Contents
The President's Corner CANADIAN MASON CLIMBS MONT BLANC
ARE YOU LISTENING President Harding's Last Address to the Masons
Have You Noticed... Flutter, Flutter, Flutter
Geometric Dissections and Puzzles Dallas Stoudenmire: Masonic Gunfighter
Seekers of Truth Masonic Research - Suggestions for the Beginners
The Quest Facts: Nothing But Facts
The Hand Writing On The Wall Criticism and Change
Jerry Marsengill, FPS, Editor
401 Masonic Temple, 1011 Locust St.
Des Moines, IA 50309 (515) 244-2540
OFFICERS
Jerry Marsengill, FPS President
401 Masonic Temple, 1011 Locust St.
Des Moines, IA 50309 (515) 244-2540
John Mauk Hilliard, FPS. 1st Vice President
Lehman College
Bronx, New York 10468 (212) 960-8363
Wallace E. McLeod, FPS 2nd Vice President
Victoria College University of Toronto
73 Queen's Park Crescent
Toronto, Ontario Canada M5S 1 K7
Allen E. Roberts, FPS. Executive Secretary
Drawer 70, 110 Quince Ave.
Highland Springs, VA 23075 (804) 737-4498
Henry G. Law, FPS Treasurer
2508 E. Riding Dr.
Wilmington, DE 19808 (302) 737-9083
Harold L. Davidson, MPS Librarian
The Philalethes Society 1903 10th St. W.
Billings, MT 59102 (406) 259-1552
LIVING PAST PRESIDENTS
Philalethes Society
William R. Denslow
Robert V. Osborne, FPS
Eugene S. Hopp, FPS
Dwight L. Smith, FPS
Robert L. Dillard Jr. FPS
Bruce H. Hunt, FPS
Allen E. Roberts, FPS
John R. Nocas, FPS
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY EMERITUS
Carl R. Greaten, FPS
S. Brent Morris, FPS
CONTENTS
The President's Corner
Executive Board Meets in Richmond
Canadian Mason Climbs Mont Blanc
"Are You Listening?"
President Harding's Last Address To The Masons of Los Angeles
Flutter Flutter Flutter
Geometric Dissections and Puzzles
Dallas Stoudenmire: Masonic Gunfighter
Seekers of Truth
Masonic Research
Suggestions for the Beginner
Facts: Nothing But Facts The Hand Writing On The Wall
Criticism and Change
Through Masonic Windows
ON THE COVER
A beautiful winter scene in Northern lowa that is typical of the season in this part of the United States during December.
Cover slide courtesy of the Iowa Development Commission.
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by Jerry Marsengill, FPS
Please note: The emblem which we adopted in 1981 has been readopted. The official emblem is the one which appears on the magazine and no other will be used. When we get rid of a number of items which carry the 1955 emblem, we will use the official emblem on all materials from now on.
I have been reading ad after ad in a number of local newspapers. These are advertising the idea that people should learn more about Freemasonry. If a number of the people who write these attempts to reach the public would expend their energy in trying to teach the people who already belong, the fraternity would be better off. We need to build esprit de corps among our membership. If we can convince that membership that we have something to offer them, many of our problems would be selfsolving. However, as long as we merely advertise to get more new members without giving thought to the members whom we already have, I am afraid that our problems will continue.
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Executive Board Meets In Richmond
"The best Masonic affair I've ever attendedl" was among the milder superlatives expressed to the Executive Board on October 1, 1988. Over 160 Freemasons and their ladies attended another milestone in the history of The Philalethes Society.
The hospitality room was jammed on the evening of September 30 with Philalethians and their ladies from 16 jurisdictions and Canada. In the morning cars took several ladies on a tour of the old capital of the Confederacy; a bus was loaded with more ladies for a tour of Williamsburg. The men went to work.
In a classroom setting in the hotel Keith A. Hinerman, President of Virginia Chapter, welcomed the participants. He then presided over the proceedings.
Henry G. Law, FPS, International Treasurer, covered some of the history of the Society. Wallace McLeod, FPS, International Vice President, said "The Man Is a Menace" and covered some of the life of Albert Pike. " A Lodge of Confusion" was portrayed by members of Babcock Lodge No. 322. Walter J. Harmon, MPS, spoke on "Public and Internal Relations." A panel composed of the International officers answered pertinent questions from the participants. The talks were short; the discussion viable and plentiful.
The Grand Master of Masons and his officers (the DGM was among the participants) took time to be present between two other Masonic functions to welcome The Philalethes Society to Virginia.
The International President, Jerry Marsengill, FPS, was the luncheon speaker. He strongly suggested the Masonic leadership become more creative and innovative so that Freemasonry can remain a vital force for the beneficiary of man.
The question "Freemasonry Must Answer Its Critics" was debated and then discussed. Cabell F. Cobbs, MPS, Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, told of many of the problems faced by Grand Lodge officers. "Personal Gripes; Puny and Jumbo" was the topic presented by the Executive Secretary, Allen E. Roberts, FPS .
"Cannons" were charged, "Volleys" were fired, "Arms" were presented and the cannons "fired" several times during the banquet in the evening. Lloyd U. Jefferson, MPS, a Virginia Past Grand Master, the speaker for the Feast, asked "Are You Listening?" Previous to his talk dozens of door prizes and mementos were presented to all present.
The Executive board was highly complimentary of the efforts of Virginia Chapter in making the 60th Anniversary Assembly-Feast-Forum a success. It was noted that this event took place exactly 60 years from the day the Society was founded by a handful of dedicated Master Masons.
The simplified, yet meaningful, emblem that had adorned the masthead of The Philalethes magazine for several years was adopted by the Executive Board as the official emblem of the Society. The emblem adopted in 1955 which was used for the anniversary mementos, and the "Awards of Merit," will be used until exhausted. It was also to be used for medals for the winner of the Certificate of Literature and for the Annual Lecturer.
The Board unanimously agreed to issue the following Awards of Merit: John Watson, MPS, of Indiana; J. Hampton Harley, MPS, of New Jersey; Francis A. Derby of Massachusetts; and Lowell W. Gates, MPS, of Michigan. From Virginia because of their work for the 60th Anniversary: Cabell F. Cobbs, MPS; Lloyd U. Jefferson, MPS; Keith A. Hinerman; Charles S. and Margie Sarbaugh; Walter J. and Rose Harmon.
Macoy Publishing and Anchor Communications have offered to grant discounts for Masonic books to bonafide members of The Philalethes Society. The Board agreed to accept this offer as another benefit for its members. Details are to be worked out.
It was unanimously agreed that continuing efforts to strengthen the excellence of The Philalethes Society will continue. It was pointed out that by enlarging the membership the contents of the magazine can also be increased. About 70% of the moneys received in dues goes into the magazine and this won't be skimped.
Keith A. Hinerman was elected Project Secretary. His primary duties will be to assist the President and the Executive Secretary.
The Board accepted an invitation from the Chapters in Toronto, Canada, to hold a semi-annual Assembly-Feast-Forum there on September 23, 1989.
Plans were started to make the Annual Assembly-Feast-Forum to be held at the Hotel Washington in the District of Columbia on February 17 the best ever.
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CANADIAN MASON CLIMBS MONT BLANC
by Wallace McLeod, FPS
In Montreal, Canada, on 26 July 1805, a child named John Auldjo was born into a Scottish family that had made its fortune in the fur-trade. His mother soon died, and his father took the two little boys back to Britain for their schooling. In 1822 John was admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge, but he dropped out of university without completing his degree. After some time in the south of France he returned to London for his brother's wedding, on 18 September 1826. Henceforth his mentor was his new sister-in-law's uncle, Simon McGillivray, another man with business dealings in Canada. And so, on 25 October 1826, John Auldjo was initiated into Masonry in the Lodge of Antiquity, No. 2, London, being recommended by Simon McGillivray. It looks as if Auldjo pondered taking up law as a profession, for on 7 May 1827 he was admitted a student at Lincoln's Inn. He didn't stay very long, but chose to go back to France instead.
Early in June, while traveling in the Alps, he caught sight of Mont Blanc, the highest summit in Europe, and decided he would have to climb it. He did in fact make it to the top, and he wrote a book about it, dedicated to Simon McGillivray. We might look at the story he tells. At the time that Auldjo had conceived his great plan, it was too early in the year to go mountain-climbing, so he put it off until late July or early August. Everyone knew that the upper part of the ascent was subject to avalanches, and had claimed the life of more than one mountaineer. Fortunately, on 25 July of that very year, two young Englishmen had found a new and safer way up, and they told Auldjo, who happened to meet them in Geneva.
"Having learnt the practicability of ascending, I determined to lose no time in repairing to Chamonix [the point of departure], and my preparations were soon made. Some warm clothing, a telescope, and thermometer, were the sole contents of my haversack...On the 5th of August, I arrived in the valley. For many weeks the weather had been most beautiful, during which period not a cloud had sullied the blue arch of heaven, nor a mist shrouded the bright horizon; but this day the clouds gathered thick and lowering, and rain fell in torrents, pouring down a deluge the whole of the afternoon and the ensuing night. Next morning the mountain I was about to climb was no longer visible, being closely wrapped in a veil of dark vapour ..'
''Early on Tuesday morning, Devouassoud and Coutet [the two chief guides] entered my chamber, and announced that the wind had changed, the weather become fine, and if it lasted the day, would most certainly continue so during the day following...With great joy did I hear them say that we should start the next morning." The rest of the day he spent getting provisions, and choosing those who would go with him; in due course he settled upon six guides, and two other young men of the locality.
Early next morning, 8 August, he walked from Chamonix (3255 feet above sea level) to the village of Les Pelerins, where the expedition was to rendezvous. After some delay, while the guides bade a tearful farewell to their families, they set out at seven o'clock, Auldjo on muleback. They climbed through a thick pine wood, up a spur of the Aiguille du Midi ("the Southern Needle"), which is part of the Mont Blanc range. After an hour and a half they reached the Chalet de la Para, the highest house on the mountain. They continued up a steep path for another hour, to a landmark known as the Pierre Pointue; here the way became so rough that Auldjo had to abandon his mule.
"Thence we proceeded by a narrow footway or ledge, in the face of a cliff, in some places perpendicular, and in others overhanging the abysses below. This track is partly natural, but in some places improved by the people of the valley; and a tolerably accurate idea of it may be formed, by imagining that against a precipice of some hundred feet in height, a wall of two feet thick was built about half way up, and the path consisted merely of the space on the top of the wall, which was frequently so narrow, that we were under the necessity of advancing sideways, with our faces towards the rock, because the ordinary breadth of a man's shoulders would have thrown the balance of his person over the edge of the precipice. The track was also slippery, and covered with loose stones...; so that this part of our journey, though less perilous than... the icy precipices of the glaciers, was yet sufficient to try the nerves of a novice."
After traversing the cliff, they ascended the moraine, a loose and shifting mass of debris that had tumbled down from the upper slopes. Here the guides collected enough wood for their fires. When they once again found solid footing, they stopped for a late breakfast, beneath the Aiguille du Midi, in the shelter of a rock called Pierre Fontanet. "At this point there is also a remarkably powerful echo, to prove which Devouassoud [the guide] fired a pistol. We were almost deafened with the report: at first the loud reverberation produced a fine effect; then beating about from mountain to mountain, it died away in the softest sound."
At twenty minutes to twelve they moved on, and soon came to the edge of the glacier. "An extended plain of snow now presented itself, here and there covered with masses of broken ice; sometimes a beautiful tower of that substance raised its blue form, and seemed to mock the lofty pointed rocks above it; sometimes an immense block, its perpendicular front broken into pinnacles, now bearing a mass of snow, now supporting long and clear icicles, looked like some castle, on whose dilapidated walls the ivy, hanging in clustering beauty, or lying in rich and dark luxuriance, was, by the wand of some fairy, changed into the bright matter which now composed it." Once on the glacier, they proceeded to rope themselves together in pairs (except for Auldjo, who was tied to two guides). "The benefit of being secured to each other by ropes is shown almost every instant, as not a minute passed without some one of the party slipping on the ice; and falling, had he not been linked to another, would have glided into some crevice, and inevitably have perished."
They crossed bridges of ice, bridges of snow, and bridges improvised from their alpenstocks; they climbed cliffs of sheer ice, cutting footholds with their hatchets. Eventually they gained an icy slope between two crevasses. "As the space became wider I became less cautious, and while looking over the edge into the upper crevice, my feet slid from under me: I came down on my face, and glided rapidly towards the lower one: I cried out, but the guides who held the ropes attached to me did not stop me, though they stood firm. I had got to the extent of the rope, my feet hanging over the lower crevice, one hand grasping firmly the pole, and the other my hat. The guides called to me to be cool, and not afraid; - a pretty time to be cool, hanging over an abyss, and in momentary expectation of falling into itl" The guides held fast and kept the ropes taut, while Auldjo managed to pull himself up.
About four o'clock in the afternoon, they arrived at a rugged conical rock known as the Grand Mulet, at an elevation of 9900 feet. (The encyclopedia tells me that "there is an inn" at this spot, but there wasn't one in 1827.) They clambered up until, two hundred feet above the glacier, they found a platform, five feet by twelve. "A fire was lighted, some wine was warmed and distributed, and a change of apparel, with which all indulged themselves, was found extremely refreshing." Auldjo went to the top of the spire and sat admiring the view, while one of the guides below cooked food for them. After dinner, they set up a low tent on the platform, leaning their poles against the cliff and spreading a sheet over them. Then the nine of them went to bed. "In a row alongside each other, [they] lay as close as they could. I soon fell asleep, though the thunder of the falling avalanches might well have kept me awake...None of the beauties, none of the dangers, have made a more lasting impression on me than the awful silence of that night, broken as it was only by the loud crash of falling ice, echoing and re-echoing with thrilling sound in the death-like stillness."
At three in the morning they roused themselves, and continued up the river of ice by moonlight, again hacking out steps. The air was bitterly cold, but in due course they reached the Grand Plateau, the largest ice plain on the mountain. Here, at twenty after seven, on a sunken snowbridge over a chasm, they stopped for breakfast, which consisted of frozen chicken, cheese, and cold negus ("vinegar, wine, and water, boiled with spices and a great deal of sugar, a capital beverage for such an expedition"). The temperature was about 18 degrees Fahrenheit, but at least they were out of the wind.
They started out again. This was where they left the familiar path, and headed off towards the left, along the new more sheltered way. At last, as the sun was beginning to warm them up, they climbed another snow cliff. "While engaged in passing this last difficulty, our attention was arrested by a loud noise, or hissing sound, which the guides knew to proceed from a vast body of ice and snow falling in avalanche. It lasted some moments, and finished by a report which must have been caused by the precipitation of some immense mass upon a rock or plain. In an instant the awful calm which had been disturbed resumed its reign."
On, on they went, further up the grade. "It was here that I felt the first symptoms of the effect produced on the body by the rarity of the air; for, soon after I began to ascend, I was seized with an oppression of the chest, and a slight difficulty of breathing; a quickness of pulsation soon followed, with a great inclination to thirst, and a fullness in the veins of the head..." Finally, about nine o'clock, they crossed the last of the Rochers Rouges ("Red Rocks"), and rejoined the old path. They looked down, and saw, far below and across the valley, a crowd of people watching them from Mount Brevent (height, 8310 feet). It was some five miles away, so Auldjo must have used his telescope. "Among them we recognised some female forms, a discovery which renewed our courage, and excited us to still greater efforts than before...We had to climb about one hour to get to the summit; but this part of the undertaking required a most extraordinary exertion, and severe labour it was. From the place where the rarity of the air was first felt, we had been able to proceed fifteen or twenty steps without halting to take breath; but now, after every third or fourth, the stoutest, strongest guide became exhausted."
Some distance below the pinnacle, Auldjo found he could not go on, and he literally had to be dragged up by his two guides. Finally, at eleven o'clock in the morning, they reached the top of Mont Blanc, which they calculated to be 15,665 feet above sea-level - nearly 12,500 feet higher than their starting point. Auldjo at once collapsed on the snow behind a small mound, where he was somewhat sheltered from the wind, and slept for fifteen minutes. Then the guides produced some food, chicken and bread, but he found that he could not eat without feeling sick. "I had provided a bottle of Champagne, being desirous to see how this wine would be affected by the rarity of air. I also wished to drink to the prosperity of the inhabitants of the world below me; for I could believe that there were no human beings so elevated as we were at that moment. The wire being removed, and the string cut, the cork flew out to a great distance, but the noise could hardly be heard. The wine rolled out in the most luxuriant foam, frothing to the very last drop, and we all drank of it with zest...A very small quantity was sufficient to satisfy our thirst, for nine of us were perfectly satisfied with the contents of one bottle."
By now the temperature had risen to 32 degrees, but the clouds were beginning to gather, and a storm was clearly brewing. Auldjo took time to survey the vast panorama. "The more I gazed on the stupendous scene around me, the more I was delighted and astonished, my most sanguine expectations having been much exceeded; and now, just as I had become capable of marking and appreciating its beauties and wonders, the signal for departure tore me from the enjoyment...At twelve precisely we left the summit. Every one who has climbed a rock, a steep mountain, or any very elevated point, knows how much more difficult the descent is than the ascent; and of this I had painful experience in my progress downwards, for I found the descent of the first declivity by no means so easy a task as I had expected. It was tedious and fatiguing, from the exertion every moment applied to keep myself from slipping; or, having missed my footing, to set myself right again." By this time the heat of the sun, added to the heat generated by their exertion, was almost unbearable.
On the glacier above the Grand Plateau, Auldjo found a new way to travel. "I was desired to sit behind Devouassoud, as close as possible to him, and to put my legs round his body, my feet over his thighs, and my hands over his shoulders. Thus placed, I kept fast hold of him, and away both glided with immense velocity; he making use of his baton as a kind of rudder to guide our course, and with his feet ready to moderate the rapidity of our progress, by plunging them into the snow..."
When they came to the Grand Plateau, the guides all turned pale; they discovered that the avalanche they had heard the day before had run its course here; had they gone up the usual way, they would have been swept away.
By the time they got back to their breakfast station, Auldjo was so tired and overheated that they had to rub his temples with snow before he could go on. The sky grew darker and more threatening. They continued glissading down the snowy slopes, but before they could gain the shelter of the Grand Mulet (where they had slept last night), the storm broke in all its fury: first sleet, then hail, with heavy winds, thunder and lightning. Auldjo was now totally incapacitated, and had gone completely numb. He could only proceed by walking between two poles that were held by the guides in front and behind. At half past six they left the glacier, and somehow managed to slither down the moraine to the Pierre Pointue. A bit further brought them to the Chalet de la Para, the first house. "There we found a damsel ready with a large caldron of boiling milk, which she had prepared for us, and dealt out in large basons, inviting us, by her smiles and her good humour, to partake of it, until it was all disposed of." Then down the path through the pine woods to the village of Les Pelerins, where a mule was waiting. Auldjo mounted and rode back to Chamonix, reaching his hotel at about 8:30, after an absence of slightly more than 37 hours.
He stayed a few days in town. "I procured the certificate which is given to those who have attained the summit by the Sardinian government. (The region did not pass into French hands until 1860.)
So much for the book. Auldjo does not write particularly well. His story is dramatic, but his style is sometimes clumsy, and his descriptions contrived and overblown. Even so, it is not bad for a young man just turned twenty-two, and it found a ready audience. Here was adventure, excitement, and danger that few had a chance to meet on their own. It went through four editions (1828, 1830, 1856, 1867). Auldjo does not come off terribly well in it. He appears as a rich and pampered young man, not much of an athlete, who needs six guides to drag him to the top of the mountain and carry him down again. He rides a mule for as long as he can, while his guides go on foot. They are the porters; they bear the food, the cooking utensils, the firewood, the sheet for a tent. He carries a bit of clothing, a telescope, a thermometer, and a bottle of champagne. Still, not everybody has the ambition to even try a mountain, and he could hardly be expected to do it alone.
This was not Auldjo's only adventure, or his only claim to fame. Mind you, he was not particularly active in the Craft. In the spring of 1837 he was planning to visit Canada (where he still held property), and his sponsor Simon McGillivray, the Provincial Grand Master, gave him a warrant as his Deputy. Not much came of it. McGillivray died in 1840, and Auldjo ceased all his Masonic activities by 1842. But after climbing the mountain he lived on for another sixty years, a gentleman of leisure, a cultured dilettante, a collector of works of art, a Mediterranean tourist, a writer of travel books, a Fellow of several learned societies, the unpaid British consul in Geneva, a friend of the great and the near great, admired and respected by all who knew him. He accompanied Bro. Sir Walter Scott during his last visit to Naples, and kept up a life-long correspondence with the novelist Bro. Lord Lytton. He died 6 May 1886 in Geneva.
Nearly half a century ago one student said that John Auldjo was the first "Englishman" to reach the summit of Mont Blanc - and in a fit of carelessness a few years back I repeated the statement. Actually Auldjo's book gives a full listing, and shows he was the tenth "Englishman" to make it. The certificate he got from the authorities in Chamonix calls him a "Scottish gentleman." Englishman? Scottish gentleman? He was born in Montreal, the son of a man who had been elected to the parliament of Lower Canada. In my books, that makes him Canadian. He deserves to be remembered as the first Canadian who got to the top of Mont Blanc. And he was a Mason.
Notes And References
On matted related to Auldjo’s life, see AQC 96 (1983) 1-35; Proceedings of The Heritage Lodge, C.R.C., 7 (1983-84) 4-19
I am grateful to Tania Henlay, of the History Inquiry Desk of the Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library, for helping to obtain pictures for me.
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The 60th Anniversary Party of the Philalethes Society, Richmond, Virginia
by Lloyd U. Jefferson, MPS
Dell Webb thought he was having difficulty with his hearing, so he went to a prominent ear doctor. The doctor took out his pocket watch and held it up to Mr. Webb's ear. "Dell, do you hear the watch ticking?" Mr. Webb said, "Yes, I hear the watch ticking." Then, the doctor stepped away four or five steps, held up the watch and said, "Dell, do you hear the watch ticking?" Mr. Webb said, "Yes, I hear the watch ticking." Then, the doctor stepped outside the door and said, "Dell, do you hear the watch ticking?" And, Dell replied, "Yes, I hear the watch ticking." The doctor came back into the room, sat down, and said, "Mr. Webb, there isn't a damn thing wrong with your hearing your problem is that you don't Iisten!"
I submit the craft isn't listening! If you are a born worrier, you were born at the right time. Brethren, you better believe that a problem exists in our fraternity, and no one can or should conclude that all is well with Freemasonry. We must recognise it, study the problem, and initiate corrective action to stem the signs of decay. Yet, there is no "Quick-fix" solution.
Membership statistics tell part of the story. The August-September 1987 Grand Royal Arch Newsletter showed that the net loss of membership in the country last year (1986) was 74,459, reducing membership to 2,839,962. That is alarming. Not a single state in the union showed a gain for the year 1986! Our Grand Secretary, MW John P. Stokes, in his report to Grand Lodge last February, reported a net loss of 1279 in the year just passed. Moreover, of our 357 subordinate Lodges in the Commonwealth, 259 Lodges showed a net loss (72%), and 111 Lodges did not raise a single candidate! In fact, only 60 Lodges or 17% showed a net gain. My own Lodge, Manchester Lodge No. 14, had a net loss of 19. Signs of decay? Yes, you can bet your Master Mason's wages it is. Are you listening? .....then why do we continue to look the other way and pretend that the problem is going to go away? Membership is declining even in a time of more affluence and increasing population.
Could this be a message that Masons are disappointed or disenchanted with the fraternity? It would seem that poor attendance in our Lodges, waning enthusiasm and participation would indicate this. In all too many Lodges, it is an eternal struggle every year to get someone to become Junior Deacon....its a ever growing and perplexing problem. We too often find Masters serving a second year, and Past Masters serving as Wardens and Deacons. It's sad, too, that we cannot get many to take an active part....to come to Saturday night Masonic class....be present for a Masonic funeral....to take part in the Master Mason's degree....not on your life! Are you listening?
Our own Executive Secretary, Allen E. Roberts, FPS, said in his excellent book, "The Search for Leadership", quote, "Without question, leadership is what Freemasonry must have at every level....with knowledgeable, dedicated leadership there's no limit to what can be accomplished."
I agree with you, Allen, leadership is so desperately needed in our fraternity.
A case in point that the craft is not listening was the presentation at the Jurisprudence Committee at Grand Lodge last February on the increase in per capita tax. Despite the articulate urging and pleading of the leaders of Freemasonry, the delegates were unwilling to approve the increase. We have too long lulled ourselves into a false sense that our financial affairs are really O.K. In point of fact, we are not meeting the needs of today, much less planning for the challenges of tomorrow. I say again, are we listening?
Well, we must recognise that we are living in an age of unprecedented change. It naturally follows that the leaders of Freemasonry must be willing to make changes and do some things differently. I submit, that in this busy, complex world, we don't take the time to sit down and talk together, think together, create together, dream together, or plan together! We find ourselves chained to antiquity...doing the same old things, the same old way, year after year....wondering why the young, educated, professional men somehow cannot become excited about those old things.
One yoke around our necks is the prohibition against "innovations in the body of Masonry." New ideas are not bad....we must have the courage and readiness to change the functions the Fraternity performs for its members which will make our Masons want to belong and participate enthusiastically! Again I say, "Are we listening?" Now, I want to refer again to Al Roberts' book....that superb chapter intitled "Innovate/Create Or Stagnate." "It can't be done-is a cry we hear far too often throughout the leadership of Freemasonry.... over the years a few people - innovators and creators have proven it can be done.
You know sometimes I think we are caught up in what, at best, can be called MEDIOCRITY! Are we listening?
A very keen fellow a couple of years ago in his ALLOCUTION...III. Henry C. Clausen, 33d, impressed me with his comments on fraternal management, for it epitomizes some of my thinking. Here is an excerpt:
"Some critics have called Freemasonry a fading organization and point to the continual loss of membership. That loss since 1959 until today has been approximately 1.1 million, despite the fact that during the period our national population has doubled. This requires realistic thinking and changes to arrest and reverse the trend. We must bring Freemasonry into the 21st century."
"My philosophy is that procedurally we must be open-minded, break new ground, and not get stuck in ruts; nor imprison ourselves in the rigidity of reverence for traditional approaches to knowledge, as for example: It hasn't been done that way before! Progress often is stopped and institutions grow stale because ideas are turned into dogma, and the fences of illusion and ignorance confine knowledge."
And now, finally, may I say that in the short twelve (12) years between now and the twenty-first century our Freemasons will face an abrupt collision with the future. For many of us, the future will have arrived too soon. I submit that the "Good Old Days" is 1988. Change is avalanching upon our heads which will test our capacity to adapt. Question: Will we come to terms with it? I hope.
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President Harding's Last Address to the Masons of Los Angeles
by John R. Nocas, FPS
First of all these great Fraternities, in Age and Dignity and Power, is the great Masonic Fraternity. It is freely recognised as such. Its tap roots run into every land in which Christ is known and his teachings treasured and followed.
Warren G. Harding
In its Centennial history book Marion Lodge No. 70, Marion, Ohio, had this to say about its distinguished Brother: "Upon analysis it would almost seem that the entire life of Brother Warren G. Harding was built upon the teachings and principles of Freemasonry, although strangely enough he had lived almost all the years of his life before he knew what the teachings of Freemasonry really were. He always measured men by the Masonic rules, seeming to sense the thought that we are taught so early in our Masonic careers that it is the inward and not the outward qualifications of a man that make him worthwhile.
"Human, kindly, lovable, he was possessed of a wonderfully magnetic personality that drew people to him without apparent effort of his own. His heart was filled with a great love of men, and Masonry appealed to him strongly from the first because of its teachings of brotherhood. He had often expressed a strong feeling for the need of a better fellowship among men. After taking the Blue Lodge degrees he expressed the hope that this thought of brotherhood among men might be broadened to a brotherhood among nations, and this as President he certainly tried to carry out when he called the conference on the limitations of armaments in November of 1921."
Warren Gamaliel Harding was born on November 2, 1865 at Blooming Grove, Ohio. He learned a printer's trade at an early age; entered Ohio Central College in Iberia and graduated at the age of seventeen. He studied law but was more interested in writing and at the age of nineteen, with two friends (whom he later bought out) purchased the Marion Star. Within five years the Star had become the foremost paper in Marion County. In 1891 he married Mrs. Florence King DeWolfe. They had no children . In 1898 he was elected State Senator and in 1903 Governor of Ohio . In 1920, Harding, a "dark horse", was elected President of the United States.
Harding appointed a former President, William Howard Taft, Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court and a future President, Herbert Hoover, his Secretary of Commerce. During his term of office there were rumblings of corruption in government. After his death this proved true. His Secretary of the Interior, Albert B. Fall, was convicted of receiving bribes from oilmen Harry Sinclair and Edward Doheny, to whom he had leased naval oil reserves in California and at Teapot Dome, Wyoming. No one suggested that Harding was involved in this but his reputation sufferred greatly.
Harding was initiated a Mason in Marion Lodge No. 70, Marion, Ohio on June 28, 1901. On July 26, when Harding was to receive his second degree, Eugene Sweney, his bitter enemy of the rival newspaper, the Daily Mirror, is said to have stood up in Lodge and said, "Harding will never enter this Lodge as a Master Mason when I am present." Nineteen years later Sweney relented and Harding received his second degree on August 13, 1920 and was raised on August 27.
Harding quickly made up for those lost Masonic years. He was exalted in Marion Chapter No. 62, Royal Arch Masons, on January 13, 1921. On that day he inscribed the Bible of a friend with these words; "With grateful and happy remembrances of the occasion when this Holy Book was employed in revealing the exalting impressions of Royal Arch Masonry."
He received the 32nd degree of the Scottish Rite at Columbus, Ohio, on January 5, 1921 and became a Noble of Aladdin Shrine Temple, Columbus, on January 7. He was Knighted in Marion Commandery No. 36, Knights Templar, on March 21, 1921. Kallipolis Grotto "Movper" conferred its degrees upon him at the White House on May 11 and again, at the White House, he was made a member of Washington Chapter No. 3, National Sojourners, May 28, 1921. He became a member of Evergreen Forest No. 29, Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Milford, Delaware, on June 9, 1923.
Harding was elected to receive the 33rd degree of the Scottish Rite but died before it could be conferred. He was also elected to receive the degrees in Marion Council No. 22, Royal and Select Masters but his untimely death also prevented this.
He addressed the National League of Masonic Clubs in Washington on May 12, 1921, saying: "No man ever took the oaths and subscribed to the obligations with greater watchfulness and care than I have exercised in receiving the various rites of Masonry, and I say it with due deliberation and without fear of breaking faith, I have never encountered a lesson, never witnessed an example, never heard an obligation uttered which could not be proclaimed to the world."
On October 26, 1921 he laid the cornerstone of the Masonic Temple in Birmingham, Alabama, saying: "I have been a better citizen for being a Mason. There is nothing in Masonry that a free, religious and just American could not be proud to subscribe to, and be a better citizen for so doing."
In 1923 Harding opened the White House to the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine who were holding their convention in Washington. Some twenty thousand Nobles were thought to have visited the White House and Harding personally greeted as many as possible.
Harding announced in 1923 that he would run for a second term. Interestingly, it appeared that his Democratic opponent might be Henry Ford. Ford had run for the U.S. Senate from Michigan in 1918 and lost by only a few thousand votes. He led Harding in some early polls.
As part of his campaign the President decided to embark on a "Voyage of Understanding" to all the people in the country, explaining his policies and especially his desire to bring the United States into the World Court. He planned to stop at every city and "whistlestop" along the way. And - this was big news his journey would take him to Alaska, where no President had yet set foot. Which brings us to the International Traveling Beauseant.
The International Traveling Beauseant had its origin in Cyrene Preceptory, No. 29, Knights Templar, of Toronto, Canada, who conceived the idea of sending a replica of the Beauseant of the Ancient Templars upon a pilgrimage that would take into it every Templar Jurisdiction in the civilised world, for the purpose of cementing more firmly a knightly feeling between the Sir Knights of the various Grand Jurisdictions.
Accordingly, the International Traveling Beauseant was fashioned after the pattern of the Battle Flag of the Crusaders, and dedicated by the Officers of the Great Priory of Canada as follows:
To All Knights Templar
Through The World
Greetings:
This Beauseant has been consecrated and dedicated by
Cyrene Preceptory
Number Twenty-Nine
Knights Templar
Toronto, Canada
To the service of the Great Captain of our Salvation, that wherever and whenever it is unfurled closer bonds of Christian Knighthood and Chivalric ties may be created for the honor and advancement of the Order of the Temple and for the welfare of the Sir Knights.
It is our hope that it will be presented in turn to one Commandery in every Templar Jurisdiction, eventually being returned to Cyrene Preceptory by Hugh de Payens Commandery of Buffalo, New York, and we trust that every presentation may be an occasion fraught with great pleasure and abiding significance.
Abraham Shaw,
Supreme Grand Master
The international Traveling Beauseant is a silken banner, two and one-half feet wide by three and one-half feet long, whose upper half is black, and whose lower half is white, in conformity with the ritualistic significance of the Beauseant, which is known to all Knights Templar.
Upon the Upper, or half black, is the handsomely embroidered emblem of Cyrene Preceptory No. 29, of Toronto, Canada, including its motto, "Crucem Ferren." The Lower, of half white, has in the centre of its field the blood red Passion Cross surmounted by the motto "Non Nobis, Domini, Non Nobis, Sed Nomini Tua Da Gloriam."
It is suspended from a staff surmounted by a triangular ornament bearing on each one of its three sides the emblem of Cyrene Preceptory. Beneath this staff is encircled a series of flat gold rings about three-fourths of an inch in width, one of which is added by each Commandery acting as Custodian of the Beauseant, and upon each is inscribed the name of the Commandery, the jurisdiction it represented, the date of the transfer, and to whom transferred. It is accompanied by a handsomely embossed record book, a page of which is suitably inscribed by each Custodian Commandry, and which will form at the conclusion of its pilgrimage a beautiful and complete history of the Beauseant.
On the 28th of March, 1921, Cyrene Preceptory accompanied by the Grand Master and Past Grand Master of the Great Priory of Canada, arrived in the city of Buffalo, New York, for the purpose of starting the Beauseant on its mission. They were met by Hugh de Paynes Commandery with a drum corps, the Grand Commandery of New York, the Grand Commander of New Jersey, delegations from nearly every Commandery in the Western portion of New York State; representatives from many Grand Jurisdictions of the United States, the Philippines and the Canal Zone. This was the first stop on a journey that was eventually to total almost 20,000 miles.
On February 10, 1923, with much ceremony, the Beauseant was transferred to Marion Commandery No. 36, Ohio, the Commandery of the President of the United States, Warren G. Harding. Harding could not be present at its reception but his representative, Brigadier General Charles E. Sawyer, is said to have given a stirring address on Americanism that would live long in the memory of those fortunate to be present.
Where would the Banner go next? The answer - Hollywood Commandery No. 56, Los Angeles. Up to this point, knowledge and interest in the Traveling Beauseant was confined, naturally, to Knights Templar. Suddenly this changed. Every Mason in Southern California, and much of the public, too, became aware of the Flag and its meaning, for it was announced that the President of the United States was coming to Los Angeles and that he, personally, would present the Beauseant to Hollywood Commandery.
The Hollywood Masonic Temple was far too small to accommodate the thousands of Masons who planned to attend the presentation ceremony. Accordingly, it was arranged to secure nearby Hollywood Bowl and everybody was invited to attend. It was said that never before in the history of Los Angeles had there been so much cooperation and support given to any project by all the people and all organizations of the city as on this occasion. The streets were profusely decorated with the national colors and with Templar banners and the city waited with great excitement the arrival of the President.
A detail of thirty-six members of Marion Commandery, including its Officers, left Marion, Ohio, on July 23, 1923 to meet their distinguished and esteemed "frater" Sir Knight Warren G. Harding, on August 2nd at Hollywood Bowl. No one perceived the dark cloud hovering above.
On June 20 the President, with a party of sixty-five, left Washington bound for St. Louis, the first leg of the twomonth trip. At St. Louis the President's address to some 10,000 Rotarians was broadcast live by radio coast to coast - the first time this had been done. After many stops and local speeches he arrived at Denver where he told an audience of 12,000 that the Eighteenth Amendment would never be repealed and he urged strict enforcement of the Prohibition laws. Whistlestopping along the way the President arrived at Salt Lake City. In the Mormon Tabernacle, speaking for joining the World Court, he said: "I want America to have something of a spiritual ideal. I am seeking American sentiment in favor of a International Court of Justice. I want America to play her part in helping to abolish war."
He visited Zion National Park and was greeted by Mormon President Hebert Grant and Senator Smoot. At Pocatello, Idaho, he made an impromptu speech (one of many) from the rear platform of his railroad car on the subject of world peace. In Montana he told an audience at Helena's Shriner's Hall "nothing has been further from the purpose of this administration than any thought of destroying the right of either labor or capital to organize." He hoped to lessen the conflict between both these forces. At Butte, Montana, he visited a mine and shook hands with the miners. He was visibly impressed by Yellowstone Park and advocated adding an additional 400,000 acres to this public domain that would include Jackson Hole country and part of the Tetons.
In Spokane he spoke out for the World Court. At Portland he received the most enthusiastic welcome since starting the trip. At Tacoma he brought up the matter of the twelve-hour day. "I should be proud," he said, "if my administration were marked by the final passing of the twelve-hour working day in American life."
On July 4 the party embarked from Tacoma for the 1,000 miles voyage to Alaska, aboard the Henderson, a World War I transport. The first stop was at Metlakatla to be greeted by the town's five hundred Indians and Alaska's Governor Scott Boone. Then to Ketchikan where on July 8 the President laid the cornerstone of Ketchikan Lodge No. 159. At Juneau, Alaska's capitol, a long line of children holding garlands formed a guard of honor as he drove to the Governor's residence.
On the voyage to Skagway the ship's gunners fired several rounds of shells into the wall of laku Glacier so that the President could see the flashing ice avalanche. A chill three-day journey brought the party to Resurrection Bay and Seward. Here exhausted by the feverous pace of the campaign trip, Harding invited the mayor aboard and asked to be excused from appearances in Seward.
Then, on to Anchorage by train and north past Mt. McKinley to Fairbanks where the President spoke at the ball park. Here his doctor insisted he rest for two days. He had much needed rest on the train ride back to Seward and on the Henderson while sailing to Valdez and Cordova. A three-day voyage brought the party to Sitka where, on Sunday, he attended the wooden mission church. The long voyage back to Vancouver did little for the President's health - he looked haggard and exhausted. At Seattle he almost collapsed while giving a (Hoover-written) speech to some 60,000 in the stadium. That evening he felt he had recovered enough to address the Press Club but he collapsed afterwards and was put to bed complaining of cramps and indigestion.
The President had planned to make major addresses in Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. This was now cancelled and the train headed straight for San Francisco. At San Francisco the noted heart specialists, Dr. Charles Minor Cooper and Dr. Ray Lyman Wilbur were waiting to examine him. They decided he had suffered a heart attack and he was put to bed immediately at the Palace Hotel. On Monday, July 30, the President's condition worsened - he had a temperature of 102 and a pulse rate of 120.
Surprisingly, he seemed better on Tuesday. He sent his Secretary, George Christian, a Knight Templar, on to Los Angeles to present the International Traveling Beauseant to Hollywood Commandery and to deliver the address the President had written.
Thursday, August 2, found the President resting fairly comfortably in bed and his doctors predicted recovery. After dinner his wife read to him and then left the room for a moment. When she returned she found the President dead. The doctors said he died of thrombosis. That evening, August 2, 1923, Calvin Coolidge was sworn in as the thirtieth President of the United States. That same evening Sir Knight George B. Christian, Jr. gave Harding's address to those assembled in Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles.
Address delivered for President Harding on the occasion of the presentation of International Traveling Beauseant to Hollywood Commandery No. 56, Knights Templar, by Marion Commandery No. 36, K.T., of Marion, Ohio.
"He Being Dead, Yet Speaketh"
Last words of our late lamented President and brother - a message to Knights Templar - spoken for him by his secretary, Sir Knight George B. Christian, at Hollywood Bowl. August 2, 1923.
Sir Knights and Brothers:
I am deeply sensible of the honor implied in my selection as the medium for the transfer of this sacred banner from the custody of the Grand Jurisdiction of the Commanderies of Ohio to the temporary keeping of the Knights of California. I am especially gratified that this designation has been made by my own home commandery, composed of Brother Knights with whom I have lived in more or less intimate, neighborly association throughout the greater part of my life.
It was a beautiful idea which brought about the reproduction of the banner under which the Knights of the Holy Grail went forth to battle to death with the Saracens for the restoration of the Holy Land and its shrines to Christian hands, and to send it on a pilgrimage to the Temples of the Latter-Day Christian Knights to reawaken or reanimate their faith and devotion. The reproduced Beauseant will not encounter the storms, the fanaticism and the romances of Knighthood which attended the original banner, but I trust its journeys will encounter no less of conscience and no less of noble purpose.
I am sure the mission of the Beauseant will be a failure if its travels are made simply a matter of symbolism and pageantry. It bears emblazoned upon it the supplication, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be the glory." We should glorify the Holy name, not by words, not by praise, not by displays at arms, but by deeds and service in behalf of human brotherhood. Christ, the great exemplar of our order, repeatedly urged this truth upon his hearers. There was nothing mythical or mystical in the code of living preached by Jesus Christ. The lessons he taught were so simple and plain, so fashioned to be understood by the humblest among men, that they appealed to the reason and emotions of all. His words to the fishermen bore conviction to the learned men of the Roman bench. All of his teachings were based upon the broad ground of fraternalism and justice and understanding, from which flows always peace. "A new commandment I give unto you - that ye love one another." Surely in this was "All the law and the gospels." I make bold to say, in reflective deliberation, there is nothing in Templar Knighthood, nothing in the obligation, lecture or exemplification, nothing in practice where the obligation is kept, which could not be openly, and in equal simplicity, proclaimed to the world.
Some one has said, in speaking of our present-day civilisation, that "we need less of religion and more of Christianity." This may be crudely expressed, but it contains a great truth. With the universal observance of Christ's commandment we would have the essentials of all religions. Perhaps I will best express by thought if I say we need less of sectarianism, less of denominationalism, less of fanatical zeal and its exactions, and more of the Christ spirit, more of the Christ practice, and a new and abiding consecration to reverence for God.
I am a confirmed optimist as to the growth of the spirit of brotherhood. Science and genius are lending their aid to the removal of the obstacles to intercourse and attending understanding among the peoples of the world. We do rise to heights, at times, when we look for the good rather than the evil in others, and give consideration to the views of all. The inherent love of fellowship is banding men together, and when envy and suspicion are vanquished, fraternity records a triumph, and brotherhood brings new blessings to men and to peoples in the larger sense.
Because I am holding temporarily a position of official prominence I have been privileged in being invited into association with many of our so-called secret, fraternal societies. I find that each of them has at its foundation and the reason for its existence the furtherance of brotherhood and the Christian virtues of charity, mercy, justice and brotherly love. Moreover, the practice of these virtues has been suggested by the ways of happiness in the daily lives of men. For example - and I am sure it will be no breach of faith to relate it - I was admitted into a fraternity of Alaskan pioneers, and I was obligated never to kick a dog, or to work a horse with a sore back or shoulder. Now that was a simple thing that Christ himself would have urged; it was an expression of mercy and affection by these pioneers for the brutes who could not speak a protest, of considerate concern for a life of service. On the whole I am well persuaded that the many tenders of fellowship have come to me because men wish to have practiced in official life the teachings of brotherhood and friendship and sympathy which have sweetened their own pathways.
All of these fraternities, within their spheres, are doing fine and helpful work, and adding a redolent bloom to the gardens of human fellowship. Sometimes the real purpose is temporarily obscured or defeated by jealousies, or too much of symbolism, or other attending developments. But the leaven imparted by devoted and enthusiastic brothers is slowly but surely raising the standard of the whole mass. We can never have too much of it. Fraternity never long conceals a wrong intent; it can harbor no crime; it fosters no wrong. Inherently it demands good conscience and worthy purpose.
First of all these great fraternities in age and dignity and power is the great Masonic order. It is freely recognised as such. Its tap roots run into every land in which Christ is known and His teachings treasured and followed. The journeyings of this replica Beauseant are strengthening the fraternal ties between Canada and the United States, even as we today feel a little closer touch between Ohio and California.
It little matters now, that a mistaken idea sent the original banner at the head of armed hosts to recover by force and violence the land which has been hallowed by Christ’s physical presence. Jesus Christ was the Father’s gift for all the ages and any land where His law is loved and followed is no less holy than that which His foot had trod. Christ was the Prince of Peace, and we who seek to render His name glorious must move in the ways of peace and brotherhood and loving service.
So I gladly and proudly join in sending this banner on its highly purposed journey, which is to continue probably beyond the span of the lives of those here assembled. Wherever it inspires more of real brotherhood, more of devotion of Christ’s simplest teachings, it will not have been borne in vain.
I charge that it shall not be held as a banner of militant force, not as a memorial of deeds of arms, not as a mere piece of ritualistic pageantry, but as the symbol of brotherhood, raised to the glory of our Grand Commander whose law was love, whose reign was peace, and for whom the herald angels sang: Glory to God in the highest; on earth peace and good will toward men.
Note: Pictures courtesy of Marion Lodge No. 70, Marion, Ohio.
----o----
. . . how often the "rules " are broken? It happens almost every day in Masonry and as appendant bodies, as well as in the "law of the land."
Some of the infractions are minor, but occasionally they stand out as flagrant violations of the "written word."
Those who do not familiarize themselves with the Code and by-laws perfunctorily mis-use, misquote, and misinterpret the true meaning. This leaves them open to criticism by those who are better informed.
Others have studied the rules, but ignore their admonitions.
In our method of government the law applies to everyone alike. Race, creed, colon gender, financial status or community standing does not guarantee anyone's exemption.
If you don't like the laws, then make your voice heard to your elected representatives, and attempt to have it changed.
This pattern can be followed, also, by making yourself heard at Grand Lodge, Grand Chapter, or any other governing body.
How often is a mandate ignored and, if not checked, become commonplace?
.... Are you guilty?
- Ernest Heath, MPS
from the Montana Masonic News.
----o----
by Pete Martinez, MPS
When I woke up Saturday morning I wasn't in a good mood to begin with. I had just started a new job and had Saturday off for the first time in over a year, and here I was getting up early to spend the day standing in front of a supermarket with my Fez on and a bucket in my hand collecting money for the Shrine Hospitals. It wouldn't have been so bad except that Jim and I were the only two, out of about thirty members in our Past Masters unit, who were performing our duty. I'm sure some of the others had a good excuse, but I know there were some, the same ones who don't think they need to practice the ritual, that just didn't want to get dressed up and perform this duty. I'd rather have gone fishing myself, but my conscience wouldn't let me.
I stopped at the local fast food with gas pumps to get something for breakfast. I opened a pint carton of chocolate milk, placed it in the microwave, and set it on three minutes. That was a thirty second mistake. I had to clean out the oven and wait five minutes for my hot chocolate to cool down so I could drink it. When I arrived at the supermarket at 9:00 o'clock I discovered I had spilled the milk on the front of my white shirt. I should have copped out and gone fishing. The apron I put on covered the chocolate stain and Jim and I put on our Fezzes and started handing out papers and the money started to trickle in. The traffic was a little slow and as I looked over the parking lot I suddenly spotted it.
Flutter, Flutter, Flutter
Suspended from a light pole at one end of the lot was a bird. The English sparrows were busily building their nests in every man made nook and cranny and one pair had selected the light fixture thirty feet off the ground on that pole. This little bird had found something for its nest that anchored on one end to the nest and entangled the bird's foot on the other. So there it was, suspended about ten inches below the fixture flapping its wings as hard as it could trying to free itself. Now I'm no lover of English sparrows, Lord knows we have more than we need, stuffing straw into every available space. Have you ever examined one of those nests? They are filled with little white lice. Nasty! I much prefer mockingbirds with their funny antics and pretty songs, perched on the highest place they can find in their kingdom and jumping up and down celebrating the joy of life.
But I hate to see any living thing in trouble and that poor little bird hanging there, unable to free itself, really got to me.
"Jim, how can we get him down?"
I'm not as athletic as I once was. I couldn't shimmy up that pole and crawl to that fixture. There has got to be a way.
Flutter, Flutter, Flutter
It's interesting to try to figure out which people will drop money in our buckets. Most of the people who shop at this store are from our largest minority and many of them don't look like they could afford to give us anything. But they do give and although their donations are small they give willingly. Some say they know of a friend's child that has been helped and they want to do what they can. One asked if we represented the Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas. We told her we didn't but that we do the same type of work. She said her son is a patient there as she dropped a dollar in the bucket. Two ladies were parked in the handicapped spaces at different times during the day and each called me over to make donations. Several cadillac, mercedes and continental drivers passed us by without even a smile.
About ten thirty a fire truck pulled into the parking lot. Two firemen went into the store and when they came out I asked if they would help the bird. They looked at the pole, showed no interest and drove off with their ladders that could have helped.
FLUTTER, FLUTter, flutter
There has got to be a story in this situation. A Masonic parable. I had just received, the day before, the April, 1988, issue of The Philalethes magazine and was thinking about the 1988 Philalethes lecture by our own Past Grand Master, John E. (Jack) Kelly. His talk centered on what we can do to turn Masonry around and get it going again. This question has been bothering me for several years. Suggestions that we make any changes always meet with the same obstacles. Something about not being able to change the "Ancient Landmarks" or make innovations in the body of Masonry. BULL! The history of Masonry is the story of the changes that have been made. If we can't change with the times we shall die with the past. We will be tied to the past just like that little bird is tied to its nest. Unable to break free of what is binding us because we lack the strength to do so.
FLUTTER, flutter, flutter
I went home for lunch from twelve to one and when I returned the little bird was still hanging there, helpless. A lady from the zoo, just a block away, had stopped by and Jim told her of the bird's plight. She said she would see if anyone at the zoo could help.
Some people are very inconsiderate, and lazy too. They park in no parking areas so they won't have to walk so far to get into the store. They double park right in front of the store, blocking traffic, and run in to get that one something that won't take but just a minute. Stumbling blocks! Just like some of our Masons that can't see that we need to remove some of these stumbling blocks that are keeping us from growing. Stumbling blocks that only know ritual and think they know all about Masonry. Stumbling blocks that won't change anything because "we've been doing it this way since time immemorial!" Stumbling blocks that won't talk to nonMasons about Masonry because they don't want to reveal the secrets. They don't know where the secrets stop and what they can and should talk about begin. Now there are some good fields for Masonic education that have little to do with ritual. There are ways to recruit members without asking. As one of our Past Grand Masters said, "My mother asked me when I was going to join my father's lodge."
flutter, flutter, flutter
When Jim returned from lunch, about two fifteen, he had a balloon with him. He had stopped at a florists shop and bought it. It was filled with helium and he had attached a long string to it. Although there was not much wind Jim tried in vain to get the balloon to carry the string to a place where he could get it entangled with the one holding the bird and break it loose.
Well, if we couldn't help the bird we were helping the children in our hospitals. Some folks don't even bother to read the words on the apron to see what they are giving to. They see the red Fez and start digging into their pockets and purses.
"I wish I could give more, but that's all I've got with me."
"Lady, you've given one hundred percent!"
flutter, flutter, flutter?
I couldn't stand it any longer! I got Jim's balloon out of his truck and headed for the light pole. It was three o'clock in the afternoon and that little bird had been dangling there for at least six hours, that I know of, with its mate trying to console it from the pipe above and occasionally flying close as if to try to help free it. It was probably a strange site. A Shriner trying to fly a balloon into a lamp post. I had some instruction and encouragement from some boys who stopped to watch. Just about the time the balloon would be near the right spot the wind would change and the balloon would get lower as it tugged against the string. Finally, after thirty minutes and numerous tries, I managed to get the string in the right position and wound it around the "cable tow" that held the bird prisoner to its own nest. As I pulled the balloon over the pipe it broke the bond holding the bird and it fluttered to the ground with ten inches of common black sewing thread entangled in its right claw. After cutting it loose I freed the bird in a vacant lot and returned to my duty.
Now I don't know if the bird will live through its ordeal. I can only hope the leg that was bearing its weight will heal and it will return to the life God intended for it, free from self inflicted ties.
Now I wonder if Freemasonry can free itself from its self inflicted ties, the "cable tow" that is strangling its growth?
I'm glad I didn't go fishing.
flutter, flutter, flut....
----o----
Geometric Dissections and Puzzles
by Mervin B. Hogan, FPS
The masterpiece should appear as the flower to the painter - perfect in its bud as in its bloom - with no reason to explain its presence - no mission to fulfill - a joy to the artist, a delusion to the philanthropist - a puzzle to the botanist - an accident of sentiment and alliteration to the literary man.
- James McNeill Whistler, The
Gentle Art of Mating
Enemies, 1890.
One may find himself interested in geometric puzzles and geometric dissections for no other reason than the avocational pleasure he derives from his attention to the details. Nevertheless he will painlessly and unintentionally absorb a considerable acquaintance with the science of geometry itself from his application.
In his Too Much College, the Canadian, Professor Stephen Leacock closes his chapter, "Mathematics Versus Puzzles," with the suggestion:
The basic idea of my discussion is that somehow we don't get our minds mathematically adjusted as they might be. I am aware that there are great differences of natural aptitude. We are told that Isaac Newton when he was a boy took a look through Euclid's Elements and said it seemed a "trifling book." That meant that, when Euclid said, "the three angles of a triangle are together equal to two right angles," little Newton said, "Why, of course, obviously so." Probably the Pythagorean theorem about the squares on the sides of a right-angled triangle only held him back a minute or two. These things took the rest of us a year of school. But, all said and done, I think that it is not only a matter of aptitude but of approach. We don't "go at it" right.
With that I leave the subject, with the hopes that at least it may be stimulating to professors of mathematics. A little stimulant won't hurt them.
Martin Gardner is a noted contemporary authority in the field of recreational mathematics. In the "Introduction" to Martin Gardner's Sixth Book of Mathematical Diversions from "Scientific American, " he comments:
Mathematics has never been a dreary topic, although too often it has been taught in the dreariest possible way. There is no better way to relieve the tedium than by injecting recreational topics into a course, topics strongly tinged with elements of play, humor, beauty, and surprise. The greatest mathematicians always looked upon their subject as a source of intense intellectual delight and seldom hesitated to pursue problems of a recreational nature.
Euclid himself, among the earliest of the mathematical giants, wrote an entire book (unfortunately it did not survive) on geometrical fallacies. This is a topic covered in standard works on recreational mathematics but curiously avoided in most geometry textbooks. There are endless historical examples of puzzles, believed to be utterly trivial, the solving of which led to significant new theorems, often with useful applications .
Puzzles and "brain-twisters" of almost every conceivable sort are carried in the daily copies of our ephemeral press. They are generally superficial in presentation and avoid less evident fundamental aspects and characteristics. Among this overwhelming assortment are many categorised as geometric and geometric dissection puzzles. Present concern is with geometric puzzles generally, and here solely with geometric dissection puzzles; especially a simple introductory illustration, Masonic in nature.
The Syracuse Herald-American comic section of Sunday,
October 14, 1962 printed the outline of the irregular polygon shown in
Fig. 1,
FIG. 1
with the question:
Can you divide this figure into 5 sections and rearrange them to form -
1st - A Square
2nd - A [Greek] Cross
3rd - A Rectangle
4th - A Right-Angle
Triangle?
(Answer next Sunday)
The newspaper's answer presented the 5-part dissection of the given polygon as shown in Fig. 2, followed by
Fig.
2
Fig 3
the cross, square, and rectangle shown in Figs.
3, 4, and 5, respectively. The triangle was given as shown in Fig. 6, but
reversed as though turning a transparent paper over. Intended confusion
or difficulty is met with now and then.
Fig. 4
FIG. 5
FIG. 6
Along the way, one becomes concerned with the puzzling mental processes required to accomplish this subjective, intuitive, and experimental challenge. These features are precisely what create or constitute the puzzle.
As stated, no intimation whatsoever is given as to the configurations of the "5-sections" constituting the given irregular polygon. In other words, the stated requirement is just about as unspecified or ambiguous as is possible to express. I, frankly, did not solve the puzzle during the ensuing week, although I spent considerable time and effort to that end. I was thoroughly conditioned to examine appreciatively the published solution as soon as it was available.
Were I to be confronted with the given problems today and facing it from scratch, I would call on some of my acquired puzzle experience. I would start neither at the beginning, nor the end, but at an intermediate point. I know there are several Greek cross dissection puzzles in the puzzle realm, some of which I have become acquainted with. The three dotted lines indicated in Fig. 3 are basically geometric cuts yielding a square, two triangles, a trapezoid, and an irregular polygon.
It is no strain to arrange those 5 parts into the square of Fig. 4, then the rectangle of Fig. 5, then the triangle of Fig. 6, and finally to arrange the 5 geometric parts so as to constitute the original given polygon.
Really, the most likely condition under which this puzzle is commonly encountered is in the reverse operation, namely, an actual assembling or synthesizing endeavor. Prepare yourself a carefully drawn and cut set of the 5 individual geometric pieces and challenge your "prospect" to assemble, as you choose: (1) a cross, (2) a square, (3) a rectangle, (4) a right triangle, or (5) an irregular polygon.
A mathematically inclined puzzler checks the integrity of each aspect of the puzzle, namely, the linear dimensions and areas of the 5 components. The Greek cross would be the obvious starting point due to the simplicity of the figure; 5 squares, the sides of which are all of the same length. Denote that length by the letter "a". The total area of the cross is then 5a2, which must be the same for each of the other 4 composite figures.
By simple geometry the areas of the 5 components, as indicated in Fig. 3 are: I. square, a2; II. large triangle, 5/4 a2; III. irregular trapezoid, 7/4 a2; IV. small triangle, a 2/4; V. regular trapezoid, 3/4 a2.
In Life on the Mississippi; Mark Twain discusses an arithmetical problem in his own inimitable manner. He arrives at a most fascinating conclusion:
In the space of one hundred and seventy-six years the Lower Mississippi has shortened itself two hundred and forty-two miles. That is an average of a trifle over one mile and a third per year. Therefore, any calm person, who is not blind or idiotic, can see that in the old Oolitic Silurian Period, just a million years ago next November, the Lower Mississippi River was upward of one million three hundred thousand miles long, and stuck out over the Gulf of Mexico like a fishing-rod. And by the same token any person can see that seven hundred and forty-two years from now the Lower Mississippi will be only a mile and three-quarters long, and Cairo and New Orleans will have joined their streets together, and be plodding comfortably along under a single mayor and a mutual board of aldermen. There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact. [my italics] (Chap. 17).
References
1. William F. White, A Scrap-Book of Elementary Mathematics, Notes, Recreations, Essays; Open Court Publishing Co., Chicago, Third Edition, 1927, 248pp. First published 1908.
2. Susan Johnston, The Fun With Tangrams Kit, 120 puzzles; Dover Publications, Inc. New York, 1977, 32pp.
3. W.W. Rouse Ball, revised by H.S.M. Coxeter, Mathematical Recreations & Essays; Macmillan and Co., Ltd., London 1942, 419pp.
4. J.A.H. Hunter and Joseph S. Madachy, Mathematical Diversions; Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1975, 178pp.
5. William R. Ransom, Geometry Growing, Early and Later Proofs of Famous Theorems; National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Washington, D.C., 1954, 36pp.
6. Geoffrey Mott-Smith, Mathematical Puzzles, for Beginners and Enthusiasts; Blakiston Co., Philadelphia, PA, 1946, 248pp.
7. Martin Gardner, editor, Mathematical Puzzles of Sam Loyd; Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1959; Vol. 1, 167pp.: Vol. 2, 177pp.
8. Martin Gardner, Mathematics, Magic, and Mystery; Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1956, 176pp.
9. Martin Gardner, Mathematical Circus; Alfred A. Knopf; New York, 1979, 273pp.
10. Henry Ernest Dudeney, Amusements in Mathematics; Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1958, 258pp.
11. Henry Ernest Dudeney, The Canterbury Puzzles, and Other Curious Problems; Dover Publications, Inc., New York, Fourth Edition, 1958, 255pp.
12. Martin Gardner, editor, Henry Ernest Dudeney, 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems; Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1967, 429pp.
13. Pierre Berloquin, with Foreword by Martin Gardner, 100 Geometric Games; Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1976, n.p.
14. Martin Gardner, Puzzles From Other Worlds, from Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine; Random House, Inc., New York, May 1984, 191pp.
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Seekers Of Truth Acclaimed
Seekers of Truth, the history of The Philalethes Society, has been highly praised throughout Freemasonry. Every active member of the Society has received a copy, and many purchased additional copies at the pre-publication price.
The first 500 new members will receive a copy gratis. Others may purchase a copy from Anchor Communications, P.O. Box 70, Highland Springs, VA 23075, at a special price of $12, postpaid, for a limited time.
Every Grand Lodge will receive a copy for its library. It will find its way into most Masonic and many public libraries.
The Philalethes Society has had an enviable 60 years. Its leadership Fellows and Members should make the next six decades even better.
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Dallas Stoudenmire: Masonic Gunfighter
by Joseph E. Bennett, MPS
The history of Texas is awash with the names of Freemasons who made important contributions to the development of that great state. From the days of 1821 when Stephen F. Austin became a factor in Texas history, through the trauma of the Alamo defense, and spanning the Civil War years, Masons were there and were part of it all. The great Texas Ranger organization boasts its own particular history of great Masons. These are the kind of men we like to think of as shining examples of our esteemed craft. Their lives and deeds reflect great credit to our fraternity.
One Texas Mason was somewhat different from the normal concept we hold for members of our fraternity. His name was Dallas Stoudenmire, and he played an important, if violent, role in the transition of the town of El Paso from a sleepy border hamlet to an important frontier crossroads of the old southwest.
In 1881, El Paso was in the throes of a turbulent development brought about by a number of factors. During this year, the railroad was to reach the town and forever mark it as an important commercial location. The veneer of civilization had barely reached El Paso in 1881. So far west, she was the last place in the Lone Star State to enjoy the refinements of civilization. The recovering Texas Government, emerging from the confines of the detested Reconstruction following the Civil War, had been able to address the problem of protecting settlers and immigrants on their movement westward. The Indian problems, unchecked during the Civil War, had been at last brought under control by the United States Army and the Rangers. In 1881, El Paso was on the outer fringes of law and order, the last resort for those who harbored a distaste for the restraints of legal authority.
A horde of humanity had been pouring into El Paso for over a year. In anticipation of great business opportunities, countless speculators and would-be entrepreneurs flocked to the town. Hustlers, gamblers, drunks, prostitutes, and every imaginable variety of lawbreaker rounded out the new populace of El Paso. Mayor Solomon Schutz, the Master of El Paso Lodge No. 130, along with the members of his city council, wrestled with the problems of this exploding community. Not the least of their headaches was finding a permanent solution to law and order in El Paso. A number of local appointments to the office of city marshal were dismal affairs. Obviously, the city fathers had to look elsewhere for a lawman.
In April, 1881, a young Alabama Civil War veteran of German ancestry, Dallas Stoudenmire, had been selected by the El Paso city government to fill the position of marshal. He was a gunfighter of considerable reknown. A young personable man in his midthirties, he was a striking figure. His jutting jaw and six foot two frame, in conjunction with his black frock coat and prominent frontier colts, were an imposing advertisement of his profession. Stoudenmire had served briefly as a Texas Ranger. He had served with General Joseph Johnston in the Civil War and had been paroled in April, 1865, following the end of hostilities. Dallas had drifted west after the war, and finally settled in Columbus County, Texas, not far from Houston. During the years following the war, he had acquired a reputation as a fighter and was known to have been involved in numerous incidents; some on the thin edge of the law. His reputation as a gunfighter, and his accuracy with the sixgun, was a natural outgrowth of his turbulent lifestyle. There is reason to believe Stoudenmire had a short tenure in Mexico in a Confederate colony during the days of Maximillan. His early history is sparse, lacking details of his activity for long periods of time.
Dallas Stoudenmire had been marshal of El Paso for about a week when he was involved in one of the most famous gunfights on historic record. Three local characters were embroiled in an argument over a coroner's inquest in the renter of the town's main thoroughfare, El Paso Street. Words shortly led to gunfire as the only solution to the argument. When the shooting started, Dallas was enjoying a late breakfast in a nearby restaurant. At the first shot, he leaped to the door of the restaurant, drawing his pistols, and he ran. A local citizen, Gus Krempkau, one of the antagonists, was already shot and down. Seeing the remaining two combatants with sixshooters out, Stoudenmire opened fire. His first casualty was a Mexican bystander who had the ill fortune to race across Dallas' line of fire. He fell dead. Undeterred, Stoudenmire coolly shot John Hale and George Campbell, the remaining contestants. The fight was abruptly over. In less than a minute, three men had died under Stoudenmire's guns and Krempkau had been killed by John Hale. The violent entry of Dallas Stoudenmire on the El Paso law and order front had a most sobering effect on the unruly element. An unaccustomed calm prevailed in the lusty border town.
Another week passed before Marshal Stoudenmire was to be tested again. This time his trial was to come at the hands of a former assistant marshal. He was Bill Johnson, the town drunk, and a pathetic dupe of the tough saloon element of El Paso.
They had cajoled the dull-witted Johnson into attempting an ambush on Dallas Stoudenmire. About 10:00 p.m., on Sunday, April 17, 1881, the marshal was just starting out on his accustomed rounds of the town. With Stoudenmire was his brother-in-law and stout supporter, Samuel "Doc" Cummings. Bill Johnson had climbed atop a pile of bricks at the intersection of El Paso and San Antonio Streets. Here he sat with a shotgun in his lap, awaiting the moment Dallas would get in range. Johnson was more than a little drunk. Too, the fierce reputation of Marshal Stoudenmire was unnerving. These two considerations led Johnson to fire prematurely and the shotgun blast went over Dallas' head. Instantly Stoudenmire and Cummings whipped out their weapons and poured eight rounds into the sodden Johnson, killing him instantly. As Johnson fell, gunfire roared from the darkened entrance of a saloon across the street, Stoudenmire charged the saloon without hesitation. His fearless and unexpected reaction erased any thought of further conflict, and his unseen attackers melted into the dark night. Dallas Stoudenmire had proved that he was equal to the task of bringing order to El Paso.
The spring melted into a typical hot El Paso summer. The affairs of the new marshal were progressing smoothly. He held the lawless element under an iron grip and peace ruled supreme in the bustling town. Dallas even had a little time to think about his personal affairs. In October, he submitted his petition to El Paso Lodge No. 130. Desiring Masonic membership, he had plenty of fraternity members who would recommend him. Stoudenmire's petition, written in his own hand, is an important part of the present-day El Paso Lodge archives. The record shows that he received his Fellowcraft Degree in November of 1881, following the October conferral of the Entered Apprentice, and finally was raised on January 7, 1882. The membership of El Paso Lodge at that time was 22. Present for Dallas' raising were eleven members and eleven visitors. He was a member of El Paso Lodge, duly entitled to all its privileges.
Dallas took a bride in February, 1882. He returned to Columbus County and took the vows with Isabella Sherrington. Life should have been complete for Marshal Stoudenmire, but nagging concerns clouded his promising future. Dallas had always been a hard drinker. More than that, he was a known visitor to the brothels that abounded in El Paso. Neither of these undesirable characteristics enhanced his Masonic character, let alone his image to the gentry of the El Paso community. Alcohol, particularly, had a deteriorating effect on his personality. He was argumentative and surly most of the time. Now, the specter of a possible assassin, striking from a darkened doorway or a lonely ailey, obsessed his waking thoughts.
This speculation accelerated his consumption of alcohol, and with it, his personality soured rapidly. It wasn't long before he was so difficult to associate with that it was obvious to the mayor and council that Stoudenmire must go . Finally, in May of 1882, a special meeting of the city council was convened to dismiss Marshal Stoudenmire. Of course, Dallas was summoned to attend. History relates that the members of the council sat on the open window sills, ostensively to seek relief from the oppressive heat. Needless to say, the windows offered immediate exits in case Stoudenmire would become unruly at the unwelcome tidings. Dallas did not disappoint anyone. He showed up at the meeting very drunk. He cursed the entire council, which included Judge Joseph Magoffin, a fellow member of El Paso Lodge. He threatened to "straddle them all." Stoudenmire's demeanor was so fearful, the council meeting ended without transacting any business.
When soberness returned, Dallas Stoudenmire knew he had overstepped even his considerable limits. He shortly penned a letter of resignation to the mayor and council and extended apologies "if he had offended anyone." With great relief, the council unanimously accepted the resignation and appointed Dallas' deputy marshal, James B. Gillett to fill the vacancy. Gillett, a famous Texas Ranger, who later became a member of Marfa, Texas, Lodge No. 596, wrote in his book, "Six Years With the Texas Rangers," of his admiration for Stoudenmire. James Gillett maintained that Dallas' anxiety over a possible ambush was a principal cause of his drinking.
Stoudenmire stayed in law enforcement. He received a commission as a Deputy United States Marshal, with headquarters in El Paso. For a few months, he seemed to be making amends in his lifestyle. History was to dictate otherwise. On September 17, 1882, Stoudenmire returned to El Paso from a short business trip. He was intoxicated when he alighted from the train. Without delay, he revisited the saloons along El Paso Street, allegedly searching for a fugitive for whom he held a warrant. He continued to down drink after drink as he wandered through town. His old enemies were watching him closely. Some of the most bitter were the Manning brothers. This trio had an old score with Dallas, and now they were told he was looking for them, with sixgun ready. The Mannings were fighters and far from cowardly. All of El Paso knew that a confrontation was imminent. They were right.
Dallas awoke sober on the morning of September 18, 1882. He directly corrected that unintentional condition. By mid-morning he was drunk. Dallas headed for the Acme Saloon and his date with destiny. On entering the Acme, he accosted Felix "Doc" Manning and engaged him in a heated conversation. Accusations degenerated into action and both drew their weapons. At that moment, a bystander, perhaps in an attempt to forestall a gunfight, had pushed between Doc Manning and Stoudenmire. Stoudenmire was prevented from drawing his pistol momentarily. The delay gave Doc Manning the edge and his first shot ripped into Dallas' chest. He was blown through the doors of the saloon to the street. Stoudenmire had dropped his pistol when he was hit; but Iying in the street, he was able to draw his "belly gun" and fire. His shot struck Doc Manning in the right arm, crippling him for life. The panicky Manning jumped atop the prostrate Stoudenmire in an effort to pin his arms and prevent another shot. Jim Manning, Doc's brother, now joined the fray. He approached the struggling pair and got off one shot. He missed. Stepping closer, Jim Manning pumped a second shot at point-blank range into Dallas Stoudenmire's head. The ex-marshal died instantly.
Isabella Sherrington Stoudenmire, Dallas's wife, wished to have the remains returned to Columbus County for burial. She was without funds and turned to El Paso Lodge for assistance. The records of El Paso Lodge No. 130 are extensive and complete on the details that followed. The body of member Dallas Stoudenmire was washed, embalmed and prepared for burial. The remains of the famous marshal laid in state in the El Paso Lodge room until 6:00 p.m. on September 18th, in order that all his friends might pay their final respects. The body was then placed on a train and conveyed to Columbus County for burial in the Alleyton Cemetery. Caldonia Lodge No. 68, A.F. & A.M. performed memorial services on September 23, 1882. Invoices on record in El Paso Lodge indicate that for their considerable services, they paid out the sum of $28.05.
El Paso was quiet now. The man who single-handedly had brought law and order to this volatile town was history. That history records him as only a gunfighter, and a drunken one to boot. No movies or exciting novels have been written of his life and times. Only Leon Claire Metz, the renowned western author, has seen fit to write about this oldtime Texan. The records of El Paso Lodge, though, are intact and complete.
Personally, I wonder if the author of the familiar funeral lines we use so much at Masonic memorial services had Dallas Stoudenmire in mind when he wrote them:
"Let us cast around his foibles the broad mantle of a Mason’s charity,
And let us withold from his memory no just commendation;
For the history of mankind teaches us that the best of men may err, and the wisest go astray."
True, Dallas Stoudenmire lacked many of the attributes we all desire in a Mason. Many of his personal habits were reprehensible, and reflected poorly on the fraternity. To his credit, he was scrupulously honest, sincere and industrious, loyal to his friends, and totally fearless. No criticism exists in the official record of any of his actions, even though they were publicly known. One may be prompted to ask the question, why wasn't some corrective action taken to call this man to Masonic account for his transgressions? We cannot answer that. We weren't there, and we do not know what the feelings were in that pioneer lodge in 1882. This writer certainly would not presume to make a judgement, not knowing the circumstances that controlled actions at that time. The facts are a matter of record. One indisputable fact remains. Dallas Stoudenmire was a Mason until the day he died. He did not make the same impact on history that Sam Huston, Davy Crockett, Kit Carson and many others may have, but he was part of Texas history just the same. That's a fact.
Bibliography and Reference
James B. Gillett: Six Years With the Texas Rangers, University of Nebraska Press, 1921
Leon C. Metz: Dallas Stoudenmire, El Paso Marshal, Pemberton Press, Austin, 1969, Oklahoma Press, Norman, 1979
Pete Normand: The Texas Masons, The Fraternity of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons in the History of Texas, Brazos Valley Masonic Library and Museum Association, College Station, Texas, 1986
Walter Prescott Webb: The Texas Rangers, Riverside Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1935
Texas Lodge Of Research, A.F. & A.M.: Transactions June 18, 1977- March 18, 1978, Volume Xlll
Interview with author Leon C. Metz at El Paso, Texas, February, 1988
Interview with Masonic researcher Herman Weisner at Organ, New Mexico, February, 1988
Research inspection of records of El Paso Lodge No. 130, A.F. & A.M., El Paso, Texas, February, 1988
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The Assembly-Feast-Forum
Don't miss it! Send in your reservation now. Your lady is also invited to enjoy the festivities as your Society continues its 60th Anniversary celebration. There will be prizes and mementos for all who attend.
WHEN: Friday, February 17, 1989
WHERE: Hotel Washington (call 800/424-9540 for reservations)
WHAT: The Annual Assembly-Feast-Forum of The Philalethes Society
WHY: For fellowship, fun, knowledge, a Masonic Adventure
WHO: All members of the Society, Master Masons, their ladies
LECTURER: Donald M. Robey, MPS, Past Grand Master, Virginia
FORUM: A panel will again answer questions from the floor
INVESTMENT (NOT cost): $23 per person, if reservations are made prior to February 10, 1989. (The tickets will be $26, if available, in the lobby until noon on the 17th). Refunds will be made for cancellations made by February 10.
HOW: Send your check payable to The Philalethes Society to: The Executive Secretary, PO Box 70, Highland Springs, VA 23075
For more information, see the August issue of The Philalethes. But we'll emphasize once again it will be an unforgettable evening of fun and information.
Send in your registration today.
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by Tom Mote, MPS
Seekers of Truth: The Story of the Philalethes Society 1928-1988 has captured almost every spare moment of my time since it came in the mail last week. In just a few evenings I have not only gained considerable knowledge but have also been greatly impressed with the fair and even handed summarization of controversial material by the book's author, Allen E. Roberts, FPS. It is unfortunately true that our search for truth occasionally, and I hope unconsciously, is given a lower priority than that of supporting some particular position. Please allow me to present a few recent examples.
A little more than two years ago, Freemasonry was subjected to a period of "bad press" as the result of an investigative reporter's series on his perception of the ways in which Shrine Temples obtained and spent money. The probe was joined by reporters across the country and the Deputy Grand Master of my state, an outstanding Masonic speaker of national reputation, was interviewed...and misquoted. After some discussion with the DGM, I began to write a paper with the title, "Don't mess with the guy with the microphone." After several days of writing and re-writing I submitted the paper to the Texas Lodge of Research for consideration. A short time later, Bro. F. Thomas Starkweather's "How Long?" was published in the October 1986 issue of The Philalethes. Although I agree with much that Bro. Starkweather said in that paper, I feel strongly that there are grave dangers in the literal application of some of his suggestions. As a result, I withdrew my paper from consideration by TLR and submitted it, with some modifications, to The Philalethes with a new title, "How Long? A Rebuttal."
In retrospect, I acknowledge a number of defects in my paper. First, the title was perceived by some readers as an attack upon Bro. Starkweather. It certainly was not intended as such. Second, while my intent was to call attention to (a) the hazards of debating with those who control the media, (b) some of the arguments which can be quite effectively used against us and (c) the problems of inadequately prepared spokesmen; it appears that I did not make my self clear to some readers. Subsequently, one reader (Philalethes, June 1987, p. 8) was "...amazed at those brothers who feel called upon to explain, defend and give credibility to our enemies' concerns." Are we really "Seekers of Truth" or are we seekers of truth only when it suits our immediate needs?
In the June 1987 issue of The Philalethes Bro. Starkweather responded to many of his readers with "Too Long." He and I are in agreement on many of the points which he makes in the paper. I was, however, somewhat surprised by the quotation marks around misquotations and/or paraphrases of unattributed excerpts from my paper.
In the April 1987 issue of The Philalethes, Rev. Dr. Lloyd Worley, MPS, took strong issue with my "rebuttal" (pp. 20, 21). I hope that his readers did not get the impression that I agree with the charges against Freemasonry which I had reviewed in my paper. Again, are we "Seekers of Truth" or must we only see, hear and read that which supports our preconceptions? I had attempted to provide my readers with some information about the background of some of the misconceptions held by many non-Masons. In Bro. Worley's comments he stated " . . . I do not agree with the anti-Masons that any of the exposed rituals which they claim to possess are authentic Masonic ritual." (p. 20) In the same issue (pp. 8-10), Bro. Worley presents a paper, "The Truth About Freemasonry", subtitled, "A Master Mason Responds With Truth to The Anti-Masonic Lies." The paper reports a (fictional, I hope) conversation between Dr. Worley and a man, whose petition Dr. Worley hopes to pick up. The petitioner has some concerns and Dr. Worley attempts to allay them. Let us examine one or two exchanges between the two men. John: "...Does this book of printed rituals which they left with me really reveal authentic Masonic rituals?" Doc: "Well, John, if some publisher was lucky enough to sell that pastor a 'ritual book' for ten or fifteen dollars, he shouldn't come waving it at us demanding to know the authenticity of the goods...I can offer you this one statement with absolute confidence: the only place where really authentic Masonic Ritual can be found is in a regular and legally constituted Masonic Lodge..." John: "But I have seen this same Masonic Ritual enacted on a TV evangelist's weekly broadcast on a Christian network." Doc: "So what? The same response applies to either the written or performed 'ritual'..."
Almost all readers of The Philalethes will recognize the TV evangelist "John" has viewed. Many, although perhaps not "Doc", will have read a very old expose by Duncan. We do no service, either to Freemasonry or to Truth, when we dissemble or attempt to create a smoke screen. I wonder how "John" felt about "Doc's" veracity after the experience of being made an Entered Apprentice Mason. Perhaps "Doc" was lucky and the printed ritual which had been given to "John" bore no resemblance to the real thing. The fact that "...the writer of a printed 'Masonic ritual' is a liar..." does not justify "Doc's" statements.
As we approach the end of this paper, let me suggest that the reader review my earlier paper in the February 1987 issue of The Philalethes (pp. 16-18), paying particular attention to my discussions of (a) the hazards of debating those who control the media, (b) the principle of "cognitive dissonance" and (c) the various misperceptions held by nonMasons. It is axiomatic that a debater must prepare himself with all of the information which may be used by either party to the debate. It is also well known that some debaters will use unfair tactics in pursuit of victory. Let me earnestly plead that only our most qualified spokesmen engage in public debate with those who attack Freemasonry and that they ensure that the debates are conducted under fair and impartial conditions. Let those of us who are not accomplished in the art of debate attempt to follow the advice of R.W. John E. Jack Kelly. The theme of his year (1986-87) as Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas was,
"If you believe in Freemasonry, show me!"
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"Quotable Quotes"
Man's biggest mistake is to believe that he's working only for someone else.
- Nashua Cavalier
No one ever yet became great by imitation.
- Samuel Johnson
I am an optimist. It does not seem much use being anything else.
- Winston Churchill
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Masonic Research - Suggestions for the Beginners
by Fred Larnar Pearson Jr., MPS
We have heard repeatedly that Freemasonry is a progressive science. It would logically follow that its devotees must never cease in their search for knowledge and understanding. All students have questions, and these should, in turn, develop into still further areas of inquiry. Unfortunately in most cases they never do. There are several legitimate ways to answer questions about Freemasonry. Obviously the candidates coach is a logical starting place. But too frequently coaches know the catechism and little about it. They teach their students to memorize a battery of questions and answers, but very little Masonic education takes place. A good coach will not hesitate to confess his lack of knowledge and will in turn recommend more informed Masons as well as Masonic literature. Ideally both the coach and the inquisitive candidate will undertake the search for information together. Hopefully their quest for more light will lead them in time to join Masonic Research Lodges.
For it is in Masonic Research Lodges that the Masonic student travels on the cutting edge of involvement. Here he meets brothers who share his interest in broadening intellectual horizons. Listening to the fruits of others labor helps to sharpen ones focus considerably. One moves from a shot gun to a rifle in approaching a problem. In the process the Masonic student learns how to formulate more effectively his own ideas and concepts. Ideally the Masonic investigator will now read widely and in depth in search of answers.
There are indeed lots of places from which to obtain solid information. The excellent publications of several Masonic Research Lodges immediately come to mind such as: Missouri, Texas, Illinois, Maine, Iowa, Southern California, American Lodge of Research and Georgia. All of these Research Lodges have Transactions, and the joining membership fee is nominal in each case. Most of them either own or have access to good libraries.
There is no question that the best Masonic Lodge of Research is Quatuor Coronati, the premier Research Lodge and a model indeed for all Research Lodges to emulate. Started late in the 19th century the Transactions number almost one hundred. This London based lodge has 40 full members and thousands of corresponding members. One fortunate enough to earn election as a full member is a student who has done well in the quarries. Thus far the Grand Jurisdictions of the United States have been fortunate to have brothers so honored. The late Brother Alphonse Cerza received preferment shortly before his death; Past Grand Master Dwight Smith, editor of the Indiana Freemason, was elected in the year as Brother Cerza. To our immediate north, Brother Wallace McLeod is a member and holds the distinction of being a Past Master of Quatuor Coronati. Brother McLeod has brought much honor to Canada and is a most prolific and erudite scholar.
In the United States of America the best place to conduct research is at the truly outstanding Grand Lodge of Iowa Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Next in importance is probably the Library of Congress. The Grand Lodge Libraries of New York and Pennsylvania are great repositories and of course the holdings of the Scottish Rite, Southern and Northern Jurisdictions, are superb. One should not neglect the Scottish Rite Library in Dallas, Texas which has acquired the monumental Harry Carr Collection.
The inevitable first question that confronts the Masonic student is how to do research. One trained in an academic discipline knows how as a matter of course. But what about the neophyte, the brother who has not received such training. First off, research requires discipline and patience. One absolutely has to learn how to stick to a particular line of inquiry and not fish in every interesting pond at the same time. Also, one has to keep moving, even when it seems that a particular well is dry.
The beginner should start with the usual Encyclopedias such as Mackey's and Coil's. Then he should read widely articles in the various periodicals such as: The Royal Arch Magazine, The Knight Templar Magazine, The New Age, The Indiana Freemason, The Empire State Mason, The Texas Freemason, The Masonic Messenger of Georgia, The Northern Light and especially The Philalethes. Dues required to receive the publications are nominal. The Philalethes Society has reproduced on microfiche all of its issues and at a very attractive cost. In addition, it has microfiched issues of The Builder, published by the National Masonic Research Society. Joseph Fort Newton, H.L. Haywood, among others, served as its editors.
Then, the Masonic student should delve into Transactions published by the various state Research Lodges. He should also read widely in Masonic Histories of the Grand Jurisdictions and appendant bodies. Having acquired the fundamentals, the Masonic student is hopefully ready to move on to the great collections of primary material found in Grand Lodge Proceedings and manuscripts, both published and unpublished. Not to be neglected are Lodge Minutes. They can be especially valuable when one encounters a lodge that has well preserved and long runs of minutes. In reading the minutes personalities begin to emerge. Often this directs one to newspapers to see if and how extensively lodge events might have been covered in the local paper. Also, one is led to contact families in order to gather information and sometimes a rare photograph of a Cornerstone Ceremony or a public procession. One learns from these sources about the involvement of a brother in the life of the community in which he lived. Local historical societies often have letters and photographs that can add flesh to the narrative. And of course one does not want to pass up the manuscript holdings in the several universities. Here a diary often sheds interesting light on an event. And finally one should utilize to the fullest interviews with old lodge members.
The student is now ready to accumulate a body of information on a subject in which he has particular interest. And this is where intellectual discipline is especially important. Ideally the researcher will have acquired several packets of 3" x 5" and 4" x 6" cards. He should utililize the 3" x 5" cards for bibliography and the 4" x 6" cards for notes. One can utilize other types of paper and sizes but the above mentioned ones are most convenient to use; they can be easily purchased, and there are readily available boxes in which to store the cards. It is recommended that a researcher give serious consideration to indexed cards. These provide easy means of organizing materials according to subject, author, title, etc.
A researcher should consider carefulIy using only one card for each piece of bibliographical information and one for each bit of factual data. The note card should have a bibliographical note at the top to indicate where the information was obtained. At the upper right hand side, one should insert a slug to indicate what the note below relates to. It is useful when taking notes to write the material exactly as it appears in the source, bracketed of course in quotation marks. This saves the researcher from repeated trips to the same source to make certain the writer gives proper credit to his sources and that he avoids plagiarism.
In special cases a writer will wish to copy a quote that required him to use several cards. Consideration should be given to xeroxing the particular passage and placing it in a manila file folder properly identified as to subject and content, so as to insure ready utilisation when needed.
The slugs on the several note cards enable the writer to organize his materials quickly according to subjects. Once organized the various slugs facilitate the preparation of an outline. Here again discipline is required. The author, especially the beginner, will take far more notes than he will utilize. This is proper, for better far too many than not enough. When the writer has combed his material thoroughly, then he is ready to sift his data and apply it in a logical and cohesive manner to the ribs of his outline.
The outline, which the slugs have helped the author prepare, should be rather comprehensive, at least in its embryonic form. It should reflect sufficient depth of development to permit a full treatment, narrative as well as analytical, of the subject under investigation, so as to focus on a limited objective. Masonic Presidents might well be the subject under investigation, but the researcher will be more effective in dealing with one or a few in a particular lodge or research paper. The paper should be well-developed and also short in length. Fuller treatments can and should emerge in articles and monographs. Writers must keep in mind that the best way to bore an audience is to try and tell those assembled all the things that they did not know. Save some for future meetings; keep the presentation under thirty minutes.
Once the writer begins to commit his thoughts to paper, he should pay especial attention to the development of paragraphs. The best writing still reflects the use of a topical sentence in each paragraph. Develop one idea and only one in a paragraph.
Next, the author needs to work hard on the development of transitional sentences. These sentences soften the shift from one paragraph to the next. They constitute an important language bridge. There is little doubt that constructing good transitional sentences is one of the hardest tasks confronting authors, beginners as well as seasoned professionals.
Authors should strive diligently to avoid using the passive voice as much as possible. The verb to be is irregular in conjugation in practically all languages. Using it takes away strength from ones literary efforts. Therefore, writers should utilize the strong historical past tense as much as they can. This requires a lot of discipline and patience, but it is worth the effort.
Writers should have readily available a Webster's International Dictionary as well as a thesaurus. Especially should the author employ simple, concise English. He should write and rewrite to achieve a balance of short and long sentences. One sentence paragraphs should be eliminated, and authors should never begin three or more consecutive sentences with the same word.
A writer must not hesitate to write and rewrite. Bit by bit he eliminates the unnecessary and tightens the overall construction and organisation. At this point it is useful to farm the effort out to others for evaluation. Learn to accept the red critical comments as positive steps in the development of a research paper.
One positive feature is to record the paper and spend lots of time listening to it. This often enables one to spot errors, especially parts of the paper that are poorly developed. Listening to the paper helps one to empathize more effectively with his audience. Things the author hears and does not like are not likely to gain appreciation from a captive audience.
After the presentation of the paper one should, if time permits, put it on a shelf and preferably for several weeks. Returning to the paper after a cooling off period often enables one to spot flaws quickly. Also, this respite frequently helps one to look at his work from a new perspective. Consequently the writer often sees exactly where to add new material to strengthen a section and also it enables him to delete extraneous material.
Having done as much as one can to gather the data, organize it and write an account in as coherent form as he is able, the time has now arrived to give the work a final typing. The author should double space the sentences, allow ample margins to the left and right sides of the pages, and type it as neatly as possible. He should proofread the manuscript carefully, and he should ask others to check his work. When this task is completed, it is time to Xerox additional copies and mail the original to an editor.
It goes without saying that the author should include his name and complete address on a cover sheet. Do not be afraid of rejections; in fact, be eager to take advantage of the criticism, swallow artificial pride and do the things necessary either to resubmit it or to select a new potential publisher.
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by Pete Martinez, MPS
You have been made a Master Mason! You paid your fees, and your friends and brothers participated in performing the ritual that brought you from "Darkness to Light". You were told that you are entitled to all the knowledge that the Lodge can give you. Remember, it was said ENTITLED. It was not said that you are now in possession of that knowledge. So in a way you are still a Fellowcraft, because as yet, you have only partial knowledge. You are still not in possession of the arts of a Master Mason. Nor will you ever be, unless you now proceed to make yourself a Master Mason. You see, you have only been guided in the right direction. Now it is your responsibility to truly put into practice the precepts and tenets you have been informed of in your three initiations and required lessons. You will have to observe Masonry in action and ask questions of informed Brethren. You will find many books just waiting for your searching and inquiring mind. Your Brethren will not abandon you in your endeavor, for they are pursuing the same goal .
Therefore, to truly become a Master Mason, you must become a Self Made Mason and this process is Continual and Endless!
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'Tis time to once again state the facts of life insofar as you and our recordkeeping computer are concerned. They aren't pleasant, but you can make life easier for all of us.
First: Far too few of you care enough to let your Society know when you are going to move to another location. Just as many never let us know when the feat has been accomplished. We learn about it when the postal service tears off the cover of your magazine and returns it at a cost of $.30.
But that's only part of the problem. Frequently the cover isn't received in our office until more than a month has elapsed since the magazine was mailed. Consequently the change of address doesn't reach the computer service in time to make the change before the second magazine is destroyed and another $.30 is paid.
Seldom are we informed immediately when a member dies. In the case of a Life Member we continue to mail a copy of everything everyone is sent. I was shocked recently. Dozens of copies of Seekers of Truth came back with "deceased" marked on the envelope. Evidently the deceased's recipients, who had accepted everything else, feared they would have to pay for the book. At any rate it has helped purge our membership list.
What can you do to help us and help yourself? Simply drop us a 15 cent postcard telling us when and where you're going to move. You will save one of your magazines (perhaps two) from being destroyed. And we cannot replace destroyed magazines gratis.
Here's the time frame we must work under: On the fifth day of every odd month (January, March, May, July, September, November) the list of new members and changes is sent to the computer. Within ten days the changes are made and labels sent to the mailer of The Philalethes. Depending on when the Editor has put the copy to bed, the magazine is mailed. After the copies have been in the hands of the postal service for about three weeks, undelivered copies are torn and the cover sent to the Executive Secretary. It's not uncommon to receive some of these more than two months following the original mailing. With foreign mail this can run to four or more months.
You will note that new members are added and changes made to the roster about the fifth of each odd month. You can readily determine there can be as much as a three month delay in the receipt of the first magazine. We don't know how to change this, but we're certainly open for suggestions.
Not too long ago your Society was paying a bundle for computer service because credits were given to new members joining throughout the year. Now all dues run from January 1 to December 31. New members joining between January and July owe the next year's dues on January 1. Those joining after July have their dues paid for the balance of the current year. This system has worked, but if you have a better plan, we'll gladly listen.
We are in the process of improving our computer service. We're going to bring it closer to home where we can have better control. This should cut down on the errors. The time frame for activating new members will improve a little, but not much. We still have a bimonthly publication.
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by W. Duane Kessler, MPS
One Sunday morning our Church Minister was delivering one of his usual fine sermons. Frankly, though, the message was going in one ear and out the other until he spoke the words "Mene-Mene, Tekel, Upharsin" which appeared on the wall of King Belshazzar's palace. The King was giving a feast for his Queen, his Princes, wives, etc. (Daniel-5).
The King was greatly disturbed for he knew not the meaning. The Astrologers were consulted, the Chaldeans and the Soothsayers, but the wise men of Babylon could shed no light on the subject. Finally, the Queen beckoned Daniel, the famous interpreter of dreams, to give the true meaning and receive his reward. He was to be clothed in scarlet, with a gold chain, and he was to become the third ruler of the Kingdom. Daniel said the King should give his rewards to others; he could only make the following interpretation:
Mene-Mene - God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it.
Tekel - Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting.
Upharsin - Thy kingdom will be divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
Daniel was rewarded appropriately by the Chaldean King but Belshazzar still did not comprehend the full meaning of the phrase. He had imbibed too freely of the wine and enjoyed the pleasures of the women and song. He returned to the feast and rejoined the revelers.
Before the evening was over, this grandson of Nebuchadnazzar had been slain, his powerful armies destroyed and the Kingdom divided between the Medes and the Persians. King Darius, the Median, had secured the victory very firmly. It remained for the famous poet, Emily Dickinson, to explain fully the lesson involved:
Belshazzar had a letter,
He never had but one
Belshazzar's correspondent
Concluded and began.
In that immortal copy
The conscience of us all
Can read without its glasses
On revelations wall
Belshazzar's conscience was so blurred by his lustful ways, he could not read the revelations on the wall even with his glasses.
----o----
"Quotable Quotes"
A problem is a chance for you to do your best.
- Duke Ellington
If you have a job without any aggravations, you don't have a job
- Malcolm S. Forbes
It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Life begins at 40 - except for those that went like 60 when they were 20!
- AIfred E. Neuman
----o----
by Thomas E. Weir, MPS
The Philalethes Society met at Richmond, Virginia, October 1, 1988. The meeting was begun by Most Worshipful Henry G. Law, Past Grand Master of Delaware, who quoted Francis Bacon's contention that truth consisted of inquiry, knowledge and belief (Essays 1, "Of Truth"). To Bacon's observation, PGM Law added that the aim of the Philalethes Society is not just the enjoyment of truth, but the sharing of it.
This essay hopes not only to follow Bacon's concept of Truth's "Law", but also to express a personal perception of the truth, thus fulfilling the demand of Law's "Truth", namely to be shared.
The able speakers did not extol the virtues of Masonry, but, in order (a) cited the public confusion generated by one man who apparently presumed to speak for all Masons, (b) Masonic mistakes of ritual and administration, (c) the need for communication with the public and within the Craft, (d) the need to adapt to contemporary times (as did our Founders), (e) how to react to the criticism now bombarding us, (f) the need for change and (g) personal Masonic irritations.
It seems that all these themes are cut from the same cloth. The fact is that Freemasonry was dynamic and increasing until 1968, then began to decline. What the public thinks of us might be summed up, "I don't know anything about the Masons, but they make good jars." As Cabell F. Cobbs, Deputy Grand Master of Virginia explained with conviction, something has to be done.
Internal Decay
Why is Masonry retreating? We are not attracting younger men to ask for membership. Unless this changes, the simple fact is that Masonry as we know it, with Masonic Halls and great services and functions by Grand Lodges and appendant bodies will perish, possibly by the end of the century. If the most pessimistic predictions prove true, a person who, this year, takes the bottom position in an eleven position progressive line will find nothing when he gets to the East.
The International President of the Philalethes Society set the stage for Brother Cobb's promise of change. In contending that Masonry will either evolve by its own determination or be driven to extinction by the internal and external forces working against it. The Masonry we practice, he contends, was designed to meet the needs of the early 18th century and performed admirably until the mid-nineteenth century.
External Aggression
In the debate on the topic, "Freemasonry Must Anwer Its Critics", what was not said made more of an impact on me than what was said. For one thing, I was surprised (when I went digging after the debate) that neither affirmative speaker quoted our friend Francis Bacon: "Silence is the virtue of fools". (De Augmentis Scientarum 1,6)
Serious exception is taken to the fact that, of the four speakers, not one asked or stated what criticism the profane make of Masonry. Are all criticisms dismissed as invalid or are all considered equally valid, so that all must be treated equally? Is it possible to have different responses to different criticisms? There is a real need to be specific and explicit about criticism of Freemasonry. Here are examples I have recently heard.
1. Masonry has corrupted the Police.
2. Masonic association abuses inside information, to wit:
(a) Masons use favoritism to gain employment or advancement.
(b) Masons betray privileged information to other Masons, both personal and commercial.
3. Masonry has corrupted the Courts.
4. Masonry has corrupted local, regional and national governments.
5. Masonry amounts to devil worship.
6. Masonry is segregated.
These criticisms have been put forth at length in popular publications, and Masonry has been accused and convicted of the charges on the floors of some of the most respected church organizations in the world. Personally, as one whose lite is wrapped up in the Church, I wish that in the case of Masonry, as in the cases of Joan of Arc and other nonconformists, the churches involved had shown more light than heat. Perhaps we should remember the words of the ubiquitous Francis Bacon: "What is Truth? said jesting Pilate; and would not stay an Answer." (Of Truth)
WHY DO PEOPLE NOT KNOW WHAT MASONS ARE? One Masonic wise guy says that it is because we don't do anything. There is more than a germ of truth in this aphorism. However, I once visited the office of a Shrine Temple Recorder. A mother and child were shown in. Shortly, another Mason arrived. The child needed help the family could not pay for. The case was not suitable for treatment at the Shriner's Hospitals. The unidentified Mason simply wrote out a personal check and gave it to the mother.
Publicity in such a case is unwanted, but we can do things that attract favorable attention.
Can Masonry Changes
No Worshipful Master, nor anyone who has attended the installation of one, need be told that no man or body of men (internal or external) can change the Body of Masonry. We are not, however, told what the Body of Masonry? Journeymen stone masons cannot change the Body of Operative Masonry. Masons can't build an enduring bad building, an ugly one perhaps, but not a bad one. The laws (or Body) of Operative Masonry will bring down a bad building, the victim of its own defects.
Would it be heresy to say that the Body of Speculative Masonry is:
Belief in God
Truth
Friendship
Brotherly love
Charity
Morality
If such is the Body of Masonry, then anything else could be changed. Personally, I would oppose a change in the rules governing the secrets of our degrees. However, we can honestly say that the secrecy incidental to the means of recognition and method of instruction in modern Freemasonry is an historical accident, left over from the days when Free (i.e., qualified operative) Masons roamed Europe in quest of work and later adapted by the Founders of Grand Lodge Masonry to suit the interests of the 18th century.
The challenge is great, as we all understand. The need to attract new personnel resources, the need to respond effectively, even if silently, to our critics and to have within the Lodge, Grand Lodge and other bodies, the best demonstration of devotion to God, morality, the Brotherhood of Man and charity to all, in a manner understood by all, will give the leaders and workers of Masonry the opportunity to welcome the 21st century as an era of more light for Masonry.
----o----
by Allen E. Roberts, FPS
Richard H. Curtis, FPS, edits The Northern Light, the official publication of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite. It has always been an exceptionally excellent Masonic publication (that's why he's a Fellow of The Philalethes Society) . The August 1988 issue is full of material that should be digested. Roy H. Shepherd's "Tribute to the Flag", along with Dick's accompanying article is must reading. "The 'Morgan' Incident and its Aftermath" by Roger L. Crouse, and Dick's "The AntiMasonic Party and the Election of 1832" shed more light on that infamous period. The winning essay in the SJ's DeMolay 10th grade essay contest was won by Charles Stafford of New Mexico. "Why Should Anyone Aspire to be a Leader', his winner, is also must reading. And we must thank Dick for publishing our article entitled "Seeking Truth" so more Master Masons might learn of the goals and services of The Philalethes Society. There is more, and also see below. To subscribe to this quarterly publication (it's $2.00 for one year; $5.00 for three), send your check to: The Northern Light, P.O. Box 519, Lexington, MA 02173
Francis G . Paul, head of the NMJ, writing for The Northern Light, believes "The Bottom Line is Leadership." Within his article he noted: "At its root, the membership problem is a leadership problem, or to put it more bluntly, a lack of leadership problem.!" (I've put it much more bluntly than that, but he's a diplomat.) He suggests the leaders: "Instead of focusing on upcoming meetings, rituals, and ceremonies (should) provide a vision of the future, effective longrange planning, and ideas that capture the minds and hearts of our members." He wants the leaders to discover what is occurring throughout Masonry; to get out of our little corner. He strongly suggests the leaders of the appendant bodies and the Grand Lodges work closely together "to present Masonry to America as a unified, cohesive force for good." Bravo!
Bruce A. Christianson, MPS, in his first message as Grand Master, said in The Wisconsin Masonic Journal: "It is time we, as Freemasons, step forth and are counted. Through our efforts, let us demonstrate that the tenets of Freemasonry - 'Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth - are vital, living and breathing things, not merely meaningless words."
Signs of the times. In the 1850s the abolitionists convinced the Masonic leadership that temperance had to be abolition, so spiritus fermenti was abolished from our Lodges. This gave rise to "funloving" appendant organisations within and without Freemasonry to the detriment of Ancient Craft Masonry. Even today there are Grand Lodges that prohibit a man who merely works where legal alcoholic beverages are sold from petitioning a Lodge. At least one Grand Lodge has now bowed to the antismoking craze and has abolished another legal substance from the lodge rooms of its subordinates. This proposition was once left to the discretion of the Lodges.
The Librarian of the Grand Lodge of Iowa, the jurisdiction with one of the greatest Masonic libraries in the world had a dismal report. Its collection had grown by about 40,000 books BUT "the number of people reading those books has greatly decreased." Another sign of the times.
Grand Master Earl L. Wunder, MPS, of Arizona, quoted a 1787 paper on antiMasonry in the Arizona Masonry. The paper was by the Reverend Daniel Turner of England. Turner approved of Freemasonry but spoke at length of the persecution the Craft was suffering. This, and hundreds of other accounts dating back to the early 1700s, prove Masonry isn't being attacked anew. Our forefathers have suffered even greater slander than the bigots are throwing at us today.
Jack Kelly, FPS, did a masterful job as the 1988 Philalethes Lecturer. He not only pointed out many of Freemasonry's short-comings, he offered several solutions. Those who have replayed his address on our video tape have been highly impressed. The Masonic Editors who have seen the wisdom of reprinting Jack's address as it appeared in the April issue of The Philalethes have been amazed at the favorable remarks from their readers. Among them was Sally Spohn, Editor of The Oregon Scottish Rite Freemason. She has been bombarded with, plaudits; so have our Editor and officers. Many of her readers learned of The Philalethes Society for the first time. Several hastened to join us. Excellent.
An important note to Editors of Masonic publications. In Seekers of Truth (page 90) William R. Denslow, FPS, long-time editor of The Royal Arch Mason, said (among other things): "The featuring of local personalities and minor events can be the 'kiss of death' to any Masonic publication on a state level." Too true. Good Editors have found, as did Mrs. Spohn and many others, that quoting articles from The Philalethes (giving the magazine and writer credit, of course) will increase the prestige of their publications. Many Lodges and appendant organizations are doing it. If you haven't, give it a try. You may be surprised at the favorable reaction.
Here's the first strong pitch I've ever made in this column for new members, and here are a couple of reasons. We don't want to end each year with a monetary "profit". The non-profit organization that accumulated large savings isn't doing what it should be doing for its members. Wouldn't it be good to increase the size of our magazine to 32 or more pages? Wouldn't it be wonderful to give each member excellent Masonic books periodically? It can be done, and without an increase in dues, but you've got to help. Our membership has grown to 3,800. At 5,000 we can increase the size of our magazine; at 7,500 we can provide bonuses; at over 10,000 it's possible to go with a monthly publication! Is it worth the slight effort on our part? It is if you consider, as I do, that The Philalethes Society has done more to improve our Masonic leadership than has any other group. But we can, and should, do more.