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TRAPPED IN A MASONIC WORLD

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- 448 -<br />

A few feet to the west of the stones there‘s an additional chiselled out granite ledger has been set flat<br />

into the ground. This stone identifies the structure and the languages used on it, lists various facts about<br />

the size, weight, and astronomical features of the stones, the date it was installed, and the sponsors of the<br />

project. It also speaks of a time capsule buried under the tablet, but the positions on the stone reserved for<br />

filling in the dates on which the capsule was buried and is to be opened are missing, so it is not clear<br />

whether the time capsule was ever put in place.<br />

Each side of the tablet is perpendicular to one of the cardinal directions, and is inscribed so that the<br />

northern edge is the top of the inscription. The complete text of the explanatory tablet is detailed below.<br />

At the centre of each tablet edge is a small circle, each containing a letter representing the appropriate<br />

compass direction [N, S, E, W]. At the top centre of the tablet is written: ―The Georgia Guidestones<br />

Center cluster erected March 22, 1980. Immediately below this is the outline of a square, inside which is<br />

written: ―Let these be guidestones to an Age of Reason‖.<br />

Then around the edges of the square are written the names of four ancient languages, one per edge.<br />

Starting from the top and proceeding clockwise, they are: Babylonian cuneiform, Classical Greek,<br />

Sanskrit, and Egyptian hieroglyphics. On the left side of the tablet is the following column of text:<br />

Astronomic Features 1. Channel through stone indicates celestial pole. 2. Horizontal slot indicates annual<br />

travel of sun. 3. Sunbeam through capstone marks noontime throughout the year. Author: R.C. Christian<br />

[a pseudonym] [sic] Sponsors: A small group of Americans who seek the Age of Reason. Time Capsule<br />

Placed six feet below this spot-To be opened on [No Date].<br />

The Gridiron Secret Society is a secret society based at the University of Georgia, in Athens, [UGA]<br />

Georgia, and founded in 1908. The society elects student members and non-student members called<br />

‗honorary members‘ each autumn and spring. Honorary members are usually prominent leaders in<br />

government, law, medicine or business, mostly from Georgia and mostly associated with the UGA as<br />

alumni. It‘s thought to have connections with certain structures and historic sites around the state and<br />

southern United States, such as the Warm Springs reservation, Georgia state capitol building, and<br />

interestingly the Georgia Guidestones themselves, - but its members do not publish any information, thus<br />

fuelling the speculation. The secret society‘s name is believed to be in reference to the ‗Gridiron‘ design<br />

of the playing field on which American football is played on.<br />

But I believe the truth of the origins of the Gridiron Secret Society‘s name is to do with the ‗Saint<br />

Lawrence the Martyr‘ - Allied Masonic Degree, said to have originated from Lancashire, England, and<br />

designed to distinguish true craftsmen from speculative masons. Saint Lawrence the Martyr, - traditional<br />

legend claims his martyrdom was being put to death by being roasted on a gridiron. Though historians<br />

believe he was more likely beheaded like that of St. Sixtus, also named in the canon of the Roman Mass,<br />

whose feast day is the 10 th August. His emblem is a ‗gridiron‘, which is also attributed to Saint Lawrence<br />

the Martyr.<br />

This Gridiron Grade is the administrative Degree that English and European Councils work in when<br />

transacting and conducting business. It is the only Grade of these councils that also has a chair Degree,<br />

that of Installed Worshipful Master. New members receive this Grade upon reception into an Allied<br />

Masonic Degree council, generally along with the Degrees of Knight of Constantinople and Grand Tiler of<br />

Solomon. Miniature jewels of the gridiron for the various Degrees are worn on the left breast, a miniature<br />

jewel being added for each additional Degree. While a member may not receive all the Grades of the<br />

Allied Masonic Degrees, he must be in possession of the Gridiron Grade of St. Lawrence the Martyr in<br />

order to be seated in the Council meetings.<br />

I‘m out of here, - and sorry folks, - apart from all I‘ve already suggested, it presently looks like, there<br />

isn‘t going to be an;―and they lived happily ever after‖.

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