Private Collection Three

Masonic writings from a private collection, Private Collection Three xx pages

This story came to me from somewhere recently. Believe it!!  I was

here during those days and I remember them well.

I even recall a dream that I had as a youngster. We were visiting the

Lincon Memorial and Honest Abe leaned over and patted me on the back

and said "Preston, you have been a good boy, keep it up".

The Lincon Memorial was completed some 10 years before I was born in

1927.

A Mason-Dixon Memory

Dondre Green glanced uneasily at the civic leaders and sports figures

filling the hotel ballroom in Cleveland. They had come from across the

nation to attend a fund-raiser for the National Minority College Golf

Scholarship Foundation. I was the banquet's featured entertainer.

Dondre, an 18-year-old high school senior from Monroe, Louisiana, was

the evening's honored guest.

"Nervous?" I asked the handsome young man in his starched white shirt

and rented tuxedo.

"A little," he whispered, grinning.

One month earlier, Dondre had been just one more black student

attending

a predominately white school. Although most of his friends and

classmates were white, Dondre's race was never an issue. Then, on

April 17, l991, Dondre's black skin provoked an incident that made

nationwide news.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the emcee said, "our special guest, Dondre

Green."

As the audience stood applauding, Dondre walked to the microphone and

began his story. "I love golf," he said quietly. "For the past two

years, I've been a member of the St. Frederick High School golf team.

And though I was the only black member, I've always felt at home

playing at mostly white country clubs across Louisiana."

The audience leaned forward; even the waiters and busboys stopped to

listen. As I listened, a memory buried in my heart since childhood

fought its way to life.

"Our team had driven from Monroe," Dondre continued. "When we arrived at

the Caldwell Parish Country Club in Columbia, we walked to the putting

green."

Dondre and his teammates were too absorbed to notice the conversation

between a man and St. Frederick athletic director James Murphy. After

disappearing into the clubhouse, Murphy returned to his players.

"I want to see the seniors," he said. "On the double!" His face seemed

strained as he gathered the four students, including Dondre.

"I don't know how to tell you this," he said, "but the Caldwell Parish

Country Club is reserved for whites only." Murphy paused and looked at

Dondre. His teammates glanced at each other in disbelief.

"I want you seniors to decide what our response should be," Murphy

continued. "If we leave, we forfeit this tournament. If we stay,

Dondre can't play."

As I listened, my own childhood memory from 32 years ago broke free.

In 1959, I was 13 years old, a poor black kid living with my mother

and stepfather in a small black ghetto on Long Island, New York. My

mother worked nights in a hospital, and my stepfather drove a coal

truck. Needless to say, our standard of living was somewhat short of

the American dream.

Nevertheless, when my eighth-grade teacher announced a graduation trip

to Washington, D.C., it never crossed my mind that I would be left

behind. Besides a complete tour of the nation's capital, we would

visit Glen Echo Amusement Park in Maryland. In my imagination, Glen

Echo was Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm and Magic Mountain rolled into

one.

My heart beating wildly, I raced home to deliver the mimeographed

letter

describing the journey. But when my mother saw how much the trip cost,

she just shook her head. We couldn't afford it.

After feeling sad for 10 seconds, I decided to try to fund the trip

myself. For the next eight weeks, I sold candy bars door-to-door,

delivered newspapers and mowed lawns, Three days before the deadline,

I'd made just barely enough. I was going!

The day of the trip, trembling with excitement, I climbed onto the

train. I was the only nonwhite in our section.

Our hotel was not far from the White House. My roommate was Frank

Miller, the son of a businessman. Leaning together out of our window

and dropping water balloons on tourists quickly cemented our new

friendship.

Every morning, almost a hundred of us loaded noisily onto our bus for

another adventure. We sang our school fight song dozens of times, en

route to Arlington National Cemetery and even on an afternoon cruise

down the Potomac River.

We visited the Lincoln Memorial twice, once in daylight, the second

time at dusk. My classmates and I fell silent as we walked in the

shadows of those 36 marble columns, one for every state in the Union

that Lincoln labored to preserve. I stood next to Frank at the base of

the 19-foot seated statue. Spotlights made the white Georgian marble

glow. Together, we read those famous words from Lincoln's speech at

Gettysburg remembering the most bloody battle in the War between the

States: "...we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died

in vain - that this nation, under God shall have a new birth of

freedom..."

As Frank motioned me into place to take my picture, I took one last

look at Lincoln's face. He seemed alive and so terribly sad.

The next morning, I understood a little better why he wasn't smiling.

"Clifton," a chaperone said, "could I see you for a moment?"

The other guys at my table, especially Frank, turned pale. We had been

joking about the previous night's direct water-balloon hit on a fat

lady and her poodle. It was a stupid, dangerous act, but luckily

nobody got hurt. We were celebrating our escape from punishment when

the chaperone asked to see me.

"Clifton," she began, "do you know about the Mason-Dixon line?"

"No," I said, wondering what this had to do with drenching fat ladies.

"Before the Civil War," she explained, "the Mason-Dixon line was

originally the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania - the

dividing line between the slave and free states." Having escaped one

disaster, I could feel another brewing. I noticed that her eyes were

damp and her hands were shaking.

"Today," she continued, "the Mason-Dixon line is a kind of invisible

border between the North and the South. When you cross that invisible

line out of Washington, D.C., into Maryland, things change."

There was an ominous drift to this conversation, but I wasn't

following it. Why did she look and sound so nervous?

"Glen Echo Amusement Park is in Maryland," she said at last, "and the

management doesn't allow Negroes inside." She stared at me in silence.

I was still grinning and nodding when the meaning finally sank in.

"You mean I can't go to the park," I stuttered, "because I'm a Negro?"

She nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, Clifton," she said, taking my hand.

"You'll have to stay in the hotel tonight. Why don't you and I watch a

movie on television?"

I walked to the elevators feeling confusion, disbelief, anger and a deep

sadness. "What happened, Clifton?" Frank said when I got back to the

room. "Did the fat lady tell on us?"

Without saying a word, I walked over to my bed, lay down and cried.

Frank was stunned into silence. Junior-high boys didn't cry, at least

not in front of each other.

It wasn't just missing the class adventure that made me feel so sad.

For the first time in my life, I learned what it felt like to be a

"nigger."

Of course there was discrimination in the North, but the color of my

skin had never officially kept me out of a coffee shop, a church - or

an amusement park.

"Clifton," Frank whispered, "what is the matter?"

"They won't let me to go Glen Echo Park tonight," I sobbed.

"Because of the water balloon?" he asked.

"No, I answered, "because I'm a Negro."

"Well, that's a relief!" Frank said, and then he laughed, obviously

relieved to have escaped punishment for our caper with the balloons.

"I thought it was serious."

Wiping away the tears with my sleeve, I stared at him. "It is serious.

They don't let Negroes into the park. I can't go with you!" I shouted.

"That's pretty damn serious to me."

I was about to wipe the silly grin off Frank's face with a blow to his

jaw when I heard him say, "Then I won't go either."

For an instant we just froze. Then Frank grinned. I will never forget

that moment. Frank was just a kid. He wanted to go to that amusement

park as much as I did, but there was something even more important than

the class night out. Still, he didn't explain or expand.

The next thing I knew, the room was filled with kids listening to

Frank.

"They don't allow Negroes in the park," he said, "so I'm staying with

Clifton."

"Me, too," a second boy said.

"Those jerks," a third muttered. "I'm with you, Clifton." My heart

raced. Suddenly, I was not alone. A pint-sized revolution had been

born.

The "water-balloon brigade," 11 white boys from Long Island, had made

its decision: "We won't go." And as I sat on my bed in the center of

it all, I felt grateful. But, above all, I was filled with pride.

Dondre Green's story brought that childhood memory back to life. His

golfing teammates, like my childhood friends, faced an important

decision. If they stood by their friend it would cost them dearly. But

when it came time to decide, no one hesitated.

"Let's get out of here," one of them whispered.

"They just turned and walked toward the van," Dondre told us. "They

didn't debate it. And the younger players joined us without looking

back."

Dondre was astounded by the response of his friends - and the people

of Louisiana. The whole state was outraged and tried to make it right.

The Louisiana House of Representatives proclaimed a Dondre Green Day

and passed legislation permitting lawsuits for damages, attorneys'

fees and court costs against any private facility that invites a team,

then bars any member because of race.

As Dondre concluded, his eyes glistened with tears. "I love my coach and

my teammates for sticking by me," he said. "It goes to show that there

always good people who will not give in to bigotry. The kind of love

they showed me that day will conquer hatred every time."

My friends, too, had shown that kind of love. As we sat in the hotel,

a chaperone came in waving an envelope. "Boys!" he shouted. "I've just

bought 13 tickets to the Senators-Tigers game. Anybody want to go?"

The room erupted in cheers. Not one of us had ever been to a

professional baseball game in a real baseball park.

On the way to the stadium, we grew silent as our driver paused before

the Lincoln Memorial. For one long moment, I stared through the marble

pillars at Mr. Lincoln, bathed in that warm, yellow light. There was

still no smile and no sign of hope in his sad and tired eyes.

"...We here highly resolve...that this nation, under God, shall have a

new birth of freedom..."

In his words and in his life, Lincoln made it clear, that freedom is

not free. Every time the color of a person's skin keeps him out of an

amusement park or off a country-club fairway, the war for freedom

begins again. Sometimes the battle is fought with fists and guns, but

more often the most effective weapon is a simple act of love and

courage.

Whenever I hear those words from Lincoln's speech at Gettysburg, I

remember my 11 white friends, and I feel hope once again. I like to

imagine that when we paused that night at the foot of his great

monument, Mr. Lincoln smiled at last.

By Clifton Davis

from A 4th Course of Chicken Soup for the Soul

___________________________________________________________________

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OBLIGATIONS AND OATHS

THE BUILDER FEBRUARY 1921

BY BRO. H.R. PARTLOW, ARKANSAS

THE MASONIC obligation has always been to the writer a subject of

considerable interest, especially on account of the various

positions assumed by the obliger at the time of taking the

obligation, and the formalities incident to it which, in my

opinion, bespeak for the obligation a greater antiquity than

usually accorded it by historians and writers.

Even a cursory view of the subject of entering into a contractual

relation from ancient times shows that the obligations assumed to

be binding were entered into in accordance to the ceremonial form

of that age, and if entered into in that way were considered by the

ancients inviolate.  History abounds with many instances evidencing

this, but for numerous cases we have only to go into the field of

religious and legal literature.  Biblical and judicial records are

the deposits left by the receding waters of time and an examination

of the laws and customs of these remote ages shows a general

unfolding and development of civilization. True it is that the data

found are not separately and clearly set forth, but may be compared

to the residue of the seashore, scattered and wholly without order,

some buried in sand and foreign matter, while others are entirely

concealed except to the keen vision of the delving student who by

patience and skill will exhume them, thereby revealing them to the

superficial observer.

The writer is fully aware that the average Mason has but little

interest in such matters, but a close study of the customs of the

ancients will shed much light upon certain customs now used in our

ritual or floor work in conferring degrees.  If by any means we can

determine the inception of these early formalities, the basal ideas

leading up to them, and the possible psychological functioning

which produced them they will, in my opinion, be invaluable. These

rudimentary ideas are to the Masonic student what the primary

crusts of the earth are to the geologist.  They contain all the

forms which society has subsequently exhibited.

In the matter of ascertaining the fountain head of the jural

conception of an oath, obligation, or contract, one may become lost

in the impenetrable night of antiquity.  Mr. Holmes, in his

admirable work on Common Law, says: "To explain how mankind first

learned to promise, we must go to metaphysics and find out how it

came to frame a future tense." Law, like religion, is co-eval with

intelligence and so soon as man was capable of continuity of

thought, so soon as he found intelligible speech, he questioned

himself concerning his relationship to other sentient beings.

Therefore, by way of a premise, it may be said that whenever and

wherever we have found man we find exhibition of certain

characteristics which are common to other peoples in the same stage

of development.

The force and effect of an oath or obligation in ancient days was

much greater than it is today, for the reason that the Higher Power

was presumed to be present and to participate in the transaction as

a third party.  This was especially so in making of covenants which

were accompanied by a sacrifice and other solemn formalities in

addition to the oath calling upon the ever present Deity to

witness.

In the procedure of entering into obligations or of taking oaths

one is impressed first with the universal use of the light hand. It

is a singular coincidence that so many people are right handed, and

we shall now consider the use of the right hand in entering into

various obligations and draw some conclusions regarding its almost

universal use.

The right hand has been held forever sacred.  The origin of such

belief is a profound mystery.  Much importance was attached to it

in worship as well as in entering into various contractual

relations.

A study of the formal contract in early English law rewards the

student for the pains of his investigation; and for the purpose of

giving to the reader the benefit of this we quote at some length

from Pollock and Maitland's History of English Law:

"In many countries of Western Europe and in this part of the world

also, we find the mutual grasp of the hand as a form which binds a

bargain.  It is possible to regard this as a relic of a more

elaborate ceremony by which some material was passed from hand to

hand; but the mutuality of the hand grip seems to make against this

explanation.  We think it more likely that the promisor proffered

his name of himself and for the purpose of devoting himself to the

god or goddess, if he broke faith. Expanded in words, the

underlying idea would be of this kind, 'As I here deliver myself to

you by my right hand, so I deliver myself to the wrath of Fides, or

Jupiter acting by the ministry of Fides, if I break faith in this

thing.'

"Whether the Germans have borrowed this symbolic act from the Roman

provincials and have thus taken over a Roman practice along with

Fides, or whether it has an independent root in their own heathen

religion we will not dare to decide.  However, the grasp of the

hand appears among them at an early date as a mode of contracting

solemn, if not legally binding, obligations."

In the Code of Justinian the formality of raising the right hand

was necessary in taking an oath.  Then we find from the two great

sources of law, Roman and English, that more importance is attached

to the right hand than to the left.

Among primitive races, such as the Dacotah, the Winebagoes and

other Western tribes, the right hand as a symbol has been observed

by more than one person.  As a symbol of fidelity and virtue the

right hand is repeatedly referred to in Hebrew lore.

Abraham said to the King of Salem: "I have lifted up my hand unto

the Lord, the most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

that I will not take anything that is thine." The expression,

"lifted up my hand unto the Lord," doubtless proves the custom of

the ancient Hebrews in placing the right hand upon the object of

veneration in entering into a contract or binding obligations, and

if such object could not be touched, the right hand was extended

toward the thing of reverence with hand open and fingers extended.

The right hand of fellowship is spoken of by St. Paul in

Gallatioans (Gallatian 2, chap. 9).  In Psalms, 94th chapter, the

right hand is spoken of as "the right hand of falsehood."

The manner of using the right hand is a symbol of fidelity, imposed

in primitive times the loss of that member in cases of breaches of

faith.  Pollack and Maitland, in their work on English Law, in

speaking of the German people say, "Germanic law is fond of

characteristic punishment.  It likes to take the tongue of the

false accuser and the perjurer's right hand."

Fort in his Early History and Antiquities of Freemasonry, says:

"Oaths were also attested by water, fountains and streams, by

rocks, cliffs and stones - the latter sometimes white, but the most

sacred and binding obligations were made upon a blue stone altar.

Ancient Norsemen swore upon Thor's hammer. It was no unusual thing

for a person to formerly attest an oath by the beard, hair, and

eyes, or with the hand upon vestments.  A judicial obligation was

administered by touching the judge's staff of office, and by some

reason warriors swore by the sword; also, other people, in less

exciting spheres of domestic life, used household furniture.  For

examples travellers grasped the wagon wheel, and horsemen their

stirrups; sailors rested the hand upon the ship's railing.

Operative Masons, or stonecutters of the Middle Ages perpetuated

the Scandinavian custom of swearing upon common utensils and used

their tools in the solemn formality of an obligation - a usage

adhered to by the modern craft.

"The right hand was considered indispensable in medieval oaths, to

seize or to touch the consecrated objects.  Frequently the hand was

upraised in order to bring it in contact with the material object

sworn by, and at the same time kneeling, divested of hat and

weapon, was an essential element in the ceremony of assuming an

oath."

Why was it necessary to touch or to be in contact with some sacred

object? This is a pertinent question. The possible explanation may

be found in the doctrine of deodands in ancient English Common Law.

This doctrine generally recognized that in case of an injury

inflicted by an inanimate object, such as a wagon wheel, tree or

other object of similar kind, a portion of the punishment or damage

was to award the injured with the object, the cause of the injury.

Man from the remotest times has attributed life, spirit or being to

inanimate objects, therefore, swearing upon these inanimate objects

is doubtless for no other purpose than to call upon some object to

be a witness to this obligation.  From the fact that man has

attributed life to inanimate objects, creating and vesting them

with certain characteristics common to mankind, naturally thought

about the necessity of giving them sex.  Hence it is probable that

this is the explanation why in most languages we find masculine and

feminine gender indiscriminately applied to inanimate objects.  The

explanation is to be found in the doctrine of animism and not in

poetic license as is often given by grammarians.

The frequent use of the right hand - and one can cite instance

after instance of its use of entering into obligations, such as in

marriage contracts, uplifted right hand in the taking of an oath -

naturally arouses one's enthusiasm to investigate the probable

cause. Brother Mackey cites instance after instance of its use in

worship, such as keeping the right side to the altar in going

around the altar.  Sir Walter Scott gives an instance in his novel,

The Pirate, of the young people who assembled in far off Norseland

and joined right hands through a circular aperture at the base of

an upright rock and plighted their faiths to the god Odin.  G.

Stanley Hall makes some interesting remarks when he says:

"There are many facts which seem to suggest that in adolescence the

right hand precedes the left, and is not usually quite overtaken,

so that the predominance is greater after puberty.  If this be so

the relation of the two hands in man is somewhat analogous to the

relation between the male and female body in muscular development."

Scientists say the grip of the right hand exceeds in strength by

one-sixth to one-eighth that of the left hand.  Smedley has

observed that there is an analogy between unidexterity and the

development of the voice.

Here let us pause and ask two questions: First, Are we right-handed

because of the long continued use of the right hand in worship and

in assuming obligations thereby creating a physiological condition

or anatomical condition as a result of constant exercise or

precedence of the right hand? Second, Is the preference given to

the right hand due to the disparity in development between the two

hands as is pointed out by the scientist in the preceding

paragraphs?

The delivery of possession of a piece of land was performed, says

Digby, in the following manner:

"Speaking generally it must be the delivery of something, such as

a clod, earth or twig on the land in the name of whole.  Great

importance was attached to the notoriety of the transaction. That

all the neighbours might know that A was tenant to B from the fact

that open livery of seisen had been made to him.  This would enable

him to assert his rights in case of disputes to the title of

lands."

Another instance may be cited from Littleton Coke's translation:

"When a freeholder does fealty to his lord he shall hold his right

hand on a book and shall say this: 'Know ye this, my lord, that I

shall be faithful and true unto you and faith to you shall bear for

the lands which I claim to hold of you and that I shall lawfully do

to you the custom and service while I ought to do, at the terms

assigned, so help me God and his Saints.  And he shall kiss the

book."

In further substantiation of formalities in assuming obligations we

wish here to refer to some peculiar marriage customs.  One of the

most peculiar of these customs was known as "Smock-marriages" or

"Marriage in Shift." Under the common law the husband became at

marriage liable for the antenuptial debts of his wife as well as

the successor to her property rights.  One counteracted the other.

Now the theory that the husband could escape the liability of the

antenuptial debts of his wife possibly created or brought about

smock-marriages.

A smock-marriage was one where the debtor bride came to the wedding

dressed in a smock or shift, which was a public declaration to her

creditors that she took no property to her husband as a basis of

charging him with her debts.  A number of instances are reported in

the New England States where the bride was secluded in a closet and

joined right hands, through an aperture of the door with the

bridegroom until the ceremony was said, and later appeared well

dressed.  Alice Morse Earle, in her Customs of Old New England,

refers frequently to this unique custom.

In ancient days trial by battle was attended by the usual formality

of joining right hands before the trial of strength, a custom still

preserved in the prize fight.

Numerous examples might be cited from the Bible but this is not

deemed necessary here as it would simply expand this article and

add nothing to its value or proof.

The Prince of Wales in taking his coronation oath lays his right

hand upon the Bible, for it is the object of veneration or

sacredness.

The formality of removing the shoes is one of the oldest customs

and doubtless had its origin among the people of the Far East,

especially the Hebrews.  We find Moses upon his approach to the

burning bush removed his shoes for the reason that the ground on

which he stood was sacred. It is a custom of the people of the East

upon approaching a sacred place to remove the shoes or to uncover

the feet, but among the Western people the head is uncovered.  The

fact of discalceation proves beyond doubt that the person taking

the oath regards the Deity as present and participating as a third

party to the ceremony.  Among the Jewish people it was considered

a sign of renunciation of dominion or authority to remove the

shoes.

Under the Mosaic law the brother of a childless man was bound to

marry his widow and until he renounced his right, she could not

marry another.  If refused the woman was obliged to loose his shoes

from off his feet and spit before his face as an assertion of

complete her complete independence.

Edward J. White in his Legal Antiquities says:

"That this custom was later used by the early Christians would seem

to be confirmed by the story connected with the proposal of the

Emperor Vladimir to the daughter of Raguald, for when asked if she

would not marry the Emperor she replied: 'I will not take off my

shoes to the son of a slave."'

In the early Saxon days when marriage was completed the father of

the bride took off her shoes and handed them to the bridegroom.

Wood's Wedding Day in All Ages says that Martin Luther, the great

reformer, used the shoe in his ceremony.

Bending the knee has in all ages of the world's history been

considered as an act of humility and reverence. Pliny, the Roman

naturalist, observes that a certain degree of religious reverence

is attributed to the knee of man.  Solomon prayed upon bended knee

at the consecration of the temple.

These customs show beyond doubt that in taking the obligation the

candidate is assumed to be in the presence of the Deity and that

his obligation is entered into with that ever present Being.

The last point we desire to make is that an obligation once assumed

was by ancient peoples considered inviolable, and could not be set

aside or held for naught.  One reason for this was because every

act of the promisor contemplated the presence of the Deity and

according to the customs of that age due preparations had been made

looking to the entering into of the obligations.

It would be a great blessing in this modern age if more of the

initiates in entering into the obligation could or would consider

it more as the ancients did, a solemn and binding obligation, - one

taken in the presence of Him who can search the inner recesses of

the heart and knows our purposes and designs.  If that were true we

would have better Masons.

It is a matter of regret to every man practising law how easily men

extend their right hand toward their Creator and perjure

themselves.  This is done because many of them regard an oath as an

empty string of words with no binding effect whatsoever.  Let us as

Masons make more of our obligations and try to impress upon the

initiate the fact that a broken pledge with the brethren is

attended with serious consequences and is looked upon with

displeasure by Him who takes notice of the falling of the sparrow.

"Old Tiler Talks" by Carl Claudy -1924

ON KNOWING NAMES

"I've been watching you for half an hour and you haven't missed

calling a brother by name," said the New Brother to the Old

Tiler. "How do you do it?"

"Remembering names is my business. As Tiler I am supposed to know

all the brethren of this lodge. I get paid for being a Tiler. If

I didn't know my job I would be taking money under false

pretenses."

"How did you learn names? I have been a member of this lodge for

nearly a year. And I don't know more than a dozen men by name.

How do you do it?"

"How do you not do it?" countered the Old Tiler. "Don't you ever

know anyone by name in any organization you belong to?"

"Well, er- I- "

"I visited in one lodge once," interrupted the Old Tiler, "where

they used the scheme developed in so many luncheon clubs. The

Master started an automatic roll call, in which each brother

stood, gave his name, address and business and sat down. It

smacked a little of the commercial to me. To hear a chap say, 'My

name is Bill Jones, agent for the Speedemup car, in business at

1567 Main Street,' may be very informing to the brother who

doesn't know it, but it seems like advertising. I presume the

scheme worked; everyone in that lodge got to know everyone else

by name in time.

"In another lodge every brother wears a big, round celluloid name

plate with his name printed on it in big letters. The Tiler, poor

chap, has charge of a rack and is supposed to see that every

brother entering the room has his button on and that none wears

it home! This scheme works; you can read a brother's name and

call him by it, and probably remember it next time.

"Ready-made brotherhood is the dream of the professional Mason;

ready-made acquaintance is the thing he strives for with his

announcements and his celluloid buttons.

"I don't regard the use of a name as essential. It is pleasant to

be called by name, and nice to be able to remember them. But a

name, after all, is an artificial distinction, conferred on us by

our parents as a matter of convenience. A rose smells just as

sweet if you call it a sunflower, and a man is the same whether

you call him Jim or Jones. Not very long ago a man said to me: 'I

don't know your name but you are Tiler of my lodge. My uncle in

the country has just sent me a crate of strawberries. I can't se

'em all and I'd like to give you some. Will you write your name

and address on a card so I can send them?'

If he had known my name he could have sent them without asking

for the card. But would they have tasted any better? I had a warm

feeling at my heart; my brother had remembered my face and who I

was, and wanted me to share his good luck. That he didn't know my

name didn't seem to matter. He knew me.

"It's friendly to call a man by his name. We are all more or less

egocentric. (Doc Palmer tells me that the word means that we

revolve about ourselves!) When people remember our names we think

we have made an impression. It tickles our vanity. Half a dozen

members in this lodge come only once a year. When I call them by

name they swell up like poisoned pups. But they wouldn't if they

knew my system. One of them has prominent ears; so has a jackass.

A jackass eats thistles. This man's name is Nettleton. Another

chap has a nose that looks as if it grew on a Brobdingnagian

face. His name is Beekman. It's no trick to remember them,

because of the impression they make of ugliness. I remember your

name as an earnest young brother trying to learn. I remember the

Past Masters by remembering their services,. I know John and Jim

and George and Elly and Harry and Joe and Frank and the rest

because I know the men, know what they do, how they do it, what

they stand for in the lodge and in Masonry; in other words, it's

the brother I know first, and in my mind I tack a name to him. To

remember a name and tack a face to it is the trick accomplished

by the celluloid button, the automatic roll call, by all schemes

to make men know each other's names with the idea that the name

and not the man is important.

"You have been here nearly a year and know a dozen men by name.

If you know a hundred by sight to speak to, you have accomplished

something more important than filling your memory with names. But

if you know only your dozen by sight and name, and no others

either by sight or name, then there is something the matter with

your idea of fellowship.

"In lodge, brothers learn to know each other; if they learn each

other's names in the process, well and good. But if they learn to

know each other as human beings with friendly faces, it does make

little difference whether they have good or poor memories for

names.

"Our Master is a fine, lovable man. Every dog he meets on the

street wags its tail and speaks to him, and he speaks to them

all. I doubt if he knows their names. He has a poor memory for

names, yet he never forgets a face. I know names and faces

because it's my job, but I'd make a poor Master."

"I'm not so sure about your being a poor Master!"

"Well, I am! Don't confuse a good memory, a good Mason and a good

Master. I try to have the first and be the second!"

Before the short goodie, I have compiled a lot of messages from many

sources from 1995 into text files. If I compress them all, the ZIP file is

just over 1MB, which will take about 10 minutes to transfer by e-mail

attachment.  These files are about 2.6MB uncompressed.  As an example, the

King James version of the bible is less than 2mb compressed, so you can

see there is a lot of stuff here. I will send the ZIP to anyone who

requests it--NOT to everyone!!

For more information, ask.

Also I have a ZIP file of all of the goodies that I have sent out

since starting this list. The ZIP is about 100k, so it will move

fast. If you want either or both, ask.  If you don't have a ZIP

utility, I have PK260W32.EXE which is a windows ZIP utility I can

send to you, ask.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

now for today's goodie

OUT OF THE PAST--THE NEW AGE - OCTOBER 1961   (From Hiram's Oasis)

The Speech of Count T---.

At the Initiation of His Son into Masonry

I Congratulate you on your admission into the most ancient and

perhaps the most respectable Society in the universe. To you the

mysteries of Masonry are about to be revealed, and so bright a sun

never shed its lustre on your eyes. In this awful moment, when

prostrate at this holy altar, do you not shudder at every crime,

and have you not confidence in every virtue? May this reflection

inspire you with the noble sentiments; may you be penetrated with a

religious abhorrence of every vice that degrades the dignity of

human nature; and may you feel the elevation of the soul which

scorns a dishonourable action, and ever invites to the practice of

piety and virtue!

These are the wishes of a father and a brother conjoined. Of you

the greatest hopes are raised, let not our expectations be

deceived. You are the son of a Mason who glories in the profession;

and for your zeal and attachment, your silence and good conduct,

your father has already pledged his honour.

You are now, as a member of this Illustrious Order, introduced a

subject of a new country, whose extent is boundless. Pictures are

open to your view, wherein true patriotism is exemplified in

glaring colours, and a series of transactions recorded, which the

rude hand of time can ever erase. The obligations which influenced

the first Brutus and Manlius to sacrifice their children to the

love of their country, are not more sacred than those which bind me

to support the honour and reputation of this venerable Order.

This moment, my son, you owe to me a second birth; should your

conduct in life correspond with the principles of Masonry, my

remaining years will pass away with pleasure and satisfaction.

Observe the great example of our ancient masters, peruse our

history and our constitutions. The best, the most humane, the

bravest, and most civilized of men have been our patrons. Though

the vulgar are strangers to our words, the greatest geniuses have

sprung from our Order. The most illustrious characters on earth

have laid the foundation of their most amiable qualities in

Masonry. The wisest of Princes planned our Institution, at raising

a Temple to the eternal and Supreme Ruler of the Universe.

Swear, my son, that you will be a true and faithful Mason. Know

from this moment that I centre the affection of a parent in the

name of a brother and a friend. May your heart be susceptible of

love and esteem, and may you burn with the same zeal your father

possesses. Convince the world by your new alliance you are

deserving our favours, and never forget the ties which bind you to

honour and to justice. View not with indifference the extensive

connections you have formed, but let universal Benevolence regulate

your conduct. Exert your abilities in the service of your King

and your Country, and deem the knowledge you have this day attained

the happiest acquisition of your life.

Recall to memory the ceremony of your initiation; learn to bridle

your tongue, and to govern your passions; and ere long you will

have occasion to say "In becoming a Mason I truly became the Man;

and while I breathe will never disgrace a jewel that kings may

prize."

If I live, my son, to reap the fruits of this day's labour, my

happiness will be complete. I will meet death without terror, close

my eyes in peace, and expire, without a groan, in the arms of a

virtuous and a worthy Freemason.

         "Old Tiler Talks" by Carl Claudy -1924

OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES

"We are coming to a pretty pass in our Masonry!" announced the

New Brother, disgustedly.

"That has a familiar ring! No times like the old times, no days

like the old days, everything going to the demnition bow-wows.

They uncovered inscriptions like that in King Tut's tomb!"

grinned the Old Tiler. "What's wrong our Masonry now?"

"All these extras in the lodge. First, we have a choir; that's

all right, since music adds to the solemnity and beauty of the

degrees. Now we are forming a lodge glee club. There is to be a

saxophone quartet and there is talk of a lodge band. A brother in

lodge long enough to know better is organizing a dramatic

society. If he has any dramatic instinct he should put it into

the degrees. The Master is interesting some brethren in forming a

Masonic club, and a lot of brethren are talking of a camping

club, for summer fishing! This scattering of effort is a shame.

We ought to put it into the work of the lodge; don't you agree

with me?"

"I sure do; I think all our effort Masonic should be Masonic

effort!" answered the Old Tiler.

"That's the first time I ever started a discussion with you and

found you were on my side!" laughed the New Brother,

triumphantly.

"Oh, I wouldn't go as far as to say I was on your side this time.

Our efforts ought to be Masonic, but I don't see un-Masonic

effort in a glee club, saxophone quartet, camping association,

dramatic club, and so on. What's wrong with them as Masonic

work?"

"Why, Masonic work is putting on the degrees well, and making an

impression on the candidate, and charity, and... and..."

"Go on, son, you are doing fine!"

"Oh, you know what I mean! Masonic work isn't going camping or

playing a saxophone!"

"Isn't it?" asked the Old Tiler, interestedly. "Now, that's a

plain statement about which I can argue until tomorrow morning!

But explain why playing a saxophone in a lodge for the pleasure

of the lodge isn't Masonic."

"Oh, the time spent could be better spent in- in listening to the

degrees."

"Granted, if there were degrees to listen to. But you wouldn't

put on a degree without reason? If the lodge neglects its degree

work to listen to a quartet, the quartet does harm. But if the

quartet brings down brethren who like music, and to whom we can

them give Masonic instruction, why isn't it good Masonic work?"

"How about the dramatic club and the fishing association?"

"They are the same in intent. The dramatic club will gather

together brethren interested in plays. It will develop histrionic

talent which now doesn't exist. It will train men for sincere and

well-managed degree work. But if it never led a single man into

our degree teams, it would still be a bond of union between men

who would thus get better acquainted; the better members know

each other the more united the lodge.

"Fishing is an innocent and delightful sport. When Masons

congregate to enjoy it and prefer the company of each other to

others, it speaks highly of the bonds of brotherhood. If I can

afford it I will surely join. I'd much rather tell a fish that he

has passed the other anglers, but me he cannot pass, in the

presence of my brethren, than have to keep my thoughts to myself

before strangers!"

"You think these extra growths on the body of the lodge don't sap

its strength?"

"I don't think they are growths on the body of the lodge at all!"

growled the Old Tiler. "Brethren who do these things are not

taking strength from the lodge! Banding together to sing, play

musical instruments, fish, act in plays together, shows a real

feeling of brotherhood. The more such activities, the more united

we will be.

"All work and no play makes a Mason a stay-at-home. Our ancient

brethren specified the usages of refreshment. They understood

that playing was as necessary as working. If part of us can play

together for our own pleasure, well and good. If, at the same

time, we can give pleasure to others, and benefit the lodge by

increasing its unity, why, well and best of all!"

"You sure are a salesman!" cried the New Brother. "I ought not to

afford it, but..."

"What have I sold you?" asked the Old Tiler, interestedly.

"Memberships in the glee club, the Masonic club, and the fishing

club!" grinned the New Brother.

Fraternally,

Carl Johnson, 32'

Burlington Masonic Lodge #254

Grand Lodge of Washington, Free & Accepted Masons

Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of Bellingham

Orient of Washington

Today we bring you something a bit different.  It's a bit long. We

think you might enjoy reading it in spite of it's length.   Enjoy

This is a copyrighted article from ARIADNE'S WEB, a spiritual

magazine. you can contact them it at   www.ariadnes-web.com

          A MASONIC PERSPECTIVE,

Any Masonic Perspective can only be that of the individual Freemason,

according to the light that he himself has discovered.

             MASONIC LANGUAGE

Like all other initiatory systems, which are concerned to impart and

to develop techniques for spiritual unfoldment, Freemasonry has its

own special language derived from the ancient tool of allegory and the

universal language of symbolism. In general, the search for spiritual

evolution and illumination can be termed a pathway to light. Light,

for Freemasons, signifies knowledge. Darkness signifies Ignorance.

                 The Pathway to LIGHT

             By NORMAN PEARSON, PH.D., D.B.A

Long before our society embraced the concept of lifelong learning,

Freemasons had posited one of the basic human tasks to be an endless

quest for knowledge: light, and still more light, as all the readily

available literature on Freemasonry will attest. Masons are required

to make a daily advancement, no matter how small, in this struggle for

the light. On this pathway, Masonry uses three main personal

techniques at the outset, and they continue throughout a Mason's

individual development, supplemented by other techniques. These are:

1 - Admonition

2 - Incident

3 - Symbol

FIRST TECHNIQUES FOR THE INDIVIDUAL

These first techniques of admonition, incident and symbol are

deceptively simple. They are also very powerful. They point to Masonry

as a discipline, not a religion. Freemasonry has been held to contain

those spiritual principles on which all good men can agree, whatever

their history, their culture, their origin, their religion or their

mores. That has been the root of its universal appeal.

On Masonic altars the Torah, the Bible, the Koran, the holy Vedic

books of India, the teachings of Zoroaster, the Mormon books and those

of the Bahai and others sit side by side in peace and harmony.

Members are forbidden to discuss such divisive matters as politics and

dogma, and are expected to meet in peace and brotherhood. Because of

the vital significance of this spiritual work, in many jurisdictions

Masonic meeting-places are termed Temples, used in the sense of a holy

place of spiritual searching; of a temple of learning about light; and

as a reminder of a fundamental principle that the body is the temple

of the soul; buildings dedicated to the basic Cosmic force and

ultimate mysterious principle which we term God, and as places of

fellowship and harmony where the concerned seekers can work together

in their search, both individually and collectively.

       ADMONITION, INCIDENT & SYMBOL

The Masonic discipline at every meeting and in the Mason's private

life, uses all three techniques of admonition, incident and symbol.

Admonitions abound - in plain and forthright language. This technique

is simple and direct. For example, the cardinal virtues of temperance,

fortitude, prudence and justice are stated, explained, and the need

for their use in daily life is made very plain. Any book of published

material on Freemasonry clearly indicates this as a basic starting

point. The intent is towards basic honesty and integrity, to make our

inner code of honor apply directly to our external actions as a matter

of habit.

A series of incidents constitute the second teaching, technique. These

are not abstract moral lessons, but simple and practical

demonstrations: indications of the importance of duty as a compass

bearing on our progress in life; friendship as a key element, showing

that we are all totally dependent on friendship and on mutual

cooperation to make society work at all, and particularly to overcome

peril; loyalty is sought, along with demonstrable fidelity to certain

key principles already evident in the admonitions; full personal

responsibility for our actions is required, including self-discipline

to ensure harmonious working together, to ensure responsibility for

our words and deeds and their consequences: fidelity is evident,

including the need for positive action to actually oppose evil, even

at great risk, to put these principles into action in the great arena

of life.

... there are emblems of mortality and immortality: to remind us that

life is short in this present school of Earth, and that such time must

be used well; and to remind us that the Divine spark within is one

with the great universe, transcends time and space, and lives for

ever.

The third method uses the universal and ancient language of symbols.

It takes time to learn this forgotten language, but it gradually

becomes clear that the symbols fall into various groups: some relate

to regulating our conduct; some deal with building our character;

still others speak to our purpose in life; others emphasize the need

for a balanced life. Finally, there are emblems of mortality and

immortality: to remind us that life is short in this present school of

Earth, and that such time must be used well; and to

remind us that the Divine spark within is one with the great universe,

transcends time and space, and lives for ever. Then having

contemplated infinity, there are symbols to remind us of the various

aspects of the universal moral law which should guide our lives.

So we have the commitment to lifelong learning and the three methods of

admonition, incident and symbols as the obvious techniques and

starting point. But what precedes this is also vital: the process of

initiation in stages.

       The universe is viewed as one huge coherent structure,, run,

       by universal law, which owes its existence to the Great

       Architect of the Universe. Man is not lost in space.

    INITIATION & ARCHITECTURE AS A METAPHOR

Many Masonic writers have noted that there are many in the order who

are unchanged by the solemn ceremonies of initiation. They frequently

remind us of Tolstoy's character Pierre, in 'War and Peace", who

classified his lodge members as (1) those who were few, but genuinely

affected by initiation and who made profound efforts at spiritual

development; (2) those who, like himself, sought to improve their

character but wavered and fell by the wayside periodically; (3) those

fascinated by minute detail of ritual, ceremony, history and

symbolism, demanding conformity and strict observance; (4) the

unchanged (often called in English works "bread-and-butter Masons")

who were not at all affected by any event, and saw in the whole

thing simply a social occasion. It seems evident that those in the

first category are likely very few in number, but as Tolstoy said,

they are the lifeblood of Freemasonry.

Hammond (1939) alluded to these Masons when he spoke of the fourfold

allusions to the metaphor of architecture in Freemasonry as techniques

for spiritual unfoldment:

1. The universe is viewed as one huge coherent structure, run by

universal law, which owes its existence to the Great Architect of the

Universe. Man is not lost in space.

2. Man is a builder, charged with the construction of personal

character. He is reminded that the universe within is as vast and

limitless as the universe without, as the ancient symbol of infinity

indicates. For this task of building a fitting temple for the soul,

man is given abundant material, noble models and patterns, and

explicit instructions.

3. Man is commissioned to build an ideal social structure, globally,

person by person. Since the nature of this slowly-evolving structure

depends on the quality of the individuals involved and their

relationship to each other, then each Mason must qualify as a "living

stone" of society to contribute to its betterment, following universal

law.

4. Finally, Masons are engaged in creating "that house not made with

hands eternal in the heaven", the idea that after transition we have

passed through the earthly chambers of birth, youth, manhood, old age

and death, into the eternal. This sequence envisages a process which

this author sees as an indication of re-incarnation in some sense,

until the soul has learned all it needs to know. Oliver Wendell Holmes

states this well:

"Build thee more stately mansions, O, my soul, As the swift seasons

roll! Leave thy low-vaulted past! Let each new temple, nobler than the

last. Shut thee from heaven within a dome more vast Till thou at

length are free, Leaving shine outgrown shell by life's unresting

sea!"

THE CHILDREN AND THE CHESSBOARD

So the whole direction of the dominant architectural metaphor in

Freemasonry is toward this major task of spiritual unfoldment. We

must, therefore, look beyond admonitions, incidents, symbolism and

metaphors and allegories to a more fundamental level.

Where did all this come from? Yet here, the great mystic Manly Hall,

who had profound admiration for the essentials of Freemasonry and

eventually became a Mason later in life, stated that most modern

Freemasons were like children playing innocently and quite ignorantly

with a chessboard and chess pieces, seeing them as toys, and with no

idea of their real significance. To those who are concerned with

spiritual development, what does this mean?

What Hall meant was that Freemasonry is a modern form of spiritual

development and unfoldment descended from, and worthy of being set

alongside some very ancient systems, and that it has also very ancient

roots going back to Mankind's earliest attempts to reconcile the

evident materiality of an external infinite universe and an internal

spiritual cosmos. This refers, of course, to what many Masonic

historians have termed the "Credibility Gap" in Masonic evolution.

What this means is that the pioneer English Grand Lodge dates from

1717, that Grand Lodge history is totally silent on any antecedents,

and that in some way Masons are cut off from the rich legends and

mythology of their origins.

That pre-history is not only cloaked in symbolism and allegory, it is

silent and a virtual blank: hence the recent spate of literature

challenging the venerated idea of a transition from Operative

cathedral builders to a more universal Speculative Freemasonry, and

suggesting evolution from the Knights Templar, from the Order of

Enoch, or (as Hall said) from Atlantis (which modern authors even

suggest may have been Antarctica before the ice-caps covered it; the

progenitor of a universal high-technology civilization of which

Freemasony was a practical-tool for universal peace among diverse

peoples!) It is not our purpose here to debate these ideas, but rather

to look further at the chessboard and the pieces.

Internally, Masonic ritual is replete with references to antecedents

such as Ancient Egypt, the Ancient Mysteries of Dionysus and Eleusis,

the Pythogoreans, the Order of Melchizedek, the Order of Enoch, and

Ancient India

The great de-bunkers of the 19th century did much to destroy all

reliance on such sources, thereby denigrating the spiritual aspects of

Freemasonry by literal interpretations of that which by its very

nature is esoteric: messages hidden in ritual envelopes wrapped inside

packages.

But real history confirms much of this. When King Henry VI (1421-1471)

of England asked about the origin of English Freemasonry, he was told

it originated with the Phoenicians, and that one Peter Gower of Groton

learned of this, spread it to France and then to England. This clearly

is an Anglicized pronunciation of Pythagoras of Crotona as he was

described in ancient French. The King also learned it developed in the

East, then in Greece, Egypt and Syria and thence to France and from

there to England. This in turn links Freemasonry to the Dionysian

Architects, who had (1000 BC) a structure like modern Masonry, and who

were, legend tells us, used to build King Solomon's Temple (which is

largely featured in Masonic degrees). They were also used in the great

Christian cathedrals. The early Christian Church had a system of

degrees, like Craft Masonry. As Charles Heckthorn has stated, by

syncretic evolution, we therefore find in modern Freemasonry its roots

in ancient India, Egypt, Jewish and Christian ideas and ideas, of the

Renaissance and the Enlightenment. Such is the chessboard and the

pieces in it. They are meaningful.

        Initiation is found in all of the antecedents of Freemasonry,

        and it is the crucial experience to modern Freemasonry. In

        its simplest form, the word means revelation of the basic

        principles, by means of rituals.

SPIRITUAL SECRETS

Those who have developed spiritually in Freemasonry suggest that the

idea of the chessboard and the pieces is a reference to a secret

teaching aimed at the effort to measure and to estimate

philosophically all the parts and proportions of the microcosm, and

that such knowledge could then be applied to the creation of the

perfect man.

Hall believed that Freemasonry was the vehicle by which the

all-inclusive old nature religions of the symbols of the Sun and Fire,

and the Ancient Mysteries, survived the advance of Christianity.

He argues that these old mysteries simply assumed all the trappings

and symbols of the new faith, and then went underground in the face of

the orthodoxy promulgated by the Council of Nicea (325 AD) which led

to the destruction of all ancient Schools and all their written

documents and symbols that could be found. Interpretations of the

recently rediscovered records of the Essenes seem to confirm this, as

do records of Rosicrucianism and even of Freemasonry itself. What is

clear now is that within and behind the Mysteries of Freemasonry "lie

hidden the long-lost arcane sought by all peoples since the genesis of

human reason", as Hall suggested. Pike was correct in seeing in modern

Freemasonry the ruins of a former gigantic global system for spiritual

unfoldment, there for all who can dig beneath the rubbish of the ages

and discern true meanings.

In a letter to Robert Gould, Pike wrote: "It began to shape itself to

my intellectual vision into something more imposing and majestic,

solemnly mysterious and grand. It seemed to me like the pyramids in

their loneliness, in whose yet undiscovered chambers may be hidden,

for the enlightenment of coming generations, the sacred books of the

Egyptians, so long lost to the world; like the Sphinx half buried in

the desert. In its symbolism, as in its spirit of brotherhood and its

essence, Freemasonry is more ancient than any of the world's living

religions. It has the symbols and doctrines which, older than himself,

Zarathrusta inculcated; and it seemed to me a spectacle sublime, yet

pitiful - the ancient Faith of our ancestors holding out to the world

its symbols once so eloquent, and mutely and in vain asking for an

interpreter And so I came at last to see that the greatness and

majesty of Freemasonry consist in its proprietorship of these and its

other symbols; and that its symbolism is its soul. "

This is a far cry from the literalists and the de-bunkers and those

whose history begins only in 1717. While the Ancient Egyptian temples

are now broken and deserted, the spirit of their philosophy is alive

in Freemasonry. So is the philosophy of numbers developed by

Pythagoras, along with the ceremonies of Ancient Greece. So too are

the values of the Vedas though their sanctuaries are in ruins.

Zoroaster speaks to us, and so do the echoes of many initiatory bodies

including the Templars and the Rosicrucians. Even the prototype of

Masonry, in the order of the Red Branch of Eri from Ireland from 1600

BC, is present. Such is the strength of Freemasonry that these ancient

guides are still with us and still able to influence us.

         Perhaps the most powerful symbols are those of the rebuilding

         of the earthly Temple after great disasters, and the

         unfinished spiritual Temple upon which we all labor.

THE TECHNIQUES OF INITIATION

Just as we have seen the techniques which an individual Mason is

expected to use in the self-development which is required, the daily

advancement of Masonic knowledge, so too there are other techniques

for spiritual unfoldment. Some are revealed so as to re-inforce that

individual development. Some are special techniques of initiation, and

some are the techniques of the Lodges, which lie at the heart of the

Masonic experience.

Initiation is found in all of the antecedents of Freemasonry, and it

is the crucial experience to modern Freemasonry. In its simplest form,

the word means revelation of the basic principles, by means of

rituals. As with all such bodies, solemn oaths are required so that

the esoteric knowledge is protected and reserved for those who are

deemed worthy, and those who demonstrate by their lives and actions

that they value the various steps, which are termed "degrees".

Those who balk at the secrecy which surrounds these ceremonies should

remember that the perspective of Freemasonry covers the total human

experience of spiritual unfoldment, and that it has learned by bitter

and sad experience to be able to survive all manner of disasters in

order to preserve essential truths needed by questing mankind. That

perspective covers such catastrophes as the Flood, Rome's defeat of

Ancient Greece, the collapse of Ancient Egypt, the extirpations caused

by the Council of Nicea, the collapse of the Roman Empire and the Dark

Ages, the destruction of the Knights Templar, and in more recent

times, the Fascist, National Socialist and Communist revolutions.

In each age, somewhere in the world, and sometimes in the whole of the

known world, dark forces seek to destroy bodies such as Freemasonry,

to remove enlightenment from mankind. Freemasonry has taught what it

is to be a man, and the meaning of freedom and self-direction. The

oaths of secrecy are not idly required, but guarantees of continuity.

What is here described then breaches no oaths, but records that which

is widely and readily available in published material for the

discerning. The basic Craft Lodges, colloquially known as "Blue

Lodges", have three degrees (Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and

Master Mason) based on initiatory experience related to enlightenment.

These solemn and noble ceremonies guide men through the great cycles

of youth, maturity and death, and here the initiate finds echoes of

the Egyptian "Book of the Dead", which is really concerned with

bringing forth by day that which is normally realized too late, if at

all, when man is overtaken by transition. This is a generic experience

of ritual rebirth into a new state. It is a very old technique to have

the candidate re-enact the experience of a great hierophant, to awaken

the soul and transform the individual so that the true self speaks and

is nourished. There are many other aspects to these rituals, which use

the individual techniques already described.

A key element is the Temple of Solomon, whose name signifies light,

glory and truth. He is presented as an archetype of universal wisdom,

and his Temple as "the House of Everlasting Light", which introduces

the discerning Mason to the hierarchical orders of the architectural

metaphor, previously noted.

The most conspicuous symbols of Freemasonry at this stage are the

seven liberal arts and sciences, once the realm of universities and

now scattered and dismembered into separate departments, which rarely

speak to each other.

Those are grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry, music and

astronomy. Even if a Mason does no more, this education will equip him

to cope with virtually all of life's problems, relying on the other

tools of individual self- development already inculcated. Perhaps the

most powerful symbols are those of the rebuilding of the earthly

Temple after great disasters, and the unfinished spiritual Temple upon

which we all labor.

Solomon inspires the Mason to mental, spiritual, moral and physical

Illumination. This unleashes in the thoughtful Mason a lifelong

process to that end.

      The great symbolic Masonic hero Hiram Abif, the architect of

      the Temple, killed by three ruffians for refusing to divulge

      the secrets of the Craft, is the symbol of universal action.

      Together they are the basic triad of concept, causation, and

      manifestation, which ancient philosophers called the Triune

      Foundation of the Universe.

THE TECHNIQUES OF THE LODGE

The initiated man is entered as a Fellow Craft and in due course

becomes privy to the tasks of the Master Mason. In this process and

thereafter, the Freemason becomes aware of the techniques of the Lodge

in the task of spiritual unfoldment.

First, there is the task of working together in harmony with many

diverse persons, seen as brothers; the pursuit of the basic ideals of

developing brotherly love; the practical relief of human suffering

including compassion to the widows and orphans and all the

unfortunate; and the lifelong challenge to search honestly for the

truth. Kipling, in his eloquent stories and poetry about the British

Raj in India, for example, makes it plain that the Masonic Lodge was

the only place where a man could meet and transcend the divisions of

race, caste, religion, social order, and all that divides men in the

outer world.

It soon dawns on the Mason that the Lodge is precisely, as it is said

in the published rituals, a working miniature of the Universe. As men

work in the processes of the Lodge and as they progress through the

various offices they realize that the whole structure focuses around

the centrality of the Creator, termed the Great Architect of the

Universe. The whole Lodge system becomes an eloquent philosophical

statement about the redemption of the human soul, which is of great

assistance to each Mason in the spiritual unfoldment which he desires.

Using the analogy of the three Grand Masters of the Lodge of Jerusalem

while building a Temple, there is a black-and-white chequered pavement

to signify the vagaries of life. The Worshipful Master (King Solomon)

represents the eternal and unchanging principle of the Great Architect

of the Universe. Hiram, King of Tyre, who helped to build the Temple,

represents that energy and those resources from the world of cause and

effect. The great symbolic Masonic hero Hiram Abif, the architect of

the Temple, killed by three ruffians for refusing to divulge the

secrets of the Craft, is the symbol of universal action. Together they

are the basic triad of concept, causation, and manifestation, which

ancient philosophers called the Triune Foundation of the Universe. The

ritual, the hammers or gavels, speak of the divine power over all

aspects of creation.

The joint working in the Lodge takes place in the framework of the

cardinal points. Light streams in from the east, south and west, but

the north is universally symbolic of the ignorance and chaos which

plague mankind: the place of darkness. But in the Lodge the initiated

sit on all sides, spreading light, and we are reminded of the

universality of the principles which guide us. The ruffians who killed

Hiram Abif represent the forces of the twine principles of the

inferior world, forever seeking to destroy the operation of the

dimensionless and limitless force of the Spirit which the Great

Architect sent to shape creation into the intended habitat of

everlasting life. In all, the total reminds us we are tied to what the

Vedas call the Wheel of Life, or the Wheel of Existence. Such,

according to thinkers such as Hall, Pike and Waite, is the spiritual

technology embodied in the operations of the Craft Lodge. Beyond this

lie the further lessons of the additional degrees.

      This is the meaningful aim of the spiritual techniques: to

      merge the human with the Divine Consciousness and being able to

      know as God knows. The illustrative prototypes in all the great

      Mystery Schools have been shown as exemplars to indicate this

      process.

LIGHT BEYOND THE CRAFT

Beyond the "Blue Lodges", there opens up to the searcher for more

light an immense structure of additional degrees, with two basic

branches. One branch is the York Rite, which is a series of

historically independent orders and Rites (Royal Arch Masons, Allied

Masonic Degrees and the Sovereign Great Priory of Knights Templar)

which are basically either initiatory or dependent on prior

achievements. They either explore further the Temple theme, or explore

the Enoch legend, or explore a wide range of historic degrees.

Here the attention is individual, and the techniques for spiritual

unfoldment are applied both individually and in the Lodge setting.

These experiences, which are intended to be sequential, culminate in

the Masonic versions of the tests and vigils of the Templars. From

published material these are perhaps the most moving and spiritually

significant of the whole York Rite group.

The second branch is that of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite

(which is really French and European in origin). By contrast to the

York Rite, it is a gigantic coherent structure in three interlocked

bodies (Lodges of Perfection, Chapters of Rose Croix, and the

Consistory) giving an addition 29 degrees. These are more in the

nature of guided classes, like an on-going university structure, which

explore the further implications of the Temple motif, then pursue the

Rosicrucian tradition, and beyond that trace virtually the whole

history of human experience with esoteric matters right down to the

present day! The rituals again use the same pattern of techniques, to

give appreciation of the vast structure of syncretism and distilled

experience, which constitutes Freemasonry, and the history of mystery

schools.

In addition, there are other bodies which explore the chivalric

traditions (Tabernacles of Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests, the

Conclaves of the Red Cross of Constantine, the Order of the Secret

Monitor, and the Royal Order of Scotland) mainly invitational and in

certain cases such as the last, decidedly mystical. There are also

bodies such as the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia which use valuable

old rituals from the German Rosicrucians. The Royal Order of Scotland,

also embodying the ancient Order of the Thistle, is apparently a

direct continuation of the Scottish Templars, about 1320. All have

valuable insights and commentaries on the basic themes enunciated in

the Craft Lodges.

     "Get knowledge; get wisdom; but with all thy gettings, get

      understanding". That gift depends on Spiritual Light, and that

      in its turn depends on the ardour of those who deserve it: and

      their knowledge and use of the ancient techniques to good

      effect.

SPIRITUAL UNFOLDMENT

As Wilmhurst (1980) so wisely said: "It is a fallacy to suppose that

the multiplying of degrees will result in the discovery of important

arcane secrets which one has failed to find in the rites of the Craft.

. . "

At various points in the various rituals certain Masonic secrets are

hinted at, the search is encouraged, and certain substitute meanings

are presented.

Very soon, the diligent spiritual explorer realizes that the only

secrets worth the bother are those which must be experienced and which

cannot be communicated, but which discover themselves in the

fundamental personal consciousness of the earnest seeker, who is able

to see beyond the curtain of impressive ceremonial, -and to translate

spiritual experience. The basic degrees in fact present all the four

stages of human spiritual regeneration.

This is what was meant by "squaring the circle". In other words, a

metaphor for the transmutation by spiritual unfoldment of all parts

and faculties of the candidates being and organism into a new quality

of life and a higher and better order of life than prior to the

experiences of Masonic life. The first three degrees lead up to the

necessity of "mystical death" (to 'come forth by day' as the Ancient

Egyptian texts have it), and the Royal Arch continues that, to present

the apotheosis which can result: a new and more intense and meaningful

life, and the higher degree of consciousness which can result. This is

the meaningful aim of the spiritual techniques: to merge the human

with the Divine Consciousness and being able to know as God knows. The

illustrative prototypes in all the great Mystery Schools have been

shown as exemplars to indicate this process. We think of Osiris,

Bacchus, Baldur, Mithra and Hiram Abif.

In essence, Freemasonry has preserved, through sixteen centuries,

those spiritual techniques which were ignored by the organized

churches as they departed from their true realm to become first an

impersonal state religion, and then a world temporal power and then by

stages disintegrative, and then displaying only the husk of the

heritage while the kernel was preserved elsewhere against centuries of

cruelty, intellectual tyranny and the oppression of the light. The

Mason argues for "The Path of Light" (Via Lucis) as opposed to "The

Path of Crucifixion" (Via Crucis). He is expected to demonstrate his

principles in life, in action, not sitting in a cell.

And so writers such as Hammond, Hall, Pike and Wilmshurst have argued

that the evident techniques in the Masonic discipline for the

divinization of Man are no accident. They come with authentic

historical credentials. They are essential to mankind. The literalists

and conformists may yet win, but if so, it will be a hollow victory.

As Wilmshurst said: "It remains with the Craft itself whether it shall

enter upon its own heritage as a lineal successor of the Ancient

Mysteries and Wisdom teaching, or whether, by failing to do so, it will

undergo the inevitable fate of everything that is but a form from

which its native spirit has departed. "

Should this occur, the stream will simply go underground to re-emerge

with renewed vigor to help mankind. Hopefully, Freemasons are wise

enough to continue the task which they have honestly inherited. The

techniques it uses for spiritual unfoldment are tested, tried and

true: and they derive from the oldest traditions of the Ancient

Mysteries known to mankind.

        "Get knowledge; get wisdom, but with all thy gettings, get

        understanding". That gift depends on Spiritual Light, and

        that in its turn depends on the ardour of those who deserve

        it: and their knowledge and use of the ancient techniques to

        good effect.

References

Hall, Manly, P.(1977): THE SECRET TEACHINGS OF ALL AGES: The Philosophical

Society: San Francisco

Hall, Manly, P. (1984): LECTURES ON ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY. The Philalethes

Society: San Francisco

Hammond,William, E.(1939): WHAT MASONRY MEANS: Macoy: Richmond, Va.

Pearson, Norman (Editor) and Pearson, N. et. al (Contributors) (1997):

LIGHT BEYOND THE CRAFT IN CANADA:

Lux Quaro

Chapter, The Philalethes Society: London, Ontario, Canada

Pike, Albert (1877): MORALS & DOGMA. The Ancient and Accepted Scottish

Rite: Charleston, South Carolina

Tolstoy, Alexei: WAR & PEACE Wilmshurst, Walter Leslie (1927): THE MEANING

OF MASONRY. London: Crown

Publishing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                  Journey of the Soul

                    BY PAMELA BARNES

In the Beginning there was ONE. Why the Separation came .... I know

not. From where came the belief of Good and Evil... I know not. Who

told us we were naked and should feel shame... I know not.

Suddenly, we were each alone... looking at ourselves and our brothers

in Fear. The burden of that fear became very heavy, and over time I

began to surround my soul, the very essence of my true self, with

armor. Each sheet was painstakingly put in place to insulate against

the arrows of pain and the spears of sorrow that I could not tolerate

in my isolation.

In the darkness of the night my soul cried out to the Source, and in a

dream state I saw the brilliance of the Grail shining in the distance

with a winding path leading to it. The signpost on the path said: The

Path of Self Knowledge. This is the path I must take .... there is no

turning back once one has glimpsed the Grail. The way is hard. But as

I pass through the fierceness of the storms of my mind and peer into

the blackness of the cavern of my heart, a golden spark is emitted

from one of the facets of the Grail. It pierces the armor surrounding

my soul, and from this tiny crack a spark of golden light, just as

brilliant as the Grail itself, comes forth! It gives me the desire and

the power to keep searching the deep valleys and the narrow paths of

self. As I do, the armor crumbles away, bit by bit, and the light

becomes brighter and more powerful. Suddenly, I KNOW ... I AM THE

GRAIL. The path, which had seemed to twist and turn, is just a

circular path back to the beginning from which I came. The only

separation that has occurred has been from the armor of my own making.

Each day as I continue to tear down the walls around my soul and

rejoice in who I really am, the Fear is replaced with Love for myself

and for my brothers. FOR WE HAVE NEVER REALLY WALKED ALONE .... WE ARE

ONE.

"Where the Threads of Science, Tradition and Spirituality

Converge in Total Health and Wellbeing"

A Masonic Perspective

THE REAL MILLENNIAL PROBLEM:

NEW PARADIGMS, OLD ROADBLOCKS

by

Norman Pearson, Ph.D., DBA

THE MILLENNIUM COMPUTER PROBLEM

While there is undoubtedly a computer 'Millennium bug' problem of gigantic and disturbing proportions, the real millennial problem is nothing less than a clash between new paradigms and old roadblocks. Certainly the computer is impressive, and the problem is of low technology. Edward Yardeni of Deutsche Morgan Grenfall, Inc. points out that, while we like to think software programming is high technology, it is really low technology: millions of lines of code with no footprints to follow. Many computers will read 2000 as 1900. Massive malfunctioning is forecast, and if any link to the date in the larger system is not corrected, the whole system is in peril. Nuclear reactors, fortunately, are safe, because their functions are analog, not digital. But their inventory systems and safety systems are not. So there will be blackouts in grid systems worldwide, with problems and corrupted information in satellites, telecommunications and traffic control systems, aircraft, missiles and defense installations. Banking, accounting and marketing will also cause problems for small businesses. Asian banks will be very vulnerable because they use an out-dated IBM system bearing the chilling title of 'iron safe.' The testing time will be September 9, 1999, because 9999 is a familiar computer code for shut-down. Yardeni argues that there is therefore a 60% chance of a 1973-scale recession, in the year 2000.

But there are more significant millennial issues. In the first place, the year 2000 computer problem is symbolic of the short-term thinking, particularly in engineering and finance, which believes that major issues which are easily handled now, at a price, can be left to the wisdom of unknown Posterity, which unfortunately may not have either the lead time or the resources to resolve it in due course. They may even decide that what was easily resolved at a price 40 years ago is a completely unmanageable problem now and that, in some instances, cannot be solved at any price, because time has run out. Procrastination is both the thief of time and the repository of lost opportunities. When the ancient mystics said "Do it now! Leave not to the morrow what this day can accomplish," they spoke a fundamental truth and a truly valuable insight.

MILLENNIAL IRRATIONALITY

Added to this is the characteristic, basic irrationality of millennial change. This is a peculiarly Western fixation. There having been no year zero, the real millennium is 2001, but that will not deter deranged religious lunatics from repeating the manias that affected Western Europe from the year 1000 to the year 1033. However, large tracts of the world will look on in amazement and wonder what all the fuss is about. For example to the Chinese, changes in the century are more important and a lot easier to pronounce than the millennium; and in any case, 2000 is an auspicious year: the year of the Dragon. Similarly, Japan is unmoved by millennial mania. South-East Asia is much more concerned about economic survival. The Philippines only celebrate the year as the 100th Anniversary of their freedom from Spain. Thailand, in fact, already celebrated its second millennium in 1954 - 1955. In the world of Islam it is the year 1420, and, apart from the annual Ramadan, has no other significance. In the Jewish calendar, it is the 58th century, and the bad news was announced by the prophets thousands of years ago. The real anomaly is Russia, spanning 11 time zones; and being partly on the Julian calendar and partly on the Gregorian calendar; it also has the custom of two stiff toasts to the new year, thus offering 22 occasions for New Year in one day, which virtually guarantees an alcoholic haze while all the main frames of central planning finally shut down, and Russia awakens to total disaster and rebuilding from ground zero.

As the Hale-Bopp suicides and various cults indicate, the irrationality, particularly as amplified by the media, in conjunction with computer nightmares, will reach new heights of bad taste and even worse television. With nerves of steel and a strong stomach we can no doubt survive the madder aspects of' apocalyptic irrationality. For those who wish to tackle the unenviable task of answering back (which should be avoided), look at Chapter 20 of the Book of Revelations, where two 1000-year spans are foreseen. One will be turbulent and dark, the other, should you believe in the Messiah, will, after the second coming, be blessed and happy. After 50 years in the planning profession, I recognize that in all these visions the precise dates are best kept vague and hidden, while the symphony of light and dark plays on.

DEAD IDEOLOGIES

The 2000 computer problem will also expedite the trash heap of dead ideologies. It is an indication of a more basic shift from the centralized main frame to the decentralized lap top computer, and new network organizations, and the emergence of the age of the sovereign individual, where people have a chance to reach their full potentiality. It is a symbol of the death-throes of the bankrupt ideology which Americans call 'liberalism' and the rest of the world calls 'The English Disease.' The French writer, Bastiat, called the welfare state "...that great fiction by which each man believes he has the right to live at his neighbor's expense with no adverse consequences to himself..." There is a very basic shift, driven by the ideals of the American Revolution, as well as by American technology and economics, away from the centralized, collectivist and statist vision of society epitomized by Marxism, Maoism, Fascism and George Orwell's book '1984,' and toward the freedom of the Internet - the new decentralized information network - and the emergence of the age of individuation.

TRANSITIONAL RUTHLESSNESS

The old roadblocks and enemies of mankind's progress are still there: intolerance fanaticism, envy, prejudice and injustice. In this transitional period, a new enemy has arisen: total ruthlessness, or what the poet called 'man's inhumanity to man.' Corporate and social networks are slashed, cruel indifference becomes the order of the day, compassion and charity are forgotten, and finally the poor and unfortunate are blamed simply for being poor and unfortunate. But this time there is no Western Frontier, no Australia to which to send them: they remain. In an increasingly polarized society, the rich enjoy getting richer and many withdraw into a cocooned life of walled communities, self-congratulatory ideologies, and the pretense that really there are no problems; meanwhile, the welfare state collapses and the bureaucracies are hollowed out. Such attitudes guarantee unrest and upheaval.

Many of these are persons who do not like to interact with people and rely too heavily on computers. There is increasing evidence of computer 'bloat' - too many unused functions on the everyday machines. There is also ample evidence of the consequences of this reliance. A 1996 survey of 360 companies by the research group, Standish Group International, Inc. found that 42% of corporate information technology projects were abandoned before completion. The bigger projects failed more often and more spectacularly. Since the USA spends some $250 billion a year on these projects, this is a waste of about $105 billion annually. Obviously, in what is euphemistically called the interface (i.e. dealing with actual people) there is a great future for the human service providers who combine 'high-tech' and 'high-touch.' Indeed, this new trend is now called 'de-engineering' as the surprising discovery is made that people are, after all, people.

THE REAL MILLENNIAL PROBLEMS

The real millennial problems, however, are not these obvious ones. They transcend all sectors, and will transform: education, human services, communications, organization and management. The task is a challenging one for the scholar-practitioner, because it is nothing less than the re-conceptualization and then the subsequent re-organization of practically everything. Nor are the answers known. We face nothing less than the increasing obsolescence of the industrial age models, and the creation of new models for the age of information and knowledge. The real millennial problem is the search for new and workable paradigms.

These real problems can be quite readily listed:

(1) Privacy, human dignity, freedom, equality before the law, and gender equality;

(2) Water shortages, soil degradation, and environmental mismanagement;

(3) The race between Asian deflation and the potential for the greatest economic boom mankind has ever seen;

(4) The intellectual struggle to produce new models for a New Era in time to be useful;

(5) Individual management of lives and wealth, as jobs vanish and autonomy and free exchange become dominant: each person as a business;

(6) The continuing revolution as computers move from the business-development phase to the consumer-use phase;

(7) The rapid emergence of the network organizational model, and massive resistance to change;

(8) Leadership, self-actualization and the right-brain revolution;

(9) Scattering populations and the challenges to Suburbia and metropolis.

THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN VALUES

The most fundamental challenge will be that of securing the rights of privacy, human dignity, freedom, equality before the law, and gender equality. Huge sections of the world are virtually slave-camps. Many powerful cultures degrade women. Non-objective law is everywhere. America is the key to this global problem. Most of America's failures in these areas are simply due to a profound honesty: at least the issues are on the table here, and being worked on.

It is fashionable today in America to decry the great intellectual and moral foundations which led colonial Englishmen to liberate themselves and to become Americans. I am, as an Englishman and a Canadian, not a destroyer. America is an idea which is implicit; it is an idea which is still unfolding. It will yet survive the moral and cultural nihilists in the universities, and the popular culture and the media who seek to destroy the foundations, and start again from the ground up. America is about becoming; and that may be the key to the emerging paradigm shifts.

Social Science argues that my profound admiration and respect for the generic roots of America are simply conditioned. Some of my ancestors, 500 years ago, were Sephardim who fled from the Spanish Inquisition and became ardently English. I was educated at the Oliver Cromwell Durham University where we understood regicide and republicanism, as well as the key documents of America. I also know precisely how and when I became a North American by two transformational moments in my life: both were during the time of the Korean War when I was training as a crewman with the Royal Air Force. One was traveling through the endless perspective of the rolling hills of Wyoming, going seemingly to infinity, and subsequently following the Mormon Trail to Salt Lake City. The other was in the same year in Washington, D.C. standing at the Capitol Rotunda viewing the key documents at the fountain-head of freedom, from the Magna Carta to the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence, and wondering why tears were streaming from my eyes. But I do not think it was any kind of conditioned relativism. It was, and has been, the appreciation of what America is and can be. That appreciation is, at root, a grasp of what constitutes the philosophical, ethical, and moral foundations of the paradoxical freedoms we enjoy here. Those foundations are not taught today, setting the stage for what Tom Wolfe called "The Great Re-Learning."

THE GREAT RE-LEARNING

In essence, this has been the century of the totalitarians who wanted to throw out everything and begin again. What Dostoyevsky called "The Horrible Simplifiers" - the Fascists, the Marxists, the Maoists - they have also had their intellectual allies in our educational system. They have produced young people who get along with each other, who are decent, who are good-hearted, fair-minded, and compassionate: but they wander around in a haze of illiteracy and total moral confusion, ignorant of the Western Tradition and its history. This is the fog of cognitive moral confusion; it is a disaster.

It raises the need for "The Great Re-Learning." Dr. Christina Hoff Sommers, a philosopher from Clark University, argues that we live in a moral Stone Age, and we need a paradigm shift to bring back the great books and the great ideas, and to be unafraid to transmit our noble cultural and political heritage, and to teach youth to value, respect, understand and protect the institutions which gave us the huge potential of our free and democratic society. That is a major paradigm shift directed squarely at our educational system: it is the basis for all else. There is no nobler calling than that of such a teacher. We must stop the folly of starting again from the Stone Age. My generation fought for these values: they are crucial to the next millennium. We do not need a new self-induced barbarism, or the collapse of America internally, and we must fight it. The unspoken foundation block which many young people do not accept, is Kant's 'Principle of Humanity': the unique dignity and of each human being and each human life. I hope to see the day when we no longer use euphemisms calling killers and thieves 'morally challenged,' calling looters 'non-traditional shoppers', calling mass-murderers 'ethnic cleansers;' and where such foundation codes as the Ten Commandments, or their equivalent in other cultures, are not referred to as 'ten highly-tentative preferences and purely optional suggestions.' This is a much-needed and highly beneficial paradigm shift for the next millennium, and it is most certainly not what radical chic calls 'politically correct' - which is a Marxist term for trendy dictatorial conformity and the destruction of language as a tool for thinking and solving real problems by the use of the mind.

TOWARDS NEW FOUNDATIONS

That kind of paradigm shift will be hard fought and it will transform our educational system back into a coherent system for the transmission of these cultural imperatives and into a new shape and form. Allied with this will be a re-affirmation of the family, whether traditional or surrogate, nuclear or extended, individual or co-operative. Some of my graduate students over the years have outlined that, in every major advanced society, several hundred pieces of social legislation and policies aimed at the diabolical task of destroying family and related institutions have been enacted, thus leaving people as separated social atoms dependent on the state. Parental duty and responsibility have been shifted to the educational system and to the manifold Institutions of these States. Small wonder then, that in the central cities, the main effective institutions are criminal, and that in the suburbs, nice children shoot people they do not like. Some critics have argued that inevitably this has led to certain professions - particularly in human services - cleaning-up the mess of low self-esteem, broken lives, health systems that subsidize disease, food banks, welfare systems, and volunteer organizations facing impossible odds. We will need: to rebuild parental, biological, social, and cultural duties; to help reconstruct battered or absent community institutions; and to change policing from a para-military model into a model of safeguarding citizens, communities, and societies with public support - and social isolation for the pathological criminality which now makes up what Lord Rees-Mogg called: "the imperial culture of the slums".

The restoration of social foundations, and the encouragement of self-management in upward mobility will liberate the human services and helping professions from the increasing definition of everybody as being in need of care, to a role based on individual needs. The best analogy is the transformation of the health system from industrial-age batch processing of people in doctors' offices and centralized hospitals, into an individually and family-oriented set of services more on the model of the almoner - the family and personal friend and visitor, and the wellness-hotel, providing a wide array of alternative aids to long life, well-being, health and happiness.

Such are some of the fundamental paradigm shifts.

THE MILLENNIAL CHALLENGES

On the foundation of human values we will need all our wits to deal with the real challenges of the millennium.

Obviously, with the eventual stabilization of global population lying well into the next century, and the parallel development of Asia and Africa into the industrial age, while the advanced nations move into the computer age, there will be huge issues of water shortages, pressures on wild lands and wildlife for food production, environmental degradation and general mismanagement. The water issue is really critical. I feel this because Canada has one-third of all the fresh water on the globe, and the USA wants it. I also feel it strongly because in 1953 I accepted a post as regional planner for the Jordan Valley Authority, modeled on the Tennessee Valley Authority, and I am still awaiting my first pay check 45 years later. The great intellectual challenge is to learn how to do responsible environmental management before the environmental wars erupt.

Allied to this is the race between deflation, which is affecting Asia, or about 35% of the global economy, and what Kondratieff and Harry Dent have called the '80-year cycle,' which brings with it the potential, in the first decade of the new century, for the greatest economic boom in human history. As we have seen, it might be preceded by the computer-generated recession. Either way, it will be a surprise. We are not prepared for either. There are no plans for the boom. We have no capacity to repeat the Keynesian experiments if there is a depression. I do however, have one client who is planning for the next 360 years; they may be ready.

Behind this all is the real challenge to the scholar-practitioner: to produce the conceptual model of the New Era in time to be useful. Japan, Inc. perfected the industrial age model - just when it was no longer needed. Most of our management textbooks are useless.

There is also a huge educational challenge. Each person is going to have to take charge of their own life and become a business. There could be a permanent shift to individual wealth on a grand scale as people learn how to handle personal investment, and leverage the potential of the New Era.

A new era of business integrity and honesty is possible as the market becomes all-pervasive. How we live and work is about to change fundamentally, more than at any other time in human history: computer power will vastly expand; the mass of the computer will diminish; computers will evolve into simple, cheap, reliable, user-friendly and quality products; there will be a vast expansion of the Internet's bandwidth and computer literacy. This will be the real increase in productivity and decrease in cost that has been forecast for so long.

The new network model of organization will develop more rapidly than its theoretical base. This will generate a great need for futures-oriented research, as well as for well-trained theoreticians. Organizations will have leaders in central management, highly specialized and expert back-up professionals, local front-line support, and skilled front-line generalists corresponding to field sales and services. This is so far the only means we have for combining cost efficiencies, craftsmanship and quality, and personalized service. The corollary is that everyone will need to re-evaluate their lives and to re-invent themselves.

In that process there will be a very dramatic shift from the left-brain mechanical processes of the to the assembly-line to the right-brain's creativity, synthesis, and on-going learning, with multiple careers. Computers will handle most of the linear, left-brain functions. Right-brain skills will now be added on top of left-brain human skills, for whole-brain development. The real promise of democracy and human freedom will then begin to unfold.

Finally, people will in due time be able to live where they want to live, at least in North America. This will be the next great migration: a kind of organized scattering of the population into 'exurbia.' People will know themselves and their infinite variety of needs better, and apply a list of criteria to judge where they want to live. Suburban conformity and metropolitan jungles will give way to new communities with big-city incomes in small-town environments. Ugliness will not be tolerated. There will be customized life-style communities; housing designs that combine the chance for privacy with the possibility of maximum human interaction; abundant open space; flexibility in home-design; planning for safety; key shared facilities; a strong infrastructure of communications; and prevalent beauty.

THE GREAT INSTAURATION

Francis Bacon saw America as a vision of what he called 'The Great Instauration,' and two centuries after the Revolution, it appears to me that gradually these renewed foundations will be rebuilt in the Third Millennium. As an example, America solved the conceptual problems of the great issues of gender, equality before the law, and the workings of the warlike propensities of the nation state at enormous costs, and in travails which are still working themselves out. It was Elizabeth Cady Stanton who amended the Declaration of Independence so that 'all men' became 'all men and women.' It took Lincoln and a bloody civil war to establish the conceptual issue that all individuals, whatever their pigmentation or origin, fall within Kant's 'principle of humanity.' It was the same conceptual journey from the Revolution via the Federalist papers to the War between the States which established that America was not going to be another patchwork of warring nation states like Europe. As we know from Africa, Russia, the Middle East, South-East Asia and the Balkans, these great lesson are not yet accepted universally. Nor are such values as free speech, religious tolerance, the principle of presumed innocence in courts, the rule of law, and equality before the law. It will be a further struggle to get beyond the idea of the individual as a chattel or as an asset of the state, to outgrow the nation state, to overcome the barriers of stereotypes and prejudice about gender, race and culture. From its newly secured foundations, it will be America's task, along with like-minded societies, to transform the basic human values into global values. This indeed will be the Great Transition, and Bacon's noble vision may yet become a world reality in the Third Millennium.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Davidson, Mike: (1998) THE TRANSFORMATION 0F MANAGEMENT: Butterworth Heinemann: Boston.

Dembo, Ronald S. and Andrew Freeman (1998) SEEING TOMORROW: McClelland and Stewart: Toronto

Dent, Harry S. :(1998) THE ROARING 2000's: Simon and Schuster: New York

Edvinsson, Leif and Michael S. Malone (1997)s. INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL: Harper Business: New York

Fisher, James R. (Jr.): (1995): THE WORKER ALONE: GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN: The Delta Group: Tampa, FL

Gibson, Rowan (Ed.) (1997): RETHINKING THE FUTURE : Nicholas Brealey Publishing : London.

Gilster, Paul: DIGITAL LITERACY : John Wiley and Sons, Inc. : New York

Hesselbein, Francis, Marshall Goldsmith & Richard Backhard: (1997) THE ORGANIZATION OF THE FUTURE: Jossey-Bass: New York

Martin, James (1985): THE GREAT TRANSITION: Amacon: New York

Tapscott, Ron (1996): THE DIGITAL ECONOMY: McGraw-Hill: New York

© copyright 1998. ARIADNE'S WEB TM, ISSN #1090-0328, is published by Rayeson Enterprises, Inc., 4287-A Beltline Road, #330, DALLAS, TX 75244, U.S.A. All rights reserved by Rayeson Enterprises, Inc.

"Old Tiler Talks" by Carl Claudy -1924

PROMOTION

The New Brother's face showed a bad case of peeve, and his voice reflected

it as he greeted the Old Tiler in the anteroom.

"S'matter, son?" inquired the Old Tiler. "You look like a cross between a

thunder cloud and the Black Hole of Calcutta!"

"Politics!" snapped the New Brother. "I thought it was bad form,

undignified, un-Masonic to electioneer for officers. It's bad enough any

time, but when they electioneer for one who isn't in line for promotion and

to throw out one who has served years in the chairs, I think it's terrible!"

"Yes, yes, go on," encouraged the Old Tiler. "Get it all out of your system."

"Tonight they elected Bill Jones Junior Warden. He doesn't attend

regularly, does he? And Smith, who was in line for promotion, was dropped.

Smith never missed a night last year and did his best as Senior Deacon.

Jones is more popular than Smith, and may make a better officer, but the

point is that Smith worked and Jones never has. So I'm peeved!"

"Wiser heads than yours have been peeved at politics in a lodge," answered

the Old Tiler. "It's a difficult question. By Masonic usage any

electioneering is taboo. The unwritten law and the theory contend for a

free choice of officers by unbiased votes. But men are men first and Masons

afterwards, and politics always have been played. I know of no way to stop

a brother from telling another brother how he ought to vote!"

"That doesn't dispose of the injustice of Smith," answered the New Brother.

"It isn't right."

"The majority thought it was right," countered the Old Tiler. "Now that

Jones has the job, I'll tell you that I knew Smith wouldn't get it. He has

been faithful to his work, never missed a night, done his best. But his

best just wasn't good enough. You speak of Jones being more popular than

Smith. There must be a reason, and if he is better liked he'll make a

better officer."

"But it is still an injustice." The New Brother was stubborn.

"You argue from the standpoint of the man who believes that a man elected

or appointed to be Junior Steward has a neck-hold on the job ahead of him,"

answered the Old tiler. "According to your idea any Junior Steward who

attends lodge and does his work ought to be elected to the succeeding

position each year as a reward of merit. Actually the job, not the man, is

important. The good of the lodge is more important than the reward for the

man.

"You don't realize that Masonry is bigger than the individual, that the

lodge is bigger than its officers, that the positions in line are greater

than the men who fill them.

"A Master may make or mar a lodge. If he is a good Master, well-liked,

popular, able, attentive to his duties and enthusiastic in his work, the

lodge goes forward. If only enthusiasm and faithfulness recommend him and

he lacks ability, and the respect and liking of his fellows, and he has not

the equipment to rule, the lodge will go backwards. Smith is a nice fellow,

faithful, enthusiastic. But he has more from the neck down than from the

ears up. Jones hasn't attended lodge much, but he is a brainy man,

accustomed to preside, knows men and affairs, and, if he bears out the

judgement of the brethren, will carry this lodge to new heights.

"Smith was given his chance for four years. In that time he could not

demonstrate to the satisfaction of his brethren that he would make a good

Master. It was a kindness to drop him now and not let him serve two more

years. It is hard to be told 'we don't want you,' but the lodge showed

wisdom in choosing as Junior Warden a man in whom it believes, rather than

merely rewarding faithful effort.

"I am sure the Master made a nice speech to Smith and thanked him for his

work. His brethren will show him they like him as a brother if not as a

Junior Warden. Smith will not be as peevish about it as are you. He has

been a  Mason long enough to know that the majority rule is the only rule

on which a Masonic lodge can be conducted. He won't understand his own

limitations, or believe he couldn't be as good an officer as Jones, but he

will bow to the decision of his fellows and keep on doing the best he can.

That is Masonry at its best. Politics is often Masonry at its worst, but in

the long run the right men get chosen to do the right work. Sometimes it is

a bit hard on the man, but the good Mason is willing to suffer for the love

he bears his mother lodge."

"As a peeve-remover you are a wonder!" smiled the New Brother. "But I

wonder how you'd like to be supplanted by another Tiler?"

"When the lodge can find a better servant, I shall be glad to go," answered

the Old Tiler simply. "I try to be a Mason first, and an Old Tiler

afterwards!"

Fraternally,

Carl Johnson, 32'

Burlington Masonic Lodge #254

GL of Washington F&AM

A&ASR, Valley of Bellingham

Orient of Washington

"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us, what we have done for

others and the world remains and is immortal. -Albert Pike

The Masonic Mailing list of Washington.

http://www.telebyte.com/masons/masons.html

               Southern California Research Lodge F&A.M.

                           FRATERNAL REVIEW

Editor - Ralph A. Herbold      (5-1-99)               No. 798

PROTOCOL From Ask Your Grand Lecturer (Craig S. Campbell) in the

January 1999 Wisconsin Masonic Journal:

To cross or not to cross -- Those of us who attended the annual

communication in June may remember a few fight moments when, on

several occasions, brethren approached the microphones by crossing the

floor between the altar and the Grand Master, and were resoundingly

razzed for doing so.

This raises the question -- why is it that brethren supposedly are not

to cross between the altar and the Master?

This is one of those long-standing "unwritten" rules. And although it

is an unwritten rule, it has flexibility, such as in the balloting

procedure, purging the lodge and portions of the ritual (e.g.

circumambulation).

'Me Masonic Service Association refers to a February, 1938 Short Talk

Bulletin that considers this tradition one of the ancient established

usages and customs of the Craft, and reason that Masons practice this

tradition because the Master is supposed to have the Great Lights

constantly in view. They further state that, in theory at least, he

draws inspiration from the altar to preside over the lodge and must

not, therefore, be prevented from seeing it at any time.

I believe that our adherence to that practice stems more from the

traditions and mandates emanating from the practices of medieval

religious customs, where lay-people were prevented from approaching

the presiding clergy, whose connection with the religious altar was

deemed sacred and holy, and should not be interrupted.

A similar situation developed as the custom enforced within the

operating kingdoms of medieval western Europe, where subordinates were

disallowed from approaching the king directly. This may have been more

for the king's safety than any religious inspiration, but quickly

became the norm of behavior while in the king's presence.

Since Freemasonry dates its earliest known existence in the later

stages of the Middle Ages, it is entirely possible that the practicing

Masons at that time carried forth the tradition of not crossing

between the altar and its presiding officer, the Worshipful Master. As

it is, we still carry on that tradition today.

As always, your questions and comments are always welcome.

LOGIC Gladstone had this to say about logic: Men are apt to mistake

the strength of their feeling for the strength of their argument. The

heated mind resents the chill touch and relentless scrutiny of logic.

"Rays of Masonry" by Dewey Wollstein -1953

FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR YOUNG MASONS

Often we hear criticism of a Mason, the recital of some act on

the part of a brother, which reflects upon the Craft as a whole.

For the most part, it seems to this writer that we are

over-critical of our brothers, but perhaps in this way we have

maintained a standard of moral excellence which is respected by

almost the entire world, with the exception of those who bow to

the dictates of tyrannical leaders, political or religious, and

are not permitted to see any good in the Mason or Masonry. In

these cases the critic does not own his own soul, so there is

little that can be done except to offer pity.

However, many times, the young Mason will talk with a non-Mason,

who is always willing to go to great effort to explain "why he

will not become a Mason." His purpose is to confuse the

candidate, or young Mason.

But note carefully. Generally, the person who makes such an

effort to discuss a subject of which he knows nothing, is one who

cannot enter the portals of our Institution. Many times he is the

fellow who judges according to standards which he cannot attain

for himself.

Let us understand well that there are men in every community who

represent in their lives the ideals and principles of Masonry,

but have never taken the degrees of Masonry. These men, however,

have the wisdom to refrain from discussing the subject with which

they are not conversant.

The best suggestion we can make to the young Mason is this- look

around you. Consider the character and lives of the men in your

community who are Masons. Many have known you since your

childhood days. Discuss Masonry with Masons.

list of sent out files

8/5/99      pathways      from Ariadene's web

8/8/99      Paul Bessel    Book review   Why some people hate FM

8/11/99     stb au99

8/8/99      Gallop.txt     Gallop poll about Kansas Creationst

8/15/99     attracted to Freemasonry  by John robinson's widow

8/16/99     STB-JL99      Masonic History---What's Needed

8/19/99     The Builder     from PSOC list serv

8/22/99     To_wait how long     Carl Claudy  1924

8/25/99     Lashing out    SCRL  bits from a page.

8/28/99     secrets  by claudy 1925    no PSOC

9/3/99      demitting     Tom Daugherty   1991

9/11/99      Keeper        Carl Claudy  1924     wPSOC

9/15/99      ideal              "                "

9/17/99     library             "                 "

9/22/99     Attendance          "                 "

9/27/99     He found out        "                 "

10/3/99     The Modern Cowan     Floran Quick + the 50s humor

10/7/99     Country Lodge

10/11/99    promotion                + rays- Benefit of our young masons

10/15/99    Praying in lodge     STB-OC99

10/20/99    Responsibility  skip Boyer   from  PSOC

10/24/99    Judge not             Claudy

10/30/99    Get started  from PSOC    combine

 do        Guard our door     psoc     "

11/05/99    The Man as a Mason     Jackson

11/11/99                          STB-NO99

11/16/99    Disliked Petitioner     Claudy

11/20/99    Eye in the pyramid     Morris

11/25/99      ?

11/30/99            The rest of the story    webb

12/03/99            John the Baptist

12/07/99     Holy sts John

12/12/99    gold & Iron

12/13/99    STB DE99  Mighty Mlo

12/19/99     guffey  We are not alone

12/23/99    acting a chaplin

12/24/99    STB 1284  Ponsett

1/01/00     Whatisfm     what is freemasonry

1/06/00     Modern Knowledge & Ancient Wisdom    N Pearson

1/11/00     Foolish questions

1/14/00     STB-JA00    Houdini

1/20/00     Masonic Talk         Claudy      sof

1/25/00     SCRL  about Ritual vs. Eduction

1/30/00     Vouchers     Dains

2/5/00      masonry in business

2/10/00     The Corner Stone    from POSC

2/15/00     STB-FE00

2/20/00     Masonic Trivia

2/25/00     book on the altar

2/29/00     Ten Master Masons

3/4/00      the hitchicker

3/9/00      Masonic Libraries

3/14/00     Mirror Lodge

3/19/00     STB-mr00    Masonic Fire

3/23/00     books  from PSOC

3/27/00     outside activities

3/31/00     Corner Stones

4/4 /00     laughter

4/9 /00     Learning the work

4/14/00     Masonries Failure

4/19/00     On knowing names

4/26/00     STB-AP00       MASONIC STATUES IN DC

4/30/00     substitutes at funerals    claudy  & rays

5/5/00      The forgotten word  & rays

                (awaiting G:\)

           Atheist & Agnostic         claudy

           Advertising                claudy

           Corner stone               ?????

           Shooting the masonic gun   claudy

           masonic sts john           ?????   hold for early june

           subscriptions              claudy

               (in \sent-out)

           understanding              claudy

           jake                       herbold

           keepers of the door        claudy

           obligations and oaths      claudy

              (in Claudy file in E:\tse\ascii\)

           Preface

           failure

           Silk Stockings

           Ancient Landmarks

           do you study geometery

           for love or money

           in my heart

           order of demoly

           that athesist

           the better way

           the charity fund

           the masonry you make

           those symbols

           when laughter is sad

           when twice two is five

           why symbolsm

           work to do

           the pledge

           brotherly love

Brethren, several short selections from "The Northern Light"  May 99

are appropriate today.

                  VIEWS  FROM THE PAST

Quotations selected from the past may not necessarily

represent today's viewpoint

Dreams Don't Turn Gray

Speaking with a group of retired brothers, I suggested that since they

now had more time on their hands, they might consider going through

the chairs. One replied, "I may have been able to do that when I was

younger, but I couldn't do that now." I reminded them that "Pop"

Biesinger and others like him had served as Worshipful Master at the

age of 75, but they remained convinced that they were "too old."

I searched my files and found an article by Cynthia Freeman that I had

saved years ago. At the age of 55, Mrs. Freeman had switched from

being an interior decorator to becoming a successful writer. At the

time of the article, she had written seven novels, one a best seller.

What made me hold on to that article for so many years is what she

said about her journey:

"We must be willing to take chances, which means we must be prepared

to be wrong and to be rejected. But for God's sake, don't let the fear

of failure make you miss the thrill of trying. You know, all of us are

gifted in some unique way. All of us harbor some dream we never had

time to fulfill, some treasured hobby we never had enough time for.

Whether its writing or interior design, painting or caring for the

very young or the very old, there is in each of us the key to open the

door to the great need we have to acquire and bestow satisfaction.

Imagination is forever young; dreams don't turn gray.

From a message by Walter F Lokey 32* , in the Nov. 1998 newsletter for

the Valley of Wilmington, DE

and another

What Constitutes a Real Mason?

We as Masons have voluntarily and seriously dedicated ourselves to the

principles of Freemasonry. We should give more than perfunctory lip,

service if those principles are worthwhile. If they are not of value,

we should either make them so or devote ourselves to something that

is.

At once, we find that Masonry is something more than social good

fellowship. More than ritual. More than organized charity. It is a way

of living. A philosophy of life.

The ritual is said to be an allegorical representation of the course

of a man's life, beginning at his birth and portraying his attainment

of skill in his occupation, his acquisition of learning and wisdom,

his development of character, and, finally, his hope of immortality.

While authentic Masonry, as we now recognize it, started with the

organization of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717, it was in fact the

direct outgrowth of the bands of operative masons who for centuries

had been building the cathedrals and abbeys and fortresses and

highways of Europe.

More remotely, it was the outgrowth of the so called "Ancient

Mysteries." These were secret orders of men that are supposed to have

existed in every race and every age, no matter how remote in time or

space. They, like modem Masonry, are supposed to have been composed

exclusively of men, to have had a ceremony of preparation of the

candidate and reception into the lodge, and to have portrayed the

course of a man through his life. They also are supposed to have

sought to benefit the community by improving the characters of their

members and to have made life easier and richer for their members by

mutual aid and friendship.

When our ritual was written in the early 1700's, all the experiences

of all the ages, so far as then known, were drawn upon to afford

lessons in the art of wise and fine living. In a very real sense, the

teachings of Masonry offer the crystallized wisdom of mankind wrung

from centuries of experiment .and trial, of failures and triumphs, of

suffering and joy, in man's attempt to learn how to live with life.

Insofar as we identify ourselves with Masonry we are identifying

ourselves with an institution which, in one form or another, by itself

or its near and remote predecessors since the beginning of time, has

stood for the finer things of life.

No generation in all the history of the world has faced a more serious

responsibility than confronts the men and women of today, and, by the

same token, no one has ever had such an opportunity, such a challenge.

That challenge and that responsibility are personal. They cannot be

delegated. Or avoided. Or ignored. They are instant. Imperative. They

demand that we here and now rededicate and reconsecrate ourselves, and

our Grand Lodge, and our entire fraternity to our high calling.

For such is Masonry - ever a challenge, an invitation to a clearer

vision, a loftier aim, a braver struggle, a kinder and more unselfish

way of living. That is the significance of Masonry, and that is what

we as Masons should stand for if we would be real men.

As individuals we, and we alone, can cherish and preserve the tiny

morsel of the sacred fire which has been entrusted to each of us.

The choice rests with each of us as individuals.

- From an address by Joseph Earl Perry, 33* at the Feast of St. John,

Grand Lodge of Massachusetts,    Dec. 27,1935

Brothers All:  The newspaper headlines have been bothering me of

late and I want to share some thoughts with you. My wife won't

listen, so you are among the few who will!  Thanks....Skip Boyer,

Paradise Valley Silver Trowel #29, Phoenix, AZ

Does anyone remember at what point we mislaid the definition of

personal responsibility? If you are uncertain that it is lost,

pick up the morning paper in any U.S. city. I won't presume to

libel the other nations of the world.  Not long ago, the paper in

Phoenix featured a photograph of a young man attired in

prison-issue clothing and looking defiantly at the camera with a

decided smirk.  He had just been convicted of the drive-by

shotgun killing of two other teens. Arizona has the death

penalty, and, in this particular case, support for its

application was strong.

The judge, however, declared that he would not sentence the young

man to death.  It was not a protest against capital punishment or

anything like that. The judge reviewed the young man's family

background and decided that it hadn't been a bed of roses.  The

kid's family was dysfunctional, his father probably beat him, his

mother dressed him funny, etc. As a result, the boy was not

responsible for his actions. Not responsible for loading a

shotgun, driving to school, aiming the gun, pulling the trigger

and killing two youngsters whose skin color was different from

his own. Not responsible.

Hold that thought for just a moment while I introduce another

theme.

In the Paradise Valley Silver Trowel Lodge room, a rough-cut

stone block sits in the northeast corner of the Lodge. Not far

away is its smooth counterpart.  The two ashlars, rough and

perfect, are among the moveable jewels of the Lodge in this

jurisdiction. I understand that is not the case in other parts of

the world, where the ashlars are considered immovable.  I find

wisdom in that.  A Brother could hurt himself seriously trying to

prove either ashlar was moveable, you know? Anyway, as I was

brooding on this question of personal responsibility the other

evening, I started thinking about the rough ashlar. Here is a

stone, as yet unfit for the hands of the Master Builder.  Much

work must be done to chip away the imperfections before it is fit

for that house not built by human hands.

What I had not considered before, however, is the fact that much

has already been done for the rough ashlar to achieve even its

imperfect condition.  Before it was hewn from the quarry, it was

just part of a mass of stone-not unlike any one of us before we

accept the responsibility for our own actions, when we were just

part of the mob. Now, many people, I believe, will go through

their entire lives without a single original thought.  They move

with the crowd, dress in the right clothes, drive the right cars,

eat at the right places and never think one new thought.  Are

they responsible for their actions? Or is it the crowd, the mob.

Before its removal from the quarry, the rough ashlar was just

part of the crowd. Now, even in its rough form, it stands alone,

by itself, ready to accept responsibility for its own actions.

When we first knocked at the door of our Craft, we separated from

the crowd, to stand upon the first step of a Mason in the place

of the rough ashlar.  We have far to go to achieve anything close

to perfection, of course, but we have taken the first step. As

rough and unpolished as I am, I am responsible for my actions. As

Masons, we are all responsible for what we do.

If civilization and nations fail, I believe it will not

ultimately be the great issues of the time that will do it. It

will simply be the final admission that no one is responsible for

anything anymore.  I also believe that is why it is important

that Freemasonry survive, an anchor in dark times for the souls

of men. It's our responsibility, I think.

You know what the lectures say, now you'll hear

               THE REST OF THE MASONIC STORY

 Bro. Bill was initiated into Freemasonry some 3 months before his

21st birthday.  And only five years later, he was elected Master of

his Lodge. It didn't take long for Bro. Bill to become dissatisfied

with the lack of Masonic education and the poor ritual work in his

Lodge.  And he took it upon himself to do something about it.  He

decided he would become a competent Master on the subject of

Freemasonry.  In doing so, he would speak with the most experienced

Masons he could find, even with several from foreign countries.  He

convened square & compass meetings once or twice a week to discuss

the lectures and for mutual improvement.  After some time, he was

able to put to memory the entire First Degree lectures and made

several improvements of his own design.  Bro. Bill was even invited

to make a special presentation at the Grand Lodge demonstrating

what he had accomplished in improving the workings and education of

the Craft.  His popularity continued to rise such, that he was

invited to join and eventually became Master of Lodge No. 1,  the

premier Lodge in that Grand Lodge jurisdiction.   It should be

remembered, that Bro. Bill was still only in his twenties.

 By the time Bro. Bill reached his mid-thirties things were not

going quite as well as before.  His over-enthusiastic approach and

the pushiness of his character, had alienated some of his Masonic

associates.  They all clearly regarded him with affection and

appreciated his intellect, his organizing ability and contributions

to the Craft, but when balanced with other undesirable aspects of

his character, he was no longer a welcomed insider.  Bro. Bill had

been Master of Lodge No. 1 for 3 1/2 years, and feeling somewhat

un- appreciated, he had already decided not to run for re-election.

  On St. John the Evangelist day, a local clergyman and member of

the Fraternity invited the Brethren to a special St. John's Day

service.  Bro. Bill asked the Brethren to attend wearing their

aprons, jewels of office and white gloves.  Following the service,

they would then walk the short distance from the church to a nearby

house where a Festive Board was prepared.  This seemingly innocuous

act was, however, in direct contravention to a Grand Lodge edict

that directed "no parades or other public exhibitions of

Freemasonry could be conducted without the expressed approval of

the Grand Lodge."  The result was a sad period for the Fraternity.

Bro. Bill refused to acknowledge he had done anything wrong and was

eventually expelled from all Fraternal association by the Grand

Lodge for un- Masonic conduct.  Only 7 years earlier, Bro. Bill,

who appeared to have been on the threshold of a great future in the

Fraternity, now went back into the darkness for the sake of an

opinion which had become an obsession.

 Eleven years passed before Bro. Bill would settle his

disagreement with the Grand Lodge.  During this time, he had

changed his attitude and his life, although he still would not

admit he had been wrong in his actions.  But at long last, he had

grown up in his Masonic thinking and matured in his dealings with

people.  Bro. Bill went on to publish many more Masonic works and

became regarded as a true sage of the Craft.  When Bro. Bill was

76, he left his terrestrial Lodge No. 1 to join the Supreme

Architect of the Universe in that celestial Lodge No. 1 above.

 Bro. Bill's legacy remains with us each time a young brother does

his proficiency and each time the lectures are given in the three

degrees.  For the lecture and catechism system we use today is also

known as the "Prestonian" system, developed and promulgated in the

late 1700's by  Bro. William (Bill) Preston for the Mother Grand

Lodge of World, the Grand Lodge of  England.

And now you know -  the rest of the story.

                                       Bro. Jerry McKissack

                                                Arabian 882

Content contained herein was derived from

William Preston and His Work by Colin Dyer.

                              Brotherhood

In the lecture of the Entered Apprentice Degree the candidate is

reminded of the tenets of Freemasons - Brotherly Love, Relief, and

Truth. Tonight I want to focus on the first of these tenets - that is

on the concept of Brotherly Love and to do so within its Masonic

context. By the exercise of Brotherly Love, we are taught to regard

the whole human species as one common family - the high, the low, the

rich and poor who, as the creations of one Almighty Parent and as

inhabitants of the same planet, are sent into the world to aid,

support, and protect each other. On this principle, we are informed,

Free Masonry unites men of every country, sect, and opinion, and

conciliates true friendship among those who might otherwise remain at

a perpetual distance.

This beautiful passage of ritual clearly establishes the platform on

which we as Masons stand. It is Utopian in content, of course, and as

such it provides a setting wherein one may find the opportunity to

subjectively and pragmatically consider the meaning of the concept of

brotherhood. Some Masons hold to the belief that brotherhood should

permit and encourage diversity of opinion and thought. Others,

however, no less devout in their support of the fraternity, insist

that Masonry, in its purest form, is a system of rigid and well

defined human relationships that should never ever be transgressed.

This diversity of view is reflected in our society in many ways.

Dostoevski, the great Russian novelist, treated the issue of

brotherhood in depth in his account of the Brothers Karamazov, three

blood brothers who reacted quite independently and quite differently

in the aftermath of a family tragedy. Were the Karamazov brothers

different from other brothers in this regard? Apparently not, for if

we look at the life and times of many actual brothers of note, it

would appear that individuality usually prevails over uniformity. That

this is so is suggested by what we know of the life and times of the

brothers Carnegy, Dorsey, Everley, Grimm, Gershwin, Warner, Wright,

Dimaggio, and a host of others. A certain amount of subjective

individuality thus appears to be the norm.

If this be so it is essential that we strive to constructively channel

our efforts to useful ends, being always mindful of our obligation to

insure that in our zeal to obtain our personal goals in the name of

brotherhood, we do not create barriers that may separate us from

others. Unfortunately excesses, born out of man's preoccupation with

self, have throughout the course of history led to attacks on the

concept of the Brotherhood of Man. "The worst sin toward our fellow

creatures," George Bernard Shaw once wisely observed, "is not to hate

them, but to disregard them; that's the essence of inhumanity." Billy

Graham, in turn, observed that "the world has become a neighborhood,

without becoming a brotherhood." These are serious criticisms of the

world society that we share.

Without question we live in a world that is selfish and indifferent,

and one wonders why this is so. Why do we have wars and the threats of

war in so many places today? Why are there so many millions of people

wandering the face of the earth, sick in mind, body, and spirit,

seemingly without hope for a better tomorrow? Why is there a lack of

brotherhood amongst those who believe themselves to be the children of

God?

There are a number of plausible answers that might be advanced, and to

that end I should like to refer to specific lessons pertaining to

brotherhood as recorded in my copy of the Great Light of Masonry. The

first of these lessons suggests that anger can and often does impair

brotherhood. Oh how prone we are, when things are going wrong, to

attempt to place blame ne on others. In such circumstances almost any

scapegoat will do.

Think, if you will, about Cain and Abel, perhaps the first blood

brothers to be born on earth. These brothers, the sons of Adam and

Eve, lived normal lives through childhood, and during their formative

years they developed, as did you and I their personal likes and

dislikes. Cain, we are told, became a tiller of the soil and Abel, the

keeper of sheep.

Ostensibly they got along well together. Further, we have no evidence

that even as adults, they did not relate properly to one another until

that fateful day when Cain's offering was rejected and Abel's was

accepted. Cain was angry and disappointed, and in his sorrow and

bitterness, he lost his temper, in consequence of which he slew his

brother.

This did not solve his problem, of course, for it made it impossible

for him to continue his relationship to his God - and that was the

root of his problem. In fact, his murderous act only further

complicated his life, and in answer to the Divine query, "Where is

your brother?," he responded,."I do not know; am I my brother's

keeper?" Of course he was, even though he chose not to be, Let our

consideration of the relationship of Cain and Abel induce us to

resolve that anger shall never be permitted to disrupt the brotherhood

we are striving to establish. May God help us to prevent our

disagreements from becoming disagreeable.

These thoughts lead me to a second observation, to wit: that

brotherhood can be impaired by fixations on greed. Oh, how often we

worship the possession of things. And in the mad scramble to

accumulate and to possess, solely for the satisfaction that is found

in possession, many friendships are shattered.

Think, if you will, of the brothers Esau and Jacob, twin sons of Isaac

and Rebecca. Esau was a hunter, a lover of the outdoors, a respectful

adherent of the freedom that is found on the frontier. His brother, on

the other hand, was a man of the plain, a sedentary type, one who

preferred the comfort of village life.

Jacob was also shrewd, and on finding his brother on one occasion in a

state of hunger, took advantage of him by exchanging a bowl of pottage

for Esau's birthright. But this was not the end of the matter for on

the deathbed of Isaac, the father, Jacob also cheated Esau out of his

father's blessing.

It is obvious that Jacob was less than a brother to Esau, and Esau, in

turn, learned to hate Jacob. Let this account of the relationship of

Esau and Jacob induce us to resolve that greed, in any form, will not

be permitted to disrupt the brotherhood we are trying to create. Let

us never forget that we are, in fact, the stewards and not the owners

of the wealth we have in our possession.

No less an impediment to brotherhood than anger and greed, is envy, on

which brotherhood can also flounder. How many men and how many nations

have suffered because of envy and jealousy? The number must be

enormous. The story that illustrates this as well as any other

concerns the relationship of Joseph to his brothers. Joseph, you will

recall, was the youngest son in a large family, a dreamer, a

visionary, and his father's favorite. He knew he was destined for

greatness, and so did his envious brothers.

Envy, of course, got the better of Joseph's siblings and they sought

and found the opportunity to do ill to their brother Joseph. They

contemplated murder. They threw Joseph into a pit after robbing him of

his possessions, and they sold him, their own brother, into slavery.

Their envy was overpowering. Let our consideration of these acts cause

us to resolve that envy shall never be permitted to disrupt the

brotherhood we are seeking to create.

In my view one of the most interesting stories pertaining to the

establishment of brotherhood is the account of the controversy that

arose between Solomon and Adonijah in their separate quests for power.

This controversy suggests that brotherhood can also be impaired by

unbridled ambition. Both of these men had pretensions to the throne of

David, and both of them had friends in and out of David's court.

The winning ingredient, it seems, was Bathsheeba, the mother of

Solomon. She had more influence with David that did Haggith, the

mother of Adonijah. Further, she was assisted by a very clever

prophet, Nathan. Together they convinced David to anoint Solomon, who

subsequently had Adonijah put to death. Let this account of the

competition of two men for the throne induce us to resolve that quests

for power, born out of envy, shall never be permitted to disrupt the

brotherhood we seek to build. Our duty is to respect and not envy the

preferment of our brothers.

The Great Light further reminds us that brotherhood may be impaired by

act of perceived injustice, a fact that is underscored in the account

of the prodigal son. You all know that story. The youngest son in the

family requested and obtained his inheritance early, and then set out

in the world to make his fortune. But like many youngsters, temptation

and inexperience got in his way. He stumbled; he fell; and he sank to

the lowest depths of society. It was only after he had suffered the

indignities of homelessness that he came to his senses. He went back

to the place of his birth and begged forgiveness.

His reception was mixed. He was welcomed by his father with open arms.

But his return was resented by his brothers, who thought that having

squandered his inheritance, he had come back to share in theirs. This,

they reasoned, unjust. Nevertheless the father remained firm, stating

to his eldest son, "Thou art ever with me, and all that I have is

thine; rejoice for this, thy brother, dead and is alive again; he was

lost and now is found." Let the story of the prodigal son induce us to

resolve that in our zest for justice, we shall not let our self

interests disrupt our quest of brotherhood. Forgiveness is a divine

attribute born out of love.

Although my remarks thus far have been based on occurrences recorded

in the Old Testament, accounts of imperfect brotherhood are by no

means confined to that segment of the Good Book. In fact, we can learn

otherwise by casually reviewing the experiences of the Disciples in

their separate ministries, as recorded in the New Testament.

In Mark 10, for example, we discover that brotherhood can be impaired

by favoritism, if it is not quickly contained and suppressed. I refer

to the attempts of James and John, blood brothers, to attain

preference in glory by asking Christ for assurance that they would sit

on his left and right. This caused dissension among the Disciples, and

had it not been quickly contained, it could have impaired the ministry

that was being forged.

I think that the response of Christ to this appeal is one that we

might all heed, regardless of our personal spiritual persuasions. He

admonished his followers that the price of position was dear. "Can you

drink of the cup that I drink of," he said, before adding his opinion

that "whosoever will be great shall be the servant of all." Let our

understanding of the ambition of James and John induce us to resolve

that our desire for status, position, and preference shall never be

permitted to disrupt the brotherhood we seek. Position, after all, is

something that should be earned and not inherited.

So far we have been speaking largely in negative terms, making the

claim that brotherhood in the world at large has suffered because of

the drives of man. This is only natural for the world we inhabit is

imperfect. But it's imperfections are largely the work of man.

Nevertheless, just as man can cause brotherhood to be impeded, he can

- through love, forgiveness, and understanding - build to the end that

we all seek. It is around that goal that we should rally,

Let me conclude by recognizing that although not all of the

brotherhood of this world is to be found in our Masonic circle, there

are few other places where the concept is so appreciated. It is for

that reason that we in the family of Masonry should maximize our

efforts on behalf of the cause. We have a good product to sell. And as

the future of mankind may well depend on what we and others of like

mind do, we should recognize our obligation to do good unto all, to

respond to the claims that are laid upon us, and to work ceaselessly

for the brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of God.

I should like to now close with a final observation. It is personal,

and it been with me since the days of my youth. It is simply this. I

found the bonds of brotherhood and fellowship to be strongest for me

during the period of my active duty with a combat flying group in

Corsica and Italy during World War II. This may seem strange to you

for our presence there was to wage war. But never before, and

certainly never since, have I experienced the ties that linked the men

of my group at that time. We had an unquestioned unity of purpose, and

in working for it, we lived together, worked together, played

together, worried together, and when occasion called for it, we wept

together, in sorrow and in joy. We were a team, a brotherhood, and we

were invincible in our cause.

My Companions, we can, if we will, duplicate the intensity of mutual

concern and regard that I once found in that bomb group in Europe. And

if we will, we can - through Freemasonry and Freemasons working in and

out of our Masonic bodies, give real meaning to our professed purpose

It is my prayer that you will think on these things and redouble your

efforts to enhance the Craft by building brotherhood wherever you go,

carefully avoiding the hindrances you will meet along the way - such

things as undue anger, the lust for things, envy, ambition, imagined

injustice, and favoritism.

Finally, companions, let me implore you to look kindly on your

neighbor. Even if it a little thing, do something for those you find

to be in need, something for which you get no pay, other than the

privilege of doing it. Remember, you don't live in a world that is all

your own. Your brothers are here too. Keep that always in mind. Every

human being has a claim on your kind offices; do good unto all ever

acknowledging the duty we have to live in peace, one with another, for

the benefit of all. Let us insure that by working together in

Freemasonry, we will really be able to unite men of every country,

sect, and opinion - not only for our personal benefit, but also for

the benefit of mankind, now and in all generations yet to be.

Stewart W. Miner Adoniram-Zabud Council May 24,1999

   SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RESEARCH LODGE F&AM

P.O. Box 939 -   Ashland OR 97520     541-488-:8788   Fax: 541-488-8789

                     Scrlfam@aol.com

            MASONIC BOOKS (2-1-99)

IMPORTANT: ADD $2.00 ($3. 00 foreign) -for first title and 75 cents

($1.25 foreign) for each additional title for shipping. No sales tax.

IMPORTANT: If your order exceeds $120: We will absorb shipping

charges to USA addresses and for foreign addresses use USA shipping

charges.

IMPORTANT: No quantity discount as most books are discounted, usually

20%.

ALBERT PIKE - The Man Beyond The Monument by Jim Tresner, hard cover,

254 pages, $19.95, but due to SPECIAL PURCHASE we offer it at $12.00.

Albert Pike, Freemason, Frontiersman, Civil War General, Philosopher,

his complete story.

THE BEST OF WILL ROGERS by Bryan B. Sterling, soft cover, 262 pages,

$10.36. Not a Masonic book. Over 1,000 observations by a Freemason as

biting today as in his time. Will also was first wide receiver.

BLACK SQUARE & COMPASS by Joseph A. Walkes, Jr., hard bound, 192

pages, $13.56. Written by a Prince Hall Mason. A must as twenty-six

states, including California, recognize Prince Hall.

BORN IN BLOOD - The Lost Secrets of Freemasonry by John J. Robinson,

hard bound, 376 pages, $15.96. Caused more Freemasons to think than

any other book or author. Reading it has caused non-masons to apply.

SCRL sales over 1,800.

BOY WHO CRIED WOLF by Richard P. Thom, M.D., hard bound, 243 pages,

$15.16. Excellent treatment of religion and Freemasonry from a medical

missionary, fundamentalist Christian and Past Master.

BROTHER TRUMAN by Allen E. Roberts, hard bound, 300+ pages, $15.50. An

insight into the life of one who admits Freemasonry influenced him.

Brother Truman's definition of Freemasonry: "Freemasonry is a system

of morals which makes it easier to live with your fellow man whether

he understands it or not."

THE BUILDERS by Joseph Fort Newton, hard bound, 345 pages, $15.60. An

outstanding classic of Masonic literature. Bibliography, index,

illustrated. Many lodges present it to newly raised brethren.

THE CLERGY AND THE CRAFT by Dr. Forrest D. Haggard, soft cover, 159

pages, $8.00. A nationally known minister and Past Grand Master gives

his views.

COIL'S MASONIC ENCYCLOPEDIA [REVISED AND UPDATED 1996] Publisher Price

$69.50, our price $55.60 but due to weight shipping is $3.25 USA,

Canada $13.00, other foreign $7.00.

COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF FREEMASONRY by Henry W. Coil, hard bound,

revised edition, $16.80. A fine one volume history and background of

Freemasonry. With this, The Craft And Its Symbols and Pilgrim's Path

one can discuss Freemasonry freely with non-masons.

THE COURTS AND FREEMASONRY by Alphonse Cerza, hard bound, 105 pages,

$10.00. Answers, by judges, to those who belittle Freemasonry.

THE CRAFT AND ITS SYMBOLS by Allen E. Roberts., hard bound, 92 pages.

$9.50 publisher, our price $6.60 to insure your purchase. SCRL's

1,200+ in 1998 is testimony to its value to the non-mason, candidate

and Freemason. Five or more POSTPAID:, USA $6.50, Canada and other

foreign $8.00.

DUNGEON, FIRE AND SWORD by John J. Robinson, hard bound, over 500

pages, $19.96. Follow up to Born in Blood, history of Knights Templar,

50 pages on DeMolay.

FACTS FOR FREEMASONS by Harold V. B. Voorhis, hard bound, 237+ pages,

$7.60. Storehouse of Masonic knowledge in Question and Answer form.

FRATERNALLY YOURS by Barbara Franco, soft cover, 80 pages, $11.90.

Examines the major fraternal organizations in America. Profusely

illustrated.

THE FREEMASON AT WORK by Harry Carr, hard bound, 448 pages, $21.30. .

Seventh edition, completely revised by Frederick Smyth who worked

closely with Brother Carr when he was editor of the transactions of

Quatuor Coronati Lodge of Research. 200 questions and answers to

educate brethren when no degree work or for 200 Stated Meeting short

talks. One of our more highly regarded books.

FREEMASONRY - A Journey Through Ritual and Symbol, W. Kirk MacNulty,

96 pages, soft cover, 8"x l1, heavy glossy paper to enhance the 133

illustrations, 17 in color, $12.76. Because of the beauty of the

illustrations many overlook the analysis of each of the three degrees.

Don't you.. A best seller at work shops because to see it is to want

it.

FREEMASONRY AT THE TOP by John E. Beaumont, soft cover, $8.76. How one

Master revitalized his lodge, attracted new members, involved old and

young members and had committees who really functioned. A work and

idea book for Masters and Wardens. Our Grand Master wrote a highly

complimentary review and on that basis we suggest that this book is

excellent for lodge officers.

FREEMASONRY  IN AMERICAN HISTORY by Allen E. Roberts, hard cover, 504

pages, $15.60. Emphasizes Freemasonry's part in our history. Good for

a student. A wonderful story that should not be overlooked.

FREEMASONRY - Its Hidden Meaning by George H. Steinmetz, hard cover,

215 pages, $10.00. Analyzes the lectures and symbols so they can be

understood.

FREEMASONRY UNIVERSAL VOLUME ONE (successor to MASONIC WORLD GUIDE) by

Kent Henderson, author of Masonic World Guide, and Tony Pope, 370

pages, soft cover, $24.00. Volume One covers North, Central and South

American Mainstream and Prince Hall Grand Lodges, their statistics,

history, notes for visitors and much more. Introduction covers

Regularity and Recognition - Masonic Government - Politics, Religion,

Race & the Masonic Visitor - Rites & Rituals - History and Limitations

of Masonic Travel - Procedures for Visiting - Matter of Affiliation -

Other Masonic Degrees and Rites. Volume Two follows in first half

1999.

THE FREEMASONS by Eugen Lennhoff, 387+ pages, hard bound, Lewis

Masonic price S24.95 ($40.00) our price $29.95. Published in Austria

in 1928 as Die Freimaurer, two English editions, 1934 and 1978 and as

still in demand, published in 1994 in England. Harry Carr commented:

"Deals in some detail with the rise of Freemasonry in the different

countries in Europe and the Americas. A few histonical inaccuracies

are outweighed by the interest of the work as a whole." On this basis

a classic.

FREEMASONS AT GETTYSBURG by Sheldon A. Munn, soft cover, 8 «" x 11 ",

$7.95. Story of the Friend to Friend Monument at Gettysburg plus many

biographies.

G. WASHINGTON - Master Mason by Allen E. Roberts, hard cover, 208+

pages, $9.20. Much of the story in Washington's own words for human

interest.

GNOSIS - A Journal of the Western Inner Traditions, an 80 page

magazine, $6.25, this issue devoted almost entire to Freemasonry and,

contrary to most non-Masonic publications, favorable to our Craft

THE GO-GETTER - A Story That Tells You How To Be One by Peter B.

Kyrie, 55+ pages, hard bound, $6.25. Not a Masonic book but the

inspiration for Earle M. Jorgensen, 75 year Mason, when he started his

company, supplying steel from New York to Honolulu. Could be a similar

inspiration for any young person entering the work force. From his

writing assume the author a Freemason.

THE GRAND DESIGN by Wallace McLeod, hard bound, 200+ pages, $14.80.

One of the best records of the Old Charges whence came the teachings

of Freemasonry, causes of ritual divergence, how to write a short

talk, and much more.

THE GREAT TEACHINGS OF MASONRY by H. L. Haywood, hard bound, 200

pages, $10.36. A classic that has been reprinted and enlarged. Haywood

goes into great detail about what is meant by the concept of "meeting

upon the level."

THE HIRAM KEY by Christopher Knight & Robert Lomas, English origin,

hard cover, 384 pages, $19.96, The authors, Freemasons, say they that

when set out to find the origins of Freemasonry they had no idea they

would find themselves unravelling the true story of Jesus Christ and

the original Jerusalem Church.

THE HISTORY OF ENGLISH FREEMASONRY by John Hamill, soft cover, 210

pages, $12.50. A sensible, rational, not fanciful, just facts,

portrayal of Freemasonry. One of the best available discussions of the

criticisms of Masonry because it gives broad coverage to the attacks

of our critics.

HOUSE REUNITED by Allen E. Roberts, soft cover, 102 pages, $3.50,

Story of Freemasonry's involvement in the Reconstruction Period

following the Civil War. Particularly appropriate at this time as it

fully discloses the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, a

Freemason, charges, background or real reasons and the ballot.

HOUSE UNDIVIDED by Allen E. Roberts, hard bound, 384 pages, $18.36.

The story of Freemasonry and the Civil War, the human side, brotherly

love. Our sales of this book increased after the Friend to Friend

monument at Gettysburg was dedicated. Their (Armistead and Bingham)

story can be found herein.

HUTS & SHEDS - The Journey of Freemasonry from Western Europe to the

Texas cause the non-Texan to pass on this fine book. Don't be fooled!

This is a very readable, concise history of Masonry.

IS IT TRUE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT FREEMASONRY? by Art deHoyos and S.

Brent Morris, soft cover, 1997 Second Edition $6.38. Albert Pike's

"Luciferian" doctrine, James Dayton Shaw's exposes and Ron Carlson's

lectures are discussed and refuted point by point. Excellent too] for

our Lodges to have on hand for members when they are faced with these

anti-Masonic diatribes.

THE LANDMARKS OF FREEMASONRY by Elbert Bede, 56 pages, soft cover,

$3.35. A thumbnail treatment of a moot question in Freemasonry with

strong believers and disbelievers.

LEADING CHANGE by James O'Toole, hard cover, 282+ pages, index.

$22.95. Not a Masonic book but should be in the library of every

person in a position of leadership however minor. If you are not in a

position of leadership you can be a better participant. Best part for

us is information on resistance to change and how Frances Hesselbein

turned. Girl Scouts membership decline into an increase. Every Grand

Master and Master should read this, preferably before becoming such.

LIGHT AFTER DARKNESS by Chief Ranami Abah, hard cover, 114 pages,

$9.60. An insight into our Craft from one who knew persecution. Some

different ideas will fascinate you.

LITTLE MASONIC LIBRARY, authors include Claudy, Pike, Newton, Pound, 5

volumes, hard bound, twenty subjects, $52.00. Due to weight shipping

is USA $3.75, Canada $13.00, other foreign $7.00. Subjects include

Landmarks, Jurisprudence, Morgan affair, Mormonism and Freemasonry and

Anderson's Constitutions of 1723. Excellent basis on which to build

your Masonic library.

LIVING THE ENLIGHTENMENT: Freemasonry and Politics in

Eighteenth-Century Europe by Margaret C. Jacob, soft cover, 304 pages,

$19.50. Northern Light reviewer Thomas Jackson writes: "A great book,

one of the best written by what must be a disinterested third party on

the influence of Freemasonry in the development of modem civil society

and its impact on civilization."

THE LODGE AND THE CRAFT, Rollin C. Blackmer, soft cover, 295 pages,

$10.36. 31 lectures covering landmarks, charges, ritual, ceremonies,

degrees. Written in 1923 but so popular it was re-published.

MASONIC ADDRESSES AND WRITINGS, Roscoe Pound, hard cover, 384+ pages,

$12.76. Dean Pound is recognized as one of the leading Masonic

scholars and his inspiring addresses on the subject of Freemasonry are

admired by the Craft.

A MASONIC THOUGHT for each day of the year by Alphonse Cerza, soft

cover, 228 pages, $10.00.

MASONIC TRIVIA AND FACTS by Allen E. Roberts, hard bound, 216 pages,

index, $18.95. Over 600 questions and answers in the inimitable,

provocative, Roberts style.

THE MEN'S HOUSE by Joseph Fort Newton, hard bound, 253 pages, $10.36.

Writings and addresses from one of the Craft's most eloquent authors.

MIRACLE AT PHILADELPHIA - The Story of the Constitution Convention by

Catherine Drinker Bowen, soft cover, 346 pages, $13.56. Not a Masonic

book. Based on journals kept by six delegates plus their

correspondence so an insight into living conditions at the time.

Highly complimentary Foreword by Chief Justice Warren E. Burger.

MORALS AND DOGMA Albert Pike, hard bound, 861 pages, USED in good

condition, $18.75. Basis of Scottish Rite classroom lectures. Here is

the opportunity to get the facts as written, not as quoted.

THE MYSTIC TIE by Allen E. Roberts, hard bound, 312 pages, $13.20.

Plato, Civil War, Prince Hall with sometimes controversial opinions.

100 SHORT PRAYERS, May Stafford Hilburn, soft cover, pocket size, 108

pages, $4.76. Not Masonic but adaptable. If you're called on you'll be

ready.

OUR MASONIC PRESIDENTS, L. Randall Rogers, soft cover, 175 pages,

$9.00. One of the more interesting aspects of this work is the

reference to each president's place in history and the influence

Masonry had on the life of each.

PAUL REVERE AND FREEMASONRY, Edith Steblecki, soft cover, 122 pages,

$6.00. An excellent description of Freemasonry and life as it was over

200 years ago.

A PILGRIM'S PA TH by John J. Robinson, hard cover, $14.36. The most

widely read and highly publicized Masonic book of recent years. A must

if you haven't. One of our members buys this twelve at a time to give

to friends, Masonic and non-Masonic.

POCKET ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MASONIC SYMBOLS, soft cover, 60+ pages, $2.00.

Over 200 of our symbols br efly and not so briefly covered with the

plus of a detailed cross indexing that adds much to the value of this

small but Mighty booklet. An excellent tool for coaches as well as a

hand out for your questioning members and candidates.

PRINCE HALL MASONIC QUIZ BOOK, Joseph A. Walkes, Jr., 176 pages, soft

cover, $9.60. The same subject as Black Square & Compass in a

different format.

A RADICAL IN THE EAST, by S. Brent Morris, 130 pages, soft cover,

$5.35. Myths and beliefs about our membership problems examined

objectively. Masters and Wardens would be well advised to learn the

lessons provided by Brother Morris.

REFLECTIONS by James 1. Miller, soft cover, $6.36. ' RAH endorsement:

Short talks and haven't read all of them as sent to Norman Leeper for

a better review but can tell you I liked what I saw as the language is

easy to read and has some humor which I also liked. Adaptable for your

short talk in your lodge.

REVOLUTIONARY BROTHERHOOD: Freemasonry and the Transformation of the

American Social Order, 1730-1840, by Steven C. Bullock, 421+ pages,

soft cover $16.96. Again, a good book by an author not a Freemason.

Thomas W. Jackson in The Nor-them Light: "This book's greatest

Importance is not the analysis of Freemasonry but the observation of

Freemasonry's influence on the development of American culture,

thought and idealism It should be required reading for Masonic

leaders."

ROBERT BURNS - the Freemason. Edited by John Weir, 131 pages, hard

cover, $24.95. Well illustrated in colour and black and white, at once

a study of Bums's masonic career and a part history of Scottish

Freemasonry in the I 8th century. The definitive book on Bums's

masonic life.

THE ROYAL ARCH Its Hidden Meaning by George H. Steinmetz, soft cover,

145 pages, $7.60. For those who wish to dig deeper into the study of

the symbolism of the Mark Master and Royal Arch degrees.

RUDYARD KIPLING - Man, Poet, Mason, by John Webb, 64 pages, soft

cover, $10.50. This book fills in the gaps other biographies leave

out, his masonic activities, by a noted masonic historian. Includes

his masonic poems and notes masonic references in other works.

SEARCH FOR LEADERSHIP by Allen E. Roberts, hard cover, 240 pages,

$10.00 publisher, SPECIAL PURCHASE PRICE $6.00, Leadership, or the

lack of it, is the subject.

THE SECOND MESSIAH by Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas, hardcover,

$19.96. In this fascinating follow-up to their The Hiram Key the

authors solve the great mystery of the Tunin Shroud as they unlock the

secrets of the abandoned Freemason rituals and the man who would be

called the Second Messiah.

SHORT TALKS ON MASONRY by Joseph Fort Newton, 255 pages, soft cover,

$8.00. Masonic emblems, symbolism, history and philosophy of

Freemasonry.

SIX GUNS AND MASONS by Joseph E. Bennett, 124 pages, hard cover,

$8.00. The actions of relatively few men, many of whom were

Freemasons, created the history of Texas and the Southwest.

SOURCES -OF MASONIC SYMBOLISM, Alex Home, hard cover, 98 pages,

$10.00. Very readable and offers an historical basis for much Masonic

information.

STONEHENGE: An Ancient Masonic Temple, Russell A. Herner, hard cover,

144 pages, $12.76. Whether or not you accept his theory, you will

enjoy reading about it.

THE STOR Y OF THE SCOTTISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY by Harold V. B.

Voorhis, soft cover, 72 pages, $4.80. A valuable compilation of data

considering only 72 pages.

THE TEMPLE AND THE LODGE by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, now

available only in soft cover, index, 306 pages, $11.86. The authors

chart the birth of Freemasonry through the survival of Templar

traditions, concluding with it being a key factor in the formation of

the United States.

THOMSON MASONIC FRAUD, Isaac Blair Evans, hardcover, 26 1 +pages,

$14.00. A study in clandestine masonry by the United States Attorney

who prepared the case that put away Matthew McBlain Thomson, a

notorious masonic charlatan. Privately printed in 1922, supplies

limited as we purchased the entire inventory of the Grand Lodge of

Utah, the original source.

TWO CROWNS FOR AMERICA, Katherine Kurtz, soft cover only, 369 pages,

$5.85. Fiction - historical fantasy. The author weaves Freemasonry

into this Revolutionary War story, replete with a degree meeting with

a surprise closing, attended by Washington and Franklin.

WHAT LAW THERE WAS, A. Dempsey, hard cover, 264 pages, $12.50 A

typical western (Montana) novel, based on fact, set during the gold

rush days, how a group of men bound together by the brotherhood of

Freemasonry became what law there was.

WHAT MASONRY MEANS by William E. Hammond, soft cover, 173 pages,

index, $6.80. Hammond said years of attending lodges had not given

most Masons a clear idea of what Masonry was really about, so this is

attempt to help. Those looking for a practical, individually-oriented

idea of Freemasonry will probably enjoy this book.