I've just finished pasting a bookplate into my copy of Heredom, traditionally my final act before putting a treasured work on my bookshelves. And a treasured volume it is! This is the seventh annual transactions of the Scottish Rite Research Society (SRRS). Because our new Brethren may not know about the Society, let me tell you a bit about it.

The society was the idea of Dr. S. Brent Morris, 33°, Grand Cross, now the editor of Heredom. Ten years ago, he envisioned a research society, sponsored by the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite, which would publish annually the very best research papers relating to Masonry in its many branches, not just the Scottish Rite. Sovereign Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, caught the fire of the vision and nurtured the concept.

Now, the Scottish Rite Research Society has over 6,000 members and is the fastest-growing Masonic research group in the world, as well as one of the best. Heredom is sent each year to dues-current members of the SRRS. A beautifully bound and printed hardback book, expertly edited and illustrated, it really should be on your shelf. Also, special note is due here regarding Bro. Mark R. Page, 32°, of Schmitz Press in Sparks, Maryland. He has personally embraced, as a Masonic and professional mission, making each issue of Heredom an outstanding publication in all its physical aspects—paper, binding, print quality, illustration—and he has succeeded admirably!

You can get Heredom by joining the SRRS. Doing that is easy and inexpensive. You would pay much more for a book like Heredom alone than the annual dues will cost you, if you could buy it in a bookstore, and there are other advantages to society membership, such as a newsletter, The Plumbine, and special reduced-price book offers. Information on how to join the SRRS is at the end of this article.

The eight papers in volume seven cover so wide a range that almost anyone will find something of special interest. The first is by Dr. Morris himself and includes a full-color reproduction of a newspaper from 1723 entitled The Post Boy. This recently discovered newspaper (the original was purchased for the library of the Supreme Council), contains what appears to be a Masonic "exposure," an unauthorized printing of the ritual. The history of its discovery and the unraveling of its true nature make for a fascinating detective story.

Next, by Lisa Kahler, is "The Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Establishment of the Masonic Community." This is an intriguing history of compulsion and manipulation. Anyone who thinks Grand Lodge politics is a recent or an American phenomenon will find this enlightening. Ms. Kahler has an easy-to-read style, which makes her paper especially enjoyable.

Then comes "Dimasalang: The Masonic Life of Dr. Jose Rizal," a paper by Ill. Bros. Raymond S. Fajardo, 33°, and Fred Lamar Pearson, Jr., 33°. This essay should be high on your must-read list. It begins: "Dr Jose P. Rizal, a Philippine national born June 19, 1861, died before a firing squad on December 30, 1896. Thus came to an inglorious end the life of a remarkable man and Mason. Martyr, patriot, poet, novelist, physician, Mason—he was all of these and more." The paper, actually a condensation of a book, highlights this outstanding figure in the struggle for Philippine independence. In doing so, it also highlights the profound role played by Freemasonry in the independence movements of both the Philippines and Spain. For good reason, Brother Rizal is known as "the George Washington of the Philippines." This inspiring story is hard to put down.
Deeply disturbing, on the other hand, is the paper "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion: Anti-Masonry and Anti-Semitism" by Ill. Leon Zeldis, 33°. The "Protocols" are a fraud. Unlike Leo Taxil's famous and equally fraudulent work of the late 1800s, however, there is no element of comedic hoax to the "Protocols." The document is sheer hate propaganda, focused at both Masons and Jews. And in spite of the fact that it has been repeatedly proven to be a fraud, the "Protocols" are received among many anti-Masons and other hate groups as gospel. Even if you have never heard of the "protocols," you need to read this paper. If nothing else, you need to be able to refute those who cite it against us. The information in this paper may make you angry, it may make you sick, or both, but this is an arena in which it is essential to be both forewarned and forearmed. In writing this carefully researched paper, Ill. Bro. Zeldis has done a service to Truth.

It's obvious to anyone who has received the Fellow Craft Degree that geometry plays an important role in Masonry. You may be surprised, however, to discover just how pervasive it truly is throughout Freemasonry. To find out, retrieve your compasses and straightedge and read "The Geometry of the Visible Lodge" by Bro. Herbert P. Bangs, 32°. Clear line drawings illuminate this paper, and show how geometric symbolism forms the basis for the construction of the Lodge room and some of the Masonic symbols. It isn't always easy going for those of us who left geometry in junior high school, but Brother Bangs makes his subject clear. If you enjoy symbolism or mathematics, this paper is for you.

I have recommended works by Bro. W. Kirk MacNulty, 32°, in this column before, and his paper "Kabbalah and Freemasonry" in volume seven of Heredom is up to his usual high standard. The introductory passage on the development of Masonry is worth reading for itself, but he goes on to illustrate the influence of the Kabbalah (a school of Jewish mystical thought) on the symbols of the Fraternity. This is a lengthy paper, but there are no wasted words, and the essay is filled with significant information and fascinating diagrams. Again, if you enjoy the study of Masonic symbolism, this paper is a must-read.

One of the most important figures in the early development of Freemasonry was J. T. Desaguliers. Mackey's Encyclopedia refers to him as the "Father of Modern Speculative Masonry." But there was another important aspect to Desaguliers, which interacted with his involvement with Masonry. Bro. R. William Weisberger, 32°, explores this aspect in his paper, "J. T. Desaguliers: Newtonian Experimental Scientist." Like Newton, Desaguliers was a member of the Royal Society in England. It was the world's first organization supporting and discussing scientific research. Desaguliers was one of Newton's disciples, spreading the idea of science to the influential men (including two kings) of the 18th Century and helping to create the world in which we live. Anyone interested in the history of Masonry or the history of science will find this paper rewarding to read.

Finally, there is the paper "Dr. W. Begemann vs. The English Masonic History Establishment: A Love-Hate Story" by Bro. Alain Bernheim, 32°. Begemann, a German Masonic scholar of the late 1800s, made a detailed examination of the material in Anderson's Constitutions. There isn't space here to review the controversy, but suffice it to say that Begemann pointed out facts which some scholars welcomed and others preferred to ridicule. Most contemporary thought is on the side of Begemann. Read the paper. It's far more interesting than I have made it sound here.

The only downside to this volume of Heredom is a computer glitch which confused many page references in the index. A correction formula for converting the misprinted page numbers to the correct page numbers will be published in a future Plumbine, the society's newsletter, and a paste-in correction sheet for Vol. 7 will accompany Vol. 8 when it is mailed later this year.

Click here for information on how to join the Scottish Rite Research Society.  

Jim Tresner is Director of the Masonic Leadership Institute and Editor of The Oklahoma Mason. A frequent contributor to the Scottish Rite Journal and its book review editor, Illustrious Brother Tresner is also a volunteer writer for The Oklahoma Scottish Rite Mason and a video script consultant for the National Masonic Renewal Committee. He is the Director of the Thirty-third Degree Conferral Team and Director of Work at the Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple in Guthrie, Oklahoma, as well as a life member of the Scottish Rite Research Society, author of the popular anecdotal biography Albert Pike, The Man Beyond the Monument, and a member of the steering committee of the Masonic Information Center. Ill. Tresner was awarded the Grand Cross, the Scottish Rite's highest honor, during the Supreme Council's October 1997 Biennial Session.