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5 Masonic books you can't live without

SteveR

Registered User
Personally:

The Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide
Morals and Dogma, Annotated
Esoterika
Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia
The Alchemical Keys To Masonic Ritual
 

detroit2jim

Registered User
Personally:

The Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide
Morals and Dogma, Annotated
Esoterika
Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia
The Alchemical Keys To Masonic Ritual

I have to say my favorite is "Mystic Tie" by Mackey. If you are unfamiliar with it, it's a great read and with strengthen your view on the Craft in the mid 19th century that can be applied today. A must rescue from my burning shelf.

Jim


Detroit Lodge No. 2 F&AM
 

SteveR

Registered User
It explains a lot of the origins of our degrees, and when you see the degrees after reading this book, they will take on a new dimension with an even deeper meaning. Bro. Tim Hogan (the author), is in my Valley of Denver SR, and he's well known for his massive amount of research and knowledge. He would be humble and deny it, but I can see brethren viewing his work in a hundred years similarly to how we view Bro. Pike's work.

I would encourage any brother that has been through all 3 degrees to read it. If your an EA or FC, wait until after you've become a MM, or a lot of the book will be dark to you.

By the way, Bro. Albert Pike also felt alchemy had a lot of influence on our rituals.

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jwhoff

Premium Member
Masonry takes teachings from the mysteries of mankind. The more we know the more we see less and less differences through man's quest for his maker. Yes, there are abominations and charlatans along the way. Both, I may add in and out of mainstream religion. Still man's honest, serious search for his relevance follows a narrow path.
 

BigDre357

Registered User
The Bible, Morals and Dogma, Freemasons For Dummies, The Jurisprudence Of Freemasonry, Albert Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry of which I have 2 volumes that are 1901 copyrighted and published

SMIB /G\
 

BigDre357

Registered User
View attachment 3429View attachment 3430View attachment 3431View attachment 3432 1377439753500.jpg my personal little corner in my house

SMIB /G\
 

rhitland

Founding Member
Premium Member
I had a list of 5 but that picture of the paddle brought memories flooding my brain from school. Are you an old school teacher Big Dre or that paddle have masonic significance?
 

BigDre357

Registered User
Lol we used to use them during certain aspects of initiation. Since I was a little heavy handed with them one of the brothers made that for me as a gift to show his appreciation. He said he wouldn't have felt like he earned his degrees without experiencing something outside of the actual ritual that made him appreciate his lessons and degrees more but do to a brother that came over from a Greek frat we stopped using them

SMIB /G\
 

Charles D. Stone

Registered User
One that I would definitely take is the Holy Bible presented to me when I made MM.

Since I posted this last year I would say I can save more than five. I was able to find an app for my Smartphone that is, supposably a complete Masonic library. It is cheaper than the cost of each book individually.
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Frater Cliff Porter

Premium Member
Man this is TOUGH...I love to read. So I will do my best here. My first choice is easy.

I am going with Morals and Dogma. Next is probably Esoterika. Starting to sweat, but I am going with Alchemical Keys to Masonic Ritual, then Lost Keys of Freemasonry and....not sure I can do this without passing out because there is so much great stuff....but....for the sake of the post and having to stick to five I would go with Born In Blood (because it had such an effect on my journey)...he made me want to know more about my history.

That being said it would be super hard for me not to grab Restorations of Masonic Geometry and Symbolry, Egypt the Cradle of Ancient Masonry, Bob Davis new book on ritual called The Mason's Word. Also I love Jim Tresner's But I Digress...I always feel like we are sitting on the back porch of his cabin talking Masonry when I read it (I am biased though, I helped him with it and he allowed me to write the forward). Mitchell's two volume history rocks, Sickel's Ahiman Rezon would be very difficult to leave behind. I will admit to loving Book of Hiram by Lohmas....see its just getting worse.
 

JTM

"Just in case"
Premium Member
I'm going to go with the ignorant answer... the books i was given on the alter... the bible, the bylaws, the apron, and that's about it. I don't know that I'd bring a masonic book other than that over another book...it's a long discussion about why.
 

MarkR

Premium Member
Lol we used to use them during certain aspects of initiation. Since I was a little heavy handed with them one of the brothers made that for me as a gift to show his appreciation. He said he wouldn't have felt like he earned his degrees without experiencing something outside of the actual ritual that made him appreciate his lessons and degrees more but do to a brother that came over from a Greek frat we stopped using them

SMIB /G\
You honestly used paddles on Masonic initiates? I would never join ANYTHING that required me to submit to hazing, much less physical abuse. Did your Grand Lodge know and approve of that?
 

Roy Vance

Certified
Premium Member
Man this is TOUGH...I love to read. So I will do my best here. My first choice is easy.

I am going with Morals and Dogma. Next is probably Esoterika. Starting to sweat, but I am going with Alchemical Keys to Masonic Ritual, then Lost Keys of Freemasonry and....not sure I can do this without passing out because there is so much great stuff....but....for the sake of the post and having to stick to five I would go with Born In Blood (because it had such an effect on my journey)...he made me want to know more about my history.

That being said it would be super hard for me not to grab Restorations of Masonic Geometry and Symbolry, Egypt the Cradle of Ancient Masonry, Bob Davis new book on ritual called The Mason's Word. Also I love Jim Tresner's But I Digress...I always feel like we are sitting on the back porch of his cabin talking Masonry when I read it (I am biased though, I helped him with it and he allowed me to write the forward). Mitchell's two volume history rocks, Sickel's Ahiman Rezon would be very difficult to leave behind. I will admit to loving Book of Hiram by Lohmas....see its just getting worse.

You sir, are as bad as I am when it comes to your books, except I don't have Esoterika or Brother Davis' book yet. It seems that I cannot find a copy of Esoterika, reasonably priced, anywhere. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I have not yet received Brother Hogan's book yet, either.
 

Proudvet09

Registered User
I believe a solution to this issue would be to place your readings in a fireproof safe. Lol...just a bit of friendly sarcasm. My apologies bretheren

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BigDre357

Registered User
Yeah but we stopped on our own because the other lodges that did it took it the the Greek feat point of hazing we just gave a pop here and there

SMIB /G\
 

Thegentlesoldier

Registered User
The History of Freemasonry by Albert G Mackey opened many new doors for me. All of the sudden I found lots of new material.
Solomon's Builders was a wealth of Masonic knowledge concerning the first century of Speculative Masonry in America.
Born in Blood is awesome
I also subscribe to Mo Lodge of Research and Masonic Research Network.


My Freemasonry HD
 

crono782

Premium Member
Currently, Esoterika by Pike, Book of the Chapter by Mackey, Lightfoot's Monitor with Commentaries by Lightfoot, Alchemical Keys to Masonic Ritual by Hogan, and Scottish Rite Monitor and Guide by de Hoyos
 

Thegentlesoldier

Registered User
These are 5 of the latest best books I read and I highly recommend them for any serious researcher. Not for novice probably.

Sworn in Secret: Freemasonry and the Knights Templar by Sanford Holst 2012
Ancient to Modern includes Knights Templar to Rosslyn Chapel

The Hiram Key: Pharaohs, Freemasons and the Discovery of the Secrete Scrolls of Jesus by Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas 1996
Ancient times to modern history including Knights Templar and many other aspects

The Lost Keys of Freemasonry by Manly P Hall original published 1923, republished 2006
From ancient times to modern.

Cracking the Freemasons Code by Robert L D Cooper 2007.
I actually met this author and interviewed him. He is awesome and very knowledgeable.

House Un divided: The Story of Freemasonry and the Civil War by Allen E Roberts 1961, 1990
Awesome account of Freemasonry during the American Civil War from both the North and South perspective as well as Soldiers and Prisoners.


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