To Lose It All to Be Raised Again Is a Sign of a Master Mason

Since Dan Brown'south novel The Lost Symbol, with its plot woven around the secrets of Freemasonry, burst into the volume stores in such a bonfire of international publicity, much has been broadcast and written, both in the world'due south press and the various Masonic publications, most the damage done to the reputation of the Craft by Dan Brown through this fictional novel and, indeed, his novels that preceded it. Withal are there any bodily statistics available to verify whether worldwide Masonic membership has been dramatically damaged, fallen or increased since the publication hit the shelves?

Frankly, Freemasons accept little to complain almost. If 1 were to gear up a budget, in terms of advertising, of how much it would cost the various Yard Lodges to advertise Freemasonry worldwide to become the Craft 'noticed' around the earth through the press, the Web, radio and TV - the toll would run into millions upon millions of dollars. A mount of money so high that all merely Bill Gates would gasp. Why should we Freemasons complain well-nigh what Dan Brown has written? We shouldn't! - because Dan Brown and his publishing firm Doubleday have washed all of the above for u.s.a. for free. A massive global publicity campaign for no cost to Freemasonry. What's more, he's about to do it all again because, in 2012, Columbia Pictures will release The Lost Symbol, with all its Masonic undertones, on film in cinemas all over the earth and, one time the DVDs alluvion the stores, to a much more than massive audience than the book could e'er reach.

Dan Dark-brown's The Da Vinci Code was the fastest selling book of all time when it was released in the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland and the USA. In the beginning three days the novel was selling at the rate of i copy every two.2 seconds - that's a lot of books. And so Brown is no stranger to success and, with the film version of 'The Lost Symbol' already on the cut-room floor, Freemasonry had improve embrace what's coming next. On the footing that "all publicity is good publicity," our Lodges should ride the publicity moving ridge when it arrives and place advertisements in every paper in every Masonic district the week the film comes out, so that when they wish to learn the existent truth virtually Freemasonry, skillful men know where to notice us.

Thank y'all Mr Brown, you lot could be a blessing in disguise.

'The Lost Symbol' is a novel written by Dan Brown and published by Doubleday. It is the sequel to his 2003 novel, 'The Da Vinci Lawmaking'. The novel again features the fictional, mystery-solving, Harvard symbologist 'Robert Langdon'. It is set in Washington D.C., and the story takes identify over a 12-hour peri- od. The character of Robert Langdon as well appeared in Dark-brown'southward 2000 novel, 'Angels & Demons.'

According to a Reuters commodity published 8 July, 2009:

"Dark-brown's U.S. editor Jason Kaufman from Knopf Doubleday, an banner of Random Firm, said in a widely reported statement that the book is "largely" set in Washington D.C., only "it's a Washington few volition recognize."

"As we would await, Dark-brown pulls back the veil - revealing an unseen world of mysticism, secret societies, and subconscious locations, with a stunning twist that long predates America," said Kaufman.

Brown himself revealed in 2006 that the book'southward release date of September 15, 2009 would have significance. Adding the numbers 15/nine/09 equals "33"

When the hardback edition of 'The Da Vinci Code' was published, Dan Brownish intentionally placed clues within the comprehend artwork about his next novel. Brown'southward books make frequent use of symbolism and secret code breaking. On the inside paper flaps of the original hardback edition, certain letters were printed darker than others. When copied down in society, they revealed a phrase of ritualistic significance specific to Freemasons. The first announced title of the book was 'The Solomon Primal,' and the biblical story of the building of King Solomon'due south Temple in c.1000 BC is central to Freemasonry's ritual cere- monies and mythical origins.

In May 2004, Brownish made a rare spoken language in Concord, New Hampshire, and said his sequel to 'The Da Vinci Code' would be almost the Freemasons. He added that Masons should be happy because at that place is so much misinformation near the grouping.

One time 'The Lost Symbol' was published, speculation came to an cease. Freemasonry does indeed announced throughout the book, and is cardinal to the story. The headquarters of the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction, the House of the Temple, is the setting for of import (and harrowing) sequences in the story.

Dan Dark-brown has stated in his novels that the clandestine societies and organizations that appear in his novels are based on fact. While groups similar the 18th century Bavarian Illuminati and the mod Catholic organization Opus Dei accept indeed existed in fact, they behave picayune resemblance to Brown's fictional universe. That is the prerogative of the novelist. Unfortunately, readers are not always aware of the deviation between fact and fiction.

Dan Brown'southward treatment of Freemasonry is overwhelmingly positive in 'The Lost Symbol', but he does engage in some dramatic license for the sake of his plot.

For three centuries, nearly immediately afterward its 'official' modern formation in 1717 in London, the fraternity of Freemasonry has been the subject of wild accusations and disinformation.

(In an endeavour to stem the flow of such "disinformation", Christopher Hadapp of The Masonic Order (United statesA.) was prompted to write the article that you lot are now reading. It was created in cooperation with the Masonic Service Association of North America, and the George Washington Masonic Memorial (Washington D.C.) as an projection to accost the subjects apropos Freemasonry that are institute in Dan Brownish'southward 'The Lost Symbol', as well every bit to explicate its references to the history, practices, ceremonies, philosophy and symbolism of Freemasonry and, 'to set the record straight'.)

According to preliminary information released past Doubleday, the initial global English language print run of 'The Lost Symbol' was 6.5 one thousand thousand copies. This is the largest first print run e'er made by Random House, a unit of German language media grouping Bertelsmann AG. The book sold one million copies on its first day of release, ii million afterward the first week, and Doubleday ordered an additional 600,000 printed after the second week, based on its popularity.

Brownish'south previous novel, 'The Da Vinci Lawmaking', has sold more than 81 million copies since its 2003 release and topped all-time-seller lists worldwide. It is the 6th most popular book in history. Consequently, it would not exist unreasonable to believe that 'The Lost Symbol' has the potential to eventually sell a min- imum of 40 to l million copies, and probably more.

Freemasonry is the globe's largest, oldest, and all-time-known fraternal arrangement. Mythically descended from the builders of King Solomon'due south Temple in Jerusalem, Freemasonry is believed to have developed from the craft guilds of European stonemasons who congenital castles and cathedrals during the Middle Ages. Temporary buildings called lodges were congenital next to the cathedrals, and the Masons used them to meet, receive their pay, plan their work, train new apprentices, shelter and socialize.

Although individual Scottish (and well-nigh likely Irish) lodges predate it, the outset official Grand Lodge was established in England in 1717, transforming the craft from "operative" masons who constructed buildings, into a "speculative" fraternity that used the symbolism, tools, and terminology of the medieval masons as illustrations of character building. Masonic ceremonies use legendary tales of the construction of the biblical Male monarch Solomon'southward Temple every bit symbols for building an inner temple in the hearts of men.

By the 1730's, organised Freemasonry had spread to Europe and the American colonies. Freemasonry universally spread over the surface of the globe on the colonizing ships of the British, the French and the Dutch. Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, and many other 'Founding Fathers' were among the first Masons in the U.s.a.. (Meet Famous Freemasons) After the American Revolution, Thou Lodges were established in each state.

Freemasonry is based on the conventionalities that each homo can brand a difference in the world by improving himself, and taking an agile role in his community. It is a charitable, benevolent, educational fraternity. Still, Freemasonry forbids the discussion in Masonic meetings of religion, creeds, politics or other topics likely to excite personal animosities.

Membership is open to men who believe in a Supreme Existence and meet its qualifications and standards of character and reputation. Ane of Freemasonry'southward community is non to solicit members, just any man is welcome to request data most joining the fraternity.

In the U.South.A., related organizations that base of operations their membership on Masonic affiliation include, the York Rite (made upward of Purple Curvation, Ambiguous Council and Knights Templar); the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite; Allied Masonic Degrees; the Order of the Eastern Star; the Order of the Amaranth; Shriners International; and Grottoes of North America. Masonic related youth groups include DeMolay International for Boys; International Club of the Rainbow for Girls; and Chore'southward Daughters International. It should be noted that the Grand Lodges in the UK and New Zealand exercise not recognise non-'regular' Lodges.

Freemasonry initiates its members using three ceremonial rituals, referred to as degrees: the Entered Amateur, the Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason. Regardless of whatever other Masonic organization a Freemason may join in his lifetime, and no affair how any other system may describe or number their degrees, there is no degree of higher rank or importance in Freemasonry than that of the tertiary Degree, or Master Mason's Caste.

Today, there are at to the lowest degree three million Freemasons worldwide, including 1.v million in the Usa, and there are thousands of local Masonic lodges to be found around the globe. At that place is no national or international governing organization for Freemasonry. In Northward America, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, each land or province has its own organization, chosen a Grand Lodge, which claims "sovereignty" over the lodges in its territory. Exterior of Due north America, the United kingdom and Australasia, most countries accept their ain governing chiliad guild. In that location are agreements between these grand lodges that let visitation and recognition between each others' members, frequently using the term "regular."

A closely related Masonic arrangement is the predominantly African-American Prince Hall Affiliated (PHA) grouping of thousand lodges. The organization is named after Prince Hall, a prominent, complimentary, black man from Boston, who started a Lodge in 1775. There are some 300,000 Prince Hall Masons in the U.S. and other countries effectually the world, including Ireland.

There are also competing organizations that are not considered 'regular' or recognized past the mainstream thou lodges, and oftentimes cause confusion both inside and exterior of the fraternity.

HISTORY: Pre-release comprehend artwork of the U.S., the U.1000. and Australian editions of 'The Lost Symbol' were originally disclosed on nine July, 2009. The U.South. version of the cover shows the U.S. Capitol edifice, placing the story in Washington D.C., and a red, sealing wax seal.

The wax seal features a double-headed hawkeye, resembling the seal of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, the number 33, and the Latin phrase, "Ordo ab Chao" meaning "Order from Chaos". The seal is set against a background of symbols of the zodiac and alchemy.

The British version of the comprehend displays a flaming key with a Masonic square and compasses, over a picture show of the U.S. Capitol building. This may partially allude to the book's originally announced title, 'The Solomon Key.'

(NOTE: The symbol is similar to a graphic device used by Freemason and writer, Robert Lomas, in a series of books that apply the term "The Hiram Key." It has been stated elsewhere that Dan Brownish based his fictional character 'Robert Langdon' on Robert Lomas.)

On the back cover of the U.S. edition, a coded message appears, written in a variation of a so-called "Masonic naught," which is explained in the book. It says, "ALL GREAT TRUTHS BEGIN AS BLASPHEMIES"

The quote is from George Bernard Shaw's play, 'Annajanska, the Bolshevik Empress', written in 1919.

The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite is a system of Freemasonry. Despite its name, the Scottish Rite is not actually Scottish, but primarily French. The proper name is believed to have come from the influence of Scottish Jacobite Masons living in exile in France in the early 1700's.

In certain bodies of the Scottish Rite, a serial of Masonic degrees numbered four through to 32 are conferred. In the United States, these degrees are conferred equally a series of dramatic plays which illustrate certain moral and philosophical lessons. To bring together the Scottish Rite and receive its degrees, membership in a Masonic Guild is first required. Of the one.5 million Freemasons in the U.South., approximately 500,000 are Scottish Rite Masons.

To go a 32° (caste) Scottish Rite Bricklayer in the U.S.A., it is not necessary to witness or participate in all 20-nine of the Rite'due south degrees. A candidate might participate in, for example, the 4th, 14th, 18th, 30th, 31st and 32nd degrees, but non the others in betwixt, yet is nevertheless considered a 32nd caste Mason.

Because the degrees are literally major theatrical productions that require big casts, props, scenery, lighting and music, not all of them are presented at one time for every class of candidate. In addition, he might but receive a brief lecture or explanation of a caste, exist shown its signs and passwords - this is called "communicating" the degree. Many Scottish Rite chapters (chosen "valleys") rotate the presentation of the other degrees over a flow of years so a candidate tin can eventually see all of them. Simply equally long every bit he has had the 32° conferred upon him, a human is considered a 32° Scottish Rite Mason.

In addition, the Scottish Rite confers a 33rd caste, "Inspector General." This is an honourary office for Scottish Rite Masons who take fabricated a significant contribution to order or to Masonry in general. Far from a "secret," recipients are appear in public newspapers, and are entitled to place 33° afterwards their proper name. Nevertheless, these degrees are often misunderstood by the public. A 32° or 33° degree Stonemason is not considered to be a "loftier-ranking Mason" but past virtue of his caste number.

In the U.s.a.A., those who are elected to serve as part of the Supreme Quango's governing board must be 33° Masons, and are known as "Sovereign M Inspector General." The peak officer of a Scottish Rite jurisdiction is a Sovereign Grand Commander.

Regardless of any other Masonic organization a Freemason may bring together in his lifetime, and no affair how any other system may describe or number their degrees, there is no degree of higher rank or importance in Freemasonry than the 3rd degree, the Primary Stonemason. The Scottish Rite degrees are comparable to standing education, not higher potency.

The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in each land is governed by a Supreme Council. There is no single international governing body. Each Supreme Council is sovereign in its ain jurisdiction. The territory of the U.S. is divided into two governing Scottish Rite bodies.

• The Supreme Quango of Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction governs the Rite in 15 U.Southward. states, roughly north of the Mason-Dixon line and due east of the Mississippi. Its headquarters are in Lexington, Massachusetts.

• The Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction was first formed in Charleston, South Carolina, and is at present headquartered in Washington D.C. Its building is known every bit The House of the Temple, and is located at 1733 16th St. NW. The Southern Jurisdiction governs the remaining 35 U.S. states.

The skull has appeared for centuries every bit a common symbol of mortality, not but in various degrees of Masonic ritual, but in many other historical, fraternal and religious organizations. The Latin term, "memento mori," means "remember, you volition die," and is often accompanied by a depiction of a skull as a reminder of the end of physical life. Such specific images have appeared as early on as Pompeii in the 1st century A.D.

The specific ceremony described by Brownish in the prologue of 'The Lost Symbol' appears to be adjusted from a sensationalised exposé, Scotch Rite Masonry Illustrated, published in 1887 by the Reverend John Blanchard. Blanchard'southward description of the 33rd degree has been repeated by many anti- Masonic authors over the years, even though it is not accurate.

No. Key to the plot in 'The Lost Symbol' is a pyramid that character Robert Langdon carries around in search of clues. The pyramid does not appear in the symbolism of regular, accustomed Freemasonry or its appendant groups, the Scottish Rite or the York Rite. This is a long-standing myth.

Neither is the "unfinished pyramid" topped past the "all-seeing eye" establish in the Nifty Seal of the United States, equally seen on the reverse of the dollar bill, a Masonic symbol.

The all-seeing eye within a triangle first commonly appeared every bit an artistic representation of God in Catholic Renaissance art in the 1500s, with the triangle representing the Holy Trinity. The symbol - with and without the Trinitarian triangle - has been used by many religious and fraternal groups every bit a nondenominational representation of God.

Freemasonry does have secrets, merely Masonic secrecy is 1 of the most misunderstood aspects of the fraternity. Freemasonry teaches its philosophy to its members through symbolism, and secrecy is actually a symbol of honour.

Originally, the medieval stonemason guilds kept the practices and knowledge of their skilled merchandise as closely guarded secrets, to protect the value of their livelihood, and to ensure simply qualified men were employed. Too, passwords and hole-and-corner signs were adult and so members of the guild in different parts of the country could recognise each other, even if they had never met.

These traditions have been retained by the modern Freemasons. If a person can't exist trusted to proceed a simple underground similar a password or a handshake, his discussion isn't actually trustworthy. He is non an honourable person.

There are other secrets, besides these modes of recognition. Some have to do with the specifics of Masonic rituals and ceremonies of initiation. Others are more personal, and unlike for each Freemason. Similar all initiatic experiences in the world, the real secrets of Freemasonry are the effects its teachings and ceremonies have on the individual, and how he applies them to his life.

There have been 14 U.South. presidents who take been Freemasons, the concluding 1 being Gerald Ford. (See Famous Freemasons elsewhere on this site.) (Ronald Reagan was made an honourary 33rd degree Scottish Rite Stonemason, which has no existent Masonic standing; as a teenager, Bill Clinton was a member of the Masonic youth group, the Guild of DeMolay, only never became a Mason; neither George H.W. Bush, nor George W. Bush-league are Freemasons; Barack Obama is not a Freemason).

Equally for members of Congress, armed services leaders, cabinet members and other important officials in the government, Freemasons' organizations continue no official records as to famous contemporary brethren and their positions, and even if they did possess such information, they would not make such private information public.

Yes. Both The Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction'south headquarters, the House of the Temple at 1733 16th Street NW in Washington D.C., and the George Washington Masonic Memorial, across from the Amtrak station between Male monarch and Duke streets in Alexandria, carry public tours of their buildings. (Please consult their corresponding websites for times, locations and details.)

The Memorial does indeed sit down atop Shuter's Loma in Alexandria, Virginia. The loma is named after an early resident of Alexandria named Shuter. The Memorial compages combines elements from the Parthenon in Athens with the ancient Lite Business firm of Alexandria, Egypt. The outside pilaster columns mentioned in the book - Doric, Ionic and Corinthian- are used by Freemasonry to symbolise Wisdom, Strength and Beauty. Masonic lectures country "It is necessary that there be wisdom to concoct, force to support and dazzler to beautify all great and important undertakings." Memorial Hall itself, where the massive bronze statue of George Washington equally a Freemason stands, is supported by eight great Composite pillars. Composite combines the elements of the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, just equally George Washington exemplified the combination of "The wisdom to concoct [the Democracy], the strength to support [the Republic], and the beauty to beautify [the Republic]."

The fifth and nigh basic style of column, the Tuscan, appears in the Memorial ground floor, where eight huge columns support the entire Memorial.

The Memorial, however, does not "stand every bit a physical symbol of man's intellectual ascent," rather; it is a memorial to the ane man who all-time exemplifies the virtues and teachings of Freemasonry, namely George Washington. Washington did not arise into greatness but by his intellect, only through his deep morality, his profound spirituality and devotion to country.

The levels in the Memorial's tower do indeed bear such names every bit "Grotto, the Crypt Room and the Knights Templar Chapel", but these are shorthand for the correct names:

The 3rd Floor - The Grotto's formal name is the 'Mystic Guild Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm.'

The 5th Floor is The Royal Curvation Chapter Room, and this displays a mitt-crafted replica of 'The Ark of the Covenant.'

The 7th Floor is the Cryptic Masons Room, sponsored by the General Grand Council of Ambiguous Masons, also known every bit Purple & Select Masters.

On the eighth Floor is a Christian Chapel, sponsored by the K Encampment Knights Templar of the Usa.

The ninth Floor is the Ascertainment Deck level and contains a reproduction of Rex Solomon's Throne Room. Information technology was built past the 'Tall Cedars of Lebanese republic' – a "fun, fraternal and philanthropic" organization of Freemasonry.

Notation: Like to the 'Shriners', 'Alpine Cedars of Lebanon' is a Masonic clemency and especially deals with sufferers of Neuromuscular disorders. It has near 13,000 members in the The states.

The George Washington Masonic Memorial features a library of more than than xx,000 volumes on Masonic history and symbolism. It also contains a near consummate set of U.S. 1000 Gild Almanac Proceedings. (Anyone interested in arranging a visit to this magnificent Memorial should email the Director of Collections, Mark A. Tabbert. Mark's email address is: mtabbert@gwmemorial.org

On the 15 September, 2009 in an Associated Press article by Hillel Italie, "Freemasons await Dan Brown novel 'The Lost Symbol'", it was stated: Brown is non a Mason, but said that working on the novel helped him imagine a time when religious prejudice would disappear, and added that he found the Masonic philosophy a "cute blueprint for homo spirituality."

He was tempted to bring together, but, "If you join the Masons y'all take a vow of secrecy. I could non accept written this book if I were a Mason," he says.

"And now?" asked Hillel Italie.

Brown replied, "They've let me know the door is always open."

In September 2009, Dan Brown was asked to address the Scottish Rite-SJ's annual gathering in Washington DC, but considering of his schedule, he was unable to nourish. Instead Brown politely wrote them a letter of apology which reads, in part:

"In the past few weeks, as yous might imagine, I have been repeatedly asked what attracted me to the Masons and then strongly as to go far a central bespeak of my book. My respond is always the same: "In a world where men exercise battle over whose definition of God is most authentic, I cannot fairly express the deep respect and admiration I feel toward an system in which men of differing faiths are able to 'intermission bread together' in a bond of alliance, friendship, and camaraderie.

"Please accept my humble cheers for the noble case y'all set for humankind. Information technology is my sincere hope that the Masonic community recognizes 'The Lost Symbol' for what it truly is…an hostage attempt to reverentially explore the history and beauty of Masonic philosophy."

Yours sincerely,

Dan Chocolate-brown

Portions of this commodity are excerpted from the book:

Deciphering 'The Lost Symbol': Freemasons, Myths and the Mysteries of Washington D.C.

by Christopher L. Hodapp

This webpage article is Copyright © 2009-2011 by The Masonic Society Inc., and has been created in cooperation with the Masonic Service Clan of North America, and the George Washington Masonic Memorial, and is used by permission.

This article has no official connection with Dan Brown, Doubleday, Random Firm, or Bertalsman AG.

Contact site author: Christopher Hodapp (hodapp@aol.com)

The thanks of Lodge St. Patrick No.468, Irish Constitution in New Zealand, goes to Christopher Hodapp for his gracious consent in assuasive united states to use his commodity.

Dan Brown is the author of numerous 'Number 1' bestselling novels, including 'The Da Vinci Code', which has become one of the all-time selling novels of all fourth dimension (Information technology has sold over lxxx million copies.), as well as the subject of heated debate amidst readers and scholars. Brownish's novels are published in 52 languages around the earth with 200 1000000 copies in print.

In 2005, Brown was named i of The 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time Magazine, whose editors credited him with "keeping the publishing industry afloat; renewed involvement in Leonardo da Vinci and early on Christian history; spiking tourism to Paris and Rome; a growing membership in surreptitious societies; the ire of Cardinals in Rome; eight books denying the claims of the novel and vii guides to read along with it; a flood of historical thrillers; and a major film franchise."

The son of a mathematics instructor and a church building organist, Brown was raised on a prep schoolhouse campus where he developed a fascination with the paradoxical coaction between science and religion. These themes eventually formed the backdrop for his books. He is a graduate of Amherst College and Phillips Exeter Academy, where he subsequently returned to teach English before focusing his attention full fourth dimension to writing. Dan Brown is currently at piece of work on a new book also every bit the sceenplay for the Columbia Pictures film version of his most contempo novel, the Masonically based 'The Lost Symbol'.

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