Masons are travelers – we all know that. Our ancient operative brethren, because of their knowledge and skills, were travelers. In our First Degree, we are given the promise of “Light” and so we, as speculative Masons, begin our symbolic travels – that spiritual journey to understand our place in this world. Although we are individually responsible for the path we take, there are various resources we can use along our way to help guide us. Our houses of worship provide a structure for religious teaching and historical perspective. They offer the opportunity to worship with others of a like philosophy and observe common customs. Our particular Volume of the Sacred Law is the foundation of that teaching and should serve as the starting point for all of our journeys. The beautiful symbolism in our degree work and in the following lectures promotes personal reflection of our lives and encourages us to pursue the meaning of the symbolism. Masonic fellowship and the opportunity to formulate fraternal friendship allow us to explore the questions left unanswered and delve into the allegories. Books often provide more direct understanding, as they take some of the ambiguity and mystery out of the message and provide the authors’ understanding about the subject. Personally, I find that reading books on Masonry helps me maintain continuity between the other events mentioned above. Interesting books encourage me to explore and critique my commitment to my spiritual journey. Listed below are some books you might find enlightening and helpful. The Genesis of Freemasonry by David Harrison American Freemasons: Three Centuries of Building Communities by Mark Tabbert Freemasonry for Dummies by Chris Hodapp Enjoy your journey.
Larry A. Getsoian, Past Master
