Masonically Inspired Essays

One book that has recently attracted the interest of Freemasons and non-Masons alike who are curious about the Fraternity is a book titled "Hiram Key". The brief biographical sketches of the two co-authors say they are Freemasons, the first was allegedly raised in 1976 and the second ten years later, but they did not say where. They even named in the acknowledgement of their book a certain Reverend pastor (?), allegedly a past master of the Craft who, they claim, had been very supportive of their efforts in making their opus translated to reality. On the whole, the book can be considered worthwhile reading, this despite the several questionable assertions, which, if not commented upon, can waylay the gullible and the unsuspecting who only read, but does not bother to "digest and discriminate." For the record, let this writer cite a few inconsistencies that the book has expounded- among them: 1. That the pillars Boaz and Jachin are explained in the first ...

Of the lectures of the three different degrees of Blue Masonry, the most beautiful and the most succinct can be found in the 2nd degree monitor. It tells us of the winding stairs consisting of three, five and seven steps, and also gives us a glimpse of how both the Operative and Speculative masons form the core of the membership of Fraternity. This article will not touch on the coded portions of the second-degree lecture of the Craft but will only delve on the teachings that are decoded and which can readily be understood even by the cowans and eavesdroppers and the new members of the Fraternity. And while the coded portions will be copied verbatim to preserve its mystic, the explanations will, in so far as practicable, be laid out in pure and simple form. Take for instance, “Shiboleth”, that word that was subjected to a previous article. This article will still probe the second-degree lecture but will also touch topics that hardly ever merited serious attention- the various pillars...

Talk about the lecture of the fellowcraft degree and you are instantly reminded of the winding stairs consisting of three, five and seven steps. Those who have had the opportunity of performing the role of the Senior Deacon in the second section of the conferral of this degree will readily say it is one of the most beautiful teachings of the Craft. In it the three pillars consisting of Wisdom, Strength and Beauty are succinctly explained as are the five orders of Architecture comprising the Tuscan, the Doric, the Ionic, the Corinthian and the Composite. So are the seven liberal arts and sciences which, although no longer explained in detail, are actually grouped into the trivium which is composed of Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic; and the quadrivium- that comprise the analytical fields of Arithmetic, Geometry, Music and Astronomy. Browsing back at the opening paragraphs before the winding stairs were recited, the candidate is told that our ancient brethren already knew that the world is r...

The first object that greeted the lion’s view upon reaching their residence on the evening of April 22, Friday, was his dirty-white 1989 Nissan Sentra that was parked outside of their garage. While still at his den in Guindulman, his youngest cub informed him that last December, he decided to push it outside of the garage since his best friend entrusted to him the latter’s late-modeled car prior to vacationing at the States, and fearful that it might be car-napped if parked outside the gate, decided to have his friend’s car parked inside and the immobilized Sentra parked outside instead. The lion’s heart sunk. His now-dilapidated car, bought for P200,000 in 1992, the biggest single cash purchase he and his tamer bought in their entire lifetime, was now a sorry sight. Left to the elements, it is now rusty and the once regal car that the lion meticulously maintained in tip-top condition for ten whole years prior to their transfer to Bohol was now headed for the junkyard, He earlier le...

The circus has now begun. What started as an earth-shaking bombshell has just converted itself either into a soap opera or a comic strip, depending on whether the reader is a romanticist or a philosopher. Consider these. 1. Imagine news in the Philippines are being emailed by brothers based in Haiti (WB Bong Fajardo), Hawaii (Bro. Angel Abellada) and at the American Samoa (WB Dave Dacanay) chronicling the news as shown in Item 2 below. 2. The national paper “Philippine Star” dated June 16 and written by Jaime Laude and Non Alquitran has an article titled “Ong kicked out of Seminary for being a Mason?”. It added that Bishop Bacani (yeah, the bishop accused of sexual harassment earlier) was quoted he was not ready to give up Ong and asked Gen. Art Lomibao of Ong’s safety should the Church decide to hand him over to the police. Lomibao allegedly assured Bacani of Ong’s safety and that the latter will be accorded due process. The apparent twist here is that the Church apparently lost inter...

Brethren: The aging lion cherish a unique philosophy that for every bad that goes his way, there is also a corresponding good side that accompanies it. Let him now tell you of this unique story. Although limping uncomfortably when he returned to his den on Wednesday, June 8, he was pleasantly surprised to personally see for himself the newly-paved road fronting their gate. Five days back, or last June 3, Friday, the lion tamer received a text message from her cousin who informed her that the road that traversed the poblacion of Guindulman town was already being cemented to the surprise of the residents. Not that they were not expecting it to happen, for the road construction had already been delayed unduly, but sudden realization of things that had already started to cool down during the ordinary course of events always trigger surprises. Let the lion now give you a brief flashback of what he did relative to this cementing project of the DPWH. Last March 5, the lion sent an email t...