Suppression of Freemasonry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You may know them by their enemies. Tyrants do not like Freemasonry:

Suppression of Freemasonry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The small blue forget-me-not flower was first used by the Grand Lodge Zur Sonne, in 1926, as a Masonic emblem at the annual convention in Bremen, Germany. In 1938 the forget-me-not badge – made by the same factory as the Masonic badge – was chosen for the annual Nazi Party Winterhilfswerk, a Nazi charitable organisation which collected money so that other state funds could be freed up and used for rearmament. This coincidence enabled Freemasons to wear the forget-me-not badge as a secret sign of masonic membership.^[97][98][99]

After World War II, the forget-me-not^[100] flower was again used as a Masonic emblem at the first Annual Convention of the United Grand Lodges of Germany in 1948. The badge is now worn in the coat lapel by Freemasons around the world to remember all those that have suffered in the name of Freemasonry, especially those during the Nazi era.^[100][101]

I've been given a Sterling Masonic Signet Ring, that is apparently a rare Entered Apprentice Ring.

I'll put up photos tomorrow.   I realized this when I made impressions into clay.

Cataract Lodge #2 Entered Apprentice Initiation, January 25, 2011

Bothers Of Another Mother.
Cataract Lodge #2  was the second lodge recognized under the Grand Lodge of Minnesota.  . Stillwater's St. John's Lodge #1  preceded us.  St. Paul Lodge number #3   was recognized shortly after Cataract by the Grand Lodge (it was made a lodge in 1849, but somehow recognized later for the formation of the Grand Lodge.)  <I was told it was some kind of "paperwork" thing.> These Three lodges were the basis for the formation of the independent Grand Lodge of Minnesota. Before forming a Grand Lodge, while Minnesota was still a territory, St. John's Lodge was recognized by  the Grand Lodge of  Wisconsin (October 12, 1850).  Cataract Lodge by the Grand Lodge of Illinois ( February 5, 1852,).  And the St. Paul lodge, by the Grand Lodge of Ohio (1849).  I find this all pretty fascinating.   You can read more history here: Grand Lodge Of Minnesota.  Looking at the Grand Lodge Wiki page, I just discovered that Hubert H. Humphrey was a member of Cataract Lodge.  That is a nice surprise!

 S John's Lodge No 1

Now Studying For Fellowcraft Degree.

Booklets in Preparations for the Degrees and my Lodge nametag.

So much going on for The Entered Apprentice initiation, that it was hard to take all in. What I was most struck by, as a craftsman that undertook a traditional apprenticeship in pottery in Japan, is how the guild systems must have worked in Europe in pre-literate times. It is an oral tradition with much repitition. The Masonic initiation process sheds light on the old guild systems. The initiation felt to me like a cross between being knighted and entering a pre-literate guild. I suppose the appendant bodies, the Scottish and York Rites are more like knighthood initiations. But first things first. I am studying for my the test before the Fellowcraft Degree.

The Royal Society and The Birth Of Modern Science.

Freemasons And The Birth Of Modern Science at Google Books
Barnes and Noble Link for The Book

I finished this book last week.  Some of the Freemason connection is conjecture, but interesting. I never really read about the Royal Society in school and find that history fascinating.  It marks the era when scholars and scientists were freed from the oppression of the church to think and share their findings freely.  This freedom led to  science as we know it.

My wife Jean took me to the science museum to see the IMax film Hubble.   The images from the Hubble telescope give you a sense of awe in the majesty of the Universe.   Makes you feel good to be a human being.  Helps you see one of the positive things our society has done to advance knowledge.

  Our closest counterpart today to the Royal Society is NASA.  on July 29, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, a forward thinking Republican, signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, providing for research into the problems of flight within Earth’s atmosphere and in space. After a protracted debate over military versus civilian control of space, the act inaugurated a new civilian agency designated the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The agency began operations on Oct. 1, 1958.

Walter Breuning, World's Oldest Man Speaks About Freemasonry.

Walter Breuning, the oldest living man in the world, speaks about his experiences as a Freemason with Stan Dodd, Associate Director of Membership Services of Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, S.J. Stan also speaks with Justin Davis, a Scottish Rite Mason just beginning his masonic journey.
Walter Breuning- Scottish Rite Freemason from Scottish Rite on Vimeo.

Entered Apprentice

I was initiated as an Entered Apprentice last evening at Cataract Lodge #2.   The ritual gave me insight into how preliterate organizations passed down knowledge.   As a potter, I find the Masonic symbolism relevant to my craft.  
All the participants recited their parts from memory.  If they had trouble, they were allowed to pause, but if they could not remember their next lines, someone offered the beginning of the line for them.
There were four of us, one initiate from another lodge.  We didn't have to memorize anything, but we will have to for the next step.