The next person for the big chair. There to admit or refuse members, visitors, gate crashers, prying media or religious representatives of a frenetic nature. Usually has a drawn sword. Chief Steward. Runs the lodge during dinner evenings, social events etc.
Chief Steward in Waiting. Move visitors, initiates etc around. Someone who empties the bins. Someone who pumps. The Freemasons also have the titles: Inner Guard. Lets Masons in to the lodge. Junior Deacon. Carries messages. Senior Deacon. Carries more important messages. The Pumper gets the wind ready. Senior Warden. Closes the lodge. Charity Steward. Looks after the donations. In charge of collecting and spending benevolent funds.
Director of Ceremonies. In charge of rituals. Conducts the prayers. Even the humblest rank must be afforded some degree of civility.
One day the Grubber may become the Grand Master. Regalia No self-respecting secret society can do without something to dress up in. As with any club, organisation or society the feeling of continual self-improvement helps the secret society as a whole. Bonds of kinship are strengthened by the use of badges, pins, tags, sashes, coins, aprons and so on.
As in military circles ambition for promotion is a keen motivator and, although not for the many, at least those desirous of improved status are willing to aspire to a new stripe or rank pip. In the majority of people there is an urge to collect, gather and to horde, particularly in the male of the species. Whether it is miniature trains, stamps, Boy Scout badges, tea cards, bottle tops, toy cars or tin robots, the willingness to accumulate is neither diminished nor abated in adulthood.
Your secret society should be able to offer and satiate that basic human trait by offering a varied selection of achievement or status paraphernalia. The nature and form of these items is once more entirely up to you, but consider the notion that it is both helpful for the continuation and the eternal loyalty of your cadre if there are a considerable number of these gewgaws. There should be a badge, and the term is used in the broadest sense, for acolytes, initiates, and other ranks all the way up to the Grand Master and beyond for those special secret societies.
The suggestion is made that these items are less prestigious and simple for new recruits but that the style and execution of the higher status icons are of a more elaborate nature.
This continues throughout the lifetime of the member with each new badge displaying the additional motif or icon concordant with the rank that the member has attained.
The psychological impact this has cannot be understated. A rising sense of self worth and importance will increase as each new badge is earned. In terms of how to dress within the lodge see Attire below. No secret society worth its salt can do without its secrets. To get to the underlying problem the notion of exactly what their secrets could be must be analysed. The visibility of these societies is not obscured. One can walk down the high street of many British towns and clearly see a signpost pointing the way to the nearest Masonic lodge.
Of course, it should not be forgotten that this very same mystique has been nurtured by the very same people now apparently attempting to reverse the process. In reality a secret society should really be seen as a society with secrets.
Hardly a month goes by without someone decrying Freemasonry, the Illuminati, the Ordines, Skull and Bones, Bohemian Grove and the Buffaloes as nothing more than a group of revolutionary Johnnies trying to bring down society or put the wind up the Church. The secrets they keep may bring about the downfall of humanity. Frankly, that is nonsense. Your detractors will probably invent sinister secrets to tarnish your reputation.
To keep your secrets safe you must maintain a noble and diplomatic silence. Unfortunately this very same silence will bring you to the attentions of the fevered speculators.
The Knights Templar fell into this trap before they were extinguished. They were accused of all kinds of heinous and heretical activities but did nothing to dispel these accusations — to their detriment. Be on your guard but defend wisely! So, what secrets to use?
Well the beauty of this is that the secret can be anything form the inane, bizarre to the downright revolutionary. The secrets growing more impressive as each level is passed. Secrets usually take the form of recognition grips, signs and special words that allow one member of the secret society to recognise the other.
Even the noble aim of the enlightenment of humanity should be considered. Of course, you do not have to be a member of a secret society to do any of the above. Some of the most controversial secrets you can possess relate directly to religion — usually some source for its true origin or some lost gospel or manuscript.
You can make great claims to be the true keepers of these secrets, but be sure to make them earth shattering or explosive. Using those kind of pejorative terms will have your opponents fuming with rage. A number of sects, such as those connected to Gnosticism from Gnosis, to know , had heretical beliefs about the nature of Christianity, the most famous being the Cathars. Several documents have come to light in recent decades, like the alternative Gospels such as those written by Philip, Thomas and now Judas, which have all run counter, on the whole, to what the Church has taught.
Once more that pesky thing called science gets in the way. Genuine secrets are those related to the workings of the universe and careful research and study are slowly revealing these.
In truth, to call them secrets suggests they are being kept that way by an outside force, but that is a nonsensical concept.
Science is taking us from ignorance to understanding but that should not stop you coming up with some cracking ideas about our place in the grand scheme of things. Even then it may be wise to have a few more tucked away. Having secrets that are really hush-hush keep even those at the top eager for more. Most Freemasons only ever reach that stage and are often unaware that there are another 30 degrees above them.
Or at least they used to be unaware, until the advent of widespread publishing, the Internet and of course the numerous books on the subject. Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead. A prime example of this would be the secrets of Alchemy; the ancient art of turning base metals into gold. Use of alchemical terms could in fact be employed at least in the early stages , as they frequently are, for the purposes of metaphor. The initiate, through self-improvement, turns him or herself from a crude base form mortal to an enlightened being by the very act of being a member of your secret society.
But he cracked on apace with his thing. Do not be deterred! These same people accuse the members of the Bohemian Grove and the Bilderberg organisation as having just that policy in mind. Why should yours be any different?
Some very famous and successful men are members of these esteemed organisations. Included in this list are the Illuminati who have also been accused of the same thing. One possible exception is the United States, whose revolution was born out of numerous and perfectly understandable reasons, not least heavy taxes — and who wants those?
Many of those who signed the Declaration of Independence were indeed Freemasons. More so if he engaged in that activity in the modern world. Rank Within the walls of the lodge all exterior notions of rank are removed and only those of the secret society are adhered to.
This can create some problems, as many bank managers will feel more than a little miffed at having to bow before a higher ranked brother who in the outside world empties their bins. That is their problem. The hierarchy that exists in the world of the profane does not exist within your organisation. Men of low standing in the outside world can feel worthy within your lodge but not at the expense of others. There should be no overt displays of swaggering deportment.
There should be respect as well as ease and no feelings of hostility because a window cleaner is telling a chief constable where to sit. How many levels of rank you employ is entirely up to you see also the 33 degrees of Freemasonry. It is a question of balance. Too many and things become complicated; too few and there may be a lack of ambition and drive to climb the hierarchical structure.
Remember to equate each rank with a new set of secrets or elements of your hidden agenda if you have one. The most obvious is a dress code. Smart casual is perhaps the order of the day. Some societies may frown on anything with an exterior rank badge, such as a military blazer bearing a rank of a squadron or regiment. One indeed could take offence at this because it may suggest contempt for the rules. More importantly it is a display of rank that is irrelevant to the workings of your lodge and also hints of superiority.
The owner of the military blazer may in fact be lower in rank within the lodge than many in attendance and is thus displaying disrespect for others.
It is not compulsory but it is certainly wise to allow your members to dress up. They can dispense with their notions of exterior social rank and revel in the ceremonies dressed in something more suitable for their sacred position within your order.
Freemasons use the apron, which grows more ornate as the various degrees are reached. They adopted this form of attire in honour of the medieval stone masons who were also the source of some of their insignias.
Tuxedos though are recommended for dinner evenings. There is no mileage in allowing free reign of uncivil rectitude to become common place. Short lived is the lodge that applies this outlook. If you have a lax attitude initially then attempt to apply the brakes as dissension blossoms, things will certainly end in disaster. More often than not new members and indeed the more established ones are in fact looking for some form of order in their lives and therefore welcome the civility of the lodge in opposition to the unruly outside world from which they are trying to escape.
This is collected at the end of a lodge session and added to the coffers. Any prolonged disruptive behaviour should be dealt with by ejection from your secret society with a set list and sliding scale of unwarranted activities. Be sure to draw up a comprehensive list and make sure they are added to your lodge handbook given to each initiate and containing the house rules so that members are in no doubt as to what is classed as intolerable behaviour.
This will tend to dispel all the mystery that you have managed to generate and all your good work so far will come to naught. If you are aiming to practise the dark arts then it is recommended that a remote location would be more suitable e.
This, in the latter example, has the added frisson of stirring up a bit of horror in the local church going community, having the knock on effect of your brotherhood gaining a dark and Satanic reputation. You may of course be tempted, depending on the style of your secret society, to choose to meet fellow initiates in an out of the way place. Choosing the location of your lodge can be an interesting procedure and once more depends on the type of secret society you have decided to set up.
The one in Weston Super Mare, for example, is surrounded by high Victorian properties that look down upon it. There is also a very obvious signpost pointing to its location. This kind of meeting place though may well be beyond the wallets of most. But do not worry. It is important that spouses are allowed into your lodge once, twice or several times a year. This is done to allay fears that their nearest and dearest are not up to anything untoward that may effect home life. Every new one that follows must be numbered accordingly and, as stated before, can be given a name.
You can if you wish levee a small fee from each meeting place in your secret society. This helps with the continual funding of your group. The prestigious use of occult symbolism is advisable. Caveat: Some lodges, though, are doomed to failure, loss, degradation and to suffer all the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. The old Golden Dawn temple in Weston Super Mare is now a building society a non-secretive organisation.
How, indeed, the mighty have fallen! If this happens rally your forces and knuckle down. The closure of one lodge does not spell disaster for all. Keep at it. It is no good having to ask people to wait outside in the hall while you conduct a raising. The inner sanctum, sometimes called the holy of holies or the sanctum sanctorum, must be the most decorated room and must give off a sense of solemn respectfulness. The ceiling must have special attention afforded it.
Sometimes the zodiac is painted around a single sun at the centre. Sometimes the sun is an All Seeing Eye see the reverse side of the paper currency of the United Sates to suggest to everyone that the deity if you have one is watching all. Masonic lodges have the Latin words Vide, Aude and Tace see, listen and be silent usually written up high on a wall. Some lodges have seating around the inner sanctum all looking in — unless you happen to belong to the Society of Avoidance, whose members do not look at each other throughout their lodge meetings.
This should be an impressive piece of ornate carpentry itself, decked out in all kinds of symbolism relevant to your organisation. Some cushions or at least sufficient padding may be useful. A lectern or some form of table is also recommended. These can either be held in tabletop candelabra or in a stand on the floor — normally around six or seven feet high. Fees Fees are levied so that the secret society can continue to exist. Each lodge should administer its own affairs, including raising funds, but may in accordance with your rules hand over a small percentage for the greater good.
Normally each lodge acts independently, asking the Grand Lodge about matters of policy only. How much autonomy do you give? This must be sorted out from the start and laid down clearly in the charter. Money is always a sticking point but lessen the problems with careful and clear thinking from the off. Who Should Join? Where you can you should be looking for new members from the local community.
More importantly they will be like-minded individuals who are looking for something that will get them out of the house.
Your society must offer them that. Be vigorous with the selection process and this will pay dividends later on. Membership should be facilitated through personal invitations only. A stable family life is always a plus. There is often the adoption of disdain for those with whom there was once companionship in formative years and who now stand below the initiate in rank, whether internal or external.
Of course there is nothing wrong with wanting to better ourselves but we must be careful how this is attained. As in all aspects of life there are those who think nothing of using everyone and every method without so much as the commonest forms of gratitude to climb the social ladder, a trait made de rigueur in the penultimate decade of the 20th century.
Unfortunately this is a fact of life and although encouraged in the outside world it is one to be frowned on within the hallowed halls of your lodge. It should not be tolerated in any form. The idea of the initiation ceremony is to keep that drive in check and maintain order and discipline. To aspire to the next level the acolyte must learn to restrain all individual motivations while they are within the bounds of the lodge, keeping about them great decorum and respect for those above and those below.
Initiations, or as the Freemasons call them raisings, are in some respects a reward for good service to the lodge and fellow members. Depending on how you have decided to run your society, initiations may also be given after a set amount of time.
Ceremonies are not only employed to initiate or raise candidates, but they can be used for dinners, opening of a lodge session or just about anything you fancy devising a small pageant for.
It is merely to be considered for reference purposes only. Raising his arms he brings a gavel down upon a lectern sometimes a desk.
Whistling noisily he directs the company to hum along. The whistling is commanded to stop by a secret sign. All rise! Everyone rises then swiftly sits down again. Grand Master: Are the battlements secure? He asks this of the person responsible for locking the doors — the Protector of the Gate.
Protector: They are secure from all outside intrusions. Grand Master: Are the profane and their soiled manners barred from entry?
Protector: They are. From all intruders the doors are verily bolted. So that we may meet in peace and accord. Grand Master: Are there none but us present? Protector: There are none but true Carpeteers present and all be counted and obliged upon the hour. Grand Master: Will you all give the sacred sign so that we may know each other. The assembled then give the secret sign anyone unable to give the sign is assumed to be an intruder and forcefully ejected or kicked in the regalia.
Warden: The sign is given! All are true! The Grand Master then produces his bauble and places it in the slot. Grand Master: Brothers of the Carpet before the lodge is deemed open, I call upon the Great Layer of the Universe to help us this day in all our undertakings. The assembly then whistles inanely until gestured to stop. Warden: Thus verily so mote it is!
Grand Master: I declare then that our assembly is true. The lodge is therefore open. Warden: The kettle is on. Death Threats! Freemasons will no longer have to face having their tongues cut out and their throats slit if they break their oaths. The Independent, June The use of death threats to secure secrecy used to be the staple of initiation ceremonies, but sadly no longer.
Political correctness has seen to it that blood-curdling oaths are now no longer tolerated. You may wish to keep them in for effect, but with the way litigation is these days any mention of retribution may land you in the midst of an expensive court case. Threats to family and friends as a manipulative tool, employed by the more extreme ends of the underground spectrum politico-religious, more often than not , should also be avoided. Some Masonic initiations create a genuine sense of fear but as many have stated, post ceremony, it is an exhilarating and worthwhile experience nonetheless.
Do not worry, the initiate will also feel that they have been involved in something worthwhile; that they really have given up an old way of life and have crossed over into something far more exotic and exciting. Better always to have a rousing and at the same time a terrifying ordeal through which the acolyte has found and stepped onto the path of righteousness that leads him into enlightenment. The most important aspect of the initiation ceremony is to render in the initiate the most fundamental of ideas which, simply put, is that they are entering a new and brighter realm of understanding.
Behind them is the old ghastly world of the profane, of chaos, ignorance and isolation out of which they are passing via the initiation ceremony into the world of light, knowledge and fellowship. More importantly, and this must be instilled from the start, that if they reveal any of the secrets the initiate will suffer dire consequences. See Death Threats above. These are taught to the candidate prior to his initiation. The candidate dressed in a hood, a lime green kaftan and red tweed slippers is brought through the double doors at the back of the lodge and is made to wait by the W.
The KL coughs loudly to alert the assembled lodge. KL: There is an alarm at the door! GM: Who seeks to be enlightened? GM holds up a staff and points to the star above the double doors. He utters the sacred word. I seek sacred word in the sacred word of the sacred word. GM stands up, sits down then stands up and moves to the west whereupon the candidate steps up to the KL and offers his PN to the W.
GM: I hear. W: He leaves the world behind. GM: Who has brought this man? W: Noble brothers. He desires to be a member, hard and true.
GM: All is dark. He raises his staff and points to the sacred symbol directly above the candidate. The GM then takes three steps to the right and one to the left before moving across the room to stand beside the RF. GM: Darkness surrounds the brother to be. W: Upon this hour it is so done that this brother who walks in darkness, awaits rebirth into light.
The binds that bind him are born of ignorance and fear. GM says the magic word then returns to the lectern and coughs three times to alert the assembled that he is about to make utterances. GM: Brothers, we have in our midst a man in darkness.
He lives in peril. W: Speak candidate! The lost one. Ignorance of things Tweed. The assembled then each remove a slipper. W: The signs are given that we may recognise. The GM then rushes to the third corner where he faces the wall.
GM: This brother in darkness wishes to be considered a wearer of tweed. KL: Tis so. The sun riseth and the sun sinketh but we wear the tweed.
GM: By his acceptance he will be taught the ancient mysteries. Everyone falls down then gets up after a count of three. The GM then returns to the lectern and raises his hands high above his head. The WSM makes a mess then gathers together the rolls of tweed from their place of storage. The GM turns his back and cups his hands over his ears. Three ensconced candles are lit, extinguished, then re-lit.
The W whoops once, then twice then whistles one continuous note for the count of GM then instructs the candidate to lean forward.
GM: This is the sword of Jeraboam. The assembled give the third sign and utter the sacred word. Followed by the magic word, said twice. GM hops on one foot then rushes to the fourth corner. GM: The sword sits in judgement of your ability. ALL: All hail the sword! GM: Candidate, do you understand that to reveal what you learn will mean? ALL: All extremities removed by force! I do solemnly swear that I am to the task. GM: Bring him unto light!
The hood is removed with one dramatic gesture. Everyone runs around then stops at the count of three. Sweets are then handed around and everyone is happy. This is just one example of an initiation ceremony. You can make yours as elaborate or as simple as you so desire. The more elaborate the ritual — the greater the psychological effect, making the acolyte feel as if they have really been through the initiation process mill. Simply handing over an apron or a sash is not the done thing. You must make them feel as if they have really crossed over a threshold or entered into something really special.
In short, lay it on thick! Degrees and Levels of Initiation You must decide how many levels there are within your secret society. Each level must improve on the last in terms of the secrets revealed and the method of passing from one level to the next through a particular ceremony. Each of these rituals must convince the acolyte that they are going to be a little further down the road to understanding the greater mysteries that you have been hinting at since day one.
More importantly each ritual must be more impressive than the last. It is in a sense a gradual transition as opposed to an instant one. It is recommended that a Super Grand Master or a name of your choosing must be positioned at the highest degree attainable in your organisation. He must have moved up through the ranks and must know all the ceremonies and ritualistic words off by heart.
He, or indeed she, must also be able to perform all rituals without slip or error. The 33 Degrees of Freemasonry Lowest at the top. Entered Apprentice 2. Fellow Craft 3. Master Mason 4. So take your pick. It is sometimes worthwhile testing the water when it comes to applying for a job, discussing matters with the bank or any other normal day to day environment, to see if a fellow member is able to assist.
A single gesture may be misinterpreted so employ a sequence that leaves the recipient in no doubt as to who you are. It is often suggested that fellow members of a secret society are there to aid their fellows as a sign of mutual dependence and to encourage a sense of brotherhood.
Running and owning a car is an expensive duty, particularly when it comes to repairs — especially those on luxury vehicles when on the rare occasions they do break down, of course. How much better it would be to have a fellow society member who is a garage mechanic who would be able to cut costs and treat you with the respect you deserve, instead of some rude unwashed youth who works for a company ready to overcharge you for inspecting your sills.
Using a secret foot position or a hand gesture may alert a garage employee that you share a brotherhood. By recognising your subtle movements, he will afford you due consideration. Getting to Grips You may wish to utilise special handshakes, known as grips, in the secret society business.
Not all organisations use them but they are worth having. The grips usually signify which level of initiation the member is at. Thus a second level member for example will able to tell when gripped properly which level the stranger before him has achieved. Sometimes a grip might not be recognised or may be missed. The subtle use of additional telltale signs will allow the social intercourse to function smoothly and without confusion. Warden: Hail.
Person at door: Hail. Warden: Quid -? Person at door: Pro Quo. Warden: Give me that word. Warden: As it is to all men. Person at door: But all men are not as I… Remember to devise something that is relatively short in duration.
If it is too long the lodge meeting will be over before everyone is in. Person at door: Knock, knock. Warden: Caesar who? That exchange was from the Loyal Brethren of the Stinking Frond. It is of course funnier in the original cod Latin. Salutator: Pulsus, pulsus.
Salutator: Caesar. Praefectus: Excrementum! Obviously this will not be the case in the early years but as your group expands across the country, and if you are blessed, across the world, you will need to communicate with them without revealing too much to a third party who may happen upon your letter. The rule of thumb is nothing too overt. Selecting identifying code words from your initiation ceremony might be a useful ploy but just one word only — one that perhaps has two meanings, an everyday normal use and one that can also be interpreted as being part of your secret society.
Fellow members of your society who know that lodges are called Corinthians will know exactly where your allegiances lie. You may also employ the use of other hints within the text as indicators of who you are, such as a double hyphen, four full stops and double commas. Secret Alphabet This is not an absolute must, but an idea worth considering.
It is a time consuming, but worthwhile, endeavour. Of late, secret alphabets have lost much of their gilt and, indeed, usefulness. Secret alphabets should perhaps only be employed for the more anarchic cabals but feel free to use one if you wish.
Secret alphabets are something very much from the past but are charming nonetheless. You can draw one up to add a sense of history, making claims that it was once used, centuries before, but is now redundant. Cryptography For more interesting and exciting times it can be fun to use secret codes and other old standby tricks such as invisible ink.
Use of these on the whole is limited to the more clandestine, anarchic and revolutionary organisations.
Though one can have great fun sending out dinner invites as codes. Most methods have been around for centuries stretching back as far as ancient cultures. Research the following methods: 1. Use of number substitutes or numerals The delightfully named Mr Thicknesse, an 18th-century expert in such matters, came up with a method employing musical notation to code messages. Great pleasure can be gained from creating your own codes, ciphers and methods of transmitting secret messages.
As email and the Internet are open to abuse and surveillance by the authorities, it is perhaps time for the hand-written code to make a come back. Bad Eggs Any organisation will have its bad eggs. It is a fact of life. Undoubtedly you will initiate someone into your society only to discover that they are rotten to the core or that they are exploiting their position to the detriment of everyone involved.
How you deal with them is entirely down to you, but they must be ejected immediately. Start disappearing without reason at least once a week. Make sure that people see this random disappearance. Refuse to answer their questions. Coordinate your random disappearances with cryptic flyers left around campus.
The people will figure it out. Find a house. This is critical. No secret society can exist without a house. You need this sacred, uncorrupted meeting space.
Best way to go about finding a house? Just pick a group of people who live together that you find somewhat unobjectionable and initiate them. These are the newest members of your secret society. Now that you are no longer the only member of your secret society, start telling your peers that you are a member of a secret society.
Maybe start with an RA you trust who has been asking about your disappearances. Lead them on a bit. I loved this book. Who knows, I may be starting a SS of my own. Let me know if you want to join. May 15, Scout Paget rated it really liked it. Oliver Wolf has created a gem - entertaining and humorous, but also educational. Not only does he describe the process for those who might enjoy the Secret Society traditions and fellowship, he also demystifies a lot of thee elements used by established clubs and societies that strike fear and wonder into the curious uninitiated.
Avery enjoyable read indeed. Jan 02, Lesley Looper rated it it was ok Shelves: , non-fiction. A quick read with generic, but decent tips. I wasn't particularly inspired, but perhaps that wasn't the purpose of this book. I should probably look into books with more historical information, since I enjoy the history side of things.
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