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Freemasonry: Illustrated History Of The Once Secret Order
Traces the fascinating subject of Freemasonry from its legendary roots to its modern status as the shadowy agency behind every popular conspiracy known to man, and leaves no stone unturned in the quest for the truth.
192 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2006
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March 6, 2019
This actually wasn't so bad. As a coffee table book I wasn't expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised.
The book takes what I would call the 'history channel documentary' format by covering all the most salacious and unproven aspects of Masonic history such as the Templar descent hypothesis, the disastrous P2 lodge conspiracy, theories about Jack the Ripper, & the bad blood between Catholicism and Freemasonry. But despite this, it still manages to chart a pretty mature and balanced course through these unfriendly waters. I get the feeling that the author is rather sympathetic to the ideals of Freemasonry. He makes sure to point out when information is unproven, unlikely, or where facts are severely lacking. While discussing controversies concerning Masons he will often drops a line about the men involved not living out the principles taught in Freemasonry. This is as fair of treatment as one could hope for from a book such as this.
I was genuinely very impressed by the chapter on Speculative Masonry near the end of the book, which outlined a psychological and philosophical interpretation of the symbolism of the tracing boards and working tools for each degree. Masonry is primarily an ethical system, designed for practical use in the life and improvement of the individual, and I found the author to have a really firm grasp on the principles involved, many of which are easy to interpret in mundane or misleading ways, but which were treated with respect and erudition. His explanations of the point within the circle and the necessity for us to identify with the point in the center, not with the particular manifestation on the circumference, was especially good.
As someone who has read many dozens of books on Freemasonry, it is clear to me that I am not this book's target audience. This book would be of use to have lying around at lodge socials, or other lodge events open the the public, or given to a friend who has an interest in conspiracies, because it treats on popular subjects while sneaking in a healthy dose of true and useful information as well.
The book takes what I would call the 'history channel documentary' format by covering all the most salacious and unproven aspects of Masonic history such as the Templar descent hypothesis, the disastrous P2 lodge conspiracy, theories about Jack the Ripper, & the bad blood between Catholicism and Freemasonry. But despite this, it still manages to chart a pretty mature and balanced course through these unfriendly waters. I get the feeling that the author is rather sympathetic to the ideals of Freemasonry. He makes sure to point out when information is unproven, unlikely, or where facts are severely lacking. While discussing controversies concerning Masons he will often drops a line about the men involved not living out the principles taught in Freemasonry. This is as fair of treatment as one could hope for from a book such as this.
I was genuinely very impressed by the chapter on Speculative Masonry near the end of the book, which outlined a psychological and philosophical interpretation of the symbolism of the tracing boards and working tools for each degree. Masonry is primarily an ethical system, designed for practical use in the life and improvement of the individual, and I found the author to have a really firm grasp on the principles involved, many of which are easy to interpret in mundane or misleading ways, but which were treated with respect and erudition. His explanations of the point within the circle and the necessity for us to identify with the point in the center, not with the particular manifestation on the circumference, was especially good.
As someone who has read many dozens of books on Freemasonry, it is clear to me that I am not this book's target audience. This book would be of use to have lying around at lodge socials, or other lodge events open the the public, or given to a friend who has an interest in conspiracies, because it treats on popular subjects while sneaking in a healthy dose of true and useful information as well.
Displaying 1 of 1 review