JOHANN WOLFGANG GOETHE

A fost initiat, de ziua Sf. Ioan în anul 1780, în loja Amalia din orasul Weimar - în care a trait cea mai mare parte a vietii. Loja facea parte atunci din "Ritul de Stricta Observatie", care provenea din Ordinul Templierilor. Doi ani mai târziu, în urma reformei Francmasoneriei germane initiate de Frederich Ludwig Schroeder, Loja trece sub obedienta Marii Loji din Hamburg. Aceasta trecere s-a datorat acceptarii de catre Goethe a sistemului lui Schroeder, care în principiu, a epurat Masoneria germana de elementele corupte, de gradele avansate, de falsele Rituri si Ordine care aveau la baza principii alchimice, magie si misticism.

Opera lui Goethe abunda de idei, referiri, principii morale care i-au fost inspirate de catre Masonerie. Cea mai cunoscuta creatie masonica este poemul "Loja masonica".

MASONIC LODGE

The Mason's ways are
And his persistence
Of men in this world,
Gladness and Sorrow,
Naught that abides in it
And Solemn before us
Goal of all mortal;
Graves under us silent.
Comes boding of terror,
Perplexes the bravest
But heard are the voices
The Worlds and the Ages;
"Brief and yet endless;
"In eternity's stillness;
"Ye have to reward you,
A Type of Existence
Is as days are
The future hides it
We press still thorow,
Daunting us - onward.
Veiled, the dark portal,
Stars are silent o'er us
While earest thou gazest
Comes phantasm and error
With doubt and misgivinf.
Heard are the Sages,
"Choose well; your choice is
"Here eyes do regard you
"Here is all fullness,
Work, and despair not."

A SYMBOL (1827)

The mason's trade
Resembles life,
With all its strife,
Is like the stir made
By man on earth's face. Though weal and woe
The future may hide,
Unterrified
We onward go
In ne'er changing race.
A veil of dread
Hangs heavier still.
Deep slumbers fill
The stars over-head,
And the foot-trodden grave.
Observe them well,
And watch them revealing
How solemn feeling
And wonderment swell
The hearts of the brave.
The voice of the blest,
And of spirits on high
Seems loudly to cry:
"To do what is best,
Unceasing endeavour!
"In silence eterne
Here chaplets are twin'd,
That each noble mind
Its guerdon may earn.
Then hope ye for ever!"