21 minute read
MEMBERSHIP
NEW Operatives Assemblage
The Founders of Donegal Church Assemblage with the Constitution Team
The Constitution of Donegal Church Assemblage of The Worshipful Society of Free Masons, Rough Masons, Wallers, Slaters, Paviors, Plaisterers and Bricklayers (The Operatives) was constituted on July 13. The Assemblage will hold its regular meetings at the Lancaster Masonic Center. The Operatives are an invitational Masonic body dedicated to the preservation of the history and workings of operative guild masonry that existed prior to modern speculative Freemasonry. Membership is restricted to Master Masons and Holy Royal Arch Companions in good standing. This marks the third Assemblage in the Commonwealth, the others being Bryn Aythn Quarry Assemblage in Allentown and Ashcom Quarry Assemblage in Everett.
Grand Master Masons must come to the United States from England to constitute an Assemblage (pictured to the left).
Brother Bryan L. Hill, a resident of the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown, was installed as the first Deputy Master Mason of the group. His extensive experience and understanding of English Masonic customs were critical in getting the group started. Additionally, Bryan coordinated with the Rooster’s Corner wood shop at the Masonic Village to have all the necessary furniture and ritual paraphernalia made by hand, to exacting specifications.
Following the Constitution ceremony, the new members and guests retired to the Lancaster Country Club for an excellent Festive Board to celebrate.
The Masonic Library & Museum of Pennsylvania Gift Shop offers apparel, books, ties, jewelry, glassware, wallets, auto emblems, holiday ornaments and many other meaningful gifts.
Visit the online store today (or pass the link along to a loved one with a “subtle” hint):
MasonicMuseumGifts.com
Call 215-988-1977 with any questions.
Lodge Helps Flood Victims
On Friday, Aug. 5, the Greater Latrobe area of Westmoreland County was affected by unprecedented rainfall and subsequent flooding of many areas, particularly a small coal mining town affectionately known as “Dorothy Patch.” Thirtyfive homes were affected, many of which were condemned or left otherwise uninhabitable.
A member of Loyalhanna Lodge No. 275, Latrobe, lives in this community, and several brothers mobilized efforts to provide support to him and the Dorothy community.
On Sunday, Aug. 7, brothers distributed lunches for the community (sandwiches, chips, cookies, water, Gatorade, etc.) and helped residents move debris. That afternoon, the lodge provided a dinner to all the residents of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, pierogies, macaroni salad, chips, cookies and beverages.
Many members returned over the next few days to help the brother in distress by cleaning debris and providing emotional support. One brother even brought his excavator to help reset heating oil tanks that were upheaved in the flooding. It was a tremendous group effort of manpower and donations from the membership.
Brothers John Sracic; Bruce Merkel, W.M.; and Fred Kaylor, P.M.
Honoring veterans is a sacred practice for many Masonic lodges, and for one lodge, it has become a permanent custom.
In 2021, Brother Gerald I. Fretwell, then-Worshipful Master of Abraham C. Treichler Lodge No. 682, Elizabethtown, formed a Veterans Committee, which includes Brothers Fred R. Kaylor, P.M.; John Sracic; and Jason Baughman. The group took on the arduous task of tracking down a list of all past and present members who are veterans. They scoured records from the National Sojourners, Grand Lodge and Ancestry.com and sent a questionnaire to current members.
To date, over 300 records of living and deceased veterans have been located and documented. This research will continue as the committee further explores older records. In addition, a check box in the lodge application process will help identify future veterans joining Treichler Lodge.
“Our lodge holds a rich history of regular men providing extraordinary service in the defense of our country,” Fred said.
An eight-foot Veterans Wall listing the names of all member veterans was installed and dedicated in June. The inscription “Honoring those who have served in the Armed Forces of our Country” was copied from an earlier World War II plaque that hung in the lodge. The display also includes a quote from Brother General Douglas MacArthur: “No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.”
In addition, an online booklet with more veteran information, stories and facts is available on the lodge’s website: Etownmasons.org/veterans-wall.
Samuel C. Williamson
Born and educated in Pitcairn, Brother Samuel C. Williamson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering in 1950 from the University of Pittsburgh. After serving in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps in 1952, he was employed by the U.S. Steel Corporation (now USX) and retired as Superintendent of the chemicals department at the Clairton works.
Brother Williamson often said that his life changed forever on Sept. 28, 1945, when he was initiated into McKinley Chapter of the Order of DeMolay, in Turtle Creek, PA, where he served as the chapter’s secretary. This is what led him to the Masonic fraternity in 1951, where he served as Worshipful Master of Tyrian Lodge No. 612, Level Green. (He was last a member of Plum Creek Lodge No. 799.) He served as District Deputy Grand Master of District 54 from 1962 - 1971.
During his term as Grand Master, the craft boasted 214,000 Pennsylvania Masons in 582 lodges. Brother Williamson urged lodges to become more active in community affairs, “to let our friends and neighbors know that we are Masons and what we stand for.” He also declared a moratorium on all physical requirements for membership in the fraternity, allowing lodges to accept petitions from men with disabilities.
Portraying Pennsylvania’s youth organizations as “the lifeblood of our fraternity and the country” and noting their desperate need of aid and support, he led the Grand Lodge to establish the Pennsylvania Youth Foundation, a charitable outreach to promote leadership training for youth and support Masonic-related youth groups such as DeMolay, Rainbow Girls and Job’s Daughters. He served on its board of directors as an officer of the corporation from its inception and served as Chairman until retiring in 2020. One of his most satisfying accomplishments was the conversion of the Patton Masonic School in Elizabethtown into a Masonic Conference Center for youth. Another was bringing the Order of DeMolay and the Knights of Pythagoras together for annual brotherhood retreats and establishing, through the youth, an informal dialogue with Prince Hall Freemasonry.
“The soundest investment we can make is an investment in the youth of our land, for they are the leaders of the future. From their ranks will come the statesmen, educators, politicians, ministers, scientists and future presidents of this great country; and Freemasonry must make quite sure that it provides a generous portion of that leadership. For if we fail, if we permit others to capture the minds and loyalties of our young people, we have only ourselves to blame.“
Brother Williamson served on the Board of Governors of the Philadelphia Unit of the Shriners Hospitals for Children; the Committee on Masonic Homes for 21 years; and on the Grand Lodge Committees on Finance, Youth Activities and Matching Charity Grants, which he chaired. He served as Executive Officer for the Order of DeMolay in Pennsylvania, 1987-2000, and as DeMolay International’s Grand Treasurer, 1996-2002.
A recipient of many fraternal honors, Brother Williamson was coroneted a 33° Honorary Member of the Supreme Council, Scottish Rite, N.M.J., in 1977. He also received: the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Franklin Award in 1984 for outstanding service, the Daniel Coxe Medal from the Grand Lodge of New Jersey in 2005, the DeMolay Grand Cross in 2006, membership in the Prince Hall Scottish Rite Council of Deliberation in 2013, induction into the DeMolay International Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Scottish Rite Supreme Council Medal of Honor in 2019. He was the first recipient of the Grand Lodge of PA’s HODEGOS Award for Distinguished Adult Service.
In addition to membership and leadership roles in many professional societies, Brother Williamson served as a Director of the Pittsburgh Athletic Association and was a member of the Center Avenue United Methodist Church of Pitcairn, where he chaired the Administration Board and the Finance Committee, served as Superintendent of the Sunday School and was also a Trustee. More recently, he was a member of the Monroeville United Methodist Church and a leader on the Finance Committee. He served the Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church as a Director of the Jumonville Christian Retreat Center and on its Jumonville Foundation.
Brother Williamson enjoyed a good crime novel, dining with friends, attending Masonic and DeMolay meetings and activities and traveling.
“I have been blessed by my faith, my family and my fraternity,” he said.
Marvin A. Cunningham, Sr.
Brother Marvin A. Cunningham, Sr., was born in Batavia, Iowa, and graduated from United Township High School in East Moline, IL, in 1952. After graduation, he worked for International Harvester and was active in the Boy Scouts and as a Sunday school teacher.
He served 25 years in the U.S. Navy, in both the Korea and Vietnam conflicts, retiring in 1977 as a Chief Dental Technician. Afterward, he began working for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, managing a 34-bench dental laboratory at the prison in Graterford. He retired in 1995 as the Manager of Correction Industries, which included operating a 1,500-acre farm and dairy.
Brother Cunningham’s Masonic travels began in 1961 in Silvis Lodge No. 898, A.F. & A.M., in Illinois. In 1980, after relocating for his job, he transferred to Warren Lodge No. 310, Collegeville, PA, where he served as Worshipful Master in 1985. He was a Senior Instructor in the 6th Masonic District’s School of Instruction in 1986 and 1987, also serving as its President in 1987. He served as District Deputy Grand Master, 1988-1995, before being elected R.W. Grand Junior Warden in 1996.
During his term as Grand Master, he emphasized HOPE: Helping Others Pursue Excellence. He amended the Digest of Decisions to lower the age for membership petitioners from 21 to 18 to interest young men, particularly the leaders of DeMolay, students heading into college, or those starting out in the workforce or entering the armed forces.
As Chairman of the board of directors, Brother Cunningham was most proud of implementing the union of the Masonic Homes of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania (now the Masonic Villages) with the Masonic Home of Pennsylvania (now the Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill), which came into effect Jan. 1, 2004. This also marked a rebranding of the then-four Masonic Villages across the Commonwealth. Under his leadership, the board approved a 20-year master plan for the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown, the first residents moved into the retirement living apartments at the Masonic Village at Sewickley and the Masonic Village at Warminster was remodeled.
“We are a premier organization as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “Our villages do things right; they’re just amazing. [Other jurisdictions] can hardly believe what we do. “
Brother Cunningham also served as Chairman of the board of directors for the Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania and was a member of the Grand Lodge Committees on Finance, Landmarks, Temple, and Membership and Retention.
Brother Cunningham was a member of the York Rite bodies in Norristown and of the four bodies of the Scottish Rite Valley of Allentown. He was Coroneted a 33° Mason in Pittsburgh in 2000 and was a member of Lulu Shrine, Plymouth Meeting; Hutchinson Commandery No. 32, Knights Templar; and numerous affiliated Masonic bodies. He was Charter President of Perkiomen Valley High Twelve Club, President of the Hat and Gavel Club of the 6th Masonic District and a charter member of the Pennsylvania Lodge of Research. Brother Cunningham has been recognized with the Honorary Legion of Honor, Order of DeMolay; as an Honorary Member of the Grand Lodge of Nevada; an Honorary Oklahoma Mason of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Oklahoma; and a was member of the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin Skunk Patrol.
Brother Cunningham remained committed to honoring veterans and encouraged visitations to the Veterans Administration Medical Centers.
He was a member of the Fleet Reserve Association, National Chief Petty Officers’ Association and American Legion Post No. 203, Schwenksvllle.
In January 2007, he and his wife, Rosalie, were among the first residents to move into the Masonic Village at Dallas villa homes, where they enjoyed biking, walking and reading, and where Brother Cunningham played golf. They were members of the United Methodist Church, where he served as a lay leader. In July 2020, the couple moved to the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown.
The Cunninghams have two sons, Marvin, Jr., deceased, and Robert; a daughter, Lori, married to Brother Kevin Shumpert, Warren Lodge No. 310, Collegeville; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
MASTER of “The Lore Lodge”
When Brother Aidan Mattis, Thomson Lodge No. 340, Paoli, talks about Freemasonry in a TikTok or YouTube video or podcast episode, over a million people are there to listen.
Aidan is the content creator behind “The Lore Lodge,” a multimedia entertainment company producing content related to “history, religion, folklore, paranormal activity and the supernatural.” He started his time on the social media video platform TikTok by responding to a video about conspiracy theories. After that, it was a quick rise to social media stardom, going from 600 followers in July 2021 to 100,000 the following month. Now, he has over a million followers. Aidan and his Lore Lodge colleague and co-host, technical producer Aidan Thornbury (aka “Director Aidan”), celebrated the project’s first year in June 2022. In July, another milestone occurred: their first documentary-length feature, which focused on the still-unsolved disappearance of Tom Messick, last seen on a hunting trip in 2015. This diversity of content sets him apart from other popular creators producing Freemasonry-related content. Aidan never intended to be a purely Masonic presence. It was because of another creator’s anti-Masonic video and community-specific hashtags that he discovered #masonictok and its community of brethren.
TikTok, a short-form, video-focused social media channel, was founded by Chinese technology startup ByteDance in 2016. ByteDance acquired the music video creation app Musical.ly in 2017 and incorporated it into the existing TikTok platform. TikTok launched in the United States in 2018 and has been on an upward trajectory in terms of popularity and cultural relevance ever since. Its popularity increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as physical isolation during lockdowns drove new and current users to the app. In 2022, TikTok currently has over a billion users and gains eight new users every second, according to research from ICUC Social, a social media community management and digital customer care provider.
“It’s an easy platform to use and gives everybody the opportunity to have a massively viral video,” Aidan said.
All that’s required to make a video is a device with a front-facing camera, like a phone or tablet. Videos uploaded through the mobile app or website can be as short as three seconds or as long as 10 minutes. Aidan recommends posting at least one video per day and using trending sounds to get videos picked up by the TikTok algorithm and potentially served to users’ “For You Page” or FYP, the front page, of sorts, of an individual’s TikTok profile.
The Grand Lodge of Indiana’s official TikTok account (@indianafreemason) has over 1,000 followers, with many individual lodges and members posting as well. Some of Aidan’s favorite accounts are Texas Freemason “Krashdog” (@krashdog2) and Brother Paxton Dickerson (@paxtondickerson) of California – the latter for his more esoteric-focused videos.
“He’s a big personality and a really cool guy,” Aidan said.
Aidan’s own videos vary – everything from folklore to missing persons cases – but those of a Masonic nature are often answering questions from users about the fraternity or educating on Masonic topics. A favorite piece of Masonic content was a series on the William Morgan affair and debunking the misconceptions around it – “taking one of the biggest conspiracies there is about Freemasonry and laying it bare for the lie that it is” – inspired by a stated meeting presentation on the topic.
A Penn State graduate with a degree in Medieval Studies, Aidan credits the 2004 film “National Treasure” and a paper he had to write on the Knights Templar (which utilized a book on the Templars written by a Masonic author as one of its sources) as sparking his interest in Freemasonry. When a college friend who was also a Delaware Freemason suggested that he join, he emailed Thomson Lodge No. 340 in Paoli and started on his Masonic journey. He became a Master Mason in June 2021. Over a year into his membership, he appreciates the friendships that have developed with his lodge brethren and the guidance he’s received from members a generation or two removed from his own.
“The internet and its ubiquitousness created some sort of cultural divide between Gen X and younger millennials/older Gen Z members that they can’t quite bridge. Since everything is taking place online, Masonry is an opportunity to ground us back in the community,” he said. “I’m learning how to be a better man and a more responsible adult.”
Creating content for the Lore Lodge is currently a part-time endeavor for Aidan on top of his full-time job as a marketing director for a local business. He hopes to return to full-time content creation in the future, once it’s properly monetized. Currently, viewer contributions through Patreon, YouTube superchats and the video message platform Cameo offset some of the Lore Lodge’s expenses. High follower counts on TikTok and YouTube also open up opportunities for sponsored content, as well as increased influence.
“I believe in what I’m doing, and I’ve seen what social media did to my generation. So my goal is, ‘What can I use my platform for and how can I use it for good?’ ” he said.
Masonically, he has his eye on the Scottish Rite, and, of course, the Knights Templar.
Follow him on TikTok and Instagram (@theaidanmattis) and Facebook, Patreon and Cameo (The Lore Lodge) or visit the Lore Lodge website: LoreLodge.com.
Using Social Media
to Grow and Retain Membership
Seven out of 10 Americans use social media, according to the Pew Research Center, and leveraging its reach can open up Freemasonry to those who are curious about the fraternity’s mission and membership, while also keeping communications flowing with current members.
Several lodges have found the benefits of using social media outweigh any negatives, and with a plan in place, they’re reaching new and current members with the swipe of a finger.
APPlying a New Technique
Brother Ronald Carson, D.D.G.M.-1, knows communication is one of the biggest hurdles for all lodges. He asked Brother Barry Theal, P.M., Mt. Lebanon Lodge No. 226 and Manheim Lodge No. 587, for some help, and in two weeks, the 1st Masonic District app was born.
Developed thanks to a member who has an app developer account, it can be downloaded on any Google or Apple device and includes events, a virtual lodge network, lodge directory and a link to the Masonic Lite Podcast (shown right). Lodge notices will be added in the future.
“We just started to build, understanding that communications needed to progress into something faster and more direct,” Barry said. “We started with a few core basics but now have plans to really grow this into something more significant for our district. It will take some time to listen to our brothers and build the app around what they want.”
The cost to run the app is $75 a month, but the district plans to offset the costs by adding a section listing businesses owned by brethren and requesting a sponsorship fee.
“The app so far has nothing but positive feedback,” Barry said. “We started to spread the word quietly at first, but then we used some social media channels. It’s our goal to travel to each lodge and demonstrate the app. We feel it will take time for members to adjust, but this is something new that we plan to rely on for future endeavors.”
Reaching Those Near and Far
Brother Richard Saxberg, P.M., Doric Lodge No. 630, Sewickley, is on a mission to spread the word about Freemasonry, and he’s found social media is the perfect tool.
hi to your
His Facebook posts include group photos, special degrees or presentations, education about Freemasonry and updates on charitable activities. He requests permission from members before sharing their photos.
Richard knows the audience includes those who may not know what happens in the lodge, as well as retired members who reside in Florida. He also feels it’s the best way to reach younger generations and share information about the lodge’s scholarship opportunities and the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation’s activities and scholarship program, in addition to other ways the lodge is active in the local community, such as holding an annual raffle to provide gifts for the Sewickley YMCA.
“It gets our name out there,” he said. “Kids will remember our generosity.”
Richard makes a point of avoiding any political or religious discussions on the page. He had to block a member who “aired dirty laundry,” but otherwise, his efforts have been worthwhile.
Facebook.com/Doric630
Brother Glenn Quinn, W.M., Fritz Lodge, No. 308, posts most of the content to the lodge’s public Facebook page, as well as its members-only group page, although he encourages any member to post if they wish.
“I have found that using Facebook is the best way to communicate with the younger group, using their language,” he said.
Glenn posts upcoming events open to the community, shares meeting photos and promotes the lodge’s public Fellowship Night and free BBQ, held every Tuesday except when they have a stated meeting.
“This is a great chance for prospective members to meet the brothers and learn of Freemasonry,” he said.
“We have added several new brothers who have seen the lodge on social media and reached out to us for more information.”
Facebook.com/FritzLodge308
Something to Write About
Brother Nat Gilchrist, P.M., Lodge No. 43, Lancaster, has served as his lodge’s library/museum curator for 20 years, and he recently added historian to his title. His search through the lodge’s archives led to the discovery of documents more than 200 years old. To share these valuable findings with others, he publishes a monthly blog on the lodge’s website, which is posted on social media.
“I feel these events were important, and if not refocused on, will easily be forgotten, so my blogs are an effort to keep the history remembered and appreciated,” he said.
Nat has three main objectives with his writing: to reach those who are no longer able to attend lodge but have access to a computer, to provide a historical account of his lodge to educate members (especially new ones) and to promote the lodge’s library and museum “as a resource for all members to utilize in their personal Masonic growth and education,” he said.
Nat also advises that “once a lodge initiates a website or social media presence, it is important to maintain it. Keep it current and be sure to delete outdated communications.”
Facebook.com/lodgeno43 Lodge43.org/blog
Connection and education are two key reasons to develop a plan for using social media and other forms of electronic media to reach members, current and future. Meet them wherever they are, whenever it is convenient for them, in an easy and cost-effective way.
JOIN IN THE FUN!
FOLLOW THE GRAND LODGE OF PENNSYLVANIA
York Lodge No. 266 members at the 42nd Masonic District blood drive 36th Masonic District July 4th parade
