"Sleepy Hollow" to Feature Freemason Backstory

According to Brother Robert Herd, Fox TV's new show "Sleepy Hollow" will feature Ichabod Crane as a Freemason. This will be a large part of the character's background and serve as the foundation of many of the episodes/plots.

See story.

New Foreign Versions of Our Books Coming Soon

I just received news from Wiley Publishing that Freemasons For Dummies is coming soon in Portuguese and Conspiracy Theories and Secret Societies For Dummies is to be translated into Turkish. It's always fun for Alice and me to see the books in foreign languages, and they join the French, Dutch and German editions of Freemasons.

We are leaving tomorrow for a writers convention in Albany, New York, and then on to the Quarry Project in Alexandria, Virginia the following week. It's going to be a long and exhausting two weeks on the road, but should be fun.

Harold V. B. Voorhis AMD Council 9/23

Please join Harold V.B. Voorhis AMD Council No. 260 at their upcoming meeting on September 23, 2013. It will be held at The Merchants and Drovers Tavern located at 1632 St. Georges Ave., Rahway, NJ. This historical building dates back to the Revolutionary War, and was the meeting place for many famous Masons, including Washington and Lafayette. This meeting will be held in a period room furnished with period funiture under candlelight, as Masons usually did in taverns in ages past. They will start with cocktails and social hour at 6:00 PM followed by dinner at 7:30 PM. There will be a short meeting so you can enjoy the fellowship. Next door is a cemetery which holds the remains the first JGW Daniel Marsh of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey, along with two Past Grand Masters of New Jersey, and Abraham Clark, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Cost for dinner is $30.00. If you have any questions, please contact Moises Gomez at 201-615-8755.

Quarry Project Sept. 27-29

The resurgent interest in Freemasonry sparked by movies, books, cable television, the internet, and a generation of young men who recognize the value of fraternalism has created waves both within and without the Masonic community. Even the hallowed halls of academia have taken notice as colleges and universities have begun to offer classes that examine Freemasonry’s rich history, philosophy, and influence on our society. Noted academics not associated with the fraternity write and lecture on the topic. The imaginary veil that cloaked Freemasonry for centuries has been lifted and the mysteries of the order have been laid bare for all to see.


The result has been both a blessing and a curse. Misconceptions about Freemasonry still abound and are propagated via every possible means, a fair share of them from sources with otherwise sterling reputations. On the positive side, new Masonic periodicals dedicated to serious Masonic research have emerged and some of the more venerable publications have committed themselves to publishing more educational material. Rumblings are being heard from Masonic lodges of research that have been idle for years. There is, undeniably, both a need and a market for accurate and well documented information. In addition, many of our Masonic libraries and museums find themselves sorely in need of assistance with displaying, cataloging, archiving, and preserving their collections.


The Masonic Society and the Masonic Library and Museum Association have joined forces to establish The Quarry Project. Phase one of this endeavor will be the Conference on Masonic Research and Preservation to be held in the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, VA on September 27–29, 2013. The conference is open to anyone interested in Masonic research and preservation, but will be specifically targeted toward two groups: (i) members of Masonic lodges of research as well as authors, writers, and researchers, both published and aspiring, and (ii) Masonic librarians and museum curators.


The conference will draw from both the Masonic and academic communities to provide detailed instruction on Masonic research and the editing of the results. In addition, the recommendations of a committee created to establish a set of voluntary standards for future Masonic research, writing, and editing will be introduced. Professional librarians, museum curators, and experts on display and preservation will provide practical instruction and advice on maintaining and improving Masonic historical repositories. Multiple concurrent presentations will be offered on all three days. A few success stories that will enthuse and inspire you will be mixed in along the way.


The story of Freemasonry is a fascinating one that deserves to be honestly communicated on the world stage in a clear, concise, and consistent manner. It is up to those who tell that story to maintain the highest possible standards so that, as we are taught, “the honor, glory, and reputation of the institution might be firmly established and the world at large convinced of its good effects.” The Quarry Project aspires to assist in establishing and maintaining those standards.


Go the http://www.thequarryproject.com/registration/ to register today. I will be speaking Saturday night. For speakers and schedule, look here.

Letter From Battle Creek, Michigan

The following letter was sent to the editor of the local paper in Battle Creek, Michigan by Edward Winegar, Jerry Kirkbride, and Kevin Beck, the Worshipful Masters of the lodges that meet in the building, after last week's incident at the Masonic Center (see here):

On behalf of the Battle Creek Masons, I would like to apologize to our community for the negative attention that was brought to Battle Creek by people who rented a hall in our Masonic Center on August 25th. While no Masons were in attendance at the event, it was still our responsibility to ensure that our property was not being used for activities that are absolutely contrary to our Masonic values of honor, virtue and integrity and our commitment to service to our community. 

We have made the decision to stop renting our hall to outside groups until we have reviewed and updated our policies to make sure that we are performing meaningful due diligence on the activities that will be taking place there. Clearly, what we had been doing is not sufficient. Other Masonic lodges around Michigan are also taking our experience into account and reviewing their own hall rental policies as a result of this incident.

The Grand Lodge of Michigan (the Parent Corporation of all Masonic Lodges in Michigan) will also be reviewing other Masonic Centers rental policies as a result of this incident.

The Masonic Center has been the scene of hundreds if not thousands of healthy and positive celebrations of families and friends in almost a century of operation and it’s our hope that it can continue to serve the community in that role moving forward.

Our apologies to the people of Battle Creek. This will not happen again.

Sincerely,
Edward Winegar, Master of Battle Creek Lodge # 12Jerry Kirkbride, Master of Climax Prairie Lodge # 59 Kevin Beck, Master of Ira Beck Lodge # 503 

Northeastern Department & Regional Conference, Albany, NY Sept 6&7

I will be speaking in Albany, New York on Friday, September 6th at the Northeastern Department and Regional Conference, at the Holiday Inn, 205 Wolf Road in Albany. Registration is $20, and the program begins Friday at 8AM. Featured speakers include Jeffrey Williamson, Marcus Trelaine, Paul Leary, David Grindle, Curtis Banks, Stuart Card, Ron Cuthrie, Oscar Allen, Grant Held, Lou Bartrand, James E. Sullivan and Thomas Tsirimokos.

For last minute registration and info I suggest contacting Jeffrey M. Williamson, General Grand Chapter- York.rite@hotmail.com; Charles W. Wagner, General Grand Council- Wagnerkygch33@aol.com; or Thomas X. Tsirimokos, Grand Encampment- tsirimokos@comcast.net

I will have some books available.

Speaking Tonight at Englewood Lodge

I will be speaking tonight at Englewood Lodge No. 715 in Indianapolis on the subject of Traditional Observance and European Concept lodges. Dinner is at 6:30, and lodge opens at 7:30. The lodge is located at 6170 Southern Avenue in Indianapolis' southeast side.

Trouble in Battle Creek, MI

The Masonic Temple in downtown Battle Creek, Michigan was busted early Sunday moring in what authorities are calling a "drug-fueled orgy", according to several papers. The story has even hit the widely read Drudge Report online.

From the Daily Mail:

Officers were called to the prominent building in downtown Battle Creek, Michigan - which sits across a park from police headquarters - about 2.15am Sunday. They found five women dancing on stage naked. 

They also reportedly discovered a couple having sex in the lodge and several men standing around filming the action. 

WWMT-TV reports that authorities believe the Masonic Lodge, which is home of the secret society called Freemasons, has been used for such activities before and are working to shut the operation down. 

Police sources told WWMT that officers found a 'drug-fueled sex party' in the building and sent the revelers home.

The Battle Creek Freemasons refused to comment on camera for the TV station, but insisted that the orgy was not part of the secret society's rituals. They said the party was not sponsored by their group at all. 

Instead, they say, a party promoter paid $900 to rent the space for the night.
'Charlie' a Freemason spokesman, said the man renting the lodge told the Freemasons he would be hosting a dance party.  

The Freemasons said they checked on the party about 1am on Sunday and found nothing suspicious.

However, when officers arrived a little more than an hour later, they found debauchery, police sources told WWMT. 

City officials say they are considering fines and charges, both against the party promoters and the Freemasons who own the building.  

The report from WWMT does not specify whether drugs were found or seized. 

A summary of a police report printed in the Battle Creek Enquirer newspaper mentions only the naked women dancing on stage. Police said they told the women to dress and to leave the premises. 

Masonic Priest walks To Rome For Special Plea

From Agence France-Presse:

A French priest arrived in St Peter's Square on Wednesday after a 39-day pilgrimage, telling AFP he wanted to be reinstated in his parish despite being a Freemason.
Father Pascal Vesin, a 43-year-old parish priest in the town of Megeve, was forced to resign from his public duties in May because of his Masonic link.
A thickly-bearded Vesin, his face tanned by the summer walking and with a large rucksack on his back, was moved to tears as he told his emotional story.
Vesin, who set off from Megeve on July 14, said he had been "wounded by the injustice" and had written to Pope Francis asking for his punishment to be lifted.
"I hope I am received by Pope Francis or one of his secretaries," he said, adding that he would stay in Rome until September 6 hoping for a papal audience.
Vesin's diocese said he could no longer carry out his pastoral duties because he had chosen to be a member of both the Catholic Church and a Masonic order.
The Church and the Freemasons have been at odds for centuries but Vesin said the two were compatible.He said he had received wide support for his voyage.
"I feel my initiative is in synch with what this new pope is preaching and seems to be starting," he said.His local diocese has said that "no door is closed" and the injunction against Vesin "could be lifted" but only if Vesin renounces Freemasonry.

Scottish Rite: Call For Papers Deadline 9/3

The Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library announces a call for papers for its symposium, “Perspectives on American Freemasonry and Fraternalism,” to be held on Friday, April 11, 2014, at the Museum in Lexington, Massachusetts.

The Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library is an American history museum founded and supported by Scottish Rite Freemasons in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States. As the repository of one of the largest collections of American Masonic and fraternal objects, books and manuscripts in the United States, the Museum aims to foster new research on American fraternalism and to encourage the use of its scholarly resources.

The symposium seeks to present the newest research on American fraternal groups from the past through the present day. By 1900, over 250 American fraternal groups existed, numbering six million members. The study of their activities and influence in the United States, past and present, offers the potential for new interpretations of American society and culture. Diverse perspectives on this topic are sought; proposals are invited from a broad range of research areas, including history, material and visual culture, anthropology, sociology, literary studies and criticism, gender studies, political science, African American studies, art history, economics, or any combination of disciplines. Perspectives on and interpretations of all time periods are welcome.

Possible topics include:

• Comparative studies of American fraternalism and European or other international forms of fraternalism

• Prince Hall Freemasonry and other African-American fraternal groups

• Ethnically- and religiously-based fraternal groups

• Fraternal groups for women or teens

• Role of fraternal groups in social movements

• The material culture of Freemasonry and fraternalism

• Anti-Masonry and anti-fraternal movements, issues and groups

• Fraternal symbolism and ritual

• The expression of Freemasonry and fraternalism through art, music, and literature

• Approaches to Freemasonry – from disciplinary, interdisciplinary, or transnational perspectives; the historiography and methodology of the study of American fraternalism

Proposals should be for 30 minute research papers; the day’s schedule will allow for audience questions and feedback.

Proposal Format: Submit an abstract of 400 words or less with a resume or c.v. that is no more than two pages. Be sure to include name, address, email, phone and affiliation.

Send proposals to: Aimee E. Newell, Ph.D., Director of Collections, Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, by email at anewell@monh.org or by mail to 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA 02421.

Deadline for proposals to be received is September 3, 2013. For information about the Museum, see www.nationalheritagemuseum.org. For questions, contact Aimee E. Newell as above, or call 781-457-4144.

Quarry Project Deadline

If you are registered for the Quarry Project and have yet to make your hotel reservations, the cutoff date for securing the conference rate of $139/night at the Hilton Old Town Alexandria is drawing nearer. August 27 is the final day to secure that rate. This is a great price for an extremely nice hotel that is also very close to the George Washington Masonic Memorial. Only twelve rooms remain for Thursday night, September 26. 

What? You're not registered for The Quarry Project yet? There is still time. 

Click here for details.

Mike Brumback PGM at Dwight L. Smith Lodge of Research 8/31

Past Grand Master Mike Brumback will be making a presentation to the Dwight L. Smith Lodge of Research U.D., F.&A.M. of Indiana at the next scheduled meeting of that Lodge. This will be held Saturday, August 31, 2013 at 1:00pm. We will be meeting in the Truman Room on the Mezzanine level in the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Indianapolis, Indiana

Judy Fletcher at MSA is Retiring

From Brother Michael Gillard:

Brothers, Companions & Sir Knights ~ for nearly as long as I have been a member of the Masonic fraternity the "go to" person at the Masonic Service Association of North America was Judy Fletcher. Her husband Richard was, for many years, the Executive Secretary for the MSA and wife Judy was the liason person with the V.A. Medical Center Representatives, Deputy Reps. and Coordinators. Actually, Judy seemed to be the "go to" person for nearly everything associated with the MSA. I recall some twenty years ago contacting her about brochures, videos and some other materials that I wanted to see about using at my home Lodge. Judy didn't tell me "that's not my department," or "you will have to talk to ----- about that" she just took down the information I was providing and saw to it that I got what was needed. Much later I found out that it really wasn't her job to take care of such requests ~ she just took care of any Mason that called seekingassistance whether it was "her job" or not.

Well, today's mail (August 1, 2013,) brought a letter from Judy announcing that after 24 years with the MSA it was time for her to retire. Her final date with our Masonic Service Association of North America will be on Friday, August 9th. Her letter expressed her "appreciation, respect and love," to each of the VAMC Reps., Deputy Reps., and State Coordinators - and thanked US for what we do for our Veterans. To say that Judy Fletcher will be missed is truly an understatement. For many of us she was the lifeblood of the MSA program... Yes ~ she most assuredly will be missed.

If you have ever had any 'doings' with the MSA, Please let Mrs. Judith Fletcher; 8708 First Avenue, Apt. 503; Silver Spring, MD 20910 know how much she has been appreciated and how much she will be missed. God bless you Judy - you certainly have been a blessing to many of us and to the Masonic Service Association of North America.

Robert L. D. Cooper, Truman Lecturer 9/24/2013

This year's Truman Lecturer for the Missouri Lodge of Research will be Robert L. D. Cooper, Curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum and Library. His presentation will be "Scottish Freemasonry's contribution to the formation of the United States."

The lecture will be on September 24, 2013 at the Holiday Inn Executive Center in Columbia, Missouri. Tickets are $20 and include breakfast and the lecture. Master Masons, ladies and guests are welcome. Tickets are available at http://www.MOLOR.org/

Brother Cooper is currently serving as the Master of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, the oldest lodge of research in the world. He is the author or editor of more than a dozen books, most recently The Red Triangle about anti-Freemasonry.

H/T Aaron Shoemaker

Fraud Alert

From Brother John Bridegroom:

MASONIC FRAUD ALERT: Umer Junjuajunjua and his company UHA Embroidery, have contracted with me on a project which I wired him $350. Another associate of mine did as well at the same time for $200. The items never arrived, and we have been getting the runaround for several weeks. He refuses to offer a solution, and it appears as if we were cheated. 

ALL MASONS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS, AND DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS MAN OR HIS COMPANY. 

The Company, UHA Embroidery, is located at P.O. Box. 971, Neka Pura, Allama Iqbal Street No. 1, Punjab, Sialkot 51310, Pakistan. 

Also known as Umer Shehroze, he is associated with Maqsood Ahmed. Other name variations are also likely, BEWARE of PAKISTAN MASONIC EMBROIDERY.

Again, I URGE ALL MEMBERS OF THE CRAFT TO CEASE RELATIONS WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS.

Speaking Saturday in Burlingame, CA

I'll be speaking Saturday night at the Burlingame, California Scottish Rite at the Masonic Center. Doors open at 6:00, I begin at 7:00. The talk is open to the public and is free of charge. Hope to see you there!

LA Scottish Rite Building Sold

The Scottish Rite Temple in Los Angeles has at last been sold, after being mostly closed since 1994. It will become a private museum, with most of its architectural details remaining intact.

From the LA Times:

Bluejeans moguls Maurice and Paul Marciano have bought one of Los Angeles' most notorious real estate white elephants, the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple on Wilshire Boulevard, and they have plans to turn it into a private art museum. 

The imposing marble-clad edifice, which has seen little use since 1994, will undergo a major renovation to house the Marcianos' contemporary art collections. It will be operated for the most part as a private property, with occasional exhibitions open to the public. 

There is plenty of room to work with — nearly 90,000 square feet — in the temple conceived by artist Millard Sheets, one of Southern California's best-known designers. 

The four-story building, which traverses a full block of Wilshire between Lucerne and Plymouth boulevards, sports white marble and travertine that Sheets personally selected in Italy. It is decorated with intricate mosaics depicting historical scenes and larger-than-life statues of important Masonic figures including George Washington. 

The Maurice and Paul Marciano Art Foundation bought the property from the Masons for $8 million, according to public title documents. The Marcianos are co-founders of clothierGuess Inc. 

"We have been looking for a home for the collection," said William F. Payne, a spokesman for the Beverly Hills foundation. "It's a legacy project for the family."
It's unclear when the museum will be finished and how much it will cost, he said, but Sheets' vision will remain. 

"Millard Sheets' design, we think, is something extraordinary, and it's our intent to preserve that architectural design in our reuse of the space," Payne said. 

Culver City firm wHY Architecture is working on the new design, he said, and the museum "should be up and running in a couple of years." 

Maurice Marciano rejoined the board of trustees of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art in October and was recently named one of the world's top 200 active art collectors by Artnews magazine. MOCA said Marciano has donated or promised three works for its collection: a sculpture by Sterling Ruby and paintings by Wade Guyton and Tauba Auerbach. 

The Marcianos' drive to renovate the old temple has been in the works for months, but the parties involved kept mum while the Marcianos worked on plans and consulted with homeowners in the prosperous Windsor Square neighborhood where the building is located. 

Previous owners of the nearly windowless temple, the Masons, also have a long history of keeping secrets about their centuries-old fraternity, which has included such members as Washington, Henry Ford, Mark Twain and Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The organization has also been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories, often suggesting that it controls world governments. 

The script of the 2004 adventure film "National Treasure," starring Nicolas Cage, revolved around a fictional long-running Masonic conspiracy, and part of the movie was filmed in the Wilshire Boulevard temple. However, the fraternity has been shrinking for many years. 

Masons leader Frank Loui, past grand master of the Grand Lodge of California, said membership in the state peaked at nearly 245,000 advanced-degree Masons in the mid-1960s. Now there are about 62,000 Masons of all levels in California. 

When the Wilshire Boulevard temple opened in 1961, he said, it was home to more than 10,000 Scottish Rite Masons. Members of the Scottish Rite branch hold advanced Masonry degrees, which require mastering a series of moral lessons. In its heyday, the building was the largest of several local Masonic lodges and one of the largest Masonic centers in California. 

With only about 1,000 Scottish Rite members left in Los Angeles now, "it was an economic decision to sell" the building, Loui said. 

It has been on and off the real estate market since 1994, when the Masons reluctantly closed the temple because dwindling membership made it too expensive to maintain. It was also difficult to rent out for other uses because of zoning restrictions on that stretch of Wilshire Boulevard largely surrounded by single-family residential neighborhoods. 

Complaints about parking, noise and trash problems related to events held by commercial groups at the temple also led to the Masons' decision to close it. For many years the block-long building was encircled with a chain-link fence. 

More recently the property was rented to a commercial tenant that sponsored events that neighbors found disruptive, and in 2005 the city revoked the building's certificate of occupancy, rendering it useless as a source of income to the Masons.

Speaking in Valparaiso, IN Friday 7/12

I'll be speaking at the Allied Masonic Degrees Council No. 470 meeting in Valparaiso, Indiana this Friday, July 12th in the Temple of Porter Lodge, 113 Lincolnway. Dinner is at 6:00pm, and the meeting begins at 7:00. I'll be presenting my paper "What's All This Egyptian Stuff Doing In Freemasonry?"

Lodge Vitruvian's Robert Burns Night

Come and join Lodge Vitruvian No. 767 for an evening of fellowship and scholarly discussion on the evening of Tuesday, July 23, 2013 AD, 6013 AL.

7:00 - 8:30 PM Stated Meeting

Lodge Vitruvian No. 767 F&AM

Broad Ripple Masonic Temple
1716 Broad Ripple Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 4220-2338

Link

http://vitruvian.org

We open on the Entered Apprentice Degree.

8:30 - 10:30 PM Festive Board

Binkley's Kitchen and Bar

5902 N. College Ave.
Indianapolis, INIndianapolis, IN 46220-2554
(317) 722-8888

Link

http://www.binkleyskitchenandbar.com

Keynote Speaker

Bro. Mark Lawson

President of the Scottish Society of Indianapolis
Our Newest Entered Apprentice

Subject:

Scotland's Robert Burns: Ploughman Poet or Freemason Radical?

Toast to the Lassies

Bro. Mark Lawson

Toast to the Laddies

Donna Mae Lawson

Attendees to this meeting are also encouraged to participate by bringing their own favorite examples of Robert Burns’ poems and songs to share.

Ladies and Guests are welcome to join us for the Festive Board. The meal cost will be $30.00 per person.

Dress Code for Officers and Members is Tuxedo and Gloves or Highland Dress. The Dress Code for Visiting Brethren is a Tuxedo or Dark Business Suit.

Please RSVP to Brother Steve Vedra, Junior Warden, at steve.vedra@gmail.com

Florida To Offer Masonic Plates

Florida joins the list of states offering Freemason license plates on October 1st. According to the Tampa Tribune online:

The Freemasonry plate is supported by the Masonic Home Endowment Fund, which plans to use the money raised for the residents of the Masonic Home of Florida in St. Petersburg, said Richard Lynn, grand secretary of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Florida. 

"The extra funds that come from the plate go directly to the endowment fund, which go to the home for the residents," Lynn said.

The fee will be an additional $25.

Shrine Eliminates MM Requirement In Arkansas

NEWS FLASH: The Shrine has eliminated the Master Mason requirement for membership in Arkansas. The slippery slope has begun.

New Masonic Renewal Website

The new Masonic Renewal site http://www.masonicrenewal.org/ has just recently been launched. The Masonic Renewal Committee is charted by the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America.

The new site has been four years in the making and is the largest collection of Masonic development programs, books, images and videos on the net. The current content is only a fraction of the information slotted to be put on.

North Hollywood Temple: Soon To Be Cultural Monument?

From Today's NoHoArtsDistrict.com website, the North Hollywood, California Masonic Temple is in the running for being named the city's next cultural monument.

The Masonic Temple in North Hollywood is up for consideration as the city's newest cultural monument after Councilmember Paul Krekorian introduced a motion last week calling on officials to include the 64-year-old building in the city's list of Historic-Cultural Monuments.

The city's Cultural Heritage Commission will now consider the matter before sending it to the Planning and Land Use Management Committee and back to the City Council for final review.

The Masonic Temple, built in 1949 at 5122 Tujunga Ave., is "one of the few remaining examples of Exotic Revival architecture with elements of Mayan Revival and exhibits high quality of design," the Councilmember wrote in his motion, which you can see here.

"It is also a grandly scaled example of a Masonic lodge in Los Angeles, representing the prominence of the North Hollywood chapter from the immediate post-World War II era."

For some, the Masonic Temple is already a part of living history. The Museum of the San Fernando Valley includes it on its North Hollywood walking tour, which also includes stops at the Lankershim Arts Center, built in 1939, and the So. Pacific Railroad Depot, built in 1886.

If you support including the Masonic Temple on the city's registry of historic buildings, let us know by emailing councilmember.krekorian@lacity.org. 

Michael Baigent Passes Away

According to Martin Faulks in Britain, Brother Michael Baigent, best-selling author of Holy Blood, Holy Grail, and former Freemasonry Today editor, passed away last night. He had received a liver transplant in April 2008. RIP.

Brother Baigent's books literally changed the way the world thought, and was arguably responsible for Dan Brown's success with the Da Vinci Code. His thought provoking works will be missed.

Speaking in Portland, Oregon 6/29

Friendship Masonic Lodge No. 160 AF & AM of Oregon, in partnership with Mt. Hood Masonic Lodge No. 32 F & AM of Washington,  is proud to host an evening with Chris Hodapp on June 29th, 2013 at 7:00 PM.

The talk will be held at Kenton Masonic Temple located at 8130 N. Denver Ave.,  Portland, OR 97217. Refreshments will be provided during the talk.

The event is open to the public. Tickets are $10.00 at the door, but due to limited seating for this event, reservations are required. To reserve your seat, please visit the lodge website here and fill out the reservation form.

Speaking At SR Valley of Danville, IL 6/23

Sunday June 23rd, 2013
Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, 109 W North St Danville, IL

The R.E.B.I.S Research Society will host a celebration of St. John the Baptist day. This is a open event for all non-masons and prospective candidates. The event will feature a catered dinner as well as a lecture presentation by Bro. Christopher Hodapp. This will be a fundraiser by R.E.B.I.S to raise money for the Valley Library to reestablish it as a functional Valley department. 

Bro. Chris Hodapp is the author of Freemasons for Dumbies, Solomon's Builders, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington D.C., former editor-in-chief of the Journal of The Masonic Society. Bro. Hodapp also developed episode outlines for the History Channel program, Brad Meltzer's Decoded, and contributed material on conspiracies and secret societies for TruTV. He has appeared on the History Channel Secrets of the Founding Fathers and the Discovery Channel Hunting The Lost Symbol.

He has written for Templar History Magazine, Masonic Magazine, The Indiana Freemason Magazine, Knight Templar Magazine, The Phylaxis Magazine, The Scottish Rite Journal and Indianapolis Monthly Magazine. Between 2005-2008, he wrote a monthly humor column for the Texas-based Living Natural First Magazine, A Pilgrim's Progress: True Tales of an Organic Greenhorn.
$15.00 a Person

3:00 pm- Dinner Starts

3:30 pm- Short Lecture on St. John the Baptist by James Frey

4:00 pm- Main Event- Bro. Chris Hodapp will present a Masonic lecture

Indians in DC

The Oklahoma Masonic Indian Degree Team is coming to D.C. to confer a Master Mason degree as a part of the Grand Lodge of D.C.'s Universal Brotherhood Celebration on Saturday, June 22, at 1 p.m. at the Valley of Washington Scottish Rite Temple. There is a banquet that evening at 7:30 at Almas Shrine which will feature American Indian foods and the Oklahoma brethren will be doing traditional dancing in tribal regalia as a part of the evening's entertainment.

Everyone is welcome to come to the degrees and the banquet, but reservations are needed ASAP. The auditorium only hods 400. You can get their tickets and further information about the events at www.ubc2013.org.

Royal Order of Jesters in Prostitution and Embezzlement Cases

The Royal Order of Jesters again finds itself embroiled in a situation involving prostitution, this time out of Flint, Michigan. One would think after the events a couple of years ago in New York they would be on the lookout for this kind of stuff, but alas, no.

From the All Michigan website, by reporter Mark Tower:

In a lawsuit filed June 11 in Genesee County Circuit Court by Nicholas Singelis II, the Clio-based Elf Khurafeh Shrine Temple, along with 11 members —commonly known as Shriners — are accused of allowing illegal sexual activities to take place during an initiation ceremony held Nov. 3, 2012, at the organization’s Circus Park facility in Vienna Township. 

Singelis is a former Shriner and former employee of Elf Khurafeh Shrine Temple. According to his lawsuit, Singelis was fired in March after he reported the alleged incident to leaders of both Elf Khurafeh Shrine Temple and Shriners International, the overarching arm of the more than 140-year-old fraternal organization best known for its pediatric hospitals and circuses 

The claim in the lawsuit is denied by several members and officers of the Elf Khurafeh Shrine Temple. A spokesperson for the Elf Khurafeh Shrine Temple declined to comment on the claims. 

Singelis also is a defendant in a lawsuit filed March 10 in Saginaw County Circuit Court by Elf Khurafeh Shrine Temple that alleges he was involved in embezzling money from the organization. Singelis denies the claim. 

Shriners International, in a statement released June 11, noted the organization is aware of both lawsuits and is investigating the claims.

Singelis, in his lawsuit, says he was terminated from his job as retaliation after he threatened to tell his story to “the appropriate governmental authorities.” 

He also said in the lawsuit he was told by fellow members of the Elf Khurafeh Shrine Temple to “shut his mouth,” and that he felt threatened by members of the organization. 

He said in a letter included in the lawsuit that sources told him prostitutes were hired and had sex with members of the Elf Khurafeh Shrine Temple during a Nov. 3, 2012, event.
He said he did not directly witness any acts of prostitution by the organization or its members, but said other members, as well as non-members, told him that Circus Park, where Elf Khurafeh’s offices are located, was being used for “illegal sexual activity” during a Shriner initiation ceremony. 

The lawsuit states this illegal activity involved members of The Royal Order of Jesters Court No. 74 and El Hajj Tassel No. 13, two subgroups chartered by Elf Khurafeh Shrine Temple. 

“I have received numerous complaints regarding these acts, from Nobles and non-members stating that not only is this unlawful; it is against Shrine Law,” Singelis says he wrote in a letter to former Elf Khurafeh Potentate Alan Basner, the organization’s leader. The letter is included in Singelis’ lawsuit. 

Basner denies the claims made in Singelis’ lawsuit.
Other members also deny the claims.
“In my opinion, this is just his way of trying to make us look bad,” said Ronald Huston, an Elf Khurafeh member who is named in the lawsuit. 

“It’s ridiculous. It sounds like sour grapes to me,” added Dick Bartlett, director of the Royal Order of Jesters Court No. 74, who is not named in Singelis’ lawsuit. 

More Shriners respond to accusationsIn a press release issued June 11 by Clio attorney Robert L. Swartwood, general counsel to Elf Khurafeh Shrine Temple, Swartwood states that none of the members named in Singelis' lawsuit have yet been served with notice of the lawsuit. 

"As nobody has been served in that matter to date, Elf Khurafeh Shriners cannot comment on it or the nature of any legal matter pending before the courts at this time," Swartwood wrote. 

Former Potentate and current Recorder Clarence W. Meyer Jr., who is named in Singelis’ lawsuit, declined to respond directly to the accusations, though he did say the organization intends to pursue a slander lawsuit against the former employee. 

Another longtime Jester, Donald P. Link — also named as a defendant in Singelis’ lawsuit — denied knowledge of the alleged prostitution at Royal Order of Jesters meetings or events. 

“I haven’t seen any of it,” Link said. 

Huston, a past director of The Royal Order of Jesters Court No. 74, said he has been a Jester for about 15 years. He referenced a 2005 FBI case, in which it was determined prostitutes were taken across the border into Canada for a Royal Order of Jesters national convention.

Huston said that incident gave Jesters a bad name, and resulted in very strict policies against such behavior for members and Courts across the country.
"We've done everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen," he said. "We won't tolerate it." 

State Rep. Charles Smiley, D-Burton, also is named as a defendant in Singelis’ lawsuit. He said he was never a member of the Jesters Court, but was at one time a member of El Hajj. He said he has no knowledge of the alleged prostitution and said he was not present at the Nov. 3, 2012, event at Circus Park. 

Lawsuit against SingelisThe lawsuit filed in March 2013 by the Elf Khurafeh Shrine Temple alleges that Singelis and a former potentate of the organization, Craig Hatch together embezzled and mishandle temple funds. 

Singelis' alleged embezzlement, according to several current Elf Khurafeh members and leaders, was the reason his employment was terminated.
According to the lawsuit, Singelis and Hatch improperly handled hundreds of thousands of dollars in organization funds. The complaint claims Singelis used a debit card to spend thousands of dollars of Shrine funds on “products and services that appear to have no legitimate relationship to the (association’s) fraternal or charitable activities.” 

Swartwood, in his press release, said Elf Khurafeh has an ongoing investigation into possible missing funds. Neither Singelis nor Hatch have been charged with any criminal wrongdoing in connection with those allegations. 

"The nobility and leadership of Elf Khurafeh Shriners have identified some possible improprieties in our bookkeeping procedures resulting in the discovery of certain funds not being totally accounted for," he wrote. "Due to these circumstances, our leadership has directed complete auditing of all accounts and investigation of all matters pertaining to the security of these funds." 

Saginaw County Prosecutor John McColgan said his office is investigating the embezzlement claims, but said the case might not remain with his office. 

"It's so big," McColgan said. "I think we were looking at the Attorney General or even the U.S. District Attorney taking it." 

Singelis’ attorney in the lawsuit filed against him in Saginaw County filed a “change of venue” motion in May, arguing that Saginaw County is not the appropriate jurisdiction for the lawsuit to be argued, a fact which is disputed by the organization’s attorney. 

After a change of venue hearing on May 20, the matter was taken under advisement by Circuit Court Judge James T. Borchard. According to court records, 120 days have been afforded for discovery and a case evaluation is set to be scheduled after Oct. 6, 2013. 

Singelis said he hopes, by exposing the wrongdoing he is alleging, to right any wrong he did by promoting the organization. 

"I spoke for this organization for three years," he said. 

Huston said he hopes the one thing that doesn't get lost in the legal battles yet to come is the good done by the organization and the philanthropic actions of many of its members. 

"The majority of Shriners are dedicated individuals," he said. "We've got guys who have made hundreds of trips to Chicago taking kids to the hospital there."

New Book: Curiosities of the Craft Available Now

From the Scottish Rite NMJ Masonic Museum and Library website:

The Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts and the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library have partnered to produce Curiosities of the Craft: Treasures from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts Collection.

On July 30, 1733, Henry Price (1697-1780), appointed by the Grand Lodge of England, gathered his Masonic brothers at a Boston tavern and formed what would become known as the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts. Over the following 280 years, the Grand Lodge withstood wars, anti-Masonic sentiment and fires. At the same time, the Grand Lodge amassed a collection of Masonic and historic objects, mementos and documents that tell not only its story, but also the story of Boston, New England and the United States.

Drawing on new research by authors Aimee E. Newell, Hilary Anderson Stelling and Catherine Compton Swanson, the book includes over 130 highlights from the Grand Lodge collection of more than 10,000 items acquired since 1733. These objects represent the rich heritage of Freemasonry in Massachusetts and tell stories of life in the fraternity, in the state and around the world. Some items were made or used by Massachusetts Masons, while others have associations with famous American Freemasons, such as George Washington (1732-1799) and Paul Revere (1734-1818).

Introduced with a history of the Grand Lodge collection, the catalog treats the themes of Traditions and Roots, Ritual and Ceremony, Gifts and Charity, Brotherhood and Community, and Memory and Commemoration. Through the treasures of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts collection, this publication explores the ordinary men, craftsmen and extraordinary leaders who built and sustained Freemasonry in Massachusetts for centuries.

To purchase the catalogue for $44.95 (plus sales tax and shipping), contact the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts at 617-426-6040 or order online at www.massfreemasonry.org.

Masonic Society Issue 20

Issue 20 of the Journal of the Masonic Society is winging its way to the printer. Articles include:

- Thoughts on Masonic Researchby S. Brent Morris, FMS 

- Political Incorrectness in Eighteenth Century Boston by John T. Anthony Parsons

- Widow Unveiled by Kenneth W. Davis, MMS

- Alphonse Mucha by Adam Kendall 

- The Broken Column of Daniel H. Boughton by Herbert F. Merrick 

- Traditionally Speaking by Cliff Porter

Not a member of the Masonic Society yet? Visit http://www.themasonicsociety.com and sign up for a paltry $39 a year. You'll get a membership card, lapel pin, four issues of the best Masonic magazine available, and the drop dead, coolest membership patent you've ever seen.