User:Basil Rathbone: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
|||
| Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
[[Prince Hall Freemasonry]], which Black men do join, is considered by the vast majority of U.S. Grand Lodges to be 'irregular' and 'clandestine' Masonry. In the U.S. and Canada the majority of membership in the Ku Klux Klan consisted of white Masons of 'Regular' Grand Lodges. In most towns the membership in the local Ku Klux Klan Klavern and the membership in the local white Masonic Lodge was overlapping. |
[[Prince Hall Freemasonry]], which Black men do join, is considered by the vast majority of U.S. Grand Lodges to be 'irregular' and 'clandestine' Masonry. In the U.S. and Canada the majority of membership in the Ku Klux Klan consisted of white Masons of 'Regular' Grand Lodges. In most towns the membership in the local Ku Klux Klan Klavern and the membership in the local white Masonic Lodge was overlapping. |
||
In the traditional Masonic [[obligation|obligations]], a [[Candidate]] called severe physical punishment upon himself should he ever have revealed the secrets of Freemasonry to a non-Freemason. |
|||
==Masonic Secrets== |
|||
The [[Secret society]] of Freemasonry employs demands it's members keep secret both the membership of other Freemasons and any information learned about activity by other Freemasons. Masons must obtain the permission of other Masons before revealing membership or other information about other Masons. |
|||
Additionally Freemasons are required to prefer other Freemasons in hiring, promotions, and business. |
|||
To ensure these rules of internal discipline and secrecy are maintained Freemasonry requires it's members to undertake a number of oaths, and employ a number of secret recognitions signs and words to ensure non-masons do not become aware of Masonic activity or preferement in their immediate surroundings. |
|||
====Signs of the three Degrees==== |
|||
[[Image:Mason_penalsigns.gif|thumb|right|300px|Penal Signs of the three degrees of Masonry]] |
|||
1- Entered Apprentice: Cut my throat and tongue. |
|||
2- Fellow Craft: Cut open my chest, and put my heart and lungs on my left shoulder. |
|||
3- Master Mason: Put my bowels out. |
|||
====Oaths of the three Degrees==== |
|||
1- In the First Degree, Apprentice |
|||
He swears, with his hand on the Bible, "I (name), in the presence of Almighty God, most solemnly promise and swear that I will always hail, ever conceal, and never reveal any of the arts, parts of points of the hidden mysteries of Freemasonry... binding myself under the penalty than that of having my throat cut across, my tongue torn out, and my body buried in the rough sands of the see..." |
|||
2- The Second Degree, Fellow Craft |
|||
He swears on the Bible, in the presence of Almighty God, "under the penalty than of having my breast open... and my heart and lungs thrown over my left shoulder... so help me God". |
|||
3- The Third Degree, Master Mason |
|||
He swears "under the penalty than that of having my body severed in two, my bowels taken from thence and burn to ashes... so help me God". |
|||
====Fourth Degree or Royal Arch Degree==== |
|||
[[Image:Jahbulon_royalarch.gif|thumb|right|200px|Jahbulon, Secret Word of the Royal Arch Degree]] |
|||
This so-called higher degree of Freemasonry is considered by many Masons to be the completion of the first three degrees of Masonry. In North America it is part of the 'York Rite' of Freemasonry. |
|||
The Oath in the Royal Arch goes one beyond that of the Third Degree and does not except murder and treason as is contained in the Master Mason oath; “I will aid and assist a companion Royal Arch Mason, when engaged in any difficulty, and espouse his cause, so far as to extricate him from the same, if in my power, whether he be right or wrong. A companion Royal Arch Mason’s secrets, given me in charge as such, and I knowing him to be such, shall remain as secure and inviolable, in my breast as in his own, murder and treason not excepted.” |
|||
The Secret Word of the Royal Arch is JAHBULON a triparte word displayed on a triangle or delta. The first part JAH represents Yahwah the God of the Hebrews, the second part BUL represents Baal the God of the Babylonians, the third part ON represents Osirus the God of the Egyptians. |
|||
Reports prepared for various Protestant Denominations, including the Church of England, specifically singled this 'secret' word out for attention under the charge of blasphemy, as Baal and Osirus are names sometimes associated with the Devil. The word can be also pronounced Diabolon when including the Greek letter Delta, representing the triangle with the three parts written on each side. |
|||
Revision as of 18:06, 9 February 2006
Status of Negroes in American Freemasonry
U.S. Masonic Grand Lodges have traditionally discriminated against Black men from joining Freemasonry. Today in the U.S. South Grand Lodges south of the 'Mason-Dixon' Line can not count a single Black person among it's membership. In the North and West a similar situation existed up until the 1980's, even with the removal of the stricture against Blacks because Masonry considered them 'men not free born' Masonry is primarily 'white'.
Prince Hall Freemasonry, which Black men do join, is considered by the vast majority of U.S. Grand Lodges to be 'irregular' and 'clandestine' Masonry. In the U.S. and Canada the majority of membership in the Ku Klux Klan consisted of white Masons of 'Regular' Grand Lodges. In most towns the membership in the local Ku Klux Klan Klavern and the membership in the local white Masonic Lodge was overlapping.
In the traditional Masonic obligations, a Candidate called severe physical punishment upon himself should he ever have revealed the secrets of Freemasonry to a non-Freemason.
Masonic Secrets
The Secret society of Freemasonry employs demands it's members keep secret both the membership of other Freemasons and any information learned about activity by other Freemasons. Masons must obtain the permission of other Masons before revealing membership or other information about other Masons.
Additionally Freemasons are required to prefer other Freemasons in hiring, promotions, and business.
To ensure these rules of internal discipline and secrecy are maintained Freemasonry requires it's members to undertake a number of oaths, and employ a number of secret recognitions signs and words to ensure non-masons do not become aware of Masonic activity or preferement in their immediate surroundings.
Signs of the three Degrees
1- Entered Apprentice: Cut my throat and tongue.
2- Fellow Craft: Cut open my chest, and put my heart and lungs on my left shoulder.
3- Master Mason: Put my bowels out.
Oaths of the three Degrees
1- In the First Degree, Apprentice
He swears, with his hand on the Bible, "I (name), in the presence of Almighty God, most solemnly promise and swear that I will always hail, ever conceal, and never reveal any of the arts, parts of points of the hidden mysteries of Freemasonry... binding myself under the penalty than that of having my throat cut across, my tongue torn out, and my body buried in the rough sands of the see..."
2- The Second Degree, Fellow Craft
He swears on the Bible, in the presence of Almighty God, "under the penalty than of having my breast open... and my heart and lungs thrown over my left shoulder... so help me God".
3- The Third Degree, Master Mason
He swears "under the penalty than that of having my body severed in two, my bowels taken from thence and burn to ashes... so help me God".
Fourth Degree or Royal Arch Degree
This so-called higher degree of Freemasonry is considered by many Masons to be the completion of the first three degrees of Masonry. In North America it is part of the 'York Rite' of Freemasonry.
The Oath in the Royal Arch goes one beyond that of the Third Degree and does not except murder and treason as is contained in the Master Mason oath; “I will aid and assist a companion Royal Arch Mason, when engaged in any difficulty, and espouse his cause, so far as to extricate him from the same, if in my power, whether he be right or wrong. A companion Royal Arch Mason’s secrets, given me in charge as such, and I knowing him to be such, shall remain as secure and inviolable, in my breast as in his own, murder and treason not excepted.”
The Secret Word of the Royal Arch is JAHBULON a triparte word displayed on a triangle or delta. The first part JAH represents Yahwah the God of the Hebrews, the second part BUL represents Baal the God of the Babylonians, the third part ON represents Osirus the God of the Egyptians.
Reports prepared for various Protestant Denominations, including the Church of England, specifically singled this 'secret' word out for attention under the charge of blasphemy, as Baal and Osirus are names sometimes associated with the Devil. The word can be also pronounced Diabolon when including the Greek letter Delta, representing the triangle with the three parts written on each side.