Leçon d'un Maitre à son Apprenti - II

Mon Très Cher Frère,

Cette cérémonie, dont tu fus l’acteur principal, a fait de toi un Initié.

Cette initiation a débuté lorsque tu étais seul, face à toi-même, dans le cabinet de réflexion. Nous t’avons ensuite révélé une partie de nos savoirs car nous t’avons jugé digne de les recevoir.

Nous avons décelé en toi, lors de ton passage sous le bandeau, l’aptitude nécessaire pour te joindre à nous. Nous t’avons donc initié.

Que signifie le mot « initiation » ? Il vient du latin initiatio et on peut lui donner la signification de « commencer ». Tu laisses derrière toi ta vie profane pour commencer ta vie de Maçon.

L’initiation est seulement la première étape sur la route qui te mènera, si tu en as les capacités, vers la lumière. C’est la restauration de ton état édénique, te replaçant dans un état d'innocence primitif. Il te reste tout à apprendre.

A partir de cet instant, tu vas progresser dans ton émancipation personnelle et spirituelle aidé, pour cela, de tes Maîtres qui seront attentifs à l’application que tu apporteras dans l’exécution des travaux qui te seront confiés.

Ainsi, au fil de ta compréhension des enseignements ésotériques du degré auquel tu appartiens, celui d’apprenti, tu chemineras progressivement d’étape en étape jusqu'à obtenir l'équivalent du degré de ton maître, voire de le dépasser. C’est tout le mal que nous te souhaitons.

Je parle de l’ésotérisme car c’est ainsi que l’on dénomme l’enseignement que nous allons te prodiguer au sein de cette Respectable Loge.

L’ésotérisme fait usage de symboles, qui sont nombreux et divers dans la pratique de l’Art Royal qu’est la Maçonnerie, que tu auras l’occasion de découvrir auprès de celui qui aura la charge de ton enseignement, notre frère Second Surveillant.

Tu vas être confronté à des mots, à des objets, à des attitudes qui ont tous une signification particulière. Tout est symbole et rien n’est le fruit du hasard.

- Apprends ces mot et comprends les puisqu’un jour, tu pourras les prononcer ;
- Sois attentif lorsque tes Frères manient les objets car tu auras, toi aussi, à les utiliser plus tard ;
- Observe nos gestes et nos attitudes en Loge, tu devras toujours t’y conformer.

Une seule recommandation : ouvre tes yeux et tes oreilles mais, et ne l’oublies jamais, ce que tu vois et ce que tu entends ici ne peut, et en aucun cas, franchir la porte de ce Temple.

Bienvenue, mon Très Cher Frère, nous sommes heureux et fiers de t’accueillir parmi nous.

Jean-Pierre Grassi

Geminação

As Geminações são um instrumento de extrema importância para facilitar a aproximação entre os maçons e entre lojas maçónicas de diferentes países.

Hoje é um dia de festa para a R:.L:. Mestre Affonso Domingues, já que teve lugar a cerimónia de geminação com a Lodge Hippokrates, Loja Regular da Gross Loge von Österreich, A:. F:. A:. M:. (Grande Loja dos Maçons Antigos e Aceites da Áustria) a Oriente de Viena de Austria.

Para o efeito, deslocaram-se a Portugal cerca de uma dezena de Irmãos, tendo sido celebrada uma sessão conjunta, na qual foi efectuada a geminação entre as duas lojas.

Foi realmente interessante ver dois Ritos (REAA e Schröder), com claras diferenças, a interagir juntos.

Com esta cerimónia, a R:. L:. Mestre Affonso Domingues reforça a sua vertente de abertura ao exterior, vindo esta geminação juntar-se às outras duas oportunamente feitas:

• R:.L:. Fraternidade Atlântica, N.º 1267 da Province de Bineau da Grande Loge Nationale Française
• R:.L:. Rigor, N.º 57, a Oriente de Bragança, da GLLP / GLRP.

A sessão foi seguida por um jantar na qual estiveram presentes elementos das duas Lojas, tendo sido feita a entrega de diplomas alusivos ao acto.

A Maçonaria está de parabens.

As 6.ªs da música, com Silêncio...

De verdade podemos começar a anunciar uma rubrica regular, tal como nas programações da rádio ou da TV.

Já que tenho dedicado parte das últimas 6.ªs feiras à música, hoje resolvi chamar-lhe isso mesmo.

Como diria qualquer apresentador:

- Senhoras e senhores, preparem-se porque vamos ouvir um som do outro mundo...

Não acreditem. É mesmo deste mundo, mas para quem não conheça ainda o vídeo certamente irá repeti-lo, repeti-lo, repeti-lo...

A míuda é sensacional !



Pronto, já está, já podem respirar !

É assim que se ensina o que é "deixar os metais à porta do Templo"...

Aí está ! A simplicidade do que é bom, mesmo.

Bom fim de semana.

(Vá lá, oiçam outra vez...)

JPSetúbal

Shake Some Hands

I want to thank my brothers of the Grande Loja Legal de Portugal who write the blog “A Partir Pedra” for allowing me this opportunity to write an article for their magnificent site.

My name is Nick Johnson and I am a brother from the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, AF & AM. I am the Senior Warden of my Lodge, Corinthian Lodge #67, yet I am still very much a neophyte in my Masonic journey as I am 26 years and have been a Freemason for a little over three years.

The topic on which I will focus is visitation and how important it is in a Mason’s life and how often it is ignored.

In Minnesota, we follow the Ancient Landmarks of Freemasonry which have been codified in our Grand Lodge regulations of which one of them is the right to travel. (“That to visit Masonicly is an inherent right of Masons, but no visitor shall be received into a Lodge if any member present objects.” §C2.03(8)) I have always been of the opinion that our Craft arose from the cathedral builders of Europe and the secret traditions that they carried from city to city as they traveled to find work. Our ancient brethren who practiced both operative and speculative Masonry needed this right to find work. These Fellow Craft Masons were cared for by their brothers and given a chance to practice their Craft in any place they found themselves.

I can only imagine the welcome that these brothers would receive in places that spoke different dialects or languages yet carried the same secret knowledge that allowed them to be received as brothers. Sadly, this tradition has become rather forgotten in many places of my state and many Grand Lodge jurisdictions throughout the world. The desire to travel has now become the province of Grand Lodge officers and maybe few adventurous souls. Therefore, I propose a challenge: get out and shake some hands.

In this fast moving age of information, we have the tools to find Lodges located in nearly all Grand Lodge jurisdictions on this planet. The only major challenge is the willingness to leave the comfortable confines of a brother’s Mother Lodge. Yes, it is true; it’s really cozy in the Lodge Room and yes, there is nothing better than snuggling into one of those sideline chairs, listening to the calming humdrum of Lodge life, ultimately leading down the dimly lit cave to Morpheus’ ebony bed. Zzzzz… Hrmph… Sorry, I drifted off there thinking about it. We cannot fall into the trap of thinking that the only Masonic life that we have is our local Mother Lodge, Appendant Body, or Shrine Club. We can and should join the greater Masonic world.

The Masonic world is huge. My Grand Lodge sent a contingent of brothers to Cuba to meet brothers in that country for fellowship and humanitarian relief. We have made an unbreakable connection with those brothers because of this visit. At the MN Grand Lodge Annual Communication, we got to hear the proposed recognition of different Grand Lodges in other parts of the world. I have never been to Mexico, nor have I been to any of the other places that my Grand Lodge has recognized yet I felt closer to those countries than I could have ever been before. I have been truly fortunate to have visited Lodges near me and it has been a treat. I have always been received warmly. I have also been fortunate to have brothers from other Lodges visit my Lodge.

Here is my proposal for all Masonic Officers: create a Masonic Ambassador program. It’s our duty to make friends with the officers of the other Lodges in our jurisdiction and abroad. We can absorb their ideas and take their advice and put it into practice. If a Lodge meets on the same day as yours, create a Lodge Exchange program where half of the brothers of one Lodge visit a different Lodge and vice versa. Promoting inter-Lodge fellowship can promote the exchange of ideas and, in my opinion, lead to the improvement of the overall Masonic experience of everyone.

Even if we cannot meet brothers in physical Lodges due to distances, it is still possible to meet brothers through the “magic” of Internet (I’ve heard that it involves spells cast by the Google guys.). I am a blogger, and through my experiences writing my own site, I have made many new friends that I probably would have never made otherwise. Facebook and Myspace, or in other parts of the world, Bebo or Orkut, has aided in helping brothers meet. There is even a Masonic social networking site called Masonic Planet dedicated to bringing Freemasons and OES members together. We now have the tools to connect to any brother in the world. Even if we can’t extend our hand physically to another brother online, we can still extend our figurative hand and make those meaningful connections.

This paper represents my shaking of the hands of the brothers of “A Partir Pedra” and I want to thank them for this opportunity. Our world is getting smaller. The universal aspects of Freemasonry give us an edge over many other organizations in promoting global perspectives. We are not a national organization but an international movement to promote the brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of G-d.

Nick Johnson

nota: Nick Johnson escreve no blog The Millennial Freemason

Grande Loja - o novo Sitio da Internet

Entrou em linha ( online) anteontem o novo sitio da Internet da Grande Loja. Os "nossos" Rui Bandeira e A. Jorge, quais abelhinhas, andaram no passado mês a preparar a coisa, mais ou menos em segredo.

O resultado está à vista AQUI, e o melhor mesmo é que os nossos leitores passem por lá e digam de sua justiça, porque nós aqui somos um pouco parciais, porque do Rui e do A.Jorge conhecemos bem o trabalho e a capacidade.

Temos para nós a ideia que por trás desta nova fase está um conceito de comunicação bem mais vasto e estruturado, mas o Grande Correio Mor Rui Bandeira terá sempre a última palavra.

Os nossos votos de sucesso nesta nova fase são o minimo que podemos deixar aqui.

Os Editores do A Partir Pedra

Salvé 2/5/2009

Afinal a frase mais ou menos anedótica do “já chegámos à Madeira…” desta vez aplica-se
na perfeição.

Na verdade já chegámos à Madeira.

A 2 de Maio levantou colunas uma nova Loja Maçónica Regular.

Com a presença do Grão-Mestre da GLLP/GLRP, de Grandes-Oficiais e de Mestres da R.L. Mestre Affonso Domingues levantou colunas na Madeira, a Oriente do Funchal, a Respeitável Loja João Gonçalves Zarco, n.º71.

Sendo um sonho antigo foi finalmente possível reunir as condições necessárias a que a Maçonaria Regular pudesse ter representação portuguesa na Madeira, pela 1ª vez, e com a concordância expressa da autoridade autonómica.
De facto têm funcionado na Madeira Lojas Maçónicas sob obediência inglesa, mas nunca houve qualquer Loja de origem exclusivamente portuguesa.
Frequentemente temos sido procurados por turistas, de todas as nacionalidades, procurando por uma Loja Maçónica na Madeira já que na sua passagem pela ilha gostariam de contactar Irmãos portugueses. Pois a partir de agora já será possível indicar a RL João Gonçalves Zarco. Finalmente.

É mais uma pedra de grande alegria e orgulho para a Mestre Affonso Domingues ser origem e dar apoio ao nascimento de mais uma Loja da GLLP/GLRP.

Estou a pôr estas linhas em ordem ainda sob a emoção dos momentos vividos com os nossos Irmãos que na Madeira irão ficar a dar testemunho do trabalho da Maçonaria Portuguesa.
Todas as cerimónias, e foram várias, decorreram em ambiente de grande fraternidade, alegre fraternidade diga-se, já que tanto o MR Grão-Mestre como os que o acompanharam não são gente para deixar a alegria à porta do Templo.

Também, e como acontece com alguma frequência entre nós, os procedimentos rituais foram “ajustados” às emoções que se soltaram, pelo que as quase 4 horas que os trabalhos demoraram foram passadas como apenas 5 minutos, não fosse essa outra “emoção”, a interna, começar a reclamar pela feijoada.

Belíssima cerimónia que ficará como um marco inesquecível para a memória de todos os presentes.

Como comentário final destas linhas o voto de que os Irmãos madeirenses consigam, de facto, pôr em prática os princípios que orientam a maçonaria Regular a que pertencem e que a Fraternidade que anunciam seja o cimento agregador entre todos (TODOS) os Irmãos que agora tiveram a oportunidade histórica de fazer o levantamento da Loja n.º 71, a Oriente do Funchal, sob a obediência da GLLP/GLRP, Respeitável Loja João Gonçalves Zarco.

(As fotos são de Acácias em flôr, tiradas Madeira, na levada de S.João de Latrão)

JPSetúbal

Tomato , To-mah-to

TOMATO, TO-MAH-TO; Shibboleths Beyond the Craft
By Michael A. Halleran,
M:.M:. Emporia Lodge No. 12, Emporia, Kansas, USA.


That sore battle, when so many died
Without reprieve, adjudged to death
For want of well pronouncing Shibboleth.
--John Milton


A shibboleth is defined as any word, or indeed any usage of language, that identifies one’s region of origin or identifies one as a member of a group. For Freemasons, the concept of shibboleth is important. It forms a part of our rituals, and our fellows are taught about an historical occurrence in which the use of shibboleths originated. In actuality, it is very likely that shibboleths of some kind have been in use since the dawn of Man, but certainly the story found in Judges must be one of the first recordings of the practice. In our order, the newly admitted fellow is told of the story, but he is never told why it is important and is simply left to ponder the significance of the term, and indeed, of the event.

Jephthah's shibboleth is by no means the only example we encounter of these verbal tests. In my particular corner of the world, the North American state of Kansas, the word “rural” is a shibboleth of sorts and if one pronounces it by dropping the middle “r” and ignoring the last syllable – rendering it as “rule” – one proclaims himself a true Western Kansas man, and not at all an Eastern Kansas fop. There are many examples of these harmless shibboleths and our daily lives are full of them.

More ominous, however, are the military applications of test-language, and more often than not they are used, as Jephthah used them, to determine life or death. A few examples:
In 1002, Saxons tested Danes with the phrase “Chichester Church,” a phrase which certainly would have excluded Americans, as well. In 1282 the Sicilians revolted against the occupying French, and many French men-at-arms were murdered. The Sicilians used the local word for “chick pea” (cicera) as the test word, as it was difficult for the French to properly pronounce it.

In the early years of the 16th Century, the Netherlands were embroiled in fierce factional fighting between various warlords, bandits and foreign troops. One of these warrior chiefs was a Frisian strongman named Piers Gerlofs Donia. According to legend, his soldiers used the shibboleth "Bûter, brea, en griene tsiis; wa't dat net sizze kin, is gjin oprjochte Fries", ("Butter, bread, and green cheese, whoever can't say that is no sincere Fries"). The phrase worked as a shibboleth between the Dutch, German and Frisian pronunciations of "butter, bread, and green cheese." In Frisian, these sound like our English pronunciation. But the Dutch would say "Boter, brood, en groene kaas", while the German would pronounce it “Butter, Brot und grüner Käse.” The wrong answer meant no green cheese for you and quite possibly a pole ax to the head.

There are several examples of the practical use of shibboleths among the Arabs. In 1840 Ibrahim Pasha, commander of Egyptian rebels fighting against Turkish rule gathered his forces, many of them Syrians, who were press-ganged to join the rebels. Ibrahim Pasha fought the Turks in the Lebanon, and he was successful at first. However, with the assistance of British, French and Russian naval forces, the Turks put Ibrahim Pasha to flight.


He turned about and retreated, coming down through Aleppo and Damascus and crossing the Jordan at the same fords that the Ephraimites had crossed, and met with such disaster in mispronouncing a word. Now, in all retreating armies there are stragglers, and many of them. As I have intimated, the Syrians hated the Egyptians, and when the soldiers, the stragglers, came to the ford the Syrians would ask them: "Are you a Shami (Syrian)?" "Yes, indeed," the Egyptian would say to gain favour and perhaps food. "Then say Jamel (camel)." "Gamel," the Egyptian would inadvertently say. Now there is no "J" sound in the Egyptian dialect of Arabic. The letter that is written the same is in the Syrian dialect sounded like a soft "J," really like the French "J," whereas the Egyptians always pronounce it like a hard "G," and accordingly said "Gamel." … So the Syrian soldiers said "Jamel," they said, "Pass on, my brother"; but when the Egyptians said "Gamel," they said, "Iktul 'ameru," (cut off his life!) and they killed them just as the Gileadites slew the Ephraimites, three thousand years before at the same place.[1]

Shibboleths, it seem, run deep near the Jordan. Seventy-eight years after Ibrahim Pasha’s rout, Lord Allenby’s forces re-enacted the scene with retreating Turkish forces by the famous fords, and the Arabic word for onion (بصل – Buzszle) became a matter of life or death;

The Turks in the Great War drafted the Syrians into their army and most of them were very unwilling soldiers. They were not in sympathy with the Germano-Turkish aims and plans. When Allenby made that wonderfully complete crumpling up of the Ottoman army in Palestine and across the Jordan in September, 1918, many who did not get caught in the net at first tried to escape by crossing from the east of the Jordan to the west side by these same fords of the famous river. There they met many Syrians, some soldiers and some civilians, and each fleeing soldier was asked whether he were Syrian or a Turk. If he said he was a Syrian, they said to him: "Say Buzszle"; and if he were a Turk he would say "bussel," for the Turkish language makes no difference in pronouncing the "Sod" and the "Seen," both varieties of the letter "S." The "Sod" is a heavy "S" sounded with the tip of the tongue down below the roots of the front teeth and the Turks pronounce it just like an ordinary "S." The Syrian ear is very discriminating to these sounds; and when they heard the word for onion come hissing out instead of lisping out like a tongue-tied child, they said "Iktul 'ameru" (cut off his life), and they slew many Turks at the fords of the Jordan.[2]

The New World also has its share of shibboleths used in war. In 1937, Rafael Trujillo, the military dictator of the Dominican Republic, launched a pogrom against Haitians living in that country. That purge, known as The Parsley Massacre, resulted in an estimated 17,000 to 35,000 Haitians murdered by death squads.

“What is this?” the death squad commander would ask, holding a sprig of parsley. If the person could pronounce the word – perejil - with the correctly rolled Spanish “r,” he stood a good chance of survival, if not, death was the inevitable result.

Our ritual does not tell us why shibboleths are important, but we can venture a guess. Among other things, they demonstrate a sense of belonging, and a means of detecting those who do not belong. Our ritual is full of them, and we are everyday reminded how to know who is a Mason and who is profane.

Thankfully, none of them involve the application of a pole ax.


© 2009 Michael A. Halleran

[1] Adams, Walter B. “Then They Took Him, and Slew Him at the Passages of the Jordan!,” The Builder, Vol. IX, No. 4, April 1923.
[2] Ibid. C.f., Mackey, Albert G. Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, vol. II. Masonic History Co., New York, 1919 p. 686