“Understanding Manhood in America” By Robert G Davis
$19.95
Two of the most important subjects that Davis discusses are those of marriage and fatherhood. The challenges and rewards of being a husband and a father are great. As Davis notes, too many of us had poor role models of what it means to be either a husband or a father. Rather than working on the issues that exist in these complex relationships, all too often men choose to simply walk away. Davis suggests this happens because these men are acting as they observed their fathers having acted. However, Davis is also quick to say that the modern man must rise above that if he is to grasp what it means to be a man. The road to the “mature masculine” is not the “easy road”; it is one of work, responsibility and perseverance.
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“Freemasons For Dummies” by Christopher Hodapp
Fascinated by Freemasons? Freemasons For Dummies is the internationally best-selling introduction to the Masons, the oldest and largest “secret society” in the world. This balanced, eye-opening guide demystifies Freemasonry, explaining everything from its elaborate rituals and cryptic rites, to its curious symbols and their meanings. Find out what goes on in a Masonic meeting. You’ll understand the true purposes of Masonic “secrecy” and philosophy, meet famous Masons throughout history, and discover related organizations like the Knights Templar, the Scottish Rite, Order of the Eastern Star, and the Shriners. Explore the controversies and conspiracy theories that swirl around this organization at the center of Dan Brown’s novel The Lost Symbol, and discover the changes coming to the Craft.
“Myth, Magick & Masonry” By Jaime Lamb
Myth, Magick, & Masonry is scholarly badge of a worthy brother’s pursuit of the mysteries of Freemasonry. Brother Jaime Lamb has produced a succinct academic work which at once inspires the reader with the most exalted ideas of the Craft and pleases the academy of Masonic thought by rigorous and faithful sourcing. Though at times Bro. Lamb may seem to reach a little too far for a correspondence or analogy, but the extent of his grip is supported by dutiful research,sincere speculation, and an obvious love for the Gentle Craft.
Brother Lamb does a good job where many authors of esoterica fall short: he properly puts his work within a reasonable scope. Deep into the book, he reiterates the purpose of his work as he dives into Mithraism’s commonalities with Freemasonry.
“As we examine the body of correspondences existing between Freemasonry and Mithraism, it is important to bear in mind that it is not the purpose of this work to endeavor to establish an uninterrupted lineage, nor to imply any kind of direct cultural inheritance – an argument of this sort would, of course, require a detailed anthropological study beyond the scope of the present work – we are merely highlighting a set of commonalities which, it is hoped, will serve to provide substance for further contemplation.”
This quote and others like it serve to ground the lofty ideas of Myth, Magick, & Masonry, giving them some academic credibility. With a well balanced balanced approach and four sections delegated to frame Bro. Lamb’s thoughts within the book, the text is approachable without losing its mental rigor.
Each section begins with a quote not unlike the one above, stating the section’s purpose and overall scope. He then executes due diligence by providing background information on his various subjects, which include the tenets of Freemasonry, a cursory introduction to Western Astrology, a crash course in Mithraism, and a cursory overview of various other mainstream Western esoteric concepts and systems.
Bro. Lamb did not go dangerously deep into any one abstract subject, but rather delved just enough under the surface to represent the validity of his observations, all the more enticing the appetite of the contemplative Mason. After setting the stage for the premise of each section, Bro. Lamb pulls from the likes of Campbell, Jung, and Manly P. Hall to support his observations. Other behemoths of Western Esoteric thought are referenced throughout including Levi, Pike, and Regardie. And even further, the more niche Freemasonic, Mithraic, and Hermetic subjects got their scholarly nod. Though I did not necessarily agree with all of his correspondences or points, the author’s earnest tone and prolific referencing forced me to consider his position.
One will not find any magick formula or practical exercises in this short book. However, one will see a variety of new sign posts and helpful hints on the Masonic path. Though all the sign posts might not be what anyone one brother may be able to read or provide information about a destination that he is interested in, the broad scope and plentiful references will surely provide the reader with tools and information that would have only been otherwise obtained through in-depth research and analysis.
As a Brother who has thought about such esoteric subjects within and without the Lodge, I found Bro. Lamb’s work to be supportive and thought provoking. There were many points that I had not considered, and also a multitude of references and sources that I will surely keep handy in my future endeavors of Masonic exploration. For myself personally, I found comfort and encouragement in finding another brother that was traveling East on a road not dissimilar to my own. To see a modern take on a subject often reserved for yesterday’s pen is an inspiring thing indeed.
Myth, Magick, & Masonry is not the be-all end-all of Masonic esoterica. It is, however, an extremely useful and laudable work that binds the wandering thoughts of modern Masonry and links them to other esoteric schools of thought in a cohesive and digestible fashion. This book deserves a spot next to Meaning of Masonry and Secret Teachings of All Ages, to serve the contemporary Mason in framing his lofty thoughts.
– Review by Brother Thom Carter
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“Freemasonry: A Journey Through Ritual and Symbol” by W. Kirk McNulty
Explores the origins, development, rituals, and symbolism of Freemasonry, and examines Freemasonry as part of a tradition of Western mysticism going back to the Middle Ages
“Some Royal Arch Terms Examined” by Roy A. Wells
Chapter rituals contain many biblical references and Hebrew words which to most brethren and companions are quite meaningless. This book is the result of long periods of research over a wide field into the biblical source and Hebrew origin of many of these words. The author shows the strong connections between the marginal notes of the Geneva Bibles and their influence on the work of the early Masonic compilers and writers. None of the terms are in any way treated in context but all are brought under scholarly scrutiny regarding their use in the Bible text and the probable object in their Masonic appearance. Such words as Mahabone, Giblim, Rabboni and expressions such as Ammi Ruhamah and I am That I am are all examined in depth from their early appearances and their alternative forms. The application of certain phrases to denote Trinitarianism is well reasoned and ably supported. With illustrations to supply useful visual aid, this whole exercise is one of intense interest and fascination This is an enlarged second edition with additional material included. Chapters covering the Triple Tau the names given to the triangle are of particular importance. The author has also included a guide to pronunciation which will appeal to all Royal Arch Companions. Includes a chart of variations of words used in various rituals and documents. From Gnostic texts to the Kirkwall scroll this book also gives a comprehensive overview of the occurrence of words and symbols in ancient works.
“Sworn In Secret: Freemasonry and the Knights Templar” by Sanford Holst
This exploration of the remarkable people and influential activities of the Knights Templar and Freemasonry is truly stunning. It sheds considerable new light on how the practices, symbols and rituals of these two brotherhoods took shape and affected the world around them.
“Born in Blood” began this work before its author passed away in 1996. Now historian Sanford Holst has gathered many more discoveries and internal documents that give a deeper look into the workings of the Templars and Freemasons. The roots of Masonry are traced to Solomon’s Temple, the rise of Christianity, and the Crusades, causing this society’s relationships with stonemasons and the Templars to take on new and significant meaning. We come to see how actions by Templars and Masons affected the fall of kings in Europe, the rise of democracy, and the Vatican’s loss of its supreme position atop the Christian world. After Masonry emerged into public view in 1717, it had a strong influence on George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and other Masons who worked to create a new country in America.
These experiences are seen through the eyes of people who lived through the actual events — often told in their own words and drawn from remarkable collections of records dating from those times. A tantalizing question is asked: what practices among the Templars and Masons still affect our lives today? This well-documented look inside the secretive Templar and Masonic societies provides answers that may surprise you.
“Committed to the Flames: The History and Rituals of a Secret Masonic Rite” by Arturo de Hoyos and S. Brent Morris
In 1826 Robert Benjamin Folger, a recent graduate of medical school and a new Master Mason, filled a book with the enciphered Craft rituals of the Rectified Scottish Rite, a high-grade revision of the rite of Strict Observance. well-known in Europe but unknown in the UNited States. His introduction directed thatthe rituals be “committed to the Flames” upon his death. FOrtunatley for Masonic historians instructions were not followed. Folger went on to prepare at least two other books of rituals. A man of tremendous talents, strongpassions, and curious contradictions, Folger was twice expelled from Masonry by the Grand Lodge of New York and participated in at least six clandestine Supreme Councils, but died a Master Mason in good standing. The book gives full transcriptions of all og his rituals, an analysis of their place in Masonry and biographies of Folger and his major contemporaries in his Masonic work.
“Hero of a Thousand Faces” by Joseph Campbell
Since its release in 1949, The Hero with a Thousand Faces has influenced millions of readers by combining the insights of modern psychology with Joseph Campbell’s revolutionary understanding of comparative mythology. In these pages, Campbell outlines the Hero’s Journey, a universal motif of adventure and transformation that runs through virtually all of the world’s mythic traditions. He also explores the Cosmogonic Cycle, the mythic pattern of world creation and destruction.
As part of the Joseph Campbell Foundation’s Collected Works of Joseph Campbell, this third edition features expanded illustrations, a comprehensive bibliography, and more accessible sidebars.
As relevant today as when it was first published, The Hero with a Thousand Faces continues to find new audiences in fields ranging from religion and anthropology to literature and film studies. The book has also profoundly influenced creative artists—including authors, songwriters, game designers, and filmmakers—and continues to inspire all those interested in the inherent human need to tell stories.
“The Genesis of Freemasonry” By David Harrison
This book is a revealing but thoroughly enjoyable journey through the intricate history of English Freemasonry. Historian Dr. David Harrison reconstructs the hidden history of the movement, tracing its roots through a mixture of mediaeval guild societies, alchemy and necromancy. He examines the earliest known Freemasons and their obsessions with Solomon s Temple, alchemy, and prophecy, to the formation of the Grand Lodge in London, which in turn led to rebellions within the Craft throughout England. Harrison also analyzes the role of French immigrant, Dr Jean Theophilus Desaguliers in the development of English Freemasonry, focusing on his involvement with the formation of the mysterious modern Masonic ritual. All Freemasons and more general readers will find much of interest in this fascinating exploration of the very beginnings of Freemasonry, still one of the most mysterious brotherhoods in the world.