The Masonic Book Club, Vol. 23: The Folger Manuscript

This study of the Folger Manuscript has continued off-and-on since 1978. Portions of the research have been presented at various times, something like dress rehearsals, and are now all gathered together for the opening night. The research first produced a biography of Robert B. Folger which was presented to Independent Royal Arch Lodge No. 2 on September 20,1979. Additional material on Folger plus information on Henry C. Atwood were combined for the first Wendall K. Walker Lecture at I.R.A. No. 2 on October 8,1991, "Henry C. Atwood and Robert B. Folger: Faithful Followers or Wild-eyed Fanatics?" These papers yielded Chapter 4, "The Biography of a Remarkable Freemason," and the Atwood portion of Chapter 3, "The Coadjutors of Robert B. Folger." Chapter 2, "The Cryptanalysis of the Folger Cipher," was originally presented to the American Lodge of Research on October 29, 1990. Chapter 1, "The Mystery of the Folger Manuscript," is revised and expanded from a presentation made at Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 on September 10,1992.