Philadelphia Masonic Temple (7/23/2019)

Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Today was our first field trip with Granite Farms Estates. Jan B is our Life Engagement Director, which means she plans the activities. About 12 of us took one of the ACTS small buses (uses a ramp for entry) and headed downtown in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Masonic Temple (1868-1873,
by James Windrim, in medieval Norman style);
the interior was designed and executed
by George Herzog from 1887-1902

Freemasonry is generally not very well understood. Generally it consists of fraternal organizations  that trace their origins to local guilds of stonemasons. They do not claim a link to the Knights Templar, but many pattern their regalia and rituals on Knights Templar traditions. A Lodge is the basic unit of Masons. A Grand Lodge may oversee Lodges in a certain jurisdiction. But Lodges are essentially independent and can make up their own rules. There is no worldwide organization to oversee Freemasonry.
There are many Rites within Freemasonry. A Rite is a specific series of degrees through which a candidate can progress. Based on early stonemasons, the basic three degrees are Entered Apprentice, Journeyman or Fellow Craft, and Master Mason. According to what the Masonic Temple guide stated, there must be two Rites followed at this temple: York Rite and the better known Scottish Rite, the latter which has 33 degrees!
A Mason once had to profess a belief in one Supreme Being, but that is not always the case today. Lodges that follow the Knights Templar tradition once asked for a belief in Christianity. Generally, Masons are non-denominational. More important is gaining knowledge and wisdom.
We arrived late for the 10:00 tour of the Philadelphia Masonic Temple (properly known as The Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania and Masonic Jurisdiction Thereunto Belonging), but were able to join it on the third floor in the Gothic Hall.

Gothic Hall is for the meetings of the Commandery,
which I believe is the "top" group of Master Masons of each Lodge

The eastern stairwell contains paintings by Herzog of
ancient centers of wisdom that have inspired Masons, such as
Athens, Rome, and Versailles?

Herzog also painted many of the portraits of Grand Masters that line the stairwells and corridors.

Ionic Hall; each hall has an "altar" in the center where
degrees are conferred; the altar is surrounded by
three electric candles that form a right angle,
an important geometric symbol of virtue

Ionic Hall ceiling has symbols of the Zodiac around a sunburst

Egyptian Hall (1888), inspired by
ancient temples in Egypt

Sacred asps in the carpet

Intersections of the ceiling depict Masonic symbols 

The six halls (based on themes from the ancient architectural world) of this Masonic Lodge are meeting rooms for 22 area Lodges. A Lodge will meet in the same hall until merged or dissolved.

Norman Hall with Celtic designs

Grand Staircase stained glass window depicting
Moses with the Burning Bush where he received
instructions from God; above are Masonic symbols
in the rose and below are the four cardinal Virtues

Full portrait of George Washington and a
statue (by Joseph Bailly) of, perhaps, Wisdom

Full portrait of Benjamin Franklin and a
statue (by Joseph Bailly) of, perhaps, Beauty

Full portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette and a
statue (by Joseph Bailly) of, perhaps, Strength

There were Masonic Lodges in America, well before it became independent, under the auspices of a Grand Lodge in England. However, not only did the country gain independence, but the Mason Lodges did as well, considering some of their members such as those pictured above.

[Italian] Renaissance Hall (1908)

Corinthian Hall (1903), inspired by Athens, Greece

State medallions at the Grand Staircase

Fanlight over the door to the Grand Ballroom

Grand Ballroom with murals by Herzog,
and a statue (2016) of Benjamin Franklin

Ballroom stained glass of President Theodore Roosevelt

Ballroom stained glass of President Harry S Truman

Apparently 14 of the US Presidents were Masons.
The museum room was decorated in Byzantine style.

George Washington's Masonic apron in the Temple museum

Purported to be the sash of Benjamin Franklin,
worn when he was with the French Freemasonry

Shabti/figures buried with the dead to be the slaves
or to do the forced labor required of the dead (KSS)

Benjamin Franklin Room bronze doors that
are hung so precisely that one can open or close
the one-ton doors with one finger

We peeked into the Oriental Hall, inspired by the Alhambra in Spain

Outside Kent stands with The Bond (2017, by Jim West);
George is showing Ben his Masonic apron,
which was a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette

Across the street is Benjamin Franklin - Craftsman
(1981, by Joseph Brown) (KSS)

Next: Reading Terminal Market.