December 2013

FREEMASONRY – OLD RECORDS, NEW IDEAS by Trevor Stewart

This book of the lectures by the ANZMRC Lecturer contains twelve of his lectures

  • The Curious Case of Bro Gustav Petrie: a model for doing Masonic Historical Research
  • Robert Burns: Bard, Mason and National Treasure
    • Enlightenment in the Alpshelley’s forgotten Rosicrucian novel “St Irvyne” (1811)
    • Polymnia and the Craft: a preliminary examination of some early Scottish poetry and the craft
    • Gentlemen entrants in seventeenth–century Scottish Lodges” motivations, process and consequences
    • ‘…..is it of Service to the Public to shew where error is’: a re-examination of the visit to the Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary’s Chapel) by the Revd Dr John Theopehilus Desaguliers.
    • The Edinburgh Register House Manuscript: our oldest Masonic ritual (1696).
    • Scottish Masonic Processions
    • The HRDM: A fourth Visitation to a curious Eighteenth-Century Masonic Phenomenon from the North-Eastern Region of England
    • Plato Reconsidered
    • A Fresh Look at Some Masonic Symbols – a personal perspective
    • Those Two Pillars Again! A personal re-examination of a recurring Masonic image
    • The remarkable contribution of Martinez de Pasqually: a truly original French-born Masonic Innovator.

SCOUTING AND FREEMASONRY: TWO PARALLEL ORGANISATIONS by Tony Harvey.

This is the book that accompanies the United Grand Lodge of England’s 2012 Prestonian Lecture.
For his lecture, Tony Harvey has examined the relationship between Scouting and Freemasonry, two of the worlds leading values-based membership organisations. As well as identifying traditional parallels he makes a case that Scouting and Freemasonry can learn from, and Support, each other as they face the challenges of the twenty-first century.

A QUICK GUIDE TO FREEMASONRY by David Harrison.
A Quick Guide to Freemasonry is perfect for both new and established members or indeed anyone wanting to know about Freemasonry. New members are full of questions and are sometimes afraid to ask established members, thus turning to the Internet to be confronted by an array of websites; some filled with misinformation. This handbook gives the answers to many of those questions, and would be perfect for Mentors in Lodges on both sides of the Atlantic.
Written in a simple question-and-answer format, the book provides a brief history of Freemasonry, along with a quick guide to many of the Masonic rituals, Masonic dress and various practices; also covering the roles of the Officers, the Festive Board, toasting and the use of symbols within Masonry. Containing the basic FAQs and the more deeper considerations, this is a perfect guide for those who wish to know more about the world of Freemasonry.

200 YEARS OF ROYAL ARCH FREEMASONRY IN ENGLAND by Yasha Beresiner
The Royal Arch, also known as ‘Red Lodge’ or Chapter is one of the most popular and enlightening of the Orders beyond the Craft. Published to coincide with the celebrations of 200 years of Royal Arch Freemasonry, this extensive volume encompasses much more than the title implies. Divided into three parts with added appendices, the book covers the story behind the creation of Supreme Grand Chapter within the context of Craft Freemasonry, to which it is so closely attached. It is a comprehensive guide to the Order of the Royal Arch, its history and development from the mid 18th century to the present day.

This is the only text to date to answer such important questions as:
• How did the Royal Arch end up in its current position, so unique to England?
• How did the Antients Grand Lodge treat this 4th Degree of Freemasonry?
• Was the Charter of Compact really falsified?
• And did the Duke of Sussex have his own private Chapter?

This easy to read and comprehensive volume includes an innovative story line of the day of celebration on 27 December 1813, written in the form of a novelette. It is in a style that allows the reader to learn all the events surrounding the creation of the Order with ease and confidence. For the serious scholar, Yasha Beresiner’s book reveals new ground in the discovery and analysis of documents newly recovered and incorporates a chronology of events from 1813 to 2013.

DUNCAN’S MASONIC RITUAL AND MONITOR by Malcolm C. Duncan [1866]

This book presents details of Masonic initiation rituals, along with grips, passwords and regalia. Written in the 19th century, Duncan’s Ritual, as it is known, has been republished numerous times. It includes the three basic degrees of the Ancient York Rite, and four additional advanced degrees. There are over a hundred illustrations, all reproduced here, which show important details of the rituals, including gestures and symbolic pictures. Duncan’s Ritual is careful to note known variations where they exist. This book will be of interest to beginning Masons who want a roadmap of the craft, as well as experienced Masons who need a review.

NEW ZEALAND AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR 1914- 1919 by Damien Fenton
The first of its kind for New Zealand – a lavish, landmark production – New Zealand and the First World War dynamically illustrates 50 key episodes of our wartime life. Featuring over 500 images, many previously unpublished, the book comes with a host of memorabilia: fold-out maps posters booklets letters postcards The complete story of New Zealand’s war is brought to life in dramatic detail – our front-line experiences overseas as well as those on the home front, from the outbreak in 1914 to demobilisation in 1919. This terrible conflict was not restricted to faraway battlefields like Gallipoli and Passchendaele – it had an unparalleled impact on New Zealand society, touching nearly every family, every street and every community. Until now, no single history has explored New Zealand’s role in the First World War with such breadth and colour. A defining history for a new generation.