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Mozart  |
The 17th and 18th
Centuries can be described as the Age of
Enlightenment. It was a fertile period in the
growth of Masonic philosophy and ritual, and the
period when Mozart composed his famous Masonic
masterpieces. In the introduction to his book
Mozart and Masonry Paul Nettl writes,
". . . there is a Masonic secret, a mystery, an
experience
that cannot be taught or explained because it
lies, like
every mystic experience, beyond the realm of
controlled
consciousness. At its deepest level it is
identical with
intense feeling and empathy. The secret of
Freemasonry is
the secret of experiencing true love for all
mankind, a
positive attitude towards man and life, and
broad
affirmation of God. It is the realization that
beyond the
dark and material world there is a realm of
light towards
which all men must strive." |
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George Washington  |
Some esoteric historians (Hall, 1951; Case,
1935) cite that of the 56 signers of the
Declaration of Independence, at least 50 were
Freemasons. Whether this is a fact or not cannot
be presently corroborated, but substantial
information supports that many of the offcers
and enlisted men in the American military were
Freemasons and many practiced the craft in the
miliury lodges. According to General Lafayette
(a Freemason himself), Washington "never
willingly gave independent command to officers
who were not Freemasons. Nearly all the members
of his official family, as well as most other
officers who shared his inmost confidence, were
his brethren of the mystic tie" (Morse, 1924,
ix). |
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Principles of
Freemasonry -- Love,
Relief and Truth |
Why Join  |
Dig deep in the
site and you will find it is published from the
San Francisco Mission District in California USA
where the Mission Masonic Lodge is enjoying
growth not seen for many decades. Here a 2005
apprentice mason describes his feelings about
his initiation experience to a sfgate.com
reporter
Finding My Religion
"The initiation is essentially a drama that
begins to reveal and explain the symbolism and
ritual of Masonry. It was a little strange in
that it was very old and completely foreign to
me."
---Dustin Erwin
The
official web site of the SF Mission lodge |
TEMPLE
DYNAMICS  |
These
organizations are both hierarchical and
independent, interdependent and self sustaining.
In other words, it is a cell-like structure,
organized around a belief system much the way
guerilla groups have adopted to operate secretly
today. This is esoteric structure was first
created by the Temple priests of Egypt and its
strength sustained the Egyptian dynasties
longer than any other before or since.
"They seek to positively impact and alter, in a
transformational way, the entire structure and
direction of society. Their impetus is to
interject into day-to-day living a transcendent
awareness and communion with the spiritual
element of life, to give a spiritual orientation
and focus to the material activities of
day-to-day living --to, in effect, spiritualize
the material. The reason for this direction is
to correctly align man with the necessary
spiritual path to fulfill his spiritual destiny.
Their motives are highly altruistic, despite the
wildly imaginative suspicions and innuendoes of
many writers and even some church leaders.
---Robert Richardson
a chapter in |
Hidden Wisdom
edited by Jay Kinney |
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Masonry & Youth Initiation |
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Reload this page for more quotes. |
Shriners:
The Shrine
is best- known
for its colorful parades, its distinctive red
fez, and its official philanthropy, Shriners
Hospitals for Children, which is often called
"the heart and soul of the Shrine."
Shriners are distinguished by an
enjoyment of life in the interest of
philanthropy. Their buoyant philosophy has been
described as "pleasure without intemperance,
hospitality without rudeness and jollity without
coarseness."
The red fez with a black tassel, the Shrine's most distinctive symbol, has
been handed down through the ages. It derives
its name from the place where it was first
manufactured - the holy city of Fez, Morocco.
The fez was chosen as part of the Shrine's
Arabic (Near East) theme, around which the color
and pageantry of the Shrine are developed.

Every Shriner is first a Mason; however, in many
parts of North America, Masonry does not solicit
members. In these areas, no one is asked to
join. A man must seek admission of his own free
will. A man is a fully accepted "Blue Lodge"
Mason after he has received the first three
degrees, known as Entered Apprentice, Fellow
Craft and Master Mason.
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The
Great
Seal  |
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The Great Seal on
the American dollar bill has helped make it the
world's best known banknote |
NOVUS ORDO
SECLORUM. the phrase is Latin for "a new order
of the ages." The year on the pyramid is 1776,
which is the date of the signing of the
Declaration of Independence. The phrase
ANNUIT COEPTIS means "it has favored our
undertakings."
Charles Thomson, Secretary of Congress submitted
his design [Philadelphian William Barton is also
credited] on June 20, 1782, stating about the
reverse, " The Eye over (the pyramid) & the
Motto allude to the many signal interpositions
of providence in favour of the American cause.
The date underneath is that of the Declaration
of Independence and the words under it signify
the beginning of the new American Era which
commences from that date."
A die for the reverse of the
seal was not cut until 1935, 153 years after
adoption of the design. Henry A. Wallace ( vice
president 1940--44 and prominent
Freemason) gets credit suggesting the seal be
put to use to his President who was promoting
the New Deal. He liked the Latin phrase "Novus
Ordo Seclorum" as meaning the New Deal of the
Ages. President Franklin D. Roosevelt [ also a
Freemason] liked the idea so much he had it put
on on the dollar bill. The eye in Freemasonry
represents the Great Architect of the Universe |
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The first
President of the Philippine
Republic Emilio
Aguinaldo in one of his speeches delivered after
the Revolution, said; "The successful Revolution
of 1896 was masonically inspired, masonically
led, and masonically executed. And I venture to
say that the first Philippine Republic of which
I was its humble president, was an achievement
we owe, largely, to masonry and the freemasons."
The loftiest and most sublime symbol of masonry
in the days of the Revolution was the
equilateral triangle. The masonic ritual called
it the most perfect figure that could be drawn
with lines and regarded it as an appropriate
emblem of perfection or divinity.
The triangle was the first masonic object shown
to a candidate for the admission into the
mysteries of the craft. Prior to initiation he
was brought to a chamber of reflections by the
"Terrible" and placed in front of a table upon
which was laid a triangle. |
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Freemasonry is a secret or esoteric society as well
as a fraternal association.
Historically esoteric groups all have initiation in
common. Masons give numerous reasons for their
secret nature, which has caused them considerable
grief over the years. Perhaps the primary one is
that Freemasonry uses an initiatory system of
degrees to explore ethical and philosophical issues,
and that the system is less effective if the
observer knows beforehand what will happen.
Few Masonic members appreciate their early link to
the Dionysian
mysteries and many believe the link with the
Knights Templars
is not proven although Demolay youth do use the
story of the last Templar, Jacques de Molay as an
example of loyalty and fidelity.
Society in the last century
has failed at its peril, to support ceremonies
marking acceptance into society by youth. While
membership has declined significantly during the
rise of multimedia,
Masons still maintain the most successful and
largest organizations providing mythical or
archetypal initiations for youth. These are Demolay
[age 12 - 21 for boys]
and two groups for young ladies, Rainbow girls and
Job's daughters. The female wing of Masonry is
called Eastern Star [open to women 18 years of age
or older] It gets much more complicated
quickly, begin with the wiki links
below for more on that aspect and the growing
masonic web presence. As for these pages we want to
promote the non religious, non denominational,
multi-national, multi-cultural aspect of a group
whose noble history based on the power of myth,
ritually experienced, holds an important future for
one world and one love.
Masonic
Youth Groups  |
DeMolay:
Basing its approach on timeless principles
and practical, hands-on experience, DeMolay
opens doors for young men aged 13 to
21 by developing the civic awareness,
personal responsibility and leadership
skills so vitally needed in
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Brazil
Demolay Emblem above. There are
chapters in many countries including
Aruba, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil,
Canada, Colombia, Germany, Italy,
Japan, Panama, Philippines and
Portugal |
society
today. DeMolay combines this serious mission
with a fun approach that builds important
bonds of friendship among members in more
than 1,000 chapters worldwide. Jacques de
Molay (1244- 18 March 1314)served as the
23rd, and officially last, Grand Master of
the Knights Templar. He had resisted calls
for merger with the Hospiltars or
Knights
of Malta
http://www.demolay.org
Rainbow
for Girls, Constellation, and
Triangle whose members are ages 11
through 21. Rainbow is a non-profit,
service-oriented organization that teaches
girls three basic virtues: Faith in a
Supreme Being and other people,
having
Hope in all that they do, and Charity toward
others. Rainbow is an active
organization throughout the United States
and in Aruba, Queensland and New South Wales
in Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada,
Germany, Italy, Japan, and the Philippines.
The script for the formal meetings and open
ceremonies of Rainbow can be found in a book
called the "Ritual." When a member holds an
office in the Assembly, she learns her
station's lecture from the
Ritual, or as sometimes called, the book of
ceremonies.
http://www.iorg.org/
Job's
Daughters: With thousands of members
across the United States, Canada, Australia,
the Philippines, and Brazil, Job's Daughters
is an organization of young women between
the ages of 10 and 20 which requires only
that members have a belief in God. The group
takes its name from the Book of Job, and in
particular to a reference in the 42nd
Chapter that
says, "And in all the land were no women
found so fair as the Daughters of Job."
Meetings follow a long tradition of order.
The Officers wear traditional Grecian robes,
symbols of democracy and equality.
http://www.iojd.org/ The are supported
by IOJD World Youth Foundation's
www.iojdworldyouthfoundation.org/
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The legend of Hiram
AbifF & the Dionysian Mysteries  |
HIRAM ABIFF, the architect of Solomon's
Temple and the principal character of the
myth used for the Master Mason degree and
initiation. In this excert from his book
published in 1882, the great scholar of
Masonic history
Albert Mackey M.D
explains the origin of the fraternal order
as centered in ancient Israel and the
outgrowth of a successful attempt to create
brotherly love between two very different
belief systems based upon the Dionysian
mystery initiation.
"Of
all the pagan Mysteries instituted by the
ancients none were more extensively diffused
than those of the Grecian god Dionysus. They
were established in Greece, Rome, Syria, and
all Asia Minor. Among the Greeks, and still
more among the Romans, the rites celebrated
on the Dionysiac
festival were, it must be confessed, of a
dissolute and licentious character."
"the Dionysiacs of Asia Minor
were undoubtedly all association
of architects and engineers, who
had the exclusive privilege of
building temples, stadia, and
theatres, under the mysterious
tutelage of Bacchus, and were
distinguished from the
uninitiated or profane
inhabitants by the science which
they possessed, and by many
private signs and tokens by
which they recognized each
other" Robison
(Proofs of a Conspiracy,
p. 20, Lond. edit. I797 |
An
undertaking between the King of the Jews and
Tyre's Dionysiacs: "When Solomon,
king of Israel, was about to build, in
accordance with the purposes of his father,
David, "a house unto the name of Jehovah,
his God," he made his intention known to
Hiram, king of Tyre, his friend and
ally; and because he was well aware of the
architectural skill of the Tyrian Dionysiacs,
he besought that monarch's assistance to
enable him to carry his pious design into
execution.
Scripture informs us that Hiram complied
with the request of Solomon, and sent him
the necessary workmen to assist him in the
glorious undertaking. Among others, he sent
an architect, who is briefly described, in the
First Book of Kings, as "a widow's son,
of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father a
man of
Tyre, a worker in brass, a man filled
with wisdom and understanding and cunning to
work all works in brass; " and more fully,
in the Second Book of Chronicles, as
"a cunning man, endued with understanding of
Hiram my father's, the son of a woman of the
daughters of Dan, and his father, a man of
Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in
silver, in brass, in iron,
in stone, and in
timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine
linen and in crimson, also to grave any
manner of graving, and to find out any
device which shall be put to him."
"To this man this widow's son (as Scripture
history, as well as Masonic tradition
informs us) - was entrusted by King Solomon
an important position among the workmen at
the sacred edifice, which was constructed on
Mount Moriah.
"This Hiram, as a Tyrian and an artificer,
must have been connected with the Dionysiac
fraternity; nor could he have been a very
humble or inconspicuous member, if we may
judge of his rank in the society, from the
amount of talent which he is said to have
possessed, and from the elevated position
that he held in the affections, and at the
court, of thle king of Tyre. He must,
therefore, have been well acquainted with
all the ceremonial usages of the Dionysiac
artificers, and must have enjoyed a long
experience of the advantages of the
government and discipline which they
practiced in the erection of the many sacred
edifices in which they were
engaged. A portion of these ceremonial
usages and of this discipline he would
naturally be inclined to introduce among the
workmen at Jerusalem.
"He therefore united them in a society,
similar in many respects to that of the
Dionysiac artificers. He inculcated lessons
of charity and brotherly love; he
established a ceremony of initiation, to
test experimentally the fortitude and worth
of the candidate; adopted modes of
recognition; and impressed the obligations
of duty and principles of morality by means
of symbols and allegories.
A substitute for The Dionysian
Mystery story that would be
acceptable to Jews and other
religious skilled craftspeople and
thus unite the group as a
brotherhood. |
"In the
pagan Mysteries, I have already said that
these lessons were allegorically taught by
means of a legend. Now, in the Mysteries of
Dionysus, the legend was that of the death
and subsequent resuscitation of the god
Dionysus. But it would have been utterly
impossible to introduce such a legend as the
basis of any instructions to be communicated
to Jewish candidates. Any allusion to the
mythological fables of their Gentile
neighbors, any celebration of the myths of
pagan theology, would have been equally
offensive to the taste and repugnant to the
religious prejudices of a nation educated,
from generation to generation, in the
worship of a divine being jealous of his
prerogatives, and who had made himself known
to his people as the JEHOVAH, the God of
time present, past, and future. How this
obstacle would have been surmounted by the
Israelite founder of the order I am unable
to say: a substitute would, no doubt, have
been invented, which would have met all the
symbolic requirements of the legend.
"But whether this be so or not, -
whether the legend be a fact or a
fiction, a history or a myth, -
this, at least, is certain: that it
was adopted by the Solomonic Masons
of the temple as a substitute for
the idolatrous legend of the death
of Dionysus which belonged to the
Dionysiac Mysteries of the Tyrian
workmen
Page 45 THE DIONYSIAC ARTIFICERS by
ALBERT
G: MACKEY 1882 |
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LINKS  |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Crusade
The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by
Pope Urban II to regain control of the
sacred city of Jerusalem and the Christian
Holy Land from Muslims.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon's_Temple
the basis for much of the legend and lore of
Freemasonry, which uses the construction of
the Temple through the knowledge
of sacred geometry as a backdrop and
metaphor for moral instruction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyre
ancient Phoenician city in modern Lebanon on
the coast of the Mediterranean Sea enlisted
by King Soloman to build the first Jewish
Temple in Jerusalem
wiki/DeMolay and the central myth
about
Jacques_de_Molay which
includes
Philippe IV
of France,
responsible for J. de
Molay's execution.
Pope Clement V,
instrumental in the
destruction of the Knights
Templar.
Pope Boniface VIII, Pope
which J. de Molay had a
close relationship.
Thomas Bérard, Grand
Master of the Order of the
Temple during J. de Molay's
early days in the order
Guillaume de Beaujeu,
Grand Master of the Order of
the Temple prior to de Molay
afterwards and
Thibaud Gaudin, the
Grand Master before J. de
Molay from 1291 - 1292. The
Knights_Hospitaller,
were the other Christian
military order, established
in Jeruselum, that the Pope
and King Phillippe wished to
merge into one force with
himself as the leader.
http://www.ben-ali-shriners.org/Masonicfaq.htm
Excellent FAQ's by a Northern California
group
www.rotten.com/library/
occult/sacred-geometry/
quick survey of
ancient sacred geometry alive in the present
http://www.thedeclarationofindependence.org
Perhaps the greatest Masonic achievement was
the foundation upon which the United States
of America was built. Its constitution with
three branches of government and a Bill of
Rights all are in tune with Masonic
principles
http://www.newwartimes.com/seal.html
http://www.sricf-ca.org/paper1.htm
Our Ancient Friend and Brother, the Great
Pythagoras by Fra. Thomas D. Worrel,
VII°"Let no one ignorant of Geometry enter
here" |
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