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!"