The Robert Burns Press

Explore the rich history of Freemasonry around the world.

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A Masonic Lodge on the Moon?

Many conspiracy theories claim that there is a Masonic Lodge on the Moon. What if they were true? In 1969, as Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface, he carried more than science — he carried Free-Masonry. Authorized by the Grand Lodge of Texas, Aldrin performed a symbolic ceremony claiming Masonic jurisdiction on the Moon and founding Tranquility Lodge No. 2000. Discover the true story behind this extraordinary act of brotherhood that united space exploration, symbolism, and the eternal Masonic quest to bring light into new worlds.

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The Secret Weapon of the Free-Masons

During the Civil War, a groundbreaking invention emerged from the hands of Free-Masons who combined technical skill, courage, and deep fraternal loyalty. This article uncovers the dramatic story of this secret weapon—an innovation far ahead of its time—and the brethren who risked everything to bring it to the battlefield. Explore how Masonic networks accelerated its development, how its creators’ shared obligations influenced their mission, and how this forgotten device briefly changed the balance of war before vanishing into history’s shadows.

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Whither Are We Traveling?

A prophetic warning from 1963, "Whither Are We Traveling?" unveils the hidden erosion of Free-Masonry's ancient wisdom. Dwight L. Smith's ten piercing questions challenge the Craft to rediscover its true purpose or risk losing its soul to modernity's temptations. This timeless work is a beacon for those seeking to preserve the mystical essence of Masonry in an ever-changing world.

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The Square That Shook Masonic History.

The enigmatic Baal's Bridge Square from 1507 - a mysterious brass Masonic artifact discovered in an Irish bridge foundation that challenges the accepted timeline of Free-Masonry. This rare square, inscribed with Masonic principles and symbolism, could provide evidence that speculative Masonry existed centuries earlier than historians previously believed.

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Conservsative and Liberal Free-Masonry

Liberal vs Conservative Freemasonry - Examining the historical 19th-century split that shaped the way Free-Masonry evolved, different approaches to religious requirements.

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The Lost Washington Masonic Relic of 1797

A long-lost brass relic that vanished for nearly a century before its dramatic rediscovery. This unique plain-edge specimen connects America's first President to his Masonic roots, revealing a forgotten campaign to name Washington as General Grand Master. Follow its journey through history's shadows and the hands of renowned collectors to its unexpected reemergence in 2021.

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Chinese "Free-Masonry"

Beneath red lanterns in forgotten Chinatown alleys, the Hongmen brotherhood practiced ancient rituals sealed in blood. Neither Triad nor Freemason, this "Vast Family" united marginalized Chinese across oceans through secret codes and sacred oaths. Behind closed doors, they transformed from mutual aid society to revolutionary network, ultimately helping topple the Qing Dynasty. Their mysterious halls still stand today—silent witnesses to a brotherhood that created its own power when the world offered none.

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The Man who betrayed Freemasonry

The Morgan Affair: How one man's disappearance in 1826 sparked a national anti-Masonic movement that nearly destroyed American Freemasonry. This comprehensive analysis explores William Morgan's mysterious abduction, the rise of America's first third party, and the lasting transformation of one of the nation's oldest fraternities.

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The Opera Garnier; a Masonic Treasure

Step inside Paris’s most dazzling temple of art and symbolism. The Palais Garnier reveals a hidden Masonic language in stone — from its ascending Grand Escalier symbolizing the path from darkness to light, to its Sun and Moon salons mirroring the cosmic duality of the Lodge. Discover how Charles Garnier’s architectural genius fused geometry, music, and illumination into a timeless tribute to the Craft.

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The Free-Masons behind the Alamo?

Discover the hidden Masonic connections at the Alamo's legendary last stand. This in-depth exploration reveals how five prominent Freemasons led the defense, how Masonic principles influenced their sacrifice, and how the fraternity's networks shaped the birth of Texas—a fascinating glimpse into brotherhood amid revolution.

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How Free-Masonry Forged the Greek Revolution

Uncover how Freemasonry helped ignite the Greek Revolution of 1821. This captivating account reveals how secret Masonic lodges and the Filiki Eteria—modeled on Masonic ideals—united visionary Greeks under the banners of liberty and fraternity. Through hidden networks across Europe, Freemasons spread Enlightenment ideals, financed rebellion, and inspired heroes like Kolokotronis and Kapodistrias, forging the spirit that would free Greece from Ottoman rule.

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Benjamin Franklin's Secret Underground club

Uncover the truth behind the infamous Hellfire Club — a secret society of wit, rebellion, and scandal. Far from a satanic cult, Sir Francis Dashwood’s “Order of the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe” blended Enlightenment philosophy with satire, politics, and pleasure. From the mock-monastic rituals of Medmenham Abbey to the mysterious Hellfire Caves beneath West Wycombe, explore how this underground brotherhood blurred the lines between intellect, irreverence, and indulgence.

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The Invisible College; a Masonic Organization?

Was the “Invisible College” connected to early speculative Masonry? Discover how a secret circle of 17th-century scholars laid the philosophical foundations of the Royal Society — and how figures like Elias Ashmole and Sir Robert Moray bridged science, symbolism, and brotherhood to shape the dawn of the Enlightenment.

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The Affair of the Cards, An true Statewide Masonic conspiracy

Uncover the shocking scandal that rocked France in 1904 - a secret Masonic plot to control the military from within. The Affair of the Casseroles exposed a vast conspiracy of political espionage, religious discrimination, and covert manipulation reaching to the highest levels of government.

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Free-Masonry and the Unification of Italy

Discover the hidden role of secret societies in forging modern Italy. From Giuseppe Garibaldi to Giuseppe Mazzini, Masonic lodges served as clandestine hubs for revolutionary ideals and political intrigue.

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The Mysterious Secret Roman Cult: A Possible Precursor to Free-Masonry

Uncover the rites of Rome’s secretive Mithraic brotherhood — an initiatory cult of seven grades, oaths, and shared meals in candle-lit underground temples. We explore striking echoes with later Masonic customs while separating myth from evidence. Was Mithraism a true ancestor of Freemasonry, or just a fascinating parallel?

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Do you think that there are 33 degrees in Free-Masonry? What about 99?

The Egyptian Masonry, the Rite of Memphis-Misraïm.

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The Man who Never betrayed his brothers

Discover the symbols and rituals that define Free-Masonry, providing insights into its traditions and practices.

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The soldier that was saved by his bretheren

Discover the symbols and rituals that define Free-Masonry, providing insights into its traditions and practices.

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The Knight Templars, founders of Free-Masonry?

Discover the symbols and rituals that define Free-Masonry, providing insights into its traditions and practices.

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Was the Boston Tea Party a Masonic Tea Party?

On a cold December night in 1773, a band of patriots disguised as Mohawk Indians slipped onto the tea ships in Boston Harbor — sparking a rebellion that would reshape the world. Many of these men moved in Masonic circles, raising the question: how deeply did the Lodge influence the birth of the American Revolution? This article explores the secret meetings, overlapping membership, and revolutionary networks that connected Boston’s Freemasons to the dawn of American liberty.

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Free-Masonry and the Secret Underground Railroad

Beneath quiet farmhouses, church basements, and forgotten cellar doors, a hidden network of tunnels and safe rooms helped enslaved people flee toward freedom. This article explores how individual Free-Masons and their allies—guided by ideals of liberty and brotherhood—sometimes used discreet symbols, coded routes, and lodge connections to aid the Underground Railroad. We separate romantic legend from documented history, tracing where the myths of “Masonic tunnels” end and the true stories of courage and clandestine rescue begin.

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George Washington's Lifelong Engagement with Free-Masonry

From his initiation in Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4 in 1752 to presiding over the cornerstone ceremony of the U.S. Capitol, George Washington’s Masonic journey reflected his devotion to virtue, order, and brotherhood. This article uncovers the deep influence of Masonic ideals on his leadership, correspondence, and vision for the young Republic. Explore the symbols, rituals, and friendships that shaped America’s first President — a Mason whose character helped lay the moral foundation of a nation.

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Benjamin Franklin the Free-Mason and Diplomat

A printer, philosopher, and master diplomat, Benjamin Franklin used Masonic ideals of reason, liberty, and fraternity to shape both America and Europe. This article explores how his Lodge ties in Philadelphia and Paris helped forge alliances, spread Enlightenment ideas, and anchor his vision for a more virtuous Republic.

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The Statue of Liberty: A Masonic Project?

Was Lady Liberty born from Masonic ideals? This article explores the intriguing connections between the Statue of Liberty’s creators and the world of Freemasonry—from Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi’s symbolic design elements to the involvement of French and American brethren who shared Enlightenment visions of liberty and human dignity. Discover how ancient symbols, fraternal philosophy, and political alliances converged to shape this towering monument, transforming it from a gift of friendship into a radiant emblem of freedom, light, and universal brotherhood.

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