DISCOURCE: „THE LIGHT” – periodical issue of the Bulgarian Freemasons’ union

The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of Bulgaria considers that, as the mother of all the regular Grand Lodges in Bulgaria, is called upon to provide information and clarification about the essence of Freemasonry. For this reason, you can access the following Masonic discource:

„THE LIGHT”

Periodical issue of the Bulgarian Freemasons’ union

 

99 % of the people probably shudder at hearing the word „mason”. Certainly their imagination produces apocalyptic pictures from the days of The Inquisition, antichrists are perished on the stake, whatever possible international plots are produced, and therefore, outstanding politicians and businessmen are struck down.
Constantly the mass media inform about „sensational revealing” of one’s economical collapse, political death, physical devastation, and some other harms, due to mighty powerful persons, organized by a secret society.
The Church excuses the loss of any sacred belief, considering that the cause of it is the underground antichrist activity of the impious, united by the Satan.
If one’s international relations become complicated, instantly there will be a „script”, taken out. About a grand plot, aiming at settling a new ominous world-order, and of course, how the masons — men in white gloves, pull the wires of the puppet governments.
The revolutions, the huge military-industrial complexes, drugs’ traffic, stock-markets’ collapses, devaluation of the currency; regional armour conflicts, palace coups, terroristic explosions, building up and knocking down the Berlin Wall, all above-mentioned is said to make part of the masons’ infernal plans.
If a philanthropist appears and begins sponsoring the Health Services, Education, or entertainments – it’s known – that person is certainly supported by the masons.
Yes, they really exist – but not as a myth, and just as reality. Millions of men all over the world, without making any difference in nationality, religion, belonging, ideology, position, occupation, put on symbolical black suits, white gloves and calls themselves Brothers. It went like that for centuries on end. Persecuted, prohibited and wiped out, only by the dictatorial regimes and rulers, striving for absolute power.
Their single purpose is the perfection of the human relations, creating real normal relations with the closest at hand.
They exist. Construction is their working place and that’s why, it is called Freemasons’ Union. The compasses, the plumb and the right angle, are their symbolical instruments, because it’s impossible to construct a perfect world, without respecting the architectural severe laws.
If you look around good-willed, you’ll find them here, as well… in Bulgaria.
The issue of the Great Bulgarian Lodge is called „THE LIGHT” because the Bulgarian freemasons, duly initiated into freemasonry like all their brothers on Earth, consider the greatest aspiration of any other, to be that one for seeing the light, concerning those people absorbed by the darkness. „The Light” magazine is a continuator of the spirit of freemasons’ press in Bulgaria, spread out in 1920s and 1930s, when that regular Great Symbolical Lodge of Bulgaria had been functioning quite legally in the country.
The revival of the masonry in Bulgaria has begun right after overthrowing the totalitarian communist regime on 10″1 November, 1989 and supervened democratization of the Bulgarian society. The pioneers of that process are a group of Bulgarians who live and work in Germany. Besides they have been initiated there into the secrets of masonry. One of the greatest Bulgarians, whom the highest grades in the Freemasons’ Union belong to, is IVAN VOYNOV.
Experiencing the usual cataclysms concomitant the change of spirit and values of an oppressed and restricted society, the revived Bulgarian masonry under the United Great Lodge’s trusteeship of the German Freemasons, reached the natural stage of establishing the independent and acknowledged Great Lodge of the Bulgarian Freemasons.
That act the Bulgarian freemasons adopt as resuming the organized movement of the Bulgarian masons. It had unwillingly cut its activities off at the beginning of the World War II,
After passing the fascist „Law for Defending the Nation” in 1940. It prohibited any of the organizations, bound in the international structures. So the newly-established Great Bulgarian Lodge is considered to be a direct successor of the Great Bulgarian Symbolical Lodge, proclaimed on November 27th 1917, and heir-apparent of its traditions, purposes and tasks in the spirit of the regular Freemasonry all over the world. The Lodge is an exponent of the superior power of the Bulgarian masons, organized in separate acknowledged lodges on the territory of the country and abroad.
The Great Bulgarian Lodge is the warrantor in respecting the basic principles of the Free Masonry.
The Bulgarian masons consider Freemasonry as a free union based on the solidarity of the people, mastering and practicing human virtues, which the society is directly dependent on.
The Bulgarian masons know that the Freemasonry neither dispute, nor take decisions on religious and political subjects. It doesn’t respect any doctrines, so it’s an organization of the intellectual justice. It doesn’t make any difference in reference to nationality, religion, welfare, position.
The Bulgarian masons assume that the Freemasonry aims at the moral perfection of the mankind by improving the spiritual and material comfort, in addition, it doesn’t restrain the ways of seeking the truth.
The Bulgarian masons are real free people, who depend only on their own conscientiousness and respect the toleration of attitudes, always striving for harmony.
The Bulgarian masons, like all freemasons all over the world, consider themselves brothers, no matter the circumstances. They remember that everybody is their own brother and teach people to love, help and unite for being able to live in perfect harmony.
The Great Bulgarian Lodge has been established and is carrying out its activities, according to the order, provided by the state law and in conformity with the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria. It keeps in touch with the foreign Masonic communities, with Bulgarian and international organizations; Based on the principles of mutual respect.
The Bulgarian freemason is faithful to his motherland and his sacred duty is defending freedom and independence of his own fatherland, in the same time he is aware of not being involved in outlaw deeds and breaking the rules.
The first issue of „THE LIGHT” magazine fosters the Bulgarian freemasons in studying the history of the Masonic movement and its worldwide importance, and national significance, as well. Despite the scanty information about the core of masonry in Bulgarian language, the publishers try to expose as many facts as possible about the Union of the Freemasons. The editor of that issue doesn’t avoid mentioning some official antimasonic attitudes, that have already been exposed so far, which pitily prevail in the Bulgarian political journalism.
The issue is available even for those readers, who have not been initiated into masonry, since the published facts don’t actually concern inner-organizing problems of nowadays. In addition, the authors don’t hunt after sensation, which is usual for the ordinary press, or revealing in public some unexpected „secrets”.
The legend of Chiramus – the builder of Solomon’s Temple, is presented on a couple of pages, because that story is supposed to be the original myth of the freemasonry.
Four or five pages contain the interview, got from the Bulgarian Ivan Voynov, who has been living and working in Germany for years on end. He is one of the greatest initiators, who cherished for restoring the masonry in Bulgaria. That material was published in periodicals a few years ago. „I’ve participated in the masonry for 43 years and that fact played a significant role in my life – I’ve perfectly changed… I’m not vainglorious, if I can do something, if I can help and if it isn’t known. Now, 1 wish, it would be like that in Bulgaria – the Bulgarians feel each other brothers” – shares Ivan Voynov.
On pages 6-8 there is analysis of the topic „What is the Masonry itself?” regarding the contemporary ideas of policy, religion, state system, morality, communications, etc. The main thesis is that man’s destiny is to create it himself. The real man can afford to do only what is rational and fair, but bedsides, he has to get control of his strongest desires and fear, in order to give way to the performance of the intellect. That’s just the king’s art. The cosmopolitan character of the masonry is distinctly emphasized. The masonry has been born by the fierce necessity of getting over the dogmatism and the aspirations of different institutions belonging to the human society
For an absolute supremacy in the spiritual area. It’s pointed out that the masonry can’t be defined in any way as a conspiratorial organization, or as a secret (underground) society. Masonic aims are not and wouldn’t break law and order. On principle, the Masonic doctrine isn’t a law but profoundly realized studies, concerning the perfection of man’s spirituality-Some basic principles of the Freemasons’ Union are discussed on page 9.
On page 10 the readers can get acquaintance with one of the brightest philosophers of the Freemasonry – Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, also called „the foremost artistic critic of Germany. Above all, Lessing has been appreciated because of his philosophical criticism, professing free and democratic evolution of the society, religious toleration, and especially the right of free-thinking. Lessing has dedicated the brochure „Ernst and Folk” to the masonry, which expresses the philosophy of masonry, and the inducements that incite people to become members of the Freemasons’ Union.
From page 11 to page 18 there is a historical outline, referring the growth of the masonry, throughout the centuries, titled „The Knight Templars, The Rosicrucian’s And Freemasons’ Union”. The end of the article says: „What was the martyr of the Knight Templars – Jacques de Molay thinking at that moment of triumphing of the Masonic principles, when the new state was launched; he, who had been perished on the stake, if only he had caught sight of it?! Was he moved, flattered, jolly, or just… puzzled?!?”
The story of the masonry that had begun and advanced on the territory of Bulgaria till November, 27th, 1917, when the Great Bulgarian Symbolical Lodge was proclaimed – all that is printed on pages 19-27. Besides, the most significant events of the Bulgarian history are mentioned, which make the circumstances clearer and enable the reader perceive the masonry development.
The authentic report of the Great Bulgarian Lodge on the occasion of the tenth anniversary in 1934 is carried on page 34. After it, there is the complete list of the Bulgarian masons till 1934.
The pages 38 – 39 are so called „black pages” for the Bulgarian masonry, on which different articles against the masons are carried, and a facsimile of the passed in 1940 fascist „Law for Defending the Nation”. According to it all organizations keeping in touch with others abroad, were prohibited, including the Masonic lodges.
The last pages of the magazine are dedicated to the description of the masonry in the belles letters. An extract of the novel „The Ashes” by the Polish classic novelist Steven Jeromsky, is also carried there. In a separate chapter titled „The Follower’s Admission”, Jeromsky gave an interpretation to the Masonic rite for admitting a new member of the confraternity.
„The Light” magazine, edited by the Great Bulgarian Lodge is successor of the inherited purposes, problems and the spirit of the first organ of the GBL, „The Freemason” magazine, issued first in January, 1922.