Volume 63, No. 02
March - April 2016
Guest Speaker
Smith Tower
Beer Fest
pg 7
pg 8
pg 13
2 Seattle Scottish Rite
Scottish Rite Communicator
Scottish Rite Facts
Valley of Seattle
www.seattle-scottishrite.org
SCOTTISH RITE OFFICERS Ill. Ronald A. Seale, 33° Sovereign Grand Commander Ill. Alvin W. Jorgensen, 33° S:.G:.I:.G:., Orient of Washington Ill. Sat Tashiro, 33° Personal Rep. of S:.G:.I:.G:. pr@seattle-scottishrite.org Ill. Greg Goodrich, 33° General Secretary Communicator Editor secretary@seattle-scottishrite.org Ill. Brian Thomas, 33° Treasurer Ill. George A. Lofthus, 33° Almoner PRESIDING OFFICERS Ill. E. Jeff Craig, 33° Master of Kadosh, Consistory Bryan Bechler, 32° Commander, Council of Kadosh Richard Brustowicz, 32° Wise Master, Chapter of Rose Croix Steve Dazey, 32° Venerable Master, Lodge of Perfection Seattle Scottish Rite Center 1207 N 152nd St Seattle, WA 98133-6213 206 324-3330 voice 206 324-3332 fax Brian Lorton Building Manager brian@seattle-scottishrite.org Lorna Schack Administrative Assistant lorna@seattle-scottishrite.org The Communicator (USPS 485-660) is published by the Valley of Seattle, A&A Scottish Rite, 1207 N 152nd St., Seattle, WA 98133-6213, for the benefit of its members, bimonthly and is mailed as a non-profit publication to all members of the Valley of Seattle and to specified other interested parties. $2.00 per member is assessed for the publication of The Communicator. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, Washington and at additional mailing offices. The material contained within this publication is intended for the education and enjoyment of the members of the Masonic Fraternity and all material published becomes the property of Seattle Valley of Scottish Rite. Postmaster: Send address changes to — The Communicator at 1207 N 152nd St., Seattle, WA 98133-6213.
Did you know? Valley of Seattle Membership Statistics (As of Feb 2016) Age range
Num. of members
75 + 449 50-74 228 18-49 45 Total membership:
722
Further breakdown.. 95 + 37 90-94 74 80-89 227 70-79 198 60-69 85 50-59 56 40-49 27 30-39 17 18-29 1
Seattle Scottish Rite 3
News from the Personal Representative T
he 2016 year is well underway. We are beginning our planning for the degrees and events for this New Year, and soon we will be immersed in the Spring activities of our Valley. The degree schedule and other important events will be developed at our ExCo meeting in early February, too late to be included in this publication of the Communicator. Be sure to access our web-page for up-to-date information on upcoming events. In January we had our installation of the officers for 2016. We are fortunate to have so many brethren from the class of 2014-2015, who have become active and are now appointed officers in our bodies. In February, Angelique Leon, Executive Director of the Orient Rite Care, was our featured speaker and gave us an inspiring talk on the positive outlook for the Orient of Washington as well as the Seattle Valley Rite Care speech clinic. A new logo has been adopted by the Orient Rite-Care board.
In mid-January, the red hats of the Seattle Valley joined other red hats from throughout the Orient, i.e., Bob Dearborn, Valley of Everett; Gary Norton, Valley of Olympia; and Kris Graap, Valley of Olympia, in the investiture of Richard Brustowicz as a KCCH. Illustrious Sir Al Jorgensen, SGIG of the Orient of Washington also participated. The SOTAR program continued on January 23 with Steve McIntosh from the Institute for Cultural Evolution, who spoke on Integral Philosophy. Approximately 30 were in attendance. The fellowship started at 10 AM lasted until 1 PM, demonstrating the interest in the subject matter. Our General Secretary has confirmation that Brother Bob Cooper, of the Grand Lodge of Scotland will be our featured speaker this year. The venue for this special evening is being developed. Current plans are to host him in August. In late January your PR and General Secretary attended the cornerstone ceremony by the officers of the Grand Lodge for the new Valley of Everett Scottish Rite Temple. It has a beautiful meeting room, and you are urged to drop by for a brief tour. Our 2016 class continues to grow, and we have approximately seven (7) who have submitted their petitions. It is not too late to join the class. Our degrees will start in April. Promote our activities with your friends who are Master Masons, but not yet Scottish Rite Masons. We need some good men to join us. The General Secretary has membership packets to give to interested Master Masons. We are pleased to announce that Brother Todd Pike, has been chosen as the Scottish Rite Fellow for 2016/2017. He will be attending the Scottish Rite Leadership Conference in Phoenix, Arizona in April. The meetings of our two new clubs, one in the South End of King County meeting at Verity Lodge, and the other in the Eastside meeting at Bellevue Masonic Center are continuing and gaining momentum. We again urge all Scottish Rite members, who wish to maintain contact on happenings within the Seattle Valley and are difficult-travel-miles from our Shoreline building, to attend one of the clubs in your area. Your attendance at the club meetings is equivalent to attending our stated meetings. Join these clubs. Please contact Joseph Marll of the South End Scottish Rite Club at 206-529-7687, or Brian Thomas of the Eastside Scottish Rite Club at 425-213-3464, for further information.
Fraternally, Sat Tashiro, 33째 Personal Representative of the S:.G:.I:.G:.
4 Seattle Scottish Rite
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e are off to a great start this year. At our February stated meting we voted on seven new petitions for membership and as I am writing this, we just received another in the mail. We are set to have a great class this year and we are very excited for what we have planned for the rest of the year. If you know of a Brother that is interested in membership, it is not too late for him to join our 2016 class. We can still vote on petitions at our March meeting. I would be happy to send him or you a membership packet that contains a petition and minibook that explains the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.
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ur March meeting will include our annual celebration of the Ceremony of Remembrance and Renewal. This is a ceremony that is celebrated in the spring during the period of the year that the rays of the Sun begin to lengthen until the advent of the Vernal Equinox where day and night are equal. The Vernal Equinox has been recognized by dozens of cultures and religions in all times as very special spiritual time. Christians celebrate this season with Lent, Maundy Thursday and Easter, the Iranians with the celebration of Jamshedji Nauroz, and Jews with the observance of Passover. In our ceremony, we remember those who have journeyed on to the Celestial Lodge above, and we renew our commitment to our own life’s journey. It truly is a beautiful ceremony and one that should not be missed.
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astly, we have Illustrious Brother Jay Kinney, 33° as our guest speaker for our April state meeting. Bro. Kinney is a well known Masonic scholar and has written several books and articles for magazines and our very own Scottish Rite Research Society. Feel free to bring your non-Scottish Rite brethren along for his presentation on “The Mysteries of High Grade Freemasonry”. Please see page 7 for more information and don’t forget to bring a copy of his book so he can autograph it for you (all available on Amazon.com). Fraternally, Greg Goodrich, 33° General Secretary
Seattle Scottish Rite 5
Will you accept the Challenge? T
he Valley of Seattle is engaged in the Supreme Council’s Valley Membership Achievement Program or VMAP. Among several items the program is meant to engage, membership is a major priority. As with any organization, we need members to survive and grow. The Supreme Council is awarding those brethren that bring in either a new member or is able to reinstate an old member by gifting you a beautiful Challenge Coin to any brother that assists in this endeavour. The coin is 1.75” round and is a proud reminder of your contribution towards our Valley’s growth.
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s your Secretary, I am here to assist you in this endeavour. Once you have identified a brother that is either interested in joining the Scottish Rite (new member) or coming back to Scottish Rite (reinstatement), I will mail them or you a membership packet for the interested brother. In addition, if you are the first line signer on two petitions this year, you will receive an additional gift of a custom Seattle Scottish Rite Jacket. For more information on the program please call the Valley office or send an e-mail to the General Secretary. Will you accept the challenge?
Membership coin from the Supreme Council given to all first line signers for new or returning members.
6 Seattle Scottish Rite
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WANTED
e are looking for a Brother to be the new Class Marshal for our yearly reunions. Ideally the perfect candidate is a Scottish Rite Mason that is well versed in (or willing to learn) the history and ideals of Scottish Rite Freemasonry. In addition he needs to have completed the Master Craftsman Course and will be committed to attend every degree for the class.
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his is a great opportunity to teach our new members about Scottish Rite Freemasonry and really have an impact on new members. If you think you are ideal for this position please contact the General Secretary for more information. secretary@seattle-scottishrite.org
Follow us on Twitter! @SeaScottishRite
Seattle Scottish Rite 7
Ill. Bro. Kinney was founder and publisher of Gnosis: a Journal of the Western Inner Traditions (1985-1999). He is a Fellow of both the Scottish Rite Research Society and the Philalethes Society, and recipient of the SRRS Albert G. Mackey award for excellence in Masonic research. He is the author of several books including The Masonic Myth, The Inner West and Hidden Wisdom.
All Masons welcome Social Hour 5:30 p.m. ~ Dinner 6:30 p.m. ~ Lecture 7:30 p.m. Dinner Reservations Are Required ~ $15.00 To register visit www.scottishritemason.org or for more information contact the Valley of Seattle office 1207 N 152nd St., Shoreline, WA Ph: 206.324.3330
8 Seattle Scottish Rite
Bro. Smith’s Tower
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By: Greg Goodrich, 33°
n the heart of Pioneer Square, in the South-end of downtown Seattle, Smith Tower has stood for over 100 years tall and proud. We have all seen and possibly been inside this magnificent building. But do you know the history behind it? When the 489 ft. neoclassical Smith Tower opened in Seattle in 1914, it was a site to see. Only three other buildings in the world were taller, and they were all on the East coast of the United States. In fact, they were all in New York City! So who and why did Smith decide to build this Tower? Why would a businessman want to build an expensive skyscraper in the heart of the Pacific Northwest? It all starts with the vision of one man, Lyman Cornelius Smith, born March 31, 1850 in Torrington, Connecticut to the parents of Lewis Stevens Smith and Eliza Ann Hurlbut Smith. Smith moved to New York in 1872 where he married Flora Elizabeth Burns and had two children Son, Burns Lyman Smith and daughter Flora Bernice Smith. He became a Master Mason in in Syracuse, New York where he also joined the Syracuse Bodies of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Jurisdiction and received the Thirty-second Degree. After several unsuccessful business ventures Smith and his older brother Leroy joined forces in 1877 with an established firearms designer to form W.H. Baker & Co., and for the next three years, the firm produced various firearms. In 1880, Leroy Smith and W.H. Baker left the company and founded the Ithaca Gun Company. After hiring new employees the company was renamed the L.C. Smith Shotgun Company of Syracuse New York. The company continued to produce well-made shotguns that were known for their quality. Smith sold the Shotgun Company in 1903 and went on to found the Smith-Premier Typewriter Company, which Smith Tower Circa. 1915 would later become known as the famous Smith-Corona Type Writer Company. In 1900 Smith was awarded the Légion d’honneur with a Rank of Chevalier by French President Émile François Loubet for his work in perfecting the typewriter and its benefits to the commercial world. Smith visited Seattle several times and also purchased sizeable tracks of land here. It was at this point that he decided to build a structure that would be a beacon for the bustling City of Seattle. Smith hired architects Edwin H. Gaggin and T. Walker Gaggin of Gaggin & Gaggin Architecture in Syracuse, New York. Edwin H. Gaggin studied at Columbia University and Thomas Walker Gaggin attended L’École des Beaux Arts in Paris. Thomas was a Master Mason of Central City Lodge No. 305 in Syracuse and was also a 33° Inspector General Honorary of the Scottish Rite, Northern Jurisdiction. Both Gaggin brothers also attended Syracuse University and graduated from their well respected School of Architecture. Together they designed several buildings in their time including Smith Hall at Syracuse University and the Masonic Temple in downtown Syracuse.
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riginally Smith only wanted to create a smaller building of 14 floors; however his son, Burns Lyman Smith, had bigger plans and convinced his father to build the tallest building west of the Mississippi, a whopping 42 stories! On October 20, 1910, the City of Seattle issued a permit to build a steel frame and concrete office building at the northeast corner of 2nd Avenue and Yesler Way. The steel for the structure was manufactured by The American Bridge Co. in a Pittsburgh plant, and then shipped to Seattle on 164 railroad cars each carrying about 28 tons. After 4 years and $1.5 million dollars the Smith Tower was finally complete. Unfortunately, Smith
Seattle Scottish Rite 9
did not live to see his tower completed, passing away in Syracuse on November 5, 1910 from a stroke complicated by diabetes. However his son was there on opening day, July 3, 1914, with over 4,000 Seattle dignitaries and citizens of Seattle. They rode to the 35th floor to view the city below from the observation deck. The Tower is well built and even the severe 7.1 earthquake of 1949 caused so little damage to the building that the greatest expense was the fee for the investigating structural engineers. Its outer skin is granite on the first and second floors, and glazed terracotta tiles on the remainder floors. The exterior has only been washed once in 1976 as the building remains extraordinarily clean without regular washing. The Tower has several unique features including Elevator Operator a Chinese Room with extensive hand-carved wood panels, Blackwood furniture and a beautiful porcelain ceiling that were gifts from the Empress of China, Dowager Cixi (late Qing Dynasty). Another feature is the famous Wishing Chair in the Chinese Room; the legend says that if a single woman sits in the chair, she will marry within a year. The legend even came true for Smith’s daughter, who married in the Chinese Room herself. Indeed, it is such a beautiful room that in 2006 my then fiancée Janine and I decided to marry there too. The eight original copper and brass Otis elevators are an experience unto themselves. They are the remnants of times gone by and each ride comes with the experience of riding in some of the last remaining elevators that are manually operated in the Country. Smith Tower remained the tallest building on the West Coast for over 40 years until the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle and the construction of the Space Needle ended the Tower’s reign.
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rother Smith’s Tower is a beautiful building with an extensive history. Since its construction over 100 years ago it has become an icon in Seattle. Singer Benjamin Gibbard even wrote a song about the Tower called “Teardrop Windows”. It is a great little ballad with lyrics like “Built to boast, stands the tallest on the coast, he was once the city’s only toast” and “in 1962 the needle made its big debut and everybody forgot what it outgrew”. I’m sure Brother Smith would be proud to know that his creation has become an historical landmark and one that still inspires innovation and creation 100 years on. If you are ever in the neighborhood stop by and take a tour. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Smith Tower Today
10 S e a t t l e S c o t t i s h R i t e
Knights of St. Andrew I
’m sure the majority of Seattle Valley Scottish Rite members know what the Knights of St. Andrew (KSA) are; however, there are many new members who may not know how the KSA came to be or what its purpose is.
The Seattle Valley Scottish Rite Knights of St. Andrew started in 2002 with a group of Valley members. It is a service group within the Valley for 32° Scottish Rite Masons to help the Valley in a variety of events. Members may help at monthly dinners. They can be asked to assist with degree work, staging and costuming, work as greeters to people attending events, or other activities the Valley may have.
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nights of St. Andrew members are also an integral part of the 29th degree. In this degree, the Mason learns that there is no contradiction between religion and science; that religion can be better understood through science and science can be better understood by religion. He who denies science is as fanatical as he who denies religion. Our lifetime is limited in time; thus we must see God within this limited period of our time. Yet, God transcends all time; he is an energy over and beyond time. There is no other energy that creates that energy. There is no end to that energy. Freemasonry is thus the continual effort to exalt the divine in man over the human so that we may come to better understand the nature of God in our time. (Jim Tresner, 33° G.C.) Membership is open to all 32° Scottish Rite Masons. The initiation fee is $100, which includes a glengarry (cap), hackle (feather), cap badge and certificate. Annual dues are $25.00. For the past three years, the KSA has been active within the Valley of Seattle. The goal is to make the KSA even more visible in 2016. Our Personal Representative, Ill. Sat Tashiro, 33°, has requested a member of the Knights of St. Andrew to take over the Double Eagle awards program.
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he Knights of St. Andrew will be having an informal meeting on March 23rd, 2016 at the Seattle Valley Scottish Rite beginning at 6:30PM. We will provide pizza and soda and will be meeting in the lounge. The goal is to provide those interested in becoming members the needed information. It’s also going to be a forum for current members to bring up new ideas to help the Valley of Seattle in all areas. We’re aware people have busy schedules and that your time is both important and valuable. Ill. Sat Tashiro, 33° has said the Knights of St. Andrew will soon have a banner placed at the Seattle Valley Scottish Rite Please RSVP to me at (360) 691-2861 or bry.kat@frontier.com so we can ensure there’s plenty of food for everyone. Please bring your ideas with you as our Personal Representative will also be in attendance. Bryan D. Bechler, 32° Chieftain, KSA
S e a t t l e S c o t t i s h R i t e 11
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he United Grand Lodge of England, where most Masonic Lodges in the United States claim their heritage, has begun an official re-branding campaign in honor of their 300 years as a United Grand Lodge. As posted on their website they explain the reason behind the change: “In this fast-changing world, Freemasonry needs to attract and retain the best candidates, the future leaders who will assure the long-term success of the Craft,’ says Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes, explaining the motivation behind the rebrand. ‘As we head towards 2017, UGLE has been examining how it can enhance and modernise the face of Freemasonry”. “With attraction and retention identified as key development areas, the Membership Focus Group has been looking at how to ensure that a new recruit’s expectations match his actual experiences. ‘But the modernisation of Freemasonry is not just about what happens at a lodge meeting,’ says Lowndes. ‘It is also about the image we project. We need a visual identity that is recognizable, that represents our values and heritage, and also reflects our relevance to society”. “Initial research established that the square and compasses was the most recognizable masonic symbol. From this traditional icon, the design team began to abstract the shapes to create a look that suggests a forward-looking organisation. After further development based on feedback from the Communications Committee, the Board of General Purposes and the Rulers, an iteration was chosen that was both contemporary and instantly recognizable, while also linking to Freemasonry’s rich heritage”. - UGLE
12 S e a t t l e S c o t t i s h R i t e
Building With One Brick at a Time..
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here are good days and bad days as a parent, and I knew this going into it, but like so many first time parents I am not sure I understood what that meant. As a parent, all you really want for your child is to be happy, to laugh from the tips of their toes to end of their nose and be carefree and explore. But what happens when your child for one reason or another is stuck on an island, alone and unable to make the leap and join in? My daughter was on her own island. I could visit and give her love and hugs but I was just a visitor. That was two years ago, she is 5 now and things have improved.
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he was born in China with non-communicating hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain) which affected her speech. Having experienced so much turmoil in her life adding a new culture and language to the mix was too much. As a parent, where does one even start? Obviously with patience and love, but from there, when frustration and lack of communication leads to lack of connection, where do you go? We got lucky, we found Rite Care and the awesome Jackie Brown who relentlessly pursues alternative lines of therapy to find the right fit.
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t hasn’t been a straight line or a normal road on the way to helping my daughter, but Jackie has never given up. She takes the good days and the bad days and keeps on moving ahead (or sideways as the case dictates). And this, above anything else, the progress and the setbacks is invaluable, because it shows just how committed she and Rite Care are to helping kids, all kids. Every day is still a challenge but there is progress. Having my daughter walk up and ask me, “Whatcha doin?” is priceless and the world to me.
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ne brick at a time, Rite Care gave my child the bridge she needed to join the rest of us. One brick at a time, they gave me, my husband, and our “village” the tools to be present with my daughter. One brick at a time, they continue to support and explore ways to better her growth. By Laura, RiteCare Parent
S e a t t l e S c o t t i s h R i t e 13
14 S e a t t l e S c o t t i s h R i t e
Messages Happy Birthday!
Congratulations from all your Scottish Rite brethren to our members over 90 who have reached a very important birthday!
March
April
Frederick Maxam
3/23/1918
Harold Lauridsen
4/23/1918
William Mattson
3/09/1920
David Smith
4/07/1920
James Stephens
3/25/1921
Manuel Lott
4/13/1920
Ralph Hansell
3/21/1922
Edward Hyde
4/18/1921
George Artim
3/13/1923
Edgar King
4/08/1922
Elroy Conant
3/07/1925
Hardy Day
4/27/1923
Herbert Bridge
3/12/1925
William Johnson
4/06/1924
James Toner
3/21/1925
William Byers
4/21/1925
Eugene Adamson
3/05/1926
Richard Bowser
4/13/1926
Richard Upchurch 3/08/1926 Lee Cox
3/24/1926
Lodge of Sorrow Our brethren lie before us, overtaken by that relentless fate which, sooner or later, is to overtake us all.. Virtus Junxit Mors Non Separabit
John R. Rookard 12/27/2015 David F. Smith 12/15/2015 Reid June 01/19/2016 Arul Daniels 01/15/2016 Edward Floyd 01/21/2016 Art Shipe 01/27/2016 Robert Ladd 01/23/2016
S e a t t l e S c o t t i s h R i t e 15
C a l e n d a r
www.seattle-scottishrite.org
MONTH
TIME
EVENT
March Saturday Mar 5th
9:00 am
Executive Council.
Tuesday Mar 15th
6:30 pm
Dinner & Stated Meeting.
Thursday Mar 17th
6:30 pm
South Side Scottish Rite Club
April Saturday Apr 16th
11:00 am 4° & 14° Degrees (ExCo at 9:00 am)
Tuesday Apr 19th
6:30 pm
Dinner & Stated Meeting (Guest speaker: Jay Kinney).
Saturday Apr 23rd
12:00 pm
4th Annual Rite Care Beer Fest
Scottish Rite Members Lounge (Great friends. Great Chats. Great Drinks.)
After all stated meetings stop in the membership lounge for further fellowship. Have a glass of wine or a pint of fresh poured draught. Come in and see what’s on tap! This is a great place to catch up with members after meetings, discuss ritual and enjoy the fellowship and all that the Seattle Scottish Rite has to offer.
Scottish Rite of Freemasonry 1207 N 152nd St. Shoreline, WA 98133-6247
Periodicals Postage Paid USPS 485-660
Constantly regard the universe as one living being, having one substance and one soul; and observe how all things have reference to one perception, the perception of this one living being; and how all things act with one movement; and how all things are the cooperating causes of all things which exist; observe too the continuous spinning of the thread and the contexture of the web. - Marcvs Avrelivs