June 2021 Kansas Mason Pulse

An electronic publication for Kansas Freemasons published by the Grand Lodge of Kansas A.F. & A.M. June 2021

What Makes Our Grand Master Tick?

By Mikel J. Stoops, Grand Master

During one of District Deputy Grand Master Michael Tavares’ Spring visits, he was asked, “What makes the Grand Master tick?” His response was, “He is singularly focused on assisting the constituent Lodges in his jurisdiction within the confines of the constitution, bylaws, and strategic plan.” I must agree with this response. It is probably better than any I would have offered.

Allow me to outline some of my thoughts as a glimpse into what makes me tick.

1. The Grand Lodge Strategic Plan (including the Mission and Vision statements) a. A roadmap given to us by the rank-and-file members of the Craft. b. A gauge by which we measure the actions and programs of Grand Lodge and the subordinate Lodges. c. A script dictating the voice of Grand Lodge Leadership.

2. The Grand Lodge a. The members, including every Past Master and sitting Officer of the Lodges in this Jurisdiction. b. The organizational structure for the subordinate Lodges. c. The means by which programs can be implemented at a State-wide level.

3. Grand Lodge Leadership a. Brothers who understand the necessity of a common voice to achieve the goals of our Strategic Plan. b. Brothers who understand that success will only come by fulfilling the Mission and Vision given to them by the Craft. c. Brothers who understand that there is no place for a “My Year” mentality in Freemasonry and who are not seeking titles, jewels, fame, or fortune, but instead want to serve out of love for our Fraternity.

4. The Laws of Freemasonry. a. If you do not know them, read and study them. b. If you do not like them, follow the procedures to try to amend them. c. If you do not want to adhere to them, adhere to them.

5. A Successful Lodge a. Provides enough value to the members, existing and new, so that they are disappointed to miss a meeting. b. Provides a beneficial interaction with the community either at the Lodge level or at the individual level. c. Provides an active program to fulfill the promises made to the Members by teaching them lessons in philosophy, spirituality, and morality to become better men, husbands, fathers, and citizens, so they are more spiritually aware, charitable, and civically minded.

Though this was only a brief outline of my thoughts, I hope it helps you understand who I am and why I do what I do.

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Albert Pike & Kansas Freemasonry

By Dale Morrow, Belle Plaine Lodge No. 173

Having an interest in the early history of Masonry

is the most distinguished Masonic author and

in Kansas, I have been doing considerable reading

historian of the present age; a savant lawyer, poet,

in the early Annual Proceedings of the Grand Lodge

and in addition to being the highest Masonic

of Kansas.

dignitary in the southern jurisdiction, he is

Occasionally you find a historical nugget that plunges you into deeper research. This paper is just

Canada, of the united Religious and Military

a brief touch on a topic I have been researching for

Orders of the Temple and of St. John of Jerusalem,

some time of historical interest, at least to the

Palestine, Rhodes and Malta, Provincial Grand

members of the Grand Lodge of Kansas.

Master of the Grand Lodge of the Royal Order of

From the Annual Proceedings of 1878, when the

Scotland in the United States, and an honorary

Grand Lodge of Kansas convened in Atchison and

member of nearly every Supreme Council in the

M∴ W∴ John Guthrie was informed of the

world. He favored the Grand Lodge with an address

following:

of over one hour on the "Symbolism of Masonry."

Past Grand Master M. S. Adams, informed the

During which time he held his hearers completely

Grand Lodge that Bro. Albert Pike, a noted man

spell-bound by the matchless power of his

and Mason was sojourning in the city and moved

eloquence, replete with beautiful imagery and

that a committee of three be appointed to wait upon

instruction in the hidden meanings of the Mystic

the distinguished brother, and inform him that the

Art, and delivered with the peculiar grace and deep

M∴W∴ Grand Lodge of Kansas was in session and

earnestness for which he is so deservedly famed.

would be pleased to extend to him the fraternal

The worthy Craftsmen of Kansas will not soon

courtesies due him as a man and Mason;

forget this rich intellectual treat which was to every

whereupon the M∴ W∴ Grand Master appointed

listener "a feast of reason and a flow of soul," pure

Bros. Adams, Bassett and Hillyer as such

and unadulterated.

committee.

The Invitation Committee returned, and the

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Provincial Grand Prior of the Great Priory of

This finding struck me as a bit odd. Why would Brother Albert Pike be staying in Atchison if he was

following was reported:

not scheduled to be there? The verbiage in the

Bro. M. S. Adams, on the part of the Committee on

above writing sort of led me to believe that maybe

Invitation, introduced and with a few well-chosen

someone knew him to be in town, but instead, I

remarks presented Bro. Albert Pike, Sovereign

think he was there for a reason. So, I went on a bit

Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of the

of a search. I didn’t have to search far. In the

A. and A. S. Rite of the southern jurisdiction of the

Annual Proceedings of the very next year, we find

United States of America. This illustrious Craftsman

that Brother Pike again addressed the Grand Lodge

of Kansas. The following is from the proceedings of

Representative of the Grand Lodge of Kansas near

the 1879 Grand Lodge held in Leavenworth with

the Grand Lodge of Arkansas.

Grand Master E. D. Hillyer presiding:

In the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Kansas in

The M∴W∴ Grand Master announced that the

1861, the report from the 1860 Grand Lodge of

distinguished Poet and Mason, Most Illustrious Bro.

Arkansas was included. In this report, Brother

Albert Pike, Sov. Grand Commander of the

Albert Pike presented his credentials as the Grand

Supreme Council of the A. and A. S. Rite of the

Representative of Kansas near the Grand Lodge of

Southern Jurisdiction was in the Masonic Temple

Arkansas in a speech at the Annual Communication

building. On motion of Past Grand Master Guthrie,

of that Grand Lodge.

a committee of three was appointed by the Grand

Most Worshipful Grand Master:

Master, consisting of Bros. John Guthrie, John M.

I have the honor to present these credentials, by

Price and B.J.F. Hanna, who were instructed to

which it has pleased the Grand Master of masons of

wait upon Bro. Pike, and inform him that it was the

the Territory of Kansas, to appoint me the

desire of the members of this Grand Lodge, that he

Representative of the Grand Lodge of Kansas near

again favor us with his presence, and accept from

the Grand Lodge of Arkansas. In doing so, I may,

the Craft here assembled their kindly and fraternal

perhaps not without warrant, tender to this Most

greetings.

Worshipful Body, on behalf of that which so

The committee in due time returned to the Grand

commissions me, its fraternal regards and the right

Lodge in company with Bro. Pike, who was formally

hand of frank and cordial fellowship, and convey its

presented by the chairman of the committee to the

greeting of masonic good will and its kind wishes. I

Grand Master, and by him introduced to the Grand Lodge; after which the distinguished Craftsman was conducted to the Grand East and favored us with one of his excellent "talks " on the Symbolism of Freemasonry, which was as usual highly interesting and instructive to the members of the Order, and was listened to with marked attention by all.

Finding this writing further excited my curiosity!

My search for further knowledge then led me to a finding that I was not expecting. Again, the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Kansas gave further insight.

In the listing of Grand Representatives, Albert Pike of Little Rock is named as Grand

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Albert Pike & Kansas Freemasonry continued from page 5

am authorized to assure the masons of Arkansas of

comparing opinions and softening down asperities,

the earnest desire for an interchange with them of

which a system of correspondence and more

good offices and charitable opinions on the part of

intimate alliance offers.

their brethren in that young Territory, which only

The attempt, in which this Grand Lodge concurred,

yesterday, except where the red Indian occupied it;

to establish a National Grand Body for Symbolic

was a desert.

Masonry, has not succeeded. We may not hope for

In all the relations of life it is pleasant and

such a masonic congress of Grand Lodges, in which

profitable to cherish and cultivate the amenities and

the representatives of all these bodies, assembling

courtesies of social intercourse. Even the forms of

at stated seasons, as the Hebrews anciently went up

courtesy are not only graceful and becoming, but

to the holy city of Salem to worship, could consult

possess a great positive value, since they naturally

together for common welfare, discard prejudices

persuade to, if they do not flow from, forbearance,

and prepossessions, and coming to know each other

charity and toleration. The peaceful relations of

better, learn to respect and love each other more.

great empires have not unfrequently been

It is because that hope has failed, that I the more

jeopardized by a disregard of these forms and

gladly offer you the fraternal greeting of the Grand

outward show of courtesy; and it is not wise for

Lodge of Kansas, and shall, with the greater

masonic bodies to neglect the means of

pleasure, transmit to her your greeting and good

interchanging congratulations and condolence, of

wishes in return, in the hope that the system of representation may be extended until every Grand Lodge in the United States shall have its representative near every other Grand Lodge, thus making the great electric circuit of sympathy complete, so that the same noble and generous emotions may, as it were, instantaneously thrill and animate, and the same genial influences of masonry warm and expand the hearts of all the brotherhood everywhere in the Republic; for our Grand Lodges are like a line of battle-ships, drawn up in line against the evils and errors that afflict and degrade humanity: and if there be no Admiral whose signals all must obey, so much the more urgent need is there of a system of signals by which all may act in concert against the enemy hitherto invincible.

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I am glad to present these credentials now, Most

1865 and 1867 and 1868. What really struck me as

Worshipful Grand Master, when clouds and

peculiar is that Brother Albert Pike was a Brigadier

shadows form ominously over the Republic and

General for the Confederacy during the Civil War

darken even the peaceful calms of masonry with

and was a Grand Representative even through those

doubts and dismay. These greetings that I convey to

years.

you are proof that the strong ties of masonic

You never know what you will find, even if you are not looking for anything in particular. The early history of the Grand Lodge of Kansas is indeed rich and contains many things you may not have realized.

I am glad I stumbled onto the little tidbit that sent me down this particular rabbit trail.

obligations, masonic affections and masonic brotherhood, are not yet, like so many others, snapped asunder, but that they still endure and there is yet peace, and calm, and harmony around our holy altars, though the elements without are gloomily ominous of disaster and the atmosphere is oppressive as when an earthquake is near at hand. I am sure that all these brethren will unite with me in the earnest, anxious wish, that some power may say to the tumultuous waves," Peace! Be still!" That the

Did you know the Annual Proceeding are all available online in the Member’s Area Digital Library?

bonds of friendship and good neighborhood may be

www.KansasMason.org

re-knit and strengthened, and anger and recrimination cease, and that all the great moral and social influences of masonry may be exerted, honestly and unceasingly, for the restoration of harmony, the maintenance of peace, and the performance of duty. And may it not be the evil fortune of any of us, Most Worshipful Grand Master, to live to see the dark and fearful day when our great chain of brotherhood shall be broken and shivered into fragments, never again to be united.

The preceding excerpt from the 1861 Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Kansas gave considerable insight into why Brother Albert Pike made several trips to the Grand Lodge sessions of Kansas.

Checking further, he is also listed as Grand Representative near the Grand Lodge of Arkansas for the Grand Lodge of Kansas for 1862 through

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2021 Schools Of Instruction

More detailed information will be available on the Trestle Board calendar and in the August mailed out Kansas Mason

Daque Demolay’s Masonic Tonic

By Rick Reichert, PGM, Hancock Lodge No. 311

“Aren’t our kids worth giving up one cup of coffee

with paid development staff, but, still, they remain

per year?”

in our operational budget.

As impassioned as that plea was at the 2021 Annual Communication, it misses the point. My coffee

It’s a pass-through cost.

money is for coffee. My grocery money is for

One argument for the mandated tax for youth

groceries. Philanthropy money would be most

groups is that donations to charities via the

appropriate for Masonic youth groups. The

operational budget would be a pass-through cost.

proffered proposal was too small and aimed in the

Grand Lodge would simply bump up or assess the

wrong direction. The proposal to which I refer is

membership the exact amount that would be handed

bylaw change proposal 2021-1: “An additional fee

out. Sounds easy enough. Why, then, don’t we do

of $1.50 shall be added to the per capita and

that with all our philanthropy? Because, morally,

distributed equally among the three Masonic Youth

we give voluntarily based on our own conscience to

Groups. Kansas Order of DeMolay, Kansas Order

whom and at a level we choose. Because, ethically,

of Job’s Daughters, and Kansas Rainbow Girls.”

we don’t want to be forced to give, especially to causes in which we don’t believe or are counter to

The wrong color of money.

those we do. Mandated philanthropy is simply a

The Grand Lodge operations budget has no

tax. It limits our imagination and productivity. No

discretionary funds. Per capita income does not

one wants to pay more per capita. That’s been tried

adequately cover expenses. Over the years, costs to

and consistently fails to pass at Annual

operate have gone up, the number of Kansas

Communication. Worse, the money given away

Masons has gone down, and per capita has pretty

becomes automatic and loses its purpose and

much stayed the same. The Council of

accountability.

Administration has had to be very creative in order to operate in the black and, for many years, red was

It simply is not enough.

normal. Drastic measures, such as selling off

When youth funding was first implemented in 2006,

holdings and downsizing the Grand Lodge offices,

there were 28,911 per capita paying members. A

have been necessary to stay operational. In 2014, a

buck and a half was decent money and totaled

proposal was floated to take philanthropy out of the

$43,366, or $14,455 for each youth group. Fast

operational budget. Only the mandated charity for

forward, we are now at 8,000 per capita paying

the Washington National Masonic Memorial and

members, and $1.50 can’t buy that cup of coffee we

Kansas Masonic Home remain. Interestingly, both

are supposed to give up. In the big scheme of

of those entities have their own 501c3 foundations

things, it hardly amounts to chump change. Of

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Daque Demolay’s Masonic Tonic continued from page 9

more significant concern is for what purpose the

Kansas Masonic Foundation. Distribution was done

youth groups were funded. Two primary reasons for

regularly. The Job’s Daughters have been the most

their funding in 2006 were never realized: It neither

successful at the art-of-the-ask. Their key to

grew their membership nor provide measurable

success was that the funds requested had to be used

results to “drive future members into the Masonic

within the foundation’s scientific, academic, and

Family.”

charitable guidelines. The money was not to be used to augment the operational budgets of the

Purpose-driven funding.

youth groups. Similarly, it was not to be used to

When there is a worthy cause, Masons set their

supplant their own dues or for fundraising for their

objective bar high, rally around it, and get it done.

charities or for ordinary expenses such as

The recent Kansas Masonic Foundation rallies for

discretionary travel or clothing. It was meant for

the 50th Anniversary Campaign ($20 Million) and

extraordinary expenses that advanced the

the Fulfilling Our Obligation Fund ($1.5 Million)

institution’s ability to market themselves as

are two recent shining examples. The latter was

Masonic in nature, growing their membership, and

specifically an endowment, meaning that the fund

enhancing the family life of the lodges in which

would continue to grow and payout every year

they met. The benefit to lodges would be to

forever. Every dollar put in potentially pays out

encourage men to join, especially if they were

hundreds over the course of a lifetime. These were

fathers of the girls who wanted to join the girls’

big, audacious, seemingly impossible feats. Yet,

youth groups or senior DeMolay about to turn 18

these were done without a single bylaw mandate or

years of age. Yet, lodge support of youth groups is

assessment.

at an all-time low. Lodges are not seeing the benefits.

Accountability.

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When youth group charity was removed from the

Return on Investment.

operational budget in 2014, it was under the proviso

I’m told by a Past Grand Master of DeMolay

that youth groups could obtain funding from the

International that other jurisdictions use DeMolay

How Masonic youth groups see Grand Lodge?

similar to the way Major League Baseball uses their

charitable gifts receive those funds through the

farm teams. They nurture as many potential big

lodge. Whether for scholarships, for the

bats and gloves as they can so they can pick from

community, or for brother Masons, their widows or

the best when the Major League has vacancies. For

orphans, all gifts are presented by the lodge. This

Masonry, the farm can be DeMolay and most of

puts the lodge at the center of their philanthropic

them can become Masons. The best and brightest

universe. The Grand Lodge mission is to empower

are ready, willing, and prepared to become leaders

lodges to be as successful as they want to be. The

in the lodge; the Masonic equivalent to big bats and

vision of the Kansas Masonic Foundation is that

gloves. Where the DeMolay and Masonry

“Kansans will know Masons (not the Foundation or

symbiotic relationship occurs, both prosper. In

Grand Lodge) by their charitable works.”

Kansas, lodges are not nurturing their DeMolay farm teams. If this were the case, we’d have seen

To whom, then, should youth groups be

empirical data and heard the success stories. I have

targeting their needs fulfillment?

no doubt that if one or more lodges had the secret

If lodges are the center of their philanthropic

sauce, every lodge would want some. Lodge leaders would flock to Leadership Academy to learn

universes, and if lodges are the primary MAY 2020 beneficiaries of a symbiotic relationship with their

more. There would be a demand for more DeMolay

youth groups, then youth groups should be targeting

programs. KMF would then be pressed to do a

their host lodges for support. Lodges have the tools

capital campaign to endow the Fulfilling our

to assist youth groups in fundraising and can even

DeMolay Fund. But first, some lodges would need

appeal for matching funds. If youth groups grow,

to step up to the plate.

prosper, and become the membership panacea that becomes attractive to lodges statewide, a capital

Lodges at the center of the Masonic

campaign may then be in order, possibly even

philanthropic universe.

endowing youth group funding forever. The best

Except for the youth group direct funding, all other

part: You still have money in your own pocket for

Masonic entities receiving KMF-bolstered

coffee.

How Grand Lodge sees Masonic youth groups?

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Kansas Freemasonry & Pandemic Reactions

By Herbert F. Merrick, DSM, Hancock Lodge No. 311

Before discussing the masonic reactions to

people, between 700 million and 1.4 billion

pandemics, we need to know what we are talking

infections, with deaths between 151,700 to 575,000

about. For this discussion, this is the definition: A

deaths. The flu will impact 340 million to 1 billion

pandemic is “an epidemic occurring worldwide, or

people in any given year and kills up to 650,000

over an extensive area, crossing international

people or about 0.1% of the world’s population.

boundaries and usually affecting a large number of

While the 1918 flu was called the Spanish flu, it

people.” The classical definition includes nothing

really came from Kansas. It was an avian variety –

about population immunity, virology, or disease

a bird flu (there are also swine-sourced flus).

severity. By this definition, pandemics can occur

Estimates as to how many infected people died vary

annually in each of the temperate southern and

greatly, but this 1918 flu is, regardless, considered

northern hemispheres, given that seasonal

to be one of the deadliest pandemics in history. In

epidemics cross international boundaries and affect

the United States, about 28% of the 105 million

many people. However, seasonal epidemics are not

population became infected, and 500,000 to

considered pandemics.

850,000 died (0.48 to 0.81 percent of the

Since our current pandemic is virus-based, let’s

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population). Native American tribes were

look at the other pandemics that were virus-based

particularly hard hit. In the Four Corners area, there

and transmitted similar to the present COVID virus.

were 3,293 registered deaths among Native

The following are flu. The first is the H3N3/H2N2

Americans. In Alaska, entire Inuit and native village

influenza of 1889/90; between 300 and 900 million

communities died. In Canada, 50,000 died. The

(20 to 60%) were infected worldwide, killing about

pandemic mostly killed young adults. In 1918–

one million people, and was called the Russian Flu.

1919, 99% of pandemic influenza deaths in the U.S.

The big one, between 1918-1920, an H1N1 variety,

occurred in people under 65, and nearly half of

infected similar numbers of 500 million to a billion;

deaths were in young adults 20 to 40 years old. In

its mortality rate was between 2 to 10% or 17 to 100

1920, the mortality rate among people under 65 had

million deaths. In 1957-58, the next pandemic was

decreased six-fold to half the mortality rate of

the Asian flu, a H2N2 influenza, impacting 500

people over 65, but 92% of deaths still occurred in

million and killing between 1 to 4 million. Ten

people under 65. The first observations of illness

years later, 1968-69, the H3N2 Hong Kong flu

and mortality were documented in the United States

produced similar numbers but affected a smaller

(Fort Riley and Haskell County in Kansas and New

percentage of the population because of population

York City), then France (Brest), Germany, and the

growth (17% for Asia and 14% for Hong Kong).

United Kingdom. To maintain morale, World War I

The 2009 pandemic of H1N1/09 impacted more

censors minimized these early reports. Newspapers

were free to report the epidemic’s effects in neutral

Devens, likely from French naval troops arriving in

Spain, such as the grave illness of King Alfonso

the U.S. for training or supporting troop

XIII, and these stories created a false impression of

movements. In the United States, mortality

Spain as especially hard hit. These stories gave rise

increased to 290,000 to 300,000 or 100 times the

to the name “Spanish” flu. Historical and

normal death rate for the four months of September

epidemiological data are inadequate to identify with

through December. This wave spread worldwide as

certainty the pandemic’s geographic origin, with

troops and support civilians returned home with the

varying views as to its location. It came in four

Armistice in early November.

waves.

This second wave did have an impact on the

The first case reported in March was Albert

fraternity in Kansas. The fall was when the district

Gitchell, a cook at Camp Funston. A Haskell

schools of instruction and local lodge elections were

county doctor, Loring Minor, reported people in his

held. The result was the canceling of twenty-two of

practice were getting the sickness in January. There

the seventy-three schools of instruction, which was

is no discussion of this in masonic records at the

a significant issue with Grand Lodge. Attendance

Annual Communication that year. This wave lasted

at schools was also a concern for the Grand Master.

for about three months and was mild and, although

It got to the point that letters were sent to the

a lot of people got ill, few died. Flu deaths were

Masters of lodges that did not attend or had weak

only up about 10,000 in the U.S. from the last high

attendance. Also, since lodges could not meet for

in 1915 when 63,000 died. This wave did not result

much of this period, elections and installations

in quarantines. This first wave did impact military

could not be held before St. John’s Day, December

operations in World War I. Three-quarters of the

27 that year, as required by the Laws Of Kansas

French troops, one-half of the British forces, and at

Masonry. The Grand Master directed that elections

least 900,000 German soldiers were ill.

be held at the first stated meeting after local health

In late August, the second American wave began on the east coast around Boston and Camp (Fort)

boards allowed public meetings. He further stated, “Bear in mind, however, that postponing the

Photos credit: US Army Center of Medical History Tent detention camps were set up to house sick soldiers numbering over 1000 two weeks after the influenza outbreak in 1918.

Kansas Freemasonry & Pandemic Reactions continued from page 13

election of officers MUST NOT, in any manner,

not recognize any French Grand Lodge (there were

delay the preparation and forwarding of the annual

three operating at the time). This issue had been

report to the Grand Secretary within the time

around since 1868, and no resolution had been

provided by law, January 10, 1919.” Lodges would

reached, although a lot of space in the annual report

later report elections to the Grand Secretary who

is dedicated to the topic. The same could be said

would then adjust the annual reports.

about traveling lodges. Kansas policy since the

These things might indicate that the masons of Kansas were quiet and at home during the first two

This left Kansas Masons attending Masonic Clubs.

waves, but this is not the case. There were over 700

The other issue that took up much of the energy was

Special

the rebuilding and

Dispensations issued

operations of the

primarily to conduct

Masonic home.

degree work on

The third wave of the

members without

so-called Spanish flu

waiting the standard

started in January 1919

waiting times or to

and lasted until June. It

receive and vote on

was severe in Europe

candidates. Some

and resulted in

were issued for

hundreds of thousands

special elections and

of additional deaths. In

installation of officers mainly due to the war. But

the United States, it was less deadly than the first

even this number did not meet the requirements of

two waves. By June, things had died down in most

the Craft. Thirty-one lodges had their charters

parts of the world. Its’ significant impact to Kansas

suspended for doing degree work on Sunday,

Freemasonry was the delay of the Grand Lodge

which was prohibited due to by-law changes made

Annual Communication from February to March.

in 1916. However, all of the charters were returned

The number of dispensations was down to just over

after the lodges promised not to do it again. Kansas

100, but they were almost all for the conferral of

initiated 4953 candidates and raised 4,192, resulting

degrees. There were still some problems with

in a net gain of 3,045.

conferring degrees “too early” (before the required

Two other issues concerned the state that also let

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Civil War was not to support these types of lodges.

waiting period had expired). However, in all cases,

us know what was of concern at the time. One was

it was one day earlier than required because the

Kansas masons serving in France wished to attend

lodges in question counted the date of conferral as a

French Lodges or have lodges they could hold with

day between degrees, which is not how Grand

other Kansas Masons. Unfortunately, Kansas did

Lodge counted it. Also, somehow, some lodges still

did not know that they could not do degree work on

While the pandemic of 2020-2021 has had a

Sunday, a change made four years earlier.

significant impact on the world and the Kansas

Interestingly, the flu did not seem to impact doing

Craft, our Grand Masters and Council of

degree work, and membership increased by 4370.

Administration acted swiftly. While the actions

The fourth wave had minimal impact in the United

taken were seemingly inconvenient to our

States. While systems for alerting public health

immediate personal fraternal needs, our past helped

authorities of infectious spread existed in 1918, they

to guide our present and future. Painful as it was

did not generally include influenza, which led to a

and may still be at times, we must always act in the

delayed response. Nevertheless, actions were taken.

best interests of our entire beloved Craft.

Maritime quarantines were declared on islands such as Iceland, Australia, and American Samoa, saving many lives. Social distancing measures were introduced, such as closing schools, theatres, and places of worship, limiting public transportation, and banning mass gatherings. Wearing face masks became common in some areas, such as Japan, though there were debates over their efficacy. There was also some resistance to their use, as exemplified by the Anti-Mask League of San Francisco. Vaccines were also developed but, as these were based on bacteria and not the actual virus, they could only help with secondary infections. The actual enforcement of various restrictions varied.

A later study found that measures such as banning mass gatherings and requiring the wearing of face masks could cut the death rate up to 50 percent, but

5

this was dependent on them being imposed early in the outbreak and not being lifted prematurely.

The pandemics in 1969 and 2009 had no reported impacts on Masonry. The Proceedings of the Grand Lodge make no mention, and the schedules of events did not reflect any significant issues.

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