Freemasonry (Literature)

A Quick Guide to Freemasonry was my fourth published book, and was commissioned by Lewis Masonic as part of a proposed quick guide series, aimed at mentors and new members to the fraternity. It was written in an easy-to-understand question and answer format as requested by the publisher and covered a variety of Masonic topics, with many of the questions actually coming from new Masons that were submitted to the author via social media.

The book provides a brief history of Freemasonry, along with a quick guide to many of the English Masonic rituals, Masonic dress and various practices; also covering the roles of the Officers, the Festive Board, toasting and the use of symbols within Masonry. Containing the basic FAQs and more deeper considerations.

The purpose of this article is to introduce the concepts of duality and unity to the earnest esoteric reader and the studious mason. It covers the general view of these concepts, however it leaves wanting the masonic student. So that he may search for himself the meaning of duality to the craft and how when unified, they may open the students eyes to the wonders of the mysteries. As well stated by the theosophical teacher; “Duality is present everywhere on every level of being — whether we think about it vertically or horizontally. This is one of the truths of the yin yang symbol, that within every single thing lie the seeds of its opposite. On every plane of manifestation (intellectual, psychological, physical etc.) there is nothing that does not have (or invoke) it’s opposite. To us, Oneness is largely theoretical, but in spiritual teachings it is said that when we experience (or a part of our being experiences) Absolute Oneness there is no duality. And we are rooted in this; our essential nature is an aspect of this absolute Oneness.”

In my book The Genesis of Freemasonry I proposed how natural philosopher and Freemason Dr Jean Theophilus Desaguliers was responsible for creating the third degree by the mid-1720s. Before this, there were two 'parts' being performed; the Entered Apprentice and the Fellow Craft. The new three degree style ritual soon spread. It seemed that Freemasons soon wanted to explore deeper pathways within Masonry, leading to new ideas being developed. Chevalier Ramsey was a Jacobite Mason who had gone to France to tutor the sons of aristocrats, and in his Masonic address in 1737, he famously outlined that Freemasonry was linked to the Crusaders and Chivalric Orders. His Oration put forward that after being preserved in the British Isles, it was transported to France, and though there is no evidence that Masonry was associated in any way to the Crusaders or Chivalry, it does show that at this time there was a developing interest in Chivalric Orders in relation to Freemasonry. Though Ramsey did not set out any plans for new Chivalric Masonic Orders in his 'Oration', his address certainly assisted to inspire them.

Il Grande Oriente d’Italia, rifondato nel 1859, ebbe fra i suoi elementi identitari un viscerale anticlericalismo. Al centro del suo impegno nella società civile vi fu la costante mobilitazione per limitare l’influenza della Chiesa cattolica nella sfera pubblica, per difendere la laicità dello Stato e per propagandare i valori del progresso e della scienza contro ogni forma di oscurantismo. Per svolgere questa sua attività la massoneria non esitò a utilizzare figure e simboli del passato che potessero incarnare questi valori. Oltre a personaggi come Giordano Bruno, Savonarola, Tommaso Campanella e a innumerevoli scienziati ed eretici, spesso perseguitati dalla Chiesa, la massoneria esaltò la biografia e il mito di Galileo facendone un emblema del suo universo ideale. A Galileo fin dai primi anni dopo l’Unità furono intitolate alcune logge e gli furono dedicati articoli su riviste e giornali massonici. Il Grande Oriente prese poi parte ad alcune manifestazioni pubbliche in suo onore, come quelle svoltesi a Pisa nel 1897 e nel 1901, e altre ne organizzò per proprio conto.
La relazione intende ricostruire queste vicende inquadrandole nel più generale contesto del protagonismo pubblico della massoneria italiana fra Otto e Novecento e all’interno delle sue battaglie per la laicizzazione e modernizzazione dello Stato.

This study investigates the transitional phases of English Freemasonry from the mid-seventeenth century into what can be described as a Masonic Enlightenment during the eighteenth century.  This movement was part of a wider enterprising evolution led by the Newtonian experimental natural philosopher Dr. John Theophilus Desaguliers and James Anderson, both members of the London based Grand Lodge founded in 1717 and both staunch Hanoverians.  The ritual, along with the accompanying Masonic symbolism, quickly became adopted into what would become known as ‘Modern’ Freemasonry, which spread its influence around England.
One of the aims of this thesis is to assess why it was embraced by some areas, yet rejected by others, such as York.  Scholarship to date has avoided analysis of the Masonic ritual, with Freemasonry being seen as a secret society, and many of the original documentation relating to Masonic lodges being held in private collections.  The United Grand Lodge of England has only recently opened its archive and library to the public, though this has only revealed how much documentary material has either been lost or destroyed.  An example of this is the absence of personal correspondence relating to Desaguliers’ Masonic ritual changes, despite the evidence that changes where made by him.  An objective of this dissertation is to examine why the development of ‘Modern’ Freemasonry was so successful, and why Desaguliers, and other members of the Royal Society were attracted to the Craft.
The study will also assess the fermentation of Freemasonry as it transmuted from the ‘operative’ society into a more ‘speculative’ one during the seventeenth century.  Precious little academic work has been published on this aspect of the society, and this study will analyse the contributions of Christopher Wren and Isaac Newton on the development of the Craft, concentrating on their emphasis upon the search for the divine measurement of Solomon’s Temple.  The later changes to the Masonic ritual reflected their work, displaying themes for the search of lost ancient knowledge set against the backdrop of the construction of Solomon’s Temple.  In this Masonic quest the ethos of Freemasonry became shaped by fashionable and attractive concepts of the ‘New Science’ merging with the ‘Old Science’ of magic and alchemy.  These concepts which became appealing in the light of the social and political atmosphere of the Whig Oligarchy of early eighteenth century England, will also be discussed, the study concluding with an examination of the overall contribution of the Masonic Enlightenment on English society.

A recent visit to Kosovo in the Balkans gave me a glimpse into three Islamic Sufi Orders; the Bektashi, Saadi and Halveti. It was interesting to talk to the Masters of these Orders, and to learn how they use initiation and a culture of secrecy, while also providing a journey of spiritual discovery and development for the initiate in a learning environment of signs and symbols, achieving levels of spiritual knowledge—a journey that is perceived by some nineteenth century writers, such as John Yarker, as being reminiscent of the spiritual journey some may experience within Freemasonry. Indeed, Bektashi, Saadi and Halveti are but three of the twelve Sufi Orders that can be found in Kosovo, other examples being Bajrami and Mevlevi. This short paper attempts to explore and examine the perceived Masonic similarities to the Islamic Mystical Movements that can be found in the Balkan region, and will also discuss how the views of nineteenth century Orientalist writers assisted in popularising this view.

This book will examine the deeply esoteric eighteenth century Rite of Seven Degrees, a Masonic rite that was based in London, but was led by French engraver Pierre Lambert de Lintot. The work will not only present the story of de Lintot and his rite, but for the first time will display the translated ritual and the minute book from the late eighteenth century French, which not only reveals the workings of the lost rite, but adds to our historical understanding of the development of the rituals in a wider context. This is the third book in Harrison's Lost Rites series and follows on from his last work Rediscovered Rituals of English Freemasonry.

In 1728, a year after the death of Sir Isaac Newton, his protégé and ardent supporter, Dr. John Theophilus Desaguliers (1683–1744), published a poem in celebration of Newton’s mechanical Universe, titled The Newtonian System of the World, The Best Model of Government: An Allegorical Poem. The poem—reproduced on the beginning on page 99—celebrated Newtonian Experimental Natural Philosophy, Desaguliers applying Newtonian mechanics to a poetical formula that at times, struggled under the sheer weight of Newton’s immense achievements. The poem also praised the Hanoverian Monarchy of the time, and as we shall see, the ordered Universe of Newton was applied by Desaguliers in his praise of this new system of British government.

Thomas De Quincey is best remembered for his work The Confessions of an Opium Eater, a nineteenth century exploration into an aspect of the Romantic movement. However, De Quincey also explored Freemasonry for one particular work, his Origin of the Rosicrucians and the Free-Masons being published in 1824, examining a history of the two secret societies. This paper discusses his background and the interests that led to this work being published.

The background of this research has emerged from a lack of studies on Freemasonry in small towns or district areas in the Dutch East Indies, because research on Freemasonry in Indonesia is limited to its development in large cities or provincial regions. Freemasonry is the largest secret society in the New Age Movement which was founded in 1717 in England, spread throughout the world and many world leaders, politicians and professionals were members. In 1756 the Great Loge of Netherlands was established as the beginning of the formation of Freemasonry in the Netherlands. Freemasonry was established in the Dutch East Indies when two lodges were established in 1767 and 1769. The Great Loge of Nederland was recirded that the number of lodges in the Dutch East Indies in the golden period reached 25 lodges and 1,500 members. Methods used for this research is historical methods, that consists of heuristics, critics, interpretation and historiography. The main problem of this research is “What is the activity of Freemasonry at Karawang and who are the influential figures in the Krawangsche Kring?” The results of this research show that Freemasonry in addition to exist in large cities also developed in small town areas such as Karawang and even some local figures became members. This local-branch of Freemasonry is called "De Krawangsche Kring" or "Vrijmetselaarkring Krawang" which carried out various activities from 1926 until Japanese occupation (1942). De Krawangsche Kring held regular meetings since it was founded and had been vacuumed in 1930-1933 until new officials were appointed to succeed in reactivating organizational activities. Various annual or monthly routine meetings are held with several objectives, namely developing and evaluating organizations, holding discussions with themes such as science, occultism, magic, mysterious, supernatural and spiritual.

This paper will be the first to comprehensively cover the little known Liverpool Masonic Rebellion of 1823, a rebellion which went on to become the Wigan Grand Lodge.  This was the last Masonic rebellion - taking place after the union of English Freemasonry in 1813, and the independent Grand Lodge lasted until 1913.  The paper will cover the themes of the continuation of the Antients and of both Masonic and social rebellion in the early nineteenth century.

The Ruby Tablet is a periodical featuring reprints of articles from esoteric magazines and journals from the past. The subjects covered in each issue are drawn from the esoteric genre such as Alchemy, Hermetic, Enochian, Kabbalah, Tarot, Martinism, Masonry, Rosicrucian, etc.

The Ruby Tablet: Vol. I, No. 1. January – February 2012:
Contents: Hermetic Notes by W. Wynn Westcott; Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn Books; Kerubim Press; Martinism: A Profile of Martinez Pasquales by Sendivogus; Rosicrucian Order of the Golden Dawn; Salamander and Sons; Ritual of the Fratres Lucis; Golden Dawn Research Trust; Golden Hoard; & Golden Dawn MS: Azoth Lecture.

This paper examines the Grand Lodge of All England held at York, otherwise referred to as the York Grand Lodge, which was an independent body of Freemasons that existed during the eighteenth century. The paper explores the origins of this Grand Lodge and how it came into conflict with the dynamic of the Premier Grand Lodge of London. The leading figure of York Masonry Dr Francis Drake will be discussed, and how this concept of independent Masonry survived up until the closing years of the eighteenth century, leaving behind remnants of a Masonic culture that still inspires Masonic researchers to this day.

Una lucha desconocida y apasionante contra las tiranías fue la que libraron los masones Aristide Briand (liberal), iniciado en el Gran Oriente de Francia, y Gustav Stresemann (de regularidad anglosajona), iniciado en la Gran Logia Madre de los Tres Globos de Alemania. Briand, como ministro de exteriores francés, compartió el Premio Nobel de la Paz de 1926 con el canciller alemán Gustav Stresemann, en reconocimiento a su labor en la conclusión del Pacto de Locarno. El 8 de noviembre de 1923 Stresemann tuvo que soportar el Putsch de Múnich, un intento fallido de golpe de Estado dirigido por el partido nazi. Como consecuencia fueron condenados a prisión Adolf Hitler y Rudolf Hess, entre otros dirigentes nazis. En los archivos que aún se conservan de la Reichssicherheitshauptamt se evidencia la brutal persecución a los franc-masones, indistintamente de su filiación liberal o regular. Se estima que aproximadamente 200.000 masones  pudieron haber sido exterminados por el régimen nazi en Alemania y los territorios ocupados de una población de 800.000 masones, un verdadero y desconocido holocausto.

The following paper examines the little known story of the Columbian Illuminati and has been edited from my recent publication Rediscovered Rituals of English Freemasonry. The book is an in-depth examination of the Masonic work of the early nineteenth century English radical Richard Carlile, a work known as The Manual of Freemasonry. This book became popular with English Freemasons, and is not just an exposé of the Craft rituals, but also of the further or higher degrees. His exposé was first published in his journal The Republican in 1825, but later emerged in book form, combining his thoughts on Freemasonry with the presented rituals. There were many influences on this work, including Thomas Paine, who had also had a work published on Freemasonry, William Finch, who had published a variety of Masonic exposés, Freemason Godfrey Higgins, and Elihu Palmer.

This MS. is generally referred to under the following names:
Manuscrit de Saint Domingue, 1764/1770
Manuscrit Côte Baylot FM4. 15
BnF, Department of Manuscripts, Baylot FM4 (15), f. 76
or simply as the Manuscrit de Jean Baylot, or the Baylot MS.
It is a part of the Fonds Maçonnique du Cabinet kept at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BNF).

This manuscript is a key document to the origins of the Rite d’Hérédom, the Rite de perfection or the Royal Secret. A note stuck inside the manuscript says:

“This manuscript […] was very probably copied by an officer of the Foix Regiment, from 1760 to 1770, who had to go to be stationed with his garrison regiment at Saint-Domingue […].”

Could this perhaps have been copied by Maugeir, Captain in the Legion of Saint-Domingue? His name and title appear in the Addresses and Names near the end of the MS.

This is probably the earliest known document on the Rite of Perfection grades, and the BnF says that this manuscript probably comes from the entourage of its founder, Étienne Morin. The image of the encampment of the Princes of the Royal Secret probably dates from the very beginning of the practice of the degree, around 1764. This manuscript is one of the first manifestations of the haute-grades in the New World, and predates the Franken Manuscript, an essential document of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (AASR) by at least 20 years.

As Martinezists, our primary interest in the Baylot MS. is in the final pages which consist of Élus Coën material. Included is:

• An introductory speech on the Élus Coëns titled Au nom du Grand Architecte de l’Univers,
• Apprentice Catechism, appended by an overview of the Classes of the E.C. described through the 5 colored Bands or Sashes of Election,
• Companion Catechism, appended by Fumigations (instructions on required magical tools including an incense formula, holy water, a Pantacle of goat skin, and magical names for the Circle – these instructions are appended to the Companion Catechism in the MS.),
• Addresses & Names of the Principal Officers for Addressing them in Letters or Packets for the Tribunal,
• An example of a Magical Circle,
• (Probably) the earliest drawing of the Camp of the Princes of the Royal Secret of the Ancient and Accepted Rite.

The two Catechisms in this manuscript provide information similar to that of the Extract of the Apprentice Catechism and the Companion Catechism from MS. Cote 190 D 39 / La Haye MS. also published by Antoine Faivre, however both provide additional information not presented in the other. Together with BMG MS. 4125: Catechisms of the Philosophers Élus Coëns, a complete set of Catechisms for the original E.C. system can be reconstructed. See the O.M.S. translations, transcriptions and facsimilés of these, as part of the O.M.S. Élus Coëns Source Series for more information.

It should be noted that the preliminary Élus Coëns information is given in the Baylot MS. after the 25 high degrees presented within and can therefore be seen as the capstone of that system, and beginning of the next steps.

For each section, we have included our own English translation, a faithful transcription of the original French, and a facsimilé of the original French manuscript when possible. In this manner, the resources of the Tradition may be carefully preserved for the English-speaking world so that the next generation may begin where we have left off.

Lastly, we have done our best in these new translations to render the Catechisms intelligible for practical use and have included footnotes in an attempt to point out irregularities, inaccuracies and provide contextual relevance for comprehension. Capitalization is highly irregular in the ancient Martinezist documents, even names were not consistently capitalized. We have attempted here to standardize capitalization of all key and proper Martinezist terms in order to allow for clear comprehension of what can at first seem unintelligible.

It is the hope of the G.·.C.·.S.·.I·.· of the Ordre Martinistes Souverains that this present volume, combined with the Initiations and Operations of Le Collège S.·.I·.· will assist Martinists of today and the future in further combining, reforming and refining of the various streams of Martinism.

Pour une société qui cultive le secret, la Franc-maçonnerie est très présente dans les médias contemporains. Pour de bonnes comme de moins bonnes raisons… La crainte de l'exposition médiatique comme profanation La Franc-maçonnerie doit fondamentalement cette exposition dans les médias à un contre-sens vieux de trois siècles et sans cesse actualisé par les discours de persécution qui en font une société secrète, matrice de toutes les conspirations, depuis les révolutions de la fin du XVIII e siècle avec Washington, Lafayette et les jacobins européens, jusqu'à l'effondrement de l'Empire soviétique, du complot des philosophes radicaux, protestants et francs-maçons jusqu'au complot judéomaçonnique 1 . Même lorsqu'on la pense remisée aux accessoires des fantasmes historiques, la théorie du complot connaît maintes résurgences à travers le dévoilement de prétendus « réseaux maçonniques » qui décideraient du sort du monde dans une totale opacité. Ces discours de divulgation -dont la frontière est parfois poreuse avec le genre des discours de persécution, car les uns et les autres font souvent des francs-maçons et de leurs obédiences des coupables présumés dès lors qu'ils se soustraient au regard inquisiteur du profanealimentent à la fois les traditionnels « dossiers » de la presse hebdomadaire, que L'Express, Le Nouvel Observateur ou Le Point ressortent périodiquement, et les ouvrages de journalistes qui se sont spécialisés dans une matière aussi riche.

La massoneria ha caratterizzato la vita politica, sociale e culturale dell’Europa del Settecento, influenzando anche l’opera di intellettuali, artisti e scrittori.
Questo studio analizza le modalità con le quali la letteratura europea, e in special modo la tedesca, tra Sette e Ottocento, ha rielaborato narrativamente ed esteticamente motivi e tematiche provenienti dall’ambito massonico.
Con lo sguardo rivolto alle dottrine e alle pratiche rituali libero-muratorie e alla nascente cultura dei media nel Settecento, nel libro si dimostra come le opere prese in considerazione possano essere interpretate quali vere e proprie performances culturali e rituali che intendevano coinvolgere anche i lettori o gli spettatori nella stessa «esperienza» che avveniva nello spazio segreto ed «eterotopico» delle logge.
In tal senso, si individuano significativi nessi tra le pratiche iniziatiche massoniche e quelle letterarie proprie della Goethezeit.

BAŞLARKEN
Mesleğimizin dili ve terminolojisi önemli bir şey değil, önemli tek
şeydir!
Masonluğun bir Tefekkür ve Tefsir Sanatı olduğu tanımı, bu çalışmanın
ve bir önceki cümlenin özünü anlatır. Bugünün yaşamında pek de
kullanılmayan bu iki kavram, mesleğimizi ve bizlere düşeni çok güzel
ifade eder.
Mesleğimizin dilini öğrenmek, terminolojisine hakim olmak zorundayız.
Aksi takdirde Mason olmak isteyen ancak Masonluğu anlamaktan
aciz kimseler oluveririz. Kadim zamanların bilgi ve bilgeliğini taşıyan
bu sözcüklerin anlattığı felsefeye uzak düşmemiz işten bile değildir.
Masonluğun bir düşünme sistemi olarak kendi terminolojisi vardır,
bunu kavramları güncelleyerek aşamayız. Tam tersine çıkmaz sokaklara
girdiğimizle kalırız.
Sözgelimi Hakikat kavramı. Günümüz Türkçesine taşımaya
kalktığımızda karşımıza çıkan Gerçek sözcüğü, sıradan bir insanın sıradan
bir gününde yapacağı sıradan konuşmalar için yeterlidir. Ancak ezoterik
düşünceler ile meşgul bir inisiye için yeterli değildir. Hatta yanıltıcıdır. Bir
başka kavram da Muhterem’dir. Sözlüğe bakıp Sayın ya da Saygıdeğer’in
aynı anlama geldiği söylenebilir ama aynı değildir. Sayın lafı usulen
kullanılan bir hitap şekliyken, Muhterem’de bilgisini takdir ve kalpten gelen
bir saygı vardır. Nur, günlük yaşamda Işık’tır. Ziya da günümüzde Işık’tır.
Bu durumda Nur-u Ziya, Işığın Işığı mı oluyor? Tabii ki! Ziya, gözümüzü
ve günümüzü aydınlatan Güneş gibi bir Işık anlamına geliyor. Doğrudan
bakılmayacak kadar güçlü aydınlığı remzediyor, göz kamaştırıyor. Nur
ise Güneş’ten gelen ışığı yansıtan Ay gibi, içimizi ve karanlık gecemizi
aydınlatıyor. Doğrudan ve dolaylı olarak alınan Işık, anlamı pekiştirilerek
Nur-u Ziya halini alıyor. Şimdi siz sözleyin, otomobil farından bahseder
gibi tek başına Işık bu güçlü anlamı ifade edebiliyor mu?
Konumuz, günümüz Türkçesi ile geçmişe ait olan ile de sınırlı değildir.
Mesleğimiz sadece Doğu değil, Batı kaynaklarından da beslenmekte,
ilham almaktadır. Bunlar arasında Latince başta olmak üzere günümüz
devletlerinin kullandığı İngilizce, Almanca ve Fransızca gibi diller
ile unutulup kaybolmaya yüz tutmuş ortaçağ Avrupa’sına ait diller de
bulunmaktadır.
Bu açıdan bakıldığında Rit, Order, Obediyans, Juridiksiyon gibi kimi
kavramlara da Türkçe karşılıklar bulunabilir ancak anlamları da yitip gider.
Farklı yönlere giden değişikler de söz konusudur. Günümüzde hepimizin
kullandığı Kardeş buna tipik bir örnektir. Kardeş, uniseks başka bir ifade
ile cinsiyetsiz bir kavramdır. Kız Kardeş için Hemşire, erkek Kardeş için
de Birader kavramlarının kullanılması gerekir(di). Ancak Birader hiç
kullanılmama sınırına gelip dayanmış, yerini de genel tanımlama ifadesi
olan Kardeş kavramına bırakmıştır. Diğer kavram ise dişil karakterini
koruyarak günümüzde de kullanılmaya devam etmektedir. Bu açıdan ele
alındığında Kardeş kavramı, değişimin tartışmaya açık belki de olumsuz
yöndeki bir örneği olarak dilimizde yerini alacaktır.
Bugün sıklıkla kullanılan Evrenin Ulu Mimarı kavramı ise dildeki
değişimin olumlu yöndeki tipik bir örneği olarak dikkat çeker. Önceki
Ritüel’lere göz gezdirildiğinde bu halinden önce Kainatın Ulu Yaradanı
olduğu görülecektir. Yaşça 1950’ler öncesinde de mesleğimizi icra
etmiş Kardeş’lerimiz o dönemde de Sani-i Azam-ı Kainat kavramının
kullanıldığını hatırlayacaktır.
Dilde değişimler ve dönüşümler olmuştur, olmaktadır, olacaktır da.
Anlamların korunması, manalarının yitip gitmemesi kaydıyla...
Bu çalışmanın amacı, mesleğimizin sırlarına vakıf olmak isteyen
Kardeş’ler için bir tür ‘avadanlık’ olmaktır. Konferans verecek ya da
konuşma yapacak Kardeş’lerin bildiklerini kontrol için katkı sağlaması
arzu edilen bu çalışma kuşkusuz zaman içinde gözden geçirilecek,
yenilenecek ve geliştirilecektir.
Kaçınılmaz eksikler de giderilecektir.
Bu çalışmayı bütünleyecek ve hemen her maddeyi tamamlayacak
bilgileri içeren EK OKUMA kısımlarında listelenen birbirinden değerli
yazılı ve/veya basılı eserleri içerecek ikinci cilt için de çalışmalar
sürmektedir. Pek yakın zamanda bu ikinci cilt de tamamlanacaktır.
Kardeş’lerin kendi hamtaşlarını yontması gibi, Masonluk var oldukça,
bu ve buna benzer dil odaklı çalışmalar da sürüp gidecektir.
Bir Mason’un bilmesi gereken (1-3) Semboller | Simgeler | Kavramlar
başlıklı çalışma, en başında hedeflendiği gibi, sadece Çırak-Kalfa-Üstat
derecelerinde çalışan, Sembolik Masonluk ile sınırlı tutuldu. Evrenin Ulu
Mimarı izin verirse Felsefi Masonluk kavramlarını da kapsayacak hali de
siz değerli Kardeşlerim ile zaman içinde buluşacaktır.

The Moderns and the Antients had finally come together in union in 1813, the rift between the two Grand Lodges being healed. One of the main problems had been the Royal Arch ritual, seen by the Antients as a fourth degree but practiced by the Moderns as the completion of the third degree. When both sides finally came together, it was settled that the Royal Arch was the completion of the third degree, though was to be practiced in separate ‘Chapters,’ the Chapter room set out differently than the craft Lodge room. Despite this, the Royal Arch was still referred to as a fourth degree by some stubborn lodges until around 1850, and the rebel Grand Lodge of Wigan still practised the Royal Arch as a separate degree. In fact during the Liverpool Masonic Rebellion, the Royal Arch became a point of debate. In my book, The Genesis of Freemasonry, I put forward how Dr. John Theophilus Desaguliers had reconstructed the Masonic ritual in the 1720s, creating the three degree structure set within Solomon’s Temple, describing its initial construction by chief architect Hiram Abiff, disclosing his murder and the attempt at raising him from the dead to regain his lost knowledge. The Royal Arch ritual continues this theme with the rebuilding of Solomon’s Temple under Zerubbabel and the search for lost knowledge within the temple ruins, the ritual revealing a number of lost artefacts set within the keystones of three arches in the temple. These artefacts were lost in the destruction of the original temple, but with their discovery, the temple could be reconstructed, the divine measurements of God being found to recreate the most sacred holy place on Earth. This paper will discuss certain theories and ideas behind the creation of the Royal Arch and will examine how the ceremony was viewed within the context of the Masonic story.

The Warrington Dissenting Academy, situated in the north-west of England, existed from 1757-1786, and as an independent centre of learning, it became a paradigm of dissent against the backdrop of the British Enlightenment, a time of fermenting radical views and a reaction to exclusion. Importantly, it also exemplifies self-help amongst the Non-Conformist community and indeed, the local community of Warrington, a community that also included the local lodge; the Lodge of Lights. Two members of the lodge were Academy tutors, a founder of the lodge had also assisted in founding the local circulating library, and a number of other Freemasons were linked to the Academy and its community. This paper will discuss how certain Freemasons promoted education within a culture of self-help, and helped to leave a legacy of civic philanthropy that promoted education and charity on a wider social scale.

Um Rito consiste num conjunto de práticas, no seio da mesma Instituição, destinadas a agregar os seus membros numa Tradição, orientando-os para um objetivo comum. O Rito Francês deriva de uma Tradição Maçónica, que assenta em bases simbólicas, que se têm mantido quase invariáveis desde meados do século XVIII, e que têm as suas raízes na origem da própria Maçonaria Especulativa. Daí que o Rito Francês, embora Moderno, seja o mais antigo, e tenha servido de fonte a todos os outros Ritos Maçónicos. Todavia, pelas suas características próprias, é um Rito que integra a Modernidade no seu próprio código genético. A Exposição "Massonary Dissected", de Samuel Prichard, publicada em 1730 revelou já um sistema trigradual (Entered Prentice, Fellow Craft, e Master), apresentando as Instruções dos três Graus. Desta publicação depreende-se o significado das Luzes da Loja.

The importance of masonic education is a subject that has been overlooked by many lodges. In the interest of forming a lodge of research and education in the Delaware jurisdiction, and hopefully help other lodges do the same. I see it fitting to explain Masonic education’s Raison d'etre, its purpose and importance. The Modern mason will quickly learn that the craft, in our current era, goes under the name of speculative masonry. It is important to understand why this is the case, that way we will fully appreciate the importance of masonic education.

Resumo O presente trabalho busca demonstrar a influência da filosofia e do simbolismo maçônico presentes no conto " O homem que queria ser Rei " , de Rudyard Kipling, ressaltando as lições maçônicas que se podem extrair daquela obra. Palavras-chaves: Rudyard Kipling; O homem que queria ser rei; Literatura Inglesa; Filosofia Maçônica. Abstract This paper aims to expose the influence of masonic philosophy and symbolism in Rudyard Kip-ling " s short story " The man who would be King " , highlighting the masonic lessons that can be learned from that story.

В англо–саксонской масонской традиции раннего периода истории цеховых братств рифмованная презентация ритуальных наставлений и лекций на исторические и символологические темы играла неизменно важную роль. Тремя главными причинами этого были запрет на запись и тем более публикацию ритуальных текстов, составлявших «тайну» закрытых обществ; продолжение существования в Средневековье и Новое время древнейшей и прочно укоренившейся традиции устной передачи эпоса религиозного и светского типов в форме баллад, речитативов и песен; происхождение значительного пласта масонской ритуальности из народного религиозного средневекового уличного театра с его стихотворными пьесами–мистериями религиозного содержания. Поэтому масонская ритуалистика сохранила множество образцов рифмованного текста, которые практически никогда не транслировались адекватно в ложи других стран даже при довольно точном переводе оригинальных ритуалов на другие языки.

Róbert Péter (general editor), Cécile Révauger (volume editor). Jan A. M. Snoek (volume editor), British Freemasonry, 1717-1813, 5 vols. (New York: Routledge, 2016), 2606 pages, 5967 editorial notes.

volume 1: Institutions (C. Révauger)
volume 2: Rituals I – English, Irish and Scottish Craft Rituals (J. A.  M. Snoek)
volume 3: Rituals II – Harodim Material and Higher Degrees (J. A. M. Snoek)
volume 4: Debates (R. Péter)
volume 5: Representations (R. Péter)

More information about the edition is available at:
https://www.routledge.com/British-Freemasonry-1717-1813/Peter- Revauger-Snoek/p/book/9781848933774

The attached copyright material was provided by the Routledge division of Taylor and Francis on 20 October, 2016.

The purpose of this 5-volume edition is to collate diverse rare print and manuscript materials that provide a broad spectrum of insights into the history and culture of Freemasonry in the British Isles between 1717 and 1813. This collection is the result of extensive archival research and transcription and highlights the most significant themes associated with British and Irish Freemasonry during the period in question. The volumes draw on a wide range of documents, including an engraved list of lodges, rituals (some originally written in cipher), rules and
regulations, by-laws, funeral services, lectures, charges, sermons, orations, certificates, theatrical prologues and epilogues, pamphlets, newspaper and magazine articles and letters. A special emphasis is placed on documents that enhance our present understanding of the role that British and Irish Freemasons played in the formation of eighteenth-century society and associational culture. Analysis of these documents will hopefully foster scholarly debate and offer new perspectives on wider historical, cultural, social and religious themes.

Many of the texts included in these volumes remain very difficult to consult outside masonic archives. Such institutions store many rare eighteenth-century items, which are not recorded in the English Short Title Catalogue and are thus excluded from digital collections. For example, the Library and Museum of Freemasonry in London has not previously given permission to fully reproduce rituals of the so-called higher degrees. Hence, the rituals ncluded in this edition are published here for the first time in their entirety and with annotations. Furthermore, this edition reproduces texts that seem to have been knowingly overlooked by masonic historians in their publications.

The project aims to list all masonic literature by Poles, about Poles and of Polish interest from the mid-18th century beginnings of freemasonry in the Republic of Two Nations, Polish and Lithuanian, to the present day. Its methodological foundations are inclusive with regard to Polish emigration literature, foreign-language polonica and all prints related to foreign masonic activity within the changing borders of Poland during the past three centuries.

The project aims to list all masonic literature by Poles, about Poles and of Polish interest from the mid-18th century beginnings of freemasonry in the Republic of Two Nations, Polish and Lithuanian, to the present day. Its methodological foundations are inclusive with regard to Polish emigration literature, foreign-language polonica and all prints related to foreign masonic activity within the changing borders of Poland during the past three centuries.

Türkiye 'nin kuıruluş yılları, 1923'den 1935 'e kadar masonlarla ilgili her konuyu bu kitabımda, belge ve bulguları ile araştırdım ve yazdım.

Kurtuluş Savaşında düşman safında kurumsal olarak yer alan mason tarikatı,Türkiye Cumhuriyeti'nin kuruluşundan sonra da emperyalizmin hizmetinde Türkiye Cumhuriyetini ele geçirmek, devrimleri durdurmak için savaşıma girişirken, Atatürk ve Türkçülerin amansız savaşımı ile karşılaşır, sonunda 1935 de Atatürk 'ün tokatı ile kapatılırlar...

1923 - 1935 arasında, masonların yolsuzluklkarı, devlet ve ulus malı üzerinden soygunları; Atatürk ve Türkçülerle ilişkileri ve yalanları; emperyalizm ile ilişkileri ve ihanetleri.

Bu dönemde masonlara dair her şey. İlk kez, masonların içinden de gelen belge, bulgu ve kanıtlara dayanarak; bilimsel yöntemle bir Türkçü ve Atatürkçü tarafından, araştırılıp, yazıldı.

Hürol

This paper will discuss the lost rites of Freemasonry, in particular the rites created in continental Europe during the eighteenth century by such charismatic and enigmatic Freemasons as Martinez Pasqually, Count Alessandro di Cagliostro, Pyotr Melissino and Baron Von Hund.  The eighteenth century saw a number of Masonic rites developing in France, Germany and Russia, and though some of these rites ceased to exist by the close of the century, the paper will discuss how they inspired the occult revival of the nineteenth century, the essence of the lost rites influencing Martinism, Memphis-Misraïm and the Swedenborgian Rite. This paper, edited from a chapter of my book The Lost Rites and Rituals of Freemasonry, published by Lewis Masonic in 2017, has been presented so far to around fifty lodges in England, Wales, Greece and the US, and saw publication in The Plumbline, Vol.25, No.2, (Summer 2018) and in the Transactions of the Leicester Lodge of Research No.2429, 2018-2019.

The Romantic poet Lord Byron was known for his epic verse such as 'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage' and 'Don Juan', but he was equally famous for his scandalous lifestyle and his revolutionary activities in Italy and Greece. Byron became a member of the Carbonari while in Italy and referred to Freemasonry in 'Don Juan', the poet perhaps being familiar with his great-uncle's Masonic activities and that of his friends John William Polidori and Col. Thomas Wildman. This paper will examine Byron's links to Freemasonry and the Carbonari and discuss how the poet may have been influenced by the themes and the ethos of these secret societies.

This article is an attempt to reconcile literary criticism’s perspective with those of historical analysis. Since literary
artwork desired outcome is not to mirror reality, it cannot be considered a historical source in a traditional sense. But
this does not imply that it cannot be historicized. The understanding of a literary text rests upon its link -contextualized
within its own horizon- with the world it tries to represent. This link is manifested through its symbolic character; a
bridge between the world represented in the artwork and our own.

Thomas Paine’s close associations with famous Freemasons in America, England, and France have not only frequently been taken as evidence that he was a Freemason himself, but have also been seen as explaining his sudden rise to literary and political prominence after arriving in the American colonies from England. His writing of an essay “On the Origin of Free-Masonry” several years before his death has similarly been interpreted as proof that he was a committed member of the fraternity.

However, a close reading of “On the Origin of Free-Masonry” shows that Paine was not a Freemason at the time of its composition and that the essay’s purpose is to attack organized religion as much as to explicate Freemasonry’s beginnings.

“On the Origin of Free-Masonry,” which posits a druid origin to the Masonic fraternity, is of a piece with the confrontational religious approach Paine embraced in his later works, where he denounced revealed religion and endorsed deism. Freemasonry and deism intersected often in revolutionary America and France, and due to Paine’s associations with members of the fraternity in both places and sympathy with certain of its beliefs and aims, he devoted an essay to Freemasonry’s origins, while simultaneously attacking revealed religion in his exploration of the subject.

Róbert Péter (ed), British Freemasonry, 1717-1813. Vol. 4. Debates (New York: Routledge, 2016)

volume 1: Institutions (C. Révauger)
volume 2: Rituals I – English, Irish and Scottish Craft Rituals (J. A.  M. Snoek)
volume 3: Rituals II – Harodim Material and Higher Degrees (J. A. M. Snoek)
volume 4: Debates (R. Péter)
volume 5: Representations (R. Péter)

For a limited access to vol. 4 see
https://books.google.hu/books?id=xLdCDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT84&dq=British+Freemasonry,+1717-1813+Debates+Church&hl=hu&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjY9Ye8moDQAhVJORoKHT0FCfoQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&q=British%20Freemasonry%2C%201717-1813%20Debates%20Church&f=false

More information about the edition is available at:
https://www.routledge.com/British-Freemasonry-1717-1813/Peter- Revauger-Snoek/p/book/9781848933774

The attached copyright material was provided by the Routledge division of Taylor and Francis on 20 October, 2016.

Róbert Péter (general editor), Cécile Révauger (volume editor). Jan A. M. Snoek (volume editor), British Freemasonry, 1717-1813, 5 vols. (New York: Routledge, 2016), 2606 pages, 5967 editorial notes.

volume 1: Institutions (C. Révauger)
volume 2: Rituals I – English, Irish and Scottish Craft Rituals (J. A.  M. Snoek)
volume 3: Rituals II – Harodim Material and Higher Degrees (J. A. M. Snoek)
volume 4: Debates (R. Péter)
volume 5: Representations (R. Péter)

More information about the edition is available at:
https://www.routledge.com/British-Freemasonry-1717-1813/Peter- Revauger-Snoek/p/book/9781848933774

The attached copyright material was provided by the Routledge division of Taylor and Francis on 20 October, 2016.