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Brother Harvey examines the symbolism of the worshipful master's gavel. He also explains what differentiates it from the setting Maul used in the master mason degree of the blue lodge and the one used in the mark master degree of the York Rite.

Not one to shy away from controversy, Brother William Kuhn offers some bold statements about the history and future of Capitular Degrees in general and Royal Arch Masonry in particular; however, mostly he is challenge his reader, and Masons in general, to think for themselves.

Capitular Masonry is the second stage or section in the Masonic progress of the York Rite. It suffers often, and is frequently too lightly esteemed as an intermediate series of degrees between Blue Lodge Masonry and the Templar Orders of the Commandery. But, it is full of meaning and contains within itself lessons fully as important as can anywhere be found.

With his focus on Great Britain, Scotland, and Ireland, noted masonic scholar William Hughan cites numerous examples of early Lodge minutes, in order to show a direct connection to and prove that the Freemasons of today are lineal descendants of those operative builders from the 17th century and perhaps more importantly, descendants of early speculative members, often noblemen, who otherwise had no connection with the physical labor of the masonic craft.

Originally published in 1919, Masonic scholar William Harvey writes about the symbolism of the most recognizable and central piece of furniture in our rituals and the resting place for the Volume of Sacred Law, square, and compasses, which no initiate is likely to forget, the altar, as well as the various tools and symbols the mason will encounter, as a result of kneeling before it.

Mackey examines the popular belief among scholars of his day that the rites of Freemasonry are remnants of ancient Druids ceremonies, or that at the very least the ceremonies of the two share a common origin, such as the pagan mysteries, travelling Buddhists, or perhaps the Phoenicians. In doing so, he gives an excellent history lesson on who the Druids were and what their initiation ceremonies were like.

Brother Westcott is the perfect man to write on the aims of the Rosicrucians and their relationship to Freemasonry, as he was not only a Mason and a Rosicrucian himself but held the office of supreme magus of the masonic Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia. So, along with a thorough history of how the traditional Rosicrucian Order evolved over hundreds of years, he includes some brief remarks on the much newer S.R.I.A.

Westcott begins by reminding us that when we first enter into our Masonic initiation, as the candidate, we represent the rough ashlar, the unfinished stone. From there, he proceeds to point out a vast number of Biblical references to stones, while reminding us, that the worship of stones is one of the earliest forms of religious observance. Brother Westcott details at great length, examples of the importance of stones throughout history and across the globe.

Though generally unknown to the Entered Apprentice and the Fellow Craft when beginning their journey into Craft Masonry, the character of Hiram Abiff is the principle player in the unfolding drama of the Master Mason degree. Strangely, though, he hasn't always been there. Where did Hiram Abiff come from and when was he incorporated into the mythology of Freemasonry?

Acclaimed masonic writer, W. L. Wilmshurst approaches this topic with fervor, asserting that, "Masonry was not intended to be, and is not, a high-grade Friendly Society and its charitable energies are merely an incident of, and not the motive for, its existence.

Masonic scholar William Wynn Westcott examines the assertion that the ancient religious sect, known as the Essenes, was in many ways a precursor to the Masonic fraternity. In addition to the notable features of brotherly love, relief, truth, morality and universal tolerance, there were much more tangible similarities, such as initiation, oaths, modes of recognition and the reception of an apron upon admittance. Or, at least that's what other Masonic writers would have you believe.

Brother Mackey sets out to dispel the notion that George Washington, the first president of the United States of America, was anything but a Freemason. He provides ample documentary evidence to support what now has become a common claim. But Mackey goes beyond simply showing us proof that Washington's masonic initiation took place; he shows us that George was a Mason in his heart.

This collection of essays by five notable Masonic scholars, discuses the single most important symbol that Freemasonry has. It covers the antiquity as well as the esoteric symbolism of our most valued vestiture and what is often overlooked by those outside of the fraternity: a simple, square, white, lambskin apron.

In order to become a member of the Masonic fraternity, an individual must kneel before the members of a Lodge, while professing their trust in a God of their choosing. As such, while Freemasonry itself is not a religion, it is, without a doubt, spiritually tied to all religions. And, with the building of all great cathedrals and temples to honor the Great Architect of the Universe comes the science of Geometry, which the current author uses to help trace our fraternity's roots to an age when many believe we didn't yet exist.

As any Freemason will tell you, there are certain words, symbols and phrases that one primarily encounters during Masonic ritual. Two notable Masonic authors examine the works of Shakespeare in an effort to determine if there is any merit to the claim of his rumored involvement in Freemasonry, as well as what that might mean for the history and provenance of the Fraternity.

Our first author utilizes aHe explores the marriage of the intellectual and spiritual fire, as well as the egg as a symbol of fertility and its relationship to the new Mason. Brother Darlington wraps up his esoteric analysis by examining how the Christian resurrection may be seen in the initiations of Royal Arch Masonry.

Centuries before whisperings began, of secret knowledge being handed down from the ancient Greeks, through shrouded fraternities such as the Rosicrucians and Freemasons, the Druids were slowly and steadfastly creating priests and philosophers of their own, akin to the Brahmans of India, the Magi of the Persians, as well as the hierophants and scholars of what would eventually become known to the world as the Western Mystery Tradition.

Not simply satisfied with the signs, grips and words of workmen at temples, from a bygone past, the author wants to know what lies beyond these pedestrian tales told to the newly made mason, of our history. Brother Bush engages in justifiable pride examining the mysteries of ancient Egypt and Greece, which span centuries and helped to carve the path, which gave way for our modern fraternity. What are masonry's ties to the ancient Rites of Eleusis?

Freemasonry is a fraternity within a fraternity- an outer organization concealing an inner brotherhood of the elect. Before it is possible to intelligently discuss the origin of the Craft, it is necessary, therefore, to establish the existence of these two separate yet interdependent orders, the one visible and the other invisible.

Harold Voorhis, notable Masonic scholar and former Supreme Magus of the Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis, explores the notion which was only beginning to gain popularity among the fellow masons of his day, that their fraternity is somehow connected through history to the much more elusive and mystical fraternity, commonly known, most often, as simply the Rosicrucians.