New York: QUEST XXIX Saturday, April 25, 2009

The Queens
Masonic District
Of The
Grand Lodge Of Free & Accepted Masons
Of the State of New York

QUEST XXIX
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Advance Masonic Temple
21-14 30th Ave., Long Island City, NY 11102

Guest Speakers:
Bro. Christopher Hodapp
Author of Freemasons for Dummies
Templar Code for Dummies
Solomon’s Builders

Bro. Richard Eberle
Trustee of the Livingston Masonic Library
Displaying and speaking about the
“Processus Contra Templarium”
(The Vatican document clearing the Knights Templar of Heresy Charges)

Continental Breakfast – 8 AM
1st Session – 9 AM
2nd Session – 11 AM
Light Lunch – 12 PM
Cost - $20

Reservations a must – please make them through your Lodge Master or email RW Jay Marksheid – gdcqns08@yahoo.com

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When Jay sent me the flyer for this event, the logo showing the Unisphere sculpture reminded me that I haven't been to Queens, New York since 1964, when I attended the New York World's Fair. Thinking about the Fair always gets me misty-eyed. It was a different time and place, when it wasn't maudlin to look to the future with excitement and wonder, and the Fair was the biggest place I'd ever seen at the ripe age of five and a half.

The Freemasons of New York had great ambitions, too. They erected a pavilion to tell the story of Freemasonry to the millions who came to the Fair.


Freemason Pavilion, 1964 New York World's Fair

From Jeffrey Stanton's New York World's fair website:

"The Masonic Center showcased Masonic history and memorabilia going back to medieval times. The Center, which stood across a reflecting pool from a 50-foot high model of the builder's square and compass, symbols of the fraternity, was sponsored by the Grand Lodge of New York. It included a hall for exhibitions, a lounge, office and outside patio. Dominating the hall was an 11-foot high statue, in Masonic regalia, of George Washington, first of 14 American Presidents (till 1964) who belonged to the brotherhood. Events from his life were portrayed in three-diminsional scenes, and the Bible on which he took the oath of office as President was on display. Documents on view dated back to the 14th Century, when the Masons were the cathedral builders of Europe. Among them was a Plan of Union for the colonies written by Mason Benjamin Franklin in 1754."

The three-dimensional scenes discussed above were two diaramas, one depicting General Washington and General Lafayette (both Masons) at Valley Forge; the other showed Washington taking his oath of office in Federal Hall, New York City, as first President of the United States. Also shown was his apron as Master of Alexandria Lodge (Alexandria, Va.), a tuft of Washington's hair, and the Square and Compass which he personally used in laying out the lands of Fairfax County,Va. There were also displays about Governor DeWitt Clinton, Governor and Grand Master of New York; Lewis and Clark;Admiral Byrd; General "Blackjack: Pershing; Will Rogers; and other distinguished Masons in history. A map of the world showing the location of all 112 recognized Grand Lodges was displayed. The theme of the entire pavilion was "Brotherhood, the Foundation of World Peace."