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Universal Brotherhood Banquet
James T. Feezell, PM, Grand Marshal
Universal Brotherhood Celebration 2007, culminated with a formal banquet on Saturday, June 9, at Almas Shrine Center. Freemasons and their guests from five continents gathered to enjoy a final dinner before crossing the globe, once more, to return to their homes.
Earlier this day, the Brethren, many with their ladies, had toured some of the Masonic landmarks of the nation’s capital city on the National Masonic Trail.
Some of the Brothers, Nobles of Almas Shrine in full clown costume, had entertained walkers and other tourists. Later in the afternoon, the Grand Master, accompanied by his Deputy, officers of the Grand Lodge, and visiting Grand Lodge officers from Virginia and Minnesota, assembled the Craft, families, and guests at the Memorial to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. The Memorial, located in Constitution Gardens, on the banks of the reflecting pool near the corner of Constitution Avenue and 19th St., NW is dedicated to the fifty-six men who signed the Declaration on July 4, 1776. Among these men were nine Freemasons: William Ellery of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, John Hancock and Robert Treat Paine of Massachusetts, Joseph Hewes and William Hooper of North Carolina, Richard Stockton of New Jersey, George Walton of Georgia, and William Whipple of New Hampshire. The Grand Master deposited a wreath in the shape of a square and compass at the memorial. During the photo session that followed the wreath laying, several tourists were attracted to the Memorial by the odd congregation of men in business attire and walking gear, clowns, Uncle Sam, and Benjamin Franklin. Bro. Franklin took this opportunity to enlighten the visitors about the contributions of Freemasons to American Independence.
Beginning around 6:30 PM, Brothers and guests returned to Almas Shrine in costumes more suited for the evening’s activities. The Brothers arrived decked out in dinner jackets and black tie. The ladies, dressed to the nines, were all beautiful and elegant.
After refreshments and time to mingle, the Brothers and guests sat for dinner and the evening’s program. The program opened with an invocation by Rev. Bro. Todd Kissam of Benjamin B. French Lodge No. 15. Bro. John Kriesel called for the Marine Corps Color Guard to display the flag of the United States. W. Bro. Pablo J. Cordova, Master of Alianza Fraternal Americana Lodge No. 92, led the gathering in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Dinner was an exceptional surf and turf, including tasty fresh Maryland crab cakes and beef sirloin.
While dinner was served, R.W. Bro. Akram R. Elias, Deputy Grand Master, took the stage and introduced some of the visiting Brothers. The list read like a Who’s Who of Freemasonry around the world. Grand Lodge officers from Virginia and Minnesota, as well as Mexico, Columbia, France, Italy, Portugal, Armenia, and Gabon, had come to participate in the Universal Brotherhood Celebration.
Two delightful presentations comprised the entertainment program. First, W. Bro. Cordova again came to the stage, this time with his lovely niece, Patricia Reyes, a rising senior at George Mason University, to perform the Marinera, the national dance of Peru. The charismatic duo mesmerized the audience with their complex choreography and beautiful costumes. The Washington Armenian Folk Music Ensemble, directed by Bro. Socrates Boyajian, of Hayastan Lodge No. 94, performed the second entertainment feature. The group, comprised of three female vocalists, recorder, kanoon, a 72-string lap-harp , and Bro. Boyajian on violin, performed three charming songs: Evening Breeze, The Girl in the Fields, and The Shy Girl. Both of the entertainment presentations were captivating and, judging from their enthusiastic applause, very well-received by the Brothers and guests. The evening also featured the presentation of awards and recognition of scholarship recipients. W. Bro. William F. Harvey, President of the Masonic Foundation of the District of Columbia, and W. Bro. Timothy R. Bennett, Chairman of the Grand Lodge Scholarship Committee, introduced Mses. Brown, Jones, and White, three of the ten Foundation scholarship recipients. These awardees each thanked the Brethren for their assistance. Hope Rollins, a recipient of the Stewart W. Miner Scholarship to American University, was also introduced. Ms. Rollins studies Performing Arts at AU and described to the Brothers and guests some of
her activities over the past year and also thanked the Brethren for the scholarship award which had, in part, permitted her to participate in the school and community activities.
The highlight of the evening, however, may have been the presentation of the Medal of Freedom award. M.W. Bro. Robert B. Heyat, Grand Master, presented this award to Bro. John Kriesel of Min
nesota. Bro. Kriesel is an infantry sergeant of the
Minnesota National Guard and was wounded in December 2006, in Fallujah while deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Grand Master, at the request of the Grand Master of Minnesota, made Bro. Kriesel a Mason at Sight in a special ceremony on April 4, 2007. (See Voice of Freemasonry, Vol. 24, No. 2, April 2007) Brother Kriesel is a member of
Accacia Lodge No. 51, Cottage Grove, Minnesota, and an honorary member of our own Freedom Military Lodge No. 1775. Previous recipients of the Medal of Freedom include: US Congresswoman Ileana RosLehtinen (FL), 2006, and U.S. Congressman and Bro. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (MD), 2005. Bro. Kriesel accepted the award with appreciation and humility. In his moving acceptance speech, he described to the Brothers and guests gathered some of his experiences since his injury and offered his thanks to Deity for the opportunity to return home to his family and friends. The Brothers and guests responded with a standing ovation and a spontaneous chorus of God Bless America. Bro. Kriesel has also been awarded the Purple Heart and the Minnesota Service Medal with Valor device. After dessert and coffee, the time had come to bring the evening to a close. W. Bro. Christopher E. Taylor, Grand Lodge Organist and Master of Sojourner-Kilwinning Lodge No. 1798, ended the evening with his benediction. As the last of the guests left for the night, I believe I heard R.W. Bro. Armen Simonian, Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Armenia, and Past Master of Mehr Lodge No 90 and Hayastan Lodge No. 94, give a deep sigh of satisfaction, or was it relief? Congratulations are due R.W. Bro.
Simonian and to all of the members of the Universal
Brotherhood Celebration Committee, who planned and executed an outstanding weekend of events.
Dr. Steven Bullock, Professor of History At Worcester Polytechnic Institute
