Newsgroup: it.arti.musica.strumenti.voce
Titolo: Re: What is Masonry? Pt.2

 C'mon, nothing original?  Now you're just boring.
O.K. What about this:
Sherlock Holmes is urged to investigate the Jack the Ripper killings by 
several merchants with anti-monarchist leanings. At the scene of one of the 
murders Holmes discovers a piece of graffiti on a wall - "The Juwes are not 
men that will not be blamed for nothing" - that has been rubbed out by the 
police commissioner. Realizing that this refers to three assassins in 
Freemason lore, Holmes uncovers the existence of a vast, complex conspiracy 
to eliminate a group of prostitutes, one that runs from the brothels to the 
madhouse and involves psychics, the Freemasons and Parliament, and seeks to 
protect the darkest secrets of the Crown.
MURDER BY DECREE
UK/Canada. 1979.
Director - Bob Clark, Screenplay - John Hopkins, Producers - Clark & Rene 
Dupont, Photography - Reg Morris, Music - Paul Zaza & Carl Zittner, Art 
Direction - Harry Pottle. Production Company - Saucy Jack Inc/Decree 
Productions.
Cast:
Christopher Plummer (Sherlock Holmes), James Mason (Dr Watson), Donald 
Sutherland (Robert Lees), Genevieve Bujold (Annie Crook), David Hemmings 
(Inspector Foxborough), Susan Clark (Mary Kelly), Anthony Quayle (Sir 
Charles Warren), John Gielgud (Lord Salisbury), Frank Finlay (Inspector 
Lestrade)
This then-lavish $15 million Anglo-Canadian production attempts to solve the 
mystery that has long been a favourite of Holmes pastiche writers - that of 
having Holmes solve the Jack the Ripper case. Indeed Murder By Decree is an 
exceedingly scholarly attempt. It assumes its thesis from Stephen Knight's 
Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution (1976), a book inspired by a 1973 BBC 
documentary, which posits the idea that the Ripper killings were conducted 
as a blind to cover up the activities of Prince Albert Victor. Albert 
purportedly married a Whitechapel prostitute in a secret Catholic ceremony 
where the murdered prostitutes acted as witnesses. After the marriage was 
discovered, the prostitutes were slaughtered by a conspiracy of Freemason 
members of Parliament and the killings disguised as the acts of a madman in 
order to protect the Crown. [The same theory also formed the basis of the 
disappointing Ripper film From Hell (2001)]. It's an ingenious and 
interesting thesis, although one that in actuality says more about the 
public's penchant for conspiracy theories than it has any basic in 
factuality. The only real basis for the claim is the intriguing alternate 
interpretation of a piece of graffiti found at the scene of the Catherine 
Eddowes murder - "The Juwes are not men that will not be blamed for 
nothing" - and the documentary's theorizing that Juwes is not simply poor 
spelling but that this is an obscure reference to a triumvirate of Freemason 
assassins. 

 O.K. What about this:
You really need to come up with stories that we haven't yet refuted if
you're going to last very long here.
Like this:
"I HAVE HEARD THAT MASONRY..."
Before an aspirant for Masonry petitions for membership, he learns one
lesson - he must seek Masonry voluntarily. "Free will and accord" is a
phrase occurring in all degrees in the Blue Lodge. It is placed there
for the express purpose of reminding the applicant for the Masonic
Degrees that he comes of his own volition and not as a result of
persuasion or coercion by a friend who is a Mason.
To many Masons, an answer such as "No, I'm not a Mason as no one has
ever asked me to join" is familiar and a little touching. The purpose
of this presentation is to provide guidance whereby you may assist
that man, whom you feel "should be
a Mason, to voluntarily seek a petition.
When the subject of Masonry arises, by all means, DO NOT divert
conversation into other channels or retreat into silence. This is an
opportunity to discuss the fine traditions of Masonry. Don't try to
"sell" it; if the inquirer is sufficiently interested, it will "sell"
itself.
A friend, showing an interest in Masonry, opens the door for you to
brief him on the general facts concerning the Fraternity, but until he
asks for a petition (or otherwise conveys to you the solid impression
that he wants to join, but doesn't know how to go about it), detailed
information is unnecessary.
Many of you have gone through the experience of, "I have heard that
Masonry..." is a secret society; is a religion of sorts and is a
bitter enemy of Roman Catholicism; is a rich man's fraternity,
exclusive and Protestant; wields great power in politics; forbids its
members to discuss Masonry with non-Masons; teaches its members that,
right or wrong, a member must defend another at all costs; takes very
strict obligations of a questionable nature; provokes unhappiness in
homes because Masons are out evenings and do not tell their wives
anything; is good to join for business and prestige; and so forth.
SECRET SOCIEITY
What could be further from the truth? Masonic Temples are to be seen
in all principal cities and towns and even in small villages. The
buildings are usually well kept and distinctly marked with a printed
sign or the symbolic Square and Compass. Most are prominent buildings
on main thoroughfares.
Notices of meetings for ritual, business or special occasions are
publicized by newspaper, radio and TV. Frequently, meetings are held
to which the public is invited. Family gatherings are on the schedule
of most Lodges.
Secret? No. Secrets? Yes. Masons have (l) their own modes of
recognition; (2) degree work which is not made known in the world at
large and; (3) symbolic methods of instructing members (in the ways of
neighborliness, the Golden Rule, patriotism, charity, etc.).
Far greater are the secrets of Government, college fraternities, and
even families, but none would acknowledge these to be "secret". The
word "secret" has come to be known as "sinister", "shady", "a fraud"
by those who do not know or understand societies. Very emphatically we
can say that Masonic Bodies are just the opposite; i.e., they are
benevolent, moral, and proper.
Masons proudly appear in public to lay cornerstones of buildings; to
attend other ceremonial and public functions; to attend funerals for
deceased members; and to worship in a body at Divine Services. They
openly declare themselves and their purposes.
RELIGION
Few are the Masons who do not attend and support some recognized
Church, Synagogue or Temple. Every Mason takes his obligations in the
name of God and is urged to attend a place of worship of his own
choice. Many ministers, rabbis, deacons, Sunday School teachers,
Church lay leaders and workers are Masons. Far from being a bitter
enemy of the Church, Masonry is the particular friend of ANYONE
professing a belief in a Supreme Being. Masons worship God in their
religious edifices; they do not go to Lodge for that purpose. Masonry
is religious to this extent; every Mason must believe in a Supreme
Being; the immortality of the soul; the Fatherhood of God; and the
Brotherhood of Man. These are first line requirements.
RICH--EXCLUSIVE--PROTESTANT
A man's wealth is of little interest to Masonry and certainly is no
requirement to membership. Masonry does not deny the presence of
highly paid executives and professional men on its rolls. Their
memberships are as beneficial and desirable as are others. However,
Masonry points with just as much pride to those Brothers whose
vocations are train conductor, salesman, welder, cowboy, butcher,
truck driver, etc. The latter group of men outnumbers the former by a
vast majority.
The initiation fees are most modest; the dues per year are usually
much less than for country clubs or professional societies. Moreover,
the initiation fee and Lodge dues structure may be discussed with your
friends in dollars and cents as applicable to your particular Lodge.
Exclusiveness may well apply to Masonry. However, it is "exclusive"
only in its moral requirements. No man of good character who comes to
Masonry of his own free choice will be refused a petition. Any
qualified man may apply and few are rejected.
"Protestant Organization" is one of the most common misconceptions of
Masonry and it is one that is totally without foundation. Besides
Protestants, hundreds of thousands of our members are adherents to
other faiths. (Jewish, Roman Catholic, Mohammedan, Hindu, etc.). In
fact, the faith that any man has in a Supreme Being qualifies him to
petition; this then, truly makes Masonry a fraternity of and for all
mankind. No atheist may be a Mason.
POLITICS
Masons, while in Lodge, are prohibited from discussing politics or any
other subject that may cause dissension in its ranks. This is a
landmark that is strictly observed. As citizens, Masons are encouraged
to vote for candidates or parties of their choice, to hold appointive
and elective offices and to express their views on political issues.
Masons are good citizens. Their power in politics is in direct
proportion to their numerical vote, keeping in mind that Masons are
Republicans, Democrats, Socialists, Independents, etc. Their votes are
spread as much as their political beliefs differ. They do not vote in
a body.
RIGHT OR WRONG
There is no more defense for a Mason who does wrong in a civil,
criminal or moral offense, than for any other person. A strict
adherence to all the laws of God and of man is required by all Masons.
They are bound to uphold the laws of the land in which they are
located and to be true to their own Government.
And more to the point, a Mason who is alleged to have broken a moral,
criminal or civil code may be brought before the Lodge and so charged.
He is, of course, entitled to counsel in order to properly defend
himself. If adjudged guilty he may be subject to the consequence of
private reprimand, expulsion from the Fraternity, or one of the other
penalties from the lightest to the most severe judgment.
STRICT OBLIGATIONS
In all Lodges, the Mason promises to uphold his Government, obey the
Civil Magistrate, be of high moral character, practice brotherhood and
benevolence, uphold the rights of all good men to freedom and
happiness.
MASON'S HOME LIFE
A Mason, like any other person, makes his home life according to his
own views and circumstances. Most Masonic households are as congenial
as the average, if not more so. Masons are not required to spend any
time at Lodge - evenings or otherwise. (In olden days, small fines
were assessed for non-attendance at meetings). To the contrary, they
are told that while their presence is desirable and welcome at Lodge,
they are admonished that the Lodge should in NO WAY conflict with
their own home or business life. When a Mason attends Lodge, it is of
his own free will and for his own enjoyment of the brotherhood to be
found there.
It is true that many Masons do not tell their families the whys and
wherefores of Masonry, the older Masons being more reticent than the
younger ones. Masons of today are not only urged to converse about
Masonic courses of conduct, but their families are encouraged to
attend Lodge functions. Certainly, every Masonic wife should know and
appreciate the purposes of Freemasonry.
As a matter of information in reference to the home or family aspect
of Masonry, other bodies have been organized to interest not only
wives, but also sons and daughters in Masonic families. These include
Orders such as the Eastern Star, White Shrine, DeMolay, Rainbow Girls,
and Job's Daughters. Local public libraries carry many books about
Masonry and its family of related organizations.
BUSINESS--PRESTIGE
Anyone detected trying to join the Masonic Fraternity for business
reasons will not be given a petition. A petitioner who anticipates
joining for commercial advantages (and a few do pass without
detection) may be bitterly disappointed in Masonry as they expect
financial gain rather than brotherhood. These men may drop out after a
few years.
As with other fraternities, clubs and even vocations, no man gets more
reward from it than the effort he affords to it. Masons do buy from
other Masons, certainly, but usually because of better service and
friendlier relations, not because of Lodge affiliation.
The search for prestige, as a reason for joining, may also be a source
of disappointment. However, we must admit that a man joining Masonry
for proper reasons will soon find that he does have more prestige in
his community, but only because he has consciously (or unconsciously)
become the better type of man which Masonry endeavors to make of him.
CONCLUSION
These are some of the facts that you may share with any person who is
not a Mason. There are, of course, many other facts about Masonry,
which you may discuss. If in doubt about discussing any phase of
Masonry, consult with the Master of your Lodge or other person well
versed in ritual and rules.
In any conversation when non-Masonic friends are present, under no
circumstances allow the discussion to get out of hand or
controversial. Broadly speaking, Masonry is as open as the Bible upon
its Altar. 
So Mote It Be!