Bro. Craig Whitton
At the time of writing (September 2008), Bro Whitton is awaiting his Master Mason's degree which is to be conferred next month (Oct. 2008).
Bro. Craig Whitton hails from Red Lake; a community in Northern Ontario. In the summer months, when he is free from his duties at the University of Guelph, Craig visits his parents and friends in his home town, and, while there, he will attend lodge. Bro. Craig was very impressed by the warm reception he received from old friends when he visited his home town lodge. Becoming a Freemason seemed to have created a marked change in his home-town relationships.
I had the honour to be mentor for Bro. Whitton as he studied the preparation work for his degrees.
The Viking Air Company provides passenger service in the Red Lake area. They make use of the various de Havilland community aircraft (Beaver, Otter, etc.).
On returning from a recent trip to Red Lake, he presented me with an unique cap bearing the de Havilland crest. I wear this with pride on my daily walks. - editor.
de Havilland Aircraft of Canada LimitedFounded in 1928, de Havilland Canada became one of the world's great aircraft manufacturers.
Starting out assembling British made Moth aeroplanes which made flying accessible and popular in Canada -- the company went on to design and produce bush utility, military and commuter aircraft.
Their most famous designs include the Chipmunk, Beaver, Otter, Twin Otter. Caribou, Buffalo, Dash 7, and Dash 8 aeroplanes. de Havilland Canada coined the term STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) which was the most important capability of many of their designs.
de Havilland Canada was absorbed, but lives on in the great Canadian company - Viking Air.
The 1946 Victory Stamp
by Bro. R. J. Meek, Nelson Lodge, 23, GL BCY
Since England first issued postage stamps-the famous "Penny Blacks"-in 1840, only five special issues have ever been printed. It is singularly gratifying to the Fraternity that the "Victory Issue" put on sale last June in Gt. Britain contains much of masonic interest.
The 3 penny denomination of the Special Issue, illustrated herewith, displays several masonic symbols with unmistakable prominence. H.M. the King chose the design himself from several submitted to him for the commemorative Victory Issue.
The dominating feature of the three penny stamp is the face of King George VI surmounted by a crown. Significantly, if the stamp is properly oriented, as a map with north to the top, the King is in the east.
In the centre flies a dove carrying the olive branch, from time immemorial the symbol of peace. It is a familiar emblem, being found on the wands and collars of the Deacons.
Brotherly love amongst men is symbolized by the juxtaposition of the square and compasses. The former reminding us "to act on the square," and the latter "to keep in due bounds with ail mankind. The compasses are at an angle of 45°, one point above and the other below the square, the position of Fellowcraft. It should be noted that the older form of square is portrayed, this type is seen particularly in connection with the Master's jewel, also that of the Past Master. The two arms are of unequal length and represent the Greek letter "G" or "Gamma," denoting "God, the Grand Geometrician of the Universe."
The presence of a trowel and portion of a brick wall are not without significance, both in the operative and the speculative sense. While the trowel is not now recognized under the English or Canadian constitution, it is an important symbol in the Scottish and the American Craft, emblematically spreading the cement of brotherly love among mankind. Also cleverly depicted in the curlicue engraving are five Ys denoting the 15 Fellowcrafts associated with the legend in the English work. The other symbols are surrounded or nestled and protected by this emblematical group.
The Freemason's Chronicle of London, states: "It is singularly appropriate that the message thus conveyed by these emblems should be found, one may be almost permitted to surmise with purpose aforethought on the part of our M.W. Brother, the King, Past Grand Master, on the 3d. issue of the new stamps, used only for postage to foreign lands where the full significance of these emblems may not be lost, and the need for their reminder have greater force."
Reynold Stone, a descendant of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the celebrated portrait painter, is the designer. Although a relatively young man he achieved a degree of fame for his engravings of the Royal Coat of Arms for the Coronation Service.
Of interest to stamp collectors, the photogravure process was used for the Victory Issue. They are printed on special paper supplied by the firm making paper for the Bank of England notes. Only 24,000,000 of the 3d. have been issued. Post Office officials expect the issue to last about two months, after which no fresh supplies will be printed.
After World War I, several "Peace" or "Reconstruction" issues were printed. The 25 mark German Republic stamp of 1919 depicts a trowel and bricks similar to the English 3d. King Solomon's Throne was featured some years ago on an Abyssinian stamp - their "King of Kings" claims direct descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Many other issues of more obscure symbolism can be found by keen philatelists.
The appearance of masonic symbols on a postage stamp in such a distinctive manner must surely be without precedent, and from this point of view the 3d. English "Victory Issue" is perhaps the most interesting stamp ever printed.
Masonic Bulletin, Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon, vol x, no. 1, September 1946. p. 8 Masonry by design or by accident? - by Christopher L. Murphy
and from:The Masonic Philatelist, by: Dr. Allan Boudreau
I am certain I am not the only masonic philatelist who has been asked about the British Peace Issue of 1946 (Scott No. 265). This stamp has two obvious masonic symbols and many freemasons believe it is a true masonic stamp.
Because the stamp was not issued for a masonic purpose, I have been quick to correct this belief. I have classified this stamp as one that inadvertently shows symbols that may be associated with the masonic order. Officially, I am correct. The Scott Catalog shows that the stamp was issued to commemorate the return to peace at the close of World War II, Freemasonry is not mentioned.
There is, however, more to this stamp than meets even the most trained eye. A few weeks ago, a lodge brother, Charlie Oddstad, telephoned me and asked if I were aware of an article about this stamp that appeared in our Grand Lodge bulletin back in 1977. I did not recall the article so Brother Oddstad sent me a copy. I was quite astounded by the information the article contained. Just how "masonic" is this stamp? I offer the information here for my fellow brother philatelists to consider:
1. This stamp shows King George VI who was a Freemason. He was a member of Navy Lodge No. 2612, London, England.
2. The stamp was designed by King George VI himself.
3. The stamp was released in 1946, the year King George was the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England.
4. The stamp shows the square and compasses and a trowel which are masonic symbols. There is also a brick wall showing cement which also has masonic connotation.
5. The stamp has a curious ribbon that ties the King and the various symbols much like a cable-tow.
6. The ribbon can be said to form five, (5) figures. The numbers three (3) and five (5) are very significant numbers in Freemasonry.
7. The position of the square and compasses indicate the Fellow-Craft Degree. This degree was the King's favourite degree.
8. If the top of the stamp is considered north, King George is situated in the east.
9. The square depicted is an older form of the instrument (the arms are not equal in length). This form of the square is often portrayed on the jewel worn by the Master of a lodge. Also, the form represent the Greek letter "G" or "Gamma" denoting God or the Grand Geometrician of the Universe.
A further comment is made about the dove carrying a sprig of acacia. However, I have difficulty with this statement. Acacia is quite different in appearance and the branch shown on the stamp has berries or "fruit" which would indicate the traditional olive branch.
The evidence appears overwhelming that King George had Freemasonry in mind when he designed this stamp. But we will never know for certain - the secret is now safely stored in the archives of the Grand Lodge Above.
The Masonic Philatelist, Dr. Allan Boudreau, publisher. Masonic Stamp Club of NY, Inc.. vol 49. no. 4, December 1993 ISSN : 1069-3580
Editors note: all the foregoing is posted on the website of the Grand Lodge of BC and Yukon at: http://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/art/victory_stamp.html
King George VI . . .
. . was initiated into Naval Lodge No. 2612 in December 1919, the ceremony being conducted by Lord Ampthill (The famous explorer Ernest Shackleton had been initiated into the same Lodge in 1901).
In 1922 he was appointed Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of England, and in 1924 was made Provincial Grand Master for Middlesex, a position which he held until he ascended the throne in 1938. He was invested and installed by his great uncle, H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught.
As king, he accepted the rank of Past Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, and was ceremonially installed at the Albert Hall in London before an audience of Masons from all parts of the world.
In 1936 he accepted and was installed Grand Master Mason of Scotland, and affiliated with the Lodge of Glamis, No. 99, Scotland, where his father-in-law, the Earl of Strathmore, was a Past Master.
He created the precedent of the English Sovereign's active participation in Masonic ceremonies, and personally conducted the installation of three Grand Masters (of the United Grand Lodge of England) - the Duke of Kent at Olympia in 1939, the Earl of Harewood in Freemason's Hall in 1943 and the Duke of Devonshire in Albert Hall in 1948. Only his last illness prevented his installing the Earl of Scarbrough in 1951.
Toward the end of his reign, he stated that he had always regarded Masonry as one of the strongest influences of his life. He was a Royal Arch Mason and was a First Principal. He was a Past Grand Master of the Mark Lodge and former Ruler of the Mark Province of Middlesex (1931-37). He held the rank of Past Grand Master, and of Knight Commander of the Temple, was a 33rd Degree, and Grand Inspector General in the Ancient and Accepted Rite of Rose Croix.
He once said about Masonry: "The world today does require spiritual and moral regeneration. I have no doubt, after many years as a member of our Order, that Freemasonry can play a most important part in this vital need". from the internet
Masonic children welcomed home
Alumni celebrate their common past in Springfield
Monday, July 03, 2006, Kelly Hassett
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - Cynthia Cameron came to the Ohio Masonic Home as a scared 6-year-old girl with only her older sister, Connie, as family.
More than 50 years later, she still has her sister and counts dozens more as her brothers and sisters.
The Westerville woman returned yesterday for the Ohio Masonic Home's 27th Alumni Day Homecoming, a reunion for people who spent their childhoods in the home.
From roughly 1897 through 1956, about 740 children were sent there when their parents died or their f
amilies weren't fit to support them. The home now houses retirees.
Cameron, one of the youngest children ever to stay in the home, is president of the alumni association, and she helps organize the reunions, now being held every two years.
Cynthia Cameron retraces footsteps of her youth in Bushnell Hall at the Ohio Masonic Home. Orchestrated by Cameron, yesterday's reunion at the former children's home brought together the men an women who spent their youth together more than 50 years ago. (Kyle Robertson, Dispatch) "I'm prouder of this organization and being here almost more than anything I've ever done," Cameron, 65, said yesterday.
Cameron and her sister came to the Ohio Masonic Home in August 1947. Their father was dead, and the environment at home with their mother and stepfather wasn't happy or good for them, she said.
Many of the children in the home went back to their families after a parent remarried or became financially stable. Some went to live with foster families. Others stayed until they graduated from high school and then left for college, work or the military.
A handful of states, including Illinois, Pennsylvania and California, still have Mason-run children's homes, said Ohio Masonic Home spokesman Brett Turner. Louisiana and Oklahoma also had children's homes that are now closed.
Bushnell Hall, the original castle-like building on the Masonic campus, sits on top of a hill at the front of the site. The imposing turrets and huge stained-glass window tower over the trees and driveway, a short distance off I-70 and an hour west of Columbus.
Balck-and-white memories re-emerged yesterday for Cynthia Cameron, left, and sister Connie.
(Kyle Robertson, Despatch)Most of the 34 alumni yesterday gathered in clusters for lunch under a pavilion, passing around black-and-white pictures and running to hug someone who had just walked in.
Cameron stays in touch with many of "the girls" from the home, as she calls them. They share a background few others can understand.
"As we got older we realized that connections were important," she said.
Cameron said she and many of the children she befriended at the home considered themselves lucky; they weren't dropped into the foster-care system, and the home tried to take as many siblings as possible.
Phoebe Freeze was sent there when she was 2 1 /2. She met her future husband, Robert, when he was 12 and she was around 13 or 14, she said. His room was on the floor above hers, and they figured out a way to pass notes from their windows.
"He'd bang on the pipe and he would pass down a basket, and I would put a letter in it," said Freeze, 76, who lives with her husband in Dayton. They've been married 54 years.
Robert Freeze, 75, considers himself fortunate to have gone to the home; his brother was sent into foster care and shuffled among different foster homes for years.
"I got an education. I got three meals a day. I got a roof over my head. I met my wife here," he said, looking down at a smiling Phoebe.
Cameron brought her daughter Julie to the reunion to show her where she grew up and the faces behind the stories she tells.
"We had everything," Cameron said, smiling at the group of women standing next to her. "We had each other."
from: The Columbia Dispatch, Ohio's Greatest On-line Newspaper at:http://www.dispatch.com/print_template.php?story=dispatch/2006/07/03/20060703-A1-01.html
pictures by: Kyle Robertson - Dispatch
I'm My Own Grandpa
It's better to go tip-toe through the tulips than slip-shod through the cowshed.
(written by Moe Jaffe & Dwight B. Latham)Now many, many years ago when I was twenty-three,
I was married to a widow who was pretty as could be.
This widow had a grown-up daughter, had hair of red,
My father fell in love with her and soon the two were wed.
This made my dad my son-in-law and changed my very life,
My daughter was my mother 'cuz she was my father's wife.
To complicate the matter, even though it brought me joy,
I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy.
My little boy then became the brother-in-law to dad,
And so became my uncle, though it made me very sad.
For if he was my uncle, that also made him brother
Of the Widow's grown-up daughter, who, of course, was my stepmother.
Chorus:I'm my own grandpa, I'm my own grandpa,
It sounds funny, I know, but it really is so,
For I'm my own grandpa.
My father's wife then had a son that kept him on the run,
And he became my grandchild, for he was my daughter's son.
My wife is now my mother's mother and it makes me blue,
Because she is my wife, she's my grandmother, too.
Chorus. . .
Now if my wife's my grandmother, then I'm her grandchild,
And every time I think of it, it nearly drives me wild.
For now I have become the strangest case you ever saw,
As husband of my grandmother, I am my own grandpa.
Chorus. . .
HIRAM ABIF
The "ABIF" of Hiram Abif does not appear in the Bible. The word Abi or Abiw or Abiv is translated in the King James version both as "his father" and "my father" - using the word "father" as a term of respect and not as denoting a parent. Hiram, the widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali, was "my father" in the same sense that Abraham was "my father" to members of the tribes of Israel.
The thought that the two syllables are a surname is obviously in error. The legend gains, not loses, in appeal when Abif becomes a title of honor.
Just when and how it came into the Masonic terminology is still a moot point; it does not appear in the Regis document (oldest of our Constitutions, dated approximately 1390) but does appear - only as one name among many - in the Dowland manuscript of 1550. Apparently the term was not in common use until after the King James Bible (1611) had become familiar in Masonic circles.
The story of Hiram Abif as told in the Masonic tale is not found in the Bible, nor is there any meaning in the word which can be construed as part of the story, as Masons tell it, except that of veneration.
from the internet, author unknown.
Published in "Pillars of Light", UGLNSW, Jan. 2005.
Did You Know ? . . . HELE
In old days, men fought, bled and died over arguments as to the proper name of Deity, and to win a discussion as to how many angels could dance together on the point of a needle!
Moderns do not go as far as bloodshed over the word "hele" (pronounced hail), but in spite of the determinations of philologists and Masonic authorities who may well be considered final, now and then some more or less learned Freemason wishes to change after the meaning of the word or its pronunciation, or its spelling, or any two, or all three!
Hele is almost invariable associated with the word "conceal" (as it should be) and "hele and conceal" may be translated by transposition - "conceal and hele". "Hele" is old Anglo-Saxon, meaning to conceal.
"Conceal" is Norman, and means to hide. Dr. Pease has well brought out, that in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries language in England was part Norman-French and part Anglo-Saxon and that early ritual writers, desiring to make sure that no misunderstanding was possible, often expressed ideas in word pairs, one word from each language. Hence such phrases as "hele (hail) and conceal", "parts or points", "Free will and accord", etc.
To the objections of those who contend that "hele" (hail) should be pronounced "heel" because it rhymes with "conceal and reveal" the answer is that in the early days of the language, our "conceal" was pronounced "consayle" and our "reveal" was pronounced "revayle".
The word "hele" (hail) (meaning to hide) has no connection with the word "heal", meaning to make whole again, or Masonically, make legitimate, nor with the word "heel", meaning part of the foot, or with the word "hale", meaning in good health, or the word "hail" meaning to call to, or greet.
rom the internet, author unknown.
Published in "Pillars of Light", UGLNSW, Feb. 2005.Editors note: It is our custom to pronounce the word "hele" as "Heal", not "hale". This is to avoid confusion with another sign called "the hailing sign". Cal C.
Here is a further opinion:
The Heling sign - Hele comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning "to cover and conceal." Farmers and country people used this word concerning the 'heling' or covering of plants or putting a roof on their house. In the 1500's a book was 'heled' when it was bound by two covers. . . . from the internet by: Barry D.Thom PM Lodge MacKay #1129 S.C., Bay Roberts, NL
HALF TIME
Editors note: this article is based on a lodge that uses the calendar year whereas your Masonic year may vary according to lodge by-laws. Nevertheless, the message can apply.. . . Cal Christie
by W:.Tim Bryce, PM, Palm Harbor, Florida, USA
"A Foot Soldier for Freemasonry"
First, you've just hit your stride as Worshipful Master. You're now comfortable opening and closing the Lodge, running the Lodge, and how to conduct a degree. (Either that or you are totally lost).
Second, you've looked at the calendar and realize your term of office is quickly coming to an end and are now scrambling to accomplish the goals you set out for yourself.
Regardless of how we try to prepare ourselves for sitting in the East we don't fully comprehend what it takes until we actually sit in the chair. Some have no problem with the responsibility and hit the ground running. Others are prepared, but because they have never been put in a position of responsibility like this, lack confidence and rely on the support of their officers, particularly the Secretary. And then there are those that went to the East for the wrong reasons (such as to get a PM's apron) and are simply lost.
As your year is coming to an end, let me offer the following advice:
1. Carefully schedule events in the Fall. October is traditionally one of the busiest months in terms of Freemasonry. Why? Because people are trying to avoid scheduling conflicts with the year-end holidays and the Lodge elections. If you are going to have a Masonic function during October, such as a fund-raiser or social, do yourself a favor, see what the other Lodges are doing in your area first. Try to avoid scheduling conflicts wherever possible so that you may have the best attendance possible.
2. Make sure your officers are properly trained (your successors). As Worshipful Master, it is one of your unwritten responsibilities to see to a smooth transition in the Lodge's leaders after your departure. If possible, allow your officers to move up a chair for a meeting so they can get a feel for it. Also, conduct some on-site training in terms of Lodge officer responsibilities (sometimes Grand Lodges will sponsor such training). Further, encourage degree proficiencies.
3. Start boning-up on how to hold a Masonic election. Remember Murphy's Law whereby, "If something can go wrong, it will." Do you know what to do in the event of a tie? What happens if three or more people end up in a tight race? Does a person have to be present at the meeting to be elected? Who will be your elections committee? Do they know how to conduct it properly? Reference your Lodge's bylaws and Grand Lodge documentation as much as possible and consult with others. Be prepared and do it right.
4. Finally, be sure to thank those officers and members who supported you during your year. A token of thanks in open Lodge is appreciated, whether it be a small gift, a certificate or a round of applause. Make sure they understand their hard work was appreciated.
Now, as to you Senior Wardens out there. Take heed. You're next.
Article reprinted with permission of the author and "FreeMason Information" at: http://www.freemasoninformation.com/bryce/halftime.htm
CHÂTEAU DES HOSPITALIERS
Located at the south of Drome, between Montélimar and Dieulefit, the old village of Poët-Laval (one of the most beautiful villages of France) is an old commandery about the knights of Saint-Jean-of-Jerusalem (known as also Order of Malta). The keep of their castle, built in XIIth century then altered in XIIIth and XIVth, capped of a splendid pigonnier, dominates the Midsummer's Day vault of the Commanders (XIIth), of which there remains only the chorus and part of the nave.
from:http://translate.google.com/translate?l=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.compagnonnage.info/stereotomique/index.htm
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A True Story of Brotherly Love and Masonic Charity
The reader of this story, if a Freemason, will be familiar with the Hiramic legend and the role it plays in the exemplification of the Master Masons degree. The following story of brotherly love is as close to the legend of Hiram that one may ever have occasion to read in the annals of Freemasonry. It has been taken from the records of Alley Lodge No. 14 (1855-2001)
During the eighteen sixties lumbering was one of the primary economic forces in the State of Maine. During the winter men would take to the logging camps deep in the woods to fell the trees that would supply the myriad of lumber mills throughout the State. The melting of snows in the spring would bring an end to the cutting and signal the start of the annual log drives down the swollen rivers and it is here that our story begins.
Brother Alexander Ross was a member of Alley Lodge though it is unknown as to how long he had been a member due to the missing record books. Brother Ross was a regular attendee at the monthly meetings of the lodge and on a number of occasions he is recorded as filling in as lodge secretary.
Alley Lodge was located in the small community of Upper Mills, which was nestled on the banks of the St. Croix River approximately ten miles upstream from the mouth of the river and the town of St. Stephen. The St. Croix River forms part of the international boundary between New Brunswick and the State of Maine. Adjacent to Upper Mills was the small community of Baring, Maine. For many years a bridge linked these two small communities and long before the days of "911" there was free movement between the two communities and many of the citizens of Baring were members of Alley Lodge.
In May of 1865 the swollen banks of the Penobscot River was filled with bark-covered logs as the yearly drive to the sawmills took place. One member of the drive was Brother Ross. No information is available that would shed light on the mishap that occurred, suffice to say that Brother Ross met with the ultimate misfortune as he lost his life in a drowning accident. Being at a considerable distance from civilization and having only the barest of necessities, the best that his fellow loggers could provide for the deceased was a simple burial on the bank of a nondescript stream that flowed into the Penobscot. There would have been no coffin to cradle the remains of the departed Brother or choir to lament his passing; at best a piece of canvas would have sufficed as a shroud with the hordes of mosquitoes and black flies serving as spectators as he was laid to rest beneath the clods of the earth.
By July word had reached the members of Alley Lodge as to the sad misfortune that had befallen their Brother and sometime secretary. In the minutes of July 6, 1865 the secretary was instructed to make inquiry through the Drive Master and ascertain, if possible, where and in what condition the late Brother Alexander Ross was buried and also in what direction the burial site can be reached, if by water or by carriage, and when a suitable time to raise the body for internment in this place could be arranged. A motion was then passed that the charter and jewels be creped (black crepe) for two months in honor of our late Brother Alexander Ross.
It must have taken some time before the necessary inquires were successfully concluded for there was no further mention of Brother Ross in the minutes until the lodge meeting of September 30, 1865 when the question of bringing home the body of the late Brother Ross was again raised and discussed. Brother Abbot agreed to undertake the distasteful task if the lodge would agree to reimburse him for his out of pocket expenses. A motion was subsequently passed agreeing to this arrangement.
By now the leaves were starting to display their annual kaleidoscope of colors, often etched in the mornings with the hoar frost. With the days becoming shorter and cooler there would have been a certain sense of urgency as Brother Abbot set out on his grisly mission. While it was not mentioned in the original motion, Brother James Dickie accompanied Brother Abbot to assist in the undertaking. The two brethren traveled in a westerly direction and following the directions received found the spot where their late Brother had been laid to rest. One can only imagine the macabre sight that would have filled their senses as the body was disinterred or the disagreeable effluvia that assailed them from the earth.
By the middle of October Brothers Abbot and Dickie had successfully attended to their undertaking for at the meeting of October 18, 1865 Brother Abbot presented his bill for the retrieval of the body, which amounted to costs of $60.00 plus $26.25 for services. Brother James Dickie submitted a bill for services amounting to $21.00. The total cost to the lodge was $107.25, a considerable sum for a small lodge in those days. Two weeks later Brother Dickie would relate the adventure in retrieving the body of the departed brother.
On the successful return of his remains Brother Ross was interred with Masonic honors in the Masonic plot in the Baring Cemetery. The gravesite was by the side of other deceased brethren of Alley Lodge, in close proximity to the granite Masonic monument that was erected by the lodge in 1864 in memory of those members who had died in the American Civil War.
Like that of Hiram Abiff in the Hiramic legend Brother Ross had been thrice buried; first in the waters that took his life, second on the banks of the nondescript stream and lastly in the hallowed ground of the Baring Cemetery in Baring, Maine.
Stuart MacDonald, PM Albion Lodge No. 1 Saint John, N.B.
MASONIC MANUSCRIPTS
The Regius Manuscript - 1390 A.D.
This interesting old document, the oldest of all the known manuscript charges of Freemasonry, is in the old English and is very difficult to read. It is officially known as "No. 17 A1" in the Royal Library of the British Museum.
It was presented by King George II in 1757 and because it belonged to Royalty, it is called the "Regius Manuscript". About the year 1838 the Manuscript, consisting of sixty-four pages written on vellum, was handsomely bound and lettered on the back, "Poem of the Craft of Masonry". In 1839, Mr. J. O. Halliwell read a paper "On the Introduction of Freemasonry into England" and in 1840 he wrote the "Early History of Freemasonry in England" and presented a transcript of the manuscript and since then it is known also as the "Halliwell Poem", a name proposed by Freke-Gould, the famous writer of the History of Freemasonry.
Rev. Dr. George Oliver always declared it to have been drawn up in the 10th Century, but the claim has never been substantiated. It is without question more an epic poem than a simple ethical code and there can no doubt that the author must have had access to old Masonic documents of which the content he then translated in verses.
Those who wish to read the articles and points in the English of Chaucer's time, should consult Freke-Gould's History of Freemasonry Vol.1, page 82, available for reading in the Grand Lodge Library.
The Manuscript begins by stating that who will read and look may find written in an old manuscript (probably referring to the one written at York in 926 A.D.) of how Euclid taught Geometry, or Masonry, and that Masons should have a Master whom they should call Worshipful, and they should call each other Brother. It was by aid of Geometry that Masonry originated and it was introduced into England at the time of King Athelstan, who called an assembly at York in the year 926 at which the fifteen articles were ratified and the fifteen other rules, termed "points" were adopted.
The York Manuscript - 926 A.D.
There are several of these, all in possession of the "York" Lodge. These old parchment rolls each contain among other matters the essence of the Old charges. The York No. 6 concludes: "Doe all as you would bee done unto, and I beseech you at every meeting and Assembly you pray heartily for all Christians - Farewell."
Gould prints a very interesting anagram which he deciphered in the "York No. 2 MSS. It reads:
M_uch might be said of the noble art,
A _craft that is worth esteeming in each part;
S_undry nations, nobles and their kings also,
O_h how they sought its worth to know
N_ymrod and Solomon the wisest of all men
R_eason saw to love this science, then I_'ll say no more, lest by my shallow verses,
I_
E_ndeavouring to praise, should blemish Masonrie.
The Schaw Statutes.
William Schaw, Master of the Work in Scotland in 1598, issued two codes of laws for the guidance of Craftsmen.
The Harleian MSS.
These are in the British Museum and date from the 17th Century. Among other matters, they recite the "Old Charges" following which is a copy of a remarkable obligation to "keep secret" certain "words and signs of a free mason" etc. and likewise a register of the fees paid "for to be a free mason" by twenty-seven persons whose name appear. As Gould points out, we have here the earliest known mention of 'words and signes.'
The Sloan MSS.
These, dated A.D. 1646 and 1659, are likewise in the British Museum.
The former was written on the same day that Elias Ashmole, the noted antiquary, was initiated asa Freemason at Warrington.
Kilwinning
This was published in Lyon's "History of the Lodge of Edinburgh" 1873.
It is interesting to note that "Mother Kilwinning" Lodge. to whom the precious document belongs, used to endow with a copy of it, those Lodges to whom she granted Charters. It most probably dates from the 17th Century.
Melrose No.2
This important document is among the archives of the Old Lodge of Melrose, Scotland, and was discovered in 1879. It is dated 1674 and contains much very interesting historical information.
The Spencer script.
This is a transcript in beautifully written copper-plate writing and is in the possession of Bro. E. Carson, a collector of Masonic writing sin Cincinnati, U.S.A. It was probably intended as a model for the art of the engraver. It is dated A.D. 1726.
The Wren Manuscript.
This is a privately owned transcript dated A.D. 1852 and endorsed "Copy from an ancient parchment Roll, written in Old Norman English about the date 1600, and said to be a true copy of the original found amongst the papers of Sir Christopher Wren, who built St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
This parchment roll belonged to the late Rev. Mr. Crane, a very learned divine and most zealous Mason, and who was for many years Provincial Grand Secretary for the province, when Robert S. Cotton - father of R.W. Bro. Lord Combermero, Past Grand Master, was the provincial grand master of Cheshire. The manuscript begins with the concluding part of the "Euclid Charges"
and represents a very interesting reading.
Dowland Roll
Published in "Gentleman's Magazine" 1815, and Hughan's "Old Charges".
The original is missing. It is written on a long roll of parchment in a very clear hand and presumably dates from some time in the 17th Century.
Dowland termed it "a curious address concerning Freemasonry." It is more than curious. It is absorbingly interesting and quaint.
Roberts document.
This 17th Century copy of a very old document is privately owned. It was sold in pamphlet form in 1722 at 6p.- a copy.
Freke Gould, the well known Masonic historian says: "As the first printed pamphlet for general sale on Freemasonry, and typographically one of the best issued, it has a special value quite apart from its alleged age, and particularly as it preceded the first 'Book of Constitutions' of the premier Grand Lodge by one year." It purports to be "The Old Constitutions belonging to the Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons, taken from a Manuscript wrote above Five Hundred Years Since."
Gould, however, unhesitatingly places it as a reproduction of one of the Harleian Manuscripts of the 17th Century.
Barry Langley Manuscript.
A prolific writer who in 1738 published the manuscript which now bears his name. It is particularly interesting on account of the Masonic legend called "The introduction of geometry" with which it largely deals.
N.B. Please note that Manuscripts, with the exception of the Regius Poem, are in various forms - rolls of paper or parchment, sewn or stuck'; or on sheets found or stitched together, or in books - separate - or as part of Minute Books of Lodges.
from: 'ENLIGHTENED PILLARS'; From the Grand Librarian; Published in PILLARS OF LIGHT; UGLNSW & ACT; May, June & July, 2005.
SECRETS? WHAT SECRETS?
Every Freemason has solemnly sworn never to reveal any of the secrets of mysteries of Masonry - but what exactly do we mean by that?
There is no doubt that in medieval times the secrets of the operative masons were very practical indeed. They included the methods of proving uprights and horizontals, the knowledge of tools and their uses, and perhaps the most important - the ability to make an angle of ninety degrees to ensure that a stone was square. These secrets took a considerable time to learn and involved a long apprenticeship followed by years as a Craftsman before eventually perhaps becoming a Master of the Art.Only in that way could the true Mystery - or Mastery - of an operative mason be preserved and passed on to future generations. But, of course, then, as now, there were unscrupulous cowboy builders - they were called 'Cowan's' in those days - who would offer to build or repair a structure without possessing the genuine knowledge. Such men would sometimes endeavor to infiltrate lodges of operative masons and try to obtain the secrets the easy way, without being worthily recommended and properly prepared. It was to prevent such conduct that passwords and tokens were entrusted to genuine masons so that they could identify themselves if, for instance, they moved to another town and sought work there.
These words and tokens were not, in themselves, the "secrets" of masonry, rather they acted as guards to those secrets.
However, we are not all operative, but free and accepted or speculative Masons. So what are the secrets that we pledge ourselves to keep inviolate?
Words, signs, and tokens? Yes, of course, but these are a mere detail; they only the guards to our privileges. The true secret of modern Freemasonry cannot be defined in such simple terms. In if act, the real secret of Freemasonry cannot be described at all; it is something that can only be learnt by experience, by humility and patience; Well now, our critics would say, if that is true, what is the point of going on talking about secrecy? Now that the words and signs, in fact the whole ritual, can be studied in practically any public library or bookshop, what is there left to keep secret about?
There is no easy answer to this, but I would say that it can be summed up under the one word, "Trust." Masons trust each other because they share the same obligations. I was once approached by a newspaper reporter - a lady journalist - who wanted to ask me some questions; "Is it true," she enquired, "that Masons do such-and-such? And do they really say this-and-that?" and so on. I thought a minute and then said, "Well, before I go on, if I now tell you something in strict confidence, would you be prepared to keep it to yourself, and not publish it?? "Oh, of course," said the lady, "if it's in confidence."
"Now you really mean that?" I persisted. "You believe that if one gives one's word, one should keep it?" "Oh yes," she replied. "Well," I said, "if you can understand that, then you will understand why I can't tell you anything."
It is really a test of trustworthiness that we obligate our candidates to secrecy. If they keep this promise about little things, then we know we can have confidence in them about greater things. To quote from the Bible:
"He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much."
When I was made a Boy Scout - many years ago - we went through a bit of ritual that I remember to this day;-
Question: Do you know what "your honour" means?
Answer: Yes, it means that I can be trusted.
This is followed by the obligation: On my Honour I promised to do my best, to do my duty to God and the King (that was George V of course) to help other people at all times and to obey the Scout Law."
It seems to me that there is very little difference between that and the promise of a Freemason; it is just another way of putting the need for confidence and trust. A man who is prepared to give away what he has promised to "conceal and never reveal" is not fit to be called a Mason, or a member of any society of men who prize honour and virtue. Books have been written - usually by non-Masons - quoting so-called "confidential" which they claim to have learnt from former members of Masonic Lodge. It is only traitors and perjurers who will break their vow of silence, and such men are not to be trusted.
The privilege of being accepted as a member of a Masonic Lodge is offered to worthy men - and we trust, to worthy men alone; only in this way, the trust we place in each other can be intensified and enlarged.
By Canon Richard Tydeman
Why Do Masons Call Their Masters "Worshipful Master"?
William Schnoebelen, author of 'Masonry Beyond the Light," asks, "Can he [a Mason] serve two Masters, the 'Worshipful Master' (title of the Lodge leader), and Jesus? He continues, "The leader of the Lodge is not just called 'Master,' but 'Worshipful Master'." Finally, he says, "Every book of the Bible enjoins the sole worship of the one God. Not only are Masons appropriating a title reserved for Jesus, they are giving their 'Masters' an adjective that means they are worthy of worship!
Schnoebelen claims it is unbiblical to call anyone 'Master,' as in "Master Mason" or "Worshipful Master". However, the term is widely used in society. There is a MasterCard, Master Lock, Webmaster, ticket master, toast master, school master, Mud Master, Sleep Master, Puzzle Master, master gardener, master mechanic, master scuba diver, and even "Gravy Master, the Chef's Secret." There is a graduate degree called the "Master's Degree," and of course, a famous golf tournament called "The Masters." The top enlisted man in the Navy is a Master Chief Petty Officer. I could go on.There term "Master" is defined by the way it is used in a sentence.
Sometimes it refers to Jesus, sometimes to something or someone else.
Larry L. Lewis, former president of the Home Mission Board, in his six-page "Report on Freemasonry" to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention June 1993, listed "The prevalent use of offensive concepts, titles, and terms such as 'Worshipful Master' for the leader of a lodge" as one of the "tenets and teachings of Freemasonry . . . not compatible with Christianity or Southern Baptist doctrine."
As any dictionary will explain, the term "worship" has several meanings.
The most common definition is "reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred." Another use of the term is "a title of honor used of certain magistrates and others of high rank or station. [usually] preceded By 'Your, His, or Her." The term can also refer to persons or things considered to be expert or the best in a certain area.
The New World Dictionary defines "worshipful" as meaning "worthy of being worshipped," but the term can also be used to mean "honorable; respected; used as a title of respect for magistrates, certain lodge officials, etc."
The English word "worship" comes from two Old English words: "weorth,"
which means "worth," and "scripe" or "ship", which means "quality." So worth-ship is the quality of having worth or of being worthy.
In Old English, writers often referred to persons as "Your worship."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) in his many plays, often used the term. In a computer search, I found Shakespeare used the term "worship" 124 times in his plays, almost every time when referring to an individual, not God.
In "The Merchant of Venice," Act II, Scene V, we hear Launcelot say, "Your worship was wont to tell me that I could do nothing without bidding."
In "King Henry V," Scene II, Fluellen says, "God-den [God day] to your worship, good Captain James." In "The Merry Wives of Windsor," Act I, Scene I, we read that Anne says to Shal, The dinner is on the table; my father desires yor worship's company."
Less known is Edmund Spenser (1552-1599), the greatest poet of the English Renaissance. In "The Faerie Queene," Book III, Canticle IV, we read the following:
Then he forth on his journey did procede, To seeke aduentures, which mote him befall, And win him worship through his warlike deed, Which alwayes of his paines he hade the chiefest meed.
In today's English, this passage reads:
Then he proceeded on his journey, To seek adventures that might come his way, And win himself honor because of his warlike deeds, Which he always took pains to make his chief reward.
English Reformer John Wycliffe (1324-1384), using the Latin Vulgate, is credited with producing the first complete version of the Bible in the English language, although much of the Old Testament was translated by one of his associates. Popes Gregory XI and Urban VBI banned his works, and many of his followers, called Lollards, were either imprisoned or executed.
After his death, he was condemned on 167 counts of heresy for translating the Bible into a language other than Latin. In 1428, forty-four years after his death, his remains were dug up, burned, and scattered on the River Swift.
His translation of Exodus 20:12 reads: "Worchyp thy fadir and thy modir," or "Thous shalt worship thy father and thy mother, that thou be long lived upon earth." The term worship has a different meaning today than it did to Wycliffe and others living in the fourteenth century England. Masons use the term today as did Wycliffe, Shakespeare and other writers of that period.
In England and Wales, judges may be addressed as "Your Lordship" or "Your Ladyship." The mayor of London has been called "Worshipful Lord Mayor." Magistrates were once addressed as "Your Worship," but this address is seldom used today. As used of English magistrates, the term "Your Worship" meant "to honor, or the person to whom honor is given." We see this in American courts where the judge is called "Your Honor." There is no hint of worship of the individual in the English use of the term.
Albert Mackay says the term's usage by Masons can be traced to the early English practice of referring to certain officials as "your worship." He states that the Guilds of London began to refer to themselves as "Worshipful," as in "the Worshipful Company of Grocers." The term "worshipful" may be archaic, or out-of-date, but when its usage is understood, it is not offensive or sacrilegious.
By: Gary H. Leazer, PhD; PGChaplain; G.L. of Georgia; Published in CIS MASONIC REPORT; Feb. 2006
The Worshipful, The Mayor.
Broadside ballad entitled:
'Worshipful Cordners'
This ballad begins:
To the Worshipful, Cordners of the West-Port,
A humble PETITION is entered in Court,
For Apprentice Booys, who would fain take a Drink,
Be blyth like their Masters, but want ready clink.'
This sheet was published on 8th May, probably in 1725, the original part of the sheet is missing. There is no publisher given for this piece though.
The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers was given its first Ordinance, thus making it official, in 1272. They chose St Crispin as their patron saint due to his involvement in and association with shoemaking. This poem refers to the Saint and his day, October 25th. On this day a traditional holiday was declared for shoemakers, on which a festival was held. The apprentices on this day had a reputation for creating mayhem and making a nuisance of themselves.
Early ballads were dramatic or humorous narrative songs derived from folk culture that predated printing. Originally perpetuated by word of mouth, many ballads survive because they were recorded on broadsides.
Musical notation was rarely printed, as tunes were usually established favourites. The term 'ballad' eventually applied more broadly to any kind of topical or popular verse.
from: http://www.nls.uk/broadsides/broadside.cfm/id/14555See you later Brother
Cal Christie - editor
