The Grand Master’s Rooftop Table Lodge

R to L: GM Wilbert M. Curtis, DGM Michael T. Anderson, GSW “Big” Bryce Hardin, GL Ivory Johnson

R to L: GM Wilbert M. Curtis, DGM Michael T. Anderson, GSW “Big” Bryce Hardin, GL Ivory Johnson

The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas recently held the Grand Master’s Table Lodge on an open air rooftop overlooking a view of downtown Dallas, Texas. The event was hosted by Metropolitan Lodge No. 146, Wor. Jerome D. Lacy presiding.

The Table Lodge is a tyled Entered Apprentice Masons Lodge. It harkens back to the Mother Grand Lodge of 1717 where one of the reasons for its formation was to hold the Annual Feast. Soon the Grand Master of that time directed there be installed into the ceremony the old, regular and peculiar toasts and health’s of Freemasons. Over time a Table Lodge became a prescribed ceremony with a ritual all its own.

Table Lodges in Colonial America were quite common as many Lodges actually met in taverns and a full course meal became part of “going to Lodge.”  As the decades passed and a new century began, Table Lodges were continued as a way to promote fellowship, kinship and pride in Masonry.

 

“The Table Lodge had a most unusual pattern. Its entire meeting was conducted around the table, and the helpings of food and beverage were served in such a way they did not interfere with the other concerns of the Lodge. The arrangement of tables resembled a giant horse-shoe, with the worshipful Master in the East, at the center, and both Wardens in the West, at the opposite ends. The Lodge was opened with an invocation and closed with a song.”

“At first, there was an address, followed by many toasts and songs, but as time went by the lecture was omitted and the number of toasts and songs decreased. The final figure that was set for the toasts was seven, and in some Jurisdictions that number is still retained today.”

Under its skillful formula, the names of objects in the room were changed. The table was the Trestle Board, the cloth – the standard, the food – the materials, the glasses became cannons, the beverage – powder, the bottles – casks, the napkin a flag, forks were pickaxes, knives were swords, and spoons were trowels. To fill the glass was to “charge” it, and to drink it was to ‘fire’”.(1)

Fred at the Grand Master’s Rooftop Table LodgeToday a Table Lodge has its own set of rituals, with its own particular opening and closing ritual as well as a seven course meal with seven toasts, one after each course.

The ritual of The Ceremony of the Seven Toasts is as follows:

Right hand to arms.  (The right hand touches the glass).
Ready.  (The glass is raised breast high, aim extended forward).
Aim.  (The glass is brought to the lips).
Fire, Good Fire, Fire All.  (All drink).
Present Arms.  (The glass is brought to the second position in unison with the Worshipful Master, then the glass is brought to the left breast, then to the right breast, then again to the second position so that the movement makes a triangle.  This triangle is made three times: then the glass is brought to the table in three moves – it is first carried a little to the left, then to the right and finally forcibly in unison to the table).

The Battery, three times three ( clapping 3X right over left, left over right, right over left).  (Done)

ALL    Vivat,  Vivat,  Vivat.  (Right arm thrust upward with each Vivat).
Advance swords.  (Knife is raised breast high, arms extended forward).

Poise swords.  (Knife blade is elevated slightly, about 45°)

Salute with swords.  (Knife handle is brought to within a few inches of the chin with the blade elevated about 45°)

Swords at rest.  (Knife handles are carried in unison forcibly to the table – preferably in a flat position to prevent table damage).

The Battery, three times three.  (Done)

ALL    Vivat,  Vivat,  Vivat.  (Right arm thrust upward with each Vivat).(2)

Wor. Jerome D. Lacy led us in all the toasts except the one to himself and other Worshipful Masters. The toasts were as follows: To the –

  1. President of the United States of America
  2. Most Worshipful Grand Master and the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge
  3. The Worshipful Master and all sitting Masters
  4. The Wardens and all sitting Wardens
  5. Past Masters
  6. Other Officers and visiting Brethren
  7.  To all Masons where-so-ever spread over the face of the globe

A great meal was had by all. The Table Lodge closed with all Brethren forming the Mystic Chain (arms crossed in front and clasped to the Brother to your right and left)  and singing the ancient song written by Scottish  Poet Laureate  Brother Robert Burns in 1788– Auld Lang Syne.

Should old acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind
Should all acquaintance be forgot
And auld lang syne

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne

(1) HISTORY OF THE “TABLE LODGE” – State College Masonic Lodge No. 700 F&AM – http://www.lodge700.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=41

(2) How To Conduct A Table Lodge, Phoenixmasonry – http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/table_lodge_history_ritual.htm

Devil Gets His Due

Remember back at the beginning of 2013 when Mercedes-Benz ran an ad featuring Willem Dafoe as the devil seductively attempting to buy the soul of a young man for the price of a car?  In the ad, you may recall, the devilish antagonist (Dafoe) attempts to seduce a young man to trade his soul for a life of glitz, celebrity and excess that comes from owning a spiffy new Benz.

If you haven’t seen the new commercial yet, have a look for yourself of what change looks like.

(The video has since been taken offline)

Just in case you missed it in the spot, you can clearly see the devil’s new ring at the bottom of this post.

The devil, however, was no red pajama wearing horned jape with a pitchfork and pointy tail.  Rather, Mercedes portrayed him as a suave, well coiffed debonair gentleman (albeit with pointy fingernails) who also happens to be wearing an easily recognizable Masonic ring.

Right as the commercial starts, the Square and Compass was almost immediately noticeable (albeit in a quick flash on the screen).  Seeing it used this way took more than a few by surprise.  The original video published on YouTube has been taken down but you can still find it with a quick search.

Recently, the ad, featuring Kate Upton, Usher and of course Willem Dafoe, from February’s big football game, made its way back on the air waves this time, noticeably, without the use of the Freemason symbolism.  It appears that Mercedes-Benz has removed the square and compass from the original commercial.

How, or why the square and compass came off is a bit of a mystery.  After a brief search, I couldn’t turn up any press release or announcement saying it was being revised.  Maybe this kind of change isn’t the sort of thing you state publicly?

Perhaps the change came from a deluge of comments and messages to Mercedes-Benz on Facebook the day the ad appeared.

Or, perhaps it was the post that went up about it on Mark Koltko-Rivera’s blog Freemasonry: Reality, Myth, and Legend, reposted here alerting those watching the day the commercial aired.

Maybe it was the petition that was started on Change.org (Mercedes-benz: Remove the Masonic Ring shot in your Super Bowl commercial titled, “Soul”. ) asking the iconic world wide brand Mercedes-Benz to, respectfully, remove the sacred symbol and stop a vicious cycle of linking Freemasonry with Satanism.  With more than 2,800 signatures on the petition to date, whose to say if the auto manufacturer and  felt the pressure to remove the tell tale symbol of Freemasonry.

But, change it they have.

Now the commercial, in both its long and short form, no longer bears the distinctive emblem of the fraternity prompting us to say:

Thanks Mercedes-Benz for breaking the cycle of linking Freemasonry and Satanism.

Now who can say that the Freemasons still dosen’t  hold some sway…

Old Ad, New Ring, at 00:12
masonic ring new commercial

And, from later on in the extended cut commercial at 01:19

masonic ring new commercial 2

And, the before and afters:

mercedes changes ring side by side 1

mercedes changes ring side by side 2

Masonic Temples Converted To Luxury Condos

 

The Wall Street Journal had an interesting article recently on Masonic Temples being turned into luxury Condos. This process, is sadly occurring because Freemasonry in the United States is dying a slow death. Lodges who have only 25% of the members they had 50 years ago find it increasingly difficult to afford the beautiful, magnificent and sometimes classical monstrosities they housed themselves in way back then.

Some of the blame for loss of membership must be placed squarely on the hands of Freemasons themselves who either refuse to treat race, religion and individuals with respect and tolerance or who refuse to police their ranks of those who exhibit such prejudicial behavior. The younger generations will not join organizations unless they are color blind, tolerant of all religions and respect the worth of the individual including basic civil rights and being treated with due process.

Of the many sales and near sales of great Masonic structures I can think of two recently in the news. First the Masonic Temple in Quincy, Massachusetts just last week gutted by fire was sold to a Realty Company with rental rights to the Masonic organizations that met there. It was the Realty Company doing much needed upgrading in the building who set off the blaze. Then there is the magnificent Detroit Temple which was saved from oblivion by a wealthy donor.

The-Level-Club

Here is a portion of that Wall Street Article:

 

Today, with membership down to about a million from four million in the 1950s, the Masons can’t afford the upkeep of all these antiquated buildings, which are typically in downtown areas with limited parking. The absence of working elevators also makes the buildings difficult for aging members to use.

As a result, more Masons have sold their temples and relocated to smaller, more modern structures in the suburbs. Developers and individuals have snapped up the buildings, encouraged by the rebounding real-estate market and demand for luxury condos.

Last year, Craig Boardman says he was just accompanying a friend to a showing in a former Masonic temple in Columbus, Ohio. The condo had 40-foot-high ceilings, three enormous stained-glass windows, a spiral staircase and the original fireplace. “It was pretty awesome,” says Mr. Boardman, a professor of public policy who bought a two-bedroom, two-bathroom for $300,000. (When he had the unit painted he found a lunchbox-size hiding spot behind the wall molding. Alas, it was empty.)

Called the York Temple, the red brick building was built in 1914 when the group, having grown to more than 1,000 members in 20 years, needed a bigger space. “It was busy most nights of the week,” says Bill Hochstettler, who is on the board of trustees. At its peak in 1928, the lodge had more than 2,200 members. But by 2003, the number had fallen to less than 800 members—while the building’s maintenance costs were averaging $30,000 a year. The group sold the building for $250,000 to Joe Armeni, owner of Re/Max City Center, who put about $4.5 million into a top-to-bottom renovation. Today it has 25 units, ranging from 700 square feet to 1,800 square feet, that have sold from $149,000 to $399,900.

In downtown Champaign, Ill., developer Robert Grossman bought a 33,000-square-foot, 1914 Masonic temple with terrazzo floors and intricate carvings in the staircases for $800,000 in 2008. “It was in terrible shape. But I looked at it and fell in love with it,” he says. He spent $2.5 million converting it into 19 apartments, which rent for $900 to $2,000 a month each. He then re-christened it as the Lodge on Hill. The two- and three-bedroom apartments were all leased before the two-year construction project was finished. Even though he owns a 5,500-square-foot home nearby, Mr. Grossman kept the temple’s best apartment for himself: a two-level, 3,600-square-foot unit with a roof patio.

In January, Thomas Thramann won zoning approval to convert a 13,000-square-foot, four-story Masonic lodge in Newport, R.I., into eight luxury condos—a process he estimates will take about two years—that would list for about $500 a square foot. Mr. Thramann bought the building 15 years ago for $156,000 and used it as a vacation home for several summers, sleeping on a bed in the middle of its roughly 5,000-square-foot meeting hall. “It was like camping,” he says.

Still, selling the building to Mr. Thramann was difficult for the members. “It broke my heart,” says Dan Titus, who was the lodge’s worshipful master, the senior officer, at the time. The group couldn’t afford to do the work required to meet safety codes and there was no parking. Mr. Titus sent out a ballot to all 500 members of the lodge and only two voted against selling. (One, a close family friend, never spoke to him again, he says.) “My father and grandfather were in that lodge. But when you have so many aging members, what can you do? If I won the lottery tomorrow, I’d buy the building back.”

Ohio-Condo-Copy

Historic Quincy, MA Temple Gutted By Fire

Quincy, MA Temple

Quincy, MA Temple

WATCH VIDEO:

http://video.bostonherald.com?freewheel=90017&sitesection=bostonherald&VID=25212589

Historic Quincy Temple in the heart of downtown Quincy, Massachusetts was gutted by fire yesterday.  Apparently the fire was started by workmen who were grinding stone in the building.

(Quincy, MA - 9/30/13) Quincy and Boston firefighters battle a blaze at the Masonic Temple on Hancock Street, Monday, September 30, 2013. Staff photo by Angela Rowlings.

(Quincy, MA – 9/30/13) Quincy and Boston firefighters battle a blaze at the Masonic Temple on Hancock Street, Monday, September 30, 2013. Staff photo by Angela Rowlings.

The Boston Herald has the story:

 

Smoke and flames filled the Quincy sky for more than four hours yesterday as firefighters fought a raging four-alarm blaze at the historic Masonic temple that gutted the building.

“I grew up in this building, 65 years,” said a distraught Dave Smith, a mason who is treasurer of the Masonic Building Association of Quincy. “My father was a mason that went to a lodge here and it’s just unbelievable to see what’s happened to it.”

Smith said the 1170 Hancock St. building was home to the Rural Lodge of Masons and was recently sold to Martin Realty in an agreement that would have let the masons keep meeting there. They had just started construction, Smith said.

Quincy Fire Chief Joseph Barron said it appeared that workers grinding stone material accidentally sparked a fire. They initially tried to put it out but failed.

Quincy police received the first call of the blaze at 12:08 p.m. from construction workers who said they saw smoke coming through air ducts.

Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan told the Herald the fire started in the basement of the temple and firefighters had to be pulled out of the building just as the ceiling fell in.

The building, erected in 1929, was listed on the National Register of Historical Places in 1989, said Edward Fitzgerald of the Quincy Historical Society, who called it an example of classic Greek revival architecture.

Smith said the inside had a lit vaulted ceiling and the main room could fit up to 600 people.

“It was just gorgeous on the inside, absolutely gorgeous,” Smith. “People who looked at it just walked in and went, ‘Wow.’”

I have personally been in Lodge at this building and it was a marvelous structure. It was a very large building capable of hosting many Lodges. This is a devastating blow to Massachusetts Masonry and one that will leave a gaping hole until a replacement structure is rebuilt.

Freemason Tim Bryce.

A Simpler Time

BRYCE ON CHANGE
Were the good old days really better?

As we grow older, we tend to get aggravated by the complexities of the world and yearn for simpler times. You suddenly recognize the complications caused by technology, overcrowding, government bureaucracy, and changes in moral values, thereby causing you to fondly think back to less stressful times, particularly in childhood. I happened to mention this to some of my older friends recently who began to reminisce about the simpler times they experienced growing up. Their descriptions make for an interesting tapestry of images.

At home it was not uncommon to have two newspapers delivered daily, a morning paper and another for the evening. Yes, back then people would read habitually as they wanted to know what was going on in the world and, believe it or not, actually trusted the press. You would also listen to the radio routinely and use your imagination. When television came along, there would be just three channels representing the major networks and possibly a fourth channel for a local independent which feature classic monster movies on Saturday nights hosted by such people as the “Cool Ghoul.” Somehow the programming seemed better as we enjoyed the golden age of television which included comedies, dramas (particularly Westerns and detective series), talk shows, soap operas, and variety shows. Only the cream of the crop made it to the television screen, and, No, there were no reality shows. Remote controls were a rarity. If you wanted to change the channel, you had to get out of your chair to do so. Not surprising, you became a devotee of a single network. Instead of cable we strapped bizarre looking antennas to chimneys and grounded them in fear of lightning strikes.

Party phones were common in many households whereby two or more parties shared a line, thereby saving costs. It wasn’t uncommon to pick up the phone and hear your neighbor talking with someone else. If this happened, common courtesy dictated you hang up quietly as opposed to listening in.

Only the very rich had remote controls to open garage doors. Most people had to get out of their car to open the door, or dispatch their children to do so.

If your neighbor needed help, you didn’t think twice to lend a helping hand, be it to shovel snow, cut their grass, run an errand for them, lend your car, deliver a meal, or help any way you could. Everyone instinctively watched out for each other and you could keep the front door unlocked.

Kids kept busy by cutting grass, raking, sweeping, and other chores around the house. For entertainment they would play baseball, fishing, swimming or outdoor games like tag, hide and seek, Red Rover, Dodge Ball, Johnny on the Pony (aka Buck Buck), etc. You also built a lot of forts to hide in and plot skullduggery. In the winter you would skate, sled, make snow forts, and a snowball fight was always imminent. You would also collect and trade baseball cards, shoot marbles, and play with yo-yos, tops, Super Balls, even Hula Hoops. Only if it rained, were you allowed to stay inside. If you were really lucky, you went to a double feature on a Saturday afternoon.

Sundays were used to bring the family together. After church you would go to either the home of your grandparents or that of an aunt or uncle, where you enjoyed a large dinner. You might also go to a nearby park where you could barbecue. Such festivities would be concluded late in the afternoon so people could get home to watch Disney, Lassie, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, or Ed Sullivan.

As to humor, it seemed everyone knew how to tell a joke and, no, they were not always politically correct. Kids told knock-knock jokes and puns. Parents gravitated to burlesque or vaudeville type of jokes. Groucho Marx would make you think, Jack Benny’s “cheap” persona was always good for a laugh, and “Uncle Miltie” and the “Great One” ruled the airwaves in the early days of television.

The focal point of the neighborhood was the corner store where you would purchase items for the household, be it food or sundries. If they didn’t have it, they could order it for you. They were the precursors of today’s convenience stores, only better. Proprietors were well known and respected in the neighborhood. It wasn’t uncommon for customers to stop in simply to chat and gossip about what was going on in the community. Before air conditioning, such stores had ceiling fans to circulate the air, wooden floors, and the front door was screened with a retracting spring to keep it closed. When it swung shut it made a distinctive snapping sound. Old cash registers were behind the counter, built of brass and had brilliant designs etched into them. When a sale was made, a small bell would ring and the cash drawer would pop open. Items purchased at the corner store were often done so “on credit.” The proprietor would keep tab of everything and at the end of the month you were expected to “settle up.” The store smelled heavenly of fresh ground coffee, bead, and there was a pickle barrel with a delicious brine.

For kids, stores offered “penny candy” which was an array of sweets consisting of such delicacies as rock candy, paper strips with dots, root beer barrels, fireballs, licorice, gum drops, pixie sticks, etc. For a mere dime you would have more than enough sweets to satisfy you. Soft drink machines came as horizontal chests, not “uprights”, where you would slide a glass bottle by its neck across an inside track and into the dispenser where you deposited your coins. I never saw a fat kid, probably because we either ran everywhere or rode bicycles which represented freedom. We would drive our bikes for miles, either to school, the store, a fishing spot, a camp site, a baseball field, or wherever. As kids, we would camp out, cook over a camp fire, and cleaned up afterwards. We also carried swimming suits with us in case we found an inviting pond or stream to jump into. A rope swing into the water was heavenly. Occasionally we would experience an accident, but you learned to take your medicine. Crying was natural but if you did so too long, you were a “spazz.”

Many items were delivered to your home. The milk man would deliver glass bottles to galvanized metal boxes by the kitchen door. If they sat there for awhile, you could watch the cream rise to the top. Bread was delivered, as were eggs, butter and cheese. The ice man would deliver large chunks to keep your “ice box” cold (not refrigerator). Coal was delivered through chutes going into the furnace room of your basement. It was normally the responsibility of the children to keep the furnace stoked during winter time. A popcorn man would make the rounds, selling bags for pennies. Ice cream was sold likewise. The fish man would also visit regularly, usually announcing his presence with a cowbell or some other audio attraction. There was also a person to sharpen knives and cutlery. The Fuller Brush man visited your home with a wide variety of brushes for sale, and Avon called frequently. Peddlers also went door-to-door selling medicines, salves, spices, concentrated flavors for cooking, and just about anything else. In other words, the vendors came to the customer, just the antithesis of today. And before trucks, there were pushcarts and horse drawn wagons.

Libraries played an important role in society where reading was stressed. They too traveled to the public in mobile libraries. Children were encouraged by parents to read. Before bedtime parents would read classics to their offspring like “Peter Pan,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “Moby Dick,” and the Dr. Seuss classics. Kids have a natural attraction to story telling, and it was a great way to wind up the day.

To get to school, you either walked, rode a bike, took a bus, or went in a carpool. Walking offered you freedom to take your time, talk to your friend, and investigate every shortcut. Yes, it seemed like we walked for miles, but it wasn’t really that bad. If you took the bus, you could make last minute adjustments to your homework or prep for a test. Taking your bike was the most fun as you were proud to show off your bike and, No, you didn’t have to lock your bike with a chain. In Connecticut, we participated in a carpool where the mothers took turns driving the kids to school and pick them up afterwards.

Most kids took a brown bag to school for lunch which included sandwiches wrapped in wax paper, and some fruit. Lunch boxes were a luxury. During my time, you longed for a lunch box featuring Davy Crockett, the Lone Ranger, or Superman. Inside would be a thermos filled with either hot soup or a cold drink. You paid pennies for milk. Cafeteria lunches were also available, which were both delicious and inexpensive (as cheap as a dime). Personally, I loved the meatloaf the Polish women made at my Chicago Junior High School.

Kids would go to school equipped with a pencil box which included fresh pencils, erasers, a ruler and a sharpener. Before ball point pens there were fountain pens. At your desk was a bottle where you would draw the ink into the pen. This was later replaced by pens with ink cartridges. No matter what you did though, you would somehow find a way to get ink on your shirt pocket. And just about everyone had a box of Crayola crayons.

You would go to school well dressed and properly groomed. Boys wore collared shirts, slacks and street shoes were the norm. T-shirts, blue jeans, shorts, and sneakers were verboten. Girls wore dresses or skirts with blouses. You were sent home if the dress was too short or looked inappropriate. Likewise, hair had to be cut to specific lengths (off the collar), and facial hair was not allowed.

The school day would begin with the pledge of allegiance to the flag and a patriotic song. Some schools also followed this with a nondenominational prayer. To be selected to the school’s Safety Patrol was considered an honor, as well as to raise the flag in the morning and strike the colors at the end of the day.

Classes included reading, writing, and arithmetic, with a lot of penmanship thrown in for good measure. You had to memorize the preambles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, if not more. Both American and World history were stressed, as well as civics. We also took speech classes, Earth Science, and learned the various branches of mathematics, not to mention typing.

In High School you were offered the opportunity to learn new skills in Wood Shop, Metal Shop or Mechanical Drawing. In such shops you built a variety of things, particularly a wide array of book shelves and bird houses. In the drawing class, you learned to master t-squares, compasses, and my personal favorite, the French curve.

Everyone knew not to fight in school as you could expect corporal punishment with a paddle. Instead, if somebody had a beef with another, you arranged to meet off campus and duke it out. At the end of the fight, when both boys were exhausted, they shook hands and consoled each other. Whatever they had been fighting over had been forgotten.

Teachers and parents were allowed to bring home-baked goods to school, such as donuts, pies, and cakes. Nothing was brought in from the store. During Halloween you would receive regular sized candy bars, popcorn balls, and candied apples. There was no such thing as “fun size.” I still remember Mrs. Derdarian’s fabulous caramel apples on a stick.

Time seemed to crawl along at a snail’s pace. You couldn’t wait for the bell to ring to go back outside. Today it seems time moves at a much faster pace and we are required to multitask everything. I wonder if we have forgotten to relax.

There was a genuine respect for the law. When a police officer asked you to move along, you did so as you trusted his judgment. There was no thought of talking back to him. He was your friend and you knew him by name, as he knew yours as well as your parents. He knew who the good kids were, as well as the trouble makers.

In business, you were expected to work hard regardless of your job, and put forth your best effort to produce quality work products, and take on a professional attitude. Instead of working at odds with your co-workers and boss, you tried to get along and work together. As in school, you dressed neatly and bathed regularly. You were charged to use your head and find a way to get the job done. And the customer was always right.

This is not so much about nostalgia as it is about how society seems to have made life more complicated than it needs to be. The world depicted herein is how many of us like to remember yesteryear. As a kid, you learned to innovate, adapt, and be resourceful. You also learned life was full of consequences, for every action there was a reaction. The emphasis back then was to work and play outdoors, be it summer or winter, but the kids today stay indoors hooked to their technology and now possess a sense of entitlement. They cannot possibly relate to the world of yesteryear where you were adventurous and took responsibility for your actions. Government at all levels has evolved into an incredible bureaucracy with a mind-boggling number of laws, rules and regulations aimed at stifling business and frustrating ambition. And our morality has shifted to the point where a person’s word is no longer their bond and we are suspicious of the motives of others.

So, were things really simpler in the good old days? Our predecessors probably asked the same question years ago. With every new technology comes another level of complexity which youth can more readily adapt to than their elders. Although technology may simplify some things, it complicates others. While today’s computers and smart phones have enhanced communications and expedited administrative tasks, people have developed an addiction which seems to have altered their personalities, interpersonal relationships and priorities. There is even a lack of concern regarding current events, and our youth has no interest in news.

As we grow older the differences between then and now becomes more apparent, but it is too late to change it back, you must go forward. I have also learned you do not truly appreciate the simplicity of the past until you’ve survived into the future. If you have no knowledge of the past, you have nothing to compare the present to and no appreciation of simpler times. To today’s youth, these are the good old days. Anything before is lost on them. They may be proficient in social media and computer games, but they will never appreciate the sheer joy of capturing a firefly, whittling, building a campfire, reading a book, or running a “pickle.” It’s the little things that make life enjoyable, not its complexities. The older generation may not be as proficient in the use of technology, but they didn’t suffer from all of today’s anxieties, allergies, obsessions and disorders either. Back then, there was no such thing as OCD, PTSD, BDD, bulimia, Prozac or Cialis. Instead, we had such things as Scouting, 4H, dime stores, Tarzan, J.C. Higgins, Louisville Sluggers, the YMCA, and God.

Keep the Faith!


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Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He is also the Secretary of Dunedin Lodge No. 192 F.& A.M. in Florida.  He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

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Freemason RC Priest Relieved Of His Priestly Duties Walks 39 Days For Audience With The Pope

French Roman Catholic priest Father Pascal Vesin had served his parish in Sainte-Anne d’Arly Montjoie in the Alpine resort of Megéve since 2004, almost 10 years. That is until this spring when the Church discovered that he is a Freemason.  Father Vesin is a member of the Grand Orient de France’ That watchdog of the church, The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith asked for his resignation in March. Three members of the diocese of Annecy then met with him but Father Vesin said he would not leave the Lodge.

Father Pascal Vesin is seen outside his church in Megeve

Father Pascal Vesin is seen outside his church in Megeve

So in May Vesin was removed of all Priestly duties by his Bishop. He appealed for a hearing with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, but was turned down. He wrote to the Pope saying that he was “wounded by the injustice’ and requested a reversal of the decision. To no avail.  Not willing to give up Vesin set out on foot leaving the town in the Haute Savoie region of France on July 14th for a hike through the Alps – final destination, The Vatican in Rome, Italy. Before leaving he blogged to his congregation, “This adventure is a step towards openness, dialogue and debate.” Bringing nothing but a knapsack, his journey took 39 days before arriving in St. Peter’s Square where he hoped for an audience with the Pope.

“I hope I am received by Pope Francis or one of his secretaries” a very tired Vesin said when he got there.

“I feel my initiative is in synch with what this new pope is preaching and seems to be starting.”

Conservative Sectarian Christianity’s main criticism of Freemasonry is that it’s a false religion. But Vesin belongs to The Grand Orient of France where there is no test for a belief in Deity. Funny looking religion that doesn’t require a belief in God. But there always seems to be another charge that authorities can levy.

Father Vesin has a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pascal.vesin?fref=ts

After his 900km walk from Megeve, France to the Vatican, he still awaits an audience with Pope Francis.

Labor Day and the Masonic Nexus

Equality, Fraternity, Justice and Labor.

Can America celebrate Labor Day without celebrating the Laborer?

Could there be a connection between Labor Day and Freemasonry through which they share an intersection in the forgotten halls of history and why we celebrate this national American holiday?

The U.S. Department of Labor defines the Labor Day holiday as a day

…dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

As a day to recognize the common laborer in America, Labor Day can be traced to 1882 when it was first proposed as a holiday by machinist Matthew Maguire who proposed the idea while serving as the secretary of the Central Labor Union of New York.  In just a short time the momentum to make the day a National Holiday grew to a crescendo on the heels of the violent conflict between rail workers and the US military in 1894.

Stemming from, essentially, an unfair control of labor and housing, the Pullman Strike began as the result of a refusal to include reductions in housing costs for the laid-off workers forced to live in the company town of Pullman, today a suburb of Chicago in Illinois.

The town, George Pullman envisioned, would be

a model community, a total environment, superior to that available to the working class elsewhere…[from which] he hoped to avoid strikes, attract the most skilled workers and attain greater productivity as a result of the better health, environment and spirit of his employees.

When laid off workers, who had been forced to live in company housing, were let go the company who owned the town (and the housing therein) refused to lower their rents on company owned properties. The result of the layoff and unaltered rents created undue hardships for the laid off workers and their families who had few options because of the sudden loss of income. Company owner George Pullman refused to address the issue, or go into arbitration over it, prompting a wildcat strike with the local Pullman Palace Car Company.

Drawing from Machinists’ monthly journal, Volume 27, By International Association of Machinists, page 413, 1915, from Wikipedia.

Gradually the work stoppage grew into a national strike organized by the American Railway Union reaching its height when it became a national boycott that included train stoppages through the efforts of close to 250,000 workers in 27 states disrupting national transportation lines, and consequently mail delivery.

With a growing strike, the Federal Government under President Grover Cleveland, procured a court injunction and moved in with the Army to end the boycott and alleviate the obstruction of trains which (carrying mail) ultimately cost $80,000,000 in damage due to riots and sabotage. In the end 13 strikers lay dead and another 57 wounded.

At its conclusion the U.S. Army, with its court injunction, broke the blockade of trains in Lockwood, Montana, precipitating the end of the strike.

In the end the union was dissolved, the trains were moving, mail began to flow, the American Railway Union leader was imprisoned and American workers were given Labor Day as a national holiday six days following the collapse of the strike. 

Interesting to note, President Grover Cleveland, with the full support of Congress, unanimously voted to create the Labor Day holiday we celebrate today in a conciliatory gesture towards American Labor.

In its foundation, the national celebration of the holiday was to exhibit “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations, with the Sunday before the Holiday a Labor Sunday, dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.”

So how does Freemasonry factor into the complex composition of the creation of this national Holiday?

The Masonic Connection

George Mortimer Pullman

As it turns out, the city of Pullman,and its parent company, the Pullman Palace Car Company, were founded by Freemason George Pullman, a member of Renovation Lodge No. 97, in Albion, New York.

Pullman established Pullman Palace Car Company in 1862 with the goal of building luxury train cars with all the amenities of the day. 

In support of his early factory, the Pullman Company constructed a company town, uniquely named Pullman, within which some 4,000 acres housed 6,000 company employees and their dependents, many of whom were at the center of the Pullman Strike and the creation of Labor Day. 

In one entry about the town, it is suggested that employees were required to live in the town even when cheaper housing was nearby.  Reading the Wikipedia entry on the Pullman Company, its easy to see today how the conflict of corporate and worker interest would conflict. It reads:

The company built a company town, Pullman, Illinois on 4,000 acres (16 km²), 14 mi (23 km) south of Chicago in 1880. The town, entirely company-owned, provided housing, markets, a library, churches and entertainment for the 6,000 company employees and an equal number of dependents. Employees were required to live in Pullman, despite the fact that cheaper rentals could be found in nearby communities. One employee is quoted as saying “We are born in a Pullman house, fed from the Pullman shops, taught in the Pullman school, catechized in the Pullman Church, and when we die we shall go to the Pullman Hell”. Alcohol was prohibited in the town, as George Pullman found it a distasteful habit for his workers; though it was available in the company’s Hotel Florence, primarily for the benefit of the hotel guests as it was generally too expensive for laborers.

Pullman, a member of Renovation Lodge No. 97, Albion, New York, in his construction of the city of Pullman converted the swampy southern Chicago landscape into a planned industrial town complete with facilities for a Masonic Temple. The temple housed Palace Lodge No. 765, A.F. & A.M., Pullman R.A.M. Chapter, and Woodlawn-Imperial R. & S.M. Council.

Such was Pullman’s association with Freemasonry that in 1894 he was given a Masonic Cornerstone laying ceremony in honor of his father, Lewis Pullman (also a Freemason), which hosted two hundred Masons from Albion, Medina, Holley, and Lockport who processed along the Main Street for the cornerstone ceremony at Pullman Memorial Universalist Church of Albion, New York, today part of the Unitarian Universalist tradition.

The Labor Connection

Eugene V. Debs

On the other side of the labor dispute was labor leader Eugene V. Debs.  Also a man of great passion, Debs was a man possessed with the welfare and well being of the worker who was greatly involved in the developing American labor movements making five runs for the White House under the Socialist Party, his 1912 run receiving 5.99% of the popular vote on a working man political ticket.  While not a Freemason, Debs was an interesting luminary becoming, the most well known socialist living in America.  As the organizer behind the Pullman Strike and boycott, Debs served a six month jail sentence for violating the federal injunction.

While Debs has no Masonic connection, what is interesting to note are his many associations that were grounded in the foundation of fraternal brotherhood namely in the trade unions which you can see carry the earmarks of that mystical chain of union in his  own motto of “Equality, fraternity and justice.” 

Personal ideals aside, Debs held memberships in several national unions including the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, Brotherhood of Railway Firemen, the Industrial Workers of the World, and, of course, the American Railway Union.  Through those affiliations, you can get a sense of his passion for epitomizing what it means to be in fellowship with those you are in union with.

Ultimately, Debs passion was the betterment of the working class based on fairness, the basis for which he found in his saying “Those who produce should have, but we know that those who produce the most – that is, those who work hardest, and at the most difficult and most menial tasks, have the least.”  This could, perhaps, summarize his involvement with the labor movements.  Today, Debs work is remembered through a Terre Haute Indiana foundation founded in his name, The Eugene V. Debs Foundation, whose mission is to “keep alive the spirit of progressivism, humanitarianism and social criticism epitomized by Debs.

From these two, Pullman and Debs, we can see parallels in passion for brotherhood and, while at odds with the promulgation of those passions, both at the nexus of recognizing the importance of Labor in America.  Pullman, a Freemason, saw at some level the importance of the spiritual need to belong to a fraternal chain of union and Debs the physical political manifestation of that ideal in the real life condition of workers in brotherhood raising the common lot of those whose blood and sweat continue to serve the growth of American prosperity.

From their intersection of history, the Pullman and Debs conflict gave us the Labor Day holiday so that while we take a much appreciated rest at the end of summer we can celebrate the esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations whose efforts have given us this day to be celebrated.

Happy Labor Day.

double headed eagle

Mainstream Scottish Rite Recognizes Prince Hall Scottish Rite In All States

From Federal Lodge No 1  Washington, D.C.

“Exciting news today from Washington D.C.! The Supreme Council, 33º, of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, and Mother Supreme Council of the World, in session this week, announced that it is formally recognizing the Prince Hall Scottish Rite Supreme Council. Further, the Sovereign Grand Commander for the Northern Jurisdiction said that if the Southern Jurisdiction recognizes the Prince Hall Supreme Council, they would do it also.”

Those who watched the streaming session of the Supreme Council Southern Jurisdiction saw this announcement live. You can re-watch that HERE: http://www.realworldstreaming.com/scottishrite/ This announcement was made Monday, August  26, 2013 by SGC Southern Jurisdiction  Ill. Ronald A. Seale, 33º and seconded by SGC Northern Jurisdiction  Ill. John William McNaughton, 33° and presented to Prince Hall SGC Ill Deary Vaughn, 33°.

Scottish Rite

Scottish Rite Sovereign Grand Commander of the Southern Jurisdiction, Ill Ronald A Seale

Finally the leadership at the top has responded. This has breakthrough ramifications for those Confederate states that still refuse to recognize Prince Hall. If the Scottish Rite Bodies in these states recognize each other how can the Blue Lodges not do the same? This breaks the back of objections to mutual recognition throughout the United States between Prince Hall Freemasonry and Mainstream Freemasonry. It clears the way for all Mainstream Grand Lodges in the United States to recognize all Prince Hall Grand Lodges with mutual visitation included.

Freemason Tim Bryce.

How Much Do We Really Use Our Head?

Not as much as you may think.
BRYCE ON MANAGEMENT

Ever wonder what goes through people’s heads? Or maybe you have heard yourself say, “What the hell are you thinking of?” It shouldn’t come as a surprise to find a lot of people don’t use their head during the day. A couple of years ago I wrote a paper entitled, “Increasing Brain Power.” Although the intent of the paper was to suggest ideas for sharpening worker acuity, I made the observation we typically don’t use our head as much as we assume we do.

First, we typically rest or sleep for eight hours each day whereby the brain is not truly engaged. We then spend eight hours for work and eight hours for personal time. In the typical work day, office workers are normally 70% effective, meaning they spend about five and a half hours on productive work. During personal time, we perform pet projects and hobbies, pay the bills, run errands, attend a meeting or function, relax, and wake up or go to sleep. During this time we typically spend two hours on concentrated work. All of this means in a typical work day, we only spend about eight hours to really exercise the brain, but from a management perspective, we can expect to get only three hours at peak performance. Actually, this number fluctuates based on how well the worker is able to engage the brain. Some people are able to engage their brains for several hours, some for only an hour, and some not at all.

I guess what I am getting at is that people tend to operate at a primal level most of the day representing nothing more than their basic instincts and reflex actions (I call this the “autopilot” mode). We see this on our commutes to and from work, we see it as we shop in stores, and we see it as we “zone out” watching television. Basically, people prefer to tune out than to tune in to what is going on. As a systems man, I tend to make the analogy that we take in more input than we produce output. Because of this, we are highly susceptible to subliminal messages from the media and are easily influenced.

We commonly make extensive use of technology to assist us at work, but because technology often supersedes our thought processes, it actually causes us to be less sharp intellectually. To illustrate, not long ago a study was performed by Kings College in London for Hewlett Packard, the purpose of which was to study the effect of technology on worker performance. According to Dr. Glenn Wilson, the author of the study: “Results showed clearly that technological distraction diminished IQ test performance.” Basically, the study said excessive use of technology can have an adverse effect on a person’s brain power. This is somewhat disturbing as technology permeates our society.

So, the next time you have a confrontation with the human animal, just remember they are probably not operating at the same level as you are; they could be a lot smarter or a lot dumber than they may appear.

Keep the Faith!

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Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

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Freemason Tim Bryce.

Personal Peccadilloes

BRYCE ON FAMILY & TRAVEL
– Why we behave the way we do under close quarters.

Holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas typically bring members of the family together, as does family vacations and anniversaries. Inevitably, family members open their homes and share quarters with loved ones traveling from out of town. Perhaps you’ll go home to see your parents and stay in your old room or stay with one of your siblings. Such close quarters are certainly appreciated, but they also have a tendency to drive people crazy, both the host and the guest, regardless how much we love our family.

As creatures of habit, we all have our own unique set of nuances we like to live by, particularly at home. Such habits may seem insignificant, but we begin to feel inhibited when we try to live in close quarters with someone else. In other words, we have to be on our best behavior and cannot truly relax as we normally would. To illustrate:

* Meal time can be awkward as people have different eating customs. For example, some people will eat a hearty breakfast, others something simple, and some not at all. Some like coffee, others want tea or just some juice of some kind. It all makes for some awkward moments for people in the kitchen. Some people like to eat strange snacks and consume beverages during off hours. What is normal to one person appears strange to others. The time at which we eat can also become an issue, as well as the types of food and restaurants we like. Trying to plan an evening dinner to accommodate everyone’s tastes and timetables can become as complicated as planning D-Day.

* In terms of bathroom decorum we have to observe different customs of using the shower, the “facilities,” towels and trash, and general cleanliness. Some people are slobs, others are neat freaks, neither of which are compatible.

* Even the act of washing clothes can become awkward. Some people like to wash small loads, others large. Then there is the matter of the water temperature and the amount of detergent to use. I realize it sounds rather petty, but such nuances drive some people crazy.

* Then there is the matter of what clothes to wear for certain occasions. Regardless of how old you are, your mother will inevitably comment, “You’re not going out dressed like that are you?” Even the comfortable clothes you want to wear around the house comes under scrutiny.

* Maintaining the bedroom can also become a problem. Some people like to live in pigpens, others are more tidy. Believe me, the differences between hosts and guests are considerable. Some hosts insist on sacrificing their own bedrooms to allow their guests maximum comfort. Inevitably, guests cannot relax in fear they may do something wrong in the inner sanctum, and hosts toss and turn uncomfortably on sleep sofas with metal bars sticking in their spines. It’s a no-win scenario no matter what you do.

* There are many other idiosyncrasies observed, such as talking too much or too little or at the wrong time, smoking, imbibing a drink, eating too much or too little, what you eat versus what you don’t, how you exercise (or not), how the coffee is made, what vitamins and medication you are taking, what you watch on television, what time you rise in the morning and retire at night, even how you drive your own car.

We all have unique peculiarities we like to live by and when we get together with family members we try to bite our tongues for the sake of harmony. However, I’ve observed some people are more accommodating than others. If you are the guest, you have to respect the wishes of your hosts, and; if you are the hosts, you have to tolerate the nuances of your guests. Compromise is the order of the day in such situations. You do not want to become an intruding pest regardless of the role you are playing.

In the end, we are all greatly relieved when the family disperses and everyone returns home. Guests are delighted to return to the routine of their own domain, and hosts are relieved to see their households return to normal.

We don’t really want to become pests to other people, but because of our peculiarities we cannot help it. Perhaps the worst thing though is to overstay your welcome and get under the skin of your family. If you are going to be in close quarters for an extended period of time, let me suggest you do it on neutral ground, such as in a hotel in another city, or on a cruise ship, where someone else will be charged with looking after your foibles. Otherwise, it is not uncommon for family members to start bickering amongst themselves, gossiping, and animosity inevitably grows into rage. This is why we should avoid “family” restaurants; there’s a fight at every table. Such is the price of our personal peccadilloes.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.