‘Prestonian Lecturer visits LORE’

     
Five weeks have passed already, so before that becomes five years, let me share a little about the visit of the 2016 Prestonian Lecturer to New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education No. 1786. We hosted a dinner in Scotch Plains January 14 to welcome Bro. Richard “Ric” Berman of the United Grand Lodge of England.

Berman visited our beloved research lodge to present his historical lecture. Forty-five Masons from all over New Jersey, plus Pennsylvania, New York, and the Czech Republic(!) gathered at the Stage House Tavern to be among the first in the world to hear Bro. Ric’s lecture, titled “Foundations: New Light on the Formation and Early Years of the Grand Lodge of England.”

Courtesy Martin Bogardus

Prestonian Lecturer Ric Berman and David Tucker, Master
of New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education No. 1786.

Magpie file photo

I keep seeing this photo all over the web.

The Prestonian Lecture is an English Masonic tradition that dates to 1822. It is named for William Preston, the author and printer and ritualist whose book Illustrations of Masonry provides the basis of the ritual used in New Jersey and most of the English-speaking Masonic world to this day. He died in 1822 and bequeathed the sum of £300 to the United Grand Lodge of England for the purpose of endowing a lecture of Masonic education that would be presented to the brethren every year. This endured to the 1860s, when it fell into abeyance, but the tradition was revived in 1924 and—except for the years of World War II—has continued to the present day, with the UGLE’s Board of General Purposes selecting a Prestonian Lecturer annually.

In 2016, the honoree is an authority on 18th century Freemasonry, having published three books on those early decades of the Craft. Ric holds a doctorate in history from the University of Exeter, and a master’s degree in economics from Cambridge. (In a previous life, before becoming the academic researcher and author who joined us that night, Ric had a career in international finance.) He was a Senior Visiting Researcher at Oxford’s Modern European History Research Center, and a Visiting Research Fellow at Oxford Brookes University. He has been a Freemason since the late 1970s, and currently serves as Treasurer of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, the first lodge of Masonic research and education, and he is a past master of the research lodge in Middlesex, England.

Available from Amazon, etc.

The lecture is available in book form for purchase—with proceeds benefitting the Library and Museum of Freemasonry at UGLE’s headquarters—from on-line retailers, like Amazon, so I won’t recapitulate its content in detail, much less divulge spoilers. “Foundations” guides us from medieval times to the 17th century and Freemasonry’s embryonic years, to the first decades of the Grand Lodge of England. We all know about the Antients versus the Moderns in competition for Masonic hegemony, and of the Jacobites’ battles against the Hanoverians for control of the state, but the intrigues also extended into Parliament. Tories and Whigs who were Freemasons organized themselves into factions that set the Craft very far apart from all other clubs and societies in England.

“The Grand Lodge of England was the creation of an inner circle at the Duke of Richmond’s Masonic lodge in Westminster,” said Ric, explaining some of the politics. “Its members included aristocrats and politicians alongside senior public officials, such as an undersecretary of state and the government’s anti-Jacobite spymaster, and William Cowper, a leading magistrate and the clerk to the Parliaments, the highest ranking administrator at the House of Commons and House of Lords.”

“The magistracy and the government’s association with Freemasonry gave the organization a judicial and political imprimatur that was reinforced by many instances of de facto official endorsement,” he added. “Prominent examples include the raising of the Duke of Lorraine and the initiation of the Duke of Newcastle, and the initiation of other senior figures, including Prime Minister Robert Walpole, Frederick, Prince of Wales, and numerous members of both Court and Parliament.”

Ric spoke for about forty minutes, and the Q&A went another half an hour, and still the brethren crowded around Ric for private conversation for long after that, but I had to steal him away to return him to the hotel so he could get some rest before his trip to Virginia the next morning. (No one knows this until now, but Ric had been functioning on almost no sleep or food for the twenty-four hours previous to our dinner-meeting.) This Prestonian tour took Ric from North Carolina, where he spoke at four events in four nights, to Des Moines, to our event, and finally to Virginia before returning to England. He indicated he would like to return to the United States later in the year.

Courtesy Martin Bogardus

Martin Bogardus and Prestonian Lecturer Ric Berman.

New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education No. 1786 especially gives warm fraternal thanks to the brethren of Inspiratus Lodge No. 357 for providing our guests copies of the “Foundations” book, which made for a perfect souvenir of the evening. Also given away freely that night were petitions for joining our lodge, which hopefully will result in a larger L.O.R.E. family.

It was a memorable night of savory food, great company, and brilliant Masonic Light—actually, a number of the brethren told me how much they loved the meal—and while our lodge had budgeted a thousand dollars to pull it off, the whole thing cost us less than fifty bucks. I say we should do it every year!
     

‘Rose Circle 2011’

     

Yes, that’s correct, 2011! I cannot even comprehend that five years have passed since this stellar event in New York City took place, but this Flashback Friday edition of The Magpie Mason does indeed reach back exactly to February 26, 2011, when the Rose Circle Research Foundation hosted Christopher McIntosh and Steve Burkle for invaluable talks on Rosicrucianism and Alchemy, with David Lindez doing a great job as emcee.

Here’s the catch: While I know I still have my notes from this conference somewhere at Magpie headquarters, I can’t put my hands on them easily. The notebook will turn up, as it does every so often, and I will update this post with information from those notes, but for now here is my photographic record from the Renaissance Room in Masonic Hall. A partial record. I shot more than 160 photos during the event, but these are among the most colorful. Others show some PowerPoint projections that simply do not belong on the web, so there’s that.

Some of the architecture of the Renaissance Room at Masonic Hall, the headquarters of the Grand Lodge of New York, Free and Accepted Masons. 

This is the northwest corner of the lodge room, looking to the ceiling, with pipe organ at left.

I do not recall how Jason appeared at the lectern—
but I am sure he has a good reason for it!

Steve Burkle was the first of the two speakers to address the audience. I have forgotten the title of his presentation, but he discussed aspects of the practical application of spiritual alchemy concepts, among other things, to wit:

And Steve always works a fish story into his lectures!

Seriously, he is one of the best speakers around.

David Lindez stepped ‘unto the breach,’ as it were, to serve as master of ceremonies, providing comment and context to the proceedings. (I have my moments in public speaking. Sometimes I am coherent. Sometimes I can see that I grabbed the audience. I would never attempt to emcee a Rose Circle conference.)

That is Gene and Phillipe in the rear. Don’t know the gentlemen in front.

Here are Sam and Bob from New Jersey.

I regret not knowing the names of this couple because
they are regulars at Rose Circle events.

Geoffrey from Old No. 2.

Mario, Sr. and Mario, Jr.

Michael and Joe.

Henry at center, with Richard and Nick behind him.

The incomparable Janet Wintermute perusing the index of McIntosh’s
book. (If I didn’t use her full name, she’d kill me.)

To be a fly on the wall of that room.

I don't recall how many attended the conference,
but it pretty much was a sold out affair.

Dr. Christopher McIntosh spoke on ‘Rosicrucianism and the Search for a New World Order,’ which was based on his book The Rose Cross and the Age of Reason, an utterly mind-roasting history of early European Rosicrucianism and its effects on society. The text had been published a second time since 1992 just weeks before this conference, bringing down the retail price of the book from more than $1,000 to around twenty bucks or so.

Equipment, such as mic stands, is unavoidable, but
sometimes it can drive a photographer nuts.

I’m afraid I don’t know the gentleman with the microphone,
but that’s the inimitable Jonny Clockworks at left.

Never mind McIntosh, Burkle, and Lindez (although David’s
devilish smile is priceless), look at that room!

Oscar Alleyne. All this time I didn’t realize
I had such a good photo of him on file.

You have to appreciate an audience member who drafts his questions on the pages of his own notebook (to say nothing of coordinating his sport jacket with said notebook) in preparation for the Q&A!

David and Piers A. Vaughan. Sorry to say the Rose Circle
website store is sold out of those ties!

Piers, our president, makes Christopher a Fellow in the Rose Circle.

And—sigh—it’s over.

     

‘Umberto Eco 1932-2016’

Courtesy The Guardian

“The lunatic is all idée fixe, and whatever he comes across confirms his lunacy. You can tell him by the liberties he takes with common sense, by his flashes of inspiration, and by the fact that sooner or later he brings up the Templars.”

Umberto Eco
Foucault’s Pendulum
     

‘The Masonic Society’s annual meeting’

     

So we’re here in Arlington, Virginia for Masonic Week, the highlight of which undoubtedly was the banquet just concluded where The Masonic Society’s annual meeting took place.

There is a lot of exciting news to come, but there’s only so much I’m willing to type on my phone, so I’ll share the personnel updates only.

Our President is Kenneth W. Davis of New Mexico (formerly of Indiana). Ken, a retired professor, is bursting with ideas and initiatives for this new two-year term, and these comprise the exciting news I mention, so stay current with The Journal, our social media, and The Magpie. Ken succeeds Jim Dillman of Indiana, whose thoughtful leadership has brought The Masonic Society through a period of greater creativity, and to this cusp of inspired innovation where we stand tonight.

Our new First Vice President is Patrick Craddock of The Craftsman’s Apron fame, who will prove instrumental to bringing those startling initiatives to fruition even as he anticipates his own presidency two years hence. Ours is a holistic, long-term planning strategy.

The new Second Vice President is me. In over my head, as per usual.

New Board members:

Oscar Alleyne of New York; John Bizzack of Kentucky; and Mark Robbins of Minnesota. These are names you probably recognize, and their joining the Board is a clue to the incredible Masonic education programs The Masonic Society will launch in the coming years.

That’s all I have for now. I’m off to the hospitality suite for whiskey and good conversation.

     

‘The Man Who Would Be on Radio’

     
My compliments to Mt. Zion Masonic Lodge in New Jersey for hosting a novel event later this month: a “radio play” based on Kipling’s The Man Who Would Be King. From the publicity:

The Man Who Would Be King—A Staged Radio Play and Immersive Masonic Experience (with themed snacks and drinks) will be presented by Raconteur Radio and Mt. Zion Lodge No. 135 of Free and Accepted Masons.

Tickets cost only $15 per person. Click here.

Based on Rudyard Kipling’s classic yarn, this rousing radio play tells the tall and timeless tale of two rogue soldiers and Freemasons who set off from 19th century British India in search of adventure, and end up as Kings of Kafiristan. It is a time of mission and mystery, of forbidden lands, and of wealth often described as untold. Royal soldiers-cum-con men, Danny and Peachy, climb mountains and cross glaciers to penetrate the forbidden territories where, through luck, battle, and a series of Masonic coincidences, they realize their wildest dreams.

Featuring Jeff Maschi as Brother Daniel Dravot, Carlyle Owens as Brother Peachy Carnehan, and Laurence Mintz as Rudyard Kipling and Billy Fish.

With theatrical lighting, vintage commercials, Golden Age radio equipment, special fog effects, and, of course, hundreds of sound effects.

Plus jazz vocalist Danielle Illario singing Kipling’s “Road to Manderlay.”

Also a special introduction by Lee Pfeiffer, editor of Cinema Retro, a British magazine devoted to the films of the 1960s and ’70s. Pfeffer, a renowned “James Bond scholar,” is the author of The Films of Sean Connery.” (Connery plays Dravot in the film version of the story.)

The event will be held in Metuchen’s own Masonic lodge, with only one showing, at 8 p.m. on Thursday, February 18. Ticket includes a tour of the lodge and Masonic artifacts, snacks, and drinks, (provided by the Borough Improvement League), and the play.

Raconteur Radio stages theatrical presentations of vintage radio plays, classic works of literature, and pop culture parodies for live audiences throughout the tri-state area. For more info, click here.
     

‘Pythagoras and the Pythagorean School’

     
Come Saturday, I’ll be in the middle of Masonic Week pleasures, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying a stimulating talk on one of the ancient world’s eminent philosophers, central to Freemasonry and Rosicrucianism. From the publicity:

Pythagoras and the Pythagorean School

Saturday, February 13

1 to 3 p.m.

Rosicrucian Cultural Center

2303 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd.

New York City

Pythagoras (ca. 570 to 490 BCE) is one of the most important philosophers in the history of the Western world. He deeply influenced astronomy, cosmology, mathematics, and philosophy—especially the Rosicrucian Tradition. Join Grand Master Julie Scott in this exploration of Pythagoras and the inspiring school that he founded.
     

‘The Grand Master at Mariners’

     
It’s been too long since I’ve visited Mariners 67, and doing so would be a great prelude to Masonic Week. Yes, I believe I’ll get over there.

Does your Grand Master visit lodges to speak on the meaning of Masonry? Mine does. From the publicity:

Stated Communication

and Maritime Festive Board

Wednesday, February 10

7 O’Clock in the Evening

Doric Room

Masonic Hall, Eighth Floor

71 West 23rd Street

New York City

Work of the Evening: Talk by M∴W∴ William J. Thomas titled “Neither Barefoot Nor Shod.”

Maritime Festive Board Menu: Appetizer Platters with Chicken Dumplings, Spring Rolls and Teriyaki Skewers; Mongolian Beef with Scallions; Chicken with Baby Bok Choy and Garlic; Szechuan Shrimp; Fried Tofu with Snow Peas; Vegetable Fried Rice; Chinese Donuts; Soda, Seltzer and Mariners Punch.

Festive Board at 8:30 p.m. in the Jacobean Room on eight. Cost per person is only $35 (plus transaction fee) in advance by clicking here.
     

‘Ten signs that you are becoming a Freemason!’

     
Brand new from humorist Tom Gauld, by way of The Guardian, and I suppose in tribute to the recent series on BBC1:

Click to enlarge.

(If you didn’t know, Freemasonry figures prominently in Tolstoy’s epic.)
     

‘Emerson on Self-Reliance’

     
It’s February already, and I still haven’t told you about the School of Practical Philosophy’s “Emerson and Spiritual Knowledge” lecture of three months ago. I’ll get to it, but it was that night when we were told to plan for this event on February 28, and tickets now are available. From the publicity:

Emerson Study Day

School of Practical Philosophy

12 East 79th Street in Manhattan

Sunday, February 28, 2016

8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

$25 per person

Come explore the spiritual and intellectual legacy of America’s great philosopher and teacher, Ralph Waldo Emerson. We shall study selected passages from his pivotal essay “Self-Reliance.” His words are both inspirational and fortifying and always address a love of freedom and a deep abiding need for self-reliance.

From the essay:

“It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”

All are welcome. No prior study of Emerson is required.

8:30 a.m. - Sign in (coffee available)
9 a.m. - Brief history and introduction followed by two study sessions in small groups

Fee - $25, which includes a light brunch and printed material.

Tickets can be purchased here.
     

‘Red Book events coming to the Big Apple’

     
In happier publishing news (see post below), Carl Jung’s enigmatic and irrepressible Red Book, or at least the art within, is making the rounds worldwide, including two events in New York City coming soon. As reported previously on The Magpie, the huge Occult Humanities Conference at New York University is only a week away. Coming soon are two related events in Brooklyn and Manhattan. From the publicity:

The Incantations on Page 54 of the Red Book by C.G. Jung.

Snakes, Dragons, and Other Scaly Creatures:

A Red Book Event and Conference

Gallery Opening Event: March 4

Exhibit: February 29 to April 1

Salena Gallery of Long Island University

One University Place, Brooklyn

Conference: March 5

C. G. Jung Center of New York

28 East 39th Street, 
Manhattan

Click here

From February 29 to April 1, an exhibition of the DigitalFusion prints from Jung’s Red Book will take place at the Salena Gallery of Long Island University-Brooklyn. You are cordially invited to the Opening Reception on Friday, March 4 at the gallery at One University Place in Brooklyn. These magnificent 25x33-inch reproductions of Jung’s paintings made their art world debut at the 55th Annual Venice Biennale in 2013, where the original manuscript of the Red Book was on display.

In conjunction with the exhibit, a conference will be held on Saturday, March 5 at the C.G. Jung Center of New York (28 East 39th Street). Titled “Snakes, Dragons, and other Scaly Creatures,” the conference will be co-sponsored by the C.G. Jung Institute of New York, the New York Association for Analytical Psychology, the C.G. Jung Foundation of New York, the Archive for Research in Archetypal Symbolism, and the Analytical Psychology Club of New York.

Jung asserted that when we meditate on a particular image, it comes alive and takes on an independent life of its own. “That is the case with any fantasy image… It gets restless, it shifts, something is added, or it multiples itself; one fills it with living power.” We invite you to muse on the symbol of the snake. Let the image speak to you and stir your imagination. Follow your ideas into realms such as psychological theory, mythology, clinical practice, and contemporary culture.
     

‘Salamander and Sons: the presses stopped’

     

Atalanta Fugiens by Michael Maier, 1618.

“According to Paracelsus, the salamander lives in fire, but not in dark, material fire, but rather in the essential ‘spirit-fire of nature.’”

Alexander Roob
Alchemy and Mysticism


Another essential publisher has gone out of business. From the unhappy publicity:

Closure Announcement

Salamander and Sons collapsed financially, and ceased publishing operations effective 31 December 2015.

The press will remain partially operational, until its complete closure on 31 March 2016.

During the first quarter of 2016, it will remain possible to purchase titles from the Salamander and Sons back list, consisting of books published between 2007 and 2015.

All remaining Salamander and Sons stock will be heavily discounted, as any stock unsold after 31 March 2016 will be destroyed.

Wholesale and other bulk orders are encouraged, as such orders will be even more heavily discounted.

Sales revenue generated will be utilized to square accounts with authors, process refunds of pre-orders for two failed fine binding projects, and to settle with creditors.

Note that it may take until 30 June 2016 for all matters administrative (including refunds, etc.) to be tended to. Thanks for your understanding.


Click here to see the remaining stock available to you. Titles by Greer, Hardacre, Millar, and others should be snapped up.
     

‘Masonic stamp club celebrates 50th’

     

Celebrating its golden anniversary in 2016 is the George Washington Masonic Stamp Club, which will hold its annual meeting in February. From the publicity:

George Washington Masonic Stamp Club

Sunday, February 28

George Washington Masonic Memorial

Alexandria, Virginia

1:30 - Social/Cover Exchange
2 p.m. - GWMSC Opens (no officer elections this year)
Cancelled Covers: Ken Hanson, Past President, Truman E. Boutar, Huge A. Schwen, and Dr. Allan Boudreau
2:30 - Reading and vote of applications
2:45 - Special Acknowledgment of Robert Domingue, newest member, Society of Blue Friars.
2:50 - Degree of Philately
3:30 - Door prizes awarded
4 p.m. - Close of GWMSC meeting
4:30 - Adjourn to Theismann’s Restaurant for “no host” dinner.
4:40 – Introductions
4:50 - Guest Speaker Mark Wright, PM, Federal Lodge No. 1, on “Native Masons,” with illustrations of Native American stamps.
5:20 – Dinner
6:30 - Adjourn

About Our Speaker:

Mark A. Wright, 32°, KCCH

His family has a long history of Masonic memberships documented back at least to his great-grandfather Samuel Long, principal chief of the Wyandotte Tribe of Indians, who was a Shriner and Knight Templar. His Masonic career in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, when he received the degrees of the Order of DeMolay in Howard Weber Chapter on June 10,
1972. He is a past grand commander of Nation’s Capital Court of Chevaliers and a past dean of Nation’s Capital Preceptory, DeMolay Legion of Honor.

Initiated an EA in Bartlesville Lodge No. 284 on March 8, 1980; passed to FC in Lawrence (Kansas) Lodge No. 6 (as a courtesy) in 1980; and raised a MM by his father, Luther A. Wright, Jr., on August 5, 1980. Federal Lodge No. 1 elected him to dual membership in 2007. Federal Lodge No. 1 elected Mark Aaron Wright on November 12, 2012 to serve as its 153rd Master.

Tulsa Consistory elevated him to the 32° of Scottish Rite Masonry in 1980, and he was invested a KCCH in 2011. He serves the Valley of Washington as general tiler since 2010, and chairman of membership and development since 2011. He was exalted in Bartlesville Chapter No. 55, Royal Arch Masons; greeted in Bartlesville Council No. 41, Royal and Select Masters; and knighted in Cavalry Commandery No. 26, Knights Templar. Mark was hailed a prophet in Kara Grotto, Mystic Order of the Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm; and initiated into Topeka (Kansas) Council No. 1, Ancient Toltec Rite. He was created a noble in Akdar Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, in 1982, and currently belongs to Almas Temple.

Mark served as a Justice of the Supreme Court for the Sac and Fox Tribe from 1991 to 1999, taught Indian law at colleges in Oklahoma. Came to Washington during the Bush Administration to serve in the Department of the Interior as Indian probate program national director.