The Smithsonian Magazine has published a piece on the Scottish Rite's House of the Temple in Washington, D.C.As you might guess, they played up the conspiracy angle, saying things like "the number 33 proliferates in Masonic ritual" without giving any examples. And of course, there is a quote from a Mason denying that Freemasonry is a secret society.
Or maybe they got it right this time, quoting a history professor and author of a book on Freemasonry as saying, "Today it's all pomp and circumstance."
The fact that the building is the headquarters of the Scottish Rite and not all of Freemasonry is downplayed. The distinction, as usual, is blurred.
It mentions several famous Freemasons, pokes at Pike's proclivities, uses the buzz-phrases "National Treasure" and "The Da Vinci Code," and ultimately hints that secret treasure may be found in the walls of the building.
Still, it's a better article than most in the mass media, describing a few of the things the public can see when touring the House of the Temple.
Masons | Masonic Buildings | Scottish Rite | Freemasonry | House of the Temple | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com
