The Voice of Freemasonry | Vol. 23 No. 3

Volume 23, Number 3

AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF D.C.

Voice of Freemasonry Volume 23, Number 3, 2006 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Albert McNair Smith, Grand Master MANAGING EDITOR Mansour Hatefi, Grand Secretary

The Voice of Freemasonry is an official publication of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted 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 Master and the Executive Board and, when attested to as official, in writing, by the Grand Secretary.

The editorial staff invites contributions in the form of informative articles, reports, news and other timely information (of about 500 to 1000 words in length) that broadly relate to Masonic law, lore, customs, history, symbolism, philosophy, responsibility of membership, etiquette, current events, and/or general public interest.

When possible, photographs that illustrate these informative articles should accompany the submission. Pieces

STATUE

OF

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

The statue of Benjamin Franklin, depicted on the cover, stands in front of the Old Post Office Building, at 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, in Washington, D.C. Originally placed at 10th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, it was relocated to the current site in 1982. The new location is most appropriate, for Franklin, who excelled in many fields, was appointed Postmaster of Philadelphia in 1737.

Having a statue of Franklin in Washington, D.C. is indicative of the significance of his life to the birth of this nation, and while he did not, because of age, have the opportunity to serve our present government, his labors contributed significantly to its creation. He was one of the writers and signers of the Declaration of Independence, as a representative of the United States, he was instrumental in paving the way to the establishment of the government we now enjoy.

This year Masons throughout America are celebrating the 300th anniversary of Franklin’s birth in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17, 1706. The attention now being paid him is well deserved. He became a Mason at age twenty-five and he worked for the Craft throughout the remainder of his life, in Philadelphia and in Paris. He was one of the organizers who planned the first Masonic building in America and in 1734, just three-and-a-half years after his raising, he was named Grand Master of the first Grand Lodge in Pennsylvania. Please see article on Franklin by Akram Elias elsewhere in this issue.

Happy birthday, MWB Franklin. Your work was your mark!

submitted should be typed, double-spaced and preferably accompanied by a computer disk in a neutral PC format or via e-mail to: grandlodge@dcgrandlodge.org

Table of Contents

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Cover Credit ..........................................................................................................2 Articles are subject to editing and, when published, become the property of the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia. No compensation is allowed for any articles, photographs, or other materials submitted for publication.

Permission to reprint articles will be granted upon written request to the Editor from recognized Masonic publications and others. When reprinted, articles should note: “Reprinted with permission of the Voice of Freemasonry in the Nation’s Capital, (month), (year).”

Grand Master’s Message ........................................................................................3 Serving the Leaders of Masonry .............................................................................4 Looking to the Future .............................................................................................5 Benjamin Franklin — American Statesman and International Freemason ..................6 Outreach in the Palisades .......................................................................................8 Have Gavel, Will Travel ...........................................................................................9 Universal Brotherhood Celebration ........................................................................13 Wreath Laying at National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial ..............................15 Was (Insert Name) a Mason? ................................................................................16 Fraternal Visit to Nova Scotia................................................................................18 D.C. Masons Compete in Prince Hall Golf Tournament ..........................................18

Please direct all correspondence to: Managing Editor: The Voice of Freemasonry 5428 MacArthur Blvd., N.W. Washington, DC 20016-2524

Masons Support Veterans Day 10K Race ..............................................................20 Calendar of Upcoming Events...............................................................................20 Masonry’s Past and Promise.................................................................................21 Tolerance and Brotherhood...................................................................................23 In Memoriam ........................................................................................................27 Fourth of July ..........................................................................................back cover Photo Credits: Cover Photo © Copyright 2006 Roy Tennant, FreeLargePhotos.com.

All photographs in this issue, unless otherwise indicated, were contributed by the Grand Lodge photographers, Brother William D. Means and Sviatoslav V. Voloshin.

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GRAND MASTER’S MESSAGE

Grand Master’s Message My Brethren: As I write this message I do so with heart that is filled to overflowing with appreciation for each of you and for the fraternity that brings us together. Our solidarity as Masons has never been more consequential than it is now — in a world that is seemingly preoccupied with conflict and the containment of the strife. May God give us the strength and the will to do right as we seek to establish a universal community in which truth and justice will everywhere prevail.

That we continue to labor diligently to achieve wholesome ends is evident. It is our constant purpose to encourage Masons to appreciate the principles of brotherly love, relief, and truth, and to actuate those tenets in all of the arenas of life. Our men, individually and through their lodges, consistently provide relief for the needy, defend the weak, give voice to the voiceless, feed the hungry, striving always to make the just powerful and the powerful just.

It is well that we do so for in our world there are many places where men and women suffer abuse because of their religion, race, color, sex, or ethnic or national origin. Hence it is imperative that we, as District of Columbia Masons, continue to stand tall in the defense of tolerance and universal justice, as we testify to the validity of a basic truth — that it is possible, even in the face of diversity, to achieve and maintain unity.

That we have made our mark in the world in our chosen work is suggested by the response this year to our annual universal brotherhood effort. On that occasion many Grand Masters, hailing from Grand Lodges along the eastern seaboard and from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, joined us for a well-planned program that included Masonic and civic events and a host of wonderful social activities, capped by a banquet in my honor at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

The last issue of the Voice of Freemasonry appropriately noted that the museum was until 1983 the property of the Grand Lodge. Returning to visit it proved to be a heartwarming experience, one that reminded me of our past, of our purpose, and of our potential, given determination and resolve. It stands, as do we all, as a reminder of the

role of Masonry in the shaping and perpetuation of society in our nation’s capital.

It was my pleasure at the testimonial to honor the contribution of women in our society. It gave me the opportunity to pay tribute M.W. Brother to those ladies that have Albert McNair Smith made such a difference to me through life and to pay tribute to those who have been and still are making a difference in the quality of life we enjoy. At that time it was my pleasure to assist members of the Masonic Foundation and the Scholarship committee in presenting Grand Lodge scholarships to a number of young ladies.

I would be remiss if I did not pause to express appreciation to those brethren who worked so diligently over the course of months to make the Universal Brotherhood week such a memorable event. Their efforts were exceptional and I want to sincerely thank them all — and especially Mark Hoffman, Patrick Nnaji, Geoffrey Morell, Teko Foly, Tom Lord, Doug Hillmuth, and Maximilian Ullman — for service above and beyond the call of duty.

Let me close by calling your attention to a letter of greeting received in our Grand Lodge office from the President of the United States, George W. Bush (See Universal Brotherhood Message). In his letter, the President recognized that: “Through public service and civic engagement, the Free and Accepted Masons are having a profound effect on the future and helping to build a culture of responsibility and citizenship.”

Sincerely and fraternally, Albert McNair Smith Grand Master

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SERVING THE LEADERS OF MASONRY

Serving the Leaders of Masonry he leaders of Masonry in the District of Columbia will again convene at the 4-H Conference Center in Front Royal, Virginia, on Friday, September 15th. The program to be presented is organized by the Masonic Education and Service Committee (MESC) and is designed to provide training experiences for all who aspire to or are interested in enlightened leadership in the Fraternity.

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MESC is responsible for the design, organization, and implementation of a coherent system of Masonic education in the jurisdiction for lodge officers and for Masons generally. The committee is charged to institute, promote, and conduct periodic conferences and other fora, including innovative presentations, seminars, workshops, and clinics which foster Masonic education.

This year’s conference is the 20th in a series of like conferences that was begun in 1987, under the leadership of MWB L. Robert Baker. In that first conference, Brother Baker endeavored to make those in attendance aware of the abundance of Masonic literature available at nominal cost, and to bring to their attention Masonic issues which he considered to be significant at that time.

Subsequent conferences, for a number of years, were similarly patterned, with each Grand Master, in succession, addressing issues of note, past, present, and anticipated. In time, however, changes in the structure of the conference were gradually introduced, and the program content became more motivational and inspirational in substance, with emphasis being placed on leadership and management techniques, group interaction, and open, less formal discussions.

The variations in the curricula have mostly been the result of changes made in the make-up of the MESC, namely the appointment of new chairmen, or cochairmen and members, almost on a yearly basis. In the past 20 years, more than a dozen of our learned brethren have served as chairmen and dozens more as members of this committee. Considering the year to year role of the

Mansour Hatefi, PGM Grand Secretary MESC, we are faced with a valid question: Is the absence of continuity and therefore continuous change a help or hindrance? A review of the recommendations of some of the past committee chairmen provides us with two somewhat different approaches: (1) The first, points to the lack of continuity, emphasizes the need for adopting a formal agenda for the conference; a multi-year officers training curriculum, with an aim to better understand the function and duties of various officers and grasp the relationship of their duties to those of others. A curriculum to provide continuity in training process, and eliminate the need to reinvent the wheel each year, with a program of selected courses like lodge budget, ritual, administration, and lodge charity, as part of a formal regime of education, with each category of officers attending the appropriate courses, in the space of three or four years, without repeating, on the basis of the premise that “you attend and pass if you intend to move to the East.�

(2) The second approach argues that no educational regime can or should replace lodge education and training programs, and that no short-term leadership training offering can be substituted for the experience of going up the lodge line in a regular manner. Adherents of this view maintain that training sessions provided by the Grand Lodge should promote concepts of education and self-improvement. Emphasis in this approach is placed on Masonic and personal growth topics that stress ethics, philosophy and spirituality. Programs presented by MESC must get the leaders excited and enthused, keep their interest at a peak level during the session, and send them home inspired.

Meanwhile, lodge officers, for whom these sessions are designed and conducted, while espousing one or the other option, or a mixture of the two, point to the need for an expanded program in the Spring Session, or separate sessions for different categories of officers during the year, to continued on page 26

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LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Looking to the Future n previous messages submitted to this publication I discussed Masonry’s purpose and the favorable position now enjoyed by our Grand Lodge. Viewing our mission from those perspectives, as we begin to plan for the unknown future, I am convinced that continued consideration of these elements is critically essential. In looking ahead we must articulate our goals succinctly and be unified in our efforts to keep Freemasonry in the District of Columbia true to its purpose and relevant to today’s society. To achieve those objectives it is necessary that we devise short-term and long-term strategies, firmly based on established Masonic beliefs and principles.

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To continue the tremendous progress we have made in recent years, it will be necessary to promote the cultivation of leadership strengths at all levels, in the constituent lodges and the Grand Lodge, through selfacquired knowledge, enhanced commitment, and agreement as to where we are, where we want to go, and how we plan to get there. This will necessarily require critical evaluation of alternative programs as well as the development of operational strategies for their implementation. In this effort a premium will necessarily be placed on dynamic thoughts and dynamic deeds by dynamic leaders.

The Grand Lodge is, in reality, an umbrella organization, comprised of constituent lodges, and it exists primarily to serve the Craft by implementing policies and plans approved by a majority of its members. The constituent lodges look to it, however, for many purposes, written and unwritten, including assistance, support, guidance, advice, and most especially, for inspiring, visionary and effective leadership. It is clear that the character of Masonry in this jurisdiction, as in all others, is impacted by the reputation of the Grand Lodge and its officers.

Nevertheless the vigor of Freemasonry does not depend on the Grand Lodge alone. We must never forget that the fortunes of the Craft also depends on what takes place in the lodge, that forum where the plans and programs of our jurisdiction, grand or subordinate, are put into action.

Hence it is essential that lodge leaders and their Grand Lodge counterparts have a common understanding of our goals and a mutual resolve to complete the work that is

Robert B. Heyat, Deputy Grand Master set before them. It is understood, of course, that the leadership, at all levels, must fully serve the needs of the membership as a whole.

It is my hope that as we move forward into a future whose potential is as unlimited as our imagination that we will adopt programs which will emphasize: • the perfection of selective candidate processes that will enhance the quality of membership, promote lodge activity, and motivate leadership training; • the planning of effective business and special meetings, in closed or open form, wherein the exchange of ideas and debates is promoted; • the involvement of our Masonic families (even extended families) and of friends through meaningful social events; and • the creation of sound and transparent financial structure to provide for effective lodge communications and for the support of lodge activities, special projects, and interaction with neighborhood activities.

In the future it will be necessary for the Grand Lodge to work even more closely with the constituent lodges than it has in the past to promote programs of general jurisdictional interest. As it does so it will be essential that the Grand Lodge officers give due attention to underwriting and promoting agreed goals and programs of the Craft, including Masonic education, worthy charity programs, community outreach, and interaction with other Masonic bodies.

To achieve the utopia that I visualize, it is essential that we generate a new faith in our members and project a new image to society as a whole. We can do this by reaffirming our basic Masonic vows; by adapting our Masonic practices to meet evolving world conditions; by improving our image, Masonic and public; and by becoming concerned with a growing multiplicity of issues impacting on the well-being of humanity worldwide.

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BENJAMIN FRANKLIN — AMERICAN STATESMAN AND INTERNATIONAL FREEMASON

Benjamin Franklin

— American Statesman and International Freemason hen Franklin went to France during the early part of the American Revolution (he landed in France on December 3, 1776), as the official diplomat and ambassador of the thirteen colonies, he had already established himself as a man of maturity, brilliance, ability, and as a world statesman. At the time of his arrival in Paris there was no other statesman or philosopher who could equal him in his ability and accomplishments.

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The years that Franklin spent in Paris were unusually fruitful for America and in his service there he helped work out the future destiny of the United States of America. The colonies indeed needed help of every description — men, money, equipment, ships, and all of those things which were essential to fight a successful war.

Franklin exploited the enmity which existed between France and Britain to solicit and receive French assistance for the American colonies. Soon after his arrival in Paris, Franklin held a secret meeting with Comte de Vergennes, the French Foreign Minister, and on January 13, 1777, following his official request for French financial assistance, Franklin received the promise of two million livres from King Louis XVI. This was a good start!

Franklin knew that French assistance was essential to the success of the American War of Independence. To achieve that objective he built a network of influential connections by which he was able to serve that cause. In that process he developed useful ties to Masons and their supporters in Paris, including Madame Helvétius and the members of the Lodge of the Nine Sisters. Having been raised in St. John’s Lodge in Philadelphia in 1731, and having served the original Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania as Grand Master, he was welcomed as a distinguished Mason of long standing.

Freemasonry’s existence in France dated from the middle 1720’s. In 1728, the Duke of Wharton (England) was appointed Grand Master of Masons of France, and thereafter ensued a period of great Masonic activity. Disputes and quarrels evolved within its ranks by the early 1760’s, however, but in the period 1771-1773, harmony was The Voice of Freemasonry

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Akram R. Elias, SGW reestablished and many French intellectuals and liberal members of the nobility, who had deserted the lodges, returned to active membership, just as Franklin came upon the scene in Paris.

Joseph-Jerome Lefrancais known as Lelande, a famous French astronomer, sought the assistance of another Freemason, Claude-Adrien Helvétius, to establish the Loge des Sciences for the Freemasons who were dedicated to the study of and research in science. Following the death of Brother Helvétius, his widow, Madame Helvétius, worked very closely with Lalande to expand the membership of the lodge to men of intellect and philosophy. Madame Helvétius used her “salon” for intellectual, political and philosophical discourse to attract notable French intellectuals and politicians and to point some of them in the direction of the Lodge of the Nine Sisters, formed in 1776.

Brother Amiable’s book, Une Loge Maçonnique d’Avant 1789, sketches with almost breathless sweep the electrically charged zone of the French Revolution.

Freemasonry in France, like the progress of the Craft in American Colonial days, was a school of patriotism.

Freemasonry of the French and American Revolution was neither watery nor apologetic. In truth it was a home and a laboratory for the cleansing fluid that acidly tried men’s souls, and sent the refined product out into the world to hang together or hang separately in the sacred cause of freedom.

The lodge’s membership consisted of several high level government and military officials. Among the former were François de Neufchateau, President of the Senate; Fontanes, President of the Legislative Body; Lacepede, Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honor; and Moreau de Saint Mery, Counselor of State. Counted among Military officials who were members of the lodge were Lieutenant General Comte de Turpin-Grissé; The Marquis d’Arcambal, Marshal; and the American, John Paul Jones.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN — AMERICAN STATESMAN AND INTERNATIONAL FREEMASON

While in France Franklin chose to live in the famous Passy quarter of Paris, from which he often visited the salon of Madame Helvétius, where he met philosophers, politicians, inventors, and artists, through whom he gained access to the centers of influence, intellect, and power in France. This enabled him to lobby more successfully the court of King Louis XVI for financial assistance, which totaled more than 20 million livres.

Franklin’s Masonic connections also enabled him to recruit military officers who would join George Washington in the War of Independence. It was as a result of such contacts that General Casimir Pulaski (1747 – 1779) and Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin von Steuben (1730 – 1794) were recruited to participate in the American Revolution. In a letter of introduction to Washington on behalf of Pulaski, Franklin wrote that the General was “an officer famous throughout Europe for his bravery and conduct in defense of the liberties of his country against ... great invading powers.”

Pulaski was invited by Washington to serve on his staff during the Battle of Brandywine in September 1777, and his performance during this battle earned him a commission as Brigadier General of the entire American cavalry.

Later, in 1779, Pulaski again distinguished himself in the battle to recapture Savannah, where he was mortally wounded. Today there is hardly a state in the country that does not have a community, a highway, a bridge, or a school named for this freedom fighter.

Steuben was also brought to the attention of Washington

by Franklin. It seems that Steuben, who was looking for an opportunity to continue his military service, was recommended to Franklin by Count de St. Germain, the French Minister of War. Franklin then wrote Washington that Steuben was a “Lieutenant General in the King of Prussia’s service.” He was advanced travel funds and eventually reported for duty with Washington at Valley Forge on February 5, 1778.

While it is not the purpose of this article to cite all of the Europeans who were influenced by Franklin to enter the conflict in America, it is reasonable to assume that he persuaded many others to take up the American cause. It seems certain that as many as 87 officers of the French Royal Army ultimately served in the Continental Army or with the John Paul Jones naval squadron. And it seems equally certain that before embarking for America, many

Benjamin Franklin, Freemason Benjamin Franklin was actively involved with Freemasonry for at least 55 years, starting in 1730 when he printed in his newspaper, the Pennsylvania Gazette, the first documented notice about Freemasonry in North America. He became a Mason in 1731 when he was initiated in St. John’s Lodge in Philadelphia. The next year he was elected Junior Warden of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and became Grand Master of that Grand Lodge in 1734. During his term as Grand Master he printed the first Masonic Book in this country — an edition of Anderson’s Constitutions.

As life led him to extended periods of service in Europe, Franklin continued his service to the Craft wherever he went.

While in England he visited St. David Lodge in Edinburgh in 1759 and was received in Benjamin Franklin — American the Grand Lodge of Statesman and International England in 1760, as Freemason. a “Provincial Grand Master.” Later on, in France, he affiliated with the Lodge of the Nine Sisters in 1778, which he served as Master in the years 1779-80; affiliated with the Respectable Lodge de St. Jean de Jerusalem in 1782; and was elected to honorary membership in the Loge des Bon Amis of Rouen.

of them were motivated to participate in the American effort by Benjamin Franklin, who proved his worth in Paris as a statesman, a Freemason, and a recruiter of essential foreign military talent.

Note: This article is a condensation of a research paper prepared and presented by the author in Pythagoras Lodge of Research on February 24, 2006. The research paper, in full, is available through the office of the Grand Secretary.

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OUTREACH IN THE PALISADES

Outreach in the Palisades s an established fixture in the Palisades community of Washington, D.C. since June of 1990, the Grand Lodge supports all neighborhood activities and makes annual contributions to the Palisades Citizens Association and its programs.

Moreover, every year, the Masons of D.C. march in the neighborhood Fourth of July parade, distribute miniature American flags along the parade route, provide essential manpower for the “hot dog” stand, and register neighborhood children in our child identification program (CHIP).

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The Fourth of July this year was a real big deal, a memory maker for adults and children alike. There was an enormous turnout for the parade and an overflow crowd for the picnic that followed. The Masonic contingent in the parade was led by MW Robert Heyat, Deputy Grand Master, who rode in a bright red, open jeep on which was displayed the banner of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. All told more than a hundred Masons, including a large number of active Demolays, labored to make the holiday one that was really “special.”

Richard Bautista, Grand Marshal William D. Means, President, Masters and Wardens Association

DGM Robert Heyat leads Masonic contingent at the Fourth of July parade

Uncle Sam (aka PGM Grant Berning) made his annual appearance on the Palisades

Palisades residents await the parade

And they did, indeed. All of them, too numerous to mention individually, worked hard to cater to the needs of all in attendance. And by their work they projected the institution of Masonry and the spirit of brotherhood that binds Masons together in a most favorable light. The Grand Master and his officers deeply appreciate the efforts of all concerned — the marchers, the hot dog cookers, the servers, and the brethren who manned the CHIP exhibit.

The events of the 4th of July this year are recorded, photographically, both on this page and on the back cover of this issue.

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Stoking the coals at the picnic

Cooking the hot dogs for the hungry throng

HAVE GAVEL, WILL TRAVEL

Have Gavel,Will Travel s a Mason as well as President, Washington intended that the laying of the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol be accomplished with Masonic ceremonies.

To this purpose a set of working tools were specially created for this historical event by John Duffey, a silversmith and reputed to be a member of Washington’s Mother Lodge in Virginia, Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4.

A square, level, and plumb were made from wood, but for

Dean Clatterbuck, PM Potomac Lodge No. 5

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became the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. While the exact rationale used by Washington in making these presentations is unknown, it is reasonable to assume that the Gavel was presented to Reintzel because he was the Master of the senior Maryland lodge present.

More than two centuries have passed since that historic day, and both the trowel and the Gavel have been present on many occasions and for many purposes since then. This article focuses on the Gavel as it resides in D.C. The trowel is the province of Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22 in Virginia. The Gavel uses as here recorded are derived largely from the minutes of Potomac Lodge No. 5 and from the proceedings of the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M. of the District of Columbia. While the early Lodge minutes and some Grand Lodge proceedings are often sparse in describing such matters, when considered together, they nevertheless provide insights into the many happenings, great and small, which have helped to form the history of our nation as well as a heritage of Masonry’s role in these events.

President Washington lays the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol Building, September 18, 1793. Credit: Acacia Mutual Life Insurance Company.

the trowel, Duffey used silver for the blade and ivory for the handle. A gavel head was fashioned using marble taken from the quarry supplying the original Capitol building, and the handle was crafted from native American cherry wood.

On September 18, 1793, these implements were employed in laying the cornerstone of the United States Capitol, with Washington presiding in his dual capacity as President and a Mason. At the conclusion of the ceremonies, Washington delivered the trowel to Elisha Cullen Dick, the Master of his own Lodge, No. 22. He presented the gavel (hereafter designated the Gavel) to Valentine Reintzel, Master of Lodge No. 9. Reintzel

The Gavel and U. S. Presidents

Washington was, as already mentioned, the first President to use the Gavel. More than 53 years would pass before President and Brother James K. Polk and the Grand Lodge would lay the cornerstone of the Smithsonian Institution on May 1, 1847. Four years later, President Millard Fillmore used the Gavel when the Grand Lodge laid the cornerstone of the Extension of the United States Capitol on July 4, 1851. The speaker for the occasion was the famed Daniel Webster. James Buchanan became the fourth President to use the Gavel when he dedicated the equestrian statue of General Washington in the District of Columbia on Washington’s Birthday in 1860. President William McKinley used the Gavel on December 14, 1899 for the Centennial observances of Washington’s death at Mount Vernon. This The Voice of Freemasonry

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HAVE GAVEL, WILL TRAVEL

marked the final use of the Gavel in the 19th Century.

President Theodore Roosevelt, an ardent and active Mason, used the Gavel three times in the first decade of the 20th Century, twice for strictly Masonic events. His first use was on November 2, 1902 at the Masonic celebration of the sesquicentennial of the date that Washington was raised a Master Mason in Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4. The second time was in 1906 for laying the cornerstone of the House Office Building. The third and last occasion was in 1907 to lay the cornerstone of the new Masonic Temple at 13th Street and New York Avenue, N.W. In 1913, William Howard Taft became the seventh President to use this great Masonic artifact when he presided at the laying of the cornerstone of All Souls Unitarian Church in Washington, D.C. As the years passed into the 1920s, President and Brother Warren G. Harding used the Gavel at the laying of the cornerstone of the Washington Victory Memorial in D.C. in 1921.

President Herbert C. Hoover used the Gavel at the laying of the cornerstone of the U. S. Department of Commerce Building in 1929 and for the laying of the cornerstone of the U. S. Department of Labor Building in 1932.

In 1948, President and Most Worshipful Brother Harry S Truman, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, used the Gavel at the Centennial Observance of the laying of the cornerstone of the Washington Monument on July 1st. On July 4, 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower used the Gavel during the Masonic cornerstone laying ceremonies for the East Front Extension of the U. S. Capitol, bringing to eleven the number of U.S. Presidents to use the Gavel.

The Gavel and Government On August 22, 1824, the Gavel was used to lay the cornerstone of the “City Hall” of the District of Columbia, at 4th and D Streets, N.W. This site is now the location of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. On August 10, 1898, the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania laid the cornerstone of the Capitol Building of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg, The Voice of Freemasonry

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Pennsylvania, using the Gavel. In 1903, the Gavel was used by the Grand Lodge to lay the cornerstone of the Army War Colleges at what is now Fort Leslie J. McNair in Washington. In 1946 the College was reorganized as the National War College. Columbia Lodge No. 285 also used the Gavel in 1937 to lay the cornerstone of the Arlington County Post Office. As mentioned above, the Gavel was also used to lay the cornerstones of the U. S. Departments of Commerce and Labor.

On October 19, 1957, one of the most unusual and significant uses of the Gavel occurred when it was personally used by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, to lay the cornerstone of the addition to the British Embassy in Washington, D.C.

The Gavel and Education The Gavel is “well-educated,” having been in attendance at the American University in Washington, D.C. for its cornerstone laying in 1896, and at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. for the cornerstone laying ceremony of the Law School in 1924 and again for the School of Government in 1938. In 1937, Columbia Lodge No. 285 of Clarendon, Virginia used the Gavel to lay the cornerstone of a new junior high school in Arlington, Virginia. In 1972, it was used by the Grand Master of Maryland for a cornerstone laying ceremony for three new dormitories at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. It has lately also been used by the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M. of D.C. in cornerstone ceremonies for a new dormitory building in 1996 at The George Washington University and most recently for a similar cornerstone ceremony there on September 5, 2002 for the new Elliott School of International Affairs and Residence Hall. And keeping in the vein of education, the Gavel was used to lay the cornerstone of the National Education Association at 16th and M Streets, N.W. in 1930.

The Gavel and Organizations and Businesses In 1904, the Grand Lodge laid the cornerstone of Memorial Continental Hall at 17th and C Streets, N.W. for the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

This building is now the oldest in the complex of struc-

HAVE GAVEL, WILL TRAVEL

lay the cornerstone of the Parish Hall at St. Albans Protestant Episcopal Church, located on the Cathedral grounds. The Gavel made its fourth appearance on April 21, 1929, the 140th anniversary of the original chartering of Potomac Lodge No. 5, at a Special Communication held at the National Cathedral to set the Potomac Lodge Stone (#78B), an octagonal stone with a round base used “...to support a column in the north aisle of the Nave niche of the entrance from the north wing to the main center tower of the Cathedral.....” The stone was dedicated by Bishop James E. Freeman, Diocese of Washington.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower lays cornerstone at the extensions of the east central front of the U.S. Capitol, 1959.

tures that comprise the Headquarters facilities of the DAR. In 1928, the Grand Lodge reprised its 1904 visit and laid the cornerstone of DAR Constitution Hall, a building designed by the famed architect John Russell Pope. On May 8, 1926, the Grand Lodge used the Gavel to lay the cornerstone of the Methodist Home for the Aged now the Methodist Home of D.C., at 12th Street, N.E. In 1928 the Gavel was used to lay the cornerstone of the Southern Railway Building in downtown D.C., and in 1959 to lay the cornerstone of the Friendship Branch of the Riggs National Bank (now the PNC Bank).

The Gavel and Churches The Gavel has been used on more than 25 different occasions by Masons to lay cornerstones of churches. Its use can be accurately characterized as ecumenical in nature. In 1888, the Grand Lodge used it for the cornerstone of the Baptist Church at 4 1/2 Street, N.W. in D.C. Between 1897-1905, it was used at cornerstone ceremonies for the North Carolina Avenue Methodist Church, the Hebrew Temple on 8th Street between H and I Streets, the Christian Church at 9th and D Streets, N.E., the Douglass Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, the Gay Street Baptist Church, Foundry Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Eckington Presbyterian Church.

The Gavel has made some of its most significant appearances at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul (the National Cathedral) beginning in 1907 when it was used to lay the cornerstone of the Cathedral located at Mount Saint Alban. Later that year, the first Episcopal Bishop of Washington, Reverend Henry Yates Satterlee, used the Gavel to lay the foundation stone of the altar at the Cathedral. In 1912, the Gavel was again used to

Since 1914, the Gavel has been used to lay cornerstones at Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist Churches in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, including Marvin Memorial Methodist Church, St. Luke’s Methodist Church at the edge of Georgetown, The Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church in Southeast, and the Cherrydale Methodist Church in Arlington, Virginia.

It has also traveled to Rixey Station, Virginia, to lay the cornerstone of an Episcopal Church, and to Palmyra, Pennsylvania, for a new Lutheran Church.

The Gavel and Monuments On July 1, 1848, the Gavel was used by our Grand Lodge to lay the cornerstone of the Washington Monument and upon its completion, the Grand Lodge again returned to assist in the dedication of that magnificent structure.

During the years of the Civil War, there are no recorded uses of the Gavel, but on November 10, 1867, it was used at the dedication of the Soldiers’ Monument at Antietam Battlefield.

In 1921, it was used to lay the cornerstone of the Washington Memorial at 6th and B Streets, N.W., and the speaker on that occasion was General John Pershing. In 1922, the Grand Lodge used the Gavel at the dedication of a monument to Admiral Robert E. Peary in Arlington National Cemetery where Peary is interred; it was unveiled by the National Geographic Society on April 6, the 13th anniversary of Peary’s discovery of the North Pole.

In 1984 on August 5th, the Gavel was used at the centennial celebration of the laying of the cornerstone of the Statue of Liberty. This event also was the culmination and official re-opening of the Statue following an extensive restoration.

The Gavel was used by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania on August 23-24, 1997, for the rededication of the The Voice of Freemasonry

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HAVE GAVEL, WILL TRAVEL

National Memorial Arch at Valley Forge, following extensive renovations which were underwritten by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

The Gavel and the Masons As the Gavel is a Masonic artifact, it seems only proper to end this article on its uses for Masonic purposes. They have been many, and due to the generous nature of its custodians, very few requests have been declined over the years. Suffice it to say that many Lodges up and down the East coast have had a Gavel presentation at their Lodge, and the Gavel Committees of Potomac Lodge have racked up thousands of miles of travel to allow as many Masons and their families as reasonably possible to see the Gavel and hear its story.

Not surprisingly, many of the Gavel appearances for Masonic purposes have also been for the laying of Lodge cornerstones, and not just in its own “back yard”: The District of Columbia: The Masonic Temple at Ninth and F Streets, N.W. (the predecessor Temple to 13th and New York Avenue) in 1898; the Naval Lodge Hall in D.C. in 1894; the Masonic and Eastern Star Home in D.C. in 1906 and the dedication ceremonies of that facility in 1913; the Masonic Temple at 13th and New York Avenue, N.W. in 1908; the Northeast Masonic Temple at 8th and F Streets, N.E. in 1914 (attended by Vice President Thomas R. Marshall); the Scottish Rite House of the Temple at 16th and R Streets, N.W. in 1911; a new Temple for East Gate Lodge No. 34 in 1922; the Washington Scottish Rite Temple at 2800 16th Street, N.W. in 1939; and the new building for the Georgetown Masonic Hall in 1964.

Maryland: Mt. Hermon Lodge No. 179 in Hyattsville, Maryland in 1893; a new Masonic Temple for Pentalpha Lodge No. 194 in Gaithersburg, Maryland in 1899; the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Baltimore, Maryland in 1930 and the cornerstone of the Masonic Home in Maryland in 1931; a new building for Chillum Castle Lodge No. 186 in Chillum, Maryland in 1959; the dedication of a new hall for Kensington Lodge No. 198 in Kensington, Maryland in 1971; and a new Lodge building for Oakland Lodge No. 192 in Oakland, Maryland in 1975.

Pennsylvania: The Masonic Temple in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, home of the Grand Lodge on June 24, 1868.

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Virginia: The cornerstone laying of the George Washington National Masonic Memorial in 1923 and again at the dedication ceremonies in 1932; the new Masonic Temple for Cherrydale Lodge No. 42 in Arlington, Virginia in 1936; and an addition to the Masonic Temple in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Washington’s mother lodge in 1951.

The Gavel and Masonic Ceremonies and Reenactments The Gavel has been requested for use or display at Masonic celebrations and anniversaries too numerous to recite here. Included among the most significant of such events, however, are the Centennial Celebration of the Grand Lodge of Maryland in 1887 and the Centennial Celebration of our Grand Lodge in 1911. It has also been used in reenactments, including the first ceremonial reenactment of the laying of the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol in 1932 and again for two reenactments of this event in 1993. It was also used in a reenactment of the laying of the cornerstone of The White House in 1992.

These lists are not exhaustive and possibly some important uses may have been inadvertently omitted, but they do serve to illustrate the many events and occasions in which the Gavel has been a part. For almost 213 years, it has offered opportunities for a Masonic presence at times of historical importance. It has traveled extensively in our United States, having made appearances as far west as Port Arthur, Texas, as far south as Orange Park, Florida, and as far north as Long Island, New York. Today, the Gavel continues its travel through time and its role in reminding us of our heritage by adding honor and dignity to events by its presence and the Masons who so proudly accompany it.

Author’s Note: Appreciation is extended to Brother Daniel L. Pflum, a member of Potomac Lodge No. 5, whose extensive efforts in researching the Lodge minutes and documenting the uses of the Gavel have been of invaluable assistance in the preparation of this article.

Editor’s Note: The length of this article, as written, necessitated condensation for publication in this issue of the Voice. An unabridged version is available by request directed to the Office of the Grand Secretary.

UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD CELEBRATION

Universal Brotherhood Celebration he 2006 Universal Brotherhood Celebration, June 8 – 10, was a festive occasion that truly lived up to its name. As the Grand Master indicated in his message, the event brought together Grand Masters and Past Grand Masters to Washington from jurisdictions spread around the world.

Patrick N.C. Nnaji, Grand Sword Bearer

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The program began with the raising of several brethren to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason on Thursday, June 8, in Naval Lodge Hall by Lafayette-Dupont Lodge No. 19. This Communication was followed by a festive board offered jointly by Lafayette-Dupont Lodge No.19, Naval Lodge No.4, and Washington Daylight Lodge No.14.

On Friday morning, June 9, the visitors from other jurisdictions were treated to a guided Masonic Discovery Tour of Washington, D.C. Included on this tour were stops at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, the White House, the National Mall, and the U.S. Capitol.

On Friday evening the brethren and their guests were brought together at the Scottish Rite Center for a multicultural buffet dinner, sponsored by the Bilingual and Emulation Lodges of our Grand Lodge. It was an enjoyable affair and it provided local Masons an opportunity to meet and chat with the visiting brethren and their companions.

The following day, Saturday, appropriately dubbed a Celebration of Universal Brotherhood, began with a Universal Lodge Meeting in the morning and ended with a gala banquet at night. At a tiled Universal Lodge meeting, open to Masons only, officers occupying the various chairs spoke in different languages, using the “D.C. Ritual” to highlight another aspect of Masonic universality. During the meeting, the Grand Master officially welcomed all visiting Grand Masters.

After lunch the brethren were bussed to the National Law Enforcement Memorial for a wreath-laying ceremony in honor of fallen law enforcement officers. It was The Grand Master and Lady Mary enjoy the Grand Master’s Testimonial

Masonic leaders in sister jurisdictions attend the Universal Brotherhood lodge meeting.

Ballroom at the Grand Master’s Testimonial

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A multi-course dinner, served on the first floor, followed the opening reception. After dinner, the Grand Master presented a dozen Grand Lodge scholarships to several High School and College students from the District of Columbia. Included in the presentations were two $15,000 scholarships to American University students.

The Grand Master also announced the presentation of the prestigious Grand Lodge Medal of Freedom. This award, in its second year, recognizes and honors American Citizens, who have made significant contributions to the cause of freedom. This year’s award was presented to U.S. Representative, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Congresswoman from Florida’s 18th District. Her historic 1989 election to the House of Representatives made her the first Hispanic woman and the first Cuban-American elected to the U.S. Congress.

a particularly impressive ceremony. The Grand Master and his Deputy, flanked by two columns of Masons, marched with solemnity and dignity to the memorial site.

An Honor Guard from the Metropolitan Police District (MPD) presented the flags of the United States and the District of Columbia. Then the wreath was laid, followed by a very moving playing of Taps by the MPD.

There were several toasts and tributes in honor of the Grand Master. In response the Grand Master expressed gratitude to his wife and family, to the brethren of East Gate Lodge, and to all who helped in making the Universal Brotherhood weekend a huge success. He also thanked the visiting dignitaries for gracing the occasion with their presence. “Only in Masonry”, he remarked, “can a gathering of such diversity of professions, politics, cultures, religions, and races, come together, work together, and play together, in fellowship, peace, love and harmony, for the good all of humanity.”

This year’s universal brotherhood celebration ended with the testimonial dinner for the Grand Master. This event, hosted by the Grand Master’s mother lodge, East Gate Lodge No. 34, was a happy conclave of class, philanthropy, old fashioned Masonic fellowship, sumptuous food, and good citizenship.

The testimonial was presented at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. This building was formerly the home of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. In an atmosphere that was reminiscent of some of Washington’s major state dinners, the guests socialized while enjoying some of the art collections in the museum.

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Timothy R. Bennett, Chairman of the Scholarship Committee, with 2006 scholarship recipients.

WREATH LAYING AT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEMORIAL

Wreath Laying at National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial he Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia sponsored a Universal Brotherhood Weekend, June 9th through June 11th. Attendees had the honor to take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 10th. The Memorial, which was dedicated in 1991 by President George Bush, honors America’s men and women, who in their efforts to serve and protect the citizens of our great country, gave the supreme sacrifice.

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The Memorial rests on three acres called Judiciary Square. Upon entering the Memorial from F Street, one sees two pathways with marble walls that bear the names of some 17,500 fallen law enforcement officers. The first known death dates back to 1792. A candlelight vigil is held each year during National Police Week in May and the new names of the fallen are added. Guarding the walls are bronze statues of a lion and a lioness. Under each are the words “In Valor There Is Hope” and “It Is Not How These Officers Died That Made Them Heroes, It Is How They Lived”.

Bradford L. Barco, Past Grand Master Grand Lodge of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations On that day, Freemasons, with pride and humility, thanked those who protect and serve. To those in law enforcement, such as Grand Master Smith and others, the phrases To Protect, To Serve and To Defend are not just meaningless words. They represent a way of life, chosen by those who are willing to serve and sacrifice to protect the rights and property and freedoms, not only, their own families and friends but of all citizens across the nation.

We ask the Supreme Grand Architect of the Universe to protect all the men and women in law enforcement, as well as all the men and women of our military, as they continue to preserve our way of life. May God Bless the United States of America and God Bless our Fraternity.

Fraternally, Bradford L. Barco Past Grand Master State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

Most Worshipful Albert M. Smith, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, along with his officers and approximately seventy-five Brothers from the United States and abroad participated in the solemn wreath-laying ceremony. The arrangement of the wreath symbolized the Masonic square and compass. The contingent was escorted by a color guard from the Bureau of Printing and Engraving to the sounds of a bagpiper. After laying the wreath, Most Worshipful Grand Master Smith gave an address honoring those who gave their lives in the line of duty. Following the Grand Master’s address, a member of the color guard played Taps.

DGM Heyat and GM Smith, under police escort, present wreath at the National Law Enforcement Memorial The Voice of Freemasonry

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WAS (INSERT NAME) A MASON?

Was (Insert Name) a Mason?

Todd Duehring, PM his question is repeatedly directed to the staff of the Grand Secretary by genealogists who seek information about ancestors they believe to have been associated with Masonry in the District of Columbia.

Usually the staff, relying on the membership card register maintained in the office, is able to answer quickly and authoritatively, and in return the requestor often provides Grand Lodge with additional membership information.

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In the recent past, two such inquiries proved to be particularly interesting. One of them was received from Ms. Elizabeth Siebert, who called seeking confirmation of the membership of man by the name of Charles Loffler. The file confirmed that he had taken his degrees in Arminius Lodge No. 25 and had remained a member in that lodge until his death in 1926. In return Ms. Siebert provided information on his very active and productive life.

It seems that Brother Loeffler emigrated to America from Germany and settled in Baltimore, Maryland, prior to entering the service of the U.S. Army as a career soldier.

A veteran of the Civil War and conflicts with American Indian tribes, Major Loeffler, retired from military service to become head doorkeeper of the White House, a position he held from the days of Ulysses Grant through the administration of Theodore Roosevelt.

His son, Carl, was secretary of the U.S. Senate from 1947 – 1949.

Pedestal on which the Jouvenal statue of Franklin rests

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A statue of Benjamin Franklin in front of the Old Post Office building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. (Š Copyright 2006 Roy Tennant, FreeLargePhotos.com)

WAS (INSERT NAME) A MASON?

Grand Lodge of D.C. MEMBER RECORD CARD REGISTRATION The preparation of the member record card register was begun in 1903 and was completed by the end of 1904. Since then it has been maintained, on a current basis, to the present. It is organized alphabetically and contains information on degree dates, affiliations, offices held, and, where applicable, information on the member’s date of death and place of burial.

The Grand Lodge is now making plans to copy this Jouvenal’s bust of Aaron Burr, Senator and Vice-President, is on display in the chambers of the U.S. Senate

On another occasion a request for information was submitted by Nannette Tiano who inquired about her great, great, grandfather, a man by the name of Jacques Jouvenal. Examination of the Grand Lodge records substantiated her view that he was a Mason. Brother Jouvenal’s entry in the membership register indicates that he was raised in National Lodge No 12 in 1856 and remained a member in that lodge until his death on March 8, 1905.

Ms. Tiano provided information to establish that Brother Jouvenal was a noted sculptor and that he had sculpted many objects for the D.C. public during his lifetime. She also indicated that Jouvenal’s sons were accomplished stone masons who worked in the District of Columbia Research of Internet sources indicate that Brother Jouvenal was born in 1829 in Baden-Wurttenberg. He emigrated to the United States in June 1853, spent a couple of years in New York, and then moved to Washington in 1855, where he spent the rest of his life.

According to his obituary notice, Jouvenal won fame for his execution of the statue of Benjamin Franklin, located originally near the corner of 10th and Pennsylvania Avenue, in 1889. It was moved in 1982 to its present location in front of the Old Post Office Building at 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (see cover photo).

register in digital format, hopeful that by so doing it will be possible to protect the original register from deterioration, to make the information more accessible, and to provide for the recovery of information in the event of disaster. When that process is complete, it will be possible to store the original membership cards in the Grand Lodge archives.

Jouvenal is also known for the marble bust he sculpted of Aaron Burr, completed in 1893 and placed on view in the Senate chamber the following year. Other pieces of his work that are on display in the Senate chamber include busts of Jefferson, Van Buren, and Webster. Jouvenal also sculpted other works of note, including a bust of Baron Steuben that was originally displayed at the German Orphan Home and is now located at the German embassy in Washington, D.C. Jouvenal’s sons, Adolph and Rudolph, followed in his footsteps by becoming stone cutters of note. His son, Adolph, like his father, was a member of National Lodge No. 12 from 1896 until his death in 1940. He is given credit for the erection of the Martin Luther statue. His other son, Rudolph, achieved prominence by carving the capstone and the keystone of the Washington Monument.

Hence, by the simple process of answering queries, posed as often as not by non-Masons, the lore of D.C. Masonry is immeasurably enriched.

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FRATERNAL VISIT TO NOVA SCOTIA

Fraternal Visit to Nova Scotia s a part of its ongoing educational program, several members of Sojourner Kilwinning Lodge No. 1798, accompanied by their wives, visited Nova Scotia in early June. While there they participated in a round of Masonic activities, including visits to a local lodge and participation in all of the activities associated with the annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia.

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Christopher E. Taylor, Senior Warden Sojourner Kilwinning Lodge No. 1798

The group, led by the Worshipful Master of Sojourner Kilwinning Lodge, Brother Victor Taylor, included Brothers Christopher Taylor, Alwyn Taylor, George Nicol, Robert Macauley, Jonathan Cole, Melville Richards, Ernest Members of Sojourner Kilwinning Lodge are warmly greeted by PDDGM Ken Pineo (L) and Grand Master Roger E. Eisner (Fourth from R) Jackson, Frederick Pratt-Davies, Wilfred Gibson, Percy Crowther, and Prince Deigh. Brother George Nicol, organized by lodge and rank. At the church the brethren Sr., a Mason hailing from Sierra Leone and Gambia, was were joined by their ladies and families. also in attendance.

Perhaps the most moving part of the visitation for the Prior to the opening of the Grand Lodge the group had members of Sojourner Kilwinning Lodge was the annual the opportunity to visit Royal Sussex Lodge No. 6 in installation of the Grand Lodge officers. Every member of Halifax at a stated communication. On that occasion the Sojourner Kilwinning Lodge was recognized prior to the members of Sojourner Kilwinning Lodge witnessed the installation of Grand Master Roger Ellis Eisner. At that conferral of the Fellowcraft Degree, with the the members time they were joined by Brother Ken Pineo, PDDGM, of Equity Lodge No. 106 doing the work. who ably represents the Grand Lodge of D.C. near the On their way to the historic city of Truro, site of the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia.

Grand Lodge sessions, the brethren of Sojourner Kilwinning and their ladies visited a Black cultural museum, where they received a brief lecture from the curator of the institution on the history of the Maroons (see insert), including a large number of Jamaicans who were resettled in Freetown, Sierra Leone, via Nova Scotia.

In Truro the Sojourner Kilwinning delegation participated in the annual Thanksgiving Service of the Grand Lodge. They marched to that service with their Nova Scotian counterparts through the streets of downtown Truro. Leading the parade were the flag bearers of Canada and the United States, followed by Masons,

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What is a Maroon?

The term Maroon (from the word marronage), is used in Caribbean countries to designate slaves who had rebelled or escaped from their owners. In Jamaica the Maroons fought valiantly against slavery and for Jamaican independence. In consequence many Jamaican Maroons were deported in 1796 to Nova Scotia and, eventually, from Nova Scotia to Sierra Leone. At that time a total of 543 Maroon men, women, and children were received in Halifax, where they remained until transfer to Sierra Leone, starting in 1800, could be arranged.

FRATERNAL VISIT TO NOVA SCOTIA

Following the installation the brethren retired to enjoy a sumptuous festive board, a round of well-spirited toasts, and a number of short, witty speeches, all punctuated by impromptu songs and choruses, including one offered by the Sojourner Kilwinning brethren.

Sojourner Kilwinning and Nova Scotian ladies assemble at St, John the Evangelist Anglican church in Truro

This delightful visitation was designed as an integral part of an ongoing Masonic education program of Sojourner Kilwinning Lodge. It continued a planned series of visitations, begun in 2005, when the brethren of Sojourner Kilwinning, accompanied by Grand Master Proden, flew to Edinburgh for the annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. Intervisitation on an international scale, they have found, has created interest and enthusiasm, provided avenues for the exchange of Masonic knowledge, and planted seeds of interest out of which further meaningful interactions will surely evolve.

D.C. Masons Compete in Prince Hall Golf Tournament Kenneth R. Insley, J.W., Benjamin B. French Lodge No. 15 n Thursday, July 20th, representatives from the Grand Lodge participated in the 2nd Annual Grand Master’s Cup Charitable Golf Tournament sponsored by the Prince Hall Freemason and Eastern Star Charitable Foundation. This charity event was founded to help increase scholarship revenue and to give more students an opportunity to pursue a college education.

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The tournament was held at Potomac Ridge Country Club in Waldorf, Maryland and the format was a 4 player scramble or “Captain’s Choice.” The Captain of the team representing the Grand Lodge was, of course, Grand Master Albert McNair Smith. Also on the team were MW Len Proden, MW Grant Berning and Brother Ken Insley, of Benjamin B. French Lodge No.15.

Insley and MW Berning helped the team get into a good position off the tee and Grand Master Smith made most of the putts during the round. However, the highlight of the day was the fairway wood hit by MW Proden on a par 5, which landed on the green and led to the scoring of the only “eagle” of the day.

Following the awards luncheon, Most Worshipful Brother Proden’s luck continued as he won a mini-plasma television in the raffle — but that is apparently what often happens when you purchase the most raffle tickets — as everyone later learned from MW Robert E. Wheeler. It was a memorable event and a good time was had by all!

The team played well, finishing in 3rd place, even competing against such talented players as the retired Dallas Cowboy/Washington Redskin, Alvin Harper. Brother

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MASONS SPONSOR VETERANS DAY MARATHON

Masons Sponsor Veterans Day 10K Race Kathy Freedman apital Running Company is pleased to announce that one of D.C.’s oldest Masonic Lodges, JusticeColumbia No. 3, has signed on as title sponsor for the 2006 Veteran’s Day 10 K. The race, to be known as the Justice-Columbia Lodge No. 3 Veterans Day 10 K, will be held on Sunday, November 12.

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“We are really excited about this partnership,” said Rick Freedman, race director and owner of Capital Running Company. “It will allow us to enhance the race for the runners, bring exposure to the good works of the Masonic Lodge, and increase the donation to our charity partner.”

“As any Freemason will tell you, ours is a fraternity dedicated to service in society,” said Nicholas Papadopoulos, the lodge’s 2006 senior officer. “It was quite clear that sponsoring this race to benefit the Helping Our Heroes Foundation was an outstanding opportunity to support a worthy cause and to help showcase Freemasonry in Washington, D.C.” The race benefits Helping Our Heroes Foundation, Inc. for the second year. The Foundation provides a way for

donated funds and services to directly reach injured military personnel and a way for concerned Americans to actively support the armed forces. The role of the foundation is to provide patient advocates, identify and fund educational opportunities for the soldier, coordinate specialty counseling (financial assistance, career, housing, etc.), and assist with emergency funding needs.

The 7th annual 10K race will take place in scenic West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C. It is one of the largest and most competitive 10Ks on the fall racing calendar, attracting runners from all over the metropolitan area, and from 27 states and Canada in 2005. The race features a generous awards structure with cash purse, a flat, fast course, ChampionChip timing, a lively team competition, longsleeve t-shirts, and post-race refreshments.

Note: This is a reprint of an article written by Kathy Freedman on July 14, 2006 for the Washington Running Report. The graphics are reproduced by permission of that publication.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS September – December 2006

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September 15–16

Fall Leadership Conference at the 4-H Center in Front Royal, Virginia

October 7

Lodge and Family Appreciation Night. Grand Lodge “Visitation” at Scottish Rite Center.

October 20–21

Grand Master’s Class at Scottish Rite Center

December 8

Grand Lodge Banquet at Hotel Renaissance

December 9

Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge at Scottish Rite Center

December 16

Third Communication of the Grand Lodge; installation of Grand Lodge Officers; Scottish Rite Center

MASONRY’S PAST AND PROMISE

Masonry’s Past and Promise Albert Pike ike every other human institution, Freemasonry has its faults, its defects, its imperfections, its inefficient methods, its inconsistencies, its shortcomings and failures, its periods of inaction and sluggishness. It often has to acknowledge, lament, as the churches do , that its power to do good is not equal to its will and desire; that it cannot make every one better and wiser who knocks at its door; that it cannot always prevent disputes and heal animosities and make whole again the broken threads of brotherly love, or keep every member from bringing reproach upon it by falling into an evil course.

But it rarely happens that it exerts no good influence at all upon its members; and it has never, by its influences or precepts, made a good man bad, or a bad man worse.

It has never made a man rapacious or cruel, a tyrant or persecutor, a libertine or extortioner, corrupt or dishonest, or false or treacherous. No man has ever been taught that he could serve Freemasonry by revenge or retaliation, or by an invasion of the rights of other men.

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Whatever its shortcomings and deficiencies, it has never anywhere been ashamed of its mission or afraid to avow and vindicate its principles and purposes. Nowhere has it betrayed the truth committed to its keeping, or been false to any trust confided to its hands. Everywhere it has maintained the chief landmarks planted by the fathers.

Everywhere it has been outspoken on the side of political emancipation and religious liberty; everywhere and always the apostle of free thought and free speech.

Everywhere it has encouraged men to assert the high prerogatives of their manhood, [to] always look upward to the sublime heights of human endeavor and attainment, and aspire to the achievement of better and higher things.

It has never exacted of any man, as the price of its aid or protection or of investiture with its degrees, the putting of his conscience into its keeping, the abnegation of any conviction, the surrender of any principle, the cession of any right, a blind obedience, or aught else that could lessen his title to his own self-respect.

If it has seemed to be more proud than was becoming or dignified, of being protected and patronized by mon-

archs and noblemen, and of counting among its members the chief magistrates and senators of republics, it has yet not truckled to power, or feared to speak its mind openly in the hearing of kings, or by an unworthy subservience brought immunity or ignobility, but has always kept un- impaired its estate of independence of thought and freedom of action and plain openness of speech.

It has not sought to imitate in their ambition, luxury and pomp, the great military and priestly orders of the middle age. It has not prospered by despoiling and plundering, by contributions and exactions, nor engaged in any immoral trafAlbert Pike, Grand Commander of the fic to augment its Southern Jurisdiction, A.S.S.R. revenues, but has always been content with its own modest and decorous way of living at its own expense. It never permitted wrong to be done, right to be outraged, conscience to be oppressed, cruelty to be perpetrated by tyrants, temporal or spiritual, anywhere, without protesting against it; and, if in its power, endeavoring to prevent it. It has never by an easy recreancy purchased safety when duty demanded exposure or danger.

It has taken no pay for any service rendered to humanity. When it has embraced the cause of a people oppressed, or of a race or sect persecuted, it has never done so with a view to its own aggrandizement. It has not claimed for itself, or endeavored to secure or attempted to use, any powers whatever over men not of its own household. Nor has it ever bargained for civic

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MASONRY’S PAST AND PROMISE

In the current intercourse of the world men too commonly turn the worst side of their natures outward, because the influences exerted upon human nature by the pursuits and rivalries and ambitions of human life are for the most part harmful.

In our ordinary life we too generally see men at their worst, they being unjust to themselves. offices or honors, titles or dignities for its initiates who have been the benefactors of their country; but it has always esteemed it their immortal honor and its greatest glory when in the cause of human liberty, they have died upon the field of battle or on the scaffold.

Whenever Freemasons in any time met in lodge together, whether in English inn or in open air, in cities or in the camps or armies, or in our lately peopled villages, where the church, the school-house, and the Masonic hall, builded side by side, marked the advance of American civilization on its march across the continent, ..... there have always been present in the lodge, as inspectors of the work, those divinities, beautiful and gracious, the spirit of brotherhood, trustfulness in the beneficence of God, the love of truth, fleetfooted charity, large-souled tolerance, and warm- hearted loving-kindness, whose presence has made the most plainly furnished lodge in camp or frontier village radiant with a greater beauty than that which adorns the chambers of luxury in the palaces of kings.

The field of Masonic labor is as wide as the world is; and everywhere in it the toilers in the sun will find work enough to do, and the same old enemies to overcome.

No matter under what forms the workmen organize themselves to attain that concentration of effort in

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which strength consists and on which success depends, no matter in what degree each organization embodies its teachings, making each a lesson for its affiliates, no matter what form of government or modes of administration each may adopt, there should be harmony and allied action among all, if the work of all is Masonic work, if the degrees are all lessons of Masonic truth, and if the aim and end and purpose of the labors of all are the same.

In the current intercourse of the world men too commonly turn the worst side of their natures outward, because the influences exerted upon human nature by the pursuits and rivalries and ambitions of human life are for the most part harmful. In our ordinary life we too generally see men at their worst, they being unjust to themselves. In our Masonic intercourse we see them at their best; they are just to themselves, and find reason to like and admire many whom, but for the brotherhood created between us and them by Freemasonry, we should always have believed insincere, dishonest, malicious or unjust. It is as true a saying as ever was said, that it is a great excellence of human nature, and a great gift to it from God, to be able to discern the good that is in other men.

It is the high duty of a Mason to seek for and find the good that there is in human nature, and, by knowing men, and especially those of the household of the faithful, better, to like and value them more; and above all, to cherish a conviction as strong and steadfast as if it were written by the finger of Deity upon our souls, that no difference of religious belief or of political principle, how great soever either may be, can make a brother less worthy of our loving regard and sympathy.

Note: After the laying of the cornerstone of the Scottish Rite Cathedral at 1007 G Street N.W. by the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, the Grand Commander of the Southern Jurisdiction, A.S.S.R., Brother Albert Pike delivered an appropriate oration from which selected paragraphs, reproduced above, have been excised for the benefit of readers of the Voice of Freemasonry.

TOLERANCE AND BROTHERHOOD

Tolerance and Brotherhood James Noah Hillman he foundations of tolerance and good will, or brotherhood, are fundamentally ethical in character.

They include, first of all, a willingness to recognize worth wherever it may be found. A recognition of the value of human personality, of whatever race or color, is vitally essential to the building of a worthwhile brotherhood. Character is at the center of improved human relations. Robert Burns, a distinguished member of the Masonic fraternity, was right when he wrote:

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Brother Walter Scott, a great Mason, and a great character, had the correct idea when he wrote: In peace, Love tunes the shepherd’s reed; In war, he mounts the warriors’ steed; In halls, in gay attire is seen; In hamlets, dances on the green.

Love rules the court, the camp, the grove,

What though on hamely fare we dine, Wear hodden grey, an’ a’ that;

and men below, and saints above; For love is heaven, and heaven is love.

Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine, A man’s a man for a’ that:

True Love’s the gift which God has given

For a’ that an’ a’ that,

To man beneath the heaven;

Their tinsel show, an’ a’ that;

It is not fantasy’s hot fire,

The honest man, tho’ e’er sae poor,

Whose wishes, soon as granted, fly;

Is king of men for a’ that.

It liveth not in fierce desire,

Man is not prone to be tolerant with, nor does he quickly fraternize with those individuals or organizations which he believes to be of little or no value. Tolerance and brotherhood must have motivation. One is moved to be tolerant with his fellow man if he has high regard for his character, his judgement, and his ability.

Likewise, one enjoys from those he highly esteems the fellowship and the friendship out of which brotherhood and tolerance grow. It follows, then, that if we would have others tolerant of us, we must prove ourselves worthy. It was a wise poet who observed that worth makes the man, want of it the fellow.

Another motivation for tolerance and good will is a spirit of altruism – interest in others. One who loves his fellow man is quite apt to be tolerant in his treatment of him. Real brotherhood stems from love. It is never built on hate, greed, avarice, or misunderstanding. If there is real brotherhood, even in “the household of the faithful,” it must grow out of good fellowship and sincere affection. Only love can drive out hate, greed, jealousy, and the other ills which beset and postpone the coming of that “Divine event,” when man to man shall brother be.

With dead desire it doth not die; It is the secret sympathy, The silver link, the silken tie, Which heart to heart and mind to mind In body and in soul can bind.

The brotherhood of man, which we all pray, is predicated on love — never on hate. There is altogether too much hate in the world today. As Masons we are taught to rejoice in each other’s prosperity, and to find joy in promoting each other’s welfare. We are admonished to befriend every brother who shall need our help. What can accomplish such a desirable result?

The motivating power of Love and sincere affection can do it, not only in the Lodge but also in the world at large. Our outreach of tolerance and good will must extend beyond the Lodge. All men have a claim on our kind offices. Until all men, and particularly all Masons, recognize the obligation to be friendly, if we would have friends, there is little hope of a real brotherhood among the peoples of this earth.

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TOLERANCE AND BROTHERHOOD

Another factor in the building of toleration and brotherhood is a generous attitude of mind and heart. We must cultivate the habit of thinking the best of our fellows rather than the worst. Friendships do not just happen. They are not the results of chance. They are, rather, the results of association and fellowship. It follows, therefore, that one who seldom attends the fellowship of his Lodge will have few friends among its members. One who accepts all the considerations and returns none, has few friends. Walter Foss expressed the idea I have in mind when he wrote: There are hermit souls that live withdrawn

In the matter of educating men to be tolerant of each other, and to recognize each other as members of one common family, the meaning, the tenet, and the spirit underlying the truth is all important. I have always been in favor of Masons learning the Ritual. I think one is always

In the place of their self content;

a better Mason, a more tolerant one, a

There are souls like stars, that dwell apart,

better brother to his fellow-man if he

In a fellowless firmament; There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths

simply knows the words of the Ritual,

Where highways never ran –

even parrot-like; but it is a much finer

But let me live by the side of the road

thing, of course, if with the words, one

And be a friend to man.

Let me live in a house by the side of the road, Where the race of men go by –

can know the meaning which they are intended to convey.

the men who are good and the men who are bad, As good and as bad as I. I would not sit in the scorner’s seat, Or hurl the cynic’s ban – But let me live by the side of the road and be a friend to man.

Such a spirit of friendship must be the forerunner of peace and good will upon this earth. We must, first of all, be friends if we are to build a lasting and effective brotherhood, either in the Lodge or in the world. What is more, such experiences of friendship and brotherhood can be builded in the home, in the Lodge, in the church, and in the school, either formally or informally. Here it is that foundations of understanding and good will are laid.

As Masons we stand fast for the sanctity of the home; we value the influence of the Lodge; we revere the sacred work of the church, and we cherish the principle of universal public education. The training provided in the home is what gives “mind set” attitudes towards others.

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Generosity and toleration, or prejudice and bigotry, are fostered by the influences which are most prevalent in the home environment.

To indicate the value of the home, I should like to tell the story of the minister in London who had an income of only $600 a year. In his modest home there were three fine, attractive daughters. The neighbors whispered among themselves that it was just “too bad” that such fine attractive girls were so underprivileged. Time passed. One of the girls married a member of the House of Lords; another married a man named Baldwin and was the mother of Stanley Baldwin; and another, so the story goes, married a man named Kipling, and was the mother of Rudyard Kipling. What is the explanation?

Home training — probably more than any other factor.

In the matter of educating men to be tolerant of each other, and to recognize each other as members of one common family, the meaning, the tenet, and the spirit underlying the truth is all important. I have always been

TOLERANCE AND BROTHERHOOD

in favor of Masons learning the Ritual. I think one is always a better Mason, a more tolerant one, a better brother to his fellow-man if he simply knows the words of the Ritual, even parrot-like; but it is a much finer thing, of course, if with the words, one can know the meaning which they are intended to convey.

To be tolerant and brotherly, one must know the source of toleration, of patience, of brotherhood, and of right relations among men. This material is obtainable in the literature of the race; in the writings of the great philosophers of history, and in recorded experiences of men across the centuries. However, back of all these outward manifestations of love and generosity there must be an abiding knowledge of the giver of light and the matchless example of His love to man. I think the following story will epitomize rather fully the thing I have in mind: There is said to have lived in Scotland a very distinguished English professor. He had a wide reputation as a good reader. He was indeed outstanding in his field.

One day he visited a friend in a near-by city, and on the Sabbath morning his friend suggested that they go to church. On their way his friend mentioned that the pastor of the church was one of the best-loved men in the whole community. He has been the shepherd of the flock for more than forty years. He was highly respected and greatly beloved.

Upon arriving at the church, someone recognized the professor and scholar and suggested that he be asked to read the Shepherd Psalm. He consented and read this beautiful Psalm with such effectiveness that the audience was held in rapt attention. After he had finished, some one suggested that the old preacher be asked to read the same Psalm. After some persuasion, he consented to do so. He was seemingly self-conscious. He read haltingly. He did not use the precision of the distinguished professor, but when he finished many of his hearers were in tears.

As the professor and his host walked home after the service, his host said: “Did you observe the difference in the response of the congregation when you read and when the old preacher read?” Said the professor, “Certainly, it was very easy to be seen.” Said his friend, “What is your explanation?” “That is easy, said the professor, “I know the Shepherd Psalm, and I can hold the attention of any audience when I read it, but that old preacher knows the Shepherd.”

So it is, my brethren, that we must know the tenets, the philosophy, the history, and the language of Masonry; but, better still, we are privileged to know and to practice the full meaning of Masonry and the Ritual as we follow the designs laid down in the Great Book of Nature and Revelation; for in it we find not only our spiritual, moral, and Masonic trestleboard, but we can also know the teaching of the great Architect of the Universe, the one Almighty parent who has created us of one blood, who wills that we be one great family of friends and brothers, and that we strive for the consummation of that age “toward which the whole creation moves,” and that time devoutly to be desired – When the war-drum shall throb no longer, And the battle flags are furled; In the Parliament of man The federation of the world.

This paper was presented by Brother James Noah Hellman, Past Grand Master and then Grand Secretary of Virginia, at the 1947 Conference of Grand Secretaries.

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SERVING THE LEADERS OF MASONRY

Serving the Leaders of Masonry continued from page 4

provide more time for the participants to take ideas back and work on them for the ensuing Masonic year.

The Front Royal Leadership conference has typically sought to satisfy the yearning of the individual for Masonic information while, at the same time, giving him the opportunity to satisfy Grand Lodge leadership requirements, tests and examinations pertaining to the code and ritual. Thus the programs have typically reflected the interests of both the Committee on Work and Lectures and the Committee on Masonic Education and Service.

In recent years, the Deputy Grand Master (DGM) has been entrusted with providing guidance for the MESC in the planning and conduct of the Fall Leadership conference. In this capacity, the DGM is presented an opportunity to present his plans, programs, and highlights of his calendar for the following year. In the forum thus created he and the leaders of the lodges in attendance are able to share ideas on how his objectives can be achieved.

Many of these conferences in the past specified certain themes, and some of them focused on themes and objectives for the following year or beyond, such as, “Look Ahead,” and “You are the Architects of Your Masonic Future.” The theme for this year, for example, is “Building More Effective Lodges.”

High visibility speakers have been a significant draw for the conference and as such many of the conferences over the years have featured a keynote speaker, usually invited from some other Grand Lodge. The intent has been to profit from the experiences of others, who, in facing similar problems or challenges, may have responded differently. Among those who accepted the challenge, spent at least part of the weekend at the Conference Center, and thereby enriched the leaders of Freemasonry in the District of Columbia are: 1989

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MWB Royal Schofield, then Chairman of the Masonic Education of Ohio

1990

Allen Roberts, noted Masonic author and publisher

1991

John Robinson, writer and defender of American Freemasonry

1992

MWB Donald Robey, PGM Virginia

1993

RWB Russell W. McClelland, then Grand Secretary of Connecticut

1995

Glen Opp, Secretary-Treasurer of the Midwest Masonic conference

1996

Dean Vaughan, author of Pennsylvania’s Friend to Friend Program

1997

Thomas W. Jackson, then Grand Secretary of Pennsylvania

2004

Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House of Representatives

2005

Ronald Seal, Sovereign Grand Commander, Scottish Rite, SJ

We are indebted to these Masonic leaders for the perspective they so willingly shared.

The Fall Sessions of the Leadership Conference at 4-H center in Front Royal are not only effective instruments in fostering Masonic education of the officers, but also in building a lasting camaraderie between the brethren participating in these sessions. Networking with officers of other lodges, breakout sessions with their respective counterparts in the Grand Line, pleasant environment, good food and sweet fellowship, have helped to create wonderful opportunities to meet old friends and make new ones.

The 2006 Conference promises to be no less satisfying than those which have preceded it. The Grand Master urges the officers of the constituent lodges to join him and the Grand Lodge Officers at Front Royal on Friday evening, September15th and Saturday, September 16th for a program that will showcase Masonic ideals, in a venue which emphasizes relaxation and sociability.

In organizational development, leadership developement is the strategic investment in, and utilization of, the human capital within the organization.

IN MEMORIAM

Carl Ralph LeVine, Grand Historian November 22, 1911 – August 17, 2006 he Grand Lodge has been saddened by the death of RW Carl R. LeVine, Grand Historian and Grand Lecturer, Emeritus, on August 17, 2006. He is survived by his wife Pearl and an extended family of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

At the order of the Grand Master the Grand Lodge was convened in Special Communication for the purpose of attending religious and Masonic services, offered in the King David Memorial Park, located in Falls Church, Virginia, on Sunday, August 20.

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At the time of his death RWB LeVine was a 58-year Mason, having been raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason on June 22, 1948, in Takoma Lodge No. 29, now Hiram-Takoma Lodge No. 10. He was also an honorary member of Temple-Noyes Cathedral Lodge No. 32, having been so honored by that lodge in the year 2000. Masonic services at the grave were rendered by the officers of Hiram-Takoma Lodge No. 10, with PM James W. Coleman acting as Master.

Brother LeVine, a tireless worker in the Craft, held degrees in engineering and law, and was a retired employee of the federal government, where he was employed for many years in the Department of the Navy. He put his educational training to good use, professionally and fraternally, and in both areas of interest, throughout his long and distinguished career, he set enviably high performance standards.

Brother LeVine was Master of Takoma Lodge in 1960 and during that year he began his service with the Work and Lectures Committee. His performance on that committee led to his selection as Grand Lecturer in

1971, a position held until 1987 when he asked to be relieved of that duty. At that time he was elected Grand Lecturer, Emeritus, while voluntarily continuing to serve, even to his death, as a member of the Work and Lectures Committee.

His love of the ritual induced RWB LeVine to labor diligently, at the direction of the Grand Lodge, to record the approved ritual of the Grand Lodge in written form.

Later, in 1994 and 1997, he also participated in the production and the revision of the official ritualistic cipher of the ritual of the Grand Lodge. Further, he was for many years the unofficial ritual instructor of many of our constituent lodges.

RWB LeVine, named Grand Historian by PGM Darwin Brock in 1991, held that office continuously thereafter until his death. In that capacity, he maintained thumbnail summaries of activities in the Grand Lodge, year by year, in a format consistent with that established by previous Grand Historians. In 1991, at the request of Grand Master Brock, he produced the last addition to the official histories of the Grand Lodge, a document entitled: “History of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the District of Columbia, 1962-1991.”

Brother LeVine was also highly regarded for his expertise on Masonic jurisprudence. He was chairman of the Masonic Code Maintenance committee for 25 years (1978-2003) and he was also chairman of the Jurisprudence Committee for 14 years (1989-2003).

Even after he stepped down from those assignments, his views on issues of law and protocol were continuously sought up to the time of his death.

Brother Carl Ralph LeVine was an honest, diligent, and proficient Master Mason, an exemplar of the kind of Masonic perfection that all Master Masons, in their work day by day, continue to seek. Alas, he is gone; happily, however, he will never be forgotten.

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Fourth of July in 2006 Approximately 100 Masons contributed to festivities on the Palisades this year. As usual, they marched in the parade, prepared and served the traditional fare of hot dogs and soda, and registered neighborhood children in the CHIP program.

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