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Alvarium

15 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by Wes in Symbolism

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Alchemy, Alvarium, Beehive, Symbols

beehive

Alvarium:

Latin;N:beehive; apiary| bee-house (http://www.latin-dictionary.org/alvarium)

I have recently been thinking about the Beehive and its symbolism in Freemasonry. There are lots of papers, lectures, etc. about this symbol and what it represents. It is often glossed over and really isn’t given due justice. Typically, it can be summed up as industrious, but I think it is more than that.

When we as Masons look at the beehive it is awash with bees to-and-fro and they are working to sustain not just themselves, but the colony.  In addition, they are benefiting their surroundings with their hard work and labor.  As they go from plant to plant, they carry pollen between them, ensuring the propagation of the crop.  Farmers and animals benefit from the bees labor too, by gathering their sweet honey.

Mackey relates that the hive is representative of work and obedience and that as we labor, we should consider our place in our society and take our proper place to support those around us.  He also relates that the symbol is an alternative symbol of the Ark and regeneration.

We know that the fruit of the bee is has antibacterial properties and has been found in useful state in ancient tombs.  It is also interesting to consider that Egyptians used honey in its funeral preparation as a form of embalming fluid.  In fact, Greeks, Hindu and other cultures use and continue to use honey as part of their funerary practices.

WB Hogan alludes to the importance of the bee in alchemical process as well.   He alludes to the fact that it more especially is tied to the Philosopher’s Stone (Alchemist Honey).  “Bees are like alchemists who go out into nature and collect the raw materials.  Bring it back to the labs and transmute it into golden honey.”  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUTLcG718_E&feature=player_detailpage#t=2014)

Further research into the symbolism of the beehive will undoubtedly turn up some relation between the rose and beehive based on symbolism shown by Robert Fludd’s Summum Bonum, which Adam McLean provides some interesting background on.

In conclusion, it is my opinion that a right thinking Mason will find an interesting path if he digs further at this little understood Masonic symbol.

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It is, God, Light, I am

15 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by Wes in Symbolism

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induction, philosophy

Delivered  9/17/2014

In the text by WB L. Edward Clark, Royal Secret, he alludes to a key about our ritual that I would like to share with you.  He terms the concept the Royal Secret.

Before I delve too far down that path, it is worth noting that WB Clark builds up over 200 pages of text to derive this secret.  It is also worth noting that we have a separate appendant body in Freemasonry called the Royal and Select Masters, which could be easily confused with this statement by Clark.

Often times when we look at our Masonic ritual we think the actors are really just the officers who are delivering the speaking parts, or movements about the Lodge.  The WM and Senior Deacons typically have the lion’s share of the spoken parts, outside of the lectures themselves.  We contemplate the words they speak and often congratulate well done ritual work.  The astute Mason also looks deeper and considers the esoteric meanings and symbolism communicated in the beautiful work.  There is another actor in the ritual, however, that is oft overlooked, the part played by the initiate.

I think we as Masons do a pretty poor job of making sure that we use initiation for its real purpose.  Initiation isn’t just something we DO for someone or that the initiate has DONE to him; instead it is a transformation of the individual, something he DOES to himself.  While we do put emphasis on the importance of the ritual and catechism for the candidate, we forget that they are the main actor in our proceedings and attend to them as such.   Recognizing their important role in our work will help to elevate the initiate to the proper post and ensure that our work continues.

Our ritual purposefully forces our willing candidate to give the most important parts of the ritual during their transformation in the EA.  “What?”, you might be saying.  “How could we possibly have a candidate giving the most important parts of the EA?  He doesn’t even know the grips and signs yet!”

In fact our ritual forces the candidate to provide these words, and if he is paying attention, he begins his transformation.

Four statements, six words, that’s all he provides in the EA; all prompted by questions.

Mr Doe…is this of your own free will and accord?  His response?  It is.  (Sometimes, “Yes”)

So why does he need to give this response?  I contend that the candidate who is paying attention realizes that HE is the one responsible for being here and making the transformation of himself.

He is then conducted to the center of the Lodge, asked to kneel, prayed over and asked in whom he puts his trust?  Unprompted he gives the appropriate response.  God

The candidate needs to know that unmotivated by anything else he must rely on his personal relationship with his creator.  He is not here for money or fame, he can rely on his friends, but ultimately, he must trust and rely on Deity alone.

He is then obligated and parrots back his obligation, probably struggling with some new words, rarely does he remember all of the words after,  but the WM and SD manage to pull one word from him before removing his blindfold.  The key that we often overuse, but some do not completely understand.  Light

Lastly he is confronted by the Secretary who demands an offering of sorts.  This solemn ritual ends by asking the candidate if he has checked and double checked and asks if he is poor and penniless.  His response?  I am

So, what is the Royal Secret?  It is, God, Light, I am.  Take that to mean whatever it means to you, but I contend that if our ritual and our practices are what we claim they are, the meaning will be quite evident.

 

Starting a Masonic Library

14 Friday Nov 2014

Posted by Wes in Lodge Ideas

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Masonic literature, personal library

old-books-436498_640

 

Recently I have been working to start a library in our Lodge. The intent is to make some Masonic literature more accessible to brethren who may not know where to start or may not have the means to collect materials.

The process has been a little slow, but I was able to pull duplicates from my personal library and bought a handful of books that were for sale at our local Scottish Rite Valley reunion.

I am thinking that the majority of the collection will be like this for some time; donations and quick buy items as well as some artifacts from the Lodge that are durable enough for people to take home.

Here’s my problem…I have never really worked on categorizing this type of material before and am a little overwhelmed. My thought is that I could visit with our local library to get some tips, or use some classification from the Library of Congress, but that may be taking it too far. I’d like to have the collection be easier for a new Mason to look at and understand the kinds of material he is looking at. Grouped into things like: Fiction, Research, Critical Thinking Required! Simple, but enough so brothers know that what they are pulling may not be factual. Has anyone done this kind of work before?

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