Chamber of Reflection

[Glen Cook]

Exactly this. Brother Andrew Hammer has written a good little guide to the history of the COR, and there is plenty of evidence that it existed already in the 1700s as part of Craft Masonry. Both in the English Rites, but certainly also in the Swedish Rite. So saying that there is no evidence earlier, is simply incorrect by the brother from Louisiana.

Saying that they belong to the first degrees of the AASR, shows a lack of understanding of how that rite developed and formed. The rituals we know today and historically, even back to Morin clearly had earlier origins, and there is no evidence, as far as I'm aware that the COR shows up in those rituals as the first place in Masonry.

The main challenge with proving the position of the COR historically is that most of the exposes dealt with the rituals, and what happened inside the lodge. Few touch on how a Mason was prepared, and what happened before the initiations.

Name of the book?

 

[LK600]

Name of the book?

I believe the book he is referring to is this linked below.

https://www.amazon.com/Observing-Craft-Pursuit-Excellence-Observance/dp/0981831613

 

[chrmc]

Name of the book?

It was this text I was referring to. http://observingthecraft.com/ATimeWithPatience.pdf
And in there he quotes the expose "Jachin and Boaz" as a good example of older sourcing strongly hinting at the existence of a COR back in the 1700s.

 

[LK600]

It was this text I was referring to. http://observingthecraft.com/ATimeWithPatience.pdf
And in there he quotes the expose "Jachin and Boaz" as a good example of older sourcing strongly hinting at the existence of a COR back in the 1700s.

Yes, that paper was taken from the notes he amassed for the book I linked above.

 

[Glen Cook]

It was this text I was referring to. http://observingthecraft.com/ATimeWithPatience.pdf
And in there he quotes the expose "Jachin and Boaz" as a good example of older sourcing strongly hinting at the existence of a COR back in the 1700s.

Thanks. That is a commonly known expose. That description is not in my experience the same as the chamber of reflection at issue here. Indeed, this is much the same as done in Utah and other jurisdictions.

 

[LK600]

Thanks. That is a commonly known expose. That description is not in my experience the same as the chamber of reflection at issue here. Indeed, this is much the same as done in Utah and other jurisdictions.

So your not talking about the historical Chamber of Reflection that we are (and Hammer)?

 

[Glen Cook]

So your not talking about the historical Chamber of Reflection that we are (and Hammer)?

Let me rephrase. I haven’t seen the the CoR of the AASR and KT used in the ancient ritual craft lodge, that is, I’ve not seen evidence of documents written, objects or symbols to reflect upon, used in the ancient craft lodge.

 

[LK600]

Understood. Thanks

 

[chrmc]

Let me rephrase. I haven’t seen the the CoR of the AASR and KT used in the ancient ritual craft lodge, that is, I’ve not seen evidence of documents written, objects or symbols to reflect upon, used in the ancient craft lodge.

I think this captures the discussion about the COR very well, because when exactly is it a COR, and when is it just a preparation room for the candidates to sit in. Do we have to have all the implements? What about just some of them?