Theos-Talk Archives (December 2006 Message tt00617)

Dear Friends, 
 
 
Geoffrey Farthing wrote: 
 
“Some masonic members of the Theosophical Society have concluded that H. P. B. was herself a Mason because she received in 1877 a certificate of  membership of the ‘Ancient and Primitive Rite’ conferring degrees and titles of the Rite of Adoption. These, however,  were not recognized as being Masonry by the Masonic bodies of France, Great Britain or America.”
 
And Farthing adds, in his book “The Right Angle”: 
 
“She wrote the words quoted above: ‘As far as we are concerned, disciples of the Masters of the Orient as we are, we have nothing to do with modern Masonry’.  And again, ‘As for ourselves – faithful disciples of the Orient  – we prefer instead of all the stories, one that has nothing to do with any of the other mummeries of masonic degrees.’  
 
What exactly did she mean by “mummeries of masonic degrees”? 
 
For the ‘Webster’s Unabridged’ Dictionary,  a ‘mummery’  is  “any performance, ceremony, etc. regarded as absurd, false, or ostentatious”.  A mummer is a pantomimist who often wears a mask in his performances.    
 
 
As to the Old Lady, Geoffrey Farthing  concludes: 
 
“There is no record of H.P.B. having been initiated into a Lodge or of her attending lodge meetings. She did, however, preserve secrecy on what went on at lodge meetings.  She further said that all students of the Eastern esoteric knowledege  were required to study the procedures of Masonry.” (1) 
 
 
That is, as long as  Blavatsky is concerned,  theosophists study the philosophy and wisdom of masonic tradition,  but the  theosophical movement keeps away from ritualisms, masonic or otherwise. 
 
 
Best regards, 
 
 
Carlos. 
 
 
NOTE: 
 
(1) “The Right Angle - Masonry”, From the Writings of H.P. Blavatsky, compiled by G. A. Farthing, Theosophical Publishing House, London, in collaboration with The Blkavatsky Trust,   2003, 84 pp., see p. 75. 
 
 
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