THE LODGE HOPE OF KURRACHEE

2001 SYMPOSIUM

This is the report Brother Michael Kaulback from Massachusetts submitted on his return from our first symposium and which was posted on the internet. Michael is now Grand Captain General of the Grand Commandery of Massachusetts & Rhode Island Knight Templars

REPORT ON THE MASONIC SYMPOSIUM HELD AT KIRKCALDY, SCOTLAND ON MAY 4th, 5th AND 6th, 2001

This Symposium is the first of its type in the world and was attended by Masonic Scholars from Scotland , England , Ireland , Belgium , America , and Germany . It represented some of the best and brightest Masonic scholars in the world. It was held at the Lodge hall of The Lodge Hope of Kurrachee #337 in Kirkcaldy, Scotland by the kind permission of the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine who was in attendance at the banquet on May 5th, 2001. The guest speaker for that evening was the Most Eminent and Reverent Grand Master of the Great Priory of Scotland, Sir Knight Roy Scott.

The main part of the symposium began on Friday with a conducted tour of Dunfermline Abbey. It is here that Robert the Bruce is buried and here also were the Shaw Statutes were first signed. This is one of the most important documents in freemasonry as it forms the background for Freemasonry, as we know it today. The lecture program began on Saturday and continued through Sunday afternoon. It included such notable Masonic scholars as:

• Robert Cooper Curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum and head Librarian
• Mathew Scanlon Former assistant Curator of the Grand Lodge of England
• David Stevenson Emeritus Professor of Scottish History at Saint Andrews University
• Tim Wallace-Murphy Author and Co-founder of the European Templar Heritage Research Network
• Andrew Prescott Professor of Masonic Studies at Sheffield University
• David Currie Former Curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum
• Jan Snoek Senior Lecturer at Heidelberg University

Topics discussed included the following:

• The Creation of a Myth, The Knights Templar in Scotland since 1314 by Bob Cooper
• 17th Century Freemasonry in England prior to the formation of the Grand Lodge of England by Mathew Scanlon
• Scottish Origins of Freemasonry by David Stevenson
• The Knights Templar - the Myth and the Reality, a brief overview of the European K.T.s and their transformative effect on European Society by Tim Wallace-Murphy
• The Voice Conventional, Druid Myths and Freemasonry by Andrew Prescott
• The True Story of the Formation of the Grand Lodge of Scotland by David Currie
• Early Development of Masonic Degrees and Rituals by Jan Snook.

Each lecturer was better than the one before him and each had some very interesting and enlightening points of view. Each of them pointed out the need for further research into Masonic topics of all kinds and each brought a wealth of Masonic knowledge to share with the participants of the symposium. The discussion period at the end of each lecture helped to bring additional light to the subject and the audience asked some very pointed questions at large. There was also a very good exchange of information at the breaks and at lunch as we all got to meet each other and quiz each other on our separate points of view.

This was a very important first step in Masonic education and it was interesting to note that one University ( Sheffield ) has now started a serious study of Freemasonry and the effect that it has had on the formation of civilization and the world as we know it today. The Masonic Scholars of Europe were glad to have an American Masonic Scholar with them and went out of their way to make me feel at home. I enjoyed the interchange of information with each of them and was both delighted and surprised to be invited by many of them to add my writings and thoughts to the various publications and Universities that were represented at the event.

I believe that my participation in this symposium was important to both American Freemasonry and particularly Massachusetts Freemasonry for many reasons. The first and most important is that the serious study of Freemasonry is just beginning and it has a very long route to travel. We in the Masonic Education field must work together to bring the many ways that we have helped in the advancement of society to be both known and appreciated by the world at large. We in Massachusetts must remain in the forefront of the effort. It also allowed me to grow new contacts and most importantly increase my knowledge of Freemasonry so that I may pass this information on to the Masons that are active in Massachusetts .

The second reason is the networking that I was able to do and the many contacts that I made which will help me be a better informed educator. I am now able to contact Masonic Scholars in many other countries for information from them or to help them with information from America . Many of these contacts are Masons, but some are not and that indicates that there is starting in the world a serious study of Freemasonry by non-masons that are not biased against Masonry from the beginning. This effort is also important to us in the Fraternity.

I hope that the efforts of these and other Masonic Educators from around the world make for a more educated population at large and a more educated membership of our own in the future.

Michael Kaulback

Assistant Librarian Grand Lodge of Massachusetts