| Crossposted from the Chequered Pavement: I would like to thank Bro. Steve Foley for encouraging factual information regarding all Masonic orders and communities to be out there for public consumption. He has been a close friend and true Brother who stands as a pinnacle of Masonic behavior. Thanks Brother. Anyway, I thought that some of this may be useful to some of you so in that spirit I hope you enjoy. Cheers, BC Well basically the 1613 Nation is a community of independent lodges (self originating, not holding or requiring charter ) who work together out of a sense of cooperation and mutual Brotherhood. We are not a Grand Orient or Grand Lodge in any way and we do not claim to be. So, what does this mean? In a nutshell we are all friends who share a common passion for Freemasonry and the betterment of Mankind through a set of common principles. The specifics are outlined on the 1613 Manifesto, although that in no way is ever intended to be a source of "set in stone" dogma. Think of the 21st century in relation to different movements. Commonalities between the 1613 and the open source software movement or the Do It Yourself ethic are numerous. In a nutshell we are those movements within our mutual love, Freemasonry. It all started from one lodge, that was itself started by an idea fueled by a desire to practice a ritual that we had a mutual fondness for. That lodge, Lodge Napoleon Bonaparte was founded expressly to work the original Rite of Misraim, a Rite that had previously been unavailable to work. Those four founders of LNB, of who I am one originally had the idea to receive a charter for the lodge from a Grand Lodge in Europe who offered the Rite of Misraim. After a lot of contact and discussion we always found something that for us was not what we desired. Whether that be the $400.00 annual "tribute" to the Grand Lodge, or having to comply 100% with their rules for visitation, voting protocol in French or what have you we decided that was not the road to go down for us. So, we decided to be independents and do our own thing. We wanted to be a worldwide lodge that would gather annually for ritual. While this worked we where running into Brethren who still wanted an in person lodge every month so we decided to explore that option. So, what we decided to do was to set up a community where we would be able to share information. We would also dedicated ourselves to helping others within the community with traveling to do degrees, redacting ritual, creating new ritual on and on. The first step was the establishment of a Post-Modern Freemasonry group on FB. This allowed us to connect with interested people from all over the world. It has been a wonderful success today with almost 500 members in harmony. This lead to the Establishment of individual lodges in Georgia and South Africa. An established lodge in Mexico working Memphis Misraim and a lodge in Germany working misraim also caught on to what we where doing so we found ourselves growing. The way that our lodges come about is two ways. A currently establish lodges expresses sincere interest in joining the community. They resonate with the manifesto and the ten point program found within it. We establish them within the community, provide full web support etc. The second method is that those who are Masons currently and who resonate with the 1613 inquire about forming a new lodge. Then we do the same thing by plugging them into the community etc. The final way is an individual seeker inquires about the community. We get them introduced. We get to know each other and whatever the best solution to get the candidate initiated when identified is put into action. Practicality is the key of the day. Our Rites are what is currently available and desire to be worked and then what can be created new and added to the current of Masonic Rites. We feature long established rituals like Memphis, Misraim, AASR (REAA) French Modern Rite, Schroeder, National Mexican Rite. As well s the newly formed Hellenic Rite. We also encourage the modification of current rites based upon the will of the lodge. The 1613 Nation is an open and free community. That means that we encourage those who are members to share the current with whoever they can. We encourage the exchange of ideas and the implementation of new best practices. We are not a dues paying organization. No lodge pays to be a member of the 1613. That means that this is strictly a volunteer effort. All of our support (including web design and hosting, intra-net, blogs, redacted rituals etc.) come at zero monetary costs to it's members. But all members are expected to be active in the community and to offer assistance to other members/lodges when required. For an example our lodges in the UK- Sanctum Sanctorum and John Yarker work together on a regular basis. Both of our Lauderdale lodges are closely linked. Our NY, NY and DC lodges work together for mutual benefit etc. The desire to be a true community is our ultimate goal. IN LVX. | ||||
Buenos Aires, Argentina. 1613 Nation-Post-Modern Freemasons.We stand united against the forces of stagnation and institutionalised regression. As Freemasonry is a progressive science we seek to regain a fluid and flowing form. The rejection of tradition for the mere sake of maintaining the status quo. We hear-by issue in a new era. We take control of our own sovereignty. Our members are who matter not some far away "supreme council" or dictatorial oligarchy. We maintain the right of self determination. Empowerment is the new order of the day.
A maelstrom is rising, reaching out across the globe. The powers that have come to dominate over the last 300 years have grown tired. So bloated by their own institutional creation they have grow slow, unable to react to the needs of the twenty first century seeker of Masonic light. The traditions that they have come to rely on have betrayed them. Just as a poor diet with lead to a body ravaged with afflictions and cancer and a poor education leaves a mind dull and witless their allegiance to seventeenth century best practices have left them on life support in the twenty first century age. Today's seeker of light wants more than the stale status quo. They want more than just the social men's club but the radical progressive revolution of the enlightenment.
Where do we go from here? When will apathy and stasis be replaced with enthusiasm and emotion? Now! By who? The revolutionaries who go by the Freemasonry beyond form. We call ourselves Post-Modern Freemasons, the 1613 Nation.
Unlike our Modern and Antient predecessors , Post-Moderns are united together not through the bonds of institutional servitude but by the genuine desire to build upon common principles. It is no the desire to form yet another among the countless institutions. It is not the feeding of ego that can so easily lead to a cult of personality. It is the genuine desire and belief that a true community based upon common sense pragmatic principles will allow us to guide ourselves in the model of the twenty first century Freemason.
The first of these principles is that of sovereignty. Sovereignty not only of our lodges as independent houses of the Craft, but sovereignty of the individual to practice the Craft how would best benefit their individual lives. As Freemasons and free men and women; we the members and 1613 Nation loudly and proudly declare our sovereignty and independence; not only as Freemasons but as collective citizens under the canopy of Heaven. We hold it within our rights to manage our affairs as we see fit, regardless of attempted outside interference.
The second of these principles is the abandonment of rigid institutionalized forms. In Order to remain effective the Craft needs to be adaptable to any situation we find ourselves in. We cannot be so dedicated to one way that it leads us right off the cliff to extinction. This is counter productive ad potentially suicidal. We need to approach the Craft with a pragmatic mindset. The growth of the Nation leads to the service of seekers of Masonic light. This is our mission, we cannot be so caught up in "tradition" that we loose focus that would lead to aspirants slipping through the cracks.
The third principle reflects our commitment to the service of all true aspirants. We must not discriminate dues to gender, race, sexual orientation, class, creed, religion or lack of faith. To do so is a gross violation of contemporary human virtue. We must build a cosmopolitan Craft, one who is inclusive and meaningful in order to build a better humanity.
The fourth principle reflects our operative focus. For being operative, our Freemasonry, conscious of accomplishing the great divine intention and transcendent teachings of the ancients, does not admit any limitation to the absolute liberty of conscience and, for its natural extension, the complete liberty of the spirit. All free and honest human beings, from all races, genders, religions, social situations, philosophical or political ideals and economic conceptions should commune in harmony and unity to be free citizens within the temple of Masonic light. The operative magicks of shall be transmitted through our workings. United in this glorious endeavour, we the custodians of this magickal Rites now open this mutual community.
It is these principles that separate us from those who have come before. We claim no superiority except when it comes to being such for ourselves. Just as we do not hold any foreign authority in supreme regard we do not hold the standards of organizations outside of our community as absolute standards. We are united in our common bond and strengthened in by our will.
Cooperation, Compassion, Community we are the pillars of the Temple!
The 1613 Nation is not a grand lodge or orient. There is no grand master nor supreme council. The 1613 Nation is a co-operational community guided by principle and help together by mutual benefit and respect. The institutionalized way of doing things has given us a three hundred year old case study. This is a lot of data to process and we have come to the conclusion that an institutionalized system always leads to status. When the blood stops moving the host body dies. That is what has let to a cross divisional collapse of what once was an initiatic Craft. We are determined to avoid this path of esoteric starvation.
Each lodge is independent, but each lodge is also tied to the community. We do not help each other out of fear of retribution but rather out of the joy and sense of purpose it gives , Craftsmen helping Craftsmen each busy building the temple not built by hands- one living stone at a time.
We are resolute that we will not adopt the self destructive habits of institutionalism or elitism.
1613 Nation: Ten Point Program of the Post-Modern Freemason
The 1613 Nation is a community movement, spreading across the globe with speed and efficiency. In keeping with the spirit of a Post-Modern fluid movement dedicated to results over absolute forms we leave it up to the individual 1613 member to make their individual views know with their own personal manifesto. We need to make sure that all who seek are serviced. Everyone is just as important as everyone else. We are not based upon the ego or agenda of one person or a select group of people. We must continue to be a dynamic movement based upon skill building, growth , harmony and perseverance.
Now is the time Brethren, the birth of the 1613 Nation.
