Volume 1 Issue 3 September 2009
Welcome
Issue three of the MAE newsletter and I am thinking of renaming it what do you think? Any ideas would Magazine or Journal work better? I have received some great articles for this month’s publication and want to thank all of you who have contributed.
This months contents:
There are a few pieces of news for you all, I was delighted to receive a brilliant review on the Beehive blog on the Freemasoninformation.com site and they have contacted me to do a follow up. For those of you who haven’t read it I have included it in the newsletter.
Introduction to Volume 1 Issue 3
I have also been contacted by an internet based Lodge of Research about presenting a paper online on some aspect of the Masonic Art Exchange. So I have a busy time ahead of me as first I decide what to present and second actually write it!
Page 7: Adam’s Art: The art of Adam G Kendall P.M.
Cover image: ‘Fear’ by Ignacio Bazan Lazcano
Page 3: ‘Darkstar.’
Page 13: The Art of The Knights Templar
As always we have articles from many people from different walks of life who offer up to us various different aspects of Masonic Art. Now the reason for the fetching photo of me! In this issue we have not one but two great articles relating to the period of the forming of the USA one about a beautiful rifle and the other about hand painted aprons. Of course our cover art depicts the familiar image of a Templar Knight and this issue we see the first of a series of articles on Templars in art, when I decided to write the article I really did imagine it being just a few pictures accompanied by a little text and already it has the makings of an ongoing part of the MAE Newsletter. Last month in my introduction I said that after this issue we would be bi-monthly during the new ‘Masonic Season’ (September-June) but this is under review as I think we may be able to make it every six weeks or maybe even keep it monthly.(keep an eye on your inbox for more information!)
Page 16: Philosophy and the Seven liberal Arts. Page 17: Paperweight? Page 19: From Rite To Ritual Page 23: Phoenixmasonry an anniversary Page 25: The Regains Masonic Rifle. Page 27: Shot from the cannon Page 29: ‘The Word, Never Lost’
As always I am in constant need of contributions to the newsletter and leave it up to you to define Art (I wouldn’t be so presumptuous). I am also very happy to let you all know the Masonic Art Exchange webpage http://masonic-ae.com (which most if not all of would have passed through on your way here) has been put on steroids and has increased in size now we just need to fill it.
Page 30: The faithful Few
Finally, thank you all for taking the time to support this project and am going to ask you to take careful consideration of the donate button on the webpage a donation as little as €2 each could make this project continue to run and expand. I look forward to hearing from many of you soon.
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Page 31: A Badge created with Paint. Page 34: Art samples. Page 35: Recommendations and end note.
Yours Fraternally
David Naughton-Shires
Ormonde Lodge #201 (IC) MAE President & Founder
The opinions expressed in this newsletter represent those of the individual authors and, unless clearly labelled as such, do not represent the opinions or policies of The Masonic Art Exchange, any Masonic Lodge, Grand Lodge or recognized Masonic body.
Brother David was kind enough, or as this narrative may prove, silly enough, to offer me a chance to tell you a bit about what I do. I am the owner of Dark Star LTD, a woodworking and furniture company that creates hand made ( as opposed to mass produced) furniture, carvings, wooden rings as well as restoration of all sorts of antiques, a great deal of which is Masonic in nature.
I first had the opportunity to meet B:. Derek Stevens through the MAE Facebook group and have formed a great friendship with him since, he is one of the most talented carpenters I have ever seen producing great masterpieces but his talents doesn’t stop here as he is also an accomplished painter choosing canvases which may differ from the norm, an active member of his Lodge and community at large and can sketch a mean illustration.
I started my Masonic journey relatively recently, only having been raised since March of this year. I am a member of Bend Lodge #139 in sunny Central Oregon, and I had the privilege of been a member as our Lodge turned 100 years old. Though young in Freemasonry, I am already active in the degree teams, and hold my basic proficiency card in the ritual work of the Grand Lodge of Oregon. Upon entering Masonry, I was surprised to see how few understood the symbology of the craft, and was also shocked that the majority of supply houses carried nothing that exemplified the rich history and design alluded to throughout our collective bodies of written and oral past. Being an historic restoration specialist, and the fact that which I had done for over 30 years had in the last year dried up, died, disappeared, and vanished, I was faced with reinventing myself, or practicing a new ritual of asking “ would you like fries with that”.
He is a Master Mason from Bend Lodge # 139 Bend Oregon. He in his own words is married to an ‘amazingly patient and beautiful woman’ by the name of Joanne (herself of Balderstone Blackburn). Derek has two ‘amazingly brilliant and beautiful’ children; Mitchell, 12 and Devon 5 months; one dog, two guinea pigs, and a drafty historic stone house. He paints, works with wood, draws, design and hopes to someday write. He has been a member of the DesChutes Historic Landmarks Commission for 9 years, and has been the Chairman for the last 3 and a carpenter of all sorts since 1979. He says he was never able to achieve any higher education beyond High School, and so is self taught in his craft. He has a thirst for knowledge and has made extensive studies of the works of Asher Benjamin, Jefferson, Da Vinci, the classical colonial furniture makers of the American North East, and any other creative mind's work since the dawn of recorded history, and openly admits to pinching concepts from them when needed.
With my self taught background in traditional joinery and furniture making, and my newly found understanding of the more esoteric elements of Masonry, I began to create items for Blue lodges, using the math as described in the second degree for Wardens columns, using Cedar of Lebanon for the connection to the Lecture in the first, and building in significant symbols on each and every surface I could. As an out of work carpenter, I was in no position to purchase a ring after I was raised and proficient, and as my attempts at silver smelting only resulted in a need for my fire extinguisher to be recharged, I started carving rings out of wood, with inlays, exotic species and interesting shapes.
I am delighted to have this opportunity to present to all just a small sample of his work and would recommend if you are intending to update or replace your Lodge or home furnishings and want something a bit special to have a word with B:. Derek.
From my initiation, to now, I have built Wardens Stations and custom Warden’s columns, a dozen rings, square and compass easels for use in cornerstone ceremonies, S&C doorknockers, a prototype S&C chair, designed a set of 4 columns for use in an Esoteric Lodge, Designed an entire Blue Lodge of furniture of Black walnut , Cedar of Lebanon and Burl inlay for a Califor ‐nia Lodge ( and I hope to begin construction on that soon) a very emblematic sword holder for GL, and completed a time capsule chest for My Lodge’s 100th of white oak, black walnut, purple heart , English walnut burl and Cedar of Lebanon. As to why Bro:. David has been gracious enough to include me in this issue of the newsletter, or that the rather pedestrian idea of woodworking would be in the same class as the group of amaz ‐ing artists of the MAE is obviously a deficiency on his part, but one that I am honored to be included within . Sincerely and Fraternally Derek Stevens Dark Star LTD www.darkstarltd.net www.fbook.me/darkstar
When I way emailing back and forth with B:. Derek Stevens I asked if he had any samples of his non‐woodwork art he said rather modestly he did but they had no names, and was ‘just allowing that which was obscured to come to the surface on both pieces’ and sent me these images of his thermos, safety helmet and iPod dock. ‘I'll tell you, in the winter here, when I get bored, I paint anything that doesn't move.’ I for one think we are blessed that the articles didn’t move or we would not have been able to enjoy these masterpieces.
B:. Derek mentioned in his piece that he is currently designing some columns for an esoteric Lodge he has been good enough to share his initial sketches with us and I will hopefully be able to persuade him to keep us in the loop with progress images as he creates them
Artistically, Adam was trained in illustration but after going broke in film school and working in San Francisco’s independent film industry, he returned to traveling and moved onto photography, to compliment his illustrations as yet another medium with which to express his vision. Both his photographs and illustrations revolve around mythological and mystical themes, often concentrating on ancient monuments and landscapes. Bro. Adam describes his art as hieroglyphic and its true interpretation is sometimes elusive even to him, leaving the impression that the photograph or illustration was produced at the moment his heart first opened to that inspiration. His creative process is often automatic and trance‐like. These subtle allegories exude a certain power and allow for several interpretations, leaving the viewer to produce and examine their own emotions conjured by viewing Adam’s art. Bro Adam has been kind enough to share with a large selection of his photographic and illustration work so we have decided to present these images over two months starting this month with his amazing illustrations. We respectfully request that due to the amount of work put into these images that they are not reproduced in any way without the written consent of the artist.
Adam G. Kendall is a Past Master of Phoenix Lodge No. 144 in San Francisco and a founding member of Academia Lodge No. 847 in Oakland, where he currently serves as Senior Warden.
Bro. Kendall serves at the Collections Manager, Curator of Exhibits, Librarian and Archivist for the Henry W. Coil Library and Museum of Freemasonry at the Grand Lodge of F. & A.M. of California in San Francisco. This library and museum’s collection can be viewed at www.masonicheritage.org
Anunaki. 1994
Helping Hands Set Me to Sail Upon the Backs of Receiving Souls1994/2003
Whence Came You and Whither Are You Bound? 1999/2005 Bro. Adam maintains his own art website, www.adamsartwork.com, but prefers to be contacted through his work email, akendall@freemason.org or akendall45@yahoo.com
He is an original member of the Masonic Formation Task Force and has worked on several projects for that group, most notably the creation of an educational DVD for Entered Apprentices and as an instructor for Masonic Formation Classes. He has traveled consistently over the past three years both stateside and abroad as a featured speaker on Masonic topics. In 2009, he presented a paper at the International Conference on the History of Freemasonry. He has also acted as an editor and private consultant for several Masonically‐themed exhibits and publications. Bro. Kendall is a Founding Fellow of the Masonic Society.
Artemis. 2001
Har‐par‐khered. 1994/2002
The Tell‐Tale Heart. 1998
Isis in Mourning (Search for Osiris), 2007 Winteraufenthalt. 2000
The Girl Whose Eyes Never Met Mine, 2001
Graal, 2001
Gilgamesh. 1993/2001
the relative safety of his hiding place. Ingnacio is one of the most recent in a long line of artists to share with us pictorial representations of the Poor Knights of Christ.
Introduction On March 18th 1314 Jacques de Molay the Grand Master of the recently abolished Poor Fellow‐Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Latin: Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici), now better known as ‘The Knights Templar’ and Geoffroi de Charney Preceptor of Normandy were burnt at the stake on an island in the Seine, Paris for rescinding their former admission of heresy. Jacques de Molay and 60 of his senior knights who were arrested in Paris, France on Friday the October 13th 1307 and charged with heresy. They had admitted to the charge under ‘pain of torture’. The Order was ‘formally’ dissolved by the Council of Vienne in 1312.
Over the coming issues I hope to share with you a brief outline of how the Knights templar have been depicted in Art. As I have said before Art takes many forms and it isn’t just pictorial so we will also be looking at the Templar on the big screen and the small box as well.
The Learned Men Of God. Some of the earliest images of Knights Templar appeared whilst they were still ‘protecting’ the pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem these images could be seen as simplistic however they would represent what are probably the most accurate of all the images we will share over the coming months. One of the most well known of these contemporary artists was a Benedictine Monk called Matthew Paris, Paris was a historian and as was the norm during this period in history a chronicler of the events of the time. Two of his images from c1250 depict the most popularised image of the Knights Templars of two men riding one horse. This image used as their seal is believed to portray their vow of poverty the Templar Knights are seen in one riding below the piebald or beauseant banner.
Accomplished Templar historian Stephen Dafoe author of such books as ‘Nobly Born: An Illustrated History of the Knights Templars’, ’The Compasses and the Cross’ , and ‘The Warriors and the Bankers’, once said to me in conversation (and I am paraphrasing) ‘The best way to tell if a history of the Knights Templars is true is to see if it finishes in 1314, if it starts there you can more or less guarantee it isn’t’. Despite this nearly 700 years later there is still a huge fascination with the Knights who wore the Red Cross. Many artists over the years have put paint to canvas, pen to parchment, needle and thread to tapestry and created images that include the wearers of the white mantle. But it doesn’t stop there even today perhaps more than ever in the age of computer software and drawing tablets we constantly see images of these crusading Knights created.
During my search for imagery for this article I often came across images of Templars who would have definitely looked out of place on the medieval battle field and many who would have been right at home. This months cover art depicts a painting called ‘Fear’ by Argentinean artist Ingnacio Bazan Lazcano, the image shows a Knight Templar in the guise we would all recognise but not portraying an emotion we would associate with a warrior of the crusades. You can really see the fear of the ensuring battle as he leaves
Matthew Paris was born in about 1200 AD and as I have said before was a Benedictine Monk. We in this image have the opportunity to look upon the self portrait of the man, from the original manuscript of his Historia Anglorum. He was an English chronicler, artist in illuminated manuscripts and cartographer, based at St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire. He wrote a number of works, mostly historical, which he scribed and illuminated himself, typically in drawings partly coloured with watercolour washes, sometimes called "tinted drawings". From his own works we can see that Paris admitted as a monk to St Albans in 1217, comfortable writing in Latin, Anglo‐Norman or French verse his best know work is Chronica Majora (an important historical source document, especially for the period between 1235 and 1259 of the history of England and Europe as a whole) is an oft‐cited source, though modern historians recognise that Paris was not always extremely reliable since he tended to write to glorify Emperor Frederick II, and denigrate the Pope.
By the next century however the way Templars were depicted had change dramatically from the almost heroic images of Matthew Paris to
images similar to this of a Templar as he kisses a cleric seen in this illustration of Jacques de Longuyon by Les Voeux du Paon. Over the following years the Knights Templar images would appear which would depict their battles at the likes of Damietta, Jerusalem and Acre.
These images in no way are the only available to view and I have included a list of great sites to view images similar to these at the
end …. Next month I hope to concentrate on the following few hundred years where we see the art of the Templar begin to look like the art we appreciate today. This is not meant to be a history of the Templars or of art but just a springboard for you to jump into what is a fascinating area of discovery. Meanwhile enjoy these images and if anyone has information they would like to share why not contact us and do just that….
Saladin’s Capture of the True Cross From Chronica Majora, Matthew Paris
Fresco of a Knight Templar on Horseback From The Battle of Bocquee
Knights Templars in combat against Nur ed‐Din.
Battle of the Christians and Saracens at Damietta Matthew Paris MAE recommends: http://blog.metmuseum.org/penandparchment/exhibition‐ Historia Major c1218 images/cat410r3c_49h/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Paris http://www.templarhistory.com/
Philosophy and the Seven Liberal Arts Salzburg, Austria, 1150–60 The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York, M. 982 Though a number of fine, fully painted manuscripts can be associated with scriptoria in Salzburg, a noteworthy appreciation for the linear effects of drawing emerges around the middle of the twelfth century. This drawing, now excised from an unknown tome, presents the unusual iconography of a regal Philosophy presiding over personifications of the Liberal Arts, each bearing an attribute. It attests to both the learned concerns of medieval monastic audiences in the Salzburg region and to the iconographic innovations engendered by those interests. http://blog.metmuseum.org/penandparchment/exhibition-images/cat250ar5_49c/
I recently received this email via the Masonic Art Exchange web site and was wondering if any one here can assist. ******* "I have recently come into possession of what I believe to be a Masonic paperweight. I am not sure if it is copper or brass, but for the size of it, it is a heavy weight. It is in unpolished condition and appears to be a number of years old. I am wondering if someone could tell me anything about this particular paperweight, history, year of casting, etc. I am attaching a couple of photos to assist. Thank you very much for any assistance you might provide." ******** If you think you can shed any light on this enquiry drop me a line at info@masonic‐ae.com
A warrior lost in time..... charged to travel from era to era always alone, protecting, laying down his life. From the battlefields of the Holy land the unknown Knight is thrust into an eternal battle, a battle that must be won to save humanity. 'The Templar' is a six part graphic novel starting in the autumn of 2009 http://templarcomic.com
With the publication of its 5th Journal ‘The Masonic Society’ has entered it’s second year. For more information on this great publication see their website: www.themasonicsociety.com
FROM RITE TO RITUAL
A PAPER work exploring the fragile relationship between black and white Australia has won the country's most prestigious indigenous art award. The mixed media work by Danie Mellor ‐ From Rite to Ritual ‐ is an interesting
choice for this year's $40,000 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. Not only is the work big, bold and mostly blue, it's a far cry from the dot paintings and watercolours normally associated with indigenous art.
"It's different, whether it's controversial I'm not sure," Mr. Mellor said. "Sure, the way that things are shown in the work is different to the desert work or Danie Mellor recently won the A$40,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait bark painting, but in another way it has really strong connections and similarities in Islander Art Award for his From Rite to Ritual painting. terms of the themes and the concepts that a lot of Aboriginal culture and art deals News Limited picture with." Selected works The work, which beat 93 other finalists in the 26th year of the awards, depicts the elaborate interior of a Masonic lodge. Within the temple are realistic drawings of Australian animals and "a group of Aboriginal fellas dancing". "It's about the difference between culture and ceremony and initiation and it's a work that contrasts them in a very stark way," Mr Mellor said. Born in Mackay in 1971, the University of Sydney lecturer said his mother's Aboriginal family came from the Atherton Tablelands, near Cairns. "I'm fair, and it's often a question of whether (my indigenous heritage) was discovered, and no, it wasn't, because we always had black people in our family." This background had given him a unique insight into both cultures and their entwined histories, Mr Mellor said. "I can engage with western perspectives of art history and theory, but also engage with a very specific cultural indigenous perspective. "It's in talking about the tensions between the two that it makes the art worthwhile doing... "The work in a way discusses the impact of settlement and colonisation and it's more the ideas behind the work which gives it a very strong connection and relevance to other works in this show." The selected works range from paintings and sculptures to fibre works, ceramics and bark paintings. Yinarupa Nangala from Western Australia won the General Painting Award for her untitled work of a rockhole site, while the Three‐Dimensional Memorial Award was taken out by a self‐taught weaver from Perth. Janine McAullay Bott's woven work Dhalkatj ‐ Bilby reflects the country and animals of her ancestors. Glen Namundja from Western Arnhem Land won Best Works on Paper for his depiction of the story of two sisters swallowed whole by the Rainbow Serpent. The works will be on display at the Museum and Art Gallery of the NT in Darwin until October 25.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25932246‐662,00.html I would like to thank B:. Richard Num of The Lodge of Sincerity #120, Adelaide for all his assistance with this article.
“RITE TO RITUAL”
This image called "New World, New Order (the Visitors)" is a second work by artist Danie Mellor and is very similar to his piece “From Rite to Ritual” which won the recent Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. We again see, an owl sitting beside the Master's chair, and the introduction of a parrot sitting on the skeleton's shoulder. In this piece there are no dancers; but two naked Aboriginal Australians have wandered into the Temple and are shown standing, looking towards the owl and letter G within a shining triangle above the owl in the East.
This article was submitted by B:. Fred Milliken and first appeared June 11, 2009 of this year on his blog that can be followed on www.freemasoninformation.com Phoenixmasonry is a proactive approach to, and practice of, Freemasonry. The name Phoenixmasonry combines the symbolic spirit of rebirth and renewal associated with the ancient mythological bird the Phoenix with the ancient Craft knowledge of Masonry, hence the name Phoenixmasonry.
Our Latin motto: Non Omnis Moriar. ”Not all of me shall die”. Here at Phoenixmasonry, we believe that each of us has had the feeling of being consumed by fire. That the problems of our lives have left us in the pit of despair, the ashes of destruction, although it may not have been the fire that creates those ashes. Adversity and the overcoming of it make us stronger. Just as the beautiful Temple of King Solomon rose from the rubbish and ashes of barbarous forces to become an even more magnificent and resplendent structure, our belief and faith in living a moral life allows us to rise up from the ashes to become stronger and better Freemasons. It was on August 11, 1999 that David Lettelier, heading a small group of Masonic collectors scattered across the USA, created a virtual Masonic museum and library and called it Phoenixmasonry. Phoenixmasonry, unlike most other museums and libraries, was not housed in a physical plant but rather displayed its artifacts, collectibles and rare books on the Internet. Open 24 hours a day with no admission fee, Masonry’s first online museum and library grew and grew and grew, until today it is visited more each day than any other Masonic website on the Internet. The Phoenixmasonry staff contains experienced Librarians and antique appraisers and it is a proud Member of the Masonic Library and Museum Association at: http://www.masoniclibraries.org/ Today it continues to add collectibles while at the same time offering some current Masonic thought from today’s cutting edge Masonic authors and writers. Along the way to this pinnacle of success many Brothers and Sisters have lent a helping hand and contributed to the continual improvement of this wonderful Masonic Site. To commemorate the Tenth anniversary of Phoenixmasonry and honor its contributors a special edition engraved copper coin has been struck. The front of the coin has Phoenixmasonry’s Masonic logo and commemorates its Tenth anniversary. The back of the coin features all the names, in circular fashion, of those who have helped Phoenixmasonry be what it is today. It is only fitting and proper that these contributors be joined in a circle of friendship signifying a fraternal family dedicated to Masonic knowledge and education. Each contributor received a gold plated version of the commemorative coin but anybody can order the copper version from the website at a cost of $15.00 each plus $2.50 shipping and handling while limited supplies last.
What you will find in the Phoenixmasonry museum is a large selection of rare and expensive treasured Masonic artifacts with a brief story of their origin and a description of their finer points. Here is the much sought after Dudley Masonic Pocket Watch made by a Mason for a Mason. Brother William Wallace Dudley and his company crafted a limited supply of these 19 jewel solid gold watches. The Dudley Watch Company was only in business for five years from 1920‐1925 but its patented design can sell for close to $3000.00 today.
You can also find a very unique hand blown engraved decanter displaying some features crafted by the lost art of copper wheel engraving.
How about a very unique Goat stein? Or maybe you would rather visit with the Jerusalem Masonic Wage Box made of olive wood and crafted in 1887. It was a presentation of corn, wine and oil made to new Fellowcraft Masons. The box has three compartments. The middle compartment contains the corn (wheat). The two other compartments each have hand blown crystal bottles engraved with the Square and Compasses. One bottle contains olive oil and the other Jerusal ‐em wine. If that doesn’t suit your fancy how about a Mother of Pearl Masonic Tea Caddy? cont….
Continued………
Then there is a very rare and different tool chest from Brother Henry O. Studley For a good laugh take a look at The Goat Riding Trike which could be ordered from the DeMoulin Masonic Lodge Supply Catalog My favorite is a hand painted early Masonic Shaving Dish. Around the rim is painted a cabletow and atop the Square and compasses in the center is a bow signifying the mystic tie. These are only a few highlights of what awaits you at the Phoenixmasonry museum.
Phoenixmasonry’s librarian, Wor. Bro.Ralph Omholt has scanned many old and rare Masonic books, manuscripts and lectures. These expensive works can now be downloaded into your home computer free of charge. Select from, to name just a few, Denslow’s “10,000 Famous Freemasons, Mackey’s “Encyclopedia of Freemasonry”, Gould’s “History of Freemasonry Throughout The World”, Mitchell’s “Masonic Histories”, Dudley Wright’s “Women In Freemasonry”, “The Kabbalah Unveiled” by S.L. MacGregor Mathers, “The Lost Keys of Freemasonry” by Manly P. Hall, “The Theocratic Philosophy of Freemasonry” by George Oliver, “The Illuminati (1776‐1784), A Concise Report”, “A Series of Letters on Freemasonry” by Hannah Mather Crocker, “The Mysteries of Freemasonry” by Captain William Morgan, “The Writings of George Washington” by George Washington and the Masonic Monitors of Preston & Webb. Then there are the works of Rob Morris, “A Well Spent Life”, “The Lights and Shadows of Freemasonry”, “Freemasonry in the Holy Land” and “Masonic History of the Northwest.” The E‐library continues to grow. New additions to the collection of the Masters of Masonic authors are being added all the time. Other favorites that should not be overlooked are Anderson’s “Constitutions”, Carl Claudy’s three works on the explanation of the three degrees, “DeMoulin Masonic Lodge Supply Catalog No. 138″, Wilmshurst’s “The Meaning of Masonry” and a complete collection of the “Builder Magazine”, a most sought after prize. Actually every E‐book in the collection is a gem and it takes forbearance not to get carried away in listing them all. A special section on Prince Hall is a new feature on the Phoenixmasonry website. It features six You Tube videos showing the William H. Upton memorial unity march in 1991. Upton was the Grand Master of Washington State who recognized Prince Hall Masonry in 1898. You won’t want to miss this defining moment in history. Lately some selected works of writers of today have been added, most in
in essay form. “Laudable Pursuit” is a giant of a work penned in the 21st century. Wor. Brother and Kentucky Colonel Ian Donald from Canada adds a most enjoyable paper, “A Charge By Any Other Name Is Still A Charge.” The Masonic service Association of North America is there with its latest survey of the state of American Freemasonry and its recommendations for improvement. And a number of papers by Wor. Brother Frederic L. Milliken can be found, the most notable being “World Peace Through Brotherhood” and “Native American Rituals & The Influence of Freemasonry.” You might think that is the whole story of the Phoenixmasonry website but you would be wrong. Other interesting facets of the site include:
• • • • • • • • •
Masonic Poems & Essays A breakdown and description of Fraternal Bodies in America Masonic membership statistics for the USA and Canada A biblical history of King Solomon’s Temple Ancient fonts A Masonic glossary of terms and symbolism A look at some charities and how to get involved A Masonic Gift Shop and Store where one can even order Masonic Teddy Bears A How To Section – from how to conduct a Table Lodge to how to conduct a Masonic wedding.
Phoenixmasonry looks forward to you joining us in celebrating ten years of service to the Masonic community and continued Masonic research, education and dissemination of Masonic knowledge. You can do all that by making that cyber trip to http://www.phoenixmasonry.org and living its motto – “spreading enlightenment – one web surfer at a time.”
By placing an advert here you could display your product or service to over 1000 and growing possible customers who you know are interested in the same subject as you; on our website there are even more for information on our advertising rates contact info@masonic‐ae.com today!
The Regains Masonic Rifle David Abraham Ragains probably acquired his "Masonic" rifle before the Civil War. David joined the 60th Illinois Infantry Regiment on January 7, 1862 as a private in the Union Army. The following month, he was promoted to Captain in command of Company H. [1] It is likely that Captain Ragains carried this rifle with him as the 60th Illinois Infantry Regiment joined forces with the U.S Army of the Mississippi in capturing the strategically important Island Number Ten, on the Mississippi River. After the capture of this island, David participated in the siege of Corinth and led his Company in several clashes with the enemy. By February of 1863, the 50 year old Captain was forced to resign because of poor health. Haemorrhoids, caused by dysentery, had become so painful that he could no longer perform his duties. CAPTAIN DAVID ABRAHAM RAGAINS (1812-1887)
Frank Ragains (1884‐1959)
Pleasant Green Ragains (1852‐1932)
David was born in South Carolina, lived in Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia before settling in Pope County, Illinois. At the beginning of the Civil war David was supporting a family of eight children by working his small farm. He supplemented his income as both deputy clerk and deputy sheriff. While serving his community as a clergyman, he founded County Line Baptist Church. This church came by its name because it was located on the Pope and Johnson County Line. This little church is still going strong after 150 years. During his lifetime, David had seven wives and twenty children. He died on February 17, 1887 at age 74. He was a member of the Vienna, Illinois Lodge No 150 A.F. and A.M. David left his rifle to his son, Pleasant Green Ragains. The next owner was P. G's son, Frank Ragains who was a member of the Bokoshe, Oklahoma Lodge No. 358 and Murrow Lodge No. 49 in Spiro, Oklahoma. The next owner was his son, Frank Edward Ragains The gun then went to his son, James Edward Ragains and then to his son, James Grant Ragains. David Ragains' gun has been in the Ragains' family for over 150 years. Charles Edward Sterling February 5, 2009
[1] http://civilwar.ilgenweb.net/r100/060‐h‐in.html
The story continues on the next page…..
James Grant Ragains (1961‐ )
Whilst every effort has been made to contact the author of this article before the time of ‘press’ we have been unable to. The was received by the Editor as a forwarded email. The work remains the property of it’s original author and if you wish to ‘reprint’ this article every effort should be made by yourselves to contact him.
David Ragains' Military Heritage On the 7th of April 1862, David Ragains answered Abraham Lincoln's call to arms by joining Company H, 60th Illinois Regiment as a private. In recognition of his maturity and ability to lead men, he was promoted to Captain and placed in charge of a newly formed company. Despite the fact that he was almost fifty, David felt compelled to join the struggle to preserve the Union. David's loyalty and enthusiastic patriotism can be traced to his grandfather Thomas Ragains' and his great grandfather, Gabriel Ragains' records of military service. Gabriel was a "Gentleman Solger" on call to the North Carolina Militia. When the French and Indian War erupted, Gabriel's unit was activated and made part of the Virginia Regiment under Colonel George Washington. Gabriel's service ended abruptly when he was killed by friendly fire near Fort Ligonier in western Pennsylvania. Gabriel was survived by his wife, Susannah Gandy and his five year old son, Thomas. When Thomas was twenty‐three years old, he married thirteen year old Elizabeth Featherkille on Valentines Day in 1776. Thomas and Elizabeth enjoyed a short honeymoon before he marched off to war. Thomas survived the war suffering only a minor leg wound. He served one year as a private and another two years as a sergeant. During his three years of service, he managed to obtain enough furloughs to father two sons. After the war he and Elizabeth went on to have six more sons and three daughters.
It is likely that David grew up listening to his grandfather, Thomas, recalling his military experiences. Thomas probably told of his father Gabriel's military valor also. David Ragains was twenty‐three when his grandfather, Thomas, died.
A review of the
“I asked myself the question why was this and how could this be resolved? I know that many Lodge newsletters and other similar publications were produced by very well meaning Brethren with only limited experience and knowledge of design who under increasing pressure produced the best they could, and I came to the conclusion they needed help not criticizing.”
Masonic Art Exchange and it’s rapid growth by
B:. Frederic L. Milliken aka Squire Bently of The Beehive Blog B:.Frederic L. Milliken of Rowlett, Texas, has a BA in Government & History with a Minor in Economics from Boston University. He is a member of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas and one of the founding fellows of Phoenicmasonry.org If I were to tell you that there is a man raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason in 2007 who has in just a short period of time started a Masonic organization with a newsletter which has exploded with membership overnight beyond his wildest dreams, who is writing a novel, producing a graphic novel, working on a book for a college, writing several Masonic research articles for Masonic Journals, is an officer in his Craft Lodge, a member of a Research Society, producer of an upcoming Templar comic presentation, a Committee Chairman for The Masonic Society and an editor for The Global Fraternal Network (GFN) would you not want to know more about him? Who he is? Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, —no it’s Brother David Naughton‐Shires Until the last few years, 38 year old Naughton‐Shires lived a rather quiet, modest life with his wife and three children in Sixmilebridge, Ireland just 9 km out of Shannon where he helped his wife run a small dance studio and scraped together a rather meager living in graphic design and illustration. THEN HE JOINED FREEMASONRY…………….AND BANG AS IF SHOT FROM A CANNON, the life of David Naughton‐Shires has not been the same since. He was raised to the third degree in October of 2007 in Ormonde Lodge 201 in the Province of North Munster in the Irish Constitution where today he holds the office of Inner Guard. He hopes to go onto the Royal Arch in just a few months. But as you can see it will be October of 2009 before he has completed two years in the Craft which makes his Masonic accomplishments quite remarkable – as if shot from a cannon.
He tells us that right away, “I found the Craft had produced over the years a wealth of fantastic art, and I started to collect what I could find that fell within my meager budget. This consisted of items such as Ladies Festival Menu cards, lodge summonses, and certificates. From time to time I came across a beautifully illustrated book or two, and as I continued to collect I noticed there was a lack of current art for Freemasons available and what there was, well hidden within the Craft with the exception of the wonderful art of Brother Stephen McKim. Also the standard of publications being produced internally and externally was not always inspiring.”
So help them he would. He decided to start a group in Facebook with this idea in mind. He wanted to centralize in one place where Brethren with talent who were prepared to help could come together and share their work for the use of anybody who needed it. He called his new group THE MASONIC ART EXCHANGE. The concept hit the Internet like a sudden Texas thunder storm, exploding into over 500 members in just a few weeks. In his own words Naughton‐Shires describes the mission of Masonic Art Exchange. “In a nutshell the aims of the group is to provide a central ‘hub’ for the coming together of people who wish to improve the graphical look of the many newsletters, leaflets, circulars and the such presented within the craft by providing a forum and communication point for each other to offer advice and support on a design basis” Naughton‐Shires decided that a newsletter that the members could contribute to and pass onto the members of their Lodge would be a good illustration of what could be done with a little help. In a few more weeks, which is where we are as of this writing, the Masonic Art Exchange has grown into a membership of over 1100 and Naughton‐Shires has decided to produce the newsletter bi‐ monthly and add a website and a forum for non Facebookers (http://masonic‐ ae.com). The first newsletter consisted of just six pages including the front and back covers. But the second and most recent has twenty two pages with some really super articles as well as illustrations. One of them is “Skull & Gold: Creating Knight Templar’s Aprons,” a brief outline of the story behind The Knight Templar’s Aprons along with the beautiful creations of Ginger Wood Smyrl. Also in this issue is “Et in Arcadia Ego,” by Brother Nathan M. Glover who shares with us the symbolism found in the Et in Arcadia Ego paintings. Those of you searching for some portraits of George Washington in Masonic regalia also will not be disappointed. Issue #3 is being worked on as of this writing but it already has some very interesting stories and illustrations, two of which will be “Art of the Templar Knights” & “Painted Aprons.” To help in this enterprise which was growing by leaps and bounds Naughton‐Shires added Vice‐President Brother Martyn Greene who handles the Facebook group and put writer Brother Kevin Noel Olson in charge of articles for the newsletter. The Masonic Art Exchange is open to everyone, Mason and non Mason alike. The rules are pretty simple and straight forward. If you are posting to the site the work must be yours and not somebody else’s and you must be prepared to share it with everybody. If you are using something from the site you must give credit to its author, inform the author of what publication it is being used in and use it only for nonprofit enterprises.
In addition:
“THE ARTWORK CAN NEITHER BE USED FOR NOR DEPICT ANYTHING CONSIDERED TO BE DEFAMING TO FREEMASONRY OR SOCIETY IN GENERAL.” For ease and maximum exposure there are two sites where you can download the newsletter, scribd – http://www.scribd.com/doc/18165122/MAE12 and issuu ‐http://issuu.com/masconicartexchange/docs/mae_1_2/1?viewMode=magazine
Or if you prefer you can now do the same thing from the website – http://masonic‐ae.com or on Facebook. But as we have already seen this man shot from the cannon has many irons in the fire. He is a correspondent circle member of the Lodge of Research Number 200 in Ireland (http://www.irish‐freemasonry.org.uk/). Soon he will have his first paper published in the Hibiscus Masonic Review (http://hibiscusmasonicreview.wordpress.com/ ). He is a founding member and Irish Second Circle Committee Chairman of The Masonic Society (http://themasonicsociety.com). He is the new Graphics Editor for the Global Fraternal Network (GFN) and has just completed designing his first issue for them (http://issuu.com/masconicartexchange/docs/gfn_v4‐n8). Here is another project he is working on: http://templarcomic.com For those who might denigrate Masonic activity on the Internet I ask them to come see what David Naughton‐Shires is doing online. He is a man who has accomplished more in his two years in the Craft than many of us do in a lifetime. The secret to his success is the quality of his work. You only have to spend a few minutes on The Masonic Art Exchange to be impressed. It would seem that what he has started may expand and become a broader concept than it is now. Also success can breed more success in spin offs and related enterprises and that may well be a path for Brother David Naughton‐Shires. All of us at Freemason Information wish him all the best and continued success. Above and beyond all this is the great service available to us all to improve the quality of all our publications whether big or small. Also up to now there has been no site dedicated to Masonic artists. We may find around the world many Freemasons who are artists and who have been operating in the shadows of ignominy. No more. They will shine in the light of The Masonic Art Exchange and we shall all be able to enjoy their works.
THE WORD, NEVER LOST
The word was never lost. Merely forgotten or abandoned. It is buried in the centuries. Riches deep wait near the surface.
We struggle forward, Through temptation. Through distraction. The shovels reveal a shallow darkness, The unplumbed depths threaten. Inside to find a jewel. Born of the Earth, precious in truth. It says nothing. It speaks volumes. To the king we know waits. The word is not there, Where once it reposed. Our sorrow deepens. We return to the abyss. Not so deep as first thought. Not so Stygian as dull. The jewel it shines light sublime, We see a brother return. The word is not forgotten, It resides inside our breasts. For the morning dew is as true, As this we discover as happiness. Our journey is obscure, Worth more than any lucre. We know the steps and how to trod, Our lessons set the path.
Kevin Noel Olson is the accomplished Author of many children's fantasy and retro adventure fiction book he is a Worshipful Master of PM Butte Lodge #22 A.F. & A.M. – Montana, and a member of Mullen Pass Historic Lodge #1862 and 32nd Scottish‐Valley of Butte York Rite. He has written many pieces of poetry some of which he has kindly said we can present in coming months. This month we are presenting one of my favourites, if you enjoy this you are sure to enjoy his collection entitled ‘The Green Lama’ just released which is available from either the cornerstone publishers or Amazon you find links to both on the web site http://masonic‐ae.com for more information about W:. B:. Kevin see his own web site http://www.myspace.com/kno4skull
The light remains, Join with happy gifts. Brothers offer hands, To do the needed work. The word not trite nor crude, One word as stars above. That one word has never left us. When hidden, call it love.
We are always looking for submissions if you have any poetry you’d like to submit send it to us at subs@masonic‐ae.com
“The Faithful Few” When the meeting’s called to order and you look about the room you’re sure to see some faces, that from out the shadows loom. They are always at the meeting, and stay till it is through, the ones that I would mention, Are the Always Faithful Few. They fill the vacant offices; they are always on the spot, No matter what’s the weather, though it may be awful hot. It may be dark and rainy, but they are tried and true, the ones that you rely on, Are the Always Faithful Few. There are a lot of worthy members, who come when in the mood? When everything’s convenient, they can do a little good. They’re a factor in the Order, and are necessary, too, But the ones who never fail us, Are the Always Faithful Few? If it were not for these faithful, whose shoulders at the wheel, Keep the Order moving onward, without a halt or reel. What would be the fate of Orders? Who have so much to do, they surely would go under, But for the Faithful Few.
TÇÉÇ
So just a year later B:. Craddock now has a regular client base, a beautiful website and a job many would kill for. One of the most surprising things that will shock you as you look over some of the sample in these pages is that B:. Craddock has no formal art training and is totally self taught. He says of his obvious artistic abilities
‘….in 1991, after being a Master Mason for three years, I wanted an apron I could use in my interpretation of the American Civil War that represented the typical aprons of that time period. I knew from looking at originals that those aprons did not look like the plain white aprons I was use to seeing in Lodge. The mid‐ Nineteenth century aprons were more decorative and elegant looking. I searched and searched to find someone ‐ anyone ‐ who could make me a nice reproduction. There was no one! So, out of desperation I decided to make myself an apron. At the same time I decided to make a couple of extras for friends in the hobby who were also Brothers. I gave them those aprons as tokens of friendship and brotherly love. Soon a few other Brothers were inquiring about period aprons. Within a couple of years I had had enough interest that I began selling these aprons. Eventually I was being contacted my Brothers who I had never met but wished me to make them an apron. I fought the idea of opening a business with the sole purpose of selling aprons for several years simply because I didn’t want to turn the enjoyment of a hobby into a business. But, I lost that battle last year and decided to jump into the regalia business. ‘ ‘My colleagues here at Boston National Historical Park and I were very pleased with your reproduction of the Joseph Warren apron. Attached you’ll find a draft of the text that we plan to put on a label with the apron. Thanks for the good work.’ Phil Hunt, Museum Specialist Boston National Historical Park National Park Service
‘Although I have always been interested in, and have an appreciation for, art, I have had no formal art training……and only picked up a paint brush out of desperation. I have always enjoyed art and drawing but never spent any time with a brush in my hand.’ He has also gone on to say that (on the advice of others and because of the high standard of his work) ‘I ALWAYS sign, number and date each apron to insure that one will not show up on eBay as an original.’ After seeing his work I could understand how someone would th mistake them as original 19 century masterpieces. ‘Bro. Craddock not only created a beautiful apron for me, he also surprised me by having included on the apron a desert view, looking east, which is in recognition of my having been Raised in Arabian Lodge #882, Dharan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.’ MSGT Brian Hicks (United States Marine Corps, Retired) Hiram #7 Franklin, TN But this is not where it ends. He has said the historical need has opened the door toward a larger audience that is desirous of regalia that are both a quality product and a reflection of one’s commitment to the Craft. It has surprised him that The Craftsman’s Apron’s Facebook page has fans from eight different countries around the world. But, what he is also seeing is a growing number of clients who are ordering custom designed aprons to display as artwork at either their home or office. Not only do they want a custom apron to wear to Lodge, but to also use in a more public setting as a visual representation of their dedication to the Craft. Have a look at his web site to see some of the other period artefacts which are displayed.
Coming from a constitution where there are strict controls on what you can and cannot be worn whilst in the Lodge it doesn’t detear me from looking at B:. Cradock’s work and measuring up a frame to put one of these fine pieces of art above my desk to reminding me of, as Patrick has said my ‘commitment to the Craft. ‘ David Naughton‐Shires For more samples of B:. Craddock’s work visit him on line at http://www.craftmansapron.com or in his facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/The‐Craftsmans‐ Apron/102043787146?ref=s#/pages/The‐Craftsmans‐ Apron/102043787146
To the left are some of the images posted in the Facebook site, and below are the rules just for your own information particularly if you have been forwarded this from a friend in the group and haven’t popped in yourself. If you have not and you’re not a ‘facebooker’ there is the option of joining the forum that can be found by going through the web site:
masonic‐ae.com The Rules: POSTERS 1. The work MUST be yours (if you post someone else’s work as yours you will be asked to remove it and may have it removed if the admin feels it is necessary) the work remains yours. 2. If you post you must be prepared for others to use the artwork. USERS 1. If you use someone’s work you MUST inform them where it is being used. 2. CREDIT them 3. If required provide a copy of the publication i.e. Tresleboard it's being used in. 4. The work is to be used for non-profit publications etc unless agreed with the artist. 5. The MAE will do it's best to' police' the copyright of images however any issues of copyright usage is the responsibility of the 'creator' and should be taken up with the ‘creator’ of the images in the first instance. If you want to request artwork please leave a request in the discussion wall in either the Facebook Group or forum or email us at info@masonic-ae.com PUTTING/LINKING YOUR ARTWORK TO THIS GROUP [FORUM,FB GROUP OR NEWSLETTER]CONSTITUTES THAT YOU AGREE TO THE ABOVE RULES [UNLESS OTHER COPYRIGHT AGREEMEMNTS HAVE BEEN REACHED AND CLEARLY POSTED]
‘BLOOD CROSS’ by David Naughton‐Shires
THE ARTWORK CAN NEITHER BE USED FOR NOR DEPICT ANYTHING CONSIDERED TO BE INFLAMITARY TO FREEMASONRY OR SOCIETY IN GENERAL. THE ADMINS DECISION IS FINAL IN ANY DISPUTE.
PLEASE CHECK BACK OFTEN FOR UPDATES. FINALLY The opinions expressed on this groups webpage, forum, and it's newsletter represent those of the individual authors and, unless clearly labelled as such, do not represent the opinions or policies of any Masonic Lodge, Grand Lodge, recognized Masonic body or other individual.
From the set called ‘BLACK AND WHITE by Clercq Art
Robby Giudice
Each newsletter we will highlight one Facebook group you may be interested in joining all you need to do is go to your groups (click the group’s icon on the menu bar at the bottom of the page) and search for the groups by name in the search bar in the group’s area.
This month’s choice for Facebook Group is a bit of a cheat really as it is also a very popular blog radio programme. I am of course talking about Masonic Central, presenting such great Masonic ‘stars’ as Karen Kidd, Stephen Dafoe and most recently Cliff Porter I can think of no reason why anyone would not want to join the Facebook group and take the time to listen into the show. If you can’t make it at show time you can always download the broadcast to listen at your convenience on you computer or iPod.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=28936168770 http://www.freemasoninformation.com/about/masonic‐central‐podcast/ http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Masonic‐Central
Each newsletter we will also aim to highlight a website which may be of interest to the members of the MAE their friends and colleagues if you have any recommendations for sites to appear here or on the forum contact me at info@masonic‐ae.com please include: ‘MAE recommendation’ in the subject line.
This is the end of the third Masonic Art Exchange Newsletter (doesn’t time fly!) this issue has been very interesting for me and has woken up a long dormant interest in the American Civil War and in the next issue I hope to have an interview with the author (Michael A. Halleran) of the soon to be released book ‘The Better Angels of Our Nature: Freemasonry in the American Civil War.’. Our next issue will hopefully going to ‘press’ on the 2nd of October [the final decision has not yet been made so please check the web site for regular updates] and as always I hope many of you will take a few moments to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and send something in even if it’s just a letter of comment everything is received with great thanks. On this final page I am again going to place a few links to ‘good’ sites, and other groups in Facebook that may be of interest and contact details.
Each month I search the web for a site of Masonic interest that I feel confident sharing with you and this month like all the past ones I am delighted to be able to do so last month it was a site bursting with images, articles and papers to do with our great craft but this month I have move a little closer to home (for me anyway and am inviting you to take a look at the web site of the Lodge of Research here in Ireland.
Although this site may not have all the bells and whistle that some others do it have an easy to navigate structure and easy to access information. So why not take a little time and have a read through the site it will be informative. Some of the papers available on the site include: FREEMASONRY IN TENNESSEE: The First 100 Years By: Worshipful Brother Brian H. Magill MASONIC LODGES ASSOCIATED WITH RUDYARD KIPLING By W/Bro. William T. Brown: Kipling Newporton Lodge No. 315 and Irish Lodge of Research No. CC MASONIC HERO‐ LT. COL. JHS DIMMER, VC, MC W/BRO. W.T. Brown, MBE, Kipling Newporton 315, Chichester 313 and Lodge of Research 200 http://www.irish‐freemasonry.org.uk
Contact details: info@masonic‐ae.com
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get in contact whether it is to tell us how fantastic the newsletter was or alternatively to give us much needed critique on how to improve what we are doing after all that IS what we are here for. We will see you on the web and pray the Great Architect watches over you. Sincerely and fraternally,
David Naughton-Shires info@masonic‐ae.com (please remember to put MAE in the subject line)