"Effective this date: February 11, 2013, The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of AF&AM of West Virginia has reestablished fraternal recognition of The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of F&AM of Ohio. The respective edicts will be mailed to the Lodge Secretary's with the quarterly Grand Secretary’s Newsletter."
The details I have heard are that the GM of Ohio looked at the code and saw that no one person could receive the degrees more than once and so, as Frank Haas, the former GM of WV, had received degrees in both WV and OH, he should not be an OH Mason and dutifully expelled him. With the expulsion of Mr. Haas, WV and OH are now, once again, in amity. The big loser here is Frank Haas, who is once again not a Mason.
If that's the case, doesn't that mean that if any Mason anywhere is expelled, whether justified or not, that person can never be a Mason again, anywhere?
ReplyDeleteApparently the most powerful position to be in is that of current Grand Master, and the least powerful is past Grand Master.
And what is your opinion on the matter Bro Hodapp?
ReplyDeleteHaas is not the only loser in this. Our whole fraternity is. This was a huge victory for Confederate Masonry, and we all know it.
ReplyDeleteDB
Garden City Lodge, Newtonville, MA
I am curious about the particulars surrounding this situation. rather puzzling. Did Haas do something fishy intentionally? if not, what was his reasoning for taking the degrees twice?
ReplyDeleteOdd case. It seems there must be more than just a technicality to expel him.
Jesse Slater
Wade-Barney #512, AF&AM of Illinois
It's absolutely mind-blowing that nobody spotted this 2 years ago when Ohio was looking at taking him in.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right - the biggest loser in this is Frank Haas.
The roots of the Haas controversy can be researched right here on this very blog.
ReplyDeleteBottom line, what was the then-GM of Ohio thinking when he let Frank retake his degrees after being expelled by the GL of WV? I maintained at the time and continue to maintain that the GM of Ohio misread his own regulations, and certainly violated the traditions and landmarks of the greater Fraternity by his action. He was lucky that only West Virginia suspended relations.
This new action by Ohio is simply the righting of a jurisprudential wrong. It's tough for Frank but the fact is that any resolution for him is going to have to take place in West Virginia. And that won't happen until someone in authority in West Virginia Masonry stands up and says, "thus far and no further."
I am still boggled by the whole affair. Bro. Frank Haas, brought in some "reforms", which were duly passed by the Grand Lodge (WV). One of these reforms was permitting the lodges of WV to have a US Flag, and to say the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
ReplyDeleteIncidents like these make it more pressing that all Grand Lodges should enact a "bill of rights", to protect individual Masons, from being abused by Grand Lodges and Grand Lodge officers.
"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"-
Lord Acton