This new exhibition opens in the Library and Museum on America’s Independence Day, Monday 4th July, and continues until Christmas. It explores the role of freemasonry in American society from the 18th century to the present day, drawing on rarely seen objects from the Library and Museum’s own collections. One of the world’s rarest Masonic books – published by Benjamin Franklin in 1734 – will be displayed alongside the elaborate costumes and medals (Jewels) worn by American freemasons.
H/T to Karen Ralls
American Freemasons are both proud and sometimes even emotionally touched at how significant and honored the Craft's history from the U.S. is in foreign countries. Our Masonic history truly is unique in that way. I thought of this recently when, as a part of a group of American Brothers who enjoyed a tour of Bulgarian Masonic sites. At one of the public events, a large banquet, there was a huge and gorgeous depiction of Brother George Washington, quite similar to the one in the photo here, with a prominent place of honor on the wall. Yet it was the lighting on it that seemed to really make it special. It was lit from below to give it a real and yet almost other-worldly glow. The effect was that George Washington in all his Masonic symbolic power seemed to have an almost lodestar's presence on the whole event. Right there amidst the Craft in Bulgaria!!! What an honor for our own Masonic history!! I really felt proud.
ReplyDeletep.s. if you are interested in a description of the rest of the Bulgarian Masonic trip you can check out my blog on it at my site "Fraternal Studies", which is sort of my scholarly laboratory for works and ideas and Weltanschaunngs in progress: at ppfuchs.typepad.