Ten Septembers Ago

I have never forgotten a piece Peggy Noonan wrote in the Wall Street Journal a year after the Twin Towers were destroyed. It was called The Fall After Sept. 11, and her words have haunted me for 9 solid years:

"The other day I walked by Saint Vincent's Hospital in downtown Manhattan and thought, as I always do when I walk by: This is where they waited for the wounded. The interns and nurses waited outside right here with gurneys for patients who didn't come. Because so few people were "wounded." The three thousand were dead. What happened to them? They were exploded into air. They became a cloud. We breathed them in."

Times of impact: 8:46 a.m. and 9:02 a.m. Time the burning towers stood: 56 minutes and 102 minutes. Time they took to fall: 12 seconds. 2819 dead from 115 different nations. 343 Fireman/paramedics, 23 NYPD, 37 Port Authority officers.

The stories today all repeat the same rough statistic: "nearly 3000" died in all of the attacks that day. They weren't nearly 3000. They were 2,977 of our citizens and neighbors, who got up on a Tuesday morning, got dressed and went to work, who were murdered by 19 madmen. They all have names, and faces, and stories, and lives they touched in life and in death.

Last year, Vice President Joseph Biden and his wife Jill spoke in New York City at Zuccotti Park. He read portions of the poem "The Builders" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

All are architects of Fate,
Working in these walls of Time;
Some with massive deeds and great,
Some with ornaments of rhyme.

Nothing useless is, or low;
Each thing in its place is best;
And what seems but idle show
Strengthens and supports the rest.

For the structure that we raise,
Time is with materials filled;
Our to-days and yesterdays
Are the blocks with which we build.

Truly shape and fashion these;
Leave no yawning gaps between;
Think not, because no man sees,
Such things will remain unseen.

In the elder days of Art,
Builders wrought with greatest care
Each minute and unseen part;
For the Gods see everywhere.

Let us do our work as well,
Both the unseen and the seen;
Make the house, where Gods may dwell,
Beautiful, entire, and clean.

Else our lives are incomplete,
Standing in these walls of Time,
Broken stairways, where the feet
Stumble as they seek to climb.

Build to-day, then, strong and sure,
With a firm and ample base;
And ascending and secure
Shall to-morrow find its place.

Thus alone can we attain
To those turrets, where the eye
Sees the world as one vast plain,
And one boundless reach of sky.

MM Degree in Blue & Gray

From Cape Island, New Jersey in Shore News Today, "Cape Island Masonic Lodge dons Blue and Gray":

At a special meeting in July, Cape Island Masonic Lodge #30 performed a Master Mason Degree on Roy Sundstrom and Roy Abrams. These newly made masons grew up together and participate in Civil War reenactments throughout the year. The degree was conferred by W.M. Harry Sundstrom, the father of Roy, who also participates in these events.

Sundstrom requested that each officer wear the uniform of the Union and Confederate armies during the degree. As a result, each officer proudly wore the Blue or the Gray during the first portion of the degree.

Following the degree work, three $1,000 scholarships were awarded to high school seniors pursuing their higher education. These scholarships were made possible through the Kevin J. Ward Memorial Scholarship Fund and are given annually. After the degree and awards, members and guests enjoyed fun and fellowship at a picnic, which included great food and weather.

WEOFM: Fundamentalism and Freemasonry by Gary Leazer

The 28th video presentation from the Worldwide Exemplification of Freemasonry is Freemasonry and Fundamentalism by Gary Leazer. (CLICK HERE TO VIEW)

An ordained Baptist minister, Gary Leazer received a B. A. degree in Bible and philosophy from Mississippi College, Clinton, Mississippi, and a M. Div. and a Ph. D. degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served almost fifteen years on the staff of the Interfaith Witness Department of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Home Mission Board, the last five years as director of the department. He conducted the investigation of Freemasonry for the Southern Baptist Convention in 1992-93. In 1993, he was forced to resign from the Home Mission Board because of his investigation.

He is adjunct professor of religious studies at Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia

He was raised a Master Mason in Clarkston Lodge No. 492 in 1997and served as Worshipful Master of his lodge in 2003. He served as Worshipful Master of Gwinnett Daylight Lodge No. 744 in 2008. He is also a member of Snellville Lodge No. 99. He is a 32° KCCH life member of the Valley of Augusta and Valley of Atlanta in the Orient of Georgia. He is Grand Prelate for the Grand Commandery of Georgia. He served as Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Georgia in 2005 and is presently Second Grand Steward in the progressive line of the Grand Lodge of Georgia. He is editor of the Masonic Messenger, the official periodical of the Grand Lodge of Georgia. He is a member of a number of research lodges; he is a full member of the Texas Lodge of Research, a Fellow with the Maine Lodge of Research, a Founding Fellow of the Masonic Society, and was Master of the Georgia Lodge of Research in 2007. He is a Blue Friar. He has served on the Masonic Information Center in Silver Spring, Maryland for fifteen years.

You may contact Brother Leazer at garyleazer@yahoo.com .

The Worldwide Exemplification of Freemasonry 2011 Lecture Series is a free presentation of Masonic education endorsed by the Grand Lodge of Indiana F&AM, beginning January 1, 2011 and running through December 31, 2011.

Note that I am no longer placing the videos for direct viewing into the blog. Somehow they've been screwing with the code and causing major loading problems. So please use the links above.

Fund Raising For Joplin Scottish Rite

The Scottish Rite Valley of Joplin, Missouri did amazing work this year when the tornados ripped through the city, providing meals and a place to sleep for workers involved in the cleanup. The Valley was in need of funds and repairs before the disaster struck, and those problems have not gone away. The needs still remain to keep their magnificent building open and in good repair.

Prior to the tornados, the Valley had started a drawing to raffle off a new 2011 Chevrolet Camaro. Unfortunately, as you can imagine in the devastated area, ticket sales have been slow at best.

On October 19, 2011 the Scottish Rite Valley of Joplin will hold a drawing to award several prizes to the winning ticket holders. There will be only 2,000 tickets sold at $50 each, so odds of winning are good. The prizes to be awarded are:

The 500th, 1,000th and 1,500th ticket drawn win $100
The 1,999th ticket drawn wins $500
The 2,000th ticket drawn wins the new 2011 Chevy Camaro

The drawing will be held at the Scottish Rite Cathedral located at 505 South Byers Avenue in Joplin, Missouri. All ticket holders are welcome to attend but need not be present to win.

For more information and to get tickets online, visit www.Win-Camaro.com

Master's Blend Coffee

We’ve all had it: that stainless steel pot of generic tar-like material that is supposed to be coffee, heated to a molten stage and belching smoke like the forges of Isengard. Nearly every lodge features this terrible concoction that has no business being labeled as suitable for human consumption. It isn’t even good for washing down green beans or cold spaghetti.

Comes now Zazzy’Z new Master’s Blend coffee, billed as “medium blended coffee, with light acidity and a sweet finish.” The label does not exaggerate. It is a mild coffee, blended of Malawi “AAA” and Indian Plantation, perfect if you aren’t the sort who demands a weapons’ grade morning brew. Best of all, it’s available as both a regular and decaf. (The decaf is Sumatra Lingtong.) I highly recommend both. Slip it in to the lodge pot and see if it doesn’t become the new crowd pleaser. As an added bonus, the label is beautifully designed and festooned with symbolism, and makes an suitable small gift for any Mason.

Both are available in 12 ounce bags for $8.99 plus shipping directly from Brother Oliver Craughwell’s Zazzy’Z Coffee in Virginia, at zazzyzroast@gmail.com

Author John Nagy in Florida October 1st

Boynton Lodge Esoteric Research Group, in Boynton Beach, FL is hosting Dr. John Nagy and his Building Builders workshop on Saturday, October 1 for all Master Masons, for $25. This is a 4 hour seminar. Lunch is provided, and a dues card is required for entry.

The lodge is located at 2701 Quantum Blvd, Boynton Beach, FL

Dr. John S. Nagy is a multi degree professional business/life coach and technical advisor who provides coaching support to business professionals through his home office in the Tampa Bay area. Brother John has been in the coaching field since January 1989. His Masonic books—Building Hiram, Building Boaz, Building Athens, and Building Janus—are described as "Uncommon Catechism for Uncommon Masonic Education."

For more information, see the lodge website at http://nagy.eventbrite.com/

California's N. Hollywood Lodge Celebrates Temple's 60th Anniversary

North Hollywood Patch features a terrific article today about North Hollywood Lodge No. 542 in California, its history, its famous members, and even its eccentric "Neo-Mayan" architect on the occasion of it's temple's 60th anniversary.

See Freemasons Celebrate 60th Anniversary of North Hollywood Temple by Craig Clough:

It's one of the most striking, unusual and bizarre structures in North Hollywood, if not in all of the San Fernando Valley.

It's architectural style has been described as "neo-Mayan," and for 60 years it has towered over pedestrians on Tujunga Avenue and visitors to the southern end of North Hollywood Park.

On Sept. 1, the Freemasons of the North Hollywood Lodge No. 542 celebrated the 60th anniversary of the building with a public dinner and congratulatory speeches from Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge and Suzanne Toyryla, the president of the North Hollywood Rotary Club.

Lodge No. 542 started in the 1920s, back when North Hollywood was still called Lankershim, according to Armen Mardirousi, the current Master of the North Hollywood Lodge Freemasons. The members rented a building until a movement got under way in the 1940s to build their own temple.

"Tonight, basically we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the dedication of the building by the Grand Master of all Masons in California in 1951," Mardirousi told Patch.

The North Hollywood Lodge has a deep connection to Hollywood's golden age. Former heads of some of the nearby movie studios were members, as were some famous actors, most notably Audie Murphy, the film star who was also the most decorated solider of World War II. Murphy lived nearby in Toluca Lake, and an upstairs room in the lodge, the Audie Murphy Lounge, is dedicated to his memory. Many of his medals and other artifacts are displayed, as is his application to join the Masons.

Read the rest here.

Indiana Masonic Home Festival This Sunday

If you are in or near the central Indiana area on September 11th, visit the annual Indiana Masonic Home Festival in Franklin. Food, fun & entertainment. There will be a live band, vintage aircraft flyovers, a Civil war re-enactor's camp, crafts and huge food tent. BouncerTown play center for the kids. And it all ends with a huge parade around Red Skelton Circle.

Opens at 7:00AM, parade at 3:00. There is free parking, and this event is open to the public.

See the program here.

For more information call 317-736-6141 or 888-464-6077

The Indiana Masonic Home is located at 690 S. State Street in Franklin, IN.

Natl Heritage Museum Exhibit

The National Heritage Museum’s new exhibition, “Inspired by Fashion: American Masonic Regalia,” uses clothing and images from the Museum’s collection to trace the inspiration behind Masonic regalia and costume. Each section explores a different source – contemporary fashion, the military, Orientalism, and theater – in order to show the connections between everyday style and fraternal fashion.

Open through March 10, 2012 at the National Heritage Museum, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, Massachusetts at the headquarters of the Scottish Rite NMJ. The Museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To learn more visit, NationalHeritageMuseum.org

Grand Encampment Sues Grand Masters

Earlier this year, the imbroglio over the establishment of the new Grand Priory of the Reformed and Rectified Rite of the United States of America (CBCS), body by the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the USA was pretty well covered here. The history of the battle between the Great Priory of America (GPA) and the Grand Encampment's Rectified Rite of the CBCS can be read in great detail here, admittedly from the Grand Encampment's side.

Then came the Conference of Grand Masters in Denver and the perplexing move by the Commission on Recognition to stick its institutional nose into the sovereignty and workings of an appendant body, which was clearly in violation of its mission as established since its very beginning. The unfortunate result of that meddling has been actions by several grand lodges or grand masters to declare the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar to be irregular, or to prevent their members from being Knights Templar in their states. Oregon, Washington, Oklahoma, Tennessee and several others have issued various restrictions against the Grand Encampment over an issue that grand lodges have no business being involved in, and never would have done if the Commission had stuck to its original mission. 

The result is that Knights Templar in several states are denied membership in this organization now, and the Grand Encampment's Eye Foundation is losing valuable contributions in those states that could be helping the blind. Worst of all, much of the poison being spread against the Grand Encampment is being done behind the scenes by a tiny group of men who want to see that the only CBCS body in America remains nothing but a supper club for a handful of self-appointed elite Masons, while holding the 230 year degree system of the Rectified Rite hostage in the U.S. The Great Priory of Helvetia (Switzerland) was desirous of having the Rectified Rite practiced, with full conferral of the degrees, in the United States, and they were and remain well aware of the "supper club" dead end of the GPA. The Swiss desire to have their Order's degrees worked properly as it is all over the world except in the United States.

Unfortunately, the GPA changed its mind after the agreement in place since 1932 and became desirous of becoming a sovereign and independent Templar order in the U.S. That meant the sovereignty of the Grand Encampment was being challenged by them. That is what motivated the actions of the Grand Encampment to seek a charter.

I happened to come across a complete collection of reports by the Commission on Recognition dating back to 1962. That's just shy of 50 years. In the five decades of reports I have, not one single summary brings up an appendant body. In fact, the standard preface for decades read as follows:

"The Commission on Information for Recognition was organized in 1952 as a facility to gather, collate, and from time to time revise information on Grand Lodges in other lands, as a service to this Conference.

The Commission neither advises nor recommends that recognition be given to any Grand Lodges, but merely indicates whether or not it is considers that a Grand Lodge in question satisfies the condition of regularity."

Grand Lodges. Not appendant bodies, Shriners, Tall Cedars, Scottish Rite, Templar, Royal Arch, Grottoes, OES Grand Chapters, or anything else. Grand Lodges alone are its sole consideration. Since 1952. Because Grand Lodges do NOT recognize foreign appendant bodies. US Supreme Councils recognize other Scottish Rite bodies at their discretion. The Grand Encampment recognizes foreign Templar bodies at its discretion. Grand Lodges stay out of these situations. Until now, apparently.

Thankfully, I live in Indiana. We have a little thing called common sense here. It's why more Vice Presidents of the U.S. have come from this state than any other. We are a calming influence. I hope that's the case again with this issue. MY immediate Past Grand Master and his Deputy GM (now GM of Indiana) wrote a letter to the Conference of Grand Masters demanding the sacking of the members of the Commission on Recognition for failing to follow their own guidelines as set down by the Conference, for substantially amending the written version of their report after the oral version was read and accepted at the Conference, and for altering its own mission statement in the printed proceedings to suddenly claim appendant bodies were indeed part of their purview, without permission of the Conference. I hope that letter is taken seriously by the head of the Conference, because the ex post facto action of the Commission was not honest. And I say that even though I have friendship and admiration for several Masons on the Commission. The domino effect of what they've done because of a pissing war between Masons who used to be friends has set in motion a destructive wave that needs to stop.

But now a larger issue is about to break on the horizon. Because certain grand masters and grand lodges have branded the Grand Encampment as irregular, that is a charge that carries severe and derogatory monetary effects, as well as harm to the institutional reputation of the Grand Encampment. One GL has even threatened to seize the money of the Grand Commandery, and the Knights Templar Educational Foundation in their state. As a result, a lawsuit of defamation has now been filed against those grand masters and past grand masters who labeled the Grand Encampment as irregular, along with the Conference of Grand Masters. Meddling in the internal affairs of an appendant body is a dangerous precedent. Should GLs now look into whether all of the members of Shrine Clubs in Europe are regular or not? Should GLs start questioning the patents of Scottish Rite bodies and Supreme Councils? Really? And what of all of the various bodies that meet at Masonic Week every year? Should GLs investigate the origins of all of the AMD degrees? Or peek up the skirts of St. Thomas of Acon, the Rosicrucians, the Knight Masons, the Operatives, etc? And does anybody want to weigh in on the Jesters?

This fight is not about regularity of degree work, it is over the supposed irregularity of origin of the chartering organization. Even a low ranking air bender like me can argue both sides of that issue with conviction. So what are GLs doing involved in this? Does any Grand Lodge really believe that the Grand Master of the Grand Encampment would have seriously started a Rectified Rite body if he truly believed the charter he had in his hot little hand was irregular, or that the entire officers' line of the Grand Encampment would just drink that Kool-Aid and follow him down such a suicidal course of action?

Really?

I despise fraternal lawsuits. No one ever comes out of them in good shape, they cost a lot of money, and reputations get harmed. As I understand it, GLs that simply said their members can't join the CBCS are not named in the suit. Only those who made the statement that the Grand Encampment or their Rectified Rite is now irregular.

There is a simple way out of this mess. GMs who passed these edicts need to rescind them and let the Grand Encampment and the CBCS chartering bodies in France and Switzerland hash out the details. Let the GEKT hash this out among its members at the next Triennial. And the Commission on Recognition needs to issue a statement saying they now have zero opinion on the issue, and that they were mistaken to do so in the first place (and they might put the wording back in their mission statement the way it's been since 1952, while they're at it). Wrecking the Knights Templar in states across the U.S. is no way to solve this. And I can't honestly believe anybody really wants to have to fly to New Hampshire and hire New Hampshire attorneys to explain themselves in open court as to why they didn't follow their own internal rules. Grand lodges are sovereign over the three degrees. Appendant bodies are sovereign over their own degrees. As long as the Rectified Rite isn't conferring the EA, FC and MM degrees, this is not GL business.

Come on, brethren. Do the right thing.

(Full disclosure: I am a member of the Grand Priory of the Reformed and Rectified Rite of the United States of America)

UPDATE: The suit does NOT involve GMs who simply ordered their members not to join the Rectified Rite. Only those who chose to label the Grand Encampment AND/OR the Rectified Rite as irregular are named in the suit. It's a fine distinction, but the suit argues that labeling either the GEKT OR the Rectified Rite in any way irregular does substantive harm and is actionable. I suspect the backlash from GMs will be a damned angry one. No one likes fraternal lawsuits. However, I also suspect some GMs named in the suit will claim there was no reason for it and that there was an "easy way out" of this situation, even though such easy solutions were never forthcoming. The argument over whether the Rectified Rite charter was irregular should have been fought out internally at the GEKT's next triennial, and not duked out in Grand Lodge offices. Which goes back to the ill-fated decision of the Commission on Recognition even having an opinion on this subject, which made some GMs believe they were required to act on it. No, they weren't, and still they are not. The report was in error and in violation of its own rules. And the Commission only makes recommendations, it has zero power on its own. That makes it eminently ignorable. Now attorneys are involved, and it's going to be damned hard to stuff this one back in the bottle.

And I am expressing my personal opinion, which has nothing to do with my official capacity as editor of the Journal of the Masonic Society, which has taken no position on this controversy, and will not.

Background:
• Freemasons For Dummies: Washington, Oregon and the Grand Encampment
• Freemasons For Dummies: 2011 Report: Commission on Information for Recognition
• Freemasons For Dummies: Grand Priory of the Reformed and Rectified Rite of the USA
• Freemasons For Dummies: Grand Priory of the Scottish Reformed & Rectified Rite of the United States of America

Grand Orient of USA Officially Loses GOF Backing

I've heard the rumor for months, and reported it back in June, but I finally have the actual letter in hand. On August 29th, 2011, the Grand Orient of France issued the following letter concerning the fledgling Grand Orient of the United States of America:

We wanted to inform you that in its plenary session on 27 and 28 May the Council of the Order of the Grand Orient of France took the decision to terminate the agreement with the Grand Orient of the United States of America (GOUS) and the withdrawal of the licenses that had been granted.

It is signed by Jacques Sima, Grand Secretary of External Affairs.

Thus ends any serious claim of cooperation between the GOF and the GOUSA.

I have also received documentation that shows the GOUSA's claims of having a lodge in Washington, D.C.—Benjamin Franklin Lodge—are false (I have seen tax forms from its legal owner), along with their continued claims of amity with the GOF.

Perhaps at long last this distraction of deception and chaos can finally come to an end.

Stand by for the flurry of angry denials from the Halcyon boyz...

H/T to Stephen Quest.

Indianapolis AASR Announces Meritorious Service Awards

More good news for my Indiana homeboys. Four brethren in the Indianapolis Valley of the Scottish Rite have been nominated for the Meritorious Service Award and their own red hats: James M. Gridge of Morristown Lodge No. 193; John R. Winkler of Southport No. 270; and two brothers with whom I share membership in Imhotep AMD Council No. 434, Brad Wooten of Century No. 764, and WBro. Carson Smith, fellow Vitruvian No. 767 member.

The awards will be given at the 2012 Council of deliberation meeting in French Lick, IN.

Since 1937, Councils of Deliberation have been authorized by the Supreme Council, NMJ, to annually present this award to a limited number of members who have distinguished themselves by outstanding service, leadership, and dedication to the AASR. Together with the Jewel of the MSA, the red hat is a decoration that can proudly be worn on any official occasion. It is a lifetime achievement, and the holder of this award becomes a permanent member of the Council of Deliberation and is entitled to place "MSA" after his signature.

Well done, brethren!

POLL RESULTS: City/Rural Lodge

AUGUST POLL QUESTION: Do you regard your lodge as a "city" lodge or a "rural" lodge?

City lodge: 275 votes (60%)

Rural lodge: 181 votes (39%)

Total votes: 456

Haitian Masonic Temple Vandalized

Here we go again.

A Masonic temple in Haiti is the latest object of vandalism against Freemasons. This time it's a curious attack against both Masonry AND the Catholic Church.

From the Defend Haiti website today:

A freemason temple was vandalized in the northern city of Cap-Haitien on Saturday night, less than a month after the desecration of the cathedral in the same city.

"They destroyed everything, everything that was inside the building: bible, throne chairs, a complete desecration of the temple," an official of the temple, Karol Muscadin, told the AFP.

This act was not claimed, but leaflets were found on the site accusing Freemasonry of being a "group of criminals who use the bible to hide their true face."

'Just as the Catholic Church, the Freemasons are working for Lucifer, abandon these religions to follow Jesus in another church,'

Le Nouvelliste read the document, written in Creole.

In August, unidentified men ransacked the cathedral Cap-Haitien, Haiti's second city, destroying sacred objects and statues of saints.

Levant Preceptory in Knight Templar Magazine

My article about Levant Preceptory, Indiana's Masonic Knight Templar medieval period recreation ritual group at Raper Commandery No. 1, appears in the August 2011 issue of the Knight Templar Magazine. Many thanks to editor and Sir Knight John Palmer.

Read it online here.

Levant is planning a trip to confer the Order of the Temple at the Detroit Masonic Center tentatively on March 24th, 2012. The combination of Sir Knights clad in chainmaille, broadswords and helms, on the floor of Detroit Commandery No. 1's exquisite medieval asylum will be the perfect combination. Details coming soon—don't miss it!

Student Film, “The Masonic Map,” Premieres at Salt Lake Masonic Temple

Utah Freemason Joseph James has combined his passion for the fraternity and filmmaking. the result can be seen at the Salt Lake City Masonic Temple on September 10th.

From the UVUReview:

It’s a movie about Porter Rockwell, Free Masons, ancient bloodlines and the Ark of the Covenant. Oh, and UVU students. “The Masonic Map,” which was written and directed by senior Communications major Joseph James, is set to have its Utah premiere in downtown Salt Lake City. As James describes it, the movie “a story about a Masonic bloodline that protects a sacred relic.”

The independent film, set to premiere on Sept. 10, recently gained some international attention after winning the Award of Merit from the Accolade competition. According to its website, the Accolade gives awards to “those filmmakers, television producers, videographers and new media creators who produce fresh, standout productions. It is a showcase for cinematic gems and unique voices.”

The film’s premiere will take place at the Masonic Temple in downtown Salt Lake City. The movie’s story involves Freemasons and their ties to Porter Rockwell and sacred religious relics. James, who is a Freemason himself, even received permission to film inside of the Masonic Temple in Provo, something that has never been done before. It was this act of breaking new ground that James believes helped win the Award of Merit from the Accolade. “No secrets were revealed. I tried to respect all that while still pushing the edge,” James said. James has also received emails from Freemasons from all over the world, applauding his efforts to shed a positive light on Freemasons.

[snip]

The premiere is set to be a red-carpet event and is completely free, giving the public a rare chance to see the inside of the Masonic temple. James hopes the event will be a fun experience for everyone. “You can to dress up if you want,” James said. “You’re welcome to bring a camera, take pictures with the cast and crew and even walk down the red carpet.” James also hopes the premiere will usher in “ a new era of Utah filmmaking.”

See the Masonic Map website for more information.

Indiana's Dwight L. Smith Lodge of Research Sept. 24th, 2011

Indiana's Dwight L. Smith Lodge of Research will hold a Called Meeting on Saturday, September 24, 2011, in the dining room of the Indiana Masonic Home in Franklin, Indiana.

The paper that will be presented is: "Jo Daveiss: Frontiersman, Attorney, Soldier and Freemason." Lunch will be at noon, with the presentation to follow.

This meeting is open to all Master Masons regardless of whether or not they are members of the Lodge.

The Lodge meets four times each year, twice in Indianapolis at Indiana Freemasons' Hall in Indianapolis, and once each in the northern and southern regions of the state. Called meetings may occur throughout the year at the order of the Worshipful Master to present notable new papers. Currently, membership in the Lodge is open only to Indiana Freemasons who are members in good standing of a regular subordinate Lodge holden under charter of the Grand Lodge of Indiana, F. & A. M.

Secretary, WBro. Bill Sassman, will be happy to take your dues and sign you up if your membership has lapsed. Membership is $15 per year, due and payable on January 1 for the year in advance.

For more information, see the lodge website at www.indianalodgeofresearch.com , and be sure to sign up for the lodge Facebook page here.

Indiana Candidates for the AASR 33rd in 2012

The following Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret 32° Scottish Rite Freemasons from Indiana were elected to receive the 33° in Cleveland, Ohio on August 28, 2012:

From the Valley of Evansville:

Dennis A. Schreader, Sr

From the Valley of Fort Wayne:

Michael McALexander
Kip Worrel

From the Valley of Indianapolis:

D. Craig Brater, M.D.
Robert J. Frazer
R. Michael Gillie, Jr.
John C. Schwegman
Ed W. Wolf

From the Valley of South Bend:

Tony J. Lala
Vance A. Roberts

From the Valley of Terre Haute:

Jack S. McCullough
Douglas W. Wokoun

And the At Large candidate:

Sammy L. Davis

Congratulations to all of my Indiana brethren, and to all of the Scottish Rite candidates just elected. It will be an amazing experience for you, and I hope to see all of you in Cleveland next year!

Brother Edward Eggleston (1837-1902)

Brother Edward Eggleston (1837-1902) was a Vevay, Indiana, native who died in Lake George, New York, on this day in 1902. Eggleston, whose best known work was The Hoosier School-Master, based on his brother George’s experience as a teacher (George was also a novelist) is said to have ushered in the Golden Age of Indiana literature. Edward was a Methodist minister and a historian, as well as president of the American Historical Society. In 1856, he embarked on a 365-mile walk throughout the American West.

His novels recounting tales of the Indiana frontier were very popular. Other novels included The End of the World, The Circuit Rider, Queer Stories For Boys and Girls, The Graysons, and The Faith Doctor. He bacame a Mason in 1863 in Ancient Landmark Lodge No. 5 in St. Paul, Minnesota. His summer home, Owl's Nest, in Lake George, New York, eventually became his year-round home., where he died in 1902, at the age of 64.

Eye Watch Lebanon

Eye Watch Lebanon is an online magazine and website for regular, recognized Freemasonry in Lebanon. That's a tall order, because Freemasonry in that relatively small country includes a patchwork quilt of grand lodges from around the world, and more than a few of spontaneous formation.

I had the honor of being interviewed in Eye Watch Monthly Issue #3, September 2011.
Have a look here.

Previous issues have featured Brothers Tim Hogan and Cliff Porter.

GL of Indiana Library & Museum Summer Update

The Grand Lodge of Indiana Library & Museum has made enormous progress over the summer months in its new home in Indiana Freemasons’ Hall. The painstaking job of opening literally thousands of boxes of items continues, and the volunteer workers have been rediscovering and sorting treasures into a manageable collection. The work is slow at times because of the care required not to cause further damage, and to preserve our heritage. Each carton and every single bit of wrapping paper must be examined to be certain no tiny, priceless item is missed.

The Board has enlisted the assistance of Ramona Duncan-Huse, Senior Director of Conservation and Preservation Imaging at the Indiana Historical Society. We have also hired two Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis interns to aid in organizing, archiving and preserving our most important items, as well as guiding us in making display decisions. The collection of aprons that date from the 1700s is especially in need of care to stabilize the delicate fabric and artwork they contain, as well as research into their origin. Many fragile items were damaged in the 1990s while at the Museum’s temporary home in Franklin during a catastrophic steam leak, and we are determined to protect all we can from further deterioration.


New computer equipment and Past Perfect software has been purchased to assist with the archiving process. New museum cases are being explored, and custom lighting is coming, along with some innovative electronic display equipment that will make the experience more informative, interactive and entertaining than just cases lined with endless rows of coins, medals and other artifacts.

In addition, a website will soon be available to provide information, as well as future expansion that will include an online catalogue of the library’s books and an archive of our museum collection.

In order for any museum to be useful, its collection needs to be changed regularly. Our goal will not be to display everything we have all at once, but to find themes and programs to evolve over time. It will always be a work in progress.

The Library & Museum is located on the 5th floor of Freemasons’ Hall in Indianapolis, and doors will be open during Founder’s Day in January. Regular hours will be forthcoming. If you are interested in visiting or volunteering with this important work, contact the Library Museum Board chairman Mike Brumback, PGM, at mike.brumback@att.net

Bro. Richard Dreyfuss: "To the Soldiers of the Light"

The latest issue of the Scottish Rite Journal features an article by our new Brother Richard Dreyfuss, 32°, To the Soldiers of the Light:

On the night of my initiation into Freemasonry, I said that I’d been a Mason since I was twelve. It was not a joke, but a statement of fact. For as long as I can remember; I had hoped that one day I would become a member of this fellowship. I knew that the Secret of Freemasonry was no secret, that Free Masons stood for

*the Light,
*the free, open exchange of knowledge and liberty, and
*the work, discipline, and effort to maintain that Light in a never ending war with the Darkness of Ignorance.

Bro. Akram Elias was patient with a twinkle of constant enjoyment as he watched and waited for me to get where I was meant to be. When it was done on June 10, 2011, I can’t express how deeply I felt the rightness in joining with a society that valued ideas that I valued—ideas I knew were the shared ideas of the creators of the nation and were visible from any point in the Capitol.

The Scottish Rite Degrees spell out quite clearly the duties of a Freemason in safeguarding a democratic republic like ours by nurturing the values, principles, and ideals upon which this Great Experiment was founded. I believe the time has come for every concerned citizen in this country—more especially Scottish Rite Masons—to stand up and be counted among those who will play an active role in rescuing our democratic republic...

Read the rest here.

Michael Halleran in Northern Indiana Oct 8th

The South Bend Scottish Rite Research Guild presents “Freemasonry in the Civil War” lectured by Bro. Michael Halleran, author of "The better Angels of our Nature". Meet and Greet begins at 10am (CST).

This event will be at Excelsior Lodge No. 41, 820 Jefferson Ave., La Porte, Indiana.

Lunch will be served following the lecture, followed by the exemplification of the AASR-NMJ 26th degree “The Prince of Mercy”. Cost: $10.00 per person. **Lecture and lunch are open to everyone, Degree can only be witnessed by current or petitioned Scottish Rite Masons.

Please RSVP to Tim Farster at tfarster@hotmail.com

WEOFM Updates: Julian Rees and Mark Koltko-Rivera

I've been remiss in updating the WEOFM programming information for the last couple of weeks, and I've missed two especially interesting ones by two brethren I admire greatly.

The 27th video presentation from the Worldwide Exemplification of Freemasonry is "The Way To The Centre" by Julian Rees of England. .

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The previous week's program was "Of Mormons and Masons: The Relationship Between Freemasonry's Rituals of Initiation and the Latter-Day Saints Temple Ceremonies" by my friend Mark Koltko-Rivera, PhD

The Worldwide Exemplification of Freemasonry 2011 Lecture Series is a free presentation of Masonic education endorsed by the Grand Lodge of Indiana F&AM, beginning January 1, 2011 and running through December 31, 2011.

New GL of Iowa Website

The Grand Lodge of Iowa AF&AM has redesigned its website. Be sure to have a look at the Masonic Education section, along with its other resources. Nice job.

Mark Tabbert in Northern Indiana Sept. 8th

The South Bend, Indiana Scottish Rite Research Guild has been arranging an outstanding lineup of Masonic lectures for its events over the last year.

WBro. Mark Tabbert will be speaking at the September 8th meeting at Griffith Lodge at 209 N. Broad St. , Griffith, Indiana. “Three Centuries of American Freemasonry: "Why did John, George, Paul, and Ben join the Craft?"

Fellowship begins at 6pm and the lecture will begin at 7pm., CENTRAL TIME (Note to the rest of Indiana on EST). Charge for the event will be $5.00 at the door. The event is open to non-Masons, and family can also attend.

Please RSVP to Tim Farster at tfarster@hotmail.com

Masonic Walking Tour of Lower Manhattan 9/10/2011

The Brother Moses Montefiore Masonic Study Association has organized a Masonic walking tour of Lower Manhattan, on Saturday, September 10, 2011, at 10:00AM (rain or shine).

They will gather at St. Paul's Chapel at Broadway and Fulton Street. They will be finishing the event at Fraunces Tavern's historic bar and restaurant (drinks and meals are on your own).

Cost: $7.00/brother (payable to the Fraunces Tavern Museum)

It is suggested that brothers bring cameras an binoculars.

RSVP required to BrotherMontefiore@gmail.com

This event is open to all Freemasons of all ranks.

See the Facebook page here.

(Photo: The Level Club at 253 West 73rd Street, between Broadway and West End Avenues. Built as a private Masonic club just as the Depression hit, wiping out its finances. Now a carefully restored condo building. From Landmarkwest.org)

Australian Lodge Vandalized

I'm not sure what bothers me most about this story: the fact that an Australian Masonic lodge was vandalized and its members insulted, or that the police act like it was nothing.

From 'Uneducated, foolish protest' by Annabelle Beale:

Offensive comments sprawled on a large wooden cross left at the front door of The Masonic Lodge, Trafalgar last week has been described as an “uneducated, foolish protest”.

The Masonic Lodge building, which is home to the the Freemasons, was also vandalised with religious and homosexual insults.

Freemason member Rod Drysdale said the vandalism “appears to be some teenage, witch coven protest”.

“It would have been credible and maybe even worrying if it was done in a more mature and credible way but because of the obscenities, which are so disgusting in their nature, it has no credibility whatsoever,” Mr Drysdale said.

He said the Freemasonry members were not threatened by the protest because of the “obscene, offensive and misguided” comments.

“Looking at the way it is put together it is done by someone totally ill-informed and uneducated, with no understanding of Freemasons and what it does,” he said.

Lore of the Ring

When researching Freemasons For Dummies, I came across the urban legend that there are no 33rd degree rings in pawn shops because 33rd degree Masons dabble in witchcraft and are immolated in the practice of Magick™. Apparently, so this one goes, the ring goes *poof!* along with the body.

There are no howlers quite as hilarious as anti-Masonic howlers.

The truth is that the ring given to the 33rd degree Mason in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, at least in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, is either to be buried on the finger of the Brother when his end comes, or returned to the Supreme Council by his family so that it may be passed to another generation of Freemasons.

As to the symbolism, it features a triangle or delta (with the number "33"), in plain gold with no other color, and three distinct rings, which might be interpreted as 3+3. Inside, it is inscribed with the Latin phrase "Deus Meumque Jus", commonly translated as "God and My Right" (or perhaps more clearly, 'God and my moral rightness'). A stricter definition translates 'Jus' into English as 'Law,' which would render it as "God my law" or even "God my justice." There aren't any verbs in the phrase, which also makes it about as clear as a muddied lake.

So what is the original source of this motto? The answer lies in England - not in English, but in French. 

The French translation of the phrase - "Dieu et mon droit" -  is actually the royal motto of the monarch of the United Kingdom, and it appears on a scroll under the shield of the coat of arms of the U.K. (interestingly, only when used on the coat of arms outside of Scotland, for a whole stack of diplomatic reasons). You'll find it all over England, and even on passports issued there. 

The legendary source is said to have originally been a battle cry of England's King Richard I during the Battle of Gisors in 1198, and his defeat of France's Philip II. Richard adopted the French phrase as his motto and it refers to the longstanding notion of the 'divine right of kings.'  Subsequently, King Henry V during the early 1400s officially made it the royal motto, and plastering it on the coat of arms in French was partially to rub in his right to the throne of France at the time (although, Norman French was actually the language of the English court and the nobility after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, anyway). 

So, the motto is the Latin version of a French phrase that originated in England and used in a Masonic degree system named after Scotland that descended from French sources by way of Haiti with the help of a Dutch trader through Jamaica and eventually almost completely redefined in the United States. 

Got that?

By the way – the most quotable passage from Shakespeare's Henry V is the 'St. Crispin's Day' speech in which the King famously says, 

"From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers..." 

Which puts a nice fraternal punctuation on Henry's connection to the motto. Don't for a second think that the founders of the Scottish Rite weren't well-read enough to recognize that.

There are approximately 11,000 33° Scottish Rite Masons in the United States, roughly split 50/50 between the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction and the Southern Jurisdiction. And for those who have asked, the 33° ritual in the two jurisdictions is VERY different. Even the names of the degree itself are different in the two Supreme Councils: in the NMJ it is called Inspector General, while in the SJ it is called Sovereign Grand Inspector General. However, outside of the U.S., a 33° Scottish Rite-styled Mason is extremely rare to encounter. It is common throughout Europe for members of the organizations to be 'perfected' only to the 18° and rise no farther. (And just to be even more confusing, the Rectified Scottish Rite is not the same thing as the Scottish Rite, AT ALL.) 

The number 33 was not just selected at random by the originators of the Scottish Rite. It has long been considered sacred within Christianity for several reasons. It is the multiple use of three, signifying the Holy Trinity. Christ was 33 years old when he ascended into heaven, and the gospels list thirty-three miracles performed by Christ. (Dan Brown is incorrect when he states, appropriately on page 333 of The Lost Symbol, that God is mentioned thirty-three times in the Book of Genesis. God is actually mentioned thirty-two times, in the first chapter of Genesis of the King James Bible.)

Thirty-three appears throughout the Old Testament and other Jewish writings. Jacob had thirty-three children; Mosaic Law required that a woman purify herself for thirty-three days after her male child was circumcised; the holy day of Lag B’Omer occurs thirty-three days after the start of Passover; and the Seal of Solomon, or Star of David, made up of two intersecting triangles, is considered a graphic representation of 3+3. It also plays a prominent role in Kabbalah. And it is perhaps appropriate that Jeremiah 33:3 says, "Call 
to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."


The religions of Islam, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and Hinduism all associate sacred meanings with the number thirty-three. There are even thirty-three bones in the human vertebrae. Therefore, it appears in the Scottish Rite as a symbol of the fraternity’s universality as well as the perfection that every man should aspire to achieve in his soul.

Another curious aspect of the numbers thirty-two and thirty-three in regards to the Scottish Rite is that both Charleston, South Carolina, the birthplace of the Rite in 1801, and Jerusalem, location of Solomon’s Temple, lie between the 32° and 33° latitude. For many years it was common for Scottish Rite officers to include the latitude of their location when writing letters, articles or papers.

The double-headed eagle is the principal symbol of the 33rd degree of the Scottish Rite. It is not, as is mistakenly referred to in Brown’s text concerning the tattoo on Mal’akh’s chest, using his nipples as the bird’s eyes, a “double-headed phoenix.” The legendary phoenix, rising from the ashes, as described in Greek (and earlier) mythology, is not what depicted here at all.

Rather, the symbol comes from an early European rite of degrees called the Order of the Royal Secret, from which the Scottish Rite descended in 1801. The Royal Secret’s most advanced degree was called “The Knight of the White and Black Eagle.” The French Masonic authority that issued a patent (a document that authorizes the formation of new chapters) in 1761 was called the Council of the Emperors of the East and West. They used the double-headed eagle as a heraldic device (like a logo) on their documents, and it is believed they had appropriated the imagery from the period of the division of the Roman Empire into an eastern and western empire under the Byzantine emperors. The image of the double-headed eagle also appears in heraldry of the Holy Roman Empire (see image at right), Germany, Austria, Russia, Armenia, Albania, Serbia and many others. It also appears as a symbol of the Greek Orthodox Church.

What makes the image specific to the Scottish Rite is the triangle on the eagle’s breast, and the number “33.”

As to the three stacked rings on the gold band, my own interpretation these days is that it is a personal reminder to the wearer to 'Think twice before speaking once.' But that's just me.

And finally, since France is one of the principal fonts of source material in Scottish Rite degree rituals, practices, and symbolic interpretation, note that 33 is the international dialing code for calling French telephone numbers. 

I'll just leave that right here...

Vermont: Hurricane Relief

Brethren, the state of Vermont has been ravaged by the worst natural disaster in at least the last 100 years of its history. Hundreds of Masons and many lodges have been affected by Hurricane Irene. An relief effort is now underway via Grand Lodge of Vermont F&AM and the other Masonic bodies in the state. The District Deputy Grand Masters will coordinate local efforts. If you have time or materials to donate, please contact the Grand Lodge through its website here.

H/T to Dana Scofield