Who Initiated The Masonic Ceremonies?

The Masonic ritual, originating from ancient sources such as the Knights Templar of the Middle Ages and the Comacine Masters of late antiquity, has been a subject of speculation. The first known ritual places the first masonic lodge in the Grand Lodge of England. Masonic symbolism is used to illustrate the principles that Freemasonry espouses. Freemasons, known for their white aprons, arcane symbols, and secret handshake, are members of the world’s oldest fraternal organization.

The rituals of Freemasonry appear to have originated in early modern Europe, with aspects of these ceremonies bearing resemblance to religious rites in many cultures. A widely accepted theory among Masonic scholars is that it arose from the stonemasons. Around 1763, Morin created and promulgated a Masonic rite of 25 degrees, which he called the “Order of the Royal Secret” or “Order of Prince of the Royal”.

William Rowbottom’s book, The Origin of Masonic Ritual and Tradition: A Lecture, explores the history and development of Freemasonry. These secret Masonic rituals have been conducted by Lodges since before recorded history began. The creation of the Craft occurred over time between the first recorded gentleman joining an Edinburgh stonemasons’ lodge in 1599 and the founding of the Premier Grand Lodge in June 1717. This book celebrates the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Premier Grand Lodge in June 1717, by reviewing the basis of our workings.

How many of the royal family are Masons?

Dr. Hawkins, a researcher, has discovered the Royal Family’s connection to Freemasonry in the British Isles and Ireland since 1737. Since then, 23 members of the Royal Family have been Freemasons, with female members also actively supporting Masonic Charities. Previously, only three members of the current Royal Family were Freemasons. The Duke of Kent, who has recently celebrated 55 years as Grand Master of United Grand Lodge of England, and his younger brother, Prince Michael of Kent, who has 40 years as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, have been active Freemasons. Dr. Hawkins believes that interest in this subject will strengthen as people reflect on the Queen’s life and the importance of Masonic Charities.

Who is the father of Masonic thought?

In 1783, Angelo Soliman joined the Masonic lodge “True Concord” in Vienna, which included influential artists and scholars like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Joseph Haydn. Soliman became the Grand Master of the lodge and helped change its ritual to include scholarly elements, which rapidly influenced Freemasonic practice throughout Europe. He is still celebrated in Masonic rites as “Father of Pure Masonic Thought” and is often transliterated as “Angelus Solimanus”.

During his lifetime, Soliman was regarded as a model for the potential assimilation of Africans in Europe. However, after his death, his image was subjected to defamation and vulgarization through Scientific racism. His body was physically rendered into a specimen, as if an animal or for experimentation.

Wigger and Klein distinguish four aspects of Soliman: the “royal Moor”, the “noble Moor”, the “physiognomic Moor”, and the “mummified Moor”. The first two designations refer to the years prior to his death, with the “royal Moor” designating Soliman in the context of enslaved Moors at European courts, and the “noble Moor” describing his ascent up the social ladder due to his marriage with an aristocratic woman.

At the end of his life, Soliman led an austere life resembling a practicing Muslim. He no longer invited friends to dine with him and never drank anything except water. Despite his youth’s rebellion against conversion, Solimann seems to have returned to his original faith in his old age.

Who leads the Masons?

The Grand Master is the highest rank in Masonic lodges, with the power to preside over their Grand Lodge and certain powers and rights in every lodge under their jurisdiction. They are usually addressed as “Most Worshipful” or “Right Worshipful”. The Senior Warden, also known as First Warden, is the second principal officer of a lodge and serves as the Master’s principal deputy. If the Worshipful Master is absent, the Senior Warden presides at meetings as “acting Master” and may act for the Master in all lodge business matters.

However, in some constitutions, only sitting Masters or Past Masters can preside as “acting Master”. The Junior Warden, or Second Warden, is responsible for the supervision of the Lodge during “at refreshment” and ensures visiting Masons have the necessary credentials. In some jurisdictions, the Junior Warden presides if both the Master and the Senior Warden are absent, and the position is either elected or appointed by the Master.

Who was the founder of the Mason family?

Charles Milles Manson was an American criminal, cult leader, and musician who led the Manson Family, a cult in California, during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Some of the members committed at least nine murders in July and August 1969. In 1971, Manson was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the deaths of seven people, including Sharon Tate. The prosecution argued that Manson’s ideology constituted an overt act of conspiracy.

Manson spent over half of his life in correctional institutions before the murders. He was also a singer-songwriter on the fringe of the Los Angeles music industry, gaining a following through a chance association with Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys. In 1968, the Beach Boys recorded Manson’s song “Cease to Exist” as a single B-side, but without credit to Manson. Manson attempted to secure a record contract through Melcher but was unsuccessful.

What is the oldest Masonic ritual?

The Edinburgh Register House manuscript of 1696 is considered the world’s oldest masonic ritual, containing features of speculative ritual. It starts with a catechism for proving a person with the Mason Word is really a mason, requiring the person seeking entry to name their lodge as Kilwinning, attributing its origin to Lodge Mother Kilwinning in Ayrshire. The first lodge is ascribed to the porchway of King Solomon’s Temple, and the form of the lodge is outlined in a question and answer session, often being highly allegorical.

A fellow craft is also expected to know and explain a masonic embrace called the five points of fellowship. The second half of the document describes all or part of an initiation ritual as the “form of giving the mason word”.

The Airlie MS, discovered in 2000 by Dr. Helen Dingwall, is the only manuscript of the Scottish School of Masonry with certainty of its origins. Named after the Earls of Airlie, the MS is of immense importance in understanding the origins of Freemasonry before the Grand Lodge era. Other manuscripts from Scotland and Ireland provide early ritual that largely confirm the text of the Edinburgh Register House manuscript, with the Mason Word being written down as “Matchpin” in the Trinity College text.

What kind of religion is Mason?

The Catholic Church has long prohibited members from joining Freemasonry, a religious organization that believes in a Supreme Being. The Church first condemned Freemasonry in 1738 due to concerns over Masonic temples and secret rituals. In the 19th century, the Vatican called the Masons “the Synagogue of Satan”. In 1983, the Church declared that their principles were irreconcilable with the Church’s doctrine, and membership in Masonic associations was considered a state of grave sin.

The Freemasons also inspired America’s first political third party, the Anti-Masonic Party, formed in 1828. The party was formed to address fears of the group’s growing secretiveness and power. Many members alleged conspiracy theories, with some leaders claiming an infamous murder was committed by the Masons to prevent the victim from revealing the organization’s secrets.

Where did the masons come from?

National organized Freemasonry, founded in 1717 in England, is the largest worldwide secret society of Free and Accepted Masons, a fraternal order of men-only Masons. The organization emerged from the stonemasonry guilds of the Middle Ages and evolved from operative mason lodges accepting honorary members to bolster their declining membership. As the British Empire expanded, Freemasonry became popular in the British Isles and other countries originally within the empire.

The worldwide membership of Freemasonry in the early 21st century ranged from two million to over six million. The organization adopted the rites and trappings of ancient religious orders and chivalric brotherhoods, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries. The first Grand Lodge, an association of lodges, was founded in England in 1717.

Who is the father of Masons?

Desaguliers, often referred to as the “father” of modern freemasonry, played a significant role in the formation of the “Gothic Constitutions” and the formation of the United Grand Lodge. He insisted on remembering ritual rather than writing it down, leading to a lack of material on the development of English ritual until after the formation of the United Grand Lodge.

The new Grand Lodge embarked on an era of self-publicity, leading to the sudden expansion of speculative masonry and a rise in anti-masonic groups and publications. Initiations began to be reported in newspapers, and the Duke of Wharton joined an anti-masonic group called the Gormagons shortly after leaving office. The installation of the new Grand Master was the occasion for a parade, which became the subject of ridicule until mock processions by anti-masonic groups began in 1740, leading to the discontinuation of the practice in 1747.

The Constitutions of the Free-Masons, “For the Use of the Lodges” in London and Westminster, was published in 1723, edited by presbyterian clergyman James Anderson and approved by a Grand Lodge committee under Desaguliers’ control. The work was reprinted in Philadelphia in 1734 by Benjamin Franklin, who was elected Grand Master of Masons in Pennsylvania that year.

What is the symbol of the Masons?

The Square and Compasses symbol consists of three core elements: the square, the compasses, and the letter “G”. These symbols are used by architects and builders to teach lessons in the symbolic lodge. The square is a tool with two equal flat-edged metal or wooden arms that form a perfect 90-degree angle, crucial in stonemasonry for drawing and carving perfect square corners. In Freemasonry, it is used to teach morality, as being “square” in actions implies honesty and fairness.

The compasses, a tool with two legs fixed together by an adjustable hinge, is used in geometry for drawing perfect circles and arcs, a crucial element of architectural planning. In speculative Masonry, the compasses symbolize self-restraint and the ability to reign in one’s yearnings for a balanced life.

What is the opposite of Masonic?

In February 1828, the Anti-Masonic Party was formed in Upstate New York, opposing Freemasonry, a secret society that many viewed as corrupt and elitist. This opposition was fueled by the belief that some evangelical Protestant churches, particularly in the Burned-over district, condemned Masons and their ministers and lay leaders. This became a political issue in Western New York, leading to mass meetings deciding not to support Masons for public office.

In New York, the supporters of President John Quincy Adams, known as “Adams men” or “Anti-Jacksonians”, used the strong anti-Masonic feeling to create a new party in opposition to Jacksonian Democracy and the Albany Regency political organization of Martin Van Buren. They were aided by Andrew Jackson being a high-ranking Mason and frequently praising the organization.

The alleged remark of Anti-Masonic organizer Thurlow Weed, who claimed an unidentified corpse found in the Niagara River was “a good enough Morgan”, summarized the value of the Morgan disappearance for opponents of Jackson.

What is the 33 degree mason?

The Scottish Rite of Freemasonry is the most widely practiced rite within the broader context of Freemasonry. It is a concordant body overseeing all degrees from the 1st to 33rd degrees, while in other areas, a Supreme Council oversees the 4th to 33rd degrees. The Scottish Rite is commonly referred to as the Rose Croix in England and Australia, but is not to be confused with other Masonic related Rosicrucian societies. The name may vary slightly in various jurisdictions and constitutions, such as the English and Irish Constitutions.

The Scottish Rite stands as a full Rite of Freemasonry and not an appendant body. Master Masons from other rites may join the Scottish Rite’s upper degrees starting from the 4th degree due to its popularity. The Rite builds upon the ethical teachings and philosophy offered in the Craft (or Blue) Lodge through dramatic presentations of its individual degrees. The term “Blue Lodge” refers to the first three degrees of Masonry, regardless of the Rite being practiced.