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Our present times being so remarked by international tensions , Brexit,   the strive towards a United States of Europe  and  by   citizens  from  most world Nations affording to travel freely and extensively –  even from an early age in their life – the issue of a Foreigner joining our Order is very current.

The following address to a foreign Initiate can be found in the 1798 edition of the Book of Constitution and a similar passage was even present in the discourse made in Paris by the Chevalier de Ramsay in 1723.  It so rings true now as it did then.

Being a foreigner myself – though I spent the greatest part of my life in England more than I lived in that noble Country of my birth  – I comprehend and strongly share the meaning of such an address.   I profoundly feel its teaching and just love to read it!

Here it is for your enjoyment and…meditation.

"You Brother, the native and subject of another Nation, by entering into our Order, have connected yourself by sacred and affectionate ties, with (hundreds of) thousands of Masons in this and other Countries.

Ever recollect that the Order you have entered into, bids you always to look upon the world as ONE GREAT REPUBLIC of which every Nation is a family and every particular person a child.

When therefore you return and settle in your own Country, take care that the progress of friendship be not confined to the narrow circle of national connections or particular Religions; but let it be universal and extend it to every branch of the human race.

At the same time, remember that besides the common ties of humanity, you have at this time entered into obligations which engage you to friendly and kind actions towards your Brother Mason, of whatever (social) station, Country or Religion (he might belong)"

L.M. (The Editor)

A question is recurrent in the minds of the neophyte more than any other :

Why , if Freemasonry is abound with secrets which are advantageous to mankind, are those secrets not freely divulged for the good of society in general ?

It is because if the mysteries and privileges of free and ancient Freemasonry were to be indiscriminately handed out , our institution might be undermined. Becoming familiar with those mysteries  would soon make them appear to lose value and fall into disregard. After all , one of the weakness in the nature of  man is that he is in general more captivated by  novelty than by the intrinsic value of things.

Whatever is new  it readily captivates his imagination and whatever is familiar – or easily obtainable ! – is instead disregarded.

Our ceremonies are not superficial , they have their use. They inculcate instructions to the well attentive mason and they teach him to view our secrets through a proper medium , even showing him the circumstances that gave rise to them. If the mason  ponders on the tenets conveyed to him , he will inevitably find them greatly constructive and precious  and will thereafter  guard them as sacred.

Our practices may appear frivolous  and our ceremonies may seem as if they can be adopted , changed or abandoned at pleasure but only so in  the eyes of the misguided. Unfortunately on the basis of that false assumption we may sometimes see the “deluded” being  hurried through all the degrees , ignoring the properties of what they pursue or even possessing a single requisite for advancement. Passing through the usual formalities he may accept offices and take on the government of the Lodge by potentially  being neither fully knowledgeable of the rules of the institution  he has joined  nor understanding the trust that is placed in him. But fortunately this situation represents the exception and not the rule because the consequences of such practice may soon become apparent and  Anarchy and Confusion  would  ensue in the Lodge.

To begin with every Art has its mystery and  requires a gradual progression of knowledge to return any degree of perfection. Similarly in Freemasonry , no brother can become sufficiently knowledgeable in its true value without proper instruction and exercise. This does not imply at all that a person of limited education or whose field of work takes much of his time and application, should be discouraged in his effort to gain knowledge of Freemasonry.

To qualify for admission  in  our institution and to share its privileges and ancient mysteries it is not necessary for a man to know all of the parts of our science.  In a  Lodge the Freemasons meet as one family and all privileges on account of Religion , Country and social position are  removed! And although some brothers are more capable than others in their different spheres of work and life, everyone  can  prove a good Freemason and thus become advantageous to both our institution and to the community.

So mote it be !  

 

The evoking the spirit of the dead  was an activity that attracted the interest of people from all social classes in the 18^th century, including Freemasons.  At that time many of the Masonic lodges in existence were filled with bored aristocrats with a good majority of them in search of distraction and gratification.

Initially the lodges had only apprentices and companions. It was only in 1724 that a higher degree was introduced and it was one that was inspired by the legend of Hiram Habif, which in turn was based on the even older Egyptian myth of Iris and Osiris. Alchemy scholars of the time could not be anything other than enthusiastic that Hiram’s  legend had been introduced in the Masonic ritual; death and resurrection related well to the processes of death, decomposition and sublimation which are considered essential passages for the base metal’s transmutation journey into (philosophical) gold.

Twenty years after the foundation of the Grand Lodge of England (24.6.1717) the Chevalier Andre’ Michel Ramsay (1686-1743) , an expatriate Scotsman who lived in Paris and  was the Orator of the Lodge “Le Louis d’Argent” , made a famous speech whereby he affirmed that the origin of the Masonic Order and of its secret doctrine were aristocratic. He stated that it were the Knights Templar– religious soldiers drawn from the noblest families in Europe –  who had rediscovered the secret elements of the Masonic teaching during their stay in the Holy Land (the Orient)  and had brought them back  to France and Scotland.

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