|
| Review |
|
Following the interest (and controversy) generated by their first book, The Hiram Key, authors Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas saw the publication of the latest book, The Second Messiah.
(Published by Century Books Limited 1997).
There can be little doubt of the overall sincerity of the authors in their quest for answers to the questions they proffer. But confusion and doubt arises from the direction of their researches and, perhaps, their undeniable enthusiasm for exposing the alleged "cover-up" by, in particular, The United Grand Lodge of England. They begin by posing six questions leading to a number of specified tasks which, they aver, will clarify, once and for all, the origins, history and truth of Freemasonry.
However, what so many open minded and unbiased reviewers of the Knight/Lomas theories find disturbing is that having set both a starting and end point for their researches they then maintain that they have established links to support their hypothesis appearing to take a quantum leap from hope to reality. Unfortunately, we remain unconvinced that the veracity of their sources and conclusions is not flawed.
They commence, in their latest book, by the unequivocal assertion they have "uncovered the origins of Freemasonry which showed how modern Masonic rituals developed from those once used by the Jerusalem Church and later developed by the famous Crusader Order of the Knights Templar.". They continue by again opening up the fascinating discussion regarding the origins of Rosslyn Chapel, which formed a great part of their previous book, near to the village of Roslin some 10 miles from Edinburgh. They assert that the Chapel, built between 1440-1490, is a deliberate copy of Herod's Temple. They argue that there is a direct link between Freemasonry illustrated by stone carvings within the Chapel depicting an Initiation Ceremony and the famed Turin Shroud.
They deduce that the world's premier Grand Lodge was set up in London in 1717 only as a Hanoverian attempt to deny the unacceptable extreme Jacobite Scottish origins. Further strong criticism is levelled at United Grand Lodge for their alleged organised policy of stifling all genuine research into the "real" origins of the Craft prior to 1717 and further evidence is
presented linking the Craft with Tarot cards, the legends of the Holy Grail and the Knights of the Round Table led by King Arthur.
We are then introduced to the authors' theory on the origins of the Turin Shroud originally thought to have held the body of Jesus following the crucifixion. The last Grand Master of the Templars was Jaques de Molay who was born in 1244 and elected Grand Master in 1292. In 1307 we are told that de Molay was crucified, but not killed, and wrapped in a shroud later to become, they assert, the famed Turin Shroud. A further 7 years pass and then de Molay is burnt at the stake. The known techniques of carbon dating carried out on the Shroud certainly confirm that the time scale is possible and the original research and work undertaken by Knight and Lomas is certainly impressive. They then make further references and conclusions between the Turin Shroud and Freemasonry.
Knight and Lomas give us a traditional Masonic quote that "we must be tolerant of other men's religious views" but we found a singular and irritating lack of such tolerance in much of their work.
It is significant that our review of The Hiram Key last year concluded: Permission has been sought to excavate the area (The Rosslyn Chapel) to settle the debate and finally prove or disprove the theory. We await the outcome with eager anticipation! Knight and Lomas conclude in The Second Messiah that "when Rosslyn is excavated the truth will conquer all."
(When I first read the Second Messiah, my initial reaction was not exactly favourable but I felt uncomfortable in case I was being less than fair. Before writing this review, I decided to ask, through the medium of the Internet, what other Freemasons had thought of the book. I was fortunate to receive very many replies most of whom shared the same interest and doubts
that I have expressed here. I am most grateful to all of the generous Brethren who gave me their assistance-LPB.)