Tag Archives: Masonry

Arm, Hammer, Square and Compass

Posted by Marcus Orr on July 17, 2011 No comments

When I was scouting around Pine Hill Cemetery for a blog post last week, I came across these tombstones that I thought had masonic symbolism on them:
IMAG1130 300x200 Arm, Hammer, Square and CompassIMAG1139 300x200 Arm, Hammer, Square and Compass

On each tombstone, you can see, perhaps the most publicly identifiable emblem of freemasonry, the square and compass.  However, the squares and compasses displayed on these tombstones are a bit different than those with which I am familiar.  These contain an arm and hammer in the center.  IMAG1129 300x200 Arm, Hammer, Square and Compass

I just assumed that the arm and hammer was a variation on the traditional masonic symbol, but it isn’t. This emblem belongs to an entirely different fraternal order – The Jr. Order of United American Mechanics.  I learned about the J.O.U.A.M after stumbling across this informative post at “askafreemason.org”, which discussed a ring found at a flea market containing the same symbol.

I had never heard of the Mechanics until I began doing some reading online.  Several Mechanics organizations have existed over the years.  The Order of United American Mechanics began in 1845 in Philadelphia, PA.  The organization was initially called the Union of Workers before changing it’s name to The Order of United American Mechanics.  It was founded as a nativist fraternity that had an anti-immigrant focus.  The O.U.A.M. became the parent organization of the Jr. Order of United American Mechanics which later became the larger of the two organizations and absorbed the O.U.A.M.  Here’s a brief description of the American Mechanics from the Phoenix Masonry Website – also included on that page is a transcript of their degree work which my freemason brothers may find interesting to compare with their own.

I searched for information on the web about Jr. O.U.A.M. activity in Alamance County or Burlington, but was unable to locate much.  Most of the sites that had local references to the organization referred to grave markers or obituaries.  All of the links from the national organization’s webpage to the state and local organizations in NC led to webpages that no longer exist.  The only official NC link to Jr. O.U.A.M. I could find is the American Children’s Home in Lexington, NC.  The children’s home was founded in 1928 as a home for orphans of Jr. O.U.A.M. members, but later accepted abused and neglected children through the Department of Social Services.
If anyone has any information about the Jr. O.U.A.M. involvement in Alamance County, NC, I’d love to know more.

Men in Aprons

Posted by Marcus Orr on July 10, 2011 No comments

geuu 02 img0231 Men in ApronsWhile I’m working, I like to listen to the call-in show, Talkline with Harry Myers on WBAG 1150 AM in Alamance County, NC.  Most of the calls focus on whatever political scandal or news has captured local attention.  I recognize many of the regular callers, as many of them make themselves prominent in the local political scene, but I haven’t been listening long enough to know all of them by name.  This past Tuesday, a caller that I recognize as a regular, but whom I don’t know, grabbed my attention.  He talked about how politicians and people in power are corrupt and how they attained power by corrupt means.  Then, he dropped this little nugget:

“As far as the Democrat and Republican thing, I think it’s one big game.  You know.  And they play against each other to make us feel or think one thing and, we get sucked right into it.  You know.  We need to run these people out of office that’s in office and get rid of the corrupt deceit people that’s wearing these aprons, serving us this poison.  I mean, if y’all can’t read between the lines, you need to do some research.  This country was started and founded by people that wore aprons and they started it with good intentions.  Unfortunately, it has come full circle and it is biting us in the butt.  Get real with what’s going on around you.  Look at the graveyards in your hometowns and see who started those graveyards and what kind of temples are set next to them.  Wake up people.”

You can listen to the call here:

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So, what to make of it?  Has the caller watched or read too many conspiracy theories?

george washington freemason Men in ApronsAny good conspiracy theory needs some elements of truth to it or it would be unbelievable.  The foundations of the United States were undoubtedly influenced heavily by Freemasons and masonic ideals.  Last year, I posted a video of a lecture titled “Freemasonry and the Fabric of America” by Bro. Lee Sherman Dreyfus, 33rd, former Governor of Wisconsin and Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.  Bro. Dreyfus’ lecture provides a good overview of the masonic foundations of America.  But, what about now?  Do Freemasons influence today’s political sphere?  And, more to the point, do they have some nefarious intentions?  That is what some conspiracy theorists, like the caller above, would have you believe.  He presented an interesting perspective – and not necessarily a negative view of Freemasonry as a whole – just a negative view of modern Freemasons.  The caller insinuated that the Freemasons among the Founding Fathers of the United States represented something pure and unadulterated in freemasonry which has since been transformed into something corrupt.  To substantiate his point, he directed the audience’s attention in a quite unusual direction…cemeteries.  Wait, What?

Even though most people could recognize that cemeteries have absolutely nothing to do with today’s political discourse, I decided to indulge the caller.  After church today, I took my family to Pine Hill Cemetery in Burlington, NC to see if I could get a grasp on whatever obscure connection the caller was making.  I think I found something…

We didn’t have time to explore the whole cemetery, but my wife, kids and I located no less than 4 tombstones on the Main St. side of the cemetery which have masonic emblems engraved on them.  (UPDATE: July 17, 2011 – Apparently, two of these are not masonic emblems, they are Jr. Order of United American Mechanics emblems which hijacked the masonic square and compass for their own use.  Read more here).  I took these pictures with my camera phone:

IMAG1133 300x200 Men in ApronsIMAG1130 300x200 Men in Aprons

IMAG1139 300x200 Men in ApronsIMAG1134 300x200 Men in Aprons

There it is.  In the last photo.  Do you see it?  While you can barely make out the weathered square and compass on the top of the tombstone, you can’t miss the masonic temple in the background, Bula Lodge No. 409 A.F.& A.M. to be exact.

IMAG1143 1024x682 Men in ApronsFind Bula Lodge No. 409 on Facebook.

This must be what the caller was talking about.  We found a cemetery with a few tombstones engraved with masonic emblems on Main St. across from a masonic temple.  There must be a smoking gun here somewhere (or not).

I found a brief history of the cemetery.  Pine Hill Cemetery was started in the late 1890s by the newly founded City of Burlington and is city-owned and maintained.  I couldn’t find much more than that on a Sunday afternoon.

I’m not sure what the next step is to unravel this “conspiracy”.  I did what the caller suggested, I looked at and researched the graveyard across the street from the masonic temple.  And now…I’m a bit lost concerning whatever point he was trying to make.  What do you think?  Is there more to it or does the caller need to stop watching “Mysteries of the…” and “Secrets of the…” shows?  If only he knew what epic decisions were being made behind lodge doors…pine mulch or red oak mulch in the flower beds…blue paint or white paint in the bathrooms…subs or pizza for dinner…pancake breakfast or pinto bean supper for a fundraiser?

masonic conspiracy tshirt p235304034093765515trlf 400 Men in Aprons

 

Of course, most of this post has been in jest, but is there some element of truth to it?  To my masonic brethren, I implore you to examine yourself and your lodge.  Do we appear to the community as though we have lost our way and are no longer in touch with the ideals of ancient masonry?  Have we?  Are you finding what you were seeking in the fraternity?  Is it helping you to become a better man or have you found it to be a social club?  Do you take our Craft seriously or is it just a symbol to add to your gravestone or a footnote for your obituary?  Are you as committed to your Masonic labor as those in centuries past who contributed to the mystique of Freemasonry and those who erected the great and intricate temples and lodges?  Those are some questions that I’m considering as I’m reading the book “Observing the Craft: The Pursuit of Excellence in Masonic Labour and Observance” by W.Bro. Andrew Hammer, Master of Alexandria-Washington Lodge No 22.

Here are a few lines from his book to pique your interest:

ObservingTheCraft.Auto Men in Aprons“Each of us came into the Freemasonry for reasons as individual as ourselves.  But many of us came because we were looking for something that offered the opportunity to explore new ideas, and new ways of looking at old ideas.  We came because we thought there might be something in this ancient system that was so valued by good and great men in important times, which connected us to who we are as a modern society.” (p1)

“many of the new men who are coming into the Craft are coming to it in search of something.  They’re not here because their friends have done it, or their families, or because it has any sort of social cachet with the community.  We are living in an age of renewed inquisitiveness about the nature of things, and these men find something in our historical mystique that speaks to their souls, that calls them to seek us out for our meaning and philosophy, not mummery and philanthropy.” (p71)

“Observance is both a state of mind that manifests itself through a set of actions, and a set of actions which cultivate a specific state of mind.  The overall experience, when done properly, creates a sense of deep fulfillment and almost other-worldly atmosphere within the Lodge and among the brethren involved. (p8)shot1 01 Men in Aprons

“For too long it seems as if we have been at refreshment, doing only the minimum to keep our lodges in existence, focusing on picnics, projects and pastimes which are removed from anything Masonic.  Like Esau, we have been too willing to sell our birthright – a birthright of pioneering minds in serious pursuit of moral, social and philosophical light – for a quick and easy stew that satisfies only the immediate hunger of the moment. (p144)

I encourage you to pick up a copy of W.Bro. Hammer’s book, especially if you serve as an officer in your lodge.  It contains much that is worthy of consideration and discussion among the brethren of your lodge.  I don’t know about you, but I came seeking the light that was borne by our forefathers…the history, philosophy, decorum and ritual that shaped the founding of our great democracy.  It is my hope that I, along with my brother Freemasons, will seek to preserve the ideals of our ancient society through a pursuit of excellence in their masonic labor.

2b1ask1 Men in Aprons

 

 

Freemasonry & Christianity: A Televised Debate between W. Bro. Robert A. Gilbert & Rev. John Otis

Posted by Marcus Orr on December 31, 2010 No comments

While doing some web surfing, I came across a series of videos of a televised debate concerning the compatibility of Freemasonry and Christianity which aired on the UK satellite channel Revelation TV.  The debate involved Worshipful Brother Robert A. Gilbert and Reverend John Otis.  The videos are embedded below, but first an introduction to the participants:

W. Bro. Gilbert is a writer, editor and speaker.  He is Past Master of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076.  In 1997, He served as the Prestonian Lecturer for the United Grand Lodge of England.  He also served as editor of the masonic research journal Ars Quatour Coronotorum.

Rev. John Otis is Pastor of Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church, a church plant in Graham, NC affiliated with the Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church (CRPC) denomination.  He is the author of several books, including Unveiling Freemasonry’s Idolatry, which are self-published under his own publishing label Triumphant Publications.

What originally captured my attention, beyond my personal interest as both a Christian and Freemason, is the proximity of Rev. Otis’ church plant to my home, especially as my wife and I seek a church home.  Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church is meeting about a mile from my house in the chapel of Alamance Christian School, where both my wife and I were students.  I found the church website, which led me to Rev. Otis’ Triumphant Publications website and, in turn, to the debate videos.  For now, I’ve decided not to visit Rev. Otis’ church for a couple of reasons: First, I’m a bit wary of pastors who self-publish under their own label – it seems a bit egotistical and possibly a sign that their work may have been unaccepted by mainstream publishing houses; Second, I saw and heard enough in the debate to give me the impression that Rev. Otis’ understanding and application of the Christian Faith may be similar to the abusive fundamentalism that I am trying to avoid in selecting a church home.

While I don’t agree with Rev. Otis’ conclusions about Freemasonry, healthy debate is good for promoting understanding.  W. Bro. Gilbert had the more difficult position to present as most know much about Christianity and very little about Freemasonry.  In my experience, the average person’s knowledge of Freemasonry is limited to what they have seen on television.  I like to explain it this way…what if your only understanding of Christ was how He is presented on the History Channel, would you really know Christ?  Now consider that statement in relation to Freemasonry.  Keep that in mind as you watch…

My commentary on the debate is brief.  I believe that W. Bro. Gilbert did an excellent job presenting accurate information about Freemasonry.  I am disappointed that Rev. Otis bases the majority of his critique of masonry on hand-selected quotes from authors that, while they are prolific writers on masonic topics, are not authoritative for Freemasonry.  One point raised by Rev. Otis concerning a quote he took from Albert Pike’s Morals and Dogma was particularly frustrating to watch.  Following a familiar established pattern of anti-masons, Rev. Otis took Pike’s quote completely out of context and threw it out like it was a definitive proof of his viewpoint. Unsurprisingly, W. Bro. Gilbert was unprepared to respond as he was unfamiliar with the quote, as are most masons.  Pike is one of the most voluminous masonic writers and Morals and Dogma is perhaps his greatest work.  However, Neither Pike nor Morals and Dogma speak for Freemasonry.  Even the introduction to Morals and Dogma contains this preface from the Supreme Council of the Thirty-Third Degree for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States,

“In preparing this work, the Grand Commander has been about equally Author and Compiler; since he has extracted quite half its contents from the works of the best writers and most philosophic or eloquent thinkers.  Perhaps it would have been better and more acceptable if he had extracted more and written less…The teachings of these Readings are not sacramental, so far as the go beyond the realm of Morality into those of other domains of Thought and Truth.  The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite uses the word “Dogma” in its true sense, of doctrine, or teaching; and is not dogmatic in the odious sense of that term.  Every one is entirely free to reject and dissent from whatsoever herein may seem to him to be untrue or unsound.”

Even Pike’s peers knew he could be a bit “out there” and difficult to comprehend.  When considering Freemasonry and Christianity, I suggest the same approach recommended by the Supreme Council to the readers of Morals and Dogma…

“Weigh what is taught, and give it fair hearing and unprejudiced judgment.”

As I conclude this post, 2010 comes to a close and 2011 arrives.

To all my Christian brethren and Masonic brethren,

May the Lord bless your endeavors and grant health and happiness to you and your families in the new year.

Fraternally Yours,

Rev. Bro. Marcus S. Orr, Chaplain

Thomas M. Holt Lodge A.F. & A. M. No. 492

2b1ask1 Freemasonry & Christianity: A Televised Debate between W. Bro. Robert A. Gilbert & Rev. John Otis

 

Freemasonry and Christianity Questions

Posted by Marcus Orr on June 28, 2010 1 comment

I received a comment on a recent post regarding some aspects of freemasonry.  I didn’t intend to write a dissertation on the subject, but couldn’t answer the questions adequately in the confines of the comment section.  I elected instead to devote an entire post to answering the questions.  I won’t even pretend to claim I’ve written an exhaustive reply.  I also don’t claim to have the most well-reasoned or developed answers to the reader’s questions.  There are much more intelligent men than I that have written volumes on the subject. For the purposes of providing some of my perspective and understanding of freemasonry and christianity, I’ve written this post.

Here are Bill’s comments/questions which followed my post, A Practical Theology of Brewing:

Friend, I just posted above and then read some of your other posts. I was surprised to read that you were entering Freemasonry. You should seek the advice of some of the men whose blogs you read on this. I’ll not rehash what you have surely already studied on the subject, but if God is the focus of Freemasonry, why keep it secret? Also, why can Masons use a Quran or a Book of Mormon instead of a Bible? Do all paths lead to God or is Jesus the only way? I can’t help but think that your tagline should be reversed and that you are going back into darkness.

Bill

And my reply,

Bill, thanks for your thoughtful questions.  You are correct to assume that I’ve studied quite a bit on Freemasonry, including Christian and secular perspectives, both pro and con.  Freemasonry is unique, interesting and hard to define.  There is nothing else quite like it.  It has been described a “beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.”  It is religious without being a religion.  I believe that most people find contention with freemasonry as a system philosophy and ethics rather than the fraternal aspects.
To answer some of your other questions…

If God is the focus of masonry, why keep it secret?
I don’t believe God to be the focus of Freemasonry.  However, expressed belief in God is required.  In my experience, I have found the focus of Freemasonry to be friendship, fellowship, benevolence and ethical development.  There are secrets in masonry.  Well, not really.  Even the most basic search on the internet or in the library will find the “secrets.”  Masons do oblige themselves not to reveal the “secrets” and for good reason, I believe.   I’m presently reading a book called “Born in Blood:  The Lost Secrets of Freemasonry” by historian John J. Robinson.  It’s a good book.  The origins of freemasonry have truly been lost.  No one truly knows whether modern speculative masonry developed from medieval operative stonemason guilds or from some other source.  However, Robinson makes a good argument for a connection between freemasonry with the disbanded and outlawed templar knights.  If Robinson is correct in his theory, many of the “secrets” and other aspect of masonry are easily understood.  He believed that the templar knights, on the run from both the church and the state found the mobility and secrecy of the stonemason guilds to be ideal for forming a “hidden network” within which they could survive.  This also leads into your other question…

Why can masons use a Quran or a Book of Mormon instead of a Bible?
If the templar connection were to be true, we are referencing a period of time in which a belief in God is necessary to undertake any kind of obligation.  Given that masonry seems to have developed in late medieval to early modern England and Scotland, it seems that a belief in the Christian God would have been a necessity.  However, there could have been problems even with choosing your christian perspective of God in a time when the country transitioned repeatedly between catholic, anglican and protestant monarchs.  An expressed belief in God seems sufficient for men who were under persecution from the church, had already lost peers to the inquisition and were facing the same tortures themselves if captured.  This tradition has survived in modern freemasonry and candidates must only declare their belief in God as atheists are not admitted (except in France, but that’s a much more extensive subject).  I’ve never been in a lodge that has used a Qur’an, Book of Moron, Talmud, Hindu Veda, Baghavad Gita, or the Five Classics.  I imagine without a doubt that such lodges exist in more diversely populated areas of the country than where I live.  I don’t have a problem with this.  Just as I don’t have a problem with the military, hospital or disaster relief chaplain who publicly prays in “the name of God” without specificity.  Whether in the lodge or in the public forum, the message conveyed is usually an acknowledgement of God’s sovereignty over man’s affairs.  It is the same way in a masonic lodge; God and His sovereignty and provision are publicly acknowledged before engaging in the business of the lodge.  This is much different than the forum of a church service for which the attendees are there for the stated purpose of worship.

Do all paths lead to God or is Jesus the only way?
All paths do not lead to God.  Jesus is the only way.  Masonry teaches neither because it doesn’t teach how to reach God, but rather how to live among men.  In accomplishing this, masonry uses allegory derived from biblical texts and concepts.  This shouldn’t be surprising considering that masonry developed in a predominantly Christian society.  From my perspective, it would seem that the muslim or hindu would find more objection in the allegory of masonry than would a Christian.  The symbolism of masonry is also an important teaching tool, but relates more to one’s relationship with mankind than with God.  For example, the mason’s tools, created for working in stone, are re-purposed for teaching ethical living which God requires (regardless of the faith to which one subscribes) of all mankind.  Some of these symbols have become common usage in our culture…on the level…on the square and convey the same message.  When we ask someone to “level with us” we are asking for them to be honest with us.  When we say that we got a “square deal” we understand that it means a fair transaction.  By no means to I believe that masonry is in any way superior to Christianity or biblical teaching.  But it can offer different perspectives within which to understand my own beliefs.  As a Christian, I can contemplate the mason’s square and examine whether my dealings with others are fair and consistent with my faith.

Ex Tenebris Lux
You mentioned my current tagline – Ex Tenebris Lux – or – Out of Darkness, Light.  Light is an interesting discussion, particularly to the Christian.  It is a recurring theme in Scripture from beginning to end.  The first recorded words of God are “Let there be light.”  King David says, “For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.” (2 Sam 22:29) and “The LORD is my light and my salvation” (Ps 27:1).  The psalmist says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Ps 119:105).  Christ describes his followers as light when he says, “Ye are the light of the world” (Mat 5:14).  John speaks of Christ, saying, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4).  Jesus says, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).  One of the most famous passages in Scripture using the symbolism of light is also from John,

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and  in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 Jn 1:5-8)

Like many words, light can take on different meanings depending on the context in which it is used.  It can be understood to be literal light, knowledge, guidance, revelation, understanding, holiness, and I’m sure many more usages than I’ve listed here.  Light also plays a part in masonic allegory as one “seeks light.”  My understanding of this search is that it is a search for knowledge of oneself through circumspection and self examination.  I have heard some criticism of this aspect of masonry accompanied by the declaration of Jesus, “I am the light.”  I’m always skeptical when someone pulls out a singular statement from Scripture to make a point without placing it in the context of Scripture.  If I were engaged in a difficult task at work and asked my superior to “light the way”, it would not be a challenge to Christ’s claim as “the light.”  It would merely be another symbolic usage of the language.  That is one of the reasons I like the phrase, “Ex Tenebris Lux.”  It can take on many meanings.  It can allude to the light of Christ in whom my salvation is secured.  It can represent the light of Scripture which is the rule and guide of my faith.  It can even represent gaining or sharing knowledge which is new to me, such as personal experiences (like learning to brew) or interesting facts or news.

I hope that this is helpful in answering some of your questions from my perspective.

2b1ask1 Freemasonry and Christianity Questions

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The Man Who Would Be King

Posted by Marcus Orr on April 18, 2010 No comments

I came across a great movie the other day.  The Man Who Would Be King (1975) starring Sean Connery, Michael Caine and Christopher Plummer.  It’s a fascinating story of two former British soldiers who aspire to maneuver themselves into power and become “kings” in Kafiristan, where “no white man has set foot since Alexander.”  This is a must-see movie for Masons.  Masonic references abound and eventually take a central role in the movie.

Here’s a peek:

 

The movie even inspired me to start growing a beard like Sean Connery’s.  I just wish I could grow it out more.  Unfortunately, I have to shave before I go back to work tomorrow.

 

 

manwhowouldbeking lcon2 The Man Who Would Be KingMarcBeard The Man Who Would Be King

 

Why can’t I have a beard and be a cop too?  Take a look at the old photos of police officers and deputies of the last 100 years and many of them had beards.  I vote we turn back the clock a bit and make beards, mustaches or at least some big sideburns requisite for police work.

2b1ask1 The Man Who Would Be King