Secret Brotherhood of Freemasons

Tonight (Thursday, March 23, 2006) at 9:00 P.M. ET, the History Channel will be airing "Decoding The Past: The Secret Brotherhood of Freemasons".

This program will present a history of the Order and its teachings, along with comments from Masonic historians, non-Masonic historians, and conspiracy theorists.

[edit on 23-3-2006 by Masonic Light]

ML

Thanks, I'm going to call the EA I'm coaching and two friends who are intrested.



[edit on 23-3-2006 by Masonic Student]

Thanks ML, I'll be watching that my friend.

Got my Tivo armed and ready, but I caution any EAs in case there are spoilers involved!

[ posted by Masonic Light: “]Tonight (Thursday, March 23, 2006) at 9:00 P.M. ET, the History Channel will be airing "Decoding The Past: The Secret Brotherhood of Freemasons". This program will present a history of the Order and its teachings, along with comments from Masonic historians, non-Masonic historians, and conspiracy theorists.

In 1951, I was invited to join the Masonic Lodge. I was again invited in 1966, and in 1970 I was asked if I wanted to be invited. I declined each time for no good reason. Other than I am by nature a loner. Having now outlived the promised 70 years of the Holy Writ, I would say to any young man who is invited, DO IT.

i hope its not full of the crazy sh$% posted in here......then again i hope it is!!!
thaks m.l.

ML, thanks for the notice, everyone else, please remember that this is a conspiracy discussion site.

Anyone who saw that show (I missed it unfortunately), please feel free to tell us how it relates to conspiracy.

Well I watched it last night and found it very interesting as all Masonic knowledge is facinating to me. Now I am wondering is there any place one can find exactly what Morgan wrote that got him out of favor with the Masons??

posted by TgSoe: “I watched last night and found it interesting as all Masonic knowledge is fascinating to me. Now I wonder is there any place one can find exactly what Morgan wrote that got him out of favor with the Masons? [Edited by Don W]

I think my lack of respect for what I call “hokum” in rituals and the verbiage required of novices is what kept me out of he Masons. I was about to join a fraternity at college when I was briefed on the initiation process, which I found demeaning and unworthy of any organization of decent people. So I did not join. I did “join” the Air Force but there was no childish initiation. Just a multi-page contract to sign and a oath to take which they took seriously.

I think the book referred to is still available, at least in a good used bookstore. I saw it many years ago but I really never felt the impulse to read it. Over my life I have known many Masons and we all know al little about the Masons from our early American history, so I am satisfied it is and was a decent organization of good men who wanted to see good things happen. And have some fun in the doing.

[edit on 3/24/2006 by donwhite]

Originally posted by Nygdan


Anyone who saw that show (I missed it unfortunately), please feel free to tell us how it relates to conspiracy.

It explored perhaps the real conspiracy in Masonic history, which was the disappearance of William Morgan, which in turn inspired the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party. Morgan's disappearance remains a mystery today, but it seems almost certain that the local Batavian Masons did indeed conspire against him.

In general, the program was well-presented and unbiased.

Originally posted by TgSoe
Now I am wondering is there any place one can find exactly what Morgan wrote that got him out of favor with the Masons??

Morgan's book can be read in full online here.

The circumstances that lead up to the fiasco are actually pretty intricate. The TV show last night described him as a Mason who became disillusioned with Masonry, but that isn't the entire story.

Morgan himself never actually became a Mason, i.e., he was never initiated. He had read several exposes of Masonic ritual, and was familiar enough with modes of recognition that he was allowed access to a Lodge he visited (at that time, Lodges did not issue membership cards, and the modes of recognition were still used to test visitors).

Morgan began visiting the Lodge a lot, and eventually purchased a membership under the false pretense of already being a Master Mason. He also traveled to other neighboring Lodges frequently, speaking on Masonic subjects.

The dark side of all this is that Morgan was often out of work, and was a heavy drinker. More often than not, it was the fraternity who supported him and his family, and he began to get used to living on Masonic charity.

He applied, along with several members of his Lodge, to receive the royal Arch degree, and was regularly exalted as a Royal Arch Mason in a regular Chapter. He and some of his friends from his Lodge eventually wanted to form a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons in their own Lodge, so they applied to the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of New York for a Charter.

Upon investigating the petitioners for the charter, the Grand Chapter ran into a problem with Morgan. The Lodge that he claimed to have been initiated in did not exist. Morgan's Lodge was contacted, and it was quickly found out that they had been had.

They contacted Morgan, charged him with lying and cowaning, and threatened to withdraw the money the Lodge was giving him every week. In retaliation, Morgan threatened if the Lodge stopped giving him money, he would publish their secrets to the world.

The Lodge ignored the threats of blackmail, and expelled Morgan immediately. In turn, Morgan intended to make good on his own threats, and began compiling his book.

The rest is history. The shop where Morgan was printing his book was burned down. He was arrested on charges of failure to repay a loan, made bail, and while leaving the jail, was almost certainly kidnapped by members of his former Lodge. What happened after this is not known. Some claim that Morgan was murdered and sunk in the Niagara. Others claim that Morgan was released in Canada, and told never to return. Still others believe Morgan devised the whole thing himself as a publicity stunt to sell his book, and he orchestrated the entire thing.

Masonic Light, You seem to be pretty much up on this Morgan thing. Can you tell me if it is true that Morgan's wife became Jospeh Smiths ( of the Mormans) second wife? I heard this some where once.

Originally posted by lost in the midwest
Masonic Light, You seem to be pretty much up on this Morgan thing. Can you tell me if it is true that Morgan's wife became Jospeh Smiths ( of the Mormans) second wife? I heard this some where once.

Strangely enough, yes, she did eventually become one of Smith's wives.

ML, you mention the Royal Arch Degree. Is that a part of the York Rite or is it entirely a different degree altogether? I read that it used to be in old days the highest level achievable in Masonry.

Originally posted by donwhite
In 1951, I was invited to join the Masonic Lodge. I was again invited in 1966, and in 1970 I was asked if I wanted to be invited.

Would a board Mason please clarify something for me here. I was under the impression you had to ASK to become a Mason, that you would never BE ASKED to join.

I've even been told by many of the Masons I know that they cannot ask me to join the masons, but they are having one heck of a chili cook off and they'd be happy if I would attend.

I guess my question is: do you have to ask or is it sometimes ok for someone to be invited to join.

I'm not joining, i'm just curious.

Thanks,

Originally posted by donwhite

[ posted by Masonic Light: “]Tonight (Thursday, March 23, 2006) at 9:00 P.M. ET, the History Channel will be airing "Decoding The Past: The Secret Brotherhood of Freemasons". This program will present a history of the Order and its teachings, along with comments from Masonic historians, non-Masonic historians, and conspiracy theorists.

In 1951, I was invited to join the Masonic Lodge. I was again invited in 1966, and in 1970 I was asked if I wanted to be invited. I declined each time for no good reason. Other than I am by nature a loner. Having now outlived the promised 70 years of the Holy Writ, I would say to any young man who is invited, DO IT.

DO IT? what do you mean man? Not join if they ask you? I think that is good advice since I think they are not good people at the top of the pyramid there.

MRWUPY

In most of the the United States the individual has to ask to join masonry. In North Carolina I would be expelled if I were to invite you to join. If you give me the least opening I can legaly incourage you to ask, but that is the closest I can come to inviting you.

Some states are experimenting with doing both, but there is a good bit of reistance from the membership to inviting someone to join us. It is felt that that we get better masons by having only those men intrested enough in the fraternaty to make the first step.

The fact that I can not even invite my own sons to join is one of the irritating faces of this situation. Of course there is nothing to prevent their mother from putting her two cents worth in (she has already done a bit more than suggest).

[edit on 25-3-2006 by Masonic Student]

Thanks for clearing that up for me MS. I do appreciate the information.

Love and light,

Denythestatusqup

We do not claim to be the "top of the pyramid". But the vast majority of masons I have known over my life would most deffinately qualify as "good people".

If by "top of the pyramid" you are refering to the Grand Masters of the various grand lodges, keep in mind that they are elected for a term of one year only and responsible to the membership for their actions. As with all masons the Grand Masters are still subject to all the rules, regulations and oaths of masonry.

Please remember that in Free mMasonry each Grand Lodge is a seperate entity, and that both the Scottish Rites and York Rite are SEPERATE orgnizations, with NO controle over Free Masonry. But as masons, all Scottish Rites, York Rite and Shrine members ARE subject to the Grand Lodge responsible for their geographic area, as well as the masters of their home lodges. All three groups require that their members be "in good standing" in their Blue Lodges to be elegable for membership.

MRWUPY

While I don't post a lot, I'm more than willing to answer any questions about free masonry. With the exceptions of the modes of recognition, exactly what is said in the lodge, or other "private" things.

I'd prefer not to get "down & dirty", but I love masonry and am very intrested in trying to clear any misconseptions that I can. As well as understand the reasons for the anitmasonic feeling of others.