Freemasonry is the subject of perennial fascination-recently the cover story of a national newsmagazine, the premise of the movie National Treasure, and the anticipated basis of a forthcoming novel by Dan Brown. The twentieth century's great scholar of occult and esoteric ideas, Manly P. Hall was a Mason himself and nurtured a lifelong interest in the secret fraternal order, making it the focus of one of his earliest and best-loved books

This “stupendous ethnography of female Freemasonry in Italy” reveals the fascinating paradox of elitism and exclusion experienced by “female brothers” (Michael Herzfeld, author of Evicted from Eternity). From its cryptic images on the dollar bill to Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, the Freemasons have long been one of the most romanticized secret societies in the world. But a simple fact escapes most depictions of this elite brotherhood: there are also female members. In this groundbreaking ethnography, Lilith Mahmud takes readers inside Masonic lodges of contemporary Italy, where she observes the ritualistic and fraternal bonds forged among Freemason women. Offering a tantalizing look behind lodge doors, The Brotherhood of Freemason Sisters unveils a complex culture of discretion in which Freemasons reveal some truths and hide others. Female initiates—one of Freemasonry’s best-kept secrets—are often upper class and highly educated, yet avowedly antifeminist. Their self-cultivation through the Masonic path is an effort to embrace the deeply gendered ideals of fraternity. In this lively investigation, Mahmud unravels the contradictions at the heart of Freemasonry: an organization responsible for many of the egalitarian concepts of the Enlightenment and yet one that has always been, and in Italy still remains, extremely exclusive. The result is not only a thrilling look at a surprisingly influential world, but a reevaluation of the modern values we now take for granted

This work is of equal interest to Freemasons and students of the development of secret societies in Western Europe since the Roman Conquest. The principle emphasis is upon the seventeenth and eighteenth century revivals of the Mystery Rituals of antiquity. Such famous names as the Comte de St. Germain, Cagliostro, and Louis Claude de St. Martin share with old Dr. John Dee and the French philosopher/writer, Voltaire. There is information about the mysterious rituals of Memphis and the Illuminati, which flourished briefly in Bavaria, as well as the revival of Egyptian Masonry, which inspired Mozart's opera of "The Magic Flute." All these conspiracies and counter-conspiracies are as intriguing as a detective story, and much valuable history is concealed in the records of these esoteric schools.

Freemasonry is a system of learning that has been recognized as?a?product of western civilization, however what is not told is the influences by people of African descent. This book describes the contributions to freemasonry from the ancient African civilizations of Egypt, Nubia and pre Islamic Arabia. It is designed to give the reader a deeper understanding of its origins as well as its connection to world civilizations and world religion, all of which has an African presence. This book will also looks at the universe of African American Masonic organizations from the early 18th century to the 20th century America, which ranged from the origins of prince hall freemasonry to Black Nationalist and esoteric religious sects like the Moorish Science Temple of America, the UNIA and several other offshoots. Contrary to prior accounts, African American Freemasonry was concerned with far more than simply acknowledgement and respectability. The book will demonstrate that Freemasonry played a critical role in, history, politics and African American social life. I discuss such topics as the impact of Greek philosophy on western civilization, the rise of Islam and its impact on the African continent and finally the grandeur and accomplishments of the moors of Spain. African people have been at the very core of this rich foundation. In addition I discuss the comparisons between the ancient Egyptian civilization and modern day freemasonry. I explore its symbolism as well as the esoteric foundations that freemasonry relies so heavily upon. Once freemasonry reach the western hemisphere it became a tool for influencing Europe’s elite. Moreover, my research covers the history of the knight’s of Europe and the origins of?european chivalry and how Arabic poetry played an important role in its establishment. Additional topics include Napoleon Bonaparte, The mystic shrine and the foundations of Orientalism.

The first Masonic lodge in what is today Nassau and Suffolk Counties was constituted in 1793. For over 200 years, more than 70 lodges were founded and flourished in various locations from Amagansett to Great Neck. For the first time, some of the secrets of the Masonic fraternity are revealed in this book. Recovered from dusty lodge attics and closets, this selection of long-forgotten photographs and artifacts gives the readers a brief glimpse of what was taking place behind the closed doors of their local lodge. Long Island was the Masonic home of Theodore Roosevelt of Oyster Bay and, 30 years later, was honored by a visit to the Huntington Masonic lodge by his fifth cousin and fellow Mason Franklin D. Roosevelt. Masons continue to support the community through charitable endeavors, including the Masonic Medical Research Institute, Masonic Safety Identification Programs, Shriners Hospitals, and many more.

The network of freemasons and Masonic lodges in the Middle East is an opaque and mysterious one, and is all too often seen - within the area - as a vanguard for Western purposes of regional domination. But here, Dorothe Sommer explains how freemasonry in Greater Syria at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century actually developed a life of its own, promoting local and regional identities. She stresses that during the rule of the Ottoman Empire, freemasonry was actually one of the first institutions in what is now Syria and Lebanon which overcame religious and sectarian divisions. Indeed, the lodges attracted more participants - such as the members of the Trad and Yaziji Family, Khaireddeen Abdulwahab, Hassan Bayhum, Alexander Barroudi and Jurji Yanni - than any other society or fraternity.

In the first comprehensive history of the fraternity known to outsiders primarily for its secrecy and rituals, Steven Bullock traces Freemasonry through its first century in America. He follows the order from its origins in Britain and its introduction into North America in the 1730s to its near-destruction by a massive anti-Masonic movement almost a century later and its subsequent reconfiguration into the brotherhood we know today. With a membership that included Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Paul Revere, and Andrew Jackson, Freemasonry is fascinating in its own right, but Bullock also places the movement at the center of the transformation of American society and culture from the colonial era to the rise of Jacksonian democracy. Using lodge records, members' reminiscences and correspondence, and local and Masonic histories, Bullock links Freemasonry with the changing ideals of early American society. Although the fraternity began among colonial elites, its spread during the Revolution and afterward allowed it to play an important role in shaping the new nation's ideas of liberty and equality. Ironically, however, the more inclusive and universalist Masonic ideas became, the more threatening its members' economic and emotional bonds seemed to outsiders, sparking an explosive attack on the fraternity after 1826. American History

Take the mystery out of the Freemasons Fascinated by Freemasons? Freemasons For Dummies is the internationally bestselling introduction to the Masons, the oldest and largest "secret society" in the world. This balanced, eye-opening guide demystifies Freemasonry, explaining everything from its elaborate rituals and cryptic rites, to its curious symbols and their meanings. With new and improved content, including updated examples and references throughout, this new edition of Freemasons For Dummies provides the most straightforward, non-intimidating guide to the subject on the market. Updated expert coverage of the basic beliefs and philosophy behind Freemasonry Revised information on the history of the society, including updates concerning its founding, famous historical members, and pivotal events New coverage devoted to the recent influx of younger membership The latest and ongoing controversies and myths surrounding Freemasonry The role of women in a Masonic organization, including opportunities for women to participate in Freemasonry The effects cultural and political changes and worldwide events are having on the organization If you're intrigued by the mystery that surrounds the Masons, get ready to learn the facts about this ancient order in Freemasons For Dummies.

FREEMASONRY is a fraternity within a fraternity-an outer organization concealing an inner brotherhood of the elect. Before it is possible to intelligently discuss the origin of the Craft it is necessary therefore to establish the existence of these two separate yet interdependent orders the one visible and the other invisible.