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The Secret Teachings Of All Ages

BryanMaloney

Premium Member
Actually, he frequently refers to his sources within the text (even if he doesn't city his sources to the page, etc., in a scholarly manner) in much the same way Albert Pike does in his work Morals and Dogma. Hall also includes a very extensive bibliography of sources he consulted while compiling the book.

That still counts as "sourced" for me. It helps me evaluate the work, as well. When I find out that someone has, for example, used Wallis Budge as their primary source for ancient Egypt, I know that their work is probably about as reliable as a Saturday morning cartoon.
 

JamesMichael

Premium Member
In this book, he claims the first temple was destroyed after 33 years. That is incorrect, more like 410 years. I stopped reading this book as I didn't feel like it was very accurate and hard to substantiate almost everything he wrote.

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Thegentlesoldier

Registered User
A lot of Masonic books are based on interpretation, even if you do not subscribe to esoteric or cabalistic ideology you miss out on some very interesting research. I've read many books that I feel the author is wrong, however for the most part they had some very interesting material.
 

JamesMichael

Premium Member
A lot of Masonic books are based on interpretation, even if you do not subscribe to esoteric or cabalistic ideology you miss out on some very interesting research. I've read many books that I feel the author is wrong, however for the most part they had some very interesting material.

Not saying that I don't subscribe, as I read much material that I differ on. I just prefer when material is presented for it to be accurate and if debatable then also have with it some type of information to support. I don't agree that all Masonic books or all parts of Masonic books are interpretative, we have lots of historical facts. Maybe like Pike, this book should say, this is mostly speculation on my part and will not be offering much in regards to proofs. The part of the book I referenced the author was stating many facts as if they were accurate at face value.
 

BroBill

Site Benefactor
Site Benefactor
Someone I know looking to petition with me, was told to read a book called The Secret Teachings Of All Ages. He was given the book by a friend, who has quite a few friends in the fraternity. Not sure what the book teaches but seeing as how he is not a brother yet, should he read or not read the book? Please members of the brotherhood, let me know.


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Typically, if a man has made the decision to petition for the degrees, I recommend he stop reading and stop researching on the internet. My concern is that the candidate will read something that will distract him during the degree and during his proficiency lessons. If a candidate has something in mind that he thinks is going going to happen, or that there are symbols in the degrees that mean certain things, he'll be looking for that instead of listening to the degrees as presented. If they think they have "learned the real secrets", the may have much more trouble with the proficiency work searching for double meanings and hidden meanings instead of receiving instruction from his instructor.

There is plenty of time after the degree work to read up on the mysteries, in my humble opinion of course.

Good luck!

BroBill
 

Hermias

Registered User
I agree, i have a friend who wants to become a member with his heart and soul. He is very fervent and dedicated in obtaining as much knowledge about the order. He researches a lot on the net and I had to caution him the other day to not spoil it for himself: his initiation should be a special occasion and not a I know it all experience.


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Mike Martin

Eternal Apprentice
Premium Member
I personally always get worried when I see people citing the work of non-Masons as authoratitive on Freemasonry! AS I am sure we all understand a man must first experience our Ceremonies before he can begin to interpret them and Manly was finally Initiated some 30 years after he wrote his first book of Freemasonry.

Manly Palmer Hall (18/03/1901 – 29/08/1990) probably the most famous Masonic authority that actually wasn’t. He wrote several books specifically about Freemasonry unfortunately many people mistakenly apply his Masonic pedigree retrospectively. He wrote his books as a complete cowan and in fact was describing the philosophies of Theosophy which he mistakenly though was the same as Freemasonry as at the time he was a student of comparative religion.

He wrote:
The Lost Keys of Freemasonry in 1923,
Secret Teachings in 1928
Freemasonry of the Ancient Egyptians in 1937
The Secret Destiny of America in 1944
Masonic Orders of the Fraternity in 1950

He did not actually become a Freemason until his 1954 Initiation into Jewel Lodge No. 374, he went onto to join the AASR and gained the 33rd degree in 1973. He himself, admitted that he had written as a non-Mason, in the foreword to the 10th edition (1967) of Lost Keys, he stated that all he knew about Freemasonry at the time "was from a few books commonly available to the public". Despite this many, both Masons and non-Masons, still make the mistake of claiming him as a kind of authority on Freemasonry.

For reference:

PREFACE TO THE TENTH EDITION

It is gratifying indeed that after more than forty years of continuous publication, and 30,000 copies having been printed, the demand for this little book justifies a new edition. At the time I wrote this slender volume, I had just passed my twenty-first birthday, and my only contact with Freemasonry was through a few books commonly available to the public.
It was from the study of comparative religion that I first became aware of the secret philosophical schools and societies of the ancient world. It was not possible to contemplate the State Mysteries of Egypt, Greece, India and Persia and not be profoundly impressed by the nobility of their teachings, the beauty and solemnity of their rites and ceremonies, and the profound meanings of their symbols, emblems and initiatory rituals. It became evident to me that these sacred institutions and colleges were the custodians of a universal wisdom, and conferred upon their initiates the keys to a sublime science or art dedicated to the regeneration of man and the reformation of human society. Moved by this conviction, I wrote The Lost Keys of Freemasonry.
Many changes have been wrought in the two score years since this writing came to print. A sickly sophistication threatens our way of life, and the very survival of human culture is at hazard. Through long years of confusion, depression, war and tyranny, Freemasonry has stood for the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. It has defended the right of every man to receive a proper education. It has taught respect for Constitutional government. It has sought to unite men in a fraternity of good works – these being the proper labours of a Master Mason.
Feeling that the time had come for all men who believed in the dignity of the human soul and the utility of enlightened ethics to stand and be counted, I petitioned for membership in the Masonic Order in 1954. In November of that year I was raised in Jewel lodge No.374, F.& A. M., San Francisco, California. A year later I took the Scottish Rite Degrees, and am a member of the San Francisco Consistory MRS. In 1961 I received the Investiture of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour.
I am happy to say that the admiration I had so long held for the Masonic Order was increased and deepened by a more intimate knowledge of its principles and a closer personal communion with my Brethren.

Manly P. Hall 32° K.C.C.H
Los Angeles, 1967
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
I find it strange that when Manly P Hall became a brother he did so in San Francisco and he does not mention affiliating locally once he was in Los Angeles.
 

Rommel

Registered User
Brother manly p hall is by far the greatest mason philosopher, if you disagree you should read and listen to his audio files, you could find them on youtube, personally i dont think i could compare Albert pike and manly p hall just because they are two different people with different visions and knowledge the two are great! But i like Manly p hall work! Oh by the way he was canadian!


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widows son

Premium Member
I would say he had some good insights into the occult, and freemasonry, but I wouldn't say he's the end to all of Masonic philosophy.


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BroBook

Premium Member
In this book, he claims the first temple was destroyed after 33 years. That is incorrect, more like 410 years. I stopped reading this book as I didn't feel like it was very accurate and hard to substantiate almost everything he wrote.

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My brothers I have not had the privilege of reading this book, going back in my mind, not sure if I heard of him before this site, that being said , I understand the reasons for giving sources, but we as brothers searching for truth should consider that whoever we quote is quoting someone else or they had an moment of clarity, in closing maybe 33 refers to the age of my Master when they destroyed his body rendering it uninhabitable, thereby enabling him to escape the confines of His physical body, go do a lecture in the land of the dead go back get his body, because only souls that sin die, go back the G.A.O.T.U. and say "Most Worshipful " I have giving the craft their work!!!wwea


Bro Book
M.W.U.G.L. Of Fl: P.H.A.
Excelsior # 43
At pensacola
 

BroBook

Premium Member
I agree, i have a friend who wants to become a member with his heart and soul. He is very fervent and dedicated in obtaining as much knowledge about the order. He researches a lot on the net and I had to caution him the other day to not spoil it for himself: his initiation should be a special occasion and not a I know it all experience.


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Back in 1984 my instructor ask me to do him a favor and not read any thing else period until I was I.


Bro Book
M.W.U.G.L. Of Fl: P.H.A.
Excelsior # 43
At pensacola
 

brother josh

Registered User
Yea that's what sux about this lovely technology that we have in our hands it's good that at a drop of a dime I can read about ppl like manly p hall but it's bad because at time it does shine a negative light on our order that them of the outside world think is true


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Tony Uzzell

Registered User
Yea that's what sux about this lovely technology that we have in our hands it's good that at a drop of a dime I can read about ppl like manly p hall but it's bad because at time it does shine a negative light on our order that them of the outside world think is true


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The thing that has to be learned by all of us at some point or another in our lives if we are to reach our true potential as humans is the difference between knowledge and wisdom, between fact and truth.

Unfortunately, the internet (and the people on it, including all of us) is too often mistaken for sharing wisdom and truth. The internet is a tremendous tool for sharing knowledge, but having access to knowledge does not imbue one with understanding, nor does it grant intelligence.

When I hear the mouths on the internet speak their "wisdom" that is derisive of the Craft, I am reminded of the five-year-old child who can recite his multiplication tables or a list of all of the U.S. Presidents. Some may consider that impressive, but all I can ask is: "Does he really understand what he's saying or is he just parroting what he has been told?"

We, as Freemasons, must traffic in wisdom and truth, not knowledge and fact.

TU
 

rebis

Premium Member
Wisdom is proper use of knowledge

You nailed it!

For example, these days, everybody knows how an iPhone works... to the point where it can be copied and replicated. There is a difference however between the operator or even a person that can repair an iPhone and the designer of the product.

One has knowledge and the other creative wisdom.



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