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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK: Our Shared Legacy
by PJ Roup, 33˚, Editor, Active for Pennsylvania
In the musical Hamilton, the title character, portrayed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, utters this line in the moment leading up to his death during his legendary duel with Aaron Burr. As he faces his death, he is questioning whether he has done enough with his life—whether he has left a mark.
As Scottish Rite Masons, it is in our nature to question ourselves. Was that the right choice? Am I being a good man? Should I be content where I am, or can I be more? Am I living my best life? What will be my legacy? How honestly we answer those questions and the actions we take as a result of our answers help to determine our legacy.
Throughout this issue are stories of Masonic legacies—fathers raising sons, grandfathers inspiring grandsons to become Masons. I joined the Craft because of my maternal grandfather. He was of the generation that never flaunted membership, and I only learned of his affiliation with the lodge in the months preceding his death. His abiding goodness and quiet love of Freemasonry inspired me to join. A few years later, my father, having seen a change in me, asked me about joining. I couldn’t have been happier, and I had the great privilege of conferring all three of his degrees. So, I guess if you count dotted lines and squiggles as you connect my family members, I am a third generation Mason.
You can read about other legacies as well. Our Tompkins Medal recipients, Brother Vincent Arnone, the Four Chaplains, and all of our Masonic veterans have left a legacy of freedom and peace for all of us to enjoy. We are eternally grateful for their service and sacrifice.
We write our legacies daily. The Supreme Council is no exception. During these “unprecedented” times (I’m growing to hate that term, and I yearn for precedented times.), they have planted seeds that will bear fruit long into the future.
We have standardized the dues process, taking the burden off the Valleys. Thursday Night at the Rite (scheduled to reappear on January 7) has brought thousands of members together from all over the jurisdiction to view our degrees. Most importantly, we recognized that there was an opportunity to welcome new members by holding Virtual Reunions. This pivot in thinking allowed us to welcome almost 500 men to the Scottish Rite at the first event alone. It had never been done before, but it was so successful that a fourth event has been added. Visit Reunion.ScottishRiteNMJ.org to see the latest information.
We are all part of the shared legacy of this great institution. Daily, whether we realize it or not, we plant seeds in gardens we will never see. How we interact with others, how we treat ourselves, and how well we live into the core values of the Scottish Rite helps to ensure that this venerable society of good men will endure long into the future. Live so that tomorrow’s Masons may enjoy the shade of the trees we plant today.
ERRATUM
In the August issue, credit for the article “Provost and Judge, The Diary of Second Master Mason” (p. 20) was mistakenly given to Nicholas Graff. In actuality, the article was written by Mark Roth, 33°, Active for New Hampshire. The irony of misattributing credit for a story about someone stealing the work of another is not lost on me, and I assure you that Brother Graff was not playing a real-life Jeroboam. The mistake was mine and mine alone, and I humbly ask their forgiveness.—PJR
