The Voice of Freemasonry | Vol. 23 No. 4

Volume 23, Number 4

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

Holiday Dress

WHERE THOSE WHO SERVED NOW SLEEP IN PEACE A R L I N G T O N N AT I O N A L C E M E T E RY

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

Voice of Freemasonry Volume 23, Number 4, 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

HOLIDAY DRESS Depicted on the cover of this issue of “The Voice of Freemasonry” is a section of Arlington National Cemetery as it appeared during the 2005 holiday season. Some 5,000 graves were adorned by wreaths donated by the Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine. The owner of this firm, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but also assumes responsibility for trucking them to the cemetery, where they are placed on the graves by volunteers. Worcester has been doing this, the editor is informed, since 1992.

Arlington National Cemetery, a prominent landmark in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, was established during the Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Robert E. Lee’s wife, Mary Anna Custis Lee, a descendant of Martha Washington. Veterans of all of the nation’s wars are interred in the cemetery, from the American Revolution through the military actions now taking place in Afghanistan and Iraq. The pre-Civil War dead were re-interred after 1900.

This cemetery is the resting place of many notable Americans, including President John F. Kennedy, his brother, Senator Robert Kennedy, and a host of government servants, military and civil. It is probably best known for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which stands atop a hill overlooking Washington, D.C. There an unknown from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War now rest in peace. Not far from the tomb, in an adjacent sector of the cemetery, many other unknowns, primarily from the Civil War era, are buried.

informative articles should accompany the submission.

Pieces 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

Page

Cover Credit ....................................................................................................... 2 Grand Masters Message ..................................................................................... 3 Articles are subject to editing and, when published, become the property of the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of

What Manner of Men .......................................................................................... 4 Preparing for the Future ...................................................................................... 6

the District of Columbia. No compensation is allowed

Fall Leadership Conference ................................................................................. 7

for any articles, photographs, or other materials sub-

Grand Lodge Flagpole Dedication ...................................................................... 8

mitted for publication.

Oh, Say Can You See? ..................................................................................... 10

Permission to reprint articles will be granted upon

Appreciation Celebration ................................................................................... 12

written request to the Editor from recognized Masonic

Portrait Presentation ......................................................................................... 13

publications and others. When reprinted, articles

Masons Sponsor Back to School Fun Fair ......................................................... 15

should note: “Reprinted with permission of the Voice of

Grand Master’s Class........................................................................................ 17

Freemasonry in the Nation’s Capital, (month), (year).”

A Portrait of Robbie Burns ~ Man and Mason.................................................... 19 In Cherished Memory ........................................................................................ 22

Please direct all correspondence to: Managing Editor: The Voice of Freemasonry 5428 MacArthur Blvd., N.W.

A New Masonic Picture Book ............................................................................ 24 The Clock of Time ............................................................................................ 26 Grand Lodge Communications Schedule ........................................................... 27 An Unusual Visitation........................................................................... Back Cover

Washington, DC 20016-2524 Photo Credits: The photos appearing in this issue wer provided primarily by the Grand Lodge photographers, Brothers William D. Means and Sviatoslav V. Voloshin. In addition some photos were provided by Gallagher Photography or derived from open sources on the internet.

The Voice of Freemasonry

2

GRAND MASTER’S MESSAGE

Grand Master’s Message Brethren:

A

s I compose this message, my last contribution as Grand Master for our Grand Lodge publication, The Voice of Freemasonry, my thoughts are fixed on the aspirations that I held last December, when I assumed office, and on the achievements of D.C. Masonry in the months that have since elapsed. It seems to me that time and fortune have repeatedly favored Freemasonry in this jurisdiction, and primarily because of the diligence and perseverance of so many, we have been able to successfully convert the challenges we have encountered into opportunities to be realized. In consequence of our efforts, at every level, both the Craft and the community have been immeasurably benefitted.

At the time of my installation at the Third Communication of 2005, I harbored two basic visions. First, I wanted to strengthen the Craft, to remove all elements of division; to reinforce the walls of peace and harmony that bind us together; and to make us all more acutely aware of our Masonic heritage, our Masonic resources, and our Masonic obligations. These goals, I believe, have been achieved by those who have worked the plan, as set out on our trestle board, and have, in response, planned their work accordingly.

In consequence of our labor together, we have set new benchmarks for the Craft. I am impressed, for example, by what has been done by our lodges to turn membership trends into a more favorable direction. In the year ending on September 30th, 133 men were raised in 26 of our 34 degree-conferring lodges. That is great. And another 32 Master Masons were just raised in our 2006 Grand Master's Class. We may be approaching the dawn of a new day, one in which new leaders, new ideas, and new and innovative programs will stimulate the interest of all of our Masons, young and old.

My second vision at the time of my installation was one that involved a continuation of our established public relations programs, along with the development of new efforts to strengthen our ties to the various communities that make up this great city. Happily, in that endeavor, we have enjoyed much success. The Initiated Eye Exhibit, for example, has been on continuous display in the George Washington Masonic National Memorial and it is now scheduled for showings elsewhere by several sister Grand Lodges.

This year our community relations effort included the hosting of some 400 inner-city youth at a Washington Nationals baseball game; sponsorship of the D.C. Special Olympics; a wreath-laying, in conjunction with our Universal Brotherhood Celebration, at the National Law Enforcement Memorial; the presentation of our Grand Lodge Medal of Freedom to an outstanding congresswoman; the raising of $26,000 for the refurbishing of the chapel at the Washington, D.C. Veteran's Affairs Medical Center; and collaboration with the National Geographic Society to produce a video on Masonry for viewing on the National Geographic Channel.

M.W. Brother I am especially grateful to the offiAlbert McNair Smith cers and members of East Gate Lodge No. 34, my mother lodge, for the support they have provided me all through the year. I am especially appreciative of their arrangement of a testimonial in my honor at our former Grand Lodge building at 13th Street and New York Avenue. It gave many of us who had not previously had the opportunity to meet in that building, when it was ours, a chance to savor the good taste, the hard work, and the perseveraence of those who had the wisdom to build it.

While it is not possible, nor prudent, for me to attempt to recognize all who have made this an eventful year, I do want to express my gratitude to several groups of brethren who, by their willingness to work without hope of fee or reward, lightened my burdens considerably.

Included therein are the officers and members of the constituent lodges; the officers and members of the Grand Lodge, elected and appointed; the Past Grand Masters; and the many members of the Grand Lodge committees, without whose efforts program implementation, in many instances, would have been impossible.

Before I close I want to commend our Grand Secretary, MW Mansour Hatefi, and his staff Todd Duehring, Dean Clatterbuck, and Walter Hoenes for their exemplary support. My every want was their command. This Grand

continued on page 4 The Voice of Freemasonry

3

WHAT MANNER OF MEN

What Manner of Men Mansour Hatefi,

“…So from day to day and strength to strength, you shall

members or a new candidate. What do they see?

build up an edifice of which it shall not be said: ‘See what manner of stones are here,’ but’ see what manner of men.”

John Ruskin

The purpose of Freemasonry is wide in scope and universal in appeal. For those whose interests are spiritual, there are never-ending opportunities for advancement; for the lonely, the fellowship of good friends and the happiness of social intercourse; for the ritualist, the beautiful ceremonies, the ancient landmarks, the symbolism of the regalia; and for all, with the rush and turmoil of the present world, there is the healing peace of the lodge. Our purpose is to provide a change from the daily atmosphere, a safe and sacred retreat for brethren tired of the hustle and bustle of modern living, an opportunity to spend a quiet evening in contemplation of the blessings and the needs of mankind.

A

t the end of yet another year, conscious of where we are, and with an eye towards where we are going, I am mindful of the many real and perceived problems facing our fraternity in the dawn of the 21st Century. We face a world with new values, new opportunities and new challenges, different from that which was faced by our founding fathers.

But I strongly believe that there are no new problems under the sun; only new men dealing with old problems.

As Masons we seem not to look to the past, to see what is right with the institution; what it is that has enabled the Craft to survive. Instead, looking at the present and seeing only what is wrong, we tend to change some of the fundamental precepts and tenets that keep us viable as men and Masons. I believe in change, but I also believe that the uniqueness of Masonry is our strength. We offer something to men that can't be found anywhere else. Let us then pause long enough to take a good look at Masonry, at our lodges, and at ourselves. Let us observe ourselves perhaps through the eyes of prospective

Grand Master’s Message continued from page 3

Lodge is fortunate, indeed, to have its Grand Lodge Office manned by such dedicated and knowledgeable Masons, men who respond faithfully to the many and diverse demands made upon them, men whose sole aim is to cheerfully provide professional service to one and all.

Let me now close by stating how honored I have been by being permitted to serve you as the Grand Master of Masons of the District of Columbia. Being a Freemason in this great city is for me a source of pride and joy, an experience that I shall never, ever forget. Permit me The Voice of Freemasonry

4

PGM, Grand Secretary

I believe men want what Masonry offers. People today appear to be searching for direction, peace of mind. Masonry can play and important and necessary role for men.

Masonry offers true friendship, solace in time of sorrow or need, a solid rock of morality. We have the responsibility of continuing to offer this to good men, in a way that will attract, enthuse, stimulate, challenge and encourage the uninitiated to our circles of friendship and brotherly love.

The purpose of Masonry is the same as it has always

then to close with words taken from a melody written

by Thomas Moore, who said what I would like to say in these words:

Farewell! But whenever you welcome the hour Which awakens the night-song of mirth in your bow'r Then think of the friend who once welcom'd it too, And forgot his own grief to be happy with you.

His griefs may return, not a hope may remain, Of the few that have brightened his pathway of pain, But he ne'er will forget his short vision that threw The enchantment around him, while ling'ring with you.

Albert McNair Smith, Grand Master

WHAT MANNER OF MEN

been. That is to take an individual, just one man at a time, mind you, and try to improve his quality of life.

The entire philosophy of Freemasonry is built around the individual, the erection of a moral edifice within the heart of a man and it is aimed at making every individual wiser, better, and happier. Hence the future of Freemasonry depends on the influence it exerts on the lives of those within its realm.

positions of responsibility. The mantle of leadership weighs heavily on the shoulders of those who assume it and, in many cases, is assumed more as a concession to the lodge rather than from strong desire to take the helm and actively guide the craft to new levels of accomplishment. To this end it is essential that long range plans be developed to assure the proper preparation of our present and future leaders.

Looking at Masonry candidly and thoughtfully, it seems to me that the greatest single need of our Craft today is a membership with better understanding of the principles and the purposes of our fraternity. The principles of Freemasonry include the highest moral law and will bear the test of any system of ethics or philosophy ever proclaimed for the improvement of man. But philosophy alone will not retain our members; we have to provide more.

Thirdly, we need to enhance our position in the community. To do so we must always put our best foot forward, for the public will judge Freemasonry by its impression of those who wear Masonic emblems or otherwise make known their Masonic affiliations.

The Craft is being constantly judged by what it does and does not do!

Our challenge then is to identify the needs of our members. It is not with Masonry; not with the ritual and ceremony, its teachings; not with usages and customs. Our challenge is personal; it lies within each of us as Masons. We shall gain nothing by tinkering with the institution and arbitrary changes to render it acceptable to the uncertain whims of the public. But we can profit by focusing attention on service to the Masonic family and the cultivation of our role therein.

Certainly we ought not resist change, for change is clearly inevitable. Indeed, the history of modern Masonry is replete with progressive changes that have enhanced the fortunes of the Craft. But in the institution of change care must be given to the preservation of established principles and purposes, those foundation stones on which our very being depends.

So what should we do to assure the future of the Craft? I think that we should look first to our performance as Freemasons. Forget the chase for numbers. Instead give primary attention to providing an environment which will favor the fraternal cultivation of those who are already on the roles.

Enhancement of our performance as Freemasons, I believe, will in due time cause membership trends to improve. It is the power of example that will make us grow as Freemasons and as a fraternity.

Secondly, we need to assess how we select and train our leaders. While it is true that some may be born to lead, it is also true that we can and should provide training and resources for those who are already in

Fourthly, we must recognize that the mission of Masonry is to learn and to teach. It is nothing else!

On being made as Mason, a young man is not the same man that he was previously. If he is, we have done our work poorly or he should not have been there in the first place. It is possible that we have not required our members to learn more about the Craft, its ideals and purposes. Our ancient brethren knew well that membership carried with it responsibility.

Maybe, in our attempt to make Masonic life easier, we are requiring too little. And when less is required, less is given. It would be a very simple matter for us to make it easier to be a Mason. It would even be a simple matter for us to make it cheaper to be a Mason. And along the way it would also be a very simple matter for us to make it meaningless to be a Mason.

What seems to be missing today, my brethren, is commitment to the Craft, a firm belief in the principles and beliefs which the fraternity espouses, and the necessary determination to correct and redirect the course of our individual lodges. Brethren will only measure up to the marks we have set. When good men are summoned to the highest and best within them, they usually respond with the highest and best.

What Freemasonry will offer future generations depends on us. Our past and ancient brethren have completed their labors and have passed their tools and materials to us that we may satisfy our social and achievement needs. Let us build today a structure for tomorrow, worthy of the trust they have placed in us. It is time for us to begin or renew our labors to carry this legacy forward, toward all the years and centuries yet to come. â–

The Voice of Freemasonry

5

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

Preparing for the Future

Robert B. Heyat,

Deputy Grand Master

This address was delivered at the Annual Leadership Conference of the Grand Lodge, FAAM, of the District of Columbia, in Front Royal, Virginia, on Saturday, September 16, 2006.

P

eter Drucker, one of the leaders in the study of management, once said that the leaders who work most effectively, never say "I", and he says that is not because they have trained themselves not to say "I," but because they do not think "I." They think,"We," he says; they think, "Team." They understand that their role is to make the team function.

They accept responsibility and do not sidestep it, but the responsibility that they accept is collective.

The "We" concept creates trust and sees that the job gets done. My brethren, I am here as a member of our team.

As Freemasons we are concerned with the vision, mission and the potential influence of the ideals of the fraternity on our lives, our communities and humanity in its entirety. As a brotherhood our work is founded on solid principles that proclaim our belief in Deity and our freedom from religious dogma, and ethnic or racial prejudices. Our movement is universal in scope and millions of good men around the world have joined the fraternity in search of enlightenment. The true Mason is a man who adheres to his obligations and becomes absorbed by the spirit and the teachings of the Craft. He seeks to serve mankind within the boundary of his ability and to do good unto all in the hope of building a better world.

My brethren, tremendous progress and renewal have taken place in our lodges and Grand Lodge, as a whole, over the years. We thank all those who preceded us for their hard work to keep our fraternity moving ahead while preserving the integrity of its moral foundations. Indeed, we all stand today on the shoulders of those who came before us and built our noble Craft. There should be no doubt that, having been so obligated, we will also labor together to ensure the continued prosperity of our fraternity well into the future.

The Voice of Freemasonry

6

We must be mindful that it is in our lodges that the real work takes place; it is in our lodges that we can enrich and enable one another by working together to serve our brethren and our communities in a spirit of fellowship and charitable camaraderie. Our lodges provide the needed environment for us to grow morally and spiritually. In my visits I have sensed the unique character of each one of our lodges and appreciate the degree of diversity and richness which prevails.

I take pride in the great work being done by the Worshipful Masters, officers and brethren of our lodges.

There I also see young men seeking more light from their elder Brethren, actively participating in the affairs of their lodge. Your devotion to and practice of true Masonry is creating an environment of brotherly love, relief and truth and ensures the uninterrupted advancement of our ideals.

Our fraternity is a Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God! Christians, Moslems and Jews, Europeans, Americans, Africans and Asians, all believing in the same principles and ideals, come together and work together in harmony and unison, sharing their ideas and ideals, their joys and sorrows. We should all be proud that our jurisdiction is an oasis of tolerance, fraternal love, justice, peace and freedom in a world that is increasingly thirsting for these virtues.

My brethren, while we are proud of who we are and where we stand as a fraternity, much remains to be done. We must continue the building process by going back to the trestle board in imitation of our Grand Master Hiram Abiff and developing together, as a team, visionary strategies, successful tactics and measurable goals. What does this mean? continued on page 18

FALL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

Fall Leadership Conference T

he officers of our Masonic lodges, along with their counterparts in the Grand Lodge, convened the 20th Fall Leadership Conference at the 4-H Conference Center in Front Royal, Virginia, on September 15-16. There, some 120 brethren, in a comprehensive program monitored by the Masonic Education and Service Committee, worked diligently to improve themselves in Masonry.

This year the conference focused on ideas designed to build effective lodges. To that objective, invited speakers addressed a number of subjects, including goal setting, planning, and the proper prioritization of lodge duties. Line officers of the constituent lodges had interesting sessions with RWB Mickey Ander and WB Roger Branch, as did the lodge secretaries with WB Dean Clatterbuck and WB Todd Duehring, members of the Grand Secretary’s staff.

A highlight of the conference was the presentation on Saturday morning of a talk by WB S. Brent Morris, editor of the Scottish Rite Journal and the author of a

• Distinguished Guest Speaker. The conference welcomed the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Freemasonry,” WB S. Brent Morris.

Edward A. Berry,

Past Master

new book entitled “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Freemasonry.” Following his formal presentation Brother Morris autographed copies of his book and entertained a number of questions about about Freemasonry’s current issues.

In conformity to practices established over the years, the Grand Lodge officers present were all afforded opportunities to share their concerns and to strengthen their ties to leaders in the constituent lodges. Also in keeping with tra-

• Taking a break between sessions. The Grand Master and the Deputy Grand Master relax.

dition, the Deputy Grand Master detailed his plans and his hopes for the Craft in 2007, and his remarks appear elsewhere in this issue of The Voice of Freemasonry...

The 2006 Conference ended on a positive note. It was a conference in which there was an abundance of shared experiences, good fellowship, and positive resolves, all of the ingredients which are prerequisites for fraternal prosperity. ■

• Working hard at the Fall Leadership Conference The Voice of Freemasonry

7

GRAND LODGE FLAGPOLE DEDICATION

Grand Lodge Flagpole Dedication Todd Duehring,

O

n Sunday afternoon, October 8, 2006, Grand Master Albert McNair Smith, assisted by the stationed officers of the Grand Lodge, Masonically consecrated the flagpole recently erected near the entrance of the Grand Lodge building on MacArthur Boulevard. This addition to our headquarters was intended, he said, “to honor the men and women of our military forces,” and to do so, he added, “in the name of Grand Secretary Emeritus, Stewart W. Miner.”

Presiding over the dedicatory program was Akram Elias, Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge, who also delivered an inspiring keynote address. Among those present to observe the proceedings, in addition to the Grand Lodge officers noted, were a number of officers and members of the constituent, appendant and coordinate bodies of Masonry in the District of Columbia, representatives of the Palisades Community, and friends and family of the honoree.

PM

the first Flag Act as follows: “Resolved, that the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.” I am proud to tell you that the flag was designed by Congressman Francis Hopkinson of New Jersey, signer of the Declaration of Independence and a Freemason, whose father, Thomas Hopkinson, was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

Freemasonry’s contribution to the American flag doesn’t end with the founding of the nation and the design of the flag. On September 8, 1892, a Boston based magazine, The Youth’s Companion, published a few words for students to repeat on Columbus Day that year: “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” The original words of the Pledge of Allegiance were written by Reverend Francis Bellamy, a Freemason.

Mindful of this rich heritage, leaders and members of the Grand Lodge of In his keynote remarks RW Elias Free And Accepted Masons of the set out the purpose and the signifDistrict of Columbia have gathered icance of the dedicatory program this Sunday afternoon to dedicate the as follows: raising of the American flag by the entrance of the Grand Lodge build“Unlike most other countries where ing. The ceremony you’re about to national identity has been shaped by witness is rich in symbolism and has blood ties, shared religious beliefs or been employed by Freemasons over common culture, in the United the centuries whenever they laid corStates, Americans are bound nerstones of public buildings, together by an idea; a powerful idea including the most majestic building that has been shaping the evolution of in our country, the Capitol, seat of the human condition for the past two William H. Stone, PM, Justice-Columbia the Congress of the United States of and a half centuries. This idea, Lodge No. 3, presented Stewart W. Miner, America. The message the cereingrained in individual liberty, is PGM and Grand Secretary Emeritus, with a mony conveys is crystal clear: It is to articulated in our most sacred secular flag that had been flown over the U.S. Capitol. remind the future occupants of the documents, the Declaration of Indebuilding that the purpose of their pendence, The Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Prominent labor ought not to be to subjugate people or rule over them, but Freemasons, from Paul Revere to George Washington to Theodore Roosevelt and Harry Truman, have labored hard rather to bring about Happiness, Peace and Prosperity to the citizens of the nation. over the centuries to preserve, defend and nurture that idea.

The flag is the constant reminder to all of us of what that idea is all about. On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Continental Congress passed The Voice of Freemasonry

8

Today’s ceremony is dedicated to the memory of the service men and women who have given their lives in defense of our country, and in honor of Stewart Wilson Miner, Grand Secretary

GRAND LODGE FLAGPOLE DEDICATION

Emeritus and Honorary Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia. Brother Miner has labored for decades in the quarries of Freemasonry, first in the State of Virginia where he became Grand Master in 1974, and later since 1975, in the District of Columbia. His commitment to furthering Masonic enlightenment and his extraordinary leadership in promoting the universality of Freemasonry have earned him the utmost respect of the Freemasons in our nation’s capital, in our country, and indeed around the world. Brother Miner is also an exemplary American citizen. He served proudly in the armed services of our Grand Lodge officers dedicate the Grand Lodge Flagpole. country during WWII, the most defining moment of the 20th century, and was a loyal public servant in defense is unity.” “But together,” he said, “we are smarter our government until his retirement. It is in his honor and in and stronger than we would be if we tried to stand alone.” recognition of his extraordinary contribution to Freemasonry The ceremony was brought to a close by Assistant Grand and the American Experiment that we dedicate this ceremony.” Chaplain, Kenneth D. Fuller, who offered the following The keynote address was followed by the presentation to Brother Miner of a U.S. flag that had previously been flown over the U.S. Capitol. Assisted by Brother Todd Duehring, Brother Miner thereupon raised this flag and then lowered it to half staff in tribute to the recently deceased Grand Lodge Historian, Carl R. LeVine, and Past Grand Master, Perry A. Lester. Following prayer in their memory, offered by the Reverend David Balcom, Grand Chaplain, the flag was returned to its fully raised position.

Following a round of introductions and the recognitions of Masonic and community leaders, Brother Miner delivered a short address in which he spoke to a theme suggested by the first line of our national anthem. In his remarks, reproduced in a separate article in this issue of the “Voice,” he called upon the Masons of this generation to demonstrate the foresight and resolve manifested time after time by American men and women who have been as one in their resolve that our unique national experiment shall endure the challenge of time.

Prior to the benediction the Grand Master aptly observed that the concepts of duty, honor, and sacrifice for one’s country, virtues on which this nation was originally founded, have remained guidelines for America and Americans for more than two centuries. “It is well that we keep these values in sight,” he said, for today “we face many challenges.” Noting that in our current effort to persevere, he pointed out that, “our greatest weapon of

prayer: O God, whom we praise in many tongues, call by many names and worship in diverse ways, bless, we pray you, this monument dedicated to our dear brother and friend, Stewart Wilson Miner, and to the servants of our nation, those veterans who have served us in the past and those heros who serve us around the world today.

As this flag pole is rooted in our nation’s soil, so may we be rooted in the word of your holy writings.

As this ground has been dedicated with corn, wine and oil, so may our lives be fed with useful labor, firm friendship, and the joy of service.

As this pole rises with strength, straight and true toward the sky, so may our resolve be ever firmly and directly pointed to justice, truth and charity.

As the orb crowns this pole as the sun crowns the day, so may our lives be lived ever in light.

As the flag flying proudly above our head is made of silk of red, white, and blue, stars, stripes, and field, so may our diversity be our strength.

As the flag is filled with the four winds of earth and heaven, so may our lives be filled with the winds of spiritual power and glory.

We pray this in the name of the one and living God, the Grand Architect of the Universe, the Father of us all.”

Amen.

The Voice of Freemasonry

9

OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE?

Flagpole Dedication Response

Oh, Say Can You See? Stewart Miner,

I

am grateful for this day and for the efforts of this Grand Lodge to honor all those who have responded affirmatively to our nation’s call to duty. That you have chosen to do so is a source of satisfaction to me and to those that I represent today. By this addition to our headquarters building, you are enabling the fraternity to affirm its continuing allegiance to a belief that here, in America, Masons support a fundamental principle which proclaims that no law-abiding citizen is ever to be deprived of liberty, justice, or opportunity.

In searching for a theme to shape my comments on your very generous efforts to memorialize our service personnel, my thoughts eventually focused on the events which prompted Francis Scott Key to pen our national anthem.

As I thought about his message, I was particularly intrigued by the haunting question he raised in the first line of his hymn, wherein he plaintively asked, “Oh, say can you see?” His words were well chosen because at that time his view of Ft. McHenry, from a vantage point on the deck of a ship that was situated well downstream from the fort, was impaired by the heavy morning fog that persistently hung over the water.

In posing his question, “Oh, say can you see?”, Key gave voice to a query that has been posed repeatedly since the dawn of civilization. One of the greatest teachers of the world, for example, once reproached His disciples for their tendency to regard their circumstances without really appreciating what they were about. “You can see,” He observed, “but you do not understand.” I suppose that the failures about which that great spiritual leader complained are as ageless as time itself. Thus, on this occasion, as we dedicate this symbol of freedom, it seems appropriate that we ask each other, “Oh, say can you see?” And, just as pointedly, we should also ask, “What do you see?”

During the course of this ceremony I have noted that some of the people passing by have looked with curiosity on our gathering. If I could ride with them I think I would ask, “Oh, say can you see, my friends, what it is that we are about on this dedication day?” I particularly wonder if they are able to perceive any connection between this gathering, this patriotic symbol, and this headquarters building of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. And I also won-

The Voice of Freemasonry

10

Grand Secretary Emeritus

der if they have any inkling of our purposes, as individuals and as Masons, in the society that we share.

Is it possible that they see only a crowd of strangers gathered around a flag pole in front of a building? For the most part, the answer is probably “yes.” And without doubt our gathering is causing some of them to ask, “why?” On the other hand, there may be a few among the passers by, those who are more perceptive and intellectually curious, who possibly suspect that our ceremony is directed to something more substantial. Some, in fact, may even be able to see a connection between what we are doing here today and what our forefathers did, long ago, to develop and sustain our peculiar system of government, a multitude of precious institutions, and the principles by which life in America has become distinguished.

More important than what the non-Mason passing our gathering may see or understand, however, as he or she casts a hasty glance this way, is what we, the Masons of this city, see and perceive in this exercise. Oh, what do you see, my brother Masons, as you look to our flag in this dedicatory exercise? Do you see the patriots who dared to sign the Declaration of Independence and thereafter risk body and soul to achieve the challenges of that document? Do you see that collection of intellectual and philosophical giants who wrote our Constitution and Bill of Rights? And do you see and appreciate the contributions of those who have since done so much, generation after generation, to sustain what we know as the American way of life?

If you do not see these things, what do you see? I would pray that at a minimum you might be able to truly appreciate the sacrifices and contributions of those who have made our nation one that is the envy of the world. I would also hope that you might all be able to see and to understand the serious challenges that are now being levied against our American concepts of liberty, morality, and righteousness. One would have to be blind of intellect to not recognize that there are now in our world community many who, without any hesitation whatsoever, stand ready to challenge our values, whenever and wherever they can, in a seemingly relentless effort to curb America’s influence, and the influence of others, around the world, who may share our values and persuasions.

OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE?

Of no less importance, my brethren, is what we see as we look to the future. Will the tomorrow of time be frightful or fruitful? Will the future be prosperous or perilous for the Masonic order? The truthful answer to these and related questions is that we do not really know. Just as Key’s view of Ft. McHenry from his vantage point was impaired by the forces of nature, so is our view of the future impaired by our inability to accurately and adequately appreciate the potential of all of those forces of action and reaction that are now working to establish utopian forms of life, and Masonry, in it purest form, is clearly utopian.

“yes, we can!” “Yes, indeed, we can see!” “Yes, indeed, we understand!” And, “yes, indeed, we do appreciate! If these be your answers to Key’s query, we can rejoice, knowing that by the achievements of this day, we have reaffirmed our intent that the Stars and Stripes shall wave continuously, until the end of time, over the land of the free and the home of the brave. As Americans and as Masons we are truly blessed. Thanks be to God. ■

I find much comfort in recognizing that men like Washington, and Franklin, and the Roosevelts, Theodore and Franklin, and countless others too numerous to mention, were able, by their thoughts and deeds, to set the world on a course toward that noble and eternal goal – the establishment of a true and lasting brotherhood for all mankind.

Standing on the foundation of their achievements, I have faith that the yearning of people everywhere – for liberty, equality, and fraternity – will assure continuation of the Masonic movement in all of the uncounted generations that are yet to come.

This flag, in short, speaks to us of our past, our present, and our future. It signifies what we have been, are, and ever should be. Let us therefore resolve that we may, through unwavering conformance to obligation and promise, be found deserving of all of the blessings with which we have been so favorably endowed. Let me now conclude, as I began, by asking each of you, the question that Key asked his colleagues, “Oh say, can you see?”

Hopefully your collective response will be an unequivocal,

Flagpole Dedication. MW Stewart W. Miner delivers dedication response.

The Voice of Freemasonry

11

APPRECIATION CELEBRATION

Appreciation Celebration

Kwame Acquaah,

Junior Grand Warden

O

n Saturday, October 7th, at the Scottish Rite Center, the Grand Master convened the Grand Lodge in Special Communication in order to host, after the conclusion of essential business, a well-attended lodge and family appreciation ceremony.

The celebration began with a processional entrance of the Grand Master, Grand Lodge officers, and Worshipful Masters into the auditorium for a program in honor of our lodge officers and our Masonic families.

Grand Master presents contribution for the renovation of the V.A. Medical Center chapel. Pictured (L to R) Robert B. Heyat, DGM; Max Beloff, PM and Grand Lodge representative at the Medical Center; Grand Master Albert McNair Smith; Rev. Allen Stewart, V.A. Chaplain Service; David West, representative of the Medical Center Director; and Jess Villarreal, JGD.

As it is the hope of reward that sweetens labor, it is fitting and proper that, as often as possible, in private as well as in public, our lodge officers be commended for their selfless service. Also deserving of like recognition are the members of our families, for they, in their own ways, also contribute to the continuing prosperity of our fraternity.

The program included a selection of organ pieces; a welcoming statement by the Grand Master; an opening prayer

by WB Jahangir Sajjadi; the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance; the screening of a DVD of the Year in Review; a prayer in memory of the deceased; recognition of Grand Lodge officers and Past Grand Masters, and a closing prayer by the Grand Chaplain, David Balcom.

Entertainment was provided by “On A Sensual Note”, an American University male a cappella group.

The Voice of Freemasonry

12

Among the highlights of the evening was the rousing speech given by the Grand Master, after which, with the assistance of MW Robert Heyat, Deputy Grand Master, and MW Mansour Hatefi, Grand Secretary, he presented service certificates to the Worshipful Masters of the constituent lodges.

The Grand Master took this occasion to announce that $26,000 had been collected as donations from the brethren and their lodges for the refurbishment of the chapel at the Veterans Medical Center in Washington D.C. Following his remarks, he presented David West, representative of the Medical Center Director, who was accompanied by Rev. Allen Stewart, representing the Chaplain Service, with a facsimile check. Mr. West thanked the brethren for their generosity which, as he put it, “will have a huge impact on veteran patients as they continue to receive support from the members of the Grand Lodge who regularly escort them to the various chapel services.”

Mark Bovino, Managing Director of the Special Olympics Summer Games, as a representative of the Special Olympics Organizing Committee for the District of Columbia, was also present to thank the Grand Lodge for its generous support of the 2006 Special Olympics and expressed the hope that the collaboration would continue into the future. He also presented the Grand Master with a continued on next page

PORTRAIT PRESENTATION

Portrait Presentation Dean Clatterbuck,

T

he Grand Master, Albert McNair Smith, accompanied

by Grand Lodge officers and Past Grand Masters, visited Cherrydale Lodge No. 42 in Arlington, Virginia on Thursday, August 17, 2006. They did so to present that lodge with the portrait of Stewart W. Miner that had hung in his office during his 18-year period of service as the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia.

Cherrydale Lodge, on this occasion, was celebrating its annual Past Grand Masters Night, with all of the stations and places in the lodge being filled by past or present officers of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, F.A.A.M.; the Grand Lodge of Virginia, A.F. & A.M.; and the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Virginia, Inc. Numbered among the 18 Past Grand Masters present, in addition to the nine that hailed from the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, were three from the Grand Lodge of Virginia, one from the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Virginia, and one each from the Grand Lodges of South Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, Oklahoma, Ohio, and Vermont.

The program for the evening was offered in the presence of non-Masons after the close of the lodge. Festivities began with introductory remarks by Don Strehle, Past Master and master of ceremonies, followed by a musical tribute offered by the members of Bethel No. 1 of the International Order of Job’s Daughters.

Thereafter, the Past Grand Masters present were afforded an open-ended invitation to comment, following which Grand Master Smith was invited to take the floor. In his

PM Potomac Lodge No.5

response he stated that the Grand Lodge officers had approved the reproduction of Brother Miner’s original portrait, in the format now prevailing in Grand Lodge.

That reproduction was prepared, he declared, and is now on display in the board room of the Grand Lodge. This done, it was the further pleasure of the Grand Lodge, he said, to present the original portrait of Brother Miner to his mother lodge. Those present indicated approval of his gesture with a sustained round of applause.

In his response to the presentation, Brother Miner stated that on an occasion such as this, the words “thank you” seemed insufficient to express the appreciation that filled one’s mind and heart. But those words, he said, correctly conveyed the gratitude that he felt for the Craft and its members. “Through the good graces of the fraternity,” he declared, “you are all part of my extended family.” Thereafter, embellishing this theme, he made some observations as follows:

As a fraternal family we must be concerned with one another, share each others cares and concerns, working always for the common good in the face of a constantly changing society. We do so, I suppose, by a process of trial and error, but in Masonry, as in society as a whole, we are integral to and part of the phenomena of change. This is, it seems, a part of human nature, and as long as I have been a Mason, the Craft has been calling for change. And the leaders of Masonry have responded as they were able to do so. continued on page 14

Appreciation Celebration

at the end, a standing ovation.

continued from page 12

At the conclusion of the joyous celebration, the Grand Master, together with Grand Lodge officers and brethren, repaired to the upper lodge room to close the Grand Lodge after which they joined their families and friends for a sumptuos buffet reception and animated fellowship in the refectory. Unquestionably, this appreciation celebration, was a truly appreciated Masonic event. ■

special plaque honoring the Grand Lodge for the role Masons played in this year’s Olympics.

The entertainment for this occasion was provided by On a Sensual Note, an all-male a cappella group composed of American University students, whose selections were received with sustained applause and,

The Voice of Freemasonry

13

PORTRAIT PRESENTATION

Portrait Presentation...

Look at the men who occupy the chairs in this lodge tonight.

Also look at the Past Grand Masters who have helped to fill the sidelines. From the perspective of almost 50 years in the fraternity, I can tell you, without equivocation, that these brethren are all protagonists of change in the fraternity. Every one of them was and is an instrument of change. Masonry today is not what it was and for that we can all be grateful. It is better today than it was yesterday. And it is better because we now have, at long last, an opportunity to live up to all of Masonry’s proclaimed principles.

While I do not want to impose upon your patience with a long and involved discussion of how and to what extent we have changed in the last 50 years, I do want to suggest the parameters of the effort in which we have all had a role. Moreover I want you to appreciate that in this time frame the Past Grand Masters who occupy the stations and places here tonight have been observers of and participants in epochal changes that have impacted significantly on:

1. How we recruit candidates for the degrees 2. How we view ritualistic standards and procedures 3. How we keep our records and conduct our business 4. How we select and train our personnel 5. How relate to other groups, Masonic and public 6. How we promote the fraternity in the public fora.

What has been done in the past 50 years suggests, in part, what must still be done. As the need for controlled change is eternal,

it is my prayer that Masons of responsibility, at all levels, will continue to challenge the status quo and continue to be men of vision and imagination, men who will accept the reality of this hour as a challenge to the greatness that is yet to be attained. It is thus also my prayer that our current leaders, and those who are yet to come, will direct their energies to the evaluation of a number of unsolved or evolving issues.

If they will do so, and I am confident that they will, they will focus on such pressing matters as: 1. The improvement of Masonic awareness within and outside the fraternity; 2. The evaluation, improvement, modification, and where necessary, the possible elimination of current benevolent, educational, and promotional programs; 3. The perfection of the current imperfect relationships that link the Masonic order to organizations of the spirit, to female organizations, and to organizations dedicated to the cultivation of American youth; and 4. The improvement of lodge relations with its members. We must continue to do good unto others, of course, but at the same time we simply must do more for those good souls who are already counted in the household of the faithful.

In short, we stand at a significant and challenging Masonic milestone, and my only regret is that I personally do not have another fifty years to give to the cause. But I am confident that our successors will be equal to the task, will not shirk responsibility; and will, in the end, achieve goals that we cannot at this time even imagine. Masonry is forever, my friends, for ever and ever. So mote it be. â–

Portrait Presentation. Grand Master, accompanied by Grand Lodge officers, present portrait of our Grand Secretary Emeritus to Cherrydale Lodge No. 42, A.F&A.M. of Virginia The Voice of Freemasonry

14

MASONS SPONSOR BACK TO SCHOOL FUN FAIR

Back to School Fun Fair. The Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master and Grand Secretary join hands to assist Naval Lodge No. 4 members David Johnson (L), WB Dalton West (C), and Michael Webb (R).

Masons Sponsor Back to School Fun Fair

by Dalton West,

O

n Friday, September 29th, 2006, Naval Lodge No. 4 and Washington Daylight Lodge No. 14 sponsored their first “Back to School Fun Fair” for several schools in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The effort was a resounding success and plans are now being made by other lodges in the jurisdiction to hold similar events. The lead organization for the affair was the Capitol Hill Cluster School (CHCS) Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), an association in which some members of Naval Lodge hold membership.

This first Fun Fair was a community event that offered fun, food and amusements for about 2,000 Cluster School children and parents. The goal of the effort was to create awareness of the importance of public education in the neighborhood as well as to cultivate an environment which will encourage parents to take more active roles in the education of their children.

The Fun Fair also sought to engage Naval and Washington Daylight Lodges in an effort that would establish the concern of Freemasonry for the community. Specifically, these lodges sought to undergird public education and child safety by raising funds for the school libraries and by implementation of Freemasonry’s CHIP (Child Identification Program) program.

P.M., Naval Lodge No. 4

More than $5,000.00 was raised during the fair for the libraries of the eight public elementary and middle school libraries in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Businesses in the local community and the greater metropolitan DC area were contacted for sponsorship opportunities (monetary or in-kind donations). The bulk of the funds necessary for the project, however, was provided by sponsoring lodges and by the Scottish Rite bodies of Washington, D.C. The Fun Fair took place on the campus of Watkins Elementary School, located at 420 12th St., SE, on Friday afternoon, opening after the close of school and ending at sundown. Gratefully, mother nature, after some initial threats, became benevolently tolerant, and splendid weather was enjoyed all afternoon and evening.

A variety of foods and fun activities were offered to the children. There were two moon bounces, one for children ages 1-5 and another for older children. Other amusements included a dunk tank, pony rides and an assortment of small carnival games with prizes.

Tables were set up for a book exchange, the School Libraries Project, PTA, CHIP and other volunteer organizations that elected to share information. The Shrine clowns were also on hand to bring laughter, smiles and happiness to the young and the old.

The Voice of Freemasonry

15

MASONS SPONSOR BACK TO SCHOOL FUN FAIR

The entrance fee was $10 per family. Each CHCS student received a hand stamp to acquire refreshments that included hot dogs, water, soda, chips, and popcorn, with cookies for dessert. More than 1,000 hot dogs, 1,500 sodas, and 500 bottles of water were served.

Naval Lodge, one of the District’s oldest and most respected Masonic bodies, has adopted three schools (Watkins Elementary, Peabody Elementary and Stuart Hobson Junior High School) in our Capitol Hill neighborhood. This is a continuation and expansion of the community engagement outlined in the pages of a previous edition of this publication.

• The Grand Lodge CHIP Program was in operation at the fair.

The guarantee of children’s safety and the improvement of the public schools in our city are fundamental challenges in the city in which we live. Hence, when it comes to Masonry and community relations, we are either relevant to the needs of our community or we are not. As far as the lodges that meet on Capitol Hill are concerned, that decision has been reached. They are exceedingly relevant!

Our Grand Lodge CHIP program is up and running, well-organized and financed, and a vital adjunct to school-based security thinking where our children are concerned. As part of adopting the CHCS, Naval Lodge will continue to actively collaborate with the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) as well as other Masonic bodies within the District of Columbia to help our community where it needs it most.

• Weird Wally (aka WB Walter Simon) had fun entertaining the young.

Many Masons participated in this fair, more than twenty in all, including a number of Grand Lodge officers, who not only attended, but also took an active part in serving the food, manning the CHIP program, and contributing to the operation of the games included in the program. Special recognition is due, however, to Brothers Mike Webb, Junior Warden of Naval Lodge, and Alex Olbrich, Worshipful Master of Washington Daylight Lodge. By their labors they proved that Masonry is relevant in this day and in this city. ■ • Brothers David Johnson and Alan Patterson, of Naval Lodge No. 4, manned the grill and fed the hungry.

The Voice of Freemasonry

16

GRAND MASTER’S CLASS

Grand Master’s Class Teko A. Foly,

T

he 2006 Grand Master’s Class, the latest in a series of such classes begun in 1992, was convened on Friday evening, October 20th, in the Scottish Rite Center.

Festivities began with dinner, after which East Gate Lodge No. 34 opened a special communication for the purpose of conferring the degrees. Following inspirational remarks by the Grand Master, Albert McNair Smith, the officers of Potomac Lodge No. 5, led by WM Jeffrey Russell, conferred the Entered Apprentice degree.

Junior Grand Steward

WB John Jordon, Past Master of Camp Springs Lodge No. 227 in Maryland, shared an inspiring Masonic poem that focused on esoteric aspects of all of the degrees.

The number of degrees conferred in this class was impressive. On Friday evening 28 candidates were initiated. On Saturday morning 28 candidates were passed to the Fellowcraft degree. And on Saturday afternoon, 32 candidates were raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason. In consequence of this work, 18 lodges were benefitted by new members, 17 in the District of Columbia and one, by courtesy, in Maryland.

As is the practice in the Grand Lodge of D.C., every candidate in this class received every part of every degree.

There were no short cuts, no exemplars, and no ritualistic omissions. The work, presented in such excellent form, was differentiated from the norm prevailing in individual lodges only by the waiving of the waiting period between degrees by the Grand Master.

• Grand Master’s Class. WB Patrick Nnaji (L) and RW Teko Foly, JGS (R), registered the candidates.

On Saturday morning the Fellowcraft degree was conferred by the officers of Naval Lodge No. 4. Following lunch a team composed of Jerusalem Lodge, U.D. (first section) and Benjamin B. French Lodge No. 15 (2nd section) conferred the Master Mason degree. Interestingly, Brothers Scott McLean and Demetri Karousos (15) and WB Charbel Fahed (3), Deputy Grand Lecturer, jointly delivered the lecture of this degree.

At the conclusion of each degree, the Deputy Grand Lecturer, WB Sheldon Rappeport, assisted by members of the Grand Master’s Class Committee, offered well-crafted explanations of the degree and of all things pertinent thereto to members of the class. In addition, following the conclusion of the conferral of the Master Mason degree,

At the conclusion of the class the Grand Master extended warm congratulations and thanks to all, the casts, the candidates, and the supporting lodges, for their good work, their enthusiasm, and for the excellence of their cooperation with one another. By laboring together in a spirit of brotherly love and affection, he said, “you have demonstrated how good it is for Masons to work together in unity.” ■ • Grand Master Albert McNair Smith congratulates the class on the completion of their work.

• The Grand Master’s Class of 2006 The Voice of Freemasonry

17

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

Preparing for the Future...

like "fast food". As one of our esteemed Past Grand Masters once told me, " We should not be in the business of "MacMasonry."

continued from page 6

It means, brethren, that we must exercise effective leadership in our lodges and in our Grand Lodge.

This leadership conference is but a small step in that direction.

What can and should the Grand Lodge do in support of leadership development and lodge management?

After all, our lodges, and not the Grand Lodge, are entrusted with the fundamental task of making and enabling Masons! Your mission as leaders is to produce more leaders, not more followers. As we look ahead into the future, leaders will be those who empower others; the growth and development of worthy men is the highest calling of leadership.

The Grand Lodge is really an umbrella organization, consisting of its constituent lodges. and it is charged to serve the Craft. Although each lodge is influenced and guided by its own traits and traditions, and entitled to set its own agenda, there are many instances where the Grand Lodge can be of assistance and provide support if and when required or requested.

How? It is an American trait that when confronted by significant and vital issues, one must back his words with action and put his treasures where his interests are. Our budget is a case in point: The budget of any institution reflects the true priorities of its leadership.

Where and how we spend our money within our lodges and the Grand Lodge is of high importance and a real indicator of where we are headed as an institution.

With that in mind, let us work together and develop budgets that reflect the priorities of our fraternity which include among other things: •

Pride in Freemasonry: Create a deep sense of value, interest and pride in your lodge by first recognizing the needs of your membership and then developing programs and activities that satisfy those needs;

•

Excellence in Ritual: Promote excellence in ritual and Masonic education, through continuous mentoring programs and regular training workshops for officers. Our Masonic ritual is the soul of our fraternity. Let us not debase it or treat it

The Voice of Freemasonry

18

•

Brotherly Love: Develop fellowship activities and discussion opportunities for our members to know one another and learn from one another with the aim of strengthening fraternal ties and bonds among Masons;

•

Responsibility in Management: Preserve and grow the financial resources of our lodges through sound and transparent practices;

•

Becoming an Integral Part of the Community: Identify opportunities for engaging our local communities and making our presence truly felt through public events and meaningful charitable endeavors.

The role of the Grand Lodge should be to help and facilitate these objectives as set and defined by our respective lodges. For this reason, the budget of the Grand Lodge should be based on meaningful allocations under the motto: "Investing in Our Craft".

In conclusion, my brethren, let us remember that leadership is a matter of human relations, more participative than directive, more enabling than performing. As Henry Ford said, "nobody can really guarantee the future. The best we can do is size up the chances, calculate the risks involved, estimate our ability to deal with them and then make our plans with confidence." Our strength lies in our ideals, hope, brotherly love and doing the right thing, for as Abraham Lincoln said, "I am bound to win, but I am also bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right and stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong."

I thank you my brethren, once again, for the opportunity to share with you some of my ideas and aspiration for our beloved brotherhood, in this the 20th Leadership Conference held by your Grand Lodge. I hope and trust that you will take away with you some sound thoughts and fond memories. May God bless you, our country and our fraternity! ■

A PORTRAIT OF ROBBIE BURNS – MAN AND MASON

A Portrait of Robbie Burns Man & Mason R

ove the main streets of Ayr, Edinburgh, lnnellan, or Dunoon.

Stop about a hundred people, and ask them; “When is Scotland’ s National Day?” The vast majority would reply, “Why, it’s the 25th of January of course!

Patron Saint Andrew (on 30 November) may pass virtually unnoticed. But Scots, wheresoever dispersed over land and water, flock together to hear their native tongue spoken with a decided ancient dialect, feast on haggis, and quaff a few drams of highland whisky, all to honor their favorite son on his birthday. Burns wins these polls every year because he is an ageless man who not only gave the world a great legacy of poetry, but because his gentle philosophies have continued to grow in prominence, day-by-day, and year-by-year.

Our Freemasonry embraces no greater name than that of Robert Burns. Almost ROBBIE everyone agrees that he is our greatest lyricist. To this day, 247 years since his birth, he remains an active voice of Freemasonry’s faith, philosophy, ethics, and expectations; its friendship, its pleasure, its passion and its prophecy. More, he is the minstrel of the Scottish people, who expressed the genius of democracy, and the unspoken hopes and dreams of the depressed and humble in every corner of the world.

No greater tribute can be paid to any person, than to say that the character of the universe is gentler, brighter, and kinder for his having passed this way. It certainly can be said of Robbie Burns, that his very name is a signet of compassion, personal magnetism, and the joy of brotherly love. We regard Burns, as much for his tenderness as for his strength, and all the more because he was an amiable, thoughtful, and unassuming human being. It is given to very few men, to endure in the hearts of their fellows. The memory and legend of Burns is a vital force uniting men of many lands into a living association of constant faith, persistent hope, and enduring charity.

Emerson proclaimed; “The Memory of Burns! — I am afraid heaven and earth have taken too good care of it, to leave me anything to say. The west winds murmur it. Open those windows behind you and harken to the incoming tide, hear what the waves say of it. The doves perched on

Mickey Ander,

Past Master

the eaves of the stone chapel opposite know something about it. The Memory of Burns — every man’s, every boy’s, every girl’s head carries snatches of his songs, and they say them by heart; and what is strangest of all, never learned them from a book, but from mouth to mouth.

They are the property of all mankind!”

Robert Burns was born on January 25, 1759 in a tiny, two-room, clay-thrown, thatch-roofed cottage, on the banks of the Doon, in the district of Kyle, two miles south of the town of Ayr, in rural southwest Scotland. It was a peasant farmer’s home, such as he afterwards described in the immortal poem, “The Coffer’s Saturday Night”, in which poverty was consecrated by piety, where the father was ever faithful and the mother an angel, guarding the blessed things of life. So far as schooling is concerned, his early education was limited to basic grammar, writing, BURNS and arithmetic. Later he picked up a little Latin, a smattering of French, and some knowledge of English and the classic poets. But he knew the albums of nature, leaf-by-leaf, and the peculiar tablet of the human heart, as only the swift insight of genius can decipher them.

The mysteries of Freemasonry were conveyed to Robbie Burns in Lodge St. David, at Tarbolton, in July 1781, at the age of twenty-two. The historian Lockhart says, that he was introduced to the Lodge by John Rankine. The record of his initiation reads on July 4th; “Robert Burns in Lochly was entered an Apprentice.”

Both the Fellow Crafts and Master Mason Degrees were conferred just a few months later, on the same evening in October. Six years later he was made a Knight Templar as well as a Royal Arch Mason, in Eyemouth. Under the system in operation at that time, the two were always conferred together. By this time he had won some fame as a poet, and the higher degrees were granted in token of his ample reputation as a muse and his zeal as an active Mason. On the 27th of July 1784, he was elected Depute Master of Lodge St. James No.135, Tarbolton, a position he held until 1788.

Robbie Burns was unanimously elected an honorary member of Lodge St. John No. 22, in Kilmarnock, on October The Voice of Freemasonry

19

A PORTRAIT OF ROBBIE BURNS – MAN AND MASON

26, 1786. Major William Parker, the reigning Master of Lodge St. John, became a fast friend of Burns, and personally subscribed to thirty-five copies of the first published edition of his poems. He is immortalized as Willie in the song; “Ye Sons of Auld Killie” (which is a contraction for Kilmarnock) composed and sung by Burns on the occasion of his admittance as an honorary member:

songs. Allen Cunningham was correct when he said: “Few men had so much of the poet in them, and few poets so much of the man: the man was probably less pure than he ought to have been, but the poet was pure and bright to the end.” Burns is credited as the author of one of the most often repeated drinking songs – the heart warming Auld Lang Syne.

Ye Sons of Auld Killie, assembled by Willie, To follow the noble vocation; Your thrifty old mother has scarce such another, To sit in that honored station.

Many men voluntarily camouflage Burns checkered life in a generous mask of compassion. On reading his poems, even the exacting Byron was said to have exclaimed: “What an antithetical mind! Tenderness, roughness; delicacy, coarseness; sentiment, sensuality; dirt and deity – all mixed up in a complex earthly compound of inspired clay!”

But, if Burns was a sinner, then he was like us; a little good and a little bad, a little weak and a little strong, foolish when he thought he was wise, and wise, often, when he feared he was foolish. So too, may we give Burns benefit of the simple charity which he often prayed for others.

I’ve little to say, but only to pray, As praying‘s the ton of your fashion A prayer from the muse, who ye well may excuse, for ‘Tis seldom his favourite passion.

Ye powers who preside, o’er the wind and the tide.

Who mark each element’s border; Who formed this frame with beneficent aim, Whose sovereign statute is order; Within this dear mansion may wayward contention, Or withered envy neer enter May secrecy round be the mystical bound, And brotherly love be the center.

Read the meeting minutes [for October 26, 1786]; they conclude with these words: “Robert Burns, poet, from Mauchline, a member of Lodge St. James, Tarbolton, was made an honorary member of this Lodge.” This was the first Masonic Lodge to distinguish Burns with the title “Poet” and to glorify him with an honorary membership.

Burns was nearly five feet ten inches tall. He was agile and strong; his high forehead shaded with black, curling hair; his large, dark eyes were full of bright intelligence, his face vividly expressive. His inattentive dress and careless manner gave an impression of coarseness at first, but this was soon forgotten in the warm glow of his charming personality. Full of fun and fire, affable and the best of good company; his superior mind did not make him arrogant, and he loved more than all else a holiday that was half frolic and an ample feast where joy and goodwill were welcome guests.

Hard, two-fisted drinking was an acute social problem in Scotland those days; to a degree that we can hardly imagine today. It carved a bitter tragedy in Robert Burns’ life.

His fatal environment and frail will made him easy prey to every whim of fancy and passion. It is an awful risk to be endowed with the genius of a Burns; it digs deep pitfalls for the man to whom it is given. Yet, if in his later life he was a degraded man of genius, he was never a man of degraded genius. The corruption never did enter his The Voice of Freemasonry

20

By the same token, no man whose name is so closely intertwined with our Craft ever owed more to Freemasonry, or gave more to it. Its ideals and teachings moved his thought; its spirit inspired his song; its genius nurtured a fierce love of freedom and fraternity which he set to meter and music.

He was the harbinger of the nineteenth century, the poet of the rights and dominance of the common people. In the gentle air of Freemasonry he found refuge from hardship and heaviness of spirit; and its fellowship served to shelter him from the sharp arrows of his detractors.

There are those whose dreams are a vague blur; in which all local loyalties, all heroic national genius are merged and then ignored. Not so Robert Burns. He was a distinctively national poet, who struck deep roots in his native soil, and touched a chord so haunting that it echoes forever. This, we know is true: a man who is not deeply rooted somewhere – to whom one spot on earth is not a little dearer, whose winds a little warmer, and the skies over it a little bluer – will not be of much use anywhere.

When Robert Burns appeared, the spirit of Scotland was at low ebb. Her people were crushed and her ancient fire almost quenched. Even her scholars refrained from using the local dialect. It was at such a time that a God-endowed singer took up his harp. He was inspired by the colorful history of his people; the traditions of the Scottish national patriots, Sir William Wallace and Robert the Bruce stirred him with passion.

His very being was carefully tuned to the old ballads of love and daring. He often sang about the beautiful, natural simplicity of life in his nation, usually using its vivid and picturesque language. He struck the deep, fierce pride and noble feelings of his countrymen with a delicate but strong hand; and painstakingly embroidered the life, faith, and

A PORTRAIT OF ROBBIE BURNS – MAN AND MASON

genius of his people in poetry and song. It is no wonder Scotland loved him, as people never before adored a poet. He made national glory a living shrine.

He was deeply rooted in the soil of his own land. And, because he was so sweetly, sadly, joyously, yes, and even sinfully, human, his spirit and appeal are universal. We are caused to remember that people are the same the world over, and that loyalty, is respected everywhere. His passion for liberty, his affirmation of the nobility of man, his sense of the dignity of labor, his word-pictures of the hard lot of the lowly, find a warm response in every man’s being.

It is for these reasons, and more, that all men love Burns; for it was he who taught, as few have taught since, the brotherhood of man and the kinship of all breathing things. Such singers live as long as men love life and their words become a part of the inviolable scriptures of the human heart.

Astute scholars and critics agree that Robert Burns was a lyric poet of the first order, and rank him as a major Scottish poet and one of the finest lyricists of the 18th century (if not the greatest song-writer of the world). The qualities of Burns are direct simplicity, naturalness, vividness, fire, sweet-toned tenderness, and rollicking bawdy humor.

He is admired for having voiced the attitudes of the common person with his innate lyrical sense. His poems celebrate the simple, and often earthy, love between a man and woman, the pleasures of convival drinking, and the fierce pride of the independent mind.

It is no wonder Burns was the best loved poet of President Lincoln; as much for his democracy as for his humor, tenderness, and rich humanity. With him social rank was nothing, a gaudy bauble alongside the native nobility of manhood. He honored a man for his personal worth, not for his worldly wealth. He displayed genuine contempt for the snob. If he regularly nicked the selfish pride of the rich, it wasn’t from envy, with equal vigor, he held the poor man with disdain who, instead of standing erect, only cringes and whines.

His fame rests upon hastily written verses; just as men write short, fast letters to friends; and upon songs as spontaneous, as artless, as lovely as the songs of birds. He sang of simple things, of the joys and woes and spirituality of the common life, where virtue far overshadows sin.

He saw the world as God made it; woven as a tapestry of good and evil, of light and shadow, of morality and wickedness; and his songs were a comfort and a consecration to the rich and poor alike.

He told the poor man that it is no sin to be destitute, but that it is a sin to be ashamed of it. He taught that honest poverty is not only nobler, but happier, than ill-gotten

wealth. The Cotter’s dog and the Laird’s dog are very real dogs, as all admit, but their talk is something more than dog-philosophy. It is the ages old story of the high and the low, and it was just like Burns to take the part of the underdog. Still, had the Cotter’s dog given way to self-pity, Burns would have been the first to boot him. He hated fawning, as he hated sham, and he knew that if toil is tragedy, honest labor is an upright honor and joy.

That which still lives of Robert Burns, and will continue to live so long as human nature remains the same, is his sincere love of justice, honesty, reality, his touch of melting sympathy, his demand for liberty, his faith in man and in God – all uttered with simple speech and the golden voice of song. His poems were little jets of love and liberty and pity finding their way out through the fissures in the granite-like theology of his day. They came fresh from the heart of a man whom the death of a little bird set dreaming of the meaning of the world wherein life is woven of beauty, mystery and sorrow. A flower crushed in the budding, a field mouse turned out of its home by a plowshare, a wounded hare limping along the road to dusty death, or the memory of a tiny bird that sang for him, touched him to tears, and made him feel the hurt and heartache of the world.

Burns’ poems didn’t germinate and slowly sprout; they awoke and burst forth complete. He was a child of the open air, and his songs had an outdoor feeling. He saw nature with the swift glances of a child, saw beauty in the folds of clouds, in the tilt of trees, in the sound and glitter of flowing waters, in the immutable game of hide-and-seek played by sunbeams and shadows, in the foggy haze trailing the highland. The sigh of the wind in the forest filled him with a kind of wild, sad joy, and the tender face of a mountain daisy was like the thought of one much loved. The throb of his heart was warm in his words, and it was a heart in which he carried an abundant container of warm pity. He had a sad life and a soul of fire, the instincts of an angel in the midst of hard poverty; yet he lived with dash and daring, sometimes with folly, and with a certain bubbling joyousness, despite all his tragedy.

Such was the spirit of Robert Burns, a touching and passionate man, capable of withering scorn, quickly shifting from the laughable to the horrible, poised between laughter and tears. If by some magic we could send his soul into all the dark places of the world, pity and joy would return to the common ways of man. His feet may have been in the furrow, but the nobility of manhood was in his heart. Long live the spirit of Robert Burns, poet and Freemason! ■ Note: An unabridged version of this article, available in the office of the Grand Secretary, contains the lyrics of Auld Lang Syne in full.

The Voice of Freemasonry

21

IN CHERISHED MEMORY

In Cherished Memory Perry Allen Lester 1928~2006

initial position to become Secretary-Treasurer and then General Manager and Vice President of the company. He retired from that position in 2003.

he Grand Lodge mourns the death of Past Grand Master and Past Trustee of the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia, Perry Allen Lester, on Sunday, September 24, 2006. Last Masonic rites were conducted at the Hines-Rinaldi Funeral Home in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Thursday evening, September 28, 2006, when MWB Mansour Hatefi delivered the memorial oration.

Brother Lester was devoted to his family, his church, his business, and to the Masonic fraternity, which he served faithfully from the time of his initiation in Harmony Lodge No. 17 in 1953 until his death. Up until the time of his death, in fact, he always looked forward to receiving visiting brethren in his home, as they called just to pay their respects to an ailing brother.

T

A religious service for Brother Lester was conducted the following day, on September 29, 2006, at the Christ Episcopal Church in Kensington, Maryland. Immediately after the conclusion of the religious service, a procession of family and friends accompanied the body to the Parklawn Memorial Cemetery in Rockville, Maryland, for internment.

Brother Lester is survived by his wife of 50 years, Geneva; a son, Scott; daughters Jean Ann Krueger (David) and Susan E. King (William); grandchildren Christopher, Kaitlyn, and Erik Krueger, Collin and Nathan Lester, and Emily, Madeleine, and Corbin King; and three brothers, Guy M., Maurice C., and Harry K. Lester.

Brother Lester was one of the eight children born to John and Bessie Lester in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He was educated in the public schools of that community, graduating from high school in January of 1946. Thereupon he became a member of Army Air Corps, from which he was honorably discharged in 1947.

On his return to civilian life Brother Lester was employed by Acme Supermarkets in his home town, where he served as produce manager. His aptitude for business was quickly recognized, however, and it was not long before he was promoted to Assistant Store Manager in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and then Store Manager in Ridgeway, Indiana.

By 1949 he decided to further his education by enrolling in Boyds Business School in Washington, D.C. Following completion of his courses at Boyds, he was hired as office manager of the William W. Kendricks Company, where he spent the rest of his working life. Early on he also completed courses at the Benjamin Franklin University, as he rose from his The Voice of Freemasonry

22

Three years after he became a Master Mason, Brother Lester was elected Junior Deacon of his lodge, and in that same year, he received the Grand Lodge Certificate of Proficiency, which was presented to him on his 31st birthday, on October 14, 1959. He served as Master of Harmony Lodge in 1963, in which year he also served as treasurer of the Master’s Association.

During the period 1964-1968 Brother Lester assisted the ailing lodge secretary, Brother Johnston R. Zimmerman. In December of 1968 he was elected secretary of the lodge in his own right and he served continuously in that position until 1977, when because of increasing responsibilities in the Grand Lodge, he stepped down temporarily. Following his service as Grand Master he resumed his secretarial duties, serving in that capacity until his retirement at the annual communication of his lodge in the year 2000.

Brother Lester was appointed Grand Pursuivant of the Grand Lodge in 1971 and in 1972 he was elected Junior Grand Steward. He advanced through all of the elected progressive offices of the Grand Lodge until he was elected, on December 27, 1979, Grand Master for the Masonic year of 1980. Upon his installation as Grand Master, Brother Lester announced his theme for the year would be one that proclaimed, “Fellowship is the Crown of the Craft.” In working to this theme, he said, “it is my hope to put first things first” in the Craft.

Brother Lester’s year as Grand Master was very eventful for him and beneficial for the Craft as a whole. During the year he was afforded the privilege of welcoming the Conference of Grand Masters to its annual meeting in the Shoreham Hotel. At that conference Brother Lester delivered one of the discussion papers, a work in which he presented a scholarly analysis of the practice of making a Mason at sight, and he was also one of a small group of Grand Masters selected to be received by President Jimmy Carter in the White House.

The Masonic labors of Brother Lester were not confined solely to his lodge and the Grand Lodge, for he was an active mem-

IN CHERISHED MEMORY

ber of all bodies of both the Scottish and York Rites, attaining the rank of 33º Honorary in the former. He was also a member of Almas Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S., the Royal Order of Scotland, the Red Cross of Constantine, the Royal Order of Jesters, the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, the York Rite College of Maryland, the National Sojourners, and a number of local Masonic clubs or service organizations.

It is obvious that Perry Allen Lester always endeavored, in everything that he did, to achieve the greatest possible degree of perfection. He was, without doubt, a very precious jewel in the figurative Crown of the Craft for which he searched, not only in 1980, but throughout his Masonic career. Unquestionably, because of him, the position of Masonry in the District of Columbia has been enhanced. ■

John Christopher Schleter 1927~2006

knighted a Knight Templar in Washington Commandery No. 1 in 1970.

M

ost Worshipful Brother John Christopher Schleter was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on December 29, 1927. He received his elementary and secondary education in the public schools of the District of Columbia and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1949 at Perdue University, majoring in physics and mathematics. At Perdue he was enrolled in the R.O.T.C. program and he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Reserve, in February 1949. During his working career he completed courses of study at the University of Maryland and the U.S. National Bureau of Standards Graduate School.

Upon graduation from Purdue University, he accepted employment as a physicist at the U.S. National Bureau of Standards. In 1969 he was awarded the U.S. Department of Commerce Silver Medal for Meritorious Federal Service in recognition of the application of high-speed digital computers. In 1971 he participated in a study of the application of video recording in the U.S. court system and, at the request of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce, in a study of technology transfer from the federal to the private sector.

He is listed in the 9th and 11th Editions of American Men of Science and in the 13th Edition of Who's Who in the East.

Most Worshipful Brother Schleter became a Mason in Potomac Lodge No. 5, F.A.A.M., District of Columbia, where he was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on January 16, 1950. He served as its Worshipful Master in 1969, and for many years was a Trustee of the Potomac Lodge Perpetual Membership Fund.

He was exalted as a Royal Arch Mason in Wm. R. Singleton Chapter No. 14 in 1967, advanced to a Royal and Select Master in Triangle Council No. 3 in 1967, and

He received the Scottish Rite degrees in 1950 and subsequently served as the presiding officer of the Consistory and of Mithras Lodge of Perfection. From 1950 to 1980 he was a member of the Scottish Rite Stage Crew, serving from 1972 to 1980 as Director. He was invested with the rank and decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour in 1957 and coroneted an Inspector General Honorary, 33º, by the Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction in 1969.

He was a member of the Past Masters Association, F.A.A.M. of the District of Columbia and served as Secretary in 1975. He was admitted a Noble of the Mystic Shrine in Almas Temple in 1950 and was a life member of that organization. He was also a member and Past Recorder of the Red Cross of Constantine.

He was Worshipful Master of Pythagoras Lodge of Research in 1974 and was a member of the Correspondence Circle of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, London, England. He was the Provincial Senior Grand Warden of the Royal Order of Scotland and served for many years as a member of the degree team of that organization.

In the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, Brother Schleter was commissioned as Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Indiana near this Grand Lodge. He was appointed Grand Marshal in 1972 and was elected Junior Grand Steward in 1974. He progressed annually through each Grand Station until his election as Most Worshipful Grand Master on December 27, 1980. On December 28, 1981, he was elected Grand Secretary and served in that office through autumn in 1986.

Following the completion of his term as Grand Secretary, Brother Schleter and his wife, Shirley, moved to their retirement home in Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina. There they became active in the Outer Banks Presbyterian Church, where funeral services will take place on Saturday, December 2, at 1:00 p.m. Brother Schleter’s wife Shirley, whom he married on March 24, 1951, preceded him in death. He is survived by their son, James Christopher. ■ The Voice of Freemasonry

23

A NEW MASONIC PICTURE BOOK

A New Masonic Picture Book T

here are all sorts of things published about Freemasonry. In 2004 a motion picture named National Treasure was released. Its somewhat unlikely story made reference to some of the well known myths and rumors about Freemasonry; but it was unusual in that, by and large, the story represented the Craft in a reasonably respectable way. This film was followed by another, based on Dan Brown’s controversial book, The da Vinci Code, which made similar, but less favorable, references. Brad Meltzer’s The Book of Fate has just been published; and Dan Brown’s next book is expected to be published in 2007. Each of these books has made, or is expected to make, references to Freemasonry again through the use of popularly believed myths and rumors. While most of these myths and rumors are unfavorable to the Craft, these events have caused the general public to have an increased interest in the subject of Freemasonry.

When this sort of increase in general interest occurs, publishers often respond by producing more books on the same subject; and in February, 2005 I was contacted by Thames & Hudson, Ltd. about the possibility of writing a book about Freemasonry for them. Thames & Hudson is a first class, world wide, art publisher with headquarters in London. About seventeen years ago I had written a book about Freemasonry for their Art and Imagination Series, so I was “their knowledgeable Masonic author”. The work they were considering at the time was a hard-cover coffeetable book that would present a comprehensive overview of Freemasonry. The opportunity to write a book that would provide an accurate representation of Freemasonry, in contrast with the myths and rumors that are usually presented to the public, was very attractive; as was the idea

The Voice of Freemasonry

24

W. Kirk MacNulty,

Past Master

of working once again with this really good publisher and with their very congenial staff. I jumped at the idea, and that was the start of a year of serious work.

One of the principal tasks in the publishing of an art book is the selection of the pictures that are to be included. This research to gather pictures included journeys to Masonic Museums in: Bayreuth; The Hague; Brussels; Paris; London; Dublin; Lexington, MA; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; and Cedar Rapids, IA; as well as to the House of the Temple and the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. It also involved correspondence with other Masonic bodies throughout the world in the hope that they could provide appropriate art; happily, many did. While the conduct of this research was laborious and time consuming, the travel and the meeting of many wonderful Masons was also very rewarding. The next task was writing the text that put all the art material into a sensible framework. That, too, was an arduous, but very rewarding task.

The book is 320 pages long, contains 386 pictures; and it provides a reasonably comprehensive overview of Freemasonry. It starts with an introductory section that discusses the historical situation in Europe from which it seems to me that Freemasonry evolved. In outlining the history of Freemasonry the book starts with the Premier Grand Lodge in 1717, and then continues with the early spreading of the Order in Britain and on the Continent of Europe. This section also touches on the early exposes, the growth of “Higher Degrees”, the relationship with the Church, the story of the “Antients and Moderns,” the man-

A NEW MASONIC PICTURE BOOK

ner in which Freemasonry related to the various revolutionary political changes that occurred in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, the transmission of Freemasonry around the world, and the manner in which Freemasonry can be observed in everyday life. This section on history closes with a commentary on the issue of Regularity which is a significant consideration in Masonic history.

The nature of Masonry, itself, is presented in two sections.

The first section deals with the Craft and includes some commentary on the meaning of each of the three Craft Degrees. There is also a small amount of philosophical interpretation. The second section introduces the Higher Degrees. The number of Higher Degrees of Masonry is so large that it would be impossible to include them all, but there is a reasonably good coverage. The material includes the Holy Royal Arch, the Mark Degrees, the Knights Templar, the York Rite, the Scottish Rite, the Swedish Rite; and it touches briefly on other Orders and Rites.

Freemasonry’s interaction with society is often misunderstood, and sometimes it is the source of some controversial ideas. The book starts to address the subject of relationship with society with a theme on Masonic charities. Then prominent Masonic social events, which were far more common in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries than they are today, are shown. The subject of Feminine Freemasonry is considered. This is a subject of interest. Although Feminine Lodges are not considered to be regular, some very prominent regular Grand Lodges acknowledge (not “recognize”) Feminine Grand Lodges and work with them to achieve mutually beneficial goals.

The section on Masonry’s relationship with society ends with a theme on the opposition to Freemasonry, and that provides an easy transition to the next section.

Because Freemasonry conducts its activities in a private manner and requires its members to hold certain information close, the order is generally misunderstood. This has resulted in all manner of allegations of improper Masonic activities. This book has a section on some of the most common misunderstandings including: the layout of Washington, D.C.; the pyramid with the “All-seeing Eye” on the back of the dollar bill; the use of cryptography in some Masonic writings; and the question of whether or not Freemasonry is a religion. This section makes no attempt to address all the improper allegations that have been made against the Craft, but it does introduce the subject and make a start in that direction.

Because of the serious nature of its work and because of the unique manner in which it communicates its teachings, Freemasonry has been, since almost immediately after its

EDITORIAL NOTE

Freemasonry – Symbols, Secrets, Significance Being much impressed with this book, prepared by Kirk MacNulty, Past Master of the Lodge of the Nine Muses No. 1776 and the Grand Representative of the United Grand Lodge of England near this Grand Lodge, I asked Kirk to explain how the work came about, factors involved in the compilation process, criteria employed in the selection of subject matter addressed, and his views on how the book may impact on society’s impression of and interest in Masonry.

As John Hamill, Director of Communications in the United Grand Lodge of England has so aptly stated, this book is nothing short of “stunning.” Hamill further observes that illustrations in the book, combined with Kirk’s lucid text, give readers, “be they Mason or not,” an easily digested overview of the history, traditions, culture, symbolism, principles, and practices of Freemasonry throughout the world.

It is a privilege for me, as Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, and as editor of “The Voice of Freemasonry,” to commend to your early attention this fascinating book: “Freemasonry–Symbols, Secrets, Significacnce.” You will want to add it to your personal library.

Mansour Hatefi, PGM Grand Secretary

formation, very fortunate to have had some very prominent citizens join as members. In the last section of the book, the profiles of some of these prominent Masons are introduced, and they are organized into four themes: Fine Artists and Architects; Authors, Musicians, and Dramatists; Scientists and Explorers; and Royalty and Political Leaders. The brethren whose profiles are shown give an insight into of some of the very fine aspects of Masonic membership.

It has been a great privilege for me to write this book. My primary desire is that it will be of service to Freemasonry and will make some public presentation of our Craft as it actually is. The initial reaction to the early released copies seems to have been positive, and it has been genuinely gratifying for me to hear favorable comments from some very prominent Freemasons. I hope you all will find the book to be of interest. ■ The Voice of Freemasonry

25

THE TIME CLOCK

The Time Clock A

TIME CLOCK is a device which records the times of arrival and departure of an employee, or the rounds of a watchman. In the highly industrialized and regimented age in which we live millions of people, including unnumbered hundreds of thousands of Freemasons, pursuing their gainful occupations in shop and factory, are required to use this device. The time clock tells nothing of the skill or productivity of the worker; the employer has other means of determining these factors. The clock tells nothing but when.

There are no time clocks in Freemasonry. Each Craftsman working in the Quarries of Life sets his own pace, his own time. His wages of Corn, Wine and Oil are paid according to merit, not by seniority, not by favoritism, not by political connections. He, himself, is the sole arbiter of the amount of wages due him.

There is a measuring device in Freemasonry which has to do with Time. It is the 24-inch Gauge. It is a highly

important device. It is the first Working Tool of Freemasonry as explained to the Entered Apprentice.

Emblematical of the twenty-four hours of the day it is divided into three equal parts of eight hours each.

It was no coincidence that the ancient ritualist, in his three divisions of this Working Tool, chose as the first importance: “eight hours for the service of God and a distressed worthy brother.”

Pause for a moment and contemplate on the deep significance found in those words.

What kind of world would it be today if each and every Freemason, in every clime, could honestly say that he has lived up to this precept?

No, Freemasonry has no time clocks but it does have the 24-inch Gauge.

– Georgia Masonic Messenger

Holiday Greetings and best wishes for a new year of peace and happiness Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia Albert McNair Smith - Grand Master Robert B. Heyat, Deputy Grand Master Akram R. Elias, Senior Grand Warden Kwame Acquaah, Junior Grand Warden Mansour Hatefi, Grand Secretary Robert F. Drechsler, Grand Treasurer

The Voice of Freemasonry

26

Joel R. Kahn, Grand Lecturer Paul D. Gleason, Senior Grand Deacon Jesse Villarreal, Junior Grand Deacon Joseph H. Crociata, Senior Grand Steward Teko Foly, Junior Grand Steward

COMMUNICATIONS SCHEDULE

Communications Schedule Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia

Annual Communication Saturday, December 9, 2006 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Scottish Rite Center

Third Stated Communication Saturday, December 16, 2006 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Scottish Rite Center

Annual Communication Agenda 1. To receive Grand Lodge Officer's and Committee Reports 2. To receive distinguished guests 3. To receive proposed resolutions and amendments to the Code 4. To adopt the Budget and elect Grand Lodge Officers for 2007

Third Communication Agenda 1. To receive the Report of the Grand Master 2. To receive reports on the Grand Master’s Annual Communication Address 3. To present the Distinguished Service Medal to a deserving Mason 4. To install the Grand Lodge Officers for 2007 5. To enjoy an after-installation reception and buffet

Grand Lodge Membership Banquet The Annual Grand Lodge Membership Banquet will be offered in the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance Washington, D.C. Hotel, 999 9th Street, N.W., Washington, D. C., 20001 on Friday evening, December 8, 2006. Dinner will be served at 7:30p.m., following a pre-dinner social hour. Reservations ($55.00 per person, tables of 10) may be made with the staff of the Grand Secretary’s Office at 5428 MacArthur Boulevard, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016. For inquiries please call (202) 686-1811.

The Voice of Freemasonry

27

An Unusual Visitation Our Past Grand Masters, along with those of nine other jurisdictions, participated in Cherrydale Lodge's annual Past Grand Masters Night. On this occasion MW Albert McNair Smith presented the lodge with a framed portrait of MW Stewart W. Miner, Grand Secretary Emeritus. Brother Miner was raised in Cherrydale Lodge in October 1957.

Voice of Freemasonry Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M. of D.C. 5428 MacArthur Blvd, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20016-2524

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage Permit No. 559 Washington, D.C.