The growing popularity of the idea of ‘observant’ Masonry has found brethren in all corners of the Craft asking the question of what exactly an observant Lodge is, and how they might go about increasing Masonic observance in their own Lodges. This document offers eight basic measures which, if observed, should result in the development of an observant Lodge. Each of these steps is either entirely consistent with Anderson’s Constitutions of the FreeMasons [the foundational document of the Premier Grand Lodge, published in 1723 and hereafter simply referred to as the Book of Constitutions], or historical Masonic practice in North America, or both. Nothing proposed in them is alien to our Grand Lodges or their respective histories. The success or failure of these steps is entirely up to the brethren of each Lodge. First, however, it might be helpful to offer an answer to the primary question: what exactly does one mean by ‘observant’? Simply put, observant Masonry means observing the intent of the founders of speculative Masonry. That intent was not to build a mere social club or service organisation. While the Craft—like any other human organisation—has always been burdened by men in its ranks who subverted the purposes of the fraternity to a more mundane or profane enterprise, that was never the intent of the institution. That intent was to build an institution that calls men to their highest level of social being, in a state of dignity and decorum, which could serve as a place for serious, mindful discourse on the lessons and meaning of life, and search for the better development of oneself. That intent means building a space where such an experience can be created, and carrying ourselves in a manner that is consistent with our highest ideals and noblest behaviours. Observant Masons believe that by observing what the history of our Craft tells us in regard to that intent, we will find the optimal Masonic experience. We say observant, and speak of observance, because we seek to observe the blueprints of that intent to the best of our knowledge and ability. Even more simply, we want to do things right, and we don’t want to settle for less. We want to pursue excellence in all aspects of our Masonic labour. The eight steps offered here have proven to be successful in greatly increasing the experience of Freemasonry for brethren new and old alike. They serve as a quality control system for the operation of any Lodge, and when followed, result in a group of men who, regardless of the number of members in their Lodge, or the external nature of their temple, can find a sense of accomplishment and pride in what they have done, and who they have become. That too, is consistent with the intent of our founders.
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Guarding the West Gate
This point is first among these, because we are nothing more or less than who we let in to our Fraternity. Not every man should be a Mason, and not every Continue reading SAVING FREEMASONRY
achieved, the new Master concentrates on investing his Principal and Assistant Officers with the collar and tools of their Station. The Tyler is among those Officers and his place is outside the door of the Lodge because, as his title implies, he has “to tile” i.e. to cover, protect and conceal. The Master will invest him by reciting these words: “
But the changes in style and technique that the art of construction has undergone through the course of the centuries, have rendered this now nigh improbable. We have in consequence come to identify the eavesdropper as that individual who stands by the door of a chamber or leans onto a partition wall, to carry out his [1] devious design. Yet this was just the kind of sneaky work that centuries ago defined the Cowan! His description reads: “
great disquiet of many
Albrecht Wolfgangs Mutter, Johanna Sophie von Hohenlohe-Langenburg, trennte sich 1702 dauerhaft von ihrem Mann, Graf Friedrich Christian von Schaumburg-Lippe, und lebte unter schwierigen Verhältnissen mit ihren beiden Söhnen Albrecht Wolfgang und Friedrich an verschiedenen Fürstenhöfen, u.a. in Hannover am Hofe des Kurfürsten Ernst August und seiner Frau Sophie.
muchos de los grados siguen el ritual del Consejo de la Madre en la forma, algunas de las ceremonias son completamente diferentes. Los títulos de Rito escocés generalmente son, y siempre deben ser, cuando sea posible, puestos en tierra de disfraces por moldes cuidadosamente entrenados. Muchas de las ceremonias son muy elaboradas y requieren un pequeño ejército de trabajadores; cuando están bien hechos, atraen a hermanos de muchas millas de distancia. De hecho, son tan difíciles algunas de las ceremonias, y tan extensas las instalaciones y la preparación requeridas, que muchas se ven una o dos veces al año, y solo en algunos centros en cualquier estado. De esto ha surgido esa costumbre que los masones del rito escocés conocen como la “Reunión“: una reunión de albañiles del rito escocés de todo el estado para ver y tomar parte en los títulos otorgados a una “clase”; tales Reuniones no rara vez duran una semana. No todos los Cuerpos del Rito presentaron todos los grados en ninguna Reunión.
Grado Sublime son respondidas con solemnidad y reverencia. Más tarde, se abordan asuntos totalmente nuevos para los Maestros Masones, y se ofrece una gran cantidad de filosofía, religión y conocimiento para el postulante. Los grados cuarto a trigésimo segundo del Rito escocés, hermosos e inspiradores como son, no deberían ser, como a menudo lo son, “Grados más altos” que connotan una elevación, una superioridad, en los primeros tres grados. ‘Solo soy un Mason de la Logia Azul, nunca subí más”, ¡con qué frecuencia se hace esa declaración semiapológica! Las más grandes autoridades en el Rito escocés son enfáticas en la afirmación de que ni Rite ni ningún otro pueden hacer a un hombre más Masón de lo que se convierte en la Logia Azul. Los títulos pueden, y con frecuencia lo hacen, ser un major Masón, así como el trabajo requerido para obtener un título universitario puede, y a menudo lo hace, hacer que un hombre sea mejor, pero no más ciudadano de lo que era antes de pasar a la universidad. Los grados del Rito escocés son numéricamente mayores que el primero, el segundo y el tercero, pero no son “más altos”.
Occidentales. Un año después, las Grandes Constituciones de 1762 fueron adoptadas, estipulando 25 grados, incluyendo los tres grados de la Masonería Simbólica, con autoridad para establecer Logias y para trabajar los grados bajo Inspectores Generales y sus Diputados. De la autoridad original de Morin, las patentes fueron concedidas que establecían el Rito de Perfección en las Indias Occidentales, Albany, New Orleans, Philadelphia, y Charleston.
editó o reescribió los rituales para estos grados.
Acton (seen in the above portrait) was born in Besancon in 1736 , the son of an English physician who had moved and settled in France. He had entered service in the English Navy ( 1750- 1756) and then enrolled into that of the Duchy of Toscany. In 1767 he was raised to the office of Captain and in 1775, he participated to the joint Spanish-Tuscan expedition against the port of Algier. In 1776 Acton was promoted to Major General and put in charge of the Duchy of Tuscany’s Navy where he performed with distinction. The Archduke of Tuscany – Leopold II of Hapbsburg-Lorraine – -was a sibling of Queen Carolina and obliged her when she asked him to send Acton to Naples to reorganize the Navy of her husband’s Kingdom.
s effectively became a Regency ruled by Charles VII’s faithful Minister Bernardo Tanucci 
These two Freemasons came from the most important families of Naples and their names, together with that of the Pignatellis, repeatedly appear in the historical records of the Kingdom of Naples, its Masonic annals and the list of martyrs who died for the short-lived Parthenopean Republic.
Per ottenere ciò, l’ancora profano deve affrontare l’Iniziazione e deve essere iniziato, cioè deve “entrare”, dal latino IN IRE = ANDARE DENTRO.