Craft Masonry

  • The Great Masonic Conspiracy

    The Great Masonic Conspiracy. This video is a response to the viewers of this channel who believe that Freemasonry is a vast, world encompassing and ominous conspiracy (Hint: it’s not). Watch out though – this video is exactly 13 minutes long. Surely that can’t just be a coincidence?

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  • Curious Masonic Words

    Curious Masonic Words

    This week’s video is an anonymous talk from August 1953, Curious Masonic Words looks at some of the strange terms used in our ceremonials and identifies their origin, meaning and provenance. The talk is clearly American, but my copy has no authorial attribution beyond the date.

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  • Why Symbolism?

    Why Symbolism?

    A new Video! This week’s presentation, Why Symbolism?, is taken from the book “The Old Past Master” by Charles H. Claudy which was first published in 1924. It takes the form of a conversation between a new Mason and an ‘old past master’, who shares his wisdom by explaining why Freemasonry is so concerned with…

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  • The Wages of an Entered Apprentice

    From the William Harvey collection. The Wages of an Entered Apprentice is a meditation on the significance of Corn, Wine and Oil in Masonic Ceremonial. It was originally published in 1944.

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  • Point within a Circle

    A new Video! There are literally dozens of interpretations of the ‘Point within a Circle‘ in the Masonic corpus. This enigmatic figure, universal in its use, is capable of seemingly infinite explanation. In this anonymous 1931 paper a simple and straightforward interpretation is provided, eschewing the esoteric and instead looking back to the Operative Masons…

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  • Our affinity with the Ancient Egyptians

    This is the 50th video from the quarries and it is a special one. More than double the length of the usual lectures at over 50 minutes long, ‘Our affinity with the Ancient Egyptians‘ is a deep, thoughtful and moving address by W. Bro. R. W. Harwood, first presented in October 1977. The address looks…

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  • The Art of Memory and Masonry

    A new Video! The Art of Memory and Masonry is a fascinating and expertly researched talk was written by Clarence A. Anderson. I have tried my best to find a date for the text, but have been unsuccessful. My researches have found that there is a Clarence A. Anderson Jr. currently a member of St…

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  • Female Masons

    Female Masons

    I just stumbled across this article today. It was published by the BBC a couple of years ago, Thought it may be of interest. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41804543

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  • The True Masonic Student

    A new Video! The True Masonic Student is a short presentation by Brother A.T. Hinchcliffe given to the Toowoomba Lodge of Instruction on 2 September 1954. Brother Hinchcliffe examines the meaning of the seven liberal arts and sciences to Freemasonry and identifies the ‘true’ calling for the student of Masonry.

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  • 21 Masonic Aphorisms

    21 Masonic Aphorisms

    A new Video! 21 Masonic Aphorisms is a selection of Aphorisms for the instruction and benefit of all Freemasons, excerpted from The Book of the Lodge (1849) by Dr. George Oliver.

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  • The Old Charges of Freemasonry

    A new Video! The Old Charges of Freemasonry is a detailed presentation, first published by Brother H L Haywood, describing the ‘Old Charges’ of Freemasonry, the foundation documents of Masonic practice – their origin and relevance to the Craft today.

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  • Leo Taxil Masonic Hoax redux

    After my chastening brush with copywrite law I have re-edited the Leo Taxil video to remove the offending video content. The new (and presumably legal) version is now available here. The old version has been consigned to the pit, along with Taxil’s works and legacy!

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  • The Masonic Goat

    The Masonic Goat

    A new Video! The Masonic Goat is an interesting account of the origins, and corrosive effects of the legend of ‘Goat Riding’ in Masonic initiation ceremonies. Dating from 1936, I have been unable to determine its author or provenance.

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  • The True Masonic Chart or Hieroglyphic Monitor

    Newly uploaded to the Library. The True Masonic Chart or Hieroglyphic Monitor (1851) – Containing all the Emblems explained in the degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, Master Mason, Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, Royal Arch, Royal Master and Select Master.

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  • The Craftsman and Freemason’s Guide

    New book in the Library. The Craftsman and Freemason’s Guide is a fascinating 1854 publication detailing the symbolism in the rituals from the entered apprentice to Select Master degrees. Copiously illustrated throughout.

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  • The Regius Manuscript

    The Regius Manuscript

    New to the Library is a full copy of the Regius Manuscript, presented with a parallel translation into Modern English. The oldest extant document in Freemasonry, the Regius Manuscript (also known as the Halliwell Document is a treasure of the earliest history of the Craft. The origins of the Regius are obscure. The manuscript was…

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  • The Mystic Chord

    The Mystic Chord

    A new book in the Library! THE MYSTIC CHORD – A Collection of Masonic Odes and Melodies and the Ceremonies and Festivals of the Fraternity. First published in 1897.

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