Books for the Masonic Student

Books for the Masonic Student


Recommended by Grand Lodge Education Officer Of Minnesota Ed Halpaus. A question was asked recently about a list of books that I would recommend to have in a Masonic Library; lodge or personal libraries: A good set of books to have on hand for Masonic research and study. First, the best bargain in good Masonic Books are used books; Masonic students are much more interested in the content and condition of a book than whether it was read first by someone else or not, so I suggest buying used books whenever possible. It’s a lot less expensive to build up a good personal or lodge library of used books. The next best bargain is through our Grand Lodge book store; the books there are always priced less than the publisher’s list price. The next best is the M.S.A. and other book sellers; many Masonic Book Suppliers are on the Internet or have catalogs, and finally, e-books.

The following is a short list of books I would recommend.

Masonic edition of the Holy Bible (2 of them – 1 for the home and 1 for the car – that way you will never be far from some good Masonic and Great Light information)
Freemasons’ Guide and Compendium - ISBN-13-978-1-58182-560-2
A Reference Book for Freemasons - ISBN 0-90765541-6
Dictionary of Symbolism - ISBN 0-452-01118-3
Morals and Dogma by Albert Pike
Encyclopedia of Freemasonry by Albert Mackey
Masonic Symbolism ISBN 0-7661-0029-4
History of Freemasonry (7 volume set) by Albert Mackey
The History of Freemasonry by Robert Freke Gould
History of the Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons, and Concordant Orders. Written by a Board of Editors.
Coil’s Masonic Encyclopedia by Henry Wilson Coil
Masonry Defined by E.R. Johnston
House Undivided ISBN 0-88053-066-1
Freemasonry in American History ISBN 0-88053-078-2
Dictionary of Freemasonry ISBN 0-517-69213-9
A Glossary of the Craft and Royal Arch Rituals of Freemasonry ISBN 0-85318-190-X
Masonic Dictionary ISBN 0-88053-083-9
Workman Unashamed ISBN 0-85318-247-7
Seekers of Truth ISBN 0-935633-06-5
The Masonic Letter G ISBN 0-88053-066-9
The Little Masonic Library, Macoy Publishing
The Freemason at Work ISBN 0-85318-189-6
Membership in the Masonic Book Club: P.O. Box 1563 Bloomington, IL 61702-1563
Membership in the Scottish Rite Research Society: SRRS 1733 Sixteenth Street N.W. Washington D.C. 20009-3103
Membership in the Philalethes Society: 800 South 15th St. #1803 Sebring, OH 44672
Membership in the Southern California Research Lodge F. & A.M: C/O Norman Leeper 2097 Smokewood Ave. Fullerton, CA 92831

The number of good books for Masons to read is almost endless; if space permitted the list could easily be twice as long.

Many of the above books are available in book stores that sell new books, and many are available from good reliable used book resellers and suppliers. One of my favorite men to deal with on used books is Worshipful Brother Harold Davidson, the Librarian for the Philalethes Society and the founder o the Billings Masonic Library. He can be reached at http://mail.google.com/mail/contacts/ui/ContactManager?js=RAW&maximize=true&hide=true&position=absolute&hl=en&emailsLink=true&sk=true&titleBar=false&border=NONE&eventCallback=ParentStub1235418785339&zx=pd4hqc-z2upv6 or by mail at 1903 – 10th Street West – Billings, MT 59102 or by phone at: 406-259-1552 or by fax at: 406-259-2316

While there is no replacement for having a good book in your hands, some of these books can be found on-line as they have been scanned and put there for research purposes; one of the best places to go to begin a search for e-books is at: http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/ Another great place to search for Masonic e-books is at Google Books http://books.google.com/bkshp

The above books and research societies are just some of everything that is available to us as Masonic Students to use throughout our lifelong journey in learning. We are living in a wonderful time; there is so much information being written and distributed about Freemasonry, and it is much easier to find today that it has ever been.
Continue to dig into the subject of Freemasonry, learn all you can about it, and then help the Fraternity by passing on what you have learned to others who are also interested. This is one very good way to enjoy a lifetime of affiliation

A question was asked recently about a list of books that I would recommend to have in a Masonic Library; lodge or personal libraries: A good set of books to have on hand for Masonic research and study. First, the best bargain in good Masonic Books are used books; Masonic students are much more interested in the content and condition of a book than whether it was read first by someone else or not, so I suggest buying used books whenever possible. It’s a lot less expensive to build up a good personal or lodge library of used books. The next best bargain is through our Grand Lodge book store; the books there are always priced less than the publisher’s list price. The next best is the M.S.A. and other book sellers; many Masonic Book Suppliers are on the Internet or have catalogs, and finally, e-books.

The following is a short list of books I would recommend.

Masonic edition of the Holy Bible (2 of them – 1 for the home and 1 for the car – that way you will never be far from some good Masonic and Great Light information)
Freemasons’ Guide and Compendium - ISBN-13-978-1-58182-560-2
A Reference Book for Freemasons - ISBN 0-90765541-6
Dictionary of Symbolism - ISBN 0-452-01118-3
Morals and Dogma by Albert Pike
Encyclopedia of Freemasonry by Albert Mackey
Masonic Symbolism ISBN 0-7661-0029-4
History of Freemasonry (7 volume set) by Albert Mackey
The History of Freemasonry by Robert Freke Gould
History of the Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons, and Concordant Orders. Written by a Board of Editors.
Coil’s Masonic Encyclopedia by Henry Wilson Coil
Masonry Defined by E.R. Johnston
House Undivided ISBN 0-88053-066-1
Freemasonry in American History ISBN 0-88053-078-2
Dictionary of Freemasonry ISBN 0-517-69213-9
A Glossary of the Craft and Royal Arch Rituals of Freemasonry ISBN 0-85318-190-X
Masonic Dictionary ISBN 0-88053-083-9
Workman Unashamed ISBN 0-85318-247-7
Seekers of Truth ISBN 0-935633-06-5
The Masonic Letter G ISBN 0-88053-066-9
The Little Masonic Library, Macoy Publishing
The Freemason at Work ISBN 0-85318-189-6
Membership in the Masonic Book Club: P.O. Box 1563 Bloomington, IL 61702-1563
Membership in the Scottish Rite Research Society: SRRS 1733 Sixteenth Street N.W. Washington D.C. 20009-3103
Membership in the Philalethes Society: 800 South 15th St. #1803 Sebring, OH 44672
Membership in the Southern California Research Lodge F. & A.M: C/O Norman Leeper 2097 Smokewood Ave. Fullerton, CA 92831

The number of good books for Masons to read is almost endless; if space permitted the list could easily be twice as long.

Many of the above books are available in book stores that sell new books, and many are available from good reliable used book resellers and suppliers. One of my favorite men to deal with on used books is Worshipful Brother Harold Davidson, the Librarian for the Philalethes Society and the founder o the Billings Masonic Library. He can be reached at http://mail.google.com/mail/contacts/ui/ContactManager?js=RAW&maximize=true&hide=true&position=absolute&hl=en&emailsLink=true&sk=true&titleBar=false&border=NONE&eventCallback=ParentStub1235418785339&zx=pd4hqc-z2upv6 or by mail at 1903 – 10th Street West – Billings, MT 59102 or by phone at: 406-259-1552 or by fax at: 406-259-2316

While there is no replacement for having a good book in your hands, some of these books can be found on-line as they have been scanned and put there for research purposes; one of the best places to go to begin a search for e-books is at: http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/ Another great place to search for Masonic e-books is at Google Books http://books.google.com/bkshp

The above books and research societies are just some of everything that is available to us as Masonic Students to use throughout our lifelong journey in learning. We are living in a wonderful time; there is so much information being written and distributed about Freemasonry, and it is much easier to find today that it has ever been.
Continue to dig into the subject of Freemasonry, learn all you can about it, and then help the Fraternity by passing on what you have learned to others who are also interested. This is one very good way to enjoy a lifetime of affiliation with the Sons of Light.