Reddit reviews The Masonic Myth: Unlocking the Truth About the Symbols, the Secret Rites, and the History of Freemasonry
We found 5 Reddit comments about The Masonic Myth: Unlocking the Truth About the Symbols, the Secret Rites, and the History of Freemasonry. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
So - here's the dangerously short version.
18th French Masons had difficulty accepting the idea that Freemasonry was of "rude" origin, viz. stoneworkers. Common replacements became religious heretics, chivalric orders (eventually everyone agreed KT was the best story), the Rosicrucians, Ancient Egypt, lost heirs and pretenders, gray aliens, Knights with red feathers on their head... you name it.
The origin of eccosais (french for Scottish) is that during the Glorious Revolution when the Scottish King - er, um - bravely ran away to France (circa 1786) a number of Scottish Masons/Engineers were in tow thus bringing Freemasonry to France.
Eccosais currents were often Jacobite, almost always include the preservation of the Word (a direct jab at the English for loosing it), and gear towards the Qabbalah, not chivalric currents - though in time, as seen in the AASR, everyone learned how to play along and chivalric Masonry was placed firmly above everything else - unless you count the secret work, which is a whole other discussion.
Reading List
Wilmshurst is a fascinating author, but that book should really only be read by Master Masons, and with the understanding that it is coming from a Theosophical perspective. It's a poor introduction for outsiders because it is looking at Masonry from a particular viewpoint, and some of the strong views therein might very well blast an evangelical into orbit.
I think The Masonic Myth by Jay Kinney is a better choice.
Almost everyone suggests Born In Blood as a reading. Here is my issue with the whole book: When the book was written, the author was not a mason. He was only raised after the book was written and circulating.
The discussion he has on ritual isn't based on actual ritual, but rather exposes which have some questionable sourcing.
You can read it, but be warned; a lot of the conclusions he comes to are from his own opinion. The book is supposed to be why we do the things we do but is by no means fact. The book is a reason why a large number of my brothers know so very little about the history of our ritual.
I would suggest reading the following:
The EA Handbook by JSM Ward
Intro to EA by Claudy
The Masonic Myth
Edit: Formatting
The Masonic Myth
http://www.amazon.com/The-Masonic-Myth-Unlocking-Freemasonry/dp/0060822562
I found this to be very helpful, and have heard many others mention in for those seeking to better understand Freemasonry.
http://www.amazon.com/Masonic-Myth-Unlocking-Symbols-Freemasonry/dp/0060822562