|
Amazon
Royal Art.info
Stevan V. Nikolic
Category:
History
Publisher: iUniverse Inc.
ISBN-10: 0595387748
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 206
Copyright: Feb. 28, 2006
Are Freemasons a secret society, with a dangerous agenda, as their enemies would like to present or a philanthropic association of good men (and women) trying to become better and improve the society they live in? Can we subscribe to the controversial idea that the phenomenon of Freemasonry has a life of its own within our collective unconscious that sustains itself regardless of human destiny?
Enter into this mysterious world of symbols, bizarre rituals, secret words, signs, and handshakes and learn first hand what it is all about, where it is coming from and where it is going.
The subject of the ROYAL ART is Freemasonry in all its different aspects. The author tried to present, in the compact form, history, teachings, and practices of this oldest fraternal organization in the world, as well as, its organization and perspectives in the future.
There are three main qualities of the ROYAL ART. One comes out of the author’s methodology, where by unveiling the workings of Masonic symbolism and philosophy, page after page, he brings the reader to the understanding of the most private and secret Masonic rituals and ceremonies.
The second quality is in his approach to the Masonic Traditions and concepts, where, unlike any author before, he tries to bring together two conflicting Masonic concepts, (Traditional-English and Secular-French), in order to prove them compatible. He takes on controversial subjects, such as women in Freemasonry, Religion and Freemasonry, place of the Bible in the Masonic ritual, and many other taboo questions rarely addressed in the Masonic literature.
The third quality of this unique book is in the abundance of information and reference material on: Masonic history, Degrees and Rites, Famous Freemasons, List of the Grand Lodges, Bibliography and recommended literature, Masonic Publications and web-sites, Masonic Libraries and Museums etc.
Excerpt
“Some Freemasons believe that our Royal Art appeared with the birth of the first man and that it will be around till the end of human kind. To be born a human being means having an unalienable right to be “Human” – to act and to be treated as such. To practice Masonry means to constantly strive towards the highest ideals of humanity. Freemasons often disagree among themselves about what the end result of their quest “for that which is lost” represents. For some it is return from the fall to the original Divine state of the First Man. For others, it is the achievement of the inner perfection and happiness and improvement in all fields of human existence. Whatever it is, the quest is one and the same: to enlighten our hearts and minds, search for absolute truth, believe in the inherited goodness of man, and maintain human dignity, practice virtues, and always, always endeavor to be in harmony with the whole of Creation.” ( Royal Art, page 129)
|
