Contents
President's Corner
The Thanatology of Masonry
Masonry And Megatrends
Did Our Masonic
Forefathers Build Cathedrals
FULL OF SOUND AND FURY
On Admission Of Black Americans
FREEMASONRY IN THE
NEXT CENTURY
The Masonic Ladder
MEMORIZATION
The Traditional Martinist Order
A Review
Through Masonic Windows
the philalethes
The Journal of Masonic Research and Letters
Jerry Marsengill, FPS Editor
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OFFICERS
John Mauk Hilliard, FPS, President
Lehman College
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Wallace E. McLeod, FPS, 1st Vice President
Victoria College University of Toronto
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LIVING PAST PRESIDENTS
Philalethes Society
William R. Denslow FPS
Robert V Osborne, FPS
Eugene S. Hopp, FPS
Dwight L. Smith, FPS
Robert L Dillard Jr., FPS
Bruce H. Hunt, FPS
Allen E. Roberts, FPS
John R. Nocas, FPS
Jerry Marsengill, FPS
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY EMERITUS
Carl R. Griesen, FPS
S. Brent Morris, FPS
CONTENTS
President's Corner
The Thanatology of Masonry- Part 1
Masonry and Megatrends
"Did Our Masonic Forefathers Build Cathedrials"- Perhaps Not!
Full of Sound and Fury
On Admission Of Black Americans to Freemasonry
Freemasonry in the next Century
The Masonic Ladder
Memorization- A Masonic Necessity And It's Preserving Us!
Part II The Traditional Martinist Order and the Martinist Order and Synarchy: An Examination of Claims & Relationships - Part II
A Review
Through Masonic Windows
On the Cover
Our cover this month represents the joyous Christmas Season with the children peeking through the front window of Grandma’s house in anticipation of all the good things the Holidays bring. We can relive each of these great and wonderful times of Winter through the eyes of a child.
It reminds us of the Holidays of our youth when every new day was an exciting adventure. Although everyone enjoys Christmas, it is only through the eyes of children that we are allowed to feel the excitement and anticipation of this last month of the year.
----o----
by John Mauk Hilliard, FPS
In Freemasonry, we are occasionally adjured not to regard a man for his worldly wealth and honors, but for the purity of his heart, the strength of his integrity, the measure of his service to others. As I look at the structure of the Craft, I sometimes wonder how much we hew to that ideal.
The two central honors in Freemasonry are, of course, fundamental to its very nature. The first is the Lambskin: the white, simple, unadorned leathern apron which is the badge of a Mason, a simple workingman's garment, a tool used in the act of creative work. At the end of the Mason's day, the apron is to be laid aside pure, unstained, and undefiled by dishonest labor. At the end of a productive life, it is to lie proudly on its bearer's tomb. Our tradition further tells us that not even the diadems of royalty, or the purple of the Craft itself can equal the simplicity and integrity of the white lambskin.
The second central honor is the station of Worshipful Master, that Chair of Solomon the Wise, that Oriental Seat which is the most ancient gift of office and trust in the keeping of the Gentle Craft. We must never be so blinded by Grand Lodge pomp as to forget that there were Worshipful Masters long before Grand Masters were even thought of. Those Masters of the most ancient and royal of arts sat under the great eastern Light of the medieval Lodge which stood against the north wall of the rising cathedral. There, in the seat of honor, they governed their fellows and apprentices by means of designs they set upon the trestle board; there, they trained the young craftsmen in the ancient science; there, they tried the trueness and integrity of the squares and tools used by the builders; there, they preserved and transmitted the secrets of the builder's arts, monitored the progress of the building, and kept intact the fabric of the guild structure. These special leaders were then, as now, freely elected by their peers, and upon election and installation, given vast powers of governance; powers so great that their successful execution depended, as it does today, as much upon the Master's wise personal restraint, his persuasiveness, his tolerance, and his ability to exploit the automatic respect rendered to his Chair, as upon the raw institutional powers delegated to the office. The Worshipful Master of a Masonic Lodge is the font through which flows the corporate wisdom, justice patience, and strength embodied in the Lodge itself. He is the source of those special mercies which must be present in any institution which wishes to win and preserve the informed and happy consent of its brethren.
No other honor or office in the canon of Craft Masonry approaches the splendid, fecund potential, or the awesome risk and responsibility of that of Worshipful Master. Every Freemason who is committed to realizing the full potential of the Craft in his life should aspire to hold it. Circumstances dictate that not all can but all should wish to. Upon no other office is the survival and fulfillment of Freemasonry so dependent as upon that of Worshipful Master.
In these two straightforward elements of honor, that of the lambskin which celebrates simple membership in this splendid institution and that of Master which celebrates the powers and potentials for service, we behold the highest majesty to which our brethren can rightfully aspire. But if we look beyond the Lodge, what do we see? We view a grand institution laden with gaudy honors, a super Craft festooned with glitter and gold like a Mardi Gras float. Why has this come to pass?
One clear, sociological reason for this veritable welter of grand honors is that such a system to some measure satisfies the ambitions, and puts to rest the caviling nuisance and interference of a good many Past Masters in the governance of the Lodge. It is a way of defeathering the proverbial "Buzzards' Roost;" of restraining the carping and often obstreperous foot-dragging which characterizes this collective "bother" of Past Masters. The munificent Masonic honors dispensed by grateful Grand Lodges enables some of this "bother" to aspire to that exalted state known as the "blither' of Right Worshipfuls, and thus, to forever differentiate themselves from the "bombast" of Masons, in general! English is a language particularly rich in collective nouns; I hope you will forgive me for coining a few more to characterize our gentle institution.
The honors mechanism in Freemasonry is set into play by the need to recognize true merit, to unleash real leadership, and to channel real talent to the centers of Craft power. These honors, as rewards, are intended to both stimulate and reinforce the kind of leadership and general behavior necessary for the Craft to progress as a community and institution. Honors should inspire Masons to reach beyond themselves and to strive for excellence. However, it is no accident that we are enjoined in our ritual that no (here I paraphrase) "ambition" should exist in Masonry save that noble ambition of "who can best work, and best agree." In modern Craft life, that noble sentiment is increasingly recognized more in the breach than the observance for Freemasonry has had some difficulty in finding the proper balance between "honors" as a recognition of merit, and "honors" as a engine of motivation.
An old Masonic and DeMolay mentor of mine once told me: "Give out the honors most generously! Give them away freely! It costs us nothing; it makes the recipients feel good, it keeps them interested!" He had a point. It does Freemasonry, as a community of volunteers, no good to be terribly sparing with its modes of recognition. But at the same time, it we debase Masonic honors by giving them freely to people who patently have not properly or fully earned them, we then surely disturb that carefully-wrought balance of true merit and achievement as against the need to make folks feel appreciated.
The three main types of Masons who tend to garner honors and high position in the Craft reflect this uneasy balance: one, the "Good Ole Boys"...amiable sorts who never say a bad word about anyone. Indeed, they never do much of anything else, either, but they are pleasant and patently inoffensive, and they religiously observe the first rule of both politics and Masonic honors which is: "always to be present." They never miss a District Deputy visit, or a chance to eat rubber chicken with the Grand Master! Two, the "Politicos" or "wardheelers" as I sometimes prefer to think of them. These horse traders have been characterized by a good friend of mine with a particularly viperish tongue as being "meglomaniacal social miscreants." Given the enormous harm I have seen such types cause in Masonic circles, I am often tempted to endorse his perhaps too unkind assessment. These Masons, who generally have never done a stick of ritual from memory in years, who have rarely, if ever, seen after neglected or needful brothers, or widows, or orphans, and whose knowledge of Masonic history, tradition and philosophy could not hope to fill a thimble...these horse traders are the same men who barter influence, power, votes, intimidation, and back-room dealing to secure Masonic titles for themselves and their hangers on. They are indeed hard workers...but always first, last, and always, for themselves. They are a kind of Masonic influence broker, or honors monger who all too frequently do a thriving business swapping titles among themselves. Every Grand Lodge is replete with them.
The third category are those Freemasons who arrive at honors through at least some degree of genuine merit: through the honest exercise of at least some unselfish leadership, and whose ambition for power is to some extent leavened with self-restraint and genuine appreciation for the worth of other people. I am obligated to admit that a little of these three broad types of Craft "leaders" can coexist or emerge from time to time in the character of each of us who takes positions of responsibility in the Craft. In my experience, however, it is rare that one of these three personae does not eventually become dominant in the character of an individual Mason .
Each of us who aspires to leadership must always remember that honors, like power, can corrupt. Leaders too often begin to focus not on "why" or "how" they lead, but on the title and gold apron they spy awaiting at the end of the process. Honors thus become ends in themselves. The final goal is not one of real achievement for the community through the efforts of the brother, but the empty honoring of pure self-achievement. The legitimate end of the honors system in Masonry is the productive programming and the fruitful management of the essential affairs of the primary community, the Lodge, and secondarily, the Grand Lodge.
Perhaps we should occasionally give Masonic honors lightly. God knows that there are a plethora of potential Masonic honors littering the ground, and ripe for the picking, and they exist to motivate those who avidly seek them, but the element of merit can be ignored only at the Craft's peril. The questions of ends versus means arises even here. If we are truly to keep Masonic honors honest, then the question of process becomes all-important. How and why a brother worked for honors is as important an issue as how much he worked. Was he fair to others, did he connive, did he injure others in his upward ascent? Hard work, in and of itself is simply not enough. Need I remind you that Adolf Hitler, Attila the Hun, and Jack the Ripper would probably have been, had they been Masons, prime candidates for Grand Honors if the Craft based rewards solely on hard work? Evil is as dependent on hard work as Good.
Honor must ultimately be a product of genuine achievement in Lodge life. It can occasionally be utilized to motivate the fainthearted, to stir the timid, to arouse the indifferent, even to make a "good ole boy" feel even better about himself than his character or achievements could possibly warrant. Finally, in order that Masonic honors might work toward the ultimate honor of the Craft Itself, there must exist a profound apprehension on the part of all in the ranks of Freemasonry about those elements of character which should qualify a Mason for the rewards of the institution. Not only must we consider a man's service to the people around him, and to the greater Masonic community of which they are a part, but also why he has served, how he has served, and whether that service represents a real sacrifice of himself and his talents, worth, and manhood to something ultimately larger than his own ego, ambitions, and personal gratifications. Has his service done honor to the triune mission of the Ancient and Gentle Craft: those goals of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth at the core of our rituals?
Sooner or later, of course, the truth about a man will be known. even the truth about Right Worshipfuls. Think back over the honored brothers each of us has known. The men one finally cares about are generally those who have earned our love, or at least, our respect. The rest have earned only a dandy title which is gone with the breath that speaks it; they wear only a piece of embroidered cloth or leather which itself is but a finite symbol of an "honor" destined to fade, tarnish, and decay even as the memory of the life and character of its bearer is at last dispelled by the passing of his own times.
----o----
Part One Facing Death
Thanatology and Masonry are subjects rarely linked. Thanatology is the study of death and the dying process. Masonry is a system of morality which demands a belief in the brotherhood of mankind and the fatherhood of a God.
What is the connection? Masonic rituals are often concerned with death. Our allegorical legends suffer death as a moral lesson in how to live the good life. Thus, Freemasonry follows most religious and mythological systems in attempting to answer the riddle death (Kubler-Ross, 1975, p. 1):
The most persistent questions that human beings explore through their myths and religions are those pertaining to rebirth, resurrections and a life hereafter...
Masonry is a part of man’s exploration into the life hereafter. For centuries, unknown even to many of its members, Masonry has been directly connected with thanatology and the mystery of death.
Over the past few decades thanatology has become an interesting field in the realm of social science. The study of death and dying started to receive public notice with the book On Death and Dying by Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross (1969). On Death and Dying studied the psychological aspects of the dying process. Dr. Kubler-Ross described the five basic psychological stages associated with dying: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. She was also the first in the field to challenge the thanatological (and agnostic) paradigm that death was the termination of human existence. Dr. Kubler-Ross went so far as to relate the afterlife hypothesis by describing stories of dying patients she had witnessed (see Questions and Answers On Death and Dying, 1974 and Death the Final Stage of Growth, 1975). What is more important is Dr. Kubler-Ross' books opened a flood gate of literature written by respected social scientists supporting the hypothesis of a continued consciousness after the death of the physical form. Raymond Moody's Life After Life (1975) explored the commonality of experiences of individuals declared clinically dead and later resuscitated. By using a larger population he verified what Kubler-Ross had found, that the out of the body experiences of patients near death were remarkably similar. A number of observational studies and even cross-cultural comparisons (1) of the dying's postmortem experiences followed. What the thanatologists and psychologist have observed in dying have a direct correlation to the philosophy and mysteries of Freemasonry. A knowledgeable Mason should also recognize the stages of death as described by the thanatologists and others who have observed the dying.
The passage from the physical to the spiritual realm is often difficult and frightening. In many religions and preliterate cultures the shaman/priest (medicine person) or spiritual leader is at the bedside of the dying to help them across the abyss. (2) In the past, Western theologians and anthropologists tended to dismiss the practice as silly, superstition, or just occult nonsense. Yet, as with the near death experiences (NDEs), the commonality of descriptions of what is happening to the dying is remarkably similar in all the ethnographic literature. The silver cord, attached to the body during life, (3) becomes detached at death. The silver cord description is found in some NDEs, the Bible, various books and writings on shamanism, and is even referred to in the Third Degree of the Symbolic Lodge.
The upward passage of the soul is seen in the illustrations. The photos are of a sculpture from the highlands of Papua, New Guinea (personal collection of the author). It clearly shows the soul, or astral body (Figure 1) of the deceased rising above the head of the physical body. A bird (Figure 2) is assisting the soul in the journey to the upper worlds. The bird represents a spirit bird of the Papuan culture, one of several flying creatures that assist the souls of the dead in their journey to the upper spiritual worlds.
The transition from the physical death to spiritual life can be found throughout the Bible and Masonry. Daniel 12:2 states that 'those that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake. . . ' The 1 Corinthians 15:35-52 describes the difference between the physical body, 'bodies terrestrial, ' and the soul which continues as the 'body celestial.' Descriptions given by the medicine men when they assist the dying (personal communication) also reflect various Masonic rituals and Biblical accounts. The theological, anthropological, and Masonic descriptions of a world to come (see Moody, 1975, Atwater, 1988, Eliade, 1964, and Harner 1980) match the experiences of those declared clinically dead and later revived the world wide. The experiences were described by Emanuel Swedenborg over two hundred years ago: 'Man, when he dies, only passes from one world into another' (Moody, 1975, p. 123). All this reaffirms the eastern teachings that (Yogananda, p. 485):
Physical death is attended by the disappearance of breath and the disintegration of fleshly cells. . . At physical death a being looses his consciousness of flesh and becomes aware of his subtle body in the astral world.
Additional research by various individuals further suggests the postmortem hypothesis as a correct one. Dr. Ivan Stevenson (1974) of the University of Virginia has collected as a large body of evidence suggesting the reincarnation of what some call a 'soul' or 'consciousness' from one life to another. (4) Similar conclusions were reached by others in the field. (5) As the researchers were looking at this phenomena some started to rethink earlier hypotheses (Kubler-Ross, 1975, p. 119):
This work with dying patients has also helped me to find my own religious identity, to know that there is life after death and to know that we will be reborn again one day in order to complete the tasks we have not been able or willing to complete in this lifetime.
Such work and studies support basic Masonic teachings in the immortality of the soul. Many Masonic authors reflect on the relationship between the teachings of the Craft and the cycles of spiritual rebirth. Steinmetz, Bailey, and Wilmshurst are but a few of the Masonic writers who have discussed reincarnation in Masonic symbolism. Reincarnation is also the most common meaning attached to the sprig of acacia by various cultures around the world. The sprig is placed at the head of the grave to encourage the soul's quick return to the family in the form of a baby. All of such teachings, symbolism, and the research are pointing to a common explanation of death and dying.
The importance of thanatology should be apparent. We all must die! To help lessen the fears of death and to help those facing death, the study of thanatology proves exceedingly helpful, providing one accepts the postmortem survival paradigm. 'The Mysteries' only interest in death of the physical body was to teach man that it was inevitable, and NOT TO BE FEARED ' [emphasis in original text] (Steinmetz, 96-7). Freemasonry is a branch of 'The Mysteries' indirectly, if not directly, (6) and should assist in dispelling the fear of death.
Most Masonic rituals have a strong thanatological undercurrent. But Masons are rarely familiar with the meaning behind the rituals. The Mason must find the light within himself to overcome any fear of death. The rituals could be a key to achieve this. His confidence could then assist others in the same: ...'The most frightening thing about dying for most people is the feeling of being alone, of having to face the unknown without any of the familiar props that usually sustain us in times of great change' (Kubler-Ross, 1975, p. 27). Knowledge dispels fear. A knowledgeable Mason can act as the guide in much the same way as the medicine person in preliterate societies. (7)
All this puts our claimed belief in the soul or spirit to the test. Masons believe in the immortality of the soul. Thus a Mason should have no fear of death. He knows his consciousness will continue. Yet far too many Masons forget the teaching when the grim reaper draws near. This is not as it should be (Kubler-Ross, 1975, p.2):
...death does not have to be a catastrophic, destructive thing; indeed, it can be viewed as one of the most constructive, positive, and creative elements of culture and life. (8)
Masons who examine the symbolism philosophy, and religious aspects of Masonic teachings, when death draws near, intellectually know what is happening. When reinforced with that of thanatological research available, the Mason would view death as just another initiation into 'higher' Lodge.
This is not saying one should welcome the death of a friend, relative, or Masonic brother. Sorrow and grief are accepted parts of the dying process. We grieve for the one we no longer can hug or kiss good-morning. We miss the friendly face, the familiar voice. The Brother who has moved to what is called the 'Grand Lodge On High' will no longer be in our Lodge, Chapter, Council, Commandery, etc. and we will miss him. Most of the bereaved say the loved one is going to a 'better place' without really accepting what they are saying. All of this is normal. But fear should not be a part of the process to the Mason who has done his work while in this life. Take a lesson from our Jewish Brothers (Heller, p. 39): 'Jewish tradition confronts death directly and specifically views the period of terminal illness (Shechiv Mera) and dying (Groses) as a time when loved ones should surround, comfort and encourage the patient. '
Need more to conquer the fears? The knowledge of what occurs upon death has been growing. The postmortem experiences studied by Moody and others should be very familiar to Masons. A review of the steps of the experience unveil some of what we all will experience to varying degrees (Moody, 1977, p. 5-6)
1. A feeling of great physical distress;
2. Hearing the pronouncement of death by doctor;
3. Hearing uncomfortable noise, loud ringing or buzzing at same time as moving through a tunnel;
4. Finding oneself outside the body but in the immediate physical environment and sees the body from a distance as a spectator;
5. Watching the resuscitation attempt... while in a state of emotional upheaval;
6. After some time becoming accustomed to the odd condition;
7. Noticing you still have a body but of a different nature and with different powers;
8. Others come to meet and help you;
9. You see spirits of relatives and friends who have died and a loving warm spirit of a kind never encountered before, a being of light, appears;
10. You review your life in a panoramic form assisted by the being of light, (9)
11. You find yourself approaching a barrier representing the limit of life on earth and the next life;
12 . You must go back but do not want to return;
13. You become overshadowed by the feelings of joy, love and peace on the other plane;
14. Despite attitude and desire to stay you find yourself back in the physical body;
15 . You try to tell others but find it impossible to adequately describe the experiences .
The stages described above are not new to the knowledge of man. Plato in Book VII of The Republic described much the same in what is called the myth of the Cave. A prisoner is released from the cave of his existence. When forced upward through a tunnel, into the light, he is blinded, fearful, and much distressed. When he becomes accustomed to the light he sees what was left behind were just shadows. Now he is in the realm of heaven and truth. A loving guide comes to his side. But when forced to return from whence he came, attempts to describe what he saw and the realm of light above are incomprehensible to those still in the darkness (see Moody 1977 or Hamilton and Huntington, 1961, p. 747-749).
The third degree in Masonry has as a theme death of a noble figure in the Masonic allegory. Dramatically portrayed is the death, internment, and reinternment of the Master Builder. The underlining meaning should be clear: ' . . . that what is commonly called 'Death ' far from being the extinction of all life, is only a transition, a transfiguration, an apotheosis' (Castells, p. 195). But do we stop and think about the meaning of the ceremony, the possibility of our own death? Further evidence support the NDEs and basic post-mortem Masonic belief.
The hypothesis of Osis and Haraldsson questioned the validity of the out of the body experiences reported by Moody and others. Their solution was to do a cross-cultural study, taking populations from two very distinctly difference cultures (America and India), and compare the experiences . Both authors were of the old paradigm, that death was the end of any type of conscious existence. When they tried to explain the experiences as a result of a hallucinogenic drug experience (eg. Morphine, Demerol, etc.) they found that only a small number of their test population had taken such drugs and when taken the drugs 'did not generate deathbed phenomena suggestive of an afterlife' (Osis and Haraldsson, p. 187). When they examined the population for brain disturbances caused by injury, uremic poisoning, and or disease, there was a marked decrease in the postmortem experiences (op. cit p. 188). Likewise: 'No evidence was found in our sample to suggest that psychological factors known to facilitate hallucinations also cause afterlife-related deathbed visions' (op. cit p. 188?. '...Our findings concerning the experiences of the dying do not fit into the psychiatric explanations when they are analyzed in more detail including medical, psychological, and cultural factors' (op. cit, p. 196). Likewise Moody (1988) also describes the differences of NDEs with other psychological and physiological disorders and shows how they differ considerably from pathological or psychopathological traumas.
The possible explanation of the out of the body experiences being artificially produced eliminated the next two questions Osis and Haraldsson asked: 'To what extent did the culture condition the experience? ...Were the experiences different between India and the U.S.?' The latter question being important knowing '...the way that a society or subculture explains death will have a significant impact on the way its members view and experience life' (Kubler-Ross, 1975, p. 27). 'In our judgment, the similarities between the core phenomena found in the deathbed visions of both countries are clear enough to be considered as supportive of the postmortem survival hypothesis' (Osis and Haraldsson, p. 190) (10)
All the NDEs were 'benign and pleasing' in nature with no reporting of Hell, (11) the Devil, or even Heaven in the classical Christian context. Thus again a long held belief in Masonry is confirmed, a brotherhood of man, irrespective of what the individual's faith, are the same in our Father's eyes (Bailey, p. 18):
. . . through adherence to the Masonic principles, his exemplification of the Masonic tradition, and (the Mason's) strenuous preparation for the final episode in which he faces death and attains resurrection through his faith in God, his patience under affliction, and his knowledge of the laws under which Masonry works.
But let us turn to the rituals and ceremonies of Masonry and see what side of life. Masons have always known they have to further verify the studies cited. Compare Moody's stages with a Masonic initiation. The Candidate is usually in some physical distress--if for no other reason than the unfamiliar environment surrounding the Masonic initiation. He knows not what is about to happen. The candidates are deprived of some senses. He ventures into an unknown world. He is not declared dead but is given a new identity ('Brother,' 'Companion,' 'Sir Knight,' etc.). (12) He approaches and then passes through a barrier. He is subjected to the perambulations around the Lodge not unlike the tunnel experienced by the dying. The candidate is in a state of emotional upheaval. Hopefully he slowly becomes accustomed to his new condition. He recognizes the helpful assistance by the hand of a Mason. He is given the 'Light' of the initiation and is greeted by the Brethren. The candidate is surrounded by the feelings of brotherly love within his new Lodge.
In some rituals the initiation is closer to the stages of dying. From the British Federation Ritual of the Three Craft Degrees (1951, Le Droit Humain) we discover three distinct perambulations around the Lodge which closely resemble the stages of death described by Moody and others. After the first perambulation the candidate is told: 'In olden days, (13) when the ceremonial initiations of which Masonry is a survival were duly performed the Candidate was led through gloomy cavern, symbolizing the underworld, amid tumultuous sounds, in darkness, surrounded by perils he could not understand. . . ' (op. cit. p. 37). The second journey is explained thus: 'As the Candidate left the gloomy cavern behind him, he passed into a quieter region symbolizing the higher regions of the underworld, whereinto the coarser, harsher sounds did not penetrate, but still there was some disharmony among the souls. This second stage is also found in the real underworld as the Candidate passes out of Hades into the Elysium above. . . ' (op. cit. p. 40). After the third trip the candidate is told: 'The Candidate passed out of the lower regions and reached the threshold of the heavenly world, where perfect silence lulled the weary senses and calm peace enfolded him. The lower world lay behind him; before him the joys of heaven. In the interspace was silence.' (op. cit. p. 43, Also see Eliade, 1964 and 1967 for similar discussions and descriptions related to death). The ceremony is concluded with the receiving of 'light' by the candidate (See Figure 3).
How could any who have experienced this initiation fear death? He already experienced it. The Masonic rituals and ceremonies have reaffirmed the existence of another what thanatologists have just begun to discover--that life is more than a physical body of flesh and blood. Wilmshurst (135-6) summarizes intimate connection between thanatology and Freemasonry:
Natural man must, therefore, die to himself, must abnegate and put off his old nature, before he can hope to pass into the fifth kingdom as spiritual Man. This death .. is signified by the Masonic Third Degree, which ceremonially dramatizes what the individual must pass through before attaining an order of life and consciousness he has never before experienced or been able to experience.
What has this shown us? To a Mason death is never an ending but merely a passing to the next degree. 'The after-life may still be an impenetrable enigma, but for the M.M. two things are clear, viz. that there is to be a deliverance from the gloomy tomb and a happy re-union with our former associates' (Castells, p. 14). Part 2 will explore some of the experiences beyond the gates of death and how the lessons of Masonry reflect the essence of the Eternal Grand Lodge.
Footnotes
1. See Osis and Haraldsson, 1977 and Ring 1980 for a more extensive domestic study.
2. See Evans-Wentz, I957, The Tibetian Book Of the Dead as an example of one such practice.
3. See: MacLain, 1983, p. 327-9.
4. The ancient Hebrew believed in evolution, reincarnation and karma, as well as astrology... Before turning from the subject with disdain however, one should be mindful of the ancient saying: 'FOOLS DERIDE, PHILOSOPHERS INVESTIGATE.' (Steinmetz, 1976, p. 123-4).
5. Kubler-Ross and Moody are two examples.
6. Some Masonic authors declare modern Freemasonry has no connection to the 'Mysteries' or ancient schools of initiation. However, if they were to study Jung and the concepts of archetypes, the connection on a subconscious, if not a conscious level, of the founders of modern Freemasonry and the teachings found in the ancient mystery schools would quickly become apparent.
7. Such a task was before me when my Grandmother summoned me to her bedside. I was delayed and had to fly half way across the country to get to her. She held out almost a week until I was there. The next day when the time came I knew and sped to her side. When I got there she was fearful of letting go until I held her hand and described what was happening to her. This allowed her to relax and accept the new world opening up before her. Twenty minutes later the doctor declared her dead.
8. One is reminded of Trelease's account of an old woman who called her family together waited for all of them to arrive, held a party, had funeral services for herself (which she attended), sang her favorite hymns and then died at 6 p.m. in the evening. (Kubler-Ross, 1975, p. 33-37).
9. Acts 26: 13-26 even gives a description of the light from heaven.
10. Morse concludes--as have other researchers-that religious background does not alter the core experience, only the interpretation of the experience ' (Moody, 1988, p. 70).
11. Atwater is the only exception and then the 'Hell' matches the description of the underworld level of shamans who tell of a place of lost souls who do not know where to go. Also see Eliade, 1964
12. With all initiatory rites the new title implies death of the old person and a rebirth into a new form. Eliade, 1964, pp. 33, 64, 76, 206 and 506 for discussion on the relation of death and initiation.
13. A description of the ancient initiation ceremonies, as taken from Greek authors gives the following description:
'The hero and his guide now enter on their journey.
'They advanced under the solitary night through the shade, and through the desolate halls and empty realms of Pluto; their progress resembling a journey in woods by the precarious glimmering moon under a faint malignant light, when Jupiter had wrapped up the heavens in shade and sable night had stripped objects of colour. ' (Fellows, p. 146)
Bibliography
Atwater, P.M.H.: Coming Back to Life: the After-Effects of the Near-Death Experience, Ballantine Book, New York, NY 1988.
Bailey, Foster: The Spirit of Masonry, Lucis Publishing Co., New York, NY 1957.
Castells, F. DeP.: The Apocalypse of Freemasonry; A. Lewis, London, England, 1925; The Genuine Secrets of Freemasonry Prior to A.D. 1717, A. Lewis London, England, 1971.
Eliade, Mircea: Shamanism. Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy, Bollingen, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 1964; From Primitives to Zen, Harper and Row, 1967.
Gallup, George, Jr.: Adventures in Immortality, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY 1982
Hamilton, Edith and Huntington Cairns,(eds.), The Collected Dialogues of Plato, Bollingen Series 71, Pantheon Books, New York, 1961.
Harner, Michael, The Way of the Shaman, Harper and Row, New York, NY, 1980.
Heller, Rabbi Zachacy L.: 'The Jewish View of Death: Guidelines for Dying' in Kubler-Ross 1975.
Huxley, A.: The Perennial Philosophy, Cleveland World Publishing Co., 1962.
Kubler-Ross, E.: Death the Final Stage of Growth, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1975; On Death and Dying, New York, Macmillan Co., 1969; Questions and Answers on Death and Dying, New York Macmillan Co., 1974.
MacLain, Shirley, Out on a Limb, New York, NY Bantum Books, 1983.
Moody, R.A.: Life after Life Atlanta, Mockingbird Books, 1975; Reflections on life After Life, Atlanta Mockingbird Books, 1977; The Light Beyond, Bantam Books, New York, 1988.
Osis, K., & E. Haraldsson, At the Hour of Death, New York, Avon Books, 1977.
Ring, Kenneth, Life at Death, Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, New York, NY, 1980.
Steinmetz, G.H., Freemasonry: Its Hidden Meaning Richmond, VA, Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply Co., Inc., 1976.
Stevenson, I, Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation, Charlottesville, University Press of Virginia, 1974. Tart, C., (ed.) Altered States of Consciousness, New York, John Wiley & Sons, 1969 States of Consciousness, New York, E.P. Dutton & Co., 1975.
Trelease, Murray L., 'Dying Among Alaskan Indians: A Matter of Choice' in Kubler-Ross 1975.
Wilmshurst, W.L., The Masonic lnitiation, London Rider & Co., n.d.
Yogananda, P., Autobiography of a Yogi, Los Angeles Self -Realization Fellowship, 1972.
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by Roger S. VanGorden, MPS
Introduction
"By identifying the forces pushing the future, rather than those that have contained the past, you possess the power to engage with your reality. " (1)
We are at the start of an exciting era not only in the world but also in the Masonic arena. The next two decades will be the most decisive era for Freemasonry since the end of the Anti-Masonic period immediately preceding the Civil War.
A recent book entitled "Megatrends 2000 " by John Naisbitt and Patricia Aburdene deal with ten forces that are shaping the world's future. It is their opinion that by recognizing these forces one can adjust actions, opinions, Judgements, and decisions and more effectively adapt to change.
A megatrend, as defined by Naisbitt and Aburdene, is a series of large social, economic, political, and technological changes that are slow to form, but once in place influence us for ten years or longer.
Naisbitt and Aburdene had previously published a book in 1982 entitled "Megatrends." "Megatrends" proved to be prophetic in describing changing events and how those alterations affected peoples lives. The ten changes that the authors believe were to affect the 1980's were:
1. Move from Industrial Society to Information Society.
2. Move from Forced Technology to High Tech/High Touch.
3. Move from National Economy to World Economy.
4. Move from Short Term Thinking to Long Term Thinking.
5. Move from Centralization to Decentralization.
6. Move from Institutional Help to Self Help.
7. Move from Representative Democracy to Participatory Democracy.
8. Move from Hierarchies to Networking.
9. Move from North to South.
10. Move from Either/Or Options to Multiple Options. (3)
If one reviews the events of the 1980's, especially 1989, one can fully understand how each of these 10 trends affected world events. Remember that those predictions were made in 1982. Naisbitt and Aburdene were able to recognize the start of a trend and predict its impact. These ten trends continue to shape the world and this decade.
"Megatrends 2000" seeks to accomplish the same objective. Naisbitt and Aburdene address ten issues they perceive will force a reshaping of the world. Those 10 trends that the authors believe will affect the 1990's are:
1. The Booming Global Economy of the 1990's.
2. A Renaissance in the Arts.
3. The Emergence of Free Market Socialism.
4. Global Lifestyles and Cultural Nationalism.
5. The Privatization of the Welfare State.
6. The Rise of the Pacific Rim.
7. The Decade of Women in Leadership.
8. The Age of Biology.
9. The Religious Revival of the New Millennium.
10. The Triumph of the Individual. (4)
Of Naisbitt and Aburdene's ten megatrends, three can benefit Freemasonry.
1. A Renaissance in the Arts.
2. The Religious Revival of the New Millennium.
3. The Triumph of the Individual.
These three megatrends will have a positive effect upon Freemasonry not only in this country but also through out the world. These three megatrends embody the spirit of Freemasonry. As Naisbitt and Aburdene reflect, "Today there is a new possibility: The individual can influence reality by identifying the directions in which society is headed." (5)
Renaissance the Arts
Naisbitt and Aburdene begin this discussion by stating, "In the final years before the millennium there will be a fundamental and revolutionary shift in leisure time and spending priorities. During the l990's the arts will gradually replace sports as society's primary leisure activity." (6)
Naisbitt and Aburdene substantiate this claim by stating: l) Since 1965 American museum attendance has increased from 200 million to 500 million annually, 2) The 1988-89 season on Broadway broke every record in history, 3) Membership in the leading chamber music association grew from 20 ensembles in 1979 to 578 in 1989, and 4) Since 1970 U.S. opera audiences nearly tripled. (7)
Naisbitt and Aburdene further explain that professional dance has grown by 700 percent since 1972. Also in 1988 there were 55,483 new books published compared to 41,000 in 1977. (8) I believe this further provides for increased confidence in the revival of Freemasonry. Freemasonry abounds with literature and artistic prospect.
This change in leisure time will come in steps and not without setback. Naisbitt and Aburdene explain that cuts in federal arts funding have been painful for arts organizations. However those cuts have had a positive effect on the art world. By cutting government expenditures the arts organizations have learned to market their "product" and seek revenue sources elsewhere. Corporations are now providing funds to these arts organizations and receiving good publicity. By government cutting spending it has opened a new method of advertising for Corporations This is an interesting lesson m economics.
Contained in this paradox is a lesson for Freemasonry. We were as the arts organizations. They received monies from the government. With the exception of the Maplethorpe Collection the arts organizations did not have to defend or promote itself as earnestly. Popular perception is that government funds are "easy" money. Now with the loss of that "easy" money arts organizations have actually had to compete for patronage with television, sports, and family activities. Sound familiar? The arts organizations have sought corporate sponsorship to lure patronage. They have marketed art as the intelligent alternative for the "couch potato" crowd. by seeking corporate sponsorship they can keep admission costs down and provide an agreeable form of advertising.
We have since the early 1960's become as the arts organizations when they lost a portion of government funding. We needed to find what segment would join the fraternity and seize that market. Just as the arts organizations found that corporations would sponsor events to seek advertising. It has only been the past few years that we have sought to market our product.
As we leave this century we will become concerned about our environment and man's interaction with nature. We will become concerned about the competence of education in our public schools. We will realize that taking profit with out giving back to the community is not ethical. Do you find this difficult to believe? Remember that during this past century humanity has faced more changes and discoveries than the combination of all previous centuries. We entered this century on horse and buggy. We leave this century with automobiles, space shuttles, computers on a tiny piece of silicon, and the Hubble Space Telescope hovering over the earth.
During this century we have waged, endured, and rebuilt from the two greatest wars ever to engulf the Earth. We witnessed the rise and fall of Marxism. We saw the practice of genocide in Europe, Africa, and Asia. We have poisoned our waterways and soil with chemicals. We were witness to the harnessing and releasing of the most powerful force ever devised by man, nuclear weapons.
With all this cataclysm before him, can man not ask "Was it good or ill?" By experiencing what we have this century we will ask questions of a deeper spiritual nature. People will seek the arts for satisfaction that leads one to believe that he has evolved socially, emotionally, and intellectually.
People examine the meaning of their life through the arts. Masonic Ritual and literature offer an excellent opportunity to learn alternate philosophies and actualize them. Freemasonry emphasizes personal enlightenment. Freemasonry would flourish in a period when intellectual pursuit was given highest priority. It is a natural supposition to believe that given the proper incentive Freemasonry would become more important in current member' s lives . A renaissance in the arts could spawn an increase in Masonic study clubs, literature, and plays.
If we would inform our communities about Freemasonry and how to join, we will reap the reward. This change in the decline of membership will not happen overnight. This is a program that will need to be in place 5 to 10 years.
If information was disseminated more people, Masons and non-Masons, would realize the important artistic and intellectual contributions of Freemasonry.
Religious Revival of the Third Millennium
Naisbitt and Aburdene by state: "At the dawn of the third millennium there are unmistakable signs of a world wide multidenominational religious revival." (9) They point that the world wide charismatic movement has tripled in the last decade to nearly 300 million members, in Japan, Shinto neighborhood festivals have been revived, and the baby boom generation who rejected organized religion in the 60's and 70's are returning to churches or joining the New Age movement. A Gallup Poll in 1987 found that 94 % of Americans believe in God. (10)
In the United States religions outside the mainstream Judeo-Christian religions are expanding. "The Encyclopedia of American Religion's" Second Edition Supplement in 1987 listed 206 new groups. Dr. J. Gordon Melton and the editor of the "Encyclopedia" estimates that between 1987 and 1989 four hundred (400) more groups were formed. The largest gains outside of the mainstream are twenty-eight (28) new Eastern religion groups, eleven (11) Mormon, and eleven (11) Spiritual, Psychic or New Age groups. (11)
Naisbitt and Aburdene explain that in times of great change, people head for the two extremes: fundamentalism and personal, spiritual experiences. (12)
The last time religious revival consumed this country was during a period in the 1800's. During and immediately following that period seven major denominations were born--Mormon Seventh Day Adventist, Jehovah's Witness, and Christian Scientist. Also spiritualism was at a high point. (13)
It is not the purpose of science or technology to tell us the meaning of life. We learn that through literature, the arts, and spirituality. (14) What an opportunity this presents Masonry. Interwoven in our ritual and literature is philosophy and reinforcement of spiritual teachings.
Let us review a recent article in The Northern Light published by the Scottish Rite of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction.
Important Reason for Being a Mason.
% who said very important
- Gives a meaning and perspective to live. 94 %
- Provides moral, ethical development 92%
- Opportunity to socialize with friends 86%
- Chance to form new friendships 86%
- Opportunity to perform Community Service 81 %
- Recognition and Pride 79%
- Leadership opportunities 72 %
- Family tradition 65 %
As you can see, nearly all of the participants in the poll said that Freemasonry provides them with meaning and perspective to their lives and encourages moral and ethical development. This is what eligible men in our country are seeking today. The religious revival proves it.
After the evaluation of morals and institutions during the 1960's and 1970's people are returning to the need of discipline and code of conduct to give their lives stability and meaning.
A 1988 Gallup Poll showed that 59% complained their churches or synagogues are too concerned with "organizational as opposed to theological or spiritual issues." College educated people are particularly critical of this lack of spiritual nurturing.(16)
This is good news for symbolic Lodges. Symbolic Lodges by their very nature should be better enabled to adapt to new situations because of local proximity and relative smaller memberships than larger bodies of appended orders. Lodges should be able to experiment with new programs and activities or modes of operations to meet the needs of its members.
Independent churches have adapted their services to the need of churchgoers and thus remained closer to the 'consumer. (17) Again this is the opportunity for "grass roots" symbolic Lodges to lead. By providing a curriculum that meets the needs of a smaller group, the Lodge can provide for increased attendance and activity.
There is one religious segment in particular that we need to address. One of which may anger many of you. Masonry needs to promote itself to the New Age Movement. Naisbitt and Aburdene state, "With no membership lists or even a coherent philosophy or dogma, it is more difficult to define or measure the unorganized New Age Movement. But in every major U.S. city thousands who seek insight and personal growth cluster around a metaphysical bookstore, a spiritual teacher, or an educational center. Though hard to pin down, researchers estimate New Agers represent 5 to 10 percent of the population." (18)
Adherents to the New Age Movement and Conservative Fundamentalist Christianity are not compatible. However both religions have more in common than either cares to acknowledge. (19)
New Age groups share no orthodox theology, but many adopt the East's belief in reincarnation. New Agers believe that humanity shares in the divine. According to Fundamentalism Christianity this idea that man is God is blasphemous. Yet the most orthodox catechism states that man is made in the image of God.(20)
The New Age has its roots in the human potential movement and that it has to do with an awareness of the oneness of creation, the limitless potential of humanity, and the possibility of transforming one's self and today s world into a better one. (21) That is reminiscent of a lecture in the Master Mason Degree.
There may be 10 to 12 million New Agers in this country. However they are still outnumbered by the 60 million fundamentalists. " New Agers represent the most affluent, well-educated, successful segment of the baby boom. " Ninety-five percent of the readers of New Age Journal are college-educated with average household incomes of $47,500.72
There are over 4 million followers of Islam, and between 3 and 5 million Buddhists in the United States. (23)
Jack Sims, a former pastor and religious consultant, says, "Churches must adapt and have a marketing orientation if they are going to attract baby boomers." Sims points are, a) advertise, so people know where the churches are, b) emphasize product benefits, such as social club, and c) be nice to new people, good customer relations. (24) Can we do less and survive? I think not. Sims' points have been applied to Masonry by others. We must advertise so people know what Freemasonry is. We can emphasize the benefits of Freemasonry. We need to cultivate the new members. All three of these proposals have been sermonized in many papers and speeches over the past few years. One of the strengths of religion currently is the effective use of the media, more especially television. (25) Why have we been so lax in responding? Are we afraid of the loss of dignity?
With the funds available from the various Rites and appended organizations we should be able to prepare a product to tastefully explain the purposes of Freemasonry and how to join. I am aware that some jurisdictions are doing this now. The Conference of Grand Masters needs to address a national program for informing the general population through television, radio, newspapers, and magazines that we are not a secret order of elderly men.
We need to develop a program to inform: a) general population, b) JudeoChristian mainstream, c) New Agers, and d) Eastern Religions.
Given this rise in religious ideology and consciousness, Freemasonry can offer a man a philosophy to reinforce his religious ideals.
Triumph of the Individual
As can be witnessed in eastern Europe, individualism is asserting itself. "The triumph of the individual signals the demise of the collective." (26) Naisbitt and Aburdene reinforce their belief by saying, "It is an individual who creates a work of art, embraces a political philosophy. It is an individual who changes him or herself first before attempting to change society. Individuals today can leverage change far more effectively than most institutions." (27)
Naisbitt and Aburdene believe that contained in technology is the power to spread individualism. "New technologies have changed the importance of scale and location and extended the power of individuals." (28) "Computers, cellular phones, and fax machines empower individuals, rather than oppress them, as previously feared." (29)
A trend in Masonry is the emergence of electronic office products. New technologies can empower us to reach larger numbers of members and non-members. Access to computers, fax machines, and copiers are becoming as essential in Masonic organizations as Altar Cloths.
"Individualism, however, does recognize that individual energy matters. When people satisfy genuine achievement needs--in art, business, or science--society gains."(30)
Individuals seek community involvement or team participation. Those who wish to avoid responsibility often hide in the collective mass. (31)
Another positive sign for the resurgence of Freemasonry through individual effort is the increase of awareness and participation in private clubs. According to Fortune Magazine, private clubs in the United States are thriving as they have not in the past. (32)
Fortune suggests that clubs provide intrinsic value. "As more of them drop racial, ethnic, or sexual barriers to entry, membership can be seen for what it is--a terrific buy--rather than a political liability or ethical dilemma. To be sure, the precise benefits of a club can be a bit ethereal." (33) The article in Fortune points to an intangible that draws many men to Masonry. "How sound is clubdom's future? Very. If it depended solely on the appeal of high ceiling rooms, dimly lit libraries, and strongly mixed drinks, then the industry might be in for uncertain times. Tastes change. But clubdom stands on stronger legs. Tanning one's self in the warm glow of one's peers' approval is not likely to become onerous any time soon. Not only are clubs a tonic to ego; they are a haircut and a shave as well. As one sociologist has said: 'These people could meet in a barn and be just as happy."(34) The collective seems to destroy personal initiative and differences. "The new responsibility of society is to reward the initiative of the individual." (35) Private clubs fell victim to many of the ills that plagued Freemasonry in the 1960's and 1970's. As Fortune Magazine points out "tastes change. " Since private clubs are coming back into vogue, can Masonry be far behind?
Conclusion
Knowing or analyzing trends gives us the power to direct our destiny. Even if you do not endorse the directions of a trend you are empowered by your knowledge about it. You may choose to challenge the trends, but first you must know where they are headed (36)
We are on the threshold of the possible reversal of declining membership and activity of Freemasonry in this country. However we must first acknowledge people are returning to the ideals we never abandoned. In the next 10 to 20 years a) Art, Literature, Education, Religion and the Environment will become increasingly important in daily lives, and b) the spirit of the individual will be emphasized. If we actively inform the public that Freemasonry can offer a philosophy that is built on each of these ideas, we need not worry about membership decline.
Fortune explains that ten years ago undergraduate fraternities and sororities showed signs of growth and increased activity that is still continuing. Those who are inclined to join social clubs or fraternities are entering their prime joining years (35 to 45). (37) This is the most sound and inspiring call to labor that I have yet heard. "The iron is hot." We need to move our resources quickly to inform the public of our purpose. Where can a man find an organization so vast as to encounter philosophy, literature, arts, fraternization, service, individual achievement, reward, and personal edification? No single organization or institution offers one individual as much opportunity as Freemasonry. I believe that people rejected and abandoned institutions during the 1960's and 1970's. The 1990's will be a period when people evaluate their relationship with institutions. My question is Freemasonry's ability to recognize this and open itself to the numbers of interested men. The Masonic Task Force Poll of 1988 suggest there are 16 million men who may be interested in joining some fraternal or civic organization. (38) That number could double or triple by the end of the decade. Are we ready to secure this potential? Do we have the resources to entice them?
Do I believe Masonry will come back into vogue because everyone knows of Masonry and it is an honorable institution for which good men should belong? No. I believe that human history and opinions are cyclical. Trends are in place to act as catalysts for Masonic revival. Do we have the ability to react? Our period of fear and discontent may be at Its end if we can inform society of our work, purpose, and how to join.
Footnotes
1. Megatrends 2000, pg. 309.
2. Ibid, pg. 12.
3. Ibid, pg. 12.
4. Ibid pg. 13.
5. Ibid pg. 309.
6. Ibid, pg. 62.
7. Ibid, pg. 62.
8. Ibid, pg. 67.
9. Ibid, pg. 270.
10. Ibid, pg. 275.
11. lbid, pg. 276.
12. Ibid, pg. 277.
13. Ibid, pg. 271-2.
14. Ibid, pg. 272.
15. "National Survey Polls Masons," The Northern Light, May 1990, pg. 8.
16. Megatrends 2000, pg. 275.
17. Ibid pg. 291.
18. Ibid pg. 280.
19. Ibid, pg. 284.
20. Ibid, pg. 281.
21. Ibid, pg. 280-1.
22. Ibid, pg. 293.
23. Ibid pg. 276.
24. Ibid pg. 290.
25. Ibid, pg. 279.
26. Ibid, pg. 299.
27. Ibid, pg. 298.
28. Ibid, pg. 301.
29. Ibid, pg. 303.
30. Ibid, pg. 299.
31. Ibid, pg. 300.
32. "The Mystique of Private Clubs, " Fortune, June 4, 1990, pg. 170
33. Fortune, June 4, 1990, pg. 170
34. Fortune, June 4, 1990, pg. 176
35. Megatrends 2000, pg. 308.
36. Ibid, pg. 309.
37. Fortune, June 4, 1990, pg. 171.
38. "Grand Masters Hear Results of National Survey, " The Northern Light, May 1989.
Bibliography
Megatrends 2000, John Naisbitt and Patricia Aburdene, William Morrow and Company, New York, 1990.
"National Survey Polls Masons, " Dudley G . Davis The Northern Light, Supreme Council, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A., May 1990.
"The Mystique of Private Club," Alan Farnham Fortune, Time Inc. Magazines, June 4, 1990.
"Grand Masters Hear Results of National Survey, " Dudley G. Davis, The Northern Light, Supreme Council, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A., May 1989.
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Did Our Masonic Forefathers Build Cathedrals
Perhaps Not!
by John R. Nocas, FPS
Masons of the 18th and 19th centuries had an obsession. It was that Speculative Masonry had existed in organized groups practically "from time immemorial. " Anderson, in his 1723 Constitutions, says: "So that the Israelites, at their leaving Egypt, were a whole Kingdom of Masons, well instructed, under the Conduct of their Grand Master Moses, who often marshalled them into a regular and general Lodge, while in the Wilderness. "
Researchers, however, in the latter half of the l9th century, and especially those of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 in the 1890's and thereafter, generally discounted stories and theories relegating Speculative Masonry to the dim past, and suggested its origin in the early 1600's or in the previous century.
Our first record of a Speculative Masonic Lodge is in 1646. We would not have this date if it were not for Elias Ashmole and his diary. Ashmole was an antiquary (one who studies antiquities) and he said in Page 303 of his diary: "October 16, 1646, I was made a Free Mason at Warrington, in Lancashire with Coll: Henry Mainwaring, of Karincham, in Cheshire. "
In "The Craft" John Hamill says: "Obviously Ashmole and Mainwaring, his father-in-law, were not the first "FreeMasons;" the seven who formed the Lodge must have been "made" at some stage. What is important about the Lodge is that, with one possible exception, none of those who formed it had any connection with the operative mason's craft. In 1646 Warrington was a Parliamentary stronghold. Ashmole had been a Royalist, was captured by the Parliamentarians, and at the time of his "making" was on parole in the care of his father-in-law. "
The question then arises: "Whence the origin of this and other Speculative Lodges of the 17th century? " All Masons are told that these Lodges, including the four "time immemorial" Lodges, which formed the first Grand Lodge in 1717 had been Operative Lodges at one time but due to lack of stone-building in the 17th century, had gradually converted to Speculative Lodges of non-masons.
This transition from Operative to Speculative Lodges has now been generally discounted by researchers simply because England did not have Operative Lodges during the transition period--the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries--as in Scotland. You're familiar with some of the Scottish Lodges--the Kilwinnings, Cannongate, Aitchison's-Haven, Aberdeen, Melrose St. John, Edinburgh, etc.
England, however had one great Guild, the Mason's Company of London. Coil says: "It is the only guild organization of Masons of any consequence known to have existed in England. . . the Mason's Company is the oldest known organization of Masons in England...The first reference to the Company is found in 1376 A. D. when it was known as the Company of free Masons...It received from Edward IV in 1472-72 a grant of arms under the name of the Hole Crafte and Fellowship of Masons...From that time (1677) the body was usually referred to as Worshipful Company or Company of Masons...(Note next quote) It was in the nature of an incorporated gild governing the mason's craft in the City, so that one could not exercise the trade of mason in the City without belonging to or having permission of the Company."
Note this last paragraph--"one could not exercise the trade of mason in the City without belonging to or having the permission of the Company. "This means, of course, that there never were "competing" independent operative lodges of masons in London.
Our first clue to the origin of Speculative Masonry is supplied, curiously, by this same Elias Ashmole, mentioned above. He says in his diary notes of March, 1682 (Page 362) "About 5: H p.M. ., I received a summons to appear at a Lodge to be held that same day, at Mason's Hall London. Accordingly I went & about Noon were admitted into the Fellowship of Free Masons, Sir William Wilson Knight, Capt. Rich: Borchwick, Mr. Will: Woodman, Mr. Wm. Grey, Mr. Samuel Taylour & Mr. William Wise. I was the senior Fellow among them (it being 35 years since I was admitted). There were present besides myselfe the Fellows afternamed. Mr. Thos. Wise Mr. of the Masons Company this present year. Mr. Thomas Shorthose, Mr. Thomas Shadbolt, Wainsford Esq., Mr. Nich: Young, Mr. John Shorthose, Mr. William Hamon, Mr. John Thompson, & Mr. Will. Stanton. We all dyned at the Halfe Moone Taverne in Cheapside, at a Noble Dinner prepared at the charge of the New-Accepted Masons. "
Ashmole gives the date of his visit to the Acception Lodge as 1682 but its origin goes back much further. In "Pre-Grand Lodge History" (Page 50) the author says: "There was within the London Company, in inner fraternity known as the Acception, membership of which did not necessarily follow membership in the Company. Those admitted paid a fee of 20s. if of the Company; 40s if strangers. Seven members of the Company were enrolled in the Acception in 1620-21." (Note: The records of the London Mason's Company prior to 1620 have been lost). THIS DATE, 1620, IS THE EARLIEST ONE WE HAVE OF A "SPECULATIVE" LODGE!
Since England, as mentioned above did not have independent lodges, separate and competing with the Mason's Company of London, the current theory of transition from such "phantom" lodges to speculative lodges is obviously flawed.
This brings us back to the Acception (or Accepcon) Lodge, of 1620, within the London Mason's Company. It would have been difficult if not impossible for the "friends" of the Company in outlying districts to attend London meetings. Did they then organize "lodges" after the model of the Acception, in towns such as Warrington, Chester and throughout England? If so, these lodges from whom we claim our descent, were never operative!
This brings up interesting questions. What part did the Mason's Company of London and its members play in the formation of "speculative" lodges throughout England? Was the Acception a "gentlemen's" lodge, within the great operative guild of England, the "Mother Lodge " of these 17th century lodges and therefore, the "Mother Lodge" of all Freemasonry?
Research has revealed that Masonic history prior to the 17th century consists primarily of legends, myths and unproven assumptions. Is the building of great cathedrals in that last category? Did our Masonic forebears really build cathedrals or were we "speculative" from the very beginning?
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A column wherein our gentil readeres shake a lance at ignorance, at one another, at ye olde editor and on rare occasions even succeed in hittinge ye naile on ye heade.
Dear Brother Marsengill:
This is being written in response to the article in the June 1990 issue of The Philalethes Magazine. The article was entitled An Epidemic of Change and was written by Brother Dennis Scott. Following my reading and re-reading of the article several times I really feel the need to respond and express some of my opinions on the subjects that Brother Scott raises.
The article begins by offering the prophetic statement, "An epidemic of change is sweeping and if we do not find a cure to stem this debilitating process, it is feared that our beloved Fraternity will become just another club." I guess that even though I am fairly involved in Masonry on the local level I wasn't aware that there was a great fear present that we were about to lose our "fraternity" identity and move to a "club" status. I am aware that some change is taking place in our Fraternity today but had no way been aware of the problems that this was causing. It was only after reading the entirety of Brother Scott's article that I really had nothing, at least in my mind, to worry about.
Brother Scott cites several examples of "debilitating process" that I believe I am obligated, by my sense, or lack thereof, to comment on. The first of these is his concern over the removal of the penalties from the obligation in the ritual of Freemasonry. Brother Scott, it is apparent, believes that this is the first step in the continual process of modification of the ritual. I am sorry, but I honestly do not see the correlation and will present my reasons for believing such.
The penalties contained within the degrees of Freemasonry are ancient archaic methods of treating someone who might violate his oath. To my knowledge no one has ever been subjected to these penalties, at least in modern times. To me they serve as a link to an ancient past. Their removal or modification would in no way detract from the ritual of Freemasonry. I am in favor of at least informing the candidate that he will be required to take an obligation which contains some ancient, archaic penalties. I have come to this conclusion because of many candidates expressing concern over the penalties after they had witnessed the first degree. Once it was explained to them, they understood, and were very satisfied with the reasons. I do not view this as a modification of the ritual, and if it is, then so be it, welcome to the 21st Century.
I, in my little reading on the history of Freemasonry, am of the opinion that revision and modification has taken place over the many years. I do not know, at least for sure, if Brother George Washington received the same degrees that I did or not. I really doubt it however. I am fairly positive that Brother Harry Truman and I received approximately the same degrees, because we both received them in the State of Missouri. However, I have belonged to a Lodge in Iowa since 1984 and I would point out that there is a difference between Iowa and Missouri ritual, a difference in neighboring states. Does Brother Scott consider this modification of the ritual? It is, at least in my mind.
I know since taking my work in Missouri and then later being Master in Iowa that I was obligated to certain things in Missouri that are not required in the Iowa ritual. Modification of the ritual takes place everytime a degree is conferred. I know full well that I as Master left certain things out of the degree work, not on purpose however. My local Lodge brethren will be the first to tell you that I also toss in a little extra when I work in the Lodge, combining the Missouri and Iowa rituals. This is not done on purpose, but out of force of habit. Still I do not see this as detracting from the ritual, and it is modification.
The ritual is Freemasonry' s way of telling a story, illustrating principles, performing a meaningful drama, that no matter what we think, is going to be interpreted each and every time differently. If a little change is made but the premise remains the same, have we damaged the product? I am caught thinking of another work of "art" that was modified. Modified to bring more insight into today's society, more applicable. I am referring to the Holy Bible, which if memory serves me correctly, has been "modified" several times, yet the story stays the same. I am sorry Brother Scott, but your alarm to me at least, is like the little boy crying wolf for the first time.
I was really taken aback by the comparison that Brother Scott makes between the advertising that is being done today and the selling of Freemasonry. I am by no means a marketing person, but I fail to see the correlation between what he believes is being done and what is being done. I am a strong believer in the fact that there is a major difference between "selling" and "public relations." I am, I think, intelligent enough to know that good "public relations" very often results in "sales." I believe what is going on is down and out public relations, and I would challenge anyone (remember, I am from Missouri, so you better show me too) to convince me that it is the purpose of the Grand Lodges to "sell" Freemasonry. I think that we are so behind the times when it comes to telling others about ourselves it is ridiculous. Let me cite a personal example. In Mt. Pleasant Iowa where I live, a Masonic Lodge has existed since 1845, even before the town itself became a reality. In 1924 the Lodge constructed a 3 story edifice in the downtown area of the community of about 700 people. In recently building a new structure, I was amazed at first and later the feeling of stupidity sank in, to find that people did not know where our building was. Some people did not even know that there was a Masonic Lodge in Mt. Pleasant, let alone the fact we have 200 + members. This was all in spite of the fact that we had this 3 story structure with a gigantic stone sculpture of a Masonic emblem on the front of the building. This was in spite of the fact that the building houses the local theatre and has since 1924, a theatre that hundreds of people pass through each week. This was in spite of the fact that the theatre's name is Temple Theatre! What did we do wrong? Could we have done anything differently to let people know that we existed in this community? I believe we can, and we, just like a lot of Grand Lodges, are starting to do it. It is called PUBLIC RELATIONS! It is not the selling of Freemasonry. We have sat on our laurels far too long and have hidden our light under the proverbial bushel too many years.
The Grand Lodge of Iowa has started what I consider to be a model program when it comes to public relations. I am very impressed with it, and firmly believe that it will become the model for other Grand Lodges to follow. Brochures have been written and printed, videotapes produced. This has been done to, at least in my mind, help and aid the subordinate Lodges and the local craft. I am a strong believer in the fact that local Lodges that use the material will be aided greatly in their work and their public relations.
One way the publications and videotapes will be a boost will be at friendship nights, which I suppose, now that I think of it, could be construed as a form of "selling" Freemasonry. Think how difficult it is for the average Mason to respond to the question, " What is Freemasonry? " I have heard some well meaning brothers explain that it is an old fraternity, that has had 13 U.S. Presidents among its membership, and does a lot of charity work. These well meaning brothers often go on and perpetuate the myths concerning the Boston Tea Party and the myth about all of the signers of the Declaration of Independence being Masons. These are well meaning brothers, passing along stories and myths, because they are explaining a subject that is difficult to explain. Masonry is a personal subject that means different things to different people and we must remember this. If the Grand Lodges can come up with short concise explanations of Freemasonry to show or give to an audience, so be it. It certainly makes it easier for local Lodge brothers when it comes to explaining the generalities of the Craft to the uninitiated.
I believe that it is important to note that Masonry needs to be more sophisticated in attracting young men today. There is a lot of competition for a person's time today. If you are a young person, you are really looking for something that is going to be worthwhile and valuable, rather than just sitting in a meeting, paying the bills, reading the minutes, etc., and then going home. Of course one of the answers to this would be Masonic Education, and the subject of an entire different discourse.
Financial concerns are important for any business, whether in today's society or in years past. If you do not believe that Freemasonry is a "business" then I believe that we are not looking at the situation objectively. However, to believe that the only reason the Grand Lodges are going into this public relations campaign is for financial gains, then I would again sharply disagree. Brother Scott also expresses a concern that Grand Lodges will pressure local Lodges to vote in the people who have been attracted to them in this public relations campaign. This I really have a lot of trouble believing or even Imagining. To think that a Grand Lodge would even know how many were attracted to Masonry because of this advertising, is totally inconceivable. I really cannot believe that any Grand Lodge would put pressure on a local Lodge for something such as this. I am, however, only familiar with one Grand Lodge, and not able to competently comment or pass judgement on the others.
The whole topic of solicitation to me, at least, is an interesting one. My thoughts are that if you believe that solicitation just began in a few states, then I would have a question, "What cave did you just emerge from?" To deny that solicitation has been going on for years and years is to not admit the facts. It has however, only recently, become legal in some states. To think that now it is legal, so people are now going to start doing it is ludicrous. In a parallel vein, the legalization of Monitors for the ritual work, certainly does not mean that they never existed until they became legal does it? I guess if we want to look at the letter of the law, and not face facts we could assume that solicitation and the use of monitors just became a fact in a few jurisdictions. I was asked "when are you going to join the Masons?" This question was asked by a Mason. Now I ask you, is this in any way solicitation? Yes it is, and it happened in 1977, so it was, and at least in Missouri, as far as I know, still against Grand Lodge rule. But the question remains, is it wrong? I would debate that it isn't. Brother Scott seems to want to tie in solicitation and the fact that it will lower our ability to be selective. I really don't think that Freemasonry has ever had to worry about its ability to be selective. The investigation committee is the first step, if it is done correctly, is ensuring that Freemasonry remains selective. The second step is the ballot box. The only problem that I can see is that quite often not many brothers are at Lodge to ballot upon petitions. My response to that is, you have a vote, but you can't do it if you are sitting on your duff in your easy chair napping and watching the tube. It is like the election process held statewide and nationally, you have a vote, use it. However, if you don't use it, then don't sit around and bitch and moan. Be a part of the process make it work!
I just do not view one of Freemasonry's problems going into the 21st century that of worrying about selectiveness. From my short years in Masonry and my reading about it we seem to have a knack for remaining selective. If some believe that we aren't being selective enough, then they form another "elite" appendant body for those "select" few that qualify. If you look at the number of these bodies we might even appear to have the market cornered on selectivity. At least it is something to consider.
Brother Scott expresses some concern and good questions raised by the recent actions of the Grand Lodges of Connecticut and Nebraska. I agree that there are questions to be answered, but all I will say on this subject, at least for now, is I am glad they have taken these steps and I hope more will take them in the future.
The last paragraph of Brother Scott's article is one of the reasons that I get frustrated with Freemasonry and what I believe to be one of the problems that we need to get solved or at least work harder on it.
There are several brethren that believe they have the market cornered on what Freemasonry is all about, and what it should and should not be. Baloney! This whole idea of change has gotten some into an utter turmoil both emotionally and physically. We, as a race, have been able to adapt and change, shouldn't the organizations we belong to go through some change? Some people eventually come around and see the value in change, while others have to be dragged into the modern times. I am not advocating anything that in any way should or will detract from the beauty of Freemasonry. Let me cite two personal examples. In 1984 two other Shriners and I wanted to start a local Shrine Club. We were told and told, and told that there was no interest in one. We persisted and 2 months later we had a very active Shrine Club with 60 members. That Shrine Club is still very active today. Another example is our new Masonic Temple in Mt. Pleasant Iowa. Again, a few 'young" people saw a need for a new temple. The old one was getting to be a burden financially and the two flights of stairs were taking its toll on some of the older members. We began to peruse the idea of a new temple. My land, you would have thought that we were destroying the ancient landmarks of Freemasonry, which none of these individuals even knew. I became so tired of hearing, you can't, you won't, you shouldn't, it'll never work, etc., etc. Some people fought us tooth and nail. Why? Because it was change, and change is scary to a lot of people. Less than two years after the initial discussions began, we are sitting in a brand new structure on the ground floor, and are enjoying our debt free building. What really is amusing is the people that fought us, are now taking full "ownership" of the building. They like to inform guests how "we" built the building. It gives some of us good reason to chuckle, bite our lips and go on about our business. The main point is that it was change, and it proved to be a worthwhile change for the local Lodge and Freemasonry in the State of Iowa.
Comparing the Mona Lisa to Freemasonry is an insult to different works of art. The Mona Lisa is a static form of art and Freemasonry is not a static form of art. It is as simple as that. The two compare as easily as rabbits and elephants.
My reading of Freemasonry indicates that there has been change, and will if you can look forward past next week, continue to be change. Freemasonry has had to adapt to the situation that it was in during a particular time and period in its existence, and has survived quite well. Think of the Brothers that met under the situation of the 2nd World War in Germany in the 1940s. Freemasonry changed and adapted and survived. It did, like most examples of change in the Craft, nothing to detract from the story or the underlying principles of the order. Change does not always result in a less beautiful piece of work. If that was the case, and all other persons had the same attitude, then I guess that we would only have one or two colors of roses in our gardens to brighten our day. As beautiful as the society of Freemasonry is, it is not, Brother Scott, without its blemishes. Yes, I firmly believe that no person, organization or society has reached the point of perfection. Wouldn't life be boring if we did? One only needs to look toward the writings of Abraham Maslow, and look at his theories of "Hierarchy of Needs" to find validation for this. The scary thing to me is that we must not be afraid to look at and examine our society, and see the blemishes and rough spots and see what can be done to smooth them out. We too often get caught in the trap of not being able to see the forest for the trees. Failing to see the blemishes, or refusing to acknowledge their existence will not make them go away.
In responding to Brother Scott's article, I am not proposing sweeping changes for Freemasonry. I am proposing however, that all of us as concerned brethren be willing to take a deep hard look at our beloved fraternity and be willing to examine its rules and regulations from time to time. It is not something that should cause us undue concern, but something we should look at like a performance evaluation. If we never find out how we are doing, we will never be able to look at the possibilities for how we might do. I firmly believe that Freemasonry must make some changes to survive, however, I am not soothsayer enough to tell anyone just what they are. I feel strongly that if we don't we could continue to harp on our antiquity as we perish according to the Darwinian theories. I am in my own way attempting to see Masonry into the next century and beyond. I only hope that what I am doing for the Craft will help it advance. Tom L. Dean, MPS
Dean, Iowa Wesleyan College
Comments on a letter from Jack Beardsley to John Mauk Hilliard
In my younger days, I worked for an editor who said that he always allowed four or five typographical errors to get into print, because there is a tiny segment of any readership whose real joy in reading is to find a mistake. That's harmless enough, but then there is the reader like Mr. Jack Beardsley, who is not harmless. He is so desperately anxious to give expression to his superior knowledge that he misquotes, and finds mistakes where there aren't any. He drapes them in irrelevant (and often erroneous) trivia, doesn't hesitate to accuse an author of deliberately Iying about history, and then congratulates himself for thus putting down an editor and book reviewer who are his Masonic brothers.
If Mr. Beardsley's letter had come to me personally, I would have ignored it. Since, however, he has used my book as a weapon to beat down two very dedicated Freemasons, I feel forced to respond.
Most of Mr. Beardsley's criticism is based upon what he perceives to be his deep knowledge of the Duke of Lancaster known as John of Gaunt, whom he sometimes refers to as "Gaunt." That's rather like referring to T. E. Lawrence as "Arabia, " since Gaunt is an English corruption of "Ghent," where John was born. First, Mr. Beardsley changed my generic descriptive word "controller" to the capital C "Controller," to change the word into a title. (Surely he knows that there were personnel managers for centuries before there were Personnel Managers.) He says that I give the impression that every Duke of Lancaster was John of Gaunt. On pages 155-7 I cite the ambitions of Thomas, Duke of Lancaster during a prior period. Most readers appear to have understood that John and Thomas were two different people (although John of Gaunt may indeed have been every subsequent duke, since Mr. Beardsley's letter does tell us that John just died earlier this year, in 1990, at the age of 650).
John of Gaunt was not in charge during the Peasants' Revolt. He was all the way up on the Scottish border, and when he finally received news of the Revolt he didn't believe it. He had absolutely nothing to do with the actions of the royal government during the Revolt, nor during its judicial aftermath.
I did not say that John Wycliffe had anything whatsoever to do with any underground Templars. I did not report that John of Gaunt was Wycliffe's protector, because that relationship had ended before the Revolt in disagreement over Wycliffe's rejection of the doctrine of Transubstantiation.
I did not mention Geoffrey Chaucer because he had nothing to do with the thesis of my book. No, the House of Tudor did not descend from the illegitimate children of John of Gaunt and Catherine Swynford. No, Henry IV did not "begin" the House of Lancaster.
The "little ditty" was left out of my book because no documentation ties it directly to the Peasants' Revolt, and no documentation has Wat Tyler "chanting" it.
At last we come to the imagined triumph of all this trivia. Mr. Beardsley now feels justified in questioning my position on the Lollards, and asks what other misplaced ideas and omissions may be found in my book. I need help here. I have read and re-read Mr. Beardsley's letter and cannot find any statement as to my position on the Lollards, which he now calls into question. And if there are misplaced ideas and relevant omissions, I don't find them in this letter, either.
Finally, Foucault's Pendulum does not say that "the Templars are the sub rosa beginners of Freemasonry," but in fact takes the directly opposite point of view. Professor Eco scoffs at any relationship between underground Templars and Freemasonry, rejecting all such ideas as " raving nonsense. "
The purpose of all this? Mr. Beardsley attacks the accuracy, knowledge and integrity of his Masonic brothers on the staff of The Philalethes, and thinks they need an overseer (and appears to be volunteering for that position). I can only urge that if The Philalethes ever does decide to set up an editorial quality control board, this sad man should not be allowed within a thousand yards of it.
Do I sound angry? You see, we have a tradition here in Kentucky that when a man calls you a liar, you're supposed to get very upset. As you know, I have a deep respect for tradition.
Respectfully,
John J. Robinson-Author of "Born in Blood"
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On Admission Of Black Americans To Freemasonry
by Steven Allen Schwartz, MPS
How can we say that all men are brothers when we actively or passively exclude Black Americans from Freemasonry? How can we say that we meet our fellow man ""on the level", if we fear that admitting the first Black will lead to Freemasonry being taken over by Blacks. That's not putting much faith in a Black
Freemason's judgement. How can we say that our Freemasonry upholds human or civil rights, if we are content with the fact that Blacks have their own Masonic lodges?
Why do we wonder why our membership is continually declining, whereas the population is growing? What is happening to discourage young people, educated and talented young people, from being interested in Freemasonry? Could it be that our actions are inconsistent with what is taught to these fine young people in public and private schools? Given the personal struggles with injustice in our own lives, can we really say with pride that we belong to a lodge, group or club which discriminates solely on the basis of color?
What is noble and American about discrimination on the basis of color? How can we expect young people to see their membership in Freemasonry as being positive and affirming when Freemasonry is so blind to the principles of equality which we see applied every day in stores, in restaurants, at work and on TV. What does this aspect of ourselves look like in the eyes of an educated and informed society?
Do we judge a man on the basis of his character, or his color? Is that how most of us behave in our private lives? Is it really a mystery that our membership continues to decline? And if you think that each and every Black American is inadequate to be considered a member of Freemasonry, then consider that each and every Black American was considered adequate and equal when it came time to defend our American way of life in World war II (among other wars). some of these men died for our country. I personally have a problem with segregationist social institutions when I consider this point. So are we really following our own principles of democracy? Is it really fair to discriminate in Freemasonry on the basis of color?
Who among us has had the courage to speak for these concerns? And who is afraid to speak out for fear of being ostracized? Is this what it means to be a responsible Freemason and American? Do the American ideals to which we pledge allegiance only apply to Whites and not to Blacks? And if we question our motives more deeply, what do we find?
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FREEMASONRY IN THE NEXT CENTURY
How Can Today's Lodge Prepare For Tomorrow 's Mason?
by Robert G. Davis, MPS
Berton Braley, in his poem "A Banjo at Armageddon" said: The best verse hasn't been rhymed yet The best house hasn't been planned The highest peak hasn't been climbed yet The mightiest rivers aren't spanned; Don't worry and fret, faint hearted, The chances have just begun For the best Jobs haven't been started, The best work hasn't been done.
Brethren, the real work in Freemasonry still lies ahead of us. If we're going to write the history of Freemasonry in the future, we're going to have to do it now. My task today is to give you a vision about tomorrow--to toss out a few ideas about how our system of Freemasonry and tomorrow's thinking, right-living American male can be drawing their values from the same source of light.
Sounds like a tough task--how are we going to get good men, in large numbers, in the 21st century, to buy into a 300 year old institution?
We're going to have to start by finding out who our prospective Masons are. Because the membership that will ultimately cause the fraternity to thrive have not yet become Masons.
Let me now take you into the future a few years and show you how one Lodge apparently made it all happen the way we only dream about today.
This speech was delivered at a cornerstone laying at a Masonic Temple somewhere in America in the year 2035. The occasion was the relocation and dedication of the Lodge's original cornerstone which had previously been laid in 1993 when the Lodge was first chartered.
The orator gave the following remarks: Brethren and Ladies:
It seems fitting for me to reflect back for a few moments on the history of our wonderful Masonic Lodge as we dedicate this new Temple to the Grand Architect of the Universe. Since few of us have been in the fraternity for longer than 30 years, we really can't know for sure how it all happened, but in looking through the materials unveiled by the opening of our cornerstone, I can conclude we are the children of some very forward-thinking Masons.
From what I have been able to gather, Freemasonry in the last half of the 20th century was very much on the decline. It had lost more than half its members by the century's end.
The typical Lodge had low attendance, low dues, no resources, and low member interest. The adopted work wasn't really performed. It was parroted in kind of a ritualistic trance--by a few devoted brethren who seemed to move only from the neck up and who communicated little and understood less about what they were doing or why they were doing it. It was a pitiful thing.
But sometime, in the 1990's, this all changed. A few brethren with some real vision began doing some important things. They started surveying adult males all over America--from both within and without the fraternity.
Finding out who these men were, what they were like, and what they wanted out of organizations they joined.
The Masons also collected other national surveys conducted by other companies, identifying the demographic characteristics of American men. They perhaps didn't realize it then, but they started finding out about us.
They discovered the men in the 21st century who would become Masons would be college educated, with many of us holding advanced degrees beyond the bachelors level. We would be over 35 when entering the fraternity. We would be middle to high income folks and have families of 2 or less children. And we would start our families in our late 20's and early 30's.
There's other stuff they found out about us. For the most part, we are the sons of educated parents. Over 72% of us came from single parent households. We read less, but still, we have more access to information. And we process and accept information differently than did our fathers and grandfathers. This is very important.
You see, they were practical men. They looked for facts. They didn't spend much time with information. If it was a fact, it was okay by them.
Of course, that's all changed. We don't see it that way anymore. We are more interested in truth--not fact. We receive much information. But, we don't immediately accept it. We tend to store it as being useful. And when we receive enough of it to verify its truth, we accept it as being relevant.
That's how the Masonic Ritual became so significant to us "right-thinking " Americans. But that's the end of the story. In 1993 we weren't there yet. It didn't happen over night.
What did happen was this.
Our Lodge was chartered in 1993 because we wanted to do things differently. We wanted to make a difference and we wanted men who could make a difference to become part of us. The first thing we did was raise our dues. It cost a man $300 to join our Lodge and our members paid $30 a month. That did several things for us almost immediately: (1) it gave us enough money to buy into the needs of our community (2) it gave us a perception of value to those who were curious about joining, and (3) it gave us enough income to subsidize the dues of our brothers who couldn't pay the full amount. The main thing it did was give us resources and a respected public image.
Then we started making real Masons out of our Masons. We created a complete Masonic Education Course, beginning with audio and videotapes for our friends and their families. We took every candidate and their wives through a progressive multi-media production on Masonic history, heritage, symbolism, and ritual, and philanthropy, with new information introduced at each step of the Masonic journey. We reinforced our adopted ritual with meaningful tests of proficiency, and taught our initiates the meaning and value of brotherhood and fraternity. And we developed a continuing Masonic Education Institute for any Master Mason who wanted to learn more about Masonry. Men started becoming attached to the fraternity--deeply attached.
Then we made an even more important discovery. We adopted a public mission and we discovered the needs of education. It was a natural for us, since education is what Freemasonry has always stood for. The administrators, teachers parents, and kids then discovered us.
We became the most important private partner to public education in our community. We adopted schools, honored teachers, purchased supplies, developed a series of teaching aids using audio cassettes; we sponsored intense teaching workshops for reading teachers, we offered children’s books on tape, developed school libraries, held cultural literacy competitions, sponsored puppet theaters, sent kids to art institutes, and sent others to college.
No, we didn't sponsor a little league softball team--we furnished the season's prize and awards for all the teams--trips to cultural centers, the Omniplex, the planetarium, science fairs, museums, art studios. Oh, yes, we also sent our schools' best scholars to Washington each year.
We became so involved in education we established an Adult Continuing Education curriculum held each Monday evening through September and October-at the Lodge, of course. We taught courses in the Classics, Comparative Religion, Philosophy, Ethics. We offered classes in video photography, production and editing. We even offered lessons on acting. And, of course, the public could enroll in our course on Freemasonry.
In the fraternity, we began also to develop our own leaders. Our Lodge officers enrolled in a special curriculum teaching leadership skills and techniques, Lodge management, membership development, and Masonic Communication. We developed self-instructional programs, and created an Institute for Leadership Development. Sponsored by the fraternity, we offered it to businesses, corporations, community leaders, and foundations for a fee. And, of course, we had another leadership skills development program for high school juniors and seniors.
Our Lodge became our most important asset. Our dining hall was used for conferences, stated meeting dinners, and family entertainment during our business meetings. While we met in the Lodge room, our wives attended programs on such topics as investing and financial management, consumer affairs, child development psychology, developing thinking skills in children, etc.
The TV room and children's lounge had a video library, a computer center, and a small stage for plays and music.
The library offered many books on Masonry, writing tables, reading nooks, and books on tape for our elderly members.
The parlor has always been a favorite room for committee meetings, discussions, brainstorming, or relaxing.
The two Lodge rooms have been used extensively. While the officers are planning new projects, developing fundraising ideas, seeing on-going programs through to completion, receiving committee reports, etc. in one room, the ritual team is usually conferring the degrees in the other. Frankly, the officers have been too busy to worry with the ritual for some 15 years now. So, they leave that task to the brethren who are skilled in the ritual and love performing it.
And oh, how our ritual has improved since we realized that ritual and theater are the same thing. After all, the oldest known ritual, the Passion Play at Abydos, was also the oldest known theater.
Our teams developed the degrees in such a way that they gave the full theatrical value to the words, movements, and gestures of the ritual. A fully controlled lighting system allows the setting of hundreds of different moods in the room, a state of the art sound system, and recorded music has allowed the Lodge to return to our 18th century tradition of interweaving the ritual with music.
Every ritualist knows the meaning of every word he says--and gives value to the meanings in his voice as he speaks the lines.
You see, our Lodge was determined to make the presentation of the ritual and teaching of the Lodge as effective as possible.
Both of the Ritual Lodge rooms feature a control booth in the West wall, concealed by a grill work in the architectural design of the Lodge room so it is not distracting. From here, the sound, lighting and the projection of slides and film are all controlled, so that no distraction takes place in the Lodge room itself.
In the larger room, we went even further in using technology which corporations had used in their meeting rooms for decades. As you know, most of the wall behind the Master's chair in the East is actually a front/rear projection screen. During openings, closing, and other times not involved with the degrees, the projectors throw an image which is simply a continuation of the architecture of the rest of the room, so that it appears to be a wall like all the others. But during the degree work, the entire wall changes with scenery slides to represent an area outside Jerusalem, a sea coast, the building of King Solomon's temple, or anything else that may be needed. Slides used to illustrate the lectures appear in a smaller section of that wall, to provide the sharpest possible image and greatest color saturation.
All the seating along the sides of that room is on low platforms resting on casters and locked into place. It takes only ten minutes to unlock all of those, remove the altar, and swing the seating into the room to convert it to a comfortable lecture hall for speeches, Masonic education programs, guest lecturers, etc.
Men now covet the opportunity to be a Lodge ritualist. That's why we have several teams for each degree. And everyone gets to work since we are now conferring degrees at least two nights each week.
Finally, when the Masonic Temple added a room to be used as our Community Resource Center, the public really found out about us. We are a designated nutrition site for our community, offering noon meals during the week. We screen pre-schoolers for speech, hearing, and eye problems once each month. We offer an employment referral service to our members, and host a free community health fair twice a year. Our Community Resource Center is available to the civic clubs, and has become a real center of community activity over the last ten years.
So, brethren and ladies, as we stand together today dedicating this new Masonic edifice, we do so because we realize we needed more space, more instructional rooms, another Lodge room, an expanded resource center, all in a location situated in the center of the community's growth area. But, more importantly, we recognize we are here because those who came before us were men of vision. They gave us a new start for the 21st century. They taught us how to be Masons, and they brought us to understand the nature of relevancy.
Being valuable to ourselves because of our values and sharing our values with our community because we are valuable to it.
Today, our task is the same as that of our brethren of the l990's. Just as their task was the same as the brethren of the 1800 's and the 1700's. It has always been true of Masonry that we must ever move forward, or die.
We are here today to create the Masonry for tomorrow's Mason.
----o----
by Stephen B. Schafer, MPS
"The covering of a Lodge is no less than the cloudy canopy or starry-decked Heaven, where all good Masons hope at last to arrive by the aid of that theological ladder which Jacob in his vision saw extending from earth to heaven, the three principal rounds of which are denominated Faith, Hope and Charity, and admonish us to have Faith in God, Hope in immortality, and Charity for all mankind. " (Washington Monitor)
Genesis, chapter 28, verse 12 describes Jacob's ladder: "And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold the Lord stood above it. . . "
The covering of a Masonic Lodge--always worthy of consideration--is, in our changing world, worthy of re-consideration. When considering the "covering" of a Lodge, the important images referred to are the starry heavens and a ladder which reaches from earth to heaven. The ladder is usually interpreted in a figurative or symbolic sense, and each step represents the achievement of a moral quality; ie, Faith, Hope and Charity are the first three rungs of the ladder.
The ladder represents regular, sequential progress and it is a standard image throughout the history of thought. Those who have had the occasion to study the psychiatric interpretation of dreams know that people report similar images in their dreams, and that certain images are so often repeated that they are understood to be more-or-less universal. Whenever they appear they have somewhat similar meanings for many different people. Psychiatrists and psychologists recognize the validity of this assumption. A ladder means progress--step by step and regular.
I had a ladder dream once myself. I was in space, climbing a ladder and climbed up through a trapdoor into a vast library suffused with light and filled with ancient books. There was an old and benevolent man there with long white beard and robe. The way I interpreted this dream was that I was making some progress.
Darwin talked about the ladder of evolution, and most of us are at least somewhat familiar with his brilliant work. Based on his scientific observations he discovered and propounded the theory which is the basis upon which most of our modern biological sciences are built. He discovered that there is a progression of life forms from the single celled organism through the plant and animal kingdoms all the way up to the human being. With each step up the ladder of evolution, new qualities emerge.
If the first three rounds of Jacob' s ladder represent the development of Faith Hope, and Charity (which, by the way, originally read "love"); we can but wonder at those qualities which lie beyond our present knowledge and those beings which can travel all the way up to the top of the ladder where stands the Lord.
A basic concept in both Hindu and Buddhist religions is called reincarnation (rebirth). Reincarnation is the idea that there is a regular progress of the being up the ladder of existence, and that the whole reason for life is tied up in the concept of progress and perfectment. The two religious systems vary in detail, but the basic idea is that not only the forms of life have a regular progression, but so does the consciousness progress by regular degrees toward greater enlightenment. Jesus said that in order to reach heaven it was necessary to be born again. Another variation on the theme of Jacob' s Ladder is the concept of the Great Chain of Being which dates back to Plato. The idea is that there is a great chain of life throughout the universe and that each is linked to the others as in a chain. I am reminded of the molecular DNA chain of life. At any rate, the principles underlying the concept of the great Chain of Being are the principles of PLENTITUDE, CONTINUITY, AND GRADATION--or in other words, the idea that life is everywhere in different forms, that it is continuous and that it exists in grades, ranks or degrees of development. If we accept the validity of any of this illuminated thinking we must necessarily speculate on its ramifications. Although our bodies appear to be distinct and separate we are told repeatedly by some of the most enlightened of our teachers and throughout the cultural traditions of ages that we are immersed in a sea of living forms with which we are thoroughly interdependent. Moreover, all of these forms in their graduated ranks are engaged in an immortal quest for progress and for more enlightenment.
We can not in good faith or common sense shrug this off as archaic thinking appropriate to less sophisticated times and people. Modern ecology (the study of life systems) is demonstrating the scientific validity of this concept of the interdependency of life. This scientific truth verifies our philosophical truths, and is beginning to cast light on man's true responsibility. In short, that responsibility is not just to himself, his family, or his nation; but to all life, and every life form. " Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," becomes suddenly and emphatically pragmatic. We do so not just because it is nice, but because it is realistic. Presumably we don't pollute our neighbor's air, because we simultaneously pollute our own. Plato said "thoughts are things," and they have form. That is why they must be pure, because impure thoughts befoul space and come back to us like a boomerang.
Another perspective on this same theme is that there is a golden thread of continuity which runs throughout the teaching of the ancient or ageless wisdom. This perspective observes that there is a constant reappearance of the same TRUTH in varied forms throughout the ages. This TRUTH is handed down to generation after generation in a form which is comprehensible to the people of the period. This ageless wisdom comes to us from the remote past and suggests the existence of both purposeful plan and divine guidance in the affairs of humanity. The Trestleboard symbolizes this. Divine guidance of human destiny is said to be the responsibility of a Great Brotherhood of enlightened beings who have progressed further up the ladder than the human state of being.
The ladder of regular progression is also evident in the starry canopy of heaven. What do we know about this canopy? First and foremost, we know that we perceive it from our own perspective, and, therefore, know very little about it.
Philosophy tells us that humans mark a middle point on the ladder of evolution. Again science validates philosophy. Compared with atoms, in terms of form and consciousness, we are immense; compared with the universe we are minute. But, ironically, we are made of atoms and have literally descended from the stars. This sounds enigmatical, but science informs us that the elements and atoms which compose us and our entire world are the results of the explosions of dying stars in untold ages past. We are chemically and atomically, in fact, a minute part of a system older and much bigger than we are. To get an idea of just how much bigger, we need to free ourselves from the limitations of our orthodox mental and perceptual framework. Standard concepts won't work for us today. The universe is no more centered on us than it is on the earth--we are just important parts of it.
When thinking about the universe we need to think of distance in terms of light years. A light year is the distance light travels in one year. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second, so the distance it travels in one year is 186,000 miles, times 32 million seconds which is the number of seconds in a year. We have to contemplate this reality m our minds--in our consciousness--because we can't walk it, or drive it, or even fly it. We need to free ourselves from our comfortable conceptual and perceptual limitations and live increasingly on the frontiers of our consciousness.
The truth of this begins to become apparent when we imagine that the depths of space may contain at least as many planets like earth as there are grains of sand on all the beaches of the world, but none of them will be of any consequence in producing light in the starry canopy. Whole galaxies produce no more than a smudge of light in the night sky, but this smudge is the combined output of hundreds of billions of stars.
The covering of the Masonic Lodge is VAST, and mostly empty. For every cubic inch of stellar material in the universe there are a thousand billion billion billion (10 raised to the 30th) such as cubes that are empty. If all material contents were imagined smeared uniformly throughout the universe then every four thousand trillion (4 x 10l5) cubic miles would contain scarcely an ounce. Now consider this... the canopy isn't really empty. In fact all this space is full of atoms and molecules which are quite tangible. In addition to the few ounces of "matter" there is a flux of subatomic, atomic, molecular particles which, today, we know are very real. If they were not, light would never reach us through the vast expanse of space. We can't see them, but they are real.
The covering is big. We only begin to realize how vast it is when we compare our earth to the sun and our sun to other stars. The sun, our closest cosmic relative is the lord of its own domain. Its supremacy in its own system is unchallenged. It is the source of all life on earth and it concentrates all but one seven-hundredth of the solar system's mass within itself. The earth is the size of one of the sun's minor blemishes or spots, and yet our sun, among the immense family of stars is Just average.
The star cluster which is our nearest neighbor is Alpha Centauri, which is four and one third light years away. Our own galaxy, the Milky Way, is one hundred thousand light years in diameter and contains hundreds of billions of stars . Beyond lies a universe of galaxies as numerous as the stars within our own--hundreds of billions of galaxies.
Stars exist in, what to us, seems a vast and incomprehensible sphere and yet, like us, they are born, live and die, and leave their remains in the form of atoms and molecules which then go into the formation of new stars and planets, and people.
Man is formed of the same materials as the stars. A chemical ladder exists from the atom to the galaxy. Can we deduce from this fact that the stars are living conscious beings? All life on earth would cease without the sun. Can we assume that, being made from the same materials as we, being vastly superior to us in the cosmos, and being the very giver of life to us--somehow we are conscious and the sun is not? Consciousness, like space, is invisible to the human eye, but it is obviously there. Could it be that the stars have, like we, consciousness which is invisible and that the seemingly "empty" space of the cosmos is consciousness? An idea until it is fleshed-out, as a loaf of bread or a computer, is invisible; but it most certainly is there. Ideas and emotions are a real part of our environment. They are even detectable on sensitive machines.
Why do we aspire to light? The only light in the heavens is starlight. What is the relationship between this starlight and Deity? If all this begins to sound incredible, let me leave you with this thought. Viewing the stars in the canopy of heaven is like looking back in time. Because of the vast extent of the universe it takes light so long to reach our eyes that the star which appears to be there may have disappeared ages ago. That which seems to be there may not be there, and much of that which is there is invisible. Those of us who are from Missouri may have a diminished probability of survival in this reality.
Granted! These matters are not easily assimilated. What else is Freemasonry about if not to help us understand it.
Why is the Master of the Lodge equated with the sun? Why is the Lodge at labor throughout the day? What happens to it at night? Why are the luminaries of the Lodge so regularly spaced? Why are the points of our entrance so important? What are the wages of the builders, and what is appropriate labor for Freemasons?
Within the ritual and structure of Freemasonry there are many possibilities. They must be approached with awe, with diligence, prudence, temperance and discression. And why is this? Because Freemasonry is connected in both consciousness and form by Jacob's ladder to the vast "canopy. " The moral quality to be achieved is Heart and its realization is Brotherhood. The labor of Masons as they move into the future is fraught with exciting possibilities.
----o----
A Masonic Necessity!
AND ITS PRESERVING US!
A reply to John Nocas, Friend and Brother
by Rex R. Hutchens, MPS
As often as I find myself in agreement with Brother Nocas, I must dissent from his comments in Philalethes, October 1990, page 23. Firstly, I must admit to some confusion over the point of the article. Bro. Nocas says that "...there is nothing wrong with Masonry! " and then proceeds to advocate change. His implication that change is not a part of Masonry directly contradicts known Masonic history: if we review any present ritual with those found in Knoop and Jones' Early Masonic Catechisms we will note many changes; the flurry of activity engendered in Grand Lodge Communications results in constant changes to the various Masonic Codes which control the Masonic Jurisdictions around the world. Change has always been inherent in Masonry and will continue to be. It is true that Freemasonry is a conservative institution and change occurs in slow and measured steps but this is as it should be. If the values presented to the world are truly timeless then the Institution invested with the responsibility of protecting, preserving and transmitting them must be of a conservative stance: change for its own sake is a greater danger than an excess of conservatism.
The central point of his article, however deserves a more specific reply. It is certainly the case that Masonry has lost "...hundreds of thousands of Masons this century: but I cannot attribute this to the presence of some standards of memorization; rather I would attribute it to top-line signers and investigating committees who do not properly explain the nature of Masonry to prospective members.
Freemasonry teaches far more than simple morality, the possession of which is a prerequisite to membership in any case. It is unfortunate that we do not always stress the auxiliary benefits of active membership in a Masonic Lodge to prospective candidates: benefits which inure to the advantage of our Brothers in all other phases of their life. Many introverted Brothers have come out of their shell and become effective public speakers by the gradual process of ritual presentation. Speaking before a group is the most common fear and those who possess it always say the same thing, "I don't know what to say. " The memorization of ritual gives these timid souls something to say and they know exactly what it is; gradually the experience of reciting before a group evolves into extemporaneous speaking before a group - a group that is composed of his Brethren men he knows have nothing but his best interest at heart, who encourage him at every turn and who use his mistakes as a reminder of their own.
The expectation of memorization is an expectation of mental discipline and this too, presents benefits that extend far beyond the door of the Lodge. Once a man has conquered his mind and come to know its awesome potential, the need to learn something becomes a task and not a chore; a challenge and not a burden.
If a man demonstrates an unwillingness to discipline his mind, how can we make him a better man? Certainly not by the trivial recitation of moral precepts he has learned elsewhere at his mother's knee or Sunday School. Our ritual tells us that "To be good and true is the first lesson we are taught in Masonry." This is nonsense. The first lesson we are taught in Masonry is that someone expects something from us: commitment a commitment to focus, to study, to practice, to learn. Yes, rote memorization is learning; it is the oldest form of learning known to man, and still the most effective. He who learns by rote carries knowledge in his head everywhere he goes and can therefore, at his leisure, recall it, think about it, form questions, propose answers. Masonry may well be the last system of instruction that demands extensive memorization and as this method has been abandoned in our public schools we have seen the decline in quality of education. To learn is to know and to know is to memorize there is no choice.
As to Brother Nocas' other comments about the closure of Lodges. It may be fair to question whether so many Lodges ever had a proper title to existence in the first place. The membership of Masonry has been expanded almost with total disregard for the consequences and we are now experiencing the results of a rapid, undisciplined expansion fueled by men's ambitions and avarice. There is nothing wrong with Lodges closing a vapid and apathetic membership does not deserve our sponsorship or our support. A Lodge that is having difficulty because of forces outside its control is another matter entirely. A Lodge should not be closed simply because it is in trouble: we have all seen examples of inner city Lodges whose members actually fear coming to Lodge. But neither should a Lodge receive the benefit of our resources if the membership is not willing to cooperate to solve the problems.
If the word 'fetish' has any place in Masonry it is the fetish to advance the numbers in the Craft without regard to the purpose or the consequences.
----o----
The Traditional Martinist Order
and the Martinist Order and Synarchy:
An Examination of Claims and Relationships
by Lloyd Worley, MPS
PART II
How did the Traditional Martinist Order come to give "initiations" through the mail, especially considering the TMO background, i.e., its source in A. Chaboseau, who certainly never conferred "initiation" by mail, and the Initiations conferred upon the Lewises by the Martinist Order and Synarchy under Blanchard? The answer must lie in AMORC 's enormously successful development of correspondence school methods in the dissemination of its teachings and in its understanding of ritual. There is no doubt that the mail-order technique has allowed AMORC to grow well beyond anyone's (except H. Spencer Lewis's) expectations. Certainly, it is perfectly legitimate to give teachings by mail, whether the teachings are secret or not. In the case of Rosicrucian and Martinist bodies, not only are there esoteric teachings, there are also ritual and Initiation. What to do if you are AMORC delivering teachings with a well-developed mail-order system? Obviously, you also give those "initiations" by mail, except that not even AMORC gives its "First Temple Degree" or its "Ninth Temple Degree" by mail. The AMORC Rosicrucian must present him/herself in person at an AMORC Lodge to receive those Degrees. The first-year probationer Degrees must be (and Temple Degrees 2-8 may be) taken at home, i.e., self-initiation. However, AMORC Lodges also confer all Temple Degrees in a full form. An AMORC Rosicrucian can take the Degrees in a Lodge in any chronological order. This writer personally knows of one AMORC Rosicrucian who took the Ninth Temple Degree before taking the First.
Can "mail-order initiations" be legitimate? Yes if you understand rituals to be reflections of states of consciousness, rather than conveyers of power and authority. And, indeed, that is AMORC' s view of ritual--a ritual is only an outer symbolic technique whose purpose is to reflect an inner state of consciousness. That is to say, for AMORC the "reality" of a ritual is not in itself, but in its perception. Therefore, AMORC reasoned, if a ritual is effective only in perception, then that ritual can be conferred either in person or singly, alone, by mail-order methods . Following that line of reasoning, mail-order initiation is permissible. However, regular Martinism does not hold AMORC's view that the "reality" of a ritual is in its perception only; rather, (as can be seen in the writings of Saint-Martin and of Pasqually) regular Martinism holds that The Initiation actually confers a power and an authority, i.e., the "reality" of The Initiation is in the doing as well as in the perceiving. Thus, to pass on The Initiation is to pass on a "reality" that is inherent in the Ritual itself and which requires both Initiate and Candidate to be physically present, face-to-face. In one sense, it could be said that the TMO's view of ritual is "protestant," while regular Martinism' s view is "catholic. " Unfortunately, the Traditional Martinist Order has reverted back to a pre-Supreme Council (pre-Papus) practice that was never used by Pasqually or Saint-Martin and was certainly not approved of by Papus or by any of the great names of regular Martinism.
Conclusion: the Traditional Martinist Order cannot be recognized by the Ordre Martiniste or the Martinist Order and Synarchy as a regular branch of the Martinist Order; furthermore, the OM and the MOS must declare the TMO mail-order "initiations" as invalid.
5--The Degree of Unknown Philosopher was discontinued by the AMORC/TMO so that the essential fourth portion of the original Martinist Initiation was omitted, thus invalidating all Initiations given by TMO officers.
This is the final and most fatal objection to the TMO. A former TMO member of many years' experience (now an MOS grand officer) told me that the TMO lost the Unknown Philosopher's Degree early in its career and that the Degree was not worked until 1988, and then only briefly. This former TMO member said that during his TMO activity of many years, he never saw or heard of the Degree of Unknown Philosopher (or, IV Initiator) being given or conferred within the TMO. This assertion about the TMO is generally understood by non TMO Martinists to be correct. Why is the Degree of Unknown Philosopher important? Papus and the original Supreme Council divided the original Martinist Initiation into four constituent parts, the fourth part (and Degree) being the portion that enables a Martinist to pass on not only the first three Degrees (or, portions), but the last portion of Initiator as well. There is no doubt that both Lewises received the fourth Degree of Initiator, but, apparently, this Degree was not used by the TMO. The problem is that, according to universal Martinist teaching, a holder of the Degree of SI (the third degree) can Initiate only to the rank of Associate. On the other hand, the holder of the Degree of Unknown Philosopher can further Initiate to the second degree of Mystic, third degree of SI, and, finally, to the all-important fourth Unknown Philosopher Degree. Thus, if the Unknown Philosopher Degree was not conferred early within the TMO history, then, after the third generation of Initiation, no TMO SI Martinist could confer any Martinist Degree whatever, even if the Rituals for the Mystic and SI Degree were known and used. With a missing Unknown Philosopher Degree, the TMO Martinist filiation looks like this:
1st generation: Unknown Philosopher confers to SI, but not to UP:
2nd generation: Valid SI confers to SI, but, without UP, only the Associate Degree is valid;
3rd generation: Valid Associate (invalid Mystic & SI) confers to SI; all Degrees are invalid, since Associates can't confer The Initiation;
4th generation: Thereafter, all TMO "initiations" are invalid.
According to one anonymous source the TMO "discovered" the Unknown Philosopher Degree in its archives sometime in 1988, and it was worked temporarily. However, the Degree was withdrawn within the year, and it has not been used since. Further, whether it was used or not would be of no consequence. Once the Unknown Philosopher Degree was lost, it could not be restored simply by locating and using a Ritual, any more than a Master Mason could be "made" by a non-Mason (or even a Mason) who attempted to use a so-called Masonic expose to "make Master Masons."
Why withhold the Unknown Philosopher Degree? The reason is that, with it, a person would hold full initiatic authority and could simply leave the TMO and start another Martinist branch. Such a branch might be " irregular, " but it would be valid. By withholding the UP Degree, the TMO avoided such schism. Unfortunately, by withholding the Degree, all Initiations eventually become invalid, as shown in the filiation line above. Another Martinist who wishes to remain anonymous suggested to me that it might be possible that the high officers of AMORC were passing the Unknown Philosopher Degree among themselves, but not among the various TMO Martinists who need the Degree for valid Initiations. However, there is no evidence to support the supposition.
Conclusion: If the TMO has withheld the Unknown Philosopher Degree from its initiating officers, then after the third generation on the line of filiation, no TMO Initiation would be valid.
An Examination of AMORC's TMO Martinist Documents
What follows is a page-by-page textua, analysis of the book, Martinist Documents. This book is issued by the TMO of AMORC for the purpose of establishing the legitimacy of the TMO by (a) showing documents of initiation into Martinism; (b) showing papers of authority from Martinists in Europe and (c) by showing letters of recognition from Martinist officers. However, given the nature and content of the documents and the nature of the captions and commentary, the book does not necessarily accomplish its purpose. Unraveling the TMO problems of filiation and of authority is difficult, but, essentially, these documents demonstrate the following:
(a) that both Lewises and their wives were initiated by Victor Blanchard of the Martinist Order and Synarchy;
(b) that for two years (1937-1939) H. Spencer Lewis held Martinist Order and Synarchy authority as a Regional Grand Master for the purpose of establishing the Martinist Order and Synarchy in the United States;
(c) that the MOS authority died with H. Spencer Lewis and that Ralph Lewis turned from the Martinist Order and Synarchy and sought similar authority from the Traditional Martinist Order;
(d) that the TMO person primarily responsible for aiding Ralph Lewis was not Augustine Chaboseau, but Georges Lagreze who switched his obedience from the Martinist Order of Lyons headed by Constant Chevillon to the TMO headed by Chaboseau;
(e) that Jean Chaboseau's actions of dissolving the Traditional Martinist Order and of dissolving of the TMO Supreme Council were both ignored by Ralph Lewis;
(f) that after the deaths of Chaboseau and Lagreze, Ralph Lewis assumed the office of Sovereign Grand Master of the Traditional Martinist Order;
(g) that the book's photo captions make no distinction among the TMO, the MOS, or the OM, claiming them all as TMO bodies; and that the conclusions reached and comments about the Traditional Martinist Order as found in the photo captions in Martinist Documents cannot be wholly relied upon.
Martinist Documents...
Page 1: This photograph shows a picture of Lewis sitting at his desk. The caption suggests that there is only one Martinist Order, the Traditional Martinist Order.
Page 2: This is a description of the book's content.
Pages 3-4: These are French and Spanish versions of Page 2.
Page 5: The photograph shows Ralph M. Lewis's Martinist Order and Synarchy Initiation Certificate to the fourth Martinist Degree (Unknown Philosopher); signed by Victor Blanchard (as Sovereign Grand Master of the Martinist Order and Synarchy and as Imperator of the FUDOSI) and dated 9/10/36, or, two years after the formation of the Traditional Martinist Order; it is important to note that Martinist Documents carries no photocopies of a TMO initiation certificate for the Lewises or for anyone (except a nonstandard one on page 22), the caption incorrectly identifies Blanchard and other signators as officers of the "Traditional Martinist Order of Europe. " Certain OMS Grand Lodge officers question the authenticity of this certificate because Lewis's esoteric designation does not follow OMS regulations. There are three signatures in the bottom margin, but they are somewhat illegible. One reads " Sar Nitram, " a " Sovereign Grand Secretary General" of the Martinist Order and Synarchy. "Sar Nitram's" signature also appears with Blanchard's on the document on page 13. A second signature is that of "Fidel m Rosa (?)" an unidentified "Sovereign Grand Inspector General," apparently of the MOS A third reads "Michael," which is Georges Lagreze's esoteric designation. Lagreze signs himself as a "Sovereign Grand Master Substitute" of the MOS, a rather high title that definitely shows his membership in the MOS (assuming that the designation is correct). His seal is not clear in the photograph. Oddly, Lagreze never uses the title "Sar."
Page 6: This photograph shows a typewritten initiation certificate for Ralph Lewis to SI (but not to the rank of initiator), signed by Georges B. Lagreze, and dated 01/09/39, countersigned by Augustine Chaboseau who writes "Vu et approuve," i.e., "seen and approved." The certificate is headed Martinist Order," but not "Traditional Martinist Order. " It seems clear that Lagreze was a IV Degree Martinist under Blanchard and under Detre, for all his certificates and signatures indicate his MOS and OM affiliations, and A. Chaboseau also mentions Lagreze's Martinist Order (Ordre Martiniste) affiliation in a document on page 18 of Martinist Documents, which see. The caption identifies Lagreze as Chaboseau's "Legate." The suggestion is that the Martinist Orders of the time cooperated and had a membership overlap.
Page 7: This photograph shows a printed Martinist Order (but not TMO) initiation certificate for Ralph Lewis to the Degree of SI Initiator, again signed by Georges Lagreze and dated 01/09/39. This certificate is simply a double of the one on page 6, except that it adds the "Initiator" rank. Lewis received two certificates for the same initiation because the first is to the Degree of S.I. only. The caption reads that Lewis received " a Degree of the Traditional Martinist Order," but it is obvious that this is not a TMO certificate.
Page 8: The photograph shows an elaborately printed Martinist Order (not TMO) certificate to SI for Gladys Lewis, dated 01/09/39, also signed by Lagreze. The caption incorrectly identifies the certificate as a TMO one.
Page 9: The photograph shows an elaborately printed Martinist Order (not TMO) certificate to SI for Martha Lewis, dated 01/09/39, also signed by Lagreze. The caption incorrectly identifies the certificate a a TMO one. The certificate on page 8 and this one are identical, but are quite different from the one given to Ralph, even though his initiation was on the same day and by the same person, Lagreze. It is possible that men received one kind of certificate and that women received another, more elaborate certificate.
Page 10: The photograph shows the Grand Heptad Temple of the Traditional Martinist Order at Rosicrucian Park in San Jose, California. The arrangement would be familiar to Martinists of any branch. Note, however, that though the Traditional Martinist Order has Heptads and Septa, it has no Lodges, not even at international headquarters at SanJose, California, U.S.A.
Page 11: The photograph shows the Chart of "Initiatique Filiation" of the TMO. Correct up to the Supreme Council of Papus, the Chart shows that Lagreze was initiated by Teder (hence Lagreze's use of Martinist Order certificates and designations), but it also shows Jean Chaboseau on the line of filiation, followed by the 1939 "Traditional Supreme Council and Permanent Committee, " i . e., the FUDOSI members Augustin and Jean Chaboseau, O. Beliard, and G. Lagreze. The term "Permanent" is deliberately used, probably to overcome the difficulty caused by Jean Chaboseau's later attempt to dissolve the Supreme Council. The chart suggests that Jean Chaboseau came before the FUDOSI members and that AMORC's line of descent is through Jean. Of course, history shows that a line of filiation through Jean Chaboseau would be unlikely. Further, the caption also states that "Augustine Chaboseau was Grand Master and first President of the Traditional Supreme Council." History also shows this to be incorrect, since the first TMO Grand Master and President was V.E. Michelet. The line of filiation chart is, at best, confusing and incorrect.
Page 12: The photograph shows a letter (in French) from Victor Blanchard on MOS stationery to H. Spencer Lewis, dated July 30, 1937, informing Lewis that charters and decrees are being sent to Lewis to allow him to exercise "authority. "The letter is vague as to exactly what kind of authority is being given to Lewis, but there is no doubt that it refers to Martinist Order and Synarchy authority for the United States. The photo caption incorrectly refers to Blanchard as "the Sovereign Grand Master and President of the Supreme Council of the Traditional Martinist Order," which office was actually held at that time by A. Chaboseau. Rather, Blanchard was at the time the Sovereign Grand Master of the Martinist Order and Synarchy.
Page 13: The photograph shows one of the "degrees" referred to in the photo on page 12; on MOS stationery, dated July 9, 1937 and issued over the signature of Victor Blanchard, H. Spencer Lewis is designated as a Supreme Legate and "Supreme Regional Master for the United States of America" for the Martinist Order and Synarchy! This remarkable document, in which Blanchard is clearly identified as " Le Souverain Grand Maitre, President du Supreme Counseil Universel, de l'Ordre Martiniste et Synarchique, " shows that H. Spencer Lewis did not have TMO authority originally, but rather derived his authority from the Martinist Order and Synarchy. The caption incorrectly identifies the MOS document as showing "the various rules and regulations regarding the Traditional Martinist Order." In fact, the TMO is not mentioned in the document. Up to 1937, therefore, the conclusion must be that H. Spencer Lewis held MOS authority, not TMO authority. However, a key letter is reproduced on page 14, following:
Page 14: This is a crucial document, for, on "Ordre Martiniste" letterhead dated October 15, 1939, Lagreze describes the illness of Augustin Chaboseau (who died seven years later on January 2, 1946), and then, in the same letter, Lagreze identifies himself as Legate and "principal inspector" who is charged to act on behalf of Chaboseau. The state of Chaboseau's health is not clear, but the few documents in Martinist Documents that come from the non-AMORC Traditional Martinist Order carry only Lagreze's signature, countersigned by Chaboseau. The implication is that Lagreze was acting as a "regent" for the Traditional Martinist Order, with Chaboseau simply approving what was done by Lagreze. H. Sencer Lewis died on August 2, 1939, and Lagreze's letter is addressed to Ralph Lewis some two months later (October 15, 1939). Ralph Lewis had a problem, for he did not hold authority from the MOS (if he had, that documentation would surely appear in Martinist Documents). Yet, Ralph Lewis apparently had inherited some kind of Martinist activity from H. Spencer Lewis, even though that activity (if it existed) was probably only about two years old (based on the 1937 documents found on pages 12 and 13). Had there been no AMORC Martinist activity either ongoing or planned, there would have been no reason for Ralph Lewis to pursue the matter with the Traditional Martinist Order. Why are there no MOS documents giving Ralph Lewis authority of any kind? There are two possible reasons for the MOS' s refusing authority to Ralph Lewis: first, Ralph Lewis had an unspecified conflict with Jean Mallinger (Sar Elgin) of the FUDOSI and the Martinist Order and Synarchy, and the two were not on speaking terms; second, by 1939 Blanchard had left the FUDOSI and was not willing to give authority to Ralph Lewis, for reasons apparently having to do either with Ralph Lewis himself (a personality conflict) or with AMORC's methods (advertising and mail-order initiations). Unless other documents turn up to prove otherwise, it seems safe to say that, with the death of H. Spencer Lewis, the AMORC/OMS relationship ended and that no one at Rosicrucian Park (AMORC headquarters at San Jose, California) had any further contact with or authority from the MOS. The photo caption correctly describes the letter. Interestingly, even though parts of the letter are covered in the photocopy, it appears that Lagreze was once again appealing to Ralph Lewis for funds. The caption does not mention this.
Page 15: This is another crucial document showing the movement of Ralph Lewis and of AMORC from MOS authority to TMO authority. This typewritten letter, with "Ordre Martiniste" typed as a heading, specifically names Ralph M . Lewis as a " Souverain Delegue General [Sovereign Delegate General] de l'Ordre Martiniste Traditionnel, pour la Californie et les EtatsUnis d'Amerique du Nord. " The letter also established the USA as a "Grand Counseil Regional. " The date is October 1939 (day omitted) and is signed by Augustine Chaboseau, Jean Chaboseau, and Lagreze. The caption correctly identifies the document as a TMO one, but the caption also says that the letter confirms " the rank and authority of Brother Ralph M. Lewis as a member of the Supreme Universal Council and Grand Master for the Americas. " However, the letter does not show that Lewis was a member of the Supreme Universal Council of the Traditional Martinist Order, nor does it show that he was made a Grand Master.
Page 16: This is the all-important document which establishes Ralph Lewis's and AMORC's claim to TMO authority. Dated October 16, 1939, on TMO letterhead, the letter first names Ralph Lewis as a "Sovereign Delegate" of the TMO Universal Supreme Council, then names Lewis as TMO "Regional Grand Master" for a Regional Supreme Temple of the Traditional Martinist Order in the United States. The letter makes it quite clear that Lewis requested these favors from the Traditional Martinist Order, thus finalizing the shift from the Martinist Order and Synarchy to the Traditional Martinist Order. (5) The signatures on the letter are those of Augustine Chaboseau, Georges Lagreze, and Jeanne Guesdon. Jean Chaboseau's signature does not appear. An examination of the letter on page 17, suggests that appointing Ralph Lewis as a Regional Grand Master of a TMO Regional Supreme Temple was primarily the work of Georges Lagreze.
Page 17: This letter from Lagreze is a report to Ralph Lewis regarding Augustine Chaboseau's stepping down from active participation in Traditional Martinist Order activity and establishing Lagreze' s power to act on Chaboseau's behalf. The letter is not countersigned by A. Chaboseau and is dated October 23, 1939, only seven days after the vital letter of Lewis' TMO Grand Master empowerment, which indicates Lagreze's importance in granting Lewis TMO authority. Because the photographic reproduction has reduced the letter to fit on the page, much of the letter is difficult to read. However, the letter does appear to be exactly what the caption says it is--Chaboseau's swan song in the Traditional Martinist Order.
Page 18: Lest any doubt should exist as to Lagreze's TMO authority, this photocopy clearly shows that Lagreze was confirmed by Augustine Chaboseau as a Principal Inspector of the Traditional Martinist Order and as a Legate of Chaboseau's for the USA, meaning, apparently, that Lagreze had a free hand in TMO development in the United States. The TMO document states that Chaboseau has examined Lagreze' s OM documents on which the signatures of Papus and Teder appear; these documents name Lagreze as a General Inspector, Principal Inspector and active member of the Supreme International Council of, "the Order," by which is meant the (Masonic) Martinist Order of Lyons. Chaboseau does not mention seeing Lagreze's MOS documents, which he certainly must have held if he was, indeed, a "Sovereign Grand Master Substitute" in the MOS as per his signature on the initiation document on page 5 of this book.
What Chaboseau did was to "maintain" Lagreze's OM appointments in the Traditional Martinist Order, i.e. change Lagreze from OM obedience to TMO obedience by reappointing him to the same offices in the TMO. It is not clear why Lagreze would want to move his membership and obedience from either the OML or the MOS, unless he saw greater opportunities in the TMO than he did in the two older Martinists bodies. The photo caption is fairly accurate, except that it assumes an identity between the OM and the TMO when no such identity existed.
Page 19: This letter from Lagreze, dated August 25, 1945, is important because it is the foundation of AMORC's TMO extension into Canada and South America. Previous to this letter, the AMORC/TMO had authority only in the United States. Lagreze merely asked Ralph Lewis, "Do you think that we could extend our activities to South America...or would you be willing to organize the work as well for South America as for Canada where you could have Provincial and Regional Councils under your jurisdiction?" Lagreze had but to ask.
Having now switched obedience from the two older Martinist Orders, Lagreze now complains of "false organizations" of Martinists that are not recognizing the TMO or "do not know" the traditional "filiation" of Chaboseau. However, Lagreze does not identify which Martinist organizations he means. This complaint appears to be Lagreze's way of establishing the TMO " ascendancy " over the two older organizations. If so, he was being disingenuous.
A very important paragraph is the second one in which Lagreze thanks Ralph Lewis for sending him "diplomas, cards and discourses for the MARTINIST ORDER (sic). " This shows the influence that the American TMO (which, like the Swiss Grand Lodge of the Martinist Order and Synarchy, had not suffered the ravages of war) had on the French TMO, a situation in which the created supported and influenced the creator.
The photo caption describes the letter as " authorizing" Ralph Lewis to extend TMO activity to Canada and South America, but, in fact, the letter doesn't grand authority, it only asks a question. The caption also points to the line in the letter about unnamed "fraudulent" Martinist Orders, suggesting that only the Traditional Martinist Order was the legitimate Martinism. Such a claim by the TMO cannot be substantiated.
Page 20: This is an English translation of a French letter with typed TMO letterhead and dated January 1940 from Lagreze and Jeanne Guesdon, warning "Delegates, Inspectors, and Presidents of Colleges" to be on the alert against Martinist groups that "pretend to continue the work undertaken by the Martinist Supreme Council founded in 1890. " The letter claims that such Orders have modified Martinist ritual and tradition, although no specifics are given. No specific Orders are named, but the implication is that any Martinist Order other than the Traditional Martinist Order is not legitimate, a claim which cannot be substantiated. The photo caption fairly accurately describes the letter, except that it says the letter's date is March 1, 1940 when January 1940 appears clearly on the letter.
Page 21: This letter from Lagreze (who signs himself as Grand Master of the "Elected [sic] Cohen Knights)," dated November 12, 1945, grants to Ralph Lewis rights to establish the "ElusCohen de L'Univ[erse]" in the USA. The first two sentences of the letter suggest that Ralph Lewis had written to Lagreze requesting such permission. However, Lagreze indicates that he does not have the necessary rituals, that the rituals must be translated, and that they must be revised. No evidence is presented that Ralph Lewis was ever initiated into, established, or worked this "Elus-Cohen" body. Typically, Lagreze's letter also contains a plea for money (75 dollars, a considerable amount in 1945) and ends with an encouragement to send the money quickly. The photo caption fairly accurately describes the letter.
Page 22: This photo shows a December 13, 1976 TMO initiation document for Raymond Bernard in which Ralph Lewis is identified as Sovereign Grand Master of the TMO, sans the Chaboseaus and Lagreze. How Lewis's assumption of that office came about has already been described. The document also gives Bernard's authority to "reestablish" the Traditional Martinist Order in "French-speaking countries. " The document further claims that Ralph Lewis was given permission by A. Chaboseau to succeed H. Spencer Lewis as Sovereign Grand Master of the TMO. Such permission could not be given, as H. Spencer Lewis was never a Grand Master (much less a Souvreign Grand Master) of the TMO. The document additionally claims that the AMORC/TMO is directly descended from Louis Claude de Saint-Martin and the original Supreme Council, when, in fact, the TMO was founded by Augustine Chaboseau in 1934. Actually, authentic Martinism depends upon 'The Initiation transmitted via an unbroken line of "filiation," not on a relationship to the Supreme Council of Dr. Gerard Encausse. The photo caption fairly accurately describes the document.
Page 23: This photo shows a May 16, 1959 letter confirming a meeting with Ralph Lewis from someone who signs himself as "Sovereign Grand General Delegate" of the "Martinist Order of the Elus-Cohen." The signature is not legible. The "Martinist Order of the Elus-Cohen" is a modern continuation of Martines Pasqually's "Order of ElusCohens." After Pasqually's death in Haiti,J.B. Willermoz, who had been left in charge of the Elus-Cohens in France, saw the Elus-Cohens gradually fade away because of lack of Pasqually' s enlightened leadership and because Pasqually had not left all the Elus-Cohens materials with Willermoz. To prevent its total loss, Willermoz attached the remaining degrees of the Elus-Cohens to a Masonic rite which he headed. From these actions emerged later the " Knights Beneficient of the Holy City" and "The Martinist Order of the Elus-Cohens," a Martinist body that is interested in "the operative way" as opposed to "the way of the heart" of other Martinist bodies. The letter implies that Ralph Lewis is a member of that Order and that there are other Elus-Cohen Members to be met. Interestingly, the letter addresses Ralph Lewis as a "Regional Supreme Grand Master, " not the " Sovereign Grand Master" as Ralph Lewis began to sign himself after the Chaboseaus and Lagreze passed from the scene. There is no internal evidence that the letter is authentic. The photo caption describes the letter as an " official communication" requesting an appointment from Ralph Lewis, when, actually, the document is only a personal letter confirming an appointment already made by telephone.
Page 24: The photos in the book come to an end on page 23. Pages 24, 25, and 26 are identical one-page histories of Martinism in the English, French, and Spanish languages respectively. The histories are written as seen by AMORC's TMO. The entire episode of the TMO troubles after the death of Augustine Chaboseau is omitted, and the history reports that Ralph Lewis received direct authority from the "Martinist Order in Europe" rather than from A. Chaboseau and G. Legreze of the Traditional Martinist Order. The history implies a transition of authority from Augustine Chaboseau to Ralph Lewis when, in fact, a transition of Sovereign Grand Master power and authority from Chaboseau to Lewis never occurred.
Conclusion
Thus we come to the end of the examination of the relationship between the Martinist Order and Synarchy and the Traditional Martinist Order. Parts of this examination have been constructions based upon documents available from AMORC and from the files of the author. Should further evidence come to light, it, too, will be examined and included in future histories of Martinism.
Footnotes
1. "Sar," a title originally used by Josephin Peladan, is now used by Martinist to denote a holder of the rank of Initiator. Peladan claimed that the title was Assyrian, but it appears to be more closely related to the term "Czar," and very likely comes to Martinism from the Martinist in the court of Czar Nicholas II where Papus initiated the Czar and founded a Martinist body.
2. Founded by Harvey Spencer Lewis in 1915, AMORC (Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis) is, in terms of wealth and membership, probably the most successful Rosicrucian organization in the history of occult movements. The Order offers its teachings and initiations by mail, but it also has active lodges and groups throughout the world. Its history is too long and complex to detail here. An objective, scholarly history of AMORC has not been written. Ralph Lewis' biography of his father, Cosmic Mission Fulfilled, contains much information regarding the early days of AMORC, as does H. Spencer Lewis' history of the Rosicrucians in his Rosicrucian Questions and Answers. However, the reader needs a considerable amount of background knowledge and discernment to ascertain the difference between AMORC tradition and documentable history.
3. A modern note: it may be that the TMO is again without a Sovereign Grand Master. Following the death of Ralph Lewis, Gary Stewart became Imperator of AMORC, and, since the Imperator of AMORC is always the Grand Master of the TMO, Stewart was also installed as the Sovereign Grand Master of the TMO. The installation was done by the New York Heptad. However, Stewart's performance as Imperator was apparently unsatisfactory to certain Grand Masters of the different international jurisdiction of AMORC. These Grand Masters ousted Steward, then filed legal proceedings designed to make the ouster permanent. Stewart, in turn filed legal proceedings to prevent his ouster, with the result that there may be some legal questions as to who currently is legally the Imperator of AMORC and the Grand Master of the TMO.
Dorothy L. Stewart has issued an open letter to all AMORC Rosicrucians (May 10, 1990)detailing the events as the Stewarts see them. According to this letter, complete documentation is available from the Stewart's attorneys: Maynard Law Offfices/1475 South Bascom Avenue/Suite 115/Campbell, CA 95008: telephone: (408) 5598990. As of the date of this writing (May 1990) the problem has not been resolved, and, considering the speed of the American legal system, may not be for some time.
Insofar as Martinism is concerned, there is a problem with Heptad officers installing a Grand Master, a rite normally performed by another Grand Master, a Supreme Council, or a Council of Unknown Philosophers. There is nowhere a record of a Heptad installing a Grand Master (other than this one TMO installation), so the legitimacy of the installation has been questioned by at least one MOS Grand Master.
4. The MOS officer who provided the publication has requested that its title not be revealed. Therefore, to honor this request and to avoid a breach of professional confidence, the publication does not appear in the References list. The excerpt quoted appears on page 51 of this publication. 5. In part, The letter reads:
Nous soussige, ' Augustin CHABOSEAU, SOVERAIN GRAND MAITRE et President du SUPREME COUNSEIL UNIVERSEL de l'ORDRE MARTINISTE TRADITIONNEL, Apre's examen de la demande faite par Ralph Maxwell LEWIS, a l'effet d'etablier en Californie et pur le EtateUnis d'Amerique un TEMPLE SUPREME REGIONAL de l'ORDRE MARTlNlSTE TRADITIONNEL sur rapport favorable du SOUVERAIN SECRETAIRE GENERAL et GRAND CHANCELLIER du SUPREME CONSEIL de l'ORDRE MAR TINISTE TRADITIONNEL, en vue de la decision prise en favour de Ralph Maxwell LEWlS par le SUPREME CONSEIL UNIVERSEL de l'ORDRE MARTINISTE TRADlTlONNEL ... (Note: the erratic capitalization appears thus in the original.)
References
"About the F.U.D.O.S.I. " The Rosicrucian Forum: A Private Publication for Members of AMORC 46.1 (1975): 19-20
Lewis, Harvey Spencer, Rosicrucian Questions and Answers: With Complete History of the Rosicrucian Order, San Jose, California: Supreme Grand Lodge of AMORC, 1929, Rpr. 1979.
Lewis, Ralph Maxwell, Cosmic Mission Fulfulled, San Jose, California: Supreme Grand Lodge of AMORC, 1966.
Lodge Officer's Handbook, Barbados: The Martinist Order and Synarchy, 1989. (Privately printed and circulated.)
Mclntosh, Christopher, Eliphas Levi and the French Occult Revival, New York: Weiser, 1974.
Martinist Documents, San Jose: Rosicrucian-Press 1977.
Rosicrucian Documents. (San Jose: Rosicrucian Press no date.)
Waite, Arthur Edward, The Brotherhood of the Rose Cross: Being Records of the House of the Holy Spirit in Its Inward and Outward History, New York: University Books, nd.
--A New Encyclopedia of Freemasonry and of Cognate Mysteries: Their Rites, Literature, and History, New York: Weathervane, 1970.
--Saint-Martin: The French Mystic and the Story of Modern Martinism, London: William Rider, 1922. (Now out of print.)
--The Unknown Philosopher: the Life of Louis Claude de Saint-Martin and the Substances of His Transcendental Doctrine, Blauvelt, New York: Rudolph Steiner Publications, 1970.
Webb, James, The Occult Underground, LaSalle, Illinois: Open Court, 1974. Rpr. 1988.
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by Allen E. Roberts, FPS
The Temple and the Lodge by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, 1989, Arcade publishing, NY, 1989; an import (evidently) from Great Britain. The parent of Arcade is Little, Brown, the publisher that gave the world Bernard Fay's anti-Masonic Revolution and Freemasonry. (He's the French turncoat who sent hundreds of Freemasons to Concentration camps during the Hitler regime. For his crimes, after World War II had ended, Fay was sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor.)
The Temple and the Lodge, is evidently a sequel to Thc Holy Blood and the Holy Grail by the same authors, and both have been highly touted in some quarters. I checked the bibliography and index before reading the book. I'm glad I did. It saved me hours of precious time. The book is highly noted, which again proves, to my satisfaction at least, that footnotes rarely produce an historically accurate account. Footnotes may be fine, but these references are only as good as the reliability of the person referenced. Then when they appear at the end of a chapter or book they interrupt what should be pleasant reading. The reader must waste time turning pages. Except for doctoral dissertations (and this is debatable) it's more suitable, and easier reading, and actually more intelligible, to include references within the text. (Here's some debris for the grinders of my good friends among professional types.)
Example of poor documentation: Note 10 for Chapter 17, "The Resistance to Britain" reads: "No definitive list of participants in the Boston Tea Party exists. " Correct. Then as did Albert Mackey with his "landmarks" the authors add: "Upwards of 200 people were involved. Studies have been made of family documents and in 1835 seven surviving participants helped compile a list. The result was 110 names; see [W. S. ] Griswold, op. cit. pp 141-3. We can add to this list ...." Hogwash! To this day NOT A SINGLE PARTICIPANT HAS EVER BEEN NAMED. Absolutely no Freemason can be honestly said to have been one of the "Indians" who turned Boston Harbor into a giant tea pot.
This, plus other errors of fact, make this an unsatisfactory book and will only add to the far too numerous myths we find about the Craft. At least this is this reader's opinion.
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by Allen E. Roberts, FPS
From the Guardian Weekly of Manchester, England, for July 29 we learn French Freemasonry is doing a great job in Europe. Both the Grand Orient de France and the Grand Lodge de France are helping to breathe new life into the Fraternity that has been dormant throughout the communistic era. Even Gorbachev has been contacted! Reports the Guardian: "Although there is not much likelihood of the Grand Master of either the GODF or the GLF receiving an official invitation to the Kremlin in the near future, the Soviet Union has adopted a much friendlier attitude towards the Freemasons. " The Grand Master of the GODF said: "In Prague we found 24 Masonic brothers who had had practically no contact with one another since the end of the last war. All are in their seventies, but with their help and that of their brothers living in exile in our country, we will promote the freedom movement in their country. " The Grand Master went on Czechoslovakia television and explained what Freemasonry is. " He received nearly 1,200 requests for membership in Prague's first Lodge. Another Lodge is to be established in Brno."
A representative of the GLF visited Budapest and formed a Lodge. Another will be formed in Seeged. People of Bohemia and Hungary still remembered the Freemasons' "fight against tuberculosis, smallpox, illiteracy and poverty. " In speaking of Poland the Weekly said: "According to the GODF Grand Master, union members who speak out against the personal orientations of Lech Walesa are labelled 'secular leftists'...If Polish Freemasonry, which flourished not so long ago, is to be reborn from its own ashes, the early stages of this renaissance will probably take place more or less underground. Certain sources say that this is already happening. According to reports received by the Guardian there's little hope for the rebirth of Freemasonry in "sub Saharan Africa" or where "Islamic fever has canceled out any hope of reviving Arab-Berber Freemasonry." It's reported, though, that there's a "secret place in Algeria where an old, solitary 'brother' guards the remains of an abandoned temple. "
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The foregoing raised many questions. The Grand Lodge de France is recognized; the Grand Orient de France is classed as irregular by the United Grand Lodge of England. American Grand Lodges have followed this dictum. Why? As an unbiased reader follows the peculiarities of French Freemasonry he finds little reason for the separation of either group. Yet, the Grand Lodge AF&AM of Germany agreed to permit members of the Grand Orient to sit in its Lodges. This brought down the wrath of the UGL of England, and the other Grand Lodges in Germany have followed the condemnation of the UGL. We'll have a separate article on this situation later. But, honestly, don't we in Freemasonry have enough problems to contend with from without? Why must we chop each other down from within?
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The best bargain in Freemasonry, other than The Philalethes Society, is membership in Southern California Research Lodge. The efforts of Ralph A. Herbold, MPS, its Corresponding Secretary, have paid off. Monthly its members receive a packet of good and wholesome Masonic material. You'll learn what's going on in the Masonic world. This, along with The Philalethes will help keep you a well-informed Master Mason. Are you going to confer the Entered Apprentice degree in your Lodge? Inform SCRL, if you're a member, and you'll be sent a free copy of The Craft and Its Symbols to present to the initiate. (SCRL has presented over 1,200 copies so far.) Want books at a discount? SCRL will probably have it. All this--and more--for $12 a year! And if you want hundreds of pages of priceless information, add $25. Send your check to: Ralph Herbold, Box 6587, Buena Park, CA 90622.
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Gleanings from the "Here 'n' There" column of the Texas Mason: *Ancient Craft Lodge of New York constructed a nine hole miniature golf course for emotionally disturbed children in Rochester. The publicity brought in several petitions. *A young lady of 22 appeared before the Grand Lodge of Maryland and its members to thank them for saving her life. Most of the more than 1,000 units of blood needed to fight her rare disease came from the Freemasons of Maryland. It's reported there were no dry eyes in the audience. *The largest charity in Minnesota is provided by the Grand Lodge which, among other projects, supports the Masonic Cancer Center. *A Lodge is concerned. Its chairs are so old and dilapidated they require weight to keep them from floating away. Replacement costs are prohibitive. A plea has gone out to the members to furnish the warm bodies needed to weigh them down.
* * *
According to the Empire State Mason the new Grand Master told his members: "The problem is not Membership, it is Leadership;...and we're going to do something about it." He's planning several regional seminars. Most of them will be conducted by " professional trainers . " Let's pray these professionals know and understand Freemasonry. There will be follow-up sessions. "It is the Lodge at the local level which is the bedrock of our Fraternity," he reminded his Brethren "not the Grand Lodge."
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Questions have been raised about the visitation of Lodges where Grand Lodges have recognized their respective Prince Hall Grand Lodges. The Grand Lodge of New York pronouncement is clear: "None of us will be considered in violation of New York Masonic Law if we visit regional Lodges in Connecticut and Nebraska in which Prince Hall Masons may also be visiting," wrote the Grand Secretary, Wendell K. Walker, FPS. He can now add Washington and Wisconsin. It would appear this will be the rule for all Grand Lodges that have remained silent on this question. It's good to note that many other Grand Lodges are studying the question of mutual recognition.
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Hiram's Oasis is carrying The Philalethes on its bulletin board (703)938-4990). It's also carrying the Short Talk Bulletins of The Masonic Service Association. It has fast become a forum for the Masonic novice and scholar. It's operated by Preston Burner, MPS.
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"THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT WE SHOULD TRY TO GET 'EVEN' WITH ARE THOSE WHOM HAVE HELPED US!" Good advice from the Prince Hall Grand Master in Illinois in closing his message in the Prince Hall Journal.