Man’s Triumph Over Death: Part II

All that the father of creation has is yours for the asking, even the power of creation. Yet, these higher laws of creation can only be used by those individuals who have evolved from the kingdom of man into the kingdom of the creator. And it all starts with the desire, like in the beginning, “Let there be LIGHT.” It is from these living rays of LIGHT that everything has been created or formed.

The fullness of the creation is faith, which is our own thoughts and desires; cast away your doubting and the unbelief in yourself, and you can live as long as you so desire. But it is more than positive thoughts that make such things a reality. Remember the lesson, faith without works? You must work at Immortality, and it all starts with your thoughts. Nevertheless, it does not end there, you must also alter your life to make way for a new way of thinking, acting and living. Throw out the old you and recreate a new you based on ancient doctrines of Immortality.

Look at no one person for help, for you hold the truth within you. No person, no religion, nor any government can help you; only God himself. Only through the Great Creator can Immortality be attained. God himself will become your teacher, if you ask and become a loyal and strident student. It is through his spirit that the lessons of eternalism are taught. You must become an exalted and glorified receptor to make life more abundant. And only when such lofty goals are sought and eventually met, will you be lifted beyond mere mortalism; yes, you must evolve from the man kingdom into the God Kingdom.

Make praise and thanks continual; never doubt this reality. Ask, seek and constantly knock until the Great Architect accepts you into his chosen hands. Nothing is impossible unto the worthy. This was promised to you ages ago; it is irrevocable. It has always been with you, but could not be seen until your eyes were opened; i.e. the Light.

As one learns to feel these Immortal truths, he will begin to grasp or to know the real truth; not mortal truths, but rather, Immortal ones.  And with this new knowledge, and the application thereof, he will become free. These inner laws contain the knowledge of what each man held in the beginning when he was one with our creator. There is an all-inclusive unfolding for each individual, an eternal revelation of the great truth, from a contact that is contained in the revelation of each man’s destiny. This is the same destiny that each man was commissioned to fulfill before he was born.

There is the revelation of one’s past, especially as one opens his mind to recall his own glory. As a child of the light, reflecting his mortal life, unlike mediocre people who vainly glorify themselves, one’s divine essence becomes clearer and purer. Right now, right where you stand, can you imagine the possibility of eternal greatness? If not, stop yourself from reading any further. However, if you can imagine, then become a diligent student of eternal life, i.e. Immortality. It is true, you hold the truth deep within you. You are the mechanism for an Immortal life. There are countless books and vain efforts to which to guide your quest; but, it is you, working through God, which holds the key. The key is inside you, the lock just needs to be turned.

Nevertheless, it is because of gross blindness, which covers the earth, that this veil of ignorance even exists at all. This life, right now, is appointed for each man to discover his greatness. Contact with God will fulfill this opportunity. Greatness is held within each man, but it must first be unleashed by the light. All love and all power is possible for him to glorify through divine contact. When man and God are combined a holy at-one-moment exists. Such loving power is beheld by those who are worthy. Part III to follow next month!

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Man’s Triumph Over Death: Part I

There is a divine essence and substance that leads to an Immortal state of existence; this, I believe, cannot be denied, but if it is denied by anyone, the result is that he will never attain the dream of Immortalism.  Therefore, the ideal of attaining Immortality aligns itself well positive thinking and a positive lifestyle.  This, of course, brings us to the study of Albert Pike’s book Morals and Dogma (1872). After reading his book twice, I felt very comfortable with his work, and even felt that I understood his book better than most Pike scholars; however, I was wrong. You see, it was not until I read Elphas Levi’s various writings, did I truly understand what Pike was ultimately writing about. In short, only after reading Levi did I understand that both men were writing about attaining an Immortal state of existence. Let me explain some of the requirements for Immortalism.

Since the beginning of recorded history, man has dreamt of Immortality. Whatever man can think, or has thought of, has already been inscribed by our creator in heaven; there is nothing new, and we were made in God’s image. Therefore, everything that comes from us was created by God; including our thoughts, goals, feelings, images, visions and aspirations.

The basis of all true and everlasting creation is love; just like God, we are all creators of our own reality. Those who use the tools of love to create will never become self-righteous, bigoted or fanatical; such things are tools of the ignorant, and the unenlightened – i.e. Mortals. Much of this creation is done in silence, with no fanfare or adoration. Like all true secrets, they must be attained silently alone. There is never any boasting; for such behavior will result in the discontinuance of Immortal blessings. Yes, the secret of Immortality comes to only a few. It is an individual path, often done alone and guided only by God.

One travels this secret path with the creator in isolation; it is an inner road of blessings and goodness, and is well out of the reach of most aspirants. The key that opens this gate, which leads to the narrow path, can only be granted by God, and is awarded slowly and in time. Little by little the aspirant receives his lessons and messages through his self-continualness, persistent study and incessant probing.

These powerful blessings are constant, but silent. One must give in order to receive. The wages of sin is death, and the wages of love is life.  Humbled humility leads to abundance, while self-satisfaction results in scarcity. Higher spiritual and physical attainment is the aim of the Immortal aspirant, and is rarely realized, and even less so, sustained. The aspirant lives as long as he does not fail to adhere to the designer’s beliefs and principles. Individual pride and pretentious behavior are replaced by His corresponding compassion and sympathy for his creations. In short, the absence of love is hate, which leads to death.

Each Immortal aspirant has the right to the LIGHT from within his inner BEING. It matters little if misfortune or sorrow has sought to submerge the aspirants goal; what matters is the response of the aspirant. If he responds with LOVE to any resultant harm, his course will still and forever remain the same. However, if hate is his response, the results of such behavior will be unmeasurably bleak. You see, as one lovingly issues his command for LIGHT, like, “Let there be Light” within me, he will able to step aside and witness all trepidation, discordance, error and wickedness will disappear from his eternal life. It is this ability to command the LIGHT in all experiences and circumstances that sets the aspirant apart from the multitude of non-believers – i.e. Mortals. Learning to walk fully clothed in the LIGHT is what frees the body and spirit from grief, disease, discomfort and even death.

Up until now, very few people have been able to lift their eyes upon the horizon to behold this ineffable POWER.  Faith itself is born and fulfilled out of the unviable; only the impossible gives meaning to faith. One of the best gifts that man can receive is the spiritual POWER of discernment, which is gifted by God. Such gifts are available to every man; therefore, it is man’s refusal to accept this gift that separates him from Immortality, not God’s refusal to give it. More information to follow next month!

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Beyond Mere Mortalism

I readily admit, my upbringing was pretty much like everyone else; at least in the sense that I was taught Mortalism, which is “the belief that human beings are not naturally immortal…” Therefore, any suggestion that Immortality is a possibility is often dismissed by the population at large; yet, stories of Immortals abound. Is it just a hope of living forever that drives these stories, or could there possibly be some, even a little, truth to Immortality.

My research has found a clear and distinct link between moral behavior and the achievement of Immortality. To start, let’s take a look at the words of Eliphas Levi:

“When the masters in alchemy say that little time and money are needed to accomplish the works of science, above all when they affirm that one vessel is alone needed, when they speak of the great and unique Athanor which all can use, which is ready to each man’s hand, which all possess without knowing it, they allude to philosophical and moral alchemy” (Eliphas Levi, The Doctrine of Transcendental Magic, 1854, p. 59). 

Of course, an Athanor is a unique oven; it even goes by the names, Philosophical furnace, Furnace of Arcana, or the Tower furnace. This is a reference to the Philosophers Stone and the Great Arcana, which is the quest for Immortality. The metaphor of cooking or heating something has several uses; but for the sake of this conversation, let’s just discuss the cooking or making of a moral man. Morality can best be defined as:

a body of standards or principles derived from a code of conduct from a particular philosophy, religion, or culture, or it can derive from a standard that a person believes should be universal. Morality may also be specifically synonymous with “goodness” or “rightness”… Immorality is the active opposition to morality (i.e. opposition to that which is good or right), while amorality is variously defined as an unawareness of, indifference toward, or disbelief in any set of moral standards or principles.

The first and perhaps biggest lesson to learn, if one wants to attain an Immortal state, is that He must be a Man with a high moral character. Let us again take a closer look at Levi’s quote from above, but before you reread it again, please take a closer look from this perspective, and ask yourself these questions, what is meant by “little time and money” is needed, or perhaps, what is the “one vessel,” or again, what is within reach of each “man’s hand,” and what does “each person possess,” and of course, the indirect reference to the Philosophers Stone and the Great Arcana, which is a reference to Immortality. Here it is again:

“When the masters in alchemy say that little time and money are needed to accomplish the works of science, above all when they affirm that one vessel is alone needed, when they speak of the great and unique Athanor which all can use, which is ready to each man’s hand, which all possess without knowing it, they allude to philosophical and moral alchemy” (Eliphas Levi, The Doctrine of Transcendental Magic, 1854, p. 59).

In other words, you too possess the gift of Immortality. Therefore, the study and mastery of moral behavior is essential to the attainment of Immortality, which brings us to the study of Albert Pike and his book Morals and Dogma (1872). So many people, even Freemasons, don’t truly understand his book or the principle reason for his writing of it; they simply dismiss it as either too difficult to read, or utter nonsense. Nevertheless, if one really takes the time to understand his writings, and not just dismiss it based on other peoples limited knowledge of it, they too would find countless wonders.

I have heard and read this saying, time and time again, “A god in the making,” or variants thereof. In short, that means once you have attained your Immortal status, you have become a god. No, this is not blasphemy. In all actuality, we were made in God’s image; and since God is Immortal, we can become an Immortal as well. Nevertheless, in order to gain that stature, one must also attain traits like God; this is where the moral lessons come in. Albert Pike was clear when he wrote about our current moral state:

Remember that every moral characteristic of man finds its prototype among creatures of lower intelligence that the cruel foulness of the hyena, the savage rapacity of the wolf, the merciless rage of the tiger, the crafty treachery of the panther, are found among mankind, and ought to excite no other emotion, when found in the man, than when found in the beast. Why should the true man be angry with the geese that hiss, the peacocks that strut, the asses that bray, and the apes that imitate and chatter, although they wear the human form (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 76)?

Simply stated, we humans no longer seek godlike stature, which coincides with the current disbelief in Immortality. Nevertheless, Eliphas Levi, Pike’s principle teacher and the man that most influenced his writings, wrote that through the use of temperance, which can be defined as, “moderation or self-restraint in action, statement, etc.; self-control,” we may in fact gain Immortality:

“Temperance, tranquillity of soul, simplicity of character, calmness and rationality of will, these things not only make us happy but strong and well. By growth in reason and goodness man becomes immortal. We are the authors of our own destiny, and God does not save us apart from our own concurrence. There is no death for the sage; death is a phantom, made horrible by the weakness and ignorance of the vulgar” (Eliphas Levi, Doctrine of Transcendental Magic, 1854, p. 96).

Did you get that? Through goodness, temperance and reason, man can gain Immortality. Death is, in fact, a phantom, which is only made possible by one’s ignorance and weakness. To go a little deeper, Levi also stated that the majority of our physical ills are due to our mortal sins. This leads to physical death:

“THE MAJORITY of our physical complaints come from our moral diseases, according to the one and universal dogma, and by reason of the law of analogies. A great passion to which we abandon ourselves corresponds always to a great malady in store. Mortal sins are so named because they cause death physically and positively” (Eliphas Levi, Doctrine of Transcendental Magic, 1854, p. 96).

Sadly, we live in a world of illusions, or as Levi firmly stated, “How pitiable are men in their ignorance, but how they would despise themselves if only they came to know!” Came to know what? Simply stated, the truth that we do in fact have options, if we only sought them.

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Ancient Sumerian Writings Reveal Eight Immortal Kings Ruled for 241,200 Years

While researching the topic of human Immortals, I discovered the Eight Immortal Kings of Sumeria, who lived a total of 241, 200 years; yes, you read that correctly. To put this into better perspective, that is an average of 30,150 years per King. Here is the original breakdown from the stone inscription:

^1-39After the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Eridug. In Eridug, Alulim became king; he ruled for 28800 years. Alaljar ruled for 36000 years. 2 kings; they ruled for 64800 years. Then Eridug fell and the kingship was taken to Bad-tibira. In Bad-tibira, En-men-lu-ana ruled for 43200 years. En-men-gal-ana ruled for 28800 years. Dumuzid, the shepherd, ruled for 36000 years. 3 kings; they ruled for 108000 years. Then Bad-tibira fell (?) and the kingship was taken to Larag. In Larag, En-sipad-zid-ana ruled for 28800 years. 1 king; he ruled for 28800 years. Then Larag fell (?) and the kingship was taken to Zimbir. In Zimbir, En-men-dur-ana became king; he ruled for 21000 years. 1 king; he ruled for 21000 years. Then Zimbir fell (?) and the kingship was taken to Curuppag. In Curuppag, Ubara-Tutu became king; he ruled for 18600 years. 1 king; he ruled for 18600 years. In 5 cities 8 kings; they ruled for 241200 years. Then the flood swept over.

After reading the document, I noticed that human longevity gradually became shorter & shorter; especially after the story of the great flood. In fact, these Eight Kings closely coincide with the biblical accounts from Adam to Noah, although shorter in years; less two Kings compared to the ten biblical patriarchs. Compare the two following pictorial graphs:

Despite the differences, the most important point within the two above illustrations are the years that each of the eight Kings lived and their biblical counterparts. Here is a clearer breakdown of the Eight Immortal Kings of Sumeria, followed by a detailed graph:

• After the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Eridug.
• 1) In Eridug, Alulim became king; he ruled for 28800 years.
• 2) Alaljar ruled for 36000 years. 2 kings; they ruled for 64800 years.
• Then Eridug fell and the kingship was taken to Bad-tibira.
• 3) In Bad-tibira, En-men-lu-ana ruled for 43200 years.
• 4-5) En-men-gal-ana ruled for 28800 years. Dumuzid, the shepherd, ruled for 36000 years. 3 kings; they ruled for 108000 years.
• Then Bad-tibira fell (?) and the kingship was taken to Larag.
• 6) In Larag, En-sipad-zid-ana ruled for 28800 years.
• 1 king; he ruled for 28800 years.
• Then Larag fell (?) and the kingship was taken to Zimbir.
• 7) In Zimbir, En-men-dur-ana became king; he ruled for 21000 years.
• 1 king; he ruled for 21000 years.
• Then Zimbir fell (?) and the kingship was taken to Curuppag.
• 8) In Curuppag, Ubara-Tutu became king; he ruled for 18600 years.
• 1 king; he ruled for 18600 years.
• In 5 cities 8 kings; they ruled for 241200 years.
• Then the flood swept over.

In Eridug	Alulim	28,800 years	*
*	Alaljar	36,000 years	Eridug fell
Badtibira	Enmenluana	43,200 years	*
*	Enmengalana	28,800 years	*
*	Dumuzid	36,000 years	Badtibira fell
Larag	Ensipadzidana	28,800 years	Larag fell
Zimbir	Enmendurana	21,000 years	Zimbir fell
Curuppag	UbaraTutu	18,600 years	*
5-Cities	8-KIngs	241,200 years	*
*	*	Followed by the Great Flood!	*

Contemporary thinking dismisses such stories as mythological. Nevertheless, I have discovered through the Craft that these types of stories have an element of truth to them; we call this allegory. Finding the allegorical truth within such a story is up to each person, or interpreter.

Long before researching this particular story, I have had several Masonic Immortal Brothers tell me that they intend live 30,000 and 40,000 years. At first, I was taken back by such a statement; not anymore. As I stated in my previous blog post, Does Immortality Really Exist?,  “The way I have come to understand one’s longevity is that of choice. If a person can live to 100, why does he or she have to die at all. In other words, one can live as long as he or she wants to, or believes is possible. It is a state of mind as well as body.“

There is, of course, many Immortal lessons one must understand and apply to gain such a gift; some of which I will discuss on this blog and in my Facebook page. Yet,  keep in mind, even though I understand many of these lessons, I cannot share everything with the readers. Simply stated, it is a universal law that such knowledge must be earned, not given. I have been told that I can give teasers of encouragement, which I have done; but if I give too much, such knowledge will be taken from me. I know this is a fine line, but a line I intend to follow.

I have also been told that there is a hope that this generation will now accept the concept of Immortality. Our historical past is riddled with stories of Immortal humans who were forced into hiding because of bias and misunderstandings; some from church teachings, while others from their ignorance, or jealousies of the populace. Yet, we have evolved to such a point that many Immortals are slowly coming out with their lessons for humanity. Most people still don’t accept such a belief, but at least they’re now allowing such knowledge to be shared for those who seek such things – without fear of persecution. However, there are still many Immortals who harbor the fears of their past. This is completely understandable. I have heard about and read countless examples of Immortals who have had to fake their deaths in order to continue their existence. This fact is always in the mind of each person who had attained an Immortal life. Nevertheless, it is getting harder and harder to fake a death, with computer technology, etc. It can still be done, but it now forces the Immortal to leave his or her native country and language; and purge all personal history. The world is getting smaller and smaller each day; that is why there is such a huge hope that humanity is now ready for Immortals to come out of hiding.

In conclusion, the tale of the Eight Immortal Kings of Sumeria, who lived a total of 241, 200 years, or an average of 30,150 years, is a clear example of our human potential; that is, if one believes in such a potential!!!

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Does Immortality Really Exist?

Since my last blog posting, I have received several private questions about Immortality; the biggest question of all was, “does Immortality really exist?” Most of my responses were simply, “Yes, of course.” But now I will take the time to write at length on this topic.

When I first discovered that Albert Pike and Elphas Levi were discussing the topic of Immortality, I was of course baffled with this same question, so I did some lengthy research. My first effort led me to the Holy Bible, which is full of Immortal stories, like those of Elijah, Enoch and Moses:

The Bible says that “Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (2 Kings 2:11), “Enoch was translated that he should not see death” (Hebrews 11:5), and “God took him” (Genesis 5:24), and Moses appeared in the transfiguration with Jesus (Matthew 17:3).

As my researched continued, I discovered other biblical figures, which led me to even bigger questions, like, how long did they live before they died? Here is an interesting list of biblical Immortals and their ages:

1	Adam	930	Genesis 5:4
2	Seth	912	Genesis 5:8
3	Enosh	905	Genesis 5:11
4	Cainan	910	Genesis 5:14
5	Mahalalel	895	Genesis 5:17
6	Jared	962	Genesis 5:20
7	Enoch	365 (translated)	Genesis 5:23
8	Methuselah	969	Genesis 5:27
9	Lamech	777	Genesis 5:31
10	Noah	950	Genesis 9:29

Moreover, Abraham lived 175 years, “And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years” (Genesis 25:7); and in the Mormon faith, it is believed that John the Baptist, Peter, James and Moroni are still alive,“In the current dispensation, resurrected beings, including John the Baptist, Peter, James, and Moroni.” And Adam and Eve were originally Immortals, “Christian theology holds that Adam and Eve lost physical immortality for themselves and all their descendants in the Fall of Man…”

You see, throughout history, mankind has maintained legendary stories of Immortals, like the Sumerian king Ziusudra who earned Immortality after the great flood; similar to the story of Noah, who also lived 950 years – see above biblical list. As well, Markandeya was an ancient sage and a celebrated devotee of both Shiva and Vishnu, who became an immortal at the age of sixteen. Or how about the Greek legend Tithonus, or Aurora, who was granted eternal life, but not eternal youth. Any discussion of Immortality would not be complete without a discussion of the Wandering Jew, who taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion and was then cursed to walk the earth until the Second Coming. Then there is the story of the  Three Nephites who were given power over death in order to fulfill their desires to minister among men until the return of Jesus. And of course, the Arthurian Knight Sir Galahad, whose quest for the Holy Grail led to his Immortality; which can be aligned with Merlin the Magician, also an Immortal, who coexisted about the same time period. And least not is the story of St. Germain, an Immortal Freemason who has appeared and disappeared for the last three hundred years. In fact, I personally know a Masonic Brother who met with him on several occasions.

Now keep in mind, in my mind and in the minds of many other people, an Immortal is anyone who lived more than 100 years. Although, others have differing opinions on the topic. In fact, today we often use the terms Centenarians (over 100) or Super-Centenarians (over 110). The way I have come to understand one’s longevity is that of choice. If a person can live to 100, why does he or she have t0 die at all. In other words, one can live as long as he or she wants to, or believes is possible. It is a state of mind as well as body. Case in point, here is the story of Mbah Gotho, a 145 year old man, who is now prepared to die:

An Indonesian man who has emerged from obscurity to claim he is the world’s oldest at an incredible 145 years has revealed he is ready to die now. According to documentation recognised by Indonesian officials, Mbah Gotho is 145 and was born on 31st December 1870. He has not surprisingly outlived all 10 of his siblings as well as his four wives, the last of whom died in 1988. All of his children have also died, and now he is survived by his grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. If correct, that makes him significantly older than the verified oldest person in the world ever, a title that belongs to French woman Jeanne Calment, who lived to be 122. The super senior citizen from Sragen, Central Java, was interviewed by Liputan 6 television news. He said he has been through it all and would not mind passing on. ‘What I want is to die. My grandchildren are all independent,’ he told Liputan 6 on Tuesday. Suryanto, Mbah Gotho’s grandson, said his grandfather has been preparing for his death ever since he was 122, but it never seemed to come.

Mbah Gotho clearly illustrates my point that only now, at the age of 145, is he ready to die, which will more than likely end in his death. However, prior to this point, he must have wanted to live, even past what he originally thought at age 122. I have also read of several accounts of people who have gained an Immortal status, but could not die; like the Greek legend  Chiron, the founder of the Medical Arts, “One day when Hercules, one of his pupils, was visiting Chiron, they were examining one of his arrows. One of them fell on Chiron’s thigh, inflicting an agonizing wound. The wound was so painful that Chiron wanted to die, but, being immortal, he couldn’t.” I know, I know, some might say that this story is based on Greek Mythology, i.e. a myth. Really, the one thing I have learned from my studies of Albert Pike and Elphas Levi is to listen to these allegorical stories, like the bible itself, which are nothing but mythological accounts, and within these stories are lessons for everyone to learn from; like that of Immortality.  Mbah Gotho may in fact have gained an Immortal status by accident, and only because of his remote location in Indonesia is he free to live an unobstructed life that led him to an Immortal status; and now only after the world found out about his Immortality does he want to die. This again is a lesson of Immortality, which is maintaining a concealed or incognito state; that is why Immortals so often fake their death.

I know most people have been conditioned to think that if they live to 70, 75 or even 80 years old that they have been lucky; not really. In fact, the human body is programmed to continually rejuvenate and heal itself. Case in point, when a healthy man or woman cut themselves, their bodies will normally heal the wound within a week or two. When someone breaks a bone, again the body heals itself. However, humanity has been conditioned to believe that they can only live a certain amount of years; again, this is nothing but conditioning, or Pavlovian or respondent conditioning.

Along this line of thinking, most people think living to a hundred years old or even a hundred and ten years old is unthinkable. Honestly though, it is more common than most people think. One hundred year old men and women are becoming common place today; and, like I mentioned earlier, if one can live to a hundred, why not two hundred years old, or 500 hundred years old! Take a look at this list of over 200 Living Centenarians:

The following is a list of living centenarians (living people who have attained the age of at least 100 years) known for reasons other than their longevity. For more lists of centenarians, see lists of centenarians. For living people known for their longevity and not necessarily for other reasons, see List of oldest living people.

Name	Born	Age	Notability
Leoncio Afonso	September 12, 1916	100 years, 135 days	Spanish geographer[182]
Edward Allcard	October 31, 1914	102 years, 86 days	British naval architect, marine surveyor, yachtsman and author[91]
Lukas Ammann	September 29, 1912	104 years, 118 days	Swiss actor[28]
Svend Asmussen	February 28, 1916	100 years, 332 days	Danish jazz violinist[155]
Ronald Atkins	June 13, 1916	100 years, 226 days	British politician[164]
Duffy Ayers	September 19, 1915	101 years, 128 days	English portrait painter[131]
Yuan Baohua	January 13, 1916	101 years, 12 days	Chinese educator and academic[145]
Joseph Barnes	November 14, 1914	102 years, 72 days	Irish physician and co-founder of ICROSS[93]
René Bauler (de)	September 17, 1914	102 years, 130 days	Luxembourg footballer[81]
Eric Bentley	September 14, 1916	100 years, 133 days	British-born American critic, playwright, singer, editor and translator[184]
Gretel Bergmann	April 12, 1914	102 years, 288 days	German high jumper[63]
Victor Garaygordóbil Berrizbeitia	October 17, 1915	101 years, 100 days	Spanish Roman Catholic bishop[136]
Bob Berry	June 11, 1916	100 years, 228 days	New Zealand dendrologist[163]
Pappukutty Bhagavathar	March 29, 1913	103 years, 302 days	Indian singer and actor[37]
S. Prestley Blake	November 26, 1914	102 years, 60 days	American businessman, co-founder of the Friendly Ice Cream Corporation[94]
Harry Blamires	November 6, 1916	100 years, 80 days	English Anglican theologian, literary critic, and novelist[189]
Cecilia Caballero Blanco	September 30, 1913	103 years, 117 days	Widow of President of Colombia, Alfonso López Michelsen; First Lady of Colombia [51]
Damián Iguacén Borau	February 12, 1916	100 years, 348 days	Spanish Roman Catholic bishop[151]
Salvador Borrego	April 24, 1915	101 years, 276 days	Mexican journalist, historical revisionist and writer[110]
José Bragato	October 12, 1915	101 years, 105 days	Italian-born Argentine cellist, composer, conductor, arranger and musical archivist[135]
Eric Bransby	October 25, 1916	100 years, 92 days	American artist and muralist[188]
George Braziller	February 12, 1916	100 years, 348 days	American book publisher[152]
Edgar Britt	October 30, 1913	103 years, 87 days	Australian jockey[54]
Mortimer Caplin	July 11, 1916	100 years, 198 days	American lawyer, educator, and founding member of Caplin & Drysdale[172]
Matilde Capuis	January 1, 1913	104 years, 24 days	Italian composer[33]
Mary Carlisle	February 3, 1914	102 years, 357 days	American actress and singer[58]
Gisèle Casadesus	June 14, 1914	102 years, 225 days	French actress[69]
Neus Català	October 6, 1915	101 years, 111 days	Spanish political activist[134]
Guy Charmot (fr)	October 9, 1914	102 years, 108 days	French resistance fighter[88]
Saul Cherniack	January 10, 1917	100 years, 15 days	Canadian lawyer and politician[199]
Gabriel Chiramel	December 11, 1914	102 years, 45 days	Indian educator, scholar, author and social reformer[96]
Saloua Raouda Choucair	June 24, 1916	100 years, 215 days	Lebanese painter and sculptor[167]
Georges-Emmanuel Clancier	May 3, 1914	102 years, 267 days	French poet[66]
Beverly Cleary	April 12, 1916	100 years, 288 days	American writer[158]
Ruth Johnson Colvin	December 16, 1916	100 years, 40 days	American reading skill advocate, founder of ProLiteracy[196]
Mac Conner	November 12, 1913	103 years, 74 days	American commercial illustrator[55]
William Coors	August 11, 1916	100 years, 167 days	American brewer[175]
Irwin Corey	July 29, 1914	102 years, 180 days	American comic and actor[75]
Marvin Creamer	January 24, 1916	101 years, 1 day	American sailor[147]
Louis Crump	May 21, 1916	100 years, 249 days	American politician[160]
Neagu Djuvara	August 31, 1916	100 years, 147 days	Romanian historian, essayist, journalist, novelist and diplomat[179]
Dobri Dobrev	July 20, 1914	102 years, 189 days	Bulgarian ascetic and philanthropist[74]
Fred J. Doocy	May 5, 1913	103 years, 265 days	American politician[41]
Gillo Dorfles	April 12, 1910	106 years, 288 days	Italian art critic, painter and philosopher[4]
Kirk Douglas	December 9, 1916	100 years, 47 days	American actor, producer, director, and author[195]
David Douglas Duncan	January 23, 1916	101 years, 2 days	American photojournalist[146]
William J. Ely	December 29, 1911	105 years, 27 days	American lieutenant general[16]
Jean Erdman	February 20, 1916	100 years, 340 days	American dancer and choreographer[154]
Eduard von Falz-Fein	September 14, 1912	104 years, 133 days	Russian-born art patron[27]
Magda Fedor	January 14, 1914	103 years, 11 days	Hungarian sports shooter[57]
Marko Feingold	May 28, 1913	103 years, 242 days	Austrian president of the Jewish community in Salzburg[43]
Ken Feltscheer	June 9, 1915	101 years, 230 days	Australian rules footballer[116]
D. J. Finney	January 3, 1917	100 years, 22 days	British statistician[198]
James C. Floyd	October 20, 1914	102 years, 97 days	Canadian aerospace engineer[90]
Fred Fox	July 14, 1914	102 years, 195 days	American French horn player and brass instrument teacher[73]
Vincent Foy	August 14, 1915	101 years, 164 days	Canadian Roman Catholic cleric and theologian[128]
William Frankland	March 19, 1912	104 years, 312 days	British immunologist[21]
Frankie Muse Freeman	November 24, 1916	100 years, 62 days	American civil rights attorney[191]
Jacque Fresco	March 13, 1916	100 years, 318 days	American futurist[156]
Jean Fritz	November 16, 1915	101 years, 70 days	American children’s writer[139]
Katherine Fryer	August 26, 1910	106 years, 152 days	British artist[6]
Marian Fuks	September 28, 1914	102 years, 119 days	Polish historian[84]
Hal Geer	September 13, 1916	100 years, 134 days	American producer and filmmaker[183]
Julie Gibson	September 6, 1913	103 years, 141 days	American actress and singer[49]
Harry E. Goldsworthy	April 3, 1914	102 years, 297 days	American Air Force lieutenant general[61]
David W. Goodall	April 4, 1914	102 years, 296 days	Australian botanist and ecologist [62]
Maxine Grimm	May 18, 1914	102 years, 252 days	American philanthropist[67]
Daphne Lorraine Gum	January 24, 1916	101 years, 1 day	Australian educator[148]
Richard K. Guy	September 30, 1916	100 years, 117 days	British mathematician[187]
Karl Otto Götz	February 22, 1914	102 years, 338 days	German artist[59]
George Haigh	June 26, 1915	101 years, 213 days	English professional footballer[121]
Frank Handlen	September 26, 1916	100 years, 121 days	American painter[185]
Reinhard Hardegen	March 18, 1913	103 years, 313 days	German U-boat commander[35]
John C. Harkness	November 30, 1916	100 years, 56 days	American architect[193]
Cosmo Haskard	November 25, 1916	100 years, 61 days	British colonial administrator[192]
Olivia de Havilland	July 1, 1916	100 years, 208 days	British-American actress[168]
Åke Hellman	July 19, 1915	101 years, 190 days	Finnish painter[123]
Fritz Hellwig	August 3, 1912	104 years, 175 days	German politician and European Commissioner[23]
Carmen Herrera	May 31, 1915	101 years, 239 days	Cuban-American painter[115]
Frances Hesselbein	November 1, 1915	101 years, 85 days	American President and CEO of the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute[137]
Felicity Hill	December 12, 1915	101 years, 44 days	British Royal Air Force officer[143]
Randolph Hokanson	June 22, 1915	101 years, 217 days	American pianist[120]
Olivia Hooker	February 12, 1915	101 years, 348 days	American civil rights figure[101]
Johan van Hulst	January 28, 1911	105 years, 363 days	Dutch politician[10]
Jeremy Hutchinson	March 28, 1915	101 years, 303 days	British lawyer and peer (Baron Hutchinson of Lullington)[107]
Muazzez İlmiye Çığ	June 20, 1914	102 years, 219 days	Turkish archaeologist[71]
Lennart Israelsson (sv)	February 6, 1916	100 years, 354 days	Swedish investor, phliantropist and former train dispatcher[150]
Florence S. Jacobsen	April 7, 1913	103 years, 293 days	American activist; President of the Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association[38]
Gertrude Jeannette	November 28, 1914	102 years, 58 days	American actress[95]
Charles Wycliffe Joiner	February 14, 1916	100 years, 346 days	American federal judge[153]
Muhammad Ibrahim Joyo	August 12, 1915	101 years, 166 days	Pakistani teacher, writer, scholar, and Sindhi nationalist[126]
Aarne Kainlauri	May 25, 1915	101 years, 245 days	Finnish athlete[113]
Ata Kandó	September 17, 1913	103 years, 130 days	Hungarian-born Dutch photographer[50]
Ed Keats	January 30, 1915	101 years, 361 days	American rear admiral[99]
Ida Keeling	May 15, 1915	101 years, 255 days	American track and field athlete[112]
Hans-Alwin Ketels (de)	October 19, 1913	103 years, 98 days	German politician[52]
Barys Kit	April 6, 1910	106 years, 294 days	Belarusian scientist[3]
Ferdinand Knobloch	August 15, 1916	100 years, 163 days	Czech psychiatrist and professor[177]
Franciszek Kornicki	December 18, 1916	100 years, 38 days	Polish fighter pilot[197]
Fred Kummerow	October 4, 1914	102 years, 113 days	American physiologist[87]
John Kundla	July 3, 1916	100 years, 206 days	American basketball coach[169]
Margaret Morgan Lawrence	August 10, 1914	102 years, 168 days	American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst[76]
Everett Lee	August 31, 1916	100 years, 147 days	American conductor and violinist[180]
George N. Leighton	October 22, 1912	104 years, 95 days	American judge[29]
Bernard Lewis	May 31, 1916	100 years, 239 days	British-American historian[162]
Jessie Lichauco	January 10, 1912	105 years, 15 days	Cuban-born Filipino-American philanthropist[18]
Leonard Litwin	October 16, 1914	102 years, 101 days	American real estate developer[89]
Norman Lloyd	November 8, 1914	102 years, 78 days	American actor[92]
Trento Longaretti	September 27, 1916	100 years, 120 days	Italian painter[186]
Megan Lowe	November 17, 1915	101 years, 69 days	English cricketer[140]
Bill Lucas	January 16, 1917	100 years, 9 days	British long-distance runner[201]
Alice Ludes	December 20, 1912	104 years, 36 days	American singer[32]
Don Lusk	October 28, 1913	103 years, 89 days	American animator[53]
John Lysak	August 16, 1914	102 years, 162 days	American canoeist[77]
Hans Maier	July 11, 1916	100 years, 198 days	Dutch Olympic water polo player[173]
Albert Malbois	November 17, 1915	101 years, 69 days	French Roman Catholic bishop[141]
Leonard Manasseh	May 21, 1916	100 years, 249 days	British architect[161]
John Manners	September 25, 1914	102 years, 122 days	British cricketer and naval officer[83]
Clara Marangoni	November 13, 1915	101 years, 73 days	Italian gymnast[138]
Robert Marchand	November 26, 1911	105 years, 60 days	French cyclist[15]
Lambert Mascarenhas	September 17, 1914	102 years, 130 days	Indian journalist, freedom activist and writer[82]
Kenneth Mayhew	January 18, 1917	100 years, 7 days	British Army veteran, knight of the Military William Order[202]
Roberta McCain	February 7, 1912	104 years, 353 days	American, mother of John McCain[19]
Dave McCoy	August 24, 1915	101 years, 154 days	American founder of the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area[129]
Thelma McKenzie	April 6, 1915	101 years, 294 days	Australian cricketer[108]
Milton Thiago de Mello	February 5, 1916	100 years, 355 days	Brazilian primatologist[149]
Draja Mickaharic	April 10, 1912	104 years, 290 days	Bosnian-born American author and occultist[22]
Richard Millard	October 2, 1914	102 years, 115 days	American suffragan bishop[85]
Moi-Yo Miller	April 24, 1914	102 years, 276 days	Australian assistant to magician Dante[65]
Henry Morgenthau III	January 11, 1917	100 years, 14 days	American author and television producer[200]
Patricia Morison	March 19, 1915	101 years, 312 days	American actress and mezzo-soprano singer[105]
John G. Morris	December 7, 1916	100 years, 49 days	American picture editor and photojournalist[194]
Sterling Newberry	August 10, 1915	101 years, 168 days	American inventor and microscopist[125]
Eric P. Newman	May 25, 1911	105 years, 245 days	American numismatist[12]
Zoe Dell Nutter	June 14, 1915	101 years, 225 days	American dancer, model, promoter, pilot and philanthropist[118]
Teodor Oizerman	May 14, 1914	102 years, 256 days	Soviet and Russian philosopher, RAS academician.
Giuseppe Ottaviani	May 20, 1916	100 years, 250 days	Italian masters athlete[159]
Lucy Ozarin	August 18, 1914	102 years, 160 days	American military physician and psychiatrist[78]
William Pachner	April 17, 1915	101 years, 283 days	Czech painter[109]
Boris Pahor	August 26, 1913	103 years, 152 days	Slovene writer[48]
Nicanor Parra	September 5, 1914	102 years, 142 days	Chilean poet, mathematician, and physicist[80]
Donald Pellmann	August 12, 1915	101 years, 166 days	American masters athlete[127]
Edward Pinkowski	August 12, 1916	100 years, 166 days	American writer, journalist, and Polonia historian[176]
Bernardino Piñera	September 22, 1915	101 years, 125 days	Chilean Roman Catholic bishop[133]
Gertrude Poe	September 21, 1915	101 years, 126 days	American journalist, lawyer, real estate agent, insurance agent, and radio broadcaster[132]
Brunhilde Pomsel	January 11, 1911	106 years, 14 days	German personal secretary to Joseph Goebbels[9]
Jack Pope	April 18, 1913	103 years, 282 days	American jurist; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas[39]
Yitzhak Pundak	June 13, 1913	103 years, 226 days	Israeli general, diplomat and politician[44]
Milton Quon	August 22, 1913	103 years, 156 days	American animator, artist and actor[46]
Ingeborg Rapoport	September 2, 1912	104 years, 145 days	German neonatologist[25]
Karl Rawer	April 19, 1913	103 years, 281 days	German physicist[40]
Fazlollah Reza	January 1, 1915	102 years, 24 days	Iranian university professor and electrical engineer[98]
David Rockefeller	June 12, 1915	101 years, 227 days	American banker[117]
Manuel Rodriguez Sr.	January 1, 1912	105 years, 24 days	Filipino printmaker[17]
George Rosenkranz	August 20, 1916	100 years, 158 days	Hungarian-born Mexican biochemist[178]
Dovey Johnson Roundtree	April 17, 1914	102 years, 283 days	American civil rights activist, ordained minister, and attorney[64]
Jean Rouverol	July 8, 1916	100 years, 201 days	American author, actress and screenwriter[171]
Geoffrey Alexander Rowley-Conwy	March 8, 1912	104 years, 323 days	British peer (9th Baron Langford)[20]
Dorothy Rungeling	May 12, 1911	105 years, 258 days	Canadian aviator[11]
Marie M. Runyon	March 20, 1915	101 years, 311 days	American politician and activist[106]
Lívia Rév	July 5, 1916	100 years, 204 days	Hungarian classical pianist[170]
Zoltan Sarosy	August 23, 1906	110 years, 155 days	Hungarian-Canadian chess master[1]
Tsuneko Sasamoto	September 1, 1914	102 years, 146 days	Japanese photographer[79]
Connie Sawyer	November 27, 1912	104 years, 59 days	American actress[30]
Alan Sayers	December 6, 1915	101 years, 50 days	New Zealand journalist, photographer and athlete[142]
Marian Cannon Schlesinger	September 13, 1912	104 years, 134 days	American artist and author[26]
Ramananda Sengupta	May 9, 1915	101 years, 261 days	Indian cinematographer[111]
Robert H. Shaffer	September 13, 1915	101 years, 134 days	American academic[130]
Carl J. Shapiro	February 15, 1913	103 years, 345 days	American philanthropist and entrepreneur[34]
Toko Shinoda	March 28, 1913	103 years, 303 days	Japanese painter[36]
Neil D. Van Sickle	July 8, 1915	101 years, 201 days	American Air Force major general[122]
Renée Simonot	September 10, 1911	105 years, 137 days	French actress[13]
Viola Smith	November 29, 1912	104 years, 57 days	American drummer[31]
Lyle Smith	March 17, 1916	100 years, 314 days	American football and basketball player, coach, and college athletics administrator[157]
Eleanor Sokoloff	June 16, 1914	102 years, 223 days	American pianist[70]
Shivakumara Swami	April 1, 1907	109 years, 299 days	Indian religious leader and philanthropist[2]
Danuta Szaflarska	February 6, 1915	101 years, 354 days	Polish actress[100]
Ali Tanrıyar	March 15, 1914	102 years, 316 days	Turkish politician, former interior minister of Turkey[60]
Harold Temperley	March 4, 1915	101 years, 327 days	British mathematician[103]
Katsumi Tezuka	August 31, 1912	104 years, 147 days	Japanese actor[24]
Nini Theilade	June 15, 1915	101 years, 224 days	Danish ballet dancer, choreographer and teacher[119]
Arthur L. Thurlow	May 5, 1913	103 years, 265 days	Canadian politician and judge[42]
Georg von Tiesenhausen	May 18, 1914	102 years, 252 days	German-American rocket scientist[68]
Roman Toi	June 18, 1916	100 years, 221 days	Estonian composer, choir conductor, and organist[165]
Ruthie Tompson	July 22, 1910	106 years, 187 days	American animator and artist[5]
Ignacio Trelles	July 31, 1916	100 years, 178 days	Mexican football player and coach[174]
Vance Trimble	July 6, 1913	103 years, 203 days	American journalist[45]
Jacqueline Vaudecrane	November 22, 1913	103 years, 64 days	French figure skater[56]
G. Venkatasubbaiah	August 23, 1913	103 years, 155 days	Indian Kannada language lexicographer[47]
Anton Vratuša	February 21, 1915	101 years, 339 days	Slovenian politician, former Prime Minister of Slovenia.[102]
Mary Ward	March 6, 1915	101 years, 325 days	Australian actress[104]
Ellsworth Wareham	October 3, 1914	102 years, 114 days	American cardiothoracic surgeon[86]
Eileen Whelan	October 30, 1911	105 years, 87 days	British cricketer[14]
Neville Wigram, 2nd Baron Wigram	August 2, 1915	101 years, 176 days	British Army officer and peer (Baron Wigram of Clewer, Berkshire)[124]
D. B. H. Wildish	December 24, 1914	102 years, 32 days	British vice admiral[97]
Elder Roma Wilson	December 22, 1910	106 years, 34 days	American gospel harmonicist[8]
Mac Wilson	July 9, 1914	102 years, 200 days	Australian rules footballer[72]
Mary Wilson	January 12, 1916	101 years, 13 days	English poet and the widow of British Prime Minister Harold Wilson.[144]
John S. Wold	August 31, 1916	100 years, 147 days	American business leader and politician[181]
Herman Wouk	May 27, 1915	101 years, 243 days	American novelist[114]
Al G. Wright	June 23, 1916	100 years, 216 days	American bandleader and conductor[166]
Izabella Zielińska	December 10, 1910	106 years, 46 days	Polish pianist[7]
Mihai Șora	November 7, 1916	100 years, 79 days	Romanian philosopher and essayist[190]

Now that we know 100 year old men and women are more common than commonly believed, why then is it such a stretch to think Immortality is a possibility. Why is it that most people won’t even consider the possibility? In short, we have been conditioned to think otherwise. By reading Albert Pike and Elphas Levi, I have come to understand that Immortality is not only a possibility, but a reality; a topic I will be discussing in upcoming blog postings. I have learned that Immortals live among us, but they hid their identity and even fake their deaths for fear of persecution. Nevertheless, we are evolving as a culture to a point in time, when they will no longer have to fear for their safety. When everyone realizes the truth of Immortal existence, and when everyone realizes it is a choice, these Immortals will come out of their hiding and reveal their secrets to mankind.

Immortality is not just a lost art; in fact, there are men and women among us now that continue to instruct mankind. Yet, they are constantly mocked by the unbelievers, those who believe in mortality, which ends in death. One such man was Ben Abba (probably a pseudonym), who appeared a few years back to tell his story about meeting a 2,800 year old man, but who has since disappeared from the Internet. He did a series of Internet radio shows, whereby he told a compelling story about a man who met Jesus, was a Knights Templar and escaped to Scotland before the purge; and most of all, he gave lessons in attaining an Immortal state.

Or how about Robert Coon, who wrote several compelling books about attaining Immortality; the most compelling of all was his book, the Path of the Phoenix (2009). I read several of his books while I was reading Pike and Levi, which helped me interpret these readings. In fact, I remember commenting to an Immortal Masonic brother who has been aiding my studies that Coon had become a code to the cipher. For those individuals who desire to fully understand the lessons of Pike and Levi, I highly recommend Robert Coon’s books. Here is an excerpt from his blog:

1. Why seek Physical Immortality?

The short answer is that Physical Immortality is about total liberty. To have Total Liberty means that you have overcome all limitations, including death. Esoterically, it’s the freedom to “come and go as the wind.” In mundane terms, you’ll help contribute to the death of the funeral industry.

2. What do you mean by “Physical Immortality”?

Physical Immortality means having a physically immortal body.

My latest discovery is Annalee Skarin, an excommunicated Mormon who wrote the book Ye Are Gods (1952). Some people believe she had attained an Immortal state, while others have made the claim that her grave site proves she is not an Immortal. The problem with this theory is that most prominent Immortal teachers must fake their deaths in order to remain safe. Regardless, the one thing we do know is her grave site claimed she lived to 99 years old; really, how obvious could she had been. By leaving a headstone of her birth date and death date that claimed she was only one year less of the 100 year goal of Immortalism. She taught us a lesson, even while faking her death. Well done.

With all this material laid out in front of you, now let us reexamine the question, does Immortality really exist. I have come to the conclusion that Immortality does in fact exist, but it is not an easy thing to attain. In order to attain an Immortal state, one must become a serious student of this wonderful mystery. Yes, God left mankind this incredible gift, but he only left it for the worthy, a topic I will be writing about in future blog postings. In advance of these writings, feel free to follow me on Facebook or Twitter, where I give daily lessons on attaining an Immortal state.

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

 

 

Albert Pike’s Immortal Lessons

After reading Albert Pike’s book, Morals and Dogma (1871), twice, followed by Elphas Levi’s book, History of Magic (1860), I made a most interesting discovery; but more on that a little later. You see, this significant discovery was not fully understood until after reading Levi’s book. As most students of Pike already understand, he was heavily influenced by Levi’s writings.

The saddest part of this whole adventure was when I heard the nonsense that Pike simply plagiarized Levi’s earlier work – as though this was a bad thing – let me explain. Firstly, one must understand the historical development of copying another persons written work. In the past, such behavior was a sign of respect; but over time, especially in the West, it has become a despised activity. Actually, in academia, it is now considered a high crime. Nevertheless, even though it is considered a terrible deed today, it wasn’t always so; in truth, “Plagiarism is a very ancient art.” That is why, I believe, Pike simply used Levi’s earlier works in his book Morals and Dogma – which was to send a clear Masonic message to his brethren; that is if they were/are wise enough to pick up on this important point. The unfortunate part of this whole historical point is pundits of Pike today love to use the plagiarism argument as a reason to dismiss his important historical book.

Yet, I now believe that Pike used the verbatim text for a specific reason. In short, he left a trail a mile long and a mile wide for anyone interested in learning the truth about Immortality. There is little doubt that Pike’s book, Morals and Dogma, is one of the most difficult to understand Masonic publications available today; so much so, I have read it at length, from cover to cover, twice, and have opened it for proportional study no less that a thousand times, in order to fully understand its hidden secrets. Nevertheless, it was because of Pike’s direct plagiarized sections from Levi’s book, History of Magic, that helped me better understand what Pike was trying to convey. Specifically, Levi held the key to fully understanding Pike; and only by studying Levi will one fully understand what Pike was trying to convey. But, I would have never understood this distinction without the Masonic pundits of Pike trying to discredit him for his use of Levi’s work. You see, even the fool has his purpose (Smile*)!

There have been countless Masonic historians and authors who have tried to understand what Pike was trying to convey; and just as many casual readers, if not more, who dismissed his writings due of a lack of understanding. One can’t fully understand Pike from a contemporary perspective. In fact, I am often asked why I disfavor contemporary Masonic publications in favor of older ones. The simple answer is almost every contemporary Masonic historian and author is not willing to look at Pike’s writings – as the ancients looked upon the mysteries – which is allegorically. Sadly, most, if not all, contemporary Masonic authors don’t even understand, or are willing to learn, Masonic allegory. In short, my discovery was made only through the use of allegorical interpretation; as Pike clearly explained:

These metaphysical ideas, with difficulty comprehended by the mass of the Initiates, were represented by figures, by symbols, and by allegorical analogies; no idea being so abstract that men do not seek to give it expression by, and translate it into, sensible images. The attraction of Secrecy was enhanced by the difficulty of obtaining admission. Obstacles and suspense redoubled curiosity (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1871, p. 673).

Pike now discusses why the mysteries are hidden allegorically:

‘A Spirit,’ he said, ‘that loves wisdom and contemplates the Truth close at hand, is forced to disguise it, to induce the multitudes to accept it…. Fictions are necessary to the people, and the Truth becomes deadly to those who are not strong enough to contemplate it in all its brilliance. If the sacerdotal laws allowed the reservation of judgments and the allegory of words, I would accept the proposed dignity on condition that I might be a philosopher at home, and abroad a narrator of apologues and parables….. In fact, what can there be in common between the vile multitude and sublime wisdom? The truth must be kept secret, and the masses need a teaching proportioned to their imperfect reason‘ (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1871, p. 108).

Did you catch that last sentence?… “The truth must be kept secret, and the masses need a teaching proportioned to their imperfect reason.” What secret was Pike writing about? Do we honestly think Masonic secrets revolve around just Masonic behavior? Sadly, I once believed that was all there was to Masonic secrecy; but no longer. There is a far more important secret hidden within Morals and Dogma; and it is the secret of Immortality of the flesh. Yes, the Philosophers Stone, the Elixir of Life, etc.

Now that we know there is a hidden secret within the mysteries of the Craft, let’s take a closer look at Levi and what he had to say on the matter:

This light is the quintessence of Paracelsus and is either latent or active in all created substances. Such quintessence is the true elixir of life, and it is extracted from earth by cultivation; from metals by incorporation, rectification, exaltation and synthesis; from plants by distillation and coction; from animals by absorption; from men by generation; from the air by respiration. In this sense we are told by Aristeus that air must be derived from air; by Khunrath that living mercury must be obtained from the perfect man formed by the androgyne; by practically all the sages, that the medicine of metals must be derived from metals and that this medicine—though fundamentally one in all kingdoms—is graduated and specified according to forms and species. Its use is threefold—by sympathy, repulsion or equilibrium. The graduated quintessence was only the auxiliary of forces; the medicine of each kingdom must be derived from the kingdom itself, with the addition of basic mercury—terrestrial or mineral—and of synthetic living mercury, or human magnetism. Such is the rapid and summary sketch of this science, which is vast and profound as the Kabalah, mysterious as Magic, real as the exact sciences, but too long and too often discredited by the frustrated greed of false adepts and by the obscurities with which true sages have surrounded their theories and their processes (Eliphas Levi, History of Magic, 1860, p. 263).

And Levi continued again (I love this one):

Ambrosia answered: ‘To respond adequately to a love which you term supernatural would require an immortal existence. If this love be sacrified heroically to our respective duties during the lives of those who are dear to each of us, it will, beyond all doubt, create for itself an eternity at that moment when conscience and the world will permit us to love one another. It is said that there is an elixir of life; seek to discover it, and when you are certain that you have succeeded, come and see me. Till then, live for your wife and your children, as I also will live for the husband whom I love; and if you meet me in the street make no sign of recognition…‘ At the accents of that voice, the alchemist startled violently; he recognised her whom he had thought fondly to find unchanged. Casting himself on his knees at her feet, he offered her the phial, saying: ‘Take it, drink it, it is life. Thirty years of my own existence are comprised in it; but I have tried it, and I know that it is the elixir of immortality‘ (Eliphas Levi, History of Magic, 1860, p. 321).

So now you have it; Levi discusses the ‘elixir of immortality.’ However, what about Pike, what does he have to say on the subject?:

The Dimensions of the Lodge, our Brethren of the York Rite say, ‘are unlimited, and its covering no less than the canopy of Heaven.’ ‘To this object,’ they say, ‘the mason’s mind is continually directed, and thither he hopes at last to arrive by the aid of the theological ladder which Jacob in his vision saw ascending from earth to Heaven; the three principal rounds of which are denominated Faith, Hope, and Charity; and which admonish us to have Faith in God, Hope in Immortality, and Charity to all mankind‘ (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1871, p. 14).

And again:

Knowledge is the most genuine and real of human treasures; for it is Light, as Ignorance is Darkness. It is the development of the human soul, and its acquisition the growth of the soul, which at the birth of man knows nothing, and therefore, in one sense, may be said to be nothing. It is the seed, which has in it the power to grow, to acquire, and by acquiring to be developed, as the seed is developed into the shoot, the plant, the tree. “We need not pause at the common argument that by learning man excelleth man, in that wherein man excelleth beasts; that by learning man ascendeth to the heavens and their motions, where in body he cannot come, and the like. Let us rather regard the dignity and excellency of knowledge and learning in that where unto man’s nature doth most aspire, which is immortality or continuance (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1871, p. 111).

Here we see Pike discussing the real human treasure is not an afterlife; instead, we read that knowledge and learning is man’s nature, or put another way, the continuance of the human body through Immortality.

I do think a short explanation into the word usage of Immortality is in line at this point; especially after Pike’s use if the word soul. Clearly, most people are taught that Immortality means the Immortal soul in an afterlife status; not true I am afraid. In short, when the word Immortality is used by itself, it refers to an eternal life in your current state. However, if additional words are used with Immortality, like Immortality of the soul, it maybe referring to an afterlife; although, not always. One can still have an Immortal soul and an Immortal body; more on that in another future posting. As such, when reading Pike and Levi, one must consider the context in which the word Immortality is being used to fully understand what they are trying to defend, instruct or comment on.

In conclusion, after studying both of these men over the past several years, it has become apparent that they believed in Immortality of the flesh (and soul) and taught this topic allegorically; otherwise, it would have been discovered much much sooner. I will, of course, be discussing this topic further in next months Gnosismasonry posting. Until then, feel free to follow me on Facebook and Twitter for even more Immortal lessons.

So Mote It Be!!!

Hank Kraychir

Our First Metamodern President – Donald Trump.

As I mentioned in my October 1, 2016 post, Post-Postmodernism or Metamodernism and Freemasonry, our culture was changing from a Postmodern to a Metamodern culture. I would like to say that I predicted the outcome of this year’s election, but that would not be the truth. The only thing I did was report on this significant cultural change. I have received so many private comments about my writings this past year on the topic of Postmodernism and its devastating effect on the Craft; many of which were supportive, but, sadly, almost just as many were negative. The really sad part of this adventure, this past year, was so many Masons were in denial, and perhaps still are. That somehow, our new President would be the end of the world, or how could this have happened. The reality of this election was easily predictable, if only my brethren would have studied the transition from a Modern, to a Postmodern, and now in a Metamodern society. A topic I have written about extensively this past year for the benefit of the broader Craft.

Here is a quick outline of Modernism, Postmodernism and Metamodernism:

Modern ideas:

• Faith in science
• Development and progress
• Democracy
• The individual
• A meritocratic social order
• Humanity can recreate nature by virtue of her reason

Postmodern ideas:

• Critical questioning of all knowledge and science
• Suspicion towards all grand narratives about “progress”
• Emphasis on symbols and contexts
• Ironic distance
• Cultures have been oppressed and ruined by modern society
• Reveals injustice in “democratic” societies
• Relations create the individual
• A multicultural order where the weak are included
• Humanity has destroyed the biosphere

Metamodern ideas:

• How can we reap the best parts of the other two?
• Can we create better processes for personal development?
• Can we recreate the processes by which society is governed, locally and globally?
• Can the inner dimensions of life gain a more central role in society?
• How can modern, postmodern and premodern people live together productively?
• How can politics be adjusted to an increasingly complex world?
• What is the unique role of humanity in the ecosystems of nature?

In short, Hillary Clinton was the Postmodern candidate, while Donald Trump was the Metamodern candidate; and with Trumps electoral college win, we now have confirmation of this transformation from a Postmodern culture to a Metamodern culture has started on a national scale.

Indeed, most Americans were, and still are, in shock. Political pundits could not see the forest through the trees, because their Postmodern bias held them back from seeing the truth. In fact, media bias was, and still is, blatantly Postmodern, and this helped the general unforgotten populace, who had become disconnected from total Postmodern programing, propel Metamodern thinking into the limelight. Sociologist have been discussing this trend for well over a decade now, so it was no surprise to me; nevertheless, the uninformed population unconsciously reacted as predicted. Yes, my friends, there is a national consciousness; it is a living, breathing and reactive entity that lifts its head up once and a while. And when it does, significant social changes occur quickly and decisively.

So many of these so called political pundits, who have only been trained to think as a Postmodernist, still haven’t come to grips with this new political realignment. They continue to attack those things they don’t understand, nor perhaps ever will. Like almost every cultural realignment in our history, the political class has always been late to see new social changes. We can, of course, expect to see a continuation of the statue quo of the political class, who have everything to lose, or so they think. That is until they come to realize that this course of history was inevitable; as was previously predicted. The political class need only change the color of their suits to again become beneficiaries of this new cultural change. We have seen this also happen throughout history, just like when the Soviet Union fell, the old Russian leadership simply took off their military uniforms and put on new suits. The outward appearances almost always changes, but so many times, the people behind the scene simply adapt and reemerge. I think we can expect to see this occur as well.

So, to the big question, “How does this cultural change affect Freemasonry?” Well, simply put, I think we can see a reemergence of Masonic membership and a more favorable public acceptance in the ways of Freemasonry. No, it won’t be like the glory days under Modernism, but it will be significantly better than under the destructiveness of Postmodernism.

In conclusion, my work on the topic of Modernism, Postmodernism and MetaModernism is now complete. I have spent the last year trying my best to educate the Craft about this significant social change that was about to occur and did; but no more, at least for now. I will now change directions into other Masonic topics. Thanks for reading!

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Postmodern vs. Masonic Ethics – If It’s Not Illegal, Unethical or Immoral Just Do It!

I remember hearing fellow employees say, “Well, I am not going to do it; it’s not part of my job description.” As though everything we do in a job is part of a job description. In fact, for nearly twenty years, if my immediate boss wanted me to get him a cup of coffee, I did it. Upon reflection, when he wanted me to pick him up at the airport, I did it. When he wanted me to pick up his Gin, I did it. I could go on and on. The point of this month’s short article is the guiding Masonic principles of ethical behavior, like “Honor and Duty are the pole-stars of a Mason” (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1871, p. 96), which often stands in stark contrast to Postmodern ethical thinking.

Yet, it was not until I became a Freemason did I truly understand the words of my father, “If It’s Not Illegal, Unethical or Immoral just do it!” In other words, if a person, a company or even the Government is paying you a salary, which is nothing but buying your time, simply do your job without complaint. Pike confirmed such thinking when he wrote:

Duty is the moral magnetism which controls and guides the true Mason’s course over the tumultuous seas of life. Whether the stars of honour, reputation, and reward do or do not shine, in the light of day or in the darkness of the night of trouble and adversity, in calm or storm, that unerring magnet still shows him the true course to steer, and indicates with certainty where-away lies the port which not to reach involves shipwreck and dishonour. He follows its silent bidding, as the mariner, when land is for many days not in sight, and the ocean without path or landmark spreads out all around him, follows the bidding of the needle, never doubting that it points truly to the north. To perform that duty, whether the performance be rewarded or unrewarded, is his sole care. And it doth not matter, though of this performance there may be no witnesses, and though what he does will be forever unknown to all mankind (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1871, p. 123.).

Indeed, there may be times when remaining silent is not an option; the most obvious being something maybe illegal. In the case of an illegality, the Mason is of course not required to do the task requested of him. Nevertheless, the legality of certain behaviors is constantly changing, especially in our society today. That is why it is important to stay on top of law and rule changes that apply to one’s life. I am reminded that my mother was first married when she was 14 years old – and yes it was legal in those days. Moreover, when I was young, the age of consent was 16 years of age; but today, the age of consent is 18. You see, laws are constantly changing.

Yet, even after reviewing the legality of an action or behavior, one still must address the ethics involved in such a behavior. Now, in the Postmodern world, the word ethics has a different meaning than in the Masonic world. I remember a discussion I had with a very intelligent individual. I told her that our ethical behavior was based on western religious values. This lady, who was proud of her intellect, immediately countered with the Postmodern diatribe that one can be a good and ethical person without religious values – that religion was in no way associated with ethical behavior. In short, she drank the cool-aid she had been fed by her Postmodern college education. I simply asked her if she ever looked up the root meaning of ethics; she of course said no. We immediately went to a computer and discovered the following:

The Encyclopaedia Britannica explains that every society has an origin story with an accompanying code of ethics. One well-known example is that of Moses being presented with the Ten Commandments. For many in Western culture, these commandments have shaped their government and system of law. What separates the civilized from the uncivilized in history is system and code to live by. Few would consider cavemen lifestyle as an outline for how to construct a system of government, but looking to Plato’s Republic, written in 380 B.C., is reasonable.

The modern world has a much more complicated look at ethics than older societies. This complexity can be understood by our expanded understanding of the natural world. Pëtr Kroptkin, a Russian philosopher, tried to look at and assess human behavior apart from ethics. If humans were to act without concern for ethics, we would act solely to serve ourselves. With ethics, modern society can operate in cooperative manner, allowing those with more resources to assist those without. While the origin of ethics remains unclear, it is well agree that without it, humanity would work in a vastly different manner.

You see, whether an individual is religious or not, many of our social and ethical norms are governed by and are based on our western religious values, “The word ‘ethics’ is ‘commonly used interchangeably with ‘morality,’ and sometimes it is used more narrowly to mean the moral principles of a particular tradition, group, or individual.'” Yes, much of it is Christian, but let me educate the reader about something not seldom mentioned – Christianity grew out of Judaism; as well, it quickly adapted to social changes that took place after the death of Christ. And Christ himself simply taught ideas that originated from Egypt and the east, under other religious systems. Interestingly, most of the ancient world, which is the foundation of our ethical behavior today, was itself based on some type of religious belief. Therefore, the foundation of our ethical behavior today has its origins based on religious values and behavior. So much for the Postmodern notion that ethical behavior has nothing to do with our religious past.

And lastly, the issue of immoral behavior. This too is closely aligned with ethics; although, it is more closely aligned with religion. In truth, our moral behavior is synonymous with our religious past and is a guiding us, even today:

Morality (from the Latin moralitas “manner, character, proper behavior”) is the differentiation of intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are distinguished as proper and those that are improper. Morality can be a body of standards or principles derived from a code of conduct from a particular philosophy, religion, or culture, or it can derive from a standard that a person believes should be universal. Morality may also be specifically synonymous with “goodness” or “rightness.”…  An example of normative ethical philosophy is the Golden Rule, which states that: “One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.”

I know it sounds petty, and for some people getting a cup of coffee for a boss is considered demeaning. I will attempt to stay away of the gender angle; especially since most of Freemasonry is male in this country. My boss was a male and I was a male, and I did not find it demeaning in the least. I looked upon it based on what my father told me when I was young, “If it’s not Illegal, Unethical or Immoral just do it.” In fact, it is not uncommon for myself or one of my fellow Brothers to volunteer to serve either coffee, orange juice, or even wine when we refill our cup. In fact, the Grand Commander of Knights Templar in the state of California can be seen in our kitchen either making food or serving his food in our dinning room. You see, humility of a Masonic virtue.

Here is a short quote, which clearly defines the simple act of getting a boss a cup of coffee is not an illegal act:

After working for a few weeks, her (male) bosses asked her to get their coffee for them. She declined, and her manager e-mailed her, saying: “This is not open for debate. Please don’t make an easy task a big deal.” Klopfenstein felt that getting coffee “reinforced outdated gender stereotypes,” so the next day, when she was asked to get coffee again, she sent an e-mail that read: “I don’t expect to serve and wait on you by making and serving you coffee every day.” Nine minutes later, she was fired. Klopfenstein promptly sued the company for sexual discrimination and sexual harassment. The judge ruled: “The act of getting coffee is not, by itself, a gender-specific act,” and dismissed the case. But Klopfenstein’s attorneys argue that “Some tasks are inherently more offensive to women.”

Therefore, get over your Postmodern thinking and start acting like a Freemason; it is always better to give (serve) than receive (be served)!

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Post-Postmodernism or Metamodernism and Freemasonry

As many of the followers of my blog have read over the past ten months, I have been delving into Postmodernism and its effect on the Craft. I know, especially in the beginning, many people commented that this subject had nothing to do with Freemasonry’s decline; comments I have dismissed. I dismissed them because these individuals have not studied this topic and have only lived a Postmodern life. Therefore, those who have predominately lived a Postmodern life would be more apt to accept such a life as reality. However, because I have studied the written works of both Albert Pike and Eliphias Levi, I know that there is an alternative reality; if one only looks hard enough, it can be seen. That is why I am now going to discuss the terms Post-Postmodernism or Metamodernism, which are vertically the same topic.

Post-Postmodernism can be defined as, “a wide-ranging set of developments in critical theory, philosophy, architecture, art, literature, and culture which are emerging from and reacting to postmodernism. Another similar recent term is metamodernism.” And Metamodernism, “is a set of developments in philosophy, aesthetics, and culture which are emerging from and reacting to postmodernism. One definition characterizes metamodernism as mediations between aspects of both modernism and postmodernism. Metamodernism is similar to post-postmodernism.”

You see, there is a merging of both Modernism and Postmodernism taking place. As I stated in an earlier blog posting on this topic, we will never actually be able to go back to Modernism, nor should we. In fact, we, as a culture, will blend our past, incorporating the good and leaving the bad elements behind.

There are, of course, differing scholastic opinions on this topic as well; nevertheless, there appears to be a broad consensus developing:

Consensus on what makes up an era can hardly be achieved while that era is still in its early stages. However, a common positive theme of current attempts to define post-postmodernism is that faith, trust, dialogue, performance and sincerity can work to transcend postmodern irony.

There is no doubt in my mind that Postmodernism has had a negative effect of the Craft; however, Post-Postmodernism or Metamodernism might be a turning point for Freemasonry? Only time will tell for sure. While reading the above quote, the words “faith, trust, dialogue, performance and sincerity” became a glaring contrast to the Postmodern society of no faith, mistrust, no dialogue, a lack of performance and a lack of sincerity.

What does a Post-Postmodern (Metamodern) society look like and why should we be hopeful in this transformation? Here is one optimistic view I thought you might find enjoyable:

We metamodernists stay true to the postmodern skepticism and ironic distancing from all attempts to tell “the one story” about in which direction society should be developed. But we also add a crucial ingredient that was present during modernity: hope and faith in progress. We believe that society truly has evolved and that positive developments are possible. Progress is real. Life invites us to greater possibilities. Possibilities, potentials, are always dangerous, but always real – and necessary. That is why metamodernism is based upon an invitation to a critical, self-reflexive dialogue about the future of society.

We have our own ideas about the future and we hold them without apology. We present them and break them against those of others. We distance ourselves from the excessive irony prevailing today; an irony we feel has an undercurrent of philosophical and political cowardice. We believe that metamodern society is born through risk taking, vulnerability and hope. Metamodern society is created through the political and cultural adventure, an adventure that requires passionate participation. To be a political metamodernist means to never settle for ironic distancing, to not be satisfied with “asking new questions”. Metamodernists also have an entrepreneurial or artistic side – we seek answers, or at least solutions. We recognize that these answers to the riddles of life and the problems of society cannot be final, but we always attempt to find the best possible answers and visions. We are prepared to put our “good names” at stake and to admit when we’ve been mistaken. We believe that is the right path ahead.

Political metamodernism can be described as “pragmatic idealism” or “informed naivety”.

I, of course, find this view right in line with Masonic instruction. Especially with regard to attempting to find the “riddles of life.” Think about it, is this not what Freemasonry is all about – YES, YES it is! Furthermore, here is a comparative list to help better define the topics of Modernism, Postmodernism and Metamodernism (Post-Postmodernism):

Modern ideas:

• Faith in science
• Development and progress
• Democracy
• The individual
• A meritocratic social order
• Humanity can recreate nature by virtue of her reason

Postmodern ideas:

• Critical questioning of all knowledge and science
• Suspicion towards all grand narratives about “progress”
• Emphasis on symbols and contexts
• Ironic distance
• Cultures have been oppressed and ruined by modern society
• Reveals injustice in “democratic” societies
• Relations create the individual
• A multicultural order where the weak are included
• Humanity has destroyed the biosphere

Metamodern ideas:

• How can we reap the best parts of the other two?
• Can we create better processes for personal development?
• Can we recreate the processes by which society is governed, locally and globally?
• Can the inner dimensions of life gain a more central role in society?
• How can modern, postmodern and premodern people live together productively?
• How can politics be adjusted to an increasingly complex world?
• What is the unique role of humanity in the ecosystems of nature?

In conclusion, based on the goals of Metamodernism, I personally believe we have the making of a glorious return of Masonic teachings and instruction in the near future. Let us continue to work towards such an end and then we can look upon the past 40 to 50 years as a necessary purge; similar to the Anti-Masonic movement that started in 1824, which also lasted some 40 to 50 years!

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Postmodern Millennials And Their Effect On The Craft

A dirty little outcome of Postmodernism has been its effect on the generation known as the Millennials.  This experiment in social reconstruction has had a devastating effect on this group of young adults; and by extension, the Craft itself. This short essay will attempt to give further insight into the topic of Postmodernism, an issue I have been writing about since January of this year; feel free to look at my blog for further writings.

Let me first define the term Millennials:

Millennials (also known as the Millennial Generation or Generation Y, abbreviated to Gen Y) are the demographic cohort between Generation X and Generation Z. There are no precise dates for when the generation starts and ends. Demographers and researchers typically use the early 1980s as starting birth years and use the mid-1990s to the early 2000s as final birth years for the Millennial Generation.

Interestingly, the Millennials are by far the most studied generation in American history; in fact, the United States Census Bureau claimed there are over 80 million of them. In terms of their strengths, they are by far the most savvy technological generation to date; however, as good as this might first sound, look closer. This generation that grew up with computers, cell phones, television and the Internet, also lacks certain social skills. In fact, they have also become known as the loner generation. Sadly, I have even witnessed this crisis first hand. I have gone to many social events where this generation would rather look into their cell phone than talk to their peers, let alone older adults. In a word, they have become “detached” from reality.

Moreover, Millennials are less caring, concerned little with community affairs and are less politically active than past generations, as Jean Twenge claimed, “today’s youth are more interested in extrinsic life goals and less concerned for others and civic engagement. They are described as overly self-confident and self-absorbed.^” This social media generation is more likely to be active on social networking sites, posting videos of themselves online and taunting their tattoos, and body piercing, to public display. The concepts of self-branding and self-promotions are an almost constant concern as well.

Recently, Gallop released a study, where it “found Millennials to be disengaged, aloof and completely incapable of prioritizing their own workload all while requiring constant pats on the back from management.”

Here are some generalities of a Millennial:

• Less likely to own a car before a phone.
• More likely to live at home after graduating from High School and College.
• Less likely to work a full-time job. Although, this may not be their fault due to economic conditions; however, lack of employment opportunities has certainly contributed to their selfish condition by becoming more reliant on family and the state.
• Dating and marrying much later in life. This also may be due to economic conditions?
• Have less interpersonal skills, which may lead to problems with relationships and employers, etc.
• High self-esteem and high-expectations, but lack a work ethic; this is a byproduct of the “everyone gets a trophy” attitude that pervaded the era of their youth.
• More likely to get sexual satisfaction from the Internet than seeking a relationship.
• More likely to be overweight and docile.
• More likely to sleep with their cell phones next to them.
• More likely to be educated beyond High School; but have less interest in local, national or international affairs.
• And perhaps one of the most interesting topic to us in Freemasonry, Millennials demonstrate little to no interest in faith related activities.

You see, it is this group of 80 million Americans that will eventually control this country’s future. Not only this nation, but also the Craft itself. Again, Postmodernism teaches relativism – that there are no absolute truths, 74% of those surveyed believed, “Whatever is right for your life or works best for you is the only truth you can know.” Honestly, they really believe that. This too is a byproduct of not reading history, especially the history of religion; or in our case, the mysteries of ancient beliefs. In short, the majority of Millennials believes there is NO MORAL TRUE!

Simply stated, I am certainly glad to read that most creditable academics are now coming out against this destructive experiment of social control, i.e. Postmodernism. No, we will never fully go back to Modernism, nor should we. There were some good things that came out of Postmodernism as well, some of which we should certainly keep.

But, what next? What will the next generation give our civilization? Only time will tell! In the meantime, the Craft should hold fast to its values and traditions. We need to stop lowering the bar for entry into the Craft. And if this means closing some Lodges, so be it. Albert Pike was quite clear when he wrote about the great Masonic purge in 1826,

WE often profit more by our enemies than by our friends. “We support ourselves only on that which resists,” and owe our success to opposition. The best friends of Masonry in America were the Anti-Masons of 1826, and at the same time they were its worst enemies. Men are but the automata of Providence, and it uses the demagogue, the fanatic, and the knave, a common trinity in Republics, as its tools and instruments to effect that of which they do not dream, and which they imagine themselves commissioned to prevent.

The Anti-Masons, traitors and perjurors some, and some mere political knaves, purified Masonry by persecution, and so proved to be its benefactors; for that which is persecuted, grows. To them its present popularity is due, the cheapening of its Degrees, the invasion of its Lodges, that are no longer Sanctuaries, by the multitude; its pomp and pageantry and overdone display.

Yes, sadly, we may in fact have to wait for the next generation to solve are declining numbers; but, as mentioned above, this is not the first time this has happened in Masonic history, nor perhaps will it be the last.

So Mote It Be!!!

Hank Kraychir