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Book Reviews: Performance Art
Jim Tresner, 33°, Grand Cross
Every now and then you come across a statement which really makes you think. A few days ago, I was in a meeting which included Carolyn Bain, a communications expert who is consulting with the Steering Committee of the Masonic Information Center. Obviously, she is not a Mason, but she has learned a great deal about the Fraternity. In the meeting, she observed that “Freemasonry is a performance art.”
Seems to me that is very true. There is performance in the sense that the degrees are performed, of course, but there is also performance in the sense that Masons are expected to do something—to perform—with the insight and information we gain from being Masons. The more one thinks about it, the richer her line becomes.
The books in this column have performance as a common theme: not just the performance in the sense of acting, but in the sense of living. It does little good to take a good man and make him better if nothing changes in his life.
John R. Heisner, Meditations on Masonic Symbolism, Baltimore: Publish America, 2006, softbound, 158 pages, ISBN 1-4241-4781-6, $19.95 on the Internet.
Worshipful Brother Heisner is Past Master of Blackmer Lodge No. 442 in San Diego. Since 2001, each monthly bulletin of the Lodge has included an article by Brother Heisner in which he explores one or more Masonic symbols in light of what they can teach in terms of daily living. The usual caveat applies, of course: no one speaks officially for Masonry on anything including its teaching or meaning of its symbols. So one has to think of the book as his opinion, but, that said, they are opinions well worth reading.
I’ve ordered extra copies of this book to loan to non-Masonic friends or to brothers whose wives are asking what Masonry teaches. These meditations (most of them are less than two pages in length) deal with the lessons of Masonry in a very practical, day to day, context. Here are a few of the titles: Beauty: The Design of God; Harmony, The Music of Masonry; A Freemason’s Attitude to Adversity; Fear and Injustice; Freedom and Responsibility; The Mystery of Creation; The Awakening. Altogether, there are fifty-eight. Be warned, they are not “warm fuzzies.” The meditations challenge us, make demands on us, and cut us little slack. They do not preach, but they do point out responsibility, albeit in a gentle way.
I’d strongly recommend this book, especially, perhaps, for the new brother (although this old brother found much of value here as well).
Bernard E. Jones Freemasons’ Guide and Compendium: New and Revised Edition, Nashville: Cumberland House, 2006 printing; 604 pages, heavily illustrated with 31 half-tone plates and many line drawings, ISBN 13: 967-1-58182-560-2, cover price $29.95, available on the Internet from $18.50.
This is a new edition of an old friend. A compendium is, of course, a short but fairly complete account of a subject. Considering the vast field of Freemasonry, 604 pages qualifies as “short.” The book was first published in Great Britain in 1950, and it has been a Masonic staple ever since. This new edition was first printed in 1994.
This quotation from the cover of the book, gives a fair overview of its contents: “The early chapters describe how the Masonic guilds arose in eleventh-century England after the Norman conquest. From there, Jones moves into the rise of speculative Freemasonry in the late medieval period and explores its amazing growth as an esoteric system during the eighteenth century. Jones then offers a comprehensive, systematic presentation of Masonry’s customs, principles, tenets, words, phrases, lodge appointments, working tools, symbols, and emblems.… [T]he exhaustive index offers access to a great store of knowledge.” It does indeed. The index is very valuable.
Recent research and opinion may have made some of the issues relating to origins open to question, but the vast majority of the book is not only sound but also helpful. There is information here which helps to make your own performance of Masonry more skilled and knowledgeable.
Stevan V. Nikolic, Royal Art: Three Centuries of Freemasonry, New York: iUniverse, Inc., 2006, softbound, 206 pages, illustrations, ISBN 13: 987-0-595-38774-8, available on the Internet for $18.95
Brother Nikolic has produced a fascinating book. I found it a joy to read, and it is challenging as well. Especially, he deals with some of the differences and similarities in European and American Freemasonry. As he says: “In this book, I tried to make an overview, as impartially as possible, of many different interpretations of the concept of Freemasonry, its symbolism, teachings, Rituals, and history. Nonetheless, I could not escape the temptation of adding my own understandings, particularly in the chapters regarding different traditions and concepts (Three Traditions and Two Concepts), and the future of Freemasonry (Dawn of the Third Millennium).… Not claiming to be an authority on the subject, but just a passionate seeker after Truth, I humbly offer my thoughts to curious readers, with the intention of provoking their further inquiry on this valuable topic. Some may be impressed and enriched or enlightened, others angered and disturbed, but I hope to leave none indifferent.”
Fear not, Brother Nikolic. If Masonry is a performance art, the book is evidence that the performance is as varied as classical ballet, Texas line-dancing, and the Bunny-hop.
There is an amazing amount of information in this small book. The appendices include such topics as Masonic abbreviations; Masonic Calendar; A Short Overview of the Rites, Degrees, and Orders; Masonic Jurisdictions Throughout the World; Masonic Libraries and Museums; Masonic Research Organizations; Masonic Magazines; and, of course, Famous Masons.
Of special interest are the illustrations. Illustrations in many Masonic books are more or less predictable. Most of the illustrations in this book are different, and many are drawn by the author’s wife, Tamara. They have an unusual strength and vigor. Perhaps my favorite is on page 128, titled “The hardest stone to cut.” It shows a sculpted figure freeing itself from a block of marble with mallet and chisel. It’s a beautiful image of the Masonic transformation.
Alton G. Roundtree and Paul M. Bessel, Out of the Shadows: The Emergence of Prince Hall Freemasonry in America (Over 225 Years of Endurance), Camp Springs, Maryland: KLR Publishing, LLC, 2006, hardbound, 453 pages, photographs, maps, and charts, Foreword by Dr. S. Brent Morris, editor of the Scottish Rite Journal, ISBN 0-9772385-0-4, price $29.95. To order, go to http://klrpublishing.com.
“Alton G. Roundtree and Paul M. Bessel have taken on the task of ‘tidying up’ the regularity question, and they have done a great job. Here are the definitions, the issues, and the actions, all detailed as an invaluable resource for future researchers. One of the maddening things for the student of Prince Hall Masonry is the uneven availability of primary documents. Out of the Shadows provides detailed references, so that when a question arises of when or where something was said about Prince Hall regularity, scholars will refer to ‘Roundtree and Bessel.’ ”
So wrote Ill. Morris in the foreword to the book, and it serves as a concise explanation of the book’s value. Most Masons who have heard of the issue at all have heard only a vaguely-but-firmly-expressed opinion that “Prince Hall is regular!” or “Prince Hall is clandestine!” Seldom are the terms defined. All most of us know is that we promised we would not hold Masonic conversation (not sure what that is) with a clandestine Mason. (Or, as in one Lodge I know of, a “cladsteen” Mason.) In recent years, much more light and much more Light has been shed on the subject, but, until now, there has been no source which presented clearly the history and documentation. As Dr. Morris suggests, this is an enormously valuable resource.
And it is truly Masonic as a performance art. Both in its ritual and in its effects on its members and community, Prince Hall Masonry has been a major dynamic. This book belongs in your Masonic library, if you have any interest at all in one of the most important Masonic issues of our time.
Julian Rees, Making Light: A Handbook for Freemasons, Hersham, Surrey-England: Lewis Masonic, 2006, softbound, 127 pages, ISBN (10) 0-85318-253-1, price around $28 (see note after this review).
This is an interesting book, especially for an American reader. Its purpose, which it accomplishes admirably, is to give the new Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, or Master Mason an understanding of the degree he has received. It is clearly written, avoids jargon, and makes an impressive presentation.
For an American reader, one of the most interesting aspects are the differences in the ritual described in the book, and the ritual we are most familiar with in our own Lodges. The author does not point out those differences (it would badly interrupt the flow of the book if he did), but they become clear in the descriptions. For example:
“… the Tyler knocked on the door; that knock, given in your behalf.…” In American Lodges, it is generally the Candidate who knocks for himself; the Tyler is usually in a different room.
“… you know that this Brother [who led you through the initiation] was the Junior Deacon.” Here, of course, it is the Senior Deacon.
“… the Junior Deacon was to instruct you in the proper means of approaching the Master’s pedestal.” We would approach the altar.
There are many things like this which give an interesting insight into Masonic differences, while the lessons themselves show that similarities far outweigh the differences. It makes for an interesting read, which I greatly enjoyed.
Note: To order the book, go online do a Google search for “Making Light: A Handbook for Freemasons.” You will find several sites. There can be a 50% difference in the cost, so it is well worth doing.
Robert L.D. Cooper, The Rosslyn Hoax? Viewing Rosslyn Chapel from a new perspective, Surrey-England: Lewis Masonic, 2006, hardbound, 316 pages, ISBN (10) 0-85318-255-8, price $40. To order, go to www.scottishritestore.org.
One of the major phenomena in Masonic publishing in the late twentieth century was the resurgence of interest in the relation between the Knights Templar and Freemasonry. The leading advocate of a connection was the late Ill. John J. Robinson, 33°, in his 1989 book, Born in Blood. This was preceded by the 1982 book, Holy Blood, Holy Grail, by Baigent, Leigh, and Lincoln, that posited a connection between the Knights Templar, Freemasonry, and Rosslyn Chapel outside of Edinburgh. Dan Brown picked up on the latter connections and wove them throughout his blockbuster novel, The Da Vinci Code.
Bro. Cooper, a full member of Quatuor Coronati Lodge and Curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum and Library, approaches the Templar-Rosslyn connection with the pride of a Scots Mason and the passion for detail of a historian. He takes all of the evidence and subjects it to a thorough cross examination. He asks unromantic but essential questions about the idea of French Knights Templar moving to and living in Argyll. Did they buy horses? Did they marry? Did they father children? Did their use of French leave any trace on the Argyle dialect? He asks other pointed questions about the interpretation of the carvings in Rosslyn Chapel, such as: Has the face of the “murdered apprentice” always been clean-shaven? He even compares much earlier descriptions and legends of the chapel with those promoted today.
The Rosslyn Hoax? has done an enormous service to Freemasonry by examining the evidence of the Templar-Rosslyn in a calm, documented way. Bro. Cooper shows that the claims are based on supposition, misinterpretation, and wishful thinking. His book is essential reading for anyone who wants to know the facts, even if this means abandoning cherished theories. (Reviewed by S. Brent Morris, 33°, G.C.)
Freemasonry as a performance art. It is a performance stretching over centuries, cultures, social upheaval and the clash of nations. All things considered, it’s quite a performance.
