Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol" Goes Paperback in October

Publishers Weekly is announcing Anchor Books will release the paperback edition of Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol" in October, with an initial run of 4 million copies:

"Anchor Books will publish Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol in paperback on October 19, the house announced today. It will release four million copies of the book as a premium mass market, priced at $9.99. On November 2, Doubleday will publish The Lost Symbol Special Illustrated Edition, a $35 hardcover.

"Doubleday published the book in hardcover last September. According to the publisher, it has sold more than 5.5 million copies in North America. It broke Random House sales records when it sold one million copies in its first day on sale, and hit another Random House landmark when it sold two million copies in its first week. The book has been optioned for film by Columbia Pictures."

If your lodge or grand lodge is planning an open house, this might be a good time to do it.

---

Deciphering The Lost Symbol by Christopher Hodapp is the key you need to unlock the truth behind Dan Brown's fiction.

Harmonia: Mozart and Haydn's Music For Freemasons

Supposed portrait of Mozart & Hadyn in Mozarteum, Salzburg.

Harmonia is a one-hour radio program, podcast and blog that takes listeners back in history to the cathedrals, fairs, and stages of the past, teaching listeners about history as documented by musicians of the periods. It is a production of WFIU Public Radio in Bloomington, Indiana, with resources from the Indiana University School of Music’s Early Music Institute, and I.U.'s Thomas Binkley Archive of Early Music Recordings.

The October 12, 2009 episode featured "Music for the Freemasons: Haydn and Mozart" (with a new release of Bach's viola sonatas thrown in).

The playlist can be seen here.

Listen to the show in RealAudio here.

I have a personal fondness for I.U. It was the first of my '5 colleges in 7 years program...'

Thanks to WBro. Mark Haworth, PM of Broad Ripple No. 643, for the heads up.

IRS Tax Form 990 Due May 17th

My friend Mark Shoemaker down in Austin, Texas sent me a note today, bringing this to my attention.

Most small U.S. tax-exempt organizations, other than churches, with annual gross receipts less than $25,000 a year, must file an annual Form 990 with the IRS before May 15th (May 17th this year, since the 15th is on a Saturday). If you don't file as required for three consecutive years, you automatically lose your tax-exempt status, and loss of that status means you'll have to start filing income tax returns and pay income tax. While most Masonic lodges are considered 501(c)(10) Domestic Fraternal Societies (which are not allowed to issue tax exempt receipts to donors for their donations, the form still has to be filed with the Feds.

In some cases, Grand Lodges may be filing a group form to the IRS. But in most, it appears that individual lodges, York Rite Chapters, Templar Commanderies, Scottish Rite valleys, Shrine Clubs, etc. must file their own. New Secretary's may not even know about this requirement. And if there is any question in your mind, contact your Grand Secretary before the filing deadline next week. I am NOT an accountant, so don't take my word for it.

The National Center for Charitable Statistics has an outstanding website for information about filing status, and it includes a search page to check and see if your group is in danger of losing its exempt status.

You can complete your Form 990 online at the following websites:

Form 990/Form 990-EZ: http://efile.form990.org/
Form 990-N (e-Postcard): http://epostcard.form990.org/

Thanks for the heads up, Shoe.

Just for the sake of clarification, from the IRS description:

Domestic Fraternal Societies (501(c)(10))

A domestic fraternal society, order, or association may file an application for recognition of exemption from federal income tax on Form 1024. The application and accompanying statements should establish that the organization:

Is a domestic fraternal organization,

Operates under the lodge system,

Devotes its net earnings exclusively to religious, charitable, scientific, literary, educational, and fraternal purposes, and

Does not provide for the payment of life, sick, accident, or other benefits to its members.

The organization may arrange with insurance companies to provide optional insurance to its members without jeopardizing its exempt status.

Freemasons For Dummies Goes Mobile

After a couple of suggestions from readers, I'm configuring a mobile device version of the blog. Bear with me as I tinker with it throughout the day. Feel free to post a comment and let me know what isn't working, not that I'll know how to fix it.

The link is: http://freemasonsfordummies.mofuse.mobi/
The special iPhone version is at http://freemasonsfordummies.mofuse.mobi/iphone

I'm using the free Mofuse service, so it will have the occasional ad, and there doesn't appear to be a way to post comments from it without going to the full html version of the page.

If your smartphone can read a QR code, point it here.

Of Kindles, Creepiness, and Quotations

Amazon's electronic book reader, the Kindle, is not the way I ever want to read books, but that's just me. I go all Samuel T. Cogley at the very thought of not reading an actual book. Amazon won't divulge how many of the devices have been sold since its introduction. The company line is "Millions sold!", while most believe that means 'two' million.

I was in advertising for years. I get hyperbole.

One of the creepier things Amazon is capable of doing is peering into your Kindle by satellite from its subterranean bunkers and analyzing your reading habits. The Kindle has an "underlining" feature that allows you to do an electronic version of defacing your books with yellow markers. Then, like the cheating little creep who bought your old yellow-lined textbooks so he didn't actually have to do it himself, Amazon can tell what you marked. There's a particularly spooky aspect to this corporate giant knowing that you underlined all the hot scenes in The Carpetbaggers. What's even spookier is that they then post on the Amazon site a tally of the most popularly highlighted texts among their customers.

Fortunately, most people aren't underlining passages that involve love's heaving loins.

Interestingly, once you get past the creepiness of corporate privacy invasion, the top three quotes this week are:

1. "Those three things—autonomy, complexity, and a connection between effort and reward—are, most people agree, the three qualities that work has to have if it is to be satisfying."
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell - highlighted by 1732 Kindle users.

2. "Grace doesn’t depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace in many facets and colors.”
The Shack by William P. Young - highlighted by 1258 Kindle users.

And the third most popularly underlined passage out of all Kindle books sold?

3. "Langdon came face-to-face with a bronze bust of Masonic luminary Albert Pike, along with the engraving of his most famous quote: WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR OURSELVES ALONE DIES WITH US; WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR OTHERS AND THE WORLD REMAINS AND IS IMMORTAL.
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - highlighted by 1154 Kindle users. (Five passages from The Lost Symbol are in the top 25.)

This same quote from Pike also appeared this past weekend in a rerun of CBS' "Criminal Minds." Mandy Patinkin as FBI agent Jason Gideon repeated the quote in the episode "Riding The Lightening." Unfortunately, Hollywood being Hollywood, it was attributed to "Albert Pine." There's nothing like internet research.

The quote comes from Pike's Ex Corde Locutiones: Words From the Heart Spoken of His Dead Brethren by the Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United State 1860 to 1891, published in 1897 (p. 11):

What we have done for ourselves alone, dies with us; what we have done for others and the world, remains and is immortal.

No man, however lofty or however humble, can isolate himself from his kind, and, shutting himself up in the dark cell of his exclusiveness, determine to live for himself alone.

No man, however obscure, can truly say that he is so unknown, so unimportant, that he can contribute nothing to enlighten and benefit Humanity. He cannot know that, and ought not assume it. Let him simply turn steadily to real work. "Labor, like prayer, nerves the spirit afresh." We cannot all be heroes, statesmen, orators, great writers. Let each hero be himself...

...And whatever fate is to befall us, let the motto of Masonry ever be, as it ever has been,—
"For the Past, Charity; for the Present, Hope; for the Future, Faith."

Brother Troy Yocum's Hike For Heros

Friend and Brother Darrell G. Waddell from Daylight Lodge #760 F&AM in Louisville passed this message along today:

"One of our Louisville Brothers has embarked on a tremendous journey across the United States! Iraq War Veteran Troy Yocum, who is also an Entered Apprentice Mason with Jeffersontown Lodge #774 F&AM, is hiking 7,000 miles across America, banging his drum and sounding the call for $5 million to help military families in need. With "Emmie the Super Dog" by his side, he took the first step of his 16-month quest on April 17, 2010. As of tonight, he is north of Pittsboro, Indiana. Below is the link to follow his travels, and links to keep up with him. I'm sure he could use some Masonic encouragement, and in my conversations with him, he's definitely a man on a mission, and then it's back to his 'Masonic travels' when he finally makes it home."

Troy and Emmie will be taking an estimated 50 million steps across America. Troy is asking for sponsors at .10 a step to reach the $5 million goal. Be sure to visit his website at www.drumhike.com and make a contribution.

He also has a Facebook page to keep up with his progress.

According to the website:

Donations are to be distributed to Military families in need of financial assistance through the Soldiers' Angels' financial assistance program. The Hike for our Heroes Team and Soldiers' Angels will be working hand in hand to help military families. 100% of your donation will go toward families when they struggle to pay bills and need items or care packages to make ends meet.

Soldiers' Angels is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) non-profit with over 225,000 members providing aid and comfort to the men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, veterans and their families.

Freemasons - Hale & Pace

Bahamas Prime Minister Honors Freemasons

Bahamas Weekly is reporting on a speech recently given by their Prime Minister, Hubert A. Ingraham at an event in Nassau honoring the contributions to Bahamian society of former Governor-General Arthur Dion Hanna, former Governor-General Sir Clifford Darling, and former Deputy Prime Minister, the late Clement T. Maynard. The three men were presented with honors from the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Jurisdiction, Commonwealth of the Bahamas (Maynard's award was posthumous).

From the article "Prime Minister Ingraham says 'All Hands On Deck' approach needed to restore core values" by Matt Maura:

“Many of our young people, particularly our young men, are in need of wholesome direction and guidance. Some feel overwhelmed and could benefit from learning better coping skills and improving their communication skills so that disagreements are not so easily escalated into violence,” Mr. Ingraham added.

Addressing members and patrons attending the first annual Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge White Tie Gala Ball held at the Wyndham Nassau Resort, Prime Minister Ingraham said he has always had a special admiration “for those Bahamians who spend so much time and effort in the work and witness of Freemasonry” in The Bahamas.

Prime Minister Ingraham said Freemasonry, in addition to building character in men, by extension, helps to build the moral and spiritual character of the wider community.

Mr. Ingraham said that unlike in earlier times, many young people are not the beneficiaries of a stable home life in which two parents, or other supportive family members, are committed to their upbringing, and where discipline and instruction for life are easily available.

The Prime Minister encouraged members of the Prince Hall Masonic Order to continue to increase their activities within the various communities “so that we may together begin to correct the social anomalies threatening our communities today.”

“Lodges have played a significant role in the lives of thousands of Bahamians all over our islands,” Mr. Ingraham said. “Like our churches, lodges and friendly societies have served both to bind people together and as instruments of community among people.

“The Masonic Order, in particular, based on fundamental Christian principles, has promoted severe discipline amongst its members, the great majority of whom I am told, attempt in their ordinary, daily lives to practice high morality and spiritual principles.

The author of the Bahamian national anthem and the designers of the Bahamian flag and coat-of-arms were all Prince Hall Freemasons, along with Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, the first Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas after the end of British rule (serving from 1969 until 1992) .

There are at least nine grand lodges at work in the Bahamas, but the principal ones include 28 lodges under the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Jurisdiction, Commonwealth of the Bahamas; 10 English lodges under the United Grand Lodge of England, 8 Scottish lodges, and one Irish lodge.

Another Briton Persecuted For Masonic Membership

The hits just keep on coming in England against Freemasons. Of all things, Building Design-the Architects' Website, trumpets the Masonic membership of Roger Shrimplin, who is running for president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in London. It seems that an internal investigation was recently conducted to confirm allegations that Freemasons were manipulating its London chapter. As in all of these types of investigations across Britain, there is absolutely not a shred of proof that Freemasons are doing favors for each other in their professional capacity. Even Jack Straw's 12 year old witch hunt against Masons in government, law enforcement and the judiciary came to an end this year. But it seems the English will leave no Masonic boogeyman un-exorcised.

From "Mason allegation as three stand for RIBA president" by Will Hurst and Elizabeth Hopkirk:

Shrimplin himself has informed RIBA Council that he is a freemason, but strongly rejects the notion that it is a secret society handing out favours to its members.

Reed told BD that a yet-to-be-published report into London region carried out by RIBA vice president for membership John Devlin includes masonic influence as an “area of concern”.

She added: “As far as I’m aware, it’s an issue of a historic nature.”

Reed added that Shrimplin, already a trustee on RIBA’s governing board, had been open about his status and had served RIBA in a “very thoughtful and constructive way”.

However, critics pointed out that he had not declared himself a mason in the institute’s register of interests, which was specifically introduced to cover membership of the freemasons as well as political allegiances.

RIBA Council voted overwhelmingly in favour of strengthening the rule last year, stating that any member who failed to sign the declaration of interests form — even if they have no interest to declare — “will be excluded”. Despite this, as many as 22 councillors have still to comply.

Former honorary secretary Ian Salisbury said: “The RIBA needs to be very cautious that it doesn’t fall into the trap of allowing self-interested groups to advance themselves.”

Former councillor Sam Webb claimed the missing declarations of interest could leave all council decisions since September open to legal challenge.

“You can’t make the rules up as you go along,” he said. “If you have masons who have not declared they are masons sitting on a key committee then the RIBA is sunk.”

Shrimplin said he objected to having to list his membership of the freemasons because it did not affect his professionalism.

“It will be in my [election] statement and if people are prejudiced against it, they will have to vote on that basis,” he said. “I’m emphatic about integrity, honesty and tolerance. Those are integral to a liberal society and also basic principles of freemasonry.”

The only thing that's missing from this story is the mention of rolled-up trouser legs, and dodgy handshakes. If this wasn't so ridiculous, I'd think someone was intentionally recreating the Monty Python "Architect's sketch."



Someone needs to remind the nervous powers that be at RIBA that the European Union Court of Human Rights struck down similar rules against Masons in Italy. And the UGLE is in a suing mood against organizations that single out Freemasons for discrimination.

Treasurer Jailed For Stealing Lodge Funds

The brethren of Chelan Valley Lodge No. 118 in Chelan, Washington were stunned to discover their new treasurer made off with approximately $70,000 last summer. According to an article by Michelle McNiel in the Wenatchee World:

The fraternal organization was forced to suspend all of its community charitable programs, including student scholarships, a bikes-for-books reading program and even a planned Christmas party for 350 elementary students last December because its money was gone. The group also had to delay paying contractors for a remodel of its lodge that was under way when the money disappeared.

“This was probably the most embarrassing and worst thing that could have happened to us,” said Lodge Master Karl Word.

The Lodge’s former treasurer, Harry P. Himmelhaver, 57, of Brewster, pleaded guilty April 26 in Chelan County Superior Court to five counts of forgery for stealing from the organization’s bank accounts. He was sentenced to six months in jail.

He has repaid $37,000 as part of an agreed settlement with the Masons. But Word said he is believed to have taken as much as $70,000.

Himmelhaver is currently serving his sentence at the Chelan County Regional Justice Center.

In a prepared written statement filed with his guilty plea in court, Himmelhaver admitted he transferred checks from one bank account that he did not have authority to access into an account he could access as treasurer of the organization.

[snip]

Himmelhaver began transferring money from the Lodge’s money market account into its checking account starting in June, he said. He continued to do it until September. After transferring the money into the checking account, he withdrew money using the Lodge’s debit card at ATMs in Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties, according to court documents.

Word said Himmelhaver made about 100 cash withdrawals from ATMs. He also used the Lodge’s debit card to make purchases for himself.

Himmelhaver mostly used the stolen funds to bankroll his gambling habits.

Nathan Brindle, PM

Congratulations to my friend and brother, Nathan C. Brindle, who has been elected Deputy Master of the Adoniram Lodge of Perfection of the Indianapolis Valley of the Scottish Rite.

Nathan and I have been friends for more than 30 years. We joined Broad Ripple Lodge No. 643 together in 1998, were raised on the same day, served as Masters of the lodge, and we were officers together when Lodge Vitruvian No. 767 was started in Indianapolis. He and I serve together on the Indianapolis Masonic Temple Board where he is Secretary, and he is the Secretary of the Masonic Society, in addition to being Vitruvian's Secretary since 2001. A bigger glutton for punishment I've rarely known. And a greater friend I have never known.

Elected to the top posts in each officers' line on Wednesday were: Gregory N. Jordan, Thrice Potent Master; Brian C. Lewis, Sovereign Prince; Michael W. KIepper, Most Wise Master; and R. Michael Gillie, Jr., Commander-in-Chief. My best to all of them for the coming year.

The Valley of Indianapolis is the largest Scottish Rite Valley in the world, and our Cathedral is the largest of its kind, solely dedicated to the Rite.

Confirmed: Grand Secretary and Grand Treasurer Retiring in Arkansas

Past Grand Master Doug Simmons of Arkansas has responded by email to the Burning Taper's report about resignations from the Grand Lodge of Arkansas F&AM. It reads in part:

Grand Secretary James Weatherall has been carefully planning his retirement for the last 4 years, due to culminate in the Spring of this year;

Grand Treasurer Garry Jones has been urged by his doctors to permanently curtail his activities due to on-going and increasing health problems. Knowing he would not want his medical history discussed with strangers, I will not elaborate.

I have known both of these honorable gentlemen for over 20 years, and have spent many, many hours in pleasant conversations with both of them, on personal and Masonic levels. Their resignations have nothing whatever to do with any current dealings of the Grand Lodge or any of its officers.

The complete response can be read here.

Both Brothers Weatherall and Jones have served in their positions for almost two decades.

Rumors of other possible grand officer resignations appear to be unsubstantiated at this time.

More European Anti-Masonry

Most North American Freemasons have little contact with truly rabid, public Masonophobia, but our European brethren aren't so lucky.

WalesOnline.co.uk is reporting about the resurrection of a Welsh investigative magazine that closed down 27 years ago, called Rebecca. The mag shut down after years of muckraking, but is now resurfacing as an internet video creation.

Their first target? Welsh Freemasons.

Its first video report concerns a Freemason who allegedly got away with abusing a young girl, titled “Brothers in the Shadows.” It claims the North Wales Child Abuse Tribunal failed to investigate the influence of Freemasonry in the case. So as an added bonus, they have somehow obtained and are publishing the names of 13,000 Welsh Freemasons.

And shockingly, the list includes the names of police officers and prominent lawyers.

This is trumpeted as big stuff in the UK.

Rebecca's editor Paddy French is quoted as saying,

“The full extent of masonic influence will never be known until the identity of all freemasons is revealed. There are a quarter of a million masons in England and Wales, and Cardiff alone has 65 lodges [branches].

“The governing body, the United Grand Lodge of England, holds computerised registers and it would be a simple matter for them to place these online.

“At a stroke this would make freemasonry completely respectable. Time and time again, the United Grand Lodge has refused to give information to Rebecca.”

Hard to imagine why the UGLE wouldn't want to fall all over themselves to cooperate with such sentiments...

Harder to imagine how fast Rebecca should be sued for theft of private information and privacy violations.

Anti-Masons in the UK have long whined that the United Grand Lodge of England will not release its private listing of members for public consumption and digestion. UGLE's devotion to privacy is proof, they claim, of Masonry's deep, dark, nefarious influences. Never mind that rugby clubs, stamp collecting clubs, groups of polo enthusiasts, or the Irish Republican Army, don't ever get singled out for this same idiotic accusation or demands to hand over their membership lists.

* * *

In my post about the internal battles going on at the Grande Loge Nationale Française on Monday, I mentioned several references to the French magazine L'Express, which is something like a combination of, say, Time and the National Enquirer. Articles bashing Masons sell magazines in France, something we fortunately don't have to deal with in the U.S.

Case in point: The April 8-14th issue of L'Express "exposes" the influence of Freemasons in Bordeaux, with 15 pages.

Illustrative of just how off the charts anti-Masonic reporting in foreign mainstream press is, the author of the series of L'Express articles about the GLNF now has a blog dedicated solely to the story. Reporter Francois Koch keeps the story alive on his blog Lumiere: Le blog franc et maçon de L'Express, regularly updated with gossip about the struggles between Grand Master Stifani and the group of brethren protesting his actions and decisions. Under normal circumstances, this would just be so much insider baseball, but apparently the story has legs. But really, isn't a whole blog about it a little obsessive, monsieur?

On the other side, the GLNF has entered the fray to counter internal and external criticism with its own blog at http://glnf-blog.com

International Conference on the History of Freemasonry 2011 Call For Papers

The third bi-annual International Conference on the History of Freemasonry will take place May 26-30, 2011 at the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia. The first Call For Papers can be downloaded here.

The first two ICHFs took place in 2007 and 2009 in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the Grand Lodge of Scotland. These were among the largest gatherings of academic and Masonic researchers and presenters on the subject of the fraternity in the world. The 2011 Conference will be in the United States for the first time.

To quote from the Call For Papers:

Alexandria and its environs is a place where Scots played an important part in the early development of the region, as indeed they did in many other areas of America. It has been suggested therefore that one theme of the 2011 conference might be ‘Early Scottish Freemasons in North America’ and proposals for papers on that topic will be especially welcome.

Following the huge success of the first two conferences,this, the third International Conference, will see the conference achieve a level of maturity that was hoped for by the organisers and is indicative of the tremendous amount of interest in the subject of Freemasonry, in all its aspects. This is the only International Conference at which academics, members of the public and of course Freemasons, gather together to discuss this much under-estimated social phenomenon.

The main purpose of the ICHF is:

• to promote Freemasonry as a subject for academic study.
• to present and debate relevant contributions in this area of research.
• to create a forum for interactions between researchers, experts and a wider audience.
• to encourage individuals to take an interest and participate in an active exchange of knowledge in the area.

The rules for paper propsals are as follows:

PROPOSALS FOR PAPERS AND PANELS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO:
www.northernnetworking.co.uk/ichf2011.php before 30th June 2010. Late proposals will not be accepted. All proposals will be subject to anonymous peer review. The outcome of the review of all the proposals will be announced by 17th September 2010.

Submissions must contain:

• Author’s name, institution, postal and email addresses, telephone number
• Co-author’s names if applicable
• Title of paper or panel session
• Name of chair for a panel session
• Three to five suggested key words for indexing papers
• 300 word abstract of each paper (with an additional 200 word justification for a panel session)
• Please state the category to which you are submitting:
• Paper or
• Panel Session

Please submit your proposal to the Conference Organisers to: www.northernnetworking.co.uk/ichf2011.php no later than 30th June 2010.
Receipt of your proposal will be acknowledged within 5 working days. Outcome advised by 17th September 2010.

The ICHF has set up a blog to keep interest parties informed about plans, programming and deadlines for the conference.

The Public Announcement can be read here.

The ICHF is a non-profit making, privately owned event and brand, sponsored by Supersonic Events Ltd. with no formal affiliation to any masonic or academic body. On each occasion a leading academic is appointed to convene a specialist committee responsible for the selection of suitable presentations. Any surplus generated by the ICHF will go to support young researchers and academics pursuing research in the topic and other relevent masonic projects.

Prince Hall Memorial Dedication May 15th

The Prince Hall Memorial in Cambridge, Massachusetts will be officially dedicated on Saturday, May 15th, at 10:00 AM on Cambridge Common. This will the first monument in recognition of any African American on the Cambridge Common, the site where General George Washington formed the Continental Army in 1775.

Artist Ted Clausen has erected five 6-foot marble slabs in a circle, and each one is inscribed with a series of Hall’s quotations on one side, and quotations about him on the other side.

This event is open to the public. For more information contact princehallunveiling@gmail.com or call (617) 942-1297.

A video about the project can be seen here.

New Video for George Washington Masonic Memorial's 100th

The George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia has produced a beautiful new 12 minute video as part of the celebration of its 100th anniversary.To watch the trailer, visit the website here. To order a DVD, please call the Memorial 703 683 2007 or email Radka Mavorva rmavrova@gwmemorial.org

Major Rebellion Within the National Grand Lodge of France (GLNF)

GLNF Grand Master Francois Stifani

The French magazine L'Express is reporting a major dispute within the Grande Loge Nationale Francaise, the French grand lodge most recognized outside of its borders. My rather free translation is below, or read the original here.

Freemasons Still in Rebellion - by Francois Koch
L'Express
Thursday, March 25, 2010

The dispute never ends at the GLNF (National Grand Lodge of France). On Thursday, more than a thousand delegates from lodges made the trip to Paris to show their discontent.

The "Rebels of December 4," whose dispute is spreading beyond Paris and Tours, have prepared for this confrontation for several months. They accuse their Grand Master, Francois Stifani, of declining the examination of the accounts of the obedience by an independent auditor, and of offering his services to the President of the Republic [Sarkozy] and his government.

Out of 3,200 Venerable [Worshipful] Masters and Senior Wardens convened, nearly 1,850 brothers were present, whereas usually only a few hundred come. Because of the crowd, the meeting was not held in the Grand Temple on Rue Pisan, but in the Equinoxe Room of the Aquaboulevard. Even before the opening session of the Assembly, the atmosphere was heated, as security guards drove back dozens of the Brothers suspended by the Grand Master, in particular those from the principal site of the dispute, in Touraine.

In spite of the pressure, the "No" votes, by a show of hands, officially received at least 52 - 53% of the votes. However, the "rebels" estimate the votes against at approximately two thirds. They had appointed an officer of the High Court to verify the counting of the votes.

After the results of this dramatic turn of events, the Brothers rose while chanting, "Stifani Resign!" before singing the Marseillaise. The Grand Master agreed that the accounts of the [Grand Lodge], €17 million (about US$22.5 million), will be audited by an independent examiner, but refused to call into question the term of the Board of Directors, arguing that the issue was not on the agenda.

Although the protesters knew that the dissatisfaction of the 43,000 Brothers was underestimated by Francois Stifani, they did not expect such a disapproval, unprecedented in this obedience.

According to previous articles in L'Express, the Grand Lodge meeting last December was something of a free for all, when thirty brethren, led by 71 year old Claude Seiler, attempted to put a long list of questions about improprieties to the Grand Master from the floor, resulting in a walkout and a great gnashing of teeth. Since then, GM Stifani has expelled 24 brethren. The expulsion of Tourangeau Thierry Perrin, a 65-year old Provincial Grand Master of the Loire Valley has caused a major eruption, battled out loudly and publicly on blogs and internet sites.

GLNF brethren are hot about a number of topics. They demand an impartial audit of the books, as the above report stated. An 850 square foot Paris apartment costing €2.5 million (US$3.3 million) was recently purchased as a "venue more suitable and consistent with the current status of the grand lodge." Stifani said the new digs, several blocks away from the Grand Lodge's very large and modern multi-story building on Paris' north side in the 17th Arrondissement, were needed to receive "major players in civil society, politicians, intellectuals or religious, to the benefit of the reputation of our house." The rank and file strongly disagreed. And there is growing discontent over Stifani's cozying up to unsavory African leaders with murderous track records and criminal accusations against them. Stifani (and the other French obediences) have looked the other way at their personal histories, believing a Masonic head of state is a prestigious win for the fraternity, regardless of coups d'etat, tribal slaughters, or theft of national treasuries.

Stifani has hurled longstanding Masons from his committees, claiming they were attempting to stage palace coups, but some GLNF Masons believe he is leading the obedience down the wrong path. Freemasonry in France is dominated by three principal and competing grand lodges. The Grande Oriente de France is the largest, and is well connected politically. It is left-leaning, does not require belief in a Supreme Being, has recently allowed the initiation of women, and makes official public pronouncements about government and religious policies. The Grande Loge Nationale Francaise, on the other hand, is descended from English Freemasons in France after WWI. Like the majority of Anglo-derived Freemasonry, the GLNF has long followed the rule that politics and religion are not the business of lodges and grand lodges, until now. Stifani clearly wants his grand lodge to have the kind of influence (and President Nicolas Sarkozy's ear) that the Grande Oriente enjoys. He also seems to be especially steamed because he and Sarkozy are both on the Right politically (as opposed to the GO's former Grand Master, Alain Bauer on the Left).

Stifani has sought a more public image for the GLNF, opening some of its lodges to TV cameras, which caused some members no end of heartburn. Members were shown on TV giving the penal signs. African dignitaries were seen handing Stifani a lavish gift from Cartier. And he stated in a TV interview, "I have the onerous task of being a spiritual guide." Rebelling members agree it's onerous—they say his job description is not that of a guru. Author and editor John Sollis resigned from the GLNF and has taken his gripes public. His complaints, echoed by a growing and vociferous contingent, is that Stifani's methods are more suited to North Korea. Stifani clearly sees the competition with the Grand Orient and the smaller Grande loge de France (GLdF) as a blood sport, and has put great pressure on lodges to recruit new members - a common situation in the US, but unheard of before in France. In the 1980s, the GLNF was the smallest of the three GLs at work in France. Today, it claims some 42,000 members, and publicly claims that the Grande Oriente lies about its slightly larger membership, just to be able to say they are #1. True or not, the GO did manage to get a substantial government grant to finance its brand new rue de Cadet Museum. The museum is touted as the Museum of French Freemasonry, rendering the GLNF and the GLdF as little more than paté in the public eye.

It is entirely possible and even probable that the majority of members who are remaining silent are perfectly happy to see the GLNF grow in membership size, public awareness, influence with important figures, and everything else Grand Master Stifani has been achieving. I can't honestly say any of those things would be seen as especially heinous in the US.

In the end, Stifani holds all of the cards, since he is the only grand master of the three principal French obediences who can suspend or expel without trial.

References:
http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/societe/les-francs-macons-toujours-en-rebellion_858178.html
http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/societe/stifani-est-un-quasi-gourou-autoproclame_855889.html
Francmaconnerie Magazine Issues #2 & #3

Arkansas Grand Lodge Officers: Resigned?

The Burning Taper is reporting the following:

"The Masonic backchannels are buzzing with unconfirmed reports that the Grand Secretary [James Weatherall} and Grand Treasurer [Gary Jones] of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas [F&AM] both tendered their resignations on Saturday, effective June 1. Both men have served in their respective capacities since the early 1990s, my sources say.

If true, this is a most interesting development in light of the recent brouhaha over the Prince Hall license plates, the upcoming trial of Bro. Derek Gordon, and the many stories over the years that have alleged a general sense of vindictiveness and overt racism in the Grand Lodge."

There is an additional rumor circulating that a third grand lodge officer has also resigned, but again, without confirmation.

Meanwhile, the Grand Lodge of Arkansas F&AM website continues to be "under construction." I attempted to contact Grand Master Warren to offer him the opportunity to respond to the story, but his official GL email address seems to have been shut down.

London Masonic Society Symposium May 28th & 29th

Michael Baigent and Bob Cooper To Speak at Masonic Society Symposium London Friday 28th and Saturday 29th May 2010

To celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Royal Society in 2010, The Masonic Society, in conjunction with Library and Museum of Freemasonry, will hold their 1st Annual Uk –Ireland Symposium in London on Friday and Saturday May 28th and 29th.

On November 28th 1660, just months after the restoration of King Charles II, a select group of eminent scientist met to form ‘The Royal Society’. Their intention was to remove such limitations as language barriers in the scientific community and awaken the world to a new form of forward thinking science. This was meant to encourage the young men of the time to search for answers to many questions they had previously been afraid to ask.

Now, nearly 350 years later, another group of men met to form an organisation with the aim of researching Freemasonry: The Masonic Society. The name, deliberately chosen, alludes to the Royal Society and the visionary men, many of whom were Freemasons, who were at the forefront of the Age of Enlightenment. The Masonic Society has plans to be at the forefront of a new age of Freemasonry.

This first Symposium being held in England will have as its theme ‘The Royal Society’. The two selected speakers are well known historians: Michael Baigent (The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, The Dead Sea Scrolls Deception ) will present ‘Aspects of the Royal Society’ followed by questions and answers and a complimentary lunch.

The second speaker Robert L D Cooper (The Masonic Magician: The Life and Death of Count Cagliostro and His Egyptian Rite , The Rosslyn Hoax ) will talk on ‘A Scottish View of the Foundation of the Royal Society’.

The afternoon will end with a second session of questions and answers. The whole day symposium will be preceded on the Friday by a private guided tour of their exhibition ‘Freemasons and the Royal Society’ (meet in the first floor lounge Freemasons Hall 4:00pm). This will be the last date of the exhibition which is being held between January 11th and May 28th 2010.

The evening will end with an informal dinner and drinks at the popular Prince of Wales tavern on the corner of Great Queen Street.

The following day the symposium will move to the Kensal Community Centre (177 Kensal Road London W10 5BJ) where our talks for the day will be presented, and each session followed by questions and answers. Delegates will be invited to a complimentary lunch. The total registration cost for the Saturday event is £ 10.00 inclusive of lunch. The organising committee consists of Yasha Beresiner (Chairman) David Naughton-Shires (Secretary) and Martyn Greene (Treasurer)

A place at the symposium can be booked by downloading the application form at http://masonic-ae.com/tms/

Masonic Book Club: John Robison's 'Proofs Of A Conspiracy'

Since 1970, The Masonic Book Club has been surprising brethren with reprints of obscure and frequently long out of print books. The club has always been quirky. Pay your $20 dues and forget about it, and sooner or later, the annual book arrives in the mail without fanfare. Well, today the 2009 edition arrived. As I said, quirky.

This year's book is John Robison's Proofs of a Conspiracy Against All the Religions and Governments of Europe Carried on in the Secret Meetings of Freemasons, Illuminati and Reading Societies, written in 1797. Robison was Professor of philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, the secretary of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and a Freemason. Along with being influential in the early study of physics, he is also noted for the invention of the siren, and work with James Watt on an early steam powered automobile—arguably making him responsible for the police car, in case you were looking for someone to blame.

Robison became disillusioned by the horrors of the French Revolution and its aftermath, as well as the participation of French Freemasons and the Bavarian Illuminati (as well as other similarly themed fraternal, philosophical and esoteric groups). Proofs of a Conspiracy was an attempt to point out the culpability of these groups, as well as to make a disctinction between good and virtuous English and Scottish -derived Masonry, as opposed to evil, sneaky and untrustworthy Continental Masons. As he says,

"It has accordingly happened, that the homely Free Masonry imported from England has been totally changed in every country of Europe, either by the imposing ascendancy of French brethren, who are to be found every where, ready to instruct the world; or by the importation of the doctrines, and ceremonies, and ornaments of the Parisian Lodges. Even England; the birth-place of Masonry, has experienced the French innovations; and all the repeated injunctions, admonitions, and reproofs of the old Lodges, cannot prevent those in different parts of the kingdom from admitting the French novelties, full of tinsel and glitter, and high-sounding titles."

Unfortunately, most readers missed Robison's distinction between what we regard today as regular, recognized Craft Freemasonry that takes no political or religious position, versus the very political and anti-religious brand that grew up in France and Germany in the 18th century. Even today, the mostly unrecognized Grand Orient of France remains politically active. Their motto, "Liberté, égalité, fraternité," became a cry of the Revolution, until it turned back upon them, and their own members became victims of the mob's rapidly changing whim.

Robison's book, along with Abbé Augustin Barruel's 1797 Mémoires pour servir à l'Histoire du Jacobinisme, are the two most influential works that created the modern day conspiracy theory, and both allege conspiracies of "secret societies" in an orchestrated plan for an anti-monarchial, anti-clerical new world order. The books would set off an international fear of "Illuminism," and in the fledgling United States, President Thomas Jefferson was eventually seen by some as the chief infiltrator. Modern NWO conspiracy theories, no matter who gets trotted out as the sinister, all-seeing, all-knowing boogeyman, can all be traced back to these works. The players - Jews, Commies, Bilderbergers, the Council on Foreign Relations, Neocons - may change over time, but the script is always straight out of Robison or Barruel.

That said, Proofs of a Conspiracy is a fascinating snapshot of a time when the world went mad. Men like Robison searched for reasons why France executed 17,000 with trials, 12,000 without, and another 300,000 or so, counting Vendee and their battles with Austria. It couldn't have been national insanity. It had to be orchestrated by someone. And Europe's Masons and the Illuminati seemed to be the likeliest choices. It is also fascinating for Freemasons to see the struggle that went on for the soul of the fraternity on the Continent, as the "higher" Eccosais (what became the Scottish Rite) degrees introduced Rosicrucianism, mysticism, and decidedly un-Masonic influences into the mix.

The Masonic Book Club edition is a hardback facsimile of the third edition published in Philadelphia in 1798. The type is light in places, but certainly quite readable, and I always prefer these to new typeset reprints.

Be sure to check out the Book Club's store, as they are offering many of their 39 previous books for sale.

Toy Story 2 and Evil Masons?!

Unhinged Masonophobic nutbags never cease to amaze and bewilder me.

The latest head-shaker is a video at conspiracy.ifoday.com with the unlikely title, Toy Story 2-Illuminati/Luciferian and Occult Masonic Symbolism.

Really.

Evil, Masonic and occult messages encoded into Toy Story 2.

By Freemasons.

Somehow he missed the 50 Satanic pentagrams on the American flag, and the clear Past Master's compass and quadrant formed by the alphabet blocks in the shot under the singing penguin (who is himself an obvious symbol of a Mason in a tuxedo).


Amateurs.

A Fine Image For A Templar Pin

James L. Dove, Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar in Indiana, has issued a lapel pin for his year featuring artwork by Levant member, Sir Knight John Bridegroom of Vegetableman Graphics.

The Knights of Levant Preceptory couldn't be happier with the image.

Women Freemasons in London, 1939

British Pathé is posting its archives of 75 years of newsreels on its website. It is a fascinating chronicle of news, sports, social history and entertainment between 1896 to 1970, and it is easy to get sucked into hours of strolling through its collection.

Below is a three minute clip from 1939 showing Mrs. Lily Seton Challen being installed as the Grand Master of the female Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons, as she receives her fellow lady Freemasons. The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons was founded in 1913 and the first Grand Master was Mrs Elizabeth Boswell-Reid who held the office from 1913 to 1933. She was succeeded by her daughter Mrs Lily Seton Challen, seen in this footage. Click the photo.)

WOMEN FREEMANSONS

The Order first met in the venerable Dr. Samuel Johnson's library. Today it is located at 402 Finchley Road in London.

The Order of the Eastern Star, created by Rob Morris in the U.S. in 1850, was never approved as an acceptable appendant organization for women in England, and both Co-Masonry and female Freemasonry have been at work there since about 1902. The slightly older Order of Women Freemasons website is at www.owf.org.uk

Ed King has an excellent page that explains the subject of female Freemasonry here.

Vermont Masons Help Reopen Historic New Hampshire Fort

Stories of budget cuts all over the country affecting federal, state and local parks, as well as private historic sites, have been growing as the economy has spiraled. One of many such attractions is Delaware Crossing Park in Pennsylvania (see "George Washington Hit By Hard Times"). California began closing 80% of its state parks last year.

Another is the historic Fort at Number 4 in Charlestown, New Hampshire. Operated for years as a living museum, the fort was built in the 1740s near the confluence of the Black and Connecticut Rivers to protect settlers in the region established by Massachusetts as "Land Grant No. 4."

In the 1940s, a replica was built of the fort, and has operated ever since as a museum and educational center about this early history in colonial New England during the periods of the French and Indian War and the Revolution. Unfortunately, the Fort was unable to open in 2009 because of budget shortfalls. The Fort's board of directors estimated it would take $250,000 to reopen.

Now the brethren of Olive Branch Lodge No. 64, across the river in nearby Chester, Vermont are leading a fundraising effort to reopen the Fort by next spring.

Stories appeared today in the Rutland Herald ("Masons' group helps restore historic fort in Charlestown") and local television.

From a report by WCAX News:

"We are anxious to see history, early history, particularly Colonial history is preserved. The Masons had a part in that early on. The masons have been involved in the fort early on. The commander of the fort was a mason and one of the objectives of the masons is to preserve history," said Paul Truax, the lodge master at Olive Branch Lodge #64.

Planning Allied Masonic Degree Day in Indianapolis Nov. 13th

UPDATE:

Date changed from November 13th. New date is November 6th, 2010!

Allied Masonic Degrees (AMD) is an honorary and invitational organization devoted to Masonic research and the preservation of orphaned Masonic degrees that were formerly worked in Craft or Mark lodges, or Royal Arch chapters in America and the British Isles. Over the years, they have been grouped together under a single governing organization in an effort to perpetuate and preserve them. AMD Councils are limited to just 27 members, and only by invitation.

In my role as Sovereign Master of Imhotep Council No. 434 AMD in Indianapolis, we are inviting the members of Indiana and surrounding area Councils to a special Allied Masonic Degree Day on Saturday, November 13th 6th, 2010, at Indiana Freemasons' Hall in Indianapolis. Here is an opportunity for your Council to participate by both experiencing and conferring AMD degrees.

In addition to the AMD degrees, the members of Lodge Vitruvian No. 767 in Indianapolis have expressed interest in demonstrating a Masonic degree using Emulation ritual, as well. This ritual is rarely seen outside of English lodges. And this will be an added occasion to visit and tour Indiana Freemasons' Hall, the headquarters of the fraternity in our state.

It is our desire to seek participation among AMD Councils across Indiana, as well as from nearby states. We are in the planning stages of this event at this time, and this message is to discover interest in participating. We are aware that many Councils may gather infrequently and that this message may be coming to you between meetings. However, we would like to have some idea of participation by July 20th, so that we can plan accordingly. We would like to know if your Council has an interest in attending, if you wish to present one of the degrees, and if so, which one. In the case of duplicate requests, degree choices will be assigned in the order they are received. Lunch will be provided, and we anticipate a cost of no more than $10.

Please respond as soon as possible to our Secretary, Carson Smith at

carson.c.smith @ comcast.net . We look forward to your answer and your participation in making this an outstanding day!

Levant Preceptory in Sumner, Illinois June 12th

Gorin Commandery #14 of Bridgeport, Illinois

Presents an Outdoor Order of the Temple June 12th at 2pm CT

Starring The Levant Preceptory of Indiana

Levant Preceptory is a group of Indiana Knights Templar from various commanderies that confers the Order of the Temple in period Knight Templar costumes including chainmail armor, broadswords, and helmets.

The Outdoor Order of the Temple will be held at the Red Hills State Park (North Entrance), in Sumner, Illinois.

A very limited number of Candidates will be allowed! They must have had The Red Cross & Malta. If you think you might bring a candidate, permission must be granted in advance by contacting :
Bruce W. Rhinhart RR 1 Box 343,
Bridgeport, Illinois 62417 1-618-945-7537

Further information contact: Bill Hussey E.C. at bigbill111 @ verizon.net

A very Limited number of Special coins have been minted to celebrate this occasion.

Deadline to reserve your place is May 29 2010.

Levant Preceptory at Highland, Indiana 2010.

Michael Halleran at Texas Lodge of Research June 18-19

The Texas Lodge of Research will present the Anson Jones Lecture weekend on June 18-19, 2010 at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in San Antonio. This year's Anson Jones Lecturer is Brother Michael A. Halleran. He is the author of "The Better Angels of Our Nature: Freemasonry in the American Civil War."

I had the distinct pleasure to read a pre-publication copy of "The Better Angels of Our Nature" last year, and heartily recommend it. Brother Michael (from Kansas) has carefully examined many of the most common Masonic anecdotes from the Civil War and tracked down their sources and the real history behind them. This is NOT a sentimental book of apocrypha, but a well-researched work, published by Alabama University press. In some cases, he tramples on some long-cherished tall tales the fraternity has endlessly repeated over the years, but in others he finds the humanity and real truth behind events in the war that pitted brethren against each other more than any other.

Michael Halleran writes the humorous "Brother Brother" stories for the Scottish Rite (SJ) Journal. He is also the assistant editor of The Plumbline, the quarterly newsletter of the Scottish Rite Research Society.

Arrangements have been made for accommodations at the historic 1859 Menger Hotel for both Friday and Saturday nights at the special rate of $105.00, plus tax, per night. Contact the hotel at (210) 223-4361 and mention the TLR group rate.

The Menger is located at 204 Alamo Plaza, overlooking the Alamo next door, and a short walk from the stunning San Antonio Scottish Rite Cathedral. The huge Riverfront shopping complex is also nearby, along with the Riverwalk’s many fine restaurants and nightspots. The Hospitality Room will open at 4 p.m., Friday, for early arrivals and will reopen on Saturday evening. Dinner on Friday will be Dutch treat, as will be lunch on Saturday.

The Anson Jones Lecture dinner is $25.00 per person and will be served at the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Dress for the dinner meeting will be black tie (preferred) and cocktail dress for the ladies. Reservations for dinner should be submitted by e-mail to: texas-lodgeofresearch @ yahoo.com no later than June 10th.

Prof. Robert R. Harvey at Iowa Research Lodge #2 on May 8th

Iowa Research Lodge No. 2 will meet Saturday, May 8th, 2010 at Iowa City Lodge # 4 - 312 East College Street, #212, Iowa City, Iowa.

The Jerry Marsengill Memorial Lecture for 2010 will be “Operative Masonry in Conservation Techniques of Salisbury Cathedral and York Minster," presented by Robert R. Harvey, FASLA, Professor Emeritus, College of Design, Iowa State University.

Brother Harvey is a member of Arcadia Lodge #249, Ames; Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Des Moines Valley; Iowa Research Lodge No. 2; and the Scottish Rite Research Society. Professor Harvey was granted leave from Iowa State University to teach Landscape History at Thames Polytechnic in London UK and has presented refereed papers at the annual meetings of the American Society of Landscape Architects, Association for Preservation Technology, International and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and invited to lecture on Landscape History and Historic Preservation topics at the following academic institutions: Columbia University; Harvard University; University of Illinois; University of Minnesota; Joselyn Art Museum, Omaha, NE; Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL; Carlton University, Canada; University of Manitoba, Canada; University of Victoria, Canada; University of Winnipeg, Canada; York University, UK.

Professor Harvey has made numerous trips to England to study the architectural preservation methods to conserve and save these old structures. He has been afforded access to many parts of the structures not open to the public and, as one example, has climbed vertical stairs to the 250 foot level inside the Salisbury Cathedral. He has slides to illustrate these experiences.

The lodge will open at 5:15PM for business, followed by dinner with Ladies and guests at 6:30PM. The program will follow dinner.

Cost is $15.00 per person for dinner. Send your reservations no later than Monday, May 3rd to Phil Enabnit, Secretary-Treasurer, (515) 266-7600. E-mail to masmedia @ dwx.com

Issue #8 of the Journal of the Masonic Society

Issue #8 of the Journal of the Masonic Society is landing in mailboxes this week, featuring:

• Masonic Week: Let It Snow by Jay Hochberg & Chris Hodapp
• The Grand Constitutions of 1786 and the “Scottish Rite War” by Michael Poll
• The Seven Liberal Arts & Sciences by David E. Amstutz
• Masonic History Unfolds At Historic Ft. Buford by Jim Savaloja
• Restructuring American Freemasonry Part III: The Scottish Rite by Mark Tabbert
• The Mystery of Pre-European Freemasonry by Ron Hartoeben
• The Quest by Steve Osborn
• Here's Your Hat, What's Your Hurry? by Roger VanGorden
• Masonic Treasures: National Treasure Pipe by Chris Hodapp

• A new section: Books, Arts, Styles & Manners, this issue featuring:
Stephen Dafoe's Morgan: The Scandal That Shook Freemasonry reviewed by Kevin Noel Olson; Tobias Churton's The Invisible History of the Rosicrucians: The World’s Most Mysterious Secret Society reviewed by Randy Williams; and Jay Kinney's The Masonic Myth: Unlocking the Truth About the Symbols, the Secret Rites, and the History of Freemasonry reviewed by Jay Hochberg.

• Plus Masonic news, reports of the Masonic Society's activities at Masonic Week, new by-laws, Fellows for 2010, new advertisers, and more!

This issue’s cover features “Solomon Dedicates The Temple At Jerusalem” c. 1896-1902, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot (1836-1902). In the 1890s, Tissot left Paris and traveled extensively in Palestine, where he painted a series of what would become over 700 watercolors featuring the Old Testament and the life of Christ.