Michael R. Poll. God's Soldiers: Roman Catholicism and Freemasonry. by Travis Simpkins

Michael R. Poll. Freemason. New Orleans Scottish Rite College. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of

Michael R. Poll

Freemason, Historian, Author and Educator

New Orleans Scottish Rite College

Cornerstone Book Publishers

Founding Fellow of the Masonic Society

by Travis Simpkins

Michael R. Poll - New Orleans Scottish Rite College

For more info, please visit:

cornerstonepublishers.com

Michael Poll. by Travis Simpkins. God's Soldiers: Roman Catholicism and Freemasonry

The Freemasons Key. Masonic Symbolism. Albert Mackey. Joseph Fort Newton. Michael R. Poll

The Freemasons Key. Masonic Symbolism. Albert Mackey. Joseph Fort Newton. Michael R. Poll

 I'm enjoying "The Freemasons Key: Masonic Symbolism" edited by Michael R. Poll.

Symbolism is the language of Freemasonry. But what is symbolism? Why does Masonry use it? Who else has used symbolism? From the powerful pens of Albert Mackey, Joseph Fort Newton, Oliver Day Street, H. L. Haywood and more comes a wide selection of papers on the symbolic nature of Freemasonry, the Masonic method of teaching, as well as explaining the symbolism of the Masonic degrees. This is an indispensable work for anyone seeking to better understand Freemasonry and its practices.

https://amzn.to/3ZLphC0 

 

Masonic Enlightenment. Cornerstone Book Publishers. Michael R. Poll

Masonic Enlightenment. Cornerstone Book Publishers. Michael R. Poll

I'm enjoying "Masonic Enlightenment" from Cornerstone Book Publishers.


A Masonic education from the first page to last. Includes: "The Meaning of Initiation" by Frank C. Higgins; "Operative Masonry: Early Days in the Masonic Era" by Robert I. Clegg; "Masonic Jurisprudence" by Roscoe Pound; "Freemasons in the American Revolution" by Charles S. Lobingier; "A Bird's-Eye View of Masonic History" by H.L. Haywood; "Women and Freemasonry" by Dudley Wright; "In the Interests of the Brethren" by Rudyard Kipling; "The Egyptian Influence on Our Masonic Ceremonial and Ritual" by Thomas Ross; "Anderson's Constitutions of 1723? by Lionel Vibert; "The Rise and Development of Anti-Masonry in America, 1737-1826? by J. Hugo Tatsch; "The Spiritual Significance of Freemasonry" by Silas H. Shepherd; "Rosicrucianism in Freemasonry" by H.V.B. Voorhis; "The New Atlantis and Freemasonry" by A.J.B. Milborne; "Masonry and World Peace" by Joseph Fort Newton and more.

https://amzn.to/4et7FRU

The Freemason's Monitor. Thomas Smith Webb. Masonic Ritual. York Rite

The Freemason's Monitor. Thomas Smith Webb. Masonic Ritual. York Rite

Informative reading on a quiet evening... the Great American Masonic Monitor. Thomas Smith Webb's work examines the Craft degrees and covers the York Rite up to the Knights Templar as well.
I just gave Preston's "Illustrations of Masonry" a cover to cover read, so Webb's "Monitor" seemed a natural progression.


Thomas Smith Webb's "The Freemason's Monitor" is the grand-daddy of all U.S. Masonic monitors. This very important work includes the "Ancient Charges;" an examination of the craft degrees and lectures; funeral, installation of officers and other lodge ceremonies; a study of all York Rite bodies up to the Knights Templar, a general Masonic history section and much more. This is a fascinating and important work for all Masons. Photographic and restored reproduction of the rare 1818 edition of this work along with a contemporary foreword by Michael R. Poll.

Illustrations of Masonry. 1772. by William Preston

Illustrations of Masonry. 1772. by William Preston. Freemasonry. Masonic Ritual

Throwback to the late 18th Century. Some historical reading material on a quiet evening. William Preston's "Illustrations of Masonry" should be on every Mason's reading list.

In a great measure, this work explained and taught Freemasonry to Masons around the world. So popular was Preston’s “Illustrations of Masonry” (originally published in 1772) that the author saw it published in twelve editions during his lifetime, as well as being translated into several languages. This is one of the true Masonic bestselling classics. This photographic reproduction of the 1867 edition contains valuable additions by noted Masonic author George Oliver and a contemporary foreword by Michael. R. Poll.

Origin of the Royal Arch. George Oliver. York Rite. Freemasonry

Origin of the Royal Arch. George Oliver. York Rite. Freemasonry

I reread the Royal Arch ritual and floor work for the first time in a couple years prior to a degree rehearsal last week (I'm helping out in a Royal Arch conferral in early December). When I got home, I figured I'd go through my bookshelves and reread a bit more on the history. I picked up this copy of George Oliver's "Origin of the Royal Arch" about 5 or so years ago from Michael R. Poll of Cornerstone Book Publishers.



This is a photographic reproduction of George Oliver's classic 1867 work on the history of the Royal Arch of Freemasonry. This work has long been considered a "must have" of all students of the York Rite.

The Masonic Pageant. The Scottish Rite Degrees of the Supreme Council, NMJ. by Frank Conway, 33°

The Masonic Pageant. The Scottish Rite Degrees of the Supreme Council, NMJ. by Frank Conway, 33°

The Scottish Rite, NMJ doesn't have an official monitor for the 4° to 32°. This unofficial book by Frank Conway, 33° seeks to fill some of that void and is a helpful resource for those going through the NMJ degrees. You could read it cover to cover, or you might just focus on the few degrees that are being conferred at a particular Reunion.

The Masonic Pageant is published by Cornerstone Book Publishers and features a nice foreword by Chris Hodapp, 33°. Link to purchase posted below.



The Masonic Pageant is a clearly written and easy to understand explanation of the Scottish Rite Degrees as worked by the Supreme Council 33º, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. Frank Conway, Ph.D., 33º, MSA provides a long needed and extremely valuable resource to all Scottish Rite Masons of the NMJ. "This is a must read for all Scottish Rite Masons as it is enjoyable and educational simultaneously. This work meets the vision of the NMJ, as it is inspirational, enjoyable and convenient to read at one's leisure." ~ David A. Glattly, 33º, Sovereign Grand Commander, NMJ, AASR

Southern California Research Lodge. Fraternal Review. Michael R. Poll portrait by Travis Simpkins

Southern California Research Lodge. Fraternal Review. Michael R. Poll. Portrait by Travis Simpkins

Congratulations to Michael R. Poll for being featured on the back cover of the latest issue of Fraternal Review, published by the Southern California Research Lodge. They chose a nice portrait of him to include as well. The magazine focuses on the Top 10 Esoteric Masonic Authors. A good overview of their list was presented on the WCY Podcast a few weeks ago. 

Listen to that here: 

 Whence Came You

Michael R. Poll. Editor of the Journal of the Masonic Society. by Travis Simpkins

Michael R. Poll. Freemason. New Orleans Scottish Rite College. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of

Michael R. Poll

Freemason, Historian, Author and Educator

New Orleans Scottish Rite College

Cornerstone Book Publishers

Founding Fellow of the Masonic Society
Editor of the
Journal of the Masonic Society

by Travis Simpkins

Michael R. Poll - New Orleans Scottish Rite College

For more info, please visit:

cornerstonepublishers.com

Michael Poll. Cornerstone Publishers. by Travis Simpkins. Journal of the Masonic Society

Grand Lodge of Illinois. Book of the Year: "Measured Expectations" by Michael R. Poll

Grand Lodge of Illinois. Book of the Year. Michael R. Poll portrait by Travis Simpkins

     Congratulations to Michael R. Poll on his book "Measured Expectations" being named the Book of the Year by the Grand Lodge of Illinois. It is masterfully written, both informative and entertaining to read. And if you flip to the back cover you'll see an author portrait by yours truly.

From the Grand Master: "Masonry in Illinois is moving in a positive direction. To continue that momentum, I encourage each of you to review and then share some of the thoughts and ideas as presented in the Book of the Year for Illinois Masonry, 'Measured Expectations.' May we be Masons living Masonry each and every day." ~ M.W. Gregory L. Clark, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Illinois

Order the book here:

cornerstonepublishers.com/measured-expectations

Interview with Arturo de Hoyos, Robert Davis and Shane Harshbarger Features Art by Travis Simpkins

Interview with Arturo de Hoyos, Robert Davis , Shane Harshbarger features Art by Travis Simpkins

     I was invited to contribute the artwork for this interview "Order Out of Chaos: Teaching the Scottish Rite" in the latest issue of the Journal of the Masonic Society (Issue 37, Summer 2017). The portraits of Arturo de Hoyos and Robert Davis have been published previously, but the one of Shane Harshbarger is new. It is an enlightening interview with these three scholars, conducted by Michael R. Poll, and I'm honored to have my work included in the same article.

Interview with Arturo de Hoyos, Robert Davis , Shane Harshbarger features Art by Travis Simpkins

For more info, please visit:

themasonicsociety.com

Interview with Arturo de Hoyos, Robert Davis , Shane Harshbarger features Art by Travis Simpkins

New Book: Measured Expectations by Michael R. Poll. Author Portrait by Travis Simpkins

Measured Expectations. by Michael R. Poll. Author portrait by Travis Simpkins

     I'm quite honored that Michael R. Poll has included my portrait of him on the back cover of his new book, "Measured Expectations." His writing is insightful, sincere and relatable. I have derived a great amount of valuable knowledge from his works over the past year and a half, both in printed and video form, so it is meaningful to see my work appear on a book of his. The book is now available to order through Cornerstone Book Publishers. 

Purchase "Measured Expectations" here:

cornerstonepublishers.com/measured-expectations

Measured Expectations. by Michael R. Poll. Author portrait by Travis Simpkins

Missouri Lodge of Research: Michael R. Poll Lecture Advertisement Features Art by Travis Simpkins

Michael R. Poll. Masonic Lecture. Missouri Lodge of Research. Portrait by Travis Simpkins

     W. Bro. Michael R. Poll will be delivering a lecture on the first three Degrees of Scottish Rite Freemasonry at the Missouri Lodge of Research on Saturday June 10, 2017. I was pleased to see that my portrait of him was used on the advertisement promoting the event. If you will be in the vicinity of Jefferson City, Missouri be sure to purchase your tickets in advance. 

For more info, please visit:

molor.org

"In His Own (w)Rite" by Michael R. Poll

In His Own (w)Rite

Papers on the Scottish Rite and

Philosophy of Freemasonry

by Michael R. Poll

Cornerstone Publishers, 2011

Notes by Travis Simpkins

     In His Own (w)Rite: Papers on the Scottish Rite and Philosophy of Freemasonry is a collection of well-presented essays. Like other Cornerstone books by Michael Poll, it is amongst the most sincere and relatable Masonic books I have had the pleasure of reading. In addition to being full of sound advice and thoughtful observations on Freemasonry in the current time, it contains valuable historical lessons gleaned from years of studying the unique background of Masonry in New Orleans. However, the true jewels of the text reside within the personal anecdotes of the author. Michael Poll is able to expound seemingly complex topics in the framework of everyday witty analogies.

     Beyond Scottish Rite history, the diverse scope of topics range from the Art of Change to overcoming the problems of Dyslexia. On a side note, many of these topics are also covered in video form on Michael Poll's YouTube channel for the New Orleans Scottish Rite College (also a valuable resource for all Masons). 

     One of my favorite chapters is "Integrity in Masonry." Within those pages are offered valuable insights into Masonic ritual and how it relates to life. Poll states, "If anyone has ever told us that being a Mason is easy, then they misled us. There will be times when we find it most difficult to live up to our teachings. But, as we are so often told, it is the journey that is most important, not the final goal."

     I also found pause for thought in the essay, "What is Truth?" Poll offers, "When our ego allows us to see clearly, we realize that Masonry is better than us. Masonry is not improved because of our membership; we are improved because of our membership."

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. Scottish Rite Freemasonry

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. New Orleans Scottish Rite College

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. Scottish Rite Freemasonry

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. Scottish Rite Freemasonry

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. Scottish Rite Freemasonry: Albert Pike

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. Scottish Rite Freemasonry

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. Scottish Rite Freemasonry

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. Scottish Rite Freemasonry

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. Scottish Rite Freemasonry: Cornerstone Book Publishers

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. Scottish Rite Freemasonry

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. Scottish Rite Freemasonry: Albert Pike

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. Scottish Rite Freemasonry

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. Scottish Rite Freemasonry

In His Own (w)Rite. Michael R. Poll. Scottish Rite Freemasonry: Albert Pike

An Interview with Travis Simpkins. Journal of the Masonic Society. Issue 36. Spring, 2017

Journal of the Masonic Society. Issue 36. Spring, 2017. Interview with Travis Simpkins

     I'm honored to be the subject of a 4-page feature interview in the upcoming issue of The Journal of the Masonic Society (Issue 36. Spring, 2017). It's exciting to discuss my work and to see the faces of so many friends appearing in this international scholarly publication. David Glattly gets to share the first page with George Washington. My wife, Janet Simpkins, took the photo of me that appears on the 2nd page. It's great to see John F. Sullivan included as well. Thanks to Michael R. Poll for conducting the interview and to John Bridegroom for his art direction in putting it all together. Also included are portraits of Graham Hancock, Arturo de Hoyos, Chris Hodapp, Robert Davis, Michael R. Poll and the Co-Hosts of The Masonic Roundtable: Jon Ruark, Jason Richards, Robert Johnson, Juan Sepulveda and Nick Johnson.

For more info, please visit:

themasonicsociety.org

Freemasons for Dummies: Journal of the Masonic Society, Issue 33. Art by Travis Simpkins

Freemasons for Dummies. Christopher Hodapp. Journal of the Masonic Society. Art by Travis Simpkins

     The cover artwork I provided for Issue #33 of the Journal of the Masonic Society was featured on Christopher Hodapp's Freemasons for Dummies blog.

Read the full post here:

freemasonsfordummies.blogspot.com/issue-33

Journal of the Masonic Society. Issue 33. Summer, 2016. Albert Pike Cover Art by Travis Simpkins

Journal of the Masonic Society. Issue 33. Summer, 2016. Albert Pike. Artwork by Travis Simpkins

     I was recently asked to contribute artwork for the cover of the 33rd issue of the Journal of The Masonic Society. On a trip to Washington, D.C., I visited the House of the Temple and created this sketch of the bronze bust in front of the tomb of Albert Pike (1809-1891). To compliment the image, inside the Journal, there is an article by Arturo de Hoyos, Grand Archivist & Grand Historian of the Supreme Council 33°, detailing Albert Pike's role as a Masonic researcher. The newly re-designed and re-formatted Journal looks great under the leadership of it's new editor Michael R. Poll and Art Director John Bridegroom, and I'm honored that they invited me to be a part of the first issue in the new era of this respected publication.

For more info, please visit:

themasonicsociety.org

Journal of the Masonic Society. Cover Art by Travis Simpkins. Morning Star Lodge. Worcester, MA

Michael R. Poll. Seeking Light: The Esoteric Heart of Freemasonry. by Travis Simpkins

Michael R. Poll. The Masonic Society. Cornerstone Book Publishers. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of

Michael R. Poll

Freemason, Historian, Author and Educator

New Orleans Scottish Rite College

Cornerstone Book Publishers

Founding Fellow of the Masonic Society
Editor of
The Journal of the Masonic Society

by Travis Simpkins

Michael R. Poll - New Orleans Scottish Rite College

For more info, please visit:

cornerstonepublishers.com

Michael Poll. by Travis Simpkins. Seeking Light: The Esoteric Heart of Freemasonry

Prints of Masonic Portraits by Travis Simpkins Now Available Through Cornerstone Book Publishers

Cornerstone Book Publishers. Masonic Prints by Travis Simpkins. Morning Star Lodge. Worcester, MA

     Many have asked me where they can purchase prints of my portraits of famous Freemasons… I am pleased to have recently partnered with Bro. Michael R. Poll of Cornerstone Book Publishers and New Orleans Scottish Rite College to offer some prints for sale. Affordable prints of a dozen or so of my portraits of famous historical Masons are now available for purchase on the Cornerstone website. It is a wonderful fit for those particular portraits, as one of Cornerstone's specialties is in publishing historic texts and documents related to Freemasonry. Check out all their other books and products as well. Michael R. Poll is a respected Mason, author and historian. I am happy and grateful to be working with him.  -Travis Simpkins

Please visit the Cornerstone website to purchase:

cornerstonepublishers.com/travis-simpkins-portraits

Michael R. Poll. Cornerstone Book Publishers. Masonic Prints by Travis Simpkins

Michael R. Poll. Masonic Enlightenment: Philosophy, History & Wisdom of Freemasonry. by Travis Simpkins

Michael R. Poll. Freemason. New Orleans Scottish Rite College. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of

Michael R. Poll

Freemason, Historian, Author and Educator

New Orleans Scottish Rite College

Cornerstone Book Publishers

Founding Fellow of the Masonic Society

by Travis Simpkins

Michael R. Poll - New Orleans Scottish Rite College

For more info, please visit:

cornerstonepublishers.com

Michael Poll. by Travis Simpkins. Masonic Enlightenment: Philosophy, History and Wisdom