Building Hiram – Uncommon Catechism
Building Hiram – Uncommon Catechism
for Uncommon Masonic Education – Dr. John S. Nagy
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Take a look inside Building Hiram
Masonic writings from the past shed much Light upon current day Ritual; all that one needs to do is to connect the dots. In “Building Hiram” Dr. Nagy ventures forth with a “National Treasure” style zeal into archaic Masonic books and unfolds twelve new, revealing and unique Masonic catechisms to answer questions such as:
* How do the Square and Compasses symbolize Stone and the Work done upon it?
* What is the true relevance today of the traditional Masonic Penalties and the Pillars described in the Orders of Architecture?
* How do the numbers 3-4-5 from The 47th Problem of Euclid play into Masonic Ritual and where can they be found in plan view within Ritual?
* Who is the Fourth Ruffian and how is he related to the first known Artificer of every cutting instrument of brass and iron?
* What is the “Sacred Triad” and how does it help manifest the Master’s Word?
* Where in Ritual can you actually see the Master’s Word, what are his Wages and what are the origins of both?
These questions and many others are answered within this book and with Masonic precision and earnest dedication to Ritual. If you are looking for supplementary Light on what your Ritual is actually communicating, Dr. Nagy’s book is a excellent Working Tool to help you explore even further, decode deeper and understand clearer that which is in plane view for all to see.
Publishing Date: March 2009
Cover price: $25
“Building Hiram â Uncommon Catechism for Uncommon Masonic Education”,
a book of catechisms for the next generation Master Mason
By Karen Kidd
âThe Word before you is what I wish I had been given when I was Raised.â
â Dr. John S. Nagy, âBuilding Hiramâ Volume I, page iv.
This is how Bro. Dr. John S Nagy begins the Preface in the first of what is
expected to be a number of volumes of his âBuilding Hiramâ series, released
in March. Filled with cipher, verse and images, “Building Hiram” strives to
make the connections that many mentors in the Craft seem to lack.
Freemasonry, Nagy explains, is not one disjointed teaching after another
but is, instead, a fully interconnected science of much more, âIn fact,â
Nagy writes, âfurther Masonic Benefit occurs only by considering the
interconnections between the symbols, the overlap of themes and
the rhythm of the patterns continually played out from beginning to end.
âThe Word before you is a look at some of these interconnections. It presents an overlapping of themes and reveals many rich patterns that can Benefit all Master Masons should they venture forth and seek the Light.â
That wasnât how it seemed when he first was Raised, Nagy recalled. He was frustrated by
âthe lack of connections between the knowledge I was receiving from the Masons who
were mentoring me left me without what I desired most â connections that pulled it all
together so it made sense to me; I wanted more!â
So he set off on his own personal exploration to find that interconnectedness and
quickly discovered he wasnât the only Brother looking for it. And he soon formulated
questions to mark his exploration. He wrote:
âAs I explored, I asked simple questions like, âwhat do the Orders of Architecture have to do with my life now and in this society?â, âwhat is the significance of this Lost Word that Masons speak of?â, âwhat are the Masterâs Wages that are referred to in Ritual?â and âwhy did the Lost Masterâs Word require the Presence of the Three to be revealed?â I took these simple questions and thoroughly searched Masonic Rituals and Lectures to find any clue as to what might shed further Light upon their answers.
âI came to find that one question led to another and another in a very interesting way. Ultimately, there cascaded into being a series of responses to each of my questions that created a clearly interconnected picture of the First Three Degrees. None of this would have been possible had I not had a burning desire for even more Light.â
For Bro. Nagy, the journey is still far from over but what heâs found, combined with
the knowledge others are looking for it, too, prompted him to release Volume 1 of
Building Hiram in March. He starts with what any well schooled Master Mason will
recognize as familiar ground. It takes on the form of a catechism. In this case,
itâs a catechism about âcatechismâ.
Catechism Primer
cat.e.chism (k t -k z m) n.
I: What is âCatechism?â
R: A word whose first recorded use was in 1502,
rooted in French by way of Latin and
originating in Late Greek with the following
meaning: to teach by word of mouth.
I: What is its use?
R: It is primarily oral instruction.
I: What else?
R: It is a book or manual of basic instruction
giving a brief summary of the basic principles of
a subject, usually by means of rote, formulaic
statement or repetition in question and answer
form.
I: Whatâs more?
R: A close questioning or examination, as of a
political figure, student or a person wishing to
show their proficiency of a topic or subject.
I: Whatâs further?
R: A body of Work expressing fundamental
principles or beliefs, especially when accepted
uncritically.
I: How may it be so presented?
R: As a series of searching Inquiries and
Responses on any targeted subject of interest.
I: What is its purpose?
R: To share Light with those so interested.
Nagy provides what he calls âPrecursory Notesâ, which amount to words or
warning to the unschooled, the timid and the intruder. In particular, he cautions,
âThis writing makes no reference to any present day Ritual; there are no secrets
revealed within this book nor does it point to anything that is not already known
to all who seek Light. In other words, if you are looking to find secrets,
Masonic or otherwise, there are none herein to find, whatsoever.â
The true seeker that can make it past that soon finds a series of chapters and
related catechisms on topics that include the Ashl*rs, the tools of stone
builders, the orders of architecture, the staircase, the four (yes, four) ruffians,
the ancient p*nalties, the 3-4-5 Triangle, the L*st W*rd and the Masterâs Wages.
I found all these catechisms insightful and thought provoking. I suppose my
favorite is âThe Staircase Unwoundâ, a chapter that explains the 3-5-7 of that
degree âNestled within these numbers are the echoes of years past when
members of humankind made effort to raise each
other above the common threads that held back humanity.â Nagy writes
in that chapter.
âThe various explanations though pale in significance to any study a Mason may endeavor to partake of in their Journey toward Perfection. The Staircase is symbolic of life within and without. Traveling it to and from the Middle Chamber or Heart of the Temple, one is prepared for the mental and spiritual demands life offers. In years past, the Perfecting process was a valid investment and made for Master Masons beyond compare. Today the Raising of Masons not yet
making the true and authentic Masonic Journey up and down the Staircase leaves it but a symbolic relic of the past â honored for its Wisdom but not well understood much less Traveled by the masses.â
A portion of the catechism that follows this chapter reads:
I: Are you a Mason?
R: Indeed I am.
I: How may I know that you are such?
R: I have Traveled the Masonic Winding Staircase to and fro.
I: What is the Masonic Staircase?
R: A Staircase consisting of Three, Five and Seven steps.
I: Where is this Staircase found?
R: Within the Unified structure of the Temple of Solomon.
I: Where else?
R: Within the heart of every Master Mason.
Bro. Nagy is not a new author. He’s better known outside the Masonic community
for his many self-help books, including [url=http://www.coach.net/Products.htm]
“Provoking Success â Uncommon Coaching for the Uncommon Soul”[/url] released
two years ago and [url=http://www.coach.net/Products.htm]“Emotional Awareness
Made Easy – Uncommon Sense about Everyday Feelings”[/url] which was released
this last year. These books, along with his coaching and technical advisory practice,
form the basis of his “day job.” But as a Brother in the Craft who also is a writer,
it was only a matter of time before he turned his scrivening to Freemasonry.
One such Masonic contribution is his penning of the chapter, âThe Ashl*r Unfoldedâ
in http://lodgeroomstore.com//product_info.php?currency=USD&products_id=741
“Lifting the Veil – Esoteric Masonic Thought”, published earlier this week by
the book’s compiler, Giovanni Lombado, and dedicated to the memory of the
late Bro. Theron Dunn, to whom Bro. Nagy was very close.
More information about the release of “Building Hiram” is available at
Bro. Nagy’s blog here:
http://buildinghiram.blogspot.com/
Karen Kidd