Case Against "Masonic Police Force" Unravels After Leader's Death

A group of fraudulent, clandestine Masons in California were charged last May with impersonating police officers, after they announced to local officials that they were establishing a "Masonic Police Department."  (See the story HERE.) 

Today, the AP is reporting that the case took a strange turn, after the so-called "Absolute Grand Master" dropped dead Monday:

A bizarre case against three people accused of promoting themselves as members of a fraternal police force that traces its roots back 3,000 years partly collapsed when the charges against one defendant were dismissed and the organization's so-called chief suddenly died. 

A website for the Masonic Fraternal Police, which claims jurisdiction in 33 states and Mexico, said the group was created by the Knights Templar in 1100 B.C. 

The criminal case unraveled when David Inkk Henry, the 47-year-old "grandmaster" of the organization, died of a pulmonary embolism on Monday — hours after appearing in a Los Angeles County court, the Los Angeles Times reported (http://lat.ms/1VgAVPK). 

Earlier in the day, a judge dismissed charges against Brandon Kiel, a former staffer with the California Department of Justice whom authorities said impersonated a police officer and misused his government-issued ID.Another defendant still faces charges.

[snip] 

Detective Amalia Hernandez testified that Kiel did much of the talking and said the group would only handle matters internal to the Masonic group. Kiel also said the state Department of Justice was well aware and supportive of the Masonic Fraternal Police Department, Hernandez said. 

The three people were initially charged with misdemeanor counts of falsely representing themselves as police officers; Henry also was charged with three felony counts of perjury. 

Prosecutors later accused them of perjury and conspiracy to commit perjury by procuring fee-exempt license plates from the state Department of Motor Vehicles. 

In their trial appearence last June, the defendants, Henry,  Brandon Kiel (Henry's son-in-law), and Tonette Hayes, wore Masonic regalia to court (and Hayes also wore a minister's collar). The bogus group's website referred to Henry as "Absolute Supreme Sovereign Grandmaster."  Kiel was an aide to California Attorney General Kamala Harris until he was charged in the case, when he was placed on administrative leave.

According to the KHTS-AM 1220 website today:

"[The three] appeared at a pretrial hearing on Monday, where the case against Kiel was dismissed after the judge granted a defense motion to suppress. Then, just hours after the hearing, Henry died...  

As the only remaining defendant on the case, Hayes is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on April 29. She faces a maximum possible sentence of two years in county jail if convicted as charged."

In an article from last July's LA Times, the group's lawyer gave a public interview about their original intentions:

The trio accused of running a so-called Masonic police department created the agency in an attempt to improve relations between African Americans and law enforcement, said a lawyer for one of the three defendants.  

Attorney Gary Casselman said that the trio believed they were doing things aboveboard and had filed paperwork to carry weapons, applied for the type of vehicle license plates used by government agencies and sent letters introducing themselves to police departments. 

"It was supposed to be somewhere where people who didn't trust the regular police could go and make their reports of misconduct known and then these folks, the Masonics, would take it to recognized police," Casselman said. "They would be a go-between."

UPDATE

David Henry, last June,  recorded a video scolding "other" grand masters for criticizing his attempts to form a "Masonic Police Department," and declared that his arrest was actually a plot to sabotage the Attorney General (his son-in-law's employer). He says in the video that those who don't understand the actions of his sovereign grand lodge should consult their own GMs for clarification...

(Whoops. The video was just made "private" and can no longer be viewed.)

Regular Grand Lodge of Belgium Suspends Recognition of GL of Tennessee

On March 8th, the Regular Grand Lodge of Belgium suspended fraternal relations with the Grand Lodge of Georgia over their recent addition  of language to their Code forbidding homosexuals from joining Masonry in that state.

Today, the RGL of Belgium's Grand Master, Jacques François has now followed through with his promise to do the same with the Grand Lodge of Tennessee if they failed to pass a resolution to remove similar discrimination from their own Code at their Annual Communication last month.

As previously reported, Belgium now joins grand lodges in California and Washington D.C. in dropping recognition of Georgia and Tennessee.

(Click images to enlarge.)

Stephen Colbert and Freemasonry

I'm traveling in Las Vegas this weekend, but I saw this on Facebook this morning:

Speaking Events Friday & Saturday in Las Vegas 4/15-16

I will be speaking this Friday evening, April 15th at Vegas Lodge No. 32 in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Dinner will be at 6:30PM, and the meeting will begin at 7:30PM,. The event is open to all Masons. An invitation has been extended to all Brethren in the Vegas Valley area, so please stop in if you live nearby or happen to be visiting in town.

The lodge is located at 632 E. Charleston Blvd. in Las Vegas. For information about the evening, contact the lodge Secretary at secretary@vegas32.org

(Please note: This event WAS previously scheduled to take place a week later, on April 23rd, but was rescheduled to coincide with the Scottish Rite.)

---

The next evening, Saturday, April 16th, I will have the honor of addressing the members and new Masters of the Royal Secret of the Las Vegas Valley of the Scottish Rite as part of their two day Spring Reunion. At this time, I believe I am supposed to be speaking at dinner at 6:30PM, but that may be subject to change.

The Valley of Las Vegas is located in the Masonic Memorial Temple, 2200 W Mesquite Ave #170, Las Vegas.

MA/RI MasonicCon April 23rd

The Brethren in Massachusetts and Rhode Island are jointly holding a massive Masonic convention this month called Masonic Con, on Saturday, April 23rd, 2016.

The event is sponsored by Ezekiel Bates Lodge F&AM and Nava Grotto, and is open to the public and Masons alike. It promises to be a truly exciting event.  The historic lodge is located at 71 N Main St, Attleboro, Massachusetts.

The building will be jam packed with tables for Masonic Bodies, Atrists, Authors and much more. All lectures are free to attend and open to the public.  Spouses are encouraged to attend as the Order of the Eastern Star, Daughters of Mokanna, and possibly more will be present.

Featured speakers will include:

Brother Ryan Flynn – World Renowned Masonic Artist

Brother Matthew “Doc” Perry – Fort Adams and the Newport Tower Navigational Code. 

David Brody – Sun Worship, Freemasons and the Stone Chambers of New England. 

Jim Egan – Who Built the Newport Tower

Aimee Newell – The Badge of a Freemason: Masonic Aprons from the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Brother Greg Kaminsky -The Influence of the Cabala on Freemasonry.

Brother Keith MacKinnon – Preserving our Masonic past with artifacts.

Janet Wolter/Alan Butler – America Nation of the Goddess, the Venus Families and the Founding of the United States. 

Brother Scott Wolter –  World-renowned forensic geologist and star of H2’s America Unearthed

Also, the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, the Grotto, and the Sword of Bunker Hill will all initiate candidates and perform degrees at tyled events during this event.

Attendees are free to dress casual, or in any Masonic way they choose.

For much more information on this incredible day, check the Masonic Con website HERE and the Facebook event page HERE. 

RW James M. "Jimmy" Willson, PGM of Texas, Passes Away

MW James McCrorry Willson, Jr., Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas F&AM, passed to the Celestial Lodge on April 9th, 2016. He was 94 years old.

He was Raised a Master Mason in Floydada Lodge No. 712, A.F. & A.M. on February 22, 1947.

During his life, he served as an officer in at least four national Masonic bodies, including as Grand Treasurer for the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar, and as Past Supreme Magus of the Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis between 1995 and 1998.

He is survived by five children.

Visitation will be 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 13, 2016 at Moore-Rose Funeral Home in Floydada., TX.

Graveside service with Masonic Rites will be 10:00 a.m., Thursday, April 14, 2016 at the Floyd County Memorial Park in Floydada. 

A Memorial Service will follow at 11:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Floydada with Ken Peterson officiating. Arrangements are under the personal care of Moore-Rose Funeral Home in Floydada.

You may leave a Rememberence at the Moore-Rose Funeral Home website HERE.

1925: Freemasons Held World's Largest Banquet

Freemasons used to do things very big indeed. 

Silent documentary film footage appears on the British Pathe website of a massive Festive Board - deemed the world's largest banquet at that time -  held by UGLE Freemasons in London in 1925. 

From the description:

The world's largest banquet. 5 miles of tables, and 1300 waitresses needed to look after this great party of 8000 Freemasons. Olympia, London. 

[Long shot] of the vast hall full of people stood up, they all sit down at the long tables and unfold their napkins, the camera pans across them. [Medium shot] as the waitresses walk up and down the rows serving food, the camera pans across them. [Medium shot]  of the banquet, they chat while eating. Various shots as the waitresses carry on serving the men.

A longer description of this record-setting banquet appeared in an article in Freemasonry Today from July 9th, 2015:

The event was in aid of the Masonic Million Memorial Fund which raised money to build our beautiful Freemasons' Hall in London. 

The historic lunch was held on Saturday 8th August 1925 at Olympia. Special trains were laid on to transport the over 7,000 members to the venue, who dined on five courses and coffee, served by 1,250 waitresses in just over an hour!  

Five miles of tables were laid with 50,000 plates, 30,000 glasses, 30,000 knives, 37,000 forks and 15,000 spoons. The assembled enjoyed salmon, lamb, chicken garnished with tongue and York ham.  

A central conning tower was erected in the gallery which was fitted with electrical signalling devices for the caterers to supervise the event. There was also a loudspeaker system with amplifiers that allowed all the diners to hear the speeches clearly. Music was provided by the band of the Welsh Guards.  

Books of matches were issued at the end of the meal, featuring an image of the event jewel on one side and the coat of arms of the United Grand Lodge of England on the reverse. Cigars and cigarettes packed in specially designed cases were also distributed.

Former GA Grand Tyler Arrested For Stealing From Lodge

Robert Young, Past Grand Tyler and District Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Georgia F&AM, has been arrested and charged in DeKalb County, Georgia, for allegedly stealing $600,000 over a six year period from Grant Park Lodge No. 604.

Click image to enlarge.

According to the public record, Young was arrested February 29th, and released just under a month later on $10,000 bond.

Reportedly, the Grant Park Lodge had recently sold their building, and had been temporarily meeting in nearby Master's Lodge No. 295 in Decatur while they decided where to build a new temple.

When Was the Bible Written? Possible New Evidence Emerges

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences is demonstrating that there may have been widespread literacy in the Holy Land region of Judah as long ago as 600 B.C., towards the end of the period of the First Temple. 

This could shed new light especially on the period during which certain Torah books - including early versions of Deuteronomy through II Kings - were first written.

From an article on the new York Times website today:

Eliashib, the quartermaster of the remote desert fortress, received his instructions in writing — notes inscribed in ink on pottery asking for provisions to be sent to forces in the ancient kingdom of Judah. 

The requests for wine, flour and oil read like mundane, if ancient, shopping lists. But a new analysis of the handwriting suggests that literacy may have been far more widespread than previously known in the Holy Land around 600 B.C., toward the end of the First Temple period. The findings, according to the researchers from Tel Aviv University, could have some bearing on a century-old debate about when the main body of biblical texts was composed. 

“To Eliashib: And now, give the Kittiyim 3 baths of wine, and write the name of the day,” read one of the texts, composed in ancient Hebrew using the Aramaic alphabet, and apparently referring to a Greek mercenary unit in the area. Another said: “And a full homer of wine, bring tomorrow; don’t be late. And if there is vinegar, give it to them.” 

The new study, published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, combined archaeology, Jewish history and applied mathematics, and involved computerized image processing and the development of an algorithm to distinguish between the various authors issuing the commands. 

Based on a statistical analysis of the results, and taking into account the content of the texts that were chosen for the sample, the researchers concluded that at least six different hands had written the 18 missives at around the same time. Even soldiers in the lower ranks of the Judahite army, it appears, could read and write. 

[snip] 

The study was based on a trove of about 100 letters inscribed in ink on pieces of pottery, known as ostracons, that were unearthed near the Dead Sea in an excavation of the Arad fort decades ago and dated from about 600 B.C. That was shortly before Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah, and the exile of its elite to Babylon — and before many scholars believe the major part of the biblical texts, including the five books of Moses, also known as the Pentateuch, were written down in any cohesive form. Cnue reading the main story

The Arad citadel was small, far-flung and on an active front, close to the border with the rival kingdom of Edom. The fort itself was only about half an acre in size, and probably would have accommodated about 30 soldiers. The wealth of texts found there, recording troop movements, provisions and other daily activities, were created within a short time, making them a valuable sample for looking at how many different hands wrote them. 

“To Eliashib, and now: Issue from the wine 3 baths,” another ostracon ordered, adding, “And Hananyahu has commanded you to Beersheba with 2 donkeys’ load and you shall wrap up the dough with them.” 

One of the longstanding arguments for why the main body of biblical literature was not written down in anything like its present form until after the destruction and exile of 586 B.C. is that before then there was not enough literacy or enough scribes to support such a huge undertaking. 

But if the literacy rates in the Arad fortress were repeated across the kingdom of Judah, which had about 100,000 people, there would have been hundreds of literate people, the Tel Aviv research team suggests. 

That could have provided the infrastructure for the composition of biblical works that constitute the basis of Judahite history and theology including early versions of the books of Deuteronomy to II Kings, according to the researchers. 

Since the 19th century, scholars have been debating “when was it written?” Professor Finkelstein said. “In real time or after,” he added, referring to the destruction and exile. 

In the centuries after the destruction and exile, up until 200 B.C., Professor Finkelstein said, there is almost no archaeological evidence of inscriptions in Hebrew. He said he would have expected digs to reveal seal impressions and everyday writings on pottery, even if more important texts, like biblical ones, had been done on perishable materials such as parchment or papyrus. 

Biblical texts written in the centuries after 586 B.C., he suggested, were likely to have been composed in Babylon. 

Other scholars cautioned against drawing too many conclusions about when the first major part of the Bible was written based on extrapolations regarding ancient literacy rates. 

“There is no such thing as consensus in biblical studies these days,” said Prof. Edward Greenstein of Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv. “The process of transmission was much more complicated than scholars used to think.” 

The process of composing the Torah, according to Professor Greenstein, appears to have involved layers of rewrites, supplements and revisions. Pointing to recent scholarship on biblical literature, he said that scribes may have recorded texts primarily as a memory aid in a world where they were still being transmitted orally. 

“Biblical texts did not have to have been written by many people, or read by many people, to have been written down,” he said, adding that the texts would not have been widely circulated.

To read the whole article, CLICK HERE.

Tennessee Masonic Wife: "Fiduciary Harmony"

I received this essay today from the wife of a Tennessee Past Master. It is posted without her name, but I am aware of the backstory, and do not want to place her husband in an untenable situation. 

According to her message, the Grand Lodge of Tennessee is about to bring charges against the Park Avenue Lodge in Memphis for supporting the recently expelled gay married couple, Dennis Clark and Mark Henderson.

Brethren who openly take issue with the Grand Lodge of Tennessee's policy, in lodge or even on social media, are still being actively pursued. Just because the vote was taken at Grand Lodge last month does not mean the situation there has somehow been resolved or papered over.  

She wrote, "I believe the Brothers on both side of this issue in the State of Tennessee are good men, but even with good intentions, things are getting ugly. My husband came back from the Tennessee Grand Lodge meeting last month very glum. Now I know why. Brothers who dissent were booed or bullied into silent acquiescence."

Her essay below, however, addresses a different aspect of the controversy:

Fiduciary Harmony Beyond Polar Opposites In Lodges

I am a veteran of the civil rights movement and the supportive wife of a Past Master. My husband and I tend to be polar opposites on religious and political issues. Thus, we agree not to engage in religion and politics with each other to preserve harmony in our home.

Seriously, more pressing secular and nonsectarian housekeeping issues are what keeps a household or any diverse organization from going homeless.

Thus, my comments come with a limited grasp of Freemasonry, but a very seasoned grasp of grassroots community organization. My comments are merely that of a loving wife who is concerned about how this "revolutionary" mindset affects my husband's brotherhood. After all, I accompany him to quite a few Masonic dinners, charities, and events. However, I must say, I am truly enamored of the wonderful architecture and historical significance of some of the buildings entrusted to the masonic brotherhood.

What is troubling about polarizing on a heated issue like gay marriage, which the high court of the land has ruled on from a civil rights perspective, is that officers of the body have a fiduciary responsibility to their charges. When officers make polar decisions fueled by religion or politics which are counter to the law of the land on civil rights issues, they risk endangering their house and much of their good works and charities.

Thus, while officers of upright moral character have good intentions about polarizing a political or religiously charged issue within their lodge, they also have a fiduciary responsibility to the rest of the membership, buildings, and charities. Forget about religion and politics bringing down a home. Think about the financial obligations which keep your home and dear family safe and sound. Fiduciary harmony keeps the winds of change from damaging the structural integrity of any organization, building, or relationship.

Meanwhile, I understand that there are glorious Masonic buildings that are part of the foundation of American history. Some of these grand structures are recognized, subsidized, and protected by federal preservation grants. I also understand that there are charities that may be subsidized by organizations like the United Way, which in turn maybe receiving federal grant subsidies.

Please bear in mind, any body or organization receiving federal subsidies risks losing said subsidies and may incur other federal sanctions if they engage in activities that encroach upon Supreme Court civil rights rulings.

Additionally, nonprofit organizations and their charitable subsidiaries may be at risk from other fiscal sanctions from the federal government such as tax reclassification and accounting procedures if the organization or its subsidiaries engage in political activities. For instance, lobbying or entertaining government officials who want to push their political agendas within a lodge should be a big NO. Whilst supporting anti-gay measures which are indigenous to a certain region may seem morally correct to the officers involved, it is also a good way to bring down the structural and fiduciary integrity of their house if said measures are against the law of the land.

Since there are different types of nonprofit tax classifications, it is extremely unwise for any subsidiary or appendant body to run afoul of its main organizational focus because of the complicated tax laws involved.

Cases in Point: In the state of Tennessee, state and municipal branches recognize the legal and fiduciary wrath which their jurisdictions would incur, should they enact anti-gay marriage measures which violate Supreme Court edict on the matter. However, well-meaning officers of the Tennessee Grand Lodge have pushed anti-gay measures into their lodge in 2016 which their own state won't touch. As a result, decent brethren, both gay and straight, are being reprimanded, forced into silence, or backed into demitting by edict of the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee. The repercussions of the GM of Tennessee’s actions have reached Tennessee brethren in the form of denouncements of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee from Grand Lodges across the world. If this unyielding, unconstitutional attitude of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee keeps up, good brethren, whatever their political or religious affiliations are, will become homeless and outcast.

In secular politics, Mississippi and North Carolina, two state governing bodies that thought it was in their best moral interest to pass anti-gay bills in opposition to the Supreme Court ruling, we see the economic tidal wave already ripping through their barricades. Now, not only do Mississippi and North Carolina run the risk of federal sanctions, but these states have also incurred financial sanctions from lucrative, high profile, high tech companies. PayPal has begun to pull their operations out of North Carolina. Apple and Google have threatened to cease doing business with these states. States sorely need more financial incentives and job stimulation not financial sanctions. A victory for the good old boys, but a defeat for the economic stability of Mississippi and North Carolina...

Bottomline: It is in a lodge's best fiduciary interest not to get involved with political issues which run counter to the law of the land. The risk of economic sanctions will rock the foundation of any structure.

Kansas Shriners May Have To Change Their Name

The Nobles of Isis Shrine Temple in Salina, Kansas are having an unfortunate identity problem, thanks to current events.

From the KWCH-TV website yesterday:

One word is raising many questions. 

"We kept thinking it would go away, calm down, and basically as of right now, it's been worse." 

John Gilpin is a part of Isis Shriners, a non-profit that helps children in need with medical expenses, about 1,500 members meet at their temple in Salina.  

"We talk about it for a while, go off on something else, and try to forget it, but it keeps coming back." 

He says the word Isis comes from an Egyptian Greek goddess, not to be confused with the terrorist group that is also known as ISIS.  

"All we can do it explain it to them and tell them what we are doing."The charity has had the name since 1927. 

"We are the oldest corporation in the state of Kansas, but we would hate to lose that."

Apparently, the public is having a tough time differentiating between radical Islamic terrorists and portly, middle-aged, white gentlemen wearing fezzes and driving smallish go-karts in local parades. 

To read or watch the whole story, CLICK HERE. 

Initiation, Memorization, and Superior Intelligence

Younger folks may never have read the classic science fiction work by Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451, or seen the film made of it in 1966 by François Truffaut. It is a dystopian novel about a future society that engages, in part, in burning books (the title itself refers to the temperature at which paper burns). At the end of the story, a small community of dissenters is discovered who who have all dedicated their lives to memorizing the entire texts of books, and each one then recites theirs to a student to learn the same. Thus, civilization is preserved and passed on to the next generation.

Our predecessors who transformed Freemasonry into the modern fraternity we experience now had a distinct method to their madness. Secrecy was intended as a symbol of our honor, of keeping our word over something as trivial as a password or handshake. But, it goes hand in hand with our method (at least until recently) of teaching our ritual to each other. 

While I have often facetiously asked in my speeches, "Who would voluntarily join a memorization club?", I do not in any way discount the vital importance of our traditions of passing our ritual from mouth to ear. Unfortunately, too many jurisdictions have given up in recent years and issued printed rituals that aren't even in cipher form anymore, but are fully printed out. Sadly, this is another loss of a foundation stone that is vital to the very essence of Freemasonry's initiatic experience. The relationship between student and mentor is one of the strongest bonds we can experience, and by printing out rituals, we break that chain and encourage the solitary study of our ceremonies in isolation. We give up these practices at our peril, and society itself is suffering from this kind of withdrawal from the wider community. 

And here is why... 

Brother Angel Millar  is the author of The Crescent and the Compass: Islam, Freemasonry, Esotericism and Revolution in the Modern Age (2015), Freemasonry: Foundation of the Western Esoteric Tradition (2014), and Freemasonry: A History (2005). He has penned a thoughtful essay on the notion that initiation and memorization is actually the foundation of greater intelligence. It appears on the Phalanx website.

From Initiation: The Foundation of Superior Intelligence:

"...[A]ncient tribes passed on their knowledge and understanding through “oral traditions,” since they had not — until a certain point in time — discovered writing. Even after they had, memorization remained important. Even today, in the religion of Islam, for example, memorizing the entire Qur’an is still considered a great achievement, and someone who manages this is given the honorific Hafiz (male) or Hafiza(female), meaning “one who memorizes” or “guardian.” 

Likewise, secret initiatory schools in the West sometimes continued to pass on their knowledge orally. Notably, according to myth, Odin discovered the runes (which served as both letters and occult symbols) after sacrificing an eye to the well of Mimir (“The Rememberer”). 

Orators in the ancient world would mentally construct a “memory theater” to help them recall their speeches. The device remained substantially in use until at least the seventeenth century. The technique was to construct a building in the imagination, placing in it various objects that reminded the orator of certain things he wanted to recall. Then, when giving his speech, he would imagine walking through the building, to be prompted by the imaginary objects. 

Somewhat similar to the memory theater, the esoteric society of Freemasonry, which emerged from the stonemasons’ guild in London in 1717, adopted the symbolism of architecture and spatial arrangements (among other things) for its ritual, giving, for example, the East, Northeast corner, etc., symbolic meanings related to the ontology of Masonic initiation and proceedings. 

Even today, memorization remains important to the fraternity, playing a role in even the most basic procedures of the Lodge. New initiates are sometimes required to answer questions about Freemasonry, repeating specific answers from memory. And, more advanced, one lecture given during the second degree ritual — the “Middle Chamber” lecture — lasts about eight minutes, and is — or at least should be — recited from memory. (Notably, the lecture includes references to architecture, as well as to the seven liberal arts, which long formed the basis of education in the West.)

Take a few moments and read the entire article HERE.

The memorization technique Millar refers to is called the Method of Loci, or Memory Palace. A very brief description of how to practice the technique can be read HERE. 

Masons Help High Schoolers Understand Civics

Do you have a group of retired brethren at your lodge who might really enjoy getting involved with a daytime program that costs little but helps the community? Check out what these Masons in Palm Beach, Florida who are members of their evening High Twelve Club came up with.

From the Sun Sentinal website today:

Bernhard Kainer couldn't believe what he was seeing on his television. 

Everyday Americans, approached by Jay Leno during a popular segment of The Tonight Show, couldn't name the vice president or the three branches of government. 

"I was thinking, 'How can these people not know anything?'" recalled the 89-year-old Boca Raton resident. 

The sight sent Kainer and other South Florida retirees on an unlikely mission to make sure students understand civics.

They went to the Palm Beach County School District with the idea of starting a tournament that would encourage kids to learn more about the government. Kaiser even made up a list of 50 questions, from "Who is the present president?" to "What is the date of the Declaration of Independence?" 

School district leaders were sold on the idea. 

So from July to March, Kainer and a handful of other white-haired friends, all members of the Masonic High Twelve Lake Worth Club, visited schools, created a gold trophy and raised money for a $500 cash prize. 

Last month, they hosted the first-ever Government Bee, complete with Jeopardy-style buzzers and a bonus round. 

"It was something they were so passionate and lively about," said Shawn Servos, a district administrator who helped plan the bee. "It was their everything for a while."The project fit nicely into the Masonic group's mission to support education – especially in government. 

And they had a good time with it. One of the questions involved the Magna Carta, a document signed in 1215. When none of the students knew the answer, 84-year old Sidney King piped in. 

"I said, 'You know how I know? Who do you think lent him the pen?' I said, 'I'm that old,'" recalled King, president of High Twelve. 

With November just months away, Kainer thought the bee was especially important: "The elections are coming on and adults don't know what the heck is going on, who is who, et cetera." 

He pointed to a survey of college graduates that found barely half knew the Constitution establishes the separation of powers, 43 percent could not identify the Chief Justice and 62 percent were unaware of the correct length of congressional terms of office. 

That convinced him that the quiz segment on The Tonight Show was not a set-up, as he'd originally thought. 

But the local students, all seniors at four Lake Worth area high schools, knew quite a bit. School district administrators tossed out Kainer's questions in favor of tougher ones, including, "Where are tax bills required to originate?" Some of them stumped Kainer. 

"The questions I thought really had the students think hard about the workings of the government," said Santaluces High government teacher Colleen Gleason, whose students won the competition. "There were a number of questions where I was like, 'Oh my God, are they going to know this?' But they pulled it off."

According to a newsletter post, they  work with four area high schools, and each school fields a team of five students.

The Lake Worth #316 High Twelve Club meets at 6:30PM on the 2nd Tuesday at the Tom Sawyer Restaurant, 3208 Forest Hills Blvd., in West Palm Beach. They have been meeting since 1959.

Fraternal Folk Art Exhibit in NYC Museum Through May 8th

An exhibit featuring folk art of Freemasonry and the Odd Fellows from a private collection in New York City is running at the American Folk Art Museum through May 8th.

From  "The Art of Secret Societies, Filled With Codes and Glyphs" in the New York Times on Thursday:

Masonic and Odd Fellow lodges mushroomed in the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries, giving rise to a fascinating, quasi-religious material culture. That’s the subject of “Mystery and Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art From the Kendra and Allan Daniel Collection,” a captivating exhibition at the American Folk Art Museum. Organized by the museum’s chief curator, Stacy C. Hollander, the exhibition features 190 artifacts from a collection recently donated to the museum by the Daniels, who are folk art collectors. Mr. Daniel is also a museum trustee. 

The show presents a wide range of objects from the late-18th century to the early-20th, including paintings, signs, furniture, architectural elements, jewelry, quilts, carved picture frames, ceremonial props and a wooden grave marker. Some were created by self-taught artists, others produced by commercial manufacturers responding to demand for such paraphernalia. What unites all of them is not any particular style but a traditional set of hieroglyphic symbols, one or more of which can be seen in nearly every piece in the show... 

For the whole article and photos, CLICK HERE.

The exhibit is co-curated by Aimee E. Newell, Director of Collections at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library in Lexington, Massachusetts.

The American Folk Art Museum is located at 2 Lincoln Square, on West 66th Street, Manhattan.
Visit their website at www.folkartmuseum.org

New Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center Taking Shape

Impressive new Masonic buildings are rarely erected these days. With a few notable exceptions, sadly, most new fraternal buildings anymore are little more than a pole barn shed in a cornfield. So it's a pleasure to see a Masonic organization building a new fraternal landmark with the kind of love, vision and detail that were the hallmarks of our predecessors. 

Construction is continuing in earnest on the new Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, a 47,000 square-foot centerpiece on the Masonic Home campus in Bloomington, MN that will feature a 425-seat auditorium and theatre, conference and dining facilities, a Lodge Room, and an expanded, state-of-the-art Col. James B. Ladd Masonic Museum. (The current museum is in a tiny room of the main building on the campus, and holds only a small fraction of their archives.)

From an article on the Finance & Commerce website today:

By all appearances, Minnesota Masonic Charities isn’t cutting corners on its new 50,000-square-foot Heritage Center in Bloomington.

 The $22 million center is taking shape on the nonprofit organization’s 83-acre wooded campus at 11501 Masonic Drive. When it opens in June, it will house a 425-seat auditorium, a Masonic museum and lodge, a library with rare Masonic books, and event spaces.

Designed by Trossen Wright Plutowski in Robbinsdale and built by St. Louis Park-based Adolfson & Peterson, the building will offer a high level of finishes from the porcelain floors and restored stained glass to the barrel-vaulted ceilings. 

It hasn’t been cheap. Since last spring, the budget has grown from “north of $15 million” to “closer to $22 million,” said Keir Johnson, director of the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center. 

Much of that extra cost stems from an increase in parking and additional restrooms in the event level, as well as upgraded interior finishes and fixtures, Johnson said. 

But Johnson said the project is being “funded internally” by the Masons and isn’t dependent on any additional money. 

Minnesota Masonic Charities officials say there are “very few” centers like it in the country. It will be available for community events as well as Minnesota’s 12,000 or so masons. 

During a tour of the project Tuesday, the sights and sounds of construction were palpable. Visitors in hard hats walked on dusty floors past pallets with newly delivered materials, and rows of drywall stacked against unfinished walls. 

Patrick Sims, senior pre-construction manager for Adolfson & Peterson, said during the tour that he hasn’t seen anything quite like this project in his 21 years in the industry. 

“It’s a fast-track project with a high level of design and a high level of finishes – a lot of detail,” Sims said. “It takes a lot of communication and coordination with the subcontractors on a regular basis.” 

According to a project handout, the building’s main lobby will feature porcelain flooring with inlays and dark wood trim, and the auditorium will be outfitted with custom-made rigging to accommodate 80 historic Masonic “drops.” 

The new Col. James B. Ladd Masonic Museum will tell the history of Freemasonry. Johnson said it will increase space to display some of the 60,000 Masonic artifacts currently in storage. 

The Alfred E. Ames Lodge room, featuring pillars along the walls and Masonic symbols, will host Masonic gatherings and allow people to “see what a real Masonic lodge looks like,” Johnson said during the tour. 

Elsewhere on the main floor, the Charles Nelson Library will include a stained glass window salvaged from a Masonic lodge that closed a couple of years ago in Virginia, Minnesota, Johnson said. 

The Gaytee-Palmer Stained Glass Co. in northeast Minneapolis is working on the window. 

“It’s being painstakingly restored – every piece of glass removed and cleaned, and a new frame built,” Johnson said. “We had to repair a few broken parts. But it will be featured prominently in the library.” 

Johnson said the same company is creating a new 18-foot-high stained glass window for a rotunda area just off the main lobby. The new window will feature Masonic symbols and a reproduction of a work by the English painter William Blake, he said. 

Another Minneapolis artisan, Nicholas Legeros Inc., is making 14-foot high bronze pillars, which will flank doors on the building’s exterior. 

“We are using a lot of local artisans,” Johnson said. 

Alan Plutowski, principal architect at Trossen Wright and Plutowski, said in press materials that the building will have “openness” and will be inviting to the community. 

“The quality of materials, beauty and design of stone and brickwork really represent concepts from the gold age of architecture,” he said. 

In all, 30 to 50 tradespeople have been working on the project, which is on target to open on June 24. That’s the anniversary of the formation of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717 – an “important date” in Masonic history, Johnson said. 

Famous Masons in Minnesota’s history include James J. Hill, the Mayo brothers and Hubert H. Humphrey. 

Two obsolete infirmary buildings were torn down to make way for the new center. The center is attached to the Minnesota Masonic Home, an elderly and transitional care facility. 

The campus has 56 independent living townhomes, 45 assisted living units, and 214 skilled care beds.

To support the new Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, naming rights are now available for the 425 seats of the Gideon S. Ives Auditorium. Name a plush auditorium seat after yourself, your organization or as a gift or memorial to someone else. Each seat is $250, and seat sponsorship is honored for the life of the chair. Click here to download a reservation form.