August-September,1951
Contents
MASONIC MISINFORMATION VESTIGES OF EARLY DAYS
A CHALLENGE - ARE YOU A MASON THE PHILALETHES SOCIETY NEWS
The Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences An Acknowledgment
A MATTER OF CONSCIENCE THE NORTH - EAST CORNER
FRANK HERMAN REINSCH, M.P.S. MASONIC COURTESY
By Alphonse Cerza, M.P.S., Chicago, Illinois
READING of Masonic publications discloses that too many are being produced by the use of a pair of scissors and a paste jar. Too often the reproduction is done without much thought because some of the material is incorrect and should not have been published in the first place. Publishers of Masonic periodicals can, with some justification, complain that the Craft does not give adequate support to its authors and publishers, but this is a rather weak excuse for the prevalent sloppy habit of blindly copying the errors of well-meaning scribes.
Let us examine some of the Masonic misinformation that has been making the rounds.
The Cathedral Builders
In the year 1899 Leader Scott (the pen name of Mrs. Webster) published her book "Cathedral Builders, the Story of a Great Masonic Guild." This was followed, in 1910, by W. Ravenscroft's "Comacines, the Predecessors and their Successors." (Reproduced in the "Little Masonic Library.") The theory of these two books, and others adhering to this view, is that when the Roman Collegia of Artificers was abolished a group of workmen retired to the island of Como; there to preserve their technical skill and in the ensuing years to build the Cathedrals of Europe; and that they preserved their organization as operative and speculative Masons so as to become the link between the Roman Collegia and Modern Freemasonry.
This theory was accepted and popularized by the late Joseph Fort Newton in "The Builders" (p.86 et seq.) and it is found in Masonic periodicals occasionally. The so-called link, however, is really missing. (See: Darrah, The Evolution of Freemasonry, p.76).
In Volume 3 of Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry (compiled by Harry L. Haywood, F.P.S.) the matter is examined critically and is discarded with the following significant language (p.1191):
"One of the extraordinary features of this Masonry-wide presentation and of the almost enthusiastic popularizing of it was the failure of both proponents of the argument and of the popularizers of it to see that they were asking the Fraternity to abandon wholly, and at one stroke, the great structure of Masonic history which had been built up slowly and laboriously from 1870 to 1920 by some two hundred or so of the most learned scholars the Craft had had or possibly ever can have."
The theory of the Cathedral Builders is a mere myth and should not be perpetuated by continuous repetition.
The "Schism" of 1751
In the year 1751 there was formed in London the "Antient Grand Lodge of England." Gould in his "Concise History of Freemasonry" (Chap. 7) and in his Atholl Lodges" calls this a "Schism." Emanuel Rebold in "A General History of Freemasonry" (1870 ed, pp 102-104) also calls this movement a "Schism." To the same effect is Newton's "The Builders" (pp 213, 216) . And from time to time one reads in Masonic periodicals about this period of history as a "Schism." This term means "a break" or "a withdrawal" and when used in this connection is intended to mean that there was a revolt by discontented members within the Craft and that they "withdrew" from the 1717 Grand Lodge and formed a new Grand Lodge This is not what opened, however.
In the year 1887 Henry Sadler published his "Masonic Facts and Fictions" in which he demonstrated from available evidence examined by him that the Antient Grand lodge was formed in London by Irish Freemasons. lt appears that Freemasonry had been a popular institution in Ireland for many years and that visiting lrish Masons had difficulty visiting Lodges in London. It also appears that those who sought to demit from their Irish Lodges to the London Lodges were not accepted unless they were "gentlemen." This snobbish attitude together with the laxity in managing the Craft by the 1717 Grand Lodge, the changes made in the ritual, and the general distrust among the visitors caused them to form the new Grand Lodge. While it may he true that some members abandoned their membership in the 1717 Grand Lodge to join the Antients, in the main those who started the new Grand Lodge were not connected in any way with this 1717 Grand Lodge.
In spite of the proof shown by Brother Sadler many refused to change their views. Gould notably continued to call the new Grand Lodge a "Schismatic group" and he had many followers. Gould’s 1920 Revised Edition of the "Concise History of Freemasonry" was corrected in this regard by Brother Fred J. M. Crowe; but the large edition (Scribner’s, 1936) does not correct the matter, (volume 2, p. 145) and calls the Antients a "Schismatic body."
It is generally accepted today, however, that the Antient Grand Lodge was not a Schismatic body (See: Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry 1929 ed., Vol. 3, pp. 1159-1164).
The "Rhode Island Story of 1658"
In the year 1853 the Rev. F. Peterson in his "History of Rhode Island and Newport in the Past" (p. 101) stated:
"In the spring of 1658, Mordecai Campannall, Moses Packeckoe, Levi and others, in all fifteen families, arrived at Newport from Holland. They brought with them the three first degrees of Masonry, and worked them in the house of Campannall; and continued to do so, they and their successors, to the end of 1742."
This was repeated try Brother James L. Gould in his "Guide to the Royal Arch Chapter" (p.34), in the year 1868. The matter was investigated by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in 1870; special inquiry was made of N. H. Gould, who was supposed to have had the documents in support of the above quotation. But he was unable to produce the documents or give a satisfactory explanation. As a consequence, the information cannot be accepted as true.
The existence of a Masonic Lodge in Rhode Island in 1658 is not supported by any credible evidence. (See: Melvin M. Johnson, "Beginnings of Freemasonry in America", pp. 44-47; and Hugo Tatsch, "Freemasonry in the Thirteen Colonies". p. 6).
John Moore
In the year 1890 Stillson & Hughan, in their "History of Freemasonry and Concordant Orders", stated (pp. 218-219):
"In 1680 there came to South Carolina one John Moore, a native of England, who before the close of the century removed to Philadelphia, and in 1703 was commissioned by the King as Collector of the Port. In a letter written by him in 1715, he mentions having 'spent a few evenings in festivity with my Masonic brethren.' This is the earliest mention we have of there being any members of the Craft residing in Pennsylvania or elsewhere."
A footnote said that the letter was in the possession of Horace W. Smith, of Philadelphia.
The above information was repeated by Joseph Fort Newton in "The Builders" (p. 206); and from time to time is repeated in Masonic periodicals.
An investigation of the matter by a number of Masonic scholars has disclosed that there never was such a letter. Brother Melvin M. Johnson, in "The Beginnings of Freemasonry in America," has this to say (p. 50):
"This letter, however, never existed. Careful inquiry discloses repeated but unsuccessful attempts by the acquaintances of Mr. Smith to see the letter. If he ever had such a letter he could have produced it or accounted for its absence, but he never did so. No one among his contemporaries or among those having had the best opportunity to talk with him and see the document if it ever existed can be found who believes there ever was such a letter."
And the late J. Hugo Tatsch, F.P.S., in "Freemasonry in the Thirteen Colonies" says (p. 8):
"Investigation by Brother Julius F. Sachse, for many years Librarian and Curator of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, failed to bring results. This letter was never found, even though it was said to be in the possession of one Horace W. Smith of Philadelphia. Therefore, this account must also be regarded as unreliable."
There can be only one conclusion, that there never was any such letter.
The Declaration of Independence and Its Signers
An examination of the Declaration of Independence discloses that fifty-six persons signed it. Various statements have been made relative to the affiliation of these signers. One author has said that "it is . . . safe to say that upwards of fifty signers were Masons." (M. C. Peters, "Masons as Makers of America", 1921 ed., p. 16). Another author states that only seven were known to be Masons, but then said "it has been said that, with four men out of the room, the assembly could have opened in due form as a Masonic Lodge, on the Third Degree." (Newton, "The Builders", p. 225).
Brother William J. Paterson, M.P.S., Librarian and Curator of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, has made a study of the matter and reports that eight members were known to have been Masons because of available lodge records and that ten might be considered Masons by virtue of certain activities in which they were known to have taken part. (See: "The Philalethes," issue of July, 1950, p. 2).
Philip A. Roth, in "Masonry in the Formation of Our Government" (1927), gives us a short biography of most of the signers; from this it appears that nine signers were definitely Masons because of lodge records, that ten were possibly members because of indirect information, and that we have no information about the others.
D. D. Darrah, in his "Evolution of Freemasonry" (pp. 379-380), states that an investigation of the matter in 1908 by J. C. Smith disclosed that only six signers were Masons; that a later investigation by George W. Baird, P.M.. caused the addition of three more names to the list of those who were members of the Craft. Darrah observed that in the case of "Joseph Bartlett," "Stephen Hopkins," and "Oliver Wolcott," the signers of the famous document, were not the same persons who were active Masons in Massachusetts. Rhode Island, and Connecticut, respectively; and that this explains part of the confusion in the various totals.
At this time it would appear from available records that most of the signers of this document were not Masons.
George Washington's Generals
Occasionally one reads the extravagant claim that "All of Washington's Brigadier Generals were Masons except Stephen Moylan," (M. C. Peters, Masons as Makers of America" (1917), re-edited in 1921, p. 34), or that "of his twenty-nine Major Generals twenty were Masons." (Ibid, p. 19). Sometimes the statement is modified to read that "nearly all of his Generals were Masons" (Newton, "The Builders" p. 225), but Darrah, in "The Evolution of Freemasonry" (p. 382), classifies all these statements as myths.
While many of Washington's Generals were Masons the exact number has never been ascertained. It therefore behooves us to refrain from making broad general statements of a sweeping nature. Would it not be sufficient to say that Washington and some of his officers were Masons?
Was Thomas Jefferson a Mason?
This has been a controversial question for years. And, although there has never been any direct evidence of his having received the degrees, from time to time one finds Jefferson's name among the list of Presidents who were Masons. (Such as in "A Masonic Tribute, the Sesquicentennial of the Constitution of the United States of America".) In the year 1945, Brother J. Fairbairn Smith, F.P.S., in his booklet "Masonic Presidents of the United States of America" stated:
"Jefferson was, during his lifetime, an active Mason, but the lodge or lodges in which he received the degrees of Masonry have long since ceased to exist and their records lost."
In support of this statement Brother Smith said that the late Brother William M. Boyden. Librarian of the A.A. Scottish Rite Supreme Council Library, S.J., collected the evidence and reported the same in an article in the "New Age" for October, 1942. This is a brief summary of the evidence set forth: Jefferson was present at the laying of a corner stone in 1817 and his name was placed on the minutes of the Lodge; his name was coupled in a Masonic toast at a St. John celebration; he was accused of being a Mason at an anti-Masonic meeting in 1829; twenty-nine different times his name was mentioned as a Mason in Masonic publications, and he was inferentially designated as a Mason at the dedication of the Boston Masonic Temple in 1832. One will observe that, unlike the case of LaFayette, there is no evidence of Jefferson visiting Lodges.
Brother Harry L. Haywood, F.P.S., after carefully considering the matter in his scholarly book "Famous Masons and Masonic Presidents" (1944), expresses the view (p. 303) that Jefferson was not a Mason because of the following: (1) no positive evidence has been found, (2) he was never a "joiner", (3) he expressed disapproval of clubs, societies, and fraternities, and (4) he entertained a belief that when one joined an organization he gave up part of his freedom.
The conclusion on this subject is that we cannot say with any degree of certainty that Jefferson was a Mason; on the contrary, it would appear that he was not a Mason.
Was John Wesley a Mason?
Occasionally one reads in a Masonic periodical that John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was made a Mason in a Lodge at Downpatrick, Ireland. The matter was examined by Brother W. J. Chetwode Crawled and the result was published in Ars Quatuor Coronatorum (Vol. 15, 1902), with this conclusion:
"Reviewing the circumstances of the supposed initiation of the Reverend John Wesley in the Lodge at Downpatrick, we are driven to the conclusion that the idea is altogether illusory, and based on a palpable confusion of identity."
(See: Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, 1929 ed., Vol. 2, p. 1101; Iowa Grand Lodge Bulletin, January, 1950, p. 401).
There can be no question that the "John Wesley" who was made a Mason at Downpatrick, Ireland was not the same John Wesley who founded Methodism.
This item of misinformation is a good illustration of how an erroneous statement can be passed on from periodical to periodical. The statement regarding John Wesley was printed in the Texas Grand Lodge Magazine (May, 1950, p. 185) with the statement that it was copied from Masonic Historiology. It was repeated in the same magazine in March, 1951 (p. 114) and repeated in Masonic Historiology on May 10, 1951 (p. 111). This misstatement was also set forth in Masonic Light, of Montreal, Canada, in its March, 1951 issue (p. 460), and in The Royal Arch Mason, June 1951 (p 319).
Miscellaneous Items
It is natural that slight errors will occur in the presentation of facts. Some of these mistakes may not be important enough to mention, but merely illustrate the point that in reproducing items even from a well-known Craft paper care should be taken not to perpetuate errors.
In Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, 1929 ed., Vol. 3, p. 1285, a reference is made to a shorter paper by Arthur H. "Day"; as a matter of fact, it was written by Arthur H. "Hay". In Volume 2 of the same work (p. 1108), in discussing the subject of the "winding stairs", it is said: "The Prestonian lectures, used in England in the beginning of the nineteenth century, gave the whole number as thirty-eight, dividing them into series of one, three, five, seven, nine and eleven." If you will add the series of steps you will find that they do not total thirty-eight!
In a recent issue of the "New Age" (April, 1950, p. 228), the entire last paragraph from Newton's "The Builders" was quoted and the name of J.D. Goulette was listed as the author; in a subsequent issue the same magazine called attention to the error. Nevertheless, one other periodical copied this entire "quote" with the wrong author's name.
Conclusion
Alexander Pope, in answer to his critic, once said: "To err is human, to forgive divine." Our purpose here has not been to criticism but to urge more care in reproducing materials. If there is doubt regarding the stated facts, let this be known. When expressing an opinion, let it just be that and nothing more. If from pressure of other duties editors are compelled to use a pair of scissors instead of a pen, let them do so with discretion and first examine the material they intend to copy; also failure to give proper credit to author or source is never excusable, yet there are several Craft periodicals in circulation guilty of this inadvertance.
Readers who may know of other items of misinformation or who disagree with the statements made herein are cordially invited to bring their views to the attention of this author or the editors of Philalethes.
----o----
"We can get justice and right dealing, only if we put as of paramount importance the principle of treating a man on his worth as a man, rather than with reference to his social position, his occupation, or the class to which he belongs. We judge a man by his conduct, that is by his character, and not by his wealth or intellect. It is the man's moral quality, his attitude toward the great questions which concern all humanity, his cleanliness of life, his power to do his duty toward himself and toward others, which really count. The noblest of all forms of government, but it is the most difficult."
- Theodore Roosevelt
----o----
Let the Mason who talks about the point within the circle call to mind then, that every movement, whether for good or evil, which affects mankind starts from a common center and spreads outwardly. Let a great wrong threaten the land or a calamity befall a neighborhood. Some leader sees it early and from him starts a great magnetic wave of patriotism or charity, which may sweep through minds all over the country, - aye and the world! These things being so, there must be one great cause eternal from whom all things flow. - Richard C. Wright, in "Indian Masonry."
----o----
By the late Lionel Vibert, F.P.S., London, England
IN MANY of our Cathedrals and Abbeys still standing amid much which is of later and more skilfull work, there may often appear piers or arches of an earlier date. Even in cases where buildings seem to be completely of one definite style, the base of a pillar or a walled-up archway in some corner of a cloister provides unmistakable evidence of the former existence, on the same site, of an earlier edifice. Even when nothing more than a fragment of sculpture built in, in apparently haphazard fashion, appears in a wall of later date, it is definite proof that there was at one time in the neighborhood, if not on the actual site, a building of the period determined by that classic stone. And it may be our only evidence of the existence of the earlier building, demolished to make way for the later.
And so it is in our Craft!
We find today in our Masonic Ritual, and among our customs, fragments preserved which link us to a Past, beyond the days of Grand Lodge and even of any historical record. To consider some of them is to leave the safe, but possibly dull realms of historical fact and to venture into those of speculation, while, at the same time, remembering that they are unsubstantial and avoiding any attempt to build on them, as on solid masonry. For we have to realize that fragments of our ritual, now of our very essence, may have been imported at a comparatively later date and may not be survivals but deliberate introductions from some other source.
Let us, then, consider some of the main points of our history. In what we usually term the 'Dark Ages' the only body which kept alive the art of building in Western Europe was the Church, and the earliest architecture was what is known as Romanesque. It was a style which did not require a great deal of technical knowledge, because the monks were their own architects. The principle concerned the semicircular arch and accordingly any ground plan not based on square units landed its architect into great difficulties when it came to vaulting.
Then followed a great development due to the epoch-making discovery of utilizing the pointed arch, hitherto used only as an ornament, as a weight-carrying, structural feature. At once all difficulties of ground plan, elevation and vault section were solved and the style, now known as the 'Gothic', came into existence. Therefore, and this is of import, what had been little more than unskilled work became a highly technical science, constantly increasing in difficulty and confronted with new structural problems. The Gothic architecture now became the business of a Gild and its monopoly, and everywhere this Gild developed its organization on distinct and independent lines. In England was developed Freemasonry, involving Lodges wherever work was in progress, and rules for the control of traveling brethren, as well as a practice of periodical meetings of all the Masters in each area. The Craft took a step which had a profound influence on its history; by admitting to its Lodges persons with a theoretical knowledge of geometry who wished to study its practical application as carried out by the builders. The subsequent history of Freemasonry shows the gradual development of its symbolism, the ritual, and moral teachings at the hands of these "Speculatives," until, the art itself having been lost, at the time of James I, the Lodges persisted because they were promulgating a system of 'morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols,' or what we now know as Freemasonry. And the practice of building as a profession has entirely ceased.
What examples can we point to as having been brought forward from the Gild period? The Lodge was essentially a workroom, with its chief function of providing shelter and good working light. Both of these objectives were attained by starting the work in the North East corner. The North and East walls gave the required shelter, and the shed erected against them would be open along the South so as to give the best working light for the Masons. This shed was from the very beginning called the Lodge, strictly tiled with members of the Fraternity to be admitted exclusively. Work in the Lodge began at sunrise and ended at sunset. At present the Master in the East informs us that he is there to mark the rising sun and employ the brethren. The Senior Warden tells us that he is to mark the setting sun and close the Lodge. Too, it is a part of his duty to observe that every Brother has had his due. This is a clear survival from the period when the brethren in the Lodge were largely getting daily or weekly wages, and some would actually be on piece-work. It would be the duty of the official in charge at the close of each work-day to see that all work was duly credited to the right brother, all piece-work duly paid for, and daily wages distributed.
Work ceased some time between midday (noon) and three p.m., the canonical hour of Nones. In winter they rested for one hour, and in summer for two hours. The Junior Warden of today has the duty of marking the sun at its meridian, to call the brethren from Labor to refreshment and back to labor again. These three officers represent officials who carried out very important duties in the Lodge workrooms of the builders of Gothic architecture.
We now turn to our rule not to solicit men to become Masons. There is really no valid reason why we should not adopt a proselytizing attitude, and perhaps there is a certain amount of it. But in the days of the Gild admission was a strictly guarded privilege, and the last thing the members would dream of doing would be to go out of their way to admit into their circles and their very closely guarded monopoly, working men who had not some valid claim on them, and such a motion by one of their number would naturally be viewed with a great deal of disfavor.
The current injunction that the apprentice must be perfect of limb is a relic of times when the Gild had no desire of admitting to membership anyone who was not physically fit for the work expected of him. It is important to remember that, while the work of the master-builder and designer was highly skilled, the work of those engaged on towers or flying buttresses with primitive equipment, was very dangerous and required that every man should know his job, and have the nerve and strength it needed.
Another injunction required the apprentice to respect the women-folk of the master or fellows in whose house he usually lived. It does not in any sense imply a duty within the Craft which might be ignored outside of it. It simply is an indication of the manner in which our system was developed.
"Visiting," as such, was unknown in all other Craft Gilds and every person following the trade in the town was a member, and the workmen were not in the habit of leaving their native town. But this was entirely different among the fraternity of Freemasons; it having been one of the regular incidents of a Lodge that its members receive strange brethren, in which respect the most precise rules were adopted. These strangers were to be tested; if found able to be employed, or, if no work was offered, to be refreshed and helped on their way to the next Lodge. In this manner the Lodges throughout the country were kept in touch with every new development in the science. Our present practice which encourages visits between Lodges in every Masonic jurisdiction is one more old stone in the structure.
Two additional vestiges from olden times may be found, though no concrete proof may be forthcoming. Yet the Orders of the Golden Fleece and the Roman Eagle can point to a medieval rather than to a classical origin. The former was founded at Bruges in 1429, by Philip of Burgundy, in recognition of the enormous wealth brought into Flanders by the trade in wool. The carrying trade of all Western Europe in those days was in the hands of the Hanseatic League, with its headquarters at Lubeck. Its seal was the arms of that City, which, at that period was the Roman Eagle. The Craft, even in those days, had well-established traditions of its own immense antiquity, and might well instruct its apprentices that its simple body was a cognizance more ancient than that of any other Gild in Europe.
In olden days, free men attended their assemblies fully armed. Each signified assent to the proceedings by striking his weapon upon his shield, so making a continuous din. Our own practice is therefore a survival of old custom, handed down and unconsciously preserved. At any rate, it is a practice which is unique.
----o----
A CHALLENGE - ARE YOU A MASON ?
The man who does with all his might
That which he feels he should,
Who only questions "Is it right?"
Not "Will it do me good?" . . .
That man's a Mason, and I pray
That at the Master's call,
A conscience clear will let me say,
"I AM", with Craftsmen all.
John Ward Woodward, P.M.
----o----
New Members
George T. Ballard; Union, Oregon (Recommended by Elbert Bede, F.P.S.)
G. Winston Coleman Jr.; Lexington, Kentucky (Recommended by Gilbert Kinmonth, M.P.S.)
Gilbert Kinmonth; Winchester, Kentucky (Recommended by Wylie B. Wendt, M.P.S.)
Charles L. Roblee; Lockport, Illinois (Recommended by Milton T. Sonntag, M.P.S.)
* * *
The Philalethes - August-September, 1951; Volume 6, Number 6, - Walter A. Quincke, F.P.S., Editor; Harold H. Kinney, M.P.S., Associate Editor. Copyright 1951, by The Philalethes Society, 274 South Burlington Avenue, Los Angeles 4, California. 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, please give the old as well as the new addresses, including your postal zone number, if you have such. Annual subscription, in the United States of America, $3.00; elsewhere, $4.00, payable in advance. - "The Philalethes" is the official publication of The Philalethes Society, formed solely by independent thinkers. All articles appearing in its columns express the ideas and opinions of their contributors only, and in no way need they express the opinion of the Society. All communications should be addressed to the Society.
* * *
Books and Pamphlets Received
"Freemasonry in Virginia," by William Mosely Brown, F.P.S., "a panoramic picture of Masonry in Virginia and the famous names associated for two centuries with the progress of the Craft." A gift to The Philalethes Society Library from the author.
"History of George Lodge No. 32, A.F. & A.M." (Virginia) by William Mosely Brown, F.P.S., and a gift by the author to the Library of The Philalethes Society.
"1950 Templar Reviews" prepared by William Mosely Brown, F.P.S., for the Grand Commandery of Virginia. A gift by the reviewer to the Library of The Philalethes Society.
"History of Lexington Lodge No. 1, F. & A.M.", Lexington, Kentucky, by J. Winston Coleman Jr., M.P.S., a gift to the Library of The Philalethes Society from Gilbert Kinmonth, M.P.S.
"Famous American Cornerstones," Short Talk Bulletin, The Masonic Service Association, Washington 1, D.C.
"Cathedrals and Masonry," A Short Talk Bulletin, published by The Masonic Service Association, Washington 1, D.C.
"17th Annual List, The World's Oldest Living Freemasons," compiled by Harold V. B. Voorhis, F.P.S., and published by The Masonic Service Association. Washington 1. D.C.
----o----
The Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences
By Frederick Thomas Parker, M.P.S., Montreal Quebec, Canada
ARlTMETlC
THE SCIENCE of arithmetic, too, is a language. Ordinary language describes the sort of things, but mathematics describe the sizes of things. For anything like a complete description of external reality both types of language, words and mathematics, are essential or else me cannot express with clarity the nature of things that exist. Logic is common to both, and, indeed, underlies all thought.
The word "arithmetic" is an adaptation of the Greek word "number", but some early conception of this science of computing numbers must have been coeval with the dawn of human intelligence.
Indeed, just as long as the mind of man remains as it is, we cannot conceive of there being a time when the laws of arithmetic did not operate nor a time when they will cease to maintain. Two added to two have always given, and always must result in that which we represent by the sign or word "four".
The history of this method of representing reality by means of numerals is indeed interesting. The earliest arithmetical signs appear to have been hieroglyphics. The Egyptians used successive strokes for the numbers required, the ten being an open circle, the hundred a curled palm leaf, the thousand a lotus flower, ten thousand a bent finger. The Chaldeans, Hebrews, and Greeks used the letters of the alphabet and points, and the Romans used a combination of strokes and letters, compounded by additions and subtractions. These various systems were cumbersome and it was not until the introduction into Europe of the Arabic or Indian numerals, and of decimals, that numbers reaching into infinity could be expressed.
The science of arithmetic is of particular interest to Masons, not so much,
(a) because of its history, or that
(b) it is linked with all mathematical sciences, that
(c) it is essential to the proper pursuit of our daily avocations, and enters somehow into so many aspects of our normal lives, or even
(d) that the doctrine of the supernatural efficacy of numbers formed the fundamental idea of the philosophy of "our ancient friend and brother Pythagoras:
but rather, it is of particular interest to us as:
(e) while all numbers are symbolic, some numbers symbolize things that are sacred to Masonry, and,
(f) also as the four cardinal principles of arithmetic constantly remind the Mason that he is: continuously to add to his knowledge; never to subtract anything from the character of his neighbor:
to multiply his benevolence to his fellow creatures; and,
to divide his means with a suffering brother.
* * *
GEOMETRY
Geometry is also a department of this language, and 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 Egyptians knew the rules for 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 Second Degree lecture is not so much the properties of space, or 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 ace 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! 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 each 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. These 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.
----o----
Our beloved President, Walter A. Quincke, after one stay in the hospital of about a month's duration returned home seemingly improved. However it again became necessary for him to return to the hospital, where he is now waging a gallant fight to overcome an illness that coupled with his efforts in behalf of our Society had reduced his vitality and energy to a low ebb.
Everything possible of a material and scientific nature is being done to help him. One feels at the same time that the spiritual vision he possesses, that comes from habitual companionship with inspiring ideals, coupled with his unfailing sense of humor have contributed to his stubborn resistance and his tenacious grip on life. Recently he has shown a marked improvement in strength and spirit.
Brother Walter will undoubtedly face a protracted period of recovery after leaving the hospital. He and Mrs. Quincke wish to express their gratitude for the hundreds of messages and expressions of sympathy that were received from friends here and abroad. To acknowledge them all would be impossible under present conditions. May this therefore serve as a general acknowledgment, and a personal "Thank You" to each of you.
H.H.K.
----o----
By Gabriel Ruscitti, M.P.S.
Berkeley, California
IN ORDER to properly evaluate the validity of our claim to being a Master Mason we must be honest with ourselves. If we are honest with ourselves, we must concede that the true index to any man's real self are his inner motives. Here lies the only accurate measure stick of character and not any tangible credential that may be attached us.
Our ritual clearly indicates its purpose. It seeks to teach, and thereby mold our thinking and actions into faithful expressions of man's highest ideals. Consequently, we should be aware of what constitutes a good Masonic character.
Of even greater importance, we were permitted to take the initial steps into the Fraternity because we professed belief in God. In His name and on the Holy Book we solemnly accepted a binding obligation. Only an atheist could conceivably dismiss this obligation lightly, and if one be such, he never was, or ever could be a Master Mason, although his name has by means of deception found its way into the rolls of the Symbolic Lodge.
Since every man knows why he continues in the Fraternity as a member in good standing, or wears a Masonic pin or ring for the world to observe and thereby note his connection with the Fraternity, he, and he alone, is qualified to properly evaluate his claim to the honorable title of Master Mason. It is a matter of conscience - his conscience. He knows what the Masonic requirements are and whether or not he is complying with the provisions of his moral agreement with the Fraternity, and more specifically, whether he ever intends to.
It is common knowledge that while we may be able to deceive others, either deliberately or unintentionally, we cannot fool ourselves. Our conscience won't permit it, and there is the rub. It never tries to deceive us nor does it ever spare us.
Are you, am I, a Master Mason? Our friends, the members of our Lodge, yes, even the world may be made to accept our claim to the title as valid, but, what does our conscience have to say about it? Does its answer make us ashamed or does it encourage us?
----o----
Among the Iroquois and the Algonquins it was held that man has two souls, one of vegetative character, which gives him bodily life and remains with the corpse after death until it is called to enter another body; another soul of more ethereal texture, which in life may depart from the body in sleep or trance, and wander over the world, and at death goes directly to the land of spirits. This is the doctrine of the Theosophists. It cannot be said that the Indian ever acquired these ideas from Theosophists or was brought in contact with them so he would absorb them. He certainly put them forth from himself alone and it adds another argument in favor of the position that mind is but a single essence spread over the world. - Robert C. Wright, in "Indian Masonry".
----o----
By the late Charles C. Hunt, F.P.S., Cedar Rapids, lowa
A STATEMENT often heard by a Mason is that in operative Masonry the first stone of a building is usually placed in the northeast corner, and from that fact an impressive lesson is taught, but the reason for placing the first stone in that corner is not given.
When a public building is to be erected, a stone, usually larger and more elaborate than the other stones of the building, is called the corner stone, and it also is usually placed in the north-east corner, although it should be the most prominent corner, regardless of its location. This stone is usually laid with impressive ceremonies, and it is customary to request a Masonic Grand Lodge to take charge of these ceremonies, but no reference is made in these ceremonies to a particular corner, and again the question arises, "Whence came the general impression that this stone should be in the north-east corner?"
As a matter of fact, this particular stone is not always placed in that corner, and yet, symbolically, the location of that stone in the building is the northeast corner. In the lodge room we call the Master's station "the East" regardless of its real position, and there is a reason for so naming it. In a similar way the location of the corner stone is symbolically in the north-east corner. Why?
In seeking an answer to this question we must examine traditions which have come down to us from the dim and distant past.
An ancient Ritual states that the form of a Mason's lodge is an oblong square in length from east to west and in breadth from north to south, and as such it is a symbol of the world. This is also the form of a map of the primitive world. At the time of the building of King Solomon’s Temple the people, generally believed the world was flat and in the form of a rectangle. Only a few of the learned priests knew that the earth was round, and they kept their knowledge a profound secret which they revealed only to the initiated. The traditional belief was that civilization arose in the north-east corner of this "oblong square" known as the world, and from this corner civilized people spread over the then known world. Therefore, to them, the north-east corner, as the place where the light of civilization first dawned, was sacred, and the proper place to set the first stone of a temple erected to the worship of God.
Another tradition comes from Egypt, where some astronomers taught that the world was created when the sun rose in Leo. This was in the north-east. They therefore believed that the first stone of a temple erected to the Creator and dedicated to His worship should be laid in the north-east corner.
The belief that the corner stone of the world was laid in the morning is illustrated by the following quotation from Job 38: 4-7:
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou has understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof; if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner-stone thereof: When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Building operations require good light to properly lay the stones. With our electric lights we can make the night as light as day, but the ancients did not have that advantage. They must make the best use of the sunlight while it lasted. The stones in the corner had to be laid with great exactness, and, since in the civilized world of that day the sun rose in the north-east, that corner would be the natural place to begin. It was the only place where in the early morning the sun would shine on both the outer walls of the stone and permit accurate placing by sunlight.
The Bible tells us that Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in the second day of the second month. This would be the month we know as May, when the days are long. This is probably the reason Dr. Oliver said, "the Masonic days proper for laying the foundation-stone of a Masonic lodge are from the 15th April to 15th May." There was a legend among operative Masons that Solomon laid the corner stone at the north-east corner early in the morning, because that stone was proved square, level and plumb, true and trusty, and properly laid, he proceeded to the south-east corner where, about the middle of the forenoon, he laid the corner stone at that point. Then at the corresponding time in the afternoon he performed the same task at the south-west corner and ended the day by laying the corner stone of the northwest corner by the light of the setting sun. In each case the stone was laid at a time when the sun shone on both the outer sides of the stone.
Here the north-east corner represents the dawn of light into the soul. It is a symbol of a youth emerging from the darkness of ignorance into the light of knowledge. The south-east corner represents the time when the sun reaches its full power on the earth and symbolizes the youth graduating from school and entering upon the active duties of life. The south-west corner represents the time when the strength of the sun begins to fail and symbolizes the beginning of man's declining years and the failure of his mortal faculties. The north-west corner represents the setting sun and symbolizes the setting of the sun of man's mortal life.
Hence the east wall of the temple represents the rising sun a symbol of the acquisition of knowledge and growth in power. The south wall represents the sun in its full strength, a symbol of man in his prime. The west wall represents the setting sun, a symbol of man in his declining years. The north wall represents the darkness left by the departed sun, a symbol of two apparently contradictory truths, for from one end of this wall the sun has set, but it will rise again on another day from the other end of the same wall. Therefore, the north wall is a symbol of both birth and death. It is true that with the setting of his sun man lays down the working tools of his earthly life, but only to enter his eternal home where the sun of his spiritual life forever shines.
It will be noted that each of the corner stones traditionally laid by King Solomon represents a turning point in the life of a man; his emergence from darkness to light, his passing from the period of growth to maturity, from maturity to failing faculties, and finally his passage from this earthly life to his heavenly home.
Since the north-east corner represents the dawn of light, the Entered Apprentice is placed in that corner of the lodge room to receive his first instruction on which to build his moral and Masonic edifice, but he should not remain there. He should make the best use of the light that is offered him and go forward with his Masonic work. In some jurisdictions the Fellow Craft is placed in the south-east corner to denote his progress in Masonry, but I know of no jurisdiction where the symbolism of the other two corners is ritualistically developed. As a rule it is the lesson of the north-east corner only that is explained to the candidate. The lessons of the other corners must be learned by him for himself, just as in life after his school days a man must learn life's lessons by his own efforts.
Let us now summarize some of the lessons which the north-east corner teaches.
It will be noted that in all the traditions and legends about this corner it represents the course of the dawn, the place of beginning where the sun's rays first strike, and therefore it symbolizes the Entered Apprentice beginning his Masonic life.
The fact that in the northern hemisphere the sun rises in the north-east is probably the reason that in many lands from time immemorial the north-east has been symbolically considered the place of beginnings.
From the fact that, Masonically, the north is considered the place of darkness and the east the source of light, the north-east corner appropriately symbolizes the candidate emerging from darkness to light; he is turning the corner from the darkness of the north to the dawning light of the east. He is a beginner in Masonry. He has come out of the darkness of ignorance and is facing the east. He has received some light and is in search of more.
The north as the place of darkness, Masonically, represents the profane world, while the east as the source of light represents the lodge. The corner stone in the north-east corner has one side toward the north and the other toward the east. The candidate in that corner, therefore, represents one who has just emerged from the darkness of the north but has not wholly left it. Nevertheless, as Mackey says: "He is striving for light and truth; the pathway upon which he has entered toward the east." "He is not altogether a profane, nor altogether a Freemason." "He is an Apprentice, with some of the ignorance of the world cleaving to him and some of the light of the Order beaming upon him."
In some jurisdictions it is customary, while the candidate is standing in the north-east corner, for the Master to give him some advice and instruction in his own language in addition to that given him in the Ritual. Given at that time by a competent Master, such instruction is very effective. If given at all, however, it should be so expressed as to impress the candidate with the sincerity of Masonic friendship, the greatness of Masonic labor and the sublimity and grandeur of Masonic principles, and the candidate should be informed that it has now become his privilege to share in this friendship and his duty to take part in that labor and practice those principles. Only by so doing will he learn the lesson of the north-east corner. - (Grand Lodge of Iowa "Bulletin.")
----o----
Dr. Reinsch has been Professor of German at the University of California at Los Angeles since 1946. In December, 1950, he went to Ireland as exchange teacher in a University at Belfast, where he remained until June, 1951. He then went on a tour of Holland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, England, and Scotland, returning in time to continue his teaching at the University of California with the beginning of the fall semester.
Our Brother was born on August 4, 1885, at Schickley, Nebraska. He was a student in the public schools of Schickley until 1903 and then attended the State Normal School, Peru, Nebraska, from 1903 to 1906. In 1909 he received the B.A. degree and in 1912 the M.A. degree from the University of Nebraska. In 1920 the University of California awarded him the degree of Ph.D. He majored in German literature. His minors were Philology and Sanscrit.
His teaching career includes the following: Principal, High School, Chadron, Nebr., 1906-7; Teacher of German, Lincoln (Nebr.) High School, 1909-1913; Supervisor of German, Public Schools of Lincoln, 1913-1916; Vice Principal, Union High School, Paso Robles, Calif., 1920-1921; Professor of German, University of Redlands, Redlands, Calif., 1921-1924. Since 1924 he has been on the staff of the University of California at Los Angles, serving successively as Instructor in German, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and - since 1946 - as Professor of German.
Dr. Reinsch is a member of various professional and learned societies, such as Modern Language Association of America, National Federation of Modern Language Teachers (member of the Executive Committee, 1938-41), American Association of Teachers of German (President, 1937), American Association of University Professors, Philological Association of the Pacific Coast (President, 1946-1947), and Modern Language Association of Southern California (President, 1927-1929 and 1940-1942). He is currently Business Manager of Modern Language Forum. He is active in the Goethe Group of the Modern Language Association of America and served (1946-1949) as Western Division Chairman of the Goethe Bicentennial Committee.
He is a member of the following national honor fraternities: Delta Phi Alpha (President, 1940-1948), Alpha Mu Gamma, and Phi Delta Kappa. He serves as Faculty Advisor of the U.C.L.A. Chapters of Delta Phi Alpha and Alpha Mu Gamma and Chapter Adviser of the U.C.L.A. Chapter of the Acacia Fraternity. He is also a member of the Sponsoring Committees of Boyscout Ship, DeMolay, and Job's Daughters. His church affiliation is with the First Baptist Church of Hollywood, Calif.
Dr. Reinsch is the author and co-author of a number of published volumes and textbooks in his field as well as the author of various articles in professional journals.
In 1918 he enlisted in the armed forces of the United States and was honorably discharged in December of that year.
In Freemasonry, Brother Reinsch received the E.A. degree in Lancaster Lodge, No. 54, A.F. & A.M. Lincoln, Nebraska, on September 13, 1918; the F.C. degree in Berkeley Lodge, No. 363, F. & A.M., Berkeley, Calif., on September 9, 1919; and the M.M. degree in Berkeley Lodge on November 4, 1919. In February of 1920 he became a charter member of Liberal Arts Lodge, No. 677, F. & A.M., Los Angeles, and served as Worshipful Master of the Lodge in 1946. He is a member of Redlands Chapter, No. 77, R.A.M., of Hollywood Commandery, No. 56, K.T., and of the Los Angeles Bodies of the Scottish Rite, receiving the 32nd degree in 1947.
He has served as President of the Masonic Club, University of California at Los Angeles, and was a member of the Grand Lodge Committee for the Masonic Club House at the University. His Masonic writings include "Goethe as a Freemason" (in Masonic Digest, August, 1931), "Masonic Parallels in Goethe's Works" (in Masonic Digest, October, 1931), and "Goethe as a Freemason" (in Los Angeles Scottish Rite Bulletin, Vol. 32). He is active in the annual Public Schools Week Program carried on under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of California.
Brother Reinsch was elected to membership in The Philalethes Society on January 3, 1950, upon the recommendation of Reynold E. Blight, F.P.S. It is a pleasure to present his portrait on the cover page of this issue of "The Philalethes."
- Charles G. Reigner, F.P.S.
----o----
We are all free to be Masons, but there are many accepted Masons who are not Masons and never will be. They do not ask anything greater or higher than to be lip-serving ritualists, to mumble words they do not understand, and to give signs or tokens to prove nothing more than that they were accepted at the door and it was opened in the hope that they might in time see Masonic light. So they walked in, having been, most secretly, first prepared in their hearts to be made Shriners, and expecting to break their necks, if necessary, to get over the road to that which seems to be the loftiest pinnacle of Masonry, - the real thing! Alas, vain hope! It is most deeply to be regretted, but nevertheless true, for I have had the profane about to petition a lodge ask me, not how much they can learn of real Masonry, but "How soon can I get through?" No doubt many who read these lines have had the same experience. There is much of the ape in man. Yawn freely a few times as though naturally, and you can very easily cause several about you to do likewise and others will unconsciously have the desire to yawn, even though they check themselves. They do not know why they yawn; neither do many Masons know why they give signs and tokens; they do so like parrots. This is not Masonry. It is these very things which have encouraged the fierce criticism of those who oppose Masonry and who claim it is but an evil device to keep men from home and family. It is this which keeps Masonry from being seated as firmly as it should be in the high and honorable place which belongs to it before all mankind. - Robert C. Wright, in "Indian Masonry".
----o----
Words do well enough for programs; and for the frames of action; but fulfillment comes in deeds. We have indulged, as a people, a penchant for orators. But we have discovered that it is mostly the silent men who do things. The old story about using so much steam in a whistle that there is none left for the wheels is more than humor . . . it is philosophy.
----o----
"Courtesy" has been defined as "one medium of exchange which is accepted at par by the best people of every country on the globe."
The meaning of courtesy is "having refined or elegant manners; characterized by courtesy; affable; condescending; polite." Courtesy has a gracious charm and the man who is courteous is gentlemanly and polite under all circumstances.
Sympathy and understanding are among the finest qualities of soul a man can possess and therein lies the charm of courtesy. The courteous spirit is the very essence of Masonic teaching, and it is therefore not surprising that it should be one of the outstanding qualities required of a Brother on whom the Craft confers the highest honor within its power to bestow. It is not required of a Brother so privileged that he shall be wealthy or famous, but it is required of him that he shall be "exemplary in conduct" and courteous in manners.
Wealth, success, and high social status sometimes make men intolerant, utterly void of sympathy and kindly feeling, but these are not the qualities desired by Masonry. It claims that a Mason shall possess gentleness of manner, an unobtrusive sympathy and thoughtfulness for others . . . qualities that will help to smooth down any rough elements that may obtrude, soothe any vexations that may arise, and contribute in every possible way to the real happiness and success of an organization, Lodge, or Society of Masons.
Courtesy comes from the heart. It is real goodness of soul. It is not something expressed by a certain inflection of the voice or by an affected smile. It is the hall-mark of a gentleman, and a gentleman has been defined as "one who never inflicts pain." Courtesy goes a long way in softening the jars and healing the heartaches of the world. It leads the mind of the Craft to a deep and abiding appreciation of its essential unity, until Brethren come to feel that Freemasonry is a rock, wide enough to obliterate the meaner things of life, broad endeavor, and high enough to create within us a spiritual conception of "those immortal mansions whence all goodness emanates."
There is much in the spirit of courtesy that Brethren may do, but there are some things vastly more important than others. A Brother may build a mansion may spend enormous wealth in rearing its walls of marble and storing within it every element and adornment of beauty, but when the time comes for him to pass from this mortal life, he may have accomplished very little. Another Brother may build nothing save a mansion of character, adorning it within and without with his own personality, and when he passes from his earthly abode into the great Unseen, leaving nothing behind but atmosphere and gracious influence; though here no longer in body, that pure atmosphere and gracious influence he left behind will continue to shape, mold, and direct countless others through their course of life. - "The Masonic Record", December 1949.
----o----
Appearing on this page is a chart which should answer many questions being asked about the two systems (rites) of Freemasonry. It will be noted that the three Symbolic degrees are the basis of each system and are, in fact, a part of each system. The other degrees of each system are those distinctly indicated as such. Omitting the Symbolic degrees, the York Rite contains the Capitular and Cryptic degrees numbered 4 to 9 (with the addition of the Super Excellent Degree which is not numbered) and the three orders of Knights Templar, Red Cross, Malta and Temple (indicated as Commandery in the chart). The Scottish Rite, omitting the Symbolic degrees, includes the degrees shown from fourth to thirty-third honorary and active. The other bodies shown as branching off from the third degree, Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Grotto, Eastern Star, White Shrine and Amaranth are not a part of either the Symbolic degrees or either rite and usually are designated as dependent or appendant. Red Cross of Constantine and the Shrine, shown branching off from both the Commandery and 32nd degree, are not a part of either Rite and usually are designated as appendant. The Red Cross of Constantine requires both Rites as a prerequisite for membership. The Shrine requires only one of the two Rites. Royal Order of Scotland, shown branching off from the 32nd degree, requires the one Rite only. Bodies of both Rites, as well as appendant Bodies, fix their own requirements as to the prerequisite degrees and are in no way controlled by the Bodies having the prerequisite degrees.
Correction: In the plate the lines showing the Amaranth and White Shrine of Jerusalem as dependent upon membership in the Eastern Star are in error. Those two bodies stem directly from the Master Mason degree, the same as the Eastern Star. - "Oregon Mason"