Book Review: "The Origin of Freemasonry and Knight Templar"

 "The Origin of Freemasonry and Knight Templar" is compiled by John Richardson Bennett. Published by Mason.ca, Published of the Ancient Craft. In 2020 Copyright by Entreacacias, SL [Publishing House]. 

This book has a note at the opening section of the Table of Contents; it says, "We can not understand the actual of a character or system without in some degree entering into its ideal."

The book is divided into five chapters:

1. Freemasonry
2. Fraternity of Builders or Freemasons of Continental Europe
3. Degree of Freemasonry-Symbolic Degrees
4. Cryptic Degrees
5. Knight Templar

Some scholars attempted to discover the origin of Freemasonry. Some claimed Freemasonry is going back to Adam and Eve.

Page 14, "The true history of Freemasonry is much in its character like the history of a nation; It has its historic and its prehistoric era. In its historic era, the institution can be regularly traced through various antecedent association, similar in design and organization, to a comparatively remote period."

Page 14 "we no longer treat Freemasonry under its present organization, which we know did not exist in those days, but of a science peculiar, and peculiar only, to the Mysteries and to Freemasonry, a science which we may call Masonic symbolism, and which constituted the very heart-blood of the ancient and modern institutions, and gave them, while presenting dissimilarity of form, an identity of spirit."

Page 15 "Among the most important of the Ancient Mysteries were the following: The Osiric in Egypt, the Adonisian in Syria, the Mithraic in Persia, the Cabiric in Thrace, the Druidical among the Celtic, the Scandinavian among the Gothic, the Dionysian and Eleusinian in Greece. Each of the Pagan gods had, beside the public, a secret worship paid him, to which none were admitted but those who had been selected by preparatory ceremonies called initiation."

 

Page 16 "Egypt has always been considered the birthplace of the Mysteries."

If you are not a Freemason and want to learn about Freemason rituals, this is an excellent book to buy and read. The book goes into great detail to illustrate how rituals are performed and what those rituals mean. Also, when a person enters a Masonic Lodge, they see pillars and images which are veiled in allegories. This book explains what those images mean.

The book illustrates how Freemasonry begins to spread throughout European nations like Germany, France, and Italy. 

Freemasonry begins with:

Craft Freemasonry:

1. Entered Apprentice. The author says, "It is therefore, although supplying no valuable historical information, replete in its lecture with instruction on the internal structure of the Order, and is typical of youth."
2. Fellow Craft. The author says, "For as the first degree was typical of youth, the second is supposed to represent the stage of manhood, and hence the acquisition of science is made its prominent characteristic... its symbols and allegorical ceremonies to the purification of the heart, the latter is intended by its lessons to cultivate the reasoning faculties and improve the intellectual powers." 
3. Master Mason. The author says, "Masonic historians have found much difficulty in settling the question as to the time of the invention and composition of the degree."

Capitular Degree

1. Mark Master. "It teaches us that we should discharge all the duties of cut several stations with precision and punctuality; that the work of our hands and the thoughts of our hearts should be good and true, not sinful and defective, not unfinished and imperfect, but such as the Great Overseer and Judge of heaven and earth will see fit to approve was a worthy oblation from his creatures."
2. Past Master.
3. Most Excellent Master.
4. Royal Arch.

Council of Royal and Select Masters

1. Royal Master.
2. Select Master.
3. Super Excellent Master.

Book of the Law

Page 89 "Masonically, the Book of the Law is that scared book which is believed by the Mason of any particular religion to contain the revealed will of God And therefore, whatever to any people express that will may be used as a substitute for the Bible in a Masonic Lodge." 

Commandery

Knight of the Red Cross

Page 95 "This degree, whose legend dates it far anterior to the Christian era and in the reign of Daruis, has no analogy with the chivalric orders of knighthood. It is purely Masonic and intimately connected with the Royal Arch degree."

In the past, I (Peyman) thought Freemasonry was evil. However, as time passed by, I noticed I was wrong. At that time, some individuals made documentaries that Freemasons pioneered world domination. As I study about Freemasonry, I noticed Freemasons are about building bridges with other faith groups. 

For example, the author of this book provides a report about the faith of Islam. The author illustrates his utmost and sincere respect for the history of Islam. Even the author of the book had a European background when European nations colonized other less developed countries.

On page 125, the author says, "The Ancient Order of Malta has no connection with Masonry whatever, but was probably introduced by Tomas S. Webb as an appendant degree to the Order of the Temple, and in this country is conferred in the Asylum of a Commandry, or in a Priory regularly convened for that purpose."