News from The Scotsman...
Trustees of Rosslyn Chapel have been given permission to continue using a nearby field as a car park for visitors to the historic site.
The Rosslyn Chapel Trust applied for planning permission to use the field located to the north of Chapel Loan as a car park for a further two years.
Midlothian Council approved the proposals at a recent meeting. The field has been used for visitors' vehicles while renovation work continues at the site.
The building is in need of major conservation work, with a £13 million improvement project under way to restore and enhance the attraction.
Renovation work has been needed on attraction for decades, partly because of the poor quality of a major revamp in the 1950s.
The A-listed chapel, which dates back to 1446, is renowned for its intricate carvings, featuring symbols of the Knights Templar, Christianity, Freemasonry and mythology
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Monday, 13 December 2010
PoW Art
This Napoleonic PoW art is coming up for sakle at Stacey's auctions in Essex. The catalogue description reads:
"An unusual piece of Napoleonic Prisoner-of-War art, in the form of an oval glass plaque with applied Masonic decoration, in a star burst design white metal frame set with coloured cut glass."
It is valued at £150
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Silver Salver
This masonic silver salver is coming up for sale at Bonhams in London on December 1 and is expected to fetch £1,000
The catalogue description reads: "A George II silver salver,
by Hugh Mills, London 1748, shaped circular form, shell and scroll border, on three leaf capped scroll feet, ground later engraved with flower heads and scrolls, central presentation inscription "Presented to A.A. Leveau Esq G.S.B of Grand Lodge of England. M. G. Directer of Ceremonies of Supreme Grand Chapter of England P.Z of Zetland chapter York 287 &r &r &r By the principles, officers and companions of the Zetland chapter of Royal Arch freemasons 287 as a testimonial of ..(?)..regard and esteem and in ackowledgement of the important and valueable services rendered by him with unremitting (?) and attention during a period of (?) years. York 16th November 1853", diameter 36.5cm, weight 33oz."
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Masonic Cribbage
These cribbage boards are coming up for sale at Humbert Auction House in Northampton.
The catalogue description reads: "A fine matched pair of Tunbridge ware Masonic cribbage boards with inlaid bone Masonic emblems."
They are being on November 18 and are expected to fetch £120.
Tick-tock
At 210 years old, this masonic watch has seen a lot of time go by. It is coming up for sale at an auctionn house in Germany.
It was made in London in about 1800 and the catalogue description reads: "Stainless steel. Key wound movement with verge escapement, chain and fusee. Movement inscribed «Stoddart London». Very good fully functional condition."
The saleroom is:
Auktionshaus Kaupp
Schloss Sulzburg
Hauptstr.62
Sulzburg
The starting price is €500
Monday, 8 November 2010
Square hands
This clock is being sold by Jeffrey Evans and Associates in the US and has assorted Masonic emblems on its face.
The cataolgue description reads: "SIGNED "R WHITING - WINCHESTER", CT PAINT-DECORATED PINE TALL-CASE CLOCK 30-hour wooden works, finely painted wooden face decorated with assorted Masonic emblems. Case with an excellent dry rosewood and sponge-decorated surface. Lacking weight and pendulum. Riley Whiting (1785-1835).
"Circa 1820. 83 1/2" H. Excellent condition, minor loss to hood pediment, paint with only minimal wear. "
It is expected to raise about 1,800 pounds.
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
King Solomon
This painting is of King Solomon and is being sold in London in December. The following is a press release from Bonhams.
A double-sided painting entitled ‘King Solomon’ by Svetoslav Roerich is one of the top lots in the Russian Sale taking place in New Bond Street on 1st December. Estimated to sell for £300,000 – 400,000, this work has never been exhibited or published before and has only previously been known to a small group of specialists.
One of only two existing works from the unfinished series of paintings depicting the most important religious figures and spiritual teachers of the past, this magnificent portrait was painted in 1923 in Paris where Roerich stopped on his way to India.
Roerich’s interpretation of King Solomon, who built the first Temple of Jerusalem, is instilled with complex symbolism and is depicted as a vehicle for mystical experience: his Solomon has tasted from the chalice of his fate and sacrificed himself for the creation of the Great Temple. This symbolic interpretation was most likely suggested by the Roerich’s father, the legendary Nicholas Roerich who wrote the essay ‘Strings of Earth’ about Solomon’s desire to build a unified Temple.
Consequently, Svetoslav Roerich decided to model the portrait of King Solomon on the likeness of his father, who was indeed considered a spiritual teacher and cultural leader at the time. As a result, this interesting portrait can be seen as the personification of Nicholas Roerich as the celebrated builder of the Temple, known for his great wisdom, wealth and power.
The reverse side of the painting reveals Roerich’s talent as an illustrator. The scene of the falcon hunt is one of a series of illustrations for the edition of European Fairy Tales commissioned in France in 1923, but the series was never completed.
A magnificent painting of the Himalayas by Nicholas Roerich, entitled ‘‘Himalayas, from Ting-kye Dzong’ is estimated to sell for £80,000 – 100,000. The painting was executed in 1928 in Darjeeling, India where Nicholas Roerich and his expedition party arrived after crossing Mongolia and Tibet. The painting is characteristic of Roerich’s ability to turn a mountain landscape into a symbol of life’s grandeur and beauty. Roerich only needed a few lines to create a scene of exceptional beauty and grandeur making it easy to see why he became known as the ‘master of
Monday, 18 October 2010
Historic book
This interesting item is coming up at Special Auction Services in Newbury, Berks.
The description reads: "Masonic interest: A cabinet card portrait album presented to Magnus Ohren, Past Grand Overseer of England, with detailed inscriptions from fellow masons, including two manuscript autograph letters from Sir Henry Irving and two from Edward Terry, 1902, bound in crocodile skin."
Monday, 11 October 2010
NZ Masons lose charity status
From stuff.co.nz
Freemasonry's national executive is conceding defeat in its battle to maintain the charitable status it has held for decades.
Last year, the secretive society's highest body in New Zealand, the Grand Union, lost the tax-exempt status it had held since 1933.
Responsibility for determining charitable status was passed from the Inland Revenue Department to the Charities Commission in 2008, forcing thousands of organisations to reapply for tax exemptions.
High-profile organisations including Greenpeace and the Sensible Sentencing Trust have had their applications rejected.
Freemasons New Zealand appealed to the High Court last month, arguing that the Grand Lodge's primary activities were "beneficial to the community" and therefore charitable.
As well as directly charitable activities such as university scholarships (which the commission conceded were charitable), the lodge also teaches public speaking and lessons on ethics to its members, which it argued should also be considered charitable.
Acting for the Crown, Tania Warburton argued that many of the activities of the Grand Lodge were primarily for the benefit of its members, not the entire community. She said its membership, limited to men over the age of 21 who reached the rank of master mason, was too exclusive for a charity.
Judge Simon France rejected the Freemasons' appeal. He concluded that the activities of the Grand Lodge, and freemasonry in general, "do not benefit the public other than indirectly and intangibly by seeking to produce members who are better citizens".
Laurence Milton, the grand secretary for Freemasons New Zealand, said the decision meant the Grand Lodge would have to apply for separate charitable status for its Fund of Benevolence, which did most of its charitable work.
The administration and other activities of the Grand Lodge would now be subject to tax.
"We'd have liked the decision to have been in our favour, but it really won't affect our charitable activity all that much at all. It just means a bit more work for me and my office," Mr Milton said.
The organisation spent $3 million to $4m on charity in New Zealand each year.
Freemasonry's national executive is conceding defeat in its battle to maintain the charitable status it has held for decades.
Last year, the secretive society's highest body in New Zealand, the Grand Union, lost the tax-exempt status it had held since 1933.
Responsibility for determining charitable status was passed from the Inland Revenue Department to the Charities Commission in 2008, forcing thousands of organisations to reapply for tax exemptions.
High-profile organisations including Greenpeace and the Sensible Sentencing Trust have had their applications rejected.
Freemasons New Zealand appealed to the High Court last month, arguing that the Grand Lodge's primary activities were "beneficial to the community" and therefore charitable.
As well as directly charitable activities such as university scholarships (which the commission conceded were charitable), the lodge also teaches public speaking and lessons on ethics to its members, which it argued should also be considered charitable.
Acting for the Crown, Tania Warburton argued that many of the activities of the Grand Lodge were primarily for the benefit of its members, not the entire community. She said its membership, limited to men over the age of 21 who reached the rank of master mason, was too exclusive for a charity.
Judge Simon France rejected the Freemasons' appeal. He concluded that the activities of the Grand Lodge, and freemasonry in general, "do not benefit the public other than indirectly and intangibly by seeking to produce members who are better citizens".
Laurence Milton, the grand secretary for Freemasons New Zealand, said the decision meant the Grand Lodge would have to apply for separate charitable status for its Fund of Benevolence, which did most of its charitable work.
The administration and other activities of the Grand Lodge would now be subject to tax.
"We'd have liked the decision to have been in our favour, but it really won't affect our charitable activity all that much at all. It just means a bit more work for me and my office," Mr Milton said.
The organisation spent $3 million to $4m on charity in New Zealand each year.
Monday, 4 October 2010
Mourning ring
Here's a rather splendid-looking ring (possibly a mourning ring) coming up for sale at the Netherhampton Saleroom in Salisbury, Wilts, on October 6. It is valued at £1,000.
The description reads: "A Masonic diamond, red glass and enamel ring, early 19th century, the bezel set with four red pastes in the form of a cross above a white enamel ground cut with twelve tears, each accented by a rose cut diamond, the champleve enamel shank decorated with a series of Masonic symbols including the letters D, S O and cross patée at the shoulders, a rose diamond set sun and crescent, the square and compasses, the gavel, an axe, two crossed swords, the Star of David, and the perfect ashlar, the shank with a neatly soldered resizing band within, finger size K1/2. The Cross on the bezel is used by the Masonic Knight Templar but also by the Rectified Scottish Rite, one of the oldest extant Masonic Orders in the world. The twelve tears on the face may suggest the present example was a mourning ring. "
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Laurel and Hardy
Here is a rare picture of Laurel and Hardy at what is believed to be a Masonic Hall. There is a sqaure and compasses on the door behind the people. It is thought it might be in Liverpool and that this might be a ladies' night. The picture is part of an archive that came up for sale from Stan Laurel's family.Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Old apron
This early 19th century Masonic Apron from the 1830s - it's believed - is coming under the hammer at Leland Little Auction in the US.
A handpainted label reads: "This Masonic Apron. Presented to McKinley Lodge No. 318 F. & A. M. - Jan. 7th 1930. By Brother, Laville F. Stitsell. Who on this date was. 50 yrs. a member of this Lodge, He was presented this apron when made a Mason. It came from Scotland and is estimated to be over 200 yrs. old." Experts believe it is from a century later.
The sale is on the 18th of September.
18th
Monday, 6 September 2010
Duke of Sussex
This is a 19th century portrait of that important Mason, HRH The Duke of Sussex, as Grand Master.
It is coming up for sale at Gorringes in East Sussex and is estimated to sell for up to £300.
It measures 11.95 X 9ins and is going under the hammer on September 8.
1907 jewel
This jewel is over 100 years old and comes with a note attached stating: "Presented to Bro E MacCallum - Hon Secretary - of Lodge of Forfar Killwinning No 90 by the Brethren of St John's 1907."
It is being sold by Thomson Roddick in Dumfries, Scotland, on September 18 and the catalogue description reades: "9ct gold Masonic jewel with set square and crossed quills, with presentation certificate, `Lodge Forfar Kilwinning 1907`.
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
Invites
This is one of two invites to a ball at the Guildhall in Worcestershrie on October 9, 1890. Measuring 8 x 7" they are from lodge number 280.
They are being sold by Trevor Vennett-Smith in Notts on August 19.
Monday, 16 August 2010
Quasimodo was a mason!
From the Sunday Telegraph
Real-life Quasimodo uncovered in Tate archives
With his hunched back and deformed face, Quasimodo, the tragic hero of Victor Hugo's novel The Hunch Back of Notre Dame, has always been considered a mythical creation drawn from the depths of the author's imagination.
But a new discovery appears to reveal the real-life inspiration behind the character from Hugo's seminal novel, which tells the story of the deaf bell-ringer of Notre Dame and his unrequited love for the gipsy girl Esmeralda.
Clues suggesting that Quasimodo is based on a historical figure have been uncovered in the memoirs of Henry Sibson, a 19th-century British sculptor who was employed at the cathedral at around the time the book was written and who describes a hunched back stonemason also working there.
However, the references to a "hunchback sculptor" working at Notre Dame have only just been discovered, as the memoirs are catalogued ahead of the archive's 40th anniversary this year.
The seven-volume memoirs document Sibson's time in Paris during the 1820s, when he was employed by contractors to work on repairs to Notre Dame Cathedral.
In one entry, he writes: "the [French] government had given orders for the repairing of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, and it was now in progress ... I applied at the Government studios, where they were executing the large figures [for Notre Dame] and here I met with a Mons. Trajan, a most worthy, fatherly and amiable man as ever existed – he was the carver under the Government sculptor whose name I forget as I had no intercourse with him, all that I know is that he was humpbacked and he did not like to mix with carvers."
In a later entry, Sibson writes about working with the same group of sculptors on another project outside Paris, where he again mentions the reclusive government sculptor, this time recalling his name as "Mon. Le Bossu". Le Bossu is French for "the hunchback".
He writes: "Mon Le Bossu (the Hunchback) a nickname given to him and I scarcely ever heard any other ... the Chief of the gang for there were a number of us, M. Le Bossu was pleased to tell Mon Trajan that he must be sure to take the little Englishman."
Adrian Glew, the Tate archivist, who made the discovery, said: "When I saw the references to the humpbacked sculptor at Notre Dame, and saw that the dates matched the time of Hugo's interest in the Cathedral, the hairs on the back of my neck rose and I thought I should look into it."
Hugo began writing The Hunch Back of Notre Dame in 1828 and the book was published three years later. He had a strong interest in the restoration of the cathedral, with architecture featuring as a major theme in the book.
Hugo publicly opposed the original neoclassical scheme for Notre Dame's restoration led by the architect Etienne-Hippolyte Godde – the same scheme which Sibson describes Le Bossu and Trajan working on – favouring a more Gothic style for the cathedral.
The publication of The Hunch Back of Notre Dame in 1831, which made Hugo one of France's most acclaimed authors, is widely credited with prompting the Gothic restoration of the cathedral in 1844, designed by the architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, which Hugo had championed.
His close links with the cathedral make it likely that he would have known Le Bossu and Trajan, and further research undertaken by Mr Glew in the national archives of France has uncovered additional links between Hugo and the characters described by Sibson.
The Almanach de Paris from 1833 – which gives a list of all professionals working in the city – names a sculptor "Trajin" as living in Saint Germain-des-Pres, where Hugo also lived at the time.
An early draft of Les Misérables, another of Hugo's acclaimed novels, holds another clue indicating that Hugo drew on the Government sculptors described by Sibson for inspiration.
The lead character in an early version of the novel is named as "Jean Trejean" which Hugo later changed to "Jean Valjean".
Professor Sean Hand, the head of the Department of French Studies at the University of Warwick, and an expert on Hugo, said: "It is a fascinating discovery. Many scholars have tried to link Quasimodo's deformities with certain medical conditions, but I have never seen any reference to a historical character that he may have been based upon.
"It sounds entirely plausible, and if Hugo was indeed inspired by this deformed stonemason at Notre Dame, it further renews our appreciation of his amazing imaginative powers to take details from real life and weave them into magical literature."
Gerry Croydon, a distant relative of Sibson's, said: "Henry's diaries are fascinating, as he travelled the length and breadth of Europe and came across some amazing characters. The discovery that his diary may reveal the inspiration behind one of literature's great characters, is quite amazing."
Sibson's memoirs will be on display outside the Hyman Kreitman Reading Room at Tate Britain until the end of August.
Real-life Quasimodo uncovered in Tate archives
With his hunched back and deformed face, Quasimodo, the tragic hero of Victor Hugo's novel The Hunch Back of Notre Dame, has always been considered a mythical creation drawn from the depths of the author's imagination.
But a new discovery appears to reveal the real-life inspiration behind the character from Hugo's seminal novel, which tells the story of the deaf bell-ringer of Notre Dame and his unrequited love for the gipsy girl Esmeralda.
Clues suggesting that Quasimodo is based on a historical figure have been uncovered in the memoirs of Henry Sibson, a 19th-century British sculptor who was employed at the cathedral at around the time the book was written and who describes a hunched back stonemason also working there.
However, the references to a "hunchback sculptor" working at Notre Dame have only just been discovered, as the memoirs are catalogued ahead of the archive's 40th anniversary this year.
The seven-volume memoirs document Sibson's time in Paris during the 1820s, when he was employed by contractors to work on repairs to Notre Dame Cathedral.
In one entry, he writes: "the [French] government had given orders for the repairing of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, and it was now in progress ... I applied at the Government studios, where they were executing the large figures [for Notre Dame] and here I met with a Mons. Trajan, a most worthy, fatherly and amiable man as ever existed – he was the carver under the Government sculptor whose name I forget as I had no intercourse with him, all that I know is that he was humpbacked and he did not like to mix with carvers."
In a later entry, Sibson writes about working with the same group of sculptors on another project outside Paris, where he again mentions the reclusive government sculptor, this time recalling his name as "Mon. Le Bossu". Le Bossu is French for "the hunchback".
He writes: "Mon Le Bossu (the Hunchback) a nickname given to him and I scarcely ever heard any other ... the Chief of the gang for there were a number of us, M. Le Bossu was pleased to tell Mon Trajan that he must be sure to take the little Englishman."
Adrian Glew, the Tate archivist, who made the discovery, said: "When I saw the references to the humpbacked sculptor at Notre Dame, and saw that the dates matched the time of Hugo's interest in the Cathedral, the hairs on the back of my neck rose and I thought I should look into it."
Hugo began writing The Hunch Back of Notre Dame in 1828 and the book was published three years later. He had a strong interest in the restoration of the cathedral, with architecture featuring as a major theme in the book.
Hugo publicly opposed the original neoclassical scheme for Notre Dame's restoration led by the architect Etienne-Hippolyte Godde – the same scheme which Sibson describes Le Bossu and Trajan working on – favouring a more Gothic style for the cathedral.
The publication of The Hunch Back of Notre Dame in 1831, which made Hugo one of France's most acclaimed authors, is widely credited with prompting the Gothic restoration of the cathedral in 1844, designed by the architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, which Hugo had championed.
His close links with the cathedral make it likely that he would have known Le Bossu and Trajan, and further research undertaken by Mr Glew in the national archives of France has uncovered additional links between Hugo and the characters described by Sibson.
The Almanach de Paris from 1833 – which gives a list of all professionals working in the city – names a sculptor "Trajin" as living in Saint Germain-des-Pres, where Hugo also lived at the time.
An early draft of Les Misérables, another of Hugo's acclaimed novels, holds another clue indicating that Hugo drew on the Government sculptors described by Sibson for inspiration.
The lead character in an early version of the novel is named as "Jean Trejean" which Hugo later changed to "Jean Valjean".
Professor Sean Hand, the head of the Department of French Studies at the University of Warwick, and an expert on Hugo, said: "It is a fascinating discovery. Many scholars have tried to link Quasimodo's deformities with certain medical conditions, but I have never seen any reference to a historical character that he may have been based upon.
"It sounds entirely plausible, and if Hugo was indeed inspired by this deformed stonemason at Notre Dame, it further renews our appreciation of his amazing imaginative powers to take details from real life and weave them into magical literature."
Gerry Croydon, a distant relative of Sibson's, said: "Henry's diaries are fascinating, as he travelled the length and breadth of Europe and came across some amazing characters. The discovery that his diary may reveal the inspiration behind one of literature's great characters, is quite amazing."
Sibson's memoirs will be on display outside the Hyman Kreitman Reading Room at Tate Britain until the end of August.
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Scrimshaw
This mid-19th century scrimshaw with masonic motifs is coming up for sale in Maine, US, on August 21. It is being sold by Thomaston Place Auctions.
Monday, 26 July 2010
Wally Hammond's regalia for sale
This masonic regalia once belonged to Wally Hammond, the great England cricketer - one of the best batsmen the game has seen.
The leather bag is labelled "Bro W R Hammond - Charity Lodge" the number looks like 4105, but the picture is poor.
The regalia, described by the auction house as "ceremonial sash and red strapping", is coming up for sale next month. The estimate is 150 pounds.
This from Wikipedia "Walter Reginald Hammond, known as Wally Hammond (19 June 1903 – 1 July 1965), was an English Test cricketer, who played for Gloucestershire in a career lasting from 1920 to 1951. Beginning his career as a professional, he later became an amateur and was appointed captain of England. Primarily a middle-order batsman, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack described him in his obituary as one of the four best batsmen in the history of cricket. He was considered to be the best English batsman of the 1930s by commentators and those with whom he played; they also said that he was one of the best slip fielders there had been. Hammond bowled at fast-medium pace and contemporaries believed that if he had been a less reluctant bowler, he could have achieved even more with the ball than he did. In a Test career spanning 85 matches, he scored 7,249 runs and took 83 wickets. Hammond captained England in 20 of these Tests winning four, losing three and drawing 13. His career aggregate of runs was the highest in Test cricket until surpassed by Colin Cowdrey in 1970. As of January 2010, his total of 22 Test centuries remains an English record, held jointly with Cowdrey and Geoffrey Boycott. In 1933, he set a record for the highest individual Test innings of 336 not out, surpassed by Len Hutton in 1938. In all first-class cricket, he scored 50,551 runs, the seventh highest total scored by any first-class cricketer as of January 2010, and took 732 wickets. He scored 167 first-class centuries, the third highest of any player as of January 2010. "
The sale is at Sporting Memorys in Warwickshrie on August 5.
Thursday, 15 July 2010
The Perfect Handshake
From the Daily Mail
It has been traditional greeting, a symbol of peace and a key part of business deals for thousands of years.
But today scientists announced that they have created a formula for the perfect handshake after it was revealed that seven in ten Britons are nervous about getting it wrong.
More than two-thirds (70 per cent) of people said they lacked confidence when it came to performing the gesture, according to a survey for Chevrolet.
A handshake is an ancient method of showing friendship and signalling agreement but many Brits are unsure of how to do it.
Staff at the car firm will be instructed on the ideal technique with a five-step process and given the mathematical formula in a new handshake training guide.
On average people will shake hands 15,000 times in a lifetime.
How to do the perfect handshake:
Use right hand, a complete grip and a firm squeeze (but not too strong)
Ensure fingers are under the receiving palm
Position hand in a mid-point position between yourself and the other person
A cool and dry palm, approximately three shakes, with a medium level of vigour
Hold for no longer than two to three seconds
Keep eye contact throughout
Accompany with a good natural smile and an appropriate accompanying verbal statement
But the poll found nearly one in five (19 per cent) hated the act and were unsure how to do it properly.
The biggest problems were sweaty palms, limp wrist, gripping too hard and lack of eye contact.
Professor Geoffrey Beattie, head of psychological sciences at the University of Manchester, devised the equation taking into account 12 key measures - such as vigour, eye contact, hand temperature, positioning and length - needed to convey respect and trust to the recipient.
He said: 'The human handshake is one of the most crucial elements of impression formation and is used as a source of information for making a judgment about another person.
'A handshake reveals aspects of the personality of the person giving it - for example, a soft handshake can indicate insecurity, whilst a quick-to-let-go handshake can suggest arrogance - so it is surprising that up until now there has not been a guide showing people how they should shake hands.'
A third of women - 32 per cent - never shake hands while only six per cent of men avoid the gesture entirely.
Over half of men - 57 per cent -s ay they enjoy the experience compared to only 29 per cent of women. Hygiene-conscious women hate having to hold sweaty palms with exactly half identifying it as the biggest turn-off.
Only 32 per cent of men agreed with 42 per cent deeming a loose, limp-wristed grip a worse technique.
Les Turton, from Chevrolet, added: 'It is easy to overlook everyday rituals, but as the handshake is used to complete agreements it is important our staff are well trained so they can pass on trust and reassurance to our customers.'
It has been traditional greeting, a symbol of peace and a key part of business deals for thousands of years.
But today scientists announced that they have created a formula for the perfect handshake after it was revealed that seven in ten Britons are nervous about getting it wrong.
More than two-thirds (70 per cent) of people said they lacked confidence when it came to performing the gesture, according to a survey for Chevrolet.
A handshake is an ancient method of showing friendship and signalling agreement but many Brits are unsure of how to do it.
Staff at the car firm will be instructed on the ideal technique with a five-step process and given the mathematical formula in a new handshake training guide.
On average people will shake hands 15,000 times in a lifetime.
How to do the perfect handshake:
Use right hand, a complete grip and a firm squeeze (but not too strong)
Ensure fingers are under the receiving palm
Position hand in a mid-point position between yourself and the other person
A cool and dry palm, approximately three shakes, with a medium level of vigour
Hold for no longer than two to three seconds
Keep eye contact throughout
Accompany with a good natural smile and an appropriate accompanying verbal statement
But the poll found nearly one in five (19 per cent) hated the act and were unsure how to do it properly.
The biggest problems were sweaty palms, limp wrist, gripping too hard and lack of eye contact.
Professor Geoffrey Beattie, head of psychological sciences at the University of Manchester, devised the equation taking into account 12 key measures - such as vigour, eye contact, hand temperature, positioning and length - needed to convey respect and trust to the recipient.
He said: 'The human handshake is one of the most crucial elements of impression formation and is used as a source of information for making a judgment about another person.
'A handshake reveals aspects of the personality of the person giving it - for example, a soft handshake can indicate insecurity, whilst a quick-to-let-go handshake can suggest arrogance - so it is surprising that up until now there has not been a guide showing people how they should shake hands.'
A third of women - 32 per cent - never shake hands while only six per cent of men avoid the gesture entirely.
Over half of men - 57 per cent -s ay they enjoy the experience compared to only 29 per cent of women. Hygiene-conscious women hate having to hold sweaty palms with exactly half identifying it as the biggest turn-off.
Only 32 per cent of men agreed with 42 per cent deeming a loose, limp-wristed grip a worse technique.
Les Turton, from Chevrolet, added: 'It is easy to overlook everyday rituals, but as the handshake is used to complete agreements it is important our staff are well trained so they can pass on trust and reassurance to our customers.'
Thursday, 8 July 2010
100-year-old watch fob
This watch fob - which is 100 years old - is being offered for sale in the US by Universal Live. Worth about £50 it was seemingly made for the Banner Blue Lodge No. 924 in Chicago.
Friday, 2 July 2010
Cartoon
This cartoon is coming up for sale at Vennet-Smith auctions in Nottingham on July 14. It is estimated to for about £60.
Sunday, 27 June 2010
PR firm hired - again
Once again United Grand Lodge has hired a PR agency. This happens every few years and nothing ever changes.
From "PR Week"
The governing body of Freemasonry in the UK has called in external PR help in a drive to shrug off a 'secret society' image.
Since its inception in the 18th century, the practice of Freemasonry has been well known for allegedly using secret handshakes and other obscure rituals.
But the United Grand Lodge of England is keen to shed more light on its shadowy practices as the organisation approaches its 300th birthday in 2017.
The Lodge, which governs Freemasonry in England, Wales and the Channel Islands, has appointed Bondy Consulting as a retained consultancy to build greater awareness of Freemasonry and ensure the practice’s long-term future.
Grand secretary of the United Grand Lodge Nigel Brown said: ‘Freemasonry is now run as a modern business and it is important our communication reflects this. Freemasonry plays a unique role in society today and it is vital we encourage people to talk openly about it and dispel the many unfounded myths
associated with it.’
Freemasonry has 250,000 members, including 30,000 overseas. It is one of the world’s largest non-religious, non-political, fraternal and charitable organisations.
Bondy founder Jessica Bondy said: ‘We have been appointed to combat common misconceptions including those of secrecy. There are no secrets in Freemasonry and we need to encourage people to talk openly about it. Information is totally accessible for anyone that wants it and anyone can come into Freemasons’ Hall.’
Bondy, a former MD at Ketchum, also said: ‘There is no secret handshake – this is one of the myths.’
As part of the PR drive, the agency will also promote Freemasons’ Hall, which has featured in a number of Hollywood blockbuster movies.
Bondy was selected after a competitive agency pitch.
Ironically, both Bondy and the United Grand Lodge were tight-lipped about the Freemasons’ previous PR support.
From "PR Week"
The governing body of Freemasonry in the UK has called in external PR help in a drive to shrug off a 'secret society' image.
Since its inception in the 18th century, the practice of Freemasonry has been well known for allegedly using secret handshakes and other obscure rituals.
But the United Grand Lodge of England is keen to shed more light on its shadowy practices as the organisation approaches its 300th birthday in 2017.
The Lodge, which governs Freemasonry in England, Wales and the Channel Islands, has appointed Bondy Consulting as a retained consultancy to build greater awareness of Freemasonry and ensure the practice’s long-term future.
Grand secretary of the United Grand Lodge Nigel Brown said: ‘Freemasonry is now run as a modern business and it is important our communication reflects this. Freemasonry plays a unique role in society today and it is vital we encourage people to talk openly about it and dispel the many unfounded myths
associated with it.’
Freemasonry has 250,000 members, including 30,000 overseas. It is one of the world’s largest non-religious, non-political, fraternal and charitable organisations.
Bondy founder Jessica Bondy said: ‘We have been appointed to combat common misconceptions including those of secrecy. There are no secrets in Freemasonry and we need to encourage people to talk openly about it. Information is totally accessible for anyone that wants it and anyone can come into Freemasons’ Hall.’
Bondy, a former MD at Ketchum, also said: ‘There is no secret handshake – this is one of the myths.’
As part of the PR drive, the agency will also promote Freemasons’ Hall, which has featured in a number of Hollywood blockbuster movies.
Bondy was selected after a competitive agency pitch.
Ironically, both Bondy and the United Grand Lodge were tight-lipped about the Freemasons’ previous PR support.
Friday, 18 June 2010
"Inside the Ministry of Funny Handshakes"
From The Times...
"Inside the Ministry of Funny Handshakes"
Everything you thought about the Masons is wrong, says the man out to change their image
The first thing you notice is the handshake — firm, dry and apparently, orthodox. No odd grips, sliding thumbs or other obvious digital manipulation. Nigel Brown laughs. “One of my jobs is to get rid of these misconceptions,” he says. He is the new public face of Freemasonry, since his appointment as Grand Secretary, United Grand Lodge of England, in 2007.
Indeed, he is probably its first public face — there have been prominent Masons in its near 300-year history, such as the Duke of Kent, Grand Master and overall head of the Lodge, with 43 years in the role. But no one before has been charged with explaining the inner workings of the movement to a largely uncomprehending world.
The Grand Lodge is at Freemasons’ Hall, off Kingsway, Central London. Millions of Londoners and tourists will have walked past the white walls of this gigantic Art Deco landmark, which contains 11.5 acres of corridors, with little idea of what happens within.
Brown has offered to show me around and debunk some of the misconceptions. For one, this is not some hermetic temple. “It’s always been open to the public — we have managed tours.”
Alternatively, you could catch it on screen. One of the top ten film locations in London, it has featured as the HQ in Spooks on TV, in the latest Sherlock Holmes film and as one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces in The Green Zone, which, it must be admitted, required only one of the less imposing meeting halls.
Among the other misconceptions: Masons do not collude with each other to gain advancement in business. They do not use hidden signs, the “grips” or “tokens”, as they are known, to do this. It is not inimical to women. It is not a religion or an order. But yes, women cannot join men’s lodges, and yes, they do wear the relevant clothing — “regalia” — for ceremonies.
For other, more outré theories, see the wilder fringes of the internet.Freemasonry has, in its three centuries, attracted the hatred of the Roman Catholic Church, Hitler and most communist regimes. It is still seen by some as a vast, multi-tentacled conspiracy aimed at world domination.
Brown, 62, is the 13th Grand Secretary since 1813, when the movement in England and Wales was reunited after a half century of schism. He was brought up the son of a district commissioner in Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia, educated in South Africa, went to Sandhurst and became a captain in the Grenadier Guards. He went into business and became a Mason in 1985 — his father was not one, but an uncle, an Army officer, was. “A good friend who was a Mason asked if I had thought about it,” Brown says. “I said, ‘No, but tell me more’. What he told me was absolutely aligned with my thinking — the camaraderie, the rest of it.”
He found he enjoyed the ritual, and the three evenings a year Masonic events took up. In 2007, as he was winding down his consultancy business and approaching 60, he went through a month of vetting and interviews at the Lodge for the Grand Secretary’s job, the organisation’s chief executive.
“They wanted somebody who would run it as a business and open Freemasonry up so that people would realise what it was all about rather than what they thought it would be about.”
"Inside the Ministry of Funny Handshakes"
Everything you thought about the Masons is wrong, says the man out to change their image
The first thing you notice is the handshake — firm, dry and apparently, orthodox. No odd grips, sliding thumbs or other obvious digital manipulation. Nigel Brown laughs. “One of my jobs is to get rid of these misconceptions,” he says. He is the new public face of Freemasonry, since his appointment as Grand Secretary, United Grand Lodge of England, in 2007.
Indeed, he is probably its first public face — there have been prominent Masons in its near 300-year history, such as the Duke of Kent, Grand Master and overall head of the Lodge, with 43 years in the role. But no one before has been charged with explaining the inner workings of the movement to a largely uncomprehending world.
The Grand Lodge is at Freemasons’ Hall, off Kingsway, Central London. Millions of Londoners and tourists will have walked past the white walls of this gigantic Art Deco landmark, which contains 11.5 acres of corridors, with little idea of what happens within.
Brown has offered to show me around and debunk some of the misconceptions. For one, this is not some hermetic temple. “It’s always been open to the public — we have managed tours.”
Alternatively, you could catch it on screen. One of the top ten film locations in London, it has featured as the HQ in Spooks on TV, in the latest Sherlock Holmes film and as one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces in The Green Zone, which, it must be admitted, required only one of the less imposing meeting halls.
Among the other misconceptions: Masons do not collude with each other to gain advancement in business. They do not use hidden signs, the “grips” or “tokens”, as they are known, to do this. It is not inimical to women. It is not a religion or an order. But yes, women cannot join men’s lodges, and yes, they do wear the relevant clothing — “regalia” — for ceremonies.
For other, more outré theories, see the wilder fringes of the internet.Freemasonry has, in its three centuries, attracted the hatred of the Roman Catholic Church, Hitler and most communist regimes. It is still seen by some as a vast, multi-tentacled conspiracy aimed at world domination.
Brown, 62, is the 13th Grand Secretary since 1813, when the movement in England and Wales was reunited after a half century of schism. He was brought up the son of a district commissioner in Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia, educated in South Africa, went to Sandhurst and became a captain in the Grenadier Guards. He went into business and became a Mason in 1985 — his father was not one, but an uncle, an Army officer, was. “A good friend who was a Mason asked if I had thought about it,” Brown says. “I said, ‘No, but tell me more’. What he told me was absolutely aligned with my thinking — the camaraderie, the rest of it.”
He found he enjoyed the ritual, and the three evenings a year Masonic events took up. In 2007, as he was winding down his consultancy business and approaching 60, he went through a month of vetting and interviews at the Lodge for the Grand Secretary’s job, the organisation’s chief executive.
“They wanted somebody who would run it as a business and open Freemasonry up so that people would realise what it was all about rather than what they thought it would be about.”
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
Masonic clue to murder
After the murder of Barry George Rubery, Avon and Somerset Police, UK, have released details of property missing from his home.
On April 28, Mr Rubery returned to Crossing Cottage on Latteridge Road in Iron Acton, near Bristol, following a night out with friends, but the following day he was found with fatal head injuries. Among a number of items taken from the property was a gold Masonic pocket watch, similar to the one pictured here.
A £10,000 reward has been offered by Crimestoppers.
If you have any information as to the whereabouts of the watch, you can provide any information anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via the secure online form on the Crimestoppers website,
Argentinian Freemasonry
This from "Buenos Aires Today"
Freemasonry in Buenos Aires was started with the consecration of a “Logia Independencia” in 1795 consisting of young intellectuals mostly with higher European degrees. Some of the most prominent members were Juan José Castelli, his cousin Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Paso, Feliciano Chiclana, Matías Irigoyen, Nicolás Rodríguez Peña, Hipólito Vieytes, Juan Larrea, Domingo Matheu and Antonio Luis Berutti.
Going forward in time and leading up to May 25, in 1808 Don José de San Martín joined his first lodge, the “Logia Integridad” in Cadiz, where the Worshipful Master of the lodge was General Francisco Solano, Captain General of Andalucia. It was at this time that San Martin, who was only a junior Mason at the time, met Lord Mac Duff, a noble Scotsman, who was plotting the liberation of South America.
San Martín travelled to England where he was put into contact with Alvear, Zapiola, Berro and Guido who formed part of the Lodge Lautaro created by Francisco de Miranda, who along with Bolívar, were already fighting in Venezuela for its liberation.
On March 9, 1812 San Martín arrived in Buenos Aires on board the Royal Navy Frigate George Canning direct from London, accompanied by a group of high ranking military personnel such as Chilavert, Zapiola, Carlos de Alvear, Arellano and Baron Olambert.
It is interesting to note that the First Triumvirate in 1811, the Second in 1812, the Declaration of Independence in Tucumán in 1816, the Constituent Assembly in 1853 and the Assembly of 1860 were mostly formed by Masons.
By this time there had already been a large immigration from the British Isles and Europe in general and it was on 10 June 1853 in Buenos Aires, that the first English Lodge working under English rule was consecrated. This was “Excelsior Lodge” under the Mastership of Samuel Hesse.
To this day, Excelsior Lodge No. 617 continues to meet regularly in Buenos Aires.
On 5 December 1861 and thanks to the intervention of Excelsior Lodge a Treaty was signed between the United Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Orient of the Argentine Republic whereby the United Grand Lodge of England recognises and acknowledges the Sovereignty and Independence of the Grand Orient of the Argentine Republic as a true Masonic Power located in Buenos Aires.
In 1861 Silver River Lodge No. 876 in Montevideo opened, in 1864 Star of the South Lodge No. 1025 and in 1872 Lodge of Harmony No. 1411 in Valparaíso followed, all three lodges are operative to this day.
Shortly after about 27 other English lodges were consecrated and started to operate in Buenos Aires, Rosario, Mendoza, Tucumán, Córdoba, Bahía Blanca, Campana, Quilmes, Villa Devoto, Hurlingham, Lomas de Zamora and Tigre.
English Masonry continues to this day working in Montevideo, Valparaíso, Buenos Aires, Córdoba city, Lomas de Zamora and Tigre, all under the District Grand Lodge of South America, Southern Division. This District covers Uruguay, Argentina and Chile.
Freemasonry is not a secret society but rather a society with secrets and is one of the world’s oldest secular fraternal societies practised under the United Grand Lodge of England, which administers Lodges of Freemasons in England, Wales and in many places overseas including our District in Buenos Aires.
Freemasonry is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values. Its members are taught its precepts (moral lessons and self-knowledge) by a series of ritual dramas — a progression of allegorical two-part plays which are learnt by heart and performed within each Lodge — which follow ancient forms, and use stonemasons’ customs and tools as allegorical guides.
Freemasonry instils in its members a moral and ethical approach to life: it seeks to reinforce thoughtfulness for others, kindness in the community, honesty in business, courtesy in society and fairness in all things. Members are urged to regard the interests of the family as paramount but, importantly, Freemasonry also teaches and practises concern for people, care for the less fortunate and help for those in need.
Freemasonry in Buenos Aires was started with the consecration of a “Logia Independencia” in 1795 consisting of young intellectuals mostly with higher European degrees. Some of the most prominent members were Juan José Castelli, his cousin Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Paso, Feliciano Chiclana, Matías Irigoyen, Nicolás Rodríguez Peña, Hipólito Vieytes, Juan Larrea, Domingo Matheu and Antonio Luis Berutti.
Going forward in time and leading up to May 25, in 1808 Don José de San Martín joined his first lodge, the “Logia Integridad” in Cadiz, where the Worshipful Master of the lodge was General Francisco Solano, Captain General of Andalucia. It was at this time that San Martin, who was only a junior Mason at the time, met Lord Mac Duff, a noble Scotsman, who was plotting the liberation of South America.
San Martín travelled to England where he was put into contact with Alvear, Zapiola, Berro and Guido who formed part of the Lodge Lautaro created by Francisco de Miranda, who along with Bolívar, were already fighting in Venezuela for its liberation.
On March 9, 1812 San Martín arrived in Buenos Aires on board the Royal Navy Frigate George Canning direct from London, accompanied by a group of high ranking military personnel such as Chilavert, Zapiola, Carlos de Alvear, Arellano and Baron Olambert.
It is interesting to note that the First Triumvirate in 1811, the Second in 1812, the Declaration of Independence in Tucumán in 1816, the Constituent Assembly in 1853 and the Assembly of 1860 were mostly formed by Masons.
By this time there had already been a large immigration from the British Isles and Europe in general and it was on 10 June 1853 in Buenos Aires, that the first English Lodge working under English rule was consecrated. This was “Excelsior Lodge” under the Mastership of Samuel Hesse.
To this day, Excelsior Lodge No. 617 continues to meet regularly in Buenos Aires.
On 5 December 1861 and thanks to the intervention of Excelsior Lodge a Treaty was signed between the United Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Orient of the Argentine Republic whereby the United Grand Lodge of England recognises and acknowledges the Sovereignty and Independence of the Grand Orient of the Argentine Republic as a true Masonic Power located in Buenos Aires.
In 1861 Silver River Lodge No. 876 in Montevideo opened, in 1864 Star of the South Lodge No. 1025 and in 1872 Lodge of Harmony No. 1411 in Valparaíso followed, all three lodges are operative to this day.
Shortly after about 27 other English lodges were consecrated and started to operate in Buenos Aires, Rosario, Mendoza, Tucumán, Córdoba, Bahía Blanca, Campana, Quilmes, Villa Devoto, Hurlingham, Lomas de Zamora and Tigre.
English Masonry continues to this day working in Montevideo, Valparaíso, Buenos Aires, Córdoba city, Lomas de Zamora and Tigre, all under the District Grand Lodge of South America, Southern Division. This District covers Uruguay, Argentina and Chile.
Freemasonry is not a secret society but rather a society with secrets and is one of the world’s oldest secular fraternal societies practised under the United Grand Lodge of England, which administers Lodges of Freemasons in England, Wales and in many places overseas including our District in Buenos Aires.
Freemasonry is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values. Its members are taught its precepts (moral lessons and self-knowledge) by a series of ritual dramas — a progression of allegorical two-part plays which are learnt by heart and performed within each Lodge — which follow ancient forms, and use stonemasons’ customs and tools as allegorical guides.
Freemasonry instils in its members a moral and ethical approach to life: it seeks to reinforce thoughtfulness for others, kindness in the community, honesty in business, courtesy in society and fairness in all things. Members are urged to regard the interests of the family as paramount but, importantly, Freemasonry also teaches and practises concern for people, care for the less fortunate and help for those in need.
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
Old text
This old scoll is coming up for sale in San Fransisco and is titled The Old Charges of British Freemasons. The catalgue description reads: "Scroll printed on vellum, with illuminations in red; coat of arms with the motto "Dieu et Mon Droit" at the top. 210x16.5 cm. (82¾x6½"), on four strips of vellum joined together.Very Rare, apparently unrecorded printing on a vellum scroll of one of the "Old Rolls" or "Old Charges" of Masonic Gothic constitutions -- the "Haddon MS." of 1723 -- articulating the historical background and principles of Freemasonry. OCLC lists one copy (in the British Library) of an 1895 work (printed London: G. Kenning) entitled "The Old Charges of British Freemasons. Including a reproduction of the 'Haddon Manuscript,'..." by William James Hughan, but this separate printing of the Haddon MS in scroll format is nowhere to be found. The colophon at the bottom of the scroll reads: "This Copy of the 'Haddon' MS. in the possession of Mr. James S. Haddon, of Wellington, from a photograph of the original which is written on vellum and measures 5 ft. 3in. by 13¼in. has been faithfully printed by M.C. Peck, Hull, this 30th August, 1894." A rare, possibly unique printing of a key Masonic text. "
Aim higher
This Masonic pocket pistol is coming up for sale at Estate Auctions in the US wiht an estimate of about £500.
The catalogue descriptioon reads: "POCKET PISTOL: Circa 1868-1873, manufactured by Manhattan Arms Co., marked American Standard Tool Co. Newark NJ. 3" barrel .22 caliber with engraved Masonic compass and square on both sides, cylinder scene Indians and settlers. Serial number 719, matching numbers on barrel. Action works fine. Owners name on W. M. Shattuck on buttstrap, we were able to find 5 William H. Shattuck's listed as Union soldiers, unable to identify exact owner. Original wood grips. Measures 7 1/4" l. overall."
Have a seat
This Masonic High Back Chair with Globes is coming up for sale in Cincinnati, US, and is expected to kake about £500.
It dates from c. 1900 and retains its original upholstery.
Thursday, 6 May 2010
George Washington
This portrait of George Washington in Masonic regalis is coming up for sale at the Stair Galleries in New York. It is expected to sell for 4,000 pounds.
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Firing glass - 1768
This Beilby polychrome enamelled Masonic tumbler with firing foot dates from 1768. It's being sold at Sotheby's and is expected to make £8,000.
The catalogue description reads: "The waisted cylindrical form with solid base, inscribed PT 1768 in opaque-white, painted on the reverse with various Masonic emblems in yellow and red, below a foliate garland in white enamel to the rim."
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
And the predominant wish of your heart is...?
These match box covers including a brass masonic one (top right) are for sale at Wellers in Surrey on April 23. They are expected to make up to £40 .Thursday, 15 April 2010
Festival permit
This interesting permit issued at Newtownards in County Down, Ireland, in 1923, allows
William Brown "to be out between 12pm and 5am for the purpose of attending a Masonic festival." It was issued on Chrsitmas Eve.
It's being sold at Whyte's in Dublin on April 23 and is expected to fetch about £100.
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Freemasonry Code Cracked
This is from the Journal-Star in the US and describes a book from an academic who, after 40 years working at Knox College, has discovered its masonic past.
"GALESBURG — Symbolism that eluded detection for more than 150 years has become a modern-day Knox College version of “The DaVinci Code.”
Philosophy professor Lance Factor recounts how he cracked the code and deciphered the messages in his new book, “Chapel in the Sky: Knox College’s Old Main and Its Masonic Architect” published by Northern Illinois University Press.
Just months after hitting store shelves, the book has gone into its second printing.
“We felt positive about this book, but we didn’t expect we’d go into the second printing so fast,” said Linda Manning, assistant director of marketing and sales manager at Northern Illinois University Press.
The mystery at Knox started presenting itself to Factor almost subconsciously. He has taught at Knox for 40 years, and walking to his office in Old Main, he’d wonder why the building’s windows spanned multiple stories. He wondered why there were precise triangular grids in the transoms above doors, what purpose the niches in the corner towers served and what the patterns on the floor meant.
The building was designed by architect Charles Ulricson, a Swedish immigrant who was living in Peoria and was commissioned to design the Knox College building which was completed in 1857.
Old Main is unlike other collegiate architecture and has been described as Collegiate Gothic with characteristics of Greek Revival and Gothic Revival, but that didn’t quite satisfy Factor.
“There were things that were atypical. I’d think about it and tell myself someday I’m going to figure that out,” Factor said recently from his third floor office in Old Main, a national landmark and site of one of the Lincoln-Douglas debates.
By the summer of 2006, Factor found the irregularities and mysteries insuppressible. He climbed a ladder and started measuring all the windows, niches, hooded moldings, foundation stones, mullions and bell tower. He counted the bricks and traced the source of the limestone.
He started calculating ratios. He researched the life of the architect.
“It would keep me awake at night. Most architectural historians don’t measure buildings and count bricks. They look at features,” Factor said. “But my field is Greek philosophy and logic. Once I started measuring, the whole thing cracked open.”
Ulricson grew up in Sweden, son of an architect for the royal family. When his father, who was probably a Freemason, died relatively young, Ulricson and his brother tried to support their mother in ways that angered the royal family, and the brothers were forced to leave Sweden.
His brother went to Australia, and Ulricson came to America in 1835 and worked for the New York City architectural firm Town and Davis. The firm’s partners were not Masons, but they believed in the notion that geometry could be an expression of metaphysical and spiritual truth.
In his book, Factor wrote that the New York architects used special Masonic ratios thought to transform a building into a “talisman suffused with the creative and protective energy of God, the Divine Architect and Geometer of the Universe.”
Ulricson moved to Peoria and worked on Jubilee College from 1845 to 1847. Some time later, he was asked to take over from another architect for design and construction of the Knox Chapel which has come to be known as Old Main.
Factor notes the irony that an architect with ties to Freemasonry and esoteric architecture was offered a commission by Knox College’s anti-Masonic fundamentalist founders who deplored secret societies and hidden symbols.
Ulricson risked his career with the commission and could have destroyed his future as an architect if the symbols and talismans in the building were discovered. But the secret codes remained hidden in plain sight for over a century.
“An ethical issue . . . was Ulricson a scoundrel for not telling? The Knox Trustees were feuding at the time, and they gave him complete carte blanche to finish the job,” Factor said. “Yes, he was secretive, but he had deep convictions about academic buildings, faith and reason, and this building is his masterpiece.”
Ulricson left no notes and no account of his goal to create a Greek-Gothic synthesis that reflected his beliefs in esoteric geometry and its power to unify opposites like faith and reason.
“It’s a delicious irony. The founders of Knox College were staunch anti-Masons from upstate New York,” Factor said.
They and many other fundamentalists at the time believed Freemasons had loyalty to foreign powers in part because of their secrecy.
“It was like the McCarthy red scare, and it became virulent,” Factor said. “The Catholic Church cracked down on Freemasons.”
Yet Freemasonry embraced principles of democracy. Inside Masonic lodges, differences were not recognized between wealthy and poor, educated and uneducated, Factor said.
Freemasons believed God was the ultimate architect and if the ideals of God could be expressed in a building, God would be in the building and the structure would become a magical charm.
Factor discovered formulas in the design of Old Main such as the Golden Ratio and the Masonic cubit used to symbolize these Masonic beliefs that rationality, reason, piety and faith were compatible.
Among his discoveries were the pattern in the floor of Old Main symbolizing the “Pavement of Moses” representing choices between good and evil. The 16 steps represented the steps to the temple of Solomon. The pattern in the building’s transoms is a unity square, designed to reconcile differences . . . as in faith and reason.
“This is a unique building, and I hope it is recognized for more than the site of the Lincoln-Douglas debate but as a unique example of Town and Davis and Ulricson architecture,” Factor said.
Mystery still follows Ulricson. He died in 1887, but his obituary made no reference to his buildings. He is buried in Springdale Cemetery but there are no Masonic marks on his gravestone.
As far as secret symbols built into Old Main, there may be more.
“I’ve had so many surprises, I’m not confident I’ve discovered everything in this building,” Factor said. “I dream that the state will recognize this building not just as the site of the Lincoln-Douglas debate but as a unique example of fantastic architecture expressing the belief that church and culture can coexist.”
Factor said the book spells out formulas that can be applied to decipher Masonic codes in other buildings designed by Ulricson, including Easton Manor and Pettengill-Morron House in Peoria."
"GALESBURG — Symbolism that eluded detection for more than 150 years has become a modern-day Knox College version of “The DaVinci Code.”
Philosophy professor Lance Factor recounts how he cracked the code and deciphered the messages in his new book, “Chapel in the Sky: Knox College’s Old Main and Its Masonic Architect” published by Northern Illinois University Press.
Just months after hitting store shelves, the book has gone into its second printing.
“We felt positive about this book, but we didn’t expect we’d go into the second printing so fast,” said Linda Manning, assistant director of marketing and sales manager at Northern Illinois University Press.
The mystery at Knox started presenting itself to Factor almost subconsciously. He has taught at Knox for 40 years, and walking to his office in Old Main, he’d wonder why the building’s windows spanned multiple stories. He wondered why there were precise triangular grids in the transoms above doors, what purpose the niches in the corner towers served and what the patterns on the floor meant.
The building was designed by architect Charles Ulricson, a Swedish immigrant who was living in Peoria and was commissioned to design the Knox College building which was completed in 1857.
Old Main is unlike other collegiate architecture and has been described as Collegiate Gothic with characteristics of Greek Revival and Gothic Revival, but that didn’t quite satisfy Factor.
“There were things that were atypical. I’d think about it and tell myself someday I’m going to figure that out,” Factor said recently from his third floor office in Old Main, a national landmark and site of one of the Lincoln-Douglas debates.
By the summer of 2006, Factor found the irregularities and mysteries insuppressible. He climbed a ladder and started measuring all the windows, niches, hooded moldings, foundation stones, mullions and bell tower. He counted the bricks and traced the source of the limestone.
He started calculating ratios. He researched the life of the architect.
“It would keep me awake at night. Most architectural historians don’t measure buildings and count bricks. They look at features,” Factor said. “But my field is Greek philosophy and logic. Once I started measuring, the whole thing cracked open.”
Ulricson grew up in Sweden, son of an architect for the royal family. When his father, who was probably a Freemason, died relatively young, Ulricson and his brother tried to support their mother in ways that angered the royal family, and the brothers were forced to leave Sweden.
His brother went to Australia, and Ulricson came to America in 1835 and worked for the New York City architectural firm Town and Davis. The firm’s partners were not Masons, but they believed in the notion that geometry could be an expression of metaphysical and spiritual truth.
In his book, Factor wrote that the New York architects used special Masonic ratios thought to transform a building into a “talisman suffused with the creative and protective energy of God, the Divine Architect and Geometer of the Universe.”
Ulricson moved to Peoria and worked on Jubilee College from 1845 to 1847. Some time later, he was asked to take over from another architect for design and construction of the Knox Chapel which has come to be known as Old Main.
Factor notes the irony that an architect with ties to Freemasonry and esoteric architecture was offered a commission by Knox College’s anti-Masonic fundamentalist founders who deplored secret societies and hidden symbols.
Ulricson risked his career with the commission and could have destroyed his future as an architect if the symbols and talismans in the building were discovered. But the secret codes remained hidden in plain sight for over a century.
“An ethical issue . . . was Ulricson a scoundrel for not telling? The Knox Trustees were feuding at the time, and they gave him complete carte blanche to finish the job,” Factor said. “Yes, he was secretive, but he had deep convictions about academic buildings, faith and reason, and this building is his masterpiece.”
Ulricson left no notes and no account of his goal to create a Greek-Gothic synthesis that reflected his beliefs in esoteric geometry and its power to unify opposites like faith and reason.
“It’s a delicious irony. The founders of Knox College were staunch anti-Masons from upstate New York,” Factor said.
They and many other fundamentalists at the time believed Freemasons had loyalty to foreign powers in part because of their secrecy.
“It was like the McCarthy red scare, and it became virulent,” Factor said. “The Catholic Church cracked down on Freemasons.”
Yet Freemasonry embraced principles of democracy. Inside Masonic lodges, differences were not recognized between wealthy and poor, educated and uneducated, Factor said.
Freemasons believed God was the ultimate architect and if the ideals of God could be expressed in a building, God would be in the building and the structure would become a magical charm.
Factor discovered formulas in the design of Old Main such as the Golden Ratio and the Masonic cubit used to symbolize these Masonic beliefs that rationality, reason, piety and faith were compatible.
Among his discoveries were the pattern in the floor of Old Main symbolizing the “Pavement of Moses” representing choices between good and evil. The 16 steps represented the steps to the temple of Solomon. The pattern in the building’s transoms is a unity square, designed to reconcile differences . . . as in faith and reason.
“This is a unique building, and I hope it is recognized for more than the site of the Lincoln-Douglas debate but as a unique example of Town and Davis and Ulricson architecture,” Factor said.
Mystery still follows Ulricson. He died in 1887, but his obituary made no reference to his buildings. He is buried in Springdale Cemetery but there are no Masonic marks on his gravestone.
As far as secret symbols built into Old Main, there may be more.
“I’ve had so many surprises, I’m not confident I’ve discovered everything in this building,” Factor said. “I dream that the state will recognize this building not just as the site of the Lincoln-Douglas debate but as a unique example of fantastic architecture expressing the belief that church and culture can coexist.”
Factor said the book spells out formulas that can be applied to decipher Masonic codes in other buildings designed by Ulricson, including Easton Manor and Pettengill-Morron House in Peoria."
Thursday, 8 April 2010
Masonic low table
This English oak and marquetry masonic low table is going under the hammer at Christies and isexpected to fetch up to £1,500.
The catalogue description reads: "The top inlaid in specimen woods and mother-of-pearl depicting Masonic devices, on tapering supports and undertier 18 in. (46 cm.) high; 30½ in. (78 cm.) wide; 47½ in. (121 cm.) deep."
The sale is on April 14.
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Friday, 12 March 2010
Long case clock
This is an extremely rare burrwood long-cased clock, late 18c. with Masonic references by John Blaylock, Longtown, with an etched arch brass style centred by Holy Bible, fields and trowels, half moons, pillars, ladders, scrolls, etc. above a circular Roman numeric and Arabic dial with subsidiary second hand and date aperture with raised brass spandrels with eight-day movement fitted in a heavily carved burr walnut case with star pointed door, the whole raised on splayed supports, 224 cms. high.
It is being sold by Brown and Co. in Brigg, Lincs, later this month with an estimate of up to £2,500.
Monday, 8 March 2010
Masonic comedy
Welsh Mason and stand-up comic Lloyd Davies starred in a TV programme. Here is a sort trailer about him discussing masonry.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8544274.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8544274.stm
19th Century Ring
This ring dated 1884 is coming up for sale in North Carolina, US, and is said to have Masonic symbols throughout. There is a Latin inscription and a ruby cabochonb prominently displayed. There is a pre-sale estimate of up to 300 pounds. The sale is on March 20.Friday, 26 February 2010
1836 Badge
This badege is being sold at Byrne's of Chester next week. The catalogue description reads: "William IV silver Masonic badge, maker J T, Birmingham 1835, shaped chased rectangular form centred with figures and a central crest beneath the all seeing eye, and inscribed `A tribute of respect presented to William Jackson, P.G. of the Duke of Lancaster Lodge, St. Helen`s of the MU of IOF for meritus labours in promoting the interests of his lodge`, dated July 1836, 9.5cm"
It is estimated to sell for up to £80.
Friday, 19 February 2010
David Cameron and lady Masons
This from the Guardian earlier this month...
Documents published today show the Tory leader used House of Commons facilities to host an event for the West Oxfordshire Lady Freemasons.
The documents cover dining facilities in the Palace of Westminster that were hired by members of parliament to host events for outside organisations.
The Tory leader hosted a tea event for the West Oxfordshire Lady Freemasons on 28 October 2008. The records show that the event was held in dining room C and 14 people were expected.
The documents released today cover the period from 1 April 2004 to 30 September 2009, and run to 255 pages.
Cameron also appears to have an interest in oral health. Cameron hosted three events for the British Dental Health Foundation, one for Mouth Cancer Week, and twice he hosted the launch of National Smile Month. The last time was in May 2009, when his opinion poll lead looked solid.
Neither the prime minister, Gordon Brown, nor the Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, are recorded as having hosted events in the Palace of Westminster.
The rules bar the use of the facilities for directly raising money.
Many MPs used the facilities to host events for charities or non-profit organisations.
Some used facilities for their local parties, with some being used for lobbying firms.
Documents published today show the Tory leader used House of Commons facilities to host an event for the West Oxfordshire Lady Freemasons.
The documents cover dining facilities in the Palace of Westminster that were hired by members of parliament to host events for outside organisations.
The Tory leader hosted a tea event for the West Oxfordshire Lady Freemasons on 28 October 2008. The records show that the event was held in dining room C and 14 people were expected.
The documents released today cover the period from 1 April 2004 to 30 September 2009, and run to 255 pages.
Cameron also appears to have an interest in oral health. Cameron hosted three events for the British Dental Health Foundation, one for Mouth Cancer Week, and twice he hosted the launch of National Smile Month. The last time was in May 2009, when his opinion poll lead looked solid.
Neither the prime minister, Gordon Brown, nor the Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, are recorded as having hosted events in the Palace of Westminster.
The rules bar the use of the facilities for directly raising money.
Many MPs used the facilities to host events for charities or non-profit organisations.
Some used facilities for their local parties, with some being used for lobbying firms.
Masonic Museum in Paris
This from the New York Times...
A once mysterious fraternal society continues to put itself in the public eye with the opening of the completely renovated Museum of Freemasonry, which opened in a newly renovated location in Paris last week. The Grand Orient de France, the oldest and largest Masonic organization in the country, has been collecting items dating from as far back as the 1720s, around the time that Freemasonry was established in France. It now has 10,000 objects in total, including a collection of 18th-century earthenware that was recently purchased with the help of the French government.
Gérard Contremoulin, a spokesman for the Grand Orient de France, said that the museum’s previous location was limited to a tiny room. The ground floor of the museum has since been entirely redone to create a bigger exhibition space (Grand Orient de France, 16, rue Cadet; 33-1-45-23-43-97; www.museedelafrancmaconnerie.org; Metro: Cadet). “We decided to open our collection to the public in the spirit of transparency,” Mr. Contremoulin said. “We have nothing to hide.”
About 600 objects are on display including the revolutionary leader Marquis de Lafayette’s sword, the philosopher Voltaire’s Masonic apron, color-fired glass used during rituals, original manuscripts and Rosicrucian jewelry. An image bank has also been expanded for commercial clients; hundreds of documents spanning three centuries have been digitized and are available online.
There are 140,000 Freemasons in France, according to the Grand Orient de France. Unlike the Anglo-American tradition, French Freemasonry allows women to join some of its organizations, and belief in God is not a prerequisite. By spreading ideas of liberty and democracy during the Enlightenment period, the Freemasons played an influential role in the French Revolution. Their motto, like that of the French Republic, is “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.”
While the Freemasons are a discreet society, Denis Lefebvre, a French historian, said that they are not a secret society. He explained that initiations and rituals are designed to help members work together, while the reason for their discretion is to avoid being the target of anti-Freemason sentiment. “It’s a way to protect members from harm and danger,” he said.
The Museum of Freemasonry is open Tuesday to Saturday, 2 to 6 p.m. Admission is 6 euros (about $8.15).
A once mysterious fraternal society continues to put itself in the public eye with the opening of the completely renovated Museum of Freemasonry, which opened in a newly renovated location in Paris last week. The Grand Orient de France, the oldest and largest Masonic organization in the country, has been collecting items dating from as far back as the 1720s, around the time that Freemasonry was established in France. It now has 10,000 objects in total, including a collection of 18th-century earthenware that was recently purchased with the help of the French government.
Gérard Contremoulin, a spokesman for the Grand Orient de France, said that the museum’s previous location was limited to a tiny room. The ground floor of the museum has since been entirely redone to create a bigger exhibition space (Grand Orient de France, 16, rue Cadet; 33-1-45-23-43-97; www.museedelafrancmaconnerie.org; Metro: Cadet). “We decided to open our collection to the public in the spirit of transparency,” Mr. Contremoulin said. “We have nothing to hide.”
About 600 objects are on display including the revolutionary leader Marquis de Lafayette’s sword, the philosopher Voltaire’s Masonic apron, color-fired glass used during rituals, original manuscripts and Rosicrucian jewelry. An image bank has also been expanded for commercial clients; hundreds of documents spanning three centuries have been digitized and are available online.
There are 140,000 Freemasons in France, according to the Grand Orient de France. Unlike the Anglo-American tradition, French Freemasonry allows women to join some of its organizations, and belief in God is not a prerequisite. By spreading ideas of liberty and democracy during the Enlightenment period, the Freemasons played an influential role in the French Revolution. Their motto, like that of the French Republic, is “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.”
While the Freemasons are a discreet society, Denis Lefebvre, a French historian, said that they are not a secret society. He explained that initiations and rituals are designed to help members work together, while the reason for their discretion is to avoid being the target of anti-Freemason sentiment. “It’s a way to protect members from harm and danger,” he said.
The Museum of Freemasonry is open Tuesday to Saturday, 2 to 6 p.m. Admission is 6 euros (about $8.15).
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Masonic watch
This watch is coming up for sale on March 3 at Bonhams and could sell for up to £1,200.
The catalogue descritption reads: "Golay Watch Co. A silver triangular Masonic watch with Mother of Pearl dial Golay Watch Co. London Import Mark for 192515-jewel Nickel movement with monometallic balance, mother of pearl dial with Masonic symbols for hours marked 'Love your fellow man lend him a helping hand' silvered arrow head hands, triangular case with chain decoration around the bezel and blue stone set at 12 o'clock, the hinged back decorated with Masonic symbols, with inner snap on dust cover, with later silver chain, movement signed 51mm."
Friday, 12 February 2010
A new attack on Dan Brown
This from the Sunday Catholic Herald
A new attack of Dan Brown
Wlodzimierz Redzioch talks to Professor Massimo Introvigne, the founder and director of the Italian Centre for Studies on New Religions.
Wlodzimierz Redzioch: – You have dealt with Dan Browns’ literary works for many years. What is your opinion about them?
Prof. Massimo Introvigne: – I am not a literary critic but as a sociologist of religion I am interested in the fact that many people regard Dan Brown’s books both as novels and texts showing historical truths. Brown himself uses this ambiguity. One day he says that his books are only novels and on other occasions he tells people that what he writes about is the truth. From the sociological point of view it is not important whether his books are written well or badly. What counts is the fact that millions of people change their religious convictions under the influence of his books.
– Nowadays fewer and fewer people study manuals of history and more and more people read Dan Brown’s books. Is there a risk that the public opinion is convinced that the events depicted by Brown begin to be seen as historical facts?
– When the film ‘The Da Vinci Code’ was very successful in Great Britain, a survey was conducted. It showed that most British people thought that Jesus had married Mary Magdalene and had children (I noticed a similar conviction among secondary school students in Italy). If a similar question had been asked before the publication of the book ‘The Da Vinci Code’ probably nobody would have answered that Jesus had a wife. What is worse, probably millions are convinced that Jesus never regarded himself as God. This would have been the idea of Emperor Constantine. Of course, we mean notorious nonsenses but people read such nonsenses in the book ‘The Da Vinci Code.’
– You publicly accused Dan Brown of anti-Catholicism. What was his reaction?
– Brown answered to my accusations in his interview for the Italian weekly ‘Panorama’, ‘The objections of this critic meet the truth – I favour freemasonry more than the Vatican’ (‘Panorama’, 29 October 2009).
– This diplomatic statement conceals the whole truth about Dan Brown, namely the fact that he is a fervent enemy of Christianity, especially the Catholic Church. At the same time he is in favour of freemasonry about which he wrote his latest book. What should one know about the ‘The Lost Symbol’?
– ‘The Lost Symbol’ advertises and promotes freemasonry. My last book ‘The Found Symbol’ answers the question what freemasonry really is. First of all, Catholics should know that freemasonry rejects all dogmas and principles which could be discussed. It uses the method of democratic discussion in which everyone can present his/her point of view in order to find ‘the truth’ through mediation. This method can be good, for example during a session of some city council that is to decide where to build the sewer system. But when we use it in discussions concerning big ethical and philosophical questions we fall into relativism, which John Paul II and Benedict XVI so often condemned. The freemasonry method is like a computer programme. What comes from the computer depends on what is ‘put’ into it. The Church condemns the ‘programme’ itself, the so-called freemasonry method, regardless of the results because it introduces relativism and creates the danger of losing one’s faith. That’s why in the declaration of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on Masonic associations (Quaesitum est: de associationibus massonicis), prepared by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and promulgated by John Paul II, the Church teaches, ‘Therefore the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden.’ The new Code of Canon Law (1983) does not expressly speak about excommunication. The declaration states, ‘The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.’ Some Masons claim that because the new Code of Canon Law does not use the term ‘excommunication’ Catholics could belong to Masonic associations without any problems. But of course, this is only the view of freemasonry and not of the Catholic Church. Naturally, referring to this matter Catholics must respect the teaching of the Church and not the opinion of freemasonry. Even if the Code does not use the expression ‘excommunication’ the fact that the faithful who enroll in Masonic associations ‘may not receive Holy Communion’ explains everything. Besides, the above-mentioned declaration stresses that ‘It is not within the competence of local ecclesiastical authorities to give a judgment on the nature of Masonic associations’ and the local bishops cannot change the definite decision of the Holy See.
– What is the convergence between the idea of Dan Brown and the idea of freemasonry?
– Brown is not a deep thinker but in his latest book ‘The Lost Symbol’ he reveals his ideas quite clearly. He thinks that the Catholic Church afflicts his believers by such concepts as sin and grace whereas the spirituality that sets man free should be centred on the fact that man is a divine being. This is an old thesis of the eternal enemy of the Church – the Gnostic heresy with which Brown identifies himself. In his book ‘The Lost Symbol’ he states that the only difference between you [man] and God is that you have forgotten that you are a divine being. Brown gives a simplified picture of freemasonry because he does not show the differences between various Masonic associations, various historical epochs or geographical contexts. Nevertheless, ascribing to the wide trend of freemasonry the statement that man is a true God is not wrong. In this case the views of freemasonry are identical with Brown’s ideas.
A new attack of Dan Brown
Wlodzimierz Redzioch talks to Professor Massimo Introvigne, the founder and director of the Italian Centre for Studies on New Religions.
Wlodzimierz Redzioch: – You have dealt with Dan Browns’ literary works for many years. What is your opinion about them?
Prof. Massimo Introvigne: – I am not a literary critic but as a sociologist of religion I am interested in the fact that many people regard Dan Brown’s books both as novels and texts showing historical truths. Brown himself uses this ambiguity. One day he says that his books are only novels and on other occasions he tells people that what he writes about is the truth. From the sociological point of view it is not important whether his books are written well or badly. What counts is the fact that millions of people change their religious convictions under the influence of his books.
– Nowadays fewer and fewer people study manuals of history and more and more people read Dan Brown’s books. Is there a risk that the public opinion is convinced that the events depicted by Brown begin to be seen as historical facts?
– When the film ‘The Da Vinci Code’ was very successful in Great Britain, a survey was conducted. It showed that most British people thought that Jesus had married Mary Magdalene and had children (I noticed a similar conviction among secondary school students in Italy). If a similar question had been asked before the publication of the book ‘The Da Vinci Code’ probably nobody would have answered that Jesus had a wife. What is worse, probably millions are convinced that Jesus never regarded himself as God. This would have been the idea of Emperor Constantine. Of course, we mean notorious nonsenses but people read such nonsenses in the book ‘The Da Vinci Code.’
– You publicly accused Dan Brown of anti-Catholicism. What was his reaction?
– Brown answered to my accusations in his interview for the Italian weekly ‘Panorama’, ‘The objections of this critic meet the truth – I favour freemasonry more than the Vatican’ (‘Panorama’, 29 October 2009).
– This diplomatic statement conceals the whole truth about Dan Brown, namely the fact that he is a fervent enemy of Christianity, especially the Catholic Church. At the same time he is in favour of freemasonry about which he wrote his latest book. What should one know about the ‘The Lost Symbol’?
– ‘The Lost Symbol’ advertises and promotes freemasonry. My last book ‘The Found Symbol’ answers the question what freemasonry really is. First of all, Catholics should know that freemasonry rejects all dogmas and principles which could be discussed. It uses the method of democratic discussion in which everyone can present his/her point of view in order to find ‘the truth’ through mediation. This method can be good, for example during a session of some city council that is to decide where to build the sewer system. But when we use it in discussions concerning big ethical and philosophical questions we fall into relativism, which John Paul II and Benedict XVI so often condemned. The freemasonry method is like a computer programme. What comes from the computer depends on what is ‘put’ into it. The Church condemns the ‘programme’ itself, the so-called freemasonry method, regardless of the results because it introduces relativism and creates the danger of losing one’s faith. That’s why in the declaration of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on Masonic associations (Quaesitum est: de associationibus massonicis), prepared by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and promulgated by John Paul II, the Church teaches, ‘Therefore the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden.’ The new Code of Canon Law (1983) does not expressly speak about excommunication. The declaration states, ‘The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.’ Some Masons claim that because the new Code of Canon Law does not use the term ‘excommunication’ Catholics could belong to Masonic associations without any problems. But of course, this is only the view of freemasonry and not of the Catholic Church. Naturally, referring to this matter Catholics must respect the teaching of the Church and not the opinion of freemasonry. Even if the Code does not use the expression ‘excommunication’ the fact that the faithful who enroll in Masonic associations ‘may not receive Holy Communion’ explains everything. Besides, the above-mentioned declaration stresses that ‘It is not within the competence of local ecclesiastical authorities to give a judgment on the nature of Masonic associations’ and the local bishops cannot change the definite decision of the Holy See.
– What is the convergence between the idea of Dan Brown and the idea of freemasonry?
– Brown is not a deep thinker but in his latest book ‘The Lost Symbol’ he reveals his ideas quite clearly. He thinks that the Catholic Church afflicts his believers by such concepts as sin and grace whereas the spirituality that sets man free should be centred on the fact that man is a divine being. This is an old thesis of the eternal enemy of the Church – the Gnostic heresy with which Brown identifies himself. In his book ‘The Lost Symbol’ he states that the only difference between you [man] and God is that you have forgotten that you are a divine being. Brown gives a simplified picture of freemasonry because he does not show the differences between various Masonic associations, various historical epochs or geographical contexts. Nevertheless, ascribing to the wide trend of freemasonry the statement that man is a true God is not wrong. In this case the views of freemasonry are identical with Brown’s ideas.
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Masonic cartoon
This cartoon is coming up for sale with a pre-sale estimate of up to £30. It is being sold by T. Vennett-Smith in Nottingham on February 2.
The catalogue description reads: "Comedy set by Glanville, Are You A Mason, National Series, 1614-1619, complete."
Monday, 18 January 2010
Weather vane
This weather vane is being sold in Maine, US, and is expected to fetch almost £1,000 - for charity.
The catalogue description reads: "Weathervane - 19th c. gilt copper and zinc banner, full sunflower top over banner with black painted Masonic emblem, set on custom museum base. 46" high, 36 1/2" wide, 6 3/4" deep, good condition, untouched surface. "
Masons, Jews and the Middle East
This from the Jerusalem Post:
One of the cornerstones of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's policy has been his belief that economics is an integral part of any peace process. He has claimed that "we must weave an economic peace alongside a political process... [It] will support and bolster the achievement of political settlements down the line."
Freemasons' Hall in London. Reports from the British Mandate period state that the lodges in Israel "stand for peace."
The idea that free-market principles and a strong economy mitigate both nationalism and political extremism - especially the resort to violence - has long been a staple of those who argue for democratization and free trade. What Netanyahu and his advisers may not know is that the theory of economic peace has been alive and well in the Holy Land since the 19th century, among Jewish, Arab and Christian Masons.
Few are aware of the connections that exist between Masons, Jews and the conflict in the Middle East. The fascists, such as Francisco Franco, and the Nazis were fervently anti-Mason. The militant Islamist movement has typically seen the Masons as a threat. Hamas describes Freemasonry as a "secret society" controlled by Zionism, and the term "Freemason" is mentioned three times in the Covenant of Hamas adopted in 1988. Israel's most potent enemy in the 1960s, Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, closed all the Masonic lodges of Egypt in 1962.
THE MASONS are an international fraternal order whose beginnings are traced to Scotland in the 16th century. The movement spread quickly to England and thence to the Americas, where many of the founders were Masons. Freemasonry has been influential in inspiring westernization and secularism among military and political elites in such diverse places as Mexico, Russia and Liberia. However, it has been perceived as deeply threatening to religious groups and conspiracy theorists.
Since its inception, Freemasonry has welcomed Jews as members, and initially most Jewish Masons were from prominent Sephardi families. One of these, Moses Montefiore, is important because of his connection to 19th-century Palestine, where he helped improve the living conditions of local Jews. However, the first Masonic ceremony held in Jerusalem was conducted by a Kentucky-born Mason named Robert Morris at the Cave of Zedekiah (popularly known as King Solomon's Quarries) near Damascus Gate in east Jerusalem. Another Masonic lodge, the Royal Solomon Mother Lodge, was founded in Jaffa in 1873 by American settlers of the Adam's colony. The colony failed, and the lodge was maintained by Rolla Floyd, a survivor of the colony. Another lodge was founded in 1890 in Jaffa by middle-class Jews and Arabs.
The Masonic lodges at this time included Jewish and Arab notables. One example of these, according to an article written by Israeli Mason Leon Zeldis, was a Christian Arab hotel owner named Iskander Awad who was also an agent for the Thomas Cook travel agency. Lodges were founded in Haifa (1911) and Jerusalem (1931), and in each case the membership was composed of leading Jews, Arabs and Europeans.
google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);
Dr. Daniel Farhey, a Mason based in Haifa, has written that "Freemasonry is one of the few institutions that actively promotes better understanding between the different ethnic and cultural segments of Israel society, particularly between Jewish and Arab brethren, and also assists in the social integration of immigrants."
DURING THE British Mandate, the Masons in Palestine experienced a huge influx of British members. It may be no surprise that many of the leading voices behind the establishment of the Mandate, such as Lord Arthur Balfour, and Mandatory administrators such as High Commissioner Herbert Samuel were Masons. The lodge in Jerusalem attracted Jerusalem's business and political elite, among them David Abulafia (Sephardi Jewish leader), Daniel Auster (a General Zionist politician and Jerusalem mayor), the Yeshaya family (Jewish businessmen), S.T. Rock (Arab Catholic businessman), Nagib Mansour (Christian Arab engineer) and members of the Muslim elite who, according to information supplied to the author, may have included the Dajani family. This was a coexistence fraternity based on shared economic values.
Reports from the period state that the lodges "stand for peace." A clipping from The Palestine Post published in 1939 describes the death of Samuel Hashimshoni, who was a "fine exponent of Masonry" and who did not travel with a firearm "as an example to his colleagues of his faith in his fellow man. He maintained and sought contacts with Arab friends."
Prof. Ruth Kark of the Hebrew University and Dr. Joseph Glass have documented how the Sephardi Valero family were prominent Masons and maintained close relationships with Arabs throughout the Mandate. This was the essence of Freemasonry in the Holy Land, and is maintained today in the Grand Lodge in Israel where the Koran, Bible and Torah are displayed together.
FREEMASONS HAVE been integral to the Land of Israel from the time of Charles Warren (archeologist in 19th-century Jerusalem) to the continued activities of the dozens of lodges, including eight in Jerusalem alone.
However as history has shown, the early attempts at "economic peace" enshrined in the Masonic ideology did not prevent the 1948 war. Communal leaders like Abulafia, Auster and their Arab counterparts stood by as war engulfed their communities.
The question is whether Netanyahu will be more successful at achieving economic peace than his forebears.
One of the cornerstones of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's policy has been his belief that economics is an integral part of any peace process. He has claimed that "we must weave an economic peace alongside a political process... [It] will support and bolster the achievement of political settlements down the line."
Freemasons' Hall in London. Reports from the British Mandate period state that the lodges in Israel "stand for peace."
The idea that free-market principles and a strong economy mitigate both nationalism and political extremism - especially the resort to violence - has long been a staple of those who argue for democratization and free trade. What Netanyahu and his advisers may not know is that the theory of economic peace has been alive and well in the Holy Land since the 19th century, among Jewish, Arab and Christian Masons.
Few are aware of the connections that exist between Masons, Jews and the conflict in the Middle East. The fascists, such as Francisco Franco, and the Nazis were fervently anti-Mason. The militant Islamist movement has typically seen the Masons as a threat. Hamas describes Freemasonry as a "secret society" controlled by Zionism, and the term "Freemason" is mentioned three times in the Covenant of Hamas adopted in 1988. Israel's most potent enemy in the 1960s, Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, closed all the Masonic lodges of Egypt in 1962.
THE MASONS are an international fraternal order whose beginnings are traced to Scotland in the 16th century. The movement spread quickly to England and thence to the Americas, where many of the founders were Masons. Freemasonry has been influential in inspiring westernization and secularism among military and political elites in such diverse places as Mexico, Russia and Liberia. However, it has been perceived as deeply threatening to religious groups and conspiracy theorists.
Since its inception, Freemasonry has welcomed Jews as members, and initially most Jewish Masons were from prominent Sephardi families. One of these, Moses Montefiore, is important because of his connection to 19th-century Palestine, where he helped improve the living conditions of local Jews. However, the first Masonic ceremony held in Jerusalem was conducted by a Kentucky-born Mason named Robert Morris at the Cave of Zedekiah (popularly known as King Solomon's Quarries) near Damascus Gate in east Jerusalem. Another Masonic lodge, the Royal Solomon Mother Lodge, was founded in Jaffa in 1873 by American settlers of the Adam's colony. The colony failed, and the lodge was maintained by Rolla Floyd, a survivor of the colony. Another lodge was founded in 1890 in Jaffa by middle-class Jews and Arabs.
The Masonic lodges at this time included Jewish and Arab notables. One example of these, according to an article written by Israeli Mason Leon Zeldis, was a Christian Arab hotel owner named Iskander Awad who was also an agent for the Thomas Cook travel agency. Lodges were founded in Haifa (1911) and Jerusalem (1931), and in each case the membership was composed of leading Jews, Arabs and Europeans.
google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);
Dr. Daniel Farhey, a Mason based in Haifa, has written that "Freemasonry is one of the few institutions that actively promotes better understanding between the different ethnic and cultural segments of Israel society, particularly between Jewish and Arab brethren, and also assists in the social integration of immigrants."
DURING THE British Mandate, the Masons in Palestine experienced a huge influx of British members. It may be no surprise that many of the leading voices behind the establishment of the Mandate, such as Lord Arthur Balfour, and Mandatory administrators such as High Commissioner Herbert Samuel were Masons. The lodge in Jerusalem attracted Jerusalem's business and political elite, among them David Abulafia (Sephardi Jewish leader), Daniel Auster (a General Zionist politician and Jerusalem mayor), the Yeshaya family (Jewish businessmen), S.T. Rock (Arab Catholic businessman), Nagib Mansour (Christian Arab engineer) and members of the Muslim elite who, according to information supplied to the author, may have included the Dajani family. This was a coexistence fraternity based on shared economic values.
Reports from the period state that the lodges "stand for peace." A clipping from The Palestine Post published in 1939 describes the death of Samuel Hashimshoni, who was a "fine exponent of Masonry" and who did not travel with a firearm "as an example to his colleagues of his faith in his fellow man. He maintained and sought contacts with Arab friends."
Prof. Ruth Kark of the Hebrew University and Dr. Joseph Glass have documented how the Sephardi Valero family were prominent Masons and maintained close relationships with Arabs throughout the Mandate. This was the essence of Freemasonry in the Holy Land, and is maintained today in the Grand Lodge in Israel where the Koran, Bible and Torah are displayed together.
FREEMASONS HAVE been integral to the Land of Israel from the time of Charles Warren (archeologist in 19th-century Jerusalem) to the continued activities of the dozens of lodges, including eight in Jerusalem alone.
However as history has shown, the early attempts at "economic peace" enshrined in the Masonic ideology did not prevent the 1948 war. Communal leaders like Abulafia, Auster and their Arab counterparts stood by as war engulfed their communities.
The question is whether Netanyahu will be more successful at achieving economic peace than his forebears.
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Less is More
From the "Runcorn and Widness World"
"MEMBERS of Runcorn Freemasons have donated £750 to Help for Heroes.
"The group, which meets at The Masonic Temple, York Street, presented the money to David Roberts, the Merseyside co-ordinator for the charity at the Runcorn Cenotaph.
"David Roberts, lodge secretary, said: “The Beacon Lodge has only 22 members but everyone dug deep and contributed to this wonderful donation. I am proud to be able to demonstrate the commitment freemasons have to the communities in which they live and to be able to support our brave young heroes who protect us.” "
"MEMBERS of Runcorn Freemasons have donated £750 to Help for Heroes.
"The group, which meets at The Masonic Temple, York Street, presented the money to David Roberts, the Merseyside co-ordinator for the charity at the Runcorn Cenotaph.
"David Roberts, lodge secretary, said: “The Beacon Lodge has only 22 members but everyone dug deep and contributed to this wonderful donation. I am proud to be able to demonstrate the commitment freemasons have to the communities in which they live and to be able to support our brave young heroes who protect us.” "
Globes
If you've got £20,000 to £30,000 to spare why not get hold of a splendid pair of celestial and terrestial globes.They are to be sold at Bonhams in London on January 20.
The catalogue description reads: "An impressive pair of Vincenzo Coronelli 42 1/2-inch (108cm) facsimile terrestrial and celestial globes, 20th century
Monday, 4 January 2010
Stone laying ceremony
This photograph (click to see a bigger version) comes from the Vanessa Sykes collection and shows a Masonic stone-laying ceremony at New Brighton Grammar School on 13th June 1912.
It will be sold by Trevor Vennett-Smith auctions in Nottingham on January 12 and is estimated to go for up to £30.
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