When I was in Houston International Airport in January of this year I noticed this magazine entitled ‘ Mysteries of History – Secret Societies’ with Bro. Greorge Washington dominating the cover. I thought to myself that this would be ideal for me to read on the flight home. As it happend I watched a long film (movie) and then fell asleep and I never got round to reading the publication.

I recently found it again when looking  for something else. I read it this time around. I was rather disappointed. It is a mish-mash of stuff about secret societies (many of which are not secret at all!) and it very definitely has an American bias (not that I should be surprised, given that it was written and published there). Scotland, the place where Freemasonry originated, is not mentioned.

The publication is sub-titled ‘Masons, Religious Cults, Scientology, Opus Dei, The Mafia, Skull & Bones & more.’ I am sure that a lot of Freemasons will be annoyed and disappointed in being lumped in with criminal organisations like the Mafia and with religious groups like Opus Dei and Scientology. There seems that there is little we Freemasons can do to stop publishers such as USNews creating and perpetuating the erroneous perception that Freemasonry is a so called ‘secret society’.

That said this publication is one of the most benign in regards to Freemasonry and anyone who wishes to a general overview of where many people seem to think Freemasonry fits into the world of secret societies that this is as good an introduction as any. Although well illustrated (ncluding some supplied by the United Grand Lodge of England) it is impossible for the publication to do real justice to the history, purpose, symbolism, ritual, regalia, administration, famous members etc., etc. in the 14 pages devoted to the Craft (many of them partly or fully given over to illustrations).

The cover was the thing that caught my eye. George Washington (1732 – 1799) was a Scottish Freemason although that statement requires some explanation.

More to follow…