Existence
The Traditional History of The Order of Women Freemasons
Brethren, our order was formed in March 1908 when we were called The Honourable Fraternity of Antient Masonry. We are a regular Masonic Order open to all women, unlike Adoptive Masonry which restricts its membership to women who are fortunate to have Masons among their near family. As you know, we are open to all women of full age, of good report and holding a belief in a Supreme Being.
THE FIRST SPECULATIVE FREEMASON
The Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland2 January at 07:00 ·
Reflections on the Second Degree
That purely material gains can never represent the final goal in the progress and development of mankind must have been recognised as fundamental truth ever since primitive man first began to turn his thoughts from such considerations as food, shelter and physical comfort generally to that limitless and fruitful field of speculative thought which Freemasonry names the hidden mysteries of nature and science.
DE VERBO MIRIFICO: JOHANNES REUCHLIN AND THE ROYAL ARCH
The point about the RA which I want to discuss involves manipulation of the Divine Name in its Hebrew form, and although it may seem as though I am not talking about Freemasonry at all, I think you will find that, as 1 proceed, your attention will be seized by the similarities between what 1 am writing about and the intentions of those who compiled the RA ritual. In addition, I hope what 1 say will illustrate my contention about the rise speculative Freemasonry and the RA.
Symbolism of the Lodge
It is often said that symbolism is carried too far and this is difficult to deny when I think of Freud and other psychiatrists and psychologists who seem able to find strange and often erotic meanings in all they see. The meanings given to every image based on repetition makes the lay-person feel at a serious disadvantage when they wish to contradict anything that is given a meaning by such “Specialists.” The symbolic object, which is dredged up by the mind, seems to have no great pattern of consistency in the case of psychiatric symbol definition.
