Fred Milliken,Freemason Information,The Beehive

The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry Inc.

It had to happen sooner or later.  It was only a matter of time.  All the racism, homophobia, regulations reminiscent of the US Army, the jockeying for power, the behind the scenes maneuvering, “the smoke filled rooms,’ elections that are a sham, dictatorial tyranny, expulsions without a Masonic trial, pulling of Lodge charters and closing down Lodges for no good reason, refusal to Recognize, withdrawals of Recognition, muzzling of Masonic intercourse, charges of irregularity and clandestine activity, Grand Lodges stealing local Lodge’s property and assets,  the blackballing of expelled Masons from every Grand Lodge in the world, secret ballots that kept out blacks but let in the KKK, Freemasonry hijacked by Christian only Masons in some quarters and by secular Masons in other quarters. It seems to mimic our civil politics where one special interest group vies for control and funds versus other special interest groups and where they all proclaim – “It has to be done this way and this way only!”

Why?

That’s the question that Stephen Quest is asking.  Why does it have to be done only one way?  If we are a fraternity of diversity in makeup why can we not be a fraternity in diversity of practice? If some Masons want to form a Christian only Lodge and others want to form an atheist Lodge, as long as they are adhering to the principles of Freemasonry and actually practicing Freemasonry, why can’t they both go ahead and do what they want? If another group of Masons wants to operate a men’s only Lodge and yet still another group wants to admit women while a third Lodge wants to be women only, why not?

Now no matter what was and what is it is ever changing.  And to say that no changes from the Ancient Charges have ever been made or ever can be made is just foolish. One only has to look at “Revolutionary Brotherhood” by scholar Steven Bullock to see how Freemasonry can evolve. The plain fact is that Freemasonry’s violation of civil and gender rights will not forever be permitted by our civil government.  Sooner or later the strong arm of the law will intervene and literally meet Governor Faubus at the school house door, to make an analogy, and override Masonic code. You know it, I know it and Stephen Quest knows it.

Initiated 19 August 1981, Passed 30 September 1981, and Raised 28 October 1981 in Gray Lodge Houston TX, Quest became a member of the Houston Scottish Rite Bodies,  Ruthven Commandery, Arabia Shrine Temple and Bluebell Chapter OES.  Subsequent dual memberships in various lodges around the country notably Glacier Lodge Anchorage, AK and Central Arizona Lodge Sedona, AZ.  He was a founding member of Scientia Coronati Research Lodge.

In 2008 Quest withdrew all memberships to affiliate with The Grand Orient of the United States of America.

Quest has withdrawn from the GOUSA after finding the same “Grand Lodge mentality” that has so much characterized Mainstream Masonry.

“Freemasonry doesn’t work anymore,” proclaims Quest. “It’s time for a new paradigm,” he adds.  “I don’t buy into this anymore. It’s got to devolve back to local Lodge control.”

And this is precisely the problem in Freemasonry today.  It has evolved from a bottom up organization to a top down one that feeds on power and control. At a much earlier time in the history of the Craft, Grand Lodges sat at the will and pleasure of local Lodges wherein the power was concentrated. Today local Lodges sit at the will and pleasure of the Grand Master and owe their very existence to him. One might say we have entered a Masonic era of the cult of personality rather than the assimilation and practice of a philosophy.

This is why Freemasonry is dying, Quest admonishes us. Today’s younger generation are not joining Masonry in large numbers.  Many come, he says, to pay their dues and get their ring never to show up again inside a Lodge building. Perhaps it’s because today’s young will not be dictated to. They will not be treated like children. They will not associate with racists or become part of an organization that refuses to open its doors to Black African Americans.

Quest has had two major mentors in his Masonic journey. First in his investigation of Freemasonry prior to joining he fell in love with the works of Manley P. Hall and the words of this author have imprinted onto his spirit a certain guidance system. Later on Dave Daugherty and his organization the “Knights Of Freemasonry Universal,” (KOFU) served as inspiration and a model for the path he has chosen. Daugherty went on to form the “Masonic Peace Institute,” whose mission finds it intertwined into the thoughts of Quest.

When Quest finally came to the decision that the only course of action left was a complete break with traditional Freemasonry, he blended the philosophy of Hall with the vision and mission of the Knights of Freemasonry Universal and the Masonic Peace Institute to form the Foundation Of Universal Freemasonry (FOUF).

FOUF is a Confederation of Independent Masonic Lodges. Quest calls it the ultimate Masonic paradigm.

“Universal Freemasonry has previously been considered an abstract philosophical concept, The Masonic Ideal to possibly be achieved by future generations. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry, Inc. has created a new dynamic devolving Masonic authority back down to the Lodge level from whence it came. Gone is the former quagmire of jurisdiction, recognition and regularity. Here now is Fellowship, Equality and Freedom.”

Quest now in Machesney Park, Illinois and working in Wisconsin has formed a 501c(10) corporation for the purpose of chartering Independent Masonic Lodges. “I’m not going to wait for my grandchildren to solve this problem,” says Quest.  “We need a new dynamic to recharge Freemasonry into a 21st century revitalization, one that respects the individual Mason.”

The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry makes few demands on Lodges it charters.  It requires that a minimum of three Master Masons apply for a charter. Once granted the new Lodge must submit its ritual, by-laws and yearly dues of $52. It also must agree that in any matter of disputes as a Lodge that it must submit to a conflict resolution arbitration process provided by FOUF. It must also submit a yearly report. That’s it. Each chartered Lodge can operate under the nonprofit umbrella of the 501c(10) of FOUF.

In forming this Confederation Quest has tried to make it very clear, very plain and very simple that this is not to be a battle or feud with traditional Freemasonry.  We are not at war, he would say, we are at peace. Quest would endorse the words of Abraham Lincoln:

“With malice toward none, with charity for all, …let us strive on to finish the work we are in, …to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations (Grand Lodges).”

He makes that very plain in his statement of Principles:

The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry hereby unilaterally declares itself and its members to be in a state of amity and solidarity with all Freemasons whithersoever dispersed around the globe, regardless of reciprocation.

The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry, while renouncing all previous systems of jurisdiction, recognition and regularity as being archaic and harmful to the full expression of the Masonic Ideal, hereby unilaterally declares itself and its members to be in a state of harmony and peaceful co-existence with all present and future Masonic organizations, regardless of reciprocation.

Today’s Freemasonry operates much like civilly our states did before the Federal Union. In the early years of our country states would affix a tariff on goods coming in from other states. Of course the formation of the United States did away with operating in this manner. Now Quest wants to break down barriers in Freemasonry that serve no particular purpose other than to insulate those in power from responsibility, accountability and the observance of individual Masonic freedom and Rights. The politics of Freemasonry and its method of governance is not Freemasonry.  Rather it is the principles of Freemasonry and its philosophy and daily practice in the world that really is Freemasonry and Quest’s quest is a free expression thereof without hierarchical hindrance that will truly make Freemasonry universal.  And the result will be a truly free Freemasonry with a national American identity not Freemasonry owing allegiance to 51 different fiefdoms.

Statement of Principles

The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry, Inc.

A Confederation of Independent Masonic Lodges

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the Masonic family is the foundation of Universal Freemasonry, and

Whereas disregard and contempt for these rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of our Fraternity, and the advent of a world in which all Freemasons shall enjoy freedom of speech, belief and association has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the Masonic Ideal, and

Whereas it is essential, if a Freemason is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that freedom of speech, belief and association should be protected by a common unifying influence, and

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between all members of the Masonic family, and

Whereas the members of The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry have in their founding documents reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of fellowship in larger freedom, and

Whereas the members of The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry have pledged themselves to achieve the promotion of Universal Freemasonry and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

Now therefore, The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry proclaims this Statement of Principles as a common standard of achievement for all Freemasons, to the end that every individual Freemason and every Masonic Lodge, keeping this statement constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the members of this organization and among Freemasons of all Obediences.

Article 1. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry hereby unilaterally declares itself and its members to be in a state of amity and solidarity with all Freemasons whithersoever dispersed around the globe, regardless of reciprocation.

Article 2. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry, while renouncing all previous systems of jurisdiction, recognition and regularity as being archaic and harmful to the full expression of the Masonic Ideal, hereby unilaterally declares itself and its members to be in a state of harmony and peaceful co-existence with all present and future Masonic organizations, regardless of reciprocation.

Article 3. All Freemasons are created equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of love, peace and harmony.

Article 4. All Freemasons are entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Statement of Principles, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, gender, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Article 5. All Freemasons have the right of freedom of association, freedom of visitation and freedom of membership in any and all organizations as their interests guide them.

Article 6. All Freemasons have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his or her religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his or her religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Article 7. All Freemasons have the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Article 8. All Freemasons are entitled in full equality to a fair hearing by an independent mediator, in the determination of his or her rights and obligations and of any charge against them.

Article 9. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall issue Warrants of Dispensation to form Chapters upon application by any one Master Mason.

Article 10. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall issue Charters to form Lodges and make Masons upon application by any three Master Masons.

Article 11. As the Lodge is the fundamental organizational unit of Freemasonry, Lodges chartered by The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall operate according to their own adopted By-Laws free from interference.

Article 12. Lodges chartered by The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall be religious, secular, masculine, feminine or mixed-gender according to the desires of its members.

Article 13. Lodges chartered by The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall be free to adopt its own Masonic Ritual and work in any language.

Article 14. Members of Lodges chartered by The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry agree to submit to a conflict resolution process to be established by an impartial mediation panel. The services of the mediation panel will be available to all Freemasons regardless of their Jurisdiction, Obedience, or Constitution.

Article 15. All Freemasons are encouraged to participate in the social and cultural life of the community and all Lodges chartered by The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall adopt at least one project per year that benefits the community as a whole outside of Lodge activities.

Article 16. Lodges chartered by The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall be open to visitation by all Master Masons regardless of their Jurisdiction, Obedience, or Constitution, subject to a pledge of silence regarding the workings of the Lodge.

Article 17. There shall be an Annual Communication of The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry which will rotate geographically. At least one day of the meeting shall be open to the public for recognition and participation of all interested Masonic visitors.

Article 18. The Annual Communication of The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall have an Altar upon which will be placed A Blank Book and The World Scriptures.

Article 19. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry hereby adopts The Declaration of the Masonic Peace Institute as a part of this document.

Declaration of the Masonic Peace Institute

To: All Inhabitants on Earth

We, the members and supporters of the Masonic Peace Institute,
are committed to the peaceful coexistence of all peoples
no matter where dispersed

To this end we will toil spreading the cement of love and affection throughout humanity
We will work with any like-minded individuals and/or groups, no matter their nationality, culture, color, sex, language, rank, race, residence, or religion

We furthermore, affirm and promote:

The equal dignity and rights of all people
The pursuit of peace, liberty, justice, and compassion for all

The right to the values of enlightenment, through
education and unbiased information

Peaceful conflict resolution

Truth as expressed in all cultures
and recognized by all human beings

Taking responsibility for the consequence of all action,
processes and understanding

The truth as expressed in all religions, philosophy and cultures,
but proselytizing none

The men & women, of all times and from all nations, who have promoted
or do now, promote peaceful civilization

The principles of equality found in the theories of democracy,
without proselytizing any political agenda, action or system

To these ends we will act to:

Establish relations with other national and international peace
organizations

Participate in worldwide events representing the humanitarian
vision of democracy and peace

Conduct surveys or research and disseminate information

Become involved in peace processes where possible, proposing,
participating in, and supporting peace talks and conflict resolution

Support like minded individuals and organizations

May Love, Peace and Harmony Prevail

Article 20. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry, Inc. has been formed as a 501(c)10

Non-Profit Corporation under the laws of the State of Wisconsin and of the United States of America, dedicated to the cause of Universal Freemasonry and service to the community.

Article 21. This Statement of Principles shall be incorporated into all founding documents including Warrants of Dispensation and Lodge Charters and shall forever stand as written.

Dated this 11th day of February 2011 at Madison Wisconsin, United States of America.

I have a good friend and Brother in Canada heavily ensconced in its Grand Lodge system, who after reviewing the mess in Arkansas and West Virginia had this to say:

Looking at a lot of the complaints against this or that Grand Lodge, and the rising tides of frustration, it becomes increasingly persuasive to consider ditching the Grand Lodge System entirely, and having like-minded Masons simply create independent, individually Masonically sovereign lodges, as was the case before the formation of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717.

The ancient, “immemorial right” would be exercised. In fact, there is US precedent: George Washington’s lodge, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, was I believe an independent lodge…

Imagine Masonic life and lodges with no Grand anyone, no Grand Lodge rules to follow, and no levies or dues to Grand Lodge. Imagine a Masonic lodge entirely self-governing in ritual, business, regalia, membership and all other Masonic activities….

The concept could also be applied nationally, in which case one would create an Independent United States Lodge, and it would meet, say once every two months, in different locations around the country.

Now, there is a truly revolutionary concept. To coin a phrase, “If this be treason, make the most of it!”

Maybe just maybe if it is time for Mubarak in Egypt to go it is time for 51 power hungry Grand Lodges to go. For under its present constitution today, Freemasonry will not take its philosophy seriously nor will it allow its bonding to become universal. But the Foundation Of Universal Freemasonry will.

We leave you with a charge.  Isn’t that how all great Masonic gatherings are ended?  This charge by Stephen Quest himself will hopefully inspire you to open new doors in the practice of this ancient and beautiful Craft we call Freemasonry.

 

The Building Of King Solomon’s Third Temple

by Stephen Quest

The Temple is in rubble, the Crafts are in confusion, and all hope appears to
have been lost. For those Craftspersons who have been traveling the road to
Jerusalem for any length of time at all, it is not that difficult to understand
the reason why.  Freemasonry was never intended to be practiced from the
top down or bottom up, and as a result neither of those methods have ever
been successful in bringing the Fraternity to realize its full potential, nor will
they ever be.  Freemasonry is not about rules and regulations; it is a matter
of the heart.  Freemasonry was intended to be practiced upon the level.

Before the Third Temple of King Solomon can be built the foundation must
be laid, and before the foundation can be laid the ground must be leveled.
All any true Freemason desires is to have the freedom to practice what is
felt in the heart and to have a place to do it. We stand at the threshold of a
dream. Although our principals are timeless, if we do not step boldly into the
future, the full potential of our beloved Freemasonry may be relegated to the
dust bin of historic lore. While the world is quickly moving forward our Crafts
are being left behind. However all hope has not been lost. The system that
appears to be a stumbling block to our progress is actually the stepping
stone into our future. There exists the prerogative to introduce Freemasonry
to its destiny by fiat. Who among you having Freemasonry in your heart, will
also have the courage of your convictions? Who among you will be the FIRST
to put down the setting maul and pick up the trowel?

Freemasonry and the Great Depression

This was originally published in January of 2009 on the Masonic Traveler blog.

Freemasonry moves through periods of ups and downs. Like the stock market, there are periods of increases and periods of decreases. Peaks and valleys, plateaus, and depressions, which is normal for any system, especially as nothing remains static, motion is a constant.

Even as Masonry exists in the dimming embers of the post World War II correction period of post war fraternal enthusiasm, I started to ponder another phenomenon that ‘may’ be looming on the horizon, and something completely outside of the corporate body of fraternal control.

It’s no surprise that we are in the midst of an economic downturn. Not quite a depression, at least not to every talking head on the television, but the word has been thrown around, and even our most recent unemployment numbers are inching close to that era of saving your money in your mattress and leaping businessmen from corporate towers.  Given the re-visitation to the matter today I’d now consider the state of things as an economic depression for many given the wavering unemployment figures anywhere from 9 to 25%.

In ’09, as today, I stopped to reconsider what this state of things means, from a personal level and from a broader perspective of what it may mean to the fraternity.  What I consulted were the numbers from the MSANA, to see what some of the trends were in the last near 100 years. In particular, I was curious to see was what the effects of the Great Depression were in relationship to membership levels in America.

In that period, between 1929 and 1939 (the period of the depression, the membership loss amounted to almost 1 million members from 3,295,125 down to 2,482,291 – a total of 821,834.

How that number came about is difficult to assume.  What is obvious is that 1929 and 1930 were relatively stable years.  but 1931 onward began a domino effect decrease that lasted for a decade.  There could be any number of variables in that equation, large attrition from earlier member bubbles (say 50 years earlier +/-), a loss due to changes in society with the post World War I boom, or you could extrapolate that it was the economic hardship with the Great Depression that caused the loss.

Important to add, in no period, prior to or after, was there a similar decrease in numbers, until you reach the 1959 water mark, and then the whole of American Freemasonry enters the spiral of decrease where it remains today.  But between 1929 and 1939, with ten years of economic disaster, increasingly fewer jobs, much lower income, and escalating costs – each of these factors in the Depression had toUS Masonic membership have some net effect. As mentioned it wasn’t until 1941 that numbers started to tick back up, slowly which you can see it in the graph of American Masonry from the MSANA numbers (1925-2007). There is a definite drop off that takes place that turns around as, conceivably, the economy turns around.

I found an interesting commentary about this period from the Texas State Historic Society as it related to Texas Freemasonry.

As after most wars, Masonic membership showed a dramatic increase after World War I; in Texas it climbed from 94,000 in 1920 to more than 134,000 in 1929. The Great Depression brought an equally dramatic decline, to a low of 95,000 in 1937. A number of local lodges lost their temples, constructed during the prosperous 1920s, and their membership declined by as much as 60 percent. The waning of the depression and the onset of World War II produced the reinstatement of many former members, and after 1945 thousands of new members joined the lodge. Postwar membership reached 245,000 in 1961

The silver lining in this story is that at some point there was a turn around, that the numbers lost were regained, but nearly 25 years later. In fact, in that same article, it says that the loss was only after a significant increase in membership following the end of W. W. II, and the period of gain-loss-gain netted an almost even amount of members. The only real obstacle was the time in which it happened.

But, the numbers in reflection seem to be missing certain aspects of what the numbers reflect today. That difference was in the eras in which the economic crisis took place. In 1929, national membership was at a healthy 3.25 million members. When you start to factor in a 24% loss from the drop in the economy (a Depression), on top of an already steady loss of 20% per decade for the last 4 decades, it means that Freemasonry stands to potentially lose 44% in the next ten years, and which translates into a loss of 652, 717 members. (44% of 1,483,449 members as of 2007).

This would leave North American Masonry with roughly 830,732 members by 2019. Not devastating, but dramatic, but potentially more dramatic if there is a larger drop due to greater attrition (deaths/demits), and if you consider a possible snowball effect: fewer members leading to fewer meetings which leads to fewer lodges which repeats the cycle fewer members and so on…  The numbers of loss could continue and grow. And, if the trend since 1959 holds up that there will still be a decrease of roughly 20%, meaning the memberships will continue in a downward trend.

What this all means is open to lots of speculation. The change will start becoming more and more evident as more and more lodges close shop as interest in a particular community wanes or is not nurtured. It seems an inevitable reality to the situation at hand, especially when we start to adjust the lens of its perspective as we read the great debate that just recently took place between the Masonic Line‘s Palmetto Bug and the Beehives Fred Milliken. Does a lodge have dominion over its own building, or is the lodge an instrument of the broader Grand Lodge? The discussion has been relevant in recent judicial decisions regarding break away churches and their mother church, with lower courts ruing with the congregations and upper courts with the denominational organization.

Even the debate over this being a corrective period of membership negates the value of those rank swelling members whose past efforts and dues made it possible for the very lodges we reside in today.  Running lean is less a product of managerial ingenuity and more a byproduct of lost marketplace interest.  Running lean can work in manufacturing, but in member  associations?

Will the numbers (and fraternity) trend the way they did in the 1930’s? Does it necessitate the management our own lodges or to give them over to the parent corporation to manage? What will this economic challenge look like by way of the fraternity?  What if it applied a Six Sigma methodology to membership to create a product that meets and exceeds expectations.  This is a business measure, but the mystic tie needs to be quantitative in some fashion, right?

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

Masonic poerty – A Mason and A Creed

A MASON

By BRO. CARL W. MASON
From The Virginia Masonic Journal, Richmond, Va
March, 1916

A Mason’s hand is a hand that helps, That
lifts the fallen one ‘
That comes, in need, with a kindly deed To him
whose strength is gone.

A Mason’s heart is a heart that loves The best that
is good and true;
He stands the friend, his best to lend, Under his
banner blue.

A Mason’s eye is an eye that smiles And his a
cheering voice;
He spreads the light, dispels the night And makes
the world rejoice.

Over the earth in stranger lands,
Where distant peoples dwell,
The eye, the grip, the life, the lip, Of love
unchanging tell.

A CREED

By BRO. HERBERT R. GRASSMAN
From Square & Compass, Denver, Colo.,
June, 1915

Hark ye, Masons, men of love,
Men of faith and men of fame!
Listen to the muffled cries
Of men in bondage, bound in shame!

Oh, what ignorance rules supreme!
Oh, what darkness hides the Light!
Oppose and fight all, things unclean
You are champions of the Right!

God in all His glory rules,
Watching over us with care;
He sends us wisdom, love and truth
With our fellow men to share.

Teach men how to see the Light
Not by word of mouth or pen,
But by deeds so kind and bright
Illuminate life’s path. Amen.

Freemason Tim Bryce.

Bryce American History Quiz

Last week I asked my readers to take a simple quiz regarding American government and history. I wanted to see just how well we knew some of the basics, such as our governing docs and some historical events. Nothing elaborate, I just wanted to take a pulse of our knowledge in general. 134 brave souls took the quiz for which I give my thanks. I didn’t want the quiz to be complicated which is why I tried to keep it as simple as possible. I could have asked for such things as age and political party affiliation, but I didn’t want to muddy the waters and turn people off.

Out of those who took the test, probably 25 people got a perfect score. I was not surprised by this as I didn’t try to invent a complicated quiz, just something that could give us some fundamental idea of what we know and what we don’t.

The quiz was far from scientific, yet I believe I can draw some conclusions from it based on the input. But first, let’s review the responses to each question. I’ll show both the number of responses and the percentage of the total, followed by my comments.

PLEASE ANSWER ALL 10 QUESTIONS – AMERICAN CITIZENS ONLY

1. Signed in 1620, it is the first governing document of Plymouth Colony as written by the colonists, later known to history as the Pilgrims. It was in essence a social contract in which the settlers consented to follow the document’s rules and regulations for the sake of survival.

22 – 17% – Magna Carta
92 – 69% – Mayflower Compact (CORRECT)
06 – 04% – Pilgrim Declaration
12 – 09% – Plymouth Compact
02 – 01% – Standish Consent and Decree

Comment: I considered this a tricky question as most people are unaware of any American history prior to 1776. I was pleasantly surprised to see how many people got it right. Those that answered “Magna Carta” disappointed me; even though it is an important document that influenced others, it was still developed in England, not America. I consider it significant that people recognized its name though. By the way, the last three, Pilgrim Declaration, Plymouth Compact, and Standish Consent and Degree were figments of my imagination.

2. How many “separate but equal” branches are there in the U.S. Federal Government?

000 – 00% – 1
002 – 01% – 2
131 – 98% – 3 (CORRECT)
001 – 01% – 4
000 – 00% – 50

Comment: People may have gotten other parts of the quiz wrong, but somehow the concept of “three separate but equal branches of government” representing the checks and balances of government has been successfully stamped into our brains. Only three people missed this.

3. What is the following quote from?
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

27 – 20% – Bill of Rights
94 – 70% – Declaration of Independence (CORRECT)
06 – 05% – Gettysburg Address
00 – 00% – Oath of Office
07 – 05% – US Constitution

Comment: The lion’s share of answers went correctly to the Declaration of Independence, but I was surprised to see how many people picked the Bill of Rights. As an aside, many of us had to memorize this section of the Declaration in elementary school.

4. Which U.S. President was NOT impeached?

34 – 25% – Bill Clinton
20 – 15% – Andrew Johnson
80 – 60% – Richard Nixon (CORRECT)

Comment: I expected this kind of response to the question. Richard Nixon resigned before impeachment proceedings could begin. The other two were impeached, meaning to hold trial in the Senate, yet were found not guilty. No U.S. President has ever been forcibly removed from office through peaceful means (assassination is another matter altogether).

5. What is the following quote from?
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,…”

04 – 03% – Bill of Rights
32 – 24% – Declaration of Independence
02 – 01% – Gettysburg Address
00 – 00% – Oath of Office
96 – 72% – US Constitution (CORRECT)

Comment: Most people got this correct, but notice how many confused it for the Declaration of Independence. This particular quote is from the Preamble of the Constitution. Like the Declaration, many of us had to memorize this in grade school, but I don’t think they do so anymore.

6. What U.S. President served as commander-in-chief during World War I?

11 – 08% – Calvin Coolidge
07 – 05% – Warren Harding
18 – 13% – Theodore Roosevelt
03 – 03% – William Howard Taft
95 – 71% – Woodrow Wilson (CORRECT)

Comment: I expected this question to be a little tougher as a lot of us have forgotten the events of nearly 100 years ago. Baby boomers may still be familiar with World War II, but I thought they would surely have problems with the first war, “The War to end all Wars.” I wasn’t surprised that Teddy Roosevelt captured the number of responses that he did simply because of his strong name recognition. By the way, William Howard Taft was the only President who also became Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (and the first to throw out a baseball on opening day).

7. What is the following quote from?
“…and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

001 – 01% – Bill of Rights
000 – 00% – Declaration of Independence
000 – 00% – Gettysburg Address
127 – 95% – Oath of Office (CORRECT)
006 – 04% – US Constitution

Comment: I was flabbergasted that anyone got this wrong. The six who answered “US Constitution” should have read the question more carefully.

8. What is the following quote from?
“…that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

005 – 04% – Bill of Rights
002 – 01% – Declaration of Independence
122 – 91% – Gettysburg Address (CORRECT)
000 – 00% – Oath of Office
005 – 04% – US Constitution

Comment: I was pleased to see most people remembered Lincoln’s speech. Interestingly, Lincoln was not the keynote speaker that day and, because of this, his words were almost overlooked by reporters in attendance. Thank God somebody was paying attention.

9. It stated that further efforts by European countries to colonize land or interfere with states in the Americas would be viewed as acts of aggression requiring U.S. intervention. It asserted that the Western Hemisphere was not to be further colonized by European countries but that the United States would neither interfere with existing European colonies nor meddle in the internal concerns of European countries.

009 – 07% – Emancipation Proclamation
002 – 01% – Kansas-Nebraska Act
000 – 00% – Kennedy Doctrine
116 – 87% – Monroe Doctrine (CORRECT)
007 – 05% – NATO Accord

Comment: I was pleasantly surprised by this one as I had assumed many people had forgotten about the Monroe doctrine, an important document which, to this day, is still in effect. I wonder if those who answered “Emancipation Proclamation” really understood the significance of that document. Probably not.

10. Which U.S. President was NOT directly involved with the Vietnam War?

81 – 60% – Dwight Eisenhower (CORRECT)
49 – 27% – Gerald Ford
01 – 01% – Lyndon Johnson
03 – 02% – John Kennedy
00 – 00% – Richard Nixon

Comment: This was perhaps my most controversial question as some of you argued that Eisenhower sent advisers to Viet Nam. True, but we send advisors to a lot of places. Viet Nam was Kennedy’s “line in the sand” to stop the proliferation of Communism. As to Ford, he inherited the Paris Peace talks from Nixon following his resignation and was in charge when we finally pulled out in 1975. Interestingly, I find younger people have no clue about this war whatsoever.

Conclusion

A few things occurred to me as I was compiling the results. First, the Gettysburg Address is better known than the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The Gettysburg Address is a moving speech but it certainly doesn’t bear the significance of our governing documents.

Second, it seemed to me that a lot of people cannot distinguish between the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. They view them as synonymous documents. For what it’s worth, the Declaration was used to sever Britain’s authority over its American colonies. The U.S. Constitution specifies how the government is to operate. The Bill of Rights is an attachment to the Constitution and specifies the basic rights of the citizens, specifically the first ten amendments. It was greatly influenced by such documents as the “Magna Carta.” All three documents, the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, are important reads that all citizens should be familiar with, not just students in grade school.

Finally, here are the number of correct answers versus incorrect answers submitted on the quiz:

1034 – 77% – Correct Answers
0306 – 23% – Incorrect Answers

In most schools, a 77% would represent a “C” which is probably not as bad as we think. Actually, this number is probably higher than the national average as I like to believe my readers are smarter than most.

Keep the Faith!

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Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M. Bryce & Associates (MBA) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

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Copyright © 2011 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

How much Masonic Charity is enough?

This story comes from the Concord Monitor story – Make Masons prove they shouldn’t pay from February 10th.

New Hampshire Freemasonry wants some relief, tax relief, under the umbrella of being being a charitable organization. The question from the state – how much charity is enough to BE a charity?

The push comes from five state representatives including Concord Democrat Stephen Shurtleff, all Freemasons, want to exempt Masonic temples from property taxes. The Bill is sponsored by Rep Alfred Baldasaro, Rep Stephen Shurtleff, Rep Shawn Jasper, Rep Sherman Packard and Rep Kenneth Weyler.

The test comes from a state Supreme Court ruling on a similar request from the Home Care Association of New Hampshire which sought an exemption from Concord property taxes too. In the ruling Associate Justice Gary Hicks wrote:

“charitable mission must be its dominant or primary purpose; if the dominant or primary purpose of its work is to its members or a limited class of persons, the organization will not meet this requirement, even if the public will derive an incidental benefit from such work.”

The language of the New Hampshire House Bill 396 would add the same exemption to Grange Halls too and reads:

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eleven

AN ACT exempting the land and buildings of Masonic temples or building associations from property taxation.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Property Tax Exemption; Annual List. Amend RSA 72:23-c, I to read as follows:

I. Every religious, educational, and charitable organization, Grange, Masonic temple or building association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans, the American National Red Cross, and any other national veterans association shall annually, on or before April 15, file a list of all real estate and personal property owned by them on which exemption from taxation is claimed, upon a form prescribed and provided by the board of tax and land appeals, with the selectmen or assessors of the place where such real estate and personal property are taxable. If any such organization or corporation shall willfully neglect or refuse to file such list upon request therefor, the selectmen may deny the exemption. If any organization, otherwise qualified to receive an exemption, shall satisfy the selectmen or assessors that they were prevented by accident, mistake, or misfortune from filing an application on or before April 15, the officials may receive the application at a later date and grant an exemption thereunder for that year; but no such application shall be received or exemption granted after the local tax rate has been approved for that year.

2 Granges; Masonic Temples or Building Associations Added. Amend RSA 72:23-h to read as follows:

72:23-h Granges and Masonic Temples or Building Associations. The real estate and personal property owned by Granges or by Masonic temples or building associations which are incorporated in this state shall be exempt from property taxes. If such property is rented for business purposes, the real estate shall not be exempt.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect April 1, 2011.

The Bill is presently in the New Hampshire House Municipal and County Government Committee.

On the surface, the change puts Masonic Lodges in good company with the VFW, American Legion, and the Red Cross but as the Concord Monitor reports, unlike these similar organizations New Hampshire Masonry does not implicitly include charity as its reason for being rather it is a by product of its teachings – Not a charity but an organization that teaches Charitable ideas.  If memory serves, the Grange is a similar institution, a meeting hall social development organization for the farming community, but non religious, and not entirely charitable conscious.

When queried in an earlier article on the subject, Masons seek tax-exempt status, the Bill Sponsors said of seeking the tax exemption status:

“We represent what is hopefully the best of mankind,…We’re trying to teach how to better men. We refer to God, but we speak of God as the supreme being.”

“The Masons do a lot for charity,” said Shurtleff, a member of the Penacook chapter and a Freemason for more than 25 years. “I can see if a lodge rented out to another agency and generated money from it, it should be taxable. But if money comes only from membership and it works as a charitable entity, I don’t see why it’s not tax-exempt like other organizations.”

The savings in property tax, for one lodge at least would be close to $8,411.

Inherently, I think its a great idea to proclaim lodges and Temple associations as a charity, but with the mandate that there be some proscribed measure of charitable activity like the Red Cross or the VFW or some other activity that benefits society more so than just making charitably conscious members.  Occasional donations and scholarships are a stretch to being an institutional charity – but their a good start.  Like the Red Cross or the VFW create mission of Relief, one of the three principal tenets of Masonry.  And, in the end, that may be what the Bill sponsors are intending to do.

Faith, Hope, and Charity

Masons seek tax-exempt status

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

The Masonic Bible

Two interesting “non-Masonic” takes on the Masonic bible.

I have to admit its amusing to me the degree that these are extolled as “satanic” or “evil” which I suppose just goes to show how little is known or understood about the fraternity today from these obviously very old Bibles.

Enjoy

I really like the 2nd video’s bible, lots of images to go along with the content.

If you don’t already have one of your own, you can still pick up a Master Mason Edition Bible on Amazon.

Beyond Belief from Fox News

I stumbled across this and thought it an amusing look back at the decade that was.  This goes back a ways to 2008, Beyond Belief on Fox News’ Hanity’s America about “The Freemasonry…”

I apologize in advance for the quality, it looks like someone ripped it right off from the television screen.

Definitely interesting mix use of art and Meltzer giving his 2 cents. Pentagrams, owls, and squares and compasses….oh my – barely enough show to hold all the conspiracy theories.  Its definitely Beyond Belief!

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

The diminshment of religious liberty.

An interesting piece in Religion dispatches titled The Quietly Crumbling Wall of Separation.

The article makes an interesting case for the diminished protection over the free exercise of religion steaming from the 1990 Justice Scalia decision of Emplotment Division v. Smith – an interesting case in which the Court determined that the state could deny unemployment benefits to a person fired for violating a state prohibition on the use of peyote, even though the use of the drug was part of a religious ritual. It said that states have the power to accommodate otherwise illegal acts done in pursuit of religious beliefs, they are not required to do so.

The Religious Dispatches piece says:

“…there are two clauses that protect religious liberty in the First Amendment: the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause. During the same period in which the courts have lowered the bar for protecting the free-exercise principle, they’ve also cut back significantly on protections for the flipside of the coin, the anti-establishment principle.

The combined trends, say many advocates, endanger the lofty constitutional pedestal on which religious liberty has rested. And, if they go unchecked, Americans may one day be forced to re-learn the difficult lessons from centuries of European history that inspired the nation’s founders to protect the “First Freedom” (literally, the first 16 words of the First Amendment) by creating a clear—and unique, at that time, in the annals of human history—institutional separation between religion and the state.”

The challenge with the change said Brent Walker, Executive Director Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, is that “Unfortunately, the clauses have been watered down to suggest religion needs only to be treated the same as other interests,” saying further…

“In fact, often religion should be treated differently—to ensure free exercise by lifting governmentally imposed burdens and prevent establishments by prohibiting government sponsorship of religion. Religion is special and is treated specially by the First Amendment. We must recognize its uniqueness if religious liberty in this country is to be vital over the next decade.”

With agreement from the ACLU to the Southern Baptist Convention dating back to the original Smith decision.

What role do you think region should have when considered by government?  Should it be held as something unique, or as one of many exercises of free speech?

Read more on the issue on Religion Dispatches.

Fred Milliken,Freemason Information,The Beehive

The Masonic Funeral Service Done Well

Question, what is the most important function of a Masonic Lodge?  Is it initiating new members, taking care of widows and orphans, community charity, providing scholarships, marching in parades, esoteric study, brotherly bonding?

The answer is none of the above.  The most important function of a Masonic Lodge is to bury its dead. The Masonic funeral service is the most important act of compassion and service that a Masonic Lodge can perform for a Freemason and his family.

Yet too often not enough preparation, practice and elocution go into its performance. It’s often just one more chore, one more duty in the awesome responsibilities of a Worshipful Master.

Obtaining permission to ceremoniously bury members of the Black community in the 1770’s was a major concern of Prince Hall and prompted him to seek out Freemasonry to help him accomplish this end. It has been said by many scholars that way back in the operation of early English and Scottish Lodges, before the formation of the Grand Lodge of England, a funeral ceremony was part of their modus operandi.

If so then the best way for us to honor our grieving Brother’s family and the best way to honor our commitment to God and the best way to follow through with who we really are is to do justice to the ceremony of honoring and saying goodbye to a Brother who has been called to the Celestial Lodge above.

As you watch this video, see in it the fulfillment of that Masonic obligation well done.  And think about in your own Lodge of perhaps forming a Masonic Funeral Team who will memorize the service and deliver it with the feeling and the sincerity that befits a Mason and that will do justice to the departing Brother and to God who sits and reins in the heavenly Grand East forever and forever.

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

The Habitation of The Grand Architect

a poem by Bro. Rev. J. Gierlow
From The Masonic Mirror,
October, 1872

God dwells in light!
Before the ocean of unmeasured space
Was islanded with stars serenely bright­
Reflecting back the radiance of His face,‑­
He dwelt above, in Heaven’s immortal bliss,
Thinking into existence that which is.

God dwells in light!
Before He laid the world’s foundation‑ stone
High on the nothing of primeval night,
And in Heaven’s center throned th’ eternal
He dwelt above, beyond the far‑off sky,
With Angels born of His Eternity.

God dwells in light!
And holds within the hollow of His hand
The universe of worlds which gem the night,
Which, through Heaven’s sea, at His divine command.
Freighted with His own smiles now sail at even,
Fearless of storms, around the sun in Heaven.

God dwells in light!
And where He dwells, there spirits also dwell,
Who drink fresh glory from His face so bright,
As stars drink from the sun’s deep golden well
Exhaustless beams, so that they never die,
And thereby show His immortality.