A Brother Asks: Masonry's Beginnings - It's Not What You Think

 

A Brother Asks: Franklin states that masonry began with Nimrod and the tower of Babel instead of with King Solomon and Hiram Abiff. I have an original copy (this is a screenshot shown). Manly P Hall's book "Freemasonry of the Ancient Egyptians" also backs this theory of an older age.   

What can you tell me about this excerpt from JH Franklin's 1910 book called "The Rebuilding of King Solomon's Temple?"

Coach:  The challenge that all Freemasons (and interested others) face is breaking through the veil of allegory offered by both the fraternity and authors who write about it.   

This author presents his best thoughts as if it is a possible historical account.  It is presented this way but it is not the right focus.  You must get it into your head that what the author offers must be understood symbolically if it is to have any assistance to you as a aspiring Mason!

Let me emphasis this again. When you want to comprehend this passage in Franklin’s book (and MPH’s works as well) and do so within the context of Masonic Development, you MUST stop thinking linearly and historically! It's all symbolic!

Let me break it down for you.

1. Our Masonic Purpose (as stated in our first degree and written out in plain text in our monitors) is to erect a spiritual building and to do so agreeably to God’s rules & designs. This building is not the temple that must be completed that is referred to in the 3rd degree. It is an entirely different construction. The temple in the third degree is merely a necessary precursor to this second building.
   
   
2. To accomplish the spiritual building construction, you MUST understand God's Word (Our Master's Word!) Any and all Babel present within you will prevent this from occurring. Your Masonry begins with you understanding that Babel exists, that it is WITHIN YOU, and this Babel must be removed to accomplish your Masonic Purpose!
   
   
3. Your Work proceeds by committing to a Masonic Mission: Deconstruct your Tower of Babel and Build within you the Order you need to accomplish your Masonic Purpose!

This means...

1. Bringing Order to your Heart, and then
   
   
2. Bringing Order to your Mind.   

To accomplish this you must do the Work espoused by the first two degrees!

Once this Work is completed, you then will recognize TheMaster’s Word and seek to understand it so as to glean God’s rules & designs so that you can use them both to erect your spiritual building.

You cannot to this without dealing with your own personal Tower of Babel!  

Once recognized, your Masonic Work has begun!

 

 

A Brother Asks: When is the Temple going to be completed?

 

A Brother Asks: When is the Temple going to be completed?

Coach: The Temple referred to in the 3rd degree should have been completed prior to knocking on the inner door for the third time. 

Brother: Really?

Coach: Yes. If it wasn't completed, then the candidate is the very ruffian the drama acts out.

Brother: How's that?

Coach: If the Brother didn't complete his temple - the Work spelled out by the first and second degree - he is coming into the degree expecting to receive something he has yet to earn... just like the drama's ruffians!

Brother: But I'm talking about the Spiritual Building. 

Coach: Oh! The Spiritual Building referred to in the first degree is to be started only after the Master's Word can be understood, and not before. Any effort to build it before hand will fail due to infidelity.

Brother: Not before? Why is that? 

Coach: That's because until one completes the Temple referred to in the 3rd degree the Master's Word cannot be understood. It could be put right in front of a man, but it will not be understood for what it offers.

Brother: Wow!

Coach: Furthermore, without the Master's Word, no Spiritual Building can even begin to be started.

Brother: Why?

Coach: Because you cannot build without knowing the building rules & designs! 

Brother: So, when will the spiritual building be completed? 

Coach: Only after one erects it agreeably to God's Rules & Designs.

For More Light:

 The Craft Mastered

For Further Light: 

Completing the Temple

 
 

 

 

 

A Brother Asks: TOP TEN QUESTION MASTER MASONS CAN ANSWER?

 

A Brother Asks: Hey, Coach!  I just got raised and want to continue exploring ritual.  What are some of the questions that Master Masons ought to be able to answer?

Coach:  First off, congratulations on your recent Raising!  Secondly, Great Question, Bro.!  It means you're still seeking further Light  and are not settling on just wearing the Master Mason title - Kudos! 

In light of your question, here are but a few of the many questions that Master Masons should be able to to answer fully had they actually done the Work of the first and second degrees and thought through what was offered to them by the third degree experience.

As you continue your quest, you'll hopefully be able to answer them for yourself.

--------------

THE TOP TEN QUESTION 
MASTER MASONS CAN ANSWER
(WHEN THEY ACTUALLY DID
WHAT THE FIRST TWO DEGREES
TOLD THEM TO DO!)

Question #10: What does the term, “The Work that Makes Good Men Better” mean?

Question #9: How and why does being a Ruffian keep him from knowing The Master's Word, and why can no one ever provide understanding of The Master's Word to a Ruffian?

Question #8: To what does the term, "The Temple of Solomon" refer in the Development of Master Masons?

Question #7: How does one Complete one's Temple?

Question #6: What is a Spiritual Building, how does it differ from the Completed Temple, and which one is required to build the other?

Question #5: What are the Secrets of a Master Mason, how are they brought forth, and how do they differ from The Master's Word? 

Question #4: What do the Secrets of a Master Mason have to do with understanding The Master's Word?

Question #3: What is our Masonic Purpose and where can one find that purpose within the first Craft Lodge Degree?

Question #2: What does the Master's Word have to do with our Masonic Purpose?

Question #1: Where do we find The Master's Word and how does one prepare oneself to understand it?

---------------

On a lighter note, you can find your answers to these and other questions by either doing the actual Work that the first two degrees direct you to do and then applying what you built toward what was offered to you by the third degree experience.  Complementing this course of action, reading good books on the subjects, or attending the next Building Better Builders Workshops to understand what that Work actually is can greatly enhance your efforts. 

Brother: Coach! What is this Building Better Builders Workshop that you refer to?

Coach: Ah!  Another Great Question!

This Workshop is a special program that was developed specifically for the planned for Grand Lodge of Florida's OFFICER'S TRAINING PROGRAM and was put together in early 2023 by the request of a member of the Florida Grand Line.

It was designed to Facilitate a Better Understanding of What is Hidden in Plain Sight, How to Access It, and How to Apply It in Lodge and in Life.

Brother: What can I expect if I attended it?

Coach: Here's what you can expect by attending!

RITUAL 101:
Understanding & Communicating Its Importance
to Member Interest, Recruitment, & Retention

Understanding Ritual is crucial to understanding the purpose of our Masonic involvement.  Those members who have in-depth understanding of Ritual, its meaning, and its purpose in “making good men better” are positioned as both organizational examples and well-springs for members who want to strengthen themselves and to maximize their participation in organizational fellowship, ceremony, and beyond. 

The BBB Workshops focus upon applications of Critical thinking & analysis, the Socratic Method, and the Trivium to Ritual to support Masonic pursuits, membership recruiting & member retention.

It includes, but is not be limited to, the following areas of focus:

1) Interpretation Basics and Improvement
2) Esotericism - Organizational & Personal
3) Realizing Masonic Perfection in an Imperfect World
4) The 11 EA Working Tools (Yes, ELEVEN!!!!)
5) The Actual Master's Word and not some mis-undestood Substitute!
6) Completing Your Temple & Beyond

All that is offered to the attendees is intended to help them recognize, understand, and be able to explain the answers to these ten questions, and much more.

Brother: WOW!  That's a lot!

Coach: Yes, and you'll be able to answer those question that all Master Masons should be able to answer.

Brother:  When is the next one planned?

Coach: The next BBB Workshop is occurring in Temple TX on August 26, 2023.