
            STOCKING STUFFERS & HOLIDAY IDEAS
                DR. S. BRENT MORRIS, 33
    Book Reviews Editor for THE SCOTTISH RITE JOURNAL

THIS column is dedicated to those wives who
have begun the annual search for a holiday gift
for that Mason who has everything.  It almost
seems like a patriotic duty to buy during this time of
frenzied shoppingto buy something, to buy anything. 
But this frantic rush to purchase for the sake of
purchasing seems to miss the spirit of giving.  To my
mind, a good book or magazine, carefully selected to
please the reader, is a nearly perfect gift.  Reading
can give hours of pleasure long past the holiday, and the matching of a
book with a reader's special interests shows a special thoughtfulness. 
I hope these ideas will help make gift giving (and receiving) easier and
more enjoyable this season.

A Bridge to Light.  By Ill Rex R.
  Hutchens, 33.  Paperback, $8
  (postpaid); special leather-
  bound, numbered edition, limit-
  ed to 200, signed by the
  book's author and SovGr
  Cmdr Kleinknecht, $50 mini-
  mum contribution (postpaid). 
  The Supreme Council, 33,
  1733 16th Street, NW, Wash-
  ington, D.C. 20009-3199, (202)
  232-3579.

THIS IS STILL THE BOOK for
the Scottish Rite Mason on
your gift list, though all who have
joined since 1988 have already
received a copy.  It has been re-
viewed extensively in The Scottish
Rite Journal, and it is great! 
Whether your Mason has started
in the Scottish Rite a few years
ago or has been working long in
his valley, A Bridge to Light will
give added insight and under-
standing of the philosophy, cere-
monies, and symbolism of the
Scottish Rite Degrees.  
  Beautifully illustrated and writ-
ten, the book is a pleasure to read,
and, because it has a chapter de-
voted to each degree, it can be
read in easily digested pieces.  For
a very special gift for Christmas or
any other important occasion,
consider the 200-book edition
bound in teal blue bonded leather,
signed and numbered by Dr.
Hutchens and signed by the Grand
Commander.  This special edition
also makes an excellent gift to
your temple or lodge library.  Its
durable binding and sturdy cover
give it a longevity well suited to
library use.  Get two!
  Not available for sale, the book
may be obtained for a contribution
of $50 or more to the Scottish Rite
Foundation.



The Freemason Diary, 1991.  
  $12 (postpaid).  Ian Allen Re-
  galia, Terminal House,
  Shepperton, Middlesex, TW17 
  8AS England, telephone 0932
  222211 or 0932 228950.


ALTHOUGH written for English
Masons, this would be a per-
fect stuffer for any Masonic stock-
ing! This elegant, navy blue with
silver trim pocket diary is made by
Letts of London for Ian Allen.  
  Each page, about 2.5"x 5.5",
shows a week, with about .75" for
each day's entries.  It has the usu-
al diary features, such as names
and addresses, conversion tables,
and national holidays.  What
makes this unique, though, is the
section on Masonry in the front. 
Much of the information is for the
United Grand Lodge of England,
but any Mason will enjoy reading
the comments and suggestions.  
  For someone planning a Table
Lodge, there are "Festive Board
Notes for the New Master," a
"Toast List," and "Example Graces
for the Festive Board." Also, there
are wonderful statements prepared
by the Board of General Purposes
which answer most questions
about Masonry:  "What is Free-
masonry," "Freemasonry and Reli-
gion," "Freemasonry and Society,"
and "What a Candidate Should
Know."  Any active Mason, trying
to juggle meetings with family and
work, will appreciate this gift.



Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia.  
  By Henry Wilson Coil.  $39.95
  (plus $5.95 postage), Virginia
  residents must add 4.5% sales
  tax.  Macoy Publishing and
  Masonic Supply Co., Inc.  P.O.
  Box 9759, Richmond, VA
  23228-0759, (804) 262-6551.


THIS is the one Masonic book I
keep at work, near my desk. 
Hardly a month goes by that I
don't look up several items.  This
is the single best Masonic referen-
ce book available.  It is detailed,
comprehensive, and accurate, and
any Mason, from the youngest
Entered Apprentice to the most
seasoned Master, will find much of
value in it.



Masonic Stamp Collection, Parts
I and II.  $1.50 each (postpaid). 
  The Masonic Service Associa-
  tion, 8120 Fenton St., Silver
  Spring, MD 20910-4785 (be
  sure to ask for their free cata-
  log), (301) 588-4010.


IS there a stamp collector in
your house?  Then these small,
illustrated books are perfect for
the casual hobbyist.  Volume I
covers up to 1948, and Volume II
covers thereafter.  These small
books aren't for everyone, but they
will be appreciated by collectors.



Postage Stamps & Freemason-
ry, Guide and Compendium,
United States and Canada, by
  Christopher Leo Murphy, ISBN:
  0-8062-2966-7, Carlton Press,
  11 W. 32 St., NY, NY 10001,
  (212) 714-0300, 432 pp., hard-
  bound, $20.95 + $1 S/H.


IF YOUR STAMP collector is
really serious and needs a book
too large for his stocking, then
consider this one.  The book starts
with guidance on collecting
stamps relevant to Freemasonry
and goes on to detailed descrip-
tions of various stamps, including
81 biographies of Masons.  Bro
Murphy divides Masonic stamps
into six classes: 1-expressly Ma-
sonic; II-depicting a Freemason;
III-showing a monument to a
Freemason; IV-commemorating
events in which Freemasons
played a major role; V-designed by
a Freemason; VI-inadvertently
showing Masonic symbols.



The Philalethes Magazine.  $25
 For the first year, $15 thereafter,
 $250 for life membership.  Pub-
 lished six times per year by the
 Philalethes Society, Drawer 70,
 Highland Springs, VA
 23075-0070.
                                

THE Philalethes Society de-
scribes itself as "the interna-
tional Masonic research society,"
and that says it all.  Its glossy, bi-
monthly magazine is filled with
detailed biographies, historical
studies, and analysis of current
events.  Few other Masonic publi-
cations can match the deep, de-
tailed articles found in The Phila-
lethes Magazine.  A perfect gift for
the student of Masonry!
  May you have happy shopping,
and a joyful holiday!


