Yearly Archives: 2011

Lindasy Lohans blood cult freemason stalker

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Lindsay Lohan and the Freemason post on Twitter is old news now, and even older as the barely coherent tweet was removed shortly after it was posted.  If you missed the bit of excitement, give the breaking old news from TMZ.

For those who might of missed it, the post went like this:

“This is the freemason stalker that has been threatening to kill me- while he is TRESPASSING!”…“im actually scared now- the blood in the ‘cults’ book was too much.”

Included with it was a photo of the person (which you can see here) she alleged was the Masonic trespasser, beard, shades, work shirt, and all. As you can see in the photo, as posted to the CBS Los Angeles story Lohan: ‘Freemason Stalker’ Trying To Kill Me, there is little that overtly identifies the individual as a Freemason.

So, maybe it was in the book’s that he left at her Venice, Ca, home that bothered her so much, but more on that in a minute.

What I found most interesting was the way that the tabloid news reports on the matter, specifically in how they describe the 300 year old fraternity.  Variably the Ancient Order is is mentioned thusly:

“…a mysterious – and apparently powerful – secret society…” – CBS Los Angeles

“…your grandpa’s favorite social club” – The Vancouver Sun

“…thinks he’s a Freemason because he’s a porker” – Holy Moly

“What the hell is a Freemason?” – L.A. Weekly

It didn’t help much for the story that the very next day Lohan was back at it getting into fights at a night club, It buried the disappearing Freemason tweet into Twitter obscurity.

But like all armchair quarterbacks, I was left to wonder what might the blood in the cults book be? I’ve had a few tongue in cheek quips sent to me on twitter, Green Eggs and Ham being one of them. I searched a bit to see if I could come up with anything interesting through Google.  Not long after I started I found a few references to “blood cult books”, but the most interesting thing I found was from the blogger Qbit.cc who tried his best to expose Lohan as an Illuminati pawn posing with New World Order iconography for here 6126 clothing line. Some of the images of Lohan posing were reminiscent of Baphomet and Gaga-esque as LiLo posed over a Masonic chair (though really she’s on a bureau with a decorative mirror). It’s a stretch, I know, but I’m working with a tweet here.

Maybe the link to the blood cults was Lohan’s dabling with the Kabbalah back in 2006? Any good esotericist knows that there’s a link between Masonry and the Kabbalah, even if just in esoteric or occult circles.  Another blog, cleverly called the Illuminati Scoreboard, linked Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears to a Hollywood cult in 2007.

But alas, the investigation will continue, for both the stalker and his connection to the Freemasons with the same speed that LiLo’s mention spanned the globe. Hopefully the problem, and the reference, will disappear as quick as the original tweet did.

Update, the stalker has been identified as David Cocordan who, it is being reported, has attempted to contact Lohan through more than 100 phone call and text messages to express “delusional thoughts and irrational feelings about his belief that we are in a relationship.” A restraining order was made against him as of Thursday, May 19th.   No mention was made in the order on whether he was, or was not, a freemason.

Masonic history, history of freemasonry, heritage Museum, Scottish Rite

Vexillology

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I had to look up the word “vexillology” in the dictionary the other day. I found out that it is the study of flags.  Merriam-Webster told me that but I confirmed the definition also with britannica who added this interesting information.

The colours and designs of national flags are usually not arbitrarily selected but rather stem from the history, culture, or religion of the particular country. Many flags can be traced to a common origin, and such “flag families” are often linked both by common traditions and by geography. The oldest European flags still in use are those that display the Christian cross, which was first extensively used in the Crusades. In addition to the British flag, the Union Jack, flags with crosses are used by Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Greece, and Switzerland. Following the introduction of heraldry into Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries, European royalty adopted coats of arms that soon became the basis of their flags. These heraldic devices have largely disappeared from modern national flags, but the colours used in the coats of arms are still the colours of the flags of Poland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Luxembourg, and Monaco. The flags of Austria and the tiny states of San Marino and Liechtenstein still display the heraldic devices themselves.

Among the better known of Europe’s striped flags was the red-white-blue flag of the Netherlands. Because of its use in that country’s long war for independence from Spain, the flag and its colours became associated with the concepts of liberty and a republican form of government. This association was greatly reinforced by France’s adoption of the same colours, but with vertical instead of horizontal stripes, following the French Revolution of 1789. The newly independent United States’ choice of these colours for the Stars and Stripes, however, was based on its former affiliation with Britain and the colours of the Union Jack. Other nations in Europe and in South and Central America selected tricolours of their own to express their adherence to the principles of liberty, equality, and…

Masonic history, history of freemasonry, heritage Museum, Scottish RiteThis all came about because I saw where last Saturday The National Heritage Museum presented a program by a vexillologist, Scot Guenter, professor of American Studies at San Jose State University.  According to NHM he “explored how the increasing civic use of our flag during the first half of the 1900s contrasted with Americans’ varying interpretations of the flag during the century’s later decades. This free public lecture, sponsored by Ruby W. Linn, is part of new series celebrating the National Heritage Museum’s treasured 15-star flag.”

If you have never visited the Scottish Rite National Heritage Museum in Lexington, Massachusetts its worth the trip.  Not only are the exhibits wonderful and the library extensive but the special lectures and music presentations are frosting on the cake.

The area around Lexington, where I grew up, is steeped in Revolutionary War history. Bedford, MA next door to Lexington, a domicile of mine along with Lexington, has one of the earliest Revolutionary War flags supposedly carried by the Bedford Minutemen.  Inscribed prominently in the flag are the words Vince Aut Morire – victory or death. At my 40th High School reunion we all received magnetic Bedford flags.

This all goes to show that our colonial history and Freemasonry are closely intertwined. When you red about one the other crops up.

Freemasonry’s Epic History

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Frontispiece from Anderson's Constitutions

Frontispiece from Anderson’s Constitutions

Any Freemason that has taken a moment to delve into the history of Freemasonry, has undoubtedly discovered a legendary history of the order. Typically these histories will include an account of the fraternity as carried down from Adam through the building of King Solomon’s Temple and practiced by Pythagoras. For many Freemasons, these histories are confusing. While they are very grand and interesting, they leave much to be desired by the inquiring mind. Today, we will examine where these legends came from, discuss their purpose, and hopefully shed some light on these epic Masonic histories.

The first known account of Masonic history that included prominent characters from the Bible and the classic periods was included in Anderson’s Constitutions of the Free-Masons. This particular history is very elaborate and includes the great influence of Masonry throughout the existence of man, including its effect on the history of England. Anderson’s Constitutions does not explain whence this account originated nor does it reference any documents which can provide additional information. It is a speculative account of Freemasonry’s origins, which was developed to imply the greater grandeur of the noble order.

The practice of creating these histories was not uncommon during the period that Anderson composed the Constitutions. A quick investigation of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows will show that this organization also provides a speculative history. Some trace that particular order back to the exile of the Israelites in Babylon.2,3 These elaborate histories are intended to provide a sense of pride in the fraternity by appealing to one’s religious and geographical identity. Not surprisingly, the founders of modern Freemasonry in England included characters from the Old Testament and British royalty in their history to appeal to their member’s religious beliefs and patriotism. Perhaps the fact that the Freemasons had one of the most detailed and awe-inspiring historical accounts contributed to their unmatched success as a fraternal order.

Despite the fact that this historical account seems obviously fabricated to create a greater reverence for Masonry, many Masonic scholars have expanded upon these legends. These elaborations are probably the primary reason that some Freemasons are quite convinced that these legends are true. Albert G. Mackey, Albert Pike, and Manly P. Hall are among those that embellish the first Masonic epic from the Constitutions of 1723. These accounts include a detailed history of how Masonry was established and passed among the Hebrews, the union of chivalric orders such as the Knights Templar with Freemasonry, and the effects of the mystic traditions on the fraternity. Whether these scholars intended for their histories to be viewed as legendary or factual is unknown. What is known is that these accounts are completely lacking in any historical basis and like the history provided by Anderson, was probably intended to provide a sense of purpose for the order.

What we do know about the origins of Freemasonry is that the first Grand Lodge was formed in the early 18th Century by a few speculative lodges that had been operating independently for some time. We may never know the true history of our speculative art, but we can take pride in the organization that it has become. Additionally, our speculative history does serve as the basis for many of our beautiful degrees. It is entertaining and rich in symbolism. It is a part of who we are as a fraternity and as long as we recognize the Masonic legend for its ritualistic significance and not as factual evidence of our longevity, it will continue to serve our noble order well.

Re-Building the Temple

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In the legend of Freemasonry, the building of King Solomon’s Temple serves as the allegorical centerpiece for the symbolism of our order. The completion of the temple was a grand accomplishment and has captured the awe and admiration of many generations. But despite its beauty and perfection, the temple was destroyed and necessarily rebuilt under the Persian King Darius.

Sometimes, I like to think of my Masonic journey as building my own spiritual temple. A couple of years ago, The Banks of the Euphrates was running articles every week. I was personally very involved in my Blue Lodge, the York Rite, and Scottish Rite. I had built my First Temple, it was well constructed and I was proud of my work. However, the ebb and flow of the tide of life brought some changes and starting eroding the foundation of my temple. I stopped attending lodge, I started lacking the desire and motivation to write, and soon I had set my Masonic studies to the side.

I found that without Freemasonry, there was a huge void in my life.

So I would like to announce that my column–The Banks of the Euphrates–is back. However, like the second temple it will not be an exact replicate of its predecessor. I am going to attempt to remove the superfluities of its previous version and focus solely on Masonic philosophy and history, spirituality, and symbolism. Freemasonry is not the organization or its outward appearance, it is its philosophy and the undeniable truths which it unveils to the industrious inquirer.

If you previously read The Euphrates, I hope you enjoy its rebirth. If you are a new reader I hope that you find the articles contemplative and refreshing. I personally am looking forward to our journey together.

Like what you are reading at The Euphrates? Email me at euphratesblog@gmail.com.

composer Jean Sibelius

Music for the Masonic Lodge

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composer Jean Sibelius

Jean Sibelius and the Music for the Masonic Lodge

In August 14th, 1922, Finnish composer Jean Sibelius agreed to compose “original, genuinely Finnish music for the masonic lodge.”

Sibelius was one of the founding members of “Suomi loosi” – the Suomi Lodge which was the first lodge to be founded since in 1809. The first Finnish Masonic lodge was founded in 1756 and lasted for a short 53 years when Russia took control of the country in 1809.

Following Finland’s independence, a number of men emigrated from America to the land of the Finns. In that emigration came the idea to reopen a lodge of Freemasonry.  One of those early pioneers of Finnish Masonry was composer Johan Julius Christian Sibelius.

Born into a Swedish-speaking family in Hämeenlinna, in the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland, Sibelius knew at an early age had a passion for music — studying to become a violinist at the age of 15. He went on to study law, but soon followed his passion leaving law school to study music in the Helsinki music school, and later in Berlin and in Vienna, only to lament in writing that “It was a very painful awakening when I had to admit that I had begun my training for the exacting career of a virtuoso too late”.

In his career, Sibelius was prolific, penning some 40 plus symphonic works, many of which are played today with great affection.  One of his most notable works is the Nationalist symphony Finlandia, written when the Grand Duchy of Finland was chafing under the dictatorship of Czarist Russia.

Already a composer of 25 years, Sibelius was 56 when he was initiated, passed and raised from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. into Suomi Lodge No. 1, Finland, on August 18, 1922.

The music was initially was discussed in the founding of the masonic lodge Suomi, where it was recorded in the minutes that he would compose original Finnish music for the lodge, and that he would become their organist.

But, as with most active professionals, Sibelius was a busy man traveling frequently and only able to attend half of the years lodge gatherings, and even less time in the years that followed. When he was in attendance, he did site behind the lodges Mannborg harmonium.

His visits and playing, however, were slow in evolving into the Musique Religieuse, which came only after the motion was made in 1926 to ask Sibelius to write the special ritual music. the request was made with the donation of 10,000 marks to facilitate the work. Early in 1927 the work was completed and played in its entirety on January 12th, 1927. The work was played by Wäinö Sola and Arvi Karvonen. Among those in attendance was the Grand Master of Finland who said of his music that it would cause Sibelius to “shine forth and be immortalized.”

Since the writing of the composition, the music has been used in their degrees, and it has been extracted and re-purposed in made use of in other forum. One such use is his closing hymn Sulkemishymni which has been re-dubbed Salem, a tune you might recognize from the church known as Processional: Onward, Ye Peoples which came from Op. 113: No. 6. The lyrics of that symphony you might find interesting, the lyrics are below the video:

Onward ye peoples[brethren], strive for the Light!
The Light that the Lord hath given us for our guide;
Who through murk and darkness of night
Hath led us in safety unto our reward.

See how the fiery pillar is gleaming, lighting our steps when dark is the way
And the Light of the World,
it cleaves the gloomy blackness of night that else would engulf us.
See the cloudy pillar to shield us safe when the sun would blister us.
Then forward where faith reveals the way,
For God is our guide, and He will never fail.

Fires are gleaming, voices are singing
forth from Mount Neboh’s heaven storming heights.

Then forward where faith reveals the way,
For God is our guide, and HE will never fail.

Fires are gleaming, voices are singing
forth from Mount Neboh’s heaven storming heights.

Salem! Salem!
Still, they call us upward and on to our Father’s home.
Salem! Salem! On the horizon, urging us on to God and our home;

And the heavenly choir doth ring from Mount Neboh,
Piercing the blue like a living light.
Onward, ye peoples.
Onward, Amen!
Onward, ye people. Onward, ye peoples.
Strive for the Light.

Salem!

This piece was the closing of the ritual work.

Of the honors bestowed upon Sibelius, he has been given an honorary doctorate conferred by Yale University 1914 and a national holiday throughout Finland in 1935 in honor of his 10th birthday, followed by a commemorative stamp on his 80th birthday. American Masonic honors an honorific 6 times by the American Lodge of Research of which his music formed an integral part of the program. In 1938 he was given the Distinguished Achievement Award by the Grand Lodge of New York in 1938. In 1950 and 1955 a special exhibit was arranged in the Grand Lodge Library and Museum on occasion of his his 85th and 90th anniversaries.

You can play a sample of Op. 113: No. 6. Salem, Onwards Ye Peoples! to get a feel for its Masonic composition as titled Onward, Ye Brethren!

Musique Religieuse, Op. 113, Masonic Ritual Music While writing this, I’ve had playing a downloaded copy of the CD, which you can find here too for $9.99, and its interesting music. I’m not well versed on classical music or choral music for that matter, but it has a haunting feeling to it, every bit reminiscent of what a early Masonic Lodge feels like, at least to my ears. It has the feeling of warm church organ music and could likely be played in any church without any mention of its Masonic origin and be just as easily enjoyed. My favorite is Sulkemishymni – Onwards, Ye Peoples! It speaks volumes to the 2nd degree – in a column of fire and a column of cloud, both of which are motifs in my own tracing board rendering.

Ownership and copyright of the music resides in Finnish hands with Lodge Suomi though some confusion over a republication of it in 1937 by the Grand Lodge of New york, but since it has remained in the hands of the Grand Lodge of Finland.

Truly, Musique Religieuse Op. 113 – Masonic Ritual Music is worthy of the Masonic Lodge, and well worth adding to your collection of Masonic treasures. I would be so bold as it would enliven any ritual work, if played in lodge as it’s composition is by a brother for the lodge.

You can find Jean Sibelius: Musique Religieuse Op. 113 – Masonic Ritual Music on Amazon or on Itunes

You may also purchase the music here Sibelius Musique Religieuse Op. 113 – Masonic Ritual Music

My thanks to the websites Sibelius and Masonic Music for the history. You can read more on Sibelius at Wikipedia.

100 years and going strong

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A short article in the Almonte/Clareton Place EMC, a local news service out of Ontario Canada published this story today:

Masonic Temple in Carleton Place turns 100 years, St. John’s Lodge No. 63 hosts Friend to Friend Night.

Besides wanting to echo the congratulatory comments, its nice to see the good in the press and the positive impact being made by a local lodge.

The celebration is in honor of rebuilding of their lodge hall in 1910, following the greatest Carleton Place fire of living memory which destroyed 25 buildings between Bridge Street and Judson Street, including the Masonic Hall.

In the year following a new cornerstone was laid and the building erected to stand in the community to this day. You can see from a photo of its edifice, the workmanship put into the building.

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

Stealng from the Temple Coffers

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From the Boston Herald

A 58-year-old Maine man accused of embezzling more than $1 million from within the secretive headquarters of the Massachusetts Grand Lodge of Masons is scheduled to be arraigned today in Suffolk Superior Court.

Vincent Paul Reed Jr. of Shapleigh, Maine, spent $1.25 million in Mason funds on personal travel expenses, household pets, utilities and credit card debt, prosecutors said.

The theft is alleged to have taken place from 2001 to 2008 — while Reed served as elected treasurer of the Boston Council of Royal Select Master Masons and the St. Paul’s chapter of the Royal Arch Masons, said Jake Wark, spokesman for Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley.

The investigation was said to of begun in 2008 when a lodge member discovered irregularities in the accounting.

Vincent Paul Reed Jr has pleaded not guilty to the charges that he transferred more than $1 million from the secretive organization into his personal accounts to pay for shopping sprees, exotic trips and lavish dinners.

As quoted int he Boston Herald on May 11th, Reed was able to get away with it without any real oversight.

“All of these expenses are despite the fact that the two Mason organizations had no cars, no pets, no known credit cards and no need to shop,”

“Reed was a popular personality and held elaborate parties for the Masons. He was a gregarious and well-liked member and operated without oversight.”

Read the full articles Freemason charged in $1M embezzlement. and Former Masons treasurer pleads not guilty to $1M grab

Thankfully, a Grand Lodge spokesman said Reed “was booted as soon as financial improprieties were discovered.”

Philalethes Society Self Destructing

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Philalethes SocietyMasonic Leaks reports a major battle with possible purges within The Philalethes Society.  It appears that The Philalethes Society is self destructing in a rush to put itself in allegiance with only the Conference of Grand Masters chartering a similar course as The Masonic Society.  This leaves only Phoenixmasonry as a major contender in the big three as a truly independent Masonic voice.

On Monday January 31st at 1:00pm, only ten days before Bro. Jack Buta was expected to be elected the Society’s President (he was the only person on the ballot and the organization allows for no floor nominations), the President, Terry L. Tilton, issued the following letter as a referendum to remove Bro. Buta from office.

To: The voting members of the Executive Board

In the past day, our First Vice-president Jack Buta has aired private correspondence between Board members without permission, called for a division of the Society based up untrue or unfactual statements, and openly challendge the intergrity of the your President and our Soceity officers. Under any circumstances this constitutes insubordination and derilection of duty.

Ed Halpaus has moved to ask for the immediate resignation of Jack Buta as First Vice-president and I have seconded this motion.  I am asking all Board voting members to respond with a “yes” or “no” vote to this motion.  If and when we have three votes in the affirmative I will correspond with you privately to determine our next action.

I am deeply saddened and chagrined to have to accept this motion two weeks prior to the Annual Meeting.  It was my most fervent hope to have an orderly and peaceful transition.  Jack has obviously chosen to not allow that to happen.

Fraternally yours,

Terry L. Tilton, FPS, President 2009-2011
The Philalethes Society”

He was removed from office by a 3 to 2 vote of the Executive Board of the Philalethes Society. Those voting for Dismissal were Terry Tilton, Ed Halpaus, and John Cooper III. Certainly if the charges alleged by Tilton were factual then the motion had merit, but were they?

See Masonic Leaks for the rest of a rather long story with many attachments.

The Beehive has received a tip from an anonymous source in the know that the Conference of Grand Masters through unknown financial sources is privately picking up the Philalethes’ Society financial shortfall and this is the reason for all the ballyhoo about keeping the books secret.

The conference of Grand Masters has become increasing alarmed of Masonic Leaks and the up and coming Foundation Of Universal Freemasonry.  Derek Gordon ( Masonic Wiki [now archived]) and Stephen Quest have become thorns in the side of Mainstream Masonry and are being taken seriously enough for their organizations to be mentioned in COGM’s annual report. Perhaps Mainstream Masonry feels a bit stronger now that it most likely has finished what the 2007 Philalethes coup failed to accomplish thanks to Nelson King.

Does Mainstream Freemasonry have a psychological problem? Has it grown like the Catholic Church to be too big, too unwieldy, too bureaucratic and top heavy with hierarchy? Is there an explanation for the continuous jockeying for power and never ending horror stories emanating from the Craft?  Perhaps we should put Mainstream Freemasonry on the couch for a moment.

If we take a look at what is of paramount importance to those active in the Craft will we come away with a disappointing conclusion? It seems to this author that what is foremost in the mind of the average Freemason today is title and rank and advancing into the hierarchy into a position of power and therefore prominence. Should not the emphasis be on instruction, learning and then living Freemasonry?  In a previous article the Beehive laid out a formula of what Freemasons should be in pursuit of.  It looks like this:

Education>>>Knowledge>>>Wisdom>>>Soul Enrichment

But in order to achieve the benefits of Freemasonry that we know is a way of life and a society that can further our personal development, we need to place our time and effort into learning and studying the Craft and then applying it into our daily lives. If this, then, is the highest calling of Freemasonry what in the world are we doing with a bloated bureaucracy that is more concerned with money and power? Have we grown so large that our leaders are only proficient in administration, not in teaching and disseminating the philosophy of Freemasonry?

In essence what we are asking here is what is more important, the philosophy or the structure? Once again we are right back to the example of the Catholic Church and how it dealt with the pedophile priest problem. In the beginning the Church covered up and hushed up the problem.  It said that the problem was to be kept in house. And it further iterated that no matter what the Church had done, no matter what evil was within its ranks, that the first and foremost duty was to protect the Institution to ensure it lived another day.  Protecting the institution meant keeping the civil authorities out of church business, telling the abused to just shut up, grin and bear it and to keep the mess out of the media, to avoid all publicity so that the general public would not realize what was going on. That might have worked had the Church actually policed itself and solved the problem itself.  Instead it just transferred the abusers from one post to another, attempted to rehabilitate rather than punish and remove the offenders and in many cases just turned a blind eye to the whole situation.

But like a pressure cooker where the heat is never reduced, sooner or later the lid blows off and then it becomes a nationwide scandal. In the end that hurt the Church the most as the full blown scandal cost the Church the respect of the public never mind millions of dollars. Church property had to be sold to pay for huge court verdicts. All because the Church put the institution ahead of human beings.

And in the end the Church had to change its ways. It realized that it must cooperate with civil authorities, that it must institute programs within the Church to screen for abusers, that generally it must seriously alter its approach to the problem.

The Beehive has received much criticism from past stories exposing the wrong doings of Mainstream Freemasonry. Why do you keep writing about Freemasonry’s problems, exposing its faults? Are you trying to destroy Freemasonry, they wail? Masonic problems should be kept in house and dealt with internally. Letting the public know our shortcomings is traitorous.

Sound familiar? It is the same approach that the Catholic Church took initially with its pedophile problem. Bury it, hush it up, keep it in house and let Freemasonry solve its own problems without involving the courts and civil authorities. And once again it might work if Freemasonry was really serious about policing itself and getting rid of those who are ruining the good name of the Craft.  But alas, like the church, it refuses to act.  We cannot even criticize other jurisdictions never mind mess in their affairs to correct their wrong doings. You see the rules count more than people.  And the institution of Freemasonry must, above all mans, be protected.  The abused Masons? You see they need to just grin and bear it for the good of the Craft.

I have a good Canadian friend very active in the Craft. He has risen to eminence in Blue Lodge, York Rite and elsewhere.  I run a lot of thoughts and concerns by him for his view. It is helpful to solicit the opinion of one who is on the outside looking in.  Early on he seemed to be on the side of Grand Lodges and handling problems internally.  But upon further investigation and the proliferation of one horror story after another he changed his view. It seems as if Freemasonry in the States is becoming dysfunctional, he says. Maybe the answer is to do away with the Grand Lodge system altogether, he advises. And that is a very radical solution coming from a very Conservative Mason. But when you think about it, where are most of the horror stories coming from – individual Craft Lodges or Grand Lodges? And couldn’t a Masonic Lodge function very well without being a member of a Grand Lodge? Perhaps, then, we could return the emphasis on the practice of Freemasonry to its philosophy not its politics.

And as to the question of whether publicly exposing Freemasonry’s faults will lead to the decline of Freemasonry, the answer is quite evident. If Freemasonry will solve its own problems internally there is no need for an expose. But since it refuses to do so then the scenario will follow the path of the Catholic Church. The failure to police itself will lead to problems becoming worse and worse and more frequent. One day the lid will blow off and the civil courts will mandate reforms Freemasonry will not do on its own. And then the person to blame is not he who speaks the truth but he who covers it up and turns a blind eye.  Freemasonry has only itself to blame for the mess it is in.

Freemason Tim Bryce.

Recording Minutes

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I recently received an e-mail publicizing a “webinar” on how to keep minutes for a meeting. At first I thought it was a joke as I consider such a task to be rather simple and obvious. Then again, although I had written numerous minutes over the years for a variety of organizations, it occurred to me there are a lot of people who haven’t. The obvious is not always obvious, and perhaps the producers of the webinar were on to something.

As I am a writer and have done this type of work for many years, let me give you my spin on how to keep minutes. First, do not trivialize the keeping of minutes. It is an official recording of the actions and decisions of an organization and, as such, has legal ramifications. Consequently, I recommend you become more intimate with how meetings should be conducted. To this end, you may want to obtain a copy of “Robert’s Rules of Order” and keep it nearby for reference purposes. I also recommend attending a course in Parliamentary Procedure. Regardless of the advice derived from these sources, you must also be cognizant that not all organizations observe such protocol and, as such, you should become intimate with the governing documents of your organization, such as its bylaws. There may also be some specific rules and regulations in your state for how minutes are to be recorded and maintained. Aside from this, just like about any other document, there are three basic parts to recording minutes: a beginning, a middle, and an end.

The beginning specifies the 5-W’s:

WHAT – defining the proper name of the organizational body. If it is a committee, subcommittee, or subsidiary of another body, be sure to denote the superior entities.

WHERE – specifying exactly where the meeting occurred, including street address, city, state, zip code, name of building and room number (if applicable). I also happen to include the telephone number, e-mail address, and web address if I happen to know it.

WHEN – the date the meeting occurred including the starting and ending times, and any breaks during the meeting.

WHO – the officer(s) running the meeting, along with their titles. Some organizations require keeping track of all attendees. For this, you might need to perform a roll call or require a sign-in sheet, either of which should be attached to the minutes.

WHY – defines the purpose of the meeting, e.g., board of directors meeting, general meeting, committee meeting, etc.

The middle section represents the chronology of events during the meeting. Hopefully, the person chairing the meeting will maintain control and not allow it to become a free-for-all which complicates recording minutes. It is also hoped the chairman is operating with an agenda which provides structure for the meeting. The agenda should include sections such as: Opening, Committee Reports, Awards, Correspondence, Old Business, New Business, Closing, etc. This provides a convenient road map for the person keeping the minutes and represents the various sections of the document. However, if there is no agenda and the meeting runs out of control, you’re on your own.

Throughout the meeting, there will be people making motions, some important, others rather trivial. Regardless, you must record all motions. When doing so, make sure they are as clearly worded as possible to avoid confusion later on. It is common to identify the person making the motion in order to assure the person is a legitimate member of the organization and is entitled to make such a motion. The person making the “second” is less important other than to be identified as a legitimate member of the body. Identifying the person, therefore, is considered optional. Depending on the nature of the motion, you can either indicate the motion passed or failed (or possibly “tabled” until another time), or list the number of votes for and against (and abstained).

Discussion on motions can become rather lengthy and heated. As such, it is advised you avoid including a description of the discourse unless specifically instructed by the chairman to take note of something. Always remember, you are a recording secretary, not a stenographer. More importantly, concentrate on the outcome of the debate in terms of what was resolved.

During the course of a meeting, a report or paper may be introduced that has a direct bearing on the organization itself or a particular motion, such as a committee report, treasurer’s report, an important letter, etc. In addition to making a motion to accept such a document, a motion should also be made to attach it to the minutes and become a part thereof.

If money is collected during the meeting for a specific purpose, be sure to personally count the money, record the amount and denote the purpose for receiving it. For example, if someone makes a donation to a specific charitable cause, state the name of the person, the amount donated, and the charity to receive it.

The ending is rather easy as it denotes the name, title, and signature of the person recording the minutes. It is also a good idea to have the minutes countersigned for validity by the senior officer present, such as the president or chairman.

Remain objective in writing minutes, do not editorialize. Avoid the temptation to say something was “good” or “bad.” For example, “Sam Smith gave an excellent lecture on…” Instead, write something like, “Sam Smith gave a lecture on… The Chairman thanked him for the presentation.” In other words, stick to the facts and do not embellish.

Recording minutes is a relatively simple matter to perform, it just requires a good agenda and someone who can competently write. Working with the senior officers of an organization, I help prepare the agenda in advance of the meeting. Consequently, I am able to assemble a set of the minutes in advance and make minor adjustments to them during the course of the meeting. In other words, I establish a template and fill in the blanks.

After the minutes have been recorded and approved, they should be filed in chronological sequence, normally in a binder or folder. Some organizations require minutes to be permanently glued and bound in hard cover books. Again, consult your governing documents for specifics. However if they are to be physically stored or archived, take precautions for their safeguard, such as from fire, water damage or acts of God.

My only other recommendation for recording minutes is, if it looks like the chairman or senior officers haven’t got a clue as to how to run a meeting, and many do not, have somebody else write them.

Maybe there is a market for training people in how to record minutes. “Who’da thunk it.”

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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Still More Responses To Missing The Boat

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Another response to Missing the Boat.

Keep them coming Brothers & Sisters. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

A Mason’s Obligation to Freedom

By Chris Williams
Davy Crockett Lodge # 1225 A.F. & A. M.
Grand Lodge of Texas

Brothers, I want to talk to you about something that I sincerely believe and feel deep within my soul and I think is as important as anything in any of our lives. I want to talk about the word free. When you say the word free as in Freemason it refers to free men, free to think as you please, free to speak as you please, and free to worship as you please. But I sincerely ask you, where does each man’s basic freedom come from? How and when does a man become free? Who gives us our freedom? Brothers, our freedom is given to us by God. There are many who will tell you that our freedom comes from our Constitution. Our freedom is given to us by The Supreme Architect of the Universe, our Constitution guarantees our freedom. I am sure you recognize this from our Declaration of Independence: “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.” This Country and our constitution since our very beginnings has been the world’s beacon of freedom. Over the last two hundred and thirty four years many of our original freedoms given to us by God and guaranteed by our Constitution have little by little been taken away by those who would seek to change our country from a country “of the people, by the people, and for the people” to a country of the government, by the government, and for the government, This is not what our founding fathers intended nor is it the country described in our Constitution.

Some of you are thinking right now, “Chris, you need to stop talking this way.” You are talking about politics and you know that we are not supposed to discuss politics or religion in the Lodge.  What that rule really means is that we should not discuss specific religions and we should not discuss differences in political points of view in the Lodge. Now I am sure no one is against being free.  I am talking about our freedom, not politics. Just as in our Lodges invoking God’s blessing and reciting Holy Scripture, does not constitute talking about religion.

The freedoms that you and I enjoy today were made possible when the settlers of the original colonies decided that they had had enough of being taxed without recourse or representation. They decided that their freedoms were not going to be taken away further by the British king and they revolted. What I am going to tell you now has been debated over and over again by Masons and non-Masons alike for years and years. It is an argument whose truth is confirmed by a serious study of history. What I am alluding to is the debate over what, if any was the Freemasons involvement in the revolt of the colonies that led to the revolutionary war and the creation of the United States of America. For those of you who are not sure, let me set your mind at ease and put this debate to rest once and for all. The United States of America was conceived and created based upon the principals of Freemasonry, by Freemasons and other men who were influenced by Freemasons and their Masonic principals. Many of you sit there right now with your mouths open trying to count how many violations of my obligations I have just committed. While you are counting allow me to continue. The seeds of revolution were not sown within a Masonic Lodge. But it is true that a large number of the most influential men of that time in America were Freemasons. Being Freemasons and knowing Masonic principals to be freedom of speech, religion, and thought, it is easy to imagine the atmosphere of discontent at that time. Masonry and Masons will always rebel against a smothering of freedom. It is no wonder and easy to understand that our early American Brethren were in the thick of the organization as well as the fight that secured our freedom and our way of life. When it came time to create our new government who else but Freemasons would be there to help organize and build a democratic republic. And why not? We had been running a democracy within our Lodges for centuries. So yes, our great fraternity was very instrumental in the creation of our country and we should all be very proud of that. It is important that we make sure that their efforts were not in vain. We must speak freely when our freedoms are infringed upon. We must speak the truth – for being a Mason is all about the truth.

We must not worry about being politically correct. It is said by some misguided souls that if you are not being what is deemed politically correct then you are being divisive and not inclusive. I say being politically correct is really being afraid.  It’s being afraid of speaking up and standing up for the truth and for the freedoms that are guaranteed all of us as free men and Americans. It is not enough to just think it. We must say it and act it!

In Masonry we are told that religion and politics are never to be discussed in Lodge in order that peace and harmony may always prevail. But I say that we should always be involved deeply, passionately and completely in the making sure our freedoms are protected. If we don’t speak out, if we stay silent and ……… afraid…… little by little all of our rights and freedoms will go away.  Even the most innocuous or insignificant challenge to our basic freedoms needs to be challenged vigorously.  Every time we give up some small freedom or right that seems on the surface to be pretty unimportant, a chip is cut out of the solid rock that is our guaranteed freedom. Chip by chip our rights and freedoms are taken away and taken away and one day soon there will only be a pile of dust that remains of that rock. We will wake up to the realization that our freedoms are gone and we will look around at each other and wonder what happened.

In one of the charges in the first degree we are charged to be beyond reproach in the discharge of our civil duties by never being involved in or performing any act which might tend to subvert the peace and good order of society, but to obey the laws of any state in which we reside. This admonition is a clear message to all who are members that they must be loyal citizens always alert to the needs of the local community, State and Federal Government; and ready to do anything or make any sacrifice to maintain its integrity and further its development in any manner as will best preserve our democratic way of life.

Masons are forever charged to lead their lives and make their decisions as examples to all whom they come in contact with.  By virtue of our example we are constantly influencing those around us. Why is it I wonder, that considering that more than seventy  percent of the population consider themselves to be patriotic and constitutionalist in their thinking, that our Lodges are not bursting to capacity with the membership of all those who agree with our principals and way of life? Could it be that we are not espousing our Masonic principals and vocal support of our country loud enough, or are we not living the life that Masonry desires us to live that others will see and want to emulate us? Why are we afraid?  Is not truth and right upon our side?  Let’s see, there are 1.5 million Masons in North America. If every Mason’s life and words influenced ten people and they in turn influenced ten and so on it would serve to insure forever our democratic way of life.

The turbulent state of affairs today only emphasizes and reinforces the fact that a Mason has no right to be idle and it is the duty of the Master of his Lodge to give light and instruction and to show him how to practice outside of the Lodge the great moral lessons which are taught him within it. We are constantly faced with the ongoing dangers due to the deeds of those who have become leaders of groups by force and brutality, refusing any acknowledgment of the existence of God and eliminating anyone who does believe, including Freemasons, knowing that they would openly oppose the vicious practices they force upon their people. By an open denial of God, they are not obligated to the truth nor to the moral teachings outlined in the Holy Bible and the people exist solely for the benefit of the Sate instead of the State existing for the benefit “of the people, by the people and for the people.” There are some who are taken in by this Godless manifesto. These gullible individuals are encouraged to infiltrate the society of our Country to wreak havoc and spread propaganda. Freemasons should be ever alert and never idle in upholding the precepts of the fraternity, by endeavoring to reclaim the faltering and aiding to stamp out the evil, thus preserving the harmony and good fellowship of our democratic and God-loving way of life. I shudder to consider this alternative.

No, we are not to, as the ritual tells us, countenance disloyalty or rebellion but patiently submit to legal authority.” But it is our duty as citizens and Masons to right any wrongs, correct injustice and to freely speak the truth whenever and where ever it becomes necessary. We cannot stand by and let our freedoms be taken away. We must not be afraid. We must do what is right. In the words of our celebrated Brother John Wayne “courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.” Brethren, It’s time to saddle up. And don’t ever forget, we are Texans. We are Americans, and we are Masons. We must see that our way of life is preserved.

God Bless you all; God Bless our Great Fraternity; God Bless Texas; and God Bless America!!!

Reply from Garry Bonner

Having read the latest article, How Freemasonry is Missing the Boat, I am moved to respond to it, because I see first of all the truth and sense in the understanding of what can be achieved by applying it , and indeed practicing it, not only to the benefit of Freemasonry, but indeed to our nation and country. The reason from my perspective is twofold.

As you know I am a mason however, I am original from Austria, where Masonry was founded in 1784, a time where, the Empress Maria Theresa had been married to Franz of Lothringen, who also was a mason, coming from area of Holland at the time and was the first place where Masonry was brought from London, England. The reason why this came about was that in Austria the was no male Heir to the Throne at the time and a Women, being a Habsburger, was able to function as a Empress.

Because of this, eventually, Masonry was allowed to be freely practiced, and for about 15 years. At this time many social achievement, where brought to bear, much to the many benefits of the general public, which are still available to this day. As this is another story to much to write at this time, but it relates to your  present article. Masonry eventually was again forced into secrecy for many years missing the boat again. Well this is another story, but I think the relationship of my thoughts is.