the Jefferson Bible, the Bhagavad Gita, a Shinto text, the Tanakh, and the Koran.

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experiences, so try to understand why he petitions for the degrees of Freemasonry,” Hrinko added. “Tell him our reasons to help him discover his reasons. Make it personal.” The months leading to an Entered Apprentice Degree should be a mutual personal investment with readings (Plato’s “The Allegory of the Cave,” for example) and honest discussions to build friendship. And when the time arrives for initiation, the lodge must fill its role as a sacred space that receives new members with respect and solemnity.

TMS Member Paul Smith of New Hampshire spoke with moving candor on “Forming a New Lodge: Sharing the Reality.” Smith recounted in detail how he formed a club to examine the many aspects of observant or restoration-focused lodges. “What do we envision?” they asked reflectively. The organizing—regalia, lodge paraphernalia, etc.—was easily addressed, but they faced resistance when presenting the concept to other Masons, including close friends. Accusations of elitism and similar conduct abounded, but the founders of what would become Phoenix Lodge No. 105 responded with a Masonic relations campaign to clarify myths and facts, including sending forth brethren to lodges to speak about the virtues of the observant model. When it was time to TMS Member Paul Smith of Phoenix call a vote, the Grand Lodge Lodge No. 105 in New Hampshire delivers cautionary lessons and other was unanimously in favor of practical know-how in creating a chartering the lodge. Smith Traditional Observance lodge. explained the commitment the lodge makes and its candidates’ reciprocity. One requires eighteen months of activity before being raised to the Third Degree: six as a petitioner, six as an Apprentice, and six as a Fellow Craft. This time includes making presentations to the lodge that demonstrate understandings of Masonic ritual and symbol, and other displays of understanding. Smith’s overall message to those embarking on their own method of observance is never believe it will be easy and immediately will enjoy the support of your grand lodge.

The reality is not only will there be opposition, but that even some of your supporters could change their minds. However, if there is room for convivial Masons and charitable Masons, there also must be room made for those brethren who work toward excellence in meaningful ritual and continuous Masonic education.

The Keynote Presentation came from TMS Founding Member Michael Clevenger who discussed “Becoming Masonry.” In his system, each degree and every Working Tool provides ways to apply Masonic teaching to daily life.

Worksheets he created give the Masonic student a place to write down and compare ideas, such as what the ritual says, for example, about the Common Gavel; what the Common Gavel means to the Mason personally; and how he will use these concepts in life. In addition, the brother is challenged to envision how the Common Gavel and his knowledge of it will benefit his life, his family, job, community, and

Masonic lodge. In setting specific goals, Clevenger’s method encourages daily reinforcement of Masonic values. A Freemason is to know himself, through reflection, evaluation, and learning; to know others by developing relationships; to be of value to others by assuming an attitude of service; to show respect by practicing the Golden Rule; and to be a leader who displays Brotherly Keynote Speaker Michael Clevenger, a Founding Member of The Masonic Love, Relief, and Truth.

Society, offers the brethren practical Supporting the ritual oaths instruction in applying Masonic and obligations of Masonic teachings to everyday life. degrees, Clevenger devised “My Masonic Obligation,” a philosophic guide to life: “I am a Mason because I believe that no man should live his life in a random manner. He should be guided by a plan that honors his God, supports his fellow man, and provides a way to improve himself daily. Masonry provides this plan for me, and I will live in pursuit of knowledge and understanding for the purpose of providing for my family, supporting my Masonic brethren, and improving my community. My continued hope is that I live respected and die regretted.”

TMS Member Oscar Alleyne of New York and Founding Fellow Shawn Eyer of Washington, DC also delivered lectures that were received very enthusiastically. Rounding out the day’s lectures were TMS Founding Fellow Chris Hodapp and TMS Fellow and author of Observing the Craft, Andrew Hammer, author of Observing the Craft, appearing separately for Q&A with the brethren. Hodapp’s session was facilitated by Founding Fellow Mark Tabbert, of the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Virginia, who made the most of Hodapp’s breadth of knowledge as the tireless traveling man who, in promotion of his book Freemasons for Dummies, which has sold more than 120,000 copies, probably has visited more lodges than anyone. “Traditional Observance is not the savior or golden goose for us all,” Hodapp cautioned. “At Vitruvian, we sometimes have more visitors than members. So pay attention to the visitors. You are influencing their thoughts.” Attentiveness to new brethren is key also. “A Mason’s fourth meeting is the most important one,” he added, “because that’s when he sees if the fraternity practices what it preaches.”

TMS Founding Fellows Chris Hodapp, “The Hardest Working Man in Freemasonry,” and Mark Tabbert rounded out the day of lectures with an informal and insightful Q&A session.

The brethren returned to the lodge to witness Lodge Ad Lucem confer the Master Mason Degree on one Fellow Craft in Pennsylvania’s unique ritual, a ceremony none will soon forget.

Contributing toward the spirited community of the brethren was a Scotch Harmony at the end of the day, a lesson on pairing savory hors d’oeuvres with exotic whiskies, with generous samples of all and the guiding hand of a Scotch whisky expert.

The MRF’s 2015 symposium will take place August 21-23 at the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania’s Masonic Temple in Philadelphia.

FALL 2014 • 11

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ESOTERICA

Elus in an Envelope - the Tenth Degree of the Scottish Rite

By Casey A. Fletcher, MMS

T

he saga of the three ruffians in the second section of the Master Mason degree is familiar to every Mason.

Pursued for their crimes, they are captured and dealt with expeditiously.

Justice is served. The third degree in Scottish Rite ritual, however, differs from the Blue Lodge. The search party returns to the Temple only to lament that the ruffians had alluded efforts to capture them.1 The Master Mason degree in Scottish Rite therefore concludes without any resolution as to their crimes. The Rite leaves a gap in the story. It returns to complete this portion of the Hiramic Legend in the Ninth through Eleventh degrees.

In the Ninth Degree, Elu of the Nine, Jubelum meets his destiny. Jubela and Jubelo are captured in the Tenth Degree, Elu of the Fifteen, and await a fate determined in the Eleventh degree, Elu of the Twelve. 2 In modern Scottish Rite ritual, the Ninth and Tenth degrees, are combined into one ceremony. Its introduction informs the candidates that every symbol in a degree might be a symbol of something else, that nothing is as obvious as it appears on the surface and that each Mason should search deeply for the hidden meaning.3 Albert Pike asserted that the real messages and lessons of Masonic ritual might be hidden in plain sight, merely presented “as casual hints that are passed by wholly unnoticed.”4 He likewise counsels that myths, legends, and symbols are often intended to conceal rather than reveal their truths.5 “The ancient symbols and allegories always had more than one interpretation. They always had a double meaning, and sometimes more than two, one serving as an envelope of the other.”6 By examining the Tenth degree’s basic plot and symbolism, we can put Pike’s theory to the test, seeking those underlying esoteric lessons that might be concealed in the “envelope” of the degree’s primary message.

THE STORY LINE Still mourning the death of Hiram Abiff, King Solomon, acting upon information from Ben-Dekar, one of the Elu of the Nine of the previous degree, dispatches fifteen men to search for and apprehend the two ruffians still at large. Reconnaissance indicates they might have taken refuge in the land of Gath, a nearby kingdom. Solomon sends a select group composed of the Elu of the Nine and six additional men chosen by lot.

The assistance of the ruler of Gath, Makah, was solicited to aid in the quest. Jubela and Jubelo were found in the sweltering heat and dust of a quarry. Prior to their apprehension, the ruffians openly express to each other their remorse and inward suffering consequent to their crime.

Their personal expressions of anguish and lamentations, when artfully 12 • FALL 2014

exemplified, provide one of the most powerful, emotional and moving scenes in Scottish Rite ritual up to this degree.

Unlike the Ninth degree, in which Jubelum is killed, Jubela and Jubelo are captured and returned to the Temple where they are jailed to await trial.7 The degree concludes with Solomon conferring the rank of Elu of the Fifteen upon the captors.

The prominent symbols offered by the Tenth degree include an apron of black and white, displaying three gates and rosettes. From the cordon, which also has three rosettes, hangs the jewel, a dagger with a gold handle and silver blade.

The antagonists of the degree symbolize specific vices, represented by the gates and rosettes on the apron. Although not explicitly referenced, the symbolism of our deceased Grand Master is embedded in the degree.

He symbolizes freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and speech and he represents liberty. Indeed, Hiram Abiff is vicariously present as “the symbol of human nature, as developed in the life to come; and so, while the temple was…the visible symbol of the world, its builder [represents] the mythical symbol of man, the dweller and worker in the world.”8 BASIC TEACHING In the Ninth degree, Jubelum was designated as a symbol of ignorance. In the Tenth degree, Jubela and Jubelo symbolize tyranny and intolerance.

Each of these vices and character flaws assaults and threatens our liberty, represented by Hiram Abiff.

Together the ruffians represent “the ignorant who do not question,” “the fanatic who follows blindly” and the “tyrant who commands.”9 Ignorance inhibits growth and development, whether personally or societally. Fanaticism is the child of intolerance. Tyranny, driven by ambition, leads to despotism, whether political or otherwise.

The degree projects a powerful message for the individual Mason. Our liberty, symbolized by Hiram Abiff, is always at risk in the presence of ignorance, intolerance, and tyranny.10 Education, knowledge and enlightenment, from which flow humility and toleration, facilitate the liberty of man and society.

Pike counseled that “Masonry is action…”11 and that “the natural work of Masonry is practical life; the use of all the faculties in the proper spheres….”12 His lectures for these degrees admonish that our educational pursuits are not limited to academia, but extend to the growth of one’s character and virtue.

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An individual’s education has a larger implication. “The improvement of the mass of the people is the grand security for popular liberty....”13 Such improvement does not begin at the top of society – it starts with the individual man and Mason. Our progress will be reflected in society, for society is but the reflection of the individual.14 “[W] e never know the importance of the act we do” and “there is no Mason who cannot do some thing (sic), if not alone, then by combination and association.”15 For society and the masses to improve, the individual must first improve.

Regalia of the 10th degree, Elu of the Fifteen

When Hiram Abiff is designated as a symbol of human freedom16 or liberty and the ruffians as symbols of ignorance, ambition and intolerance, the message of these degrees is clear. (Indeed, new light is possibly cast upon the second section of the Master Mason degree of the Symbolic Lodge.) The core lessons of the Tenth degree are a call for education, humility, toleration and, most of all, action.

This core lesson is simple and, perhaps upon reflection, obvious. Are there other lessons? What other interpretations might be concealed within the envelope of the degree’s basic symbols and work? What about the name?

THE FIFTEEN ELUS Why fifteen? The Elu of the Nine were successful in apprehending Jubelum in the previous degree. Indeed, only two of them really did anything of consequence – the other seven got lost! Sending the nine back out again (if they didn’t get lost) should have been sufficient, especially now, because the King of Gath was assisting in the mission.

Yet Solomon increases their number to fifteen. His comment that “lest their number be too small, let six others go with them”17 is weak. If legitimately concerned about the adequacy of the resources for the task, why not send seven or nine more, or send a total of twenty-seven or eighty-one? These numbers typically suggest something of esoteric significance in Masonry, but fifteen? Why fifteen? Perhaps it is a subtle suggestion to dig beneath the core lessons of the Degree, to look into the envelope.

THE RITUAL’S DEVELOPMENT The Tenth degree, like the preceding degree, has changed a lot of over time (including the two being combined into one.) Indeed, an introductory comment to the 2004 Ritual explains that “at an early period [the degrees] comprised part of a system that was known as the Adoniramite Rite of Freemasonry.”18 That reference is probably to ceremonies found in Arturo De Hoyos’s Masonic Formulas and Rituals.19 There are five degrees therein that are somewhat similar to the plot-line of the modern Ninth and Tenth degrees. Their work includes obligations and details about signs, tokens and words excluded from modern ritual.

There are some important differences between these old French rituals and those of modernity.

First, in the modern ritual, Jubela and Jubelo, having been apprehended, are held over for trial.20 In the old rituals, they are executed, in some cases, quite gruesomely.21 The ritual might have developed over the years to concentrate more on esoteric ideas than the raw punishments afforded the ruffians. The punishments could unduly distract from more important symbolism or they may have been removed out of a sense of simple practicality and discretion.

Second, the emotional confessions and lamentations of the two ruffians, mentioned above, appear to be recent additions to the work. This writer was unable to find these orations in any of the literature investigated for this paper.

Nevertheless, they testify strongly to the personal, inner consequences of fanaticism, ambition, and intolerance.22 Finally, the number fifteen is more prominent in the old rituals and in Pike’s early work.23 In the older rituals, the numeral fifteen is not the least bit subtle. The Lodge was, in some work, adorned with fifteen lights, in three groups, five in the east and five situated before each Warden.24 Each group was lit during the opening of the Lodge – each with a declaration that the Craft dedicated themselves to the illumination of freedom, toleration, and “education and intelligence.”25 A battery of three times five was employed opening and closing the Lodge.26 The exemplar entered the Lodge on fifteen steps in the shape of triangle before arriving at the altar.27 In Pike’s early work, the Lodge was limited to fifteen members.28 Some rituals used the number fifteen explicitly in the narrative, “They (the Elu of the Fifteen) set out on the fifteenth of the month that answers to the month of June…[s]trict search was made during five days…” and after the ruffians were seized, they returned to the Temple “on the fifteenth day of the month next after their departure.”29 A SURVEY OF THE NUMERAL FIFTEEN It is likely that the number fifteen is enveloped by the core symbolism of the degree. Investigating its usage in Freemasonry and elsewhere might provoke thought and action.

Symbolic Lodge references. The number of the officers requisite to opening the three Symbolic Lodges sums to fifteen. The fidelity of fifteen Fellow Craft is called into question in the early scenes of the Hiramic Legend.30 The winding stairs of the Fellow Craft degree contain fifteen steps. The number “of the stairs was…intended to symbolize the idea of perfection, to which it was the object of the aspirant to attain.” Ascending the fifteen stairs suggests that having “passed beyond the years of irrational childhood…the laborious task of self-improvement is the first duty” of a man. 31 The Regius Manuscript, circa 1390, one of the Fraternity’s earliest documents, contains fifteen articles and fifteen points.32 The Schaw Statutes of 1598 and 1599 from Scotland contained fifteen clauses.33 FALL 2014 • 13

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1. The Hebrew letters for Holy Name Jah or Yaw have a numerical value of 15 2. Three quincunxes, totaling 15 candles, are displayed in the Lodge 3. The number of original Elus form a magic square – each direction sums to 15 4. Opposing sides of the magic square sum to 10, the numerical value of the Hebrew letter Yod 5. Opposing sides of the magic square sum to 10, the number of points in the tetractys 6. The 3x3 magic square it associated with Saturn, the Guardian of the Threshold

Does the selection of fifteen Elus direct our attention back to the Symbolic Lodge or back further still to our historical origins?

Religious references. King Solomon’s Temple was said to have fifteen steps between the Court of Israel and the Women’s Court,34 and upon these were sung the fifteen Psalms of Degrees, Psalms 120 through 134.35 The numeral fifteen is considered sacred in some religious systems.

For example, the Hebraic letters for the Holy Name Jah or Yaw36 has a numerical value of fifteen.37 When expressing numbers in ordinary occasions by way of their alphabet, the Hebrews would not use these two letters to express the number fifteen, but instead used the letters denoting the numbers nine and six.38 The substitution of these letters is reminiscent of Solomon’s statement, above, that “lest their number (nine, referring to the Elu of the Nine) be too small, let six others go with them….”39 Does the selection of fifteen Elus direct our attention to religious or spiritual concepts?

Mystical references. The three groups of five candles in the old rituals40 were each arranged as a quincunx41: four candles formed a square and the fifth candle was centered.

The four points or candles might allude to the four philosophical elements of alchemy: water, earth, air and fire. The first three perhaps represent the Mason’s spirit, body and soul, while the fourth, fire, is the element used to transform the other three.42 The centered point or candle might signify the perfecting or completion of the transformation, the achievement of some unity or equilibrium within the body, soul and spirit.

The presence of three quincunxes, totaling fifteen lights, could symbolize the necessity of some level of perfection in three arenas: education or enlightenment, humility and toleration. Personal growth in each of these interdependent arenas might be advocated by the presence of the three quincunxes.

The digits of the number of Elus of the previous degree (nine) can be arranged to construct a talisman or magic square, in which the numbers, when added horizontally, vertically or diagonally sum to fifteen, the number of Elus in the instant degree.43 The number five, representing the center of the quincunx, is also the center of the magic square.

The external, opposing boxes sum to ten, the numerical value of the Hebrew character Yod,44 an ineffable symbol of Deity. This sum is also the number of points and triangles contained within a tetractys or microcosm.

14 • FALL 2014

Magical squares were anciently associated with planets; the three-bythree square is associated with Saturn.45 The alchemists considered Saturn to be the “Guardian of the Threshold” or gate between the material and spiritual world. “The most distant and slowest moving of the visible planets, it represents restriction…” or restraint. Saturn “[a]s the Lord of Order, self-knowledge, and discipline, can be a severe taskmaster….” He was represented as Father Time with a scythe, eliminating the “old, useless or unworthy,” whether in the alchemist’s material or “the corresponding aspects of the…” alchemist himself.46 So, might the selection of fifteen Elus be intended to stimulate or encourage a mystical pattern of thinking and self-reflection?

APPLYING THE LESSONS In searching for potentially concealed lessons in Masonic ritual and endeavoring to open its symbolic envelopes for hidden truths, care must be taken not to be distracted from the outward, obvious lesson of each, lest our contemplative pursuits supplant the imperative for our rigorous action.

The Tenth degree’s message is quite direct, albeit simple: learn, be humble, be tolerant. If no other lesson or message is ever detected in the degree, the performance of these three directives is sufficient to occupy a Mason’s lifetime.

But what of the fifteen Elu? Could not the core lesson of this degree been transmitted using some other number? The numeral fifteen seems be the content of Pike’s envelope, that symbol with multiple interpretations.

Is the number fifteen meant to be a catalyst for further searching and study or does it simply inculcate lessons of the Symbolic Lodge? Does it steer us toward spiritual or religious reflections? Does it deploy us upon a mystical journey of investigating and contemplating an almost magical, and clearly mathematical, universe and our place and role in it?

Why fifteen Elus? It could be any of these ideas or many others. It could be, unfortunately, that King Solomon simply feared some of the Elu of the Nine might again become lost.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Casey A. Fletcher, 320 KCCH, is Past Master of Tuscan Lodge No. 6 in Bartow, Florida and a member of the Valley of Tampa.

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NOTES 1 Albert Pike, The Porch and the Middle Chamber, The Book of the Lodge, Kessinger Legacy Reprints, 2011, 302.

2 “Elu” as used in Masonic degrees probably suggests “elect, elevated, selected or singled-out.” The Gnostics appear to have used the term to designate one who possessed special knowledge, especially that derived from divine revelation. Rex Hutchens, A Bridge to Light, The Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction, 2006, 58.

3 Summarized from the modern Ritual, Supreme Council, (revised 1/20/14).

4 Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Kessinger Publishing, 2014, 250.

5 Ibid, 106, emphasis in the original. This might be especially true in the Ninth and Tenth degrees. At face value, the ritual seems to be limited to prominent demonstrations of vengeance, justice, crime and punishment, etc.

6 Ibid, 205, emphasis in the original.

7 Hutchens, 60-61 for a summary of the basic plot of the degree.

8 Albert G. Mackey, Symbolism of Freemasonry: Its Science, Philosophy, Legends, Myths and Symbolism, Kessinger Publishing’s Rare Mystical Reprints, 2010, 233, ellipse added.

9 Kyle G. Ferlemann, The Bridge Builders Guide, Cornerstone Book Publishers 2012, 19.

10 These vices culminated in the destruction of the Temple: “the ruthless hand of ignorance” as explained in the Winding Stairs Lecture of the Fellow Craft degree.

11 Pike, Morals and Dogma, 152, ellipses added.

12 Ibid, 162, ellipses added.

13 Ibid, 153, ellipses added.

14 F or a more eloquent description of this reflection, see A.D. Lindsay (translator), Plato, The Republic, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1976, 43-44.

15 Pike, Morals and Dogma, 173, emphasis in original. This idea builds on a theme of the Eighth degree, Intendant of the Building, i.e. “cultural continuity,” Hutchens, 50.

16 See language in the Thirteenth degree, Royal Arch of Solomon, modern Ritual; Pike, Morals and Dogma, 211.

17 modern ritual.

18 Ibid.

19 A rturo De Hoyos, Masonic Formulas and Rituals, transcribed by Albert Pike in 1854 and 1855, The Scottish Rite Research Society, 2010, 133-230.

20 This is true in Albert Pike’s original work also. Albert Pike, The Magnum Opus or the Great Work, Kessinger Publishing’s Rare Reprints, 2010, X…6.

21 In older versions of the ritual, dated prior to 1993 and made available to this writer, the ruffians are not punished in the degree. However, in earlier French ritual they are executed; see De Hoyos, 217. In some versions, the execution is quite graphic and brutal.

22 It is possible the lamentations were inserted to make the point that the consequences of an action are imbedded in the action itself and can be very personal; the lamentations make the point more benignly than the executions.

23 Pike, Magnum Opus, X…1-3.

24 Three set of five lights are referenced in Hutchens, 59; however, they are not included among the 2004 ritual’s stage props or accoutrements.

25 Pike, Magnum Opus, X…1-3. The language employed when lighting each group of candles is reminiscent of the language used in the Twentieth degree, Master of the Symbolic Lodge. In one degree, twenty-seven lights are employed. De Hoyos, 206.

26 De Hoyos, 218, 223, 226.

27 Ibid, 213, 220.

28 Pike, Magnum Opus, X…6.

29 De Hoyos, 2010, 215. Pike, Magnum Opus, X…3, ellipses added.

30 The Hiramic Legend explains what happened to six; what happened to the other nine? Did they get lost, too?

31 Mackey, 221, ellipses added.

32 Robert Freke Gould, A Concise History of Freemasonry, Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply, Co. Inc., London, 1904 (available from Cornell University Library website), 262.

33 Ibid, 327-328.

34 Ibid, 258-259.

35 http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/nop/nop22.htm accessed on January 8, 2014. Note that this sequence of psalms includes that used in the circumambulation of the Entered Apprentice degree.

36 For Maimonides, Jah or Yaw was a two-lettered name for Deity, derived from the Hebrew letters of the second row of the tetragrammaton. It is also considered an independent name for Deity, “expressing the same idea of the divine essence.” Mackey, 345. See also George Oliver, The Pythagorean Triangle or the Science of Numbers, Kessinger Legacy Reprints, 2014, 47.

37 Mackey, 227. Miranda Lundy, Sacred Number, The Secret Qualities of Quantities, Walker & Company, 2005, 39, 51.

38 Mackey, 339.

39 modern ritual.

40 As end-noted earlier, the three sets of five lights are referenced by Hutchens, 59, but do not appear in the modern Ritual.

41 This writer acknowledges a paper written by Salmon for the Valley of Guthrie, Oklahoma’s College of the Consistory program as a catalyst for the ideas included in this section. In modern times, a quincunx often refers to an arrangement of plants in an orchard or garden; during the Roman Republic it was a coin, denominated as five-twelfths of a standard bronze coin www.//en.wikipeida.org/wiki/quincunx accessed on May 20, 2014; the word is derived from the Latin word of one and five http:// mathworld.wolfram.com/quincunx.html accessed on May 20, 2014.

42 Guy Ogilvy, The Alchemist’s Kitchen, Extraordinary Potions & Curious Notions, Walker Publishing Company, Inc. 2006, 8.

43 Mackey, 227.

44 Lundy, 51.

45 Ibid, 40.

46 Ogilvy, 57, ellipses added. See also Oliver for comments on the use of magical squares by the Egyptians and Pythagoreans, 23-4.

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Academic Research

Brief Historiography on the Persecution of Freemasons during the Spanish Inquisition.

By Laura M. Wilhelm Occurring between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Spanish Inquisition was the legal culmination of centuries of tension between social, political, and religious groups. Through the Inquisition, which was sanctioned by both Church and State, the Holy Office set out to create structure and control throughout Spain and her dominions.

When examining trial records from this period it clear that the tribunals went through various stages. For example, in the earlier years many Christian groups, considered unorthodox by the authorities, were

T

issuing a bull In Eminente, prohibiting Freemasonry in 1738, Pope Clement XII made official a growing trend of suspicion. Many Inquisition trial records exist describing the prosecution and sentencing of Freemasons, such as those of Tommaso Crudeli in Florence in 1739, or of Edward Wigat and James O’Kennedy in Manila in 1756, or the individuals investigated by Antonio Lante in Malta in 1776, among others. The persecution of Freemasons lasted until the demise of the Inquisition in the 1830s, but left a trail of suspicion in its wake which still exists in

he persecution of Freemasons lasted until the demise of the Inquisition in the 1830s, but left a trail of suspicion in its wake which still exists in many parts of the world today.

n” to de fe de la Inquisició An Inquisition trial. “Au in the d use Ho 5.

181 c. ya

by Fransisco de Go n ia de Bellas Artes de Sa Museum: Real Academ ain Fernando (Madrid, Sp

pursued such as Protestants, Cathars, Lutherans, or Anabaptists. Later, groups of non-Christians were targeted for exile or conversion, such as occurred to Spanish Jews in the fifteenth century. Each of these efforts, as well as specific places, time periods, and offenses, have drawn the attention of authors and has created a vigorous dialogue.

One such effort is the persecution of Freemasons during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. First 16 • FALL 2014

many parts of the world today. The Inquisition and other periods of persecution, along with expanding economic opportunities, helped fuel the global spread of Freemasonry as members fled, establishing lodges in other regions. This article highlights various histories of the Inquisition, of which there are many, and give a glimpse into how historians have discussed Freemasonry within the larger topic of Inquisition.

This article highlights works which, upon closer examination, can help the reader develop his or her own sense of history through the volume and variety of publications from both Masonic and NonMasonic authors.

THE FIRST HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS The first wave of published writings on the topic surfaced mere decades after the Freemasons, (although still denounced) were no longer being actively pursued by the Church. For example, George Oliver published The History of Masonic Persecution in Different Quarters of the Globe in 1867. Hoping to reach a wider audience, while still giving the account of the Freemasons, Garrido and Cayley responded

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in 1876 with their publication of A History of Political and Religious Persecutions from the Earliest Days of the Christian Church. The next wave came in the 1950s and 60s when authors began to incorporate the persecution of Freemasons into the larger discussion of the Inquisition.

For example, in 1954, Masonic writer Ray Denslow, drawing mainly on an expansive collection of histories written by fellow Masons, published a history of Freemasonry in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Denslow surveyed on were ssi pre sup of s form er the development, and Censorship and oth n. “Saint Dominic and itio uis Inq the by d ize eventual persecution, author 5. dro Berruguete c. 149 the Albigenses” by Pe l of Freemasonry De nal cio Na seo Mu Housed in the Museum: in Europe and Prado (Madrid, Spain) Asia. A discussion of the Inquisition was particularly relevant in his portrayal of Freemasonry in Spain, which he claimed was difficult to trace because of the “records concerning its existence

B

stone masons guild meetings.

in

In the late seventeenth century, Cerza noted, antiMasonic sentiments in European culture were encouraged. By the time In Eminente was issued it was fairly well expected, indeed it may have been inevitable. Cerza continued to trace the persecution of Freemasons into the 1960s with his explanation of how “Castro in Cuba confiscated the Masonic Temple in Havana, arrested the Grand Lodge officers, and declared Masonry illegal.” The connection between Cuban Freemasonry and civic society has continued to inspire authors today, such as those collected works of Jorge Luis Romeu. Cerza not only highlighted the kind of persecution which occurred through Papal bulls and Regal decrees, but also discussed individual violence.

According to Cerza, for example, The Morgan Affair of 1826 was not merely an American phenomenon, but contributed to global anti-Masonic sentiments, culminating in the execution of a Mason

y the 1980s analysis often took the form of either a broader history of the period or a focus on individual trials during the Inquisition.

at that period…are practically non-existent…It has always had the opposition of the Roman Catholic Church.” In his discussion of the Philippine Islands Denslow tells the story of two men who were tried by the Holy Office for their affiliation with Masonry but were ultimately acquitted because they were Irish citizens during a period of uneasy political relations between Spain and England. Denslow’s work formed the image of the Masons as an organization whose ritualistic secrecy was created out of an environment of opposition and oppression.

ALPHONSE CERZA – THE MODERN MASONIC VIEW

In 1962, Alphonse Cerza, another Masonic scholar, took this notion a step further by giving specific examples of oppression. In his chronology, Cerza demonstrated the long history of opposition to Freemasonry which eventually led to the drastic measures taken by the Inquisition to suppress it. Cerza began his account of Masonic persecution with a recounting of the legend of the Four Crowned Martyrs, circa 298 AD. Cerza also described other demonstrated rza Ce se events, such as the hon Alp an Masonic histori osition to Freemasonry opp of tory his 1361 decision by g lon the the drastic measures which eventually led to n Edward III to forbid aw Sh n. Photo courtesy of taken by the Inquisitio the gathering of ilalethes Society.

Eyer, Ph

in Spain in the same year. Cerza’s work was part of the “social turn” of history during the mid-twentieth century which began to focus on the victims of historical violence instead of the perpetrators.

Alphonse Cerza’s work also helped form the image of Freemasonry as an alliance that was fundamentally at odds with mainstream society.

ACADEMIC INTERPRETATIONS By the 1980s analysis often took the form of either a broader history of the period or a focus on individual trials during the Inquisition.

Also by the 1980s Masonic scholars began to make attempts to quell suspicion and animosity by describing Masonry’s practices, morals, and values. To this end, in 1981, historian Margaret Jacob published a book which incorporated a discussion on the relation of Freemasonry to Christianity. Margaret Jacob, although a NonMason, serves the Freemasons as a mediator and “admirably clear guide.”

In her portrayal Jacob explained the persecution of Freemasons by the Inquisition as being, in large part, based on the point that “Freemasonry, at its origins, possessed decidedly political overtones,” particularly in their ideals of “republican forms of government” and their desire to separate Church and State power. Margaret Jacob also pointed out that the Masons’ willingness to distribute censored writings, their connection with letter carriers, and ultimately their hand in replacing Renaissance Hermetism with Newtonian science “set the stage for Enlightenment in England” by contributing to the “rise of Toleration.” Jacob also pointed out famous Freemason scientists, philosophers, and politicians who were either FALL 2014 • 17

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Custos becomes an issue beyond the gathering of ‘valid’ historical data, it becomes an issue of an accurate portrayal of culture, of which belief, allegory, and morality are an integral part.

REFINING THE HISTORICAL NARRATIVE

The Girondins - a political faction in the French Revolution which was massively suppressed -- had some connection with French Freemasonry and shared a fate similar to Masons in the Inquisition. “Le Dernier banquet des Girondins” (The Last Banquet of the Girondins) by Henri Emmanuel Felix Philippoteaux c. 1850. Housed in the Museum: Musee de la Revolution Francaise (Vizille, France)

generally at odds with, or directly investigated by, the Holy Office of the Inquisition; including Bruno, Newton, Levier, and Toland. Jacob’s form of analysis set a new trend in Freemason literature; the emphasis on Masonic connections to significant historic events, such as the Enlightenment, and on the

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Continuing in this vein, in 2004, Attard Monalto, a European Parliament Minister and historical writer, highlighted another aspect of individualized history through a study of the Inquisitor for Malta, Antonio Lante, whose famous case against Freemasonry came to be called the Processi Lante. Using the Archives of St John’s Cathedral and the Archives of the Inquisition, along with contemporary historical reviews, Monalto discussed the great need for secrecy in dealing with the investigation of Freemasonry during the Inquisition. So important was this need for secrecy that Monalto notes “neither the Papal Secretary of State nor the Holy Office were informed through usual channels.” Monalto, like Ward, also reproduced official trial records, supplemented by his own analysis.

However, unlike Ward, Monalto fills in the gaps without dramatic recreation of the trial, but rather attempts to provide background to particular lines of questioning. For example, after reading a section of transcript involving the questioning of witnesses about

earing that the tribunal would come “under attack,” the Inquisitor was eventually instructed to drop the charges against one selfproclaimed member of the order

connection between the Masons and modern politics. This trend created a confrontational divide between skeptics and advocates, and between the notions of conspiracy theory and the academic concepts of history, of which many works have been published contrary to the cultural realities of Freemasonry itself.

CULTURAL HISTORY Into the 1990s and early 2000s, the turn towards “cultural history” remedied this, to some extent, manifesting in new works, and new editions of older works, which highlighted the histories of individuals, thus humanizing the members of a group. For example, in 1993, a new interest in prolific Masonic writer JS Ward surfaced with the re-publication of his 1922 work about the trial of John Custos, an English man tried in Portugal in 1744. Through a combination of recorded transcripts of the trial and Ward’s colorful way of creating a sense of being there, an image appears of a beleaguered Freemason who stood strong in his belief of truth, tolerance, and scientific inquiry. The Holy Catholic Institution is depicted by Ward as a body primarily concerned with political instability, referring to Masonic values as a “danger to Social Order, to the Government of the State, and to all organized religion.” Ward’s approach to filling in the gaps has received some criticism but he responded by noting that his depictions were based on the realities of that specific trial. In the places where he did create fiction it is a further tribute to Freemason culture because, as he wrote in his introduction to his series of Masonic stories, “Freemasonry is acknowledged to be a ‘System of Morality, veiled in allegory,’ and in this volume I have endeavored to convey the old moral teachings under a new guise.” The trial of John 18 • FALL 2014

dinner parties following lodge initiations Monalto noted that “the trial provided ample proof that at the time the Masonic movement was rampant in Malta and that the island was dotted with lodges.”

Through this piece Monalto, unlike some of his contemporaries, does not paint the Freemasons as victims of the Inquisition. Rather, in the case of Malta, the inquisitor Lante is struck by the powerful alliance of Fraternity. Fearing that his tribunal would come, as Monalto put it, “under attack,” Lante was eventually instructed to drop the charges against one self-proclaimed member of the order, Baron Fournier; the persecution of freemasonry in Malta ended shortly thereafter.

CATHOLIC DISAPPROVAL OF FREEMASONRY The Non-Masonic response has often been one of qualifying the Catholic disapproval of Freemasonry. For example, in a 2009 public symposium sponsored by the Grand Lodge of Georgia’s Religion & Culture series John J. McManus spoke at length about the Catholic Church and Freemasonry, drawing on the 1996 work of Jenkins on the evolution of Catholic prohibitions against Freemasonry. McManus, a deacon of the Roman Catholic Clergy and canon person any t tha attorney, noted that ted nda ma Pope Clement XII the Masons be ting por sup his purpose was not or to, ing belong XII”. rtrait of Pope Clement “intended to criticize, excommunicated. “Po n.

Unknown locatio

by Agostino Masucci c.

1735.

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he twentieth century saw the canonization of these orders written into the codes of law of the Roman Catholic Church. Canon 2335, for example refers to “the Freemasons as heretical.”

condemn, or otherwise cast aspersions on Freemasonry…[but] instead to provide historical and current information on the subject matter.” McManus looks at the prejudicing of Freemasonry as resulting from a number of factors related directly to systems of belief. McManus noted that the Catholic Church is not, nor has it ever been, “a democracy.” McManus explained that the Freemasons were a “threat not only to the basic teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, but also to the stability of governments and society.” It was for this reason, noted McManus, that Pope Clement XII first mandated that any person belonging to, or supporting, the Masons was to be excommunicated.

Subsequent Popes supported this decision and published multiple condemnations of the Brotherhood. The twentieth century saw the canonization of these orders written into the codes of law of the Roman Catholic Church. Canon 2335, for example refers to “the Freemasons as heretical.” McManus further noted that while the Church recognizes some positive aspects of Freemason practices such as humanitarian work, anti-materialism, and charity, there are twelve reasons why the Church could never “reconcile” itself with Masonic teaching: namely, the Masonic world-view, notion of truth, notion of religion, notion of God, and of revelation, Masonic toleration, and ritual, the notion of perfection, the spirituality of Masons, their diverse divisions, their views of Catholicism, and their “acceptance of Protestants.” In his lecture, McManus promoted the notion that the persecution of Freemasons was, and is, based on a fundamental and irreconcilable difference in belief.

IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES The reality of this irreconcilable difference in belief, however, was supported by both Church and State. For example, in 1738 a lodge in Madrid was raided, all of its members were arrested, and eight were eventually sent to the galleys. This event, along with others, was described in the 2002 book about daily life during the Inquisition written by Professor Emeritus of the University of Calgary, James Maxwell Anderson. Anderson also noted that a general investigation into freemasonry was conducted by the Holy Office, lasting four years, which concluded that Masons contradicted the purity of the Church, mainly in their assessment that religion was an individual choice. Furthermore Anderson highlighted some of the methods

A

employed by the Holy Office in investigating the order such as having their officers join the Masons as spies, as occurred, for example, through the work of Father Turrubia in the 1750s. Anderson also mentioned a controversial decision in 1751 by Fernando VI which “sanctioned the automatic death penalty without the right of trial for all Freemasons.”

LASTING EFFECTS In 2008, British historian Toby Green argued that the persecution of Freemasons during the Inquisition was motivated by a myriad of variables which were, in part, caused by the beliefs and norms of the period. Green also suggested that the animosity and suspicion leveled at Freemasons by the Inquisition translated into later persecutions of other groups and “gatherings of people.” Furthermore, Green suggested that there was a genuine perception that Freemasons were a threat because of their international connections. This was seen at the time as potentially diminishing their loyalty to any particular monarch, and they were therefore believed to be more apt to organize coups.

Green recognized the social and political complexity within which the Inquisition was created, and continued to operate. Green argued that the persecution of Freemasons by the Inquisition was an activity which was primarily political, in contradiction of the views of scholars such as McManus who argued it was primarily religious.

Indeed, as Gilbert Taylor put it in his review of Green’s book, the Inquisition, generally, had “popular support” and that “its power emanated through means of fear.”

Often cited as a leading authority on academic Freemason scholarship, Jose Antonio Ferrer Benimelli has published over 25 works on the subject. Of particular interest to this discussion is his 1974 La Masoneria Española en el Siglo XVIII (Spanish Freemasonry in the Eighteenth Century) which still influences today’s histories.

Ferrer Benimelli claimed that the prohibition against Freemasonry in Spain preceded the Papal Bull of 1738 and had repercussions across Europe, particularly in the Mediterranean countries. Ferrer Benimelli investigated letters sent between heads of state concerning a growing suspicion of the activities of Freemasons. These concerns seemed to focus on particular tenants of Freemason doctrine, particularly as related to Masonic notions of religious and political tolerance.

part from theological concerns, authorities were also wary of the strong alliances formed between Freemasons across national borders, and the ability to, and frequency with which, Freemasons traveled.

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There were also some genuine questions of unorthodox, or heretical, beliefs lobbied by the Church. For example, Freemason tradition claimed that the origins of Freemasonry went back to the building of Solomon’s temple. This “Legend of Hiram,” as Ferrer Benimelli put it, was also acted out in symbolic, as well as ritual, form through reenactments during degree progression. Not only did this story of Masonic origin question the Biblical versions of the building of Solomon’s Temple and the Tower of Babel, but it also placed Masons into an important position in Judeo-Christian history. Apart from theological concerns, authorities were also wary of the strong alliances formed between Freemasons across national borders, and the ability to, and frequency with which, Freemasons traveled.

Freemasons by the eighteenth century were more than a group of operative stone masons and laborers, the order contained members of the aristocracy and was quickly becoming, Ferrer Benimelli points out, an influential union that could involve “religion, politics, professional engagements, economics, or commerce.”

Ferrer Benimelli also noted that witnesses in tribunals often claimed that Freemasons were very formidable in their attempts to recruit people into the brotherhood. This contradicts one of the tenants of Freemasonry which necessitates a man seek out the fraternity of his own free will, working to gain the recommendation of its members.

This type of contradiction, however, was not uncommon during tribunals where witnesses attempted to deflect blame.

Ferrer Benimelli also noted that there are more surviving documents of cases against Freemasons in Lima and Mexico, then in Europe.

However, the cases in the New World, Ferrer Benimelli agrees, were not always direct accusations of Freemasonry but rather a known Freemason was charged with a series of other offenses “based on theological or moral grounds.” Ferrer Benimelli remains one of a very few authors who include the Americas in their discussions of the Inquisition and Freemasonry. Also, Ferrer Benimelli did not describe the prohibitions against Freemasonry as persecution, but rather as an informed religio-poltical decision made after years of transnational debate. Ferrer Benimelli, like Monalto in 2004, described the Freemasons as a powerful and influential alliance, unlike Cerza who in 1962 had promoted the notion of the members as victims.

Also, while Monalto noted that the Inquisition had a difficult time enacting punishments on Freemasons because of their strength and alliance, Ferrer Benimelli pointed out that this was perhaps only the case when a Mason was directly accused of Freemasonry. He outlined the various methods by which Inquisitors got around this issue by trying Freemasons for more general heresy, or other ‘minor’ offenses. Through this wider lens, the popular suspicion of Freemasonry today, which can be found in films, debates, and published works, has evolved, to some extent, from Inquisitorial procedures which sought public support for its tribunals.

Today, the discussion of western histories has become more common; such as those which focus on the unique cultures, histories, and politics of Latin America. Within this trend historians have written a great deal on the influence of Freemasonry in the political and social revolutions that took place in Mexico, and other nations, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, which was influenced, to no small degree, by the Inquisitorial resistance to Freemasonry in Europe. For example, historical and Latin American scholar Sara Ann Frahm in her 2014 book edition of The Cross and The Compass: Freemasonry and Religious Tolerance in Mexico, noted that by the first decade of the nineteenth century, the inquisition increased its interest 20 • FALL 2014

in Mexican Freemasons, as a growing number of revolutionaries had fled France and Spain during the subsequent decades, resulting in an influx of “censored writings,” discussions of independence, and Fraternalism. In fact, in 1815, the Mexican Holy office officially outlawed the practice of Freemasonry, culminating in a number of trials, imprisonments, and executions for being a Freemason which, Frahm highlights, was seen as the “worst crime for which you could be condemned.”

Even into the twentieth century such persecution existed in Latin America as exampled by the 1950 decision in Colombia to ‘ban’ Freemasonry resulting in the state-sanctioned, and Church supported, police raid on the Grand Lodge of Colombia at Bogota, described by primary and secondary documents that Laura Wilhelm, the author of this article, discovered in the Chancellor La Masoneria. This resulted in, or in some cases hardened the practice of, sequestering Masonic documents and maintaining the veil of code, allegory, and secrecy (or, as Lilith Mahmud, Masonic scholar, noted in 2012 “the discretion”) which still surrounds much nonU.S. Freemasonry today.

CONCLUSION Although only touching upon the greater body of literature, various trends can be seen in the subject of the persecution of Freemasons during the Inquisition. The pieces evaluated in this article demonstrate the variety of conclusions surrounding the topic. For example, many writers and scholars, such as Denslow, Cerza, or Anderson, promoted the impression that Freemasons were the victims of the Inquisition.

Other scholars, such as Ferrer Benimelli or Monalto, demonstrated the power and influence the Freemasons had, rather than creating an image of victimization. Another avenue of inquiry involves the examination of the factors behind the Inquisition’s interest in Freemasonry, such as discussed by Ferrer Benimelli, Jacob, Green, or McManus. The scholarship today highlights the parallel histories of the development of Freemasonry in different parts of the world; for example, as it was actively persecuted in Mexico and driven into secrecy, as Frahm explains, or its connection to British Imperialism, described by historian Jessica Harland-Jacob in 2007, or its ability to flourish with the development of chartered lodges across the United States during the same time period. This, in part, has led to the variety seen between lodge operations in North and South America today.

In order to gain a greater understanding of the nature of the persecution of Freemasons during the Inquisition it is useful to consider the whole of available literature, those which agree and those which are contrary, both from within and outside the Lodge; for this variety shapes not only our understanding of this particular topic, but of the complex nature of the study of history itself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Laura M. Wilhelm is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Nevada Reno.

Her dissertation topic explores and compares Freemasonry in the United States (primarily in Reno, Nevada) and Bucaramanga, Colombia. She is interested in how the philosophical

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notion of ‘an individual journey’ plays out in a fraternal setting.

Her understanding of Freemasonry comes from both an academic perspective as well as through her inclusion in the broader Masonic family through her husband, father-in law, and brother-in law.

NOTES 1. George Oliver, The History of the Masonic Persecution in Different Quarters of the Globe, New York, NY: Masonic Publishing and Manufacturing Co., 1867.

2. Fernando Garrido and Charles Bagot Cayley, A History of Political and Religious Persecutions, London, UK:The London Printing and Publishing Company, Ltd., 1876.

14. Ward, 217, Introduction to his work (unknown page) 15. Attard Monalto, A Freemasonry Trial in 18th Century Malta, An excerpt of material to be published in book form, 2004. Accessed online 10/2012 and again 10/2014 from: http://user.orbit.net.mt/fournier/a_freemasonry_trial_ in_18th_cent.htm 16. McManus is referencing, in his piece, the work of Ronny E. Jenkins entitled, “The Evolution of the Church’s Prohibition against Catholic Membership in Freemasonry,” published by The Jurist: Vol 56, Iss 2, (1996) 735-755.

3. Ray V. Denslow, Freemasonry in the Eastern Hemisphere, Ray V. Denslow, 1954.

17. John J. McManus, The Catholic Church and Freemasonry, Atlanta, GA: Prepared for Gate City 2, Atlanta, GA, as the fifth installment of their Religion & Culture series [under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Georgia].

4. Denslow, 161

18. McManus, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

5. Alphonse Cerza, Anti-Masonry: Light on the Past and Present Opponents of Freemasonry, Missouri Lodge of Research: Ovid Bell Press, 1962.

19. James M. Anderson, Daily Life during the Spanish Inquisition, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2002.

6. Cerza, 211, 6 7. Dr. Jorge Luis Romeu, an academic researcher, statistician, and Freemason, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the Robert R. Livingston Masonic Library, New York in September of 2014, has written many works relating to Freemasonry, of particular interest to this article is his piece entitled Cuban Freemasons in the Development of Civil Society and a Political Opening, published in 2011 in Bildner Center for Western Hemisphere Studies Cuba Project: CUNY, NY. Pp 1-13.

8. The term “social turn” was used, throughout her work,

by Rebecca Sharpless in her 2007 chapter The History of Oral History [Pp 9-32 of History of Oral History: Foundations and Methodology] published in Plymouth, UK:

by AltaMira Press.

9. The phrase “admirably clear guide” was used to describe Margaret Jacob by David Coward on page 221 of his 1982 Review of The Radical Enlightenment: Pantheists, Freemasons and Republicans by Margaret Jacob published by the Journal of European Studies: Vol 12, Iss 47, Pp 220-221.

10. Margaret C. Jacob, The Radical Enlightenment: Pantheists, Freemasons, and Republicans, London, UK: George Allen & Unwin LTD., 1981.

11. Jacob, 114, 51, 115, 228 12. The term “cultural history” was used, throughout his work, by Peter Burke in his 2004 work What is Cultural History?, published in Cambridge, UK: by Polity.

20. Anderson, 8.

21. Toby Green, Inquisition: the Reign of Fear, New York, NY: Pan Macmillan, 2008.

22. Green, 317 23. Gilbert Taylor, “Review of, Inquisition: the Reign of Fear by Toby Green,” Online: Booklist: Vol 105, Iss 5, P 9, 2009. Out of print, accessed 10/2014 from: http:// www.amazon.com/Inquisition-Reign-Fear-Toby-Green/ dp/0330443356 24. José Antonio Ferrer Benimelli, La Masoneria Española en el Siglo XVIII, Madrid, España: Siglo Veintiuno Editores, SA., 1974.

25. Ferrer, Benimeli, 5, 3, 356 26. Sara Ann Frahm, The Cross and the Compass: Freemasonry and religious Tolerance in Mexico, Bloomington, IN: Palibrio, 2014.

27. Frahm, 48, 90 28. Lilith Mahmud, “The World is a Forest of Symbols: Italian Freemasonry and the Practice of Discretion,” American Ethnologist: Vol 39, Iss 2, (2012) 425-438.

29. Jessica L. Harland-Jacob, Builders of Empire: Freemasonry and British Imperialism 1717-1927, Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2007.

13. JSM Ward, Told Through the Ages: A Series of Masonic Stories [in a particular: Ch.19: John Custos, Spanish Inquisition and the Trial of this Famous Freemason], PLACE: .

Kessinger Publishing, LLC., 1993.

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COMMENT

Freemasonry and your Return on Investment By mohamad A. Yatim, MMS

A

s Freemasons travel in and about the Temple, one of the many important questions that are being regularly asked and discussed by members is: have we have cheapened our Fraternity? When speaking about this topic, these brethren are not only referring to the cost of membership in our fraternity, but also to the Masonic experience that is being offered by lodges not only to new candidates but also to existing members.

Ripple Lodge No. 643 of Indiana, was charging candidates a $100 for initiation and $4 in annual dues back in 1904. In today’s equivalent dollar costs, using simple calculations that take into consideration inflation and labor prices, these figures translate into an initiation fee of $11,500 and annual dues of $459.2 Of course this may be a statistical outlier, owing to the fact that a random but very small sample is being used.

Brethren who receive their dues notice in the mail once a year typically ask themselves “is it worth it for me to maintain my membership in this Lodge?” Their answer to this question will determine whether or not the lodge will be able to keep this member or lose him. The reality is that members who take time out of their busy lives, and money out of their thinning bank accounts to invest in their Masonic membership, are now demanding to know what is their return on investment? Before continuing further, and as a disclaimer, this article is not a call for a dues increase, but a suggestion to lodge officers to have an honest discussion among themselves, and decide as to whether or not their lodges’ current fee structure makes sense.

However, other lodges in our sample are still quite expensive in today’s dollars. In 1918, Atlas Pythagoras No. 10 in New Jersey charged an initiation fee of $100, with annual dues set at $7. In today’s money, this would be the equivalent of $5,070 for initiation fee, and $355 for annual dues. The actual Lodge fees for 2014 are $400 for initiation and $100 for annual dues (both figures were raised this year). Using the small random sample presented in this table, the median cost of initiation is $2,725 in today’s money, with an annual dues rate of $264.

Clearly this cursory look at lodges is by no means authoritative, but it is suggestive that lodge dues and fees today are obviously “cheap” when compared to where they had been in the past.

From a purely historic point of view, let us first examine the historic cost structure of joining Freemasonry.

So, what happened? Masonic membership in the U.S. reached its peak nationally in 1959 at 4.1 million.3 Membership has since fallen off dramatically, owing to various reasons beyond the scope of this article.

However, it appears that in the 1950-60s, Masonic lodges stopped increasing dues – or at least, the rate of increase slowed dramatically.

As the macroeconomic and socio-political environment eventually improved, it seems that Masonic Lodges did not increase their fees to keep up with the cost of inflation.

As a result, Freemasons find themselves today unable to support their lodges financially from dues payments. As a sidebar, it is also notable that Masons typically willed a portion of their estate to their Lodges which, unfortunately, we see much less of today.

A random sample of a few Lodges from the U.S. and Canada, lists their historic fee structure.1These fees have been converted into today’s equivalent prices using labor value appreciation formulas. From a cursory look at the summary table, it is instantly noticeable that Broad

In order for lodges to operate properly and fund meaningful programs for their members, they must insure that their initiation fees and annual dues are high enough to cover their costs so that their budget is balanced. It is striking that many members feel 22 • FALL 2014

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that raising dues is not an option, and then find themselves forced to cut costs by severely limiting spending on building maintenances and cheapening food quality (if the lodge even serves food any longer), not to mention limiting Masonic education programs for their membership.

As expenses continue to rise, simply due to an increased cost of living, the short-sighted maneuver of “cutting costs” becomes less and less effective. Do lodges, at some point, stop serving meals? Do we suspend needed maintenance on our buildings? Do we turn all our programs into fund raising events? In many cases, the answer is yes.

If Masons want the fraternity to prosper by providing outstanding Masonic experience for members and new candidates, enticing them to maintain their membership in this fraternity, then we all have to reach into our pockets and be generous in supporting our endeavors. At this pace of membership and participation decline, the alternative is to see the eventual end of the oldest, largest, and most prestigious fraternity in the world. If we are willing to pay-up for membership at private golf clubs, or spend a little more on our cars, or clothes, shouldn’t we be willing to spend a little more on the fraternity that we love? Of course, we should acknowledge that among our ranks are brethren who are of

limited or fixed income, but this question is specifically directed to the majority of our brethren who are financially stable. Supporting your lodge is not just about memorizing ritual, attending meetings, or simply paying artificially low dues once a year. Our obligations as members are far greater, and financial support is a key part of our future. Providing an exceptional Masonic experience to members does cost money. If the food you are providing in your meetings is not the same quality as the food you would eat at home, then it shouldn’t be served at your lodges.

Again, this is not a call to blindly increase dues, but to urge you to take the time to analyze your lodge budget, to discourage you from balancing it by simply cutting costs, and to direct your attention to the importance of creating an intrinsic value for your members that will make them want to maintain their membership. Furthermore, I ask you to imagine how proud you would feel, when you invite a prospective candidate to come to lodge to meet your brethren and partake in the dinner, if the food being offered is mediocre? What sort of reaction would you expect from the candidate or any other visitor, when the appearance and condition of your Lodge is unimpressive and unappealing? What message are you conveying when the attire of your members is inappropriate and unprofessional? Is the fellowship first class? Are we living up to the reputation (and the candidate’s expectations) that Freemasonry is the most prestigious fraternity to ever exist, and that its members consist of the cream of the crop of our society? In short, do you really think you will ever have to worry again about membership retention, if all the answers to the above were not an issue?

If we view the Lodge as a financial investment and if the members are stakeholders – in essence shareholders – we should apply investment strategy to the problem. It is axiomatic that savvy investors tend to avoid investing in companies that try to increase profit by cutting costs.

Instead, Wall Street looks to invest in companies that increase profits by growing revenues while creating value to shareholders. Masonic lodges are no different, and our respective Lodge budgets and balance sheets must be sound and solid for our fraternity to grow and prosper. We must invest in this Fraternity in order for future generations to enjoy the returns it has given us for 300 years.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mohamad A. Yatim is the Grand Historian of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey of F&AM. A Past Master of Atlas Pythagoras Lodge No. 10 F.&A.M. , he also serves as Most Wise Master of the Valley of Northern New Jersey A.A.S.R. (N.M.J.) and is a member of the Capitular, Cryptic, and Chivalric orders of the York Rite, and the Grand Director of Ceremonies of the Grand Council of Allied Masonic Degrees of the United States of America. Professionally, Yatim is a Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manager of a New York City Investment Management firm.

NOTES

A Masonic menu dating from 1881 offers a clear contrast to current day bills of fare. Courtesy www.theamericanmenu.com

1 Data obtained from the Lodges themselves.

2 Labor Value and Inflation growth formulas used by measuringgrowth.com.

3 Masonic Service Association of North America.

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he scene amidst which C

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Perfecting our Points of Entrance

by Andrew Hammer, FMS

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n the monitorial part of the lecture of the Entered Apprentice degree—as commonly worked in the “Preston-Webb” ritual—the new Apprentice is presented with four perfect points of entrance, which he is then told are related to the four Cardinal Virtues: Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence and Justice. These are illustrated down the body from head to foot, and explained as guttural, pectoral, manual, and pedal. They are accompanied by modes of recognition, but oddly, those modes are reversed from their usual order. As is common with many things Masonic, brothers have accepted this method of instruction without delving into why it has been communicated in that way. Naturally then, they are also not likely to have asked themselves whether or not that way is the best or most sensible way to convey the information.

The contention of this article is not that the points themselves are imperfect, but that the arrangement of these elements might need a better order, for both obvious as well as more esoteric reasons. The proposal put forth here is that we might consider the instructive benefit which might be gained by reversing that current order. While such an idea may sound heretical to some, the reader is reminded that respectful and mindful alterations in the ritual are a well-established aspect of our shared Masonic history. The names of two of these ‘tailors’ are well known to us.

William Preston’s work, which forms the basis of most ritual used in English-speaking Lodges today, certainly comes after the establishment of the mother Grand Lodge in 1717—he being born in 1742. The work of Thomas Smith Webb, which most American Grand Lodges have today accepted as canon, but also did not exist at the birth of the Craft, was criticized in his own time as innovation. That being the case, there

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and sign respectively.] This is obviously the opposite of the degree he has just experienced. Why this might have been so arranged is not clear to this writer, but what is clear is that in addition to a reversed order providing more consistency in basic instruction, there is a definite esoteric benefit to starting from the pedal point of entrance and working upward.

Mackey maintains, without further explanation, that the existing order is meant to convey the literal points of entrance, into the penal responsibility, the Lodge itself, the covenant of the obligation, and the instructions given in the northeast corner. But if this order was essential to the integrity of the degree, then the penalty sign would be the first mode of recognition communicated in the degree itself; instead it is the last. Mackey’s prosaic assessment also fails to connect with higher lessons which might be found in each of these points.

For the esoterically-minded Mason, the four perfect points of entrance may correspond to the four realms of existence as found in the Kabbalah. These realms take us from the temporal to the spiritual plane, and correspond to overlapping areas of the Sefirot or Tree of Life.

In analyzing the journey in this way, we begin at the fourth point of entrance and go up to the top.

In the same way that we associate justice with feet being firmly planted on the ground, and thereby make the pedal mode of recognition, so too does this idea correspond with the realm of Assiya, which represents the temporal plane of existence. The notion of justice being part of our initial judgment of our circumstances and surroundings provides us with the initial stage of consciousness, or what we might call the first

or the esoterically-minded Mason, the four perfect points of entrance may correspond to the four realms of existence as found in the Kabbalah. These realms take us from the temporal to the spiritual plane, and correspond to overlapping areas of the Sefirot, or Tree of Life.

is certainly no harm done by suggesting that we might thoughtfully reverse the order of an already existing section of ritual.

step. One of the first lessons we learn in life is what seems fair to us, even before we fully understand the concept of right and wrong.

Consider first that the manner in which the new Apprentice is instructed in these points gives him the sign of the degree before the due guard. [In some jurisdictions these may be referred to as the penal sign

Prudence brings us up to the manual point of entrance, with hands being associated with actions, specifically the actions resulting from that initial judgment. As we go up the body, from the foot to head now, we

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encounter the third realm of Yetzira, which deals with the emotions, or more precisely the choices one makes as a result of their judgment, based upon our feelings. Prudence is an essential quality in relation to this realm, so that we are able to subdue the passions we might feel in relation to any matter, and act prudentially in determining a proper course of action. The close placement of the hands in this mode of recognition suggests great care, as if holding something of great importance. Literally we hold one thing, but symbolically we hold our own destiny at this point. One must also remember that physically, we instinctively use our hands when seeking balance.

with the emphasis on the realm of the divine, what the Apprentice is being asked to do is bring the divine down into him in this world. The beauty of esoteric systems, especially the Kabbalah, is that one can see equal merit in such an approach.

Put another way, we are on Jacob’s Ladder, and the traffic goes both ways at various times in our lives.

However, the idea offered here is that to instruct the apprentice from the pedal to the gutteral, from justice to temperance, is to not only remain consistent with the order he has been previously given in the degree, but to show him a transformative ascent from rectitude to spiritual knowledge.

Today, as we enter a stage in the development of Freemasonry which finds us met with brothers seeking fuller meaning instead of free meals, it behooves us to liberate our rituals from the perception that they are perfunctory operations of either a ‘less philosophical’ English Masonry or of ‘lower degrees’, with the true philosophical elements only to be obtained in the alleged ‘higher degrees’ of some appendant body.

Neither assertion is true, and here in the very first degree of the Craft, we have deeper spiritual teachings available to us that are almost never conveyed to the initiate.

When we move up again, to the pectoral point of entrance, we find ourselves entering the first true realm of the soul, with the placement in the breast. Here we develop the fortitude, or power of mind necessary to accept the consequences of our judgment and our actions, and endure whatever externalities might arise from our decisions. Fortitude corresponds with Beriya, the second realm, which denotes the beginning of man’s maturity as a spiritual being.

At the top of these points is the gutteral, which serves as a gateway to ultimate consciousness, the divine spark in humanity and the beginning of our oneness with the Almighty. Here we cross over into the realm of Atzilut, or divinity, where as a complete being, we assume the responsibility of not only having wisdom but also the ability to speak to and guide our lower realms with wisdom and higher cognizance. That the penal sign is placed here is of no small significance; it indicates a demarcation between the God in us and the rest of our previous spiritual efforts, almost as if to say that if we arrive at that realm and yet fail to maintain the lessons of the three that came before it, then we risk losing everything we have worked to attain thus far. This is totally consistent with temperance, that ultimate quality which enables us to understand, and determine how to integrate, all thoughts, passions and actions into our whole being.

Now, after saying all of this, and arguing for this bottom-up order to be used in explaining the points, it is necessary to say that for some, it is equally important to see these attributes or realms as descending into the individual. In other words, the idea is that by starting at the top,

While one might argue that these things are not properly taught even in those later innovations to which they were removed, and where they might appear more outwardly visible to the candidate, that discussion is for another time. What is clear is that these deeper meanings in our work are and have been there for us, as well as the initiate, before he finishes his first evening as an Apprentice.

All we have to do is to teach them, in whatever order seems best.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andrew Hammer is Past Master of Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22, in Alexandria, Virginia, and presently serves as Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina. He is author of Observing the Craft: The Pursuit of Excellence in Masonic Labour and Observance, and regularly speaks to lodges on that theme, as well as philosophical aspects of the Craft. He is a Fellow of the Masonic Society, President of the Masonic Restoration Foundation, and is a member of the Executive Committee of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association.

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A French Masonic Certificate & Associated Personalities

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hrough Masonic artefacts the whole spectrum of the history of Freemasonry is opened up to us. A brief visit to any Masonic museum will transport us through centuries of our craft and certificates have played a key role within the context of general Masonic artefacts.

An example is a recently found, rare and important French Masonic certificate, now housed in the Library and Museum of the Regular Grand Lodge of Italy, and it is worthwhile noting the surprising amount of interesting and important information that it reveals. This information was attained from some typewritten and manuscript annotations that were attached to the certificate. It was issued by the Grand Orient of France on 25 March 1778 to Alexandre Louis Roettiers de Montaleau (1748-1807), one of the most dis­tinguished French Masons of his time and a medal engraver by profession. The certificate has original manuscript signatures of no less than 25 freemasons, several being prominent personalities.

This certificate, presented and described in this article, is a selected example of the genre of the period. As any other certificate it is intended to be a ‘passport’, a way of introducing the owner to the membership of the society he wishes to frequent. It is 60cms wide and 49cms high, engraved on parchment (vellum). The design depicts a balcony with seven steps surrounded by a low wall decorated with architectural and Masonic symbols. Fluted pillars flank the central design, one surmounted by two figures, holding the compasses and a five-pointed star, respectively. In the centre Truth is represented by a small figure holding up a mirror. In the background are clouds, the sun, moon and stars.

The telling and self-explanatory text is worthy of quotation in full, expressing so eloquently, as it does, Masonic sentiments. The French accurately translates into English as follows: TO THE GLORY OF THE GREAT ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE. UNDER THE AUSPICES AND IN THE NAME OF THE MOST WOHSHIPFULL GRAND MASTER, THE GRAND ORIENT OF FRANCE, TO ALL REGULAR FREEMASONS. UNITY.

STRENGTH.

GREETING.

Desiring to facilitate the admission into Foreign Lodges, and into the regular lodges of France, those brethren who may appear to us worthy of being admitted, induces us to establish their masonic rank, in the hope 30 • FALL 2014

that in every town through which they may pass, they will diffuse the spirit of liberty, concord and friendship, which is the very essence of our order; for these reasons, and because of the favourable testimony which has been given to us of brother Alexandre Louis Roettiers de Montaleau, Esquire, Accountant General, Master Mason, and member of the Lodge of St. John, regularly constituted in the Orient of Paris, under the distinctive title of “Friendship”, according to the decree of the “Chambre de Paris” dated the thirteenth day of the third month of the Year of the true light five thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, we have granted and do hereby grant the present Certificate to the said brother Roettiers de Montaleau. We entreat all regular Masons to give him such a fraternal reception as they would desire for themselves under similar circumstances, and to admit him, after due examination, to the privileges of his rank, as we are accustomed to do towards those brethren who present themselves at our “Orient,” duly furnished with proper Certificates from Foreign “ Orients “ or from the regular lodges of France.

In testi­mony of which we have delivered the present Certificate signed by us, counter­signed by our Grand Secretary, sealed with our great seal and with the three seals of our “Chambres,” the Twenty-fifth day of the Third month of the Year of the true light Five thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight.

Alexandre Louis Roettiers de Montaleau, was born in Paris in 1748. He was initiated in the Scots Mother Lodge of Marseilles in 1772 and joined the Grand Orient of France in 1778, the date of the Certificate.

His distinguished Masonic career is evident by his speedy advancement: in 1784 he became Grand Orator and in 1785 he was elected as Très Sage (Most Wise) of the Grand Chapitre Général de France, a body created on 2 February 1784 (It should be noted that the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite was only established in Paris in 1804). He was President of the Chambre des Provinces (Provincial Board) in 1787 and President of the Chambre de Paris (Parisian Board) in 1788.

Alexandre Louis Roettiers de Montaleau

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In the midst of the French Revolution in 1793, when Freemasonry was nearly extinct in France, de Montaleau held the office of President of the Board of Management (Chambre d’ Administration), having succeeded J Tassin (one of the signatories to this same certificate), a Paris banker, who was one of the victims of the Reign of Terror. Montaleau was arrested the same year and imprisoned as a “suspect” but he continued to direct the affairs of the Craft from his cell and was released without charges on 28 July 1794. Within a year Montaleau had summoned the remaining members of the Grand Orient, and to resumed Masonic activities, re-organising administrative aspects, very generously personally covering the debts of the Order and reviving the dormant Lodges.

President of the Pro­vincial Board (Chambre des Provinces), and it is in this capacity that his signature appears on de Montaleau’s certificate.

In 1792, whilst Guillotin served as President of the Academy of Medicine of France, an application was made to that body by the leaders of the Revolution for some recommendation to ensure the speedy and successful execution of the condemned victims of the revolutionary tribunals. The considerations of the Academy were totally dictated by a desire to spare the condemned from the horrors of the axe and block. They therefore recommended the reintroduction of the instrument, which, under various names, had long existed as a means of public execution in several European countries including England & Scotland as well as Germany and Italy. Thus the National Assembly, by a decree dated March 20 1792, adopted the recommendation, and authorized the use of the decapitation instrument, which has ever since been known as Alexandre ed a Masonic certificate to the “guillotine”, named after issu nce Fra of nt Orie nd The Gra a passport for au (1748-1807) to serve as the President of the Body which Louis Roettiers de Montale admission to foreign lodges. recommended its adoption.

At the time of his imprisonment, the Grand Master, the Duke of Orleans had resigned his post which remained vacant until 1796. Montaleau modestly declined the initial approaches made to him to become Grand Master of the Grand Orient of France, finally accepting the titular role Most Worship­ ful (Grand Venerable) with all the privileges of a Grand Master. Many of the Lodges were resuscitated, new ones established and Freemasonry began to flourish again, albeit under the disconcerting authority of several independent Grand Lodges. In 1799 Montaleau was instrumental in the amalgamation of the two principal bodies in French Freemasonry.

In 1804 Prince Joseph Bonaparte, the brother of the Emperor Napoleon, was elected Grand Master, with Prince Cambaceres as Substitute Grand Master and Montaleau became Deputy (Representant particulier du Grand Maitre), which office he continued to hold until his death on January 30, 1807.

One signature on the certificate is of particular interest. It is that of Dr Joseph Ignace Guillotin (1738-1814), famed for giving his name to that instrument of decapitation. Guillotin was a native of Saintes, born in 1738. He was already a prominent Mason in 1776. In 1778 he was

Dr. Guillotin died on March 26 1814. It has been stated that his last days were embittered by the thought that his name had been so prominently associated with the excesses of the Revolution and that the dreaded instrument which bore his name conveyed the exact opposite of his intentions, which were instigated out of pure pity for the former sufferings of condemned criminals.

The long standing legend that Guillotin’s head was one of the first to fall under his own invention can now be dismissed.

Bibliography & further reading: Chambers, William Dr Guillotin Chambers’s Edinburgh Journal (W. Orr) 1844.

Hitchings, Richard, Engraved Master Mason Masonic Certificate, St. Catharines, New York, 1908.

Dr Joseph Ignace Guillotin (1738-1814), a prominent French Freemason, is remembered more for recommending an alternative to the executioner’s axe.

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IN PRINT

Book Reviews: Current Discovering Freemasonry in Context: The Laboratory of Moral Science

by John Bizzack Freemasonry has long been the subject of conspiracy theories, rumors, and complete fabrications. John Bizzack, PhD, takes on these theories and rumors in Discovering Freemasonry in Context, addressing them individually and sorting out what is true, what is clearly false, and what remains open to interpretation and further study. He takes the position that skepticism is necessary to determine what is accurate history and what is not.

Especially useful for nonMasons is a chapter dedicated to “Troubling and Curious Words in Freemasonry,” which defines many of the terms in Masonry that have a deeper meaning than traditionally observed.

He further provides a detailed list of Masonic symbols and their meanings, while correcting common misconceptions of Masonry’s origins in the Knights Templar.

Bizzack provides a method for unraveling conspiracies in Chapter 10, “The Age of Unreason,” a useful tool for the Mason who finds himself in an argument about the fraternity. He spends a few chapters exploring the actual history of Masonry in the world, some of its oldest members such as Robert Moray and Elias Ashmole, and its journey to North America. He also provides a detailed account of the history of the fraternity in the US, including the Morgan affair and Albert Pike’s influence.

Discovering Freemasonry in Context explores such legendary figures as Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett and the theories of their Masonic histories. As a Kentuckian, Bizzack’s discussion of Kentucky Masonic history is very useful, including minibiographies of some of Kentucky’s most prominent members.

The book’s index is well done and allows the book to be used as a reference in discussion with a skeptic or conspiracy theorist.

This volume, then, is an important resource for Masons and nonMasons alike.

Reviewed by Mike Morgan CreateSpace (2012) Paperback US$19.00

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A Guide for The Masonic Treasurer

by Paul Sparks Paul Sparks is a Chartered Certified Accountant, working in the accounting field since 1991, and he has served as treasurer, secretary, and master of various Masonic lodges. As such, he is uniquely qualified to offer us his book A Guide for the Masonic Treasurer.

In his preface, Sparks explains that the book is for the treasurer “with little accountancy or bookkeeping experience.” One of the most important points he makes to the new treasurer is to not blindly follow what has been “done before.” The new treasurer should look not only at what has been done, but how to make necessary improvements to bring the books into proper order.

Sparks goes on to cover legal and Masonic requirements of the treasurer; he explains what records should be kept and how to keep them, as well as how to deal with payments and expenses, income and expenditures, charity funds, financial reports, dues and delinquencies, annual reporting, auditing practices, and taxes. He does all this clearly and concisely, with example documents, making it easy for a nonaccountant to understand. As such, it is a valuable book, not only for the new treasurer, but also for anyone who is charged with examining the lodge’s financials.

One important thing to keep in mind is that the book was written by and for a member of the United Grand Lodge of England; some details will vary by country. But if one focuses on the underlying principles presented, Sparks offers much useful information.

Reviewed by Gregg Hall Lewis Masonic (2014), 96 pages Paperback, £9.99, US$16.95

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English Freemasonry and the First World War by the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

associated with the Methodist Church”) differs from the American tradition of geographically based lodges.

The year 2014 marked the beginning of the centenary of the First World War. While the coverage of this anniversary in the United States has been limited, the countries of Europe have observed the anniversary more widely, and with good reason. The Great War devastated the landscape of Europe literally and metaphorically, and neither nations nor institutions escaped the conflict unscathed. This first global conflict affected England and English Freemasonry profoundly. The history of this conflict and its impact on English Freemasonry are the subject of English Freemasonry and the First World War by the Library and Museum of Freemasonry, located in Freemasons’ Hall in London.

The book will appeal to readers interested in history as well as to those fascinated by ephemera and artifacts from Masonic history.

American Masons will learn a great deal about their English counterparts’ traditions and practices through the lens of the First World War. Any reader will find this brief work shines light on a dark time of world history and the response of English Freemasons to that darkness.

The book is part catalog of relevant items in the museum and part history of the war as it relates to Masonic activity in England and the British Empire more generally. It provides a nice snapshot history of the war, interwoven with responses and initiatives on the Masonic front. Efforts to aid Masonic prisoners of war, how best to honor fallen members of the Craft, and what accommodations were forced by wartime conditions are all addressed.

The color photographs are beautiful and include portraits of leading Masonic figures, letters, and publications. The most striking and, to American Masonic audiences, distinctive images are the various jewels—medals produced for founding members of lodges, for instance, as well as for contributions to charitable causes. Jewels and medals issued by lodges to members are largely absent from American Freemasonry.

Of particular interest is the story of the origins of Freemasons’ Hall in London, where the items displayed are housed. In 1919 the United Grand Lodge of England held a special session to celebrate the end of the war but also to call for construction of a home for English Freemasonry. This new home would also memorialize the masons killed in the recently concluded war.

American readers will find the book a fascinating glimpse into a largely forgotten period of history and into customs distinct from those in the United States. For example, the many The conferring of past grand ranks also mystifies many of us on this side of the Atlantic. The tradition of affinity lodges (for example, “Epworth Lodge No. 3789, formed in 1917, for ministers and laymen

Reviewed by J. Randolph Clark Lewis Masonic (2014), 96 pages Paperback £14.99, US$25.95

Book Reviews: Classic

Mystic Masonry

by J. D. Buck

It is interesting to note that Jirah Dewey Buck wrote this book in the late 1880s. To the esoterically inclined Freemason, the words written therein are striking and still ring true against the broader context of commercialism, economic problems, and other issues impacting our society.

One can almost call Buck a clairvoyant visionary.

Buck takes the reader through a mental journey of the great and secret work of Masons through the mystery traditions and symbols of antiquity. As man of science and philosophy, Buck uses the principles of education and ethics as the basis for inner reflection and contemplation. He offers further review of the lessons taught by various Western and Eastern religions and other schools of thought and enlightenment. He fondly refers to the genius of Freemasonry in its teachings of universality, toleration, equity and fraternity. There are a great number of hidden delights that the avid reader will be able to glean from this classical work. Most of it will bring to mind the adage that there is nothing new under the sun, unless of course you have a lunar-driven personality.

Pick up or download a free online copy of this work, and you will not regret it. It is a tried and true choice for any Masonic library, and it should be read, not left to gather dust. A good biography of J. D. Buck (1838-1916), by Joseph Fort Newton in the 1917 edition of The Builder, can be found at http://www.masonicdictionary. com/buck.html.

Reviewed by E. Oscar Alleyne Available in multiple free or low-cost editions

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Book Reviews: Classic Genuine Secrets in Freemasonry Prior to A. D. 1717

by F. De P. Castells Castells was a prolific writer, producing at least twenty-four works on esoteric subjects associated with Freemasonry, including The Apocalypse of Freemasonry, Antiquity of the Royal Arch, and Historical Analysis of the Holy Royal Arch Ritual.

He was convinced that the history of Freemasonry is firmly rooted in Spanish Kabbalism and Rosicrucianism, and he spent most of his life attempting to trace the origin of the fraternity to and through these institutions. He draws a distinction between what he describes as “genuine” Freemasonry and the “substitutions of Craft Masonry” rooted in the establishment of the Grand Lodge of 1717. He sees in the ritual of the Holy Royal Arch degree the essence of “genuine” Freemasonry and asserts that the Royal Arch is not only an indispensible part of, but the “root and marrow” of, Freemasonry.

The fact that the author was British and much of his commentary is based on the English ritual gives the American Freemason some insight to the differences in ritual on each side of the Atlantic; however, he takes the position that the American ritual predates the one used in Britain and often refers to it as the “Old American Ritual” which he claims to be the most authentic. The book is primarily composed of chapters which explore the symbolism of the Royal Arch degree, including topics such as the zodiac, the keystone, the plate of gold, and the veils. Of particular interest is the chapter describing the symbolism of the “tau” or what we refer to as the “triple tau.” The author’s mastery of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew enhances greatly the explanations he offers.

At the end, Castells devotes an entire chapter to criticism of Masonic research in England and another to the concept of the “immortality of the soul.” Also included is an adequate topical index. This book could provide the basis for a number of educational programs for a Royal Arch chapter.

Reviewed by John L. Palmer Available in several editions MEET THE REVIEWERS E. Oscar Alleyne is master of Wappingers Lodge 671 in Wappingers Falls, New York, and a member of several Masonic research groups. He has an ardent love for Masonic ritual, history, philosophy, and symbology. He holds a doctorate in public health with more than twelve years of experience in applied epidemiology.

Darryl Lynn Chapman is a law enforcement officer with twentysix years’ experience, including working undercover and leading a drug enforcement unit. He has been a Freemason since 1991 and is a published Masonic author. He is past master of Stooksbury Lodge 602, Tennessee, and is this year’s recipient of two honorary degrees, the Order of the Silver Trowel and the Order of the High Priesthood.

J. Randolph Clark is a member of Huber Heights Lodge 777, Grand Lodge of Ohio, a past district deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, and an active member of the Ohio Lodge of Research.

Gregg Hall is a past master of South Valley Lodge 187 and has been its secretary for the last five years. He is also currently the senior grand warden of the Grand Commandery of California and is a member director of The Masonic Society. He can be reached at greggahall@gmail.com.

Mike Morgan is master of Century Lodge 764 and member of Lodge Vitruvian 767, both in Indiana. He holds a BA in history from William Penn University, an MBA from Butler University, and MA in history from the University of Indianapolis.

John L. Palmer is past grand master of Masons of Tennessee and managing editor of the Knight Templar magazine.

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

Masonic Treasures

Holy Royal Arch Knights Templar Priests Jewels Pictured at left are English jewels from the Holy Royal Arch Knights Templar Priests, a York Rite appendant body which has historic roots tracing back to England to at least 1786. Considered rare by collectors, these designs differ from the common jewel worn by members of the order today. The Holy Royal Arch Knights Templar Priests, originally containing thirty-three degrees but now only conferring one, is an honorary and invitational organization.

Its tabernacles are limited to a membership of thirty-three and members are required to be a Past Commander of a Knights Templar Commandery.