The Journal of The Masonic Society, Issue #9 by The Masonic Society

The Journal

Of The Masonic Society

Summer 2010

Issue 9

“Our Service To Masonry”

The Semi-Annual Meeting of the Masonic Society September 24-25, 2010 The Royal Sonesta Hotel

300 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA 70130-2213 Friday, September 24, 2010 1PM - 9PM (Central Time) Saturday, September 25, 2010 9 AM - 7PM Banquet (Central Time) Presentations and other submissions The theme of The Masonic Society’s Semi-Annual will be “Our Service To Masonry” All proposals for presentations and papers for consideration should be directed to Jay Hochberg, Submissions Coordinator of The Journal of The Masonic Society. Please email your submissions to articles@themasonicsociety.com no later than Wednesday, August 11, 2010. All submissions will be subject to review for suitability to the theme of the event.

Registration $65, includes banquet and conference events. Members of the Society and non-members are welcome to register and attend. Your Lady or Other Guest may attend the conference and banquet for an additional $65.

Accommodations The Society has arranged for a limited number of rooms at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Bourbon Street, in the heart of the French Quarter. We have negotiated a rate of $159 per night (+ tax) for Friday, September 24, 2010 and Saturday, September 25, 2010 (with checkout on Sunday, September 26, 2010). If you wish to arrive early on Thursday, September 23 or stay a night later on Sunday September 27th, the room rate will be $109.00 (+ tax) for those nights. NOTE: If you plan to stay in the hotel, please reserve early as the hotel is booking now for the Saints-Falcons home game on Sunday, September 26. Rooms may be reserved at the reduced rate through Friday, August 27, 2010. We cannot guarantee any room availability after that date. Rooms may be reserved online at www.themasonicsociety.com

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Summer 2010 THE JOURNAL OF THE

MASONIC SOCIETY ISSN 2155-4145

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 Officers Michael R. Poll, President Rex R. Hutchens, 1st Vice President John R. Cline, 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 David Naughton-Shires Mark Tabbert These guidelines apply to the reuse of articles, figures, charts and photos in the Journal of The Masonic Society. Authors need NOT contact the Journal to obtain rights to reuse their own material. They are automatically granted permission to do the following: Reuse the article in print collections of their own writing; Present a work orally in its entirety; Use an article in a thesis and/or dissertation; Reuse a figure, photo and/or table in future commercial and noncommercial works; Post a copy of the article electronically. Please note that Authors must include the following citation when using material that appeared in the Journal: “This article was originally published in The Journal of The Masonic Society. Author(s). Title. Journal Name. Year; Issue:pp-pp. © the Journal of The Masonic Society.” Apart from Author’s use, no material appearing in the Journal of The Masonic Society may be reprinted or electronically distributed without the written permission of the Editor. Published quarterly by The Masonic Society Inc. 1427 W. 86th Street, Suite 248, Indianapolis IN 46260-2103. Full membership for Master Masons in good standing of a lodge chartered by a grand lodge that is a member of the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons of North America (CGMMNA), or recognized by a CGMMNA member grand lodge. (includes Prince Hall Grand Lodges recognized by their counterpart CGMMNA state Grand Lodge): $39/ yr., ($49 outside US/Canada). Subscription for nonmembers: $39/yr., ($49 outside US/Canada). 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 MS circle and quill logo, and the name “The Masonic Society” are trademarks of The Masonic Society, Inc. and all rights are reserved.

Sections 4 President’s Message 5

Issue 9 Articles 12 The Way Less Traveled

by Stephen M. Osborn

News of the Society

7 Conferences, Speeches, Symposia & Gatherings 8

Masonic News

29 Books, Arts, Styles & Manners 35 From the Editor

Special Reports 16 A Trip to Cuba: One Man’s View of a Masonic Journey by Gerald Connally

24 Laissez les bons temps rouler at Etoile Polaire Lodge No. 1

14 A possible cabalistic explanation for the “Point within a circle” by Leon Zeldis

15 Down the Path of Proper Research

by Michael R. Poll

19 Our Esoteric Odyssey: How We Resurrected a Long-Lost, 220-Year Old Masonic Oddity by Randy Williams and Stephen Dafoe

by Marc H. Conrad

26 Masonry in the Mountains: 2010 Masonic Spring Workshop in Kananaskis, Alberta

23 Alchemy and the First Degree of Freemasonry

By Donald J. Tansey

by Randy Williams

Poetry 21 Hallowed Halls

by Jason E. Marshall

Masonic Treasures

28 The George Washington Masonic Memorial Freemasons’ White House Stones Exhibit By Mark A. Tabbert

22 Mendocino Lodge No. 179 36 1868 Past Master Jewel

31 Cryptic Council of Research by Jonathan Horvath

COVER: This issue’s cover features “Silence,” one of the first commissions for famed Beaux-Arts sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907). The statue was moved in 1922 from the Grand Lodge of New York’s headquarters to the Tompkins Chapel at the Masonic Care Community in Utica, NY. Saint-Gaudens sculpted many Civil War monuments, founded the Cornish Art Colony in New Hampshire, and later designed the twenty-dollar “double eagle” gold piece for the U.S. Mint in 1905. Photo by Christopher L. Hodapp

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Come On Down and Find Out by Michael R. Poll

This is a last minute addition to my President’s Message (6/28/2010).

was recently asked if there is some reason why the President of the Masonic Society and the President of the Scottish Rite Research Society (Bill Mollere) are both from Louisiana. I answered, “Yes, there is a good reason. Come on down and find out.”

Louisiana Masonry is unlike Masonry in any area of the United States. There is a Masonic history in Louisiana that is as rich, unique and diverse as the state itself. I can’t tell you how many times I have been questioned about “those Scottish Rite Craft Lodges” in New Orleans. Their history is truly amazing and one of the most fertile Masonic research subjects in the world. New Orleans is one of the most interesting and fun cities in the world to visit, live and enjoy. It was not a hard choice to pick New Orleans as the site of the Masonic Society’s second semiannual meeting. The biggest choice has been picking the hotel! That task has been completed. The semiannual will be held on September 24th and 25th 2010 at the incredible Royal Sonesta Hotel at 300 Bourbon Street in New Orleans. This is a truly beautiful and historic New Orleans style hotel, right in the heart of the French Quarter. The entertainment is right there and all around. The plan is to have Masonic lectures and events at the hotel, but we will also be mindful of the desire of our members to have time to enjoy the sites and activities taking place in the French Quarter. We will have a number of great lectures, including ones by Chris Hoddap and Mark Tabbert, and also events such as an exemplification of a Scottish Rite EA degree, which should be of interest to all. At the registration desk, we will also pass out packets with info on sites and attractions in the area. The events will cap off Saturday evening with a fabulous banquet, New Orleans style, which will be sure to blow any diet. For more info on the Royal Sonesta, making reservations for rooms or the banquet, see the semiannual info page in this issue. For a bit of additional information, here is something from their website: “The Royal Sonesta Hotel is a Grand Hotel in the French Quarter, located on world-famous Bourbon Street. The 500-room hotel is within steps of New Orleans unique restaurants, antique shops, jazz clubs and premier tourist attractions. Its atmosphere reflects a blend of European flair and Southern charm. The hotel surrounds a tropical courtyard, just off an elegant marble lobby. The guest rooms offer unique views of the beautifully landscaped pool, secluded patios or French Quarter life. Its traditional elegance has earned it a AAA 4-diamond status. As our guest, you will enjoy all the convenience of a major, full service property, and all the charm of a boutique hotel.” If it will be your first trip to New Orleans, we are certain it won’t be your last after seeing what is offered. If it is a return visit, you will enjoy it all the more. Come on down and find out! 4 • SUMMER 2010

am proud to announce that The Masonic Society is growing and evolving in a decisive and positive manner. In a Masonic era where memberships regularly are on the decline, TMS has great membership growth, along with financial stability. Our work is paying off. We are also fast developing the reputation as a leader in the field of Masonic education with jurisdiction after jurisdiction requesting the services of our 2nd Circles. All that is ever needed is to just ask and we are ready to provide educational assistance or help with any Masonic program. We are also proud of our association with such wonderful organizations as the George Washington National Masonic Memorial and the Masonic Restoration Foundation. These truly valuable organizations deserve special recognition for their work, and TMS greatly values our association with them. I am also pleased to announce several new TMS appointments. Bro. Martyn Greene is our new 2nd Circle Coordinator. Bro. Martyn hails from Scotland and is just off a very successful 1st Annual UK -Ireland Symposium which was co-sponsored by TMS’ UK 2nd Circle. Bro. Martyn brings a fresh and energized attitude to the 2nd Circle Coordinator position and we expect wonderful things happening with our 2nd Circles. We have already activated new 2nd Circles in a number of areas where none existed before. Well done, Bro. Martyn! I’d like to also give a tremendous welcome to our new 2nd Vice President, Most Worshipful Brother John R. “Bo” Cline. MWBro. Cline is a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alaska and comes to us with an energy, skill and dedication that perfectly fits the bill for TMS. In a world where electronic communication is key, Bro. Bo is right on the mark with the vision of TMS and our programs. He is already joining in the party with helping fine tune our by-laws, as well as participating in our planning and organizational development. Thank you, Bro. Bo. A sincere thank you also goes to our retiring 2nd Vice President, WBro. Fred Kleyn. Bro. Kleyn provided a great service to TMS with his work last year on our by-laws, and providing exposure for TMS in California. Bro. Kleyn submitted his resignation this past Saturday due to prior commitments and duties which did not provide him enough time for the duties of a TMS VP. We deeply thank Bro. Kleyn for his service and wish him all the best in his future endeavors. The other day I was at a Masonic gathering and was talking with someone about TMS. The brother asked how many years we have been around. When I told him that we are a little over 2 years old, his eyes opened almost as wide as plates. He said that he had no idea, that he thought that we were one of those classic old societies that have been around forever. We have become known. We have become the standard by which others are judged. But, this did not happen by the action or inaction of others. It has been by the hard work, dedication, foresight and determination of TMS. No one should doubt the resolve we have in making TMS into the best that it can be. No one should doubt that we will continue to evolve, define and refine ourselves. There will be more announcements in the near future, as I am absolutely determined to keep the progressive momentum going. We will continue to provide the very best for our membership and be the type of society envisioned when TMS was created. My Brothers, wonderful things are happening!

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News of the Society The Masonic Society UK-Ireland Symposium 2010 by David Naughton-Shires, mms

he weekend of the 28th and 29th of May saw the first of what organizers hope will be many UK-Ireland symposiums held by the Second Circle Committee Chairmen of The Masonic Society. The theme for the inaugural symposium was “The Royal Society,” chosen to coincide with the 350th anniversary of that renowned organization.

Touring Freemasons’ Hall

The weekend began with a guided tour of an exhibition about The Royal Society then being held at the Library and Museum of Freemasonry at Great Queen Street, after which the delegates retired to the Prince of Wales Public House to enjoy some wonderful food and even better fellowship. Friendly debate ensued around the tables, and many subjects were discussed in a comfortable and informal atmosphere of enjoyable mutual discovery.

creation of the Royal Society, which opened up the floor to questions as diverse as the membership of the original group, its place in society at the time, and how it led the development of modern science. After a short break for Michael Baigent lunch, Second Circle Chairman Yasha Beresiner welcomed Bob Cooper, who enlightened the group with a talk on Sir Robert Moray and his role in the formative years of the Royal Society. Not surprisingly, the talk rapidly turned to Freemasonry and the connections between the Royal Society and the Craft. All in all, the meeting was a huge success. Already, the organizing committee of Yasha Beresiner, Martyn Greene and David Naughton-Shires are deep in discussion about next year’s symposium, where they aim to increase the number of attendees by at least 300%. After the success of the inaugural gathering, the group members firmly believe that this goal is easily attainable! Robert L. D. Cooper DAVID NAUGHTON-SHIRES was born in the U.K. and now lives with his wife and three children in County Clare, Ireland. He is the Junior Deacon in his Craft Lodge, Ormonde Lodge 201. He recently received his Mark Degree and was exalted into Triune Chapter 333. He is the founder of the Masonic Art Exchange and a member of the Board of Directors of The Masonic Society.

Brother Tony Pope Honored

Kensal Green Community Centre

The camaraderie continued into the next day, when delegates again came together around a table at the Kensal Green Community Centre for the main event. The day was characterized by a great exchange of information as the featured speakers, Michael Baigent and Robert L.D. Cooper, shared their papers. First up was Brother Baigent, author of The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail and The Jesus Papers. He delivered a well-rounded and informative outline on the

n June 25th, 2010, Brother Tony Pope was invested with the Grand Master’s Order of Service to Freemasonry by the Grand Lodge South Australia and Northern Territory. This honor is rarely conferred, and well deserved. Tony Pope is an outstanding and distinguished researcher into Freemasonry, with high and rigorous standards as an editor of Masonic publications. He was editor of four volumes of the Transactions of the SA Lodge of Research. In 1992 he was one of the founding officers of what is now the Australian and New Zealand Masonic Research Council (ANZMRC), an association of the Masonic research bodies and lodges of Australia and New Zealand, with associate members in Europe, Africa, the Americas, India and SE Asia. He has written extensively on Prince hall Freemasonry, and the subject of recognition. He is also the coauthor, with Brother Kent Henderson, of Freemasonry Universal. Congratulations to Brother Pope for this singular and welldeserved honor. SUMMER 2010 • 5

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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 April 1st through June 30th, 2010. Kurtis P Adams Charles Alcaraz Michael G. Betts Matthew David Beyers Martin Bogardus James Robert Boyer Ken Branscum George Brooks Harold R. Buchanan Glenn E. Chandler Richard E Ciccotelli Sr. John W Comstock Alex Connors Bruce Corenblum Dr. Timothy Lawrence Costello Lawrence Benjamin Crenshaw Donald I Crews Michael B Daniels Michael Davey James A. Davidson Vincent Alexander DeBenedetto Douglas Reid Dorney Jr. Michael Henry Duminiak Donald C. Elfreth

David E. Engelhardt Adam E. Fedler Daniel Wheater Fleetham Jr. Wayne Keith Ford Jason David Garand Rich P. Gardner Mark R. Gates Prof. John R Graham Anthony Guerne Mounir M. Hanafi Charles John Harris III Robert J Hart Adam Hathaway Russ Hauser Russell W Henderson Andrew P. Hill Robert W Hospadaruk William F. House Richard C. Ivey Peter S Jensen Leo Johnson Jr. Lenny A Kagan Thomas Edward Keener Kenneth James Keesler

Founding Member Bruce Carmichael passes

rother Bruce F. Carmichael of New Haven, Connecticut, died suddenly on Feb. 1st, 2010, at the age of 63. He was the deputy dean for academic administration in Yale University’s School of Engineering & Applied Science (SEAS). Bruce also taught introductory anatomy and physiology seminars and graduate business strategy courses, and lectured on organizational behavior and change. He was a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, and member of the New Haven Hiram #1 lodge. He served on the board of directors of Masonicare. He was known to play the bagpipe occasionally and don a traditional kilt for University events. In addition to his wife, Linda, Bruce is survived by his son, Ryan, and his mother, brother and daughter-in-law. Contributions in Carmichael’s memory can be made to Yale in care of Harley Pretty, Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science, P.O. Box 208267, New Haven, CT 06520-8267l; or to the Masonic Charity Foundation (Masonicare Annual Appeal), care of the Masonic Charity Foundation of Connecticut, P.O. Box 70, Wallingford, CT 06492. His column is broken, and his brethren mourn.

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Harold D. Kennedy David Kimmins Darrell B Kitchen Robert H. Koole Joshua William Kuebler Federico L Larrinaga Michael Leonard Jonathan C. Litwin Esq. Jason David MacKeen William E. Martin James Archie McCormick Brent Owen McDorman Capt. Carey E. McIntyre Kevin D Miller Joseph F Oelgoetz III H. Allen Ohrt Nelson Oms William Kim Parkyn Eric William Paslick Christopher Thomas Peace Dr. Ramesh Raghavan James A. Reed William D. Robertson Diamond M Robinson

Rev. Christopher D. Rodkey Ph.D. Elliott Paul Saxton Thomas Sconiers Robert T. Shelby Kerry A. Shirts John C. Shull Michael Thomas Sica Chad E. Simpson Mark Edward Smith Don A Springler Roy H. Stock Andrew Madison Swicegood Lorne N. Urquhart George E. Weil Randall Harold Wilson Jeremy Wolfson Ian A. Wood Stanley Woodin Greg Zook

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Conferences, Speeches, Symposia & Gatherings July 31-August 1, 2010 Scottish Rite Library & Museum in Waco Scottish Rite Orient of Texas, featuring 9 Valleys (including 3 of the 5 largest in the U.S. - Dallas, Houston and Fort Worth) will hold its first ever Biennial Convocation. www.texasscottishrite.org August 5, 2010 Southeastern Masonic Conference Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina 50th anniversary of the annual conference, at the Mt. Pleasant Holiday Inn. August 15-21, 2010 Western Esotericism and its Boundaries: Between Discourses of Identity and Difference At IAHR Quinquennial World Congress, Toronto, Ontario. www.religion.utoronto.ca/resources/iahr/Home.htm August 28-29, 2010 Masonic Restoration Foundation’s National Symposium, Colorado Springs, CO. Attendance capped at 120. www.traditionalobservance. com August 30-31, 2010 Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction Annual Meeting In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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. September 29, 2010 Scottish Rite Research Guild, Glen Park Lodge Valparaiso, Indiana Founding Fellow Christopher Hodapp to speak. Book signing at 6 p.m., followed by the lecture, then a program on the Knights of St. Andrew. October 11, 2010 Kensington-Kadosh Commandery No. 54, Knights Templar, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. SK Thurman C. Pace, Jr., Honorary Past Grand Master of Grand Encampment, on “The History of Templary.” October 15, 2010 Atlas-Pythagoras Lodge No. 10, Westfield, NJ Founding Member Steve Burkle to speak on “The 47th Problem of Euclid and the Magic Squares.”

Hall, Chester-le-Street, Province of Durham, England. For information, contact Alan Bell at abell@criticalstrategy. com December 11, 2010 New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education No. 1786, Trenton, NJ Meets at 10 a.m. at the Trenton Masonic Temple. December 11, 2010 Tennessee Lodge of Research, Nashville, TN At Conlegium Ritus Austeri Lodge No. 779. Lunch at noon. Election of officers. December 22, 2010 Masonic Lodge of Research of Connecticut Meets at the New Haven Masonic Temple, at 285 Whitney Ave., New Haven. December 27, 2010 American Lodge of Research Installation of Officers at 8 p.m. at the Grand Lodge of New York. January 19, 2011 (Texas state holiday) Texas Lodge of Research in the United Kingdom Texas Lodge of Research’s UK branch at the Masonic Hall, Chester-le-Street, Province of Durham, England. For information, contact Alan Bell at abell@criticalstrategy. com

September 4, 2010 George Washington Masonic Stamp Club 2-3 p.m. at Baltimore Philatelic Exposition, Marriott Hotel, Hunt Valley, MD.

October 16, 2010 Peyton Randolph Lodge of Research No. 1774 Williamsburg, Virginia. Meeting at 10 a.m. Meets at Williamsburg Masonic Lodge No. 6.

September 11, 2010 New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education No. 1786. Meets at 10 a.m. at the Trenton Masonic Temple. TMS Founding Fellow Jay Hochberg to speak.

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.

March 2, 2011 (Texas Independence Day) Texas Lodge of Research in the United Kingdom Texas Lodge of Research’s UK branch at the Masonic Hall, Chester-le-Street, Province of Durham, England. Contact Alan Bell at abell@criticalstrategy.com

September 11, 2010 Dwight L. Smith Lodge of Research, Indianapolis, Indiana. Meets at 6 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Bro. John Wade, 2009 Prestonian Lecturer of the United Grand Lodge of England, to speak.

October 23, 2010 Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge Meets at the Elizabethtown campus. Speakers: TMS Journal Editor Christopher Hodapp and R. William Weisberger.

March 14, 2011 Kensington-Kadosh Commandery No. 54, Knights Templar, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. Founding Member Jan L. Boggess to speak on “Historical Aspects of Pennsylvania Knights Templar.”

September 11, 2010 Tennessee Lodge of Research At Powell Lodge No. 582 in Powell. Lunch at noon. Program at 1 p.m. Business meeting to follow.

October 23, 2010 James Noah Hillman Lodge of Research Norton, Virginia Meet at 10 a.m. at Suthers Lodge No. 259 in Norton.

September 13, 2010 Kensington-Kadosh Commandery No. 54, Knights Templar. Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. TMS Fellow George R. Haynes to speak on “Christian Orders in Freemasonry.”

October 24, 2010 Kensington-Kadosh Commandery No. 54, Knights Templar. Williamson’s Restaurant in Horsham, PA, The Annual Banquet. TMS Founding Fellow Christopher Hodapp to speak. Contact Makia Pai at masonicscholar@earthlink.net for more information.

April 15-17, 2011 46th Annual Masonic Spring Workshop Theme: “Drawing Aside the Veil.” Founding Fellow S. Brent Morris is the keynote speaker. Delta Lodge at Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada. www.masonicspringworkshop.ab.ca/

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 17, 2010 Atlas-Pythagoras Lodge No. 10, Westfield, New Jersey Past Prestonian Lecturer Trevor Stewart of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 to speak on “Another Look at Masonic Symbolism.” September 18, 2010 Ohio Lodge of Research At Paramuthia Lodge No. 25 in Athens. Meeting opens at 3 p.m. September 18, 2010 Aztlan Lodge No. 1’s “Outdoor Degree” Prescott, Arizona. Registration at 8 a.m. Lodge opens at 10. More information at: www.aztlanlodge.org September 21, 2010 Northern California Research Lodge Meets at San Francisco Scottish Rite Center. 2850 19th Ave., San Francisco. 6 p.m. September 24-25, 2010 The Masonic Society’s 2010 Semiannual Meeting New Orleans, Louisiana. Theme: “Our Service to Freemasonry.” www.themasonicsociety.com

October 27, 2010 American Lodge of Research Meets at 8 p.m. at the Grand Lodge of New York. October 27, 2010 Masonic Lodge of Research of Connecticut Meets at the New Haven Masonic Temple, at 285 Whitney Ave., New Haven. October 30-31, 2010 Canonbury Masonic Research Centre Conference London, England Twenty academic papers will be presented on the topic of “Anti-Masonry”, plus 1943 French anti-Masonic propaganda film “Les Forces Occult”. Tickets £100. http://www.canonbury.ac.uk/

January 22, 2011 Ohio Lodge of Research Time and location to be announced.

May 2011 Third International Conference on the History of Freemasonry. George Washington Masonic Memorial, Alexandria, Virginia. www.ichf2011.org 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. July 14-16, 2011 Rocky Mountain Masonic Conference Salt Lake City, UT Aug. 20-22, 2010 Midwest Conference of Masonic Grand Lodges Sioux Falls, SD Best Western Ramkota Hotel

November 6, 2010 Allied Masonic Degrees Day, Indianapolis, IN Hosted by Imhotep Council No. 434 at Freemasons’ Hall in Indianapolis, Indiana. Degrees to be conferred. Lodge Vitruvian No. 767 will also demonstrate the EA degree using Emulation ritual. November 16, 2010 Northern California Research Lodge Installation of Officers. Meets at San Francisco Scottish Rite Center. 2850 19th Ave., San Francisco. 6 p.m. November 25, 2010 (U.S. Thanksgiving) Texas Lodge of Research in the United Kingdom Texas Lodge of Research’s UK branch at the Masonic

Please send notices of your event to Jay Hochberg at articles@themasonicsociety.com SUMMER 2010 • 7

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Masonic News

he first Masonic Restoration Foundation national symposium will be held August 28th and 29th in Colorado Springs, CO. The focus of the two day event will be Masonic Restoration with a primary focus on identifying a set of best practices that can be regionalized and implemented in those lodges seeking to increase the fulfillment of its members. The conference is not a standard Masonic training workshop or educational call for papers. They are taking a mixed approach of both the corporate integrated learning and team building and combining it with a Traditional Observance lodge experience so that the ideas that might be addressed have been experienced and are not purely conceptual. Enlightenment Lodge 198 will host a tyled meeting highlighting the Traditional Observance model. The focus will be to demonstrate an educational and philosophical meeting with nationally renowned author and speaker Timothy Freke, NY Times bestselling author of The Jesus Mysteries: Was The Original Jesus A Pagan God?. Seating is limited to 120. Registration costs start at $110 for the Symposium alone, and vary according to activities. The full agenda is available at www.traditionalobservance.com . The MRF provides education and training to individuals, lodges and grand lodges on ways to establish quality programs, academic excellence and social relevance in their Masonic communities.

he Grand Master of West Virginia, AF&AM, Gregory A. Riley, Sr., issued an edict on April 19, 2010 withdrawing West Virginia’s fraternal recognition from the Grand Lodge of Ohio, F&AM. On Saturday, April 17, 2010 Steubenville Lodge No. 45 in Ohio elected RW Frank Haas, PGM, to membership and reconferred the three degrees of Masonry on him. Haas served as Grand Master in West Virginia in 2005-6, and was expelled by edict of then Grand Master Charlie L. Montgomery in 2007. According to the Grand Master of Ohio, MW Terry Posey, Haas’ election to Steubenville Lodge did not violate the Grand Lodge of Ohio’s rules. Grand Master Riley has clarified that withdrawal does NOT interfere with fraternal relations of appendant bodies, and that West Virginia Masons may continue those relationships with Ohio brethren. Meanwhile, Hass’ civil lawsuit against the Grand Lodge of West Virginia is still going forward, and trial is scheduled for December 2010.

rother Richard Num in Australia reports that the Provincial Grand Lodge of South East Asia (Irish Constitution) is to be constituted Friday, July 23, 2010, in Malaysia. The new Provincial Grand Lodge will complement the existing English and Scottish regional Grand Lodges of South East Asia. The Irish Freemasons in SE Asia have a website at www. irishmasons.com.sg

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he long-running comic strip Annie has ended after 85 years, with the last cliffhanger installment on Sunday, June 13th. Tribune Media Services says it is “taking Annie into the Internet age by pursuing new audiences for her in digital media.” Freemason Harold Lincoln Gray (1894-1968) created the strip originally as “Little Orphan Annie” on August 5, 1924, in the New York Daily News and later in the Chicago Tribune. According to the Grand Lodge of British Columbia & Yukon website, at its height it was syndicated in some 250 newspapers. It appears in just twenty today. While few today would ever think the strip was controversial, at various times, Annie got herself involved with gangsters, vigilantes, pirates, evil labor union socialists, and even a plot involving the bombing of a German U-boat. Hints in the strip over the years revealed that the character of Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks was clearly a Freemason. So naturally he would care for an orphan. When the strip was adapted into a wildly popular radio program in the 1930s, the show’s creators formed Radio Orphan Annie’s Secret Society, complete with secret passwords and hand signs. A coded message was read each episode that required the use of a special decoding device for listeners to decipher Annie’s secret message to loyal members. As the 1983 film A Christmas Story famously depicted, the message was often “a crummy commercial” for sponsor Ovaltine. Brother Gray continued to write and draw the comic strip up until his death in 1968. He was a charter member of Lombard Lodge No. 1098 in Lombard, Illinois in 1923.

he brethren of Corinthian Lodge AF&AM in Concord, Massachusetts, may have uncovered real treasure in their archives: a set of 18th century silver officer’s jewels, possibly crafted by American Revolutionary War patriot, Brother Paul Revere. Documentation shows that they were donated to the lodge in 1797, the year the lodge was chartered, and the same year Revere served as Grand Master. They were donated to the lodge by their first Master, Dr. Isaac Hurd, who was initiated as a Freemason by none other than Revere, back in 1777. The jewels have been examined by the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, and the curator of the Revere silver collection at Boston’s Museum Of Fine Arts. There are many similarities between the Concord lodge jewels and others known to have been made by Revere, but there are also inconsistencies. Without written records, it is impossible to determine with certainty that Revere made them. Corinthian Lodge A.F. & A.M., Concord, MA was the 26th lodge constituted by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.

resolution was proposed for the May 2010 annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Florida F&AM to recognize the Most Worshipful Union Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, Prince Hall Affiliated, Florida; Belize, Central America; St. John United States Virgin Island, Incorporated, which had already voted several years ago to recognize their mainstream counterpart. The vote on the resolution failed by what was reported as an overwhelming majority.

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Masonic News citizens. As our incredible Masonic buildings age and require more care, sometimes we need to think outside of the box about heBro. Grand Lodge of Oklahoma has States donatedthis fall, ways to better utilize our spaces W. Trevor Stewart was back AF&AM in the United $100,000 to Southeastern Oklahoma State University The Masonic Temple in Asheville, in Durant to establish the “Masonic Institute for Professional North Carolina has formed a partnership Development and Lectureship Series.” Grand Master Charles R. with a local theatre group that will bring new Belknap made the announcement June 10th. The purposes of the life to its 1915 building. The Montford Park Masonic Institute are: Players will make their home in the Temple’s • To provide professional development programs for school 270-seat auditorium. The announcement teachers, school administrators and college and university was made June 25th by John R. Yarnall, faculty in Southern Oklahoma and North Texas. president of the Asheville Masonic Temple, and John Russell, the Managing Director of The Montford Park • To provide educational professors opportunities to improve Players. their teaching instruction, management and leadership skills. • To assist the Department of Educational Instruction and Leadership and the Texoma Association for Public School Improvement in the promotion of related events such as the Educational Technology Fair, educational lectures, workshops, and related educational innovative programs. • To defray the costs of professional speakers’ honorariums and other activities/events associated with the Lectureship Series. • To assist the Department of Educational Instruction and Leadership (EIL) in its research efforts including publishing activities and other initiatives designed to further the dissemination of knowledge in the educational field.

he annual meeting site of Mullan Pass Historic Lodge No. 1862, near the Continental Divide, was the location of the first meeting of Freemasons in Montana. The historic site was vandalized over the weekend of June 19th, for the third time in as many years. The site features a podium, an altar and several stone pedestals, lined by plank benches. The miscreants used vehicles and chainsaws to wreck the site. The area will be repaired again before the lodge’s July meeting. Lore has it that three men with the first Fisk Expedition, charged with seeking a northern route across the Great Plains, held the first Masonic meeting in the what would become Montana on September 23, 1862 — more than a quarter-century before Montana became a state. As for the curious number “3-7-77” that appears on Montana’s Highway Patrol badges and its connection with the early vigilante movement and Montana’s Freemasons, see Tim Bryce’s article “MONTANA 3-7-77 – How Freemasonry tamed a territory,” available online.

The building is home to Mount Hermon Lodge No. 118, chartered in 1848, and Asheville Chapter No. 25, Royal Arch Masons, chartered in 1852. The Temple’s architect was Richard Sharp Smith, a British-born Freemason who was hired to supervise the construction of George Vanderbilt’s nearby Biltmore Castle. The basement and first floor includes a reading room and library, secretaries’ offices, lobby, dining room and kitchen. (At one time, the basement housed a bowling alley, but today has a a small lodge room where pieces of logs are used for pedestals and saplings for staffs, with wicker furniture believed to be older than the building. The second floor space is for the lodge and York Rite bodies, while the third and fourth floors contain the auditorium for the Scottish Rite. In the years following the completion of the Temple, Mount Hermon Lodge realized Asheville was becoming a health resort, and a committee of doctors suggested that sojourning sick brethren be given attention, which led to the foundation of Asheville’s Good Samaritan Mission. The Lodge set an example for the Mission in 1918, during a terrible Spanish flu epidemic that swept through the country, when the members turned over their entire lodge as a hospital for ailing African Americans in Buncombe County.

Dr. Čedomir Vukić, Grand Master of the Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia, was interviewed in March by the Serbian edition of Playboy Magazine. It would certainly be hard to find a more targeted venue to reach a young, virtually all-male audience to tell the true story of Freemasonry. From the article by Perica Gunjić:

t one time, many of our temples were at the center of our communities, especially the ones built with auditoriums. They were once the location of concerts, plays, traveling speakers, political debates, and even swearing-in ceremonies for new

SUMMER 2010 • 9

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Masonic News “Being initiated into the brotherhood and truly being and living like a freemason are completely different things. Brotherhood is sometimes naïve in its innocence; it opens up to you honestly and completely and sometimes it happens that a man, led by his own ambition and opportunism defames the reputation of the brotherhood. Then it takes time and effort to restore this reputation, leaving a scar that never heals in the heart of every brother. But brotherhood is stronger than evilthinkers and their actions...” “Freemasonry has also adjusted and tries to approach people with the intention to explain how it is possible, without any conspiracy, for two people who might not have met otherwise to become friends and perhaps brothers.”

leven Masonic Lodges converged in Granby, Missouri on May 26th to split up 45,000 pounds of frozen vegetables that were donated by an anonymous national vendor. Masons showed up with trucks and trailers to divide up the food, based on the size and need of their individual towns. The brethren of Carthage Lodge #197 alone distributed over two tons of food to their town’s crisis centers and food pantries that assist the needy. Well done, brethren.

rother Robert Carlyle Byrd passed to the Celestial Lodge on June 28th. Brother Byrd was a United States Senator (D) from West Virginia, from January 3, 1959, until his death, and was the longest-serving Senator, as well as the longest-serving member in U.S. Congressional history. He was also the oldest member of Congress at the time of his death, and the first senator to serve uninterrupted for half a century. Throughout his career, Byrd cast more than 18,680 roll call votes, more than any other Senator in American history, with an astounding 97 percent attendance record in his more than five decades of service in the Senate. Byrd was a member of Mountain Lodge No. 156 in Coal City, West Virginia, as well as the West Virginia Valley of the Scottish Rite (SJ), and the Beni Kedem Shrine in Charleston. Born November 20, 1917, died June 28, 2010. R.I.P.

hen the Antients and Moderns united in England in 1813, the Articles of Union made the curious (and mathematically bizarre) statement that “pure ancient Masonry consists of three degrees, and no more, viz: those of the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason, including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch.” The Mark degree is believed to have been composed of deleted or extracted ritual elements from the Fellow Craft and Master Mason degrees. 10 • SUMMER 2010

While Mark Master’s lodges do not commonly appear in the U.S., that is now changing in Utah. Keystone Mark Master’s Lodge No. 0 is the first independent Mark Masons Lodge chartered under the jurisdiction of the Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons of Utah, to promote the Royal Arch of the York Rite and create interest beyond the Blue Lodge through the lessons of Mark Masonry. All Master Masons of Symbolic Lodges hailing from, or in amity with, the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah, are welcome to petition to receive the Mark Master’s Degree. For more information, contact jmitchell@arslatomorum.com .

century-old Prince Hall Masonic Temple in Cleveland was destroyed by fire on May 19th. Originally built for the Knights of Pythias in 1907, it was purchased in 1912 by the B’nai B’rith. Cleveland’s Prince Hall Masons bought the building in 1954. They had moved out six years ago, but were attempting to raise money to restore the city landmark at 1624 East 55th Street. W:.B:. William Walker of Cleveland, Worshipful Master of Ecclesiastes Lodge No. 120 PHA, said paperwork, paintings, personal information, historic artifacts and furniture were stored in the building and are now lost. Ecclesiastes Lodge No. 120 was formed in 1961 by 31 members from a non-Price Hall Masonic Lodge named Jonathan Lodge No. 69, International Free and Accepted Masons. When the 55th Street temple was vacated, they moved to a nearby Methodist church, which is their current home.

tories of budget cuts all over the U.S. affecting federal, state and local parks, as well as private historic sites, have been growing as the economy has spiraled. The historic Fort at Number 4 in Charlestown, New Hampshire operated for years as a living museum. The fort was built in the 1740s near the confluence of the Black and Connecticut Rivers to protect settlers in the region established by Massachusetts as “Land Grant No. 4.” In the 1940s, a replica was built of the fort, and has operated ever since as a museum and educational center about this early history in colonial New England during the periods of the French and Indian War and the Revolution. Unfortunately, the Fort was unable to open in 2009 because of budget shortfalls. The Fort’s board of directors estimated it would take $250,000 to reopen. Masons of Olive Branch Lodge No. 64, across the river in nearby Chester, Vermont are leading a fund raising effort to reopen the Fort by next spring. Members will assist in raising money, marketing and volunteering at the living history museum.

rance’s L’Express reported in April that the Grand Orient of France, the largest grand lodge in that country with 50,000 members, has officially opened the door to initiating women. In January, Olivia Chaumont, a transsexual, was recognized as a sister of the Grand Orient. Prior to this, brothers who became women were directed to France’s several mixed or feminine grand lodges. Now the GO has dropped the all-male requirement completely. The GO is unrecognized by the overwhelming majority of Freemasons around the world.

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he scene amidst which C

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SYMBOLISM

The Way Less Traveled by Stephen M. Osborn, MMS

reemasonry, as an institution, has been around almost three centuries, since the formation of the Premier Grand Lodge of England, and it has been around since the 1300s, as found in period literature. During that time, there has been much speculation as to the origins of Freemasonry, its philosophy, its myths and legends. A fine line often is drawn between history and myth (or legend). The historian believes nothing that is not backed by a datable artifact, written document, or by a witness, all of which must be verifiable. Myths and legends are considered by the historian to be practically lies that, intentionally or not, distort historic record. Freemasonry is founded on the myth of the builder. We can find listed, with descriptions, the building in question. We can find the names of the principals in its construction, but there is no evidence verifying the occasion around which our ritual and mystery is framed. As this is true, should we, as “Masonic Historians,” cast out the legend? With what should we replace it? Or should we just say, “Oh well, we’ve been celebrating a lie, so let’s disband the Order.” Naturally, that is not going to happen because there is much more to Freemasonry than a catalogue of facts. There is much more to human history than a catalogue of facts. The world, within the Temple and without, also consists of legends and myths, philosophical speculations, religious study, examination and faith. The Ancient Mysteries were made available only to those who had spent years purifying themselves, preparing themselves to receive them. The privilege was granted when the Adepts felt that the candidate was duly and truly prepared. The Mysteries were taught in a series of lessons often culminating in a near death experience in which the candidate approached the godhead and, if he returned, was instructed as a new Adept to meditate on the experience for the rest of his life and direct his future actions accordingly. The experience was intensely personal and never the same for anyone, but it was understood by other Adepts. The object of the Mysteries was for one to truly know himself, through reflecting upon the dramas he had observed, deep introspection, study of nature and the sciences and, his final test which was the beginning of a whole new course of study, lasting a lifetime. Masonic historians of the 18th and 19th centuries, responding in some instances to Masonry’s Old Charges, sought to connect the fraternity to Noah, and even Adam as the first Worshipful Master. They found links “proving” that the ancient Egyptians worked lodges in the same manner as we. They followed the trail to Israel, the Temple, and to the present day. Twentieth and 21st century historians and writers are expending huge amounts of paper “proving” there is no connection between modern Freemasonry and anything in the ancient past. It all began with the charter of the United Grand Lodge of England. As our society has become more materialistic, there seems to be a tendency to weed out any “taint” of mysticism from Freemasonry. As one modern Grand Lodge officer was heard to say, “Masonry is a multimillion dollar business and we’d better start treating it like one.” This obviously means, watch the bottom line, simplify and streamline things so the prospective candidate doesn’t have too much to remember. Teach Masonry as a modern philanthropic organization, not an association of “Seekers of the Light.” This may help to fill the coffers, but it may also prove to be the death knell of our beloved fraternity and the rise of yet another Rotary or Lions club with a different name. I’ve talked with new Masons who have told me they expected more out of Masonry than they were seeing. One told me recently, “I work long hours, barely have time to get home and change and get to the Lodge. I sit and watch the officers 12 • SUMMER 2010

mumble through the Opening, we have communications, pay the bills, mumble through the Closing and go home. I could have had a much more profitable evening had I just stayed home and read a good book. Why am I wasting my time?” The answer to that question is complex. There are many lodges fitting that description: Open, hold a quick business meeting, close, and perhaps a bit of fellowship before heading home. There is little discussion, even less introspection. Many have never received anything beyond the lectures they received in their degrees, and usually that is just a blur. Nobody discusses our Oaths and what they mean, or the philosophy of Freemasonry, or the ideals from which it springs. Masonry should not be a do-it-yourself endeavor, but that’s what it too often becomes. Why? Because many of those who should be mentors were never mentored themselves, therefore they don’t know how to either teach or guide. They are anchored to the bottom with chains long rusted from disuse. One form of mentoring we often see is that of an older Mason teaching the younger Mason to memorize the rituals so that he can repeat them flawlessly. This is wonderful. Our ritual, done perfectly from memory, is beautiful to behold, but for some this seems to be the be-all and end-all of Masonry. Little thought is given to the why of the ritual, and I think that is where we fail. In our rituals we always seek more light, but on being brought to “Light” what do we see? We see the three burning tapers, the lights of the lodge room and our attention is directed to the Great Lights, a “Book of the Law” and the “Square and Compasses,” differently arranged in each degree. We are given a brief exposition as to the meanings of these symbols, including the circle, bounded by two parallel lines, with the Bible on the top of it all. We are told that the parallel lines represent the “Patron Saints of Masonry,” Saint John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, and that if we keep ourselves within the circle, we can never err. Often, that is it. Quickly forgotten, or filed in the back of the mind as an obscure statement. The search for enlightenment is probably as old as our species. It is obvious the Neanderthals had developed a system of belief, as their grave sites have been discovered containing tools, food and ornamentations to accompany the dead on their travels. Faith, in most organized religions, often means that one must trust that what is dogmatically told to the congregation is absolutely correct. Personal faith, a belief that one’s relationship to God is one’s own business, or questioning the revelations of a church’s founders, becomes “heresy” and often in history has had cruel consequences. There are many symbols in religions, but their significances as symbols are lost if one is told, “This is what you shall believe when you see this symbol.” A symbol requires interpretation by the observer, not a definition by a third party. For instance, let us look at the point within a circle. In Masonry, we are told that it represents the boundary which keeps us from erring, and the parallel lines represent the Holy Saints John, the Patron Saints of Masonry. It has had other interpretations, like the cycle of the year, with the parallel lines representing the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. The point and circle have been interpreted as symbolic of God or the Universe, whose circumference is nowhere and whose center is everywhere. One can find many books, on philosophy, sacred geometry, Masonry, religion, Alchemy, Astrology and Hermeticism, all discussing the point within the

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circle and the parallel lines. Some are dogmatic, some are descriptive, some are just informative. We have not even touched upon the Worm Ouroboros, a snake or Dragon bent into a circle devouring its own tail, a symbol of eternity or the eternal cycle. Sometimes it is depicted as having a pearl in its jaws which can be emblematic of the moon in its monthly cycle of being devoured and returned, or the pearl as a symbol of wisdom. This can lead to the symbol of the snake shedding its skin which is also a symbol of immortality or renewal. For those who are seekers, the symbol must be studied, the various meanings considered, but then we must meditate, be introspective, fully feel what this symbol means to us, how it affects our being. The same is true of many symbols. They have no concrete definitions, and if they are presented as having such, they lose their meanings and just become tools. Our working tools in Masonry are just the common tools of the builder, the worker in stone. We are taught of other uses of the working tools, but these, too are just definitions or instructions. To truly see the uses of our working tools, we must meditate upon them, how they are used in real life, then put those uses, metaphysically, into building a better world. As one ritual puts it: “The Trowel is an instrument used by operative Masons to spread the cement which unites the building into one common mass; but we, as Free and Accepted Masons, are taught to make use of it for the more noble and glorious purpose of spreading the cement of brotherly love and affection – that cement which unites us into one sacred band or society of friends and brothers, among whom no contention should ever exist, except that noble contention, or rather emulation, of who can work and best agree.” In our Closing Charge, we are reminded of our duties to our brethren and then we are told, “These generous principles extend further, for every human being has a claim upon your kind offices. Do good unto all...” When we take that into account, we see this symbol extends far beyond Masonry, that our duties are really owed to the world. In essence, we accept our stewardship. It is a poor steward that will allow his charge to deteriorate. Those who have joined concordant bodies, such as the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, have taken even stronger oaths to preserve freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and freedom of worship. Many, unfortunately, take these oaths as merely a part of a ritual, something only repeated in a ceremony and not connected to our “real world.” If this is done, then the whole process becomes a charade. One should meditate upon these oaths as they would meditate upon the circle and parallel lines, or the trowel. Let us look at freedom of worship, for instance. What is meant by that? Thomas Jefferson worked hard to get the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom enacted. Up to that time, religious freedom meant that people were to give tithes to the Church of England and worship in the Church of England. People whose religious beliefs differed were fined, imprisoned, or exiled. When Jefferson first offered the statute of religious freedom for approval, the House of Burgesses finally agreed that religious freedom should mean freedom to be a member of any Christian church, but Jefferson argued hard to ensure a person’s religious beliefs, whatever they are, remain his own personal affair. Belief is an internal matter and one is free to choose a religious sect or not as he or she wishes. That was a life-defining experience for Jefferson. It took nearly a decade to accomplish that legislative victory for personal liberty. On his tombstone, there is no mention he was president of the United States, but Jefferson made sure it reads he was author of the Statute for Religious Freedom. The right of conscience, freedom of

speech, and other unalienable rights provoke a great amount of introspection because they are not abstractions; they are traits within each of us, which means they must be contemplated if we are to be true to ourselves, our fellow man, and our deity. What is the right of conscience? It could mean each of us has the right to an opinion, even if it’s an unfamiliar one, or it could cause us to consider how truth can be found in many forms, and that it is incumbent upon each of us to recognize it when we see it. Discussion of the symbolic value of Light can span many volumes. We can look at the light of the sun, which energizes and nourishes all things on earth. We can scientifically measure the distance to the sun, analyze its energy output, measure the various forms of energy released. That is one way to look at the sun. Another way is to look at the sun as the ancients did. It was the symbol of lifegiving force, and often worshiped as a deity. The pharaoh Akhenaten (“the brilliance of the disk”) was one of the first monotheists. His “Hymn to the Sun,” or “Hymn to Aten, the Creator” is quite moving: Thy dawning is beautiful in the horizon of the sky, O living Aton, Beginning of life! When thou risest in the eastern horizon Thou fillest every land with thy beauty. Thou art beautiful, great, glittering, high above every land, Thy rays, they encompass the lands, even all that thou hast made. Thou art Re and Thou carriest them all away captive; Thou bindest them by thy love. Though thou art far away, thy rays are on the earth; Though thou art on high, thy footprints are the day.1 There is a number of similar hymns in existence that associate the sun with light and deity. Joseph Campbell2 has followed the symbols of light and of the sun across many cultures and many eras from ancient times to the present, from the hot and sunny climes of Babylonia, Assyria and Egypt to the far northern cultures of the Norse. In the introduction to Myths of Light,3 Campbell relates an experience during the first moon shots. As the ship was returning from circumnavigating the moon, ground control asked who was navigating the ship. Their answer? “Newton.” He goes on to say: “The knowledge of space is the knowledge of our lives. We’re born from space. It was from space that the Big Bang came that sent forth galaxies, and out of the galaxies, solar systems. The planet we are on is a little pebble in one of those things, and we have grown out of the earth of this pebble. This is the fantastic mythology that’s waiting for someone to write poems about. Mythology is composed by poets out of their insights and realizations. Mythologies are not invented, they are found. You can no more tell us what your dream is going to be tonight than we can invent a myth. Myths come from the mystical region of essential experience.”4 He goes on to describe the unique perspective that the space travelers had gained; that the earth was a small blue-green pebble in the vast void of space and further that we should nurture and care for it. Most of the travelers and crews in our space program evince the same feeling, that when you look down upon the earth from space there are neither nations nor boundary lines. There is only a beautiful planet. This includes a number of passengers to either the space station or on orbital flights. I recall an Arab prince who flew one of the orbital flights and when he gave his broadcast to earth, he said (paraphrased), I look down and I see no boundaries, I see no states. I only see the beautiful land below me. Returning to the point within the circle, a symbol of the sun and perhaps a symbol of God for more than 5,000 years, we SUMMER 2010 • 13

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find the symbol in ancient Babylonia and Assyria where it was an astrological notation. I have written elsewhere of Hermetic philosophy, but suffice to say Hermeticism teaches how balance or equilibrium in all things constitutes perfection, and that imbalance results in chaos. We, as the inheritors of this tradition, should retain an open mind. Whether the ancient observations of man are correct or incorrect makes little difference. It is the philosophy which has developed over the ages, sometimes submerged, often repressed, sometimes preserved in secret by monks and ancient scribes, which counts. That is what links Freemasonry to the “time immemorial” mentioned in our rituals, the 5,000 years of thought that has been preserved and bequeathed to us today for our consideration and meditation. There may yet come a day, even in the United States, when the freedoms of thought, religion, opinion and speech may be curtailed or suppressed, as has happened in Europe several times. Even Freemasonry might be suppressed. We should all do our utmost to see this does not happen, but should it occur, then we Masons may well have to become secret keepers of those values until the day when the new dark ages has ended. Thus, in this modern age of acquisition of power, wealth, and the denigration of the intellect, I would encourage every Mason to embark upon “The Way Less Traveled,” to discover knowledge and insights of his own.

Bibliography

Budge, E.A. Wallis. The Mummy Outlet Book Co., NY, NJ 1989 Campbell, Joseph. Myths of Light Joseph Campbell Foundation, ed. New World Library, Novato, CA 2003 Horne, Charles F., PhD. Sacred Books and Ancient Literature of the East Vol. 2. Egypt Parke Austin and Lipscomb, NY and London 1917 Reed, Thomas Milburne, PGM Washington Monitor and Freemason’s Guide 19th ed. Grand Lodge of Washington, Tacoma WA. 2004 Endnotes

1. Hymn to Aton, the Creator (from Vol II, Sacred Books and Ancient Literature of the East, P. 291. Breasted Translation. 2. Campbell, Joseph 1904-1987. Lifelong scholar in the field of comparative mythology and author of many books on the subject. 3. Myths of Light, Collected works of Joseph Campbell, 2003, New World Library. 4. ibid., Introduction p. xix STEPHEN M. OSBORN is Worshipful Master of Garfield Lodge No. 41 in Washington State, and is a member of several other lodges. He is a Royal Arch Mason at Anacortes Chapter No. 59, and a Scottish Rite Mason in the Valley of Everett. He also is a member of many more Masonic bodies, societies, and other groups, and is a prolific writer on subjects Masonic.

A possible cabalistic explanation for the “Point within a circle” by Leon Zeldis, FMS

ne of the most obscure symbols in Masonic iconography is the Point within a Circle appearing in the Tracing Board of the First Degree. The traditional explanation, is that it represents “the point from which a Master Mason cannot err”, bounded by the two straight lines to the north and south representing either the two Saints John, the Baptist and the Evangelist, or Moses and King Solomon. This is, in my mind, a rather artificial attempt in search of an explanation for a symbol which has no obvious meaning. Why would a Mason need an artificial enclosure within which ‘he cannot err’? Furthermore, the relation between circle and infinity is well known, and the two parallel lines, that extend without end and never touch, are likewise symbolic of infinity. The Masonic explanation refers to the circle as a closed boundary, while the traditional meaning is exactly the opposite, no boundary but boundless infinity! As for the point, Brother Steve A. Freite remarks that one of the six Hindu Darshanas, Nyaya, which is Logic, contains four fundamental values associated with the Point (E-mail to the PSOC List, 8/7/2001): 1. Pradhvamsabhava, annihilation or convergence to the point. 2. Atyantabhava, emptiness or nothingness (akin to Hebrew Ayin). 3. Anyonyabhava, infinite dynamism (infinity within the point). 4. Pragabhava, creation or expansion from the point. Freite continues: “There is also the doctrine of nadi-bindu-prana which is used in a description of the subtle, bio-energetic body. Bindu, in this case, is the “point” or “drop”. Nadi is a conduit of bioenergy and prana is the life-force itself. By controlling these three, one can control consciousness. Sanskrit also has the word akshara, which describes the collapse of fullness to a point and from the point.” The center is also a fundamental idea in alchemy. “According to Michael Maier, the center contains the indivisible point which is simple, indestructible, and eternal. Its physical counterpart is gold, which is therefore a symbol of eternity.” (C. G. Jung, Alchemical Studies, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London 1983, pp. 148-9, quoting De Circulo Physico Quadrato, pp. 27 ff.). C. G. Jung also quotes another alchemist, Gerard Dorn,

14 • SUMMER 2010

who writes: “Four is he One and yet not the One; it is simple and consists of the number four... it will show the adept the fulfillment of the mysteries. This is the center of the natural wisdom, whose circumference, closed in itself, forms a circle: an immeasurable order reaching to infinity... Here is the number four, within whose bounds the number three, together with the number two combined into One, fulfills all things... In these relations between four, three, two and one is found the culmination of all knowledge and of the mystic art, and the infallible midpoint of the center (infallibile medii centrum).” (Physica Trithemii, p. 39). And Jung adds that the One is the midpoint of the circle, the center of the triad... [it] is fire... the point is most akin to the nature of light, and light is a simulacrum Dei.” (op. cit. p. 151). I have found a further reference that applies to this symbol. In the well-known cabbalistic treatise “Tree of Life” (Etz Hachayyim) of Rabbi Isaac Luria, as recorded by Haim Vital (www.workofthechariot. com/TextFiles/translations-EtzHaChayyim.html), at the start of its first Branch (Chapter), when describing the Genesis of the universe, we can read the following: “He then contracted (Tzimtzum) Himself into the middle point, in the very center. He contracted the Light and removed Himself far to the perimeter round the midpoint, so that in that very midpoint there remained an empty place and air and a void” He in the above text is obviously the Divine Creator, as described later in the same text by Vital: “There is no intellect created which could conceive of Him, since He has No Place, and No Boundary, and No Name”. So we have here a description of the process of Creation, first Tzimtzum into the point, then expansion to the boundless infinity represented by the circle. Accordingly, the point within a circle in the Tracing Board represents the act of Creation, the paradigmatic construction, the fundamental craft of the Mason. LEON ZELDIS was initiated in América Lodge No. 86 in Santiago, Chile in 1959. He moved to Israel in 1962, and is a founding member of La Fraternidad Lodge No. 62 in Tel Aviv—the first Spanish-language lodge in Israel. In 1995 he was named Honorary Assistant Grand Master in the Grand Lodge of Israel. He is a Past Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of the AASR of the State of Israel, and a Founding Fellow of the Masonic Society.

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RESEARCH

Down the Path of Proper Research by Michael R. Poll, FMS

young man decided to write a family history and began the task of putting all of the family members into their historical places. Two long-deceased brothers, who had been his much older cousins, presented him with an interesting dilemma. The younger brother was the type of man that anyone would want in their family history. He was a wealthy attorney and a pillar of his community. He sat on the board of directors of the local bank and the art museum too. He was a leading figure in local politics, having served as a City Councilman, and was deeply involved with a number of local charitable organizations. His older brother, on the other hand, was uneducated, dirt poor, and something of the town drunk, having even spent time in the local jail for stealing chickens.

understanding of all events surrounding a person, place or time, then rendering judgments without the benefit of all the facts will result not only in inaccuracies, but also unfair accounts. We must recognize that some write as Masonic politicians rather than as historians, and their goal is often to deliver a pleasing Masonic message rather than a historically accurate account. The problems for our young historian were two-fold: He did not possess all the needed information, and he prejudged his subjects based on incomplete facts. The task of a serious historian or researcher is often long, tedious and unrewarding. One might spend countless hours reading dusty manuscripts in dimly lit basements with the sole hope of obtaining the smallest of details. It might be far easier to grab a previously published account of a subject and paraphrase what is

“W

e must recognize that some write as Masonic politicians rather than as historians, and their goal is often to deliver a pleasing Masonic message rather than a historically accurate account.

The young man pondered on the two brothers and decided that the older brother might present something of an embarrassment to the family. He decided to concentrate on the younger brother, giving as many details of his successful life as possible. The older brother was only noted in passing as the elder brother of the source of the family pride. The young man made his decision based on what he knew of the brothers and his belief that the best interests of his entire family were served by giving as little information as possible about the elder sibling. An elderly aunt read the story of the two brothers and strongly protested the account. She told the young man that the father of the two brothers had died when both boys were very young. Their mother had been sick and in no condition to properly provide for the family. Fearing the boys may be taken from their mother and the family split up, the elder of the boys quit school at a very young age and began doing whatever he could to provide for the family – including, at times, stealing chickens when they had no other way of obtaining food. The elder brother, still a boy himself, assumed the role of the father and not only provided for the family however he could, but required his younger brother to remain in school to receive a proper education. Yes, the elder brother was poor, uneducated and a chicken thief, but at his funeral the younger brother delivered a tearful eulogy declaring that, without the sacrifices and efforts of his elder brother, he might have achieved only a fraction of his successes in life.

offered, but that ties our work to any possible errors in the previous work. We must do this work ourselves. Of course, there are those who believe that are no new Masonic discoveries to be made. Such naysayers are sadly mistaken. It is precisely because so much of our Masonic history is filled with incorrect assumptions – or facts based on missing information, incorrect readings or simple typographical errors – that the serious Masonic researcher has great opportunities for many, many new finds. We simply need to take up the cause and follow the proper path. MICHAEL R. POLL is the owner of Cornerstone Book Publishers. He is a Fellow and the 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 special focus on the early history of the AASR.

The young historian’s account was hardly complete or accurate. In his attempt to edit history – and because he prejudged the events and family members – he deprived those who would read his work of a beautiful, factual part of family history. Masonry has many players in its history but not all of them have been friendly toward each other or clearly understandable in modern contexts. When a historian assumes the role of editor and chooses the relevant facts about a Mason or a body of Masons, he assumes an enormous responsibility. If one does not have a complete SUMMER 2010 • 15

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SOJOURNING

A Trip to Cuba: One Man’s View of a Masonic Journey by Gerald E Connally, FMS

Last December, twenty-two Freemasons from Florida traveled to Havana, in what began as a mission to deliver children’s sporting goods and clothing to benefit the local pediatric oncology program, but evolved into the featured event commencing the Grand Lodge of Cuba’s sesquicentennial anniversary festivities – the “twinning” of Logia Soles de Marti and Tropical Lodge No. 56.

items we wanted to send to Cuba. It is fair to say that the people in Washington, D.C. were helpful until it got complicated. We identified some tentative dates for our trip, but when we applied for the needed travel authorization, we found there was to be a major event in Cuba during the exact same time period, so we changed the dates – resulting in frantic e-mails from Cuba. It turned out that we were that scheduled major event. As part of the 150th anniversary celebration of the Grand Lodge of Cuba, the Grand Lodge extended an invitation to the Florida Grand Master to attend and participate in the twinning of the two lodges. We had their communiqués translated into English for the Grand Lodge of Florida, which by this time had installed a new Grand Master who readily agreed to participate as both a representative of Florida Masonry and an honorary perpetual member of Tropical Lodge. And so the humanitarian trip evolved into an adventure for the entire officers’ line of Tropical Lodge, the Grand Master, our District Deputy, and a few close associates of the Lodge. The only hitch was in the travel arrangements. The federal agency that authorizes travel to Cuba was not receptive to the idea of a delegation of nearly two dozen people going to the island, and arrangements for travel licenses ground to a halt. Fortunately we were able to make the arrangements through a charitable organization and flew directly to and from Miami on its chartered planes.

MW Bro. José Ramon Gonzalez Diaz, Grand Master of Cuba (center first row), with the then Grand Master of Florida, MW Dale Goehrig (to his right), and other grand masters at the wreath-laying ceremony at the statue of José Martí, the closing event of the celebrations.

n 2008, Bro. Randy Wayne White of Tropical Lodge, the author of bestselling mystery novels and several excellent non-fiction works, was in Cuba conducting research for a forthcoming book and observed that many statues honoring great historical figures also identified the men as Freemasons. His curiosity led him to a series of discussions culminating in the idea of a humanitarian effort by Tropical Lodge. The idea of twinning the lodges arose in discussions between Randy and members of Logia Soles de Marti, and he soon obtained the interest and blessing of the Grand Master of Cuba. The Worshipful Master of Tropical, with the consent of the then-Grand Master of Florida, directed this writer to work on the project, and through an intriguing maze of bureaucracies and Internet forms, we were able to obtain the first export license in the history of the Cuban Embargo for the donated Tropical Lodge Acting Chaplain Travis Campbell and Senior Warden Randy Spradling with members of the Grand Lodge of the Bahamas’ official party on the roof of the Grand Lodge of Cuba on the night before the first official event of the week.

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We undertook this adventure for several reasons: Cuban brothers in our Lodge and Cuban Freemasons from our area strongly favored it. We believed a Mason-to-Mason charitable effort was the best way to foster relationships and lead to a brighter future for Tropical Lodge. Some of us went on very serious Masonic business, and to learn. It was a unique opportunity and perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. And we did it because a lot of people told us we couldn’t do it. (Saying it can’t be done is not an effective way to dissuade a Lodge of mostly younger men who have a passion for Masonry.) There was resistance from inside the Florida jurisdiction and from clandestine Cuban lodges as well, but it was minimal. We explained ourselves and pushed onward, aware of governmental barriers and the ulterior motives of others. We simply felt that on a Mason-to-Mason basis, it could and should be done. The trip exceeded every expectation. Our reception by the Cuban Masons was warm and genuine. Not only did the Soles de Marti brethren welcome each of us, but they showed genuine interest in our well-being. What’s more, everywhere I went – and I got around – people approached me and introduced themselves as Masons. There certainly is government involvement with Freemasonry in Cuba, but I found those men to be genuine about their Masonry. From the perspective of a United States citizen, much can be said about Cuba; many observations critical of its government and social policies could be made, but this is not the proper time or place. What I saw in Havana

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all present were worthy and well qualified. Our exposure to Scottish Rite ritual was fascinating. Although most of us were 32° and 33° Masons in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction (plus one from the Northern Jurisdiction), the Cubans’ ritual was quite a bit different from any of the various versions of the EA Degree that we have read. The reasons for this will be speculated on below.

Striking a pose that is traditional in Tropical Lodge are Acting Junior Steward Carlos Arroyo, Senior Warden Randy Spradling, Soles de Martí Senior Warden Sergio Rodriquez Cobas, and the Senior Steward of Tropical Lodge.

was a degree of social comfort and a sense of community warmer than any experience I have had in Latin and South American countries. I saw no fear, simply an awareness of who spoke to whom, and about what, but no fear. Masonry is taken very seriously in Cuba, and the Freemasons appeared to be highly respected. I have seen genuine hunger for intellectual freedom more than once, but it had been a while; in Cuba, I discovered it again. In a very real sense, the stress points in Cuban Masonry are similar to what I see in my own Lodge. There is a dynamic tension between the old and the young. Young men try to show respect for their elders, but clearly don’t think the same way or share experiences that would inspire like thinking. I saw greater concern about the work – and the meaning of the work – among the younger men than in a great many of the older men. As well, there are definite extremes in the spectrum of political views among Masons there, obviously exacerbated by Cuba’s economics and scarcity of opportunity, but most of the men share a desire for positive change in their society. We were able to obtain a chartered bus, and consequently were able to visit places of Masonic interest with our Soles de Marti brethren. We attended the 49th anniversary of the Grand Master’s home Lodge as the guests of the Worshipful Master. We held the Twinning Ceremony at Soles de Marti using the large lodgeroom at the Masonic headquarters erected in 1954, and we were able to spend time at the Museum of Cuban Masonry. Those of us who could still walk attended the exceptionally impressive closing ceremonies for the event, and several of our delegation attended a symposium held during the Anniversary Week. A few of us were privileged to be invited to one of only three Cuban Lodges working York Rite ritual: Logia Cuba York Rite. There were 27 Grand Masters from around the world in attendance, with substantial representation from the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. With a forgivable note of pride, we were highly complimented on our work. Over our six days in Havana, we collected dozens of stories that doubtless will be told for many years to come, and more than 1,000 photographs were stored in various cameras. We got great press in Latin America and South America, and parts of Europe – but less than one column inch in Miami! As far as we have been able to determine, we were the first American Lodge (other than military Lodges) to open a stated meeting on foreign soil, and clearly the first Florida Lodge to do so. And it appears that we are the first York Rite Lodge to open a stated meeting in the Master Mason Degree within an open Scottish Rite Lodge at labor in the Entered Apprentice Degree. The minutes of Soles de Marti will show

As part of the 150th anniversary, the Grand Lodge of Cuba sponsored a symposium in the days between the Twinning Ceremony and the official celebration. Despite my having both academic and applied training in cross-cultural matters, I was not prepared for what I saw and heard. As the papers were presented, it became apparent that the central theme was the development of Freemasonry into a collective cultural and social force in society. Interestingly, these points of view were punctuated by presentations suggesting that Masonry was an individual journey. Several of the 27 grand jurisdictions in attendance were represented by presenters, and the differences among the presentations seemed to mirror the politics of the speakers’ home nations. When the influences of Britain, Ireland, Scotland and Northern Europe were discussed, one message could be heard, but while the influences of Spain and Portugal were being explained, another voice was heard. It had been many years since I heard such social arguments seriously put forward. My own historical perspective on Freemasonry was perhaps best expressed by Dr. William L Cummings in his 1960 paper, “Masonic Background,” wherein he concludes that the origins of Freemasonry can be found in a complex set of social, political, philosophical and religious circumstances in the 1600s and 1700s. He concludes that Freemasonry is primarily an English phenomenon, and on that point he and I differ. However, nothing in my knowledge and experience had prepared me to understand the fundamental differences between the Freemasonry I was seeing and the Freemasonry I thought I knew so well. What follows is a brief synopsis of a considerable amount of research into the origins of Latin and South American Freemasonry. As this is an informal article and not an academic paper, I have listed the sources for my observations as a bibliography at the end. I began my search for understanding by learning about the historical origins of, and influences on, the Masonry practiced by my hosts at Soles de Marti. I learned that the heroes of the Cuban Revolution (known as the Spanish-American War to Americans) were Freemasons steeped in the Masonic traditions of Spain and Portugal – Scottish Rite work for the most part, but not the Scottish Rite that Albert Pike produced.

Flanked by brethren holding the banners of the three lodges that formed the Grand Lodge of Cuba in 1859 is MW Bro. José Ramon Gonzalez Diaz, Grand Master of Cuba (center first row), at his official reception at his mother lodge, joined by delegates from other grand lodges. SUMMER 2010 • 17

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This was far older work, based brothers in one Lodge, and that on antiquated ritual that can be tie will never be forgotten: the studied in available documents Document of Twinning now from 1801 through 1830, hangs alongside the Tropical about which this author has Lodge charter at every stated written previously. The Spanish and called meeting. and Portuguese experiences I left Cuba feeling were very different, and Jose quite hopeful and with a Marti is an excellent case in renewed sense of optimism, point. reminded that each of us The Freemasonry Marti has the opportunity to go would have found in Portugal forward as Freemasons, learn from about 1851 through as Freemasons, meet, act and 1889 (he was made a Mason part as Freemasons, regardless there in 1872) was highly of language or culture. political and activist. Masons held great influence with the various governments, and fell Acknowledgements into competition with each Without the actions of Bro. Randy other for dominance. Some Wayne White while traveling in historians point out that in Cuba, this chain of events would A member of one grand lodge’s delegation beside the display of José Martí’s this period of time the ideals apron, jewel, and collar on permanent display in the Cuban Masonic Museum not have been set in motion. Without of Freemasonry were acted at the Grand Lodge of Cuba. The display is flanked by the Cuban flag, which the assistance of Bro. John Cavada, upon differently – not only was designed by a Freemason, and the banner of the Grand Lodge of Cuba, gaining insight would have been far in Portuguese Masonry, but which includes a beehive symbol. The museum also memorializes other Latin more difficult. Without the support of American Freemasons, including Simon Bolivar, but also Abraham Lincoln, who among Masons in that region was an inspiration to the Cuban revolutionaries led by Martí. Bro. Nelson King, the trip would not generally –because there was have come to fruition. And without no separation of church and the astounding fellowship of the brothers of Logia Soles de Marti in Havana, there state. Masons were deeply involved with the sort of intrigues forbidden would be no story to tell. Without the assistance of Bro. Justo Orihuela Alverez, to English and American Masons, even though the obligations we all Director of the Masonic Museum of the Grand Lodge of Cuba and close collaborator take (and would have taken at the time) forbid it. The battles with on current research efforts, there would have been no intellectual challenge to evolve the Church in Portugal were far worse than in Spain, and Portuguese to a deeper level of understanding. Without the insights of RW Jim Hogg, many of Freemasonry was decidedly against those Catholic Orders who were the nuances of international Freemasonry might have been lost on the author. And politically tied to the monarchies, although not necessarily against the without the permission and support of the Grand Masters of Florida and Cuba, Catholic Church itself. the attempt never would have been made, and without the involvement of the successors to each, it simply would not have happened. In contrast to Portugal, the relationships in Spain among the Church, Freemasonry, and the aristocracy did not lead to a rejection Bibliography of the Catholic Church, even though church reforms were desired. Catholic Encyclopedia. http://oce.catholic.com/index.php The relationship was similar to the way Napoleon found it useful to accommodate the Catholic Church while appointing Masons to his Cohen, Reuben. Knights of Malta 1523-1798. Oxford: Oxford University key advisory offices. Evidence of the historical relationships among Press, 1920. Masons and the Catholic Church in Latin and South America can be Conally, Gerald E. “A Review of the of the 33rd Degree Ritual circa 1801, found in the numbers of laity and clergymen, even of high ranks, who Supreme Council of SC,” Miscellanea 2008, The Grand Council of Allied were Freemasons. Freemasons were often involved in secrecy, politics Masonic Degrees of the USA. and calls for social and political reforms, and they frequently paid a Cuban Degree Liturgies. Available in Spanish from the Grand Lodge of Cuba. price for that involvement. Cummings, William L. “Masonic Background,” in Fiat Lux Volume I. Edited This then was the cauldron that produced not only Marti, but by Jack Buta, 23-29. Sebring, OH: Philalethes Society, 2009. Bernardo O’Higgins, Bolivar and many others. And that fervency Dana, Richard Henry, Jr. To Cuba and Back: A Vacation Voyage. Boston: and involvement remains intact in many parts of Latin, Caribbean Houghton Mifflin, 1859. and Hispanic Masonry. Many of the men I saw and met were the successors to the activists that came before them. Their orientation “History of Freemasonry in Portugal.” Pietre-Stones. http://www.freemasonsfreemasonry.com/arnaldoGeng.html is much the same, and their intent is fervent. That point of view is arguably inherent in the cultures they represent. Still, the opposite McCabe, Joseph. A Candid History of the Jesuits. New York: G. Putnam and voices are present. The argument between social activism as the proper Sons, 1913. role of Masonry versus the express understanding of Freemasonry as Sigmund, Paul. “Latin America from a Catholic Perspective.” Paper presented a journey in the individual’s relationship with his Creator is ongoing, at the International Coalition for Religious Freedom Conference, Sao Paolo, and perhaps should be. However, the emotional intensity of the Brazil, October 10-12, 1998. political and social activism being expressed by many of the Latin and Smith, Gary. “The History of the Catholic Church in Latin America and Liberation Hispanic participants might be compared with what would have been Theology.” New Haven: Yale University Press, 1993. heard from the mouths of America’s Founding Fathers, and from many of the Masons on both sides of the U.S. Civil War. GERALD E. CONNALLY is a member of four Symbolic Lodges, including Logia Soles de Marti in Havana Cuba. He is 32° Scottish Rite Mason Tropical Lodge has more work to do in fulfilling its mission of in the Southern Jurisdiction, and a sitting Wise Master of the Chapter providing children’s clothing to Soles de Marti, and it will be done. of Rose Croix and a Past Venerable Master of the Lodge of Perfection We intend to renew our license and continue that activity with the at the Valley of Ft. Myers in Florida. He also is a Royal Arch Mason, apparent blessing of the U.S. government. Tropical Lodge has expressed a Cryptic Mason, and a Knight Templar. He is a member of the Red its desire to be of assistance to the Masonic Museum in Cuba to the Cross of Constantine, Order of St. Thomas of Acon, the Allied Masonic Degrees, and is Excellent Chief of his council of Knight Masons. He extent we are able and needed. The Lodge has also formed a committee is a member of the Philalethes Society, and a Fellow of The Masonic to participate in the Masonic Medical Relief effort for Cuba. And most Society… all of which means he has too much time on his hands. importantly, the brothers who made contacts with Cuban brothers will maintain and expand those relationships for a lifetime. We are now 18 • SUMMER 2010

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LITERATURE

Our Esoteric Odyssey: How We Resurrected a Long-Lost, 220-Year Old Masonic Oddity by Randy Williams, fms, and Stephen Dafoe, fms

ur introduction to the strange world of Thomas Marryat began, as do so many grand adventures, on a whim. Stephen long ago developed the habit of searching websites that sell used books as one means of locating source materials for his ongoing research into Freemasonry and the Knights Templar. He had noted that people outside the Craft often make the mistake of adding an extra “A” into the name of our fraternity, so he would often enter “Freemasonary” into the search criteria, just to see if anything interesting popped up. A few years back, one such search on eBay returned a book listing for Philosophy of Freemasonary. The description gave very little information, apart from the stating that the book purportedly dated from 1790 and had been written by someone named Thomas Marryat. Not only had Stephen never heard of this book, he couldn’t find any references to it whatsoever on the Internet or in his many Masonic reference books. The list price was around £20, and his curiosity was piqued, so he decided to take a small gamble and see if the book could be useful as source material for future projects. What he got was both less and far, far more than he could have imagined. The book turned out to have an amusingly long-winded title,

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permitted, in and around other projects, he worked at transcribing the text – ever so carefully, page by page, so as not to destroy this delicate treasure – and creating an editable word processing document. Eventually, Stephen shared the manuscript with Randy, who is not only a writer-editor with extensive experience in working with antiquated documents but a life-long history buff as well. He comes by this passion honestly: his mother is a widely published historian who teaches at Kansas State University. Like Stephen, Randy was captivated by the book and astonished to learn that its title – The Philosophy of Masons – had precious little to do with its actual content. Far from being a musty old primer on the tenets of Freemasonry, Marryat’s creation was in fact a work of fiction, with chapters presented as letters (or “epistles”) sent from a traveling man named “T.M.” to his benefactor, an English nobleman. According to the epistles, T.M. arrives in Egypt in search of hidden knowledge and almost immediately finds himself caught up in an exciting street scuffle, complete with swordplay. This episode leads to an encounter with Phtharras (described simply as “a Jew’) and Cnephen (an Egyptian and a former “Priest of Osiris”); T.M. is delighted to discover that they are both fellow Freemasons. The three men begin to meet “as a Lodge” to

n Marryat’s day – as in our own – there was no shortage of ideas about the ‘true meaning’ of Freemasonry.”

The Philosophy of Masons in Several Epistles from Egypt to a Nobleman, typical of the period in which it was published. Its contents, however, were anything but typical – they were, in fact, so strange, so unique, so iconoclastic as to be virtually worthless as reference material for works on mainstream Masonic history as we know it. On the other hand, the book was unlike anything he had ever read – crammed so full of wild humor, bold proclamations, and wonderfully weird insights into the late 18th century that he knew he had to find a way to share it with other lovers of history, Masonry and esoteric thought. However, sharing this particular book was much easier said than done. For one thing, the physical condition of the book itself was perilous. It had indeed been professionally printed in 1790, on thick parchment-like paper that had long since turned brittle, and the “binding” was little more than a crumbling bit of string winding through one edge of its pages. There was no way it could stand up to being scanned and converted into an e-book, as doing so would likely reduce the book to a pile of dust and tatters. An e-book would not have served much use, anyway, as the text itself was often dense and difficult, practically crying out for editing, explanation, research and endnotes. Stephen set the book aside several times over the next few years, dismissing a new edition as a silly pipe dream, but he just couldn’t get Thomas Marryat’s odd little book out of his mind. As time

discuss all manner of subjects from religion to literature to science and the creation of the universe. The astute reader will by now have picked up on the fact that no Masonic Lodge can be opened with just three members, and certainly not to discuss and debate religion! Indeed, the Masonic set-up is largely superficial and exists primarily to give Marryat a framework in which to put his own ideas into the mouths of his three invented characters. And what strange, startling ideas they are! Marryat’s characters are debating the meaning of life, the universe and everything in a historical period sandwiched between the rebirth of interest in alchemy that characterized the mid-18th century and the explosion of new discoveries that led to the true beginnings of modern science at century’s end. Theirs was a volatile era, full of radical, fast-changing concepts that have been largely lost to history – and in truth, the era was ending even as Marryat wrote. New discoveries were replacing many of the theories that Marryat and his characters champion, and the book feels at times like a reaction against the emergence of modern science. It is telling that Marryat hedges his bets by setting the action of the story in 1750-1752, before many of the emerging scientific ideas became known, even though the book was not published until 1790 and followed some of those new discoveries by several years. SUMMER 2010 • 19

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One example of a scientific “truth” in Marryat’s book is the Phlogiston Theory. Phlogiston was a hypothetical substance thought to be present in all combustible materials and believed to be released during combustion; the phenomena of flame and burning were thought to be visible evidence of phlogiston particles escaping. The phlogistic element was described as being colorless, odorless, and weightless. The flammability of a material depended on the number of phlogiston particles it contained. Soot and sulphur, on the other hand, were regarded as nearly pure “released phlogiston.” The Phlogiston Theory was promoted in particular by the British scientist Joseph Priestly. However, Priestly’s theory began to be challenged publicly in 1777 with the appearance of a book entitled Chemical Treatise on Air and Fire, written by a remarkable Swedish chemist named Carl Scheele and based upon experiments that he had been conducting since the early 1770s to produce pure oxygen gas (which he at first called “fire air,” although he did later coin the term oxygen). Although Priestly later isolated the same gas, he referred to it as “dephlogisticated air” as a means of clinging to his ideas. “Vitriolic acid” also figures heavily in some of the book’s scientific passages. This was another of Joseph Priestly’s half alchemy/half science terms, and described what we would now think of as sulphuric acid. The term was a holdover from alchemy, in which “vitriol” was most often considered to be the single most important alchemical substance, one that could be used in its highly purified form as a “philosopher’s stone” or medium for reducing or transforming other substances. The importance of vitriol to alchemy is highlighted in the Latin alchemical motto Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem – abbreviated as V.I.T.R.I.O.L. – which translates to “visit the interior of the earth and rectifying you will find the hidden stone.”

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lampoons the absurdity of other writings, many of Marryat’s own passages are quite fanciful. Particularly amusing is Epistle the Fourth, in which we are told that Freemasonry dates back to prehistoric times in Egypt and that all of the world’s great knowledge can be attributed to the Masons; all of the other great thinkers and philosophers of the ages, such as Euclid, Pythagoras, and Aristotle, merely stole and misinterpreted the teachings of Masonry. Plato, in particular, is heaped with scorn for leaving only “a few Masonic jewels” to be found in the “heap of rubbish” that was his life’s work! We were both captivated by the book and especially by its revelations about a fascinating period in history. This was no stuffy textbook lesson, but a funny, bold and occasionally startling work that transports the reader back to a pivotal time for Freemasonry and for Western Civilization. We agreed that we wanted to share it with modern readers, but we also felt that we needed to address several challenges in the text. For one thing, there is a huge difference between the average reader in Marryat’s time and in our own. In the 18th century, not everyone was literate, but those who could read were very well acquainted with Latin phrases, allusions to mythology, classics, the letters of famous men, philosophy, the Bible, world literature and on and on. Marryat’s epistles were full of such allusions, none of which he bothers to clarify, as his readership would not have needed the explanation. We knew that we would have to fill in some of those blanks for our modern readers and work hard to present the book in a way that not only shed light on its historical context but also on its relevancy to the 21st-century Craft. And so the research began. The first order of business was to find out as much as we could about author Thomas Marryat himself. Despite his being the head of a famous family – he was the father of the

his was no stuffy textbook lesson, but a funny, bold and occasionally startling work that transports the reader back to a pivotal time for Freemasonry and for Western Civilization.”

In addition to these quasi-scientific concepts, the characters in Marryat’s book also debate organized religion and man’s relationship with his Creator, always coming to conclusions that reflect the strong strain of Deism that was prevalent for much of the 18th century in England, the American colonies (notably among several of the “Founding Fathers”), the Royal Society, and Freemasonry. In one memorable passage, Marryat takes on the notion that a religious leader – or any man – can claim even the slightest knowledge and understanding of God: How truly ridiculous are all the efforts which have been made by the best and wisest men of all nations to conceive of Deity! In what manner have they thought, and in what manner have they expressed those thoughts? By thinking Him altogether such a one as themselves! … Were our fellow animals to deliver their sentiments of Him, being drawn from similar sources, they would be equally apposite: The sheep would portray Him as meek and patient; the lion as boisterous, noisy and ferocious; the bee as busy, active and industrious; the crow as vigilant; and the ant as parsimonious. Would not any one of their pictures be a likeness as striking and their observations equally applicable and just as those of the human race? Later, there is a withering (although occasionally hilarious) critique of the “absurdities” to be found in each of the Gospels, which Marryat’s characters dismiss as being no more or less fantastic than the myths of Horus or of the ancient Greeks. However, for one who

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prominent British Parliamentarian Joseph Marryat, the grandfather of famous navy man and novelist Captain Frederick Marryat, and the great-grandfather of writer/actress/spiritualist Florence Marryat – few written records about our author have survived. We found ourselves poring over fleeting references to Thomas Marryat in collections of biography such as John Gorton’s A General Biographical Dictionary (1851) and Stewart Marsh Ellis’s Mainly Victorian (1925); once we determined that Marryat had worked for a time as a doctor, we were able to locate more information in Professional Anecdotes, or ANA of Medical Literature, Vol. III, published in 1825 by John Knight and Henry Lacey. Lastly, we were able to track down some reviews of Marryat’s work in 18th-century publications such as The Metropolitan Magazine, The European Magazine, and The London Review. Even so, details were few and far between. We were able to confirm that Thomas Marryat was born in 1730, and that he was infamous in his youth for a wit so coarse that it earned him the nickname “Sal Volatile.” He was ordained as a Presbyterian minister at age 24, and often did his preaching in brightly colored clothing rather than the customarily subdued palette of that era’s men of the cloth. Just three years later, he had lost his passion for the pulpit, given up the ministry, and set off in pursuit of a career in medicine – leaving his family and his congregation in Barnet, Hertfordshire without any notice. He later published two books on medicinal matters, one of which – 1758’s Therapeutics: Or, The Art of Healing – remained in print well into the 1800s and passed through some 37 editions (some of Marryat’s ideas about medicine, which was hardly a refined science in the 1750s, also found their way into his Philosophy of Masons). Setting aside two

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hours each day to treat patients for free, Marryat would administer large doses of untested medicine on his guinea-pig patients, regardless of their particular constitution. One of his favorite remedies, which he offered as a cure for dysentery, was paper that had been boiled in milk. We couldn’t track down much information about his Masonic career, but his Philosophy of Masons polarized readers both inside and outside the Craft; a strong backlash against the book may explain why he seems to have broken with his Masonic brothers – and with most of his other friends and relations. He died alone, nearly penniless, after many years of economic struggle. Much more research would be required to explain and expand upon the dense and free-wheeling content of Philosophy of Masons. Unlocking the transitional science of Marryat’s time became much easier when Randy tracked down and purchased a used copy of a slender volume of essays by James Bryant Conant, entitled The Overthrow of the Phlogiston Theory: The Chemical Revolution of 17751789 and published by Harvard University Press in 1950. Randy also spent some time at the University of Alberta library, where he was given the opportunity to peruse (but not to even think about checking out) an almost 200-year-old volume of the letters of Jonathan Swift, to which Marryat makes several allusions. The University also came in handy when Randy was uncertain about the accuracy of his rusty Latin translation skills (aided and abetted by old textbooks and dictionaries from his college days) and was able to call or e-mail for help from the world of academe. The breadth of resource volumes we needed to illuminate Marryat’s book was astonishing: a short sample includes, in addition to the works named above, surveys on philosophy; Oxford reference books on modern science, world mythology and the Bible; alchemical texts; ancient Latin poems by Horace; church histories of 18th-century England; early books on Freemasonry as well as historical overviews of the Craft. All in all, the two of us – sometimes working together and other times separately – worked on transcription and research for a period of about 18 months. We found a few unexpected surprises and delights along the way. One amusing quirk of the time in which Marryat wrote was that authors of the era seemed to be competing to see who could place the biggest number of words on their title page. Marryat’s The Philosophy of Masons in Several Epistles from Egypt to a Nobleman seemed like the very model of brevity when compared to some of the works we used for research material, such as these catchy titles: •

The Revelations of a Square; Exhibiting a Graphic Display of the Sayings and Doings of Eminent Free and Accepted Masons from the Revival in 1717 by Dr. Desgauliers to the Re-union in 1813 by Their R.H. the Dukes of Kent and Sussex by George Oliver;

•

The Practice of Medicine on Thomsonian Principles, Adapted As Well to the Use of Families as to That of the Practitioner by John W. Comfort;

•

The History of Many Memorable Things Lost, Which Were in Use Among the Ancients, and an Account of Many Excellent Things Found in Use Among Moderns, Both Natural and Artificial by Guido Pancirollus; and

•

The History and Antiquities of Dissenting Churches and Meeting Houses in London, Southminster and Southwark; Including the Lives of Their Ministers from the Rise of Nonconformity to the Present Time by William Wilson.

•

and Political Hints Offered to the Legislature and Freeholders of England (1793); and The Floating Ideas of Nature: Suited to the Philosopher, Farmer, and Mechanic, and Adapted to the Present Times of Scarcity, in Order to Create Plenty By Introducing New Crops and Their Management (1796).

What was most interesting to us about Varlo’s books is that they reprint verbatim several chapters from Marryat’s work, with the only change being the substitution of the initials “C.V.” for Marryat’s “T.M.” at the end of each epistle. Clearly, plagiarism is not a new phenomenon, although we can take some comfort in the knowledge that Varlo does not appear to have been a Freemason. Once the research was completed, we still needed to determine how to fold it into the book without detracting from the flow of the story or enjoyment of the bizarre lectures its characters make throughout. Because the book is a bold, fascinating and funny pageturner, we didn’t want the readers to bet bogged down in footnotes at the bottom of every page or explanations clumsily inserted into the body of the novel. We therefore decided to write a long introduction about Marryat and his times to help set the book in its proper context, and to append extensive endnotes to the end of each epistle. Which still left the challenge of working with the text itself. The original book was riddled with those old-fashioned versions of the lower-case letter S that look more like an F, of the type familiar to anyone who has read the line about the “purfuit of happinefs” in the American Declaration of Independence. It was easy enough to do a search and replace on those, but they represented the tip of the iceberg in terms of 18th-century textual oddities. The use of punctuation, especially commas and semi-colons, has changed a great deal since 1790, and the difference made the text hard to follow at times. Other quirks seem to be exclusive to Marryat, such as his truly excessive and seemingly random use of italics – apparently less for emphasis than to please some obsessive-complusive need of the author himself. Lastly, there was the matter of centuries old vocabulary. We decided to deal with the off-putting words by adding definitions for them to the endnotes. Randy put his editorial expertise to work “lightly editing” the text, line by line and page by page, in hundreds of subtle ways. By modernizing punctuation, by restricting use of italics to words that actually required emphasis, by occasionally substituting words or slightly changing the order of words or phrases, we ended up with a book that flows much better for modern readers and is far easier on the eyes, but one that we feel is always true to the intent of the author and the flavor of his lively writing style.

Speaking of catchy titles, our researches led us to two volumes by a Mr. Charles Varlo, both published within six years of the appearance of Marryat’s book:

The last major hurdle was the title. The truth is that The Philosophy of Masons was always a huge misnomer, and Marryat’s attempt to pass off his own far-flung theories as representing those of mainstream Masonry probably goes a long way toward explaining why he and his brother Masons parted ways. To be certain, the book touches on Lodge practices and beliefs in the 18th century, and it should be of interest to many Freemasons, but in no way does it represent any kind of “official philosophy” of the Craft. Because it affords a unique glimpse at a bygone era and its underground stream of knowledge that informed that time, this is a book that should also appeal to many lovers of esoteric texts who are not members of a Masonic order. Even after the cover had been designed and advertised on the Internet, we continued to struggle with the title and whether it would help or hinder the book. Eventually Stephen coined the new title Esoteric Odyssey, and our publisher at Cornerstone Books readily endorsed the substitution. (However, Marryat’s original title is still referenced on the cover, and a scan of the original 1790 title page appears at the front of the book.)

Nature Display’d: A New Work On Several Subjects, Including Lectures on Philosophy Such as the Creation of Earth, Animals and Vegetables; Likewise the Cause and Creation of Religion

Title changes aside, many have asked us, What is the relevance of this strange little volume for our times? After all, reactions to Marryat’s book in its own time were swift and brutal in many quarters, with

•

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one reviewer opining that the book’s ideas on religion and morality were totally unfit for the public and might be “particularly injurious to youth.” Mainstream Freemasonry of the day also condemned the book. But what struck us as interesting and relevant is that in Marryat’s day – as in our own – there was no shortage of ideas about the “true meaning” of Freemasonry. One need not be an expert on the history of our Craft to have heard of the rival Antient and Modern Grand Lodges in England, or the friction between British Grand Lodges and the Grand Orients in France, or the strikingly different practices to be found in Scottish or Irish Lodges. The American Colonies put their own spin on the evolution of the ritual, and many Lodges in the U.S. still make use of symbols, lectures, and overtly Christian source materials that are completely unknown in the majority of Lodges in the U.K., Ireland and Canada. And, of course, the United States also saw the formation of predominately black Prince Hall Lodges with their own customs and variations on the themes of Masonic ritual. Add to that long history of differing opinions the bloggers and Internet Masons of today, who are also loudly proclaiming their own “correct” versions of the Craft. Certainly, many of today’s Masonic writers, especially those who “publish” primarily online, are guilty of bending Freemasonry to fit their own political and religious worldviews, just as Marryat did in the late 18th century, and many of these modern ideas will no doubt seem quaint in the years and centuries to come. It is always interesting to look at the smaller stories that fall outside the “official versions” of the Craft as promoted by the United Grand Lodge of England and other large Masonic organizations, so that we can discover what rank and file Masons were thinking and debating about in their vastly different times. Perhaps, for all the differences between Marryat’s era and our own, readers will come away from Esoteric Odyssey feeling some affinity with his lone brave voice – or at least spotting a parallel to some of the current Masonic writers who are working on one fringe or another of the Craft. Perhaps the more things

change, the more they stay the same. Now, several years after Stephen first stumbled upon this peculiar and wonderful little book, and after approximately a year and a half of combined effort by the editors of the new edition, Thomas Marryat’s long-lost work has been released for a new generation of readers and is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and all of the other usual outlets. Since its official launch at the Masonic Spring Workshop in Kananaskis, Esoteric Odyssey has sold literally tens of copies. All joking aside, we didn’t do any of the transcribing, researching, editing and writing while operating under the delusion that it would make us rich. Bringing this book back to print was a labor of love from start to finish, and we can’t recommend the experience highly enough. If you should ever find yourself presented with the opportunity to do some research into the Craft and the fascinating historical eras that shaped it, especially research that sends you deep into source materials such as antiquated documents and publications, by all means roll up your sleeves, open up your mind, and get to work. We can tell you from first-hand experience that the odyssey will be enjoyable and enlightening. RANDY WILLIAMS is Assistant Editor of The Journal of the Masonic Society and has been a professional writer and editor for nearly two decades. STEPHEN DAFOE is the author of several acclaimed books including Nobly Born: An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar, Morgan: The Scandal That Shook Freemasonry, and the upcoming Illustrated History of the Knights Hospitaller. Their first joint book project, Esoteric Odyssey, is now available from Cornerstone Book Publishers.

Masonic Treasures

Mendocino Lodge No. 179’s historic lodge hall in Mendocino, California was constructed in 1866 by Eric Albertson and John Gschwend. Albertson was the first Worshipful Master of the lodge. The unique sculpture of the “Weeping Virgin” atop the hall’s cupola, based on the Master Mason degree symbolism, was carved from a single redwood trunk. While it is often attributed to the imagination of Jeremy Cross in 1817, portions of the symbol were first suggested in 1782 by Thomas Johnson, Grand Tyler of the Grand Lodge of England. Mendocino Lodge No. 179 holds its meetings in the second floor of the building, while the ground floor houses a local bank branch. Photos by Kevin Dincher, used by permission. 22 • SUMMER 2010

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SYMBOLISM

Alchemy and the First Degree of Freemasonry By Donald J. Tansey, MMS

lchemy has fascinated mankind for centuries. Some, motivated by greed or the desire for eternal life, have studied the art, poring over arcane texts of esoteric symbols and hoping to unlock the mysteries for their own gain. Certainly there have been many who have attempted to exploit man’s desire for limitless wealth and eternal youth; in fact, charlatans have defrauded gullible people, and ended up hanged from gilded gallows. Then there is the modern thought that perhaps the alchemists were not referring literally to transmutation of lead into gold, that the process they described referred to the transformation of the alchemist himself. Carl Jung used alchemical references in formulating his psychoanalytical process. It is in this latter sense we examine the First Degree of Freemasonry as a metaphor for transforming the mundane man into an initiate of the Order. It may sound odd to refer to a Lodge as a laboratory, but when one breaks down the latter word into its Latin roots, one finds “labor et ora,” meaning to work and to pray. When considered in that light, a Lodge indeed qualifies as a laboratory. One of the first things a candidate is required to do upon entering the temple is to kneel and pray. He is admonished from the start that any important undertaking needs to be blessed by the Almighty. Consider it a parallel between Freemasonry and Alchemy. The alchemist was expected to purify himself before beginning “the great work,” and to construct a sacred space in which to accomplish that purification. If we take the allegorical view of Alchemy as a transformative process worked on the self, rather than on raw materials taken from the earth, then the invocation of deity makes sense. Science shows that no amount of prayer or pleading will alter a chemical reaction. However, in attempting to transform the self, we as Masons recognize the necessity of calling upon the Great Architect to affect such a change. The sun and the moon, represented in every Lodge, have great significance in Alchemy. The sun is seen as the planetary ruler of gold, and the moon of silver. The hermaphrodite child of the sun and moon is a metaphor for the Philosopher’s Stone which, according to the alchemists, could transmute base metals into gold and produce an elixir that would grant immortality. The Philosopher’s Stone brings us to the most overt alchemical symbols in any Lodge: the ashlars. The rough ashlar can be seen as the Primum Materium, or first matter. The first matter is the substance which forms the basis for producing the Lapis Philosophorum, or the Philosopher’s Stone. A careful study of the lecture of the Entered Apprentice Degree yields much to consider when considering the ashlars and how they are transformed from one state to another. Masons know the symbolism of the Point with a Circle, but what even a thoughtful Mason may not know is that it is also is the alchemical symbol for both gold and the sun. Given what we are taught about the meaning of our progress around the Lodge, it should not seem strange that this icon appears in the degree, especially since further research shows that this symbol also was known to the Greeks as a symbol for God, and to the Hindus as “Bindu.” In addition, in Lodges that work the Scottish Rite Craft degrees (there are several dozen in the United States, but that system dominates Masonry in Europe, South America, and the Caribbean), a candidate for initiation is taken to a Chamber of Reflection. Traditionally it is painted or curtained all in black, and the candidate is seated at a table where there is a human skull, salt, a picture of a rooster, and the anagram V.I.T.R.I.O.L. All of these are alchemical symbols. The human skull, in addition to being a symbol of mortality, also represents the caput mortem (“dead head”), which is a glyph of decay

in Alchemy. Salt is one of the byproducts of alchemical operations and is emblematical of wisdom. The rooster, being a symbol of the Greek god Hermes, symbolizes mercury, one of the principle ingredients in making the Philosopher’s Stone. The anagram V.I.T.R.I.O.L. stands for the Latin phrase Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem, or “Visit the interior of the earth, and rectifying it, you will discover the hidden stone.” Once again, by taking the meaning as allegorical, the candidate is to look inside himself for the truth he seeks. As the candidate proceeds through the degree, patiently overcoming the obstacles placed in his way, he traces out a peculiar glyph as he travels. Given that Alchemy holds that each metal is “ruled” by a planet, the role of metal in the First Degree of Masonry takes on a different connotation. As we are taught in the Entered Apprentice Degree, we are to control our passions and not be controlled by them, thus the role of metal in the degree should remind the Apprentice to disallow material things to hold the first place in our minds and hearts. The later lesson in charity could be seen as further instruction along those lines. Toward the end of the First Degree, the initiate receives certain items and is taught their Masonic uses. The second of these, he is instructed, is for the removal of the unwanted, the uncesessary, and the counterproductive. It is significant that the Masonic idea of perfection is accompanied by the idea of removal, rather than something being added. This is a peculiar idea of perfection given that in Western society, we often tend to see supplementation and augmentation as necessary for coming closer to perfection. There is more for us to study to see correlations between Alchemy and the Entered Apprentice Degree, but we never will know for certain if the brethren who created our ritual intended for there to be parallels to alchemical symbolism. The reader however is invited to remember that in 1919, Ernest Rutherford accomplished nuclear transmutation. Of human transmutation, if we remember deity always, walk a path that keeps us close to a moral center, are generous with our worldly possessions, use our Working Tools industriously, make wise use of our time and cast off that which does not serve us, will we not transmute the lead of our baser nature into gold, but will we not achieve immortality? Bibliography

Bartlett, Robert Allen. Real Alchemy: A Primer of Practical Alchemy. www.lulu.com, 2007. Da Costa, Jr., Helio L. “The Chamber of Reflection.” http:// freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/gmd1999/pondering.html. Merton, Reginald. “History of Alchemy From Ancient Egypt to Modern Times.” http://www.alchemylab.com/history_of_alchemy.htm. Roob, Alexander. Alchemy and Mysticism: The Hermetic Cabinet. Koln: Taschen, 2005. Carl Jung, Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Jung. Monad (Greek Philosophy), Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Monad_(Greek_philosophy). Alchemy, Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Alchemy#Scientific_connections. DON TANSEY is the Master of St. John’s Lodge No. 2 in Middletown, Connecticut, and is the Past Master of Philosophic Lodge of Research in Cromwell. He also is a Royal Arch and Cryptic Mason, and is a Fellow in the Grand College of Rites.

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HISTORY

Laissez les bons temps rouler at Etoile Polaire Lodge No. 1 by Marc H. Conrad, FMS

n Saturday, April 17, 2010, The Masonic Society held an open house for attendees of the 2010 National Scottish Rite Leadership Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event was held at Etoile Polaire Lodge No. 1, F&AM, located at the corner of Rampart and Kerlerec Streets in the historic “Faubourg Marigny.” The neighborhood was founded by Bernard Xavier Philippe de Marigny de Mandeville on the plantation he established in 1805. Etoile Polaire Lodge (or “Polar Star Lodge”) was first organized in 1794 by the French and Creole men who populated the area. The inhabitants of the Faubourg Marigny were primarily French-speaking refugees from SaintDomingue who brought their unique mixture of French and Caribbean island culture with them to New Orleans. Etoile Polaire received its provisional charter as a French Rite Lodge from “La Parfaite Sincerite” at Marseilles, which granted dispensation in 1796; it was later formally constituted as a French Rite Lodge in 1798. It received a second charter as a Scottish Rite Lodge from the Grand Orient of France in 1804, having first requested it from the Grand Orient in 1794, and then received an Ancient York Rite charter from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in 1811. Members of the Lodge participated in the creation of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana in 1812, and the present Lodge building was constructed in 1840 with the assistance of a $7,500 loan from the Grand Lodge. During the course of its history, Etoile Polaire Lodge has practiced the French Rite (Modern Rite), York Rite, and Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite rituals for the three Craft degrees. It has also housed bodies practicing French Rite and Scottish Rite grades haute (or “higher ranks”), and once housed the Grand Consistory of Louisiana, where Albert Pike served as its Commander in Chief and sat in the very Oriental chair still used today by the Lodge. Among the Lodge’s many famous members was M.W. Bro. Louis Moreau-Lislet of St. Dominque, who served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana in 1818 and as Worshipful Master of Etoile Polaire Lodge in 1820. Moreau-Lislet is celebrated as the father of Civil Law in Louisiana, having been a redactor of its first Civil Code in 1808. His legacy is still celebrated among academic and legal scholars.

Michael Poll and Robert Quave, the WM of Etoile Polaire No. 1 24 • SUMMER 2010

Etoile Polaire Lodge No. 1

W. Bro. Robert Quave, Etoile Polaire Lodge’s current Worshipful Master, kindly hosted and assisted with the merry event of an open house while The Masonic Society’s President, Michael Poll, officially represented our growing academic society and greeted the visiting brethren by regaling them with historical tidbits about Louisiana Masonic history. During the day, we received brethren from all over the United States, including M.W. Bro. Woody D. Bilyeu, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, M.W. Bro. Chip Borne, PGM, and Ill. Bro. Bill Mollere, 33º SGIG, Orient of Louisiana, AASR, SJ. There were simply too many brethren who visited to list them all, but, we thank everyone who did! Etoile Polaire’s unique and virtually unchanged 19thcentury French lodgeroom was made available for tours throughout the day, during which W. Bro. Quave explained the Lodge’s dire need for restoration funds to preserve its historic lodgeroom and building. We were all happy to meet, greet, and dish out more than twelve quarts of Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo with the assistance of W. Bro. Ken Branscum, who patiently stirred the gumbo’s roux to ensure maximum enjoyment. In the spirit of Masonic education – and with a specially granted dispensation by M.W. Bro. Woody D. Bilyeu, Grand Master of Louisiana – we held an “educational session” on the infamous alchemical Masonic Scottish Rite cocktail known as “The Sazerac.” The Sazerac is a mystical concoction that can be traced back to the alchemical genius of Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a Scottish Rite Freemason whose family immigrated to New Orleans from St. Domingue after the 1791 revolution on the island.

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Bell, Caryn Cossé. Revolution, Romanticism, and the Afro-Creole Protest Tradition in Louisiana, 1718-1868. Baton Rouge: LSU Press, 2004. Difford, Simon. Difford’s Guide Cocktails # 7. London: Sauce Guides Limited, 1994. Nicklès, Sara, ed. Drinking, Smoking and Screwing: Great Writers on Good Times. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1994. Rodrigue, Melvin, and Jyl Benson. Galatoire’s Cookbook: Recipes and Family History from the Time-Honored New Orleans Restaurant. New York: Clarkson Potter, 2005. Private Archives of Etoile Polaire Lodge No 1. Scot, James B. “Outline of the Rise and Progress of Freemasonry in Louisiana,” 1873. Marc Conrad pours on the seasoning as Ken Branscum, WM of Arthur Retif Lodge #473 stirs up Da “Big Easy” gumbo

Legend has it that the Sazerac cocktail – and the word “cocktail” itself – were invented by Peychaud for the enlightenment, good spirits, and good health of his Masonic brethren. Peychaud operated a pharmacy and was a practicing alchemist, for reasons that will be obvious to those who are aware of the Scottish Rite’s alchemical nature. The pharmacy was located circa 1834 on the Rue Royale at 123 Royal Street. After hours at his pharmacy, Peychaud served “health tonics” in the parlor to Freemasons. His tonic consisted of French brandy, simple syrup, and his own proprietary bitters, which came to be known and sold as “Peychaud Bitters.” The secret recipe and alchemical formula for Peychaud Bitters had been brought to New Orleans from the dark, esoteric mysteries of Santo Domingo. Peychaud Bitters, mixed with alcohol (usually brandy) and absinthe, formed a tonic that was intended to assist with the spiritual development, health ailments, aches and pains of his brethren. Peychaud is reputed to have served his health tonics in double-ended eggcups called coquetiers, a French word pronounced “ko-kaytyay.” This unusual manner of serving up mixtures may have formed the root pronunciation of the modern word “cocktail,” although New York City also has its own legend about the origin of the word. These health tonics became so popular that Peychaud advertised them in the New Orleans newspapers. Before long, other local bohemian parlors began to serve the tonics to satisfy rising demand from their own customers. In the mid-1800s, Peychaud’s cocktail was abundantly served at an establishment called “Merchants Exchange Coffeehouse,” whose owner made the cocktail with an imported French brandy distilled by Sazerac du Forge et Fils in Limoges, France. So it came to be that Peychaud’s concoction was labeled with the enduring appellation of “The Sazerac Cocktail,” named not for its creator but for the type of brandy most often used to mix it. Those who are esoterically inclined – particularly those who have studied alchemy and the history of the Scottish Rite ritual – will recognize why Peychaud’s Bitters, an alchemical formula, are used in the initiatory Scottish Rite ritual in New Orleans. In alchemical lore, this red tincture was known as the redoubtable “Elixir of Life,” and it still forms an important part of the initiatory process in the Scottish Rite Entered Apprentice degree. Just follow the recipe on this page to try your own hand at creating an alchemical elixir, and be sure to visit Etoile Polaire Lodge No. 1 when you travel to New Orleans. We can’t wait to entertain TMS brothers at the Semi-Annual Meeting in New Orleans in September! References: Arthur, Stanley Clisby. Old New Orleans: A History of the Vieux Carré, Its Ancient and Historical Buildings. Westminster, MD: Heritage Books, 2007.

Scot, James B., Michael R. Poll and Alain Bernheim. “Outline of the Rise and Progress of Freemasonry in Louisiana,” 2008. Toledano, Roulhac, Sally Eavns and Mary Louise Christovich. New Orleans Architecture Volume IV: The Creole Faubourgs. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing, 2007. MARC H. CONRAD, PM, 32°, KCCH, is a Founding Fellow of the Masonic Society and Chairman of TMS’s Second Circle for Louisiana. He lives in New Orleans.

Sazerac Cocktail Recipe • • • • • •

1/2 teaspoon of authentic absinthe, if available, or substitute either Pernod or Herbsaint anise liqueurs 1 teaspoon of simple syrup (or 1 lump of crushed raw sugar) 4 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters 2 ounces rye whiskey 1 small strip of lemon peel

Pack a cocktail shaker with ice, then pour in the whiskey, bitters, and simple syrup (or 1 crushed lump of sugar). Shake well. Using a chilled Old Fashion glass, coat the inside of the entire glass with absinthe (or Pernod or Herbsaint), pouring out the excess. Strain the shaken cocktail shaker into the coated glass. Twist a lemon peel over the filled glass, then rub the peel over the rim of the glass – but do not put the lemon twist into the drink. Serve and enjoy. Good Health – Bon Appétit!

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EDUCATION

Masonry in the Mountains: 2010 Masonic Spring Workshop in Kananaskis, Alberta by Randy Williams, fms (Photographs by Randy Williams and Douglas Bewick)

he annual Masonic Spring the scenes from April to April to so Workshop in Kananaskis, that it can all “look easy” during Alberta, is widely considthe event itself. Several Past Chairered to be one of North men of the Workshop, such as TMS America’s premier Masonic events Member Bruce Zawalsky, continue as well as one of its best-kept seto serve actively on the Planning crets. Held each April at a secluded Committee long after “their year” resort tucked away in the Canadian as leader has passed. The group gets Rockies, the three-day Workshop excellent guidance from longtime features internationally recognized Workshop Secretary Garth Cochran speakers and attracts ever-increasing (another member of TMS), who is numbers of attendees from beyond also Secretary of Alberta’s Fiat Lux Alberta’s borders. The 45th annual Lodge of Research No. 1980. Workshop in 2010 brought visiI was privileged to serve as tors from across Canada and several “Sessions Chairman” for the 2010 U.S. states, and was book-ended Delta Lodge at Kananaskis, the world-class resort that has been home Workshop and will fulfill those duby provocative addresses from Dr. to the Masonic Spring Workshop since 1992, is dwarfed by the majestic ties again for the 2011 Edition. The Canadian Rockies Margaret Jacob, the esteemed Protheme for the 2010 Workshop was fessor of History at UCLA whose work on the European Enlightenment “Enlightenment: The Soul of Freemasonry,” tying together the historical has shed new light on Freemasonry’s rapid evolution and important role lectures by Professor Jacob, who spoke on Masonry during the European during that era. Enlightenment, with the various forms of enlightenment that are still to What differentiates the Spring Workshop from other Masonic gathbe found in our Lodges. Highlights of the Workshop sessions included: erings is that this event warmly welcomes and encourages the active par• History: One historical lecture and a “case study” of an 18thticipation of all Masons, not just the leadership or “high rank” brethren. century lodge from Professor Jacob; Stephen Dafoe on the In fact, the Workshop kicks off each year with a proclamation from the William Morgan affair and Freemasonry’s supposed links to the current Grand Master of Alberta, suspending all Masonic titles above historical Knights Templar “Brother” for the duration of the event. Dress is decidedly casual, and there • Classroom: A “clinic” for Lodge Secretaries run by Alberta’s Grand is no regalia in sight; name tags simply list the brother’s name and lodge. Secretary; a “school” for Junior and Senior Wardens (and those For three days, everyone – from newly admitted Entered Apprentices to who aspire) led by Past Grand Master Hugh Young Past Grand Masters – truly meets on the level to enjoy enlightenment and • Esoteric/Philosophical: Jelle Spijker on alchemical connections to fellowship. Freemasonry; David Roth on architecture and metaphysics; Bruce None of which should imply that the Workshop’s appeal is limited to Zawalsky on the geometry of the Lodge newcomers. Each year’s program achieves a carefully constructed balance • “Big Picture” Stuff: Eric Anderson, Past Grand Master of Montana, of “classwork,” history, philosophy, esoterica, and “big picture stuff” about on whether the top-down management style of the Grand Lodge the Craft and its direction. Keynote addresses are typically delivered by model still makes sense in the 21st century; Eric Bjerrisgaard on top-notch speakers of international reputation; past years have seen apthe need for Lodges to support DeMolay; a lively panel discussion pearances by TMS Founding Fellows Chris Hodapp and Mark Tabbert, on the future of Freemasonry and this year’s Featured Author was Founding Fellow Stephen Dafoe. The over-arching theme for keynote addresses and Workshop sessions changes • Assorted Fun and Fellowship: Contests, raffles, hikes on the each year to keep the content fresh, ensuring that the brethren return again mountain trails, a well-stocked bookstore, an after-dinner and again. Indeed, several attendees were recognized at this year’s banquet showing of Sherlock Holmes on Friday night (complete with free for having never missed a single Spring Masonic Workshop in more than popcorn), and much more three decades. The “big picture” panel discussion, entitled “Nurturing the Soul The Workshop is put together by a small but dedicated group of of the Craft,” proved especially interesting and was thought by many to brothers who treat the event as a true labor of love and work hard behind be a major highlight of the conference. Moderated by John Hayes, the panel was comprised of men with strong and varied opinions about the Craft, including Hugh Young (a Past Grand Master of Alberta) Stephen Dafoe (this year’s Featured Author at the Workshop), Barry Gogal (a Past Potentate of Northern Alberta’s Al Shamal Shrine) and Barry Anderson (a Past Grand Master of Montana). The topic was the future of Freemasonry – looking at its strengths and challenges, trying to divine the best path forward to ensure its health and survival. There was a lot of debate – some called for more guidance from Grand Lodges while others called for less Grand Lodge interference; some felt that Freemasonry needs to market itself better as part of a visible and charitable “Masonic Family” (including the Shrine) while others felt that we need to put less emphasis on over-arching public relations gambits and pay more attention to providing strong programs in our individual Lodges; some felt that we need members to show more commitment to their Lodges while others felt that men should be practicing the tenets of Masonry as individuals in their L to R: Stephen Dafoe, Professor Margaret Jacob, and Workshop Chairman communities instead of spending several nights a week talking about those Ed Jakubowsky answer audience questions at the wrap-up session for the ideals in lodgerooms; some felt that the Craft’s salvation lies in forging 2010 conference

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Garth Cochran in his command center at the resort, sorting out late registrations and dealing with other last-minute emergencies. He has been the Secretary and of the Workshop since 1999 and a member of the Planning Committee since 1987

stronger ties with all the appendant bodies while others felt that all of the “add-on” groups draw time and energy away from Craft Lodges. Despite the different approaches, more common ground was found than would have been expected at the beginning of the session. Two big ideas came forward as consensus from the panel discussion: 1) There is a definite need for a renewed sense of excellence at the lodge level – better screening of candidates, better ritual, better regular education in lodge, better ongoing mentoring of new members (a duty perhaps best performed by Past Masters), better officer training, better long-term planning for succession of well-prepared officers and consistency of effective Lodge programming. 2) If the purpose of Masonry is to “make Masons,” that process has to involve more than collecting dues checks and racing candidates through degrees they barely understand; the job of making a man a Mason must include a real commitment to education and mentoring so that we can truly bring new brethren to the light and prepare them to put their Masonic ideals to good use in their families and in their communities. This year’s “Enlightenment” theme found its way into all of the various presentations and discussions, but as the Sessions Chairman who had invited all of the speakers and planned all of the sessions, I was fascinated to discover an unexpected thread or sub-theme emerging from a great number of the Workshop events. Professor Jacob, Brother Dafoe and several other speakers were visibly startled by audience questions or comments that treated Masonic “traditional histories” and allegories as if they were historical fact. Jacob and Dafoe strongly emphasized the idea that we can’t truly seek enlightenment until we see our various myths and fanciful origin stories for what they are – nothing more than beautiful stories designed to impart important ideals and moral lessons. Professor Jacob reminded the audience at the Workshop’s wrap-up session that while the Hiramic legend does not appear in the Bible and seems to have no basis whatsoever in historical fact, that reality does nothing to diminish the effectiveness and power of the story. And as Dafoe pointed out, thinking it would be really cool if our Craft Lodges were somehow descended from the Knights Templar doesn’t make it true – and what’s more, Masonic Knights Templar have now existed for a longer period of time than they Order for which they were named! Both Jacob and Dafoe championed the idea of celebrating Masonry’s true, proud history rather than continuing to propagate romantic but inaccurate fables about its beginnings. Myths and allegorical stories can be wonderfully dramatic and hugely effective in our timeless ceremonies of moral instruction, but we run the risk of looking foolish or ignorant when we fail to separate ritual (or our own wishful thinking) from real events. After all, if we can’t be well-informed and honest about who we are and where we came from, how can we hope to convince new generations of candidates that “Truth” is one of our three grand principles? This line of thinking even resurfaced in a “sneak preview” video greeting from next year’s keynote speaker, S. Brent Morris, Past Master of Quatuor Coronati Lodge and Editor of The Scottish Rite Journal. In

2010 and 2011 Sessions Chairman Randy Williams is shown in his Masonic Society t-shirt on the opening day of the 2010 Workshop

the video, which was unveiled during the Saturday night banquet, Morris announced that his 2011 keynote address would look at the questions of “what did our ancient operative brethren consider as secrets?” and “what hidden residue from Freemasonry’s operative past remains in our ritual?” He then delighted many in the audience by promising some provocative ideas about how these secrets still inform the Craft to this day, and by stating that he personally likes this explanation of our Masonic origins “better than the Templars theory and some of the other silly stuff that’s been coming in.” After official Workshop hours on Friday and Saturday nights, conversations and friendly debates continued throughout the resort in the various “hospitality rooms” that are hosted each year by appendant bodies and individual Lodges, where ideas (and single-malt Scotch) flowed well into the wee hours of the morning. But make no mistake – the Workshop is far more than just another Masonic social gathering. The event is characterized by a love of learning and a passion for advancing and enhancing the Craft at every level, from the work being done in individual Lodges to international relations between Grand Lodges. Chris Hodapp wrote the following words after appearing as keynote speaker in 2008: “The rest of the North American Masonic world doesn’t have anything like this conference, an event that brings workable solutions,

This panel discussion on the future of Freemasonry, “Nurturing the Soul of the Craft,” was a major highlight of the 2010 Conference. Shown L to R are Hugh Young (Past Grand Master of Alberta), Stephen Dafoe (Featured Author), John Hayes (Panel Moderator), Barry Gogal (Past Potentate of Northern Alberta’s Al Shamal Shrine) and Barry Anderson (Past Grand Master of Montana)

useful presentations and Masonic scholars from around the world on a regular basis, outside of perhaps Masonic Week in Alexandria. The difference, however, is that this workshop is not for appendant bodies, but for Blue Lodge Masonry… This Workshop deserves bigger support, and I encourage those in Canada and the Western US to make the trip.” The Delta Lodge in Kananaskis provides world-class amenities and the location offers stunning views of Rocky Mountain vistas. Although the resort is private and secluded, it is easily accessible and less than an hour’s drive from the Calgary airport. The G8 Summit was held here in 2002, and the resort has proudly hosted the Masonic Spring Workshop since 1992 (prior to which time it was held at the Banff School of Arts, now the Banff Centre). The management of the resort works closely with the Workshop’s planning committee to keep costs affordable. Those attending the 2010 edition paid about $400 each for food, lodging, access to the resort’s luxurious spa and other facilities, and three days of outstanding Workshop events. More details are available on the Workshop’s website at www.masonicspringworkshop.ab.ca. The 46th Annual Masonic Spring Workshop, with Keynote speaker Brent Morris, will be held at Kananaskis on April 15-17, 2011. The theme chosen by next year’s Workshop Chairman, Irwin Vines (yet another TMS Member), is “Drawing Aside the Veil.” This glimpse into some of the Craft’s lesser-known areas promises to provide provocative food for thought, and work is well underway to ensure that the 2011 edition is another worldclass Masonic event. The enlightenment, fellowship and warm western hospitality can’t be beat anywhere. Why not make plans to join us? RANDY WILLIAMS is a Fellow of the Masonic Society, Assistant Editor of The Journal, and co-editor (with Stephen Dafoe) of Esoteric Odyssey: Thomas Marryat’s Philosophy of Masons, now available from Cornerstone Book Publishers. He lives and works as a writer/editor in Edmonton, Alberta.

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THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

HISTORY

The George Washington Masonic Memorial Freemasons’ White House Stones Exhibit By Mark A. Tabbert, fms

he George Washington Masonic Memorial debuted an exhibit in February featuring 45 historic stones, all bearing the makers’ marks of the Scottish stonemasons who had helped build the White House. These stones are reassembled for the first time since President Harry S. Truman sent one to every grand lodge in the country in 1952. Complementing the stones is a minute book from the Lodge of Journeymen Masons No. 8 of Edinburgh, Scotland, listing members of the lodge, who in 1794, emigrated to America to help build the White House. Accompanying this book is the lodge’s book of marks showing each stonemason’s trademark. By comparing these marks to those on the stones, visitors may identify the men who labored in the construction of the Executive Mansion. The exhibit opened in conjunction with the Memorial’s 100th anniversary and will run through May 2011. In 1789, President George Washington and the U.S. Congress were determined to build a great capital city. By 1792, the site was chosen, designer Pierre L’Enfant’s street plan was adapted, and work began. At the city’s center would be the U.S. Capitol, the “Peoples’ House.” The president’s house would be located on Pennsylvania Avenue. Washington reviewed the site and personally selected architect James Hoban’s design. The mansion’s cornerstone was laid with a small civic and Masonic ceremony on October 13, 1792. Although foundation work then began in earnest, the government soon discovered the young nation had an abundance of craftsmen, but few master stonemasons. What’s more, those it did have were working on the Capitol. After a thorough search in America and Europe, agent George Walker traveled to Edinburgh. By spring 1794, he had recruited at least eight stonemasons from the Lodge of Journeymen Masons No. 8. With the arrival of the eight Scots stonemasons, the White House walls rose to completion in 1798. During construction, the stonemasons, being Freemasons, joined the local lodge. Federal Lodge No.15 had been chartered September 12, 1793 by the Grand Lodge of Maryland. James Hoban was its first Worshipful Master. Federal Lodge became the first lodge when the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia was constituted in 1811. This exhibit also includes Federal Lodge’s first account book listing the Scots stonemasons and White House architect James Hoban as its first Master. Additional materials include a letter from President Truman, historic photographs and other items. The White House stones were discovered soon after Truman became president in 1945. With major plaster cracks appearing and a piano dropping nearly through the floor, it was obvious that the Executive Mansion needed an overhaul. The First Family relocated to Blair House as work began. By 1950, only the White House facade and some of the original foundation stones remained. President Truman inspected the work often and during one tour he noticed a large number of stones engraved with mason’s marks. Recognizing that they were made by Scottish stonemasons, he contacted the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia and had more than 100 of them delivered to the Grand Lodge headquarters on New York Avenue. In 1952, President Truman asked the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia to send one of the marked stones to each U.S. grand

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lodge. Each stone had a small White House brass plaque affixed to it and was accompanied by a letter, in frames of recycled White House lumber, to the Grand Masters. Additional stones were distributed to Canadian grand lodges, several Order of Eastern Star grand chapters, a few local lodges, DeMolay International, the two U.S. Scottish Rite supreme councils, the Grand Lodge of Israel, and the Grand Lodge of the Philippines. Many were hand delivered by Truman or by Carl Claudy, Executive Secretary of the Masonic Service Association. In 2004, the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia presented stones to the recently independent Grand Lodge of Alaska and Grand Lodge of Hawaii. This unique exhibit of Scottish-American Masonic history is sponsored 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. It is also made possible by the cooperation and support of many U.S. grand lodges, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, the Lodge of Journeymen Masons No. 8 of Edinburgh, Federal Lodge No. 1 of the District of Columbia, and the White House Historical Association. The George Washington Masonic Memorial is a private, nonprofit educational organization. Its membership is comprised of 52 Grand Lodges (50 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico), representing nearly 2 million Freemasons. MARK A. TABBERT is the Director of Collections of the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia. He is a director and a Founding Fellow of the Masonic Society.

POETRY

Hallowed Halls

by Jason E. Marshall, MMS We hail from ancient hallowed halls, where the voices of long departed brethren still call, in order to beckon us to pick up the working tools. Here we are instructed in the use of these tools, and taught sublime lessons, which might seem simple or trivial, but only to fools. The craft teaches the ancient wisdom of the ages, morals, ethics, as well as esoteric sciences once only reserved for the sages. These sublime lessons have instructed some of the greatest men throughout the ages. So we return to these hallowed halls again and again. We return to these hallowed halls so that we can become better men, and inspire future generations to return to these hallowed halls, again and again.

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

THE GENTLEMAN MASON

Books, Arts, Styles & Manners BOOKS

The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man By Brett and Kate McKay Paperback: 274 pages Publisher: How Books ISBN: 978-1-93493-554-5

Haunted Chambers-The Lives of Early Women Freemasons By Karen Kidd Paperback: 292 pages Publisher: Cornerstone Book Publishers ISBN: 978-1-9349-3555-2

Reviewed by Stephen Dafoe

Reviewed by Kevin Noel Olson

here are no real men to be found today. That’s the number one complaint of women, according to Brett and Kate McKay, authors of The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man. What we have instead, the authors contend, is a world full of boys walking around in men’s bodies – and all of this at a time when our communities are crying out for the return of manliness. Thankfully, there seems to be a bit of a Menaissance going on, a movement that is seeing young men look to their grandfather’s generation for tips on skills, manners and other tools to help them make their way through an increasingly uncivil society. Manliness, once a quality that every man wanted attached to his name and every son wanted to become worthy of, has today been replaced by conflicting ideas about masculinity that teeter between two extremes. On one side are the slovenly, ball cap-wearing monster truck fans and their quest for the perfect weekend six pack. On the other are the chest-shaving, over-groomed Metrosexuals and their quest for the perfect six-pack abs. The Art of Manliness is filled to the brim with great information on how to once again embrace the traditions of our forefathers, those time-honored skills and customs that men have abandoned over the past half century. Taking lessons from Freemasons Teddy Roosevelt and Benjamin Franklin, the authors thoroughly examine what it means to be a gentleman, a friend, a lover, a hero, a father, a leader and a virtuous man. Whether extolling the virtues of getting your hair cut exclusively at a barbershop or examining Franklin’s 13 virtues from a modern perspective, The Art of Manliness unapologetically revels in all things manly, often with great humor and insight being delivered simultaneously. One of the hidden surprises in the book was the authors’ endorsement of fraternal organizations, particularly Freemasonry. The McKays spend several pages giving five reasons why young men should join a fraternal organization. In retrospect, the endorsement should not have been a surprise because The Art of Manliness is very much a Masonic book. How could it not be? It spends all its time teaching men how to be better men. As clichéd as that may sound, this is one of the few books I’ve read that actually tells you how to go about doing it. In short, The Art of Manliness is a primer on modern chivalry, taking a nod from the past to teach and re-teach men how to buy a suit, wear a hat, be a good friend, father and husband – but most of all, how to be the type of man that people respect and want to emulate. Let the Menaissance begin.

STEPHEN DAFOE is a Founding Fellow of the Masonic Society and the author of several books on Masonry and the Knights Templar. He is currently at work on his next book, How Freemasonry Saved The World And How It Can Do So Again.

aunted Chambers is a book that examines the early claims and accounts of women being made Freemasons. I cannot pretend I avoid the pun when I state the issue is not treated with kid gloves. So far as can be displayed with records, the author puts forth evidences and proofs of the existence of women Freemasons – some even predating the 1717 establishment of the Grand Lodge of England. With the large holes in the mists of Freemasonry’s history, there are likewise (through no fault of the author) large holes in the histories of these individual women. Some of the stories are more convincing than others, yet it is difficult to discard the in-depth research and information offered out-of-hand. Telling some intriguing tales full of intricate plots and sometimes alluding to danger, the book engages the mind on an adventurous level while still appealing to scholarly pursuits: the unidentified Irish girl who stood against Union soldiers during the American Civil War; the tale of the daughter who allegedly hid in a clock box and the likely truths in the story that survived mangling by later writers. I am reluctant to reveal too much of the book’s contents, though I believe that all who read this work will be informed and entertained. I am of the opinion that when we, as Masons, are examining the history of the Craft, we ought to remain as objective as possible. There is no denying of solemnly-taken oaths to consider the possibility of Women being Masons. There is nothing to say we are right to deprecate them. Whether we agree or disagree that a woman can be made a Mason, we can respect those with differing opinions. I sincerely hope that when anyone receives the illumination of Freemasonry, it will change their lives in a positive and meaningful way. We can work with women Freemasons, enjoy their company, even be married to them. We can strive together for the betterment of humanity, even if we do not sit in Lodges together. We can even extend brotherly love and affection to women Freemasons, depending on our own free will and accord. Whatever our personal opinions, as Masons we should always treat them with respect, fairness, and human dignity. (I apologize to the reader for the not necessarily relevant personal diatribe.) In the preface to Haunted Chambers, W.Bro. Fred Vernon is quoted from the 1892 edition of Ars Quatour Corantorum: “…I have no doubt other ancient Lodges have their lady members just as ancient buildings have their haunted chambers.” If readers had seriously entertained such doubts before, Haunted Chambers will give pause for further consideration. Whether studying the book for scholarly purposes or reading for pure pleasure, Haunted Chambers is a worthwhile way to spend one’s time.

KEVIN NOEL OLSON is Past Master of Butte Lodge #22 A.F.&A.M. in Butte, Montana, a York and Scottish Rite member, and a proud Fellow of The Masonic Society. Olson is a writer by profession and is best-known for his retro-fiction and children’s books.

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THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

Hidden Wisdom: A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions By Richard Smoley and Jay Kinney Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Quest Books/Theosophical Publishing House ISBN: 978-0-8356-0844-2

Reviewed by Randy Williams

idden Wisdom is an introductory “guidebook” to western esoteric traditions, in much that same way that a Lonely Planet or Fodor’s guide provides aspiring travelers with a well-researched, knowledgeable, but ultimately somewhat sketchy preview of their destination. Because this single volume looks at Alchemy, Esoteric Christianity, Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, Gnosticism, Neopaganism, Sufism, Kabbalah, Magic, Shamanism, New Age, Hermeticism and more in the space of 400 pages, readers should not expect to find exhaustive detail or definitive takes on any of these subjects. What you will find in these pages is a series of clear, concise essays that serve as an excellent starting point to an exploration of underground knowledge – think of it as a sight-seeing tour for the curious. The authors are very well qualified to lead such an excursion. Smoley and Kinney were both editors at Gnosis Magazine, an outstanding quarterly journal that was published between 1985 and 1999, and Smoley currently serves as editor of Quest: The Journal of the Theosophical Society in America. Neither man has been sitting idle since Gnosis ended its run; Kinney is the author of The Masonic Myth (reviewed in Issue #8 of The Journal) and the editor of Inner West, a well-regarded anthology of writing on mystery traditions. Smoley is the author of Inner Christianity: A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition, Forbidden Faith: The Secret History of Gnosticism, and The Dice Game of Shiva: How Consciousness Creates the Universe. The subjectmatter expertise that these men bring to Hidden Wisdom, along with their professional background as magazine editors, results in an uncommonly accessible book that reads exceptionally smoothly. The explanations of the various traditions afford straightforward, unbiased looks at their ideological underpinnings without ever descending into psychobabble or gobbledygook. The prose style is clean, clear and intelligent; the authors strike an ideal balance when working with what could be weighty, difficult or dense material in less capable hands, never condescending to readers nor pitching ideas over their heads. With such provocative essay titles as “Gnosticism: The Search for an Alien God,” “Shamans: Technicians of Ecstasy” and “Finding the Inner Christ: Esoteric Christianity,” one needs to have an open mind to read this book from cover to cover. If some of the essays aren’t of interest or strike you as a little too “far out,” there is no reason that you couldn’t informally dip into and skip around through the book; it would still be a useful and informative resource when used in that manner. That said, it is fascinating to pick up on the threads that tie together various, seemingly unrelated traditions while proceeding from essay to essay. Smoley and Kinney also incorporate a great deal of Carl Jung’s theories on the unconscious into their explanations of ritual and ceremony, so the patient and thorough reader who does persevere from beginning to end will be rewarded with not only a deeper understanding of the individual traditions but also the common ground they share. Regular readers of The Journal probably won’t find much in the way of new information on Freemasonry in the book, but you may find yourself making unexpected and enlightening connections between parts of our ritual and quite a few of the other traditions that Smoley and Kinney write about. Indeed, particular essays may whet your appetite and identify paths that you wish to follow further. To that end, each chapter concludes with a detailed reading list, selected by the authors, for those readers who find themselves

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intrigued by an essay and eager to learn more about its subject. The lists in this book contain only authoritative, reputable sources – an invaluable help, when one considers the overwhelming number of publications that are available on some of these themes, many of them purely speculative junk. Hidden Wisdom is an ideal reference book for everyone from the mildly curious to the would-be initiate of an esoteric secret society. Not only is it an enjoyable and enlightening read, it deserves a place of honor on any aspiring researcher’s shelf of essential resource materials. RANDY WILLIAMS is a Fellow of the Masonic Society and Assistant Editor of The Journal. He reads a lot.

SPIRITS Old Masters Scotch Whisky Lombard Scotch Whisky LTD. Price: $29.99 (estimated) Reviewed by Christopher Hodapp

he Lombard Scotch Whisky Company in the U.K. has announced that Old Masters Scotch Whisky has gone into production and is now bottling. The scheduled arrival date into the U.S. is sometime in early September. Old Masters features a prominent square and compasses on the label, and was first created by Lombard in the 1980s specifically for use in English table lodges. However, it has never been widely distributed, and rarely seen outside of lodges in the U.K. I was lucky enough to snag a few bottles of Old Masters in January. If you are a strictly single-malt drinker, this blended whisky may not become your favorite, but it certainly has nothing to apologize for. It is a mellow blend of Highland and Speyside malts, with a delicate nose of peaches and toffee, a hint of smoke, and a soft, long finish. It was definitely a crowd pleaser at the TMS hospitality room in Alexandria. Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2008 gave the it 92 points, and had the following tasting notes: “The perfect nose to experience blindfolded (how else...?) as the depth of the fruit and grain - and their happy intermingling - is astonishing. A few under-ripe gooseberries here. Light, graceful arrival with the early emphasis on a Speyside malt theme before some grain and oak kicks in. Pretty long with touches of cocoa though the fresh malt lingers. A high quality blend that doesn’t stint on the malt. The nose, in particular, is sublime.” It will certainly make an outstanding gift for a Brother Mason, and would be perfect for celebrating the ceremonial toasts in the traditional manner, if your jurisdiction allows it. The bottle alone will be a conversation starter, even when lamentably emptied. For the first export bottling, there are only around 2,500 bottles coming into the U.S. This first shipment will be a trial to determine how much is needed to keep a consistent supply available. The whisky should be retailing for approximately $29.99. Brother Jared Card, a Mason from Delaware, is the sole U.S. distributor. To order, contact him at (302)397-4874 or by email at oldmasterswhisky@ gmail.com . All sales in the U.S. will be handled by mail order. For states in which direct liquor shipments can’t be made to your home, Jared can arrange to ship them to a local liquor store for you. For E.U. countries, it is available directly from the Lombard website.

THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY

YORK RITE

Cryptic Council of Research by Jonathan Horvath, MMS

hen I joined Freemasonry I had no plans to create bittersweet things; the degrees are so special, and yet no one goes anything or do anything noteworthy. I just joined. around boasting, “I’m a Cryptic Mason” in quite the same way that Well, perhaps that’s not 100 percent true. During the many say, “I’m a Knight Templar” or “I’m a Scottish Rite Mason.” And time prior to petitioning for the degrees in Masonry, I how often are we told the lessons of the Cryptic degrees are covered did some research to find out what I was getting myself into. What elsewhere? I prefer to think conversely, that all the lessons contained in I learned was that many of the greatest minds in history had been the other degrees and orders can be found within the Cryptic Rite. If Freemasons. Throughout the centuries, Masonic Lodges were safe we would only look in the crypt! houses where men were free to think what they wanted and to freely With my passion for the Cryptic Rite and the personal desire pursue knowledge. I also remember reading about something called to create a research body that focused on esoteric studies, I devised Cryptic Masonry and thinking, “An underground room where secrets the idea of starting a research council, one dedicated to exploring the are kept? How cool is that! I wonder what those secrets are?” Yes, even depths of Cryptic teachings. The only problem was I had no clue how before I had petitioned a Lodge, I knew I wanted to be a Cryptic to accomplish this, or even how to begin. Mason, but I had no plans beyond that and, in fact, I had no clue how In July 2009 I attended the Illinois Combined York Rite Sessions or even if I could become a Cryptic Mason. for the first time. A Companion from my Council, who also was a After I was Raised, several of us stopped by a local pub for Grand Council officer, offered me a ride back to Chicago. A wrong some celebratory libations and some of the brethren mentioned how turn made a three-hour drive into a four-hour drive, so we had ample beautiful and impressive the Scottish Rite reunions are. A few months time to discuss all kinds of Masonic topics before I finally asked about later, I headed west to Freeport, Illinois, to join the Scottish Rite. I was establishing a Research Council. Saying it was a good idea, he suggested not disappointed. What an amazing temple they have! The brethren I follow up with him, in addition to contacting our Most Illustrious are true brothers and friends, and the camaraderie and degree work Grand Master and Deputy Illustrious Grand Master. is truly special. But I Being a persistent kept wondering, “Where person, I sent an is this Cryptic Masonry e-mail the next day thing?” and was surprised to Back in my Blue receive a very quick Lodge, a brother who has and positive response become like a father in just a few hours later. Masonry to me said, “Oh, My first thought was that. It’s part of the York to convert our current Rite, which meets just Council into a Research down the road.” Another Council, but that was petition (and check) in not feasible. So I asked hand, I hopped in the car what it would take to and this time headed to create a new Council Cary, Illinois, to join the dedicated solely to York Rite bodies there. research, one that would Several months not confer degrees but passed before I learned would instead extend about an upcoming membership only to Cryptic Rite Day, at Most Illustrious Earl Wys, Grand Master of the Grand Council of Cryptic Masons for the Cryptic Masons who which the Royal Master, State of Illinois, wearing the purple jacket, is joined by Companion Jonathan Horvath, are already members in Select Master, and Super sporting the purple necktie, who created Collegium Alchemicum Council of Research good standing of Councils 0, at that council’s Institution ceremony on January 30 at Palatine Lodge in Palatine, Excellent Master degrees No. Illinois. The Grand Master is a Member of The Masonic Society, and Companion Horvath is recognized by the Grand (the latter being a rarity) a Founding Member. Council of Illinois. would be conferred. Best Then the questions of all, I got to be wine steward! To this day, Hiram Abiff in the Royal from Grand Council and others started to arrive. Why do you Master Degree is one of my favorite ritual roles, and one I hope to want to start a Research Council? Why do you think such a body is learn. Since then I have completed the York Rite degrees and orders needed? (After all, Illinois already has a Lodge of Research, a Research and I have joined the Shrine, Allied Masonic Degrees, and a number Commandery and the AMD.) What is the unique purpose or goal that of research bodies. After all, I did become a Freemason so that I could cannot be accomplished by one of the existing groups? learn what the greatest minds in history learned. The answers were, to me, very simple and obvious: Along the way I completed the Ancient and Accepted Scottish As mentioned above, none of the existing research bodies examine Rite’s Master Craftsman Program, which led me to appreciate the the philosophy and esoterica of the Cryptic Rite. I aimed to increase depth of the Cryptic Rite’s degrees and to view them as among the the visibility of the rite, giving it the same level of attention paid to most philosophical degrees in Masonry. However I also noticed a few Royal Arch and Commandery. And a Research Council would publish other things. First, many of the research papers I was reading from a newsletter to disseminate educational writings, while providing various groups focused on exoteric topics, such as history. While Grand Council a means to communicate its news and messages to this is educational, enlightening and even enjoyable, I suspect that Companions around the state. it is not what attracted the greatest minds in history. Where were the secrets, mysteries and great teachings of the ages? Another thing By October 2009, several Companions had been informed I noticed was the high profiles of Royal Arch and Commandery, of this goal and support was growing. At the reception of the Most while the Cryptic Rite seems to take a back seat, almost forgotten Excellent Grand High Priest, I was able to describe the concept to more between the others. Becoming a Cryptic Mason was one of those Companions and also to speak with our Most Illustrious Grand Master, SUMMER 2010 • 31

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who was very supportive and advised me to ask the Companions in Ohio who had founded a Council of Research about their experience and successes. They responded with very useful guidance on financial matters concerning life memberships and the Grand Council assessment. Others furnished copies of their by-laws for us to study. I even found help in Texas by way of a Yahoo Group for Cryptic Masons there; its moderator has been very supportive, and even has publicized the opportunity for membership in our Council. With approximately 40 Companions from several states and most of our Grand Council officers expressing an interest in joining the Research Council, I had to make sure this project would not result in the creation of another group that issues membership cards and lapel pins but has no substantial activities. To reflect the seriousness of seeking further Light in Masonry, I devised the name Collegium Alchemicum Council of Research. (Most Illustrious Earl Wys, Grand Master of Grand Council, gave us the number zero.) I believe this name says, “This is not your father’s research group.” (Although perhaps it could be your great-grandfather’s, considering how the Craft lost much of its esoteric mystique a few generations ago.) Each member would be required to contribute at least one twopage paper per year, which would be included in Opus Alchemicum, the Annual Writings of the Collegium. Finally to remove any doubt, the quarterly newsletter would be called Coniunctio, the Journal of the Collegium. Rather than the token $25 lifetime membership fee, the Collegium has lifetime dues of $150, which serves two purposes: to deter anyone from joining only to collect a dues card, and to establish a financial foundation for the future. At the request of several Companions, two types of membership are offered: Contributing (one submits at least one article per year for the Opus and lifetime dues cost $150) and Non-Contributing (one need not submit an article but lifetime dues cost $200). This dual structure allows those who are interested in research but do not feel capable of writing papers to participate in the Collegium. So that the Opus could be published in time for the Combined Grand York Rite Session, papers would be due by May 1 of each year. The final detail was to determine the date of our first meeting and receive dispensation from Grand Council so we could begin our labors. The Collegium was scheduled to meet quarterly; two of those meetings would coincide with other events – the Combined Grand York Rite Sessions in July and Grand Lodge’s annual meeting in October. January and April were thought to be the best times for the other meetings and, with input from the prospective members, we chose the last Saturdays of those months. We would share a breakfast, followed by the meeting. As a research body, business would be minimal and primarily handled offline, leaving more time for lectures, presentations and discussions. With these details decided, I once again approached Grand Council to petition for the dispensation to meet, which was granted January 10, 2010. Our institutional meeting was scheduled for January 30 at Palatine Lodge, where M.I. Wys and other officers would conduct the Institution and install the officers. Phew! Now all I needed was an agenda. Sure, approving the by-laws and the other business was important, but also pretty straightforward. This is a Research Council named Collegium Alchemicum, with publications titled Opus Alchemicum and Coniunctio. Needless to say, there was more than a little pressure to make certain the educational value of this first meeting would be worthy. After much pondering I decided to give the first presentation, but I also would devote a few moments to welcome everyone, explain my vision for the Collegium, and try to inspire all present to become active and think in ways they perhaps had not before. With that in mind, I titled the first presentation “So You Think You Know What Freemasonry Is, Do You?” I am indebted to Masonic Society Member Chad Simpson from the Grand Lodge of Ohio’s Programs Committee, and to Founding Fellow Rex Hutchens for their inspiration and discussions which enabled me to create this presentation. In fact, much of the first half of the presentation was taken 32 • SUMMER 2010

from one given by Brother Simpson at the 60th Annual Midwest Conference on Masonic Education. I edited it as needed, and added my own content, but without the friendly debate enjoyed between us, this presentation would never have come to exist. In brief, the paper discusses a common definition of Freemasonry, invites the listener to examine the allegories and working tools more deeply, and then turns everything upside down searching for the “true” symbols hidden within our allegories and the origins of the words, phrases and practices contained in our rituals. Excerpted: To be sure, the origins of the Craft we practice here today are obscure. Obscured by time, myth and mystery we may debate our origins, but in this area the only certainties are that we can never fully know our origins and that it matters not. I believe it is safe to say that our symbols are eclectic, drawing from sources beyond operative masonry; some may lie in alchemy, Kabbalah, and Templary. One definition of our Craft is that it is a “beautiful system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.” I would suggest that you also consider it a “beautiful system of morality veiled in symbols and illustrated by allegory,” one that is understood only through intense study, strict discipline and solemn meditations. Indeed, operative lodges themselves practiced the art of speculation. During times when king and potentate alike would hunt down and eliminate anyone who dared voice such radical thoughts as “the Earth is not flat,” operative lodges were safe havens for the pursuit of gnosis, and eventually they welcomed and accepted brethren from the mystery schools into their ranks. It is in that Light that we meet here today – to freely practice our pursuit of gnosis. Here we should all feel free to pursue Light in Masonry in our own way, with the support of each other; let no Brother speak ill of another’s studies. Speak your opinions freely and gently, and should you find another Brother to be in error, whisper quietly in his ear and do not scorn his thoughts, for his thoughts surely are God’s thoughts just as are yours. God did not give us minds that we might never think anything untrue, but that by examining such thoughts, even all thoughts, we might come to know His Truth. For surely, we cannot know the Truth until we have examined, understood and eliminated all falsehoods. With that, I bid you all, my Brothers and Companions, welcome to the College. There are many people who worked to bring the Collegium from dream to reality, and I am indebted to the Charter Members, to M.I. Earl Wys (a TMS Member), to Right Illustrious Companions Arlo Sloan, Dale Corrice, Dick Carroll, Jim Grimm, Mark Welch, to Companion George Rogers of Cryptic Council No. 46 in Palatine, to Companion Cliff Cameron of Jerusalem Council No. 7 in Texas, to Companion Pat King of the Ohio Council of Research and Development, and of course to all our ladies and families; without their patience, support and understanding, none of us would be able to do the work we do. Where do we go from here? The Collegium will operate Under Dispensation until Grand Council’s Grand Assembly on July 28, 2011, when we will receive our charter – if Grand Council views our work favorably. Much remains to be done, and the success of the Collegium is not a given. However, it has a solid foundation, an excellent beginning, and a future bright with Masonic Light. In addition to founding Collegium Alchemicum Council of Research No. 0, JOHNATAN HORVATH is Junior Warden and Lodge Education Officer of Nunda Lodge No. 169 in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and is a member of the Grand Lodge of Illinois Committee on Masonic Education. He also is a Past High Priest of Cary-Grove Chapter No. 36; Past Thrice Illustrious Master of Cary-Grove Council No. 36; and Eminent Past Commander of Calvary Commandery No. 25. He is an Ambassador for the Scottish Rite Valley of Freeport, and a Blue Lodge Ambassador for Medinah Shrine Temple. He can be reached at jhorvath@garble.org.

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FROM THE EDITOR

Tooting Masonry’s Vuvuzela by Christopher L. Hodapp, fms

f you spent any time watching the World Cup Soccer matches in June, you were undoubtedly treated to the skull-splitting bleats of a gazillion fans tooting their vuvuzelas from the cheap seats. In case you missed the USAToday, BBC and National Enquirer exposés of this ghastly instrument, the vuvuzela is an exotic moniker for a cheap plastic stadium horn that requires no talent with which to make noise. Freemasons have used the technology available to them throughout history to promote themselves. Masonic processions and cornerstone ceremonies have been strong public promotional activities since our beginnings. Masonic broadsides and newspapers appeared in the 1700s, with squares and compasses on their covers. I have a photo of the Grand Lodge building in Boston in 1885 strung with electric lights, creating seven-story high Masonic symbols. The first Scottish Rite Cathedral in Indianapolis had a 60 foot-tall double headed eagle painted on its side. Masons created popular post-cards and cigar brands, and put Masonic symbols on all kinds of products. Freemasons built lavish pavilions in World’s Fairs, from St. Louis in 1904, to New York in 1964. Most recently, the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts produced a high quality, big budget TV campaign featuring Ben Franklin, with a simple message: “Is there greatness in you? Ask.” Many Masons praised the ads, while others were shocked. How dare Masons advertise? Doesn’t this cheapen the fraternity? Or as Carl Claudy’s Old Tiler said in the 1920s , “Masonry is humble and secret; not for her the blare of trumpets and the scare head of publicity. To make it other than what it is would rob it of its character.” One era’s promotion is another’s blaring trumpet. Or vuvuzela. I spent more than 25 years in the commercial film business, making television ads, so I don’t have nearly the visceral aversion to the medium that others might. Some think the fraternity needs to get much smaller: I disagree. I want us to grow and again take our proper place at the center of our communities. That won’t happen if no one knows who and what we are. Still, if I mention the subject of advertising the fraternity to most Freemasons, I generally get chased out into the street like my overweight cousin gets chased out of a Chinese smörgåsbord. Nevertheless, I’ve learned a few things about advertising, image, and the pros and cons of promotion. Not all of it is bad. Not all of it is crass. There are perfectly reasonable ways to tell the truthful story of Freemasonry to the community without sounding like a used car salesman, or a BP spokesman saying, “What oil slick?” But like that annoying stadium horn, sometimes it can just sound like a cacophony. And sometimes it can be a disaster. For decades, Freemasonry in England had a policy of never answering critics or making public statements. In the 1980s, that softened, especially in light of outrageous books like Stephen Knight’s The Brotherhood, that alleged Masonic involvement in the Jack the Ripper murders, and worse. Brother John Hamill was a frequent BBC guest and was regularly interviewed when Masonic subjects hit the news wires. Now, the Grand Secretary of the United Grand Lodge of England, Nigel Brown, has been charged by the Grand Lodge with trumpeting a whole new attitude of Masonic “openness.” There is no question that the culture in the U.K. and Europe is very different than in North America, Australia, and elsewhere. Freemasons around the world encounter very different attitudes. English society in particular seems to have a deep-seated suspicion and distrust of Masonry’s legendary secrecy. So, Brother Brown has been sent out to the sidewalk of London’s Great Queen Street to haul out his vuvuzela and toot a new message for the Masonry of the 21st century: “Freemasonry has no secrets.” That’s a pretty sour note. In a June 17th Times article insultingly titled, “Inside the Ministry of Funny Handshakes” by Martin Waller, the Grand Secretary said, “They wanted somebody who would run it as a business and open Freemasonry up so that people would realise what it was all about rather than what they thought it would be about . . . It’s absolutely vital we encourage people to talk openly about their Freemasonry. We have to get rid of all the discrimination that arose over the years because people

haven’t talked about it. It’s important that it gets opened up. It would be intolerable for any Mason to say, ‘I’m sorry I can’t tell you that’.” Unfortunately, the Grand Secretary seems to be taking openness too far in the other direction. For him to actually declare, “It would be intolerable for any Mason to say, ‘I’m sorry I can’t tell you that’,” cuts the very heart out of the core beliefs of Freemasonry. Every Mason should be perfectly comfortable saying to a non-Mason, “I’m sorry, there are things I can’t tell you. I gave my word. And if I told you, my word would be meaningless.” A few days later, the UGLE’s new public relations firm, Bondy Consulting, sent out a press release with a few astonishing statements: “Bondy founder Jessica Bondy said: ‘We have been appointed to combat common misconceptions including those of secrecy. There are no secrets in Freemasonry and we need to encourage people to talk openly about it. Information is totally accessible for anyone that wants it and anyone can come into Freemasons’ Hall’ . . . Bondy, a former MD at Ketchum, also said: ‘There is no secret handshake – this is one of the myths.’” Is Freemasonry in England really this ashamed of its own proud heritage? A quick glance at the Bondy Consulting website reveals all four of its partners are women. Did the UGLE go out of its way to hire an allgirl agency for this job, apparently with little knowledge of the fraternity, for politically correct reasons? Their press release goes on to state that “Freemasonry has 250,000 members worldwide,” when that is actually just the UGLE’s membership. Bondy clearly needs a few more meetings to understand the nature of her client. When you hire flacks, the least they can do is get your story right. If your client has a complex story to tell, you don’t go out and spread wrong information, simply because it’s too complicated to bother with the facts. More to the point, if this is not just a bad case of hoof-in-mouth, and if UGLE’s new direction is to completely neuter its own history and image in the hopes of rebranding itself as just one more charity, with nothing to offer society but the occasional oversized check for the local ambulance service, they will be lucky to make it to their 300th anniversary in 2017. It is unlikely that the mainstream English press will ever come around to treating Freemasonry as anything but the ‘Ministry of Silly Handshakes and Rolled-Up Trouser Legs.’ I admire UGLE for trying to shape the message going out to the street. But they don’t seem to have carefully considered what that message needs to be. They are being reactive. “Press says we are secret. Secrets bad. Tell them no secrets here. That will fix.” But the very men who they want to come and join will be completely repulsed by that message. There is greater interest in Freemasonry right now than in the last 40 years. But if prospective men are told, “Really, just a big happy charity here, with some silly rituals and these wacky apron thingies. No big deal,” how many will bother to petition? Why should they? Freemasonry isn’t about CHIPs programs, hospitals, ambulance services, or retirement homes: Freemasons support those things, but they should never define what we are. Freemasonry isn’t a charity or a church or a business, but it seems that some of our members disagree on just exactly what it IS. We are the world’s oldest, best known gentleman’s fraternity. Our ceremonies and symbols are based on the medieval stonemasons who built the cathedrals and castles of antiquity that have stood the test of time, and we use them as allegories to build cathedrals in the hearts of modern men. Our secrets are a symbol of honor. So, if we are going to show a public face, why not take the opposite tactic? “We are legendary. We are mythic. We are extraordinary. Freemasons have changed the world. We have secrets only you can discover. We are looking for a few special men who can live up to the legend. Men of honor. It’s not for everybody. It might be for you.” That’s a pretty simple message, really. And a pretty impressive one to tell the world. As long as we are ready to live up to the legend ourselves. SUMMER 2010 • 35

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Masonic Treasures

Solid gold Past Master jewel belonging to Samuel B. Ferguson (misspelled on the jewel as Fergson) who served as Master of Escurial Lodge No. 7 in 1868-69 at Virginia City, Nevada. The lodge first was chartered by the Grand Lodge of California on October 10, 1864 as Escurial Lodge No. 171. On January 19, 1865 the desires of Masons in Nevada came to fruition with the creation of the Grand Lodge of Nevada. Escurial Lodge was one of the grand lodgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founding lodges, at which time it was renumbered as No. 7. From the Grand Lodge of Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Henry Wilson Coil Library and Museum. Submitted by Adam Kendall