BORNINBLOOD

THELOSTSECRETSOFFREEMASONRY
by
JohnJ.Robinson
pub.M.EvansandCompany,Inc.,NewYork,1989

TheauthorpurportstoprovethatFreemasonryisdirectlydescended
fromthemedievalmonasticKnightsTemplar,andintheprocessto
solveanumberofminormysteriesconcerningMasonicritual,including
themeaningsandoriginsofwordslikecowan,cabletowandtyler,which
occurinMasonicritualandnowhereelseintheEnglishlanguage.His
bestevidencecentersontheEnglishPeasant'sRevoltof1381.
In14thCenturyEnglandlifesuckedforallbutaveryfewpeople.You
workedhardandwerepaidlittleifyouwerefreebornandnothingifyou
weren't.Youhadnorightsatall.Anythingyougreworbuiltorinvented
belongedeithertothekingorthepope.Malnutritionwasawayoflife,
andifyouwerecaughthuntingonlandthatbelongedtoanaristocrat
youcouldbebeatenorexecuted.Thepenaltyforcriticizingthechurch
wasthatyourlowerlipwouldbecutoff.Andifyoudiditagain,youhad
anotherlip,didn'tyou?
Intothemixaddfrequentcropfailuresfrom1315to1318andthenabig
faminein1340thenfollowthatupwiththreeplaguesanda
simultaneouswarwithScotlandandby1350thepopulationofEngland
hadgonefrom4Mto2.5M.Life'sabitch!
Foramomentthereseemedtobeasilverliningtothecloud.Thelabor
shortagecausedbyallyourfriendsandfamilydroppingdeadmeantthat
forthefirsttimeever,acommonercouldgetsomemeaningfulcashfor
hislabor.Theauthoritiesdidn'tliketheideaofworkingpeoplehaving
economicclout,sotheypassedtheStatuteofLabourerswhich,among
otherthings,fixedwagesatpreplaguelevels.Alsoataboutthattimethe
HundredYearsWarhadbegun,sothatmeantincreasedtaxes.
Landownerswhowantedtoreducethecostoftheirhumanresources

couldhirealawyertocombgenealogiestodiscoverfreemenwhohad
descendedfromserfs,thusforcingthemintounpaidservitude.
WATTYLER'SREVOLT
There'sonlysomuchapeoplecantake,andin1381apeasants'
rebellionoccurred,organizedbyreformmindedparishpriestsincontact
withashadowy,secretive"GreatSociety"andledbyaguycalled
WaltertheTyler.Nowitmaybethattylerisanobsoletespellingofthe
occupationrooftiler,butRobinsoncontendsthattylerinthiscaseis
sergeantatarmsofaMasoniclodge,anaturalchoicetoleadaviolent
mob.Duringthisinsurrection,therewasagreatdealofloppingoffof
headsofaristocratsandupperchurchofficials,lawyersandauthorityin
generalbutthemobseemstohavebeendeliberatelyguidedtoward
thedestructionofproperty,particularlypropertybelongingtotheKnights
HospitallerandtheChurch.OnepieceofHospitallerpropertywas
spared,thattemplewhichhadbeentheprincipaltempleoftheKnights
Templarpriortothesuppressionoftheorderin1307.
Whentheking'spartyfinallywentouttomeetwiththeleadersofthe
rebellion,twomenconspicuouslynotinthepartyweretheArchbishop
ofCanturburyandtheprioroftheKnightsHospitaller.Tylerandafew
menfoundthemanywayintheTowerofLondonandbeheadedthem.
TheyoungkingagreedtoparleywithTyler,butTylerwasstabbedby
membersoftheking'sexcourtashespoke.AsTylerlaywounded,the
kingrodetotherebelsandannouncedtothemthathewouldpersonally
seetotheirconcerns.Thenowleaderlessrebellionpeteredoutin
Londonandcarriedonforacouplemoredaysinoutlyingtowns.
Sothat'stheclosestRobinsoncametoahistoricalsmokinggun.The
shadowyGreatSocietyofthePeasant'sRevolthasonefootinthe
Masons,basedonthenameWaltertheTyler,andonefootinthe
Templars,basedonthefactthatthemobsingledoutHospitaller
leadershipandproperty,theHospitallersbeingtherivalmonasticorder
whichhadmostdirectlyparticipatedinandprofitedfromthePope's
supressionoftheTemplars.
It'snotperfectevidence,butit'sprettygood.Thetroublesomepartisthe
possibilitythattylermightbeanalternatespellingoftiler.Robinsontries
toaddweighttohisargumentmainlyinthatitjustmakessomuch
sensethatamanwhooccupiedthepositionofsergeantatarmsofa
secretsocietywouldbeanaturalchoicetoleadaviolentrebellionand
thatarooftilerwouldbealesslikelyleader.Also,fromthemomenthe
appearedonthescenehewasuniversallyrecognizedastheleaderof
therebellion,eventhoughriotinghadbeentakingplaceunderother
leadersforacoupleofdaysbeforehearrived.Robinsondoubtsthat
couldhavehappenedsoeasilyifWathadbeena"tiler"andnota"tyler."

Tylerissuedthecommandthatmenwithin36milesofthecoastshould
stayput,lesttheFrenchtakeadvantageoftheupheavalinorderto
stageaninvasion.Tylerwasamanusedtogivingcommandsand
apparentlyaccustomedtohavingthosecommandscarriedout,whichin
thiscasetheywere.Further,thesecommandscoveredrangesmiles
fromLondonandcoordinatedconcurrentrebellionsasfarnorthas
Scotland.Robinsontakesthiscoordinationanddisciplineasevidence
thatacommandstructurewasinplaceandreadytogowhenthe
rebellionerupted.That'salottoexpectofarooftiler,butallinaday's
workforasergeantatarmsofasecretsociety.
THUMBNAILHISTORYOFTHEKNIGHTSOFTHETEMPLEOF
SOLOMON
Forsupportingevidence,Robinsonbacktrackstothehistoryofthe
KnightsoftheTempleofSolomon.Theseguysweresoldiermonkswho
foughtinthecrusadesandhadastheirstatedpurposetheaidof
pilgrimstravelingfromEuropetotheHolyLand(fromWesttoEast,and
possiblytheotherway,too).Toaccomplishthis,theymaintainedchains
ofcastles,supplydepots,armedescorts,banks,secretintelligence
networks,farms,vineyards,ranchesandsoonthroughoutEuropeand
theMiddleEast.Inmoderntermstheywereadiversifiedmultinational
religiousandfinancialcorporationwhichbecamestinkingrichoffering
supportservicestothecrusades.
Forexample,ifyouwereayoungknightonyourwayfromParisto
Jerusalem,youcouldcarryaboxofgoldwithyouwithwhichto
purchasesuppliesalongtheway.Youcouldcampinthewoods
exposedtorobberswhileyousleep.Oryoucoulddeposityourgoldwith
theTemplarsinParisandcarryanotefortheamountwithyoulikea
traveler'scheck.Templarfacilitieswereconvenientlyspacedandfeed,
packanimals,supplies,evenarmamentscouldbepurchasedthereand
debitedagainstthenoteyoucarried.
Ofcourse,thesenoteswerejustthat.Handwrittennotes.Inorderto
guardagainstthepossibilityofdisbursinggoldtopeoplecarryingforged
notes,theTemplarclericsdevelopedsecretsigns,andciphers,
apparentlyaccidentalmarks,tears,andthelikewhichoneTemplar
couldusetoauthenticateadocumentwrittenbyanotherathousand
milesawayandpresentedbyastranger.Whenyou'rehandingoutgold,
youwanttobesure.Alsowithalargegeographicallydiffuse
organizationrequiringthefrequentdisbursementoffundsamongits
members,youhavetoknowthattheguyyou'rehandingthecashtoisa
brotherTemplarandnotafake.Sotheydevelopedothersecretsigns,
handshakes,knocksandsoon,mannersofspeakinganddressingthat
wouldallowthemtoidentifytheirown.Thosesigns,customs,rapsand
markswouldhavetobestandardizedthroughouttheorderacross

EuropeandtheMiddleEastfromtheAtlantictotheEuphrates.
Inthisway,Robinsonbeginstopileupamountainofcircumstantial
evidence.TheTemplarsdidthistheMasonsdosomethingsimilar.The
TemplarshadciphersandsecretgripstheMasonshaveciphersand
secretgrips.TheTemplarordertookitsnamefromtheTempleof
SolomoninJerusalemelementsofMasonicritualrevolvearoundthe
constructionoftheTempleofSolomon.Masonswearsheepskinaprons,
Templarsworeasheepskinloinclothundertheirrobes.TheTemplars
weremonksandcalledoneanother"brother."Masonsreferto
themselvesas"brother"Masons,andsincetheTemplarswereaFrench
order,"brotherMason"mightoncehavebeen"frremacon"whichis
transliteratedintoEnglishas"freemason."
THEFRENCHCONNECTION
Whilewe'reonthesubjectofFrench,there'sanoldFrenchword
"tailleur,"meaning"onewhocuts."Thepronunciationapproximates
"tyler,"anditwouldbeanappropriatenameforamanwhoisstationed
atanentrancetoaMasoniclodgewithhissworddrawnanddeciding
whodoesanddoesn't"makethecut."
StillonthesubjectofFrench,there'saphraseinMasonicritual,
"cowansandevesdroppers"whichhasconfusedpeopleovertheyears.
NoplaceelseintheEnglishlanguagedoestheword"cowan"appear,
butthere'sanoldFrenchword"couenne"whichispronouncedkuh
WAHNandmeansignoramusorbumpkin.TheFrenchwordfor
protectivegestureisgestedugarde,whichRobinsonpositsasthe
sourceoftheMasonicidentifyinggesture,or"dueguard"foreach
degree.There'sanoldFrenchequivalentfortheenigmatic"cabletow"
aswell,althoughit'smeaningisnotallthatsurprisinglyaropeusedtie
downaship.
StillonthesubjectsbothofFrenchandtheTempleofSolomon,the
biblicaltellingofthestoryofthetemple'sconstructionnamesthechief
builderasHiram.TheMasonicversiongiveshimalastname,Abiff.
ThatlastnameisnotmentionedintheBible.ButinFrench,"Hiram
Biffe"means"Hiramwhowaseliminated,"orperhaps"Hiram,theguy
whogotwhacked,"whichisexactlywhathappenstoHiraminthe
Masonictellingofthestory,notinthebiblicalversion.
TherewasapiratecityinMuslimNorthAfricaknownasMahadia.
RobinsonspeculatesthattheTemplarfleetescapingfromLaRochelle
mighthavegainedrefugeinaMuslimportlikeMahadia,possibly
referringtoitas"MahadiatheGood."InFrench,MahadialeBon,later
shortenedto"mahabone,"isthesubstitutewordfortheonethatwas
lostatthedeathofHiramAbif.

THESUPRESSIONOFTHEORDER
KingPhilipofFranceandPopeClementconspiredin1307toarrestthe
Templarsontrumpedupchargesofeverythingfromblasphemyto
buggery(theusualaccusationsinthetimeoftheInquisition).Once
confessionsweretorturedoutofthem,theirlandsandfortuneswouldbe
forfeit,turnedovertoPhilipandClement,andtheirrealestateand
charterturnedovertotheKnightsoftheHospitalofSt.Johnthe
Hospitallers.
Thatwasalotofwealth.Atthetime,theTemplarshadpropertyevery
fewmilesfromScotlandtoEgyptandfromPortugaltoPalestine.In
additiontothat,theywerelendingmoneytoeverynoblemaninEurope
andrentingouttheirknightsasmercenariesandsecurityguards.They
weremanagingagriculturalpropertyforafee.Theywererequiredto
recognizenopoliticalboundarieswithinallcristendomandwerebound
onlybythelawsoftheirownorder,sotheyactedasbondedcouriers,
politicalmessengersandmediators.Iftherewasadisputebetweena
feudallordandsomechurchauthority,thePopemighthavedispatched
acoupleofTemplarstosettlethematterinsteadofanarmyofsoldiers.
Soconcentratedwithinthatorderwasmoremoneyandpowerthanany
individualkingintheworld.Althoughtheyweresworntoobeythepope,
it'seasytoseethatClementcouldhaveseenthemasathreat,like
havingalioninyourhouse,evenifit'sYOURlion....
ThearrestoperationwasadisappointmentforPhilipandClement.
TemplarsinGermanysimplydeclaredtheirinnocenceandofferedtrial
bycombattoanybodywhocaredtocrosstheRhineandsaythat.When
theorderwasoutlawedfiveyearslater,oneassumestheTemplars
wouldhaveenteredcivilianlifeorjoinedtheTeutonicKnightsorsome
otherorder.TemplarsinPortugalandSpainchangedtheirnamestothe
KnightsofChristandmeldedintothefeudalsystemsofthosecountries.
TheEnglishKingstalledforalmostamonthbeforecarryingoutthe
pope'sorder,sothatbythetimehehadtomakethearrests,allthe
treasureandalltheTemplarshadvanished.AndinScotland,well,
forgetit.Anypaininthepope'sneckwasafriendoftheScots.
EveninFrancemuchofwhatwasn'tnaileddownwasgonewhenthe
soldiersshoweduptoarresttheTemplars.Onlyafewoldermembersof
theOrderstayedbehind,lettingthemselvesbearrested.Possiblythey
hopedtodelaytheauthoritiessotheotherscouldmakegoodtheir
escape.Possiblytheythoughttheyhadthebestchanceoflegally
defendingtheircharter.Whateverthereason,onlyasmallfractionofthe
Templarswereeverapprehended.The18shipsintheTemplarfleet
vanishedfromtheirportofLaRochelleandwereneverhearfromagain.
ThismightexplainwhyamanundergoingtheriteofaMasterMasonis

toldthatthisdegreewillmakehima"brotherofpiratesandcorsairs."
BLOODYOATHSANDOTHERMEMBERSHIPREQUIREMENTS
RobinsondemolishesthewidelyheldnotionthattheFreemasonryarose
frommedievalstonemasonscraftguilds.Inhischapterdescribing
medievalcraftguilds,hementionsthathevisitedthearchivesofsome
oftheworld'sgreatlibrariesinLondon,OxfordandLincoln,towns
knownforhavinglotsofmedievalstonework.Althoughhefound
documentationforguildscoveringeverythingfromvintnersto
fishmongerstogoldwiredrawers,hewasunabletofindevenone
documentedinstanceofamedievalguildofEnglishstonemasons.
AMasonswearstokeeptheorder'ssecretsunderthethreatofhaving
hisbodychoppedintopieces,histhroatcut,histonguerippedoutby
theroots,hisentrailsburnedandmanyothergruesomefates.What
secretcouldastonemasonhavethatrequiresthatkindofoath?This
wasn'tjustamatterof"crossmyheart,hopetodie,stickaneedleinmy
eye."Guysrunningfromtheinquisitionwouldhaveagoodreasonto
requirethatkindofoathfromhisbrothers,becausethat"burningentrail"
stuffisrightdowntheinquisition'salley.
Masonicmembershiprequiresthatthecandidatebefreeborn.Like
MasonrytherewerethreeclassesofTemplars,(Knights,Sergeantsand
Clerics)allofwhichwererequiredtobefreeborn.Masonsrequirea
professedbeliefinaSupremeBeing,butrequirethatthespecificsof
religionnotbediscussedinthelodge.Doesn'tmakemuchsensefrom
thepointofviewofastonecutter'sunion,butregardingmenevading
religiouspersecutionitmakesalotofsense.
THEOLDCHARGES
SomeoftheoldestdocumentsinFreemasonry,onedatingrightbackto
thefourteenthcentury,areknownastheOldCharges.Thisisashort
listofrulesabouthowMasonsaretotreatoneanother.Onerulegoes
thataMasonmaynotrevealasecretthatwouldresultinabrother
Masonlosinglifeorproperty.AMasonmaynothaveillicitsexwiththe
femalerelationsofabrotherMason.AMasonvisitingatownshouldnot
goaboutthetownunlessescortedbyabrotherMasonwhocanvouch
forhim.AMasonpassingthroughistobegiventwoweeks'employment
byabrotherMason,thengivensomespendingmoneyandsentonhis
waytothenextlodge.
Seriously,doesn'tthissoundlikerulesofconductforanunderground
railroad?Andwhatpossiblerelevancecouldtheserulesholdforacraft
guildofstonecutters?
SOWHEREDIDALLTHESTONEMASONSTUFFCOMEFROM?

AccordingtoRobinsontheveneerofstonemasonryisthemost
convenientavailablecoverstory.Ifabunchofguysaregatheredinan
innandtheauthoritiesburstinwantingtoknowwhatyoulotareupto,
you'reabunchofMasonsrelaxing.Scatteredaroundtheroomcanbe
seenrules,compasses,squaresandmauls.Asuspiciousauthoritycan't
verifyyournamewiththerollofthelocalstonemasonguild,becauseas
Robinsondiscoveredtohissurpriseearlier,therewerenostonemason
guildsinEngland.Masonrywastheperfectunfalsifiablecoverforan
undergroundorganization.Theycouldn'tverywellpretendtobe
fishmongers.Theirnameswouldhavetobeontherollsatthelocal
fishmongersguild.Notonlythat,itwouldbehardtokeepyourlodge
secretduetothetelltalearomaofmackerel.
Ritualmighthavearisenaroundthestonecuttingparaphernaliaearlyon.
Inthisway,evenpeoplewhodidn'tknoworcareanythingaboutthe
Templarsupressioncouldberecruitedandusedfortheunderground
railroadandstillhavesomeritualthattheycouldmakesenseof,
inoccuousparablesaboutselfimprovement.
AtsomepointalltheTemplarsaregoingtodieofoldageandthe
originalpurposeofthesecretsocietydieswiththem.However,those
originalTemplarspersecutedbytheirmonarchandtheirchurchhad
overthecourseoftheirlivesrecruitedabodyofmenwhowereanti
popeandantiauthoritarianwhileonthesurfacebeingchurchgoing,
taxpayinguprightcitizens.That'sthekindofmentheywouldhaveto
recruit.SobythetimeofthePeasantsRevoltof1381,thesecretlodges
consistedentirelyofmenwhothoughtthatcommonpeopleweregetting
screwedbytheauthorities,andwhenarevoltspontaneouslybrokeout,
theposttemplars(orprotoMasonsifyouprefer)werereadytoleapto
theforeandaimthemobatthespecificauthoritieswhichthey
consideredtobethesourceofthemostimmediatesocialills.
OfalltheconnectionswithMasonsandTemplarsthatRobinsonlinksto
thePeasantsRevolt,noneoftheminvolvethe,rule,maul,compass,
squareandsoon.It'stempting,butnotreallywarrantedtosaythatthe
Masonrytrappingswereaddedafter1381.Thecluesarejusttoosparse
tobethatspecific.
Soifthere'sanintellectualinheritancetheMasonsgotfromthe
Templarsit'santiauthoritarianism,antityrranism.Youcan'treadtheBill
ofRights(writtenbyMasons)withouthearingtheechoesofMasonic
ritual.Forexample,theconstitutionprohibitstheestablishmentofa
statereligion,Masonryalsoleavesreligiousobservancetothe
conscienceoftheindividual.
PerhapsthoseMasonicsermonsaboutimprovingone'sselfbitbybit
andrebuildingSolomon'sTemplebrickbybrickareanadmonishment

favoringgradualimprovementofourpoliticalenvironment,andwarning
againstthemistakemadebytheGreatSocietywhenittriedtouprootall
authorityinonegrandviolentswoop.Ifthisisthecase,theadditionof
theMasonictrappingswouldhaveoccurredafter1381,andthestoryof
HiramAbiff,thebuildermurderedbeforetheTemplecouldbe
completed,roughlycorrespondstothestoryofWatTyler'srevolt.
JUBELA,JUBELUMANDJUBELO
InthestoryofHiramAbiff,thethreeJewes(orJubes)namedJubela,
JubelumandJubelo,usetheimplementsoftheirlowerdegrees,the
settingmaul,theruleandthesquare,killMasterMasonHiraminan
attempttogettheMaster'sMasonicsecretsbeforethecompletionofthe
Temple.Theyhidethebody,whichislater"raised"andproperlyburied.
Laterinthestorytheywailmournfullythatitwouldhavebeenbetterto
havesufferedthefatesoftheirbloodyoathsthantohavekilledtheir
master.
Inamedievalchurchthere'sathingcalleda"roodscreen."It'sa
latticeworkscreenonwhichishungacross.Inaspotinfrontoftherood
screeniswheremonksdotheirpennaceinfrontoftheassembled
order.InFrance,thatscreeniscalledajub.There'safrench
colloquialismvenirjub,whichmeans"todoone'spennance,"andthe
threeJuwesinthestorycertainlywereloudlyandpubliclypenitent.
Robinsoninterpretsthisstoryasthenamingofpartiesguiltyofthe
attempteddestructionoftheTemplars.Hiramrepresentsnotanyone
person,butMasonryitselfandthethreeJuwesrepresenttheCrown,the
PopeandtheHospitallers,thethreeconspiratorsofthearrestand
suppression.
FOURHUNDREDYEARSOFSECRETOPERATION
Masonry,whetherornotitwascalledthat,operatedinsecretinBritain
from1307totheformationoftheGrandLodgeofLondonin1717.
That'soverfourhundredyears.Howisthatpossible?Robinson's
explanationisthatMasonrywasformedaroundrefugeesfleeing
religiousandpoliticalpersecution.ThePopekeptrightonburning
heretics,andEnglandwasProtestant/Catholicoffandonrightup
throughElizabethI.Onceestablished,asecretorganizationthat
protectedhereticswouldhavenotroublefindingnewmembers.Masons
wouldn'thavefeltsafeaboutrevealingthemselvesunlessEnglandwas
apoliticalnoncatholicsuperpowerandherhereticsprotectedbylaw,
thusmakingsecretlodgesunnecessary.In1685thelastclaimofa
CatholictotheBritishthronefellapart.In1701itwasmadelawthatthe
BritishRoyalFamilywouldbemembersoftheChurchofEngland.
ShortlythereaftertheGrandLodgeofLondonwasformed.

MasonicLodgeshavefromtimetotimeservedtheirancientpurpose
rightupthroughthetwentiethcentury.Whileoutlawedbyfascist
countriesinWWIIEurope,someMasoniclodgeswentundergroundin
theoldfashionedwayandservedasthefociofresistanceefforts.
Masonicinitiationsareevensaidtohavetakenplaceinprisoncamps,
usingapairofstickstoinscribeacircleinthedust,justasdescribedin
Masonry'soldestrituals,theonesmostcloselyresemblingtheTemplar
secretrituals.
IntheWWIIexample,MasonryprovidedwhattheTemplarorganization
provided640yearsearlier,aforceinreadiness,apreexisting
organizationwithatraditionofsecretcommunicationandacharter
focusedonreligiousandpoliticaltolerance.
YOURHOSTCOMMENTS
There'slotsmoreinthisbook(TheMasonicmosaicpavement
resemblestheblackandwhiteTemplarBeauSeant,forexample.),butif
youaren'tconvincedbynow,doublinguponthecoincidencesisn't
goingtoconvinceyou.Ifyou'reinterestedinthematerial,getacopyof
"BorninBlood"andreaditforyourself.Theauthor'sreasoningis
impeccable,evenifhedoesstretchthingsabitattimes.Forexample,
theproposedetymologyoftheword"mahabone"islittlemorethana
guess.Tohiscredit,whenhedoesputforthaweakargumenthe'snot
shyaboutlettingyouknowthatit'saweakargument.
Mostofhisargumentsareprettystrong,however,andgiventhatthe
Templartrailhashadsevencenturiestocool,Robinsonhasput
togetherawhollyconvincingargumentforthepropositionthatthethree
degreesofCraftMasonryarerootedinthefugitiveKnightsTemplarin
hidingin14thCenturyEngland.Period.
OfcoursethewholetimeIwasreadingIwaswonderingjustwhat
you'vebeenwondering."Whathappenedtoallthestuff?"Allthe
treasurethatdisappeared.Whereisithidden?ThenIreadthepart
abouttheOldChargesandhowmoneywastobedistributedtobrothers
passingthrough,andhowlodgingwastobeprovidedandsoon.My
suspicionisthatallthattreasurewenttohidetheTemplars,shiftthem
aroundthecountry,lodgetheminsafehouses,findnewidentitiesfor
them,buythemnewclothestoreplacethemonksrobes,setthemupin
newprofessionsandsoonandwasprobablygonewithinageneration
ofthesuppression.IfthefabledTemplarTreasurewasnotspent,itwas
wasted.
AccordingtoRobinson,though,thereisatreasureofsortswhichmight
yetexist.AlongwiththeTemplarsandtheirtreasureandtheirfleet,
theirrecordsalsovanished.Thiswouldincludeeverythingfrom
membershiprollstoexpenseaccountsformilitaryexpeditionstowine

recipes.Thosemightstillbearound,maybeallinoneplace,maybein
fragments,maybedispersedthroughouttheworld,butmaybe
somewhere.In1717,whenafewLondonlodges"wentpublic"and
MasonsfirstpubliclyadmittedthatMasonryexisted,anumberof
Lodges,fearingpersecution,panickedandburnedtheirrecords.Let's
hopetheTemplarsdidn'tdothatbackin1307.
THESONOFAWIDOW
OneplacewhereRobinsonandIdisagreeisintheinterpretationofthe
storyofHiramAbiff.Robinsonrepresentsthestoryasaromanaclef
withthethreeJuwesrepresentingClement,PhillipandthePriorofthe
Hospitallers.Whilethisreadingisvalid,Ithinkthere'samore
reasonableinterpretationthatismoreintrospectivefromtheMason's
pointofview.Hiramrepresentsnotanyoneperson,butMasonryitself
andthethreeJuwesrepresenttheimpatientelementsofthe
membershipwhoverynearlydestroyedthesecretorderinapremature
attempttoaccomplishitsgoals.Asevidenceforthispropositionrecall
thatHiramwaskilledbyMasonswithimplementspertainingtoallthree
degreesofMasonry.
Thepointthattheworkersproceedintherestofthestoryrepeatedly
mentioningthatnoplanswereleftfortheworkersbythemasterbuilder
mightindicatethattheexecutionsattheendofthePeasants'Revolt
effectivelyremovedtheleadershipofthesecretsociety.Andattheend
ofthestorytheyinstallamakeshiftMason'ssecretwordtotakethe
placeofthegenuinearticleuntilsomebodycomesalongwhocanfigure
outwhatthatsecretwordwas.It'sanallegoricalexpressionofthe
order'slossofpurpose.
IfindRobinson'sexplanationregardingmentionofaWidow'sSonalittle
vagueandcursory.HeholdsthateveryMasterMasonsymbolically
becomesHiramAbiff,thesonofawidow,thephrasebeingmerelya
descriptionofHiram.Iinterpretthatphraseasanallegoricallament
aboutanabsentfather.TheTemplars,aholyorder,havelosttheirHoly
Father,thePope,orinLatinPapa,literally,father.TheTemplarsarethe
widow'sson.ThePopeistheabsentfather.

"RussellT.Johnsonisanonmasonandawriteronthesubjectof
Arkansas.Hisselfpublishedworkcanbefoundat
http://www.aristotle.net/~russjohn
Thisreviewreprintedbypermission."

TogetbooksrelatedtoFreemasonryandtheAncientMysteries.

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