9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Review from a Craft, 32nd degree, Shriner, and Knight Templar Freemason., July 16, 2007
This review is from: A.E. Waite - Words From a Masonic Mystic (Paperback)
Reading this book will convey the endless possibilities of Masonic knowledge available to all earnest students of the Craft. There are approximately 110 degrees currently existing in today's Freemasonry and an additional 15 degrees for the presiding officers. Brother Waite spent a lifetime studying as much of the material of these degrees he could get his hands on. This book is a condensed compilation of some of the thoughts he gathered as a result of that study. Highly recommended!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I learned things with this book!, December 29, 2010
This review is from: A.E. Waite - Words From a Masonic Mystic (Paperback)
I was not sure if this book would be to my taste, but found myself hooked on mystical Masonry. Waite is a bit hard to read, but his message is enlightened.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Quite good aside from general bias; FAR too many typos!, October 31, 2008
This review is from: A.E. Waite - Words From a Masonic Mystic (Paperback)
There are far too many typos, indicating poor or non-existent proof-reading. Several of them result in errors of syntax, others, e.g. nearly always "has" for "his" are quite annoying. The book looses an entire star for this, not the author's fault.
Arthur Edward Waite has a general underlying bias in all of his writings that he states and clearly repeats, often with emphasis, every few pages at the latest: Christian and Roman Catholic. Although few will disagree that a symbol set of a religious tradition may be transformed in the initiatic process and that Christianity is one of the authentic traditions, many of which have become lost and / or extinct, Brother Arthur Edward Waite's position is so set and dogmatic that he makes no attempt to assume the also valid perspectives of other traditions. This bias also leads him to ignore or downplay valid historic evidence from other than the Christian (or so-called "Judeo-Christian", a pure Christian invention) tradition, including nearly everything from the third of the triad of Abrahamic traditions, for example the Epistles of the Pure Brethren of Basra written about 800 C.E. and containing illustrations that still today are found in Free-Masonic instructions books for the degree of Fellow Craft.
For example, Bro. Waite cannot resist concluding that several central themes of F-M refer (exclusively) to "Christ", without giving the English meaning of this word: ANOINTED. As the ONLY anointment of Jesus Son of Mary mentioned in all four canonic gospels, that mostly attributed to Mary Magdalena, makes perfect esoteric, initiatic sense but is rather embarrassing for exoteric theology, those with a bias similar to Bro. Waite's prefer to ignore it. Bro. Waite fails to mention that the "Qabbalistic key" - the name Ieshuah (Hebrew original of "Jesus") inserting the letter Shin (sh) in the middle of tetragrammaton YHVH - is taken from the so-called "Christian" Qabbala developed in 15th century Italy by Jews converted to Christianity explicitly for use in proselytising their former co-religionnaires. (See:
The Rape of Jewish Mysticism by Christian Theologians) With due respect for those involved, a "Christian" kabbala makes as much sense as for example a "Buddhist Imam". This is simply not the level befitting the universal initiatic Order of Freemasonry! It might be well to recall that exoteric theology, of whatever origin, is a profane science in respect of initiatic wisdom.
However, if one constantly bears his distinct bias in mind, Bro. A. E. Waite is a most diligent and meticulous scholar, one of the very few with sufficient linguistic training and endowed a keen, critical mind yet permeated with light flowing from a warm heart. This book, as well as several others by the same author, is well worth reading.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
