March,1951
Contents
Conversation On Masonic Work TRESTLEBOARD TRACES
FREEMASONRY AND MAN Walter Stover, M.P.S.
THE PHILALETHES SOCIETY NEWS WHENCE CAME YOU ?
THE SEVEN LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES Dormit in Pace
By Percy P. Barbour, M.P.S., Georgetown, Colorado
(Editorial Note. - Nothing is more interesting in the whole field of ancient history than the story of the Mysteries. These were secret societies existing for the purpose of inculcating the rudiments of knowledge and the principles of religion to their adepts, a valuable service in a day when the priesthood sought to make knowledge a monopoly. The men admitted to these societies by initiation were bound by awful oaths of secrecy and were led through a number of ordeals to test their courage which exercised an incalculable influence in their time. Just how much Freemasonry owes to these Mysteries is a question. We hope our readers will be enlightened by Brother Barbour's article, originally published in the "Square and Compass" (Colorado), during 1943, which will run through the ensuing five issues of "Philalethes.")
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THERE ALWAYS have been migrations of people; more particularly or perhaps better known, those peoples to which we belong. Some so long ago that even the traditions relating to them have been forgotten; time has effaced even the marks and legends which might have sufficed for a clue to where they came from. Some have migrated easterly or southeasterly but more streams have been westerly or southwesterly; some covering nearly half the globe in a considerable number of steps or stages, that is, these migrations were not continuous in point of time, yet ever toward the setting sun.
Is it a funeral procession, as the sun sinking into the west at the close of the day, or rather one following the apparent course of the sun? Or, is it a progression against the rotation of the earth on its axis, significant of overcoming or opposing the force of nature?
Were these westerly movements productive of hardier peoples or were the families which began these westerly movements of stronger fiber than those who traveled easterly? Perhaps some rigorousness of the climate through which they travelled has some influence, for it seems that those who pursued a westerly course proved, physically, if not mentally, more fit.
We must presume that there were migrations to Hur of the Chaldees long prior to the time of Abraham for it was known as the country of the "four nations" (languages), symbolized by Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
There is a legend that there was a tribe which divided and travelled, three easterly, three westerly, three northerly, and three southerly. Those who travelled northerly were lost and never heard from; those who travelled. southerly ended in Egypt, or perhaps only as far as Persia; those who travelled easterly became the Hindoos, and those who travelled westerly became the European Peoples. They were probably in pursuit of metallic substances and principally iron, for it was by the aid of metals that they were enabled to procure the necessities of life with less effort than without them. Their progress therein is fittingly shown by the ever-increasing and extending use of metals, more especially iron.
One should not be surprised to learn that the migration of Abraham from Hur was not the first, or only one, just because its memory was preserved by his descendants and later recorded in the writings of the Children of Israel. It is reasonable to presume that there were several prior to the time of Abraham, just as we know that there were several after that time from that part of the world. There were military expeditions of the Assyrians as far as Egypt. There was the return of the Hebrews from their captivity in Babylon, and much of the territory was traversed by an army of Greeks of which Xenophon wrote an account in his Anabasys depicting the hardships and many incidents of the journey.
A number of years ago, it was my good fortune to have had the privilege of listening to the tales of an old prospector. These tales were not of hunting for gold in or on the ground, but of incidents which took place years ago. At the time they seemed to me to be visionary, yet there always was something back of them.
I remember once he told of the deluge: It seems that there was a family, foreign to the country before the flood, living in a settlement near the site of what was later Babylon, which had come from the northeast somewhere and had in their keeping a tablet on which was inscribed in peculiar characters, a kind of "picture writing," seven words, two on one side, and five on the other. This tablet had been entrusted to them by their grandfather with the injunction to preserve it at all cost, as a sacred relic. This tablet had been handed down in the same manner successively and continuously from time immemorial.
To preserve the markings, this tablet was enveloped in a casing of baked clay, in two sections, in such a way that the characters on the tablet were reproduced in reverse on the two parts of the envelope and the whole placed in a small wooden box.
The sepecuIiar characters were composed of straight lines, no curves or circles, and the lines were horizontal or vertical, single or multiple, or in combination, joined or crossing, of greater or shorter length, the general shape tending to square or oblong. Then there were also diagonal lines, longer or shorter, touching or crossing, sometimes alone and sometimes within the figure, just as though they were the forerunner of the Hebrew characters which they may have been.
The characters which these combinations of lines formed represented sounds or combinations of sounds as readily intelligible as those of the stenographer of today are to the one who made them. They had been formed by pressing into the moist clay the end of a chisel-shaped niece of wood of differing widths, just as were the characters of the Assyrians, except that the stylus was not wedge-shaped which may have been a later development.
The words, their sacred law, which these characters spelled out were: (1) Do the sacrifices; (2) Honor thy parents; (3) Do not kill; (4) Not commit adultery; (5) Not steal; (6) Not lie; (7) Not covet.
No. 1 comprises the whole religious duty. No. 2, the whole family duty. and the remainder the whole community duty; in No.'s 3, 4, and 5, deed, in No. 6, word, and No. 7, thought.
This sacred law came from the same source of the Mazdayasnian law of Zarathustra, the fundamental law expressed in seven words, which has been handed down from generation to generation for such a long time that it was said, and believed to be, of Divine origin, even though considered as a product of the intellect and that intellect an emendation of Deity as evolved from "light" through speech.
Sometime prior to the flood, the head of the family, Xisuthrus, was warned of its coming, as in the story of Noah, and further to preserve the tablet. This he did by taking it to Sippara, about twenty miles to the northwest of Babylon, and burying it in the ground in a place that could be identified after the flood.
When the flood had dried up, the tablet was recovered and the descendants of the family, after many generations, with their sacred treasure, settled in Hur, about 140 miles southeast of Babylon, and this happened sometime before an exodus from Hur took place, in which they joined, partly because of the identity or similarity of their religion to that of the leader of the expedition. And this was before the birth of Abraham.
Cities of today are the outcome of industry; the attraction, like a magnet, of persons from village and farm to the place where many hands together make things (articles of luxury) faster, with less effort and more abundantly than could be done otherwise. These aggregates of workers create other needs, which are supplied by other workers and the leisure of these engenders the formation of pastimes, which are supplied by still others. And thus they grow.
In ancient times the growth of cities was upon a different basis, not as of luxuries, but as to their distribution. At first, perhaps, a resting place after a long journey where there was good water and food for men and animals. Later, a junction of routes of distribution and travel. At these junction points the excess production of one district was bartered for the excess of another, as for example, the weavers of art for jewelry, bits of precious stones, gold, silver, copper, or preserved foods, like figs, dates, raisins, as well as grains, fruits, wines, and even slaves. Then merchants, artisans, caterers, buyers, and men of leisure make their appearance.
The bringing together of large numbers of persons of varying degrees of mental incapacity made it necessary for laws, rules, and regulations to keep them within due bounds, and the added necessity to invest persons with power and authority to see that they were kept. And so the cycle runs; someone with a sonorous voice believes himself to be especially fitted to tell his neighbor what, where and when to do this and that, assumes the place, and if he makes no glaring error, or succeeds in covering the ones he makes, the belief grows upon him. Then one city is not enough, he must rule others, until an empire is erected.
Thus it was with Hur, which grew by the accretion of the four different language-speaking people . . . the Semites, coming from the northwest, mainly sheep raisers originally; the Cush (Hanitic), from the south, being traders and sea men; the Japhites, in whom we are most interested, from the northeast, cow men, forced from their homeland by the horsemen. Turania.
The Japhites, or cow men, feared the horse men from past experience, and had found the sheep men to be their enemies as well; so there was unrest among the cow men and the time was ripe for a move.
The question of where to move was difficult, for they seemed to be blocked in all direction, except to go up the river which offered little promise because of the unknown distance they might have to go. So nothing was done.
However, there were other developments taking place which had no apparent bearing on their problems, but later proved to be of great moment.
Among the cow people there was a boy of some sixteen years, named Geustaspa, who, with others, had been driving the cattle out to pasture in the spring of the year, as had been the custom of his people for ages past, while the elders cultivated the field. These boys had organized themselves so as to combine their herds, and give themselves chances to engage in other activities, like hunting, fishing, boating, and games of skill. Geustaspa, being the most expert among them, became the leader by common consent, and was called by them Gupa, meaning 'protector of the group,' or Chief. Then, too, at times, when the cattle were not being driven out from near the settlement, this group might make excursions along the seashore, up the river, or along the trade routes, where they sometimes fell in with caravans and listened with rapture to tales of wonderfully rich countries at the ends of the earth, and the curious customs of strangle people.
Naturally, the minds of these young men became infused with a desire to travel into far distant countries to see these wonderful sights and the curious people. Among themselves, some had expressed this desire, a few had even suggested a conquest of some remote place, but they had no means with which to travel as Gupa reminded them.
On one of their longest trips they came upon a camp of two caravans moving in different directions. Gupa, and three of his most intimate friends, met three men from Egypt, one a Prince of the reigning house, who had, thus far, unsuccessfully sought aid for the King, who was struggling to maintain his throne against the priests on the one hand, and certain army chiefs on the other, who would not unite their forces because they were jealous of each other. Nor did he have power to compel either side to support him. Neither of the three forces were able openly to combat one of the others for fear of losing to the third.
Was this an opportunity? It seemed so. How many men would it require and how could they get them? They thought so, because they knew of the unrest among the people of Hur. Could they get there in time? Well, things moved slowly in Egypt, and if they undertook the project and succeeded, what would be their reward ? Wealth, eminence and power, the Prince maintained, and he and his comrades appeared to substantiate the claim for they had considerable goods as evidence.
The boys returned to Hur, told their experience to others of the group and to their elders. Then, after much consultation it was decided to make the attempt. Thanks to the goods of the Prince and his promise, a sizeable collection of strong and healthy men was outfitted to begin the trip.
Then the old prospector seemed to be tired, for he said: "The travelers had many experiences which I might tell you, but for this time, if you wish to know something of their nature, you might read Xenophon's Anabasys, not that the experiences were the same or even alike, but they will do for now."
And now we come to the land of Egypt, unguarded, The Egyptian army, such as it was, divided into two hostile parties, one supporting the king, the other the priests, each half-heartedly contending against the other, neither side strong enough to win, or perhaps unwilling to exert themselves to that extent and lacking confidence in their leaders. The king was weak, and the priests selfish and grasping, offering too small an inducement to the captains. Both sides lived well while doing nothing, and each considered themselves as well off as though one side should win. Why fight ?
What a wonderful opportunity for a young and ambitious man. Gupa almost sensed this opportunity, but not quite, for the priests as well as the king sought to persuade him to their side.
The old prospector said: "I have some old letters given me by my grandfather, which I will read to you at another time."
Sure enough, the next time I stopped to chat with the old prospector, he made good his word and from beneath his bunk he drew out a small box, from which he took a sheaf of yellowish papers, and said: "These papers were given me by my a grandfather, who said they had been loaned to him by a student of Egyptian history and writings; that they were translations of several scrolls of papyrus which he obtained in Egypt and proposed to publish; that shortly after the papers came to him the savant died as the result of a fire, which also consumed the originals; that as no one knew of the savant's relatives, and none were found, my grandfather kept the papers. They were then old and as they were written in what would now be quaint English, I will translate, one might say, as I proceed, that you may understand them. It seems that the originals were written by one Anaphotep to another Neri, both having some official position in the government, but at different places."
As nearly as I can remember them, from having heard them read, I will give them to you in my own words:
Anaphotep to Nerd (1)
You will remember, the last time I wrote you, there had just arrived a large group of strange men. Well, the men are rather short, thick set, red-faced, exceedingly strong, with hair lighter in color than ours and rather bluish eyes. They seem peaceful and have come a great distance, seeking, as near as I could make out from what someone said, food for their cows which were in great number.
It seems they lived chiefly on the milk from these cows and the products which they make froth the milk. At times, they eat the flesh of the cows.
Apparently, they carry no images with them; they have no writing, but they do have some old customs, as for instance: in the early morning as soon as it begins to get light in the east they begin to assemble together, each bringing something. One had a flat piece of dry wood, another a thin pointed stick, others with hands full of dry grass. One brings a bundle of three twigs, another of five, another with seven, and still another with nine twigs; others bring a substance made from the milk, and others bring a liquid which I saw them pound and squeeze out of some sort of plant.
When all have assembled out in the open, preferably, it seems, on a hill, or place higher than the surrounding ground, they build a low mound of stones or earth. Then one lays the flat piece of wood on the mound and holds it fast while the one with the pointed stick places the point in a hole in the flat piece and begins to twirl it until a faint smoke begins to ascend; then another puts blades of dry grass around the point of the stick. The smoke becomes thicker and one breathes upon the grass which, in the end, begins to blaze. More dry grass is added and this is slid off the flat stick onto the mound. After this, pieces of twigs are broken off and put on the burning grass until a handful of fire is burning on the mound. Then larger pieces of wood are arranged about the flame, and soon quite a large blaze is formed, into which portions of the liquid, the substance from the milk, and chunks of fat are thrown into the flame. At each addition, the flame blazes high into the air. While this is going on, one of the group steps up, facing the dawn, extends his arms horizontally, and in a sort of singing fashion, repeats what may be a poem, perhaps praising their God, and after a short pause, all extended their arms and repeated something in unison, while two of their number held pieces of flesh strung on poles over the fire.
(To be continued)
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In an account of the laying of the corner stone of the Granville School of Arts and Working Man's College at Granville, New South Wales, November 3, 1883, we find that after the corn, wine and oil had been poured on the stone, the M.W. Grand Master then received a box containing salt from Grand Chaplain, Brother R.V. Gale, which he scattered on the stone, saying: "As the Most High made a covenant of salt with Abraham in token of the everlasting protection of His people, so do I strew salt upon this stone as a symbol of fidelity, friendship, and hospitality. May the all bounteous Author of Nature bless the inhabitants of this country with an abundance of the necessities, conveniences, and comforts of life; protect the workmen employed upon this building from all accidents, and long preserve the structure from decay."
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The Ornaments of a lodge are the Mosaic Pavement, the Indented Tessel, and the Blazing Star.
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"There is some work in the world for each of us, in the doing of which we con be happy. If we're too lazy to find and claim it, then we deserve to toil without joy."
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By James K. Remick, M.P.S.
San Diego, California
IN RETROSPECTION we may view the Nations that have faded into the mist of the past. We are told that in their culture was the gem of greatness, of wealth and strength. And if we are wise in our generation we review with concern the history of their fall and decay. We ask which are the races of today that will tread the scarlet trail of oblivion. We may be sure that nothing happens by chance; all is the result of immutable law. As the individual is enlightened so is the herd, and as the mass is illumined so progresses the race to bright destiny.
Amongst our Masonic symbolisms we learn of the rough ashlar and the smooth ashlar. These emblems contain a simple esoteric illustration of conduct, yet beautiful in its import. All men are divine in essence, the only difference in them being their degree of awareness of their high standard. He whose Light is dim is ever the ashlar in the rough. He who trims his lamp to bright flame is hourly and daily smoothing away with gentle touch the rough corners, so that some time, some where he finds that he himself is the Philosopher's Stone, every fact of which glows with the Flame eternal. He finds he is a Master supreme in his own right, fully entitled to clothe himself with the Masonic badge of purity, that ancient four square emblem with the spiritual triangle of Truth, of Fortitude and Love turned down to be within the grasp of him who seeks ennoblement through service to his brethren and to all created things.
The Nations that withstand the shock of evil forces from within and from without are those whose people in the aggregate have shaped their ashlars well, that they may fit without weakness or disharmony into the Temple of their culture, wherein no hate, no selfishness, no perversions of political or economic Truth find lodgement. The Almighty has played no racial favorites. All start from the same line, and will survive only as the ashlars in the structure of their civilization may be strong and squared with virtue.
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Three Kinds of Masons
There are three kinds of Masons. The Mason who has taken the Symbolic Degrees out of curiosity and after having been accepted as a member never finds his way again to the lodge room and forgets what he has heard but not understood. Secondly, there is the Mason who attends when an election is to take place, or he can exhibit himself in a public procession, who always pays his dues and demands to be buried with pomp and show; and lastly, the Mason who at his first inception begins to see all the beauties of the Craft, who understands the teachings, studies to know more about it, and serves his Lodge faithfully. He pays every obligation, sustains his Lodge, accepts every assignment of duty, and may always be depended upon for his work.
The first class never produces a real Mason. The ceremonies meant nothing and can mean anything. He wears the gilt button but is unable to tell its meaning.
The second class is a drag upon society. Recognition and benefits are demanded, but the burden is declined.
The third class makes possible that progress without which the Craft would long ago have fallen into decay and been buried unknown in the great Pyramids of the past. - Exchange.
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Masonry is a search for the "Lost Word" which is but a symbol of the loss of the knowledge of God. All Scottish Rite Masons know how this search is dramatized in the Eighteenth Degree. The search for the knowledge of God is a search for the light and truths "God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." "If we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship one with another." Do you not see the teachings of the Rose Croix Degree in these words of Holy Writ ?
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Fac-simile of the earliest known printed attack on Freemasonry
TO ALL GODLY PEOPLE.
in the Citie of
LONDON.
HAving tought it needful to warn you
of the Mischiefs and Evils practised
in the Sight of GOD by those called
Freed Masons. I say take Care Less their
Ceremonies and Secret Swearings take hold of
you; and be wary that none cause you to err
from Godliness. For this devllish Sect of
Men and Meeters in Secret which Swear against
all without their Following. They are the
Anti Christ which was to come leading
Men from Fear of GOD. For how Should
Men meet in Secret Places and with Secret
Signs taking Care that none observe them to
do the Work of GOD; are not these the Ways of
Evil-doers?
Knowing how that GOD observeth privilly
them that sit in Darkness they shall be
Smitten and the Septets of their Hearts layed
bare. Mingle not among this corrupt People
Iest you be found so at the World’s Conflagration.
Set forth as a Wanting to this Christian Generation by
M. Winter, and Printed by R. Sare at Gray’s
Inn-gate, in Holbourn
1698 .
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Between Fred, A Freemason, and Paul, A Profane
By E. Moser, in "Alpina," June, 1950, Switzerland
(Translated from the German by Frank H. Reinsch, M.P.S., Los Angeles, California)
Paul: Good evening, Fred! Where to?
Fred: Good evening, Paul ! I thought I'd enjoy the open air for a while. I am in the habit of going for a quiet walk once a week. Then I think back over the days that are past and prepare myself inwardly for the days that are to come. Such quiet meditation is good for the spirit and for the body.
P.: I have often seen you walking around in the quiet park. Is that a Masonic custom?
F.: Your question sounds a little strange, but I think I understand what you mean. Some time ago you asked me whether I was a Freemason. I told you that I was because I don't want to keep it secret, and because I don't have any reason for not telling you when you ask me about it.
P.: It was very nice of you to be so frank with me. Not every Mason would do that.
F.: To his good friends and acquaintances every Freemason will acknowledge that he is a Mason if they ask him about it. He will maintain secrecy only in the presence of strangers or tactless and curious persons.
P.: It seems to me that Freemasonry with all its principles and "secrets" is entirely out of date in our age of industrial and intellectual achievement. I even consider it superfluous and outmoded.
F.: My dear Paul, that is not the case. In the confusion which prevails in Europe today, Freemasonry is more necessary than ever!
P.: Isn't this a haughty assertion?
F.: No, no, Paul! Freemasonry cherishes the eternal values of life which so many people have forgotten in their hasty pursuit of success, pleasure, change, and diversion. That is just the reason why it has been preserved for centuries.
P.: What do you mean by "eternal values of life?" A permanent position with a good income perhaps? Or a pension fund, or a planned economy?
F.: You are suggesting nothing but material things.
P.: Aha! You are trying to tell me that the roots of the dissatisfaction among people today lie in the neglect of the inner man.
F.: You've guessed it!
P.: Tell me, Fred, can you reveal the eternal values of life to met Or will you violate your Masonic principles by talking to me about them?
F.: No, my dear Paul, these values are not secrets. I can talk to you quite freely about them.
P.: For a long time now you have made me curious to know something about Freemasonry. I must confess to you however that, like most other people, I too have a secret hankering to hear about mystical things. May I ask you to satisfy this real desire of mine ?
F.: Your tendency to discuss things frankly and to see things in their true light has pleased me again and again. So listen to this: We have three lights in Masonry . . . Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty.
P.: I have read about these lights, but they don't mean anything to me. Do enlighten me!
F.: Now do not be so impatient, my dear Paul. Everything takes time; so does enlightenment.
P.: You are right, Fred. I'll control myself.
F.: I will explain the lights to you in order. Wisdom first. Wisdom is not bombastic pretense and not academic knowledge. It is not to be confused with cleverness either. Wisdom is more than all these. It is the recognition of what is good and true. It is the eye of life. Thus it is wise reflection upon and real appreciation of the actual possibilities and purposes in our lives. Our acts and utterances, particularly everything we do or leave undone, must be wise. Wisdom must determine the plan of our lives; it must guide our thoughts and actions so that good deeds and results may ensue.
P.: How instructive, how stimulating your explanation is! Wisdom, as I understand it, implies that we first carefully think through everything we want to undertake, whether it be in the family, in public life, in business, or anywhere else, in order not to come in conflict with the laws of life and of society.
F.: That's just right, Paul! You understand what I mean. In order to make Wisdom effective, we must add to it Strength. Strength must execute our plans, bring them to fruition; that is to say, it must help us overcome what is bad and do what is good. It grows with patience and self-control. Strength is the inner power, the inner fortitude and certainty which we need in order to lay out and complete the plan of our lives. We thus want to build our characters on a firm basis so that we may always do what is good and leave undone what is evil and that we may be able to bear both joy and sorrow.
P.: Very good, very good! Strength is therefore synonymous with will, energy, persistence, and especially with character in all that we do.
F.: Certainly, you have the idea. The moulding of character consists in perfecting one's moral personality, in forming exemplary habits of thought and action. Only thus do we acquire the strength which we need in order to live up to our good intentions.
P.: I understand that all our ethical ideas, duties, and virtues only become clearly manifest in good character, in inner strength.
F.: You have grasped my meaning correctly. Your conclusions are of value to me too. You see how much we can learn from each other when we talk things over together.
P.: That is true. People should help each other more in the nurturing of their inner strength. In this way those powers within would be especially developed which tend to make life mutually more enjoyable. May I ask you to tell me something about Beauty now? I am so deeply moved.
F.: Beauty shall adorn our edifice; that is, our thoughts and actions are to be clean and beautiful, not ugly. Beauty gives harmony to the whole structure. The beautiful is inherent in whatever is good and noble, in morality, justice, and truth.
P.: In other words, Beauty implies harmony of life, inner and outward calm and composure.
F.: Yes, Paul. By Beauty we mean the condition of complete harmony between body and spirit. Among other things, moderation and poise constitute the evidence of this condition.
P.: According to that, we can improve ourselves and others only when we are guided by the law of beauty. And I further conclude that beauty reveals itself first and foremost in love.
F.: Quite right. Love is the best teacher of wisdom and virtue. Friendship, brotherly love, and love of one's neighbor are its practical expression. Freemasonry continually strives to attain the ideals we have discussed. The brethren are always urged to practice them and to strive for complete attainment.
P.: I have gained from reading books that you call such striving for perfection "the Royal Art." But I am not entirely clear about this. I think it is all too exalted. How easily beautiful principles become hollow phrases because our daily life so often forces this contradictory meaning upon us.
F.: You are not very far wrong. All Freemasons are human beings like ourselves. For this reason they also have human weaknesses. The ideal which Freemasonry has set for itself is a high one. It may only be attained with difficulty if at all. The labor which you rightly say we call "the Royal Art" is not easy to perform. It demands of every individual many sacrifices and much energy. If we did not set good against the evil which daily surrounds us, life would be even more difficult than it is today; it would indeed be unbearable. Living with others on and on when evil is ever dominant is unthinkable. Consequently, there must be people again and again who want the good to prevail. Only on this basis is social existence possible.
P.: I agree with you completely. It must be admitted, however, that only a very few people can attain moral perfection. All other persons who do not reach this high goal but who strive toward it are likewise of value to us.
F.: Freemasons help each other to strive toward attaining perfection. In other words, we strive for freedom of conscience, harmony of life, truth and justice. love, reason and tolerance. All these form the eternal basis of life. They can never be repudiated and they will create new life over and over again.
P.: Your doctrines are truly wonderful. In fact, they are especially fitting for our time when it seems that few ethical principles are considered binding any more.
F.: You are entirely right. Europe is suffering a spiritual crisis. People are no longer led; they are misled, betrayed. They lack a fixed goal and the faith to reach it. They have become frustrated; they have lost confidence in themselves. The Freemason, now, finds his inner poise, his firm support, in his doctrine and through his brethren.
P.: Do you discuss questions about the present and the future among yourselves, and questions dealing with economics and politics?
F.: Certainly, Paul. We talk about such topics too. But it is always an objective and brotherly discussion. Feelings are under control. Controversies are not permitted. Everyone is tolerant and endeavors to understand his brother.
P.: It is very interesting that Freemasonry is helping to influence this period in which it lives. I used to think that Freemasonry dealt especially with the great thinkers of older times, with its own history and its masters, such as Goethe, Lessing, Herder, etc., and that in so doing it neglected the present and the future. That was one of the reasons why I used to think Freemasonry was outmoded.
F.: Of course, no resolutions are passed and no slogans promulgated. This would disturb the life of the Lodge too much. We simply carry on an exchange of ideas. This is very much worth-while in our daily lives. It improves one's own judgment. We strive now and will continue to strive to build up and to build well.
P.: You have led me to conclusions this evening which, I confess, I had not thought of before. I thank you very much, Fred, for your explanations. Unfortunately, we have already arrived at your home. Too bad that our little stroll is at end.
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By Lee Edwin Wells, F.P.S.
Canoga Park, California
Is morality the chief goal of Freemasonry? I doubt it for, through the ages, churches have done an excellent job of propounding it in one form or another. Sociability ? There are far better equipped places than a Masonic Lodge to cater to this instinct in man. What then? Brotherly Love? This seems to be a hint. Relief ? Another hint, since this is a further expression of love for our neighbor and our brother. Truth ? This is the keg to it, for in the recognition of truth without prejudice and dogma we develop ourselves and thus erect within our hearts a more fitting temple to house the God within. Let us pursue this line of inquiry, each in his own way, and we may thus come to an ultimate understanding of the glory that is Freemasonry.
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Excerpt from a Letter from France
"French Masonry differs notably from that of America or England, and here the degrees are given less rapidly than in America. The minimum time for passing from one Degree to another is eight months, and this wait is often longer (one or two years). We demand of the candidates a study of symbolism and that they assimilate the teachings given in each Degree before proceeding to a higher one. Candidates are required to submit a work on symbolism and to give their reactions to Masonry. In the meetings of the degrees we discuss problems concerning symbolism, morality, sociology, history, a brother stating the subject to be discussed and each brother pronouncing his own point of view, all of which contributes to the enlightenment of the brethren.
"Few go on to the higher degrees. In order to receive the Rose Croix Degree (18th of the Scottish Rite) one must have been a Master Mason for at least five years, and it takes two additional years to advance from the 18th to the 30th degree. You see that this is not very fast but the intellectual level of the brother is enhanced."
In comparison to the foregoing, we now give you a sample of an American Masonic record:
November 22 - Petitioned a Masonic Lodge
December 1 - Petition assigned to committee
January 6 - Petition accepted
January 15 - Entered Apprentice Degree
February 5 - Fellowcraft Degree
February 26 - Master Mason Degree
March 15 - 32nd Degree of the Scottish Rite (short class)
Less than four months from the time the Candidate petitioned the Symbolic Lodge until he had received the Thirty-Second Degree!
Did the American, or the French, brother get the most from his Masonry?
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By Gabriel Ruscitti, M.P.S.
Berkeley, California
THE BELIEF in and a respect for the dignity and rights of man, together with his enlightenment in regard to this all important and perplexing phenomena known as human behavior, is, in my opinion, the greatest of the many commendable features of Freemasonry. In stressing the fact that God is our Creator and ignoring the material station of the individual, Freemasonry emphasizes the great truth that God is our Father and as His children we are alike in that we are composed of the same blood, the same species, the same brain, the same instincts, and engaged in the same struggle, overcoming weaknesses and material obstacles which prevent the attainment of the greatest of all possession, the inner peace of man.
Unlike other institutions or systems of philosophy, it not only permits but encourages individual interpretations of its symbolic philosophy. Here again its recognition dignity of man is evident.
For centuries the forces of evil have endeavored to permanently exterminate the impelling desire of man to express himself to decide for himself and exert his individualism and to preserve his God-given disnity. Every effort to suppress this urge, however, has failed. With bull dog tenacity and death defying persistance, man has fought this enslavement and found ways to survive these attempts. The forces of Good have never deserted man and in his hour of desperate need have sustained him.
Freemasonry has been and will always be an outstanding part of the forces for Good. Its recognition of man as God's supreme and dearest creation, not to be profaned or violated by man, makes it the noble institution which it is. The spirit within man - his soul - his will - his personality, belongs to God and man has no right to its ownership. That which belongs to God, is part of Him, must remain free as long as we are upon this earth. Any attempt to possess or dominate over, or to suppress the will of man, is not only impossible, but sacrilegious.
We, in Freemasonry, are and should be grateful and proud to belong to a Fraternity where man's dignity is promulgated, ever kept alive. Here we are taught that the responsibility of dignifying man transcends any other responsibility we may have. If all Masons would learn this great truth and believe in it fervently, the results should be far-reaching. Ours would truly be an institution where harmony among all for the good of all would reign supreme. It is written: "Charity Begins at Home," and if this great truth were manifested in our conduct when together, it would eliminate those who with pompous self-importance disregard their Masonic obligations and cause the discordant notes which prevents harmony. Whenever and wherever such a situation exists in a Symbolic Lodge, not all present are Master Masons.
A cohesion, a warm attachment, a shared objective, is essential if we are to enjoy solidarity. This not only necessitates but demands the respect of man's dignity and recognition of his individualism. Its attainment is impossible without it. As a matter of fact, without this recognition and respect for the individual, it is definitely not a Masonic gathering. When a brother is ignored or his rights infringed upon, all in direct violation of our Masonic obligation, the meeting is reduced to a sham. An aggregation of strangers or unfriendly acquaintances is not, and cannot be of any consequence or serve any purpose whatsoever.
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What will America be like fifty years hence? Even today we find ourselves in a new and almost terrifying America, where strange forces and influences are at work. For years we have been flooded by tides of immigration, not only from lands friendly to our institutions, but from lands where our ideals are like an unknown tongue. Those multitudes will be changed by America, no doubt, by the process of its large and liberal fellowship; but America, in turn, could be changed by them, unless we have a care, into something very different from what our forbears meant it to be. These and like questions are much in the minds of thoughtful men, whether Masons or not, often with alarm and dismay, as they watch the procession of events. There ought to be abundant room for the ripest kind of propaganda, sanely, wisely and intelligently American, and here Freemasonry may find its greatest opportunity.
On the high and animated scene of world affairs, much is taking place the final issue of which no one can forsee. The old balance of power among nations may easily give way to a new alignment of races and colors, with consequences one dares not contemplate, with possibilities that make the heart stand still.
Surely Freemasonry, by its spirit and genius, has a definite mission here, particularly among people who have a common conception of civilization. Be that as it may, for such a ministry we require sooner or later some kind of Masonic world fellowship. No sovereignty need be surrendered, no jurisdiction invaded, no legislation enacted. But we must somehow make articulate and effective the spirit of unity, purpose and aspiration latent in the Universality of Freemasonry as a profound influence making for good will among men!
W.A.Q.
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The earliest historical remains of sacred pillars are to be found among the ruins of the Temple of Bel at Nippur, built by King Ur-Gur, who reigned at some time during the period 2900-2700 B.C., some eight or nine hundred years before Abraham left Ur to search for the Promised Land of Canaan. The sanctuary to this temple was reached by a causeway which ran straight up one side of the stage and at or near the point at which this causeway started there seems to have been two conical columns or pillars.
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Faith in God is a Masonic principle. This is more than a simple statement in a belief in the existence of God. The true Mason puts himself unreservedly in God's hands and he grows in Masonic knowledge to the extent that he Iearns to know God
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Brother Stover was born on August 20, 1890, and died suddenly on December 22, 1950, at Watertown, South Dakota. He studied law and in 1912 was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Courts of Iowa and South Dakota. Since that year he was engaged in the practice of law in Watertown. He was a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, of the District Court of South Dakota, and of the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as of the Bar of Codington County. As a member of the American Bar Association, our late Brother has served as Corporation Counsel for the City of Watertown. He was Counsel for the C. M. & St. Paul Railway Company, as well as Counsel for a number of life insurance, fire insurance, casualty, and surety companies. In addition, he was General Counsel for several loan and banking institutions.
Brother Stover was married on January 4, 1913, to the former Louise Adams of Burlington, Iowa, and from this union came one son - Dr. Lee Stover, member of the Lincoln Clinic, Lincoln, Nebraska, and a practicing physician.
At the outbreak of World War I, Brother Stover enlisted in the South Dakota National Guard. He was promoted to Captain and served as Regimental Adjutant, First South Dakota Cavalry and 307th Cavalry, as well as Regimental Adjutant of the 61st Field Artillery and Brigade Adjutant of the 19th Field Artillery Brigade. He was graduated from the School of Fire for Field Artillery and became an instructor in the School. At the close of World War I he was discharged with the rank of Major, Field Artillery. In World War II he served as Appeal Agent for the Local Selective Service Board and was also Chairman of the Codington County Red Cross Chapter.
Our Brother was Past President of the Watertown Rotary Club, member of Sigma Chi and Phi Delta Phi fraternities, and member and former vestryman of Trinity Episcopal Church, Watertown.
He has had a distinguished Masonic career, particularly in Templary.
He was Past Master of Concord Lodge No. 206, A.F. & A.M., of South Dakota, and Eminent Past Commander of Watertown Commandery No. 7, Knights Templar. In 1928-29 he served as Monarch of Atokad Grotto, M.O.V.P.E.R. In 1930 he was Sovereign of St. Simon Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine. From 1939 to the time of his death he was Intendant General, Division of South Dakota, Red Cross of Constantine.
Brother Stover was also a member of Oriental Consistory, A. & A. Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, at Yankton, South Dakota; of Golgatha Tabernacle; and of Knight Templar Royal Arch Priests, Louisville, Kentucky. He was elected to membership of The Philalethes Society on June 11, 1949, upon the recommendation of Brother Wylie B. Wendt, M.P.S.
Sir Knight Stover was the first Inspector General and organizer of Inspection and Instruction, Department of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar, of South Dakota. His book, "The Stover Code," is a revision of the Constitution and Statutes of the Grand Commandery of South Dakota. He served as Chairman of the Committee which prepared the revision of the drill regulations, tactics, and asylum ceremonies for his Grand Commandery, as well as Chairman of the Committee on the preparation of the History of the Grand Commandery of South Dakota. He was the donor of the "Stover Trophy," which is awarded annually to the Constitutent Commandery in South Dakota which wins the highest grade at the annual inspection.
In 1949 Sir Knight Stover served as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, Grand Encampment, Knights Templar of the United States of America. At the time of his sudden death, on December 22, 1950, he served as Generalissimo of the Grand Encampment.
The funeral services for Sir Knight Stover were held on December 27, 1960, in Trinity Episcopal Church, Watertown. This was preceded by a family devotional service at the Stover residence, at ten o'clock in the morning, the Rev. Harold W. J. Urquhart, rector of Trinity Church, officiating at both services.
The body lay in state at the church from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a uniformed Knights Templar guard of honor. Casket bearers were Walter F. Miller, Watertown; Vern E. Warren, Huron; Glenn R. McArthur, Huron; George F. Westover, Pierre; N. Peter Wenge, Aberdeen, and Jesse H. Thorpe, Watertown. All the bearers except Brother Thorpe are Past Grand Commanders, and Thorpe is a Past Grand High Priest.
All the officers of the Grand Commandery were present under the command of Sir Knight Carroll H. Lockhart, Grand Commandery, and a life-long friend of the Stover family. The body was escorted at the church and the cemetery by a Knights Templar escort of forty men in full Templar uniform.
Brother Stover's pleasing disposition and friendly manner made him welcome everywhere. His ability was extraordinary, his energy unlimited, his enthusiasm catching, and his wit matchless. He was an outstanding personality in any gathering. Freemasonry and Templary has lost a gifted officer and leader and he will truly be missed.
He is survived by his wife, his son, two grandchildren, his brother, Roy Stover, of Arlington, Virginia, and his mother, Mrs. Maud Stover, also of Arlington.
Fading away like stars of the morning,
Losing their light in the glorious sun,
So do we pass from this earth and its toiling,
Only remembered by what we have done.
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A Mason is a Mason everywhere, and no matter what rock may have changed the channel of his voyage, he yet is a worker for good wherever his lot may be cast. No man has ever, even in life, escaped the evil he did, and men generally die as they have lived, "For as a man's thoughts are so is he."
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Very often when you are worried because you do not know what to do, the best thing to do is, nothing. Just wait, keep calm, and keep your head and your heart! Bring up your reserves! Time is busy meanwhile, and time is the wisest of all doctors. - Dr. Frank Crane
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New Members
C. Sam Johnson; Fresno, California (Recommended by C. M. Dunnicliff, M.P.S.)
Lester Lloyd, Sr.; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Recommended by Wm. Major Brown, F.P.S.)
Walter P. Merrill; San Gabriel, California (Recommended by Victor L. Jones, M.P.S.)
Franklin C. Wray; Maywood, Illinois (Recommended by William H. Knutz, M.P.S.)
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The Philalethes - March, 1951; Volume 6, Number 3. - Walter A. Quincke, F.P.S., Editor. The official publication of The Philalethes Society, 274 South Burlington Avenue, Los Angeles 4, California, where all communications should be directed. Publication schedule: Eight (8) issues per year or volume: January; February; March; May (April-May); July (June-July); September (August-September); November (October-November), and December. No advertising in any form solicited or accepted. When requesting a change of address, give the old as well as the new addresses, including your postal zone number, if you have such. Annual subscription, in the U.S.A., $3.00; elsewhere, $4.00, payable in advance. - The columns of "The Philalethes" are reserved for the literary contributions of the membership of the Society, and the material is selected for its quality and timeliness rather than upon name. All published articles, however, express the ideas and opinions of their contributors only and in no way need they be the opinion of the Society.
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Books and Pamphlets Received
"Revista Masonica de Chile"; October and November, 1950; Oriente De Santiago, Chile.
"Allocution" (Tentative), October, 1949; Supreme Council, 33rd Degree, A. & A. Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., Washington, D.C.
"Leaflets No's; 71, 74, 76, and 77." Central Division Correspondence Study Circle; Kimberly, South Africa.
"Thot," Magazine for Freemasons, November, 1960; Wassenssr, Holland.
"Masonic Burial," Service Letter No. 126; M.W. Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M., of Colorado.
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The real meaning of the word "Shibboleth" has been a disputed point among Masonic writers. There is no better way to study this matter than to turn to the Hebrew Bible and see how the word is translated into the English version. Consult: Zech, 4:12; Isa, 27:12; Gen. 41:6, 6, 7, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27; Ruth, 2:2; Job. 24:24; Ps., 69:2; Ps., 69:16, and Judges, 12:6.
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Only the Golden Rule will save the country - not a rule of gold. - Rower W. Babson.
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By Wm. T. Corbusier, M.P.S.
Long Beach, California
THE ANCIENTS likened the span of life unto the day. In the brightness and glory of the rising sun, with its promises for a newer and better day, they saw Birth and Youth reaching out into the future. They pictured all the joys and ambitions of young manhood in the freshness and sweetness of the morning dew. Youth, with eyes set upon a pinnacle, the distant zenith and alluring meridian of life.
In the unfolding day they saw the expanding life, mid its green fields and scorching deserts. As the sun brings life and destroys with the same ray, so man sows the seeds of kindness and destruction in the same field.
Youth treads on light sir, oblivious to the treacherous pockets under foot. He stumbles and falls, and struggles for a firmer footing. His friends turn and leave him blistering in the merciless sands; but the impetus of centuries is behind him, and he presses on towards the light where he may arrive in the prime of life - the beauty and glory of the day.
As the sun seems to pause at mid-day, so man travels along an even path for a time. Then the light breeze of the afternoon of life touches his brow; the chill of evening creeps upon him; the shadows fall and lengthen, as he stoops as if reaching for the setting sun. Out of the West comes the call of the raven and he sinks down into darkness.
From East to West he has traveled, seeking further light, only to find darkness. But life's shadow of death is but the darkest hour before the dawn of a brighter day. And so we travel alternately blindfolded and seeing, like the storm clouds of the day of life which obstruct the sun and dim our vision.
Back of us are the hordes of Creation who have traveled the same way before. Ahead are the untold thousands whose paths will be lightened or darkened by the rays we shed. And so it is well to continually ask one's self: "Whence Came You, and Whither Are You Traveling?"
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THE SEVEN LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES
By Frederick Thomas Parker, M.P.S., Montreal, Quebec, Canada
GEOMETRY
ONCE MORE we go back in thought to the fair land of Greece, for the word "Geometry" is a compound of the Greek words "earth measurement." But we must travel farther, for the Ahmes papyrus of 1550 B.C. shows that the ancient Egyptians knew the rules or finding the areas of circles and rectangles; and we know that the principles of geometry were applied in the early surveys made necessary by the inundation of the Nile which annually obliterated all landmarks.
Early Babylonian discoveries record the use of triangles, quadrangles and parallel lines and also the division of the circle into degrees, minutes, and seconds.
But the Egyptian and Babylonian civilizations dealt only with areas and volumes. From their rules for measuring simple geometric figures the Greeks developed geometry into a science which, granting certain axioms presumed to be self-evident truths, showed the various propositions which logically followed.
Handicapped as the Greeks were by knowing only the use of the compass and the ruler, ignorant of what we might call "stretching" numbers, theirs is a most remarkable contribution and one that remained practically unaltered for a thousand years. Indeed, the Elements of Euclid, written 300 B.C., one of the most famous of all books, was used as a text book in our own schools up to a few years ago. In the hands of Euclid, geometry became really a department of pure mathematics, improved upon tremendously in the seventeenth century by Descartes who found a means of using algebra in geometric investigation which, in turn, led from three dimensional geometry to the fourth dimensional space-time theory of Einstein.
But, while Masonry has utilized geometric figures and Euclid and Pythagoras have been still further drawn into its study by means of interesting legends, the geometry dealt with in the Fellowcraft Degree lecture is not so much the properties of space, of earth measurement, but rather of earth forces, the forces which govern this globe of ours; the laws of nature.
One aspect of these which vitally concerns all Masons has to do with the erection of buildings, with operative masonry.
In this age of scientific research and of rapid development, we pay grateful homage to those Master Masons of by-gone years, to their knowledge of the laws of beauty, of symmetry, of rectitude, of the limits and strength and character of materials, of equilibrium and balance of design, of due proportion and of just correspondence.
We stand in silent admiration, yes, in awe, before the magnificent structures which these brethren built centuries ago; cathedrals, beautiful, majestic, inspiring; proud monuments to their skill, to their pride of workmanship, and to their dedication to their exalted tasks.
Yes, indeed, these men were Master Masons: architects, designers, builders. And well may it be said of them that they have produced works which are not only the admiration but also the spiritual edification of every succeeding age.
But the geometry of masonry leads us farther still, for by its means we may trace nature through her various windings to her most concealed recesses.
What a wealth of discovery man has made! How he has increasingly utilized these very forces of nature to compel her to surrender her most closely guarded secrets and treasures. How he, himself, has been transformed!
The house of the primitive man was dark and gloomy. Confronted with a natural world seemingly as capricious as himself, man's first impulse was to create nature in his own image, and so he attributed what seemed to him to be the erratic and unordered course of the universe to the whims and passions of gods or of benevolent or malevolent lesser spirits to whom he offered vain oblations of appeasement.
Gradually, however, man has faced the East, has opened the windows of his soul to the dawn of the rising sun, and the light of knowledge has streamed in to brighten even the darkest corners of his house. The evil spirits, like Shakespeare's actors, are melted into thin air, and cause and effect, law and order, are now become apparent.
The mind of man, by intelligent observation and study, has learned to understand these underlying principles, these forces which so easily overwhelmed him in his ignorance; has recognized that by obedience to their fundamental laws he is able to harness them to do his bidding. His erstwhile masters, his quasi enemies, have become his eager servants, his beneficent allies.
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Addenda and Correction
To err is human and no matter how hard we try to state the facts, errors slip in. If you will refer to the biographical text of Brother Sherwood Vincent West lake, M.P.S., (page 9. column 1, February, 1951, issue of "The Philalethes"), third paragraph, seventh line, it should have read: "In 1920 he removed to Newark, New Jersey, and became associated with the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, where he attained the position of Relay Supervisor. He then became associated with the Public Service Production Company in 1922, where he attained the position of Construction Progress Engineer before the Great Depression caused his lay-off in 1930. For the past thirteen years he has been connected with the Public Service Electric & Gas Company endeavoring to utilize his previous Engineering experience and Accounting experience, obtained while on the road as a traveling Auditor with the Warner Brothers Circuit Management Corporation during depression years."
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We regret the error and omission. - The Editor.
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Ideas are like rivets. They should be driven home and clinched while hot.
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"There is a destiny that makes us brothers; none goes his way alone."
N.W.J. Haydon, F.P.S.
Brother Haydon, born at Newton Abbott (Devonshire), England, October 1, 1871, died at his home in Toronto, Canada, December 12, 1950. Funeral Services were conducted at the Trull Mortuary, Wor. Brother R. J. A. Young, the Master of Riverdale Lodge No. 494, G.R.C., officiating. Theosophical Service was conducted by Mr. G. l. Kinman, President of the Toronto Lodge. The Committal Service was conducted December 14 at the Crematorium in the Chapel of St. James the Less and read by Mr. D. W. Barr. He is survived by his wife, Ann Haydon, and one daughter, Mrs. Florence Cheshire, Fraserville.
Our Brother was active in Masonic circles and served for some years as librarian for the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario. He saw Masonic Light in Wm. North Lodge, A.F. & A.M., Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1896. Arriving in Toronto in 1901, he affiliated with Riverdale Lodge No. 494, A.F. & A.M., G.R.C., in 1910. In 1920 he became an Associate Member of Lodge Quatuor Coronoti and served as the Provincial Secretary for Ontario. The same year he was active in the formation of the Toronto Society for Masonic Research, of which he became Secretary-Treasurer. He was exalted in St. Alban's Chapter, R.A.M., in 1921, and in 1940 affiliated with University Chapter, R.A.M. He was elected as one of the original forty Fellows (19) of The Philalethes Society in 1928.
* * *
James S. Gay Jr. M.P.S.
Brother James S. Gay, Jr., one of the most prominent of Portland (Oregon) Freemasons, born February 19, 1886, at Briggsville, Wisconsin, succumbed May 25, 1950, to a heart attack in Cleveland, Ohio, where he attended a convention of the National Sojourners.
Our Brother saw the Light of Masonry in Sea & Field Lodge No. 1, F. & A.M., New York City, December 29, 1917. He came to Portland, Oregon, in 1919, and became active in Masonry. He served as the Master of Sunnyside Lodge No. 163, A.F. & A.M., in 1934; as a Patron of Sunnyside Chapter No. 128, O.E.S., in 1929, and took a lively interest In the activities of The A. & A. Scottish Rite; Sunnyside Royal Arch Chapter; Washington Council, Royal & Select Masters; Order of the Eastern Star, and Al Kader Shrine Temple. He helped to form the Sunnyside Temple Association in 1925 and served as Secretary until 1947 when he was elected Trustee.
Brother Gay had long been active in the military forces and had risen to the rank of Brigadier General. He was a veteran of Oregon's 41st Division and served overseas in World War I and in continental United States in World War II as Inspector General of the 41st Division. He was an attorney by profession.
Brother Gay was elected to membership in The Philalethes Society on September 15, 1947, upon the recommendation of Brother Elbert Bede, F.P.S.
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Our overseas Brethren find it difficult to evaluate our Masonic actions viewed in the light of the Constitutions that was handed to them in 1725, which they consider to be the very basis for the Universality of Masonry. One of the original forty Fellows of The Philalethes Society, that eminent Mason and occulist, Brother Oswald Wirth, has written a book on this topic: "Who Is Regular?," tending to prove that we, the so-called "orthodox" Masons, are not living up to the principles evolved by James Anderson, whereas they, the supposed "unorthodox" were doing so. This book is a masterpiece of logical deduction and, through the good offices of Brother Marius Lepage, F.P.S., the former secretary of the late Oswald Wirth, we have obtained from his daughter permission to translate and publish an English version of Brother Wirth's work. It will appear in installments in forthcoming issues of "The Philalethes."
England. - The September, 1960, Quarterly Communication of the United Grand Lodge of England was opened by the Assistant Grand Master, Brig. Gen. W.H.V. Darell, at Freemasons' Hall in London. A large number of Past Grand Officers were in attendance. It was announced that 32 new Lodges had been warranted since the last Quarterly Communication, the number of the last Lodge being 7029.
The Philippines. - The first Circular of Manila Chapter, U.D., Royal Arch Masons of the Philippines, has been issued. The Petition for Dispensation that was sent to the General Grand Chapter of R.A.M. of the United States of America was signed by 23 Companions, five of them being P.G.M.'s of the Grand Lodge F. & A. M. of the Philippines.
Colombia. - There are five Grand Lodges in the Republic of Colombia located at Barranquilla, Cali, Bogota, Cartagena, and Cucuta. All are doing well. The present government of Colombia has not issued any decree or put a ban on Freemasonry in any way, but the country as a whole is disturbed, and Masons are doing their utmost to quiet that disturbance. The Masonic Temple at Bogota has not been damaged and while there is no prohibition against Masonic meetings, the Masons have not been meeting in the Masonic Temples, lest it excite some fanatics. Therefore, they are holding meetings at the homes of the members of the Craft, sometimes at the home of one, and other times at the home of another, depending upon the efficacy of the situation.
Eastern Archipelago. - The Library Committee of the District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Archipelago, under the Grand Lodge of Scotland, is charged with the duty of publishing "The Pentagram," which is the official gazette of that body. Volume 23, (1950), contains a discussion of "Aims and Relationships of the Craft." This is a statement agreed upon in August, 1938, by the Grand Lodges of England, Ireland, and Scotland, a statement identical in terms except that the name of the issuing Grand Lodge appeared throughout. The District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Archipelago covers a wide territory, especially in the case of the District of the Middle East, which comprises Malaya, Sumatra, North Borneo and Indonesia. The points where the lodges meet are accessible by air. Present conditions have disturbed the situation in Malaya and Indonesia, yet some of the members attend meetings although it means a trip of 50 miles through bandit-infested areas. C.E.H.