MASONIC Digest Monday, 21 Nov 1989 Volume 1 : Issue 2 Today's Topics: Administrivia Introd

MASONIC Digest                Monday, 21 Nov 1989        Volume  1 : Issue 2

Today's Topics:

			Administrivia
                        Introduction - Gary Dryfoos
                        PH <-> AF&AM
			Pledge of Allegiance (2 msgs)
			DEC notesfile.
			Review: "The Temple and the Lodge"

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From:   ptrei@asgard.bbn.com (Peter Trei)
Date:   21-Nov-1989
Subj:   Administrivia.

     A few points on style to make moderation easier.

1. Please mail separate topics in different messages, with appropriate
   subject lines.
2. Please keep included text to a minmum. If different messages in
   the same issue quote the same text, I will probably edit it out
   of all but one.
3. If you have a signature file, I will be editing it out except for
   one message per poster per issue.
4. If you mail me something, and don't want it published, please say
   so. Conversely it would also help to indicate that something IS
   for the digest.

   I'm going to be including my responses to messages in ½square
brackets| at the end of messages.

   If anyone wants to further broadcast the existence of this list - I
won't stop you, but please exercise restraint.  I did not announce it
to talk.religion.* or alt.conspiracy because of concerns over the kind
of people we would get. I hope we can get this list well established
before I have to moderate large numbers of laymen and critics. Those
who are interested will find it soon enough.

   I'm having trouble getting through to subscribers at the following
sites: nosc-tecr.arpa, tc.fluke.com, auspex.com, unecs.edu, and
uvicctr.UVic.ca. If anyone knows a good path to those sites, or if you
are a subscriber at one of those sites, please send me mail with as
much useful routing info as you can. I will soon have to drop those
addresses.

   We are now up to 31 readers in 3 countries.

							-peter
------------------------------
From:	dryfoo@ATHENA.MIT.edu (Gary Dryfoos)
Date:	16-NOV-1989 20:22
Subj:	Introduction.

     As this is my first posting to this Digest, I will follow Peter's
lead and introduce myself.  My name is Gary Dryfoos, and I am
currently the master of Ocean Lodge, AF&AM in Winthrop, Massachusetts
(Sept-June, 1st Wednesdays).  I am also a candidate instructor for the
First Lodge of Instruction, which meets in Corinthian Hall at the
Tremont St.  Grand Lodge Temple, Boston.  I have not yet joined any
collateral bodies, but am considering the Royal Arch, *AFTER* I retire
from the East (past masters will understand.)

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ÝGary L. Dryfoos                                  Ý "A man's concepts should
ÝARPA/Internet: dryfoo@athena.mit.edu             Ý  exceed his vocabulary...
Ý  UUCP/Usenet: ...mit-eddie!athena.mit.edu!dryfooÝ
Ý        Phone: (617) 253-0184 / (617) 825-6115   Ý  ...or what's a metaphor?"
Ý         USPS: E40-342g, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139Ý           -- Plato Schrimp
+=============================================================================

------------------------------
From:	dryfoo@ATHENA.MIT.edu (Gary Dryfoos)
Date:	16-NOV-1989 15:08
Subj:	New group

     I'd suggest that you save the first item in the first digest --
the explanation, rules, and caveats.  Keep them around in a separate
file, and whenever someone gets added to the list, that should be the
first thing you mail them.

-- Gary

½PT: I fully intend to do so. In fact, I want to build up a little
library of frequently asked questions and their answers, to mail
laymen interested in Masonry. I already have a couple pamphlets
online: "Freemasonry as a way of life.", and "Should I ask?", both
from the Massachusetts Grand Lodge.

If readers find any of the terms and acronyms in this digest
confusing, please mail me your questions. I'd like to prepare a little
glossary covering the commonly used ones.|

------------------------------
From:	dryfoo@ATHENA.MIT.edu (Gary Dryfoos)
Date:   16-NOV-1989 20:22
Subj:	Re: Prince Hall Masonry (long)

} From: ptrei@asgard.bbn.com
} Subject: Interesting rumor from Connecticut
}
}      I recently heard that the Grand Lodge of Connecticut and the
} Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Connecticut have agreed to mutual
} recognition. This would allow fraternal visitation, but not cross-
} affiliation. Can anyone confirm/deny this, or add more details?

     I would also be interested to know about this, and I'd also hope
that some Prince Hall Masons will join this mailing list.

     As someone who know almost nothing about PHM, my opinions have
been shaped by a carefully written book called "Prince Hall Masonry, A
Documentary Approach" (Don't have a copy now, so I can't give author
or publisher.  Massachusetts Masons can borrow it from the Grand Lodge
Library -- Roberta will be able to find it for you.)  I won't try to
summarize all of it, but basically the author shows pretty
convincingly that PHM does not have a "regular and duly constituted"
line of descent from the Grand Lodge of England; and although they did
have a type of dispensation or charter at one point, even that was
revoked after they failed to send regular reports to GLA.

     That much is fact, but it *may* be irrelevant.  The questions
that Grand Lodges have to wrestle with appear to me to be:

1) Does PH observe "regular" Masonry?  Do they do the same work as
   recognized lodges?  Do they conform to all the Landmarks?  The answer
   to this is probably `Yes'. I have been told that PHM in Massachusetts
   is very similar, or identical, to Mass. GLM.  Apparently, their
   candidates and officers study "mouth to ear" without the cypher books
   that we use in GLM, so there is no way that I myself can verify the
   similarities.  The Mass.G.L. apparently thought well enough of their
   observance to attempt a reconciliation a number of years ago.  (see
   below)

   (If the question could be answered on this point alone "Do they do
   what Masons are supposed to do, and hold what Masons are supposed to
   hold?"  then GL recognition of PH would pretty obviously be the right
   thing to do.)

2) Can any American Grand Lodge recognize a body that would violate the
   doctrine of exclusivity?  (I don't know what the formal name for this
   is.)  That is, all of the sovereign GLs in the US have separate
   geographical territories, with no overlap.  Massachusetts cannot
   recognize the petition of a would-be lodge in Oklahoma or California.
   The phrase we are used to is "within whose jurisdiction I shall
   reside."  PH cannot be recognized as a regular, co-equal sovereign
   body without resolving this issue.

3) Can any GL afford to recognize PH?  This is the hard question.
   I have been told that Mass. tried to recognize PH a number of years
   ago, and that they were quickly informed by a number of other GLs
   that if it persisted, they would drop recognition of Mass.  I'd love
   to know more about this, but I don't know how open the records are
   on this point.

   To return to the original topic -- Conn. may run into exactly the
   same problem.  This could cause a terrible schism, with a lot of
   intemperate words hurled across a widening gulf.

     I hope that this will lay out the grounds for a clear discussion
(with more Light than heat.)  Clearly, Masons are not perfect
exemplars of what we are trying to learn and teach.  Racism may
motivate some who would exclude PH from regular Masonry, and so I've
gone into detail here precisely to show that there are, in fact, other
quite valid reasons for not just recognizing PH instantly.  The
situation is, frankly, a tangled mess, and I hope someone else solves
it before I become Grand Master :-)

--Gary

½PT: Excellent post! About a month ago we had an open installation,
which anyone - Mason or otherwise - could attend. Among the audience
was a PH Mason and his wife.  The District Deputy Grand Master asked
him to stand up and introduce himself, and expressed his hopes that
mutual recognition would soon be achieved. This idea was warmly
received by all present.

There is one precedent I can think of for this. The original "Modern"
Grand Lodge of England, and the independently started "Antient" Grand
Lodge merged back in the 1830's. This took many years of delicate
negotiation, but it *was* accomplished in the end, despite the fact
that each GL initially regarded the other as illegitimate.

The territorial exclusivity issue is more than a red-herring. Suppose
the Connecticut GL recognizes not only the Conn PHGL, but also the
PHGL of Arkansas, while the Arkansas AF&AM and PH GLs refuse to
recognize each other. You can see the problems which would face a
Mason from New Haven visiting Little Rock! If he visits a lodge of
either group, the other would probably refuse to deal with him. There
would have to be a general agreement among AF&AM GLs to only recognize
PHGLs when the local AF&AM GL does so. (I apologize if any PHMs
reading this find it too AF&AM oriented - it's hard to write this
stuff in a neutral way).

As Coil says in his Masonic Encyclopedia (page 128): "...since each
Grand Lodge considers itself sovereign and makes its own rules,
recognition between Grand Lodges is almost chaotic, except within the
English-speaking circle, where it is merely illogical or
inexplicable."|

------------------------------
From:	dryfoo@ATHENA.MIT.edu (Gary Dryfoos)
Date:	16-NOV-1989 20:22
Subj:	Re:Pledge of Allegiance (long)

} From: ptrei@asgard.bbn.com
} Subject: Should we pledge allegiance in lodge?
}
}      I have always felt that Masonry should strive to be a world-wide
} fraternity, existing outside of nationalism. In many American lodges,
} the opening includes a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance while
} facing the US flag.  I have often wondered how this strikes visiting
} brethren from other countries, and if it is a practice we should
} continue.  After all, it's hardly a landmark.

     This has bothered me as well.  "Americanism" i.e. the iconic
reverence for our countries patriotic symbols, is so well ingrained in
many people that The Pledge is considered a nearly content-less Good
Thing:

   "If a school hockey game is good, then a school hockey game
   that begins with everyone reciting The Pledge is better."

Or, witness our last presidential election:

   "If a Brookline Town Meeting is good, then a Brookline Town
   Meeting with The Pledge is better."

     A previous Master of our lodge began a few meetings with The
Presentation of the Colors, and The Pledge.  The fact that so many of
our members are still WWII veterans, and faithful Cold-War veterans
makes it a difficult topic to discuss.

     Should we continue the practice?  Go ahead, try to discuss it
with a 65 or 70-yr-old veteran of "The Good War" and see where it gets
you.  They're not being mean or obstinate, they just cannot understand
why anyone would object to doing it, since it's a Good Thing.

     Reciting it just for the sake of doing so makes me uncomfortable.
It's as if a whole room full of people were reciting:

   "We love America more than anybody, and nobody better accuse
    us of not loving America, 'cause we're good Americans.  We
    really are.  So there!"

     I think that if saying The Pledge really meant something, than
saying it once (or perhaps once a year at a Fourth of July rally or
something, if you like that sort of thing) would be enough.  We don't
recite our Obligations over again at each meeting, do we?  We don't
have to -- we said it once and meant it.  Saying it counted for
something.

		  *                *                *

Finally, public thanks to Peter for starting this mailing list.

--Gary

------------------------------
From: Steven Gatton 
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 89 17:25:07 -0500
Subject: Pledge recitation.

     Because of the University community and our proximity to Canada,
we have a lot of opportunities to entertain Masons from outside the
U.S.  In the past few years, we have had visitors from Canada
(reciprocal visitation), the U.K., Brazil, and Greece.  When we recite
the pledge, they stand respectfully, and then we sing (or listen to a
recording of) their national anthem (the Brazilian one is *really* a
great piece of music).  We also try to get a flag for their country if
possible.  Showing respect for the country of our citizenship has not
caused any trouble of which I am aware.
     We are admonished to be good citizens and to show respect to our
country, and it is our custom to open meetings, Masonic or otherwise,
with the Pledge.
     I have not personally had the experience of visiting in Canada,
but it is my understanding that they sing our National Anthem when our
Lodge visits.

Steve Gatton/BGSU

------------------------------
From:	georgiou@rex.cs.tulane.edu (George Georgiou)
Date:	17-NOV-1989 01:22
Subj:	Re: Masonic NOTES file at DEC

Hello,
     In the first issue of the digest you mentioned the "Masonic NOTES
file at DEC". What exactly is that and how can I get it ?
     I am familiar with gatekeeper.dec.com, but I haven't seen such a
file there.

Thanks,

George Georgiou
Computer Science Department
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA 70118

½PT: Within DEC, there is a series of notesfiles, one of which covers
Masonry. Unfortunately, non-Deccies can't access it. I only know of it
because my wife is a DEC employee and sometimes dials in to let me see
it. I hope to get some cross-posting going.|

------------------------------
From:	ptrei@asgard.bbn.com (Peter Trei)
Date:   21-Nov-1989
Subj:   Review: "The Temple and the Lodge"

The Temple and the Lodge, by Michel Baigent and Richard Leigh. Arcade
'89, ISBN 1-55970-021-1 $22.95, 306 pp, with illustrations, index, and
bibliography.

     Most of us will have heard of the authors previous book: "Holy
Blood, Holy Grail", which in 1982, made the bestseller lists with
extraordinary claims about the life of Christ. In the present volume
they continue in their revisionist vein, but (at least in the US) I
doubt that this book will have the same success.

     Once again, they question generally accepted history, but the
modification they propose will strike most people a sideshow.

Basically, this is the thesis:

1. The Knights Templar in 1307 received warning of their impending
supression by Phillip the Fair the Pope Clement V, and many escaped
(with their treasure) to Scotland.  Scotland was at that time under
papal interdict, and thus beyond the papacy's reach.

2. The Templars assisted Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn
in 1314, assuring Scotland's continued independence from England for
over three centuries.

3. The Templars abandoned their vows of chastity and mixed with the
local population, passing many of their traditions and much of their
philosophy into the culture. Certain Scottish noble houses in
particular seemed to have been charged with preserving their memory,
and the Templar lands were preserved administrativly distinct long
after they were legally dissolved.

4. Scottish operative stonemason's guilds (already influenced by
Templar philosophy) were further influenced in the late 1500's by
various esoteric doctrines, including Rosicrucianism, creating
Freemasonry. This spread south to England.

5. After the English Civil War Masonry supported the old House of
Stuart.  When in 1688 William of Orange drove the Stuarts into exile
in France, many important Masons followed, becoming champions for the
Jacobite cause. As a side note, one prominent Jacobite, the Viscount
Dundee, is said to have been wearing the Grand Cross of the Knights
Templar when he was killed at the battle of Killiecrankie, in 1689.

6. The Grand Lodge of England was formed in 1717 largely as a ploy
by loyalist English masons to remove influence from the Jacobite
faction.

7. Masonic philosophy - stressing universal brotherhood and crossing
social boundries - was instrumental in preventing a French-style
revolution in England.

8. Masons were prominent in pre-Revolutionary America, particularly in
the military lodges of the British army during the French and Indian
War.  Later, Masons played important roles on both sides of the
Revolution. The authors claim that masonic philosophy strengthened the
resolve of the revolutionaries, while causing many of the British to
see the injustice of government policies.

9. Masonry influenced the formation of the American style of
government.

		*		*		*

     It would be very easy to accept this story - it would be nice to
provide a longer historical pedigree for our order (the very earliest
generally accepted traces are the Regius Old Charges, dated to 1390,
but the first hard evidence is from 1646).

     However, there are several questionable points in the authors
argument.

1. The evidence they give that the Templars escaped to Scotland is
pretty weak. Many prominent Templars *were* captured and burned at the
stake, including Jacques de Molay, the Grand Master of the order.
Surely he at least would have escaped if warned.

2. I found their "proofs" of the continued existance of the Templars
to be mostly circumstancial. Anonymous warriors gravestones are
assumed to be Templar, as is any cross that flares at the ends.

3. The proposed genesis of speculative Freemasonry in Scotland is
extremely fuzzy and complex. This is a failing throughout the book -
whenever the authors are on shaky ground, they throw vast numbers of
barely relevent facts at the reader, linking them with unproved
assertions in a way which becomes both irritating and predictable.
This fog of factoids is the main way they bridge over the 300 year gap
which the standard objection to the Templar origin theory.

The authors also tend to accept at face value any claim from any
source which advances their thesis, either ignoring more reasonable
explanations or relegating them to chapter notes at the back.  For
example, on page 159, in discussing how the rebuilding after the Great
Fire of London in 1666 put operative masonry into a prominant
position, they say of Sir Christopher Wren (the architect of St.
Paul's): "He is alleged to have become Grand Master of Freemasonry in
England in 1685.", and go on to discuss his thus-derived importance as
a link between operative and speculative Masonry. Only in a chapter
note on page 280 (in small type) do they admit the extreme dubiousness
of this claim. It appears in Anderson's "Constitutions" of 1738. The
first edition (1723), makes no mention of Wren as a Mason. In the 1738
book, published 15 years after Wren's death and the death of King
George (who disliked Wren), Wren is suddenly given an elaborate
Masonic history starting in 1663, when he was supposedly Grand Warden
(a very high rank). This conflicts with the only other known masonic
mention of him, where John Aubrey claims that Wren was made a Mason in
1691. It is generally agreed that Wren *might* have been a mason, but
not before Aubrey's date. A very careful reader, or one familiar with
masonic history, will notice the conflict in dates. The casual reader
will simply beleive that it is accepted knowledge that Wren was Grand
Master.  They also fail to explain how he could have been a Grand
Master 22 years before Grand Lodge was formed in 1717. ½BTW, the
history of Masonry in the 1738 Constitutions is fabulous to say the
least: it has Adam as the first Freemason, and Moses as a Grand
Master.|


     There are good points too.

1. They show photos of gravestones in crusader castles with arguably
masonic emblems - from the 13th century!

2. The most interesting idea they present, and one which I think
deserves further  careful consideration, concerns the formation of the
Grand Lodge of England in 1717. Masonry was already well established
by this period, but not centrally organized. In 1751 a rival
organization, the "Antients" appeared, and Masonry was split between
the "Antients" and the "Moderns" until 1813 when they merged. The
Antients claimed all along to be true to the older ideals, and were
the first known to practice many of the side degrees such as the Royal
Arch. The merger was accomplished in such a way that it can be argued
that they got the better end of it.
     The authors suggest that the "Modern" Grand Lodge represented a
minority viewpoint in English Masonry, but that since it won the
support of the crown and wound up writing the history books, it
managed to portray itself as much more important and legitimate than
it actually was.
     In presenting this idea, the authors are continuing a
pre-existing trend in Masonic history - a slow re-evaluation of the
importance of the Antients. This trend started in 1887 with the
publication of Henry Sadler's "Masonic Facts and Fictions - Comprising
a new theory of the origin of the 'Antient' Grand Lodge", and
continued with Batham's Prestonian Lecture of 1981.
     I'm becoming a subscriber  Quatuor Coronati Lodge's Transactions
soon, and look forward to seeing what they think of these ideas. (QC
is a Lodge of Research, and delves into Masonic History.)

     Overall, I found this an interesting but sometimes frustrating
book, flawed by the authors determination to present their theory in
spite of the overwhelming preponderance of the evidence against them.
I would *not* recommend it to the layman curious about the genesis of
Freemasonry - it's far too speculative, and I feel misleadingly so.
It is also rather expensive.
     I appreciate the way the authors have gone to some trouble to
actually do research in the field, though as non-Masons they are
hampered in their interpretations and tend to read meanings into
things no Mason ever would. For the interested layman or Mason, John
Hamill's "The Craft" (Crucible, 1986) is a much better place to start.
½BTW, "The Craft" is listed by the authors as their source of the Wren
story. I suspect Hamill is very displeased at the way his information
has been presented.|

(As a final note: It's strange to read wild allegations about the
Templars presented as fact at the same time as reading wild
allegations about the Templars presented as fiction in Umberto Eco's
Foucault's Pendulum :-)


End of MASONIC Digest
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