Cornerstone Blog ~ Available Now! "Outline of the Rise and Progress of Freemasonry in Louisiana"

It's now available!

“Outline” link: https://cornerstonepublishers.com/outline-la/

Over the Last Few Months, my son, Robert L. Poll, has been meticulously transcribing James B. Scot's 1873 "Outline of the Rise and Progress of Freemasonry in Louisiana." Cornerstone Book Publishers first republished this very important book as a photographic reproduction in 1995 (and it is important for reasons far greater than just being a Louisiana Masonic history book). The newly transcribed edition will soon be released.

Scot’s book did provide important information found almost nowhere else. Reproducing the book was felt to be necessary for the whole of US Masonry, but it needed a fair balance to the original book. This need for balance resulted in the introduction and afterword.

Another problem was the production choices for the early editions of this book. Of this, Bro. Bernheim also writes in his introduction: “In all previous editions, the original one of 1873 and the 1911 & 1923 reprints, the book is not an easy one to read: its typography is small, and the footnotes set in an even smaller, barely readable type, which is why the present 1995 reprint has been computer-enlarged.” But even with the 1995 edition’s enlarged type and 8 ½ by 11” format, many of the footnotes were still very difficult to read. It was as if they were not desired to be read. One would have to truly want the information to struggle through the book. This is another reason why transcribing and completely resetting the 2024 edition was so necessary. The book is now not only faithful to the original, but clear and able to be read with ease. I am very proud of the work that has been done.

The early to mid-1800s were very troubling times for Freemasonry in the United States. I believe that the 2024 Cornerstone edition of James Scot's "Outline of the Rise and Progress of Freemasonry in Louisiana" will prove to be a most valuable and needed addition to any Mason's library. I truly believe that this book will highlight and then dispel the smoke that deprived too many of Light.  ~ Michael R. Poll

#AASR #blue lodge #esoteric #freemasonry #masonic #masonic education