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Youth Groups
Dionysian Connection
Why Join
Shriners
joy in the present!
Great Seal on the Dollar Bill
George Washington
Philipine Flag
Temple Dynamics
Links
Knights of Malta founded above the Temple of St. John shortly before the Knights Templar
 [F] Famous Masons
 

 
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."

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).

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

Download Hidden Wisdom
edited by Jay Kinney

Masonry & Youth Initiation



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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.
 
The Great Seal
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."
usgreatseal.jpg
Click IMAGE for an explanation of the symbology by Joseph Campbell

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

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.

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 toDeMolay International 21 by developing the civic awareness, personal responsibility and leadership skills so vitally needed in
Official Site for Brazil Demolay
 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, logo.gif (20434 bytes)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
Download 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/
 

DeMolay Is International - United States, Bolivia, Aruba, Portugal, Panama, Italy, Germany, Australia, Canada, Philippines, Brazil, Japan, Columbia

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
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

internetloge.de/massym/massym06.htm
THE SYMBOLISM OF FREEMASONRY ILLUSTRATING AND EXPLAINING Its Science and Philosophy, its Legends, Myths, and Symbols.
by ALBERT G: MACKEY, M. D., Edition 1882 CHAPTER VI.
 [F] THE SYMBOLISM OF FREEMASONRY by Albert Mackey M.D [1882] | we archived a copy of this important chapter which relates to our Greco-Roman section highlighting the roots of Carnaval in the Bacchus - Dionysian traditions

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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