Winter 2020
Issue 47
Winter 2020
WWW.THEMASONICSOCIETY.COM
ISSN 2155-4145
Editor-in-Chief Michael R. Poll, FMS editor@themasonicsociety.com
PO Box 80126, Indianapolis, IN 46280-0126 Editorial Committee Mark Robbins, FMS - Asst. Editor Christopher D. Rodkey, FMS - Asst. Editor Christian Christensen, FMS - Asst. Editor Queries concerning prospective articles should be sent to: editor@themasonicsociety.com Design & layout John A. Bridegroom, FMS - Art Director Advertising Jay Hochberg, FMS - Advertising Director ads@themasonicsociety.com Officers Patrick C. Craddock, President Jay Hochberg, 1st Vice President Oscar Alleyne, 2nd Vice President Nathan C. Brindle, Secretary/Treasurer Christopher L. Hodapp, Editor Emeritus Directors Mark Robbins Eric Diamond John Bizzack Aaron Shoemaker Gregg Hall Gregory J. Knott These guidelines apply to the reuse of articles, figures, charts and photos in the Journal of The Masonic Society. Authors need NOT contact the Journal to obtain rights to reuse their own material. Authors may do the following: Reuse the article in print collections of their own writing; Present a work orally in its entirety; Use an article in a thesis and/or dissertation; Reuse a figure, photo and/or table in future commercial and noncommercial works; Post a copy of the article electronically. Authors are asked to include the following citation format when using material that appeared in the Journal: “This article was originally published in The Journal of The Masonic Society. Author(s). Title. Journal Year; Issue: pp-pp.” Apart from Author’s use, no material appearing in the Journal of The Masonic Society may be reprinted or electronically distributed without the written permission of the Editor-in-Chief. Papers published in the Journal of The Masonic Society reflect the opinions of the writers which may or may not represent the position of The Masonic Society. Published quarterly by The Masonic Society, PO Box 80126, Indianapolis, IN 46280-0126. Full membership for Master Masons in good standing of a lodge chartered by a grand lodge that is a member of the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons of North America (CGMMNA), or recognized by three CGMMNA member grand lodges. (includes Prince Hall Grand Lodges recognized by their counterpart CGMMNA state Grand Lodge): $45/ yr., 49/ yr. Canada ($67 outside US/Canada). Journal subscription for nonmembers: $45/yr., 49/ yr. Canada ($67 outside US/Canada). POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Journal of The Masonic Society, PO Box 80126 Indianapolis, IN 46280-0126 © 2020 by The Masonic Society, Inc. All rights reserved. The MS circle and quill logo, and the name “The Masonic Society” are trademarks of The Masonic Society, Inc. and all rights are reserved.
ISSUE FEATURES
THE JOURNAL
OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY
Issue 47
6 Change 2019
by David J. Cameron
10 Alchemy in Masonry
by Raul Sarmiento
12 Conceptual Metaphors in Masonry
by Alan Schwartz, Ph.D.
14 The Kaleida Code
by Joseph Hatcher
17
Artist Profile: Ari Roussimoff
22 Thoughts About Writing A History of Your Lodge
by Samuel S. Laucks, II, M.D.
26 Major John Melville Allen – Soldier, Politician, and Mason
by Billy Hamilton
30
T hat Good Men Do Something: A Defense of Freemasonry
by Brendan Hickey
SECTIONS 4 Editor’s Corner 19 Book Reviews 38 Through the Camera Lens 40 Masonic Treasures
THE COVER: KING SOLOMON’S VISION by Ari Roussimoff. Ari Roussimoff, a critically acclaimed painter and film director, has been called one of the most prolific and creative artists of his generation. His paintings of Russian, Ukrainian, Jewish, symbolic and Masonic themes have earned him much acclaim and they have been shown in over 85 exhibitions worldwide. Among the many who have lauded Ari Roussimoff’s paintings were the modern art masters Marc Chagall and Oskar Kokoschka. And as a teenager, he was invited to lunch with Salvador Dali and his wife Gala. WINTER 2020 • 3
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EDITOR’S CORNER
M
Masonic History, Ritual or Philosophy
by Michael R. Poll, FMS
A
few years ago, I visited a friendly lodge. Every time I went there, I was greeted with smiles, handshakes, and kind words. After saying hello to everyone, I went to the kitchen and returned with a plate of hot food. I headed to a table where I saw an empty chair. As I was sitting down, I heard something that I did not often hear in this lodge. The members at the table were having what seemed to be an almost heated discussion — an argument. I was surprised and listened for a while. The Brothers were sharing their opinions as to what they felt was the most important aspect in Freemasonry. One Brother explained that our ritual is the “backbone” of Freemasonry. He said that a real danger to any lodge is when its officers are unable to properly perform even the short opening and closing ritual in the lodge. I couldn’t disagree with him. He said that sloppy ritual projects a sloppy attitude towards all aspects of the lodge. A lack of caring in this visible portion of lodge operation invites a lack of caring in all aspects of the lodge. He pointed out that many lodges offer little more than this short ritual and a reading of the minutes. When they cannot even accomplish this small task, the lodge would seem to be able to offer very little of any substance to the members or visitors. I sat back and waited to hear how anyone could disagree with him. A second Brother began speaking. He said that his point seemed to be lost by the first Brother. He said that even when ritual is perfectly done, it is, at best, only a performance. In itself, he said, the ritual is only a collection of words. A recording of a perfectly executed ritual could be played for the opening and closing of the lodge, and it would satisfy the need for a properly delivered ritual. He said that what he saw as the real danger is when the ritual is not understood. He said that if we only perfectly repeat words that have no meaning to us, then what is the point of doing it? I certainly could not disagree with him either. He went on to say that the philosophy of Freemasonry must be understood if we are to truly understand why the symbolic ritual is important. Without instruction in our philosophy and symbols, our ritual becomes empty, and we mislead ourselves as to the importance of perfectly performed ritual. I found value in all that he said. A third Brother said that he understood the points and logic of the two other Brothers, but he felt that our true danger was repeating the failures of the past. When we do not know of past failures, and what caused them, the opportunity is present to travel down the same problematic roads that brought us previous difficulty. He said that knowledge of our history gives us a window into our past and provides us with a blueprint of sorts to explore the future and what we need to avoid. Once again, I found no fault in what this Brother was saying. I then felt that it was time to open my mouth. I mentioned that they left out one additional point that I feel is essential. I pointed out that our Masonic rules and regulations must be known by all Masons. If we don’t know our laws, then we are far more likely to make mistakes that could bring us serious, unforeseen problems. But what I feel is most important is that we do not divide our area of study into only history, ritual, philosophy, or anything else. I don’t believe that one aspect of Freemasonry is better or more important than another. We must be able to properly function in all areas of Masonry if we are to properly consider ourselves a MASTER Mason. It is not a matter of which is more important. It is a matter of recognizing that all areas are important and in need of study. We should objectively examine ourselves to find our weak spots and do the work necessary to improve in Masonry wherever needed. If, however, we feel that we have learned all that can be learned and need no further education, then I suggest we start over at the beginning of our studies. I promise that if we feel such a thing, we have missed some important lessons.
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ith great pride and appreciation, The Masonic Society welcomes the following brethren as our esteemed new members. Kenneth L Cochran
Kyle A Holz
Christopher C Sims
Wilson O. Cook
Kevin Michael Hyder
Mark A StJohn
Timothy John Curran Jr.
Alan Wayne Joell
Monty Ray Thurman
Jephthah G Dais
Samuel D. Kyburz
Rodolfo Edmundo Trevino
Vernon Arthur Davidson Jr.
Kendall Reid MacGregor
Jussi Tuovinen
George Dietrichsbruckner
M Cash Melville
Christopher M Uhas
David Scott Foster II
Walter Henry Nichols
Christopher A Gatewood
Jason C Palmer
Jevon Greenaway
Dustin K. Reid
Kenneth M Hebb
Michael Sasarak Jr.
Dr. Jason Ian Hernandez
Barry A Searle
WINTER 2020 • 5
THE JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY
FUTURE OF FREEMASONRY
Dr. Jessica Harland-Jacobs wrote:
Change 2019 by David J. Cameron Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario How many Masons does it take to change a light bulb? Wait ... Change?
D
espite what it says in our Installation ceremony, Masonry has indeed changed through the years as it has adapted to the social circumstances in which our brethren found themselves. Masonry changed from operative to speculative — from Christian to inclusive. We changed from gathering places for Jacobite sympathizers, Irish Revolutionaries and American Patriots to never proposing or at all countenancing any act that may tend to subvert the peace and good order of society. At the 2018 Conference of Grand Masters of North America in Indianapolis, R.W. Bro. Allan Casalou, the Grand Secretary of California, labelled our changes in terms of centuries. His first was the 18th which he
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called “Tavern Masonry.” Lodges met in taverns, often taking their names from the establishment — the lodge at the Goose and Gridiron, the lodge at the Rummer and Grapes. That concept applied in America as well. One of the first lodges in the US met at the Green Dragon Tavern in Boston, a lodge famous for not having quorum one night in 1773 as most of their members were down at the harbour having a tea party. In that century in Ontario most of our lodges were meeting in military forts, but the Barton Lodge in Hamilton met at Smith’s Tavern1 and Ancient St. John’s Lodge No. 3 in Kingston was constituted at “Bro. John Darley’s Freemasons’ Tavern.”2 The 19 century he called “Town Center” Masonry. Lodges bought land right downtown in newly established settlements that later became towns and cities. The lodge, being one of the first buildings, was used for many community events. Although it predates the 19th century by a few years, the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is a good example. As th
“In 1791 the Niagara Land Board met to determine a site for the town; construction began late the next year. Although the government had recommended that the board prioritize the building of a marketplace, a church, and a school, its members, most of whom were Freemasons, decided instead to erect a public house and a Masonic hall (and then a jail). Freemasons’ Hall quickly became the center of community life in Niagara. The edifice was two stories, the first open to the general public and the second accessible only to members of Niagara’s two Masonic lodges. Town members gathered at the Masonic hall for community dances called ‘Niagara Assemblies.’ The first agricultural society of Upper Canada held its monthly meetings at Freemasons’ Hall.”3 The Anglican church held services there for 17 years. And the first parliament of Upper Canada was opened there. In the 20th Century, in California, as well as in Ontario, there were two large anomalous peaks in initiations — one after each of the world wars. In the 1920’s, they thought the boom in membership would continue forever. They undertook the building of huge temples, with multiple lodge rooms, ballrooms and meeting rooms, even bowling alleys, and swimming pools. R.W. Bro. Casalou called the 20th century “Cathedral Masonry” and even though we don’t have the glorious edifices like Detroit and Buffalo, all over our province we built structures larger than we needed. There was a drop in membership during the Depression and then WW II, but that was explainable. However, the number of men joining after the second war was even greater than after the first. Our numbers swelled to the largest in history. And we built even more buildings. The returning veterans wanted to continue the camaraderie that they experienced in the wartime forces. Although there was no
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official policy change, this influx, the largest we have ever had, subtly changed Masonry as education on the philosophy and symbolism of Freemasonry took a back seat to dances and charitable endeavours. And we are left with these temples which are now too big for us to adequately look after, diverting more and more of our attention to fundraising and maintenance. Changes? Yes, we want changes. But, if changes are official or thought-out, then no, we don’t want these changes.
responsibilities.” (That means you in your lodge as you try to do all these programs we think up.) But we are losing members, so we should do more things: programs to inform them, programs to attract them, programs to keep them, programs to track them. STOP! Sometimes what we should do seems counterintuitive. Maybe we shouldn’t do more; perhaps we should do less!
In the cathedral era, we came to judge success by numbers. Our fraternity was the greatest in the world because it was the largest. A lady’s night was a success because they had 300 participants. A lodge was a successful lodge because they had twelve new candidates last year. A degree was a success because of the number of visitors present, rather than because the candidate had a transformative experience.
Zen — less is more.
21st Century Masonry has no name yet. It’s too early to know what we will be remembered for — contraction? Right-sizing? But that’s still judging by numbers. I like the term restoration. But let’s deal with some numbers.
A few years ago, I pictured a keen new Worshipful Master. He wants to do a good job, so he decides to use some of those Grand Lodge programs which he has often heard Grand Lodge visitors promoting. So, he sits down and starts to read the programs. He reads the first one, then the next, and the next. I counted how many different Grand Lodge programs there were – there were 38! He only gets 30 out to a meeting, so there is no way he can even assign a chairman to run every program. So, he just gives up and does none of them. We have too many programs. Less is more.
Our membership peaked in 1960 at 136,000 members.4 Now we have 34,000.5 But we have a Grand Lodge structure created for over 100,000 members and geared to continual growth. We have tried to rectify this by reducing the size of the Board, but we still have a way to go. In 1905 we had 35,000 Masons in 386 lodges. We had 22 districts, a Board of 20, and nine Grand Lodge committees, one of which was the Committee on Fraternal Dead, which compiled the list of Necrology for the Proceedings, and another was the Committee on Printing and Supplies — tasks now done by the office.6 We’re down to 23 committees, but that is still too many. We don’t need separate committees to look after selling books or tallying blood donations. Those jobs are done by a small number of brethren who can just be members of a committee. And, in fact, do we even need to tally blood donations? Don’t get me wrong, donating blood is important and should be encouraged, but an elaborate system of keeping statistics doesn’t save any lives. Grand Lodge has been fretting over decreasing membership for more than a generation now, and what we have done hasn’t been working. R.W. Bro. Russell Staye has said, of our response: “What follows is what I think of as a period of what I refer to as 1960’s solutions. Essentially programmes consisting of structured social events, the belief that if only you can train the member to do everything the “right way” all may yet be well, and the desire to engage in events to present the organization to the public in a favourable light. However well-intentioned these ideas are, they actually create stress upon the membership. Because the numbers are not what they once were, but the quantity and scope of initiatives has increased, those dedicated brethren who remain bear an ever-increasing load of responsibilities.”7 While “the quantity and scope of initiatives has increased, those dedicated brethren who remain bear an ever-increasing load of
· · · ·
less committees, less programs demand less things of lodge secretaries demand less things of Worshipful Masters do one thing, but do it extremely well
Back in 1905, Lodges averaged 90 members. We had 22 districts. And districts averaged 18 lodges. Every year 22 men out of 35,000 got the privilege to lead their brethren. They had to line up for it. That’s where rotation systems came from — so no lodge would lose out on that honour. But now we must find 41 men out of 34,000 to be District Deputy Grand Master. And we’re having trouble finding enough willing to put their name forward. Thirty years ago, we decided to offer more training to our DDGM hopefuls. We made a course. Ten years ago, we made mandatory. Then we made it more comprehensive, and then we made it shorter. How did that work? We’re now moving to offer a less time-consuming way to prepare. Is that the answer? I don’t know. Less is more. But I think it certainly is a short-term band-aid. Will two-year terms solve the problem? Mergers of districts? Either would restore us to the old ratio. But how about we look at our Zen solution? Maybe we should convince all the District Deputies to do less. Here’s a story that came from R.W. Bro. David Sheen: “When I was initiated, I looked around the room and I saw all these prominent men from my small town – the grocer, the banker, the MAYOR — And I was now part of an organization to which they all belonged! A few months went by and our lodge was visited by the DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTER. Wow, what an important Mason. I felt privileged. WINTER 2020 • 7
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After a few years we were visited by the DEPUTY GRAND MASTER who had come from hundreds of miles away to visit us. And I was able to shake his hand. What an honour!
was it a polite way to say that the demands of Masonry are too much?
And then, eventually my district was honoured to host a banquet for THE GRAND MASTER of the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of Canada in the Province of Ontario. Incredible!”
We still tell people the famed one night a month lie. Where did this come from? Was it once really one night a month? When and how did it become several nights a week?
Too much visibility can detract from the office. The only duties a DDGM must do, according to the Constitution, is one official visit to each lodge, and attend the annual communication. We also make him show up for the regional meetings, but that isn’t in the Constitution. Are men unwilling to take on the task of DDGM because they must be out every night of the week for a year — or two years? Does Grand Lodge require they be out that much? No. That’s local expectation. Sometimes the path we should take seems counterintuitive. If it wasn’t so time intensive, maybe more would step forward. Less is more. Let’s look at local expectations. We must change local expectations at the local level. In reality, all Masonry is local. Men don’t join a Grand Lodge; they join a Lodge. Nobody was ever initiated by Grand Lodge; okay, the Rev. Dr. Henry Cody was made a Mason at sight by M.W. Bro. William J. Dunlop in 1939, but nobody since.8 Grand Lodge can only lead. Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the famous organist and theologian who became a physician and then went to Africa as a medical missionary, is often quoted as saying: “Example is not the best way to influence others; it’s the only way.” So, we’re setting an example by right-sizing Grand Lodge, or should I say restoring it to the right size. Here’s another issue that I hear time and again: young Masons not wanting to take a chair. I was at a General Purpose meeting of my mother lodge and was gently chiding them about visitation. I said we had become known as the lodge that didn’t visit. One of the young line officers piped up and said: “What? I come to two lodge meetings a month as well as a GP meeting. I have a business to run and a young family. And you’re telling me I need to be out more?” I was taken aback, and I realized he was right. We are asking too much. R.W. Bro. Leyland Muss and the Brother to Brother Committee did a survey in 2013 asking E.A.s who had recently left Masonry why they left – No. 1 was Work or family time conflict – 55%9 Now we originally discounted that — family is sacrosanct, and how can we affect their work environment? But is that really what they meant, or
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They don’t have the time for what we expect.
Again, I postulate the change was in the 20th century. Work really was 9-5, done at 5, no paperwork to catch up on, no presentation to prepare for the next day, no cell phones. Men came home. There was a nice home cooked meal on the table and then his wife cleaned up and put the kids to bed. That’s how it was for my fatherin-law, a great man and a great DDGM. He never learned how to cook, even after his wife died. As I child, my wife remembers helping him put on the studs and cufflinks when he was getting ready for lodge. He even had help getting dressed for lodge! He had time for Masonry as it was in the 60’s. It’s now 2019. Sometimes it is the father who cooks supper for the kids as mother is working a late shift. Sometimes he’s a single father. How can we make it so young men can gain the teachings of Freemasonry in their lives that are so different? We need to address their present situation. We don’t want to simply make it simpler or faster, like all-the-way-inone-day classes. We want to transmit our time-honoured traditions in a meaningful and impactful way, while respecting our members’ time. Not less is more, but maybe “less often but more intense” is more. Things for us all to ponder, and act upon! I believe, as a start, we need to stop trying to be everything to everyone. Focus on what is quintessential about Masonry and drop the rest. It’s as simple as that. And it’s also as difficult as that. That is our challenge. I’ll leave you with some wisdom from a past Grand Master: “… I can only express my earnest hope that you may at all times be guided by a wise conservatism; and in using this term, I do not wish to be understood as expressing merely the desire or effort to preserve what is established, but I wish you to receive it in its larger and more Masonic sense, which implies that there is no blind and superstitious respect for things established simply because they are so. Precedents with us, says a learned and thoughtful Brother, have no authority unless they are founded upon principle; and on the other hand, changes have no support unless they are prompted by necessity and guided by reason.”10 That was said by M.W. Bro. William Mercer Wilson in 1868, a time when our Grand Lodge and our society were going through some great changes. Today, I think we are prompted by necessity. Let us be guided by reason.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR M.W. Bro. David James Cameron was initiated into Freemasonry in Grand River Lodge No. 151 KitchenerWaterloo in 1991. He served as Worshipful Master in 2001. M.W. Bro. Cameron is a 33° Scottish Rite Mason and a member of the Royal Arch, Allied Masonic Degrees, Royal and Select Masters, Shriners and the Royal Order of Scotland. He is a Fellow of the College of Freemasonry. M.W. Bro. Cameron was installed as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario in July 2019. NOTES: 1. Robertson, J.R., The History of Freemasonry in Canada, Morang, Toronto, 1900 Vol. 1, p.632. 2. Ibid., p. 263.
3. Harland-Jacobs, Jessica, Builders of Empire, U of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 2007. p. 53-4. 4. Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario 1962 p. 83. 5. Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario 2017. 6. Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario 1905. 7. Staye, Russell, “Masonry in the Round”, a speech given in 2010 in Ottawa, Canada. 8. Harrington, W. and Foley, R. , A History of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, GLCPO, 1955, p. 261. 9. “Understanding Reduced Retention Rate: A study of the progress and retention of initiates, July 1, 2010 to December 31, 2013”, Brother2Brother Committee, GLCPO 2014. 10. GM address in the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Canada 1868 p. 472
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PHILOSOPHY
The Alchemist is involved in a process of transformation, very different from the process of linear growth or evolution. The Alchemist works from an existing state, and he alters it very radically, reducing it into a mix of “Prima Materia” through the process of transformation. Inside this process, there are elements that arise, and by interacting with each other, and eventually as a result of the meeting of opposites, produces a new condition or a new being. It is the most secret, esoteric, and gnostic process which is directed in generating a new being that is not a product of the ordinary processes of nature or of evolution, but instead a completely different being created by the Alchemical process. Our intent with the three degrees of Masonry follows this same idea.
Alchemy in Masonry by Raul Sarmiento
A
lchemy covers several philosophical traditions spanning four millennia and three continents. The alchemical process is best known for its belief that lead can be transmuted into gold. However, the transmutation of non-precious metals into gold is simply a metaphor for the soul being freed from a “dead, leaden state of mind,” to that of realizing its own divine nature, also often called Light nature, which is derived from pure spirit. When we in Masonry speak about gaining light, we are essentially referring to becoming closer to this divine nature. The alchemists believed that the basis of the material world was a “Prima Materia,” or prime chaotic matter, which might be forced into existence if balanced by “form.” The “forms” arose in the shape of the elements, earth, water, fire, and air. The Alchemists believed that the limitless varieties of life were created out of the blending of the elements in particular proportions. One of the early Alchemists, Aristotle, believed that dry, moist, hot, and cold were the four elements. Hot and dry would make fire; hot and moist would make air; cold and moist would make water, and cold and dry would 10 • WINTER 2020
make earth. By taking out any one thing and replacing it with another, you would have a new item. This was the idea of change. In alchemy we consider the “Prima Materia,” the original state of matter, as being the original, pure, raw state of consciousness, from which all other states of consciousness emerged, i.e., mineral, vegetable, animal, and human, and we view the concept of the philosopher’s stone as the ultimate state of “illuminated consciousness” whilst in the earthly body; not as a rock that can make lead into gold. This is similar to the concepts we work with in Masonry, when we speak about the rough ashlar and the perfect ashlar. And our essential elements of working “to make a good man into a better man.” The Alchemical process distinguishes itself from other magical, religious and spiritual disciplines because it is involved in the practice of “transformation,” which is equivalent to a metamorphosis. This is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal’s body structure through cell growth and differentiation. The resulting animal is a completely different being.
It is the goal that this new being has the capacity of connecting in an intimate fashion with the divine forces and forms of consciousness. The untransformed human, or natural man, will not be able to relate and connect with these transcendental and greater forms of consciousness. It requires a transformed being. This is in essence the goal of the ancient traditions, and a part of the idea and goal of the three degrees of Masonry. If we look into the idea and development behind the Alchemical process, it is relevant to look to the ancient world, for instance Saint Augustine (353-430 CE) who considered man to be brought into existence to endure life eternally. Damnation is what all men deserved because of the fall of Adam, who was created with free will, but chose to disrupt the perfectly good order established by God. The alternative position preceded Saint Augustine’s, which was the position of the Gnostics, the Neoplatonists, the Hermeticists, and also the Alchemists. They had a different view from the damnation philosophy. These early traditions claimed that the human being is not a creature made up of “dirt,” but that that there within the human is a divine spark, “neuma,” as it is called. This transcendental core is not corrupt but good, perfect, and wise. But why is life not perfect then? Well, because man lives in a lower world, a terrestrial world that is full of vices, unconsciousness, and sin. Though this is all around, it will not penetrate the “Center” of the divine human. The work of our life is to bring that inner center of perfection out into the world, and manifest it in his life. The potential needs to be manifested. This was the ancient view. That
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was the work of the Alchemist in the Middle Ages and the work of all Masonic lodges today. This idea or world view has come to life several times in human history, and been called different things to avoid persecution and upsetting the establishment. During the renaissance, it was an emergence of artistic, philosophical, and mystic movements. During this time, the practice of Alchemy was widespread and became what we know it as today. This was the time for the discovery and translation of the Hermetic writings, which have the closest connection with Alchemy. Later, this same idea was used in the age of the Enlightenment by people like Voltaire, Diderot, and Rousseau that resulted in the concepts used in the French revolution. It also returned in the American Revolution, as the declaration of independence very clearly states: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. All of them thought that the human being had infinite potential, just by the fact that he was a human. How does this potential come to realization? According to the Alchemist it is brought forth through a process of transformation. And in our case, the setting is the Masonic Lodges. The catalyst is the Worshipful Master and material the brother himself. Looking closer at how the alchemical process works in its various stages, it is relevant to look to the commentary C. J. Jung wrote over the ancient codex called “Rosarium Philosophorum.” Here Jung describes the first stage, where the fire is “slow and mild,” as the flesh or embryo gradually is helped to bring about the first stage of the work, culminating in the status called Nigredo or “blackening.” This stage is said to involve a purification of the earthly nature in us. The work begins with breaking down the existing forms in search for the “Prima Materia,” the condition of the original, pure, uncorrupted state of the matter that is the basis of nature as mentioned earlier. This first process is also called referred to “caput mortuum” or dead head and is essentially tied to severing of the head or ego from the person. Just as material death is necessary for the material rebirth of things, so spiritual death is necessary for the spiritual rebirth of man. Thus, the much sought-after act of rebirth is always preceded by a return to the essential elements, otherwise regeneration cannot begin. Looking more deeply into the first stage, the reduction into the base elements necessitates a freeing of the sense of self from its connections to the material world. What we are concerned with is removing the veils of unconscious attachments to the world to get a clearer sense of who we are. The identification of the self with the earth element is experienced in terms of our attachment to worldly objects such as our body, material objects, parental figures, etc. As long as we remain attached to the worldly objects, we remain separated and divided inside. Once we have overcome the unconscious identifications, the thoughts and feelings become positive, i.e. the world no longer threatens our real self because we are free of it. We can choose when and how we integrate the world into our self, rather than our self becoming absorbed and lost in the world. This stage is often the hardest to get through for the Alchemist as our connection and attachment to the material is deeply rooted into us in the condition as human beings. The second stage, called Albedo, or the white phase, focuses on us being aware of ourselves and our divine nature. It is a period of withdrawing a little from life. Alchemical texts speak of the soul now becoming conscious of itself by becoming aware of its own divine nature. This is the stage in which the soul, at last, being conscious of itself, leads the individual to a heightened spiritual awareness and purpose.
In the final stage, the red phase named Rubedo, the alchemist awakens to the desire to return to the earth and to fully incarnate his state of “illuminated” consciousness. Quite simple as the person has realized and transcended their problems and dilemmas, he is faced with the task of implementing it in his life. So, in essence the Alchemical principal is one of “solve et coagula,” or dissolve and coagulate or reassemble into a more perfect form. This process is used at each stage of the overall development to bring about the transformation. In other words, the body the soul is caught in at the time must first be dissolved in order to free the elements, so that it can rebuild as a purer form, which can then be re-coagulated and experienced as the “new self.” In the third and last stage, as the soul incarnates and descends into the worldly body, the latter has been tempered to be a more suitable vehicle and psyche, which is then coagulated with the soul to form the “self” that has awakened the body and mind, and a perfect union has been formed. A good man has been transformed into a better man. This whole process is described in many alchemical texts, and is best put into a Masonic context by Timothy Hogan in his book “The Alchemical keys to Masonic Ritual,” where the author writes: “Alchemy first and foremost sought to join the physical with the spiritual. In Alchemical symbolism, the physical world was represented by the square (like the four corners of the earth), and the spiritual word by the circle which had no beginning or end. The two tools used in making these symbols are the square and compasses. In the three degrees of symbolic blue Lodge Masonry, the spiritual compasses gradually overcome the physical square as the candidate receives further light.” In the lodges and our Masonic work, we essentially try to use the lessons, degrees, memory work and lectures, to tear down the existing good man, and put him in a state where can become a better man, and gain connection with his own internal light, as well as divine light. It is like the work of the Alchemist though the way we talk about it and approach it differs. Now to finalize, I will leave you with this thought. Every time I find myself down on this earth entangled with all the limitations of my lower consciousness, out of hope, then I go back to my primordial roots and listen to the wise voice of my teachers and mentors. This particular one is dear to my heart and soul, and I quote from Stephan Hoeller: “I am not this body of earth which I inhabit now, and which will return to its own elements, dust to dust ashes to ashes. I am not my feelings which search through body and mind like unsteady wind of the wisp of life. I am not my thoughts which pretend permanence and steadiness, and yet passed and changed and vanished in the night of time. I am none of these, even though they comprise my household now. I am the immortal spirit, the spark of the primordial flame emanated by the timeless light beyond all manifestation. Purer than the driven snow, more radiant than the sun, subtler than the ether, am I. I am that self, that self I am, now and forever and ever”. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Raul Sarmiento is the current Worshipful Mater of Temple Lodge #4, and a Past Master of Doric Lodge #420 in Houston, TX. Brother Sarmiento is a member of the Scottish Rite, where he has been invested with the rank of KCCH – Knight Commander of the Court of Honor and is active on a number of degree teams. WINTER 2020 • 11
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INSIGHTS
• “It’s clear to me” • “Don’t keep me in the dark” • “I’ve been hoodwinked” (deceived) • “Enlightenment”, “illumination” The physical basis for this metaphor, of course, is that we do often come to learn things through our sense of sight. In this metaphor, darkness prevents seeing (and therefore knowing) and light enables it.
Conceptual Metaphors in Masonry by Alan Schwartz, Ph.D.
I
n the field of cognitive linguistics, George Lakoff and colleagues1 have identified conceptual metaphor as a key means by which people understand complex or abstract concepts. Unlike poetic metaphor, which is essentially a novel creative expression easily identified as metaphor, conceptual metaphor underpins thinking and reason as well as linguistic expression. The function of conceptual metaphor is to represent a set of abstract concepts and relations (the “target domain”) in terms of more concrete — often directly physically experienced — concepts and relations (the “source domain”).
Conceptual metaphor is so deeply ingrained in cognition that it often goes unrecognized. For example, the common metaphor Understanding (target) is Grasping2 underlies expressions like: • “Comprehension”, “apprehension” • “I get it” • “I take your meaning” • “That gives me an idea” 12 • WINTER 2020
Here we conceive of ideas as objects and learning or understanding as picking up the objects. The metaphor (in combination with others) promotes useful ways of thinking about communication and learning by relating them to the common embodied experience of manipulating objects. The mapping between the target and the source domain is not exact — if I give you an idea, I don’t lose the idea — but provides important evidence about how we (sometimes) regard mental events. Symbolic freemasonry explicitly employs several overt analogies, but also partakes critically of a core set of conceptual metaphors that operate together in what we might call the Master Masonic Metaphor system. The objective of this paper is to characterize this system. KNOWING IS SEEING3 One of the earliest described, and most universal metaphors, maps knowing onto visual perception. It underlies expressions like: • “I see what you mean” • “He showed me the way” • “Look,...” (followed by an explanation)
This metaphor plays an obvious role in Freemasonry, particularly when the object of Masonry is understood as conveying certain kinds of knowledge to its members. Of course, this is not unique to Freemasonry: many other initiatory practices begin with the initiate in some form, place, or time of literal darkness that is relieved at the climactic point of the ritual. Beyond the sense of sight, the concept of light also appears widely in spiritual and religious teachings in association with the sun, with the primary act of creation (cf Genesis 1:3 “Let there be light”, especially as interpreted in the Lurianic Kabbalah), or with salvation (cf John 8:12 KJV, “I am the light of the world”). LIFE IS A JOURNEY4 Another important metaphor conceptualizes purpose-driven activities (e.g. life) in terms of a journey, where states of being are locations. Actions are movements between locations; things that prevent planned actions are obstacles and barriers, and the purpose is the destination. Those who assist us in achieving purposes may be understood as guides or leaders; those with common purposes as companions along the road. The physical basis is that we do not have everything we need at hand, and we often need to move purposefully to other places to achieve objectives. English examples of this metaphor include: • I’m getting nearer to my goal • I’m spinning my wheels (not making progress) • I have a lot of problems to overcome • One day I’ll be where I want to be
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Freemasonry as “traveling” (toward the light or in search of something lost) is a familiar conceptualization that appears in ritual and catechism. The candidate’s progress is punctuated by obstacles and barriers exactly to provide the experience of surmounting challenges through perseverance and knowledge, an important Masonic lesson.
individually and in concert, underlying a variety of extra-Masonic practices and writings. This offers one explanation of commonalities between Freemasonry and other mystery schools that predate organized Freemasonry — not a relationship of direct descent but drawing analogies from a common metaphorical well.
If Freemasonry is a journey, it offers several different ways to frame its destination. In combination with the metaphorical understanding of importance as interiority (e.g. “superficial” vs “deep”, “outer” vs the “inner” qualities), it supports the progress from the outer to middle to inner chamber of King Solomon’s Temple. In combination with the Knowing is Seeing metaphor and the path of the sun in the sky, a metaphorical journey from west to east becomes sensible. Note that these two destination systems are not wholly coherent — the innermost and deepest chamber is most often least accessible to sunlight — so each appears separately in the ritual and emphasizes slightly different Masonic goals.
ADDITIONAL MASONIC METAPHORS Although I have presented the Light/Journey/Up system as being of primary importance in Craft Freemasonry, there are many other Masonic metaphors that can be explored. For example, as previously suggested, Morality is Up making the use of the plumb to represent rectitude. The other dais jewels equally partake of conceptual metaphor. The Moral is Straight7 metaphor (“be straight with me”, “he’s crooked”) is coherent with the plumb but also with the square, a joining of two straight lines in a right angle — the origin of “right” in old English also meaning “straight”. Good is Up8 entails that two objects at equal heights are equally valuable, consistent with the application of the level.
Again, similar use of this metaphor can be found in religious traditions, including Christianity (John 14:6 KJV, “I am the way”).
Appendant bodies of symbolic freemasonry also adopt additional metaphors or additional elements of metaphor systems. Many of these relate to embodied experiences such as writing (Mark Master), building (Royal / Ninth Arch Masonry), delving (Cryptic Masonry), or fighting (Chivalric Masonry). There are well-studied English metaphors using each of these experiences as source domains, but they are beyond the scope of this short paper.
GOOD IS UP / MORALITY IS UP5 Two related metaphors map abstract concepts of positivity and mortality onto verticality. Our embodied experience is when we are healthy and alive, we stand; when we are sick or dead, we lie down. The positivity metaphor underlies the use of “up”/”high” vs. “down”/”low” to express greater or lesser happiness, as well as the general use of the concept of higher to mean better or more valuable. We also see the operation of this metaphors in use of “raising” in the third degree. The morality metaphor underlies expressions like “uprightness,” “upstanding”, the “high road” (in combination with a journey metaphor), a “lowdown scoundrel.” We see it in the symbology of verticality of the plumb line, and in the image of erecting a building as mortal development. THE SYSTEM These three core metaphors combine elegantly into a coherent system. In the language of the source domains: To see better and farther, we search for and move toward light, by traveling forward in the path traced by the sun and by rising from the earth toward the sun. In the language of the target domains, the quest for knowledge and wisdom requires purposeful effort and commitment to morality. Masonic initiations leverage the embodied nature of metaphor by literally engaging the candidate in source domain activities (clockwise travel, elevation to the vertical, physical darkness and light) to evoke the corresponding target domain concepts toward the development of what might be termed (also metaphorically) a masonic posture toward lived experience. The value placed on conveying ritual material through bodily experience may have underlain the adoption of the “doctrine of the perfect youth” (physical qualifications of candidates)6 in speculative masonry. These metaphors are so fundamental to human cognition (or at minimum, cognition in Western cultures where these concepts can be found expressed linguistically) that it is not surprising to find them,
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brother Alan Schwartz, PhD is Past Master and currently organist of Berwyn Masonic Lodge #839 AF&AM in Berwyn, Illinois, and a member of the Royal Arch, Cryptic Masons, Scottish Rite, and Allied Masonic Degrees. He is the Michael Reese Endowed Professor of Medical Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. His Masonic CV can be found at http://ulan.mede.uic. edu/~alansz/masonic.html . NOTES: 1. George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, Metaphors we live by. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980), George Lakoff, Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987). 2. George Lakoff, Jane Espenson, and Alan Schwartz, Master Metaphor List, 2nd ed. http://araw.mede.uic.edu/~alansz/metaphor/ METAPHORLIST.pdf, 95. 3. Lakoff, Espenson, and Schwartz, 86. 4. Lakoff, Espenson, and Schwartz, 36. 5. Lakoff, Espenson, and Schwartz, 62, 187. 6. Albert G. Mackey, The Principles of Masonic Law: A Treatise on the Constitutional Laws, Usages And Landmarks of Freemasonry. (New York: Jno. W. Leonard & Co., Masonic Publishers, 1856), ch 1 sect 2. 7. Lakoff, Espenson, and Schwartz, 185. 8. Lakoff, Espenson, and Schwartz, 187.
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SYMBOLISM
The stone cutter was Mr. Richard Seward, who took a party of local men into the nearby Pembina Valley to cut stone for the construction of the church which was designed by Winnipeg architect Charles Wheeler.5 The original door into the church was located in the northwest corner, on the north face of the building, but this was changed to the west end of the building in the early 1920’s. Further research may reveal why the door was moved, but at the time of this writing, I have been unable to locate any reference to the reason.
The Kaleida Code by Joseph Hatcher
T
he inclusion of Masonic symbolism into stone architecture during the late nineteenth century is nothing new to those who reside in Winnipeg. The Manitoba Legislative Building has been well-researched by other Masonic scholars,1 increasing the level of interest from freemasons and the general public alike. Seen through the eyes of this Mason, a small stone country church, located in southern Manitoba, has convinced this author that Masonic symbolism from the nineteenth century also abounds on the Manitoba prairie.
Situated on the rural landscape of the Manitoba Escarpment near the village of Kaleida sits a little granite fieldstone church known as the “Winram Memorial Church” to locals, and as “St. Mary’s/St. Alban’s Anglican Church” to the current parishioners. The building was erected simply as “St. Mary’s Church” in 1892 in memory of the Hon. Brother William Winram, of Manitou Lodge No. 30 A.F. & A.M., who came from Olverston, England to settle in the Riverdale district south of Manitou.2 He had served as a member of the Manitoba Legislature for 13 years and sat as Speaker of the House for three 14 • WINTER 2020
years. Upon Bro. Winram’s death in 1891, the Riverdale congregation decided to build an Anglican church, which they named St. Mary’s after the parish church of the Winram family in England.3 The cornerstone was laid in the northwest corner (not the northeast) of the building with full Masonic honours on 3 August 1892 by the Grand Lodge of Manitoba
along with brethren of Manitou Lodge No. 30, with the completion of construction on 30 October of the same year.4
Through regular use and the wear and tear of time, slumping of the stones and other needed repairs, restoration works were required (C. Seward, pers. comm). In 1975, the church raised money to repair the aging construction and the roof was re-shingled, the stone reworked, and new doors installed (C. Seward, pers. comm.). Today, when an individual approaches the front of the church, there is an unmistakable awareness of Masonic history associated with the building. They are greeted by a wrought iron archway that welcomes the visitor onto the sidewalk leading to the front door. To the south of the door is a large sign which briefly outlines the history of the church and includes a black and white photograph of the cornerstone laying ceremony from 1892. The Masonic relationship with the construction of this church is immediately apparent to any visitor by the prominent display of this sign and the cornerstone itself sitting squarely in the northwest corner. These signs, along with the Square and Compass symbol on at least one headstone in the cemetery, are the obvious Masonic symbols to any visitor. But to the initiated, there are many other symbols which might be interpreted to have deeper Masonic meaning. At the onset, the wrought-iron archway that a visitor passes through without much thought is indeed an archway, flanked nonetheless by two pillars. Similar to Boaz and Jachin, these pillars are crowned with spheres. In Masonic lodges the world over today, Boaz and Jachin are crowned with a celestial globe (Heaven)
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and an earthly globe (Earth). The pillars which flank the archway at St. Mary’s Church in Kaleida today are with spheres which each depict a bird in flight (Heaven) and mountains (Earth).
symbolic of the Twelve Apostles,6 which in turn have relevance to the celestial Zodiac.7 On site field measurements indicate that the entire building measures 44 feet by 28 feet. By applying the equation to test for the Golden Ratio, where a+b/a = a/b, we are quickly able to determine that the church was built to the proportions of the Golden Ratio. At the East and West ends of the church are large stained-glass windows.
Next, compass bearings taken by the author from inside the church confirm that the building itself sits along a perfect East/West axis. The two large windows at these respective ends of the building align perfectly on the equinoxes with the rising sun in East and the setting sun in the West. Originally, the church had twelve windows in total, The Seal of Solomon harnesses the light of the setting sun to be clearly visible in the west window, while the letters I.H.S. are intertwined with each other atop the east window.
While these letters are typically assumed to be a Christogram, or an abbreviation for the name of Jesus in Greek, ΙΗΣОУΣ, it is also possible that this symbol could be a reference to the Templar motto In Hoc Signo, “by this sign you shall conquer.” This interpretation gains traction when we notice a Templar cross carved into the woodwork on one of the sign frames inside the church. Or perhaps it could be interpreted to represent Jesus the tekton, the stone mason, the Worshipful Master in the East. Further to this, a wooden altar sits in the East engraved with the intertwined I.H.S. symbol, flanked on either side by the Greek letters Alpha and Omega. While these are recognized symbols of Christianity, they are also used within Masonic rituals. WINTER 2020 • 15
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At the time of this paper, I have yet to confirm whether the architect was a Freemason. Perhaps I have discovered a Masonic symbolism that is only there by chance rather than by design, or perhaps further research will go so far as to suggest that St. Mary’s Church at Kaleida, Manitoba is the “Rosslyn Chapel of the Pembina Valley.” Similar to the famous chapel in Scotland, the eastern wall of St. Mary’s Church in Kaleida exhibits an archway in the stone work that is much larger than the one on the western wall, and the original hand-written architectural plans for the church, by architect Charles H. Wheeler, indicate that indeed the project was scaled down from its original scale due to a lack of tenders for work beyond the nave.8 It seems that, like Rosslyn, St. Mary’s was originally planned to be a lot larger but time and money scaled the project down. The stones forming the larger arch in the eastern wall of St. Mary’s are the only physical remains of the original concept for a larger, more grandiose structure.
Finally, further research is required to explore the Masonic mysteries of the architecture of St. Mary’s & St. Alban’s Anglican Church at Kaleida, Manitoba. This research could benefit our understanding of the lessons left for us in stone by our brethren who have since passed to the Grand Lodge Above. With a better understanding, we would therefore be gaining more Light in our journey toward the East. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author would like to thank Anita-Maria Hatcher, Jaxon Hatcher, Rose-Marie Hatcher, and Mr. Ryan Cummer for assistance with field research at the church, and R.W. Bro Bill Blackburn of Mound Lodge 118 for great discussion on the history. Special thanks to Mr. Clint Seward, who provided a wealth of historical information of his own free will and accord — this paper would not have been possible without his participation and willingness to share; and to Gloria Romaniuk and Brian Rountree, Archivists from the Anglican Diocese of Rupert’s Land, for their help in locating the blueprints and architectural plans for the original building. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bro. Joseph Hatcher was Entered, Passed, and Raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason in Ancient Landmark Lodge, No. 3 in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 2011. He is a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason, Valley of Winnipeg since 2013 and was exalted into Keystone Chapter No. 2 as a Companion of the Royal Arch in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba in 2019. He is currently the Junior Warden and Lodge Education Officer of Mound Lodge 118, under the Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba.
Initial field research by the author has not revealed the discovery of any Masons Marks on the cut stones. However, as there was but one Master stone cutter involved, Mr. Richard Seward, and one stone mason, Mr. W. Henry Bowler,9 there would only need be a Mark on one very important stone, i.e. the cornerstone or a keystone. But at the time of this writing, I have not been able to locate such a Mark. The above-mentioned restoration efforts on the stonework at the church in 1975 lead to re-grouting over many of the original stone faces, and it is possible that such a Mason Mark could have been covered or destroyed, if in existence at all. In more modern operative masonry, such marks are typically meant to indicate the position of the stone and as such they tend to be covered up when the structure is built.10 Nevertheless, one could make a strong case for York Rite symbolism from the many arches and keystones, to the crypts or graves and Alpha and Omega symbolism, and finally the Greek Christogram or Templar motto, In Hoc Signo formed in the intertwined I.H.S. and Templar cross carved on one of the interior wooden signs. I believe that there is, by chance or by design, deep Masonic influence in the architecture and layout of the building as well as the grounds of St. Mary’s Church. I also believe that a field trip to St. Mary’s Church will be a personal Masonic pilgrimage for any brother freemason. 16 • WINTER 2020
NOTES: 1. Carolin Vesely and Buzz Currie, The Hermetic Code, Winnipeg, 2007, p.131. 2. Pembina Manitou Centennial Committee, Pembina Manitou 100th Anniversary and Reunion, Steinbach, Manitoba, Derksen Printers, 1979, p. 167. 3. Manitou Centennial Book Committee, In Rhythm With Our Roots: A History of Manitou & Area, Rosenort, Manitoba, Canada, Country Graphics, 1997. 4. Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba, 1892. 5. Gordon Goldsborough, Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Mary St. Alban Anglican Church and Cemetery / Winram Memorial Church (RM of Pembina), 2014, www.mhs.mb.ca 6. Richard Taylor, How to Read a Church: A Guide to Symbols and Images in Churches and Cathedrals, Mahwah, New Jersey, 2003, p. 247. 7. Robert Sullivan IV, Esq. The Royal Arch of Enoch – The Impact of Masonic Ritual, Philosophy, and Symbolism, Second edition, 2016, Deadwood Publishing LLC. p. 625. 8. Charles H. Wheeler, Specifications for Winram Memorial Church to be erected for Rector, Wardens & Congregation near Manitou, 1892, Winnipeg, Manitoba. 9. Kaleida Historical Society, 1986. Kaleidoscope, p. 161. 10. Bernard E. Jones, Freemason’s Guide and Compendium, Cumberland House Publishing, New and Revised edition, 2006, Nashville, Tennessee, p.604.
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ARTIST PROFILE
A
Artist: Ari Roussimoff Being a painter and not a writer, it is rather difficult to translate my thoughts about my art into words. And when it comes to my paintings on Masonic themes, it becomes even more difficult, because here I am in areas involving philosophy, spirituality, history, legend and cultures. Lots of food for thought and contemplation. Nevertheless I do appreciate this opportunity to share some of them with the readers, however random, they may at times seem. Bear in mind that I paint pictures and don’t write books. I became a Mason in the early 2000’s. However, my affinity with the Craft preceded my joining by quite a few years. For me, a gradually growing fascination grew into a serious interest when I encountered the wonderful and symbolic arts and crafts inherent in historic Freemasonry. The painted aprons, the ornate regalia and jewelry, sculptures, architecture, all kept drawing me closer and closer to becoming a member. Since childhood, I had been familiar with the ideals and teachings on morality that come from the Holy Bible. And then Freemasonry seemed to confirm many of the ideas that I already had regarding life in general. I do not paint Masonic pictures to teach. What I aspire to do with my art, is make people feel something. Because when one feels something, it is already inside of them. And then, one begins to really think. My Masonic pictures are not painted exclusively for Masons. They are for anyone with an open heart and mind. In portraying Masonic symbols, one of my most important goals is to integrate those symbols into actual life situations. Frequently, Brothers make the mistake of thinking life should revolve around Freemasonry. The exact opposite is true. Freemasonry inspires us; it teaches us how to live and conduct ourselves in everyday life and to contribute to the societies in which we live. And while Masonry has its socalled secrets, it has been a well integrated constructive force in society throughout history, as evidenced by the endless list of great personalities who were members. Hiram Abiff has a special place in many of my compositions. In almost each rendering, I give him a different appearance. There are reasons for this. The way I see it, Hiram lives inside every true Mason. Hiram to me, symbolizes the building of a great future, a world of mutual respect where people of all religions, races and ethnic backgrounds come together for the betterment of humanity. And whenever I paint Hiram, I depict him as a living, breathing human being, never as an effigy or monument. In my paintings, Hiram is someone people can talk to. He could be your father, your uncle, cousin, your neighbor or friend. He can also be you.
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ARTIST PROFILE
A
Artist: Ari Roussimoff
Over the years it was very gratifying to me that several people claimed to have joined Masonry as a result of having seen my pictures. The power of the visual is undeniable. The church was well aware of the power of imagery. If not, we would never have had Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, among thousands of other artistic masterpieces created throughout the ages. It would be encouraging for today’s Freemasonry to look back to those old days of the Craft and do as they did, and bring art back into the lodge. Art, like Freemasonry, is universal. Painting Masonic subject matter is always a challenge. Much of what I depict emanates from my subconscious, from my heart. The experience is like being on a journey of discovery, depicted on canvas. And I never really know where this journey is taking me until I get there. It is said in Freemasonry that each person can find meanings that are personal and speak directly to them. This is something I very much believe. And I like to think that in my paintings, I show some of the ways in which Freemasonry has spoken to me. -Ari Roussimoff , November 2019 Ari Roussimoff, a critically acclaimed painter and film director, has been called one of the most prolific and creative artists of his generation. His paintings of Russian, Ukrainian, Jewish, symbolic and Masonic themes have earned him much acclaim and they have been shown in over 85 exhibitions worldwide, including at the Eduard Nakhamkin Fine Arts Galleries, M.L. International Gallery of Fine Arts, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, A & J Galleries, The Bucharest Museum , The Nicholas Roerich Museum, Chancellor Robert R. Livingston Masonic Library and Museum, The Peter Fingesten Gallery-Pace University, Arma Galleries, Galerie Ehmer, Stephanie Ann Roper Gallery-Frostburg State University, The Theodor Herzel Institute, Masonic Hall-Grand Lodge of New York, Evangelical Lutheran Church, Weintraub Gallery, Anthology Film Archives, Ingber Gallery, Caesars Atlantic City, Hudson Guild Art Gallery, YM-YWHA, Art Gallery of the Educational Alliance, Galerie Fischer, Ukraine Club Gallery and many others. Among the many who have lauded Ari Roussimoff’s paintings were the modern art masters Marc Chagall and Oskar Kokoschka. And as a teenager, he was invited to lunch with Salvador Dali and his wife Gala. For some years now, Ari Roussimoff has also been active as a director of motion pictures. His first full-length feature film was the critically acclaimed surrealist horror movie, “SHADOWS IN THE CITY”. Roussimoff won the Phantom of the Movies’ award for Best Documentary of 1999 for his incredible film, “FREAKS UNCENSORED” (directed by Roussimoff, screenplay by Vivian Forlander). Considered by critics and audiences alike as the best ever documentary about Circus Sideshow Performers, “FREAKS UNCENSORED” was listed by the esteemed Facets Movie Lovers Video Guide as one of THE BEST DOCUMENTARY MOVIES OF ALL TIME! Roussimoff’s colorful life also includes creating sets for a Broadway show, costume design, performance art, hosting a three-part television music program on MTV and appearing on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in a non-singing acting role. A colorful speaker, the artist has given many talks on his work (and still does). Roussimoff has lectured at colleges, universities, cultural institutions, and various functions in both Europe and America. He has perfectly meshed his life as a painter and as a filmmaker in a way that has not been done before. A world traveler, Roussimoff has lived and worked in Zurich, Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles, Munich, Miami Beach and San Diego, among other places. Roussimoff works at painting all the time and considers each picture an adventure.
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— Masonic Book and Podcast reviews — OUR NEW BOOK REVIEWS EDITOR
Change in life is inevitable. Change now comes to the Journal in the form of a new Book Reviews Editor — Bro. Michael Moran, Ph.D. In welcoming Bro. Mike, I would also like to deeply thank WBro. Tyler Anderson, FMS for his dedicated service to the Masonic Society during his term as Book Reviews Editor. Brother Moran is a retired Professor Emeritus at Misericordia University (Dallas, PA). He is a published author and former editor of Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. Brother Moran is a member of Abraham C. Treichler Lodge No. 682 Elizabethtown, PA, Bro. Mike serves on the lodge education committee and is the Lodge librarian. Bro. Moran belongs to a number of allied and affiliated Masonic and Masonic research and education bodies. He has written for the Journal of the Masonic Society as well as the Philalethes Society. We can expect great things from Bro. Mike as he has already hit the ground running with new reviews in the planning as well as expanding the concept of the reviews. Watch for new and exciting things!
Welcome, Bro. Mike Moran. Enjoy your new home!
On Podcasts - by John F. Harley There is a great deal of conversation about something called Podcasts. You may have heard of them. You may even be a regular listener. The members of the Masonic Society have seen so much growth in the area of Masonic oriented Podcasts that it seemed only proper to explore them in greater detail and see what they may have to offer the Craft. First, a word about Podcasts in general. Apple first introduced a device to play digitally recorded music files in the year 2001. The irony of that year is not missed. It was a small device designed to replace the clunky cassettes or compact disc players of the day by recording files directly to a memory card in the device. It was called the iPod, and it quickly became as much a fashion accessory as a media player. Everyone under the age of 25 had a white wire hanging out of their heads as they danced silently down the sidewalk. Other devices have arisen to compete for the market, but “iPod” became the generic term. Soon people began recording not just music for the iPod, but also books, blogs, talk shows and any other format that listeners called for. The internet exploded with these offerings, and as man is apt to do, he gave them a name. Since they were intended to be heard on iPods they were called Podcasts, like broadcasts, but focused to an audience of millions, to be heard
one at a time. The listener finds the file on the internet, often on a producer’s web site, or a site that aggregates and sorts these files called a streaming service, and downloads the file to his device, or listens directly without downloading the entire file. This direct listening method is called “streaming.” There are tens of thousands of podcasts available on the internet. Whatever your interest there is almost certainly something out there for you. It requires only that you seek. Music, philosophy, martial arts, comedy, literature, racing, hunting, the list is endless. There are a number of shows specifically directed at the Masonic traveler. You may need to try several before you find one that suits your listening and Masonic style, but for travelling men who travel a lot, a Masonic podcast can be both entertaining and instructional. Open your web browser and type “Podcast Masonic.” travels.
Safe
Progress through the ages: Trestle board -> Floor cloth -> Printing press -> Magic lantern -> Slide show -> Magnetic tape -> floppy drives-> hard drives-> Internet->Podcast
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— Masonic Book and Podcast reviews —
PODCAST REVIEW The Secret History of Western Esotericism Podcast (SHWEP) Available at: www.SHWEP.net or on most podcast streaming services. Memberships are available on-line which allow access to additional show notes, research links and other additional information. The podcast is listener supported. Advertising is limited to an infrequent request for voluntary support. The very phrase, “Secret History of Western Esotericism” conjures a whole host of preconceptions: Mystery schools of ancient times, lost manuscripts of Magik, Alchemy, Kabbalah, Rosicrucianism, and of course the Illuminati. All of these come instantly to mind. But what scholarly research program would dare to blend Heindl and Plato? Aristotle and Manly Hall? The answer is SHWEP. The host, Earl Fountainelle, began this journey in September of 2017 by breaking down each word of the title; what is secret, what is historical, what is western, and what is esoteric? By peeling back the meaning of each of these simple words he lays the groundwork for what follows. And what follows is impressive. SHWEP is a step by step, episode by episode, journey through what we most easily refer to as Philosophy, but with such depth and exposition that the listener is brought to an awareness of the inter-relationships of all these ancient and not-so-ancient currents of thought. While some Listeners may initially be off-put by the host’s bludgeoning vocabulary, attentive listeners will come to understand that what he is talking about is words, and that a command of words is an essential tool in understanding the intrinsic meaning of them and more especially the deeper meaning behind them. Mr Fountainelle is “a researcher specialising in the religious and philosophic thought of late antiquity, but with an abiding and annoyingly-diffuse fascination with all manner of esoteric systems of thought.” His ability to correlate apparently dissimilar philosophic schools and show how each generation of philosophers used the tools forged by their predecessors and adapted them to the reality of their time and place gives the listener a deep appreciation of the thread of cosmic truth that has bound our consciousness for six thousand years. The experienced Freemason will begin to understand that what we do in our Lodges has its foundation not in constructing ancient temples, but rather listening in ancient Academies. We find that at the very moment the “West” began to rediscover the rich philosophies of the ancient world these concepts, often considered heretical by the Church, were made the basis of 20 • WINTER 2020
our noble institution. The decent into the dark underworld, led by a trusted guide, there to receive an ancient wisdom guarded by fierce protectors and illuminated by lamplight is a trope so ancient that for Masons it can only have one meaning. The arithmetical concepts of the Pythagoreans (though not Pythagoras himself ) are given to us as Fellowcrafts in the Winding Stairs. The Dualism of the late Platonists is expressed in the Holy Saints John. Though not a Mason himself, Mr. Fountainelle through his podcast, has a resonance that opens the lessons taught in our work to a renewed appreciation of the ancestors of our western world view. It is said that when the student is ready the teacher will appear. For anyone ready to better understand our Craft and the often misunderstood history of Western thought the SHWEP will light a lamp and send the listener on a journey of discovery that may change the way he sees every aspect of the fraternity. Reviewed by John F. Harley
BOOK REVIEW Lodge Business: The Theoretical Application of Entrepreneurial Business Practices to Blue Lodge by James M. Stevens. James M. Stevens magnificently and audaciously captures the entrepreneurial spirit in his book Lodge Business: The Theoretical Application of Entrepreneurial Business Practices to Blue Lodge. This work is for adventurous entrepreneurs and bold risk takers with ambition to attract new members, encourage seasoned ones to return, and empower the ones who yearn for unique achievement in the reputation of their Lodge. Lodges struggling with meeting attendance, doubtful officer progression, and nebulous purpose have a new resource to invigorate and revitalize themselves. This book is your detailed guide on how to make your lodge stellar. Stevens immediately seizes attention through the first chapter in developing his work: Define the Problem. This, along with many other concepts, are glaringly obvious and nearly ubiquitous to all corporate professionals and seemingly have not permeated the Fraternity, yet. Stevens segues defining the problem into establishing a Core Purpose. He posits that the
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— Masonic Book and Podcast reviews — Core Purpose of the Lodge is everything in precision execution of his remaining steps. Invariably, the Core Purpose is the most significant, vital, and unequivocally paramount motivation for the balance of his work. Every business step Stevens discusses in Lodge Business delivers specifics on executing the Core Purpose of the Lodge. The subsequent chapters develop the gamut of business tools and concepts from Future Vision, Marketing, Senior Leadership Team, Meetings, Finances, Process Documentation, Operations, Problem Solving, Results Tracking, Plan Evaluation, Talent Development, Leadership Preparation, and Knowledge Sharing. Stevens contextualizes these concepts in typical Blue Lodge settings to give Masons solid and practical examples for implementing his methodology in their Lodge. Some chapters include scorecard techniques to aid in his exploring the relevant business strategy. Lodge Business should be required reading for seasoned professionals and people unfamiliar with modern managerial concepts alike in the Fraternity. It should also be required reading for all Masons regardless of fraternal tenure and station because common ground gives rise to agreeable solutions. The previous statement must be stressed especially for Lodges with sparse meeting attendance and petitioner troubles. Experience teaches the near impossibility in achieving organizational change when the change facilitators do not come from a shared template or methodology. Lodge Business succinctly and accessibly instructs Masons in making their Lodge better and potentially the best it can be. One must disclose though, that no matter how good, easy, or practical the plans, an unwilling or poorly motivated group will not succeed. This challenge led Stevens to develop the concept of customer satisfaction later in Lodge Business. Satisfying customers is generally found among the top reasons for brilliant achievement in successful businesses and should be the primary motivation in doing the business of the Lodge. Masons emanate from a myriad of stations and places in life and Lodge Business is an excellent resource for vaulting the Fraternity
into the modern world. Our ancient and historical traditions are not diminished or supplanted when using these concepts and methods because they apply to the practical aspects of running the Lodge and meeting execution. The concepts and methods in Lodge Business are designed to enhance the Masonic experience in the Lodge without the minutia and gridlock of procedure. Rather, this guide enhances these traditions by showing Masons how to engage in steps to keep them alive by keeping the Lodge and Freemasonry alive. No Masons means no Lodge. No Lodge means no Freemasonry. Without Freemasonry as a living organization of people, all our traditions will be relegated to footnotes in the annals of history. Stevens addresses this when he describes developing talent and leaving a legacy. Masonic Entrepreneurs abhor seeing the wonderous institution of Freemasonry diminished to the point of no return. They want to leave their world immensely better than they found it. Lodge Business provides Lodges with a concrete plan to enhance their reputation, prestige and vitality. Stevens gives details on how to execute the plan, develop deliverables, and produce tangible artifacts for use in fulfilling the Core Purpose of the Lodge. The beauty of these kinds of works is that it is organic within the Lodge, so the participating members have stakes in the plan and outcome. Too often decrees from superior authorities result in lackluster execution because the members do not feel they created and own the imperatives. Implementing the techniques in Lodge Business allows the membership to develop the plan and have ownership in it and pride themselves on the success. All these motivations are far superior than other forms of motivation. Success requires risk taking. Risk taking does not have to be without a plan and Lodge Business will help you develop it. Reviewed by Edward T. Clifford, III Independently Published (2018), 130 pages Kindle $5.99, Paperback $11.00.
JOURNAL OF THE MASONIC SOCIETY - BOOK REVIEW GUIDELINES Include the following information: 1. Complete title 2. Author(s) names 3. Publisher 4. Year of publication 5. Price(s) (e.g. hardcover, paperback, ebook) Typically, a book for review will have been published in the past three years or be considered a classic. The length of most book reviews is 400-800 words. Include a brief synopsis of the book’s content. Offer your perspectives on the usefulness of the book for fellow Masons. If the book appears targeted to a specific Masonic audience, state that.
It is acceptable to identify strengths and weaknesses, but the Journal emphasizes positive, unbiased reviews. Submissions need to be in Microsoft Word. Do not include any special formatting. Keep the text as simple as possible. Do not use paragraph formatting in your document, simply double space for a paragraph break. Use single space, not double space for the text. Reviewers do NOT need to be a member of The Masonic Society. Send inquiries to: mikeleemoran@gmail.com E-mail your review to: books@themasonicsociety.com. Include a 300 dpi image of the cover. Printed submissions sent via postal mail will not be considered unless you have contacted us first. WINTER 2020 • 21
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HISTORY
Minute Books indefinitely. For instance, the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania requires that all Blue Lodge Minute Books (as well as all petitions, audit reports, cash books and Trustees’ reports) be retained permanently. If a Lodge in Pennsylvania does not have the capacity to store its Minute Books, they are to be transferred to the library at the Grand Lodge.1
Thoughts About Writing A History of Your Lodge by Samuel S. Laucks, II, M.D.
T
o paraphrase our Masonic ritual, “Freemasonry may be traced by history and tradition to the remotest ages of the world, but for our present purpose, it is only necessary to refer to the history of one Blue Lodge.” Freemasons are proud of their heritage and are traditionally meticulous in their record keeping. It is common for Blue Lodges to compile or update their histories periodically, often in conjunction with landmark Lodge anniversary celebrations. Such histories may be as simple as a short synopsis in an anniversary program or may be as extensive as a published book. If you volunteer (or are “volun-told”) to write a history of your Lodge, how should you begin? Is there a recommended format to follow? Might it be possible to learn from the experiences of Brothers in other Lodges who have already successfully completed this seemingly daunting assignment?
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I believe that the answer to that last question is “yes.” In 2019, I was asked to prepare a comprehensive history of Red Lion (Pennsylvania) Lodge No. 649. Having an interest in Masonic history, I was excited about the assignment. Soon, however, my excitement was tempered a bit by the realization that the process would involve a healthy dose of “trial and error.” Ultimately, I was able to compile a PowerPoint presentation, then subsequently a detailed written report, both of which seemed to be well received by my Brethren. Although I am not a professional writer or a professional historian, I was satisfied that my work captured the factual history as well as the nuances of the character of our Lodge. In this article, I will endeavor to share my experiences, suggestions and “lessons learned” with future Lodge historians. Beginning your research: Start close to home I chose to begin my project by reading through the Minute Books of my Lodge. Individual Lodges are generally expected to retain their
In the case of Red Lion Lodge, the Minutes Books are retained in the Lodge safe. Poring through the Minutes Books is an interesting but tedious process. In my Lodge, Minutes were handwritten until 1996. Fortunately, the Secretaries generally had good handwriting! The Minutes are always written according to a very specific format, which does make it somewhat easier to gloss over the standard inclusions and concentrate instead on identifying the interesting tidbits of information that were periodically recorded. I took very detailed notes, and photographs. I could easily find and revisit interesting entries, and I could also cite them accurately when preparing my reports. The Lodge safe was also a treasure trove of interesting documents and memorabilia. I was able to find an original copy of our petition to the Grand Lodge for our Warrant of Constitution, the subsequent correspondence that followed, the original Minutes of the first meeting, and many other letters and documents from the early years of the Lodge’s existence. From these records, I was able to gain a better understanding of the circumstances that prompted the original founding of our Lodge, as well as an insight into some of the struggles and “growing pains” that were experienced during its early years. The safe also contained programs and pictures from the dedication of our Lodge building, as well as copies of all the Lodge’s Anniversary booklets, building records, and various communications from the Grand Lodge. Again, I cataloged the contents of the safe, including the specific location of each of these items within the safe. All relevant documents were also photographed. I also found that there was much interesting information scattered throughout the Lodge building in file cabinets, desk drawers, bookcases, and even cardboard boxes. I would
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encourage you to go through every nook and cranny of the building. Also, be aware that, in some instances, Past Masters or Secretaries (current or past) may have records stored in their homes. I would stress the importance of keeping detailed notes and photographs in a format that makes it easy to find and refer to the original documents, as needed. The Minutes and other documents and records are voluminous; do NOT rely on your memory to recall the locations of your source material! If your Lodge has not always met at its current location, endeavor to visit previous meeting venues, if they still exist. For instance, the original meeting place of Red Lion Lodge is only a few blocks from our present building. The original Lodge Room, which is now being used as a yoga studio, still contains many recognizable features of its Masonic history. The current owners graciously allowed me to visit and take photographs of the facility. Continuing your research: Look beyond the walls of your Lodge Extend your search for information to local libraries, historical societies, and community publications. Occasionally, you will find a bit of information about your Lodge, although Freemasonry was, for the most part, very internally focused and secretive until the 1980’s. More importantly, however, these community resources can provide context for what was going on in the community at various times in history. Wars, epidemics, and depressions, as well as economic, societal, political and demographic changes within the local community, clearly had an impact on the decisions and activities of the Lodge. For example, the labor movement and the unionization of factories in the 1930’s had a profound impact on both community life and Lodge life in Red Lion during those years. Failure to recognize this phenomenon would lead to a very incomplete understanding of the Lodge’s activities during that decade. It is also helpful to learn about the activities of other fraternal activities in the community. Particularly in the first half of the 20th century, many fraternal groups, in addition to the Masons, were active
in most American cities and towns, and had a significant impact on the life of the community. Masonry did not exist in a vacuum. Worthwhile information can sometimes be found by searching old records online. Web sites like www.newspapers.com, and to a lesser extent Google, can be helpful in retrieving information about both the Lodge and about the community. A search of newspapers.com requires a great deal of patience, however, because, when you search for entries which mention your Lodge, the overwhelming majority of the “hits” will be obituaries of deceased Lodge members! If other Lodges in your area have previously written their own histories, it is helpful to read them. Occasionally, your own Lodge may be mentioned in their accounts. You may also find interesting details of local history which had an impact on the Masonic Brotherhood in your region. At very least, these other accounts will give you ideas about how to organize and structure (or how NOT to organize and structure) your own history. In contrast to the availability of resources locally, I learned that, in most cases, very little specific historical information about local Lodges is retained by Grand Lodges. They do maintain very detailed and accurate membership records, but their archives retain very little information about the general history and activities of individual Lodges. However, the Grand Lodge Proceedings, published annually, can be an excellent general resource. Many of the activities of the Blue Lodges are the direct or indirect result of Grand Lodge edicts and regulations. The history of your local Lodge cannot be fully understood without recognizing the influence of the Grand Lodge upon it. The importance of “oral history” cannot be overemphasized when writing a Lodge history. Conversations and interviews with Past Masters, Past Secretaries, and other senior members of the Lodge bring a spark of life to the dry facts that are gleaned from the written records and expand and animate the information found in the documents. When WINTER 2020 • 23
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preparing to interview these senior Lodge members, it is important to prepare a list of specific questions and topics to stimulate the discussion. Often, these Brothers were able to fill in gaps in the written records for me, but, perhaps even more importantly, they were able to talk about the more subtle nuances of Lodge life that were significant decades ago. In addition to interviewing several recent Masters and Secretaries, I was fortunate to be able to meet with Past Masters from the 1950’s and 1960’s. These men were able to provide insight into the Lodge’s successes during Masonry’s “glory days” in the post World War Two era, as well as their observations about the gradual decline in the Fraternity’s membership rolls and degree of community prominence during the latter decades of the 20th century. It was fascinating to hear not only their memories and anecdotes of those eras, but also to hear their impressions of why men sought to join the Fraternity and participate in its activities during those different time periods. Here again, it is important to write everything down and maintain detailed notes!
Bringing your project to fruition In my case, I first organized my work as a PowerPoint presentation, which I delivered at a Stated Meeting. This not only helped me to adhere to a timeline but forced me to organize my material in a logical manner. It also afforded me the opportunity to receive feedback and suggestions from the general membership before I embarked on the written project.
Organizing your project Once the basic information has been collected, it is necessary to decide how to organize the story. Although there are undoubtedly several different approaches that an author can take, I chose to organize my history chronologically. It seemed convenient to identify recognizable eras within Lodge and community history and to organize the account in that manner. Red Lion Lodge was warranted in 1906, so I organized the first few chapters to sequentially cover the early years, the World War One era, the post-war decade of the 1920’s, and the socioeconomic struggles of the 1930’s. Subsequent chapters reviewed the influence of World War Two on the Lodge and its membership, and the expansion and popularity of Freemasonry in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The next part of the history attempted to describe and reconcile the challenges and modifications that were encountered as membership and visibility of the Fraternity gradually waned in the ensuing decades. I concluded the story with a detailed narrative about our current activities, priorities and successes, as well as our vision for continued growth and adaptation in the years to come.
After completing the first few pages of your written draft, ask your mentor or a trusted colleague to critique it. This will help you to adjust your writing style and content, if needed, at an early stage. Once the first draft is completed, you will undoubtedly want to make several revisions to the project, eliminating redundancies, inserting necessary clarifications, and, of course, correcting the inevitable errors of spelling, grammar, and writing style. A mentor or trusted colleague is often better able than the author to spot technical errors and to identify the need for expansion or clarification of specific areas of content. Do not rush this stage.
The chronological format also allowed me to present significant events in the Lodge’s history in the context of other concurrent socioeconomic and cultural trends. In addition, I tried to sprinkle my story with a liberal dose of interesting anecdotes, not only about prominent members, but also about lesser known members who were nevertheless unique and colorful in their own ways. I also sought to include unusual and memorable events, humorous remembrances, and even controversies and scandals. A dull historical account will not hold anyone’s interest for very long. When preparing a Lodge history, the author must be a good storyteller in order to keep the audience engaged. A good array of photographs is obviously necessary for an oral presentation. A reasonable number of appropriately selected pictures will also enhance the written historical treatise. Finally, I felt it was important to address the issues which are at the forefront of our organization today: How do we reconcile the old versus the new? Tradition versus innovation? The interests and expectation of today’s Masons versus those of our Brothers in the last century? I believe that a Lodge history should not be a purely static document but should provide a sense of optimism and anticipation for that which is to come. The audience should not only be proud of their Lodge’s history but should also be inspired and energized by it as they plan for the future.
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When you are actually ready to begin writing, I’d strongly recommend that you start by creating a detailed outline. As you begin to commit your first draft to paper, be sure to insert the citations for your references at the appropriate places. At this early stage in the process, choose a system of citation that is clear and workable for you. (If you eventually submit the paper for publication, the final format for citations will need to be updated in accordance with the unique requirements of your publisher.)
Your Lodge Brothers, and perhaps also other interested members of your local community, will be eager to read your final report. The senior members of the Lodge will enjoy reminiscing about the historical vignettes described in your paper, and the newer Brethren will be anxious to learn about the rich heritage of their Fraternity. Moreover, nonmasons in the community may be surprised to learn more about the scope of the organization; your report may even pique their interest in “seeking more light” for themselves. Regardless of whether you decide to formally publish your paper, your project will serve as a valuable resource, both for your Lodge and for your community, for decades to come. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bro. Samuel S. Laucks, II, M.D. is currently serving as Senior Warden of Red Lion Lodge No. 649 in Red Lion, Pennsylvania. He is a Master Masonic Scholar in the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge, and a member of the Pennsylvania Lodge of Research. Bro. Laucks is serving as Vice President of the local High Twelve Masonic Lunch Club, and a member of The Scottish Rite Valley of Harrisburg Pennsylvania, York Royal Arch Chapter No. 199, York Council No. 21 Royal and Select Master Masons, York Gethsemane Commandery No. 21 Knights Templar, and Sovereign Council No. 103 Allied Masonic Degrees. NOTES (1) Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania Secretary’s Manual, Section 1-6.
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SPOTLIGHT
schooner Mary Jane and launched an attack on Tampico. The result was disastrous. A lack of communication between the general and his contacts in the city created confusion, and many of the volunteers were captured, tried, and executed by the Mexican forces. Mexia and Allen were among the few who escaped and fled north. The small group of survivors arrived at Quintana, located on the mouth of the Brazos River in Texas on 1 December 1835. Seemingly ready to return to battle, Allen immediately joined the newly created Texas Army as a Captain of an infantry unit, where he was given the nickname “Tampico Allen.”
its independence. He is recorded by several sources as being present at the death of the British poet and politician Lord Byron in Missolonghi, Greece on 19 April 1824.
Allen was assigned by Commander of the Texian Army, General Sam Houston, to return to New Orleans and recruit soldiers for the Texans’ cause. While there, he was sought out and asked by Grand Master of Louisiana John Henry Holland on 29 January 1836 to take some documents back with him to Texas. Included in these papers were the formal charter for the first Masonic lodge in the newly declared Republic of Texas, and a letter from Holland authorizing John A. Wharton to install Anson Jones as Worshipful Master, Asa Brigham as Senior Warden, and J. P. Caldwell as Junior Warden.
Allen returned to the United States and can be placed in New Orleans by the fall of 1835. There he met an exiled Mexican general, Jose Antonio Mexia. General Mexia was a politician who initially supported the Mexican government under the leadership of President López de Santa Anna and had been sent to suppress the disturbances in the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas in 1832.
Captain Allen returned to Texas in March 1836 leading a company of forty men and transporting two cannons. These pieces were desperately needed by the Texian Army and were named the Twin Sisters. Conflicting orders from subordinate officers when he arrived resulted in Allen being forced to send the cannons back to Velasco while he marched his men to General Houston’s camp.
General Mexia became an opponent to Santa Anna after the President began to change his political views, embrace centralism and started to consolidate power. In 1834 Mexia led a failed uprising of senators. Captured and sent into exile, he traveled to New Orleans to look for volunteers for an expeditionary force to mount an attack against his former homeland. General Mexia and his volunteers, including Allen, left New Orleans on 6 November 1835 and sailed to Mexico on the American
During the march, he met with Anson Jones and handed over the papers given to him by Grand Master Holland. Jones himself records receiving the charter and letters from Allen in his book “Free Masonry in Texas: A Reminiscence of its Early History.”:
Major John Melville Allen – Soldier, Politician, and Mason by Billy Hamilton As a veteran of the Texas Revolution, Freemason, and active member of his community, John Allen was well-known and one of the most famous citizens in Galveston in his time. Even though he opposed some of the most powerful men around him, he had many well-wishers and friends. When he passed, he was honored with one of the biggest funerals in the history of the city. Indomitable in life, his strength of character, and notable achievements made him one of the most interesting characters in the history of Galveston, Texas. John Melville Allen was born on 15 December 1802 in Lexington County, Kentucky. As a young man he enlisted in the United States Navy, but left the service to travel and participate in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. Greece held a romantic allure to many who saw it as the birthplace of democracy, culture, and Western philosophy. It is unknown what inspired Allen to enlist in the Greek cause, but he joined a considerable number of young American and British men who took up arms to fight for 26 • WINTER 2020
“In the meantime, the Grand Lodge of Louisiana had issued a Charter for Holland Lodge, No. 36, and it was brought over to Texas by Bro. John
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M. Allen. This, together with some letters from the Grand Secretary, was handed to me by Bro. Allen, on the prairie between Groce’s and San Jacinto, while we were on the march, and carried by me in my saddle-bags to the encampment of the army on Buffalo Bayou, at Lynchburg.” These events immediately proceeded the Battle of San Jacinto, which was fought between the Texian Army led by Houston, and Mexican Army led by Santa Anna on 21 April 1836. During the battle Allen was given a field promotion and served as an acting major over the command staff of the 1st Regiment Infantry. He was praised for his actions both during and after the fighting, which resulted in a resounding victory for the Texian Army and the capture of Santa Anna. After the battle, many in the Texan forces sought retribution for the previous massacres by the Mexican army after the battles of Alamo and Goliad. Texans began to kill as many Mexican soldiers as they could get their hands on. General Houston urged his commanders to keep order, to little effect. Colonel John Wharton, who had been previously mentioned in the letter from Holland, ordered one of his men to stand down. The response he received from one private was: “Colonel Wharton, if Jesus Christ were to come down from Heaven and order me to quit shooting Santanistas, I wouldn’t do it, sir!” Major Allen was largely responsible for stopping the massacre through his strict discipline and control over his men. One of the prisoners, Colonel Pedro Delgado, praised Allen’s actions in restoring order. He spoke about it in an interview for the book “Reminiscences of Fifty Years in Texas” published in 1883: “There they killed Colonel Batres; and it would have been all over with us had not Providence placed us in the hands of that noble and generous captain of cavalry, Allen, who by great exertion saved us repeatedly from being slaughtered by the drunken and infuriated volunteers.” Allen took charge of approximately one hundred and fifty Mexican prisoners and made sure that they were well treated. At a council of Texan leaders after the battle, he sided with General Houston and Secretary of War Thomas Jefferson Rusk in opposing the motion for summary execution of the prisoners. By keeping the Mexican officers, including Santa Anna, alive a truce was signed which gave formal recognition to the Texas Republic. Allen’s military service did not end there. Moving on from the Texas Army, he began a brief career as a naval captain which also resulted in an important footnote in the history of the Texas Republic. On 28 June 1836 Allen received a letter of marque and reprisal for the Terrible, a schooner which mounted a single long six-pounder pivot gun. During the short time of operations under Allen, the crew captured the Mexican merchant ship Matilda, and sank another Mexican merchant
ship in the Gulf of Mexico. Seen as acts of piracy, Allen was charged by the United States and the U.S.S. Boston was dispatched by the U.S. Navy in September 1826 to capture the Terrible and escort the ship to Pensacola, Florida to stand trial for the charges. The case would be thrown out on a technicality, and Allen and his crew were released. However, this contact between the two crews would lead to the eventual recruitment of one of the American ship’s lieutenants, Edwin Ward Moore. Shortly thereafter, Moore would be dismissed from the United States Navy under charges of recruiting men for the Texas Republic. Moore then formally joined and later become commander-in-chief of the Texas Navy. Major Allen was discharged from the Texas military on 2 December 1836 and received Bounty Certificate No. 2685 for 1,280 acres of land as compensation for his military service. He soon thereafter settled on the island of Galveston on the Texas coast. However, Allen’s retirement from the military does not bring us to the end of his story. Galveston was just beginning its formation during this time. In its earliest days, the Galveston City Company enjoyed complete control over all city affairs. The original city charter stipulated that all white male property owners could vote in city elections, but candidates for office in the city government were required to hold property valued at five hundred dollars or more. Allen, a liberal, was elected the first mayor of the town on 14 March 1839, much to the dismay of conservative members of the influential Galveston City Company. To add to their consternation, President of the Texas Republic Mirabeau Lamar named Allen as Justice of the Peace for Galveston on 25 March 1839. Allen enacted several changes early in his tenure, such as authorizing the issuance of “change scrip” in denominations of two and four bits, one, two, and three dollars. This was a pragmatic answer to address an ongoing issue of a shortage of coins in the city but was feared to be an inflationary move by some of the wealthier members of the community by its effect of injecting new and unsecured currency into the economy. To take back control of the city government, fellow Freemason Samuel May Williams led a push to ask the Texas Congress for a new charter, which would add a requirement for substantial land ownership to qualify to vote in city elections. While these disagreements were ongoing in public political discourse, the opponents put aside their differences for a short time to establish the first Masonic lodge in Galveston. Allen was listed as a charter member and installed as Junior Warden at the first meeting of Harmony Lodge No. 6, held on 6 June 1839. In this same meeting, John H. Walton was installed as the charter Worshipful Master of the lodge. Samuel May Williams was also a founding member, and the early lodge minutes reflect that he personally donated the money for the paraphernalia and furniture of the lodge. In August 1839, the political differences between Allen and Williams divided Galveston into two camps to determine the future of the city. WINTER 2020 • 27
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John L. Evans, editor of the Galveston Commercial Intelligencer, ran for office as representative to the Texas Congress and was supported by Allen and his associates. Williams represented the opposition and was supported by several prosperous merchants and the directors of the Galveston City Company. On 13 August 1839 at a meeting where Allen was not in attendance, the lodge minutes of Harmony Lodge call that “Brothers Laurence, Allen & Gibson be specially summoned” to attend a meeting to be held on the following Sunday. Brother G. F. Laurence was the Senior Deacon. The other Brother named, Fenton Mercer Gibson, was one of the Stewards of the lodge as well as the former chief justice of Galveston County and current district judge. At that meeting, the notes indicate that a resolution was made that “Brother G. F. Laurence be acquitted from any guilt in a difference which took place between him and Brother Gibson several days since (and that Brother Gibson from his own acknowledgement be reprimanded by the Worshipful M).” The notes also state “moved and seconded, that Brother Jeffers be requested to take the reprimand given to Brother Gibson also to himself.” Brother Jeffers was serving as Treasurer pro-tem. On 25 August 1839, we again see a note regarding Brother Allen – “on motion resolved that the Secretary summon Brother J. M. Allen to attend a special meeting to be held this evening at half past seven o’clock.” Allen does answer this second 28 • WINTER 2020
summons, and the notes seem to indicate a happy resolution – “after an investigation and full hearing of the difficulties existing between Brothers Allen + Laurence, the affair was amicably settled.” That seems to be that. We can find that the very next lodge meeting held on 28 August 1839 Allen is there, and it seems to be a typical stated meeting. On 1 September 1839 both Allen and Laurence are in attendance, and Allen and Samuel May Williams are appointed to serve on a committee together to collect unpaid dues from members. Further meetings pass for a short time without incident. However, it turns out that their political differences were not fully resolved. On 2 October 1839 we find a note in the lodge minutes that “a special meeting be called on Saturday evening next, for the purpose of taking into consideration certain charges preferred against Brother John M. Allen.” Exactly what those specific charges were, we are unable to determine. However, on 5 October 1839, the lodge minutes of Harmony Lodge No. 6 show that a Masonic trial was held against Allen in absentia, and Brothers Evans, Laurence, Jeffers, Griffith, and Gilroy submitted testimony and evidence. It was declared that “a ballot be taken, whether or not, Brother John M. Allen be suspended during the will
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and pleasure, or stand in full membership, which having been done, it appeared that a large majority were in favor of a suspension during their will and pleasure.”
those around him in significant ways. He is an excellent example of how our conduct can leave impressions which live on long after we pass on to the Celestial Lodge above.
As a result, John Allen was removed from his office as Junior Warden of that lodge, and Samuel May Williams was appointed to replace him as “Junior Warden pro-tem, until the next regular election, unless Brother J. M. Allen be reinstated in office.” It was in this capacity that Williams attended the Grand Lodge Communication and was elected Grand Master on 15 December 1839. This event is unique in Texas Masonic history, as Williams had never served as a Master of a Lodge and should have been ineligible for election. And yet, without qualification as Past Master, Samuel May Williams defeated the sitting Grand Master Branch T. Archer and served as the third Grand Master of Masons in Texas.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brother Billy Hamilton is currently Senior Warden of Fort Worth Lodge No. 148 in Fort Worth, Texas. Initiated in Triangle Lodge No. 548 in Lawton, Oklahoma in 1996, he was passed and raised in Chandler Lodge No. 34 in Chandler, Arizona in 1998. He is a full member of the Texas Lodge of Research and has been published in the Knights Templar Magazine. He is one of the cohosts of the Fort Worth 148 Masonic Podcast, and a founding director of the annual Texas MasoniCon conference held in Fort Worth, Texas.
In 1840 the Texas Congress approved the new charter promoted by Williams and the city changed its charter to limit enfranchisement to white males over the age of twenty-one who owned at least $500 in real estate. This cut the pool of eligible voters in half and sparked a period of unrest in the city called the “Charter War.” The leaders in this conflict were Allen and his formal lodge Brother and current Grand Master, Samuel May Williams. Using the new charter as justification, Williams was able to force a new election, even though Allen had been elected for a two-year term in 1839. Allen lost the election to another former Harmony Lodge Brother, John H. Walton, but refused to recognize the results, and he along with other “old charterers” continued to try to run the city, resulting in two competing municipal governments.
BIBLIOGRAPHY Carter, J. D. (1955). Masonry in Texas. Waco: Grand Lodge of Texas. Grand Lodge of Texas. (1857). Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Texas: From its Organization in City of Houston, Dec. A. D. 1837, A. L. 5837, to the Close of the Grand Annual Communication Held at Palestine, January 19, A. D. 1857, A. L. 5857, Volume 1, 1837-57. Galveston, TX: Grand Lodge of Texas. Haley, J. L. (2015). Sam Houston. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.
The “old charterers” argued that Allen should be able to serve out his term, but the city council disagreed. Determined to resist at all costs, Allen took the city archives to prevent the new government from functioning. He barricaded himself in his home on Avenue K with two cannons to discourage attempts to retrieve the archives. The “new charterers” filed charges of larceny against Allen, and a judge ruled in their favor. However, it took Samuel Williams’ business partner Thomas F. McKinney and an armed posse to retrieve the papers from Allen. Allen’s refusal to buckle under pressure during the “Charter War” endured him to many Galvestonians. Even though he was forced to capitulate, he came out of the conflict more popular than ever. He was elected again to the office of mayor in the 1841 election. While Allen lost again the following year, he came back once more and served three consecutive terms from 1843 – 1845.
Harmony Lodge No. 6. (1854). Minutes of Harmony Lodge No. 6: June 6, 1839 to June 24, 1854. Galveston, TX: Private Collection.
As mayor, Allen faced many challenges. Galveston was besieged by successive yellow fever epidemics, and Allen was known for his efforts to help. He was an advocate for the first hospital in the city. He established a jail for the city and brought to the city the first bucket company, Hook and Ladder Co. #1, to combat fires and ensure public safety. Recognized for his public service, President Polk appointed Allen in 1846 to serve as the U.S. Marshall for the Eastern District of Texas, a post that he held until his death on 19 February 1847.
Moore, S. L. (2004). Eighteen Minutes: The Battles of San Jacinto and the Texas Independence Campaign. Lanham, MD: Republic of Texas Press.
Largely forgotten today, Allen is often overlooked for his contributions to the history of the Texas Republic and Masonry in Texas. Yet the actions of this determined soldier and politician influenced many of
Henson, M. S. (1976). Samuel May Williams. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press. Jones, A. (1857). Free Masonry in Texas: A Reminiscence of its Early History. Galveston, TX: Richardson & Co. Laing, W. M. (2010, June 9). Allen, John M. Retrieved from Texas State Historical Association: http://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ fal22 Lynn, J. J. (1883). Reminiscences of Fifty Years in Texas. New York, NY: Saddler and Company.
Rosenberg Library. (2011, November). Miniature Portrait of the First Mayor of Galveston. Retrieved from Rosenberg Library: http:// rosenberg-library-museum.org/treasure-of-the-month/past-treasure-ofthe-month/2011-11/ Thrall, H. S. (1883). A Pictorial History of Texas. Saint Louis, MO.: N. D. Thompson & Company. Wyllie, A. (2016). The Battles and Men of the Republic of Texas. Lulu.
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ENLIGHTENMENT
and gain control of Freemasonry failed. The leadership squabbled among themselves, culminating in Weishaupt expelling Von Knigge from the Bavarian Illuminati in 1784.7 They were outlawed in 1785 when their secret papers were published, and Weishaupt fled the country.8
That Good Men Do Something: A Defense of Freemasonry by Brendan Hickey Masons have been charged not to quarrel with those who, through ignorance, speak evilly or despitefully of our fraternity. Some brothers and scholars1 take this charge to mean that we are to be silent in response to attacks upon our fraternity. This paper will briefly review some of the major religious and historical condemnations of Freemasonry and show them to be primarily motivated by greed, power, or revenge, or a combination of these, rather than ignorance. This paper will conclude with suggestions for responses that are rooted in our values, traditions, and history, and consistent with contemporary science. THE ILLUMINATI The term Illuminati simply means enlightened. The term is not copyrighted, and anyone can identify a person or group, including themselves, in this way. There have been several Illuminati groups in history. Freemasonry has been connected with one of these, but the link between Illuminati and Freemasonry and a conspiracy to rule the world is a lie that started in Playboy Magazine in the 1960’s.2 30 • WINTER 2020
The most common use of the term Illuminati is in reference to the Bavarian Illuminati, which were founded in 1776 by Adam Weishaupt. He was a lay professor at the University of Ingolstadt, a Jesuit school.3 He founded the Bavarian Illuminati to oppose superstition, abuse of government power, and religious influence in government;4 to promote rationality; and to replace Christianity with an atheistic system of reason.5 Weishaupt became a Mason in 1777 for the purpose of learning Masonic rituals so that he could change them for his own use, and obtained a warrant from the Grand Lodge of Prussia to form a lodge, called Theodore of the Good Council, in 1779. The Bavarian Illuminati dominated this lodge, and Weishaupt’s sponsor, Baron Adolph Von Knigge, used it to recruit Masons, particularly masters and wardens from other lodges, for the Bavarian Illuminati.6 Theodore of the Good Council split from the Grand Lodge in in 1782 and continued to try to recruit Masons, eventually setting up its own provincial grand lodge. These efforts to convert Masonic degrees to Illuminati degrees
The goals and methods of the Bavarian Illuminati conflicted with Freemasonry, and our fraternity defeated a takeover attempt from and rejected the Illuminati. There is no element in Masonry that allows or supports revolution, and we know that we are charged to be good and dutiful citizens of the governments placed over us. So, how did Freemasonry and Illuminati and conspiracy become connected in popular culture? Much of the answer is in a series of letters published in Playboy Magazine and a mock religious text called Principia Discordia. Principia Discordia was written by Greg Hill, under the name Malaclypse the Younger, and Kerry Wendell Thornley, under the name Lord Omar Khayyam Ravenhurst, in 1963. The book satirized religion by describing a mock faith dedicated to the worship of Eris, the Goddess of Chaos, and hoping to inspire disobedience to authority. Among Principia Discordia’s “sacred texts” was the Illuminatus! Trilogy, written by Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea in 1975. The book outlined several alleged conspiracies, including the All-Seeing Eye, Gnostics (an early Christian heresy), the Illuminati, and plans for world domination. The Illuminatus! Trilogy also says that Adam Weishaupt killed George Washington and impersonated him, claiming that Washington’s portrait on the dollar bill is actually Weishaupt, and that the Illuminati killed President John F. Kennedy.9 After Principia Discordia was published, Mr. Thornley and Mr. Wilson, who wrote for Playboy Magazine, began to send fake letters to the editor of that magazine, claiming to be Illuminati and making claims about the Illuminati that stirred interest and controversy.10 These letters were part of a project that Thornley and Wilson called “Operation MindF**k” with the stated goal to “attribute all national calamities, assassinations, or conspiracies” to the Illuminati.11 Playboy Magazine ceased publication in 2016, and
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online archives of the letters to the editor in the 1960’s are difficult to find. One letter posted on a blog, from the April 1969 issue and said to be written by Wilson, says, in part, A friend of my grandparents (said) that the current wave of assassinations in America is the work of a secret society called the Illuminati. He said that the Illuminati have existed throughout history, own the international banking cartels, have all been 32nd degree Masons and were known to Ian Fleming, who portrayed them as SPECTRE in his James Bond books – for which the Illuminati did away with Mr. Fleming. Then I read in The New Yorker that Allan Chapman, one of Jim Garrison’s investigators in the New Orleans probe of the John Kennedy assassination, believes that the Illuminati really exist…I mentioned this to a friend who is majoring in Middle Eastern affairs. He told me that the Illuminati were of Arabic origin and that their founder…used marijuana to work up a murderous frenzy and who fought against…the Crusaders…I mentioned it to a friend from Berkeley. He immediately told me that there is a group on campus that calls itself the Illuminati and boasts that it secretly controls international finance and the mass media. Now (if Playboy isn’t part of the Illuminati conspiracy), can you tell me: Are the Illuminati part of the Masons?...Do they really own all the banks and TV stations? And who have they killed lately? 12 There were other letters by Mr. Wilson, all talking about conspiracies by Freemasons and Illuminati.13 The reader can infer something of the nature of those letters from the one cited above and from some of the other things that he said. Mr. Wilson was a prolific writer, and there are over 20 web pages devoted to his quotes, including these from https:// www.azquotes.com/author/15798-Robert_Anton_Wilson . My own opinion is that belief is the death of intelligence. As soon as one believes a doctrine of any sort, or assumes certitude, one stops thinking about that aspect of existence. You simply cannot invent any conspiracy theory so ridiculous and obviously satirical that some people somewhere don’t already believe it. And these from https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/robert_anton_ wilson My goal is to try to get people into a state of generalized agnosticism, not about God alone, but agnosticism about everything. There are gods, but there is no God; and all gods become devils eventually. The function of Theology? The recitation of the incomprehensible by the unspeakable to pick the pockets of the unthinking. Thornley, Wilson, Hill, and Shea were pulling a trick on The Establishment, which The Establishment continues to believe and repeat nearly 60 years later. Religion, particularly institutional religion, was their target, yet conservative Christian groups still sometimes parrot the stories written to mock and trick them, when denouncing Freemasonry. The authors also intentionally created controversy about
their own work, increasing sales. These men were not ignorant of what they were doing. It is unlikely that the person who makes a passing comment about “Illuminati”, meaning Freemasonry, is aware of the Bavarian Illuminati, whose hostile take-over Freemasonry repelled. There is no element of Freemasonry which is Illuminati and there are no plans for a New World Order, no secret assassination squads. A Freemason is charged to be a good and dutiful citizen of the government placed over him. We are specifically told that Masonic secrecy does not extend to offenses against the laws of God, state, or nation, that we cannot keep in confidence any illegal or immoral act by a brother. However, the information in this section does not come from some secret archive. The Encyclopedia Britannica entry for the Illuminati says that the modern conspiracy theories about the Illuminati are rooted in the fictional work of Thornley and Wilson. From there, a few minutes with Google yielded the information presented here. Ignorance is a lack of knowledge, but is it ignorance to lack knowledge that is easily acquired? Is it ignorance to disregard the truth? THE TAXIL HOAX AND LUCIFER This event continues to reverberate over a century after it happened. Leo Taxil, whose real name was Gabriel Jogand Pages, was an Entered Apprentice Mason who was expelled from the fraternity. Taxil/Pages falsely confessed to a murder and was allowed to enter a Roman Catholic monastery,14 where he told the monks stories about the “truth” about Freemasonry. His goal was to both hurt the fraternity and to embarrass the church. Because he had only received his first degree, he quickly ran out of information about Freemasonry, so he invented a character named Diana Vaughan and the story of her escape from the Palladian Lodge in Charleston, South Carolina. He published this story in a book called The Three Degree Brethren.15 Taxil’s charade lasted from 1884 to 1897, when, at a reception in his honor, Taxil told the assembled crowd that the whole story had been a lie.16 His lies continue to the present. As part of the hoax, Taxil also fabricated a quote about Freemasonry’s true god being Lucifer and attributed the quote to Albert Pike, discussed in detail below. The quote was also a lie, to which Taxil confessed publicly, but it was picked up by Pat Robertson over a century later.17 The stories about the craft worshipping Lucifer began with this lie and were told for revenge.18 BROTHER ALBERT PIKE Brother Pike wrote a book called Morals and Dogma, published in 1871. It was given to new 14th degree Scottish Rite Masons in the Southern Jurisdiction until 1974. Morals and Dogma has been out of print since 1969. Brother S. Brent Morris wrote a Short Talk Bulletin called Albert Pike: The lie that will not die in 1993. He traced the modern repetitions of the Lucifer lie to a book called Occult Theocrasy, written by Edith Starr Miller in 1933. Ms. Miller cited as her source a book written in French by Abbe Clarin de la Rive and published in 1894, Woman and Child in Universal Freemasonry. Ms. Miller quotes de la Rive:
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Albert Pike, Sovereign Grand Pontiff of Universal Freemasonry, addressed to the 23 Supreme Confederated Councils of the world….The Masonic religion should be, by all of its initiates of the high degrees, maintained in the purity of the Luciferian doctrine. However, Ms. Miller did not quote the footnote from de la Rive: It was the Sister Diana Vaughan that Albert Pike – in order to give her the greatest mark of confidence – charged to carry his luciferian encyclical, to Paris, during the Universal Exposition.19 There is no such position as Sovereign Grand Pontiff of Universal Freemasonry, nor any such groups as Supreme Confederated Councils in regular Freemasonry, nor does Freemasonry have a theology, as it is not a religion. Ms. Miller did not say that, after realizing that Pages/Taxil had tricked him, Abbe de la Rive denounced Pages/Taxil, expressed his regret, and retracted all the articles written by Pages/ Taxil, specifically naming those about Diana Vaughan. Brother Morris concluded his Short Talk Bulletin by saying If you are presented with the story of Pike and Lucifer, quietly but firmly state, “It’s a lie.” Don’t let it pass without comment, but don’t provoke an argument. The truth is on our side. But remember the words attributed to Edmund Burke: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”20 Brother Albert Pike was a good Mason and an intelligent man, and it is not his fault that he is a frequent foil for those who would harm Freemasonry. Nevertheless, a Mason should consider carefully any reference to Morals and Dogma, which is a favorite of those who slander the craft. This book is not an easy read. Over the course of 861 pages, Brother Pike traces the history of natural religions, explaining each step of his reasoning as he considers ideas in favor of, then opposed to, each theological perspective. The book is easily quoted out of context and may be impossible to quote within context, as the context is the whole book. Those who criticize Freemasonry will typically select a sentence or phrase from a portion where Pike presented the case for a belief that he ultimately rejected many pages later and present the quote and say something like, “Albert Pike, one of Freemasonry’s foremost theologians, said______!” A Mason might respond with the following thoughts: · · ·
Freemasonry is not a religion, so we don’t have a theology, so we don’t have theologians. Every Mason is free to worship God as his conscience requires, and no Mason has the authority to tell another what to believe. The book has been out of print since 1969, so I can’t determine if this quote is accurate or what else Mr. Pike said about this topic.
It seems fair to conclude this section by letting Brother Pike speak for himself. The teachings of these Readings are not sacramental...The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite uses the word dogma in its true sense, of doctrine or teaching; and is not dogmatic 32 • WINTER 2020
in the odious sense of that term. Everyone is free to reject and dissent from whatsoever herein may seem to him to be untrue or unsound. It is only required of him that he weigh what he is taught, and give it fair hearing, and unprejudiced judgment.21 This is how Freemasons approach any topic, including and especially religion. No Mason has the authority to tell others what to believe. We are encouraged, and expected, to think for ourselves. OTHER RELIGIOUS CRITICISMS Freemasonry has been the focus of accusations by churches in the past and remains a focus today. This paper is limited to Christian bans of the fraternity. Many of these are straw man arguments, a debate tactic in which the attacker intentionally misrepresents his opponent’s case or perspective in a way that is easier for the attacker to defeat. Christian church opposition to Freemasonry can be grouped along Roman Catholic and Protestant lines, with a few examples of each presented here. Roman Catholic In the broadest sense, the Roman Catholic Church accuses Freemasonry of a heresy called religious indifferentism, which is the belief that God has no preference for one religion or denomination over another. According to Humanum Genus, the bull written by Pope Leo XIII in 1884, in Freemasonry, Men of all religions, races, and creeds meet together...These members are free to do as they like and preach the separation of Church and State…they encourage religious indifference… that the people are sovereign.22 Though it is true that Freemasonry does not believe that God prefers one creed or way of worship over another, the fraternity is no more guilty of religious indifferentism than the post office. The accusation is based on a straw man argument. Freemasonry is not a religion and therefore it has no religious beliefs. We accept and treat as equals men who believe in any monotheistic religion. The Roman Catholic Church has expressed its opposition to Freemasonry in nine papal bulls, the first being by Pope Clement XII in 1738. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, in 1983, before he became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005, wrote the Declaration on Masonic Associations. This document specifically objects to Masonic secrecy and oaths, as does the first papal bull.23 The Declaration on Masonic Associations affirmed the papal bulls against Freemasonry. It concluded that Freemasonry and Christianity are rivals and irreconcilable, stating that “membership in Masonic associations remains forbidden by the Church, and the faithful who enroll in them are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.”24 Lutheran The Lutheran Church seems to ban its members from being Masons, saying that “…membership in this organization (Freemasonry) conflicts with a faithful confession of this Gospel,” alleging that the fraternity’s emphasis on good works amounts to a faith-righteousness theology that is not compatible with Christian faith-righteousness.25 This is another straw man argument. Freemasonry is not a defective variant of Christianity, nor a religion at all.
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Protestant There are a variety of minor evangelical Protestant pastors who have gained influence and money by denouncing Freemasonry. One good example is Christian Ministries International. In the 1980’s, this organization sold cassette tapes of a sermon by its founder, Dr. Ron Carlson, in which he quoted selectively from Morals and Dogma and from Taxil.26 The organization still exists, with Reverend Jason Carlson as president, and it still sells the sermon by Dr. Carlson, now on CD, for $6.00. There is money to be made by preaching against Freemasonry, but the first ten minutes of the sermon are available online for free. Dr. Carlson repeatedly emphasized that the elected leader of a blue lodge is called the worshipful master, and he recited the penal oaths of the blue lodge degrees fairly accurately, but he did not define the term worshipful master, or quote the Senior Warden’s words to the candidate before each oath. How shocked would his audience have been, how many followers would he have had, how much money would he have made, if he had said that worshipful means respected, much like the title reverend that he and his sons had and have, or that the penalty of the obligation is of ancient origin and symbolic only? Saying those things might be bad for business. Dr. Gary Leazer, an ordained Baptist pastor, was commissioned to investigate Freemasonry on behalf of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1985. He concluded that Freemasonry is not a religion and not a threat to the Southern Baptist Church, in a report that provoked thorough and prolonged assaults on him and on Freemasonry. The criticisms of Freemasonry included references to Morals and Dogma, Masonic oaths and secrecy, and the fraternity’s use of the term worshipful. Leazer also wrote about how Freemasonry has a history of being pulled into the conflict between Roman Catholic and Protestant denominations in Christianity. He concluded that the real issue is control of others, for both the Roman Catholic and Baptist churches, and he called Freemasonry “a convenient whipping boy” for the church when things do not go as the leaders want.27 Religious condemnations of Freemasonry are usually founded on such straw man arguments, alleging some theological defect in the fraternity or positing some kind of rivalry between Christianity and Freemasonry. Much of the time, the real reasons are about money and control. Freemasons are expected to believe in God, but no Freemason can tell another what to believe, and brothers are free to worship God as their consciences require, a principle that may seem alien and frightening to some church leaders. These dynamics were also present in the religious elements of some of the historical opposition to Freemasonry.
HISTORICAL ATTACKS The Morgan Affair Much has been written about William Morgan and the “affair” with which he is associated today. He was an itinerant operative mason who struggled to keep jobs and relocated frequently and who brought his family to Batavia, New York in 1824. There is no definitive evidence that Morgan received the three Blue Lodge degrees, but he had sufficient knowledge of the fraternity, probably by reading exposes of the fraternity, that his claim to be a Most Excellent Master was accepted, and Morgan actually received the Royal Arch Degree at LeRoy, NY, in 1825. Morgan then tried to petition for a charter for Batavia, but another petition, not the one signed by Morgan, resulted in the creation of the chapter, angering Morgan. Seeking revenge, and probably money, Morgan partnered with David Miller, a publisher who had left the fraternity after being Entered, to publish his own expose. Miller sold Morgan’s Illustrations of Masonry, by One of the Fraternity who has Devoted Thirty Years to the Subject for $1.00 a copy, but Morgan himself was arrested and briefly jailed on a fabricated charge of theft, and was last seen alive in public on September 12, 1826.29 Morgan was rumored to have been murdered by Freemasons, but no investigation proved that. His disappearance did not create the AntiMasonic movement that followed, but it inflamed existing tensions,30 which were further aggravated by the perception that the fraternity was subverting civil authority and operating as a government and law unto itself.31 Many political leaders and law enforcement officials in the region were brothers, and they may have interfered with the various investigations. Finally, four Masonic officers pleaded guilty to kidnapping, which was then a misdemeanor, and sentenced to, variously, two years, or to one, two, or three months in jail, in January 1827.32 Morgan was likely motivated by greed and revenge, not ignorance, but there was a perception in the region that Freemasons acted outside of the law and concealed each other’s crimes, functioning as a separate society. The Anti-Masonic Party The Morgan Affair became a nucleation point for a variety of existing suspicions about Freemasonry, including some dynamics that are common to assaults upon the fraternity: the secret elements of rituals must conceal something nefarious; Freemasons are exclusive and operating their own society exempt from American law; and Freemasons have infiltrated and taken control of the government.33 The WINTER 2020 • 33
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Anti-Masonic Movement started as a religious effort, primarily among Baptist and Presbyterian clergy, but they soon realized that they would have more power as a political party, which they became, in 1827, with the stated goal, “to root out a privileged class.” The party became the first major third-party organization in America, holding its convention in Philadelphia in 1830 and running a candidate for president, William Wirt, who won only Vermont in the general election. The Anti-Masonic Movement in Pennsylvania started with a newspaper, the Anti-Masonic Herald, published in Lancaster County. Political Anti-Masonry here started in 1829 and one of its leaders was Senator Thaddeus Stevens, who in June 1831 called Freemasonry, “this feeble band of lowly reptiles.” In various speeches during the 1834-35 session, Stevens called Freemasonry “aristocratic” and “regal” and said that the fraternity tended to “cherish a hatred of democracy.” In that era, as now, there was social and political tension between the rural middle of the state and Philadelphia, which, the Herald in 1829 noted was the home of the Grand Lodge, calling the city “overwhelming, arrogant, and dictatorial.” Quakers, Mennonites, and Amish disliked the oaths, regalia, and “secrecy” of Freemasonry, and supported the Anti-Masonic Party in Pennsylvania. The party’s candidate for governor, Joseph Ritner, won the office in his third attempt, in 1835. Thaddeus Stevens became chair of a committee appointed to investigate the “evils” of Freemasonry, starting in December 1836. The committee subpoenaed over 100 witnesses, of whom less than 30 complied. Among those who did, Past Grand Master George M. Dallas, who would later become vice-president of the United States under James Polk, testified that he never broke the law, and that the investigating committee itself was illegal under the ninth article of the state constitution. Former governor George Wolf cited his liberties under the state constitution, said that Freemasonry never influenced elections or court cases, and refused to be sworn in, though he was threatened with contempt charges.34 The AntiMasonic movement and party were motivated by a desire for power, not ignorance. Freemasonry responded to the movement and endured. RESPONSE If we really are good men, as we claim to be, and if Freemasonry really is a moral organization, as we claim it to be, then passively allowing Freemasonry to be harmed is immoral, a sin of omission. The title of this paper is paraphrased from a quote usually attributed to Edmund Burke: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” We should certainly never provoke fights, nor should we trade blows with aggressors, but in our traditions, our values, and our history, there are strategies that we can use to protect our fraternity. The brothers from whom we inherited the fraternity did something. Modern Media and Masonic secrecy One of the best programs about Freemasonry in popular culture may be a segment done for CBS Sunday Morning by Mo Rocca. He interviewed several experts, including Brother S. Brent Morris, PM, 33rd Degree, a historian for the House of the Temple for the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite of the Southern Jurisdiction, and Dr. Margaret Jacob, a professor at UCLA. The program is on YouTube and it runs about 8 minutes. The conversation naturally turns to Masonic secrecy, which some of the brothers interviewed in the segment say is part of the allure. At 5:45 into the video, Mr. Rocca and Brother Morris have this exchange about Masonic secrecy: 34 • WINTER 2020
Mr. Rocca: “What would happen if I found out the secret handshake and I weren’t a Mason?” Brother Morris: “Nothing.” Mr. Rocca: “You wouldn’t have to kill me?” Brother Morris: “We might take you out and buy you a beer. The secrets of a Mason represent my integrity as a man. I took a promise that I would not tell you what the secrets of a Mason are. I didn’t take a promise that I would care if you know what they are. ”35 Freemasonry’s forthrightness about having secrets may be one of its greatest sources of danger. Our secrecy encourages conspiracy theories but most of the secrets of Freemasonry are out. They can be hard to identify amid the nonsense, but the fraternity has a long history of using accurate exposes of our rituals and secrets as resources for standardizing our procedures across lodges.36 Our secrets pertain a bit to the fraternity but they are more about our integrity as good men, who keep their promises and do what they say that they will do. Freemasonry is not a secret society. Joining the fraternity requires asking someone who you think to be a Mason, which would be impossible if the fraternity were a secret. Masons wear rings and put decals on their cars that identify them as Masons. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania issues a distinctive license plate for Masons, with the square and compass, just like it does for college alumni groups. Our lodges are well-marked as such, and there is no missing the Grand Lodge and Temple at 1 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, across from City Hall. Anyone can take a virtual tour of the building or, when Masons aren’t using it for a private meeting, tour it in person. Some of the brothers interviewed by Mr. Rocca said that they became interested in Freemasonry by watching the movie National Treasure, which is about a quest for a treasure hidden by Freemasons.37 Part of the movie was filmed in Philadelphia, and one of the most entertaining minutes of the movie might the one starting at 1:22:30. Two of the protagonists are running through the city after finding a clue hidden at Independence Hall, and they are going south on North Broad Street. The Grand Lodge and Temple is clearly visible on their left. Later in that same minute, they cross North Broad Street to City Hall, and the temple is behind them. They seek a treasure hidden by Masons and run right past a massive building, plainly marked as Masonic. The portrayal of the fraternity in National Treasure is often ridiculous, but it is not derogatory. When Freemasonry is featured in popular movies or television, we can engage in white propaganda.38 We can use the attention to deliver the positive, factual story about the fraternity and to give elevator speeches (short, clear messages about a topic that is important to you, that you can deliver, in your own words, in about 25-30 seconds) about Freemasonry. We can dispel the overblown, excessive myth of secrecy, the nonsense that often starts with, “Am I allowed to ask you something about Masons?” The person who asks that question just did ask something about Masons, and nothing bad happened, so go ahead. A lodge or meeting is best characterized as private, rather than secret. Our stated meetings are precisely, that — stated, happening at a published day and time — but they are private — open only to those who belong there. A non-Mason has as much business being in a stated meeting as a visitor does being in the executive staff meeting of a corporation where he does not work, and for the same reason, that
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what happens there is not the business of anyone who doesn’t belong. A non-Mason who calls Freemasonry “a secret society” misses the fallacy of his own statement. If it were secret, then he wouldn’t know about it at all. There would be no squares and compasses on buildings, no rings, no license plates and car decals, and no web sites. Psychology of conspiracy theories As Freemasonry is often an object of conspiracy theories, a brief and practical introduction to the psychology of conspiracy theories and theorists may help the craft to understand these accusations and to protect the fraternity. A person who feels socially excluded is more likely to believe in both superstition and conspiracies39 but sharing a belief in a conspiracy is akin to joining a group.40 A person who lacks control over his environment is more likely to believe in conspiracy theories.41 A person who feels a greater level of stress, possibly due to that lack of control, is more likely to believe in conspiracy theories.42 The research into a connection between anxiety and belief in conspiracy theories is mixed,43 but in general, conspiracy theories offer a sense of control and predictability when major bad events happen, that these events are not simply random, that big events have big causes44 and that bad things are never simply the result of chance.45 Freemasonry’s openness about having secrets makes us a prime player in conspiracy theories.46 We are a large organization, of men who are typically successful in life, and who publicly state that they will not share some of what they do during lodge meetings. For someone who feels excluded, what better target than a group of men who are honest and open about sometimes excluding others? For someone who is haunted by bad things, what better target than men who do good things? Speaking the truth to someone who is convinced of the existence of a conspiracy may cause him to believe in it more firmly, the backfire effect, but this effect is actually rare.47 There may be times when we can dispel some of the unnecessary secrecy and make our fraternity less of a blank screen onto which those who are inclined to think that a secret and malicious organization is harming society can project those thoughts. We can also encourage rationality by gently pointing to logical inconsistencies in a conspiracy, making it less appealing,48 and asking three questions: • What’s your evidence? • What’s your source for that evidence? • What reasoning links the evidence to the claim?49 Dr. David Grimes (2016) developed a mathematical model for predicting the collapse (disclosure) of conspiracies. He assumed that everyone with knowledge of the truth had an equal capacity for secrecy. This assumption was necessary for his hypothesis but some people are not good at keeping secrets, and even exceptional devotion to protecting the conspiracy is less important to keeping the secret than keeping the number of participants small.50 Dr. Grimes’ model also considers only the possibility of disclosure by a participant and not a discovery by someone outside of the conspiracy. By his calculations, a group of 2,521 conspirators can probably only protect a conspiracy for about 5 years. To protect a conspiracy for 10 years would require a group of fewer than 1,000 participants. The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania had 97,822 Masons, and there were 1,076,626 Master Masons in the United States, in 2017.51 For reference, if NASA had faked the moon landings, the 411,000 employees who
knew the secret in 1965 probably could have kept the secret for less than 3.68 years.52 There were less than half as many NASA employees in 1965 as there are Master Masons in the United States now. If all Freemasons were keeping a significant secret, it would have been out long ago, as most of our secrets are,53 with Dr. Carlson’s sermon for Christian Ministries International being a good example. Discussing Dr. Grimes’ study with someone who asks us about the New World Order is unlikely to persuade him, but a brother might note that there are over one million Master Masons in the country and ask the inquirer how long so many men could keep a secret. Nothing here suggests that we should expect to reason through an allegation made against our fraternity. The person who is already convinced that Masons are conspiring to control the banks and the media, to establish a New World Order (whatever that is), or to assassinate world leaders is likely to remain convinced. We should respond nevertheless, as the person who is committed to a belief that Masons are conspiring evilly is more dangerous to the fraternity than someone who is lukewarm in that belief, and in our short interaction with this person, we are unlikely to determine how deeply he is convinced of what he says. Further, if Freemasonry responds only to some allegations, but not others, the discrepancy suggests to the observer that whatever results in a rebuttal from the fraternity might be true, or harmful, or gaining acceptance, but a uniform reaction leaves less for the suspicious to infer.54 In all of our interactions, we should remember our own charge, to universal benevolence, to do good unto all, and so we should speak a bit of reasoned truth calmly and politely, rather than let our silence be taken as further proof of the conspiracy and the control under which we are supposed to be. We shouldn’t hand a petition to everyone who jumps on us for being a Mason, but the person who disparages Freemasonry might need to belong to a warm and benevolent group like our fraternity, even if he doesn’t realize it. We can and should offer a bit of light to the person who is probably struggling under a dark and heavy burden, briefly, before moving on. Historic responses to attacks In June 1737, in Philadelphia, a young man named David Rees was apprenticed to Dr. Evan Jones. Rees expressed his interest in becoming a Freemason to Jones, who was not a Mason. Rees did not know what to expect, so Jones gathered some friends to put Rees through a cruel and humiliating mock initiation that happened in two sessions, with a brief and accidental encounter with Benjamin Franklin, who was not part of this trick and who was famous for being a Mason, between the sessions.55 In the second part of the fake initiation, Rees was accidentally doused with flaming rum, and he died of his injuries a few days later.56 After the incident, the members of St. John’s Lodge published notices in the Pennsylvania Gazette and in the American Weekly Mercury saying that what happened was not done by Masons or in any way Masonic, denouncing the crime. The incident was not specifically meant to hurt the fraternity, but it did, and the brothers of St. John’s Lodge spoke up, clearly and publicly, in defense of Freemasonry. When the Anti-Masonic movement came to Pennsylvania, and Senator Thaddeus Stevens assembled a committee to investigate Freemasonry, fewer than 30 of more than 100 witnesses complied with their subpoenas.57 The rest risked fines and prison to refuse to cooperate with this assault on the fraternity. WINTER 2020 • 35
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We are charged not to quarrel with those who, through ignorance, speak evilly of our fraternity. However, our brothers in the past spoke clearly and publicly when Freemasonry was in jeopardy. They did something, and thus were able to pass the craft down to us today. PROTECTING FREEMASONRY TODAY Freemasonry has enemies. There is an eternal battle between good and evil, and a brother of this fraternity took sides in that battle long before he petitioned for membership. The ceremonial weapons around the lodge should remind us of the danger, which is not always merely ideological. During World War II, the Nazis murdered an uncertain number of Masons, estimated between 80,000 and 200,000, accusing our brothers of engaging in a conspiracy with Jews against the German state, but more truthfully, our brothers died because they were good men who were free to think for themselves.58 It has been just decades since Freemasonry was the target of lethal aggression, and we must know what has happened in the past and what could happen again. We must protect our brothers and our fraternity. We must be good men, not just in our choices but, perhaps more importantly, in our habits, in those actions that we perform routinely, with minimal thought. We are expected to zealously inculcate universal benevolence. That means being kind and civil toward everyone, no exceptions. We have been charged to show, through our well-ordered conduct, how false are the slanders which have been uttered against our fraternity. If you wouldn’t say it during a lodge meeting, if you wouldn’t have your brother know that you did it, then should you do it at all? This means in our routine daily life but especially in the circumstances in which we are identified as Masons. If another driver cuts out you off on the expressway, and you respond with gestures and obscenities, what will the other driver do if you have a Masonic license plate or emblem on your car? Do you think that he will tell his wife that he was careless during the commute and nearly killed a good man? Do you think that he will say that he was driving carefully on the expressway when, for no reason a Mason started to curse him out, and then make some joke about being killed by the Illuminati? We must carry the light of Freemasonry into the world, to be builders and not destroyers, to make ourselves useful. We protect our fraternity when we tend to our vocations and to our families responsibly and effectively, but also modestly. We should excel in every place that we can without promoting or allowing to flourish the perception that we are elite, a secret society, or a shadow government. We can tell others that a Mason’s oath does not bind him to conceal the illegal or immoral actions of another Mason, that a Mason is expected to obey the law and incur the usual penalties when he fails to be a good citizen. It’s not something that we need to put on a bumper sticker, but when the topic comes up, we can and should be clear about this point. A man predisposed to criminal or immoral habits will find no shelter in Freemasonry. When Freemasonry is threatened by groups or events, we should unite as a band of brothers and respond, not with counterattacks or backand-forth, trading blows with aggressors, but we can reply with brief and calm and reasoned assertions of our values and identity. We should be patient with honest inquirers. We should be able to distinguish someone who is looking for a fight, expecting a strong reaction to confirm his suspicions, from someone who has a question, even if it 36 • WINTER 2020
is to briefly investigate a rumor that he heard about Freemasonry, even if it is stated in the language of our accusers. We should have elevator speeches that answer the common questions, like what are Freemasons, why are you a Freemason? The Grand Lodge website and the new pamphlet, “Are You Ready to be More? Not just a man. A Mason.”59 can help a Mason to respond to the myths and talk about the fraternity in his own words. We should explain who we are and why we are such. To protect our fraternity, we must understand what is secret and what is not. Our signs of recognition and the specifics of our oaths, the distinctive gestures and words of Freemasonry, are secret. Anything that has been published with the approval of a Grand Lodge is public information. Maintaining Masonic secrecy in terms that are narrow and specific and reasonable is important because our openness about having secrets makes us a favorite of conspiracy theories (Margaret Jacob, as quoted in Rocca, 2013), which can be dangerous. Whenever we can and it is suitable, we should reframe conversations about secrecy in terms of privacy. Freemasons have the liberty to think and to learn, and to worship God as they feel called, to pursue their vocations as they feel called, but we are expected to exercise these liberties in a deliberate and disciplined manner, keeping our desires within due bounds toward all mankind. This controlled and intentional freedom looks anarchistic to the dictator and dictatorial to the anarchist and makes the fraternity seem like an enemy to both. Within our fraternity, we have the freedom that all men desire, which is frightening to some, and which needs our protection. That freedom is a reason to love, protect, and join Freemasonry. SUMMARY We are charged not to quarrel with those who, through ignorance, speak evilly or despitefully of our fraternity. However, few of the significant assaults upon or criticisms of Freemasonry are rooted in ignorance. The most charitable characterization of many of the slanders uttered against Freemasonry is that of negligence, a harmful carelessness with and indifference to the truth. More often, Freemasonry is harmed by half-truths, which are whole lies, and deliberate misrepresentations, often motivated by greed, power, or control, or a combination of these. We should certainly never provoke fights, nor should we trade blows with aggressors, but when Freemasonry encounters these lies, it should rebut them, briefly and simply and clearly with affirmative statements of the truth. The fraternity can also protect itself by avoiding circumstances in which • M aking good men better comes to be seen as wealthy, powerful, elite • The oaths and obligations that bind us to each other come to be seen as favoritism and unfairness to those outside of the fraternity • The mystery and privacy of Freemasonry come to be seen as an aggressive declaration of secrecy and separation from society. A Mason protects the fraternity when he meets his responsibilities to his family, his community, God, and himself, with love, and when he continues to learn and grow as a man and a Mason and when his wellordered conduct makes it clear to the observer that he cannot be part of something like what the fraternity’s enemies claim it to be. With a life lived in that way, he does the “something” that is required of him to prevent the triumph of evil. When that is not enough, he unites with his brothers in defense of Freemasonry.
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Written in partial fulfillment of the Master Masonic Scholar Certification Program of the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brother Brendan Hickey is the Junior Warden (expected to be Senior Warden as of St. John’s Day) of Thomson Lodge #340 in Paoli, Pennsylvania and a Master Masonic Scholar in the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge. He is a school psychologist and a PhD candidate in educational psychology. NOTES:
1. Cerza, A. (1983). Let there be Light: A Study in Anti-Masonry. Silver Spring, MD: The Masonic Service Association. 2. Galer, S. S. (2017). The Accidental Invention of the Illuminati Conspiracy. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170809-the-accidentalinvention-of-the-illuminati-conspiracy 3. Le Forestier, R. (1914). Les Illuminés de Bavière et la franc-maçonnerie allemande. As cited in Illuminati. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Illuminati 4. Le Forestier (1914) 5. Encyclopedia Britannia (2019). Illuminati. In Encyclopedia Britannica online. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/illuminati-groupdesignation 6. Le Forestier (1914) 7. Le Forestier (1914) 8. De Hoyos, A. & Morris, S. B. (2010). Is it True What they Say about Freemasonry? Lanham, MD: M. Evans. 9. Galer (2017) 10. Galer (2017) 11. Walker, J. (2013). Conspiracy Theory is a Hoax Gone Right? Retrieved from http://nymag.com/news/features/conspiracy-theories/operation-mindfuck/ 12. RAWIllumination [Blog] (2012). Retrieved from http://www. rawillumination.net/2012/09/a-letter-in-playboy-magazine.html), p. 62. 13. Galer (2017 14. DeHoyos & Morris (2010) 15. Cerza (1983) 16. DeHoyos & Morris (2010) 17. DeHoyos & Morris (2010) 18. Morris. S. B. (1993). Albert Pike and Lucifer: The lie that will not die. The Short Talk Bulletin, 71, p. 6. 19. Morris (1993), pp. 5- 6. 20. Morris (1993), p. 8 21. Thorn, R. P. (1994). The Boy Who Cried Wolf: The Book that Breaks Masonic Silence. New York: M. Evans. 22. Cerza (1983) 23. Cerza (1983) 24. Vatican (1985). Reflections a year after declaration of congregation for the doctrine of the faith: Irreconcilability between Christian faith and Freemasonry. Retrieved from http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/ documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19850223_declaration-masonic_articolo_ en.html . 25. Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (2019). Frequently Asked Questions – LCMS Views. Retrieved from https://www.lcms.org/about/beliefs/faqs/ lcms-views . 26. DeHoyos & Morris (2010). 27. Leazer, G. (1995). Fundamentalism & Freemasonry: The Southern Baptist investigation of the fraternal order. New York, NY: M. Evans and Company. 28. Coil, Sr., H. W. (1967). Freemasonry through Six Centuries. Richmond, VA: Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply Company.
29. Dumenil, L. (1984). Freemasonry and American Culture 1880-1930. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. 30. Coil (1967) 31. Dumenil (1984) 32. Vaughan, W. P. (1983). The Anti-Masonic Party in the United States, 18261843. Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky. 33. Coil (1967), Vaughan (1983) 34. Vaughan (1983) 35. Rocca, M. (2013, December 8). Enter the secret world of the Freemasons. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqcKKjTzn6M 36. Berman, R. (2018). Foundations: New Light on the Formation and Early Years of the Grand Lodge of England. The 2016 Prestonian Lecture, presented at the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge, Elizabethtown, PA. 37. (Bruckheimer, J. (Producer), & Turtletaub, J. (Director). (2004). National Treasure [Motion picture]. USA: Walt Disney Studios. 38. Shuya, M. (2019, Summer.) National security and Freemasonry: Extrapolating concepts to prevent the death of the fraternity. The Journal of the Masonic Society, pp. 32-34. 39. Graeupner, D., & Coman, A. (2017). The dark side of meaningmaking: How social exclusion leads to superstitious thinking. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 69, 218–222. https://doi-org.library.capella. edu/10.1016/j.jesp.2016.10.003 40. Sunstein, C. R., & Vermeule, A. (2009). Conspiracy theories: Causes and cures. Journal of Political Philosophy, 17(2), 202–227. 41. Prooijen, J., & Acker, M. (2015). The influence of control on belief in conspiracy theories: Conceptual and applied extensions. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 29(5), 753–761. https://doi-org.library.capella.edu/10.1002/ acp.3161 42. Swami, V., Furnham, A., Smyth, N., Weis, L., Lay, A., & Clow, A. (2016). Putting the stress on conspiracy theories: Examining associations between psychological stress, anxiety, and belief in conspiracy theories. Personality and Individual Differences, 99, 72–76. https://doi-org.library.capella. edu/10.1016/j.paid.2016.04.084; Sunstein & Vermeule (2009). 43. Swami et al. (2016) 44. Lewandowsky, S., Oberauer, K., & Gignac, G. E. (2013). NASA faked the moon landing—therefore, (climate) science is a hoax: An anatomy of the motivated rejection of science. Psychological Science, 24(5), 622–633. https://doi-org.library.capella.edu/10.1177/0956797612457686 45. Sunstein & Vermeule (2009) 46. Rocca (2013) 47. Wenner Moyer, M. (2019, March). Why we believe conspiracy theories. Scientific American, pp. 58-63. 48. (Swami et al., 2016), 49. (Murphy, as cited in Wenner Moyer, 2019) 50. Grimes D.R. (2016) On the Viability of Conspiratorial Beliefs. PLoS ONE 11(1): e0147905. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0147905 51. Masonic Service Association of North America (n.d.). Masonic Membership Statistics 2016-2017. Retrieved from http://www.msana.com/msastats. asp#us . 52. Grimes (2016) 53. Berman (2018) 54. Sunstein & Vermeule (2009), Douglas, K. M., & Leite, A. C. (2017). Suspicion in the workplace: Organizational conspiracy theories and work‐ related outcomes. British Journal of Psychology, 108(3), 486–506. https:// doi-org.library.capella.edu/10.1111/bjop.12212 . 55. Bullock, S. C. (1996). Revolutionary brotherhood: Freemasonry and the transformation of the American social order, 1730-1840. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. 56. Cerza (1983). 57. Vaughan (1983) 58. Hodapp, C. (2013). Freemasons for Dummies, Second Edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. 59. Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, nd
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Through the Camera’s Lens Golden Gate Bridge By Gregory J. Knott, FMS
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Named one of the Seven Wonders of the modern world by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1994, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most identifiable landmarks in the United States. Spanning the San Francisco Bay at 8,890 feet with the main span 4,200 feet long, it connects San Francisco with Marin County.
Construction started on January 5, 1933 and was completed with the bridge opening on May 27, 1937. William P. Filmer, who was the 46th Grand Master of Masons in California, was the first President of the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District board of directors. Today the bridge serves over 100,000 vehicles daily along with a considerable amount of pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR WB Gregory J. Knott is the Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 in St. Joseph (IL) and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL) and Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington, DC. Greg is a Founding Member and serves on the Board of Directors of The Masonic Society. He is an avid photographer and is the Assistant Dean of University Libraries at the University of Illinois.
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The Masonic Society 1427 W. 86th Street, Suite 248 Indianapolis, IN 46260-2103
Puissant Sovereign Jewel
– By John A. Bridegroom
The Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and the Orders of the Holy Sepulchre and St. John the Evangelist, the latter two of which are called the Appendant Orders. The governing body of the Order is styled The United Grand Imperial Council of Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine and Appendant Orders for the United States of America, Mexico and the Philippines. Pictured here are jewels for the presiding officer of a Conclave, called the Puissant Sovereign. The jewel displays the red cross used by the order, featuring the initials IHSV, with the ChiRho on top and surmounted with a crown.