Rituals of Freemasons explained

Why is Freemasonry a Ritual Practice?

What makes something a “ritual?” Is it an evil connotation? Is it something sinister? Why then is Freemasonry considered a ritual practice? How could something so full of moral virtues practice something ritualistic?

The use of the word ritual is described as the regular practice of the same series of ceremonies at each meeting.

Often there is a connotation of something sinister or counter to popular practice by the use of the term ritual.

To the contrary, it is instead meant to imply that the degree rituals are an established or prescribed practice to convey the knowledge and symbolism of the Fraternity in a repetition to impart their teachings.

What this means is that the same ritual ceremony is practiced with each candidate to induct him into the fraternity so that each man undergoes the same experience creating a unifying shared experience. That practice imparts the three principal tenets of the fraternity which are Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.

More in the series:

What is Freemasonry? – Part 1: What is a Freemason?
What is Freemasonry? – Part 2: How Old is Freemasonry?
What is Freemasonry? – Part 3: Why are Freemason’s Secretive?
What is Freemasonry? – Part 4: Is Freemasonry a Patriotic Body?
What is Freemasonry? – Part 5: Why Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth?
What is Freemasonry? – Part 6: Why is Freemasonry a Ritual Practice?
What is Freemasonry? – Part 7: Why Does Freemasonry Use Odd Symbols?

From the ebook: What is Freemasonry?

Freemason Tim Bryce.

My Talk on Citizenship

Some thoughts on how to promote citizenship in America.

In the Masonic world, we recently observed “Citizenship Month” here in Florida. Because of this, I was asked to give a talk on the subject for a local Lodge. Drawing upon a couple of my past columns, I assembled the following short talk:

My biggest concern regarding citizenship pertains to how we teach history and civics in this country. In some High Schools, “American History” runs from World War II to the present. This means students are not learning such things as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, the Civil War, the Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark, Prohibition, the League of Nations, and much more. In other words, they only discuss the last 77 years, and not the events leading up to the founding of our country and the turmoils we had to endure. As an aside “World History” is now just World War I to the present. So much for the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Marco Polo, the Magna Carta, Ferdinand Magellan, Alexander the Great, et al. I presume they had no bearing on our civilization.

Such ignorance of our history caused famed historian David McCullough to observe, “We are raising a generation that is historically illiterate and have a very sketchy, thin knowledge of the system on which our entire civilization is based on. It is regrettable and dangerous.”

We are also not educating youth properly in terms of “Civics”; understanding our responsibilities as citizens, such as voting, serving on a jury, how legislation is enacted, or what is included in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. No wonder young people do not grasp the significance of such things as the Electoral College, the structure of our government, or what their rights are.

Naivety and ignorance leads to apathy at the ballot box. In the 2016 elections, only 57.9% of the citizens voted (over 90 million didn’t vote at all). This is a pitiful figure when you compare it to other democracies like Australia, India, and the Scandinavian countries. Surprisingly, this was the highest voting percentage in the United States since 1968 (60.8%). The highest in recent history was in 1960 (63.1%) for the Kennedy/Nixon election. Even though Millennials (ages 18-35) are now the largest potential voting block, they continue to have the lowest voter turnout of any age group.

It is sad when legal immigrants understand the workings of the government and history more than native born Americans. Maybe all citizens should take the same oath naturalized citizens do. Since 1778, immigrants coming to this country have had to pass a test and take an oath swearing their allegiance to the United States. The current oath is as follows:

I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

Not surprisingly, immigrants coming through this program tend to appreciate this country and are more loyal than native born Americans. Another cause for this could be because there is less emphasis on teaching American government and history in the schools than in years past. In other words, the importance of being a citizen has not been impressed upon our youth.

So, as a proposal, how about administering a modified version of the immigration oath to all native born Americans, perhaps on July 4th? All that is necessary is to simply modify the first sentence of the Immigration Oath; to wit:

“I hereby declare, on oath, that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic;”

Parents could give it to their children, thereby turning it into a family tradition; civic organizations and local governments could administer it in public group settings, or perhaps some other venue. Maybe even the media could get involved and administer it over the airwaves or Internet. It should be administered in some solemn way with a right hand raised and the left hand placed on either a copy of the U.S. Constitution or perhaps a holy book such as a Bible, Torah, or Koran.

The oath is certainly not the same as the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, this is instead a reaffirmation of our commitment to our country and would help promote citizenship and voting. Maybe this is something that should be given routinely as opposed to just one time; to remind people of their allegiance to this country. I cannot help but believe this simple gesture would have nothing but beneficial effects.

One last observation, during this past year, the talking heads on television recommended avoiding any talk of politics at the dinner table, particularly during Thanksgiving, Christmas and other holidays. I disagree. We do not do enough talking at the table in a calm and reasonable manner. Instead of leaving citizenship to the school educators and MTV, parents should spend more time discussing it around the dinner table, not in a dictatorial manner, but in a frank and open discussion. I believe our youth would better understand the virtue of the Electoral College if it came from their parents as opposed to an entertainer or athlete.

Maybe then, youth will appreciate the need for “Citizenship.”

Keep the Faith!

For Tim’s columns, see:   timbryce.com

Copyright © 2017 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

The Knights of the Masonic Roundtable

They are known as The Knights of The Masonic Roundtable or simply as The Masonic Roundtable. They are five innovative, hard working, and extremely nice Masons who got together in 2014 to spread Masonic light around the world via their weekly show.

Phoenixmasonry (and Freemason Information) is delighted to have had the opportunity to meet the Knights and publish this interview so we can all get to know them better.

From left to right, The Masonic Roundtable Brothers: Nick Johnson, Juan Sepúlveda, Jason M. Richards, Jon T. Ruark, and Robert Johnson. Photograph taken at the Masonic Village in Elizabethtown, PA. Phoenixmasonry would like to thank The Masonic Roundtable for kindly allowing us to display this photo for the first time in this interview.

The Masonic Roundtable show airs live every Tuesday at 10pm ET on their website and YouTube channel. You can find audio versions of all of their episodes on iTunes and Stitcher Radio.

Jon Ruark
Jon Ruark

Elena Llamas, Director of Public Relations for Phoenixmasonry: Hello, Knights, thank you for this interview. It is an honor and privilege to interview you. It has been two years since you got together and you are going strong, meeting every single week. Is it fair to assume that you will be around in the foreseeable future? I hope so!

Jason: Hi, Elena! Thanks so much for spending some time with us. The hosts of TMR always told each other that we’d keep going until the show stopped being fun. We’re still having a blast, so things are looking good!

Robert: Agreed. It’s become a highlight of the week for me.

Elena: That’s great! Why the name Knights of the Masonic Roundtable? And how did you get started? I understand Jon’s love for technology, gadgets, and Masonry was the starting point.

Jon: It was! Being a self-proclaimed Android nerd, I followed a site called Droid Life which introduced a live show talking all things Android that week (new phones, new announcements from manufacturers). What was neat was that they also added commentary very organically, and you could tell they knew their material. I figured someone should do a similar show but for Masonry. I didn’t anticipate that someone to be me!

Scene from the Droid Life Show
Scene from the Droid Life Show

I was such a huge fan of other Masonic podcasts, such as The Winding Stairs, and Whence Came You? and blogs like the Millennial Freemason, and although I had “friended” most of them in the past, I did not really know them well. On a whim, I asked all of them if they would be willing to try it out as an experiment. Ego stroking worked in my favor.

Robert: It sure did, Jon. Ha!

Juan: When I first heard Jon explain the concept and when I found out that Robert was also on board, I didn’t need to hear anything else. I saw it as an opportunity to continue learning about the Craft and sharing that knowledge with other Brothers.

Jason: We wanted the show to be a roundtable discussion, so we kept the “Roundtable” name and The Masonic Roundtable was born. We added in the Knights as a homage to the York Rite (Knights Templar, specifically), of which four out of the five hosts are members.

Robert: We’re working on Jason. 🙂

Jason: Yes, I’m the host with the vintage Knight Templar triangle apron hanging up in his studio who isn’t a member. Oh, the irony!

Jason's Studio
Jason’s Studio

ElenaI noticed it! Jon had a great idea and, in turn, you all have been part of the inspiration for Phoenixmasonry’s own show, airing soon, which will be different from yours, of course, and also online.

Jason: We can’t wait to see it! The fraternity desperately needs new sources of quality, well-researched Masonic education. We’re looking forward to seeing what Phoenixmasonry comes up with.

Elena: Thank you! You have certainly laid such a standard for others! Tell us about your logo. Is this your design? And please explain its meaning.

Jason: Yes! This is our trademarked design. The logo is absolutely critical to the show’s branding. Juan came up with some early designs for the artwork and I added the symbolism and other enhancements. I try to pack as much symbolism into my designs as possible while keeping them minimalist in style.

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Elena: That certainly was accomplished with the logo.

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Jason: The essential design elements of our logo include the following:

First, you’ll notice the circumpunct: represented by the outer rings and the dot in the middle of the square and compasses, which is an admonishment to ourselves (and our viewers) to manage time wisely. Our time on the Earth is finite. It is our duty to God to manage the time that we have as best we can. The circumpunct has historically represented Deity, and its inclusion in our design emphasizes the centrality of our duty to God.

Second, the triangle, which interlocks with the circumpunct, represents the three tenets of Freemasonry: brotherly love, relief, and truth.

The five five-pointed stars represent the five original Knights of The Masonic Roundtable. They also allude to the five orders of architecture.

An order of architecture is a style encompassing all parts, proportions, and ornaments of columns in a building. The Five Orders of Architecture depicted above have always been closely associated with operative masonry and their influence and symbolism were carried into speculative masonry. Source: MoF Masonic Library.
An order of architecture is a style encompassing all parts, proportions, and ornaments of columns in a building. The Five Orders of Architecture depicted above have always been closely associated with operative masonry and their influence and symbolism were carried into speculative masonry. Source: MoF Masonic Library.

Jason: Each order of architecture is unique in its own way, adding a very specific kind of beauty to the building a given column adorns. Each of the five hosts is unique in his own personality and perspective, and each host adds a flavor to the show that would be sorely missed otherwise.

Elena: I agree.

Jason: As stars produce light, the representation of the hosts as stars alludes to the entire point of the show, which is to spread Masonic light and knowledge everywhere we can. As stars bring light, we attempt to do the same by sparking constructive Masonic discourse.

Elena: What beautiful symbolism!

Jason: Finally, the words “MORE LIGHT,” which appear in the bottom of the design, allude to our sign off, “Keep searching for more light!”, which is our admonishment to our viewers and listeners to keep the discourse going long after the episode ends. Every Mason has a duty to use his/her time on this earth to learn as much as he (or she) can.

As you can see, this design is the very heart and soul of our show, which is one of the reasons why we turned it into a set of lapel pins we sell on our website to cover our production and hosting costs. We packed even more symbolism into the pins by using specific colors as an homage to the Royal Arch (red), Cryptic Council (purple), Allied Masonic Degrees (green), Scottish Rite (white), and Blue Lodge (blue) bodies of Masonry.

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Elena: The pins are lovely! You are on your 130th episode. I spent a lot of time on your YouTube channel and was so impressed by the range of topics you discuss. I recommend readers set aside a weekend or two for a Roundtable marathon. Your topics vary from what a Masonic political party would possibly be like to in depth discussion on Masonic studies, interviews with Masonic personalities, and discussion on different currents within Masonry and other religious observances. Do you have a system for coming up with each week’s topic?

Jason: We start with topics we ourselves want to discuss. We have a backlog of topic ideas (and potential guest hosts/experts to bring onto the show to complement the topics) that we pull from. Our best show topics, however, have come as suggestions from our listeners. We love taking listener recommendations for topics. Our episodes on Racism in Freemasonry, Essentials of Lodge Leadership, the Kabbalah, and Masonic Ciphers were all requested by listeners. We get new suggestions each week, and never tire of hearing topics about which listeners would like to learn more. Some of our topics span episodes (like our four-part series on the four cardinal virtues), but most of our episodes are standalone.

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Elena: I have noticed that you are very responsive to questions and comments from your audience.

Jason: Social media is my favorite part of each episode!

Juan: I agree with Jason. Social Media, when used adequately, can be a very versatile tool. There have been many times when we have a particular opinion on a topic, only because we have ignored some alternative explanations. All it takes is a Brother to share his view on our Facebook page and now we have a new perspective to consider.

Robert: It’s always fun and nerve racking to be put on the spot with a position you’ve decided to take on the episode when a listener who is watching live decides to ask you right there on the show about what you just said. I love it. It’s an exercise in logical discussion and that’s what is truly different about this program and why I think it’s gotten the success it has.

Nick: Coming from the blogging world, I still get comments from posts I wrote years ago. I think that is useful and helpful. Since The Masonic Roundtable is a topical show by design, I definitely like the questions that keep coming in, even from episodes we did from a while back. It keeps my mind humming with new thoughts and new perspectives.

Elena: You start out each episode with a bit of trivia, Masonic news, conversation, and more. It is a great way to keep your viewers updated and interested while having fun.

From the “Masonic Time Travel” episode (featuring Jon and Jason from The Masonic Roundtable)
From the “Masonic Time Travel” episode (featuring Jon and Jason from The Masonic Roundtable)

Jason: It took us a lot of trial and error to find the right balance of special segments and discussion. If you go back to our early episodes (please don’t judge too harshly!), you’ll find much more inconsistency in the format. Over time, we’ve refined how we do the show (largely due to feedback we receive from our listeners). We’ve got the format down pretty solid nowadays, but we can always change it up as our audience’s needs evolve.

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Elena: You film from your personal offices, living rooms, and sometimes even hotel rooms. You must have worked out a system for making sure your families give you time every week for the show. Jason’s cat isn’t having any of that (see image below). 

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Juan: In my home, I have a dedicated Art Studio/Office space that is separate from the rest of the house. My family knows that Tuesday Nights I am recording TMR and they know to stay away from the Studio (It’s too messy in there anyway).

Elena: With a weekly show, plus your non-Masonic jobs and other Masonic endeavors, how do you manage to remain enthusiastic about the show, week after week?

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Jason: It’s difficult. From the very beginning, we had to make a conscious effort to make the show a priority. I’ve had plenty of nights where I would have much rather gone to bed early then stayed up late doing the show. Every Wednesday is a big struggle for me at work because I’m dragging from staying up late the night before. But what I’ve personally found is that the discussions I have with the other hosts and the interaction we get from those watching live makes the sleep deprivation totally worth it. There’s a reason we keep coming back every week; that reason is that our listeners are amazing.

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Robert: It is definitely a struggle sometimes. There will be times (frequently) I’m “live from mobile masonic command”, as the fellas have called it. As you’ve said, with work, kids, families it gets a bit nuts. I’ve blown off Masonic meetings to do the show at times but the District Deputy Grand Master meetings are the ones I can’t miss and why I am sometimes driving and doing the show. The listeners have not complained about the noise in the car…which I am deeply appreciative of. 😉

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Juan: I enjoy doing the show and I love my Fellow Knights, but there are times when I may have had a rough day and don’t feel particularly motivated. All it takes is for me to let the Brothers know how I feel and they cheer me up, just in time to sit in front of the camera and forget the difficulties of the day. It’s the cheapest therapy in town, if you ask me.

Elena: Are you invited to Lodges and Masonic events as a group to talk about your show? I think you are a great example of how technology and Masonry can combine to produce refreshing and new possibilities.

Jason: We have had the privilege of speaking individually and collectively across the country, both virtually and in-person! In June, I was invited to do a virtual presentation in a lodge in Wisconsin. It was a great instance where we were able to use technology to enhance and promote Masonic education! On a larger scale, we were invited to be the featured speakers at the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge in March of this year. We streamed the entire event live–a first for the Academy–and had an amazing turnout!

Juan: The Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge event was an amazing experience, but we recognize that it is a little more difficult to bring all five of us to speak at an event (It’s possible though). However, we get invitations to speak at Lodges individually on a regular basis. I’m one of those strange creatures who really enjoys public speaking and I love doing it to spread Masonic Education. Getting to sit with Brothers from around the Country is a great privilege of our profession.

Robert: It has been wonderful to share fellowship with lodges all around the country. I think we really had an amazing opportunity and experience when we all were in PA for the Academy.

The Masonic Roundtable panel discussion at the end of the PA Academy of Masonic Knowledge, 2016
The Masonic Roundtable panel discussion at the end of the PA Academy of Masonic Knowledge, 2016

Jason: Brethren tuned in from as far away as Texas! The event itself included individual presentations from each of the hosts and a combined presentation at the end. Best of all, you can still go back and watch the entire event on our youtube channel! It’s just another way that we were able to use technology to expand the reach of Masonic education.

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Elena: If a lodge wanted one or more of you to come speak, what would they need to do?

Jason: The first step, like everything in Masonry, is to ask us! We’ve got a calendar of speaking engagements listed on our website. I’m personally happy to do presentations virtually any time I can fit them in, and if you’re near the Washington, D.C. metro area (or want to do something virtually) you might be able to get me and Jon as a 2-for-1. If I can help contribute to your lodge’s commitment to providing quality Masonic education to its members, then I’ll do so in any way that I can!

Robert: True story. Just ask. I maintain a page on the Whence Came You? website, and I try to get those dates to Jon, since he does most of the website work. He does a great job. We will travel far and wide to share fellowship and have discussion with the brothers.

Juan: If a Lodge wanted to invite us as a group, TheMasonicRoundtable.com is the place to go. If a Lodge wanted to invite me personally, they can do so through TheWindingStairs.com or through Facebook. My presentations are usually related to the practical side of Masonry. How to Apply Freemasonry to our everyday lives.

Elena: You provide an amazing and unique Masonic service.

Jason: Thanks so much!

Elena: The sound and video on your shows is always top quality, your settings are always well put together (as in, not a mess), you are always well groomed and wide-awake. Us viewers appreciate your effort and presentation. There is nothing worse than trying to plow through a poorly produced video with audio problems, with a distracting background, or unprepared hosts.

Robert: I totally agree. How many times have you started listening to an old .mp3 file and the quality was horrible? You know people make podcasts like that still? In 2016! When we decided to make the show an audio podcast as well, yes it wasn’t always so, we wanted to make sure we didn’t have this same problem. For the audiophiles out there, 320 kbps stereo is where I wanted to go. That’s what I did on Whence Came You? However, after playing around with cost / benefit we settled on 192 kbps stereo. I think it’s easy to listen to and it sounds like we’re there in your car, or your house or wherever you listen to us. It’s a crucial element. You could have a great show but if the audio is tinny etc. I know I’m not even going to give it one minute of my time. We didn’t want to ever have that as a problem for our listeners.

Jason: Post-production of our show is huge. We record it live, and started the show thinking we’d do video only; however, our audience begged for an audio-only version and after a couple of weeks we gave in. Good thing, too, as most of our audience listens to our audio-only podcast these days. We don’t do any post-production on the videos at present, but RJ is the man when it comes to making our discussions sound as good and clear as possible on the audio podcast.

Elena: After watching so many of your episodes, I walked away with a sense that all of you are very inquisitive, very respectful of your guests and topics, and well rounded and diverse as to points of view. The variety you provide as a group is unique and a real innovation in Freemasonry.

Robert: Whoa! Innovations!? We can’t have any of that. (Jokes) Being respectful is what we do as part of being Freemasons. While many of the topics and discussions we have on the show are highly charged and many more could not even be discussed in lodge, we’re not in lodge. We ask ourselves “How would a Mason discuss this topic?” Juan has been instrumental in keeping us grounded.

Juan: We are there for one another. We share a common interest, but don’t always share on the same opinions. The diversity of opinions helps us get out of our comfort zone and evaluate things from a more objective viewpoint. I like it when we present our Brothers as many facts as possible and allow them to formulate their own conclusions. We refuse to shy away from difficult subjects, so we have to be careful that our opinions are expressed as just that, our opinions.

Elena: Thus, your shows are more about exploring and discussing topics than about explaining each of your positions on the subjects. You don’t seem to want to teach or preach as much as you do propose, introduce your topics, and learn from your guests and issues.

Jason: We’re not experts, nor do we purport to be. We’re here to encourage Masons to arrive at their own conclusions vice imposing our personal worldviews on our listeners. We try to structure our discussions in such a way that there’s no right or wrong answer. We’re all here to learn, not only from each other, but from our listeners as well. That’s why we place such a heavy emphasis on audience interaction.

Robert: To be fair, there are times where I and others will openly disagree. I’ve gotten grumpy on a few episodes. But it’s usually on a topic in which there is heated debate. Again, something about the compasses keeps me out of trouble. As for teaching, well, I think we are all teachers already. And since our show is a discussion, it helps to think about it in terms of a bunch of teachers sitting around with other teachers, who would be the listeners, talking about these topics. We’re not out there getting preachy.

Juan: I’ve come to accept our level of responsibility grows proportionally as the size of our audience grows. Like that old sage, Ben Parker, once said “with great power comes great responsibility”. Although we have to be clear in our message, I don’t think we need to hit our listeners over the head with forced opinions. We are here to discuss, not to convince.

Jon: I try to apply the liberal art of rhetoric every show.

Elena: Do you have a large non-Masonic following?

Robert: The analytics and data show we have a huge following. I’d defer to Jon at this point. But I would point out that the non masons we do have usually are courting the fraternity and later join. We get letters all the time that say things like “ …I joined because your show finally gave me the push I needed. I receive my EA degree next week!” It’s humbling to say the least.

Jon: Facebook and Google analytics don’t have an “is mason” metric, so it’s a little hard to determine those who have taken the degrees and who haven’t. Get on it, Google!

Elena: Do you have other demographic data as to your followers? Age, region, that sort of thing?

Jason: Jon’s the Masonic data expert. He’ll give the best answer on this one!

Jon: Yup. Me again. Although all ages, genders, and areas listen to the show, our largest audience is men, 25-35, in the United States. That tells me that the connected generation wants to hear more about Freemasonry and younger Masons want to have more masonic education. I’d love for Grand Lodges to make our show irrelevant (Ok, maybe not quite, but close).

Elena: Ha, ha. Interesting data, thank you! Individually, you have some very interesting projects. Let’s start with Jason. You are a blogger. You have The 2-Foot Ruler: Masonry in Plain Language blog. Tell us about it.

Jason Richards
Jason Richards
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Jason: Ah yes, the 2-Foot Ruler. It began as a play on the Masonic working tool known as the 24-inch gauge. I began the blog with the intention of trying to explain the Craft in plain language so that non-Masons could understand us a bit better, but I’ve found that–at least for me–it’s difficult to write with consistency. That’s why the blog has languished as I’ve gotten more involved with TMR, the Midnight Freemasons, and other projects. I typically only write about things about which I’m very passionate. This is why you’ll see a number of my blog posts dedicated to topics of religious anti-masonry, marriage equality, homosexuality in Masonry, and transgender equality. For me, writing is cathartic. Even if my opinions or pieces don’t influence policy at the Grand Lodge level, I still feel as if I’m contributing to positive discussion through my writing.

Elena: That is great, Jason, thank you! Robert, you are the managing editor of the Midnight Freemasons.

Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson

Robert: Yes, years ago, when I started with “Whence Came You?” podcast, I read a piece called “Freemasons and Beer” and I ran across the piece on this website called “The Midnight Freemason”. It was run by Illustrious Bro. Todd E. Creason who is a famous Freemason in and of himself, having published half a dozen books. I asked for permission to read his piece on the show and Todd approved, but he had never heard of the a podcast before. We struck up a mentor mentee relationship of sorts. Eventually he got too busy and “The Midnight Freemason” was going to go dark, as we say. I stepped up to the plate. He gave me everything I needed to run the site and here we are. We changed the name from “The Midnight Freemason” to the “Midnight Freemasons”. We went from just one author, Todd, to having half a dozen to having thirteen or fourteen at one point. We have over a million views and climbing. I may be biassed but I think it’s the best Masonic blog out there. Three new articles every week. It’s really an online magazine. Consistency is the name of the game and I think we have achieved that.

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Elena: That is amazing consistency, yes! Jason, you are also a regular contributor to the Midnight Freemasons blog.

Jason: Yes! I’ve been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to share the blogosphere with RJ, Todd, and a bunch of other deeply insightful Masons who make up the writing cadre of The Midnight Freemasons. I was talking to RJ at one point about a long piece I was writing on Christian Anti-Masonry, based partially off of an experience I had with a narrow-minded individual in a coin shop. He suggested I write the piece as a guest contribution to The Midnight Freemasons, and things snowballed from there. As my 2-foot Ruler posts waned, I devoted more time to my work with the Midnight Freemasons.

Elena: Juan, you were a professional artist prior to producing Masonic art. Shortly after joining Freemasonry, you developed a collection of Masonic Art and Custom Masonic Aprons. How is that project going and where can people view and purchase your work?

 Juan Sepúlveda
Juan Sepúlveda

Juan: Shortly after becoming a Mason, I began working on a collection of Masonic Art for me. I set out to create the kind of work I would love to have hanging on my office walls. The collection has now grown to include paintings, fine prints and hand painted aprons, which can be purchased by visiting www.TheWindingStairs.com/Shop.

Elena: Your artwork is part of private and corporate collections in the United States, South America, The Caribbean, Europe and Australia now.

Unlocking Knowledge, by Juan Sepúlveda
Unlocking Knowledge, by Juan Sepúlveda

Juan: I feel very fortunate that I was able to pursue my dream of being a professional artist. Before I created any Masonic artwork, I had been living off of my art for over 6 years. I have displayed my work in New York, Las Vegas, California, Florida, and Puerto Rico. From there, and through my online sales, I now have collectors in many countries around the world. I feel very honored to be able to say that.

Juan Sepúlveda in studio
Juan Sepúlveda in studio

Elena: Congratulations, Juan! You are also the host of The Winding Stairs Freemasonry Podcast. Tell us a bit about that project.

Juan: I describe The Winding Stairs as being dedicated to Masonic Education and the art of self improvement. I strongly believe that many Brothers miss opportunities to improve their lives, because they are not given the proper instruction of applying the lessons of Freemasonry to their personal lives. I try to bridge that gap through my podcast episodes, videos, and online courses.

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Earlier this year I started a project within The Winding Stairs, called Applied Freemasonry. In this program, I give Brothers exclusive access to in depth lessons and tools to help them find the practical aspects of Freemasonry. It includes a weekly video conference where we help each Brother individually find real life solutions to the problems they may face in life, by using the teachings of Freemasonry. It is almost like a virtual mentorship session, every week. I am very proud of this program and what it is doing for the Brothers who have joined it. You can learn more about it by visiting www.TheWindingStairs.com/mentorship

Elena: What a fantastic service! Nick, you are the lead blogger on The Millennial Freemason blog. Can you share something about your blog?

Nick Johnson
Nick Johnson

Nick: I was raised in March of 2006. Being a Mason for a decade now, I have gotten to see and experience a lot of online Masonry, including this site. When I started in Masonry, we were in the bad old days of Masonry on the Internet. Most lodge sites were either 5 years behind on information or filled with construction worker gifs and bad patriotic MIDIs.

I never really intended to blog for as long as I have. When I started the blog, it’s main focus was my time at the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota as Junior Warden, just months after I had been raised. I think it was more therapy than anything else. People were still maintaining LiveJournals, knowing that most weren’t being read.

One day, after writing a few blog posts, Jeff Day, who ran the blog aggregator “King Solomon’s Lodge”, noticed my site. He asked if he could include it and not thinking of it, I said, “sure.” That was the watershed moment. Now, I was getting comments daily, posts were hitting the thousands of hits in a day, and my voice was being amplified.

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I have been lucky. Many of the past bloggers, all great content creators, have disappeared. It was the golden age of Masonic blogging but only a few of us are still here, like Tom Accuosti of the Tao of Masonry. And, because I’ve been blogging for so long, I sometimes feel like the old guy on the Masonic Roundtable, which is good in a way; Masonry without a grumpy Past Master would just not be Masonry.

I hope I can keep at it because of the friendships I’ve made. It’s also still a way for me to keep sane in an otherwise topsy turvy Masonic world. It’s just a nice way to stay connected. Masonic blogging still has a place and I hope to be a strong part of it.

Elena: Looks like you will, after all this time! Robert, you produce and host the weekly Podcast/internet radio program Whence Came You?

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Robert: It started in 2011. I’ve been writing, hosting and producing the show for more than 5 years now. We have over 250 episodes. It started out as an idea to just do one show. That’s it. Is Freemasonry secret or not? I read a paper on that subject, hosted it and put it out on iTunes. Once I saw how many people downloaded it, I started producing it every other week and now it’s every week. So here we are, over 250 episodes, over a million downloads and it’s been ridiculously successful and so rewarding to hear from the fans of that show. The show has grown organically from the start. Now we have a whole WCY team, largely behind the curtain, but they are there. Adam Thayer is my guest host and book reviewer, Matt Dobbrow is our digital media archivist and study group coordinator, Ill. Steve Harrison is our guy for The Masonic Minute, Bill Hosler is developing a ROKU channel for us and some other tech stuff, and Frater O is our anonymous esotericist. We have a lot of fun and it’s another endeavor to spread the light of Freemasonry all over the world.

Elena: That sounds like a great team! Wait, did you say anonymous esotericist? Your information on The Masonic Roundtable website says you are also a photographer and an avid home brewer, AND you are working on three Masonic books!?

Robert: I am! I think we are all working on Masonic books, that is every Freemason who writes. I’ll believe myself when I finish one of them. Photography has always been a love of mine. I did it professionally for some years when I lived in Orange County, CA. But, when you do something for a living, the hobby becomes the burden. I still enjoy photography but now I use my phone to document everything, my SLR is packed away. As for the beer? Who doesn’t love Zymurgy?

Elena: What aspects of Freemasonry are you writing about and why in three different books?

Robert: My main project is something which has been in the works for three years and has consumed tons of time. It’s largely a book on Occult Anatomy but like nothing that’s ever been done before. I’m co-authoring the book with a good friend and brother. The hope is that it will be a book for all, not just Freemasons. The other two books focus on the Craft specifically. One will be a collection of my unpublished essays and the other is a book on Anxiety and Depression, something I’ve struggled with for the last ten years. That book ties into the craft as well, albeit loosely. It is a book I would hate to market to just one group of people, namely Freemasons.

Elena: That is wonderful, Robert. It is evident that each of you is a lover of technology, online advancements, and social media. You make great use of the programs available!

Jason: We’re constantly looking for innovative ways to leverage technology to expand the reach of Masonic education. We’re blessed to live in a world that is, for the first time in its history, truly connected. As technology continues to evolve, we hope to evolve with it. Who knows? Maybe one day we’ll all be sitting in a virtual lodge meeting together from our respective bedrooms. UGLE, the Grand Lodge of Ireland, and the Grand Lodge of Manitoba in Canada have all set precedent for a virtual Masonic experience. I think we’re on the cusp of seeing virtual lodges become normative, and I’m excited to see that happen.

Nick: I have met so many friends, including my now co-host Jon Ruark, through the many Internet hotspots I frequented, including the Sanctum Sanctorum and the Masonic Society forum. Internet Masonry has been good for me and good for the Craft as a whole because it forces us to see outside of the four lodge walls. The world is wide but flat in this new era.

In my opinion, one of the biggest issues in Masonry today is what I term, “provincial Masonry.” Masons, particularly new Masons, leave because they aren’t exposed to new and different styles of Freemasonry. It’s somewhat by design. The lodge serves as locus for Masonic activity and many brothers like that. But this lack of travel breeds insularity which, for new Masons, tells them to conform to a local style or be left outside. I’ve chatted with so many brothers who have stayed because of Internet Masonry. It’s powerful and strengthens a bond that would have otherwise broken.

Elena: Lodges, Grand Lodges, and Masons should take notes. Writing is obviously another interest you all share, in addition to your great enthusiasm and dedication to Freemasonry through technology.

Robert: We do love to write. It’s therapy.

Jason: RJ nailed it here. Writing is cathartic. It’s a way for us to express ourselves and get heard, even if our opinions don’t translate into policy changes at the Grand Lodge level.

Elena: You are definitely being heard! Jon, I need to ask a silly question. You have two cats, Tesla and Edison. I am sure this isn’t the first time someone asks you this: do they fight a lot, given that scientists Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla had a rather famous disagreement?

Jon: Ha! Edison’s the younger one and they do tumble around quite a bit still, but I still root for Tesla as part of a redemption for history! AC/DC!

Elena: How funny.

Jason: This picture really captures the essence of who we are: five brothers and best friends who get to spend quality time together each week on YouTube.
Jason: This picture really captures the essence of who we are: five brothers and best friends who get to spend quality time together each week on YouTube.

Elena: Thank you again, Knights, for this interview! Phoenixmasonry hopes to catch up with you at a later time to see what is new with the show and hosts. It was a true pleasure to interview you and good luck with year number three of this wonderful show! Don’t forget to tune in to catch The Knights of The Masonic Roundtable live every Tuesday night at 10pm ET.

Jon, Jason, and RJ at Jason’s mother lodge, Acacia 16.
Jon, Jason, and RJ at Jason’s mother lodge, Acacia 16.

Below are more interesting biographical facts on each of the Knights, more photos, and the links to all their sites:

Jon T. Ruark is a Past Master and charter member of The Patriot Lodge No. 1957 in Fairfax, VA. His Masonic interests lean toward the esoteric and philosophical aspect. He lives in Virginia with his wife, 4 children, and 2 cats; Tesla and Edison.

Jason M. Richards is the Senior Warden Acacia Lodge No. 16 in Clifton, VA, where he was raised in 2012. He is also active in the Allied Masonic Degrees and the Royal Arch. His favorite Masonic research topics include the history of American Freemasonry, the sociocultural impact of Freemasonry, and the history and evolution of Masonic mythos. He is passionate about the way Freemasonry presents itself to the outside world and, to help promote a healthy image of the fraternity, works regularly with the Grand Lodge of Virginia Committee on Public Relations. He lives in Virginia with his wife, child under construction, cats, and ever-expanding collection of bow ties.

Juan Sepúlveda is a member of Orange Blossom Lodge No. 80 F. & A.M. in Kissimmee Florida. A member of the Orlando Valley of the Ancient And Accepted Scottish Rite, S.J. He is a professional artist and public speaker focused on helping men in their pursuit of excellence. He is passionate about history, Masonic education and allegorical teachings.

Nick Johnson is a lover of codes, symbols, esoteric craziness, and “secret” stuff; he became interested in Freemasonry and its symbols as a young man. With the help of his grandfather, Bro. Nick joined Corinthian Lodge No. 67 in Farmington, MN in the spring of 2006 and served as Master in 2010. He is also a Past High Priest of Corinthian Chapter No. 33, RAM, Past Illustrious Master of Northfield Council No. 12, R&SM, the current Grand Chaplain of the Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of Minnesota, and Past Commander of Faribault Commandery No. 8. He’s also involved in AMD, Knight Masons, the York Rite Sovereign College, and is a member of the Royal Order of Scotland. He lives in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area with his wife and kids.

Robert Johnson is a Freemason out of the First North-East District of Illinois who serves as a District Education Officer and will be following up in October as a District Deputy Grand Master. He is a Past Master and current Secretary of Waukegan Lodge #78. He’s also a member of the York Rite bodies, AMD and the Scottish Rite. In addition, he produces video shorts focusing on driving interest in the Fraternity and will write original Masonic papers from time to time. He is a husband and father of 4. He works full time in the executive medical industry. Also, he does not have any cats.

Robert, Jason and Jon recording an episode from Jason’s dining room. Robert was out of town for work, but oddly enough, in their town.
Robert, Jason and Jon recording an episode from Jason’s dining room. Robert was out of town for work, but oddly enough, in their town.

Links to the Knights’ projects:

The Masonic Roundtable website: http://www.themasonicroundtable.com

The Midnight Freemasons site: http://www.midnightfreemasons.org

The Millennial Freemason blog: http://www.millennialfreemason.com

Whence came you? podcast: http://www.wcypodcast.com

The Winding Stairs Podcast: http://www.thewindingstairs.com

The Winding Stairs Shop, Bro. Juan Sepúlveda’s art: http://www.thewindingstairs.com/shop

The The 2-Foot Ruler: Masonry in Plain Language blog: https://2footruler.wordpress.com

occult, masonic, Mackey

Esoteric Freemasonry

In this edition of Symbols and Symbolism, we look at a reading from Albert G. Mackey’s Encyclopedia of Freemasonry on the subject of Esoteric Masonry.

More installments of Symbols & Symbolism are available here and on YouTube.

That secret portion of Masonry which is known only to the initiates as distinguished from exoteric Masonry, or monitorial, which is accessible to all who choose to read the manuals and published works of the Order. The words are from the Greek, εσωτερικός, internal, and εξωτερική, external, and were first used by Pythagoras, whose philosophy was divided into the exoteric, or that taught to all, and the esoteric, or that taught to a select few; and thus his disciples were divided into two classes, according to the degree of initiation to which the had attained, as being either fully admitted into the society, and invested with all the knowledge that the Master could communicate or as merely postulants, enjoying only the public instructions of the school, and awaiting the gradual reception of further knowledge. This double mode of instruction was borrowed by Pythagoras from the Egyptian priests, whose theology was of two kinds-the one exoteric, and addressed to the people in general; the other esoteric, and confined to a select number of the priests and to those who possessed, or were to possess, the regal power. And the mystical nature of this concealed doctrine was expressed in their symbolic language by the images of sphinxes placed at the entrance of their temples. Two centuries later, Aristotle adopted the system of Pythagoras, and, in the Lyceum at Athens, delivered in the morning to his select disciples his subtle and concealed doctrines concerning God Nature, and Life, and in the evening lectured on more elementary subjects to a promiscuous audience. These different lectures he called his Morning and his Evening Walk.

square and compass, freemasonry, S&C, freemason information

Who is the Better Mason?

BRYCE ON FREEMASONRY

Who is the Better Mason? The individual or a Lodge officer?

I have been wrestling with a conundrum lately regarding Freemasonry: Who is the better Mason, the person who is properly initiated, passed and raised a Master Mason and disappears shortly thereafter, or the Mason who becomes an officer of the Lodge? Let me give you my spin on it.

There may be many reasons why a Mason drops out of sight; first, his occupation may require him to work difficult hours or to cause him to move to another locale. As Americans, it is not uncommon for workers to move throughout the country. In my case, I have lived in eight different locations throughout the United States. I suspect I am not alone. The “Traveling Mason,” as I call him, still respects the tenets of Freemasonry, but is not actively involved with the workings of the Lodge, either his Mother Lodge or as guest of another Lodge. Yet, he dutifully pays his dues as is required of him.

Another reason for not attending Lodge is perhaps he devotes more time to family activities or another Masonic body, such as the Shrine, Grotto, Scottish Rite, or York Rite. The culture of the Craft Lodge may be such, the Master Mason prefers attending these other bodies instead. In other words, he finds it more rewarding to attend these other bodies than a Craft Lodge. And if the Craft Lodge is mired in politics or incompetence, the Master Mason will likely look elsewhere to invest his time.

There is also the possibility a member may have joined, become disenchanted with all of Freemasonry and dropped out of sight. This is likely the cause for the members dropped from the rolls each year under the category of “Suspended; Non-Payment of Dues.” Even under this scenario, it is unlikely the person will totally dismiss the obligations he took and the Masonic lessons he learned.

Regardless of the reason for dropping out, if the Master Mason learns the lessons of Freemasonry, takes them to heart, and uses them in his walk through life, be it at home or in business, than he is a True Mason, regardless if he has paid his dues or not.


Read: Freemasonry is Dying


As to the Masons who are officers, let us first consider the purpose of the Craft Lodge, which is to initiate new members, and to provide a venue to discuss Masonic related topics for the betterment of the Craft (aka, “Masonic Education”). There is also the matter of managing Lodge finances and assets, such as the Lodge building. This means, Lodge officers have three primary responsibilities:

  1. Proficient in Masonic ritual (the three degrees), as well as addressing the topic of membership. Of course, people join of their own free will and accord, but the officers should consider alternatives for communicating the virtues of Freemasonry to the public; e.g., an open house, recognizing a person or organization for their work, assisting a school or charity, etc. If the officers are not proficient in ritual, or in addressing membership, they are not doing their job competently.
  2. Providing Masonic Education, including such things as history, morality, charity, or contemporary subjects, such as how to use the Internet, computers, financial planning, etc. If the officers are not doing this, they are not doing their jobs competently.
  3. Managing finances and assets. Maintaining the Lodge building and furniture is one thing, managing the finances is another, and something commonly overlooked in many Lodges. There is no excuse for not preparing an annual audit of finances, and a budget for the new year, not unless they do not know how to perform such tasks. Lodge officers have a fiduciary responsibility to do such things as financial planning and preparing feasibility studies. If a Lodge appears to be in financial decline, it is up to the officers (and hopefully a finance committee), to determine how to raise income (such as an increase in membership dues) or lower expenses. If the officers are not doing this, they are certainly not doing their jobs competently.

Then again, I have seen far too many Lodges where a person becomes an officer for the wrong reason, such as to simply earn a Past Master’s apron and to be called “Worshipful.” Such people are in it to win accolades as opposed to truly serving the operations of the Lodge (something they are not qualified to do). Progression through the line is not a right, it has to be earned. If the person is not qualified to assume the office, he could cause considerable problems and, as such, he needs to be properly trained to assume the position, just like any other job.

In theory, the Craft Lodge is supported by the Grand Lodge who provides assistance in teaching the three primary responsibilities. However, if the Grand Lodge becomes overbearing, then the Craft Lodge will likely be encumbered by bureaucracy which is essentially no different than big government becoming intrusive in the lives of business and the individual. The Grand Lodge should serve the Blue Lodge, not the other way around.

So, who is the better Mason; the individual or the Lodge officer? Although I have known a handful of good Lodge officers over the years, professional people who know what they are doing, I have seen far too many not take their responsibilities seriously, are unqualified, thereby becoming detrimental to their Lodge and Freemasonry overall. In my mind, the True Mason is the person who has learned his Masonic obligations, implemented them in his walk through life, and respects the precepts of the fraternity. It is certainly not the person who dresses up in a tux, marches around the Lodge room, and practices politics for personal glory.

Freemasonry is a fraternity, not a club. It is a beautiful logical concept that is often physically implemented poorly.

Keep the Faith!


Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field.

He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim’s columns, see:  timbryce.com

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Copyright © 2014 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Amity or Recognition

ph2Prince Hall Freemasonry, traditionally called “Black” Freemasonry by some, is of direct lineage from the Grand Lodge of England (1717).

The Lodge that Prince Hall and the 14 others were made a Mason in was Lodge No. 441under the Irish Constitution. 1784 is the year that Bro. Hall requested and received a charter from the Grand Lodge of England, making African Lodge No. 459 a subordinate lodge to the Grand Lodge of England.

African Grand Lodge existed until 1847-48, at which time it’s name was changed to the MWPHGL of MA. This is the first recorded instance of his name being used in the GL title. (Thanks to Br. Lilly from the MWPHGL of NC for the keen eye and correction) More on Prince Hall Freemasonry on Wikipedia.

A very good biography on Prince Hall, gives a snapshot of the father of Black Freemasonry.  Prince Hall died in 1807 at the age of 72. A year later, his lodge honored him by changing its name to Prince Hall Grand Lodge.

Prince Hall Freemasonry is nearly as widespread as “regular” Freemasonry in the United States. It has grown within many communities as a social institution with a very large following in many cities. The separation of Prince Hall and Regular Freemasonry in America is likely an out-cropping of early ideas of slavery in America, which carried into the Jim Crow laws of the early 20th Century. The backward ideas of separation and unequally, like many institutions, pervaded Freemasonry too, and continued the ideas of separate but equal. With the passage of time, and the implementation of the Plessy vs. Ferguson ruling, the ideas of mixed race meetings and membership has been slow in coming, but it is changing. In-roads were made to visit one another and relations were established.

Prince Hall, PHA, black freemasonryToday, as the barriers continue to be torn down, the further integration of Prince Hall and regular Freemasonry continues. Granting a full charter in 1996, the Grand Lodge of England finally resolved all the roadblocks for full recognition. All regular state Grand Lodges have eradicated all prohibitions to membership from men of all races, making them open to men of all colors, creeds, and outlook. The only requirement being a proclaimed faith in God. There may be still some apprehension (from both sides) to openly admit that there has been some willing separation, but the invisible walls that have kept many apart are beginning to evaporate.

One of the biggest roadblocks to recognition is ritual differences and practices within a lodge. Freemasonry, being very firm on it’s ritual and it’s conduct, varies from state to state and jurisdiction to jurisdiction, so recognition is spotty across the board, but firm locally. Here is a great link to recognition between states.

So what does that mean. Looking at Freemasonry as a whole, it is not a racially biased institution. In my state California, there is full recognition of Prince Hall Freemasonry as being “regular” as decided though Grand Lodge legislation in 1995. Mutual recognition was agreed upon that year “completing the circle that Prince Hall started in 1784.”

There are states that have not reached that same conclusion for their own reasons, none of which I can proclaim knowledge of here. However both Freemasonry and Prince Hall Freemasonry are open to men of all races and welcomes them to share their light. Racism is not tolerated within the body of Freemasonry.

I use this as a preamble to a video published by Masonic Awareness at the Speed of Light. In the video, Charles M. Harper, Sr. introduces and talks about his book, Freemasonry in Black and White which explores the difference between recognition and amity within the confines of Freemasonry – essentially separate but equal bodies coexisting at common cause.

Freemasonry in Black and White from WEOFM on Vimeo.
presented by Charles M. Harper, Sr.
July 25, 2013
More videos are available at Masonic Awareness at the Speed of Light which is the world’s first exclusive Masonic Video Library, for the Masonic Craft and other interested parties.

What do you think? Is amity the same as recognition?

eye of god, providence, triangle eye

The All Seeing Eye as Omnipresent Deity

The All Seeing Eye

The All Seeing Eye

William J Morris, in his Pocket Lexicon of Freemasonry, defines the All Seeing Eye as “an emblem found in every well-furnished lodge, and which is unnecessary further to explain.”

Yet, further explanation is necessary to detail the Eye of Providence that is so much in the parlance of the Masonic Lodge.  While most American Lodges make use of the letter G to stand in as a representation deity, the All Seeing Eye, has that same function, perhaps with a more artistic flare.

Albert Mackey, in his Encyclopedia of Freemasonry and its Kindred Sciences, writes this succinct observation on the meanings behind the eye in his entry for the All-Seeing Eye:

“An important symbol of the Supreme Being, borrowed by the Freemasons from the nations of antiquity. Both the Hebrews and the Egyptians appear to have derived its use from that natural inclination of figurative minds to select an organ as the symbol of the function which it is intended peculiarly to discharge. Thus, the foot was often adopted as the symbol of swiftness, the arm of strength, and the hand of fidelity.

On the same principle, the open eye was selected as the symbol of watchfulness, and the eye of God as the symbol of Divine watchfulness and care of the universe. The use of the symbol in this sense is repeatedly to be found in the Hebrew writers. Thus, the Psalmist says:

The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry,
Psalms 34:15

which explains a subsequent passage in which it is said:

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalms 121:4

In the Apocryphal Book of the Conversation of God with Moses on Mount Sinai, translated by the Rev. William T. Cureton from an Arabic manuscript of the fifteenth century, and published by the Philobiblon Society of London, the idea of the eternal watchfulness of God is thus beautifully allegorized (The full quote from Cureton’s work reads):

Then Moses said to the Lord, O Lord, what is thy meat and what is thy drink, and what thy clothing?

The most High God answered, My Meat is the tears of sinners when they weep over their sins; my drink is the repentance of those who repent of them; and my clothing is the praises of the angels, and the thanks givings of the souls of those who have escaped from their iniquities.

Then Moses said to the Lord, Oh Lord, doust thou sleep or not?

The Lord said unto Moses, I never sleep: but take a cup and fill it with water.

Then Moses took a cup and filled it with water, as the Lord commanded him.

Then the Lord cast into the heart of Moses the breath of slumber; so he slept, and the cup fell from his hand, and the water which was therein was spilled.

Then Moses awoke from his sleep. Then said to God to Moses, I declare by my power, and my glory, that if I were to withdraw my providence from the heavens and the earth for no longer a space of time than thou hast slept, thy would at once fall to ruin and confusion, like as the cup fell from thy hand.

masonic eyeOn the same principle, the Egyptians represented Osiris, their chief deity, by the symbol of an open aye, and placed this hieroglyphic of him in all their Temples. His symbolic name, on the monuments, has represented by the eye accompanying a throne, to which was sometimes added an abbreviated figure of the god, and sometimes what has been called a hatchet, but which may as correctly be supposed to be a representation of a square.

The All-Seeing Eye may then be considered as a symbol of God manifested in his omnipresence – his guardian and preserving character – to which Solomon alludes in the Book of Proverbs (xv, 3), where he says:

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding (or, as in the Revised Version, keeping watch upon) the evil and the good.
Proverbs 15:3

It is a symbol of the Omnipresent Deity.”

The subject was not, it seems, defined sufficiently by Mackey, and became the subject of a Short Talk Bulletin in 1932, aptly titled The All Seeing Eye, and published by the Masonic Service Association of North America.

That Short Talk reads:

In the modern Masonic ritual the All-Seeing Eye is combined with the Sword, pointed at a Naked Heart; which latter emblem apparently came to American Freemasonry through Webb. The quotation from his Monitor (1797) is as follows:

The Sword pointing to a Naked Heart demonstrates that justice will sooner or later overtake us, and although our thoughts, words and actions may be hidden from the yes of man, yet the All Seeing Eye, whom the Sun, Moon and Stars obey, and under whose watchful care even comets perform their stupendous revolutions, pervades the whole, and will reward us according to our merits.

all seeing eye of godThe Sword and Naked Heart were probably adopted by Preston from early initiation ceremonies of the Continent, probably French, in which even today we find some degrees of some rites dressed with swords which are pointed at the candidate. But the essential part of this symbol, the All-Seeing eye, is hoary with antiquity, and, in one form or another, has been identified with early religions and mysteries from their beginnings.

It seems natural for men to personify his members in order to symbolize a virtue. The foot is universally a symbol of swiftness; the arm, of strength; the hand, of fidelity. The hand we extend to clasp that of a friend must be open, showing it contains no weapon; the knight of old removed his mailed gauntlet before offering his hand, to indicate that he greeted a friend from whom he feared no attack. From this we get our modern concept that it is good manners to remove a glove before shaking hands.

The eye was adopted early as a symbol of watchfulness, for reasons too obvious to set forth. By a natural transition, the watchful eye never slept, and which thus saw everything, speedily became the symbol of Deity.

Hear the Psalmist (XXXIV): “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.”

Again (CXXI), “He that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”

A Proverb reads: “The yes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”

Egypt symbolized her God and King, Osiris, by a open eye; it was in all the Temples, and is frequently found sculptured in stone together with a throne and a square, symbolic of Osiris, power and rectitude. One of the great curiosities of the world is the similarity, often identity, of ideas, inventions, discoveries, conceptions of peoples far removed, the one from the other, both in time and geographical location. The primitive loom, for instance, is strikingly similar in Egypt, India, South America, and Africa and among the Esquimaux (Eskimo). The Swastika (symbol made of four joined squares), often termed the oldest of symbols, is to be found literally all over the world. So is the point within a circle and the square as an emblem is found in early Egypt, Rome and China, to mention only three.

early all-seeing-eye-from-alchemy-textIt is not surprising, therefore, to find so obvious a symbol as a watchful eye typifying Deity in the uttermost ends of the earth. That it was called the “All-Seeing Eye” in Vedic hymns a thousand years older than Christianity, and in a land as far as India from that we are wont to consider the cradle of Masonry, is a fact to make any student think.

Forty years ago the Reverend J.P. Oliver Minos drew Masonic attention to one of the Rig-Veda Hymns especially addressed to “Surya,” or the Sun:

Behold, the rays of dawn, like heralds, lead on high.

The Sun, that men may see the great all knowing God.

The Stars slink off like thieves, in company with Night, Before the All-Seeing Eye, whose beams reveal his presence, Gleaming like brilliant flames, to nation after nation.

You can read the full text of the Hymn to Surya at Sacred-Texts. And, it would seem that this is a the Hymn as it is performed.

The short talk continues:

“In the religions of India the eye is of high importance and prominence. Suva; one of the most important of the Gods of India, is pictured with three eyes, one more brilliant than the other two. Drawings are for sale in the market places of Benares and other Indian cities which visiting Masons often think are Masonic, merely because they portray the All-Seeing Eye. Indian religious devotees consider the peacock a sacred bird because of the resemblance of the feathers to an eye.

As a symbol of Deity the eye is a natural hieroglyph.

The connotation of sleeplessness, vision, knowledge is easily grasped by even a child-like intellect. But it is also, and for the same reason, a symbol of the sun; indeed, sun worship antedated almost all, if not all, other forms of worship.

The sun was worshiped by too many peoples in too many lands and ages to attempt to catalog here. Shamash was sun God to Assyrians, Merodach to the Chaldees, Ormuzd to the Persians, Ra to the Egyptians, Tezzatlipoca to the Mexicans, Helios to the Greeks and Sol to the Romans to mention only a few.

The sun is the source of a hundred myths; familiar is that of Helios, who drove his chariot daily across the sky. The Scandinavian God Sunna was in constant dread of being devoured by the wolf Fenris (symbol of the eclipse); Phaeton was the son of Phoebus, the sun, and stole his fathers chariot to drive across the heavens. Unable to control the fiery steeds, he came to near the earth and parched Libya into a land of barren sands, blackening the inhabitants of Africa and so heating that continent that it never recovered normal temperature! Had not Zeus transfixed him with a thunderbolt, he would have destroyed the world.

Modern poets and ancient have sung of the sun as thee eye of day; we recall:

The night has a thousand eyes and the day but one But the light of the whole world dies When the day is done.

Diogenes Laeritus thought of the sun as an incorruptible heavenly being when he wrote:

The sun, too shines into cesspools and is not polluted.

Dryden translated Ovid to read:

The glorious lamp of heaven, the radiant sun, Is nature’s eye.

Hear Milton:

Thou sun! Of this great world both eye and soul!

Freemasonry does not make of the eye a symbol of the sun. Her All- Seeing Eye is one emblem, her sun another, each with a distinct meaning. One of the Lesser Lights represents the sun; the sun shines out from between the legs of the compasses, opens sixty degrees on a quadrant, in the Past Master’s Jewel, all symbolic of the Masonic light which must come from the East from which comes all truth. It has been written:

The sun is the symbol of sovereignty, the hieroglyphic of royalty, it doth signify absolute authority,: By analogy, if the lodge is the symbol of the world, then the Master, who controls the time of opening and closing, may well have one of the Lesser Lights as his symbol. Mackey goes further to say that the Master is ‘himself’ a symbol of the rising sun , the Junior Warden of the sun at meridian, and the Senior Warden of the setting sun, just as the Mysteries of India the three chief priests symbolize Bramha, the rising sun, Siva, the meridian, and Vishnu the setting sun. In the Orphic mysteries the sun was thought to generate, as from an egg, and come forth with power to triplicate himself; triple power (such as is found in a Lodge under a Master, Senior and Junior Warden) is an idea as old as mythology, as may be seen in the trident of Neptune, the three-forked lightning of Jove, the three-headed Cerebus of Pluto.

See how fitly the sun, as a symbol of authority, the sun, as man’s earliest deity, and the sun, as origin of the eye as a symbol of God, can be united. In his Symbolic Language (1840) [Thomas] Wemyss wrote:

The sun may be considered to be an emblem of Divine truth because the sun, or the light of which it is the source, is not only manifest in itself, but makes other things manifest; so one truth detects, reveals and manifests another, as all truths are dependent on and connected with each other, more or less.

So does the Master make Masonic truth manifest to the brethren; so does the Great Architect manifest His Divine truth to all men. If it is further necessary to show a connection between eye and sun, sun and God, and thus eye and God; refer again to the passage from Webb, which couples the All-Seeing Eye with the sun, moon and stars. Sufficient has been said to make it evident that the All-Seeing Eye is not a modern symbol, or one lightly to be regarded or passed over in silence, merely because modern ritual makes comparatively little of it. Alas, many brethren are so ill-instructed in the ancient Craft that it is a matter of some wonder to them why officer’s aprons, when decorated with emblems so often have the All-Seeing Eye upon the flap; why that pregnant symbol is so frequently engraved upon working tools, or the square and compasses which lie upon the Altar.

Throughout the Craft emphasis is put upon the number three; three Light (greater and lesser); three steps on the Master’s carpet; three steps at the beginning of the Winding Stairs; three principal officers; three degrees; three due guards; etc. The number three is but another way of expressing the idea of a triangle, one of man’s earliest, if not the earliest symbol for Deity, inasmuch as it is the simplest closed figure (signifying endlessness) which can be formed with straight lines.

The emphasis upon three, then, is Freemasonry’s symbol of omneity of Deity — His being without beginning or ending.

The letter “G” as a symbol of Deity particularly speaks of the reverence we owe to the supreme architect; His Omni glory. Lodges are opened and closed with prayer, symbol of the loving omnipresence of the Great Architect; Freemasons believe that where two or three are gathered together in His name. There His is also, in the midst of them.

On our Altar lies His Holy Book, rule and guide of our faith, symbol of His Omnipotence, since in it are the prophecies and histories of the powers of the Most High.

The All-Seeing Eye is significant of His Omniscience; that the Supreme Architect sees all and knows all, even the hidden secrets of the human heart.

Here, indeed. is the kernel of the nut, the inner meaning of the symbol which has come down to us from so many diverse ages, so many religions, which has been interwoven with sun and pagan gods and myths, nature religion and many kinds of worship, which was old when Egypt was young and ancient when India was new.

the all seeing eye of Providence

The All-Seeing Eye is to Freemasons the cherished symbol not only of the power but of the mercy of God — since, as has been beautifully said to comfort us who cannot always do as we know we should, or even as we want — “to see all is to know all; to know all is to understand all; to understand all is to forgive all.”

Therefore the thinking Freemason has reverence for this symbol. He treats it not as one of many; rather as among those to be held in tenderest thought and most precious memory. The Sword pointing to the Naked Heart may thunder of justice, but the All-Seeing Eye whispers of justice tempered with complete understanding, which is man’s most lovely conception of Him who judges erring men.

Pike attributes the eye to the eye of the Greeks Jupiter in the 25th degree, Knight of the Brazen Serpent, saying:

That Osiris and Isis were the Sun and Moon, is attested by many ancient writers; by Diogenes Laertius, Plutarch, Lucian, Suidas, Macrobius, Martianus Capella, and others. His power was symbolized by an Eye over a Sceptre. The Sun was termed by the Greeks the Eye of Jupiter, and the Eye of the World; and his is the All-Seeing Eye in our Lodges. The oracle of Claros styled him King of the Stars and of the Eternal Fire, that en-genders the year and the seasons, dispenses rain and winds, and brings about daybreak and night. And Osiris was invoked as the God that resides in the Sun and is enveloped by his rays, the invisible and eternal force that modifies the sublunary world by means of the Sun.

Zeus was the Greek iteration of Jupiter, adopted later by the Romans.

Pike, elaborating further, says:

The Blazing Star in our Lodges, we have already said, represents Sirius, Anubis, or Mercury, Guardian and Guide of Souls. Our Ancient English brethren also considered it an emblem of the Sun. In the old Lectures they said: “The Blazing Star or Glory in the centre refers us to that Grand Luminary the Sun, which enlightens the Earth, and by its genial influence dispenses blessings to mankind.” It is also said in those lectures to be an emblem of Prudence. The word Prudentia means, in its original and fullest signification, Foresight: and accordingly the Blazing Star has been regarded as an emblem of Omniscience, or the All-Seeing Eye, which to the Ancients was the Sun.

And, lastly, for what it’s worth, the All Seeing Eye has worked it’s way into the material culture, at least with some humor.

Has Cheating Reached Epic Proportions?

Or is it just isolated incidents?
BRYCE ON SOCIETY

When did cheating become an acceptable form of behavior? Did I miss the memo? According to the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and the Ad Council, “73% of all test takers, including prospective graduate students and teachers agree that most students do cheat at some point, and 86% of high school students agreed.” Translation: cheating has reached pandemic proportions and is now an inherent part of the American culture.

It may start out innocently, but cheating rapidly becomes a lifestyle. We can now find it on school tests and exams, plagiarism, cheating on our taxes, etc. I have a friend who teaches illustration at a Midwest college. Recently he told me his students were copying the illustrations of other students as found on the Internet. My friend rightfully resents being turned from a full-time instructor, to a part-time sleuth to determine if his students are doing original work. I have heard of college students copying term papers, but artwork?

Students are also hacking into school computers to gain access to exams and alter grades and scores. A prime example of this was recorded last month in Los Angeles where eleven high school students were caught hacking into the school’s computers. Subsequently, they were expelled. This scandal captured the attention of the press, as well as the FBI who joined the investigation.

Cheating has also extended into the military where scandals have recently emerged, such as the Navy sailors who stand accused of cheating on tests training for nuclear reactors. Likewise, the Air Force discovered officers cheating on proficiency tests to launch nuclear weapons. These stories are particularly disturbing when you consider these people are managing our military nuclear resources. Obviously, we want people who can be trusted and are proficient in these positions, not someone of questionable character.

In the Information Technology community, it is not uncommon for employees to hack and steal program source code, thereby expediting the production of programming. This occurs so often, it is now considered SOP in many companies. Such attitudes obviously present a threat to intellectual property and a disregard for our laws pertaining to copyrights, patents, trade secrets, and trademarks. Frankly, it is a violation of the “Copyright Clause” of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 8) whereby, “To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.” From this perspective, cheating is unpatriotic.

If caught, cheating results in a variety of penalties, be it a fine, a suspension, an expulsion, etc., all of which becomes a part of a person’s permanent record, and I do not believe young people understand this until it is too late. Perhaps the biggest danger is it may do irreparable harm to a person’s reputation. To illustrate, I know of a student who, after graduating from college, produced a resume with false college scores to secure a well paying job. Remarkably, he was caught by the employer who pressed charges against him. Even though the matter was settled nearly forty years ago, his High School classmates have not forgotten and whisper about it at reunions, even to this day. In the eyes of the other students, his reputation remains in tatters.

Cheating ultimately denotes a person’s character; is he honest and capable of performing the work, or incompetent and inclined to cut corners? Even though cheating appears to be on the rise, evidently there is little shame in getting caught. Perhaps it is a new twisted red badge of courage awarded to those who somehow beat the system. If we are to believe the recent cheating statistics and scandals, we can reasonably conclude there is no longer any disgrace in cheating, and it will likely continue unabated. All of this reveals the declining moral values of the country.

Perhaps the only way to stop cheating is to make the punishments more severe. If shame cannot deter people, perhaps stiffer penalties are in order. Such should rightfully be the price of cheating.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

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Copyright © 2014 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

A History Making Grand Session

A Grand Session in Prince Hall is a very special, interesting and motivating experience especially when the female Orders meet at the same time.  Texas is no exception where Eastern Star and the Heroines of Jericho meet simultaneously separately but attend the luncheons, social events, banquets and prayerful times with the Master Masons.  It is rightfully billed a Prince Hall family event.

I don’t know how the women run their sessions but on the men’s side, often tedious and boring business is mixed well with awards and celebrations. We have annual awards for the Master Mason of the year, the District of the year, the District Deputy of the year and a special meritorious service of the year award. We have an awards luncheon with the whole Prince Hall family and a family night dinner open to the spouses and friends of members. The highlight of the awards luncheon was the presentation of scholarship awards from each House. And family night, as always, carried with it a prominent guest speaker who always delivers us an inspiring message.

This year’s guest speaker was Dr. Bro. Osiefield Anderson, a PHD in mathematics and a college professor. His theme was it is time to get up off our butts and do something about society that is crumbling and decaying all around us. A master of inspiring poetry he motivated us all to action. His motto is, “It is not how long a man lives that matters, but how well he lives.”

Out of Session any member of the Prince Hall family could participate in a gospel festival, a church service, a dance-social party and a Lodge of Sorrow for those who have traveled to the Celestial Lodge above.

And if that was all there was we would all go home happy, well fed and fired up. But when you throw in an extra special event in the middle of all this you fashion a Grand Session that will go down in history. Such was the June 2011 four day Grand Session of Prince Hall, Texas.

That history making event was the opening of the Wilbert M. Curtis Texas Prince Hall Library Museum. After more than a year in the making, the Library Museum was opened with a special ribbon cutting ceremony that included representatives from six jurisdictions, mostly Grand Masters, civic leaders and the head of the Fort Worth Black Historical & Genealogical Society. The Deputy Grand Master and Wardens consecrated the occasion with corn, wine and oil. Speeches were made and prayers raised up, the ribbon cut and finally it was time to go inside and see what treasures were in store for us.

And we were not disappointed. There were pictures, plaques, paintings and actual early uniforms, dress and jewels. There were also rare books and the records and minutes of Texas Prince Hall Grand Lodge dating back to the 1870’s. Copies of early Grand Lodge publications were in abundance. At one end of the Library Museum you opened a door into a well furnished Lodge Room. Before your eyes was a beautiful hand crafted wooden altar and stations made by a Brother who received one of this year’s Grand Lodge awards.

The Heroines of Jericho and Eastern Star are well represented in the Library Museum with early dress, pictures and presentations. One thing that distinguishes Prince Hall Masonry is how closely the men’s and women’s Orders work together. It is truly one big family.

There is much more to come. Contributions to the Library Museum are still coming in and in the years that follow much will be added. The Library Museum welcomes gifts of books, papers, manuscripts, photographs, artwork, records, audio tapes, video tapes, maps, pamphlets, scrapbooks, oral history, memorabilia and other archival records of historical value which will enhance the teaching, learning, research and service of the members affiliated with the MWPHGLTX and or is interested in the advancement of knowledge related to Free Masonry.

Now the Prince Hall family of Texas has a place to deposit its archives and to tell its own story, a story it will continuously share with others.

KST, Solomon, first temple, Sanctum Sanctorum

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 really captured my attention. One Brother asked me to cover the subject of “how to use the lodge as a true sanctum sanctorum and treat it as such.”

holy of holies, king solomons temple, ark

The Holy of Holies

In order to discuss this subject, we must first examine the term ‘sanctum sanctorum’ and what it means in Freemasonry. Sanctum sanctorum is a Latin term that may be literally translated translated as “Holy of Holies.” This term is used to describe the innermost chamber of King Solomon’s Temple.

It was here in this most sacred place that the Ark of the Covenant was placed during the dedication of the temple. Masons are taught in the third degree that when the lodge is opened in the Master Mason degree that it represents the sanctum sanctorum of King Solomon’s Temple.

I’m sure that any Freemason that takes a moment to consider this will realize that we do not treat the tyled lodge room as a sanctum sanctorum. It is true that there are certain regulations and protocol that we follow while in the lodge room. Most lodges make sure that general order is kept, that proper courtesies are given to officers, and that particular parts of the ritual are done correctly, but often the lodge room is simply a place to discuss business.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with discussing the business inside a tyled lodge. In fact, a little bit of research into the protocol of Freemasonry in its earliest days reveals that this is where business was intended to be conducted. Whether it is a discussion about paying the lodge’s bills, conducting a charitable event, or electing officers, it is perfectly acceptable to discuss business within the sanctum sanctorum of today’s Masonic lodges. However, it is the reverence with which the Brethren treat the forms for opening and closing the lodge and the pursuit of Masonic knowledge that can really make the lodge feel like a sanctuary.

KST, Solomon, first temple, Sanctum Sanctorum
The rituals that we use to open and close are lodge are more than just an elaborate form of parliamentary procedure. These ceremonies remind us of the very lessons and symbols that are taught in the degrees. Every time that we open or close a lodge we can be reminded of our obligations and the solemn duty that we must perform as Freemasons. I think that all Masons will agree that a degree conferral should be conducted with reverence and professionalism and the process of opening and closing a lodge should be treated no differently. In order to assist the Brethren in feeling the need to treat these rituals appropriately, a lodge can adopt a dress code that is representative of the desired atmosphere. The way that Masons conduct themselves in lodge can change almost instantaneously when they go from wearing blue jeans to wearing a suit.

Additionally, we can treat our lodges as a true sanctum sanctorum by conducting Masonic education. Every single lodge meeting should have some form of Masonic education as a part of the agenda. I personally believe that a lodge should start with requiring 15 minutes of education and adding time as the educational program improves. Unfortunately, most Masons have never seen true Masonic education. Masonic education is not reading from the Short Talk Bulletin. Masonic education is not giving a short biography of a famous Mason or telling an amusing anecdote. Masonic education is having a discussion about the symbolism of the degrees, explaining how to properly perform the ritual, learning about Masonic history, or even discussing the sciences or liberal arts. Some of the best examples of Masonic education that I have seen conducted are an explanation of the difference between the Antients and Moderns, a new program for educating kids in a local school, and a demonstration of how to properly conduct a candidate during a degree.

Using these simple suggestions can help any lodge to seem like a true sanctum sanctorum. If our Brethren feel like the lodge is a sanctuary to be treated with reverence, they will conduct themselves accordingly. A lodge that treats the tyled lodge room appropriately just might be surprised at the positive effect it can have on the organization.

I hope that these ideas can help you to improve your lodge and treat it as a sanctum sanctorum.