Secrecy of Masonic Rituals

Well, I just had an interesting experience.

Tonight is the night that my Royal Arch Chapter is meeting, and we are advancing at least four brethren to the Mark Master Mason Degree. I am taking the place of inner guard, as is the requirement for the Juniour Overseer in my Chapter. The problem is this: I'm moving, and can't find my book of the work, and I can't remember my work exactly.

No problem, I thought, I'll just go on the internet... it's full of exposures... I'm sure I'll be able to find the right one (since I know what it looks like) and study it... except... it's not there! Further, I don't think the Master Mason's degree for my rite is even there! I always assumed that the degrees could be easily found on the internet... that's what "everyone knows" in Lodges up here... but I was wrong. I find this very interesting, as you will meet masons who will tell you that there is no need to protect our secrets, because they're "not secrets anymore" and can be found everywhere. I've got a response next time I hear that

AK, lookee what I found:

Good Work

My token please.

Originally posted by Mirthful Me
AK, lookee

what I found:

Good Work

My token please.

Yeah, I saw that one, but that's DEFINITELY not what we use up here.

Originally posted by AlexKennedy
Yeah, I saw that one, but that's DEFINITELY not what we use up here.

Errr... AK I was you know, foolin. Now I feel like [poster's name deleted] I'm so ashamed.

p.s. Is your Avatar doing Tai Chi?

Originally posted by Mirthful Me

Errr... AK I was you know, foolin. Now I feel like [poster's name deleted] I'm so ashamed.

p.s. Is your Avatar doing Tai Chi?

Oh, man, am I ever embarassed... That's what I get for not reading carefully the web page and realising how absurd it is.

Anyway, no, it's not Tai Chi... it's a little thing called the Bat-too-sie (a la Adam West).

List of Master Masons (33rd degree) can be found at
www.onealclan.com

Cheery-o, Brother,

It seems like there's a small error on your web page. From what I saw, it seems to imply that George Washington was a possessor of the 33rd Degree in the Scottish Rite. This isn't so, to my knowledge, partly because there was no Scottish Rite in America while Washington was alive. Do you have information indicating this that I may have missed?

Originally posted by 2012
List of Master Masons (33rd degree) can be found at
www.onealclan.com

Call me crazy but I thought master mason was one who received the 3rd degree? Now im no mason but was I under a misconception?

Vir Fidelis

Originally posted by Aero
Call me crazy but I thought master mason was one who received the 3rd degree? Now im no mason but was I under a misconception?

No, you are correct. The Third Degree of Masonry is that of Master Mason. Also, I went to that site, but did not see a list of Masons, only the statement that the webmaster was a Mason.

Fiat Lvx.

ML, you must click on the yellow box next to his claim of Brotherhood. The list leads one to believe a host of people are either Masons or 33rd degree SR Masons, its awkwardly presented. The Lodge he refers to must be Orange #36, District 17, Apopka FL (as I can best determine). why he is always so vague as to the name of his home Lodge while constantly mentioning his appointed office is a mystery to me (easy AK, I said mystery to me, not mystery religions). Perhaps you can shed some light; after what I believe is your shortest post ever.

Thanks, MM, I was able to pull it up. I also see that this Brother has made a few important errors, perhaps himself believing what he�s read on the anti-Masonic sites.
He claims that George Washington was a 33� Mason, which is false. In Washington�s day, the 33� system of the Scottish Rite did not exist. Its predecessor, the Rite of Perfection, was around, but it had only 25 degrees, and Washington was not a member. From the Lodge records in existence, we know that Washington was a member, and Past Master, of a Lodge of Antient York Masons, and his activity in Freemasonry consisted only of York Rite. It is assumed that he was a Mark Master and Royal Arch Masons, although these records have been lost, if they in fact existed. There have only been two US Presidents who were 33� Masons, viz., Harry Truman and Gerald Ford.
He is correct that Buzz Aldrin is a 33� Scottish Rite Mason, but then goes into left field again by claiming that Billy Graham and Robert Schuller are 33� Masons (both of these ministers have publicly stated they are not, nor have ever been, members of the Fraternity).
On the other hand, in this Brother�s defense, the rest of his list appears pretty accurate.

Fiat Lvx.

Willy Shakespeare? A 33rd? Or am I misreading the list? Postcards are interesting though, Artesia #28 (Artesia, NM) seems to have cornered the market on the "Right Stuff", have some friends from that Lodge but I have never visited. Still, I dunno.

(easy AK, I said mystery to me, not mystery religions).

How's my driving? Call 1-800-MYSTERY-RELIGIONS.

All work and no play makes Jack a Mystery Religion.

Houseguests are like fish for dinner... both start to watch "From Hell" after their Mystery Religions.

Ask not what Mystery Religions can do for Satanists... ask what reptilians can do for "From Hell."

Mystery Religions -- Helping ugly people get laid since 1837.

And AK is on the prowl; AK which is more effective? Being an "Enigmatic Mason" or relying on "Mystery Religions"? Is this a situational thing? Does it work on aliens or mutants? Errr.. enquiring minds want to know.

Originally posted by Mirthful Me
Willy Shakespeare? A 33rd? Or am I misreading the list?

The list is one of "Famous Masons", not 33�'s. There is no evidence that Shakespeare was a Mason, but I've seen him on Masonic lists before. There are a few lines in some of his plays that "sound" Masonic, so it has confused some Masons who are not familiar with the fraternity's history.
This guy's list is not error-free, but most of the rest of is accurate.
Ed King's list of Famous Masons is much more accurate, with every name on it having been documented. It can be viewed as www.masonicinfo.com...

Fiat Lvx.

Sound like a bunch of apologists for the occult.

oc�cult ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-klt, klt)
adj.
Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, or phenomena.
Beyond the realm of human comprehension; inscrutable.
Available only to the initiate; secret: occult lore. See Synonyms at mysterious.
Hidden from view; concealed.

secret society
n.
An organization, such as a lodge, that requires its members to conceal certain activities, such as its rites of initiation, from outsiders.

Originally posted by Masonic Light
There is no evidence that Shakespeare was a Mason, but I've seen him on Masonic lists before. There are a few lines in some of his plays that "sound" Masonic, so it has confused some Masons who are not familiar with the fraternity's history.

Do we have absolute evidence that old Willy was the dramatic genius he is credited as being, let alone a 33rd degree Mason. And, I can remeber, is he one of those who we're not absolutely sure lived.
More enquiring minds here,

Originally posted by Mirthful Me
And AK is on the prowl; AK which is more effective? Being an "Enigmatic Mason" or relying on "Mystery Religions"? Is this a situational thing? Does it work on aliens or mutants? Errr.. enquiring minds want to know.

Oh, Mystery Religions, of course. They're the key to this whole thing. That, and watching "From Hell." Being an "Enigmatic Mason" just gets you chicks, but only studying mystery religions and watching "From Hell" can convince you that perfectly ordinary and decent people are actually Satan-worshipping child-murderers.

Yeah that and the fact that we love to eat flies.

Originally posted by venustransit2004
oc�cult ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-klt, klt)
adj.
Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, or phenomena.
Beyond the realm of human comprehension; inscrutable.

That�s a common definition, but isn�t completely accurate. For centuries, occultism has been shadowed in impenetrable abstract symbolism, with a strong dose of charlatanism. This makes it difficult for the layman or beginning student to actually understand what �occultism� really is.
It actually isn�t �supernatural� at all. Its studies concern the natural (not supernatural) processes of Creatures and Creation, which are hidden or concealed from the senses; i.e., the underlying causes whose effects manifest in the phenomenal world.
True Occultism is Science, and the Scientific Method can be applied to it. The occult philosopher Aleister Crowley can be credited with popularizing this notion, as his motto was �The Method of Science, the Aim of Religion.� However, Initiates in all ages were aware of this, it was only Crowley who first made it public.
One example of Occult Science is the subconscious processes in the human mind that manifest in our actions. Beginning with Freud, Profane Science took up the cause to study the phenomenon, but the discipline of esoteric psychology has existed from time immemorial in the Mystery Schools.
Another example is quantum physics, which the discipline of Profane Science in its just beginning to skim the surface of Occult teaching. Einstein and successors postulated from a scientific perspective that all matter is composed of vibratory energy patterns that are manifested through atomic conglomerates; this theory may have been new to Science, but was not new to Occultists, who have communicated this same knowledge to Initiates for ages, and who have traditionally called this primal vibratory energy �kundalini� or �fohat� (Freud called it �libido� and Wilhelm Reich called it �orgone�...the great occult scholar Eliphas Levi simply called it the Grand Magical Agent). Utilizing this natural energy of which our bodies, thoughts, and emotions are composed, and consciously directing it, is the basis of Practical Occultism.
Einstein also proposed his Theory of Relativity, which states that �reality� is dependent upon the viewpoint of the observer. This is also an ancient teaching of the Occult Mysteries, concealed in the mysterious utterance of the Oracle of Delphi, who challenged Her listeners to �Know Thyself!�
The confusion arises from the fact that ancient people considered these processes to be �supernatural�, not knowing that these disciplines followed natural scientific laws, believing erroneously that the various aspects of Nature were governed by different gods, nymphs, demigods, and other mythological beings. But at its heart is the very Science of Life itself, exploring the actual meaning of life, and self-consciousness, which is the evidence of Life.

Do we have absolute evidence that old Willy was the dramatic genius he is credited as being, let alone a 33rd degree Mason. And, I can remeber, is he one of those who we're not absolutely sure lived.

To the best of our knowledge, Shakespeare was not a Mason. It is a fact hat he was not a 33� Mason, since, during his lifetime, the only Masonic degrees that existed were Apprentice and Journeymen. Journeymen of exceptional ability were given the title of Master Mason, but at that time, it was not a separate degree.
We do know that Shakespeare was in fact a real person; that he was born in 1564, was married to Anne Hathaway and had several children, and died in 1616.
However, there is a minor controversy concerning his plays and poetry. Some people believe that if a man is a commoner and not wealthy, he is incapable of being intelligent. These people have invented the legend that Shakespeare�s works were actually composed by Bacon. But just because Shakespeare was poor and self-educated does not mean that he could not have been a genius.
It is true that none of Shakespeare�s original manuscripts have survived, as the �Bacon wrote the Shakespearian works� crowd will point out. But Shakespeare wrote in simple manuscript form for immediate staging, with no idea that his works would eventually be proclaimed the epitome of poetic genius.
Shakespeare is buried beside his wife Anne (who outlived him by 8 years) at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.

Fiat Lvx.