The Northern Light Spring 2023

“Pete” Miller, 33˚

On the Cover Brothers Rick Storms, Glen Houck, and Vic Frederick stand on the corner in Winslow, Arizona with the statue of Glenn Frey of the Eagles. This was just one of the stops on their 49-state ride to raise funds for the Children’s Dyslexia Centers. For details of the rest of the ride (Vic’s third), see page 24. We hope you enjoy this issue of The Northern Light

Labors of Love

by Peter J. Samiec, 33˚ Sovereign Grand Commander

“Masonic labor is purely a labor of love. He who seeks to draw Masonic wages in gold and silver will be disappointed. The wages of a Mason are in the dealings with one another; sympathy begets sympathy, kindness begets kindness, helpfulness begets helpfulness, and these are the wages of a Mason.”

—Benjamin Franklin

I’ve always liked this quote! In a few words, it speaks volumes regarding the labors and true rewards of a Freemason: his wages.

And so I ask you, my Brothers, how are you earning your wages as a Mason? As we all know, the cable tow symbolizes our Fraternity’s commitment to service and humanity. It represents the bonds that connect us as Brothers, and it reminds us of our obligation to help those in need.

As Scottish Rite Freemasons, we take this obligation seriously. Over the past year, we helped nearly 100 Brothers and their families get back on their

feet through our Grand Almoner’s Fund. Through our Children’s Dyslexia Centers, we served over 1,300 children struggling with dyslexia, providing the support they need to help them overcome their learning challenges and achieve their full potential. And we awarded 330 Leon M. Abbott Scholarships to deserving students seeking to further their education.

That’s 1,700 individuals with hope restored because of our great work. That’s roughly the population of Atlantic Beach, New York, a beautiful little seaside town located just 21 miles from Manhattan.

Over the past year, we helped nearly 100 Brothers and their families get back on their feet through our Grand Almoner’s Fund.

Of course, Atlantic Beach is a far cry from The Big Apple, but you can visualize the impact when you imagine a whole community of people served from a six-year-old child just learning to read to the retired gentleman forced to start anew, having just lost his home to flood damage.

As we look to the future, I am proud of all that we have accomplished in helping serve those in need. This is the heart of what Freemasonry is all about, Brothers…and always should be.

In the August 1989 edition of The Northern Light, Sovereign Grand Commander Francis G. Paul, 33°, relays several letters he received from members, where he describes a sense of frustrated pride. A Brother from Wisconsin shared with the Commander that he thought Freemasonry was too self-oriented. “I think there are too many hats and badges, and jewelry and chains that say, ‘Look at me,’” the Brother stated.

All the jewels and regalia mean nothing without a Brother who is humble enough to recognize the needs of his fellow man and offer support without limitation. Help and support aren’t just limited to writing a check, either; one can also simply pick up the phone and talk to a Brother who could use an attentive and caring ear.

I recently received a note from a Brother who told me he reached out to his Valley for help and heard nothing back. This Brother said things were so bad for him and his family that, at one point, he contemplated taking his life. Let that sink in. A Brother asked for help, and we ignored him. How many Brothers in our ranks refuse to ask for help and simply walk away from the Fraternity, or worse yet, contemplate giving up entirely?

I urge our members to consider how they can best help those in need. Our Masonic labors are important and must continue—not for the fancy titles or the jewels—but because kindness can quite literally save lives!

Together, we can continue to make a positive impact on the lives of those who are in need. As we embark on a new year, let’s vow to continue our labors of love, my Brothers, this year and beyond.

All the jewels and regalia mean nothing without a Brother who is humble enough to recognize the needs of his fellow man and offer support without limitation.

“I’ve Been Everywhere, Man”

by PJ Roup, 33˚, Editor, Active for Pennsylvania

Mark Twain famously said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrowmindedness. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

Whether you take it in by car, rail, air, motorcycle, bicycle, or even on foot, this country has something to offer to every traveler. There are new parks, attractions, towns, restaurants, and people to discover around every corner.

I’ve been everywhere, man

I’ve been everywhere, man Crossed the deserts bare, man

I’ve breathed the mountain air, man

Of travel I’ve had my share, man

I’ve been everywhere.

—Johnny Cash

This issue features three men who know that more than most. Brother Vic Frederick, who, accompanied by Brothers Glen Houck and Rick Storms, completed his third 49-state ride to benefit the Children’s Dyslexia Centers this summer. In their travels, they met amazing people, saw breathtaking sights, received donations from strangers, and helped others along the way. While they may not have been (as Johnny Cash says) to Boston, Charleston, Dayton, Louisiana, Washington, Houston, Kingston, Texarkana, Monterey, Faraday, Santa Fe, Tallapoosa, Glen Rock, Black Rock, Little Rock, or Oskaloosa (at least not in that order), it’s fair to say that they’ve been practically everywhere, man. Their 30-day whirlwind tour of the

United States (and a little bit of Canada) astride motorcycles pushed them to their limits both physically and emotionally (Vic reminds us it is not for the faint of heart), but to a man, they all want to do it again.

Why is that? Sure, there are the vistas, the locales, and the reminiscences that will stay with them for life, but there is also something more. They learned that they were capable of something amazing. And what’s more, sharing

traveled those same roads before you. There have been many times I have

When you kneel at the altar, take a station of leadership, or tread onto the Scottish Rite stage, you don’t do it alone.

felt the spirit, the love, and the labor of those who came before, and I suspect you have as well.

Not everyone is cut out to traverse 49 states in 30 days, but you can tour theworld (and travel through time) in the Scottish Rite. You can see King Solomon in the Holy Land, medieval kings in Europe, and George Washington in colonial America all in the same day. You can also reunite with Brothers you haven’t seen in a while as

THE NORTHERN

LIGHT

A magazine of 32˚ Scottish Rite Freemasonry Spring 2023 | Vol. 54 | No. 1

SOVEREIGN GRAND COMMANDER

Peter J. Samiec, 33°

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Linda R. Patch

EDITOR PJ Roup, 33°

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Rodney E. Boyce, 33°

CONTENT MANAGER Joann Williams-Hoxha

DIRECTOR OF DESIGN Matt Blaisdell, 32°

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

Thomas R. Labagh, 33°, Chairman Richard V. Travis, 33° Donald R. Heldman, 33° Donald G. Duquette, 33° PJ Roup, 33° J. Brian McNaughton, 33°

SUPREME COUNCIL, 33° Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A.

THE NORTHERN LIGHT (ISSN 1088-4416) is published quarterly in the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter by the Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A., as the official publication. Printed in U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA, and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER

Send address changes to The Northern Light PO Box 519, Lexington, MA 02420-0519

MAILING ADDRESS PO Box 519, Lexington, MA 02420-0519

EDITORIAL OFFICE

33 Marrett Road (Route 2A), Lexington, MA 02421 phone: 781-862-4410 email: editor@srnmj.org

WEBSITE: www.ScottishRiteNMJ.org

@TNLMagazine

Copyright ©2023 by Trustees of the Supreme Council of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A.

In Memoriam

Ill. Donald D. “Pete” Miller, 33˚ 1928-2022

Ill. Donald D. “Pete” Miller, an Active Emeritus Member of this Supreme Council for the state of New Jersey, laid down his working tools on Monday, November 7, 2022.

Raised a Master Mason in Covenant Lodge No. 161, F.&A.M. of Palmyra, NJ, in September 1972. Completed the degrees of the Scottish Rite in the Valley of Southern New Jersey in 1974 and served as Thrice Potent Master of Excelsior Lodge of Perfection in 1988. Coroneted a 33° Mason and Honorary Member of the Supreme Council in 1993 in Boston, MA, and crowned an Active Member of the Supreme Council in Milwaukee, WI, on October 3, 1995. Served as Deputy for New Jersey from 1999 to 2003. Ill. Bro. Miller is one of the pioneers of the Children’s Dyslexia Centers (CDC) program in New Jersey, with the CDC of Northfield named in his honor.

“Journey On” Campaign Garners Three Awards

by Joann Williams-Hoxha, Content Manager

Supreme Council is the proud recipient of three awards for stellar marketing for their newest anthemic campaign, “Journey On.” The Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction now stands alongside the likes of the American Heart Association, AARP, ADP, Cisco, and others as recognized leaders in marketing excellence.

On,” and six complementary videos that reflect on the six Core Values of the Scottish Rite. In addition to seven videos, “Journey On” also includes over 25 campaign concepts made available for print, social media, and personal use. Each concept aims to show not only the diversity and caliber of men that belong to the Scottish Rite, NMJ but also how the Fraternity can help Master Masons continue their quest for self-improvement.

The SRNMJ was honored with two gold awards by the 2022 International MarCom Awards among more than 6,000 entries: one in the Web Video category for the “Journey On” anthem video and one in the Digital Media category for the accompanying print campaign.

Scottish Rite, NMJ was cited for “inspiring members to reconnect with the journey.” The campaign will be posted on the MarCom Awards website presenting the message and good works

of the Scottish Rite to new audiences of millions.

Scottish Rite, NMJ’s suite of “Journey

On” videos and print assets also won a Davey Award from The Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts. The Davey was selected by a panel that includes marketing experts from mammoth brands like Disney, Conde Nast, and Microsoft.

The campaign is brought to life through an anthemic video, “Journey

Linda Patch, Director of Marketing & Communications and lead on the Path Forward initiative, shares: “There’s a world of good men out there that are looking for their identity group, their tribe to belong to. We hope with this campaign that people are able to see how the Scottish Rite, NMJ lives up to their promise of helping men become better versions of themselves. These awards show how impactful the “Journey On” campaign is in delivering this message.”

Brother James Dill, 33°, Director of Support Services and a key contributor to the production of “Journey On,” shared “Our hope for the “Journey On” videos is to not only inspire our Brothers to reconnect with the fulfillment that comes from seeking more light but to also demonstrate what it really means to live by our six Core Values. Our intention is to show that being a Scottish Rite Freemason is not about grandiose gestures, but about

These awards show how impactful the “Journey On” campaign is in delivering this message.

The “Journey On” marketing and creative team is represented in part by Jim Dill, 33°, Director of Support Services; Linda Patch, Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications; and Len Cercone, 32°, whose agency, CerconeBrownCompany is the NMJ's marketing partner responsible for the campaign's creative concepts.

50 Years Ago…

5,

doing the right thing in the small, quiet moments of our day-to-day lives. I’m proud that we were able to accomplish this and that our work is being recognized by some of the top creative minds of today.”

!

View the award-winning campaign and download “Journey On” materials for personal or Valley use: https://scottishritenmj. org/journey-on-assets. The campaign can be used as-is, or it can be customized with your specific call-to-action or URL.

On February

1973, the Supreme Council broke ground on a $6,000,000 Library and Museum building “to be dedicated to America, her history, her patriots and builders, her ideals and to faith in her future.”

In coming issues, we will be taking a look back at the history of that structure which is now Supreme Council headquarters.

Sovereign Grand Commander, George A. Newbury (center), assisted by W. R. Creelman (left) of Turner Construction Company and Architect Hugh Shepley (right), break ground for the Library & Museum building on February 5, 1973.

Supreme Council Confers Tompkins Medal to Colonel Alan B. Berg, USAF, Retired

On October 17, 2022, Supreme Council conferred the Daniel D. Tompkins Award for Distinguished Service on Colonel Alan B. Berg, 32°, USAF, Retired, for his outstanding and exemplary devotion to country. Colonel Berg is a Scottish Rite member of the Valley of Boston and currently resides in Arizona.

Colonel Berg was raised a Master Mason in The Consolidated Lodge in Boston, Massachusetts, and became a Scottish Rite Mason in the Valley of Boston in 1984. He served in the United States Air Force for 33 years. During that time, he served in many outstanding capacities, including as a Flight Surgeon in West Germany; Chief of Aerospace Medicine for the 49th Aerospace Medical Squadron; Deputy Command Surgeon for the US Joint Forces Command; and Chief of Human Factors Division for the AF Safety Center, where he oversaw all USAF mishaps and safety prevention initiatives from 20112013.

Upon his retirement, he had logged nearly 2,000 flight hours and had flown 21 different types of aircraft, from B-52s to UH1H “Hueys.”

The Tompkins Medal may be conferred by the Supreme Council or the Sovereign Grand Commander upon a deserving Masonic or Scottish Rite Brother who has rendered exemplary service to his country or the Masonic Fraternity at large not often witnessed among the general membership.

The Tompkins Award was presented by Michael J. Clark, 33º, Secretary for Valley of Las Vegas AASR, following a luncheon in Las Vegas, Nevada,

with Brother Alan’s father, Ill. Joel Berg, 33°, who is also a member of the Valley of Boston and resides in Nevada. Ill. Brother Clark read a special letter from Sovereign Grand Commander Peter J. Samiec to Brother Berg and then presented him with the Tompkins Medal.

Both father and son were “beaming from ear to ear,” said Brother Clark. “Being a veteran myself, it was a pleasure and honor to present this award.”

In addition to the well-deserved Tompkins honor, Colonel Berg is the proud recipient of the Legion of Merit, Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), and Humanitarian Service Medal.

Recipient Colonel Alan B. Berg, 32˚, USAF, Retired, along with his father Ill. Joel Berg, 33˚.

New Inductees Honored in the Exhibition

“The Masonic Hall of Fame: Extraordinary Freemasons in American History”

by Hilary Anderson Stelling, Director of Collections and Exhibitions, Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Paul Revere

Famously, Paul Revere (1734-1818) brought word to his fellow colonists that the British Army was on the move. More than a messenger, Revere was a talented silversmith and engraver, a political organizer, an entrepreneur, and a Freemason. In the 1770s, risking himself and his business, Revere supported the colonial effort to achieve independence from Britain. As Grand Master of Massachusetts, Revere chartered 23 lodges, leaving a lasting mark on Freemasonry in the state. One observer remembered Revere as “Cool in thought, ardent in action, he was well adapted to form plans and to carry them in successful execution,—both for the benefit of himself & the service of others.”

The Mayos

Dr. William Worrall Mayo (1819-1911), along with his sons Dr. William James Mayo (1861-1939) and Dr. Charles Horace Mayo (1865-1939), established and fostered the medical practice that became the Mayo Clinic, renowned for its research, education, and medical care. Building on their work at a local Catholic hospital and in their practice— housed for ten years in the Masonic lodge to which Dr. Charles Mayo belonged—the Mayo brothers created a new kind of medical organization in which patients had access to multiple specialists who shared information about cases. In 1919, they endowed the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Today the Clinic is known throughout the world and continues the work envisioned by the Mayos over one hundred years ago.

Magic Lantern Slide, Paul Revere's Ride, 1896-97. Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, Gift of Anne R. Berntsen, 2008.023.41.

Summons for the Lodge of St. Andrew, 1768. Paul Revere (1734-1818), Boston. Museum Purchase with the assistance of the Lodge of St. Andrew and the Kane Lodge Foundation, A2002/043/1.

W. J. Mayo, W. W. Mayo, and C.H. Mayo, 1909. Wellcome Collection.

Masonic Temple, Rochester, Minnesota.

Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, 96/066/2074.

MASONIC HALL OF FAME: EXTRAORDINARY FREEMASONS IN AMERICAN HISTORY”... continued

Harry Houdini

Born Erik Weisz in Budapest, Harry Houdini (1874-1926) was a world-renowned illusionist and escape artist. Houdini began his career as a magician in 1891. Around 1900, he started to find real success, performing a number of escapes from handcuffs in front of audiences. Between 1900 and 1920, Houdini toured Europe, attracting a wide following and earning the nickname “The Handcuff King.” Later in his career, Houdini became well-known for exposing fraud among spiritualists, psychics, and mediums who claimed to contact the dead through seances and other means. Houdini came to Freemasonry late in life. Raised in New York City’s St. Cecile Lodge No. 568 in 1923; he joined the Scottish Rite in 1924.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) served as the 32nd President of the United States during a time of great upheaval. His twelve years in office, from 1933 to 1945, provided stability for a changing nation. Roosevelt’s New Deal, radical for the time, helped bring the country out of the Great Depression. His leadership during World War II was vital to Allied victory. Roosevelt’s wife, Eleanor, said of him: “...his chief interest was in seeing that the average human being was given a fairer chance for ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’” Roosevelt joined Holland Lodge No. 8 in New York City in 1911 and became a Scottish Rite Mason while he served as the Governor of New York.

Houdini in Chains, ca. 1899. Library of Congress.

Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Mayo Brothers in Rochester, Minnesota, 1934. Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, NARA.

Campaign Banner, ca. 1944. Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, Gift of Robert A. Frank, 2006.013.23.

Photograph by David Bohl.

“THE

Thurgood Marshall

Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993) was a civil rights lawyer and the first Black justice on the Supreme Court. In 1940, Marshall founded the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which served as the legal arm of the civil rights movement. There, Marshall litigated many cases seeking equal social opportunities and protection under the law, regardless of race. President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Marshall to the Supreme Court in 1967. A member of Coal Creek Lodge No. 88, PHA, in Oklahoma, Marshall was also a Scottish Rite Freemason. In 1958, Marshall stated that without funding from Prince Hall Masons, many of the civil rights cases that he argued could not have been fought: “Whenever and wherever I needed money and did not know of any other place to get it, Prince Hall Masons never let me down.”

Thurgood Marshall, 1956. Betsy Graves Reyneau (1888-1964). National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the Harmon Foundation. © Peter Edward Fayard.

M.W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F.&A.M. for the State of Louisiana records, 1857-2002, Amistad Research Center, New Orleans, LA.

“It is the greatest happiness of my life to have presided in the Grand Lodge at a time when Freemasonry has attained so great a height.”

—Paul Revere, 1797

“…it has been my life work to invent and publicly present problems, the secrets of which not even the members of the magical profession have been able to discover…”

—Harry Houdini, 1924

“Our father recognized certain definite social obligations. He believed… that the most important thing in life is not to accomplish for one’s self alone, but for each to carry his share of collective responsibility.”

—William J. Mayo, 1934

“The more I come in contact with the work of the Masonic Fraternity the more impressed I am by the great charitable work and the great practical good we are carrying out . . .”

—Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1935

“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.”

—Thurgood Marshall, 1972

“Take good Care of this Picture,” Collecting African American Fraternal Mat

In 1897, a group of 13 men in top hats and suits gathered on the steps of City Hall in Brockton, Massachusetts. The photograph shows the men in the regalia of their order, the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, an African American fraternal group active in the United States since 1843. On the back of the photograph is written, “Jas R. Thompson, Washington St, Below Post Office, Assinippi, Mass, Take good Care of this Picture.” In 1989, this photograph was accessioned into the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library’s collection, and it is currently on display in the exhibition, “What’s in a Portrait?” From photographs of men’s fraternal groups to the rhinestone-decorated fezzes worn by a member of a women’s auxiliary group, the museum aspires to both expand and “take good Care of” our collection of objects and images associated with African American fraternal groups.

The museum opened in 1975 with the goal of telling “the story of Freemasonry and fraternalism in the context of American history.” Since then, the museum has collected, preserved, and interpreted more than 25,000 objects related to Masonic, fraternal, and American history. African American fraternal groups are part of this story.

From the Civil War-era ambrotype of an unknown man in regalia acquired in 1985 to the group photographs of Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine members acquired in 2022, objects related to African American fraternal groups are a small but growing part of the museum’s collection. Highlights include two photographs taken by James Van Der Zee (1886-1983). Van Der Zee was a Black Massachusetts-born photographer known for his evocative images of people and events in Harlem starting in the 1920s. In 1930, Prince

Grand United Order of Odd Fellows Outside of City Hall, Brockton, Massachusetts, ca. 1897. Massachusetts. 89.1.

Man in Regalia, 1855-1865. 85.41a-b. Photograph by Frank E. Graham.

erial

by Stacey Fraser, Assistant Curator, Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Hall Masons gathered in Harlem to lay the cornerstone for a new Masonic temple. Van Der Zee captured an image of the ceremony that was acquired by the museum decades later.

In 1928, Van Der Zee took a photograph of members and officers of the Independent United Order of Mechanics (I.U.O.M.) in their New York City meeting room. This fraternal association, founded in England in 1757, came to the United States in 1910, and membership was open to men and women, regardless of race or religion. Perhaps due to this tolerance, it counts many African Americans among its members. Another I.U.O.M. item at the museum is a striking red, white, and green silk apron. This apron, made around 1920, belonged to Torrance Ashby (1897-1966), a member of I.U.O.M.’s Star of Cambridge Lodge in Massachusetts.

The museum holds half a dozen other aprons owned by members of African American fraternal groups. This Prince Hall Past Master’s apron, circa 1950, bears an all-seeing eye on the flap, a design of compasses and an arc enclosing a radiant sun, and crossed olive branches joined by a ribbon tied in the knot of Brotherhood. This design has since been superseded, and wreaths on Masonic regalia are worn only by Grand Lodge officers and Past Grand Lodge officers. This apron came with a case inscribed with “127th Annual Grand Communication, Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F.& A.M. State of New York, June 7, 8, 9, 1972 New York Hilton, New York, N.Y., M.W. Vincent E. Best Grand

Cornerstone Laying of Masonic Temple, 1930. James Van Der Zee (1886-1983), New York, New York. 94.052.

Independent United Order of Mechanics Group, 1928. James Van Der Zee (1886-1983), New York, New York. 89.34.

COLLECTING AFRICAN AMERICAN FRATERNAL MATERIAL... continued

Master.” The item was likely either purchased or worn at the 1972 Prince Hall Annual Communication, which was named after Grand Master Vincent Best in ensuing years.

The group of men gathered in front of Brockton City Hall wore aprons similar to a Grand United Order of Odd Fellows apron in the collection. The reverse of this apron bears information about its maker, noting it was “Manufactured at Mrs. D.B. Bowser’s Odd Fellows & Masonic Depot” located at 481 North Fourth Street in Philadelphia. Regalia maker Elizabeth Harriet Stevens Bowser (1831-1908), who stamped this apron with her mark, was married to David Bustill Bowser (ca. 1820-1900), a Philadelphia regalia manufacturer, abolitionist, and artist who served in the G.U.O.O.F. Grand Lodge in the 1860s through 1880s.

The museum’s African American fraternal material collection continues to grow. New acquisitions can help clarify or supplement existing items. Often, years pass before two objects “meet,” and sometimes it’s much quicker. Early last year, the collections department purchased a photograph showing a group of African American women wearing fezzes. While researching the photograph, staff identified the group as members of Pyramid Court No. 17, Daughters of Isis, Philadelphia. The Daughters are a women’s auxiliary group to the A.E.A.O.N.M.S. When a fez from the Daughters came up for sale in October 2022, staff were able to recognize the distinctive fezzes of that group and prioritize the acquisition.

Masonic Prince Hall Past Master Apron and Bag, ca. 1950. New York, New York. Gift of Roland K. Woodberry, 97.050a.

Independent United Order of Mechanics Fraternal Apron, ca. 1920. 2007.029.2.

Grand United Order of Odd Fellows Apron, 18551875. Elizabeth Harriet Stevens Bowser (1831-1908), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 2014.028.

Museum staff also practice what is called “rapid response” collecting— collecting contemporaneous material to capture history as it’s happening. In 2004, the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts hosted a ceremony to celebrate the 229th anniversary of Hall’s initiation into Freemasonry. Participants wore white leather aprons bearing the name “African Lodge No. 459.” One of these aprons was donated

Members of Pyramid Court No. 17, 1960s. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 2022.008.4.

to the museum following the event and is now on display in “The Masonic Hall of Fame: Extraordinary Freemasons in American History.”

In 2022, the museum added more than thirty photographs, commemorative items, and examples of regalia from African American fraternal groups to the collection. We look forward to continuing to “take good Care of”

If you would like to learn more about the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library collection, visit our online collections database at https://www. srmml.org/collections/

these objects and help tell the story of African American Freemasonry and fraternalism in the future.

If you would like to learn more about African American Fraternal Material in the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library collection, visit our online collections database at https:// www.srmml.org/collections/.

?

Masonic Prince Hall African Lodge No. 459 Apron. Gift of Richard H. Curtis, 2004.024. Photograph by Frank E. Graham.

Menelik Court No. 53 Fez. Cincinnati, Ohio. 2022.067.

Communicating the Scottish Rite Degrees to FDR in 1929

by Jeffrey Croteau, Director of the Van Gorden-Williams Library and Archives

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (18821945) became a Mason in 1911, but it was not until February 28, 1929, that he became a Scottish Rite Mason. FDR joined the Scottish Rite two months after becoming governor of New York and just four years before becoming President of the United States. I became interested in the circumstances surrounding Roosevelt's initiation into the Scottish Rite and decided to see what records we had in our archives collection that would shed light on it.

The Van Gorden-Williams Library & Archives oversees an extensive collection of Annual Returns sent by each of the Valleys to the Supreme Council, NMJ, between 1859 and 1998. The Annual Returns tabulate all members by name and so are an excellent resource for finding out more information about 32nd degree members. Because I knew that Roosevelt became a Scottish Rite member in 1929 in the Valley of Albany, I decided to see if I could find his name among the initiates. And there he was!

The returns make it clear that he joined all four bodies on the same day, and the date of his initiation did not match the dates of any of those members listed near him in the returns. This seemed to indicate that his initiation was not part of a large class but a separate ceremony.

I decided to look at the 1929 Proceedings of the Council of Deliberation for New

York to see what that source had to say about Roosevelt’s initiation. Sure enough, under the report for the Valley of Albany, the Commander in Chief stated that, under a special dispensation from the Deputy, they held a special meeting “in order to communicate the Scottish Rite degrees to Brother Franklin D. Roosevelt, Governor of the State of New York.”

The word “communicate” is key to understanding how FDR received the degrees. Historically, Scottish Rite degrees have either been conferred or communicated. Conferral is how

most members today experience the degrees, fully staged and performed. Communication, on the other hand, is a different initiatic experience, one that was relatively common up until around the 1870s. In the case of communicating degrees, an officer of a Scottish Rite body, or someone standing in for him, simply reads an authorized text to the candidate. These texts are sometimes only a paragraph long for each degree; they summarize the degree and emphasize the lesson or theme to the candidate. The booklet pictured here was issued by the NMJ’s Supreme Council in 1943 and included

The Northern Light

Supreme Council, 33°, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. A Manual for the Communication of Degrees, 1943. Collection of Scottish Rite Masonic Museum

instructions on how officers should communicate the degrees. It reads, in part, “…the presiding officer, or one acting in his behalf, should READ to all candidates the interpretation of each degree not to be exemplified in full ceremonial form. This may be done in the Lodge room or in the candidate’s room at the option of the local body.”

While it may appear at first that resources such as annual returns, proceedings, and manuals are quite dry, they are essential in helping us understand the past. In this case,

we can better understand how the Scottish Rite’s leadership accommodated FDR’s busy governor’s schedule in order to ensure that he

The Van Gorden-Williams Library & Archives is located in Lexington, Massachusetts, at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library and is open to the public.

could become a member of the Rite.

Have questions? Drop us a line at library@srmml.org or give us a call at 781-457-4109. ?

Franklin D. Roosevelt, around 1932.

Jurisdiction. 1943. & Library.

Page showing the record of FDR’s Scottish Rite initiation. Annual Returns for Valley of Albany. Collection of Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, SC 037.

Photograph by Vincenzo Laviosa (1887–1935). Getty Arts Center.

Brother of the Forest HAUTS GRADES ACADEMY

The 24th degree, known as Brother of the Forest, is a newer iteration of a Scottish Rite ritual from 1909 which uses two dramatic discussions, one within an open lodge and one in a forest setting, to compare and contrast the relative merits of different religious faiths. This is done to impress upon the candidates the need for understanding and tolerance of another’s religion and system of morality, particularly those that are perceived to be very different from our own.

The initial scene is set in the late 1700s, probably somewhere in New York or Pennsylvania, just following the events of the American Revolution. Despite depredations by the Native American Indian tribes along the western and northern borders, some on both sides still hope to restrain the newly founded government of the United States from further encroachment into traditional Native American territories and, by that means, make it possible for all to live in peace. Some on both sides, however, still harbor strong animosities against their traditional enemies.

The location is a Masonic lodge room that is considering a petition

for membership and degrees, one that has been tendered by a Native American man who is known to some of the members present. This scene segues into a flashback that shows the universality of religious belief in the Great Architect of the Universe, regardless of which sacred name He is known.

allowed and encouraged atrocities like the Holocaust in World War II, and by the deliberate genocide practiced by the United States against the Native American Indian tribes on the North American continent under the mantle of “Manifest Destiny.”1

These scenes also quite clearly show the reasoning behind the long-held universal ban on any disputes regarding both religion and politics while a lodge is in open session, for these are subjects (perhaps more than any others) that have the potential to prevent those present from “meeting on the level and parting on the square,” which all Freemasons are obligated to obey.

The heated debate that ensues in both the lodge room and in the forest flashback scene demonstrates how easy it is to be closed-minded to another human being’s beliefs, in some cases even to the point of violence. With a little consideration, we can easily comprehend the reasons behind so many of mankind’s wars against those who are perceived to be different, as exemplified by the deadly bigotry that

Tolerance for another Mason’s beliefs in a Supreme Being—a primary requirement for admission into our beloved Fraternity—is what permits a lodge meeting to take place with members of the Jewish faith, Christians, followers of Islam, and others sitting together in peace and harmony. Without this tolerance, and considering the history of the world when such disparate belief systems have not been permitted to coexist, a Lodge meeting as described in this degree

by John Dinkel, 32°, HGA Valley of Pittsburgh

The initial scene is set in the late 1700s, probably somewhere in New York or Pennsylvania, just following the events of the American Revolution.

BROTHER OF THE FOREST... continued

could simply not occur. But in the world of Freemasonry, this toleration and acceptance happens all the time in diverse places, to the benefit of all who espouse Masonic values, as well as the rest of humanity. This tolerance is held up by the Scottish Rite as an example to all people of what can be done in the spirit of love and peace, instead of one of rancor and disunity. Scottish Rite Freemasonry also uses this 24th degree as a cautionary tale, reminding us that it is far more difficult to misuse people once you accept them as equals.

We, as Freemasons, are bound and obligated to practice the Core Values of Reverence for God and Tolerance, both within and without the confines of the lodge experience. This is more than just something suggested by our pledged allegiance to the Scottish Rite—it is also an integral part of our entire Masonic experience in both the Scottish and York Rites. When our Blue Lodge committee of examination asked us whether we believed in a Supreme Being, they were determining whether we were viable candidates for admission into Freemasonry. When properly done in the candidate’s home, his family may also be present as a means of determining their feelings about our Fraternity and other people, as well as their willingness to tolerate his entrance into what is meant to be a solemn and life-changing experience.

Passing this examination successfully was more than just a formality; being

!

To learn more about HGA and sign up for the waitlist, visit ScottishRiteNMJ.org/ hauts-grades-academy

found a favorable candidate opened the door to Freemasonry with its privileges, along with its attendant responsibilities, including reverence to God, and tolerance of individuals and ideas with which we might not totally agree. The mantle of Freemasonry allows us this tolerance without our trying to change those persons or ideas to match our own. It permits us to ponder whether there might be more to things than are suggested at first glance, and then asks us to seek out a middle ground in our relationships with the world

The Scottish Rite NMJ has wisely shown in a very visible way that these Core Values are important to our lives as men and Masons. Regardless of how the world turns these days, we have these values as laudable examples of how we are to live our lives, to the betterment of our families, our towns, our country, and of course, ourselves. Let us remember the lessons taught in the 24th degree, and may those important lessons point us always toward a better way of life for all mankind.

1 A doctrine or belief from the 19th Century that held that the expansion of the American government and way of life throughout the entire North American continent was inevitable and was justified by means of a “divine mandate” from God. This philosophy drove American Expansionism and the forced removal of Native American Indian tribes from their ancestral lands, intensified the issues of chattel slavery, and helped bring about the American Civil War of 1861-1865.

We, as Freemasons, are bound and obligated to practice the Core Values of Reverence for God and Tolerance, both within and without the confines of the lodge experience.

Amicus Illuminismi:

The Return of the House of the Temple Library Newsletter

Amicus is back with a new name and look! Formerly the Amicus Illuminismi newsletter, Amicus Illumnismi, or “Friend of the Enlightenment,” is an expanded, semi annual digital publication containing articles and news related to the House of the Temple, specifically its library, museum, and archives.

The Autumn 2022 inaugural edition included an article by Larissa Watkins, Librarian of the House of the Temple Library, discussing the roots of the Amicus library newsletter, which extends back to the 1800s. Excerpts of her article appear here:

Towards the end of the periodicals age of the nineteenth-century, Freemasons experienced a flowering in the field of Masonic information, knowledge, and inspiration. In this spirit, the newly appointed Assistant Librarian for the Library of the House of the Temple, William L. Boyden, 32º, former stenographer to the Grand Commander, submitted a proposal in 1897 that “a bulletin or circular be published annually or biennially, to be known as the Library Bulletin[…]”

Yet it was not until a century later, in April 1999, that the first issue of the quarterly newsletter of the Library of the Supreme Council, 33°, SJ, was issued, eventually becoming known as Amicus Quarterly. From 2007–2009, Amicus enjoyed a high

profile in four installments in the Scottish Rite Journal, Amicus’s “big brother.” This tradition continues today with articles from Amicus appearing regularly in the Scottish Rite Journal, most recently: Br. Roger Himmel’s article reflecting on a 1971 New Age Magazine article on separation of church and state; Br. B. Chris Ruli’s appreciation of a rare hand-illustrated pamphlet by Isaac Pitman Noyes, 32°, entitled The Philosophy of the Masonic Apron from the House of the Temple Archives; and SRJ Managing Editor Mark Dreisonstok’s close examination of a rare illustration from Br. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s play Götz von Berlichingen in the House of the Temple’s Goethe Collection.

In winter 2011–2012, the publication became Amicus Librarium, and at the end of 2016, Amicus switched from a quarterly to an occasional newsletter, not unlike the Occasional Bulletin of the Iowa Masonic Library of the 1890s, which partly inspired Assistant Librarian Boyden’s 1897 proposal. The last issue of Amicus Librarium came out in Fall 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic, the change to a new librarian, and the reorganization of the structure of some departments of the House of the Temple obliged Amicus Librariumin in its 2010’s incarnation to “demit.”

In Summer 2022, the library newsletter adopted a new name under SGC

Amicus Quarterly, Summer/Fall 2003. The lead article explained how great Masonic periodicals of the past, such as the 1928 issue of The New York Masonic Outlook (pictured on the cover), were being made available for research.

James D. Cole, 33°, Amicus Illuminismi —a follow-up to Friends of the Library, Amicus Quarterly, and Amicus Librarium and a worthy descendant of Assistant Librarian William L. Boyden’s in 1897 dream for a periodical to promote the interests, collections, and literature of the House of the Temple Library. We cherish high hopes and wishes for our rejuvenated newsletter to win the hearts of the Scottish Rite Brethren across the Southern Jurisdiction and beyond!

Amicus Illuminismi may be accessed by visiting https://scottishrite.org and highlighting “Library” under the “Our Museum” menu item.”

Beyond the Quarry: Labors of Love

[Hiram’s] Riders on the Storm

by PJ Roup, 33˚, Editor, Active for Pennsylvania

In the early morning hours of June 10, 2022, Vic Frederick III, 33°; Glen Houck, 33°; and Rick Storms, 32°, met at the Valley of Reading. After saying goodbye to friends, family, and other members of Hiram’s Scottish Riders who were there for the sendoff, they straddled their bikes, waved one last time, and hit the open road to begin an ambitious journey—one that would see them visit 49 states and two Canadian provinces in 30 days.

Thiswasn’t the first time that Vic had done something crazy. In fact, it was the third. The idea first came to him in 2002 when he heard a student with dyslexia talk about how attending one of the Scottish Rite Children’s Dyslexia Centers (CDC) had changed their life. He turned to a friend and whispered, “We have to do something for these children.” That something turned out to be starting a Scottish Rite motorcycle club to raise money for the Centers.

“In order to get members [for Hiram’s Scottish Riders], I decided to do a 49-state ride in 30 days or less,” Vic says. “I was in my late 50s and felt that such a ride would not only increase membership but would raise much-needed income for the Centers.”

He read the book Against the Clock by Ron Ayres who rode 49 states in a week. From the book, he learned the route that Ayres took and used some of that information to plan his own ride. Ayers’ ride was a one-way trip, and he did not return to his starting point. Vic’s was going to be different.

“I planned to do the 49 states with visits to Centers along the route and

meet the staff and children. So, I started to lay out the trip with saddle time of eight hours a day or 400 to 600 miles,” he said.

He turned to a friend and whispered, “We have to do something for these children.”

The planning took nearly a year, but in June of 2003, Vic completed the ride. He rode through 13 days of rain and hail, outran two tornadoes, and raised more than $30,000 for the Children’s Dyslexia Centers throughout the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction.

In 2009, Vic got the itch again. He wanted to invite others along so that the ride could continue even after he became too old to participate. This time, he rode with two other Brothers, Tom Gamon IV, 33°, and Sam Wandzilak, 32°. They followed the same trail

that Vic blazed on his first trip. This time, they finished in just 28 days, and they only had to outrun one tornado. They raised an additional $60,000 for the Dyslexia Centers.

The success of these two trips encouraged him to make this a recurring event. “The idea was to continue this ride every few years to support Dyslexia Centers,” Vic said. “I wanted to work with the Brothers accompanying me, to teach them the ins and out of such a ride so that when I can no longer do the ‘49 State Ride to Fight Dyslexia’ (he turned 77 in July), others will be trained to continue the event, and the ride will go on.”

Brother Rick’s first job out of college was as a tour manager for a record company, so he had already experienced traveling the country on a bus. “Once I started riding a motorcycle, it brought back that love and I felt the draw to see the country again in the saddle,” Rick said. “When I met Vic, and he shared his previous trips and the experiences that went along with it, I knew it was something I had to do.”

Rick Storms, 32°; Vic Frederick III, 33°; and Glen Houck, 33°

BEYOND THE QUARRY: (HIRAM’S) RIDERS ON THE STORM... continued

They planned the third ride for 2020, but COVID delayed that until 2022. Vic put a lot of what he discovered during the first two trips into this one. For example, they began the days between 6 and 7 a.m. “You must have kickstands up early,” Vic said. “This helps to avoid the sun as much as possible because with the sun comes high winds out west.”

tracking the weather on their phones.” Consequently, they were able to avoid many storms. The temperatures were another matter.

In Colorado, they saw the thermometer go from 30° to 104° as they climbed to over 11,600 feet above sea level in less than one hour. Near Needles, California, the temperature was over 110°. “We had to use 80-weight oil in the bikes to keep compression on the motors,” Vic recalled.

CDC,” he said. “Much too often, we hear and see negativity; but from my standpoint, good people and their actions across the nation far outweigh any bad.”

They also learned to stop every 100 or so miles to fuel up, stretch, hydrate, and grab a snack. They also knew they wanted to take the full 30 days to allow for a little downtime and a few side trips. They followed a similar route as the first two trips with diversions to see some special landmarks: the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library; Hank Williams Sr.’s grave; and Twin Falls, Idaho where Evel Knievel attempted to jump the Snake River in his “skycycle” in 1974.

Since much of the country was still on edge due to COVID, they didn’t visit as many Centers as they would have liked. Instead, they left a message with each Center along the route asking if they wanted them to visit. “We did visit the Children’s Dyslexia Center in Cleveland and were received by their board and teachers,” Vic said.

“Practically every day was like riding through a postcard, even in places you would never expect.”

For all three men, one of the biggest highlights was being able to help a family stranded on the side of the road. They passed a large pickup pulling a trailer and saw a woman crying while being consoled by her daughter and two grandchildren. Her husband was trying to remove a shredded tire from their truck but was having trouble getting to the spare.

Technology also played a bigger role on this trip. “I was concerned about the weather since my old eyes cannot see well in the rain,” Vic said. “Rick and Glen were very diligent in

Were there standout moments? Of course.

“Practically every day was like riding through a postcard, even in places you would never expect. The photos can't capture it,” Glen said. Some of his favorite memories had nothing to do with the sights. “The moments that weren't recorded are the ones in which a generous individual would pay for a meal or donate money toward the

The team pulled over and went to work. They helped the father jack up the camper and unhook the truck so he could get to the spare. Once the tire was changed, they reversed the process and were ready to send the

Snake River Canyon, Twin Falls, Idaho

The Shelby Heritage Center, Las Vegas, Nevada

Visiting the Children’s Dyslexia Center in Cleveland, Ohio

“When I met Vic, and he shared his previous trips and the experiences that went along with it, I knew it was something I had to do.”

family on their way. “They offered us several hundred dollars for our efforts,” Vic said, laughing. He and the crew declined the offer, saying that they were three Masons on a trip to raise funds for the Dyslexia Centers. The family later sent them $500 for the cause.

The three already shared the indescribable bond that comes with being a Freemason, but traveling 11,785 miles and 49 states in 30 days created something more for each of them—something that will last a lifetime. “There is definitely a bonding that occurs when you do such a trip,” Vic said. “The 49-state ride is not for the faint of heart. Experiencing the daily rigors of weather, time in the saddle, breakdowns, early starts and sometimes late endings, and time away from your loved ones takes a toll on each man. But we always have each other’s back. We are Masonic Brothers.”

“Three Past Masters on the road together; it can’t get any better than that,” Rick added. “We all had our moments of weakness, moments when the pressure got to us, when we questioned ourselves. It was at those times that the Brotherhood shined, how we were there to pick each other up and help each other move forward.”

Glen is excited about the next chapter. “I would be up for doing this trip again and more,” he said. “It was an honor

!

Beyond the Quarry: Labors of Love

Do you have an interesting hobby, event, or recreational activity that you would like to share with us? If so, contact editor@srnmj.org and let us know about it. You just might find yourself featured in a coming issue.

and privilege to ride with Victor and Rick, some of the finest Brothers and motorcyclists I’ve ridden with! It was a great way to raise funds for the CDC, and there is nothing more rewarding!”

“Will I do it again?” Rick asks himself thoughtfully. “I sure hope so. Never know how life will go or if 49 states is in my future. But riding through this great land on a motorcycle with my

fellow Brothers, that I will be doing again for sure...destination unknown.”

The group in Kittery, Maine

NMJ Headquarters, Lexington, Massachusetts

Bonneville Salt Flats, Tooele County, Utah

A glacier near Hyder, Alaska

Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee

29TH

DEGREE

Knight ofSaint Andrew

This degree is of curious origin. As we peruse the historical notes of the degree, we read of its development since the late 19th century. Yet, what does not appear is the evolution of the premise prior to the codification of the degree by Albert Pike, 33°.

In researching the ancient editions of the 32nd degree, I found that before the advent of the legend of Constans, circa 1916, and before Illustrious Brother Pike’s work on the 29th degree, the 32nd degree was quite different and was made of three vignettes, one of which was a story of capture by the Saracens. Our exemplar there was a Teutonic Knight, who, having fallen behind the main army was captured and tortured in order to force a recantation of his faith. It was upon his fervent refusal to recant that the Saracen commander was about to kill him. When by the grace of God and the harkening of the Grand Hailing Sign, his brother knights rushed in, gave the Saracens battle, and saved our exemplar by bringing him to the safety of the camp. His successful weathering of such a moral trial (not the first or the last of the ancient 32nd degree) was the basis for his elevation to Sublime Prince

of the Royal Secret. In his excellent manuscript of 2008, which traced the development of the degrees, Brother C. DeForrest Trexler, 33°, notes the battle scene was rather extensive and dramatic. That would be something to behold today!

A true Core Value of a Sublime Prince— tolerance of others’ faiths—found its home in the 29th degree.

As the 32nd degree moved into the lesson we know and love to this day, the fundamental message, a true Core Value of a Sublime Prince—tolerance of others’ faiths—found its home in the 29th degree. No longer was there torture or bloody battle. Instead, the degree developed into a straightforward dialogue between adversaries regarding the differences perceived by opposite devotions and the fallacy of prejudice that can play an integral part in the separation of mankind.

“Masonic equality is not an artificial leveling of wealth or outward conditions. It is true equality that should exist between men of virtue and high

ideals, regardless of such conditions. In the code of chivalry, the poorest Knight and the greatest King were equal Knights,” our prologist decries. “No one man, no one church, no one religion has a monopoly on truth.”

As we follow the concourse of this degree, we watch as the static opinions of dogma fall to the undeniable scythe of reason. We learn how we can employ the lesson of the degree in our own lives. As we see in the degree, the knights’ ransom is set, and they are about to depart when the

by M. Todd McIntosh, 33°, Active for Ohio Chairman, Committee on Ritualistic Matters

The 29th degree is possibly one of our oldest messages and exemplifies one of the most ancient disparities between men. Its straightforward message of tolerance among those of differing faiths never seems to lose its luster as our modern world deals with the same error of man as it did in the 16th century and centuries before.

Sultan, Bayazid el Ilderim, opens the quintessential dialogue. Bayazid II was praised as a statesman of renowned justice and fairness. By his question about the equality between knights, his character allows us to see what good can come from the refusal to be complacent in our predeterminations of others, and how the commitment to listen to those of different opinions can open an otherwise shut door.

Moved by the knights’ responses, he asks to join the order of the knights.

Such a request elicits a vitriolic rebuff, but even though his very faith has been onerously disparaged, our Sultan is undeterred. It is the very foundation of tolerance that one is willing to weather the prejudice of others to seek the truth and the common ground which so often lies just beneath the surface of disdain. With the Sultan’s perseverance and confidence in the nature of God, however it may manifest in their individual lives, the heroes of two very different worlds bridge a schism that remains almost unbreachable even

today. And upon that level plane, what would be an unheard-of act occurs as men of a perpetual distance, in faith as well as society, become brothers in the bonds of chivalry!

“Masonic equality is not an artificial leveling of wealth or outward conditions. It is true equality that should exist between men of virtue and high ideals, regardless of such conditions. In the code of chivalry, the poorest Knight and the greatest King were equal Knights.”

As we emerge from a season of reflection and giving, we must ask ourselves how we can see through the veil when strong feelings of faith and religious tradition are at the fore. It is not enough simply to understand or comprehend the beliefs of others but to embrace each other as children of the same God. For indeed, my Brothers, the just of all creeds are joined in the same desire to be true and moral beings. Our faiths may differ, but our understanding of the immutable nature of the Grand Architect remains fundamentally the same.

Al salam-u-alaykom! Peace be upon you!

KNIGHT OF SAINT ANDREW... continued

Illustrious Albert Pike, 33°

This March, look for your Membership Education Fund Appeal in the mail for your chance to secure the third in a series of limited-edition collectible coins highlighting our Scottish Rite Core Values.

For a donation of $50 or more to the Membership Education Fund, you’ll receive the Service to Humanity coin showcased here and help the Scottish Rite continue to provide first-class educational resources to our members.

Lights. Camera. Telethon!

A Night of Giving

On November 29, 2022, Ill. Walter Wheeler, Director of Charities, and Ill. JB McNaughton, Active for Indiana hosted the Night of Giving Telethon. This year’s festivities began with a donor banquet in Travis Hall which included both an online and silent auction. Guests then filed into the auditorium for the telethon. This year marked the first time there was a live audience at the festivities.

Brother Paul Revere made an appearance to help introduce this year’s inductees into the Hall of Fame (see page 11).

Commander Samiec also presented Lynda Pinaud with the Harry S. Truman medal for her work with the Children’s Dyslexia Centers (see page 34).

Thanks to the generosity of our Scottish Rite family, we were able to raise an

astounding $517,571 to continue our important charitable endeavors. It proves once again that there is nothing we cannot accomplish when we work together as Masons should.

Hosts Walt Wheeler and JB McNaughton celebrate the end of the Night of Giving with the staff.

Sudden Relic entertains and energizes the audience.

Michael LePage as Brother Paul Revere makes his first on-air appearance at the Night of Giving.

A Night of Giving was also a night of smiles for all involved.

A Legacy of Service

by Bridget Steele Assistant Director of Charities

Scottish Rite Charities’ recent Giving Tuesday Telethon concluded with a very special recognition.

Children’s Dyslexia Center

Director Lynda Pinaud was honored for her nearly three decades of service at the Greater Boston Center and presented with the Harry S. Truman Medal for distinguished service by Sovereign Grand Commander Peter J. Samiec, 33°.

CDC Director of Operations David Sharkis, 33°, also shared a moving tribute to Mrs. Pinaud, praising her for setting the example in establishing a safe and caring learning experience for students. “Through the children you’ve tutored and the teachers you’ve trained, you have impacted the lives of hundreds of students and their families,” he told her.

The honor was well deserved. This June marks 30 years since the first Center opened its doors in Newtonville, Massachusetts, and Mrs. Pinaud has been there from the very beginning. She is the longest-serving employee of the Children’s Dyslexia Centers and has no plans to stop anytime soon.

The idea to open the Greater Boston Center started as the dream of J. Philip Berquist, 33°, who was serving as the Scottish Rite Deputy for Massachusetts at the time. As the plans to launch the

Lynda with her Harry S. Truman Medal.

Center began to take shape, he needed an administrator to help run the office and shared the need with Mrs. Pinaud’s husband, Leonard, a fellow member of his lodge.

Mrs. Pinaud still recalls that initial meeting she had with Ill. Brother Berquist about getting the Center off the ground. “Phil had a stack of papers about three feet high, and he said, ‘Let’s go to the Center.’ We dragged the papers down, and when I arrived, there was a desk, and there was a chair, no bathroom, some papers, and a file cabinet. He said, ‘We’re going to open in three weeks,’ and I said, ‘No problem.’”

Pulling everything together in such a short time was nerve-wracking, but

they made it happen. “We had our first little guy walk across the threshold in three weeks, and we’ve been going strong ever since.”

more about the science of reading,” she said.

Over the years, the program has grown to more than 40 locations across the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, and Mrs. Pinaud has seen quite a few changes since she first began. “We have taken such gigantic leaps from where we started. The program has evolved incredibly. We’ve learned so much

But she also said that at the heart of the program, its core work has remained the same. To this day, it continues to focus on helping children. “Children are still coming in with the same issues and the same problems. It’s still taking our time to work with these kids and letting them know that they’re not alone in this struggle, that they finally have a place they can come and be safe and learn,” Mrs. Pinaud said.

She shared that one of the most unique things about the CDC program and the way it operates is the one-on-one tutoring component

“Every child is an individual. Every child has a different issue, so as you’re teaching, you have to be diagnostic.”

Sovereign Grand Commander Peter J. Samiec and CDC Director of Operations David Sharkis present Lynda with the Harry S. Truman Medal at the recent Scottish Rite Charities’ Giving Tuesday Telethon.

Ribbon-cutting at the first Children’s Dyslexia Center in Newtonville, MA.

Lynda works with a student.

for each child. Remarkably, every child receives a brand-new lesson designed exclusively for them each time they come to the Center.

“Every child is an individual. Every child has a different issue, so as you’re teaching, you have to be diagnostic. You have to be looking at that child and ask, ‘What is he missing? What is he not getting today?’ And then you have to be prescriptive in your next lesson, putting in those items that he was missing from the lesson before,” she explained.

“I have a drawer full of letters from parents and children that have written me over the years thanking us for what we’ve done.”

This individualized approach helps contribute to the program’s success and is an ongoing process. “You have to reweave everything you have taught to a child over and over again: scaffolding your lessons, building on what you already know before. Every child gets his own very special lesson made just for him,” Mrs. Pinaud said.

Being a part of the Children’s Dyslexia Centers for so long has had a profound impact on her own life, as she’s witnessed the struggles that children with dyslexia and their families face every day. “This has changed me incredibly. I’ve always had

compassion for children, but when you see struggling children, it hurts you. When these little ones come, and they’re so depleted of thinking they can be anybody or anything, it just makes me so heartsick to see it. And over the years, I’ve come to understand them, and I’ve come to truly understand what the parents are going through.”

Mrs. Pinaud said that the children she helps have been the motivator to keep going for so many years. Some days a child will come in sad and badly shaken from a challenging day at school, and her goal is to turn that around before they leave.

“Every day you get up, you know you’re going to see a child with a different issue or a different problem. Maybe he’s

Former CDC student Chloe Webb with Lynda

Lynda with 2022 CDC graduate Vicente Contreras

by Bridget Steele Assistant Director of Charities

!

For more information on your local Center and how you can help students access essential tutoring resources, please visit: www.ChildrensDyslexiaCenters.org

had a horrendous day at school and is in a terrible mood. It’s motivating to be there and help them get out of that. Many times, I’ve sat on the floor with children crying and trying to boost their self-esteem and get them on their feet and back into their little classroom to do what they need to do.”

Mrs. Pinaud said her biggest hope for the future is always to reach more children, which she believes can be done most effectively by training more teachers in the methods needed to help children with dyslexia learn and grow. And ultimately, her wish is that there is no longer a need for the Children’s Dyslexia Center program as it currently functions.

Mrs. Pinaud estimates that she’s served close to 600 children over the years. They’ve gone on to become everything from scientists to nurses to architects and graphic artists, and she loves hearing updates from former students and their parents about how well they’re doing today. “It’s when the children realize that you’ve done something for them— that feels really good. That’s when this program gives back to you. I have a drawer full of letters from parents and children that have written me over the years thanking us for what we’ve done. They mean so much to me.”

Reading CDC Victorious in Donation Challenge

Congratulations to the Children’s Dyslexia Center of Reading, PA for winning this year’s Giving Tuesday CDC donation challenge.

Despite some strong competition, the Reading Center finished in first place with the most individual donations made to their Center for the 2022 Giving Tuesday Telethon. As part of the challenge, the winning Center will receive a dollar-for-dollar match from the Scottish Rite Benevolent Foundation for every donation up to $5,000 made on its behalf as part of this year’s Giving Tuesday fundraising event. With their donations surpassing $5,000, the Reading Center will receive the full $5,000 match.

“My big hope down the road is not to have any Centers at all that are dealing with dyslexic children. I’m hoping these children can be serviced in the schools, and maybe we put our energies into something else. That’s what I really hope someday will happen—that they get what they need when they need it, and they don’t have to come to a place like this. Even though I love these places, and I think they’re the greatest gift to some of these families, wouldn’t it be wonderful if the kids got what they needed in the schools when they needed it?”

When asked what she thinks her legacy will be, Mrs. Pinaud said she doesn’t think much about it. Instead, she shared, “My husband would always say to me, ‘Make sure you leave this place better off than when you came here.’ That I feel like I have done. If I have done one thing to change one child’s life just a little bit, I feel I will have accomplished what I needed to accomplish.”

This was the second year for the challenge, issued to all local Children’s Dyslexia Centers from the Scottish Rite Benevolent Foundation.

Center Co-Directors Sue Hissick and Benita Bates shared that the extra funding will be especially helpful this year. They wrote:

“Our Center has incurred some additional expenses this year due to a fire in the Scottish Rite Cathedral where our Center is housed, and we are temporarily operating from the Masonic Temple. We are grateful to the Masons of the SRNMJ who have made it possible for our dyslexic children to receive the instruction they need to become successful readers—and all this free of charge!”

“I’ve always had compassion for children, but when you see struggling children, it hurts you.”

Greater Boston CDC employees Alice Denn (left) and Rosemarie Holden (right) with Lynda Pinaud after she was awarded the Harry S. Truman Medal for Outstanding Citizenship.

A Day of Celebration!

A Most Excellent Evening

On October 27, 2022, the Supreme Council celebrated the Valleys of Excellence with an awards banquet at the Westin Waltham. Representatives of the 45 Valleys that qualified for the award were treated to a tour of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts and Supreme Council headquarters in the afternoon before the evening banquet.

For a complete list of the Valleys of Excellence, see The Northern Light, Fall 2022, p. 24.

Ill. JB McNaughton, 33˚, Receives the Commander’s Medal

At the Valley of Excellence Celebration, Sovereign Grand Commander Peter J. Samiec, surprised John Brian McNaughton, 33˚, Active for Indiana, with the Sovereign Grand Commander’s Medal for Distinguished Service in recognition of his development of the Pathfinder program.

Sovereign Grand Commander Peter J. Samiec, 33˚; JB McNaughton, 33˚; and George Taylor, 32˚.

The Chain of Union

The Chain of Union dates back to ancient times, having been used in many initiatic orders as well as Freemasonry. Generally, the chain is formed after the lodge has been closed but can be done before closing or as part of the ritual. Led by the Worshipful Master, Brethren interlock their hands right over left. There may be a time of meditation or the invoking of positive energy, but in most cases (like at my mother lodge, Atlas Pythagoras No. 10 in Westfield, NJ), we begin with Brotherly Love-Relief-Truth while raising and lowering our arms three times.

This is the invisible or mystic tie that unites all within its circle in a truly positive and spiritual way with Freemasons, wherever so dispersed, around the world. It is a continuous symbol that reminds us that regardless of the differences we may have in lodge, we must never depart in anger, but rather bring that union, which is the light of Freemasonry, into the world.

Recent events demonstrate the importance of this union.

On September 7, 2022, the Sovereign Grand Commanders of all four Scottish Rite Supreme Councils came together to affix their names and seals to the historic

Statement of Unity (see The Northern Light, Fall 2022).

Fast forward one month to October 8, 2022. The New Jersey Council of Deliberation held its Fall Reunion at the Valley of Central New Jersey, with all three New Jersey Valleys participating, as well as The United Supreme Council of Scottish Rite Prince Hall Affiliate of New Jersey. This joint reunion of Unity was the first of its kind in New Jersey. The degrees exemplified by the Scottish Rite of New Jersey included the 4th, 13th, 29th, and 32nd, and our Prince Hall Scottish Rite Brethren exemplified their 20th degree.

After a very memorable and historic day, we all came together to form a perfect Chain of Union—a rather fitting way to end this reunion by remembering and honoring that light that will forever shine amongst all men. As we crossed our hands, we came together as Freemasons regardless of who we are, what God we pray to, or our individual differences.

My Brethren, this is Freemasonry reimagined. We are one Brotherhood, one family, one humanity under God. How good and pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in the peace and spirit of Unity.

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Around the Juris

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The Northern Light

Scottish Rite Masons come out to support the Dyslexia Walk in Waterbury.

The Portland Children's Dyslexia Center held their annual Festival of Trees fundraiser December 3-5.

Cast members wait to take the stage at the Valley of Boston.

by Moises I. Gomez, 33°, MSA, Valley of Northern New Jersey

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Representatives from the Valleys of Chicago, Danville, Peoria, Southern Illinois, and Springfield

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Brotherhood Night Out of This World Program

This year’s Brotherhood Night at the Valley of Providence was a tremendous success with record attendance and a fantastic program curated by Bro. Richard Lynch, 32°, MSA. The program included an amazing talk by Professor James Head III from Brown University about the Apollo Space Program and its relevance to the planned Artemis Moon Program.

Professor Head showed numerous slides of the Apollo space missions and gave details about each mission. His knowledge comes from his lifelong involvement with NASA as a Space Engineer from Apollo flight mission to Artemis as well as other planetary explorations. This was a program unlike any other. Truly Out of This World!

Members of the Valley of George Rogers Clark support the Harrison County Trunk or Treat night.

Delaware Council of Deliberation members enjoyed a dinner cruise during their session.

display their Valley of Excellence hardware.

The Valley of New Haven's annual Oktoberfest celebration

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The Valley of Northern New Jersey honors First Responders.

(l to r) Dennis Pothier, 33°, Active for Rhode Island; Robert Palazzo, 33°, Grand Master; Professor James Head III; Steven E. Smith, 33°, Deputy for Rhode Island.

Harrisburg Whodunnit

by PJ Roup, 33˚, Editor, Active for Pennsylvania

In October, the Valley of Harrisburg transformed into a speakeasy for their Roaring ‘20s Murder Mystery Dinner Theater Night. Five actors and a production manager from Without a Cue Productions performed their whodunnit, “Dead Men Don’t Speakeasy,” for a crowd of over 130 costumed members and their guests, including Ill. Bro. Larry Derr, the Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, and Ill. Bro. Thomas R. Labagh, Active Member of the Supreme Council, assigned to the Valley of Harrisburg. The surprise “murder victim” was “Mr. Big”—Ill. Bro. Paul Mummert, Director of Work for the Valley. It took several months to plan and get all the pieces in place, but it was a rousing success. Lynn “Bud” Baker, 33°, Commander in Chief, reports that it’s just one of the many events that the Valley has planned in an effort to showcase the value of Scottish Rite membership. “Upcoming events include a Valentine’s Day Dinner and Dance, a Chicken BBQ and Cigar Smoker with entertainment, and a Seafood Feast,” he said. “In March and October, we have scheduled a Bingo & Buffet hosted by Rose Croix and the Princes of Jerusalem.”

Earlier bingo events spontaneously led to a ladies’ group, meeting monthly at the Valley. “It started with about eight ladies getting together to make the bingo prizes better,” said Baker. “Last month, they had around 30 ladies, and more will be there this month. They have food and drinks and a lot of fun with each other.”

All of this activity has led to a significant uptick in attendance. “We feel if you give the Brethren value for their membership, they will come to the events and meetings.” The results are undeniable. Several Brothers

attended their first Scottish Rite meeting specifically because of the social activities. “We have even had Brothers come who have not been to a Stated Meeting for over 30 years, so I think things are working,” commented Baker, who also noted that when he asked one of these prodigal Brothers what brought them out, the response was, “My wife wanted to attend the ladies gathering, so I didn’t have a choice!”

“The Commander in Chief has also empowered the officers to add educational programs of value to the Stated Meetings, and moved the meetings from a forum-style setting into a lodge room setting where everyone is comfortable with the decorum and traditions of Masonic meetings. It makes for a more pleasant Fraternal experience,” said Active Member Labagh. “Ill. Bro. Baker has not been afraid to make changes to longestablished traditions in the Valley to achieve his goal of making the Valley of Harrisburg a more welcoming, fun, and nurturing environment. He has eliminated many of the repetitive and mundane practices of the past to provide more valuable use of time at meetings and Reunions.”

There’s no mystery here. With a little bit of creativity, any Valley can reinvigorate their membership with fun and exciting social activities and a new look at the way they traditionally operate. The Valley of Excellence program has also been a motivating factor. Having won this distinction for two consecutive years, change was necessary for the Valley to excel further and meet more stringent requirements. The Valley of Harrisburg is evolving in a very positive way, and when asked, “Whodunnit?” Brother Baker is quick to say that, “We’re all working together to give the members what they want from the Fraternity.”

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The Valleys of The Merrimack, Lowell, and Nashua came together to perform the 14th degree for four candidates.

Robert Weitzel Schaum, with his grandson-inlaw, Gregory Pappas, 33°, became a Scottish Rite Mason in the Valley of Lancaster at age 102.

Members of the Valley of Central Vermont participate in a hybrid version of the 16th degree.

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Turkey Trot

Lafayette Consistory Scottish Rite Masons participated in the 20th Annual Stratford, Connecticut Turkey Day Trot. The race was started by Brother Dave Urban, who wanted to promote a healthy lifestyle through running. Over 750 runners competed and nearly 1,500 spectators filled the streets of Stratford early Thanksgiving morning. Reverend Brother and Grand Master of Connecticut, Bruce Bellmore, gave the command to begin the race. Brothers from Day Time Lodge Number 144 and Scottish Rite Masons associated with the Valley of Bridgeport were there to help out. Children from DeMolay and Connecticut Rainbow organizations provided assistance. Scottish Rite Masons conducted a best turkey costume contest. A portion of the Turkey Trot proceeds will be donated to the Children’s Dyslexia Centers of Connecticut.

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Congratulations to Dennis Tuttle, 32°, for being the first member of the Valley of Concord to complete the Pathfinder program.

Commander Samiec paid a visit to the Eastern Region Ambassador training in Scotia, NY.

The Valley of Columbus welcomed 29 new Scottish Rite Masons at their Fall Reunion.

Proud winners of the Lafayette Consistory’s best costume contest

The cast of the 30th degree at the Valley of Michigan Northeast Region's Fall Reunion

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The Masonic Lite Podcast

It began simply enough, with a request to a few friends for suggestions on how to learn more about Masonry. As a teacher, I knew I would have off this summer, allowing me what I thought might amount to some time to read. Many of my esteemed Brothers responded with great ideas, including joining esoteric Masonic groups. One, however, led to an experience I never imagined, thanks to my Brother and friend, Reverend Hank.

by Brian McHale, 32°, Valley of Boston

The Rev asked if I’d ever listened to the Masonic Lite Podcast. I had not. He had been a fan for some time and mentioned that they are coincidentally based in Pennsylvania. I relocated to PA, you see, so they must be close, right? The Keystone State (keystone—any Royal Arch Masons out there?) is larger than I realized, and I was soon to find that out in an interesting way.

I listened to the podcast during my morning walk around the new neighborhood. The mountains, crisp air, and blue sky are usually my only company. Today was different. As I walked past Kilcoyne’s Tavern, the Keystone Diner (Texas Wieners 5 for $12), and Carmela’s (whose Italian pastries would make anyone from Brooklyn homesick), it was like listening to old friends. They joke. They kvetch. They offer simple solutions to complex problems. Their rapport is evident from the first minute. I found myself listening, laughing, and enjoying their discourse during what is otherwise just a walk. I knew other Masons needed to know and listen.

I am the copy editor for Trowel, the magazine of Massachusetts Freemasonry. I could write an article;

The Brothers have created a special space for ritual, as well as an adjoining area for cigars and billiards.

Brother Brain McHale as a guest on the Masonic Lite Podcast

that would get the word out to all Masons in Massachusetts. I hoped it would be okay with the hosts of the podcast, so I emailed them, explaining my thoughts. Much to my surprise, I was invited to be a guest on the podcast! I immediately set to work planning the trip and a list of talking points. It’s the old Boy Scout motto—Be Prepared.

The drive to Ephrata was peaceful and picturesque, with mountains and blue skies all the way. As we got into Amish country, we saw our first horse and carriage on the same roadway as cars. This was a new one for me, akin to something out of a movie. Lititz is a short hop from Ephrata, and that’s where we stayed. I had no idea that a classic car show was planned that same evening which made the drive more entertaining than expected.

I gave it a listen during my morning walk around the new neighborhood. The mountains, crisp air, and blue sky are usually my only company.

The podcast studio is located in the basement of Ephrata Lodge No. 665 (over 400 members!), while the main floor is occupied by the lodge’s tenant, a home for spirits. The top floor has been recently remodeled, quite spectacularly, and the attention to detail is inspiring. The Brothers

have created a special space for ritual, as well as an adjoining area for cigars and billiards. If Ephrata was closer than two and a half hours away, I’d be there frequently.

The studio itself is impressive, professional, well-appointed, and instills in you a sense of confidence in your hosts. These Brothers know what they’re doing. Having said that, the voices belong to: Brothers Pete Ruggieri, 32°, (co-creator); Timothy Dedman, 32°; Jack Harley, 32°, (Past Master of Ephrata Lodge 665); and Larry Merris, 32°, (co-creator). Brother Josh Lytner is the producer. To list all of their titles and affiliations would take quite some time. As Brother Pete so poetically put it, “We’ve traveled a bit, got the t-shirts, and put them away.”

Seeing the process in person would have been enough for me. Being a part of it was something I’ll never forget. I hold their production in the highest regard. When you listen, which I certainly hope you will, you will see (hear) what I mean. They cover just about every Masonic subject from AASR to Zerubbabel with Brothers from Pennsylvania and the rest of the civilized world. The Masonic Lite Podcast is available at https:// masoniclite.podcastpage.io. You can listen from any device

connected to the internet— computer, tablet, phone, etc.

Their introduction for Episode 143 (my interview) is: “Hello! On this episode, we welcome Bro. Brian McHale. Brian recently transitioned from Massachusetts, the secondoldest Grand Lodge in the U.S., to the oldest (wink-wink) here in Pennsylvania. He is Copy Editor for Trowel Magazine, where he uses his command of grammar and the English language to make good Masons sound better. Following a great conversation, we hear a new segment from Bro. Austin Shifrin, the Masonic News, and wrap with Larry’s Chicken and Waffles Waltz Band.”

When you listen, which I certainly hope you will, you will see (hear) what I mean.

REMARKABLE MASONS: Basketball Legends

by Stacy Fraser, Assistant Curator, Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Shaquille O’Neal (1972-present)

Dr. James Naismith (1861-1939) was a Canadian-American doctor, pastor, and physical education teacher. While holding a faculty position at the Young Men’s Christian Association School in Springfield, Massachusetts, Naismith developed “basket ball” to keep students entertained indoors during a New England winter. His game was first played on December 21, 1891.

Naismith, who held degrees in theology and medicine, was hired as the gymnasium director, campus chaplain, and inaugural basketball coach at the University of Kansas in Lawrence in 1898. He later received an honorary master’s degree in physical education and an honorary Doctorate of Divinity. Naismith was raised in Springfield’s Roswell Lee Lodge in the spring of 1894. He later joined Lawrence Lodge No. 6, serving as the lodge’s Worshipful Master from 1927-1928.

When basketball became an official Olympic sport at the 1936 Berlin games, Naismith addressed the competitors and tossed the first ball in the first game. After his death in 1939, Naismith was inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame, College Basketball Hall of Fame, FIBA Hall of Fame, and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. One of his colleagues said, “He was my idea of a man. If I could choose a man by which to make myself, I’d choose him.”

Dr. Shaquille O’Neal (b. 1972) is an American basketball player, entertainer, and entrepreneur. The first-round pick in the 1992 NBA draft, O’Neal played in the league until 2011. He left Louisiana State University for the NBA but later returned to complete his degree. O’Neal holds two graduate degrees, an MBA, and a doctorate in education.

In 1996, sixty years after basketball became an Olympic sport, O’Neal and the U.S. team won a gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics. Like Naismith, O’Neal is a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame, FIBA Hall of Fame, and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He has co-hosted TNT’s Inside the NBA since his retirement.

When O’Neal played for the Boston Celtics, he was made a Mason at sight by the Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. O’Neal is a member of Widow’s Son Lodge No. 28 in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

He is a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Club, crediting the group for sparking his early love of basketball. He founded the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation in 2019, which has donated millions to charitable causes. In 2021, O’Neal told PEOPLE Magazine, “A lot of people describe it as giving back. I describe it as doing what you’re supposed to do. You’re supposed to help those in need. If I’m somewhere and see somebody’s needing something, I’ll take care of it.”

Dr. James Naismith (1861-1939)

Both the inventor of basketball and one of its greatest players share similar interests and accomplishments—and membership in Freemasonry.

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WHAT INSPIRED THE BRAND

The logo is inspired by several Masonic, literary, and American symbols. At the core of the mark and open at 33°, the compasses lay upon an open book, representing the educational impact and knowledge of the Van GordenWilliams Library & Archives. The star supporting these elements is symbolic of the extensive historical knowledge of American history and Freemasonry that the institution

has to offer. This logo represents the Museum not only in its topics, but also in its mission.

Through the collections and experience that the Museum & Library staff have to offer, we celebrate not only our Masonic history but the ways in which Masonry has shaped the United States.

Museum & Library

With its 50th Anniversary just around the corner, the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library is proud to share its new brand. Over the next several months, the Museum will be updating many parts of their printed, digital, and experiential media to reflect the new brand. 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA 02421