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This WEBSITE is published monthly as an official publication of the
Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America.
Sid Cornelius Dorris III, Grand Generalissimo and Publisher,
2007 Brenthaven Drive, Mount Juliet, TN 37122
Lawrence E. Tucker, Grand Recorder and Editor
Grand Encampment Office
5909 West Loop South, Suite 495, Bellaire, TX 77401-2402
(713) 349-8700 (telephone), (713) 349-8710 (facsimile)
E-mail: gr@knightstemplar.org
"Tell US What YOU THINK"
Joan B. Morton Assistant Editor
Mail materials and correspondence, to:
Editor, Grand Encampment of Knights Templar
Post Office Box 478448, Chicago, IL 60647-8448
phone and fax: (773) 489-0689
Material for the Grand Commanderies' two-page supplements
is to be directed to the respective Supplement editors.
Supplement Editors are encouraged to create their own sites
or submit "NEWS" to kych52va@aol.com
Address corrections from members are to be sent to the local Recorders LISTED HERE
JANUARY: New Year greetings from the officers and staff of the Grand Encampment! We have some new messages in keeping with plans for 2008 as enumerated by the Grand Master, and the Grand Recorder. In addition to the message from the Grand Recorder, we will also have an article concerning Knights Templar and faith to run on the "Prelate's Chapel" page. Find out about all the plans for improving the magazine in 2008 by consulting these sections. The usual January schedule for Masonic organizations can be found HERE [.pdf], and the schedule of state Conclaves for the year is HERE [.pdf]. Don't miss all the interesting articles, plus news about Commandery activities.
Easter Sunrise Service Reminder
"On the Masonic Newsfront"
Sir Knight Earnest J. King by by Dr.Ivan M. Tribe, KCT, Kych, 33°
"The Jesus Connection-Part I"by SK Jeffrey L. Kuntz, SW #22, PA, 32°
  
Grand Master's 2008 New Year's Message
The New Year brings us another opportunity for a fresh start on Life's Journey. Many of us make resolutions for the upcoming year, most of which never make it past the first week. As part of this months' message, it is appropriate to list this years' Goals and Resolutions of your Grand Encampment Officers.
1. We Resolve to have a new 'State of the Art' On-line Data Processing System fully operational in 2008.
2. We Resolve to improve the readability, content, quality, and appearance of the 'Knight Templar' Magazine this year.
3. We Resolve to make our Easter Observance in Alexandria, Virginia more 'user friendly' in the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center. We hope to increase attendance by scheduling events with a concern for those coming in by bus who want to attend the service and see the Washington area during the same trip.
4. We Resolve to further improve the Department Conferences so as to make them a "Want to Do" event for Templar Leaders.
5. We Resolve to more fully utilize our website as a vehicle for Templar information. We want www.knightstemplar.org to be the place to go for 90% of your questions and needs.
6. We Resolve to substantially increase support of Pediatric Research through our Knights Templar Eye Foundation.
Your Grand Encampment Team of Officers are committed to continually improve the quality of Service to our Grand Commanderies. On this page one year from now, we'll report on our progress on these along with new ResolutionsHappy New Year
 
Sir Knight William H. Koon II, GCT
Grand Master
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CHANGE
by Lawrence E. Tucker, GCT
Grand Recorder, Grand Encampment
Happy New Year, Sir Knights!
The New Year affords us the opportunity to assess our performance and reassess our priorities. In future issues this page will replace the "Editor's Journal" and serve as a vehicle to communicate with and disseminate information to the Sir Knights of the Grand Encampment.
Your Grand Encampment Office Staff is dedicated to serving you in an accurate and efficient manner, and as always, the Office Staff is available to assist you. We have several performance based goals and objectives for 2008 to share with you.
Database Operations
Our current member database system, which is 20 years old, will be converted to a state-of-the-art operating system
On-line Order Processing
An On-line Order Form is accessible through the Grand Encampment web site for those items available through the Grand Recorder's Office, including: books, DVDs, pins, napkins, place cards, and place mats. We will be adding several new items, including Cross and Crown note cards and return labels, and we will begin accepting credit cards.
Constitution and Statutes of the Grand Encampment
Digest of the Approved Decisions of the Grand Masters
Our Constitution and Statutes were last published in 1987, and the Digest of the Approved Decisions of the Grand Masters was last published in 1988. These two publications will be updated, merged into one volume, and reprinted.
Lawrence E. Tucker, GCT
Grand Recorder
Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America
5909 West Loop South, Suite 495
Bellaire, TX 77401-2402
Web Site: www.knightstemplar.orgOffice E-mail: gr@knightstemplar.org
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by Reverend Robert J. Cave, KGC,P.G.C.
Grand Prelate of the Grand Encampment
It is a widely assumed fact that the Knight Templar is a Christian organization. We see this without question in the Order of Malta where the five stages of Christ's life are mentioned and the travels of St. Paul (to Rome) is told. We see it also in the Order of the Temple where the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension is recounted and in the choosing of a replacement for the apostate Judas. Even the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross can be thought of as Christian, although it is centered in the Old Testament, given its emphasis on "Truth" connecting it with Jesus who is the "way, the truth and the life."
But for the thinking Templar the question becomes, "what is there in the Orders of Knights Templar that makes it Christian for me?" "What is there about it that touches my Christian faith?" The answer to these questions will be different for each of us. What speaks to one man may not speak to another. And so with this issue we are inviting members of the Order, who wish to do so, to submit a brief article suggesting where the Order touches their Christian faith. The articles are not intended to support any particular denomination nor support any theological stance, but to simply be a statement about how Knights Templar makes the connection with Christianity for them.
For me the inspiring moment that connects Knights Templar with Christianity comes when kneeling at the triangle I represent Matthias who was chosen to replace Judas. Here I am being enlisted to become one of those who will spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. It is a moving moment to come in and see the Knights at prayer, then take the fifth libation and conclude by taking the affirmative step of lighting the candle, thereby sealing my commitment to Christ and being numbered among the apostles. We become Christian not by hearing the Good News but by responding to the Good News and affirming or reaffirming our Christian discipleship. For me the act of responding is an exciting thought and there is where this Valiant and Magnanimous Order makes the connection with Christianity for me.
We invite the members of Knights Templar to submit an article illuminating their thoughts on the connection of Knights Templar with Christianity and their faith. Please send them to the Grand Prelate, Rev. Robert J. Cave at 137 Glen Drive, Ridge, New York 11961 for possible publication in the Knight Templar Magazine.
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77th EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE
March 23, 2008
TENTATIVE PLANS
Hilton Alexandria Mark Center
5000 Seminary Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22311
Make your hotel reservations ON-LINE or directly with the hotel at:
Direct: 1 (703) 845-1010 or call 1(800) Hiltons.
$100.00 room rate (mention Knights Templar)
MEAL TICKETS
Meal package, $40 per person,
Includes Saturday dinner and Sunday breakfast buffet
Order your meal tickets ON-LINE or from the Grand Encampment office
Mail your check payable to Grand Encampment to:
15909 West Loop South, Suite 495, Bellaire, TX 77401-2402.
Individual tickets may be ordered separately.
Saturday dinner, $35; Sunday breakfast buffet, $15
Hotel and meal ticket cutoff date is February 10, 2008.
There will be no tickets sold at the door.
Diirect questions to: The Grand Encampment Office
(713) 349-8700
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KTEF Grant Presented to Doctor at the University of IowaOne of the research projects the KTEF has funded in 2007 is entitled "New genetic pathways of congenital glaucoma." This grant was presented September 18, 2007, to the investigator, Michael G. Anderson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Department of. Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. Dr Anderson plans to study glaucoma by means of a mouse model.
In the picture above: Seated are representatives of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Iowa who attended the presentation of the Knights Templar Eye Foundation check, funding the research project of Dr. Anderson, left to right:
Sir Knights Willard M. Loper, Grand Recorder; Glenn N. Marshall, Chairman for Iowa, Annual Voluntary Campaign; Stephen G. Libby, Grand Commander.
Standing, left to right: Sir Knight James N. Karnegis, R.E.P.D.C., Board of Trustees, KTEF; Michael G. Anderson, Ph.D; and Kevin Campbell, Ph.D. (submitted by Sir Knight Karnegis) (More on this grant in the February 2008 issue.)
Knights Templar March in 51. Augustine, Florida
on the 700th Anniversary of the Dissolution of the Order in 1307
by Sir Knight Corbin P. Elliot, KYCH, KCT
A contingent of Knights Templar from Damascus Commandery No.2, Knights Templar of Jacksonville, Florida, assembled and marched on October 13, 2007 to the landmark Castillo de San Marcos national monument in St. Augustine, Florida. They were there to observe the anniversary of the demise of the Medieval Order of Knights Templar in the year 1307. The Templar leaders at that time were imprisoned and tortured, and Jacques de Molay, Grand Master of the Templars, was burned at the stake in 1314 along with his aides, for refusing to admit to any wrongdoing.
Sir Knight Corbin P. Elliot writes: "The idea for the short march and commemoration ceremony was conceived, cleared, and organized by Past Commander of Damascus No.2, Sir Knight William M. McClean, who is also a member of the Jacksonville Pipes & Drums and somewhat a historian."
These modern-day Knights Templar held a brief memorial ceremony at the Castillo de San Marcos monument, in which they also remembered and pledged allegiance and support for our country's military troops at home and abroad.
Interestingly, St. Augustine is the oldest city in the U.S., having been founded in 1565, when adventurer, Pedro Menendez de Aviles, landed there. Also, the Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the continental U.S., having been constructed between 1672 and 1695.
In the picture above,from left to right at the Old City Gate of S1. Augustine, are Sir Knights: Corbin P. Elliott, KYCH; Walter M. Hammond, Recorder of Damascus Commandery No. 2; Billy Collier,P.C., Grand Sentinel of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of Florida; William Ellis; Michael P. Trent; Generalissimo; Leland E. Stanford III, Commander of Damascus Commandery No.2; William H. McClean, P.C., organizer of the event; Samuel D. Hope, Captain General; and Darryl A. D'Angina, KYCH, Grand Scribe of the Grand Chapter, RAM., of Florida. Pictured below are the Sir Knights and 5 Pipers at the walls of the fort.
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circa 1945
Sir Knight Ernest J. King:
World War II Fleet Admiral
by Dr. Ivan M. Tribe, KCT, KYCH, 33° The Second World War provided America with some of its finest hours both as a nation and as a people. Freemasons in this same era also provided America with some of their most notable leaders including Presidents Roosevelt and Truman; Army commanders typified by Generals Arnold, Bradley, MacArthur, and Marshall; and the subject of this sketch, Fleet Admiral Ernest Joseph King. Described by military historian Mark M. Boatner III as "brilliant" and "irascible," Brother and Sir Knight King served as Chief of Naval Operations through most of the conflict.
Ernest King was born in Lorain, Ohio on November 23, 1878, the son of an Irish immigrant, James Clydesdale King, who had migrated to America prior to the Civil War, and Elizabeth Keam King. A grandfather on his mother's side had been a sawyer in the Royal Navy dockyard at Plymouth, England which may have prompted young Ernest's interest in a naval career. In addition an article in the Youth's Companion, the leading juvenile magazine of the day, also stimulated his interest in the sea. According to one story--inspired by and old sailor who lived nearby--he almost ran away and went sea at the age of seven. In September 1897, at eighteen, and having recently graduated from Lorain High School, King entered the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis as a cadet. According to one story, his railway mechanic father furnished him with a return pass on which to get back home if he changed his mind, but the ticket remained unused. When Congress declared war on Spain in April, 1898, the teenage student saw temporary duty aboard the USS San Francisco. The Spanish-American War soon ended and young King returned to Annapolis and continued his studies where he graduated on June 7, 1901 ranking 4th in a class of 67.
Two years at sea followed, on the USS Eagle after which Ernest King received his commission as an Ensign. During the Russo-Japanese War, the young officer served on the USS Cincinnati, a "protected cruiser" observing the first major conflict of the new century. Promoted to Lieutenant on June 7, 1906, King served a two-year stint as an instructor at the Naval Academy. Meanwhile, on October 10, 1905, he was married to Martha Egerton of Baltimore, Maryland in West Point, New York. The marriage lasted until the Admiral's death over fifty years later and resulted in six children, five of them girls.
After a third year at Annapolis as a member of the academy's Executive Staff, King returned to sea duty for three years beginning with a year as an Aide on the USS Minnesota. Promoted to Lieutenant Commander on July 1, 1913, the rising officer received his first command post on April 30, 1914 on the USS Terry. The Terry was involved in the occupation of the Mexican port city of Veracruz and led to the future Admiral becoming a recipient of the Mexican Service Medal. This assignment proved to be brief because in less than three months, he became commander of the destroyer USS Cassin. In 1916, he joined the staff of Admiral Henry T. Mayo (Mayo was a member of Burlington Lodge No. 100 in Burlington, Vermont) who became Admiral of the Atlantic Fleet during World War I. Promoted twice during the conflict, King became a Commander in July 1917 and a Captain in September 1918. According to historian Boatner, this experience working closely with the Navy's top Admiral, provided King:
valuable insight into the problems of high command within an alliance and taught
him leadership principles he would use thereafter, how to decentralize authority and
develop initiative among subordinates while maintaining strong control at the top.
After the War Captain King returned to Annapolis until mid-1921 when he took command of a refrigerator ship the USS Bridge for some fifteen months. Since German submarines had provided the Allies with some of their biggest challenges in World War, it was hardly surprising the naval establishment manifested considerable interest in this field of operation. Captain King was no exception and after a lesser assignment dealing with U-Boats, he became commanding officer of the Submarine Base at New London, Connecticut. A pair of disasters took place in the later twenties --both of which inspired topical ballas--that enhanced King's reputation for efficiency. The first occurred when the S-51 sank off Block Island on September 25, 1925 and a loss of 40 lives. The Captain received the Distinguished Service Medal for directing salvage. On December 17, 1927 another tragedy struck with the sinking of the S-4 near Provincetown, Massachusetts with 37 fatalities. Although King had been assigned elsewhere by that time, he was again placed in charge of the salvage operation, and succeeded in raising the ship, winning a Gold Star for his efforts.
In mid-1926, the King assignment changed again when he was made commander of the USS Wright, what was the termed an "aircraft tender" (later known as an aircraft carrier). At forty-eight, he began rigorous rounds of flight training at Pensacola, Florida and became a pilot in May 1927, afterwards returning to the Wright. However, he was soon appointed Commander of the Naval Air Station at Norfolk, Virginia. Then it was back to sea for more than two years at the helm of the USS Lexington.
In April 1933, Ernest King was promoted to Rear Admiral and also became chief of the U.S.
Navy Bureau of Aeronautics. During his three years in this position the Admiral advocated shifting of emphasis from battleship reliance toward aircraft carriers. Also during those years Ernest Joseph King became a Mason. A petitioner to George C. Whiting Lodge, No. 22 in the District of Columbia, the Admiral received his degrees on June 25, July 25, and September 12, 1935. Known as a "stickler for form" in the navy, King seems to have been much more relaxed in Lodge meetings which he attended frequently. According to one source, in the lodge he was content simply to be "one of the boys" and many of his brothers never realized that he was a high ranking navy officer. This attitude continued when he was transferred to California and promoted to Vice Admiral where he took the Capitular degrees in Darius Chapter No. 143 in San Diego on June 17, July 8, and August 26, 1938. The following year on July 12, and July 19, 1939 Admiral King received the Chivalric Orders in Holyrood Commandery No. 32 in Berea, Ohio (suburban Cleveland) near his hometown of Lorain. World War II interrupted further Masonic activity, but after the conflict, in 1946, he became a noble of Al Koran Shrine Temple in Cleveland
Back in Washington, D. C. King was appointed to full Admiral and named Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic Fleet on February 1, 1941. In August, the Admiral accompanied President Roosevelt to the Atlantic Charter Conference. Then came Pearl Harbor, followed by public and congressional clamoring for scapegoats. Admiral Harold Stark was "out" and Admiral Ernest King was "in;" Commander-in-Chief or as it was termed "COMINCH." In March, Sir Knight King also held the title Chief of Naval Operations. As with the Atlantic Charter Conference King participated in many of major strategy sessions including Casablanca, Cairo and Yalta
As a top leader in the "greatest generation," who also faced great challenges, Admiral King did his part to win the ultimate victory. Yet he did not do so without controversy. King's gruff exterior alienated many of his contemporaries and British officers considered him rightly or wrongly as an "Anglophobe." One critic remarked that he was "the most even tempered person in the . . . Navy . . . angry 100% of the time." Even FDR, with whom the Admiral generally enjoyed good relations allegedly described King as "a man who shaves with a blow torch." King himself, was reported to have said the beginning of American entry that "When the shooting starts, they call for the s___ of b_____s. Others complained that King was overly obsessed with the prestige associated with his high rank. Somewhat concerned about his bald head, he was almost always photographed wearing a cap. Yet he was congenial with civilians especially ladies and described as an excellent dancer. He also manifested kindness and patience toward children. Generally speaking, King aroused British ire by advocating that more Allied resources be allocated to the Pacific Theater. Conditions often led him to alter his positions, circumstances not unusual in challenging military conflicts. King did enjoy a harmonious relationship with Secretary of the Navy Brother Frank Knox (of Bethel Lodge, No. 358 in Michigan). In the final analysis, one must conclude that nothing succeeds like success, and in this category King came out a big winner.
Admiral Ernest J. King and Secretary of the Navy, Frank Knox
On December 17, 1944, Ernest King became the second American to hold the rank of Fleet Admiral (the first was William Leahy, with Chester Nimitz third, and finally William Halsey in November 1945). The war moved on toward Allied victory in September 1945. The harmonious relationship with Navy Secretary Knox ended with Knox's death in April 1944, and King feuded with his successor James Forrestal. Retiring in December 1945, King had the satisfaction of seeing Nimitz named as his replacement by President Truman over Forrestal's objection.
In retirement Ernest King resided in Washington, D. C., but did serve as an advisor to the Defense Department after Forrestal was no longer involved. H also wrote and published his memoirs Fleet Admiral King in 1952. Eventually his health began to fail and he spent his last days in the Naval Hospital at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He died there on June 26, 1956 and was buried in Annapolis. In addition to a Navy funeral, George C. Whiting Lodge No. 22 held Masonic services. Martha King lived on until 1969. Of their children, three of the daughters--often referred to as "the King boys"--married army officers, and only one a naval officer. Ernest King, Jr. followed his father to Annapolis and a navy career.
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The most complete life of Sir Knight King is found in Thomas B Buell. Master of Sea Power: A Biography of Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King (Naval Institute Press, 1995). A shorter sketch of the Admiral's life through 1942 is found in Current Biography (1942). Another useful sketch is that in Mark M. Boatner III, The Biographical Dictionary of World War II (Presidio Press, 1996). Considerable data on King can also be found on various web sites, especially an article by Bro. R. A. Lord, "Ernest Joseph King Fleet Admiral" at www.masonicworld.com which discusses his life as a lodge member. A shorter version is that in William R. Denslow, 10,000 Famous Freemasons III (1959), pp. 24-25.
All photographs are courtesy of the U. S. Naval Historical Center website.
Sir Knight Ivan M. Tribe, KCT, KYCH, 33°, and a professor emeritus of history at the University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Ohio, is a Past Commander of Athens Commandery No. 15, Athens, Ohio. He resides at 111 East High Street, McArthur, OH 45651-1111.
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This article presents the author's views which are not necessarily those of the Grand Encampment or any person representing the Grand Encampment.
The Jesus Connection
by Sir Knight Jeffrey L. Kuntz, Sr. Warden, 32
What? Wait a minute! Jesus a Freemason?
To make such an assertion would make the jaws of even many a Masonic Brother drop, not to mention those of non-Masons, especially, perhaps, Christian clergymen.
Freemasonry in America, as we know it today, basically originated in England in 1717, and is believed by many Masonic historians to be descended from the builders' guilds of operative masons in Europe in the Middle Ages, whose members built the great cathedrals of that time. It would, therefore, be rather surprising to hear anyone claim that Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, was a member of our fraternity.
However, let us take a look even much further back in history. Many Masonic historians agree that Freemasonry has roots going back as far as Old Testament times. In fact, as all good Masons know, the teachings of our great order are-- in part, at least--based on the building of King Solomon's Temple and the rebuilding of the Temple after the exile. Some believe that these teachings go back to the mystery schools of the ancient Egyptians and other groups that have served as channels of esoteric knowledge.
Those rather misguided individuals who are opposed to Freemasonry, whether they be certain clergy, or whoever, would be surprised to be informed that the fraternity is largely structured on events in the Bible, and that both York Rite and Scottish Rite Masonry are based on passages in the Old Testament in the "lower" or earlier degrees, beginning with the book of Genesis, and based on events in the New Testament in some of the "higher" or latter degrees.
There are certain passages in both the Old and New Testaments that should draw the attention of any alert York Rite Mason. Psalm 118 in the King James Bible states, "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner." (vs. 22) Jesus refered to this verse when reciting the parable of the tenant in the vineyard in Matthew 21: 33-45.
The apostle Paul in the second chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians refers directly to Christ as being the cornerstone. Paul was writing to the Gentiles there assuring them that they, too, were now built upon the foundation---that is, the spiritual foundation---laid by the prophets and apostles, which is really what Solomon's Temple and the rebuilding of the second temple represents, being rich in symbolism.
It is interesting, too, to note that the plumbline is mentioned in the book of the prophet Amos in chapter 7, verses 7 and 8. In the fourth chapter of Zechariah, Zerubbabel is described as holding the plummet (plumbline) in his hand as God promises Israel that the temple will be rebuilt.
Coming back to the New Testament, then, in the second chapter of Matthew, we read in the Christmas story about the "wise men from the east". Does this necessarily mean they came from the direction of the east? In the Bible, certain words, such as proper names, etc., mean something. In Masonry, we know, since the sun rises in the east, that the direction of the east is symbolic of light and enlightenment. The Magi were likely highly enlightened mystics and possibly astrologers.
Another rather curious matter dealing with the meanings of names is the fact that Jesus was called a Nazarene, and that, as a boy, He lived in a city called Nazareth. Both Nazarene and Nazareth mean "seperated". It is interesting to find that a city called Nazareth is mentioned neither anywhere in the Old Testament nor in any Judaic literature. There are historians who claim that a town by that name did not exist in Galilee at that time, and that the name was indicative of Jesus being a member of a secret sect or order that existed in Northern Palestine for centuries. Quite interestingly, also, in the twenty-fourth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, Paul was called a "ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes" (vs. 5).
Another interesting form of the name is Nazarite. This goes back to the sixth chapter of the book of Numbers. Nazarites were those of a group of Isrealites who showed a special devotion to God by taking certain vows, one of which was to never shave or cut their hair. Sampson was a Nazarite, as written in the book of Judges.
During the last several centuries before the birth of Christ to about the year 250 A.D., there existed another very important order or sect called the Essenes,with which Freemasons should be somewhat familiar. They were the possessors of the Dead Sea Scrolls that were discovered in the late 1940's in caves near the Qumran community along the northwest corner of that body of water.
Certain passages of some of those scrolls give indications of what some Biblical scholars and occultists had thought even before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls---that Jesus, as well as John the Baptist, were Essenes. Some of the parables Jesus used are very similar to those in the scrolls. The teachings and writing style of the Gospel of John are similar to certain scrolls, as are some other New Testament books.
The question would, naturally, occur to some why Jesus never spoke of the Essenes, or why they are not even mentioned in the Bible. In all likelihood, those who were taken into the order were very strickly bound to a vow of secrecy. Could it be, however, that the Essenes and Nazarenes were actually one in the same?
There is no doubt in the minds of some students of Christian mysticism that Jesus was, indeed, a member of the order of the Essenes, and that that is where He spent most, if not all, of his time from the time He was a teenager to age thirty, preparing for His very special ministry which was prophesied centuries before. To say that the one who was to
become the great Messiah was a worker in His father's carpenter shop for fifteen years or so is ridiculous. It seems like it would have been a terrible waste of time, does it not?!
There is a very curious story about Jesus as a young boy in the apocryphal book known as the First Gospel of the Infancy of Christ. Joseph took Jesus to the school master Zaccheus to learn his Hebrew letters. As the teacher began to instruct Jesus to name the Hebrew characters, the boy soon turned the tables on Zaccheus by asking him the meaning of Aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. As the master was about to whip Jesus, the boy proceded to explain the meaning of each part of each Hebrew letter and why the letters were in a certain order. Freemasons who have received certain degrees should know that each of the Hebrew letters have certain import. After Jesus finished the alphabet, the master was so astonished that he said, "I believe this boy was born before Noah," and to Mary he said, "Your son has no need of any learning."
In a following passage in The Infancy Gospel is a story which is supposed to be an elaboration of the narrative in the second chapter of Luke's Gospel about the twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple discussing higher learning with the Jewish teachers. The Infancy passage states that the young Jesus explained such things to them as, "The mysteries which are contained in the books of the prophets; things which the mind of no creature could reach." They were also amazed at his knowledge of such fields of learning as astronomy, natural philosophy---and the study of metaphysics, which is partly what Freemasonry is actually about.
Another interesting passage found in the final chapter of this apocryphal book states, "Now from this time, Jesus began to conceal his miracles and secret works, and he gave himself to the study of the law, until he arrived at the end of his thirtieth year." The passage then goes directly into Jesus' baptism in the Jordan river. Perhaps this is one of the stronger clues to His association with the Essene community.
Many other incidents written in this apocryphal gospel concerning Jesus' early years seem even more fantastic, which is one reason this was one of the many apocryphal works that did not make the Biblical canon. This certainly does not necessarily mean there are not worthy messages in these noncanonical writings, especially when they tie in or even shed light on those of the Biblical canon.
Many Bible scholars agree that the Scriptures are meant to be much more a collection of writings of life's moral lessons than that of precise history. Some also believe there is much symbolism in the form of metaphor and allegory in the canonical books as well as in the Apocrypha. In fact, some will go so far as to say that real personages are occasionally used in allegory.
For those who have especially open and pondering minds, and a love for allegory and hidden meaning in the Scriptures, one could take the reference of Jesus as a carpenter's son to have a cryptic meaning---with a Masonic tie-in, at that. After all, don't Masons use carpenter tools as symbols to teach character building? Of course, the Biblical literalists have a definite problem with such interpretations---as they would with the Nazarene thing--- and even many casual Bible readers would consider that a stretch. At any rate, some contemplation over the idea might be good exercise for the mind, if nothing else.
It is interesting to note that in Arthur Edward Waite's A New Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry similarities between the Essenes and Freemasons are stated:
a.) Women were not admitted into the inner workings;
b.) They used certain signs of recognition;
c.) Their rituals were followed by a meal in common.
Perhaps more important, however, is the evidence in records, including the writings of such ancient authors as Plato, Josephus, Eusebius, and others, that some of the teachings and symbols we use in Freemasonry were also inculcated upon the members and candidates of the Essenes. Some of these symbols were also found in identical form in Egypt, China, and in almost all parts of the ancient world, including, strangely enough, Mexico and Central America.
Maybe here it is well to emphasize the importance of the use of symbols in spiritual and mental development. Symbols and rituals mean something, and their meanings have been ingrained into the subconsciousness of man for thousands of years. Careful contemplation of these symbols, according to occultists and students of mysticism, can aid in the development of wisdom, understanding, and even mental powers.
The development of spiritual and mental powers by the ancient esoteric societies such as the Essenes is, some believe, one of the main reasons such communites and sects met or even lived in secret. If their ceremonies and teachings would have been freely given out, they would have not only set themselves up for ridicule, but they would have risked the dangerous misuse of their special knowledge by the unenlightened.
Some Christian mystic scholars believe this was what Christ was refering to when, according to Matthew 7:6, He said, "Give not that which is holy unto dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rend you."
Occultists believe that in remote periods of history, there were civilizations that, after learning and developing the powers of the universe that are intertwined with the human mind, they eventually lost touch of their spiritual nature and began using these powers for evil purposes, ultimately leading to their own destruction. This, they believe, is the main reason that an initiation system was created, placing candidates through levels or degrees of instruction and testing them as they advance to higher grades of knowledge and abilities.
So, if Jesus did live in seclusion with the Essenes until his thirtieth year, it was then time for Him to begin His very special ministry in the outside world. He then formed His own band of followers. His innermost followers were the twelve disciples, who became known as the apostles.
There are fairly strong indications in the four Gospels that Jesus shared certain knowledge with His inner circle of these twelve specially chosen disciples that, at least for a time, was to be kept secret. After Jesus told the parable of the sower to a crowd, His disciples came to Him asking why He spoke in parables. He answered, "Because it is given unto to you to know the mysteries (secrets) of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given (Matt. 13:11). This incident is also recorded in the fourth chapter of Mark and the eighth chapter of Luke, but in the account of Matthew, Jesus gives a fuller explanation of His parables.
Paul spoke of the secret teachings in several of his epistles. In his first letter to the Corinthians, he wrote, "You should think of us as Christ's servants who have been put in charge of God's secret truths." In the third chapter of his letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote, "How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; ...which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit." (vss. 3 & 5)
Perhaps Paul divulged the basis of the greatest truth in his letter to the Colossians,"...and the secret is that Christ is in you..."(Col.1:27). Was Paul telling us that the way to total inner peace while on earth, as well as to eternal salvation, is learning to be attuned to the Christ within?!
When the time neared for Christ to be crucified, He spoke to the disciples about why He must suffer such an end, but those things not even they were prepared to understand. "I have used figures of speech to tell you these things," He told them in John 16:25, "but the time will come when I will not use figures of speech, but will speak to you plainly about the Father."
As recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, after Christ's Ascension, the apostles performed miracles and healed many sick people. Before the Crucifixion, they had finished their training under Jesus the Christ, learning to master the forces of God which enabled them to perform such works.
In the fourteenth chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus said, "Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." (vss. 12-14) This is one passage where Jesus was speaking quite plainly. There really can be little doubt what He meant. Most Christians today, however, either misunderstand, misinterpret, or simply ignore the passage. Yes, Christ's message was one of love and faith, but, as He also clearly taught, through strong and truly spiritual love and faith, we are able to do great and marvleous things.
Perhaps most Freemasons today would think it unthinkable that Jesus Christ would have been a member of a fraternal order similar to our present day Masonic order. Maybe we should ask ourselves, however, what exactly Freemasonry is. From the study of ancient symbology and mysticism, could we conclude that modern Freemasonry is a vestage of or a kind of diluted variant in the line of ancient esoteric mystery schools which goes back thousands of years? From a perusal of certain passages of Scripture, can we conclude that the great prophets, Jesus Christ and his apostles, and even some of the saints of the early church, were highly advanced initiates of ancient mystery schools?
The question here that would naturally come to the minds of some is why this higher knowledge was not passed on through the Christian Church. According to some scholars, some of these teachings were, indeed, held by the very early church Fathers. Dr. H. Spencer Lewis, who was Imperator for the Rosicrucian Order in America, in his book, The Mystical Life of Jesus, explained that there are records in the archives of the Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican containing much of these teachings and unknown information about the life of Jesus, but that these records were suppressed by later church leaders.
After the conversion of Constantine in the early fourth century, Christianity became the established official religion of the Roman empire. In his very interesting book, The Hidden Bible, William Leary explains how the church leaders of that time modified the Christian religion to meet their political needs. This was done, for the most part, in order to appeal to the illiterate masses who could not comprehend the loftier teachings of Christianity. Leary wrote, "The deeper knowledge of the Christian teaching gradually disappeared, and became the Lost Word."
Freemasonry can certainly not take the place of the church. It must, in fact, support the church. Perhaps we can see, however, that there is, to some extent, at least, a connection, a kinship, between the more mystical teachings of Jesus and our beloved fraternal order of Freemasonry, even if it be an attenuated vessel of the higher knowledge. Can we as Freemasons, as Knights Templar, perhaps someday find the Lost Word?! Masonic membership has declined in recent years, as has church attendance, but one thing for sure is that our work as Freemasons, as well as Christians, is of the utmost importance now at a time when it is, without any doubt, needed as much as ever.
Sir Knight Jeffrey Kuntz is Sr. Warden of Baldwin II, Commandery No. 22, Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He resides at 179 OCR, A 15, Montoursville, PA 17754.
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"Auld Lang Syne"
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