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FROM THE TAO TO THE KNIGHT TEMPLARS, MASONIC PRINCIPLES ARE EVERYWHERE

by WB. Pierre G. GAUJARD, Ph.D., PP., PM., 32nd degree KCCH.

MARYLAND MASONIC RESEARCH SOCIETY, Dec 2, 2006

I – What are our Masonic Principles? I – 1 The first 3 degrees: 1st Degree: Initiation This is the corner stone of your own building, your Inner Temple, on foundations which will honor our Master Builders. 2nd Degree: Based on Science and Knowledge, honors the “Great Geometrician“ of the Universe. 3rd Degree is the Drama of Death and rebirth: I will bring you back to life as many Masons before you. Then I have chosen the 4th degree and the 31st degree as examples. I – 2 4th degree: The SECRET MASTER History Scottish degrees were practiced in France in the early 1740’s and, more particularly, in the « Perfect Scottish Lodge of Saint John of Jerusalem » founded by Stephen Morin in 1741 in Bordeaux. This Lodge is said to have practiced a 14-degree « Rite of Perfection » as early as 1744, followed by the first Scottish lodge founded in Paris in 1747 i. However, the 4th « Secret Master » Degree and the 5th « Perfect Master » Degree, which are closely linked, were not specifically mentioned. A Scottish Rite, including seven degrees, is also reported to have been practiced in Paris in 1750 and in the Lodge of Saint John of Scotland, founded in 1751 in Marseilles, France. This Lodge is said to have later adopted an 18-degree rite which included a 4th « Perfect Master » Degree, but did not mention any « Secret Master «

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Degree ii. The Marseilles Lodge inspired the foundation of the Council of Clairmont in 1754 in Paris which, in turn, chartered the Paris « Lodge of Saint John of Jerusalem » in 1755, and the « Council of Emperors of the East and West» in 1758. The Council of Clairmont may originally have used a chivalric rite of seven degrees possibly developed in Germany in 1759. This rite included four « high » degrees, none of which were « Secret Master » or « Perfect Master » Degrees iii

However, the Council of Clairmont, together with the Paris « Lodge of Saint John of Jerusalem » and the « Council of Emperors of the East and West», were major contributors to the development of the 25-degree « Rite of Perfection » which institutionalized the numerous previous attempts at establishing a logically structured sequence of diversified rituals. Its Constitutions were first published in Bordeaux in 1762, then officially finalized in the framework of the Grand Constitutions of 1786. They established the « Secret Master » and « Perfect Master » as the 4th and 5th Degrees, respectively. Let us incidentally remark that a 25-degree « Rite of Perfection » practiced in Lyons, France, in 1961 included the « Perfect Master » as the 8th Degree, preceding the « Secret Master » which was the 10th Degree. The « Perfect Master » Degree is likely indeed to have been developed prior to the « Secret Master » Degree. The ritual of the more philosophical and metaphysical 4th Degree was very limited and rarely practiced in the 18th century. However, this situation was reversed in the 19th century, when the ritual of the 4th Degree was considerably expanded and given precedence over the 5th Degree which, since then, has been conferred by communication only.

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Both degrees deepened and expanded the symbolism of the 3rd « Master Mason » Degree. They announced the general objective of the « Lodge of Perfection » (from the 4th to the 14th Degrees) which focuses on the search for the « True Name of God », the « Lost Word », that is to say the search for Knowledge in the sense of divine Wisdom or Enlightenment, as differentiated from the knowledge of mere intellectual acquisitions. The « Secret Master » Degree, more particularly, focuses on the Mason’s necessary struggle to overcome the dualistic conflicts in the world so that his Soul may ascend back to its original blissful unity with the Supreme Spirit. Such Wisdom is to be revealed as experiential mystical intimations of divine eternity, infinity and unity which Man shares with the Universe. « There is on earth and under the canopy of Heaven much more than what imagination can conceive ». These revelations are to result from the study of the Biblical symbols of the Rite and the spiritual teachings of Hermetic, Neo-Platonician

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and Rosicrucian philosophies, Alchemy or the Kabbalah, inter alia, as well as silent meditation and prayer, as symbolized by the Candidate placing the first two fingers of his right hand upon his lips, as he enters the Lodge. LEGEND OF THE DEGREE Following the murder of Hiram Abif, King Solomon appointed Adoniram as the Master Architect to continue the work of the late Hiram and complete the construction of the Temple. Adoniram was already the Master of Works before the arrival of Hiram Abif, who was his friend. As such, he was in charge of « the levy and tribute », that is to say the recruitment of the labor force. Then, he was sent to Lebanon for the procurement of cedar wood as needed for the construction of the Temple. In order to assist him, Solomon appointed six Levites, or « Secret Masters », to be the guardians of the Holy of Holies, the inmost sacred chamber where God’s Truth was enshrined. This distinguished promotion as builders and priests made them the mediators between Heaven and Earth, a glorious but highly demanding duty. The Degree presents the preparation of the new « Secret Masters » for this duty. PHILOSOPHICAL TEACHINGS « I have passed from the square to the compasses », says the Senior Warden at the start of the ceremony. Later on, the Master removes the square from the Candidate’s forehead and says: « Walk uprightly and turn not aside into the inviting paths of error. You now have passed from the square to the compasses, as the geometrician passes from the straight lines and angles, by which he measures the surface of the earth, to the great curves and circles by which he calculates the movements of the stars. Begin to climb the skies of spiritual knowledge, for there are Truth and the Lost Word to be found ». Some time later, he adds: « You have now taken the first step over the threshold, the first step toward the inner sanctuary and heart of the temple ». As already explained in « Esoteric Symbolism » above, the Master encourages the Candidate to soar from earthly knowledge and preoccupations toward the highest spheres of pure spiritual consciousness and divine Wisdom. This will be facilitated by the progression of the various degrees of the Rite iv. In this Degree, divine absolute Truth is said to be unknowable, unattainable to the human mind, as implied by Albert Pike when he refers to the “Degrees of Perfection” as

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« ineffable ». However, a Mason should nevertheless strive at least to come as close to God’s Spirit as possible in his lifetime. « Press onward, up the slopes of the mountain, lest death should overtake and smite you before you reach the summit » : This is a call always to do good and be positive, as we may disappear at any moment. It also means that time should never be wasted, for life is short, keeping in mind the Mason’s fundamental undertaking to recover his original divine Knowledge and Wisdom. This reinforces the teaching about the 24-inch gauge in the Entered Apprentice Degree. This Degree focuses on duty as one of the major tenets of Masonry. « A Freemason should indeed be a man of honor and conscience, preferring his duty to everything beside, even to life; independent in his opinions; of good morals; submissive to the laws; devoted to humanity, his country, and his family; kind and indulgent to his brethren; friend of all virtuous men; and ready to assist his fellows by all means in his power ». Duty implies hard and constant work. However, reason and compassion should make duty a positive joyful virtue, not a negative, grudgingly performed requirement. I – 3 31st degree: Justice and Equity (GRAND) INSPECTOR INQUISITOR (COMMANDER) v

OBJECTIVES OF THE DEGREE: This Degree focuses on JUSTICE and elaborates upon the relationship between human law, as the guardian of social justice, and ideal divine justice. It exhorts us to judge ourselves and others according to the Masonic wisdom taught in preceding degrees, keeping in mind the difference between human and divine justice. It also teaches us that immortality demands to convert our knowledge and faith into actual self-improvement and not confine them to mere external attitudes of morality and piety. Our spiritual improvement will then automatically reflect on society. The 31st Degree was considered, at a certain point of history, as the highest degree of Masonic realization. Therefore, it is more than an administrative degree, although it was primarily a temporary tribunal to (a) exercise judicial powers on an ad hoc basis in order to enforce and maintain the Statutes and

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Regulations of the Order and individual Masonic duties and code of behavior, (b) take disciplinary action in order to redress any breach of Masonic laws, regulations and edicts, and (c) “see that recipients of the Higher Degrees are not unnecessarily multiplied” (Albert Pike). The Degree is not so much concerned by profane justice, but deal with spirituality, symbolized by the prevalent white decor of the Lodge. The preceding degrees have presented the virtues and wisdom that Man should strive for acquiring. They have taught, above all, how to escape from the apparent contradictions of elements and forces in Man and in the world, and reach a point where relative, complementary oppositions merge together into the “unity of the whole”, the universal order and harmony. The Degree essentially focuses indeed on reaching a state of mind to be one in oneself, the highest level of realization, the transcendent mind-set of the Sages of all times and all lands. It is a state of perfect equilibrium and balance in which wisdom and justice reside. It is the final alchemical white-hot fusion producing the gold of Truth and bliss. It is the culmination of the human quest for which the Candidate, like all heroes of great myth cycles, must go through a deep purification process symbolized by the most searching questions asked by the “Court of the Dead”, during the ceremony. The Degree does not actually aim at selecting saints, but at making the Mason realize what he is essentially, how much latitude he gives himself and the degree of self-deception he practices. The objective is to destroy all unconscious arrogance, hold our obligations in our hearts and practice them in our lives and not only profess them with our mouths. This “change of heart” can be achieved by equitably redressing, correcting, adjusting or protecting the various aspects of conflicting situations and thus come as close as possible to absolute justice and equity of judgment on ourselves and our fellow-men, with the ultimate view to maintaining the unity and harmony of the whole society. PHILOSOPHICAL TEACHINGS Appearance and Reality: The Hall of Justice is called the Hall of Two Truths because there is the truth of our visible conduct during our life and the absolute truth which presents the stark facts of our behavior, taking no account of excuses and extenuating circumstances or hidden motives and calculations. The essential lesson is that one should not mistake form for substance, appearance for reality, as one may obey the laws for fear of

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punishment, practice charity to alleviate our sense of guilt and feel better, or attend religious services to ensure selfish salvation, conform with society and ready-made “truths”, by which our brains were conditioned since childhood, and thus avoid troubling questioning of those “truths” by our reason and common sense. Outward manifestations of civility and piety are insufficient. On the other hand, sincere struggle for perfection consists in abiding by the laws because one respects their moral value; practicing charity because the sacrifice it involves serves one’s neighbor’s needs and alleviates misery; and adhering to private religious practices because they fit with one’s inmost quest for divine love, human compassion and enlightenment with regard to the essential reality of oneself and the universe, and the meaning of one’s cosmic existence. The main objective is to become the best one can be, and seek the best way to serve others and the world. Such is the only path to the divine “Realm of Light”. However, even if we strive to aim at the best, we should be realistic and be content with the best possible, since wishing to reach absolute right and perfect divine justice, without taking human necessity and frailty into account, would be just an empty dream. Action, Intent and Purpose: In the Hall of Equity, the Candidate is taught that it is necessary to control Man’s appetites and passions, hence the need for social laws in civilized societies. These laws were generally devised by inspired minds. However, “these laws are only the letter, but not the spirit” that they only reflect. “They may proscribe action, but cannot discern intent. They may define an obedient soul, but cannot reveal a noble one”. This leads to the focus of this Degree which is the moral prevalence of the judgment of each human being by himself over the judgment of men by other men. As “Inspectors”, we should inspect, or rather introspect, scrutinize our own selves to be conscious of our own defects and avoid them. As “Inquisitors”, we should also inquire into the motives of our own hearts and conduct in order to have an objective, fair opinion of applause as well as censure, honor as well as shame, and thus establish the right equilibrium in judging “facts of life”. The Inspector Inquisitor should listen to his conscience which is the sure guide to the true moral law of justice. Ill-will, jealousy, selfishness, intolerance and bigotry are the enemies of justice, but a wide-open heart for all, gentleness and kind affections are its best allies. We should also remember that as we judge below, so we will be ourselves judged hereafter by God who knows the motives, intentions and purposes of all our actions since He is not limited by the inherent uncertainty of human testimony.

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Justice and Mercy: The Masonic Square and Compasses, Plumb and Level remind us of what our judgment should be based upon: Careful consideration of facts and circumstances, uprightness, impartiality, accuracy of judgment and uniformity of decision. Like a building well squared and leveled, a Mason should be firm in his conviction of right, justice and truth. This should not preclude mercy and compassion. However, when regret and reformation of criminals can no longer be expected, then the sword of justice should be applied relentlessly with the full strength of the Law. Man’s Law and Divine Justice: The laws of Man, however good they may be, are but the shadows of the laws of Nature which are beyond human understanding. Justice is the fundamental law of the moral as well as natural universe. According to this law, what is right stands, whereas what is wrong eventually falls. Unfortunately, men tend to consider their law as God’s own, rather than ever seeking by observation and reflection what the universal laws of God are indeed. Everywhere in the world there is a natural law, law of matter, law of mind and law of morals. These laws are facts without exceptions and obedience is the only reasonable attitude. For instance,. the law of gravity and attraction is the universal common bond making every particle of matter in the universe related to each and all other particles. “Underneath them all resides one and the same eternal force” without which everything would either dissolve or simply could never have been, or fuse into one infinite “chaotic” black hole of ineffable density. Man’s Natural Sense of Justice: The law of justice is as universal as the law of attraction: It is activated in Man by a natural moral faculty, Man’s conscience, through the intuitive perception of an ideal rule of right and wrong. We naturally feel that virtue should be rewarded and vice contained and punished. We were created with this moral sense for wise and beneficent purposes. The sense of justice belongs to human nature. It is the law of right, the divine rule of conduct for human life. The mass of men are always looking for what is just. Men are the instruments of God’s principles. Our morality is the instrument of His justice, power and wisdom. Justice and Necessity: However, it is difficult, if not impossible, for Man to conceive God’s moral law of justice in the universe, and, more particularly, in our world where the cruel economy of Nature prevails: It starts with the food chain, those killing fields where the survival of the stronger demands the cruel suffering and tortured death of the weaker, and the destruction of a

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multitude of sensitive, living beings. God made man carnivorous, just as the smallest bird is with the worm. Nature gave the lion the sharp teeth required to tear the flesh of the gazelle. Man cannot morally accept (although it is the only thing he can do!) the principle of the miserable child’s deformity or organic disease as a consequence of his father’s vices! Man cannot easily passively surrender to the God-created “universe of necessities”, with its law of cause and effect, resulting in this ”interminable succession and aggregate of cruelties”. It is written in Holy Scriptures that nothing here below can happen that is not willed or accepted by God. Although Man cannot impeach God’s law of necessity and justice, he is tempted to replace it by his own, his paradoxical God-given intuitive sense of justice which is in conflict with what he observes. Man is indeed tempted to think that “a good omnipotent and omniscient God ought to have permitted no pain, no poverty, no servitude”, and that “Man’s own ideal of justice is more lofty than the actualities of God”. Man’s Attempted Escape: Of course Man has tried to find an escape to the above dilemma in “the hypothesis of another existence in which all inequalities and injustices in this life would be remedied and compensated for, in the hereafter, or in the principle of reincarnation, according to which Man suffers in his present life in order to feel and understand the mistakes and evil deeds of his past lives, atone for them and thereby progress towards perfection through this harsh purification process. On the other hand, how could “what is thus made necessary (by God) be unjust”? This has led agnostics and Buddhists to think that there is no morality in Nature. Things are what they are and the only thing we can do is to try and find the means to improve society and alleviate suffering as much as we can through knowledge, science, benevolence and compassion. A subsequent moral concept is that Man has to kill to survive, but has no right to willfully torture; he may make others serve him by necessity or for his benefit, but he has no right to exploit, overwork and underpay those he employs. Idealism and Practicality: Absolute, ideal justice cannot be reached. “The time will never come when there will be no want, no oppression, no servitude, no fear of man, no fear of God, but only Love”. Natural physical and intellectual “inequalities, indulgence in low vice, improvidence, indolence, pestilence, war and famine, earthquakes and volcanoes must of necessity cause men to want, serve, suffer and fear”. Therefore, Man can only make constant efforts to be realistic and “practically just” in his thought, behavior and judgment. To know we will never reach ideal justice

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should not preclude going for it! “To be on the way is already to have reached destination”, as the Buddha would put it. The law will always be imperfect since it is human. However, we should strive “to approach as near as practicable toward just laws and ideal democracy” in which “Government should not foster the strong at the expense of the weak, nor protect the capitalist and tax the laborer. The powerful should not seek a monopoly of development and enjoyment…nor should political morality be neglected for political economy”. This requires individual sacrifice for the common good. The permanent welfare of society should prevail over the temporary life-interests of the individual. Such is the Mason’s duty for Albert Pike. Crime and Injustice Do Not Pay: It is true that “wickedness appears strong” and long-lasting; “cruelty, unfairness, inhumanity, partiality, over-reaching and hard-dealing are as familiar as they are ugly; pauperism and vice are rampant; the rich and powerful and intellectual do not do their duty and remain silent or indulge in inarticulate mutterings about the poor, the feeble and the ignorant”. However, a long view of history tends to demonstrate that no wrong is really successful in the long term and, “even if iniquity seems to prosper, its success is eventually its own defeat and shame”. Corrupt empires have all disappeared. This may be after all God’s discreet sign pointing to His Wisdom and Justice. II – WHAT DOES HISTORY TEACH US? FREEMASONRY: FROM ANCIENT DAYS TO THE 21st CENTURY, AN ETERNAL WAY OF LIFE "Freemasonry is a very old philosophy of life, which has survived for centuries, and continues to day to be a strong vehicle to guide us in this lifetime". That is why I called it "an eternal way of life". Masonry has been alive with many different forms.

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II - 1 - History. We all know that our Order has been reactivated in 1717, but where does it come from? Is it from: A - the building of King Solomon Temple? or B - the builders of the cathedrals in the 13th Century? or C - the Knight Templars, and its last Grand Master Jacques de Molay who is the great figure that we all know and revere? The challenge is difficult. I do not know if the first two, A and B are correct, but I do know that the third one, C and the history of the Knight Templars, have very strong connections with Masonry as we honor Jacques de Molay in the 30th degree. I will develop this in a moment. From very ancient days our philosophy of Brotherly love and Tolerance (or as I prefer: " Acceptance of the difference within the Other"), has been an all time teaching. Let me give you examples. II - 2 - The Vedas. These very ancient scriptures which appeared around 1800 BC, have been written in sanskrit and come from the North West of India. They teach us a mystic way of life and are key in many beliefs which came later. The Upanishads which are the second part of the Vedas are of the utmost importance. The word means" Secret Teachings". They teach us many aspects of our lives that other masters (Buddha, Jesus,...) have used in their teachings. The Vedas are: "The knowledge that destroys the bonds of ignorance and leads to the Supreme Goal of Freedom", said Shankara, a seventh century commentator, who added: "They are the Breath of the Eternal". In the Chapter I, ISHA, we can read: "LIFE in the world and LIFE in the spirit are not incompatible. Work or action, is not contrary to knowledge of God". II - 3 - The Egyptians had a great understanding of this secret knowledge which is coming from their oldest roots: the "schools of mysteries" in Alexandria have enlightened the world during more than a millennium.

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The Pharaoh Amenophys the IVth who lived in the XIVth century BC, was a man of knowledge and wisdom. For the first time in the known history of man, he abolished all Deities and recognized the oneness of God whom he called Aton. He took the name of Aknaton, and established the first monotheist religion. The Egyptian Ankh, or Cross of life, was the symbol of Aton and became widely used as a symbol of life of wisdom and love. Even to day some people are wearing this cross which has kept its power for 3 500 years. Most of the teachings of Aknaton were in fact very close to masonic beliefs: The Great Architect of the Universe, Love, Wisdom, Tolerance and Brotherly love. II - 4 - This is so real that one of the oldest philosophical order: “The Ancient Mystic Order of Rose Croix” is established and based upon such philosophy (thus very close to Masonic philosophy). They believe that the origin of the Order goes back to Aknaton, actually 400 years before the building of King's Solomon Temple. We do not have time to elaborate the philosophy of the Egyptian of those times, the Rosicrucians, and Masonry, but we would find many similarities, and Divine Wisdom. II – 5 - The Promised Land. In the Old Testament, Jesus was not announced as the Messiah "Savior In Nature", but with the Jewish tradition which meant a "King-To-Be". Does it mean that Jesus is just a human being like anybody else? Of course not, but a Master who attained liberation. And that leads us to the "Essenes", this Jewish community, better known after the discovery of the "Dead Sea Scrolls" in 1947. And again we find some very interesting beliefs: Jesus was taught by the Essenes, and beyond them some clear influence from the Upanishads can easily be recognized. Did Jesus go to India? We do not know. But when He said: "My Kingdom is not from this world", did he mean our world vs. the world of Heavens? Probably not, but the world of the day-to-day tasks, vs. the world of the Serene, the Calm, the Knowledge, the Inside.

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Isn’t it the profane world vs. the world inside the Lodge? The world of agitation vs. the world of wisdom? The agitation of the waves vs. the deep calm of the bottom of the sea? The Lodge is our refuge, and the symbols of the three great lights and of the 3 lesser lights (Strength, Beauty & Wisdom in the Scottish Right) are quite clear. It would be too long to get into more specifics, but at that point it appeared to us that the great philosophies of the Ancient days have something in common with Masonry. II - 6 - The Gnostic Gospels. In the New Testament we have the Gospels of Luc, Matthew, Marc and John. We know now that this version is probably a modified version vs. its original. When the Gnostic Gospels were discovered in Nag Hammadi, Upper Egypt in 1947, we have been amazed to discover these scriptures which were dormant since 350 AD. We can read the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, and many other texts which have been translated differently in the common New Testament of the Bible. In the Gospel of Philip, we can read: "Those who say they will die first and then rise are in error; they must receive the resurrection while they live." This description of living resur-rection reminds us of the subject matter of the Masonic Third Degree ceremony. We also found in the Gnostic Gospels that they "claim to offer to every initiate a means of direct access to God", which leaves everyone of us free of our choice and personal paths. Bishops and priests must help us to find it not impose their truth: Isn't it something similar, when We as Masons, are asked to fight against barbarian or religious totalitarianism? Let us quote the Gospel of Thomas: ""Jesus said: "Show me the stone which the builders have rejected. That one is the Corner Stone"". Isn't it a sentence which is similar to the basis of our ritual?

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II - 7 - The Knight Templars. Did the Knight Templars find significant clues when they were in Jerusalem and made excavations under the Temple built by Herod? We may never know. But we do know that their "treasure" was probably significant, and not made by gold or properties (These had been confiscated by the King of France), but of a more spiritual nature. Did they bury it in the Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland, after Jacques de Molay was arrested on Friday the 13th of October 1307, and put to death on March 18, 1314. (see par. III). II – 8 - Briefly we can mention: - The True Christians (Schism of the IVth century, from the rule of Constantin the Emperor of Rome) who wanted to live according to the early Church, which included many teachings from the Essenes. - The Bogomiles (from: "Bogomil" which means in Bulgarian language: friend of God). This group emerged from the True Christians who escaped from the Roman rule. - Then the same True Christians emerged in the West; here they were first called "Cathars" (from: "Katharos": which means pure). In southern France, they were welcome; they found their common roots with ancient christianity from the Arian Visigoths who migrated in this land in the VIIIth century. The Cathars like the Arian Christianity, did not recognize the Pope of Rome; this was obviously, the ultimate sin. Let me read to you some of their teachings: . The only Commandment was "Compassion" for the other, for your Brother, for your Sister. . Brotherly love, help of widows and orphans, respect of the Obligation, tolerance and allegiance to the ethics, the rule, the flag and the government (in that case the Comte de Toulouse) were the basic rules of this community. Their Officers and middle hierarchy were called "les Parfaits et les Parfaites" (The Perfects both male and female). . The human being has a long journey in this world, before finding Light and God. . Catharism reads the Old Testament of the Bible in a quite subtle way:

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"The materialistic world is the world where Man, created at God's Image, is incarnated. Evil is created by Man, and Man can practice and recognize Evil". We are again very close to the Upanishads! II – 9 - The XIIIth and XIVth centuries AD. This period is extraordinary in many respects: it began with the assassination of thousands of people as we saw earlier ("Crusade" of 1209), and at the same time produced the finest artists, carvers, philosophers, musicians, writers, troubadours, and of course builders of cathedrals. In fact, this explosion of knowledge and artistic behavior has deep roots in the previous centuries. The troubadours for example, took their music, songs and poetry in the true knowledge which was communicated to them orally (and even sometimes in some underground ways), by thinkers and other philosophers of previous centuries, themselves committed to the early Church. The building of the great gothic cathedrals in Western Europe, is definitely a major event both on the mystical path and from a technological and artistic points of view. We have to go back to ancient Rome to find such endeavors. A handful of large roman cathedrals such as Vezelay and Conques, both in France, has even been built during the XIIth century, on the path of the Pilgrim's routes to Santiago de Compostella in Spain. The great cathedrals through out Europe, with the majority of them in France and western Germany, are in fact the manifestation of this great surge of mysticism which began with the crusades and Saint Bernard, and saw the glory of the Knight Templars. Is Masonry part of that movement? We are not sure, but may be the companions who built the cathedrals, who were free men able to go to different countries, to work there, to be protected there, to settle there, may have been an early stage of brotherhood which led to Freemasonry. Documentation is uncertain here, and we have no real proof of such relation. However, the spirit was close to our Chain of Union. The Sufism in Persia flourished in that period, and the great poet and Saint Shams-ud-din Muhammad Hafiz (1320-1389) left beautiful texts singing: Love, Tolerance, and the ultimate goal of all human Beings: the mystical inner Journey which leads to Self Realization.

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II - 10 - The Philosophy. I have tried to show you that the old message is very much alive, and very masonic in nature. Both the turmoil and the great search that we witness, are finally part of our way of life. Does it mean that we are lost, and we will not emerge from darkness? NO. We are not trapped with duality. We create our own darkness, as well as our journey to the Light, which is our journey, nobody else's journey. I HAVE NOW CHOSEN 2 MAJOR TRADITIONS: From the East: THE TAO, From the West: Christianity with THE KNIGHT TEMPLARS III - TAOISM and MASONRY The Tao (pronounced “dow” in Mandarin, or “tow” in the Shanghai dialect) is a very large subject, so this first presentation will be an overview of this very important philosophy. Philosophies and arts such as Tai Chi, Feng Shui, Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, are all part of or derived from Taoism. III – 1 - Introduction To follow the Tao - the “Way” - is to follow one of the world’s oldest spiritual/philosophical traditions, predating the foundation of Christianity by some four or five hundred years. The Tao encompasses a message of balance and proportion — you must seek to avoid discord and to achieve harmony by finding the middle way between any two extremes. Taoists set out to follow the natural way of Heaven by reconciling and reunifying the opposing forces of yin and yang, or the positive and negative forces of

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nature in the Chinese mind, in order to achieve the unified consciousness of the Tao. Taoists believe in the profundity of nature that, out of its continuous cycle of change, tends always towards the most harmonious outcome. All life is therefore subject to this cycle of change, pulled between the interaction of opposite polar influences that are never wholly good nor wholly bad but, instead, are complementary aspects of the same primordial One: the Tao that manifests all existence. To oppose change or to attempt to impose an artificial, man-made order on the natural way is thus to oppose the very principle of existence. Taoists have refined this principle into the practice of wu wei — or ”non-action”, or the path of least interference with the unfolding of nature. The Taoist sets out to attune his or her mind and body to the natural order: to eat according to season, to take regular exercise, to meditate, and to avoid stress by working with the course of events rather than opposing them. This belief in the ultimate ‘rightness’ of nature encouraged a passion that came to be expressed in the work of Taoist-inspired painters and poets, and is rooted in their attachment to the richness of the Chinese landscape. As poets and painters celebrated the Tao in their reflections of the interaction of man and the natural world, so too did Taoist doctors, acupuncturists and ch’i kung masters celebrate the Tao in the human body. The emphasis on health and longevity is another major characteristic of Taoism. Man, as a manifestation of Tao, holds within himself the spark of the eternal universal energy, or ch’i. Through specific exercises and meditation to promote health and a long life, Taoists hope that they might, at last, understand how to become immortal. It is from this religious context that Taoist alchemists, herbalists and doctors developed the rich traditions of classical Chinese medicine and exercise that have become so familiar in the West. One of the reasons why Taoism is today reaching a wider and more informed audience in the West is that it offers a comprehensive way of life, which integrates practical concerns for health and harmonious living with the spiritual quest. The concern for physical and mental health goes far beyond the dietary laws of other faiths such as Judaism and Islam, and although Christians may refer to the body as the ‘temple of the Holy Spirit’, so far they have not thought to integrate callisthenics and breathing exercises into their daily worship. While it might be viewed as a Christian duty to take care of the body, the ‘soul’ remains ‘other’ — a separate entity that is undying and will live independently of the body whatever we do. The Taoist

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gives no such independence to the soul. The maintenance of a balanced, healthy mind and body is not just an asset to spiritual peace. It is the primary means to acquire such peace. Health and general well-being is therefore a spiritual imperative and must be pursued with the same seriousness as contemplative practice or religious observance. The Chinese viewed ‘religion’ from a more utilitarian perspective than their Western Christian counterparts. In this way, it was and still is possible for the Chinese to be Taoists, Buddhists and followers of Confucius all at the same time, turning to whichever tradition seems to offer the best match to a specific need. This more open, non-sectarian approach to faith and worship may have been Taoism’s gift to the Chinese religious character for, in the main, the Chinese have maintained an open, pragmatic attitude in these matters that has resisted the idea of one people, one faith (masonic). Rather than futilely opposing its Buddhist and Confucian rivals, Taoism absorbed their messages and gave back much of its own to both traditions. Without Taoism there would be no Zen Buddhism, and Confucianism would have lost much of its heart and compassion. Unlike many other philosophies or faith traditions, Taoism can be approached through participation in the Taoist ‘arts’ of moving meditation and harmonious living, such as tai ch’i, ch’i kung and feng shui, without the need to ever go near a Taoist temple. Lessons learnt by the body inform the mind, and enlighten the soul. No other faith tradition seems to offer such a practical approach to achieving the balance of body, mind and spirit that is essential for living a long and contented life. However, before we absorb, or extract, or borrow, or make a declaration of belief, we must see Taoism in its context within the development of Chinese religious culture as a whole. In introducing the Tao and its roots to you, I hope to show you here that Taoism and Masonry have significant issues in common. III - 2 - History of Taoism It is important to know the history of a wisdom tradition and be connected to its origins. The shamans of ancient China laid down the foundations of Taoism. Several thousand years ago, before there was the idea of the Tao and before a philosophy was built around it, tribal leaders made offerings to the sky,

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earth, mountains, valleys, and rivers to renew the bond between humanity and the sacred powers. They danced movements of power that took them to distant realms to gain knowledge and wisdom. We can still see some of these practices today in Taoist religious ceremonies and in the ‘‘moving meditation’’ and exercises of internal health. Finally, emerged the synthesis of classical Taoist philosophy, internal alchemy, Buddhism, and Confucianism. By the eleventh century CE, a form of Taoism that advocated the cultivation of both body and mind began to be taught by sages. Inspired by the Confucian philosophy of the original nature of goodness and the Zen techniques of stilling the mind, a synthesis of the three philosophies - Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism - was reached. This form of Taoism is found in the teachings of two major Taoist schools today: The Complete Reality School (Ch’Uan-chen) and the Earlier Heaven Way (Hsien-t’ien Tao). III - 3 - The Origins of Taoism Taoism, and its two great counterparts Confucianism and Buddhism, comprise the ‘three teachings’ whose historic dialogue has conditioned so much of the character of Chinese society. However, unlike its two rival traditions, Taoism does not claim the teachings of one man of exemplary virtue or of supra-normal spiritual power as its inspiration. Rather it has evolved over the long course of time, constantly added to and amended by successive teachers and philosophers, who were never afraid to borrow and adapt ideas and practices from sources outside their own tradition. Shamanic Beginnings: It is the rituals and beliefs of the early shamans which lie behind Taoist ideas about creation and the energies of the heavens. These healers, diviners and rainmakers were indispensable to early Chinese tribal society; no major course of action could be embarked upon without consulting a shaman to determine if the timing was auspicious. It was the shamans who interpreted the spirit worlds, mediated with them and looked into the heart of Nature to divine the best times for planting, harvesting and conducting personal affairs. The Chinese archetype of the shaman is the figure of the ancient shaman-king, Yu.

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Taking a brief pause here, I would like to remind the audience, that we had Shamans and Sages through out the ages, but modern day Sages may be considered to be “Masons” or with a “Masonic Spirit”, and we will revisit this later. III – 4 - The TAO We have seen that the roots of Taoism run deep, reaching back through the centuries. Taoism has two fundamental core beliefs, which were common place truths held by all the early Chinese peoples — that everything derives its existence from the Tao, and that our separateness from the Tao is merely an illusion created by the interplay of two polar forces, known as yin and yang. What defined Taoism from all the other schools of Chinese thought is Lao-tzu’s interpretation of how the person of good will should act, or not act, in accordance with the Universal Law of the Tao. The term ‘Tao’ can be simply translated as ‘The Road’, ‘The Path’, or the ‘Way’, which, if followed without deviation or restraint, will realize the individual’s potential to interact harmoniously with creation. The term is not exclusive to Taoism, but Taoism has made it uniquely its own. For the Confucians, the Tao is an ethical principle. By following the Tao we will find the virtue within ourselves. While the idea that the Tao is a pathway for the pursuit of virtue has resonance in Taoist philosophy, the Taoist Way is not a Way constructed from ethical principles and codes of social behavior. The sage follows the Way because the Tao is the ultimate reality that gives form to all things, and thereby gives reality to virtue. Lao-tzu declared the Tao to be the One that is eternal, natural and spontaneous, and which can never be named or described. Tao is the primordial potential that predates creation and all existence. It is the undifferentiated void and the ultimate source of all things. It is the void that exists as pure spirit. It is the non-void that surrounds and contains the impersonal perfection from which beings including man are separated by delusion. Thus the Tao is not conscious of activity: it has no purpose, seeks no reward or praise for its course, yet it ‘performs all things to perfection’. Unlike God, the Tao is not burdened by a perfectibility against which all human action

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may be judged and found wanting. The Tao just is! As the rain falls to the ground and runs as a river to the sea, or an animal walks and the bird flies, it is the Way things do as they do. To live fully, Lao-tzu tells us, we need only to follow the Way of noninterference, and trust in the Tao’s innate capacity to arrange and form all things — the source from which all perfection flows. In this universe governed by the immutable law of the Tao, there is no permanence. All phenomena are subject to the inexorable cycle of being and not being, of birth, decay and regeneration. This is only made possible through the agency of yin and yang, brought into existence by the Taoist version of the ‘Big Bang’, when the One became Two. III – 5 – The “YIN – YANG” Polarity Yin yang polarity is the process by which the Tao - as the vital energy ch’i - is made discernible in the world. These theories long predate the Tao-te Ching and are common to practically all Chinese schools of philosophy. Over time their use became invested with more profound meanings. However, it should be understood that yin is not a negative force in any pejorative sense. It represents only the opposite qualities of the other. Thus yin is yielding and soft, whereas yang is hard and expanding. Yin always moves downwards and inward while yang moves ever upward and outwards. Thus yin is seen as the feminine power, symbolized by water, the earth and the cool investment of the dark, while yang is the masculine power of man, fire and heaven. Yin and yang are bipolar forces that have no determinable border but constantly cross and intermingle, each containing the seed of the other within it — just as night is lightened by the moon and stars, and day darkened by cloud and shadows. It is in this dimension where the yang of heaven and the yin of earth commingle that the realm of mankind exists. In this plane, where their passages cross and coalesce, there can be no pure yin or pure yang. Once each polarity reaches its extreme limit it must inevitably reverse to become its opposite. Yin and yang give birth to each other; the ‘One’, the primordial energy of the Tao, producing the ‘two’. Thus there can be no realization of yin and yang without an exchange between one and the other. This is the ultimate reunion of the Feminine and the Masculine which is, according to the Tao, highly spiritual.

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III – 6 - Systems of Taoism There exist different paths within Taoism. Although these paths are sometimes called schools, their teachings are not mutually exclusive. Please note the parallel with our masonic principles. 1 - Magical Taoism, the Way of Power, is the oldest form of Taoism practiced today. In Magical Taoism, power from the natural elements and from the spirits, immortals, and deities, is invoked and channeled by the practitioner. 2 - Divinational Taoism, the Way of Seeing, is based on understanding the workings of the universe and seeing the patterns of change, to help us live in harmony with change. 3 - Ceremonial Taoism, the Way of Devotion, believes that the destiny of humanity is governed by sacred powers. By performing the correct ceremonies, humanity enters into a bond with the sacred powers and receives blessings and protection from them. 4 - Internal-Alchemical Taoism, the Way of Transformation, advocates changing mind and body to attain health, longevity, and immortality. Central to its beliefs is the idea that internal energy, or ch’i, in the body is the foundation of health. Thus, Internal-Alchemical Taoism advocates cultivating, gathering, and circulating energy. 5 - Action and Karma Taoism, the Way of Right Action, focuses on accumulating merit by doing charitable works. Its origin lies in the traditional Chinese belief that good deeds bring reward and unethical deeds invite retribution. After Buddhism was introduced into China, the belief in karmic retribution was incorporated into this form of Taoism. Action and Karma Taoism became a sophisticated system of ethics in which the rewards of an ethical life are health and well-being. Although we do not use as Masons the same wording, the parallel with Masonry here is interesting (see chap.: XII).

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III – 7 - Principal Beliefs in Action and Karma Taoism 1. Good deeds bring reward and wrongdoings bring retribution. For every action, there is a response from the Tao. Thus, the T’aishang kan-ying p’ien says that “reward and retribution follow us like shadows”. 2. Reward can come as wealth, prosperity, fame, success, achievement, and having filial descendants. Punishment can come as poverty, failure, disgrace, and having unfilial children. However, what makes the Action and Karma School different from Buddhism or even the traditional Chinese beliefs is that rewards can be health and longevity as well as wealth and prosperity, and retribution can be illness or shortening of the life span as well as poverty and misfortune. 3. There are deities and spirits whose job it is to monitor the deeds of each person. The guardian of the hearth reports the deeds of each member of the household to the Jade Emperor, who is the Director of Destiny, at the end of each year. 4. The good and bad deeds of each individual are tallied, and the Jade Emperor, rewards or punishes each person accordingly. 5. Reward and retribution can carry over to family and descendants; therefore, the actions of one generation affect the destinies of future generations. 6. Thoughts have as much leverage in determining reward and retribution as actions. Thinking an unethical thought is equivalent to doing an unethical deed. 7. Repentance can redress the wrongs that have been done, if the individual keeps the promise of refraining from doing unethical deeds in the future. The Significance of Action and Karma Taoism in Taoist Spirituality Action and Karma Taoism is non-monastic, non-priestly, and non-sectarian, but its teachings are adopted by many Taoist schools. For example, the T’ai-shang kan-ying p’ien, the foremost scripture of Action and Karma Taoism, is studied by initiates of the Complete Reality School. All the schools of

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Taoism - Magical, Ceremonial, Divinational, and Alchemical, as well as modern practitioners of internal alchemy - view ethics and right action as the foundation of spiritual development. To those who do not wish to be affiliated with any school, Action and Karma Taoism offers a moral code and a method of cultivating health and fulfilling spiritual needs. Since this school does not require a temple or monastic environment for the transmission of its teachings, it is the most accessible form of Taoism practiced today. Most importantly, Action and Karma Taoism brings the teachings of the Tao to daily living and defines what it means to walk the path of the Tao while we are in the mortal realm. This is like Masonry practices, because it: supplies a moral code brings the learning to daily living walks the path of enlightenment is in the mortal world, but reaching beyond it. III – 8 – Masonic Principles and Taoism Free Masonry in some way, represents a synthesis of these 3 traditions, and masonic principles are closer to Taoism that what we might think. As more and more people in the West come to practice Taoism unconsciously through their pursuit of these Taoist arts, it is likely that many will be tempted to extract only what seems palatable from its philosophy. Just as the Tao teaches, change is inevitable; this cannot be avoided and must be viewed positively as part of that great melting pot of ideas and cultures that is our present world and that we, as Masons, we revere so much. We can compare this to the human quest for Knowledge, especially the Masonic quest. Knowledge of the “Word” can only take you so far. There is more to it than accumulation of knowledge. Alone, that falls short of a full life’s quest for knowledge and understanding of the Universe. The Yoga teaches us: “Balance the Force coming from Earth or Nature (through the chakra at the base of the spine), with the Force coming from the intellect or the mind (through the chakra at the crown of the head)”. But this

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is also a teaching from the Tao, and we, as Masons have a similar approach, when we leave our metals at the door, and we look for Peace and Harmony in the Lodge. “Abide in Silence” said a great Master. Silence is Knowledge and awareness. It is the Silence of Nature, of the Tao. It is the Silence of the Lodge. Although we do not use as Masons the same wording, the parallel with Masonry here is significant: 1/ The Way of Power: we recognize Nature, our democratic government, and we invoke the Deity 2/ The Way of seeing the patterns of change of the Universe: We recognize the Great Architect of the Universe 3/ The Way of Devotion: Our ceremonies and rituals are essential 4/ The Way of transformation: our goal is to improve ourselves 5/ The Way of right action: Charity is part of our obligations. The four kinds of practices: meditation, cultivation of the body, sacred ceremony, and the magical arts are quite masonic as we said, and the process of initiation is a magical art. This non-sectarian approach to faith and worship of Taoism is a pragmatic attitude that has resisted the idea of one people, one faith. The sage follows the Way because the Tao is the ultimate reality that gives form to all things, and thereby gives reality to virtue. Action and Karma Taoism is non-monastic, non-priestly, and non-sectarian, and like Masonry, it: supplies a moral code brings the learning to daily living walks the path of enlightenment is in the mortal world, but reaching beyond it. “We need only to follow the Way of non-interference, and trust in the Tao’s innate capacity to arrange and form all things, the source from which all perfection flows”.

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A famous Taoist poet, Tao-te Ching, said: “Tao produced the One. The One produced the Two. The Two produced the Three. And the Three produced ten thousand things. The ten thousand things carry the yin and embrace the yang, and through the blending of the material force [Ch’i], they achieve Harmony”. We can recognize here the masonic meaning of the Three, and the parallel with our Sublime 3rd degree. The Tao, the Yoga, The Kabala, the Book of Revelation, and other philosophies have the same goal: Allow yourself to walk on the Sacred Path. Why do you become a Mason? Think about it; to walk on the Path as well and improve yourself. IV - THE MYSTERIES OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR We as Free Masons, where are we coming from? From the cathedral builders? From the Templars? Do we have a Jewish heritage, or an Egyptian heritage, or an other esoteric heritage? Do we have a common origin with the Templars? Answering this question isn't easy. But understanding the incredible adventure of the Order of the Temple will certainly help. The beginnings of the Order of the Temple IV - 1 - The Forest of Orient There is today in this forest many names which remind us the presence of the Templars such as: House of the temple, Road of the temple, River of the temple, etc... We even find artificial ponds which can be dated back to the Templars. This forest is located approximately 20 kilometers east of Troyes, in Champagne, in France. We find today many houses, farms, ponds and other buildings which where in fact houses of the templars. All these buildings are organized in a kind of belt and where designed with a special purpose: You had to go through

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those houses and farms in order to attain the master building in the center, you had to be from the Temple. One Commandery had jurisdiction on several farms, and several commanderies formed a "Baylie". In that region we had two Baylies, one in Thors and one in Payns. . Payns was the first Baylie and was owned by Hugues de Payns, the first Grand Master of the Order. . Troyes, the capital of the Count of Champagne: Hugues de Champagne . Clairvaux, "Abbaye cistercienne", Cistercian Abbey, which was run by Bernard de Clairvaux (Saint Bernard) who gave to the Temple its rule and its mission, during the Council of Troyes in 1128. Here we have the 3 main players at the beginning of the Order: Hugues de Payns, Hugues de Champagne and Bernard de Clairvaux. It is here between the two rivers Seine and Aube that the most extraordinary Order, the most complex organization was born: The Order Of the Temple. IV – 2 - The three key players We are in the 11th century; Europe is almost "empty". Very few people are educated, and the simple fact that all of a sudden, major players show up, is a mystery. Hugues de Payns, founder and first Grand Master of the Order of the Temple, was born in Payns around 1080. He was a noble from the house of Champagne, and was involved in the first crusade (1096-1099). In 1118, nine Knights, led by de Payns showed up in Jerusalem, capital of the Christian kingdom led by the King Beaudoin the second. They ask him to be the guardians of the road between Jaffa and Jerusalem, protecting the pilgrims. The King agrees and gives them for living a part of his palace located on the site of King Solomon's Temple. The priests of Saint Sepulcre give them another part of land that they own on this site. They also take their vows in front of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Gormond de Piquigny, and because they are on the site of King Solomon's Temple, they are called: the "Knights of the Temple". And because they are poor, their receive many gifts from many rich nobles, and many Knights join them. This is the official story which is probably true of the beginning of the Temple. But when there are on the site the first thing they do, is to dig out under King Solomon's Temple; and they work hard to extract the so-called treasure.

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Why did those nine Knights go over there? Where are these orders coming from? Why all of a sudden nine individuals are going to Jerusalem digging out under King Solomon's Temple? Who gave them this idea? All of this remains a mystery. Hugues de Champagne join them in 1125. This Knight was born in 1077 and inherited the province of Champagne in 1093. He was not part of the first crusade but went to the Holy Land around 1104. When he comes back he contacts Etienne Harding Abbot of Citeaux. At this point, Harding asks the monks of his monastery to study in detail the sacred texts in Hebrew and asks the help of the Rabbis of Bourgogne. In 1114, Hugues goes back to the Holy Land, this time for a brief period, and when he comes back he offers to Etienne Harding a piece of land to create a new abbey, the Abbey of Clairvaux. This behavior is a bit strange; was Hugues a messenger and had some sort of revelation or major information that he will give to the Abbot of Citeaux; a document so important that this Abbot is going to ask to everyone, Christian or not, to bring help. Is the second trip just a quick trip to verify part of the information? And all of this is considered so important that it is decided to ask to a major figure of the time Saint Bernard who is under the direct protection of the Count, to lead the whole operation? And in 1125, Hugues de Champagne leaves everything behind (wife, son, County and power) to join the nine Knights in their house on the site of King Solomon's Temple. And this was certainly not to be the guardian and protect the pilgrims between Jaffa and Jerusalem. There was another reason: he wanted to be part of the work that the nine Knights were accomplishing in Jerusalem; and this was "the quest of the Grail", the great quest of any society. Bernard de Clairvaux (Saint Bernard) is the third man; may be the most extraordinary being living in the West at the time. There is here a mystery; this man is probably at a higher level of consciousness. He was born in 1090 near Dijon, France, in the castle of Fontaine. He was affiliated to the Dukes of Bourgogne, and received a high level of education. He has probably been introduced to the Druidic tradition and several alchemical stories exist about him (the Black Virgin feeding him with her breast for example). Has he already been initiated when he became a monk? In 1115 he founds the Abbey of Clairvaux and immediately takes the lead of the Occident (the West). He is very direct with everybody: the Kings, the

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Pope, the Bishops, the nobles. Everyone obeys to this monk not very healthy, humble and sometimes terrible. "God's business is mine" he says, and I must be aware of everything when it comes to discuss or decide about these issues. It is this man, this monk who will build the Temple, will give the Temple its mission and teach it how to proceed, who will give it its strength. IV – 3 - The Ark of the Covenant Obviously the nine Knights did not go to the Holy Land to be the guardians of a road. However they will fulfil this mission, even when the Temple had become very powerful. In fact, their actual mission was much more esoteric and of extreme importance. They do not participate in the battles with the other Templars. They stay alone and do not hire anyone. Obviously they are there not to fight, but for other means. They are right on the site of King Solomon's Temple. They clean the stables; they make a lot of room available, although they were so poor that they had only one horse for two! There is only one key to this mystery: the nine Knights did not go to the Holy Land to protect the pilgrims, but to find, guard and take back to Europe, something of extreme importance, something so sacred that no one could afford and which was only at the site of King Solomon's Temple: the Ark of Alliance, the Ark of the Covenant. " I made the World with measurements, with numbers and with weights" said God in the book of Genesis, which means that it exists a general Law which rules the entire Universe. Out of this Law, Humanity has only some minor understandings, and for centuries and centuries, seekers have always tried to go from these limited understandings to the general Law. Some seekers probably very bright, very intelligent, very intuitive, or some seekers coming from another World, may very well have found some avenues to understand this general Law of the Universe. We know that some keys have been used to transmit this supreme Knowledge from generations to generations, but because of its extreme importance, it has been kept secret and most people have not been aware of it, but it has only been transmitted through initiation. These keys have always been designated in the esoteric language with the word "Gold". One of them of course is the well-known Golden Proportion, or Golden Number. This number 1.618 allows the passage from the straight line to the curve, from the Terrestrial to the Celestial. But what remains secret is the way to use it. When the ancient

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Egyptians used it to build the great Pyramid 4500 years ago, they did not leave any clue how they knew about it and how they used it. It is of no importance if you leave a key somewhere without indicating which lock is going to be used. We can also cite the Golden Apples, the conquest of Herakles on Atlas' daughters or the Toison d'Or, the Golden Fleece conquered by the Greek Jason with Medee's help from Caucasian people where the legend tells us that Promethee was chained, guilty of having robbed the Fire in the Heavens to give it to humanity, etc ... We don't know for sure where the Egyptian Knowledge was coming from, but it is quite clear that it appeared all of a sudden without warning, without "known teachers". Remember the great Pyramid was built 4500 years ago, at a time when the planet Earth was almost empty. It is probable that the Tables of the Law were issued from sacred Egyptian documents taken away by Moses at the time of the Exodus, and that would explain why the Hebrew were pursued so aggressively by Pharo and his army, to prevent them to leave the country. The Tables are in stone tells us the book of Genesis, although they are locked up into a safe covered with Gold: The Ark. It doesn't seem that the Hebrew before Solomon have known how to use these Stones of the Law, and still Solomon who had all the Wisdom of the Egyptians, could not build the Temple, because of the lack of builders; he had to ask for the help of the King of Tyr, Hiram to build the Temple as well as Hiram Habif according to our masonic legend. At this point, it is interesting to remark that ISLAM had a rise of civilization after it took Jerusalem in the 7th century and the Occident had a rise of civilization after it took Jerusalem in the 12th century. Both learned something and I don't believe in coincidences. Both also regressed and lost influence after they lost Jerusalem. The Occident suffered even more after the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem. The Jewish scientists and scholars worked closely with Muslims and Christians in those periods. If the Tables of the Law are the "universal formula of the Universe" and if these Tables originated in Egypt and thus have been in the hands of the Egyptian builders, as well as the great mosques builders and cathedral builders, it is not inconceivable that they were a form of cosmic science, available for the "Initiated". We can find the same proportions and knowledge of the planet in some great mosques, in the cathedral of Chartres and other great cathedrals, and this as nothing to do with the common knowledge of the time. In that respect, the Grail has always been considered as the "Vase of Knowledge"

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and going after the Tables of the Law in Jerusalem, could have been for the nine Knights sent by saint Bernard, just going to the conquest of the Grail. IV – 4 - The Mysteries of the Origin The order of the Temple is linked to three main human endeavors: culture, commerce and religious buildings. It is obvious that Saint Bernard transmits to the Order some sort of leadership. He gives to It a mission of educating and expanding what had been, up to this time, a purely "monastic" knowledge. It is a social mission to educate, to develop trade and wealth, to build the Instrument of Knowledge. It is this religious building concept which will give us the key of the origin of the Temple. This building requires an initiation. It requires from the masons to have this "hand of glory" which is both knowledge of the tooling and knowledge of the matter, a communion of the hand and the matter. It requires engineers who have the scientific knowledge. The number of experts who have all this understanding is of course very limited. If the Order of the Temple has been able to protect the cathedral builders, and to give them freedom in a century where freedom did not exist for the lower classes, their training came from another source. And during the two centuries of the Templars' era, 200 churches or cathedrals have been built. This is beyond our understanding. It was a firm willingness to establish a stable civilization. Since the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, almost everything had been destroyed or looted. After the year 1 000, things are beginning to change. All of a sudden new buildings, churches and cathedrals are beginning to surface. Where are they coming from? Where did the architects and masons find the necessary knowledge and culture to build those cathedrals? Answer to that question is found in the 5th century, exactly in 480 when Benoit de Nurcie was born. He became Saint Benoit, and created the Order of the Benedictins. They will save manuscripts from Rome and antique Greece, and when the enemies were about to destroy the monastery of Mont Cassin (Italy), one of the first thing that the monks saved were the precious manuscripts. These monks have prepared the great revolution of the 11th century. It is through the Benedictins that Christianity will integrate the Greek tradition and its doctrine.

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Builders of the Roman style are Benedictins only. But construction is not only philosophy or geometry it is also "a resolution in the matter". A civilization without operative masons, without "blue collars" workers is dead before it is born. This is exactly what the Benedictins are going to accomplish. But a Monk Order was not practical for this kind or work. The creation of non religious workers the "Brothers Lais", belonging to the Order was the answer. Then they could work, travel and do whatever was necessary and still being protected by the Order. The Knowledge was saved. All these Benedictine efforts were rewarded at the beginning of the 10th century by a tremendous accomplishment: The Abbey of Cluny in southern Burgundy, France. The work of gathering past traditions has been done; eliminating everything unnecessary was also done. The Jewish heritage has been enhanced and mostly limited to Moses, David and Solomon. The Gospels have been adapted to the West with the gospel of John for the "philosophy", and the Scriptures of Paul. IV - 5 - The Crusades and their consequences 1119: Creation of the Order of the Temple 1128: Council of Troyes: Saint Bernard gives the Order its Rule 1130: Saint Bernard will contribute actively to have the Order organized as a militia well known and of great importance. He will lobby aggressively to give to the Temple direct access to the Pope. In fact, the Temple will report only to the Pope, bypassing secular rulers and Kings. 1139: the Order of the Temple has its privileges and an important political role. These privileges granted by the Pope, give the Order a very specific position in Europe and in the Holy Land. We must understand the significance of this situation. The Templars are then independent, with their army, their fleet and their wealth. Are they going to misuse this incredible power? No, they are extremely disciplined, and will in fact become the most organized force of this period. IV – 6 - The Militia In 1130, when Hugues de Payns returns to Palestine with Knights that he recruited, the Temple has been organized on a solid basis.

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The Grand Master is in the Orient, and business in Europe is ruled by a Master located in France. And from 1128 to 1298, when the Holy Land was abandoned, the Temple will have: - had 22 Grand Masters - fought in Palestine brilliantly - organized the most powerful army and fleet of the time - established the first banking system - built or helped to build 200 churches or cathedrals - organized Europe and not only France - given a sense of business to the society and move the economy to its highest level since the Roman Empire - given back to Society the knowledge of building. They were the "Masons" of the time. IV - 7 - The mystery of La Rochelle From this harbor in western France, six major roads spread throughout France and beyond. It looks like a city from which the fleet was going throughout the oceans. Their vessels going as far as America. Jean de la Varende, a French writer, explains that the Templars were going regularly to America, where they exploited mining operations not gold, but silver mining. The Order was wealthy, powerful, sprayed out throughout Europe with 2000 commanderies. The Order had an extraordinary knowledge at all levels: they were scientists, cathedral builders, bankers; they were an esoteric order, disciplined, where corruption did not exist. Truly a unique organization which obviously became very "attractive" for the profane rulers. When they were arrested Friday the 13th of October 1307, they did not resist because they did not have any order from their Grand Master, and when on March 18 1314, Jacques de Molay was put to death by tyranny, he indicated that the King and the Pope will follow him soon. The Pope Clement V died April 20th., and the King Philippe IV died on Nov. 29 of the same year. This is a prediction which became true.

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Regarding the treasure that everybody was looking for, of course it was never found. But the Treasure was a treasure of Knowledge, the sacred documents which were saved like the treasure Cathar. Where did it go? Nobody knows. But we can definitely think that either in the Rosslyn Chapel, or America, or elsewhere, the Treasure was saved. IV – 8 - Where is Masonry in all of this? Well masonry is everywhere. The philosophy, the history, the organization, the tolerance, everything leads to our masonic principles. Building cathedrals, harmonizing Europe, after the continent had lost almost everything since the Roman Empire, have just been amazing achievements. A parallel can be made with the United States of America. When the Masons organized the USA in the 18th-century, we had a similar situation. In Europe, the Templars organized France and other states, and we can truly say that they worked on the square and the compasses. The square representing a straightforward life and the compasses to subdue their desires, show us that we have a similar philosophy. Masons and the Templars almost certainly have the same origin. V – CONCLUSION As we have seen, the masonic principles are universal. We have to agree that many traditions have similar teachings. What is Masonry? Where does it come from? Is it a path? A duty? A research society? All of this? What does it mean to be a Mason to day? - Going from Darkness to Light? - Having compassion for our brothers and all human Beings? "We, the people, .....", they are the first words of our Constitution. We are part of a community, and we must inspire it with this "eternal wind" into our lodges, our families, our country. It is our way, it is our contribution to the Society.

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ii « Masonic Orthodoxy » (1853) by Jean-Marie Ragon. iii F. Kirstner, in « Ars Quatuor Coronatorum », Vol. XVII (pages 233 and 234). iv Like this Degree, most legends illustrate that kind of progressive initiation. They often refer to silver, gold or diamond keys giving access to a sequence of closed chambers, generally separated by long, dark and exhausting flights of stairs, until the hero of the story reaches the light at the final destination where he discovers the solution of the enigma, the eventual enlightenment, after climbing the various levels of understanding required. v The original title includes the words between parentheses.