A Life of Albert Pike, originally published in 1997, is as much a study of antebellum Arkansas as it is a portrait of the former general. A native of Massachusetts, Pike settled in Arkansas Territory in 1832 after wandering the Great Plains of Texas and New Mexico for two years. In Arkansas he became a schoolteacher, newspaperman, lawyer, Whig leader, poet, Freemason, and Confederate general who championed secession and fought against Black suffrage. During his tenure as Sovereign Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite—a position he held for more than thirty years beginning in 1859—Pike popularized the Masonic movement in the American South and Far West. In the wake of the Civil War, Pike left Arkansas, ultimately settling in Washington, D.C., where he lived out his last years in the Mason's House of the Temple. Drawing on original documents, Pike’s copious writings, and interviews with Pike’s descendants, Walter Lee Brown presents a fascinating personal history that also serves as a rich compendium of Arkansas’s antebellum history.

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An anecdotal biography of the organizer and leader of the Scottish Rite, one of Freemasonry's largest organizations.

Unravel the mysteries of the Masons All the myths and rumors about Masonic organizations probably have you wondering "what do Masons really do?" Questions like this one are a natural by-product of being the oldest and largest "secret society" in the world. This book is an ideal starting place to find answers to your questions about the secret and not-so-secret things about Freemasonry. Now in its third edition, this international best-seller peeks behind the door of your local Masonic lodge and explains the meanings behind the rituals, rites, and symbols of the organization. Along the way the book covers nearly 3,000 years of Masonic history, introduces you to some famous Freemasons you already know from history books, and explains the relationship with related groups like Knights Templar, Scottish Rite, Order of Eastern Star, and the beloved fez-wearing Shriners. Look inside the book to learn: What it takes to become a member of the Freemasons, and what you can expect when you join How Lodges are organized and what really goes on during Masonic ceremonies The basic beliefs and philosophies of Freemasonry, including how Masons contribute to charity, and society in general The origins behind some of the wild myths and conspiracy theories surrounding Freemasonry and how to debunk (most of) them Written by a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason and the Public Relations and Marketing Director for the Grand Lodge F&AM of Indiana, Freemasons For Dummies is a must-read guide for anyone interested in this ancient fraternal order, whether you're looking to join or are just curious about some of the more mysterious aspects of Freemasonry.

Masonry is permeated with powerful verbal and pictorial symbolism that arouses the mental, spiritual and intellectual life. One of the treasures of the SJ USA Supreme Council's Archives at the House of the Temple in Washington, D.C., is Albert Pike's manuscript of The Book of the Words. The book was originally printed, in an edition limited to 150 copies, in 1874. This remarkable study is an exploration of the symbolic words in Freemasonry. It gives the correct spelling of, and analyzes all the "significant words" in the Scottish Rite from the 1st through the 30th degrees inclusive. Pike explores and explains their origin (Hebrew, Samaritan, Phoenician and English), meaning, symbolism and relevance to the degrees and gives his insights. In addition to being an etymological dictionary Pike explains why any given word was chosen for a given degree, thereby revealing the hidden symbolism of each word.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1874 Edition.