‘New editor at The Plumbline’

    

“Behold, I will set The Plumbline in the midst of Masonic periodicals, and Chris Ruli shall be its editor.”

I imagine it went something like that, but all we have to go on is Chris’ modest announcement on social media:

On the thirty-third anniversary of The Plumbline’s release, I’m excited to announce that the Scottish Rite Research Society Board of Directors has elected me to serve as the publication’s editor.

The publication serves more than 3,500 members around the U.S. and abroad. Back in 1991, Rex Hutchens laid out the first issue (then just referred as the Society’s newsletter) and it became a source of news, commentary, perspective, and research. In taking on this position, I plan to shift it back to that original concept while also highlighting good papers whenever possible.

As a former contributor, I’m excited to see where this can go. It’s also nice to be associated with past editors like S. Brent Morris, Pete Normand, Robert Davis, Adam Kendall, and Aaron Shoemaker. Stay tuned.

Send your letters, requests, inquiries and anything else you want shared here.

The Plumbline of course is one of the benefits of membership in the Scottish Rite Research Society, with the annual Heredom collection of research papers and a bonus book.

Art de Hoyos

SRRS bonus book.

The bonus now in the mail to members is Étienne Morin: From the French Rite to the Scottish Rite by Arturo de Hoyos and Josef Wäges. The new Heredom is Vol. 31, edited by Adam Kendall with Associate Editor…Chris Ruli!

When he’s not authoring books, speaking before Masonic audiences, and editing others’ work, he’s out jogging. Congratulations, Chris!

     

‘Justice.’

    

Masonic Exchange Store

“Justice, the boundary of right, constitutes the cement of civil society. This virtue, in a great measure, constitutes real goodness and is therefore represented as the perpetual study of the accomplished Mason. Without the exercise of justice, universal confusion would ensue, lawless force might overcome the principles of equity, and social intercourse no longer exist.”

William Preston

Illustrations of Masonry

Eighth Edition, 1792

Page 55

“The law of Justice is as universal a one as the law of Attraction; though we are very far from being able to reconcile all the phenomena of Nature with it. The lark has the same right, in our view, to live, to sing, to dart at pleasure through the ambient atmosphere, as the hawk has to ply his strong wings in the Summer sunshine, and yet the hawk pounces on and devours the harmless lark, as it devours the worm, and as the worm devours the animalcule; and, so far as we know, there is nowhere, in any future state of animal existence, any compensation for this apparent injustice.”

Albert Pike

Morals and Dogma

“Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commander”

Page 829

“Justice as between man and man, and as between man and the animals below him, is that which, under and according to the God-created relations existing between them, and the whole aggregate of circumstances surrounding them, is fit and right and proper to be done, with a view to the general as well as to the individual interest.”

Ibid., Page 831

“A sense of justice belongs to human nature, and is a part of it. Men find a deep, permanent, and instinctive delight in justice, not only in the outward effects, but in the inward cause, and by their nature love this law of right, this reasonable rule of conduct, this justice, with a deep and abiding love. Justice is the object of the conscience, and fits it as light fits the eye and truth the mind.”

Ibid., Page 833

“The selfish, the grasping, the inhuman, the fraudulently unjust, the ungenerous employer, and the cruel master, are detested by the great popular heart; while the kind master, the liberal employer, the generous, the humane, and the just have the good opinion of all men, and even envy is a tribute to their virtues. Men honor all who stand up for truth and right, and never shrink.”

Ibid., Page 836

     

‘Better late than never: A&A Rite removes Christian requisite’

    

A&A Rite

Ending a 178-year tradition of reserving its high degrees to professed Trinitarian Christians, the Ancient & Accepted Rite for England and Wales eliminated that requirement earlier this month and announced so on Friday. (Its website doesn’t reflect the change yet.) This new rule will take effect March 1, 2024.

The Supreme Council empaneled an advisory committee comprised of a rabbi (Orthodox), a priest (Anglican), “and representatives of the Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh communities” who “are satisfied that the ritual is appropriate and theologically sound,” according to a memo circulated to members. Changes to ritual are described as minor, such as referring to “Jesus of Nazareth” instead of “Jesus Christ our Saviour.” (This is the approach in the United States.)

“The Supreme Council has been considering the matter on and off decades,” it also says, adding how all nine members of Supreme Council are in unanimity on the decision.

The history of the Rite.

I suppose most American Freemasons think only of England transmitting Masonic degrees to America, but there are instances, such as the Scottish Rite and Cryptic Rite, of American Masons sending degrees the other way across the Atlantic. For the A&A Rite history, I cannot recommend strongly enough Rose-Croix: The History of the Ancient and Accepted Rite for England and Wales by Alexander C.F. Jackson (1980).  In short, there were Scottish Rite authorities in America’s Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, led by J.J.J. Gourgas here in New York City, who received requests in 1845 for legitimate establishment of the thirty-three degrees from notable Masons in England. (One such letter, from the aptly named Robert Crucefix, was dated November 10, coincidentally enough.) The legal paperwork was settled quickly when the Americans issued that authority by the end of the year, making Crucefix a Sovereign Grand Inspector General—and they included a letter explaining how membership would be restricted to Christians. It was a discrete letter, not part of the official documents consisting of patents, statutes, rituals, etc.

If it was simple discrimination they desired to practice, I doubt that was even necessary. To be other than Christian in England at that time was to be nonexistent; Jewish people, for example, had nothing we Americans might term civil rights until 1858. But some Jewish men had been admitted to lodges in England since the 1730s, and the mid nineteenth century was a period when Freemasonry spread around the British Empire, resulting in men of a variety of other faiths—Muslims, Hindus, and more—being accepted into lodges.

In the United States, the Mother Supreme Council (Southern Jurisdiction) of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite had made the decision to end that religious divide in the nineteenth century (prompted by Albert Pike, if I’m not mistaken), and the NMJ followed in the 1940s. The English have referred to the American system as “theist” on account of our requirement plainly to believe in God. In its announcement Friday, the Supreme Council of the A&A Rite (being English, they don’t use “Scottish” in the name) says:

Click to enlarge.

“the Order’s current stance fails to reflect the Christian—and Masonic—need to be loving towards all and to treat one another with equity. To that end, the Council has come to the unanimous conclusion that the requirement to profess the Trinitarian Christian faith should no longer be a requisite of admission to this Order, which strives to be reflective of a modern, inclusive society. In the Council’s view, to remove the restriction is the Christian thing to do. There are many good people prevented from experiencing the Higher Degrees of Freemasonry, who would enjoy membership and who would be assets to our Order; there is no reason why they should not join if they wish, provided they are willing to strive to uphold the Christian ideals of faith, hope and charity exemplified by the life and teachings of Jesus, so beautifully represented in the 18°.”

The notion of religious distinction in the rite is rooted in its founding document, the fabled Grand Constitution of 1786, allegedly signed by none other than Frederick the Great, Article Five of which includes: “Each Supreme Council is to be composed of nine Inspectors General, at least Five of whom must profess the Christian religion.”

The Magpie Mason welcomes the A&A Rite for England and Wales into the twenty-first century. And I cannot help but appreciate the coincidence of its announcement coming at the moment adherents of a certain nazi ideology are swarming the streets of London, baying for the extermination of the Jewish people. Not much Freemasonry can do about that, sadly.

My thanks to Bro. David Chichinadze for the alert yesterday.

     

‘Secret History of Huguenot Lodge’

    

The Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction maintains a monthly podcast titled The Tyler’s Place, and the episode posted this morning concerns historic Huguenot Lodge 46 in Westchester County. Host Maynard Edwards welcomes Lee Justo, who became the lodge’s historian by virtue of delving into long neglected Huguenot records and discovering an amazing past involving a number of giants of New York history, from the Delancey family to Samuel Seabury and more.

Click here to enjoy the twenty minutes of conversation.

This episode was prompted by Edwards’ viewing of Huguenot’s YouTube channel, where the brethren gradually reveal what they learn about their past as they discover it. Click here to see that.

The lodge will meet tomorrow night, with Deputy Grand Master Steven A. Rubin in attendance, to present the story of Freemasonry in Westchester during the Revolution.

     

‘Bolívar’s Scottish Rite regalia’

   

Magpie file photo

The Thirty-Second Degree collar and apron owned by Simón Bolívar. I shot this photo at Fraunces Tavern Museum twenty years ago when Tom Savini curated an exhibit of Livingston Library treasures there. I had this published in The Northern Light not long after.

One week from tomorrow, the Chancellor Robert R. Livingston Masonic Library will host an online discussion of the Scottish Rite regalia owned by Bro. Simón Bolívar. Bro. Alexander Vastola, Director of the library, will be the presenter, explaining Bolívar’s Masonic life, and how his Thirty-Second Degree collar and apron became the property of the library.

Thursday, September 29 at 7 p.m. Click here to register.

Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), “the George Washington of South America,” was a military and political leader essential to the liberation of multiple South American nations from Spanish colonial control, including Venezuela, Colombia, and, of course, Bolivia. His Masonic lodge is unknown, but history remembers him, with Argentine José de San Martin and Cuban José Martí, also Freemasons, as heroes of their nations’ wars of independence.

Central Park Conservancy

Our city has been adorned with several Bolívar monuments since 1891. The current statue was dedicated at Bolivar Hill in 1921. President Warren Harding, made a Mason the previous year in Marion Lodge 70 in Ohio, delivered a foreign policy speech on relations among the Americas at the dedication. The statue was moved to Sixth Avenue at 59th Street, at Central Park, in 1951, after Sixth was dubbed the Avenue of the Americas. (The statues of San Martin and Martí were added there later.)

     

‘Demystifying the House of the Temple’

    

The Southern Jurisdiction of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite shares videos on a YouTube channel to educate its members, other Freemasons, and the public alike. New content is uploaded almost weekly, and one recent video gives viewers a tour of the House of the Temple, the jurisdiction’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Check out the channel, and check back often.

     

‘An eminent New York Mason’

    

Ill. Peter J. Samiec, 33•
Sovereign Grand Commander
AASR-NMJ

Ill. Peter J. Samiec is an eminent New York Mason who labors honorably and diligently for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. (He also is a member of the Masonic Society, having been with us almost from day one.)

I am not Scottish Rite, but I’m just generally of the opinion that New York Masons ought to be leading all the collateral groups in the Masonic family. No, seriously, if you study U.S. Masonic history, you find New York at the locus of practically everything. Heck, we were at the birth of American Anti-Masonry. That’s being thorough!

I don’t know what kind of policies to expect, but I would hope for the start of a conversation to merge the jurisdiction into the Mother Supreme Council.

     

'Masonic Book Club is back!'

     
Art de Hoyos just shared this on Faceybook:

The Masonic Book Club (MBC)was formed in 1970 by two Illinois Masons, Alphonse Cerza and Louis Williams. The MBC primarily reprinted out-of-print Masonic books with a scholarly introduction; occasionally they would print original texts. (See “Past Publications” tab.) After some 40 years of service to the Craft, the directors in 2010 decided to dissolve the MBC. The club originally was limited to 333 members, but the number eventually expanded to nearly 2,000, with 1,083 members when it dissolved in 2010.

In 2017 MW Barry Weer, 33°, the last president of the MBC, transferred the MBC name and assets to the Supreme Council, 33°, SJ USA. The revived Masonic Book Club has the goals of publishing classic Masonic books and of supporting Scottish Rite SJ USA Philanthropies. Membership is open to anyone 18 years or older who is interested in the history of Freemasonry and allows you to purchase MBC editions at a pre-publication discount.

The new MBC will have a different business model than the old. Most significantly, there will be no dues; being a member entitles you to purchase books at a pre-publication discount. Check out the FAQ section below for more details. For specific questions, write to mbc@scottishrite.org.

---

‘Paschal Lamb next Thursday’

     
It’s that time of year again, when the lessons of the Passover feast and Good Friday are united in the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry’s ecumenical celebration of Light and Life.

Courtesy Valley of NYC

The Feast of the Paschal Lamb

New York City Chapter of Rose Croix

Thursday, March 29 at 8 p.m.

(Seating at 7:30)

Masonic Hall, Grand Lodge Room

71 West 23rd Street, Manhattan

Open to the public, the Ceremonial Feast of the Paschal Lamb presents a rare opportunity for the Scottish Rite brethren to reveal a fundamental aspect of the Rite’s traditional mission: to employ meaningful ritual to convey urgent human truths.

The Feast of the Paschal Lamb is not a meal. The ritualists exemplify a symbolic banquet to communicate teachings from both the Passover Seder and the Last Supper. (In the Southern Jurisdiction, it is called Maundy Thursday, and, I guess, has a different ritual.)

I think it noteworthy that this event next week will be hosted in the Grand Lodge Room (third floor), which may indicate an anticipated large turn-out. You should be there.

The keynote speaker will be The Rev. Canon Clive Oscar Sang, 32º, of Trinity Episcopal Church. After the Feast, the brethren invite you to enjoy refreshments in the French Ionic Room on 10.

Photo ID is required to enter Masonic Hall.
     

‘To remove the statue forthwith’

     
It seems the Scottish Rite has joined the growing consensus advocating the removal from public space in Washington of the Albert Pike statue at Judiciary Square, if the reporting of the Washington Post is to be believed—not something I recommend typically.

Nevertheless, a story published Monday quotes Ronald Seale writing in agreement on removing the 116-year-old giant bronze and marble rendering of his historic predecessor. The Post also claims Seale was party to an aborted scheme to “whisk away the statue at midnight,” meaning he almost linked himself to the ilk that recently damaged statues of Christopher Columbus, Theodore Roosevelt, and other figures historically essential to American society in the name of constant revolution. Fortunately, reason prevailed after it was realized how federal authority is required to move the monument lawfully.

The story never quotes Seale directly, but cites a letter he allegedly sent in August to a DC councilman saying the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction “will support an action by the District of Columbia to remove the statue forthwith so that it should not serve as a source of contention or strife for the residents of our community.”

Sounds good to me, as I said in the previous Magpie post on this subject, if the statue can be relocated to a Masonic property where, presumably, private property still can be kept safe from mobocracy. However, “contention or strife” are among the principal nutrients for a certain segment of American society that is insatiable for perpetual insurrection, replete with violence against people and property, so they will be back.

It is asked often, including in this Post story, why a Confederate Army general is memorialized in the capital city of the United States. Of course it is a fact that this statue of Pike celebrates Albert Pike the Freemason, and has nothing to do with his brief and undistinguished tenure as a CSA military officer, but perhaps Abraham Lincoln broaches this subject in his second inaugural address, delivered only weeks before he was murdered:

With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.
     

‘Piers Vaughan at the Valley’

     
The flier says it all, but take note of the “open to Master Masons” part.

Click to enlarge.

     

‘Masonic Feast of Feasts next week’

     
It really is idiomatic to the Southern Jurisdiction of Scottish Rite Masonry in the United States, but there are traditionalist-minded Scottish Rite Masons in the north who like to broaden their horizons, so the Valley of New York City will host its annual Feast of Tishri next Tuesday. From the publicity:

Scottish Rite of New York City

Feast of Tishri

Tuesday, November 1

7:30 p.m.

Masonic Hall

71 West 23rd Street

Manhattan

The first meeting of the Valley of New York City will be held in Banquet Rooms 2 West and 2 Central on the second floor of Masonic Hall on Tuesday, November 1, and will open promptly at 7:30 p.m.

The program for the evening will be the Feast of Tishri performed by the Knights of Saint Andrew. The keynote speaker will be Shlomo Bar-Ayal, 32°.

There is no charge for this ceremony, and it is open to all Masons and friends of Freemasonry, but reservations are required. Please respond promptly with your reservation information (including names of guests) by e-mailing here no later than Friday the 28th.


In traditional Scottish Rite Freemasonry, which adheres to the Jewish calendar, there is a celebration called the Feast of Tishri hosted in a Lodge of Perfection. Inspired by the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot (see Deuteronomy), a harvest thanksgiving, this fraternal Feast of Tishri is, in the words of Ill. Arturo de Hoyos, “the Masonic feast of feasts.”

In The Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide, de Hoyos writes:

“The origins and significances of the Feast of Tishri make it the most Scottish Rite of festivals. Although originally celebrated as a harvest and gathering festival, no other occasion epitomizes the character and purpose of the Rite more wholly than our historic celebration, held in conjunction with the dedication of King Solomon’s Temple (2 Chronicles 7:8-10). To marshal the meanings of the feast is to summarize the principal ideals and traditions of our Fraternity.

“First of all, we observe the Feast of Tishri because it is an age-old custom that now has the power of law. Under the Statutes of the Supreme Council, the feast is considered an obligatory observance, a sharing of our fraternal spirit.

“Secondly, the rich legendry of the Temple’s dedication, held in connection with the Feast of Tishri, is an essential part of the Fourteenth Degree. The symbolic details of the Temple’s position, design, construction, furnishing, and decoration carry special meaning as they apply to the metaphorical temple of Freemasonry built in the heart of every Brother. Through the symbols of the Temple, we learn to recommit ourselves to building Freemasonry in the hearts of men” and among nations….

“The consecration of the Temple must also be observed at the Feast of Tishri because it teaches the equality and unity of all members of the Rite. The people of Israel, unified under Solomon, were equal in their devotion to the Lord and equal in their sovereignty to all other nations. In the Feast of Tishri, all Perfect Elus and those of higher Degrees can join at the banquet table and share the bond of fraternal unity.

“Yet another reason to keep the Feast of Tishri is that such observance fosters the spirit of fellowship. We meet at a common table, express our mutual esteem, and so promote that essential bond of cordiality and respect which lightens and shares the weight of our Masonic endeavors. Such social amenities open us to each other in an atmosphere elevated beyond the sphere of normal, day-to-day communication. Within the context of the Feast of Tishri, we realize more deeply than ever before the value of our fellow men, without which the individual is lost in a self-imposed prison of human isolation.

“Finally, the law, legendry, peace, equality, unity, and fellowship of the Feast of Tishri combine to make this the Masonic feast of feasts. At the reflection table, all men—Jew, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, and others—join in a common voice of thanksgiving where every man can share his gratitude and express his sincere thanks to Him Who made all things. The Deity has given us life, the strength to live it fully, and the joy of sharing the beauty and goodness of His creation with our fellow men. Most of all, He has given us freedom. The Feast of Tishri celebrates this freedom the Israelites won with the guidance of Providence, despite the shackles of Egypt and the armies of the Philistines.

“This ancient victory celebrated in the dedication of Solomon’s Temple is kept forever fresh through our keeping of the Feast of Tishri. It promises to all men that the burdens of tyranny are temporary, that the darkness will yield to light, that knowledge will conquer ignorance, and that the Creator intended all men to be free. The message of Tishri comes to us strongly and clearly from across the ages because it has been so preserved in the symbolism and allegory of the Scottish Rite. Through our observance of this great feast of thanksgiving, we, as heirs of Solomon, perpetuate his magnificent Temple of freedom in our lives, our communities, our country and, most of all, in our beloved Rite.”

The Feast of Tishri is among the constitutional celebrations of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite-Southern Jurisdiction, and is unknown in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction (where the Feast of the Paschal Lamb is hosted in proximity to Passover and Easter), but the brethren in New York City will host their Feast of Tishri nonetheless. I missed it last year, but I hope to see you next Tuesday.
     

‘Past MWM Night’

     

The flier says it all, so click on the graphic to enlarge, but I do want to say the dinner to be served at this event will be terrific. I have eaten in Bro. Thind’s restaurant and enjoyed every forkful, so, in addition to “the food that lasts for eternal life,” enjoy a great meal.
     

‘Rosicrucian Themes in the 17° and 18°’

     

The Passion Cross Banquet Table at the Feast of the Paschal Lamb
hosted by New York City Chapter of Rose Croix March 26 at Masonic Hall.

I had a great time last Thursday visiting the Scottish Rite Valley of New York City on the occasion of its Feast of the Paschal Lamb, the ecumenical memorial service for departed brethren that taps into Jewish and Christian traditions under the auspices of a Chapter of Rose Croix. It is one of the very few opportunities the public may witness a serious Masonic ritual, and the Scottish Rite Masons who brought that ceremony to life deserve to be commended—Most Wise Master Henry Colon in particular for ensuring a solemn and meaningful evening.

Along those lines, the Valley of New York City will host a four-body meeting (Lodge, Council, Chapter, and Consistory) next Tuesday at Masonic Hall when Ill. Piers Vaughan, 33° will present a lecture titled “Rosicrucian Themes in the 17° and 18°.” Masonic Hall is located at 71 West 23rd Street in Manhattan, and the brethren will be found on the 12th floor in the Gothic Room at 7:30. Piers a Past Most Wise Master of the Chapter of Rose Croix, and is 1st Lieutenant Commander of the Consistory, and of course is more than worthy and well qualified to discuss this topic thanks to his background in Rosicrucianism and other paths. Wish I could be there.

The Feast of the Paschal Lamb borrows from the lessons
of both Passover and Easter for a distinct Masonic experience.

     

‘Symposium Sunday in San Francisco’

     
This just in: The Scottish Rite Valley of San Francisco will be the site of a symposium (free admission) on Sunday titled “Revisiting the California Gold Rush, Stories Untold: The Role of Freemasons, Women, African-Americans and Religion.” The Scottish Rite is located at 2850 19th Avenue.

I usually do not publicize events 3,000 miles away, but those of us who like to see academia study the role of Freemasonry in general history are obliged to support the endeavors however we can. From the publicity:

The Policy Studies Organization invites its partners and friends around the nation to join us for the 2014 Enriching History Colloquium. The event will be held in San Francisco, California and streamed in multiple cities around the country, courtesy of the American Public University System. Enriching History aims to be part of a new series enriching American Studies and social science teaching, to deepen interest in the American saga by showing new ways of looking at our past. The series’ mission is to influence the ways in which we learn and discuss the various experiences that have produced an ever evolving country. The program brings together a diverse group of individuals who believe in the wide dissemination of, and attention being paid to, scholarly works on important historical events and figures.

Organized in cooperation with the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of California, this year’s Enriching History conference looks to explore the California Gold Rush and the involvement and influence of different minority populations within the period. This year we explore the role of Masons, women, and Jewish forty-niners, as well as examining the culture that surrounded them. This annual seminar is for social science educators and all persons interested in aspects in the social history in America.

The presenters will include Ava F. Kahn on “Jewish Voices of the California Gold Rush: Transnational Traditions,” and historian Gary Kurutz, director of the Special Collections Branch of the California State Library, with a lecture “On the Extremity of Civilization: The Golden Words of the Argonauts.” And Carson City songster CW Bayer will play music from the Gold Rush-era.

Satellite viewing locations will be offered throughout California in Scottish Rite Centers. There will be time for questions submitted via e-mail from those joining us at the below venues. Please contact each center to find out details:

· Burlingame Masonic Center at 145 Park Road in Burlingame

· Fresno Scottish Rite Center at 1455 L Street in Fresno

· Long Beach Scottish Rite Center at 855 Elm Avenue in Long Beach

· Palm Springs Masonic Temple at 450 South Avenida Caballeros in Palm Springs

· Pasadena Scottish Rite Center at 150 N. Madison Avenue in Pasadena

· San Bernardino Scottish Rite at 4400 N. Varsity Avenue in San Bernardino

· San Diego Scottish Rite Center at 1895 Camino Del Rio South in San Diego

· San Jose Scottish Rite Temple at 2455 Masonic Drive in San Jose

Please note that refreshments and lunch will be provided, free of charge, thanks to our generous sponsors. However, we do ask that you register for seating and catering purposes. Click here for the schedule of events. We hope that you will be able to join us at this exciting and informative event!

Policy Studies Organization also is planning the World Conference on Fraternalism, Freemasonry, and History: Research in Ritual, Secrecy, and Civil Society for next May in Paris. Click here.     

‘The Masonic Feast of Feasts in NYC’

     

In traditional Scottish Rite Freemasonry, which adheres to the Jewish calendar, there is a celebration called the Feast of Tishri hosted in a Lodge of Perfection. Inspired by the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot (see Deuteronomy), a harvest thanksgiving, this fraternal Feast of Tishri is, in the words of Ill. Arturo de Hoyos, “the Masonic feast of feasts.”

In The Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide, de Hoyos writes:


“The origins and significances of the Feast of Tishri make it the most Scottish Rite of festivals. Although originally celebrated as a harvest and gathering festival, no other occasion epitomizes the character and purpose of the Rite more wholly than our historic celebration, held in conjunction with the dedication of King Solomon’s Temple (2 Chronicles 7:8-10). To marshal the meanings of the feast is to summarize the principal ideals and traditions of our Fraternity.

“First of all, we observe the Feast of Tishri because it is an age-old custom that now has the power of law. Under the Statutes of the Supreme Council, the feast is considered an obligatory observance, a sharing of our fraternal spirit.

“Secondly, the rich legendry of the Temple’s dedication, held in connection with the Feast of Tishri, is an essential part of the Fourteenth Degree. The symbolic details of the Temple’s position, design, construction, furnishing, and decoration carry special meaning as they apply to the metaphorical temple of Freemasonry built in the heart of every Brother. Through the symbols of the Temple, we learn to recommit ourselves to building Freemasonry in the hearts of men” and among nations….

“The consecration of the Temple must also be observed at the Feast of Tishri because it teaches the equality and unity of all members of the Rite. The people of Israel, unified under Solomon, were equal in their devotion to the Lord and equal in their sovereignty to all other nations. In the Feast of Tishri, all Perfect Elus and those of higher Degrees can join at the banquet table and share the bond of fraternal unity.

“Yet another reason to keep the Feast of Tishri is that such observance fosters the spirit of fellowship. We meet at a common table, express our mutual esteem, and so promote that essential bond of cordiality and respect which lightens and shares the weight of our Masonic endeavors. Such social amenities open us to each other in an atmosphere elevated beyond the sphere of normal, day-to-day communication. Within the context of the Feast of Tishri, we realize more deeply than ever before the value of our fellow men, without which the individual is lost in a self-imposed prison of human isolation.

“Finally, the law, legendry, peace, equality, unity, and fellowship of the Feast of Tishri combine to make this the Masonic feast of feasts. At the reflection table, all men—Jew, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, and others—join in a common voice of thanksgiving where every man can share his gratitude and express his sincere thanks to Him Who made all things. The Deity has given us life, the strength to live it fully, and the joy of sharing the beauty and goodness of His creation with our fellow men. Most of all, He has given us freedom. The Feast of Tishri celebrates this freedom the Israelites won with the guidance of Providence, despite the shackles of Egypt and the armies of the Philistines.

“This ancient victory celebrated in the dedication of Solomon’s Temple is kept forever fresh through our keeping of the Feast of Tishri. It promises to all men that the burdens of tyranny are temporary, that the darkness will yield to light, that knowledge will conquer ignorance, and that the Creator intended all men to be free. The message of Tishri comes to us strongly and clearly from across the ages because it has been so preserved in the symbolism and allegory of the Scottish Rite. Through our observance of this great feast of thanksgiving, we, as heirs of Solomon, perpetuate his magnificent Temple of freedom in our lives, our communities, our country and, most of all, in our beloved Rite.”

The Feast of Tishri is among the constitutional celebrations of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite-Southern Jurisdiction, and is unknown in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction (where the Feast of the Paschal Lamb is hosted in proximity to Passover and Easter), but the brethren in New York City will host their Feast of Tishri nonetheless on the eve of Sukkot. The Scottish Rite Valley of New York City meets at Masonic Hall, located at 71 West 23rd Street in Manhattan.
     

‘Cyrus Cylinder at the Met’

  
As reported a number of months ago in The Journal of The Masonic Society, The Metropolitan Museum of Art will exhibit the ancient “Cyrus Cylinder,” on loan from The British Museum for a tour of the United States with other artifacts of ancient Persia, beginning tomorrow.

From June 20 through August 4, The Met will show The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia: Charting a New Empire. New York City is the third stop on the tour; the artifacts will go to San Francisco in August and Los Angeles in October before being brought back to Britain.

Courtesy The British Museum

The Cyrus Cylinder, the clay cuneiform artifact excavated in Iraq in 1879, dates to the reign of King Cyrus the Great in the Sixth Century BCE. The text includes the royal decree that allowed deported peoples to return to their homelands.

The Cyrus Cylinder often is called “the first charter of human rights,” to lend it a meaning that we in 2013 can appreciate comfortably. (It’s similar to how the First Charge of Anderson’s Constitutions of 1723, which calls on Freemasons “to obey the moral Law” and to keep their religious opinions to themselves, is believed by many Masons today to represent the dawn of an ecumenical—or even multicultural—Freemasonry, when its reality was the far more practical goal of facilitating friendships among brethren of the various Christian denominations in 1720s London.) Scholars of the ancient Near East today recognize that rulers in that time and place began their reigns with proclamations and edicts to set a tone, and Cyrus continued a governing tradition we now know was more than a thousand years old.

And this is where Freemasonry ought to show its interest. Cyrus and his edict figure dramatically in the High Degrees of the Scottish and York rites of Freemasonry, and elsewhere, such as the Irish degrees of Knight Masonry. Different Masonic ritual tellings of the building of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, loosely based on verses of the Hebrew Bible, explain how Zerubbabel was permitted to lead his people out of the Babylonian Captivity to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and continue life in freedom, as decreed by Cyrus. Again, reality showers some cold water on Masonry’s romantic tales; Jews were not mentioned with any specificity by King Cyrus, who actually had established a general religious freedom to benefit a number of peoples who had lived in captivity in the empire.

Regardless, you Scottish Rite and York Rite Masons should charter some buses and visit The Met this summer. The Cylinder and the other pieces in this exhibit lack the fantastic resplendence of, say, the Tutankhamun dig (also exhibited by The Met, 35 years ago), but what will open tomorrow unquestionably possesses the greater spiritual and philosophical heft.

Additional programming is scheduled for June 20, June 25, June 28, and July 11.
    

‘Pennsylvania Lodge of Research’

  

Founding Members jewel.

I’m just on my way out the door to attend the Wendell K. Walker Lecture tonight, but not before I spread the news of the next meeting of Pennsylvania Lodge of Research on Saturday, June 29 at Lehigh Lodge in Macungie.

Pennsylvania Lodge of Research will meet Saturday, June 29 at Lehigh Lodge No. 326 in Macungie.

I’ve never been able to catch one of these meetings. The lodge is to meet twice each year, with additional meetings at the discretion of the Master, and I think there always is one meeting in eastern Pennsylvania, but somehow I’ve never made it there. This will be a busy weekend. The American Lodge of Research will meet the night before in Manhattan, and Bro. Piers is hosting his annual barbecue on Sunday. (If you haven’t heard, he graciously moved it from Saturday to Sunday in appreciation of all the Masonic goings on scheduled for Saturday.)

Looking forward to it all... and then to a quiet summer punctuated only by the AMD Ingathering (more to come on that ambitious project!) and maybe the MRF conference in New Hampshire too, but I’m undecided on that one.

Officers apron.

One thing at a time, as we try to explain to the youngest Entered Apprentice. Pennsylvania Lodge of Research will open at 10 a.m. that day. Lehigh Lodge is located at 2120 Route 100 in Macungie, which is not prohibitively far into the Keystone State for us New Jersey guys. It’s only about 90 miles from the headquarters of Magpie Industries, which is notably nearer than Philly, so I got that going for me.
  

‘2013 College of Freemasonry’

    
The flier below speaks for itself. This part of New York is too far north for this Magpie, but if you are in the area, you would do well to attend this event. To have all of these speakers together for a single day very well may be too much, but it is a good kind of too much.

Click to enlarge.

     

‘Repetitive tasks in dusty conditions’

  
Repetitive tasks in dusty conditions?! There was a time when that meant lodge night, but this concerns the unglamorous side of Masonic library and museum function. Oh sure, we look at Aimee and Jeff, and so many others, like Glenys, Tom, Bill, and more as near mythical beings who keep and preserve the archives of Masonry for posterity, and look damn good doing it too, but inevitably there are times when hands get dirty. To wit: The Scottish Rite Masonic Library & Museum at the Supreme Council campus in Lexington could use a few helping hands.

The Wallace M. Gage Masonic Collection at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library at Lexington. Ill. Gage was a big wheel in New Jersey Freemasonry who bequeathed his Masonic books to the Library. He died in 2004.

The announcement:

Volunteer at the Museum & Library for our Masonic Work Day

Do you like history? Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a curator or a librarian? Come join the staff of the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library and find out!

Masonic Work Day
Saturday, June 22, 2013
9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library
Lexington, Massachusetts

We are looking for ten volunteers to spend the day helping us with collections-related projects. Projects may include: inventory of objects and library collections; housing and numbering objects and archival collections; computer data entry. No experience needed! Training and lunch will be provided.

Please note that most projects will require prolonged periods of standing and that exposure to dust and/or mold is possible. Most projects will consist of repetitive tasks.

We are accepting registrations on a first-come, first-served basis. Please e-mail Aimee E. Newell, Director of Collections, at anewell(at)monh.org with your name and contact information to sign up, or with questions.

If you can’t make it on June 22, but would like to learn more about volunteering on a regular basis, please let us know.