The Voice of Freemasonry | Vol. 26 No. 3

Volume 26, Number 3, 2009

IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL

Freemasonry: The Promise of Tomorrow An Official Publication of the Grand Lodge of Free And Accepted Masons of Washington DC

GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

The Voice of Freemasonry Volume 26, Number 3, 2009 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kwame Acquaah, Grand Master MANAGING EDITOR Mansour Hatefi, PGM, 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 when attested to as official, in writing, by the Grand Secretary.

The editorial staff invites contributions in the form of informative articles, reports, news and other timely information (of about 500 to 1000 words in length) that broadly relate to Masonic law, lore, customs, history, symbolism, philosophy, responsibility of membership, etiquette, current events, and/or general public interest. When possible, photographs that illustrate these informative articles should accompany the submission. Pieces 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 Articles are subject to editing and, when published, become the property of the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia. No compensation is allowed for any articles, photographs, or other materials submitted for publication.

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

On the Cover Photography by Arthur W. Pierson, Falls Church, Virginia

The cover of the issue is a salute to our Lodges.

The Grand Master’s Apron, the Senior and Junior Deacon’s Rods and the Grand Marshal’s Baton symbolize the recent annual official visit of the Grand Master and Grand Lodge officers to our Lodges during September and October 2009 to honor the Princes of the Craft and brethren of each of our lodges in accordance with Section 22 of the Masonic code: “The Grand Master shall make a grand visitation, attended by his officers, to each of the constituent Lodges, at least once each year.”

As part of the ceremonial reception of the Grand Master into a Lodge, the Grand Marshal leads the procession and the Deacons attend the Grand Master with cross rods above him, as he approaches the altar in the lodge.

Visit us on the web at: dcgrandlodge.org

In This Issue

7

10

18

Please direct all correspondence to: MANAGING EDITOR: THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY 5428 MacArthur Blvd., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20016-2524 Graphic design: JP DESIGN :: print | web jpdesign1@verizon.net

The Voice of Freemasonry

2

22

Message from the Grand Master

3

From the Grand Secretary

4

St. John’s Mite Association

5

From the Deputy Grand Master

6

Fueling a Bright Future: The 2009 Grand Lodge Leadership Conference

7

Masonic Metrics: Pursuing a Valid Answer to a Perennial Question, “How’re we doing?”

8

The Lost Symbol: A Review from the Masonic Perspective

10

The Lost Symbol: Our Grand Orator’s Review

12

The Lost Symbol and Masonic Membership

13

The Washington Club Welcomes DC Masons

15

Scenes from the 2009 Grand Visitations

16

Charity: A Deeper Meaning

18

Convass B. Dean Memorial Lodge

20

Nation’s Capital Masonic Day of Prayer

21

Lessons from a Vale Lodge

22

World’s Oldest Man Also a Longtime Mason

24

TNC Socials: The Source of More Light

26

AFA No. 92 Marriage Recognition Ceremony

27

Grand Lodge Officers Confer Master Mason Degree

28

Cincinnatus Lodge Supports Project BORI

28

“Call ‘Em All” and “Change for the Community”

30

50 and 60 Year Service Emblem Recipients for 2009

31

The Grand Lodge Banquet

32

Photo Credits: The cover photography is by Arthur W. Pierson, Falls Church, Virginia. Other photographs appearing in this issue, unless otherwise indicated, were provided by WB Pablo J. Cordova, Grand Photographer; Quentin Miles, Grand Photographer (2008); Roman Volsky, Grand Marshal; the author of the corresponding article, or open sources on the internet.

GRAND MASTER’S MESSAGE

Grand Master’s Message

Love One Another “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” [1 Cor. 13: 4-8]

o love one another at all times is not easy. It is a challenge that overwhelms many men and women.

For, it requires a commitment to strive for perfection that many consider unrealistic and unrealizable and, hence, not worthy of pursuit. To such individuals, any effort toward the ideal state of perfection is unnecessary because human beings can never attain perfection. Such persons are not persuaded that there is virtue in the search for perfection, even if that state can never be fully attained in this life. Freemasons, on the other hand, appreciate the value of such pursuit and with the fire of life strive for the state of perfection unknown and unattainable, soaring among men because of the effects of their efforts and setting unparalleled examples for the general public to emulate.

T

be envious of their brethren but to promote each others welfare and rejoice in each other’s prosperity. No true Mason will waste his time or demean himself by tearing down another brother’s temple. The fraternity flourishes in the absence of envy and suspicion and within that environment the brotherhood brings manifold blessings to all the brethren.

To a Freemason, brotherly love, also serves to cement the stones that constitute a lodge to ensure that fraternal sweet fellowship among the brethren will characterize every lodge. Freemasons avoid fighting over the non-essentials of Masonic procedures because it damages the brotherly relations that must exist in all lodges. Brotherly love requires that in lodge, Freemasons favor respectful constructive suggestions instead of destructive criticisms or ad hominem Freemasons learn to appreciarguments or personal attacks. ate the centrality of love, the This kindness is extended need to love one another, and not only to the brethren in they strive to practice this capthe lodge but equally imporital virtue within and without tantly to the officers elected their lodges. The Freemason’s and appointed to govern their love is no ordinary type of love, lodges and the Grand Lodge. but agape love, a love which Masons subscribe to the view is selfless, unconditional, and Most Worshipful Brother Kwame Acquaah of Robert West that: “Nothing voluntary and is encapsulated is easier than fault-finding; no talent, no self-denial, no in one of the Order’s principal tenets: Brotherly Love. brains, no character, are required to set up in the grumWe learn to exercise brotherly love by regarding the bling business” and assiduously avoid that enterprise. whole human species as belonging to one family irrespective of their station in life; since all human beings Let us continue to give meaning to brotherly love, by are created by one Almighty Parent and are required to striving to please each other and uniting in the grand aid, support and protect each other. This Masonic love design of being happy and communicating happiness. eliminates racial, national, ethnic, sectarian, political, social, economic and class hatreds. To a Mason, broth“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but erly love is the thread which binds the brethren more have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a surely than a band of steel. clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I Brotherly love implies patience, understanding, respect, have a faith that can move mountains, but have not tolerance, forgiveness, charity, mutual assistance, love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor morality and all the ethical implications of the science and surrender my body to the flames, but have not and art of Masonry. As a capital virtue, brotherly love love, I gain nothing.” [1 Cor. 13: 1-3] ■ opposes the sin of envy. Thus Masons are taught not to

The Voice of Freemasonry

3

GRAND SECRETARY’S MESSAGE

From the Grand Secretary

A Synopsis of the Proceedings of the 2009 Annual Communication Mansour Hatefi, PGM Grand Secretary

ost Worshipful Grand Master Kwame Acquaah opened and presided over the 199th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia held at the Scottish Rite Center in Washington, D.C., on October 24, 2009.

M

Attendance All but two of the constituent Lodges were represented: 16 Grand Lodge Officers, 15 Past Grand Masters, 53 Past Masters, 38 Worshipful Masters and Proxies, 26 Senior Wardens and Proxies, 23 Junior Wardens and Proxies and 4 non-voting Master Masons were in attendance for a total of 171.

Membership Statistics: During the 2009 Masonic year there were 122 Master Masons raised, 60 affi liated, and 23 reinstated, for a total gain of 205. Losses were: 89 withdrawn (includes 46 members of the Azerbaijan Lodge No. 2002, now under the jurisdiction of the National Grand Lodge of Azerbaijan), 61 dropped for nonpayment of dues and 172 deceased for a total loss of 324, for a net loss of 119, leaving a net total membership of 4312, as of October 1, 2009.

Grand Lodge Officers Elected: The following brothers were elected to serve as Grand Lodge Officers for the year 2010, and are to be installed at the Third Communication of the Grand Lodge on Saturday, December 12, 2009: Paul D. Gleason (47) . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grand Master Jesse Villarreal (19) . . . . . Deputy Grand Master Joseph S. Crociata (15) . . . Senior Grand Warden Teko A. Foly (34) . . . . . . . . Junior Grand Warden Mansour Hatefi, PGM (5) . . . . . . Grand Secretary Robert F. Drechsler, PGM (21) . Grand Treasurer Christopher K. Mahaney (23). . . . Grand Lecturer James T. Feezell (54) . . . . Senior Grand Deacon Jeffrey D. Russell (5) . . . . Junior Grand Deacon J. David M. Rozsa (33) . . .Senior Grand Steward Roman Volsky (15) . . . . . Junior Grand Steward The Voice of Freemasonry

4

Theodore M. Kahn, PGM, (45) was elected to serve as Grand Lodge Trustee for a three (3) year term (2010-2012).

Awards and Presentations: William E. Chaney, Jr, PGM, (10) was elected by the Grand Lodge to receive the Distinguished Service Award of the Grand Lodge.

The Grand Master presented the Valentine Reintzel Medal for Meritorious Service to RW Joseph S. Crociata, Junior Grand Warden,(15), RW James T. Feezell, Senior Grand Steward, (54), and WBro. Marcus A. Trelaine, PM, Grand Preceptor (7).

Legislation: Nine (9) proposals, as published in the Call and distributed to the membership 60 days prior to the Communication, came before the Grand Lodge: • Proposal No. 1: To amend SEC. 29, to conform to the practice that has subsisted for many years.

(Adopted) • Proposal No. 2: To modify SEC. 30 by providing limitations on expenditures above the line items in the Budget. (Adopted as amended) • Proposal No. 3: To modify the description of the rank of the trustees in SEC. 45. (Withdrawn) • Proposal No. 4: To make consistent the official name of the Medal of Freedom, The Award for Humanitarian and Community Service with regard to SEC. 60. (Rejected) • Proposal No. 5: To modify SEC. 87 and SEC. 88 in order to ensure the prompt submission of the reports, records, account books of the Lodges before the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge. (Withdrawn) • Proposal No. 6: To modify Standing Resolution 33 to permit an open and comprehensive deliberation on choices for Grand Lodge Awards and flexibility regarding the communication at which the vote shall be taken. (Adopted as amended)

ST. JOHN’S MITE ASSOCIATION

• Proposal No. 7: To change the name of the award in Standing Resolution 34 and subjecting it to the recommendation of the Awards Committee. (Withdrawn) • Proposal No. 8: To create a Grand Lodge incentive program to encourage the constituent Lodges to become more active and vibrant. (Adopted as amended) • Proposal No. 9: To establish a Capital Campaign Fund for the purchase and maintenance of a suitable Grand Lodge Building. (Adopted as amended) Other Actions Taken by the Grand Lodge: • Acting upon the recommendations of the Chairmen of Oversight Committees of Compass Lodge U.D. and The Colonial Lodge U.D., Grand Lodge voted to grant charters to these Lodges to be called Compass Lodge No. 1811, and The Colonial Lodge No. 1821 respectively.

• Acting upon a proposal by the Grand Master on behalf of the Grand Lodge, Grand Lodge voted to provide insurance coverage to the constituent lodges

and approved an increase in the 2010 budget to include the estimated premium.

• Approved amendment to the 2010 Budget to permit additional funding for Independence Day activities.

• Approved the Grand Master’s request to bestow the rank of Honorary Past Grand Master of this Grand Lodge on Most Worshipful Thomas M. Velvin, Jr., Grand Master of Masons in Maryland.

• Approved the Grand Master’s request to bestow the rank of Honorary Past Senior Grand Warden on Worshipful Brother Victor Adegbite (1717).

The Grand Lodge moved to receive the remainder of the reports printed in the Report Book, making them part of the proceedings of this communication.

A full report on the transactions of the 199th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge along with the reports presented and/or submitted in writing, will be printed in the 2009 Annual Proceedings.

The Semi-Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge will be held on Wednesday, May 12, 2010, at the Scottish Rite Center in Washington, D.C. ■

The St. John’s Mite Association The St. John’s Mite Association is at the ready to provide relief for members of the DC Masonic Family. Its Constitution states: “The object of the Association shall be to render relief to needy Master Masons who are members in good standing of the several Lodges under the jurisdiction of the Masonic Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, and to their wives, widows, and to their dependent children who are under the age of 18 years…” Application is made through one’s Blue Lodge and the Association requires the Lodges to certify the request for assistance and provide matching funds.

If you or your family is in need of relief, the St. John’s Mite Association is here to help.

The Voice of Freemasonry

5

DEPUTY GRAND MASTER’S MESSAGE

From the Deputy Grand Master

A New Leadership Conference embers of the Constituent Lodges of the District of Columbia, accompanied by the several Elected and Appointed Officers of the Grand Lodge, Lodge Secretaries and Treasurers, a sprinkling of Past Grand Masters and a few nonjurisdictional Masons have, for the past two plus decades, made their way down I-66 to the bucolic surroundings of Front Royal and the 4-H Center. There they gathered each September to receive necessary and informative instructions on the nuts and bolts of Lodge Protocol, e d u c a t i o n a l instructions specific to their Stations and Places, the ins and out of being a good Secretary and Treasurer and, for those whose destiny was to be installed as Lodge Master for the coming Masonic Year, taking the Section 83 Examination.

M

Paul D. Gleason Deputy Grand Master

Mike Berlin, Brother Bud Michaels and Brother Mark Shapiro and the author quickly understood that the desire to return to the 4-H Center, at least within our group, was non-existent. What then came out of our deliberations? We searched for new sites that did not require excessive time and distance to get to but that was removed as much as possible from worldly distractions and provided improved accommodations and a more extensive menu. To those Wardens and Deacons who attended this year’s Leadership Conference, I leave it to your determination if the change was appropriate and met the goals of the Planning Group.

The Grand Lodge has an inherent responsibility in ensuring the Leaders of its Constituent Lodges have the necessary ritualistic and managerial tools to be successful Masters.

Since 1998, I, too, have traveled that route—many times wishing the traffic moved a little faster, the rains a little less torrential and the time of transit significantly less burdensome. Given the responsibility to plan and execute this year’s Fall Leadership Conference by our Grand Master MWB Kwame Aquaah, a planning group, consisting of relatively young Masons with new ideas and a willingness to express them, was assembled and opinions as to who, what, where, when, why and how were solicited. It became dramatically clear that change was on the horizon.

RWB Christopher (Chip) Mahaney, WB Marcus Trelaine, WB David Han, WB William T. Rule Jr., WB

The Bolger Conference Center and Hotel answered the question: Where?

To our future Lodge Masters, the planning group opined that the topic of “Leadership” would be emphasized, emphasized and reemphasized. Feeling that excellent ritual must be balanced by well-conducted Stated Communications during which an understanding of the principles of leadership as well as the necessary attributes of a leader, the content of the Conference fell into place. It was also decided to lessen distractions, the Conference would emphasize attendance by Wardens and Deacons. Add a little fun with a hypnotist, and that task was an easy one. That took care of the Who, the What, and the Where.

Why have a Leadership Conference? That’s an easy one to answer. The Grand Lodge has an inherent responsibility in ensuring the Leaders of its Concontinued on page 15

The Voice of Freemasonry

6

FUELING A BRIGHT FUTURE

Fueling a Bright Future:

The 2009 Grand Lodge Leadership Conference J. David Moses Rozsa President, Masters and Wardens Association

or the past few years, I have attended the Grand Lodge Leadership Conference at the 4-H Conference Center in Front Royal, Virginia. I have attended Lodge Officer training sessions in the basement classrooms at Front Royal, slept on the bunk beds in Front Royal, and eaten in the cafeteria in Front Royal. I know Front Royal pretty well.

F

Brother, this year’s Leadership Conference was no Front Royal. (Thank you, Senator Bentsen.)

Our Deputy Grand Master, Right Worshipful Brother Paul D. Gleason, wanted to provide a more conducive learning environment for this year’s conference, so he sought grant funds and moved us to the Bolger Center in Potomac, Maryland. The conference was held on Saturday and Sunday, 12-13 September 2009. The greatly enhanced change of venue (think professional meeting rooms, hotel rooms, and restaurant grade food) put us all into a receptive frame of mind, prepared to absorb relevant and practically applicable guidance. Due to inspired and thorough planning, the content of the conference was also greatly improved, and participants left feeling that their time had been well invested.

Instead of having separate workshops for Senior Wardens, Junior Wardens, and other Officer groups, this year’s conference had a simple, coherent theme: Leadership. This theme permeated each presentation and provided a context that made the purpose of the conference clear to every Brother present.

Primarily focused on the training needs of Deacons and Wardens, the following topics were covered (in order of presentation):

• Masonry in Perspective, and the Twain Award as a Template for Lodge Leadership – MWB. Richard Fletcher • Principles of Leadership – WB Marcus Trelaine • Masonic Trivia – Bro. Bud Michels • Managing My Lodge: The Art and Science of Presiding – RWB Joseph Crociata • Leadership Self-Assessment – WB Marcus Trelaine • Member Mentoring – WB Garrison Courtney • The Art of Delegation – MWB Mansour Hatefi • DeMolay – Bro. Peter Brusoe • Leadership – A Grand Master’s Perception – RWB Paul Gleason • Leadership Skills at the Lodge Level – WB J. David M. Rozsa Each of these presentations was delivered eloquently, with a valuable message and a high degree of attendee participation. Small-group breakout sessions, a hypnotist (who doubled as a personality-typing coach; I kid you not), and Fraternal bonding after hours rounded out the conference. From every anecdotal comment I heard, the 2009 Leadership Conference was a rewarding experience and a huge success. For a copy of the presentations, please email me at jdmrozsa@albertpike33.org. continued on page 15

The Voice of Freemasonry

7

MASONIC METRICS

Masonic Metrics Pursuing a Valid Answer to a Perennial Question: “How’re we doing?”

Joseph S. Crociata Junior Grand Warden

very Grand Visitation season, your Servants in Purple shuttle from Lodge to Lodge, to witness the “box score” of the modern Craft. Without respect to the Grand Processions, praises from the Grand Master and honors to Past Grand Masters, the assembly’s satisfaction with the report of each Lodge will depend to a great extent upon a single utterance of our Grand Secretary. One by one, the Master of each Lodge will step up to the plate to take his turn at bat. And upon introducing each Master for his report, our Grand Secretary intones the numbers from the Lodge’s returns: listing how many members belonged at the beginning of the year, the additions and losses, and the net gain or loss in membership that the Lodge’s year has yielded to date. When the number is positive, there is joy and cheer in the room at signs of growth. When the number is negative, shoulders slump in sorrow, for – in the immortal words rendered about a master hitter of legend – “there is no joy in Mudville. Mighty Casey has struck out.”

E

Lodges into one more competing entertainment channel on the television of life. More and more, Lodges are “doing Freemasonry” – exploring the best parts of man, and his finest expression of the philosophical, the social and the fraternal: the panoply of joys of Lodge life. And men, young and old, are finding their way to our doors. Masonic life these days, brethren, is sweet indeed.

But however sweet, what is the ideal number of brothers that make up an ideal Lodge? That is NOT an answer that comes with “one size fits all” certainty.

Only the members of a Lodge can determine the proper size of its membership.

Once the brethren agree on a Lodge’s Mission and set up a program that serves its purposes, that program determines the “right” range of active brothers: a number that is large enough to sustain the Lodge’s program, without being so ungainly that each brother’s ability to participate actively is hampered.

We have cast off the attempts to reform our Lodges into one more competing entertainment channel on the television of life.

I invite you to observe my shoulders at such times, for you will find them buoyed with confidence. The current reductions in membership are just the natural consequence of generational gains and losses that will occur, and then even out every century or so. Indeed, the proportion of Masons to the general population remains favorably comparable to American colonial times: one of the “golden ages” that Masonic hand-wringers are prone to view with envy. I would argue that over the past thirty years, the hard work of countless Masons has increased the quality of our Lodges to make them the equal of their colonial counterparts. We have cast off the attempts to reform our

The Voice of Freemasonry

8

One of the worst kept secrets of Freemasonry has to do with the size of a successful Lodge. Our English brethren (who tend to require Lodges to split if they grow much beyond forty members) may disapprove of American Lodges with memberships in the hundreds, but we’re really not that different. Whether the total membership is forty or four-hundred, successful Lodges in the United States tend to rely upon a corps of twenty to forty “active” members.

So whatever your goals, you must decide the number of active members who will be adequate to serve them.

Your Lodge’s program may be just fine at ten active members, or it may need forty. Those decisions are up

MASONIC METRICS

to you. But whatever number you choose, how do you determine whether your petitioners of today will permit the program to survive into the future? Assuming you have a successful program and you are committed to sustain what you have into the future, it’s pretty easy to do the math – and the math is very unforgiving.

It is, however, easy to manage, especially if your Lodge is already operating at adequate strength.

The bad news comes when you have to live with a recent history of eroding support. If your Lodge is already down to twelve “active” members with only two or three brothers keeping the program alive (for which you will thank them next meeting if you haven’t already), you will need more improvement and faster, to get the Lodge back into a self-sustaining profile.

Based upon the number you set, try working with the following suggestion of how to determine whether your Lodge program can be sustained into the future.

My “Masonic Metrics” equation goes like this: Target Membership ÷ Retention Rates ÷ Conversion Rate = Annual Petitions And here’s how it works, using a hypothetical Lodge of ample size.

Take Inventory Let’s think this through. Say you’ve decided that you need twenty-four (24) active brothers seated in Lodge to maintain its program in “the style to which you’d like to become accustomed.” You need to take inventory to figure out where you are at present. Right now, of the 143 brothers on the roster, 67 live in Florida or elsewhere beyond the reach of any reasonable cabletow. That leaves 76 brothers as your universe for finding the twenty-four active ones you need. In your Lodge, you will have to decide how to define “active” by matching it up with the Masonic work your program requires. For the purposes of this example, we will call a brother “active” if he: (a) provides direct assistance to one or more of the Lodge’s programs; and, (b) attends over half the meetings in any given year.

We can start with a simple source: the register books used at your stated meetings. Turning to the officer corps, you find that on average in any given year, the Master makes every meeting save one (ah, the blessed relief of Warden’s Night!) The Wardens miss two each, the Deacons miss an average of four apiece, and the Stewards only three. The Chaplain only misses one per year, the Marshall four, the Secretary one. The Treasurer misses all but seven per year. That means, out of the officer corps, every one of these men actively participate in one or more programs, and nine of ten qualify as “active” based upon attendance. Nine out of

the twenty-four you need isn’t a bad start, and now we can start looking for the other fifteen.

Let’s move to the Past Masters. You have seventeen who are living, of whom five have been lost to retirement far from the Lodge. Of the twelve who remain, you discover a sobering statistic. Of our “apostles of the Lodge,” on average all but five began making fewer than half the meetings as Past Masters within two years after they left the chair. But it’s not all bad news.

On average, your brothers who become officers do so within two years of their raising and (due to “skips” in the line) serve an average of over six years as officers before passing the chair. Hence, the average “retention rate” for a brother who becomes an officer (a concept we’ll address below) is almost ten years! A decade is no small portion of a man’s life to devote to a single undertaking. Even better, eight of the twelve who live in your area continue to participate actively in at least one degree or program per year. Based upon attendance, your net increase in “active” members from the Past Masters is five which brings you to twelve out of twenty-four. You’re now halfway to your goal.

On to the “sideliners,” and back to the register books. Your average attendance at Lodge meetings over the past five years is a healthy twenty-seven.

Of the twenty-seven, an average of four are visitors, bringing the Lodge average down to twenty-three.

Close to your ideal, and not bad: eleven or twelve sideliners on average at each meeting! But several of these are brothers who attend fewer than half the meetings. That brings your total down to seven “active” sideliners.

But you’re not through evaluating your current situation yet. For the next step, you need to involve the Lodge’s “living historians:” those who know everyone in Lodge and remember what they’ve been doing with their fraternal time. (If you’ve had regular trestleboards containing thanks for the efforts of those doing the Lodge’s work — always a good idea — you have another source of this information over the same period as well.) Here, you find something even more encouraging: of the non-officers, no fewer than twenty in any given year take active roles in a Lodge program or degree, and that includes ALL of the seven “regulars.” This brings your total up to nineteen, and you can now celebrate the “completion” of your goal with the next five successful petitions, right? Wrong.

Retention Rate Let us look at the problematic complexities of your “retention rate.” We have already done that for the officers. Studying the history of your Masters reveals that in addition to the average office career of six years (accounting for late entries and those who leave withcontinued on page 29 The Voice of Freemasonry

9

THE LOST SYMBOL: A REVIEW FROM THE MASONIC PERSPECTIVE

The Lost Symbol

by Bro. Kenneth B. French

A Review from the Masonic Perspective t low-twelve on September 15, 2009 the long awaited novel by Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol, went on sale in bookstores all over the world. The Lost Symbol is the third novel to follow the exploits of Professor Robert Langdon, the fictional Harvard symbologist from Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. With a first printing of over 5 million copies, it was the biggest first release of any other novel ever printed in history since the time of Gutenberg, with the exception of those with Harry Potter in the title.

A

Readers of Brown’s other books will detect a similar pattern of mysterious codes and clever riddles to be solved, as well as his familiar theme of the overlapping relationship between science, nature and the Divine.

And, as in the previous books, a fast-paced plot drives the action.

However, instead of taking place in Rome, Paris, or Scotland, this book hits a little closer to home, touching on Freemasonry and the Masonic influence/symbolism of Washington, DC. Against this backdrop, a twisted, tattooed villain slips through a Potomac Lodge No. 5 investigation committee and buys the honor of the Thirty-Third Degree of the Scottish Rite by donating a large amount of money to a Masonic charity. The villain then searches for the legendary Masonic pyramid, and the “lost symbol” that will supposedly unlock great ancient secrets, and Professor Langdon is at the center of heroic efforts to save the treasure of the ages.

What emerges from this book — I am quite pleased to report — is an extremely favorable portrayal of the Craft. Perhaps, the novel is one of the very best vehicles we could have ever imagined in countering the negative misperceptions that have maligned our Order for centuries. Brown ably captures the ideals of our fraternity, even mentioning the policy of never publicly responding to our critics.

In Chapter six, for example: [Student]: “So…Masonry is antireligious?”

[Langdon]: “On the contrary. One of the prerequisites for becoming a Mason is that you must believe in a higher power. The difference between Masonic spirituality and organized religion is that the Masons do not impose a specific definition of name on a higher power.

Rather than definitive theological identities like God,

The Voice of Freemasonry

10

Allah, Buddha, or Jesus, the Masons use more general terms like Supreme Being or Great Architect of the Universe. This enables Masons of different faiths to gather together.”

“Sounds a little far-out, someone said.

“Or, perhaps, refreshingly open-minded?” Langdon offered. “In this age when different cultures are killing each other over whose definition of God is better, one could say the Masonic tradition of tolerance and open-mindedness is commendable.” Langdon paced the stage.

“Moreover, Masonry is open to men of all races, colors, and creeds, and provides a spiritual fraternity that does not discriminate in any way.”

Unlike the fluff pieces written in the Washington Post about the Craft, Brown has actually taken the time to research Freemasonry, particularly as it is practiced in Washington, DC. The Lost Symbol will certainly make any member proud of being a Mason, but it will particularly please the Freemasons in DC, where true ethnic, religious, and age diversity is unmatched anywhere else on the planet (or in the history of the Craft for that matter). All Masonic characters in the book, with the exception of the villain who successfully infiltrated the Freemasons,

THE LOST SYMBOL: A REVIEW FROM THE MASONIC PERSPECTIVE

are painted as upstanding, learned men of impeccable moral character and repute.

In fact, the overall tone of Mr. Brown’s book would cause the reader to feel that there is presently nothing so wrong with the world now that cannot be fixed by what is so right about the principles of Masonry.

That’s not to say it is all fact. Naturally from a storytelling perspective, it was perhaps easier for Brown to intermix some of the rituals and symbolism found within the Blue Lodge, the Scottish Rite, or the Royal Arch, sprinkled in with a little Rosicrucian philosophy and other Mystic Orders. There are definitely some inaccuracies about our ritual; however, some Masons might be a little uncomfortable when it strikes a little too close to home.

Yet, because Langdon so well expresses the emphasis of what our degrees impart, from a symbolic standpoint, I feel our ritual is shown in its proper context.

Brown addresses the deep philosophical underpinnings found in our ritual, rather than how odd it may seem to the profane.

I highly recommend that you read it and refer anyone that you know to read it. It’s entertaining, intelligently written, fair to the Craft, and just a fun piece of fiction overall. Although it’s not entirely accurate in its portrayal, it is overwhelmingly positive in its treatment of Freemasonry. Using famous backdrops such as the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Library of Congress, the National Cathedral and the House of the Temple among others, the reader may begin to have a new appreciation for the beautiful

architecture and hidden symbolism found all over our historic city. There are even descriptive references to the Potomac Lodge Hall and the Almas Shrine Temple!

Yet, from a Masonic perspective, I would recommend this book to you for other reasons.

As members of the Craft, we are taught to use symbolic tools of Masonry for noble and glorious purposes, and this book may become the greatest tool we could have ever been given with respect to generating positive publicity for Freemasonry in this country. It would also be wise for all of us to read this book simply to have a better understanding of the way in which we will be perceived by those not yet affiliated with Masonry, but who may soon wish to be.

In fact, our principle tenets might be so eloquently expressed in the book that the biggest challenge facing DC Masonry will no longer be where to get new members, but rather if we can live up to the noble aspirations of the Craft depicted in the book. If we do not live up the ideals of our fraternity as expressed in this novel, then it will surely be a great disappointment to the horde of new petitioners knocking on our doors.

There is presently nothing so wrong with the world now that cannot be fixed by what is so right about the principles of Masonry.

Further, I would very much hope that those with impure motives would not have as easy of a time infiltrating our Order as the villain did so effortlessly in The Lost Symbol. We will need to become more vigilant than ever when it comes to guarding the West Gate, and just because we presently have perhaps too many Lodges and not enough Masons in this Grand Jurisdiction, it should not mean we allow the floodgates to open for all those whose curiosity is piqued by this novel.

But that being said, with the publication of this book, I can defi nitely say that while it has always been great to be a DC Mason, it’s about to get even better (and busier)! ■

The Voice of Freemasonry

11

THE LOST SYMBOL: OUR GRAND ORATOR’S REVIEW

The Lost Symbol

Our Grand Orator’s Review he Lost Symbol is a book that is in some ways very similar to Dan Brown’s other works in that it is a “page-turner”. Once one has started to read it, it is very difficult to put down. Dan Brown’s attitudes toward Freemasonry are, as he has said frequently in public comments, quite positive; and his positive views are reflected in this book. There is not a great deal of detailed material about Masonry, but the Order is certainly presented as a good organization. The principal characters in the story are Masons, and their actions – except for those of the villain – are entirely proper and praiseworthy.

T

The story is extremely complex – multiple dimensions of events occurring within about 72 hours are covered in 509 pages; and we cannot begin to describe it here. Suffice it to say that the story is about material/ information which had been hidden by a Mason to prevent misuse, but could benefit society, if understood and used properly.

However, there is one single Mason – a new one who has no intention of understanding the Craft or its teachings – who has a different turn of mind. He petitioned to be a Mason so that he could learn these “secrets”, and he believes that when he learns them, he will have great personal power over others. He tries to do that, and in the course of the story’s turbulent conflict he experiences an appropriately unfortunate result. This idea that Masonic secrets are of the sort that one can use for one’s own benefit at the expense of others is a common misconception about Freemasonry.

It is possible that someone might seek membership for a motive of this kind, and this is a good reason for us be careful in our examination of applicants for the Degrees.

There are, however, things in the text which suggest that there is a great deal more here than simply the gripping adventure of the story. Let us look at that aspect.

by W. Kirk MacNulty Grand Orator

tions, IONS and PEAR. Both are real organizations, and I have had personal experience with both. IONS, is the Institute of Noetic Sciences. Founded in the early 1970’s, IONS is committed to the exploration of consciousness, the soul and the spirit, and the encouragement of expanded consciousness throughout the world. It seeks to make bridges between science and spirituality. PEAR (originally Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research, now called ICRL, International Consciousness Research Laboratories) conducts multi-disciplinary investigations of anomalous interactions between the mind and the physical world. I have interacted with both organizations, and I can say that they have produced sound, scientific data demonstrating that there is more to the world than our ordinary physical understanding.

Now, as we view Freemasonry from a philosophical perspective, the progress through the Three Degrees can be understood as a journey in consciousness – through the levels of the Soul and Spirit – to experience the Divine Presence. This is a view that more and more lodges are investigating.

In fact, these areas of extended consciousness are the same areas that IONS and PEAR explore; although they use very different techniques. It is intriguing that Dan Brown should make this connection between evidence of expanded consciousness and Freemasonry. The material that he touches on, particularly in the Epilogue of his work, seems to relate to this idea.

This idea that Masonic secrets are of the sort that one can use for one’s own benefit at the expense of others is a common misconception about Freemasonry.

In describing the body of information that is the subject of the story’s conflict, Dan Brown mentions two organizaThe Voice of Freemasonry

12

It has been observed that among young men, say under the age of 35, there is a good number of them who are interested in this philosophical/mystical interpretation of our symbolism. It may well be that this is evidence of the expanding consciousness that Dan Brown’s novel seems to speak of. That is a very positive idea for Freemasonry, and we should be grateful for to him for presenting – even if by implication – this positive view of the Craft.

The Lost Symbol is a recommended read! ■

THE LOST SYMBOL AND MASONIC MEMBERSHIP

The Lost Symbol and Masonic Membership:

Are We Prepared to Meet the Impending Challenge of Public Scrutiny?

by George R. Adams, PGM

ith the advent of Dan Brown’s new book, The Lost Symbol, the blinding spotlight of public attention will once again turn toward our Craft. The question is, “are we prepared to meet this new challenge of public scrutiny?”

W

The Lost Symbol is a powerful promotional tool for Freemasonry! It should be viewed as an opportunity not a threat, an opportunity to grow our fraternity into what it was designed to be by our Masonic forefathers.

The million-plus best seller will stimulate tremendous curiosity about who we are and what goes on behind the doors of the lodge. It will draw to the fraternity significant numbers of inquisitive, prospective members seeking to share in the light of Masonry’s rich history and philosophy of life. We need to be ready to articulate who we are and to position ourselves to follow up on the promise of our heritage.

Situated in the heart of the most powerful country in the world, our Grand Lodge is unique among Grand Lodges. While numerically, our membership has diminished over the years from 25,000 plus Masons in 1941 to approximately 5.000 Masons in 2009, we are seen in many circles as a leading light in the temple of Freemasonry. Also, Dan Brown’s book centers on Freemasonry in our Nation’s Capital. Moreover there are signs that the decline in membership has begun to level off beginning in 1990 when the Grand Lodge set an expanded new course to build a multicultural bridge to attract Freemasons from around the world residing in our Nation’s Capital. For example, since the chartering of Mehr Lodge No. 90 in 1990 our Grand Lodge has added some 19 new lodges and one new lodge under dispensation. I am told that some 56 different languages are now spoken within our Craft. In addition, with the creation of Sojourner Kilwinning Lodge No. 1798, our Grand Lodge has afforded the opportunity to its members to practice their Freemasonry in this country which privilege had been previously denied them and in the year 2000, the Grand Lodge recognized our Prince Hall brothers in line with our Masonic ideal of brotherly love and affection. This is a record of which we can all be proud.

But what of the future? I like to think of Masonry as a “family business” that is run by the business owner, the Master of the lodge. The customer is the lodge member. The product is friendship and enlightenment. How well the business runs is determined by

how well we serve our customer. How well we serve the customer is determined by the leadership of the Master.

I believe that each lodge should develop its own “business plan” complete with a mission statement, strengths and weakness analysis, and budgets so that the lodge has a clear direction and each brother is aware of what is expected of him. When I received my MBA, I was taught that everything in the business should center on the target market. I was taught that “the four P’s”, namely, “product, place, promotion and price” apply to every business.

I think that these principles also apply to our Masonic business as well: 1. Product. Our product is Freemasonry. The key to success is effective leadership. Accordingly, it is important that the Worshipful Master and his officers be taught how to effectively manage their lodge to make the lodge a first class, profitable Masonic business. Degree work should be performed at the highest level. The degrees are intended to be “experiential” and should leave the candidate with a profound feeling that he has received the most precious gift of light from a first class lodge. The “personality” of the lodge may vary. Examples of different lodge personalities include a) Traditional Lodges, lodges operate in a standard traditional mode, b) Bilingual Lodges, lodges share a common cultural heritage, c) Philosophical Lodges, lodges interested in spiritual and intellectual Masonic enlightenment, d) Military Lodges, lodges that are dedicated to the sojourning military Mason, e) Business and Professional Men’s Lodges, lodges that are designed to attract Masonic businessmen and professionals and f) University/Fraternity-oriented Lodges, lodges are tied into the major universities or Greek-letter fraternities. The continued on next page The Voice of Freemasonry

13

THE LOST SYMBOL AND MASONIC MEMBERSHIP

common denominator is our degree work and the manner in which we interact with one another.

2. Place. The lodge room is the place of business.

Typically the Secretary of the Lodge is the key to the smooth running administration of the lodge. It is important that the lodge room maintain a fi rst class atmosphere of proper Masonic decorum. The Master should be fully conversant with lodge protocol and intolerant of conduct that is inconsistent with that protocol.

4. Price It is important that lodges pay attention to their dues structure. Many times the price of something determines its perceived value. If I buy a pair of shoes at WalMart for $30, the shoes may be just as good as a $200 pair of shoes from another store. However, the perceived value of the pair of WalMart shoes is not going to be as high. It is therefore important that the lodge periodically review its fee schedule in light of its “personality”, resources and mission statement.

The Lost Symbol is a powerful promotional tool for Freemasonry!

It should be viewed as an opportunity, not a threat — an opportunity to grow our fraternity into what it was designed to be by our Masonic forefathers.

3. Promotion. The lodge leadership should ask itself who is our market? Is the lodge looking for members under 30? Under 50?

Businessmen? Intellectuals? University Students? If so, what does the lodge need to do to attract that market? The members of the lodge should be conversant with Freemasonry and its history and meaning. It may be a good idea for each Mason to develop a “Masonic elevator speech”, so that he can clearly and concisely articulate to prospective members why they should consider joining Freemasonry. Social events, speaker’s bureaus, promotion materials, financial support to charities, podcasts by informed brethren, and the outreach of members of the lodge to friends and acquaintances are all means to promote the Craft.

To meet the challenge posed by increased public scrutiny will require a candid and careful analysis of where we are and what we want to achieve as a Fraternity. Ultimately, the responsibility for new members and the content of each lodge’s personality rests with each lodge. Some of our lodges are experiencing a renaissance in membership; others are languishing on the vine.

This is to be expected.

In the world, some businesses thrive, others fail. How well the lodge performs in this new environment of public scrutiny will be dependent upon the energy and leadership skills of the officers of the lodge and in particular the Master. We need to be ready – ready to respond to the light of a renewed interest in our Fraternity. My advice… plan, decide and execute the mission of your lodge! ■

A Special Opportunity for Federal Employees: Please consider including the Masonic Foundation of the District of Columbia as part of your charitable giving to the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The CFC number for the Masonic Foundation is 48808 and is listed in the “local agencies” section of this year’s campaign catalog.

If you are not a Federal Employee but know someone who is, please ask them to consider our Masonic Foundation.

The Voice of Freemasonry

14

THE WASHINGTON CLUB

The Washington Club Welcomes DC Masons in 2009 The Grand Master has arranged for all DC Freemasons to enjoy dining privileges at the prestigious Washington Club located at 15 Dupont Circle, NW. Family and friends may also benefit from this privilege provided they are accompanied by a brother, who books the reservation. The privileges include lunch and dinner based on availability, Tuesday – Saturday now through the end of 2009 (some restrictions may apply). Reservations are required a minimum of two hours in advance by calling 202-483-9200 ext. 10. The Washington Club requires business attire and presentation of your current dues card as proof of membership in the fraternity. Please enjoy this opportunity to visit and experience one of the nation’s capital’s most historic private clubs.

From the Deputy Grand Master continued from page 6

stituent Lodges have the necessary ritualistic and managerial tools to be successful Masters.

The When? Well September seemed like a good time of the year so the timing was left unchanged.

How did it turn out? Well, to date, the feedback, as to the venue change, has been totally positive. We have received some comments that there was too much on “Leadership” Gee, that was intended! I recommend that all brethren pay a visit to Borders or Barnes and Noble and check out the amount of literary works devoted to Leadership You will come to an understanding that Leadership in all its parameters is not easily mastered.

The lessons learned this year will be passed on to the next Deputy Grand Master in the hopes that, what-

ever success we achieved this year, will be eclipsed — making next year’s conference an even more informative and rewarding weekend.

I cannot end this brief synopsis of how the Fall Leadership Conference came about without mentioning and acknowledging the role that was played by the Masonic and Eastern Star Home Charities, Inc. Without their largess, the conference, quite likely, would have been back at Front Royal and once again we would have faced making our beds, cleaning out the various low-life fauna inhabitants and trying to fluff up a pillow that no longer had any fluff and wending our way downtown for a good night’s sleep.

RWB Jesse Villarreal – take due notice thereof and govern yourself accordingly. ■

Fueling a Bright Future continued from page 7

Most significantly from my perspective, the Wardens and Deacons in attendance shone even more brightly than the speakers (with apologies to my fellow speakers). Contributing not only insightful responses

to presenters’ questions but also creative ideas and advice for their peers, these upcoming leaders demonstrated clearly that the future of our Lodges is in very capable hands. ■

The Voice of Freemasonry

15

Scenes from the

The Voice of Freemasonry

16

2009 G r a n d V i s i t a tions

The Voice of Freemasonry

17

CHARITY: A DEEPER MEANING

Charity A Deeper Meaning There is a destiny that makes us brothers; None goes his way alone.

All that we send into the lives of others; Comes back into our own.

– Edwin Markham n the normal usage and understanding of the word “charity” in our Masonic terminology, we already know of it in terms of “alms-giving” or “relief”.

I

The importance of this teaching is clearly communicated to the initiate and the candidate in almost all of our degree rituals. This teaching is finally emphasized in the Master Mason’s degree when the candidate is instructed that it is one of the principal tenets of our Fraternity, along with Brotherly Love and Truth.

Bilal M. Raschid Deputy Grand Chaplain

Masonic charity differed in its underlying assumptions and in its style from civic charity. Being derived from the concepts developed by the guilds of stone masons, it was initially more internally oriented towards relief for its members; and discretely administered to maintain the dignity of the recipients.

Public charity by Masons became more extensive here in the US, after the infamous “Morgan Affair” in the 1820s. Freemasonry’s reputation and prestige had been badly But like every other teachsullied, and its membership ing in Masonry, every had declined precipitously symbol and statement has for many years, thereby meanings that are deeper weakening its financial than at first apparent. resources. When this situaBefore proceeding further tion changed in the 1830s, to seek this deeper meaning and membership picked of the word “charity”, let us up again, changes had also first pause to take note that occurred in the commufor a Mason, the teaching nities where Lodges now of charity is indeed deeply flourished. This brought held, and strongly pracabout the establishment ticed, both by the Lodges by many Grand Lodges, of as a whole, as well as on an Masonic Homes, both for individual basis. The charity children as well as the widMasons do is quite remarkows; and was an extension “Charity” (1878) by William-Adolphe Bouguereau able, and unmatched by of the Gothic Constitution’s any other social or fraternal requirement that unemployed Masons be given assisorganization. Both in terms of the money contribtance. Masonic orphanages and retirement homes uted, and the personal time given to charitable works, continue today, and are expanding to fulfill the needs it remains unique and unchallenged. of elder care. The greater involvement with public It may perhaps also be of interest to note that while charity led to services being now rendered to the charity is the most important teaching taken to heart community through our Shriner’s Hospitals, the Scotby Masons in the United States; this is not the case in tish Rite’s Childhood Language Disorder Clinics, the other countries. While they do fulfill their obligations Knights Templars’ Eye Banks, and to our veterans at in this regard, there is greater emphasis in lodges the VHA medical centers, under the coordination of outside the US on the spiritual and moral teachings the Masonic Service Association, where the charity of of Masonry.

Freemasons can be clearly seen by the profane world.

The Voice of Freemasonry

18

CHARITY: A DEEPER MEANING

This emphasis on charity is beautifully conveyed to the Master at his installation, when in the address given to him, he is admonished to instruct his brethren thus: “charge them to practice out of the Lodge those duties which are taught in it, and by amiable, discreet and virtuous conduct to convince mankind of the goodness of the institution so that, when anyone is said to be a member of it, the world may know that he is one to whom the burthened heart may pour out its sorrows, to whom distress may refer its suit, whose hand is guided by justice and whose heart is expanded by benevolence”.

But there is more to charity than just alms-giving, or relieving distress. The word ‘charity’ is derived from the Latin “caritas”, which is altruistic love. In Christian theology Charity, or Love (agapê), is the greatest of the three theological virtues. Love, in the sense of an unlimited loving-kindness towards all others, (also a strong teaching of the Buddha), is held to be the ultimate perfection of the human spirit, because it is said to both glorify and reflect the nature of God. This is what the apostle Paul meant when he said: “Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.”

What Albert Mackey is saying in essence, is that we must be charitable in every sense of that word.

And this in fact is, to my mind, the broader meaning alluded to in the Middle Chamber lecture of the Fellowcraft degree, when, pointing at the globes surmounting the two brazen pillars, the candidate is told that ‘as these are emblems of universality, a Mason’s charity should be equally extensive.’

That is to say, it is not just confined to the concept of alms-giving and relieving distress, however important these may be. But inculcates the practice of loving-kindness to its fullest extent. And so, to be tolerant is to be charitable. To be courteous is being charitable. The Prophet Mohammed went further by saying that: “Every good act is charity; smiling in your brother’s face is charity; being kind to your wife is charity; being gentle with your children is charity; exhortation of your fellow man to virtuous deeds is equal to alms-giving; putting a wanderer on the right road is charity; assisting the blind is charity; removing stones, and thorns, and other obstructions from the road, is charity; and a man’s true wealth hereafter, is the good he does in this world to his fellow man.”

“What we do for ourselves dies with us; what we do for others lives on, and is immortal.”

As Albert Mackey writes in his Encyclopedia of Freemasonry: “Guided by this sentiment (love), the true Mason will ‘suffer long and be kind’. He will be slow to anger and easy to forgive. He will stay his falling brother by gentle admonition, and warn him with kindness of approaching danger. He will not open his ear to his slanderers, and will close his lips against all reproach. His faults and his follies will be locked in his breast, and the prayer for mercy will ascend to Jehovah for his brother’s sins. Nor will these sentiments of benevolence be confined to those who are bound to him by ties of kindred or worldly friendship alone; but, extending them throughout the globe, he will love and cherish all who sit beneath the broad canopy of our universal Lodge. For it is the boast of our Institution, that a Mason, destitute and worthy, may find in every clime a brother, and in every land a home.”

– Albert Pike

Mohammed’s final comment on this was: “Prayer carries us half-way to God, fasting brings us to the door of His palace; and charity procures us admission.”

This, my Brethren, is the deeper meaning of charity; and if we learn to truly be charitable, then we will fulfi ll the purpose of being Masons, as summarized in the quote below, of our Illustrious Brother Albert Pike: “There can be no genuine Brotherhood without mutual regard, good opinion and esteem, mutual charity, and mutual allowance for faults and failings. It is those only who learn habitually to think better of each other, to look habitually for the good that is in each other, and expect, allow for, and overlook the evil, who can be Brethren one of the other, in any true sense of the word.” ■

The Voice of Freemasonry

19

CONVASS B. DEAN MEMORIAL LODGE

Convass B. Dean Memorial Lodge

by Harold Grainger, HPSGW, Secretary Convass B. Dean Memorial Lodge

H

ow were Masonic funerals for sojourning Masons handled in the past? – Many years ago, each Lodge in rotation was assigned the next funeral request for a deceased local sojourner or at the request of another Grand Lodge. The procedure then was that the Lodge assigned would go to its respective Lodge Hall, open on the third degree, travel to the funeral home or cemetery, proceed to perform the last Masonic Rites over the remains, and then return to the Lodge to close. Imagine the time and inconvenience this caused. But remember, it was accomplished because it was the way things were done.

Formation of Memorial Lodge – It was because of this procedure that the idea was born to create a Lodge of retired Master Masons, two from each Lodge, who would be available during the daytime or evening hours to gather for this purpose. At the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge, December 19, 1962, the Grand Master, MW Brother Charles B. Gilley, recommended, “That a special committee be appointed to study the possibility of forming and chartering a special “Lodge of Sorrow” or funeral Lodge for the primary purpose of conducting courtesy funerals when requested to do so.” This recommendation was approved and the Grand Master appointed MW Brothers Convass B. Dean, J. August Johnson, and William H. Rohrman as the committee.

At the Annual Communication on December 18, 1963, the committee submitted a majority report recommending the formation of such a Lodge.

MW Brothers Dean and Johnson signed the report, and MW Brother Rohrman declined to sign. This report was received and referred to the Jurisprudence Committee for study and report at the Semi-Annual Communication in May, 1964. The Committee actually recommended against the formation of such a Lodge on the grounds that the Grand Master had ample authority to appoint a Chairman of a Memorial Committee with authority to assemble competent

The Voice of Freemasonry

20

Masons to conduct courtesy funerals. This recommendation was disapproved by the Grand Lodge, and the formation of a funeral lodge was authorized.

A meeting of interested brethren was held on October 31, 1964 at which time a tentative organization was formed, temporary officers chosen, and necessary rules for the operation of the Lodge agreed upon.

The officers selected were: Convass B. Dean as Worshipful Master, Alfred J. Steffen as Senior Warden, Harley C. Hemingway as Junior Warden, Norman J. Koontz as Secretary, and John F. Isaac as Treasurer.

At the Annual Communication on December 16, 1964, the Grand Master, MW Brother Harry B. Savage, granted a dispensation to the Master and Wardens named above to form and open “Memorial Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia,” this being the name agreed upon.

MW Brother Convass B. Dean asked the 48 lodges that existed at that time to send the names of two members who would form the membership of the Memorial Lodge. This generated a nucleus of almost 100 Master Masons, from which 25 were drawn per funeral. Therefore, each member would attend one out of every four funerals.

At the Semi-Annual Communication on May 12, 1965, the Grand Secretary spoke of the efficient manner in which Memorial Lodge had been operating since it received its dispensation; the favorable reaction of several sister Grand Jurisdictions; and the letters of appreciation that had been received. He moved that Memorial Lodge, F.A.A.M. be given its permanent Charter. This was unanimously approved. The Grand Master, MW Brother Lex L. Dodds, presented a charter to the above named brethren to form a Special Lodge to “facilitate the conduct of courtesy funerals, and for that purpose only.”

The Grand Master delivered the charter to MW

NATION’S CAPITAL MASONIC DAY OF PRAYER

Brother Dean with warm words of appreciation for the most capable manner in which he had conducted the affairs of Memorial Lodge. MW Brother Dean accepted the Charter and expressed his heartfelt thanks to the 120 brethren who had cooperated so fully in assuring the success of the project.

Memorial Lodge began its operations with the issuance of the dispensation on December 16, 1964.

From that date until November 29, 1965, when the next Annual Communication took place, it conducted 23 courtesy funeral services, of which 15 were held at funeral homes and 8 were graveside services. The attendance at these funerals ranged from 20 to 37 Masons. The officers and members made every effort to insure that the services were performed in a dignified and impressive manner, and it is believed that they met with the approval of the families and friends of our departed brethren.

Name change for Memorial Lodge – In recognition of the efforts of MW Brother Convass B. Dean in the formation of Memorial Lodge, the high esteem in which he was held by Masons in this and other

Grand Jurisdictions, and to memorialize his name, the Grand Lodge adopted a resolution at its Annual Communication in 1970 to change the name of Memorial Lodge to Convass Brown Dean Memorial Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia.

Where would we be without it? – If we did not have Convass B. Dean Memorial Lodge and the call to duty came to the office of the Grand Secretary would we be willing to return to the “old system?” If not, that leaves us with two options. First, we could just tell the grieving families of the deceased that we don’t do funerals anymore. Or we could do as we intended to do and have each Lodge submit two names of those who would be willing to attend the services of Convass B. Dean Memorial Lodge. They would not necessarily need to know the ritual; that is the function of the Master of the Lodge. They would merely need to attend and show the fraternity’s respect for our departed brother. Convass B. Dean Memorial Lodge provides an essential service for our departed brethren and our constituent lodges. It deserves our recognition and support. ■

NAT ION ’ S CA PITA L

Masonic Day of Prayer At High Twelve on Saturday, October 3rd, 2009, brethren of our Grand Lodge of DC united with brethren of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of DC for a special service of prayer and thanksgiving. A grand procession of officers representing lodges from both jurisdictions preceded the entrance of Grand Masters Kwame Acquaah and David A. McWilliams. MWB and Rev. Terry Tilton, PGM of Minnesota was an inspirational keynote speaker and the congregation enjoyed outstanding choral music performed by the choir of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Mt. Rainier, Maryland.

Grand Masters Kwame Acquaah and David A. McWilliams

MWB and Rev. Terry Tilton, PGM of Minnesota

The Voice of Freemasonry

21

LESSONS FROM A VALE LODGE

The Progress You Have Made in the Mystery:

Lessons from a Vale Lodge

Jeremy S. Barnes, Master Potomac Lodge No .5

Potomac Lodge No. 5, F.A.A.M., complete with the Roosevelt Lesser Lights, meets at Theodore Roosevelt Island with President and Brother Roosevelt in the distance.

here has always been something special about Theodore Roosevelt Island. In many ways, it is an anomaly: a wilderness preserve in the capital of the world; District land, yet accessible only from Virginia. It is a fitting memorial to our nation’s 26th president, and his status as a brother Mason adds a special significance to that remote spot.

T

The answers, at one time, were simple. It was about going back to basics… convening a modern Lodge in as close a manner as possible to our ancient brethren. For the Lodge and those in attendance, I hoped that it would be a clear reminder of what the Craft once was. As it turns out, I was correct… but not in the ways I expected.

As Masons, however, we are regularly taught to make use of temporal things for more noble and glorious purposes. On the 1st of September, this is exactly what happened at a very rare event: a “Vale Lodge”, held at the island’s Memorial Plaza.

To say that the path to this unique event had been rough and rugged would be no exaggeration; final permission was received from the National Park Service just four days in advance, clearing way for the Grand Master’s approval of the event to be requested. His permission came promptly, but the hard part had just begun.

It was a night that those present will not soon forget; hardly a cloud in the sky, and a moon so bright that shadows were cast sharply on the ground. Save the occasional departure from Reagan National Airport, the only sounds heard were the crickets that call the island home. It was a perfect night to meet, thus alone.

But why plan an event such as this? Why go to the hassle of moving an entire Lodge—from Boaz and Jachin to the Roosevelt Lesser Lights—to such a remote spot?

The Voice of Freemasonry

22

Due and timely notice was given to the members of the Lodge, both via e-mail and by way of a mailed bulletin. The Special Communication, called for the purpose of conferring the Master Mason Degree on two worthy candidates, brought additional challenges: a degree team was assembled, but the short notice meant that nearly half of the installed line of officers was unavailable. One of the candidates, who had moved away from DC to follow

LESSONS FROM A VALE LODGE

This is the statue of President and Brother Theodore Roosevelt that stands in the Memorial Plaza area of the island.

The Men of Potomac Lodge No. 5 with newly-raised Brothers Joe Baroudi and Russell Owens

Most Worshipful Brothers Hatefi, Dreschler, and Elias, Past Grand Masters

his career, was flown from Florida to be raised in his Mother Lodge.

As with any other logistical challenge, there were plenty of things that didn’t go as planned; by and large, however, setup for the event went smoothly.

The men of Potomac Lodge No. 5 performed a herculean task with their typical “Potomac Style”, and soon enough it was time to bring down the gavel.

The night moved forward quickly, and all of the participants settled into their roles. At one point, as I sat waiting for the candidates to arrive in the East, I stopped to consider whether my goals had been met. Surely this was a unique experience, and appreciated by the attendees; to date, my research has not uncovered another similar event held within the boundaries of the District. Yes, the candidates were suitably impressed… I read it in their eyes as they were brought to light. But what would I take from this experience?

My thoughts soon returned to the beginning of the night; without my normal preparation time and unable to see the officers around me, my instincts had brought me this far through the evening. The event itself was an amazing way to close my year in the East. But was it an end point, or a beginning point?

As I sat in the dark, waiting for the two men to arrive for their next instruction, I remembered how hard they had worked to prove themselves worthy for the honor they were now receiving. They knew the catechism so well that when I paused during the

obligation, one of them prompted me. They arrived and were sent off once more to the Senior Warden, and I realized that the lesson of the evening, for me, was the reflexiveness of our Craft.

Perhaps this is an open secret… or maybe it is the true lesson of being Master of a Lodge. But what I realized on that dark night was that the ritual we perform demands more than just casual participation.

If we are to improve ourselves in Masonry, we must commit ourselves to the internalization of its ritual.

How personal is Masonry to me? Is it a social group, or a way of life?

At the least, I can say that when I have challenged myself to actually study the lessons imparted from the East, as opposed to just reciting them and hoping others learn despite my ignorance, the results are humbling. Often, one door opens only to reveal others behind it; as the Light becomes brighter, however, it also becomes easier to share with others. And as I cement my understanding by performing ritual that comes from my heart—not just a little black book—I necessarily improve my understanding of the mysteries I continue to study.

As the night came to a close and I reviewed the men in this august assembly, I wondered: who has been waiting for me to make this realization… to see this new light? And will I be able to help convey it to the future leaders of Potomac Lodge? How interesting, that this culmination—serving as the hand which raised two men to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason—was at once the start of another journey. ■

The Voice of Freemasonry

23

WORLD’S OLDEST MAN

World’s Oldest Man Also a Longtime Mason Dean S. Clatterbuck, PM, Secretary Potomac Lodge No .5

B Walter Breuning celebrated his 113th birthday on September 21, 2009. Following the death of Mr. Henry Allingham who died in Ovingdean, East Sussex, England on July 18, 2009, he became the oldest verified man now living in the world and one of 15 verified oldest men ever.

Born in Melrose, Minnesota in 1896, he is the last known surviving man born in that year.

W

hearing aids. He eats only two meals a day and always dresses in a suit, shirt and tie when he arises each morning.

Those present at a Stated Communication of Potomac Lodge No. 5 last July signed a birthday card to WB Walter, which was mailed to him in time for his 113th birthday. The Lodge also sent him a suitably engraved replica of the George Washington Gavel WB Breuning which was preworked fifty sented to him years for the on his birthGreat Northday by RWB ern Railroad Tom Duffy, from 1913 to Junior Grand 1963, and has Warden of the lived in Great Grand Lodge Falls, Monof Montana at tana since the his birthday Railroad transparty which ferred him was attended there in 1918. by numerous He is currently Masonic dignienjoying his taries as well as 84th active by the Goveryear as a Masnor of Montana. ter Mason, RWB Tom Duffy, Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Montana, All reports are having been presents WB Bruening with the Gavel, a gift from Potomac Lodge No. 5. that WB Walraised on May ter was most 25, 1925 in Great Falls Lodge No. 118 (now consoliappreciative of the Gavel. dated into Crescent Lodge No. 34). If he is not the He has no trouble standing and is still in demand world’s most senior Mason, he is certainly among as a speaker. Here are some of the words of wisdom the most senior. He served as Master of Great Falls from WB Walter: Lodge in 1934 and was the Lodge Secretary for 25 years (1944-1968). He is a 72-year member of the “Life begins each morning whether we have Scottish Rite, Valley of Great Falls, and served as succeeded or failed or just muddled along.” their Director of Work from 1940 to 1985. He was “Life is a school, not a prison nor a palace of ease, coroneted a 33° Inspector General Honorary in but a place of instruction for moral and spiritual 1958. Until the age of 98, he also served as manager training. Let us take care we learn, rather than of the Great Falls Shrine Club, located in the basecomplain. Let us hold to the values of integrity, ment of the Rainbow Retirement Center where WB kindness of heart, and self-respect.”

Breuning is a resident.

“Life is for those who comprehend its lofty While WB Breuning’s mind is still sharp, he now mission. It asks nothing of us that is not possible. has poor eyesight and fi nds it difficult to read The more one learns, the more one acquires the anymore, and when he was 111, he was fitted with The Voice of Freemasonry

24

WORLD’S OLDEST MAN

faculty of learning. The true use of knowledge is to distinguish good from evil. Knowledge is the most genuine and real of human treasures.”

“Life is a great teacher of truth. What is truth to one is not truth to another. What is true in one country may be false in another. What is untrue today may become true in another generation.

All truths are of period and not truths for eternity.”

“A people as well as an individual must learn to forget. If one neither learns the new nor forgets the old, he is fated to fail. To unlearn is to learn.

That which we are doing, good or evil, that which we do today, and shall do tomorrow… all are contributing to form the character by which we are judged.”

“Life is short but the influence of what we do or say is immortal. There needs to be much more of the spirit of fellowship among us and more forgiveness. The power of gentleness is little seen in the world.”

“Remember that a life’s length is not measured by its hours and days, but by that which we have done therein. A useless life is short if it lasts a century.”

“There are greater and better things in us all if we would find them out. There will always be in this world — wrongs. No wrong is really successful. The day will come when light and truth and the just and the good shall be victorious and wrong as evil will be no more forever. Life teaches us to best prepare for that future which we hope for and for that journey to that land unknown, not made by hands. Everything just is beautiful; everything beautiful ought to be just.

A thing is not just because God wills it, but God wills it because it is just.”

We hope that it will be possible to let you know at this time next year that WB Walter has celebrated his 114th birthday, but in any event, he is proof that being an active Mason may help you live a longer life, and if not longer, a more satisfying and productive one. ■

“Remember that a life’s length is not measured by its hours and days, but by that which we have done therein. A useless life is short if it lasts a century.”

WB Walter Breuning was raised a Master Mason in 1925.

The Voice of Freemasonry

25

TNC SOCIALS: THE SOURCE OF MORE LIGHT

TNC Socials: The Source of More Light

by Neil Hare, Senior Warden Temple Noyes Cathedral Lodge No. 32

U

fi nally, our holiday party in November will be an elegant black tie affair where wives and girlfriends are welcome.

In our Lodge it is widely known that “it is very dangerous to miss a TNC social.” This notion came into being because so many of the socials were fabulous events with platters of delightful del icacies a nd overflowing goblets of wine. And, who could ever guess what the entertainment of the evening might be — perhaps a late night card game that left brothers scrambling to get home to get ready for their eight hours of vocation!

There is a much deeper context to our socials, however, that transcends the entertainment and embodies what Masonry is truly about. This is where we form our bond of brotherhood, bring potential new members into the fold, and yes, provide more light to one another. Our brethren and especially our Past Masters, to a man, truly represent a pillar of wisdom, a pillar of strength, and a pillar of beauty. As life outside the Lodge slings successes and failures, joy and sorrow, good luck and misfortune, you can be certain at a TNC social, there will always be a brother to share these life experiences with you. Maybe it’s just a handshake hello, a slap on the back for a job well done, a pearl of wisdom from an older brother who has seen it before, or a quiet conversation just to remind you that “with time, patience and perseverance all things are possible.”

pon being raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason we learn that we have received all the light that can be communicated to us in a Blue Lodge. That is true as far as Masonic ritual is concerned, but at Temple-Noyes-Cathedral Lodge No. 32 (TNC) we’ve uncovered a source of more light in the form of our legendary socials.

“It is very dangerous to miss a TNC social.”

This year, for example, we opened in January with the great tradition of the annual Master’s Roast held at the Almas Shrine Center. The theme of the festivities was WM Joey Mandeville’s “Cabaret,” with a performance by lodge brethren that gave Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey a run for their money!

In one of our newest traditions, in April, we headed out once again to the Isaac Walton Club for a skeet shoot and oyster roast. The food and fellowship was outstanding despite a damp afternoon and we all enjoyed exercising our Second Amendment rights.

This fall we look forward to our annual Oktoberfest at the Old Europe restaurant where the German beer flows like the Rhine, the wurst is the best, and some of the brothers don their lederhosen. And,

The Voice of Freemasonry

26

As I look forward to my installation as Master of TNC in December, I can honestly say the journey to the East has been one of the most rewarding of my life and it is humbling to lead a Lodge with such a rich and vibrant history. The reward has been in both learning the rituals and lessons of Masonry inside the Lodge and truly getting to know my brothers outside at the socials. These are pursuits that will continue for a lifetime and I look forward to the ongoing journey next year and for many more in the future. May brotherly love prevail! ■

AFA NO. 92 MARRIAGE RECOGNITION CEREMONY

Alianza Fraternal Americana Conducts

by Francisco Landazuri, Master Alianza Fraternal Americana Lodge No. 92

Marriage Recognition Ceremony

O

n Wednesday, August 5, 2009, WB Francisco Landazuri, Worshipful Master of Alianza Fraternal Americana Lodge No. 92, with the approval of the Lodge, communicated to all members of the Lodge that a special meeting would be held to conduct a Marriage Recognition Ceremony for the purpose of celebrating the 50th wedding anniversary of WB Cesar A. Pain Sr. and Mrs. Graciela de Pain.

This ceremony emulates the ancient wedding recognition ceremony in which Freemasonry accepts the spouse and offers her its protection.

The Temple was prepared accordingly with flowers, lights, etc.

The following brethren were present at this ceremony: MWB Kwame Acquaah, Grand Master, MWB George Adams, PGM, MWB Mansour Hatefi, PGM and Grand Secretary, Representatives from the jurisdictions of Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Argentina, members of Alianza Fraternal Americana, relatives and friends.

them and makes them strong, but the rod also demonstrates that the union is also very fragile and can easily be broken if one does not do what one has promised.

The Wine Glass, which is filled with wine and water, represents the couple’s merging of characters. The glass is to be broken as a signal to prevent other lips from ever drinking from it and thereby profane the couples pure intentions.

The Chain of Union, which is formed by the Brethren present, is left broken symbolizing the absence of a Brother (and husband) who is supposedly retained by his wife. Then, in an act of recognition of his obligations towards the Lodge, she leads and delivers him to the Brethren so that he may complete the chain, thereby making it just and perfect.

The Brotherly Arch is constructed by all the members of the Lodge as a testimony of joy and congratulations to the Brother and his wife.

The Marriage Recognition Ceremony is emulated in all the Orients of Latin America This Ceremony then and Europe. This is a includes a testimony of WB Cesar A. Pain, Sr. and Mrs. Graciela de Pain symbolic representation happiness in which the which enhances the sanctity of marriage as a social, Brother briefly summarizes the 50 years of experipublic, and private contract between a man and a ences lived. In this case, WB Cesar A. Pain Jr., son of woman. Included within the Ceremony are a series the honored couple, offered words of deep thanks for of symbols: First is an exchange of rings, which are his parents and siblings and for all their efforts, dedisymbols going back to ancient times and are the cation, and love. WB Daniel V. Aysanoa than offered physical representation of the commitment of love a brief biographically sketch of WB Pain and his wife and property.

“Chelita”. At the end, WB Francisco Landazuri, on behalf of the Lodge, presented a gift to the happy A Conjugal Rope represents the union they have couple. An exquisite buffet was served following the joined and their struggle to overcome the problems Ceremony. that life often presents to the couple.

It was truly an occasion of exceptional solemnity and A Crystal Rod, represents purity, transparency, and sentimental gracefulness. ■ the brightness of a ray of light. It is love that unites

The Voice of Freemasonry

27

GRAND LODGE OFFICERS CONFER MM DEGREE / CINCINNATUS LODGE

by Robert E. Johnson, Master St. John’s Lodge No. 11

An All Star Cast

Grand Lodge Officers Confer Master Mason Degree lowcraft Masons being raised was infectiously exciting! riday, August 28th , 2009 was a day that many have The Brethren of St. John’s Lodge No. 11 felt exceptermed an “historic event” for the Grand Lodge of tionally blessed to be honored in this way- as did the the District of Columbia. At a Special Communifour St. John’s Lodge Brethren who were being raised: cation of St. John’s Lodge No. 11 – the entire Master Bros. Anthony Mason Degree Arnold, Jon Team conSteen, Harry sisted of Trapp, and sitting Grand Theofanis Lodge Officers.

Lavassas.

No one could recall another This event time in recent came on history, when the heels all of the parts of another and positions noteworthy of a Master happening…

Mason Degree On June 5th, were conferred after a hiaexclusively by tus of over Grand Lodge 20 years, the Officers. The Brethren of St. The Degree Team with newly raised Master Masons conductors for John’s Lodge the evening No. 11 resumed doing their own degree work by conwere all sitting Masters. They were: WB Jeremy S. ferring the Entered Apprentice Degree.

Barnes of Potomac Lodge No. 5. WB Marcel J. Desroches, Jr. of Hiram Takoma Lodge No. 10, WB Jeffrey Thanks go out to the entire Grand Line, but most D. Holt of Osiris-Pentalpha Lodge No. 23 and WB Robespecially to MWB Kwame Acquaah, Grand Master and ert E. Johnson of St. John’s Lodge No. 11.

RWB Chip Mahaney, Grand Lecturer, for their diligent efforts to bring this event to fruition. ■ The ritual was impeccable, the mood of the evening was electric and the exuberance felt among the Fel-

F

Cincinnatus Lodge Supports Project BORI he Brethren of Cincinnatus Lodge No. 76 first brought the idea of The Bill of Rights Institute (BORI) to the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia F.A.A.M. in 2008 as a stimulus to the teachers of the District of Columbia to bring forth a thorough and fresh thought process in which to teach about the beginnings of the United States of America.

BORI has positioned itself to inform and assist, in the most effective manner possible, today’s teachers in American civics about the history of the Founding Fathers’ great experiment in creating a democratic republic for a fledgling country, and incorporating a revolutionary separation of powers and based on the principles of a free enterprise system destined

T

The Voice of Freemasonry

28

to be the greatest in history. The BORI engagement with the teachers of the District of Columbia was a resounding success and will become a staple in the curriculum. BORI is committed to support the further continuing development of these

by Gareth H. Bond, PM, Chairman BORI Project 2009

CONTINUING ARTICLES

teachers by providing web-based assistance and study guides.

This year of 2009 is the Tenth Anniversary of BORI. Cincinnatus Lodge No. 76 committed itself to recognize successful decade of work and devotion with a celebratory dinner of support and fundraising to assist in spreading BORI’s methodology to the fifty states and territories of the Union. It is only through the great assets of Freemasonry and its most valuable and critical influence that this country was able to be brought to its germination, gestation, birth and growth. It was the great Masons of the country’s beginnings, their planning of the great experiment, the Revolutionary War itself, and the formulation of the most important documents of governance in the history of the world, under the Guidance of the Great Architect Himself that made possible a country of free people - the United States of America.

This effort marks a historic enlightenment to the school-aged children of America, who have been stringently deprived of the truths of our beginnings, the acts of heroism by the few, and the great men who pledged and gave their all to make this a free country with a more perfect future. It is up to the great Masons of today to carry forth the torches of knowledge and freedom to the world.

We see the Bill of Rights Institute as the perfect vehicle to promote, teach, counsel, and mold the teachers of America to go to the classrooms and promote, teach, counsel and mold our youth of today. By ‘giving it our all’, Cincinnatus Lodge No. 76 envisions a new revolution of ideas, expression, and energy exploding from the youth of today and the adults of tomorrow, taking this great country to new levels of freedom and leadership heretofore never known before. “All for One, One for All!” ■

Masonic Metrics continued from page 9

out becoming Master) most of your Masters are active in your Lodge an average of two additional years before becoming officers, and for an additional two years after leaving the Oriental Chair. That means your “retention rate” for men who become officers is ten years. (This covers the rotation of your two, junior Past Masters on the sidelines as well).

Accordingly, you must replace the ten officer/ members every ten years to maintain the current strength of the corps. That’s one officer per year, but how many raisings will produce him?

number of “active” brothers you need, unless you retool your efforts to identify more suitable candidates in the community, and to inspire them through mentoring as Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts.

One in six of your newly-raised brethren will become a Lodge officer, so that will cover your first two raisings every year. Now, let’s move on to the sideliners. Looking over the period of five years, the average length of service of non-officers who become “first year active” before life circumstances or personal preference moves them away from “active” participation is approximately three years. Thus, in order to maintain your target “active” sideliner attendance of twelve, you will need to replace those dozen active members at the rate of four per year. We know that only half the brothers you raise will ever become active, so replenishing your sidelines will take an average total of eight raisings per year.

Whatever excellent qualities your method of recruiting men to the Craft may have, you are “setting fire” to half of them on the day they’re raised.

Comparing the number of men raised to the number of “active” Masons yielded, you find the single most challenging obstacle to success: approximately one-half of the brothers who receive the Master Mason’s degree become active in their first year as Master Masons. Whatever excellent qualities your method of recruiting men to the Craft may have, you are “setting fire” to half of them on the day their raised.

That means that you will have to raise TWICE the

continued on next page The Voice of Freemasonry

29

“CALL ‘EM ALL” AND “CHANGE FOR THE COMMUNITY”

Masonic Metrics continued from page 29

Adding the two raisings required to replace an officer, we have determined that your average, “break even” point is ten (10) raisings per year.

Conversion Rate That moves us to the last factor: “conversion rate,” being the difference between the number of petitions submitted, and the number of those who become Master Masons. This rate can be analyzed primarily from your monthly submissions to the Grand Secretary. (For those of your Lodge Secretaries who grouse about the need for those pesky monthly reports listing the petitions received, initiations, passings and raisings, perhaps you can now reassure them how vital that information can be in judging the overall health of the Craft.) Looking at a ten year period — since we have the records to do so — we find that two of every ten petitions over that period never become Master Masons, whether by reason of unfavorable investigations, ballots, or “walk-aways.” That’s another twenty percent loss to your Lodge. This means that in order to obtain the ten raisings you require per year to maintain your program year in and year out, you need to receive an average of 12.5 petitions annually.

You now have the information necessary to know whether your Lodge will exist in another ten years, under your current way of doing business. Up to now,

when your Lodge came to the Master with the question, “How’re we doing?”, he just looked at the returns, and said that while this year you’ve lost 6 brothers to “the three D’s” (namely, Death, Demits and unpaid Dues), you’ve raised 7, and “We’ve got a net gain of one, so we’re doing great!”

You now know better. Because, unless the Lodge changes some of the factors we’ve been talking about, the Worshipful Master is having a year that the Lodge may survive, but a year that will fall far short of sustaining it. Continue apace for the next five years, and everyone will wonder why – “suddenly” you are having trouble getting men in the officer’s chairs, and more than five or six on the sidelines.

Such is the manner in which the hard numbers work, The actual numbers will be different for your Lodge, and they can be improved in MANY ways that don’t involve more petitioners: If you increase the retention rate, the need for petitions decreases. If you increase the conversion rate, likewise. In the future, we will discuss the tools you can use to balance your Lodge’s needs with its raisings, and maybe even answer the most popular question, “Where do we find new members?” But for now, do the metrics and figure out where you are: because that is the first step in developing a method for sustaining your Lodge. ■

“Call ‘Em All” and “Change for the Community” The Grand Master has recommended two programs this year for the benefit of our constituent lodges: The first is “Call ‘Em All”, which allows lodge leaders to record messages and send them to every brother’s preferred phone number through an auto-dialer service. “Call ‘Em All” makes informing brothers easy, ensures the brethren all receive the same correct message, and makes it possible to reach everyone in just a few minutes. This easy-to-use service is intended to replace the old message system, or so-called “telephone tree”, which was cumbersome and provided much room for human error.

The second is Change for the Community, which encourages the brethren to take their pocket change and place it in a collection receptacle at the conclusion of each meeting.

Those funds are to be used at the discretion of each lodge for worthy causes within their community.

The Voice of Freemasonry

30

50 and 60 Year Service Emblem Recipients for 2009

50 and 60 Year members of the craft The Grand Lodge recognizes and congratulates these Brethren who have received, or will receive, a 50-year or a 60-year service emblem during 2009.

60 Year Recipients

50 Year Recipients NAME

LODGE #

Victor Adegbite . . . . . . 1717 Sol Aleskow . . . . . . . . . 45 Edison Amos . . . . . . . . . 14 William Baucom . . . . . . . 10 Richard Brooke . . . . . . . . 10 Andre Capoen . . . . . . . . . 7 Robert Cox . . . . . . . . . . 7 Rupert Daniels . . . . . . . . 23 Aaron Dodek . . . . . . . . . 45 Donald Edmonds . . . . . . . 5 Charles Feingersh . . . . . . 45 Gilbert Fields . . . . . . . . . 4 Irving Fleishman . . . . . . . 45 Stuart Gelber . . . . . . . . . 12 Charles Gilliam . . . . . . . . 23 Harold Grainger . . . . . . . 14 Larry Harrington . . . . . . . 21 Charles Johnson . . . . . . . 7 Kenneth Kidwell . . . . . . . 7 Herbert King . . . . . . . . . 45 Charles Kocian . . . . . . . . 34 Herbert Levinson . . . . . . . 45 James MacFarland . . . . . . 5 Joseph McFalls . . . . . . . . 7 Warren Minami . . . . . . . . 17 S. Morgan, Jr . . . . . . . . . 3 Otto Neilson III . . . . . . . . 34 Richard Otagaki . . . . . . . 17 Robert Plante . . . . . . . . . 32 L. Roberts, Jr . . . . . . . . . 4 Edmund Rupert . . . . . . . 11

NAME

LODGE #

Webley Simpkins . . . . . . . 7 Joseph Spund . . . . . . . . 45 Ralph Stewart . . . . . . . . 17 Leonard Tempchin . . . . . . 45 George Thomson . . . . . . . 14 John Tracey . . . . . . . . . 10 Perry Varoutsos . . . . . . . . 7 James Viands . . . . . . . . . 7 Floyd Werle . . . . . . . . . 14 James Young . . . . . . . . . 5 Howard Ziegler . . . . . . . . 45

NAME

LODGE #

George Abraham . . . . . . 14 Kenneth Anderson . . . . . . 7 David Applestein . . . . . . 45 Noble Barnes . . . . . . . . . 4 Charles Bresler . . . . . . . 10 James Calomiris . . . . . . 47 Charles Calvert . . . . . . . 33 Emmet Carter . . . . . . . . 5 Richard Carver . . . . . . . 32 Charles Chaillet . . . . . . . . 5 Mervin Conn . . . . . . . . 45 William Craig . . . . . . . . . 7 Robert Curtis . . . . . . . . 21 Edwin Dawson . . . . . . . 21 Warren Dellinger . . . . . . . 4 Robert Duffy . . . . . . . . . 4 Carlton Ewing . . . . . . . . 11 Harold Fainberg . . . . . . . 12 William Farran . . . . . . . 21 Jacob Fauth . . . . . . . . . 21 Peter Ferrara . . . . . . . . . 3 Alvin Garfinkle . . . . . . . 23 Robert Good . . . . . . . . 21 William Goodsight . . . . . 34 Jerrold Gordon . . . . . . . 45 W. Frederick Gore . . . . . . 7 William Gorman . . . . . . . 5 John Held . . . . . . . . . . 7 Irving Jaffe . . . . . . . . . 45 Clifford Jones . . . . . . . . 5

NAME

LODGE #

Milton Kessler . . . . . . . . 45 Kenneth Kimmel . . . . . . 23 James Kitsoulis . . . . . . . 14 James Lash . . . . . . . . . 33 John Lee . . . . . . . . . . 14 Mason McClure . . . . . . . .4 Charles McGinnis, Jr. . . . . 47 Allen Minnigh . . . . . . . . . 7 Albert Modlin . . . . . . . . 45 Clarence Myers . . . . . . . 23 Donald Neil . . . . . . . . . . 4 Peter Panagos . . . . . . . 17 Carl Poe . . . . . . . . . . . 33 David Pratt . . . . . . . . . . 5 Ray Pratt, Jr. . . . . . . . . . 5 Raymond Rankin . . . . . . . 4 Richard Rankin . . . . . . . . 4 William Renz . . . . . . . . 19 Rudolph Ruehl . . . . . . . . 7 L. Schafer . . . . . . . . . . 32 Robert Scott . . . . . . . . 15 Albert Shayne . . . . . . . . 45 Harrison Sheetz . . . . . . . 12 Morris Silberman . . . . . . 45 Howard Snell . . . . . . . . 21 Wallace Sweeney . . . . . . 12 Hubert Tatum . . . . . . . . . 1 John Thomas . . . . . . . . 12 James Walker . . . . . . . . 10 Benjamin Weiman . . . . . . 45 John Zaontz . . . . . . . . . 15

The Voice of Freemasonry

31

The Voice of Freemasonry

NonProfit Org. US Postage

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

PAID Permit No. 207 Dulles, VA

Grand Lodge of Free And Accepted Masons of the District of Columbia Kwame Acquaah, Grand Master

Mansour Hatefi, Grand Secretary

All Brethren, their families, and friends are invited to attend this festive evening of fellowship and holiday cheer.

THE GRAND LODGE BANQUET Friday, December 11, 2009 Renaissance Washington DC Hotel, 999 Ninth Street, NW

Contact your lodge secretary or the Grand Lodge office for further information and to purchase tickets.