From the Grand Master M W: Brother Mansour Hate$ --
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Dear Brethren, The end of an era is always a time for reflection. It seems that there is an almost instinctive inclination by all of us to stop and take stock. In a sense there is an urge to not only know where we are going, but how we got to where we are. For many of us the new century and the millennium is a symbol of a future that is not only pregnant with promises, but an ode to the good fortunes of the past.
perpetuating the philosophy and growth of this great fraternity.
Before I get to the Grand Lodge 2000, let me, if I may, share my thoughts on where Freemasonry stands on the threshold of the third millennium. Despite all the progress - technological and otherwise - traditional values and time honored principles are very much needed, and there has never been a greater need for Twenty years ago - almost to the day - men of quality and character than now. during what was, without any doubt, the We in Masonry must step up and fill this most difficult period of my life, I came to void. We must be prepared to let our light the shores of this land, a lost soul in shine. Be prepared to let people know well search of refuge. Despite the hostilities what we stand for. ~reemasdnry'ma~ be the last bastion of morality, the beacon between my native country and what was to become my adopted home, I, like many of freedom, justice, equality and others before and after me, was not only brotherhood. Our country, our people and accepted cordially, but was afforded every the people of the world are looking for opportunity to rebuild my life. Today, I feel something; maybe they need what we enormously indebted to not only this great have to offer. nation, but to many people who lent me a hand. Their love and support gave me the The new century requires a new single most important element in a human beginning. The footprints left behind by being's life: Hope! It was then that I felt worthy Masons will always remain and will the overwhelming obligation to repay continue to be followed,~butit is essential some of the kindness so generously to realize that while we revere the past, afforded me, if and when the opportunity Freemasonry stands today on what it is now. The world we face is different from arose. that of the founders of our fraternity. We I have, to the best of my ability, been are confronted with new values and new faithful to that pledge. My affiliation with challenges; challenges on many more the noble order of Freemasonry, and my fronts, in a much more complex world. endeavors in the field of Masonic charity, has made this task much easier and more This is the time to look back with pride and meaningful and rewarding. Now given the to look forward with confidence. We privilege of presiding in the Grand East, should approach this phase of yet another great and rare opportunity to Freemasonry in a spirit of humility and serve my fraternity and community, I begin dedication, knowing well that our efforts this assignment with honor tempered with great or small, will in time bear fruit. Our humility. It is truly an exciting time to be assignment is to bring the bright dream of part of this craft. As we begin the new a new day to the dark corners of the world. We may not be able to change the world, millennium our attention focuses on
but we can change the world around us.
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This is the dawn of a new age, full of incredible possibilities and exhilarating hope. The future is not something we inherit, but what we make ourselves. What we do will shape events of the future in ways we can barely perceive. We must relate Freemasonry to real life and the real world.
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I It is time to extend our principal tenets,
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brotherly love, relief and truth, meaning friendship, charity and integrity to the community and society. It is time to take I the charity out of the lodge and bring it to the community and hold up the banner of Masonic charity, benevolence and community service to a new height. The year 2000 makes a new beginning and gives us all a chance to rededicate our efforts to making the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia a leader among leaders. How proud we are that many Grand Lodges around the world look to us for leadership and direction. It is our Grand Lodge that is in the forefront. We
are giving reality to the Masonic ideal of We certainly hope and trust universality, both by our presence and our Grand Lodge - 2000 will be a blue expressions. We are the Grand Lodge print for the future. A Grand Lodge located in Washington, the Capitol of the that leads and serves the constituent United States of America, as most around lodges. Let us move into the 21s, the world see us, the Capital of the Free century with a vision and a - ; e o. World. mission. Lock hands and l o . x m s Together we can make a differe The leadership of this Grand Lodge in these Whatever the task, sublime 01 days is an awesome responsibility. Every Grand Lodge Officer, elected or appointed, time is always now. every member of every committee, is prepared to serve you. Our theme will be back to the blue lodges, our focus will be on education and ritual, our standard will be to attain and maintain. Blue lodges should be helped to become more visible Mansour Hatefi and active in communities. Our task is to Grand Master guide and empower the blue lodges. Because it is from our lodges that Masonic service to the community emanates.
ICE OF FREEMASONRY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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MASONIC EDUCATIO Paui M. Bessel PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDS Akram R. Elias THE MASONIC FAMILY Harold Grainger CURRENT INTEREST Mansour Hatefi, Grand Master FROM THE PAST Carl R LeVine
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LODGE OFFICERS
i e Voice of Freemasonry in the Nation's Capital is an ficial publication of the Grand Lodge of Free and :cepted Masons (F.A.A.M) of the District of Columbia. Unless otherwise noted, articles appearing in this publication express only the private opinion or assertions of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Grand Lodge. The jurisdiction speaks only through the Grand Executive Board, when attested to as by the Grand Secretary.
ELECTED GRANDMASTER Mansour Hatefi ............................................................................................................................. Grant R. Berning . OEPUWGRANDMASTER Robert H. Starr .................................................................................................................... SENIOR GRANDWARDEN Jules S. Tepper ..................................................................................................................... JUNIORGRANDWARDEN Stewart W. Miner, P.G.M GRANUSECRETARY Jerold J. Samet, P.G.M ........................................................................................................... GRANDTREASURER G. Lee Ferguson ......................... .................................................................................... SENIORGRANDDEACON Leonard Proden ................... .......................................................................................... JUNIORGRANDDEACON
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Paul M. Bessel
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GRANDSTEWARD
APPOINTED
Akram R. Elias ...................................................................................................... G R A N DMARSHAL David A. Balcom .................................................................................................................................GRANDCHAPLIN DEPUTY GRANDCHAPLIN Hamid Adib-Samiy ASSISTANT GRANDCHAPLIN Kwame Acquaah ................................................................................................................. ASSISTANT GRANDCHAPLIN Fernando Castelli .......................................................................................................... ASSISTANTGRANDCHAPLIN George D. Seghers ................................................................................................................ GRANDSWORD BEARER Dara S. Esfandairy .................................................................................................................... GRANDPURSUIVANT John C. Feller ................................................................................................................ GRAND STANDARD BEARER
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Victor A. Petrossian ..................... Sylvester J. Rychlinski ..................
GRANDTILER LODGE SCHOOL TILER GRANDLODGEPHOTOORAPHER John Greenwood ................................................................................................................... GRANDLODGELIAISON Floyd E. Werle G R A N DORGANIP* David A. Freed RAND LODGE ALMONE SSISTANT
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The Editorial Staff invites contribut~onsIn the form of ~nforrnatrvearticles, reports, news and other timely information (of about 500 to 1000 words In length) that broadly relate to Masonic law, lore, customs, history, symbol~sm,ph~losophy,responslbtlity of membershtp, , current events, andlor general publlc Interest. ossible, photographs that illustrate these ve articles should accompany the s u b m i s r ubm~ttedshould be typed, double-spaced ly accompan~edby acomputer diskrn a nei at or vla e-mail to: dcmasons@aol.com icles are subject to edittng and, when publis become the property of the Grand Lodge, F.A A M the Dlstrlct of Columbta. No compensatlon IS allo for any articles, photographs, or other mater submitted for publication. rmlsslon to reprmt art~cleswtll be granted upon tten request to the Edltor from recogn~zedMasonc bl~catlonsand others. When reprinted, artlcles ould note: "Reprtnted w~thpermlsslon of the Vo~ce Freemasonry in the Nation's Capital, (mon ar).'
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sase direct all correspondence to:
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Editor: The Voice of Freemasc ..., 5428 MacArthur Blvd., N.W. Washington, DC 20016-2524
FARAH'S CORNER There I was, after years of anticipation and preparation, anxious to be part of and participate in the greatest event of my life since my marriage to the man on his way to the Grand East. And there they were, I mean the thousands of tiny microscopic creatures trying to bring me down with the first rush 4 - of the influenza epidemic of the season, in defiance of the flu shot and all.
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They had the upper hand, since unbeknownst to me they had been active for a number of days and I, in all the excitement surrounding me, had not paid much attention to them. They had managed to raise my body temperature to an almost unbearable level; had given me a severe headache, sore muscles, and all that goes with a really debilitating flu, this time, apparently with the complements of the Republic of Chechnya. But I was not about to give up and yield to that kind of pressure and intimidation. No, I could not let down the Grand Master to be; not on the most momentous time of his life since he joined Freemasonry, the fraternity he reveres and is so proud to be a part of.
I had to be there with him, I had to stand beside him, when he knelt for prayer. I had to show my own joy and pride during the long and thunderous standing ovation, upon his ascent to the Oriental Chair, and smile all along to show him how happy I was, and let him know that everything was all right; everything was great; and so it was. He was officially made Grand Master of Masons of the Nation's Capital, and when he took the floor, he opened his heart and shared every precious moment with all present. All of a sudden I was not indisposed anymore. I was so very proud of him and so happy for him. And now I know, once again, that no matter what, I am going to be by his side, always. I also know that with two full-time jobs, his professional and Masonic careers, and his now extended family, he is going to be one busy man and will need all the support I can give him. What I don't know is whether or not Grand Masters, with their busy schedules and all, still do the dishes and take out the trash as well? I will soon find out. More, when we meet, again. Farah Hatefi ONTHECOVER The Lincoln Memorial, at the west end of the mall in Washington, DC, is a favorite platform for those who, through word and deed, use this site to remind us all of what America is and should be. Credit: Akram Elias.
GRAND LODGE 2000 Mission Statement "Freemasonry is a worldwide, charitable, educational, nonsectarian and social society of men of every race & culture. It is a philosophy of life, linked together by trust in God and dedicated to building me& ugh the practice of Brotherly \ Love, Relief and Truth.
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The mission of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia is to pursue the principles of Freemasonry in conformity with the accepted landmark and its lodge system as handed down to the Craft from time immemorial. The Grand Lodge has the responsibility to determine the goals and direction of the Craft in this Grand Jurisdiction; to administer Masonic Law, to set the standards and see that those standards are met; and to support the lodges in their activities. It shall adhere to the common practices and the ceremonies required to admit to its membership worthy men of all races, religions, diverse backgrounds and education, and will endeavor to take its rightful place in the community by the power of example." PRINCE HALL ACTS At its Annual Communication last December the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia extended what it termed "Mutual Recognition to the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, Free and Accepted Masons." Previously, at its Semiannual Communication in 1999, the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of D.C., by acceptance of the report of its Committee on Correspondence, recognized the regularity (i.e., legitimacy) of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of D.C. Willie Griffin, the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge, observes that this act of Mutual Recognition "applies only to mutual acknowledgment of the legitimacy of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia and ...it does not, at this time, encompass 'visitations' or any other Masonic rights." Having taken these important steps, the leaders of both Grand Lodges are now at work to create the fullest possible measure of fraternal amity within the confines of the District of Columbia. Grand Master Mansour Hatefi Cordially Invites The Masonic Family of the District of Columbia To Join Him In Thanksgiving and Fellowship At the Metropolitan United Methodist Church 3401 Nebraska Avenue, N.W. on Sunday, April 30, 2000 at 2:00 p.m.
i Requests for Information ... .
Dear Members of the Masonic Foundation of D.C.,
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From Australia: There is no adequate way to begi expressing my gratitude to you and th trustees of the Masonic Foundatiogr Scholarship Fund. Allow my to start bE saying that 1 would not be where 1 a@ today if it was not for your scholarshipan& its generosity. For four consecutive y e a 6 you have invested in me; not only doeg that demonstrate the compassion withi& you hearts, but also your faith in me f@ succeed as a teacher. 2,'~ 3 R
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During World War II a number of Masonic clubs were established by Brethren of the United States of America armed forces serving in the New Guinea and South West Pacific areas, in particular by Brethren of the IIth, 36th, 46th, 58th, 75th, and 104th U S . Naval Construction Battalion Squadrons. Other such clubs known to have existed included the HONG Club, AMlNG Square Club, EMlRU Square and Compasses Club, GUADALCANAL Square and Compass Club, NEW CALEDONIA Masonic Club, NORTH SHORE Army and Navy Masonic Club, AMIB-BIAK Club and the SOLOMON ISLANDS Masonic Club. It is possible that other Masonic clubs were formed by American Servicemen in the area as it is known that a number of clubs were indeed established by Australian Brethren and those of the various allied armed forces stationed in this war zone.
During my undergraduate career I received many homors and sp The United Grand Lodge of Queensland is seeking information in the compilation of privileges. I have been inducted int$ a history of Freemasonry during war time in this region and in this regard details of every honor society at Spelman. ~ f t d these clubs, their locations, records of meetings, together with particulars of the spring semester of my junior year, .i membership, meeting procedures and attendances, etc. are being sought. Any studied in Oaxaca, Mexico to enhance rn& documentation, book reference, photographs or photocopies thereof, which may knowledge of both the Spanish language assist in this project, would be thankfully received. and its culture. If that was not enoughJ studied abroad for the first semester of Certain records from a number of these clubs are available and while they have my senior year in Copenhagen, Denmark been helpful they are in no way complete and so a great deal more information is After residing in these distinguished needed. Any information you can provide on this subject would be greatly places and travelling all over Europe, 1 appreciated. have developed a unique identity, a profound sense of pride for my culture Graham R. White, O.A.M., P.J.G.W. and heritage and an astute respect and Grand Secretary understanding for those ofothers. These The United Grand Lodge of Queensland last four years have been the best years Box 2204, G.P.O. of my life and I foresee more. valuable Brisbane. 4001 years to come as I prepare to enter a world of endless possibilities. Finally, I would like to reiterate m appreciation for your scholarship. M undergraduate career might be coming to an end, yet this is only the beginning of the rest of my life. My future plans include teaching, attending law school and obtaining my masters in education, As I accomplish these goals and matriculate through my life, I promise to maintain correspondence so that you Cali monitor my success. The investment that you have made in me will continue ct flourish as I come closer to my goal educating the children of tomorrow-
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Sincerely, INykeesha Davis
From Florida: Help save the personal legacy of World War 11. The experiences and memorabilia of those who served in the armed forces and defense industries is a valuable part of this nation's history. The Florida State University's Department of History has set up The Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to collect and preserve this physical heritage for research, teaching and exhibition. If you or someone you know has letters, diaries, photographs, or mementos of the period, please contact: The lnstitute at the Department of History Florida State University Tallahassee, FL 32306-2200 (850) 644-9033 We will be delighted to send an information packet and answer any questions concerning donation of materials to the Institute and their future use. William 0. Oldson Professor of History
HOW TO DO INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE MASONIC RESEARCH by: Paul M. Bessel (the third in a Series of 10 Articles)
Use Basic Masonic Books
In every field there are certain generally accepted, basic books and magazines, in addition to encyclopedias. Anyone doing research in these areas might want to review what, if anything, these books say about the topic being researched. Some books for Freemasonry are listed at the end of the article. These books are available in many Masonic libraries, and some may be at your local public library. Many of them are still available for purchase from publishing firms. If you are already researching a particular subject, it will be helpful to you to consult these books. Or, if you have not selected a specific topic you want to investigate further, you can get good ideas for topics from looking at some of these basic Masonic books.
Gould ...........History of Freemasonry Throughout the World Bernard E. Jone ........ Freemasons' Guide and Compendium Pick & Knight ........................Pocket History of Freemasonry Knoop and Jones ............................Genesis of Freemasonry Lippincott and Johnston ..............................Masonry Defined Joseph Fort Newton ................... ...... The Builders Hammond .......................................... What Masonry Means Voorhis ................................................. Facts for Freemasons Crowe .............................Things a Freemason Should Know Claudy .................... . . .......... Introduction to Freemasonry Haywood ................................ Great Teachings of Masonry . ...... 10,000 Famous Freemasons Denslow ..................... Allen E. Robert ................. Freemasonry in American History Cerza ..................... . .............. Masonic Reader's Guider
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VETERAN'S HONORED IN POTOMAC LODGE NO. 5 senior Past Masters, John Christopher Schleter and William M. Sisk, were honored by the Grand Master, the Grand Lodge Officers, and a number of Past Grand Masters in Potomac Lodge No. 5 on Monday, January 17.
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On this occasion M.W. Schleter, Master of Potomac Lodge No. 5 in 1969, Grand Master of Masons of the District of Columbia in 1981, and Grand Secretary from 1982-1986,received his 50year service pin and gold card. He was raised in Potomac Lodge on January 16, 1950. This presentation was made by the Grand Master and by M.W.B. Marvin E. Fowler.
and almost immediately thereafter, he affiliatedwith P o ~ o Lodge, ~~c which he Sfwed as Worshipful Master in 1945. His 60-year pin, due in May of 19% was also presented bY,the Grand lhster.
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Brother Schleter, now a resident of North Carolina, remarked that it was a great honor to have his Pin presented by the Past Grand Master who was Grand Master in the year he was raised (1950), and expressed the belief that few, if any, brothers reaching the 50-year mark, have been so honored.
~f W.B. William M. Sisk, Past Mas Potomac Lodge No. 5 in 1945, was ra~sed in~~d~~ 628 in ~~~~~~k~on M~~ I, 1939, Marwn Fowler, Past Grand Master, helped Grand Master
M. W. Fowler, although just out of the hospital, expressed his pleasure at being present and recalled with pleasure his nany years of working with Brother Schleter, particularly in the Royal Order of Scotland.
Hatef~present Scheleter's 50 year pln at Potomac Lodge
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GRAND MASTER HATEFI MADE THESE REMARKS AT THE PRESENTATION OF A 50 YEAR PIN TO MOST WORSHIPFUL BROTHER SCHLETER: "This is a special moment in the life of this Worshipful Lodge, when the Dean of the Past Grand Masters of this Grand Lodge, Most Worshipful Brother Marvin E. Fowler, Grand Master in 1950, presents to another Past Grand Master of this Grand Jurisdiction, Most Worshipful Brother John C. Schleter, Grand Master in 1981, a Grand Lodge lapel pin in recognition of 50 years of membership in the craft. This is a moment which will become a shining and bright spot in the history of this Lodge, as well as that of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia.
"We are also grateful for the presence of a good number of our Past Grand Masters. These distinguished Masons have served their Fraternity and community nobly and we have been enriched by their love and labor. "Most Worshipful Brother Schleter, this pin is presented by your brethren, the Masons of the District of Columbia, who collectively applaud your achievements and wish you the very best in the years that are yet to come.
"Ipersonallyam very pleased and proud to take part in this auspicious "Most Worshipful Sir, I take great pleasure in offering you my event and share with my brethren, this precious moment, which I congratulationson attaining yet another milestone in Masonry. Allow will treasure as one of the highlights of my term in the Grand East. me to present you this gold membership card, which I urge you to carry. It verifies that you have served the Fraternityfor half a century. Congratulations
Grand Master presents 60-year Veteran's Emblem to William M Sisk. P.M Brother Sisk is the Senior Past Master in Potomac Lodge No 5 veteran's Award to John C. Scheleter, P.G.M., and Past brand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of D.C.
MANSOUR HATEFI GRAND MASTER 2000 Born in Iran, and educated there and in England, Most Worshipful Brother Hatefi, holds a combined Bachelors Degree in Law and Political Science and a Master of Business Administration Degree. About 20 years ago he came to the United States in search of a new beginning away from his native country. An alumni of London School of Economics and Political Sciences, he pursued advanced studies in the field of freedom of information at the George Washington University. Five years ago he married his lovely lady Farah, both of whom enjoy a high degree of popularity. The Voice of America, where they both work as International Radio Journalists, takes advantage of their linguistic abilities by using their talents in broadcasting to foreign countries. I A Master Mason of Iranian Masonic tradition and a Past Master of Hatef Lodge, holden to the Grand Lodge of Iran, Most Worshipful Brother Hatefi quickly became involved in the Masonic fraternity in Washington, D.C. by affiliating with George C. Whiting Lodge No. 22 (now mergedwith Potomac ~ o d No. ~ e5), where he served as Master in 1992.
bilingual lodges (Spanish, French, Armenian); a lodgewhich confers degrees pursuant to the ritual of Scotland; three additional lodges working in English with ritual pursuant to the District of Columbia; and a newly consecrated sojourning Armenian-language Lodge. At present there are under dispensation three more lodges. One is bilingual (Turkish) and the other two work solely in English. Our Most Worshipful Brother, a Royal Arch and a dedicated Scottish Rite Mason, was invested Knight Commander of the Court of Honor in 1993 and was coronated a 33rd Degree Mason, Inspector General Honorary in 1995. He is a member of Almas Shrine Temple, the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, and of the Knight Masons.
An accomplished ritualist, Brother Hatefi has served as an Associate Member of the Work and Lectures Committee of the Grand Lodge for a number of years. He is also an Assistant Director of Works at the Scottish Rite of the Valley of Washington in the Orient of the District of Columbia. At present, he is the Senior Warden of Pythagoras Lodge of Within the fraternity, our Most Worshipful Brother has set Research and the Senior Warden of Mithras Lodge of some historical records. He was a founding member and Perfection, one of the four coordinate bodies of the Scottish Charter Master of Mehr Lodge No. 90 in 1991. Mehr Lodge Rite in Washington, D.C. was the first lodge to be consecrated in this Grand Jurisdiction in almost half a century and the first bilingual With this auspicious beginning and with his dedicated lodge in 114 years to be chartered by the Grand Lodge. service to the fraternity during his years in the Grand Lodge Mehr Lodge was authorized by its charter to confer degrees Line, having been appointed Assistant Grand Chaplain and elected as Junior Grand Steward in 1992, Most Worshipful in Farsi, the Persian language. Brother Mansour Hatefi is destined to be an outstanding Mansour Hatefi was so successful in governing the Lodge Grand Master. that since then, the Grand Lodge has chartered three other
Grand Master Mansour Hatefi's Installation
Grand Master's Homecoming in Potomac Lodge No. 5
MARVIN E. FOWLER RECORDMAKER AND RECORDBREAKER
On December 27, 1999 our senior Past Grand Master, Marvin E. Fowler, reached another milestone in his fraternal life - the 50th anniversaryofhisinstallationas Grand Master of Masons in the District of Columbia. No one in this jurisdiction, and probably no one anywhere else, can lay claim to greater longevity as a Past Grand Master. But Marvin'ssingularposition isnot Grand Master of 1950, Mavtn E Fowler so much determined by the length of his days as it is by the services that he has rendered over the years. In the half century that has elapsed since his installation as Grand Master in 1949, he has by word and deed demonstrated his worth as a Master Craftsman.
TRUTH by: William D. Boker
For centuries learned men of every persuasion have searched for truth. Truly, such a search is commendable. It is not by coincidence that one of the basic tenets Of Masonry is "truth." But truth has many faces. Truth, as an individual may see it, may and can mean many things. One inescapable truth is that as the Grand Lodge is the head of the Mason~cbody; the Blue Lodges are the heart and soul of that body. As the Blue Lodges go, so eventually will Masonry go! Picture, if you will, every lodge as a wheel, spinning, turning and going off ~n its own direction. Now, picture those same wheels as gears or cogs, interconnected and joined in working together as a strong, cohesive body of force. The resulting Masonic power is awesome to contemplate. In theory, this is what should exist in the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia.
Marvin became a Mason at the age of 22. By the time he was 35 he was Master of his Lodge, and 10 years later, he was Grand The truth is that we are not truly working together as we should. Master. Moreover,whileproceedingthroughthechairsoftheGrand Despite efforts from various sources, we are not joined in a Lodge, he found time to preside over Columbia Chapter No. 1, complete, joint effort. Lodges sharing ideas and programs, even Royal Arch Masons; Adoniram Council No. 2, Cryptic Masons; socials together would make it possible to accomplish almost Columbia Commandery No. 2, Knights Templar; the four bodies anything. All of our lodges would be strengthened, the entire comprising the Scottish Rite in D.C., and St. Simeon Stylites jurisdiction would benefit. Officers from other lodges could visit and do degree work in the lodges needing help so that Conclave of the Red Cross of Constantine. candidates could receive their degrees in the lodge they chose Following his term as Grand Master he served in the District of to join. Columbia as Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons; as illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council of Cryptic If each and every Mason could be taught to believe, practice Masons; and Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery, and live, on a daily basis, the obligations of our first three thereby becoming a Four-Star Masonic General. But this was not degrees, all would be better men and better Masons. In truth, all; the quality of his leadership led to extended periods of Masonic isn't that what Masonry is supposed to be all about? Far too service, national and international, in Masonic bodies such as the many of our brethren, in the pursuit of personal goals, have lost Royal Order of Scotland and the Grand Encampment of Knights sight of what should have been their reason to become a Mason! Templar, USA, and as the Executive Secretary of th Washington Masonic National Memorial Association. is also an inescapable truth that Masonry has done a miserable b when it comes to public relations. Whether it be because of nocence, arrogance or complacency, we have failed to present Marvin's philosophy of life is well summarized by an he once made to the Grand Encampment. In that statement he our true face to the community. Who and what we are remains, said, in part, that: "It is entirely proper that we be proud of the for the most part, a mystery. Even though we participate in many accomplishments of the past. We have much to be proud of. But public ceremonies and our Lodge halls and temples are highly past accomplishments are not enough. We must strive always to visible, we are still perceived as a secret organization by many meet the challenges of each day. We must dream new dreams of our fellow citizens. We of course know that we are an and seek the way to make those dreams become reality. We must organization that has some secrets, as does every fraternity and strive to make the world a better place in which to live and rear our sorority in the world. We are attacked on all sides by the children. We must seek ways to make our Masonic Fraternity a vindictive and the ignorant. Masonry has been the target of every demagogue in history. We have been among the first attacked more vital influence in the lives of all mankind." by dictators and demagogues when they wish to suppress human rights. What we are and stand for and what we believe in, a Well said, Most Wo belief in God, patriotism, brotherhood, truth, men of substance 50th Anniversary.
and personal integrity establish themselves as prime targets. Who attacks us and why should they tell us something! If and when we are approached by a prospective candidate for the degrees of Masonry and if that candidate asks "What do you do?" our answer had best pertain to the present times, the millennium. Vague, altruistic answers will no longer suffice. The sad truth is that all of our pomp and ceremony and high sounding words and objectives, have scarcely changed in hundreds of years. What we practice and stand for is relevant and it is important, but we need to offer more to the young men of today. We must gear ourselves to the interest and concerns of the young men of today. We must face up to the truth that it is imperative that we find a way to blend their interests with our teachings, if we are to survive as a viable force. Thus we will have a voice in the betterment of our fellow man and the communities in which we live.
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LaFayette- Dupont Lodge No. 19 invites you to join in A TESTIMONIAL BANQUET to celebrate the 50th anniversa,ry of Marvin E. Fowler's service\ as Grand Master of Masons of thc District of Columbia
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Saturday, April 15,2000 Renaissance Hotel 999 9th Street, NW Cocktail Reception - 6:30 p.m. Dinner - 7:30 p.m. $40.00 per person (Tables for 10) Ladies Invited Reservations: Available throught the Office of the Grand Secretary, 5428 MacArthur Blvd., NW, Washington, DC 20016 (202) 686-1811
-FROM THE GRAND ORATOR by: George R. Adams
On the evening of December 18,1999, our incomingGrand Master, Most Worshipful Brother Mansour Hatefi, was handed the Grand Lodge Gavel of Authority and installed in the Oriental Chair as the Grand Master who will lead us into the Third Millennium. His installation heralds the beginning of a thousand years of Freemasonry in our Nation's Capital and closes a glorious chapter in our 20th Century Masonic history highlighted by a confluence of events that have uniquely positionedthe Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia to play an increasingly important role in this Grand Jurisdiction and throughout the world.
These bilingual lodges will add diversity to our Grand Lodge in the Century to come and, working together with our domestic lodges on the level of equality, prove that the more we communicate and work together for the good of the Craft, the greater the bond of brotherly love and harmony between us and our lodges.
As Isaid at Most Worshipful Brother Hatefi's installation, "I Trust in God and His Divine Providence." I do not believe that it is an accident that the Grand Master that we have chosen to lead us into the 21st Century is the Founding Master of Mehr Lodge, our Persian speaking lodge, a lodge founded in a nearly unanimous act of brotherly love for our Iranian brothers who had been exiled from their country and unable to practice their Masonry. It is no accident that we have as our leader for the new Millennium, a brother who has traveled throughout the world, who speaks many languages and who epitomizes the highest and noblest ideal of Masonic universality; a Grand Master whose vision, integrity and direction will bring great honor and harmony to our Grand Lodge The 21st Century will be marked by speed, death to distance, and and to Masonry throughout the World. It is no accident, that our the removal of cultural, racial, religious and national boundaries Grand Master is concerned with the welfare of all of our brethren which once isolated humanity. Freemasonry in the District of in our Grand Lodge. Columbia is already ahead of this curve. With the creation of our bilinguallodges, we are building multiculturalbridges where Masons It was the hand of Masonic brotherhood that placed our Grand from all over the world can sit in lodge together and share the values Master in the Oriental Chair of Mehr Lodge in 1990. It was the of our Craft in their own language, but with common symbols, ritual, hand of Divine Providence that placed Mansour Hatefi in the values and ideals. These bilingual lodges, together with out Oriental Chair of our Grand Lodge on the eve of our entrance traditional lodges, provide a uniqueness to our Grand Lodge which into the 21st Century. So Mote It Be.
Historically, Freemasonry's influence shaped our democratic society with those values eloquently expressed in the foundation documents of our country to a point that our democratic form of t government is emulated throughout the world as the model of a free society. This cycle was initiated in Europe in the 18th Century ' by our Masonic ancestors and culminated with the creation of our nation and its subsequent growth to this point in time. However, with the advent of the 21st Century a new cycle has begun and the message of Freedom of the individual under God, once destined for America, is now spreading throughout the world.
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is envied by many and which positions Freemasonry for the globalization that is proliferating around us in the new Century.
GRAND SECRETARY HONORED IN SAVANNAH Secretary, Stewart W. Miner, was elected and installed by his peers as President of the Conference of Grand Secretaries on Tuesday, February 22nd in Savannah. Previous to entering the progressive line of that organization, Brother Miner served as Secretary-Treasurer during the period of February 1992 through February 1997.
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Brother Miner will preside over the next session of the Conference in Phoenix, Arizona on February 19, 2001. He has announced his plan to make the presentation of a short history of the Conference, from 1928 to the present, the centerpiece of the conference program.
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The Conference of Grand Secretaries meets each year at the same place and time as the Conference of Grand Masters. While the latter is concerned primarily with policy and program issues, the Conference of Grand Secretaries focuses on matters dealing with record keeping, business proced inter-jurisdiction communication. Brother Miner follows Brother James D. Ward, Grand Secretary of Texas, as the leader of the Conference, which met for the first time in 1928. He is the 51st man to hold this office, and he is Officers of Conference of Grand Secretaries in North America (2000-2001). one of five Grand Secretaries to serve as Left to right: Russell McClelland (CT), Secretary-Treasurer; Robert Kalb (IL), 1st Vice president; president of ~the Stewart John C. s ~ ~ ~ ~ W. Miner (DC), ~ President; ~ Joseph Conway ~ (KY), 2nd - Vice President T ~ Marden ~ (NH), Assistant Secretary-Treasurer. ),a+V + 2 J 4 , . Conference. He is also the only D.C. Grand Secretary to be so honored. 2Q3,
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GRAND MASTER LEADS WORKSHOP AT GRAND MASTER'S CONFERENCE
At the recently concluded Conference of Grand Masters in Savannah, Georgia, Grand Master Hatefi presided over a workshop that considered the issue of doing business in Lodges open on the 1st degree of Masonry.
Among those most frequently addressed were the following:
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I In the discussions that evolved it was revealed that US. Masons did business in lodges open on the 1st degree the 1840s. From then until the late 1900s it was the practice in all US. lodges to conduct business only on the 3rd degree, with EAs and FCs excluded from Stated Communications. In the last 11 vears 12 US. e i changed Grand ~ o d ~have their rules to allow Worshipful Masters of Lodges to open and conduct business on any degree, with voting restrictedto Master Masons. During the discussions a number of questions pertaining to the rights of members in Lodges permitting the conduct of business in such situations were raised.
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Would â&#x201A;Ź4 and FC Masons receive dues cards? Would such Masons be eligible to sign petitions? Would non-Master Masons enjoy the right of visitation or transfer? -.-..-. - . . Could the EA or FC Mason participate in or receive a Masonic funeral? Would such Masons be eligible to hold office or appointment? would EA or FC Masons be allowed to vote, and if so, would that right be full or restricted? In the course of this workshop it appeared thai many of the participants believed it is likely that American Masonry will eventually adopi some procedures to permit greater participation by members who have not ye1 attained the MM degree. It also appeared likely, based on comments voiced, that in US. lodges the right to vote will continue to be restricted to full-fledged Master Masons.
Brother Hatefi received the warm Of his peersfora pedorncel Grand Master Hatefi and Junior Grand Steward, Paul M. Bessel. that was trulv extraordinarv.
GRAND MASTERS CELEBRATE WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY On Sunday, February 27,2000, the Grand Masters of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia joined forces at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial to participate in the City of Alexandria's celebration of Washington's birthday. On that occasion Grand Master Hatefi offered the following observations on the life, character, and achievements of Washington, the man and the Mason: As we celebrate this annual occasion, here and now, at the beginning of a new century... the man to inspire us is George Washington, the hero with a thousand faces. George Washington's life, perhaps more than any other, defined the scope of our Nation's vision, its struggle for existence, the institutional character of our government, and the open limits of our Nation's progress. Every generation may look back on his life and find a lesson of character, statesmanship, practical experience, and broad vision for a divers and expansive republic. The scope of Washington's experience, both symbolic and real, in the progress of the Nation, makes him an individual worthy of renewed and more focused national celebration. He is an ideal subject around which to frame educational programs on our national evolution and the many sources of our national heritage.
His passion for building a nation on a broad base of diversity, individual responsibility, character, and collective interests, suggests an appropriate under-pinning for a renewed and broader look at the man. Washington's life and strong character can be a lens through which we celebrate the continual rebirth of our nationhood and a beacon to the many countries which are now struggling with their own newly formed democracies. The people who live and work in America today, need to draw upon the inspiration and leadership of George Washington. Because to know and appreciate this remarkable man is to know and appreciate this nation. We are proud of Washington as our first President; we can be equally proud of him as a Freemason and the foremost Brother, and take a just pride in his interest in and affection for the Craft. What the craft represented in the 18th century were ideals of enlightenment and rationality ...and Washington embodied all the ideals of Freemasonry. There was a deep affinity between the spirit of Freemasonry and the rising spirit of American democracy. The passage of all these years, and all the changes which have altered the face of America drastically, have not eliminated Washington's meaning for the country he helped so significantly to build.
February 27, 2000.
Throughout his career, Washington sought to promote and reinforce the bonds that would sustain and guide the Nation.
Perhaps that is why, even today, more than 200 years later, and at the beginning of yet another century, the man to inspire us is George Washington, the hero with a thousand faces.
D.C. TO HOST NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN 2004 Gordon Lee Ferguson, Senior Grand Deacon, has announced that his proposal to host the Conference of Grand Masters and Grand Secretaries in Washington in February 2004 was favorably received by the Committee on Time and Place and approved by the Conference of Grand Masters at Savannah. In his presentation, Ferguson indicated his desire to bring these conferences back to the Omni-Shoreham Hotel, a site used many times in the past for this purpose. Brother Ferguson states that his bid was warmly endorsed by the leadership of the Grand Lodges of Maryland and Virginia and by the officers of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association.
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building as a historical landmark. At the Annual Communication of December 16, 1981 the Board of Managers reported that "the principal source of income fol the Masonic Temple Association is from ; rents of its tenants and the interest and / dividends from the Temple Heights PART Ill Investment Fund. These incomes and the recent assessments are insufficienl The crash of the stock market in 1929 and to maintain the Masonic Temple. the advent of the Great Depression forced Estimates indicate a substantial deficit in the sale of Temple Heights and the the coming yea;. Something must be abandonment of ambitious plans the Grand done and soon." Lodge had for "The Dean Tract" acreage. It also imposed a long delay on the sale of the The situation was resolvedon August 24, 1982 when the Masonic Temple temple at 13th and H Streets, N.W. Association signed a contract with the The temple continued to be a financial Holliday Corporation, acting on behalf ol burden to the Grand Lodge. Initially it was the National Museum of Women's Art, for hoped that the operation and maintenance the sale of the building for $4,750,000. of the property could be accomplished with (The final price was $4,809,354.84) The the interest earned on funds acquired from purchaser indicated that it was easier the sale of Temple Heights. However, over and more feasible to renovate the interior the years, the principal had to be invaded, of the building than to tear it down, and further reducing the funds available. The purchased the property on that basis. subsequent deterioration of Lodge rooms The site has since been designated as a and of the building reached such proportions historical landmark. that it was necessary for the Grand Lodge, BLOOD SHORTAGE on December 19,1962, to schedule all of its communications, with one or two exceptions, in the comfortable quarters of the Scottish There is a drastic need for blood in Rite Temple at 2800 16th Street, N.W. the Mid-Atlantic area. In the Washington, DC area there is less The Grand Lodge maintained its business than a half day supply of some types office at 13th and H Streets, N.W., but the of blood. Therefore, I am asking for Lodges meeting in the building began to seek your help in getting the word out in the other accommodations. It was not long Masonic community that we need to before it became ~ainfullvobvious to the donate and get others to donate. You i Temple Board of ~ a n a ~ eofr the-~asonic can call 1-800-GIVE-BLOOD,to make Association that not only did the Grand an appointment. Lodge not have the resources, but it had no method of obtaining them to keep the Temple You, your friends, and your family can suitable for Masonic purposes. donate and your Lodge can get credit. When a donation is made, your Lodge In May 1980 the Grand Lodge Trustees name and DC Masons should be received approval to sell the Temple property given to the Red Cross. Then you for not less than $300 per square foot and need to tell you Lodge Blood Bank so advised the Masonic Temple Association. Chairman the name of the donor, the The Board of Managers considered several date and place of the donation, and options, including a proposal to tear down whether the donation was blood or the building. This option was taken out of platelets. If you have any questions, the picture by the Joint Committee on call Bill Greschel at (703) 318-8279. Landmarks of the National Capital Area, which was considering designating the Thanks for your help, THE MEETING PLACES OF THE GRAND LODGE OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA by: Carl R. LeVine Grand Historian
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Thus, a Special Communication of the Grand Lodge was held at the Temple at 13th and H Streets, N.W. on January 26, 1983 for the purpose of saying farewell to a "Temple worthy of Masonry and worthy of the City" and affer an occupancy of 75 years, the Fraternity was again without a home of its own. In mid-July of 1983 the Grand Lodge moved its office to the Oriental Building Association building at 600 F. Street, N.W. Being without an edifice it could call its own, the procurement of such an edifice became a high priority. After much investigation the purchase of a building located at 5428-32 MacArthur Boulevard, N.W. for a price of $1,250,000 was approved at a Special Communication on August 21, 1988, and on October 7, 1988, the Grand Lodge became the legal owner of the new property. The new building was renovated as an office, library, and museum and was occupied in May 1990. Its splendid appointments make this new home for the Grand Lodge a most comfortable place to conduct its affairs now and for the foreseeable future.
HELP WANTED The Masonic Service Association of North America will be having an opening in its computerized Mailing LisffOrder Department in June 2000. Principal duties include maintaining a computerized mailing list, and being responsible for making new entries, changes of address, and transmitting information to our commercial mailer. The employee is also responsible for preparing and shipping orders received at the MSA office. Because we are a small office, other responsibilities will tend to overlap, with employees helping each other as needed. MSA does not, unfortunately, have the resources to offer a primary health care plan or retirement benefits. But we do offer vacation time, sick leave, and a good work atmosphere. Salary is negotiable. If you are interested, please contact The Masonic Service Association. Telephone: (301) 588-4010 Fax: (301) 608-3457 Email: msana@ix.netcom.com
"MASONIC MODEL" TO HELP DC CHILDREN & SCHOOLS by: Lawrence J. Chisholm
they get there, and (2) training in what is the appropriate action to take once the identification is made.
The Presidency: A Masonic Concept by: Akram R. Elias Grand Marshal
One New Jersey Grand Lodge officer. after observing only the first two days oi the training, responded in answer to a question, "If this program had been a1 Columbine, those two kids never would have gotten that far." All the signs reported to have been evidenced by the two gunmen, over a period of weeks, are In 1987, the Conference of Grand Masters exactly the behavior the Core Teams are in North America established, by virtual trained to look for and react to -early. (one abstention) unanimous vote, the National Masonic Foundation for Children. The Conference charged the Foundation ST. JOHN'S MlTt with creating a program that will help our ASSOCIATION OF THE threatened children, particularly aimed at DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA the rising tide of abuse of alcohol and other drugs. The St. John's Mite Association 01 Washington, DC is a philanthropic Since the Foundation's inception, 23 organization composed of one Grand Lodges have chosen to pursue a representative of each of the constitueni remarkable program, created, developed, lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand and supported by Freemasons, called Lodge of the District of Columbia. The "Masonic Model Student Assistance purpose of the Association is to render Training." The program has trained over matching relief to needy District of Columbia 20,000 teachers that has beneficially Master Masons in good standing, their wives, affected the lives of almost one-halfwidows and their dependent children. Relief million schoolchildren across the United may be in the form of food, clothing, shelter, States and Canada. fuel, medical assistance, burial and other such means of relief or cash payments as Beginning this year, "Year 2000," the Association may deem fit. Grants are Freemasons of the Grand Lodge of the made on the basis of requests made through District of Columbia will be helping DC's Constituent lodges. The normal action schoolchildren through this program. taken on such requests is to match funds provided by the member's lodge on a regular The Masonic Model works by training basis or, alternatively, to make a one-time Core Teams of 5-7 educators (teachers, donation. Only requests coming from the administrators, the school nurse, Lodge over the signature of the Worshipful guidance counselor, or even a cafeteria Master are considered by the Association. worker or maintenance staff member it they are known to have a special rapport Any brother knowing of a person requiring with the kids) in an intensive three-day immediate relief should contact the session. The components of the training Worshipful Master or the Secretary of the deal with addiction, violence, suicide, member's lodge to bring this information to depression, abuse - all the negatives the their attention. Should the Lodge assailing our schoolchildren today. But determine that assistance is warranted, the the most effective feature of the training, Worshipful Master may then request what sets it apart from other programs, is matching relief from the St. John's Mite the heavy emphasis on two key areas: (1) Association. For additional information Training in identifying who are the contact your lodge's representativeto the St. schoolchildren headed for trouble before John's Mite Association.
Much has been written about the Presidents of the United States who were Freemasons and what they did while in office, but I was unable to find anything written about the possible role that Freemasonry could have played in the creation of the Presidency as an institution. After all, how did this office come to be when no such precedent had existed in history? Indeed, for thousands and thousands of years, the likes of pharos, kings, emperors, sultans, and czars had ruled humanity. Then in 1787 the city of Philadelphia witnessed the birth of a document that would revolutionize human thinking and forever alter the course of political development - the Constitution of the United States of America. By stating in Article II,Section I,that "the executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States," the Constitution established the office of the Presidency. How did this happen? Where did this concept of the Presidency come from? And more importantly, how would the powers of the President be defined? My aim in this article is twofold: first, to answer the key questions already mentioned and to show how much Freemasonry influenced the establishment ~f the Presidency; and second, to trace the nfluence of Freemasonry in the Presidency's course of evolution over time.
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The 18th century in Europe, referred to as [he Age of Enlightenment, brought forth the nodern concept of Civil Societyl. 'hilosophers, thinkers, and scientists jiscussed notions such as individualfree will and the right of people to govern themselves .hrough representation. There is no doubt hat Freemasonry was the driving force ~ehindthe propagation of such concepts in Iurope. Because this assertion is well locumented with many articles and books mitten about it, for the purpose of this article, will simply mention the following iocumented key facts: ?eemasons had been electing their lodge spresentatives for at least one hundred rears and believed that the lodge epresented the ideal form of society.
The newly created Grand Lodge in London in 1717, decided to first 1 motions, the Master has the power to "veto" them. According to and foremost live by a constitution, a set of rules and statutes Pierce Butlefi , it was the character of George Washington and the intended to govern the behavior of all lodges. That document, entitled 1 utmost respect that he commanded, which ultimately helped the Masons persuade the other delegates to support the establishment the Andersen Constitutions, was published in 1723. of the Presidency as a separate institution, independent of Congress. The framers of the American Constitution, Masons and non-Masons alike, were very much the product of that Age of Enlightenment and That victory however was not "total" for the following reasons: were heavily influenced by those same ideas. It was therefore quite natural for them to embark on a new "experiment" with the aim of Although the President was granted a "veto" power, Congress could establishing a Constitutionalform of representative government. But override it by a two-third super majority vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate. how did the idea of a Presidency emerge?
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The establishment of the Presidency was probably the most contested institution and drew the most heated debate causing much contention among the framers of the Constitution. Supporters of Thomas ~effersonand his view of democracy as being the "Rule of the People" -from the Greek words demos crat - argued that the latter would be best achieved through a "supreme legislature" - the Congress of the United States - and a weak executive.
While Article I of the Constitution describes in meticulous detail what the legislative powers of Congress are to be and how they should be exercised, Article 2. in describing the powers of the President as I Chief Executive, is quite imprecise and vague. For example, Article ( I, Section 1 states: "The executive Power shall be vested in a I President of the United States". What does that mean? The likes of Jefferson argued that the word "executive" originates from the Latin ex sequor meaning "to follow out" or "to carry out"7 . Simply put, The fight to constrain the Presidency was led mainly by Elbridge the President was to carry out the decisions made by Congress. Gerry and Rufus King of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman and Oliver Freemasons argued, on the other hand, that the statement means Ellsworth of Connecticut, George Mason of Virginia, and Richard that the Presidentgets his powers from the Constitution itself - much Dobbs Spaight of North Carolina. Roger Sherman said at the like a Grand Master would draw his powers from the Grand Lodge Constitutional Convention that "he considered the Executive Code. This lack of a precise description of how the President's magistracy as nothing more than an institution for carrying the will of ' powers would be exercised has kept the door open to constant the Legislature into effect," the legislature being "the depository of interpretation of how 'independent" or "limited" the powers of the President should be. the supreme will of the Society."2
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Evolution of the Presidency
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Scholars and historians of our "Constitutional Government" have documented very well the ups and downs of the power and prestige of the Presidency over time. While different reasons would apply to specific cases, the one common denominator to all cases of presidential power shifts is the "open interpretation" of the precise powers of the President, Interestingly enough, on many occasions when the Presidency appeared to lose power or prestige vis-a-vis Congress, a Freemason President came to the rescue, reasserted the independence of the Presidency and imposed its leadership. Among the Freemason Presidents who did that were George Washington, Andrew Jackson. Andrew Johnson. Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Harry S. Truman:
The fight for a strong executive was primarily led by Freemasons like Gunning Bedford of Delaware, Nicholas Gilman of New Hampshire, Capt. Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey, Robert Morris of Pennsylvania, and James Madison of Virginia,and, in addition, by non-Masons like Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania and Alexander ' Hamilton of New York? Why were the Freemasons advocating a strong executive?4 I believe the answer lies within our Craft, Freemasons generally believed that the Lodge provided the ideal structure for society. And the form of executive leadership that Freemasons were used to is exemplified by the Master in the case 1 of a Lodge and by the Grand Master in the case of a Grand Lodge. The Master and Grand Master, once duly elected and installed, are given the authority to 'govern and rule' and be subject only to the "Code". So, in the minds of Masons, why should a duly elected and installed President become an "executor" for Congress? Instead, the President should be a leader independent of Congress and I subject only to the Constitution, i.e, the Code5. It was then quite 1 natural for Freemasons at the Constitional Convention to campaign for a powerful Presidency.
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George Washington - 1st President (1789 - 1797): "I view with unspeakable pleasure that harmony and brotherly love.. .exhibiting to the world a new and interesting spectacle, at one the pride of our country and the surest basis of universal harmony"- March 3, 17978
At the end of a lengthy debate, the Freemason delegates won the ' fight for the establishmentof the Presidency. More importantly,while Congress was to retain the powers to legislate, the President would As I mentioned earlier, it was the character of George Washington have the power to object and refuse to execute (later referred to as I that influenced the establishment of the Presidency in the first place. the veto power). Here again, we can see the influence of the Craft. Once President, Washington's conduct and policies asserted the Although any member of a Lodge may offer proposals in the form of powers and prestige of the Presidency. He truly became the "father"
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of the nation when, in his Inaugural Address, he so eloquently defined America's challenge: "The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered, perhaps, as deeply, as finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people... ." The President, and not Congress, was now inspiring Americans!
direct representative of the American people. He possesses original executive powers, and absorbs in himself all executive functions and responsibilities; and it is his special duty to protect the liberties and rights of the people and the integrity of the Constitution against the Senate, or the House of Representatives, or both together."
Further, Washington's actions as President reinforced the importance and independence of the office. On domestic issues, with the able assistance of Alexander Hamilton, Washington was an influential leader of legislation and a great administrator. In the area of foreign policy, Washington set a number of precedents that no later period of congressional ascendancy could ever erase: recognition of republican France, the proclamation of neutrality, the negotiation of Jay's Treaty9 , the use of executive agents, and the refusal to lay diplomatic correspondence before the House, etc.
"I must do what is right" - Senator Edmund G. Ross of Kansas (R) refusing to bow to Republican pressures and voted for Johnson's acquittal in the Senate's trial11
Andrew Johnson - 17fh President (1865 - 1869):
Andrew Jackson - 7th President (1828 - 1837):
Grand Master
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After Washington left Congressional power gradually rose at the expense of the Presidency, mainly due to Thomas Jefferson. 1 Jefferson successfully used the parties then existant to convince the things he wanted This him a very successful leader, but in the process, he gave more power to Congress. By the time Jefferson left office, the Presidency's power was diluted because his successors, who did not enjoy that party power within Congress, were not able to move the latter. John Marshall (a Freemason) made an extraordinary prediction when he wrote to ~ ~ ~in 1800 i the l elections t ~ ~saying: u ~ r ~, ~ appears to me to be a man, who will embody himself with the House of Representatives. By weakening the office of President he will increase his personal power. He will diminish his responsibility, sap the fundamental principles of the government, and become the leader ofthat party which is about to constitute the majority of the legislature."
~ f 20 tyears ~ of ~congressional supremacy and government by committee, ~~~k~~~~~resolute presidency was, in Professor mere revival ofthe office - it was a remaking of corwints words it"l0 . Jackson regained control over the executive branch. He asserted his leadership over departments within the executive loyal to him as President, and branch, encouraged a team He never missed an the use of the presidential opportunity to reaffirm the independence of the Presidency. In the South Carolina case for example, by reminding the American people that his duty to preserve the Union was as important as his power to execute the laws of the country, Jackson reasserted the notion that the President gets his true power from the Constitution, i.e, the "Code". Jackson's tenure as Grand Master ofthe Grand Lodge of Tennessee in 1822 and 1823 must have served him well, H~ was emphatic about the independence of the Presidency: 'The President is h e
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Jackson's impact on the Presidency endured for a long time. It was truly the first time that a President would affirm that his authority emanated from the Constitution of the United States, and it was this notion that served Abraham Lincoln so well in carrying out his duty as President to Dreserve the Union. Followina assassination, congress saw an opportunity to size down the Presidency and reassert its power over it. To the good fortune of the institution, Andrew ~ohnson,with much courage and resolve, refused to put on trial the leadership of the South, a position that caused him to become the first President in U S . history to be impeached by the House of Representatives. Johnson's Masonic membership was used against him by Congressman Thaddeus Stevens who was one of the movers behind the impeachment process and had been a leader of the Anti-Masonic Party from ,828 to 1842,12 Theodore Roosevelf - 26th President (1901 - 1909): "~SO~"Y makes a fine type of American citizen because aso on^ teaches him his obligations to his~ fellows in a practical fashion.. .. f f ~ ~ ~ ~ The I ~ S of S Brotherhood." O ~ - Address before the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in 190213 BY successfully resisting Congress and its attempt to force him out handed his a powerful wounded Presidency. Unfortunately, for the next thirty years or so, during the terms of Ulysses S. Grant and Benjamin Harrison. When Theodore Roosevelt, a Freemason, became 0 u r 2 6 ~President, ~ the Presidency regained power. "Roosevelt put the Presidency on the front page of every newspaper in America, and there it has remained ever Since with huge COnSeqUenCeS for its Status and authority."l4 He considered The White House to be a "bully pulpit" and led the fight for legislation advocating that "a good executive ... must take a Very active interest in getting the right kind of legislation". He successfully led the effort to promote the concept of ecological balance in our country through the National Park Service. In foreign policy! he again asserted the power the Presidency in such and the examples as the Panama Canal Pobmouthl5. Roosevelt established his position when he declared his "insistence upon the theory that the executive power was limited only by specific restrictions and prohibitions appearing in the Constitution or imposed by the Congress under its Constitutional ~owers..;
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Truman believed that "The President may have a great many powers given to him in the Constitution....; but the principal power that the President has is to bring people in and try to persuade them to do what they ought to do without persuasion". Isn't that what a Master of a Lodge is taught in the course of his Installation?
Franklin Delano Roosevelt 32nd Presidenf (1933 1945):
"The fundamentals of good citizenship are to be found in Masonrys- Speech in Jephta Lodge on September 17, 193116 Theodore Roosevelt passed a reinvigorated and quite independent Presidency to his successor, President Taft, who in turn passed it to Woodrow Wilson. President Wilson was intellectuallybetter prepared than those who preceded himin that office. While he was a great administrator known for his "moral" stance on issues, Wilson, however, drew his power by working effectively through Congress, in most instances, rather than by using the Constitutionas the source of power for the Presidency. Congress let him down in the end by rejecting the League of Nations for which he had labored so hard. This relative "weakening" of the Presidency, especially in the area of foreign policy, would be quickly "corrected" when Franklin Delano Roosevelt became President.
Conclusion
Gouverneur Morris, when arguing in Philadelphia for the establishment of the Presidency, stated that the latter would be "the guardian of the people" against the tyranny of the "great and wealthy who in the course of things will necessarily compose the legislative body." 19 Freemansons expected Congress to represent special and party interests, but expected the President to remain above the fray and act as the leader of the people similar to how a Master should "govern and rule" his Lodge. Given the current state of national and international affairs, America can still benefit immensely by a Presidency that is firmly grounded on those principles which have for ages characterized the Craft and its leadership.
FDR was an extraordinary President who truly believed that the essence of leadership was to face destiny head on. "In the first hundred days FDR gave Congress a kind of leadership it had not known before and still does not care to have repeated"l7 . Indeed, FDR initiated numerous programs designed to rescue the American economy from depression. In the days preceding Pearl Harbor, FDR led the American people and gradually prepared them for the "war" he knew that the United States would have to fight. It is no coincidence that FDR and Churchill, both Freemasons, led the fight to save the concepts of liberty and representative government. FDR summedup his ofthe stating: "The Presidency is not merely an administrative oflce. That is the least of it. It is pre-eminently a place of moral leadership". He, like George Washington and Andrew Jackson before him. acted with the conviction and confidence that the President was the true leader of the American people. Winston Churchill, when honoring FDR at the House of Commons said: "Roosevelt not only anticipated history, but altered it course, and altered it in a manner which has saved the freedom and earned the gratitude of the human race".
Margaret C. Jacob, Living the Enlightenment: Freemasonry and Politics in EighteenthCentury Europe, Oxford Un~versityPress, 1991 Forrest McDonald, The American Presidency: An htellectual History, University Press of Kansas, 1994 Ronald E. Heaton, Masonic Membership of the Founding Fathers, Masonic Service Association. 1997 Only two prominentMasons, Governor Edmund Randolphand James Blair of Virginia, had in the beginning opposed the establishment of the Presidency The Constitution would be the Code and departmental regulations would be the "bylaws". 6 Clinton Rossiter, The American Presidency, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1987
~F"R",",;I{~~~~, ourMasonicRasidents,Texian Press, lgg8
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William L. Langer, Encyclopedia of World History, Houghton Miffin Company, 1972. Rossiter
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13 lbid l4 Clinton Rossiter l5The treaty signed on September 5, 1905, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and mediated o,he,, Rooseve,t ended the Russian-Japanese War, Rogers
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Harry S. Truman 33 rd President (1945 - 1952):
"The highesf honor fhaf has ever come to me, and that ever can come to me in my life, is to be Grand Master of the State of Missouri.,.. As long as there are three and one-half million and more Freemasons in the United States, this great Republic can't help buf survive"- Speech before Marlin Lodge No. 152 in Texas on December 4, 1940'8 Roosevelt was followed by another shining president, Harry S. Truman, who managed to further the power of the Presidency. Truman worked very hard and astonished the world with his bold leadership and courage. He left an impressive legacy that included dropping "the atomic bomb, the adoption of the Truman Doctrine, the Berlin airlift, the Marshall Plan, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the decision to resist in Korea.
Robert F. Drechsler, Past Grand Master and Curator of the Grand Lodge Library and Museum, has announced that these facilities will be open to Masons and the public on Thursday evenings, from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m., during the months of April, May and June 2000. Brother Drechsler, who has been working persistently to catalogue our holdings of references and memorabilia, especially encourages the officers of our Constituent lodges to make use of the valuable resources that are now av&able to them.
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MESH BOARD APPROVES JOINING FORCES WITH FRIENDS LIFE CARE AT HOME TO CREATE MESH PROGRAM At a special meeting of the Board on January 29th, the MESH Board approved the joining forces with the Friends of Life Care at Home (Friends) to assist our members of advancing age. Friends is a non-profit organization presently serving over 1,300 of its members in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Friends will create a special group for MESH members under the umbrella of its organization. The mission of the program is to provide our members with the dignity and the ability in their late years to stay in their own homes with such quality assistance as may be needed at a reasonable cost without having to turn all of their assets over to MESH, lnc. The MESH program will have joint oversight by MESH and Friends representatives.
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months to develop the general operation and the MESH program. By the end of this period, Friends will have an office in Maryland and share space with the MESH headquarters providing a platform from which to effectively administer the program. Friends and MESH will work together with start-up of the MESH program in Maryland and the District of Columbia and provide quality control as well as fraternal liaison between Friends and our members. The MESH program will be designed exclusively for those of members and spouses who wish to take advantage of the program. Special provision will be made for members who are needy and who might not otherwise be able to afford the package. Once underway, the two organizations will jointly oversee the MESH program to assure quality care and service. Initially, the program will operate for the benefit of our Maryland and District of Columbia resident members and spouses who sign up for the program. Approval is not required in the District of Columbia. The
Friends and MESH will be operating under a very strict time table over the next 17 I
Maryland regulations governing continuing care at home will be more onerous; they are expected to be published next month. As soon as the final regulations are published, Friends will begin the application process for approval to begin accepting deposits from prospective members in Maryland; it is expected that this process will take approximately six months. Because of Virginia legislative and regulatory restrictions, Friends will not be allowed by law initially to operate the program in Virginia. However, MESH and Friends are optimistic that this situation can be corrected and are working diligently to effect this change. The plan will have portability provisions allowing an individual to continue in the program should he or she move to another jurisdiction after enrolling in the program. Implementation of the MESH program is predicated upon three strategic pillars: 1) Quality Service 2) Competitive Price 3) Quality Control. The MESH program will be competitive with other alternatives including long term care insurance in all three categories. Caring assistance, special pricing packages and quality control make the MESH program an alternative which will compare favorably to other alternatives which members may be considering. The organizational structure between the two organizations will include a Joint Steering Committee that will act as a clearing house for policy decisions and act as an advocate in the event that there is a problem with the , care much as it did when the Masonic and Eastern Star Home facility was in operation. I
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The Grand Lodge Library has about 2600 books on Freemasonry, including many reference MESH is very excited about this new activity be all Our Mas0nic and Eastern bookssuch as Coil's MasonicEncyclopedia, Mackey's Lexican andHistoryofFreemasonry . Star brothers and sisters. Our members may and Gould's Library of Freemasony. sign up for the MESH program after approval The section of the library on Thought and Talks has a complete set of MSA's "Short ofoperations has been obtained in Maryland. Talks" and contains C.F. Kleinknecht's Gems of Thouaht Encvclo~edia,which has a Details for enrollment will be available atthat wealth of information that can be used in Lodge bulletins. The section on Men in Masonry Questions should be directed to Lenore has many books on outstanding Masons, including Denslow's 10.000 Famous president, MESH, lnc.(202) 291Freemasons. These sources enable researchers to find short historical accounts on 3172. most well known Masons. Among the Grand Lodge's library holdings are several books which belonged to Benjamin B. French, Grand Master of DC from 1847 to 1853.
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On exhibit in the museum are several books from our rare book collection. Currently on display in the display case pictured above is an original copy of Anderson's 1723 , Constitution which is on loan to the library from the Masonic Service Association.
Grand Lodge Officers - 2000 (Left to Right)
Front Row Seated: Albert M. Smith, Senior Grand Steward; Gordon Lee Ferguson, Senior Grand Deacon; Jerold J. Samet, Grand Treasurer; Robert H. Starr, Senior Grand Warden; Grant R. Berning, Deputy Grand Master; Mansour Hatefi, Grand Master; Jules S. Tepper, Junior Grand Warden; Stewart W. Miner, Grand Secretary; Leonard Proden, Junior Grand Deacon; Paul M. Bessel, Junior Grand Steward First Row Standing: Franklin 0.Gayoso, Aide to the Grand Master; John Greenwood, Grand Lodge Liaison; Floyd E. Werle, Grand Organist; Fernando Castelli, Assistant Grand Chaplain; David A. Balcom, Grand Chaplain; Walter F. Simon, Deputy Grand Chaplain; Bilal M. Raschid, Assistant Grand Chaplain; Joel R. Kahn, Grand Lecturer; Sylvester J. Rychlinski,Assistant Grand Tiler; CarlosA. Landazuri,Aide to the Grand Master; Carl R. LeVine, Grand Historian; Gerhard Meinzer, Grand Tiler; Akram R. Elias, Grand Marshal Second Row Standing: Kwame Acquaah, Assistant Grand Chaplain; George D. Seghers, Grand Sword Bearer; Dara S. Esfandiary, Grand Pursuivant; Sheldon R. Rappeport, Deputy Grand Lecturer; John C. Feller, Grand Standard Bearer; David A. Freed, Grand LodgeAlmoner; George R. Adams, Grand Orator; Paul D. Gleason, Grand Lodge Physician; Paul T. Sumler, Grand Lodge School Tiler; VictorA. Petrossian,Aide to the Grand Master; George J. Stoklas, Grand Lodge Photographer;HamidAdib-Samiy, Assis- tant Grand Chaplain
BROTHERHOOD NIGH' at Nur Shrine New Castle, Delaware
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2000 Bus departs Calverton Shopping Center (1-95 & Powder Mi1Rd, Calverton, MD ) 3:00 P.M. Tickets - $35.00 - Payable to Grand Lodge of DC Dress: GLOs -White Tie, Aprons & Jewels; PGMs - Black Tie; lther Brethren Business Suit
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n ruP' "' '" "IDE - FABULOUS ~nnr 4ND FELLOWSHIP MARCH 1,2000
Voice of Freemasonry Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of D.C. 5428 MacArthur Blvd., N.W. Washington D.C.20016-2524
Non-Profit Org. US.Postage Permit No. 559 Washington, D.C.