Building Free Men: Chapter III - Being Frank (About “Freemasonry”)
Good Day My Good Brothers and Friends!
This is an article I published on April 1, 2014, April Fool's Day. It eventually became a chapter in the book: Building Free Men - Uncommonly Freeing Masonic Education - Volume 8. Its research, writing and subsequent publication also became the inspiration and foundation for The Craft Unmasked - The Uncommon Origin of Freemasonry and Its Practice.
If you wish to know what was the catalyst for both of these books, here it is...
I was told by several critical members of the Fraternity that:
The date of its publication was no coincidence, however the article and the subsequent books were anything but foolish.
Pleasantly enough, since their publication, critics have tempered their public criticism.
-- Enjoy!
Brother John S. Nagy
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"Take this from this if this be otherwise.
If circumstances lead me, I will find
Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed
Within the center." – Polonius[1]
It is of no small coincidence that the phrase, “hidden within plain sight” has dwelled so significantly within the hearts of those Craft members who have experienced one revelation after another. They have lived it and hence this phrase specifically states with no reservation what they have experienced firsthand. What is special about the phrase is what it most perfectly expresses to those who are Seeking: what is desired can and shall be found once you have trained yourself to See differently. This phrase hits home. It does so with those who zealously Seek to find and unravel the mysteries they desire most. So it is with the mystery behind the word, “Freemason”. This especially with those who ask themselves: What were this specific word’s origins and its originally intended meaning?
Continue Reading Here: http://buildinghiram.blogspot.com/2017/03/building-free-men-chapter-iii-being.html
Good Day My Good Brothers and Friends!
This is an article I published on April 1, 2014, April Fool's Day. It eventually became a chapter in the book: Building Free Men - Uncommonly Freeing Masonic Education - Volume 8. Its research, writing and subsequent publication also became the inspiration and foundation for The Craft Unmasked - The Uncommon Origin of Freemasonry and Its Practice.
If you wish to know what was the catalyst for both of these books, here it is...
I was told by several critical members of the Fraternity that:
- There exists no clear evidence as to the origin of the phrase "Free & Accepted Masons" or that this phrase alluded to "Operative & Speculative Masons" -- these have since been proven wrong,
- "Freeborn; Free-Born; Free Born" meant "Born Free; that is, not born a slave" -- this has since been proven wrong,
- "Freemason" was from "Free Stone Mason" or "Free from the Guild" or "Free to Travel" -- this has since been proven wrong,
- There doesn't exist any clear and historical difference between Freemasonry and Free Masonry -- this has since been proven wrong,
- Drawing distinctions was an "innovation" on my part and these distinctions were unsupported by scholars -- these have since been proven wrong.
The date of its publication was no coincidence, however the article and the subsequent books were anything but foolish.
Pleasantly enough, since their publication, critics have tempered their public criticism.
-- Enjoy!
Brother John S. Nagy
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Take this from this if this be otherwise.
If circumstances lead me, I will find
Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed
Within the center." – Polonius[1]
It is of no small coincidence that the phrase, “hidden within plain sight” has dwelled so significantly within the hearts of those Craft members who have experienced one revelation after another. They have lived it and hence this phrase specifically states with no reservation what they have experienced firsthand. What is special about the phrase is what it most perfectly expresses to those who are Seeking: what is desired can and shall be found once you have trained yourself to See differently. This phrase hits home. It does so with those who zealously Seek to find and unravel the mysteries they desire most. So it is with the mystery behind the word, “Freemason”. This especially with those who ask themselves: What were this specific word’s origins and its originally intended meaning?
Continue Reading Here: http://buildinghiram.blogspot.com/2017/03/building-free-men-chapter-iii-being.html