When you arrived this evening, as Master Masons you stood at the threshold of the higher mysteries of Masonry. Having now been advanced to the Degree of Mark Master, you have crossed that threshold. I do not say this casually, for in partaking in this Degree, you have entered into a matter that has invigorated and hounded the Craft since 1717.

Dear Unknown Friend,
When did the network of our unity ever come to a point rendering us incapable of using a phone?
I speak of no one event or individual in particular. I’m guilty of the absence of communication myself, and more times I’ve erred on communicating and doing so poorly. But with the presence of silence [...]

Dear Unknown Friend
In the context of our ancient art, the obligation is one of, if the not the most powerful works wrought by a Freemason. It is the expression of one’s will, adamant and inviolable, made before all Brothers, sworn before Deity, and symbolically sealed with penalty; and once made can never be un-made, even [...]

Dear Unknown Friend,
During the last Lodge of Instruction for Wasatch Lodge No.1 I made the following comments, which a dear Brother suggested be written down for posterity. Apparently, in all the nonsense I normally spew forth, this is considered worthwhile.
These comments were addressed to those Brothers vying for the role of Senior Deacon at an [...]

Dear Unknown Friend,
Some thoughts, as I poke around a copy of the Register House Manuscript (1696) - documents from the 17th and 18th century clearly establish that many Speculative (perhaps even Accepted) Masons in Scotland (and the UK), believed a connection between Masonry with Rosicrucianism.
Rosicrucianism is a peculiarly protestant (and German) vein of hermeticism, itself [...]

Dear Unknown Friend,
Of late, I have been mired in world of illusions. Interestingly, the illusions center on what is, or is not political. What moves are made for political gain, the perception of moves made for political gain, and associating perceived evils with individuals who are perceived to be politically motivated.
Most would refuse to see [...]

I’ve never been one to wear titles. During my first meeting sitting in the East, I made it abundantly clear that no one is Worshipful Master. No one is a Warden. No one is any office whatsoever. Each of us are but temporary custodians of these Offices, and if, in our execution we come to [...]

Dear Unknown Friend,
I number of months ago, maybe even a year now, Brother Kenneth Davis through his excellent blog, Prospero’s Books, turned me on to the periodical Parabola.
The latest is sitting on my desk. Regrettably, unopened, except to the first paragraph of the editorial page. I haven’t read it, but two italicized words immediately caught [...]

Dear Unknown Friend,
This site is to be a collection of essays, commentary, and thoughts on Freemasonry, what it is, what it could be, and how to actualize the dream into reality.
More than that, it is a forum, a means to engage in dialogue with others on the topic of Masonic Transformation, and how to Transform [...]

Dear Unknown Friend,
At 10pm, last night Brother James Woodward, Secretary-General of the Orient of Utah, Valley of Salt Lake called me. As the phone rang, I first thought it was about the office computers as we are in the process of rebuilding them and I am taking great pains to a) make sure we loose [...]

Dear Unknown Friend,
If you have it, you don’t need it.
If you need it, you don’t have it.
If you have it, you need more of it; and if you have more of it, you don’t need less of it.
You need it, to get it. And you certainly need it to get more of it.
But if you [...]

Dear Unknown Friend,
In Part I of this commentary I introduced Freemasonry and Alchemy with the Rebis. Doing this I followed Pike, but I think I should have hit closer to home, and I seek to rectify that now.
Alchemy is the transmutation of common metals into gold, in an effort to find the universal panacea to [...]

Dear Unknown Friend,
I travel East for Illumination and to catch a glimpse of a world of Universal Brotherhood.
I travel East to participate in, and continue a moral endeavor that is ancient and legendary, requiring of me a sacrifice of mythic proportions (resulting in transformation).
Why are you on this journey?
PoTS
J.

Dear Unknown Friend,
The website is back up. I have been busy helping others recover from the failure of a local ISP. Please rest assured the downtime was wholly technical, not an issue of censorship by any Masonic authority as has been reported by others. The powers of Freemasonry in Utah are very tolerant and intelligent, [...]

Dear Unknown Friend,
I’d like to share with you some insight for improving your Lodge websites. The following suggestions will increase your website’s search engine position, and bring in more online users (i.e. petitions, or non-Masonic interest in your organization), and convey a more professional and established appear to your Lodge.
First we need to determine if [...]