History
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Albert Pike’s name inspires both admiration and condemnation—and rightly so. He was a gifted linguist and philosopher, but also a Confederate officer, nativist politician, and outspoken opponent of racial inclusion. His great Masonic text, Morals and Dogma, has been accused of preaching Lucifer-worship, a claim rooted not in Pike’s words but in a nineteenth-century hoax.
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Good evening Quarrymen This weekend … Few men in American Masonry cast as long and troubling a shadow as Albert Pike. His legacy as Sovereign Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite and author of Morals and Dogma is unmatched—but so too is the moral baggage he carried: Confederate generalship marked by failure, documented racism and
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The story of Irish Freemasonry is one of profound continuity, stretching from the ritual pageantry of the Dublin gilds to the global influence of travelling warrants, and from the laughter of seventeenth-century satirists to the worldwide reach of the Grand Lodge of Ireland in our own time. To trace this history is to recognise that
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This presentation explores the extraordinary history of Freemasonry in Japan — from its arrival in the treaty ports of Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagasaki, through suppression, war, and renewal, to the thriving Grand Lodge of Japan of today. Along the way we will trace the unique interplay between foreign traditions and Japanese culture, illustrated with stories
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Good evening Quarrymen and thanks to our recently upgraded YouTube channel Fellowcraft David Tyler! This weekend’s lecture was selected by our wonderful Channel Masters and Fellowcrafts. It explores the remarkable journey of Freemasonry in Japan, tracing its path from expatriate lodges in the treaty ports of the 1860s through earthquake, suspicion, and wartime suppression, to
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This week’s video … For over three centuries, the Catholic Church and Freemasonry have been locked in one of history’s most enduring conflicts. From Pope Clement XII’s first condemnation in In Eminenti (1738), through Pope Leo XIII’s sweeping attack in Humanum Genus (1884), to the sensational Taxil Hoax and the modern rulings of the Congregation
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Good evening Quarrymen Coming this Saturday, 23 August … a new deep dive: “Freemasonry & the Catholic Church—Three Centuries of Conflict”. From ‘In Eminenti‘ (1738) to ‘Humanum Genus‘ (1884), the Taxil hoax, and contemporary Vatican rulings, we trace the theology, politics, and myths on both sides—plus vivid case studies from Italy, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, and
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This week’s video is a concise reading of a section from ‘On the Degrees of Pure and Ancient Freemasonry’ by renowned Masonic historian Robert Freke Gould (1836–1915). In this precis of his longer work, we explore the evidence that the Craft’s symbolism and ceremonial traditions may have roots far older than the first Grand Lodge.
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Good evening Quarrymen Number one in the channel Master and Fellowcrafts poll, this Saturday’s video presents a condensed reading of ‘On the Antiquity of Masonic Symbolism’, a lecture originally delivered by the eminent Masonic historian Robert Freke Gould (1836–1915). Drawing upon Gould’s meticulous research, the essay examines whether the core elements of the Craft’s symbolism
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This week’s video The Cable-Tow examines one of the Craft’s most enduring and mysterious symbols—part practical tool, part moral allegory, and part mystical bond. This presentation weaves together the work of many Masonic scholars to explore its origins, meanings, and uses across history, culture, and ritual. Join us as we trace the journey of the
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This video traces the historical evolution of women’s involvement in Freemasonry from the 18th century to the present day, highlighting a journey from initial explicit exclusion to gradual, multifaceted inclusion. They reveal that while early formal Freemasonry barred women, isolated instances and legendary accounts suggest rare exceptions, primarily in operative lodges or through extraordinary circumstances
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Good afternoon Quarrymen After a week’s break it’s time to get back to a long-form video 📽️ Women in Speculative Freemasonry (1717–Present) traces the gradual inclusion of women in Freemasonry, from their formal exclusion in the 18th century to the rise of co-Masonry and women-only Grand Lodges. It explores key figures, movements, and rituals across
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There have been thousands of eminent personages who have adorned the lodges of speculative Freemasonry since the establishment of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717. In this video we look at just seven of them, each one a leader in their respective fields, and each one a proud seeker of Masonic light. If you
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Good evening Quarrymen This weekend we’ll be taking a brief look at some of the famous figures who have donned the lambskin apron as we present 7 Famous Freemasons. Stay tuned to the end when we reveal a ‘special guest star’! On YouTube Saturday 28 June.
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Attributed to the Paracelsian tradition, this Alchemical Catechism distills key tenets of Renaissance natural philosophy into a didactic dialogue format. Through a series of concise questions and responses, it outlines the processes by which Nature generates metals, the role of elemental forces, and the pursuit of the elusive philosopher’s stone. More than a technical manual,
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Behind the visible forms of Freemasonry—its tools, its rituals, its allegories—lies a deeper and more ancient current of thought: the Hermetic Art. In this sweeping meditation, W. Bro. Cleland traces the Craft back to a primordial science of spiritual regeneration, veiled in symbol and passed down through sacred architecture, alchemical allegory, and initiatory practice. This
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Good evening Quarrymen This weekend’s presentation “Freemasonry as the Hermetic Art” by W. Bro. J. R. Cleland, P.P.A.G. Chap., (Kent), is a comprehensive and highly erudite exploration of the philosophical, symbolic, and spiritual correspondences between Freemasonry and the Hermetic tradition, particularly Alchemy and ancient mystery teachings. It is divided into two principal parts—Analysis and Synthesis—each
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