THE FOUNDATIONS OF REGULAR CRAFT RITUAL

In 1740 throughout Europe was circulating a Masonic oath written on a pamphlet invoking that the Freemason will protect and preserve the Traditions, Uses and Costumes of the Craft.

In order to preserve and avoid losing the original meaning and to prevent any further deviation and other foreign innovations from taking place, forced upon us by those not knowing the Traditions of the Craft, its uses and customs of Ancient Freemasonry, the Masonic High Council the Mother High Council issues the following Craft Document under the name and title of “The Foundations of Regular Craft Ritual”, to be used as the guidelines of Ancient and Regular Craft Masonry constituting the basic requirements for the perpetuation of Regular Craft Freemasonry.

1. All Craft Freemasonry Rituals had their origin in England.

2. That there be no debarment from membership because of nationality, of race, of colour, of sectarian or political belief; that a belief in the G.A.O.T.U. and His revealed will shall be an essential qualification for membership.

3. That all initiates shall take their Obligation on or in full view of the open Volume of Sacred Law, by which is meant the revelation from above which is binding on the conscience of the particular individual who is being initiated. At all times the book of Kings must be present as this is where the record of the building of Solomon’s Temple is first given and constitutes the base of the Craft legend.

4. That the Grand Lodge shall have sovereign jurisdiction over the Lodges under its control, i.e., that it shall be a responsible, independent, self-governing organisation with sole and undisputed authority over the Craft or Symbolic Degrees (Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason) within its jurisdiction; and shall not in any way be subject to, or divide such authority with, a Supreme Council or other Power claiming any control or supervision over those degrees.

4.1 That preserves, works and performs the complement ceremonies of the Mark Man, Mark Mason to the Fellow Craft Degree and Installed or Past Master Ceremonies to the Master Mason Degree, of which all this workings or ceremonies of Ancient Craft freemasonry must be used in complement to all Regular Craft Rituals of EA, FC and MM.

4.2 That no Master Mason shall be allowed to take the Chair of the WM of a Regular Craft Lodge if he has not been installed.

5. In accordance with earlier Craft English ritual the three Lesser or Movable Lights of the Lodge being the Sun, First Quarter Moon and the Worshipful Master shall always be on display when the Grand Lodge or its constituent Lodges are at work; to light man to, at, and from their work, the chief of these being the Worshipful Master.

6. That the three Great Lights of Freemasonry shall always be on display when the Grand Lodge or its constituent Lodges are at work: the Square, Compasses and the chief of these being the Volume of Sacred Law, these being the fixed lights of the Lodge.

7. As per the usage of the Grand Lodge of London (1717-1723) the two Wardens are situated in the West of the Lodge, and represent the two pillars at the entrance of King Solomon’s Temple, and the Brethren must always enter the Lodge between this two pillars, that the Masonic Delta with or without the all seeing eye must be placed above the altar or table of the Worshipful Master, (no other altar or extra altar exists in Craft Freemasonry).
Only wax candles are used on the altar or desk of the WM, SW, JW, Secretary, Orator, and around the Tracing Board of the Lodge.
The Sword a Masonic symbol its use must be preserved and maintained.
The Tracing Board must always be placed in its traditional place the centre of the Lodge.

8. That the principles of the Ancient Charges, Customs, and Usages of the Craft shall be accordingly observed.

8.1 That the Grand Officers and Officers of a Craft Lodge must be elected every year.

9. Master Masons Aprons can also be painted depicting the symbols of the Craft Freemasonry.

10. That a Grand Lodge must be multi-ritualistic.

10.1 That a Regular Craft Ritual has to have a Opening an Initiation and a Closing;
that it must make allusion to the G.A.O.T.U.;
that it must have at least the book of Kings must be present as this is where the record of the building of Solomon’s Temple is first given and constitutes the base of the Craft legend;
that the Legend is of the Craft Degrees is that of Hiram Abif or Adoniram and of no other.

11. That all Freemasons must believe in the Fatherhood of God, Brotherhood of Man and the immortality of the Spirit.

11.1 That the Ancient custom of Masonic Songs in Lodge should be encouraged and be maintained has it serves to further strength the Spirit of the Fraternity and deepen the Bonds of Brotherly Love among all Masons.

12. That the discussion of religion and politics within the Lodge shall be prohibited.

These Masonic principles constitute the Foundations of Regular Craft Ritual.

Lastly, this our Regulations shall be Recorded in our Registry, to show posterity how much we desire to revive the Ancient Craft upon true Masonical principles.

www.rgle.org.uk

REGULARIDAD MASONICA (2da parte)

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Tema dificil, delicado pero capital: la Regularidad. Este tema ya habia sido abordado anteriormente (*) pero no esta de mas el recordar los requisitos minimos y los 12 puntos que regularizan un Or:. u Ob:. :



Principios Básicos

1. Regularidad de origen. Toda Gran Logia deberá ser regularmente establecida por una Gran Logia reconocida.

2. La creencia en el Gran Arquitecto del Universo.

3. Todos los iniciados deberán jurar su Obligación sobre el Volumen de la Ley Sagrada.

4. Que solo pueden ser miembros de la Gran Logia, así como de las Logias en particular, exclusivamente varones.

5. Que la Gran Logia debe tener jurisdicción soberana sobre las Logias bajo su obediencia; que por lo tanto debe de ser responsable, independiente y con gobierno propio, con la sola e indiscutible autoridad sobre los Tres Grados Universales de aprendiz, compañero y Maestro Masón en toda su jurisdicción y no debe, en ningún caso, estar sujeta a compartir dicha autoridad con un Supremo Consejo o con cualquier otro poder que reclame algún control o supervisión sobre estos grados.

6. Que las Tres Grandes Luces de la Masonería (el Volumen de la Ley Sagrada la Escuadra y el Compás) deben siempre estar presentes cuando la Gran Logia o sus Logias subordinadas estén trabajando, siendo el principal de ellas el Volumen de la Ley Sagrada.

7. Que las discusiones sobre religión o política en las Logias deben de ser estrictamente prohibidas.

8. Que los Antiguos Principios, Usos y Costumbres, así como los Landmarks de la Orden deben ser estrictamente observados.

Doce Puntos Imprescindibles

1. La Francmasonería es una Fraternidad iniciática, que tiene como fundamento tradicional la creencia en Dios, el Gran Arquitecto del Universo.

2. La Francmasonería se basa en los “Antiguos Deberes” y en los “Landmarks” de la Fraternidad; especialmente en cuanto al absoluto respeto a las tradiciones específicas de la Orden, esenciales para la regularidad de la Obediencia.

3. La Francmasonería es una Orden a la cual no pueden pertenecer más que los hombres libres y respetables, que se comprometan a poner en práctica un ideal de Paz, Amor y Fraternidad.

4. La Francmasonería tiene como objetivo el perfeccionamiento moral de sus miembros, así como el de la humanidad entera.

5. La Francmasonería impone a todos sus miembros la práctica exacta y escrupulosa de los rituales y simbolismos, como modo de acceso al Conocimiento por las vías espirituales e iniciáticas que le son propias.

6. La Francmasonería impone a sus todos sus miembros el respeto a las opiniones y creencias de cada uno. Prohíbe en su seno toda discusión o controversia política o religiosa. Así se constituye en centro permanente de Unión Fraternal, donde reina una comprensión tolerante y una fructífera armonía entre los hombres, los cuales, sin ella, hubieran permanecido extraños los unos de los otros.

7. Los Francmasones toman sus obligaciones sobre un Volumen de la Ley Sagrada, con el fin de dar al juramento o promesa prestados sobre el mismo el carácter solemne y sagrado indispensable para su perennidad.

8. Los Francmasones se reúnen, fuera del mundo profano, en Logias donde deben estar siempre presentes las Tres Grandes Luces de la Orden: un libro de la ley Sagrada, una Escuadra y un compás, para trabajar según el rito, con celo y asiduidad, conforme a los principios y reglas prescritas por la Constitución, Estatutos y Reglamentos Generales de la Obediencia.

9. Los Francmasones no deben admitir en sus Logias más que personas de honor, leales y discretos, dignos bajo todo punto de vista de ser hermanos y aptos para reconocer los límites del dominio del hombre y el infinito poder del Eterno.

10. Los Francmasones cultivan en sus Logias el amor a la patria, el sometimiento a las Leyes y el respeto a las Autoridades constituidas, y consideran el trabajo como el deber primordial del ser humano y honrarlo en todas sus formas.

11. Los Francmasones contribuyen, por el ejemplo activo de su sabio y digno comportamiento, al esplendor de la Orden, dentro del respeto al secreto masónico.

12. Los francmasones se deben mutuamente ayuda y protección fraternales, aun en caso de peligro de su propia vida. Practican el arte de conservar, en toda circunstancia, la calma y el equilibrio indispensables para una perfecta maestría de sí mismos.

Liste de Obb:. RReg:. www.geocities.com/masones_regulares/grandeslogias.pdf

Regularity and Recognition

From: The Burning Taper
http://burningtaper.blogspot.com/2007/12/guest-editorial-regularity-and.html

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The following statement by Grand-Master Mason John Graves of the Grand Lodge of All England at York was released by Grand Secretary Peter Clatworthy on Saturday, December 29, 2007 in response to a speech made by the Pro Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England on November 5, 2007.

Regularity and Recognition: The Myth and the Reality

If reports are correct, there is much to commend in the speech recently given by the Pro-Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England to the so-called ‘European Grand Masters’ Meeting’. However, leaving aside the infelicitous claim to speak for ‘England’, there are certain presumptions and confusions in the address that demand the most urgent and serious scrutiny.

Regularity is of course an essential doctrine in Freemasonry but has in recent years been subject to ill-considered assault from within the Craft itself. It is therefore appropriate to analyse those comments of the Pro-Grand Master that seem designed to undermine and devalue a concept that all Freemasons ought to hold dear.

There is, for example, the explicit declaration that ‘to be regular a Grand Lodge must conform to each of our basic Principles for Grand Lodge Recognition or it cannot be considered as regular’. Given a moment’s consideration a truly outrageous claim! Freemasonry is not, and never has been, subject to or contained within the United Grand Lodge of England. To suggest as much is to diminish the history, role and actuality of Freemasonry. The cart is clearly and contrivedly put before the horse, making regularity the reward for recognition. And conveniently in so doing the two quite separate and distinct concepts of ‘Regularity’ and ‘Recognition’ are conflated.

‘Regularity’ requires a strict acceptance and observance of the Ancient Landmarks of the Order. Such Landmarks are visible and ascertainable and are found within any regular Grand Lodge. Regularity is represented by adherence: nothing more, nothing less. It is not, and cannot ever be, bestowed. Indeed, Regularity is necessarily beyond the capacity of anybody or any organisation whatsoever to bestow, be they Grand Master or Grand Lodge. The very best any such Master or Lodge can hope to do is to bequeath Regularity to his or its successor. And here I can of course confirm that the Grand Lodge of All England is such a regular Grand Lodge and adheres strictly to those Ancient Landmarks that alone can make it so.

‘Recognition’ is a very different concept. There are, for example, devices the use of which may enable a regularly made Freemason to be ‘recognised’ by others. Such may be said to amount to individual recognition and on this level the term is quite uncontroversial. However, the question should be asked as to what purpose Grand Lodge ‘recognition’ actually serves, and who in fact really benefits from such a device. It should here be noted that Grand Lodge ‘recognition’ has its genesis in late eighteenth century legislation, such as the Unlawful Societies Act, designed to stifle debate and discussion within the context of an authoritarian and politically repressive state. We recoil from the memory of such devices and reject this latter day attempt to rejuvenate so tainted and un-Masonic a concept.

Far from having had thrust upon them ‘the mantle of being guardians of regularity’, UGLE in fact seized upon the opportunity presented by repressive legislation to attempt nothing less than the appropriation of Freemasonry. In contradistinction, the Grand Lodge of All England does not accept the validity of any such spurious doctrine as ‘recognition’ nor does it ‘recognise’ any other Grand Lodges nor seek such ‘recognition’ from others. Rather, it stands as the bearer of traditional Masonic principles and disowns all attempts to subjugate and subvert genuine Freemasonry.

The Grand Lodge of All England has frequently and consistently published its position with regard to these two quite separate and distinct concepts of ‘Regularity’ and ‘Recognition’. Together with a detailed historical exposition this is explained at length on our website and is authoritatively represented on a number of general Masonic websites. It is stated in our official submission to the Commission on Information for Recognition of the Conference of Grand Master Masons of North America, in articles in the hands of various Masonic publishers and in correspondence with various interested parties.

A Grand Lodge is, indeed, ‘either regular or it is not’. But whether ‘recognition’ is extended or denied to one Grand Lodge by another is irrelevant. There is in Masonic terms no historical or constitutional basis for this spurious and wholly political doctrine of ‘recognition’. To continue to employ such a device as a means of dividing Mason from Mason is the residue of one of the least attractive, most repressive and disgraceful periods of modern Masonic history.

From inception, the United Grand Lodge of England has sought, unsuccessfully, to exert a monopoly over Freemasonry. What cannot be countenanced is that this aspiration should be allowed to corrupt the wholly genuine concept, vital to genuine Freemasonry, of Regularity, and to render it nothing more than a self-serving ideological notion. This concern is made all the immediate by the compromises already entered into by United Grand Lodge of England and the dilution of Masonic principles and practices that these compromises have brought about.

Much of the difficulty the Pro-Grand Master sought to address in his speech was to do with the role of the United Grand Lodge of England within the Masonic world. Such difficulty, however, is due to his own Grand Lodge in seeking to redefine Freemasonry in its own image and as in its own gift. The Masonic doctrine of Regularity exists outside and is wholly independent of any Grand Lodge. It is most emphatically not to be confused and conflated with the practice of Grand Lodge ‘recognition’ devised and instituted by the United Grand Lodge of England for its own hegemonic purposes. And Freemasonry, even English Freemasonry, is most emphatically not to be confused and conflated with the United Grand Lodge of England.

— W. Bro. John Graves, Grand-Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of All England at York