Freemasonry is a post-collegiate mostly-all male fraternity dedicated to the social development of the member to form a broader sense of the self and their community.
Join us on Masonic Central this Sunday as we meet and talk to Brother John Nagy who is the author of the new book “Building Boaz – Uncommon Catechism for Uncommon Masonic Education.”
Missed the live show? listen now!
Once you start something, what do you do next? You take the next step of course but as with any journey into the unknown (or the unexplained) the question is where that next step should land. “Building Boaz” is the exactly where the next step in becoming a Mason should take you. In his New book Br. John Nagy sets out to help the reader find the means to answer A few of the touch points in this paths first step is the idea of Threshing to masonry, the flanked circle, the Broached Ladder, and the Chamber of Reflection.
Join us as we talk to author and past guest Br. John Nagy about his book, Masonic education, and this 2nd step in this non-fiction series in this hour long program on Masonic CentralSunday, October 25th starting at 6pm PDT / 9pm EST. We encourage your questions and comments to the show by calling (347) 677-0936 during the program. The show goes live promptly at the hour.
Where does National Treasure meet The Lost Symbol? Wound together into a Crown of Serpents.
Masonic fiction is an infrequent thing, especially when written by a brother. The Lost Symbol is a good example of the fraternity in a modern fiction, in the same way that National Treasure brought the fraternity to the cinema. This Sunday, we have the opportunity to talk about the latest edition of Masonic fiction from author Michael Karpovage, who has just released his new book Crown of Serpents.
From the books website the Crown of Serpents is a mystery thriller set in the former heartland of the Iroquois Empire and takes its hero, Jake Tununda, on a fast-paced hunt to find and protect the elusive crown. In the story he teams up with Rae Hart, who is an alluring state police investigator, and together they snake their way across a politically turbulent landscape marked with murder, lies, and deceit, deciphering codes, digging up war loot, and fending off a ruthless casino magnate. Their survival skills are put to the test when the clues to the crown ultimately lead them deep within sacred Indian caves hidden under the abandoned Seneca Army Depot where the magnitude of the crown’s power is revealed.
The Crown of Serpents is every bit as exciting as its synopsis suggests, and its weaving in of the fraternity of Freemasonry makes the mystery thriller all the more exciting.
Join us in this episode as we talk to author Michael Karpovage about his book, Masonic fiction in general and the real life history of Freemasonry that swirls around his new novel, in this hour long program on Masonic Central recorded Sunday, October 18th , 2009.
The Grand Lodge of Grand Lodge of Colorado is the next stop on the tour of American Grand Lodges.
Grand Lodge of Colorado Masonic membership:
12,645 – 2007
11,421 – 2008
gain/loss – -1,224
Data from MSANA
State population: 4,939,456 as of 2008 (estimated)
Mission Statement: The mission of Freemasonry in Colorado is to teach and perpetuate a fraternal way of life. That promotes brotherhood and self-improvement. Through education, moral standards, charitable giving and community involvement.
Late in the year 1858 a number of gold-seekers had gathered at the junction of Cherry Creek and the Platte River, on land which was then a part of the Territory of Kansas, but which now is within the State of Colorado. This settlement was known as Auraria, and by the first of November a number of cabins had been erected there.
On the evening of November 3, 1858, seven Masons, including William M. Slaughter, held an informal meeting in one of those cabins; and throughout the following winter these brethren and others continued to meet from time to time, having in mind the formation of a new Masonic Lodge at Auraria, provided the proper authorization could be obtained from some Grand Lodge… read more.
Some of what I found on my excursion there:
The Grand Lodge of Colorado is a minimalist website with a lot lot of punch. The site is has everything that one would want in a Grand Lodge site, including events listed on the front page, information of how to contact and find them, and an address (message) from the Grand Master. It has a very clear look and feel for what Colorado is known for, and lays out all of its informational content right on the front page.
Informational Content:
The Grand Lodge of Colorado site is very rich in informational content. In that mix it has a clear history of Freemasonry in the state, what Freemasonry means both in general and in the state. And, it offers a wealth of pdf e-books for the membership and visitors to read on the fraternity and its multitide of meanings. This feature really impressed me in that it included some texts that are not commonly featured on most sites, including: An Exposition of the Mysteries or Religious Dogmas and Customs of Egyptians, Pythagoreans and Druids, Illustrations of Masonry, William Preston, George Oliver editor, 1867, Legenda, (Kadosh and Heirodom), Albert Pike, and many others. If added together, it would represent many thousands of pages of knowledge made available from a Grand Lodge site.
The site does not go for the immediate conversion of interested parties to membership, rather seeking to inform prospective members of what the requirements are and providing information on what membership represents. All of this can be found under their membership button on the top navigation.
The links section also has a diversity of sites, including The Sanctum Sanctorum, the Guild of Masonic Webmasters, Freemasonsonline.com, International Club for Templar Studies, and Paul M. Bessel’s Masonic Pages. This seems to be a growing list, and I’m sure as time progresses more will be added.
Other interesting components of the site are Grand Lodge specific, including information on their educational grants, their Honor Lodge award, and the Traveling Gavel, which is an interesting activity for lodges to promote visitation. The site also has an extensive listing of lodges in the state, which list websites to the lodges. Unfortunately, not all of the websites worked, some not existing at all. Of those that did function, the visitor was further greeted by a local lodge site. I do recommend that if traveling to the Grand Lodge site to stop in and look at the lodge links and virtually visit the various lodges.
Also, hidden on the community pages are press mentions that the Grand lodge has received and programs that it sponsors for community awareness including a Child ID program, a Band Camp Sponsorship, and Teacher of the Year program. Each of these are very noble pursuits and important in and of themselves.
Look and Feel:
As mentioned, the site is a minimalist construction. The two column site, with navigation across the top and on the right, really hits the mark for everything that a Grand Lodge site needs to communicate its information. The events on the front page immediately catch the eye, as does the striking image of the Grand Master with his message below. Each of the pages convey this symmetry and keep the delicate balance of message consistency. I did notice several instances (outside of their on-line library) that pdf’s and .docs were employed which can be challenging for some users (especially for those who do not have the know how to open them) and it also breaks the ability to key in specific search seo by binding up the text in the document making its content essentially invisible to the various search engines.
The site visually has a good balance between negative (white) space and its use of logos and images. It maximizes the use of clean typography for its linkage and transitions, making it easy to use, clear, and articulate in where the visitor is going. It does lose some of its secondary navigation when you dig deep into its pages, but the visitor can quickly use the top nav to get back to its main pages.
Further, the site employs a visual that is specific and unmistakable to the state and its presence in the snow capped Rockey mountains. Not included to be overt, the image of the mountains paint an interesting visual for the site as a whole.
Overall:
The Grand Lodge of Colorado site is really a very clean and elegant site. It is packed with information and content (the pdf library itself a gold mine worth the visit) but in a very easy to use package. Its up-to-date calendar and listing of lodges is an excellent way to connect members to lodges and those interested to something local. It is disappointing to see lodges listed with websites only to find no site present, and this is something I hope gets resolved to broaden the reach in the state. Overall, I can definitely see the site expanding and adding even more information, and I think the layout is fitting to grow with the content.
One suggestion, as with many state Grand Lodge sites, is the addition of an RSS/XML feed so visitors can stay abreast of changes or updates with a subscription. Or, in lieu of a feed, a newsletter sign up to send information out to those of interest to receive one, as it represent a terrific means to deliver up to date information on what’s going on.
Though not readily discernible if Norman was a Mason, his mosaic window is both a testament to the diversity of California and the diversity of California Masonry.
His light may now be eclipsed, but his work will live on in his art.
The reason to approach the review in 2 parts is that in the aftermath of National Treasure, Freemasons were well versed to talk about the founding fathers and the Knights Templar. With the lost symbol, lodges and individual Masons need to be just as prepared to talk about Hermetica, Gnosticism, and symbolism, especially as the book speaks to the wide tolerance of the fraternity to all faiths.
Key points brought up in the book start at the very prologue in the Quote from Manly P. Hall’s The Secret Teachings of All Ageswhen he quoted “To live in the world without becoming aware of the meaning of the world is like wandering about in a great library without touching the books.” Brown circumvented the patriotic picture of Washington (the man) and went directly to the post war enlightenment that tapped into the ideas of Francis Bacon’s New Atlantis and Hermetica’s deism (all faiths beginning at one source).
In The Lost Symbol, Pike gets a quick mention, but the Scottish Rite’s deep resonance with the ancient mystery schools was very clear and it is my supposition that those who are attracted to the fraternity following this book will come with those things in mind, and in coming, they will want to talk about and find resonance with the fraternity.
So, to the question, is the symbolism right, did Brown get the symbolic connections remotely correct, or did he tap into the wide field of myths and supposition that exists at the foot of the “Masonic pyramid?” Often, that answer is an individual one, that many tend to think totally out of line with what the modern fraternity represents. It is more social than esoteric, the symbols are just that symbolic, and no further reading need be made into them. Or even harsher, that the symbols were important in the past, but today they are meaningless. I think the answer lies in the school of Masonic thought that you find yourself in.
Some of the Key texts that Brown refers to are the Kybalion, written by br. Paul Foster Case under the pseudonym the Three Mystics, The New Atlantis, mentioned above, by Francis Bacon , a mere 6 years following the founding of the “new world” and the landing at Plymouth Rock in 1620. He also references Albrecht Durer, the prolific artist of the Renaissance who created many images, including Melencolia I, often seen as the height of the Christian Mysticism in art, as it depicts the confounded and pondering mystic and the materials of his practice. Each of these are bits and pieces outside the sphere of the three degrees, but still factor large (or should) in the study of Freemasonry.
Holy Saints John
One element that Brown focuses on is the alchemical symbol of gold, something in Masonic circles is referenced to as the point within the circle, what Brown calls the circumpunct, that all Masons recognize as being flanked by the Holy Saint John’s and crowned with the Volume of the Sacred Law.
The individual symbols are not so much the concern from the book, but the level of readiness over the ease of disregarding them and the discussion of their meaning. Is the lodge room ready to talk symbolism and its speculative nature? Are you, reading this now, ready to dialog with an interested party on the symbolism even on a surface level?
I think all will agree that the book is a work of fiction, but even a work of fiction unless wholly constructed with imaginary creatures and alien landscapes will still speak to and communicate a message, and Freemasonry needs to be ready to speak to that message even if it includes flights of fancy and imagination.
Central in Brown’s fiction is Freemasonry’s connection to the ancient mystery schools, and like it or not, that will be the message that those who have read the book will come to the lodge seeking. Few will likely come away with the greater subtext of the fraternity and the its more visceral purpose, the unification of like minded men, the sincerity of the belief that Masonry teaches something deeper than an inexpensive spaghetti dinner and some handshakes between strangers.
The Lost Symbol will ultimately be a good opportunity for Freemasonry to shine and inspire those new to its doors to seek out more. But it will definitely require us to be on point and be able to answer the questions put forth by those newcomers. Brown mentioned it at the end of his book, the words on the back of the tylers chair at the House of the Temple, “Know Thy Self”, but I would add, in knowing our self, we will know the divine.
Dan Brown’s new book, The Lost Symbol, reminded me of a parable. A parable is a story embellished with perhaps some grains of reality to convey a broader idea of truth. Dan Brown in his new book, The Lost Symbol, has artfully woven an update of an ancient parable into a modern suspense novel that features prominently the one group that should be most apt to see the connection, the Freemasons. Freemasonry, a fraternity “veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols”, is central to the plot under pinning’s, but by its end, merely the back drop by which the modern parable is played out.
Brown, at his finest, is a genius at writing parables. The The Da Vinci Code is a prime example, the telling of the story of the Christ, but not as a divine emanation of God, but rather a mortal man who walked the earth like the rest of us. Brown’s novel was a work of fiction then, just as it is now with his release of the The Lost Symbol. But artfully, he weaves in elements of reality and fact, so as to set his stage onto which the story unfolds, perhaps to give it a greater link into reality, or to simply paint enough real figures into the work so the less (or not real) elements blend in to diffuse with the rest. The more believable the story, the more real it feels for the reader.
In his latest book, The Lost Symbol, Brown brings the story immediately to your feet, sweeping the reader into the air with anti-hero Robert Langdon. These first steps, however are only after a mysterious initiation with libations from a skull. Better to start the mysterious early. With this rapid start, and dubious ceremony, Brown wastes no time in introducing the cast of players and introducing suspicions of who is and who isn’t to be trusted. It works for Brown’s novels; they are after all suspense thrillers. With our cast in place, the story then begins to unfold at whip shot pace.
I do wonder if the book was conceived on a walking tour of Washington, as in the unfolding pages, the actions and activities seem to be bullet points on a map of D.C. rather than more well thought out (or conceived) stages. It seems most of Langdon’s ah-ha moments happen in the less important rooms of these Washington landmarks. Sub sub basements, kitchens, and church offices hardly seem as sexy as the Vatican library, but their mundane setting is really the same places all of us have time to reflect and think in our day to day life. This secondary settings may be a clever illusion to the importance of the idea of discover of the inner sanctum to which we each must travel for our own discoveries, but again, this is Dan brown, and he is writing about the allegorical and symbolic Masons, so you must treat the text with just as much symbolic verve. And brown’s use of these locations give clues to the broader idea of the story too, the chamber of reflection in the U.S. Capitol (inner journey), the Library of Congress (learning, knowledge), and the National Cathedral (where church and state meet).
Science plays an interesting role in this book too, and with another Masonic twist. The nascent field of Noetic Sciences features large here, but not in a first person the reason de etre way, but in a “this is similar to this” allegorical way. Religious mysticism (of all religions) is really at the core of this new science, but besides being an early plot point and step stone to link Freemasonry, mysticism, and Noetic Sciences, the new science field really doesn’t come into play, in the same way it did in Angels and Demons. It was, almost, another symbolic back drop to the whole story, interesting, and connective, but not vital, not the story itself.
As I mentioned, this review will be split in two, and the goal of the 2nd is to look more at the Masonic connections and connotations. But as the book itself was about Freemasonry, it is important to note that Brown’s treatment of Masonry was very tender, almost to much so. Early on, Brown goes to GREAT lengths to debunk and say what Freemasonry isn’t, covering the “is masonry a religion” issue, and even guffawing at the notion of secret geometric grids in the streets of Washington. Even the infamous MASON on the great seal on the back of the 1 dollar bill gets a quick walk on, only to of been used as a dodge for something else. Brown really did write this book with the fate of Freemasonry in mind, in parts almost writing as if he were creating one of our own brochures (perhaps off which he copied his passage) saying very strongly in his main character’s voice “In this age when different cultures are killing each other over whose definition of God is better, one could say the Masonic tradition of tolerance and open-mindedness is commendable.” Brown does go out of his way to weave in all manner of Hermetic, Gnostic, Rosicrucian, and Cabalistic ideas into the offering, but not in a way to dominate the reader into submission of belief, but to paint the picture that the ideas of Freemasonry, in their age and wisdom, are not wholly a Judeo-Christian construct, more on that in a bit in part 2.
Like past Brown novels, the story soon out paces the stage settings and takes over as a thriller and this book is no different. Its pace reaching a fever pitch of intrigue, manipulation, and murder, while embroiled in the ancient mystery of a “Masonic pyramid”. There are a few gasp moments for the reader, and plot spins that I didn’t see coming until hit square in the face by them. And the story winds out with a tragic dilemma, which brings me back to the idea that the story itself was a modern retelling of an ancient parable.
:: spoiler alert::
Caravaggio (1573-1610) The Sacrifice of Isaac
The parable I mention is from the bible. In that sacred text, very early in Genesis (chapter 22 to be exact) Abraham is commanded by God to sacrifice his son Isaac as a show of his allegiance to his faith in God. In that past parable, the test of faith is tremendous as the eldest born of Abraham is the greatest sacrifice that he can give, and give he does, willing at the command of God. In the very last seconds, Abraham is spared, his faith proven, and a ram is substituted for his son. In the climax of The Lost Symbol, that same test of faith is presented, but for a different outcome. As Abraham was to be the one giving sacrifice, the protagonist of the story, Peter Solomon is in that Abrahamic position, and knowing what the consequences were for the sacrifice he was forced to make, he still chose to not make that sacrifice, choosing to follow his heart. Symbolically, in a book about allegory and symbol, it stuck me that the story was alluding to a transition from one of Abraham’s blind faith (as an external salvation, doctrinal, dogmatic, and absolute), to man believing in the faith within us, that by our acts and intentions we were communing with the divine, which is a Gnostic outlook that sacrifice, in totality, is not necessary and in the end destructive.
The reason for this conclusion seems to me to be based in the preceding pages as repeatedly the ideas of the Hermetic law were repeated and stressed (As Above, So Below) and the bomb of the protagonist was not one of physical destruction, but of ideological chaos. To sacrifice the son would still bring chaos, absolute destruction, personally and publically.
The story wraps up and all the loose ends become tied in the neat bows that Brown manages to make following so many leads and loose ends. But the way in which the book reached its crescendo, not in a fiery explosion or an earth shattering revelation of biblical purport, was lack luster. The inclusion of the CIA, the cavalcade of 33rd degree masons and publicity of the who’s-who of Washington seemed to me an interesting plot point, but hardly reason to blow up historical property, and murder several innocent bystanders, but then, this is a suspense novel, and this YouTubian plot device was just as much a stage setting as the Masons themselves (twitter even got a mention to put the story in a contemporary but soon to be outdated setting).
Really, would the world be so traumatized to see people, who are already pretty open about being Masons, being Masons?
In the end, it was a good book, fun, flighty, suspenseful, with a few a-ha and gasp moments. Was it worth the 5 year wait, I’ll let you be the judge, but it was a nice testament to Freemasonry, and very tasteful in its portrayal of the ancient and honorable fraternity, to which I say thank you to Dan Brown. I give the book 7.5 out of 10 stars, and can say that I enjoyed reading it, and I think that you will too.
For those who read the book, but are wondering what Freemasonry is about, I recommend this Free E-book “What is Freemasonry?.”
Many books have been written about Freemasonry’s “occult” symbolism, the assertion of its quasi religious practice, the connections between Freemasonry and the founding fathers, and the bizarre layout of Washington D.C. Each of these texts offer a glimpse into the present tense fraternity, as they ask the same questions that many masons themselves ask. But those books fall short of answering questions put forth by those without any prior knowledge of the craft. That is why this book is a must read for anyone asking the question “What is Freemasonry?”
As the fraternity enters into the 21st century digital age, there needed to be an answer to that question. There needed to be an easier way to communicate the particulars of what Freemasonry is today, right now, which is at the heart of this free e-book.
I encourage you to download the e-book, read it, and share it with others. As you go through it, I hope that it will help you to explore the questions put forth in it that describe what the modern fraternity is today and how it exists in the present.
The Prince Hall Memorial will not bear its namesake’s image when it is erected on Cambridge Common this November. No pictures of the indentured servant-turned-abolitionist can be found, nor much description on which to base an artist’s depiction.
And while Prince Hall’s contributions to American history and the antislavery movement are familiar to historians and members of the Masonic lodge he created, he is not a well-known figure.
Join us tonight for Masonic Central tonight as we host another edition of our Table Talk and catch up on the events and goings on of the fraternity in the last few weeks of Freemasonry. This is also an opportunity to ask the hosts any questions that you may have about the fraternity, the show, or just call in with your questions and comments. We always love to hear from everyone out there listening, and tonight is the night to call in! Some of the topics in the air is a follow up to the social media discussion from last week, the upcoming Dan Brown book “The Lost Symbol”, and an exciting symposium coming together in 2010 in Kansas.
Join us for this special hour long program on Masonic Central Sunday, September 6th starting at 6pm PDT/9pm EST. For your questions and comments to the show call: (347) 677-0936 during the program.
Michael Jackson is said to be interred in his final resting place today at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. But few, outside of certain circles, know that amidst the beautiful statues and reliquaries stands a lonely Masonic memorial, that is in fact one of the largest sculptures on the grounds.
Once upon a time, Freemasonry was huge in Los Angeles, so big in fact that it managed to carve out a section of the now prestigious cemetery to the stars.
Buried on the grounds of the park are celebrities a plenty including: Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, Jean Harlow, Humphrey Bogart, Mary Pickford, Errol Flynn, Spencer Tracy, George Burns & Gracie Allen, W.C. Fields, Tom Mix, Clayton Moore, Sammy Davis Jr., Walt Disney, Red Skelton, Robert Young, Lon Chaney, Nat King Cole, Sid Grauman, Louis L’Amour to name but a few. And for those really paying attention, you may notice a few Masonic Brothers on the list.
There in a quiet and some what isolated corner of the park stands a lone Masonic memorial surrounded by hundreds (maybe thousands) of grave markers decorated not by the signs of their respective faiths but by the Square and Compass. After looking around for a few minutes, it becomes clear that this portion of the cemetery is a Masonic cemetery.
And, its no surprise, the founder of the Memorial Park himself was a brother of the white apron, whose Masonic history is chronicled in Denslow’s 10,000 Famous Freemasons saying of him:
Hubert Eaton – (June 3, 1881 – September 20, 1966) Originator of the “memorial-park” plan for cemeteries, substituting tablets set level with the lawn for tombstones, providing art collections, historical buildings, etc., thereby revolutionizing cemeteries throughout the U.S. He is known as “the builder” of Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, Calif., which is noted for its collection of stained glass works of American sculptors and recreations of Last Supper and Calvary. b. June 3, 1881 at Liberty, Mo., he graduated from William Jewell Coll. in Liberty in 1902. A chemist, he has been associated with many of the main mining companies of America including Anaconda, Teziutlan Copper (Mexico), Adaven Mining (Nev.). Raised in Euclid Lodge No. 58, Great Falls, Mont. in 1905 and presently member of Southern California Lodge No. 278, Los Angeles. Member of Liberty Chapter No. 3, R.A.M., Liberty, Mo., Los Angeles Commandery No. 9, K.T., Al Malaikah Shrine of Los Angeles and of Shrine Patrol. Served as junior deacon of his lodge.
In 2007, I was able to spend the afternoon at the memorial with my wife, and during that brief excursion, I was able to explore the reverential memorial, and pay homage to my beloved passed brethren. With so many passed fellow travelers in the shadow of the memorial, and the monument itself, the experience impressed upon me that at one point (in the not to distant past) Freemasonry was HUGE here and really important to these brothers laid to rest around the memorial.
Rather than go into great detail in describing the memorial, I’ll let the visuals speak for themselves. But I do want to say that despite all the hoopla of the media circus that will surround Michael Jackson’s final resting place, the cemetery of his choosing is also a quiet memorial to Freemasonry and the brothers who have come this way before.
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Grand Lodge of Colorado Masonic membership:
Informational Content:
, Freemasons were well versed to talk about the founding fathers and the Knights Templar. With the lost symbol, lodges and individual Masons need to be just as prepared to talk about 
when he quoted “To live in the world without becoming aware of the meaning of the world is like wandering about in a great library without touching the books.” Brown circumvented the patriotic picture of Washington (the man) and went directly to the post war enlightenment that tapped into the ideas of Francis Bacon’s New Atlantis and 
’s deism (all faiths beginning at one source).
has artfully woven an update of an ancient parable into a modern suspense novel that features prominently the one group that should be most apt to see the connection, the Freemasons. Freemasonry, a fraternity “veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols”, is central to the plot under pinning’s, but by its end, merely the back drop by which the modern parable is played out.
is a prime example, the telling of the story of the Christ, but not as a divine emanation of God, but rather a mortal man who walked the earth like the rest of us. Brown’s novel was a work of fiction then, just as it is now with his release of the 
, as in the unfolding pages, the actions and activities seem to be bullet points on a map of D.C. rather than more well thought out (or conceived) stages. It seems most of Langdon’s ah-ha moments happen in the less important rooms of these Washington landmarks. Sub sub basements, kitchens, and church offices hardly seem as sexy as the Vatican library, but their mundane setting is really the same places all of us have time to reflect and think in our day to day life. This secondary settings may be a clever illusion to the importance of the idea of discover of the inner sanctum to which we each must travel for our own discoveries, but again, this is Dan brown, and he is writing about the allegorical and symbolic Masons, so you must treat the text with just as much symbolic verve. And brown’s use of these locations give clues to the broader idea of the story too, the chamber of reflection in the 
features large here, but not in a first person the reason de etre way, but in a “this is similar to this” allegorical way. Religious mysticism (of all religions) is really at the core of this new science, but besides being an early plot point and step stone to link Freemasonry, mysticism, and 
