Scientia Coronati Research Lodge #4 F. & A. M.

Newsletter

october– december 2011 A.L. 6011

The Arizona Keystone

Volume 4, Issue 4

“…..But that the dread of something after death,

The undiscovr’d country from whose bourn

No traveler returns, puzzles the will

And makes us rather bear those ills we have….”

- - Hamlet, Act III, Scene I - - William Shakespeare

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The Arizona Keystone

Volume 4, Number 4

October - December 2011

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Boyd Robertson, Master

MANAGING EDITOR

Keith Rosewitz, Secretary

The Arizona Keystone is an official pub-

lication of Scientia Coronati Research

Lodge #4 F. & A. M. and printed quar-

terly. Unless otherwise noted, articles

appearing in this publication express only

the private opinion or assertions of the

writer, and do not necessarily reflect the

official opinion of Scientia Coronati Re-

search Lodge #4 F. & A. M. or the Grand

Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of

Arizona.

Articles are subject to editing and sub-

mittal grants Scientia Coronati Research

Lodge #4 F. & A. M the right to publish

and the authority to allow permission to

reprint. Ownership of any article, photo-

graphs, or other materials remains with

the author. No compensation is allowed

for any article, photographs, or other ma-

terials submitted for publication.

Permission to reprint articles will be

granted upon written request to the Edi-

tor. When reprinted, articles should note

“Reprinted with permission of The

Arizona Keystone (Month, year).”

Please direct all correspondence to:

Editor: The Arizona Keystone

1908 Larchwood Cir.

Prescott, AZ 86301

FEATURES

3. EDITOR’S NOTES

4. PEN AND PAPER

CONTENTS

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Master ’s Notes

My Brothers,

As the year 2011 comes to a close I would like to

personally thank all of you for making this year a great

year to be the Master of our Lodge. And I have been

honored to serve you this year. Also, I want to say a

special thank you to all of the brethren that stepped

forward and presented a paper for one of our meetings. Our growth and education could

not have happened without you.

As we look into the future I hope that we can continue to grow as a Lodge and as Ma-

sons. There is a special joy in learning with and from the brethren of our ancient fraternity.

And I have thoroughly enjoyed the education that I have received this year. Every one of

us should strive to grow as individual Masons as well as helping our brethren grow. To me

that is the reason for our research lodge.

In closing I would like to say that our journey has unlimited bounds as long as we are

willing to take that first step in our own education. Thank you once again for the honor of

serving as the Master for this year. And I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday sea-

son as well as a prosperous new year!

Boyd

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PEN AND PAPER

BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS

Mackey’s Revised Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, New Edition, 1929

The Book of Constitutions is that work in which is contained the

rules and regulations adopted for the government of the Fraternity of Free-

masons. Undoubtedly, a society so orderly and systematic must always

have been governed by a prescribed code of laws; but, in the lapse of ages,

the precise regulations which were adopted for the direction of the Craft in

ancient times have been lost. The earliest record we have of any such

Constitutions is in a manuscript, first quoted, in 1723, by Anderson

(Constitutions, 1723, pages 32-3), which he said was written in the reign

of Edward IV. Preston (page 182, edition of 1788) quotes the same re-

cord, and adds, that “it is said to have been in the possession of the fa-

mous Elias Ashmole, and unfortunately destroyed,” a statement which had

not been previously made by Anderson. To Anderson, therefore, we must

look in our estimation of the authenticity of this document; and that we

cannot too much rely upon the accuracy as a transcriber is apparent, not

only from the internal evidence of style, but also from the fact that he

made important alterations in his copy of it in his edition of 1738. Such as it is, however, it contains the following

particulars:

“Though the ancient records of the Brotherhood in England were many of them destroyed or lost in the wars

of the Saxons and Danes, yet King Athelstan (the grandson of Kind Alfrede the Great, a mighty Architect), the first

anointed king of England, and who translated the Holy Bible into the Saxon tongue, 930 A.D., when he had brought

the land into Rest and Peace, built many great works, and encourag’d many Masons from France, who were ap-

pointed Overseers thereof, and brought with them the Charges and Regulations of the Lodges preserv’d since the Ro-

man times, who also prevail’d with the King to improve the Constitution of the English Lodges according to the for-

eign Model, and to increase the Wages of Working Masons.”

“The said king’s youngest son, Prince Edwin, being taught Masonry, and taking upon him the Charges of a

Master Mason, for the love he had to the said Craft and the honorable Principles whereon it is grounded, purchased a

free charter of King Athelstan his Father, for the Masons having a Correction among themselves (as it was anciently

express’d), of a Freedom and Power to regulate themselves, to amend what might happen amiss, and to hold a yearly

Communication and General Assembly.”

“Accordingly, Prince Edwin summoned all the Masons in the Realm to meet him in a Congregation at York ,

who came and composed a General Lodge, of which he was Grand Master; and having brought with them all the

Writings and Records extant, some in Greek, some in Latin, some in French and other languages, from the Contents

thereof that Assembly did frame the Constitution and Charges of an English Lodge, and made a law to preserve and

observe the same in all time coming, and ordain’d good Pay for Working Masons, &c.”

Other records have from time to time been discovered, most of them recently, which prove beyond all doubt

that the Fraternity of Freemasons was, at least in the fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries, in

possession of manuscript Constitutions containing the rules and regulations of the Craft.

In the year 1717, Freemasonry, which had somewhat fallen into decay in the south of England, was revived

by the organization of the Grand Lodge at London; and, in the next year, the Grand Master having desired, says

Anderson, “any brethren to bring to the Grand Lodge any old writings and records concerning Freemasons and Free-

masonry, in order to show the usages of ancient times, several old copies of the Gothic Constitutions were produced

and collated” (see Constitutions, 1738, page 110.).

But these Constitutions having been found to be very erroneous and defective, probably from carelessness or

ignorance in their frequent transcription, in September 1721, the Duke of Montagu, who was then Grand Master, or-

dered Brother James Anderson to digest them “in a new and better method” (see Constitutions, 1728, page 113).

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Anderson having accordingly accomplished the important task that had been assigned him, in December of

the same year a committee, consisting of fourteen learned Brethren, was appointed to examine the book; and, in the

March Communication of the subsequent year, having reported their approbation of it, it was, after some amend-

ments, adopted by the Grand Lodge, and published in 1723, under the title of The Constitutions of the Freemasons,

containing the History, Charges, Regulations, etc., of the Most Ancient and Right Worshipful Fraternity. For the

use of the Lodges.

A second edition was published in 1738, under the superin-

tendence of a committee of Grand Officers (see the Constitutions

of that year, page 133). But this edition contained so many altera-

tions, interpolations, and omissions of the Charges and Regulations

as they appeared in the first, as to show the most reprehensible in-

accuracy in its composition, and to render it utterly worthless ex-

cept as a literary curiosity. It does not seem to have been very

popular, for the printers, to complete their sales, were compelled to

commit a fraud, and to present what they pretended to be a new

edition in 1746, but which was really only the edition of 1738,

with a new title page neatly pasted in, the old one being canceled.

In 1754, Brother Jonathan Scott presented a memorial to

the Grand Lodge, “showing the necessity of a new edition of the

Book of Constitutions.” It was then ordered that the book “should

be revised, and necessary alterations and additions made consistent

with the laws and rules of Masonry”; all of which would seem to

show the dissatisfaction of the Fraternity with the errors of the sec-

ond editions. Accordingly, a third edition was published in 1756,

under the editorship of the Rev. John Entick. The fourth edition,

prepared by a Committee, was published in 1767. In 1769, G.

Kearsly, of London, published an unauthorized edition of the 1767

issue, with an appendix to 1769; this was also published by Tho-

mas Wilkinson in Dublin in the same year, with several curious

plates; both issues are now very scarce. And an authorized supplement appeared in 1776.

John Noorthouck published by authority the fifth edition in 1784. This was well printed in quarto, with nu-

merous notes, and is considered the most valuable edition; it is the last to contain the historical introduction.

After the Union of the two rival Grand Lodges of England (see Antient Masons) in 1813, the sixth edition

was issued in 1815, edited by Brother William Williams, Provencial Grand Master for Dorsetshire; the seventh ap-

peared in 1819, being the last in quarto; and the eighth in 1827; these were called the Second Part, and contained

only the Ancient Charges and the General Regulations. The ninth edition of 1841 contained no reference to the First

or Historical Part, and may be regarded as the first of the present issue in octavo with the plate s of jewels at the end.

Numerous editions have since been issued. In the early days of the Grand Lodge of England in all proces-

sions the Book of Constitutions was carried on a cushion by the Master of the Senior Lodge (Constitutions, 1738,

pages 117-26), but this was altered at the time of the union and it is provided in the Constitutions of 1815 and in the

subsequent issues that the Book of Constitutions on a cussion shall be carried by the Grand Secretary.

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Blindness on the Path

By Brother David Trice

Blind we are and yet the ever present urge of union with divinity .This expresses itself

as longing, deep devotion and meditative prayer directed towards God transcendent and

God immanent1. These are the first infant steps toward that long process we call initia-

tion.

At each initiation a Mason is asked to wear a blindfold. Symbolic of the blindness we

all experience throughout life and each initiation on the Path. Each Mason must first

show faith as to what may follow. “In whom do you put your trust?” is asked by the

Master of the candidate. If the candidate offers anything other than a belief in a Su-

preme Being he is conducted from the room and dismissed.

If the correct answer given the candidate is then told to kneel for the benefit of Prayer. Selfless Prayer is the Masons

way. Its importance cannot be over stated.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

Still blind he is then conducted eventually to the Alter where is asked to take a solemn oath binding himself to the

fraternity and the principles we profess. “Being in a condition of darkness what do you most desire” is asked of the

candidate. Light is the response and gift we all hope for. After the Oath is taken he is then instructed (the lectures)

with open eyes.

Two thousand years ago….

That great initiate and Master, Jesus, was giving his Sermon on the Mount. Many things did he teach that day.

Among them was the principle of prayer.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in

secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:6.

The three great lights of Masonry are the Holy Bible, Square and Compass. This we all know. However, it takes

overcoming inertia to read the H.B2. and use the S. and C.

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Remember most of all dear Brothers that Masonic secrets are not just

the rituals we perform at the Lodge. They are most importantly se-

crets that are revealed in the heart and from the soul because of Ma-

sonry (keeping our passions within due bounds) and most of all Vir-

tue3. Keep the secrets dear brothers, keep the secrets.

Lead us Oh Lord from darkness to light from the unreal to the real

and from death to immortality. An ancient Hindu prayer.

May we all be lead from darkness to light.

1. God without and God within. Both are esoterically correct until we lose the sense of I (the personality) and

merge with the soul.

2. Particularly the New Testament. The Gospel according to St. Matthew in particular.

3. Virtue being the first tests along the way .