Recent content by Bookend

I became an "acting, unpaid" Steward on the night I was Raised. It was a very "turbulent" day! I had been Initiated in The Lodge of Fraternity No.214, at that time, in Salisbury, South Australia, in July 1978. It was the Lodge to which my father and younger brother belonged. I was living...

This paper explodes the myth about the famous "Jolly Roger" flag was "invented" by the medieval Knights Templar.

We are often told that Freemasonry has and affinity with the Ancient Egyptians, but it is never explained. This paper tries to address that issue.

Personally, I would prefer candles. However, in our Constitution (South Australia) and in many others within this country, we have had to come to use electricity, simply for the purposes of insurance. If we were to use candles, our insurance premiums would increase by as much as 600%!

As I have stated previosly, elsewhere, there is no mention in this chronology of any connection of the St. Clairs (or Sinclairs) of Roslin (Rosslyn) with the Knights Templar. Likewise, when visiting the page that is linked to this article and finding reference to the Sinclairs, again the...

I was raised in The Shaw-Stewart Lodge No.133 at Leichhardt, Sydney, New South Wales in November 1978. I became Worshipful Master of that Lodge in July 1981.

Actually, there are not any "Masonic" symbols within the church, although, thanks to the inventivness of Dr. Forbes, Bishop of Caithness (1774) who was a Freemason; named the two famous pillars the "Apprentice" and the "Mason" and wrote the Masonic fable featuring the pillars, Freemasonry has...

With respect to Hiram Abif (Abif is a Masonic invention, incidentally), I cannot see why he should be considered two different people. Being "the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan" would describe his lineage as Judaism is a matriachal society and, here, the mother is not described as a...

(This is another of my earliest papers. As I became more and more involved with Freemasonry and joined other Orders, my researches tended towards these "newer" Degrees.) Introduction Most Freemasons, when are asked to define their Craft, will give the ritualistic response that Freemasonry...

(This paper was the first I ever wrote and presented, back in 1979) Introduction Brethren! How many of you can remember distinctly your Initiation and all the strange and bewildering events that took place on that night, when you took your first Freemasonic steps. Without doubt, your...

(This paper was written by me more than twenty years ago and has been presented within nine different Masonic jurisdictions. It details the origins of the duties and of the very names of a South Australian Lodge's Officers.) INTRODUCTION When a prospective Candidate applies to join...

Hi all! As a way of introduction, I am a Past Grand Steward within the South Australian Craft jurisdiction and a Past Deputy Grand Master from New South Wales. I also have memberships from within other Australian jurisdictions as well as several from overseas, including the USA, Canada and...

In my jurisdiction (South Australia) the wearing of white gloves is mandatory and our entire Dress Code is much stricter than what I have experienced when visiting Lodges within the USA.