Harvard Classics

[killersheep]

I bet the autobiography of Ben Franklin would be a great read....I was very interested when Mark Twain's autobiography came out but it's 2 or 3 volumes and just looooong as hell so I'm kind of intimidated by even buying it as it's a big investment of not just money but time and I do like finishing the books I start.


Right now I'm reading 'Charlatan' by Pope Brock...it's an extremely interesting yet very grotesque book. I think both miles and Bilbo would enjoy reading it but for different reasons of course. Miles because of the liberals involved and the regulations that came from what happens in the book (which is a very real, very true story) and Bilbo out of a morbid curiosity...the plot is grotesque as I said before but it's also very intriguing it's like a train wreck or something you just can't turn away from once you start looking at it.

I've got to figure out what I'm reading next...between books I'm reading parts of Dasheil Hammet's short stories classic stuff there.

Ben Franklin's autobiography is the roots of the American dream, starting with nothing and then making it big. If you're interested I can mail it to you when I'm done.

[El Kabong]

Ben Franklin's autobiography is the roots of the American dream, starting with nothing and then making it big. If you're interested I can mail it to you when I'm done.

That would be awesome man...I'm very interested in learning about the Founding Fathers whether it's their political views or just their overall outlook on life. I'm also quite interested in the Founders that were Freemasons as well as I'm currently trying to join that group.

[killersheep]

Ben Franklin's autobiography is the roots of the American dream, starting with nothing and then making it big. If you're interested I can mail it to you when I'm done.

That would be awesome man...I'm very interested in learning about the Founding Fathers whether it's their political views or just their overall outlook on life. I'm also quite interested in the Founders that were Freemasons as well as I'm currently trying to join that group.

I should be done with it in a few weeks, I'll get your address somewhere around then.

The Wealth of Nations (Adam Smith) is probably the most influential book on American style capitalism.

[El Kabong]

Ben Franklin's autobiography is the roots of the American dream, starting with nothing and then making it big. If you're interested I can mail it to you when I'm done.

That would be awesome man...I'm very interested in learning about the Founding Fathers whether it's their political views or just their overall outlook on life. I'm also quite interested in the Founders that were Freemasons as well as I'm currently trying to join that group.

I should be done with it in a few weeks, I'll get your address somewhere around then.

The Wealth of Nations (Adam Smith) is probably the most influential book on American style capitalism.

Yeah I've heard about Adam Smith, I may have to try and read that as well.

I've got a biography on Andrew Jackson that I need to read and a 2 volume set on Churchill as well as 'Shop Class as Soul Craft' which is a book about how psychologically pleasing it is to work with your hands as opposed to sitting behind a desk.

I may also re-read 'Born in Blood' which was the first book to trace the lineage of the Knights Templar to the Freemasons....very interesting book.

[Nameless]

Ben Franklin's autobiography is the roots of the American dream, starting with nothing and then making it big. If you're interested I can mail it to you when I'm done.

That would be awesome man...I'm very interested in learning about the Founding Fathers whether it's their political views or just their overall outlook on life. I'm also quite interested in the Founders that were Freemasons as well as I'm currently trying to join that group.

I should be done with it in a few weeks, I'll get your address somewhere around then.

The Wealth of Nations (Adam Smith) is probably the most influential book on American style capitalism.

Overall one of the most important book in the history and understanding of economy as well. There are a few concepts of Smith that doesn,t work (like the invisible hand) but overall, this is a deep and quite lucid look at how modern economy operate in many ways.

[Andre]

Ben Franklin's autobiography is the roots of the American dream, starting with nothing and then making it big. If you're interested I can mail it to you when I'm done.

That would be awesome man...I'm very interested in learning about the Founding Fathers whether it's their political views or just their overall outlook on life. I'm also quite interested in the Founders that were Freemasons as well as I'm currently trying to join that group.

Have you been invited by one?

Why do you wish to join them Lyle?

Im just reading about some of it myself but more for a linking up of information kind of a way.

Briefly;

Their origins are from the order of The Poor Soldiers of Christ and Solomon's Temple. (The Knights Templar) Founded in 1118 of French origin.

It seems there were rifts over the years specially during the late 1300's to early 1400's.
Pope Clement was made Pope by King Phillip (the fair) only fair in complextion they say ,he was King at 17 years of age and inherited great debt from previous wars.

He raised taxes four fold on the Lombards and the Jews and so was in direct conflict with Pope Bonaface the vIII. (whom he had killed).
Anyway on the 21st June 1306 He had all Jews arrested and all their moneyies and properties stolen.
This removed one creditor.

After Phillip had the last two Popes killed,(Boniface the 8th and Benidict the X1 th) He he then placed Clement there as Pope himself!

These two together, eventually used the rift between the Knights Templar and the St John knights Hospitalliers as a roose to get the leader of the Knights Templar to a meeting to amalgamate the two .

The Leader of the St Johns ( William de Villlaret) had other business (overseeing the Order into Rodes) and couldn't attend!


( I believe right here is one reason why there remains a rift between some Lodges)

Anyway; while Jack De Molay was travelling from Cypres to France for this meeting to be in attendance to this new decree by Rome with 60 or so Knights and much Gold for the next crusade into the Holy Land, Phillip was busy back in France plotting the Templars demise.

Jack did not go to Poiters where the Pope was residing and waiting but went to Paris first and deposited all of the gold they were carrying into the Templar precepitory on arrival.

Phillip had raised taxes and all sorts in order to get himself out of debt.
He first attacked the French Jews and then went onto more collections fromthe Lombards etc: The Parisians rioted as they do in such circumstances and Phillipe had to take cover. (he went to the Knights templars for protection and recieved it by order from the Pope (who the Templars were only answerable to at that stage.)

So to go back one step here sorry .. Phillipe had once tried to become a member of the Knights Templar but was refused admission.

(Smart boys )..the KT's

So now he plotted their demise from within their own walls and that is how he claimed to know that they used black arts and the likes , homosexual practices and such.

(All MAde up of course) The reason being that the KT were the financiers behind many of the Kings own creditors (Who he couldnt pay back anyway).
Rome also was near (cash bankruptcy) due to their use of mercenary armies in order to enlarge their Empire. So they had lands / countries ,but no means to maintain the size of what they had gained and keep Rome in living how it had become seasoned to live.

So Phillipe and Clement had made their pact with the Devil.


The few surviving Templars after Romes and Frances actions of October 13th 1307 (Unlucky Friday the 13th)
(the ones that sailed all their ships out of port and headed with all the Gold and the sacred stones etc sailed out that evening and headed for the west coast of Argyle to go into hiding. It seems that eventually these survivors were indoctrinated into the Scottish Masonry lines in order for Robert the Bruce to be able to tell Rome in complete honesty that no Templars existed within Scotland.

The Templars then went about their own business as per usual.

The Battle of Bannockburn was won in a very unusual way if you read that history.A section of Knights appeared on the flanks and just the sight of these men made the British run out of orders and be taken down.

It is there that I believe a rift between the lodges of England and Scotland were made.

It still exists to this day between some, so choose your sides well. You will find not only a variation between lodges history and educated guess work but general history as given to the public by church,royalty and state is not 100% true either.