MasonicMinute.com » 2007

November 29, 2007
aedifico42\| On Digging Deeper… Posted at: 11:15 am While many of our contemporaries - especially those of us who read a great deal and tend to take the Craft very seriously - encourage the ‘average’ Mason to get off his ass and learn more…we don’t do too good of a job guiding others. Part of that, I believe, is the fact that there are too few Masons around the United States who have the kind of mentoring the need to guide them. For example…who would know to look to Bullfinch or Graves (or, actually, both) to learn lessons about the first three York Rite (Blue Lodge) degrees? In Arizona, we are lucky to have an Education Academy that focuses on the esoteric, philosophic and historical aspects of the Craft. We also have the usual ‘leadership development’ and ‘administrative/budgeting’ conferences…but nobody really joined our fraternity to learn how to be an effective listener with clean books….right? At our Academy, we encourage learning and debate. Since its inception a few years ago, there have been lectures on Gematria, debates about the Templar connection, new versions of current rituals and a whole host of other topics too numerous and interesting to name here. In fact, some of the greatest Masonic learning occurs over a glass of the good stuff and a cigar, late in the evening…usually in an outdoor setting (Spring in Arizona is wonderful). In fact, there are so many good mentors being developed in Arizona (and by mentor, I speak of a man well-enough versed in the Craft to guide another on the path to further light) that the future is very very bright. The big problem that I have here is this…I do not want to spread this light over the internet. Sure it’s selfish…but who cares? This is my fraternity…and if you are not a part of it, why should I give you a clear look into the inner-workings of the knowledge and light we have to offer? Besides, spoon-feeding information over the internet does not allow for the kind of personal contact and fellowship one can get from the one-on-one interactions that live teaching provides. So, I put this out there as, I guess, an idea for others. Get a couple of guys together from your local lodges and have a saturday afternoon of papers. Have a nice meal afterwards, then sit around and talk about it all over drinks. It is a perfect way to get to know your brothers, and to learn from each other. This is the kind of digging deeper…at least a method that I know works…that we should continue to promote. Yes, it does require preparation and planning…but there are no better memories built than those made with friends over a campfire…trading stories and information the old-fashioned way. Dig deeper my brothers… P.S. I will continue to skip…like a rock over a pond…onto and into topics of esoteric interest and of philosophic nature as I have…but I think we ought to do more on a local level with the guys around us. Don’t get me wrong, I like the cyber-Masonic community very much. I just find myself more and more impressed with the Masons around me, and I hope that everyone out there in CyberMasonia will soon start feeling the same way.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (2)

November 29, 2007

Posted at: 11:15 am

While many of our contemporaries - especially those of us who read a great deal and tend to take the Craft very seriously - encourage the ‘average’ Mason to get off his ass and learn more…we don’t do too good of a job guiding others.

Part of that, I believe, is the fact that there are too few Masons around the United States who have the kind of mentoring the need to guide them. For example…who would know to look to Bullfinch or Graves (or, actually, both) to learn lessons about the first three York Rite (Blue Lodge) degrees?

In Arizona, we are lucky to have an Education Academy that focuses on the esoteric, philosophic and historical aspects of the Craft. We also have the usual ‘leadership development’ and ‘administrative/budgeting’ conferences…but nobody really joined our fraternity to learn how to be an effective listener with clean books….right?

At our Academy, we encourage learning and debate. Since its inception a few years ago, there have been lectures on Gematria, debates about the Templar connection, new versions of current rituals and a whole host of other topics too numerous and interesting to name here. In fact, some of the greatest Masonic learning occurs over a glass of the good stuff and a cigar, late in the evening…usually in an outdoor setting (Spring in Arizona is wonderful).

In fact, there are so many good mentors being developed in Arizona (and by mentor, I speak of a man well-enough versed in the Craft to guide another on the path to further light) that the future is very very bright. The big problem that I have here is this…I do not want to spread this light over the internet.

Sure it’s selfish…but who cares? This is my fraternity…and if you are not a part of it, why should I give you a clear look into the inner-workings of the knowledge and light we have to offer? Besides, spoon-feeding information over the internet does not allow for the kind of personal contact and fellowship one can get from the one-on-one interactions that live teaching provides.

So, I put this out there as, I guess, an idea for others. Get a couple of guys together from your local lodges and have a saturday afternoon of papers. Have a nice meal afterwards, then sit around and talk about it all over drinks. It is a perfect way to get to know your brothers, and to learn from each other.

This is the kind of digging deeper…at least a method that I know works…that we should continue to promote. Yes, it does require preparation and planning…but there are no better memories built than those made with friends over a campfire…trading stories and information the old-fashioned way.

Dig deeper my brothers…

P.S. I will continue to skip…like a rock over a pond…onto and into topics of esoteric interest and of philosophic nature as I have…but I think we ought to do more on a local level with the guys around us. Don’t get me wrong, I like the cyber-Masonic community very much. I just find myself more and more impressed with the Masons around me, and I hope that everyone out there in CyberMasonia will soon start feeling the same way.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (2)

November 27, 2007
emeraldi42\| The Masonic Challenge Coin Posted at: 5:04 pm Oh the ideas some come up with! There’s nothing like a few brethren getting together and discussing this or that to spice up their lodge activities or go against the grain on a few issues. Hence came the idea of the masonic challenge coin. The masonic challenge coin was tossed in as an idea when discussing gifts for first time visitors, masonic vip’s or a newly raised Master Mason. Most of the lodges that I have been to will usually have a lapel pin or some other piece of jewelry for this purpose but fresh ideas flow like wine in certain company and the masonic challenge coin was one of them. Some of you might know of the challenge coin used by military personnel and the many traditions they carry whether it be at the local bar or as a gift from an officer for a job well done. A couple years ago I was given a masonic coin from the Grand Master that commemorated his year in office. I looked at it and thought “neat, it’s a masonic challenge coin!”. It actually wasn’t and I wasn’t about to go up to the bar in the hotel and slam it down in front of the first brother I came across and demand a drink, but I did think it was quite cool and went back to my lodge and showed it off. I still have this masonic challenge coin and I was thinking that it would be a great gift for lodge members, something a little different that another pin to be tossed in the jar with the other 200. It could even be a state-wide custom where every lodge has their masonic challenge coin like they have their banners and then the brethren can try to collect them all, like the new quarters. And then of course you can always go up to a brother at the bar during the next academy, slam your masonic challenge coin down and if he doesn’t have his then it’s a matter of naming your poison. Who knows? Maybe a masonic challenge coin can be given to the brethren when they recieve their Mark Master coin and have their mark engraved on that as well. Or you could just use the masonic challenge coin as a small paperwieght. The idea of the masonic challenge coin is still in the air but if any of you have them already for your lodge, or remember them from your days in the armed forces let us know of your opinions and ideas and maybe the masonic challenge coin might just become another part of the fraternity’s tradition.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (6)

November 27, 2007

emeraldi42| The Masonic Challenge Coin

Posted at: 5:04 pm

Oh the ideas some come up with! There’s nothing like a few brethren getting together and discussing this or that to spice up their lodge activities or go against the grain on a few issues. Hence came the idea of the masonic challenge coin. The masonic challenge coin was tossed in as an idea when discussing gifts for first time visitors, masonic vip’s or a newly raised Master Mason. Most of the lodges that I have been to will usually have a lapel pin or some other piece of jewelry for this purpose but fresh ideas flow like wine in certain company and the masonic challenge coin was one of them.

Some of you might know of the challenge coin used by military personnel and the many traditions they carry whether it be at the local bar or as a gift from an officer for a job well done. A couple years ago I was given a masonic coin from the Grand Master that commemorated his year in office. I looked at it and thought “neat, it’s a masonic challenge coin!”. It actually wasn’t and I wasn’t about to go up to the bar in the hotel and slam it down in front of the first brother I came across and demand a drink, but I did think it was quite cool and went back to my lodge and showed it off. I still have this masonic challenge coin and I was thinking that it would be a great gift for lodge members, something a little different that another pin to be tossed in the jar with the other 200. It could even be a state-wide custom where every lodge has their masonic challenge coin like they have their banners and then the brethren can try to collect them all, like the new quarters. And then of course you can always go up to a brother at the bar during the next academy, slam your masonic challenge coin down and if he doesn’t have his then it’s a matter of naming your poison.

Who knows? Maybe a masonic challenge coin can be given to the brethren when they recieve their Mark Master coin and have their mark engraved on that as well. Or you could just use the masonic challenge coin as a small paperwieght. The idea of the masonic challenge coin is still in the air but if any of you have them already for your lodge, or remember them from your days in the armed forces let us know of your opinions and ideas and maybe the masonic challenge coin might just become another part of the fraternity’s tradition.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (6)


aedifico42\| History of the Freemasons Posted at: 4:37 pm For many of us, the History of the Freemasons is a curious and very interesting topic. Whether we are focused on our humble origins as free masons, or whether we see something like a freemasons history (on a personal level) is unimportant. History itself is where we learn today’s lessons for tomorrow’s use. And so it is that the History of the Freemasons continues to be a topic of great interest on many of our Masonic Blogs. From KingSolomon’s Lodge to the Burning Taper to some of the newer ones…our freemasons history is a topic of great interest. But why? Are we not the single greatest secret society in the world? Does the legend of freemasons controling the world not ring true with free masons around the planet? Why then would we take so much time and spend so much energy on our past? The answer is simple…we don’t know exactly what our past is. Suprising to many non-Masons…perhaps. But the truth is that the actual History of the Freemasons is not known to many of our own brothers in the Craft. In fact a freemasons history is pretty individual…as is the history of America, Europe and many other societies and cultures. We reflect individually on those things that we like and sometimes ignore the stuff that we don’t like…for a variety of reasons. Anyway…thinking about how we each individually ponder the History of the Freemasons is one of our main goals here at MasonicMinute.com Well, not exactly. It’s actually one of many goals. But before we go too much further, with other topics I wanted to take a bit of a survey from our readers… Please let us know what you like and dislike about our blog. This is not just some selfish soap-box from where I get to blab about the History of the Freemasons or free masons (if you prefer) or wine and cheese or a masonic motorcycle club (although we have not hit that subject yet). I ike to think of this as my living-room. A place where you can come-in, sit down with a cup of coffee (or your beverage of choice…perhaps Makers Mark?) and enjoy some conversation… Except faster and with no opportunity to interrupt. Hopefully, future generations will see the History of the Freemasons (like us blogger freemasons) with a favorable eye. I hope they will look at our conversations with some admiration, and perhaps learn a bit from our exchanges. So, enough for today…please let us know, however, what you think about the question asked above by commenting below. Thanks.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (1)

aedifico42| History of the Freemasons

Posted at: 4:37 pm

For many of us, the History of the Freemasons is a curious and very interesting topic. Whether we are focused on our humble origins as free masons, or whether we see something like a freemasons history (on a personal level) is unimportant. History itself is where we learn today’s lessons for tomorrow’s use.

And so it is that the History of the Freemasons continues to be a topic of great interest on many of our Masonic Blogs. From KingSolomon’s Lodge to the Burning Taper to some of the newer ones…our freemasons history is a topic of great interest. But why?

Are we not the single greatest secret society in the world? Does the legend of freemasons controling the world not ring true with free masons around the planet? Why then would we take so much time and spend so much energy on our past?

The answer is simple…we don’t know exactly what our past is.

Suprising to many non-Masons…perhaps. But the truth is that the actual History of the Freemasons is not known to many of our own brothers in the Craft. In fact a freemasons history is pretty individual…as is the history of America, Europe and many other societies and cultures. We reflect individually on those things that we like and sometimes ignore the stuff that we don’t like…for a variety of reasons.

Anyway…thinking about how we each individually ponder the History of the Freemasons is one of our main goals here at MasonicMinute.com Well, not exactly. It’s actually one of many goals. But before we go too much further, with other topics I wanted to take a bit of a survey from our readers…

Please let us know what you like and dislike about our blog. This is not just some selfish soap-box from where I get to blab about the History of the Freemasons or free masons (if you prefer) or wine and cheese or a masonic motorcycle club (although we have not hit that subject yet). I ike to think of this as my living-room. A place where you can come-in, sit down with a cup of coffee (or your beverage of choice…perhaps Makers Mark?) and enjoy some conversation…

Except faster and with no opportunity to interrupt.

Hopefully, future generations will see the History of the Freemasons (like us blogger freemasons) with a favorable eye. I hope they will look at our conversations with some admiration, and perhaps learn a bit from our exchanges.

So, enough for today…please let us know, however, what you think about the question asked above by commenting below. Thanks.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (1)

November 26, 2007
emeraldi42\| Masonic Telepathy (and a challenge) Posted at: 1:49 am No, not that kind of telepathy. What I’m talking about is the somewhat supernatural happenings within the world of masonry without any direct collaboration between actors. For example in early March I was writing an article to be submitted to our state masonic publication about what younger Masons (age wise) want and their expectations from the fraternity. The day after I put my final draft of the desk of AEdifico for his opinion I recieved the March/April issue of the Scottish Rite Journal which contained a fantastic article entitled Thoughts from a Young Mason by Bro. G. Cliff Porter. This article had the exact content of mine, just formatted differently. I laughed at my bad timing and sent an email praising Bro. Porter for his article and sentiments. Another example: AEdifico and I are planning to bring back the chamber of reflection in our lodge and had purchased the props needed and had done some research on how it should be set up, etc. I found a few articles describing what we needed but then I recieved the October 2007 issue of The Philalethes which on the first page had an article about the chamber of reflection stating in the beginning that the increase of interest in the chamber inspired the author to publish his article. Now, I am not in constant contact with Masons from all over the country on a regular basis. I don’t publish any articles in any masonic publication except for my lodge Trestleboard and this blog but for some reason whenever I come across young, active Masons from across my state and the country it is clear that we are all on the same wavelength with similar desires and progressive ideas about Freemasonry. Everything from raising dues, starting lodge-based research clubs and organizations, going back to tuxes and gloves, emphasis on education, shedding the ‘good ol boy’ image of Masons, the thirst for intellectual enlightenment and an overall re-examination of the direction the craft is going has been on the minds of many of the young Masonic leadership that I come across yet we have never met each other or communicated with each other. This happens almost everytime I meet a young Mason for the first time and hear their ideas and opinions of the craft and when you see it enough it does become very twilight zone-ish. Without citing every instance of ‘masonic telepathy’ I will leave you with one more and a challenge. I was doing some personal research on my favorite SR degree (30th) and the Order of the Temple. Now, anybody with open eyes and half a brain (who has taken these degrees) can see that these degrees follow the same subject matter. In DeHoyos’ book, Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide there is Wagstaff’s poem ‘Ode to a Skull’ which I fell in love with the first time I read it. I was contemplating the prose when I decided to search for any other reference to this poem in a Masonic blogsite or website when I came across a short snippet by a man who I truly respect as one of the greatest thinkers I have ever met (see Break Glass in Case of Emergency blog). He was addressing skull imagery among other things in Masonry and instead of expounding his own ideas he quoted Lord Byron. Not ten minutes before I came across his article did I read the exact poem he quotes. I still had my Complete Works of Byron opened to that selection. (insert scary music). Now my challenge to you is this: For those of you who are not SR or YR Masons this might be a little weird unless you are a complete bibliophile who specializes in romanticism and unless you want a Masonic spoiler disregard said challenge), but to everyone else; taking what you already know about Freemasonry and in a attempt to enjoy an unfamiliar piece of literary work, find the piece written by Byron that would allude to the 30th degree and the Order of the Temple. Read it, enjoy it, and reflect on it. Don’t forget to post your findings in the comments section. First one to get it gets a cookie. Not really.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (6)

November 26, 2007

emeraldi42| Masonic Telepathy (and a challenge)

Posted at: 1:49 am

No, not that kind of telepathy. What I’m talking about is the somewhat supernatural happenings within the world of masonry without any direct collaboration between actors. For example in early March I was writing an article to be submitted to our state masonic publication about what younger Masons (age wise) want and their expectations from the fraternity. The day after I put my final draft of the desk of AEdifico for his opinion I recieved the March/April issue of the Scottish Rite Journal which contained a fantastic article entitled Thoughts from a Young Mason by Bro. G. Cliff Porter. This article had the exact content of mine, just formatted differently. I laughed at my bad timing and sent an email praising Bro. Porter for his article and sentiments. Another example: AEdifico and I are planning to bring back the chamber of reflection in our lodge and had purchased the props needed and had done some research on how it should be set up, etc. I found a few articles describing what we needed but then I recieved the October 2007 issue of The Philalethes which on the first page had an article about the chamber of reflection stating in the beginning that the increase of interest in the chamber inspired the author to publish his article. Now, I am not in constant contact with Masons from all over the country on a regular basis. I don’t publish any articles in any masonic publication except for my lodge Trestleboard and this blog but for some reason whenever I come across young, active Masons from across my state and the country it is clear that we are all on the same wavelength with similar desires and progressive ideas about Freemasonry.

Everything from raising dues, starting lodge-based research clubs and organizations, going back to tuxes and gloves, emphasis on education, shedding the ‘good ol boy’ image of Masons, the thirst for intellectual enlightenment and an overall re-examination of the direction the craft is going has been on the minds of many of the young Masonic leadership that I come across yet we have never met each other or communicated with each other. This happens almost everytime I meet a young Mason for the first time and hear their ideas and opinions of the craft and when you see it enough it does become very twilight zone-ish. Without citing every instance of ‘masonic telepathy’ I will leave you with one more and a challenge.

I was doing some personal research on my favorite SR degree (30th) and the Order of the Temple. Now, anybody with open eyes and half a brain (who has taken these degrees) can see that these degrees follow the same subject matter. In DeHoyos’ book, Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide there is Wagstaff’s poem ‘Ode to a Skull’ which I fell in love with the first time I read it. I was contemplating the prose when I decided to search for any other reference to this poem in a Masonic blogsite or website when I came across a short snippet by a man who I truly respect as one of the greatest thinkers I have ever met (see Break Glass in Case of Emergency blog). He was addressing skull imagery among other things in Masonry and instead of expounding his own ideas he quoted Lord Byron. Not ten minutes before I came across his article did I read the exact poem he quotes. I still had my Complete Works of Byron opened to that selection. (insert scary music). Now my challenge to you is this: For those of you who are not SR or YR Masons this might be a little weird unless you are a complete bibliophile who specializes in romanticism and unless you want a Masonic spoiler disregard said challenge), but to everyone else; taking what you already know about Freemasonry and in a attempt to enjoy an unfamiliar piece of literary work, find the piece written by Byron that would allude to the 30th degree and the Order of the Temple. Read it, enjoy it, and reflect on it. Don’t forget to post your findings in the comments section. First one to get it gets a cookie. Not really.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (6)

November 24, 2007
aedifico42\| On Puke… Posted at: 9:40 pm Ok. So the title is more of an attention getter…but there is a Masonic point to be made regarding regurgitation. Of course I am talking about the verbal kind…not the former-contents-of-your-stomach kind. Anyway… Our lecture ritual consists of two main players…the lecturer and the candidate. After a degree, the lecturer gives the candidate an impressive, and often very long lecture. These lectures begin to explain and explore the meanings of the various forms and ceremonies that we perform during the conferring of degrees…or the ritual. The main point here is the tragedy of regurgitation. Memorized lectures with no further exploration are worth nothing to the lecturer. Some think that “if it’s in the lecture, it’s good enough for me”. This attitude is disappointing. It exposes a kind of ignorance by choice that we should always frown upon and never pitty. It is a lazy approach to Masonry, and should be extinguished from the Craft. Now, to be certain, most lecturers do bother to go deeper than just looking to the plain meaning of the words. Many of us even find two and three different interpretations of various passages in the lectures, tying them into one another in new and fascinating ways. This kind of mental gymnastics requires an intellectual curiosity and a knowledge of the lectures enjoyed by not too many of our brothers. But the advantages to the Craft as a whole are enormous. Think of it…a lecturer who can do more than just recite prose…a man who ‘knows’ the lecture and the lessons it has to offer. Great idea…huh? Well, don’t we think that this was the original intent of the lectures in the first place? Why else would we be expected to memorize the work? Simple regurgitation? If it were that easy, there would be nothing more to the phrase ‘hidden mysteries of Freemasonry’ than a thinly veiled handshake and password. But to be curious and thoughtful is to deliver more…more to your candidates, more to your Lodge, and more to yourself. These are the great aims that our Craft has in view for its most dedicated members. Otherwise, it’s just puke.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (5)

November 24, 2007

aedifico42| On Puke…

Posted at: 9:40 pm

Ok. So the title is more of an attention getter…but there is a Masonic point to be made regarding regurgitation. Of course I am talking about the verbal kind…not the former-contents-of-your-stomach kind. Anyway…

Our lecture ritual consists of two main players…the lecturer and the candidate. After a degree, the lecturer gives the candidate an impressive, and often very long lecture. These lectures begin to explain and explore the meanings of the various forms and ceremonies that we perform during the conferring of degrees…or the ritual.

The main point here is the tragedy of regurgitation. Memorized lectures with no further exploration are worth nothing to the lecturer. Some think that “if it’s in the lecture, it’s good enough for me”. This attitude is disappointing. It exposes a kind of ignorance by choice that we should always frown upon and never pitty. It is a lazy approach to Masonry, and should be extinguished from the Craft.

Now, to be certain, most lecturers do bother to go deeper than just looking to the plain meaning of the words. Many of us even find two and three different interpretations of various passages in the lectures, tying them into one another in new and fascinating ways. This kind of mental gymnastics requires an intellectual curiosity and a knowledge of the lectures enjoyed by not too many of our brothers. But the advantages to the Craft as a whole are enormous.

Think of it…a lecturer who can do more than just recite prose…a man who ‘knows’ the lecture and the lessons it has to offer. Great idea…huh? Well, don’t we think that this was the original intent of the lectures in the first place? Why else would we be expected to memorize the work? Simple regurgitation?

If it were that easy, there would be nothing more to the phrase ‘hidden mysteries of Freemasonry’ than a thinly veiled handshake and password. But to be curious and thoughtful is to deliver more…more to your candidates, more to your Lodge, and more to yourself. These are the great aims that our Craft has in view for its most dedicated members.

Otherwise, it’s just puke.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (5)

November 21, 2007
aedifico42\| On Bandwidth… Posted at: 2:02 pm I have to admit my continued ignorance as to all things internet. My cousin (he’s a computer guy and much better than me at technical junk) set this site-up and told me to start typing. I did. Now we crashed his server because of this bandwidth thing. He says he’s never had that happen. Perhaps it is you, dear reader, that is the problem. Too many of you are visiting this site. I guess that’s ok…knowing that our little discussions are being oogled by a gazillion people is a bit flattering…and sort of scary. Anyway…thanks. He told me it was a good thing and that I should be grateful to all of you. I am…but not because you gave him fits this morning while he “increased my bandwidth” (frankly…I thought my bandwidth was just fine…thank you). I am grateful to all of you who come away with a bit more than you arrived with. Your curiosity and willingness to read the opinions of others is good for our Craft. I also appreciate the comments. They make me happy to be a part of our continuing Masonic conversation. So here’s to killing the server and creating technical problems for my web-hosting cousin. We are probably going to re-design the site now…since we are all big and popular and stuff…so stay tuned. …and I promise that I won’t let this make Emeraldi get all big-headed. Somebody has to keep him in check…
MasonicMinute.com Comments (2)

November 21, 2007

aedifico42| On Bandwidth…

Posted at: 2:02 pm

I have to admit my continued ignorance as to all things internet. My cousin (he’s a computer guy and much better than me at technical junk) set this site-up and told me to start typing. I did.

Now we crashed his server because of this bandwidth thing. He says he’s never had that happen.

Perhaps it is you, dear reader, that is the problem. Too many of you are visiting this site. I guess that’s ok…knowing that our little discussions are being oogled by a gazillion people is a bit flattering…and sort of scary.

Anyway…thanks. He told me it was a good thing and that I should be grateful to all of you. I am…but not because you gave him fits this morning while he “increased my bandwidth” (frankly…I thought my bandwidth was just fine…thank you). I am grateful to all of you who come away with a bit more than you arrived with. Your curiosity and willingness to read the opinions of others is good for our Craft.

I also appreciate the comments. They make me happy to be a part of our continuing Masonic conversation.

So here’s to killing the server and creating technical problems for my web-hosting cousin. We are probably going to re-design the site now…since we are all big and popular and stuff…so stay tuned.

…and I promise that I won’t let this make Emeraldi get all big-headed. Somebody has to keep him in check…

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (2)

November 20, 2007
aedifico42\| On Pike… Posted at: 11:44 am Albert Pike is probably the single most well-known Masonic thinker that exists. His Tome, Morals and Dogma, is forever referred to as the quintessential Scottish Rite authority. What most Masons fail to realize is that Pike discusses the first three degrees…the “Blue Lodge” essentials in the first three substantive chapters of that great work. Too many of us discount Pike as ‘unreadable’ or ‘overly laborious’. Too bad. The information and attitudes in this work, if carefully read and understood by all Masons, would go very very far in helping the Craft to cure what ails it. I am, of course, only speaking of the first three chapters of the book. Is it too much to ask your mentors, Masters and Wardens that they read this? Is it too much to ask that each EA be given the first chapter to study prior to his passing to FC status? Of course not. And the benefits of making these demands on ourselves are so far beyond the inconvenience that opposing such a task is laughable…as much as it is lazy. So why don’t we do this? What do we have to loose from becoming smarter and more well-read? Perhaps the proof is in the way we maintain our Craft. We, generally, don’t expect anything from our “brothers” more than attendance and a good slap on the back once in a while. This attitude of low expectations and menial mental challenges is a disease that we call “brotherly love”. WE tell ourselves that we cannot expect more from our brothers…because it would be asking too much. Balderdash! EXPECT MORE FROM YOURSELF AND YOUR BROTHERS!! Masonic Leaders…I emplore you to ask more of the men standing next to you! Help them to realize that; while ignorance may be bliss, it is still ignorance! Look to Pike. But before you do…ask yourself this question…have I read it yet? Have I bothered to make the effort to improve myself in this particular way? If you cannot honestly say yes…then you must act first. Pike is a great teacher. And while I truly enjoy re-learning my early Masonic lessons from his perspective, I accept that it is his perspective, nothing more. I am not a blind promoter, nor do I think he has the magic key to all knowledge…it just seems that his perspective is more thorough and more reality-based than so many others. Rad the first three chapters of Morals and Dogma. But don’t do it like so many do…just looking at the words so you can say you’ve done it. READ them. THINK about them. MEDITATE on them. Then try to ask yourself why it has taken you so long to understand the value of this exercise. And finally…No more balderdash…please.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (4)

November 20, 2007

aedifico42| On Pike…

Posted at: 11:44 am

Albert Pike is probably the single most well-known Masonic thinker that exists. His Tome, Morals and Dogma, is forever referred to as the quintessential Scottish Rite authority.

What most Masons fail to realize is that Pike discusses the first three degrees…the “Blue Lodge” essentials in the first three substantive chapters of that great work.

Too many of us discount Pike as ‘unreadable’ or ‘overly laborious’. Too bad. The information and attitudes in this work, if carefully read and understood by all Masons, would go very very far in helping the Craft to cure what ails it. I am, of course, only speaking of the first three chapters of the book.

Is it too much to ask your mentors, Masters and Wardens that they read this? Is it too much to ask that each EA be given the first chapter to study prior to his passing to FC status? Of course not. And the benefits of making these demands on ourselves are so far beyond the inconvenience that opposing such a task is laughable…as much as it is lazy.

So why don’t we do this? What do we have to loose from becoming smarter and more well-read? Perhaps the proof is in the way we maintain our Craft. We, generally, don’t expect anything from our “brothers” more than attendance and a good slap on the back once in a while. This attitude of low expectations and menial mental challenges is a disease that we call “brotherly love”. WE tell ourselves that we cannot expect more from our brothers…because it would be asking too much.

Balderdash!

EXPECT MORE FROM YOURSELF AND YOUR BROTHERS!! Masonic Leaders…I emplore you to ask more of the men standing next to you! Help them to realize that; while ignorance may be bliss, it is still ignorance!

Look to Pike. But before you do…ask yourself this question…have I read it yet? Have I bothered to make the effort to improve myself in this particular way? If you cannot honestly say yes…then you must act first.

Pike is a great teacher. And while I truly enjoy re-learning my early Masonic lessons from his perspective, I accept that it is his perspective, nothing more. I am not a blind promoter, nor do I think he has the magic key to all knowledge…it just seems that his perspective is more thorough and more reality-based than so many others.

Rad the first three chapters of Morals and Dogma. But don’t do it like so many do…just looking at the words so you can say you’ve done it. READ them. THINK about them. MEDITATE on them. Then try to ask yourself why it has taken you so long to understand the value of this exercise.

And finally…No more balderdash…please.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (4)

November 14, 2007
aedifico42\| On The Internet… Posted at: 7:20 pm The internet is the best and worst thing that could ever happen to Masonry. It is a great tool for members of our craft, and is a place where many of us spend lots of time. It is also a place that has assisted the enemies of our Craft to promulgate their heinous lies and vicious attacks. Ok. So that last part was a bit dramatic…but you get the point. Now to the real questions: Is this type of communication (i.e. this and other blogs, websites, listservs and the like) over the internet truly ‘Masonic Communication’? If so, it is forbidden as none of us really know who is a Mason and who is profane. That having been said, I think it is high time we either create or endorse some kind of Code for Relations Associating Fraternal Technology (C.R.A.F.T.) or Masonic Internet Code for Enforcement (M.I.C.E.) or Laws for the Evaluation of Valued Electronic Language (L.E.V.E.L. or perhaps we can create a Bureau for the Exchange of Electronic Relations (B.E.E.R.) or even a Technology and Electronic Quotient Unifying Intercommunication Laws and Agreements (T.E.Q.U.I.L.A.). Or…we could just be prudent and patient and hope for the best. You decide. But if you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (1)

November 14, 2007

aedifico42| On The Internet…

Posted at: 7:20 pm

The internet is the best and worst thing that could ever happen to Masonry. It is a great tool for members of our craft, and is a place where many of us spend lots of time. It is also a place that has assisted the enemies of our Craft to promulgate their heinous lies and vicious attacks.

Ok. So that last part was a bit dramatic…but you get the point. Now to the real questions: Is this type of communication (i.e. this and other blogs, websites, listservs and the like) over the internet truly ‘Masonic Communication’? If so, it is forbidden as none of us really know who is a Mason and who is profane.

That having been said, I think it is high time we either create or endorse some kind of Code for Relations Associating Fraternal Technology (C.R.A.F.T.) or Masonic Internet Code for Enforcement (M.I.C.E.) or Laws for the Evaluation of Valued Electronic Language (L.E.V.E.L. or perhaps we can create a Bureau for the Exchange of Electronic Relations (B.E.E.R.) or even a Technology and Electronic Quotient Unifying Intercommunication Laws and Agreements (T.E.Q.U.I.L.A.).

Or…we could just be prudent and patient and hope for the best. You decide. But if you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (1)

November 12, 2007
aedifico42\| On Luck… Posted at: 10:00 pm Yet another day comes to a close, and I wonder how many of us believe that ours is a specific fate exacted by nothing less than pre-condition and planning. “What the hell are you talking about AEdifico?” …I can hear you asking. Well, let me get to it. Many of us think that it is the SAOTU who has exacted a plan and is executing it…even with each keystroke I make and with every symbol you interpret as a letter. Then there are some of us who believe that we are given choice…not a complete plan by HIM, but something more like the launching of a little paper boat into a stream…and we get to steer. Lastly, there’s the group of us who believe that, while the SAOTU is an all-encompassing force that regulates the universe, we get most of the choices, and we get to deal with the punishment/rewards later. There are many variations of this, and each of our personal religions addresses them nicely (perhaps some more nicely than others, but I will keep these personal judgements personal). The one thing that is not addressed in most Western Religions is luck. But why? Luck is a HUGE part of our culture…the vernacular oozes (yes, I actually used the word ‘oozes’) with reference to that ultimate of beneficial coincidence…that pure happy happenstance…that often optomistic outcome…luck. I also get confused when I look through Masonic ritual and see absolutely no reference to Luck. Nada. Zip. Zero. Nothing. It is as if Luck does not exist. Why? Before I close, let me explain to you why I am writing this. I just participated in the bathing of both of my daughters. I held the two-week-old while the three-year-old got in the shower with her mom. Then we switched kids. I sat there combing my older daughter’s hair and thought about how lucky I am. House. Cars. Food. Safety. Shelter. Cable and high-speed internet. What a life! I am lucky. No matter what my religion or my Craft say…there’s got to be some element of luck out there. A guy like me has no other explanation.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (2)

November 12, 2007

aedifico42| On Luck…

Posted at: 10:00 pm

Yet another day comes to a close, and I wonder how many of us believe that ours is a specific fate exacted by nothing less than pre-condition and planning.

“What the hell are you talking about AEdifico?” …I can hear you asking. Well, let me get to it.

Many of us think that it is the SAOTU who has exacted a plan and is executing it…even with each keystroke I make and with every symbol you interpret as a letter. Then there are some of us who believe that we are given choice…not a complete plan by HIM, but something more like the launching of a little paper boat into a stream…and we get to steer. Lastly, there’s the group of us who believe that, while the SAOTU is an all-encompassing force that regulates the universe, we get most of the choices, and we get to deal with the punishment/rewards later.

There are many variations of this, and each of our personal religions addresses them nicely (perhaps some more nicely than others, but I will keep these personal judgements personal). The one thing that is not addressed in most Western Religions is luck.

But why? Luck is a HUGE part of our culture…the vernacular oozes (yes, I actually used the word ‘oozes’) with reference to that ultimate of beneficial coincidence…that pure happy happenstance…that often optomistic outcome…luck.

I also get confused when I look through Masonic ritual and see absolutely no reference to Luck. Nada. Zip. Zero. Nothing. It is as if Luck does not exist. Why?

Before I close, let me explain to you why I am writing this. I just participated in the bathing of both of my daughters. I held the two-week-old while the three-year-old got in the shower with her mom. Then we switched kids. I sat there combing my older daughter’s hair and thought about how lucky I am. House. Cars. Food. Safety. Shelter. Cable and high-speed internet. What a life!

I am lucky. No matter what my religion or my Craft say…there’s got to be some element of luck out there.

A guy like me has no other explanation.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (2)

November 9, 2007
emeraldi42\| More on Politics and Religion in Lodge Posted at: 12:29 pm I think Masons misunderstand the restriction of ‘no religion, no politics’ in lodge as meaning “we don’t talk about them”. I believe that the original concept was that the fraternity would not endorse a particular religion or political party. I thoroughly enjoy the conversations and civilized debates I have with my brothers about religion and politics. It is one of the only atmospheres where I can hear others opinions and express my own without fear of ridicule or insult. Afterall, it provides an exceptional medium for learning from those around you. When I heard we were electing a Jewish brother, I wanted to learn as much as I could from him about the Jewish religion because I didn’t know that much about it. Because I was not ‘officially’ able to speak to him in open lodge about the Jewish religion it wasn’t until after his 1st degree that we found out that there is a part in there that goes against Orthodox Judaism, and if he practiced Orthodox Judaism he would not have been able to continue with his degree ceremony. Now if we as a lodge were able to discuss this with him before hand we could have compensated for it. Luckily, he was still able to see the value of the degree and put that one little piece aside. I have the weird tendency to seek out those that are different from me and try to learn as much as I can about them to help me understand their perspective a bit better. I think the idea of not talking about politics or religion with your brothers as a rule of the craft is asinine. The fraternity should not endorse or preach a certain religious creed or political persuassion without giving ear to the others, and I think that the fact that we don’t offically endorse a particular religion or political party is what makes this fraternity what it is. But to restrict the brethren on discussion topics is just what AEdifico said it was, censorship. If I come across a Toaist, Muslim, radical liberal activist, or radical right-wing neocon Brother I would love to talk to them about their opinions and their beliefs and how they apply or are reflected in the craft. The usual statement that Masonry unites and the topics of religion and politics divide is true, but we as Masons find the common ground with those of different creeds because we are Masons and it’s the philosophy of the fraternity that binds these respectable adults together with similar aims.
MasonicMinute.com Comments (9)

November 9, 2007

emeraldi42| More on Politics and Religion in Lodge

Posted at: 12:29 pm

I think Masons misunderstand the restriction of ‘no religion, no politics’ in lodge as meaning “we don’t talk about them”. I believe that the original concept was that the fraternity would not endorse a particular religion or political party. I thoroughly enjoy the conversations and civilized debates I have with my brothers about religion and politics. It is one of the only atmospheres where I can hear others opinions and express my own without fear of ridicule or insult. Afterall, it provides an exceptional medium for learning from those around you. When I heard we were electing a Jewish brother, I wanted to learn as much as I could from him about the Jewish religion because I didn’t know that much about it. Because I was not ‘officially’ able to speak to him in open lodge about the Jewish religion it wasn’t until after his 1st degree that we found out that there is a part in there that goes against Orthodox Judaism, and if he practiced Orthodox Judaism he would not have been able to continue with his degree ceremony. Now if we as a lodge were able to discuss this with him before hand we could have compensated for it. Luckily, he was still able to see the value of the degree and put that one little piece aside. I have the weird tendency to seek out those that are different from me and try to learn as much as I can about them to help me understand their perspective a bit better. I think the idea of not talking about politics or religion with your brothers as a rule of the craft is asinine. The fraternity should not endorse or preach a certain religious creed or political persuassion without giving ear to the others, and I think that the fact that we don’t offically endorse a particular religion or political party is what makes this fraternity what it is. But to restrict the brethren on discussion topics is just what AEdifico said it was, censorship. If I come across a Toaist, Muslim, radical liberal activist, or radical right-wing neocon Brother I would love to talk to them about their opinions and their beliefs and how they apply or are reflected in the craft. The usual statement that Masonry unites and the topics of religion and politics divide is true, but we as Masons find the common ground with those of different creeds because we are Masons and it’s the philosophy of the fraternity that binds these respectable adults together with similar aims.

MasonicMinute.com: Comments (9)

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