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...

Franklin, Tennessee's Historic Hiram Lodge No. 7

by Christopher Hodapp

Historic Hiram Lodge No. 7 in Franklin, Tennessee is undergoing a multi-million dollar restoration campaign to preserve the oldest continuously operating Masonic hall in the state. WKRN-TV in Nashville aired a short report yesterday about the lodge, featuring several shots inside of the main lodge room and the York Rite meeting room upstairs.

Aside from being the first three-story building constructed in Tennessee, the temple is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is where President Andrew Jackson met with Chickasaw leaders in 1830 and the Native Americans signed a treaty giving up their lands. It was the beginning of the Indian Removal Act which led to the infamous Trail of Tears forced migration of the "Five Civilized Nations" of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole tribes to Oklahoma between 1830-50.

Hiram Lodge was originally chartered as a North Carolina lodge in 1808, before Tennessee's grand lodge had been established. It was one of the original eight founding lodges when the Grand Lodge of Tennessee was formed in 1813. When their Franklin lodge hall was completed in 1823, it was the tallest building west of the Allegheny Mountains. Hiram member Andrew Jackson became the fifth Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee (1822-23), and the seventh President of the United States between 1829-37.

Country music signer-songwriter Brad Paisley has been a member here for many years. 

The lapse of time and the devastations of war have pockmarked the structure over the last two centuries. A cannonball struck the building during the Civil War, and the top floor was condemned by inspectors a decade ago because of its unsound condition. 

To donate to the lodge's preservation fund, CLICK HERE.

UPDATES: Hurricane Helene Hits Six States

The 600-mile path of Hurricane Helene (Image: New York Times)

by Christopher HodappS
UPDATE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2024: Over the last several days, the Masonic Service Association has issued separate Disaster Appeals on behalf of the grand lodges in Florida, North, and South Carolina. CLICK HERE to see that story.

UPDATE: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2024: Added appeal from North Carolina Masonic Foundation seeking donations. 

The path of destruction and devastation over the weekend from Hurricane Helene stretched 600 miles across six states. Thousands are without homes in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee, while deaths from the storm continue to rise – as many as 130 are reported dead as of 10:30 Monday night, according to the Associated Press.

Scores of communities all along the storm's path have been wiped out, and images from small, hard-to-reach Appalachian towns in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee look apocalyptic in scope. 

The Masonic Service Association has not yet issued any official disaster relief announcements for grand lodges in the affected states, but I will update this post as news specifically involving Masons and lodges in the hurricane areas become available.

Please send information to me directly at hodapp@aol.com .

FLORIDA

Gulf Beach Lodge 291 before the hurricane

Gulf Beach Lodge 291 in Madeira, Florida, near St. Petersburg, sustained extensive flood damage from the hurricane's unprecedented storm surge.

A photo on Facebook of the lodge's front door shows the flood rose to about 4-feet, and water damage to the secretary's office, kitchen, and dining room is extensive. Worshipful Master Bobby Burkett reports they will be meeting at Northside Lodge 283 until they are able to repair or rebuild their building.

NORTH CAROLINA

Western North Carolina has been badly hit by the storm, and images from Chimney Rock and Lake Lure near Asheville show almost unfathomable destruction. Entire towns have been swept away. The Grand Lodge of North Carolina's Masonic Foundation is accepting donations online specifically to help, aid, and assist Masons and their families in their state. The NCMF will be matching donations up to $25,000, so your money will go twice as far. When you go to their website at https://mfnc.org/ a pop-up window will open with information and a link to donate (or CLICK HERE if the popup doesn't work on your browser.)

SOUTH CAROLINA

MW Steven D. Hames, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge AF&AM of South Carolina has issued a blanket dispensation to all lodges in his jurisdiction permitting Worshipful Masters wide latitude to cancel or reschedule all meetings, including regular stated meetings. 

Man Accused of Vandalising and Setting Fire To Chattanooga Masonic Hall Considers Plea Deal

Kadum Harwood's mugshot from Hamilton County (TN) Sheriff's Dept.

by Christopher Hodapp

Kadum Harwood (age 29) was arrested last September in connection with vandalism and an arson attack on a Masonic Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Harwood has been federally charged with arson, traveling in interstate commerce to carry on arson, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, the indictment shows. 

According to a story in Wednesday's Chattanooga Times Free Press, Federal prosecutors have apparently offered a plea deal to Harwood. Details haven't been disclosed as yet, but his public defender, J. Damon Burk, filed an unopposed motion Tuesday to continue the case shortly before the federal courts closed. 

In an earlier hearing, he pleaded 'not guilty' to all counts.

Harwood's trial was scheduled to begin May 7th at the Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and Courthouse, but Burk has requested the judge grant a 30-day extension so he and his client can more fully study the details.

The affidavit filed at the time of Harwood's arrest provides a few more details in the case (from the WZTV website on September 5th):

The affidavit says the Chattanooga Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at the Chattanooga Masonic Center around 2 a.m. on September 4th.

When crews arrived, the affidavit says they noticed forced entry at the front door as well as 2 separate fires on the property.

The affidavit says one fire was in the shrubs to the left of the front door and the other was in the cafeteria where a podium was set ablaze.

This was all caught on surveillance video, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit says the surveillance footage also shows Harwood using a sledge hammer to vandalize several sections on the Masonic Center.

Harwood 'recklessly' discharged a large caliber firearm into the air before leaving, the affidavit says.

The footage shows a blue Toyota SUV at the center, which the affidavit says was know [sic] by police to be driven by Kadum Harwood based on his social media posts.

The affidavit says officers also found social media posts from Harwood of him threatening to "burn the Free Masons building downtown."

For several months before, he had written Facebook posts threatening to burn down local businesses, a fire station, and a Masonic hall. The night of the attack, when police and firefighters arrived at the scene to respond to an alarm, several walls, windows and interior decorations and furnishings had been smashed with a sledgehammer. There were two small fires smouldering, one inside and the other outside. 

Harwood fled the scene and crossed the border into Georgia to evade police. Local police there located him in a hotel near the border, and arrested him.

The Masonic Center is shared by Temple Lodge 430, Chattanooga Lodge 199, John Bailey Nicklin Chapter RAM 49, and Lookout Commandery 14.

Previous related stories

September 4, 2023: Tennessee: Another Masonic Hall Vandalized

September 5, 2023: Suspect in Chattanooga Masonic Center Attack Arrested in Georgia

September 26, 2023: UPDATE: Suspect Bound For Trial in Chattanooga Masonic Center Fire

November 3, 2023: Accused Chattanooga Masonic Hall Attacker Faces Federal Charges

Accused Chattanooga Masonic Hall Attacker Faces Federal Charges

by Christopher Hodapp

Kadum Harwood (photo above), the suspected arsonist who attacked the Chattanooga (Tennessee) Masonic Center in September has now been indicted on two federal felony counts by a U.S. grand jury. This is in addition to charges filed by Hamilton County, Tennessee of harassment, burglary, vandalism/malicious mischief, arson and reckless endangerment.

The Chattanooga Masonic Center before the attack

According to the website for WDEF-TV12: 

"The indictment says Harwood 'maliciously damaged and destroyed… by means of fire and explosive materials, the Chattanooga Masonic Center.' 

The second count of the indictment was for traveling from Georgia to Tennessee to commit arson."

Prior to the attack on the center, the 29-year-old Harwood had posted messages on his Facebook page threatening to burn down the Masonic hall. One read, "I think I'm going to burn the one downtown. I am going to make an example of all FMs (Free Masons)."

At about 2:00 am on September 4th, surveillance cameras showed a man who resembles Harwood breaking into the center, setting a fire outside of the door, taking a sledgehammer to interior walls, and firing off a 'large caliber' rifle. After the fire, Harwood fled south across the state line to Graysville, Georgia and was arrested after posting the location of a motel in which he was staying. Bomb making equipment and explosives were reportedly found in his home by police.

Before the fire, the Masonic Center was shared by Temple Lodge 430, Chattanooga Lodge 199, John Bailey Nicklin Chapter RAM 49, and Lookout Commandery 14. I haven't seen any recent online postings of the center's rebuilding status.

Brethren, be vigilant!

Attacks against Masonic buildings and Freemasons themselves have been increasing in the U.S. and all over the world over the last 18 months. Conspiracists, anti-Masonic, anti-Jewish, and anti-Israel radicals frequently link Freemasonry with Judaism, often because of our symbolism regarding Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. With the current war raging (and doubtless escalating) in the Middle East, Masons need to be aware worldwide. Anti-Masonic rhetoric has been showing up in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. 

If your Masonic hall doesn't have cameras and a monitored alarm system, it needs to be considered right now, whether you are in a downtown area, a quiet suburb, or even in an isolated rural lodge. Exterior doors need to be locked once meetings start, parking lots need to be lit up like the face of the sun, and any online threats or paper flyers found threatening your lodge or local Masons need to be reported to law enforcement immediately. Do NOT shrug them off as simply crazy.

Yes, it's that serious.

UPDATE: Suspect Bound For Trial in Chattanooga Masonic Center Fire

by Christopher Hodapp

The lone suspect in the Labor Day arson fire that heavily damaged the Masonic Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee has been bound over for trial, and his bail has been raised to $450,000. On Monday, Judge Lila Statom bound all charges of the Grand Jury against Kadum Hunter Harwood (29). Those charges include arson, vandalism, harassment, aggravated burglary, and reckless endangerment.

Harwood acted as his own attorney, which should go well, I'm sure.

From an article on the Chattannogan.com website on Monday:

A judge on Monday raised the bond for a man police say vandalized and burned the Masonic Temple across from Finley Stadium after threatening to do so on social media.

Kadum Hunter Harwood, 29, of 96 Harris St., Ringgold, now faces bonds totaling $450,000.

General Sessions Court Judge Lila Statom bound all charges to the Grand Jury against Harwood. Those include harassment, vandalism, arson, aggravated burglary and reckless endangerment.

Harwood represented himself, with the help of the public defender's office, at a preliminary hearing.

Paul Smith, who oversees the Temple, told of extensive damages inside and out of the building that had been used not only by the Masons but for civic and other groups.

Mr. Smith said Masonic members had been aware of threats Harwood had been making. "Numerous Masons had been following his posts," he said.

It was testified that Harwood wrote on Facebook, "I think I'm going to burn the one downtown. I am going to make an example of all FMs (Free Masons)."

Fire investigator Henry McElvain said Harwood was seen on video setting fires both inside and out of the building, destroying items inside and tossing some property on the parking lot.

He said video showed the same car as had been seen outside the Temple before. It was located at Harwood's home and searched by the FBI as well as his home.

The investigator said Harwood fired a shot while outside the building in the Sept. 4 incident, and a shell casing was located.

At the close of the hearing, Harwood said, "These charges are false. I am being wrongly detained and accused."

Before the fire, the Masonic Center was shared by Temple Lodge 430, Chattanooga Lodge 199, John Bailey Nicklin Chapter RAM 49, and Lookout Commandery 14.

Suspect in Chattanooga Masonic Center Attack Arrested in Georgia

by Christopher Hodapp

THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED:Thursday 9/7/2023 11:30AM

Added more of suspect's Facebook posts; mugshot photo and affidavit.

THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED Tuesday 9/5/2023 11:20PM

Added suspect's name, photo and alleged Facebook posts

WDEF-TV News in Chattanooga reports that authorities in Catoosa County, Georgia arrested a suspect in the arson and vandalism case of the Labor Day break-in and fires at the Chattanooga Masonic Center.

On Monday evening, Georgia police arrested 29-year-old Kadum Hunter Harwood (photo), who will be extradited to Hamilton County in Tennessee and charged with arson, vandalism, burglary and reckless endangerment.

Tennessee Grand Master James Arnhart issued a Facebook message this morning:

The individual responsible for vandalizing our Masonic Center has been taken into custody in Georgia. We owe all law enforcement a huge thank you for doing an outstanding job. God bless you all.

 When you attack a Masonic Lodge or Freemasonry you are in essence attacking the community, a commitment to those in need and suffering. Freemasonry donates a million dollars a day to Charities across the board. From Children's Hospitals, Widows and Orphans, KT's Eye Foundation, Scottish Rite's Rite Care. The list goes on and on, [and] these are but a few. Freemasonry is about services.

The Masonic Center in downtown Chattanooga along with Tennessee Freemasonry will be fine. We learned, we repair, we love, and we serve.

My brief review of what seems to be Harwood's recent Facebook postings is disturbing, to say the least. He seemed to be taunting authorities Monday evening by posting the address of a hotel in Graysville, Georgia. He clearly kept no secret as to his whereabouts. (NOTE: That FB profile has not been officially attributed to Harwood at this time.) 

He also seemed to have a gripe against the Vatican.

Update 9/7/2023 11:30PM

Harwood's mugshot from Hamilton County (TN) Sheriff's Dept.

The affidavit filed at the time of Harwood's arrest provides a few more details in the case (from the WZTV website on September 5th):

The affidavit says the Chattanooga Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at the Chattanooga Masonic Center around 2 a.m. on September 4th.

When crews arrived, the affidavit says they noticed forced entry at the front door as well as 2 separate fires on the property.

The affidavit says one fire was in the shrubs to the left of the front door and the other was in the cafeteria where a podium was set ablaze. 

This was all caught on surveillance video, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit says the surveillance footage also shows Harwood using a sledge hammer to vandalize several sections on the Masonic Center. 

Harwood 'recklessly' discharged a large caliber firearm into the air before leaving, the affidavit says.

The footage shows a blue Toyota SUV at the center, which the affidavit says was know [sic] by police to be driven by Kadum Harwood based on his social media posts.

The affidavit says officers also found social media posts from Harwood of him threatening to "burn the Free Masons building downtown."

Tennessee: Another Masonic Hall Vandalized

by Christopher Hodapp

The Masonic Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee was vandalized at some point this weekend. I've received few details as of Monday afternoon, but the building was apparently broken into, damaged caused, and a fire was set.

From the Chattanoogan.com website:

Chattanooga Fire and Chattanooga Police are investigating an incident early Monday morning at the Chattanooga Masonic Center involving arson and vandalism.

 Chattanooga firefighters responded at 2:11 a.m. on Monday to the Masonic Lodge at 551 W 21st Street on a fire alarm activation. When CFD personnel arrived on scene, they found a fire on the left front exterior of the building which was quickly extinguished.

 The front doors were also open and as crews made entry, they found another small fire inside the structure which had activated the sprinkler system. The sprinklers effectively extinguished the interior fire. 

Along with fire and water damage, there was also damage to the building from vandalism.

There is an active and ongoing investigation into what happened. 

The center is shared by Temple Lodge 430, Chattanooga Lodge 199, John Bailey Nicklin Chapter RAM 49, and Lookout Commandery 14.

A brief message was posted Monday on Facebook by Tennessee's MW Grand Master James Arnhart with the photo above:

I received a call early this morning reporting our Masonic Center was vandalized. On behalf of our Grand Lodge I would like to thank our first responders for the outstanding job they did in securing the area.

 

Please take a hard look at this flag. This area of our lodge was set in fire and the flag seen in the picture will become our rally cry. Together with Temple Lodge No 430 we will like the phoenix rise from the ashes stronger as a Lodge and as brothers.

 God bless Freemasonry!

UPDATE 9/5/23, 12:11AM: Photos below by Brent McDonald, WTVC NewsChannel8

Historic Joint Meeting of Tennessee's Grand Lodges

by Christopher Hodapp

Monday night saw the very first official joint meeting of the Grand Lodge F&AM of Tennessee and the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Tennessee F&AM.  An estimated 167 Brethren attended this historic gathering for the raising of a new Master Mason at West Nashville Phoenix Lodge 131.

The lodge is selling a copy of the members' register from the evening as a fund raiser for their widows and orphans fund. Visit the website at https://www.westnashvillephoenix.org/unity

The two grand lodges first voted in favor of joint recognition without visitation between 2019 and 2021 as a preliminary step, which has been a common practice in recent years in several states. A mutual recognition treaty was signed in October 2021, and joint visitation was approved this past June. 

GL of Tennessee and MWPHGL of Tennessee Agree on Joint Visitation Rules

by Christopher Hodapp

An agreement has been reached between the Grand Lodge F&AM of Tennessee and the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Tennessee F&AM regarding visitation policies for their lodges and members. A letter was sent yesterday by MW James Rhyne Arnhart, Jr., Grand Master of the GL of Tennessee, to his constituent lodges that explains the protocols, and I suspect the MWPHGL of TN will do the same shortly.  (Click the image above to enlarge.)

There's nothing really out of the ordinary about the policy as outlined in the resolution:

• Visitors must produce a valid dues card and photo I.D. to verify the name and face matches. 
• If the visitor can't be vouched for by a member of the lodge, he may be taken aside by an investigating committee for examination. In addition, visitors must take the Tyler's (or Tiler's) oath. 
• There is no change regarding the normal rights of a lodge member to object to a visitor's admission, each according to his own grand lodge's code, "keeping in mind the Masonic intent is that in every region a Mason may find a home and in every land a brother."

In the world of Masonic relations and jurisprudence, a "mainstream" GL and the Prince Hall GL in any given state both consider each other in the same way they consider a regular but 'foreign' jurisdiction. 

Both Tennessee grand lodges approved joint recognition two years ago, and an official treaty between the two bodies was signed in October 2021. But the sharing of Masonic sovereignty within a state requires the crafting of internal rules and by-law changes before visitation can be permitted. 

According to the letter, the visitation policy officially goes into effect on July 17, 2023.

There remain just five states in which joint recognition has not yet been achieved between the "mainstream" state grand lodges and their Prince Hall-derived counterparts: Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Louisiana. 

Note that Prince Hall recognition in Louisiana is a unique situation – the Grand Lodge of Louisiana does NOT recognize the MW Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Louisiana, primarily because of problematic actions of its longtime Grand Master, Ralph Slaughter. (Invading other jurisdictions by improperly chartering lodges in their territory; fomenting a schism in the Prince Hall Affiliated Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction and illegally operating under the same name. Latest saga – living up to his name, GM Slaughter just suspended several members who tried to object to his re-election during their annual meeting this week. But that's another story for another time.) However, the GL of Louisiana DOES recognize the MW Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Maryland, as of last year.

BBQ For The Brain in Nashville August 12-14: Randall Carlson and "The Ancient Art Of Design"

by Christopher Hodapp

I received this message last week from WB Ryan Turbeville, WM of West Nashville Phoenix Lodge 131 in Nashville, Tennessee:

"In [a recent post] you mentioned how some lodges are focused on community involvement and fundraising, and others are focusing on education and the esoteric. This is our attempt to blend the two. We hope this is a new model that still provides events for the public and charitable fundraising while focusing on Masonic philosophy, education, and bringing light to the world. Consider this a "BBQ for the brain" :) 

We are hosting a workshop with Brother Randall Carlson titled:

The Ancient Art of Design: Unveiling the Science of Sacred Geometry.

There will be a Masons Only Friday night dinner and presentation titled Freemasonry and Sacred Geometry, and a workshop on Saturday and Sunday that is open to the public. Sunday will conclude with a tour of Nashville's Parthenon, the only full scale replica of the Parthenon in the world.

The schedule is as follows:

Friday August 12, 2022

• 6 - 7:30pm Freemasons Only Presentation 
• 7:30pm Freemasons Only Dinner

Saturday August 13, 2022 

• 7:30 Registration Begins
• 8 - 9am Breakfast On-Site
• 9 - 11:30am Workshop
• 11:30 - 1pm Lunch Break
• 1 - 6pm Workshop
• 6 - 7:30pm Dinner On-Site

Sunday August 14, 2022

• 8 - 9am Breakfast
• 9 - 11am Workshop
• 11 - 12pm Lunch
• 12:00 - 2pm Tour of the Nashville Parthenon 

All proceeds go to charity. The Friday night Masons only ticket includes dinner. The Saturday and Sunday workshop includes 4 meals, $125 worth of drawing materials including a handmade wooden compass by Randall Carlson, free parking, and a tour of Nashville's Parthenon.

There is a livestream option for the workshop for those who can't join us in person.

The promo video, tickets and all information can be found at: https://www.westnashvillephoenix.org/geometry

The direct link to the video is https://youtu.be/EmB_-MATt60

And Randall Carlson's intriguing website is HERE

Tennessee Masonic Lodge Destroyed: Local Firefighter Charged With Six Arson Fires

by Christopher Hodapp

Nineteen-year-old volunteer firefighter Leslie Roy Winchester has been arrested and charged in connection with eight arson fires that took place in June and July, in and around the town of Waverly, Tennessee. 

One of the fires destroyed Cotton Valley Masonic Lodge 345 on July 6th.

From the New York Post on Sunday:

A Tennessee volunteer firefighter allegedly set a series of suspicious fires that burned a church, Masonic Lodge and other buildings in a small community over the past month.

 

Leslie Roy Winchester, 19, was arrested in connection to multiple fires that were set in the community of Waverly beginning in June, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) said.

The first fire linked to Winchester happened last month in the 5500 block of Bakerville Road in Waverly, the TBI said. Four other suspicious fires occurred between July 1 and July 8 at various locations in the community.

Buildings damaged or destroyed in the fires included a church, Masonic Lodge, a former fire hall and a vacant house, according to authorities.

The town of Waverly is located about 65 miles west of Nashville, with a population of about 4,000. All of the fires occurred in remote, rural locations, which made pumping water to douse the flames almost impossible. One firefighter was transported to the hospital after suffering an arm and knee injury while fighting the flames at the Cotton Valley Lodge. The Glenwood Church of Christ on Pumpkin Creek Road was also destroyed.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officers identified Leslie Winchester as the suspect in the case, and he was booked into the Humphreys County Jail on a $1,746,000 bond. Winchester is a volunteer firefighter, but no motive has been suggested by authorities. He was arrested and charged with three counts of arson, three counts of aggravated arson, six counts of criminal trespassing, and six counts of vandalism in excess of $10,000.