Customer Reviews

Duncan's Masonic Ritual and Monitor: Guide to the Three Symbolic Degrees of the Ancient York Rite and to the Degrees of Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and the Royal Arch

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a book a Mason would not want you to have! After reading so much negative garbage about Freemasonry, I bought this book out of curiosity. And when I opened it, boy was I shocked. This book contains all the duegard signs, the illusions, secret hand shakes, and passwords for the first three degrees. It gives the entire initiation process for the first three degrees, from the begining to the ending. It also contains the lectures and the story behind each degree. This book also has the opening of the lodge.
This is a must book for anybody who wants to get a peep inside the lodge. Even though this book is packed with a lot of good information, and give you a lot of insight on the craft and if you study it and somehow be able to master it, you still would not truly be a mason until you come into the Lodge the right way.
This book also contains additional degrees on the York Rite side of masonry. The degrees are Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and The Royal Arch. As for me I'm on the Scottish Rite side of masonry, so the additional information is of no use to me, but it's still good information to read.
If you want to try and fool somebody by saying you are a mason, with this book you might can pull it off. All you have to master is the first three degrees. But be aware, a true mason will throw some stuff at you that will make your head spin. Don't read this book and then go buy masonic gear or vehicle emblems, because if you cain't protect it, might get taken from you. Their's more to freemasonry than reading a book.
I highly recommend this book for anybody who is curious about the craft or anyone who looking to join the Lodge.

This book is a classic, and a treasure. Reading about the rituals of Freemasonry is fascinating, but to see illustrations of the gestures that are described is to take the study up to the next level. Many Masonic symbols are illustrated and codes for reading certain Masonic texts are revealed. This is a handbook for Masons, but those who study without the lodge will gain some insight, from previous reading. This book will not give you a free pass into the lodge...but, it may inspire you to petition one! I keep the Hardback version on-display, beside The Holy Bible and "Freemasonry: A Journey Through Ritual and Symbol," by W. Kirk MacNulty. This Paper-back version is just as impressive as the Hard-back, the other one is simply prettier to look at on the shelf. Either way, you can't lose!

This book is a classic, and a treasure. Reading about the rituals of Freemasonry is fascinating, but to see illustrations of the gestures that are described is to take the study up to the next level. Many Masonic symbols are illustrated and codes for reading certain Masonic texts are revealed. This is a handbook for Masons, but those who study without the lodge will gain some insight, from previous reading. This book will not give you a free pass into the lodge...but, it may inspire you to petition one! I keep the Hardback version on-display, beside The Holy Bible and "Freemasonry: A Journey Through Ritual and Symbol," by W. Kirk MacNulty. The Paper-back, I keep for actual reading purposes. (The Hard-Back version is Splendid!)

This is mildly interesting from a Masonic researchers point of view because the ritual is only somewhat dated. Today's ritual differs by jurisdiction. Most researchers are interested in very old ritual which was never written. This text represents somebody's rendering of some recent past interpretation. Masonically, it is of limited value. The secret of Freemasonry is ineffable. The ritual is designed to make a man think and find the meaning for himself. Read this and know nothing, but have it cause you to seek further light, then you will have something. This is the purpose of the ritual. Do not get hung up in "discovering" Masonry's secret. After all, you can find out everything thing there is to know about it, if you want. The question is: will you do anything with what you learn?

This book gives the entire initiation for the first three degrees and the stories pertaining to each degree. It also includes all the signs and gestures relating to each degree. It is most fascinating and of enormous help to those studying the rituals. I believe this book belongs in every Mason's library.

This is the one Masonic ritual every Mason should own and every Masonic lodge should at least recommend for study, if not for ceremony. On the surface, Duncan's rendition may not appear much dissimilar from other rituals, but it may contain subtle and cryptic clues to Freemasonry's origins and true nature where others don't. (Maybe that's not something to imply here. But it's something for Freemasons to consider.) In my empirical opinion: if earnestly contemplated, Duncan's ritual will help the diligent Freemason unlock the "secrets within the secret." Of course, there is ultimately much more to Masonic practice and ritual than what meets the blindfolded eye.

The book's illustrations, rendered quite generously throughout, often gives lay readers an invalid impression that they finally know all about the goings-on in Freemasonry. Therefore, for non-masons who are simply curious about Freemasonry (as they so often are), there is a lot here to entertain the eye and bedazzle the mind. But nothing here is a substitute for actual lodge experience. My advice for non-masons: Don't try this stuff at home! And I doubt if most Freemasons realize that the parade of illustrations, while for the most part do accurately depict some Freemasonic lodge activity, may also be the author's cleverly placed distractions-- for the profane (non-masons)-- from what he is really putting down in the book. For instance, not only do I find clever clues and key words with cryptic connotation in the text, I also discern inscrutable configurations in the illustrations.

Am I a loon? Maybe. But then, Freemasons are accused of discerning Masonic symbols in the layout of Washington, D.C.. Now I'm not suggesting anyone enter a matrix and swallow a red or blue pill before doing so, but for Freemasons who want to know how deep the rabbit hole really goes, this could be a place to start digging. This book is a real gem, almost more of a reference resource than a ritual, and that is perhaps why it's still around.

This variation on Masonic monitors was dated even for its day, and is most interesting for the inevitable differences found across geographic areas at that time. It's still an interesting read and several of the illustrations are unique.

Masons will find the differences with today's ceremonies mildly distracting. At the same time I was impressed how the overall feel has been maintained over time. Even more valued to me is that the reader is given the opportunity to understand the reasons for the symbols and ritual.

For the interested non-Mason I think you'll find interesting insights into ceremonies that are intended to bring men together for common cause. It's easy for many to focus on the details of the ceremonies as outlined in Monitors like this.

But do some comparative reading with this text and you'll appreciate the psychology of self-discovery through fraternity with good people. One good subject for comparative reading is Simon's Standard Masonic Monitor.

I very much encourage casual readers to this text. Scholars are encouraged to seek out original editions provided by credentialed antiquarian bookdealers.

Beautifully done artwork and cover design. At a time when most Masonic publishers are going to paperback, this hardcover edition is not only pleasing to the eye and a welcome addition to any Masonic library, it is useful to those who are seeking more light and who might need a little extra help in memorizing the lectures and degree work. The only caveat is that the clue to the sanctum sanctorum is purposely witheld and some of the work for the Sublime Degree appears misleading. What is to be expected? The work is not an expose. Not for those seeking to infiltrate the Lodge but a boon to Masons and others who seek to understand or want to be somewhat prepared for their initiations. It can also be of some benefit to the curious. This book is a prized possession on my bookshelf.

An excellent reference manual for the Brothers. This is more of a textbook of Masonic Practice, than anything. This is not a read for those who are not Mason's, but more of a general textbook for the Fraternity. Non-Mason's will not get much out of it, but the Order will enjoy this as a culmination of Monitors.

I can neither validate, nor deny the voracity of this monitor in good faith. I can tell you as a Mason that I use Duncan's Ritual and I highly recommend Duncan's Ritual. Moreover, when I meet someone who shows an interest in or proclivity for The Craft I always leave them with Duncan's Ritual.

I can also tell any non-Mason in good faith that Duncan's Ritual does not misrepresent Freemasonry.

The only thing that Duncan's monitor fails to do is inculcate the deeper meaning and ultimately the value of Masonry, to the individual and society. That can only come from participating in the search for "light," and through the ministration of Brotherly Love.