October 8, 2025 • 7 mins
From the September/October 2025 edition of The Scottish Rite Journal. Any accompanying photographs or citations for this article can be found in the corresponding print edition.
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Make sure to like and subscribe to the channel! Freemasons, make sure you shout out your Lodge, Valley, Chapter or Shrine below!
OES, Job's Daughter's, Rainbow, DeMolay? Drop us a comment too!
To learn how to find a lodge near you, visit www.beafreemason.com
To learn more about the Scottish Rite, visit www.scottishrite.org
Visit our YouTube Page: Youtube.com/ScottishRiteMasons
Join our Lost Media Archive for only $1.99 a month!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv-F13FNBaW-buecl7p8cJg/join
Visit our new stores:Bookstore: https://www.srbookstore.myshopify.com/
Merch Store: http://www.shopsrgifts.com/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Scottish Right Journal Podcast, an audio presentation
of the Scottish Right Journal, brought to you by the
Supreme Council of the Scottish Right Southern Jurisdiction Mother Supreme
Council of the World. This week's article is Cornerstones of
the Craft Freemasonry on the High Seas. Kipling's American novel
Captain's Courageous by Brother Stephen de Kline thirty second degree
(00:24):
KCCCH and comes from the September October twenty twenty five
issue of the Scottish Right Journal. Captains Courageous, A Story
of the Great Banks is a novel by brother Rudyard
Kipling published in eighteen ninety seven, written during his years
when the world famous British novelist, poet, journalist and freemason
took up residence in Vermont with his American born wife,
(00:47):
Caroline star Bailsteer Kipling. It is the only work of
Kipling's with an exclusively American setting and reflects his great
admiration not only for the seafaring men of New England,
but also for the speed and power of train travel
to unite a widespread continent. The work is a Buildung's Roman,
a coming of age novel, in this case replete with
(01:08):
seafaring adventure. The protagonist, Harvey Chain, a youth in his
mid teens, is the callows son of a wealthy industrialist.
The novel delineates his transition from a spoiled rich boy
accustomed to habitual unethical behavior such as buying his way
out of trouble and ordering adults around, into a polite, respectful, responsible,
(01:29):
and ethical young man. Harvey, as a passenger on a
luxury liner, predictably falls into mischief due to these ways,
being washed off deck and plunging into the Atlantic Ocean
off the Great Banks. He is rescued from certain death
when he is spotted by a Portuguese fisherman, Manuel, who
hauls him into his dory and then takes Harvey to
the mothership, a schooner named the We're Here. Aboard the schooner,
(01:54):
Harvey resumes his off putting behavior here. However, his threats, demands,
and bullying no longer anger prove effective. Defiant and angry,
he orders the captain to reverse course and take him
back to New York. Harvey's story seems preposterous to Captain
Disco troop, who explains that he cannot risk losing himself
and his crew's income for an entire fishing season. Based
(02:16):
on Harvey's claims, Harvey learns he is in a new
world where he cannot lay down the law to his elders.
The captain's own son, Dan, roughly Harvey's age, is also
a member of the crew. Harvey is assigned to Dan
to be trained to perform tasks and earn his keep.
While on the We're here, Harvey is not allowed merely
to be a passenger. Freemasonry enters the tale directly at
(02:39):
the close of chapter five, when Harvey and the reader
learn that one of the crewmen on the weir here
is a Freemason. Harvey is encouraged to speak French with
frenchmen on another boat, yet he is unsuccessful in communication.
While Tom Platt, a man on the weir here, waved
his arms and got along swimmingly, the captain gave him
a drink and greeted him as a brother. Harvey asks Platt,
(03:02):
how was it my French didn't go and your sign
talk did? Platt replies sign talk plat cafaud, Well, yes,
twas sign talk, but a heap oder in your French
harve them. French boats are chalk full of Freemasons, and
that's why when Harvey inquires if Platt is a Freemason,
the latter replies in the affirmative. Kipling ends this scene
(03:24):
and the chapter with the cryptic phrase Harvey had another
mystery of the deep sea to brood upon, implying that
Masonic bonding has left a lasting impact on him. In
the other direct Masonic reference in the book, Tom Platt
fulfills a Masonic obligation to look after the widows of
Mason's Tom Platt visited her the widow because he said
(03:45):
the dead man was his brother. As a Freemason, this
act seems to have impressed young Harvey. Masonic seeds have
been planted as Harvey's transformation continues. Although we have exhausted
Kipling's direct references to Masonry in the tail Our, experience
as Masons help us to continue to interpret the book masonically.
On the we're here, Harvey must labor and earn wages
(04:08):
like everyone else. We see Harvey as treated on the
level and not as a privileged elite. Harvey is like
and entered apprentice. When Dan may be likened to a fellowcraft.
As Harvey learns his craft, his arrogance subsides. In the narrative,
other characters do most of the talking, and Harvey becomes
more silent and introspective. As Masons are enjoyed to do,
(04:30):
Harvey comes to make friends with the other crew members.
He develops a strong work ethic and now relishes work.
He learns not only to catch and clean fish and
steer a ship, but also the lessons of manhood, another
component of Masonry. Perhaps the enclosed community of the ship
can be seen as a Masonic lodge, with Captain Troop
as a stand in for their worshipful master, demonstrating strong
(04:52):
leadership skills of wisdom and compassion. While stern, he is
also fair and consistent. Meals are times f for good
cheer and fellowship, like a stated meeting dinner. Indeed, the
ship functions according to Masonic principles like every lodge. Every
member of the crew, like every lodge, officer, has an
indispensable and specialized task to perform. Everyone has responsibilities and
(05:17):
shares a common purpose. Neither a ship nor a lodge
can truly be successful if those responsibilities are not met.
The We're Here, having completed its voyage, returns not to
New York, as Harvey has initially demanded, but to the
port whence it came, Gloucester, Massachusetts. Harvey contacts his father,
(05:37):
mister Chain, who was overjoyed after all Harvey was assumed
to be dead. Kipling then presents an exciting train trip
from the west to the East coast, as the father
rushes with his wife to be reunited with their son.
The elder Chain will go on to notice that Harvey
has become the fine young man he always wanted him
to be. What does the future hold for Harvey and
(05:59):
his new friend Dan, Will they become Captain's Courageous in
their own right? In this writer's humble opinion, the We're
Here is a suitable metaphor for Masonic lodge. The extent
to which brother Kipling intended this is not certain, although
the direct Masonic references in his tale involving sailor Tom
Platt Freemason, may provide a clue. Was Captain's Courageous a
(06:21):
subconscious reflection of his love for the craft. We know
Rudyard Kipling to have been a dedicated Mason who wrote
of freemasonry numerous times in his vast body of literature
in the class base societies of Victorian England and India
under the British raj Kipling clearly treasured the craft for
its ability to bridge social divisions and for Masonry's ecumenism,
(06:45):
both directly and indirectly. Captain's courageous reflects these cherished Masonic values.
Like and share this article and don't forget to subscribe
to the channel. If you wish to comment, please leave
one and as a reminder, the notification's bell. Any accompanying
photographs or citations for this article can be found in
(07:05):
the corresponding print edition. The Scottish Rite Journal is published
by the Supreme Council of the Scottish Right Southern Jurisdiction
Mother Supreme Council of the World. Mark Dreysenstock, thirty third
degree Managing Editor. I'm your host, Matt Bauers
Welcome to the Scottish Right Journal Podcast, an audio presentation
of the Scottish Right Journal, brought to you by the
Supreme Council of the Scottish Right Southern Jurisdiction Mother Supreme
Council of the World. This week's article is Cornerstones of
the Craft Freemasonry on the High Seas. Kipling's American novel
Captain's Courageous by Brother Stephen de Kline thirty second degree
(00:24):
KCCCH and comes from the September October twenty twenty five
issue of the Scottish Right Journal. Captains Courageous, A Story
of the Great Banks is a novel by brother Rudyard
Kipling published in eighteen ninety seven, written during his years
when the world famous British novelist, poet, journalist and freemason
took up residence in Vermont with his American born wife,
(00:47):
Caroline star Bailsteer Kipling. It is the only work of
Kipling's with an exclusively American setting and reflects his great
admiration not only for the seafaring men of New England,
but also for the speed and power of train travel
to unite a widespread continent. The work is a Buildung's Roman,
a coming of age novel, in this case replete with
(01:08):
seafaring adventure. The protagonist, Harvey Chain, a youth in his
mid teens, is the callows son of a wealthy industrialist.
The novel delineates his transition from a spoiled rich boy
accustomed to habitual unethical behavior such as buying his way
out of trouble and ordering adults around, into a polite, respectful, responsible,
(01:29):
and ethical young man. Harvey, as a passenger on a
luxury liner, predictably falls into mischief due to these ways,
being washed off deck and plunging into the Atlantic Ocean
off the Great Banks. He is rescued from certain death
when he is spotted by a Portuguese fisherman, Manuel, who
hauls him into his dory and then takes Harvey to
the mothership, a schooner named the We're Here. Aboard the schooner,
(01:54):
Harvey resumes his off putting behavior here. However, his threats, demands,
and bullying no longer anger prove effective. Defiant and angry,
he orders the captain to reverse course and take him
back to New York. Harvey's story seems preposterous to Captain
Disco troop, who explains that he cannot risk losing himself
and his crew's income for an entire fishing season. Based
(02:16):
on Harvey's claims, Harvey learns he is in a new
world where he cannot lay down the law to his elders.
The captain's own son, Dan, roughly Harvey's age, is also
a member of the crew. Harvey is assigned to Dan
to be trained to perform tasks and earn his keep.
While on the We're here, Harvey is not allowed merely
to be a passenger. Freemasonry enters the tale directly at
(02:39):
the close of chapter five, when Harvey and the reader
learn that one of the crewmen on the weir here
is a Freemason. Harvey is encouraged to speak French with
frenchmen on another boat, yet he is unsuccessful in communication.
While Tom Platt, a man on the weir here, waved
his arms and got along swimmingly, the captain gave him
a drink and greeted him as a brother. Harvey asks Platt,
(03:02):
how was it my French didn't go and your sign
talk did? Platt replies sign talk plat cafaud, Well, yes,
twas sign talk, but a heap oder in your French
harve them. French boats are chalk full of Freemasons, and
that's why when Harvey inquires if Platt is a Freemason,
the latter replies in the affirmative. Kipling ends this scene
(03:24):
and the chapter with the cryptic phrase Harvey had another
mystery of the deep sea to brood upon, implying that
Masonic bonding has left a lasting impact on him. In
the other direct Masonic reference in the book, Tom Platt
fulfills a Masonic obligation to look after the widows of
Mason's Tom Platt visited her the widow because he said
(03:45):
the dead man was his brother. As a Freemason, this
act seems to have impressed young Harvey. Masonic seeds have
been planted as Harvey's transformation continues. Although we have exhausted
Kipling's direct references to Masonry in the tail Our, experience
as Masons help us to continue to interpret the book masonically.
On the we're here, Harvey must labor and earn wages
(04:08):
like everyone else. We see Harvey as treated on the
level and not as a privileged elite. Harvey is like
and entered apprentice. When Dan may be likened to a fellowcraft.
As Harvey learns his craft, his arrogance subsides. In the narrative,
other characters do most of the talking, and Harvey becomes
more silent and introspective. As Masons are enjoyed to do,
(04:30):
Harvey comes to make friends with the other crew members.
He develops a strong work ethic and now relishes work.
He learns not only to catch and clean fish and
steer a ship, but also the lessons of manhood, another
component of Masonry. Perhaps the enclosed community of the ship
can be seen as a Masonic lodge, with Captain Troop
as a stand in for their worshipful master, demonstrating strong
(04:52):
leadership skills of wisdom and compassion. While stern, he is
also fair and consistent. Meals are times f for good
cheer and fellowship, like a stated meeting dinner. Indeed, the
ship functions according to Masonic principles like every lodge. Every
member of the crew, like every lodge, officer, has an
indispensable and specialized task to perform. Everyone has responsibilities and
(05:17):
shares a common purpose. Neither a ship nor a lodge
can truly be successful if those responsibilities are not met.
The We're Here, having completed its voyage, returns not to
New York, as Harvey has initially demanded, but to the
port whence it came, Gloucester, Massachusetts. Harvey contacts his father,
(05:37):
mister Chain, who was overjoyed after all Harvey was assumed
to be dead. Kipling then presents an exciting train trip
from the west to the East coast, as the father
rushes with his wife to be reunited with their son.
The elder Chain will go on to notice that Harvey
has become the fine young man he always wanted him
to be. What does the future hold for Harvey and
(05:59):
his new friend Dan, Will they become Captain's Courageous in
their own right? In this writer's humble opinion, the We're
Here is a suitable metaphor for Masonic lodge. The extent
to which brother Kipling intended this is not certain, although
the direct Masonic references in his tale involving sailor Tom
Platt Freemason, may provide a clue. Was Captain's Courageous a
(06:21):
subconscious reflection of his love for the craft. We know
Rudyard Kipling to have been a dedicated Mason who wrote
of freemasonry numerous times in his vast body of literature
in the class base societies of Victorian England and India
under the British raj Kipling clearly treasured the craft for
its ability to bridge social divisions and for Masonry's ecumenism,
(06:45):
both directly and indirectly. Captain's courageous reflects these cherished Masonic values.
Like and share this article and don't forget to subscribe
to the channel. If you wish to comment, please leave
one and as a reminder, the notification's bell. Any accompanying
photographs or citations for this article can be found in
(07:05):
the corresponding print edition. The Scottish Rite Journal is published
by the Supreme Council of the Scottish Right Southern Jurisdiction
Mother Supreme Council of the World. Mark Dreysenstock, thirty third
degree Managing Editor. I'm your host, Matt Bauers
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