2009-01 Lodgeroom

January 2009
Lodgeroom International Magazine

Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The
result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, lacquer, or glass are engraved, or may
provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing images on paper, which are called
engravings. Of course we must remember for printing the entire work has to be in reverse, which of course drew
even further on the skills and artistry of the Craftsmen, John Pine More explanation inside.
THE FRONTISPIECE of Andersons Constitution IS DESCRIBED
The Frontispiece to the Constitutions of 1723, which was used over again without alteration in 1738, represents a
classical arcade in the foreground of which stand two noble personages, each attended by three others of whom
one of those on the spectators left carries cloaks and pairs of gloves. The principal personages can hardly be
intended for any others than Montague and Wharton; and Montague is wearing the robes of the Garter, and is
handing his successor a roll of the Constitutions, not a book.
Freemasonry: It s not about me changi ng t hem, it s about me changi ng me.
2
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Featured Articles
Introduction to Andersons Constitution ............................................................ 4
Notes on John Pine .............................................................................................. 12
Politics and Lodge by Theron Dunn ................................................................. 13
Shakti and Shakta by Arthur Avalon ................................................................ 16
The Three Great Lights .................................................................................... 23
The Man who would be King ............................................................................. 26
Why do Past Masters just fade away by Tim Bryce ........................................ 30
Two US Co Masonic bodies share the same Founder By Karen Kidd ........ 32
Into the Mind: By : J.R. Schaefer A Book review by K. Kidd........................ 38
Volume 2 - Issue 8 - September 2007
Between The Pillars
I may not agree with what you say,
but I will defend to the death your right to say it
Of This Take Due Notice, and Govern Yourselves Accordingly:
Neither the editors, publishers or writers of this magazine represent themselves as speaking
FOR any Grand Lodge or official body. The material presented in this publication is intended
solely for informational purposes. The opinions presented herein are solely those of the
authors, editors and publishers. This magazine may be redistributed freely, but may not be
sold. The contents of the magazine are Copyright of the respective authors and may not be
republished without permission of the Lodgeroom International Magazine.
Published by: Willam McElligott, P.M. PZ,
United Grand Lodge of England
Senior Editor: Giovanni Lombardo
Grande Oriente dItalia
Questions or Comments: admin@lodgeroomuk.com
Volume 2 - Issue 8 - September
2007
Letters to the Editor
The staff at the Lodgeroom International
would like to invite you to send your
comments in for inclusion in the
magazine. This magazine is for you, and
we would like to hear what you think about
the articles and about the magazine. If you have any questions about the
articles, or would like to ask the author a question, please feel free to send
them in as well.
Send your comments to:
admin@lodgeroominternational.com
We will run your letters in the magazine and on the Lodgeroom US
Lodgeroom International Magazine forum. We look forward to hearing
from you!
Regular Features
Between The Pillars [Babushka] .......................................................................... 2
Auction House ...................................................................................................... 36
Book Review ....................................................................................................... 41
Jokes and Humor .............................................................................................. 42
I just returned home from a night out
at my local Civic Facility , the
Salvation Army put on a Christmas
show to raise money for a Local
Childrens Hospice.
They work very hard each year to
come up with something different. I
was most interested in the children
section, little ones from the age of 3
or 4 take part in a story related to the
Christmas theme.
This year they told the story of
Barbushka, an Old Russian Lady who
was very house proud and she kept her
house very , very clean. Barbushka had
the cleanest house in all of Russia.
That day some Angels came knocking
on her door, she answered the door and
they said we wish to give you great
news about a new King that will be
good for the whole world Barbushka
told them they could not come in unless
they wiped their feet.
Later that day three wise men came
knocking at her door. They explained
they were following a star to find a
New Born Baby. She demanded they
Barbushka
3
wipe their feet before entering the house, this however
was taken as an insult by the wise men who did not
enter the house but moved on without having rested.
The same night, some shepherds asked for shelter,
again she demanded they wipe their feet, they told her
they had been walking all day seeking the New Born
Baby King, who was born that night in a stable, in
Bethlehem in Judea, but as the rest of them was so
dirty from the journey they decided to move on also.
Barbushka began to worry about the Baby and decided
she had to make this long journey to clean up the stable
before the New Born Baby King got dirty, she was very
, very concerned. So she packed a basket with a Toy
Doll, a Blanket and a drink in a bottle in case the baby
was thirsty.
Off she went carrying her basket in the direction of
Bethlehem. On the road she met a young Mother with
her daughter, the daughter was crying. Barbushka asked
what was the problem, the young Mother explained
that her daughter had lost her doll. Barbushka
immediately gave the doll she was carrying to the girl
saying please accept this doll with my love the girl
stopped crying. They waved good bye and went on
their separate journeys.
Further along the road Barbushka met an old man who
was weary and dusty from walking such a long way.
She asked is he was all right and he said he was but he
was cold, being old you feel the cold wind he said.
She immediately gave the old man her blanket take
this she said , with all my love, I hope you fee; better
soon. The old man thanked her for her kindness and
they returned to their separate journeys.
Within the hour she came across a Shepherd, she asked
if he was in good health , he said yes, but being out all
night with the sheep makes you very thirsty and I have
lost my water bottle. She immediately gave him her
bottle of water.
Barbushka realizing she had given away all the things
she had taken along for the New Born Baby King,
thought that she would be ashamed to arrive with
nothing, so she decided to return home but through the
mist she could hear someone calling. Barbushka,
Barbushka, where are you going. You came all this
was to see my son, here he is, please come in and
stay a while.
She walked into the stable and there on the manger
was the doll she had given to the little girl, the
blanket she had given to the old man and the bottle
she had given to the shepherd.
Mary explained to Barbushka that she should not be
ashamed, because when you give to those in love
who are in need , you give to my son. He has heard
of your generosity and you are always welcome in
his company, please sit and visit with my Baby.
Barbushka had found love and without any planning
or searching, she was just Barbushka, an Old
Russian Lady. She was just herself.
I was taken aback by this childrens story and
thought you may take the same symbolic lesson from
this that I have. When you give, give with a good
heart and you will know the true meaning of love.
Thank you children for a lovely evening.
Barbushka Barbushka
Lodgeroom
Store
4
Entered Apprentice, of which the last is well known
in this country (England) and is still sung today in
many lodges. There is also an elaborate frontispiece.
The work was published by J. Senex and J. Hooke,
on 28th February, 1722-3, that is to say 1722
according to the official or civil reckoning, but 1723
by the so-called New Style, the popular way of
reckoning. (It did not become the official style till
the reform of the calendar in 1752.) The title page
bears the date 1723 simply. Dr. Anderson was born
in Aberdeen, and was a Master of Arts of the
Marischal College in that city. He was in London in
1710 and was minister of a Presbyterian Chapel in
Swallow Street, Piccaldilly, till 1734. He was also
chaplain to the Earl of Buchan, and as the Earl was a
representative peer for Scotland from 1714-1734, it
was probably during these years that he maintained a
London establishment. We do not know that the Earl
was a Mason, although his sons were. When
Anderson was initiated we do not know either; but it
may have been in the Aberdeen Lodge. There is a
remarkable similarity between his entry in the
Constitutions of his name as "Master of a Lodge and
Author of this Book," and in entry in the Aberdeen
Mark Book, of "James Anderson, Glazier and Mason
and Writer of this Book." This was in 1670 and this
James Anderson is no doubt another person. It just
happens most unfortunately that the minutes for the
precise period during which we might expect to find
our author are missing. In any case he was familiar
with the Scottish terminology which he no doubt had
some share in introducing into English Freemasonry.
Nor can it be stated with confidence when he joined
the Craft in London. He was Master of a lodge in
1722, a lodge not as yet identified, but there is no
record of his having had anything to do with Grand
Lodge prior to the Grand Mastership of the Duke of
Montague. He was not even present at the Dukes
installation; at all events Stukeley does not name him
as being there. He himself, in his version of the
minutes, introduces his own name for the first time
at the next meeting.
INTRODUCTION TO
ANDERSON CONSTITUTION
OF 1723
by Bro. Lionel Vibert
THE GRAND LODGE THAT WAS brought into
existence in 1717 did not find it necessary to possess a
Constitution of its own for some years. Exactly what
went on between 1717 and 1721 we do not know;
almost our only authority being the account given by
Anderson in 1738 which is unreliable in many
particulars. Indeed it cannot be stated with certainty
whether there were any more than the original Four Old
Lodges until 1721; it would appear from the Lists and
other records we possess that the first lodge to join
them did not do so till July of that year; the statements
as to the number of new lodges in each year given by
Anderson are not capable of verification. It was also in
the year 1721 that the Duke of Montague was made
Grand Master on 24th June, having probably joined the
Craft just previously. The effect of his becoming Grand
Master, a fact advertised in the daily press of the
period, was that the Craft leapt into popularity, its
numbers increased, and new lodges were rapidly
constituted. Even now it was not anticipated that the
Grand Lodge would extend the scope of its activities
beyond London and Westminster, but Grand Master
Payne, possibly anticipating the stimulus that would be
provided by the accession to the Craft of the Duke, had
got ready a set of General Regulations, and these were
read over on the occasion of his installation.
Unfortunately we do not possess the original text of
them but have only the version as revised and
expanded by Anderson. But we can understand that in a
very short time it would be found necessary for these
regulations to be printed and published to the Craft.
Their publication was undertaken by Anderson, who
took the opportunity to write a history of the Craft as
an introduction, and to prepare a set of Charges; his
intention clearly being to give the new body a work
which would in every respect replace the Old
Manuscript Constitutions. The work consists of a
dedication written by Desaguliers and addressed to
Montague as late Grand Master; a Historical
introduction; a set of six Charges; Paynes Regulations
revised; the manner of constituting a new lodge; and
songs for the Master, Wardens, Fellow Craft and
continued on next page
5
undertook to write the work as a private venture of his
own and that this was sanctioned, since it was desirable
that the Regulations at least be published, without any
very careful examination of his text, or of so much of it
as was ready, and that when it was published it was
discovered, but too late, that he had taken what were
felt by many to be unwarrantable liberties not only with
the traditional Charges but also with Paynes
Regulations.
THE BOOK IS ANALYZED
In using the term Constitutions he was following the
phraseology of several of the versions of the Old
Charges, and in fact the word occurs (in Latin) in the
Regius, though Anderson never saw that. It was
apparently traditional in the Craft. The contents of the
work itself indicate that the various portions were put
together at different dates and Anderson tells us it was
not all in print during Montagues term of office.
Taking the Approbation first, this is signed by officers
of twenty lodges; the Master and both Wardens have all
signed in all but two. In those, numbers eight and ten,
the place for the Masters signature is blank. Mr.
Mathew Birkhead is shown as Master of number five;
and he died on the 30th December, 1722. Accordingly
the Approbation must be of an earlier date and of the
twenty lodges we know that number nineteen was
constituted on 25th November, 1722, and number
twenty if, as is probable, it is of later date, will have
been constituted possibly on the same day but more
probably a few days later. Thus we can date the
Approbation within narrow limits. In his 1738 edition
Anderson gives a series of the numbers of lodges on the
roll of Grand Lodge at different dates which cannot be
checked from any independent source, and he suggests
that on 25th March, 1722, there were already at least
twenty-four lodges in existence because he asserts that
representatives of twenty-four paid their homage to the
Grand Master on that date; and that those of twenty-five
did so on 17th January, 1722-3. Because of Andersons
assertion as to twenty-four lodges some writers have
speculated as to the lodges the officers of which
omitted to sign or which were ignored by the author.
But the truth probably is that these lodges if they
existed at all were simply not represented at the
meeting.
INTRODUCTION TO
HOW HE CAME TO WRITE THE WORK
His own account of the work, as given in 1738, is that
he was ordered to digest the Old Gothic Constitutions
in a new and better method by Montague on 29th
September, 1721, that on 27th December, Montague
appointed fourteen learned brothers to examine the
MS., and that after they had approved it was ordered to
be printed on 25th March, 1722. He goes on to say that
it was produced in print for the approval of Grand
Lodge on 17th January, 1722-3, when Grand Master
Whartons manner of constituting a lodge was added.
In the book itself are printed a formal Approbation by
Grand Lodge and the Masters and Wardens of twenty
lodges (with the exception of two Masters), which is
undated, and also a copy of a resolution of the
Quarterly Communication of 17th January, 1722-3,
directing the publication and recommending it to the
Craft.
With regard to the committee of fourteen learned
brethren and the three occasions on which the book is
alleged to have been considered in Grand Lodge, the
Approbation itself states that the author first submitted
his text for the perusal of the late and present Deputy
Grand Masters and of other learned brethren and also
the Masters of lodges, and then delivered it to Grand
Master Montague, who by the advice of several
brethren ordered the same to be handsomely printed,
This is not quite the same thing.
And it is to be noted that in 1735 Anderson appeared
before Grand Lodge to protest against the doings of
one Smith who had pirated the Constitutions which
were his sole property. His account of this incident in
the 1738 edition suppresses this interesting
circumstance. Further it is very clear from the Grand
Lodge minutes that the appearance of the book caused
a good deal of dissension in Grand Lodge itself, and it
brought the Craft into ridicule from outside; in
particular Andersons re-writing of Paynes Regulations
was taken exception to. Anderson himself did not
appear again in Grand Lodge for nearly eight years.
The true state of the case appears to be that Anderson
6
Lodgeroom
Store
same list he appears as Grand Warden, but Anderson
himself has written the words (which he is careful to
reproduce in 1738): "Who demitted and James
Anderson A.M. was chosen in his place;" vide the
photographic reproduction of the entry at page 196 of
Quatuor, Coronatorum Antigrapha Vol. X; while in
the very first recorded minute of Grand Lodge, that of
24th June, 1723, the entry as to Grand Wardens
originally stood: Joshua Timson and the Reverend Mr.
James Anderson who officiated for Mr. William
Hawkins. But these last six words have been carefully
erased, vide the photo reproduction at page 48
Quatuor Corontorum Antigrapha VOL X, which
brings them to light again. Hawkins then was still the
Grand Warden in June 1723, and on that occasion
Anderson officiated for him at the January meeting.
The explanation of the whole business appears to be
that Anderson in 1738 was not anxious to emphasize
his associated with Wharton, who after his term of
office as Grand Master proved a renegade and
Jacobite and an enemy to the Craft. He had died in
Spain in 1731. For the Book of Constitutions of 1738
there is a new Approbation altogether.
But we have not yet done with this Approbation for
the further question arises, At what meeting of Grand
Lodge was it drawn up? The license to publish refers
to a meeting of 17th January, 1722-23, and that there
was such a meeting is implied by the reference to this
document in the official minutes of June, when the
accuracy of this part of it is not impugned. But this
Approbation was as we have seen drawn up between
the end of November and the end of December, 1722,
and between these limits an earlier date, is more
probable than a later. No such meeting is mentioned
by Anderson himself in 1738. But the explanation of
this no doubt is that he now has his tale of the
proclamation of Wharton at that meeting on 17th
January, and any references to a meeting of a month
or so earlier presided over by that nobleman would
stultify the narrative. It is probable that a meeting was
in fact held, and that its occurrence was suppressed by
Anderson when he came to publish his narrative of
the doings of Grand Lodge fifteen years later. The
alternative would be that the whole document was
unauthorized, but so impudent an imposture could
never have escaped contemporary criticism. Truly the
ways of the deceiver are hard.
INTRODUCTION TO
The Approbation is signed by Wharton as Grand
Master, Desaguliers as Deputy, and Timson and
Hawkins as Grand Wardens. According to the story
as told by Anderson in 1738 Wharton got himself
elected Grand Master irregularly on 24th June, 1722,
when he appointed these brethren as his Wardens but
omitted to appoint a Deputy. On 17th January, 1722-
3, the Duke of Montague, "to heal the breach," had
Wharton proclaimed Grand Master and he then
appointed Desaguliers as his Deputy and Timson and
Anderson, (not Hawkins,) Wardens and Anderson
adds that his appointment was made for Hawkins
demitted as always out of town. If this story could be
accepted the Approbation was signed by three
officers who were never in office simultaneously,
since when Desaguliers came in Hawkins had
already demitted. This by itself would throw no small
doubt on Andersons later narrative, but in fact we
know that his whole story as to Wharton is a tissue of
fabrication. The daily papers of the period prove that
the Duke of Wharton was in fact installed on 25th
June, and he then appointed Desaguliers as his Deput
and Timson and Hawkins as his Wardens. It is
unfortunate that Anderson overlooked that his very
date, 24th June, was impossible as it was a Sunday, a
day expressly prohibited by Paynes Regulations for
meetings of Grand Lodge. There are indications of
some disagreement; apparently some brethren
wished Montague to continue, but in fact Wharton
went in the regular course; the list of Grand Lodge
officers in the minute book of Grand Lodge shows
him as Grand Master in 1722. And that Hawkins
demitted is merely Andersons allegation. In this
7
between 17th January and 28th February. It might
obviously have been prepared at any time after June
25, 1722. By it Anderson is once more contradicted,
because here is Hawkins or at all events someone
in ordinary clothes as Grand Warden, and not the
Reverend James Anderson, as should be the case if
Wharton was not Grand Master till January and then
replaced the absent Hawkins by the Doctor. The only
other plate in the book is an elaborate illustration of
the arms of the Duke of Montague which stands at the
head of the first page of the dedication.
We can date the historical portion of the work from
the circumstance that it ends with the words: "our
present worthy Grand Master, the most noble Prince
John, Duke of Montague." We can be fairly certain
that Andersons emendations of Paynes Regulations
were in part made after the incidents of Whartons
election because they contain elaborate provisions for
the possible continuance of the Grand Master and the
nomination or election of his successor and in the
charges again, there is a reference to the Regulations
hereunto annexed. But beyond this internal evidence,
(and that of the Approbation and sanction to publish
already referred to), the only guide we have to the
dates of printing the various sections of the work is
the manner in which the printers' catch words occur.
The absence of a catch word is not proof that the
sections were printed at different times because it
might be omitted if, e.g., it would spoil the
appearance of a tail-piece; but the occurrence of a
catch word is a very strong indication that the sections
it links were printed together. Now in the Constitution
of 1723 they occur as follows: from the dedication to
the history, none; from the history to the Charges,
catch word; from the Charges to a Postscript 'put in
here to fill a page', catch word; from this to the
Regulations, none; from the Regulations to the
method of constituting a New Lodge, catch word;
from this to the Approbation, none; from the
Approbation to the final section, the songs, none; and
none from here to the license to publish on the last
page.
Accordingly we may now date the several portions of
the work with some degree of certainty. The times are
as follows:
INTRODUCTION TO
THE FRONTISPIECE IS DESCRIBED
The Frontispiece to the Constitutions of 1723, which
was used over again without alteration in 1738,
represents a classical arcade in the foreground of
which stand two noble personages, each attended by
three others of whom one of those on the spectators
left carries cloaks and pairs of gloves. The principal
personages can hardly be intended for any others than
Montague and Wharton; and Montague is wearing the
robes of the Garter, and is handing his successor a roll
of the Constitutions, not a book. This may be intended
for Andersons as yet unprinted manuscript, or, more
likely it indicates that a version of the Old
Constitutions was regarded at the time as part of the
Grand Masters equipment, which would be a
survival of Operative practice. Behind each Grand
Master stand their officers, Beal, Villeneau, and
Morris on one side, and on the other Desaguliers,
Timson, and Hawkins, Desaguliers as a clergyman
and the other two in ordinary dress, and evidently an
attempt has been made in each case to give actual
portraits. It is unnecessary to suppose, as we would
have to if we accepted Andersons story, that this plate
was designed, drawn, and printed in the short interval
8
originals which were content with the sons of
Lamech. The assertion shows a total want of any
sense of humour, but then so do all his contributions
to history. But it is worth while pointing out that it
suggests more than this; it suggests that he had an
entire lack of acquaintance with the polite literature of
the period. No well-read person of the day would be
unacquainted with the writings of Abraham Cowley,
the poet and essayist of the Restoration, and the
opening sentence of his Essay of Agriculture is: "The
three first men in the world were a gardener, a
ploughman and a grazier; and if any man object that
the second of these was a murderer, I desire he would
consider that as soon as he was so he quitted our
profession, and turned builder." It is difficult to
imagine that Anderson would have claimed Cain as
the first Mason if he had been familiar with this
passage.
From this point he develops the history in his own
fashion, but he incorporates freely and with an entire
disregard for textual accuracy any passages in the Old
Charges that suit him and he has actually used the
Cooke Text, as also some text closely allied to the
William Watson. We know the Cooke was available
to him; we learn from Stukeley that it had been
produced in Grand Lodge on 24 June, 1721.
Anderson, in 1738, omits all reference to this
incident, but asserts that in 1718 Payne desired the
brethren to bring to Grand Lodge any old writings and
records, and that several copies of the Gothic
Constitutions (as he calls them) were produced and
collated. He also alleges that in 1720 several valuable
manuscripts concerning the Craft were too hastily
burnt by some scrupulous brethren. The former of
these statements we should receive with caution; for
the very reason that the 1723 Constitutions show no
traces of such texts; the latter may be true and the
manuscripts may have been rituals, or they may have
been versions of the Old Charges, but there was
nothing secret about those. The antiquary Plot had
already printed long extracts from them.
Returning to the narrative we are told that Noah and
his sons were Masons, which is a statement for which
Anderson found no warrant in his originals; but he
INTRODUCTION TO
The plate; at any time after June 25th, 1722. The
dedication, id., but probably written immediately
before publication. The historical portion; prior to
25th June, 1722. The charges printed with the
preceding section, but drafted conjointly with the
Regulations. The postscript; the same. The General
Regulations, after Whartons installation The method
of constituting a new Lodge; printed with the
preceding section. The Approbation; between 25th
November and end of December, 1722. The songs
and sanction to publish; after January 17th, 1722-3,
and probably at the last moment.
Of these sections the plate and Approbation have
already been dealt with. The dedication calls for no
special notice; it is an extravagant eulogy of the
accuracy and diligence of the author. The songs are of
little interest except the familiar Apprentices Song,
and this is now described as by our late Brother
Matthew Birkhead.
THE HISTORICAL PORTION
This requires a somewhat extended notice. The
legendary history, as it is perhaps not necessary to
remind my readers, brought Masonry or Geometry
from the children of Lamech to Solomon; then
jumped to France and Charles Martel; and then by St.
Alban, Athelstan and Edwin, this worthy Craft was
established in England. In the Spencer family of
MSS. an attempt has been made to fill in the obvious
gaps in this narrative by introducing the second and
third temples, those of Zerubbabel and Herod, and
Auviragus king of Britain as a link with Rome,
France and Charles Martel being dropped, while a
series of monarchs has also been introduced between
St. Albans paynim king and Athelstan. Andersons
design was wholly different. He was obsessed by the
idea of the perfection of the Roman architecture,
what he called the Augustan Style, and he took the
attitude that the then recent introduction of
Renaissance architecture into England as a return to a
model from which Gothic had been merely a
barbarous lapse. He traces the Art from Cain who
built a city, and who was instructed in Geometry by
Adam. Here he is no doubt merely bettering his
9
Approbation the assertion is that he has examined
several copies from Italy and Scotland and sundry
parts of England. Were it not that he now omits
Ireland altogether we might nave been disposed to
attach some importance to the former statement. As
yet no Irish version of the Old Charges has come to
light but it is barely possible that there were records
of Irish Freemasonry at the time which have since
passed out of sight, a Freemasonry no doubt derived
originally from England. But the discrepancy is fatal;
we must conclude that the worthy doctor never saw
any Irish record. And we can safely dismiss his lodges
in Italy or beyond Sea as equally mythical.
Of the six Charges themselves the first caused trouble
immediately on its appearance. It replaced the old
invocation of the Trinity and whatever else there may
have been of statements of religious and Christian
belief in the practice of the lodges by a vague
statement that we are only to be obliged to that
religion in which all men agree. Complete religious
tolerance has in fact become the rule of our Craft, but
the Grand Lodge of 1723 was not ready for so sudden
a change and it caused much ill feeling and possibly
many secessions. It was the basis of a series of attacks
on the new Grand Lodge.
CONSTITUTING A NEW LODGE
The manner of constituting a New Lodge is
noteworthy for its reference to the "Charges of a
Master," and the question, familiar to us today: Do
you submit to these charges as Masters have done in
all ages? It does not appear that these are the six
ancient Charges of a previous section; they were
something quite distinct. But not until 1777 are any
Charges of the Master known to have been printed. It
is also worthy of notice that the officers to be
appointed Wardens of the new lodge are Fellow
Crafts. There is also a reference to the Charges to the
Wardens which are to be given by a Grand Warden.
This section appeared in the Constitutions of the
United Grand Lodge as late as 1873.
Anderson in 1738 alleges that he was directed to add
this section to the work at the meeting of January 17
and he then speaks of it as the ancient manner of
constituting a lodge. This is also the title of the
INTRODUCTION TO
seems to have had a peculiar fondness for Noah. In
1738 he speaks of Masons as true Noachidae, alleging
this to have been their first name according to some
old traditions, and it is interesting to observe that the
Irish Constitutions of 1858 preserve this fragment of
scholarship and assert as a fact that Noachidae was
the first name of Masons. Anderson also speaks of the
three great articles of Noah, which are not however
further elucidated, but it is probable that the reference
is to the familiar triad of Brotherly Love, Relief and
Truth. He omits Abraham and introduces Euclid in his
proper chronological sequence, so that he has
corrected the old histories to that extent; but after
Solomon and the second Temple he goes to Greece,
Sicily and Rome, where was perfected the glorious
Augustan Style. He introduces Charles Martel as
King of France! as helping England to recover the
true art after the Saxon invasion, but ignores
Athelstan and Edwin.
He however introduces most of the monarchs after the
Conquest and makes a very special reference to
Scotland and the Stuarts. In the concluding passage he
used the phrase "the whole body resembles a well
built Arch" and it has been suggested, not very
convincingly perhaps, that this is an allusion to the
Royal Arch Degree.
There is an elaborate account of Zerubbabels temple
which may have some such significance, and the
Tabernacle of Moses, Aholiab and Bezaleel is also
mentioned at some length, Moses indeed being a
Grand Master. He also inserts for no apparent reason
a long note on the words Hiram Abiff, and in this case
the suggestion that there is a motive for his doing so
connected with ritual is of more cogency. It is an
obvious suggestion that the name was of importance
to the Craft at this date, that is to say early in 1722,
and that the correctness of treating Abiff as a surname
instead of as equivalent to his "father" was a matter
the Craft were taking an interest in.
THE SIX CHARGES
The Charges, of which there are six, are alleged to be
extracted from ancient records of lodges beyond Sea,
and of those in England, Scotland and Ireland. In the
10
without the consent first obtained of the Annual
Grand Lodge. And the Question being put
accordingly Resolved in the Affirmative.
We would record these proceedings today in
somewhat different form, perhaps as follows:
It was proposed (and seconded) that the said General
Regulations be confirmed so far as they are consistent
with the Ancient Rules of Masonry. An amendment to
omit the words "so far ... Masonry" was negatived.
But in place of the original proposition the following
resolution was adopted by a majority: That it is not,
etc.
The effect of this is that it indicates pretty clearly that
there was a strong feeling in Grand Lodge that
Andersons version of the Regulations had never been
confirmed; that there was a difference of opinion as
to now confirming them, even partially; and that in
fact this was not done, but a resolution was adopted
instead condemning alterations made without the
consent of Grand Lodge at its annual meeting first
obtained. I should perhaps say that the word
"purporting" does not here have the meaning we
would today attach to it; it has no sense of
misrepresentation. Anderson was present at this
meeting, but naturally not a word of all this appears
in the account he gives of it in 1738.
Regulation XIII, or one sentence in it rather,
"Apprentices must be admitted Masters and Fellow
Craft only here, (i.e. in Grand Lodge) unless by a
Dispensation," was at one time the battle ground of
the Two Degree versus Three Degree schools; but it is
generally admitted now, I believe, that only two
degrees are referred to, namely the admission and the
Masters Part.
The order of the words is significant. In the
Regulation they read "Masters and Fellow Craft." In
the resolution of 27 November, 1725 by which the
rule was annulled, the wording is "Master" in the
official minutes, which is a strong indication that the
original Regulation only referred to one degree. In
1738 Anderson deliberately alters what is set out as
the original wording and makes it read "Fellow Crafts
INTRODUCTION TO
corresponding section in the 1738 Constitutions,
which is only this enlarged. But its title in 1723 is:
Here follows the Manner of constituting a NEW
LODGE, as practised by His Grace the Duke of
Wharton, the present Right Worshipful Grand Master,
according to the ancient Usages of Masons. We once
more see Anderson suppressing references to the
Duke of Wharton where he can in 1738, and yet
obliged to assert that the section was added after
January 17th in order to be consistent in his story. It is
not in the least likely that this is what was done. It
was to all appearance printed at one and the same
time with the Regulations, which he himself tells us
were in print on 17th January, and since Wharton
constituted four lodges if not more in 1722 he will not
have waited six months to settle his method. We may
be pretty certain that this section was in print before
the Approbation to which it is not linked by a catch-
word.
THE REGULATIONS
The Regulations, as I have already mentioned, have
come down to us only as rewritten by Anderson. The
official minutes of Grand Lodge throw considerable
light on the matter. The first of all relates to the
appointment of the Secretary, and the very next one is
as follows:
The Order of the 17th January 1722-3 printed at the
end of the Constitutions page 91 for the publishing
the said Constitutions as read purporting, that they
had been before approved in Manuscript by the Grand
Lodge and were then (viz) 17th January aforesaid
produced in print and approved by the Society.
Then the Question was moved, that the said General
Regulations be confirmed, so far as they are
consistent with the Ancient Rules of Masonry. The
previous question was moved and put, whether the
words "so far as they are consistent with the Ancient
Rules of Masonry" be part of the Question. Resolved
in the affirmative, But the main Question was not put.
And the Question was moved that it is not in the
Power of any person, or Body of men, to make any
alteration, or Innovation in the Body of Masonry
11
Regulations were rewritten by Entick, but the history
was preserved. Entick also reverted to the Charges as
drawn up in 1723 into which, especially the first,
Anderson had introduced various modifications in
1738, and those Charges are the basis of the Ancient
Charges to be found today in the Constitutions of the
United Grand Lodge of England, the only differences,
except as regards the first Charge, not amounting to
more than verbal modifications.
OUR DEBT TO ANDERSON
While as students we are bound to receive any
statement that Anderson makes with the utmost
caution unless it can be tested from other sources, we
must not be too ready to abuse the worthy Doctor on
that account. Our standards of historical and literary
accuracy are higher than those of 1723, and his object
was to glorify Montague and the Craft and the new
style of architecture introduced by Inigo Jones and
others of his school; and this he did wholeheartedly,
and if in the process he twisted a text or two or
supplied suitable events to fill gaps in his narrative
for which mere history as such had failed to record
facts, no one at the time would think any the worse of
him for that. It was a far more serious matter that he
was instrumental in removing from the literature of
the Craft all definite religious allusions; but as we
now see, the Craft in fact owes its universality today
to its wide undenominationalism and in this respect
he builded better than he knew. the Constitutions of
1723 remains one of our most important texts and
only awaits publication in full facsimile with suitable
notes and introduction at the hands of some Society
with the requisite funds.
By Bro. Lionel Vibert, Past Master Quatuor Coronati
Lodge No. 2076, England
Reprinted from The Builder, August 1923,
INTRODUCTION TO
and Masters," while in the new Regulation printed
alongside of it the alteration of 27 November, 1725,
is quoted as "Masters and Fellows" both being
inaccurate; and he even gives the date wrongly.
The second Regulation enacts that the Master of a
particular lodge has the right of congregating the
members of his lodge into a chapter upon any
emergency as well as to appoint the time and place of
their usual forming. But it would be quite unsafe to
assume that this is another reference to the Royal
Arch; it appears to deal with what we would now call
an emergent meeting.
Paynes, or rather Andersons, Regulations were the
foundation on which the law of the Craft was based,
it being developed by a continual process of
emendation and addition, and their phraseology can
still be traced in our English Constitutions today.
SUBSEQUENT ALTERATIONS
In America Franklin reprinted this work in 1734
apparently verbatim. In 1738 Anderson brought out a
second addition which was intended to replace the
earlier one altogether, but it was a slovenly
performance and the Regulations were printed in so
confused a manner, being all mixed up with notes
and amendments (many inaccurately stated), that it
was difficult to make head or tail of them and to
ascertain what was the law of the Craft. He also re-
wrote the history entirely and greatly expanded it,
introducing so many absurdities that Gould has
suggested that he was deliberately fooling the Grand
Lodge, or in the alternative that he was himself in his
dotage. He died very shortly after. But this same
ridiculous history has done duty in all seriousness till
comparatively recent years, being brought up to date
by Preston and others who were apparently quite
unconscious of its true value. Unfortunately that
portion of the history which professed to give an
account of the proceedings of Grand Lodge and for
which the official minutes were at Andersons
disposal is full of what one must consider wilful
inaccuracies and misstatements.
In the next edition of the Constitutions, 1754, the
12
The frontispiece for the 1723 Book of Constitutions,
engraved by John Pine, and perhaps designed by Sir
James Thornhill.
John Pine was one of the most accomplished
engravers of his generation. Pines output was wide
ranging, comprising not only book illustration, but
also heraldry, maps and facsimiles of historical
documents.
Pine set himself up as an engraver in Fleet Street, and
quickly had a sensational success. In 1719, the
bookseller William Taylor published an anonymous
account of a man marooned on a desert island. Daniel
Defoes Robinson Crusoe (based on the story of
Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish sailor who was also
probably a Freemason) became a bestseller.
The frontispiece of Defoes book was a vivid portrait
of the castaway in his goatskin clothes. The book was
reprinted so often that the plate wore out, and a new
one had to be made. The frontispiece was the work of
Pine and another London engraver called John Clark.
The success of Crusoe brought Pine a great deal of
work, and enabled him to establish a thriving business
near Aldersgate. He provided illustrations for many
popular works, ranging from a picture of Lady Godiva
for a collection of old ballads to a title page for the
London Journal, one of the many popular periodicals
avidly read by the patrons of Londons coffee houses.
John Pine was born in London and spent his life
there. Described as a cheerful, heavy-set man, he
achieved remarkable success and recognition both in
his career and socially, becoming London's finest
heraldic and decorative engraver and producing
numerous book illustrations, including his
masterpiece -- an edition of the works of Horace
(1733-37) in which he engraved both the text and the
exquisite illustrations. It has been said that Pine was
the first black man in England to join the Masons.
According to Dr. Andrew Prescott, a Masonic scholar
at Sheffield University in the U.K., while some,
including Pine's descendants, believe he was of
Moorish ancestry, there is no clearcut evidence
available at this time. However, Pine was indeed
active as a freemason, responsible for engraving the
annual List of Lodges from 1725 to 1741 as well as
The Book of Constitutions, and the social
connections resulting from his association with
freemansonry brought him important commissions
which advanced his career, as well as subscriptions
from prominent men to underwrite his Horace
project. Among his close friends was the painter
William Hogarth. According to Dr. Prescott, "one of
John Pine's greatest qualities was the way in which he
was able to blend the artistic skills, the business sense
and the sheer social networking which was necessary
to be a successful artist in eighteenth-century
London." Pine is listed in the British Dictionary of
National Biography.
Notes on John Pine possibly
the first Black Mason in
England
The painting is dated 1748. John Pain was a respected engraver
by 1733, so it says much I would say for Freemasonry and the
acceptance of men of differering backgrounds at this time.
Britain had outlawed the slave trade with the Slave Trade Act in
1807, with penalties of 100 per slave levied on British captains
found importing slaves. However, this did not stop the British
slave trade: if slave ships were in danger of being captured by
the Royal Navy, captains were known to have ordered the slaves
to be thrown into the sea to reduce the fines they had to pay.
According to the 1844 McMullochs Commercial Dictionary;
America abolished the slave trade at the same time as
England. But not withstanding what had been done, further
measures were soon discovered to be necessary. The Spanish
and Portuguese continued to carry on the trade to a greater
extent than ever; and British subjects did not hesitate, under
cover of their flags, to become partners in their adventures.
William Hogarth it is said poked fun at his friend Pine by using his
likeness in the above painting as the Monk.
O, The Roast Beef of Old England or The Gate of Calais
13
What is politics?
Politics, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is:
Etymology: Greek politika, from neuter plural
of politikos political
Date: circa 1529
1 a: the art or science of government b: the art
or science concerned with guiding or
influencing governmental policy c: the art or
science concerned with winning and holding
control over a government
2: political actions, practices, or policies
3 a: political affairs or business; especially :
competition between competing interest
groups or individuals for power and leadership
(as in a government) b: political life especially
as a principal activity or profession c: political
activities characterized by artful and often
dishonest practices
4: the political opinions or sympathies of a
person
5 a: the total complex of relations between
people living in society b: relations or conduct
in a particular area of experience especially as
seen or dealt with from a political point of
view (office politics) (ethnic politics)
As we can see, at its simplest, it is an art or science,
the political opinions or sympathies of a person,
competition between cometing interest groups or
individual for power and leadership. It is a striving
and a contention for the hearts and minds... and for
power. The power to control, to guide, to rule, to
enforce ones opinion through influence and political
power.
There have been calls recently, for the lodges to get
involved in politics, for the Grand Lodges to get
involved in politics, as some of the Grand Lodges do
in France, to the detriment of the craft.
Why are politics forbidden in lodge?
As can be seen from the above definition, politics is
all about influencing others to a particular point of
view. How does attempting to influence your brother
from one point of view to another in any way
represent Freemasonry? We are a philosophical,
spiritual fraternity, with a stated goal of improving the
man.
The man is improved in the craft, and by the influence
of our principles and teachings, may go out in the
world and work to improve it. Yet, we know that not
all masons agree on every political, social or moral
issue. How then can the craft, as a whole, either as a
single lodge, or a grand lodge, come out as supporting
any one particular issue?
There will always be brothers that disagree, and one of
the principle operating tenets of our craft is seeking
only that on which we can best work and best agree. If
one man disagrees, then the lodge cannot take a
position. What if two lodges take differing sides in an
issue, how does this support working together on that
which we can best work and best agree?
Politics and Lodge
We all know that politics and freemasonry do not
mix. What, though, does this mean, and why is this
prohibition in place?
14
No man represents the whole of the craft. Even the Grand Master only
represents the will of the brethren in his jurisdiction, not all of
freemasonry. There are some issues that we would think: well, everyone
will agree on THIS. Lets look at that concept for a moment and see.
Every right thinking man realizes that racism is wrong... dont they? Oh,
wait, maybe not. There are still grand lodges in the US that do not allow
black men to join. Well, lets try another. Every moral man thinks being
involved in the sale of alcohol is unmasonic, right? Oh, wait, no, thats
not right either. There are several grand lodges in the US that will expel
a brother if he is involved in the sale of alcohol, even in a restaurant.
Well, every right thinking mason knows that women cant be masons,
right? No, wait... that doesnt seem to be true, either. Ok, we all agree
that no man should be expelled from freemasonry without a fair trial
before a jury of his peers where he can present evidence in his defense...
oh, wait, a grand master was recently expelled without a trial for
objecting to the actions of a sitting grand master, and several brothers
have been expelled without a trial as well, and without a hearing, and
without recourse. Well, then, what about...
We can do this all day long, and we will always find someone that
disagrees or holds a contrary opinion... and rightly so. We are not a
monolithic organization that tries to tell its membership how to think
and how to act, and who to vote for and how to campaign/vote on
issues. Freemasonry is about improving the man, and leaving it to the
man to act and think as he will.
What about discussing political/social issues in lodge then?
This is a good question. Can we seriously and without rancor discuss the
political and social events of the day? In some cases, the answer is yes,
but in some, the answer is no. Can two brothers on opposing sides of the
abortion issue discuss it openly and honestly? Maybe, but this is an
emotional issue, to its challenging and risky.
Can a lodge openly discuss and debate political candidates without
falling to pieces? There is a possibility they can, though the question has
to be asked: WHY should they? Lodge is not about political issues. The
stated purpose of freemasonry is fraternal affection, self improvement,
the spiritual quest. Lodge is a place of peace (or should be) a place
where men of disparate faiths, creeds and beliefs can come together and
work side by side toward a common goal.
Why bring a known divisive element into the mix? It serves no purpose
of Freemasonrys, and only serves the agenda of brothers that bring
politics to lodge. Their only goal is the engendering of common opinion
Politics and Lodge
continued next page
15
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and support for their cause, to seek common cause
with their brethren. In so doing, they bring into the
lodge that which should never be present: the Seeds
of Discord.
Should lodges take political positions?
Given that the very nature of politics is divisive, how
can a lodge, let alone a Grand Lodge, take a position
on a political/social issue as a group? More to the
point, WHY should Freemasonry do so? Freemasonry
is about the internal. The Freemason, as a man in a
society, may, and should, apply the tenets of the craft
to his society, measuring it by the 24" gauge, applying
the square of morality, testing its truth by the plumb
and holding the society to acting on the level. The
craft itself, by its very nature, cannot.
Each man must act on his own, and never act in the
name of masonry for his own selfish purposes. One
may, and in fact, should advocate for what he
believes, but when one brother, as a mason, states his
position on any issue, he implies that all masons
should and might hold the same position, and if
another brother does not, he has introduced into a
relationship something that should never be between
them as masons.
We should, as masons, seek that on which we can best
work and best agree. We should, as free men, seek out
ways to improve society according to our
understanding of the craft and within the experiences,
abilities and knowledge that we have. As the purpose
of the craft is to improve the man and help him on his
spiritual journey, the craft should not take positions.
As always:
May the blessing of heaven rest upon us and
all regular masons. May brotherly love
prevail, and every moral and social virtue,
cement us.
Politics and Lodge
16
Shakti and
Shkta
Chapter Three
What Are the Tantras and Their Significance?
A VERY common expression in English writings is
The Tantra; but its use is often due to a
misconception and leads to others. For what does
Tantra mean? The word denotes injunction (Vidhi),
regulation (Niyama), Shastra generally or treatise.
Thus Shamkara calls the Samkhya a Tantra. A secular
writing may be called Tantra. For the following note I
am indebted to Professor Surendranath Das Gupta.
The word Tantra has been derived in the Kashika-
Vritti (7-2-9) from the root Tan to spread by the
Aunadika rule Sarvadhatubhyah tran, with the
addition of the suffix tran. Vacaspati, Anandagiri,
and Govindananda, however, derive the word from
the root Tatri of Tantri in the sense of Vyutpadana,
origination or knowledge. In Ganapatha, however,
Tantri has the same meaning as Tan to spread and
it is probable that the former root is a modification of
the latter. The meaning Vyutpadana is also probably
derived by narrowing the general sense of Vistara
which is the meaning of the root Tan.
According to the derivation of Tantra from Tan, to
spread, Tantra is that (Scripture) by which knowledge
(Jana) is spread (Tanyate, vistaryate janam anena,
iti Tantram). The Suffix Tra is from the root to save.
That knowledge is spread which saves. What is that
but religious knowledge? Therefore, as here and
generally used, Tantra means a particular kind of
religious scripture. The Kamika Agama of the Shaiva
Siddhanta (Tantrantara Patala) says:
Tanoti vipulan arthan tattvamantra-samanvitan
Trananca kurute yasmat tantram ityabhidhyate.
(It is called Tantra because it promulgates great
knowledge concerning Tattva and Mantra and because
it saves.)
It is a common misconception that Tantra is the name
only of the Scripture of the Shaktas or worshippers of
Shakti. This is not so. There are Tantras of other sects
of the Agama, Tantras of Shaivas, Vaishnavas and so
forth. We cannot speak of The Treatise nor of The
Tantra any more than we can or do speak of the
Purana, the Samhita. We can speak of the Tantras as
we do of the Puranas. These Tantras are Shastras of
what is called the Agama. In a review of one of my
works it was suggested that the Agama is a class of
Scriptures dealing with the worship of Saguna Ishvara
which was revealed at the close of the age of the
Upanishads, and introduced partly because of the
falling into desuetude of the Vaidika Acara, and partly
because of the increasing numbers of persons entering
the Hindu fold who were not competent (Adhikari)
for that Acara. I will not however deal with this
historical question beyond noting the fact that the
Agama is open to all persons of all castes and both
sexes, and is not subject to the restrictions of the
Vaidika Acara. This last term is a common one and
comes from the verbal root char, which means to
move or to act, the prefix 3 being probably used in the
sense of restriction. Acara thus means practice, way,
rule of life governing a Sadhaka, or one who does
Sadhana or practice for some desired end (Siddhi).
The Agamas are divided into three main groups
according as the Ishtadevata worshipped is Shakti,
Shiva or Vishnu. The first is the Shakta Agama, the
second the Shaivagama, and the third the Vaishnava
Agama or Pancaratra. This last is the Scripture to
which the Shrimad Bhagavata (X. 90. 34) refers as
Sattvata Tantra in the lines,
Tenoktang sattvatang tantram yaj jnattva muktibhag
bhavet
Yatra strishudradasanang sangskaro vaisnavah
smritah.
Some Agamas are called Vaidik (Vaidika Agama) and
some non-Vaidik (Avaidika). The Kurma Purana
(XVI.1) mentions as belonging to the latter, Kapala,
Lakula, Vama, Bhairava, Purva, Pashcima,
Pacaratra, Pashupata and many others. Pashupata
again is said to be both Vaidika and Avaidika such as
Lakula. Kurma Purana (Uttarabhaga, Ch. 38) says
Chapter Three
What Are the Tantras and Their Significance?
17
Continued on next page
Esoteric
Shakti and
Shkta
By Me was first composed, for the attainment of
Liberation, Shrauta (Vaidika) Pashupata which is
excellent, subtle, and secret, the essence of Veda
(Vedasara). The learned devoted to Veda should
meditate on Shiva Pashupati. This is Pashupata Yoga to
be practiced by seekers of Liberation. By Me also have
been spoken Pashupata, Soma, Lakula and Bhairava
opposed to Veda (Vedavadaviruddhani). These should
not be practiced. They are outside Veda. Sanatkumara
Samhita says:
Shrautashrautavibhedena dvividhastu shivagamah
Shrutisaramapah shrautah sah punar dvividho matah
Svatantra itarash ceti svatantro dashadha pura
Tatha shtadashadha pashcat siddhanta iti giyate
Itarah shrutisaras tu shatakoti-pravistarah.
(See also Vayu Samhita, Ch. I. 28
(Shaivagama is of two kinds, Shrauta and Ashrauta.
Shrauta is Shrautisaramaya and of two kinds, Svatantra
and Itara. Svatantra is first of ten kinds and then
Siddhanta of eighteen kinds. (This is the
Shaivasiddhanta Agama with 28 Mula Agamas and 207
Upagamas. It is Shuddhadvaita because in it there is no
Visheshana). Itara is Shrutisara with numerous
varieties. Into this mass of sects I do not attempt here to
enter, except in a general way. My subject is the
doctrine and ritual of the Shaktas. There are said to be
Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Shakta Upanishads favoring
one or another doctrine.
We must, however, in all cases distinguish between
what a School says of itself and what others say of it.
So far as I am aware all Agamas, whatever be their
origin, claim now to be based on Shruti, though of
course as different interpretations are put on Shruti,
those who accept one interpretation are apt to speak of
differing Schools as heretical. These main divisions
again have subdivisions. Thus there are several Schools
of Shaivas; and there are Shaktas with their nine
Amnayas, four Sampradayas (Kerala, Kashmira, Gauda
and Vilasa) each divided into two-fold division of inner
and outer worship (Sammohana Tantra, Ch. V).
There is for instance the Northern Shaiva School
called Trika of Kashmir, in which country at one time
Tantra Shastras were very prevalent. There is again
the Southern Shaiva School called Shaivasiddhanta.
The Shaktas who are to be found throughout India
are largely prevalent in Bengal and Assam. The
Shaktas are rather allied with the Northern Advaita
Shaiva than with the others, though in them also
there is worship of Shakti. Shiva and Shakti are one
and he who worships one necessarily worships the
other. But whereas the Shaiva predominantly
worships Shiva, the Shakta predominantly worships
the Shakti side of the Ardhanarishvara Murti, which
is both Shiva and Shakti.
Mahavishnu and Sadashiva are also one. As the
Sammohana Tantra (Ch. VIII) says, Without Prakriti
the Samsara (World) cannot be. Without Purusha true
knowledge cannot be attained. Therefore should both
be worshipped; with Mahakali, Mahakala. Some, it
says, speak of Shiva, some of Shakti, some of
Narayana (Vishnu). But the supreme Narayana
(Adinarayana) is supreme Shiva (Parashambhu), the
Nirguna Brahman, pure as crystal. The two aspects of
the Supreme reflect the one in the other. The
Reflection (Pratibimba) is Maya whence the World-
Lords (Lokapalas) and the Worlds are born. The
Adya Lalita (Mahashakti) at one time assumed the
male form of Krishna and at another that of Rama
(Ch. IX). For all aspects are in Mahakali, one with
Bhairava Mahakala, who is Mahavishnu. It is only a
fool it says, who sees any difference

between Rama
and Shiva. This is of course to look at the matter
from the high Vedantik standpoint of Shakta
doctrine. Nevertheless separate worship and rituals
exist among the Sects. A common philosophical
basis of the Shaivas and those of Shaktas, who are
Agamavadins, is the doctrine of the Thirty-six
Tantras. These are referred to in the Tantra (Ch. VII)
so well known in Bengal which is called Kularnava.
They are also referred to in other Shakta works and
their commentaries such as the Anandalahari. The
Sharada Tilaka, a great authority amongst the Bengal
Shaktas, is the work of Lakshmanacarya, an author
of the Kashmir Shaiva school. The latter school as
also the Shaktas are Advaitins. The Shaiva Siddhanta
18
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continued next page
Esoteric Shakti and
Shkta
and Pancaratra are Shuddhadvaita and Vishishtadvaita
respectively.
There is also a great body of Buddhist Tantras of
differing schools. (I have published one the
Shricakra Sambhara Tantra as Vol. VII of Tantrik
Texts.) Now all these schools have Tantras of their
own. The original connection of the Shaiva schools is
said to be shown amongst other things, by the fact that
some Tantras arc common, such as Mrigendra and
Matanga Tantras. It has been asserted that the Shakta
school is not historically connected with the Shaivas.
No grounds were given for this statement. Whatever
be the historical origins of the former, the two appear
to be in several respects allied at present, as any one
who knows Shakta literature may find out for himself.
In fact Shakta literature is in parts unintelligible to one
unacquainted with some features of what is called the
Shaiva Darshana. How otherwise is it that the 36
Tattvas and Shadadhva (see my Garland of Letters)
are common to both?
The Shaktas have again been divided into three groups.
Thus the esteemed Pandit R. Ananta Shastri in the
Introduction to his edition of Anandalahari speaks of
the Kaula or Shakta Shastras with sixty-four Tantras;
the Mishra with eight Tantras; and the Samaya group
which are said to be the most important of the Shakta
Agamas, of which five are mentioned. This classification
purports to be based on the nature of the object pursued,
according as it belongs to one or the other of the
Purusharthas. Pancaratra literature is very considerable,
one hundred and eight works being mentioned by the
same Pandit in Vol. XIII, pp. 357-363 of The
Theosophist. I would refer the reader also to the very
valuable edition of the Ahirbudhnya Samhita by my
friend Dr. Otto Schrader, with an Introduction by the
learned Doctor on the Pancaratra system where many
Vaishnava Tantras and Samhitas are cited. The Trika
school has many Tantras of which the leading one is
Malinivijaya. The Svacchanda Tantra comes next.
Jagadisha Chandra Chattopadhyaya Vidyavaridhi has
written with learning and lucidity on this school. The
Shaivasiddhanta has twenty-eight leading Tantras and a
large number of Upagamas, such as Taraka Tantra, Vama
Tantra and others, which will be found enumerated in
Schomerus Der Shaiva-siddhanta,
Nallasvami Pillais Studies in
Shaivasiddhanta (p. 294), and
Shivajanasiddihiyar (p. 211). The
Sammohana Tantra (Ch. VI) mentions
64 Tantras, 327 Upatantras, as also
Yamalas, Damaras, Samhitas and
other Scriptures of the Shaiva class;
75 Tantras, 205 Upatantras, also
Yamalas, Damaras, Samhitas of the
Vaishnava class; numerous Tantras
and other scriptures of the Ganapatya
and Saura classes, and a number of
Puranas, Upapuranas and other
variously named Scriptures of the
Bauddha class. It then (Ch. VII)
mentions over 500 Tantras and nearly
the same number of Upatantras, of
some 22 Agamas, Cinagama (see Ch.
VI post), Buddhagama, Jaina,
Pashupata, Kapalika, Pancaratra, Bhairava and others.
There is thus a vast mass of Tantras in the Agamas
belonging to differing schools of doctrine and practice,
all of which must be studied before we can speak with
certainty as to what the mighty Agama as a whole is. In
this book I briefly deal with one section of it only.
Nevertheless when these Agamas have been examined
and are better known, it will, I think, be found that they
are largely variant aspects of the same general ideas
and practices.
As instances of general ideas I may cite the following:
the conception of Deity as a supreme Personality
(Parahanta) and of the double aspect of God in one of
which He really is or becomes the Universe; a true
emanation from Him in His creative aspect; successive
emanations (Abhasa, Vyuha) as of fire from fire from
subtle to gross; doctrine of Shakti; pure and impure
creation; the denial of unconscious Maya, such as
Shamkara teaches; doctrine of Maya Kosha and the
Kacukas (the six Shaiva Kacukas being, as Dr.
Schrader says, represented by the possibly earlier
classification in the Pancaratra of the three Samkocas);
the carrying of the origin of things up and beyond
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Shkta
Purusha-Prakriti; acceptance at a later stage of Purusha-
Prakriti, the Samkhyan Gunas, and evolution of Tattvas
as applied to the doctrine of Shakti; affirmance of the
reality of the Universe; emphasis on devotion (Bhakti);
provision for all castes and both sexes.
Instances of common practice are for example Mantra,
Bija, Yantra, Mudra, Nyasa, Bhutashuddhi, Kundaliyoga,
construction and consecration of temples and images
(Kriya), religious and social observances (Carya) such
as Ahnika, Varnashramadharma, Utsava; and practical
magic (Maya-yoga). Where there is Mantra, Yantra,
Nyasa, Diksha, Guru and the like, there is Tantra Shastra.
In fact one of the names of the latter is Mantra Shastra.
With these similarities there are certain variations of
doctrines and practice between the schools. Necessarily
also, even on points of common similarity, there is some
variance in terminology and exposition which is
unessential. Thus when looking at their broad features,
it is of no account whether with the Pancaratra we speak
of Lakshmi, Shakti, Vyuha, Samkoca; or whether in
terms of other schools we speak of Tripurasundari and
Mahakali, Tattvas and Kacukas. Again there are some
differences in ritual which are not of great moment except
in one and that a notable instance. I refer to the well-
known division of worshippers into Dakshinacara and
Vamacara. The secret Sadhana of some of the latter
(which I may here say is not usually understood) has
acquired such notoriety that to most the term The
Tantra connotes this particular worship and its abuses
and nothing else. I may here also observe that it is a
mistake to suppose that aberrations in doctrine and
practice are peculiar to India. A Missionary wrote to me
some years ago that this country was a demon-haunted
land. There are demons here, but
they are not the only inhabitants; and
tendencies to be found here have
existed elsewhere. The West has
produced many a doctrine and
practice of an antinomian character.
Some of the most extreme are to be
found there. Moreover, though this
does not seem to be recognized, it is
nevertheless the fact that these Kaula
rites are philosophically based on
monistic doctrine. Now it is this
Kaula doctrine and practice, limited probably, as being
a secret doctrine, at all times to comparatively few,
which has come to be known as The Tantra. Nothing
is more incorrect.
This is but one division of worshippers who again are
but one section of the numerous followers of the
Agamas, Shaiva, Shakta and Vaishnava. Though there
are certain common features which may be called
Tantrik yet one cannot speak of The Tantra as though
it were one entirely homogeneous doctrine and
practice. Still less can we identify it with the particular
practices and theories of one division of worshippers
only. Further the Tantras are concerned with Science,
Law, Medicine and a variety of subjects other than
spiritual doctrine or worship. Thus Indian chemistry
and medicine are largely indebted to the Tantrikas.
According to a common notion the word Tantra is
(to use the language of a well-known work) restricted
to the necromantic books of the latter Shivaic or Shakti
mysticism (Waddells Buddhism of Tibet, p, 164).
As charity covers many sins, so mystic and
mysticism are words which cover much ignorance.
Necromancy too looms unnecessarily large in
writers of this school. It is, however, the fact that
Western authors generally so understand the term
Tantra. They are, however, in error in so doing as
previously explained. Here I shortly deal with the
significance of the Tantra Shastra, which is of course
also misunderstood, being generally

spoken of as a
jumble of black magic, and erotic mysticism,
cemented together by a ritual which is meaningless
mummery.
A large number of persons who talk in this strain have
never had a Tantra in their hands, and such Orientalists
as have read some portions of these Scriptures have
not generally understood them, otherwise they would
not have found them to be so meaningless. They
may be bad, or they may be good, but they have a
meaning. Men are not such fools as to believe for ages
in what is meaningless. The use of this term implies
that their content had no meaning to them. Very likely;
for to define as they do Mantra as mystical words,
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Shakti and
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Mudra as mystical gestures and Yantra as mystical
diagrams does not imply knowledge. These erroneous
notions as to the nature of the Agama are of course due
to the mistaken identification of the whole body of the
Scripture with one section of it. Further this last is only
known through the abuses to which its dangerous
practices as carried out by inferior persons have given
rise. It is stated in the Shastra itself in which they are
prescribed that the path is full of difficulty and peril
and he who fails upon it goes to Hell. That there are
those who have so failed, and others who have been
guilty of evil magic, is well known. I am not in this
Chapter concerned with this special ritual or magic but
with the practices which govern the life of the vast mass
of the Indian people to be found in the Tantras of the
Agamas of the different schools which I have mentioned.
A Western writer in a review of one of my books has
expressed the opinion that the Tantra Shastra (I think
he meant the Shakta) was, at least in its origin, alien
and indeed hostile to the Veda. He said: We are strongly
of opinion that in their essence the two principles are
fundamentally opposed and that the Tantra only used
Vedic forms to mask its essential opposition. I will not
discuss this question here. It is, however, the fact now,
as it has been for centuries past, that the Agamavadins
claim to base their doctrine on Veda. The Vedanta is the
final authority and basis for the doctrines set forth in
the Tantras, though the latter interpret the Vedanta in
various ways. The real meaning of Vedanta is Upanishad
and nothing else. Many persons, however, speak of
Vedanta as though it meant the philosophy of Shamkara
or whatever other philosopher they follow.
This of course is incorrect. Vedanta is Shruti. Shamkaras
philosophy is merely one interpretation of Shruti just as
Ramanujas is another and that of the Shaivagama or
Kaulagama is a third. There is no question of
competition between Vedanta as Shruti and Tantra
Shastra. It is, however, the fact that each of the followers
of the different schools of Agama contend that their
interpretation of the Shruti texts is the true one and
superior to that of other schools. As a stranger to all
these sects, I am not here concerned to show that one
system is better than the other. Each will adopt that,
which most suits him. I am only stating the facts. As the
Ahirbudhnya Samhita of the Pacaratra Agama says,
the aspects of God are infinite, and no philosopher can
seize and duly express more than one aspect. This is
perfectly true. All systems of interpretation have some
merits as they have defects, that of Shamkara included.
The latter by his Mayavada is able to preserve more
completely than any other interpretation the
changelessness and stainlessness of Brahman. It does
this, however, at the cost of certain defects, which do
not exist in other schools, which have also their own
peculiar merits and shortcomings. The basis and seat
of authority is Shruti or experience and the Agama
interprets Shruti in its own way. Thus the Shaiva-Shakta
doctrines are specific solutions of the Vedantic theme
which differ in several respects from that of Shamkara,
though as they agree (I speak of the Northern Shaiva
School) with him on the fundamental question of the
unity of Jivatma and Paramatma, they are therefore
Advaita.
The next question is how the experience of which the
Agama speaks may be gained. This is also prescribed
in the Shastra in the form of peculiar Sadhanas or
disciplines. In the first place there must be a healthy
physical and moral life. To know a thing in its ultimate
sense is to be that thing. To know Brahman is, according
to Advaita, to be Brahman. One cannot realize Brahman
the Pure except by being oneself pure (Shuddhacitta).
But to attain and keep this state, as well as progress
therein, certain specific means, practices, rituals or
disciplines are necessary. The result
cannot be got by mere philosophical
talk about Brahman. Religion is a
practical activity. Just as the body
requires exercise, training and
gymnastic, so does the mind. This
may be of a merely intellectual or
spiritual kind. The means employed
are called Sadhana which comes from
the root Sadh, to exert. Sadhana is
that which leads to Siddhi. Sadhana
is the development of Shakti. Man is
Consciousness (Atma) vehicled by
Shakti in the form of mind and body.
But this Shakti is at base Pure
Consciousness, just as Atma is; for
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Atma and Shakti are one. Man is thus a vast magazine
of both latent and expressed power.
The object of Sadhana is to develop mans Shakti,
whether for temporal or spiritual purposes. But where
is Sadhana to be found P Seeing that the Vaidika Acara
has fallen in practical desuetude we can find it nowhere
but in the Agamas and in the Puranas which are replete
with Tantrik rituals. The Tantras of these Agamas
therefore contain both a practical exposition of spiritual
doctrine and the means by which the truth it teaches
may be realized. Their authority does not depend, as
Western writers and some of their Eastern followers
suppose, on the date when they were revealed but on
the question whether Siddhi is gained thereby. This too
is the proof of Ayurveda. The test of medicine is that it
cures. If Siddhi is not obtained, the fact it is written
Shiva uvaca (Shiva speaks) or the like counts for
nothing. The Agama therefore is a practical exposition
and application of Doctrine varying according to its
different schools.
The latest tendency in modern Western philosophy is to
rest upon intuition, as it was formerly the tendency to
glorify dialectic. Intuition has, however, to be led into
higher and higher possibilities by means of Sadhana.
This term means work or practice, which in its result is
the gradual unfolding of the Spirits vast latent magazine
of power (Shakti), enjoyment and vision which everyone
possesses in himself. The philosophy of the Agama is,
as a friend and collaborator of mine, Professor
Pramathanatha Mukhyo-padhyaya, very well put it, a
practical philosophy, adding, that what the intellectual
world wants to-day is this sort of philosophy; a
philosophy which not merely argues but experiments.
The form which Sadhana takes is a secondary matter.
One goal may be reached by many paths. What is the
path in any particular case depends on considerations
of personal capacity and temperament, race and faith.
For the Hindu there is the Agama which contains forms
of discipline which his race has evolved and are therefore
prima facie suitable for him. This is not to say that these
forms are unalterable or acceptable to all. Others will
adopt other forms of Sadhana suitable to them. Thus,
amongst Christians, the Catholic Church prescribes a
full and powerful Sadhana in its Sacraments (Samskara)
and Worship (Puja, Upasana), Meditation (Dhyana),
Rosary (Japa) and the like. But any system to be fruitful
must experiment to gain experience, The significance
of the Tantra Shastra lies in this that it claims to afford
a means available to all, of whatever caste and of either
sex, whereby the truths taught may be practically
realized.
The Tantras both in India and Tibet are the expression
of principles which are of universal application. The
mere statement of religious truths avails not. What is
necessary for all is a practical method of realization.
This too the occultist needs. Further the ordinary run of
mankind can neither apprehend, nor do they derive
satisfaction from mere metaphysical concepts. They
accept them only when presented in personal form. They
care not for Shunyata, the Void, nor Saccidananda in
the sense of mere Consciousness Being Bliss.
They appeal to personal Bodhisattvas, Buddhas, Shiva,
arrenness. Religion becomes sterile to produce practical
result and ritual and pictorial religion recurs.So
Bddhism, which in its origin has been represented to be
a reaction against excessive and barren ritualism, could
not rest with a mere statement of the noble truths and
the eightfold path. Something practical was needed. The
Mahayana (Thegpa Chhenpo) was produced. Nagarjuna
in the second century A.D. (?) is said to have
promulgated ideas to be found in the Tantras. In order
to realize the desired end, use was made of all the powers
of man, physical and mental. Theistic notions as also
Yoga came again to the fore in the Yogacarya and other
Buddhist systems. The worship of images and an
elaborate ritual was introduced. The worship of the
Shaktis spread. The Mantrayana and Vajrayana found
acceptance with, what an English writer (The Buddhism
of Tibet by L. Waddell) describes in the usual style as
its silly mummery of unmeaning jargon and gibberish,
the latter being said to be the most depraved form of
Buddhist doctrine. So-called Tantrik Buddhism became
thus fully developed. A Tantrik reformer in the person
of Tsongkhapa arose, who codified the Tantras in his
work Lam-rim Chhen-mo. The great code, the Kah-gyur,
contains in one of its sections the Tantras (Rgyud)
containing ritual, worship of the Divine Mothers,
theology, astrology and natural science, as do their Indian
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counterparts. These are of four classes, the Kriya, Carya, Yoga, Anuttara Tantras,
the latter comprising Maha, Anu and Ati-Yoga Tantras. The Tan-ghur similarly
contains many volumes of Tantras (Rgyud). Then, at length, Buddhism was driven
from out of India. Brahmanism and its rituals survived and increased, until both
in our day and the nearer past we see in the so-called reformed sects a movement
towards what is claimed to be a more spiritual religion.
Throughout the ages the same movements of action and reaction manifest. What
is right here lies in the middle course. Some practical method and ritual is necessary
if religion is not to be barren of result. The nature of the method and ritual will
vary according to the capacity and development of men. On the other hand, the
crooked influence of time tends to overlay the essential spiritual truths with
unintelligent and dead formalism. The Tantra Shastra stands for a principle of
high value though, like other things admittedly good, it is capable of, and has
suffered, abuse. An important point in this connection should be noted. In Europe
we see extreme puritan reaction with the result that the religious movements
which embody them become one-sided and without provision for ordinary human
needs. Brahmanism has ever been all-inclusive, producing a Sadhana of varying
kinds, material and mental, for the different stages of spiritual advancement and
exempting from further ritual those for whom, by reason of their attainment, it is
no longer necessary.
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Esoteric
On the evening of his Initiation the candidates
attention is drawn to the three great Emblematic
Lights of Freemasonry, namely, the Volume of the
Sacred Law, The Square and the Compasses.
The Volume of the Sacred Law teaches us our duty to
God, the Square to regulate our conduct to all
mankind and the Compasses to keep our passions
and prejudices within due bounds. Later he is
informed that the furniture of the Lodge consists of
the Volume of the Sacred Law, the Compasses and the
Square. The Sacred Writings are to rule and govern
our faith and the Compasses and Square when united
to regulate our lives and actions.
The Premier Grand Lodge of England was formed in
1717. In 1751 a second Grand Lodge was also
established there. The older Grand Lodge came to be
known as the Moderns, the other the Ancients. The
Moderns regarded the Volume of the Sacred Law, the
Square and Compasses as the furniture of the Lodge.
To the Ancients these three emblems were known as
the Three Great Lights. When the two Grand Lodges
were united in 1813 and the Lodge of Reconciliation
revised the ritual, both Grand Lodges were reconciled
by the three emblems being referred to as the Three
Great Lights as well as the furniture of the Lodge.
Our oldest Masonic documents made no reference to
the Bible, probably because no part of the Bible was
printed in English prior to 1525, and the first
complete Bible in English was not printed until 1533.
At that time, therefore, one would hardly expect the
Bible to be found in general use outside the church or
monastery, unless in a wealthy household. The
Volume of the Sacred Law first appeared in the Old
Charges in the Grand Lodge No 1 Manual Script of
1583 as an essential part of the equipment of the
operative Lodge.
There is an interesting set of questions in the
Dumphries No 4 Manual Script dated about 1710,
which shows how early the three emblems were used
in Freemasonry.
Q. How many pillars in your Lodge?
A. A Three.
Q. What are these?
A. A. Ye square, Ye compass and ye Bible.
We have evidence of a new Bible having been
presented to a Scottish Lodge in 1720.
In 1730 an exposure Masonry Dissected contained
the following:
Q. What is the other furniture of a Lodge?
A. Bible, Compass and Square.
Q. Who do they properly belong to?
A. Bible to God, Compass to the Master and Square
to the Fellowcraft.
By 1762 exposure gave the following:
Q. When you were thus brought to light, what were
the first things you saw?
A. Bible, Square and Compass.
Q. What was it they told you they signified?
A. The Three Great Lights in Masonry.
Q. Explain them, Brother.
A. The Bible to rule and govern our Faith, the Square
to Square our actions, the Compasses to
keep us within Bounds with all Men, particularly
with a Brother.
It is evident that the Volume of the Sacred Law, the
Square and the Compasses were in use in Speculative
Lodges from early times but they did not reach the
prominent position of the Three Great Lights until
about the middle of the 1700s.
Many years ago the United Grand Lodge of England
withdrew recognition from the Grand Orient of
France mainly because of the Volume of the Sacred
Law being removed from their Lodges.
In 1929 the United Grand Lodge of England saw fit
to issue the declaration of the basic principles of the
Craft. Three of them are:-
The Three Great Lights
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1. That a belief in the Great Architect of the Universe
and His revealed will shall be an essential
qualification for membership.
2. That all Initiates shall take their obligation on or in
full view of the Open Volume of the Sacred Law,
by which is meant the Revelation from above which
is binding on the conscience of the particular
individual who is being initiated
3. That the Three Great Lights of Freemasonry
(namely, the Volume of the Sacred Law, the Square
and the Compasses) shall always be exhibited when
the Grand Lodge or its subordinate Lodges are at
work, the chief of these being the Volume of the
Sacred Law.
In the Aims and Relationships of the Craft issued by
the Grand Lodge of England, Ireland and Scotland in
1938, Clause 3, appears in the following form -
The Bible, referred to by Freemasons as the Volume
of the Sacred Law, is always open in the Lodges.
Every Candidate is required to take his Obligation on
that book, or on the Volume, which is held by his
particular creed to imply sanctity to an oath or
promise taken upon it.
In the 18th Century there was some difference of
opinion as to the relative positions of the two
instruments.
At one time some old Lodges made a practice of
directing the legs of the Compasses and the ends of
the Square on the Volume of the Sacred Law toward
the candidate, who thus found himself embraced by
both implements.
Thus you can see that the Three Great Lights were
pointed out to you not only to draw your attention to
them on the night of you Initiation, but also to be a
constant guide to you throughout life. Let us hope
that this talk has helped you to understand them more
fully.
February, 2000
From a series of lectured Lodge Sir Joseph Banks.
Well worth sharing with the Masonic world at large.
The Three Great Lights
It is only when you concentrate on a particular piece
of rhyme or prose that you get a brief glimpse into the
soul of the man who wrote it. The To be or not to be
soliloquy I think does such a task.
Please read it and think of the Hiram legend, when
you have finished the reading of it. Pause and just let
the words wash over you imagination. There is no
direct link other than the contemplation of what
happens after death.
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
The undiscovered country is the part that fascinates
me.
Shakeseare was writting between say 1565 and 1600.
HAMLET: By; William Shakespeare
To be, or not to bethat is the question:
Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep
No moreand by a sleep to say we end
The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to. Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep
To sleepperchance to dream: ay, theres the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. Theres the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th oppressors wrong, the proud mans contumely
The pangs of despised love, the laws delay,
Shakesare was he or wasnt he ?
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The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of th unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied oer with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprise of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry
And lose the name of action. Soft you now,
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remembered.
There have been over the years many claims that
Shakespeare was a Freemason but as even as there is
speculation the authenticity of some of his works.
There will always be speculation on this claim to him
being a Mason.
Here are some of the written quotes that you can
speculate on. Then you can ask yourself , Was he ?
And the Meanest of things are made more precious
when they are dedicated to Temples.
Epistle Dedication in The Shakespeare Folio. 1623.
To the Most Noble and Incomparable Pair of
Brethren, William, Earle of Pembroke.... and Philip,
Earle of Montgomery...
Dedication in The Shakespeare Folio.
Like to the Garters compass, in a ring:
The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act V, s.5
Is there no young squarer that will make a Voyage
with him....?
Much Ado About Nothing, Act I s.1
I have not kept my square,but that to come shall all be
done by Rule.
Antony and Cleopatra, Act II, s.1.
They never meet, but they do square.
A Midsummer Nights Dream, Act II, s.1
I shall stay here the forehorse to a smock,
Creaking my shoes on the plain masonry,
Alls well that Ends Well, Act II, s.1
Doth any name particular belong
Unto the lodging where I first did swoon?
Tis calld Jerusalem, my noble lord.
King Henry IV, Part ii Act 4, s.5
And he that speaks doth gripe the hearers wrist,
Whilst he that hears makes fearful action,
King John Act 4, s.2
Be patient, for the prize Ill bring thee to
Shall hoodwink this mischance: therefore speak
softly.
Alls hushd as midnight yet.
The Tempest, Act IV, s.1
What! My old Worshipful Master!
Taming of the Shrew, Act V, s.1.
If circumstances lead me, I will find
Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed
Within the centre.
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Act II, s.2
And from the cross-row plucks the letter G.
Richard III, Act I, s.1
To use it for my time: I am a brother
Of gracious order, late come from the See
In special business from his holiness.
Measure for Measure Act III, s.2
The singing masons building roofs of gold,
King Henry V Act 1, s.2
But this is worshipful society
And fits the mounting spirit like myself,
Loves Labours Lost Act IV, s.3
Shakesare was he or wasnt he ?
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They were a poor lot, and we blooded em with a kid
before letting em into the new Kingdom. That was to
impress the people, and then they settled down quiet,
and Carnehan went back to Dravot, who had got into
another valley, all snow and ice and most
mountaineous. There was no people there, and the
Army got afraid; so Dravot shoots one of them, and
goes on till he finds some people in a village, and the
Army explains that unless the people wants to be
killed they had better not shoot their little matchlocks,
for they had matchlocks.
We makes friends with the priest, and I stays there
alone with two of the Army, teaching the men how to
drill; and a thundering big Chief comes across the
snow with kettledrums and horns twanging, because
he heard there was a new God kicking about.
Carnehan sights for the brown of the men half a mile
across the snow and wings one of them.
Then he sends a message to the Chief that, unless he
wished to be killed, he must come and shake hands
with me and leave his arms behind. The Chief comes
alone first, and Carnehan shakes hands with him and
whirls his arms about, same as Dravot used, and very
much surprised that Chief was, and strokes my
eyebrows. Then Carnehan goes alone to the Chief,
and asks him in dumb-show if he had an enemy he
hated. I have, says the chief. So Carnehan weeds out
the pick of his men, and sets the two of the Army to
show them drill, and at the end of two weeks the men
can manoeuvre about as well as Volunteers.
So he marches with the Chief to a great big plain on
the top of a mountain, and the Chief s men rushes
into a village and takes it; we three Martinis firing
into the brown of the enemy. So we took that village
too, and I gives the Chief a rag from my coat, and
says, Occupy till I come; which was scriptural. By
way of a reminder, when me and the Army was
eighteen hundred yards away, I drops a bullet near
him standing on the snow, and all the people falls
flat on their faces. Then I sends a letter to Dravot
wherever he be by land or by sea.
At the risk of throwing
the creature out of train I
interrupted:
How could you write a
letter up yonder?
The letter?oh!the
letter! Keep looking at
me between
the eyes, please. It was a
string-talk letter, that
wed learned the way of
it from a blind beggar in
the Punjab.
I remember that there
had once come to the
office a blind
man with a knotted twig,
and a piece of string
which he wound
They were a poor lot, and we blooded em with a kid
before letting em into the new Kingdom. That was
to impress the people, and then they settled down
quiet, and Carnehan went back to Dravot, who had
got into another valley, all snow and ice and most
mountaineous. There was no people there,
and the Army got afraid; so Dravot shoots one of
them, and goes on till he finds some people in a
village, and the Army explains that unless the people
wants to be killed they had better not shoot their little
matchlocks, for they had matchlocks.
We makes friends with the priest, and I stays
there alone with two of the Army, teaching the men
how to drill; and a thundering big Chief comes
across the snow with kettledrums and horns
twanging, because he heard there was
a new God kicking about. Carnehan sights for the
brown of the men half a mile across the snow and
wings one of them.
Then he sends a message to the Chief that, unless he
wished to be killed, he must come and shake hands
with me and leave his arms behind.
Ref : 22 - 24 - next episode
The Man who would
be King
27
Esoteric
The Chief comes alone first, and Carnehan shakes
hands with him and whirls his arms about,
same as Dravot used, and very much surprised that
Chief was, and strokes my eyebrows. Then Carnehan
goes alone to the Chief, and asks him in dumb-show
if he had an enemy he hated. I have, says the chief.
So Carnehan weeds out the pick of his men, and sets
the two of the Army to show them drill, and at the
end of two weeks the men can manoeuvre about as
well as Volunteers.
So he marches with the Chief to a great big plain on
the top of a mountain, and the Chief s men rushes
into a village and takes it; we three Martinis firing
into the brown of the enemy.
So we took that village too, and I gives the Chief a
rag from my coat, and says, Occupy till I come;
which was scriptural. By way of a reminder, when
me and the Army was eighteen hundred yards away,
I drops a bullet near him standing on the snow, and
all the people falls flat on their faces.
Then I sends a letter to Dravot wherever he be by
land or by sea. At the risk of throwing the creature
out of train I interrupted:
How could you write a letter up yonder?
The letter?oh!the letter! Keep looking at me
between the eyes, please. It was a string-talk letter,
that wed learned the way of it from a blind beggar in
the Punjab.
I remember that there had once come to the office a
blind
man with a knotted twig, and a piece of string which
he wound round the twig according to some cipher of
his own. He could, after the lapse of days or hours,
repeat the sentence which he had reeled up. He had
reduced the alphabet to eleven primitive sounds, and
tried to teach me his method, but I could not
understand.
I sent that letter to Dravot, said Carnehan, and
told him
to come back because this Kingdom was growing too
big for me to handle; and then I struck for the first
valley, to see how the priests were working. They
called the village we took along with the Chief,
Bashkai, and the first village we took, Er-Heb.
The priests at Er-Heb was doing all right, but they
had a lot of pending cases about land to show me,
and some men from another village had been firing
arrows at night. I went out and looked for that
village, and fired four rounds at it from a thousand
yards. That used all the cartridges I cared to spend,
and I waited for Dravot, who had been away two or
three months, and I kept my people quiet.
One morning I heard the devils own noise of drums
and horns, and Dan Dravot marches down the hill
with his Army and a tail of hundreds of men, and,
which was the most amazing, a great gold crown on
his head. My Gord, Carnehan, says Daniel, this is a
tremenjus business, and weve got the whole country
as far as its worth having.
I am the son of Alexander by Queen Semiramis, and
youre my younger brother and a God too! Its the
biggest thing weve ever seen. Ive been marching
and fighting for six weeks with the Army, and every
footy little village for fifty miles has come in
rejoiceful; and more than that, Ive got the key of the
whole show, as youll see, and Ive got a crown for
you! I told em to make two of em at a place called
Shu, where the gold lies in the rock like suet in
mutton. Gold Ive seen, and turquoise Ive kicked out
of the cliffs, and theres garnets in the sands of the
river, and heres a chunk of amber that a man brought
me. Call up all the priests and, here, take your
crown.
One of the men opens a black hair bag, and I slips
the crown on. It was too small and too heavy, but I
wore it for the glory. Hammered gold it wasfive
pounds weight, like a hoop of a barrel.
Peachey, says Dravot, we dont want to fight no
more. The Crafts the trick, so help me! and he
brings forward that same Chief that I left at
The Man who would
be King
28
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The Man who would
be King
BashkaiBilly Fish we called him
afterward, because he was so like
Billy Fish that drove the big tank-
engine at Mach on the Bolan in the
old days. Shake hands with him,
says Dravot; and I shook hands and
nearly

dropped, for Billy Fish gave
me the Grip. I said nothing, but
tried him with the Fellow-craft
Grip. He answers all right,
and I tried the Masters Grip, but
that was a slip. A Fellowcraft
he is! I says to Dan. Does he know
the word?
He does, says Dan, and all the
priests know. Its a miracle! The
Chiefs and the priests can work a
Fellow-craft Lodge in a way thats
very like ours, and theyve cut the
marks on the rocks, but they dont
know the Third Degree, and theyve
come to find out. Its Gords Truth.
Ive known these long years that
the Afghans knew up to the Fellow-
craft Degree, but this is a miracle. A
God and a Grand Master of the
Craft am I, and a Lodge in the Third
Degree I will open, and well raise
the head priests and the Chiefs of
the villages.
Its against all the law, I says,
holding a Lodge without warrant
from any one; and you know we
never held office in any Lodge.
Its a master stroke o policy,
says Dravot. It means running
the country as easy as a four-
wheeled bogie on a down grade. We
cant stop to inquire now, or theyll
turn against us.
29
The Man who would
be King
Lodgeroom Stores are in Dollars,
Pounds and Euros
Ive forty Chiefs at my heel, and passed and raised
according to their merit they shall be. Billet these
men on the villages, and see that we run up a Lodge
of some kind. The temple of Imbra will do for a
Lodge-room. The women must make
aprons as you show them. Ill hold a levee of Chiefs
to-night and Lodge to-morrow.
I was fair run off my legs, but I wasnt such a fool
as not to see what a pull this Craft business gave us. I
showed the priests families how to make aprons of
the degrees, but for Dravots apron the blue border
and marks was made of turquoise lumps on white
hide, not cloth. We took a great square stone in the
temple for the Masters chair, and little stones for the
officers chairs, and painted the black pavement with
white squares, and did what we could to make things
regular.
At the levee which was held that night on the
hillside with big bonfires, Dravot gives out that him
and me were Gods

and sons of Alexander, and Passed
Grand Masters in the Craft, and was come to make
Kafiristan a country where every man should eat in
peace and drink in quiet, and specially obey us.
Then the Chiefs come round to shake hands, and they
were so hairy and white and fair it was just shaking
hands with old friends. We gave them names according
as they was like men we had known in IndiaBilly
Fish, Holly Dilworth, Pikky Kergan, that was Bazaar-
master when I was at Mhow, and so on, and so on.
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WHY DO PAST
MASTERS JUST
FADE AWAY?
by W:.Tim Bryce, PM, MPS
timb001@phmainstreet.com
Palm Harbor, Florida, USA
A Foot Soldier for Freemasonry
Have you ever been in a Lodge
where the immediate Past Masters
seem to routinely vanish? I have. In
fact, I have seen quite a few Lodges
where it seems to be customary for
the Past Masters to disappear. No, I
do not believe an accident has
befallen them, but you have to
wonder why they no longer take an
interest in the Lodge. Did they burn
themselves out during their year in
the East? Were they there to simply
get their Past Masters apron and no
longer care about the Lodge?
I have a theory on this phenomenon;
basically, I believe the more
successful Past Masters return to the
Lodge to support it, and the less
effective PMs lose interest and
drop out of sight. I have seen this
far too often to believe it is just a
coincidence. Those Worshipful
Masters who worked hard and had
what was considered a good year
return to Lodge, if for no other
reason, to make sure the programs
they instituted during their year are
perpetuated. They come to Lodge to
offer counsel to their successors and
becuase they truly enjoy attending
Lodge with their Brothers. On the
other hand, the dysfunctional
Worshipful Masters cannot wait for
their year to end and pass the hot
potato over to someone else. This
type of person either believes he did
a good job which nobody
appreciated, or feels his officers and
the Craft abandoned him.
I attribute the problems of the
dysfunctional Worshipful Master to
our election process where we hang
on to our antiquated policy of
progressing through the chairs.
Becuase of this, I have seen
Brothers too often rise above their
level of competency. Let me give
you an example, I know of a
Brother in the western United States
who, when called upon, heartily
volunteered to be a steward. He was
happy with the position and did a
great job working in the kitchen.
And he would have been happy to
continue serving in that capacity,
but he was encouraged by others to
move up the line of deacons,
wardens, and finally Worshipful
Master. By his own admission, he
had a bad year as Master and
wished he had remained a steward,
but due to the tradition of the chairs,
he found himself in a position he
wasnt comfortable in.
The antithesis of the Lodges with
the disappearing Masters are those
Lodges where there are more Past
Masters than ordinary Brothers. Its
nice to have the participation of the
Past Masters, but if there are no
ordinary Brothers sitting on the
sidelines, I see this as a danger sign.
There are those Lodges where the
Past Masters simply rotate through
the
East in order to perpetuate the
Lodge. Sounds admirable right?
Maybe. But it also sounds rather
incestuous. I see this as a sign of
stagnation and the Lodge should
start thinking about cultivating a
new crop of officers if it wants to
remain a viable institution.
This brings up a point, we also have
to be wary of those Past Masters
who do not relinquish control over
the Lodge gracefully. Some overstay
their welcome in an attempt to
maintain control over the Lodge.
Occasionally this is done out of
necessity, but a lot of times it is
done to pacify someones ego. We
should never lose sight of the fact
that this is a volunteer organization.
Its not about control; its about who
best can work, and best agree.
Keep the Faith!
When you bring up the subject of
Masonic Education in Lodge, a lot of
Brothers surprisingly roll their eyes
and go to sleep. Maybe its because they
have heard it all before (which I doubt)
or perhaps we are not being
imaginative in how we present it.
Nonetheless, I have found Masonic
Education to be an important part of
the vitality of a Lodge and Im
surprised when I find no mention of it
in a Lodge aside from our usual
degrees.
Interestingly, I have found there a
correlation between Masonic
Education and the prosperity of the
Lodge. All of the Lodges I have
attended who have had a regular and
imaginative program of Masonic
Education seem to be vibrant in terms
of meeting attendance, attracting
visitors, increased membership, and
financial stability. Those who do not
have such a program are the antithesis
of this. I have seen this too often to
believe it is nothing more than a
coincidence.
Where I come from, the Senior Warden
is normally responsible for managing
the Lodges Masonic Education
program. This is a good idea as it helps
educate the Senior Warden prior to
becoming Worshipful Master.
Masonic Education can take many
forms: lectures, open-book
examinations, research papers, videos,
discussion groups/committees, etc. To
my way of thinking, there should be
some topic of Masonic Education at
every Stated Communication. This can
be supplemented by special meetings to
discuss a Masonic subject.
As we all know, Freemasonry is long
and rich in history. It also involves the
arts and sciences. One of the
best presentations I have
heard regarding Freemasonry
was from a young Brother
who spoke for a half hour on
(particularly the Master, Wardens,
Secretary and Treasurer jobs).
* Masonic Law - to familiarize the
Craft with the laws, rules, and
regulations of your jurisdiction.
Reviewing Lodge bylaws is also
useful.
* Research papers - on how
Freemasonry pertains to such things as
philosophy, music, mathematics,
science, astronomy, etc.
* Masonic News - discuss current
events in Freemasonry.
In other words, use your imagination
and encourage Lodge members to get
involved. The more the Craft knows,
the more active they will be. But keep
it positive and upbeat. Dry and boring
presentations will only put people to
sleep.
Finding an effective speaker can be a
challenging task. During my year in the
East, I developed a list of Masonic
speakers which I frequently referenced.
I made this list available to other
Lodges in my district who have also
capitalized on it. Most of the time, a
speaker will be glad to give a
presentation on a gratis basis.
Nevertheless, when I was in the East I
always presented a guest speaker with
a small gift as a token of our
appreciation and followed up with a
thank you note. Such tokens are greatly
appreciated by the speakers.
There is no doubt in my mind that an
effective and imaginative program of
Masonic Education can have nothing
but a positive impact on the well-being
of a Lodge. Try it. I think you will be
pleasantly surprised by the results you
get. Besides, arent we supposed to be
seeking further light?
Always remember, An educated
Mason is a dedicated Mason.
Keep the Faith!
Geometry and how it applied to the
fraternity. So what else should be
discussed? Here is a list of ideas for
you:
* Masonic Etiquette - dos and donts
in Masonic protocol. As a small
example, how a Brother should be
addressed when writing
correspondence; decorum in the Lodge
(how to address another Brother in the
Lodge or saluting), etc.
* Masonic History - not just our
ancient history, but how Freemasonry
came to our state/province or
community (Lodge history). Perhaps a
biographical sketch of the Lodges
founding fathers. Try reading the
Lodge minutes from 50 or 100 years
ago; it is interesting to see what the
Lodge was thinking and doing back
then.
* Masonic Trivia - featuring little
known facts about the fraternity or
your jurisdiction.
* Freemasonry in other jurisdictions -
this is particularly insightful for
understanding the differences in our
degree work and customs. It also
improves relations between
jurisdictions. If possible, invite a
speaker from another jurisdiction to
describe the differences. For example,
a few years ago we had a traveling
team of Masons from the United
Kingdom visit our area and
exemplified their degree work; this
turned out to be a standing room only
meeting.
* Allied and appendant bodies -
describing the various Masonic bodies
and their activities. This promotes
understanding and cooperation
between the Craft Lodge and the other
Masonic bodies.
* Officer Responsibilities - to
educate the Craft as to the duties and
responsibilities of Lodge officers
32
Two US CoMasonic bodies share
common Founder
By: Karen Kidd
The development of moral character
is an individual undertaking, the most
important in this existence. Each
individual must take the same path,
overcome the same obstacles, and
learn the same lessons that each and
every other man has been obliged to do
in his quest for Light and Truth. -
Very Ills. Bro. Louis Goaziou 33:
In this new year of 2009, the two largest Co-Masonic
Obediences in the United States, the Honorable Order
of American Co-Masonry and Le Droit Humains
American Federation, enter their second century.
Both Obediences, separate since the mid-1990s, share
a common origin. So as they look forward to their
second century in the US, both also can look back
over ten decades to their first Grand Commander, a
man whose name has been purposely obscured
because of Cold War politics. Even his family was so
terrorized by the Red Scare that they destroyed many
of his documents. This intentional destruction of his
history has been so thorough that he remains
unknown to the very vast majority of the worlds
Freemasons, including many Co-Masons.
In those darker decades, recollection of him was kept
alive by those Freemasons in the Obediences he
helped to found. And now there are signs enough time
has passed that nonMasons are starting to recall him.
Which suggests, perhaps, a day is coming when the
most timid of Freemasons, those in obediences who
do not remember him, will never again be afraid to
call him Brother.
Louis Goaziou was born almost 145 years ago, on
March 22, 1864, in Scrignac County, in the French
province of Brittany. His family soon had a career in
mind for him, according to his familys recollections.
He was to be a priest in the Roman Catholic Church.
This didnt happen. Instead, while still in his early
teens, he went to work in a French coal mine. There
he experienced the hardships faced by all coal miners
of the last 19th and well into the 20th centuries. This
lead to his best known activities within the radical
workers movements and the burgeoning socialist
parties.
Goaziou was barely 16 years old when he
immigrated, with his family, to the Unites States,
where his settled in Charleroi, in the heart of
Pennsylvanias coal country. He seems to have
continued to work as a miner, though its doubtful
conditions in Pennyslvanias coal mines were much
better than theyd been in France. He seems to have
risen thru the ranks and, ultimately, became a mine
inspector.
Despite the kind of labor that dulled the minds and
crushed the spirits of others, including many around
Goaziou, it seems only to have deepened his
convictions that there were basic unfairnesses
imposed upon workers, and people in general, in his
time. It is difficult for many to look back through
decades of repressive political and social history and
understand the great hopes and high deals of many
33
early socialists such as Goaziou. There was not yet
Joseph Stalins gulags, politically created famines,
repressed civil liberties and wide spread terrors. This
was the before time, a period rising industrialization
and great inequalities among workers and peoples,
including inequalities between the sexes.
Very early Socialists fought against these social evils,
not in favor of those that would later be perpetrated
in the partys name.
It was in that climate, and with those high ideals, that
the young Goaziou was caught up in the times
politics and philosophical debates. It is surprising,
given his later work for better working conditions,
better pay and equal rights, that he initially was
drawn to Anarchy. At 21, Goaziou journeyed to
nearby Sturgeon, PA, to join the Anarchist
International Association, which was called the
Black International. He soon was writing, often
anonymously, in miners newspapers on behalf of the
Association.
His youth and inexperience, as well as his developing
philosophies, are glaringly evident in some of his
earlier, more provocative writing. These early
writings often are cited by historians, especially those
with an anti-socialist agenda, who portray Goaziou
was a lifelong radical who always advocated
violence. There certainly is plenty there to cite.
Shortly after the Haymarket Riots of 1886, when
Goaziou was 22, he wrote in one of his most
inflammatory articles: The day the red rooster starts
crowing, many a joyfully beating heart and the true
anarchist will be ready to fit the gun to their
shoulders and will march to conquer liberty, with the
red flag heading them.
Anyone who likes accuracy in their history,
particularly this history, will note Goazious tone
changed as he matured, though he didnt forget his
experiences among the anarchists when he left to
become a more moderate socialist. When he was well
into middle age, he warned from experience what
might happen is nothing were done about poor
working conditions and class inequity: It is possible,
and even very likely, that the social question will
only be solved with the help of a violent revolution,
when the present owners of the capital will refuse to
obey the legal mandates of the majority.1
Near the turn of the century, Goaziou began to
publish the French-language newspaper, LUnion Des
Travailleurs, the Union of Workers. Though hed
written in a number of newspapers before and had
been editor/ publisher of several, LUnion Des
Travailleurs proved his most influential and marked
his first real and firmest step into the US political
arena.
It was quite natural for Goaziou to labor as a
Freemason with the same energy and zeal. He
reportedly was initiated, passed and raised in 19032 .
That same year, he was one of the founders of the
first Co-Masonic lodge in the United States. The
institution of Alpha Lodge under Le Droit Humain in
1903 was driven largely by Goaziou and a
representative of the International Orders Supreme
Council, Antoine Muzzarelli. The Lodge started with
17 Brothers, fifteen men and two women3 . Goaziou
was Alpha Lodges first Right Worshipful Master.
By 1908, Goaziou and Muzzarelli helped to organize
more than 50 Co-Masonic lodges.
On August 7, 1907, the American Federation of
Human Rights was incorporated in the District of
Columbia.
Muzzarelli apparently left the United States in 1908
but Goaziou continued the work of both. In
November of 1908 of that year, at a convention called
by Muzzarelli, delegates from 20 of the original
lodges gathered. Goaziou was elected the federations
first President. The following year, he was appointed
Representative of the Supreme Council of the
International Order.
A Certificate of Re-Incorporation was registered by
the Federation on May 26, 1909. It read, in part:
The particular business and objects of
this society are to demand equal rights
for both sexes before the law, to labor
common Founder
34
according to the Constitution and
General By-Laws to be made and
adopted by the society for the mutual
improvement of its members by
combating ignorance under all its
forms, the building up of human
character, the practice of solidarity,
the upholding of high standards of
honor, and of social justice with a
kindly feeling towards all, and a
ceaseless endeavor to promote the
moral and material welfare of the
human race, and to that end, to
organize and to conduct throughout
the United States of America,
branches or Lodges of Co-Masonry
under the authority or jurisdiction of
the Supreme Council of universal Co-
Masonry with headquarters in Paris,
France.
Events continued at a fast pace. Goaziou soon was
the federations first Most Puissant Grand
Commander, as well as a Representative of the
Supreme Council in Paris. Under his guidance,
almost 100 Co-Masonic lodges were founded in the
Uniited States by 1924.
Though the Federations headquarters was founded
early on in Larkspur, Co, where the Honorable Order
of American Co-Masonry maintains Her
headquarters to this day, Goaziou remained very
active in Charleroi and on the political world stage.
In 1904, he represented Pennsylvania as a delegate to
the May 1904 Convention of the Socialist Party of
America in Chicago, ILL.
In 1911, Goaziou hosted Socialist Party Presidential
candidate Eugene V. Debs visit to that town.
Goaziou also helped organize labor rallies, some of
them quite volatile. One co-participant in his work
was Harris, better known as Mother Jones, one of
the periods fiercest proponents of workers rights
who shared Goazious interests as a community
organizer.
But the world political scene was changing
dramatically. It isnt clear what Goaziou thought
about the developments in Russia and the
revolution there in 1917 but, given his ideals and
his narrow focus of human rights, he cannot have
thought much of the brutal oppression that
followed; or of socialisms inextricable intertwining
with Soviet Communism. Like many socialists of
his time, it must have been difficult to watch so
many ideals crushed under so much destructive
political doctrine.
It seems Goaziou spent more of his time with his
Masonic duties and became less of a player in the
Socialist Party. He did, however, maintain a printing
business in Charleroi and he remained a strong
advocate for the causes to which hed given his life.
The same newspaper connections hed used to
spread Socialist propaganda were put to work
spreading Co-Masonry. He likewise used his strong
character to make sure he was heard.
His combative nature landed him in trouble, more
than once, with his Obediences Supreme Council
in Paris, which at one point suspended his Masonic
privileges over what they saw as a breach of his
Obligation. Those privileges were soon restored but
it wasnt the only time Goazious odd mix of drive,
temper and popularity got him into trouble with his
Masonic peers. He got out of that trouble as often as
he got into it.
He was still Grand Commander when he died
March 31, 1937 at the age of 73. It was the start of
what would be leaner times for the American
Federation. The American Federation, like all US
Freemasonic Obediences, suffered much decline
during the Great Depression and would not begin to
recover until after World War II. It also was mark
common Founder
Bro. Louis Goaziou simple life style
Charleroi Observer-Reporter
35
the period in which the non Co-Masonic world tried
to forget Louis Goaziou ever lived.
In the 1950s, members of his family began to
systematically destroy documents linking them to
Louis Goaziou and the Socialist Party. Many of these
documents were destroyed ironically, given Louis
Goazious background in the coal industry by
burning them in a coal furnace. One of his
descendants, Darlene Pennline, recalled this during
an interview with the Charleroi Observer-Reporter for
an article published in the newspaper last summer.
My grandfather wanted all of that stuff concerning
his father out, said Pennline, Goazious great-
granddaughter, then 72, recalled during in the
interview.
In various histories of the period, Goaziou was
mentioned hardly at all and, when he was, it often
was written to portray him inaccurately. His family
spoke of him only in whispers.
That began to change in April 2008 when the last
surviving member of his family to bear the Goaziou
name, his grandson Herbert Goaziou. Died childless,
Loius Goazious largely intact Charleroi print shop
again came to the attention of historians. Herbert
Goaziou, unlike much of his family, preserved many
of Louis Goazious artifacts simply by not
dismantling them. For instance, Louis Goazious
modest sleeping quarters reportedly remain almost as
he left them when he died.
Herbert Goaziou kept the print shop going until his
his 90th birthday on May 25, 2003, according to the
Observer-Reporter.
Its an astounding collection of a bygone era with a
story of international interest because of its
connection to the French Socialist movement, the
newspaper quoted Ronald A. Baraff, director of
museum collections and archives at the Steel Industry
Heritage Corp. To walk in and it be unchanged and
to have that story all in one place is phenomenal.
Pennline has vowed to dedicate her retirement to
turning the print shop into a museum in partnership
with the Charleroi Area Historical Society. In
addition, the National Park Service sent a
photographer to the print shop to take photographs,
which are expected to be added to the National
Library of Congress digital files, the newspaper
reported.
In addition, the National Park Service sent a
photographer to the print shop to take photographs,
which are expected to be added to the National
Library of Congress digital files.
With the nonMasonic world beginning to remember
Louis Goaziou, the two Co-Masonic bodies that trace
their lineage to his American Federation can look
back upon the foundation he established; and build
upon in their second century.
An excellent pod cast about Louis Goaziou is
available in the Honorable Order of American Co-
Masonrys series of pod casts available online here:
http://www.co-masonry.org/Podcasts/Episodes/3.mp3
DISCLAIMER: I am not authorized to speak for my
Obedience but am happy to offer personal opinions
and observations
1 For both these quotes, see page 150 of In the
Shadow of the Statue of Liberty by Marianne
Debouzy, University of Illinois Press, 1992
2 See episode 3, Louis Goaziou, Co-Mason and
Benefactor of Humanity of the Honorable Order of
American Co-Masonrys excellent series of pod casts
available online here: http://www.co-masonry.org/
Site/English/Audio.aspx
3 See Autumn 2003 edition of Freemasonry Today,
available online here: http://
www.freemasonrytoday.com/26/p04.php
common Founder
36
Lodgeroom International Auction House
I have created the latest in the Lodgeroom Range of services.
http://www.lodgeroominternational.com/auction/index.php
* It is designed to be an eBay style site for Freemasons only.
* You can list one item for sale or you can create an entire Store - Your
store.
You call it what you like , you create your own logo and upload it then
populate it with your own products.
* You can bid on other products and others can bid on yours. You can have
buy it now price on each item, as well as your lowest auction price..
* Most all the main features of eBay are on this system.
* I have created a billmcelligott Store to give you an idea of what your
store can look like, you can choose different themes colours etc..
* You decide what you charge for your itema. I thought Maybe a Lodge
might want to use it to raise funds for the Lodge by selling all the old
Regalia.
* I have cut off the small store monthly fees. You can upgrade your store
as time goes by. If your a big seller contact me and we can organise
reduced rates for volume. But I have cut the fees down to as low as they
can go sensibly.
* The money goes from the buyer direct to the seller. The responsibility is
between them both to ensure delivery.
* I can add further Categories as we expand but you can add extra
categories to your Own shop if you wish.
* http://www.lodgeroominternational.com/auction/auction_details.php?name=Companion-Apron-and-Sash&auction_id=100005
This is what each entry will look like after you create it.
Pay on line direct to seller
Open Auctions
Masonic
Products
New and Old
Someone
could use
those old
Books
All the well known
writers
Is that Ring worth what you think
it is
37
* There is also a section for wanted adds , so if your selling something this
may well be the place to look.
* The site will be linked to all the Lodgeroom web pages, so it will receive
good coverage in the Masonic community.
* It costs nothing to register and create any of the small Stores. you only
pay a small fee if you comit to advertising an item , just like on eBay.
* Here your customer base will only be Freemasons. I think we can
cultivate a Masonic shopping zone where you all can interact and save
money.
* Have a look and see what you think of the idea
http://www.lodgeroominternational.com/auction/
* This is the billmcelligott store to give you the idea of what you can do
if you wish.
http://www.lodgeroominternational.com/auction/
shop.php?name=billmcelligott&user_id=100001
* So the choice is yours, sell one item at one time or create an on line
Store for continued sales for you or your Lodge. You can trade in a
multitude of currencies and deal with Freemasons from New York to
Bombai.
* I will give assistsnce on creating the adds in both Lodgeroom UK and
Lodgeroom US. It is much the same as ebay but all software has its
different ways.
Add to your Library at a fraction of the costby buying from a Brother
I just realized I can save $ 150
at Auction ?
Raising funds from what
you already have an interest
in can be just what you need
Take a few minutes and read
this and find out if working
with me might be a good
idea..
Interested in selling
Masonic products
38
Lodgeroom
Store
Lodgeroom
Store
You are about to take upon you a series
of different thoughts. Take each page
upon yourself with the light of your
heart and candour of your soul so that
the mind may open the doors of
understanding. Though the willingness
to understand comes the gatekeeper of
knowledge; which will manifest valid
experiences.
Into the Mind:
Compilation of
Inspiration
By : J.R. Schaefer
A review by K. Kidd
This is how Bro. J.R. Schaefer begins his recently published first book,
Into the Mind: Compilation of Inspiration. With that, his slender tome
takes us thru thoughts that, to the careful observer, are Masonicly
inspiring. This is important because we live in an age in which the Craft is
largely in decline. And everywhere the Brethren look for its writers, artists
and thinkers of which we had plenty in prior days.
Bro. Schaefers work is a sudden flash of light in what seems a very dark
time indeed. While darkness may prevail, the journey and the search
continue. The prize, he tells us, is not in the fight of the opponent,
rather the fight of the self and a willingness to win.
Bro. Schaefer provides this light in poetry as well as in prose, in words
that are almost hypnotic. The nonMason could read this book and be
inspired but the Freemason will know those passages that speak peculiarly
to him/her, such as this one:
Though all of time the seers have told and written the laws that govern
the senses of our conscience; how to act and how to live. The glutton of
ego drowns the inner being from gaining joy in its fullness. So we play in
the mind puddle and call it the ocean. We part from our connections and
call it love once had, once lost. See for the lawmaker, we being the ones
that follow the laws of the Creator. Then you will understand the reality of
being a seeker. The Architect of the Grandest is felt in the inner being and
you say to yourself, I am a Child of God and the connections with the
people around you are felt in splendour. Yu can now see the love I the air
and in the soil and in the water; it is the grand mechanic that makes the
machine of forgiveness. He has the capability to creating a device of
forgiveness. Now Look, Listen and Learn.
39
Lodgeroom Store
One of a number of themes that runs thru Bro.
Schaefers book is that of oneness. Universal
Oneness, he writes, comes from your willingness to
let go. While he does not minutely define Oneness,
Schaefer tries to draw the readers understanding of this
concept to a fuller understand of the Creator and his/her
place with/in.
The Creator is the known entity of your being,
Schaefer writes, he lives in your heart, he resides in
you, for you are made in his image. There can be many
different ways to see this and then you will be the
identify seeker. The love of the almighty shines in your
heart and you can be the only one that sees and hears
the laughter and songs made for you. Made for you,
with your fingerprint on it.
Bro. Schaefers compilation tackles other weighty
subjects as well, such as patience, happiness, duality
and the concept of evil. But he is very clear, in all these
subjects, that his book is written for seekers of all
types. And what it is they must do if they really want to
find what they seek. If we want to find truth, Bro.
Schaefer warns, we must be willing to lose
everything!
Bro. Schaefer also includes a few of his essays,
including what may be his best known, 3 of Masonry
and Kung Fu.
The book is the culmination of many years of study
and curiosity as it relates to the spiritual journey Bro
Schaefer said in an online interview. I have quite the
background in Religion. For example, I was raised in a
Lutheran home and was confirmed in this religion at
the age of 15. This required approx 1 year of studies
and memorization of the cataclysm of Martin Luther.
Then I was introduced into the Catholic system in the
High School I went to with 3 years of religion study.
Years later my Kung Fu Master taught me the
fundamentals of Buddhism, this lasted 6 years. After
this a friend at collage who was Muslim taught me
many things. Many of my close friends are Mormons as
well.
Almost 3 years ago I joined the Freemasons and
that opened up a whole other door!
. . . I always had an interest in religion and in
particular the spiritual realm of things. Because of
this I write my own thoughts on how I interpret this
knowledge. It may be a poem or a one page thought.
This helps me process the information I have
learned. The book has been a work in progress for
about 5 years.
Bro. Schaefer travels in online Masonic circles under
the name Syphous.
Into the Mind: Compilation of Inspiration
By : J.R. Schaefer
A review by K. Kidd
40
Book Review
Lodgeroom Store
Like Paulo Coelho, Lars Muhl was
for many years a successful singer/
songwriter who, concurrently with
his music, studied the worlds
religions and esoteric knowledge.
Then in 1996, he was struck down
by an unexplained illness, which
neither doctors nor alternative
therapists could diagnose. For three
years he lay in bed without being
able to move or think straight.
Through a close friends
intervention, Lars was put in touch
with a seer who, via the telephone,
brought him back to life. That was
the start of a completely new
existence and the beginning of that
quest he so grippingly describes in
The O Manuscript.
This is the trilogy you, dear reader,
now hold in your hand. Dont let
yourself be misled by the three
subtitles. This is NOT another book
about the Holy Grail, Jesus and
Mary Magdalene based on the usual
theses and theories that, over the
years, have become trivialised.
Instead The O Manuscript is the
result of one mans moving journey
into another reality towards a
more genuine and authentic way of
being. A journey that engages from
the outset and, unlike most of the
other books in this genre, doesnt
mislead with irrelevant who-done-it
riddles. Instead The O Manuscript
opens up to the very centre of mans
true mystery. The insight one gets
through the authors meeting with
another reality is mirrored
synchronistically in the epic and
dramatic story of the forgotten
feminine power: the uniting of eros
and agape, being recounted parallel
to the authors story. Book 1 mirrors
the masculine principle, while Book
2 portrays the feminine. Book 3 is
dedicated to the mystery of the
bridal chamber, where the
masculine and the feminine become
united as an isogenic entity.
The books distinguish themselves
by being written in such a way that,
in spite of their complicated subject
matter, they are suitable for a wide
readership. The many layers to be
found in the texts mean that both
beginners and the more initiated in
these themes are struck by the
authenticity of the words and the
authors ability to bring heaven
down to earth or the reader nearer
heaven.
The O Manuscript is not just
another spiritual sweetener but the
beginning of a most exciting
journey for anyone who reads it.
The books are not to be read merely
to be understood, but to be
absorbed into the very texture of
your conscious being and your
higher Self.
The Sign of a Mason
by: Martin Faulks
Publisher: Lewis Masonic
Product code: L2894
ISBN: 9780853182894
Are you ready for a sponsored
laugh? All royalties from this book
go to the New masonic Samaritan
Fund who help Freemasons and
their dependants in times of medical
need. It will also help you whenever
you need a joke or a one liner at the
festive board! Its pocket sized and
unlike most other joke books this
title only contains jokes about
Freemasons and Freemasonry.
Perhaps laughter is the best
medicine after all!
Binding Hardback Format 140mm x
110mm Extent 80 pages
The O Manuscript
by: Lars Muhl
41
Lodgeroom
International Store
http://lodgeroomuk.net.wwwebserver.net/
catalogue.php?shop=1
Jokes and Humor
Factoids
Intelligent people have more zinc
and copper in their hair.
Ferrets sleep for about 20 hours a
day.
An ostrichs eye is bigger than its
brain.
In every episode of Seinfeld there is
a Superman somewhere.
There is actually a word for a 64th
note a hemidemisemiquaver.
The little lump of flesh just forward
of your ear canal, right next to your
temple, is called a tragus.
A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.
When a film is in production, the
last shot of the day is the martini
shot, the next to last one is the
Abby Singer.
What five-digit number, when
multiplied by the number 4, is the
same number with the digits in
reverse order? 21978; 21978 x 4 =
87912.
There are about 3,000 hot dog
vendors in metropolitan New York.
Video Killed the Radio Star was
the very first video ever played on
MTV.
In 1933, Mickey Mouse, received
800,000 fan letters.
The practice of naming hurricanes
began early this century when an
Australian weather forecaster
decided to insult politicians he
didnt like by naming devastating
tropical storms after them.
To be exactly one in a million you
would need an I.Q of > 180.
The largest blossom in the world is
the flower of the Rafflesia Arnoldi.
It measures over 3 feet across and
smells of rotting carrion.

2009-01 Lodgeroom

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January 2009

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