Mentoring in Freemasonry - a dying art ?

Frodo: "I wish none of this had happened." Gandalf: "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." -The Fellowship of the Ring

Is it possible for you to apply what you learn from this scene in Lodge? 

The Honour of a Freemason

"...the sacred dictates of Truth, of Honour, and of Virtue.
What does Honour mean? 

Honour

The Ritual Experience - Are you the hero in your masonic journey?

Does your masonic journey
have parallels with
the heroes of ancient myths? 

I found the analogy of the ordinary world and the 'special' world and the narrative that connects it especially captivating.

The keywords that struck me(I'm sure there are more) were -

• Mysterious, 
• assistance, 
• wiser, 
• crosses the threshold, 
• trials, 
• escapes, 
• approach, 
• ordeal, 
• crisis, 
• darkest hour, 
• death, 
• reborn, 
• special recognition, 
• return to the ordinary world, 
• new life, 
• experience that transforms you, 
• symbolic. 

Take  a close look at the video below. What words do you recognize?

How do I become a Freemason?

Freemasonry is

Freemasonry is 

kindness in the home, 

honesty in business, 

courtesy in society, 

fairness in work, 

pity and concern for the unfortunate, 

resistance toward evil, 

help for the weak, 

forgiveness for the penitent, 

love for one another and, above all, 

reverence and love for God. 

Freemasonry is many things but, 

most of all:

Freemasonry is a way of life.

It encourages good citizenship and political expression but is not a political organization. 

Its charitable activities are manifold, yet, it is not a welfare or benefit organization.

MRF Symposium 2015

To register and for more details
click on the link below:
MRF Symposium 2015

The Grand Lodge of Scotland does not explain most, if not all, of the aspects of (Scottish) Freemasonry - Why?

I recently came upon this topic in one of the forms and thought it was so amazing and unique that I had to share it with a wider audience:

This is the first time the Grand Lodge of Scotland has stated why it does not explain most, if not all, of the aspects of (Scottish) Freemasonry’. It is not a ‘mission statement’ but an attempt to encourage Freemasons to realise that they are undertaking a personal journey within Freemasonry.
The Essence of Scottish Freemasonry.
Recently there has been some discussion as the ‘meaning’ of Scottish Masonic Ritual, Regalia and Symbolism. On reading the Constitution and Laws of the Grand Lodge of Scotland (GLoS) one could be forgiven in thinking that there were no opinions on these subjects. The silence on the meaning of all aspects of Scottish Freemasonry not only in the Constitution and Laws but also in other official publications does not mean such opinions do not exist, quite the contrary. Why then are there no official explanations of any of the elements of Scottish Freemasonry? This question goes to the crux of what is Scottish Freemasonry.The GLoS believes that Scottish Freemasonry is a framework in and around which individuals undertake their Masonic journey. This view is created partly by the history and origins of Scottish Freemasonry as well as the psyche of Scots in general. Without going into too much detail it is sufficient to explain that before the GLoS came into being in 1736 there existed a national network of Lodges, from at least 1598 if not earlier, the membership of which was comprised of stonemasons and non-stonemasons. There were Lodges the membership of which was entirely made up of stonemasons (for example, the Lodge of Journeymen Masons, No.8), Lodges which had no stonemasons as members (e.g. the Haughfoot Lodge) and Lodges that had both stonemasons and non-stonemasons as members (e.g. the Lodge of Aberdeen 1ter). These Lodges existed independently of each other and without any ‘head-office’ to direct them from a central point. This system was, and to some extent still is, well suited to the psyche of Scottish Freemasons (if not the population at large). The independence of Lodges before 1736 also translated into a significant degree of independence for Lodges founded after 1736.Unlike other Grand Lodges, which have, and use, a great deal more power and authority than the GLoS, it functions more as a facilitator and advisory body. This non-authoritarian method of governance is not known to exist elsewhere in the Masonic world and it has a direct impact on the nature of Scottish Freemasonry. First and foremost because participation in Freemasonry is a personal experience which differs from person to person the meaning of different aspects of Freemasonry can also differ from person to person. Although there may be a consensus among some Scottish Freemasons as to what any particular word or symbol might mean there can be other alternative explanations. The letter ‘G’ will suffice to illustrate this point. A Freemason who is a Christian by faith will usually interpret the letter ‘G’ as G_D but a Freemason who is a Muslim might well reject that idea because he cannot accept that G_D can be reduced to a mere letter of a human alphabet.1 He will, quite often argue that the letter ‘G’ stands for geometric or perhaps geometry. For similar reasons a Freemason who is Jewish might argue that ‘G’ stands for goodness – the innate goodness within every human being. There are several other possible interpretations. Once the GLoS expressed an opinion as to the meaning of the letter ‘G’ it would become the de facto interpretation and therefore widely accepted by most Scottish Freemasons. If GLoS provided such interpretations it would, in effect, create a Scottish Masonic Dogma and which could be used to define Freemasonry as a religion – something that Freemasons have always rejected.Scottish Freemasonry is therefore considered to be an individual experience, or journey, albeit one taken with the help, assistance and guidance of other Freemasons. The meaning and interpretation of Scottish Masonic Ritual, Regalia and Symbolism, for good reason, is not fixed and is left to the interpretation of the individual Freemason. This is one reason why Scottish Freemasonry remains unique in the world and long may it remain so.
- Robert L D Cooper September 2014

Official Trailer of the 2013 movie - "The Freemason"

The Freemason - Movie Synopsis

A wealthy banker lies ritualistically and brutally murdered.

The banker's daughter and only heir, Rana (Alex McKenna), calls upon Cyrus Rothwell (Randy Wayne), a brilliant but eccentric freelance writer, to assist in the investigation.

Teaming up with veteran homicide detective Leon Weed (Sean Astin), they suddenly find themselves thrust into the cryptic world of Freemasonry- pitted against a killer searching for a legendary relic, shrouded by hundreds of years of myth and mystery. Freemasons Sheldon Lombard (Richard Dutcher) and Jericho Beck (Joseph James) decide to help Cyrus while teaching him about Masonic history, Rothwell's troubles multiply as he deduces the killer is one of the banker's close inner circle. With an inheritance of millions hanging in the balance, everyone is a suspect and every action perceived as motive. Rothwell's path becomes even more cloudy as his relationship with the beautiful heiress dances on the edge of charm and collusion. Cyrus begins to realize that if he does not solve the case soon he might be the next victim.

Cyrus is forced to come to grips with powers beyond his natural senses as well as his own mysterious past ties to Freemasonry in order to unmask the killer before they strike again.

Here is the trailer:

Charity extends beyond the grave

"Faith may be lost in sight; Hope ends in fruition; but Charity extends beyond the grave, through the boundless realms of eternity."

A Funeral for a Masonic Lodge

A new Worshipful Master in a small town spent the first four days making personal visits to each of the members, inviting them to come to his first Lodge meeting.

The following Thursday the Lodge was all but empty.
Accordingly, the Worshipful Master placed a notice in the local newspapers, stating that, because the Lodge was dead, it was everyone's duty to give it a decent Masonic burial. The funeral would be held the following Monday afternoon, the notice said.

Morbidly curious, a large crowd turned out for the "funeral." In front of the Altar, they saw a closed coffin, smothered in flowers.
After the Chaplain delivered the eulogy, he opened the coffin
and invited his Brethren to come forward and pay their final
respects to their dead Lodge.
Filled with curiosity as to what would represent the corpse of a "dead Lodge," all the Brethren eagerly lined up to look in the coffin. Each "mourner" peeped into the coffin then quickly turned away with a guilty, sheepish look.

In the coffin, tilted at the correct angle, was a large mirror.
Remember the obligation we all took my brethren attend and
support your Lodge!!!!    

----- Author Unknown

The 47th Problem of Euclid

Euclid's 47th problem or the Pythagorean theorem is a relationship between the three sides of a right triangle. 

In terms of areas, it states:

In any right-angled triangle, the area of the square whose side is the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the areas of the squares whose sides are the two legs (the two sides that meet at a right angle).
The theorem can be written as an equation relating the lengths of the sides a, b and c, often called the Pythagorean equation:

Where c represents the length of the hypotenuse, and a and b represent the lengths of the other two sides.

a² + b² = c²

Side note:
Incidentally we may wonder why pythagoras's theorm is known as Euclid's problem?

Well the answer to that is that Euclid wrote a set of thirteen books, which were called “Elements”. Each book contained many geometric propositions and explanations, and in total Euclid published 465 problems. 
The 47th problem was set out in Book 1. Now, although Euclid published the proposition, it was Pythagoras who discovered it.

Coming back to our main topic: 
A right triangle therefore will always have sides of a certain proportion known as a pythagorean triple some examples are as follows, 
( 3, 4, 5 ) (5, 12, 13) (8, 15, 17) (7, 24, 25) e.t.c.

How do we arrive at a pythagorean triple?

By calculating the difference of the squares of any two consecutive numbers which is always an odd number and it is based on such a pythagorean triple (the lowest four consecutive numbers) we arrive at 3, 5 and 7 which is masonically significant!!

To demonstrate,
take the 1st four numbers,

1, 2, 3, 4 
Calculate the squares of those numbers,
1, 4, 9, 16 

Now subtract the smaller from the larger of the squares,

4-1 =3

9-4 = 5

16-9 = 7

Masonically the significance of 3, 5 and 7 is as follows:

They are 

• The steps in the Winding Staircase which leads to the Middle Chamber of King Solomon's Temple.
• It also alludes to the number of Freemasons in each degree of Freemasonry. "Three rule a Lodge, five hold a Lodge, seven or more make it perfect. The three who rule a Lodge are the Master and his two Wardens; the five who hold a Lodge are the Master, two Wardens and two Fellow Crafts; the seven who make it perfect are two Entered Apprentices added to the former five."
• The Three Grand Masters who bore sway at the building of the first Temple at Jerusalem. Five hold a Lodge in allusion to the five noble orders of architecture. Seven or more make a perfect Lodge and have a further allusion to the seven liberal Arts and Sciences.

What would you do my Brother?

We have all come across a situation where we were in a position to help someone in need.

What have we done at those times?

In this video from ABC News's - What Would You Do show,
a man named Dominic Giamo shows us what he would do

Notice how this young man follows the teachings of our gentle craft to the letter:
"To your neighbour, by acting with him on the square, by rendering him every kind office which justice or mercy may require, by relieving his necessities and soothing his afflictions, and by doing to him as in similar cases you, would wish he would do to you."

Freemasons: The Inside Story

A TV series called Freemasons: The Inside Story starts on March 4th 2013.
In its 26-part episodes it aims to expose the myths associated with the fraternity, look back at its history and ponder the role Freemasonry plays within the community.

Here is a trailer:

Masonophobia: Mercedes-Benz Super Bowl Commercial Links Freemasonry to Satan

The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of professional American football in the United States.

It is the second-largest day for U.S. food consumption, after Thanksgiving Day

The Super Bowl is also among the most watched sporting events in the world, mostly due to North American audiences, due to its high viewer-ship, commercial airtime during the Super Bowl broadcast is the most expensive of the year. Due to the high cost of investing in advertising on the Super Bowl, companies regularly develop their most expensive advertisements for this broadcast. 

One such advertisement is the one you see below by Mercedez Benz

I found two places in the advert where the evil character is shown wearing a ring that shows the square and compasses.

Notice the ring worn on the ring finger of the left hand (also notice the pointed nails!!)

It seems to me that Mercedes Benz has knowingly or unknowingly depicted Freemasonry in poor light by allowing the evil character to use the ring with the square and compasses - which is the most well known of our symbols.

I feel this is a very poor move by Mercedes Benz and that they are going to lose a lot of good will due to this advertisement.

This seems to be the latest of the attacks on our gentle craft. Read my earlier article this month on Masonophobia here.
Masonophobes come in various shapes and sizes. Just did not imagine it could also come in the form of an excellent car company like Mercedes Benz!!

We still wish you well Mercedes Benz.
Just hoping that you pull this distasteful ad from the Super Bowl...

Is Freemasonry a Science, Art, Religion, Philosophy,..........?

 “In a society so widely extended as Freemasonry, the branches of which are spread over the four quarters of the globe, it cannot be denied that we have many members of rank and opulence; neither can it be concealed that among the thousands who range under its banners, there are some who, perhaps from circumstances of unavoidable calamity and misfortune, are reduced to the lowest ebb of poverty and distress.” (1)

The question that comes to my mind when I think about this topic is this – What is that ‘thing’ or ‘quality’ about Freemasonry that ‘binds’ such diverse people as mentioned in the passage above together?
Therefore through this essay, I seek to arrive at an understanding of what freemasonry is by illustrating some of the categories that describe it and evaluating if any of them can be used to categorize it succinctly. If not whether there is some other term that does and if so what it could be.

The most well-known definition is that which first appeared around the 19th Century, which states that:

“Freemasonry is a peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.” (1)

Now I will attempt to elaborate on this definition to get a handle on what freemasonry is. To analyze the meaning of this definition of Freemasonry a little better let us break it down into its smaller parts:

Phrase 1:"...a peculiar system of morality..."
Interpretation: The word peculiar (2) arises from the Latin root"peculiaris".

Technically it means "characteristic of only one person, group, or thing", or "different from the usual or normal". 

Nowadays the word peculiar has negative connotations, as anyone who hears this word today associates it with meaning "strange" or "odd", but in the 19th century it meant "special and unique".
The word system (3) (from Latin systēma, in turn from Greek σύστημα systēma) means "An organized set of interrelated ideas or principles."

The word morality (4) (from the Latin moralitas "manner, character, proper behavior") it refers to an ideal code of conduct, one which would be espoused in preference to alternatives by all rational people, under specified conditions. Therefore this phrase refers to a special and ideal set of principles that form the basis for a code of conduct.

Phrase 2:"...veiled in allegory..."
Interpretation: The word veiled (5) means "concealed or disguised" or "muted or unclear".
The word allegory refers to a story or visual image with a second distinct meaning partially hidden behind its literal or visible meaning.
Therefore this phrase refers to a method of communication which uses a narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form to convey an abstract idea or concept that plain language has difficulty in describing or which would take a long time to communicate.

Phrase 3:"...illustrated by symbols."
Interpretation: The word illustrate (6) (Latin illūstrāre or illūstrāt means to make bright) means "to clarify by serving as an example or comparison"
The word symbol in the simplest sense, refers to anything that stands for or represents something else beyond it— usually an idea conventionally associated with it. For eg. the Indian flag is a symbol of the country India.
Therefore this phrase refers to the usage of an object as an example or comparison to represent another idea or concept.

By now the question that begins to form in the minds of people who have understood the definition is - is Freemasonry a kind of education?
My answer to that is, yes but it is not an end in itself (although for some people it might be). Just as we need to learn to drive a car before we can actually drive safely (literal meaning). Just as we need to be lit before we can go out into our society and be beacons of light to others. (figurative meaning). Just like that we need to learn a certain special system of morality before we can implement that in the various spheres of our lives. An education is something that later on helps one to practice something so Freemasonry appears to educate us – but to what end? Is it to practice a science?... is it to practice an art?... or is it to practice a philosophy or is it to practice something else?!

Allow me to now speculate on some of these questions.

Is it a Science?

We all know that scientist or academic men like to spend time in the company of like-minded people talking about their pet theories and discussing new inventions and discoveries; so is it some sort of science that Freemasonry teaches such that its members due to a common love for science come together?

Freemasonry points out to us the importance of the science and exhorts us to explore it and with its aid understand the hidden mysteries of nature.

The high value it places on the understanding of architectural study or science is clear to most masons; who realize that with science man can raise huge buildings. But looking at this on a deeper level the mason in search of true light is lead to the realization that there is a Great Architect who has so intricately designed the universe itself based on the principles of science so deep of which Man has only begun to scratch the surface.

There is science in Freemasonry, but alas it does not explain why it is so beautiful for that we may need to explore the next term – Art.

Is it an Art?

Among artist and art loving people there is again a common love for art that brings them together for exhibitions and even prompting them to donate money to charity events – all out of a love and appreciation for the art that they enjoy. So is it some sort of art that Freemasonry expounds that brings men together?

In the Installation ceremony (Canadian) there is a mention of the following lines:

“Masonry, my brethren, according to the general acceptance of the term, is an art, founded on the principles of geometry and directed to the service and convenience of mankind…” (7)

But does the fact that there is an art involved in masonry tell us that is that all encompassing category into which we can push Freemasonry? I think not, for there is a passion and zeal among its adherents seen normally only among those whom we would call religious – never mind that some people’s religion is their fascination with cars or in the case of women their fascination with footwear!

Is it a Religion?

Religion is one area that tightly binds and separates men in such a strong way that some have killed and been killed for their belief in that religion. Is it some sort of ‘new’ religion that Freemasonry teaches these men that they decide to join hands even with those of other faiths?

The triumph of Freemasonry has been that it teaches no dogma. It has no creed and it does not tell you which God to believe in, which person to vote for or even that this masonic symbol means only this one thing and nothing else! Every Master Mason is free to interpret the world based on that light that he has attained or yet to attain – does this sound like a religion? Not to me. To me it sounds like it is more of a philosophy or a way of life.

Is it a Philosophy?

Is it some idea or philosophy that Freemasonry teaches that men from all walks of like realize the truth in it and come together as a group? Is it a new world order as President George Bush put it?
So what is the philosophy of Freemasonry? On a simplistic level, its teachings can be explained in a few points:

• Belief in a Supreme Being.
• This Supreme Being created everything including us.
• This Supreme Being has revealed to Man certain Moral laws.
• There is an afterlife when we will be called upon to give an account for our actions in this life.

To me it looks like a category that covers most of what I have seen in Freemasonry. But am I right? Is this the all-encompassing category into which we can put Freemasonry? To find our answer let us look at how Freemasonry had been defined by Freemasons.

What is Freemasonry?

So what exactly does freemasonry do for a person?

Why is it that some people spend their whole lives and a lot of their free time on Freemasonry?

What is this “attraction” that Freemasonry holds that is not seen among other groups?

In modern times it becomes fashionable to be vague and just define it most simply by saying:

“Freemasonry - Making good men better!”

In his book “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” (8) the author Daniel Pink suggests that motivation by means of rewards (example bonuses) and fear of punishment (no promotions), does not work.

The book claims that we have progressed into an era where our motivation is largely intrinsic, or from within ourselves and that this type of motivation can be classified into:

• Autonomy,
•  Mastery and
• Purpose

I now highlight some of the areas where our masonic philosophy reflects these qualities. It is only a matter of time for the mason who has internalized these teachings to become motivated to perform exceptionally in other spheres of his life. The reason being wherever you have a good mix of these traits – in an organization or a home or even a relationship; there you see motivated people performing better than before!

Autonomy

Freemasonry teaches people to be autonomous as is evident in the NE charge:

“You, being newly admitted into Masonry, are placed at the North-East part of the Lodge figuratively to represent that stone, and from the foundation laid this evening may you raise a superstructure perfect in its parts and honourable to the builder.” (1)

Notice that we are not taught that we are just another wheel in a big machine; we are taught that we are to attempt to ‘raise a superstructure’ ourselves.

Mastery

In the words of Hiram Abiff: “…no doubt patience and industry would, in due time, entitle the worthy Mason to a participation of them, (1)” Fellow Crafts who have shown mastery in the craft are finally raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason.

Purpose

The search for light is the beginning and continual endeavor of all masons. This is translated into a search for truth and is the equivalent to the search for the everlasting; the great “I Am”. To a mason who has understood the deeper meanings of the search for truth that becomes a lifelong journey of self-examination and conquest not just of the outer but also the inner realms of one’s existence.

In this sense Freemasonry helps people grow, build themselves up and thus helps make good men better!! When a group of such men get together it can not only benefit their families, and communities but ultimately society itself. And that my brethren is what Freemasonry is about.

In my view Freemasonry through its philosophy addresses these three areas in a very holistic manner. Brotherly love, Relief and Truth under the Fatherhood of God in the brotherhood of Man is one explanation of Freemasonry - that touches on its core principles.

Bibliography

1. Craft Freemasonry. Craft Ritual Book (Indian). Seventeenth Edition. New Delhi : Grand Lodge of India, 1997. p. 200.

2. Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. peculiar. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. [Online] [Cited: August 30, 2012.] http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/peculiar.

3. —. system. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. [Online] [Cited: August 30, 2012.] http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/system.

4. —. morality. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. [Online] [Cited: August 30, 2012.] http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/morality.

5. Dictionary.com Unabridged. veiled. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. [Online] [Cited: August 30, 2012.] http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/veiled.

6. Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. illustrate. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. [Online] [Cited: August 30, 2012.] illustrate. (n.d.). Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/illustrate.

7. Marner, R. W. Bro. Wally. Canadian Installation Charge. http://www.themasonictrowel.com. [Online] [Cited: August 30, 2012.] http://www.themasonictrowel.com/Articles/General/craft_files/canadian_installation_charge.htm.

8. Pink, Daniel H. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. 1 edition (December 29, 2009). s.l. : Riverhead Hardcover, 2009. p. 256.

Friday the 13th of October 1307 and the end of the Knights Templar

Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in most parts of the world. The origins of the connection between the number thirteen and ill fortune are many but the most common stemming from another Christian source, the Last Supper, at which Judas Iscariot was said to have been the thirteenth guest to sit at the table. (Judas later betrayed Jesus, leading to His crucifixion, and then hanged himself). This Christian symbolism is reflected in early Western references to thirteen as an omen of bad fortune, which generally started to appear in the early 18th century and warned that thirteen people sitting down to a meal together presaged that one of them would die within the year.
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable[1] has entries for "Friday, an Unlucky Day" and "Thirteen Unlucky". Interestingly it says "Friday the Thirteenth: A particularly unlucky Friday”. Now it would stand to reason that if a black cat crossed my path on Friday the 13th then it would be considered more unlucky than if it hadn’t!
But it seems that Friday the 13th was indeed unlucky for the Knights Templar in 1307. It was on this day that King Philip IV of France ordered Templar Grand Master Jacques de Molay and scores of other French Templars to be simultaneously arrested. The arrest warrant started with the phrase : "Dieu n'est pas content, nous avons des ennemis de la foi dans le Royaume" ["God is not pleased. We have enemies of the faith in the kingdom"][2].Wikipedia mentions the events of the arrests, charges, and dissolution of the Knights Templar as follows[3]:

The Background: In 1305, the new Pope Clement V, based in France, sent letters to both the Templar Grand Master Jacques de Molay and the Hospitaller Grand Master Fulk de Villaret to discuss the possibility of merging the two Orders. Neither was amenable to the idea, but Pope Clement persisted, and in 1306 he invited both Grand Masters to France to discuss the matter. De Molay arrived first in early 1307, but Pope Clement was delayed for several months. While waiting, De Molay and Clement discussed charges that had been made two years prior by an ousted Templar. It was generally agreed that the charges were false, but Clement sent King Philip IV of France a written request for assistance in the investigation. King Philip was already deeply in debt to the Templars from his war with the Englishand decided to seize upon the rumors for his own purposes. He began pressuring the Church to take action against the Order, as a way of freeing himself from his debts.

The Event: On Friday, October 13, 1307 (a date sometimes spuriously linked with the origin of the Friday the 13th superstition) Philip ordered de Molay and scores of other French Templars to be simultaneously arrested. The arrest warrant started with the phrase : "Dieu n'est pas content, nous avons des ennemis de la foi dans le Royaume" ["God is not pleased. We have enemies of the faith in the kingdom"]. The Templars were charged with numerous offences (includingapostasy, idolatry, heresy, obscene rituals and homosexuality, financial corruption and fraud, and secrecy). Many of the accused confessed to these charges under torture, and these confessions, even though obtained under duress, caused a scandal in Paris. All interrogations were recorded on a thirty metre long parchment, kept at the "Archives nationales" in Paris. The prisoners were coerced to confess that they had spat on the Cross : "Moi Raymond de La Fère, 21 ans, reconnais que (J'ai) craché trois fois sur la Croix, mais de bouche et pas de coeur" (free translation : "I, Raymond de La Fère, 21 years old, admit that I have spat three times on the Cross, but only from my mouth and not from my heart"). The Templars were accused of idolatry.After more bullying from Philip, Pope Clement then issued the papal bull Pastoralis Praeeminentiae on November 22, 1307, which instructed all Christian monarchs in Europe to arrest all Templars and seize their assets.

The Aftermath: Pope Clement called for papal hearings to determine the Templars' guilt or innocence, and once freed of the Inquisitors' torture, many Templars recanted their confessions. Some had sufficient legal experience to defend themselves in the trials, but in 1310 Philip blocked this attempt, using the previously forced confessions to have dozens of Templars burned at the stake in Paris.With Philip threatening military action unless the pope complied with his wishes, Pope Clement finally agreed to disband the Order, citing the public scandal that had been generated by the confessions. At the Council of Vienne in 1312, he issued a series of papal bulls, including Vox in excelso, which officially dissolved the Order, and Ad providam, which turned over most Templar assets to the Hospitallers.As for the leaders of the Order, the elderly Grand Master Jacques de Molay, who had confessed under torture, retracted his confession. Geoffroi de Charney, Preceptor of Normandy, also retracted his confession and insisted on his innocence. Both men were declared guilty of being relapsed heretics, and they were sentenced to burn alive at the stake in Paris on March 18, 1314. De Molay reportedly remained defiant to the end, asking to be tied in such a way that he could face the Notre Dame Cathedral and hold his hands together in prayer. According to legend, he called out from the flames that both Pope Clement and King Philip would soon meet him before God. His actual words were recorded on the parchment as follows : "Dieu sait qui a tort et a pëché. Il va bientot arriver malheur à ceux qui nous ont condamnés à mort" (free translation : "God knows who is wrong and has sinned. Soon a calamity will occur to those who have condemned us to death"). Pope Clement died only a month later, and King Philip died in a hunting accident before the end of the year.With the last of the Order's leaders gone, the remaining Templars around Europe were either arrested and tried under the Papal investigation (with virtually none convicted), absorbed into other military orders such as the Knights Hospitaller, or pensioned and allowed to live out their days peacefully. By papal decree, the property of the Templars was transferred to the Order of Hospitallers, which also absorbed many of the Templars' members. In effect, the dissolution of the Templars could be seen as the merger of the two rival orders. Some may have fled to other territories outside Papal control, such as excommunicated Scotland or to Switzerland. Templar organisations in Portugal simply changed their name, from Knights Templar to Knights of Christ – see Order of Christ (Portugal).

The modern day fallacy debunked
The problem with ascribing the origin of the superstition to this event is that this event was not a big deal to most of the world at the time (except to the Knights Templar of course!). Some scholars are now convinced the stigma is a thoroughly modern phenomenon exacerbated by 20th-century media hype.[4]

Bibliography
[1] E. C. Brewer and J. Ayto, Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Orion Books Limited, 2007.
[2] C. G. Addison, The History of the Knights Templars. Cosimo, Inc., 2007.
[3] “Knights Templar,” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 12-Oct-2012.
[4] “Why Friday the 13th Is Unlucky,” About.com Urban Legends. [Online]. Available: http://urbanlegends.about.com/cs/historical/a/friday_the_13th_4.htm. [Accessed: 13-Oct-2012].

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International Conference on the History of Freemasonry

 Education has always been an important activity for Freemasons.

The International Conference on the History of Freemasonry is a once in two year conference that was started in 2007 and has had three previous very successful conferences viz. in 2007, 2009 and 2011.

The next conference is to be held on 24 MAY- 26 MAY 2013 at Freemasons’ Hall, 96 George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Click Here to check out their official website.

They also have a Facebook page which you can follow by clicking on the 'LIKE' button.

This conference was started because a few of the brethren looking around identified some unmet needs of the fraternity and decided that this would be an effort towards meeting those needs.

This is the statement of purpose that I have borrowed from their official website (http://ichfonline.org/):

"By holding a biennial conference open to the public, the main purpose of the ICHF is:

• To promote Freemasonry as a subject for academic study.

• To present and debate relevant contributions in this area of research.

• To create a forum for interactions between researchers, experts and a wider audience.

• To encourage individuals to take an interest and participate in an active exchange of knowledge in the area.

 The ICHF is a non-profit making, privately owned event and brand, sponsored by Supersonic Events Ltd. with no formal affiliation to any masonic or academic body. On each occasion a leading academic is appointed to convene a specialist committee responsible for the selection of suitable presentations. Any surplus generated by the ICHF will go to support young researchers and academics pursuing research in the topic and other relevant masonic projects."

Mahabali – The Story of Onam

“As he was pushed down into the netherworld (Collins English Dictionary, 2012), King Bali made a last request. He requested that he be allowed to visit Kerala once in a year to ensure that his people were still happy, well fed and content. Lord Vishnu was pleased to grant Mahabali his wish.” (Kulkarni, 1992)Thus was born the myth that every year on Onam day, Mahabali comes back to visit his subjects. The natives of Kerala celebrate this reminiscent of a time when Mahabali ruled over them and this is aptly portrayed in the lyrics of the following song.

Click here to listen to the Maveli Song Video

"Maveli nadu vanidum kalam
manusharellarum onnupole
amodathode vassikkum kalam
apathangarkkumottilla thanum
adhikal vyadhikal onnumilla
bala maranangal kelkkanilla
kallavumilla chathiyumilla
ellolamilla poli vachanam
kallapparayum cheru naziyum
kallatharangal mattonumilla "

When Maveli, our King, rules the land,
All the people form one casteless race.
And people live joyful and merry,
They are free from all harm.
There is neither theft nor deceit,
And no one is false in speech either.
Measures and weights are right,
No one cheats or wrongs the neighbor.
When Maveli, our King, rules the land,
All the people form one casteless race.

But there is a hidden element of masonic significance to this story.

It is related to the events leading to his exile to the underworld.

The story begins thus:

            Mahabali also known as Bali or Māveli was a benevolent Asura(demon) king. The story goes that the present day state of Kerala in India witnessed its golden era in the reign of King Mahabali. However, unlike the usual Asuras he was very religious, was respectful to priests and like his grandfather (Prahlada), was one of the greatest devotees of Lord Vishnu. Mahabali was greatly respected in his kingdom and was considered to be wise, judicious and extremely generous. It is said that his subjects were happy in the kingdom; there was no discrimination on the basis of caste or class. There was neither crime, nor corruption. People did not even lock their doors, as there were no thieves in that kingdom. There was no poverty, sorrow or disease in the reign of King Bali.

Seeing his influence increase the lesser gods petitioned Vishnu to put an end to his reign as they felt threatened by it. Vishnu on his part assumed the incarnation of a Brahmin dwarf and approached Mahabali for a gift of three paces of land.
Mahabali being a generous person, agreed without a second thought. On learning of the event, Mahabali's preceptor, Shukracharya (who had visions of the future) told Mahabali that the one who had come to take alms from him was not an ordinary Brahmin but Lord Vishnu Himself. He advised Mahabali not to promise the lad anything. But Mahabali was a king who would never go back on his word, considering it sinful to do so.

Mahabali's refusal angered Shukracharya. He cursed Mahabali, saying: “As you have not heeded your Guru's words, you will be reduced to ashes”. Mahabali told his Guru: "Prana (life) and Maana (honour) are like the two eyes of a person. Even if life goes, honour should be protected. Knowing that the person that has come now is the Lord Himself, I should be the most fortunate one as the Lord, who gives everything to mankind, is seeking something from me."

When Mahabali decided to accept Vamana’s request Vamana grew in size until he towered above the heavens. With one footstep, he measured all of the earth. With the second, he claimed all of heaven. There was still one foot of territory that Mahabali owed him. Mahabali requested Vamana to place the final step on his head as the third step of land, for he had no other left. Vamana did so and in doing so, pushed him down to Patala, the netherworld.

As a parting gift, Mahabali was granted permission to visit his subjects once a year. Thus, natives of Kerala the world over celebrate the Onam festival to commemorate the memory of the Great King Mahabali who would keep his promise to visit. Mahabali fulfilled his name as the great martyr for the sake of Truth ("Satya"). The name "Mahabali" itself means Great Sacrifice.

Does this theme strike a chord with the Mason inside you? It did with me. I am reminded of a familiar passage from the third degree:

“Such, my Brother, are the peculiar objects of the Third Degree in Freemasonry: They invite you to reflect on this awful subject; and teach you to feel that, to the just and virtuous man, death has no terrors equal to the stain of falsehood and dishonour. Of this great truth the annals of Masonry afford a glorious example in the unshaken fidelity and noble death of our Master Hiram Abiff, who was slain just before the completion of King Solomon's Temple, at the construction of which he was, as no doubt you are well aware, the principal Architect.” (Craft Freemasonry, 1997)

Is it not striking that the theme of the Hiramic legend is in total harmony with this King who would rather die than betray the trust placed in him once he has given his word? Let us all resolve this Onam to remember amid the festivities and revelry that greatness is not something that is earned but is freely given; only to those Men who have let go of the ego and immersed themselves in devotion to the Almighty.

I further speculate that perhaps Mahabali was a Freemason (at heart), because he practiced a certain truth that we Masons highly value – the value of a Man’s word and his honour.

Works Cited

Collins English Dictionary. (2012, August 28). 10th Edition. Retrieved from Dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nether world

Craft Freemasonry. (1997). Craft Ritual Book (Indian) (Seventeenth Edition ed.). New Delhi: Grand Lodge of India.

Kulkarni, S. D. (1992). The Epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Bibliography

Collins English Dictionary. (2012, August 28). 10th Edition. Retrieved from Dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nether world

Craft Freemasonry. (1997). Craft Ritual Book (Indian) (Seventeenth Edition ed.). New Delhi: Grand Lodge of India.

Kulkarni, S. D. (1992). The Epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.