Yearly Archives: 2009

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To Be Or Not To Be, That Is The Question

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Those of us who have been in the trenches, involved with the daily operation of a Lodge and interaction with other Lodges and Brethren and with Grand Lodge have our eyes and ears open and we know what is going on. We see who is black balled and who is not. We notice the cultural and racial makeup of our Lodges, the Lodges around us and our Grand Lodge. WE KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.

For years now I have said that the KKK receded and disappeared into Freemasonry. They went underground with an organization from which they copied the style and manner of their ritual and the private manner of their organization. The KKK and Freemasonry have nothing in common philosophically but  organizationally they are similar. So it was easy to just let Freemasonry absorb them.

Now my hypothesis has been challenged by many Northern and Canadian Brethren who also have their eyes and ears open and don’t see it – because it isn’t there in their Lodges. Not experiencing it they just couldn’t believe that it happens. They think that I am missing a few marbles, out to lunch, three french fries short of a Happy Meal. But if so why would the Grand Master of Virginia make this statement?

Most Worshipful Jeffery E. Hodges wrote a letter with the following statement:

“With regard to organizations that are anti-semitic, racist or antisocial in their doctrine and avocation, such as but not limited to, the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, etc., the following will be the policy of the Grand Lodge of Virginia: it is not acceptable to present information on, display association with, or solicit involvement in such organizations in a Masonic Lodge holden under the Grand Lodge of Virginia. At no time, should such organizations be linked to our gentle Craft.”

There is a wonderful post by Brother Shelby L. Chandler on the blog for Gate City Lodge No. 2 which I have reprinted here below.  It is worth noting and repeating one important point he made:


“As for that maligned Lodge mentioned above, all Masonic charges have been dropped. However, there is still a grassroots movement by other Lodges in their Grand Jurisdiction to petition to have the Charter of that Lodge removed as punishment for raising a Brother of “non-white” descent.”

Here is the entire letter:

  • Do Good unto All
    Bro. Shelby L. Chandler
    JW, Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4    Members of Fredericksburg No. 4 and Prince Hall No. 61“Freemasonry is that universal Brotherhood which has endured the test of time for over 400 years and yet it is still, and will continue to be, on trial for the Ages. Understand that there will always be those out there who will believe us to be the blanket that threatens to envelop the world. They are studying us to find that one strand to pull that will eventually unravel the Masonic tapestry that they fear or despise. With that being said, what are we as Freemasons doing to set the record straight about this Craft of ours? How many members of this great Fraternity are actually taking the time to raise up their working tools in order to “build that temple within themselves”?

    “Outside of Virginia, there is a Masonic Lodge that is in the middle of a heated battle against what I consider “Indirect Racism”, for not only is bigotry subtly being practiced, it is also inappropriately being justified as one of the Ancient Landmarks of Freemasonry. Generally, the actions within the Jurisdiction of every Grand Lodge are their own. However, when charges are preferred upon a Worshipful Master and his Lodge because they raised a “non-white” man to the degree of Master Mason, using as justification for the charges the…”usurpation of the constitution, laws, ancient landmarks, customs and traditions of…Masons”—this challenges the very foundation and core of our “Ancient Landmarks & Customs of Freemasonry”. At that point, this spills beyond their Grand Jurisdiction and right onto the lap of every Brother who has ever been raised and is in good standing. “

    “The Constitution of Masonry reports, “Whence it follows that all Masons are to be good men and true—men of honor and honesty, by whatever religious names or persuasions distinguished; always following that golden precept, of “doing unto all men as (upon a change of conditions) they would that all men should do unto them. “ Understanding this, we recognize the importance of both true virtues and a clear respect for our fellow man in as much as we would wish this reciprocated. Worldwide, we as Freemasons suffer hatreds and prejudices by those who from their uninformed and closed-minded disposition would destroy the character of our beloved Craft; that being said, why would we wish to direct this fate upon any other of the human race?”


    “As Masons, we must keep a constant check of ourselves to be sure that we are living our lives in the manner that brings honor to the Craft. We are not Brothers so that we can save one another from minor infractions of the law, or to broker a better deal for ourselves in business, or even to save one another from our own foolishness or stupidity. We are Brothers because we hold each other to the highest of standards and we understand that the life we live in this world is a difficult but rewarding one. Bigotry and Freemasonry are polar opposites of each other and ardent adversaries when faced with one another and never should one be practiced with the other. “

    “We are the Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God. In a time when morality is declining within our society, there are so few good and honorable men in this world that one can rely upon; it is a shameful thing that there are those who would deny themselves and others the opportunity to know the experience and soul of another human being just because of the shell that we are destined to wear in this imperfect world. But I guarantee you that when we lay down our working tools, my Brother’s ashlar will fit as perfectly as mine when placed in that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

    “As for that maligned Lodge mentioned above, all Masonic charges have been dropped. However, there is still a grassroots movement by other Lodges in their Grand Jurisdiction to petition to have the Charter of that Lodge removed as punishment for raising a Brother of “non-white” descent. But this is not only their burden; every Grand Jurisdiction faces this issue. Even in Virginia, Most Worshipful Jeffery E. Hodges wrote a letter with the following statement:

    “With regard to organizations that are anti-semantic, racist or antisocial in their doctrine and avocation, such as but not limited to, the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, etc., the following will be the policy of the Grand Lodge of Virginia: it is not acceptable to present information on, display association with, or solicit involvement in such organizations in a Masonic Lodge holden under the Grand Lodge of Virginia. At no time, should such organizations be linked to our gentle Craft.”

    “I personally believe this to mean that, in addition to the ban on organization linkages, Virginia Masonry should regard the qualities and virtues of a Freemason as incompatible with the immoral behavior affirmed by such groups. Brethren, we all have our own problems and challenges of life, but we need to keep working to chip away at our own rough ashlars to make them perfect. The imperfections of our individuality are acceptable only because we are still utilizing our working tools to that end to accomplish and overcome. To act in denial or to refuse to change or improve ourselves and accept a life of hate is truly against the Ancient Landmarks and Customs of Freemasonry, and we should always check ourselves and take a good look at the edifice that we are building within.”

    “Brethren, there will always be someone willing to unravel this beautiful tapestry that we know as Freemasonry. Let us not help them find that strand, but more especially let us not allow one of our own to unravel that tapestry from the seams within. Let us remember to do good unto all; recommend it more especially to the household of the faithful.”

    “I promise you Brethren, the Great Architect of the Universe will remember.”

We can let ourselves be torn apart by refusing to admit we have a problem.  We can bury our heads in the sand, block our eyes, close our ears and just let life go on as it is.  Or we can take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them.

Freemason Tim Bryce.

The Politics of Freemasonry

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“Evil (ignorance) is like a shadow – it has no real substance of its own, it is simply a lack of light. You cannot cause a shadow to disappear by trying to fight it, stamp on it, by railing against it, or any other form of emotional or physical resistance. In order to cause a shadow to disappear, you must shine light on it.”
– Shakti Gawain

join or die, jurisprudence

For a society that is supposed to be devoid of politics, Freemasonry seems to have more than its fair share. We see it in Grand Communications, in Masonic elections, and whenever we walk in the door to a Craft Lodge. Man is by nature a social and political animal fraught with frailties and insecurities such as ambition, jealousy, suspicion, and hate. As Masons, we are taught to subdue our passions and do what is right for Freemasonry collectively, but as long as we have egos, we’ll always have politics. From this perspective, Masons are no different than the members of any other society.

I believe there are a couple of reasons for the rise of politics in Freemasonry; first, there is a general lack of trust and loyalty in today’s society where you are recognized more for rugged individualism as opposed to team effort. Consequently, there is more of a natural inclination to compete as opposed to cooperate. Although the spirit of Freemasonry is to work collectively, many of us have difficulties subduing the attitudes of the outside world when we enter the Lodge. Second, as our membership declines, many are beginning to panic over the fraternity’s future. And instead of trying to work collectively to change this situation, we are divvying up sides as to who has the true faith to perpetuate the fraternity, the traditionalists or the reformists. Whereas a traditionalist tends to be unbending, the reformist seeks to change the status quo. True, certain traditions need to be observed in Freemasonry, but not at the expense of losing touch with a changing world. But it is this polarization that is fueling the politics of Freemasonry at all levels. The reality, of course, is that we need a careful balance of both traditions and reforms; you simply cannot have one without the other. For example, consider some of the religions of the world who are considered out of step with the times. Critics scoff at some of their customs and beliefs. But hard-line traditionalists claim they have the true faith and everyone else is an infidel. Reformists, on the other hand, see the traditionalists as barbaric and believe they have a more contemporary perspective on their religion. Politics at this level is about who has the dominant ideologue and seeks control. We see this in government (conservatives versus liberals), religion, and Freemasonry. And it is at this level that politics turns vicious and is at its ugliest. For example, we scheme, plot and undermine in order to subvert and control the environment.

Thanks to the Internet, I hear many tales of woe over what is going on in both Craft and Grand Lodges. Some of it is very disturbing, but most of it comes down to petty politics. A lot of it is so bizarre, it would probably curl your hair. Frankly, I classify most of it under what I call “Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.” Instead of what we should be doing as Freemasons, we tend to play games of one-up-man-ship.

Masonic politics is typically at its ugliest during elections when Brothers are charged with un-Masonic conduct for “electioneering.” I find this all rather amusing as I believe our process for electing officers is far from perfect. Further, I don’t think I have ever seen a Lodge election where there isn’t some form of politics involved. As a small example, when I was running for the East at my Lodge, there was a full-court press by traditionalists to keep me out (which I overcame). Nevertheless, instead of admitting there is electioneering in Lodges, we pretend it doesn’t exist.

What concerns me more these days is when Masonic politics turns dirty, which I refer to as the “dark-side” of the fraternity and something we do not like to discuss. For example, I know of a Worshipful Master and Treasurer who were removed from office by a Grand Master after they were accused of misappropriating money from a Brother they helped put into a Masonic Home. A couple of Masons from their Lodge, who shared no Brotherly love for the officers, started a campaign to oust the officers over this alleged infraction. First, they were able to bend the ear of the Grand Master who, acting upon their hearsay, removed the Lodge officers. Second, Masonic charges were brought against the former officers who were able to successfully refute them (the Lodge voted to drop the charges). And Third, criminal charges were filed against the officers and a nine month investigation ensued by local police investigators. In the end, the police dropped all of the charges and the Lodge officers were completely exonerated of any wrongdoing. Regardless, they were still ousted by the Grand Master who refused to apologize to the officers for his actions.

Now the big question, “Why was this done?” The accusers had a deep-seated resentment over the Lodge officers who reformed the Lodge and, in the process, overturned some of the Lodge’s traditions, many of which were enacted years ago by the accusers. But instead of confronting the officers with their concerns, they circumvented protocol and went straight to the Grand Master and the police. Bottom-line: this had nothing to do about a Brother being cheated out of anything, but rather a clever ruse to seek retribution for other issues. The result was that the Lodge suffered due to the political upheaval (e.g., members started going to other Lodges), and the officers who, up until now, had unblemished records, saw their Masonic reputations go into the toilet. Even worse, here were two hardworking Masons who became so disenchanted with the fraternity, they left it. All because of politics.

Such stories of Masonic politics makes one wonder why there isn’t a separate judicial branch in Freemasonry to prohibit such shenanigans from happening. Instead, jurisprudence and penal affairs fall under the authority of the Grand Master. Inevitably, I suspect we will be plagued with politics for quite some time.

We join Freemasonry for a lot of different reasons, one of which is that we might find a forum where we will be honestly and fairly treated “on the level.” There is enough contention in the world without having to add another layer. Consequently, politics has an adverse effect on membership and attendance. Want to drive people away from Lodge or inhibit participation? Bring on the politics.

There is an old expression in psychology whereby, “You cannot treat a patient if he doesn’t know he is sick.” Perhaps the best way to address Masonic politics is to stop kidding ourselves that it doesn’t exist. We would all like to believe Freemasonry is above the fray of politics, but we’re not. After all, we’re only human and, as such, politics is a natural part of human life. Once we admit this, we can then devise suitable rules and regulations today’s Masons are more familiar with and promote how to best work and best agree.

Keep the Faith.

Freemasonry From the Edge
Freemasonry From the Edge

by W:.Tim Bryce, PM, MPS
timb001@phmainstreet.com
Palm Harbor, Florida, USA
“A Foot Soldier for Freemasonry”

NOTE: The opinions expressed in this essay are my own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any Grand Masonic jurisdiction or any other Masonic related body. As with all of my Masonic articles herein, please feel free to reuse them in Masonic publications or re-post them on Masonic web sites (except Florida). When doing so, please add the following:

Article reprinted with permission of the author and FreemasonInformation.com

Please forward me a copy of the publication when it is produced.

square and compass, freemasonry, S&C, freemason information

Spiritual But Not Religious?

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It sounds like song title, Spirituaql but not Religious…  The trending seems to match the PEW results from last year that found a down turn in American Religious trends, but an uptick in general spirituality.

Now, this last Sunday’s Parade magazine published their results asking America, Have you become more Spiritual?

From the publication:

HAS AMERICA BECOME MORE SPIRITUAL?
EXCLUSIVE PARADE MAGAZINE POLL REVEALS AMERICANS’ THOUGHTS ON RELIGION, FAITH, BELIEF IN GOD AND MORE

New York, October 1 — America is generally thought to be among the most religious nations in the Western world. Results from a new PARADE poll on spirituality are revealed in this Sunday’s issue of the magazine. Here are some of the findings:

  • 69% of Americans believe in God; 27% don’t; 7% aren’t sure about the existence of God.
  • 78% of respondents believe in an afterlife; 43% think people go to Heaven or Hell. depending on their actions on earth; 28% believe our souls or spirits live on, and 7% think we will be reincarnated as another life on Earth.
  • 33% said religion is important but not the most important thing. The most religious and least religious respondents balanced each other—24% said religion was the most important thing in their lives and 22% said it wasn’t a factor at all. Another 22% said religion was in their lives but not particularly important.
  • 30% attend a religious service once or more each week; 20% of respondents say they go to services anywhere from once a month to a few times a year; 50% rarely or never attend.
  • 82% would consider marrying someone of a different faith; a nearly equal number (78%) would never think of converting to another religion.
  • 51% of respondents said they pray daily; 67% said they pray because it brings them comfort and hope. 15% of those who pray said they do so because God expects them to. 77% who pray do so outside of religious services.
  • When praying, 72% ask for the well-being of others, 60% for forgiveness, 27% for personal success, and 21% for money or other material things.
  • How has the recession affected religion? Just 7% of respondents say they are attending religious services more often, and 10% of respondents say they’ve been going less frequently since the recession began.
  • Two-thirds of respondents say they’ve never met with mediums or psychics, had a psychic experience, or even watched a psychic or medium on TV.  12% believe in astrology and check their horoscopes regularly. The rest don’t believe in astrology at all or read horoscopes purely for fun.
  • 83% have had no experiences with the spirit of anyone who has passed away, while 17% believe they have.
  • When asked to pick their favorite of these films involving spirituality—The Da Vinci Code, The Exorcist, The Omen, The Sixth Sense, The Ten Commandments, Ghost, and It’s a Wonderful Life—one out of every four people selected The Ten Commandments.

The movie selection seems to have a strange bias or lack of similarity, so the comparison seems skewed, but in the end, does that matter much?

How important is spirituality to you? Take their poll and see the full results at Parade.com/spiritual

 

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My Lodge Has Fellowship, Family & Fun Also

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Pride of Mt Pisgah #135 takes its Masonry seriously.  We spend considerable time on Masonic education. We provide excellent mentoring and first class intensive instruction of candidates.  We give back to the community personally, we don’t just send a check.

And we have some good times with family, some fun and fellowship.  Take a look!

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Symbols and Symbolism

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symbols, symbolism, freemasonry

By Carlos Antonio Martinez, Jr., J.D., PH.D., M.A., 33º

ANCIENT MYSTERIES AND SYMBOLISM

With respect to the term “Mysteries”, no semi-educated mind can doubt that Symbols (especially Masonic symbols) were the Universal Language of Ancient Theology. For the Tutors of the Ancient World – in likeness with Nature – imparted their teachings by way of sight. The ancient sages of Persia, Egypt and Greece adopted the custom of surrounding their doctrines with enigmas difficult to interpret, illustrating men and women with imagery and parables that were more within their reach and knowledge.

So too were the Mysteries a succession of symbols, and the oral aspect of the same an explanation of their significance; in them were amalgamated sacred commentaries, ideas about Physics and Morals, theories about Creation, allegories about Nature, the relation between planets and elements, and all other conceptions regarding the relation between the Gods and mankind.

The word Mystery comes from the Greek word Musterion, which means: “Secret that must remain Occult” or “secret counsel of God”, hence the strict Silence that must be observed and our consequential familiarization with another term which is etymologically applied to everything related to Mysteries: “Mystic”, a word derived from the Greek “Mustikos” which is an adjective of “Mustes” or Initiates, a reason for which Mystic is considered a synonym of Initiate, and henceforth the essential “mysterious relation” between Initiations and Silent Secret Doctrines. In the most exterior sense, Mystery is that which should not be talked about, that which is prohibited to make known to the outsider. In a second more interior sense, the Mystery designates what is received in Silence, that about which no discussion should be had, for these are truths that by virtue of their supra-natural/rational nature, are above any discussion.

Finally, there is a third much more profound sense in which the Mystery is properly Inexpressible, it can only be contemplated in silence, and for that reason is incommunicable.

There exists an alliance between philosophical systems and symbols that are evident in monuments of all ages, and in the symbolic writings of the Parents of Nations that later came to be part of the rituals of Secret Mystic Societies. It was in this way that Patriarchs and Matriarchs alike expressed themselves through a constant series of invariable and uniform principles that form a harmonious and perfect conjunction which together define a ceremony of religious and cryptic nature that necessitates a preparation or initiation on the part of the individual who desires to comprehend them. Thus exist Lesser and Greater Mysteries, being the first ones those of symbolic nature and common use, those that comprise all that is related with the development of possibilities of the human condition and that culminate with what has been denominated Restoration of Primordial State; and these are nothing but the preparation for the Greater Mysteries, which appertain to the realization of supra-human states, taking the individual from the condition in which he/she was left in the Lesser Mysteries and conducting him/her through stages of spiritual order until the Supreme Identity. Hence the dominance of the Greater Mysteries over Metaphysical Knowledge. They are the most exalted and bring the initiate/adept closer to the occult truths of divinity. To characterize these two terms – Lesser and Greater Mysteries – we can utilize two geometric symbols: to the first we can assign a horizontal line, symbolical and representative of human dominion, which, in turn, serves as a base to the second: a vertical line allegorical of one’s ascension to the heavens, a supra-human realization identified with superior states.

initiation, ancient mystery school, Demeter, Triptolemos, Persephone

Grand Relief of Eleusis: Demeter, Triptolemos, and Persephone

All the philosophers that illustrated antiquity were disciples of initiation, being the progress and foundation of the mysteries what, in those times, permitted mankind to free itself from superstitions. Only the Mysteries could liberate man and woman from barbarousness. From them are derived the doctrines of Sages of the likes of Zoroaster, Confucius, Plato and, of course, Hermes Trismegistus. Such is the vastness and timelessness of the Ancient Mysteries that fragments of them can be appreciated still influencing the various Rites of the modern Masonic Order. Some of the most important to date are the rites of Osiris in Egypt, those of Mithra in Persia, those of Adonis in Syria, those of Dionysius and Eleusis in Greece and those of the Druids among the Celts, to mention a few. In all the Mysteries can be found a common factor indicating a same origin: all initiations had a funereal aspect and were about a type of mystical death and resurrection alluding to a heroic personage or semi-god. Through the assimilation of the Mysteries the Candidate was instructed in the subordination of the Degrees, physical trials and tests of knowledge were given in the darkness of the night, the aspirant had to be solemnly and severely tried and entirely purified in order to attain Wisdom and Light. The Esoteric character of the mysteries remained preserved by way of mandates and oaths of secrecy whose violation was punished with death.

The legend of Osiris offered our fore-brothers and sisters their first glimpse of the Masonic Symbolism of Immortality, when Isis found a lush acacia tree over the grave of her dead husband Osiris. This imagery and concept was taken – much later – by the Jews, mainly due to their leaders Moses and Joseph who were both Egyptian Priests and Nobles. At some point, much later in time, the story of Hiram, the martyr-hero of the 3rd Degree, was created, emulating for posterity his allegorical death and resurrection in the persona of every initiate, and the rather timely and propitious symbolism of the sprig of acacia; In the mysteries of Mithra, Zoroaster secluded the initiates in lugubrious caverns, a striking ceremony that was later adopted by most Mystery Schools until it reached the Masonic ritual in the form of the Chamber of Reflection; The Eleusian initiation demanded that the aspirant remain stationary through various intervals of time, hence the Ages of Masonry; In the mysteries of India, the candidate journeyed three times describing a circle that stopped in the South, Symbolic Masonry has preserved these journeys or “travels’ in the form of Circumambulation; And way before our Brothers-Knights of the Order of the Temple came into existence, the Essenes conditioned the admission of all aspirants to the immediate surrender of their wealth to the Brotherhood and their works of charity.

In short, it is my opinion that, for all the aims and goals of our numerous rituals, symbols are of a great transcendence to the Masonic knowledge, compelling us to work in their internal mysteries seeking the Light in everyone of us and in those who surround us, always upholding our sacred principles of Liberty, Fraternity and Equality.

To conclude for the time being, I wish to proclaim that “Any day is good to fix things… including our lives”.

Behold, how good and pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity!

More Masonic Symbols.

Reprinted by permission of Carlos Antonio Martinez, Jr.

Freemason Tim Bryce.

Teaching Masonic Catechisms

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deciphering ancient mysteries

I have had the pleasure of teaching several Brothers their Masonic catechisms over the years. I find it to be good practice for me and keeps me sharp when I’m called upon to provide assistance in degree work. More importantly, it has offered me an opportunity to get to know some very fine men. Very rarely will I instruct more than one person at a time. I find it is better to teach one-on-one since people tend to learn the memory work at their own unique pace. It also allows me to concentrate on the nuances of each person’s ability to absorb the material.

Although I try to teach at a regularly scheduled time and place, I recognize our professional lives make it difficult to do so. Consequently, I am willing to meet the Brother as needs require, be it at the Lodge, his office or mine, my house or his. (Frankly, I prefer the latter as it affords me the opportunity to smoke a cigar as we sit outside.)

When teaching a new Brother the catechism, I am looking for the fire in him to learn the work and, if I see it, I’ll bend over backwards to help him master it. But I have had a couple of occasions where the student really didn’t want to learn the material. In this situation I have offered to help him find another instructor who could possibly help him. Inevitably, it is not the instructor but the individual who simply lacks interest and eventually drops out.

In the past, you have probably heard me say that the only reason we learn catechisms is to perpetuate our degree work. This is why I think it is vital to not only teach the catechism, but to also describe how Freemasonry works, the history of both the fraternity and the Lodge, and the customs to be observed. In addition, I take the student to a Masonic degree so they can observe it from the sidelines (thereby more clearly assimilating the degree). Again, I think it is important to develop a rapport with the student and express your commitment to the person. In turn, the student expresses his commitment to you. I learned this from my own instructor, and we remain fast friends and trusted Brothers to this day.

Sometimes, Lodges appoint a Lodge Instructor to teach the work. Such dedicated people are becoming increasingly hard to find. When a Lodge Instructor is not available, it is wise to get the junior officers to teach the work, particularly the Wardens and Deacons. This does two things: it forces the Lodge officers to sharpen their memorization work, and it provides the means to get to know the new Brothers who may play a vital role for the officer should he ever reach the East.

After a Brother has been raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason, I am often thanked by the student for my efforts. But as I tell them, they did all of the hard work, not me. I expect nothing in return other than the Brother does a good job and perhaps teaches someone else down the road. Being an instructor is a big responsibility and should not be taken lightly; you have to be one part teacher, one part coach, and one part Brother. You shouldn’t simply teach the student his catechism, you need to teach them to be a Mason and to seek further light. A little investment of time in the Brother early on will inevitably pay dividends later on for Freemasonry and the Lodge.

Keep the Faith.

Freemasonry From the Edge
Freemasonry From the Edge

by W:.Tim Bryce, PM, MPS
timb001@phmainstreet.com
Palm Harbor, Florida, USA
“A Foot Soldier for Freemasonry”

NOTE: The opinions expressed in this essay are my own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any Grand Masonic jurisdiction or any other Masonic related body. As with all of my Masonic articles herein, please feel free to reuse them in Masonic publications or re-post them on Masonic web sites (except Florida). When doing so, please add the following:

Article reprinted with permission of the author and www.FreemasonInformation.com

Please forward me a copy of the publication when it is produced.

My Lodge’s Type of Charity

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My Lodge, Pride of Mt. Pisgah #135, Dallas, Texas prefers to do its charitable/community outreach with programs that takes them directly to the people to actually perform a service or provide relief in some manner to those in their own community who they can meet face to face.  In other words we are not big on Institutionalized Charity nor do we desire to turn Freemasonry into a Service Club.  As Masons we are called to help those in need if within the length of our cable tow.  But my Lodge wants a direct connect with those who they aid.

Thus we do Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets which we present directly to the people who are receiving them. Our latest venture is involvement in the Keep Dallas Beautiful program sponsored by the City of Dallas, whereby we enter a section or area of the community and clean up, fix & repair and make attractive areas of the community as well as individual private property.  Last Saturday was our second work day in the community which we have now adopted.  Past Master LaGrone explains the program and what we accomplished in more detail.

“On September 26th along with the Keep Dallas Beautiful program the Pride of Mount Pisgah #135 P.H.A. successfully completed phase one for our adopted community, Cedar Oaks.  When I first brought this idea to the lodge to increase our community service and visibility, we unanimously voted to participate in 4 events throughout the year to help communities identified as needing assistance.  We later voted to adopt Cedar Oaks as our own and in the past have picked up trash and last week painted a retaining wall.”

“The Cedar Oaks community was phase one of the pilot program of Keep Dallas Beautiful (KDB).  As KDB is a city funded program, each year the city of Dallas  moves to a new phase and  adopts new communities while  dropping  the communities from the existing year after providing a year of support.  Speaking with W.M. Williams the decision has been made to continue to support Cedar Oaks as a community providing whatever assistance we can within the length of our cable tow. “

“I wanted to thanks all the brothers that have participated and wished to participate as well as our W.M. for his commitment to the community.”

Memo

To: Fran Phillips, President, KDB, Jim Hobbs, KDB

From:     Joy McBeth, Community Projects Manager, VCNT

CC:       Dan Fitzgerald, Chief Financial Officer, VCNT

Shari Hicks, City of Dallas

Date:     September 28, 2009

Re: Pride in Your Neighborhood Cedar Oaks Beautification Event

Event Date: Saturday, September 26, 2009

Event Time: 8am – 12 noon

Total Attendees:           19

KDB Board Members:    1

(External) Volunteers: 7

City Employees: —

VCNT Staff: 1

Residents: 10

In-kind donations:       Water, Gatorade

Total Expenses: $17.72

Overview:

The residents of Cedar Oaks and volunteers from the Mt. Pisgah Masons group were involved in a neighborhood beautification project this past weekend.  Mr. Taylor, HOA leader, identified a retaining wall at the entrance of the community on Marsalis Ave. that needed re-painting.   Residents and volunteers painted over graffiti as they gave the wall a fresh coat of paint.

Next Steps:

Cedar Oaks has completed its second beautification event and is now ready to begin the home improvement incentive.  We plan to conduct site visits and begin the work this week.

blunders in the masonic world

Seven Blunders of the Masonic World

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blunders in the masonic world

What are the most common blunders that occur in the Masonic lodge?  They might not be as uncommon as you think.

Ritual Without Meaning

Too many times, we are more concerned about performing the ritual perfectly without understanding what it means. I know many men that give great lectures, but will confide that they don’t even know what something means. Ritual for the sake of tradition is worthless. Ritual for the sake of enlightenment is valuable. An understanding of the ritual’s meaning is far more important than just memorizing it.

Fellowship Without Frivolity

Whenever Masons decide to hold a function for fellowship, a discussion typically ensues about how to make the function have the smallest impact on the lodge’s coffers and the wallets of the members. This results in paper plates, meager meals, and boring events. To spend money wisely in order to make fellowship a grand time is wise for the lodge that wants to be successful.

Quantity Without Quality

A lodge with seven great men that believe in the Masonic ideals and actively labor to improve themselves—and therefore the lodge—is far better off than a lodge with one hundred men that show up to lodge just to show up to lodge.

Education Without Philosophy

Many times, we think of Masonic education as being a lesson on the local lodge’s history, a famous Mason, the history of the world wide fraternity, or how to do the ritual properly. But if no philosophy is covered in Masonic education, then little self improvement is accomplished. Discussing Masonic lessons in terms of philosophy, ideas, and a man’s conduct is what truly transforms men into Masons. It is important to discuss topics that are foreign to a lodge’s membership and it is sometimes even necessary to challenge our preconceived ideologies through Masonic education.

Charity Without Connection

Big institutional charities often require that fund raisers be conducted and large checks written to the people that actually perform the charity. This type of charity is devoid of self improvement because it has no real connection. If we extend our hands to our needed Brethren and devote our own skills and time to their problems, then we are engaging in true, meaningful charity.

Frugality Without Discretion

Frugality is not a tenet of Freemasonry, a cardinal virtue, or a Landmark. It is okay for the lodge to spend its funds on worthwhile activities that will enhance the Masonic experience of its Brethren. Not everything should be done in the cheapest way, a habit to which we have become accustomed.

Leadership Without Competence

A man does not deserve to be Master of the lodge solely because he has spent a certain amount of years in the lodge. We elect leaders without any regard for the skills that they possess to function in that capacity. Only competent, qualified men should be elected to preside over the Craft.

Masons to Host Nation’s Capital Masonic Day of Prayer

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PRESS RELEASE ON MASONIC DAY OF PRAYER

glanivlogo1bWashington, DC (MMD Newswire) September 28, 2009 — Freemasons (or Masons), their families and friends, from the national capital region, the country, and the world will gather in Washington, DC on October 3, 2009 for a service of prayer and thanksgiving. The Nation’s Capital Masonic Day of Prayer will take place at 12:00 noon on Saturday, October 3, 2009, at the Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church, located at 3401 Nebraska Avenue, Washington DC. Refreshments will follow the service. The event is being jointly organized and hosted by the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the District of Columbia and the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of the District of Columbia, Inc.
The event will take place some two weeks following the publication of Dan Brown’s much heralded new book, “The Lost Symbol”, which has a plot focusing on Freemasonry and Washington, DC.

The Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia is the governing body of Free and Accepted Masons in Washington, DC. Freemasonry has been a major part of community life in the United States for over two hundred and fifty (250) years. Freemasonry is America’s largest and oldest fraternity and is predicated on the brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of God. Freemasons seek to promote friendship, morality and brotherly love in all their activities. They are bound together by a philosophy of moral standards, mutual understanding, and brotherhood in which all men are on a level and equal.

Contact: Walter Hoenes
Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the District of Columbia
voice: (202) 686-1811
fax: (202) 686-2759
email: grandlodge@dcgrandlodge.org
website: http://www.dcgrandlodge.org

http://www.mmdnewswire.com/day-of-prayer-5830.html

The Grand Lodge of Colorado

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The Grand Lodge of Grand Lodge of Colorado is the next stop on the tour of American Grand Lodges.

glcoLogoColorGrand Lodge of Colorado Masonic membership:
12,645  – 2007
11,421  – 2008
gain/loss  –  -1,224
Data from MSANA

State population: 4,939,456 as of 2008 (estimated)

Mission Statement:
The mission of Freemasonry in Colorado is to teach and perpetuate a fraternal way of life. That promotes brotherhood and self-improvement. Through education, moral standards, charitable giving and community involvement.

About the Grand Lodge:

Late in the year 1858 a number of gold-seekers had gathered at the junction of Cherry Creek and the Platte River, on land which was then a part of the Territory of Kansas, but which now is within the State of Colorado. This settlement was known as Auraria, and by the first of November a number of cabins had been erected there.

On the evening of November 3, 1858, seven Masons, including William M. Slaughter, held an informal meeting in one of those cabins; and throughout the following winter these brethren and others continued to meet from time to time, having in mind the formation of a new Masonic Lodge at Auraria, provided the proper authorization could be obtained from some Grand Lodge… read more.

Some of what I found on my excursion there:
The Grand Lodge of Colorado is a minimalist website with a lot lot of punch.  The site is has everything that one would want in a Grand Lodge site, including events listed on the front page, information of how to contact and find them, and an address (message) from the Grand Master.  It has a very clear look and feel for what Colorado is known for, and lays out all of its informational content right on the front page.

GLofColoradoInformational Content:
The Grand Lodge of Colorado site is very rich in informational content.  In that mix it has a clear history of Freemasonry in the state, what Freemasonry means both in general and in the state.  And, it offers a wealth of pdf e-books for the membership and visitors to read  on the fraternity and its multitide of meanings.  This feature really impressed me in that it included some texts that are not commonly featured on most sites, including:  An Exposition of the Mysteries or Religious Dogmas and Customs of Egyptians, Pythagoreans and Druids, Illustrations of Masonry, William Preston, George Oliver editor, 1867, Legenda, (Kadosh and Heirodom), Albert Pike, and many others.  If added together, it would represent many thousands of pages of knowledge made available from a Grand Lodge site.

The site does not go for the immediate conversion of interested parties to membership, rather seeking to inform prospective members of what the requirements are and providing information on what membership represents.  All of this can be found under their membership button on the top navigation.

The links section also has a diversity of sites, including The Sanctum Sanctorum, the Guild of Masonic Webmasters, Freemasonsonline.com, International Club for Templar Studies, and Paul M. Bessel’s Masonic Pages.  This seems to be a growing list, and I’m sure as time progresses more will be added.

Other interesting components of the site are Grand Lodge specific, including information on their educational grants, their Honor Lodge award, and the Traveling Gavel, which is an interesting activity for lodges to promote visitation.  The site also has an extensive listing of lodges in the state, which list websites to the lodges.  Unfortunately, not all of the websites worked, some not existing at all.  Of those that did function, the visitor was further greeted by a local lodge site.  I do recommend that if traveling to the Grand Lodge site to stop in and look at the lodge links and virtually visit the various lodges.

Also, hidden on the community pages are press mentions that the Grand lodge has received and programs that it sponsors for community awareness including a Child ID program, a Band Camp Sponsorship, and Teacher of the Year program.  Each of these are very noble pursuits and important in and of themselves.

Look and Feel:
As mentioned, the site is a minimalist construction.  The two column site, with navigation across the top and on the right, really hits the mark for everything that a Grand Lodge site needs to communicate its information.  The events on the front page immediately catch the eye, as does the striking image of the Grand Master with his message below.  Each of the pages convey this symmetry and keep the delicate balance of message consistency.  I did notice several instances (outside of their on-line library) that pdf’s and .docs were employed which can be challenging for some users (especially for those who do not have the know how to open them) and it also breaks the ability to key in specific search seo by binding up the text in the document making its content essentially invisible to the various search engines.

The site visually has a good balance between negative (white) space and its use of logos and images.  It maximizes the use of clean typography for its linkage and transitions, making it easy to use, clear, and articulate in where the visitor is going.  It does lose some of its secondary navigation when you dig deep into its pages, but the visitor can quickly use the top nav to get back to its main pages.

Further, the site employs a visual that is specific and unmistakable to the state and its presence in the snow capped Rockey mountains.  Not included to be overt, the image of the mountains paint an interesting visual for the site as a whole.

Overall:
The Grand Lodge of Colorado site is really a very clean and elegant site.  It is packed with information and content (the pdf library itself a gold mine worth the visit) but in a very easy to use package.  Its up-to-date calendar and listing of lodges is an excellent way to connect members to lodges and those interested to something local.  It is disappointing to see lodges listed with websites only to find no site present, and this is something I hope gets resolved to broaden the reach in the state.  Overall, I can definitely see the site expanding and adding even more information, and I think the layout is fitting to grow with the content.

One suggestion, as with many state Grand Lodge sites, is the addition of an RSS/XML feed so visitors can stay abreast of changes or updates with a subscription.  Or, in lieu of a feed, a newsletter sign up to send information out to those of interest to receive one, as it represent a terrific means to deliver up to date information on what’s going on.

Up Next: The Grand Lodge of Connecticut.