History
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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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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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An Interesting Companion for a Leisure Hour Just for fun – this fascinating 1814 book is in the Library. Blending historical and geographical musings it includes a series of extracts, reflections and articles on topics Masonic. Designed to be dipped into a leisure it is an interesting companion indeed and one of my favourite texts
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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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A new Video – Leo Taxil – The Great Masonic Hoax A follow-up to the first video I ever did. This is the story of the infamous Leo Taxil and the hoax he perpetrated, both on Masonry and the Catholic Church, in the late 19th Century. A hoax whose consequences are still reverberating to the
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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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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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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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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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This lecture details the background, causes and outcome of the great ‘Antient and Modern’ conflict, which took place over sixty years and led, ultimately, to the foundation of the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813.
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So you think you know about Freemasonry? These 20 questions will test your Masonic knowledge by delving into some of the lesser known byways of the Craft. Keep track of your score to receive feedback at the end. Good Luck!
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Now available in the Library. The two Volumes of Arthur Edward Waite’s summative work: The Secret Tradition in Freemasonry – an analysis of the Inter-relation Between the Craft and the High Grades in respect of their term of research, expressed by the way of Symbolism. Originally published in 1911.
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A new podcast This lecture was first published in November 1925 by the Masonic Service Association of the United States. I have removed a few small sections of this lecture where the content either is no longer aligned with Masonic practice, or where the views expressed are not in line with the values of contemporary
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New book added to the Library The 1875 edition of: “The Bible and the Square”; being a Masonic Mirror and Guide containing Scriptural and Masonic Teachings, to which is added a Symbolic Chart, with full explanations. A valuable handbook to the Craft.
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A new volume has been added to the Library. This 1860 edition of the World’s Masonic Register by Leon Hyneman is a massive (594 page) index of the ‘Name, Number, Location and Time of Meeting of every Masonic Lodge in the World’. It also includes Chapters, Commanderies, membership statistics, etc. etc. An absolutely fascinating snapshot
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This anonymous presentation was first published in the Short Talk Bulletin (Vol. X No. 9) in September 1932 and examines the oft-neglected importance of Masonry on the life and work of the great German polymath. Click here to view the video
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This article appeared in Time Magazine on 13 August this year. I’d highly recommend John Dickie’s Book, How the Freemasons made the Modern World, from which it is drawn. Details of how to get a copy appear at the bottom of the article. Freemasons, with signs for the various lodges, c1733. Getty Images/Historica Graphica Collection BY JOHN
From the Quarries 