Lodge Light of Africa, No. 233, Durban
The International Order of Freemasonry for Men and Woman, Le Droit Humain, South Africa.
by Robert Macoy
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Here is a remarkable history, encyclopedia and symbolic dictionary of Freemasonry all in one convenient volume and attractively illustrated with 300 nineteenth-century engravings.
The 600-year-old brotherhood of Freemasons (based on a 3,000-year-old tradition) is one of the most widely known fraternal organizations in the world. Robert Macoy compiled this work in order to present comprehensive information on Freemasonry in an accessible form.
Using the full resources of the Fraternity available to him, Macoy sought to sort out the truth from a myriad of half truths, rumors, superstitions and interpretations. He presents the rise and problems of Freemasonry and its kindred association both ancient and modern.
The "General History of Freemasonry," which begins this volume, is a fascinating introduction to a very complicated subject often fraught with vagaries. The two A-to-Z reference works that follow--one an encyclopedia with listings of terms, people, places, and events that make up the extensive history of the Freemasons, and the other a dictionary of symbols--contribute to making this a very complete sourcebook on Freemasonry.
From Aaron, the Abelites, and the All-Seeing Eye to the Year of Masonry, Zenith, and the Rite of Zinnendorf, this is a remarkable book on a subject that runs through the course of human history.
Lexicon of Freemasonry
by Albert G. Mackey
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Barnes and Noble Publishing: 1st Edition, 1st Printing. This beautiful book contains definitions of all Freemasonry's terms, notices of its traditions and antiquities, together with an account of all the rites and mysteries of the ancient world. Footnotes are included
A New Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry
by Arthur Edward Waite
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Provides a complete view of the history, literature and myths surrounding Freemasonry. Comprehensive explanations of their secret rituals and symbolism. Including alchemy, astrology, Kabbalism, ceremonial magic, animal magnetism and more.
Freemasons For Dummies
by Christopher Hodapp
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Fascinated by Freemasons? Freemasons For Dummies is the internationally bestselling introduction to the Masons, the oldest and largest "secret society" in the world. This balanced, eye-opening guide demystifies Freemasonry, explaining everything from its elaborate rituals and cryptic rites, to its curious symbols and their meanings.
With new and improved content, including updated examples and references throughout, this new edition of Freemasons For Dummies provides the most straightforward, non-intimidating guide to the subject on the market.
Updated expert coverage of the basic beliefs and philosophy behind Freemasonry
Revised information on the history of the society, including updates concerning its founding, famous historical members, and pivotal events
New coverage devoted to the recent influx of younger membership
The latest and ongoing controversies and myths surrounding Freemasonry
The role of women in a Masonic organization, including opportunities for women to participate in Freemasonry
The effects cultural and political changes and worldwide events are having on the organization
If you're intrigued by the mystery that surrounds the Masons, get ready to learn the facts about this ancient order in Freemasons For Dummies.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Freemasonry, Second Edition
by S. Brent Morris Ph.D.
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Freemasonry is an ancient secret society shrouded in obscurity. Fascination with the mysteries of the Masons reached a fevered pitch after the release of Dan Brown’s novels Angels and Demons, The Da Vinci Code, and The Lost Symbol. But these novels and their related movies raised more questions than they answered.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Freemasonry, Second Edition, fills readers in on the truths behind the mysteries. In it, readers get:
- A fact-filled overview of the birth and beginnings of Freemasonry, including its relationship to the Knights Templar and Egypt.
- Fascinating facts about famous Masons.
- An explanation of the various Masonic organizations, such as the York and Scottish rites, and the Shriners.
- A behind-the-scenes look at what really goes on in a Masonic lodge, including initiations.
- A new walking tour of Washington, DC, pointing out the hidden Masonic symbols featured in The Lost Symbol.
- Scripts for Masonic rituals, giving a flavor of the language used in such ceremonies.
- A field guide to Masonic symbols and regalia, with photos and explanations of significance.
- The history behind Masonic philanthropic efforts and youth groups.
- A history of African-American Freemasonry and the role of women in Masonic organizations.
Freemasonry: A Journey Through Ritual and Symbol
by W. Kirk MacNulty
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Explores the origins, development, rituals, and symbolism of Freemasonry, and examines Freemasonry as part of a tradition of Western mysticism going back to the Middle Ages.
Freemasonry: Symbols, Secrets, Significance
by W. Kirk MacNulty
The Meaning of Masonry
by W. L. Wilmshurst
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Who are the Masons and what does their society believe in?
Although there are over six million members of this fraternity worldwide, with some extremely famous past members including George Washington, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Simon Bolivar, little is actually known about what they do.
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W. L. Wilmshurst’s The Meaning of Masonry sheds light upon this notoriously secretive organization.
As a mason himself in the early twentieth century Wilmshurst had first-hand knowledge of Masonic rituals and practices and here explains the symbolism behind it, its rites and beliefs, and ultimately why people become Masons.
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From the various degrees that the hold, to their clothing that they wear and the lodges which they attend, Wilmshurst’s The Meaning of Masonry analyses multiple aspects of the organization. He provides a fascinating insight into the Masonic Order, uncovering the origins of their beliefs and placing them in the context of when they began.
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W. L. Wilmshurst was an English author and Freemason. He published four books on Freemasonry. He first joined the Huddersfield Lodge No.290 in 1889. The Meaning of Masonry was his first book, published in 1922. Wilmshurst died in 1939.
The Lost Keys of Freemasonry
by Manly P. Hall
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Here is Manly P. Hall's classic work on history's most secretive brotherhood- reset and collected with two additional celebrated Hall volumes on occult Masonry.
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Freemasonry is the subject of perennial fascination-recently the cover story of a national newsmagazine, the premise of the movie National Treasure, and the anticipated basis of a forthcoming novel by Dan Brown. The twentieth century's great scholar of occult and esoteric ideas, Manly P. Hall was a Mason himself and nurtured a lifelong interest in the secret fraternal order, making it the focus of one of his earliest and best-loved books, The Lost Keys of Freemasonry. In this celebrated work, he examines the ethical training required of a Freemason, and the character traits a Mason must "build" within himself. Hall's 1923 volume is now reset and made available exclusively in this new edition, along with the author's two further classics on Masonry:
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- Freemasonry of the Ancient Egyptians (1937), which explores the roots of Freemasonry in the initiatory temple rites of Pharaonic Egypt; and
- Masonic Orders of Fraternity (1950), a fascinating work of short history that chronicles the reemergence of Freemasonry in Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It surveys the lives of Masonry's modern architects and the secretive organizations that immediately preceded the brotherhood.
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This three-in-one volume features the original illustrations of each book, for a total of nearly thirty images, including recreations of scenes and rites from Masonry's unusual history. It also includes a new index encompassing all three titles.
Morals And Dogma (Illustrated)
by Albert Pike
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Fully illustrated. This is Albert Pikes' volume of 'lectures' on the esoteric roots of Freemasonry, specifically the 32-degree Scottish Rite. Until 1964, this book was given to every Mason completing the 14th degree in the Southern jurisdiction of the US Scottish Rite Freemasons. Morals and Dogma is a huge, rambling treasure-house of esoteric data, particularly on the Kabalah and ancient Mystery religions. Whether you just browse these pages or study it from one end to the other, this is a must-read book for anyone looking for long-lost knowledge.
Is it True What They Say About Freemasonry?
by S. Brent Morris
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For as long as there have been Freemasons, there has been a calculated effort to disparage and their practices. In this insightful text, masons de Hoyos and Morris explore the origins of the anti-Masonic mindset and delve into the falsehoods on which critics have based these perennial sentiments. Confronting opponents one at a time, the authors methodically debunk the myths that have surrounded Freemasonry since its establishment, investigating the motives and misconceptions that derive antagonists to spread deceit about Masonic traditions.
Tracing Boards of the Three Degrees in Craft Freemasonry Explained
by Julian Rees
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Although most Freemasons will be familiar with the Tracing Boards - painted or engraved illustrations developed in the early years of Freemasonry which are used in Lodges to illustrate Masonic symbols and allegories during degree ceremonies and lectures - little has been published on them. The Tracing Boards are an essential part of the three Craft Degrees, assisting the Freemason in his quest to decode and interpret those allegories. There is no publication which adequately explains the Tracing Boards, their use and meaning of their symbolism, and Tracing Boards of the Three Degrees in Craft Freemasonry Explained fills that gap. The first three chapters give a detailed method of understanding and revealing the import of the three craft boards, based on those used in the three degrees by the Emulation Lodge of Improvement, known as the Harris Boards, which contain the elements of most of the Tracing Boards used in Lodges throughout England. The fourth chapter gives a brief overview of the history and the development of Tracing Boards in England, with some fascinating illustrations of long-forgotten boards. In the fifth chapter the author draws in many Tracing Boards and Lodge Cloths from other countries, particularly from the USA, and from other Masonic jurisdictions, bringing the art-form right up to the 21st century. This book is richly illustrated and features boards never before seen outside museums. Julian Rees was for some years on the Precepting Committee of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement in London. He has been a regular contributor to the quarterly magazine Freemasonry Today since its founding in 1997. In 2003, he joined the editorial team as deputy and news editor, and in the same year delivered the prestigious Wendel K. Walker Memorial Lecture in New York entitled Through Ritual to Enlightenment. He was one of the founding members of The Cornerstone Society, serving as Secretary for a number of years, and has lectured extensively to lodges in this country and abroad. Rees has been honoured by the Institut Maçonnique de France with the Ordre Maçonnique de Lafayette. He is now a member of the International Order of Freemasonry Le Droit Humain in England. He is the author of Making Light - A Handbook for Freemasons, The Stairway of Freemasonry, Ornaments Furniture and Jewels and So You Want To Be A Freemason?