The Journal
Of The Masonic Society
Winter 2010
Issue 7
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THE JOURNAL OF THE
MASONIC SOCIETY Editor in Chief Christopher L. Hodapp Phone: 317-842-1103 editor@themasonicsociety.com 1427 W. 86th Street Suite 248 Indianapolis IN 46260-2103 Editorial Committee Jay Hochberg - Submissions Editor Randy Williams - Assistant Editor Submit articles by email to: articles@themasonicsociety.com
The Officers and the Board of Directors cordially invite you to attend
The Second Annual
Dinner and Meeting of The Masonic Society Masonic Week 2010 The Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Alexandria, Virginia Friday Evening, February 12, 2010, 6:00 PM
“National Treasure, Dan Brown, and Public Perception” Christopher L. Hodapp, Moderator All Freemasons and Ladies are Welcome! Please make all reservations through the Masonic Week 2010 Website: http://yorkrite.com/MasonicWeek IMPORTANT NOTE: We are honored to be an official participant in the Allied Masonic degrees “Masonic Week” program. Tickets for the banquet are available ONLY in advance through the AMD Week organizers. All Meals MUST have a ticket. All RESERVATIONS must be made by FEBRUARY 1, 2010. No meal tickets will be sold at the HOTEL! ALL DINNER TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 1ST, 2010! Visit the AMD reservation website at http://www.yorkrite.org/MasonicWeek/index.html or contact: Paul Newhall, 13611 Dairy Lou Court, Oak Hill, VA 20171-3342 Telephone Number (703) 598-5077 Email: pnewhall@cox.net Hotel reservations are available by calling 1-800-HILTONS Identify the hotel property as the “Hilton Alexandria Mark Center” Rooms may still be available at a reduced rate under the group name “AMD3” The Society will once again sponsor a hospitality suite at Masonic Week 2010. Please check at our membership table for the room number.
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Officers Roger S. VanGorden, President Michael R. Poll, 1st Vice President Rex R. Hutchens, 2nd Vice President Nathan C. Brindle, Secretary/Treasurer Christopher L. Hodapp, Editor-in-Chief Directors Ronald Blaisdell James R. Dillman Jay Hochberg James W. Hogg Fred G. Kleyn III Mark Tabbert
The Journal of The Masonic Society Winter 2010 Issue 7 Published 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). POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Journal of The Masonic Society, 1427 W. 86th Street, Suite 248, Indianapolis IN 46260-2103 © 2010 by The Masonic Society, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Perfect Ashlar By Christopher Hodapp
THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY WINTER 2010
ISSUE 7 Articles
Sections 4 President’s Message 5
News of the Society
7
Conferences, Speeches, Symposia & Gatherings
8
Masonic News
35 From The Editor
Special Reports 20 Grand Lodge of Missouri’s Masonic Museum by Christopher L. Hodapp 28 The Operatives In London by Thomas Johnson
12 Restructuring American Freemasonry, Part 2 by Mark Tabbert
14 The Odd Fellows and Their Journey to Inclusiveness by Dr. R. L. Uzzel
18 George Washington Masonic Memorial Celebrates a Century by George Seghers 21 Fluid Freemasonry by Michael Poll 22 Walking the Walk: Regular Steps in Freemasonry
32 Remembering the Founders
by Randy Williams
by Jay Hochberg
Masonic Treasures 26 John Adams’ Letter
25 Applying the Lessons of the Craft by Jason Marshall
36 Reykjavik’s Freemason House, By Steinarr Omarsson
Poetry 27 Eastbound Night by Kerry D. Kirk
COVER: This issue’s cover features Francisco de Goya’s The Injured Mason (1786-7). It is a part of a series of paintings that were created as models for a tapestry that hung in the Royal Palace of El Prado, near Madrid. Goya was inspired by a 1778 edict by King Charles III concerning construction safety ‘to avoid accidents and the death of workmen’. An early sketch of this painting showed happier expressions on the two men carrying the third, which was given the nickname “The Drunken Mason.”
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
“The Secret’s in Our Sauce” By Roger S. VanGorden
uring a recent meeting, a brother with whom I am well acquainted harped on his favorite topic of why men join Freemasonry. Again, my head nodded and a faint smile appeared across my face. This is due to the countless times I have been subjected to his rant. There is no need to even attempt an interruption, as it would be ignored and his voice become shriller. So, there I sat, nodding and smiling.
degrees, costumes, meetings, and many other things are a catalyst for brotherhood, just like the many ingredients that go into making that special sauce? Is it possible that the sharing of similar experiences in a tyled Masonic Lodge fosters a friendship that cannot be duplicated in other settings? How many fifty year Rotarians or Lions Club members do you know, even among the traditionalist generation from World War II? I’m sure there are many, but I just can’t name more than one or two in my acquaintance. How many members of those organizations swell with pride when their sons join them, or lovingly
There is a barbecue restaurant near me which is a slice of heaven. Their ribs are a treat. The chicken wings could drive one to larceny if they became scarce. But as savory as the rich flavor of the ribs and wings, are their advertisement claims, “the secret’s in our sauce.” You see, the reason men join Freemasonry, according to our brother, is due to a grandfather, friend, or wanting to enjoy fellowship. Most of us could agree at this point. Unfortunately, our brother does not stop there. He then enumerates the reasons they do not join, which are to hear ritual and read books. I tend to think he becomes most shrill around me, knowing my fondness for ritual and books. But, perhaps my bias is showing. Anyway, he is most convinced of the opinion that ritual and books have been killing participation in our great fraternity. According to him, all we need to do is infuse more opportunities for fellowship and all of our perceived problems would magically disappear. Yes, you are thinking, Roger, you have written several times on the importance of brotherhood and fellowship. You are right. But, these are just aspects of Freemasonry, not the whole. There is a barbecue restaurant near me which is a little slice of heaven. Their ribs are a treat. The chicken wings could drive one to larceny if they became scarce. But as savory as the rich flavor of the ribs and wings are, their advertisement claims, “the secret’s in our sauce.” Well, thinking of our brother’s diatribe while passing the restaurant, the red neon glow of “the secret’s in our sauce” caught my eye. Could it be that our rituals, books, 4 • WINTER 2010
care for rings, pins and mementos of their first meetings, or of their years of serving as an officer? So, I am not ready to discount the importance of our ritual and literature, and beat the drum to mock the service clubs. Next time our brother corners me with his “why men join Freemasonry” lecture I will interrupt. I will put my hand gently on his shoulder and say in slow meter, “Maybe the secret’s in our sauce.”
THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY
News of the Society lunch. The organizing committee consists of Brothers Yasha Beresiner (Chairman), David Naughton-Shires (Secretary), and Martyn Greene (Treasurer). Reservations for the symposium can be booked by downloading the application form at http://masonic-ae.com/tms
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o celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Royal Society in 2010, The Masonic Society, in conjunction with the United Grand Lodge of England’s Library and Museum of Freemasonry, will hold out first UK –Ireland Symposium in London on Friday and Saturday 28th/29th May, featuring authors Michael Baigent and Robert L. D. Cooper. This first Symposium being held in England will have as its theme ‘The Royal Society’. The event will begin Friday with a private guided tour of the Library and Museum’s exhibition ‘Freemasons and the Royal Society’ (meet in the first floor lounge of London’s Freemasons Hall at 4:00 PM). This will be the last date of the exhibition which is being held between January 11th and May 28th 2010. The evening will end with an informal dinner and drinks at the popular Prince of Wales tavern on the corner of Great Queen Street. The following day the symposium will move to the Kensal Community Centre (177 Kensal Road London W10 5BJ) where our talks for the day will be presented, and each session followed by questions and answers. Brother Michael Baigent (Editor of Freemasonry Today magazine and author of The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, and The Dead Sea Scrolls Deception ) will present ‘Aspects of the Royal Society’ followed by questions and answers and a complimentary Michael Baigent lunch. Brother Robert L. D. Cooper (The Masonic Magician: The Life and Death of Count Cagliostro and His Egyptian Rite , and The Rosslyn Hoax ) will speak on ‘A Scottish View of the Foundation of the Royal Society.’ The afternoon will end with a second session of questions and answers. The total registration cost for the Saturday event is £10.00 inclusive of
MS member, Brother Harry M. Sullivan Jr., of Magnolia, Delaware passed away October 30, 2009, in Harrisonburg, Virginia, at the age of 66. Brother Sullivan was retired from the state of Delaware, where he worked as a financial officer. He was a Past Master of Union Lodge No. 7 in Dover and a 33rd Degree Mason. He was a member of the St. Andrews Commandery, Trinity Commandery No. 3, Nur Temple, Supreme Council, Scottish Rite Research Society, Southern Valley of Lower Delaware, the Royal Order of Scotland, Research Lodge No. 2 AF&AM, Southern California Research Lodge, Delaware Conclave RCC, Grand College HRAKTP, Adoniram Council and Victory Chapter. He is survived by his loving wife Kathleen “Kay” Sullivan, and three daughters. His column is broken, and his brethren mourn. R.I.P.
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he Second Annual Dinner and Meeting of The Masonic Society will be held during Masonic Week 2010, on Friday evening, February 12, 2010, at 6:00 PM, at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Hotel in Alexandria, Virginia. At that time, the Board will announce the new Founding Fellows for 2010, and elections will be held. Following the dinner, Brother Chris Hodapp will lead a panel discussion about the effects of Dan Brown and other new popular references to the fraternity on the Craft. Joining him will be Illus. John William McNaughton, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite Northern Jurisdiction; Emory Ferguson, General Grand High Priest of Royal Arch Masons; and William H. Koon II, Eminent Grand Master of Knights Templar in the U.S. The Masonic Society will have a table in the vendor’s area, as well as a Hospitality Suite in the hotel, so please be sure to stop by and say hello.
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rother Joe Kindoll of Brentwood, Tennessee was installed as Master of the Tennessee Lodge of Research in December. See the TLofR new website at http://www.tnlor.org
Robert L. D. Cooper
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News of the Society ith great pride and appreciation, The Masonic Society welcomes the following brethren as our esteemed new members from October 1st through December 31st, 2009. John J. Adams Elquemedo O Alleyne Dr. Sergio E. Arevalo, Jr. Thomas Barnhart Tom Bathauer Jim Benedix John Richard Birchell Rev. Shel Boese David G. Boring Mark Kenton Brinkley Leland L. Burlison Cameron Cornell Caffee Craig Carter Robert Bryan Cash David Chadwick Marcus Channell Steve Chappell James R. Cogan Brian Collura Tchiyuka Cornelius Jonathan Dew J. Ronald Dotsey Kevin K. Drum Christopher J Durie
Carl Dykman Zachary J. Eskin Tim Farster Brian Scott Finger Daniel L. Flaherty David Fraser Blake D. Gardiner Scott A. Genung Jeffrey A. Geske Daniel James Gialanella Richard Grant Larry E. Gray Burdett Griffin Karl W. Grube Sean Hallman Bruce W Hammond Daniel Hanttula Ronald H. Hartoebben Edwin N. Hatfield Russ Hazelwood Brian Heider Dewey R. Heminger Daniel Graham Hood Mark Hood Kai Hughes
James J Iacone Jack J. Janssens Charles Bryan Jones Robert James Kacsmar Rick Kasparek Dennis C. King Jay M. Kinney Jeffrey J Kobos Robert J Kraus Richard L. Lasswell Bob Liddell Timothy Liggett Eric D. Madison Timothy L. McCarl Douglas C. McFarland Simon Aristide McIlroy Caid McKinley Patrick Merlevede Richard Miller Dr. Emanuele Diego Minotti Joseph A. Monto Arthur Moore, Jr. George Tecucianu Moretti
Patrick Murphrey Michael S Neuberger Willard Joseph Ottman Lucas Pacukovski Karl R Parker Sherman C. Parker, Jr. David Allan Pollock Terry Wayne Posey Paul D. Ramsour Randy Reese W. Bruce Renner Barry Rettkowski Brian Reynolds BJ Rhodes Michael W. Riker Chris A Ring Alfred H. Roberts, Jr. Matthew Costa Roberts F. Scott Robinson Michael Rowe Peter J. Samiec John W. Samouce Jon R Schamp Brian Segal John Shandalla
Todd M. Smith James E. Stewart, Jr. Robert Tagg Ron Thomas Jonathan Trimble Joseph T. Tway Joel Franklin Wagner III Terry L Wahl M. Jordan Waldman Huston Y Weems Jr. Richard L. Wenner Rick Whitford W. E. Wilcox III Alexander Nicolai Wirtz Michael Klaus Worrell Thomas C. Yunick
The Editor humbly apologizes for misspelling Brother Fred Wade’s name in Issue #6, in the story about the Masonic Society Semi-Annual Meeting in Indianapolis.
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rother Rich Vázquez in Austin, Texas is working with a film festival called Lights, Camera, Help. It is the first film festival dedicated entirely to the films-for-a-cause genre. Nonprofits, grass roots organizations, film makers and enthusiasts gather to help even the smallest organizations create films that raise funds and build communities. All of the proceeds of the festival are donated to the winners. Brother Vázquez is asking Masons who are filmmakers to consider creating programs for their area charities and entering the festival. See the festival website at http://www.lightscamerahelp.com
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embers of the Society are encouraged to submit articles to their grand lodge, appendant body and local lodge publications to spread the word about our organization. Artwork and logos are available from the online Forum, or contact the Editor at editor@themasonicsociety.com
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ooking for cool Masonic Society hats, shirts, cups, mousepads and more? Visit our Cafepress web store at www.cafepress.com/ tms where you’ll find a growing number of custom items to show your pride in membership!
Renew your membership now online at www.themasonicsociety.com
THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY
Conferences, Speeches, Symposia & Gatherings January 16, 2010 Peyton Randolph Lodge of Research No. 1774 Annual Meeting at 10 a.m. Meets at Williamsburg Masonic Lodge No. 6, Williamsburg, Virginia. February 5, 2010 Atlas-Pythagoras Lodge No. 10, Westfield, New Jersey Masonic Society Founding Member Rashied Bey to speak on “The Four Keys to Allegorical Writings.” February 10, 2010 The Art of Initiation, Alexandria, VA Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22 and the Rose Circle Research Foundation will host a special day of lectures, Bristol EA ritual, a Festive Board, and more at the George Washington Masonic Memorial. Shuttles to take brethren to and from the Alexandria Hilton. Sponsored by Toye, Kenning and Spencer Ltd. February 10-13, 2010 Masonic Week, Alexandria, VA Annual meetings of numerous York Rite affiliated bodies, plus other ceremonies and special events to be announced. Hilton Mark Center Hotel, Alexandria, Virginia. February 12, 2010 The Masonic Society’s Second Annual “First Circle Gathering” Masonic Week, Alexandria, Va. March 4, 2010 Thomas Smith Webb Chapter of Research No. 1798 Annual Meeting during Grand Chapter of New York Annual Convocation at the Albany Masonic Temple. March 5, 2010 Atlas-Pythagoras Lodge No. 10 Westfield, New Jersey Masonic Society Founding Fellow Jay Hochberg to speak on “The Myths of Atlas and the Teachings of Pythagoras.” March 13, 2010 QUEST XXX: Queens District Masonic Education Seminar 30th anniversary at Advance Masonic Temple, Long Island City, New York. MW Richard Fletcher of the Masonic Service Association to speak. March 13, 2010 New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education #1786 10 a.m. at the Trenton Masonic Temple. March 24, 2010 Masonic Lodge of Research of Connecticut New Haven Masonic Temple, at 285 Whitney Ave., New Haven. March 29, 2010 American Lodge of Research 8 p.m. at the Grand Lodge of New York. April 9, 2010 National Heritage Museum Lexington, Massachusetts First biennial symposium: “New Perspectives on American Freemasonry and Fraternalism” April 14-16, 2010 National RiteCare Childhood Learning Conference Downtown Sheraton Hotel, New Orleans.
April 16-17, 2010 A&ASR Southern Jurisdiction Leadership Conference Downtown Sheraton Hotel, New Orleans. April 16, 2010 Atlas-Pythagoras Lodge No. 10, Westfield, New Jersey Masonic Society Founding Member David Lindez to speak. April 17, 2010 Northern California Research Lodge Sacramento, CA “Freemasonry Fact & Fiction: The Dan Brown Effect” at the Downtown Sacramento Masonic Hall, 11:30 a.m. Presenters to include Masonic Society Founding Fellows John L. Cooper III, Shawn Eyer, and W. Bruce Pruitt; and Founding Member William Miklos; and Adam Morrill. April 17, 2010 Northern Conference, Cheshire, United Kingdom To meet at Hemsley House at the Salford Masonic Hall. Theme: “Modern Day Craft Freemasonry.” Speakers, other details, to be announced. April 23-25, 2010 45th Masonic Spring Workshop: Enlightenment: The Soul of Freemasonry Delta Lodge, Kananaskis, Alberta. Speakers to include UCLA Professor Margaret Jacob and Founding Fellow Stephen Dafoe. www.masonicspringworkshop.ab.ca April 30, 2010 Atlas-Pythagoras Lodge No. 10, Westfield, New Jersey The Sublime Degree of Master Mason, with the Second Section conferred by the Masonic Kilties of New Jersey degree team. May 1, 2010 Sesquicentennial Celebration of Bluestone Lodge No. 338 in Hallstead, Pennsylvania. Grand Master to attend this unique, open meeting with dinner and music. May 7, 2010 Atlas-Pythagoras Lodge No. 10, Westfield, New Jersey Tim Wallace-Murphy of Robert Burns Lodge Initiated No. 1781 to speak on “Hidden Wisdom: A History of the Western Esoteric Tradition.” May 7-9, 2010 Midwest Conference on Masonic Education At the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, Independence, Missouri. May 22, 2010 Missouri Lodge of Research 2010 Spring Truman Lecture. Details to be announced. June 13, 2010 New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education No.1786 10 a.m. at the Trenton Masonic Temple.
St. Lawrence the Martyr Degree to be conferred. July 11-13, 2010 Great Smokies York Rite Gathering Maggie Valley, North Carolina July 12th address by William L. Dill, GM of NC; Masonic Society 2nd VP Rex R. Hutchens and Journal Editor Christopher Hodapp. June 13th address by Fiounding fellow Thomas W. Jackson. July 17, 2010 Peyton Randolph Lodge of Research No. 1774 Meeting at 10 a.m. Meets at Williamsburg Masonic Lodge No. 6, Williamsburg, Virginia. August 30-31, 2010 Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction Annual Meeting In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. September 15, 2010 St. John’s Lodge No. 1, Ancient York Masons, New York City Past Prestonian Lecturer Trevor Stewart of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 to speak. September 25, 2010 Columbian Council No. 1, Royal and Select Masters, New York Bicentennial Celebration at Grand Lodge of New York. September 29, 2010 Masonic Lodge of Research of Connecticut Meets at the New Haven Masonic Temple, at 285 Whitney Ave., New Haven. October 2010 Rose Circle Research Foundation Fall Conference Date and agenda to be announced. Meets at the Grand Lodge of New York. October 20-23, 2010 Masonic Library and Museum Association Annual Meeting To be co-hosted by the George Washington Masonic Memorial, the House of the Temple, and the Grand Lodge of Virginia’s Allen E. Roberts Library. October 27, 2010 Masonic Lodge of Research of Connecticut Meets at the New Haven Masonic Temple, at 285 Whitney Ave., New Haven. May 2011 Third International Conference on the History of Freemasonry George Washington Masonic Memorial, Alexandria, Virginia. June 1-4, 2011 New Orleans Scottish Rite History and Research Symposium Sponsored by the A&ASR Southern Jurisdiction, the Valley of New Orleans, and co-hosted with The Masonic Society.
June 24-27, 2010 Grand Lodge of New York’s St. John’s Weekend Masonic Care Community, Utica, New York. July 10, 2010 New Jersey AMD Ingathering Gronning Council No. 83, Allied Masonic Degrees, Freehold, New Jersey. Papers to be presented and
Please send notices of your event to Jay Hochberg at articles@themasonicsociety.com WINTER 2010 • 7
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Masonic News
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here is a call for Candidates and Degree Teams to attend the 5th Annual Southwest Scottish Rite Regional Reunion, (SRRR) being hosted by the Phoenix Valley, on Wednesday, May 12th through Sunday the 16th, at the Chaparral Suites in Scottsdale, Arizona. This will be a unique opportunity for the Southwest Orients of the Southern Jurisdiction of Scottish Rite Masons, (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah) to hold a combined Reunion by gathering together to confer all twenty-nine Degrees upon worthy Candidates, as a courtesy to their home Valleys. This 2009 event, held in Long Beach, California, conferred the Scottish Rite Masonry Degrees to over 65 Candidates from multiple jurisdictions. All 29 Degrees will be exemplified, but the organizers also have special dispensation to have a Louisiana Degree team perform the Scottish Rite 1st, 2nd and 3rd Degrees on the evenings of May 12th and 13th for all interested Master Masons. These degrees are rarely seen outside of Louisiana, and are unique in U.S. Freemasonry. An outdoor Western BBQ is being planned for Friday Night the 14th. The Reunion will culminate with a Banquet on Saturday night, the 15th that will include a special Native American Powwow dancing entertainment. To register a candidate, yourself, a Degree Team, or just for more information please contact the Phoenix Scottish Rite Bodies at (602) 212-1073, x-203 or 204; or by email at psrb_secretary@ srmason-az.org . You may also obtain more information by visiting the SRRR web site at http://www.srrr.org Be sure to bring your lady and the entire family - they will have the opportunity to make new friends, visit fun and interesting locales during the Ladies Program, or just work on their tans pool side in one of the two pools. They can also do some shopping, take in a movie or two, eat a fine meal at a very reasonable price, see a some great entertainment. Phoenix Scottish Rite Bodies has obtained an excellent reduced rate at the Chaparral Suites Resort in downtown Scottsdale. The entire Reunion will be held at the Chaparral Suites in their Conference/Ball rooms. The rate of $129.00 per room is highly discounted from the regular rate and includes a free made to order breakfast and a free cocktail hour from 5:30 pm until 7:30 pm. To obtain this special rate contact the Chaparral Suites at 5001 N. Scottsdale Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85250, (480) 949-1414 / (800) 528-1456 or by e-mail at, www.chaparralsuites.com and request lodging under the code “Scottish Rite Regional Reunion”.
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t the quarterly meeting of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts on December 9, 2009, Grand Master Roger Pageau presented a warrant to the Massachusetts Lodge of Research, the jurisdiction’s first such lodge. The inaugural meeting will be held on Saturday, January 16 at North Reading Lodge. Future meetings will be held at various locations, and will be announced on Facebook and, ultimately, on a MLOR 8 • WINTER 2010
website. According to the weekly newsletter of Rural Lodge, which announced the news on December 18, “Although the idea of a lodge of research in Massachusetts has been mooted at different times by different Masons, Worshipful Brother John Soderblom decided to formulate MLOR and to draft appropriate documentation for presentation to Grand Lodge. He drafted a Statement of Purpose and a Petition in midsummer of 2009, which was respectfully presented in Fall of 2009 to Grand Lodge by RW George Bibilos. Since there has been no previous Lodge of Research in Massachusetts, Grand Lodge closely examined the proposed structure, and has now established the MLOR by Warrant, which was presented at the recent Quarterly.” “MLOR follows the organization of a lodge of instruction in many respects, except that it is not under the jurisdiction of a District, and reports instead to the Grand Lodge Education Committee. The Lodge does not have the function or authority to confer degrees. The Lodge will meet four times a year at different locations within the state, traveling to different locations at the convenience of its membership. The MLOR expects to be invited by blue lodges to their locations, although the MLOR meeting will be separate from that of a blue lodge meeting,” the newsletter also stated.
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he Supreme Council, 33°, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction and the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, Massachusetts will present a symposium, New Perspectives on American Freemasonry and Fraternalism on Friday, April 9, 2010. The purpose is to present the newest academic research on American fraternal groups from the past through the present day. By 1900, more than 250 American fraternal groups existed, numbering 6 million members. The study of their activities and influence in the United States, past and present, offers the potential for new interpretations of American society and culture. A keynote paper by Jessica HarlandJacobs, Associate Professor of History at the University of Florida, and author of Builders of Empire: Freemasonry and British Imperialism, 1717-1927, will open the day. Titled “Worlds of Brothers,” Harland-Jacobs’ paper will survey and assess the scholarship on American fraternalism and Freemasonry. Drawing on examples from the 1700s, 1800s and 1900s, she will demonstrate that applying world history methodologies pays great dividends for our understanding of fraternalism as a historical phenomenon. Harland-Jacobs will conclude with some thoughts on how global perspectives can benefit contemporary American brotherhoods. Six scholars from the United States, Canada, and Britain will fill the day’s program: • Damien Amblard, doctoral student, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, “French CounterEnlightenment Intellectuals and American Antimasonry: A Transatlantic Approach, 1789-1800”
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Masonic News Hannah M. Lane, Assistant Professor, Mount Allison University, “Freemasonry and Identity/ies in 19th-Century New Brunswick and Eastern Maine” • Nicholas Bell, Curator, Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, “An Ark of the New Republic” • David Bjelajac, Professor of Art History, George Washington University, “Freemasonry, Thomas Cole (1801-1848) and the Fraternal Ethos of American Art” • Ami Pflugrad-Jackisch, Assistant Professor of History, University of Michigan – Flint, “Brothers of a Vow: Secret Fraternal Orders in Antebellum Virginia” • Kristofer Allerfeldt, Exeter University, “Nationalism, Masons, Klansmen and Kansas in the 1920s” Registration is $50 ($45 for museum members) and includes morning refreshments, lunch and a closing reception. To register, complete the Registration Form (which can be downloaded at the National Heritage Museum website) and fax to 781-861-9846 or mail to Claudia Roche, National Heritage Museum, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA 02421; registration deadline is March 24, 2010. For more information, contact Claudia Roche at croche@ monh.org or 781-861-6559, x 4142. A block of hotel rooms has been reserved at Staybridge Suites, 11 Old Concord Road, Burlington, MA, at the discounted rate of $99/studio suite and $109/one-bedroom suite (taxes not included). To make a reservation, please call 781-221-2233 and mention the National Heritage Museum Symposium. Deadline for the discounted rate is March 8, 2010. Limited shuttle bus service will be available between the hotel and the Museum. •
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he 2010 Midwest Conference on Masonic Education will be in Independence, Missouri, May 7-9, at the Hilton Garden Inn. Few details are available at this time, but the website is now active at www. midwestmasoniceducation.com There is a call for papers and recommendations for topics, and a tour of the nearby Truman Library is planned.
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he Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia F&AM has granted a dispensation to a new lodge this past week for Masons with a Philippine background or interest: Maynilad Lodge U.D. “Maynilad” was the first recorded name of what is now Manila. Worshipful Brother Ken Gibala, Secretary of the new lodge, reports they have 23 members so far, and expected to have 40 charter members by the end of 2009. Congratulations to the brethren of Maynilad Lodge U.D.
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he Rose Circle Research Foundation and AlexandriaWashington Lodge No. 22 will co-host a day long celebration of the art of initiation at the George Washington Masonic Memorial on Wednesday, February 10. The event will begin with lectures on the esoteric and transformative aspects of initiation, featuring speakers from Rose Circle, including world renowned scholar Piers Vaughan. Following a question-and-answers session, the brethren will move upstairs where Alexandria-Washington Lodge’s ritualists will exemplify the Entered Apprentice Degree of the Bristol ritual, a working very rarely seen outside the United Kingdom. After the degree, attendees are welcome to enjoy a fine meal together at a Festive Board. There is no cost to attend this singular occurrence. Toye, Kenning and Spencer Ltd. is the sponsor, even providing shuttle bus service to and from the Alexandria Mark Hilton Hotel in Alexandria, where the annual Masonic Week happenings will begin the following day. TKS, the makers of jewels and regalia for Britain’s royal family for 300 years, will showcase its Masonic regalia collection. The brethren of AW22 will wear the wares of the manufacturer during the degree. For more information, including starting times and more, consult The Masonic Society’s on-line Forum, or contact Founding Fellow Jay Hochberg at euclid47@earthlink.net
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or more than a decade, visitors to Scotland’s Rosslyn Chapel have been disappointed to discover the building swathed in scaffolding and covered by a sheet metal roof. The image of the chapel on a hillside seen in the movie version of The Da Vinci Code was a cunning computer-generated special effect, a shot impossible to achieve in real life since the 1990s. The culprit was a 1950s asphalt roof that had been designed to protect the building, but in reality leaked like a colander, eventually causing the interior walls and ceilings to be covered with green algae. The steel cover has at last done its job of drying out the porous stone building, so the second phase of the project can now begin: a new roof that doesn’t leak, and the cleaning and restoration of its interior details. Helping the bank account has been the rise from 40,000 annual visitors before the Dan Brown effect, to 175,000 at WINTER 2010 • 9
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Masonic News the height of Da Vinci Code fever. A new visitor’s center is being constructed, and the entire project is expected to cost £13 million (US$21 million). The W. Bro. Trevoropen Stewart was while back the in chapel will remain to visitors work progresses. The Rosslyn Chapel Trust must still raise over £1 million (US$1.6 million), for the project and is seeking donations. Donors may sponsor a star carving in the chapel’s roof for £250 (about US$400).
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ongratulations to the brethren of Prometheus Lodge No. 851, the newest lodge to be chartered in California on November 16th, 2009. Prometheus is a Traditional Observance Lodge, and its charter Master is Dennis Chornenky, known to many Masons from his work with the Masonic Restoration Foundation. The lodge meets once a month at the University Club on Nob Hill in San Francisco, across from the Fairmont Hotel, and marks the return of a regularly meeting lodge to the area.
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n November 5th, 2009, England’s former Home Secretary, Jack Straw, announced he was rescinding a rule he introduced in 1997 requiring judges in the U.K. to declare their membership in Freemasonry. Not in a stamp collecting circle, or a rugby club, or the Manchester and Sheffield Anarchist Federation, or an al-Qaeda sleeper cell, or a country club, mind you. Just the Freemasons. According to Britain’s Ministry of Justice, there are 3,808 judges in England and Wales and 205 of them (5.4%) are Freemasons. Out of 29,702 magistrates, 1,900 (6.4%) are Masons. A dozen years ago, Straw’s investigation made headlines, purporting to expose the dark and secret role Freemasonry was playing in law enforcement and the judiciary. The nebulous accusation was that members of Britain’s law enforcement were letting Masonic brethren get away with crimes, and that criminals only needed to stroll into court and make “Masonic gestures,” and their brother judges would be required by our blood-soaked Masonic oaths to drop all charges and send them skipping on their Masonic way. There was just one problem back in 1997. After spending months of investigative effort and a stack of the taxpayers’ cash on an investigation, Jack Straw found precisely zero evidence there was any widespread Masonic influence in the courts or police stations. Merely the accusation was serious enough to warrant a new rule requiring Masons in these powerful positions to disclose their private membership in a perfectly legal organization for which there was no evidence of any impropriety. Straw is a Member of Parliament for Blackburn, and currently is the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice these days under Gordon Brown. What motivated Straw to rescinding the 10 • WINTER 2010
rule was the threat of a lawsuit by the United Grand Lodge of England. Citing a recent decision in a European Union Court of Human Rights anti-discimination case involving similar rules the United States against Masons in this Italy,fall, Straw announced that he’d had a change of heart. In a November 5th, 2009 article in The Guardian, Straw was quoted as saying, “The review of the policy operating since 1998 has shown no evidence of impropriety or malpractice within the judiciary as a result of a judge being a freemason and in my judgment, therefore, it would be disproportionate to continue the collection or retention of this information.” Note this only affects judges. The Home Office still has a rule in place which requires potential police officers and anyone working for the probation or prison service to declare whether they are Freemasons. Hopefully, this one will fall, as well.
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reemason and Shriner Albert “Al” Hortman passed away on Sunday, December 6, 2009. He was 80 years old. There’s no reason why you would know his name, although you have probably seen this image at some point over the last several decades. It has appeared in TV and magazine ads, even on the backs of semis driving down the interstate. Brother Hortman was the Shriner, wearing his fez, carrying a little girl and her crutches, a picture that has become a universally recognized image of Shriners Hospitals. The scene has been reproduced as a statue that stands in front of many Shrine centers. At left in the original photo is Al’s daughter, Laura, who was herself a patient at the Shriners Hospital in St. Louis. After Laura began receiving treatment at Shriners, Hortman decided to become a Freemason and join the Shrine in 1968. The little girl being carried was Bobbi Jo Wright, who was also a patient at the St. Louis Shriners Hospital. Bobbi Jo walks with a cane today, but she walks, thanks to Shriners. Brother Hortman served in the United States Army during the Korean War and received the Purple Heart. He was a member of Jeffersonville Lodge in Georgia, but before that, he was a resident of Evansville, Indiana. The photo was taken in 1970 by Randy Dieter, who was covering Hadi Temple’s annual outing for handicapped children at the long closed Mesker Amusement Park in Evansville, Indiana. In lieu of flowers, Brother Hortman’s family asks that donations be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children, 950 West Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605
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Masonic News • District ritual teams may confer degrees on multiple candidates.
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rtist Peter Waddell’s 21 painting exhibition, The Initiated Eye, comes to the Scottish Rite Northern Masonic Jurisdiction’s National Heritage Museum in Lexington, Massachusetts. The exhibit runs December 19th through January 9th, 2011. The paintings were commissioned by the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, and have traveled the country. I was lucky enough to see them in San Francisco two years ago. The paintings are based on the history and architecture of Washington, D.C., and the role that Freemasons had in the design and construction of the city. They feature famous Masons and Masonic landmarks in the nation’s capitol. In Lexington, they will be accompanied by forty artifacts that will compliment them and help to illustrate the story of Freemasons in Washington D.C.
• Any 60+ year old Mason who successfully recommends two new members under 30 are granted lifetime dues remission. • Dues may now be paid via credit or debit card. • A proficiency pin program certified by schools of instruction. • Shortened versions of opening and closings for meetings are now allowed. • Suspensions and expulsions to be largely handled at the local lodge level, and not by the Grand Master, with new clarifications about providing proper due process. • Relaxation of the traditional formal dress code requirements in meetings.
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fter two years, the Halcyon Lodge case in Cleveland is at last winding down through the courts. The court seems to have sided against the Grand Lodge of Ohio, finding that the lodge followed the provisions of its own current bylaws when it voted to split from the Grand Lodge in November 2007. (Halcyon Lodge is now a part of the fledgling Grand Orient of the US.) The court apparently only considered Halcyon’s bylaws in the case, and not Grand Lodge rules. The Cuyahoga County Court granted a partial summary judgement to Halcyon, dismissing most claims by the Grand Lodge against Halcyon’s officers. A trial date has not yet been set to determine the Grand Lodge of Ohio’s claims for “personal property Masonic in nature, and unpaid dues.”
• Per capita increase of 50¢ to support youth groups. • All lodges are expected to make a $2,000 donation to the Masonic Homes. • Greater expansion of community and charity service, including an individual commitment by every single Pennsylvania Freemason to perform a weekly random act of kindness. • Simplified secretary/treasurer software to help each lodge with its annual audit. • A Masonic “congress” meeting in February for all Masonic groups, to seek ways to work together statewide. • A written ritual will now be made available for officers to study for the first time in Pennsylvania history. Prior to this, even the Grand Lodge itself had no written record of its ritual to consult.
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he Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania has always had one of the largest Masonic memberships in the U.S., for more than 250 years. But their ritual and rules are very different from any other Masonic jurisdiction. Pennsylvania is the last place in the U.S. where you can see Ancients ritual practiced, uninfluenced by Preston-Webb. Many symbols and explanations that are common everywhere else are unknown in that state, such as the Middle Chamber lecture of the Fellow Craft degree. Freemasonry in the Keystone State has always been strict as far as their practices go. No written rituals have ever been allowed—all work is mouth to ear, and the Worshipful Master does almost all of the speaking in all three degrees. Pennsylvania has rarely succumbed to one day classes, and never allowed even limited solicitation. Much of that is changing this year. Right Worshipful Thomas K. Sturgeon, Grand Master for 2010/2011 has announced an ambitious slate of changes for the upcoming year, under the aegis “21st Century Renaissance.” These include: • Selective invitations to join are allowed. • Three black balls now required to reject a candidate, instead of one. • One day class in 13 locations on October 30th, 2010.
Reaction by Pennsylvania Masons has been mixed so far. The GMs edicts have the power to change Grand Lodge law without any subsequent vote by the assembled Grand Lodge itself.
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s of January 1, 2010, Idaho joins more than 30 states across the U.S. in offering a Masonic license plate. They were approved by the Idaho Legislature, to join about 40 other specialty-plate options that allow Idaho drivers to financially support nonprofit organizations. Darrell Waddell of Daylight Lodge No. 760 in Louisville, Kentucky has created a website that displays many of the different Masonic-themed plates from around the country at http://www.daylightlodge.org/licenseplates.htm WINTER 2010 • 11
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ORGANIZATION
Restructuring American Freemasonry, Part II:
Appendant & Affiliated Bodies and York Rite Freemasonry by Mark Tabbert
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art I of this series in the Autumn 2009 issue of the Journal focused on reforming Craft Freemasonry. Its recommendations included creating more lodges to give Freemasons greater choice of participation, as well as district “Lodges of the Inactive” designed to enable leadership to make improvements to the health of lodges. But most important, the recommendations stressed the idea of taking more time between degrees and more time in the journey toward the East to become Worshipful Master. While Part I predicted how such changes would affect Freemasons, the lodge and the Grand Lodge, it deferred the impact on Masonry beyond the Craft degrees. Part II offers recommendations to other Masonic bodies.
Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine’ Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm’ Order of Eastern Star’ Tall Cedars of Lebanon, and other organizations open to Master Masons hese organizations are responsible for their own membership development and retention. They have the right to accept who they wish according to the standards they set. Grand Masters should not interfere, but conversely, these organizations should not recruit or promote themselves in lodges or Grand Lodges. If one of these groups drops the Master Mason membership requirement, then it is the right of a Grand Master to prohibit Masons from wearing that group’s insignia at Masonic events. On the positive side, if lodges could be chartered with only 15 members (as suggested in Part I), then the Masons in appendant bodies could easily form lodges that are united in their affinity for these organizations. If it is reasonable to form lodges comprised of speakers of a particular foreign language, or employees of a certain company, or students at the same university, then the same should hold true for Tall Cedars, DeMolay Dads, and so on. Members of not only the Shrine, but particular Shrine Units, could start their own lodges. Such “affiliated lodges” would certainly initiate, pass and raise Masons, and it would be safe to assume that if the lodge was founded by members of the Grotto, the new Master Masons would become Prophets of the Enchanted Realm. Before you think this may become too removed from the mainstream of Blue Lodge Masonry, remember that members of a “Scottish Rite lodge,” or “Eastern Star lodge,” or a “Shrine Hillbilly lodge” still would be constituents of districts and Grand Lodges, meaning that they would be subject to the same standards and expectations as the other lodges in the jurisdiction. Simultaneously, these “affiliated lodges” would engender recruitment by allowing curious Freemasons to learn about appendant bodies simply by visiting their specialized lodges, which should satisfy these bodies’ desire to showcase themselves to the Master Masons in their jurisdiction.
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The York Rite of Freemasonry
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he history of the York Rite is intertwined with that of Craft Masonry in the United States. The Royal Arch Degree, and even the Order of the Temple, are known to have been worked in lodges in their earliest years. The first Royal Arch chapters grew from lodges, as was the case at Paul Revere’s lodge, the Lodge of St. Andrew in Boston. The same was true for commanderies and, later, councils of Royal and Select Masters. As Blue Lodge Masonry flourished, so did the chapters, councils, and commanderies associated with them. By 1900, a typical Masonic temple held at least two lodges, a chapter, a commandery, and maybe a council. But after 1950, York Rite membership rapidly declined along with Blue Lodge membership. With the retreat of Masonry from city centers, a situation arose whereby a Mason could belong to a lodge, a chapter, and a commandery in three different towns, and perhaps not even find a Cryptic council to join. To borrow a motto from the Scottish Rite, the York Rite needs to bring “Ordo ab Chao.” Royal Arch Chapters
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or the York Rite to regain its health, it first must renew its natural kinship to local lodges. Once a Grand Lodge redistricts its lodges, the Grand Chapter in that state should do likewise and ensure it has chapters inside those same areas. Using the formula from Part I of this series for lodges (150 members per lodge, 10 lodges per district), there should be one chapter per district, or two for every three districts. Following hard on this redistricting would come the necessary closing and merging of chapters and the redistribution of Royal Arch companions to either active chapters or “Chapters of the Inactive.” Such strict redistricting could, in theory, result in huge numbers (as many as 1,500 to 2,250 Masons per chapter), but in actual practice it would not. The second great change that Royal Arch ought to implement is this: Only Past Masters may join Royal Arch. In other words, eliminate the Virtual Past Master Degree and exalt only those men who have served in the East of their lodges. There could be 10 past masters in each district every year, so a chapter would stand to gain up to 15 new companions. I submit that any chapter would be thrilled to have potential exclusive “rights” to ten or fifteen well-qualified new members per year. Lastly, each chapter would have no more than 100 companions. The more support chapters receive from lodges, and the more Past Masters join, the more new chapters will be needed and chartered. If ten Past Masters join each year, then within 15 years (counting for attrition) the chapter membership might reach its maximum, resulting in the chartering of a new chapter. So, while there may be one chapter district at the start, within a generation there may well be one chapter per two or three lodges – the way it was 150 years ago. With an average of 100 members per lodge, a Grand Lodge of 200 lodges would have 20,000 Master Masons. With 20 chapters in a grand chapter, each with a minimum of 25 members, grand chapters would have at least 500 members – all Past Masters. Each year, every local chapter could have ten candidates for a total growth of 200 members jurisdiction-wide. Accounting for deaths, suspensions and demits, this
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might be a 30 percent increase in membership each year – an upsurge of a sort that Royal Arch Masonry has not experienced in more than a century. Royal and Select Masters (Cryptic) Councils
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erhaps the odd stepchild of the Masonic fraternity, Cryptic Masonry did not fully organize until the late 1800s. In many states it does not exist as a separate entity and its degrees are conferred in Royal Arch Chapters. These degrees are very pleasant indeed and are rich in meaning, but the stories and lessons are repeated in the Scottish Rite and Knights Templar orders. Therefore the Cryptic Rite ought to be, at best, an optional part of the York Rite, perhaps even an invitational body like the Allied Masonic Degrees or Royal Order of Scotland. For the purposes of this paper’s hypothetical situations, the Royal and Select degrees will be conferred in Royal Arch chapters; the Cryptic councils, Grand Councils and the General Grand Council are disbanded. Knights Templar ollowing the logic of the Craft and Royal Arch relationship, Knights Templar commanderies could be similarly organized. For every five Royal Arch Chapters, there would be one commandery. What’s more, a Freemason must be a Past High Priest to qualify as a new member of the Knights Templar. So, every year a commandery would have five potential candidates for the orders.
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knights, these projections envision a membership that is considerably younger. Furthermore, the deliberate pacing of the work prevents a situation that is far too common today: that in which a man joins a lodge, finds himself in numerous appendant bodies within a few years, and by age 45 he has attained the top ranks and perhaps even received the highest honors the fraternities offer. If he is not burned out by then, he is perhaps left wondering what might be next. Rather than pursuing a higher understanding of the Craft’s intellectual, moral and spiritual teachings, or spending more time with his family, serving his community, his neighbor or his God, he may have acquired the addictive habit of joining more Masonic groups, rushing through the chairs, and collecting more breast jewels and gew-gaws. Summary
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he York Rite developed over several generations in an attempt to give deeper meaning, higher morality and wider drama to the Craft. When the Royal Arch and Knights Templar gained independence from lodges, they ceased to serve Freemasons and became merely “other organizations” for Masons to join. This paper’s proposals attempt to reconnect the lodge to the chapter and to the commandery. The individual Freemason is that connection. Freemasonry only exists when men voluntarily seek it out and value its teachings. For the York Rite to regain its health and energy, it must fire Freemasons’ imaginations and inspire them to seek the Royal Arch and to take up a Templar’s sword. In the 1930s, when the Scottish Rite and Shrine began to surpass
Freemasonry only exists when men voluntarily seek it out and value its teachings. For the York Rite to regain its health and energy, it must fire Freemasons’ imaginations and inspire them to seek the Royal Arch and to take up a Templar’s sword. Like Royal Arch chapters, commanderies would be restricted to 100 members. With a potential increase in membership of five per year, commanderies would grow at a slower rate and be less likely to generate new commanderies. But again, with more lodges working and more Past Masters serving, there would be a greater potential for more Royal Arch chapters creating more High Priests who could join the commanderies. In this way, the York Rite would grow at a steady pace alongside Craft lodges. That is to say, the more lodges there are in a district, the more new districts would be created. The more districts there are, the more Royal Arch chapters are needed – which then would then result in more commanderies. Naturally, this structure changes the way Masons progress through the York Rite. The journey through the Craft degrees, as proposed in Part I, would require three years. The rise through the chairs in lodge, from Junior Steward to Worshipful Master, would take seven years. In chapter, one year would be needed to receive the Mark Master Mason, Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch degrees. Progressing through the chairs could take seven years. The Mason who proceeds to commandery would receive the Templar orders in a single year, but could spend a minimum of six years working his way to the East. In short, the time spent from Entered Apprentice to Eminent Commander could total 25 years or more. If a man becomes an Entered Apprentice at age 25, he is a Royal Arch Mason at 35, and a Knight Templar at 43, and a Eminent Commander maybe by the age of 50. Compared to the median ages of today’s companions and
the York Rite, its leadership decided to keep pace, but the York Rite was not positioned for tough competition against the AASR’s large theaters or the humorous Shrine ceremonials that attracted multitudes of Masons from across large geographical areas. The result of the York Rite’s misguided strategy has been generations of decline and panic, the depths of which we’re witnessing today. Now is the time for Royal Arch chapters and Knights Templar commanderies to return to first principles. The York Rite bodies can be great again if they are open only to those Freemasons who have proven their dedication as Worshipful Masters and who truly seek further light – and not merely more degrees – in Masonry. Brother Will Rogers said, “America is a nation that conceives many odd inventions for getting somewhere but it can think of nothing to do once it gets there.” The same could be said for Freemasonry and the abundance of odd rituals that seem to leave a Mason stranded at the highest and last degree. Enjoying a slower trip and learning something along the way may solve this Masonic – and very American – paradox. Part III of this series will present a series of proposals for restructuring the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. A Founding Fellow and Board Member of The Masonic Society, Mark Tabbert is a Past Master of Mystic Valley Lodge in Arlington, Massachusetts, and is the author of American Freemasons: Three Centuries of Building Communities.
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FRATERNALISM
The Odd Fellows and Their Journey to Inclusiveness by Dr. R. L. Uzzel
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n 1831, when the French historian and political theorist Alexis de Toqueville toured the United States, he observed that “Americans of all ages, all conditions, in all dispositions, constantly form associations. If it is proposed to inculcate some truth or to foster some feeling by the encouragement of a great example, they form a society.”1 A century later, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr., described America as “a nation of joiners” after observing various types of organizations, including fraternal lodges. Regarding fraternal ritual, Schlesinger wrote, “The plain citizen sometimes wearied of his plainness and, wanting rites as well as rights, hankered for the ceremonials, grandiloquent titles, and exotic costumes of a mystic brotherhood.”2 Scholars of fraternalism agree that Freemasonry is the oldest and largest of the fraternal organizations to have appeared on the American scene. Nevertheless, evidence indicates that ritualistic fraternalism is a widespread phenomenon and that those interested in Freemasonry can gain provocative insights from research into the enormous variety of extant secret orders.3 An article titled “Many Fraternal Groups Grew from Masonic Seed” puts the study of fraternalism in perspective: “From Masonic lodges to Grange halls, all fraternal organizations share basic similarities. Rituals and degrees borrow exotic titles and dramatic scenarios from ancient legends, historical incidents, or mythology. Bonds of secrecy held establish solidarity among members. Regalia provide fantasy and drama; the lodge provides fellowship; and death and sickness benefits offered a sense of security prior to Social Security, pension plans, and medical and life insurance.”4 Odd Fellowship is an organization that began in England three decades after the emergence of speculative Freemasonry. Throughout their history, the Odd Fellows have been described as practicing a “poor man’s Masonry.” During the 18th century, as members of the English aristocracy and mercantile classes were attracted to Freemasonry, farmers, mechanics, and laborers formed “friendly societies.”5 The founders of these workingmen’s lodges sought to mitigate the effects of the Industrial Revolution and the English Poor Laws. Members who were out of work and facing other reversals could depend on help from lodge brothers and could also expect to receive a decent burial.6 Bishop Alvin Lee Baker gave the following assessment of the situation: “It is interesting in the history of England to see the lodge movement among the working class which resulted in the establishment in about 1747 14 • WINTER 2010
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of the Order of Odd Fellows. This in my opinion was caused by the fact that the Established Church of England had become so much a creature of the aristocracy that the working class could find neither spiritual nor material care within the church. The lodge movement then sprang up to fill the void. If the church had been doing the job which Christ had given her, there would never have been a need among the poor for the Lodge Movement.”7 Eventually, some of the “friendly societies” became known as “Odd Fellows.” Various theories seek to explain the derivation of the name. One says that they were called “odd” because the beginnings of Odd Fellowship in the 18th century coincided with the time of industrialization, when it was considered rather odd to find people who followed noble values such as benevolence, charity, and fraternalism. Another theory states that Odd Fellows were people who engaged in miscellaneous or “odd” trades. In the 18th century, major trades were organized in guilds or other forms of syndicate, but smaller trades did not have any social or financial security. For that reason, people who exercised unusual trades joined together to form a larger group of “odd” fellows.8 The Odd Fellows, like other orders, has had its share of factions. In 1789, two rival groups settled their differences and organized the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows (GUOOF). In 1813, another
declined.12 IOOF lodges confer four degrees: Initiatory, Friendship, Love, and Truth. In 1885, the Encampment – the IOOF version of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry – was founded. The Encampment confers three degrees: Patriarchal, Golden Rule, and Royal Purple. The Patriarchs Militant is the uniformed unit and could be viewed as the IOOF’s version of Masonry’s Knights Templar. It confers the degree of Chevalier. The Grand Decoration of Chivalry is regarded as the IOOF’s equivalent to the 33° of Freemasonry.13
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uring the early 20th century, the IOOF had no fewer than five “fun organizations” patterned after the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, an order whose membership has always been limited to Freemasons. These included the Imperial Order of Muscovites, the Veiled Prophets of Baghdad, the Knights of Oriental Splendor, the Ancient Mystical Order of Cabirians, and the Oriental Order of Humility and Perfection. In 1924, all five were merged into the Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans (AMOS).14 AMOS is the playground of Odd Fellowship just as the
Ritualistic fraternalism is a widespread phenomenon and that those interested in Freemasonry can gain provocative insights from research into the enormous variety of extant secret orders. merger occurred as various lodges organized the Manchester Unity.9 While several unofficial Odd Fellows lodges were already operating in New York City, American Odd Fellowship is regarded as being founded in Baltimore, Maryland at the Seven Stars Tavern on April 26, 1819, by Thomas Wildey and some associates who assembled in response to a newspaper advertisement. The following year, the lodge affiliated with the Manchester Unity and was granted the authority to institute new lodges. In 1842, after an elementary dispute on whether the American lodges were to be involved in decision-making procedures, the American lodges separated from the English order and formed the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF). Eventually, the order spread to all 50 states and to many other countries.10 Some of the changes experienced by the IOOF during its first 20 years are described by James Ridgely, a 19th century historian of the order. The American founders were men of “limited education, and in a humble sphere of life… but during the 1830s an influx of lawyers, physicians, merchants, skilled mechanics and tradesmen, engineers, and well-to-do farmers… transformed the order completely.” Ridgely, a lawyer, explained that this “new and refined element shared a commitment to self-improvement, self-control, sobriety, and sound business practices…. The new leaders no longer passed the hat to aid needy brethren [but] replaced the charity with a system of fixed weekly assessments, which instilled the habit of saving.” (More than $20 million had been collected by 1862.)11 Famous IOOF members include presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, William McKinley, Warren G. Harding, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. However, the order’s membership greatly declined during the Roosevelt administration, which coincided with the Great Depression, when many members could not afford to pay dues. Ironically, when Roosevelt’s New Deal social reforms began to take effect, the need for the fraternal benefits of the Odd Fellows
Shrine is the playground of Masonry. Both organizations sponsor charities, with the Shriners supporting hospitals for handicapped children and Samaritans supporting programs related to mental disability.15 Like Shriners, Samaritans wear a fezzes; however, their colors and tassels indicate the degrees attained or the offices held by the members: Red Fez with Yellow Tassel: Humility Degree (title of Samaritan) Red Fez with Red Tassel: Perfection Degree (title of Sheik) Red Fez with Yellow & Blue Tassel: Samaritan Past Grand Monarch Red Fez with Red & Blue Tassel: Sheik, plus Past Grand Monarch Red Fez with Purple Tassel: District Deputy Red Fez with Red, White, & Blue Tassel: Past District Deputy Red Fez with White Tassel: Past Divisional Monarchos Blue Fez with Tassel of Rank (as above): Division Officer Blue Fez with Purple Tassel: Division Supreme Monarchos Blue Fez with White Tassel: Past Division Monarchos Red Fez (Supreme) with Purple Tassel: Supreme Officer Purple Fez with Purple Tassel: Supreme Monarchos Purple Fez with White Tassel: Past Supreme Monarchos16
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or much of IOOF’s history, membership was limited to white males. In 1971, the door was opened to non-whites. In 1991, Terrell Lodge No. 232 in Terrell, Texas, initiated this writer’s friend, Leonard C. DeGrate, Jr., director of social services atTerrell State Hospital. Eventually, DeGrate worked his way up to the office of WINTER 2010 • 15
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Noble Grand, the Odd Fellows’ counterpart to Masonry’s Worshipful Master. Thus, he became the first black member of an IOOF lodge in Texas and the first black officer of an IOOF lodge in the United States. “The key principles of the Odd Fellows are friendship, love, and truth,” he said. “As a social worker, that’s what I try to instill in people every day. That’s what we should be about every day. I wanted to give something back to the community and become more involved in civic activities. I feel like a fraternal organization is one way to accomplish that.” According to the late Jack Spray, a long-time Odd Fellow who worked for many years at Terrell State Hospital, “The Terrell lodge is saying to the rest of the lodges that it’s time to come out of your ivory towers. You must break the color barrier in order to truly fulfill our goal of friendship, love, and truth. Odd Fellows are available to anybody. This isn’t a black-and-white thing. We open our club to any new member who meets our criteria of being a moral, upstanding citizen.”17 In 1851, IOOF became the first order to have a degree for women with the establishment of the Rebekahs. This was six years before Freemasons established the Order of the Eastern Star for their wives, widows, mothers, sisters, and daughters. In 2001, women became eligible for membership in Odd Fellows as well as Rebekahs.18 This is a sharp contrast to Freemasonry, where the only American lodges that admit women are affiliated with Co-Masonry, which is not recognized by the vast majority of Masons. Rejected by white Odd Fellows, African Americans organized a parallel order, just as they did in the face of rejection by white Masons, Knights of Pythias, and Elks. The predominately black Grand United Order of Odd Fellows (GUOOF) maintains affiliation with the English order of the same name. The founder of the GUOOF in the United 16 • WINTER 2010
States was a black sailor named Peter Ogden who, while employed on the ship Patrick Henry between England and America, was initiated into Victoria Lodge No. 448 in Liverpool. Upon his return to New York, he learned of the desire of local African Americans to obtain the benefits of Odd Fellowship. He then obtained a dispensation from the Committee of Management of the English Odd Fellows for the organization of Philomathean Lodge No. 646 in New York. This lodge began work on March 1, 1843.19 The English brethren seemed to regard Ogden as their agent of expansion in the United States, and continued to support him despite protests by white American Odd Fellows. After the Civil War, GUOOF spread in both the rural South and the urban North.20 On May 18, 1870, there was a massive parade in Baltimore to celebrate the adoption of the 15th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution, which gave black men the right to vote. While a number of fraternal orders participated, members of GUOOF “were a very important feature of the procession and made an imposing appearance.”21 By the time of its 1886 convention in Philadelphia, GUOOF had grown to become the largest African American fraternal order in the United States. In the 1910s, extraordinary membership heights were reached. This peak was followed by the erosion of membership during the 1920s and ’30s. Sadly, the order never recovered from losses during the Great Depression and World War II.22 Observers have attributed the decline in GUOOF to the desegregation of IOOF as well as the decline in fraternalism in general.23 In 1858, GUOOF established the Household of Ruth as a ladies’ auxiliary. This was seven years after the organization of the Rebekahs and one year after the organization of Masonry’s Order of the Eastern Star. In 1920, the Ruths enrolled 4.4 percent of adult black women while the Rebekahs enrolled 2.2 percent of adult white women.24 Thus far, GUOOF has not followed the example of IOOF and opened its doors to women. GUOOF has advanced degrees called the Past Grand Masters Council and the Patriarchy. The order’s highest degree is Past Noble Father.25 Apparently, GUOOF has no organization similar to AMOS. Currently, IOOF and GUOOF are not in full fraternal relations and seem to have little contact. However, neither has any rules preventing the same person from belonging to both fraternities. On September 7, 2008, representatives of the two orders met at the IOOF Retirement Home in Ennis, Texas. This writer, a member of both Ennis Lodge No. 227, IOOF, and Dallas Union Lodge No. 1940, GUOOF, hopes to see greater cooperation, joint projects, and dual membership in the future. Both organizations have nothing to lose and much to gain as they move forward in dialogue. Danny Wood, Texas Grand Master of the IOOF, shares this writer’s commitment to establishing a working relationship between the two orders. Both of us are also committed to bringing AMOS, an organization that has never existed in Texas and is unfamiliar to most Texas Odd Fellows, to the Lone Star State. Perhaps, as a result, the playground of the Odd Fellows will be open to GUOOF as well as IOOF members as we all continue our journey to greater inclusiveness. (Endnotes)
1 Alexis de Toqueville, Democracy in America, vol. 2, trans. Henry Reve (1840; reprint, New York: Schocken, 1961), 129. 2 Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr., “Biography of a Nation of Joiners,” American Historical Review 50 (October 1944), 2, 15. 3 Paul Rich and Christian Voigt, “Nothing Odd about the Odd Fellows,” The Plumbline of the Scottish Rite Research Society 3 (June 1996), 3. 4 Barbara Franco, “Many Fraternal Groups Grew From Masonic Seed (Part I—1730-1860), http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/many_fraternal_groups_ grew_from_masonic_seed_part, 2.
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5 William J. Whalen, Handbook of Secret Organizations (Milwaukee, WI: Bruce Pub. Co., 1966), 118. 6 Mark C. Carnes, Secret Ritual and Manhood in Victorian America (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1989), 25-26. 7 Alvin Lee Baker, “Investigate Freemasonry?” Philalethes 38 (June 1985), 12. 8 Stephanie Müller, Visit the Sick, Relieve the Distressed, Bury the Dead and Educate the Orphan: The Independent Order of Odd Fellows. A Scientific Work in the Field of Cultural Studies, vol. 10 of the “Cultural Studies in the Heartland of America” Project (Trier, Germany:Wissenschaftlicher Verlag, 2008). 9 Independent Order of Odd Fellows,” http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Independent_Order_of_Odd_Fellows, 10. 10 Ibid., 3-4. 11 Carnes, Secret Ritual and Manhood in Victorian America, 26. 12 Müller, Visit the Sick, Relieve the Distressed, Bury the Dead and Educate the Orphan. 13 Whalen, Handbook of Secret Organizations, 119. While Freemasons may join either the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, or both, Odd Fellows must be in good standing in the Encampment in order to join the Patriarchs Militant. 14 “Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans,” http:tinwiki. org/wiki/Ancient_Mystic_Order_of_Samaritans, 1. 15 Ibid., 2. 16 Ibid., 3. 17 Pam Littleton, “Local Lodge First to Break Color Barrier,” Terrell Tribune, July 18, 1991. The writer was employed at Terrell State Hospital from 1981 to 1986. While not an Odd Fellow at the time, he attended a number of hospital parties and meetings of the Texas State Employees Union at the Terrell Odd Fellows Hall. During this period, he initiated, passed, and raised Leonard DeGrate as a Prince Hall Freemason. 18 Franco, “Many Fraternal Groups Grew From Masonic Seed,” 6. 19 Charles H. Brooks, The Official History and Manual of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America (Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press, 1971), 13. 20 Theda Skocpal, Ariane Liazos, and Marshall Ganz, What a Mighty Power We Can Be: African American Fraternal Groups and the Struggle for Racial Equality (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2006), 36. 21 Ibid., 12. 22 Ibid., 37. 23 Independent Order of Odd Fellows,” http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Order_of_Odd_ Fellows, 10. 24 Ibid., 71. 25 Ron Kelley, District Grand Master of GUOOF, e-mail to writer, August 22, 2009. Dr. Robert L. Uzzel is a Founding Fellow of the Masonic Society, and is the author of Eliphas Levi and the Kabbalah: The Masonic and French Connection of the American Mystery Tradition. He is a member of Union Seal Lodge No. 64, PHA in Waco, Texas. He holds a Ph.D. from Baylor University in World Religions. WINTER 2010• 17
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Photos by Christopher Hodapp
EVENTS
By George Seghers he George Washington Masonic Memorial plans a day of great festivities for February 22, the centennial of the founding of the Memorial, and the 278th anniversary of Brother Washington’s birth. On February 22, 1910, Masonic leaders from across the United States met in Alexandria, Virginia and formed an association for the purpose of building a great memorial to honor America’s foremost Freemason. To mark the hundredth anniversary of this occasion, the Conference of Grand Masters of North America, hosted by the Grand Lodge of Virginia, will be held in nearby Arlington. Delegates will attend the Association’s Annual Meeting and celebrate its one hundred years of achievement. At the Annual Meeting, a new portrait of George Washington as a Freemason will be unveiled. Painted by local artist Christopher Erney, 18 • WINTER 2010
the portrait will be a new interpretation of Washington. Prints of the portrait will be available at the meeting. Complementing the portrait is a new video which presents George Washington as a key inspiration for the founding of the United States of America, and also explores the establishment of the George Washington Masonic Memorial Association. Underwritten by the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma, it will be available on DVD and as a download from the Memorial’s website for Masonic education. A new Memorial logo to commemorate the occasion also was designed by Erney. The logo combines the Washington Family Crest with numerous Masonic symbols. Its Square and Compasses is taken from the Memorial’s 1923 cornerstone, and affirms the Association’s motto, “In Memoriam Perpetuam,” as it supports Freemasonry in a new century of service. This new design replaces the foliage that surrounded
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the crest with tools, emblems and symbols of Freemasonry. On either side of the new crest are pillars representing Jachin on the left and Boaz on the right. The pillars are topped by terrestrial and celestial globes representing universal Freemasonry and Masonic charity. Acacia vines of remembrance encircle the pillars. Complementing the globes is the sun in its glory above and the crescent moon below. Connecting the two lesser lights as the crest’s border is a cable tow. At the right, pomegranates represent abundance; on the left a sheaf of wheat represents wealth. Within the wheat are five of the six working tools. The sixth, the Square of the Master, is found resting upon Washington’s crest. The new logo will be used in Association publications and web pages, as well as on new items in the gift shop. Following the Annual Meeting, the International Order of DeMolay will rededicate the colossal bronze statue of George Washington in Memorial Hall and reaffirm the role of young DeMolay men in Freemasonry. The statue was a gift to the Memorial from DeMolay, and 2010 marks the 60th anniversary of its unveiling by U.S. President and Past Grand Master Harry S. Truman. On display during the celebration will be the Trowel and Gavel used at the 1793 Cornerstone Laying of the United States Capitol by George Washington and the 1752 Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4 Bible, upon which young Washington took his Masonic obligations. A new White House Stones Exhibit will be inaugurated at the celebration. Each stone in the exhibit is marked by one of the Scots Masons who helped build the White House in the 1790s. The stones were discovered during the restoration of the White House by Truman in 1948. He had the stones labeled, and one was sent to each U.S. Grand Lodge and several other Masonic organizations. The exhibit reassembles nearly 50 stones, and includes minute books from Lodge No. 8 of Edinburgh which record the stonemasons’ marks and noting those who have “gone to America.” A matching Minute Book of Federal Lodge No. 1 will show those Scots Masons forming the first lodge in 1793 on White House grounds. The exhibit is supported by the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, Valley of Washington, Orient of the District of Columbia, and by the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia. A gala reception will be held in Grand Masonic Hall and, while the Annual Meeting is being held, the ladies will enjoy an entertaining program in the North Lodge Room. A Centennial Celebration souvenir booklet containing a brief history of the Association – including both historic and current photographs – will be distributed, and several commemorative gift items will be available and on display. To learn more, please visit the Memorial’s website at www. gwmemorial.org George Seghers is a Founding Fellow of the Masonic Society and the Executive Director of the George Washington Masonic Memorial Association. He can be reached at gseghers@gwmemorial.org and by phone at (703) 683-2007. WINTER 2010 • 19
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Grand Lodge of Missouri’s Masonic Museum by Christopher L. Hodapp
Missouri’s first Masonic Museum was opened to the public on February 25, 2008 at the new headquarters of the Grand Lodge of Missouri F&AM in Columbia, Missouri. No mere collection of musty aprons and gavels, Missouri’s Masons have made a major investment in their museum’s professional design, as well as a substantial commitment of space in their new building.
The Museum is divided into five themed areas, accessible from a central entry. “Pathmakers and Patriots” highlights the impact Meriwether Lewis and William Clark had on the early period in Missouri and how they became involved in the Masonic fraternity. “Living Well” focuses on Laura Ingalls Wilder, her involvement with the Order of the Eastern Star and how music and education are valued in Masonry and at the Masonic Home. “Generosity” depicts Jacob Lampert, Past Grand Master, and other Masons and Masonic groups who have provided generous support to the Masonic Home. “Leadership” centers on President and Past Grand Master Harry S Truman and how democratic methods guide lodges. The fifth theme titled “Everyman” is a rotating exhibition gallery. In it, Masonic lodges and Eastern Star Chapters will have the opportunity to share individual history and symbols used within the Lodges and Chapters over the years.
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hen we boil Freemasonry down to its most basic element, we find a very simple message: “make yourself better.” Such a statement can, however, be likened to the phrase “be happy.” It sounds easy enough, but how do you do it? How do you know when you are “better?” What is “better?” What seems to be an uncomplicated message becomes difficult to put into practice, even to understand. Such is the nature of symbolism. We can start on the path of symbolic understanding by looking at nature. If you look at a beautiful mountain stream, you can find more than beauty. You can find illusion (often, the guardian of symbolism). Flowing water goes around a large rock in the stream. The illusion is that the rock is the master. What we believe to be truth is the sight of the water yielding to the rock and being forced to flow around it. We see this and accept it as truth. Our error is that we determined “the truth” before we gathered all the facts. In time, gentle, flowing water can reduce the largest stone to a pebble. The rock is not the master. One lesson to learn is that what we see, hear, feel and believe might well prove to be something other than fact. We must train ourselves to withhold judgment. In Freemasonry, a subtle lesson is taught early on by putting us in a position where we cannot depend on what we can see. We are forced to depend on others for guidance. We are also forced to use senses other than those we would normally rely upon. We must change in order to adapt to this new situation. The illusion is that we have been handicapped and deprived of receiving the full benefit that would have been afforded us if we had complete use of all of our senses. But the illusion masks the fact that we are forced to adapt to our condition precisely because we have been placed in such a state. We simply can’t act or perform on our own. We need guidance. The three degrees in Craft Masonry are often said to represent the three stages of human life: youth, adulthood and old age. How do we progress through these stages? We change. As children, we play, grow and learn. As adults, we put into practice what we have learned, and in old age we impart to others what we have learned. In each stage, we change in body and mind. It is the normal way of life. What would be abnormal is if no change took place. Let’s look again at the water and the rock, and see the apparent change. The gentle, flowing water cannot and does not break the rock by direct force. Water changes its direction and flows around the rock; in doing so, it also gradually affects change in the rock. The gentle pressures of the water force the rock to give way and reduce itself in size. Change is one of the unavoidable facts of all existence. Any attempt to avoid change only results in unnatural waste of energy. The lessons of Masonry are such that we must study them with a child’s open and willing mind. In certain aspects of our teachings, we might remember we are told that it is not acceptable to bring “innovations” into the body of Masonry. An innovation is change. Are we being told that we cannot or should not change? Not at all. As individuals, we change every day of our lives. We grow older, which brings physical and mental changes. We have no choice in these types of changes. We also have the option to make free-will choices in our lives. We might opt to eat a more healthful diet, to exercise, or in some way improve our lives. There are countless changes that we can choose. We also might make the decision not to make any free-will changes. It is our choice as individuals. But when we speak of innovations in Masonry, we are speaking of something quite different. The innovations that are made in Masonry should never be the choice of any single individual. Changes should
be the collective will of the membership. In Masonry it is the lodge, not the Worshipful Master, who decides the direction to be taken. The Worshipful Master only steers the ship in the desired direction. In our Grand Lodges, we see change every year. We see resolutions presented and voted on. It is rare that a Grand Lodge will see no change whatsoever in its nature after a Grand Lodge session. Change is normal. Change is expected. In Masonry, the changes we see in its nature often mirror the changes we see in wider society. Freemasons are part of society and we interact with others on a daily basis. It would be unnatural for us to be social outcasts. If we look back at Masonry 50 or 100 years ago, or even longer, we see that the nature of Masonry matched that of society in both simple matters of dress and deep social or philosophical issues. Even today, we see social difference in Masonry depending on the location of the lodge and its membership. In a large city, you might see lodge members dressing in a different manner than you would see in a small town. One is not right and the other wrong, they are just simple differences in the social norms of the areas. When we look at society and speak of a large nation, it would be uninformed to not realize that society’s concepts of what is acceptable and unacceptable vary from community to community. The overall social structure of a large area allows for change and variations within smaller areas. Speed limits might change from one place to another, as well as many other community-based laws, but where will you find murder legal? Society as a whole has limits as to what are acceptable standards. Because Grand Lodges are sovereign and free to pass the rules and laws of their liking, it would seem highly improbable that you would find two Grand Lodges with exactly the same set of governing laws. If one Grand Lodge changed its laws to require all members to wear tuxedos to lodge, it might draw a level of interest from some other Grand Lodges, but that would be about it. If the same Grand Lodge removed the Volume of Sacred Law from its altars, then not only would this attract the attention of other Grand Lodges, but they would view this Grand Lodge as moving outside of what is considered acceptable, and the breaking of fraternal relations with this jurisdiction might follow. By the same turn, if most Grand Lodges adopted a particular policy which they felt was extremely important, then those few Grand Lodges not adopting the policy might also be viewed as unacceptable or out of step. Change is not the enemy of Masonry. Just as the water in a stream changes direction as it flows in and around various obstacles, so should we recognize that change is not only inevitable, but is in our best interest. In a storm, it is the strong, unyielding tree, not the flexible blade of grass, that is in most danger of breaking. Michael R. Poll is the owner of Cornerstone Book Publishers. He is a Founding Fellow and First Vice President of The Masonic Society, a Fellow of the Philalethes Society, and a Fellow of the Maine Lodge of Research. He has published numerous Masonic books and papers, with a special focus on the early history of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.
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PHILOSOPHY
Walking the Walk: Regular Steps in Freemasonry
by Randy Williams
I
spend a great deal of time reading, studying and thinking about Freemasonry and its moral lessons for self-improvement, but I must admit that it was a nerve-rattling experience on Edmonton’s notorious Whitemud Freeway that inspired me to re-examine the extent to which I have truly internalized those lessons. Let me preface this anecdote by stating that I tend to be a defensive driver. For me, driving is not a competitive sport but a means to an end, a way of getting from Point A to Point B. Not everyone shares my view, however, and on a sunny day in early summer 2009, a particularly aggressive driver nearly ran me off the road and into some construction equipment that was parked on the shoulder. My youngest daughter was in the passenger seat, and the very thought of some deranged Mario Andretti-wannabe endangering that sweet kid got my blood boiling. In that moment, I could imagine all sorts of James Bond scenarios in which deadly secret weapons popped out from beneath my headlights to obliterate this four-wheeled menace from the road. I am sorry to report that I began to speed up a bit, fully prepared to get alongside the offending vehicle and share a piece of my mind – perhaps a choice word or two, accompanied by a demonstrative hand gesture for added punctuation. But just as I began to gain momentum, my daughter spoke up with a single, simple question: “What are people going to think if they see you acting like just as much of a jerk as that guy, when they see that you have a Mason sign on the back of your car?” Kids say the darnedest things, don’t they? The “Mason sign” to which she referred is a small metallic decal of a square and compasses, set inside a Canadian maple leaf, and it is clearly visible on the rear of my car at all times. She was absolutely right to ask her question, and the clarity of her insight not only calmed me down but left me feeling rather foolish and embarrassed. We all know that the square and compasses represent Masonic virtues which we are obligated to uphold. But to what extent does our everyday behavior perpetuate the dignity and reputation of the Craft? Does slapping a square and compasses on our bumper, attaching a pin to our lapel, or sliding a ring onto our finger make us good Masons? Do we take the words of our obligations to heart or do we merely pay them lip service? After we take our first regular steps in Freemasonry, do we continue to walk the walk? There are a great many topics that are worth delving into as we attempt to answer these questions, but for the purposes of this paper, let us focus on what our ritual, along with the work of great Masonic thinkers, has to say about the three great principles of Freemasonry: brotherly love, relief, and truth. One obvious section of our ritual pertaining to brotherly love is the five points of fellowship, on which we are raised as Master Masons and which we agree to uphold as part of our obligation for the third degree. The words of the ritual are powerful, as they admonish us to uphold pledges of brotherhood, to unite for mutual defense and support, to be mindful of one another’s wants and needs, and to never betray a brother Mason by repeating words that he has shared in confidence. Last, and most certainly not least, we are told to uphold the good names of our brethren in their absence as we would in their presence. It seems to me that all five points have to do with honor and trust among men. These are noble ideals, and yet, imagine how quaint they must seem to many people in the plugged-in, over-caffeinated, winner-take-all 21st century, where secrets are sold to the highest bidder, confidences are betrayed in order to score points in the social hierarchy, and the most appalling sorts of cut-throat, back-stabbing, grandstanding behavior are celebrated on dozens of reality shows, in
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the tabloids, and on the Internet. As just one example from popular culture, contestants on the hit television program Survivor don’t stand a chance of winning by using actual survival skills or by finding innovative ways of working together; their only hope of winning lies in seeking out and exploiting every craven opportunity to claw their way ahead of the next guy. How often, in such contexts and in the world media, have we seen the “smiling enemies” who shake hands and mouth pleasantries for a photo opportunity, all the while planning their next selfish, strategic move to get ahead, to win, to succeed at any cost? Freemasonry, by stark contrast, provides an environment in which we can generally assume that our brethren – even those whom we are only meeting for the first time, or have perhaps not yet met – will continue to have our best interests at heart when the handshake has ended. We find comfort amongst our brethren because we can assume that we are all looking out for one another, working for the common good of our fraternity and the larger world. What a rare privilege it is to be able to make such comforting assumptions, and how diligently we must work to preserve and maintain brotherly love and the five points of fellowship rather than taking them for granted. One of the easiest ways to uphold our obligations is to double-check our own interactions with our brethren, to examine our own motives and adjust our behavior, if need be, so that others can sense that we are acting with open-hearted goodwill. The words of our ritual leave little doubt as to what is expected of us. As Albert Mackey wrote: [T]he Brotherly Love which we inculcate is not a mere abstraction, nor is its character left to any general and careless understanding of the candidate, who might be disposed to give much or little of it to his brethren, according to the peculiar constitution of his own mind, or the extent of his own generous or selfish feelings. It is, on the contrary, closely defined; its object plainly denoted; and the very mode and manner of its practice detailed in words and illustrated by symbols, so as to give neither cause for error nor apology for indifference.1 A more recent Masonic writer, Carl Claudy, came to similar conclusions when he stated the following: Brotherly Love is not a sentimental phrase. It is an actuality. It means exactly what it says; the love of one brother for another. In the everyday world, brothers love one another for only one reason… Not because they should, not because it is “the thing to do,” but simply and only because each acts like a brother… Brotherly Love in Freemasonry exists only for him who acts like a brother. It is as true in Freemasonry as elsewhere that “to have friends, you must be one” … One may draw checks upon a bank only when one has deposited funds. One may draw upon Brotherly Love only if one has Brotherly Love to give.2 Let us endeavor then to replenish those “funds” each time we offer our hand to a Master Mason as a sure pledge of brotherhood, the very grip symbolizing and renewing our mutual commitment to upholding the five points of fellowship and the tenets of brotherly love. Relief, the second of the three great principles of Freemasonry, can be seen as an extension of brotherly love – taking the concepts of defense and support for our fellow Masons and expanding them to
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include all of humankind. Many Craft lodges and grand jurisdictions, to say nothing of the various concordant bodies of Freemasonry, including the Shrine, the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, etc., proudly tout their money-raising efforts. A standard line that is often given in explanation and/or promotion of Freemasonry is that Masons “provide millions of dollars a day” to various charitable causes ranging from children’s hospitals to prostate cancer research. While those figures are certainly admirable, I would suggest that such checkbook charity may not fulfill our responsibility to provide relief as it is defined in Masonic ritual. Let us again turn to Albert Mackey for some further illumination: To relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent on all men, but particularly on Masons, who are linked together by an indissoluble chain of sincere affection. To soothe the unhappy, to sympathize with their misfortunes, to compassionate their miseries, and to restore peace to their troubled minds, is the great aim we have in view. On this basis we form our friendships and establish our connections.3 Note that Brother Mackey does not mention the giving of money or the writing of a check. Financial assistance may indeed be what is needed to soothe afflictions and relieve necessities in some circumstances, but the more generous gift is always that of your time, empathy, and support. Along these same lines of thought, Joseph Fort Newton wrote: Man may give all the money he possesses and yet fail of that divine grace of Charity. Money has its place and value, but it is not everything, much less the sum of our duty, and there are many things it cannot do… There are hungers which gold cannot satisfy, and binding bereavements from which a hand laid upon the shoulder, “ in a friendly sort of way,” is worth more than all the money on earth. Many a young man fails, or makes a bad mistake, for lack of a brotherly hand which might have held him up, or guided him into a wiser way.4
principle of providing relief to others than any calculated public relations effort or grandstanding “grip and grin” photo could ever hope to be. The last of the three great principles is Truth, and here we arrive at a question that has stymied great thinkers and philosophers across the millennia: What is truth? Truth is more than the simple difference between accurate and inaccurate facts; it is a complicated ideal that is closely tied to the concepts of morality and ethics. These words are often used interchangeably, but there are subtle differences between them. Morality is perhaps best defined as that which is believed to be right or wrong, good or bad, acceptable or intolerable based on a set of shared values; in one broad example, conventional morality tells us that it is wrong to murder or steal. Ethics, on the other hand, is a code of conduct that must be followed if we are to honor and uphold our stated morality; for example, ethical behavior precludes our being involved in murder or theft. Seekers of truth must therefore uphold morality by observing a code of ethics without guile or hypocrisy. While popular culture may celebrate those who brazenly twist or pervert what has actually occurred to fulfill their own selfish goals, we as Masons are called to defend and perpetuate truth in all things. James Hardie got to the heart of the matter when he wrote about truth in his New Freemason’s Monitor of 1819: Truth is always consistent with itself, and needs nothing to help it out… but a lie is troublesome, and sets a man’s invention constantly on the rack to preserve even a tolerable appearance of consistency. A lie is like a building upon a false foundation, which continually stands in needs of props to preserve it, and proves, at last, more [effort] than the erection of a substantial building would have been on a true and solid foundation… Let us, therefore, not only in regard to truth but, likewise, every other moral duty, always maintain the testimony of a good conscience, and we have naught to fear. Influenced by these principles, in our intercourse with each other, and with the world at large, hypocrisy and deceit should be unknown among us.5
Maybe, just maybe, the sight of a man wearing a Masonic ring while quietly, humbly pitching in to help others, is a more positive public reinforcement of our great principle of providing relief to others than any calculated public relations effort or grandstanding “grip and grin” photo could ever hope to be. Brother Newton was not saying that there is anything wrong with charitable donations. This type of giving is highly satisfying and does a lot of good in the world. I proudly do it myself, contributing both to social agencies and to the Grand Lodge of Alberta’s Masonic Higher Education Bursary Fund. However, it is important to remember that Freemasonry itself is not a charity and that writing a check is sometimes, literally, the very least that one can do to help. Truly giving of yourself is not only the more generous gesture, it is a form of active participation that cannot help but reinforce the true meaning of relief. We’ve all heard the usual reasons for why this kind of direct involvement is “impossible,” and most of us have probably even given those excuses ourselves a time or two. Certainly we all live in fast-paced times, and it is convenient to say that we are too busy to lend a helping hand, but I’d be willing to bet that a lot of us (and I include myself amongst their number) could make do with a bit less time goofing around on Facebook, or posting in Masonic chat-rooms, or mastering Guitar Hero, or spacing out in front of the TV screen. While we are indulging in our favorite time-wasters, perhaps a brother Mason needs help with a project, or could use a sympathetic ear and some good advice; certainly there are always opportunities for muchneeded volunteerism in the community. And maybe, just maybe, the sight of a man wearing a Masonic ring while quietly, humbly pitching in to help others, is a more positive public reinforcement of our great
Albert Mackey wrote that truth is “is synonymous with sincerity, honesty of expression, and plain dealing.”6 Those are deceptively simple words that set very high standards for the behavior of Masons. If such standards seem too difficult or idealistic to attain, it is important to remember that Masonry does not claim to produce an overnight transformation; it merely starts a process by inculcating its system of morality. No one said it was going to be easy, or that it the work would end once a man is raised – nor, for that matter, when he first becomes an officer, or Master of his Lodge, or perhaps serves Grand Lodge. Fortunately, the words of the ritual and the lessons they teach are always with us as internal guides. As Joseph Fort Newton wrote: Each of us has in his own heart a little try-square called Conscience, by which to test each thought and deed and word, whether it be true or false… It is the first obligation of a Mason to be on the Square, in all his duties and dealings with his fellow men, and if he fails there he cannot win anywhere.7 Using conscience as the guide by which we examine our own actions and motivations can help us to control anger, resentment, or the need for one-upmanship. Square dealing also means that we do not exploit relationships with Brother Masons for financial gain or WINTER 2010 • 23
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in an effort to acquire another Masonic rank, title, accolade, fancy apron, or piece of fraternal bling-bling. Carl Claudy perhaps put it best when he wrote the following wise words: The Freemason who sees a Square and Compasses upon a coat and thinks, “There is a brother Mason, I wonder what he can do for me,” is not acting like a brother. He who thinks, “I wonder if there is anything I can do for him,” has learned the first principle of brotherhood.8 Quite frankly, don’t we all see more than enough self-serving ambition in the non-Masonic world? A far better use of energy would be identifying ways in which to quietly serve our lodges, our brethren, and our communities with humility. If accolades and honors come, let them be given in recognition of service humbly rendered and not because we have been grasping for recognition. Speaking of differentiating ourselves from those in the nonMasonic world, we should always bear in mind that meeting “on the level” does not mean sinking to the lowest common denominator. On the contrary, we are tasked to raise the bar for ourselves and our brethren, to work diligently at our ashlars and patiently carve out impeccable characters that are far above and beyond current societal norms. MWBro Jim Roberts, a former Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta, spoke eloquently on this subject in his address entitled “Society and the Mason’s Moral Leadership,” which he delivered at the Kananaskis Masonic Spring Workshop in 1988. According to Brother Roberts: We are called upon to be role models wherever we are, and no area of our life is exempt. Some have suggested that we need to update the way we do things, both in the ritual and the conduct of the Lodge. Others have said that we need to have a better image in society, or that we need to become more relevant in the modern world. Still others would like us to be more service oriented… But the future of Freemasonry has always depended upon the people who make up its membership, and especially the leaders of today and tomorrow. We can tinker with the machinery, change its program structure, amend the Ritual and so on, but in the final analysis it is who we are in our Lodges and in our society that will determine our destiny.9 Clearly, despite all our best efforts to make Freemasonry relevant to younger men, it will never, ever be hip in the broad context of a shallow, disposable culture that readily promotes morally ambiguous behaviors – nor should it be. The kind of men whom we wish to welcome into our lodges are those who stand apart from the crowd; men who understand the importance of tradition and know the difference between right and wrong; men who and are ready to make a change in their hearts and a difference in their world. As J.S.M. Ward wrote, Masonry teaches us that: Moral laws are not man-made conventions but Divine commands, which man should be able to recognize as such by means of the Divine Light within him. This is by no means an unimportant lesson to a world wherein some doubters are loudly proclaiming that there is no such thing as absolute right and wrong, and that all moral codes are but the accumulated experience of past ages as to what is expedient or convenient.10 Masonry is not trendy; its “system of morality” is timeless and eternal. We should therefore never wear the square and compasses to advertise our “team loyalty” in the same casual manner that sports fans don a hockey jersey or baseball cap; nor should we display these symbols of our Craft as a smug badge of superiority over those in the so-called profane world. Rather, if we choose to wear or display these symbols, let us do so as a means of reminding ourselves that we are called upon as Masons to be role models, men with purpose who hold ourselves to high standards and ideals. Let these symbols also remind us daily of all the work we have yet to accomplish in forming 24 • WINTER 2010
our own characters – without having to be reminded by others of the disconnect between our actual behavior and our purportedly lofty ideals, as I was reminded by my daughter during that unfortunate episode on the freeway. It is my firm belief that a back-to-basics focus on the fundamentals of Freemasonry will do far more to sustain our Craft that any parade, slick PR campaign, oversized check made out to a children’s charity, or “membership drive” gimmick (such as a one-day degree festival). The world is, after all, full of charitable organizations, service clubs, Elks, Lions, Kiwanians, and Rotarians. We do ourselves a disservice by imitating those groups – or diluting the teachings of our ritual in order to pad our membership numbers with men who may be illfitted to the Craft – rather than concentrating on the uniqueness of Freemasonry. Masonry calls us to continually work on smoothing our rough edges, to seek daily enlightenment, to serve one another, and to uphold the five points of fellowship. It is at this level of individual personal excellence – each Mason working on his own ashlar within in a fraternal structure that assures the mutual trust, encouragement and support of his brethren – that our fraternity must place its focus. If our Lodges are made up of men who truly walk the walk by living out the words of their obligations, men who carry the teachings of our ritual with them beyond their Lodges and into all aspects of their everyday lives, we will be setting the kind of example that not just any men, but our ideal candidates will truly want to emulate. And by extension, we will be ensuring that our Masonic Lodges offer the kind of organization that such men will long to join. By working together as brothers, by walking the walk, we can strengthen the foundation of our beloved fraternity and continue its centuries-old tradition of building towering temples in the hearts and minds and worthy men. (Endnotes)
1 Albert G. Mackey, Encyclopedia of Freemasonry (New York: Masonic History Company, 1917), 121. 2 Carl H. Claudy, Introduction to Freemasonry (Washington, DC: Temple Publishers, 1931), 61-62. 3 Mackey, 617. 4 Joseph Fort Newton, “The Rite of Destitution,” Brothers and Builders: The Basis and Spirit of Freemasonry (London: Masonic Record Publishers, 1924), 58-59. 5 James Hardie, The New Freemason’s Monitor, Second Edition (New York: George Long Publishers, 1819), 95-96. 6 Mackey, 805. 7 Joseph Fort Newton, “The Square,” Brothers and Builders: The Basis and Spirit of Freemasonry (London: Masonic Record Publishers, 1924), 32-33. 8 Claudy, 62. 9 James W. Roberts, ““Society and the Mason’s Moral Leadership,” Masonic Papers and Addresses (Red Deer, Alberta: Beacon Lodge, 2009), 26. 10 J.S.M. Ward, The Moral Teachings of Freemasonry (London: Baskerville Press, 1926), 5-6. Randy Williams is a writer/editor who resides with his wife and two daughters in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He was initiated, passed, and raised in Dominion Lodge No. 117, A.F. & A.M., G.R.A., where he serves as Lodge Secretary. He is also a member of Highlands-Unity Lodge No. 168, Capital City Chapter No. 13, Royal Arch Masons, and Yellowhead Council No. 220, Allied Masonic Degrees.
THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY
EDUCATION
Applying the Lessons of the Craft by Jason Marshall
I
t is easy to attend the meetings of lodges and the concordant orders, to witness the degrees, and to go through the required motions, only to re-enter the world outside and resume comfortable habits without making the effort to learn Masonry’s lessons and incorporate them into life. Many men have petitioned for the degrees of Freemasonry because of its fraternal activities, looking on the rituals and symbols as perfunctory. While the fraternal aspects of the Craft are important, there are more solemn reasons for the Craft’s existence. One need only remember the answer to the second question in the Entered Apprentice examination used in most jurisdictions. In the opening paragraph of his chapter on the 20° in Morals and Dogma, entitled “Grand Master of all Symbolic Lodges,” Albert Pike writes: “The true Mason is a practical Philosopher, who, under religious emblems, in all ages adopted by wisdom, builds upon plans traced by nature and reason, the moral edifice of knowledge. He ought to find, in the symmetrical relation of all the parts of this rational edifice, the principle and rule of all his duties, the source of all his pleasures. He improves his moral nature, becomes a better man, and finds in the reunion of virtuous men, assembled with pure views, the means of multiplying his acts of beneficence. Masonry and Philosophy, without being one and the same thing, have the same object, and propose to themselves the same end, the worship of the G.A.O.T.U., acquaintance and familiarity with the wonders of nature, and the happiness of humanity attained by the constant practice of all the virtues.” (Morals and Dogma, p. 325)
As Entered Apprentices, Masons learn of the need for ritual secrecy. In the real world, the need for secrecy varies from country to country, with political and religious extremism causing the brethren to be discreet with their Masonry in many jurisdictions. Freemasons, being educated and freethinking, are feared by oppressive governments and religions. But even in free societies, the secrecy of the Masonic lodge is an important tradition and a key part of the unity felt by the brethren. Masons should be able to speak freely to one another, not only within the Lodge, but anywhere, knowing that all they say constitutes an inviolable confidence. Apprentices also learn about Masonic charity. The lessons of charity are not unique to Freemasonry; in fact, these lessons are ingrained in the world’s religions. In Freemasonry, charity is displayed in the vast sums of money disbursed by Masonic institutions varying from pediatric hospitals and clinics to special education schools and college scholarships. But Masons must always remain aware that charity “begins at home,” in the lodge. In generations past, the brethren supported each other in times of distress, helping members financially or otherwise. Masonry’s focus seems to have shifted to favor direct donations to organized charities, so there is a need for the brethren to put action into their teaching to help one another again. It is not always money that is needed most; the word “charity” derives from the Greek word caritas, which means “brotherly love.” Thirdly, the Entered Apprentice learns from his initiation that dividing his time into manageable segments is key to a well-balanced life. As a symbol, we are taught:
In generations past, the brethren supported each other in times of distress, helping members financially or otherwise. Masonry’s focus seems to have shifted to favor direct donations to organized charities, so there is a need for the brethren to put action into their teaching to help one another again. Pike clearly states that Masons are to be practical philosophers, that they should put the teachings of the Craft into practice, not simply by discussing morality and spirituality in theory, but by offering their brethren assistance and guidance on their shared path toward Light. By practicing the teachings of the Craft, Masons not only better themselves but also improve the lives of others, which in turn is a service to society at large. The origins of the Craft are mysterious. Some believe the Craft is the newest incarnation of mystery schools that date to the earliest of civilizations. Others say the Craft evolved after the fall of the medieval Knights Templar. But the most widely accepted view holds that Freemasonry began in the guilds of operative builders in the Middle Ages. Although Masonry’s origins are shrouded in the mists of time, the knowledge it imparts through its degrees echoes the wisdom of the ages. The mystery schools served to impart esoteric teachings of the nature of deity and the universe in a gradual manner to their select memberships; they were not open to the general public, but only to the most promising of students who could be entrusted with the deepest teachings. Similarly, Freemasonry gives its members esoteric keys, and they are responsible for wielding those keys to open doors and reveal the Light they profess to seek.
“The 24-inch gauge is an instrument used by operative masons to measure and lay out their work. But we, as Free and Accepted Masons, are taught to make use of it for the more noble and glorious purpose of rightly dividing our time. It being divided into 24 equal parts, is emblematical of the 24 hours of the day, which we are taught to divide into three equal parts, whereby we find eight hours for service to God and a distressed worthy brother, eight hours for our usual vocations, and eight hours for refreshment and sleep.” This lesson of balancing one’s time may seem trivial when contrasted against the sublime esoterica of the Craft degrees, but this lesson is especially important today, as the modern world’s frenzied pace leaves so many people tethered to some sort of computer for instant communication and information. How many people take time every day to truly reflect and examine their lives? By using the 24-inch gauge as an inspiration (it understandably can be impractical), a Mason can budget his time realistically to serve his family, his fellow man, and his god. Experience will show that time spent in a thoughtfully balanced manner will help bring serenity to life’s hectic challenges. Fellowcrafts learn the purposes of the physical senses of hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, and tasting to help make sense of the material world. Similar to the EA’s lesson of time management, one’s mastery WINTER 2010 • 25
THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY
of his senses makes him a fit pupil for the lessons of life, being able to perceive the world the Grand Architect has created. The Fellowcraft Degree also instructs the brethren in the Liberal Arts and Sciences: Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, and Astronomy. Education, the main purpose of the Craft, is what allows Freemasons to build upon and beautify the world around them. Education is the basis for freedom, creativity, and productivity. The ability to understand, value, and improve the world of the here and now is what prepares the Freemason for the world beyond. And finally, in the Sublime Degree of Master Mason, the brethren learn of inviolable mutual trust. Life and security, both for themselves and their families, are to be safeguarded. Freemasonry is many things, but should all else fail, it will remain a brotherhood. The bond between its brethren is what allows the Craft to exist and to continue. In most variations of the Preston-Webb rituals, the trowel is cited to teach Masons to spread the cement of brotherly love and affection which “unites us into one sacred band, or society of friends and brothers, among whom no contention should ever exist.” The Psalmist phrases it best in No. 133: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.”
This short list of Masonic lessons only hints at the urgency that Masons should feel about their rituals and symbols. When properly understood, the teachings of the Craft can unlock the secrets to enjoying a full life of self-awareness, wisdom, and purpose, not just for their own benefit, but also for their families, friends, and business colleagues. Masonry’s ceremonies are secret inside the temple, but their teachings are universal because they benefit the whole world outside. Jason Marshall is a member of the newly chartered Lodge Veritas No. 556, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as well as the Valley of Guthrie, AASR, where he is vice chairman of the Program for Mentorship Committee. He will graduate with a Juris Doctorate in May. Jason resides in Chickasha, Oklahoma with his wife and son.
Masonic Treasures According to anti-Mason John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), his father, John Adams (1735-1826), the second president of the U.S., decided not to become a Freemason because “there was nothing in the Masonic Institution worthy of his seeking to be associated with it.” Nevertheless, the man who followed George Washington into the presidency spoke highly of the fraternity. Masonic Society Founding Fellow Mark Tabbert came across this message penned by the elder Adams to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts as part of the proceedings of the Grand Lodge for 1798. The Grand Lodge is digitizing its proceedings as part of the George Washington Masonic Memorial records preservation program. Adams’ letter was in response to a message sent to him by the Grand Lodge during the height of the Illuminati scare in the U.S. on June 11, 1798. The Grand Lodge declared American Masonry’s adherence to civil authority and devotion to promoting the public welfare. This was Adams’ response. Address To the Grand Lodge of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Gentlemen: As I never had the honor to be one of your Ancient Fraternity, I feel myself under the greater obligation to you for this respectful and affectionate address. Many of my best friends have been Masons, and two of them my professional patrons — the learned Gridley and my intimate friend, the immortal Warren whose life and death were lessons and examples of patriotism and philanthropy — were Grand Masters. Yet, it so happens, that I never had the felicity to be initiated. Such examples as these, and a greater still in my venerable predecessor, would have been sufficient to have induced me to hold the institution and the fraternity in esteem and honor as favorable to the support of civil authority, if I had not known their love to the fine arts, their delight in hospitality and their devotion to humanity. Your indulgent opinion of my conduct and your benevolent wishes for the fortunate termination of my public labors have my sincere thanks. The public engagements of your utmost exertions in the cause of your country and the offer of your services to protect the fair inheritance of your ancestors are proofs that you are not chargeable with those designs,the imputations of which, in other parts of the world, has embarrassed the public mind with respect to the real views of your society. Signed, John Adams Philadelphia, 22d June 1798. 26 • WINTER 2010
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POETRY
Eastbound Night by Kerry D. Kirk
Was it chance, one eve, that I met A gent who shared my train, Which Eastward hurtled in darkness, Way ’cross the Western plain?
Implore he guide me to the path, That hearty Fellows chose. At length, then placed he in my palm, Three stones and said, “Now those,
In vested suit, with whiskers, Long white with years achieved Reclined, entranced, at first, When, a-sudden, he made slight heave.
“Are Steps, and three is key Of the way could be thy Future Indeed, the Past and Present as well, By Degrees, we learn our nature.”
O nuisance, I then thought it was Given the burdens I did bear, An unquiet mind, further tempest-toss’d, By distraction presented there.
“Take one per time, concern it well, Only then bring forth the other, The third, in time, and it Sublime Full circle, makes us Brothers.”
But, then! a glance made plain, His overture I should give heed Dare’st he hold some Secret, It there at once did seem?
And upon my teacher’s aged hand Barely noticed due to wear I glanced, a ring, with symbol centered – It was a Mason’s square!
“I know, and see thou carry’st grief ” He said, “still, pardon if I may, Give unbid counsel to a stranger, As, I was once the same.”
“Kin to all, who keep the ken, Who work within the halls Of lodge, of self, Interiora Vide And grim Death dare to fall.”
“Pull close,” he winked then grinned, With features clear and kind, “Know ye, of the Point and Circle? And the Quarry of the Mind?”
I moved to ever thank the gent, For my new, mysterious charge But whens’t glancing at the gems he gave He disappeared from within the car.
Then, for hours, I sat still rapt, While the train made stops by town, And I learned amazed of a “building trade,” That ancients long ago did found.
I did not know yet what to make, Of the spectacle I then had seen Perhaps it was my next full step But then, perhaps a dream.
I learned my burdens were self-induced, That tools, through Symbol provided, The means to erase my miseries And my hopes and fears, divided.
Once daybreak came, and the sun full bore Bathed the City from above, From the train I alighted, and strode afresh Due East with newfound Love.
I learned that the old gent’s tribe, Dated to a hoary, distant past Yet, legions still dwelled among us, Holding guard, their Secrets fast.
Now, a fortnight since, in Temple joined, When my hood-wink was lowered down, Lo! spied I there, in the Master’s Chair, My train-sage sitting crowned!
Thro’ long the night, I asked him more Than dids’t not think I should, Yet, full rein he gave, and answered By Riddles – This, so that I would,
Kerry D. Kirk is a member of Henry Lodge No. 57, AF&AM, in Fairfax, Virginia. WINTER 2010 • 27
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RITUAL
“The Operatives” Meet in London by Thomas Johnson
O
n September 22, 2009, the Worshipful Society of Free Masons, Rough Masons, Wallers, Slaters, Paviors, Plaisterers and Bricklayers – also known as “The Operatives” – held its Annual Meeting of Grand Assemblage at Mark Masons Hall in London. The Society is governed by three Grand Master Masons, all of whom were in attendance, as were more than 100 brethren from around the world. After Grand Assemblage, which only brethren of the Seventh, Sixth, and Fifth degrees may attend, all present enjoyed a wonderful luncheon with the three Grand Master Masons followed by the highlight of the evening, which is the General Assembly and the Antient Drama, which may be attended by all members.
Right Worshipful Brother Brian Blanchard, 7th Degree, Grand Clerk, left, with Brother Thomas Johnson.
The Antient Drama is performed annually at Grand Assemblage, and it is one of the Operatives’ most important ceremonies. It concerns the symbolic murder of the Third Grand Master Mason, and the selection of another (a Seventh Degree member) to succeed him. It is a highly dramatic, instructive, and full-blown presentation of a story all Master Masons throughout the world will recognize. All members of the Worshipful Society are encouraged to see the ceremony at least once in their Operative careers. Thomas Johnson is a member of St. Lawrence Seaway Assemblage (The Operatives) in Ottawa, Canada.
From left: Right Worshipful Brother David Kibble-Rees, 7th Degree, Second Grand Master Mason; Brother Thomas Johnson; Right Worshipful Brother Arthur Craddock, 7th Degree, First Grand Master Mason
Who Are “The Operatives?”
T
he degrees of the Operatives were designed as a memorial of the practices of operative stonemasons, prior to the development of modern speculative Freemasonry. Membership in the Society is restricted to those who are Master Masons, Mark Master Masons and Holy Royal Arch Companions in good standing.
The founder of what is now the Operatives was Clement Edwin Stretton, who was an English civil engineer in the 1860s. As part of his training, Stretton was sent to a quarry in Derbyshire as a month-long crash course in learning something of how the building trade worked, from the stone quarry to the job site. In those days, the operative stonemasons’ guilds were dwindling in size and influence, but they were still in existence. While he was treated with indifference at first, his application to join the Guild Masons suddenly opened up a whole new world to him. The Guild still conferred a series of seven operative degrees upon its stone working members, and its traditions long predated the formation of speculative Freemasonry. Stretton became a Freemason in 1871, but was struck by the many differences between the two organizations. He believed the alterations and innovations made by the premiere Grand Lodge in London had diluted the philosophy and teachings of the original Guild Masons. Even though he went on to serve in many active officer positions in Craft and Royal Arch Freemasonry, he believed that the Master Mason degree that was added by the Grand Lodge in the 1720s was actually based on inadequate knowledge of the Operatives’ Annual Festival that commemorated the slaying of Hiram Abif. So, Stretton dedicated his later life to preserving the Operative degrees. Still, the Operatives do not claim that modern speculative Freemasonry grew directly from the rituals they practice, but merely that the Freemasons were inspired by these customs, terms, and practices. Today, the Society now has more than two thousand members worldwide. In the United States, the Bryn Athyn Quarry Assemblage in Allentown, Pennsylvania is the only chartered Operatives body. However, at Masonic Week in Alexandria in February, the three Grand Master Masons will be on hand from England to found new Assemblages in New York, North Carolina and Texas. CLH 28 • WINTER 2010
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T
he scene amidst which C
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reemasonry and the founding of the United States have been intertwined since the very beginning. Now discover the brotherhood of Freemasons at the center of Dan Brown’s novel, The Lost Symbol. Follow fictional symbologist Robert Langdon’s factual trail through the streets and monuments of Washington D.C., and into the innermost lodge rooms and temples of the Masons. Best-selling author of Solomon’s Builders and Freemasons For Dummies Christopher Hodapp has created the definitive guide to the symbols, legends, and mysteries of The Lost Symbol. Take an insider’s trip to uncover the true stories behind the Freemasons and the nation’s capital, and interpret the clues and claims of Brown’s book. From Masonic presidents, secret codes, and esoteric rituals, to curious cornerstones, monuments, and symbols, Deciphering The Lost Symbol is the only key you need to unlock the secrets and the truth behind Dan Brown’s fiction. ISBN: 978-1569757739 Ulysses Press Paperback, 208 pages, US $12.95
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HERITAGE
Remembering the Founders by Jay Hochberg
The Scottish Rite brethren of New Jersey researched and located the final resting place of John James Joseph Gourgas, and then set about rehabilitating the monument and surrounding grounds at a cost of $15,000. he autumn of 2009 was a time for remembrance in the Scottish Rite’s Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, where the gravesites of two of its earliest leaders were rediscovered, rehabilitated, and rededicated. The burial places of John James Joseph Gourgas and Daniel Tompkins, long neglected in their respective cemeteries, became sites of celebration where Masonic VIPs, including the Sovereign Grand Commander himself, gathered to honor two giants on whose shoulders the brethren now stand. David A. Glattly, Deputy for New Jersey, charged one Scottish Rite Mason with the task of locating the Gourgas gravesite, where a memorial had been dedicated by Supreme Council in 1938 on the occasion of its 125th anniversary. When the burial place was found in Bayview-New York Bay Cemetery in Jersey City, the brethren took action. Not just the monument itself, but a perimeter around it benefited from $15,000 of renovations, including the removal of trees (that were mere saplings in 1938) for structural endurance, and the installation of brick pavers for good looks. Local Scottish Rite leaders, including Masonic Society Founding Member Michael Lakat, researched the life and career of J.J.J. Gourgas in preparation for the rededication ceremony. He received the 33° in 1813, and became the NMJ’s first Grand Secretary. In 1832, he became the third Sovereign Grand Commander, earning the name “Conservator of the Scottish Rite” by safeguarding the rituals and records of the AASR-NMJ during the darkest days of the
In the dedication ceremony of applying Corn, Wine, and Oil to the monument, Ill. John William McNaughton, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, pours the Oil on the J.J.J. Gourgas gravesite memorial. 32 • WINTER 2010
scandal following the “Morgan Affair.” Spanning from 1826 to about 1840, this period saw the AASR go dark, and most grand lodges nearly collapse, as the American public rejected Freemasonry, fearing it was ruling the country from the shadows. Gourgas personally took charge of keeping administrative matters current with and maintaining contact with Masonic leaders around the world until whenever the calamity finally would end. He retired from his post in 1851, and died in 1865. Glattly, with Sovereign Grand Commander John William McNaughton, and New Jersey Grand Master William H. Berman, consecrated the monument on October 17th, with the ritual Corn, Wine, and Oil. With approximately 150 Masons in attendance, McNaughton saluted all New Jersey Scottish Rite brethren by awarding them the Gourgas Medal, the Supreme Council’s high honor for distinguished service. It was the first time in its 71-year history that the medal was conferred upon a group. • Across the Hudson River in Manhattan, the brethren of the Valley of New York City were invited to join the work underway by U.S. Daughters of 1812 at the grave of Daniel D. Tompkins. The Daughters, a society that preserves American history from 1784 to 1815, with emphasis on the War of 1812, was planning repairs to Tompkins’ burial place, located in the graveyard of St. Mark’s Churchin-the-Bowery. The New York City Chapter of U.S. Daughters was interested in Tompkins for his service as the sixth vice president of the United States, as governor of New York, and as a financier of the 1812
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Sovereign Grand Commander Daniel Tompkins keeps vigilant watch over the graveyard of historic St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery in New York City, where Peter Stuyvesant, Commodore Matthew Perry, and other historic figures are buried.
war effort. When told that Tompkins was both the first Sovereign Grand Commander of the AASR-NMJ and a Grand Master of New York, the Daughters chapter brought Freemasonry into the celebration, held November 9th. Tompkins died in 1825, while still Grand Commander. “I literally stumbled upon Bro. Tompkins’ grave on a random adventure trying to track down Peter Stuyvesant, who happens to be buried in the same yard,” explains Isaac Moore, a member of the Valley of New York City. “I was taken aback by the condition of the grave. It had been neglected for quite some time and needed some tender loving care. After a little more research, I found a rich and overlooked history of a fellow Mason.” Moore brought the grave to the attention of Bro. Cliff Jacobs, who learned of the U.S. Daughters’ project and got the Scottish Rite, Grand Lodge, and Tompkins Lodge No. 471 involved. The cooperation resulted in the replacement of a damaged grave-marker that had been set in the 1930s by the now defunct Tompkins Chapter of U.S. Daughters, and the installation of a bronze plaque which repeats the inscription on the original marble slab atop the grave, now nearly smooth from 184 years of wear.
The marble slab marking the burial plot of Daniel Tompkins and, beneath him, his father-in-law Mangle Minthorne, is cracked from side to side. The grave site was rededicated by the New York City Chapter of U.S. Daughters of 1812, with the assistance of the Scottish Rite Valley of New York City, Grand Lodge of New York, and Tompkins Lodge No. 471 on November 9, 2009. A bronze marker noting Tompkins’ military service during the War of 1812 was installed, replacing a weathered original, and a bronze plaque repeating the inscription on the nearly worn smooth marble slab was installed next to the grave.
McNaughton, joined by Deputy Grand Master Vincent Libone and Scottish Rite Deputy Peter Samiec, led the delegation of several dozen Freemasons who filled the church’s meeting room with the U.S. Daughters, church leaders, government officials, and others. Libone augmented the dais with a portrait of the rarely painted Tompkins that hangs in the Grand Lodge offices on 23rd Street. The event was taped for broadcast on New York City public television by Jacobs, an executive with the network.
Ill. John William McNaughton, Sovereign Grand Commander of the AASR-NMJ, was among various Freemasons speaking at the podium inside St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery on November 9. He saluted his predecessor’s tremendous personal sacrifices for his country.
WINTER 2010 • 33
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THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY
FROM THE EDITOR
The Enigmatic Masonic Calendars by Christopher L. Hodapp asonic lore and legends have grown over the years, and Thanks for noticing. Kindly remain in your seat. Anno Lucis means “In as the rituals were expanded, so were many customs. the Year of Light” in Latin. Masons called it that to coincide with the I bring this up because several brethren have received biblical passage “And God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” their Masonic Society membership patents, only to They did this to lend the fraternity an air of great and solemn antiquity. express their dismay that they were dated 6009 a.l., If they dated their documents as being 5,717 years old, they’d certainly thinking our hardworking Secretary/Treasurer had sound more respectable and impressive than some new drinking club miscalculated by 4,000 years. that formed just last week. One of the more curious Masonic customs has to do with the Not to be outdone, Royal Arch Masons calculate the passage of way Masons date their documents. Now, that should be a fairly time from the building of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which straightforward thing, because the Gregorian calendar was pretty was erected by Prince Zerubbabel, in the year 530 b.c. They mark the much standardized by Pope Gregory passing years as Anno Inventionis (“In the XIII in 1582. The non-Catholic Western Year of Discovery”). Royal Arch Masons world took another 200 years before they add 530 years to the current year; a.d. went along with the idea, but since 1776, 2010 would be the year 2540 a.i. the world has pretty much been on the I’m not done. Cryptic Masons date same calendar page (although Greece and their Masonic calendars from the year that Russia didn’t get around to adopting it the Temple of Solomon was completed, until after World War I). in about 1000 b.c. The Cryptic Masons It is largely unknown today, but in call theirs Anno Depositionis, which means 1658, Bishop James Ussher in Ireland “In the Year of the Deposit” (when the sedetermined what he contended was the crets of the Temple were deposited in the exact date of the creation of the world. deepest crypt below the building’s founUsing the biblical account along with a dation), and add 1,000 years to the curcomparison of Middle Eastern histories, rent date. Therefore, the year a.d. 2010 Hebrew genealogy, and other known becomes 3010 a.d. Yes, a different a.d. events, he determined that the Earth was The a.d. that most of the Western created on Sunday, October 23, 4004 b.c. world uses is Anno Domini (“In the Year Further, at about the same period, John of Our Lord,” or the year of Christ’s Lightfoot, Vice Chancellor of Cambridge birth), as opposed to b.c., meaning University, went on to further pinpoint “Before Christ”). Modern scholars prefer that Creation actually happened at about the nondenominational terms b.c.e. and 9:00 a.m. that morning. a.c.e., meaning “Before the Common Ussher in particular was no slouch Era” and “After the Common Era.” I’m intellectually. He was Archbishop of just not a modern scholar, and have no Armagh, Primate of All Ireland, and Vice intention of shunning a two millennia Chancellor of Trinity College in Dublin, tradition, thanks very much. Bishop James Ussher (1581-1656) and he had what was said to be the largest Masonic Knights Templar don’t add private collection of books in the world. years to the current calendar date. They He wasn’t just engaging in ecclesiastical hairsplitting — he really deduct them. The Templars date their calendars from the date of the believed this. formation of the original Templar Order by Hugues de Payens and Ussher called his calendar Anno Mundi (“In the Year of the eight other knights in the year a.d. 1118. Therefore, the Masonic World”). Ussher and Lightfoot’s calculations were believed so strongly Templar deducts 1,118 from the current year. So a.d. 2010 becomes that, by 1700, the date and time of the Creation were accepted as fact the year 892 a.o. This calendar is referred to as Anno Ordinis (“In the by most Christian denominations. Beginning in 1701, authorized King Year of the Order”). James versions of the Bible were printed that clearly stated the date and Members of the Scottish Rite also have a calendar system of time of Creation, right up front. Up until the evolutionary theories their own. This calendar is referred to as Anno Mundi (“In the Year of Charles Darwin were popularized, many Christians (and Jewish of the World”), which is what Bishop Ussher called his chronology. scholars as well) were convinced that the Earth was no more than about The difference is that the Scottish Rite’s version uses Jewish rabbinical 6,000 years old. Moreover, many believed that Ussher’s computations calculations that differed with Ussher’s by 240 years. The Scottish Rite were part and parcel of the Scripture, and thus, unquestionable. adds 3,760 years to the current date. Thus a.d. 2006 becomes 5766 At the time of modern Freemasonry’s origin, Ussher’s creation date a.m. was so uniformly believed that Masons began dating their documents Masons aren’t the only ones who do this. Geologists and using 4004 b.c. as their beginning year. Sort of. The year 4004 b.c. was paleontologists, for example, have their own dating terminology, an inconvenient number to remember, so Masons actually just took expressing dates as b.p., meaning “Before Present Day.” Thus, 1,000 the current year and added 4,000 to it. So, a.d. 1717 became 5717 b.c. would be expressed as 3010 b.p. This year, anyway. Anno Lucius, or a.l. Likewise, a.d. 2010 becomes 6010 a.l. And don’t even get me started on how Star Trek fans determine “Anno Lucius?!”, I hear you screaming. “The year of Lucifer!” Stardates. WINTER 2010 • 35
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Opened in 1971, Freemasons House is the headquarters of the Order of Freemasons in Iceland. It is located in the center of Reykjavik, the nation’s capital. Photo by Steinarr Omarsson, Masonic Society Founding Member