Washington D.C.'s Prince Hall Masonic Temple Retains Tax Status

(Google)

by Christopher Hodapp

With so many stories of Masons losing their century-old, architectural and historically significant temple buildings all over the country, it's gratifying to be able to report actually keeping one. The Prince Hall Masons of Washington D.C. have prevailed in retaining tax-exempt status for their historic building on U Street in the nation's capital. 

The Prince Hall Masonic Temple, located at 10th and U Street in D.C., is a historic spot with deep social and cultural roots in the city’s black community. Headquarters of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge F&AM, Prince Hall Affiliated, District of Columbia,  this building isn’t just bricks and mortar – it’s a symbol of black business, culture, and social life, dating back to when U Street was known as the “Black Broadway.” Designed by African-American architect Albert Cassell and built between 1922 and 1930 by DC's Prince Hall Masons, the building has served as a restaurant, bowling alley, ballroom, and office space for black-owned businesses. It’s been a hub for social events and community gatherings for generations. Over the years, the area has changed a lot, with gentrification pushing out many longtime residents and businesses, replacing them with new arrivals, but the temple has remained a key landmark.

The D.C. Prince Hall Masons recently faced a huge challenge: keeping ownership of their building and maintaining its tax-exempt status after they made was a seemingly innocuous change: they changed the name of their charity arm, and that meant they had to reapply for the tax exemption. It wasn’t automatic. (The new name is a mouthful: the Prince Hall Free & Accepted Mason and the Order of the Eastern Star Charitable Educational Foundation, or PHFAMOESCEF for short. Really.)

In most states and municipalities, Masonic halls are exempt from paying property taxes because of the long history of charitable works and civic engagement Masons have been known for. Taxing authorities often treat them like churches in that respect. They believe that the Masons contribute far more to their communities than any property taxes on their aging buildings ever could. But note I said MOST states and municipalities – not all. The fortunes and misfortunes of downtown areas have waxed, waned, and waxed again over the last century or more, and many Masonic temples built during the City Beautiful Movement between the 1890s and the 1930s were often erected right downtown or in the earliest suburbs of their era. When those neighborhoods fall on hard times, property taxes go down; but when things get prosperous again, property taxes go up.

According top an article on the Black Enterprise website ("Prince Hall Freemasons Retain Historic Site") when the foundation changed its name in 2022, the tax exemption didn’t just follow it. Marquis McCants, the president and CEO, explained that they had to go through a stack of paperwork and get help from D.C. Council member Brianne Nadeau to reapply for the exemption. They put in the application in 2024 and had to reintroduce it again in 2025. Fortunately, the D.C. Council approved the legislation without controversy, and the temple got to keep its tax-exempt status. This means the foundation can continue to own and operate the building without the financial burden of property taxes. 

(Note to Masonic Temple trustees everywhere: Freemasonry and Masonic lodges are considered exempt from paying federal income tax on revenues as 501(c)10 organizations, but contributions to the lodges cannot be deducted as expenses when calculating your tax liabilities. However, you CAN create a 501(c)3 tax exempt foundation or corporation for the non-fraternal parts of your temple as long as you offer up its use to the general public. That means you can issue tax deductions to those who contribute to the upkeep or improvements of the building's interior and exterior, or infrastructure like plumbing or heating systems, as long as those donations are NOT used for the lodge room itself. Your lodge can't be a 501(c)3, but your building can. Bear in mind – I'm NOT a tax attorney. Consult your accountant before attempting to take my advice on tax issues.)

Prince Hall Freemasonry started in the 1770s when Prince Hall, a free black man in Boston, formed the first Masonic lodge for African Americans after the degrees were conferred upon him and 14 others by the Master of a British traveling military lodge. The Premiere Grand Lodge of England granted a charter to Hall's African Lodge in 1787 after white Massachusetts Masons snubbed them. From that beginning, so-called African Masonry for black men spread into the northeastern states.

In 1818, a group of free black men petitioned the African Grand Lodge of North America in Philadelphia for a warrant to organize African Masonry in the District of Columbia. Social Lodge No. 7 was chartered in the District in 1825 and was made up, at first, of black men who had joined African lodges in Pennsylvania and England. By 1848, the three black lodges in the city formed the Union Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, and Social Lodge became No. 1. As part of a national movement among Prince Hall-descended grand lodges to standardize their pedigree, they changed their name in 1948 to the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge F&AM, Prince Hall Affiliated, District of Columbia.

The neo-classical temple on U Street was built thanks to the generosity of Jesse Mitchell, founder of the Industrial Bank of Washington, and Albert Cassell, a local black architect. Over the years, the temple has had some famous members, including former D.C. mayors Marion Barry, Walter E. Washington, Vincent C. Gray, and Anthony Williams. The temple is home to the offices of the grand lodge and the Eastern Star. It contains lodge rooms, and additional facilities to host Grand Lodge sessions and banquets. There are also office rental spaces, and until recently, a CVS Pharmacy was located on the ground floor. At one time there was even a bowling alley in the basement. 

Next to the temple is a plaza featuring the African American Civil War Memorial, dedicated to the 'colored' soldiers who fought to save the Union during the Civil War. A nearby museum contains exhibits about the role of black soldiers during the war.

Mississippi Blues: The Story So Far

By Christopher Hodapp

Despite what many regular readers might think, I really hate reporting on internal Grand Lodge fights. I REALLY don't like doing it. And I notoriously wind up getting the story in bits and pieces which makes if difficult to be factual and unbiased. 

With that disclaimer in mind, I need to try and address the current mess going on in the Grand Lodge of Mississippi F&AM. So, here goes... 

Over the last few weeks, a story has been bubbling out of Mississippi that’s been tough to piece together. The whole situation has become a tangled web of internal disputes, legal challenges, and procedural wrangling, with various factions all trying to assert authority and protect their interests and reputations. 

The story starts way back in 1966, when the Mississippi Demolay Foundation was set up by Master Masons to support youth activities and manage charitable funds. In 1985, the Mississippi DeMolay Foundation was renamed the Mississippi Masonic Youth Foundation, Inc. as an independent Masonic-related organization operating within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Mississippi. That word 'independent' would eventually turn out to be wide-open to interpretation. 

Things went along fine for another fifteen years or so. But then, between 2000 and 2016, not a single meeting of the foundation would take place. In 2017, the foundation was resurrected, new officers were elected, and it began functioning again. 

Fast forward to 2024, when the foundation’s president passed away, leading to new leadership. Around this time, tensions started brewing between the foundation’s board and the Grand Lodge’s strategic planning committee. That committee, led by Chairman Terry McLeod and then-Grand Master Jerry L. Lewis, wanted the foundation to shut down and hand over its funds, claiming the Grand Lodge had authority over it. The foundation’s board pushed back, arguing that the Grand Lodge didn’t actually control their funds or governance. 

(Shades of what happened in the District of Columbia MESH charities a couple of years ago. From what I can tell, there were no allegations of impropriety – it's strictly about who controls it: the Grand Lodge, or the foundation's officers.)

This disagreement spilled over into various meetings and communications. In March 2025, during a DeMolay Legion of Honor meeting, Terry McLeod successfully moved to strip former foundation board members of their honors. Then, at the Annual Grand Communication, McLeod got up and gave a lengthy report accusing the foundation’s board of withholding funds and being subversive. The report caused confusion and controversy among members, with some calling for clarification. 

Eventually, Past Grand Master Butch Britt moved to strike the report from the official proceedings, and the motion passed. But the words and accusations hung in the air like a great hanging thing. New Grand Lodge officers were elected, and the session continued. But the fallout from McLeod’s comments led Polar Star Lodge #154 to file charges of Un-Masonic Conduct against McLeod, the strategic planning committee, and other senior members for allowing the report to be presented in such a manner in the first place. These charges were sent to the new Grand Master, Billy Wayne Bunch, who recused himself from the trial and handed authority to Deputy Grand Master Melton V. Broome. 

DGM Broome announced a Grand Lodge Trial, but the process was murky since the Masonic laws didn’t spell out how such a trial should be run. He decided each subordinate lodge would get one voting representative. This decision, along with other actions, sparked further opposition: fourteen Past Grand Masters submitted a resolution criticizing Bunch’s authority, the trial procedures, and the handling of charges. They called for the rights of all members to be respected, and even suggested impeachment proceedings against GM Bunch.

Bunch responded with an official communication, defending his actions and criticizing the Past Grand Masters’ resolution. He ordered the Grand Secretary to refund costs related to the resolution’s distribution and remove it from the online system. He insisted he was acting in the best interests of the Craft, and wouldn’t be swayed by hidden agendas.

As the Grand Lodge trial date approached, a continuance was granted to allow more time for review. The Law and Jurisprudence Committee was asked to throw in their two cents on the matter, and their report outlined how a Grand Lodge Trial should be conducted, including the makeup of the trial commission, procedures, and rights of the accused. Bunch issued an edict to enforce these procedures, but the Past Grand Masters pushed back again, arguing the edict was illegal and denied members their voting rights.

Eventually, enough subordinate lodges and Past Masters supported a call for a Special Meeting of Members to address the issues, including the charges and possible impeachment. On October 10, 2025, an official notice signed by Deputy Grand Master Melton Broome was sent to all Mississippi lodges that the Trial Commission would convene on November 5, 2025, at Joppa Shrine Temple in Biloxi. On October 14, Grand Master Bunch issued his own official communication to the lodges reiterating that the Grand Lodge Trial Commission would indeed proceed on November 5th. Copies of these notices began to appear on social media platforms as Mississippi Masons attempted to make sense of the whole mess, and pro and con opinions mounted.

Suddenly, the Shriners got nervous that they were being sucked into this whole whirlwind, if only by association. The Biloxi Shrine Temple Divan made it clear they wanted no part in the controversy, and the national Shriners leadership advised them to steer clear of the whole mess. This, too, made the rounds of Facetwit and Xwitter.

Meanwhile, legal action was filed in civil court by McLeod, Lewis, Vining, Jones and McMahon, seeking a restraining order against the Grand Lodge’s actions. Dragging grand lodge disputes into civil courts is usually a horrible development, but this had an almost immediate effect: after the court filing got widely circulated on social media, the scheduled trial was abruptly canceled.

That brings us up to the present. As of right now, the Grand Lodge still embroiled in these issues, waiting for the next chapter to unfold. I'm afraid everyone involved should take a line out of the Grand Lodge of Mississippi's own social media policy to heart: "We should seek Brother to Brother intervention." Their Grand Lodge slogan is "Cemented With Love." Unfortunately, it appears they are now hip deep in a quagmire made of ever-hardening cement as the days pass.

GL of West Virginia Achieves Joint Recognition With Prince Hall GL of Tennessee: Then There Were Three...

by Christopher Hodapp

The MW Grand Lodge of AF&AM of West Virginia has extended recognition to the MW Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Tennessee. Yes, that's correct. Tennessee, not West Virginia.

My understanding is that they had originally reached out to the MW Prince Hall Grand Lodge of West Virginia, who turned down their request.

According to a letter dated October 23rd (click image to enlarge), West Virginia's Grand Master Steven C. Moss informed the Prince Hall Masons in nearby Tennessee that his members voted favorably at their annual communication on October 14th. The letter to MW L. Lamont Banks, Grand Master of the MWPHGL of Tennessee, is currently in circulation on social media.

This situation is similar to what happened in Louisiana in 2022. The Grand Lodge of Louisiana exchanged reciprocal recognition with the MW Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Maryland, in no small part due to serious problems within the MWPHGL of Louisiana and its Grand Master Ralph Slaughter. The general feeling within the mainstream Louisiana grand lodge at that time was favorable to recognizing Prince Hall Masons as regular, but not Louisiana's. The MWPHGL of Louisiana was tossed out of the Conference of Grand Masters - Prince Hall Affiliated in 2024 for engaging in irregular practices and policies. Presumably, whenever they solve their internal problems, joint recognition there will be passed.

Hopefully, the Prince Hall Masons of West Virginia will find a way to solve their objections with the Grand Lodge AF&AM of West Virginia sooner than later.

So, technically, there are now just three remaining so-called 'mainstream' U.S. grand lodges that have not yet voted favorably on Prince Hall recognition: Arkansas, Mississippi, and South Carolina. After all, it's ONLY been 36 years since Connecticut passed the first joint recognition with their Prince Hall counterparts. 

These things take time, you know...

He's Back – Pike Statue Restored in Washington DC

Photo: Fox News

by Christopher Hodapp - (Revised 10/30/2025, 2:00AM)

The bronze statue of Scottish Rite sage Albert Pike has been restored by the National Parks Service and put back in place in Judiciary Square in Washington, D.C. after being defaced and toppled during George Floyd-related protests in 2020. The restoration was carried out by the NPS under President Trump's executive orders on "Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful" and "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History."

In a statement, the NPS said, "The restoration aligns with federal responsibilities under historic-preservation law and recent executive orders to beautify the nation’s capital and restore pre-existing statues."

Pike was originally placed in this general vicinity across the street from the original Supreme Council headquarters of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite - Southern Jurisdiction in 1901. He lived in the building for many years and the statue was erected to honor his scholarship and long leadership within the fraternity of Freemasonry.

Pike's statue was considered controversial by some because he was compelled by Southern leaders to serve for just five months in the Confederate Army when he lived in Arkansas. But despite press accounts and inflammatory rhetoric to the contrary, this was never a 'confederate statue.' It celebrated his lifetime of accomplishments, prominently highlighting his scholarship in the Scottish Rite. The only reference to his military record appears in the list of his achievements: 'author, poet, scholar, soldier, jurist, orator, philanthropist and philosopher.' And calling him a soldier arguably covers his time in the 1840s spent fighting for the United States in the Mexican American War far more than his time in the Confederate Army. The sculpture does not depict him in a military uniform, nor is he seen even wearing a sword. Instead, he holds in his hand a copy of his masterwork, Morals and Dogma, a vast volume of philosophy, religious ideas, and Masonic idealism.

In previous times, statues were erected to people we called heroes because they were considered role models who accomplished great things, in spite of their flaws. Men like Albert Pike were unique, and he was certainly far greater than the brief episode at the Battle of Pea Ridge, a job he neither sought nor really wanted. And after Pike's Indian troops scalped their Union soldier captives in violation of his orders, he resigned his commission in disgust and went back to practicing law. As for allegations that he was involved in the creation of the post-Civil War Ku Klux Klan, such charges have never been proved by any evidence. Anyone who believes he wrote the KKK's original ceremonial rituals needs to compare them to Pike's actual rituals he created for the Scottish Rite. There is no similarity whatsoever in style or vocabulary.

When H. B. F. McFarland, President of the District Commission, accepted the Pike memorial from the Scottish Rite on behalf of the American people at the 1901 dedication, he addressed Pike's stint in the Confederate Army, saying:

"Although Albert Pike was a soldier in the Civil War, this statue will commemorate him rather as a victor in the honorable rivalries of peace. It is well that you thus add to the comparatively small number of statues in the city of Washington that honor the victories of peace rather than of war."

Australian Masonic Temple Destroyed in Arson Attack

by Christopher Hodapp

Two suspected arsonists were arrested after an historic Australian Masonic temple was severely damaged by fire early Wednesday in New South Wales. The temple was home to Northern Rivers Lodge 77. According to several reports, the 1920's-era brick lodge building itself was severely damaged after the roof caught fire and collapsed. The interior is likely gutted, but the facade is still standing.

The two suspects appeared in court on Thursday. Christopher Andrew Mayne (age 32, from Nimbin) and Cameron Robert Surtees (age 36, from Lismore) were released on bail.

From ABCNews Australia:

Richmond Police District crime manager, Detective Inspector Grant Erickson, said the fire was being treated as arson.

"We have a 36-year-old male from Nimbin and a 32-year-old male from Nimbin ... [who] were arrested at the Lismore Central shopping centre at 11am," he said.

"At this stage it's too early for me to say what the cause and origin of that fire is, but we are definitely treating it as suspicious."

Detective Inspector Erickson said the damage done to the building was "catastrophic".

"It's a beautiful building. It's a landmark in Lismore," he said.

The blaze broke out around 4am in the Magellan Street building, which sits across the road from Lismore's library.

It has been the home of Freemasons in the region for almost 100 years.

The Worshipful Master of Northern Rivers Lodge No. 77, Allan Ridgewell, said Freemasons had been gathering in Lismore since the mid-1800s and had built the lodge in the 1920s to 1930s.

"We've done so much for Lismore over the years; it's just so sad to see it happen," he said.

A wooden building that housed as dance studio and a theatre group behind the temple was completely destroyed by the fire, according to NSW Fire and Rescue acting duty commander Fraser Hindry. 

Photo: Nathan Kelly

The Lismore Masonic Temple before the fire

"[The fire spread] to the roof of the main building, which is a masonry building, and unfortunately the roof collapsed," [Hindry] said.

"The contents of the lodge are pretty well damaged."

Mr Hindry said there was no-one in the building at the time of the fire and there had been no reports of injuries.

While the ornate facade of the building is still standing, the back of the building and another structure behind the main hall have been destroyed.

From a 2011 photo of the lodge room. The lodge was largely submerged
under the flooding in 2022.

The lodge had already suffered a terrible loss just a few years ago. The town of Lismore was devastated in 2022 by a major flood that destroyed most of the lodges's original furniture, records, and more. Four days of torrential rains caused the Northern Rivers to rise almost 40 feet, flooding the town and displacing 31,000 residents. 

The town of Lismore was submerged under almost 40 feet of water in 2022.

Local donations from other lodges and the community were instrumental in restoring the building enough for the Masons to move back in recently. The future of the lodge is now unclear.

Suspects Surtees and Mayne have been charged with 'aggravated break and enter' and 'committing a serious indictable offense.' They have not yet pleaded, and both were granted bail with 'certain conditions.' They are due to reappear in Lismore Local Court on November 26th. According to the Daily Telegraph, Surtees is reportedly under a Community Treatment Order (CTO), indicating he is considered mentally ill under law. He is said to be overdue for a required medication and in urgent need of treatment.

When Magistrate Janet Wahlquist released Surtees and Mayne on bail Thursday, she did so, in spite of saying she was "concerned" about Surtees' mental health. But she DID stipulate as part of his bail restrictions that he must stay away from lighters and matches, and stay away from the Masonic lodge - that he had already burned down.

Really. I couldn't possibly make that up.

Belgian Masonic Lodge Responds To Vandalism By Opening Its Doors To The Public

by Christopher Hodapp

Note: I spotted this story back in April on the 450.fm website (La loge "La Flandre" à Bruges Louvre set ports au public"). Unfortunately, I neglected to post it then. So forgive the tardiness. Thanks to Brother MD for the photo of the lodge room itself.

Founded in 1881, La Flandre Loge (Flanders Lodge) is the oldest Masonic lodge located in the city of Bruges in the West Flanders region of Belgium. Bruges is a city nicknamed the "Venice of the North" for its canals and medieval heritage, and many of the city's oldest streets are paved with cobblestones. While the lodge was meeting back in January, a vandal picked up one of those cobblestones from the street and hurled it through the front window of the Masonic hall. 

In response, the lodge opened its doors to the public for the first time and showed off its unique interior spaces during the city's 'Heritage Days' celebration to hopefully demonstrate to the community that Freemasonry isn't bizarre, spooky, or a threat to anyone. 

And in a public event, the Masons formally returned the cobblestone to the city. 

Built in 1910, La Flandre's temple contains a large meeting room, a bar, a dining room and the lodge room itself. Egyptomania was in full swing throughout the Western world at the time of its design, and the building is filled with Egyptian-themed artwork and architecture. It is truly a magnificent building with one of the most beautiful lodge rooms anywhere. (Photo at top of the article.)

Photos: Koen Theuns

Lodges throughout Europe don't generally welcome the community into their buildings and openly discuss the fraternity. The public outreach approach that is so widespread in the U.S. and the U.K. is extremely unusual for European Freemasonry, where anti-Masonic sentiment has been an everyday fact of life ever since the French Revolution. And after the persecution of Freemasons in the Nazi-occupied countries during World War II, in the post-war Soviet bloc, and in Franco's Spain, European Masons have been understandably reticent to reveal their membership or in any way advertise their existence to the public. Many European grand lodges have museums that are open to the public (and Belgium has several), but that's a long way away from 'Here's our lodge and here we are!'

According to an article on the 450.fm website (La loge "La Flandre" à Bruges Louvre set ports au public"), La Flandre Lodge has about 90 members. I believe that it is chartered by the Grand Orient de Belgique (Grand Orient of Belgium - GOB), the oldest obedience in the country, which is similar to the Grand Orient de France in that it does not require a belief in a Supreme Being and doesn't forbid the discussion of social and political topics in the open lodge. However, Belgium has other major obediences, such as the La Grande Loge de Belgique (Grand Lodge of Belgium - GLB), La Grand Loge Régulaire de Belgique (Regular Grand Lodge of Belgium - GLRB), and the Grand Female Lodge of Belgium (GLFB), founded in 1981. The overwhelming majority of regular, recognized, male-only Masonic grand lodges around the world are in amity with the GLRB.

Local Lodge Hosts Smithsonian Pop-Up Exhibit

Masonic halls contain unique spaces, and we all have countless opportunities to host community activities and be welcoming to our neighbors. In many cases, lodges in smaller towns may have better opportunities to be seen by their surrounding communities than their big city counterparts by virtue of their locations in town squares. And smaller towns are arguably simpler to promote special events in because of local papers and word of mouth.

But no matter where your lodge is located, we can welcome the public in by providing unique and interesting programming that isn't necessarily Masonic-related.

For instance, a small local lodge in Missouri has teamed up with the Smithsonian Institution to host a traveling exhibit, through October 26th. From the KTVO-TV website:

The Memphis Masonic Lodge is hosting the Smithsonian pop-up exhibit "Voices and Votes: Democracy in America" until October 26th. The free exhibit explores the founding of America, the Revolutionary War, and the evolution of citizens' rights and responsibilities. It also features local history, including the Honey War, the 1980 farm protest, and the petition to create the Scotland County Hospital. 

[snip] 

 

In addition to the exhibit, the library is hosting a scavenger hunt featuring historical sites across the county. The Historical Society and Community Players will also host an "Evening at the Museum," where characters come to life to discuss local history. 

Memphis is one of six locations in the state to host the exhibit.

The Memphis Masonic Hall is located at 110 S Market Street in Memphis, MO. 

Try thinking outside of the list of usual suspects when it comes to inspiration, and this Smithsonian program is a great example. For information about the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), visit their website at https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/factsheets/smithsonian-institution-traveling-exhibition-service . Another possibility is the National Archives. 

Contact your state library or museum, or local or county historical societies. In almost every state across America, Freemasonry pre-dated statehood. They may jump at the chance to work with your lodge or grand lodge in developing a permanent exhibit about the role of early Masons in your state's history. Or they may offer traveling exhibits your lodge can display. The next year will be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to celebrate a historic national milestone: the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

Lodge rooms, social halls, dining rooms and, in larger temples, auditoriums can be utilized for gallery spaces, health fairs, job fairs, swap meets, family fun fairs, plays, political debates, polling places, and more. Halloween is this month, and several lodges are hosting family-oriented 'haunted lodge' events. Our parking lots can host barbecue cookouts and other food festivals, antique car shows, garage sales, regular bloodmobile drives, or charity road rallies. Most lodge halls have big kitchens, and many are commercial grade: perfect for organizing Thanksgiving dinner delivery services for seniors and shut-ins. 

All lodges should strive to be hotbeds of activities – a lodge that looks abandoned hasn't got a chance of attracting new members, and certainly not new members who are local business and community leaders.

Reward Offered in Failed Arson Attempt at Ohio Lodge

Photo: Mason Lodge 678 in Mason, Ohio

by Christopher Hodapp

A Masonic temple in a Cincinnati, Ohio suburb escaped what might have been a serious arson fire last month when an incendiary device that was thrown through a window failed to ignite. But police and federal authorities are taking the unsuccessful attack dead seriously, and now the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect.

Photo:ATF

Shortly after lodge members left Mason Lodge 678 in Mason, Ohio on the night of September 25th, an unknown person was recorded on surveillance cameras approaching the single-story building. The person smashed open the lodge's kitchen window and hurled a glass bottle filled with flammable liquid through the broken glass. The improvised firebomb had a wad of matches attached to the top that failed to ignite the fluid, landing harmlessly on the floor, where it was found the next day.

Photo: Fox 19

Local police and the ATF are investigating the failed attack as a probable hate crime. From the WLWT-9 website:

"Because it was an considered to be an incendiary device, that was considered a weapon of mass destruction, and because we are a Masonic Lodge, it was declared a hate crime," Rob Fite with Mason Temple Lodge 678 said.

Fite says the Masonic Temple is a fraternal organization that is built on service and community. He said he hopes investigators can find whoever is responsible for the attack.

The bureau says that it is a federal crime to maliciously damage or destroy, or attempt to damage or destroy, with a fire or explosive, carrying a minimum sentence of 5 to 20 years in prison.

Anyone with information about the possible suspect is asked to contact the ATF at 1-888-283-8477 or by using their website. Those with information can also contact the Mason, Ohio Police Department at 513-229-8560.

Grand Lodge of Texas 1945 Mural Created...At Last

Image: Sean Starr

by Christopher L. Hodapp

UPDATE: THIS STORY WAS UPDATED 10/2/2025 WITH A NEW COMPOSITE IMAGE PROVIDED BY THE ARTIST.

When the Grand Lodge of Texas built their magnificent art deco/Egyptian-revival grand lodge building in Waco in the 1940s, a mural was designed originally to be installed behind the auditorium's Grand East. It was never completed, for reasons lost in the mists of time. Cheapness, laziness, changes in taste, or never getting around to it. The point is, it was never put in place.

According to PGM and Grand Secretary Brad Billings, it was included in the building committee meeting talks up until 1945. An architectural model was created when the building was proposed by architect Raoul Jossett, and it was built almost exactly as the model specified. But the mural itself was never installed. A look at the immense size of the auditorium stage gives you some idea of just how huge this would have been.

"Speculation is cost or they likely couldn't find a local artist to make that size painting," says Brad.

Fast forward to this past year.

An artistic Texas Brother named Sean Starr got hold of the original proposed artwork and has painted a scaled-down version for the Grand Secretary's office in three 5-foot by 5-foot panels. (Composite image above provided by the artist.)

It appears to depict Hiram Abiff (or perhaps King Solomon?) flanked by art deco depictions of the Holy Sts John, combined with the circle and parallel lines of our symbolism.

GS Billings says the mural will be projected behind the Grand East at the next annual communication of Grand Lodge. He adds, "We plan to make prints to help offset the cost of the artist to make it! I’m happy to answer any questions or give a quote. Such a cool thing to be a part of!"

Britain's Council For Freemasonry Responds To Yesterday's Spectator Editorial

by Christopher L. Hodapp

Great Britain's Council For Freemasonry has responded to yesterday's idiotic editorial in The Spectator, “There’s something vulgar about Freemasons” by Irish 'journalist' Melanie McDonagh.

It reads, in part:

As Freemasons, we have become accustomed to inaccurate and unfair representations of our organisation and members – but this article, sadly, reaches a new and deliberate low.

Particularly surprising was the distasteful focus on Freemasons’ Hall, a war memorial built in 1933 to remember the thousands of Freemasons that so valiantly made the Ultimate Sacrifice for this country in the First World War. This memorial, funded by Freemasons themselves, stands as a reminder of those brave men – with the Art Deco splendour a fitting tribute to their memory. In her article, Ms McDonagh chooses to describe these trappings as “vulgar”. It should be clear, that we will never apologise for the reverence with which we remember them, or for the unique and historic relationship that we enjoy with the Armed Forces.

Sadly, the article also lists several further inaccuracies. According to Ms McDonagh, Catholics aren’t allowed to be Freemasons. This is, of course, a complete falsehood. We are proud to be an organisation with people from all faiths, including Catholics. In fact, Freemasonry remains one of the very few institutions that celebrates this diversity so fervently, as a cornerstone of who we are. It is common to find Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, and all faiths, sat together in a Freemasons’ Lodge – enjoying each other’s company. This is something that should be celebrated and inaccurate representations such as the one featured in this article, do nothing but encourage unnecessary disharmony and upset.

The rules of Freemasonry are perfectly clear – it is strictly forbidden for any Freemason to have any kind of financial or professional gain from their membership. Such an occurrence would likely see that individual face disciplinary proceedings and expulsion.

The charitable work to which Ms McDonagh alludes, for the awareness of the readers of The Spectator, is indeed tireless, and equated to £26.3 million in 2023/24. Our engagement in our communities is not just restricted to financial support. We have calculated that Freemasons conduct over 18 million hours of volunteering a year. This was particularly prevalent during the pandemic, where Freemasons were key to the national effort by acting as marshals at vaccination centres, as well as in assisting the elderly through the delivery of key provisions.

Our members are actively encouraged to talk openly about their membership of Freemasonry and to talk with pride about it, whilst raising awareness of what we do. To be clear, we are not supportive of mandatory disclosure of membership of ourselves or any other unjustifiable restrictions on our members' right to privacy and to freedom of association. 

Despite the misrepresentations of our organisation and members, Freemasonry, as it has done for the last 300 years, will continue to provide a space for men and women to enjoy the camaraderie, tradition, and togetherness that it offers. Freemasonry continues to evolve, but its guiding principles of integrity, friendship, and service remain unchanged.

The Council for Freemasonry is a cooperative association made up representatives of the United Grand Lodge of England, The Order of Women Freemasons, The Grand Lodge of Scotland, and The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons. The Council was formed in 2024, in part, to respond publicly whenever the fraternity of Freemasonry is given a black eye in the media or is discriminated against by government bodies.

In a press release at that time, the Council described itself:

Even in 2024 Freemasonry continues to face various unfounded criticisms and inaccurate misconceptions, often stemming from deep-rooted prejudices, or preconceived falsehoods. Contrary to the erroneous claim that Freemasonry is exclusively male, women’s Freemasonry has been an integral part of Freemasonry in the UK for over a century. While Freemasonry is practised in single-sex Lodges, this is no different from many other activities, including most sports as well as many other community groups.

The establishment of the Council for Freemasonry will formally establish an overarching forum for collaboration. In addition, the Council will bring together the community service ambitions of all three bodies, coordinate communication and engagement with other organisations, drive the membership growth ambitions, particularly for women Freemasons, and allocate resources and facilities for the general benefit of both male and female Freemasonry.

The Council will include the heads of each Grand Lodge, and each Grand Lodge will provide the President for a twelve-month period, chairing Council meetings in strict rotation. The President for the first two years will come from the OWF and HFAF, with UGLE covering the third year. 

The formation of the Council for Freemasonry in England and Wales marks a pivotal step towards enhancing cooperation, addressing misconceptions, and promoting the values of Freemasonry. This historic initiative reaffirms Freemasonry’s commitment to integrity, friendship, respect and service, while keeping community service and charitable giving at the absolute forefront of this historic organisation.

Since then, the Grand Lodge of Scotland has also joined the Council. 

With yesterday's development concerning yet another attempt to force police officers in London's Metropolitan Police to declare their private Masonic membership, it's clear the Council's reason for existing continues to be important, I'm sad to say.

Scotland Yard Is Hunting Masons Under The Bed... Again

by Christopher L. Hodapp

THIS STORY HAS BEEN REVISED TO SHOW THAT THE METROPOLITAN POLICE, AND NOT THE POLICE FEDERATION, IS RECOMMENDING THE MASONIC MEMBERSHIP DISCLOSURE POLICY. MY APOLOGIES FOR THE MIXUP.

As a kid, I always hated reruns. Turns out that I still don't like them as an adult.

London's Metropolitan Police (MET) have once again resurrected the snaggletoothed notion that all law enforcement officers be forced to officially declare their membership in the Freemasons. The hazy allegation is that Masonic police officers in the Metropolitan Police (MET) might possibly be engaging in favoritism, underhanded conduct, or downright criminal acts that all get swept under the carpet by fellow Brethren who hold their Masonic obligations higher than proper police conduct. Their reasoning is that, even though there's no proof of any such thing, some people and some officers MIGHT THINK there's something dodgy going on.

Scotland Yard is meeting with the Met's Police Federation and the United Grand Lodge of England, who are both protesting the rule.

According to an article in the BBC:

The Met does not currently record how many officers are Masons, and has never banned them from joining, but said concerns had been raised by officers and staff about the impact that membership of such a group could be having on "investigations, promotions and misconduct".

Existing examples of declarable associations include people with criminal convictions, those dismissed from policing, and lawful professions such as private investigation or journalism.

Officers and staff already have to declare any association with an individual or group that might compromise their integrity or damage the reputation of the force.

The move was recommended by the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel report, which looked at the force's handling of the unsolved murder of private detective Daniel Morgan.

The 37-year-old father of two was killed with an axe in the car park of the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham, south-east London, in 1987.

A string of inquiries over the decades unearthed allegations of corruption.

The 2021 report said police officers' membership of the Freemasons had been "a source of recurring suspicion and mistrust in the investigations".

Right. An investigation of an event from 39 years ago, from which an unknown number of those involved have died of old age.

This moth-eaten nonsense really dates back to 1984 in the wake of Stephen Knight's baseless, witless book of anti-Masonic fantasies, The Brotherhood: The Secret World of the Freemasons, in which he set forth his addled belief in a vast, secret network of secret Freemasons secretly secreted within police forces, courtrooms, law firms, and the prison system who secretly conspire to secretly commit crimes, hide their own transgressions, pardon criminals, and promote each other by giving each other secret signs, dodgy handshakes, and hopping about with rolled up trouser legs.

Or something like that. 

(And no, I'm not linking to it - go find it on your own, if you must, but buy a used copy so his heirs don't receive any royalties.)

Knight's absurd waste of pulp set in motion conspiracy theories alleging everything from a Masonic Jack the Ripper (as dramatized in the movies Murder By Decree and From Hell), to the sinking of the Titanic. There was an alleged police cover-up regarding a 1989 football stadium riot in Hillsborough (it took 27 years of investigating Hillsborough before several commissions finally gave up on finding ANY Masonic connection to the stampede and death of 96 people). There have also been countless unfounded claims over the decades that Masons have only promoted Brother Masons within the ranks of police departments all over the country. Time after time it's found simply that these cases are brought by disgruntled employees over being passed over for advancement. But more than four decades have gone by as these conspiracy theories have been marinated into the public consciousness by whole platoons of the press who keep floating these rumors, regardless of the facts.

Between 1997 and 2009, then-Home Secretary Jack Straw and his commission in the Home Office enacted a national law forcing cops and members of the judiciary to declare their membership in no other group besides the Freemasons, and wasted a fat wad of the taxpayer's cash and twelve years to arrive at the same conclusion across the whole country - there was no there there. No evidence of Masonic influences in police departments. Period. The law was only eliminated in the wake of a successful 2009 suit brought in the European Court of Human Rights by Italian Masons fighting a similar regulation. UGLE threatened a similar suit and the Home Office finally scrapped its registration requirement of Masons in police departments and the judiciary in 2010.

Again in 2016, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, reluctantly squashed a requirement that the city's Met officers had to publicly declare their Masonic membership, pointing out that such a register would be illegal. But I suppose since the Brexit vote occurred, the government has now decided they no longer have to follow the European Court of Human Rights rulings.

See, if only England could ditch those pesky protections of privacy and pass laws to specifically persecute people like Masonic police officers, lawyers, and judges over their private associations, everything would be just fine. Then once the Masons are purged, perhaps they could move on to getting rid of cops who are Manchester United fans, Fabians, bowling league members, cricketeers, and then get to the members of tea cozy collectors' clubs.

The MET's Police Federation acts similar to a police union or professionals' association. Back in 2018, the then-head of the Police Federation, Steve White, resigned from office just before he was about to be handed the biscuit in a no-confidence vote from his members. On his way out the door, he alleged that he had been thwarted from making serious reforms to the Federation over his three-year term by some unspecified cabal of secret Masonic police officers, even though he had no idea how many of his officers were actually members of the fraternity, who they might be, how influential (or ineffectual) they really were, or whether Masons had actually done anything at all to block his plans. Imagine that.

Turns out that his fellow officers just plain didn't like the guy or his proposed changes. That had nothing to do with the Freemasons.

The problem has ALWAYS been that anti-Masonic prejudices and open hatreds are so widespread in the UK and Europe. Once employees of ANY profession are required to openly declare their Masonic membership, they are opening themselves up to retribution and risking their jobs. Anti-Masons will use their membership as an excuse to allege misconduct of all kinds. Criminals will accuse Masonic cops of no end of imaginary conspiracies. Non-Masonic officers will accuse Masonic supervisors of favoritism and prejudice, just like Steve White did when he resigned in 2018.

The ONLY reason the public has this toxic perception in the first place is because certain members of the press and opportunistic politicians have spent more than 40 years beating this same meritless, one-note drum over and over. Look at this one from 2011. Or this one from 2018. 

Today, to accompany this story, The Spectator editorialist Melanie McDonagh posted a piece of offal, There's Something Vulgar About the Freemasons, that's so loaded with falsehoods and her own personal prejudices that a responsible editor should have handed it back to her to try again. It seems Ms. McDonagh just doesn't like the IDEA of the Masons, as a Catholic and a woman (who doesn't even know that there are thousands of female Masons in England). She doesn't like the Masons; she doesn't like the decor of UGLE's Great Queen Street headquarters, Freemasons Hall (!); she thinks it's a given that "half the coppers in London are Freemasons"; and she admits she doesn't even know if her own beliefs are true or not. 

The press contradictorily brands Freemasons, on the one hand, as a doddering, dwindling collection of sad, old white men engaging in silly rituals behind closed doors of crumbling buildings, who have no reason to exist in a modern world. But, in the same breath, they treat Freemasons as an all-powerful secret society that pervades professions like the police departments and the judiciary, exchanging secret semaphore signals with criminals or accomplices to get each other promotions or to escape the strong arm of justice they so richly deserve.

So which is it—stupid dinosaurs on our collective death bed, or all-powerful manipulators who surreptitiously pick the winners and losers? The anti-Masons can't have it both ways, but they sure do huff and puff and keep trying to do just that.

Thankfully, we haven't had to deal with this nonsense in the U.S. ever, really. Our worst anti-Masonic period was 200 years ago, and while we've had occasional bouts with it since then, we haven't been victimized by the press with the wholesale level our English Brethren have dealt with since the 1980s. This is why former Grand Secretary David Staples and the UGLE created the #EnoughIsEnough campaign several years ago to combat anti-Masonic press allegations and prejudices. And why the all-male UGLE teamed up with the two English female grand lodges and the Grand lodge of Scotland to create the Council For Freemasonry last year, a cooperative organization that specifically responds to these kinds of anti-Masonic stories as a rapid-response team.

The United Grand Lodge of England will be meeting with MET officials on Tuesday. Hopefully, this most recent episode will get defused as they have in the past. But given the current political climate in the UK, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government trying to clamp down on free speech, free association, and other vital tenets of Western governance, nothing is certain.