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M. LV. Brother Robert F: Drechsler

Thispublicationis designed tobeanorganof .ijinformation, instruction,and inspirationfor aT1 _whohold allegiance to this Grand Jurisdiction. ,>Pleasebe aware that any mistakes in this publi&cationare thereforapurpose;wepublishsome"thing for everyone and somepeople are always lookingforerrors.Comments andcontributions should be directedto the attention of the ed~tor, care of the Grand Secretary. a

The leaves have fallen from the trees, the fruits of the growing season have all been harvested, and nature now begins its inevitable period of winter rest. All is well. We in the fraternity, however, cannotrest, especiallynow, for wemust laborunceasingly to successfully close one administration even as we institute another.

Voice of Freemasonry Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of D.C. 5428 MacArthur Blvd., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20016 Tel: (202) 686-181 1 Fax: 1202) 686-2759 >

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Serving you as Grand Master has been a very satisfying experience for me, one that will long remain in my memory. Now, as I look with anticipation on entering the ranks of the Past Grand Masters, I am reminded of a portion of the DeMolay installation ceremony, wherein the officer being installed is reminded of the fact that as he has emerged from the ranks, so it is to the ranks that he must soon return. I came from the ranks of the workers and it is to those ranks that I now, with pleasure and satisfaction, make my return.

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Last year at this time I presented the brethren of this jurisdiction with a number of challenges that I hoped they would address in 1997. They have answered the call enthusiastically, and I am in the debt of many who have labored, both as individuals and as members of our Grand Lodge Committees, to make 1997 an unqualified Masonic success. Thank you, my brethren, for work that I consider to be good, square, and necessary. It is difficult for a Grand Master to right all wrongs or to praise all good works, and I am sure that there are those whose concerns may not have been properly acknowledged. If so, please be assured that if I have erred, it was unintentional. I cherish our relationships, and I thank you one and all, and I especially thank the Grand Lodge Officers and the Past Grand Masters consistent support you have afforded me and our programs.

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Presentat~onof SO-year pins : (Top)- t o Philip 4. Firtag, the Worthy Grand Patron of the Order of EasternStar at a Grand Visitation t o Osiris-Pentalpha Lodge No. 23. (L-R) Wesley W. Skeete, WM; Renee Firtag, Philip1. Firtag, PM and Worthy Grand Patron of the Order of Eastern Star of DC; Robert F. Drechsler, Grand Master; Eleanor Lim, Worthy Grand Matron and Ben Lim

/%/ow I*)- t o Charles Weaver, Maxson McCarry, Walter D. Graham, John Lloyd, Worshipful Master, Robert DeMoreland and Ledley Wallaceata meeting of Anacostia Lodge No. 21.

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Alianza Fraternal Americana Lodge No. 92 Celebrates Peru's Independence Day The members of Alianza Fraternal Americana Lodge No. 92, having obtained a dispensation to permit them to participate in a public ceremony, gathered at the monument of General Jose de San Martin, Liberator of Peru, on July 28, 1997 to present a floral wreath. Also participating in the ceremony was the Consul of Peru and the military contingent of that country attached to the Peruvian Embassy. Following the ceremony at the monument the Lodge participated in a special mass dedicated to the independence of Peru. Subsequent to the mass the group gathered at the home of Brother Orlando Gamarra and his wife, Vilma, for lunch and entertainmentprovided by well known Peruvian singers and dances.

Peruv~anMasons gathered at the statue of Jose de San Martrn, legendary liberator of Peru. First row: (I-r): Bros. Orlando Gamarra, Eduard Chavez, Cesar Palacios, Franklin 0. Gayoso, Jorge Uriarte, Carlos Landazuri, Cesar Peine, Juan C. Pain, Augusto Barreda, Francisco Landazuri, visitor. Second row: Alberto Bolivar, Guillermo Avellaneda, Sandro Pineda, Guillermo Pineda.

The Source o f Our Masonic Symbols -

- by W Kirk MacNuIv, WM Lodge of the Nine Muses No. 1776

W h a ris the source of our Masonic symbols? That is one of the most interesting and difficult questions about our Masonic Order. Perhaps the easy answer is that we got them from Solomon's Temple, but there is not a lot of evidence for the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian Orders of Architecturebeing used in the Holy Land at the time of Solomon, Anomalies like this suggest that perhaps the Masons of the 17th century borrowed their symbols from the builder's craft and the classical world and used them to teach philosophical ideas that were current in Europe at that time. Let's look at one such idea. The picture to the right is of the frontispiece from a book called Masonic Miscellanies which dates from the late 1700's. It contains a number of Masonic symbols which are easy to recognize. The drawing at the bottom of the picture is clearly a representation of the Winding Staircase leading to the Middle Chamber of Solomon's Temple. It is composed of a staircase between two Brazen Pillars. We know a little more about the Staircase; it is divided into three groups, of three, five and seven steps. We know something more about those Pillars, too: they are in some way- oppo-sites; they are capped by Terrestrial and Celestial spheres. We know, also, that we are expected to climb that staircase; and when we have done so we can observe the "Letter G",the initial of Deity. We can see from the points of the compass on the border of the picture that climbing the stairs is a journey from the West at the Chequered Pavement toward the heavenly East. Now, the general pattern of a stairway between two verticals which represent opposites is not confined to the Winding Stairs. In fact, we can see the same pattern in the picture immediately above the Winding Stairs, in the Ladder and the Circle-Bounded-by-Two-Parallel-Lines. Like the Staircase with it's three groups of steps, the Ladder has "three Principal Rounds, denominated Faith, Hope, and Charity": and it leads to the Heavens in the East, Like the Pillars in the lower picture, the Parallel Lines are also in some way opposites: they are dedicated to the Saints John, and the Baptist's Day is mid-Summer and the Evangelist's Day is mid-Winter. (in the contemporary English ritual, which has been largely de-Christianized, the two lines represent M~~~~the Prophet and Solomon the Lawgiver; substantially the same idea.)

A similar pattern is to be found in the Three Columns, themselves. In the classical world the Doric Order of Architecture was used for structures dedicated to those gods that were stable, steady and dependable; the Corinthian Order was used for buildings dedicated to vigorous, active, and volatile deities; while the Ionic Order was a middle ground balancing the two. Two opposite verticals with an ascent between is not usually recognized as a Masonic symbol, but it does seem to be a pattern here. Is there anything in the philosophy of 17th century Europe to which this pattern might refer? It turns out that there is. Kabbalah is the mystical tradition of Judaism, and it was one of the principal systems of thought which informed the philosophy of the renaissance.' Around the time Masonry was getting started Kabbalistic principles were being used by Christian as well as Jewish thinkers. The lower drawing in the center of the page is called the Tree of Life, and it is one the principal diagrams used by Kabbalists to describe their philosophical principle^.^ Using it, we can observe some familiar ideas. There are three columns; two, Mercy and Severity, are opposites, while the third, central I column, holds the other two in balance. Kabbalists sometimes consider the central column as a series of seven levels, like a Ladder (steps indicated by the small numbers). There are also three groups of levels (shown in this diagram as "Body, Psyche, and Spirit") leading to Divinity at the top. It is not unreasonable to connect Masonry and Kabbalah in this way. Many of the early Masons that we can identify, Elias Ashmole, and John Byrom, for example, are known to have studied Kabbalah. This sort of "matching up" is only a start. There is a lot more to Masonic symbolism than Pillars and Ladders; and there is a lot more to Kabbalah, too. The interesting thing is that, if one pursues the subjectthereare lot more correlationsbetweenMasonic symbolism and the philosophy of the renaissance; and there are a lot more Masons who were students of those ideas. For those of us who have ever asked the question, "What does all this mean?', this might be a useful field of inquiry.

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Yates, Francis A.. The Occult PhiloW'hY in the Elizabethan Age, (London, RKP. 1979) For a way into the subject see Halevi, Zev ben Shirnon, Kabbalah, (Tharnesand Hudson, London, 1979)

IGrand Master Hosts Awards Banquet On Sunday, October 12,1997, the Grand Master hosted an Awards RecognitionBanquet at the Almas Shrine Temple to honor the living recipients of the three awards under the auspices of the Grand Lodge for distinguished and outstanding service to Masonry and the community. Honorees were the recipients of the Grand Lodge Distinguished Service Medal, the Grand Lodge Fidelity Medal, and the Valentine Reintzel Medal. TheDistinguishedSemiceMedalisawardednot more than once annually by vote of the Grand Lodge in recognition of distinguished service to Freemasonry over a period of years. The Fidelity Medal is awarded in each constituent Lodge to a local member who best exemplifies the precepts of loyalty and faithful service to Masonry and his Lodge. The Valentine Reintzel Medal is presented to Master Masons who have demonstrated exceptionaldevotion,loyalty and zeal toward the Craft and th&brotherMasons. This award is at the discretion of the Grand Master, and not more than three may be presented annually. Over thirty honorees were among the almost 150 guests at Alrnas Temple, enjoying fellowship, a prime rib dinner catered by Solomon's Table. and delightful entertainment bv a barbershop choral group, the Knights of Harmony. A short program featured remarks by GrandMasterRobert F. Drechsler, in which he again expressed the deep appreciation and gratitude of the Grand Lodge for the years of dedicated work and service to Freemasonry given by the honorees. A highlight of the afternoon was the display of three newly completed plaques, (see center photo) one for each of the three awards. The Distinguished Service Medal and Valentine Reintzel Medal plaques each contain the names of every recipient, living or dead, of that award. The Fidelity Medal plaque contains the nameof the living recipient of the Fidelity u

Medal in each constituentLodge, andis designed to permit updating as necessary. These plaques will be permanently displayed in the Grand Lodge building. The senior honoree present, at age 97, was Worshipful Brother Isadore Rosenthal, (top photo, with the Grand Master) 1971 recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal, and holder of the Washington Daylight Lodge No. 14 Fidelity Medal and the Grand Lodge Fidelity Medal. The Grand Master was also especiallypleased to see in attendance, two "out of town" recipients of the Valentine Reinkel Medal, Most Worshipful Brother Thomas R. Dougherty, Honorary Past Grand Master, and Right WorshipfulJackR. Frazier, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Maryland. A special feature of the afternoonwas the opportunityto extend "Happy Birthday" wishes to the only honoree to have received all three awards, Most Worshipful Brother Marvin E. Fowler, P.G.M., (bottom photo, with his wife, Roberta) whose 93rd birthday coincidedwith the Awards Banquet. Most WorshipfulBrother Fowler was recognized with a special birthday cake with his color photograph in icing on the cake top. His lovely wife, Roberta, received a bouquet of a dozen roses, nine of which were red, each representing a decade of Marvin's long and productive life, and three cream-colored roses, representing the three years of his 9th decade. Cake and ice cream as the banquet dessert added to the birthday celebration. From all reports, all present found the Awards Banquet to be an enjoyable event and a most pleasant Sunday afternoon.

- Dean Clatterbuck, P.M.

P o f o mLodge No. 5

D.C. Obelisk Dedicated On a bright and brisk morning the Grand Master, the Grand Lodge Officers. and a busload of D.C. Masons and their ladies traveled to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to dedicate the D.C. Obelisk in the Medal of Honor Grove at Freedoms Foundation. There, at precisely 1 1:00 a.m. on November 11, the Grand Master and his officers formally dedicated a monument erected to perpetuate the memory of those D.C. servicemen who had earned the nation's highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor. The program, organized by Dr. Lon W. Weber, Senior Vice President for Education at Freedoms Foundation, included a Masonic ceremony in which the monument was tested by the working tools of the Freemason and appropriate dedicatory remarks were made by the Grand Master, Robert F. Drechsler. The Deputy Grand Master, Eldon J. Brown, the Senior Grand Warden, Dan L Frederick, the Junior Grand Warden, Mansour Hatefi, and Associate Grand Chaplains, Harold Grainger and Roland Timity were also prominent participants in the program of the day. Rounding out the platform group were two Boy Scouts, Jason and Joel Detwyler of Troop No. 87, who presented the flags of the United States and of the District of Columbia. Following the ceremony the entire group shared a delightful lunch provided by the staff of Freedoms Foundation. Previous to departing these sacred grounds for home, the group toured the Valley Forge battlefield seeing, among other things, the reconstructed Washington Arch, dedicated last August by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. On arriving back at the Soldiers Home at approximately 5:00p.m., everyone in the group was satisfied that on this day they had participated in an historical event that was of worth to the nation, to Freedoms Foundation, and to the cause of Freemasonry in America.

DONORS TO M E MEDAL OF HONOR OBELISK NAVALLODGENO. 4 POTOMACLODGENO. 5 SINGLETON-HOPE-LEBANON LODGENO. 7 HIRAM-TAKOMA LODGE NO. I 0 WASHINGTONDAYLIGHTLODGE NO. 1 4 HARMONY LODGENO. 1 7 ~FAYE~TE-DUPONT LODGENO. 1 9 ANACOSTIALODGENO. 2 1 ALBERT PIKE LODGE NO. 33

EASTGATELODGENO. 34 JOPPA LODGENO. 35 SEMPERPARATUSLODGE NO. 49 AUANZAFRATERNAL AMERICANANO. 9 2 ST. SIMEONSTYUTESCONCLAVE OF D.C. PASTMASTER'SA s s o c l ~ n o ~ D.C. OF Scorns~ RITE FOUNDATION OF D.C. MASONICFOUNDA~ON OF D.C. EUGENEH. ALBERT

Obelisk Committee: (L-R) Dr. Lon W. Weber, Robert F. Drechsler, Grand Master; Lemoine V. Dickinson, Grand Marshal; and Past Masters Len Proden, Anacostia #21 and Dean Clatterbuck, Potomac #5.

HUGHY.BERNARD DONALDW. BITTING ~ L P F. H

Remarks of Robert F. Drechsler Grand Masfer of Masons of the District of CoZumbia

Having been tested by the square, plumb, and level, I now pronounce the D.C. Obelisk in the Medal of Honor Grove of Freedoms Foundation properly erected. As Grand Master of Masons of the District of Columbia, and in the name of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, I now dedicate this monument to the honor and memory of those veterans who have received the Medal of Honor for selfless service above and beyond the call of duty. Brethren, in dedicating this obelisk and thus showering honor and glory on our D.C. heroes, we also pay our respects to all other service men and women who have contributed to either the winning or the preservation of the peace that we now enjoy. It is my personal hope that it will never again be necessary to engrave additional names on any of these sacred monuments. It is my fervent prayer that we be spared from ever again finding it necessary to ask our young men and women to put their lives on the line. In this place I can't help but think, as we honor our warriors of the past, that we need an award, similar to the Medal of Honor for our soldiers, sailors, and airmen, for those who keep the peace, for those who by diplomatic means, or by service in organizations like the Peace Corps, are instrumental in keeping the world out of conflict. Such service, in my mind, would be the ultimate tribute for those who give so much in the effort to establish freedom and justice in this. our native land. May God be praised and look with favor on that which we have done this day. So mote it be.

CONNOLLY

LEMOINEV. DICKINSON ROBERTF. DRECHSLER WILLIAM J. EUENBERGER EMANUELEFONTANA PAUL D. GLWON

JULIUS GORDIN DANIELT. GRAHAM WESLEY G. HARDING JOHN S. HARRIS,JR. GEORGEE. HERBERT MILTON H. HOFFMAN WILLIAMT. JENKINS A. EDMUNDJOHNSON FWNKA. KENYON SAMUELLE~owrrz JOHN S. LLOYD DENIS MANOR W. KIRKMACNULTY JOSEPH E. MARCERON WYMOND F. MCMULLEN STEWARTW. MINER ALBERTM O R ~ DONALDR. PERKINS JACK E. P ~ J O H N LEONARDPRODEN LEO ROSS MICHAEL L. RUNFOIA GRAHAMET. SMALLWOOD,JR. ROYH. STE~ER,JR. WERNERF. TROST BARRYL. WHALEY CHARLESC. WEAVER GEORGEP. ZILLIG

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J PmPSG r i d Mu& 15527 S L J I I I P I IPO, I ~ JI928 I . - N o v e ~ n h ~19, r 1997 T h e Masons of this Grand M p also mourn the pussing, on November IQ. 1997. a[ Pasr Grmd Master I. Philip Smitlt, who wmed with disrinrtion ar our Grind Master in 1993. Most Worshipful Rmrhcr Smith w u r a i d in Sojourne n Lodge Nrs. 5 I in 1952. He transjkrred his mcmhxship rtr Tcmple-Noyes Lodge No,32 in 195b and servtd TempleHvyesC8thaIml M g c No. 32 n s W~;ilnhipfdMasm in 1981. He was an x u v r mcmnk of both rht York imd Scorrish Riles. !ha Alrnh~Temple Shrine. and an Hnnomry ~ n u m k uf r rhc DeMoluy Lcgion of Honor. Most Wnrshipfd Brother Smith was b u d in Rock Creek Cemelery fnllowing Masonic imd rdigiuus services conducral ut Gawkr's Funeral H o w Msmnic ritm were adminisrered by rhe nffimrs o f Tc~nple-Nuyes-Carhedrdl Lodge No. 32.

Note: These remarks were made bystewart W.Miner, PGM, in the RobertdeBruce Council of Kadosh, A.S.S.R., Valley of Washington, D.C. on October 21, 1997.

Tonight I want to discuss what is popularly known as the double zero dilemma, acomputer issue of the first order. The computerization of the world, I think we can all agree, stands as one of the most startling developments of the second half of the 20th Century. In virtually every enterprise, large or small, governmental or private, and increasingly, in your home and mine, the computer is taking over to process orders, pay bills, and become the repository of essential records. The dominance of the computer is so great, in fact, that when one "goes out" temporarily, for whatever reason, operations connected thereto usually come to a halt. Our dependence on this piece of machinery, even within our fraternity, is nothing short of total. Thus it is with alarm that we who are responsible for record keeping in the fraternity contemplate the advent of the threatening millennium bug, which our computer gurus tell us will pounce on the public at 12:OO a.m. on January 1,2000. At that time, we are told, life as we know it will be endangered. According to a New York Times article printed on April 7, 1997, all sorts of things could happen to complicate our lives if corrective action is not soon implemented. For example, we are told that: (a) Telephone services could be terminated because of errors in data calculations. (b) Driver's licenses could expire because the motor vehicle department cannot recognize dates after December 3 1, 1999. (c) Brokers could miscalculate your capital gains and other transactions because of faulty dates. (d) Department stores could reject your credit card because your payment is 100 years overdue.

(e) Automated tellers could swallow your bank card, thinking it has expired. (f) Social security payments could be cut off because the agency's computers miscalculate your age. (g) Tax payments could be erroneously billed as overdue by the I.R.S. (h) Pharmacies could refuse to refill your prescription because thecomputer says it has expired. (i) And finally, the computer, once we have reached the year 2000, could conclude that your Masonic record is nonexistent! If these things could happen, we must ask ourselves several questions. First, why has this problem arisen? Secondly, why haven't measures been taken to confront it? And, thirdly, what will it take to contain it? Briefly stated, this is the problem as I understand it. The software of many computers employ a two-digit shorthand for the date, so that the year 1997, for example, is written as 97. Unless the date field on these programs is changed to reflect the arrival of the year 2000, the computers will interpret the digits "00" as 1900. Thus doomsday scenarios have become a staple of the computer industry. Thus, too, they apply to us, for our records, by and large, are also date driven. As to the question concerning why the issue has not been previously addressed, the answer is anyone's guess. Ignorance, procrastination, bureaucracy, and the attitude that it is somebody else's issue probably all play a role. Personally I am convinced that a solution will be found, on or soon after the critical date and hour, but the cost, in dollars, will be tremendous, amounting to $300 to $600 billion worldwide, according to one respected technologic source. Such is the price of procrastination, of not addressing issues forthrightly and on a timely basis.

Thecomputercrisis,however, is not theonly challengeto Freemasonry that is looming on the Year 2000 horizon. As I lookat thefraternity, my brethren, I perceive a number of other very serious issues, "double-zero issues," if you will, issues which have evolved because of our failure either to recognize challenge early on or to organize, in timely fashion, fitting responses. If this Craft is destined to perpetuate itself, the solution to a handful of double zero issues must soon be found. With your indulgence I should like to lay at your doorstep afew of them in outline form. Letmebegin with thedouble-zerochallenge of race in thefraternity. It is true, of course, that great strides forward have been realized in the years of this decade. We have opened the doors in this jurisdiction to all men of color, and of that I am very proud. We also note that in 26 other U.S. Grand Lodges the recognition of Prince Hall counterparts has now been effected, primarily for the purpose of visitation. But these acts of recognition of Prince Hall have, in my opinion, done little more than to legitimize a "separate but equal" concept that long ago was ruled unacceptable in other forums. In far too many jurisdictions Masons of color still find it difficult to realize basic Masonic privileges, specifically that of membership and/or unrestricted visitation. Until that time when men of all races will be accepted, on an equitable basis, everywhere in the Craft, the "double-zero" challenge of race will impede Masonry's progress and impinge upon its fortunes. A second "double-zero" challengein the fraternity is the issue of religion. It is a source of frustration for me to note, almost 275 years after the mother Grand Lodge established the right of men of all faiths to seek the comfort of Masonic membership, that ecumenism in the Craft is less than perfectly developed. In this jurisdiction we are, thank God, acollection ofbrothers who pride ourselves on being able, as Christians, Jews, Muslims, andas men of allother faiths, to work together in fraternal concord. But by so doing we unfortunately subject ourselves to attack by those who espouse singular spiritual interests. The record of Masonry, my brethren, despite its stated professions, is stained by the excesses of parochialism, whereby geography, ethnicity, and culture may exercise unusual and, on occasion, undesirable

influences on the Craft. In some countries and in some Grand Lodges religious preference is a fact of life. This is not as it should be. We must therefore defend and propagate our belief that people everywhere will know that Masons in America are God-fearing men of toleration and moderation, men who by word and deed preach and practice inclusive rather than exclusive principles. In this we are unique, and it is because of this uniqueness that we are and will be unjustly criticized by partisan forces. Nevertheless we must hold fast to principle, for it is by principle that the character of Masonry is forged. A third "double-zero" challengethat we face in the fraternity is the issueof the role of the ritual of Freemasonry. The bottom line, as I see it, is simply this: What is the position that ritual should play in the Masonic experience in the future, and how is that role, if any, to be satisfied? This is an issue that we have procrastinated over for far too many years, in consequence of which we have experienced a loss in the proficiency of our ritualistic proponents and a lessening of interest by our initiates in the ritual of the Craft. These are unpleasant facts that few of us want to face, but in the process of disregarding reality, we tend to complicate, rather than simplify the problem. It is by no means certain that we can insure the preservation of the ritual by legislatively compelling rote mastery of it. On the other hand, by permitting and fostering inattention to the ritual, the long-term prosperity of the Craft is endangered. We have long since passed the point of no return on this matter. If our ritual is to continue to be the centerpiece of the Craft, we simply must reach agreement on its continuing role and determine who is to be responsible for its propagation and preservation. The bottom line, my brethren, is that by virtue of our inattentiveness to this matter over the past quarter century, we have relegated ritual to a position of relative unimportance. Is this what we want? If not, isn't it time for us to correct this glaring weakness in the Craft? A fourth "double-zero"challenge in the fraternity involves the inter-related issues of renewal and rejuvenation., issues to which we have for many years given only lip service. From the initiation of the Solomon I1 program to the present, the renewal effort has been largely left to chance, with Grand Lodges encouraging and Subordinate Lodges generally ignor-

ing organized and regimented efforts to increaseour numbers and activateour members. It is no longer enough to merely talk about this issue at the highest levels of leadership; we need immediate action at the grass roots level. The Craft simply cannot endure much more aging and still remain a viable force in society. It is now, my brethren, a case of do or die. The Secretary of Education recently stated that in this scholastic year there are upwards of 52,000,000 students enrolled in the public schools of this nation. The vast majority of these young people, unfortunately, simply do not know thatMasonry exists. Our minimal impact on this potential fraternal market is suggested by the relatively insignificant number of young people who are attracted to our Masonic youth organizations. While it is virtually impossible to obtain accurate data on this subject, I believe that at this point in time not more than 50,000 youngsters are thus

involved. In view of this painful reality, I suggest that our survival as a Craft demands a Masonic approach to youth that is no less encompassing and no less effective than that of such organizations as the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, and the 4-H CIubs of America. The fifth and final double-zerochallenge in the fraternity that I want to discuss tonight is the the issue of jurisdictional reasonableness. I speak specifically of practices in American Grand Lodges that tend to make a mockery of Masonry's proclaimed belief in man's freedom. As individuals we believe that man is endowed with a host of freedoms which permit him to live, work, and play whenever and wherever he chooses. Many of our Masonic heros established their place in history by proclaiming and fighting for freedom. As a nation we fought in World War I1 for the Four Freedoms enunciated by our President and Brother, Franklin

Delano Roosevelt. The interest of Masons in Freedom have been carried down to the present, and next month the Grand Orient of Italy will host a symposium entitled "Freedom and Freemasonry in a changing World." The proposed agenda appears to be philosophically ideal, and I am sure that at this symposium there will be spirited discussions of the role that Freemasonry plays in the affairs of man. In these discussions, I am certain, the past will be reviewed in depth, for it is in the presumed glories of yesterday that man finds evidence to support his notions of propriety. I doubt, however, that many, if any, of the consequential freedom issues of the world today will be tabIed, and I certainly do not expect that much time, if any, will be allocated to the discussion of fundamental freedoms within the Craft. This is a pity for there is a crying need to look at the way Masonry regards the freedom of its members and aspirants, and particularly of its aspirants. The ultimate question, my brethren, is simply this: Are we organized and willing to implement those principIes which we proclaim to be the foundations of the Craft? Or are we organized instead, in archaic and almost feudalistic form and function, to maintain and perpetuate what has become a system of fraternal monopoly? It seems to me that in many ways we have opted for monopoly rather than freedom. Many non-Masons seeking entrance into the Craft find that their basic freedoms of movement and association, so far as the fraternity is concerned, have been fraternally broached. Candidates often learn that by the accident of residence alone they have become chattelized to people and organizations about which they know very little. Regrettably when such aspirants learn that for them to enter Masonry where they have friends, especially if their friends are situated in another community, they must first seek the permission of strangers, they often protest and occasionally rebel. Who can blame them? Is this freedom? Of course it is not. Has it always been thus? No, at least not here in the District of Columbia. In fact, until the middle of the last century, adherence to jurisdictional guidelines here was not a priority matter, but in 1864, in consequence of pressure applied by sister Grand Lodges, the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia amended - continued on page 15 ->

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YOU by THOMAS W. JACKSON

Remarks given at the Leadership Conference in Front Royal, Virginia on September 20, 1997 (Abridged) My brethren, I never cease to be amazed at what my brethren think I am. I've been introduced a number of times as a noted Masonic speaker, as a Masonic author, a Masonic scholar, and over in Portugal I was introduced to the President of Portugal as an important Masonic philosopher. I'mjust a little country boy who came off the farm and became a Freemason and I'm really sold on Freemasonry. But I don't consider myself a Masonic speaker, author, scholar and certainly not a philosopher. If I've gained anything in life, I 've gained it because of the contributions of others to me. I am greatly concerned with the future of Freemasonry. There is a tremendous need today for Masonic leadership and that is what I'm going to speak to you about this morning. I hope that what I have to say stimulates some of you. It is my hope that you will begin to comprehend the need to become better than you are in your leadership of this Craft. Those of you who are sitting here today are the ones that must begin to expose society and our new members to the meanings of Freemasonry. Leadership begins with where you sit today. I noticed that I'm scheduled to speak to you for 45 minutes today. My brethren, you don't have to be concerned with that; I never speak for 45 minutes. I spent 17 years in the teaching profession. I taught at a private girls college, and there I was obligated to give one hour lectures. One thing I learned at that time was that my students stopped listening long before I stopped speaking. Now I have resolved that problem. I would rather leave you with a few thoughts that you will remember than alot of thoughts that you won't. When I wrote this, and I just finished writing this talk yesterday, I started thinking about what I was going to title it and I came up with a very complex title. I named it "You." This is what I'm

going to speak to you about today -- YOU. My brethren, I spoke at a conference down here some years ago. I was told at that time that as the keynote speaker, it was my responsibility to motivate, stimulate, and inspire you to want to be better leaders; I was to cause you to think about what you mean to Freemasonry. Frankly, I don't think that I need to inspire you. The fact that you're here indicates that you must have been inspired somewhere along the line. If you weren't leaders already, you would not be here today. I don't need to sell you on the Craft; had you not been already sold, you wouldn't be here. I don't need to define your parts; each one of you should know yourparts by now -- and that is tolead the Craft. So it is that oft times that I think, when I'm speaking in a group of leaders like you, "really, why am I here?" I am here, in part, to cause you think a little more fully about your importance to Freemasonry. You, my brethren, keep the Craft going. Because of you Freemasonry continues to do good for others. Freemasonry has been a greater contributing organization to the good of mankind than any other organization that ever existed. But let's be realistic, my brethren. When we sit here and say that we are active in Freemasonry because of the good that it does for others, I amincredulous. Lets not kid ourselves, my brethren, we are here today because of the feeling of satisfaction that we get out of our fraternity. We are here today, very simply, because of our egos. We are here because we want that feeling that we get out of accomplishing something on behalf of our-

selves. Fortunately for the world, my brethren, our activity in Freemasonry cannot be performed without benefitting the world. And, my brethren, there is nothing wrong with egos. Without ego we would accomplish practically nothing. Yet my brethren, and this is important, the legacy that we leave behind will depend more upon our ability to control our egos than our ability to our use our egos. One of the greatest problems in Masonry today is that many of our leaders, and some at the Grand Lodge level, in the enhancement of ego, fail to remember their purpose. If we are not in Freemasonry to serve, we are in Freemasonry for the wrong reasons. What we get out of Freemasonry is a side benefit. You did notjoin the Craft for what you were going to get out of it; you joined for what you could give to it. You took this task as an obligation. And before you took the obligation, you stated that you were not present for any improper motives. This fact delineates the extent of my Freemasonry. Shortly after I became Grand Secretary, I offered a little prayer, with two simple points: they were, "Dear God, let me never forget where I came from and let me know when to quit." I've seen many leaders who have forgotten where they came from when they became significant, and I've also seen so many men who were great leaders till they

YOU - (continued) hung on too long. That was the reason for my prayer; I never want to forget where I came from. My brethren. I came as a little country boy. I never want to hang on so long that I am remembered for what I was at the end rather than what I was when I had greater capabilities. Let me tell you about an old man that belonged to my Lodge when I joined. He never held an office of any kind that I was ever aware of. He served on every committee that he was ever asked. I never saw that old man turn down any request to serve. He never drove an automobile, but he never missed a meeting. Our York Rite Bodies met eleven miles from the town in which he lived and he took a bus three times a month to attend the meetings of those York Rite Bodies and hoped that he would get aside back home. Our Consistory Body was 50 miles from town and he took a bus down every time there was a reunion and again hoped that he would be able to get a ride home. If he didn't, he would go back to the bus station and wait till the bus ran. This old man really never had an ego to serve. I never knew a man that was as totally free of ego as was he. He neither asked for or sought recognition, but he offered to help all who were in an active leadership role. Was this old man a leader'? In my opinion, my brethren, this old man is one of the great Masonic leaders I've known in my life because he served as an example of others. He inspired others to become something better than they would have been. He epitomized to me what is significant as a passive leader. Without men like him, my brethren, there could be no men like us. What good would the greatest leader be in the world if there were no followers'? When the old man died and I read his obituary, I never knew he was a highly decorated hero from the second World War. He chose to live his life in the simplicity of service. My brethren, the future of Freemasonry is going to depend upon the active. the dedicated, the qualified leaders that are here today and will be here in the future. This is where you come in. You must have the commitment to lead. You must know this Craft. you must know its purpose. and you must understand its importance. You must be more concerned with Freemasonry than you are with your own image. We've had our share in Freemasonry of those with over-inflated opinions of their own importance on alI levels of the

Freemasonry is needed desperately by this Craft. What I'm saying very simply to you world. Think of what America would be this morning, my brethren, is if you're here today without the Freemasons of the past. today for you. or if you're here as an officer Look at the influence of the early patriots of so that you can walk around with a past Freemasonry and the great leaders. Now officer's jewel on your breast, you are in the look at those around the world that were wrong place. Freernaso~lr-ydeserves better ' not necessarily as familiar but just as imthan that. My brethren, you must underportant in the struggle for liberty, equality, stand your place in history. You must and freedom in the rest of the world. Men appreciate the significance of the position like Sim6n BolCvar, BCnito JuBrez. and you hold and will hold. Giuseppe Garibaldi Think what this world We as Freemasons have inherited an might be today if it had not been influenced awesome responsibility. but those of us by men like them. who have chosen to be leaders of this Craft My brothers. the world desperately have inherited much, much more. For you needs Freemasonry. We are an enclave of have chosen to help lead the greatest orgatoleration in an intolerant world. We are a nization ever conceived by the minds of unique organization and the world desperman. You have chosen to be just not I ately needs that uniqueness. We have been average. You have accepted a massive a viable force for what is good and right in responsibility that has been borne by premankind now for centuries. There is no decessors who made this Craft great. You other environment in the world offering will never be a leader anywhere else, in any the opportunities for men of all diverse other organization, where you will have as factions to associate together as brothers. much potential power as that which is Frankly, my brethsen, there is nothing out placed in your hands by Freemasonry. there in this world to replace us. And now Freemasonry also places upon you a greater our future is up to you. obligation than any other organization will We need leaders with far reaching ever place upon you. vision but that vision, my brethren, has to There is a simpIe old adage that IeadI depend upon a sound knowledge of our ers are born not made. My brethren. I don't / past. So you must understand what we are. buy that. Certainly, there are some men I My brethren, learn. Learn? my brethren. who are born with a superior leadership Learn what we have been in the past: learn potential; that is a fact of life. But I've what we are now and recognize what we watched many men of limited talent go can be in the future. Our brothers of the through ihe chairs of many Masonic Bodpast have blessed us with an unsurpassed ies, and I've noted that they came out of legacy. Where it goes t'rom now is up to those chairs far better than they were when they went in. Yes, leaders can be made. I you. Each one of you sitting here today is Know it now, my brethren, you can be ' an important part in the puzzle of what the future of Freemasonry holds. good. but you must make yourself good. My brethren. we a e too great to fail. if Don't lay back and expect to absorb ability. we fail the whole world loses. Personally, You are being now being afforded a my brethren, I don't want to be rernemrecognition opportunity, but recognition bered as part of the generation that permitmust be earned. And the recognition you ted this Craft to fail; do you'? realize will depend, primasily. on what you My brethren. I thank you very. very do. You can do little. if you choose; you I 1 much for receiving me this morning. It's can sit here, go through the chairs. and 01' my life to be able to a great privilege walk out of office with a jewel on your associate with you. You are the leaders of chest, but if you do: you may not be ' the day. Freen~asonry'sfuture is now up to recognized at all. Your wages reflect your you. Become better than you are now, and input. if you do, you can be whatever you choose Freemasonry is an elite organization, my brothers. and some of our greatest I to be. Thank you very much. statesmen. patriots, heroes and leaders in all walks of life have had their ideals forged and honed in the conclaves of Masonic ideology. These men who reached those heights were men who took advantage of what the Craft had to offer them. Make no doubt about it. my brothers,

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DOUBLE ZERO - (continued)

its constitution to force its Lodges to turn to Lodges in other jurisdictions for information about non-resident applicants. It is interesting to note, however, that this amendment did not require the D.C. Lodge to obtain the permission of Lodges in otherjurisdictions to receive a petition; rather it required only that inquiry be made about the petitioner. It was not until 1870 that the constitution was again amended to make it necessary for Lodges in the District of Columbia to obtain the consent of Lodges elsewhere before acting on the petitions of its non-resident applicants. Hence we. as much as anyone else, are responsible for the creation and perpetuation of practices that we now find oppressive. Can we undo the excesses fostered by the antiquated concept of exclusive territorial jurisdictionc? I think we can and will, in time, given some imaginative and innovative thinking, fostered in part by the now widespread recognition of Prince Hall Grand Lodges. If Grand Lodges do not, in fact, exercise exclusive control of the territories in which they operate, it seems unlikely that they can continue to claim exclusivejurisdiction over the people that live in those territories. The dawn, happily, may be breaking at last. In summary let me suggest that although our double zero problems are many and complex, we have resources sufficient to meet and successfullyovercome every issue that we face, including those pertaining to race, religion, ritual, renewal and rejuvenation, and jurisdictional reasonableness,if we will but labor together in an effort to match our words with our deeds. I therefore implore you to make every effort that you can to contain these "double zero issues" and thereby earn new respect and admiration for Freemasonry and Freemasons throughout a world that really yearns for friendship, morality. and brotherly love. This, my bsethren, is our millennium-ending and millennium-starting mission. May God give us strength and resolve sufficient to permit each of us to make an adequate response. - Stewart W. Miner-

Grand Master%Ckss - 1997 Robert H. Starr, Junior Grand Deacon

The 1997 Grand Master's Class was presented in two sessions, one in the early summer and the other in the early fall. At the first session, held on Saturday, June 14, 1997, the Entered Apprentice and Fellowcraft Degrees were conferred, and on Friday evening, September 12, 1997, members of the class received their Master Mason Degree. This schedule gave the Lodges an opportunity to educate their candidates over the summer in preparation for their subsequent raising. All of the work was done in the auditorium of the Scottish Rite Temple, 2800 16th Street N.W. The Entered Apprentice Degree was conferred on 28 candidates by an excellent cast, consisting mostly of members of the 1997 Association of Worshipful Masters and Wardens, with W. Bro. John S. Lloyd (WM of Anacostia Lodge No. 21) in the East. The lecture was presented by Bro. Kevin P. Jay (SW of William R. SingletonHope-Lebanon Lodge No. 7) and the Charge was presented by Bro. James N. Therry (SW of LaFayette-Dupont Lodge No. 19). Following that conferral, the Fellowcraft Degree was conferred on 32 Entered Apprentices by a cast comprised mostly Wardens and lower ranking Lodge Officers. Bro. James N. Therry assumed the East for this degree and the Middle Chamber Lecture was delivered by Bro. Jonathan Cole Lewis (SD of SojournerKilwinning Lodge No. 1798). The Charge was then presented by Bro. John Feller (JW of Arminius Lodge No. 25). In September the Past Masters Association of the District of Columbia, in full costume (courtesy of Anacostia Lodge No. 21), conferred the Master Mason Degree on 23 candidates. The President of the Association, W. Bro. Lemoine V. Dickinson (PM of Anacostia Lodge No. 2 I), assumed the East to obligate the candidates, with W. Bro. Christopher (Chip) Mahaney (PM of Osiris-Pentalpha Lodge No. 23) taking

the role of King Solomon in the second section. W.Bro. Ron Wood (PM of Anacostia Lodge No. 21) acted as Senior Deacon. The short-form Easts were conferred by W. Bros. Walter F. Simon (PMof Samuel Gompers-Benjamin Franklin Lodge No. 45 and President-elect of the Association), Norman Barshai (PM of Samuel GompersBenjamin Franklin Lodge No. 45) and Joel R. Kahn (PM of Federal Lodge No. 1). W. Bro. George Kidwell (PM of William R. Singleton-Hope-LebanonLodgeNo. 7) presented the lecture and W. Bro. James Brent (PM of Osiris-Pentalpha Lodge No. 23) concluded by delivering the third degree Charge. Three outstanding members of our Grand Lodge Committee on Works and Lectures, W. Bros. Joel Kahn, Sheldon Rappeport, and Carl LeVine were our Degree Directors for the respective degrees. Before the Grand Lodge Officers closed on the Third Degree, MW Bro. Robert F. Drechsler presented each new Master Mason with a Masonic Bible, a kit of Miniature Masonic Working Tools, a set of the Grand Lodge System of Education Booklets, the ciphers for each of the three degree catechisms, and the latest issue of the Voice of Freemasonry. More than 120 Brethren participated, including the conductors, to confer the three degrees on these candidates. whose average age was 40.7 years. Among the participants was the Grand Master, who personally performed many tasks, ranging from assisting in setting up, operating the stage, helping the conductors, educating the candidates in the modes of recognition, making presentations and even cleaning up. We pray that the Masons who were raised in this class will support the 13 Lodges from which they hail and that they will "become true and faithful Brethren among us."

ANNUALCOMMUNICATION OFTHE GRANDLODGE

SCOTTISHRITE TEMPLE 2800 - I 6TH STREET, N. W. WASHINGTON, D.C.

VICTOR ADEGBITE RECEIVES MEDAL NO. 1 798 FIDELITY

Brother Stewart W. Miner, PGM, Grand Secretary, congratulates Brother Victor Adegbite on being presented with the Sojourner Kilwinning Lodge No. 1798 Fidelity Medal.

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