For some reason, I have noticed a lot of people talking about how religion influences Freemasonry lately. Some folks have proclaimed that the foundations of Masonry are found in Kabbalah or Hermeticism. Others argue that Masonry is essentially a Christian art. Quite frankly, I disagree with both camps and find both sides a bit annoying. […]
Flyover Country
Ferris Thompson sat on the airplane, passively listening to Brother Dave’s chatter. They belonged to the same Masonic lodge and happened to be on the same connecting flight to Denver. Dave was not a very active member in the lodge. He had been the Senior Steward at one time, but had lost interest in attending […]
Harmful Interference
Almost every day, I seem to read an article or watch a news cast which discusses the controversy surrounding some religious principle. These stories fascinate me because of the variety of religious views that people hold. It seems hard to believe that humans could all descend from one common ancestor and yet have so many […]
Is it time for some national unity among Masons?
Recently, I attended an Entered Apprentice degree at a local lodge here in Kansas and was allowed to assist in conducting one of the candidates through the degree. It was an experience that I greatly appreciated and enjoyed. Degree work has been my favorite part of being a Freemason since I was raised to the […]
The Universality of Freemasonry
“[The Lodge] is of such vast dimensions to show the universality of Masonry and that Masonic charity should be equally extensive.” Throughout the Masonic degrees, symbols are used to show the universal nature of Freemasonry. The idea that Masonry is universal is a grand idea and there is no doubt that it captures the attention […]
A Visit to the George Washington National Masonic Memorial
Last week, I visited the Washington, D.C. area and had an opportunity to visit the George Washington National Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, VA. I had long wanted to visit the memorial which is a tribute to George Washington as a Freemason and the fraternity as a whole. Since I had to travel through Alexandria in […]
A Victim of Biblical Karma
In the Entered Apprentice degree, the new Masonic initiate is taught about Jacob’s Ladder and how it applies to Masonic symbolism. Of course, in Masonic symbolism, three of the rungs on Jacob’s Ladder represent faith, hope, and charity. The story of Jacob’s Ladder and its symbolism is beautiful and a wonderful example of God’s relationship […]
The Lodge as a Sanctum Sanctorum
Recently, I asked the members of The Euphrates‘ mailing list to send me any subjects that they would like me to cover in my articles. I received a number of great ideas and am going to work my way through them over the next few months. This week, I’m going to cover a subject that […]
The Rite of Circumambulation
The rite of circumambulation is perhaps the most overlooked of all Masonic rituals. This action is an inherent part of almost every Masonic degree and plays a critical role in the three degrees of the Symbolic Lodge. However, few Masons have ever truly examined this ritual or its symbolism. Even a short inquiry into its […]
Masonry-An Ancient School of Symbolic Instruction
“A beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory, and illustrated by symbols.” The above quote is the description of Masonry that is most often given to the initiate in order to describe the nature of the institution. It is so oft repeated that I suppose many Freemasons don’t give much thought to its meaning. However, […]