A New Encyclopaedia Of Freemasonry And Of Cognate Instituted Mysteries

Book: A New Encyclopaedia Of Freemasonry And Of Cognate Instituted Mysteries by Arthur Edward Waite

This book is an astounding collection of Masonic and other Secret Society Information. This book provides a complete view of the history, literature and myths surrounding Freemasonry. Comprehensive explanations of their secret rituals and symbolism. Including alchemy, astrology, Kabbalism, Ceremonial Magic, Animal Magnetism and more. I have owned this book for over one year and every time I see something in another Masonic work that I am unsure-of, I can find a reference to the material in Waite's Encyclopaedia. The only reason people think it is too archaic is because people do not read enough. This book is a must-have for any researcher in the field of Masonry and/or other Secret Societies, including the H.B. of L. I appreciate this work, almost daily. If you can't read this one, forget "The History of Freemasonry," by Albert Mackey. This is a wonderful research book, despite the fact that it needs a thorough index, for quick-reference. I would be willing to Index this work, because of it's value to all Masons and other researchers in the field. I cannot begin to describe how amazed I was, when I cracked the covers of this book for the first time....and the thrill continues, each time I take it off the shelf!

Buy Arthur Edward Waite's book: A New Encyclopaedia Of Freemasonry And Of Cognate Instituted Mysteries

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Was Billy Graham A Freemason

The Reverend Billy Graham is not a freemason. The following correspondence to a reader of the Cutting Edge Ministry makes this very clear:

Subject: Freemason
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 97 11:23:21 -0500
From: dkinde@graham-assn.org (Don Kinde)
Thank you for your e-mail message. We understand your concern about rumors that Mr. Graham is in some way associated with Freemasonry. The reports are erroneous — though we continue to hear them. Mr. Graham is not, has not been and does not expect ever to be involved in Freemasonry. Your help in keeping the record as accurate as possible would be much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Don Kinde
Christian Guidance Department
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

One possible source of this rumour was Composite Lodge No. 595’s website in Santa Monica, California, USA. The brother maintaining the site reproduced a list of famous freemasons that mistakenly included the Reverend Billy Graham’s name. Once the error was brought to his attention, the list was amended on December 28, 1996. Other masonic websites unwittingly reproduced the list and several years passed before most, if not all of them, were corrected.
The late Jim Shaw claimed that Billy Graham was present when he was made a 33rd Degree freemason. This is only one of Shaw’s many lies exposed in such publications as Is it True What They Say About Freemasonry?
On 13 June, 1997 anti-mason and fundamentalist Christian, Steve Van Nattan went on a syndicated Christian Fundamentalist radio talk show, "The Cutting Edge," to announce his "proof" that Graham was not only a freemason but that the freemasons were trying to hide his membership. The Cutting Edge Ministry subsequentially accepted the denial issued by Billy Graham’s office.

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Compte Saint Germain And Secret Societies

Secret societies were the fashion in pre-revolutionary France, and some of them recognized Saint-Germain as an 'adept' one who knew the ancient wisdoms hinted at in the rites of the Freemasons, Rosicrucians and Knights Templars.

He influenced Freemasonry and the secret societies, though many modern masons have denied this and have even omitted to mention him as a great source of inspiration.

In Vienna he took part in the foundation of the Society of Asiatic Brothers and of the Knights of Light, who studied alchemy; and it was he who gave Mesmer his fundamental ideas on personal magnetism and hypnotism. It is said that he initiated Cagliostro, who visited him on several occasions in Holstein to receive directions from him, though there is no direct evidence for this. The two men were to be far separated from one another by opposite currents and a different fate.

All over the country secret societies sprang up. The new spirit manifested itself in the form of associations. Neither the nobility nor the clergy escaped what had become a fashion.

There were lodges for women, and the Princesse de Lamballe became grand mistress of one of them.

In Germany there were the Illuminati and the Knights of Strict Observance, and Frederick II, when he came to the throne, founded the sect of the Architects of Africa.

In France, the Order of the Templars was reconstituted, and Freemasonry, whose grand master was the Duke de Chartres, increased the number of its lodges in every town. Martinez de Pasqually taught his philosophy at Marseilles, Bordeaux and Toulouse; and Savalette de Lange, with mystics such as Court de Gebelin and Saint-Martin, founded the lodge of the Friends Assembled.

The initiates of these sects understood that they were the depositories of a heritage that they did not know, but whose boundless value they guessed; it was to be found somewhere, perhaps in traditions, perhaps in a book written by a master, perhaps in themselves. They spoke of this revealing word, this hidden treasure it was said to be in the hands of "unknown superiors of these sects, who would one day disclose the wealth which gives freedom and immortality."

It was this immortality of the spirit that Saint-Germain tried to bring to a small group of chosen initiates. He believed that this minority, once it was developed itself, would, in its turn, help to develop another small number, and that a vast spiritual radiation would gradually descend, in beneficent waves, towards the more ignorant masses. It was a sage's dream, which was never to be realized.

With the co-operation of Savalette de Lange, who was the nominal head, he founded the group of Philalethes, or truth-lovers, which was recruited from the cream of the Friends Assembled. The Prince of Hesse, Condorcet, and Cagliostro were all members of this group. Saint-Germain expounded his philosophy at Ermenonville and in Paris, in the rue Platriere. It was a Platonic Christianity, which combined Swedenborg's visions with Martinez de Pasqually's theory of reintegration. There were to be found in it Plotinus' emanations and the hierarchy of successive planes described by Hermeticists and modem theosophists. He taught that man has in him infinite possibilities and that, from the practical point of view, he must strive unceasingly to free himself of matter in order to enter into communication with the world of higher intelligences.

He was understood by some. In two great successive assemblies, at which every Masonic lodge in France was represented, the Philalethes attempted the reform of Freemasonry. If they had attained their aim, if they had succeeded in directing the great force of Freemasonry by the prestige of their philosophy, which was sublime and disinterested, it may be that the course of events would have been altered, that the old dream of a world guided by philosopher-initiates would have been realized.

But matters were to turn out differently. Old causes, created by accumulated injustices had paved the way for terrible effects. These effects were in their turn to create the causes of future evil. The chain of evil, linked firmly together by men's egoism and hatred, was not to be broken. The light kindled by a few wise visionaries, a few faithful watchers over the well being of their brothers, was extinguished almost as soon as it was kindled.

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Cracking The Freemasons Code The Truth About Solomon Key And The Brotherhood

Book: Cracking The Freemasons Code The Truth About Solomon Key And The Brotherhood by Robert Cooper

One word to sum up this book. Excellent!!! Freemasons, buy this book! You will not be disappointed. Scottish Freemason, Brother Cooper, offers an easily read education on Freemasonry from a very unique Scottish perspective. It is so darn good and you can sense the author's love and passion for the Craft within it's pages is genuine. Brother Cooper talks about the first Freemasons; the transition from Operative to Speculative Masonry; the differences between Scottish, English, Irish and American Freemasonry; a little known major impact of Scottish Masonry on American Masonry; the future of Freemasonry; Neoplatonism and Freemasonry; the Art of memory and Freemasonry; Greek and Roman influences within Freemasonry; the symbolism of Freemasonry; ETC..., but perhaps the most important is; THE OLDEST ritual OF FREEMASONRY IN THE WORLD TODAY!

In Cracking the Freemasons Code Cooper explains the structure of the Masonic interculture, its connections to covert organizations, the identities of historical Masonic members (who include George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), the locations of famous Masonic sites, and much more.

Readers will discover the true role Freemasonry has played throughout history, its purposes, the functions of its many members, and the way in which it has helped shape our modern society. Laying out the symbolism, beliefs, and ethos of a Mason, Cooper addresses the considerable amounts of controversy surrounding those practices. His book includes never-before- published images and seldom-seen documents to give readers a privileged view of this elect brotherhood.

Bob Cooper is a good friend and an excellant writer. There is not to many people more knolegable on the history of Freemasony than Bob Cooper. This is an great book if you want the provable REAL history of the lodge. No matter your level of knowledge or time in the Craft, this book is for you and you will find Brother Cooper's Masonic scholarship is a match for your own! Buy it and read it. Now!!! By doing so you will stay one step ahead of the game regarding Anti-masons and be able to SHARE REAL KNOWLEDGE with your less informed brethren. Bravo to Brother Cooper for a book that is such a Masonic Treasure. Most highly recommended.

Buy Robert Cooper's book: Cracking The Freemasons Code The Truth About Solomon Key And The Brotherhood

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Isaak Newton And The Rosicrucians

Perhaps the movement which most influenced Isaac Newton was Rosicrucianism. Though the Rosicrucian movement had caused a great deal of excitement within Europe's scholarly community during the early seventeenth century, by the time Newton had reached maturity the movement had become less sensationalized. However, the Rosicrucian movement still would have a profound influence upon Newton, particularly in regard to his alchemical work and Philosophical thought.

The Rosicrucian belief in being specially chosen for the ability to communicate with angels or spirits is echoed in Newton's prophetic beliefs. Additionally, the Rosicrucians proclaimed to have the ability to live forever through the use of the elixir vitae and the ability to produce limitless amounts of gold from the use of The Philosopher's Stone, which they claimed to have in their possession. Like Newton, the Rosicrusians were deeply religious, avowedly Christian, anti-Catholic, and highly politicised. Isaac Newton would have a deep interest in not just their alchemical pursuits, but also their belief in esoteric truths of the ancient past and the belief in enlightened individuals with the ability to gain insight into nature, the physical universe, and the spiritual realm.

At the time of his death, Isaac Newton had 169 books on the topic of alchemy in his personal library, and was believed to have considerably more books on this topic during his Cambridge years, though he may have sold them before moving to London in 1696. For its time, his was considered one of the finest alchemical libraries in the world. In his library, Newton left behind a heavily annotated personal copy of "The Fame and Confession of the Fraternity R.C.", by Thomas Vaughan which represents an English Translation of The Rosicrucian Manifestos. Newton also possessed copies of "Themis Aurea" and "Symbola Aurea Mensae Duodecium" by the learned alchemist Michael Maier, both of which are significant early books about the Rosicrucian movement. These books were also extensively annotated by Newton.

Newton's ownership of these materials by no means denotes membership within any early Rosicrucian order. Furthermore, considering that his personal alchemical investigations were focused upon discovering materials which the Rosicrucians professed to already be in possession of long before he was born, would seem to exclude Newton from their membership. During his own life, Newton was openly accused of being a Rosicrucian, as were many members of The Royal Society.[22] Though it is not known for sure if Isaac Newton was in fact a Rosicrucian, and he never publicly identified himself as one, from his writings it does appear that he may have shared many of their sentiments and beliefs.

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Did Highranking Freemason Albert Pike Found The Ku Klux Klan

No.

There is no Documentation or record that would suggest that masonic author, Albert Pike, was ever a member of the Ku Klux Klan, much less a founder or leader.
The 19th century Ku Kux Klan was originally organized by six Confederate veterans in Pulaski, Tennessee in the spring of 1866. It obligated members only to "have fun, make mischief and play pranks on the public." It was structured into a vehicle for Southern white resistance to Radical Reconstruction at a convention in Nashville, Tennessee in April of 1867 under the leadership of George Gordon. Several weeks later Nathan Bedford Forrest was offered the position of Grand Wizard.

On August 28, 1868 Forrest granted an interview to a reporter from the Cincinnati Commercial, in which he confirmed the existence of the Klan, declared his sympathy and cooperation with them, but denied his membership. In January 1869 Forrest issued "General Order Number One", the only directive to come from Imperial Headquarters, ordering the group be disbanded. Local branches remained active, prompting the U.S. Congress to pass the Force Act of 1870 and the Ku Klux Act in 1871. By the time the U.S. Supreme Court declared the Klan unconstitutional in 1882, it had practically disappeared as an organization although independent acts of violence were to continue under the banners of the American Protective Association and the Whitecap movement, among others. The growth, decline and Transformation of the 20th century Klan has no connection with the original Klan, other than the name.

Confederate Lieutenant General and the Klan’s first (and only) Grand Wizard, Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821-1877), was an Entered Apprentice of Angorona Lodge No. 168 in Memphis, Tennessee. There is no record of his having progressed further or having been active in Freemasonry. Not having received the Master Mason degree, under the rules of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee, he would not have been considered a freemason.

Although 1915 Klan organizer Colonel William Joseph Simmons was a freemason, he was also a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows, and eight other lodges. He was never a Grand Lodge or lodge officer in Freemasonry. There is no available documentation that Edward Young Clarke or David Curtis Stephenson were freemasons.

As a counterpoint, note that famous slavery abolitionist, John Brown was at one time an active freemason, while the two major proponents of the Ku Klux Act, Benjamin F. Butler and John Scott were also active freemasons. As always, it should be stressed that regular Freemasonry is not concerned with politics, leaving its members to act as their conscience dictates.

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The Two Great Schisms Of Freemasonry

The PGLE (Premier Grand Lodge of England), along with those jurisdictions with which it was in amity, later came to be known colloquially as the "Moderns", to distinguish them from a newer, rival group of Freemasonry, known as the "Antients." The Antients broke away and formed their own Grand Lodge in 1753, prompted by the PGLE's making changes to the secret modes of recognition. Tensions between the two groups were very high at times. Benjamin Franklin was a "Modern" and a deist, for instance, but by the time he died, his Lodge had gone "Antient", and would no longer recognize him as one of their own, declining even to give him a Masonic funeral (see "Revolutionary Brotherhood", by Steven C. Bullock, Univ. N. Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 1996).

The schism was healed in the years following 1813, when the competing Grand Lodges were amalgamated, by virtue of a delicately worded compromise which left English Masonry clearly not Christian, returned the modes of recognition to their pre-1753 form, kept Freemasonry per se as consisting of three degrees only, but which was ambiguously worded so as to allow the Moderns to think of the Antient Royal Arch degree as an optional higher degree, while still allowing the Antients to view it as the completion of the third degree (see [1] (http://freemasonry.org/psoc/pragmatic.htm)).

Because both the Antients and the Moderns had "daughter" Lodges throughout the world, and because many of those Lodges still exist, there is a great deal of variability in the ritual used today, even between UGLE-recognized jurisdictions. Most Lodges conduct their Work in accordance with an agreed-upon single "Rite," such as the "York Rite" (which is popular in the United States), or the "Canadian Rite" (which is, in some ways, a concordance between the Rites used by the "Antients" and "Moderns").

The second great schism in Freemasonry occurred in the years following 1877, when the GOdF started accepting atheists unreservedly. While the issue of atheism is probably the greatest single factor in the split with the GOdF, the English also point to the French recognition of women's Masonry and co-Masonry, as well as the tendency of French Masons to be more willing to discuss religion and politics in Lodge. While the French curtail such discussion, they do not ban it as outright as do the English (see [2] (http://bessel.org/masrec/france.htm)). The schism between the two branches has occasionally been breached for short periods of time, especially during the First World War when American Masons overseas wanted to be able to visit French Lodges (see [3] (http://www.bessel.org/recfranc.htm)).

Concerning religious requirements, the oldest constitution of Freemasonry (that of Anderson, 1723) says only that a Mason "will never be a stupid Atheist nor an irreligious Libertine" if he "rightly understands the Art". The only religion required was "that Religion in which all Men agree, leaving their particular Opinions to themselves" ([4] (http://www.2be1ask1.com/library/anderson.html)). Masons disagree as to whether "stupid" and "irreligious" are meant as necessary or as accidental modifiers of "atheist" and "libertine". It is possible the ambiguity is intentional. In 1815, the newly amalgamated UGLE changed Anderson's constitutions to include more orthodox overtones: "Let a man's religion or mode of worship be what it may, he is not excluded from the Order, provided he believes in the glorious Architect of heaven and earth, and practices the sacred duties of morality." The English enforce this with a requirement for belief in a Supreme Being, and in his revealed will. While these requirements can still be interpreted in a non-theistic manner, they made it more difficult for unorthodox believers to enter the fraternity.

In 1849, the GOdF followed the English lead by adopting the "Supreme Being" requirement, but there was increasing pressure in Latin countries to openly admit atheists. There was an attempt at a compromise in 1875, by allowing the alternative phrase "Creative Principle" (which was less theistic-sounding than "Supreme Being"), but this was ultimately not enough for the GOdF, and in 1877 they went back to having no religious entrance requirements, adopting the original Anderson document of 1723 as their official Constitutions. They also created a modified ritual that made no direct verbal reference to the G.A.O.T.U. (although, as a symbol, it was arguably still present). This new Rite did not replace the older ones, but was added as an alternative (European jurisdictions in general tend not to restrict themselves to a single Rite, like most North American jurisdictions, but offer a menu of Rites, from which their Lodges can choose.)

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The Morality Argument Of Masonry

The first conclusion is that Atheists are incapable of following God’s Moral Law, and they are therefore incapable of meeting on the Square. The most often-quoted example of this comes from James Anderson in his Constitutions of Free-Masons (p. 50): “A Ma?on is oblig’d, by his Tenure, to obey the moral Law; and if he rightly under?tands the Art, he will never be a ?tupid Athei?t, nor an irregular Libertine.” Can Atheists follow moral law? Again, from an areligious perspective, an Atheist can hold the same values that a non-Atheist holds, but for different reasons. A religious man may hold moral law to be a sacred or divine teaching, whereas a man without religion may believe that “doing good” is beneficial to himself and all of humanity, though not link it to God. Therefore, Atheists are capable of reaching the same end, that of acting uprightly, though they may have used different means to arrive at their conclusion.

If Atheists can practice brotherly love, relief, and truth, then why deny them admittance to our Order? Paton (p.154) suggests that the Atheist “… acknowledges no relation to God which should lead to fear, or hope, or love, or obedience. To him, as to the most absolute speculative atheist, the moral law is nothing.” Paton suggests that following moral law is but a whim, a fleet of fancy which may be turned upon because a man who does not fear God has no reason to remain moral. Perhaps the best example of this philosophy was given by Albert Pike (ch. 23):

The intellect of the Atheist would find matter everywhere; but no Causing and Providing Mind: his moral sense would find no Equitable Will, no Beauty of Moral Excellence, no Conscience enacting justice into the unchanging law of right, no spiritual Order or spiritual Providence, but only material Fate and Chance. His affections would find only finite things to love; and to them the dead who were loved and who died yesterday, are like the rainbow that yesterday evening lived a moment and then passed away. His soul, flying through the vast Inane, and feeling the darkness with its wings, seeking the Soul of all, which at once is Reason, Conscience, and the Heart of all that is, would find no God, but a universe all disorder; no Infinite, no Reason, no Conscience, no Heart, no Soul of things; nothing to reverence, to esteem, to love, to worship, to trust in; but only an Ugly Force, alien and foreign to us, that strikes down those we love, and makes us mere worms on the hot sand of the world. No voice would speak from the Earth to comfort him.

Paton adds the idea that Masons believe in a “Future State,” which he defines loosely as rewards and punishments to be given in the next life or in the afterlife. In this case, Paton makes the point that without a belief in a Supreme Being or the afterlife, there is no immortal consequence to breaking moral law. This has historically been a key reason for denying Atheists positions in Masonry—they cannot be trusted to maintain morality. Although it is true that Atheists have no belief in immortal consequences, good men tend to be good men; using this as the only argument to keep Atheists out of Masonry is hardly sufficient.

The other perspective often repeated in Masonic literature dealing with the subject of Atheists is that those who do not believe in a Grand Architect are somehow baser than those of us who do believe. The effect of allowing Atheists entry into Masonry

would be to lessen confidence and weaken friendship, and no obligation would be regarded as binding among men … Mankind would give way to the most unrestrained, cruel, and base passions of their worst natures. The very foundations of good order would be subverted, and society would soon degenerate into a state of anarchy. (Ernst, p. 69-70)

This is an even more prejudiced view than the view that Atheists cannot be trusted to uphold moral law, though there are connections between them. Anderson’s reference to Atheists as “stupid” (meaning base, not of lower intelligence), implies the belief that non-believers are less of men. This, in addition to the aforementioned arguments, makes up the bulk of the arguments opposing the Atheist’s admission to the Lodge.

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The Rosicrucian Order

LAW ANNOUNCEMENT.
"THE ROSICRUCIAN ORDER."
Curious Explanations In The Witness-Box.
Kings Bench Division. - Mr. Justice Scrutton and a Common Jury.

The hearing, begun on Tuesday, was concluded yesterday of an action for damages for alleged libel brought by Mr. George Cecil Jones, consulting chemist, of Great Tower Street, E.C., against the proprietors, editor, and printers of The Looking Glass, a weekly journal.
Counsel: For the plaintiff, Mr. Simmons; for the publishing company, Mr. Schiller; for the printers (Messrs. Love and Malcolmson), Mr. Rowlands. The editor, Mr. West de Wend Fenton, appeared in person.
The statements complained of were contained in a series of Articles which dealt chiefly with one Aleister Crowley and a connection with a sect styled the Rosicrucians Order. There was the statement, "By their friends ye shall know them." and a passage which stated that two of Crowley’s friends and introducers were still associated with him - "one the rascal sham Buddhist monk Allan Bennett . . . ; the other a person of the name George Cecil Jones."
The defendants said that the words complained of were not capable of bearing a defamatory meaning, and also pleaded fair comment.
The plaintiff in his evidence said he became acquainted with Crowley in 1898. He had never known or seen anything wrong in connection with him.

"MACGREGOR."


One of the witnesses called by the defense styled himself MacGregor, and his full name being desired he recited a list of Christian names and the surname Mathers. Crowley, he said, was expelled from the Rosicrucian Order in 1905 because he had circulated libel against the witness, who was head of the Order, and because he was working against the interests of the Order. Mr. Simmons, cross-examining, asked the witness whether his original name was not Samuel Liddell Mathers ?
The Witness : Undoubtedly.
Did you subsequently assume the name of MacGregor? - The name Mathers dates from 1603. At the time the name of MacGregor was forbidden on pain of death, and there is no single person of the name MacGregor at the present day who has not had another name in the interval.
Your name was MacGregor in 1603 ? (Laughter.) - Yes, if you like to put it in that way.
You have called yourself Count MacGregor of Glenstrae ? - Oh, yes.
The witness denied that he had asserted he was Cagliostro.
Have you ever suggested that you had any connection with King James IV of Scotland ? - Every Scotsman who dates from an ancient family must have had some connection with King James IV , as well as with the other Kings.
Have you ever asserted that King James IV of Scotland never died ? - That is a matter of common tradition. The old tradition of that nature in Scotland forms the basis of one of Allan Cunningham’s novels.
Do you assert that James IV of Scotland is in existence today ? - I refuse to answer your question.
And that his existence today is embodied in yourself ? - Certainly not. You are confusing me with Crowley’s aliases.
Do you believe that the Count de St.Germain is living ? - The witness referred counsel to traditions in the St.Germain family. Then we have two people who are supposed to be dead, and who are not dead ? - I am not responsible for traditions.
Mr. Justice Scrutton (to counsel) : The "Flying Dutchman" is a third, if you want to pursue this subject. (Laughter.)
The Witness : And "The Wandering Jew". (Laughter.)
Mr. Simmons (to the witness) : Have you any occupation ?
The Witness : This is as you like to take it. For a man of no occupation I am probably the most industrious man living. (Laughter.) The witness, further questioned, refused to say how many members the Order had; a great many; there were more than 200 with whom he was actually in touch. He was lead of the Order. There were secret chiefs. Counsel asked for the names of these chiefs.
The Witness : I am sworn not to give them. He added that he exercised the power of expulsion. He refused to say how many people he had expelled : he had expelled as many as fifteen at one time.
Mr. Justice Scrutton : This trial is getting very much like the trial in "Alice In Wonderland." (Laughter.) Mr. William Migge, a City merchant, said he attended the first of a series of performances given by Crowley. It was described in the Looking Glass as the proceedings of "the Amazing Sect." He paid £5 5s. for the series. He did not like the performances, and asked for the return of his money. The performances were supposed to be rites and rituals based on the mysticism and of the planetary spirits. The first performance had something to do with the planet Saturn. During part of the time the room was in darkness. Mr. Shiller : Was one of the characters taken by a lady called "The Mother Of Heaven" ? The Witness : Yes.
And another taken by a small girl called "The Daughter Of Heaven"? - I don’t recollect that. There was so much incense I couldn’t see much.
Cross-examined by Mr. Simmons, the witness said he was induced by a lady clairvoyant to attend the performance. What did you expect to get for your money? - Clairvoyant manifestations of some character. The witness said he did not expect to see - nor did he see - any improprieties.
MEMBER OF THE ORDER.

Dr. Berridge, practicing at Glouscester-terrace, Hyde Park, said he was a member of the Order. He heard rumours as to Crowley, which he did not want to state specifically, as there were ladies in the court. Mr. Justice Scrutton : Any ladies remaining here are probably beyond scruples of that sort.
After some further evidence, four questions were left to the jury, who by their answers, found that the words complained of as deflamatory statements were in fact substantially true, and that the statements so far as they consisted of opinions were fair comments on the facts; further, that the publication caused no damage to the plaintiff.
On these findings judgment was entered for the defendants. Solicitors : Bullock and Co., for the plaintiff; Mr. Gottlieb, for the defendant publishing company; White and Leonard, for the printers.

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Put Another Masonic Way

The following was found on an application form from the Grand Lodge of California and appears here thanks to Bro. William Maddox who transcribed it.

Having expressed a desire to become a Freemason, we presume you are willing to consider thoroughly the step you propose to take. The exact nature of our Institution being unknown to you, we deem it advisable that you should be informed on certain points, the knowledge of which may affect your decision to apply for membership.

Freemasonry interferes neither with religion nor politics, but has for its foundation the great basic principles of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. No Atheist can be a Freemason.

Freemasonry strives to teach a man the duty he owes to God, his neighbor, and himself. It inculcates the practice of virtue, and makes an extensive use of symbolism in its teachings.

It cannot be too strongly emphasized that Freemasonry is not to be entered in the hope of personal gain or advancement. Admission must not be sought from mercenary or other unworthy motives. Any one so actuated will be bitterly disappointed. The aim of the true Freemason is to cultivate a brotherly feeling among men, and to help whomsoever he can.

Freemasonry is not a Benefit Society. This fact cannot be too strongly emphasized. We do not subscribe so much a year to entitle us to draw sick pay or other benefits, or to make provision for those who survive us. There are other excellent Societies founded for this purpose. No man should enter the ranks of Freemasonry in hope or expectation that he will derive any financial benefit from it. Masonic Charity is directed towards those who, from unforeseen circumstances and through no fault of their own, have met with misfortune.

Loyalty to one's country is an essential qualification in Freemasonry, and only those are acceptable who cheerfully render obedience to every lawful authority. Disloyalty in any form is abhorrent to a Freemason, and is regarded as a serious Masonic offense.

Freemasonry has in all ages insisted that men should come to its doors entirely of their own free will, and not as a result of solicitations, or from feelings of curiosity, but simply from a favorable opinion of the Institution, and a desire to be ranked among its members.

We have no authority at the present time to give you further information regarding the Brotherhood you propose to join, but we have imparted sufficient to enable you to conclude that Freemasonry is not contrary to the principles which mark a man of upright heart and mind, and has in it nothing inconsistent with one's civil, moral or religious duties.

We think it advisable to inform you that your admission to our Craft will entail certain financial obligations which you should be able to discharge without detriment to yourself or those dependent on you. In addition to the fees and contributions payable on your entrance, there will be an annual subscription for the support of your Lodge, and from time to time you may be called upon to contribute for the relief work connected with the Craft.

In the event that you are elected to receive the Degrees of Masonry, and this fact becomes known, you may be called upon by someone seeking to take advantage of that fact by attempting to sell you insurance in some form, a Bible with some Masonic information in it, or other books or items related to the Craft. Any and all such solicitations are completely without authorization and are in violation of our rules and regulations. We strongly urge you to decline to talk with any persons offering such items for sale.

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Anonymous - The Mysticism Of Masonry
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Masonry From The Historical Perspective

In the time since most of the above-cited works were written, we as a secular, Western society have moved beyond the name-calling and prejudices that plagued our forefathers. Indeed, the forbearers of our Craft did not always require religion in their ritual. Prior to the establishment of modern Freemasonry, when our predecessors still hewed stone and built magnificent cathedrals, religion may not have always played a part in meetings.

There is no denying that Masons as early as c.1430 were required to be Christian. Surviving fifteenth century records indicate that there were religious overtones in Masonry this early as c.1430, when the document now known as the Regius MS was written (Waite, p. 3-4). And though there was a requirement that Masons at this time “lift up their hearts to Christ” (Waite, p. 4), it was not until three centuries later that there was an absolute requirement that Christianity had to be professed (Coil, p. 515). Early on, therefore, it was certainly preferred that members of the Craft be Christian and God-fearing.

From a historical standpoint, however, how much was the Christian requirement simply based on the power and control exercised by the Church during the late Middle Ages? Given the nature of European feudal society, especially on the British Isles and in France, Church officials held most power in most places, and they held in their hands the “only” way to worship. In the Regius MS, Masons were required to “assist at Holy Mass with becoming reverence.” Since the primary buildings constructed by stone masons at the time were cathedrals, or places of Christian worship, there was likely some degree of religious oversight of the process by a Church official. Though they may not have been given the operative secrets of the guild (therefore making the Catholic Church distrust the Masons as an organization in later centuries), it is not an unreasonable assumption that the edicts requiring Christian faith may have come—either directly or indirectly—from the clergy.

Indeed, in the era of the Masonic Guild, it is clear historically that there was often a blurring of lines between Church and Lodge. The Comacine order, the early forbearer of later guilds of masonry, for example, was known to admit priests as members.

Masonic Monks were not uncommon, and there were such monks associated with the Comacine body; so that qualified architects were easily found in the ranks of religious orders. (Scott, p. 160)

Belief in God has clearly been at the core of Masonry since its inception. Given the obvious historic influence of the Church on what was to become Speculative Freemasonry, ritual and belief system within the Lodge was “erected to God.” No room for Atheists was left; this was likely done on purpose, at least early on, through the influence of the monk-architects. This, however, was likely not a sinister act. After all, “A Freemason in the year 1200 A.D. … thought of himself as a Catholic, [but] it did not occur to him to think of his art or craft as having anything to do with Catholicism” (Haywood, p. 122). Nonetheless, the required belief in Deity became a core tenet of the fledgling guild during that era.

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History Of Freemasonry

Freemasonry has been said to be an institutional outgrowth of the medieval guilds of stonemasons (1), a direct descendant of the "Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem" (the Knights Templar)(2), an offshoot of the ancient Mystery schools(1), an administrative arm of the Priory of Sion(3), the Roman Collegia(1), the Comacine masters(1), intellectual descendants of Noah(1), and to have many other various and sundry origins. Others will claim that it dates back only to the late 17th century, and has no real connections at all to earlier organizations. These theories are noted in numerous different texts, and the following are but examples pulled from a sea of books:

1. In "A History of Freemasonry" by H.L. Haywood and James E. Craig, pub. circa 1927
2. In "The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail" by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln, pub. 1982
3. In "Born in Blood" By John Robinson, pub. 1989

Much of this is highly speculative, and the precise origins of Freemasonry may be lost in history. It is likely that Freemasonry is not a straightforward outgrowth of medieval guilds of stonemasons, for numerous reasons well documented in "Born in Blood" by John Robinson. Amongst the reasons for this conclusion are the fact that Stonemason's guilds do not appear to predate reasonable estimates for the time of Freemasonry's origin, that stonemasons lived near their worksite and thus had no need for secret signs to identify themselves, and that the "Ancient Charges" of Freemasonry are nonsensical when thought of as being rules for a Stonemason's guild.

Freemasonry is said by some, especially amongst Masons practising the York Rite, to have existed even at the time of King Athelstan of England, in the 10th century C.E. Athelstan is said by some to have been converted to Christianity in York, and to have issued the first Charter to the Masonic Lodges there. This story is not currently substantiated (the dynasty had already been Christian for centuries).

Some critics and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) consider the ordinances performed in LDS temples (believed by adherents to be revelation from God to Joseph Smith) similar to elements in the masonic rituals. Mormon apologists say this similarity may be because the Masonic rituals are descended from those given by God at the Temple of Solomon, and still contain many of the original truths.

A more historically reliable (although still not unassailable) source asserting the antiquity of Freemasonry is the Halliwell Manuscript or Regius Poem, which is believed to date from ca. 1390, and which makes reference to several concepts and phrases similar to those found in Freemasonry. The manuscript itself refers to an earlier document, of which it seems to be an elaboration.

It seems reasonable to suppose that, whatever its precise origins, Freemasonry provided a haven for the unorthodox and their sympathizers during a time when such activity could result in one's death, and that this has something to do with the tradition of secret meetings and handshakes. As the Middle Ages gave way to the Modern Age, the need for secrecy subsided, and Freemasons began to openly declare their association with the fraternity, which began to organize itself more formally. In 1717, four Lodges which met at the "Apple-Tree Tavern, the Crown Ale-House near Drury Lane, the Goose and Gridiron in St. Paul's Churchyard, and the Rummer and Grapes Tavern in Westminster" in London, England (as recounted in (2)) combined together and formed the first public Grand Lodge, the Premier Grand Lodge of England (PGLE). The years following saw Grand Lodges open throughout Europe, as the new Freemasonry spread rapidly. How much of this was the spreading of Freemasonry itself, and how much was the public organization of pre-existing secret lodges, is not possible to say with certainty. The PGLE in the beginning did not have the current three degrees, but only the first two. The third degree appeared, so far as we know, around 1725.

Opinions about the origins, objectives and future of Freemasonry remain controversial from the times of its inception to our times. For example, Shoko Asahara, founder of the controversial Japanese religious group Aum Shinrikyo, has prophesized in some of his sermons that "in the future, Freemasonry will merge into united stream" with Aum Shinrikyo.

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Are The Freemasons Parodying Judaism

No.

While Christian fundamentalists and antisemites have their own reasons for condemning masonic ritual or beliefs as being Enochian or Zadokite, Jewish fundamentalists will make similar accusations for different reasons.

The accusation is not that Freemasonry is a religion, but that it is a pseudo-religion; that it is a parody of Judaism. While, superficially, aspects of the rituals of masonic concordant bodies may possibly be viewed as aping Judaism, within regular Craft Freemasonry there is nothing in the ritual or practices that would support this accusation. In the defence of the concordant bodies, it should be stressed that the intent is certainly not to belittle Judaism, nor do they consider the use of Judaic or Hebrew titles to mean that they are engaged in Religious practices. The ritual pertains to the history of King Solomon’s Temple and the second Temple of Herod. It would not be possible to represent or re-enact this history without reference to the Historical and legendary personages, many of whom were priests.

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Freemasonry Has Apparently Thrived On Obfuscation And Obscurantism

Writing with the use of the term “supreme being” does invite some interesting intervention, varying from version to version, from Microsoft’s spelling and grammar check. It seems to be happy with “a supreme being” but with “the supreme being” it requires upper case “S” and “B”. Indeed, what does an affirmative answer to the question; “Do you believe in a supreme being” or “Do you believe in a Supreme Being” objectively convey? If the question is not, “Do you believe in that there is a Supreme Being” or “Do you believe in the existence of aSupreme Being” then what on earth is being asked? Dare it be suggested that Freemasonry has, apparently, thrived on obfuscation and obscurantism?

Perhaps it is time for freemasonry to come out of the cloisters. It does not require a belief in the super-natural to accept that Old Testament narratives can be a basis for moral and ethical lessons. What more is required? If a person wants to please a supernatural entity then perhaps a worshiping priest would be more appropriate than a worshipful master. Freemasonry provides a moral compass, derived from the workplace and applied to the rest of life on this earth; it was never intended for the acquisition of favours beyond space and time.

The ritual is fine as long as it is understood as secular ritual and not religious liturgy. For Freemasonry to have contemporary and future relevance it must explicitly and demonstrably cut the apron strings that bind it to religion, grow up and stand on its own secular feet. In so doing it can be open and visible for the cause of humanity; in modern definition, transparency is honesty.

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Freemasonry And Satanic Ritual Abuse

Excerpt from The Egyptian-Masonic-Satanic Connection by David L. Carrico

My name is Neil and I experienced at least 18 years of Satanic ritual abuse by several groups of Masons. The Masons all over the country are an organization - a secret order - and part of what they do is ritually abuse children, adults, and animals. The people in my family are to blame, as well as the Masons and our society for allowing it to happen. The Masons are an organized part of society, including politicians, judges, lawyers, policemen, rabbis, priests, doctors, etc. The Masons are all are over the country, including the female chapters, which are called Eastern Star.

This testimony by a SRA (Satanic Ritual Abuse) MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder) survivor should give us reason for concern about the possibility of a connection between Freemasonry and Satanic ritual abuse. What is even more compelling is the fact that this testimony is not unique. All over the United States victims are disclosing that Satanic ritual abuse is being perpetrated by Freemasons and that this type of abuse is taking place on Masonic properties.

There is now a rapidly growing awareness among therapists and Christian counter-cult ministries that high percentages of their victims have a connection with Freemasonry.

A Christian minister has worked with about 100 SRA MPD victims and reports that 90% of his victims claim that they were abused by Masonic perpetrators and that over 50% of the actual abuse took place on Masonic properties.

A practicing psychotherapist gives the following report:

I am a psychotherapist in private practice and treat mainly survivors of Satanic cult abuse. About half of the clients I treat report that their fathers were Masons. About half of the others report that a very close friend of the family's was a Mason. They recall going to parties and gatherings at the homes of Masons.

For some time now our ministry has been involved with warning the church about the cancerous anti-Christian menace of Freemasonry. We have also been compiling a record of statements from therapists and of victims like Neil who have testified to a direct connection between FREEMASONRY and SRA (SATANIC RITUAL ABUSE). These testimonies are becoming too numerous to ignore and the study of the Masonic connection in SRA could open up new areas of understanding and prevention.

Our suspicions were first aroused that there could be a connection between Freemasonry and SRA during our involvement in the "Blue House SRA case" in Evansville, Indiana. The children in Evansville alleged that they were taken from school and subjected to Satanic abuse in a blue house. According to Rick Doninger, the leading children's advocate for the 'blue house children', all of the 'blue house children' claimed that they were abused by Masonic perpetrators. Mr. Doninger also informed us that the police who investigated the 'blue house case' also were Freemasons. No arrests resulted from the investigation.

Some people say there is no reason for unusual concern when Freemasons are accused of SRA because many ministers, teachers, day care workers, and policemen have also been accused. On the surface this argument seems to make sense but the logic is faulty. What has often come out upon closer examination is that those ministers, teachers, etc., accused of SRA have a common denominator - Freemasonry.

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Criticism And Repression Of Freemasons

Freemasonry has been a long-time favorite target of conspiracy conspiracy theorists, who see it as an occult and evil power, often associated with Judaism, and usually either bent on world domination, or already secretly in control of world politics.

Freemasonry is almost universally banned in totalitarian states. In 1925, it was outlawed in Fascist Italy. Allegedly in Nazi Germany, Freemasons were sent to concentration camps and all Masonic Lodges were ordered shut down. German Masons used the blue forget-me-not as a secret means of recognition and as a substitute for the traditional (and too-easily-recognized) square and compasses. According to some interpretations of canon law, Roman Catholics are forbidden to become Freemasons by their church, though Freemasons do not bar Roman Catholics from becoming members. Freemasonry is also discouraged by some religious denominations of Protestantism.

In modern democracies, Freemasonry is occasionally accused of being a sort of club, or network, where a lot of influence peddling, and perhaps illegal dealings, take place. In the early 1800s, William Morgan disappeared after threatening to expose Freemasonry's secrets, causing some to claim that he had been murdered by Masons. In Italy, in the 1970s, the P2 lodge was investigated in the wake of a financial scandal and a suspicious death. As a result, the lodge was expelled from Italian Masonry (although it continued to function independently). In Nice, France, the head prosecutor accused some judges and other judicial personnel of deliberately stalling or refusing to elucidate cases involving Masons. In the 1990s in Britain, the Labour Party government tried unsuccessfully to pass a law requiring all public officials who were Masons to make their affiliation public.

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Black Masonry Devoted To The Knowledge Of Evil

In this chapter we are documenting the doctrine of Black Masonry as it was taught by 33? Mason, C.W. Leadbeater. Not only was Leadbeater a prominent Mason, he also was an influential Theosophist and worked closely on many projects with the head of Theosophy, Annie Bessant. Leadbeater, according to some sources was a homosexual pedophile. According to Leadbeater, Black Masonry is degrees 19 through 30 in the Scottish Rite and are known as the Council of KADOSH. In the following quotes, "Knight K. H." is the Masonic abbreviation for Knight Kadosh. In the following quote from Leadbeater's book, Ancient Mystic Rites, he defines the scope of Black Masonry and talks about its relationship to evil, suffering and vengeance.

Few indeed of our Egyptian brethren appear to have passed beyond the Rose-Croix, for only the few needed anything further than the splendid revelation of the indwelling Love of God which they received in what we call the Eighteenth Degree. But for those few who felt that there was yet more to learn of the nature of God, and who eagerly wished to understand the meaning of evil and suffering and its relation to the divine plan, the prototype of our Black Masonry existed, the teaching and progress comprised in our degrees from the nineteenth to the thirtieth. This section of the Mysteries was especially concerned with the working out o f Karma in its different aspects, studied as a low of retribution, from one point of view dark and terrible. This is the inner kernel of truth lying behind the vengeance-elements in the degree of Knight K.H.

Albert Mackey in his Encyclopedia of Freemasonry gives the doctrine of the Masonic Kadosh system. Kadosh doctrine centers around the story of the execution of Jacques de Molay by the Pope and the King of France for satanic crimes. Jacques de Molay was the last head of the Knights Templar and Mackey contends that the Templars continue on in Freemasonry.

The doctrines of the Kadosh system is that the persecutions of the Knights Templar by Philip the Fair of France and Pope Clement V, however cruel and sanguinary in its results, did not extinguish the Order, but it continued to exist under the forms of Freemasonry. That the ancient Templars are the modern Kadoshes and that the Builder at the Temple of Solomon is now replaced by Jacques de Molay, the martyred Grand Master of the Templars, the assassins being represented by the King of France, the Pope, and Naffodei, the informer against the Order.

In his book, The Occult Conspiracy, Michael Howard lists the charges against the Knights templar that stemmed from the October raid on their headquarters in Paris in the year, 1307 A.D.

Specifically the Templars were accused of denying the tenets of the Christian faith, spitting or urinating on the crucifix during secret rites of initiation, worshipping a skull or head called Baphomet in a dark cave, anointing it with blood or fat of unbaptized babies, worshipping the Devil in the shape of a black cat and committing acts of sodomy and bestiality..

Candidates entering the Order also had to kiss their initiator on the mouth, the navel, the penis, and at "the base of the spine." These kisses were regarded by critics of the Order as proof of their perverted sexual activities, but in the occult tradition, the navel, sexual organs and the perineum are the physical locations of the psychic centres of the human body, known in the East as chakras.

Freemasons today will argue that de Molay was not a Satanist and will rigorously defend his character, mainly because the Masonic organization for young boys is named after de Molay. This Masonic argument contradicts the facts and de Molay stand in history as a man executed for satanic crimes. British historian Nesta H. Webster talks about the convincing evidence against the Knights Templar:

Moreover, do the confessions of the Knights appear to be the outcome of pure imagination such as men under the influence of torture might devise? It is certainly difficult to believe that the accounts of the ceremony of initiation given in detail by men in different countries, all closely resembling each other, yet related in different phraseology, could be pure inventions. Had the victims been driven to invent they would surely have contradicted each other, have cried out in their agony that all kinds of wild and fantastic rites had taken place in order to satisfy the demands of their interlocutors. But no, each appears to be describing the same ceremony more or less completely, with characteristic touches that indicate the personality of the speaker, and in the main all the stories tally.

The Masonic defense that the confessions of the Knights Templar were extracted under torture is false. While it is true that torture was used in France, torture was not used in Italy and England and the confessions were identical. Leadbeater explains how the Templars went to Scotland and mingled their doctrine with other occult sources and the Egyptian mysteries to create the Black Masonry of the Scottish Rite.

Certain of the French Knights Templar took refuge with their brethren of the Temple in Scotland, and in that country their traditions became mingled to some extend with the ancient Celtic rites of Heredom, thus forming one of the sources from which the Scottish Rite was later to be evolved. Traditions of vengeance upon the execrable King and Pope and the Traitor passed down throughout the ages, and were interwoven with the Egyptian tradition corresponding to our Black Masonry, culminating in what we now call the 30?.

This is confirmed by Masonic authority, Albert Pike, who honors Jacques de Molay as the founder of the Scottish Rite.

The end of the drama is well known, and how Jacques de Molai and his fellows perished in the flames. But before his execution, the Chief of the doomed Order organized and instituted what afterward came to be called the Occult, Hermetic, or Scottish Masonry." In the gloom of his prison, the Grand Master created four Metropolitan Lodges, at Naples for the East, at Edinburgh for the West, at Stockholm for the North, and at Paris for the South. (The initials of his name, J.B.M., found in the same order in the first three degrees are but one of the many internal and cogent proofs that such was the origin of modern Free Masonry.") The legend of Osiris was revised and adopted as the central theme of the third degree ritual, to symbolize the destruction of the Order, and the resurrection of Khurum, slain in the body of the Temple.

Once again Leadbeater stresses that Karma or revenge is the main element of Black Masonry.

The whole of what we now call Black Masonry led up to an explanation of karma as divine justice, this having been preserved for us in shadow in what is now called the 31?, that of the Grand Inspector Inquisitor commander, whose symbol is a pair of scales. In Egypt this pair of scales was taken as an emblem of the perfect balance of d divine justice, the aspirant learnt that all the evil and horror associated with the working out of karma was indeed based on perfect justice, although it had appeared as evil to the lesser vision of the profane.

What was the revenge that was taken in the death of convicted Satanist Jacques Molay? According to former Grand Commander Albert Pike, it was the death of the Pope, the King and the informer against the Order.

Thus the first stage of the higher instruction, that of the Rose-Croix or Red Masonry, was devoted to the knowledge of good, while the second stage, that of K.H. or Black Masonry, was devoted to the knowledge of evil.

The frightening thing about Freemasonry is that any interpretation can be given to Masonic ritual and symbols that does not violate basic Masonic landmarks. As the Mason is encouraged to seek the deeper understanding of the Masonic symbols, this leaves a huge door open to plunge deeper into the occult. This has been used for hundreds of years to develop their own system of satanic teaching.

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The Freemasons Key A Study Of Masonic Symbolism

Book: The Freemasons Key A Study Of Masonic Symbolism by Michael Poll

Mike Poll has developed a keen sense of 'what's needed' in the publishing of Masonic books. In this work, he's filled a HUGE gap that has existed practically forever.

Symbolism is the language of Freemasonry. But what is symbolism? Why does Masonry use it? Who else has used symbolism? Some of the great minds in Masonic history (Albert Mackey, Joseph Fort Newton, Oliver Day Street, H. L. Haywood and more) answer these and other questions concerning the Masonic method of teaching as well as explain the symbolism of the Masonic degrees. This is an indispensable work for anyone seeking to better understand Freemasonry and its practices.

When one becomes a Mason, the very first thing they want to learn about is 'symbolism'. What does it all mean? What's behind it all? For several decades, the standard work to address these emergent questions has been Allen Roberts' The Craft and Its Symbols. This book will not take its place but it should easily become the SECOND reference for a new or inquiring Masonic mind. While Roberts has addressed the basics, relating them to each degree in a logical, patterned order, this work expands FAR beyond that and joins together essays from the best and brightest minds from the history of Freemasonry into a book which expands the richness of our symbolism in detail. Having these all in one easily handled volume makes it just SO much easier!

This is not to say that these essays themselves are easy: they are, for the most part, ones to which you will return again and again over the years, each time finding new gems of thought-provoking stimulation. They approach the subject of Masonic Symbolism from varying angles, allowing the rich prism to shine and glow in your mind.

Within the pages of "The Freemasons Key", Our good Brother, Poll, has edited an excellent collection of essays on Masonic Symbolism by past Masonic scholars and thinkers. Throughout my world travels within the Masonic circles of the U.S.A., Asia, and Europe, Masonic Initiates of all levels (including Initiates of Non-Masonic traditions) often ask me; "What makes Freemasonry so special and unique?" My answer: IT'S SYMBOLISM!! This book explains in detail why Brother Albert Pike felt: "It is in its ancient symbols and in the knowledge of their true meanings that the preeminence of Freemasonry over all other orders consists." Also, Brothers who are members of appendent Masonic organizations such as The Order of Secret Monitor, The Worshipful Society of Freemasons, ETC... or follow the religious traditions of Islam, Christianity, Jewidism, ETC.. will find much Masonic light in this book because of the UNIVERSAL nature of it's subject matter. Freemasons, buy this book, Now! You will not be disappointed. Enuff said. This is a book that has long been needed: I urge ANY student of Masonic symbolism to add it to their 'read this now' list and to their library immediately.

Buy Michael Poll's book: The Freemasons Key A Study Of Masonic Symbolism

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Was Vladimir Lenin A Freemason

Lenin was not a recognized freemason. Although claims have been made that he was a member of the Grand Orient of Russian Peoples, there is no proof of this. The Grand Orient of Russian Peoples was an irregular and clandestine body, having no relations with regular Freemasonry. The Revue internationale des Societes Secretes (Vol. VIII, 1919. p. 702) claimed, without citation, that Lenin was a member of a secret masonic lodge in Switzerland. Prince Dr. Otto zu Salm-Horstmar said in a speech in the upper house of the Prussian Diet, in August 1918, that Lenin was a Jew and belonged to a masonic lodge in Paris with Trotsky, but his sources are also uncited.

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Why Do Masons Wear Aprons

The use of the apron is extremely old, not, as with the operative Masons, as a protector of clothing and body against tools and stone, but as a badge of honor. It was so used by the priests of Israel, by candidates for the mysteries of Mithras in Persia, by the ancient Japanese in religious worship. Ethiopia knew aprons as did Egypt. In all times and climes, it has been a badge of distinction. It is as such that a Mason wears it.

The material of the Masonic apron-lambskin-is a symbol of innocence, as the lamb has always been.

Color and material are important in its symbolism but Masonry admits the "symbol of the symbol"--as, for instance, an electric light in place of a candle. Hence a Mason has more than once been "properly clothed" when the lambskin aprons of the lodge were all in use and he came through the tiled door clad in a white handkerchief!

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