Corpsman Up!
Medal of Honor recipient, Ill. Brother Donald “Doc” Ballard, 33°, continues to help veterans long after Vietnam
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JOURNEY ON IN STYLE AND SPIRIT
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I’m Listening
by Walter F. Wheeler, 33˚, Sovereign Grand Commander
One of the most powerful lessons Freemasonry has taught me is the importance of truly listening –not simply hearing, but understanding what our Brethren are feeling, experiencing, and hoping for. This truth became even clearer at the Conference of Grand Masters in February 2025, where Masonic leaders from across the country gathered to discuss the future of our Craft.
Whatstood out most were the voices calling for more meaningful connections. Not just ritual, but relationships. Brethren expressed a deep desire for stronger mentorship, more personal engagement, and a Scottish Rite experience that feels alive and relevant in today’s world. Others asked how we can better serve the needs of new generations of Masons while honoring our timeless values. Above all, the message was clear: Our leaders must listen more and speak less.
The most important insights will come from you.
That’s precisely why I’m hitting the road this fall on a Listening Tour – and why I want you to be part of it. I’ll be visiting five cities across the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, meeting face-to-face with Brothers to hear your ideas, concerns, and hopes for the Scottish Rite. These stops are not speeches. They are actual conversations – where you shape the dialogue, and where your voice helps chart our collective path forward. If you’ve ever wished leadership would listen more closely, this is your moment.
Lodges and Valleys across the country are experimenting with new ways to engage younger Brothers, balance tradition with flexibility, and re-energize our Brotherhood. Is it working? The most important insights will come from you. What you share will guide how the Scottish Rite, NMJ grows and serves its members for years to come.
Every Brother who attends one of my Listening Tour stops will receive an
exclusive, limited-edition challenge coin – a token of this historic moment that will not be available anywhere else. When these coins are gone, they’re gone. Only those who stood up, spoke out, and helped shape the future will
Tour cities and dates
LEXINGTON, MA
September 6
Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library 33 Marrett Road
PHILADELPHIA, PA
September 13
Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania One North Broad Street
CANTON, OH
September 20
Valley of Canton 836 Market Avenue North
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
September 27
Scottish Rite Cathedral 650 North Meridian Street
CHICAGO, IL
October 4
Valley of Chicago 383 East Lake Street
Bloomingdale
The Apprentice Mentality
I’ve been a Mason for just a little over 27 years. Now, I readily acknowledge that it’s not as long as many of our readers, but there are also many who view that as a lifetime, and for some of our newer members, it might be more than their actual lifetime. I like to think that I’m resting comfortably in the middle of the bell curve of Masonic experience, and while I feel like I have learned a lot about Masonry – I’ve read its history, studied its symbols, and tried with varying degrees of success to practice its virtues – I still think of myself as an apprentice. The Apprentice Mentality, as I will call it (the title of the article may have tipped you off), will serve you as well in life as it will in the lodge.
There are three primary keys to practicing the Apprentice Mentality.
First of all, we must remember that ours is not the only way. People are creatures of habit. It’s understandable. Habits and routines give us not only comfort but a sense of control over our lives. We have become accustomed to waking at the same time, driving the same way to work, and eating at the same restaurants. For many, predictability brings peace. The problem arises when rigid inflexibility inhibits common sense.
For example, there was a lodge that wanted to change its meeting night. Attendance had dropped off over the last several years, and the officers thought that it was perhaps due to conflicts with community events. On the night that the proposed change was to be voted on, there were 20 unfamiliar faces in the lodge room.
Men who hadn’t darkened the door of the lodge in years (for some, it had been over a decade) showed up to oppose changing the meeting night. When questioned as to why they would oppose it, their answer was simply: “Our lodge has always met on the second Thursday.”
“But no one comes on the second Thursday,” the Master argued. “We can barely field enough men to cover the officer chairs.”
“I don’t care. Our lodge meets on the second Thursday,” was the group’s reply. The motion to change the meeting night was defeated, and those 20 men returned home, smugly satisfied that such a grave injustice had been thwarted.
Second, we must be open to new experiences. In practicing the Apprentice Mentality, we must train ourselves to welcome innovation. Lakes need to be constantly refreshed by streams lest they stagnate. The same is true of our minds. If we shut ourselves off from the new merely because it is different, our minds begin to decay. So, if we are not fans of new Grand Lodge policies, Supreme Council initiatives, or [insert what’s bugging us here], we shouldn’t sabotage it, moan about it, or take our ball and go home. Instead, We have so much to learn from each other.
The epilogue to that story is that within a year, the lodge, bereft of officers, was forced to merge. The surviving lodge does not meet on the second Thursday.
by PJ Roup, 33˚, Editor, Active for Pennsylvania
we should try to see why it might have been implemented. Does it help those men who are short on free time, ease the burden of overloaded leaders, streamline processes, or do some other good? Chances are it does. We may have to look hard, but there’s generally good in change.
If we shut ourselves off from the new merely because it is different, our minds begin to decay.
There is an apocryphal story of a man who suggested, at the turn of the 20th Century, that the U.S. Patent Office should be shut down because everything that could ever be invented already had been. While the story may not be true, it illustrates the kind of thinking that the Mason with the Apprentice Mentality must fight. If Freemasonry is to survive, it needs leaders. If it is to thrive, it needs leaders with vision, and others who are willing to help even if they don’t embrace the methods.
Finally, realize that everyone has something to teach us. Whether he
has been a Mason for 60 years or 60 days, he has something to offer. From an operative standpoint, an apprentice is eager to learn from the master craftsman in charge of his education. He spends hours watching, absorbing, and learning in order to someday master his art. In the same way, we must view each new interaction as a chance to grow. Every person we meet brings us new perspectives, unique ideas, and fresh opportunities. We can either dismiss them because we think we know more, or find ways to expand ourselves by and through the experiences of others.
Living the Apprentice Mentality is challenging. We must constantly remind ourselves that ours is never the only way; that as individuals, we hold no monopoly on truth; and that an open mind is a fertile mind. We have so much to learn from each other.
I look forward to the rest of my Apprenticeship.
THE NORTHERN LIGHT
A magazine of 32˚ Scottish Rite Freemasonry
Summer 2025 | Vol. 56 | No.2
SOVEREIGN GRAND COMMANDER
Walter F. Wheeler, 33°
EXECUTIVE
EDITOR
Linda R. Patch
EDITOR PJ Roup, 33°
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Rodney E. Boyce, 33°
CONTENT MANAGER
Joann Williams-Hoxha
DIRECTOR OF DESIGN
Matt Blaisdell, 32°
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
Richard J. Powell, 33°, Chairman
Donald G. Duquette, 33° PJ Roup, 33° J. Brian McNaughton, 33° Donald M. Moran, 33°
SUPREME COUNCIL, 33°
Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A.
THE NORTHERN LIGHT (ISSN 1088-4416) is published quarterly in the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter by the Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A., as the official publication. Printed in U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA, and at additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER
Send address changes to The Northern Light PO Box 519, Lexington, MA 02420-0519
MAILING ADDRESS PO Box 519, Lexington, MA 02420-0519
EDITORIAL OFFICE
33 Marrett Road (Route 2A), Lexington, MA 02421 phone: 781-862-4410 email: editor@srnmj.org
WEBSITE: www.ScottishRiteNMJ.org
@TNLMagazine
Copyright ©2025 by Trustees of the Supreme Council of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A.
Commander Receives Honors
DeMolay International Hall of Fame
On June 20, Walter Wheeler, Sovereign Grand Commander was inducted into the DeMolay International Hall of Fame.
Located in Kansas City, where DeMolay was founded, the Hall of Fame seeks to honor Senior DeMolays who have made achievements in business, hold positions of influence, or otherwise contributed to society.
Pennsylvania Franklin Medal
At the Pennsylvania Council of Deliberation, Larry A. Derr, 33°, Right Worshipful Grand Master of Pennsylvania, presented Commander Wheeler with the Franklin Medal, the highest honor awarded in the jurisdiction. In presenting the award, Grand Master Derr cited the Commander’s lifetime of service to the Fraternity as well as his innovation and leadership of the Scottish Rite, NMJ as making him more than worthy of the award.
Congratulations to our Sovereign Grand Commander!
Among his DeMolay honors, Commander Wheeler has received the Degree of Chevalier, Legion of Honor, Representative DeMolay, and is a member of the Michigan DeMolay Hall of Fame. At this year’s ceremony, he was inducted along with Michael Haub, a New York City firefighter who died while working the September 11 attack, and Iven Kincheloe, a Korean War flying ace and Bell X-2 pilot.
DeMolay Officers and Supreme Council employees Matt Gerrish (left) and Jeff Kitsmiller (right) pose with Commander Wheeler and Vickie after the Hall of Fame induction.
Grand Master Derr invests the Commander with the Franklin Medal.
Commander Wheeler; Larry Derr, Grand Master of Pennsylvania; and Keith Parkinson, Deputy for Pennsylvania following the presentation of the Franklin Medal.
Commander Wheeler addresses DeMolay International
In Memoriam
Ill. Donald G. Hicks, 33°
1940-2025
Ill. Donald G. Hicks, Active Emeritus Member for this Supreme Council for the state of Massachusetts, laid down his working tools on April 15, 2025.
Ill. Brother Hicks joined Lowell Chapter, Order of DeMolay, in 1960, where he served as Master Councilor. Raised a Master Mason at Wamesit Lodge, Tewksbury, Massachusetts, in 1962. Appointed Deputy Grand Master for the state of Massachusetts in 1987, receiving the Henry Price Medal that same year. Appointed Grand Representative of Oklahoma from 1987 until 2009, when he was appointed Grand Representative of Scotland. Installed as Grand Master of Masons of Massachusetts on December 27, 2001.
Received the Scottish Rite degrees in October of 1963. Member of the Valley of Lowell and Massachusetts Consistory, Valley of Boston. Sovereign Prince, Lowell Council; Valley Treasurer for 10 years. Coroneted a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33°, Honorary Member of the Supreme Council in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1980. Served as Grand Seneschal from 1987 to 1990. Crowned an Active Member for Massachusetts in 2004 and served as Deputy from 2005 to 2012, as well as Grand Treasurer General from 2008 to 2010. He also served on the Finance, Membership Development, Fraternal Relations, Strategic Planning, and Investments committees. Became an Emeritus Member in 2015.
He was received in Thomas Royal Arch Chapter, greeted in Harris Council of Royal and Select Master Masons, and knighted in Jerusalem Commandery No. 19 Knights Templar. He belonged to Saint Bernard Commandery No. 12, Boston, and Bay State Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine, serving as Puissant Sovereign from 2017 to 2019. Honorary member of Saint Paul’s Royal Arch Chapter and Massachusetts Council of Thrice Illustrious Masters. Awarded the Paul Revere Medal and Abraham Dame Medal. Recipient of the Purple Cross from the York Rite Sovereign College of North America.
Member of Norfolk Lodge, The Masters’ Lodge, Columbian Lodge, Social Harmony Lodge, William Parkman Lodge, Saint John’s Lodge, and Merrimack Valley Daylight Lodge, Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22. Honorary member of Thomas Talbot Lodge, Mount Holyoke Lodge, Harvard Lodge, Wilder Lodge, Major General Henry Knox Lodge, Henry Price Lodge, and the Grand Lodge of Iran (In Exile).
Ill. John R. Patterson, 33° 1950-2025
Ill. John R. Patterson, Active Member for this Supreme Council for the state of New York, passed to the Celestial Lodge on May 14, 2025. Raised in Cambridge Salem Lodge No. 481 in 1985. Served as Worshipful Master in 1991, Trustee from 2003-2009, and Secretary from 2009-2016.
Received the Scottish Rite degrees in the Valley of Troy in 1990. Served as Trustee 2013-2016, Treasurer in 2016, and President of the Executive Board. Coroneted a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33°, Honorary Member of the Supreme Council in Rochester, New York, in 2017. Crowned an Active Member for the state of New York on August 31, 2021, and served on the Committee for Constitutions, Laws & Jurisprudence at the time of his passing.
Member of the York Rite Federal Chapter No. 10, Royal Arch Masons of Greenwich. Exalted in June 1989 and served as High Priest and later as Secretary. Knighted in May 1990 in Calvary Commandery No. 69 in Greenwich. Served as Commander in 1993-1994, Deputy Zone Commander 2002-2007, and Zone Commander 2007-2011. Greeted in Joseph Warren Cryptic Council No. 37 in May 2001 in Saratoga Springs, where he served as Thrice Illustrious Master from 2002 to 2009. Served as First Judge Advocate in the Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of the State of New York from 2007 to 2013.
Member of Trinity Tabernacle #XXIV Holy Royal Arch Knights Templar Priests of Albany; the Giles Fonda Yates Council No. 22 Allied Masonic Degrees; Glencairn Council No. 14 Knight Mason; Warren Chapter No. 23; Albany York Rite College No. 24; Trinity Priory No. 5 Knights of the York Cross of Honor; and Albany Conclave Red Cross of Constantine. Presented the Ezra Ames Meritorious Service Award in 2004, the highest award of The Grand Chapter State of New York, Royal Arch Masons, as well as the Distinguished Service Medal in 2019.
Member of Cambridge Valley Chapter No. 471, Order of the Eastern Star, and an affiliated member of Star of Liberty Chapter No. 379, and a member of Oriental Temple A.A.O.N.M.S. President of the Cambridge Area Shrine Club for several years. Served as an associate member of the Board of Governors of the Shrine Hospital for Children in Boston.
Ill. Brother Patterson served in the United States Marine Corps from 1970 to 1975.
THE JOURNAL LOOKS AT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
“Today we constantly hear about the promise, and sometimes peril, of computer-based artificial intelligence,” begins a recent discussion of A.I. in the Scottish Rite Journal. Journal Managing Editor Mark Dreisonstok, 33°, and technology scholar John M. Bozeman, PhD, present a key writer and Freemason who foresaw this technology and its risks: Br. Karel Čapek (1890—1938; member of the Lodge Národ in Prague), who popularized the word robot in his 1920 theatrical play R.U.R., or Rossum’s Universal Robots.
The prescient nature of Br. Čapek’s drama is now being truly appreciated, for it foresaw the emergence of A.I. as well as genetically modified plants. The work is also an early example of dystopian science fiction literature warning that unfettered technological progress could lead mankind to disaster.
R.U.R. is set in the near future, when robots have become commonplace. These robots perform tasks to make life easier for humans. In the play, we meet Domin, production chief of R.U.R., and Helena, daughter of R.U.R’s president. Helena, who has joined the Humanitarian League, is troubled that the robots lack rights and could have unacknowledged human worth.
Domin explains—somewhat robotically!—that robots have no feelings. He then points out the immeasur-
able benefits that robots offer human society, predicting that within ten years,
Everything will be done by living machines. People will do only the things they want to do, they can live their lives just so that they can make themselves perfect.
(Prologue; David Willie translation)
Portrait of Karel Čapek. In contrast to the poster-art image behind Br. Čapek, robots in R.U.R. have a human appearance Source: Ted Bastien, 32°, illustrator, Chips from the Quarry, Scottish Rite Journal
While the ubiquitous use of robots and artificial intelligence would indeed provide humans with more leisure time, would each individual human make worthwhile use of this time, Masonically speaking, to smooth his own rough ashlar to perfection? Or would human beings instead become mindless and come to resemble their automated companions?
A more sanguine view of A.I. is taken by Peyton Anderson, 32°, in his article “A Look at ‘Generative AI’ as a Tool for Your Valley.” Br. Peyton writes:
I used the free version of a generative A.I. program that simulates human conversation to help me create our Scottish Rite Valley’s quarterly reporting structure and the breakdown and organization of data from our annual satisfaction survey. Instead of hours, it took less than twenty minutes with A.I. As Masons, we should not fear the unknown, for there is much “Light” to seek in understanding new technology and how best to use it in our lives, our lodges, and our Valleys.
For the Journal’s full discussion on the promise and perils of artificial intelligence, please visit: https://scottishrite.org/media-publications/ scottish-rite-journal/ •
Want to read more of the Journal? Find it online at https://scottishrite.org, under the Education & Media tab.
Scott Whalen as Radius and Made Key as Helena in We Happy Few’s 2024 Washington, D.C., production of R.U.R. Photography: Sam Reilly. Used with permission of We Happy Few
PROTEST & PROMISE:
The American Revolution in Lexington
Two hundred fifty years ago, on April 19, 1775, Massachusetts colonists engaged in battle with British soldiers. A larger conflict followed a dawn skirmish on Lexington’s town common in Concord. Eventually, thousands of people fought a running battle that raged through several towns throughout the day. After years of tension between Great Britain and its North American colonies, the events of April 19 broke long-held bonds and ignited the American Revolutionary War.
The Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library’s newest exhibition, “Protest & Promise: The American Revolution in Lexington,” comprehensively explores the beginnings of the revolution in Lexington. Drawing on recent research, the exhibition helps visitors understand the contributions of an entire community – women, men, Black,
The Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775, December 13, 1775. Amos Doolittle (1754-1832), Ralph Earl (1751-1801). New Haven, Connecticut. New York Public Library.
by Stacey Fraser, Assistant Curator, Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library
white, young, old, enslaved, and free –to the common cause of independence, as well as how the choices made at Lexington in 1775 helped shape our national story.
A Fresh Look
“Protest & Promise” takes a fresh look at a familiar story, using newly
uncovered information and shedding light on lesser-known figures that played key parts in important events. The exhibition utilizes research undertaken in the last decade on the roles of women and Black residents in Lexington in the run-up to and throughout the Revolutionary War, as well as research – and novel conclusions – about the
events of April 19, 1775, drawn from recent archaeological and ballistic studies.
The battle on April 19 left a profound mark on the landscape of Lexington. In 1956, 181 years after the battle, Mason Harold Worth of Lexington excavated a six-pound iron cannonball.
“A Dress for Margaret,” 2021. Corinne Steigerwald, Lexington, Massachusetts. Loaned by Corinne Steigerwald.
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
The object was donated to the museum, accompanied by the information that it was fired by British cannon on April 19. In 2023, museum staff collaborated with military historian Joel Bohy to confirm that the cannonball was the correct size and weight for a British ball in 1775, and that the location where it was found is consistent with it being fired by British cannon that day.
In developing “Protest & Promise,” museum staff worked with several area organizations, including LexSeeHer, a
non-profit whose mission is to make women visible. Corinne Steigerwald, a member of LexSeeHer, created a hand-sewn modern replica of an 18thcentury outfit to reflect the clothing of Margaret Tulip. Tulip, an enslaved Black woman who lived in Lexington, sued for and won her freedom in 1770. Her legal team included wellknown lawyers Jonathan Sewall, the Massachusetts Attorney General, and Francis Dana, the future Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court. Their involvement illustrates the time,
attention, and thought that many colonists brought to debates about personal liberty in the 1700s.
In 1769, to protest taxation on British cloth and display their commitment to boycotting its purchase, 45 young women in Lexington staged a spinning protest, one of more than 60 organized in New England between 1768 and 1770. At these gatherings, women would spin yarn together to demonstrate their ability to create the textiles they and the families needed, rather than relying on goods imported from England. Wheelwright – and Captain of the Lexington militia – John Parker typically made two or three spinning wheels each year. In 1768, he filled orders for 18 wheels – an uptick that showed that
Detail of The Boston Gazette and Country Journal, October 16, 1769. Benjamin Edes (1732-1803) and John Gill (1732-1785). Boston, Massachusetts. Massachusetts Historical Society.
Cannonball, ca. 1775. England. Gift of Harvey B. Leggee, 75.34a.
families in Lexington took the boycott of British textiles seriously. Tulip’s story and the spinning protest are highlighted in “Protest & Promise.”
A Bicentennial Gift to the Nation
Established as a Bicentennial gift from Scottish Rite Freemasonry in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction to the nation, the museum opened the day after the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington in 1975. This year, the museum is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Objects in the museum, library, and archives collections on view in the exhibition illustrate how Lexington has commemorated major anniversaries of the battle, and how the museum’s story aligns with these commemorations.
Medals and Box, 1975. United States. Gift of Lexington Bicentennial Corporation, 75.25a-d. Photographed by Michael Cardinali.
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
One of these items is a set of three Lexington Bicentennial commemorative coins, presented by a member of the town’s Bicentennial commission at the museum’s dedication ceremony. They bear the town’s slogan for the Bicentennial, “Pride in Our Past, Faith in Our Future,” which visitors to the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library can see in the stained glass window in the lobby.
Another of these objects is a 1975 map of monuments and historic sites in Lexington. Planning for an influx of visitors on the 200th anniversary of April 19, 1775, the Lexington Chamber of Commerce produced this map to highlight the town’s historic resources. Many of these sites had been part of the landscape for many years. Some were new additions, like the newly-opened Museum of Our National Heritage (now the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library).
“The spot on which the first blood was spilt”
“Protest & Promise,” the museum’s fourth show in 50 years about Lexington’s role in the beginning of the Revolutionary War, provides visitors with an in-depth exploration of the crucial historical events that took place in Lexington. The exhibition adds to other attractive offerings for the many tourists who are expected to visit from 2025 through 2026, prompted by excitement about the 250th anniversaries of the Battle of Lexington and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
“Protest & Promise: the American Revolution in Lexington” opened to the public at a special 50th anniversary event for the museum on April 13, 2025, less than a week before the town-wide celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington, on April 19, 2025. The exhibition will be on view until May 2027. Please visit www.srmml.org/exhibitions to learn more about “the spot on which the first blood was spilt in our dispute with Great Britain,” as George Washington said during his 1789 visit.
If you would like to learn more about the collections in the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, visit our online collections database at https://www.srmml.org/collections/. ?
Map, 1975. Alan M. Wachman, Lexington, Massachusetts. Museum Purchase, 2024.017. Photographed by Michael Cardinali.
Remembering the Battle of Bunker Hill
by Jeffrey Croteau, Director of Library & Archives
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill and the 200th anniversary of the laying of the Bunker Hill Monument’s cornerstone. To commemorate this event, the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library’s Van Gorden-Williams Library & Archives is featuring a small exhibition in its reading room, with objects related to memorializing the Battle of Bunker Hill.
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775. Despite the name of the battle, most of the action took place on nearby Breed’s Hill. Combatants fought the battle to solidify which side controlled Boston Harbor. To this end, the hills in and around Boston were tactically important to both British and colonial forces. The Americans’ newly formed Continental Army sought to limit the supplies that the British army could bring into Boston via the harbor.
Objects on view in “Remembering the Battle of Bunker Hill” include a nineteenth-century scale model of the original 1794 monument erected by King Solomon’s Lodge of Charlestown, Massachusetts. Lodge members dedicated the monument to the memory of Revolutionary War hero and organizer Joseph Warren, who was killed in the battle. Other objects on view include two pieces of sheet music related to dedicatory events surrounding the Bunker Hill Monument, including a “Masonic Ode” composed
in 1845, as well as seeds used in the Masonic cornerstone laying ceremony for the Bunker Hill Monument in 1825.
While still a memorial to the battle, the Bunker Hill Monument also functioned and continues to do so today as a tourist attraction. A climb up its 294 steps affords visitors expansive views of Boston, Charlestown, Cambridge, Malden, Chelsea, and Lynn. Two nineteenth-century booklets, both intended for tourists visiting the monument, are also on view in the exhibition.
“Remembering the Battle of Bunker Hill” will be on view in the Van GordenWilliams Library & Archives’ reading room through October 3, 2025.
The Van Gorden-Williams Library & Archives is located in Lexington, Massachusetts, at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library and is open to the public. Have questions? Drop us a line at library@srmml.org or give us a call at 781-457-4109.
Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library
Masonic Ode, 1845. Museum Purchase, 85-126.
Guide to Views from the Top of Bunker Hill Monument, 1892. Gift of Nelson M. Hopkins, F62.3 .B9 1892.
In Search of CommonGround
Knight of St. Andrew
by Jonathan Emasie, 32° Valley of Rochester
HAUTS GRADES ACADEMY
I selected the 29th degree, Knight of St. Andrew, because its Core Value of Tolerance resonates with my experiences both within and beyond the lodge. In a world filled with conflict and division, this degree offers a model for how people of different backgrounds, faiths, and perspectives can still find common ground in their shared humanity. The lesson is conveyed not through speeches or lectures, but through human interaction, reflection, and dignified conduct, which makes its message all the more powerful and personal.
The Core Value of Tolerance is communicated in the degree through a dramatic and emotional allegory. A group of Christian knights, captured after a failed crusade, is brought before Sultan Bayazid. Though they are prisoners and former enemies, the Sultan treats them with unexpected dignity. He removes their chains and acknowledges their courage and honor. This is not a display of sympathy or weakness, but of strength and principled restraint. It demonstrates Tolerance in action, choosing respect over retaliation.
The most striking moment of the degree occurs when the knights are offered freedom on the condition that they return with their ransom in two
years or forfeit their lives. Rather than keeping them imprisoned, the Sultan accepts their promise to return. This act of trust is not a matter of shared creed, but shared character. Yet, even in this moment, the focus is not on moral alignment or agreement. The emphasis is on mutual respect, showing that Tolerance can exist even in the presence of great differences.
Tolerance is not about conversion or compromise. It is about reverence for the dignity of others.
Later, the Sultan expresses a desire to join the knights in their Order. When
initially denied, he does not react with rage. Instead, he seeks to explain his own beliefs. He speaks about the teachings of the Koran, describing virtues like compassion, kindness, and duty. The knights realize that these values mirror many of their own. Through dialogue and humility, they begin to understand that while their faiths differ, their aspirations for goodness do not. This mutual understanding reinforces the heart of the degree: Tolerance is not about conversion or compromise. It is about reverence for the dignity of others.
Tolerance begins at home, and I hope to model it every day through my words and actions.
As a Mason and as Junior Warden of my lodge, this degree has given me new insight into how I interact with others. Within the lodge, we come together from many walks of life. Political, religious, and cultural differences are inevitable. The lesson of this degree reminds me that Masonic unity is not created by ignoring these differences, but by creating space for each Brother
to be heard and respected. I strive to lead by example, promoting respectful dialogue and building harmony through compassion.
Outside of the lodge, as a husband and a father, this degree takes on even more profound meaning. We live in a time when division and outrage are often celebrated. I want to raise my children to think critically, to listen carefully, and to treat others with kindness even when they disagree. The 29th degree provides a story I can draw from to explain how strength is not always shown by force, but often by patience, restraint, and open-mindedness.
Tolerance begins at home, and I hope to model it every day through my words and actions.
This degree also encouraged me to reflect on moments in my life when I failed to extend the same grace that the Sultan showed. There were times when I dismissed others because they thought differently or challenged my assumptions. The degree helped me realize that growth requires humility and that Tolerance is something we must practice daily. It is not just a passive acceptance, but an active choice to respond with empathy when judgment is easier.
In conclusion, the 29th degree, Knight of St. Andrew, is a profound demonstration of what it means to live
To learn more about HGA and sign up for the waitlist, visit ScottishRiteNMJ.org/ hauts-grades-academy !
by the value of Tolerance. It teaches that peace is not forged through conquest, but through courage, humility, and open-hearted dialogue. The degree’s timeless message is a call to action. It urges us to build bridges instead of walls, to listen before speaking, and to see the light in others even when they walk a different path. This lesson has changed how I approach my Masonic duties, how I raise my children, and how I strive to grow as a man. For these reasons, the degree has left a lasting impression, and its teachings continue to guide my journey.
It is not just a passive acceptance, but an active choice to respond with empathy when judgment is easier.
Beyond the Quarry: Labors of Love
CorpsmanUp!
by PJ Roup, 33˚, Editor, Active for Pennsylvania
Corpsman up! It was a cry that Doc had heard countless times since he had landed in Vietnam almost six months earlier. That shout signaled to the hospital corpsmen that there was an injured Marine or soldier at the front of the line. The corpsman’s job was simple: rush to the aid of the wounded soldier and render treatment.
Ill.Donald “Doc” Ballard, 33°, was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and lived a typical life. He was a weightlifter and wrestler who dreamed of being a dentist. He had completed two years of college before enlisting in the Navy, purportedly to further his dental career. The Navy, however, had other plans for him. They told him they needed corpsmen – really the precursor to today’s paramedic – and that would be his new job in the Navy. “That was that,” Doc joked. Humor is one of Doc’s best ways of dealing with all he saw while he was there.
“I treated the people where they were,” Ballard recalled. “Battle dressed them, controlled their hemorrhage, treated them to keep them alive.” Once they were stable, he or the other Marines in the unit would drag them to the back of the line for more treatment out of the direct line of fire.
The Fateful Day
On May 16, 1968, Doc found himself at the tip of the spear, just a few miles south of the Demilitarized Zone in the province of Quang Tri. Doc had just finished loading two soldiers
suffering from heat exhaustion onto a helicopter and was returning to his platoon when he and the Marines he was traveling with found themselves in an ambush.
Corpsman up!
Doc heard the call and made his way toward the injured Marines as he had so many times before.
Ballard after joining the Navy
Ballard and his family with President Nixon at the Medal of Honor ceremony in the White House
“I had drug this one guy back in a fireman’s carry and laid him off my shoulders onto the ground,” he said. “I started treating him, and what I didn’t know was that I had laid him on top of a grenade.” The blast blew off both of the soldier’s legs, severely injured another’s face, and knocked Ballard back to the ground. “So now I’ve got two new patients.”
He was placing a tourniquet on the injured Marine’s leg when a second grenade struck his helmet. “It fell down at my knees. I looked down, and there was this damn grenade
lying there. So I grabbed it, and I flung it out of the bomb crater, and it went off in the air.”
The blast blew off both of the soldier’s legs, severely injured another’s face, and knocked Ballard back to the ground.
As he recounted the story, I got another glimpse of Doc’s humorous side. “When I tell this story in public, I like to take them for a ride. Get them to laugh, get them to cry. So I usually say that when I saw the grenade, not
being a Marine, I didn’t stick it in my pocket as a souvenir, so I decided to throw it away,” adding as an aside, “I pick on Marines sometimes because I can!” The deep bond between him and the Marines he served alongside was palpable through much of our interview.
After disposing of the second grenade, Ballard immediately went back to the business at hand. He was tightening the tourniquets on his patient when the Marines behind him began shouting. Doc! Grenade! Grenade! Ballard saw a live grenade
Ballard and his Scottish Rite class, 2019
The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
HOSPITAL CORPSMAN SECOND CLASS
DONALD EVERETT BALLARD
UNITED STATES NAVY
for service as set forth in the following
Forconspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty while serving as a HC2c with Company M, in connection with operations against enemy aggressor forces. During the afternoon hours, Company M was moving to join the remainder of the 3d Battalion in Quang Tri Province. After treating and evacuating 2 heat casualties, HC2c. Ballard was returning to his platoon from the evacuation landing zone when the company was ambushed by a North Vietnamese Army unit employing automatic weapons and mortars, and sustained numerous casualties. Observing a wounded marine, HC2c. Ballard unhesitatingly moved across the fire swept terrain to the
move the wounded marine, an enemy soldier suddenly left his concealed position and, after hurling a hand grenade which landed near the casualty, commenced firing upon the small group of men. Instantly shouting a warning to the marines, HC2c. Ballard fearlessly threw himself upon the lethal explosive device to protect his comrades from the deadly blast. When the grenade failed to detonate, he calmly arose from his dangerous position and resolutely continued his determined efforts in treating other marine casualties. HC2c. Ballard’s heroic actions and selfless concern for the welfare of his companions served to inspire all who observed him and prevented possible injury or death to
right behind him. Instinct kicked in. “I hollered, ‘Grenade,’ and I jumped on it.” Brother Ballard felt God’s presence in that moment. “I told him to get away from me because I was going to get him killed. I said that for real,” he added somberly. It was then that he heard God’s voice, “Well, you’re not too smart. Better get rid of that thing.”
“So I grabbed it, and I flung it out of the bomb crater, and it went off in the air.”
As quickly as he was able, he pulled the grenade out from under his chest and rolled onto his back. “I flung it into the air as hard as I could, as fast as I could.” The grenade exploded in the air.
Ballard’s selfless act would earn him the Medal of Honor.
“When I flung that grenade and it went off, nobody saw me do that. So my official citation (page 27) says that I got up off it, and I just calmly arose and just left it there for somebody to kick it or have it go off.”
Finding the Bright Side
Ballard doesn’t consider himself a hero. He was just doing his job, a job that he was proud of. He was shot (or hit by shrapnel) eight times during his time on the battlefield. Despite the atrocities he witnessed, both in Vietnam and upon his return home, where a fellow soldier from his flight was stabbed to death by a war protester, he still sees some benefits that came from it, noting, “The
paramedics on the street today are a result of Vietnam, the training we got.”
Ballard, in fact, eventually became a paramedic. Upon returning to the states, Ballard served in the Kansas Army National Guard, retiring as a colonel in 2000. His decorations include the Medal of Honor as well as the Purple Heart with two Gold Stars. In his civilian life, he served as a Kansas City police officer, and when the city bought their first ambulance (again, Don noted the tie to Vietnam as the origin of the modern-day paramedic service), he transferred to the fire department. “I had the corpsman attitude and wanted to be a paramedic… so I went from police to fire.” He spent thirty years there and retired as a fire captain at age 60. That’s when Brother Don found his true calling.
Caring for Veterans –A Life of Purpose
Since returning from the war, Brother Ballard has remained a staunch advocate for veterans. He continues to speak, travel, raise funds, and advocate for the welfare of our service men and women.
“I never got into it because I wanted a career,” he laughed. “I got into it to help the veterans and first responders.”
After hearing that a friend and fellow Vietnam veteran had died in the VA hospital, he and some other vets wanted to give him a proper burial, but without a next of kin, the VA was reluctant to help. Even the local funeral directors weren’t able to do much despite the fact that Doc and
Brother Ballard at the 2018 Medal of Honor Convention Memorial Service
his friends had raised the $10,000 needed for the funeral. The VA, by regulation, cremated his body before they could intervene.
He estimates that the foundation has given nearly $1,000,000 and helped hundreds of people have a dignified end to their lives.
“We’re sitting around crying in our beer about how we failed him. The conversation got around to, We need to find a funeral director to help us.” All eyes turned to Doc since he was the only one with medical training.
A short while later, at age 60, Brother Don took the first steps in his new career as a funeral director. “I never got into it because I wanted a career,” he laughed. “I got into it to help the veterans and
At the Football Hall of Fame Fun Fest 2019, Patriot Project Booth. (l to r) Brother Sherman L. Brick, MSA; Medal of Honor recipient Clinton Romesha; Brother Mike Scott; Brother Donald Ballard; Brother William Rodgers
Doc waits to be called to the stage.
Brother Ballard speaking at the Valley of Canton Veterans Recognition Night in 2021
Ballard with Senator Ted Cruz
Addressing the Perry High ROTC class
first responders.” Thus was born the Triumphant Spirit Foundation.
Doc, now a member of Blue Springs Lodge No. 337 in Blue Springs, Missouri, and the Valley of Canton, Ohio, had not yet joined the Masons, but once he joined and saw the good works the Freemasons do, he included them in his aid. “Today, we take anybody that does something good for the community and does not have a way to get an honorable, dignified funeral.”
Monies raised from the foundation take care of the funeral needs of veterans, first responders, and Masons. Doc volunteers his time and talent, even renting caskets to keep the costs to the foundation to a minimum. “I don’t make any money
in the funeral business,” he said, “because I can’t bring myself to tell the loved ones it’s $5,000. Even though everyone else is around $10,000, I still have a hard time asking for $5,000.” He estimates that the foundation has given nearly $1,000,000 and helped hundreds of people have a dignified end to their lives.
He is the selfless servant that we should all aspire to be.
Brother Ballard is rightly proud of the work he has done, and he shows no signs of stopping. He understands that navigating the death of a loved one can be overwhelming and scary. “If somebody’s got a question revolving around the death industry,
Brother Ballard with ROTC students at Perry High School in Perry Township, Ohio
Doc poses with ROTC students while visiting high schools throughout the United States
I’m here to answer questions and help,” he said. That’s not just idle talk. He means it. “They can reach me at colonel_ballard_moh@yahoo.com. I will help the best I can.”
Doc is a man who has spent his life serving others. He is the selfless servant that we should all aspire to be. Reflecting on what he continues to do, he noted, “I’m not here because I want the job, or I want the prestige, or I want the money. I get none of that. I get selfsatisfaction knowing that I’ve helped God’s children, and I helped them in their journey back home to Him.”
To donate or learn more about the Triumphant Spirit Foundation, visit TriumphantSpiritFoundation.org. !
Beyond the Quarry: Labors of Love
Do you have an interesting hobby, event, or recreational activity that you would like to share with us? If so, contact editor@srnmj.org and let us know about it. You just might find yourself featured in a coming issue.
Brother Ballard at the “Woody” Williams Gold Star monument in North Canton, Ohio with (l to r) Timothy Novelli and Medal of Honor recipients Clinton Romesha and Leroy Petry
Doc throws out the first pitch in Gainesville, Texas.
At the Blue Star Mothers memorial dedication in North Canton
Doc pays his respects at the Fallen Military monument for graduates of Perry High School.
The Living Language of
Freemasonry
by Arbab Naseebullah Kasi, 32° Valley of Harrisburg
Freemasonry A Journey Through Manner, Meaning, and Mystery
Before I ever stood at the altar, before the apron touched my waist, before I took that first step in the northeast corner, I believed I understood what it meant to be respectful, principled, and kind. I had been raised in discipline, shaped through service and leadership, and guided by a strong moral compass. But Freemasonry, and in particular, my journey through the Blue Lodge and Scottish Rite, reshaped that understanding entirely.
Itwas not a single ritual that transformed me. It was not just the degrees or the titles. It was the quiet, reflective power of The Exemplar, published by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, that truly awakened something deeper in me. I expected to find a manual of etiquette. Instead, I found a mirror. A mentor. A guide to the inner life of a Mason.
The first chapter, “Masonic Manners,” was the spark. I had imagined this section would simply tell me how to behave, how to sit, how to speak, how to navigate the formalities of lodge life. Instead, I was invited into a new awareness: Masonic manners are not about acting; they’re about becoming.
“In Freemasonry, what is not permitted is prohibited.” At first, that sentence felt rigid. But over time, I came to see it
not as a restriction, but as an invitation to sacred discipline. The lodge is not just a meeting space; it is a temple. Every silence is meaningful. Every movement carries spiritual intent. We don’t just show respect; we embody it. Masonic manners, then, is not about politeness. It’s about presence. It transforms the smallest gesture into a ritual. A glance becomes mindfulness. A bow becomes reverence. In that transformation, I saw myself anew, not as someone performing Masonic duties, but as someone being remade by Masonic ideals.
As a scholar and educator, words have always been part of my world. But chapter two of The Exemplar, “The Glossary,” revealed something I had never fully realized: in Freemasonry, words are not just explanations, they are illuminations. Take Cable Tow. Before, it was just a symbol. Now, it’s a reminder that I am bound, not by force, but by choice and conscience.
What
binds Masonic manners, Masonic words, and Masonic symbols together
is not performance, it is transformation.
Bound to the Craft. Bound to my Brothers. Bound to something higher. Or Circumscribe. Once, a simple geometric concept. Now, a spiritual instruction: Keep your passions within due bounds. Let virtue be your circle. Every Masonic word has become a personal meditation, reshaping the way I think, speak, and live. Even the phrase “So mote it be,” a line we often speak almost unconsciously, has transformed for me. It’s no longer a closing phrase. It’s a personal vow. A sacred alignment. A way of saying: “Let my will be in harmony with the Divine Plan.”
Then came “Masonic Symbols.” One evening, I was reflecting while looking at the Square and Compasses on my ring. And for the first time, I felt something strange: it wasn’t just that I was looking at the symbol, it was as if the symbol was looking back at me. That’s when I realized: symbols in Freemasonry are not ornamental. They are alive. They are silent teachers that reveal truths when we are ready to see them. The Ashlar, both rough and perfect, has perhaps spoken the loudest. The rough Ashlar reminded me of my own unshaped edges: pride, impatience, ego. But the perfect Ashlar? That became my daily aspiration. Not a symbol of perfection achieved, but of transformation pursued, one chisel stroke at a time. And then there’s the All-Seeing Eye. What once seemed distant and mystical now feels intimate and merciful. It is not the eye of judgment. It is the eye of presence. The gentle reminder: You are seen. You are known. Keep becoming.
When I first entered the Blue Lodge and received the three symbolic degrees of Freemasonry, each step marked a profound transformation. As an Entered Apprentice, I stood at the threshold of Light, introduced to a sacred language of symbols and silence. As a Fellowcraft, I began to climb the winding stair, intellectually, morally, and spiritually, toward understanding and mastery. And when I was raised as a Master Mason, I felt the weight and beauty of responsibility settle into my being. These were not just ceremonies. They were awakenings. Later, when I witnessed the 4th degree, Builder, in
Every Masonic word has become a personal meditation, reshaping the way I think, speak, and live.
I expected to find a manual of etiquette. Instead, I found a mirror. A mentor. A guide to the inner life of a Mason.
the Scottish Rite, I was struck by its call to reflection, introspection, and integrity. And when I experienced the 31st degree, My Brother’s Keeper, I understood even more deeply the seriousness of our obligations, not just to the Craft, but to one another and the world. But what connected all of these degrees, what gave them living continuity, was the moral and symbolic language I first encountered in The Exemplar. That quiet little book helped me process every degree, every ritual, and every teaching through a personal lens. Freemasonry does not ask us merely to memorize, recite, or observe. It asks us to internalize, interpret, and become.
What binds Masonic manner, Masonic words, and Masonic symbols together is not performance, it is transformation.
Freemasonry has never been about appearing to be good. It is about the daily work of becoming good. And the deeper I go through the Blue Lodge, through the Scottish Rite, through contemplation of our teachings, the more I realize this is not something we do. It is someone we become. Every lodge I enter, every ritual I witness, every word I hear, it all echoes back to that same sacred invitation: Become. Transform. Live the Light. And so, I say to my Brethren, in every Valley and every Rite: Slow down. Reflect. Let the manner of the Craft refine your presence. Let the words shape your understanding. Let the symbols form your soul. Because Freemasonry isn’t just something we practice. It’s the language we live.
Two Mothers, One Mission
In the waiting room of the Children’s Dyslexia Center of Columbus, Ohio, two teachers found themselves on parallel paths: both mothers, both watching their children struggle to read, and both carrying the weight of knowing what that struggle could mean for their futures. Sitting together week after week, Michelle Collins and Lindsey Lewis-Stacy formed a friendship shaped by shared challenges, professional insight, and ultimately, profound transformation, thanks to the Center and the Scottish Rite Masons who make its mission possible.
While their children worked through their lessons, Michelle and Lindsey remained in the waiting room, offering quiet support not just to their kids, but to each other. “Our kids were more comfortable starting out with us close by,” Lindsey shared. “My son told me, ‘Don’t leave me.’”
But over time, the fear faded, replaced by pride, growth, and confidence.
Lindsey’s son, Carter, began this journey in early elementary school when his curious, enthusiastic love of learning collapsed. “He was getting so anxious about school that he would throw up before going,” she recalled. “Then, during COVID, I noticed something. He could memorize books I read aloud, but he couldn’t read them himself.”
Her younger daughter, Olivia, had learned her letters quickly and started reading in kindergarten, but something still felt off. “She could memorize a book and read it back to you, but she
wasn’t decoding,” Lindsey said.
Both children were diagnosed with dyslexia, and after enrolling at the Children’s Dyslexia Center, their reading scores began to improve.
With the support of Center staff and dedicated Orton-Gillingham tutors, Carter went from a pre-kindergarten reading level to an on-grade level in one year and eventually surpassed it. Olivia, who started with a score of “limited” on her reading assessment, finished the year with a rating of “accelerated.”
The gains were not just academic. “Their confidence improved, their anxiety decreased,” Lindsey said. “Not just confidence in reading: in how they carry themselves, how they communicate with their peers and adults, self-advocating. Everything changed. Carter will tell you he feels like coming here saved his life.”
Michelle’s story mirrors that transformation. Her son Gunner began kindergarten during the COVID-19 shutdown and was already facing
Carter with his tutor
by Bridget Steele, Sr. Director of Charities
speech and hearing delays. “We knew something was going on,” she said. “He didn’t know his letters very well. We chalked it up to speech, but we got into first grade and had a wonderful teacher who pushed for him to get some help.”
“It’s unique when you are parents of children with special needs, and then when you’re teachers, and you’re in the same school district.”
Once he enrolled at the Center in third grade, Gunner’s progress took off. “He gained two grade levels his first year here,” she said. “Now, he’ll pick up a book and read. He advocates for himself at school. He’ll say, ‘I already know this. I want to learn more.’ For him to say that – it made everything worth it.”
And the work of the CDC didn’t just transform their children. Michelle and Lindsey’s friendship, born in the Center’s waiting room chairs, became another unexpected gift. Together, they celebrated milestones and shared frustrations. Their children grew close as well, developing a protective bond reflective of their mothers’ connection.
“It’s unique when you are parents of children with special needs, and then when you’re teachers, and you’re in the same school district, and then on top of that have an IEP. For us to have all of that in common is a very unique dynamic,” Lindsey said.
As educators, they’ve seen the ripple effect of the Center’s approach. “I
teach executive functioning skills in junior high,” Lindsey explained. “The difference between the kids who had Orton-Gillingham and those who didn’t? It’s noticeable. The ones who went through it apply those skills across all subjects.”
He’ll say, ‘I already know this. I want to learn more.’
Michelle has witnessed it too. “I have a student who was reading at a first-grade level in eighth grade. He gained four grade levels in one year,” she said. “He reads out loud. He helps others. He knows how to break down words. He has the confidence to say, ‘I need help.’ It’s amazing.”
That’s the legacy of the Children’s Dyslexia Centers and the Masons who have built and supported it for so many years. “Without the Masons, this wouldn’t exist,” Lindsey said. “Starting something new isn’t easy, especially when people don’t understand how dyslexia affects every part of life. But they believed in this.”
All three children graduated from the Center this spring. As they wrapped up their final summer session, the feeling was bittersweet. “We won’t have the drive, we won’t have the time here,” Lindsey said. “It’s like you won’t see part of your extended family anymore.”
Olivia with Center Director Blythe Wood
TWO MOTHERS, ONE MISSION continued
“This place has truly changed his life,” Michelle said of Gunner. “We have to share the wealth here with everyone, because everyone should have the opportunity to come here. But it’s also very sad, too, because this place is just special.”
“He
could memorize books I read aloud, but he couldn’t read them himself.”
One member of their families may not be gone for good. Carter is already planning his return to the Center –as an Orton-Gillingham tutor. “He wants to give back,” Lindsey said. “He sees this as a way to help other kids the way this place helped him.”
For more information on your local Center and how you can help students access essential tutoring resources, please visit: www.ChildrensDyslexiaCenters.org !
Gunner with tutor
Michelle & Lindsey
2024-2025
Please join me on congratulating this year’s Valley of Excellence winners! These Valleys have demonstrated outstanding leadership, innovation, and commitment to the principles of the Scottish Rite. This achievement reflects the hard work of the officers, the engagement of our members and the dedication to creating meaningful experiences in our Fraternity.
The Valley of Excellence program is based on four pillars: Membership, Service & Philanthropy, Leadership Development, and Operations. Within each section there are various areas of focus and achievement benchmarks where each of these Valleys have excelled. These photos capture just a few of the events that Valleys around the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction have held on the journeys to Excellence.
Our Valleys’ collective labors of love have not gone unnoticed, and we should be proud of the work that has been done that benefits our members and the Scottish Rite, NMJ.
Connecticut
New Jersey
The Valley of Akron assisted needy families.
New members from the Valley of Philadelphia pose with officers and cast members.
The Valley of Rockville Centre took a traveling group to Scotland.
Brethren and ladies enjoy the Valley of Southern New Jersey Gala.
The Valley of Boston Spring Reunion was a tremendous success.
The Valley of The Firelands hosted an educational presentation of an 1861 Louisiana Scottish Rite Entered Apprentice degree.
Sandy Karstens, Deputy for Vermont, presents 90-year-old Brother Larry Currier, 32°, with his Gold Passport.
The Valley of The Androscoggin held another successful Rite on the Road event.
Brother Keven Clouse shows off one of the Valley of Columbus’ five Valley of Excellence trophies.
Around the Jurisdiction
Valley of The Green Mountains held their annual meeting at Washington Lodge in South Burlington. WI
Arby Humphrey, Active for Wisconsin, receives a $10,000 donation to the Children’s Dyslexia Center of Upper Wisconsin from Angelica and David Larson. VT
Guests enjoy the Children’s Dyslexia Center of Upper Wisconsin’s Steppin’ Up for Dyslexia event.
The Valley of Fort Wayne welcomed 13 new Sublime Princes at their spring reunion.
ME and NH Hold Joint Reunion
The saying goes, “Nothing ever changes in Freemasonry.” The Scottish Rite Jurisdictions of Maine and New Hampshire beg to differ. For the first time in recent memory, these two states came together to celebrate a Joint Reunion. Hosted by Maine and held in the beautiful Masonic Temple in Portland, Maine, this inspiring event was attended by 48 candidates along with 200 members, and guests. The day featured a live presentation of the 23rd degree, Knight of Valor, by members of New Hampshire Consistory. This was followed by the exemplification of the new 24th degree, Brother of Tolerance, by members of Maine Consistory. The culmination of the day featured the presentation of the 32nd degree, Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret. The ceremonial portion of the degree was presented by members of Maine Consistory, with the allegory presented by members of New Hampshire Consistory. Each degree was followed by an educational discussion focused on the Core Values addressed and the deeper meanings conveyed.
CT
The day also included a fine luncheon, dinner, and award presentations. The Ladies were treated to a program featuring shopping and a museum tour. All-in-all, this innovative Reunion inspired all who attended and made for a day of enjoyment that will long be remembered. Journey On!
If you would like to have your Valley featured in Around the Jurisdiction, be sure to submit photographs and descriptions to Communications@SRNMJ.org !
Michigan’s Brothers of the Rite pose with new members in their 10th Anniversary class.
MI
The Lafayatte Consistory Colonial Degree Team poses with members and new Fellowcraft Masons at Temple Lodge No. 65.
MI
CT
The Valley of Chicago held a summer picnic at Cantigny.
IL
The Valley of Michigan Northeast Region takes in a Great Lakes Loons ball game.
IL
Freemasonry as the Third Place
“Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot.”
Those opening lines from the Cheers theme song, written by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo, are more than quaint nostalgia. They are sociological. They capture something timeless. The human need for a third place. A space that isn’t home or work. “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.”
Once, these spaces were everywhere. You could walk into a bar, a barbershop, or a diner and feel known. Not for your job or your status, but simply for being you. Over time, those places thinned out. The front porch was replaced by a privacy fence. The lunch counter became a drive-thru. The neighborhood hangout became a smartphone screen.
But one place remains: Freemasonry.
Sociologist Ray Oldenburg called these settings “third places,” informal, accessible spaces that anchor community life. They foster conversation, comfort, and connection. Barbershops, front porches, and weekly bridge nights once filled that role. Today, many have vanished. But Freemasonry still offers one.
Freemasonry is, by every essential measure, a third place. It is neutral ground. Brothers meet on the level.
Men of every background are received equally and treated with dignity. Hierarchy exists, but only to provide structure and order. In a Masonic Lodge, the Worshipful Master presides not over subordinates but over peers.
Freemasonry is accessible. Membership is not limited by wealth, profession, or creed. A man of good character must simply ask. Once inside, he finds a tradition of fraternity. He finds Brothers. Appendant bodies offer similar spaces for wives, partners, and children. This is not exclusion. It is expansion.
Critics may still see exclusion, by gender or structure, as elitism in disguise. But Freemasonry’s openness lies in shared
values. It does not lie in universal admission. It is selective only in the way that virtue always is: by requiring men to become more than they were when they entered.
Sociologist Ray Oldenburg called these settings “third places,” informal, accessible spaces that anchor community life.
Oldenburg defined third places as informal, welcoming, familiar, and rooted in conversation. Freemasonry fulfills all of these because of its traditions. It does so not in spite of them. The ritual is the familiarity. The
by Roger VanGorden, 33˚, Active for Indiana
meal is the welcome. The conversation is the connection. Unlike a bar or café, Freemasonry is not casual. It is intentional. And that purpose is its power. Freemasonry offers meaning through intentional connection.
Some may argue the formality of Masonic meetings disqualifies it as a true third place. But it’s that very structure, the ritual and shared experience, that draws men in. It doesn’t hinder connection. It deepens it. Freemasonry isn’t an escape from life. It is where men engage it with purpose. Freemasonry teaches us to become wiser, better, and consequently happier. That happiness isn’t incidental to formality. It is formed by it. One of
the missions of Freemasonry, after all, is to communicate happiness.
The meal is the welcome.
The conversation is the connection.
Some also point to gender as a limitation. Yet this misses the point entirely. Women often build community through conversational, relationshipcentered gatherings such as book clubs, PTA meetings, or fitness classes. Men, by contrast, tend to connect through shared activity and structured routine, weekly basketball games, morning gym meetups, or regular tee times at the golf course. Freemasonry meets a distinct need in how men bond, grow, and lead.
That doesn’t diminish its value. It defines its purpose.
Freemasonry is also fun. That’s easy to forget when explaining its deeper values. But it matters. The laughter at the meal, the inside jokes over cigars, the way stories from decades past still get told with a grin. These aren’t distractions from the work. They are signs the work is working as intended. Joy is not a side effect. It’s part of the structure. There’s the fun in taking an office, participating in a degree, talking in the parking lot after meetings, helping at a community pancake breakfast, riding in the town parade, or just working together on a shared project. These moments aren’t entertainment. They’re enrichment.
Freemasonry meets a distinct need in how men bond, grow, and lead.
Freemasonry does not need reinvention. It needs to be rightly understood. We need only to recognize what we already are. Freemasonry is a realized third place. Once understood in that light, its relevance becomes obvious. Then it becomes urgent.
In a world fractured by speed and noise, Freemasonry is purposely slow and steady. In a society pulled apart by screens and feeds, Freemasonry is faceto-face. It is one of the last places where men gather not to be entertained or sold to. They gather to be made better.
So maybe, in the end, a man really needs a place where everybody knows his name. And they’re always glad he came.
REMARKABLE MASONS:
Veterans and Charter Members
by Stacey Fraser, Assistant Curator Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library
Residents of Lexington, Massachusetts, established the town’s first Masonic lodge, Hiram Lodge, in 1797. Many of the lodge’s charter members were veterans of the American Revolutionary War, which began on Lexington’s town common on April 19, 1775. Read on to learn about two exceptional Masons in that group.
Jonathan Harrington (1758-1854)
BORN in Lexington in 1758, Jonathan Harrington was a fifer for the Lexington militia on April 19. Eventually, he became well known as the oldest surviving veteran of the Battle of Lexington –a living witness to a nationally important event. A charter member of Hiram Lodge, he also served as its first Secretary, a job he held for more than twenty years.
On the morning of April 19, Jonathan’s mother, Abigail Harrington, awakened him declaring, “The regulars are out and something must be done.” At sixteen, Harrington was one of the youngest members of Lexington’s militia. As fifer, he had the job of broadcasting Captain John Parker’s orders to his soldiers. After fighting in the Battle of Lexington, Harrington served guard duty in May 1775 during the Siege of Boston, helping ensure British troops did not leave the city. The following spring, he helped protect a stockpile of cannon stored in Lexington.
In September 1797, ten Lexington men who had joined Masonic lodges in other communities petitioned the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts for a lodge in their town. In December, outgoing Grand Master Paul Revere approved their request. Incoming Grand Master Josiah Bartlett signed the charter for Hiram Lodge. Harrington was chosen as the lodge’s first Secretary and served in the role for more than 20 years.
He died in 1854 at the age of 95. Harrington’s fame as the last survivor of the Battle of Lexington meant his funeral was a large and impressive affair. The service was performed by members of Hiram Lodge, as well as Grand Master George Randall. Attendees included Massachusetts Governor Emory Washburn, state officials, and more than 200 Freemasons.
William Munroe (1742-1827)
Colonel William Munroe, December 13, 1813. Ethan Allen Greenwood (1779–1856), Boston, Massachusetts. Lexington History Museums.
BORN in Lexington in 1742, William Munroe is remembered as the Sergeant in Lexington’s militia who personally guarded John Hancock and Samuel Adams as they prepared to leave town in the early morning hours of April 19. Munroe was also the first charter member and the first Worshipful Master of Hiram Lodge.
On April 19, after fighting all day with Captain Parker’s company, William Munroe returned home to find the mess left by British troops after they had taken over his tavern as an impromptu field hospital. His neighbor, John Raymond, who was keeping an eye on the tavern, was lying dead outside the house, the tenth Lexington resident killed by the troops that day. Munroe also fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill, along with 60 other soldiers from Lexington.
In 1789, President George Washington toured the United States, making a point to visit sites associated with the Revolutionary War. On November 5, he rode to Lexington and “viewed the spot on which the first blood was spilt in our dispute with Great Britain.” Washington then proceeded to Munroe Tavern where he enjoyed a meal. William Munroe and his family saved everything associated with Washington’s visit, from the chair in which he sat to the iron staple to which he tied his horse.
After its founding, Hiram Lodge met at Munroe Tavern, in the room where the application to the Grand Lodge was written and where President George Washington dined. Beginning in 1798, members met in a dedicated lodge room that Munroe had added to his tavern. Before his death in 1827, Munroe participated in significant events commemorating the American Revolution, a conflict he had been a part of from its very beginning. He took part in both General Lafayette’s 1824 visit to Lexington and the 1825 cornerstone laying for the Bunker Hill Monument.
Jonathan Harrington, ca. 1853. Lexington History Museums.
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