The 2022 North Carolina Middle Chamber education series: My Own Hero’s Journey in Masonic Education - Part Three

by Midnight Freemason Contributor
Bro. Randy Sanders



Part Three of Three: Master Mason

Planning for the Middle Chamber sessions began for me in January when I first began conversations on this topic with Brother Matt. I originally planned to drive each session as yes, twelve hours is a long drive but certainly doable, and I have a very comfortable truck that affords me the luxury of not being exhausted at the end of such a drive. However, my inability to fly this year to Esotericon left me with some unused flight credits on Southwest Airlines. Weighing the thunderstorms and the wrong way driver I encountered the previous trip, I opted to take my chances with flight delays and a lack of pilots instead.

I flew into Raleigh-Durham airport, and Brother Matt who lives in Raleigh graciously volunteered to pick me up and drive us to Greensboro. While St. Louis airport was busy but navigable, there was an eerie lack of people at RDU. I inquired of a local TSA agent about the use of Clear and Pre-Check, and he gave me an amused answer of there was no Clear at RDU as there wasn’t enough traffic. I caught up on some reading in the terminal until Brother Matt could get off work. The time spent with Brother Matt was well worth the entire trip, and to add the capstone Middle Chamber class on top? Pure magic. Brother Matt and I might have found JR Cigars giant outlet warehouse (giant walk-in humidor, multiple display stands of closeout deals…) on the way to Greensboro.


We arrived at the hotel again this trip well ahead of the gathering, and the Brothers already onsite proactively grabbed a table at the sports bar. The Brothers were just as excited as we were to begin the evening’s festivities. We were early to the bar and late to the party it seemed. After dinner, we retired to the bar’s outdoor patio instead of the April trip’s poolside tables and chairs. This was nice in that we continued to get good service, but the bar converts to a karaoke and DJ setup later in the evening.  There may have been a few cigars out on that patio along with the steady service from the bar until close to midnight when it was definitely time to no longer be around the karaoke.

The Master Mason class started again on time, and this presented a bit of a challenge as the side entrance to the temple that we normally used led into a dining hall being used to proctor their certified lecturer testing. We kept as quiet as possible to avoid disturbing the test takers and made our way up into the lodge room. The capstone class was memorable and somewhat eye-opening. I took notes just as I had previously, this time taking 14 pages of notes throughout the day. Some of these were observational, some were items I thought were interesting in how they were presented, and some were insights I remembered from the books but brought to new life by the instructors.

Brother Matt and I exchanged very deep philosophical conversations and concepts on the way back to Raleigh, and Brother Matt introduced me to a local barbecue from a nearly 75-year-old restaurant. Even though my tastes run more Kansas City or Texas barbecue, I have deep respect for all three Carolina styles, Memphis’s dry rub, and so many more. This was an excellent barbecue and a fitting ending to the evening.

I spent early Sunday morning at the airport Hyatt reviewing some papers and catching up on other reading, and Brother Matt picked me up a bit later for brunch before my mid-afternoon flight. We found a great little Irish pub and enjoyed yet another deep philosophical conversation on topics ranging from our own martial arts experiences to variations of the symbolical teachings of the Middle Chamber course overall. I cannot put into words my gratitude and appreciation for Brother Matt’s kind hospitality and friendship.

The Middle Chamber course from the Grand Lodge of North Carolina is legit. My own Hero’s Journey began when I heard mentions of this really cool education going on in North Carolina, and the more I learned about it the more I just knew I had to attend as if being guided there. It became a want, then a need, to get out of my jurisdiction and travel for this course. As with any good story, there were obstacles to overcome, regrets in missing out on events at home as I traveled, and the feeling of accomplishment in completing the three journeys logging almost 5000 miles. I met friends who guided me, I met mentors who taught me, and I definitely passed an initiatic experience of leaving the old
toward the new self.

The fourth part of this circle of education? The missing song from the Trilogy of Four Parts? That’s the initial free class from January, the hook as it were, that begins the journey again. I am humbled and honored to bring this series of Masonic education to Missouri, and I am deeply indebted to all those around me who helped me on my own Hero’s Journey of self-discovery to make this possible. I created and presented to the Grand Lodge of Missouri’s Education Committee the proposal to train the trainers next year and launch the Missouri version of the Middle Chamber in 2024. This decision now rests in the hands of the Grand Lodge of Missouri. What did we learn during The Middle Chamber series of
classes? Sign up for the Missouri classes to find out, or better yet, sign up for the North Carolina sessions as I found them to be truly excellent.

~RS

Randy and his wife Elyana live near St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Randy earned a bachelor's Degree in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, and he works in Telecom IT management. He volunteers as a professional and personal mentor, NRA certified Chief Range Safety Officer, and enjoys competitive tactical pistol, rifle, and shotgun. He has 30-plus years of teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Kung, and healing arts. Randy served as a Logistics Section Chief on two different United States federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams over a 12-year span. Randy is a 32nd-degree KCCH and Knight Templar. His Masonic bio includes past Lodge Education Officer for two symbolic lodges, Founder of the Wentzville Lodge Book Club, member of the Grand Lodge of Missouri Education Committee, Sovereign Master of the E. F. Coonrod AMD Council No. 493, Co-Librarian of the Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis, Clerk for the Academy of Reflection through the Valley of Guthrie, and a Facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society. Randy is a founding administrator for Refracted Light, a full contributor to Midnight Freemasons, and an international presenter on esoteric topics. Randy hosts an open ongoing weekly Masonic virtual Happy Hour on Friday evenings. Randy is an accomplished home chef, a certified barbecue judge, raises Great Pyrenees dogs, and enjoys travel and philosophy.

A Mason Dropped the Bomb

by Midnight Freemason Contributor
Bro. Robert H. Johnson

The atom bomb was no 'great decision.' It was merely another powerful weapon in the arsenal of righteousness. ~Harry S. Truman

When we remember Truman, there are so many amazing things that come to mind. He is celebrated as both a great Mason and a great president. He always seemed like such a down to earth individual. Several articles have been published about him, right here on the Midnight Freemasons. 

Michael H. Shirley and Todd E. Creason have both written of his amazing talents, great leadership and of course, his Masonry. Todd and Steve Harrison cover him and some interesting stories in their respective books, Famous American Freemasons and Tales from the Craft (available on amazon). 

One thing we always joke about and what has been food for countless conspiracy theorists is that Truman is the only President to drop the Atomic Bomb in a conflict. Truman's words above, seem to echo the sentiment of a certain matter-of-factness that only he exhibited, in his own way. 

He never treated the act as some sort of thing to be held over anyone or nation. To him, it was a tool, an instrument and dare I say a working tool in a different kind of act. 

Click the link below to read some of Truman's thoughts on the A-Bomb from his diary and letters.

http://www.doug-long.com/hst.htm

~RHJ

RWB Johnson is a Co-Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 2nd N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He is the current V:. Sovereign Grand Inspector for the AMD in IL. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focuses on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry. He is the co-author of "It's Business Time - Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry", "The Master's Word: A Short Treatise on the Word, the Light, and the Self - Annotated Edition" and author of "How to Charter a Lodge: A No-Nonsense, Unsanctioned Guide. More books are on the way.

Shifting Pride

by Midnight Freemason Contributor
R.H. Johnson



This last week, I received a stack of state-level Masonic magazines and The Northern Light (the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction). It was amusing that I received a stack of them on the same day. After taking them out of the mailbox, I hopped in the car to run to the pharmacy—I had to pick up a prescription, and I decided to use the drive-thru.

While waiting, I decided to check them out. It was a lengthy wait in line. As I went through the magazines, I noticed they were all very well put together—a substantial amount of great organizational news, Grand Master messages, and spotlights on charity work. There were also a couple of other things that caught my attention—well, maybe not directly.

The Masonic Education contained within these magazines was almost wholly historical information, celebrating charitable works of the past and telling stories about famed individuals like pioneers, doctors, philanthropists, actors, and more. I imagine any third party observing my page flipping saw me with what probably looked like the famed 1000-Yard-Stare—as if an unknown post-traumatic stress reaction somehow struck me.

My mind began to reel. Today’s Freemason isn’t necessarily concerned with what we might 1call the foundational philosophy of Freemasonry. Those basic lessons we’re taught and exploring practical applications, reflection, and sharing are essentially ignored. What is not ignored is a seemingly glorious and romanticized past. Why would we want to write about how the Level has affected us when we can talk about John Wayne? Perhaps it’s easier to connect with something iconic—like a movie star of yesteryear.

What’s clear is that overwhelmingly Freemasonry has taken the approach of riding historic coattails to engage its members. Maybe this works—It doesn’t work for me. I’m reminded of something an artist friend once told me—“I make art that I want to see.” Maybe it’s the same for the seasoned editors of these publications. Perhaps they project what they want to see and read within those glossy thin pages. Attaching ourselves to these types of stories at times feels antiquated—and at the same time, feels like constant pressure against new generations of Freemasons that traditionalists might even call “woke.” It seems antithetical to what we say we are—“…a progressive moral society.”

There’s no pleasing everyone, and often, the minority loses—a cognizant democracy. If the vast majority of the Craft isn’t into any work on the self, then I suppose it’s in our best interest to continue to pander to those who enjoy the romanticized successes of yesteryear—regardless of how it would be viewed today. We are called to be happy for our Brothers, and I am genuinely delighted that what’s being printed in these magazines has value for them. It’s also leaving out much of what the men of today are asking for.

It’s more than a club. It’s more than a tribe to belong to. A good friend of mine recently said to me, and I agree with him—“It’s like, if you’re a Freemason and you hold the door open for a little old lady, all the sudden, you’re a Super-Mason—a patriot” Some might think this is fine. I think perhaps this is just being a decent human being. All that matters is back patting and self-congratulatory ego-stroking.

What will the Freemasons of 2060 write about if we continue this way? Are there Masonic heroes like Audy Murphy living today? Ben Franklin? Who the heck will we write about? Maybe the key will be holding out until we find ourselves in editor roles, producing the content we most desire.

Until then, I need to remind myself, and perhaps we all need a little tap on the shoulder that Masonic content that drives engagement at any level, things that might cause someone to be more than a dues payer, is probably good content. We should be happy when our Brothers are fulfilled–good things will come our way.

~RHJ

RWB Johnson is a Co-Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 2nd N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He is the current V:. Sovereign Grand Inspector for AMD in IL. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focuses on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, and works full-time in the executive medical industry. He is the co-author of "It's Business Time - Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry," “The Master’s Word: A Short Treatise on the Word, the Light, and the Self – Annotated Edition” and author of "How to Charter a Lodge: A No-Nonsense, Unsanctioned Guide. More books are on the way.

The 2022 North Carolina Middle Chamber education series: My Own Hero’s Journey in Masonic Education - Part Two

by Midnight Freemason Contributor
Bro. Randy Sanders


Part Two of Three: Fellow Craft

Amusingly, my 1,600-mile round trip in June for the Middle Chamber’s Fellow Craft session tested me just as EA’s should be tested before the second degree. I opted to leave again very early Friday morning, and I met serious resistance in driving through three separate severe thunderstorms and several other heavy storms along the route. The severe thunderstorms were definitely big ones as I saw trees bending as much as sixty degrees at mid-point and large limbs down in many places. Fortunately, my truck handled the storms with ease, and I was only delayed a couple of hours by traffic, not so much by the weather itself. I pulled into the Greensboro Wyndham Garden hotel at almost 7pm having left St. Louis at 3:30am, and I found amusement in the timing as we had unofficially adopted 7pm as our meeting time in the restaurant. Not a bad guess at timing the drive after all. 

Brother Matt and several of the instructors had some health issues pop up, so Brother Ben Wallace met us in the restaurant with a smaller crowd of about eight Brothers this time as fewer stayed at the hotel. Along with the eight or so Brothers at dinner, I had another nice long conversation with Brother Ben who assured me of the blessings and encouragement of all the instructors to expand the Middle Chamber education to Missouri. We enjoyed a long evening of fellowship and good times before retiring for the next morning.

Brother Ben kicked things off right on time, and he adapted on the fly to most of the instructors out from illness or previous commitments. In a testament to the depth of knowledge and teaching skills of the North Carolina instructors, Brothers Ben and Randy Browning alternated sections, guiding us seamlessly through the material. The only issue we encountered, maybe almost humorously, was the lunch break being early enough the downtown restaurants hadn’t yet opened. Several Brothers were late returning to the Temple and missed a bit of the afternoon lecture. This seems a bit trivial until I assure you every instructive word was memorable and worth considering.

For the Fellow Craft trip, I opted to drive home after the class ended rather than stay overnight Saturday. I stayed briefly for a personal guided tour of the temple by several very knowledgeable Brothers, I found a gas station, and I didn’t stop again for about 400 miles. Calling back to being tested on the road this trip, I was driving around 1:00am somewhere near Evansville, Indiana on Interstate 70. As I pulled into the left lane to pass a car, I noticed headlights in the distance, and it took me a moment to realize these headlights were actually pointed at me, not in the normal oncoming lanes. I pulled back over into the right lane and began slowing down, and sure enough, the wrong-way driver flew past me in my own passing lane easily exceeding highway speeds. Guessing they were DUI, I said a silent prayer for anyone behind me that they might meet. I also didn’t have any issue remaining awake for the last three hours of the journey home.

Next part: bringing it all together

~RS

Randy and his wife Elyana live near St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Randy earned a bachelor's Degree in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, and he works in Telecom IT management. He volunteers as a professional and personal mentor, NRA certified Chief Range Safety Officer, and enjoys competitive tactical pistol, rifle, and shotgun. He has 30-plus years of teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Kung, and healing arts. Randy served as a Logistics Section Chief on two different United States federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams over a 12-year span. Randy is a 32nd-degree KCCH and Knight Templar. His Masonic bio includes past Lodge Education Officer for two symbolic lodges, Founder of the Wentzville Lodge Book Club, member of the Grand Lodge of Missouri Education Committee, Sovereign Master of the E. F. Coonrod AMD Council No. 493, Co-Librarian of the Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis, Clerk for the Academy of Reflection through the Valley of Guthrie, and a Facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society. Randy is a founding administrator for Refracted Light, a full contributor to Midnight Freemasons, and an international presenter on esoteric topics. Randy hosts an open ongoing weekly Masonic virtual Happy Hour on Friday evenings. Randy is an accomplished home chef, a certified barbecue judge, raises Great Pyrenees dogs, and enjoys travel and philosophy.

The Magick of King Solomon

by Midnight Freemason Contributor
Bro. James E. Frey 32°


King Solomon before the Djinn by Jacobus de Teramo, 1473

"I pray thee, O king. Listen to what has befallen all that thy child hath. After we are all released from our work on the Temple of God, after sunset, when I lie down to rest, one of the evil demons comes and takes away from me one half of my pay and one half of my food. Then he also takes hold of my right hand and sucks my thumb. And lo, my soul is oppressed, and so my body waxes thinner every day." (Testament of Solomon, v4)

My Brethren, one tenant of the Masonic system is the constant reflection of the self. We must re-evaluate who we are morally as well as psychologically. It is this constant progression of self understanding that makes us face our archetypal shadow and conquer the negative aspects of the self. This is best personified by the Archetype of Wisdom in the Masonic system, King Solomon. King Solomon is interesting because his archetypal characteristics are found throughout Mediterranean cultures. According to the Old Testament King Solomon was charged to build the Temple of Solomon and was known as the wisest of all men. In the Islamic tradition Solomon is regarded as a prophet and representative of Allah. But there is a hidden side of King Solomon, a side that has been repressed from the western mythos, just as we hide the darker aspects of ourselves.

In the Christian tradition there is a separate myth that recounts Solomon not only as a wise King, but a very powerful Ceremonial Magician. This tradition is recounted in the 15th century Grimoire the Greater and Lesser Keys of Solomon, and the Testament of Solomon, a Christian text dating to around the 1st and 5th centuries CE. Although the author of these obscure texts is unknown, its legend holds that it was the secret firsthand account of Solomon himself. Solomon’s Testament deals with a variety of astrological and magical themes that even deal with acting as a bridge between Greek Mythology and Christian Theology. The book deals with vast legions of demons, summoning spirits, and magick rings.

The legend begins with a young man who is favored by King Solomon, one day he is attacked by a demon by name of Ornias who used his demonic powers to suck the vitality and life from the Youth’s spirit. Upon hearing this news Solomon summons the archangel Michael through the magickal practice. According to the Lesser Key of Solomon this magickal practice was known as the Almadel, which is how Solomon was said to have received wisdom from the angels. Michael arrives to the troubled King and entrusts him with a magick ring bearing the six pointed star, or seal of Solomon, upon it. With this ring Solomon gained the power to summon demons and sprits using his will to control them and command them to complete tasks.

Solomon then took control over Ornias who then infiltrated the demonic Prince Beelzebul granting Solomon power over the legion of demons. According to the lesser Key of Solmon of the Ars Goetia, there are 72 demons that are paralleled to the fallen angels described in the Book of Enoch who rebelled against God because they lusted after the daughters of man. It is important to note that these fallen angels also first brought sorcery and the magickal arts to the material realm. Beelzebul reveals how he was once a high ranking angel before the fall. It was the four archangels Michael, Raphael, Gabriel and Uriel that descended down with their 72 angels of the Almadel and banished the rebellious demons unto the four watchtowers of the universe.

With King Solomon in full command of the 72 demons he commands them to aid in the construction of the Temple of Solomon. This is where the legend of the Goetia and the Masonic system begin to meet. The Goetia’s connections can be found in various places throughout the Masonic system, but often hidden so that the true initiate sees not the Adept’s design. The Angelic names bore on the cross of the older versions of the 29th degree Knight of St. Andrew are a prime example. There is nowhere else in Kabbalistic or Magickal lore are these Angelic names referred to, except the Greater Key of Solomon as the last pentacle of the Sun. But these angels are referred to in Phoenician legend, so it seems to understand the importance of the Testament of Solomon we must look at it from the theological perspective of the time. This book acts as a way to reinterpret Pagan Gods of various cultures and rework them into the roles of demons. I believe King Solomon was chosen by Christians as the Master Magician because of his close association with the worship of Pagan gods to please his many foreign wives. 

Solomon’s Magick Circle, Lesser Key of Solomon
According too Talmudic texts and the Book of Tolbit King Solomon soon was placed face to face with the king of demons Asmodeus. Asmodeus is known for tricking King Solomon into gaining his ring of power that he then cast to the sea where it was swallowed by a fish. This allowed the legions of demons under King Solomon’s power to rise up against the king. Asmodeus then cast the King 400 miles outside Jerusalem. Solomon then lived as a beggar wandering from city to city, working in kitchens and doing hard labor. Ancient Rabbis claim this was a divine punishment by God for Solomon worshiping foreign deities. Years later he was walking in a market and bought a fish for his supper, the same fish that held the Magick ring in his belly. King Solomon then returns to Jerusalem to expel Asmodeus and his demonic rule. Asmodeus is said to be thwarted by the Archangel Raphael who binds him. According to a tale found in the 1001 Arabian Nights King Solomon is known as a master of the Djinn, and captures all the Djinn or demons into a brass vessel and seals it with a magickal symbol and casts the vessel out to the sea trapping the Djinn whom he first summoned to build his temple. This legend is the bassis for the Greater and Lesser Keys of Solomon. 

The Lesser Key of Solomon, or the Goetia, is a medieval magickal text that claims to give the techniques and materials needed to embark on the mystical path of Solomon. It gives directions for casting magick circles, and invoking demons and dark Djinn into the consciousness of the magician. Here like Solomon the magician must unleash the demon from the brass vessel and symbolically slay the demon with a magical sword. Like the Djinn trapped in the magick lamp, the demon may also grant the wishes and desires of the magician, but it is the test of fortitude for the magician to resist these temptations and expel the demon from his mind.

"The spirits of the Goetia are portions of the human brain. Their seals therefore represent methods of stimulating or regulating those particular spots (though the eye)." (Aleister Crowley, The Initiated Interpretation of Ceremonial Magic in the Goetia.) 

If we as masons want to look at this in a philosophical sense we are all seeking to be the wise King Solomon. We must unlock the brass vessel of our own unconscious mind releasing all the aspects of ourselves we care not to let out. Each demon can be seen as an aspect of our personality that we keep hidden from the world. It is the goal of the magician with the aid of angels and magickal weapons to face the dark aspects of him and symbolically slay and expel those forces from our own spiritual nature, thus purifying him. This medieval system of what some would consider “black magick” is simply a way to reflect upon the aspects of our own psyche. If we as individuals wish to gain the wisdom of the archetypal king, we should face the shadow of ourselves and the demons that well in the void of our own nightmares. 

Before one sincerely attempts to evoke these demons, one should first spend some time invoking the 72 counterpart angels of the Almadel. The Almadel is a very enlightening experience and puts the magician in touch with the aspects of virtue within the psyche of the individual. This should be required for two reasons, one: one should be in touch with their inner strength before they face the demons, and two: the angels of the Almadel have direct control over the demons of the brass vessel. The Almadel is a system of scrying into a crystal ball over a altar made of wax upon which are engraved the Holy names of God. Remember that invocation is to call down a power within your spirit and mind, so you invoke angels to bring them closer. The Magician will evoke demons, to to bring from within ones self into manifestation. 

Almadel Altar
After one has made meaningful contact with his own inner angelic forces, he is now mentally and spiritually prepared to venture into the darkness of his own being. This system of High Magick should only be attempted by those who have magickal training, or are learned practitioners of ceremonial magick. This system to the unprepared is VERY DANGEROUS, and can be disastrous for those who approach the subject manner with a light heart or contempt in the mind. A short exert from the Lesser Key of Solomon will show the level of seriousness this system deserves. 

“Curse you and deprive you from all your offices and places of joy and place and do bind thee in the depths of the bottomless pit, there to remain until the day of judgment; I say into the lake of fire and brimstone… let all the company of heaven curse thee… let the hosts of heaven curse thee, I curse thee into fire unquenchable, and torments unspeakable as thy name and seal is contained in this box, chained and bound up and shall be choked in sulphurus and stinking substance and burnt in this material fire… which is prepared for thee damned and cursed spirits and there to remain until the day of doom and never more remembered of before the face of God which shall come to judge the dead and the world by fire.” (Lesser Key of Solomon, Book 1: Ars Goetia)

The Goetic demons require quite an elaborate array of magical implements such as a magic robe, wand, sword, circle, ring, brass vessel containing the 72 sigils of demons, black mirror within the magick triangle, and a very good memory. These evocations are quite lengthy and the magickal ritual can last quite awhile, especially when in a hypnotic trance which is required. 
Bro. Carroll Poke Runyon, 
before the Dark Mirror 
of the Goetic Demon


For those of you who simply wish to greet your shadow self and do some soul searching, I recommend you find a mirror and paint it with up to 7 layers of black paint, light some candles in a darkened room as gaze into the mirror without evoking the Goetic demons. This is a form of meditation similar to Trataka yoga techniques and can be very beneficial for self-discovery, or to just scare yourself the way kids have been doing while playing “Bloody Mary” for years. 

For those of you inspired to follow in steps of the archetypal King Solomon, to gain insight of the self or wisdom for above, with a sincere nature this system can be very beneficial and enlightening, even life changing. But for those of you who dabble, or foolishly rush into such things and unleash the spirits of the brass vessel Solomon trapped so long ago… well… like the ancient Djinn say… be careful what you wish for.




~JEF

James E Frey, 32° is a Past Sovereign Prince and current librarian of Valley of Danville AASR. Founder of the R.E.B.I.S Research Society he sits on two Blue Lodge Education committees as well as a guest lecturer on Occultism and Esoteric studies in masonry. He is also a Member of the Oak Lawn York Rite, Medinah Shriners, and Golden Dawn Collegium Spiritu Sancti. He also works as a counselor with emotionally and behaviorally challenged children.

Masonic influence on Greek Sorority and Fraternity initiation ritual?

by Midnight Freemason Contributor
WB Darin A. Lahners


My girlfriend, Lisa, has been enjoying "#bamaRushTok" on Tik Tok, where she has been given insight into several of the Two Thousand Three Hundred and Forty-Five young women rushing the sororities at the University of Alabama. She was a member of a sorority at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, so I think she can relate to many of what these young women are going through while sharing their experiences.  She was recently watching several which revealed scenes from Bid day, which is when new members learn which house they will be joining. For a frame of reference, think about it as a process like the sorting hat scene in Harry Potter, except that in this case, it's not a magical hat doing the process, it boils down to a mutual selection process. Mutual selection starts with the Panhellenic council looking at each individual's ranking (for what sorority they want to join) as well as the scores the sororities gave each potential new member.  These scores are based upon numerous factors including Grade Point Average, Volunteerism, and how well their personalities mesh with the other young women in the sorority.

 Much like our ritual, the members of the sororities and fraternities vow to keep them a secret.  However, much like "secret" ritual, I was able to find several sorority and fraternity initiatory rituals online. In reviewing the rituals, I was not at all shocked to see whoever authored the ones below was familiar with and/or borrowed from Masonic Ritual.  PS: I'm going to purposefully keep the identity of the sorority and fraternity a secret, so any references to it have been removed and/or replaced with a substitute or substitute words.  I also attempted to remove any modes of recognition, etc. 

Below are snippets from the beginning of the Sorority ritual where the candidate is received into the sorority, it should seem pretty familiar.  I have put my own commentary in BOLD ITALIC below:

E: Most worthy B****, someone approaches the door of our preparation room, giving the alarm.
B: You will attend the alarm and report the cause.
The E 

then approaches the door, gives the five distinct knocks, and opens the door.
E Who dares approach our secret place?
C … full name of candidate, a neophyte who has travelled alone, unguided and wandering in darkness, but who now desires to be brought to our paths, to be granted our light, by having and receiving part of the rights and benefits of our order.
E: By what reason does she expect to gain this distinction.
C: By the right of the fact that she is of the female sex, and having qualified herself according to the traditions and standards for membership as set for us by our Founders. By being a student regularly enrolled in … (name of College), by having received the favourable ballot of our chapter and by being vouched for properly.
E: Who vouches for her?
C: I do.
E: Is there any other reason why he should be permitted to enter into our midst?
C: By the right of the Pass, which she does not possess, but which I, as her C, hold ready to communicate.
C leaves Candidate, and advancing to the E, gives her the grip and whispers the password to her.
E: The pass is correct. You will wait until the B is informed of these conditions and her answer is returned.
Closes door, advances to the station of first pillow, and faces the B.
E: Most Worthy B, the interruption at the door was caused by … (full name of Candidate) who presents herself for Initiation into our Order, if found worthy.
B: Is the Candidate prepared, accompanied, and well-qualified according to the rules of our Order?
E: She is.
B: Then you will permit her to enter, but let her beware upon what she enters.
E returns to the door, knocks five times and says: It is the pleasure of the B that the Candidate be permitted to enter, but let her beware upon what she enters.
The C escorts the Candidate to the station of the first pillow, where she is met by the E . The E has gone to the altar where she has received the ****** from the B. The C assists the Candidate to kneel. The E presses the point of the ****** gently, but perceptibly to the forehead of the Candidate. If there are two Candidates, the E also obtains the ***** from the altar which she hands to the C to press against the second Candidate’s head.
E:  Upon first entering our secret quarters you are met by the sharp point of a metallic ******, piercing your forehead. The moral of this is to teach you lessons of loyalty and upright conduct. If, at some future day, your sisters should see fit to entrust you the highest office of their chapter, may you then feel the presence and touch of this ****** in a manner wholly unlike the feeling it now produces upon your head. May its presence then be that of ease and pleasure, which can result only from Justice, Peace, Law, Truth, and Wisdom in your heart and actions. It is, furthermore, pressed to your head so that it may teach you, as it is now a torture to your physical being, may it ever be such to your moral being should you betray the guarded secrets of our beloved sorority.
The E then returns the ******* to the B who replaces it about the taper on the top tier. There is a pause here, but it does not detract from the service because everything is done quietly, deliberately and solemnly.
B: As true and loyal members of this sorority, we must never begin momentous undertakings without first invoking the blessings of the Deity. Therefore, all solemnly join me in the plea for help in this truly momentous task of acquainting this Candidate with the light of our paths.
The B repeats the following prayer: Vouchsafe Thine aid, Almighty father, to this our present gathering, and grant that this Candidate of this sorority may dedicate and devote her life to Thy service, and become a true and faithful sister among us. Bestow upon her Thy divine wisdom so that through the secrets of our Order she may be better enabled to serve Thy Holy Name. Amen.
B: The Candidate will rise, follow her C, and fear no danger.
The C assists the Candidate to rise, leads her to the front of the altar, turns to the left, and guides her around the back of the altar in a clockwise direction being certain that she does not retrace her steps at any time. They return to the front of the altar and face the B. During this time, the officers step slightly forward in their semi-circle so that the Candidate and her C pass behind them.
B … (full name of candidate), you have not proceeded so far but that you can retrace your steps and go your way in peace. Before going further you must subscribe to a solemn obligation. It will, I assure you, in no way conflict with your civil and religious views as a believer in the Christian religion. Are you willing to proceed?
Candidate: I am.
B: Sister C, you will place the Candidate in position for the Obligation.
The C helps the Candidate to kneel and places her hands upon the Bible. The C always stands at the left of the Candidate, and just to the rear. Her position is that of a guardian to the Candidate, whom she is always in a position to aid and guide. The Candidate is then given the Oath by the b. The Oath should be read distinctly and in short passages, in order that the Candidate may fully understand the import of the Oath she is taking, besides being able to repeat accurately any given phrases.
 
The candidate then gives the oath, which I have excluded.  We pick up right after the Oath was taken.

B: I believe … (full name of Candidate) to be earnest and sincere in what she has just promised. She is now bound to us by the strong ties of her obligation. You will release her hands and relieve her from her blindfolded condition.
Officers rise.
The B remains in the position behind the altar until the C has released the Candidate’s hands and removed the blindfold. The Candidate is given a minute in which to become adjusted to the light. The C helps the Candidate rise, then the B steps to her left and comes forward to the front of the altar, where she gives the Candidate the password and the grip. The B in imparting the password cautions that is never spoken above a whisper. In explaining the grip, the B interprets that the little fingers are locked in friendship and that the member giving it places her left hand on top to seal it. The B gives the Candidate an opportunity to give the password and the grip. She then returns to her position behind the altar.

At this time, the candidate receives their symbolic lecture.  I have attempted to remove again any names of symbols which will directly give away the identity of the sorority.  I have only quoted the below which are most in line with Masonic ritual.  

B: You will now give your attention to the explanation of the Vignette in order that you may know and understand what our symbols teach us and thereby be enabled to abide by the noble precepts prescribed therein.

B: Justice.
MB, picks up ***** and holding them in both hands: Justice is represented to us by the  *******, which show the accuracy and severity with which Justice is to be meted out and administered, which principles we are bound to further in the world around us. Justice is that boundary or standard of right which enables us to render to every man his just dues without distinction. This virtue is not only consistent with divine and human laws, but it is the very element and support of civil society. As Justice, in a great measure, constitutes the real good of every man of woman, so should it be the invariable practice of every member of this sorority, never to deviate from this principle.
MB replaces the ******* holding it in both hands and leaving it in the sheath: The ****** demonstrates that Justice sooner or later overtakes us, and, although our thoughts, words, and actions may be hidden from the eyes of man, yet that “All-Seeing Eye” which pervades the inmost recesses of the human heart will reward us according to our merits.

B: Law.
Tamins picks up ****** in her left hand with the open side facing her right; right forefinger passes around the outside of the **** indicating the right angle: Law is represented by the *****, which teaches the straight and narrow way, and admonishes us to walk uprightly in our several stations before man and God, squaring ourselves by the ***** of virtue and remembering that we are travelling up the level to that discovering country from which bourne no traveller returns.

B: Truth.
Logographos, picks up ******, holding it in both hands and leaving it closed until time for reading: Truth is represented by the *****. It is the divine attribute and foundation of every virtue. To be good and true is the first lesson taught every member of this sorority; hypocrisy and deceit are the opposites of truth and should be unknown to us. 

The below is taken from a Fraternity initiation ritual, I have included the Opening, Closing and the presentation of the candidate up to his obligation:

 Opening Exercises

 SGM, *: Brethren, we are about to open a regularly convened session of the Supreme Chapter of *****. Brother T, you will assume your duties. Brother SP, you will see that all other officers are at their respective stations, and properly clothed.
SGM: Brother SP, you will advance in due form and satisfy me that you are in possession of the proper pass. Done. The pass is correctly reported, you will now proceed to collect the same from all present and report to me.
SSP: SGM, your order has been obeyed. I find all present qualified to remain.
SGM, * *: Brother WM, where is your station, and what are your duties in this chapter?
SWM: My station is opposite to and facing the SGM. My duties are to assist the SGM and preside in his absence.
SGM: Brother S, where is your station and what are your duties in this chapter?
SS: My station is at the right of the SGM. My duties are to keep a record of the doings of the chapter, attend to all correspondence, keep a register of the membership, collect all dues and pay same to ST, notify brethren of meetings, draw and sign orders for all proper demands upon the ST, and make a written report to the annual meeting of the Supreme Chapter.
SGM: Brother T, what are your duties in this chapter?
ST: My duties are to faithfully keep in a public depository, approved by the Supreme Council, all funds of this chapter, and pay the same out only on vouchers properly endorsed by the SGM and SS, and to make a written report of all transactions at the annual meeting.

SGM: Brother Ty, what are your duties in this chapter?

STy: My duties are to have charge of the door, announce arrivals, guard against intruders, and admit no one except by order of the SGM  or SWM.
SGM Brother SP, where is your station and what are your duties in this chapter?
SSP: My station is in front and at the left of the SGM. My duties are to prepare and escort candidates, carry messages, and perform such other duties as the SGM may order.
SGM: Brother JP, where is your station and what are your duties in this chapter?
SJP: My station is in front and at the left of the SWM. My duties are to receive and introduce visiting brethren, assist the SSP in preparing and escorting candidates, carry messages, and perform other duties as ordered by the SGM or SWM.
SGM: And my duty as SGM of the chapter is to preside at all regular and called meetings. To see that all orders of the chapter are executed; sign all vouchers drawn upon its treasury; refer to the Supreme Council all matters regular and accidental which require its sanction, appoint regular and special committees, and nominate such officers as are thus provided for by the constitution or by-laws; and last, but not least, to have general oversight of such matters as concern the Fraternity, its chapters or individual members, using all available resources for the preservation of harmony, and strengthening of its bonds; and so secure a power which shall be helpful in elevating us as individuals to that ideal position to which our noble and beloved profession calls us.
* * *. Brethren in ******, give the sign of knowledge. Done. By virtue of the power vested in me as its SGM, I now declare this the Supreme Chapter
of ******* regularly opened and ready for the transaction of such business as may properly come before it.
 
 
Initiatory Exercises
 
SGM: BSP, you will retire and see if there are any candidates in waiting.
SSP: SGM, I here present the name of a candidate I find in waiting.
The Supreme Scribe reads the records.
Supreme Grand Master: Brethren, we have in waiting to be initiated, If there are no objections, we will proceed to confer the degree.
Brother S, you will take with you the P, retire, collect the usual fee, and administer the preliminary oath.
The chapter will be at ease until the sound of the gavel
The S and Ps retire to prepare the candidate for admission.

At this point, the S gives the candidate the preliminary oath, which I have omitted.

When the S re-enters the robin the chapter is called to order.
SS: SGM, your order has been obeyed and the candidate stands fully pledged, awaiting your further orders.
SGM: It is well, you will instruct the SP to present the candidate.
SP, with candidate properly clothed in white gown, and hoodwinked, approaches the door and gives signal.
STy: SGM, there is an alarm at the door.
SGM: You will attend the alarm.
STy: Who comes here?
SSP: The SP of this chapter with ***** …, an honorable gentleman and practitioner, who desires to share the knowledge and strength of this Fraternity.
STy: What qualifications can he present for our consideration?
SSP: He is a man of good character, earnest and sincere in his endeavors to gain knowledge and advancement in his chosen profession. He promises faithfully to stand by and uphold the principles of ******, and strive ever to be a worthy member.
STy Has he been advised of the nature of the ordeal he is required to undergo?
SSP: He has.
STy: Has he promised secrecy whether or not he passes the ordeal?
SSP: He has promised under oath
STy: Does he know what ******* signifies?
SSP: He believes this to be an honorable Fraternity organized for laudable purposes.
STy: Yes, my brother, and to be worthy of membership in this Fraternity, you must also have Knowledge, and you must have Strength, both moral and physical, to enable you to do justice to yourself and to those who may place confidence in you. To Candidate: Are you in accord with that sentiment …?
Candidate answers.
STy: Brother SP, you may pass with the candidate.
SP and JP with candidate pass the various stations, return to the SWM and salute.
SWM: Brother SP, why do you approach my altar?
SSP: Brother WM, I have the pleasure of presenting ***** …, who has been examined and permitted by the Supreme Ty to pass into your province. He seeks further enlightenment. He is in search of Knowledge, and desires to be fortified by Strength, and believes himself imbued with a sense of Justice that will enable him to worthily maintain membership in the Supreme Chapter of ********.
SWM: ****..., the Supreme Chapter of **** is a very select and exclusive body, which raises and upholds a high standard of manliness and professional conduct, to which all candidates for membership must qualify and subscribe. I will report to the SGM and will inform you as to his answer. Brother SP , you may conduct the candidate from the room.
Candidate is then conducted into a side room and the door left open.
SWM: SGM there is without ******. …, who has passed two provinces of our chapter and now desires to enter, that he may satisfy us of his worthiness to become a member of *******.
SGM: Brothers, you have heard the announcement of our SWM. ******… comes to us well recommended and has been favorably reported upon by our Board of Censors. I know of no objection to his admission. Brother WM, you may admit the candidate who is searching for Knowledge, Strength and Justice.
If possible introduce music.
March the candidate in directions to form a …, then around the hall, then form a …,  and afterwards a …, stopping in front of the WM
The SWM leaves his station and approaches the candidate.
SWM: ******* …, among the things that came early to your knowledge was the direction of the rising sun. To the best of your ability now, please face the east. Doctor, you have lost the points of your Compass, which of course, is not strange under the circumstances. The lesson it teaches is this—that trifling things may render us, in a measure, helpless, and some times entirely so. It is also significant that at times we find ourselves in need of the kindly offices of a guiding and helping hand. In ******* we pledge ourselves to each other to be as watchful of a brother’s interests as of our own, and to stand by each other in the time of need. As you are at present unable to proceed alone we will endeavor to lead you in the right direction.
Brother SP, conduct the candidate to the station of the SGM.
The SP raises the hood-wink.
SGM: ****** …, will you please examine this substance before you and tell me what it is?
Candidate answers.
SGM: In your daily use of this substance, did you ever stop to consider its wonderful qualities, which make it stand first among the metals of the world? This precious metal, with which we are so closely allied in our work, is a fit emblem of the noble character that each member of our Fraternity should strive to maintain, and so deserve to have it said of him—“That man is as pure as gold.” Such high honor is not, however, obtained without trial and discipline. Gold is refined by fire and must remain in the crucible until all the dross and baser metals, which have been incorporated with it, are driven out. Pure gold has nothing to fear from the fire. In like manner a man with a noble nature withstands the fire of affliction, adversity, or even of misrepresentation and calumny, and will be able to thwart his adversaries by the purity of his character. He will endure the pressure of continuous labor and the hammering and beating of vexatious cares and petty annoyances without breaking with impatience or passion. Gold, then, with its myriads of rare qualities, its purity, its usefulness, its strength, its ductility, its beauty, its luster, its fineness and its precious worth, goes to symbolize a noble character, such as we all should sincerely endeavor to emulate.
Pledged to each other as brothers, as we are in this Fraternity, the best that is in us should govern our demeanor towards each other and make us true both in spirit and in deed. Believing that, united we are strong. What strength to influence for good, can there not be in a brotherhood whose standard of character and worth is so elevated, and whose members may always be associated, by the community at large, with honor and integrity, with worthy deeds and clean purposes? My brother, does this sentiment coincide with your belief and purpose in life?
Candidate answers.
BSP, you will conduct the candidate to the altar for the obligation.
If the Past SGM is not present the WM gives the obligation.

The obligation then takes place.  I have omitted it as well. 
  
Closing Exercises
 
SGM *: If there is no further business to be transacted at this session of the Supreme Chapter of *******, we shall proceed to close. Brother WM, have you any other business to present at this session?
SWM: I have none, SGM.
SGM: Brother S, have you any further business on your desk to present?
SS: There is nothing, SGM.
SGM: If there is nothing in the hands of the brethren we are prepared to close. * * *. We are now about to separate until our next regular meeting at the call of the Supreme Council. May our conduct be such as shall command the respect of the profession, and the continued confidence and united support of all brothers in ******.
By virtue of the authority vested in me as the SGM of this Fraternity, I herewith declare this session of the Supreme Chapter of ****** regularly and duly closed.
The Ty will take charge of the property.

END OF RITUAL 

So, there you have it.  What do you think of the similarities?  Now, of course, I can't confirm this is still the ritual they are using currently.  I find it just another example of how wide-reaching our Fraternity's influence is. Now if only we could figure out how to bring in Two Thousand Three Hundred and Forty-Five members yearly into our Grand Lodge?  Maybe we need to start a viral Tik Tok campaign?   

~DAL

WB Darin A. Lahners is our Co-Managing Editor. He is a host and producer of the "Meet, Act and Part" podcast. He is currently serving the Grand Lodge of Illinois Ancient Free and Accepted Masons as the Area Education Officer for the Eastern Masonic Area. He is a Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No.970 in St. Joseph. He is also a plural member of Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL), where he is also a Past Master. He’s also a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, a charter member of Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter No. 282, Salt Fork Shrine Club under the Ansar Shrine, and a grade one (Zelator) in the S.C.R.I.F. Prairieland College in Illinois. He is also a Fellow of the Illinois Lodge of Research. He was presented with the Torok Award from the Illinois Lodge of Research in 2021. You can reach him by email at darin.lahners@gmail.com.

The 2022 North Carolina Middle Chamber education series: My Own Hero’s Journey in Masonic Education - Part One

by Midnight Freemason Contributor
Bro. Randy Sanders


Part One of Three: Entered Apprentice

Instead of My Own Hero’s Journey, I almost named this article An Education Trilogy in Four Parts, with a nod to my favorite percussionist and lyricist Neil Peart (RIP) of the rock band RUSH.  Neil wrote his Fear Trilogy in four parts.  Yes, that was purposeful.  He also wrote the series backward with the last song (Witch Hunt) on the Moving Pictures album, then progressing through Signals (The Enemy Within) and ending with Grace Under Pressure (The Weapon).  By design, there was no intended fourth part.  I associated my curriculum reading assignment with Neil’s trilogy.  I read the required reading material for the Middle Chamber out of order with Brother Chuck Dunning’s Contemplative Masonry well ahead of the other books, and I saw the second required movie Life of Pi many years prior to watching 12 Angry Men.  I am forever grateful to the course instructors for a couple of extremely rare favors granted in order for me to attend.


The North Carolina Middle Chamber education program is sponsored by and through the Grand Lodge of North Carolina.  Brothers Ben Wallace and Shaun Bradshaw wrote A Path to Providence: The Creation of the Middle Chamber Program about their creation of the class, and I recommend it.  The overall structure of the Middle Chamber is broken into three major courses each consisting of an all-day Saturday class.  The course requirements include reading five prescribed books by well-known Masonic authors and critically watching two films.  I went with the full intention of working hard to learn the material and earn the blessing of the creators: Brothers Ben and Shaun.  I intend to bring Middle Chamber to Missouri and teach it myself.


I began this Winter engaging my good friend and Brother Matt Parker who is the administrator-facilitator for the Middle Chamber program.  He is their backbone who gets the media setup prepared, sign-up sheets put out, hotel negotiations completed for discounts, and more work behind the scenes than you can imagine.  Brother Matt assisted in my own out-of-state registration and kept me informed as to the hotel and schedule.  In early spring I made the decision to drive the 800 miles from St. Louis to Greensboro.


It was a 12-hour drive in perfect conditions, and the Entered Apprentice session on a crisp, cool April weekend turned out to be a perfect drive.  I left St. Louis Friday at about 4am, and after a couple of stops for food and fuel arrived at the Wyndham Garden in Greensboro not much after 5pm.  Remember there’s an hour time difference.  My drive was unknowingly well-timed both coming and going as I witnessed nature’s splendor through Kentucky horse country about mid-morning and majestic West Virginia mountains in the afternoon before driving out of the mountains into the rolling forested hills of North Carolina.  I checked into the hotel, got about a 15-minute nap, then joined a dozen brothers at the hotel-attached sports bar for dinner.  There may or may not have been a round of cigars and excellent Scotch a bit later in the seating area by the hotel swimming pool.  The cool temperatures precluded us from anything more than a good 90 minutes.  The North Carolina Brothers exceeded their amazing reputation for hospitality as I immediately felt as if I were at home with all of them.


After a quick hotel breakfast, we met at the Greensboro Masonic Temple, and I cannot do this temple justice in this short paper.  It is a magnificent building, well maintained, and worthy of your time should you be in the area.  The class began promptly, and with minor adjustments, we stuck to the schedule provided.  The instructors are both crisp in knowledge and smooth in delivery, and they cycled through different sections with different instructors taking lead in different areas they obviously enjoyed teaching.  Immediately the class bonded and the energy was just electric as we all knew why we were there, and together we focused on that goal of learning.  


The Entered Apprentice class let out at 4pm with an hour of open Q&A following, and I went to dinner with another good friend and Brother Mark Bagley who traveled a couple of hours to meet me for the class.  We had a great dinner at a small local restaurant, and we went our separate ways, Mark leaving for his two-hour trip home and me back to the hotel.  Many of you know I’m a note-taker, and I shared my notes with Brother Matt and Brother Ben Wallace as a courtesy.  I was surprised by a phone call from Brother Ben that evening telling me how happy he was to receive such candid feedback.  We stayed on the phone for over two hours talking through the class and many other topics.  The feedback was all positive with a few observations that I thought might be something I needed to keep in mind for my own classes, so I was surprised by the call.  I decided to leave at about 4am Sunday morning and had a beautiful drive home through snow-capped mountains and a different perspective of the views I experienced Friday.  The twelve hours of driving seemed to fly by as I spent much of the windshield time mentally reviewing the class content and wondering if I could do this material justice.


Next part: being tested


~RS

Randy and his wife Elyana live near St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Randy earned a bachelor's Degree in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, and he works in Telecom IT management. He volunteers as a professional and personal mentor, NRA certified Chief Range Safety Officer, and enjoys competitive tactical pistol, rifle, and shotgun. He has 30-plus years of teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Kung, and healing arts. Randy served as a Logistics Section Chief on two different United States federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams over a 12-year span. Randy is a 32nd-degree KCCH and Knight Templar. His Masonic bio includes past Lodge Education Officer for two symbolic lodges, Founder of the Wentzville Lodge Book Club, member of the Grand Lodge of Missouri Education Committee, Sovereign Master of the E. F. Coonrod AMD Council No. 493, Co-Librarian of the Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis, Clerk for the Academy of Reflection through the Valley of Guthrie, and a Facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society. Randy is a founding administrator for Refracted Light, a full contributor to Midnight Freemasons, and an international presenter on esoteric topics. Randy hosts an open ongoing weekly Masonic virtual Happy Hour on Friday evenings. Randy is an accomplished home chef, a certified barbecue judge, raises Great Pyrenees dogs, and enjoys travel and philosophy.