Living Stones Masonic Magazine March 2014

Volume 4 Issue 3 March 2014

Living Stones

A Magazine For Freemasons

33

4 The Lynch Lesson

6 Conductors of Light 10 Operative and

Speculative14 True Masonic Light

19 Freemasonry Persecuted

21 The Abraxas of Freemasonry

24 Spurious Freemasonry

The Lynch Lesson by Ben Wallace

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I hope every jurisdiction has a Steve Lynch. Brother Steve is one of those iconic guys who just has it. Combat duty in Vietnam, a career as a police officer

and investigator, and nearly 40 years in Freemasonry give him a level of self-assuredness that makes it easy to enjoy his company. Those life experiences also give him empathy and a compassion for his fellow man that’s always lurking just beneath the surface. Steve’s personal magnetism, immense presence and fine wit have made him one of the best-known Masons in the state. Men just want to be around him, and he is equally as comfortable with princes as he is with paupers.

A few years ago, Steve built the Lynch Lodge behind his house to have a comfortable and private place to coach candidates. The Lodge grew into a gathering place for Masons from all over the state and it has become a Masonic museum. His friends constantly bring him artwork and artifacts. Steve displays them all and he’ll tell you the story behind each piece when you visit.

One morning a month he loads a table with biscuits and coffee urns and Brethren come from all over for fellowship and laughter. It has become a tradition for the Grand Master to drop in on at least one of the Lynch Lodge breakfasts during his term. And when you see Steve at the center of a group you see an old school, no B.S. Mason who has seen it all and loves to share his experiences with his Brothers. I’ll share a valuable Masonic lesson that Bro. Steve taught me.

From divesting the candidate of his minerals and metals, to teaching him the lesson of the common gavel, the

Entered Apprentice degree teaches us to maintain control of our material world. If we do not master this life, it will certainly master us. Freemasonry as an institution is seeing the effects of a society that continues to demand more and more time of its young men. With demands for work and play tugging at their sleeves, men find themselves being pulled in more directions than they can handle. The result is that Masonry’s lessons are often left unheeded and unexplored.

Today’s culture provides more social distractions than ever. This is not a new concept. It was true even when the ritual was written. The creators of the Entered Apprentice degree knew that in order for a man to learn the lessons of the subsequent degrees, he must first quiet the distractions in his personal life. He cannot hope to master the complex lessons of the psyche and spirit if he is devoting his time and energy to his golf, his career, women, television or any of the distractions that clamor for attention. The first degree teaches us to dampen these distractions so that we may progress in the building of our temples.

Another and more obscure lesson is attached to this degree. In The Way of the Craftsman, WB W. Kirk MacNulty discusses at length the concept of ego. “Here we see the ego acting as it should, as a level of consciousness which mediates between the psyche and the physical world … personae change as the individual finds himself in different situations … and because the ego usually presents the socially acceptable personae, and the world only sees that aspect of the psyche that the … ego presents at the door…” * MacNulty says the ego causes us to act in a way that society expects us to act, even though that is often contrary to how we really feel. Ego can cause us to react emotionally to situations that take us out of our comfort zone.

Have you ever fallen down and injured yourself, but when you realized that people were watching, you jumped up and said you were fine, even though you were hurt? Why would you do this? Because your ego told you that pride was more important than pain. Our ego makes us act contrary to our true self for the sake of conforming to societal expectations.

Because of the ego, we sometimes alter our expression of feelings to conform to social or cultural expectations. For example, young American men are extremely reluctant to

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The Lynch Lesson by Ben Wallace

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show any form of weakness. This causes us to be cautious when talking about our emotions, especially the emotion of love.

We’re on solid ground discussing love of things or organizations. “I love Freemasonry,” “I love this Lodge,” “I love my car” is acceptable. It’s OK to say you love a family member. But it’s a rare man that has enough control of his ego and is secure enough in his masculinity to tell a male friend, even a Masonic Brother, that he loves him. We just do not do that. It is not socially acceptable.

Three years ago my home Lodge, Blackmer #127, voted to honor Past Grand Master Dan Rice with an honorary membership. We wanted to surprise him with this honor in a Lodge meeting so we conspired with his friend Steve Lynch. We invited Steve to come as a guest speaker and had Steve convince MWB Dan to accompany him. The plan worked perfectly. Steve gave a short talk and we surprised Dan with the membership.

Our standard practice at Blackmer is to have a guest speaker at the beginning of the meeting. Then we dispense with labor so that the speaker can gather his gear and depart. We resume labor and conduct the business portion of our meeting because we believe guests don’t want to sit through the entire meeting.

With labor dispensed with on this particular night, we were mingling while Steve and Dan prepared to leave. This is when Steve taught me my lesson. He bore down on me in the crowd, clamped both hands on my shoulders, looked me straight in the eye and said “Brother Ben, I

love you.” To my knowledge, that was the first time in my adult life that another grown man had spoken those words to me. This old combat veteran, street cop, and archetypical man’s man shocked me with a beautiful truth.

What he did was to take his common gavel and divest my heart and consciousness of a large chunk of my ego. It was that part which had always prevented me from telling my friends and Brothers that I loved them because I thought it was socially unacceptable. To some it remains socially unacceptable but now I don’t care. Steve Lynch, the gruff old veteran Mason, taught me that real men don’t conform to society’s expectations. Steve told me that he loved me because it was on his mind, and to hell with what anybody else thought. We search for light in great books and from renowned scholars and speakers. We seek the lost word in manuscripts and in ritual. And then we find the secrets of our art right in front of us, hiding in plain sight.

I had an enlightening lesson in both truth and love. In gratitude I will say to Steve Lynch, thank you brother, and I love you.

* MacNulty WK. The Way of the Craftsman: A Search for the Spiritual Essence of Craft Freemasonry. Arkana, 1988. P. 40.

W.B. Ben Wallace of Troy, NC Past Master Blackmer #127 Junior Warden, Wilkerson College Lodge # 760 and Charter Senior Warden of Sophia Lodge U.D.



Conductors of Light by Jason Eddy

666

“It may be that you are not yourself luminous, but that you are a conductor of light. Some people without possessing genius have a remarkable power of stimulating it.” ~ Arthur Conan Doyle

I f you are reading this article, you are a Light Seeker. You have been inspired by the ritual within Lodge, by a Brother within Lodge, or simply by some other

connection that was made to Masonry. I would posit that your passion for the Craft runs deep, and that you quite often seek out others to discuss what you have learned in the hopes of sharing this new Light, or perhaps even learning more. Yet you have never given a presentation within the Lodge and you have never written a Masonic Paper. Why is that?

I have asked this question to many of my Brothers after conversations on symbolism and ritual. The answers that I receive are typically something to the effect of “Who am I to teach a room full of Masons about Masonry?” or “I am just a humble Mason. I do not seek to be in the spotlight.” I typically counter these with “You are a Master Mason” and “Seeking to share Light is not the same as seeking to bask in it.” Allow me to digress. I am a relatively young Mason in both age and in my years as a Brother. I entered Masonry just a few short years ago with a fierce desire to learn everything that I could about Masonry and her secrets. As I began to learn, I also began to share. Though normally not the type to “share” anything, I felt compelled to share what I had learned, and fully expected those around me to be excited to hear it. Yet they were not. Why? A further digression. The readers of this article would also most likely agree that the state of the Craft is not what it should be. We have many Lodges that are composed

of men seeking Membership, and fewer who are seeking Masonry. Education is often seen as almost “innovative” and “foreign” in its application to the Lodge experience. Ritual is often horrendously performed, or is performed letter perfect with little to no passion behind it. Officer lines are made up of a high percentage of Past Masters and the meetings consist of arguments about the minutes, bills, and refreshments. So why is this relevant? It is relevant because this lack of Masonry compelled me to fix it. I took the approach of explaining to the members of my Lodge, and any Brother who would listen, that they were doing it all wrong. We were supposed to have formal dress in Lodge. We were supposed to discuss philosophy and the Seven Liberal Arts in the Lodge. We were supposed to conduct well-rehearsed ritual in a solemn and meaningful manner. As the reader might imagine, this was not received so well. As the emails and conversations continued to flow, I was stonewalled by many. One Brother, however, took the time to offer good counsel. He explained to me that “my Masonry” was not the same as “his Masonry” and that I should be respectful of that. I thought long and hard on this and came to the conclusion that he was right. Masonry is different to every Brother. Who am I to tell a 50-year member that they have been doing it all wrong for the last five decades? The answer to this is simple. I am a Master Mason. Perhaps you were expecting a different response to this self-directed question, but let it be known that I stand fast in my passion for what I believe Masonry to be. Yet the answer is more complex than it may appear to be. As a Master Mason, I have been charged to carry out many duties and am charged with conducting myself in a certain manner. This includes, but is certainly not limited to, seeking to restrain the irregularities of less informed Brethren; correcting their errors; fortifying their minds


Conductors of Light by Jason Eddy

7March 2014 Visit us online at: www.LivingStonesMagazine.com

with resolution against the snares of the insidious; and guarding them against every allurement to vicious practices, and at all times to preserve unsullied the reputation of the Fraternity. As such, I feel obligated to educate my fellow Masons when the opportunity presents itself. Yet this does not give me the right to do so in a manner that is inconsistent with our virtues and tenets. Recall that we are charged with acting upon the square, and doing unto others as we would have them do unto us. Humility, my Brother. I immediately issued a humble apology to those whom I had offended. I determined to act with Humility and have since sought to constantly utilize the compasses to ensure that my passions stay within due bounds. Why do I share all of this? Two reasons. First, to admonish those reading that as Master Masons, they are charged to educate those who are less informed. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, to ensure that the approach taken in doing so is one of humility. Back to the main intent of the article. There are many who are reading this article who have never shared the Light that they possess for many different reasons. Perhaps you are intimidated by those who are perceived or, even in actuality, have received more Light in Masonry. Perhaps you do not want to be perceived as a “pseudo Scholar” who claims to hold all of the secrets of the Craft. Perhaps you have been told that education has no place in the Lodge. To all of these, I say this: Be the Mason that you seek to find in others. Shine a Light in the dark recesses of every corner within our Craft. Set an example to be followed by those who are in the Lodge, and those who will come in behind you. Do all of these, but do them with humility. Many of our Brothers are seeking Light. Many others may not even know that the Light exists. In conducting yourself accordingly, you have the ability to create a ripple effect throughout your Lodge, our Craft, and our Society. Share all that you have learned not as being the “right” way to practice Masonry, but as the “Light” way. Seek to share the Light without any intention of basking in it. Share it not for recognition, but for contribution. The future of the Craft, and arguably Society, depends on it. As you do so, know this. You will encounter resistance. You will be mocked, dismissed, and sadly even treated in

an un-Brotherly fashion. Yet I would encourage you to stay the course. You are not alone on this Path, though you may feel so at times. Write the paper that you have been waiting to read. Give the presentation that you have been waiting to see. You will soon find that there are many within the Craft who are sincerely desirous of what you share. You will also find that you will learn more in trying to teach than you could have ever learned in the application of study. It is a win-win, my Brother. Remember the sage advice from our Brother, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and be a conductor of Light! Conduct the Light without concern for your own luminosity, for that will follow as a natural course and you will soon find yourself perfecting your ashlar, and the ashlars of others, in ways that you could not even imagine… Fiat Lux.

W.B. Jason Eddy is a Past Master of High Point Lodge #773 in Monroe, Ohio and a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason AASR-NMJ, Valley of Dayton. He is a regular contributor to Living Stones Magazine and has been published in several other various state and national Masonic publications. He is currently the Secretary and Lodge Education Officer of High Point Lodge #773.




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Operative and Speculative by John Nagy

11March 2014 Visit us online at: www.LivingStonesMagazine.com 11









True Masonic Light by Bret Iddings


T hrough my continuous labor in the quarries of Masonic research, it has dawned on me that the true secrets of Freemasonry have been lost for a great

majority of the current members of our ancient fraternity. In the brilliant book, “Esoterika,” Brother Albert Pike states, “the highest claim of Freemasonry to consideration is that it is philosophical truth, concealed from the masses and taught to the adepts by symbols. But every intelligent Mason knows that of every hundred Brethren… not more than two or three regard the symbolism of Freemasonry as having any real value, or care to study it. To do so, it seems to all the others, would be idle and unprofitable labor.”1 Today this still rings true, as many of our beloved Brethren remain barely beyond the realm of darkness of the profane world and have not raised themselves to True Masonic Light, remaining confused as to the true meaning of the symbols used in the degrees, the lessons contained therein and more importantly, what it means to be a Free Mason.

Could it be that our Masonic forefathers so ingeniously crafted every aspect of our organization as to stealthily conceal the infinite truths of ancient wisdom so that future generations would eventually lose them; and should we literally look no further than the symbols and the allegories in our ritual work, remaining satisfied with what we see on the surface? Or is it that the current generation of Freemasons are lazy and so caught up in the distractions

of the present time that they are unable to devote any of their time and energy to discover the true secrets of Freemasonry? Let us endeavor to explore this subject more from a speculative standpoint, keeping in mind that my opinions are my own and are based on conclusions gathered from reading many older books on the Craft and observing how the spirit of Freemasonry today appears to differ quite a bit from that of our Fraternal ancestors. I believe it would be impossible to divulge the true secrets of Freemasonry by means of human communication, however, I will, to the best of my ability, fulfill my duty to aid my poor and distressed Brothers by being a beacon of Masonic light, to assist them in their travels as they journey to the East.

Freemasonry is often called a “science of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated in symbols.” What exactly does this mean? Let us first break down this phrase, word by word, to better understand the statement.

“Science” is defined by the Merriam Webster’s dictionary as “a branch of systematic study, especially of the physical world.”2 As we are all members of the physical world and everything we observe with our visual faculties is the physical world, it makes sense that Freemasonry is a science of the physical world.

The dictionary goes on to define “morality” as “relating to principles of right and wrong; conforming to a standard of right behavior; relating to or acting on the mind, character, or will.”3 In its singular form, it means “the point of a story” and its plural form as “moral practices or teachings.” We can extract from those definitions of morality that Freemasonry is a story of moral practices and teachings that express a standard of right behavior relating to the mind, character, and will. The first portion of the statement is now forming a very precise mental picture for us of what Freemasonry is.

Continuing on, we come to what I believe is the most important word in this statement and the system of Freemasonry itself: “veiled,” which means “sheer material to hide something or to cover the face and head; covered with a veil.”4 This very important word denotes that something is being concealed. Since we have already established through the previous words that it is “a branch of systematic study” (especially of the physical world) and also “relating to principles of right and wrong; relating to or acting on the mind, character, or will,” we now can add that there is something contained within Freemasonry that




is veiled or concealed from us. Let us determine what then is concealed.

“Allegory” is the next word of this statement and is defined as “a story in which figures and actions are symbols of general truths.”5 The younger generation of Freemasons are very interested in allegory, which can parallel the word esoteric, meaning “mysterious or secret.”6 Many of the newer Brothers today are very interested in the esoteric aspects of Freemasonry and are inclined to lose interest in the Craft when their needs are not met. I have seen some apprehension to the word “esoteric” being mentioned in Blue Lodge on a couple occasions, which is a shame and quite unnecessary because it represents the same concept as allegory, which is freely spoken about in our instruction.

Moving on, we come to “illustrated,” which means “explain by example; provide with pictures or figures.”7 What examples, pictures, or figures do we use in Freemasonry? “Symbols,” which are defined as “something that represents or suggests another thing.”8

Concluding with the latter portion of the statement, we can summarize that what is being concealed is hidden in “a story in which figures and actions are symbols of general truths” and that the answers are “explained by example” in the form of “something that represents or suggests another thing.” At this point, you are either lost in the chaos of confusion or grasping at one of the wittiest play on words ever demonstrated by the mind of man.

To further understand the bigger picture of this “science of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated in symbols,” I believe it is important to explore the means of transference that has been utilized by the creators and custodians of the Craft to confer the mysteries of Freemasonry on its initiates over the ages.

First, we must consider the whole process of what transpires when a person joins and goes through the initiatic experience. A man must first be aware that Freemasonry exists to make a conscious and willful decision of whether he will attempt to petition to join a Lodge. Once he is aware that Freemasonry exists and he could potentially become a member, he must determine, just like with anything else in his life, whether it will be beneficial or not; for we as human beings generally operate entirely off the “what’s in it for me?” mentality. In order to make this determination, a man must either be told

what Freemasonry is by a member who knows or he must conduct his own research through books, the internet, or any other medium of second hand information. If what a man forms in his mind about Freemasonry is pleasing to him, he is going to find out what he has to do to join the fraternity. On the other hand, if what he forms in his mind about Freemasonry is not pleasing to him, he certainly will not attempt to join something that he will not enjoy or will not benefit him. It is well known with human beings that “attention goes where energy flows.” There is no doubt in my mind that the creators and custodians of the Craft were hip to the “law of attraction” hundreds of years before it became a popular way of thinking in the realm of New Age thought.

When a man goes through the petitioning process and is approved to become a member, he will go through the initiatic experience of the symbolic Blue Degrees of Freemasonry. All members of the fraternity are well aware of this experience and the symbolism and information that is transmitted to the candidate, whether he fully understands it or not is a completely different subject. Before I continue further, please take a moment in your mind to reflect upon the symbols and sublime truths that were sincerely presented and impressed upon your mind during that process.

The next subject we must take into consideration to




comprehend the means of transference utilized by the custodians of the art whereby we will be better able to understand the “veiled allegory” of this “science of morality,” is to look into the origins of Freemasonry that gave birth in modern times to the authentic lineage we are members of today. C.W. Leadbeater establishes a good timeline of modern Freemasonry’s roots by informing us in his book “Freemasonry and Its Ancient Mystic Rites” that the “written records of speculative Masonry hardly antedate the revival in 1717, while the earliest extant minutes of any operative Lodge belong to the year 1598.”9 Leadbeater also points out that Brother R.F. Gould, in his book “The Concise History of Freemasonry”, “affirms that if we can assume the symbolism (or ceremonial) of Masonry to be older than 1717, there is practically no limit whatever to the age that can be assigned to it.”10 And finally, the most important point that Leadbeater makes pertaining to the subject of this paper is in stating that “the Solemn Act of Union between the two Grand Lodges of the Freemasons of England, in December 1813, that pure Ancient Masonry consists of three degrees and no more, viz., those of Entered Apprentice, the Fellowcraft, and the Master Mason, including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch.”11

In continuing to explore the origins of modern Freemasonry in relation to the “science of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated in symbols,” we must explore the relation of the Royal Arch degrees of the York Rite to the three symbolic Blue Degrees. Not only do the current four degrees of the Royal Arch continue the story contained within the symbolic Blue Degrees, but it is vital to realize that “the Mark Master (4th degree) is an extension of the Fellowcraft degree while the Royal Arch (7th degree) is an extension of the Master Mason degree.”12 As pointed out by Brother Robert W. Sullivan IV in his modern classic “The Royal Arch of Enoch,” there was a schism in Masonry in 1751, where “Irish Masons formed their own Grand Lodge – known as the ‘Ancients’ or Antients which followed the ‘Old Institutions’; according to the Ahiman Rezon – the Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of the Antients authored by Laurence Dermott in 1756.”13 Sullivan further elaborates, “there were now two classes of Masons in England: the Antients who followed the ‘Old Institutions’ and hence possessed the true esoteric secrets of Masonry; and the Moderns who fell under the name of the Freemasons of England. The Antients held the Royal Arch degree as the most sublime degree – ‘the root, heart, and marrow’ of Freemasonry. The Moderns

also embraced the Royal Arch degree but seemed to practice it in conjecture with the Master Mason degree – the Antients seemed to have fabricated the Royal Arch degree by dividing or cutting it out of the Master Mason degree.”14

Brother George Steinmetz, in his book “The Royal Arch: Its Hidden Meaning,” gives us a better idea of the creation and evolution of the York Rite by stating that both the Mark Master and Royal Arch originally were independent, separate degrees that were worked under the jurisdiction of the Symbolic Lodge15. The fifth degree, or (Virtual) Past Master, was created to serve the purpose of allowing a Master Mason to “pass the chair” even if they had not officially served as Master of a Blue Lodge, which was required before becoming a Royal Arch Mason. Steinmetz further explains “these three degrees then constituted the Chapter as it originally came into being in England as a separate body, under an independent jurisdiction.”16 Later, the Most Excellent Master degree was instituted to bridge the gap between the Mark Master, (Virtual) Past Master, and Royal Arch degrees and also tied together the complete story of the building of the “Second Temple” in relation to the symbolic Blue Degrees, which conclude “amidst the rubbish of the ‘First Temple.’”17

Although the Master Mason degree is the penultimate degree in all of Freemasonry in terms of its teachings, a great majority of Masons are completely unaware of the relation and history between the Blue Lodge and the York Rite, which I would regard as crucial and pertinent in understanding Freemasonry as a whole and would be invaluable knowledge for a Brother who is seeking to understand this “science of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated in symbols.” The same can be said about the Scottish Rite but I will leave that to the reader to explore on his own.

As mentioned earlier in this paper, I believe the true secrets of Freemasonry cannot be communicated, but in order that I may better establish the fact that the creators and custodians of the Craft have truly encoded the wisdom of the ancient mysteries within this “science,” I feel it would be proper to explore what two of my favorite Masonic authors have said regarding this subject.

Brother Manly P. Hall states, in his book “The Lost Keys of Freemasonry” that “the average Mason, as well as the modern student of Masonic ideals, little realizes the cosmic obligation he takes upon himself when he begins




his search for the sacred Truths of Nature as they are concealed in the ancient and modern rituals… He must realize that the ancient mystic teachings as perpetuated in the modern rites are sacred, and that powers unseen and unrecognized mold the destiny of those who consciously and of their own free will take upon themselves the obligations of the Fraternity.”18 More importantly, Hall says, “true Freemasonry is esoteric; it is not a thing of this world. All that we have here is a link, a doorway, through which the student may pass into the unknown.”19

The most striking and powerful comment on this subject comes from Brother Albert Pike, who proclaimed, “Masonry, like all the Religions, all the Mysteries, Hermeticism and Alchemy, conceals its secrets from all except the Adepts and Sages, or the Elect, and uses false explanations and misinterpretations of its symbols to mislead those who deserve only to be misled; to conceal the Truth, which it calls Light, from them, and to draw them away from it. Truth is not for those who are unworthy or unable to receive it, or would pervert it… So Masonry jealously conceals its secrets, and intentionally leads conceited interpreters astray.”20

Being that these statements come from two of the most prominent and prolific Masonic authors in history, I think it is safe to say that there is some profound truths therein. May these very powerful quotes resonate with the reader and serve as a point of reflection, for it will be entirely up to you during your lifetime if you want to explore this realm and discover the treasures that lie hidden deep within the bosom of Freemasonry.

If by chance you are a new member or an old one who is not very familiar with the allegories and symbols, I strongly encourage you to take advantage of your Lodge’s library (if it has one), conduct research online, and attend the degrees at your Lodge and travel to other Lodges in your area. Even more so, I strongly encourage you to become active in the ritual work if you are not already, and seek to fully comprehend the history and allegories contained therein. I had the wonderful opportunity of founding my home Lodge Groton NY #496’s library and have made sure that it is stocked with resources that will help guide and direct a seeking Brother to “more light” and have made myself available if there are questions or if Brothers are seeking further resources that cannot be found in our library.

The observant reader will be quick to say that I have not

revealed anything in regards to the “science of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated in symbols,” and in fact have only served to further conceal the sacred mysteries of Freemasonry. This is very true and leads to the main point of this paper; which is that, we, the current generation of Freemasons must realize that there is much more to Freemasonry than meets the eye or reaches the ear and the only way we are going to come to this realization is through participating more, reading books, and making sure that Brothers old and, especially, new are regularly receiving proper and instructive Masonic education. Most importantly, only through the proper application of the tools that have been given to us will we ever earn any true Master’s wages within the Lodge or outside in the world, which I must adamantly stress are much more than just material wages. You will get back from Freemasonry what you put into it, just like with anything else in life. If you put nothing into it, you will get nothing back from it. Anyone who has reached the level of Master Mason and believes that there is nothing more to learn or accomplish are not only hurting themselves but also future Masons and in fact are bringing shame to Freemasonry on a personal and worldwide level. It brings joy to my heart meeting Brothers locally and around the world who take true pride in being a Freemason and exemplify it in all they do. It is to these Brothers that I dedicate this work. May all who seek the “True Masonic Light” in this “science of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated in symbols” find what they are seeking, but remember, the true riches will only be discovered and acquired through proper study, proper application of tools, and a lifelong dedication to “The Great Work.”



True Masonic Light by Bret IddingsBIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. Pike, Albert, De Hoyos, Arturo, and Seale, Ronald A.. “Introduction.” Symbolism of the Blue Degrees of Freemasonry: Albert Pike’s “Esoterika” 2nd ed. Washington, D.C.: Scottish Rite Research Society, 2011. Page 75.2. “science.” Merriam-Webster’s Pocket Dictionary. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 1995. Page 301.3. “morality.” Ibid. Page 218.4. “veiled.” Ibid. Page 368.5. “allegory.” Ibid. Page 10.6. “esoteric.” Ibid Page 113.7. “illustrated.” Ibid. Page 165.8. “symbols.” Ibid. Page 336.9. Leadbeater, C. W. Freemasonry and Its Ancient Mystic Rites. New York: Gramercy, 1998. Page 3.10. Ibid.11. Ibid.12. Sullivan, Robert W., IV. The Royal Arch of Enoch: The Impact of Masonic Ritual, Philosophy, and Symbolism. N.p.: Rocket Science Productions, 2011. Page 55.13. Ibid.14. Ibid.15. Steinmetz, George Harold. The Royal Arch, Its Hidden Meaning. New York: Macoy Pub. and Masonic Supply, 1946. Pages 11 – 13.16. Ibid.17. Ibid.18. Hall, Manly P. The Lost Keys of Freemasonry. New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2006. Page 27.19. Ibid. Page 30.20. Pike, Albert. Washington: Supreme Council, 33 ̊ A. & A. S. R. for the Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., 1950. Pages 104 – 105.

Bro. Bret Iddings is the founding librarian & historian of Groton Lodge No. 496. He is a member of the Coudersport Consistory of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Orient of Pennsylvania (NJ), Fidelity Chapter No. 77 Royal Arch Masons of Trumansburg, NY and the Hudson-Fulton-Dryden Chapter No. 250 of the Order of the Eastern Star. Currently, he teaches English as a Second Language to students in Japan and is actively involved in a variety of educational pursuits focusing on the history of Freemasonry, esotericism, philosophy and psychology.



Freemasonry Persecuted by Brian Peace

F or centuries, countless rulers, leaders, governments, and despots have eyed Freemasons with suspicion and, in some cases, disdain. There have been

examples when Freemasons have suffered persecution because they were a part of this global Brotherhood. In the most egregious examples, Freemasons have suffered loss of jobs, the right to own property, torture, death, and other unspeakable acts.

Persecution and Death of Freemasons in Nazi Germany

“Few people are aware that Freemasons suffered at the hands of the Nazis following Hitler’s rise to power in 1933. It is not possible to now determine how many Freemasons were executed just because they were Freemasons, but a conservative estimate has suggested that the number of German Freemasons who died in concentration camps numbered 80,000.” (1)

So prevalent was the pursuit of German Freemasons and Freemasons in countries occupied by the Nazi regime that The U. S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has a section that focuses on the Nazi persecution of Freemasonry.

Persecution and Death in the Soviet Union

In 1922, Soviet Russia outlawed Masonry. “The Fourth Communist International formally declared that Masonry was contrary to communist ideology. Some lodges immediate [sic] closed doors, while others continued a precarious existence. Four years later, a strange request from the Mason Astromov to the dictator Stalin, to allow Masonry to operate under official sanction, resulted in the arrest, torture and imprisonment of known Masons. Freemasonry disappeared totally during the remaining years of soviet [sic] rule.” (5)

There are numerous other examples of persecution of Freemasons in the past 100 years. This is not surprising since Freemasonry has firmly stood for Freedom from tyranny since the dawn of its existence. To someone that is not a Freemason this may be a surprise. To Scottish rite Freemasons, this is not astonishing since the lessons in several of our degrees are so contrary to fanatical governments, despots, and anyone that despises Freedom.

Degree Lessons

In many lessons of our degrees, we are encouraged to

stand for Liberty and Equality and against Tyranny, Intolerance, and Fanaticism.

In the 9th degree Elu of the Nine and the 10th degree Elu of the Fifteen as discussed in the Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide, we are “pledged to the cause of true Freedom, of the People” and end these degrees by “swearing eternal vigilance against those special enemies of Freedom...Intolerance and Persecution.” (2)

As Freemasons, we are taught through the 30th degree: Knight Kadosh that “the will of the people is coming to be recognized as the true basis of all civil power and government. To assist in this great work is the noblest enterprise in which human virtue can engage” [and that through] “Knowledge, Virtue, and Love, and Charity for mankind” we are to war against “Tyranny, Superstition, and Fanaticism.” (3)

We also learn through the symbolism of Master Hiram that his raising “symbolized the irrepressible vigor and force of the spirit of Freedom, which, however often crushed to earth, will still rise again.” (4)These are just a few of the examples from the lessons taught in our degrees about the Freemasons firm stance for Freedom and those virtues that support Freedom while also standing against anything anathema to Freedom.

Tyrants and Governments that suppress or negate Freedom have cause to fear our Fraternity. Freemasons stand proud across the earth in the cause of Liberty. As our Scottish Rite creed states: The cause of human progress is our cause, liberty of thought our supreme wish, freedom of conscience our mission, and the guarantee of equal rights to all people everywhere our ultimate goal.

Our fraternity supports this great cause not just in word but in action. We continue to encourage progress so that all may be free in body, mind, and spirit. As Freemasons, let us never forget our countless Brethren that gave their lives in concentration camps, the Soviet gulag, labor camps, and other horrific conditions, facing torture and death as they stood for the great cause of Freedom so that all humanity may live free.



Freemasonry Persecuted by Brian Peace

References:

1. Pietre-Stones Review of Freemasonry Nazi Persecution of Freemasonry retrieved from: http://www.freemasons-free-masonry.com/nazi_fascist_persecution_freemasonry.html

2. DeHoyos, A., (2010) Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide. P. 260



5. Zeldis, L. (2005) Rising Point International Masonic Review Published by Bonisteel Masonic Library Ann Arbor, Michigan. P. 7 Bro. Brian Don Peace is a member of Meridian Lodge #47,

Meridian, Idaho, Missoula Lodge #13, Missoula, MT Scottish Rite Valley of Boise, Orient of Idaho with plural membership in Olympia Valley Scottish Rite, Olympia Orient of Washington.



The Abraxas of Freemasonry by Tim Hogan

Not all Masonic Jurisdictions in the world utilize a Chamber of Reflection, but many jurisdictions do. This chamber, which represents a prison

cell, or a cave- (and symbolic of the profane life in which one is tied to their original earth bound personality), is full of symbols that also point to the way out of the prison, thereby making the profane a free man, freeborn, of their own free will and accord. Without dwelling on all the symbols traditionally found within the Chamber of Reflection, there is one symbol in particular that I want to focus on in this article. The symbol in question, which has always been found in Chambers of Reflection from the earliest accounts of the Chamber, is the symbol of a rooster.

This rooster initially stands as a strange symbol within Freemasonry. It usually causes the un-educated fools with wild imaginations to immediately think of voodoo rites or other such speculation. Others of Christian backgrounds tend to think of the cock crowing prior to the arrest of Jesus. However the symbol actually has both a simpler and a far more complex meaning! At first blush, it stands as a reminder that it is always darkest before dawn, as the rooster always heralds in the light of the new day- which is foreshadowing for the degree to come. This is perhaps the simplest meaning behind the image, since the rooster lets his cry out for light, not unlike the Mason himself. However there are many Masons who have believed that this symbol alludes to something even deeper, which is rooted in the traditional Gnostic theological cosmology. Traditionally, to the Gnostics, the symbol of the rooster was emblematic of the figure of Abraxas. In the Gnostic mythology, Abraxas was one of four traditional children

of Sophia (whose name means Wisdom). Along with Abraxas, the other three children associated with Sophia are Faith, Hope, and Charity. Abraxas was said to have been one of the original Archons, (or Wardens), that guarded the higher mysteries and kept people from attaining the true light of Gnosis (divine knowledge) unless they were duly and truly prepared, and had the correct passwords, grips, and positions of the hands and feet to pass to higher knowledge. Also according to the Gnostic mythology, Abraxas himself eventually attained the light of Gnosis and then served as an example to help individuals unite their individual soul (associated with Sophia) with the Universal Consciousness of God (associated with the Christos), thereby bringing about divine Gnosis, which the Gnostics represented by Light. Of course, with all of this we can clearly see echoes in Freemasonry, but there is more!

Abraxas was t r a d i t i o n a l l y represented as a rooster headed figure who was holding a whip and a shield, with a girded apron around his waist, and then having snake legs. To the Gnostics, this strange image r e p r e s e n t e d the levels of

consciousness that were also found within their three degree structure of baptisms of the elements. The snake legs represented the profane who was completely attached to the earth, just as a snake crawls closest to the ground. The apron that hung on the abdomen represented the first baptism by water, just as the liquid components of the body are generated in the abdomen, and it also represented mastery of the emotions and the subduing of the passions. The whip represented the baptism by air in the Gnostic rites, (as the whip cracks in the air), and it represented the mastery of the mind and the realization that the arts and sciences were created to glorify and prove the all pervading consciousness, or mind of God. The goal at this stage was to study so that one could unite their individual consciousness with the greater consciousness




of God. The last stage of Gnostic baptism was by fire, and the light that comes from the illuminated consciousness, or Gnosis, and this was represented by the rooster head calling out to light. This progression from the profane earth to initiations associated with water, air and fire, can be found in Freemasonry as related to the penalties in the degree obligations, and also we find the same themes being introduced in each degree as was emphasized in the Gnostic schools of instruction.

There is more however! The name “Abraxas” in Greek (ΑBΡAΣAΞ) , can be broken down into further meaning according to the Greek symbolic system known as Gematria. In Gematria, every letter also

corresponds with a number, and therefore the letters in a word can be summed up to a value that has symbolic meaning, since Greek is an alpha-numeric language. In Gematria, the name Abraxas in Greek adds up to the summed value of 365, as Α=1, Β=2, Ρ=100, Α=1, Σ=200, Α=1, Ξ=60, and therefore 1+2+100+1+200++1+60= 365. The Gnostics understood this to represent the 365 days of the year, and therefore Abraxas became a symbol of time, and also represented the combined operations of the sun and the moon generating each day and night. For this reason, it was not uncommon for some images of Abraxas to be depicted with the sun and moon on either side of him, and consequently as he was the Master of these black and white divisions, or day and night divisions, he was the Master with the sun and moon, representing three lesser lights. Incidentally, other Greek words that also add up to 365 include the god “Mithras” (ΜΕIQΡAΣ), the god “Balenos” (Belhnoς), and the river “Nile” (ΝΕΙLOΣ).

Abraxas was also sometimes depicted with seven stars rising along his side. These seven stars were said to represent the seven planets, the seven days of the week, the seven liberal arts and sciences, the seven Greek vowels, and the seven planes or heavens that ascend to

the eighth sphere of Gnosis. Traditionally, they were also said to be associated with the seven main virtues that could liberate one from the influences of the seven deadly sins. These seven main virtues consisted of the heavenly and cardinal virtues, which were Faith, Hope, Charity, Temperance, Prudence, Fortitude and Justice- which just happen to be the seven main virtues emphasized in the Entered Apprentice degree in most jurisdictions. Some have likewise related these seven stars to the seven seals of Revelation and the seven “chakra” of Eastern spiritual doctrines.

Also sometimes s u r r o u n d i n g the figure of Abraxas are the letters I-A-O. These letters were considered by the Gnostics as the secret name of God. A c c o r d i n g to Gnostic cosmology, the physical world

around us can be represented by consonants. However, the spiritual life or spirit behind the matter could be represented by vowels. In Greek there are seven main vowels, but these vowels could all be reduced to three principle vowels that had multiple sounds, and these are the letters I-A-O. The letter “I” can be pronounced as “aie” or “ee”- like “E,” and can be a substitute for Y; the letter “A” can be pronounced “a” or “ah”; and the letter “O” can be pronounced “oh” or “oo”- like “U.” Therefore, these three letters stood as the root source of spirit in creation, and consequently they are found emphasized in names like “Adonai” in Hebrew, JI-HO-VAH in Latin, and “Ioannas”- or “John” in Greek. It is for this reason that some Gnostic sects named all of their leaders “John,” and consequently they were designated as “Holy Saints John.” Furthermore, the letter “I” in Greek represented a point becoming a line, the “A” represented a line becoming a set of compasses or a triangle, and the letter “O” represented a circle that the compasses makes. “I” was also emblematic of a pillar. In the Gnostic text known as the Pistis Sophia, Jesus explains the mystery of the vowels IAO to his disciples thus: “This is the interpretation: Iota, the Universe came out;




Alpha, they will turn them; Omega, will become the completion of completions.” It is for this reason that many Gnostic sects considered the “I” as representing the “Word of Creation”, the “A” as representing the Sophia –or Wisdom of Creation, and the “O” as the Christos, or the Universal C o n s c i o u s n e s s

connected with God. It is perhaps an interesting coincidence that the vowels in the first two degree passwords of Freemasonry are O-A and A-I. To this day, there are Gnostic Sufi traditions, (which it can be argued that Freemasonry inherited much from), which have three signs called the “SI sign,” the “SA sign,” and the “SO sign,” which correspond exactly with the penal signs of the three main degrees of Freemasonry, and they also have rhythmic chants in which they use these three sounds of “si-sa-so,” with the “s” empowering the “I-A-O” respectively.

It should be noted that the Abraxas image was used as a seal by the Knights Templar, with early wax seals being found of it, and with it also being carved on the floor of one of the initiation chambers of the Knights Templar at Acre, in Israel. Since the higher degrees of Freemasonry have emphasized this Templar connection in the many Rites of Freemasonry, it is perhaps fitting that this Gnostic symbol that the Templars were using has also found its way into Craft Masonry.Finally, Abraxas was also sometimes depicted in another way, other than a rooster. Sometimes he was depicted as a lion headed serpent. The meaning behind this alternative symbol of Abraxas is that he has conquered his earth bound nature and grew into the Mastery of the lion. In other words, he was raised up as a lion, which should be familiar to Freemasons.

It is for all of these reasons that some Masonic Lodges now use the symbol of Abraxas for the rooster as opposed to just a rooster, as the symbol of Abraxas has all the foreshadowing for the degrees to come after the candidate leaves the Chamber of Reflection.

Whether you belong to a Lodge that uses a Chamber of Reflection or not, it is hoped that by this article you can appreciate to a greater degree why the symbol of the rooster is in it, and also why some Lodges have returned the rooster to it’s likely original Abraxas symbol. The Abraxas represents the path that all Masons must take in returning to the Greater Light of true Knowledge.

(Photo by WB Paul Dickerson)

W.B. Tim Hogan is an author and lecturer on the Western Mystery School tradition. He is the Grand Master for the Ordue Sovereign du Temple Initiatique (OSTI) Knight Templar lineage. He is a Past Master of East Denver #160 and active member of Enlightenment Lodge #198. He is a Knight Templar in the York Rite and a 32* Knight Commander of the Court of Honor (KCCH) in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (SJ). He has been knighted into the Royal Order of Scotland as a Rosicrucian Knight of Kilwinning.


Spurious Freemasonry by Charles Harper


I t has not gone unnoticed, this emergence of enthusiasm for Masonic education. It is not that this excitement has not existed before, but in the past several years,

it has started to become more widespread. The Masons responsible are both known and unknown, all of which desire no fame or glory, but simply that their contributions improve understanding and advance the greatness of our institution. It is all filling a need made realized by a return to the ambition of being a Craft, observant to the traditional practices of Freemasonry. As the tides turn, and the purpose of our institution returns ever so slowly to its roots, we are a witness to a reverse in a trend similar to when Laurence Dermott saw the decline in focus of the first Grand Lodge of England toward the goal of Freemasonry, and assisted in organizing the Grand Lodge of England, affectionately known as the “Ancients,” due to their self-proclaimed adherence to the ancient usages of the Craft, in 1751. Today, just as in yesteryear, a return to the founding principles will effectively serve to properly educate our Brethren and assist in the perpetuation of the order. However, just as the culture of the first Grand Lodge changed from making good men better to appeasing the aristocracy, effectively placing their heads in the sand, so too have we ridden the coattails of success and placed our heads in the sand for too long. The lack of insightful and applicable Masonic education, which has undermined our continued growth and success, has also allowed the ember of spurious Freemasonry to grow. Spurious Freemasonry, which is a word to give an explanation as to why a Grand

Lodge, Lodge, or Mason is clandestine, has been eroding away the integrity of Freemasonry, as it has been known in the well-received sense of our history, privately and publicly.

The term clandestine in Masonry is a constantly misapplied, or misunderstood term, though a convenient one, to place categorically on a Masonic jurisdiction, Lodge, or Mason whose jurisdiction is not in amity with another, and has been used in this manner for many years. Anciently, clandestine, in the Masonic application, is a word to define a “body of Masons meeting to do Masonic work in a Lodge which had not been warranted and regularly and solemnly constituted.” The Masonic Service Association published a paper by an unknown author in 1935, in attempts of better defining the word clandestine for Masonic use. He quoted Albert Mackey’s History of Freemasonry, stating, “The (Anderson) Constitutions declare, Section 8, that where a number of Freemasons shall take upon themselves to form a Lodge without a Grand Master’s Warrant, the regular Lodges are not to countenance them nor own them as fair brethren, and duly formed. In other words, Lodge formed without a Warrant from the Grand Master (we now say Grand Lodge) is ‘clandestine,’ and so a ‘clandestine Mason’ is one made in a Lodge without a Warrant.” He goes on to state how the Grand Lodge of England, the ancients, and the Grand Lodge of England, the moderns, termed each other as clandestine. Before the days of absolutely spurious Masons, this term was accurately correct.

The distinction to be made, supported by the research of Brother John Belton that he has published in his book, The English Masonic Union of 1813, is that both of these Grand Lodges formed from “time immemorial Lodges,” meaning both Grand Lodges were formed by Lodges with no allegiance yet to any Grand Lodge as they had come into existence speculatively before the first Grand Lodge was organized, and after, outside the territory of the first Grand Lodge, which was about a seven block radius. Belton shows in his minute books the transactions of the Grand Committee of the Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons at the Griffin Tavern in Holborn, London, on February 5, 1752. Present were the “Officers of Lodges 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.” These Grand Lodges viewed each other as clandestine as they were not in “correspondence,” as the term for amity was




then, with each other. They did form regularly according to Anderson’s Constitutions of 1723 though. This is not so different in today’s Freemasonry where a Grand Lodge may withdraw recognition because of an act regarded as irregular in Masonic practice, such as the Grand Lodge of Ohio and West Virginia had in 2006, or the lack of amity between Prince Hall Grand Lodges in the southern part of the United States and their mainstream counterpart, citing the exclusive territory doctrine as the reason. The word “clandestine,” is a “catch-all” term used today in ritual to obligate a Mason from conversing Masonically, or sitting in a Lodge of Masons whose Masonic jurisdiction is not in amity with their own. Spurious Masonry is a more specific type of Masonry, not unknown in the distant past, but one that is reaching, in my opinion, epidemic proportions specifically in more populated Masonic areas such as the major metropolises.

According to the book American Freemasons, by Brother Mark Tabbert, since the days of “Joseph Cerneau and his followers sold Scottish Rite degrees to anyone willing to pay for them, …African-American entrepreneurs created dozens of clandestine Masonic grand lodges for black men that competed with Prince Hall Freemasonry.” This is corroborated by David Gray’s book, Inside Prince Hall, where Gray lists almost 200 irregular Grand Lodges in the United States. This book, written in 2004, has a low listed number compared to now, in 2014, just 10 years later; the count by both Paul Bessel and the Phylaxis society places the number well over approximately 400, combined. Some clandestine, or more specifically spurious Masonic Grand Lodges, are more well-known than others and more readily spotted than others. A spurious Mason, Lodge, or Grand Lodge, is one that is formed irregular altogether, meaning they began simply as a group of guys getting together, deciding that they wish to be Freemasons, purchasing a ritual expose and regalia, and opening a Lodge. They may receive warrants or charters from other previous existing spurious Grand Lodges, giving them the belief that they have followed the landmarks of the Craft, stating that for a Lodge to be regular, it must be chartered by an existing regularly formed Grand Lodge. Well, if a man does not know what constitutes a regular Grand Lodge, or Lodge in the first place, you have a residual failure in understanding repeating itself multiple times. The gentleman organizing

these spurious Lodges most often were never made Masons in a regular Lodge or they were made Masons, and were expelled; or in other cases, they have never set foot in a Lodge of Masons, however they be defined.

The General Masonic Congress, organized by expelled Mason John G. Jones in the early 1900s, well explained in the book History of the Shrine, by Joseph A. Walkes Jr., has spawned many numerous factions. There is also the International Modern Free and Accepted Masons, formed by William Banks alone in 1950, though it has never been shown that Banks was ever made a Mason, much less an expelled one. In Chicago alone, the spurious Grand Lodges existing are near totaling 70 according to Prince Hall Mason Carlton Smith of Illinois, member of the Phylaxis Society, which is a Masonic society that does an excellent job of Masonic education, and specifically tracking forming spurious Grand Lodges. There are, of course, co-Masonic Grand Lodges, otherwise known as Le Droit de Humaine, that profess to be Freemasons and pattern themselves as such, supported in their efforts by the Grand Orient de France, and predicating their existence by the obligation of Elizabeth St. Ledger in about 1710, who witnessed a ritual in her father’s home, being used as a Lodge, and was then obligated to keep secrecy. These mixed obedience type Grand Lodges, though irregular, are said by the United Grand Lodge of England to be regular in practice in a statement issued by UGLE - 10th March 1999:There exist in England and Wales at least two Grand Lodges solely for women. Except that these bodies admit women, they are, so far as can be ascertained, otherwise regular in their practice. There is also one which admits both men and women to membership. They are not recognized by this Grand Lodge and inter-visitation may not take place.

While woman and mixed obedience Lodges are irregular to traditional Freemasonry inside the United States compared to overseas, the numbers seem to be relatively low. Of course, getting an exact number of their membership is difficult as this organization is irregular and, thus, clandestine. While we know of their existence, charting the number of spurious Masonic Grand Lodges is easier as they file taxes, being state registered charitable organizations claiming nonprofit tax status. As they file




taxes, these taxes being public record, one can gain a count of their existence. There is a new influx of spurious Grand Lodges forming in the United States, and perhaps one that may grow quicker than the rest. They are Grand Lodges warranted by the Masonic High Council, which is subordinate to the Regular Grand Lodge of England.

To immediately remove any confusion, the Regular Grand Lodge of England is NOT the United Grand Lodge of England, which is regular in its formation and existence, and which all traditional Freemasonry derives its standards of regularity and legitimacy of origin. The United Grand Lodge of England was formed by the uniting of the 1751 Grand Lodge of England and the first organized speculative Grand Lodge in the world, the Grand Lodge of England organized in 1717. No, this Regular Grand Lodge of England was organized in 2005 by Rui Gabirro, an expelled Mason.

According to Brother Edward King, who owns and operates the website Masonicinfo.com, “On December 14, 2005, Rui L. Gabirro of Brethren in Amity Lodge #8650 under the United Grand Lodge of England was expelled from Freemasonry.” Rui Gabirro appears to have been expelled for the same action as John G. Jones, a Mason from the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois. According to an article written by Brother Ezekiel M. Bey of the Phylaxis Society, “John G. Jones, and William Gray charged, tried, and expelled from all the rights, benefits and privileges of Masonry for gross Unmasonic conduct, October 14, 1903. Their false statements relating to a “split in the Grand Lodge of Illinois,” and their fraudulent scheme of pretending to confer legally the degrees of Masonry from the first to the thirty-third degree exposed.”

On January 25, 2005, the Masonic High Council, the Mother High Council of Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons was formed, to which the Regular Grand Lodge of England, established in London on the 5th of March 2005, holds allegiance. According to the newsletter published April 2005 by the Regular Grand Lodge of England on February 25, 2005, Mr. Rui Gabirro of the Mother High Council, was elected as Secretary General of the Masonic High Council for England and Wales. If you notice, he was expelled by the United Grand Lodge of England on December of the same year. Joining

an irregularly formed Masonic organization that is not in amity with one’s own, and then forming a Grand Lodge irregularly, all while being a member of the United Grand Lodge of England, is gross un-Masonic conduct. In both situations, it displays contumacy. What defines a Lodge as regular is a topic not often covered when a Brother is initiated, passed, and raised to a Master Mason in the Craft. The standards of recognition are not covered as well. Let us all get on the same page.

The standards of regularity by the United Grand Lodge of England, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, and Ireland, is similar to the United States Grand Lodges, and the Prince Hall Grand Lodges, and all Grand Lodges in amity with any of these bodies, which state:The standards of Recognition are summarized as follows: 1. Legitimacy of Origin.2. Exclusive Territorial Jurisdiction, except by mutual consent and/or treaty.3. Adherence to the Ancient Landmarks – specifically, a Belief in God, the Volume of Sacred Law as an indispensable part of the Furniture of the Lodge, and the prohibition of the discussion of politics and religion. The Masonic High Council on their public website states:Special Notice to MHC Masons and Masons in Amity with the Masonic High Council the Mother High Council concerning the existence of some Irregular and Unrecognized Grand Lodges.The Masonic High Council the Mother High Council reminds all Members of the Craft that they should take great care before joining any organization which purports to be Masonic. If in doubt a written enquiry should be made of the Secretary General. There are some self-styled Masonic bodies that do not meet these standards, e.g., which do not require a belief in a Supreme Being, or which allow or encourage their members to participate as such in political matters and some of these self-styled Masonic bodies have even become Service Clubs. These bodies are recognized by the MHC the Mother High Council as being Masonically irregular, and Masonic contact with them should be avoided at all times.”

It is interesting that an irregularly formed Masonic organization would echo the sentiments of the oldest Grand Lodge in the world. Yes, it is for the purpose of fraud in the pursuit of making men who do not know what regularity




is to feel comfortable about joining, understanding their stance. Here is a statement issued by the United Grand Lodge of England in regards to the Regular Grand Lodge of England:It is being claimed that the formation of the “Regular Grand Lodge of England” is a result of a major schism within the United Grand Lodge of England that has led to a significant number of Lodges and individual members withdrawing from the United Grand Lodge of England. Those claims are malicious lies, with no foundation in reality. Of the known members of this new, irregular body, only two appear to have had any connection with regular Freemasonry in England. Rather than Lodges having defected to it, there appears to be only one active Lodge, self-constituted this year. Their website links page shows links to other irregular, self-constituted Grand Lodges in India and Europe, including the Grand Lodge of France, whose Grand Chancellor, Michael Singer, has been appointed representative of the “Regular Grand Lodge of England” for France.

Here is what is unfortunate. This practice of forming Grand Lodges by expelled Masons, or men who were never made Masons in a regular Lodge, or by the departure of a Mason or Lodge from an already spurious formed Grand Lodge is, unfortunately, common place in the United States. And as stated earlier in this article, today there exist more than 400 spurious Grand Lodges in the United States. Many times these are predominately African-American organizations, though there are co-Masonic Masons and orders, such as the 1613 Nation, existing and led by the now infamous Brad Cofield. As such, mostly Prince Hall Freemasons are left to confront their Masonically illegitimate existence by themselves. When confronting spurious Masons and attempting to educate them about regularity and, more specifically, legitimacy of origin, well, most Masons outside of Prince Hall Masons do not know what this means.

Many more spurious Grand Lodges, originally warranted by the Regular Grand Lodge of England, have surfaced in recent years, most notably the Regular Grand Lodge of Illinois, that are affiliated with and received their warrant from the Masonic High Council and the Regular Grand Lodge of England. As of 2014, these Grand Lodges exist in Illinois, Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, Virginia,

Georgia, and now Missouri. Unfortunately, the majority of spurious Grand Lodges in the United States are predominately African-American in membership. This is due to America’s dark past of slavery and fight for civil rights. Though Black men have been made regular Freemasons since before 1717, as with Brother John Pine in England and in the United States with Prince Hall in 1775, the golden age of fraternalism brought with it the manipulation of Grand Lodges lack of amity with Prince Hall Grand Lodges and mainstream Grand Lodges for centuries, a problem continually resolved with amity being establish between mainstream and Prince Hall Grand Lodges. Again, good examples of spurious Grand Lodges with large memberships in the United States would be the International Free and Accepted Modern Masons, organized in 1950 by William V. Banks, who being made a Mason in any Lodge has yet to be proven with any records, and the too many numerous Grand Lodges spurned into existence by John G. Jones and his General Grand Masonic Congress, which is what led to his expulsion for contumacy from the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois in the early 1900s. Rui Gabirro has mobilized his members to take advantage of the seemingly epidemic outbreak of spurious Grand Lodges in the United States, which has had exponential growth in the last 10 years, due to information of Freemasonry now readily given on the internet.

I had a conversation via Google Hangout in which I interviewed the current Grand Master of the Regular Grand Lodge of Maryland, Carlton S. Brigham. To ease the Masons reading this regarding the speaking to




a clandestine Mason and the Masonic obligation I have taken, I am obliged not to converse upon the secrets of the Craft which include the signs, passes, grips, and Masonic ritual. I began the conversation explaining such before we proceeded, and I recorded the conversation. I must note that Carlton Brigham was very forthcoming, cordial, and professional during the interview. He presented himself as genuine about his beliefs and pursuits. This is not unusual though. There are thousands of spurious Masons who are very good men, and who believe they are legitimate Masons in every sense of the word. As my questions were asked though, his answers were the customary response of a person who seemed to be a good man, but also a spurious Mason.

This is the history presented by Mr. Brigham about the origins of his Grand Lodge. He stated that he traveled to “France in 2006 and received a warrant from the Regular Grand Lodge of England to become a Grand Lodge, and began working as a Grand Lodge under the constitution of the Masonic High Council of the United States.” He received his warrant in a ceremony located “downtown” at the Grand Lodge of France. The Masonic High Council of the United States, now defunct, included the Regular Grand Lodges of Virginia, Illinois, California, New Jersey, and North Carolina. He was a Past Grand Master of the Regular Grand Lodge of Virginia. As to Rui Gabirro, he heard that he was expelled, but he saw no proof. He was shown by Mr. Gabirro proof of membership with the United Grand Lodge of England, and also a demit from the same Grand Lodge. As shown earlier in the article, Mr. Gabirro was expelled from the United Grand Lodge of England and therefore any demit would have been fraudulent. Mr. Brigham’s Grand Lodge now operates under a council by the name of the United Masonic Assembly of the United States of America. This assembly includes the Regular Grand Lodges of Maryland, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, and Georgia. He states they are practicing the “Ancient Accepted Rite Freemasonry, not Scottish Rite.” When I asked how he felt about invading the territory of the Grand Lodges already existing, he said they are “performing a totally different Rite, and therefore, to his understanding, there is no problem.” He stated his Rite practiced is from the “time

of the Moderns and Ancients of 1717.” It was clear that though Mr. Brigham was passionate about doing the work of Freemasonry, he clearly did not have an understanding of what derives Masonic regularity, which determines if a Masonic Grand Lodge is even eligible for recognition to another regularly established Grand Lodge. Some may question as to the harm of the existence of these spurious Grand Lodges. Let us look at a recent example. Claims on social media have been made by ever growing confident and outspoken members such as Darius Anderson of St. Louis, Missouri, a member of the Regular Grand Lodge of Missouri who received its warrant, as Mr. Anderson states, from the United Masonic Assembly of the United States of America, which derived from Mr. Brigham’s original visit to obtain a warrant from the Regular Grand Lodge of England. He states that Prince Hall Affiliated members and members of mainstream Freemasonry are starting to make visitations, and becoming members of this organization as they are impressed with their regularity. Said by Darius Anderson on a social networking site February 9, 2014: “The RGLM had a nice, productive meeting last night. I brought two PH Masons to see our productivity. By the time we were done, they were thanking me for introducing them to something real! (Their words, not mine.) They were shown our lineage & was impressed. Please keep in mind that these brothers were traveling since the early 70s. They are great men & it showed through their character!” He went on to say: “Steven Hale, Charles M. Harper Sr., and Everett Allen Sayre Jr. Our Templars are out of the Vatican in Rome! Where do yours come from, the cereal box?! Lmao. 1307 it is now 2014. Just 50 years ago masonry was condemned in most parts of Europe. It is now 2014, & Grand Lodges are being erected once again. Learn something.” This is the same gentleman who took advantage of a gracious offer and was invited to a joint event in Missouri between the Most Worship Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Missouri, and the Grand Lodge of Missouri.

Prince Hall Master Mason Steven Hale in response to him: “This is the exact type of shady behavior that causes me to believe the negative about out Darius Anderson. For a couple of years now you have been throwing MWGM Michael Johnson under the bus for extending to you


visitation to a district raising (under the pretense that you and your entire lodge were going to healed under the MWPHGL of Missouri). You have used its occurrence for nothing but your own egotistical gain.....and now you are doing the same again with supposed two men who you say were active PH Masons that visited your new group and were so thoroughly in ‘awe’ of it that they immediately denounced their former lodges and begged for membership in your group under your leadership. But their names and PH lodges are to be kept a secret at their request....but you’re free to post its occurrence????”

To dispel any misrepresentation made by Darius Anderson of his attendance at this joint event, a statement was made by the then, Deputy Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Missouri, Michael Trent Johnson, “Darius Anderson and another elder member of St. Matthews were invited to talk with our PHA brothers further about possible community work in the future. Yes, this was on the night of my Lodge’s regular meeting, but upon their arrival, we went into round table mode in our ballroom. No open bible, alter, etc. we sat at 6 ft. tables and had what I thought was a healthy discussion on community service projects and proposals for the same. However, this effort never panned out either.” He also went on further to state that he “Explained the process of healing of non-PH masons into our ranks as PHA Masons. Darius Anderson seemed quite interested in that possibility, but requested more time to think about it.”

This is the un-Masonic attitude being taught and displayed to and by unknowing men grown from the inadequate education of seemingly good men such as spurious Mason Carlton Brigham. While the actions of Mr. Anderson appear sullied, he is actually a victim of predatory spurious Masonic organizations. His remarks and actions are actually rather typical, and are repeated multiple times a day, thousands of times a year in the dark world of spurious Freemasonry, where self-proclaimed supreme presidents like Illustrious James O. Dogan, 33°, who according to tax forms filed for the year 2011, earned over $100,000 a year as the governing person to, as their website states, the “International Free & Accepted Modern Masons, Inc. and Order of Eastern Star extends from coast to coast; from the Great Lakes

to the Gulf of Mexico, on the Bahamas Islands and Alaska. There are more than 3,500 lodges and chapters with a membership of approximately 400,000 families represented. In addition, our youth courts consists of over 2,000 members.” Men and woman are physically beaten, humiliated, fraudulently taken advantage for large sums of money, all to obtain what they believe are the rights and privileges of a regular Freemason in the United States, and are victimized every day by what I believe is a spurious Masonic epidemic. There are over 70 spurious Grand Lodges in Illinois, over 100 in both New York and California, and large clusters in many other major cities around the United States.

My Brethren, now is the time to remove our heads from the sands and cease to act as if this growing problem of spurious Masonry, who does not just prey on unknowing non-Masons who want to become Masons, but regularly made Masons alike who seem dissatisfied with the lack of education, or composition of ethnic composition of our Lodges, does not need our attention. Please educate every Grand Lodge and warn your members of these spurious Masonic Grand Lodges, and obtain legal proof of membership before speaking, or visiting anyone claiming to be a Mason. If your Grand Lodge has not trademarked the Square and Compass, do it. It was suggested by the Masonic Service Association in 1992 and there are more Grand Lodges overseas that have complied than Grand Lodges within the United States. Read about the New York code that forbids the wearing of anything identifying one as a Mason unless they are members of the Grand Lodge of New York, punishable by a $250.00 fine. This exists in Connecticut as well, subject to a $500.00 fine. Not all Grand Lodges can approach this problem through state government, such as






Illinois, but individual members can. Silence will not help this ever growing problem. More information about this subject can be found in my book, Freemasonry in Black and White, found at www.freemasnonryinblackandwhite.com, www.Macoy.com, www.barnesandnobles.com, www.amazon.com, and other fraternal book outlets. As I state in my lectures, the problems that we do not confront within our precious fraternity act as termites within a tree. They will continue to erode the inside of that tree and, when least expected, a strong wind will blow and the tree will collapse. Let us strengthen our tree Brethren with education and protection so that future generations will be fed by the fruits it can produce.

References:1. Smith, B. (1950) Freemasons Guide and Compendium,

the Consecration of a Lodge, Pg. 347.2. Belton, J. (2012) the English Masonic Union of 1813,

a Tale of Ancients and Moderns, pg. 29.3. Tabbert, M. (2005) American Freemason, Ch. 9, pg.

166.4. United Grand Lodge of England statement issued

March 10, 1999.5. http://www.masonicinfo.com/rgle.htm6. http://www.thephylaxis.org/bogus/johnjones.php7. http://www.rgle.org.uk/RGLE_Newsletter.htm8. Recognition Commission standards of recognition,

published October, 6, 2004.9. http://www.rgle.org.uk/RGLE_Newsletter.htm10. Ra H Morrow, Grand Secretary, COMMS/RAHM/

JMI-I/sdh/Gsecsl.11. The Facebook Page, Irregular Versus Regular Debate

February 9, 2014 posting by Darius Anderson. https://www.facebook.com/groups/101888519960825/

12. https://www.facebook.com/notes/regular-vs-irregular-the-great-debate/response-from-the-gm-of-the-mwphgl-of-mo-to-darius-anderson/171197123029964

13. http://www.internationalmasons.org/our_history.html

Br. Charles Harper is an Illinois Freemason in Illumination Lodge no. 5 and Pleiades Lodge no. 478. A member of the Illinois Lodge of Research, Lafeyette Chapter No. 2, Chicago Council No.4 and the St. Bernard Commandery No. 35. Internet Lodge no. 9659 of the United Grand Lodge of England. Brother Harper also serves as the Secretary of Illuminati Council No. 495 of the AMD.

Check out Bro. Charles Harper’s new book Freemasonry in Black and White.http://www.freemasonryinblackandwhite.com


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Living Stones Masonic Magazine March 2014