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Archives for April 2009

National Heritage Museum-New Perspectives on American Freemasonry and Fraternalism

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nhm_tall_logo_smallThis just in from the email…

CALL FOR PAPERS – Symposium on American Freemasonry and Fraternalism

National Heritage Museum, Lexington, Massachusetts

New Perspectives on American Freemasonry and Fraternalism – Friday, April 9, 2010

The National Heritage Museum announces a call for papers for its first biannual symposium, “New Perspectives on American Freemasonry and Fraternalism,” to be held on Friday, April 9, 2010 at the Museum in Lexington, Massachusetts.

The National Heritage Museum is an American history museum founded and supported by Scottish Rite Freemasons in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States.  As the repository of the largest collection of American Masonic and fraternal objects, books and manuscripts in the United States, the Museum aims to foster new research on American fraternalism and to encourage the use of its scholarly resources.

The symposium seeks to present the newest research on American fraternal groups from the past through the present day.  By 1900, over 250 American fraternal groups existed, numbering six million members.  The study of their activities and influence in the United States, past and present, offers the potential for new interpretations of American society and culture.  Diverse perspectives on this topic are sought; proposals are invited from a broad range of research areas, including history, material and visual culture, anthropology, sociology, literary studies and criticism, gender studies, political science, African American studies, art history, economics, or any combination of disciplines.  Perspectives on and interpretations of all time periods are welcome.

Possible topics include:

  • Comparative studies of American fraternalism and European or other international forms of fraternalism
  • Prince Hall Freemasonry and other African-American fraternal groups
  • Ethnically- and religiously-based fraternal groups
  • Fraternal groups for women or teens
  • Role of fraternal groups in social movements
  • The material culture of Freemasonry and fraternalism
  • Anti-Masonry and anti-fraternal movements, issues and groups
  • Fraternal symbolism and ritual
  • The expression of Freemasonry and fraternalism through art, music, and literature
  • Approaches to Freemasonry – from disciplinary, interdisciplinary, or transnational perspectives; the historiography and methodology of the study of American fraternalism

Proposals should be for 30 minute research papers; the day’s schedule will allow for audience questions and feedback.

Proposal Format: Submit an abstract of 400 words or less with a resume or c.v. that is no more than two pages.  Be sure to include full contact information (name, address, email, phone, affiliation).

Send proposals to: Aimee E. Newell, Director of Collections, National Heritage Museum, by email at anewell@monh.org or by mail to 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA  02421.

Deadline for proposals to be received is August 15, 2009.  For more information about the National Heritage Museum, see www.nationalheritagemuseum.org.  For questions, contact Aimee E. Newell as above, or call 781-457-4144.

Masonic Research and the Pig-Stealing Deserter

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I’ve spent a lot of time in the last five years researching both Masonry and the American Civil War, as well as the intersection of those two subjects, and that is why my blog posts have been less frequent of late. Currently, I am in the middle of the final edit for my book on that subject which will be published in early 2010 by the University of Alabama Press and it’s time-consuming work. I had been thinking about Civil War Masonry since I was raised, but it wasn’t until I began looking for Civil War ancestors here at home that the work really started to take shape. In fact, it was over dinner one night some years back that my wife shared an interesting tidbit that got the whole thing rolling. Her great great grandfather, she announced, died in 1863 in “Chimichanga, Georgia,” which made me pause with my fork in mid-air.

“Chickamauga?”

“That could have been it,” she said blandly, eating her peas.

halleran-cummingsMy wife has no interest what-so-ever in history, but historically minded folks will recognize the homophone as a reference to the Battle of Chickamauga that occurred in north Georgia on September 19-20, 1863. To suggest to a Civil War geek like me, that someone died within 20 miles of that place in 1863 is the same as saying – yeah, my grandfather worked in a schoolbook warehouse in Dallas in 1963.  So I told her that there were a lot of people who died in Chickamauga, Georgia in 1863 and most of them died from lead poisoning.

I hurriedly finished my peas, and got out the family papers. Sure enough, we found the reference to Chickamauga, and that led to a record’s request to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), and some correspondence with the Indiana Historical Society, among others. I think my frau would have been content to just let her great great grandfather rest in peace with his burrito, but by that point I was committed.

Men and women seem to go about genealogy differently. From what I can tell there are two main areas of interest for chick-genealogy. The first going something like this; “What diseases did my grandmothers die of and do I carry the gene for female baldness?” Every genealogy I’ve ever looked at that was compiled by a female described the diseases, maladies, and medical complaints of the ancestor more thoroughly than a coroner’s report. And hers was no exception; that thing was filled with more tumors, lesions, goiters and leprosy than a field dressing station along the Burma Railway in 1942– it’s enough to make you retch.The only thing missing was a tissue sample.

The other interest females invariably have is kind of a scrapbook thingy where they can read old newspaper clippings about what kind of dress the bride wore and paste it all pretty-like in a photo album. So when you’re poring over these things, you’ll come across pressed flowers and scraps of material and old social notices from the Mudburgh, Iowa News Advertiser about the soiree over at Lorraine Hudson née Klingenhoffer’s where the band played until the wee hours of the morning.

This is, of course, vastly different from what guys are interested in – namely, “Did my great-grandfather save the Union by shooting Braxton Bragg in the left nut?” And of course that inquiry carries with it some risk, because although you are unlikely to discover that your Grandfather was awarded three Medals of Honor (you’d already know that), you could find some cool stuff like maybe he was in Pickett’s Charge or something, but you might also just find the eerie line in the official record “Shot for Cowardice” written by some clerk in a spidery hand at regimental headquarters, or “Stole a pig: deserted.”

Probably the best possible outcome is to find out that he was wounded in battle somewhere – accidental shootings don’t count and just leave the impression that the whole family is a collection of idiots. Killed in action is morbidly acceptable, because at least that means he was in the thick of things and aiming at Braxton Bragg’s family jewels, before a crafty sharpshooter cut short the life of a hero. If they survived the war and didn’t come away with a cool eye patch or a wooden leg or something, it’s still OK, but it’s better if they wrote a lot of letters and described desperate bayonet fights among the harried rear guard, or catching a spy or something. Outlawry is acceptable too, but only during wartime and only against the enemy.

You can also check and see if they were Masons. The Grand Lodges maintain detailed records of membership, and they are always a great place to start. You’ll need their full name and the approximate year of birth to determine when they would have been eligible to join. Back then, barring something odd, a man had to be twenty-one to be initiated. Dates of death are also very useful and many families noted those down, so even if you don’t know where the grave-site is, you can often determine the year, if not the exact date of death.

Obituaries, which often survive among the scraps of material and pressed flowers are a big help in this, and also in determining Masonic affiliation because they will generally note if Masonic funeral rites were performed. The better ones will list the lodge name and number. Even if you confirm your ancestor’s Masonic pedigree, you might not find a lot from Grand Lodge unless the Mason was active in lodge. But in genealogy, something is always better than nothing.

If this spurs you on to finding the paladin, or the pig-stealing deserter, in your own family, a few things might help.

For starters, I’d look for letters or death certificates that place them in a particular location on a concrete date. If you can determine that the guy was in, for example, Georgia in 1863 and if he was military age, you’ve got a damn good chance of having either a potential Hero of the Union (or Confederacy, as they case may be) or the bane of swineherds everywhere. Birth and death records are hard to find if the family copies are lost, but they are the baseline – if you find them, you have your ancestor right where you want him — pinned down to time and place and then you can expand your search to government, Masonic and church records. When you finally nail down that the guy was a soldier, NARA will search their enormous collection and find the enlistment records for you for free. You’ll even get a physical description, wooden leg and all.

If you find his apron – let me know.

Originally published under audevidetace

A Conference for Scholars and Practitioners

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Hidden in Plain Sight
Hidden in Plain Sight

I ran across this information today and thought I would share with all of my West Coast esoteric minded brothers.

AMORC, the Rosicrucian esoteric tradition out of San Jose, California, is hosting a Conference in 2010 at Rosicrucian Park in San Jose, and has an open call (and invitation to scholarly Masonic brothers) to participate by proposing papers or by attending the Conference.

Full info is below, or you can follow the link here to their micro site.

Compass of the Wise – 18th century

Hidden in Plain Sight:
The Influence of Western Esoteric Movements on Modern Thought

A Conference for Scholars and Practitioners

2010 will mark the 300th anniversary of the publication of The True and Complete Preparation of the Philosopher’s Stone of the Fraternity of the Golden and Rosy Cross by Sincerus Renatus in 1710, the first known reference to the Rosicrucians as an institution.

Through scholarly research, the interaction of Western Esotericism with the mystical traditions of organized religion has been recognized to be extensive. Further, and less well known, is the often pivotal role esoteric groups and beliefs have had in shaping the modern world as a whole, while remaining “Hidden in Plain Sight.”

We invite you to this conference to join with other scholars and practitioners within the field of western esotericism in exploring the substantial influence this tradition has on modern thought.

In addition to the opportunity to share our research and practice within the realm of western esotericism, we envision the weekend as an opportunity to celebrate the many facets of this tradition. We invite participants to exercise not only their scholarship, but cultural creativity as well.

We will gather together on the weekend of July 22-25, 2010, coinciding with that month’s Full Moon, at Rosicrucian Park in San Jose, founded in 1927 by Dr. H. Spencer Lewis. Mark your calendars now! Please contact librarian@rosicrucian.org for more information. If you are interesting in submitting a paper, click here.

There is no set conference fee. There is a suggested donation of $75.00 per participant (at the door) to help defray Conference costs.

CALL FOR PAPERS:

The interaction between Western esotericism and the mystical traditions of organized religion has been long recognized. Less well known is the often pivotal role esoteric groups and beliefs have had in shaping the modern world, while remaining “Hidden in Plain Sight.”

An example of this is exhibited in the renowned influence Freemasonry and Rosicrucian thought had on America’s Founding Fathers.

Scholars and practitioners within the academic field of Western esotericism are invited to share their research exploring the substantial influence this tradition has had on modern thought. Presentations may include both discourses and works of art including drama, music and visual.

The conference is an open venue for the Western esotericism community and is not restricted solely to members of AMORC. Papers will be evaluated according to academic merit and are not expected to solely reflect the views and opinions of the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC.

Authors are encouraged to submit proposals pertaining to esoteric movements such as the Mystery Traditions, Pythagoreanism, Hermeticism, Neo-Platonism, Gnosticism, Christian Theosophy, the Kabbalah, Alchemy, Freemasonry, Martinism and Rosicrucianism.

All proposals submitted should be written in English. Papers should follow Chicago Manual of Style, and include an abstract, an outline and a bio. There is no minimum or maximum length for the paper; however oral presentations should be no longer than one hour, including lecture and discussion. Multi-media presentations are encouraged, and participants are responsible for bringing the necessary equipment for their multimedia presentation. Please contact librarian@rosicrucian.org for more details.

All materials, proposals, abstracts, papers and presentations should use bias-free language and approaches following the ideals and guidelines of the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition (sections 5.203, 5.204 and 5.205) and should be considerate of all religions, belief systems, ethnic groups, genders, nationalities, walks of life, and political parties.

To submit your proposal, please email the proposal to librarian@rosicrucian.org by July 15, 2009.

The Location – Rosicrucian Park

amorclogoRosicrucian Park is situated in an area that was once mostly orchards and farmland. Conceived in 1927 by H. Spencer Lewis, the Park now covers nearly an entire city block. Rosicrucian Park attracts thousands of visitors each year from all over the world. The Park offers a mysterious and beautiful combination of Egyptian and Moorish architecture set among broad lawns, rose gardens, statuary, and sparkling fountains. The peaceful environment, along with the spiritual essence of what Rosicrucian Park represents, creates a serene and harmonious ambiance sensed by its many visitors.

The Chronicles of Philosophus: Violating the Sabbath

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On the day of the Sabbath, the builders were exiting the temple after they had worshiped to return to their homes. It was the law among the Jewish builders that they could not work on the Sabbath, but they noticed one of their fellow craftsmen, a man named Amon who was born in Gebal, mixing mortar in order to proceed with work on the judge’s house which was being constructed at that time. They became incensed that he was ignoring the law of their religion and approached him in numbers in order to rebuke his desire to work on a holy day.

“Why do you insult God your Father by rejecting his day of rest?” yelled one of the members of the mob. “Perhaps he should be employed to build the temples of the pagans!” shouted another.

Amon spoke saying, “I have no quarrel with you or your Lord, I only subscribe to the religion of my land which has created no ordinance against working on this day. For is there any law by which I am to abide which requires that I rest on the Jewish Sabbath?”

The craftsmen talked amongst themselves before one spoke. “Have you not heard the commandments which Moses has received upon Mount Sinai? Do you deny the very commandment of your Lord?”

The craftsmen became even more excited as some began to suggest that Amon should be brought before the priest. Others said that he should be stoned. Finally, they decided to fetch one of the master builders from their assembly. Zachariah was sent to the temple of the builders, where the master builders were and approached Philosophus, who immediately followed him to the angry mob of craftsmen.

Hearing their cries for Amon’s prosecution, Philosophus shouted “Silence my Brothers! What charge do you desire to bring against your fellow craftsman?”

The most vocal of the group replied, “He denies the commandments of our Lord and is performing work on the Sabbath which has been forbidden.”

Philosophus asked of Amon, “Do you worship as your father did?”

“Yes.”

“Was he a Jew?”

“No, he was raised in Gebal and worshiped the God of that land as his father had done before him.”

“When you were obligated as a builder, did you take your obligation in the name of Jehovah, the God of the Jews?”

“No.”

“Were you ever informed that under the law of the order that you must conform to the laws of their religion?”

“No.”

Then Philosophus asked of the group of craftsmen, “Were you obligated in the name of Jehovah, the God of the Jews? Were you ever informed that under the law of the order that you must conform to the laws of the Jewish religion?”

The group was silent. Philosophus said, “You were only instructed that it is required that you to follow the tenets of your personal religion, for the name of the God you worship does not determine whether you are an able craftsman. The order does not regard a man for his personal religion, but for his desire to be industrious, to improve his craft, and to assist his fellow Brethren.”

One of the craftsmen then inquired, “But who will inspect his work? For the master builders all follow the Judaic law.”

Philosophus walked over to the work station of Amon, picked up a trowel and spread a layer of mortar over one of the perfect ashlars to examine its consistency. The Brethren questioned this action in whispers among themselves, for they believed that Philosophus was now in violation of his religion. One shouted, “Master, you violate the commandment of your God!”

Philosophus once again spoke. “Did I come from your home land? Have I ever been circumcised or accepted in your temple?” The Brethren were silent for none of them had ever seen Philosophus worship at their synagogue. “Neither this Brother nor myself are children of Abraham; I will inspect his work. Now return to your homes and attend to the duties of your religion.”

The craftsmen agreed and apologized to Amon for their accusations. Before returning to their abodes, they saluted him as a Brother. From that time it became a custom among the builders to tolerate the laws and customs of their Brother’s individual religion.

Like what you are reading at the Euphrates? Email the author at euphratesblog@gmail.com to join the  Banks of the Euphrates mailing list.

Women and the Ancient Landmarks

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By Carlos Antonio Martinez, Jr., J.D., PH.D., M.A., 33º

The Free-Masonic Institution is an Initiatic, Esoteric, Humanitarian, Philosophic and Philanthropic Order that labors in pursuit of the spiritual, ethical and moral evolution of humanity; It propagates in profane societies the ideals of scrupulous respect for human rights and for the individuality of men and women, in a multinational, multiethnic, multicultural, secular, free and democratic world intended to be the best formula to work toward the positive development of all countries. Free-Masonry works for the defense and diffusion of the principles that consecrate Man, seen and considered as an individual and unrepeatable being, superior vertex of the pyramid of evolution, subject to obligations and duties and beneficiary of inviolable rights defined and protected by free and democratically promulgated laws. Free-Masonry, by making use of any legal mean within its reach, struggles actively against all forms of slavery, torture, violence, discrimination of gender and every limitation of rights stipulated by International Declarations, Treatises and Laws.

In concordance with the previous postulates, I now proceed to revise a small segment of Albert Mackey’s Ancient Landmarks:

Recognizing in Free-Masonry the very principles of Progressiveness, unrestricted Respect for Human Rights, the Dignity of Man and Woman, Justice, Solidarity, Social Progress and the absolute Liberty of Conscience; and accepting the fact that most instituted laws in the U.S. make Intolerance, Injustice and Inequality illegal, it becomes necessary and justifiable to address a long over due topic of concern to all Free-Thinking-Masons: Women and Free-Masonry. This, is a rather ample subject to which I have and will dedicate much time to write about in the near future; However, on this occasion I will only address – briefly – Albert Gallatin Mackey’s XVIII Landmark, in hopes of verifying whether or not this edict is in faithful concordance with the basic tenets and principles of the Order.

The XVIII landmark states in essence that “No Woman, Slave, Cripple, Mutilated Man, Atheist, Mad Man/Fool, Minor and Man in his dotage can be made a Mason”. Given the fact that criminals, minors and men of advanced age are not being initiated into the Craft, and there are no slaves (at least not legally) left in our society, it is necessary for Mainstream “Regular” Masonry to align itself to that tendency to which most Latin American and European countries subscribe: An anti-dogmatic F-r-e-e-Masonry that represents and incarnates the dynamic forces which stand against the static/conservative proclivities that support the concept that Masonry is a cult founded upon religious tenets, and whose dubious original principles – the ancient landmarks –  are immutable until the end of time, and, thus, NO modifications in principles and/or fundaments can be applied to “Original Masonry” without forcing it to cease being so. This prohibition is, of course, against the very Progressive principle of the Order.

It is time to take into consideration that the Landmarks were employed in rather remote times by English operative Masons when addressing the practices, customs, laws and usages of Masonry; and the fact that the migration from Operative Masonry to Speculative Masonry has transformed many of those same customs, laws and usages, just as it has transformed humanity.

We should equally consider that in addition to the “Landmarks of Mackey”, there are also 12 of MacBride, 8 of Pound, 3 of Pike, 24 of Lecerf, 54 of Grant de Louisville, 24 of Lawrence, 27 of the General Assembly of Franc-Masons held in Paris in 1523 and 8 of the Grand Lodge of England. Some of these landmarks are common, others are rather different, and, in some cases, some are in total contradiction with each other. How, then, is a semi-educated Free-Mason to determine which are the right-ones? Which are the “True Landmarks”? How do we establish this? Which are the patterns of reference that should be employed to identify the “Genuine Landmarks”? These, are questions that we, as sensible and aware Free-Masons, must endeavor to answer with utmost discernment. Surely, of course, “Mackey’s Ancient Landmarks” alone will not suffice.

This very controversy is perhaps the most recurring symptom of Spiritual Glioblastoma that, ever since the dubious legal emergence of the “Grand Lodge of London” in 1717, has been rotting the foundation of organized “Mainstream Regular Masonry”: Chronic Politics mutated with Acute Special Interests. Nowadays, just like in the past, the implementation of many and different landmarks obey sectarian, religious, financial and political interests, clearly responding to the sole purpose of exerting exclusivity over the governments of the Craft and introducing a defined orientation, against the principles of Universality and Progressiveness which have characterized Free-Masonry through the ages. Consequently, I find it imperative to determine which of these “landmarks” are authentic and indispensable for the conservation of Nature and the effectiveness of Fraternity, in function with the type of Free-Masonry that we want for the future.

Particularly, I believe that to cast aside women, cripples and other physically incapacitated individuals from organized Masonry and any other institution for mere historical motives, is to live in a virtual reality mode, anchored to a past that is not ours, for, after all, we are only responsible for the Here and Now. The sole qualifications and conditions to belong to organized Masonry are: to be free and of good (verifiable) breeding. I understand, however, that in the XVII and XVIII centuries the first basic qualification was difficult to meet, not only due to the nature of operative labors and intrinsic incapacity, but, due to mere historical and social impositions.

In the context of Women, nowadays the situation has changed, at least in most countries of the secular world. The access of women to education (including University) and their access to the working world  have given our mothers, wives, sisters and daughters a legal standing to preserve, protect and enforce their own liberties, rights and prerogatives before society – precisely the freedoms that they did not enjoy around the time when these alleged “Ancient Landmarks” and the so called “Anderson’s Constitutions” were drafted.

To impede women and the physical disable (Not intellectually disable) the access to any organization (fraternal and/or otherwise) for reasons of gender and physical condition, is to automatically place such organization at the margin of legality – Given the fact that these are rights stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which the “land of the free and home of the brave” is an endorser and a well known “world enforcer”.

As a somewhat aware and semi-educated Man and Free-Mason, I believe that it is and must be a question/issue of Time and Maturity to accept into the Craft the human being who seeks to better him/herself as a person and the society he/she lives in, without regard to sex, race, nationality and/or age. Everything else that counters this belief is simple and clear Discriminaion.

Organized Mainstream “Regular” Masonry can no longer ignore that the rights of Women constitute an essential part of Universal Human Rights. At this juncture in the development of humanity, any attempt to defend or perpetuate discriminatory practices against them, can only be based upon the Intention of denying them their condition of Equal under the Law. The struggle for Human Rights has been a Masonic battle, for it was inspired on principles embraced by the Order and brought to the world arena by Brothers.

Free-Masonry is THE institution created for the reflection and action that sets the course and pace for the development of humanity. And if a Woman is part of said humanity, she also has the right to assume this challenge next to us, Men, the ones who have unjustly and fanatically excluded her for such a long time.

Let us remember, my Dear Brothers, that we cannot detain Evolution itself by tying it to the inextricable limits of a Dead Past! Nature is not stationary! Institutions age while Humanity rejuvenates, incessantly! Methods can be spent, the exigencies of Time and Spirit may be modified and doctrines can be corrupted; But, only the “End” remains identical to itself, for we are here “in the Valley” and “it” dwells up-there “in the summit”.

With these reflections and without anything further to add (at this time), I thank you for reading and I embrace you on the Five Points of Fellowship.

Reprinted by permission of Carlos Antonio Martinez, Jr.

Frater Hrumachis – PIO – for the Ordo Templi Orientis

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otolamen_mcDo what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Join us this Sunday for an in depth discussion with Frater Hrumachis, who is the Public Information Officer for the U.S. Grand Lodge of the Ordo Templi Orientis.

We plan to discuss the Order’s history including its early Masonic roots in European Freemasonry as well as the Order’s  modern operations of philosophy and its path of esoterica and fraternity under the teachings of Thelema.

Most importantly, we want to explore what the Thelemic practice is, what it isn’t, and why its relevant to the OTO and how it applies to each of us.

Missed the live show?  Listen to the Pod Cast now!

This subject came to mind as I had the unique opportunity recently to attend a Gnostic Mass with LVX Lodge of the O.T.O. a short time back. The mass is presented as an open ceremony that is the public face to the orders otherwise private activities.

For those unfamiliar with the O.T.O., it is a separate philosophical system from Freemasonry whose origins are tied to some late 19th century founder, Karl Kellner, who had feet firmly planted in Freemasonry. In Kellner’s original formulation, the O.T.O. was to serve as a Masonic Academy of sorts that would enable all Freemasons to become familiar with all of the Masonic degrees.

In lieu of a broader exploration, essentially the Ordo Templi Orientis (Order of Oriental Templars) was an esoteric order founded on the idea of re-instilling the esoteric ideas of magik (self development, not hocus pocus) and mysticism into a system that at that time had essentially excised out most of its esoteric leanings. Essentially, it formed and took shape in the absence of these things in the preeminent system of the age, especially as Aleister Crowley took over after his introduction to it in 1910.

It seems to me that in its original context this system was it adopted as a similar practice of the craft and only later did it evolve into their present participatory rites.

I think we may be surprised how many similarities we share and the few differences between one another.  For those who have never before heard of the OTO, this program will be an excellent primer to open that door, and for those who have crossed paths with the order,  this will be an excellent rediscovery of a past member of the Masonic family and put to rest some of the misconceptions that may exist.

To listen to the show live, you can stream it from FreemasonInformation.com on our player widget or from the Masonic Central Home on Blog Talk Radio!

To join the conversation, call (347) 677-0936 at 6pm PST / 9pm EST

Building Hiram – a review

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Building Hiram - Uncommon Catechism for Uncommon Masonic Education by John Nagy

Building Hiram – Uncommon Catechism for Uncommon Masonic Education
by Br. John Nagy.

Uncommon is a good word to describe this book as its approach to Masonic education is anything but what most would consider common.  Not the visual bullet point summary or elaborated description of a several thousand-year-old temple, Building Hiram… is definitely not your run of the mill Masonic lecture.

I suppose I should qualify that statement.  Often, what seems to be produced with Masonic education in mind is a rehash of the elements of the degrees: the tools, the positions, and the knocks.  In their own way, they are valuable, but often are conveyed in unexciting and repetitive chapters, that seems to lack the real meat of the symbolism that strive to teach.  Why the triangle?  Why the tools?  How do they relate?  What else do they relate to?

What makes this diminutive book exciting is the steady measure and rhythm of the question and answer catechism that should be familiar to every Mason who’s tested through the blue lodge degrees.  Br. Nagy, in approaching the common education, has stepped outside the box and back into the lodge room to recapture the creative verve each of us experience in our mentor/pupil experience.  The Q&A gives the reader a real sense of master and student development.  For example:

I – Inquiry and R-Response

I: what is Logic?

R; The Art of thinking

I: What’s more?

R: The mechanics of thought, Analysis, and Synthesis.

I: What’s further?

R: Logic is concerned with things as they are known.

I: How is this important to a Mason’s life?

R: Masonry relies on thought, analysis, and synthesis; the ability to think well is essential to being a Mason.

I: What else?

R: Logic is supported by a firm understanding and usage of all the elements of Rhetoric.

This exchange continues throughout, taking you in ways impossible to imagine at the onset and impossible to foresee at its conclusion.  It’s from this back and forth exchange through the myriad of symbolic connections that the learning takes place.

I have to admit, that in reading it, I found myself imaging the questions coming from someone else, and it seems to me that was the intent in putting this jewel together.

Another great attribute I found is at the start of every chapter (of which there are 12) there is a small summary of what is to come.  But the summary is not a list of upcoming ideas or key points but rather a short anecdotal parable of the chapters relationship to the teaching; not the how and the why, but the how of the why.  The book really builds on itself.

As a catechism, it does make for a quick read, but the material is not meant to be taken in all at once.  The small stature of the book definitely conveys a sense of it being a quick to get through, but each chapter could be read and then reread to pull the nuance and flavor from the text.  It really does go deep into the connective symbolism and builds a strong foundation.

Another fun aspect that I found in the book is the abundant use of cipher throughout, but again in a most unconventional manner.  Yes, it is the “Masonic” cipher, but repurposed and re-keyed to make it unique to this book and for this books message.  And, I have it on good authority that in all of the code inclusions the reader will find several jewels to delight and entertain.

At the beginning of the book, Br. Nagy says “The Masonic journey that begins with the preparation of ones heart does not end at becoming a raised mason….”and this book will definitely help shape that the uncommon journey of the raised Mason with his uncommon education.  I think this book is an excellent educational tool to every newly made Mason and every mason on that journey that wants to learn something new.

You can find “Building Hiram…” in our Gift Shop direct from the publisher!  And, you can listen to the Masonic Central pod cast with Brother John Nagy as we discuss the book.

Masonic Charity is a myth.

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Yesterday, I had the opportunity to participate in a Multiple Sclerosis 5k Walk-A-Thon here in Los Angeles.  My family worked to raise a modest amount of money for the fight against MS and we wanted to walk to show our dedication to the cause.  We walked because we cared.

The event was early with a 9am check in and a 10am start. There were a lot of free bagels, free t-shirts, and participants, a lot of participants.  I thought I overhead the number as 16,000 participating in the regions events and with a column of people nearly a mile long where I stood.  It felt like a big event.

Being amongst such a large group allowed me to make some mental notes and draw parallels to other aspects of my life that I find myself in the company of people of similar ideals.  The event gave me pause to stop and contemplate the awesome power of Masonic Charity.  That in amongst this retinue of walkers, with their team shirts and color coordinated bandanas, that to see a troop of Masonic walkers with a banner in the air to rally the team spirit of the crew and lead the fellowship of the dedicated would be a sight to behold.

But, then I started to think about how asking for charitable contributions in lodge for Non Masonic recipients is against our rules, and that the measure of Masonic charity is in the volume of monies raised to beat another lodge in how much was given to the homes fund.  That the idea of Masonic Charity is the institutional brand of what that charity means… not in what worthy causes we find or believe we should levy our oratory skills to convince others.  That, unless it’s an “official” charity, its not of value to elicit the help of our local lodge.  And, I don’t even know how to approach the changing of the will of the lodge to even contemplate doing something like this.

It started to occur to me that Masonic Charity was a myth.  That we are told to be charitable, and then guided in what works to be Charitable towards, but to leave our specific cause or need at the door so as not to offend the membership in yet another request of money.

Thinking about Masonic charity as a myth started to open up the whole field of Masonic education.  Is it something were taught or something we do because we are told to?  What was “Brotherly Love”, Relief”, and “Truth” anyways?  And, in the early morning hours of the Walk with so many others who obviously were expressing their idea of “relief”, what made my Masonic ideal any loftier than theirs?  Obviously they were up, and out, and had raised a sum of money to help fight to relieve the illness of M.S.  Was my conception of “Charity” any better than theirs?  Was it just different?

How do we envision our aspect of Charity?  I can go into the argument of our charity truly being an agape form of loving others rather than the expression (giving) of it, but we measure the giving today not the volume of how much we love.  Is it fair to hold Masonic Charity up to be measured against the temple?

Is Masonic Charity a Myth?

Portuguese Brother Comments And I Reply

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A Partir Pedra published my paper “The Castration of Masonry” on their site in Portuguese.   The following is a comment from one of the Brothers in Portugal and my response which they also published in the comments section.

Assunto: [A PARTIR PEDRA] Novo comentário sobre THE CASTRATION OF FREEMASONRY.

Simple deixou um novo comentário na sua mensagem “THE CASTRATION OF
FREEMASONRY”:

“When you enter a Lodge room you leave all your differences outside the
door.”I suppose that this sentence sums it all. If that sentence is
true, then Freemasonry has become useless, as ignoring differences and
leaving questions unanswered does not lead to harmony. Differences
should be addressed, not ignored; it’s the way of addressing these
differences that makes Freemasonry unique. Tolerance implies
acceptation of the other and the realization that being One with the
Others – if they’re also willing to coexist peacefully – is more
important that the differences that separate Them from Us.

There is still no definite answer, as far as I know, to the
philosophical question “how far should we be tolerant towards
intolerance”. Some people take as their religious duty the obligation
to spread their faith – i.e.: to proselytize. Doesn’t that go straight
against the masonic ideal? How can one be a mason, belong to such a
church, and be coherent with himself? Isn’t it because of that that
many churches prohibit its members from being Freemasons? Freemasonry
seems to have been avoiding these questions, as having a frontal and
clear stance on the subject might widen the wound; in turn, the lack of
a strong position might have led to the “ideologically watered down”
Freemasonry that you describe it to be today.

Should Freemasonry be clearer about the values that it defends, and
risk becoming less popular in the eyes of some? Or should it remain a
bastion of Tolerance, accepting everything – but accomplishing little
because of its effort of not stepping on any toes?

This is a very interesting comment and brings to light some misunderstandings about how Freemasonry should act.

Freemasonry does not have all the answers.  If that were so all members of the Craft would be polishing their Perfect Ashlars.  Be we are not.  We are all chipping away at the rough and superfluous jagged edges of our Rough Ashlars.

No human has all the truth.  No human is right all the time.  No human is perfect.

The second point follows the first and should be strongly emphasized to all who have a fervent belief………..in anything.  One can chose a path that one thinks correct without having to, in the process, castigate and bury all contending beliefs or exterminate those who believe differently.

I then as a Christian believe I have found a way to eternal happiness and a relationship with the Almighty –  a way, not the way.  I can live peacefully with a Hindu who has found another way.  We are both going to the same place to meet the same God, we are just on different paths.  All the spokes on my bicycle wheel lead to the same center hub.

As a Freemason I don’t insist that my fellow man do it my way.  I allow for the fact that his way is every bit as valuable to him as my way is to me.  Of course we must agree on certain basic premises , foundations, and building blocks from which we choose the path to take our journey.  That’s a given.  A person who does not accept the Almighty, who believes murder is OK, who puts institutions and systems ‘ worth before the worth of the individual are just plain incompatible.

But the vast majority of people that you associate with in your daily life – the profane do not have different goals in life nor different aspirations nor different values- they have different means on how to accomplish the same ends.  Their culture is different –  their language, their political process, their formalized religion, their dress, their customs, their heritage may all be different.  That’s OK.

Freemasonry is non judgmental.  It is non judgmental on different paths chosen from the same sound, wise and time tested understanding of life. That is what makes Freemasonry tolerant.

Unfortunately many who think they have found the one and only true answer or even just the best way insist that all others do it their way or they will refuse to associate with them or allow them into their societies, institutions and groups.  How sad.  I, like most Freemasons, do not feel threatened by a different approach.  I , like most Freemason, can live peacefully with others that see things slightly differently because I don’t want to convince them that they should change theirs.

Many in Freemasonry have interpreted all this to mean that Freemasonry can, therefore, take no open stands  on anything public lest it offend somebody else and that Freemasonry is not meant to push its nose into the affairs of civil society.  This of course is the opposite extreme from those that demand we must make serious stances on many specific issues and what we have been arguing against above.

These two extremes of everything or nothing , if and when they are enacted, are what is causing the main lack of membership today.

Here is where I believe we should be – right in the middle, in moderation of extreme positions.  Many Freemasons have characterized the ethics and morality of Freemasonry as “the religion upon which all men agree”, that is on the points that are common to all religions So what we promulgate are certain basic secular and religious truths that are accepted by the vast majority of the inhabitants of this earth either openly or privately in their hearts.  Or as stated in the American Declaration of Independence that “we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights.”.  And we should be, as I make the case for it in my paper, be standing up for these basic rights, these virtues, these moral and ethical standards both publically and privately.

But lastly these are general points upon which all men agree.  The specific application of each of these general points is left up to the interpretation of each Brother. For an example Freemasonry stands squarely against murder.  Now that is a general moral or ethical position upon which most religions and most human beings agree upon.  So where is the disagreement then?  The disagreemnt comes into the sub categories, that is the specific application of these general principles.  In the case of murder to give you an example of a specific application – is abortion murder?  Well some say abortion is murder and some say it is not.  Does Freemasonry have to take a stand upon abortion to the point that once it has decided which side to support anybody on the other side cannot be a Mason? If that is what the Brother commenting is advocating then I ask him to think again.

We, as Freemasons, do not take stands on specfic applications of general positions and standards.  We leave the specifics, like abortion, to be a private matter beteen that Brother and his Maker. And we do not judge, but leave that judgment up to God.  But what I have been emphasizing is that does not demand that we, as a Craft,  also keep our lips sealed when in the public about the general virtues upon which we stand.  We can and should proclaim outloud to the entire world that liberty, justice, democracy, freedom education and others must be adhered to and that we are in the world’s presence to remind them of their responsibility to act accordingly. How to apply them and what they mean specifically is up to the citizens of each country and state to decide working through institutions other than Freemasonry such as their church and their political party. But be not deceived into thinking that Freemasonry has to publically stand for nothing or publically take stands on every specific issue.  That will and has been its downfall.

Frederic L. Milliken

John Nagy on the book “Building Hiram” Sunday April 19th.

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Building Hiram - Uncommon Catechism for Uncommon Masonic Education by John Nagy

Join us on this episode of Masonic Central as we meet and talk with Brother John Nagy who is the author of the new book “Building Hiram – Uncommon Catechism for Uncommon Masonic Education“.

This new book is a feast for any Mason wanting to embark on a most Uncommon Masonic Education experience. “Building Hiram – Uncommon Catechism for Uncommon Masonic Education” is 12 unique catechisms designed to bring about a deeper understanding of the connections provided throughout the three degree rituals, lectures, and catechisms. Intended to be read one chapter at a time over the course of a year to elicit discussion and reflection on the degrees and their meaning.

Join us as we talk with Br. Nagy and talk about the how this book came about and why its so important to Masonry today.

And, if were not careful, we may learn a thing or two…

Missed the show?  Listen NOW!