1. When meeting, Masons do not discuss
religion or politics.
"There are
certain subjects which are prevented or we simply proscribe from
discussing within the lodge," Piers Vaughan, master of St. John's Lodge #1
in New York, told Mo Rocca. "And religion is one. Politics is another."
One of the world's leading experts on Freemasonry confirms.
"Do they discuss
forms of politics and events that have happened? Yes, they do," said UCLA
history professor Margaret Jacob. "Do they say, 'Well, I'm a Democrat and
therefore I think …' Or, 'I'm a
Republican ... ' No, I don't think they
do that."
2. Freemasonry is not a religion.
"Freemasonry has
the look of a religion," said Jacob. "You think of religion as
ritual, there's also this ritual element.
But there are no priests, there are no ministers, there are no rabbis,
there's no system of clergy of any sort.
Everybody's their own thinker."
3. The Catholic Church condemns Freemasonry.
Jacob said the
initial response to Freemasonry in continental Europe, particularly in Catholic
Europe, was suspicion from seeing "all these men [from] different neighborhoods,
different professions meeting in the cafe, breaking bread together, doing
rituals, what could this be? Political
conspiracy or religion."
In 1738 the Catholic
Church condemned Freemasonry, and has since issued about 20 decrees -- directly or indirectly -- against the
fraternity. In 1983 Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (the future Pope Benedict XVI) re-affirmed this position.
4. Atheists are not welcome.
Freemasonry is not a
religion per se, but agnostics or atheists cannot belong, said Brent Morris, a Masonic
historian, editor of the Scottish Rite Journal, and a 33rd degree Freemason.
"This is an organization
of believers," he said. "When it was started on a formal basis in
1717, many historians believe that it was trying to bridge the gap between the
religious civil wars that had been going on in England at the time. The Catholics would get in power and beat up
on the Protestants; the Protestants would get in power and beat up on the
Catholics; and everyone was beating up on the Jews.
"So when the
Freemasons were formed, [they] said, 'Here's a group of men that agree that God
is central in their lives, they can even agree that God compels them to do good
in the community, then they can shut up after that." That was a radical concept -- that men could
get together and agree on that fundamental level, and then get on with their
lives."
So could an atheist
join? No, said James Sullivan, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York: "The
reason we, I think in the past, wanted somebody that had a belief in a supreme
being is because we take certain obligation to be a good man, to support the
fraternity. And if you didn't have a
belief in a supreme being, the obligation would mean nothing."
5. Most of the Founding Fathers were NOT
Freemasons.
Two of America's
earliest presidents, George Washington and James Monroe, were Freemasons, as
were Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock and Paul Revere. But many leading figures in the American
Revolution -- including John and Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison
and Thomas Paine -- were not Masons.
Of the 56 figures who
signed the Declaration of Independence, only nine were confirmed Masons,
according to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania; and of the 39 delegates of the
Continental Congress who signed the draft of the new nation's Constitution in
1787, only 13 (one-third) were Freemasons.
6. There are NO secret Masonic symbols on the U.S.
dollar bill.
The back of the collar bill features an incomplete pyramid with an
eye on top of it. Many people -- including some Freemasons - say it's a
Masonic symbol, but that's not the case. UCLA's Margaret Jacob says
these symbols have been used by many different groups, including Masons,
throughout history.
"I'm sure there are a lot of
Freemasons who want to believe [they're Masonic symbols] and who will tell it to you, because it
makes the Lodges seem important," Jacob said. "I mean, if you have a symbol on the dollar
bill, that's a big deal!"
Brent Morris said
there are two types of people who want to promote the idea that the symbols are
Masonic: "The pro-Masons and the anti-Masons -- and that pretty well
covers the universe.
"The Eye of God
is a common icon for God looking over the affairs of man," Morris said.
"It's an icon that appears in cultures across the centuries. The
uncompleted pyramid [which also appeared on a 50-pound Colonial note]
represented that our country was not yet completed, that we were continuing to
grow."
7. The Shriners are Freemasons.
The Shriners (known formally as the
Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine), the charity organization
best known in the popular mind for driving tiny cars in parades, are an
off-shoot of the Masons. They run 22 children's hospitals where patients don't pay a cent.
"You must be a Mason to become a Shriner,"
said Morris.
8. The secret Masonic password originated as a
job tool
Masonry began as a guild for stone masons who built the castles and cathedrals of Medieval Europe. "If you were a
baker, a miller, a brewer, you could spend your entire life in one village
practicing your trade," said Morris. "If you are a mason, after they
repair the church or build the town hall, there might not be any mason work in
that town for decades, so you had to move to another jobsite.
"Now, you're
illiterate; the officers of the lodge are probably illiterate. So that's why
they believe the Masons' word came into effect.
It allowed the craftspeople to move from one jobsite to another and
identify themselves as being part of the trade union.
"We have
evidence in Scotland going back to the early 1600s that the Masons' word
existed, and [that] was how you as a Mason in Edinburgh could identify yourself
to a Mason in Lancashire that you were a member of the guild and could have
work."
"Are there
secret handshakes?" asked Rocca.
"Oh, secret
handshakes, of course," replied Morris. "I mean, what's the point of
having a password if you don't have a handshake?"
9. There is no hidden Masonic code on Rolling
Rock beer bottles.
Introduced in 1939,
the Rolling Rock brand of beer, from the Latrobe Brewing Company of Pennsylvania,
ends a statement on its label with the cryptic "33." Over the years it has been suggested that it
refers to the 33rd degree of Scottish Rite Freemasonry.
According to
"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Freemasonry" (Alpha), Latrobe insists
the "33" refers to 1933, the year Prohibition ended.
In 1986, Cecil Adams' "The Straight Dope" column investigated this urban legend and found
that "33" actually was scribbled under the statement, indicating how
many words it contained, and the printer mistakenly added it to the label. [You
see, it's always printing errors.]
This wonderful letter from Malcolm Campbell - the racer who gained various land and water speed records through the 1920s and 1930s - shows that he was guilty about being seen as a bad Freemason.
It is dated January 8, 1926, and is addressed to Brother Beachcroft at 21, Great Queen's Street, London.
In it Campbell thanks his correspondent for his letter and adds 'I am very
glad that you have not formed the opinion that I am a “bad mason” ',
continuing 'Things seem to be getting worse instead of better, as every
night I seem to be leaving business later than ever.'
Campbell further
encloses a cheque (no longer present) for £10.10.0 made payable to the
Masonic Hospital and Nursing Home, remarking 'I am pleased to note that
even this small subscription will be a welcome contribution. I sincerely
hope that this will enable W. M. How to bring the total to 100 gns. If
he is unable to do this I will be prepared to assist still further, as I
feel that I have so far done nothing in this connection since I have
been a mason.'
Campbell's son Donald was also a Mason and an article about them and masonry can be seen here.
Donnington Priory Salerooms in Newbury is selling this chest, which sounds like it is designed to hold tracing boards.
The description reads: "A George III mahogany chest on stand, circa 1780, of Masonic interest,
the hinged lid with an inset open plaque titled ‘There is Love Honour
and Justice in the ancient LODGE of FIDELITY no 275’ HOLINESS TO THE
LORD’, opening to a small section of three drawers, flanked by brass
side carrying handles and supported by bracket feet, 79cm high, 108cm
wide, 53cm deep"
This animal skin waistcoat was the one worn By Michael Caine in the 1975 film The Man Who Would be King, and is being sold by Bonhams in London.
Caine played the character Peachy Carneham. It is estimated to sell for £300-£400.
On the website of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon it records the film as: "Based on a Rudyard Kipling story. Mercenary soldiers convince Kafiristan tribespeople that they are gods after discovering masonic symbols on religious artifacts. Sean Connery, Michael Caine. Directed by John Huston. 129 min. UK/USA, English, Colour. (Drama/Action)"
It's out with the old at the Freemasons as the international society looks to boost the numbers of young people joining its ranks as it works to survive in the modern world.
Founded in the 19th century in Europe before being exported to the U.S. and worldwide, freemasonry is also known as "the craft," in homage to its roots in stonemasonry.
It portrays itself as a "fraternal society" where its members support one another, providing a space for like-minded people to socialize at "lodges" and carry out charitable works, while enabling its six million members worldwide to improve themselves on a moral level.
Famous Freemasons have included presidents and prime ministers, from Winston Churchill in the U.K. and George Washington in the U.S. and famous businessmen such as Henry Ford and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. Mozart and Buzz Aldrin were also members.
The group also has strong links to the British royal family, with the Queen's cousin, the Duke of Kent, the current patron, or "Grand Master," of the U.K.'s Freemasons.
However, the society is not without its detractors who accuse it of being a secret society, where its predominantly male-only lodges use "funny handshakes" and "secret symbols" to recognize one another. Furthermore, it has been accused frequently of being an "old boys network" where members use their connections for personal gain.
In a bid to quash what it calls the "myths" surrounding it as it heads towards its tercentenary in 2017, the United Grand Lodge of England and Wales (UGLE) – the governing body of the U.K. Freemasons which oversees around 8,000 lodges – has undergone something of a re-branding exercise.
"We want to be seen as a more relevant society," said Nigel Brown, Grand Secretary (or chief executive) of UGLE told CNBC.
"There's no doubt that the majority of our members are older but young people have a huge amount to offer to the mix within lodges - the older members might have more life experience but the younger ones have new ideas and it's the combination of that that's important."
The organisation has tried to raise awareness of its existence and activities among young people as its existing membership ages. In 2005, it set up a "universities scheme" to "establish and/or enhance arrangements and opportunities for undergraduates and other university members to enjoy Freemasonry," as the scheme's website says.
At its post war peak, there were in excess of 500,000 Freemasons in the U.K.. By November this year, there are 214,000 – which had fallen from 228,000 in 2011. But the latest figures give some promising reading for the society.
Although in November 2013, the 21-30 age group represented only 2.07 percent of the total membership of U.K. Freemasons while all other age groups have declined in numbers, the range of younger members has increased.
Membership among the 21 to 30 age group has increased 7.65 percent over the last two years while membership in all other age groups decreased; The 40 – 50 age group has declined just over 10 percent, around 7 percent among 50 to 60 year olds and is down almost 10 percent between 60 to 70 year olds.
Since the launch of the universities scheme, forty lodges that either operate in university towns or are attached to universities to cater mainly for students or alumni have become involved. Masons that CNBC spoke to insisted that the scheme was to "raise awareness" about the group and not to actively recruit more members – which is against the group's ethos.
Alistair Townsend has been a Freemason for 22 years and is the Secretary of Isaac Newton University Lodge (INUL), a lodge attached to Cambridge University principally made up of past and present students.
He told CNBC that there had definitely been an increase in younger members within his lodge of 200 members. "Older members within INUL are definitely aware of the importance of recruiting and retaining younger members," he said.
"Young people bring new ideas. We can get all the 60 year olds that we want but it's important to bring in people with new ideas. Unless we get that, the way we interact with the outside world, freemasonry is not going to change."
Membership costs around £100 a year for a regular member but students pay around a quarter of that figure. Asked what the organisation actually offered young people, Townsend said it enabled young people to feel connected to the past, a sense of tradition and formality which was "now missing from life and the world."
"We've got to find a way to show young people that we are inclusive, without losing those qualities," he added.
Claims of inclusivity and openness have been countered by accusations that the group is male-dominated, however. Women can become Freemasons, but can only join "orders" which are separate from the mainstream male-only lodges.
Interestingly, female members call each other "brother" and the head of the lodge is called the "Worshipful Master" like their male-only counterparts.
The "International Order of Co-Freemasonry" – also known as "Le Droit Humain" - is open to men and women but is not widely approved of among many masons.
With the organisation's main entrance requirement hardly taxing -- the only pre-requisite for joining being that applicants have some belief in a higher being – there could be concerns that younger members don't take the group seriously.
Furthermore, the Freemasons have been dogged with an accusation that they operate as an "old boys network" in which members give each other an unfair advantage in the world of business or politics – something else that could attract some young people looking to get ahead in a more hostile world where the competition for jobs is rife.
INUL's Secretary Alistair Townsend said it was important to meet younger applicants before they were accepted into his – or any lodge – to make sure they were suitable for membership and were joining for the right reasons. UGLE's Nigel Brown, meanwhile, said that "if a member came to me expecting some kind of leg-up he'd be struck off immediately."
With thousands of other university societies operating in the U.K. that offer students the chance to socialise, practice a hobby or learn a new skill, joining the Freemasons might not be the obvious choice to engage in such activities – unless they did see some kind of personal advantage.
One active young Freemason conceded that some people did join for the wrong reason.
"Some people make the fundamental mistake of believing that the freemasons are essentially a networking club," Sanjay Mody, a doctor who counts himself among the 21 to 35 age group of Freemasons, told CNBC on Monday.
"But it's not all, it's about fellowship and camaraderie."
Mody joined the group in 2001 when he was a medical student in Scotland. Having lived and worked in the U.S. and Cayman islands, he's attended not only his "mother lodge" in Scotland ("Lodge Ancient No.49") but many abroad.
"As corny as it sounds, for me joining the masons was like a "calling".
The masonic values matched what I was looking for and I found that a lot of my friends at university were in it already."
The latest event to harness the influx of younger members is the forthcoming "University Lodges Ball," a 150-year-old society event that has been resurrected by the "Apollo University Lodge" of Oxford and Townsend's Cambridge lodge to be held this weekend in London.
One of the organisers of the ball, which is open to members and non-members alike and being held to make money for a veterans' charity, said that it was a way for the organisation to promote itself among a wide range of young people.
"I think what's happened with freemasonry, like a lot of large companies or organisations, is that the world has changed around us and it's just taken us slightly longer to adapt and change with it," Freemason Daryn Hufton-Rees told CNBC.
"We're not some weird, secret society," he said. There are no Illuminati roaming about or funny handshakes involved -- although, by the way, it's a grip, not a handshake -- We're an organisation with moral codes and people join us for the sense of camaraderie, the opportunities to learn and charitable giving."
Here is an article from the Daily Mirror about Hillsborough and Freemasonry.
Hillsborough: Freemason cops banned from working on criminal probe into cover-up
The revelation adds weight to the theory that members of the secretive organisation suppressed the truth after 96 Liverpool fans died in 1989.
Hillsborough Tragedy
Mirrorpix
Police officers who are Freemasons have been banned from working on the criminal investigation into the Hillsborough cover-up.
The revelation adds weight to the theory that members of the secretive organisation suppressed the truth after 96 Liverpool fans died in 1989.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission took the unusual move after families of the football fans who died in the disaster demanded that no members of a lodge be involved.
All of the employees in the IPCC investigation have also been told they cannot be from South Yorkshire or Merseyside, where the tragedy occurred.
Former West Midlands Police officers have also been banned after their force carried out a review that led to the flawed inquest verdicts being quashed last year.
Officers from the force have also been accused of changing witness statements.
The probe into the police’s role on the day of the disaster – codenamed Operation Resolve – employs 170 people, including 70 officers. The latest review, led by former Durham chief constable Jon Stoddart, was expected to report soon but the team has been swamped with evidence and has to interview 237 officers who were on duty at the match.
A source close to the probe said: “We have been told that no Freemasons are allowed on the investigation.
“One theory at the time was that the whole conspiracy was covered up by the group’s members as there are so many Masons in the police.
“The families have raised concerns… so we have prohibited them from being part of the investigation team. The deadline that officers were working towards is impossible and the review’s findings will be delayed.”
An IPCC source confirmed that Freemasons and former officers from the three forces had been banned from the probe.
The investigation team, while independent from the fresh inquests into the deaths, is helping coroner Lord Justice Goldring to prepare for and carry out the inquests, set to start by March 3, 2014.
Hillsborough was Britain’s worst-ever sporting disaster. Thousands of fans were crushed on the Sheffield Wednesday ground’s Leppings Lane terrace during Liverpool’s 1989 FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
Last December verdicts of accidental death from the original Hillsborough inquest in March 1991 were quashed.
The action was taken after the Hillsborough Independent Panel reported that there had been a huge cover-up.
The IPCC has previously revealed that statements given by witnesses could have been changed by police.
Secret society pervades the establishment
The Freemasons is a “fraternal brotherhood” dating back to the 14th century. It started as an organisation to monitor the qualifications of stonemasons.
But in modern times the organisation is seen as an elitist group that has been dogged by allegations of corruption.
The all-male group, governed by the United Grand Lodge of England, has 250,000 members. Many figures in authority are Freemasons. The first US president, George Washington, and another leading American revolutionary, Benjamin Franklin, were Masons. Today a significant proportion of the Royal household are members, and the Duke of Kent is grand master of the UGLE.
Despite royal patronage, and their presence in the judiciary and the higher reaches of the City, the Masons deny being an underground arm of the Establishment.
That's right, the disappearance of Madeleine McCann was of course connected to Freemasonry!
Well that is the claim of various conspiracy theorists, one of whom has written a book on the subject and says:
"An unusually high number of Masonic organisations and individual
Freemasons appeared out of nowhere to help the McCanns evade any
litigation in connection with the disappearance of their daughter. A
London law firm with numerous prominent Masonic clients set up the
Madeleine Fund."
On October 21 1805 Nelson led his British fleet to victory over the combined French and Spanish navies.
Here is an account of the history of Lodge of Trafalgar in Leith, Scotland, taken from the Grand Lodge of Scotland website.
TRAFALGAR HALL, LEITH : A CENTURY NOT OUT
by Brother W S Paton P M No 223
During 1988, Trafalgar Hall, Leith, the premises of Lodge Trafalgar,
No 223 will be 100 y'ears old. The Brethren of 223 believe that
their hall is unique, in that it must be one of the few built
specifically as a Masonic Temple The following article traces the
search forr preinises culminating in the building of this unique
hall, and the Brethren whose love and generositv over a century has
given it a character of its own.
Based on a "History' by Brother W S Paton P M No 223 Hon. Grand
Bible bearer Grand Lodge of Scotland edited by Brother A. McKinnon,
P. M. No.223
Being a major port in the nineteenth century, it is not surprising
that Leith should provide men for the crews ("press-ganged", no
doubt) of the ships engaged in the Battle of Trafalgar.
Shortly after that battle a number of Masonic Brethren of the port
of Leith decided to form a new Lodge to be named "Lodge Trafalgar"
in commemoration of the great victory at Trafalgar Bay.
The petition to form such a Lodge, having been granted, Lodge
Trafalgar was opened on 8th February 1808 in a house in Rotten Row
(now Waters Close). In this part of Leith the houses were of such
splendour that Mary of Lorraine, mother of Mary Queen of Scots, had
a house built in Rotten Row as a place of retreat and a royal
refuge. Mary Queen of Scots herself stayed either in this house or
"Andro Lambis" house (Lamb's House) when she landed at the Shore
from France in 1561.
Lodge Trafalgar fell dormant during the years 1837 to 1858.
On being resuscitated on 22nd February 1859, Lodge Trafalgar took up
residence in the New Ship Hotel, Shore, Leith. This obviously did
not live up to the grand beginnings in Rotten Row, as the Brethren
were soon on the move, and in 1867 moved their activities to 89
Constitution Street, then in 1872 to the glasswork company's
schoolroom in Salamander Street. This company undertook the
education of the large number of boys they employed; also the site
of one of the earliest Sunday schools in Leith.
Two years later a short return to the New Ship Hotel preceded the
move to 54 Bernard Street on 15th December 1874. This hall is now
used as a warehouse, above the entrance of which can still be seen,
cut in the stone, the coat of arms of Leith, and the motto
'Persevere". Negotiations to purchase the Bernard Street hall
failed, and prompted the Brethren to seek an alternative site.
After attempts to purchase the Old Market in Tolbooth Wynd likewise
fell through, they finally acquired a piece of ground in St Anthony
Place, and on this ground it was decided to build the future Lodge
Trafalgar No.223, Masonic Temple.
On this site in 1430 the Preceptory and Hospital of the Blessed
Confessor St Anthony, near Leith, was founded by Sir Robert Logan of
Restairig.
NOTE: near Leith, not in Leith, as in 1430 the St Anthony district
was outside the Port of Leith; this is borne out by the inscription
on the seal now in the Antiquarian Museum in Edinburgh, which reads
"S Comune Preceptorie Sancti Anthony Prope Leicht", which translated
means "The Common Seal of the Preceptory of St Anthony near Leith".
This Catholic Hospice served as a home for the aged and infirm.
The ceremony of laying the foundation stone on this historic site
began with the Lodge being opened on 17th March 1888 at 15.00 hrs,
then the procession forming in Bernard Street; representafives of
the Forresters, Free Gardeners, Oddfellows, Society of Mechanics and
36 Sister Lodges were present, with Trafalgar Lodge following in the
rear. Several bands made up the procession. As is their traditional
right, the Working Tools were carried by the Right Worshipful Master
and Brethren of the Lodge of Journeyman Masons, No.8. The route
taken by the procession was by way of Cohstitution Street, Great
Junction Street, Henderson Street to St Anthony Place, where a large
crowd awaited their arrival.
After the laying of the Foundation Stone, with full Masonic honours,
by the Right Worshipful Master, Brother G. Craig, the procession
re-formed and returned to Bernard Street, when the Lodge was closed.
The silver trowel which was used was presented to Brother G. Craig,
and was returned to the Lodge in 1958, and is now in the Lodge
museum.
It is our good fortune that the then Right Worshipful Master,
Brother G. Craig, was an architect by profession. His design and
layout has given us what must be one of the finest purpose-built
Masonic Temples in the country.
The carved finials of the Sun, Moon and Stars which stood above the
entrance unfortunately had to be removed a few years ago, due to
weathering and decay. Carved into the stonework on the front of the
building are copies of the marks of the Right Worshipful Master and
the Brethren of the Building Committee.
On completion of the Temple, the inauguration ceremony of Trafalgar
Hall, Leith, was performed on Monday, 22nd October 1888. Once again
the Lodge was opened in Bernard Street at 19.00 hrs by Brother G.
Craig, Right Worshipful Master. The Brethren then marched in
procession to their new Lodge. The effect must have been very
striking in the poor lighting of the day; preceded by a few Brethren
on horseback, then the Tyler, in full naval uniform, and carrying a
drawn sword, next to Lodge Standard (not the present one), borne by
the Lodge Standard-bearer, the Lodge Brethren followed by the
Office-bearers were next, with the Right Worshipful Master taking up
the rear, each Office-bearer carrying the emblem of his office, with
the Secretary in charge of the Lodge Charter. Then followed a pipe
band. The long parade in full Masonic clothing, the red, white and
blue regalia, flanked by blazing torches, must have been a
picturesque scene. The whole route was heavily lined with spectators
and, in St Anthony Place once more, they met a densely packed crowd.
On arrival at the new Lodge, the Brethren formed into a double line,
through which the Right Worshipful Master and his Office-bearers
marched.
On reaching the door, the Right Worshipful Master gave the knocks to
demand admission, then the door opened to admit the Brethren for the
first time into their new home. After taking up their rightful
places in the Lodge the Right Worshipful Master received a
deputation from the Metropolitan District Committee, headed by the
Chairman, Brother R. Crichton. who then performed the ceremony of
consecration.
This momentous occasion in 1888 is the reason for the present
Brethrens' wish to celebrate the lOOth Anniversary of the opening of
Trafalgar Hall, Leith. Starting with a rededication ceremony, to be
conducted by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason of Scotland,
Brother James Malcolm Marcus Humphrey of Dinnet.
Buildings, however, are merely a collection of stone, wood and
various assortments of building material. The life and character
comes from the people whose contributions of time, money, work and
thought, built up over the years, makes the building a living
vibrant institution.
During the hundred years of its existence, our Temple has been the
subject of continuing generosity by Brethren whose efforts and
presentations have over the years added to the Masonic and seafaring
character of Trafalgar Hall. It would be wrong in an account of our
hall's development not to mention some of the major items which can
all too easily be overlooked.
One strong tradition which started in 1905 was the celebration of
the centenary of the Battle of Trafalgar; this included a church
service held in St John's Parish Church, our own Brother The Rev. J.
Park officiating. We now hold an annual "Trafalgar Night" on the
third Tuesday in October in Trafalgar Hall, Leith.
Any self-respecting Masonic Lodge with new premises must have their
own crest. This was introduced in 1912 along with the motto "At Home
and Abroad".
Our Lodge museum contains enough items of interest to warrant an
article on its own. Pride of place for a Lodge with our background
must go to two letters: one written by Lord Nelson to Lord Elgin on
4th November 1799, presented to the Lodge on 26th November 1920 by
Brother E. J. Bruce, 10th Earl of Elgin, and 14th Earl of
Kincardine, Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason. The other, written
by Lord Nelson in 1801, presented to the Lodge on 7th February 1890.
H.M.S. King George V was a battleship which was in action at the
Battle of Jutland in May 1916. The wheel from the bridge of this
ship was presented to our Lodge on 25th October 1965 by Captain Adam
Tait, H.M. T/S Dolphin. This wheel can be seen in the West of our
Lodge where, with port, starboard and masthead lights, form the
bridge of a ship, with a naval ensign in the background. To complete
the bridge hangs a ship's bell, presented to us on 26th February
1918 by Brother J. H. Dormer, H.M.S. Repulse, on behalf of his
Masonic Brethren of that ship. Brother Dormer explained that the
bell had come from the foundry in a crude condition and that his
shipmates had applied the finishing touches. The beautiful bell-rope
which now adorns the bell. is the work of our present Tyler, Brother
D. W. Brownhill, P.M. The bell was hung with ceremony, and Brother
W. Fergus Harris, I.P.M., was given the honour of being the first to
strike the bell, in accordance with Lodge custom at four bells
(10p.m.). This is now the custom at Harmony, in remembrance of all
Trafalgar Brethren wherever they be, "At Home or Abroad".
In October 1913, Brother Sir Robert Maule presented to the Lodge
seven oak stall-chairs, which now grace our dias. Also an oak
pedestal for the Right Worshipful Master. These chairs replaced the
original oak chairs presented by a Brother (unknown) in 1870. The
W.S.W., W.J.W. and Chaplain now use these chairs.
These presentations ensure that we can boast one of the most
impressive Easts in Freemasonry, while the view from the East is
unique and is probably unrivalled anywhere in the world.
A further presentation made by seafaring visitors, again in thanks
for the hospitality they received from the Brethren of Lodge
Trafalgar, was from Brother Eng. Lt. Willcock, H.M.S. Tyne, on
behalf of his Masonic submariners (H.M.S. Tyne was berthed at the
Imperial Dock during the war), they gave us a magnificent door
knocker in 1919. This was recently refurbished by seafaring Brethren
based in Rosyth.
Our Lodge banner was presented by our own Brother Captain W. B. W.
Lyle on 1st March 1966. This beautiful banner adorns the wall in the
South-East of the Lodge beside the oak table and chairs presented by
his father, Brother W. W. Lyle in 1921, for the use of the Secretary
and Treasurer.
The year 1955 almost proved calamitous for our hall, with the
discovery of dry rot. Prompt action by our members, whose work and
donations, along with contributions from Royal Arch Chapter
Perseverance and Preceptory of St Anthony, also our good friends
Lodge Trinity, No.885, enabled the rot to be eliminated. At the same
time a Canadian pine floor was laid in the Temple, an improvement on
the old knotted one.
Presentations of the material kind are only part of our Lodge's
character. In 1980, Brother J. B. Linton, P.M. donated a Holy Bible,
its presence during our ceremonies is a memory to the late Brother
J. C. Hackland, P.M.
Demolition work by South Leith Parish Church of the old Kirkgate
Church Hall, which adjoined our hall, meant that this wall had to be
made safe. The Brethren once more had to contribute, and the work
has been carried out to the satisfaction of the Lodge.
The last few years have seen further positive contributions to our
Lodge's future, including the recording of our Lodge history by
Brother W. S. Paton, P.M.
Under the stewardship of Brother D. W. Hogg, Right Worshipful
Master, and Brother G. Ritchie, Immediate Past Master, the last two
years have seen the start of a programme of modernisation to ensure
that the second century of Trafalgar Hall continues with the present
Brethren, following the footsteps of our forebears, and thus keep
our unique building to the fore in Scottish Freemasonry.
Rosslyn Chapel revamp work finished after 16 years
Stone and mortar repairs have been carried out on the building's carved walls
Work
at a medieval chapel in Midlothian, which featured in the Da Vinci Code
blockbuster film, has finally been completed after 16 years.
Rosslyn Chapel is free from scaffolding for the first time since its major conservation project began in 1997.
Work to the chapel, which is Category A-listed, was
instigated after a report in 1995 warned of damage to the stonework
because of dampness.
In March 1997, a steel structure was erected to cover the building.
The structure allowed the stone roof to dry out naturally, and this remained in place until summer 2010.
Since then, stone and mortar repairs have been carried out on the chapel's external walls, pinnacles and buttresses.
The privately owned chapel continues to be a working church
The roof has now been made watertight, the stained glass
windows have been fixed, a new sustainable heating system has been
installed, the organ has been restored, internal lighting has been
renewed and a new visitor centre has opened.
Ian Gardner, Director of Rosslyn Chapel Trust, said: "This is
a great moment as the far-sighted conservation project in the chapel
comes to an end and the scaffolding, which had become a near permanent
feature, has all been removed.
"For the first time since 1997, visitors can now enjoy a
clear and uninterrupted view of the exterior of the building, which,
like the rest of the chapel, is rich in carvings and details."
The stonework has attracted visitors to the chapel for generations
Rosslyn Chapel was founded in 1446 by Sir William St Clair and it took 40 years to complete.
The chapel is still privately owned by the Earl and Countess
of Rosslyn and continues to be a working church, with its congregation
part of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
The mysterious symbolism of the chapel's ornate stonework has
attracted visitors for generations although the chapel came to
prominence after featuring in Dan Brown's novel, the Da Vinci Code,
which was published in 2003.
As a result of interest in the book and subsequent film,
annual visitor numbers rose to 176,000 and income from visitors has
helped to fund the conservation project.
This late 18th century engraving is being sold at Chiswick auctions with a pre sale estimate of £60-80.
The catalogue description reads:
Chiswick 60-80
A late 18th Century tinted engraving of the Masonic temple pillars with crest, etc, commissioned by B.R. Newman and painted in 1798 by J. Biggen, glazed and rosewood framed.Print size 48 x 41cm
This portrait is being sold by Adam's of Dublin and is estimated to sell for 1,500 Euros.
The frame is decorated with Masonic symbols and the catalogue description reads:
Attributed to Henry Jones Thaddeus RHA (1859 - 1929) Girl with a Yellow Scarf Oil on canvas, 53 x 43cm (21 x 17â€) Signed and dated Presented in a Victorian gilt frame with masonic symbols Literature: Rooney, Brendan, The Life and Work of Henry Jones Thaddeus, listed under possible attributions, page 278 Provenance: De Veres, 17th June 1997, Lot 87, where fully catalogued as a work by Henry Jones Thaddeus and where purchased by current owner
This from the Daily Mail via WWMT-TV doesn't make the headlines one would like. But is a good lesson to research who you hire your building to!
Here's the story...
Police in Michigan, US, have broken up a shocking 'drug-fuelled
orgy' being hosted at a secretive Masonic Lodge - and this wasn't the first
time it's happened, authorities warn.
Officers were called to the prominent building in downtown
Battle Creek, Michigan - which sits across a park from police headquarters -
about 2.15am Sunday. They found five women dancing on stage naked.
They also reportedly discovered a couple having sex in the
lodge and several men standing around filming the action.
WWMT-TV reports that authorities believe the Masonic Lodge,
which is home of the secret society called Freemasons, has been used for such
activities before and are working to shut the operation down.
Police sources told WWMT that officers found a 'drug-fuelled
sex party' in the building and sent the revellers home.
The Battle Creek Freemasons refused to comment on camera for
the TV station, but insisted that the orgy was not part of the secret society's
rituals. They said the party was not sponsored by their group at all.
Instead, they say, a party promoter paid $900 to rent the
space for the night.
'Charlie' a Freemason spokesman, said the man renting the
lodge told the Freemasons he would be hosting a dance party.
The Freemasons said they checked on the party about 1am on
Sunday and found nothing suspicious.
However, when officers arrived a little more than an hour
later, they found debauchery, police sources told WWMT.
City officials say they are considering fines and charges,
both against the party promoters and the Freemasons who own the building.
The report from WWMT does not specify whether drugs were
found or seized.
A summary of a police report printed in the Battle Creek
Enquirer newspaper mentions only the naked women dancing on stage. Police said
they told the women to dress and to leave the primes.
This silver, masonic cup is being sold by Rowley's Fine Art in Newmarket, Suffolk.
The catalogue description reads:
A George V silver Masonic trophy cup and cover, hallmarked London 1925, maker’s mark of Johnson, Walker & Tolhurst
The domed cover with foliate cast finial, the baluster body with acanthus cast twin scroll handles, standing on a domed foot with gadrooned edge, on ebonised plinth base, inscribed From Hertfordshire Masters Lodge to The Rt. Hon. Lord Hemingford and dated 1944-45. 34.5 cms high overall.
Generally in good condition, expected wear, cup and cover approximately 28 troy ounces.
These rather smashing tracing boards (click to view closer) are going under the hammer at Christie's Out of the Ordinary sale on September 5.
They are described thus:
A GROUP OF THREE PAINTED CANVAS MASONIC PANELS EARLY 20TH CENTURY The three panels painted with Masonic imagery and one with Hebrew inscription, with oak frames 34 x 20¾ in. (87 x 52.5 cm.) (3) They are being sold with an estimate of £1.000 - £1,500.
Grand Lodge is to hire a young person to reach out to a new generation. With social media it has never been easier to speak directly to those who might be interested.
Here is the article from the Daily Mail...
The notoriously secretive Freemasons are to
appoint their first ever 'youth ambassador' to shake off their stuffy image as
old men with funny handshakes.
The organisation, one of the oldest in the
world, is advertising for an 18-25 year old to appeal to a 'younger generation'
admitting few current members are aged under 30.
Although they are open to anyone over 18, male
or female, masons fear many see them 'white haired old gentlemen in tweed
jackets.'
Esoteric: The square and compasses is the emblem of the
secretive Freemasons society
But they want to attract young blood to make
the organisation 'relevant in the 21st Century.'
The ambassador will be expected to highlight
the good work and other aspects Freemasonry can offer to younger adults and
attend public appearances to recruit new members.
The successful applicant for the UK post does
not have to already be a Freemason though they will be expected to become one
and it is initially a voluntary job.
Whoever applies will be asked for their career
and educational achievements but will also have their Facebook and other social
media activity vetted, the organisation admitted.
Spokesman Julian Rees said: 'Freemasons do
have something of an image problem with most members of the public thinking of
us as a load of white haired old men in tweed jackets.
'We want to say, enough of that, it's 2013,
let's start reaching out to all the wonderful young people out there and let's
start making them aware of how becoming a Freemason can help them in life.
'Freemasonry offers a wonderful spiritual
framework for life without being constrained by any single religious
dogma.
'What's more it is open to anyone aged 18 or
over regardless of their gender, race or religion.'
THE FREEMASONS: A MYSTERIOUS
ORGANISATION THAT CONSPIRACY THEORISTS LOVE TO BLAME FOR MAJOR WORLD
EVENTS
The first President of the United States George Washington
was a Freemason
They plotted the French Revolution, designed
the pyramids and faked the Apollo moon landings. These are just some of the many conspiracy
theories associated with the Freemasons. The first Grand Lodge of England was formed in
1717 and over three hundred years has collected an estimated 250,000 members in
England and Wales and six million around the world. Publicly, the Freemasons insist the fraternity
is a non-religious meeting place for people interested in philosophy,
self-growth and spiritual development. But due to the mysterious nature of its rites
and rituals it has become associated with secret handshakes and alleged
corruption in police and the judiciary. Prominent public figures who are known to have
been Masons include the first President of the United States George Washington
and leading revolutionary Benjamin Franklin. The Duke of Kent is known to be a
Grand Master and formed a branch with members of the Royal Household in
2008. Masons are widely believed to further the
business and professional interests of brother Masons, although they would deny
this and claim it is a harmless social and charitable organisation. But author and broadcaster Martin Short whose
book Inside the Brotherhood sxposed Mason practices in the UK, insists bizarre
rituals such as the secret handshake exist. Masons are widely believed to further the
business and professional interests of brother Masons, although they would deny
this and claim it is a harmless social and charitable organisation. Former Home Secretary Jack Straw tried to
address the issue of Freemasons working in the criminal justice system. In 1999,
new judges were required to publicly disclose whether they were Masons.
Wellers auction house in Surrey is having a sale that includes the crucial components of a lodge room.
These collapsible rostrums have an estimate of £100-£200.
The description reads: "Three Masonic collapsible wooden rostrums, for the Junior Warden, the
Senior Warden and the Worshipful Master; three stepped wooden pillars,
85cm high; and a pair of wooden square based table stands with painted
terrestrial and celestial globes, 36cm high (8) "
At the same sale is this...
It is estimated to sell for £200-£400.
And while you're at the sale why not pick up three tracing boards?
This 19th century scrimshawed powder horn is being sold at Bonhams' Scottish sale in Edinburgh on August 20.
The description reads: "Scrimshawed overall with a Georgian house within a wooded landscape,
wooded areas enclosed by fences, a large pair of gates with a castle and
town house in the background, hour glass, heart pierced by arrows,
crossed axe and saw, compass and set square motifs, 'MDCCCXXI' and
'JJ', " It has an estimate of £400-£600.
This painting of a mason, described as 19th century continental school, is being sold by Island Auctions on the Isle of Wight. It measures 91cm X 71cm and is oil on canvas. The estimate is £100-150.
It was sad to hear the news about the death of Michael Baigent. Here is his obituary from the Daily Telegraph.
Michael Baigent, who has died of a brain haemorrhage aged 65, was a co-author
of The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, one of the most controversial books of
the 1980s; in 2006, with Richard Leigh, he lost a plagiarism case against
Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code, the spectacularly successful
thriller which they claimed was based on their book.
Richard Leigh and Michael Baigent, authors of Holy Blood and Holy Grail.
Photo: John Downing
6:58PM BST 21 Jun 2013
Written by Baigent, Leigh, and Henry Lincoln, The Holy Blood and the Holy
Grail claimed to have uncovered a vast conspiracy to conceal a bloodline
descended from Jesus of Nazareth that had played a key role in European
history.
A decade earlier Henry Lincoln had produced the television film The Lost
Treasures of Jerusalem? about the village of Rennes-le-Château, north of the
French Pyrenees where, around 1900, the village curé, Bérenger Saunière, had
somehow amassed huge wealth. Between them they developed the theory that
Saunière had stumbled on evidence that Jesus had not died on the Cross but
had married Mary Magdalene, escaped to southern France and fathered at least
one child, starting a royal dynasty that begat the Merovingian kings.
This knowledge, the book claimed, was kept down the centuries by an order
called the Prieuré de Sion, a secret society which worked for the
restoration of the royal line. The authors speculated that the source of
Saunière’s wealth could have been “hush money” paid by the Vatican.
Despite its extraordinary claims, which earned the authors threats of hellfire
and damnation, the book, published in 1983, impressed at least some critics.
“If this sensational conclusion remains both unproved and utterly
incredible,” wrote a reviewer in the Financial Times, “much of the material
displayed on the way is fascinating.” Anthony Burgess observed that the plot
would make a “marvellous theme for a novel”.
Yet when, in 2003, elements of the story were used by Dan Brown in The Da
Vinci Code, Baigent and his co-author Leigh (though not Lincoln) took
umbrage, and in 2006 the pair sued Brown’s publishers Random House –
coincidentally also the publishers of their own work – for copyright
infringement, claiming that the “architecture” of Brown’s work had been
taken from their book.
The case went badly for the plaintiffs, particularly for Baigent, who cut such
a sorry figure in the witness box that one observer compared the spectacle
to “watching a man being flayed alive”. Though Brown freely admitted making
use of the book – even to the extent of naming one of his characters Sir
Leigh Teabing (an anagram of Baigent) – there was nothing in law that
prevented a thriller writer drawing upon someone else’s research. The case,
and the subsequent appeal, were lost.
The case attracted international media attention due to the reclusive Brown’s
appearance in court and the imminent release of the blockbuster Hollywood
film based on his book. The High Court proceedings boosted sales of The Holy
Blood and the Holy Grail, which had stalled at 3,500 copies a year in
Britain, to 7,000 copies a week. But against their royalties windfall, Leigh
and Baigent were left with a legal bill of about £2 million.
The case took its toll on the two men’s health. Richard Leigh died in 2007,
and within six months Baigent collapsed and ended up in hospital, where he
was given a liver transplant. He also had to sell his home and move into
rented accommodation. There was little disagreement over the biggest winner
in the case – Random House, which reaped the rewards of hugely increased
sales of both books.
Michael Baigent was born into a Roman Catholic family in Christchurch, New
Zealand, in February 27 1948 and grew up in the South Island city of Nelson
and the small community of Wakefield. His father left the family when
Michael was a boy and he was largely brought up by his maternal grandfather,
Lewis Baigent, who owned a sawmill in the Kina Peninsula, and whose surname
he took.
From Nelson College, Baigent went up to Canterbury University where he studied
Religion and Psychology. After graduation, he left New Zealand, hoping to
make a living as a photojournalist. After drifting for several years around
Australia, southeast Asia, Bolivia and Spain, in 1976 he arrived in England,
where he became interested in the history of the Knights Templar and began
researching the mysterious medieval order for a film project.
In the course of his research he met Richard Leigh, an American novelist and
short story writer who introduced him to Henry Lincoln, a television
scriptwriter, at a summer school where Lincoln was lecturing. The three
discovered that they shared an interest in the Knights Templar and agreed to
work on what would become The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. While Leigh did
most of the writing, Baigent carried out the research.
Matthew d’Ancona, who met the two men during the plagiarism trial, described
them in the Spectator as an “exceedingly odd couple ... suspicious as cats”
who exuded the “twitchy eccentricity of two men who don’t get out very
much”, the bearded Leigh resembling a “retired roadie for the Grateful Dead”
and the dapper Baigent “a Wardour Street film distributor on his uppers”.
The pair continued their collaboration in a series of follow-up books, all of
which dealt to some extent with sects, secrecy and subversion. In The
Messianic Legacy (1986, also co-written with Lincoln), they claimed that the
then Grand Master of the Prieuré de Sion, Pierre Plantard de Saint Clair
(1920-2000), was seeking to restore the Merovingian dynasty and assume some
sort of monarchical role in the EU. (It was later proved that Plantard had
made up the Prieuré as a hoax in 1956).
Further collaborations included The Temple and the Lodge (1989), a history of
Freemasonry and its role in the creation of modern Europe and the United
States, and The Dead Sea Scrolls Deception (1991), alleging a Roman Catholic
conspiracy to conceal the scrolls. Secret Germany: Von Stauffenberg and the
Mystical Crusade against Hitler (1994) was a highly imaginative recreation
of the plot to kill Hitler, and The Elixir and the Stone (1997) concerned
the hermeticists and their search for wisdom. Their final book together, The
Inquisition (1999), was roundly rubbished by the critics as slipshod,
historically inaccurate and biased.
Baigent was sole author of several books including The Jesus Papers; Exposing
the Greatest Cover-Up in History, which was released during the plagiarism
trial in 2006 and was little more than a reworking of themes from The Holy
Blood and the Holy Grail. “Nothing in this book,” observed one critic, “need
concern grown-ups”.
Michael Baigent was a Freemason and a Grand Officer of the United Grand Lodge
of England. From 1991 he was editor of Freemasonry Today.
He is survived by his wife, Jane, by their two daughters and by a stepdaughter
and stepson.
Michael Baigent, born February 27 1948, died June 17 2013
Stone and mortar repairs have been carried out on the building's carved walls
The privately owned chapel continues to be a working church
The stonework has attracted visitors to the chapel for generations
