In 2005 Lord Northampton, the then Pro GrandMaster, set the secene as to how he saw his role and that of the Cornerstone Society in directing the course of freemasonry in England. Read what he said in his paper Cornerstone Society Whither directing our course which was delivered in 2005.
In Britain we live close to France, separated only by some 20 miles of water. And yet masonically there has been a gulf between English and Franch masonry from the 1870s till today (when there may be a rebalancing). This insightful talk by Bro Roger Dachez delivered in 2007 is a must for every English speaking brother. GAOTU in the French Masonic Tradition: Historical Problems and Misunderstandings
The whole of Anglophone freemamsonry has been struggling to overcome its decline in membership (which started when men becoming masons peaked in 1947 and has been in decline ever since). One succesful response has been the Traditional Observance Lodge of whom a leading light is Bro Dennis Chornenky. His subject was Initiation and the Heart of Freemasonry This approach to masonic values is one quite widely followed in Europe but until this initiative not in the English speaking world. It is the only sucessful methodology among the general trend of decline. While we are on the subject of why we remain freemasons there is Bro Kai Hughes‘ 2005 paper on The Psychology of Freemasonry
There are many strands of freemasonry in the masonic world, France is a national strand and Co-Masonry is another but international one. Enjoy discovering more. Mary Jo Kokochuk addressed the conference in 2007 on the subject of Fraternally United in the Love of Humanity She had been preceded the previous year by Bro Njordur P Njarvik from Iceland, and who was Grand Master of the Driot Humain from 1997-2007. His subject was In the Light of Truth
While we are in philosophical mode there is a delightful, and highly visual, paper by Bro Julian Rees entitled The Way to the Centre
The other well known masonic author always worth reading is W Kirk McNulty whose paper The Secret Identity of Freemasons was read in 2007
Bro Karel Musch of the Grand East of the Netherlands gave a fascinating talk in 2005 entitled Masonic & Monastic Orders: A Paradoxical Parallel This was a fascinating talk and really demonstrates how ideas and style mutate and get adopted in other places. I seem to rmember that he also travelled with a group of brothers on a walking tour where they talked masonic philosophy over the fire every evening. Sadly I cannot find any details of that.
The indomitable Rev Neville Barker Cryer has been to the Cornerstone Conferences on several occasions and here are his contributions. Sources of Masonic Practice & Penetrating Some Puzzles of Prichard
The search for masonic origins takes us down many paths and one of these is to ask was there a role for Neoplatonists? MWBro Fabio Venzi believes there is. The Neoplatonists of Cambridge
Others such a Bro John Acaster take us back to early exposures on a voyage of discovery. Through the Voice of a Harod? He takes as his example the early Graham Manuscript of 1726 and takes his example from its text. This was followed at a later meeting with We Are What We Eat, n’est ce pas?
There are a few more that I do have and they are The Search for Genuine Secrets David Sims June 2006; Beauty and Unity Clive Hicks: Transcendence of Eternity John M Grange and There’s More To Ritualthan a Book Martin Roche. This is a majority of the talks that were on the original website and for those I have missed my apologies.
