THE ENGLISH MASONIC UNION OF 1813: A TALE OF ANTIENT AND MODERN by John Belton.

The bringing together of the Antients and Moderns to form the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813 was a tricky matter. How all this came about is not just an English tale but an Irish and Scots one as well. Complexities concerning ‘union’ included what to do about other masonic orders, especially the Royal Arch and the Knights Templar. For the first time ever this account provides a birds-eye view of the issues and personalities behind one of the big events of masonic history still affecting us today.

“In this pioneering and stimulating book, John Belton tells with verve and enthusiasm the story behind the events which led up to the formation of the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813. Providing completely new perspectives on this key event in the history of British Freemasonry, John’s book will be of interest not only to freemasons but to all those who are interested in the contribution of Freemasonry to British culture and society.” – Prof Andrew Prescott, Kings College London

 

EDUCATION BY DEGREES – MASONIC NOTES
by Raymond Apple

The book delves into the history, symbolism and teachings of Freemasonry, enlivened with personal reminiscences and humour.

 

THE RESEARCH LODGE OF OTAGO No 161 ONE HUNDRED YEARS 1909 to 2009
This volume contains

• “The story of the Research Lodge of Otago No 161 (Formerly The Masters Lodge No 161) 1909 – 1959″ by Bro Axel Newton PM

• “The second fifty years of the story of the Research Lodge of Otago No 161 1959 – 2009″ by Bro RH (Hugh) Montgomery PM

• The Past Masters of the Lodge

• The Centennial Toast by Bro PA Jackson SW

• Notes on the Centennial Meeting and Dinner held 30th May 2009 in Dunedin by Don Barkman, Secretary

 

TAKEN BY SURPRISE
by Yasha Beresiner
Never again will a Freemason be caught out by a last-minute request to make a response. Should you be given just a few moments to prepare for a speech, you will readily be able to locate, within the pages of this book, a statement that will allow you to enhance any short comment you make, giving it immediate relevance.
Taken by Surprise contains a complete set of instantly adaptable quotes suitable for any Masonic toast or response and is perfectly sized to fit discretely in a pocket or bag. Written in the inimitable style of professional speech maker and public speaker, Yasha Beresiner, author of the best-selling Masonically Speaking – which means that each and every response is witty, entertaining and easy to perform.

 

WILLIAM PRESTON’S LECTURE ON THE FIRST DEGREE OF FREEMASONRY – THE TONGUE OF GOOD REPORT
by R.J. Hollins &A Ingram

The Craft, when considered by thoughtful Masons, is a complex subject. All too often we read, learn and recite ritual without seeking to truly understand the meaning of the words and phrases we use. Too much time cannot be spent in studying the passages we are to recite to a Candidate and it is only when some understanding has been achieved that a presentation will reflect emotion and has real meaning. It is also true to say that it is never too early to seek to understand and learn ritual.

For those of us who love our Freemasonry and are constantly striving for further knowledge and understanding every new publication is a bonus. No publication has all of the answers and every publication makes claims that can be challenged. This First Degree book adds to the fund of knowledge and Bros Ray Hollins and Tony Ingram provide a great wealth of material to prepare an Initiate for Passing to the Second Degree. This book will cause more thought and raise more questions, and in a ‘progressive science’ that is to be welcomed.”

SYNOPSIS
•The Origins and Progression of Freemasonry
•Veiled in Allegory the First Degree Ceremony
•The Meeting Place of Free and Accepted Masons
•Own Free Will and Accord and the Tongue of Good Report
•In Whom Do You Put Your Trust?
•The Making of a Mason – In Due Form
•The Three Lesser Lights
•The Teachings of the North East Corner
•The Movable and Immovable Jewels
•The Four Cardinal Virtues

THE HIDEN MYSTERIES OF NATURE & SCIENCE
by R.J. Hollins & A Ingram

All Freemasons as they progress to the degree of Master Mason progress through three ceremonies each of which can be considered as a morality play.
In the very early days of Freemasonry there were only two degrees, that of the Initiate and the Fellow Craft, of which the Fellow Craft was very important. Subsequently the third degree of Master Mason was introduced and that of Fellow Craft diminished in importance. Of the three ceremonies currently practised the Fellow Craft’s is the shortest and is often considered merely as a stepping stone from one degree to another. This does a great injustice to the significance of the Fellow Craft degree.

SYNOPSIS
• What is the Middle Chamber Lecture?
• A Summary of the Middle Chamber Degree
• The Square Level and Plumbrule
• What has Geometry got to do with Freemasonry?
• An overview of the Building of King Solomon’s Temple
• Why ‘The Five Noble Orders of Architecture’?
• The significance of ‘The Middle Chamber’
• The implications of ‘The Winding Staircase’
• The Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Summary and Conclusion

RAISED ON THE FIVE POINTS OF FELLOWSHIP
by RJ Hollins & A Ingram

“This, the last of three books by Ray Hollins and Tony Ingram, represents the culmination of six years of work and is a journey through the intricacies of the three degrees of Craft Freemasonry.
The result is a clear and detailed explanation of the Third Degree, from a summary of the progressive nature of Freemasonry through a description of the workings of the ritual, to its conclusion with the Candidate achieving the “Sublime Degree of a Master Mason”.

On the way, the book describes the Candidate’s preparation and the appearance of the Lodge room before considering the retrospect of the previous two degrees and the central drama, the enacting of the story of the Hiramic Legend itself. It moves on to the symbolism of the “Five Points of Fellowship” and an explanation of the Working Tools and the Tracing Board. The climax being the completion of this sublime, in other words, exalted or elevated, Degree.

SYNOPSIS
•Summary of the progressive nature of Freemasonry
•The Preparation of the Candidate for the Ceremony of Raising
•The symbolic meaning of the appearance of the Lodge Room
•The Mystical Interpretations of the perambulations in the Degree
•The Obligations of the Master Mason
•The peculiar objects of the Third Degree
•That which was lost and why?
•A resume of the death of Hiram Abiff
•The symbolic oration over the grave
•A detailed explanation of the Five Points of Fellowship
•The meaning of the substituted secrets of a Master Mason
•A lesson in the analysis of the Third Degree Tracing Board

THE FRANCKEN MANUSCRIPT 1783
by Henry Andrew Francken

This is a complete typescript of the rituals of all twenty-five degrees of Etienne (Stephen) Morin’s Masonic Rite which became the foundation of the Ancient and Accepted (Scottish) Rite. In 1769. Francken wrote out the rituals in at least three manuscripts-the most complete set being the 1783 manuscript. This is a complete copy of Francken’s best manuscript, and is the single most important document relating to the Ancient and Accepted (Scottish) Rite. This document is a reproduction of an invaluable Masonic manuscript, not an exposé, and is the single most important source of information on the early Scottish Rite rituals in existence.

 

ENHANCE YOUR MASONIC KNOWLEDGE
by Ronald J. R. Hart

A collection of articles by Ronald J. R. Hart, PProvJGW, SLGR, with particular emphasis on his many years of research into the architecture and symbolism of Freemasonry. The book contains chapters on The Most Ancient Lodge and Temple (Kilwinning), The Origins of our Lodge Columns, The Symbolism of the Past Master’s Jewel, Myth and Legend, Glimpses of Royal Arch Ritual and the Vault, Some of the Symbols of the First Degree, The Symbols of the Second Degree.

This book will give you answers to many of the Masonic questions commonly asked.

• Where does Freemasonry come from?
• What does the Past Master’s jewel really symbolise?
• What do the columns in our Lodges signify?
• What is the symbolism within our Three Degrees?
• Which Lodge is the oldest?
• What does the Holy Royal Arch and its Ritual symbolise

ORNAMENTS, FURNITURE AND JEWELS
by Julian Rees

One of the Emulation lectures tells us that the interior of a Freemason’s Lodge is composed of Ornaments, Furniture and Jewels. Are we to take these three elements at face value, and if so, what exactly are Ornaments, or Furniture, or indeed Jewels in a masonic context? It becomes clear in this book that we are dealing with ornaments of symbolic and allegorical significance, such as the Blazing Star, the Square Pavement and the Tesselated Border. Furniture in a masonic context includes books of the holy writ, and jewels are sometimes not concrete objects at all, but the summit of allegorical significance in a speculative sense. Architect’s implements may serve as speculative jewels, implements such as squares, levels, plumb rules, ashlars and tracing boards. It is clear that there is a wealth of de-coding and interpretation to be undertaken. An entire chapter in the book is devoted to the power of allegory, and we are led on a journey accompanied by many masonic jewels and their relationship in some cases to architecture and art in the profane world.

THE “BRIG” – BRIGADIER-GENERAL WILLIAM MELDRUM – A FORGOTTEN LEGEND 1865-1964
by Gordon Sylvester
William Meldrum Barrister, Soldier, Magistrate, Mayor, Freemason New Zealander.
The West Coast is full of stories of exceptional men and women. This is one such story.
It concerns a man born in the pioneer days in north Auckland, who eventually arrived on the Coast in 1921 as a Magistrate. It is during those in-between times that this story is about.
He was simply known as the “Brig”. William Meldrum: Brigadier-General and commander of the New Zealand Mounted Riffles in the 1914-18 war.