Untitled black book?

Sorry if something similar has been posted, feel free to delete or move or whatever...
I work at a video/music/bookstore in the book department. My coworker helped the guy but i listened in on their convo. Me and the coworker started discussing it after he left...
He was mentioning a book that was untitled and was black and said that only masons could read it. He had a mason ring on his finger so that made me really confused because if only masons can read this book, and only masons know of this book, and only masons can speak of this book why is he mentioning it to two average people at a bookstore?
My question is mostly asking what kind of book would he be talking about... I was convinced that he was just trying to spark convo or something but if such a book does exist or is rumoured to exist it would bring more questions to this guy's actions.
thanks for you time.

It's probably the ritual book, mine is blue.

It is possible that he was talking about a Grand Lodge authorized ritual, which is generally written in cipher. As a man progresses through the three degrees, he is instructed by his coach on how to read it.

Some of these end up in used bookstores or on Ebay, and the guy in your store may have been a collector.

Originally posted by Masonic Light
It is possible that he was talking about a Grand Lodge authorized ritual, which is generally written in cipher. As a man progresses through the three degrees, he is instructed by his coach on how to read it.

Some of these end up in used bookstores or on Ebay, and the guy in your store may have been a collector.

It as light has said, it is most likly a cipher degree book, It may be allowed by some grand lodges and it may not by others. The book is really an aid to help the mason remember the ritual. This is why they can read it and others can't. You have to had heared the ritual or the cipher makes no sense. These have pretty much fallen to the wayside. Now days most Mason can get copies of the written ritual from their grand lodges in plain english with only a few items in code. Still there are some places where the old ways prevail and the mason is still exspected to learn the work from word of mouth.

Its written in a cypher? Is M&D written in one too? I've noticed that some words in it are CAPITALIZED, thats not uncommon, but is it part of a cypher in that book? Or is is just capitalizing things refered to in the rituals?

Originally posted by Nygdan
Its written in a cypher? Is M&D written in one too?

I don't think so. but from the misquotes you would think so.

I believe most masonic cyphers are "unreadable", something like this.

Originally posted by Nygdan
Its written in a cypher? Is M&D written in one too? I've noticed that some words in it are CAPITALIZED, thats not uncommon, but is it part of a cypher in that book? Or is is just capitalizing things refered to in the rituals?

No, it's an actual cipher. My Grand lodge uses one. Each Lodge in our jurisdiction possesses 7 copies, which are loaned to the officers for the duration of their terms.

In the cipher books, some things are written only in first letters. For example, "T T G O T G A O T U" written in the cipher could translate into "To the glory of the Grand Architect of the Universe". Other words are replaced by symbols instead of letters.

Because of all this, it is impossible for anyone to read unless he's been through his coaching sessions, which take place between degrees. The written cipher is used to aid one in memorizing the ritual, after its already been taught to him by word of mouth.

[edit on 6-1-2006 by Masonic Light]

Man. That sounds like a loooooot of work.

thanks for the replies. a book or rituals. thanks for letting me know this.

New question.
Why would he discuss the book with someone who just works with books at an entertainment store?

Is it possible you didnt hear the whole conversation? He may have been asking about something else if you just heard the last part of the convo or something.

He may have been asking because the other guy is a mason or a known Mason Friend (so i've come to call them). Here's an example: A very good friend of mine, who is not a mason, runs a tuxedo shop he knows i'm a mason and gives me a discount on tux's said if i send a mason to him he'll give him the same discount. it's just something nice that he does for me as a friend and i send him more buisness. This i call a "mason friend".

no i asked what he talked about and she told me he was talking about a "book that we wouldn't carry or even know about because only masons can read it."

Without knowing either of the people involved, it's impossible to know why they would be talking about it.
I've never had it come up in casual conversation, and it's not for public display.

As for not carrying it or knowing of it. I don't believe most book sellers
carry it or know of it, as it's very specific to Masons and therefore the market for it is
very limited. Also the book is put out by the Grand Lodge (at least in New York) of each
jurisdiction specific to that jurisdiction, not for public consumption and therefore would not be
distributed through retail stores. My guess is that other states are the same.

I have seen them for sale other places, but I would think that the seller would
not be a Mason and probably came by it some other way.

I'd have to think that if the guy is going to a public bookstore to look for a book that only masons can read that he is probably not a mason, regardless of any masonic jewlry. He was probably a non-mason trying to research masonry, and, for what its word, doesn't sound like he's doing a very good job of it.

The book exists, alright. I have it in my hand - or I did until I put it down to continue typing. "My" copy is 9.6 cm long, 6.4 cm wide, and 1.2 cm thick. It has a black cover (paperback) with nothing on it. The first written page simply says "The Work" in an old English font, with the date under it. In this case, 1982. I have no idea how often they're "updated". Although the person who SHOULD possess this book is no longer a Mason, I know he'd be mighty pissed if he knew I scammed it from him. As mentioned, there are many abbreviations in the book which make it hard to follow and I would love to have someone translate for me.
"I hereby agree to receive 'The Work' upon the following terms, to which I solemnly promise strict adherence.
That I fully realize and will always remember that this is no ordinary book but is one which contains material which is intended solely and excluselely for those fully qualified and entitled to possess and to read it
That I will guard this book and its contents with the utmost care and will take every possible precaution to ensure its safekeeping so that no person who has not held the rankof Master Mason, in a properly constituted Lodge will ever see it or know of its existence through any fault or negligence on my part.
That on my decease, or in the event that I cease to hold membership, this book becomes the property of my Lodge, and must be returned within one month to the Secretary of my Lodge.
All this I solemnly promise on my honour."
(to be continued)

THE WORK
FIRST:-OPENING

(The W.M. gives 1 k . which is repeated by the S.W. and the J.W. The column of the S.W. is lying down on his pedestal, and the column of the J.W. is raised.)
(W.M. gives 3 k ... All rise except the W.M.)
W.M.-Brethren, assist me to open the [].
W.M.-Brother J.W., what is the first care of every .....?
J.W.-To see that the [] is properly T., W. Sir.
W.M.-Direct that duty to be done.
J.W.-Brother I.G., see that the [] is properly T.
(I.G. gives 3k ... which are answered by the T.)
I.G.-Brother J.W., the [] is properly T."

Thus ends page 1 of 213 which speak in similar jargon.
I'm qute interested in someone who would dare to translate for me.
As for the guy I got this book from, that was long ago but still he'd probably freak if he knew I was trying to analyze it.
That is how I came here - I googled "Mason" and "Black book"

It's probably not going to make much sense to you if you're not already familiar with the ritual. The book that you have is similar to the "Monitors" we have in Kentucky; it has a lot of it written in plain English, but it does also leave out large section... so all of that is taught "mouth to ear" after each degree. In any event, there aren't any great secrets you're going to discover in that book... it's more or less a study guide for new Masons to learn the ritual. The honorable thing to do would be to give it back to a local lodge or mail it to the Grand Lodge... those books cost money to print.

Originally posted by GameTranscender

New question.
Why would he discuss the book with someone who just works with books at an entertainment store?

It is possible that he is a collector of Masonic paraphanelia. I often times, when looking for antiques for the home, come across interesting Masonic items and add them to my collection. He might have been seeking older copies of Masonic ritual books which hold an intrinsic value to Masons in a purely historical context. I myself have ritual books which are many years old, and while many jurisdictions do not or did not ever have them, the copy I own is one of the original issues for my state's Grand Lodge.

Until last year, it was a "Masonic offense" for a brother within my Grand Lodge to own such a cypher book, as my state is still definitely in the "instructive tongue to the attentive ear" mode of teaching. (Having a copy in plaintext would be a serious offense, and I have yet to come across any pages via Google that would actually match my GL's work exactly.) Last year it was voted that Master Masons could own such a cypher book, but not use it for instruction nor within the lodge. And yes, it was readily available from a local bookstore that was NOT a Masonic shop. A technical bookstore, actually. Specs, codes and standards.

I'm not going to translate for Uglydad, but in acknowledgment of the differences from Grand Lodge to Grand Lodge, I'll say that where I'm from I.G. would be J.D. It's always fun to see where the variations lie.

Originally posted by Uglydad
The book exists, alright. I have it in my hand - or I did until I put it down to continue typing...

Hi Uglydad

The book you have interests me greatly, as the ritual you have quoted is similar to Emulation Ritual (the most widely practiced masonic ritual in England and Wales) with two key differences, one of which flies completely against normal masonic ritual practice in England, and the other (the addition of JUST ONE WORD) implies that this ritual is very old.

Can you tell me whereabouts in the world you are, how you came across this book, whether there is any publishing information etc? Feel free to u2u me (or if you don't have the points I'll contact you).

I might even tell you what the missing words are in the passage you quoted

[edit on 3/22/08 by Trinityman]

Hi Josh

Originally posted by JoshNorton
Until last year, it was a "Masonic offense" for a brother within my Grand Lodge to own such a cypher book...

In the UK these books are printed and sold quite openly. Although obviously they are for freemasons, there is no restriction on a non-mason buying them, and in fact there is usually a good selection of British ritual up on eBay at any given time.

As you can tell from the snippit posted it's not even printed in cypher, but key words are missed out and initials are used a lot. I'm somewhat of an expert on English masonic ritual and I can tell you I've never seen that exact wording of the section posted in any ritual.

I'm not going to translate for Uglydad, but in acknowledgment of the differences from Grand Lodge to Grand Lodge, I'll say that where I'm from I.G. would be J.D. It's always fun to see where the variations lie.

The differences around the world are indeed multitudinous (is that a real word?). I suspect that where you're from there is no IG at all, and you have a SS and JS doing some brief floorwork.