>
>QUESTION: What do ALL Masons consider to be the "authoritative" books??
>                  ---                            -------------

	Ah Jim I hate to tell you this but other than Ritual Books
	or Cyphers approved by the Grand Lodge of XXXXX for the conduct
	of the ceremonies in XXXXX there are NO "authoritative" books.

	Everything you have read and interpeted about Freemasonry
	have been the personal views of the Masons or Non-Masons
	who wrote them.

	I have had books reccomended to me, Morals & Dogma is one, that
	I would cheerfully read only at gunpoint. Boy, reading Edith
	Wharton's 'Ethan Fromme' in high school was bad enough, but M & D
	is one of the few books that I neeeded to take notes and 'no-doze'
	to get through. Yet others have said it was a great and inspiring
	book. To each his own.

	Only the Grand Master or his duly recognized Deputy may speak
	"authoritativly" for Freemasonry and then only for XXXXX.

	I will be mailing your book and papers back tomorrow; with all
	of the installations and visitation in September and October I did
	forget about it. I am sorry.
	
	Would you be interested in Haffners "Workman Unashamed"? It
	is written by a minister in England who is a noted Freemason.
	I just received my copy back from a friend and I would be happy
	to send it on to you to read.

	The Scottish Rite of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction has
	a list of  what five noted Masons consider the ten best books.
	It is attached below.


From "The Northern Light" The Official Publication Of The Supreme Council 33',
Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction,
United States of America. used with permission. ( I called them)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Richard Curtis 33' Editor "The Northern Light"

		(In order of preference)

 1  The Craft and its Symbols, Allen E. Roberts, 1974 (1) (2)

 2  Freemasonry: A Celebration of the Craft, John Hamill and R.A. Gilbert
    (ed), 1992 (3)

 3  A Pilgrim's Path, John J. Robinson, 1993 (1) (2) (5)

 4  A Comprehensive View of Freemasonry, Henry Wilson Coil, 1973 (1) (2)

 5  Freemasonry in American History, Allen E. Roberts, 1985 (1) (2)

 6  Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia, Henry Wilson Coil, 1961 (1)

 7  Masonic Trivia & Facts, Allen E. Roberts, 1994 (4)

 8  Masonic Membership of the Founding Fathers, Ronald E. Heaton, 1965 (1)
    (4)

 9  10,000 Famous Freemasons, William R. Denslow, 1957 (1)

10  Tied to Masonic Apron Strings, Stewart M. L. Pollard, 1989 (1)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ralph A. Herbold is the editor of the Southern California Research Lodge
publications.

		(In order of preference)

 1	The Craft and its Symbols, Allen E. Roberts, 1974 (1) (2)

 2	A Comprehensive View of Freemasonry, Henry Wilson Coil, 1973 (1) (2)

 3	Born in Blood, John J. Robinson, 1989 (1) (2) (5)

 4	William Preston and His Work, Colin Dyer, 1987	(1) (2)

 5	Workman Unashamed, Christopher Haffner, 1989 (1) (2)

 6	A Pilgrim's Path, John J. Robinson, 1993 (1) (2) (5)

 7	House Undivided, Allen E. Roberts, 1961 (1) (2)

 8	Masonic World Guide, Kent Henderson, 1984 (1) (2)

 9 	The Freemason at Work, Harry Carr, 1976 (1) (2)

10	Miracle at Philadelphia, Catherine Drinker Bowen, 1966 (2)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thomas W. Jackson is the Grand Secretary for the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvannia
and book reviewer for The Northern Light.

		(In order of preference)

 1	A Pilgrim's Path, John J. Robinson, 1993 (1) (2) (5)

 2	House Undivided, Allen E. Roberts, 1961 (1) (2)

 3	The Builders, Joseph Fort Newton, 1914 (1) (2)

 4	Born in Blood, John J. Robinson, 1989 (1) (2) (5)

 5	Freemasonry: A Celebration of the Craft, John Hamill and R.A. Gilbert
        (ed), 1992 (3)

 6	The Mystic Tie, Allen E. Roberts, 1991 (1) (2)

 7	The Temple and The Lodge, Michael Baigent & Richard Leigh, 1989 (1)

 8	The Clergy and the Craft, Forrest D. Haggard 1970 (1) (2)

 9	Freemasonry in American History, Allen E. Roberts, 1985 (1) (2)

10	The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Richard Thorn, 1995 (5)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++		

Wallace McLeod is Professor of classics at Victoria College, University of
Toronto, and past president of The Philalethes Society.

		(In order of preference)

 1	Freemasons Guide and Compendium, Bernard E. Jones, 1950, 1956 (6)

 2	Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia, Henry Wilson Coil, 1961 (1)

 3	The Freemason at Work, Harry Carr, 1976	(1) (2)

 4	Freemasonry: A Celebration of the Craft, John Hamill and R.A. Gilbert
        (ed), 1992 (3)

 5	The Pocket History of Freemasonry, Fred L. Pick & G. Norman Knight,
	1953 (6)

 6	Whiter Are We Traveling?, Dwight L. Smith, 1962 (4)

 7	The Master's Book, Carl H. Claudy, 1935 (1)

 8	Key to Freemasonry's Growth, Allen E. Roberts, 1969 (1)

 9	The Early Masonic Catechisms, Douglas Knoop, G. P. Jones, & Douglas
	Hammer, 1953, 1963 (6)

10	A Pilgrim's Path, John J. Robinson, 1993 (1) (2) (5)


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Pete Normand is a Past Master of the Texas Lodge of Research and was editor of
the former "American Masonic Review."

			(alphabetical)

 1	Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia, Henry Wilson Coil, 1961 (1)

 2	The Freemason at Work, Harry Carr, 1976 (1) (2)

 3	Freemasonry in American History, Allen E. Roberts, 1985 (1) (2)

 4	Freemasonry Through Six Centuries, Henry Wilson Coil, 1966 (1)

 5	Freemasons Guide and Compendium, Bernard E. Jones, 1950, 1956 (6)

 6	Masonic World Guide, Kent Henderson, 1984 (1) (2)

 7	A Pilgrim's Path, John J. Robinson, 1993 (1) (2) (5)

 8	The Rise and Development of Organized Freemasonry, Roy A. Wells, 1986
	(6)

 9	Workman Unashamed, Christopher Haffner, 1989 (1) (2)

10	World Freemasonry: An Illustradted History, John Hamill & R.A. Gilbert,
	1991 (6)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
	Sources

	(1)	Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply Co., Inc., P.O.Box 9759
		Richmond, VA 23228

	(2)	Southern California Research Lodge, P.O.Box 6587 Buena Park,
		CA 90622

	(3)	Supreme Council, NMJ, P.O.Box 519, Lexington, MA 02173

	(4)	Masonic Service Association, 8120 Fenton Street, Silver Spring,
		MD 20910

	(5)	M. Evans & Co., Inc., 216 East 49 Street, New York, NY 10017

	(6)	Lewis Masonic Books, Coombelands House, Coombelands Lane,
		Addlestone, Surrey KT15 1HY England
	
			S & F

		Gordon N. Matheson MPS
		speaking only for himself

