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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Catholic Freemasonry

Opus Dei membership is no bar to office, says SNP's Kerr

THE SNP's candidate for the forthcoming Glasgow North-East by-election has confirmed he is a member of the controversial Catholic organisation Opus Dei, but argued that his religious beliefs should not be a factor in the forthcoming poll.

Former BBC journalist David Kerr, chosen as the party's candidate on Friday, said it was "preposterous and deeply prejudiced" to argue that somebody of his religious beliefs should be "debarred" from running for public office. He said his religious views were now an "open book".

Opus Dei, made famous by Dan Brown's best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code, has earned a controversial tag over its alleged secretiveness, with critics accusing it of being a form of Catholic Freemasonry.

Translated as "Work of God", members are encouraged to live out the Church's teaching through their professional work, in whatever form that takes. The organisation is a strong advocate of Catholic moral values on issues such as abortion and contraception.

A National Secular Society spokesman said: "The concern for voters would be that such a person would have their allegiance to the Church and not to the SNP. It is one thing to bring your religious beliefs to politics, but it is another to bring the dogmas of a right-wing Catholic organisation. That would be the worry for voters."

Kerr was finally selected as the SNP candidate following a protracted process that saw two other candidates pull out, one following claims over his finances. Kerr faces a huge Labour majority in the seat, left vacant by the decision of former Speaker Michael Martin to stand down.

Kerr said:

"I have always been open about my faith and the fact that I am a practising Catholic. I don't think that should debar somebody from running for public office. It seems a suggestion that is preposterous and deeply prejudiced. The question was never asked about Michael Martin.

"This area has been served by Catholics for generations. Their ability to represent has never been called into question." Asked about his views on abortion, he said: "I'm not here to talk about theology. The Catholic Church's view is well known."

Kerr called on Labour to call the by-election immediately so it could be held at the beginning of August. Labour has indicated that it plans to wait until November to hold the vote.

However, Scotland on Sunday can reveal that senior Labour figures are taking soundings this weekend to call the election immediately.

Deputy leader Harriet Harman and general secretary Ray Collins are holding discussions within the party with a view to calling the by-election later this week.

They believe that with the Nationalist campaign having got off to a rocky start, following the departure of its first two candidates, there is an opportunity to seize the moment. A party spokesman said yesterday that no decision had been taken, but that Labour "had a short campaign in the bag ready to go".

Martin stood down in June, following the MPs' expenses affair. Labour will have to decide the by-election date by Tuesday, when the House of Commons rises for the summer.

If Labour were to press ahead this week, the by-election would have to take place within 21 days. If it were held on a Thursday, that would mean the latest date would be 6 August, when the schools are still on holiday.

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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 Masonic Connection To The Ancient Babylonian Mystery Religion

There is a direct connection between Freemasonry and the ancient Babylonian mystery religion from which the ancient pagan religions of Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome eventually developed. It all goes back to a man named Nimrod who the Freemasons view as the true originator of their Order. Nimrod was a great Mesopotamian king who founded the city of Babylon and established the first great empire after Noah's flood. He is also traditionally associated with the Tower of Babel. According to tradition, Nimrod sought to turn men away from God by setting up a tyrannical government and setting up a new religion. In fact, the new religion centered around Nimrod and his wife Semiramis eventually evolved into Baal worship from which all the pagan religions of the Middle East and Europe later developed. Not only that, according to the Encyclopedia of Freemasonry: The legend of the Craft in the Old Constitutions, Nimrod is one of the founders of Masonry.

In fact initiates in at least some forms of Freemasonry are still required to take the "Oath of Nimrod" even today. The Spring 2006 issue of Freemasonry Today (a Masonic publication) tells us that the Oath of Nimrod is part of the initiation process for the "indentured apprentice".....

The candidate is led into the Lodge by the Deacons, and after prayer, is investigated prior to taking the initiatory oath called the ‘Oath of Nimrod’. Nimrod, of course, the grandson of Noah, is mentioned in the ‘Old Charges’ as a teacher of the masonic craft and the architect of many great cities in Mesopotamia. The working tools are explained, the Ancient Charges (c.1663) and modes of recognition are communicated, and a pale blue cord is placed around his neck. The ceremony of closing the Assemblage is completed with prayer and a ‘seven-fold salute’ to The Most High.

In his book entitled "The Arcana Of Freemasonry", Freemason scholar Albert Churchwood traces the origins and development of Freemasonry from ancient Egypt to the present day. In the book Churchwood actually includes the text of the "Oath of Nimrod" which new initiates must take.....

Oath of Nimrod

Apprentice Degree (1st).

I, _______, do in the presence of El Shaddai and of this Worshipful Assembly of Free Masons, Rough Masons, Wallers, Slaters, Paviors, Plaisterers and Bricklayers, promise and declare that I will not at any time hereafter, by any act or circumstance whatsoever, directly or indirectly, write, print, cut, mark, publish, discover, reveal, or make known, any part or parts of the Trade secrets, privileges, or counsells of the Worshipful Fraternity or Fellowship of Free Masonry, which I may have known at any time, or at any time hereafter shall be made known unto me.

The penalty for breaking this great oath shall be the loss of my life.

That I shall be branded with the mark of the Traitor and slain according to ancient custom by being throtalled, that my body shall be buried in the rough sands of the sea a cable’s length from the shore where the tide regularly ebbs and flows twice in the twenty-four hours, so that my soul shall have no rest by night or by day–

(Candidate Signs the O.B.)


While some Freemason apologists attempt to play down the influence of Nimrod on modern Masonry, the truth is that it is still very much there. In fact, another Masonic website that we discovered is very open about Nimrod's influence.....


"The universal sentiment of the Freemasons of the present day is to confer upon Solomon, the King of Israel, the honor of being their first Grand Master. But the legend of the Craft had long before, though there was a tradition of the Temple in existence, given, at least by suggestion, that title to Nimrod, the King of Babylonia and Assyria. It had credited the first organization of the fraternity of craftsmen to him, in saying that he gave a charge to the workmen whom he sent to assist the King of Nineveh in building his cities.

That is to say, he framed for them a Constitution, and, in the words of the legend, this was the first time that ever Masons had any charge of his science. It was the first time that the Craft was organized into a fraternity working under a Constitution of body of laws. As Nimrod was the autocratic maker of these laws, it necessarily resulted that their first legislator, creating laws with his unlimited and absolute governing power, was also their first Grand Master."


The truth is that Freemasonry has always very closely identified itself with the first great post-flood rebel against God. Nimrod was a tyrant and a purveyor of false religion. Elements of the religious system which Nimrod helped establish can be found in virtually every major world religion. Some of our most cherished "holiday traditions" can be directly traced back to ancient Babylon and to Nimrod. Once you learn to identify the elements of the ancient Babylonian mystery religion, you quickly recognize that they are virtually everywhere in the modern world.

From the very moment that initiates take the "Oath of Nimrod", Masons are plunged into a very powerful dark world based on the ancient Babylonian mystery religion. The truth is that Freemasonry does not have anything to do with the God of the Bible.

Instead, it has everything to do with the "New World Order" that Nimrod originally wanted and that Lucifer is still attempting to bring into existence today. Labels: New World Order


Your bases belong to us..

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Ritual And Symbols Of Freemasons

The Freemasons rely heavily on the architectural symbolism of the Medieval "operative" Masons who actually worked in Rock stone. One of their principal symbols is the "square and compasses", tools of the trade, so arranged as to form a quadrilateral. The square is sometimes said to represent matter, and the compasses spirit or mind. Alternatively, the square might be said to represent the world of the concrete, or the measure of objective reality, while the compasses represent abstraction, or subjective judgment, and so forth (Freemasonry being non-dogmatic, there is no written-in-stone interpretation for any of these symbols). The compasses straddle the square, representing the interdependence between the two. In the space between the two, there is optionally placed a symbol of metaphysical significance. Sometimes, this is a blazing star or other symbol of Light, representing Truth or knowledge. Alternatively, there is often a letter "G" placed there, usually said to represent "God and/or Geometry".

The square and compasses are displayed at all Masonic meetings, along with the open "Volume of the Sacred Law (or Lore)" (VSL). In English-speaking countries, this is usually a Bible, but it can be whatever book of inspiration or scripture that the members of a particular Lodge or jurisdiction feel they draw on--whether the Bible, the Koran, or other Volumes. In many French Lodges, the Masonic Constitutions are used. In a few cases, a blank book has been used, where the religious makeup of a Lodge was too diverse to permit an easy choice of VSL. In addition to its role as a symbol of written wisdom, inspiration, and sometimes as the revealed will of the Deity, the VSL is what Masonic obligations are taken upon.

Much of Masonic symbolism is mathematical in nature, and in particular geometrical, which is probably a reason Freemasonry has attracted so many rationalists (such as Voltaire, Johann Gottlieb Fichte, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Benjamin Franklin, Mark Twain and many others). No particular metaphysical theory is advanced by Freemasonry, however, although there seems to be some influence from the Pythagoreans, from Neo-Platonism, and from early modern Rationalism.

In keeping with the geometrical and architectural theme of Freemasonry, the Supreme Being (or God, or Creative Principle) is sometimes also referred to in Masonic ritual as "the Grand Geometrician", or the "Great Architect of the Universe". Freemasons use a variety of labels for this concept, often abbreviated "G.A.O.T.U.", in order to avoid the idea that they are talking about any one religion's particular God or God-like concept.

There are three initial "degrees" of Freemasonry: (1) Entered Apprentice, (2) Fellow Craft and (3) Master Mason. One works through each degree by taking part in a ritual, essentially a medieval mortality Play, in which one plays a role, along with members of the Lodge that one is joining. The setting is Biblical--the building of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem--although the stories themselves are not directly from the Bible, and not intended to be necessarily Jewish or Christian in nature. Nothing supernatural happens in these stories. The Temple can be taken to represent the "temple" of the individual human being, that of the human community, or of the entire universe.

As one works through the degrees, one studies the lessons and interprets them for oneself. There are as many ways to interpret the rituals as there are Masons, and no Mason may dictate to any other Mason how he is to interpret them. No particular truths are espoused, but a common structure--speaking symbolically to universal human archetypes--provides for each Mason a means to come to his own answers to life's important questions. Freemasons working through the degrees are often (especially in Continental Europe) asked to prepare papers on related philosophical topics, and present lectures.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a Freemason, and his opera, The magic Flute, makes extensive use of Masonic symbolism. Two books that give a general feel for the symbolism and its interpretation are:

1. "Freemasonry: A Journey Through Ritual and Symbol" by W.K. MacNulty, Thames & Hudson, London, 1991.
2. "Symbols of Freemasonry" by D. Beresniak and L. Hamani, Assouline, Paris, 2000.

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President Obama Not A Mason

Here's the story that's being passed all around the internet. You'll find it on the websites maintained by rabid Masonophobes (those who have an unnatural fear of Freemasonry) but, curiously, nowhere else - except, perhaps, on the blog of an overly-eager but gullible Mason. READ BELOW FOR THE FACTS!!!

Obama criticizes opponents' Iraq votes
By JASON CLAYWORTH
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

"One of their most famous members, and also a 32nd degree Prince Hall Mason, became a US presidential candidate for 2008. His name is Barack Hussein Obama."

December 28, 2007

Holly McQueen/The Register
Barack Obama, speaking at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Des Moines on Thursday, criticized other Democrats’ votes to authorize the war in Iraq.

Written by Dzenan Causevic

Prince Hall is a first black masonic lodge in the US, named by its founder and master who was the most famous black individual in the Boston area during the American Revolution and through the turn of the nineteenth century.

Prince Hall was the slave of a Boston leather-dresser named William Hall in the late 1740s, who earned his freedom on April 9, 1770, as reward for 21 years of steadfast service. Prince Hall and 14 other free black men, in and around Boston area, approached a British army lodge of Freemasons attached to the 38th Foot Regiment, stationed near Boston. Hall and the others were initiated into the lodge on March 6, 1775. The regiment withdrew from the area a short time later, and Sergeant John Batt, who had been in charge of the initiation, issued a limited permit on March 17 allowing the group certain Masonic privileges as well as permission to meet as a lodge.

On July 3, 1775, the group formed African Lodge No. 1, the first lodge of black Free and Accepted Masons in the world, and Hall was made master. Provincial Grand Master of North America John Rowe granted the lodge a second limited permit to continue their activities.

However, black masonry remained separate from white masonry in the United States, because white masons did not freely accept their black counterparts, despite their claims to fraternity. Hall spread his organization to other cities, but since he was confined to the black population, those newly emerged lodges were called black lodges.

On June 24, 1797, a second black lodge was chartered in Providence, Rhode Island. A year later, a third one was started in Philadelphia, with Absalom Jones as worshipful master. Prince Hall died in Boston on December 4, 1807. Funeral rites, in accord with masonic rites, were performed at his home in Lendell's Lane one week later. He was buried in the 59th Street Mathews Cemetery, Boston, in late March, 1808. Within a year of his death, Hall's followers renamed their order for their former leader.

This highly secretive society continued to grow in the United States, but remained separate from white masonry until the present days.

Today, Prince Hall is a masonic fraternal order whose buildings are clearly marked, members readily identify themselves with rings, bumper stickers, and lapel pins. One of their most famous members, and also a 32nd degree Prince Hall Mason, became a US presidential candidate for 2008. His name is Barack Hussein Obama.

Sources

Foner, Philip S., ed. The Voice of Black America. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1972.

Kaplan, Sidney. The Black Presence in the Era of the American Revolution 1770--1800. Greenwich: New York Graphic Society, 1973.

Logan, Rayford W., and Michael R. Winston, eds. Dictionary of American Negro Biography. New York: Norton, 1982.

Salzman, Jack, David Lionel Smith, and Cornel West, eds. Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History. New York: Macmillan Library Reference USA/Simon and Schuster Macmillan, 1996.

http://www.sarajevo-x.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36907


NOT A MASON!

Here's the story that's being passed all around the internet. You'll find it on the websites maintained by rabid Masonophobes (those who have an unnatural fear of Freemasonry) but, curiously, nowhere else - except, perhaps, on the blog of an overly-eager but gullible Mason. READ BELOW FOR THE FACTS!!!

Obama criticizes opponents' Iraq votes
By JASON CLAYWORTH
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

"One of their most famous members, and also a 32nd degree Prince Hall Mason, became a US presidential candidate for 2008. His name is Barack Hussein Obama."

December 28, 2007

Holly McQueen/The Register
Barack Obama, speaking at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Des Moines on Thursday, criticized other Democrats’ votes to authorize the war in Iraq.

Written by Dzenan Causevic

Prince Hall is a first black masonic lodge in the US, named by its founder and master who was the most famous black individual in the Boston area during the American Revolution and through the turn of the nineteenth century.

Prince Hall was the slave of a Boston leather-dresser named William Hall in the late 1740s, who earned his freedom on April 9, 1770, as reward for 21 years of steadfast service. Prince Hall and 14 other free black men, in and around Boston area, approached a British army lodge of Freemasons attached to the 38th Foot Regiment, stationed near Boston. Hall and the others were initiated into the lodge on March 6, 1775. The regiment withdrew from the area a short time later, and Sergeant John Batt, who had been in charge of the initiation, issued a limited permit on March 17 allowing the group certain Masonic privileges as well as permission to meet as a lodge.

On July 3, 1775, the group formed African Lodge No. 1, the first lodge of black Free and Accepted Masons in the world, and Hall was made master. Provincial Grand Master of North America John Rowe granted the lodge a second limited permit to continue their activities.

However, black masonry remained separate from white masonry in the United States, because white masons did not freely accept their black counterparts, despite their claims to fraternity. Hall spread his organization to other cities, but since he was confined to the black population, those newly emerged lodges were called black lodges.

On June 24, 1797, a second black lodge was chartered in Providence, Rhode Island. A year later, a third one was started in Philadelphia, with Absalom Jones as worshipful master. Prince Hall died in Boston on December 4, 1807. Funeral rites, in accord with masonic rites, were performed at his home in Lendell's Lane one week later. He was buried in the 59th Street Mathews Cemetery, Boston, in late March, 1808. Within a year of his death, Hall's followers renamed their order for their former leader.

This highly secretive society continued to grow in the United States, but remained separate from white masonry until the present days.

Today, Prince Hall is a masonic fraternal order whose buildings are clearly marked, members readily identify themselves with rings, bumper stickers, and lapel pins. One of their most famous members, and also a 32nd degree Prince Hall Mason, became a US presidential candidate for 2008. His name is Barack Hussein Obama.

Sources

Foner, Philip S., ed. The Voice of Black America. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1972.

Kaplan, Sidney. The Black Presence in the Era of the American Revolution 1770--1800. Greenwich: New York Graphic Society, 1973.

Logan, Rayford W., and Michael R. Winston, eds. Dictionary of American Negro Biography. New York: Norton, 1982.

Salzman, Jack, David Lionel Smith, and Cornel West, eds. Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History. New York: Macmillan Library Reference USA/Simon and Schuster Macmillan, 1996.

http://www.sarajevo-x.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36907

The Fabricated News Story

The ostensible news story ostensibly involving the Des Moines Register, Iowa, USA, makes NO mention whatsoever of Mr. Obama being a Mason. NONE. NADA. ZIP. You, like me, can - for only $2.95 USD chargeable to your credit card - get the actual copy of the REAL article, not the one being passed around in e-mails (albeit without the photo taken by their photographer, Holly McQueen since none of their Articles are stored with the photos which they sell separately) by simply clicking this search link we created for the Des Moines Register web site. In fact, NONE of that article written by the Register's reporter Jayson Clayworth appears above. None of it!!!!! The CAPTION that appeared with the photo taken by Ms. McQueen for that article is what's cited as "Holly McQueen/The Register Barack Obama, speaking at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Des Moines on Thursday, criticized other Democrats’ votes to authorize the war in Iraq." Neither Mr. Clayworth nor Ms. McQueen wrote the line about Mr. Obama being a Mason. That was simply a repetition of the line that's explained later in this farce and comes from, of all things, an online forum about Sarajevo, Serbia.

The Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Des Moines, Iowa, was rented as a public facility for a political rally for presidential candidate Obama. The building is regularly rented for numerous functions including political announcements, weddings, balls, Christmas events etc. It is one of the ways they pay their bills. Nothing more, nothing less. You don't have to have any connection with Freemasonry whatsoever to rent the Center: there is no 'litmus' test of any kind. Pay your money, sign the appropriate forms certifying insurance coverage and away you go. The use of this facility for an Obama campaign stop had NOTHING to do with a contrived membership in Freemasonry any more than Mr. Obama talking to a group in a Veterans of Foreign Wars hall would make him (and all of those attending) a foreign war vet and member of their organization or that his talking to people at a state fair would make him a member of the Fair Committee (although most presidential candidates can get to go sample the apple pie which we think is certainly a big plus!)
From Bosnia with love....

On May 6, 2007, a post was made - in English (activated link appears in the story above) - to a discussion forum centered around Sarajevo, the capital city and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It's that part above starting with the words "Written by Dzenan Causevic". There were only four replies to that post: three of them were made in Bosnian that day and one the next, a simple link. It pointed to a web page which was translated into English with a story about Mr. Obama's name and the difficulties it had presented for him in his attempt to become President of the United States. There have been NO subsequent posts in over a year.

Who is Dzenan Causevic, the ostensible author? Hard to tell and - since there are no facts to support the claim - likely irrelevant. The most common Google hits point to a 'software web developer' in Syracuse, New York. E-mail sent to him has bounced but searching for the poster's identity is simply a diversion.

What does the post say? Well, if you read it starting BELOW Mr. Causevic's name, you'll note that it is a lengthy discourse (with some poor English, unlike the other postings found on the web from the literate Mr. Causevic from Syracuse). The very last line adds "One of their most famous members, and also a 32nd degree Prince Hall Mason, became a US presidential candidate for 2008. His name is Barack Hussein Obama." Then, below that, there are four source books, NONE of which contain Mr. Obama's name. In fact, two were written when he was 12 years old or under (hardly a 'voice of Black America' or a 'Black Presence' back then). Mr. Obama was born in August, 1961. A third reference was written when he was 20 years old and had not even graduated from college - and would have been ineligible for Masonic membership in any Prince Hall jurisdiction due to his age. The fourth book, one might be tempted to conclude, was where things were found about Mr. Obama, right? Not so! Published in 1998, it is actually a compendium of items published in an earlier 5 volume set - and no, he's not mentioned in it regardless. Thus, the so-called 'sources' are not sources after all - except insofar as they provided information about Prince Hall - irrelevant to this claim involving Mr. Obama.
If he's Black, he must be a Prince Hall Mason, right?

WRONG! Take a look - critically - at the story once again. Like all urban myths, it blends facts (that Mr. Obama spoke at a building owned by Masons and a history of Prince Hall Freemasonry) in a jumble of unrelated things: a news story that makes no mention of Mr. Obama being a Mason along with a post in English on a Bosnian-language forum. Not realizing that there just might be one or two Prince Hall Masons from Chicago who would know about such things as well-known (then, locally) figures who were members, the story continues around. However, a LONG-time friend and Brother who has been active online for many years and who is a past Grand Lodge officer for the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F&AM, State of Illinois was asked - in 2008 - whether Mr. Obama was or might have been a member of their organization. His answer? "No."
Deja Vu all over again

Just as has been done with all United States Presidents during at least the past 30 years, assertions are made that the man elected is a Mason - always without ANY evidence whatsoever. Masonophobes (people who have an irrational fear of Freemasonry) - especially those whose political ideologies differ from the person elected - roll out whatever thin thread of evidence they can to make the gullible believe that Freemasonry is at the root of all evil. It was done with Reagan, Bush (41), Clinton, Bush (43), and now President Obama. This time, though, it's being accepted unquestioningly by many Masons including at least one Canadian Grand Master who has - sadly - been stating this publicly. We hope that someone will correct him in the very near future but frankly, the damage is done and the story will continue to spread.

Seriously: do you think that the 51 Prince Hall Grand Lodges and all of their members would completely ignore this if it were true? Do you think they could HIDE it?

Do you really think that someone posting to a Bosnian website is the ONLY person in the world who knew this - if it were true? Or that every Mason who knew was so very sure that Mr. Obama - while he was a US Senator or before - would some day become the first Black President of the United States and so had to keep his membership a secret for some nefarious purpose?

Folks, if you believe that Mr. Obama IS a Mason - Prince Hall or otherwise, can you PLEASE provide ONE SINGLE SHRED OF EVIDENCE?

Please: STOP THE STUPIDITY and either provide a factual affirmation of membership or tell your friends that 'it just ain't so!'

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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.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Anonymous - The Mysticism Of Masonry
Anonymous - The Mystical Qabbalah
Robert Wang - The Qabalistic Tarot
Pansophic Freemasons - Masonic Symbolism

Origin Of The Word Freemasons

The first-known use of the word Freemasons - in the form Free Masons - occurs in City of London Letter-book H of 9 August 1376, though the word is in fact deleted in favour of Mason. Masons and Freemasons were interchangeable during the 15th and 16th centuries and Freemasons were generally meant to denote hewers or setters of freestone, Masons being used to embrace all stoneworkers. Ashmole in his diary wrote that he was made a Free Mason and referred in 1686 to the "Fellowship of Free Masons". James Anderson when writing his 1723 Constitutions did not use the single word - Freemasons - once. Whatever the reasons, the 1723 Constitutions contain approximately 126 references to Masons, 12 to Free Masons, 10 to Free and Accepted Masons, 9 to Free-Masons, one to Accepted Free Masons and none to Freemasons. And such is the tenacity of tradition that to this day the most of the Constitutions are addressed to Free and Accepted Masons and not to Accepted Freemasons. The earliest-known anti-masonic leaflet, of 1698, warns the public against "those called Free Masons" - almost certainly what we now know as speculative Freemasons.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Castells - The Apocalypse Of Freemasonry
Arthur Edward Waite - The Templar Orders In Freemasonry
James Anderson - The Constitutions Of The Freemasons 1734

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.

Books You Might Enjoy:

John Dee - The Hieroglyphic Monad Latin Version
Moses Maimonides - The Guide For The Perplexed
Anonymous - The Urantia Papers
Greg Wotton - Suffering A Thelemic Perspective

Masonry Beyond The Historical Perspective

Until this point, this paper has dealt with Masonry from a historical perspective. Various opinions of prominent Masonic Authors from the last three centuries were discussed, and a brief history of the inclusion of God as a part of Masonic teaching has been laid out. However, none of the theory or philosophy thus far presented has gotten to the heart of the issue: why can’t Atheists be admitted to Lodges today? Answers of “that’s the way it has always been” have been proffered (see, for example, Lippincott & Johnson, p. 84). However, this excuse is on its surface weak. There was a time when only men of sound body were admitted; several Grand Lodges, including the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, have begun admitting men with physical deformities (see, for example, Hoenes, p. 6-7). Other changes have been made over time; admitting Atheists would only be a modernizing adaptation. Other answers to this question have been dealt with above. Though some may find solace in these answers, others may find them to be excuses based on prejudice and fear. The remainder of this paper will attempt to discuss, why, in the culturally accepting 21st century, there is still no room for Atheists in Masonry.

In the end, the origins of religiosity in Masonry are not as important today to the argument of admitting Atheists as the role of the Mystic Tye. The prime reason for continuing to deny Atheists admittance into our Brotherhood is the presence of God and religion throughout Masonic beliefs, as noted before. By itself, the ritual we practice has overtones of the Grand Architect. These rituals would make Atheists (a) uncomfortable given their individual beliefs and (b) unable to understand the nuances of Masonry, given the absolute importance Masons put on their faith to God. Beyond ritual, the myths and legends that make Masonry what it is today are inherently religious.

Was Freemasonry only a society of fraternity, with no religious component, such as a Moose Club, or a charity-only organization, such as Rotary International, these stringent requirements regarding an individual’s beliefs would not be as important. Our Fraternity, however, is one with religious components. One needs look no further than the Ritual presented to a Candidate during the First Degree. A candidate is asked in whom he puts his trust and is required to give an answer which acknowledges a belief in Deity. He is told that since his trust is in God, he is sound in faith in the Great Architect. In other words, to proceed past the first moments in the Lodge, one must affirm his faith in Deity.

Naturally, such a display would be difficult for someone who does not hold a belief in the Supreme Architect of the Universe. One might assume that an Atheist, not being tied to his morality, would lie (as has been suggested by some); but to what end? What would an Atheist see in an open lodge that would interest him?

As the ritual stands, an incredible number of references are made to the Volume of Sacred Law, to God, and of our submission to Him. An Atheist in such surroundings would likely feel uncomfortable.

Nor should we change our Craft and the beliefs of our Order; to do so would be to destroy the heart and soul of the Fraternity. The foundation of Masonry, that which supports us and holds us together, is the shared belief in the existence of Deity:

Other foundation there is none; upon God Masonry builds its temple of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth … God is the first Fact and the final Reality—the Truth that makes all other truth true; the corner stone of faith, the keystone of thought, the capstone of home … Everything in Masonry has reference to God, implies God, speaks of God, points and leads to God. Not a degree, not a symbol, not an obligation, not a lecture, not a charge but finds its meaning and derives its beauty from God, the Great Architect, in whose Temple all Masons are workmen. (Newton, p. 58-60)

In reality, therefore, Masonry is necessarily theistic. There is no part of Masonry which does not call upon the Great Architect, in whose presence we conduct our meetings.

If an Atheist were to join the Craft, he would find that he would be not be able to fully understand even part of the esoteric mysteries which bind Masons together. Looking no farther than the lecture and charge given to new brethren upon being initiated into our Craft, it is clear that the firm belief in God is required to understand the nuances of these lessons.[ii] Take, for example, the significance of something as simple as the white leather apron: as an “emblem of innocence,” the white leather apron’s purpose is to symbolize right and proper behavior is the path to the Celestial Temple above (Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia [hereafter GLDC], p. 179-180). Furthermore, the significance of Jacob’s Ladder, key instruments thereof being Faith, Hope, and Charity, shows that proper reverence must be given to Deity. Finally, an Atheist would likely be put off by the discussion of the perfect Ashlar and Trestle Board:

By the rough Ashlar we are reminded of our rude and imperfect state by nature; by the perfect ashlar, of that state of perfection at which we hope to arrive by a virtuous education, our own endeavors and the blessing of God; and by the Trestle Board we are also reminded that as the operative workman erects his temporal building agreeably to the rules and designs laid down by the Master on his Trestle Board, so should we, both operative and speculative, endeavor to erect our spiritual building in accordance with the rules laid down by the Supreme Architect of the Universe in the Great Books of nature and revelation, which are our spiritual, moral and Masonic Trestle Board. (p. 183)

What does it mean to “erect our spiritual building in accordance with the rules laid down by the Supreme Architect”? One interpretation is that our “spiritual buildings” are our individual souls—the essential parts of ourselves, which will inevitably be brought to the World Hereafter (what Paton called the “Future State”). We therefore instruct our new initiates to stand tall before God, marking our lives against those laws He has set down for us, in our Volumes of Sacred Law and in our hearts as Brothers formed in His image. To “erect” our souls is to stand upright and to act nobly in our lives, especially in service to Deity.

It is therefore impossible to allow Atheists to join order because they are incapable of measuring themselves against the will of God, to whom Masons all must show reverence. Though an Atheist may be a good man in the traditional sense of the word, as someone who acts nobly and charitably towards his fellow man, he is missing a vital component of Masonry: reverence to God. It is only through God that a man may be a Mason, for it is only through appropriate “reverential awe which is due from a creature to his Creator” (GLDC, p. 187) that a man can be an appropriate candidate.


Books You Might Enjoy:

Robert Wang - The Qabalistic Tarot
Tarostar - The Witchs Spellcraft Revised
John Dee - The Hieroglyphic Monad Latin Version
Greg Wotton - Suffering A Thelemic Perspective

Masonic Papers By W Bro Julian Rees

Julian Rees was initiated in the Kirby Lodge No. 2818 in London in 1968, was Master in 1976/77 and again at the centenary of the Lodge in 1999/2000.

He is a holder of the silver matchbox*** award of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement, and has also served there on the Precepting Committee.

He was Master of the German-speaking Pilgrim Lodge No. 238 in 1978/79.

He was a regular contributor to the quarterly magazine Freemasonry Today since its founding in 1997 and from 2003 to 2007 he was Deputy and News Editor.

In 2003 he delivered the prestigious Wendel K Walker Memorial Lecture in New York, entitled Through ritual to Enlightenment.

He was one of the founding members of The Cornerstone Society, serving as Secretary for a number of years, and has lectured to lodges in this country, in USA and continental Europe.

He has been honoured by the Institut Maconnique de France with the Ordre Maconnique de Lafayette.

He is a Past Junior Grand Deacon of the United Grand Lodge of England.

He is the author of Making Light – a Handbook for Freemasons, and The Stairway of Freemasonry – 30 Short Talks and Questions.

His two latest works So You Want To Be a Freemason? and The Tracing Boards of the Three Degrees in Craft Freemasonry Explained will be published in 2009.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Al Selden Leif - Pagan Herbs By Use
Solomonic Grimoires - The Book Of Secrets
John Dee - The Rosie Crucian Secrets

Link Between The Egyptian Mystery Religion And The Masonic Lodge

As the Mystery Religions spread all over the world from Babylon, they found expression in all countries of the ancient world with only a change in the names of the gods and slight variations in the rituals. While the mystery religions were practiced in all of the countries of the ancient world, it was in Egypt where centuries of devotion developed them to their highest degree.

According to Mason Manly P. Hall's book Freemasonry of the Ancient Egyptians:

It is now generally acknowledged that the Egyptians, of all the ancient peoples, were the most learned in the Occult sciences of Nature. The wisest of philosophers from other nations visited Egypt to be initiated in the sacred Mysteries by the priests of Thebes, Memphis, and Hermopolis.

There is indeed, as we have established, a very definite link between the Egyptian Mystery Religion and the Masonic Lodge. This link can be readily established from the words of Masonic Authors and testimony can be provided to remove all reasonable doubt. In the book, The Meaning of Masonry, by Past Provincial Grand Registrar, W.L. Wilmshurst, we find the statement:

I am acquainted, for instance, with an Egyptian ceremonial system, some 5,000 years old, which taught precisely the same things as Masonry does,...

In the book, Freemasonry Its Hidden Meaning, by George H. Steinmetz, we find the statement:

Regardless of the origin of the modern lodge, or of the name "Freemason," we can, after freeing the symbolism of modern adaptations, discern in Freemasonry the outline of the teachings of the ancient mysteries of Egypt.

In the same book Mr. Steinmetz makes the statement connecting Freemasonry and the Egyptian mysteries.

If the symbols can be consistently interpreted in this manner, throughout the three degrees we have confirmed Freemasonry to be the reincarnation of the Ancient Mysteries of Egypt".

33" Mason Manly P. Hall relates the efforts of early Masonic historians to link Hiram Abiff to the Egyptian Mystery Religion.

Early Masonic historians such as Albert Mackey, Robert Freke Gould and Albert Pike were of a single purpose in their efforts to establish a definite correspondence between the Hiramic legend of Freemasonry and the Osiris myth as expounded in the initiatory rituals of the Egyptians.

From The Lost Keys of Freemasonry by 33° Manly P. Hall:

Man is a god in the making, and as in the mystic myths of Egypt on the potter's wheel he is being molded.

UNAS EATS MAGICAL CHARMS

Behold, Unas eateth of that which the red crown "sendeth forth, he increaseth, and the magical charms of the gods are in his belly;

The following quote is a comment on the Texts about King Unas by the translator of the Egyptian Book of the Dead, E.A. Wallis Budge:

The notion that, by eating the flesh, or particularly by drinking the blood, of another living being, a man absorbs his nature or life into his own, is one which appears among primitive peoples in many forms.

It is indeed an accurate accessment that these murders in the Unas texts were performed in a ritual and religious manner for the purpose of obtaining the life-force or energy force of the victim. Not only was this the purpose of these ancient Egyptian texts, but it is also the purpose behind modern Satanism. This common underlying purpose can be seen by comparing these texts and their accessment with the words of Master Satanist Aleister Crowley.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Samuel Sharpe - Egyptian Mythology And Egyptian Christianity
Ea Wallis Budge - The Queen Of Sheba And Her Only Son Menyelek
Donald Mackenzie - Egyptian Myth And Legend
Ea Wallis Budge - The Egyptian Book Of The Dead
Ea Wallis Budge - The Egyptian Heaven And Hell

How To Become A Freemason

Do you want to know how to become a Freemason? Here is some basic information which should address the question: "How do I become a Mason?"

Freemasonry has its lodges throughout the free world. You'll find Masons meeting in almost every town and village and - except where repressive governments make their existence difficult - they're readily found. None of these lodges was ever organized as a result of any type of 'missionary' work: they came into existence because a group of Masons wanted to share the friendship and fraternity with others in the area.

What is SO often misunderstood is a simple fact: there are few but important requirements to become a Freemason!

While they are stated in slightly different words in various jurisdictions (and a few jurisdictions may have one or two requirements beyond these), they basically are as follows:

1. Being a man, freeborn, of good repute and well-recommended;
2. A belief in a Supreme Being;
3. Ability to support one's self and family;
4. Of lawful age; and
5. Come to Freemasonry of their "own free will and accord".

Let's examine the requirements for becoming a Mason individually:

- Being a man, freeborn, of good repute and well-recommended bullet
- Masonry began as a male organization. There are women's groups and groups of mixed male-female membership who use rituals similar to that of the major body of Freemasons throughout the world. Some of these groups receive acknowledgement (but not 'recognition') due to their adherence to high moral principles etc. while others are frowned upon. It is, after all, quite easy for anyone to claim that they are the head of a Masonic group and begin to obtain members. (Check our list of regular/recognized Grand Lodges here and you may wish to browse our section on Fake Masonry here.)
- The requirement of being "freeborn" harkens back to the earliest days of Freemasonry. It became a requirement since only those free from indentured service as an apprentice or bondsman (as many were in 17th century England, for example), could truly make decisions for themselves.
- Being of good repute is another essential requirement. Masons do not wish to encourage membership by those whose actions would stain the reputation of the fraternity. In some jurisdictions this is specifically stated but in all, it is practiced!
- A well-recommended person is one for whom another is willing to vouch. Those who become Freemasons have been recommended by a proposer and then examined by lodge members to ensure that the candidate will benefit from his membership.

Freemasonry is an initiatic experience. You can't become a Mason by reading a book or by hanging out on the internet.

Books You Might Enjoy:

John Dee - Compendium Magicae Angelorum French Version
John Dee - Table From Liber Loagaeth French Version
Castells - The Apocalypse Of Freemasonry

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.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Anonymous - The Mysticism Of Masonry
Captain William Morgan - The Mysteries Of Freemasonry
Aristotle - On Dreams
Castells - The Apocalypse Of Freemasonry

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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The Mysticism Of Masonry

Book: The Mysticism Of Masonry by Anonymous

In placing this volume, which is the revised edition of the book first issued under the title, Ancient Mystic Oriental Masonry, I do so without the thought of an apology, owing to the fact that the first edition was received by the earnest students of Masonry and the Occult not because it was an expose, but because it was an Interpretation of Masonic Symbolism as handed down to us through the ages from the Mysteries of the Ancients.

As a Masonic work, the book must stand unchallenged for the reason that the basis of its symbolism is from the highest and universally accepted Masonic writers. The Interpretation is also Masonic, with an additional Mystic interpretation appearing within brackets. For this I am personally responsible, though these explanations are based on and entirely harmonious with the inculcations of the Ancient Mysteries as received by myself through my various journeys in the realm of the mystic. It is therefore entirely lawful for me to offer them to the aspiring neophyte.

Download Anonymous's eBook: The Mysticism Of Masonry

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The Freemasons A History Of The World Most Powerful Secret Society

Book: The Freemasons A History Of The World Most Powerful Secret Society by Jasper Ridley

Ridley takes a critical look at Freemasonry and its place and members in history. To date this has been the best, most honest, and accurate look at Freemasonry throughout history up to the year 2000.

Many books about the Freemasons are hysterical polemics based on ludicrous conspiracy theories. British historian Jasper Ridley offers a welcome antidote to these half-witted tomes with The Freemasons, a sober-minded account of a secret society that has survived for centuries. Most important, Ridley provides the one thing missing from many discussions of the masons: facts. For instance, after noting the "well-established legend in the United States that the Freemasons made the American Revolution," Ridley shows that "of the 55 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, only nine were certainly masons." (Prominent members of the founding generation who were not masons include Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Alexander Hamilton.) This shows that masons have played a meaningful role in history, though not the domineering one their critics have alleged. Even though Ridley (who is not a mason) defends the masons against the overblown charges made against them, he doesn't quite buy the explanation that "they are no different from a golf club. ...Members of golf clubs do not take oaths not to reveal the secrets of the club." For a level- headed account of how a medieval guild of stone masons developed over time into an offbeat social organization with a powerful membership, Ridley's book is tough to beat.

Instead of looking at just the internal history of Freemasonry, Ridley writes about its influence (and it's members) on the world and how the world has influence it throughout history. The books places the craft in a historical context in the fact that the book explains what historical events were occurring and how it effect Freemasonry. Such as the American and French Revolutions.

As Masonic halls throughout America shut their doors because of declining membership Ridley provides an extended history of the group that was in its prime a couple of generations ago. Although its origins can be traced to stonemasons of the Middle Ages, the Masonic movement as we know it today took root in 18th-century England, where the first Grand Lodge was established in 1717. The movement thrived thanks to its ability to attract aristocratic and influential members of society among them Sir Walter Scott, Frederick the Great and George Washington who joined to socialize, dine and exchange views with like-minded and similarly influential men, and get a frisson from engaging in secret rituals in an exclusive club. Despite the catalogue of powerful members, the book's subtitle is misleading. The Masonic movement, as a sympathetic Ridley himself shows, has generally been benign, and tried to steer clear of political controversy, particularly in the two countries Britain and the United States where it has most firmly taken root. Of course, any secret society that boasts influential members is bound to cause suspicion, and Ridley details the waves of anti-Masonic sentiment that arose throughout the centuries, as well as assorted scandals involving fraud and murder allegations. Yes, its members swear to preserve its secrets on pain of death. But the main reason that Freemasonry's mysteries remain hidden appears largely to be a general lack of interest by society at large. Because of the sweeping scope of his study, Ridley often oversimplifies an age or historical figure. Thus, this is less a book for the serious reader of history than for the simply inquisitive or prospective members of the movement who have no inkling how the Masons differ from Rotarians.

Meanwhile, Ridley sheds light on the Masons and sweeps away the lies and half truths of others that have come before him and takes an honest look at the craft.
Ridley makes a solid case that in his work that instead of being some secret world wide conspiracy to control events or the world, Masons are often divided on the great issues of the day. However, English and American Masons forbid any political discussion within their lodges. Ridley points out that in every war, Masons supported and fought for their respective countries, which pitted Masons of different sides against each other. Ridley also documents how Freemasons were often the target of oppression and witch hunts started by dictators who have banned the craft and the formation of lodges.

The Freemasons is a great book for it's historical look at the craft and the history surrounding it both inside and outside. It takes a look at who were some of history's most famous Masons. While at the same time, not all Masons were angels.. but in the end showing that Freemasonry has always stood for the ideals of morality and freedom.

Buy Jasper Ridley's book: The Freemasons A History Of The World Most Powerful Secret Society

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