The Journal of The Masonic Society, Issue #16

dly Apathy Michael R. Poll

The Journal

have ently I ank while d that it enough ged when ounted next day, the floor severed at the n to the hospital the doctors gave grene had set into that if he had not he would have d that if he had ove the arm, it The poison would y and nothing then man’s life was took action, but

all read or heard stories of individuals who have taken drastic steps to save their own lives read of a man who was doing some repair work on his water heater. He needed to reach fa lying on his back. While working in that position, his arm became wedged in the tank and was impossible to remove it. He screamed for help, but was alone in the house and no one outside to hear his cries. The man had spent several days trapped with his arm hopelessly he noticed a disturbing smell coming from inside the tank and around his arm. The man la that instinct must have taken over. He managed to reach a saw and began to cut off his arm several family members – concerned at not being able to reach him – found him unconsci in a pool of blood, elbow. The man w where he recovered him a sobering rep his arm, and he wa removed it when h died. The doctors a waited any longer t would have been to have spread throug would have saved h saved not just beca when he took actio

ined Masonry in number of my Masons, I knew osophy or history ew was that it was ok my joining to nt. Such ignorance masonry prior e of the exception y of the young dy know much read the popular, Freemasonry. of the Lodge derful, mysterious, p of seekers. They part of such an is not exactly what join.

the mid-’70s. Whil family members ha next to nothing of t of Freemasonry. Al a “good” organizat find out what “goo of the philosophy o to joining is becom than the rule today. men who join Mas of its philosophy. T new and exciting b They arrive at the with an awareness moral and enlighte want to share in an organization. But, s they always find w

Of The Masonic Society

numbers of demits, NPD, and participation are growing at an alarm The new reports paint a dismal pictu new members are coming fast, and sometimes in very good numbers, but we seem to be having trouble keeping them. So, why i ening and what do we do? 2012 Spring Issue 16

t seems to be happening is the young men come to Freemasonry with an idea of what it should be and find that it is something v rent. Many come with the hopes of finding enlightening discussions, intellectual programs designed to lift us to new heights and arn more of ourselves and our world. Yet, sometimes all they find is “good ole boys” seeking to add another title, gain a bit more

The Masonic Design Company Bespoke Masonic Cufflinks & Pins

Personalized to include Name, Date, etc.

No Minimum Order

All cufflinks supplied with a free pin

www.masonicdesign.co.uk www.masonicdesigncompany.com email: info@masonicdesigncompany.com

Spring 2012

12

OF THE

The Art of Manliness

MASONIC SOCIETY WWW.THEMASONICSOCIETY.COM

by Brett McKay

ISSN 2155-4145

Editor in Chief Christopher L. Hodapp Phone: 317-842-1103 editor@themasonicsociety.com

15 A Journey From the Tavern to the Temple: Part I ‘Drinking in Due Form’

1427 W. 86th Street, Suite 248 Indianapolis IN 46260-2103

By R. Brad Bunn

Editorial Committee Jay Hochberg - Submissions Editor

19

Submit articles by email to: articles@themasonicsociety.com

Creating and Using a Personal Sacred Space: Why, Where and How

by William S. Burkle

Officers John R. Cline, President James R. Dillman, 1st Vice President John Palmer - 2nd Vice president Nathan C. Brindle, Secretary/Treasurer Christopher L. Hodapp, Editor-in-Chief

These guidelines apply to the reuse of articles, figures, charts and photos in the Journal of The Masonic Society. Authors need NOT contact the Journal to obtain rights to reuse their own material. They are automatically granted permission to do the following: Reuse the article in print collections of their own writing; Present a work orally in its entirety; Use an article in a thesis and/or dissertation; Reuse a figure, photo and/or table in future commercial and noncommercial works; Post a copy of the article electronically.

Please note that Authors must include the following citation when using material that appeared in the Journal: “This article was originally published in The Journal of The Masonic Society. Author(s). Title.

Journal Name. Year; Issue:pp-pp. © the Journal of The Masonic Society.”

Apart from Author’s use, no material appearing in the Journal of The Masonic Society may be reprinted or electronically distributed without the written permission of the Editor.

Published quarterly by The Masonic Society Inc. 1427 W. 86th Street, Suite 248, Indianapolis IN 46260-2103.

Full membership for Master Masons in good standing of a lodge chartered by a grand lodge that is a member of the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons of North America (CGMMNA), or recognized by a CGMMNA member grand lodge. (includes Prince Hall Grand Lodges recognized by their counterpart CGMMNA state Grand Lodge): $39/ yr., ($49 outside US/Canada). Subscription for nonmembers: $39/yr., ($49 outside US/Canada).

Issue 16

FEATURES

THE JOURNAL

Directors Ronald Blaisdell Kenneth W. Davis Andrew Hammer Jay Hochberg James W. Hogg Mark Tabbert

25 22

Nebraska Expeditionary Masonry in Afghanistan

by Patrick Barger

26 Jo Daveiss: Frontiersman, Attorney, Soldier, Freemason

by Christopher Kimmel SECTIONS 4 President’s Message 6 News of the Society

32 Masonic Treasures

7 Conferences, Speeches,

36 Symposia & Gatherings

8 Masonic News 31 From the Editor

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Journal of The Masonic Society, 1427 W. 86th Street, Suite 248, Indianapolis IN 46260-2103 © 2012 by The Masonic Society, Inc. All rights reserved.

The MS circle and quill logo, and the name “The Masonic Society” are trademarks of The Masonic Society, Inc. and all rights are reserved.

This month’s cover features a stained glass panel in the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia’s museum. Photo by Christopher Hodapp.

SPRING 2012 • 3

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The Virtual Coffee House

by John R. “Bo” Cline, FMS

On December 19, 1765, a young clergyman and would-be scientist walked into a coffee house near St. Paul’s Churchyard in London and entered into conversation with a group, who regularly met there, to discuss all manner of issues related to science and politics. (Johnson 2008) This particular period of history was the age of enlightenment and a time when London’s coffee house culture was at its peak. The coffee house culture began in England some 110 years earlier with the creation of The Oxford Coffee Club (the genesis of the Royal Society) in 1655. (Weinberg and Bealer 2001) In the intervening years, coffee houses sprang up throughout London, where there were reputed to be as many as 3,000 such establishments in the early to mid-eighteenth century. (Weinberg and Bealer 2001) In addition to the consumption of coffee, spirits, and the taking of an occasional bowl of tobacco, these establishments were clearing houses for the news of the day and where discussion of new ideas and philosophies was encouraged and pursued. The young clergyman who entered that coffee house near St. Paul’s, in 1765 was one Joseph Priestley, scientist and natural philosopher, Fellow of the Royal Society, and the one credited with the discovery of oxygen. The group that Priestly joined was “The Club of Honest Whigs”, which was headed by Brother Benjamin Franklin, of whom Priestley became protégé and lifelong friend. (Johnson 2008) Today, coffee houses have been replaced by the internet, as the place where people meet to discuss new ideas. On the internet, we meet and communicate electronically through blogs, news groups, and forums, on specific subjects related to our interests. Forums are multi-dimensional and allow many discussions on a range of similar topics to occur simultaneously.

They are a bit like a full service coffee house, where one can enter into a full bodied “European roast-type” discussion, a light “decaf-type” conversation, or sample a wide variety of different interests. For that reason, I like to think of them as “virtual coffee houses”.

There are a large number of blogs, news groups, and forums, on the internet, which are devoted to various topics related to Freemasonry. In my opinion, among this category of “virtual coffee houses”, “The Masonic Society Forum” is by far the best.

I qualify this opinion by pointing out the diversity of Masonic topics covered, exclusive access, contributor safety, and the quality of the discussions.

Topic diversity – As of this writing, there have been more that 42,000 posts on more than 4,600 topics in 61 subject areas on The Masonic Society Forum. These subject areas include news and events of The Masonic Society and the Craft of Freemasonry in North American and around the world. General Masonic discussions cover Customs, Rules & Regulations; Traditional Observance and other emerging Lodge customs; Freemasonry - Religion, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology; and more. Posts also include information on Research Lodges; Assistance Seeking and Collaborating on Masonic Research; Appendent Bodies and Side Degrees; and the list goes on.

Whatever your interest with regards to Freemasonry, you may 4 • SPRING 2012

find what you’re looking for on The Masonic Society Forum.

Exclusive Access – The Masonic Society Forum is a member’s only site and is accessible to Regular Master Masons who have paid for full membership in The Masonic Society and are registered to access it. The forum is not open to nonMasons, especially the merely curious.

Contributor Safety – Generally speaking, the World Wide Web is a “free-for-all”, where anyone with an access device can enter and run amok. Additionally, predators are as likely to be found in the cyber world as they are in the physical world, and wreak havoc. The security of the information regarding those who enter into this world is always a concern. Because of the limited access to The Masonic Society Forum, as noted above, contributors have the assurance that only those who have taken a Masonic obligation will be participants. The security built into our site is designed to insure the greatest protection of an individual’s personal information. Additionally, The Masonic Society Forum employs moderators who insure postings are in the spirit of Freemasonry and of interest to the general Forum.

Contributors are admonished to use common sense and avoid distasteful or disturbing posts and language. Currently, the moderation of the Forum is ably managed by Brothers Kevin Noel Olson and Mark G. Robbins.

Discussion Quality – As noted on our masthead, The Masonic Society consists of “A significant group of passionate Masons [who] have joined together to create what is now the fastest growing research society in Freemasonry.” Our list of founding Fellows reads like a who’s-who list of presentday Masonic scholars and authors, many of who are regular contributors to the Forum. Additionally, many other members who are equally as passionate and articulate complement the various discussions.

If it is not yet apparent to the reader, I am a very ardent supporter of The Masonic Society Forum. I believe it ranks equally with this Journal as one of the greatest benefits of membership in TMS. If you are a registered member of the Forum, I encourage you to visit regularly and explore the various topics presented. If you have not yet experienced the Forum, I encourage you to log onto The Masonic Society at www. themasonicsociety.com and follow the links that lead you to the Forum registration. I guarantee that, once you experience this benefit of TMS membership, it will be clear to you why The Masonic Society is the fastest growing research society in Freemasonry.

Bibliography Johnson, Steven. The Invention of Air. New York: Riverhead Books, 2008.

Weinberg, Bennett Alan, and Bonnie K. Bealer. The World of Caffeine. New York and London: Routledge, 2001.

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

News of the Society The Quarry Project: Masonic Conference on Research and Preservation 9/29/2003

by Ron Blaisdell, FMS The resurgent interest in Freemasonry sparked by movies, books, cable television, the internet, and a generation of young men who recognize the value of fraternalism has created waves both within and without the Masonic community. Even the hallowed halls of academia have taken notice as colleges and universities have begun to offer classes that examine Freemasonry’s rich history, philosophy, and influence on our society. Noted academics not associated with the fraternity write and lecture on the topic. The imaginary veil that cloaked Freemasonry for centuries has been lifted and the mysteries of the order have been laid bare for all to see.

The result has been both a blessing and a curse. Misconceptions about Freemasonry still abound and are propagated via every possible means, a fair share of them from sources with otherwise sterling reputations. On the positive side, new Masonic periodicals dedicated to serious Masonic research have emerged and some of the more venerable publications have committed themselves to publishing more educational material. Rumblings are being heard from Masonic lodges of research that have been idle for years. There is, undeniably, both a need and a market for accurate and well documented information. In addition, many of our Masonic libraries and museums find themselves sorely in need of assistance with displaying, cataloging, archiving, and preserving their collections.

The Masonic Society and the Masonic Library and Museum Association have joined forces to establish The Quarry Project. Phase one of this endeavor will be the Conference on Masonic Research and Preservation to be held in the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, VA on September 26-29, 2013. The conference is open to anyone interested in Masonic research and preservation, but will be specifically targeted toward two groups: (i) members of Masonic lodges of research as well as authors, writers, and researchers, both published and aspiring, and (ii) Masonic librarians and museum curators.

The conference will draw from both the Masonic and academic communities to provide detailed instruction on Masonic research and the editing of the results. In addition, the recommendations of a committee created to establish a set of voluntary standards for future Masonic research, writing, and editing will be introduced. Professional librarians, museum curators, and experts on display and preservation will provide practical instruction and advice on maintaining and improving Masonic historical repositories. Multiple concurrent presentations will be offered on all three days. A few success stories that will enthuse and inspire you will be mixed in along the way.

The story of Freemasonry is a fascinating one that deserves to be honestly communicated on the world stage in a clear, concise, and consistent manner. It is up to those who tell that story to maintain the highest possible standards so that, as we are taught, “the honor, glory, and reputation of the institution might be firmly established and the world at large convinced of its good effects.” The Quarry Project aspires to assist in establishing and maintaining those standards.

We are soliciting support from Grand Lodges, Lodges of Research, and the various Masonic Research Societies to help promote interest in this endeavor and encourage participation. Additionally, we are seeking patronage from those wishing to assist in making this quality event affordable to all who wish to attend. All contributions will be duly noted in The Quarry Project program.

For more information on sponsorship levels and lodge promotions, please contact us at: info@thequarryproject.com .

SPRING 2012• 5

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

News of the Society ith great pride and appreciation, The Masonic Society welcomes the following brethren as our esteemed new members from January 1st through March 31st, 2011.

Henry A. Adams William A. Adams Aram Adishian David R. Berger Keith Blair Robert Blazewicz Hans Viktor Matsson Blom Paul J Bodie WBro. Kim M. Bowman Sr. Christopher A Boyce Ches H Budgell Christopher J Busby Carl R Capelan Kevin John Carmichael Joseph T Carney

J. Randolph Clark Donald Clowers Douglas R. Collins Robert Conley Stevin Dahl Donald Arthur Doliber Jr. James Fraser Moises I Gomez Shawn M Gorley Michael K. Gowder Ron Graham Georg Grosse-Hohl Winter J Guite Michael Guyer Jr. William L. Hagen

Chris Hancock Douglas Heath Wes Clark Johnson Todd Johnstone Grant O Koentz Timothy J Kritzer Harvey R Lapp Scott T Leonardi Carl Lindstrom Ryan Malman Timothy L Mason Thomas Michael McClintock Dwain M McCray Jon W McElroy Michael A. Meier

D

on’t forget to check our calendar and announcements page on the Masonic Society website at www.themasonicsociety. com. And please remember to submit your events to the link found on the website so we can continue to keep the Masonic world up to date with what’s happening in your neck of the woods.

•

T

he Journal is always in need of your articles, news, announcements, photos and more.

Please submit them as a Word document to: articles@themasonicsociety.com. When formatting and footnoting, please note that we prefer the Chicago Manual of Style.

• Renew your membership now online at www.themasonicsociety.com

6 • SPRING 2012

Dennis Milbrandt William Minors Dr. Luke Mitchell Jr. Timothy J Olivieri Eric Jay Phillipson Dr. David E. Powers William B Ripley Larry Lee Rowley Ph.D. LeRoy Salmon Richard Daniel Schuder III Rev John R Shump Randy Sidwell Jeremy Coleman Sims Jody S Stapleton Armando Stavole R.Col

Steven Steele Kris Stewart Nicholas Stylopoulos M.D. Victor Tavares Bradley Kingsbury Taylor Dikran D Terpandjian Frederic Vauth Gilbert Villanueva Jr. Karl L Viveiros Dennis N. Vogel Owen D. West Robert D Yocklin

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Conferences, Speeches, Symposia & Gatherings July 17-19, 2012 Grand Lodge of Ontario Guest Speaker: Christopher L. Hodapp, “Freemasons For Dummies” July 19-21, 2012 Rocky Mountain Masonic Conference Colorado Springs, CO. Speakers: Robert Herd, Gary Leazer, Dr. Joshua Gunn, Professor Ben Ludwig, Dr. Steven Rhoads, Bobby Juchem, Tim Hogan.

July 28-29, 2012 Maine Masonic College Fourth Annual Convocation “MASONRY IN OUR TIME” - Hollywood Casino, Bangor. Richard Fletcher, John Nagy, Wayne Adams, Tim Garrold, Walter Macdougall, Sam McKeeman, Gary Crocker http://www.mainemasoniccollege.com/ convocation2012.asp July 28, 2012 Masonic Society Semi-Annual Meeting, Philadelphia Tour of the Philadelphia Masonic temple.

All other events at Union League. Speakers: Thomas Savini, Director, Livingston Masonic Library Grand Lodge of New York; Ben Hoff, PM, New Jersey Lodge of Research; Howard Kanowitz, New Jersey Lodge of Research; Ray Thorne, current WM of the New Jersey Lodge of Research; Thomas W. Jackson, Past Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania http://www.themasonicsociety.com/index.php/ semi-annual-meeting July 28, 2012 New Jersey Allied Masonic Degrees Voorhis In-Gathering Madison Lodge, 170 Main Street, Madison, NJ July 28, 2012 The Los Angeles 2nd Circle Presents The Masonic Society Dinner & Symposium The Los Angeles 2nd Circle Presents The Masonic Society Dinner & Symposium Saturday, July 28, 2012 6pm, $40 A Special Evening with Most Worshipful R. Stephen Doan, P.G.M., Grand Lodge of F. & A.M. of California “Brothers & Sisters in Light: Female Masons & CoMasonry” For Reservations, contact Simon McIlroy: simon.mcilroy@gmail.com 323-646-2277 August 11-15, 2012 65th Triennial Conclave Knights Templar of the US Alexandria Hilton Mark Center, Alexandria, VA August 11-15, 2012 Grand Encampment Knights Templar Triennial Alexandria, VA August 23-26, 2012 Masonic Restoration Foundation’s 3rd Annual Symposium Hosted by Academia Lodge, Prometheus Lodge, and Paideia Lodge, at the Scottish Rite Center in Oakland/San Francisco. Speakers: Adam Kendall, John L. Cooper III, Shawn Eyer, Andrew

Hammer, Pete Normand, Phillip Daniel Newman, Robert G. Davis, John Zacharakis, Patrick Craddock, John Tolbert. Cost: $175.

August 17-18, 2012 41st Annual Eblan’s Cave Degree, Kingston, TN. A Florida degree team will perform the FGC degree, and the Mississippi Mountain Man degree team will perform the MM degree.

August 26-29, 2012 Supreme Council 33° NMJ Cleveland, Ohio September 7-8, 2012 The Edges of Freemasonry – Western Esotericism and the Enlightenment This two-day conference is an international and academic event organized by the University of Tampere School of Social Sciences and Humanities in association with The Research Lodge Minerva No.27 of the Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Finland. The conference is open to scholars, researchers and post-graduate students from various disciplines, freemasons and the general public. The conference language is English. “http://www.edges.fi/” September 22, 2012 225th Anniversary Gala Grand Lodge of New Jersey Historic Trenton Masonic Temple http://www.newjerseygrandlodge.org/ October 6, 2012 GL of Kansas Leadership Academy in Topeka Special Guest: Christopher Hodapp, “Freemasons For Dummies” October 9-11, 2012 Masonic Library & Museum Association Annual Meeting Stillwater, Minnesota http://www.masoniclibraries.org/ October 27, 2012 Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge The Academy of Masonic Knowledge will be held in the Deike Auditorium of the Freemasons Cultural Center on the campus of Masonic Village in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania.

Registration will open at 8:30 AM with the program beginning at 9:30 AM. A lunch (voluntary contribution) will be served at noon and the program will be completed by 3:00 PM. All Masons are welcome to attend.

February 6-9, 2013 2013 Masonic Week Hyatt Hotel, Reston, Virginia http://yorkrite.com/MasonicWeek/ February 17-19, 2013 2013 Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America Hyatt Crown Center Hotel, Kansas City, MO April 12-14, 2013 Midwest Conference for Masonic Education Mankato, MN

Please send notices of your event to Jay Hochberg at articles@themasonicsociety.com

SPRING 2012 • 7

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Masonic News The Conference of Grand Masters of North America took place in Atlanta in February.

The Commission on Information for Recognition, chaired

by William Holsinger, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of California. found that the Grande Loge Nationale Française has engaged in irregular behavior worthy of losing its recognition. It is very important to understand that this does not mean that the North American Grand Lodges have yanked recognition of the GLNF. The Commission cannot do that, and neither can the Conference. Only individual GLs can pull their recognition (as the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia did, to a certain extent, in March, joining 32 other worldwide GLs that have derecognized or severely limited their relations with the French GL). The Commission only reports on the regularity of other GLs and issues an opinion that North American GLs are free to follow or ignore. Nevertheless, this is very bad news for Stifani and the GLNF. A new obedience is forming from the hundreds of lodges Stifani has either suspended or who have refused to pay their Grand Lodge assessments. The Union des Loges Régulières Françaises (ULRF) is forming the Grande Loge Unie de France (United Grand Lodge of France) that will either strike out on its own, or will merge back with the GLNF once Stifani is gone and the troubles are settled (if that is possible).

• New York Representative Charles Rangel celebrated the 200th anniversary of Boyer Lodge No. 1 and Prince Hall Freemasonry in New York on the floor of the House of Representatives.

From his remarks on March 22nd, 2012: History notes that Boyer Lodge No. 1 was named after Jean Pierre Boyer, a native of Saint-Domingue, who was born around February 15, 1776. He was a courageous soldier and leader of the Haitian Revolution, who served as a General under Toussaint L’ Ouverture in the Haitian War of Independence against the French Government. Jean Pierre Boyer served as the fourth President of Haiti from 1818 to 1843, and managed to rule for the longest period of time of any of the revolutionary leaders of his generation. He reunited the north and south of Haiti in 1820 and also invaded and took control of Santo Domingo, which brought all of Hispaniola under one government by 1822.

Under President Boyer’s leadership, Haiti declared independence from France in 1825, becoming the only free Black nation, then in 8 • SPRING 2012

existence.As stated by Worshipful Master Carlo Smith-Ramsay, The daring price that our ancestors paid to boldly and audaciously decide to become Freemasons at a time in history when men of color were not entirely free men and the laws of the land provided them very little protection is the reason why we should humbly and reverently celebrate our Bi-centennial Anniversary of Boyer Lodge No. 1.’’

• The Junior Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, Right Worshipful Brother Michael T. Puskarich, passed away suddenly on Saturday, March 17th. His column is broken and his brethren mourn. RIP. • Deadline New York is reporting that Dan Brown has passed the reins of writing the screen adaptation of The Lost Symbol to a new author: Danny Strong, who wrote the Jay Roach-directed HBO films Recount and the upcoming Sarah Palin pic Game Change, is stepping up to features. Sony Pictures has set him to write The Lost Symbol, Sony’s third installment of the Dan Brown-penned thrillers focusing on symbologist Robert Langdon. The expectation is that the film will be directed by Mark Romanek after Ron Howard opted out of directing the third film, with Howard producing with Imagine partner Brian Grazer after he helmed the blockbusters The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons. Grazer produced the first two films in the series with the late John Calley.

Strong comes in after Brown had a hand in writing a script as did Steven Knight. The project is a priority for the studio. The Da Vinci Code grossed $758 million worldwide in 2006 and while Angels & Demons dropped off to a $486 million worldwide gross in 2009, that is still a big box office haul. Tom Hanks, who played Langdon in the first two thrillers, is expected to reprise, but no commitment has been made to this point.

• The fourth International Conference on the History of Freemasonry has been announced for May 24-36, 2013, and will return to Edinburgh, Scotland. From the website: The first International Conference on the History of Freemasonry was held in 2007 to establish whether or not Freemasonry could be considered a single separate subject worthy of its own platform.

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Masonic News It is now clear based on the successes of ICHF 2007, 2009 and 2011 that answer is a resounding, YES. Whilst the organizers welcome invitations from Masonic bodies throughout the world to host ICHF within their own locale, there is something comforting in bringing ICHF 2013 back to where it began; Freemasons’ Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland. 2013 is significant in several respects, not least because it marks the 200th anniversary of the 1813 union of the two English Grand Lodges, the Ancient and Moderns, under the auspices of the Duke of Sussex (1773 - 1843). Undoubtedly a number of researchers will submit proposals for papers on this very subject.

• Five years ago, the Masonic Information Center created the Mark Twain Masonic Awareness Award, to “recognize Lodge leadership for asserting a uniquely Masonic identity both within the Lodge and throughout the community that is consistent with the Fraternity’s historic focus on education, self-improvement, good works, and fellowship.” It’s the only national Masonic award of its kind, and it represents achievement at the local lodge level. Lodges that win the Twain award are working hard to make their individual lodge just that—individual. These lodges have found ways to make their lodge unique, distinctive, educational, vital to their members, and a part of the community in which they reside.

The Masonic Information Center is a committee recognized by the Conference of Grand Masters in North America, and the Twain Award winners were announced at the Conference in Atlanta. The MIC was originally funded in 1993 by John J. Robinson, author of Born In Blood, who was not a Mason at the time. Robinson gave a grant to start the Center in order to provide information to both Masons and non-Masons, and to respond to critics of the fraternity. The Center operates as part of the Masonic Service Association of North America. For more about the Twain Award, see here.

Congratulations to the 2011 winners: Alabama - Rising Sun Lodge #29 Decatur, Alabama Alaska - Matanuska Lodge #7 Palmer, Alaska Arkansas - Key Lodge #7 Siloam Springs, Arkansas Arizona - Oasis Lodge #52 Tucson, Arizona Illinois - St. Joseph Lodge #970 St. Joseph, Illinois Michigan - Byron Lodge #80 Byron, Michigan Minnesota - Red Wing Lodge #8 Red Wing, Minnesota Nevada - St. John Lodge #18 Pioche, Nevada

New Hampshire - Benevolent Lodge #7 Milford, New Hampshire New Mexico - Chapman Lodge #2 Las Vegas, New Mexico Ohio - North Bend Lodge #346 Cleves, Ohio Ohio - Oxford Lodge #67 Oxford, Ohio Pennsylvania - Manoquesy Lodge #413 Bath, Pennsylvania South Carolina - Mariner Lodge #2 Charleston, South Carolina Utah - Damascus Lodge #10 Provo, Utah Virginia - Herndon Lodge #264 Herndon, Virginia Virginia - Fredericksburg Lodge #4 Fredericksburg, Virginia Washington - Daylight Lodge #232 Seattle, Washington The criteria for the Twain Award is designed to motivate lodges to plan its future and improve itself with meaningful activities that serve the needs of its own members. There’s no checklist, no defined roadmap of specific items that get crossed off when completed. The goal is to motivate lodges to act for their own good, and the good of their community, and to do it in a thought out manner. The website has much information on it, but it does list suggested activities and ideas that every lodge ought to be considering, regardless of whether they are trying for an award or not.

• California’s Acadamia Lodge No. 487 will host the Masonic Restoration Foundation Symposium at the Oakland Scottish Rite from August 23rd through the 25th. Speakers have not yet been announced.

From the website: “This year’s symposium is hosted by Academia Lodge No. 847, California’s oldest Traditional Observance lodge.

Academia Lodge was constituted in 2004, and has provided a strong program of Masonic education to Freemasons of Northern California ever since. One of the fundamentals of Academia Lodge is our monthly celebration of Lodges of Instruction, in which original Masonic papers and reflections are shared in a candle-lit tiled setting, and then discussed during the formal agape dinner following. Attendees of the MRF Symposium will have an opportunity to experience this essential aspect of the Traditional Observance lodge model. “ Registration cost is $175 per person, and does not include hotel and airfare. See the website here: http:// academialodge.org/mrf/ • Exciting news for all York Rite Masons eager to know more! The York Rite Sovereign College is now SPRING 2012 • 9

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Masonic News offering an education program for all York Rite Masons, based on the similar Master Craftsman Program pioneered by the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction, and by one of the same authors.

Brother Robert G. Davis has created the Companion Adept of the Temple, a self-study program that covers the degrees and orders of the Royal Arch, Cryptic Council and Knights Templar. This is outstanding news for York Rite Masons who have long desired a way to continue their education.

The program offers five exams of multiple choice and essay questions, focussing on the ritual, philosophy and esoteric aspects of the York Rite. The first two exams cover the Chapter Degrees; the third covers the Cryptic Rite; the fourth covers the Orders of Chivalry; and the final exam is entitled “The York Rite Traditions and Freemasonry.”

The program is administered, appropriately, by the Sovereign College, and will cost $30. Resource material and reading lists are provided, along with ordering information, as well as guides to finding much of it using books available online, including works like Understanding the Royal Arch, Guide to the Royal Arch Chapter, Some Royal Arch Terms Examined, and The Royal Arch: Its Hidden Meaning. Symbolism of the degrees and orders is illustrated in the exam material.

This is truly exciting news for brethren who have literally begged for this type of program. The AASR’s Master Craftsman Program has been wildly successful (we in the Northern Jurisdiction have nothing like it), and this fills an enormous void for York Rite Freemasons.

For ordering information, contact the York Rite Sovereign College’s Detroit office at yrsc_na@yahoo.com.

Visit the Sovereign College website at www.yrscna.org • The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts has created guidelines for its members concerning postings on social media like Facebook and Twitter. While this is an attempt to interject common sense into the postings of Masons (which we know isn’t common at all), I’m not certain I am crazy about codifying such rules. In any case, here they are for your perusal.

Social Media Code of Conduct for Massachusetts Freemasons

10 • SPRING 2012

• A Mason should conduct his Social Media activities in a way that reflects his membership in the Craft.

• He should act in a way that presents a positive image of his membership in Freemasonry to the world.

• As a Mason, he must be aware that his postings are a permanent record; therefore, his conduct may influence the world with a positive or a negative opinion about him personally and also about any organizations to which he belongs.

• His actions on the various Social Media outlets should reflect the highest standards of morality and integrity he would practice within the Lodge.

• To ensure our fraternity represents itself to the high standards we believe in, we must regulate our actions through Brother-toBrother intervention. As a Mason, you should advise a Brother if you feel that what he has posted is improper within the framework of our Grand Constitutions, rules, regulations, and edicts.

• Do not identify any Freemason as a member of the Craft unless he has provided his consent, or has already identified himself as such.

• Lodge notices, and information contained within Lodge notices beyond the time and place of meeting, should not be discussed.

• There should never be discussion related to the application, background or investigation of an applicant.

• There should never be discussion regarding the ballot of an applicant.

• There should never be discussion related to the business of a Lodge and what is discussed within our tyled doors.

• The posting of pictures or videos of Lodge events must comply with the Grand Constitutions, rules, regulations, and edicts.

• Information about Lodge or District social activities must comply with the regulations already in place for Lodge Notices (for example, no reference to alcohol or games of chance).

• The posting of social activities of a Lodge or District should comply with the regulation standards already in place for the distribution of Lodge Notices and inserts.

• No official communication with other Grand Lodges or their subordinate Lodges may take place online. Contact must be conducted through the Office of the Grand Secretary.

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

T

he scene amidst which C

THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Please fill out this form and mail it with payment (check or money order drawn in US Dollars for the appropriate amount) to: The Masonic Society; Membership; 1427 W. 86th Street, Suite 248; Indianapolis, IN 46260-2103

Name (First)____________________________________________ Last___________________________________________ Name as you would like it to appear on your membership materials (card and patent):

______________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City ______________________________________________State/Province___________________________ ZIP or Postal Code _______________ Country ____________________________________________________ Email address ________________________________________________ Please choose one of the following: Regular Membership (1 year - US/Canada) $39.00

Regular Membership (1 year - outside of US/Canada) $49.00

I certify that I am a Master Mason in good standing of a lodge chartered by a grand lodge that is a member of the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons of North America (CGMMNA), or recognized by a CGMMNA member Grand Lodge. (Includes Prince Hall Grand Lodges recognized by their counterpart CGMMNA state Grand Lodge.)

Year made a Master Mason_________________ Primary Lodge Name & Number ____________________________________________________ Grand Lodge of ________________________________________________________________________Year you were born_________________ Subscription to the Journal of The Masonic Society ONLY Subscription Only (1 year - US/Canada) $39.00 Subscription Only (1 year - outside of US/Canada) $49.00 And please give us a bit of information about your reason for subscribing:

Freemason from jurisdiction NOT in amity with Conference of Grand Masters of Masons of North America or a member grand lodge.

Library or Museum

Lodge

Academic

Other __________________________________________________

How did you hear about us?__________________________________________________________________________________________

Join online and pay with credit card via Paypal at www.themasonicsociety.com Join online and pay with credit card via Paypal at www.themasonicsociety.com

WINTER 2010 • 11 SPRING 2012 • 11

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

SOCIETY

The Art of Manliness

by Brett McKay

On Friday, February 10, The Masonic Society hosted its fourth annual Feast and Forum at the Alexandria Mark Hilton in Alexandria, Virginia, as part of the yearly Masonic Week program of meetings and festivities. Our keynote speaker was Brett McKay, half of the husband-andwife team behind The Art of Manliness website and books, who addressed the more than five dozen guests assembled on what defines manliness. The following is excerpted from his presentation. hile there are some ageless principles of manliness, characteristics celebrated by hundreds of different cultures in many different eras, some of the ideals of manhood have varied across peoples and time periods. For many ancient cultures, manhood was rooted in being a warrior.

But it was a battlefield-specific manhood ill prepared for life during peacetime. In early American history, manhood was connected with being a yeoman farmer or independent artisan. But when the Industrial Revolution moved men from farm to factory, men wondered if true manliness was possible in the absence of the economic independence they once enjoyed. In the 20th century, manhood meant being the familial breadwinner. But during times of Depression and recession, and when women joined the workforce in great numbers, men felt deeply emasculated. And in many cultures in many different times, being a man meant being part of a privileged class or race; in the United States, men owned slaves who were but three-fifths the equivalent of “real men.” When class and citizenship became achievable for anyone willing to put in the work, men felt that not only their position of privilege was under attack, but their very manhood.

When manhood is connected to such cultural, and ultimately ephemeral guideposts, and times change, a crisis of manhood results. Some men then cling stubbornly to a past that cannot be recreated, while others seek to redefine manliness in ways that while well intentioned, end up stripping manhood of its unique vitality. Thus, the definition of manliness clearly needs to be rooted in a firm and immovable foundation that works across time, place, and culture and is attainable for any man, in any situation. My definition of manliness is actually quite straightforward. And ancient.

Aristotle set out in his Nicomachean Ethics, a code for men to live by. For Aristotle and many of the ancient Greeks, manliness meant living a life filled with eudaimonia. What is eudaimonia? Translators and philosophers have given different definitions for it, but the best way to describe it is a life of “human flourishing,” or excellence. Aristotle believed that man’s purpose was to take actions guided by rational thought that would lead to excellence in every aspect of his life. Thus, manliness meant being the best man you can be.

W

12 • SPRING 2012

For the ancient Romans, manliness meant living a life of virtue. In fact, the English word “virtue” comes from the Latin virtus, which meant manliness or masculine strength.

The Romans believed that to be manly, a man had to cultivate virtues like courage, temperance, industry, and dutifulness.

So my definition of manliness, like Aristotle and the Romans, is simple: striving for excellence and virtue in all areas of your life, fulfilling your potential as a man, and being the absolute best brother, friend, husband, father and citizen you can be. This mission is fulfilled by the cultivation of manly virtues like Courage, Loyalty, Industry, Resiliency, Resolution, Personal Responsibility, Self-Reliance, Integrity, and Sacrifice. These virtues are manliness, and they can be striven for by any man, in any situation.

There are two ways to define manhood: manhood as the opposite of womanhood, and manhood as the opposite of childhood. The former seems to be quite popular, but it often leads to a superficial kind of manliness. Men who subscribe to this are concerned with outward characteristics, worrying if X, Y, or Z is manly, and whether the things they enjoy and do are effeminate because many women also enjoy them. I subscribe to the latter philosophy. Manhood is the opposite of childhood, and concerns one’s inner values. A child is selfcentered, fearful, and dependent. A man is bold, courageous, respectful, independent, and of service to others. Thus a man becomes a man when he matures and leaves childish things behind.

Men have a hard time moving from boyhood into manhood. We often need a push to leave adolescence behind.

It’s easier to remain dependent, to stay as a consumer instead of a creator, to live for self instead of others. Cultures across the world have recognized this, and have sought to make manhood a desirable goal, something men would desperately want to attain. Immaturity was stigmatized. What the culture of manhood did was to provide an external pull which drew as many men as possible into manhood, men who otherwise would have been content to hide in the background and live safe, mediocre lives.

We see this played out in modern society where there no longer exists a strong culture of manhood. Many men today struggle to grow up and into honorable manhood, never sure when they’ve crossed that threshold, left behind the boy, and taken on the mantle of manliness, but this does not mean there still aren’t individuals who seek manhood on their own. These men are far fewer in number and are selfmotivated. Their desire for manhood comes from within, from an internal drive. These men attain manhood despite the odds, and they have one thing in common: They sought and completed a rite of passage.

The challenge for today’s man is to become part of one of

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

the little tribes that still offers a rite of passage. The military, churches, fraternal organizations, and adventures of other sorts can still help men cross the bridge into manhood. Or the passage may come to a man by accident, through the strong and resilient handling of the death of a father, or by the contraction of a disease. By whatever means it comes, the rite of passage breaks the gravitational pull of the path of least resistance, and propels a man onto the road to true manliness.

The loss of a culture of manhood surely has its downsides, the biggest being that fewer men will be prodded into mature manhood. But for the men with courage to still seek it out, the upside is that the manliness they find will not be born of outward pressures or cultural expectations, but from inner values, conscience, truth, and heart.

The bottom line? True manhood still exists for those who seek it.

So what does Freemasonry have to do with all of this?

Freemasonry has maintained the classical definition of manliness, as seen in the Cardinal Virtues presented in the Entered Apprentice Degree. Freemasonry is one of the best vehicles available today to help men grow into mature masculinity, and it is no accident that the Four Cardinal Virtues – Fortitude, Prudence, Temperance, and Justice – are found in the first degree of Masonic initiation.

In light of what we’ve discussed already, consider Fortitude: Boys often give up when tasks get hard or boring, while a man displays Fortitude. Consider Prudence: Boys expect to be told what to do, while a man exhibits cautious, measured action. Temperance: Boys are controlled by their passions and appetites, while a man is governed by selfcontrol. And Justice: Boys can be selfish and vindictive, while a man in his outward behavior strives for justice. Going back to the ancient Greeks, the first three Cardinal Virtues were grouped together, because they refer to a man’s inner characteristics, while Justice was considered separately, since that is a quality exhibited outwardly, toward others. In the development of the modern, mature, masculine male, let’s focus on Prudence, which the Greeks considered the Master Virtue, the one that must be present for the other virtues to exist, and that today might be better understood as Practical Wisdom.

What is Practical Wisdom? Let me illustrate with a story from the headlines.

In 2008, Christopher Ratte and his seven-year-old son were attending a Detroit Tigers game. When Ratte went to the concession stand, he grabbed a beer for himself and a hard lemonade for his son, unaware that the drink contained five percent alcohol. When a security guard saw Ratte’s son nursing the bottle of the spiked beverage, he immediately took it from him and then rushed the boy to the stadium’s medical clinic. The medical clinic called an ambulance, and the boy went to the emergency room. The doctors found no trace of alcohol in his system, and were ready to release the boy to his father.

But the police, adhering to their procedures, had other

plans, and were required to turn the child over to the county’s child protective services. Many of the officers hated the fact they had to do it, but rules are rules. County officials put the boy into a foster home for three days even though the case agents didn’t feel it was the right thing to do, but they had to follow procedure. A judge then ruled that the boy could be released from foster care and into his mother’s custody so long as Ratte moved out of the house. Again, the judge was just following the procedure in his ruling. After two long weeks, dad and son were finally reunited. The police, county workers, and even the judge all agreed that what this family went through because of a dad’s honest mistake wasn’t an execution of justice. But their hands were tied.

When people hear stories like this one, they’re outraged.

It seems like something is wrong with society when these kinds of things happen – and there is. The cause can be traced to the disappearance of the Master Virtue – Practical Wisdom – a quality that is vitally necessary for the health of both our culture and the lives of individual men.

The ancient Greek philosophers spent a lot of time walking around in their togas, discussing the nature of things, especially the nature of virtue. Socrates, for example, believed that man’s purpose in life was to seek sophia, or wisdom.

According to Socrates and his student Plato, achieving sophia gave a man a general understanding of the nature of virtue.

And once a man reached an understanding of each of the virtues, he would naturally live them. For example, if a man understood the true nature of justice, he would naturally be just. Thus for Socrates and Plato, becoming a man of virtue was an exercise in abstract thought.

This thinking didn’t jibe with Plato’s student Aristotle, who agreed that working to understand the nature of virtue abstractly was necessary to achieve virtue, but didn’t believe that was sufficient. For Aristotle, virtuous living also required a different kind of wisdom, one that was more particular and practical than the abstract, ethereal, and general wisdom of sophia. Aristotle calls this different kind of wisdom phronesis.

Phronesis has been translated different ways, “prudence” being most common, but the translation I like best is “practical wisdom.” What is practical wisdom? Let’s go back to Aristotle and his Nicomachean Ethics: Practical wisdom is a true characteristic that is bound up with action, accompanied by reason, and concerned with things good and bad for a human being. It is not concerned with the universals alone, but must also be acquainted with the particulars; it is bound up with action, and action concerns the particulars. Practical wisdom is concerned with human things, and with those that about which it is possible to deliberate. He who has practical wisdom is skilled in aiming, in accord with calculation, at what is best for a human being in things attainable through action.

But in fact, every virtue can easily become a fault if not correctly applied. Frugality can veer into miserliness. Chastity can shrivel into prudishness. Self-reliance can harden into prideful stubbornness. For Aristotle, being virtuous meant avoiding these extremes, by following the path between two vices: that of not applying a virtue enough, and that of applying SPRING 2012• 13

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

it too much. He called this finding the “mean” of a virtue.

For example, courage is the mean between cowardliness and recklessness. Loyalty is the mean between fickleness and blind obedience. Resolution is the mean between spinelessness and obstinacy.

Of course striking this balance is easier said than done, so Practical Wisdom, in the words of author John Bradshaw, is “the ability to do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason.” For this reason, Aristotle believed that practical wisdom was the virtue that made all the other virtues possible.

Without the correct application of practical wisdom, the other virtues would be lived too much or two little and turn into vices.

Aristotle believed that everything had its purpose or maximum potential. Achieving this purpose led to excellence.

In Book Six of his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle lays out the skills and attributes a person needs to become practically wise.

• Knowing the telos, or purpose, of an objective. The telos of a teacher is to help students learn and enrich their minds – to his utmost. The telos of a janitor is to clean a building the best he can. The telos of a dad is to raise his children with excellence. If you don’t understand what your aim is, you’ll never achieve it.

• Perception. To know how to act in a particular situation, we need to deftly perceive and understand the circumstances before us. What are the facts in this case? What’s the history here? How do others feel about it?

• Experience. Aristotle says “Practical wisdom is also of particulars, which come to be known as a result of experience, but a young person is inexperienced: a long period of time creates experience.” He believed Practical Wisdom could be gained only through experience. He often likened Practical Wisdom to a skill, like carpentry or masonry. You can’t just read a book about carpentry and expect to become a master carpenter. You actually have to get into a shop and start working with tools and wood to do that. So it is with Practical Wisdom. You become more and more practically wise the more decisions you make. The more you experience, the more you learn from your experiences. A degree in Practical Wisdom requires enrollment in the school of hard knocks.

• Deliberative skills. According to Aristotle, “The person skilled in deliberating would in general also be practically wise.” The heart of Practical Wisdom is deliberation. Practical Wisdom requires that we deliberate with ourselves the best course of action to take in a given situation. It’s a skill that we become more adept at through experience.

• Action. All the reasoning and careful deliberation in the world isn’t worth a lick to Aristotle if you don’t take action. Again and again in the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle states says Practical Wisdom is 14 • SPRING 2012

bound up with action. It’s not enough to know what the wisest thing to do is. You must actually do it.

And perhaps that is the best way to consider Freemasonry’s method of imparting Practical Wisdom, since it puts into your hands the Working Tools that both teach and serve as the devices with which to cultivate Practical Wisdom in your own life.

There are many things you can do to develop your own Practical Wisdom, such as learning critical thinking skills, refining your goals and core values, expanding your intellect, and always being sure to understand the circumstances of a situation as much as possible before making a decision.

Masonry hands you the Working Tools, the Liberal Arts and Sciences, and a vast historical perspective to direct your development. But the real key is experience.

I get a lot of emails from men asking questions like, “What should I major in at college?” “Should I go to medical school?” “Should I join the military?” They don’t know which path to take. I’d love to be able to tell them which way to go, but it’s not possible for me to know what would be best for these men. It’s good to seek advice and study your options, but eventually you just have to jump in and see how it goes.

It’s sort of a catch-22. You want to know what to do, but you can’t know what to do before you’ve ever done anything.

You’ve got to fail and make mistakes in order to earn your Practical Wisdom.

For example, was it bad that I went through three years of law school to become a blogger? Yes and no. I had to go through it to find out what I really wanted to do, and it was not without its benefits. So what I try to tell men is this: Don’t worry about whether or not it’s the right choice to join the military, or to major in X, or whatever, because anything that gives you life experience will never be entirely bad, even if you decide it’s not something you want to do forever. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes! Just get going and do something!

Start heading down the path and give it your absolute all, and, if after doing that you decide you need to change direction, that’s okay. As long as you learn from the experience, you have added to your store of Practical Wisdom. The next time you set course, your calculations will be more accurate in moving you toward your telos. The more decisions you make, the more Practical Wisdom you will gain, and the better your choices will become and the closer you’ll get to achieving true human flourishing.

If you are familiar with the work of Brett and Kate McKay, you’re bound to have wondered if Brett is a brother Mason. At the time of the Feast and Forum, he was an Entered Apprentice Mason in Guildhall Lodge No. 454 in Oklahoma, a Traditional Observance Lodge, and by the time this issue of The Journal had gone to press, Bro. McKay had been raised to the Sublime Degree.

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

HISTORY

A Journey From the Tavern to the Temple: Part I ‘Drinking in Due Form’

By R. Brad Bunn “…when the Trumpets sounded, all join’d in joyful Acclamations, and the Craftsmen went to the Tavern to drink”1 s present day Freemasons we are accustomed to grandiose Temples and iconic Grand Lodges, many of which are situated in cities and towns throughout the world; each standing as solemn testaments, stories in stone and brick, like Enoch’s pillars, able to withstand ‘conflagrations and inundations’—everything it seems but Father Time and a taxed bank account.

These edifices sing to us in Homeric verse of Masonry’s Golden Age when giants like Albert Pike still walked among us; men who possessed the extraordinary power to ‘transmute cabins into Temples’. Regrettably, our Temples are now fast becoming the relics of a by-gone era as Freemasons, like everyone else, struggle to meet the present economic crisis; a situation further compromised by a sagging membership, a problem, which has afflicted the Fraternity for a number of recent decades, thus, forcing a heavy burden in the form of maintenance costs on current members.

In an early stage of Speculative Masonry’s development coinciding with the infancy years of the Mother Lodge, there was little that could be called ‘grand’ about the Grand Lodge; rather its greatness lay within its aspirations and audacity.2 One very striking feature of Masonry in the 17th and 18th centuries is that Masons met in taverns rather than in Temples or free-standing Lodges. Consider that the first four Lodges that convened to form the Premier Grand Lodge of England in 1717 were all named after the taverns in which they held their meetings: The Goose and Gridiron Ale-house, The Crown Ale-house, The Apple-Tree Tavern, and The Rummer and Grapes Tavern. For that reason we denominate such Lodges as ‘Table Lodges’. And contrary to Masonry being the predominantly ‘dry society’ that it is today, i.e., the prohibition against alcohol; alcohol was not present in Lodges in this early period, but it seems that it had a ceremonial function as well.

The idea to survey this particular phase in Masonic history occurred to me when I came across the following passage in Stewart Lee Allen’s The Devil’s Cup: “Aside from sobering up the workplace, coffeehouses gave Brits an alternative to taverns in which to meet and talk. Taverns were not the safest place to discuss politics and religion. Everybody was armed or drunk, usually both, and proprietors sensibly discouraged heated discussions.” 3 Mr. Allen’s book is not a history of Freemasonry—it’s a history of coffee. But this passage started me thinking along the path: what if the Masonic charge prohibiting

A

the discussion of religion and politics while in Lodge did not arise so much as a result of the influence of French Enlightenment ideals as we normally think, but arose from a more practical reason—not only to avoid arguments, but to adhere to a tavern code of conduct.

Below are the two ‘Ancient Charges’ concerning Mason’s behavior while in Lodge, which Dr. James Anderson first published in his Constitutions of 1723 and again in his Constitutions of 1738. One can see how they reflect tavern etiquette or a code of conduct. Whether Anderson actually adopted these Charges from extant sources, or devised them himself along with those fourteen “learned Brethren” responsible for digesting the “Gothic Constitutions” is irrelevant here. What is relevant is that Grand Lodge had a very good reason for adopting them.

“No private Piques, no Quarrels about Nations, Families, Religions or Politics must be brought in the Door of the Lodge…You may enjoy yourselves with innocent Mirth, treating one another according to Ability, but avoiding all Excess; not forcing any Brother to eat or drink beyond his own Inclination…” 4 In order for us to truly understand and appreciate the reasoning behind the adoption of the two Charges respecting ‘behavior’ we have to view them in their historical context, and consider the reasons why they arose in the first place, moreover, why they were necessary. I find that these reasons are threefold and can be summarized as follows: 1.) The backdrop of recent political and religious upheavals in England.

2.) The profusion of convivial societies and gentlemen’s clubs in 17th/18th century England.

3.) A matter of PR (Freemasonry’s first public relations campaign).

By the time Grand Lodge was formed in 1717, England had already witnessed political upheavals in the forms of a civil war, the beheading of a king, the establishment of a Commonwealth, and a Restoration. In religion things were no better. The gulf between Protestants and Catholics, a wound that can be traced back to the Reformation and the establishment of the Church of England, had left a deep and visceral scar on England’s psyche, not to mention the sacking of monasteries and other Catholic institutions by Henry the VIII over a century prior. Loved ones had been lost on both sides of the religious and political divide, and the wound that had barely closed, much less healed, was still tender to the touch. Suffice it to say, tavern keepers had SPRING 2012 • 15

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

more than sufficient reason for discouraging the discussion of politics and religion in their establishments. Such discussions were potentially volatile even in a sober environ, much less in one where alcohol might fuel the flames. We see then that Grand Lodge was prudent in adopting the preventative measures that it did. I like to think that Masonry by providing a neutral environ acted as a social-salve and helped to heal this wound, not only among its members but society as a whole, for Masonry’s great work is not restricted to the Lodge, but unfolds within the Mason, and is in turn manifested in his daily life and interactions.

Another aspect of the 17th and 18th centuries that I would like to explore is the profusion of Gentlemen Clubs or Convivial Societies in England, a more polite term for drinking societies. As a matter of fact, it is in 1659 that we find the first recorded mention of the word ‘club’. 5 Elias Ashmole, who has the distinction of being the first Englishman to record being made a Freemason, along with being a Mason was also a member of the Astrologer’s Club, the Mathematical Club, the Antiquarian Club, and the famous Royal Society.

H

By Nature’s order, sense should guide our reason, Since to mind all objects sense conveys.” 6 The term libertine, however, does not necessarily denote a negative aspect, and a libertine is not always a ‘Rake’. Freethinker with its slightly more innocuous sound is synonymous with libertine, and both words are interchangeable to describe one whose mind is liberated from programmed prejudices, constraints, and indoctrination.

Thus free from prejudices he or she is able to make decisions based upon their own observations and the dictates of reason. Coincidently, Freemasonry, especially Scottish Rite Masonry, lauds Freedom of Thought, and so owes a considerable debt of gratitude to the early libertine movement, to which Wilmot belonged. Even our government and nation are indebted to these libertine ideals. Consider the famous phrase found in the US Declaration of Independence: “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Essentially, these words were on the minds and on the lips of every 17th and 18th century libertine worthy to be called such.

Without detracting from the Fraternity, I hope that the

ogarth did not spare even his Masonic Brethren from the scrutiny of his brush.

In fact, it is difficult to say with any certainty whose side he was really on.

Alongside these respectable clubs there also existed a number of ‘disrespectable’ gentlemen clubs collectively known as Hellfire Clubs. The gentlemen who belonged to these clubs were often referred to as ‘Rakes’ or ‘Rakehells’ presumably because they raked the coals of hell. Today we would call them ‘Hellraisers’. The poet and wit John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester was the epitome of the English Rake whom some may have seen portrayed by Johnny Depp in Laurence Dunmore’s 2005 film, The Libertine. Rakes were typically aristocratic or gentile, i.e., upper class libertines with little regard and often expressing contempt for religion or bourgeoisie morals. The libertine, while a patron of the arts, always valued Nature over artifice. In Thomas Shadwell’s 1675 play titled The Libertine, (no relation to the film) the protagonist Don John, in order to establish his libertine credentials at the beginning of Act I. says: “Thus far without bounds we have enjoyed Our prosperous pleasures, which dull fools call sins; Laughed at old feeble judges and weak laws; And at that fond, fantastic thing called conscience…

The only certain guide is infallible nature…

Nature gave us our senses, which we please, Nor does our reason war against our sense.

16 • SPRING 2012

reader can see that Freemasonry was but one of many clubs at this period of English history. It was a common feature of all clubs to have a meeting place (a particular tavern), officers, mottos, passwords, and uniforms. Samuel Pritchard via his 1725 expose says that the Master of a Lodge wore a yellow jacket and blue britches.7 Possibly, the 17th and 18th century clubs borrowed these customs from the mediaeval craft guilds.

Although Masonry was in no way aligned with the hellfire clubs one sometimes sees a cross-membership, which was inevitable considering the times. For instance, Philip Duke of Wharton, Grand Master of Masons in 1722, was a member of England’s most notorious Hellfire club. Wharton was even dubbed by his contemporaries as the “HellFire Duke of Wharton.”8 His Grand Mastership is haunted by irregularities and scandals regarding his acquisition of “Solomon’s Chair.”9 After his tumultuous tenure as Grand Master, Wharton left the Craft and formed The Ancient Noble Order of the Gorgomons who held their meetings at the Tavern in Fleet Street. The Gorgomons were essentially a parody of Freemasonry, and Robert F. Gould tells us that its founding members consisted of “malcontent Freemasons;” in fact, according to Gould, no Mason could

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

be made a Gorgomon until ‘he had renounced Masonry.’10 After Wharton’s death in 1731 no more is heard from the Gorgomons.11 The famous 18th century London artist, satirist, and Freemason, William Hogarth portrayed the Gorgomons in his The Mystery of Masonry Brought to Light by the Gorgomons. Hogarth depicts a Gorgomon procession, which in turn is parodying a Masonic procession, as the troupe of the former emerges from a tavern. Hogarth’s painting illustrates that both Freemasons and the Gorgomons were strongly associated with taverns in the popular consciousness of the time. This public perception brings us to “Brother Euclid’s Letter” (1738), and the final reason for the adoption of the Charges that I would like for us to look at; it’s just as important to the Fraternity today as it was in the 18th century—PR or public relations: “Others complain that the Masons continue too long in the Lodge, spending their Money to the Hurt of their Families, and come home too late, nay sometimes intoxicated with liquor! But they have no Occasion to drink much in Lodge Hours, which are not long; and when Lodge is closed (always in good Time) any Brother may go home when he pleases: So that if any stay longer and get intoxicated, it is at their own Cost, not as Masons, but as other imprudent men may do; for which the Fraternity is not accountable: And the Expense of a Lodge is not so great as That of many a private Club.”12 Three things become apparent from examining this 1738 letter. 1.) The fact that the letter exists proves that Masons were concerned about their public image; the author of the letter, who identifies himself as being a Mason (possibly Dr. Anderson), was attempting, what is perhaps the first instance of official Masonic public relations, if we exclude Martin Clare’s “A Defense of Masonry.” 2.) Charges were being leveled at Masons for excessive drinking. 3.)

The author likens Freemasonry to other clubs, a point that has already been established.

Drinking toasts and ‘healths’ were a staple of early Lodge meetings. William Preston in his Illustrations of Masonry writes: “On the 24th of June 1719, another assembly and feast was held at the Goose and Gridiron before-mentioned, when Dr. Desaguliers was unanimously elected Grand Master. At this feast the old, regular, and peculiar toasts and healths of the Free-Masons were introduced.”13 And Dr. Anderson records in his Constitutions that: “John Duke of Montagu, Master of the Lodge; who being present, was forthwith saluted Grand Master Elect, and his Health drank in due Form…”14 In another place he records: “The Grand Master began to toast the regular Healths, and due Respects to our noble Brothers present and absent…”15 From these words we can glean that toasts had a ceremonial function in saluting visiting and distin-

guished brethren, possibly newly made Masons, and there was also the traditional toast to “King and the Craft.”16 The reason that I say the toasts were ‘ceremonial’ is because Dr. Anderson specifically uses the term ‘In Due Form’. This statement is substantiated by Henry Wilson Coil’s definition of the phrase ‘Due Form’ as meaning “according to ritual.”17 It is easy to see how some Masons could have stayed longer at the tavern after the meeting was adjourned and become intoxicated, thus, leading to the charges Brother Euclid addresses in his letter. “Orations, Music, and Mason Songs” were all regular features of Masonic meetings. Masonry, similar to numerous convivial societies of the time, provided their membership with a ‘good time’. Below is but one of many examples of songs that were sung at Lodges with emphasis on the role of the world’s oldest and most successful social lubricant—alcohol.

“A Mason’s life’s the life for me, With joy we meet each other, We pass our time with mirth and glee, And hail each friendly brother: ******* The Master’s call, we one and all With pleasure soon obey; With heart and hand we ready stand, ***** But when the glass goes round, Then mirth and glee abound, **** We laugh a little, we drink a little, We work a little, we play a little, We sing a little, are merry a little, And swig the flowing can, And swig, &c.” 18 Around the time of “Brother Euclid’s Letter” alcohol was making the transition from social lubricant to social disease owing to the accessibility of Gin. Hogarth’s (whom we have already discussed) works, with their characteristic sharp social commentary, provide us with a unique glimpse into London life in the 18th century. In Gin Lane Hogarth depicts a London ravaged by the corrosive effects of Gin on society. Gin was an 18th century phenomenon, or rather epidemic might be a better term to describe the period known as the Gin Craze, which swept across London. Two practical explanations for the Gin Craze: the spirit was cheap and it worked fast. John E. Lewis in his book London The Autobiography, writes: “By the mid-1700s London was gripped by a gin-drinking plague; every eleventh house in the capitol was retailing the spirit.”19 Gin Lane is Hogarth’s reaction to the London Gin Craze. A drunken mother does not even notice her baby falling over the side of the railing, presumably to its death. Every character in Gin Lane is merry in their abysmal squalor and gin-induced stupor, SPRING 2012 • 17

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY while the world around them crumbles and falls in upon preme power, and without consulting the other Lodges scattered throughout the country. them. According to the British Museum’s website, Gin was 3 Allen, Stewart Lee. The Devil’s Cup. New York: Ballasaid to be responsible for “the increase in infant mortality” tine Books, 1999. 128. rates during the period of the Gin Craze. As a result, in 4 Anderson, James. Anderson’s Constitutions of 1738.

1751 the ‘Gin Act’ was passed by Parliament to curtail the Kessinger Publishing, 2003.146-147 20 consumption of the hard liquor.

5 Jones, Bernard. Freemasons’ Compendium And Guide.

Hogarth did not spare even his Masonic Brethren from Nashville: Cumberland House, 2006. 167 6 Fisk, Deborah P., et al. Four Restoration Libertine the scrutiny of his brush. In fact, it is difficult to say with any certainty whose side he was really on. In his painting Plays. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. 8.

7 Prichard, Samuel. Masonry Dissected. Kessinger Pubtitled Night, Hogarth portrays an inebriated Master Mason still clothed in full Masonic regalia being guided, pre- lishing, 2003.18.

8 Lord, Evelyn. The Hell-Fire Clubs: Sex, Satanism, and sumably by the Tyler (judging from latter’s sword), home Secret Societies.

New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008. 49. through the dark and narrow labyrinth-like streets of Lon9 Anderson, James. Anderson’s Constitutions of 1738. don. The viewer’s attention might be drawn to the taverns Kessinger Publishing, 2003. 113 in the background, as well as the apron-clad figure in the 10 Gould, Robert F. A Concise History of Freemasonry. right holding a mop; this is possibly an allusion to the anKessinger Publishing, 1994. 208. tiquated custom of drawing Masonic emblems using chalk 11 Coil, Henry W. Coil’s Masonic Encyclopedia. Richon the floors of taverns and inns.21 Once the meeting was mond: Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply Co., INC., 1996. over these emblems were erased with a mop so that no pro- 471.

12 Anderson 228 fane eye should see them. This may provide us with the real Preston, William. Illustrations of Masonry. Kessinger reason for the presence of the chalk and charcoal emblems 13 Publishing, 2003. 216 in the Entered Apprentice Degree.

14 Anderson 111 As time progressed through the 18th and 19th centuries, 15 Anderson 118 I believe that Masonry became increasingly involved in a 16 Anderson 95 low-key and effective PR campaign to improve its image. 17 Coil 217 This resulted, not only as a backlash to the Gin Craze, and 18 J. Bisset, Steward of St. Alban’s Lodge, and Provincial to the Fraternity’s public portrayal, such as in Hogarth’s G.S. for the County of Warwick, (Preston 416) Lewis, Jon E. London The Autobiography. London: painting, but also to further disassociate the Masons from 19 other clubs. This eventually resulted in many Lodges going Robinson, 2008. 211. ‘dry’. Masonry’s PR skills, however, would eventually be 20 http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/ highlight_objects/pd/w/william_hogarth,_gin_lane.aspx put to the ultimate test with the Morgan Affair.

21 Jones 396 One might ask what prompted the move from the Tav- 22 Dante, Alighieri. The Divine Comedy. Trans. C.H. Sisern to the Temple? The Age of Reason and the new religion son. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Canto XXXIII, of science did little to satisfy the innate spiritual craving 133-134.

within man. The tavern environ represented man (even thinking man) in a lowered state and emphasized his baser appetites, but the spires of the Temple would Raise him from his spiritual stupor, so that he might follow Dante into those Empyrean heights to contemplate along with that venerable poet and seer the quandary of reconciling the compass with the square and how the Divine fits within himself and how he in turn fits into the Divine: “Like a geometer who sets himself / To square the circle…”22 And so the Master is said to move from the earthly square to the heavenly compass.

(Endnotes)

1 Following the laying of a cornerstone (see Anderson 121).

2 By audacity, I mean that these four London Lodges took it upon themselves to form a Mother Lodge having su18 • SPRING 2012

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY RITUAL

Creating and Using a Personal Sacred Space: Why, Where and How

by William S. Burkle

F

reemasonry endeavors to scrupulously avoid dis- Why A Sacred Space ? cussions of religion in the Lodge. This does not The word Sacred is derived2 from the Latin sacrāre mean that discussions of God are considered off , meaning to devote. During the 13th and 14th centuries limits; indeed every Mason must affirm his belief the word evolved further, taking the meaning of the past in God in open Lodge as a condition of his acceptance. participle of sacren (itself a Latin derivative of sacer meanThe distinction between discussion of God and discussion ing holy) to mean consecrate. A sacred space therefore is a of religion is an important one. Among Freemasons, the consecrated space, set aside for a special holy purpose. It existence of God is a given fact, and not subject to debate. is interesting to note that there is an entire new science3 Religion is essentially a syscalled “Hierotopy” (Lattem of beliefs and practices in: Hiero = sacred, topy = by which individuals honor space) devoted to the study the Creator; the sheer numof sacred spaces. bers of religions, sects, and To a Freemason, the denominations each with a concept of a sacred space slightly different concept of should be familiar indeed. how God is to be honored, Every Lodge is conducted is sufficient to ensure that in a space which has been any serious discussion will consecrated and which is result in discord. This of therefore sacred. Man is a course impedes the Fraterspiritual being and as such nal process. has needs which cannot Mankind’s longing be satisfied by the mateto experience the sacred is rial world alone. As spiritual ancient. The oldest clearly creatures we sense the reality identified sacred space has Figure 1 – Typical Personal Altar Arrangement. This of something Holy beyond been unearthed by arche- arrangement includes three beeswax candles; two elevat- ourselves, a “Divine Presologists at Gobkli Tepe1 in ed kapalas (skull cups) holding sulfur and sea salt; a com- ence”. It is within our saTurkey where it has been munion set consisting of two plates, a decanter, a flagon, cred spaces that we are best dated to circa 9,000 B.C. and a chalice; a set of two Masonic skull & bones daggers; able to perceive the “Divine The inherent need for man a Sand Timer (hour glass), and a Masonic Trowel. Note Presence” and to perform to experience the “Divine also the framed Masonic Square & Compasses with All - the work of enlightenment.

Presence” continues in spite Seeing – Eye. The side Altar holds additional materials, As enlightenment is our of the overwhelming mate- including a larger Kapala and a censer. stated goal as Masons, it rialism of modern life. This is consistent with this goal paper deals with why and how to establish a personal sacred that our lodges be sacred places used for the collective work space. This space may be located in one’s home, in one’s of the Masons gathered there; it follows that a personal saback yard, or in a grove of trees or a nearby wooded spot. cred space would be where we as individuals continue to In the ensuing discussion of why having a personal sacred expand upon the work we do in the Lodge. To this end space is desirable, the methods which can be employed to we can view the Lodge as the Macrocosm and the personal consecrate a space to make it sacred, and how that space space as the Microcosm of Masonic practice. may be used for spiritual enlightenment I have attempted In our personal sacred spaces we seclude ourselves from to avoid religious bias. The reader is asked for forbearance the distractions of the profane material world, and devote if my own Judeo-Christian tradition pops to the forefront; ourselves to experiencing the “Divine Presence”. This is inplease remember that I am drawing upon personal experideed the place where Masons become better men. ence to a large extent in creating this paper, and that the reader can hopefully apply the material provided here as is The Divine Presence appropriate for his own purposes.

A word is due here concerning the “Divine Presence”.

SPRING 2012 • 19

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

While we can subjectively experience the “Divine Presence”, attempts to completely and unambiguously describe what the “Divine Presence” is or to explain how we sense the “Divine Presence” are futile. Theologians throughout history have devoted time and effort in pursuit of this task.

Eminent Lutheran scholar Rudolf Otto4 (1869–1937) noted that the “Divine Presence” eludes our attempts to completely describe it. Martin Luther delivered a Sermon which was based on Phil. 4:4-7 in which he expressed this same sentiment. Luther’s sermon cited Paul’s phrase, “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Luther commented: “This peace of God is beyond the power of mind and reason to comprehend. Understand, however, [that] it is not beyond man’s power to experience—to be sensible of.

Peace with God must be felt in the heart and conscience.”

Authors Lawrence Cunningham and John Kelsay describe5 the historical evolution of the term “sacred” used to describe the intangible but absolute knowledge of the “Divine Presence” which they assert is the very substance of religion: “Following historians of religion such as Mircea Eliade, Rudolf Otto, and Joachim Wach, we use the term “sacred” to capture that affirmation of an irreducible reality that seems to provide the substance of a religious worldview.”

It is important therefore to remember that the “Divine Presence” while quite real, is not tangible in the regular sense of the word. The “Divine Presence” will make itself known to you in a subtle but unmistakable manner. If the reader will consider the moments in Lodge when suddenly he knew instinctively that he was in a sacred place, this experience will also be immediately recognizable in the properly prepared personal sacred space.

The Freemason is reminded that dedication to God is reinforced throughout the Degrees from the very beginning. Recall the Masters lecture on the Twenty-four Inch Gauge working tool during the Entered Apprentice Degree: “This was once used to measure one’s work, but now is used to measure one’s time, where one inch corresponds to one hour. We are admonished to divide our time into three equal parts, 8 hours to serve God and a worthy distressed brother, 8 hours for work, and 8 hours for rest and refreshment ...” (emphasis placed by the Author).

A Personal Sacred Space The physical creation of a personal sacred space is largely dependent upon the circumstances, tradition, tastes, and means of the individual. The space may be permanent, temporary, or even portable. The size and location of the space is less important than the ability of the chosen space to offer a safe, quiet, and contemplative environment. Typ20 • SPRING 2012

ical locations for a sacred space include dedicated rooms, garage or attic spaces, closet spaces, alcoves, and even drawers. Many advantages can also be claimed for sacred spaces established out of doors in wooded areas, gardens, under trees, etc.

Married couples need to discuss the creation of a scared space with their spouse and establish an agreement concerning the circumstances under which they may be interrupted while using the space. Individuals with small children and other pets need to evaluate whether their presence would constitute a distraction. Children need to be shown the space and be allowed to ask questions; if the child will be excluded when the space is being used they need to be instructed in the etiquette of privacy. Teenagers should be asked to use headphones or reduce the volume of music which would be a distraction. If obtaining the requisite solitude during normal family hours is impossible, the individual needs to consider adopting early morning or late night routines when the household is suitably quiet.

Clocks, alarms, and telephones should be removed from the sacred space if at all possible. If the sacred space is to be permanent, family members need to understand that the space is reserved for special use.

For a Freemason the sacred space should be a continuance of the contemplative atmosphere present in both the Chamber of Reflection and the open Lodge. While the ultimate sacred space is the spirit within us all, the physical sacred space serves as a conduit which unites our spiritual selves with the “Divine Presence”. Man by nature is connected solidly to the material world and it should be no surprise that he incorporates material objects as symbols or implements in his sacred rites. The sacred space is therefore more than a quiet empty room; it is a space filled with the objects which provide comfort to his mortal form, and which serve as tools for his attainment of a more spiritual state.

The following discussion will provide an example in which a sacred space is being created in a moderately sized area of an existing room. The process is the same for other type of spaces with minor variations depending upon the size of the space being created. I will include a discussion of furnishings, objects, tools and substances which are often used for sacred purposes. Remember during this process that the space is not truly sacred until it has been duly consecrated.

When a portion of an existing room is to be converted into a sacred space, the entire area intended to be used as a sacred space should be emptied of its contents. The intended area should be thoroughly housecleaned in a normal fashion before returning or adding anything to the space.

The preferred furnishings for a moderately sized room space are simple, and include one or more chairs and an altar. The Altar should be rectangular or square, about thirty inches in height, and have a flat surface at least twenty inches wide

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

and twenty four inches in length. Remember that this is preferred to paraffin candles and also tend to burn longer. just a guideline and that smaller or larger Altars are equally Generally, for Masonic Altars three candles placed in a triangular formation are used. Again, this is a guideline since effective so long as they fit within the space and can accomthe numbers and arrangement of any candles will be demodate the ritual objects and tools which you wish to use. cided based upon the purAs an introductory note pose and tradition of the to the discussion of furnishuser. Many Freemasons ing the sacred space, the Auwill place open containers thor strongly recommends such as bowls on the altar that you avoid placing phointo which a small quantitographs of people within ty of sulfur and sea salt has your space. The reasons for been dispensed (for clarity this precaution are deeply one bowl contains sulfur esoteric and would require and another contains salt). far more space than is availThese substances are symable here to adequately bolic of Alchemical Salt explain. If you must have and Sulfur. The element such photos in your sacred Mercury, symbolic of the space, remove them, turn third Alchemical subthem around, or cover them stance is highly toxic and while the space is being used. is not placed upon an Altar They can be placed back in under any circumstances, their usual position after you no matter how tightly it is have completed your work. stoppered. If the Altar is to The Altar and the chairs be used for the celebration should be positioned facof Communion, a plate (or ing towards the East. If the plates) used to hold bread Figure 2 - A “Tessellated Border”consisting of a rope and sea salt, along with a space cannot feasibly be located facing true or compass with Masonic Love Knots tied at equidistant points along Chalice to be filled with East it is perfectly acceptable its length. This knotted rope is used to delineate the inner wine or grape juice may to choose a location which boundary of the Sacred Space. When sacred operations are be added to the altar. A faces “ceremonial” East; that in progress, the tag ends of the rope are joined using a sheep- suitable censer or incense is to say, a location other shank knot. This particular knotted rope is located within a burner should be placed than compass East which personal sacred space containing an Alchemical Laboratory. on the altar along with you adopt as East and which A detailed view of the infinity knot (Masonic Love Knot) is matches or a similar source you consistently treat as if shown in the top frame. of flame (also used for igit is in fact facing East. All niting the candles). Other other cardinal directions are tools and implements commonly added to the Altar may then located relative to “ceremonial” East. include a Masonic Trowel, and a Dagger (sometimes called Additional furnishings may be added or returned to the an Athame). An hourglass or sand timer is also a very nice room as needed. The Altar surface is usually covered us- and highly symbolic addition to the Masonic Altar. A final important item to be placed upon the Alter is a Volume of ing one or more Altar cloths made of cotton, satin, or silk.

Sacred Law (VSL) chosen according to the belief system of The color of the Altar cloth(s) may be chosen based upon the user. Figure 1 shows a typical Altar arrangement with the individual’s tradition, a ritual prescription, or may simply be chosen to suit the taste of the individual. Be con- many of these items present. scious of the fact that candles or even open containers of These are the basic items used in a sacred space. Addiliquids may end up upon the Altar, and the covering cloth tional Altar items can include wax discs inscribed with inshould be selected accordingly. Many Altars are prepared tricate symbols, real or resin plastic replicas of human skulls using individual silk scarves placed beneath key tools and (either individually or incorporated into a Kapala). One implements in the place of using Altar cloths. These scarves final item which may be used in a sacred space is the knotserve to insulate the implements from negative energies; ted rope. The knotted rope was referred to as a Tessellated if the Altar surface is natural wood no Altar cloth is nor- Border 6 in older Masonic texts and Ritual books. It was, in mally required. Candles selected for use on the Altar may effect, the forerunner of the tessellated border constructed be colored or white (ivory) and can be of any chosen size of equilateral triangles found in modern representations of and shape. Beeswax candles, made of a living substance, are the Masonic pavement. The knotted rope, which defines SPRING 2012 • 21

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

the inner boundary of the sacred space is constructed of a single rope (mine has a diameter of 5/8 inch) the length of which has been knotted at equal intervals using a Masonic Love Knot (also called an infinity knot). Figure 2 illustrates such a knotted rope.

It is important to periodically stop during the process of furnishing and adorning your sacred space to get a feel for how it is all coming together; freely rearrange items on the altar to improve how they look and feel to you. Move furniture until you are satisfied with how the space is filled or utilized. If you come to a point at which you are unable to accept the way an object fits in, remove the object and continue without it. As you later become more comfortable with the sacred space, you may make additional adjustments until it “just feels right�. Before using the space for the first time it (and everything contained within it) should be consecrated. Figure 3 provides a montage of photographs of a completed personal sacred space.

The number of knots used for a typical Masonic sacred space tends to be twelve; however for some Masonic rites thirty-two knots or more are appropriate. When used in a sacred space within a full-sized room, this rope is affixed to the top of the walls forming the perimeter of the room.

The tag ends, which are left to flank the room entrance, are left open until the time that the space is about to be used. The ends are then joined using a sheepshank Consecration knot, forming a protective Consecration8, in circle around the room pegeneral, may be defined as rimeter. For smaller spaces, an act by which something the rope may be placed is set aside from a comupon the floor encircling mon or profane purpose the sacred space. Free-form and dedicated for a new and rope circles (not attached sacred use. This is accomto the wall perimeter) are plished through a variety of traditionally made from a acts including prayer, ritual, rope having a length suitand ceremony. Descriptions able to form either a five of acts of consecration apfoot or a nine foot circle (alpear in the oral traditions low one additional foot of and literature of the Babyrope for each Love Knot). lonians, Egyptians, and SeKnotted ropes are extremely mitic tribes. For example, portable, and can be placed Figure 3 - These photographs illustrate a personal among the Semitic tribes temporarily on the ground sacred space (top) which has been created within an ora- consecration was accomwhen used outside or can be tory, and a personal sacred space which has been created plished through the acts of arranged in a small circle on within a small library room (bottom). The library, with separating, sanctifying, and a hotel room floor or other its greater open area may be shared as a personal scared offering. Chapter 24 of the temporary space.

Book of Exodus describes space for a small group.

The author also makes such a consecration. It inuse of three interlaced knotcluded the erection of an alted ropes, one rope being red, another black, and the final tar and placement of twelve memorial stones (representing rope white; each rope contains twenty-seven equally spaced the twelve tribes); the selection of twelve youths to perform love knots. This particular interlaced rope is permanently the burnt-offering; and reading of the covenant following installed around the perimeter of a room used as an alin which the people made their profession of obedience. chemical laboratory. The strand colors signify the AlchemiIt concluded with sprinkling of blood reserved from the cal operations of Nigredo, Rubedo, and Albedo and the holocaust. eighty-one knots (eighty-one being three times three raised The Roman Catholic Church recognizes a specific to the third power) have Kabalistic significance .7 type of consecration called a sacramental, which is the con22 • SPRING 2012

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

secration of inanimate objects which are not susceptible to “Divine Grace”, but which are a medium of its communication. Through their consecration they acquire spiritual powers and are rendered fit and suitable for Divine worship .9 In the Eastern Churches the prayers at the consecration of altars and sacred vessels are accompanied by the sign of the cross and by anointing with holy oils10.

Consecrations are a common theme across all religions, including the Hindu11 and Muslim12 traditions.

Within the traditions of Freemasonry consecrations are performed routinely by established rituals using sanctified tools and substances.

It may be inferred that consecration is a necessary requisite for the creation of a sacred space. It should be mentioned that once a sacred space has been consecrated the “Divine Presence” may not immediately manifest. Experience indicates that frequent use of the sacred space for prayer, invocation, and ritual is often required. Over time the space will seem to “acquire” the “Divine Presence” in proportion to its use for sacred purposes.

Freemasons are likely familiar with the Ritual used

F

crated it is no longer an “ordinary” space in the sense that when you approach the space for the purpose of seeking the “Divine Presence” the quality and feel of the space will be different. Note that this sentence has been very carefully worded. If the sacred space is in a multi-use room (say for example a corner of a bedroom), it may function ordinarily for that purpose until such time as you wish to use it for sacred purposes; it is dormant until you decide to use it as a sacred space. Some historians14 claim that the rigidity of the boundaries between sacred space and ordinary space have never been totally rigid and take the position that the sacred may only be experienced from within the profane.

This is supported by the logic that historically, infinite gradations of sacredness may exist within and surrounding a sacred space. It is noted15 that: “(there)… were gradations of holiness within scared sites: for example, the church within the churchyard, the chapel within the church, the altar within the chapel. In late medieval Catholicism Christians crossed boundaries of holiness between different zones, or had their representative, the priest, cross these boundaries on their behalf, moving closer to the holy.”

or a Freemason the sacred space should be a continuance of the contemplative atmosphere present in both the Chamber of Reflection and the open Lodge.

to consecrate or re-consecrate a Lodge room. This same ritual may be modified and adopted for consecration of the personal sacred space as well. For those wishing to adopt a different consecration method, the simplest consecration is performed by offering a prayer. The form of the prayer will of course depend upon the individuals own religious tradition; however prayers used for consecration may reliably follow the prayer model represented by the acronym13 ACTS – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication, in which case supplication would include praying for the purification and consecration of the sacred space. Consecrations can also be incredibly complex and involve a Ritual cleansing of the space using esoteric banishing methods such as the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP), accompanied by the use of incense, the lighting of candles, and appropriate invocations.

Using a Sacred Space Once the personal sacred space has been conse-

The transition of the space from dormancy to an active sacred space is largely a matter of purposefully assuming an attitude of reverence with regards to the space.

If a sacred space is temporary or semi-permanent, and requires restoration of tools and furnishings in some way to accommodate its intended use, reestablish the altar with a contemplative heart. Many people prepare themselves to enter a personal sacred space by donning a distinctive robe (or apron), or by removing their street shoes. In some traditions the space is ritually re-cleansed (not re-consecrated) before use.

It is recommended that after reestablishing the sacred space to your satisfaction that the initial activity conducted there should be prayer and contemplation. This practice prepares your spiritual self to reacquire the sense of the “Divine Presence”. The purpose of many of the symbolic items you have included in your sacred space is to stimulate contemplation. Objects known as Memento SPRING 2012 • 23

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Mori (i.e. Skull and Crossbones) are sometimes placed in the Chamber of Reflection to assist the Candidate in considering his own mortality.

Any activities you engage in within the active sacred space which enhance your spiritual self-knowledge or which heighten your sensitivity to the spiritual universe which surrounds you are acceptable uses of the sacred space. This includes prayer, meditation, contemplation, study, research, journaling, artwork. The question of whether music is appropriate during sacred contemplation is largely an individual choice. There is no doubt that music, as a nonverbal means of communication, is capable of stirring the spirit of man. Music when used as an aid in achieving spiritual awareness is certainly a legitimate part of the sacred experience. The choice of the music used for this purpose can only be decided by the listener, and what works for one person may or may not work for another.

Any activities which lead you to a better understanding of your spiritual life are equally valid uses of the sacred space. The sacred space may also be shared with others for teaching or for conversations about spirituality. Some of the best personal sacred spaces are those which have been established in multi-use rooms such as an existing library, study, or oratory. These rooms often seem to bear the spiritual imprint of the individual who uses them. When bringing a trusted friend or your spouse into your active sacred space be certain to instruct them in the procedures you may have adopted to maintain the sacred atmosphere of the space. If any item in the space is offensive or disturbing to them in any way, discuss the symbolic meaning of the object with them. If they remain uncomfortable, immediately remove the upsetting item, and return it when they ADVERTISEMENT have departed.

With increased use, the sacred space becomes more and more comfortable and develops into a personal refuge in which you are free to communicate with your spiritual self and experience the ”Divine Presence”. You may find yourself surprised that supplications made during prayer, especially those directed towards healing and peace, begin to manifest in the physical world.

Conclusion This has been a somewhat difficult paper to prepare, to some degree because it discusses an intensely personal aspect of my own spiritual life, and in part because some of the concepts presented are controversial. I do believe that this paper will serve to stimulate discussion of some of the more esoteric aspects of Masonry with which Freemasons struggle.

Endnotes 1- Mann, Charles C. and Musi, Vincent J. (photog.). The Birth of Religion. in National Geographic Magazine. June 2011.

24 • SPRING 2012

2- sacred. Collins World English Dictionary- Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. (2012). HarperCollins Publishers.

3- Lidov, Alekseĭ (2009). Hierotopy: Comparative Studies of Sacred Spaces. Indrik. ISBN-10: 5916740336; ISBN-13: 9785916740332.

4- Otto, Rudolf. (1936). The Idea of the Holy: An Inquiry into the Non-Rational Factor in the Idea of the Divine and Its Relation to the Rational. John W. Harvey (ed.). London: Oxford University Press.

5- Cunningham, Lawrence and Kelsay, John (2010) The Sacred Quest: An Invitation to the Study of Religion. Pearson Education.

ISBN 10: 0023263369 ; ISBN 13: 9780023263361.

6- Falconer, Donald. (1999). The Four Tassels. in The Square and Compasses: In Search of Freemasonry. Retreived February 1, 2012 from http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/don13.html.

7- Vieira, Otavio. (2010). The Rope of 81 Knots. in Symbolism in Masonic Lodges. Retrieved February 1, 2012 from the Website of the Scottish Rite, Valley of Fort Meyers, Orient of Florida at http:// www.scottishriteftm.org/images/images/Symbolism%20in%20Masonic%20Lodges%201.pdf 8- Schulte, A.J. (1908). consecration. In The Catholic Encyclopedia.

New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved January 28, 2012 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04276a.htm.

9- Aquinas, St. Thomas. (1947). The Summa Theologica. Fathers of the English Dominican Province (trans). Benziger Brothers.Retrieved January 30, 2012 from http://www.ccel.org/a/aquinas/summa/FP/ FP002.html.

10- Wright, William. (1894). A Short History of Syriac Literature.

London: Adam and Charles Black.

11- Slaczka, Anna A. (2007). Temple Consecration in Ancient India: Text and Archeology. Netherlands: Brill. ISBN-10: 978-90-04-158436.

12- Necipogulu, Gulru (ed.).(1996).Muqarnas- An Annual on the Visual Culture of the Islamic World. Netherlands: Brill Academic Publishing. ISBN 978-9004106338.

13- The ACTS Prayer. http://xacentral.com/resources/files/ActsPrayer.pdf 14- Coster, Will and Spicer, Andrew (eds.). (2005) Sacred Space in Early Modern Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

ISBN-10: 0-521-82487-7 ; ISBN-13: 978-0-521-82487-3 15- De Polignac, F. (1995). Cults, Territory and the Origin of the Greek City State. J. Lloyd (trans.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.ISBN:9780226673332.

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

FRATERNALISM

Nebraska Expeditionary Masonry in Afghanistan

by Patrick Barger

By the time you read this article, Swisher Lodge, U.D. operating in the war-ravaged country of Afghanistan, will have stowed its working tools and travelled back to the West.

Since the publication of the Spring issue of the Nebraska Mason, much took place within our expeditionary lodge in Kabul prior to my return to United States soil in April.

When they told me being raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason meant I could travel in foreign countries, it seems they meant it.

There were a number of people stationed near me who were interested in joining Masonry, and as the word continued to quickly pass through our military channels and the chain of command, many deployed personnel followed through on their desire to become Masons. When it was finally time to rap the Entered Apprentice gavel, it is my pleasure to report that we initiated seven Masons before the lodge shut its doors and returned with me to the United States. A Navy Captain, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, Army Sergeant First Class, two Navy Lieutenants, an Air Force Major, and a civilian contractor were initiated.

Before I packed our implements of Masonry and climbed aboard a C-17 Globemaster III headed toward the setting sun, Swisher Lodge had thirty members hailing from all corners of the earth. Besides Nebraska, the Phillipines, Nova Scotia, Oregon, West Virginia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Texas, Virginia, Germany, Washington, Colorado, and South Dakota are represented. Brothers from Oregon and Colorado who remain in the war zone have contacted the Grand Lodge of Nebraska for advice on forming an expeditionary lodge and inform me their Grand Masters are very interested in pursuing the idea. It’s nice to know Nebraska has inspired and played a significant role in furthering Masonry well beyond its territorial borders.

As you know, Swisher Lodge was named after Bro. (SSG) Christopher Swisher of Lincoln Lodge No. 19, killed in Iraq in 2003. Everything we did was dedicated to him.

The lodge was the brainchild of MWB Dean Skokan who, during his advancement through the Grand Lodge Officer line in 2003, heard the Grand Lodge of Tennessee formed an expeditionary lodge and sent it to the war zone with deployed brothers. Skokan, a Vietnam combat veteran, was struck by the fact he saw a photograph of deployed Masons wearing garbage bags as aprons and vowed to create what eventually became known as the famous “Swisher

Kit” containing real cloth aprons and all the implements necessary to conduct a lodge meeting that could fit within a shoulder bag. MWB Dean’s additional research revealed the Grand Lodge of Nebraska previously constituted what was known as “Monitor Lodge” during the Civil War for Nebraska Masons deployed to the front lines to continue their Masonic endeavors. To discover that significant bit of Masonic military history was for Skokan, “Very inspiring.

Very inspiring…” All of this indeed inspired him to research and define the necessary legalities of constituting a modern expeditionary lodge. Wanting to dedicate it to SSG Swisher and with the permission of his family and approval by the necessary Masonic authorities, the lodge was formed. In a way only a combat veteran knows, there are frequent times when you search for anything from home to help take your mind off the stress of the war zone environment. Next to communicating with your family, being able to sit in lodge with your fraternal brothers is second only to that. On behalf of 30 Masons deployed to Afghanistan, we thank MWB Dean Skokan for having the vision and tenacity to accomplish that.

Our very existence in Afghanistan is evidence that Masonry is a worldwide fraternity. There are 30 brothers in the world who will always remember one of their best and most memorable experiences in Masonry was in a Nebraska lodge.

It’s good to be home. God Bless You, our beloved country, and the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

This article appeared in a recent issue of the Nebraska Mason.

SPRING 2012 • 25

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

FRATERNALISM

Jo Daveiss: Frontiersman, Attorney, Soldier, Freemason

by Christopher Kimmel, mms

N

ovember 7, 2011 marks the 200th anniversary of Indiana Territorial Governor Gen. William Henry Harrison’s victory over The Prophet at the Battle of Tippecanoe. The battle itself, its causes and aftermath are all noteworthy, but to Freemasons, the battle marks a more solemn date -- the death of Grand Master Joseph Hamilton “Jo” Daveiss.

Joseph Hamilton “Jo” Daveiss (often misspelled Daviess)1 was born to Joseph Daveiss and Jean Daveiss née Hamilton on March 4, 1774 in Bedford County, Virginia.

He was the fourth in a family that would grow to twelve children. The elder Daveiss was a farmer who soon heard the call of the new wilderness and the availability of land that had opened in what is now Kentucky. In 1779, Daveiss Sr. packed his family and belongings and moved them to Clarke’s Run outside of what is now Danville, Kentucky where he continued his vocation in the fertile untamed region. The resolve of young Jo’s mother can be seen during an incident in the move west. While crossing a stream, she was thrown from her horse and her arm was broken. They stopped and bound her broken arm with their rudimentary skills and the materials at hand. She then returned to her horse, child in her arm, and continued her journey. Young Jo is said to have acquired a great deal of his mother’s spirit.2 There were no public schools in the area at this time, so young Jo was initially educated at home by his mother.

At the age of twelve, he progressed though several private educators in the area where he was instructed in Latin, Greek, French, English literature, mathematics, grammar and military tactics.3 Young Jo excelled as a student and proved to be an amazing orator. His studies were cut short when the death of two siblings required that he return home to assist his father on the farm.4 Jo did not take to farming, but he loved the outdoors.

He would often leave his farm work and take off on hunting expeditions in the surrounding wilderness. In 1792, Jo Daveiss entered Major John Adair’s militia – hoping to find more adventure.

Adair was a noted Revolutionary War veteran. He was part of an expedition that guarded provisions and travelled to several forts while scouting the area that is now Ohio.

26 • SPRING 2012

On November 6, 1792, while camping in the vicinity of Fort St. Clair, near what is now Eaton, Ohio, Adair’s force of between fifty to one hundred men was ambushed by a force of approximately 250 Mingo and Wyandot warriors led by Chief Little Turtle. During the fight Adair’s men were separated from their horses, but Daveiss, spying his horse in the distance, sprinted toward his horse through gunfire, mounted it and rode back through the same hazards to the cheers of his comrades.5 This action provided the morale that allowed Adair to lead a small squad in a suicide charge that threw the opposing forces back and permitted Adair and nearly all of his men to escape. Although the battle was lost, Adair and his men were considered heroes for holding off a superior force and inflicting greater casualties upon the enemy than their own loss of six men. After serving six months, Daveiss returned to his home in Kentucky when Adair’s company was disbanded.

Since Daveiss’ father knew that his son had no affinity for farming, he decided that Jo Daveiss would study law under the noted lawyer George Nicholas. Within Daveiss’ class were some distinguished men such as Isham Talbot, Felix Grundy, Jesse Bledsoe, John Pope, John Stuart,

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

George Garrard, James Allen, and William Blackburn.

While the accomplishments of these men may have been forgotten due to the passage of time, in their day, they were considered the brightest of western lawyers and statesmen, among whom Daveiss’ star shone brightest.6 In June of 1795, Daveiss began practicing law. In the fall of the same year, he relocated to Danville, which was the seat of one of the three district courts. During this period, lawyers would ride circuit from town to town, practicing law as cases became available. Owing to his love of the wilderness, Daveiss, donning his hunting jacket, deerskin leggings, and coonskin cap, with his rifle shouldered and horse in tow, would set off through the wilderness. He would often arrive in court in this same attire. As an attorney he amassed not only money, but also land for his services. He was on his way to becoming one of the wealthiest men in Kentucky.7 In 1800, Daveiss was appointed United States Attorney for the State of Kentucky. It was his only public office, and a position he held for seven years. Due the nature of this appointment, he felt it best that he relocate to the capital city of Frankfort. In 1802, while serving as U.S. Attorney, he had the rare opportunity to argue a case before the Supreme Court.

When he arrived in Washington to argue the case, Daveiss found the Supreme Court already in session.

Hurriedly, he found his way to the Capitol Building, where the Court was meeting. Taking no time to wash, shave or even change from his travelling attire --and to the disdain of the other lawyers in attendance-- he entered the room to find the case all ready on the docket. Daveiss argued the case with such eloquence, when the decision was handed down, he was victorious. With this case Daveiss became the first western lawyer to argue a case before the highest court in the land.8 It was probably during this visit to Washington D.C. that he met Miss Ann Marshall, sister to John Marshall, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.9 “Jo” and Ann married at Frankfort, Kentucky in 1803, but their union produced no children.

While serving as United States Attorney, Daveiss found himself in a situation that tested his honor as a man and his skill as an attorney. On January 29, 1803 at McLean’s Tavern in Bardstown, Kentucky, John Rowan, later a Judge and U.S. Senator, and Dr. James Chambers were drinking and playing cards. An argument ensued, which was followed by physical violence. Although the two men were separated, on January 31 Chambers challenged Rowan to a duel. Duels were illegal in Kentucky, but some people considered them a way to preserve honor. Both men selected their seconds:

Rowan selected his friend Jo Daveiss, and Chambers selected John Allen, a law classmate of Daveiss. Chambers died in the duel, but Rowan, Daveiss and Allen were wanted under the law for their involvement. The three men became fugitives, but Rowan was soon caught and placed on trial for murder. In an act of selfless courage, Daveiss and Allen emerged from hiding and served as Rowan’s legal counsel.

They offered their accounts of the event and charges against Rowan were dismissed due to insufficient evidence. All three men were freed.10 In 1804, Daveiss was initiated into Lexington Lodge No. 1. His first appearance on any remaining Masonic document is in the 1804 lodge returns to the Grand Lodge of Kentucky as a Fellow Craft. The returns of 1806 reflect his advancement to the sublime degree of Master Mason.11 It should be noted that at this time, all men were brothers after being initiated as an Entered Apprentice and it was usually only those who had a greater affinity for the Craft that advanced to the degree of Master Mason.

Daveiss was described as a powerful man who was around six feet tall and lordly in appearance.12 He had dark, deep blue eyes with a good voice and a graceful delivery. He seldom, if ever, was one for horseplay, was respectful, moral, and remarkably temperate for a man of that period. His political beliefs led him to the Federalist Party. Alexander Hamilton was his political hero. Hamilton’s influence was so great that Daveiss would pin his entire name, using his mother’s maiden name “Hamilton” within his own.13 This might have played a part in the next chapter in his life involving former Vice-President Aaron Burr.

After completing a term as Vice-President and due to his views involving secession and his successful, yet fatal duel with Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr fled west. Late in 1806, Burr appeared in Kentucky, within the sights of Daveiss. It was alleged that Burr was working with Spain in an attempt to raise an army to draw the United States into a war with Spain. Daveiss brought charges of treason against Burr in a Frankfort court on November 5, 1806.

At the time Daveiss filed the charges, Burr was in Lexington, but wasted no time in making his way to Frankfort. On November 6, Burr entered the courtroom to answer Daveiss’ charges. Burr’s attorneys were none other than the formidable Henry Clay and Daveiss’ classmate (and fellow duel second), John Allen. A grand jury was impaneled and court was convened in only six days. The early court date caught Daveiss by surprise. In fact, his key witness, Davis Floyd, was serving in the Indiana Territorial Legislature in Vincennes and was unable to attend. Without witnesses, the grand jury was dismissed. Daveiss assured the SPRING 2012 • 27

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

judge that were he to convene a second grand jury, he could produce Floyd and other witnesses that would implicate Burr. The judge granted Daveiss’ request.

forwarded a letter to Harrison on August 24 that included the following passage:

The second grand jury convened on December 2, 1806. Daveiss had secured Davis Floyd, but again asked for a continuance because a second key witness, John Adair, Daveiss’ former commander and now a U.S. Senator, had not arrived. The continuance was not granted and the attorneys thundered at each other in an extended freewheeling exchange. Without Adair, however, Daveiss could not prove Burr’s treasonous motives. In 1807 Burr was again tried in Virginia for treason, and was again found not guilty, even though President Thomas Jefferson had pressured Chief Justice John Marshall for a conviction.

Again, the prosecution could only produce one witness, when two were necessary, and the physical evidence was a copy, not the original treasonous letter by Burr. Although Burr had raised money, procured equipment and had a plan, he had not yet committed an overt act of treason and was found innocent.

The object of this letter is to say, that I am very desirous to be with you in this service, and certainly will attend if I am duly informed of the day of the rendezvous. It is but rare that any thing of the military kind is done – it is still more extraordinary that a gentleman of military talents should conduct matters of this kind when they are to be done, since the land is infested with generals so grossly incompetent. Now under all the privacy of a letter, I make free to tell you that I have imagined there were two men in the West who had military talents; and you, sir, were the first of the two. It is thus an opportunity of service much valued by me. I go as a volunteer, leaving to you sir, to dispose of me as you choose.17

The Grand Lodge of Kentucky’s proceedings reflect Daveiss’ election to the position of Senior Warden in Lexington Lodge No. 1 during the first half of 1810 and as Master of the Lodge later in the same year. On August 30, 1811, Daveiss was elected Grand Master of Masons of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky. While progressive lines in Grand Lodges were not yet in vogue and it was not uncommon for a man to be elected Grand Master after serving in one or two Grand Lodge offices, Daveiss’ election was unique because the office of Grand Master was the only position in Grand Lodge that Daveiss ever held.14 Tensions between the Native Americans and Gen. William Henry Harrison, Indiana Territorial Governor, reached a critical point in 1810. Harrison was attempting to secure land titles within the region in order to ensure the safety of American settlers. The Native American Chief Tecumseh threatened to enlist the support of the British should hostilities break out. Harrison continued negotiations and again met with Tecumseh in August of 1811. When that meeting failed, word arrived that Native Americans of multiple tribes were assembling under the banner of Tecumseh’s older brother Elskatawwa,15 also known as “The Prophet” at the village dubbed Prophetstown.16 After informing Washington D.C. of the impending danger and securing the permission of President Madison, Harrison began mustering a force to disperse the tribes amassing in Prophetstown. The initial staging point for this force was Vincennes, the Indiana Territorial Capital.

Upon hearing the news of the pending venture, Daveiss 28 • SPRING 2012

Harrison welcomed Daveiss, made him a major in the Indiana Militia, and placed him in charge of roughly 120 dragoons or light cavalrymen. It is unsure why Harrison put this trust in Daveiss, a man with only six months of military experience nearly twenty years earlier. One can only imagine that Daveiss’ letter and charisma impressed Harrison.18 Knowing the dates he would be in Vincennes, Daveiss forwarded a letter to Vincennes Lodge No. 15, later Vincennes Lodge No. 1, on September 3, 1811 informing them when he would be arriving and to hold off any degree work until he arrived so that he might be a part of it.

Intending to be at Vincennes between the 18th & 20th inst. to enter upon the campaign, I desire earnestly to see the work of your worshipfull [sic] Lodge at that time, that so I may discharge a duty very dear to me, toward that western infant, whose destiny, I will see, I trust, [continue] to diffuse its divine light over your new world.

Let therefor [sic] [everyone] know that they are to be ready for labour [sic] at your summons, and that their work will be dilligently [sic] examined.

If there be any about to be entered, passed or raised, let that work be diferred [sic] till I come, that so I may convert this opportunity into as much good toward you as possible.19

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

On his way to Vincennes, Daveiss stopped before the falls of the Ohio River and visited Abraham Lodge No. 8 located in Louisville, Kentucky.20 He then continued on to Vincennes. After Daveiss arrived, Vincennes Lodge was set to labor. On the nights of September 18, 19, 21 and 22, he presided at called meetings for degrees, the passing and raising Isaac White to the sublime degree of Master Mason, and initiating Nathaniel Adams, Josiah Foster, and Henry McGee. These meetings were the last times he would sit in a Masonic Lodge.21 On September 26, Harrison led his force of roughly 1,000 men northeast along the Wabash River, all the while still negotiating with Native American tribes to secure land titles. When Harrison’s troops reached a high ground near what is now Terre Haute, Indiana on October 3, they began constructing a stockade fort that when completed would be christened Fort Harrison by Daveiss on behalf of all the officers: Colonial Daviess made a speech on the occasion.

Standing over the front gate, and holding a bottle of whiskey in his hand, he said, “In the name of the United States, and by the authority of the same, I christen this Fort Harrison.” He then broke the bottle over the gate, when a whiskey-loving soldier, standing near, exclaimed with the usual expletive, “It is too bad to waste whiskey in that way --water would have done just as well.” 22 Harrison’s troops were drilled. After they completed Fort Harrison on October 28, they received supplies and prepared to move north. Approximately 919 men advanced towards Prophetstown, but a handful of men stayed behind to garrison the new fort. On the journey, Harrison had to be careful not to leave his force exposed as he travelled into dangerous territory. Periodically, he was called upon by Native Americans. Harrison continued negotiating with them, hoping to avoid a major battle.

On November 6, Harrison’s force camped within sight of Prophetstown on a triangular piece of elevated ground, bordered on one side by wetlands, on a second side by a small stream and dense growth, and on the third facing an open prairie. Harrison felt that this position afforded his men the best protection against an unknown force. He would later be criticized for ordering no entrenchments or barricades after making camp. However, it is likely that by sundown, after chopping enough firewood, there was little time left for such defenses.23 The November night

was cold and only the officers and about 250 regulars had tents. Large fires were needed for warmth. While the fires allowed heat and greater visibility within the perimeter, it gave the enemy excellent views of the camp. Over 100 sentinels were posted that night in a single file around the camp’s perimeter.

General Harrison had one major objective: disband the gathering Native American tribes. He felt that if he could negotiate the dispersal of the tribes, he would be in a better position to negotiate the land rights from each tribe individually. If he failed, he felt the presence of a large military force might persuade the tribes to disperse.

Armed conflict was the final option for the American force.

24 Meanwhile, the strategy of the Native Americans was to severely wound or kill Harrison to demoralize the American force and cause them to retreat. They hoped to succeed by probing the defensive line of the American force to find a weak point, and then rush the camp. Should this plan fail, they hoped to shoot Harrison once he became visible on his white horse during the battle.25 Harrison greatly relied upon the military experience he gained while serving under Gen. Anthony Wayne, especially his involvement during the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. Having this combat experience against Native Americans, Harrison felt that the greatest possibility of an attack would be a couple of hours before dawn.

While the true strength of the Native American force was unknown to Harrison beforehand, it was later estimated at roughly 600 combatants.26 On the morning of November 7, 1811, Harrison woke shortly after 4:00 A.M. to intermittent rain. As he dressed, he heard the first shots of battle. The camp was soon alive with activity as gunfire peppered the line. The Battle of Tippecanoe had begun. To Harrison’s credit, he remained in the open throughout the conflict, commanding his force from his second mount, a reddish brown horse. It is said that during the fight a bullet passed through his hat, grazing his head.27 Daveiss’ dragoons were not engaged initially. They were being held in reserve. Yet, Daveiss was eager to enter the fray. Some 45 minutes into the conflict, he noticed a well concealed force that was harassing the American line.

He petitioned Harrison to be allowed to dislodge them.

The request was twice heard and twice denied. “Tell Major Daveiss to be patient; he shall have an honorable position before the battle is over.”28 After a third request, however, Harrison replied, “Tell Major Daviess he has he has heard my position twice; he may now use his own discretion.”29 Daveiss then hand-picked a party of twenty men to travel SPRING 2012 • 29

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

on foot to dislodge the concealed enemy force. Clad in a white blanket coat, Daveiss led his men in a single file outside the perimeter, but his squad was not large enough for the task at hand. They were driven back into the camp, and Daveiss was mortally wounded by a bullet that entered above his right hip.

By mid-morning, fighting had subsided after a Harrison charge that forced the Native American forces to withdraw.

The day would be won, but Daveiss was undone. He was a strong man, however, and death was not swift. Mrs. Maria T. Daviess would write of his last hours in “The History of Mercer and Boyle Counties”: Colonel Allin [sic], his bosom friend and comrade in arms, came to tell his kindred the sorrowful tidings (the death of Jo Daviess). All day long, he said, he lay under the shade of a giant sycamore tree, his life ebbing slowly away, and he awaiting his last enemy, death, with unquailing eye. His spirit passed out with the setting sun, and by the starlight his soldiers laid him in his rude grave, wrapped only in his soldier’s blanket, and as the thud of the falling earth fell on their ears they wept like children. 30 Daveiss clung to life until the evening. He was laid to rest that night under an oak tree. His comrades carved “JD” into the tree, leaving no other mark in hopes that his grave might remain untouched. Isaac White, the Master Mason that Daveiss recently raised was laid to rest that day near his Grand Master. Sixty-two men were either killed or succumbed from their wounds. 126 men returned home and recovered from their wounds. Of the 62 dead, eleven were known to be Freemasons.31 On August 27, 1812, the Grand Lodge of Kentucky assembled in Lexington with ten lodges represented. They marched from Ma1son’s Hall to the Presbyterian Church in a funeral procession in remembrance of their fallen Grand Master.32 In 1857, Judge Levi Todd, a Past Master of Lexington Lodge No.1 who was residing in Indiana and was a friend of Daveiss, presented Jo Daveiss’ cavalry sword to the Grand Lodge of Kentucky. It was the sword Daveiss carried at the Battle of Tippecanoe. To this day, Jo Daveiss’ sword is used to tile meetings of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky. 33 While Brother Jo Daveiss may have left earth prematurely, his life as a frontiersman, attorney, soldier and Freemason was exemplary and noteworthy in history.

30 • SPRING 2012

Today, the accomplishments of his life may have been forgotten with the passage of time, but his name will ever be with us. Five states have named counties or townships as a tribute to him. One can only hope to enter the joys of the Lord with the same valor and distinction as Jo Daveiss.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Bogart, William H. “Jo Daviess,” Daniel Boone and the Hunters of Kentucky. New York: Miller Orton & Co., 1857.

Daveiss, Joseph Hamilton, to Vincennes Lodge No. 15. 3 September 1811. Letter in the hands of Vincennes Lodge No. 1.

Vincennes, Indiana.

Daviess, M.T. “Sketch of Col. Joseph H. Daviess, of Ky.,” The Land We Love, November 1868, 294-295.

Daviess, Maria T. “The History of Mercer and Boyle Counties” (Harrodsburg, KY: The Harrodsburg Herald, 1885). Quoted in Alfred Pirtle, “The Battle of Tippecanoe,” As read before The Filson Club (1 November 1897), Filson Club Publication No. 15, 59.Louisville, KY: John P. Morton and Co., 1900.

Esarey, Logan, ed. Governors Messages and Letter: Messages and Letters of William Henry Harrison. Vol. 1. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Commission, 1922.

Heidler, David S., and Heidler, Jeanne T. Henry Clay: The Essential American. New York: Random House, Inc., 2010.

Johnson, L.F. Famous Kentucky Tragedies and Trials. Louisville, KY: Baldwin Law Book Co., 1916.

Kleber, John E. ed. The Kentucky Encyclopedia. 3rd printing.

Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky, 1992.

Little, Lucius P. Ben Hardin: His Times and Contemporaries.

Louisville, KY: Courier-Journal Job Printing Co., 1887.

Lossing, Benson J. Lossing’s Pictoral Field Book of the War of 1812, vol. 1. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1869; Reprint, Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Co., 2004.

Pirtle, Alfred. “The Battle of Tippecanoe,” As read before The Filson Club (1 November 1897), Filson Club Publication No. 15.Louisville, KY: John P. Morton and Co., 1900.

Pittman, H.D. The Belle of the Bluegrass Country. Boston: The C.M. Clark Publishing Co., 1906.

Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky Held at the Mason’s Hall in the Town of Lexington, August, A.L. 5812, A.D. 1812.

Lexington, KY: Printed at the office of the Kentucky Gazette by Thomas Smith, 1812.

Poe, Cameron C. “GM Joseph Daviess and the Battle of Tippecanoe, 2010.” Ms [electronic copy]. Lexington Lodge No. 1, Lexington, KY.

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Whickar, J. Wesley, ed. “Shabonee’s Account of Tippecanoe,” Indiana Magazine of History, XVII. December 1921, 353-360; In Indiana History: A Book of Readings. ed. Ralph D. Gray, 85-87.

Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1994.

ENDNOTES 1 His signature consistently appears as “Daveiss”.

2 M.T. Daviess, “Sketch of Col. Joseph H. Daviess, of Ky.,” The Land We Love, November 1868, 294-295.

3 Ibid., 296.

4 William H. Bogart, “Jo Daviess,” Daniel Boone and the Hunters of Kentucky, (New York: Miller Orton & Co., 1857) 409.

5 M.T. Daviess, 298.

6 R. T. Coleman, “Jo Daviess, of Kentucky,” Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, vol. 21, June to November 1860, 347.

7 M.T. Daviess, 298-299.

8 Ibid., 300.

9 H.D. Pittman, The Belle of the Bluegrass Country (Boston: The C.M. Clark Publishing Co., 1906), 232.

10 Lucius P. Little, Ben Hardin: His Times and Contemporaries (Louisville, KY: Courier-Journal Job Printing Co., 1887), 177-179: L.F. Johnson, Famous Kentucky Tragedies and Trials (Louisville, KY: Baldwin Law Book Co., 1916) 7-15: John E. Kleber, ed., The Kentucky Encyclopedia 3rd printing, (Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky, 1992) 783.

11 Cameron C. Poe, “GM Joseph Daviess and the Battle of Tippecanoe, 2010” Ms [electronic copy], p. 3, Lexington Lodge No. 1, Lexington, KY. 12 Pittman, 232.

13 Ibid., 233.

14 Poe, 3.

15 Elskatawwa’s name also appears spelled Elkswatawa and

353-360, in Indiana History: A Book of Readings. ed. Ralph D. Gray (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1994), 85-87.

26 Pirtle, 41-42.

27 Ibid, 63.

28 Ibid, 57.

29 Ibid.

30 Maria T. Daviess, “The History of Mercer and Boyle Counties” (Harrodsburg, KY: The Harrodsburg Herald, 1885); Quoted in Alfred Pirtle, “The Battle of Tippecanoe,” As read before The Filson Club (1 November 1897), Filson Club Publication No. 15 (Louisville, KY: John P. Morton and Co., 1900) 59.

31 Poe, 3.

32 Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky held at the Mason’s Hall in the town of Lexington, August, A.L. 5812, A.D. 1812, (Lexington, KY: Printed at the office of the Kentucky Gazette

by Thomas Smith, 1812) 236-237.

33 Pirtle, 85-86.

Christopher Kimmel, PM is a Past Master of Vincennes Lodge No. 1, and the current Master of the Dwight L. Smith Lodge of Research, both in Indiana.

Tenskwatawa.

16 This site today is the city of Battle Ground, Indiana.

17 Logan Esarey, ed., Governors Messages and Letter: Messages and Letters of William Henry Harrison, vol. 1, (Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Commission, 1922) 558.

18 Biographers of each man put Harrison and Daveiss in the same vicinity during Daveiss initial military service. While they may not have met, Harrison would be familiar with Adair’s battle with Little Turtle.

19 Joseph Hamilton Daveiss to Vincennes Lodge No. 15, 3 September 1811, Letter in the hands of Vincennes Lodge No. 1, Vincennes, Indiana.

20 Poe, 3.

21 The information was taken from copies of the Minutes of Vincennes Lodge No. 15. The actual minutes of the meeting have been destroyed.

22 Benson J. Lossing, Lossing’s Pictoral Field Book of the War of 1812, vol. 1, (New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1869; reprint, Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Co., 2004) 195.

23 Alfred Pirtle, “The Battle of Tippecanoe,” As read before The Filson Club (1 November 1897), Filson Club Publication No. 15 (Louisville, KY: John P. Morton and Co., 1900) 46.

24 Esarey, 550; Pirtle 105-106.

25 J. Wesley Whickar, ed., “Shabonee’s Account of Tippecanoe,” Indiana Magazine of History, XVII (December 1921): SPRING 2012 • 31

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

ADVERTISEMENT

32 • SPRING 2012

Discover the history behind Dan Brown’s “The Lost Symbol”

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Looking for Masonic Society hats, shirts, cups, mousepads, Journal back issues and more?

Visit our store at www.themasonicsociety.com where you’ll find a growing number of custom items to show your pride in membership!

Don’t keep your lapel pin collection hidden in a box or a drawer.

Display them proudly with

Lodge Pin Banner© Made in USA

www.lodgepinbanner.com

WMFH Supply

P.O. Box 30321 Spokane, WA 99223 SPRING 2012 • 33

ADVERTISEMENT

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

The Royal Art, A Way of Life...

...An introduction to ritual thinking. Practicing the Craft is a lifetime commitment to the noble tenets of the Fraternity. Eleven years of jewelry making have taught us that Freemasons are a genuine breed of people who try their best to live up to these ideals. We at The Master's Jewel strive to create items to celebrate that commitment. In the same spirit, we practice the crafting of precious metals, infusing these designs with the energy, quality, and purity of Freemasonry.

The New Classic Signet Ring.

A solid, classy straight-forward ring that will stand out as a quality piece of jewelry. Designed in the style of an vintage Masonic ring, with a original shape and solid back design, creating a sculpted octagonal form that frames the crest of the Square and Compass.

The Renaissance Jewel. A very large, 4" tall jewel created to evoke the Renaissance of Freemasonry.

"I find nothing except the jewel of his office"

The

Master's Jewel Proudly Serving the Craft since 2001.

34 • SPRING 2012

Handcrafted Masonic Rings and Fine Jewels Please visit our website, call us at 661-242-2374 or email us at studio@mastersjewel.com to request our new 16 page full color Masonic Jewelry catalog.

PO Box 5519 Pine Mountain Club, CA 93222

www.mastersjewel.com

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

FROM THE EDITOR

Ideas for Worshipful Masters

by Christopher L. Hodapp, fms

A

few years ago, I made a list of ideas for Worshipful Masters of ideas to turn around foundering lodges, based on experiences at my own lodge. Here are a few of them.

1. All Stated Meetings were held as Table Lodges for a year. Minutes were printed and circulated, NOT read. Made sure there was some kind of lodge activity, formal or informal, every single Thursday (practices, cigar nights, pub crawls, education speakers, book nights, movie nights). A building that is empty 29 days a month looks abandoned.

2. Redecorated the lobby and entry area. Ratty furniture, no art, and accessories from when Coolidge was president make a terrible first impression on potential new members. If you think it’s ugly, how will a new member see it? If you don’t know, ASK YOUR WIFE! 3. Landscaped front yard. Ours was full of rocks and overgrown shrubs.

If your building looks tired, unkempt and decayed, what does that say about Freemasonry to a potential new member? What does it say about your own pride of membership?

4. Professionalized look of website and KEPT IT UP TO DATE. If a potential member sees that your site is dated 1997 and none of the hyperlinks work, they’ll move on.

5. Mailed a monthly Trestle Board with photos. Make Lodge look fun, and if they didn’t come, they werere missing great experiences. Don’t let the only communication with your members be a dues notice!

6. We brought in catered or convenience food rather than chaining the same few brothers to the kitchen. They will burn out.

7. Added a stereo system and big screen TV to dining room. (Football and basketball nights after Craft practice. Make Lodge a place to hang around in, not eat, meet and flee) 8. Purchased motorized stair lifts to assist our older members (we have lots of steps).

9. Started Masonic Angel Fund for local kids, based on the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts model—work with local schools and administrators. Also look at “Bikes For Books”.

area-wide ritual club and HELP EACH OTHER. 17. If you are a young Master who does not know all ritual for all degrees, learn ONE of them well, and have your Wardens do the same for the other two. Performing a smaller number of parts well is more important than stumbling through many of them badly. Do NOT get pressured into doing more than you are able by the “In MY year you had to know all of these degrees” crowd. If they know it all, ask THEM to take a part. Remember: a man gets to hear each of his degrees for the first time ONLY ONCE. If you can’t do it properly with feeling and meaning, GET SOMEONE WHO CAN. 18. Held joint lodge picnic with other lodges, including Prince Hall.

19. Let a lodge from a temple that goes dark in summer hold Craft practice at our place. Joined in with them.

20. Dramatically expanded library. Write book reviews of new ones and promote it in your Trestle Board.

21. Started a (non-Masonic) book exchange open to everyone in lodge family. Bookshelf in the dining room.

22. Officers chairs left empty for two years rather than push new members into them immediately.

23. Make sure lodge name is seen out in the community. New signage, business cards, pins, jackets with S&C and Lodge name, who to contact for info on door of lodge along with web address. If the building is closed, how will a new man find someone to ask?

24. Extend invitations to Prince Hall lodges for visits. Current leadership within Prince Hall Masonry in Indiana requires that the PHA Lodge get permission to visit from their Grand Master, so check with the Master of the PHA lodge for their latest rulings on this matter.

Since 2004, we’ve assisted a group of PHA lodges with their annual Thanksgiving Dinner for the poor, and in 2005, we conferred the Master Mason degree on two Prince Hall candidates.

25. Always keep petitions in your car. Let me say that again: Always keep petitions in your car.

10. Made $100 donation to Masonic Home Foundation for every month a member (or members) died.

26. If 200 members stay away, get new ones who won’t! If only seven show up, have fun with each other.

11. Poinsettias hand delivered to lodge Widows at Christmastime by officers, or better yet, the Master. They’ll love you forever. Get them on your side and their grandson may join.

27. Made up a new member’s notebook, containing: introduction to lodge etiquette; lodge history; list of Masonic websites, research, recommended book list; lodge directory of all members, their addresses and phone numbers; introduction to Freemasonry for a Mason’s lady; list of all lodge widows; all Committees; list of area lodges to visit; lodge by-laws; brochures from the York Rite, Scottish Rite & Shrine - NOT petitions from them (discourage new members from joining appendant bodies for 1 year); three petitions and Grand Lodge Masonic brochures and DVD; and Masonic license plate form

12. Started Annual Chili Cook-Off with permanent trophy at lodge.

The noisier the rivalry gets, the better. Encourage outlandish claims, bragging rights, traveling trophy and trash talking.

13. Presented Lifetime Achievement Award to oldest members who came to every meeting and degree. These men built our lodges. Acknowledge their achievements publicly. It makes it easier for them when you boot them out of an officer’s chair if you acknowledge their years of work when you weren’t around.

14. Insisted on post-meeting gathering at local tavern for members, spouses, friends. Do NOT hang out in the parking lot of the Lodge bitching after meetings. That’s not how to forge new friendships.

15. Regular dialogue with OES Matron. Kept them involved in our public events.

28. Plan with your Wardens so there is continuity for years to come stop reinventing the wheel every year. Do NOT hide good ideas from your Master so you can claim victory during your year. Do NOT pass on problems to the next Master. Solve them now!

30. If someone asks you who the Masons are, don’t reply by telling them about the Shrine. Be sure everyone has their own elevator speech.

Tell a new man why YOU joined, what it means to YOU, not some canned Grand Lodge speech off the back of a brochure.

16. Sought out degree help from other lodges. Made liberal use of honorary memberships for regular visiting helpers. Start a county or SPRING 2012 • 35

The Masonic Society 1427 W. 86th Street, Ste. 248 Indianapolis, IN 46260-2103

Masonic Treasures

Masonic temple in New Haven, Connecticut. Photo by Christopher L. Hodapp