Masonic Freemasonry and Janus, the god of the Two Faces
1 .- The Universality Masonic
In a world marked by progress technology, where the so-called progress invades the most intimate areas of life, and time speeds up the pace of communications, is paradoxical existence of an organization that seems to defy the centuries and the political and social changes. As a huge rock in a sea of \u200b\u200bstorms, Freemasonry seems to depend on the vicissitudes of history but one of the factors that build.
Freemasonry emerges in the eyes of historians barely scratches the surface of the facts. Under the dust accumulated for centuries, lies a parallel story that crosses time and nations, men and institutions, forming a highly heterogeneous network that evades -Successful-any attempt at classification. Some authors even claim that Freemasonry is a secular state as the old ivy wall: I could not tear it off without damaging it deeply.
This feature is what has given its name to the series this volume: The Masonic factor. The parallel story. One factor that has so profoundly influenced the construction of modern society that many events remain unexplained if no action associated with the Masons.
Certainly does not conform to the uniqueness stated nothing new. Numerous researchers, friends and foes the Order, have seen their ability to penetrate the innermost folds of society and leave their mark there. But even more suggestive: they have seen their ability to attract men so different and so many fields that it is inexplicable that a society supposedly so defined principles, capable of containing such a disparity. What is the secrecy surrounding the figures have been gathered so distant and different from each other? No doubt there is a Masonic practice that enables this convergence and enables a link that could overcome the differences that make short-term action of men.
But
Masonic universality has some limits worthwhile to clarify at the outset.
Most popular books Masonic test a formula that captures the reader, it misleads and confuses him: "Freemasonry is a society of universal ethical principles and whose symbolic system is capable of uniting humanity around values \u200b\u200bthat are common to all mankind. " It takes no great effort to understand the relativity of this statement. Freemasonry is today, and it is not for centuries, a unit of principles and unity of action. Nor is it a universalized model, since it responds to a culture and a civilization rooted in the West and Judeo-Christian tradition. His influence is clearly seen in liberal states, in democratic nations and all societies that guarantee freedom of thought. Instead, he has been persecuted in countries ruled by totalitarian regimes and theocratic societies. It is not condoned by Islamic fundamentalism could only be reborn in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Freemasonry today is a weight set of institutions around the world, but seriously Rites and atomized into different currents, submerged in deep differences that go beyond what we could imagine nuances. As these as noticeable differences in nature, the understanding of Masonic factor behind the plot of the story, you need a preliminary framework to explain the origins of them, they seem to arise with the birth of modern Freemasonry and pave their own evolution over the past three hundred years . This second volume in our study particularly addresses this issue, based on the premise that without a thorough description of these contradictions Masonic phenomenon is unapproachable.
2 .- The Internal Order
Of all the symbols that make up the Masonic language is a little known by outsiders
[1] . This is Janus, a mythical figure that has two faces. Its origin dates back to the classical world and has great cosmic sense, recalls the two aspects of the Sun, located on the summer solstice and winter, which mark, astronomically, the opposite points of the solar ellipse.
Christian Esotericism has assimilated to the San Juan of the New Testament: John the Baptist, who announces that comes in the name of the Lord, and St. John the Baptist who announces the end of times in the Apocalypse. Freemasonry preserves among its traditional rites celebrating the solstice celebrations.
Despite being a Masonic symbol is not as widespread as the square and compass, the figure of Janus defined as any other, the nature of the Order: Explains the mystery of his dualism and the bipolar nature of many of its symbols. Can be interpreted as a face looks out, the profane world, while the other looks within, to where the man plays his most difficult battle: The one who keeps to himself. This meaning is about the symbolism of the mythical double-bladed ax-the laber
[2] - with Ares, the god Dionysus was digging a spiral in the Universe with an edge, while the other delved about himself, his way into their inner selves.
Similarly, the history of Freemasonry can be approached from two main aspects: its action in the secular world and his inner history. If both fields are not known to us can present with great contradictions that hinder their understanding.
All of Freemasonry written stories so far have been inevitably incomplete or partial. Some authors have compiled neatly chronological succession Lodges, Grand Lodges, Lodges and Rites. Others have organized on the basis of its action in different countries and regions. However, most general histories are partial. Then there will be no general history of Freemasonry as the Grand Lodges not to disclose their documents. Work at Masonic files unimaginable potential to surprise, as the lodges, despite its secret nature have always been strict with its records and, in many cases, history has been written within the lodges. The problem arises when confronting the files is that in some cases, is not what we expected. So a progressive and even agnostic Freemasonry can be found to the surprise of records led to the Glory of the Great Architect of the Universe and the Holy Trinity or the existence of operative lodges which decodes action inexplicable nature political events.
How can we pretend, then, that the public does not Masonic, and even who recently admitted to the Order-to understand these contradictions?
The individual who comes to Freemasonry Freemasonry meets several, various rites and doctrines that vary substantially in obedience obedience
[3] . Can cope with markedly mystic Masons, who claim the religion as a fundamental condition of initiation frame. Or, on the other end, with others where religion is not only rejected but also ignored the spiritual connotation Masonic phenomenon. You can find even more disturbing difference: As the initiation of the intrinsic characteristics of entering the Order, currently there are allegiances to not even mention the condition of initiation in their statements of principles. However, there is no Masonic condition if you have not gone through this rite of passage that Masons call initiation.
The Grand Lodges are governed around a set of standards known as the Ancient Landmarks, clearly stated in the introductory documents of the Order. Deviations from these old rules have generated so-called irregular masonry, some of which can not be considered, given their extreme remoteness of the same-as true Masons.
Spinning
even finer, the nature of the initiation ceremony will change radically if we consider it as a simple test of courage and resolution, similar to that practiced by some political societies, academic clubs or gangs, or if we grant a transcendent value and its impact on the soul or psyche which is submitted to it. This depends fundamentally on the ontological conception that Masonry takes on men.
Whereas the Masonic initiation has been inherited from mystery and religious institutions of antiquity, can not be understood as a simple form of income but should be valued in real sacred dimension. In esoteric terms the initiation is, in fact, a rite of passage but with particular characteristics, it can also be understood as such practiced in some primitive cultures to mark the entry of adolescents in adult life and even in some religious practices mark the arrival of the individual to fully exercise their spiritual responsibilities. Masonic initiation beyond this framework and exceeded.
3 .- Political Society Club initiatory or?
But how to reconcile, for example, a progressive declaring Freemasonry, whose system is based exclusively on the use of reason, which is considered the only valid tool for the pursuit of truth with the other masonry that is assumed as a repository of tradition that must be guarded and sustained as we have been bequeathed by the great masters of the Royal Art?
How can the underlying mysticism of the Great Work spiritual transmutation of the man who proposes traditional masonry militant atheism of some Masonic powers whose main objective seems to focus on the rule of secularism and positive science on spiritual and religious beliefs?
Freemasonry Can it be both traditional and revolutionary? Can a secret society perpetuated for centuries sustained by both atheists and religious? Is it possible to understand the object of a society they have joined with equal fervor the rationalist Voltaire and the almost holy Joseph de Maistre? How can that be attributed to Freemasonry success of the French Revolution when many French Masons were massacred by the Terror in which, it is fair to say, also militated Freemasons? In fact, nothing indicates that both sides could share their ideas. However, Freemasonry stopped them all. And in more than one occasion the lodges have been the privileged scene of major political and social arrangements of historical significance.
varied political enemies sign, and anti-church, republicans and monarchists, anarchists and aristocrats, vagabonds and swindlers all have found their place in the fraternity.
not
Freemasonry surrender its mysteries easily. Its various systems (read rites) have been so refined over the centuries that it is almost impossible to infiltrate. Note that I said almost . Like a Russian doll, one inside the other lies a new and different version of herself in an endless succession. For the same reason it is necessary that the started the scroll for many years to begin to understand its essence, its meaning and purpose. This has led to one of the most common charges in connection with the Masons: that only those who reach the highest levels know the true order, that only the highest levels know exactly which is the order of Freemasonry, while hundreds of thousands, even millions, of Masons lodges that people only perceive a very fragmented and elusive version of Masonic secrecy.
4 .- The Ideal of the Order to the Order fragmented
Well. The reality is that not all Masons think alike or act the same way, a natural feature in a society that guarantees freedom of conscience of its members. Do not even have a ranking in terms of their interests and objectives. Freemasonry is essentially a society of freethinkers. Is here comes the true dimension of the historian Alec Mellor rightly when he said, referring to Freemasonry, which "This, contrary to the secular illusions is not a homogeneous and monolithic. Few media are so divided. The Masonic Order is merely an ideal, if not the concept. Freemasonry does not exist. There are only Masonic obedience ... "
Mellor
The certainty of this statement to express so hard not surprising, but it is the key to understanding an elusive history. But Mellor admits the existence of an order ideal, a concept that you pay particular attention.
"Ancient Landmarks?
worth repeating here that obedience is understood to all lodges that are under the same jurisdiction and respond to the same Masonic government. Generally operate under the name of Grand Lodge or Grand Orient. Thus, the United Grand Lodge of England, considered the Mother Grand Lodge of Freemasonry is a modern, independent regular obedience, like the Grand Lodge of Spain or the Grand Lodge of Israel or Argentina. None of them are subject to either territorial or any other legally. To be considered a regular Grand Lodge, its members must observe set of rules relating to the ancient customs of the Masonic Institution.
Although there are differences in the number of Old or Ancient Landmarks Landmarks, we list the twenty-five interesting rules proposed Albert Gallatin Mackey:
[4]
modes of recognition.
The division of Symbolic Masonry into three degrees.
The legend of the Third Grade.
The government of the fraternity by a presiding officer, called Grand Master, elected by the Corps of the Order.
The prerogative of the Grand Master to preside over each Assembly Order, wherever and whenever it takes place.
The prerogative of the Grand Master to grant dispensations for conferring degrees out of regulation.
The prerogative of the Grand Master to grant dispensations to open and maintain operational lodges, lodges also called dispensation.
The prerogative of the Grand Master to make Masons at sight.
The necessity for Masons to congregate in lodges.
The government of the fraternity, when gathered in a lodge, by a Master (known as Venerable Master) and two Wardens.
The need for every lodge, when assembled, is adequately covered.
Right of every Mason to be represented at all general meetings of the Order and to instruct their representatives.
The right of every Mason to appeal the decision of his brothers, agreed lodge to the Grand Lodge or General Assembly of Masons.
The right of every Mason to visit and sit in every regular lodge. No visitor
unknown to the brothers present or to any of them, as a Freemason, can enter a lodge without first passing an examination according to ancient custom.
No Lodge can interfere in the affairs of another lodge or confer degrees to brethren who are members of other lodges.
Everything is subject to Mason laws and regulations of the jurisdiction in which it resides.
Certain qualifications required of the candidates for initiation, to be men, not mutilated, free birth and age.
The belief in the existence of God as Architect of the Universe.
Subsidiary of this belief in God is the transcendence of the soul, ie the belief in a resurrection to a future life.
The "Book of the Sacred Law" will constitute an indispensable part of the furniture of the lodge.
equality of all Masons.
The secret of the institution.
The foundation of a speculative science upon an operative art, and the symbolic use and explanation of terms of art for purposes of moral and religious education.
That these limits can not be changed.
also considered obedience to the Great Eastern Masonic irregular, meaning irregular to those who do not share the same customs and traditions founding of Speculative Masonry. Such is the case of the Grand Orient of France, at a crucial stage in the history of French Freemasonry considered appropriate to abandon the mandatory use of the Volume of Sacred Law (the Bible) and the doctrine of the transcendence of the soul, modifying Thus, in a radical way, the character Trinitarian early Freemasonry and the ontological concept of a man consists of a material and a spiritual nature and therefore transcendent. A more disturbing change was the elimination of the concept of the Great Architect of the Universe, a formula that allows Masons gather around a universal idea of \u200b\u200bGod that transcends every religion in particular.
The issue of regularity is a complex subject in itself, which has resulted in bulky treated as a subject of study for masonólogos, such as the Masonic Interpotencial law. In fact, more than the first documentation of the Ancient Landmarks made by Albert Gallatin Mackey in 1858, there are huge differences between those who claim one or the other Grand Lodges.
In 1929, the United Grand Lodge of England agreed to a Declaration of Basic Principles surrounding the recognition of the Grand Lodges, consisting of eight points:
[5]
Regularity of origin: that is, each Grand Lodge shall have been legally established by a Grand Lodge duly recognized or three or more regularly constituted lodges.
That a belief in the Great Architect of the Universe and His revealed will be a prerequisite for admission.
That all started
be sworn or complete presence on the Book of the Sacred Law open, which means the revelation of the High linking particular individual's awareness that starts.
That the members of the Grand Lodge and individual Lodges are exclusively men, and each Grand Lodge shall have no relations whatsoever with Masonic lodges or mixed bodies admit women as members.
That the Grand Lodge shall have sovereign jurisdiction over the Lodges under his rule, that is, to be a responsible, independent, self-governing, with sole and undisputed authority over the Order and Symbolic Degrees (Apprentice, Companion and Master) within its jurisdiction and not subject in any way to divide such authority with a Supreme Council or other Power claiming domain or inspection on those degrees. That
Three Great Lights of Freemasonry (The Book of Sacred Law, the Square and Compasses) shall always be displayed when the Grand Lodge or its subordinate Lodges are at work, and the foremost of those Book of the Sacred Law.
That the discussion on issues of religion or politics within the Lodge is strictly prohibited.
That the principles of the Ancient Landmarks, usages and customs of the Order will be strictly observed.
basically considered regular Masonic powers to meet the basic principles of recognition and have been recognized by three Grand Lodges. That said, it should be noted that a regular Mason may be surprised to be considered irregular for those Masons who he believed to be irregular but consider themselves to be regular.
[6] However, the reality is that this rule takes adhesion characteristics increasingly lax. In theory an atheist can not belong to regular Masonry, although there are countless cases in the history of Masons who have fought in Great Lodges even be atheists.
is such a Masonic obedience, regardless of Rite-practicing or not recognized by Grand Lodges, as, for example, with the Grand Orient of France, or mixed or female Grand Lodges or Grand Lodges Rite of Memphis Mizraim etc. Surprisingly, some of these rites have been organized in its present form before they did the very regular York Rite or Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. Each of the Masonic Rites has its peculiarities, its doctrine and history, why Mellor is absolutely right when he says what he says. Positions differ to such an extent that we can find ideas substantially different more than one aspect. This has been stated in the other Christian Empire, when Marcab the difference between British Freemasonry early eighteenth century Protestant-Deist and that of the Scots exiles in France, Catholic and Trinitarian.
In this scheme, already complex for the general public must be added the existence of so-called Higher Degrees, whose origin and we have a profile in our previous volume.
To begin shelling the matter say that "faithful to the symbol of Janus, the history of Freemasonry is an ancient struggle between those who deny the existence an Internal Order and its supporters. In fact, all Masonic Lodges and Rites of the world tacitly or implicitly accept the existence of Masonic degrees outside the three universals of Symbolic Masonry, that is, the traditional three degrees of apprentice, fellow and master. The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, practiced primarily in Latin countries, is composed of thirty degrees in addition to the three symbolic making a total of 33, The Rite of emulation, of British origin, supports a number of additional orders than we can mention Among the most important, the Order of the Holy Royal Arch of the Temple of Jerusalem, the Order of Teachers Mark Masons, the Order of Royal Ark Mariners and the Priories of the Order of the Knights Templar and Malta. Rectified Scottish Regime that administers and governs the Rectified Scottish Rite (the so-called Christian Freemasonry) has a degree hinge, the Scottish Master of St. Andrew, which acts as a transition between the three symbolic degrees and grades of the Order of chivalry Knights Beneficent of the Holy City. The Egyptian Rite division has led to extreme levels of organizations in more than ninety.
is also a fact that relations between the governments of Symbolic Masonry and the High Grades have often been strained and in many countries has led to bitter disputes, usually caused by the claim of the High Grades himself up as arbiters of doctrine and censors of the shares of the Grand Lodges. Masonic currents exist only accept the existence of the three traditional levels, ruling out any other system or secret knowledge is attributed in addition to those.
5 .- Freemasonry and politics
If Freemasonry is not alien to the great revolutions or introductory manifestos of modern history, such as the Declaration of Human Rights or the Constitution of the United States, if his men were brutally persecuted by the dictatorships of every sign, if the Masons formed a major front in building a secular society, contributing to the secularization of the nation state, if deeply penetrated ideals in societies quite alien to Western culture, such as India, Turkey, Persia, Egypt, Japan and many other nations, being there Grand Lodges and adding to its ranks emblematic leaders of these nations, it would be foolish and even legitimately suspect claim that Freemasonry is not politically active.
But the fact remains that other Masonic obedience opted to focus its activity on the spiritual dimension of man, without generating political and religious conflicts, becoming true Mystery Schools of ancient mystical doctrines reservoirs and methods aimed at improving moral and spiritual members.
Despite its obvious appearance in the political arena, the Grand Lodges have refused, in a systematic, institutional political responsibility in many of the countries in which they acted, insisting that formula which states that Freemasonry acts in society only through their men. It has been repeated so insistently that the Masons have come to believe. The reality is that this premise remains valid and respected in much of the Masonic world, but not all.
At this point also receives a substantial difference between the regular Masonic obedience versus those who have taken a political position and even in some cases partisan. Regular Freemasonry itself is forbidden to act directly in national policies in a corporate and partisan debate is seriously excluded from work in the lodge. However, insofar as social actors-politicians, union leaders, soldiers, businessmen, judges etc .- are part of a Masonic obedience, it will be able to bring to society the principles on which his men are trained.
will say that it is men-and not the institution Masonic those involved in political life. But just as the Roman Church was unable to separate his role as a beacon of faith for their actions and historic responsibilities, "that inevitably lie in the realm of politics-just as Freemasonry, moral praxis as a model possible society, can not claim that political responsibility is diluted and delegates to the field of individual behavior of men.
When the Grand Lodges in their official histories listed Masons who have participated in the founding acts of their nations, where rates are set proud of legislators, lists of presidents, selections from prominent leaders and the usual, endless columns of famous Freemasons , is sending a clear message to society: This is the power of Freemasonry. The weight of the Masons is the fact that you have marked with the imprint Masonic determining its course.
Can wield, while an abandonment attitude towards politics? Theologians say that no policy can no salvation, giving eschatological power. The Opus Dei is proof that the Catholic Church has overcome this contradiction between religion and politics. The initiative aims to contribute to the formation of initiation moral construction of the policy, however, when addressing the issue of Freemasonry and politics, we reduce the restricted field of secularization. A review of the political dimension of the masonry in the last century's not much profanity as part of the struggle for positions of power by the secular forces and the issue of human rights and freedoms.
face of political and social history, which is the field I should be targeting a Masonic history in the face of society, freemasonry is divided in two main streams. On the one hand that which prevails in a spiritual aspect, the inner search, the transformation of consciousness and access to transcendent knowledge. Furthermore, progressive Masonry, conceived as a factor of social change, democracy precursor, a herald announcing the man among men and a world in which brotherhood should prevail over selfishness.
Are both models incompatible? Not necessarily, but very different. In the first case, the prevailing conception put initiatory spiritual values \u200b\u200bat stake that act at levels that are beyond the rational field. In the initiation process the symbol is a gateway to the metaphysical field, a meta-awareness that distinguishes the novice from the profane forever.
In the second case the initiation retains only its formal aspect, it leaves the glass symbol as communicating with meta-awareness that waits inside of man. It comes down to moral language that gives the individual a tool designed to enable it to build a better society.
In the first case there is no need for God, or revelation, or transcendence, or a complex ontological conception. Masonic ontology is represented in the form of the apron. The former Masonic apron-used relic of the era of the craftsmen and builders, is composed of a bottom in a square on which is a triangle. The square represents the area on all four elements, while the triangle is the spirit, this form of apron, reserved the learner meant that the spirit of it has not yet penetrated the field. The spirit of the apprentice is "down" in its material aspect and controls at the time that his teachers lower the Babet (upper triangle) when it reaches the level of partner. There is a moral, it is a spiritual attainment deep esoteric connotations.
initiation
All societies have developed a complex ontology. A Masonry designed with the disregard of this heritage would lack the fundamental element that defines a Mason. But it is very easy to see that the second stream to which we are referring to the rationalist-materialist can do without God, of revelation and transcendence while an ontology does not need any guidance or in the inner search and still be called and be recognized as Freemasons. Le enough to know that as a human being, all that is human is concerned.
The reality, then, is demonstrating that a philosophy of Freemasonry should be structured from a redefinition of the field and scope that we want to develop.
What pursued with the initiation? Does the training of men with a higher consciousness, capable of a deep understanding of human phenomenon, a consequence of his own inner journey to the center of their existence? Or would the mere adherence, more or less conscious, to a set of principles and rules that come to strengthen the secular goals has set a section of the Order in the nineteenth century such as the separation of church and state, secular education, the tight defense of scientific thought, the desecration of the society, etc..? Were these early goals of Freemasonry?
The dilemma is not a provocation, not even an exaggeration. Order history abounds in precise data on initiations summary, given by decree.
[7] The percentage increases in times of crisis, but also to the extent that the character is more important. Masons Are these men? Throughout the history of Freemasonry, both This direct involvement in partisan politics and summary initiations in sight, regardless of the proper ritual context, have only brought misery and, rarely, were Masons senses.
A truly universal Freemasonry should agree on the model of initiatives to enhance. If that presents Voltaire as a paradigm of Mason, which as we all know Mason was initiated only seven weeks before dying, or advocated a path of sacrifice (sacro-oficio) you can not get any, because it regards the Order as an elite which can only be accessed if you are willing to do battle against oneself.
The Masonic folklore we repeated countless romantic image of Masons in the field and thanks to signs of distress, saved his life just as the sword or musket of a brother would go through his heart. Stories abound of many other prisoners escaped through the Masonic fraternity of Masons jailers. This is absolutely true. But it is only one face of Janus.
What has been said of the Masons who have joined the terrorists and their crimes to their brothers who resisted the floods after the Revolution of 1789? Had not Masonic lodges in the British military regiments fighting the patriots of the thirteen American colonies? What is the true Masonry? Does the Illuminati of Bavaria called for the destruction of the throne and the altar or Joseph de Maistre defining the monarchy and the papacy as the two cornerstones of Europe? Is Garibaldi and Massini in their attacks on the Papal States or the Rectified Scottish Regime exclusive manner which calls for Christian Masons? Does Jose de San Martin sought the independence of America or your brother Mason Alvear which encouraged a British protectorate in the Colonias of the Rio de la Plata?
foundational In those days, these different sides began the tough dispute between a masonry designed to transmute the primitive man in a spiritual human being and bright against another, which finally seems to have focused on revolutionary action or the mere exercise of a fraternal and social meaning of existence Epicurean .
Well, this contradictory society not only stopped growing since the early eighteenth century it became the engine of the most dramatic changes of modernity, while their leaders-in many cases contributed at the expense of his own life to building a more just world where no one disputed the right to freedom and equality.
