Scottish rite, freemasonry, education, brent morris

A Timeline of High-Degree Masonry

From WEOFM

Dr. S. Brent Morris, PM gives a video lecture from the WEOFM (Worldwide Exemplification of Freemasonry) series.

I have a lot of respect for Br. Morris and think you will appreciate this presentation. Originally published on the WEOFM website on December 31, 2011.

An interesting point, with the distribution of information today delving deep into masonic history, all discussion seems to reach the same point of origin.

Does this lack of further history devalue the history or does it merely give us a marker by which we can move from exploring Masonic history to studying present day contributions?

Either way, I think you’ll enjoy this presentation.

First International Competition of Masonic Essay – CIEM

The Iberian Center for Masonic Studies, in Madrid Spain, issues a call for papers to be presented at the First International Competition of Masonic Essay – CIEM

Centro Ibérico de Estudios Masónicos

 The Iberian Center for Masonic Studies (CIEM) calls all Spanish, Portuguese, English and French speaking masons to participate in the First International Competition of Masonic Essay, which will take place in 2013.

The aim of this competition is to promote the investigation of the following themes:

  • The historical development of the Masonic Order;
  • The intrinsic values of Freemasonry;
  • The defense and preservation of our patrimony.
  1. The competition is open to all Masons, without distinction.
  2. The official languages of the competition are Spanish, Portuguese, English and French.
  3. The essays presented must be unpublished and three printed copies are to be sent, double-spaced, typed in 12-point Times Font, in letter-sized sheets. Also, the electronic file must be enclosed in a compact disc.
  4. The essays should not exceed 10.000 words.
  5. The essays should begin on the second page. This page and all the following should not contain information susceptible of identifying the author.
  6. The essays should appear undersigned with a pseudonym, enclosing, in another envelope, a card containing the name, address, telephone number and e-mail address of the author. The envelope will bear the chosen pseudonym. The originals presented will not be returned.
  7. The bibliography should be enclosed as an annex with the essay.
  8. The authors should include a certificate drawn up by the Secretary of their Lodge, attesting to their affiliation and membership to a Masonic Jurisdiction.
  9. The essays should be sent to the following address: Centro Ibérico de Estudios Masónicos (CIEM), Apartado de correos 6.203, 28080 – Madrid (Spain) or via e-mail at: ciem.madrid@gmail.com
  10. The deadline for presenting essays is the 1st of December, 2013.
  11. The prize will be communicated on the 22nd of December, 2013.
  12. The jury, made up by Master Masons, will award a first and only prize consisting of a diploma proving their condition as the winner of the competition, as well as the amount of 250 Euros.
  13. The jury may, in the case of it being justified by the quality and interest of other essays, concede an access it or declare the prize void if the essays do not meet the required quality standards.
  14. The essays chosen will be published in the web site www.cienmas.org and transmitted, electronically as well as in print, to the Grand Lodges and the main Masonic institutions.

For further information, contact the Secretariat of the Competition at the following e-mail address: ciem.madrid@gmail.com or by post to the Centro Ibérico de Estudios Masónicos (Iberian Centre for Masonic Studies) CIEM, International Competition of Essay, Apartado de correos 6.203, 28080 – Madrid (España)

 

 

Fred Milliken,Freemason Information,The Beehive

From Perception To Knowledge To Wisdom

I recently received correspondence from old friend, Brother Tim McCurry from Tennessee.

He points out a common problem with Mainstream Lodges. That is that Masonic education equals ritual memorization.  But all ritual memorization makes you is a parrot and a parrot doesn’t think it just mimics. Knowledge comes from the art of contemplation that allows us then to internalize that which our senses have encountered.

W. L. Wilmshurst

W. L. Wilmshurst

When a Mason reads Pike, Wilmshurst, Pound, MacKey, Claudy, Butler and others he begins to realize what he has memorized means and how it makes a difference in his life. Thus he has gone from perception to knowledge. When that Mason uses that knowledge to govern his life and make himself a better person he has stepped up from knowledge to wisdom.

The trick is to get Masons to read.

Here is what McCurry had to say:

I watched a most inspiring video last night that was created by a member of the United Grand Lodge of England.  Brother Julian Rees has truly inspired me to become a better Mason!

 Approximately seven years ago, we had a Worshipful Master sitting in the East who truly and sincerely desired to create more Masonic education within our lodge. Therefore, he first asked for volunteers amongst the Brethren to create ANY small topic concerning a lesson to be learned from Free-masonry.  He didn’t place any restrictions on what the Brethren could present; so long as it was something about our rituals, or something that they had learned while being a Mason. I am ashamed to say, that not one Brother ever came to our stated meeting and presented any such lessons. Our poor Worshipful Master ended up having to do this at each of our stated meetings himself.

 Sure!  We have “Masonic Education.”  Many of the Brethren seem to think, that if you can memorize one of the three lectures flawlessly and without error, you have obtained “Masonic Education.”  But, my concern is, have we presented enough knowledge to the newly made Mason coming into our ranks?  Have we given enough knowledge to that new E.A. to even know what Free-masonry is all about?  I don’t think so.  No, we impart upon the newly made Mason that he only has three lectures to laboriously memorize as perfectly as he can; but if that new Brother makes a mistake of not “dotting his ‘i’ or crossing his ‘T,’ we strictly enforce the use of such perfection in syntax.  Do we explain to him the meaning behind those words?  Some would say that we do this with what we call the “Third Section of the Degree.”  Here in Tennessee we have the so-called “Stereoptical Lecture” in the First Degree.  You know what it is!  It is that “so-antiquated slide show” where the pictures look as though they were created way back in the Nineteenth Century. So, we always have a Brother with the “slide clicker,” or the advance button, laboriously spitting out the lecture that accompanies the slide show as though he was reading it from a book.  No!  As a matter of fact, sometimes the Brother actually does read this lecture out of the book!

 But, have we really imparted Masonic Knowledge to that newly made Brethren?  Or have we imparted the idea that all you really need to do is laboriously learn the three lectures, pass them on, and become a Master Mason?  In essence, are we treating our Masonic ritual as though it were a “Mason’s Mill,” where we pass these young brothers off as soon as we can, and as quickly as we can teach them those three lectures?

 Brother Julian Rees inspired me with his words last night!  I do not know this Brother.  I have never met him.  But, his eloquent talk that he gave inspired me to learn more!  He taught me, that we as Brothers are on a spiritual journey; that there is more to Masonry than ham sandwiches and coffee.  Therefore, I present Brother Rees to you with the hope that he will inspire you with his words as much as he has inspired me.  I wish I could present this “little talk” by Brother Rees to the Brethren at my own lodge!