The Grand Lodge at York is responsible for initiations of candidates into the seven Ancient Degrees and Orders of Craft Freemasonry. Ancient York Lodges use secret masonic rituals or mysteries, called Royal York Rite. In these Ancient rituals we solemnly promise never to reveal any of the secrets or mysteries of Freemasonry to anyone in the world who is not entitled to receive them. We are carefully shown ways for one Freemason to recognise another Freemason. These recognitions help us to know a Mason and to avoid revealing our Masonic secrets, rituals or mysteries accidentally.

The content and symbolism used to illustrate these rituals have been traced back to Ancient Egypt and beyond. Scholars, Scientists and Writers have researched and written on the subject of Masonry, its symbolism and its inner meanings. Composers have contributed major works using Masonry and its rituals for their inspiration. Mozart's "Magic Flute" is but one example. The painting shown above depicts a visit being made to a Lodge in Vienna by Brother Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Of course not so subtle acts of racism are reported quite often. After a Lodge has blackballed every Black candidate that has ever applied for admission in the last fifty years, it sure does have a track record of exclusion. Also failure to offer any Black men an application, failure to even suggest that they would be a fine addition to one's Lodge is equally exclusionary. Many Black men interested in joining a traditional Lodge are told to go apply at Prince Hall not here. The practice of a secret ballot for the approval of admitting visiting Brethren is a way used in some areas to keep Black Master Masons from another jurisdiction out of the Lodge.

Participants should be aware that this forum is under close staff scrutiny because of an increased pattern of general rudeness and apparent "posting gangs" favoring one side of a topic.

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”
-Albert Pike

Left: The Main Library of the Supreme Council 33° of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, S.J., U.S.A., the Mother Supreme Council of the World, Washington D.C., is dedicated to none other than Confederate General Albert Pike, the KKK's Chief of "Judiciary".