Higher Spiritualization of the True Traditional Fundamental Symbols of Freemasonry - Höhere Vergeistigung der echt überlieferten Grundsymbole der Freimaurerei.- By Karl Christian Friedrich Krause.

Introduction to the English Translation of twelve Lodge Lectures

Presented to the Lodge "zu den drei Schwerdtern" in Dresden from 1808 to 1810

by Brother

Karl Christian Friedrich Krause

on the

Höhere Vergeistigung der echt überlieferten Grundsymbole der Freimaurerei

(Higher Spiritualization of the True Traditional Fundamental Symbols of Freemasonry)

(Translated by Brother Vincent Lombardo)

From the Translator

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Why this Translation?

In the course of my researches into the field of Masonic philosophy and writings, undertaken for the benefit of my brethren in particular and the public in general, I came across a review of the works of Brother Karl Christian Friedrich Krause, a German philosopher of the early 19th century, conducted by Brother Roscoe Pound and published by the Supreme Council 33° Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A. in 1953.

In 1809 Krause published a collection of lectures he had delivered in his lodge – Loge zu den drei Schwerdtern – in a book titled "Höhere Vergeistigung der echt überlieferten Grundsymbole der Freimaurerei in zwölf Logenvorträgen". Later, in 1810, he published another book titled "Die drei ältesten Kunsturkunden der Freimaurerbruderschaft" which made him enemies of his brethren, to the point of being expelled from the order.

I have found only one copy of the first book (third edition of 1820), apparently located at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, and two copies of the other, one found at the Staatsbibliothek, and the other at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Both are available on the web in pdf format, courtesy of Google Books.

Intrigued by Pound's praises for Krause's Masonic work, I have searched for these books, in the hope of finding them translated into English. I was not successful, as no translation appears to exist. I then sought the help (in locating a translation, or in translating these books) of Brother Andreas Önnerfors, a scholar and leader in the study of old Germanic Masonic writings; I tried to open a dialogue, for the same purpose, with Internetloge, a German portal to the world of Masonry; and I tried the American Canadian Grand Lodge (within the United Grand Lodges of Germany). I received no replies.

Therefore, to answer that "why" at the top of the page, I have decided to do the translation myself, determined to bring to my brethren, and to the English world in general, Krause's magnificent Masonic writings.

I knew from the start it was not going to be an easy task, and that it would take a long time to accomplish it. To make things even harder, the scanned copies of those books are of quite a poor quality – and the first one was printed in old German Gothic font! I had to decipher practically every letter of every word, then correct misprints (Druckfehler) and render it into modern German, in order to make a decent translation of it.

I am satisfied that the translation is sufficient to convey the meaning of Krause's work, if not the beauty of his prose or his eloquence.

I hope those among my readers, proficient in both languages and trained in the matters the books deal with, will correct me where I have failed, and better my work for the benefit of all Mankind.

I am publishing first the twelve lectures, one by one, as they are satisfactorily translated, and then I will work on the second book. For your convenience, should you wish to verify both my reading of the German Gothic and my transcript of it, I have provided links to – the scanned book.

Genug!

Let's go to the first Lecture.

« About Karl Christian Friedrich KrauseTranslation Notes »

Lecture I - Freemasonry and Masonic Fraternity Nature Defined

Lecture II -Understanding Freemasonry, the Fraternity Development Goals

Lecture III -Understanding Masonic Symbolic Meanings

Lecture IV -Freemasonry, Constitution, Origin, Symbolic Language, Customs

Lecture V -Freemasonry Purpose and Nature

Lecture VI -Definition of Human Spiritual Life of a Master

Lecture VII -Masonic Lecture for the Reception of a Master

Lecture VIII -Spiritualization of the Three Great Lights

Lecture IX -Spiritualization of the Three Lesser Lights