The Glory of Kings and the Royal Art

"The earliest writers speak of Freemasonry as a 'Royal Art.' Anderson used the expression in 1723, and in such a way as to show that even then it was no new epithet." - Mackey; Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, p. 647 ["Royal Art"]


In this light, I have chosen "GLORIA REGUM" as the URL for this blog. "Gloria Regum" is the phrase used in the Vulgate for "The GLORY of KINGS" in Proverbs 25:2;

"Gloria Dei celare verbum, et GLORIA REGUM investigare sermonum."

"It is the Glory of God to conceal the Word, and it is the GLORY OF KINGS to seek out the Word."

While this is often translated (as in the KJV) as "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter", the original Hebrew is accurately translated as

"It is the glory of God to conceal [a/the] word: and the glory of kings is to seek out [a/the] word."


I hope my ramblings & meanderings reveal some insight into Masonic ideas and ideals (and not just neurosis!). I truly believe Freemasonry to be the modern avatar of the ancient mysteries, long forgotten as such, but desperately needed as an appropriate place to seek the Rites of Passages long missing from Western society.