Mystery and Benevolence: Masonic Folk Art

“The grand object of Masonry is to promote the happiness of the human race.”
– George Washington – President of the United States

I had the opportunity last week to visit the American Folk Art Museum in Manhattan, New York. The Museum is currently hosting 190 masonic ritual props, furnishings, banners and aprons donated by Kendra and Allan Daniel. These pieces were made by self-taught artists, artisans, and manufactories from the late 1700’s through the early decades of the 20th century for secret societies that flourished in plain sight throughout America.

Dr. Anne-Imelda Radice, Executive Director of the art museum, commented: “We are thrilled to receive this outstanding gift from Kendra and Allan Daniel. The fraternal history is part of our shared American story. This exhibition highlights the creativity as well as the iconography of this under-explored and wonderful area of folk art.”

Freemasons, Odd Fellows, and other fraternal organizations rooted in fellowship comprise one of the largest social and benevolent movements in early American history. In 1900, virtually one in every five men belonged to a fraternal society. Such organizations continue to bring members together to share values, improve themselves and their communities, and help others, particularly those in need. Each order conveys messages and honors their collective brother- and sisterhoods through ceremonies, rituals, and moral teachings, which are rooted in symbolic systems that impart and reinforce core tenets among their constituents. On view in the exhibition are imposing architectural elements (carved columns, archways, and a dramatic painted scenic backdrop); ritual and ceremonial objects (tracing boards replete with symbols used as mnemonic devices, hand-carved staffs, banners); personal items (aprons, certificates, and medals); lodge furnishings (altars and three-dimensional symbolic props). All are imbued with an amalgam of time-honored hieroglyphs that members recognize and revere for their encoded meanings. These symbols, often exuberantly rendered with meticulous care in a variety of mediums, include: square and compasses, all-seeing eyes, hands, stars, arrows, skulls and crossbones, and many more. While each fraternal group has different regalia and ritual stories, they share the use of a symbolic language and employ the icons to teach similar virtues.

Freemasonry is the earliest fraternal order in America, introduced in the 1720s. Its ideals were closely allied with enlightenment thought, and many of America’s founding leaders— including George Washington—were Masons. The early national period witnessed the incorporation of Masonic symbols into virtually every aspect of everyday life, from ceramic wares to decorative arts to textiles. Odd Fellowship was officially instituted in Baltimore in 1819 and became one of the largest fraternities in the United States. Beginning in the 1820s a movement against Freemasonry gained traction and ultimately became a political party, but this backlash saw a decline under the presidency of Andrew Jackson, who was himself a Mason. Following the Civil War there was once again a widespread drive for the comradeship and unity offered by fraternal societies.



Heart in Hand
The group is well known for its heart in hand symbol, which was often used as finial on staffs carried during lodge room rituals.

The heart in hand incorporates values of candor, frankness, and sincerity, as well as the lesson that “whatever the hand finds to do, the heart should go forth in wisdom.” It features in the ritual teachings for the Second, or Love, Degree, and when mounted on a staff, was carried by the Conductor as he led initiates and visitors around the lodge. It was also used as the symbol of the Past Grand. Most regalia catalogs show this type of staff in the official gesture of an open hand, the fingers and thumb pointing up.



Cherubim
Cherubim are angel-like creatures most usually associated with the Ark of the Covenant, a symbol that is central to rituals performed by Freemasons and Odd Fellows. They were placed on top of a replica of the Ark with their extended wing tips touching to form a protective canopy. This pair may have been separated from a larger object.



A reference to the degree of the Royal master in Exodus 25:18-20

18 And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubim on the two ends thereof. 20 And the cherubim shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be.

Read more at Disinfo.com

Disinfo.com is AboveTopSecret.com's "sister" site dealing with a broad range of issues related to disinformation, misinformation, and missing information in the media; as well as many of the "alternative topics" discussed on ATS. We provide this Disinfo.com article as-is because we believe it will spark additional interesting and valuable discussion here on ATS

Freemasonary are a secret society, secret societies by their very nature keep secrets.

Secrets are just lies to hide truths that indicate a perversion of truth.
Why if you have no evil intentions would you keep secrets, why hide the truth if the truth is honourable

Why demand all followers take a death pact if they reveal the truth, why enslave members, why swear allegiance to other members even if they are evil and corrupt

www.freemasonrywatch.org...

Secret society hey, den of devils.
Pretty baubles don't make them any less evil, any less corrupt

formermasons.org...

originally posted by: Raggedyman
Freemasonary are a secret society, secret societies by their very nature keep secrets.

Secrets are just lies to hide truths that indicate a perversion of truth.
Why if you have no evil intentions would you keep secrets, why hide the truth if the truth is honourable

Why demand all followers take a death pact if they reveal the truth, why enslave members, why swear allegiance to other members even if they are evil and corrupt

www.freemasonrywatch.org...

Secret society hey, den of devils.
Pretty baubles don't make them any less evil, any less corrupt

So keeping secrets is evil?
Can I have all your bank details, credit card details, and your address, social security number?

a reply to: TerryDon79

Oh Terry you are so clever

Thanks for this opportunity to once again reply

While some may think Lucifer worship is ok, other not so much.
theforbiddenknowledge.com...

Why hide that, to keep their hard earned money safe?

How about ritual child abuse
www.youtube.com...

I don't have a credit card


I could go on but clearly we are talking different types of secrets, but you know that

Thanks for the opportunity to reply

Next please

originally posted by: Raggedyman
a reply to: TerryDon79

Oh Terry you are so clever

Thanks for this opportunity to once again reply

While some may think Lucifer worship is ok, other not so much.
theforbiddenknowledge.com...

Why hide that, to keep their hard earned money safe?

How about ritual child abuse
www.youtube.com...

I don't have a credit card


I could go on but clearly we are talking different types of secrets, but you know that

Thanks for the opportunity to reply

Next please

Seriously?!

So what you're saying is some secrets are OK, but others aren't?

As for your link and YT video. Well, I'll not reply about them as it would be against the sites T&Cs.

a reply to: TerryDon79

Yes Terry
That's exactly what I am saying
Protecting my bank details is a little different from protecting child abusers, murderers and such

K'

If you cant see the difference then, well then

originally posted by: Raggedyman
a reply to: TerryDon79

Yes Terry
That's exactly what I am saying
Protecting my bank details is a little different from protecting child abusers, murderers and such

K'

If you cant see the difference then, well then

So when you said "Secrets are just lies to hide truths that indicate a perversion of truth" you didn't really mean it then?

Aren't all Freemasons just men? I'm sure there are rapists, murderers, child abusers etc that aren't Freemasons too.

a reply to: DisinfoCom

As I remember it the 'mercy seat' was the supposed place of the 'ark of the covenant' The 'Lost Ark'

A lot of masonic baloney seems to center around it. The two angel statues were always standing next to it, interesting masonic art depicts them with the ark missing all the time.

The actual size of these two statues seems to be a constant. There's a great example of a nice pair in the movie 'Highlander' (1984)

It's funny, I find it easier to believe the ark may have been real than to believe that Jesus existed.

Sorry, I'm just a big evidence fan.

I don't think most masons themselves know what their convoluted mumbo jumbo is truly about these days.

Shame really. They could have been a wise benevolent historic society, but they chose to milk and exploit the thing to the hilt.

Definitely achieved the elite bit though, no real people want any part of this charadophonic asshole club.

I'll bet they all wish they knew where the ark really is. Bunch of raving power mad nut jobs.

a reply to: TerryDon79

Oh yes dear Terry
I meant it

Unfortunately you neglected to understand the context of those words, the thread its in, the issue it was pertaining to.
You neglected to understand I was talking about an organisation with a very dark and violent past.
A group connected to and charged with murder, with child sexual assault, financial corruption and a list of other evils

www.jesus-is-savior.com...

But hay you go after my SS details and account details, good deflection (its not really)

Enough of your games, please feel free to do what you would like to do, defend who you wish to defend

Are you a mason by chance, brothers to the bone

a reply to: DisinfoCom

The Scottish Rite museum in Washington D.C. has the largest collection of fraternal artifacts in the country and is worth visiting if you are in the area.

originally posted by: Raggedyman
a reply to: TerryDon79

Oh yes dear Terry
I meant it

Unfortunately you neglected to understand the context of those words, the thread its in, the issue it was pertaining to.
You neglected to understand I was talking about an organisation with a very dark and violent past.
A group connected to and charged with murder, with child sexual assault, financial corruption and a list of other evils

www.jesus-is-savior.com...

But hay you go after my SS details and account details, good deflection (its not really)

Enough of your games, please feel free to do what you would like to do, defend who you wish to defend

Are you a mason by chance, brothers to the bone

So a group connected to murder, child sexual assault and financial corruption. Plus a list of a WHOLE load of other things. Sounds awfully similar to the crusades the churches did, don't you think?

a reply to: TerryDon79

Shhhhh. Masonry=Bad because Jesus.

Now go pray.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: TerryDon79

Shhhhh. Masonry=Bad because Jesus.

Now go pray.

Oops, sorry.

10 lashes enough, Master?

originally posted by: TerryDon79
Oops, sorry.

10 lashes enough, Master?

Nope. Pack your SPF 1,000,000, me an you is goin' on enternal vacay!

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: TerryDon79
Oops, sorry.

10 lashes enough, Master?

Nope. Pack your SPF 1,000,000, me an you is goin' on enternal vacay!

Really?? Can I be the boss? I always wanted to be. My wife says I am.

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?

originally posted by: TerryDon79
So a group connected to murder, child sexual assault and financial corruption. Plus a list of a WHOLE load of other things. Sounds awfully similar to the crusades the churches did, don't you think?

'You are absolutely right and I wouldn't even consider defending the church

In fact I have stated in many threads that I dislike catholics, tv evangelists and just recently in Ghosts thread how bad the teachings are in some

Thanks again Terry

originally posted by: Raggedyman

originally posted by: TerryDon79
So a group connected to murder, child sexual assault and financial corruption. Plus a list of a WHOLE load of other things. Sounds awfully similar to the crusades the churches did, don't you think?

'You are absolutely right and I wouldn't even consider defending the church

In fact I have stated in many threads that I dislike catholics, tv evangelists and just recently in Ghosts thread how bad the teachings are in some

Thanks again Terry

you're very welcome.

Now, lets take all of the other religions. Every single one of them have done similar horrible acts. And it's not just religious people that do it. Every day people that you wouldn't even suspect have done terrible things. Other (non-religious) groups have had people doing similar things.

Yet the Freemasons are bad because a few bad eggs did some pretty awful things?

Lets go back to my original post and secrets, does that help

Yes it does relate to all organisations who keep secrets

Secrets are just lies to hide truths that indicate a perversion of truth.
Why if you have no evil intentions would you keep secrets, why hide the truth if the truth is honourable

Why demand all followers take a death pact if they reveal the truth, why enslave members, why swear allegiance to other members even if they are evil and corrupt

Tracking along, yet

"Masonry, like all the Religions, all the Mysteries, Hermeticism and Alchemy, conceals its secrets from all except the Adepts and Sages, or the Elect, and uses false explanations and misinterpretations of its symbols to mislead those who deserve only to be misled; to conceal the Truth, which it calls Light, from them, and to draw them away from it." (Albert Pike, "Morals and Dogma," page 104)

"Part of the symbols are displayed there to the initiate, but he is intentionally misled by false interpretations. It is not intended that he shall understand them; but it is intended that he shall imagine he understands them." (Albert Pike, "Morals and Dogma," page 819)

"There must always be a commonplace interpretation for the mass of initiates, of the symbols that are eloquent to the Adepts." (Albert Pike, "Morals and Dogma," page 819) [The "Adept" are Thirty-Third Degree and above.]

"You must conceal all the crimes of your brother Masons, except murder and treason, and these only at your own option, and should you be summoned as a witness against a brother Mason be always sure to shield him. Prevaricate [falsify], don't tell the whole truth in his case, keep his secrets, forget the most important points. It may be perjury to do this, it is true, but you're keeping your obligations, and remember if you live up to your obligation strictly, you'll be free from sin." (Edmond Ronayne, "Masonic Handbook," page 183)

"Right or wrong his very existence as a Mason hangs upon obedience to the powers immediately set above him. The one unpardonable crime in a Mason is contumacy [insubordination] or disobedience." (Robert Morris, "Webb's Monitor of Freemasonry," page 169)


Benevolent indeed

originally posted by: Raggedyman
"You must conceal all the crimes of your brother Masons, except murder and treason, and these only at your own option, and should you be summoned as a witness against a brother Mason be always sure to shield him. Prevaricate [falsify], don't tell the whole truth in his case, keep his secrets, forget the most important points. It may be perjury to do this, it is true, but you're keeping your obligations, and remember if you live up to your obligation strictly, you'll be free from sin." (Edmond Ronayne, "Masonic Handbook," page 183)

I would love for you to actually show me that in the handbook but here is the thing, you cannot. Know why? Becsaue the person whose book this appears in made it up.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Ahh so your defence is to force me to prove something that has been kept secret, find something masons hide from people so they can continue their secrecy.

That's funny, not ha ha funny, just absurd funny

I guess all those who speak out about Masons are all made up as well

Touche