April 2011 Editor: RWBro George Tapley Vol. 76, No. 4 Consider Frederick John L. Cooper III, Past Grand Secretary, Grand Lodge of California, California Freemason, August/September 2010 From a despotic family and a war-torn country, a Masonic king emerged. On 14 August 1738, a man was worst reputations in history instead of initiated into Freemasonry in the middle one of the best. Many Masonic historians of the night. The man — who was later think that it was Freemasonry itself to become Frederick the Great of Prussia that made the difference in Frederick — was one of the most influential men the Great. of his day. Frederick absorbed the teachings of Frederick was truly a “renaissance Freemasonry, and had an unparalleled man,” whose love of art and music opportunity as the ruler of an emerging was impressive. He was also a military nation to translate his ideals into genius. When Napoleon Bonaparte statecraft. In many respects, Frederick visited Frederick’s tomb at Potsdam, the Great was a Masonic king. he was reported to have remarked, In the first degree of Masonry we “Gentlemen, if this man were still alive, are told that “…monarchs have, for a I would not be here!” season, exchanged the scepter for the So famous a Mason was he that the trowel, to patronize our mysteries and Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite join in our assemblies.” That might have counts him as a legendary founder of described Frederick the Great more than the Rite through the Constitutions of any other monarch in the 18th century, 1786 — for which he was (erroneously) and more than any other great leader of credited as author. a nation, save for… George Washington, Frederick II (1712–1786), third and last But his path to Masonry was not easy. who was a younger contemporary of King of Prussia, was a noted soldier, Frederick inherited a backward Frederick the Great. musician and Freemason. country from a despotic and ill-tempered In addition to being a king and a father. His initiation into Freemasonry military leader of genius, Frederick was His reign, to quote our ritual in the middle of the night — actually known for his enlightened rule. pertaining to the famous King David, at 2 AM — was directly a result of his He promoted religious toleration at a father of King Solomon, was “one of father’s opposition to his son becoming time when it was not popular to do so. many wars and much bloodshed.” The a Mason. Frederick tried to flee from He encouraged fine architecture; Berlin unification of Germany a century later, his father, but was caught. His father still boasts many fine public buildings essentially accomplished by another forced him to watch his best friend, that were erected during his reign. He Prussian, Otto von Bismarck, would Hans Hermann von Katte, be executed was a gifted musician, and composed not have been possible had it not been as an accomplice in the plot to escape. more than one hundred sonatas for for the military leadership of Frederick. A man from such a family background the flute, of which he was an expert Frederick demonstrates that might have ended up with one of the player, as well as four symphonies. Freemasonry can create great leaders He had a close friendship with of war as well as great leaders of peace. some of the greatest writers of the He was a leader of both, and so history Enlightenment, including Voltaire — remembers a great Freemason who a fellow Freemason. In addition to translated his Masonic ideals into the his native German, Frederick spoke political reality of the dangerous world French, English, Spanish, Portuguese in which he lived. and Italian, and understood and read The initiation of a Mason in the Hebrew, Greek and Latin. middle of the night on 14 August 1738, Frederick tried to live up in Brunswick, Germany, had great to his ideal of an enlightened implications for the future of the world. monarch, following the model of the Further information on Frederick the Frederick II, Master, makes his brother, ancient Roman emperor and Stoic Great (1712–1786) may be found in the Frederick Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, philosopher Marcus Aurelius. But he transactions of Fiat Lux Lodge of Research a Mason. Painting by Richard Brend’amou is was also a military man of singular No. 1980: Robert Juthner, “Frederick the in the German Masonic Museum, Bayreuth. accomplishment. Great.” Vox Lucis 24: 31–37 (2004). Friends of the Royal Society Bro Cason Lane, California Freemason, Volume 58, No. 5, pp 18–19, June/July 2010 Masonry’s relationship with an underground group of scientists aided the birth of modern science. Early 17th century England was a Freemasons, the Royal Society may not tough time for scientists. The church have flourished. had a monopoly on truth, and those According to the Royal Society, the who disagreed with dogma could face organization was officially founded on imprisonment or death. Likewise, those 28 November 1660, shortly after the who experimented with nascent ideas restoration of King Charles II. On this like logic or reason were often punished date, 12 members of the invisible college as heretics. met at London’s Gresham College to hear So, in the mid-1640s, a group of a lecture by astronomy professor (and philosophers and experimenters took future Freemason) Christopher Wren. their discussions underground, forming Afterward, they formally established a an “invisible college” that met in different club that would meet weekly to discuss places to discuss the ideas that others the mechanisms of nature and perform condemned. From this organization was experiments. born the Royal Society of London, which In addition to Wren himself, this still exists today as the oldest scientific group of founding members — or academy in the world. fellows, as they were called — included Indeed, for more than a century, the Freemason Elias Ashmole, an astrologer Royal Society was virtually the only and alchemist; Freemason Robert John Theophilus Desaguliers (1683– group in Britain dedicated to scientific Moray, a natural philosopher; and other 1744), engraving by James Tookey. research, and it played a critical role in visionaries of the time, such as chemist [Smithsonian Institute Library.] the “scientific revolution.” It included and physicist Robert Boyle, best known members such as Isaac Newton and for Boyle’s law; and philosopher John when newspapers thundered against Albert Einstein, and is credited for the Wilkins, founder them, when street crowds birth of modern science. But without of the metric hooted at them, and neither early support and contributions from system. After Oxford nor Cambridge would Moray secured admit science courses, Masonic the approval lodges invited Royal Society of the king, the members in for lectures, many organization was of which were accompanied by named the Royal scientific demonstrations.” Society. Meanwhile, philosopher and In the early Freemason John Theophilus 1700s, Freemason- Desaguliers — who in 1719 ry continued to became the third Grand Master support the Royal Robert Boyle (1627–1691) of England — was becoming Society — a risky very active in the Royal Society, allegiance, considering the boiling befriending fellow visionary Isaac controversy Newton and advocating his theories. surrounding Desaguliers, who served as curator for science. From the organization, received its highest Mackey’s honour, the Copley Medal, in 1734, 1736 Encyclopedia and 1741, with the last award recognizing of Freemasonry: his discoveries of the properties of “At a time when electricity. Desaguliers is also credited preachers for inventing the planetarium and for Elias Ashmole (1617–1692) painted, ca. John Wilkins thundered against improving the steam engine by adding these scientists, 1688 by John Riley (1646–1691) [PD–Art] (1614–1672) a safety valve. The Committee on the Grand Lodge Bulletin Provided to Freemasons of Alberta and the Northwest Territories west of the 4th Meridian who are members of RWBro George Tapley (Chairman); The Grand Lodge of Alberta, A.F. & A.M. MWBro Robert E. Juthner, Editor emeritus; WBro Garth Cochran; WBro Loren Kline; 330 – 12 Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta T2R 0H2 Bro Trevor Morris; Ex Officio: Grand Master, Tel 403-262-1140 — Fax 403-290-0671 Published each month except July and August by Deputy Grand Master & Grand Secretary www.freemasons.ab.ca Annual subscription rate for non-members of the GLA The Grand Lodge of Alberta, A.F. & A.M. is C$10.00 plus mailing costs. Republication rights are Grand Master MWBro Gerald Waldern Editor: RWBro George Tapley granted to other Masonic Jurisdictions, but acknow- Deputy Grand Master RWBro Peter Dunlop ledgement of the source is requested. The Editor reserves 339 Whitefield Dr NE, Calgary, AB T1Y 5S2 Senior Grand Warden RWBro David Roth the right to accept, reject and re-write material submitted Junior Grand Warden RWBro John Cameron Tel 403-280-6776 — Fax 403-290-0671 for publication. Deadline for copy is the 1st day of the Grand Secretary RWBro Jerry W. Kopp e-mail: [email protected] month, two months prior to the month of issue. 2 include not only working scientists changed public attitudes to science but also wealthy amateurs, who could and technology,” writes author Robert sponsor the scientists’ research before Lomas in his book Freemasonry and the the government considered doing so Birth of Modern Science. itself. Several of these sponsors — or Today, the Royal Society continues patrons — were Freemasons, and to promote excellence in science by they sometimes met with scientists in funding new and established scientists, Masonic Lodges. rewarding scientific achievement, Banks’ views grew less popular in the furthering science education and first half of the 19th century, as science research, and advising governments on became more professional and the aspects of science.