Product Description

Although the Freemasons number over six million members worldwide, they are a very secretive organization. the general public today thinks of them as a social fraternity like the Rotary Club, but that is hardly the whole truth. By mysterious coincidence, it seems, many Masons have been major figures in modern history. many of the Founding Fathers of the United States—including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Paul Revere—were Freemasons. Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Italian freedom fighter, was also one, as were the composers Franz Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and writers François Marie Arouet de Voltaire and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The Meaning of Masonry explores the beliefs behind the order, its cryptic rites and symbols, and uncovers its ultimate purpose.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #147945 in Books
• Published on: 1995-12-02
• Released on: 1995-12-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

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Customer Reviews

The Meaning of Masonry
A fine book that avoids the often sought route of showing the mason's history and what we have done. This book focuses on what masonry is and tries to offer a deeper understanding of what masonry is.

An excellent way of learning more about the craft

Good Intro to the Fraternity
As stated on page 47, "The very essence of the Masonic doctrine is that all men in this world are in search of something in their own nature which they have lost, but that with proper instruction and by their own patience and industry they may hope to find." Ironically, this was my intent behind buying this book. I read it cover to cover and all it did was whet my appetite to delve further into the craft to discover more insight and gain more understanding of what the fraternity represents. Good read, but takes a while to get through the historical hum-drum. Do not read while laying down. :-)

Most coherent spiritual discourse of Freemasonry available
One of the most coherent, spiritual discourses of Freemasonry available to the modern reader. This text is the emotional compliment to W. K. MacNulty's intellectual text "Freemasonry A Journey...".

This is a timeless text for Freemasons and non-Masons alike. It is the most influential book on my shelf, no trivial statement given that I am a long-time collector and dealer in antiquarian texts.

Too many Masons, and non-Masons for that matter, step through the rituals of their life and accept the symbols of their world without consciously reflecting on their purpose. This is not wrong by itself - the intent of Freemasonry is self-discovery by fraternity with other motivated good men.

But Wilmshurst reminds us that conscious reflection means we discover and improve our physical selves faster. When we learn from mistakes, we avoid making them again. When we learn to pace ourselves, we make the world better for those around us. As men what we most owe to our families is a better man. In short God has charged us to rise to Him and Freemasonry can help us serve Him. If we choose to see.

I recommend taking this book down at least once a month to read a random chapter. Remember our charge: learn to subdue our passions, learn to be better men.