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Throughout the bleakest parts of its history, Freemasonry has been synonymous with devil-worshipping; the very word connotes sinister conspiracies, an underground cabal that, through means unknown and scarcely imaginable to ordinary mortals, can topple governments and manipulate currencies. Masonic doctrine constitutes that no mason can openly rebuke or refute a particular conception, however misleading, and by no means discuss anything openly that might reveal any secret of the fraternity. For this very reason, anti-mason has been allowed to surge to high heights, attacking the fundamental principles and slandering its intentions. Certainly, the code of secrecy among the masons makes it a very difficult task for historians to gather correct evidence or even trace its lineage. Because of this, correct sources of information about Freemasonry are scarce, and most are merely speculative in nature and raise as many questions as they answer. Like many other spiritual organizations, Masonry claims to go back to ancient Egypt and Israel and also to owe its inheritance to ancient knights. In the late middle ages, with the decline of cathedral building, Freemasonry turned from its original operations of stonework to building “cathedrals of men,” adopting the rites and trappings of ancient religions, occults, orders, sects, and chivalric brotherhoods. Thus, Freemasonry has a dubious origin, while at the same time being vulnerable to discrimination and blatant misrepresentation.
There are two main theories of how Freemasonry originated. The most plausible theory holds that they emerged as a free confederation of labourers and masons, freed from the bonds of feudalism to become nomadic craftsmen. These early “free masons” would travel the land building holy edifices; at their work sites they would erect temporary shelters they called “lodges.” As their numbers burgeoned and their work became not just an occupation but a process of spiritual art, they officially formed stonemasons guilds in which they could train inductees and establish trade. At the same time Freemasonry was steeped in religion, and thus ethical and spiritual instruction was included in apprenticeship, transforming the guild into a ceremonial brotherhood based on the ancient art of masonry. Internal control was an important strategy according to their spiritual belief in merit ascertaining rank, each member would have to prove their worth before they ascended to higher degrees. A truly significant point was that they no longer identified themselves as simple workers; they created different names to signify their specialization, such as architect. Mason mythology also links their order to biblical origin; thus Freemasons have always embraced the idea that their order emerged in 65 BC, the year that Solomon succeeded David as King of the United Israelite Kingdom of the Twelve Tribes. At this time, Hiram, King of Tyre, a minor biblical figure, was contemporary of both David and Solomon. Approximately a year after his coronation, Solomon ordered construction of the First Temple and Hiram, a good friend of both he and his father, had already volunteered to help him with the temple construction. David during his reign had asked Hiram for cedars, carpenters, and masons; and they had built David a house. Now, nearly forty years later, Hiram’s assistance was needed again to complete a temple in celebration of God and God’s people. Historians also must consider the many orders of knights that existed in the middle ages as an origin to this exclusive and highly protective sect. The Knights Templars, in particular, are one order of many early medieval crusaders who resided in heavily garrisoned castles to deflect outsiders and who, coincidentally, also built monumental structures to celebrate themselves as “defenders of God’s will.” As previously referred to in the film by Clark, the middle ages were a time of fear and suspicion and the knights were no less affected by these troubling times. Castles and wars escalated rampantly and so did factions that repelled outsiders and created further divisions between warring lands. Paranoia, a social adhesive according to Sam Keen, would cause the knights to form watchwords that would inevitably develop into secrets signs and gestures, indicating the rank and therefore the skill of each member. Not only did censorship exist from without, but masons of different rank had to ensure that one of lesser skill did not somehow possess secrets of someone better trained without first proving his merit. This seems perhaps a more romantic notion than a credible one, but many notable historians are able to trace some of the earliest lodges in Scotland to the same period that the Knights Templars were driven from Palestine and disappeared off the coast of a French harbour. No one knows what happened to them, but supposedly they made their way to Scotland whose ruler, King Robert the Bruce, was keeping at bay the forces of English imperialism. At the same time, their luck seemed to turn decisively in their favour and their armies were bolstered by an anonymous source.
Freemasonry resurfaced in the Enlightenment after a period of relative obscurity, but it was significantly changed. The Grand Lodge was established in 1717, thus creating a sort of centralization that spread outwards very quickly. It became a popular and trendy “club” instead of a confederate group of workers or knights who banded together out of necessity. In effect, it was no longer a formation of practicing stoneworkers in what we know as “operative masonry” but began to evolve into spiritually-rooted “speculative masonry.” The square, compass, plumb, and gauge were maintained but only as symbolic reminders. Its inclination toward mystery and the belief that it obtained the wisdom of the ages attracted the cream of society social elitists who thought it would be an intriguing addition on their resume. Poor labourers no longer had access to its ranks due to the exorbitant cost of initiation, and to the superstitious common folk it was a diabolical lair of scheming and sodomy. Many men of radical beliefs were drawn to this society; prominent men such as Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin, Lafayette, George Washington, and several other famous notables. Even princes, sixteen in all, were admitted and out of this sixteen four became kings. However, despite the proliferate growth of members and lodges there was an equal back-lash of anti-mason sentiment. The Church, in particular, saw this society as a menace, a competitive religion that would corrupt innocent Christians into its fold and ultimately debase human morals. Perhaps the most aggressive and compelling enemy to this fraternity, religion was powerfully incorporated into the minds of the simple folk and the church used propaganda to repel individuals from joining this growing organization. By far the biggest contributor to anti-mason fervor was the notorious story of William Morgan, a landless craftsman who traveled from town to town in search of work. Somewhere in his travels Morgan had acquired some of the jealously guarded secrets of the Freemasons and planned to release them to the Batavia Advocate for a stupendous sum, a coup that unnerved members of the local lodges. This notice appeared in a newspaper in nearby Canadaigua, New York, on August , 186 “If a man, calling himself William Morgan, should intrude himself on the community, they should be on their guard, particularly the MASONIC FRATERNITY. Morgan was in this village in May last, and his conduct while here and elsewhere calls forth this notice… Morgan is considered a swindler and a dangerous man. There are people in this village who would be happy to see this Captain Morgan.” While there was little reason for the Batavian masons to be upset � similar books had been published indulging secrets before � there was a strong reaction towards Morgan’s open commercialization of their supposedly infallible secrecy. A number of masons arranged for Morgan to be arrested and jailed over a false charge of $.68. The next night, Morgan was hustled into a carriage by four masons who promptly sped off. Morgan, an ill-reputable man to begin with, became an image of heroic proportions as news of his abduction spread quickly throughout America. In magazines, books, and bulletins, Morgan’s name appeared, including 50,000 handbills announcing his possible murder and asking for any information. There was mass contagion of fear; aside from the disappearance of Morgan it was common knowledge that Masons inflicted terrible punishments on any who divulged their secrets. One prominent Baptist minister of this time denounced Freemasonry as “dark, unfruitful, demoralizing, blasphemous, murderous, anti-Republican and anti-Christian-opposed to the Glory of God and the good of mankind.” Such was the hostile response towards Freemasonry due to the publicity of the Morgan case; masons everywhere were ostracized, and amid the public uproar many leading members lost their jobs or were forced to sever any ties with the organization. The Roman Catholic Church very likely jumped ecstatically at this chance to deter the rapid proliferation of a rival religion; a papal bull decreeing excommunication to anyone affiliated with the masons was sent across the country, denouncing Freemasonry as heresy. One pamphlet asked “For how should they meet in secret places and with secret signs taking care that none observe them to do the work of god, are these not the ways of evildom?” The richer and more educated however were not easily influenced by religion as much as the Pope would have liked; secularism and individualism were beginning to influence many young men into indirect rebellion against the orthodoxy of the church. However, governments of many nationalities were also began to fear the burgeoning power of this group and paranoia became rampant; fears of conspiracy threatened states, and a belief that an imminent take-over was being devised, plotted, by affluent men in high positions who belonged to this secret sect. Certain countries, such as Austria and Russia, quickly banned Freemasonry and men were arrested merely on the grounds that they were members. The American and French revolutions intensified these suspicions for it was widely known that John Hancock, the man responsible for the Boston Tea Party that sparked the American Revolution, was a freemason. General Lafayette who had helped to set the French Revolution in motion was indeed a mason as well, and this precipitated the idea that the freemasons had master-minded the whole grisly revolt. Thus, contrary to its intentions Freemasonry rose from behind the curtains and took center stage while media and historians misread and misquoted its fundamental beliefs.
Modern freemasonry is, I think, a typically bastardized version of its former self. Today, it is securely anchored in the social fabric of variable cultures and nationalities, and there is little controversy concerning it, aside � as far I can see - from Keen’s “invented enemies.” In America alone 16,000 lodges welcome millions of members a year. Due to this comfortable situation, it no longer has the mysterious appeal or the ritualistic secrecy that made it a feared and awe-admired order. Its castration is borne from political correctness and a growing awareness of the dangers of “cult-like” secrecy. The traditional ritual of placing a knife at a man’s chest upon initiation and condemning him to have his “throat cut across, his tongue torn out by the root, and buried in the shore of the sea at low water mark,” if he divulged any secrets, would probably be tantamount to death threats and therefore liable for legal action. However, like the predated agrarian societies of developing nations, the Brotherhood still maintains a very compact relationship in its fellowship. My grandfather told me that while his father was alive, the masons were useful in “helping out” but this ended as soon as he died. During the postmodern era it was still heavily susceptible to suspicion and aversion, most notably among the Nazi Regime who were jealous of power and suspicious of forces that wanted to conceal their actions. Masons seemed to also share a similarity with the selective minority of Jews who were hated for their exclusiveness, collective wealth, and unorthodox religion. My grandfather also mentioned that when the Nazis were in power, many lodges were abandoned or destroyed, and in one of these there was a very ornate chair belonging to a master mason. It was hidden by a German and therefore survived after the war, but it seems an excellent example of the Nazi’s intolerance towards this particular sect as there were very few Masonic artifacts that escaped their genocide. My Grandpa, Elmer Dorlind McTavish or “Mac” as he prefers to be called, quite understandably, is a member of the fraternity belonging to the third degree. Today, advancement in the order, so far as I can surmise, is based upon good deeds such as benefits and volunteer work; anything that might be able to serve the community. The Shriners is a particular branch of Masons today that raises money for the benefit of hospitals and disadvantaged children. Initiation among the masons cannot be something striven for an individual cannot ask to be a Mason but must be asked by a Mason instead. Thereupon you become an apprentice, based upon the Medieval craft guild in which the masons required a seven year course of instruction and apprenticeship before gaining full fellowship. Upon becoming a full-fledged member, each mason must be asked the question “where did you first become a mason?” Being rather a methodical man and a historian, my Grandfather made a serious mistake and quoted the place and date when he made his first encounter with the society, “Zozt, Germany at the Sol Temple.” The correct answer, he learnt afterwards, was “in my heart.” His friend, Colonel Goodfellow, was fairly influential in the brotherhood as I assume and he spoke to the Master on Mac’s behalf. My grandpa was, therefore, grudgingly accepted. At this time, Mac was a peacekeeper in the Middle East and his duties often led him to travel frequently and to stay within certain boundaries. At one point, being stationed in Jerusalem, he was invited to a meeting at an Arabic lodge by his friend, Colonel Goodfellow. The next morning he was called smartly into the office of the chairman of the International Joint Commission, and asked where he had been the previous night. It seems that word of Mac and Goodfellow’s attendance at the Arabic lodge had been intercepted by the Jewish lodge and they had phoned the chairman within a couple of hours of their arrival. As the chairman was designated to “keep the peace,” he was obligated therefore to attend one of the Jewish Masonic congregations to rectify the attendance of Mac and Goodfellow at the Arabic meeting. Interestingly enough, though the fraternity in theory is a declared “universal sect,” it is divided today among social rifts and racial animosity.
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Point of Interest My grandfather also mentioned that the separation between Israel and Jordan � where he was stationed � ran straight through an Old English Governor’s mansion that the UN had turned into the office of the International Joint Commission. As it was also in Jerusalem, a very important place for Masonic history, this site also contained ancient tombs supposedly belonging to King Solomon, and also the believed mosque where Mohammed, according to Islamic text, rode to heaven on a horse. The tombs, mere tunnels in the ground with a mill stone to seal them, were virtually deserted when my grandfather visited except for a single, bored guard.
I know very little about my great-grandfather, Robert Bruce McTavish, but that he was founder of a lodge in Winnipeg in 1 and served as Pass Master, one of the elite ranks in the order. My grandfather contains many of his aprons and medals in the basement, along with his trinkets and antiques, swords and knives, he obtained in the Middle East and in his military experience in the second World War and North Korea. The aprons distinguishing Robert’s advance in the high order are comparatively different to the apron given to Mac. Many symbols and signs decorate the ceremonial aprons belonging to Robert, while my grandfather’s is of plain blue cloth, devoid of prestigious ornaments. Thus, the difference in level is clearly discerned.
Masonry does not, as far as I can see, dispute the spiritual teachings of the Church; their belief in a “Supreme Being” allows room for men of all religions to profess belief in their own particular deity. Yet, in the very sense that it accepts all religions challenges the very fundamental principle of Christianity that there is “no salvation outside of the Church.” For this reason, the Church has incorporated Freemasonry into its power struggles, much the same way that the Nazis, who wanted absolute power, directed their attention on this speculative group during the Second World War. On the other hand, as the Craft gained momentum in the seventeenth century, it also gained reputable powers beyond what many could have foreseen. Yet, what was there a Masonic conspiracy juggling world events behind the scenes? In truth, it cannot be denied that Masonry did extend some influence in politics as far as it containing several prominent figures of powerful status. This network provided the power elite with connections � but only so far as personal advancement not, as what paranoia might suggest, a secret political movement for global control. It has been described as the “biggest, richest, most secret and most powerful private force in the world, and certainly the most deceptive,” by certain anti-masons and this is obviously an exaggeration of its potential. But, these feelings do persist even today, and many books and sites are devoted to slandering the principles of Freemasonry. One article I have read states
“But the Masonic tradition has been a prime inspiration for many of the paths that we explore in GNOSIS. H.P. Blavatsky was greatly indebted to it; the founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn were all high-degree Masons; even Gardnerian Wicca, with its three degrees of initiation, is believed to have been inspired by the first three degrees of Freemasonry.
This leads us back, perhaps, to the notion of conspiracy; paranoids may shriek that here is more evidence of some grand plot to lure humankind toward the lairs of Satan. For my part I can see no such thing; indeed if there is a worldwide conspiracy to increase consciousness and promote tolerance, scientific inquiry, and representative government, I can only regret that it has not proved stronger.”
This excerpt I found fairly amusing and seems to wrap up nicely his particular bias towards the anti-mason movement. Freemasonry began, I believe, as a source of reformative action against the powerful institutions of Church and State, where analytical men like Voltaire and Franklin could liberally discuss their criticism and perhaps exert some influence. Today, it has conformed into a discreet organization primarily composed of men who want the advantages of a fraternity to assist them in personal advancement, or as an enjoyable experience in a men-only atmosphere.
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