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Post by Tamrin on Jan 21, 2010 7:18:55 GMT 10
Mysteries, like the Masonic rites, are ones parents and elders are sworn not to reveal to the uninitiated, which include all children
Anthony E Hecht (Awarded Bollingen Prize for Poetry this day 1983)
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Post by Tamrin on Jan 21, 2010 7:24:53 GMT 10
Within Freemasonry there is a tendency to embellish and add to the simplicity of masonic teachings, ascribing significance where none was intended; mistaking visual mnemonics or artistic licence for symbolic depth. Those outside Freemasonry fall into similar error with the added intent of deprecating that which they do not understand
Anon., Grand Lodge British Columbia & Yukon
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Post by Tamrin on Jan 21, 2010 8:51:33 GMT 10
Freemasonry is a moral order, instituted by virtuous men, with the praiseworthy design of recalling to our remembrance the most sublime truths, in the midst of the most innocent and social pleasures, founded on liberality, brotherly love and charity
Augustus C.L. Arnold
For centuries had Freemasonry existed ere modern political controversies were ever heard of, and when the topics which now agitate society were not known, but all were united in brotherhood and affection. I know the institution to be founded on the great principles of charity, philanthropy, and brotherly love
Bulweb
Freemasonry is an institution based on that never-failing charity which upholds universal love, calms the troubled sea of our evil passions, and leaves a smooth surface, in which all men, who are sincere and conscientious worshipers of God, and unexceptionable in moral deportment, may unite, bless each other, and rejoice in practically realizing the sublime sentiment that God hath made mankind one mighty brotherhood, himself their master, and the world his lodge
Dr J. Burns
From its origin to the present hour, in all its vicissitudes, Masonry has been the steady, unvarying friend of man
Rev. Erastus Burr
Freemasonry is an establishment founded on the benevolent intention of extending and conferring mutual happiness upon the best and truest principles of moral life and social virtue
Wellins Calcott
The prosperity of Masonry as a means of strengthening our religion, and propagating truth brotherly love, is one of the dearest wishes of my heart, which, I trust, will be gratified by the help of the Grand Architect of the universe
Christian, King of Denmark
Freemasonry is "veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols" because these are the surest way by which moral and ethical truths may be taught. It is not only with the brain and with the mind that the initiate must take Freemasonry but also with the heart
C.H. Claudy
Masonry superadds to our other obligations the strongest ties of connection between it and the cultivation of virtue, and furnishes the most powerful incentives to goodness
Dewitt Clinton
I highly venerate the Masonic institution, under the fullest persuasion that where its principles are acknowledged, and its laws and precepts obeyed, it comes nearest to the Christian religion, in its moral effects and influence, of any institution with which I am acquainted
Rev. Fred Dalcho
Freemasonry is an institution founded on eternal reason and truth; whose deep basis is the civilization of mankind, and whose everlasting glory it is to have the immovable support of those two mighty pillars, science and morality
Dr. William Dodd
It is noble in its administration; to think and let think, beyond the narrow contracted prejudices of bitter sectarians in these modern times. It is general of universal language, fitted to benefit the poor stranger, which no other institution is calculated to reach by extending the beneficent hand
Lorenzo Dow
I have ever felt it my duty to support and encourage the principles of Freemasonry, because it powerfully develops all social and benevolent affections
Lord Durham
Its laws are reason and equity; its principles benevolence and love; and its religion purity and truth; its intention is peace on earth; and its disposition good-will toward man
Rev T.M. Harris
Freemasonry is an institution calculated to benefit mankind
Andrew Jackson
Freemasonry was one of the social practises that transmitted to the continent a vocabulary that put freedom and equality central on the word list
Central to masonic identity was the belief that merit and not birth constitutes the foundation for social and political order
We should never under estimate the emotional pull of masonic rituals, the intensity of loyalty they could inspire
Margaret C Jacob
The Masonic system exhibits a stupendous and beautiful fabric, founded on universal piety. To rule and direct our passions; to have faith and love in God, and charity toward man
Stephen Jones
Freemasonry is an order whose leading star is philanthropy, and whose principles inculcate an unceasing devotion to the cause of virtue and morality
Marquis de La Fayette
Everything which tends to combine men by stronger ties is useful to humanity; in this point of view, Masonry is entitled to respect
Joseph Jerome de Lalande
Freemasonry is an ancient and respectable institution, embracing individuals of every nation, of every religion, and of every condition in life. Wealth, power and talents, are not necessary to the person of a Freemason. An unblemished character and virtuous conduct are the only qualifications for admission in to the Order
William Alexander Laurie
Freemasonry embraces the highest moral laws and will bear the test of any system of ethics or philosophy ever promulgated for the uplift of man
Douglas MacArthur
Freemasonry is a science of symbols, in which, by their proper study, a search is instituted after truth — that truth consisting in the knowledge of the divine and human nature, of God and the human soul
Albert G. Mackey
I think we are warranted in contending that a society thus constituted, and which may be rendered so admirable an engine of improvement, far from meriting reproach, deserves highly of the community
Rev. Dr. Milne
A Mason's Lodge is a school of piety. The principal emblems are the teachers
Rev. Dr. Norval
The study of Freemasonry is the study of man as a candidate for a blessed eternity. It furnishes examples of holy living, and displays the conduct which is pleasing and acceptable to God. The doctrine and examples which distinguish the Order are obvious and suited to every capacity. It is impossible for the most fastidious Mason to misunderstand, however he may slight or neglect them. It is impossible for the most superficial brother to say that he is unable to comprehend the plain precepts, and the unanswerable arguments which are furnished by Freemasonry
Rev. George Oliver
To me, Freemasonry is one form of dedication to God and service to humanity
Rev. Norman V. Peale
There are great Truths at the foundation of Freemasonry — truths which it is its mission to teach — and which as constituting the very essence of that sublime system which gives to the venerable institution its peculiar identity as a science of morality, and it behooves every disciple diligently to ponder and inwardly digest
Albert Pike
Masonry is an art, useful and extensive, which comprehends within its circle every branch of useful knowledge and learning, and stamps an indelible mark of preeminence on its genuine professors, which neither chance, power, nor fortune can bestow
William Preston
The precepts of the Gospel were universally the obligations of Masonry
Rev. Dr. Russeli
I regard the Masonic institution as one of the means ordained by the Supreme Architect to enable mankind to work out the problem of destiny; to fight against, and overcome, the weaknesses and imperfections of his nature, and at last to attain to that true life of which death is the herald, and the grave the portal
John W. Simons
The aims of Freemasonry are not limited to one form of operation, or one mode of benevolence. Its object is at once moral and social. It proposes both to cultivate the mind and enlarge and purify the heart
Rev. J.O. Skinner
Charity, or brotherly kindness, is as much a Masonic as it is a Christian virtue
Rev. Dr. Slade
Masonry is one of the most sublime and perfect institutions that ever was formed for the advancement of happiness, and the general good of mankind, creating, in all its varieties, universal benevolence and brotherly love
Duke of Sussex
We represent a fraternity which believes in justice and truth and honourable action in your community... men who are endeavouring to be better citizens... to make a great country greater. This is the only institution in the world where we can meet on the level all sorts of people who want to live rightly
Although I hold the highest civil honour in the world, I have always regarded my rank and title as a Past Grand Master of Masons the greatest honour that had ever come to me
Harry S. Truman
The grand object of Masonry is to promote the happiness of the human race
George Washington
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Post by Tamrin on Jan 21, 2010 8:53:36 GMT 10
Freemasonry is an institution essentially philanthropic and progressive, which has for its basis the existence of God and the immortality of the soul. It has for its object the exercise of benevolence, the study of universal morality, and the practice of all the virtues
Constitution Grand Orient of France
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Post by Tamrin on Jan 21, 2010 9:31:20 GMT 10
Piatigorsky's Masonic Paradoxes (p.xiii):But who can speak of secrecy when the minimum bibliography on Masonry amounts to some 60,000 titles? This is the first of the Masonic paradoxes: secrecy which is no secrecy at all...
The second paradox is this: Freemasonry has existed almost unchanged since the beginning of the eighteenth century, quietly defying history and the march of time, while simultaneously being more obsessed with its own history than any other institution in the world. From the start, the Craft (as it is often referred to) has assiduously recorded its existence year by year, month by month, day by day, constantly defining its own past, while remaining almost unaffected by the history of mankind in general. The whole corpus of Masonic historical literature rivals in size — if not exceeds — the collection of works devoted to the history of any major country during the same period (1717 - 1990). Freemasonry and Religion (p.348):Without the Ritual Freemasonry would simply be another Rotary Club or Society of Oddfellows. With its Ritual it is comparable to Buddhist tantrism — and in this respect more religious than the church of Scientology, Quakerism, or even the Low Church. Alexander Piatigorsky, Freemasonry: The Study of a Phenomenon, 1999 (org. 1997 as Who's Afraid of Freemasons?), The Harvill Press, London
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Post by Tamrin on Jan 21, 2010 9:44:36 GMT 10
Hamill & Gilbert's Major Problems (p.9):For over a hundred years Masonic historians have been arguing over the origins of Freemasonry. Their arguments have been hampered by two major problems. First, there is the paucity of primary evidence necessary to prove any one theory. Second, there is the mass of material, written by both Masonic and non-masonic writers, which appears to prove conclusively a particular theory. Masonic historiography has been bedevilled by well-meaning writers who have glossed over gaps in evidence, misinterpreted evidence, invented evidence, accepted obvious forgeries as evidence, and taken similarities between Freemasonry and other organizations as meaning that they either linked up with each other, had a common ancestor, or grew out of each other. John Hamill and R.A. Gilbert, World Freemasonry: An Illustrated History, 1991, The Aquarian Press, London
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Post by Tamrin on Jan 30, 2010 8:16:17 GMT 10
Hamill's Origins Question (p.18):Do we actually want to find out our origins? If we did the event would be greeted with great joy by Masonic historians. But it would be joy tinged with sadness for were our origins found I and many other Masonic students would be deprived of the great fun and enjoyment of the search for, and the argument over, that great question — what was the origin of Freemasonry? John Hamill, "Whence Come We?" Masonic Perspectives — The Collected Papers of John Hamill, 1992, The Australian Masonic Research Council, Belmont, Victoria
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Post by Tamrin on Jan 30, 2010 9:01:28 GMT 10
Hamill & Gilbert's Problems with the Direct Link Theory (pp.12/13):To all appearances we have a direct link [between operative stonemasonry and speculative Freemasonry], but appearances can be deceptive and a close examination of the evidence and the addition of evidence of other contemporary events throws up a number of anomalies. The first problem is that there is no evidence of operative lodges in England after about 1500 and certainly no evidence of operative lodges accepting non-operatives. The second problem is that in England in 1646 Elias Ashmole was made a Free Mason in a lodge specifically called for that purpose. Ashmole records the names of all those present and none of them had any operative connections. Nor is there any evidence that the lodge was a permanent one, simply a group of Freemasons forming a temporary lodge for a specific purpose. Other English evidence from the seventeenth century points to similar circumstances: the lack of operative lodges and the making of Freemasons by other Freemasons with no operative connections. Indeed Randle Holme III makes a specific differentiation between the operative Company of Masons and the Society of Freemasons.
The keystone of the direct link theory is the existence of Scottish operative lodges admitting non-operatives; but how much value can we place on this as evidence of speculative Freemasonry? We do not know what form of ritual was worked in those lodges. We do not know if this ritual was altered for the admission of accepted Masons. Because of this lack of evidence we do not know what effect, if any, the accepted Masons had on the operative lodges. On the basis of our present evidence we believe that the accepted Masons in Scottish lodges were simply honorary members, not the first speculative Freemasons. Their position appears to have been similar to members of the Royal Family in England today who are inducted into many groups and societies, of which they have no practical experience, as honorary members of [sic] patrons.
Those who support the direct descent theory dismiss the lack of evidence for standing operative lodges in England by claiming that the evidence must have been destroyed and that because of the closeness of England and Scotland what happened in Scotland must also have happened in England. This is to ignore the totally separate historical, political, religious, legal, and social developments in Scotland and England. Until the union of the two crowns in the person of James VI of Scotland and I of England [1603], Scotland and England were totally separate and distinct nations. Indeed for much of the 1400s and 1500s Scotland had closer ties and more in common with France [Auld Alliance] than it had with its southern neighbour.
It is because of these conflicting strands — the existence of Freemasons without operative connections and the lack of operative lodges in England, combined with the existence of operative lodges in Scotland admitting accepted Masons but no evidence for Freemasonry without operative connections — that, on the basis of our present evidence, we find we cannot accept the theory of a direct descent. John Hamill and R.A. Gilbert, World Freemasonry: An Illustrated History, 1991, The Aquarian Press, London
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Post by Tamrin on Jan 31, 2010 1:30:35 GMT 10
Those who become Freemasons only for the sake of finding out the secret of the order, run a very great risk of growing old under the trowel without ever realizing their purpose. Yet there is a secret, but it is so inviolable that it has never been confided or whispered to anyone. Those who stop at the outward crust of things imagine that the secret consists in words, in signs, or that the main point of it is to be found only in reaching the highest degree. This is a mistaken view: the man who guesses the secret of Freemasonry, and to know it you must guess it, reaches that point only through long attendance in the lodges, through deep thinking, comparison, and deduction.
He would not trust that secret to his best friend in Freemasonry, because he is aware that if his friend has not found it out, he could not make any use of it after it had been whispered in his ear. No, he keeps his peace, and the secret remains a secret.
Giovanni Giacomo Casanova, Memoirs, Volume 2a, Paris, p. 33
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Post by Tamrin on Jan 31, 2010 13:05:45 GMT 10
UGLE's Landmarks (Jones, p.335):Just as there is no authoritative definition, so no landmarks are named by the English Grand Lodge, which, in its wisdom, has neither defined nor specified them. It has been well said that ‘inferentially if the landmarks were approved by the Constitutions the same authority could disapprove, whereas landmarks are unchangeable.’ It should be impossible, therefore, for anybody to dogmatize in a matter in which Grand Lodge makes no pronouncement, and in which experienced masons cannot agree. Bernard Jones, Freemasons Guide and Compendium, 1956 edition, Harrap, London
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