The Voice of Freemasonry | Vol. 39 No. 1

VOLUME 39 | NUMBER 1 | 2022

A NEW DAWN: 2022 GRAND LODGE INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS pg. 13

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF WASHINGTON D.C.

THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY Volume 39, Number 1 2022 Issue EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Daniel A. Huertas (Grand Master) Jeffrey D. Russell, PGM (Grand Secretary) MANAGING EDITOR Jason Van Dyke, PM (Director of Communications) DESIGN Patricia Hord Graphik Design

A NEW DAWN FOR FREEMASONRY IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL: 2022 GRAND LODGE INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS

DCGRANDLODGE.ORG

pg. 13

ARE WE THERE YET?: MAKING OUR WAY BACK TO THE LODGE pg. 3 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, doublespaced 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).”

Please direct all correspondence to: Managing Editor: The Voice of Freemasonry 5428 MacArthur Blvd., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20016-2524 grandlodge@dcgrandlodge.org ii | THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY ISSUE 1, 2022

ORIGIN OF THE MOST WORSHIPFUL PRINCE HALL GRAND LODGE OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA pg.20

IN MEMORIAM: PGM BOB DRECHSLER pg. 24

CONTENTS 1

Grand Master’s Message

2

On Brotherly Love

3

Are We There Yet?: Making Our Way Back to The Lodge

6

St. John’s Lodge No. 11: One Hundred Seventy-Five Years of Leadership, Service and Fellowship in the District of Columbia

9

The Path to the Middle Chamber

11

What to Expect in an Emulation Lodge, and Why

13

A New Dawn for Freemasonry in the Nation’s Capital: 2022 Grand Lodge Installation of Officers

20

Origin of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia

24

In Memoriam: Robert F. Drechsler (1933-2021)

25

New Lodge Consecrations

27

2021 Grand Lodge Awards

29

Universal Brotherhood Celebration

29

2022 Grand Visitations

THE GRAND MASTER’S MESSAGE Daniel A. Huertas, Grand Master of my thoughts in the presence of many of our brethren, distinguished guests, and members of my family.

I spoke from the heart and humbly asked all present to think about the meaning of that installation as a celebration of our Grand Jurisdiction and not solely of its Grand Master.

My Brethren, this year is not about me; it is all about our Grand Lodge. God willing, after two very difficult and trying years, we will resume building the temple of our fraternity. My duty and indeed my obligation is to focus on the important and necessary work to advance the state of our Craft in our Jurisdiction with the help of a very impressive group of elected and appointed Grand Lodge Officers.

MWB Daniel A. Huertas, Grand Master

MY DEAR BROTHERS,

T

hank you for electing me as to serve as your Grand Master for the ensuing Masonic year.

Your trust, your support, and the brotherly love you have shown towards me have allowed me to overcome many challenges during the last several years and reflect further along the way on the significance of leading our Grand Lodge from its highest office as I approached the Grand East.

In December, on the occasion of the open Installation of Officers of our Grand Lodge, I had the opportunity to share some

A few key priorities for this Masonic year are the following: Masonic education: Freemasonry is a living temple, one which inculcates fundamental teachings. By truly understanding this knowledge, we may apply the lessons of Freemasonry to not only improve ourselves, but also society as a whole. Masonic education, my brethren, will be at the forefront this year, as it always must be, for it is what defines us as Freemasons.

a serious institution, and the activities and conduct of our Grand Lodge shall emulate such respect.

Programming and continuity: Continuity shall ensure our continued success as an institution. Therefore, we will seize opportunities to advance the cause of Freemasonry in our nation’s capital, while also launching a five-year plan to prepare for the celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the United States and Freemasonry’s contribution to this Great Experiment.

My brothers, it is through our collective efforts that we will cultivate a new age for Freemasonry in Washington, D.C., one founded upon the key Masonic principles of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth – one rooted in respect for our traditions, while also looking towards a brighter future yet to come. I am grateful for your continued support, and I look forward to working with each of you as we labor to restore and preserve our Grand Lodge. Thank you, my dear Brethren!

Sincerely & Fraternally, Daniel A. Huertas Grand Master

Respect for order: These tumultuous past two years have been filled with uncertainty, confusion, and a weakening of respect for the principles and traditions of Freemasonry. As Freemasons, we must uphold the traditions, principles and values of our Gentle Craft. Freemasonry is Grand Master Huertas’s pin.

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ON BROTHERLY LOVE Jacob M. Bressman Senior Grand Warden

RWB Jacob M. Bressman

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e are taught as Freemasons that the Principal Tenets of our Order consist of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. Oft we hear these words echoed throughout the halls of the sacred spaces of our Lodges, for they are meant to be the rule by which we govern our actions towards all mankind, more especially a Brother Mason. But what do these virtues truly mean, and how exactly are we charged to act? I would posit that these ideas, while so very universal, are perhaps seldomly understood. Thus, for the purposes of extending the Light of our Craft a bit further, I would propose that we examine more deeply the precept of Brotherly Love, and what it means for the state and future of our humble Craft.

Brotherly Love, my dear brethren, is the cement which unites us in the Mystic Tie. Without it, our sacred institution would crumble. Yet with it, we can build ever higher. The concept of Brotherly 2 | THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY ISSUE 1, 2022

Love teaches us that we are to regard all of humanity as one family, therefore that we may aid, support, and protect each other, and remember our fellows as if they were our very selves. In our present day, this may be explained plainly as a Masonic form of the “Golden Rule,” and it most importantly subsists within the realm of speech.

At its core, the foundation of Brotherly Love amongst us Masons is that of speaking truthfully, and speaking well of our fellow Craftsmen. We are taught not to malign our Brothers behind their backs, but rather in a most kind manner to remind them of their faults. However, Brotherly Love, does not mean that we should tell others what they wish to hear, for this would violate the Principal Tenet of Truth. Rather, as our esteemed Brother Mackey is quoted as writing, we are to “with candor and kindness admonish a Brother of his faults, [and] we should never revile his character behind his back, but rather, when attacked by others, support and defend it.”

It is expected of Freemasons that we should speak plainly, truthfully, and kindly.

If we find a worthy Brother erring, we must speak the truth and with kindness guide him in his return to the right path. Likewise, we must refrain from ridiculing and degrading our fellows. We must place a Tyler at the door of our lips, and circumscribe our speech. Therefore, let us always remember the wise words attributed to Shakespeare: “he who pilfers

from me my good name, robs me of that which not enriches him, but makes me poor indeed.” No pleasure or profit can be derived from lowering our Brothers in their several stations, nor from trading in gossip. There is no place for rumor mongering in our gentle Craft, and we must endeavor to immediately put an end to such foolish and harmful behavior, lest we forget the precept of Brotherly Love.

My brothers, we must learn from the past, so as not to repeat it, but together by spreading the cement of Brotherly Love, we may practice the virtue of Silence, and unite as one stupendous edifice by which the Light of Masonry may become a beacon of Truth in our troubled times.

We must not allow intemperate words to divide us, but rather we must labor onwards with honor and distinction, that we may always remember the love we share for each other and our most noble Order.

ARE WE THERE YET? MAKING OUR WAY BACK TO THE LODGE Andrew U. Hammer, Deputy Grand Lecturer and Grand Historian

Our responsibility to be responsible is no less than what it was a year ago. We remain on guard. Nevertheless, we are moving forward.

Thankfully, we are meeting together.

Increasingly, we are eating together. And all the while, we are masked, sanitized, and joyfully doing that work we love again, despite the limitations. The opening words of Thaddeus Mason Harris’ Charge at the Opening of a Lodge, written in 1795, could not seem more timely to us today: “Brethren, I behold you again assembling together, with those complacent emotions of affection which animate the meeting of dearest friends who have been for some time separated. After this interval you must have acquired an increased relish for the interesting exercises of this retreat; and you undoubtedly return with new alacrity to your labors of love.”

But are we there yet?

WB Andrew U. Hammer

A

s our Lodges have returned to labor, it would be easy for any brother to take a quick look across our grand jurisdiction and determine that after all of the disruption brought by COVID, we are finally back to “normal”, whatever that may now mean.

Yet we all continue to cope with the ongoing effects of a global pandemic, amidst concerns over new variants of the virus, and worries as to whether our vaccines (which hopefully, we have all received by now) will continue to keep ourselves and our loved ones away from danger. The Omicron variant has proven to be less dangerous for the fully vaccinated, but so virulent that the Grand Master has now allowed the Masters of our Lodges to invoke Section 2005.09 of the Masonic Code, allowing them to call off stated or called communications if the situation should become more concerning in the days ahead (Decision No. 2022-2).

Masonic Lodges, particularly larger ones with over 100 members, are well acquainted with the generations-old issue of only about 10 - 15% of their members being present for meetings, and even less of that number being what one might call active members. Masonry has never escaped these kinds of concerns. Coming back from COVID to find that the same brothers we never saw before are not there now is nothing that really worries us. We are always grateful for their financial fealty to the Lodge, but we don’t expect to see them, so we don’t really miss them.

What some of us are noticing now, however, is a different kind of absence from the Lodge. Brothers we do expect to be with us, brothers who were fully engaged until the pandemic, have not yet made their way back to the Lodge. Some of us need no reminder of why this may be. But those of us whose lives were lucky enough to not be directly affected by the virus, should be aware that the unseen consequences of this virus—

even on those who have never contracted it— are insidious; they have ripped chasms in the lives of many Masons who are still struggling to find a way to reconnect with the things they enjoyed before.

Freemasonry talks to us of faith; of an all-seeing eye; an omnipotent being. The normally remote contemplation of theodicy, which one might previously have reserved for plane crashes and earthquakes, has now become foremost in the minds of brothers we know and love, and they may find it hard to celebrate the praises of Deity that we so revere in our temples. They are not there yet.

The psychological impact of isolation for some, and the sad or sudden realization of an incompatible relationship for others, have produced wounds to the soul that do not heal as easily as we would like. So while we do our best to resume our Masonic lives, in some places the quarries are missing some of our best master craftsmen.

It is at times like these that the Craft, if we let it, and if we remember its teachings, can seek remedies to the matter. We are fortunate that the Apprentice is taught, minutes after his initiation is sealed, the obligation to relieve the distressed. Four times in this one section of the lecture, it is emphasized that we have a duty to tend to the mental-emotional health of our brethren. Saying that, however, is not as easy as doing it. Some brothers may be unresponsive, seeming to have switched the world off. Reaching out to them with a firm grip is what we want to do; in reality, one must find the line between being seen to be a pest, and letting that brother know that you will not give up on him. Even if he is not “present”, some form of communication, be it text, e-mail, or an old-fashioned card in the mail will likely be appreciated, even if it is not acknowledged. He knows you’re there, and he sees that you care.

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With that, it’s important to say that your communication should not be only focused on the Lodge, and when he is coming back to it. Even with the best of intentions, that approach can appear no different from a fund appeal, which does not see the brother, but only what you want from him.

Let sincerity guide you, and always consider how you would want to be approached if you were in his situation.

There has never been a better time to practice the principal tenets of our order.

Because although our distressed brother may not see the need for Masonry in his life at the moment, it is only through Masonry that he will be able to make his eventual return.

Looking at the Craft as a whole, in the months ahead it will be interesting to see what, if any aspects of life during the pandemic linger with us into the future. One thought comes to mind in relation to those ceremonies that take place at or after the conclusion of some Lodges, sometimes called a “chain of union”, and at other times just known as “meeting on the level”. We know that the custom was for the brethren to physically join hands, and come together in a circle, for some form of closing charge. In recent years, a number of Lodges have brought this custom back with great enthusiasm in their assemblies, noting that the custom of joining hands (and often the tips of shoes) had fallen out of practice for no apparent reason, giving way to a loose assembly standing together on the floor of the Lodge. If Masons were doing it, and then just stopped doing it, it’s unlikely that we would have offered ourselves an explanation.

And then, in June of this year, after we were finally able to meet in person again, there it was: those Lodges that use that ceremony were halted at the notion of joining hands. The mind instantly went back to the influenza pandemic of 1918, and pondered if that might have been what caused the change in that practice.

If that actually did have an effect, then today we are able to understand why, and remember to return to that practice again when brothers are comfortable.

Another unanswered question about the future relates to the content of Lodge

meetings. For some Lodges, the Zoom experience opened up a world of Masonic education that had previously been all but completely ignored. The ability for Masons to access online meetings where essential teachings of the Craft were being discussed in ways they may never have experienced, has had the effect of opening the minds of many brothers to bringing those discussions and programs into their Lodges in real time. Absent the ability to do much of anything else in a Zoom meeting but talk about Freemasonry, Masons talked about Masonry.

Such online meetings afforded the opportunity for what some perceived as a freedom to talk about Freemasonry without feeling restrained by what some might call “institutional inhibitions.”

Released from the formal protocol of a Lodge room, brothers felt able to ask each other foundational questions, in a way they might never thought to do in a tyled Lodge.

That atmosphere then brought about a sense of inquiry that likely evoked the early days of the Craft, when fundamental principles were still being established, and decisions being made in the present about how we do what we do, and why.

However, there is both promise and peril in the relaxed atmosphere of online Masonic gatherings.

On the one hand, discussions that address the great whys of our fraternity are essential. We cannot dismiss them, and new brothers—living in an age that is as cynical as it is instant—will demand answers which, if we cannot give them, will result in their losing interest in Masonry altogether. Adherence to organizations of all types is at an all time low worldwide.

We ignore the big questions at our own risk. The promise comes in our confirming those big answers anew, not only for new brothers, but for ourselves.

On the other hand, Freemasonry is, and always has been, an institution of formality and order. Every man who joins knows that there are rules that must be followed, a decorum that must be preserved. The Constitutions are clear when it comes to the question of how we are to behave in our

ideal environment, the Lodge, and the peril presents itself if we do not understand that those customs cannot be discarded simply to make things easier.

Masonry must be open to deeper, incisive dialogues about what makes us who we are and why that is important; yet it must also be much more than those dialogues alone.

We maintain that the entire practice of the Craft, in the physical space that allows us to perform our rituals, is the true vehicle for the transformation that we believe takes place inside a man who is ready to become a Mason. All of us can conceive of flying a plane; we can imagine ourselves in the cockpit, contemplating the route we will take to our final destination. The only real way to get there, however, is by actually doing so, by learning to be a pilot, and putting in all the flight hours necessary to prove to ourselves and others that we have mastered the art.

Therefore, one can only hope that those interactions that so many brethren found to be meaningful are not easily forgotten when Masters of Lodges plan their programs in years to come. Good and wholesome instruction is exactly what the Master pledges to give to his brethren, and if we thought it was an interesting exercise on a screen, imagine how much more interesting it is when done in the body of the tyled Lodge. In fact, one of the most frequent observations made by brethren over the past year has been how they finally have come to understand the deeper value of the shared human experience, by way of being deprived of it. The ultimate indulgence of screens dominating every waking hour of our lives, has shown far more clearly than words of admonition could have done, how necessary real, live human interaction is. Now we only have to manifest that. We are on our way back.

Some of us are there. We are waiting for the rest of you. And if it is possible to see anything good coming to the fraternity out of this ugly period, it will be a recalibration of our Craft in such a way that we practice the principal tenets of our order, remember the mystic tie that binds us together, and return the work of education and Masonic philosophy to our quarries.

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ST. JOHN’S LODGE NO. 11 ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS OF LEADERSHIP, SERVICE AND FELLOWSHIP IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA David J.C. de Hosson Historian, St. John’s Lodge No. 11

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n October 2, 2021, St. John’s Lodge No. 11 celebrated its 175th Anniversary on board a Potomac River cruise.

“It is through fraternal gatherings, such as this celebration, that we are reminded of the benefits of Masonry to each and every one of us. Through the family of Masonry, we can offer relief to those in need. Through the fraternity of Masonry, our efforts are magnified and we can project our individual great lights, and in turn be a beacon of light to our community… Accordingly, we are gathered here to celebrate the support we have all given and received, and to honor those members of this august body who had the foresight to form this Lodge.”

- Worshipful Master Jason Lee

The story of our Lodge begins on St. John’s Day, December 27, 1845, when George C. Thomas, Joseph F. Brown, John W. Williams and seven others submitted a signed petition for a charter from the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. This was during a time when anti-Masonic fervor was still strong nationally following the disappearance of Freemason critic William Morgan in New York, and D.C. Lodges were generally dealing with financial difficulties. Yet, men of good will still joined the fraternity in sizable numbers.

The petition was accepted by the Grand Lodge by unanimous consent and St. John’s Lodge No. 11, the first newly constituted D.C. Lodge in nearly 20 years, met at Odeon Hall on February 23, 1846. Grand Master of Masons, MWB William B. Magruder, delivered the charter and installed George C. Thomas

RWB Annas F. Kamara, Senior Grand Warden in 2021 discusses the auspiciousness of the milestone achieved by the lodge.

From the left: WB Karl Gruel, Past Master and Fidelity Medal Holder, WB Jason Lee, Master of St. John Lodge No. 11, and MWB Alan L. Gordon, Grand Master in 2021

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as the first Master, Joseph F. Brown as the first Senior Warden, and John W. Williams as the first Junior Warden. In a year’s time, membership would double to 21 Brothers, and after another three years, Lodge rolls would list 53 members.

Just before the outbreak of the Civil War, 132 men were identified as being members of St. John’s. During the war, the Brothers of St. John’s were quick to provide financial assistance, clothing, and transport to aid with the influx of sick and wounded brought into the district, both Union and Confederate, Freemason and not. Some, such as RWB George Thomas, by then a former Deputy Grand Master, contributed to the defense of the capital, as a Major General commanding D.C. troops.

In subsequent decades, St. John’s membership continued to expand and within the district, the Lodge had developed a strong reputation for charitable work. As noted Grand Lodge Historian, WB Kenton Harper, noted, St. John’s Lodge No. 11 was “preeminently a public-spirited and progressive factor in the local Masonic family.” WB Harper also notes that by 1911, Lodge membership had swelled to 475 Brethren.

Over the course of the 20th century, the history of St. John’s was closely tied to world events and the fortunes of wider Freemasonry across the District and the country. All D.C. Lodges saw their members enter military service during the First World War, and Lodges collectively contributed to fundraising efforts such as

Liberty Loan drives, at the urging of the Grand Lodge. Similarly, District Masons answered the call to service at the onset of the Second World War and contributed to causes through the Masonic Service Association, in partnership with federal agencies. As with other Lodges, St. John’s also helped contribute to the Grand Lodge’s blood donation program.

D.C. Lodges witnessed a downward trend in membership in the second half of the 20th century, but still attracted men seeking out the Light of Freemasonry.

Just as General George Marshall and Commerce Secretary Jesse Jones were made Masons at Sight at a D.C. Occasional Lodge in 1941, on December 13, 1975, Grand Master William E. Eccleston convened an Occasional Lodge to make Admiral John S. McCain, Jr. a

A gathering of Past Masters of St. John’s Lodge No. 11 during celebrations marking the lodge’s Centennial in 1946.

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Members of St. John’s No. 11 who served as Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. From left to right, top row: Charles F. Stansbury (1862, 18711874), Jesse W. Lee, Jr. (1888), Harry Standiford (1901); Middle row: Joseph H. Milans (1919); Needham C. Turnage (1940); Bottom row: Convass B Dean (1962), Charles V. Brewer (1977).

Mason at Sight. The famed father of late Senator John S. McCain III, Brother McCain had originally petitioned St. John’s Lodge No. 11 specifically to receive the three degrees.

Since it was constituted, St. John’s Lodge has maintained deep and abiding connections with the Grand Lodge, with seven St. John’s Brothers serving as Grand Master, starting with MWB Charles F. Stansbury, who presided over the Grand Lodge for five years (1862, 1871-1874), and most recently,

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MWB Charles V. Brewer (1977). A dozen other Brethren have served in other Grand Lodge Officer capacities through the current period (some even before St. John’s was constituted), including Senior Grand Warden, Junior Grand Warden, Grand Secretary, Grand Treasurer and Assistant Grand Lecturer.

Notably, St. John’s Bro. Christopher Cammack served as Grand Treasurer for 18 terms (18551872). Also of note, Bro. Max Weyl, a renowned local artist, painted the first portraits of D.C.’s Grand Masters first for recently passed MWB Benjamin B. French in 1871, and then for Past Grand Master George C. Whiting in 1872.

During the course of the first quarter of the 21st century, St. John’s Lodge No. 11 has witnessed a reinvigorated and burgeoning membership, in some part due to societal trends: men of all ages, creeds, and professions are again seeking fellowship and greater purpose, and this fraternity provides for both. But the lion’s share of the credit for St. John’s revival is reserved for the enormous effort exerted by Brethren who brought strong leadership to the fore and righted the ultimate course of the Lodge.

First Worshipful Master of St. John’s Lodge No. 11, George C. Thomas, seen here in uniform while serving as Major General in command of Volunteers and Militia of the District of Columbia, during the Civil War.

While other D.C. Lodges have been compelled to merge due to a variety of concerns, St. John’s remains on strong footing for many years to come, thanks to the foresight of these Lodge Officers, and the generosity of its Brethren. As is often noted, St. John’s Lodge No. 11 remains the oldest, un-merged, and continuously operating Lodge within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. And while mindful of its past, the future of St. John’s Lodge No. 11 promises to be ever brighter.

THE PATH TO THE MIDDLE CHAMBER Joe Martinez, Benjamin B. French Lodge No. 15

Temple is given to them as they walk upon the three, five, and then seven steps to their penultimate destination.

We know from public sources, such as Duncan’s Monitor, that the three, five, and seven steps on the Winding Staircase symbolize the various parts of the Lodge, representations of our ancient Grand Masters, physical concepts such as the Orders of Architecture, our own physical senses, and finally our path to gain that “Light” we yearn for through careful study of the Liberal Arts and Sciences [1]. While some believe that these are convenient numbers assigned to different steps of progression to fit the narrative inherent in our Degrees, this is a pale description of their underlying intent and purpose. For the purpose of this article, we will focus our attention on the meaning behind the last of these sets of steps and the number seven.

WB Joe Martinez

B

efore we begin our journey through the threshold into the Middle Chamber itself, there is a very important step, or should I say steps, inherent to one’s Masonic initiation. To arrive at the Middle Chamber, one must start that symbolic journey from the porch of the Temple of Solomon to the Inner Gate, where that allimportant threshold lies. To discuss what we are meant to find within the walls of the Middle Chamber, we need to understand the individual steps along that path, as well as the meaning behind the symbols laid out on the same.

The Middle Chamber of King Solomon’s temple culminates an Apprentice’s journey from the porch of the allegorical temple, to their destination, where this “Further Light” in Masonry exists. Regardless of where someone receives their degrees, most, if not all, Craft Degree systems utilizing the Hiramic legend, conduct their candidates through a physical and spiritual journey with a primary goal in mind: to impart on the Apprentice that the secret within the Middle Chamber of this fabled

There exist a multitude of symbols represented by the number seven. Let’s peruse the Old Testament of the New King James Bible for some examples, which include, but are not limited to: the first seven Hebrew words of Genesis (1:1) [2], the seven days of Creation (Gen. 1), the curse for anyone who kills Cain by “suffer[ing] vengeance seven times over” (Gen. 4:15), Noah commanded to bring seven pairs of every clean animal onto the ark (Gen. 7:2), seven days of the feast of Passover (Exo. 13), the seven-year cycles around the Jubilee (Lev. 25), Jericho’s walls crumbling on the seventh day after seven priests with seven trumpets march around the city seven times (Jos. 6:8), the seven Pillars of the House of Wisdom (Pro. 9:1), and finally, David named as the seventh son of his father, Jesse (1 Chr. 2:15).

The New Testament furthers this numerological use of seven with: seven loaves multiplied into seven basketfuls of surplus (Mat. 15:32), Jesus’s response to forgive “seventy times seven times” (Mat. 18:21), seven demons driven out of Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2), and seven showing

up in Revelation as the golden lampstands (1:12), stars (1:16), torches of fire (4:5) Seven Seals (5:1), angels and their trumpets (8:2), last plagues (15:1), golden bowls (15:7), thunders (10:3), horns and eyes (5:6), diadems (12:3) and kings (17:10). In Islam we find seven heavens, seven hells, and the number of circumambulations around the Kaaba, the most sacred site in Islam.

We can show that the number seven means much to most of the larger faith systems in the current world, but what does this have to do with the Fellowcraft Lecture? To me, the answer is simple. The seven steps that lead to the gates of the Middle Chamber are a “recipe” of sorts, one that gives us each ingredient necessary to attain our spiritual wages. Those wages that are represented by the mundane bottles of corn, wine, and oil [3]. To look at the steps and the wages in a literal sense is preposterous and ultimately serves no purpose to the core meanings of the Fellowcraft lecture.

Grammar, Rhetoric, and Logic, on a mundane level, teach us how to read, write, and form coherent thoughts into logical argument. These, in and of themselves, are very useful skills to become a successful adult in the modern world. As we move onto the scientific arts, we hear a brief mention of arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. Again, from a physical application, these are relevant skills to learn about numbers, the world around us, and the physical universe in general, but not much else in terms of deeper physical meaning, unless these are part of our dayto-day professions.

The actual purpose of the steps towards the gates of the Middle Chamber is not to present some elementary school education about counting, writing, and angles in a polygon. We would not need a modern Mystery School to teach us these disciplines. Instead, they present us with the instructions to apply to our spiritual worldview: to learn the harmonies, machinations, and designs implemented in ISSUE 1, 2022 THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY | 9

both the Creation event as well as our own “sparks of Divinity” residing in each of our physical bodies.

By Arithmetic, we learn about the language of the Creation; numbers provide the framework to create all the other methods of translating and interpreting our place in the Cosmos. Geometry, or Masonry, teaches us how the skeleton of our universe is built and functions. Music, or more aptly Harmony, teaches us about the musica universalis and the manner in which

planets, stars and galaxies dance in perfect sync, providing an order to the Universe itself. Finally, Astronomy, which really is a synthesis of astronomy and astrology [4] (as the ancients only had a single discipline to describe them both), provides the seeking Initiate with a map of the numbers, songs, and structure of our Creation, effectively allowing us to understand our Creator.

This is what is gleaned once an Apprentice crosses the threshold into the Middle Chamber. They are taught how to read,

understand, solve, and picture the glorious works of Creation, using Operative tools and methods, to translate from mundane beings to mystical beings that are able to speak to that inner spark of Divinity within us all.

The overall lesson of the Fellowcraft Degree is to learn how to speak in the language of Creation, and the prize at the end for the true seekers of “Light” is that more personal method of knowing that Creator. In that knowing, do we discover the most beautiful and relevant parts of our very nature.

The Teachings of the Fellowcraft (from the collection of the Library of Congress)

CITATIONS: 1.

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3.

4.

Malcolm C. Duncan, Duncan’s Masonic Ritual and Monitor, or, Guide to the Three Symbolic Degrees E.A., F.C., M.M. (Danbury, CT: Behrens Pub. Co., 1922).

All references to the Bible are taken from the NKJV translation Malcolm C. Duncan, Duncan’s Masonic Ritual and Monitor, or, Guide to the Three Symbolic Degrees E.A., F.C., M.M. (Danbury, CT: Behrens Pub. Co., 1922), 77.

George Harold Steinmetz, Freemasonry, Its Hidden Meaning (New York, NY: Macoy Pub. and Masonic Supply Co., 1976), 86.

WORKS REFERENCED: Duncan, Malcolm C. Duncan’s Masonic Ritual and Monitor, or, Guide to the Three Symbolic Degrees E.A., F.C., M.M. Danbury, CT: Behrens Pub. Co., 1922.

The New King James Bible. Thomas Nelson Inc, 1979.

Steinmetz, George Harold. Freemasonry, Its Hidden Meaning. New York, NY: Macoy Pub. and Masonic Supply Co., 1976.

10 | THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY ISSUE 1, 2022

WHAT TO EXPECT IN AN EMULATION LODGE, AND WHY Jason Schaff, PM Fiat Lux Lodge No. 1717 “

I

greet you well, my Brother!” Does that sound a little peculiar to you? It is a common, although certainly not universal, greeting among Masons who practice the Emulation Working as promulgated by the United Grand Lodge of England.

There might be many things which might strike a good and worthy Brother as strange or peculiar when visiting an Emulation Lodge for the first time. My Masonic career began in an Emulation Lodge (our own Fiat Lux Lodge No. 1717) almost a dozen years ago, and I was certainly confused by a few things on my first couple visits to other D.C. Lodges after being Raised. As Fiat Lux is one of only two Lodges in the United States performing the Emulation Work in the English Language, a visit to one of our Communications will likely be the first time a D.C. Brother has encountered this particular ritual system, and I hope that this article can help make that experience more comfortable for visitors and help you understand the “why” (either symbolic or practical) behind some of what we do. Please understand that what I am describing below are the specific practices within Fiat Lux; if visiting our D.C. Brethren who perform the Emulation Work in another language, you may see some differences, as the Emulation Lodge of Improvement recognizes a degree of freedom among private Lodges to modify the published Ritual for the individual character of a Lodge.

One of the first things you will notice is that one’s entrance and exit in an Emulation Lodge is very different from that in other D.C. Lodges. We Tyle in the North-West and there is an officer, the Inner Guard, whose primary duty is to exercise physical control over the door to the Lodge. This is largely a practical

WB Jason Schaff in his Emulation regalia.

matter, as the Junior Deacon has several duties that would not typically be assigned to him in other systems. To expect him to control the door in addition to those duties would not be practical.

Another important point is that, once the Lodge begins the process of opening and until it closes, the door is opened only for the purpose of admitting Brothers and Candidates or allowing Brothers to depart. How, then, does the Tyler know what is going on inside and therefore,

how to govern himself accordingly? The Inner Guard and Tyler communicate that information through a series of coded knocks by which the Inner Guard informs the Tyler in what Degree the Lodge is working and the Tyler acknowledges receipt of the information. To me, this carries an important symbolic message about the importance of protecting our Masonic Secrets. In the Emulation Lodge we are so cautious as to ensure that even if an eavesdropper has somehow been able to escape the watchful eye of the ISSUE 1, 2022 THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY | 11

Tyler, the cowan will be unable to discern anything about what we are doing unless he has obtained knowledge of this system of knocks.

Another important point about the door in an Emulation Lodge is that it is at all times under the absolute physical control of the Inner Guard. It is at the will and pleasure of the Master as to when Brothers enter and depart once the Lodge has opened, but the actual act of controlling the door rests solely with the Inner Guard. In a strictly observant Emulation Lodge, the Inner Guard actually locks the door once the Lodge is open, and it is physically impossible for anyone to enter or leave without him unlocking it. Fire codes obviously prevent us from doing that here, but in Fiat Lux we still try to observe the spirit of this principle. For a visiting Brother the important points to remember are that it is by permission of the Master that you enter or leave, and it is by the act of the Inner Guard that you do so. The process can be slightly more complicated in some cases, but the full details are not appropriate for open publication. If you enter after the Lodge has opened, go to the west of the pavement, face the East, and salute the Master appropriately, thereby acknowledging that it is by his permission that you entered the Lodge. If departing, after receiving permission of the Master, go to the Inner Guard’s station and let him lead you to the door so that you may exit.

Within the Lodge room, there are two differences in arrangement that will probably stand out to you. The most obvious is that the altar is located in the East, immediately in front of the Master.

A full explanation of this is definitely not suitable for open publication. However, one practical consequence is that there is no prohibition on “crossing the East” in an Emulation Lodge, since doing so does not obstruct the line between the Master and the Great Lights.

The other difference in arrangement is that the center of the pavement is occupied by the tracing boards, with that of the current Degree displayed. For me, this is an important and meaningful characteristic of the Emulation Work. The tracing boards provide a visual reference to the Degree in 12 | THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY ISSUE 1, 2022

An Emulation Lodge setting with the altar in the East.

which the Lodge is working and ensure that a symbolic representation of the lessons of the Degree is always in view. Brothers are thereby encouraged to moralize upon those lessons, even when the Lodge is dealing with administrative necessities, awaiting the preparation of a candidate, or otherwise not engaged in ritual or explicitly educational business.

Also, within the Lodge your attention will likely be drawn to some differences in seating of officers. The presence of the Inner Guard within the door has already been mentioned, but there are two officers seated in the East. In an Emulation Lodge, the East must always be occupied by an Installed Master, and the Immediate Past Master is seated next to him to take the gavel immediately when he is called from his chair for ritual duties. In addition, you will observe that the stations normally occupied by Stewards in most Lodges are vacant. An Emulation Lodge does have Stewards, but their duties are entirely practical. They assist the Junior Warden in his oversight of refreshment, help set up the Lodge room, and perform other similar tasks. Some of the ritual roles that would be assigned to the Stewards in other Lodges are instead assigned to the Junior Deacon, again explaining the practical need for an Inner Guard.

And now I come to what I think is one of the most fundamentally important and meaningful “peculiarities” of the Emulation Work; the manner in which a Lodge is opened and closed. In an Emulation Lodge it is forbidden to open directly on, or close directly from, a higher Degree. To open a higher Degree, the Lodge must first fully open all lower Degrees. Once the labors are complete, every Degree that has been opened must be individually closed.

I firmly believe that, as Masons, we must always strive to avoid the error of forgetting from whence we came. Our Masonic “birth” is not into our final Degree, but into the First, and we have passed through many intervening trials on the way.

Each Degree carries its own unique and important moral lessons, and we must strive to apply all those lessons if we are to build a structure worthy of the Craft. Every time an Emulation Lodge opens on a higher Degree, the Brethren are actively reminded of their journeys through the Masonic Degrees and given an opportunity to reflect upon the lessons of each step in that journey. I also find it meaningful that most administrative business in an Emulation Lodge is done on the First Degree. By this practice, the Lodge demonstrates that all Masons, regardless of Degree, are Brothers, equally worthy to observe the general business of the Lodge.

A NEW DAWN FOR FREEMASONRY IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL

By Akram R. Elias Past Grand Master, Installing Master

Most Worshipful Brother Richard J. Bautista, Past Grand Master (2018), as Installing Marshal Most Worshipful Brother Charbel T. Fahed, Past Grand Master (2019), as Installing Marshal WHENCE CAME THE GRAND MASTER?

Apart from the historical connection between Freemasonry and the nation of Ecuador, Daniel’s Masonic DNA was uniquely shaped by having two Master Masons as his parents.

Prior to commencing the ceremony of installation, the Installing Master delivered the following remarks introducing to the audience present the Man and the Mason about to be installed as Grand Master.

His mother, Silvia, who received the degrees of Master Mason over 35 years ago, played a major role in laying the ground for Women Freemasonry in his home country.

Brethren, visiting dignitaries, ladies and friends, MWB Akram R. Elias

O

n December 11, 2021, the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington, D.C. installed Most Worshipful Brother Daniel A. Huertas as its new Grand Master marking the start of its 211th year of continuous existence.

After a tumultuous period of two years filled with uncertainty and confusion in the midst of a pandemic, this installation marked a time of renewal; the renewal of our commitment to the teachings of Freemasonry and its admonition to practice outside the Lodge what we are taught in it. It is through the applications of Freemasonry, that we not only improve ourselves, but also the world around us.

The installation ceremony of the Grand Master and Grand Lodge Officers for the Masonic Year of 2022 was conducted by the following team: Most Worshipful Brother Akram R. Elias, Past Grand Master (2008), as Installing Master Most Worshipful Brother Teko A. Foly, Past Grand Master (2013), as Installing Marshal

José de Sucre came to the aid of Ecuadoran rebels, and on May 24, 1822, Sucre won the decisive Battle of Pichincha on a mountain slope near Quito, thus assuring Ecuadoran independence.

It is my distinct honor and with great pleasure that I present to you Brother Daniel A. Huertas who is about to be installed as the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Free and Accepted Masons of Washington, D.C. for the ensuing Masonic Year.

Most Worshipful Brother Daniel A. Huertas was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador.

Ecuador, located in northwestern South America, is one of the most environmentally diverse countries in the world, and it has contributed notably to the environmental sciences.

The first scientific expedition to measure the circumference of the Earth, led by Charles-Marie de La Condamine of France, was based in Ecuador.

Moreover, research in Ecuador by the renowned naturalists Alexander von Humboldt of Prussia and Charles Darwin of England helped establish basic theories of modern geography, ecology, and evolutionary biology.

Much of what is now Ecuador was part of the Inca empire thus having a rich cultural heritage.

The people of Quito, the Ecuadoran capital, claim that it was the scene of the first Ecuadoran patriot uprising against Spanish rule (1809). Invading from Colombia in 1822, the armies of Freemason leaders and liberators Simón Bolívar and Antonio

Patricio, his father and Master Mason would take his toddler Daniel to his days of Masonic education or fellowship and teach him in his youth about the significance of Masonic tools and symbols using gamification techniques.

Daniel was initiated into the Society of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington, D.C. at Alianza Fraternal Americana Lodge No. 92 and was elevated to the degree of Master Mason in July 2000 at the age of 20 and received the degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in 2001.

He affiliated with Albert Pike Lodge No. 33 and William R. Singleton-Hope-Lebanon Lodge No. 7. He also became a founding member of Compass Lodge No. 1811 along with his father and Masonic Brother Patricio.

In 2013, he served as President of the Masters and Wardens Association and was appointed as Grand Sword Bearer by the Grand Master at the time, Most Worshipful Brother Teko A. Foly.

In 2014, Most Worshipful Brother Huertas served as Grand Marshal and was installed in December of the same year to the Office of Junior Grand Steward.

Over the several years, as he journeyed towards the Grand East, he served this Grand Lodge on various committees and in different capacities. On November 20, 2021, Daniel A. Huertas, was elected as the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Free and Accepted Masons of Washington, D.C. ISSUE 1, 2022 THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY | 13

As a naturalized citizen of the United States, Daniel embodies the true immigrant spirit that has over the past 245 years injected vitality, optimism, and forward thinking into the Great Experiment that is America.

While going to college, he invested himself in the world of real estate, starting as a mortgage originator at Wells Fargo Bank and developing over the years a robust network of local real estate professionals. With the dawn of the 2008 real estate crisis, Daniel left the mortgage industry and began fixing and flipping homes, carving out a new and exciting pathway within the real estate investor sphere.

Within a few years, Daniel’s company was responsible for the successful rehabilitation of over 100 real estate projects using mostly private capital.

True to his entrepreneurial spirit, having accumulated much knowledge about and experience in private lending, Daniel took another giant step. He co-founded Washington Capital Partners (WCP) with the aim of rewriting the rules of private lending and removing the stigma of hard money lending.

The Grand Master-Elect, MWB Daniel A. Huertas is presented for Installation by MWB Richard J. Bautista, Installing Marshal.

Since 2012, Daniel grew WCP into a business with thousands of transactions worth over $1 billion and currently leads a team of over 50 real estate investment employees with the purpose of transforming communities through sustainable lending practices.

Today, he is WCP’s sole owner and CEO. Under his leadership WCP has become the largest private real estate lending company in the Mid-Atlantic region, earning industry recognition from prestigious sources such as The Financial Times, Inc. 5000, the Washington Business Journal, and the Women Presidents’ Organization in collaboration with JP Morgan Chase Commercial Banking.

In recognition of his extraordinary and transformative efforts, he was selected as the award-winning CEO by the Washington Business Journal’s 40 under 40 for the class of 2019.

What a great honor!

As a true spirited American and Freemason, Daniel strongly believes in giving back to the community and he does so through a variety of 14 | THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY ISSUE 1, 2022

The Grand Master kneeling at the altar in communion with members of his family. On his left, stands Gisele, his wife, partner and mother of his children. On his right, stands Worshipful Brother David Huertas, Past Master of Albert Pike Lodge No. 33, and the Grand Master’s biological brother. Behind him, stands his father and fraternal brother, Brother Patricio Huertas.

philanthropic initiatives including his cofounding work at The WCP Foundation.

Daniel’s better half, Gisele, has been very supportive of his journey including that of Freemasonry. Giselle and Daniel are proud parents of two boys, Alejandro and Paolo.

Following those remarks, the Installation of Officers of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington, D.C. proceeded.

The solemn occasion was captured

by Brother Jacob Foko, Grand Lodge Photographer, with images that reflect the fundamentals of Freemasonry.

Brother Patricio Huertas invests his son, our new Grand Master, with the collar and jewel of his office.

The father, bound by the fraternal ties of Brotherhood to his son, reminds the Grand Master to always do what is right, not what is convenient, no matter the obstacles.

The Grand Master escorted to the Grand East by the Installing Master.

MWB Richard J. Bautista, Installing Marshal, proclaims MWB Daniel A. Huertas as the new Grand Master in the Nation’s Capital.

Right Worshipful Brother Annas F. Kamara presented for installation by Installing Marshal MWB Teko A. Foly.

Installing Marshal, MWB Teko A. Foly, invests our Deputy Grand Master with the collar and jewel of his office.

The Grand Master seated in the Chair of King Solomon by the Installing Master.

A most fraternal embrace symbolizing the Mystic Tie of continuity between the Grand Master and the Deputy Grand Master.

The Deputy Grand Master pledges to support the Grand Master in upholding the principles and values of Freemasonry, preserving the seriousness of the Craft, and in safeguarding the integrity of our Noble Society.

Right Worshipful Brother Jacob M. Bressman is presented for installation as the Senior Grand Warden by Installing Marshal MWB Charbel T. Fahed.

ISSUE 1, 2022 THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY | 15

Installing Marshal, MWB Richard J. Bautista, presenting Right Worshipful Morgan P. Corr for installation as Junior Grand Warden.

RWB Jacob M. Bressman is congratulated by Installing Marshal, MWB Charbel T. Fahed, following his investiture with the collar and jewel of his office.

Right Worshipful Brothers Chetin Durak (right) and JeanPaul Dongmo, Sr. (left) installed as Senior and Junior Grand Deacons respectively.

RWB Jacob M. Bressman pledges his full support to the Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master by upholding the Office of Senior Grand Warden, the Pillar of Strength, which emanates from the fundamental teachings of Freemasonry.

Right Worshipful Brothers Michael K. Greenwald and George S. Nicol presented for installation as Senior and Junior Grand Stewards respectively.

Worshipful Brothers Carpenter Y. Arpa, IV (right) and Daniel P. Dolan being installed as Assistant Grand Chaplains.

Reverend and Worshipful Brother Daniel D. Darko installed as Grand Chaplain.

16 | THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY ISSUE 1, 2022

Worshipful Brother Michael O. Spencer receiving the Baton of his office as Grand Marshal from MWB Teko A. Foly as witnessed by MWB Richard J. Bautista.

Worshipful Brother Sylvanus J.A. Newstead presented for installation as Grand Pursuivant by MWB Richard J. Bautista.

MWB Teko A. Foly presenting the Sword of the Grand Lodge to Worshipful Brother Hector M. Ramirez, the latest recipient of the Valentine Reintzel Medal for Meritorious Service, at his installation as Grand Tiler.

MWB Teko A. Foly proclaims the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington, D.C. duly formed and constituted for the ensuing Masonic year.

The Grand Master of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Most Worshipful Brother Richard Maggio accompanied by Right Worshipful Brother John Kelley, Grand Marshal.

Worshipful Brothers installed as Grand Lodge Officers for the ensuing Masonic year.

Visiting dignitaries from the Grand Lodges of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Costa Rica, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia (Prince Hall), Gabon, Haiti, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Quebec (Canada), Rhode Island, South Carolina, Ukraine, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Most Worshipful Brother Gunnar Nunfez, Grand Master of Costa Rica (right) presents a token of appreciation to the Grand Master in the presence of Deputy Grand Master.

Most Worshipful Brother David Akopian, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Armenia.

Right Worshipful Brother Guy Masquefa, representative of the Grand Lodge of Gabon.

ISSUE 1, 2022 THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY | 17

Right Worshipful Brother Fatih Sahin, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Ukraine.

Illustrious Brother Norberto Rossini, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Argentina.

Right Worshipful Brother Ali Apaydin, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Azerbaijan.

Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Haiti 1824.

Worshipful Brothers Jeremy S. Barnes (center) and Joseph G. Baroudi, Past Masters of Potomac Lodge No. 5.

Right Worshipful Brother George S. Nicol, Junior Grand Steward, presents a bouquet of flowers to Gisele Huertas, the First Lady of the Grand Lodge of Washington, D.C.

Installing Master, MWB Akram R. Elias, presents the Grand Master his gold Square and Compasses, the universal symbol of Freemasonry, on behalf of the Installing Team.

View of the audience in the ballroom of the Hotel.

18 | THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY ISSUE 1, 2022

The Installing Team with the Deputy Grand Master, RWB Annas F. Kamara, presenting the Apron of Grand Master to Most Worshipful Brother Daniel A. Huertas.

2022 GRAND LODGE OFFICERS

From the left: Most Worshipful Brothers Timothy Wheeland (Grand Master of Ohio), Gunnar Nunὶfez (Grand Master of Costa Rica), and Efren Molina (Past Grand Master of Costa Rica)

Brethren of Samuel Gompers-Benjamin Franklin Lodge No. 45, including (from the right), Right Worshipful Brother Michael K. Greenwald (Senior Grand Steward), Worshipful Brothers and Past Masters Robert J. Greenwald (biological father of Michael Greenwald), Burton S. Levy, and Jerry P. Keilsohn.

The George Washington Gavel, used by Brother and First President George Washington in laying the cornerstone of the United States Capitol, the Temple of Liberty and Sovereignty of the People, on September 18, 1793 – courtesy of Potomac Lodge No. 5.

Grand Master..................................................................................... Daniel A. Huertas Deputy Grand Master.......................................................................... Annas F. Kamara Senior Grand Warden........................................................................Jacob M. Bressman Junior Grand Warden............................................................................. Morgan P. Corr Grand Secretary....................................................................................Jeffrey D. Russell Grand Treasurer.............................................................................. George J. Stoklas, Jr. Grand Lecturer.........................................................................Christopher K. Mahaney Senior Grand Deacon................................................................................Chetin Durak Junior Grand Deacon..................................................................Jean-Paul Dongmo, Sr. Senior Grand Steward................................................................. Michael K. Greenwald Junior Grand Steward.............................................................................George S. Nicol Grand Chaplain...................................................................................Daniel D. Darko Grand Marshal..................................................................................Michael 0. Spencer Grand Sword Bearer...............................................................................Amid Kasamani Grand Pursuivant...................................................................... Sylvanus J. A. Newstead Grand Tiler...................................................................................... Hector M. Ramirez Grand Director of Ceremonies......................................................... Philip J. Palmer, Sr. Grand Historian & Deputy Grand Lecturer................................... Andrew U. Hammer Grand Lodge Physician................................................................... ]ean A. Marcelin, Jr. Assistant Grand Chaplain.............................................................. Carpenter Y. Arpa IV Assistant Grand Chaplain.......................................................................Daniel P. Dolan Assistant Grand Chaplain.....................................................................Andre Vainqueur Assistant Grand Marshal..................................................................Solomon S. Jackson Deputy Grand Lecturer...........................................................................Antoine N.Assi Assistant Grand Lecturer..................................................................Stephen R. Watkins Grand Photographer..................................................................................... Jacob Foko Grand Almoner................................................................................... Fessou E. Lawson Grand Musician.........................................................................Pierrindo R. M. Palmer Grand Ambassador - South America.................................................. Richard J. Bautista Grand Ambassador - Africa.........................................................................Teko A. Foly Grand Ambassador Europe...................................................................... Oscar...Bartoli Grand Ambassador - Eurasia.................................................................. Samual Samsan Grand Ambassador -Asia................................................................ Delfin N. Lorenzana Grand Ambassador - Caucasus.............................................................Armen Simonian Grand Provost................................................................................William A. Hanff, Jr. Grand Preceptor.................................................................................... Elkanah E. Faux Grand Standard Bearer................................................................Dominador S. Carreon Assistant Grand Tiler........................................................................... Mario H. Angulo Assistant Grand Tiler.....................................................................Santiago H. Gonzales Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies................................................George E. Perez Aide to the Grand Master................................................................. Marco R.A. Alonso Aide to the Grand Master.................................................................. Chad D. D’Amore Aide to the Grand Master.........................................................................David Huertas Aide to the Grand Master...................................................................... Patricio Huertas Aide to the Grand Master.......................................................................... Bassem Kaissi Aide to the Grand Master......................................................................... Ramey J. Kyle Aide to the Grand Master................................................................ Carlos A. Landazuri Aide to the Grand Master.................................................................... Robb C. Mitchell Aide to the Grand Master..................................................................Kenneth I. Ranney Aide to the Grand Master........................................................... Demetrious A. Tillman

ISSUE 1, 2022 THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY | 19

ORIGIN OF THE MOST WORSHIPFUL PRINCE HALL GRAND LODGE OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA James R. Morgan III Corinthian Lodge No. 18 - PHA Worshipful Grand Historian & Archivist, MWPHGLDC

WB James Morgan, III

T

he history of our Grand Jurisdiction is truly a venerable one, for the tap roots of its origin reach deeply into the virgin soil of the very nation in which it has existed and influenced the lives of its devotees for more than two centuries.

All who have been the recipients of its benefits and those who now enjoy the privileges of the great heritage willed to them by the renowned Founder of Prince Hall Masonry, owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude not only to our illustrious Patron and Progenitor of our great Fraternity but, also, to those illustrious Brethren who planted the seed which germinated and gave birth to the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia.

The origin of our Prince Hall Masonry may be traced back to the period of the American Revolution. The organization and establishment of the first Lodge of African American Freemasons took place in Boston, Massachusetts when Prince Hall and fourteen other Africans were initiated into the Craft by John Batt, a soldier affiliated with Military Lodge No. 441 under the Grand Lodge of Ireland.

This Lodge was attached to the Army of General Gage during the Revolutionary War in 1776, and these stalwart pioneers made numerous and unsuccessful attempts to obtain permission to organize a Lodge of Black Masons from White Masons of the Colony of Massachusetts; undaunted, however, by the repeated refusals, Prince Hall petitioned the Grand Lodge of England (Moderns) for a warrant to establish a Lodge of Free Negroes.

the foundation upon which was built the African Methodist Episcopal and African Methodist Episcopal Zion Churches.

Richard Allen was ordained by Bishop Francis Asbury. Absalom Jones was the first ordained Episcopal priest in the United States. Later, in 1797 Prince Hall journeyed from Boston to install Absalom Jones as the first Grand Master of Masons in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Richard Allen the first Grand Treasurer.

Prince Hall was an active abolitionist, educator, orator, and business owner.

Prince Hall authored several petitions to end slavery to the Massachusetts State Legislature and even petitioned for his people to be allowed to return to their native Africa. African Lodge members became early advocates for education, equal justice, and abolition. Following his

His prayer was granted, and on September 29, 1784, African Lodge No. 459 was established under a charter issued by the Grand Lodge of England.

Due to difficulties resulting from the recent war, this same charter did not arrive physically into the Lodge’s possession until the year 1787.

The year 1787 was momentous for Black Americans. In that year, the Free African Society was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Richard Allen and Absolom Jones lead the exodus of Blacks from the Saint George Methodist Episcopal Church (after being pulled from their knees during prayer) and laid Prince Hall’s original petition (Museum of Freemasonry in London)

20 | THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY ISSUE 1, 2022

R.W. Senior and Junior Grand Wardens Thomas Dupree and Prius Clover, with the following principal officers deputized and duly installed: John W. Prout, Worshipful Master; Francis Datcher, Sr., Senior Warden; William Jackson, Junior Warden; Moses Liverpool, Treasurer; and William C. Costin, Secretary. Also commissioned to serve as Senior and Junior Deacons were William Wormley and Lloyd Nichols.

Ten years later, Sandy Bryant, Benjamin Crier and William Dudley were made Master Masons in St. George’s Lodge, No. 32 in Liverpool, England. Settling in Alexandria, Virginia, about 1838, these seafaring men became affiliated with Social Lodge No.7. Shortly thereafter, with the Rev. John Thomas (also a resident of that city and a member of Social Lodge), they petitioned the Hiram Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for a warrant to establish a Lodge in that city.

Their request was granted and on August 26, 1845, another new Lodge—Universal No. 10—was duly constituted.

William Custis Costin was an abolitionist, educator and messenger for the Bank of Washington. He was the third Worshipful Master

death on December 7, 1807, the name was changed to the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge in memory of its eminent benefactor.

From this nucleus, Prince Hall Masonry has radiated its influence throughout the world, culminating in the establishment of Lodges and Grand Lodges in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, Africa, and throughout the United States.

The actual establishment of origin of our Grand Lodge dates back two centuries to the establishment of Social Lodge, No. 7—the first Lodge of Black Masons to be organized and constituted in the nation’s capital.

That story begins on January 1, 1823, when William C. Costin, Francis Datcher, Sr., William Jackson, and William Wormley were initiated, passed, and raised in Laurel Lodge, No. 2 of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Several years later, they petitioned the First Independent African Grand Lodge of North America (located in Pennsylvania) for a warrant to establish a Master’s Lodge in the District of Columbia. Their prayer was granted and, on June 6, 1825, Social Lodge, No. 7 was established under a charter issued by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and duly constituted by M. W. Grand Master Peter Richmond, assisted by R. W. Deputy Grand Master Richard Phiske, along with

Unattributed early portrait of Prince Hall

ISSUE 1, 2022 THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY | 21

One year later, in 1846, John T. Costin, William Dudley, Benjamin Crier, Daniel Smith, John Thomas and William Bruce, all residents of Alexandria, Virginia, petitioned Hiram Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for a warrant to establish a Master Mason’s Lodge. Their petition was granted and, thus, a third Lodge—Felix Lodge No. 17—was duly constituted under a warrant issued by that Grand Lodge.

Early in the year 1848, John E. Thomas, then Worshipful Master of Social Lodge No. 7, issued a summons to Universal No. 10 and Felix No. 17 to meet in a convention for the purpose of organizing a Grand Lodge for the District of Columbia.

The meeting was held accordingly on Sunday, March 27, 1848, held in the Fleet School located on M Street between 23rd and 24th Streets, in Georgetown, D.C., and presided over by the District Deputy Grand Master David P. Jones of the Grand

Six Prince Hall Masons (cir. early 20th century)

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Lodge of Pennsylvania. Attending that meeting were five representatives from the three existing Lodges.

As a result of their deliberations, the organization and constitution of the Union Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia was consummated with the following principal Grand Officers deputized and duly installed: Charles Datcher of Social Lodge No. 7 - M.W. Grand Master; Daniel H. Smith of Universal Lodge No. 10- R.W. Deputy Grand Master; Richard Phiske of Felix Lodge No. 17- R.W. Senior Grand Warden; Francis Datcher, Jr.- R.W. Junior Grand Warden; Joseph Frazier of Universal Lodge No. 10- R.W. Grand Treasurer; and John T. Costin of Felix Lodge No. 17- R.W. Grand Secretary.

Following the establishment and constitution of the newly organized Grand

Lodge, the three Lodges surrendered their original charters for charters issued by the Union Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia on March 27, 1848, and became designated as Social Lodge No. 1, Universal Lodge No.2 and Felix Lodge No.3.

Subsequently, however, Universal Lodge No.2 withdrew from the Union Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia to assist in the formation of a Grand Jurisdiction in the State of Virginia, later becoming Universal Lodge No. 1 of that Jurisdiction.

The name of the Union Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia was changed by a resolution in 1868, dropping the word “Union” from our official title.

Another name change was adopted on December 12, 1917, which was officially recorded on December 31, 1924. On the aforementioned date, the Grand Lodge voted to become an incorporated body

A LIST OF WARRANTED LODGES Social Lodge No. 1 Felix Lodge No.3 Hiram Lodge No. 4 Eureka Lodge No. 5 Meridian Lodge No. 6 Widow’s Son Lodge No.7 Warren Lodge No.8 Pythagoras Lodge No. 9 John F. Cook Lodge No. 10 St. John’s Lodge No. 12 Prince Hall Lodge No. 14 Charles Datcher Lodge No. 15 James H. Hill Lodge No. 16

Mock-up of African Lodge No. 459.

Ionic Lodge No. 17 under the name of The Most Worshipful Acacia Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the District of Columbia.

During the administration of the late Simpson W. Wallace, who served as Grand Master during the years 1945-1946, the name of the Grand Lodge was changed and incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia as the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F. & A.M., of the District of Columbia, Inc. With the organization, establishment, and constitution of our Grand Jurisdiction, the consummation of which culminated a series of events that fully substantiates our claim to a direct and regular lineage from the Grand Lodge of England through Prince Hall and the Grand Lodges of

Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, the legitimacy of our rights and that of every man of color to fully enjoy the privileges, rights, and benefits of this time-honored Fraternity have been firmly established because of our conformity, in every respect, to the ancient laws and general regulations of the Craft.

All who now enjoy those privileges, rights, and benefits and those who shall travel the same path we have trod should not only view with great pride the heritage which has been guaranteed to us by our illustrious forbears. Incumbent upon us is a solemn duty or obligation not only to protect the heritage and to preserve the prestige and reputation of our Great Fraternity, but also to ensure that their labors were not in vain, nor their strength spent for naught.

Corinthian Lodge No. 18 Doric Lodge No. 19 Fidelity Lodge No. 20 Harmony Lodge No. 22 Victory Lodge No. 23 Redemption Lodge No. 24 Acacia Lodge No. 25 Fellowship Lodge No. 26 Prudence Lodge No. 27 Thomas L. Johnson Lodge No. 28 Nathaniel M. Adams, Jr. Military Lodge No. 29

END NOTES: *Social Lodge No. 1, original date warranted – June 6, 1825 **(Universal Lodge No.2- Warranted August 26, 1845, as Universal Lodge No. 10, withdrew from the Union Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia to assist in the formation of the Grand Jurisdiction in the State of Virginia. ***Felix Lodge No.3, original date warranted- April4, 1846 becoming Universal Lodge No. 1, of that jurisdiction. ***This Grand Lodge has had two Lodges committed to the pages of history, namely Sprig of Acacia Lodge No. 11 and Jewel Lodge No. 21.

ISSUE 1, 2022 THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY | 23

IN MEMORIAM: ROBERT F. DRECHSLER (1933-2021) M

ost Worshipful Brother Robert “Bob” F. Drechsler, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia ascended to the Celestial Lodge Above on Wednesday, October 20, 2021. He was 88 years old.

well as Stage Director for fifteen years.

He was invested the rank of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour in 1975; coronetted an Inspector General Honorary, 33° in 1983; and elected a Grand Cross, that organization’s highest honor, in 2011.

A native Washingtonian, Bob was born on April 9, 1933, to Carl and Anna Agnes Drechsler. After his mother’s death in 1935, he and his older siblings were raised in the German Orphan Home. He attended Anacostia High School where he was active in music, clubs, and the National Honor Society, later graduating from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Arts in Floriculture.

Bob served in the United States Army and played for the Third Army Band as a clarinetist. He was honorably discharged in November 1962 and joined the U.S. National Arboretum as an agricultural technician in their plant breeding program. In 1975, he was appointed the first Curator of the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, where he served until his retirement in 1998, and continued to volunteer until 2015. His forty years of government service garnered him several accommodations including recognition from the Nippon Bonsai Association and a Meritorious Service Award from the Bonsai Clubs International.

Brother Drechsler began his long and distinguished Masonic career as a DeMolay in Anacostia Chapter, where he served as Master Councilor in 1953, and for many years later as Chapter Advisor, also serving the DeMolay Supreme Council as an advisor during their national leadership conferences. In 1969, he received the Order’s highest honor, the Legion of Honor (Active) and was elected an Honorary member of the DeMolay Supreme Council.

24 | THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY ISSUE 1, 2022

PGM Bob Drechsler

He was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason on August 16, 1954, in Anacostia Lodge No. 21, where he served as the Lodge’s centennial Master in 1969, and then as a trustee for over three decades. In 1987, he was awarded the Grand Lodge Distinguished Service Medal, the fraternity’s highest honor.

In 1991, he was elected Junior Grand Steward and progressed through the Grand Lodge line until his election as Grand Master of Masons of the District of Columbia in 1997.

Bob was also active in many of the District’s Masonic appendant bodies. He was a member of Columbia Chapter No.1, Royal Arch Masons; St. Simeon Stylites Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine; the Royal Order of Scotland; Electa Chapter No. 2, Order of the Eastern Star; and Almas Shriners. He was a particularly active and much decorated member of the DC Scottish Rite, where he served as Venerable Master of Mithras Lodge of Perfection in 1977 and Wise Master of Evangelist Rose Croix in 1985, as

Perhaps his most lasting legacy was his chairmanship of the Grand Lodge Library and Museum Committee, which he held for over four decades. Under his stewardship, the Library and Museum relocated from the 13th Street Masonic Temple to its current location in the Grand Lodge office in the Palisades. He worked tirelessly to keep and manage the Grand Lodge’s historic collections, often performing the maintenance and cataloging efforts by himself. He led projects to organize, catalog and preserve the Grand Lodge’s most important and treasured relics. He served as a dutiful advisor and supporter to future generations of young DeMolays and Masons interested in learning more about Freemasonry in the District of Columbia, and he will be dearly missed by all.

Bob is preceded in death by his siblings: Albert, Carl, George, Elsie, Thomas, Richard, Mary Louise and Gerald. He is survived by his sister Jane Ellen and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation was held at Lee’s Funeral Home, 6633 Old Alexandria Ferry Rd, Clinton, MD 20735, on November 8, from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon, with a service following.

Memorial contributions may still be made to the National Bonsai Foundation at bonsai-nbf.org; or to the DC Scottish Rite Center for Childhood Language Disorders at dcsr.org/scottish-rite-charity/.

NEW LODGE CONSECRATIONS CEDRUS LIBANI LODGE NO. 1003

A

fter much hard work and preparation, on January 12, 2022, Cedrus Libani Lodge No. 1003 was consecrated at the Al Fanar Freemason Hall in Beirut, Lebanon. MWB Charbel Fahed, Past Grand Master (2019), represented the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge at the ceremony.

The name Cedrus Libani references the famous “tall cedars of Lebanon” which were used in the construction of Solomon’s Temple and are mentioned in our ritual.

MWB Charbel Fahed looks on as the Master of Cedrus Libani Lodge, WB Elias Hindy, reads the new Charter to the Brethren.

Members of Cedrus Libani Lodge No. 1003 pose with MWB Fahed.

ISSUE 1, 2022 THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY | 25

JOHN PHILIP SOUSA LODGE NO. 1106

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n Sunday, November 21, 2021, Most Worshipful Brother Alan L. Gordon, the 2021 Grand Master of Masons of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, the Deputy Grand Master, Right Worshipful Brother Daniel A. Huertas, the Senior Grand Warden, Right Worshipful Brother Annas F. Kamara, the Junior Grand Warden, Right Worshipful Brother Jacob M. Bressman, and the Grand Secretary, Most Worshipful Brother Jeffrey D. Russell, and other Grand Lodge and Lodge officers, consecrated the Lodge and signed the charter. The Grand Master, along with the Grand Marshal, Worshipful Brother, Perry J. Blatstein, installed the very first Pillar officers: Worshipful Brother Marshall N. Willner, Worshipful Master, Worshipful Brother Bernard J. “Bud” Michels, Senior Warden, Worshipful Brother Scott C. Jacobs, Junior Warden and the rest of the officers and is now known as JOHN PHILIP SOUSA LODGE NO. 1106 Free And Accepted Masons of the District of Columbia.

The Lodge’s mission and programs will focus heavily on music, with a

Grand lodge Pillar Officers sign the charter of John Philip Sousa Lodge.

connection to all forms of art as it can be applied to music such as dance, song, theater, painting, cinema, sculpture and others. This will align to the Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences of the Fellow Craft Degree, all of which we strive to live by every day of our lives while projecting all great things of the arts to the outside world through Freemasonry.

We intend to honor Brother Sousa whose works are performed around the world

to this day. Brother Sousa’s gift of music benefits the world with sounds which are innovative and remain timeless. With all of that said, this Lodge is neither a Sousa fandom lodge nor a musician’s lodge as we welcome all Masons to join us on this journey and help shape a new Lodge in our Nation’s Capital and be a part of the experience that is John Philip Sousa Lodge No. 1106.

The Brethren of John Philip Sousa Lodge pose with the Grand master.

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2021 GRAND LODGE AWARDS MASONIC MEDAL OF FREEDOM

unique expertise has been drawn upon by government agencies, owners, contractors, attorneys, and major corporations alike, all over the world.

Allyn E. Kilsheimer is, at his core a problem solver, but on an epic scale.

He is the CEO of KCE Structural Engineers PC and was the head structural engineer responsible for massive engineering projects such as the rebuilding of the Pentagon after the attacks on 9-11, 20-years ago.

In fact, Mr. Kisheimer was in a meeting nearby on K Street the morning of September 11, 2001, when he received a call from his office, informing him of the attacks. He arrived at the Pentagon around 5:00 PM that afternoon, while the building was still smoldering, and immediately began to assess the damage.

He was quickly chosen as the best person to lead the project to rebuild the Pentagon, and he remained working on-sight for the next year. The rebuilding effort, known as the Phoenix Project, was initially estimated to take three years to complete.

Mr. Kilsheimer stated that he would have it finished in one year. Then, along with about 3,000 other craftsmen, engineers, and architects, he worked day and night to keep that promise.

Allyn Kilsheimer

The son of a concentration camp survivor, his family moved to Washington, D.C. when he was a boy and settled in Tenleytown. He studied structural engineering at The George Washington University while working part time for an engineering firm. He earned his degree in civil engineering from G.W. in 1963. and shortly after, he started KCE Structural Engineers PC in 1968.

His firm’s structural engineering services range from pre-design consultation, through design, to constructionphase services. But, the technology of building failure investigations and historic restoration, forensic engineering, emergency repair work, and special demolition work has been the signature service of KCE for over forty years. His

Mr. Kilsheimer has been on the frontlines of such tragedies as the first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in 1993, the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, and most recently, the Champlain Towers South condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida, on June 24, 2021, where he has been instrumental in helping authorities and the public to understand the complex reasons why and how these engineering tragedies occurred, so they can attempt to prevent future tragedies.

For his dedication to the building arts and making the world a safer place, the Grand Lodge of DC is pleased to award Mr. Allyn Kilsheimer its Masonic Medal of Freedom.

THE GRAND LODGE DISTINGUSHED SERVICE MEDAL Bilal Raschid has been a Freemason for 32 years; having received his Master Mason’s Degree in September of 1988 in Albert Pike Lodge No. 33, where he served as Master in 1994 and then as Secretary for 16 years, before being elected Secretary Emeritus in 2012.

He also served as Secretary of JusticeColumbia Lodge No. 3 for seven years, and he continues to serve as Treasurer. He is a Past Master of Pythagoras Lodge of Research (2005); and a founding member of Fiat Lux Lodge No. 1717, where he served as Almoner during its first four years.

In the Grand Lodge, Worshipful Brother Raschid served variously as Grand Chaplain Deputy Grand Chaplain, or assistant Grand Chaplain for 12 years.

During these times he oversaw the Masonic Day of thanksgiving several times. He also served as Grand Pursuivant, Grand Standard Bearer, and has served as the ISSUE 1, 2022 THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY | 27

President of the Past Master’s Association in 2003. He was bestowed the title of Grand Chaplain Emeritus in 2020.

Bilal is just as active in the appendant bodies, as well. He has been a member of Almas Shrine Temple for almost 30 years; and served as a Chaplain there for five years.

He also served as President of the Greeters’ Club in 2004. In the Scottish Rite bodies, he has served as Chaplain for over 16 years and as Wise Master of the Chapter of Rose Croix in 1996.

He received the K.C.C.H in 1993; and was coroneted a 33° Inspector General Honorary in 1999.

He is a member of Scottish Rite Research Society, the Southern California Research Lodge, the Philalethes Society, and the Correspondence Circle of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, London, England.

His long record of service and dedication to the Craft and his Brethren in Washington, D.C. are why the Grand Lodge voted during its Annual Communication in November to award Worshipful Brother Rachid its highest honor – The Distinguished Service Medal.

Congratulations Worshipful.

WB Bilal Raschid

28 | THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY ISSUE 1, 2022

SAVE THE DATE!

UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD CELEBRATION JUNE 10-11, 2022 Save the date for this year’s Universal Brotherhood Celebration (UBC)!

Please join the Grand Lodge of Washington, D.C. to celebrate the universality of our brotherhood!

This year’s UBC has been completely revamped and recreated in line with our Grand Master’s vision of embracing and promoting the different elements of universality in our jurisdiction including language, religion, culture, ritual, and music.

The celebration will be held in person, and will consist of multiple events, including an upscale internationally-themed banquet, a Universal Table Lodge, and a reenactment of the Cornerstone Laying of the Lincoln Memorial in humble commemoration of the anniversary of its dedication.

guests, as well as to invited foreign delegations. Please save the date and make sure to join us for this major capstone event!

Additional details will be announced shortly.

RWB Jacob M. Bressman, Senior Grand Warden Chairman

This year’s UBC event will be dynamic, educational, and will be open to all Brethren and their

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

2022 GRAND VISITATIONS 2022 Grand Visitations will be held on five dates this year. The Grand Master will hear the reports of Lodge Masters and Secretaries, and he will recognize Lodge Fidelity Medal holders and Years of Service awardees. Additionally, each visitation will be immediately followed by a Festive Board.

DATE

LODGES

May 20, 2022

1, 3, 15, 33, 53, 93, 1106, 1798, 2001

May 27, 2022

7, 12, 17, 34, 54, 94, 1521, 1811, 2020

September 23, 2022

4, 11, 21, 35, 76, 98, 1717, 1821, 3000

October 14, 2022

5, 10, 25, 45, 90, 222, 1001, 1775, 1893

October 28, 2022

6, 14, 32, 47, 92, 925, 1002, 1003, 1776, 2000

ISSUE 1, 2022 THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY | 29

THE VOICE OF FREEMASONRY Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M. of DC 5428 MacArthur Blvd., N.W. Washington, DC 20016-2524

Now in its 61st year, the Masonic Foundation of the District of Columbia is a 501(c) 3 registered nonprofit organization which operates as the charitable arm of the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M. of the District of Columbia. The Foundation’s continuing mission is to expand Masonic Philanthropy in the fields of charitable, educational, and scientific programs.

In order to fulfill that mission and provide much-needed services and support in our community, the Foundation relies entirely on the voluntary gifts and endowments from District of Columbia Masons, their families, and friends. Additionally, at this time, no portion of the dues of any Masonic body go towards the Foundation.

Donations to the Foundation by Lodges and individual Brothers directly benefit the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area by being completely distributed to charitable organizations. This empowers us as D.C. Freemasons to change lives through charity,

NonProfit Org. US Postage PAID Permit No. 207 Dulles, VA

securing the Masonic legacy of giving for generations to come.

As you contemplate making a charitable gift this year, please consider making a tax-deductible gift to support the Masonic Foundation of the District of Columbia by visiting DCMasonicFoundation.org and clicking the donate button at the bottom of the page, or by sending your check payable to The Masonic Foundation of DC to 5428 MacArthur Blvd., NW, Washington, DC 20016.

Your partnership and generous contribution will provide direct benefits to the community we serve.

SUPPORT THE COVID RELIEF FUND In response to the current crisis, and the impact it will have on many members’ health, livelihoods, and families, many DC Masonic organizations came together to create the Joint Masonic COVID Crisis Fund. The Fund centrally collects donations from individuals and Masonic bodies/ organizations and has in place an expedited process to provide funds, goods, and services for relief to brothers, sisters, and their immediate family.

If you or someone you know is in need, complete the form here: https://bit.ly/2vmIJL4 Please note this is for members of DC Masonic bodies only.

Individual donations of any size will be of great help. You can donate money by visiting this link: https://bit.ly/3dawdiZ This will allow donations through credit card, PayPal, ACH, and more. You may also mail checks made out to “MESH Charities” to 2800 16th St. NW Washington DC 20009.

You can also donate goods that will be helpful to those in need, or your time to help with tasks such as grocery shopping or helping with a doctor visit. Please sign up here to do so: https://forms.gle/UjCuVogSnEV3zURe8 Many hands make light work, and we can all pitch in some way. Many of your brothers, sisters, and close Masonic family will need your help, and deeply appreciate it.

GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DANIEL A. HUERTAS, GRAND MASTER | JEFFREY D. RUSSELL, PGM, GRAND SECRETARY DCGRANDLODGE.ORG