OES Removed Masonic Family Relationship For Women Last November

by Christopher Hodapp

THIS STORY IS SLIGHTLY EDITED FOR CLARITY FROM ITS ORIGINAL VERSION FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2025, 12:33AM

As reported here on Monday, the  Order of the Eastern Star has been evicted from all Masonic buildings in the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge AF&AM of West Virginia. In the wake of that decision, I was sent the following letter that had issued back on January 2nd of this year by the OES General Grand Chapter. 

I am posting this as a clarification of what started the imbroglio in West Virginia that led to Grand Master David Pyle's eviction directive to the OES. In his directive, he had claimed the OES had dropped the prerequisite of Masonic membership. That is obviously not correct, as scores of readers who are both Masons and Eastern Stars rushed to point out. (Click the images to enlarge them.)

The letter went out in January from Most Worthy Grand Matron Billie Bradfield and Most Worthy Grand Patron Michael Berry. It informed all OES chapters that their rules had been changed by the voting membership back in November 2024 regarding petitioning candidates, and removing the Masonic relationship requirement FOR WOMEN ONLY. 

Since its founding in the 1850s by Kentucky Past Grand Master Rob Morris, the OES required a female petitioner to be the wife, daughter or grand daughter of a Master Mason. The new rule passed last November has dropped that familial relationship with a Freemason. Instead of being related to a Mason, the new rule requires a female petitioner to present a letter of recommendation from a Master Mason and an existing OES Sister. But men wishing to join the OES must still be Master Masons in good standing. 

That detail was left out of GM Pyle's directive. 

Perhaps he wasn't aware of it.

The General Grand Chapter's letter goes on to clarify that state grand chapters do not have the authority to alter this new change in candidate criteria. They cannot choose to keep the former 'women must be related to Masons' requirement instead of the new one, even if their own members strenuously object. So the choice was made by the national body, not the West Virginia Chapter, which now has been given the order of the boot by the grand master.

According to Pyle's directive the GL of West Virginia's code forbids non-Masonic groups from using Masonic halls in that state. But if the OES still requires its men to be Freemasons (and women can't be recognized as Masons there anyway), nothing substantive has changed. To be brutally honest about it, the OES should have dropped the Masonic family requirement for women decades ago when membership declines showed no chance of recovery. Nevertheless, Grand Master Pyle has chosen to declare the OES a non-Masonic organization in West Virginia, even though the rule change hasn't really made it any less a Masonic group than it was before.

There is one other wrinkle to this West Virginia story that I hesitate to bring up because of the potential fecal cyclone it raises, and because I have absolutely NO proof that the issue even crossed the mind of Grand Master Pyle. I will only mention it because many commentators have suggested privately that it may be the REAL reason for the OES' eviction from West Virginia lodges. 

Prince Hall Eastern Star.

Former Lodge Treasurer Sentenced For Theft

The former Treasurer of Oxford Lodge No. 353 in Oxford, Pennsylvania and his wife have been sentenced for stealing from the lodge.

From the Daily Local News website:

The former treasurer of the Oxford Masonic Lodge was spared a long prison term Tuesday for thefts of more than $22,000 from the fraternal organization’s bank accounts, crimes he committed over several months with his wife, because of his multiple health problems.

President Judge Jacqueline Carroll Cody told David Marvin Haas that had he not been suffering from a host of serious medical conditions that officials at Chester County Prison will be responsible for treating during his incarceration, she would have given him a lengthier term than the three to 23 months behind bars she ordered him to serve.

“This is a difficult decision for me to make,” Cody told the motorized-scooter-bound Haas, who suffers from a variety physical and mental ailments that have left him living on disability payments from the Veterans Administration. Cody in November sentenced Haas’s wife, Belinda Haas, to nine to 23 months in county prison, and the prosecution was asking for a greater jail term for Haas. Cody said the medical considerations outweighed the serious nature of the thefts, which she called a “betrayal.”

“They are the only reasons you are serving a minimum of three months in jail,” Cody told Haas at he conclusion of the hour-long sentencing hearing in Courtroom One.

But Cody also ordered Haas to be confined on house arrest for six months after his parole from county prison, and to spend seven years on probation. She ordered that he had to repay $22,545 to the lodge and the insurance company that reimbursed the organization for $10,000 for the thefts.

Haas, 61, of Delta, York County, stole the money from the Masonic Lodge #353 by writing himself checks totaling $12,130 and forging the names of other officers of the organization on the checks. His wife also used an ATM card issued for the lodge to make dozens of unauthorized withdrawals from the lodge’s bank accounts.

Deputy District Attorney Michelle Frei, who prosecuted the case, told Cody that the lodge did not discover the thefts until bank representatives told the lodge’s leader that it had bounced checks because its accounts had been depleted. Frei said that Haas had given monthly reports as treasurer at lodge meetings that were fraudulent.

Haas told Cody that he stole the funds from the lodge because he was “having hard times.

“I was wrong for what I did,” Haas said. “But I don’t think I should go to jail. If I do, I won’t be coming out (alive).”

But lodge officials who spoke at the sentencing and Frei told the judge that Haas had the opportunity to ask the lodge to help him with his finances, and to find him suitable housing. It is a benefit extended to members, who are called “brothers” by fellow Masons, they said.

“It really hurts me to come here today,” said Francis Norbeck, the former leader, or worshipful master, of the lodge. “There is nothing worse than being betrayed by a brethren of the lodge. It really is a disgrace.”

Norbeck told the judge that shortly before the thefts were discovered in December 2014, around Thanksgiving that year, the lodge had presented Haas with a motorized scooter so he would get around without having to use a walker. “This is an organization that has been known to make men better,” Norbeck said. “Somehow along the line we failed in this case.”

Read more here.

Ohio and WV Again In Amity

Per the Grand Lodge of Ohio's Facebook page:

"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.

More Troubles in West Virginia

Those of outside of West Virginia thought the PGM Frank Haas situation was dead and buried, once the civil courts found in the Grand Lodge of West Virginia's favor. Au contraire. This word comes out of WV last night.

Mt. Olivet Lodge No. 3 in Parkersburg, WV was ordered by Grand Lodge to prefer charges on a member for his alleged mishandling of the ballot at Frank Haas' GL session and his operation of the Masonic Crusade website. The lodge declined, as the brother in question is no longer a member (he's now a plural member in Minnesota and Ohio). Once this happened a PM of #3 filed charges of unmasonic conduct on PGM Charlie Montgomery (also a member of #3)for 6 counts--2 for each of the three people he expelled while serving as Grand Master. It was voted on and passed the ballot and the trial was set for 6/28/12. On June 11th, the current GM attended and proceeded to pull #3's charter. The end result is no trial and a questionable future for the members of Mt. Olivet lodge.

The saga unfortunately continues...

Freemasons and the Courts

I came across an interesting historical paper by a non-Mason about the rule of law and the role of civil courts in dealing with internal Masonic disputes. Kevin Butterfield is an assistant professor of classics and letters at the University of Oklahoma.

Have a look at The Right to Be a Freemason: Secret Societies and the Power of the Law in the Early Republic by Kevin Butterfield here.

His paper uses the recent court battle between Past Grand Master Frank Haas and the Grand Lodge of West Virginia as a jumping off point to discuss historic situations of Masons suing lodges and grand lodges over the right to be a Mason, and the opinions of the courts in these cases. It's hardly a new phenomenon, and courts rely heavily on fraternal groups' own internal rules to render their decisions.

A gentle warning to grand masters who think they can make their own rules or dispense with existing ones.

Catching Up on Masonic News

After a long hiatus, W:.B:. Cory Siegler has returned with his online Masonic publication, The Working Tools.

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Australian Freemasons in Queensland are raising AU$1 million for flood relief. They have already reached 30% of their goal.

Adrian Burton, Grand Master of Freemasons Queensland, today announced the launch of the “Grand Master’s Queensland Flood Appeal”, a $1M fundraising effort to support the rebuilding of Queensland communities devastated by recent flooding. Lodges from throughout Queensland will work hand-in-hand with local Councils and State Government Members in flood-affected areas to raise critically-needed funds for local social infrastructure, community services and projects. A specific Flood Appeal Co-ordination Group has been appointed, led by Assistant Grand Master, Alan Townson.

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Many times, lodges in small communities have a better chance of getting their events in the local radio, TV and newspapers than bigger communities.

Brethren of Ione Masonic Lodge No. 80 in Ione, California made the local paper with their officer's installation.

The Princess Pine Order of the Eastern Star Chapter No. 67 in Williams Lake, British Columbia made their paper for their local charity work.

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On Saturday, the Springfield Masonic Community, a retirement community of the Grand Lodge of Ohio F&AM, presented a program to honor the famed Tuskegee Airmen, and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall to kick off Black History Month. Three Ohio members of the Airmen—Leslie Edwards of Cincinnati, Charles Feaster of Xenia and Paul Menefield of Columbus—were able to attend. Hundreds of folks turned out for this event.

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Manchester, England's Freemasons' Hall is being leased to private developers for 999 years, but the Masons aren't leaving. There's a lesson for lodges considering giving up their irreplaceable temples. The Masons retain ownership of the building and keep their top floor lodge rooms. See their website here.

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Hip-hop star Jennifer Hudson tackles the rampant rumor mill that music stars have sold their souls to the Illuminati. But then, that's just what you'd expect her to say:

In the entertainment industry, Illuminati rumors run rampant, and everyone from Rihanna to Kanye West has dealt with accusations their success is due to their involvement in it. Although many celebrities have kept mum on the subject, Jennifer Hudson is speaking out against all the talk about a secret society. During a recent Ustream session, she told fans:

“I’m so glad someone brought this Illuminati mess up because only a child of God would address it. That is the most ignorant thing I have ever heard in my life. And it’s offensive because basically what? The people that are here today don’t deserve to be where they are? What, we didn’t work for it? So I find—and I hate to go there—but I find it’s those that can’t make it that would probably join Illuminati, or whoever that is, to get somewhere.”

Hudson's mother, older brother, and her nephew were all murdered in 2008. Gregory King, the nephew's father, claimed in September 2010 that the Oscar winner Hudson was a Freemason who sacrificed her family to advance her career.

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Tomorrow, 1/31, is the final day to vote for a Masonic license plate in Texas. Just a reminder. I would never encourage out of state Masons to vote for a Texas matter. Or to vote multiple times. Never.

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In the wake of the international Wikileaks hootenanny, there were bound to arrive copycats eager to spread unattributed tales of gossip, sour grapes, or legitimate gripes. The trouble with whistle blowing is that the whistle can blow back, especially in Freemasonry. So, with some sense of dread, coupled with the creepy curiosity of watching a train wreck, I pass along the arrival of a new website, Masonicleaks.com .

I simply remind all involved that the Masonic Crusade website, in which PGM Frank Haas vs. Grand Lodge of West Virginia dirty laundry was aired over a four year period, resulted in a lawsuit, a huge expenditure of money on both sides, a public black eye for the fraternity on an international basis, yanked recognition against the Grand Lodge of Ohio, more expulsions, lost friendships, broken trusts—and Frank Haas still remains expelled in West Virginia.

The Internet will kill us all.

Verdict in Haas vs. Grand Lodge of West Virginia AF&AM

Kanawha Circuit Court Judge Carrie Webster ruled on Tuesday that the Grand Lodge of West Virginia AF&AM violated its own internal rules in the manner in which PGM Frank Haas was expelled without a Masonic trial. However, today the jury awarded NO remedy or damages on the breach of contract. The upshot: Grand Lodge was wrong to expel Haas in the manner it did, but there are no legal penalties of any kind against them for breaking those internal rules.

Haas was not reinstated as a Mason by the Court. His lifetime membership in West Virginia remains forfeited.

Haas was made a Mason on April 17th in Steubenville Lodge No. 45 in Ohio, where he has since been installed as Senior Deacon. As a result of that action, the Grand Lodge of West Virginia has unrecognized the Grand Lodge of Ohio, and West Virginia Masons risk expulsion by visiting Ohio lodges.

UPDATE:
See the article Jury sides with Grand Lodge in Mason expulsion case in the Charleston Gazette.

Also Jury finds Masons not guilty in case in The Charleston daily Mail.

Media Watch: Haas vs. Grand Lodge of West Virginia

This entry will be updated with ongoing press reports in the civil trial between the Grand Lodge of West Virginia AF&AM and expelled Past Grand Master Frank Haas.

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12/3/2010
Jury to be selected in Masonic law case
This extensive story gives a recap of the background of the case so far.

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12/6/2010
Member of Masons says he was wrongly expelled
Testimony began today in Haas vs. GL of WV AF&AM

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12/7/2010
Testimony describes tensions within W.Va. Masons
A Kanawha County jury heard more testimony Tuesday about how an internal struggle within the West Virginia branch of the Masons led to the sudden expulsion of two longtime members.

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12/8/2010
Expelled Masons leader says meeting was worst time of his life
A former "Most Worshipful Grand Master" of Masons in West Virginia told a Kanawha jury that the meeting during which he was unexpectedly expelled from the organization was the worst 45 minutes of his life.

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12/9/2010
Former Masonic grand master denies allegations of racism
A former grand master of the West Virginia branch of the Masons said Thursday in Kanawha Circuit Court that any allegation or insinuation of racism within the organization is "ridiculous." "[That suggestion] makes me feel disgusted," said Charles F. Coleman II, who served as grand master of the state's Grand Lodge between October 2006 and October 2007.

[snip]

On Wednesday, defense lawyers asked Judge Carrie Webster to dismiss Haas' lawsuit based on the state Supreme Court's recent ruling that the state Secondary School Activities Commission, as a private, voluntary organization, had the right to enforce its own rules as it sees fit. The Supreme Court's decision Tuesday reversed Webster, who had granted a temporary restraining order and injunction against the SSAC to prevent it from enforcing suspensions against four South Charleston football players.

The Masons, similar to the SSAC, are a private organization, and with no public policy at issue, how they enforce their own laws should not be up to a court to decide, the motion argues.

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12/10/2010
Former Grand Master explains decision to expel Mason

Charles L. Montgomery, of Williamstown, said he asked Frank J. Haas, who was himself a past Grand Master of the state's Grand Lodge, to be honest about his involvement with a website called Masonic Crusade during a 2007 meeting at Haas' home lodge in Wellsburg. When Haas claimed to know nothing about it, Montgomery pulled a pre-written edict expelling Haas from his pocket, effectively excommunicating Haas from the fraternal organization.

"I tried to give [Haas and another Mason] every opportunity to say something, that they were sorry, that they would discontinue that activity [involvement with the Masonic Crusade]," he said.

When they refused -- Montgomery recalled Haas as saying, in reference to the Masonic Crusade, "The dream lives on, and will not die" -- Montgomery felt he had no choice but to kick them out of the Masons.

[snip]

As Coleman had on Thursday, Montgomery disputed any suggestion that the West Virginia branch of the Masons is prejudiced against blacks.

"Nowhere in Masonry do we discriminate," he said. He conceded that the state branch, which dates back to 1866, had never had a black member until after Haas filed his lawsuit in 2008. There are now two black members, he said.

Earlier on Friday, defense lawyers John Tinney, Jack Tinney and Jim Tinney called on Greg Wentzel to testify. Wentzel said that he set up the Masonic Crusade website, and that Haas was unaware of Wentzel's involvement even though the two were part of a group of Masons from around the state who occasionally went out to dinner together and formed a discussion group on the website Yahoo.

"I never discussed [the Masonic Crusade website] with him, no," Wentzel said.

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12/14/2010
Judge: Grand Lodge did not comply with its own rules

The trial ended today at about 6pm, and deliberations will begin tomorrow morning. Judge Webster gave a summary judgement today that the Grand Lodge did breach its contract, and did not follow its own rules in the way Haas was expelled. The outcome of that will be given by the judge at the end with the other decisions. The jury will deliberate on compensatory damages concerning defamation of Haas, and about four other items.

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12/14/2010
Masons broke own rules, lawyer argues in closing

If the West Virginia branch of the Masons had followed its own rules regarding due process, an administrative law judge expelled from the fraternal organization would not have had to sue the group, his lawyer said Tuesday.

But Charles F. Coleman II and Charles L. Montgomery, the two men who succeeded Frank J. Haas as Grand Master of the state's Grand Lodge, were so upset with Haas for trying to enact progressive reforms that they summarily expelled him, said Haas' attorney Bob Allen during his closing argument in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Defense attorney Jack Tinney maintained that Haas was wrongly seeking monetary compensation for an internal dispute within a private, voluntary organization after he was ousted for failing to follow Masonic laws...

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12/16/2010
Jury sides with Grand Lodge in Mason expulsion case

A Kanawha County jury sided Wednesday with the Grand Lodge of the West Virginia branch of the Masons against a former grand master who sued after he was expelled from the group, claiming the organization had violated its own rules.

The jury declined to award Frank J. Haas, an administrative law judge from Wellsburg, any damages, even though Kanawha Circuit Judge Carrie Webster ruled that the Masons breached its contract with Haas.

The jury also decided that the state's Grand Lodge and past Grand Masters Charles F. Coleman II and Charles L. Montgomery had not defamed Haas, placed him in a false light, or committed outrageous conduct toward Haas, who was also a past grand master...

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12/16/2010
Jury finds Masons not guilty in case

A jury has determined that the Masons did not defame or damage a former Grand Worshipful Master when they threw him out of the organization.

Frank Haas, 53, of Wellsburg filed a lawsuit against the Grand Lodge in Charleston and two members of the Masons hierarchy - Charlie Montgomery and Charles Coleman. Those two men succeeded Haas as state leader of the men's brotherhood.

Haas claimed he suffered emotional distress after being unexpectedly expelled as a member in 2006, shortly after his term ended. He said other Mason leaders were unhappy that he attempted to change some of the group's restrictions on race, age and disabilities.

But after more than a week of testimony from both sides, the jury decided against Haas on all counts...

West Virginia Masons Blocked From Performing Funeral For Ohio Brother

The Masonic Crusade website reports that a West Virginia resident who belonged to an Ohio lodge passed away, and that West Virginia Masons were barred from performing a Masonic funeral service for him.

That is the result of grand lodge politics and the ongoing battle over the expulsion of Past Grand Master Frank Haas.

A team of Ohio Masons came across the state line and performed a funeral service for the well respected brother, so his family did not have suffer from this tawdry bickering. But West Virginia Masons were not allowed to participate in the service.

In the name of all that is right and proper, brethren—would somebody please blink and bring this madness to an end?

The civil trial between Haas and the Grand Lodge of West Virginia begins December 6th.

Preliminary Rulings in GL of West Virginia v. Frank Haas Case

New developments are surfacing in the upcoming civil court case between the Grand Lodge of West Virginia and Past Grand Master Frank Haas. The judge held a pre-trial conference and made three preliminary rulings, based on her interpretation of the published internal laws of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia:

• The Grand Master did not have the authority to expel a member without trial.

• Grand Lodge had filed a motion to disallow any discussion of race in the case. The judge ruled that race was a pertinent issue in the circumstances as it was a part of the justification for Haas' expulsion (his brief contact as Grand Master with Prince Hall's Grand Master, along with Haas' proposed rule change regarding non-discrimination), and would be allowed to be brought up.

• She ruled that West Virginia's laws do allow the court to force a private organization to abide by its own internal rules.

While laws vary from state to state, every grand master and lineup of grand lodge officers in the U.S. should take careful note of these findings before exercising what they believe to be their supreme authority over members. There really is a higher legal authority beyond our lodge room doors.

The trial is scheduled to begin before the end of November. It is my understanding that the Grand Lodge has spent well over $100,000 in this case so far, which could have all been saved if one of the last four GMs had been willing to blink. Instead of stonewalling and allowing this to continue for more than three years, everyone needs to get back to the work of making Freemasonry in West Virginia the very best it can be.

Meanwhile, Haas was made a Mason in Ohio back in April, and the result of that action has been for the GL of West Virginia to yank recognition of Ohio over it. Rank and file Masons in two states are barred from meeting on the level because of this ongoing quagmire.

Recaps of the expulsion of Past Grand Master Haas in 2007 and the subsequent actions can be found here.

More on West Virginia and Ohio

The following message has been placed on the Grand Master of Ohio Terry W. Posey's blog. I am posting it in its entirety:

On April 22, 2010 the following was sent to those member Grand Lodges of the Conference of Grand Masters of North America.

I write to provide some explanation of the actions taken by Steubenville Lodge #45, regarding the Masonic membership of Frank J. Haas.

Frank J. Haas was Grand Master of The Grand Lodge of West Virginia in 2006. The following items were proposed by him and passed at the 2006 Grand Lodge Session held in Wheeling, but the vote was abruptly set aside less than two weeks later. This was and is again the current Masonic law under The Grand Lodge of West Virginia.

1. The Grand Lodge of West Virginia forbids the Pledge of Allegiance at lodge meetings.

2. The Grand Lodge of West Virginia is the only Grand Lodge to refuse by law to allow DeMolay, Rainbow, or Job’s Daughters to meet in any lodge rooms. Their lodges are forbidden from donating any money to any charitable organization, including Masonic youth organizations or permitting them to earn money on the lodge premises.

3. The Grand Lodge of West Virginia is the only Grand Lodge in the United States not to belong to the Masonic Service Association.

4. The Grand Lodge of West Virginia forbids the charter of a Royal Arch Chapter to hang in its lodge rooms. No Masonic art that includes symbols of any other Masonic organization except the symbolic lodge can hang in West Virginia lodge rooms (this includes portraits of Past Grand High Priests and Past Grand Commanders). The Grand Lodge of West Virginia has banned books, movies, slideshows, songs, CD’s, an Ohio singer, and websites.

5. Family members cannot be pallbearers at a Masonic Funeral in West Virginia unless they are Masons. The ashes of a deceased brother cannot receive a Masonic Funeral in West Virginia, because it is by their Masonic law declared “undignified.”

6. Almost no one with a physical disability can be elected to receive the degree of Freemasonry in a Lodge under The Grand Lodge of West Virginia. The cause of the injury, be it military service or anything else, does not matter.

The above-referenced reforms were passed as part of the “Wheeling Reforms” at the 2006 Grand Lodge Session of The Grand Lodge of West Virginia but were set aside by the succeeding Grand Master less than two weeks later. That action has brought about the turmoil in the Craft in West Virginia and ultimately resulted in the expulsion of Frank J. Haas, the Grand Master who proposed the reforms.

All of these topics have been the subject of much discussion on the websites, including http://freemasonsfordummies.blogspot.com and masonic-crusade.com and blogs and the Philalethes publications. This has also been widely reported in detail in the popular press by the Associated Press and with a color spread in the New York Times.

I have observed the situation for two and a half years. In a most respectful tone, I wrote to three Grand Masters of West Virginia and offered my good offices to mediate its conflict. All offers were ignored or rejected.

Steubenville Lodge #45 regularly received and investigated a petition from Frank J. Haas to receive the degrees of Freemasonry in that Lodge.

He made a full disclosure of the Notice of Expulsion by the Past Grand Master of West Virginia and answered all questions presented to him by the Steubenville Lodge's Committee of Investigation. The Lodge did the necessary background work, including a home visit. They were convinced that he was a good man and true, and he met all requirements, including residency for the requisite time, for membership.
I thoroughly researched the Code of The Grand Lodge of Ohio and determined that there is nothing to prevent his receiving the degrees. Inasmuch as he is an Ohio resident, the Constitution of The Grand Lodge of Ohio confers jurisdiction over his membership to The Grand Lodge of Ohio.

After he was unanimously elected to receive the degrees by Steubenville Lodge #45, I concurred with the Lodge that the laws of The Grand Lodge of Ohio had been complied with, and the Lodge proceeded to confer the three degrees of Freemasonry on Frank J. Haas, who for years had been an honorary member of that lodge. On April 17, 2010, he received the three degrees of Freemasonry in Steubenville Lodge.

On the next business day, the Grand Master of West Virginia withdrew fraternal relations with The Grand Lodge of Ohio because of the action taken by Steubenville Lodge.

The Grand Lodge of West Virginia has withdrawn its fraternal recognition of other Grand Lodges before. In 1991, Charles E. Forsythe, then Grand Master, issued two edicts regarding Prince Hall Masons. His edicts forbade members of The Grand Lodge of West Virginia to be present in Lodges under the Grand Lodges of Connecticut, Wisconsin, Nebraska, State of Washington, Colorado, Minnesota, and North Dakota, all of which had recognized the regular Prince Hall Grand Lodges in their states.

Despite the unfortunate action taken by The Grand Lodge of West Virginia, I am convinced that Steubenville Lodge #45 acted consistently with the Code of The Grand Lodge of Ohio, and I find no fault on their part or that of Brother Haas.

The Grand Lodge of Ohio acted consistently with Ohio law. We ask our sister Grand Lodges to respect our law.

Fraternally,

Terry W. Posey
Grand Master

Addendum to Blog Article on 4/23/2010:
I have been informed by the Grand Master of West Virginia, that this withdrawl does NOT interfere with fraternal relations of appendant bodies and that members can continue those relationships.

A quote by Martin Luther King: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about those things that matter."

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UPDATE
Below is an edict dated April 19th, 2010 by West Virginia Grand Master Gregory A. Riley, Sr., affirming that Frank Haas remains an expelled Mason, as far as the Grand Lodge of West Virginia is concerned. Click to enlarge.

Grand Lodge of West Virginia Withdraws Recognition of Ohio

This was posted today on the Grand Lodge of Ohio's website:

The Grand Master of West Virginia, Gregory A. Riley, Sr., issued an edict on April 19, 2010 withdrawing fraternal recognition from the Grand Lodge of Ohio because Steubenville Lodge No. 45 elected Frank Haas to membership and conferred the three degrees of Masonry on him on Saturday, April 17, 2010.

There is no information on the Grand Lodge of West Virginia AF&AM website, which has not been updated, apart from the Grand Master's name, in at least four years.

PGM Frank Haas Initiated, Passed and Raised In Ohio

The following was posted on the official Grand Master of Ohio's blogsite last night:

Frank Haas is a Judge in West Virginia and until several years ago was Grand Master of West Virginia. The story of his being expelled from the Grand Lodge of West Virginia is well-documented in various Masonic and other publications. I have reviewed as many as were available, including West Virginia's Proceedings, the New York Times and www.masonic-crusade.com .

He moved to Ohio last year. After that, he petitioned Steubenville Lodge # 45 for the degrees of Freemasonry.

I thoroughly researched the Code of the Grand Lodge of Ohio and there is nothing to prevent his receiving these degrees. Inasmuch as he is an Ohio resident, the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Ohio confers jurisdiction over his membership to the Grand Lodge of Ohio and the lodge's membership.

He made a full disclosure of the Notice of Expulsion by the Past Grand Master of West Virginia and answered all questions presented to him by the Lodge's Committee of Investigation. The Lodge did the necessary background work, including a home visit. They were assured that he was a good man and true, and he met all requirements, including residency for the requisite time, for membership.

Steubenville Lodge # 45 gave a unanimous ballot approving his membership.

On April 17, he received the three degrees of Freemasonry in Steubenville Lodge.

Terry W. Posey
Grand Master
Grand Lodge of Ohio

Meanwhile, Hass' lawsuit against the Grand Lodge of West Virginia is still going forward, and is scheduled for July. I have been told by more than one West Virginia Mason that the grand lodge has spent nearly $100,000 in its court battle to keep their Past Grand Master out of the fraternity. That may or may not be an exaggeration, but it seems like an awfully big price tag for the brethren of WV to shoulder. Now that Ohio has taken Haas in, my personal hope is that West Virginia will not try to retaliate against them, and that surrounding states will simply remain neutral.

Recaps of the expulsion of Past Grand Master Haas in 2007 and the subsequent actions can be found here.

Trial Date Set in Haas v. GL of WV

The Masonic Crusade website is reporting the following:

The MW Grand Lodge of WV and MW Brother Frank J. Haas's attorneys met in mediation and failed to meet any agreement. The Judge has set a trial date of November 2, 2009.

Between now and then, the Grand Lodge of West Virginia's annual communication is taking place. Perhaps the situation will be resolved before the trial date.

Minnesota Rescinds West Virginia Resolution

The new Grand Master of Minnesota, Thomas G. McCarthy, has issued a very detailed edict concerning the resolution passed at last week's Annual Communication about West Virginia. For a series of well documented reasons, he has declared the resolution null and void. The edict is followed by a 13 page memorandum. I urge anyone interested in this ongoing saga to read the edict and memorandum in their entirety.

The Executive Summary reads in part:

1. The report of the Grand Master of West Virginia, as printed in the official proceedings of the annual communication of that sister grand lodge, contains information which, if true, could justify the Masonic discipline of Frank J. Haas and others.

2. The Grand Lodge of Minnesota has no means by which to evaluate the credibility of the competing parties to this dispute in the Grand Lodge of West Virginia, and thus has no means to determine the truth.

3. It was alleged, as a basis for the resolution that Frank J. Haas and others were not afforded due process or the right to appeal from the edict of the Grand Master. The proceedings indicate that such appeals, as well as a petition for reinstatement by Frank J. Haas, were duly considered at the 2008 Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia.

4. The information contained in the proceedings of the annual communication of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia was not available to the voting members of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota present at the time the resolution was proposed and adopted.

5. As the Grand Lodge of Minnesota has no legitimate manner to determine the truth of the dispute, there are no instructions that the Grand Master can provide to the Grand Lodge of Minnesota Committee on External Affairs to enable that committee to comply with the instructions contained in the resolution adopted at the annual communication. The resolution is attached to this Memorandum as Exhibit A. The External Relations Committee has been charged with a task that is impossible to complete.

6. The resolution, itself, is so vague that it fails to give sufficient guidance to the External Relations Committee, the Grand Master or the Grand Lodge to comply with its terms.

The last five pages are quoted from the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia and include PGM Montgomery's explanation of the episodes involving Frank Haas' expulsion.

Again, I recommend reading this entire document.

I like Frank Haas, and I consider him a friend. I think he is a good man who tried very hard to right many wrongs in West Virginia. But Masonry has rules, and I cannot find fault with GM McCarthy's reasoning for rescinding the resolution of Minnesota.

If I read the report of WV's Grievances and Appeals Committee properly, they did not act on his petition for reinstatement because he had not yet been expelled for a year when they met in 2008. According to the report, he may repetition in 2009. Frank's civil case slowly creeps through the courts, but I suspect if the judge discovers that he has not yet completely exhausted the appeals process within the fraternity, it will undoubtedly be further delayed until he has done so.

Moreover, many have heard Frank's side of this situation, but few have heard PGM Montgomery's, until now. That's no way to fairly "judge with candor, admonish with friendship, and reprehend with justice." Either inside or outside of West Virginia.

Will the GL of Minnesota Shun West Virginia Over PGM Haas?

News is slowly trickling out about the annual communications of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota yesterday and today. Both the Millenniel Mason blog's Twitter feed, as well as a posting by Philalethes Society editor Nelson King are implying that the GL of Minnesota is investigating the notion of withdrawing recognition of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia over WV's suspension of MWBro. Frank Haas, PGM, and its rescinding of the so-called Wheeling Reforms.

The civil case brought by Haas against the Grand Lodge of West Virginia has reportedly cost the GL on the order of $100,000 so far, which has included their hiring of a private investigator.

If all of this is new to you, here are previous entries:

West Virginia Past Grand Master Expelled

West Virginia: The Continuing Crisis

West Virginia: The Saga Continues

West Virginia: The Continuing Crisis II

New York, Meet West Virginia

New Twists in West Virginia


I honestly wish both sides would blink on this and get back to the work of making Freemasonry in West Virginia the very best it can be. Nothing good can come from this continued standoff.

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UPDATE:

Nick at the Millennial Mason explains Minnesota's actions a little better:

I have looked at the different messages throughout the Internet, and I would like to clear up some miscommunications about the motion (which carried) concerning the Grand Lodge of West Virginia. The motion does not revoke recognition immediately nor even at the next Communication. The motion charges the External Relations committee to look into the regularity of the Masonic practices of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia and to report its findings to the Craft next year. At that time, it is possible that the Grand Lodge will vote on withdrawing recognition of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia.

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The resolution reads:

Whereas the Grand Lodge of West Virginia has arbitarily and recklessly ignored the will of their brethren, expelling a Past Grand Master without trial or redress, violating the ancient customs and tenets of our Fraternity and bring shame and disrepute on all Masons and Freemasonry, and

Whereas they have been named in a civil suit further bringing the Craft into public disrepute and score,

Therefore be it resolved that the Grand Lodge of Minnesota expresses its concern over these actions and wil consider suspending recognition of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia upon the recommendation of our External Relations Committee at our next Annual Communication in 2010 if there is not correction of these actions and a renewed willingness by the Grand Lodge of West Virginia to enter into the modern fraternity of Freemasonry.

WVa Lawsuit Moves Forward

The Charleston (WVa) Gazette reports today that Judge Irene C. Berger has denied the motion by the Grand Lodge of West Virginia to dismiss the lawsuit brought by expelled Past Grand Master Frank Haas. Last month, defense attorney John Tinney argued that the case should be dismissed because Haas hadn't fully exhausted his appeals within Masonic law. Hass' attorney argued that any appeal within the current Grand Lodge process would be "a sham."

Grand Master Charles Montgomery was deposed yesterday, and PGM Charles Coleman II will probably be deposed today. Haas will be deposed by the GL's attorney on October 8th.

Now it's a race between the trial and the convening of Grand Lodge. The big question is, will Haas be reinstated by Grand Lodge when it meets, or will it uphold GM Montgomery's expulsion of Haas without a Masonic trial? Their annual communication will be Monday, October 13th.

That ought to sound familiar. It's the anniversary of the arrest of the Templars.

The Evolution of Masonic Podcasts

Many years ago, Brother Stephen Dafoe hit upon the notion of a Masonic podcast, called Radio Free Mason, interviewing Masonic authors or notable Masons across North America. Like everything else, doing this stuff can be a grind, especially when it's a volunteer labor of love, and Radio Free Mason soon languished. Brother Robert Jump resurrected the idea at The Three Pillars Forum, but it soon stopped regular updates, as well.

Illinois brother Eric Diamond has hept his Xoriente podcast going for several years now. It is up to Episode 27, and he has not shied away from controversial subjects: in July, he interviewed the brother known as "I M Hiram" from West Virginia, who contributes to the Masonic Crusade website about the ongoing controversy over the suspension of PGM Frank Haas.

Several months back, Brother Cory Siegler of The Working Tools discovered the miracle of TalkShoe, an easy to use, toll-free "talk radio" service that allows hosts, guests and listeners to record a podcast, archive it, and keep past shows available for future listeners.

Brother Greg Stewart of Masonic Traveler blog fame is the latest entrant in the Masonic podcast world, with a regular, outstanding, and very broad range of guests, not just from the ranks of the Masonic world. His show is called Masonic Central, and in a brief period, he has presented a wide range of guests on a broad spectrum of topics.

EPISODE1 - Br. Fred Miliken (The Beehive)
EPISODE 2 - Tim Bryce
EPISODE3 - John Ratcliff
EPISODE4 - Tom Accousti (The Tao of Freemasonry)
EPISODE 5 - Dr. Patrick Swift, author of One Mountain, Many Paths: Common Sense for the Spiritual Traveler
EPISODE 6 - Round Table discussion
EPISODE 7 - Jennifer Emick, author of the Everything Book of Celtic Wisdom
EPISODE 8 - Paul M. Bessel and Jerry Samet, PGM of the District of Columbia

This Sunday's Episode #9 will feature brother Adam Kendall, Curator of Collections with the Henry Wilson Coil Library & Museum of Freemasonry for the Grand Lodge of F. & A.M. of California.

Future shows will feature Pennsylvania's Thomas R. Jackson, Past Grand Secretary, book reviewer for The Northern Light magazine, and one of the principal forces behind this summer's World Conference of Masonic Grand Lodges in Washington DC; author Stephen Dafoe on October 12th, discussing his two upcoming Templar projects; and on October 19th, Jessica Harland-Jacobs, author of the fascinating book "Builders of Empire: Freemasons and British Imperialism, 1717-1927" .

Bravo to Brother Stewart and to all of these brethren who have used this technology to bring these kinds of guests to a larger audience.

GL of WV's Motion To Dismiss Denied

On Friday, West Virginia Judge Irene C. Berger denied every point of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia's motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by Past Grand Master Frank Haas. Since the GL's annual communication is at the end of October, it will be curious to see which comes first.

New Twists in West Virginia

The Charleston Gazette is reporting new developments in the case of Frank Haas vs. the Grand Lodge of West Virginia. There must have been no shortage of heartburn in the Grand Lodge office when it was discovered the case was being heard by an African American woman, which, considering some of the issues in the case, pegs the irony meter.

The Grand Lodge's counsel John Tinney has has asked Judge Irene C. Berger to throw out the case, saying Haas has not exhausted the appeals process within the Grand Lodge yet.

The story reads, in part:

The edict expelling Haas would be part of a report presented by the grand master at the end of his term, Tinney said. Members of the Grand Lodge then have the opportunity to vote to accept or reject each part of that report.

Following that, Haas could appeal to the Grievance and Appeal Committee, who would also present their findings for the approval of Grand Lodge members, he said.

Haas could finally appeal to the Jurisprudence Committee, whose report would again be subject to approval of the Grand Lodge members, he said.

Tinney asked Berger to adopt a "hands-off" policy toward the Masons, saying that courts in West Virginia generally do not interject into an organization's processes until they have run their course.

Haas' attorney, Bob Allen, maintained that any effort by Haas to seek reinstatement in a Masonic setting would be a sham.

"If this court dismisses this complaint, he's a goner," he said.

Members of the committees that hear appeals serve at the will and pleasure of the grand master, and their findings could be easily influenced, he said.

Haas tried to appeal his expulsion within the organization, but received no formal acknowledgement of his grievance until he filed the lawsuit, Allen said.

In another development, on Monday, the Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of West Virginia, WWBro, Robin Griffith, filed an amicus brief in support of Haas. The brief points out that West Virginia is one of only 10 states where the Grand Lodge does not recognize their Prince Hall counterparts, which were established because black Masons are traditionally not welcome in mainstream lodges. If nothing else comes out of this from a legal standpoint, this is a bold philosophical and symbolic move on the part of the MWPHGLofWV in support of Haas.

And in one hilarious exchange in the bon chance department, the Grand Lodge wants the names and addresses of internet posters from the Masonic Crusade website:

In their court filings, the defendants have asked Haas to identify the names, e-mail addresses, aliases and/or pen names of all individuals who contribute or comment on the Masonic Crusade site.

The interrogatories specifically ask for information on individuals who post under the names "I.M. Hiram" and "A Mason," and ask Haas to describe his involvement in "the mass e-mailing campaign of the individual or individuals" writing as I.M. Hiram.

BTW, on a side note, I do wish someone in the Grand Lodge office would let their web administrator know the GL of WV's home page title reads "Grang Lodge." They don't seem to accept my emails. And since I'm looking at websites, somebody needs to tell the MW Prince Hall GL of West Virginia they could probably stand a more uplifting piece of music on their website besides "The Thrill Is Gone."

Just sayin'.

Judge Berger has indicated she will rule on the motion to dismiss within two weeks.