It is indeed the Morgan affair. I read the pertinent eight pages of the history tome at the bookstore just yesterday, and, I believe that the writer makes some good points. There is also some background material on the site of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia, of which I am sure you are aware. I would very much appreciate a copy of your talk if you are amenable to sending it via my email address which you may find under Memberlist. You may want to post it instead, as this may jump-start another discussion with a wider audience. Cheers.

The impression I get from the posts on this topic is that some of you are in danger of making Freemasonry into a surrogate or quasi religion. IT IS NOT!

Look at the way the Craft describes itself: "A peculiar System of Morality, veiled in Allegory and illustrated by Symbols".

"Peculiar" in this context has its ancient meaning of "unique". A "System of Morality" is a way of life, pure and simple, but a life lived ethically and morally. Part of that life requires you to maintain your faith, whatever the religion itself may be, and as you should well know, it is not necessarily Christian. In Singapore and Hong Kong, for example, I know of Lodges which have up to six diferent Volumes of the Sacred Law, corresponding with the holy books of the Brethrens' different religions. The Allegories in which Freemasonry is veiled are those stories we use in our teachings which, like the Parables of Jesus, serve to teach us by almost practical demonstration the lessons they contain and the Symbols are those items mostly within the Lodge room and generally items common to a builder's workroom which we can meditate upon and serve to remind us of those lessons.

There is nothing magical or mystical about all this, it is a simple practical craft, teaching us how to conduct our lives and to support and encourage us in the religious faith to which we belong, not to replace it.

To Keith,

How do you square this with the Scandinavian lodges, who will not admit non-Christians to their membership, even at Craft Level ?

By the way, I seem to be a "voice in the wilderness" when I raise this question. The silence seems to be deafening ! I seem to be the only one who can see anything wrong with this attitude.

Regards,

Lobbus

Originally, the Operative Craft was Christian. When Dr Anderson wrote the Constitutions in 1723 he removed reference to Christianity and opened the Craft to all men who believe in a Supreme Being, by whatever name He She or It may be known in any particular religion. I was not aware that there are Constitutions in amity with New Zealand which do not admit non-Christians. Quite wrong in my opinion. I wonder how they would deal with a visiting Brother who happened to be, say, a Jew - or a Muslim

To Keith,

I have done some digging into this and the answer is that they would admit a non-Christian into their lodges as a visitor only. They would not allow him to become a member. This situation has been condoned and tolerated in England since the union of the "Antients" and the "Moderns" in 1813. A clue to why this is the case might be because the "old" Prince of Wales ( Edward V11) was originally initiated into a Swedish System Lodge in December 1869 !

The Scandinavian system is known as the "Swedish Rite", or the "St. Johns'" System , which comprise eleven degrees, and is practiced in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland. There may be some lodges in Germany practicing this system.

To my mind this is iniquitous, as any non-Christian in Scandinavia would not be able to be initiated into Freemasonry in these countries, or to become a joining member into any of their Craft Lodges.

To dbdent:

Are you in Israel ? I shall be visiting Israel at the end of April and would love to pay a fraternal visit to a Hebrew Speaking lodge there ......

Regards,

Lobbus.

The three Masonic Degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason are open to all men who profess a belief in a Supreme Being. There are other Masonic Orders which require one to be a Master Mason in order to gain entry, some of these are by invitation and require a Trinitarian Christian belief, The Rose Croix is such an Order and is present in New Zealand. It is, I believe also know as the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite and consists of 33 Degrees, the first three of which are EA, FC and MM. I would imagine that the rites you describe may well be along similar lines although I don't really know.

To Keith,

I quote : "The three Masonic Degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason are open to all men who profess a belief in a Supreme Being."

Not in Scandinavia, mate !

The first three degrees of the Swedish Rite are the same as in Craft Masonry. The only difference is that they require one to profess the Christian Faith.

I am fully aware that other houses of Masonry are of a Trinitarian Nature, and I have no problem with this because one is not less of a Mason if one does not join them because one is not a Christian. The problem is that one could not even set foot on the ladder !

Imagine, if you will, a resident of Sweden , a Jew, Muslim or Hindu, who wishes to become a Mason. The Craft degrees are closed to him there. So, short of emigrating or lying, how does one achieve this aim ?

As it happens, I hold the 32o in the A.A.S.R , I am aware of the implications of the Christian flavour of this rite, but a way was found for myself and another Jewish brother to "work round" this.

Regards,

Lobbus.

It hardly seems fair to me, however, life is not fair is it?

To Keith,

With the greatest respect, great wrongs are not righted by a shrug of the shoulders and a quip about the unfairness of life. You note that everyone else in this forum is silent on this issue because it does not affect them . Very "masonic" !

I have spent the better part of 30 years trying to plead the cause of Prince Hall Masonry, not because I am black, ( I'm not) but because I perecieved an injustice towards a perfectly regular and legal branch of our order. Eventually there is light at the end of the tunnel with the Prince Hall Grand Lodges being recognised by an increasingly large number of jurisdictions.

To sit in your eyrie in New Zealand and sigh about life being unfair is, I suggest, not encouraging, especially from a mason of your intelligence, experience, and understanding.

With kind fraternal regards,

Lobbus.

I can sense your frustration. However, each Grand Lodge is fully autonomous and does as it likes! I am a Past Master under the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, There is nothing I can do to right what seems to me to be a wrong but is nevertheless, the business of another independent Grand Lodge. We recognise these jurisdictions as we do some PHA Grand Lodges, but not all as yet. As I said, life IS unfair!

What do you expect me to be able to do?

The initiation had a very high emotional impact on me...

The psychodrama and symbolism of entering the craft, struck strong emotions in me...

I felt excited, overwhelmed, inspired, enlightened, afraid and encouraged!


_________________
People are perfectible, but never perfect!
We can improve every day once we realise evolution is the essence of life.

Sorin

Welcome -- wishing you many more interesting steps forward
Which ritual do you work?
Cannot imagine the standard English ritual having such an effect on anyone
David

Welcome to the rest of your life, Bro. Sorin!

Remember one thing, Freemasonry is a lot more than a "dining" club.

I too would be interested in knowing what ritual is used in Roumania, that engenders such immediate depth of emotion in the candidate.............

Fraternally,

Lobbus

Welcome Sorin!
The initiation had also a very high emotional impact on me... I'm working at the "Modern Rite".
Fraternal regards.


_________________
Augustin1813
GLB. SCdB.
http://gen.declercq.free.fr

Hello Brothers,

In the lodge I work at, here in Romania, we use Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Free Masonry.

The music in the background, the tasting of the water that could have been poisonous, the sharp object in my chest, being blind folded... swearing a lifetime of fraternity and loyalty... all those struck strong chordes in me...

It would be nice to be able to connect through this forum by using PM's or Emails via the Board ... Is that possible?


_________________
People are perfectible, but never perfect!
We can improve every day once we realise evolution is the essence of life.