‘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.

     

‘Amazing silver antique being auctioned’

    

You’ll always find interesting Masonic pieces on liveauctioneers.com, and with twenty-four hours remaining is this antique silver pendant under the gavel. The auctioneers say:

The Latin for Faith, Hope, and Charity at the top; and Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth on the bottom.

Colonial American silver Masonic medal or mark jewel for Eliakim Morse, 18th century. Exceptional highly decorated surfaces with engraved symbols from Freemasonry. Border with Latin inscriptions and mottos. Tapered oval form with spurs and pendant hole at top. 2.75in length. 0.62 ozt.

Courage and Loyalty at top; Silence, Good Behavior, and Fraternity on bottom.

Morse (1712-1803) lived in Medfield, Massachusetts and was a prominent figure in the community. His house still stands in the town today. Provenance: by descent through the Morse family.

Bidding as I type this has reached $500 and the estimated sale price is $800 to $1,200. Click here to check it out.

I am curious to know more about Bro. Morse. The commemorative book Dedication of the Medford Town Hall Sept. 10, 1872; Re-Dedication Nov. 2, 1874 gives a little hint:

One hundred and fifty-three names—all the heads of families or freeholders—appear upon your records appended to the articles of association recommended by the Continental Congress at Philadelphia, whereby the Colonies practically sever their connection with the mother country. It is to be noted also with grateful pride that, in the same voice and votes in which they assert their own rights, they maintain those of all men, and condemn slavery. They say that it appears absurd to plead for liberty and yet patronize the most cruel servitude and bondage; and yet the “poor Africans taken from all that is dear to them on their native soil, have not the least shadow of liberty remaining.”

“We wish,” they say, “to maintain constitutional liberty ourselves, and cannot endure the thought of its being withheld from the same flesh and blood for no other reason that we can conceive of but because the God of nature has been pleased to tinge their skins with a different color from our own.” Thus early did the principles of anti-slavery take root in this town.

Who were the actors in that scene? We only know by the records and by tradition. The names of Daniel Perry, William Plimpton, Moses Bullen, Eliakim Morse, Henry Adams, Nathan Plimpton, Oliver Ellice, Seth Dwight, Eleazer White, Seth Clark and Nathan Coolidge appear constantly.

     

‘New whisky from the Grand Lodge of Scotland’

    

Grand Lodge of Scotland

You’ll have to be in the United Kingdom to taste it, but the Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland offers a new expression of its Grand Master Mason’s Choice Whisky.

A single malt, like the 2015 release, this one is aged ten years, whereas that previous offering had no age statement. Like the 2015, however, the packaging seems to misstate the strength; this one says 40 percent proof, but surely they mean 80 proof (i.e., 40 percent alcohol by volume). Maybe I’m mistaken and I do not understand their jargon because I can’t see how the same error could reoccur. (Some baffling government regulation?) Anyway, from the scant publicity:

Grand Master Mason’s

Choice Whisky

£50 (inc. VAT)

Speyburn is the only distillery to draw its water from the Granty Burn, a major tributary of the River Spey. Matured in American oak ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, the resulting whisky is mellow and well balanced with hints of fresh fruit, toffee and butterscotch, and a long smooth, sweet finish.

A 10 year old single malt

70cl

40 percent proof

Important Information: This whisky is available from the Grand Lodge shop within Freemasons’ Hall (after 10 a.m. due to Scottish licensing laws). The whisky also is available for sale from our online shop within the UK only. In Scotland it is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under the age of 18 years, per Section 110 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

That 70 centiliters is two ounces short of the 750ml packaging we Americans see on the shelves. (And that’s a taste short of what we used to call “a fifth,” but that’s a whole other story.) Also available is a 5cl bottle, packaged in a box, at £8.50.

The Grand Lodge also would like it to be known that this product will not be for sale at this month’s Festival of St. Andrew.

     

‘Masonry and #metoo at MMRS’

    

Laurel-Wreath Lodge 149.

Maryland Masonic Research Society will meet next month for what sounds to me like a provocative discussion. From the publicity:

The Maryland Masonic Research Society invites you to a very interesting and timely presentation on Saturday, December 9: #metoo, Masculinity and Freemasonry.

Our meeting will be at the newly renovated, beautiful Patmos-Solomon’s Lodge 70 in Savage, Maryland (9140 Washington St.). Laurel-Wreath Lodge 149 in Laurel (209 Washington Blvd.). Lunch at noon, followed by the presentation.

Your donation ($20) includes lunch. Advance registration is required. Please do so by email here before noon Monday, December 4. 

#metoo, Masculinity and Freemasonry

This is a discussion on how the #metoo movement caused a re-examination of what masculinity is and what that means to a fraternal organization.

Tim Sheils, First Vice President of MMRS, joined Masonry in 2013 and served as Worshipful Master of Silver Spring Lodge 215 in 2020 and 2021, obtaining the Grand Master’s Award both times. He is a member of the Maryland Masonic Academy, and Grand Inspector for the Grand Lodge of Maryland. In 2022, he became a member of Columbia Lodge 58 in Frederick, and became First Vice President of the Maryland Masonic Research Society. He joined the Frederick/Baltimore Scottish Rite in 2023 and continues serving as Tyler of Silver Spring Lodge.

I’m curious to know where this talk goes. If you followed #metoo during its meteoric notoriety, you should have noticed that not every woman is believed, and not every woman should be believed. What does that mean to a fraternal organization? I don’t know about the others, but Freemasonry is about the pursuit of Truth, so I am hoping this conversation is open-minded about reality.

      

‘Israel: The absolute importance of Freemasonry and its teachings’

    

Grand Lodge received follow-up correspondence Wednesday from the Grand Lodge of Israel. Excerpted:

Firstly, we thank those who have kindly donated to this cause. Your solidarity and deep concern for the humanitarian situation is welcome.

We need not tell you of the absolute barbarism to the lowest levels that man can reach. The situation in Israel and the Middle East is tense. Today, more than ever, we see the absolute importance of Freemasonry and its teachings. Here, the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel, in its small way, sheds a beam of light that touches the hearts and minds of those who truly believe in harmony, peace, and tolerance. Our prayers are that this beam of light will penetrate within our people and to our neighbors!

Since our last letter, the humanitarian situation has been very difficult, with so many citizens evacuating their homes in the south and the north. The uncertainty, different schools, businesses, and offices closed. The outpouring of help and volunteerism in Israel has been beyond all expectations!

The Grand Lodge of the State of Israel has set up a separate charity fund for the Humanitarian War Effort 2023. Brethren in Israel and abroad are generously donating whatever they can. Our aim is to donate a fully equipped ambulance and/or motorcycle(s) that are the first responders to the scene of any call, where they assess the situation and notify the ambulance on the way. Both are extremely important. Unfortunately, there are never enough.

Once again, we thank you for your brotherhood and concern.

Yours, sincerely and fraternally,

Ilan Segev, Grand Master

Jose Cohen, Grand Secretary 

Click here to donate directly to the Charity Fund of the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel.

     

‘A Sufi Perspective of Freemasonry’

    

This month’s lecture at the Livingston Library will approach Freemasonry from an under appreciated direction: Sufism.

Sufis, according to the great F.E. Peters, one of my favorite professors in my university days, “prefer the knowledge that comes by inspiration, to the exclusion of that acquired by study. Again, they desire neither to study such learning nor to learn anything of what authors have written on the subject; to inspect neither their teachings nor their arguments. They maintain on the contrary that the ‘way’ consists in preferring spiritual combat, in getting rid of one’s faults, in breaking one’s ties and approaching God Most High through a single-minded spiritual effort. And every time those conditions are fulfilled, God for His part turns toward the heart of His servant and guarantees him an illumination by the lights of understanding.”

From the publicity:

A Sufi Perspective

of Freemasonry:

The Bektashi Order

of Dervishes

by Nazmi Mete Talimcioglu

Thursday, November 30

7:30 p.m.

Masonic Hall, Jacobean Room

RSVP here

This talk will be a high-end discussion of Sufism and, in particular, the Bektashi Order of Dervishes, its brief history and organizational structure, and the common elements of its belief system with respect to Freemasonry.

Mete Talimcioglu

R∴W∴ Mete Talimcioglu has been a Freemason since 1995, he founded Anatolia Lodge 1183 and was the first Master of the lodge. Mete was also the Assistant Grand Lecturer of his district. He served the Scottish Rite Valley of New York City, having presided over all four bodies, and received both the Meritorious Service Award and the 33°, and served as Deputy’s Representative from 2011 to 2020. Brother Talimcioglu also served in high leadership positions in Royal Arch Masonry and the Cryptic Rite.

     

‘The Apprentice small batch gin’

    

The Apprentice small batch gin
from Two Pillars Gin Co.

It’s getting cold here in the Northern Hemisphere, so my enjoyment of gin is on hold, but there’s no reason why you can’t sample a new small batch distillate. At least if you’re in England. Two Pillars Gin Co. introduces The Apprentice. From the publicity:

Inspired by the Doric and Corinthian pillars, combining beauty and strength, we have created this small batch distilled London dry gin. Each ingredient, from the robust juniper berries to the delicate pomegranate, contributes to the spirit’s allure. The strength lies in their ability to infuse the gin with complex flavors, creating a symphony of taste. Simultaneously, their natural beauty is showcased in the intricate patterns and vibrant aromas they bring to the distillation process.

Like nature itself, our gin’s botanicals embody both power and grace, resulting in a beverage that tantalises the senses and celebrates the union of strength and beauty.

Click here for more information. It may be available only in and around London. And there’s a Masonic discount in price! Click the link.

Please drink responsibly (unless you’re with me).

     

‘Gettysburg’s lodge to host Civil War-period dinner’

    

Good Samaritan 336, the lodge in Gettysburg where Civil War Lodge of Research met four months ago, has its annual Civil War Dinner with a Soldier planned for two weeks. I’d love to go back, but it’s too far for just a dinner. You should go though, if within the length of your cable tow, etc. From the publicity:

Civil War Dinner with a Soldier

Sunday, November 19

Good Samaritan Lodge 336

9 Lincoln Square

Gettysburg Pennsylvania

Limited seating, at $50, here

Good Samaritan Lodge 336 will host its second annual Civil War Dinner on Sunday, November 19 at the Lodge on the Square. Presentations from our Civil War guests will begin at six o’clock. Dinner will be served at 6:30. Dessert and additional presentations will follow.

Dinner will be prepared by our chef from a Civil War era cookbook. Choice of meat will be venison loaf or pigeon (we will substitute Cornish game hen, as the bird used historically is difficult to source), plus potatoes and vegetables, with pumpkin pie for dessert. Enjoy hot mulled cider, and try traditional hard tack, if you dare.

Come hear the stories of:

• Elizabeth Thorne, who while six months pregnant, buried nearly 100 soldiers at the Evergreen Cemetery.
• Pvt. Sherwood, from Co. K, 2nd Division, 5th Corps, the Pennsylvania Reserves, who returned home to fight.
• Daniel Skelly, a teenager who witnessed the Battle of Gettysburg and the aftermath.
• Cpl. Chester Judson, 24th New York “Orange Blossoms,” who fought at Gettysburg.
• Cornelia Hancock, a nurse tending to the wounded at Gettysburg.
• Nicholas, a newspaper man from New York City observing the war and reporting back.
• Dr. Jelks, a Confederate physician with the 26th Georga, who treated the injuries of the war.
• Cpl. J.R. Bennet, 6th New York Independent Battery, an artillery soldier killed in battle.

     

‘The Magic Flute returns to The Met next month’

    

The Met

The new issue of my lodge’s monthly magazine reminds me that it’s almost time for The Magic Flute, Mozart’s Masonic opera, to return to The Met for its annual run. From the publicity:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s

The Magic Flute

The Metropolitan Opera

December 8-30

Tickets (from $37!) here

The Met’s family-friendly production of Mozart’s dazzling fairy tale returns, sung in English and running under two hours. Patrick Furrer and Gareth Morrell share conducting duties, leading a standout cast in Julie Taymor’s magical staging. Tenors Piotr Buszewski and Joshua Blue share the role of Tamino, the brave prince on a quest to win the clever princess Pamina, sung by sopranos Janai Brugger and Liv Redpath. The cast also features famed tenor Rolando Villazón reprising his uproarious portrayal as the luckless bird catcher Papageno, alternating with baritone Alexander Birch Elliott, and soprano Kathryn Lewek as the Queen of the Night, alongside basses Brindley Sherratt and James Creswell as Sarastro.

Prior to the December 10 performance, children and families are welcome to join our Holiday Open House. The Open House is free to all ticketholders for the December 10 performance.

The Met

World Premiere: Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden, Vienna, 1791. A sublime fairy tale that moves freely between earthy comedy and noble mysticism, The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte in the original German) was written for a theater located just outside Vienna with the clear intention of appealing to audiences from all walks of life. The story is told in a singspiel (“song-play”) format characterized by separate musical numbers connected by dialogue and stage activity, an excellent structure for navigating the diverse moods, ranging from solemn to lighthearted, of the story and score.

The Met

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91) was the son of a Salzburg court musician who exhibited him as a musical prodigy throughout Europe. His achievements in opera, in terms of beauty, vocal challenge, and dramatic insight, remain unsurpassed. He died three months after the premiere of Die Zauberflöte, his last produced work for the stage. The remarkable Emanuel Schikaneder (1751-1812) was an actor, singer, theater manager, and friend of Mozart who wrote the opera’s libretto, staged the work, and sang the role of Papageno in the initial run.

The libretto specifies Egypt as the location of the action. That country was traditionally regarded as the legendary birthplace of the Masonic fraternity, whose symbols and rituals populate this opera. Some productions include Egyptian motifs as an exotic nod to this idea, but most opt for a more generalized mythic ambience to convey the otherworldliness that the score and overall tone of the work call for.

The Met

Mozart and his librettist, Emanuel Schikaneder, created The Magic Flute with an eye toward a popular audience, but the varied tone of the work requires singers who can specialize in several different musical genres. The baritone Papageno represents the comic and earthy, the tenor Tamino and the soprano Pamina display true love in its noblest forms, the bass Sarastro expresses the solemn and the transcendental, and the Queen of the Night provides explosive vocal fireworks.

     

‘The tea will spill (and if the boys wanna fight you better let ’em)’

    

Among the myths and legends that add flavor to Masonic history is the claim that Freemasons executed the attack on the East India Company’s ship at Boston Harbor December 16, 1773, when the cargo of 342 chests of tea was chucked into the water. I think it is more accurate and reasonable to say there were Freemasons involved, as some circumstantial evidence suggests that, but the caper was more complicated. (See A Retrospect of the Boston Tea Party, with a Memoir of George R.T. Hewes, a Survivor of the Little Band of Patriots who Downed the Tea in Boston Harbour in 1773, printed in New York, 1834.)

Next month, on the semiquincentennial anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts will host a weekend of events to commemorate that mostly peaceful flash of rebellion. From the publicity:

The Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts has partnered with the Massachusetts Sons of the American Revolution and the Dr. Joseph Warren Foundation to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.

From December 15-17, Freemasons and their families will be joining us from across the country, and we hope you will also. Fifty-four grand jurisdictions have been invited to join us.

Friday, December 15

(open to the public)

A Historic Tavern Tour has been created in collaboration with Revolution 250, an organization the Massachusetts Historical Society created to support the commemorative events leading up to 2026. Open to Freemasons, their families, and invited guests. 

If visiting from another jurisdiction, attend St. John’s Lodge’s annual installation. St. John’s Lodge was chartered in 1733 and is the oldest lodge in the Western Hemisphere.

Saturday, December 16

(open to the public free of charge)

We will host a world-class symposium at the Grand Lodge beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m. Through the generosity of our event sponsors, we can provide the events to the public at no cost.

8:30-9:10—Dr. Brooke Barbier: “Radicalizing John Hancock: The Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party.”

9:15-10 a.m.—RW Bro. Walter Hunt: “Freemasonry Before the Revolution.”

10:15-11:20—Boston-Lafayette Lodge of Perfection performing Treason to the Crown.

11:30-12:15 p.m.—Dr. Jayne Triber: “Brother Revere: How Freemasonry Shaped Paul Revere’s Revolutionary Role”

12:15-1 p.m.—Lunch

1:30-2 p.m.—Dr. William Fowler: “A Fireside Chat with Famed Author Dr. Fowler.”

2-3 p.m.—J.L. Bell: “How Bostonians Learned to Talk about the Destruction of the Tea.”

3-4 p.m.—Dr. James Fichter: “Tea: Consumption, Politics, and Revolution, 1773-1776.”

4-5 p.m.—Dr. Ben Carp: “Teapot in a Tempest: The Boston Tea Party of 1773.”

There will be guided tours of the Grand Lodge from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a first come, first served basis. The Grand Lodge will also have several rare artifacts on display to view (Freemasons and their families).

There will also be opportunities to attend a group tour of a few local historic locations. The historic sites set prices for tours.

Following the symposium, Freemasons can join a procession with the Grand Master from the Grand Lodge to the Old South Meeting House, then to the Boston Tea Party Museum, retracing the steps of our forefathers 250 years ago. (Registration will be $10 per Brother and include a commemorative apron for the event.)

Sunday, December 17

(open to the public)

The Grand Chaplains will lead a non-denominational ecumenical service at the Grand Lodge at 10 a.m. Following the service, there will be a celebratory brunch in the Grand Master’s Banquet Hall with the Massachusetts Sons of the American Revolution. Tickets will be $50 and limited to 150 people.

To purchase event merch, please visit here and order now. Purchases will not be available on the day of the event.

     

‘African initiations and Kabbalistic interpretations’

    

In honor of Thomas Smith Webb Chapter of Research, the Library displayed various artifacts, including this set of Grand Chapter jewels from the nineteenth century.

I should have clocked it, but I’ll state unequivocally that The American Lodge of Research set a new speed record in Opening, Balloting, and Closing last night, having done it all between 6:15 and 6:50 p.m., or thereabouts. No trophy for ritual excellence, but it was a lot of fun.

That was all we had to do because the main event started at seven upstairs in the Livingston Library. Congratulations to all our new Corresponding Members, including RW George Filippidis, Bro. Alex Vastola from the Library, and Bro. Jussi from Finland! And to new Active Members, including Dan Kemble from Kentucky! Plus, we finally seated a team of Trustees, which you wouldn’t think would be so difficult, but it took a while. (One must be a legal resident of New York, and it seems many of the brethren live elsewhere.)

And we elected a Fellow, but I think I’m not supposed to say who yet, pending notification of next of kin.

We packed our gear back in storage, and headed to the fourteenth floor just in time for the joint ALR-TSW lectures. Representing Thomas Smith Webb Chapter of Research was Bro. Americo (of Aurora Grata-Day Star Lodge 647), who discussed “African and Afro-Diasporic Initiatory Structures and their Interaction with Masonry,” which opened our eyes to a number of things. Not only the ritual elements common to all kinds of initiatic rites, but some specific things known to Freemasons that appear in some African systems. Next up was Bro. Michael, Master of The ALR, who explained the Kabbalistic side of the three Craft degrees. When many speakers attempt to delve into this sort of topic, their enthusiasm outpaces their knowledge, but Michael nailed it. Unfortunately I had to exit before he finished, but I saw his audience was loving it.

(I’ve known Michael for years and I’ve never heard him talk so much, but let him speak on Kabbalistic content in the degrees and he’s Billy Graham!)

This event was available via Zoom, and I’m hoping it will be uploaded to the Library’s YouTube channel, and I’ll provide the link if it becomes available.

     

‘A few words on the EA°’

    

We have a Ritual of Initiation upcoming at lodge in November, and our monthly magazine, The Herald, includes a few pages of educational reading focusing on a certain aspect of the EA° excerpted from Symbolical Masonry: An Interpretation of the Three Degrees by H.L. Haywood. (He was a member of our lodge a century ago, oddly enough.) Also in mind is Grand Lodge’s appeal on behalf of the Grand Lodge of Israel. Here are the relevant paragraphs:

Before a man can be persuaded to learn an art, he must realize his ignorance thereof; before he can be made to enter into a new life, he must be made to feel that he is in a natural state of ignorance in regard to that life. There is a certain method by which the candidate is prepared in our ceremonies that is designed to cause the Apprentice to know that, whatever may be his title and possessions in the world, he is poor, and naked, and blind as regards that new life which is Masonry. There is in this method no desire to humiliate him, as that word is understood, but there is every need that he experience humility, a very different thing.

Humiliation may come from disgrace, or some check of adverse fortune; humility is that lowliness of mind in which one becomes aware of his real position in the universe. To know one’s self is to be humble, for in the presence of the infinities of the universe an individual, be he the greatest of the great, is pitiably small and weak; “what is man that thou art mindful of him” is his cry, and he will be the last to strut with pride. A mere sense of humor alone would preserve a man against vanity, did he not also know that he is a frail creature, compounded of dirt and deity, hemmed in by ignorance, and weak every way. When a man compares himself with his fellows he may find cause for pride, but when he stands in the midst of that lodge which is itself a symbol of the cosmos, surrounded by emblems and images on which rests a weight of time more than that which lies upon the pyramids, where the All-Seeing Eye, symbol of omniscience, looks down upon all, he can but feel how frail, how unspeakably helpless and frail, he is. The worldling may eke out a modicum of pride in considering how much wealthier he may be, or more learned than another, but the Mason, acknowledging a law that demands he be perfect as the Father in Heaven is perfect, will be more inclined to cry “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

Black Cat Caboodle

“Among the ancients,” writes Pierson, “the ceremony of discalceation, or the pulling off a shoe, indicated reverence for the presence of God.” The Pythagorean rule, that an initiate must “sacrifice and worship unshod” applied throughout the religious customs of antiquity. The priest removed “his shoes from off his feet” before entering the place of worship even as does the Muslim of today. Of this Mackey gives an interpretation as simple as it is wise! “The shoes, or sandals, were worn on ordinary occasions as a protection from the defilement of the ground. To continue to wear them, then, in a consecrated place, would be a tacit insinuation that the ground was equally polluted and capable of producing defilement. But, as the very character of a holy and consecrated spot precludes the idea of any sort of defilement or impurity, the acknowledgment that such was the case was conveyed symbolically by divesting the feet of all that protection from pollution and uncleanness which would be necessary in unconsecrated places. The Rite of Discalceation is, therefore, a symbol of reverence. It signifies, in the language of symbolism, that the spot which is about to be approached in this humble and reverent manner is consecrated to some holy purpose.

In the beginnings of the moral life of man, a place was made holy by being set apart, as the word literally means. The Sabbath was kept separate from other days; the Temple from other buildings; and the altar from all other spots of earth. This was a necessary teaching to cause men to recognize the mere existence of sacredness. But the floor of a Masonic lodge room is not made sacred in order to render other places defiled by contrast; rather is it to convince us that as the lodge is a holy place, so also should the whole world be, of which the lodge is a symbol. When men walk the common ways of life with bare feet, when they undertake every daily task with clean hands, when they seek out their fellowships with a pure heart, then will all life shine with the sanctity God intended, and the Universe be in fact, as well as theory, the Temple of Deity. In the days before our era when astrology and alchemy were seriously received by great minds, the planets were believed to rule variously over the fates of life, and each planet was supposed to be in some wise linked up with a corresponding metal. Lead was Saturn’s metal, iron belonged to Mars, copper to Venus, gold to the sun, etc. To keep one of these metals in one’s possession was to invite the influence of the planet to which it was sacred. Consequently, as a Candidate came to the Mysteries, he was divested of metals lest he bring some unwelcome planetary influence into the sanctuary.

If we find a far-off echo of this custom in our own ceremonies, we may understand that the lodge would thus symbolically exclude every jarring element from its fellowship. We may further understand it in another sense, as meaning that the possessions which secure us the services of the world have no potency in the lodge.

Of this, as we may read in his booklet on “Deeper Aspects of Masonic Symbolism,” A.E. Waite has written with characteristic insight. His words have a finality of wisdom that may fitly conclude a study of destitution:

“The question of certain things of a metallic kind, the absence of which plays an important part, is a little difficult from any point of view, though several explanations have been given. The better way toward their understanding is to put aside what is conventional and arbitrary—as, for example, the poverty of spirit and the denuded state of those who have not yet been enriched by the secret knowledge of the Royal and Holy Art. It goes deeper than this and represents the ordinary status of the world, when separated from any higher motive—the world-spirit, the extrinsic titles of recognition, the material standards. The Candidate is now to learn that there is another standard of values, and when he comes again into possession of the old tokens, he is to realise that their most important use is in the cause of others. You know under what striking circumstances this point is brought home to him.”

     

‘Film project: Spearshaker: Knowledge is Power’

    

You likely have at least heard about the “Francis Bacon was the real William Shakespeare” theory that has been around more than a century; built into that is the notion that Bacon was a Rosicrucian and Freemason. Feel free to pull out your copy of Hall’s Secret Teachings of All Ages and refer to the chapter “Bacon, Shakespeare, and the Rosicrucians.” In short, there is doubt that uneducated, regular guy William Shakespeare could have authored the Folio and the poetry. Some of those plays include sly references to things currently happening at court, and it is contended that Shakespeare could not have known of such things, whereas Bacon had been immersed in it all.

Anyway, a teaser of a film project was unveiled this month, and I hope a full production isn’t far behind. From the publicity:

Spearshaker is an epic historical script for a new film project in development about the Secret Life and Times of Sir Francis Bacon.

The script is the culmination of more than thirty years of historical research into this extraordinary and elusive man. It covers his enigmatic life and the secret aspects of his legacy.

• The lost, last Tudor, son of Elizabeth the ‘Virgin’ Queen
• The true author behind the immortal name Shakespeare
• The leading light and inspiration behind the Rosicrucians, a secret fellowship devoted to a Universal Reformation of the Whole World.

Spearshaker website. All enquiries here.

Watch the concept trailer and subscribe to the YouTube channel to get more updates on film developments.

That’s Jonathon Lawrence Freeman in the title role. Also, if you are on X (once Twitter), seek out @BaconSpeare for frequent news about this fledgling film and all things Bacon-Shakespeare, to wit:

Click here for @BaconSpeare.

And, yes, there is Shakespeare Lodge 750 (constituted 1874) in Manhattan; and, in England, Shakespeare 284 (est. 1792) in Warwick; and Shakspere 1009 (est. 1864) in Manchester.

     

‘The pipes are calling’

    

Detroit Shrine

The Detroit Shriners Highlander Unit.

I got excited when I heard the call for a Masonic pipe club, but it wasn’t what I thought. Some of the brethren up in the Hudson Valley are exploring the possibility of organizing a Masonic pipes and drums square club. As in bagpipes! From the publicity:

My name is Bro. Antonio J. Forte from Dunwoodie Lodge 863 in the First Westchester-Putnam District. Myself and a few brothers from the district have been meeting informally and discussing the formation of a Masonic pipes & drums square club with the permission of the DDGM. We have disseminated an email to help determine the level of interest.

The formation and operation of a pipes & drums band requires many hands: bagpipers, drummers, fund raisers, uniforms, instruments, etc. With this in mind, I have created a Google survey to see if brothers in neighboring districts would be interested in participating, if this comes to fruition. It is my hope that this survey could be disseminated to neighboring districts like the Second Westchester District, Bronx District, Orange-Rockland District, and Dutchess District.

Click here.

If there is enough interest, and if approved by the Grand Master for operation, this square club would meet on a regular basis in the Westchester County area to learn to play, practice, and perform pipes and drums music. No experience necessary, only a willingness to learn.

We may contact you depending on your level of interest. Thank you for taking the time to check out the survey!

     

‘Freemasonry, art, and Kabbalah’

    

Detail of Aperçu de l’Origine du Culte Hébraïque by David Rosenberg, 1841.

Embassy of the Free Mind, the Amsterdam-based locus of things spiritual, cultural, scientific, et al., will host a lecture of particular interest in December. From the publicity:

Freemasonry and Kabbalah:

Cultural Exchange in Esoteric Art

by Peter Lanchidi

Thursday, December 7

1:30 p.m. Eastern

The lecture will explore the interface between Freemasonry and Kabbalah, an important yet largely unexplored area of research both within the narrower fields of the academic study of Freemasonry and Kabbalah and the wider area of Western esotericism. The subject will be presented through the Masonic-Kabbalistic lithographs of David Rosenberg, a Freemason and rabbi who was member of Lodge of Aristocrats in the Paris of the July Monarchy (1830-48).

The splendid pieces of art of the rabbi are richly populated with Masonic, Jewish and Kabbalistic symbols and text, and were popular among both French and English Masons. Rosenberg’s life journey through several countries, the long reception history of his works, and the complex nature of the topic necessitated a truly interdisciplinary approach and extensive archival research that used primary sources from close to 100 archives, collections, libraries and museums in 18 countries on four continents.

Through the artworks of the rabbi the audience will learn how Kabbalah was perceived and used within Freemasonry and they will see how the Jewish visual heritage of Eastern Europe and Kabbalah were amalgamated into Western Masonic science and art. On a broader perspective, the lecture will shed light on the workings of cultural exchange and cross-fertilization within the esoteric landscape of nineteenth-century Europe.

ELTE photo

Peter Lanchidi

Peter Lanchidi is a tenured senior lecturer in the Institute of Art History at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest. As an Azrieli Fellow, he earned his Ph.D. in the Department of Jewish Thought at Ben-Gurion University. His doctoral dissertation on the Masonic-Kabbalistic art of David Rosenberg, a Freemason and rabbi, won the Thesis Prize of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism. With a background in art history and aesthetics (BA) from Budapest and in Jewish studies (MA) from Stockholm and Heidelberg, his research focuses on the interface between Freemasonry and Kabbalah in visual material in the nineteenth century and its historical and cultural contexts.

There is more to read here, if you understand Dutch. Click here for tickets (US$13.21 for Zoom).

Click here to read a paper by Lanchidi.

     

‘Masonic Unity Day in January’

    

Masonic Hall will be the venue next January when Grand Lodge will host brethren from the grand lodges of Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey for a daylong exemplification of the Craft degrees. From the publicity:

Masonic Unity Day

Saturday, January 27

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Masonic Hall

71 W. 23rd Street

Manhattan

$50 per person

The Grand Lodge of New York will host a Grand Jurisdiction Unity Day, where the Grand Lodges of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania will come together to exemplify their versions of the Craft degrees in an event open to all Master Masons.

While in general terms, the Craft rituals practiced by the various grand lodges in the United States stem from the same roots, these rituals can be significantly different, yet successfully maintain the same lessons practiced by regular and recognized grand lodges around the world. This very unique event will allow Master Masons from all jurisdictions who, for many reasons, might never travel outside their jurisdictions, and be able to come together to witness a variety of Craft degrees.

The participating grand masters will make history, and such an event will be remembered forever. It is a perfect example to prove that Freemasonry, while independently governed, is a one big family of Brothers.

Opening: Grand Lodge of New York

EA°: Grand Lodge of New Jersey

FC°: Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania

MM°: Grand Lodge of Delaware

Hiramic Drama: Team from the Grand Lodge of New York in full costume.

Open to all Master Masons. Hot breakfast buffet at 8 a.m. and gourmet catered lunch at noon will be provided. Cost is $50 per person. Tickets are available here.

This is not a one-day class. The purpose is to exemplify the degrees. If, however, a grand jurisdiction decides to confer the degree it is exemplifying on its candidates, the Grand Lodge of New York will welcome them to do so. All lectures pertaining to the actual degrees (if any) will be omitted on this day due to time restrictions.

For all other information, please contact RW Stewart C. McCloud II here.

Being a New York Mason, who used to be a “New Jersey Mason,” and who recently saw a Third Degree in Delaware, I know the three systems are very similar, but not identical. It has been eight years since I’ve witnessed any Pennsylvania work, but I know theirs is the noticeably different method. Actually is said to be anomalous in the country. I’ve been told it is like the Bristol ritual (Rite of Baldwin in UGLE), but I have no idea. (Don’t listen to anyone who says it’s based on Scottish Rite. It has nothing to do with Scottish Rite. AASR Craft degrees are similar to what Garibaldi Lodge works. See post below.)

Definitely will see you there.