MasonicMinute.com

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