Robert Davis 33°, GC, Secretary of the Guthrie Oklahoma Scottish Rite

Brother Bob Davis 33°

Join us in this episode as we meet and talk with Robert Davis 33°. Together in this episode, Greg and Dean go deep with Br. Davis on his intimate family connections with Freemasonry, the Guthrie Scottish Rite, and the future of Freemasonry in Oklahoma and the rest of the nation.

Br. Robert is the author of Understanding Manhood in America and the writer behind the blog Papers of Robert G. Davis. Who can argue that experience and leadership are two of the most fundamental elements of a successful lodge, but how do you develop those elements? Leading change is one way, but not in a destructive manner, which is at the heart of this interview.

In our discussion we focus on Oklahoma Masonry, the Guthrie College of the Consistory study program, the role of the “mature masculine” in Freemasonry, and his thoughts on the future of Craft.

In this program we talk about the Guthrie Scottish Rite and its College of the Consistory program and touch on a wide range of topics, including:

  • Br. Davis’s history in Freemasonry and the factors in his life that led him to it.
  • The relationship between the quest of manhood and the role Freemasonry plays in it.
  • Leadership and successful lodges at the local level.
  • How to bring change to lodge (when change is desired) and
  • How activity breeds activity in any organization

Without a doubt you will find a point of deep connection to Br. Davis and with what he has to say.  He is probably as traditional as traditional Masonry gets but with an open stance of improving the fraternity and seeing it grow in the future.  At his core is the identity of the masculine male, manhood, and the recovery of that role in America today.

More on the web:

https://robertgdavis.net/about/
https://www.gloklahoma.com/member/robert-g-davis/

This show was originally recorded November 2, 2008, at 6PM PST on the Masonic Central Podcast.

Masonic Central Podcast

Right Worshipful Thomas W. Jackson on Masonic Central

Tom Jackson

Join us on this episode, originally recorded on Sunday, October 26, 2008, as the engage with ​Ill. Thomas W. Jackson, 33°, the pastGrand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and the Honorary President of the World Conference of Freemasons. In this episode, we dig deep into the quality and quantity of fraternal membership, masonic charity, and male freemasonry working with female Freemasonry.

As Masonic resumes go, Br. Jackson’s takes four pages to list his achievements, and I assure you it is not a list of grand titles and dues cards receipts. Br. Tom has been recognized and is an honorary member of more than a dozen international Grand Lodges around the world.

At the time of the recording Tom was the Secretary of the World Conference of Masonic Grand Lodges and formerly the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, and those titles pale in comparison with is insight into Freemasonry today. In the show we focus on world of Freemasonry in general and North American Freemasonry in particular.

Some of the topics we discuss are:

  • The differences in Masonry around the world.
  • The role of the conference of Masonic Grand Lodges.
  • The idea of a Masonic Renaissance man.
  • Freemasonry at home and abroad in the next 10, 25, and 50 years.
  • How can you, the listener, change the ills that plague Freemasonry today.

Having taken the opportunity to speak to Brother Tom and hearing his thoughts about these topics, I’m sure you’ll agree that he is without a doubt a man worth listening to.

This show was originally recorded October 26th, at 6PM PST on the Masonic Central Pod Cast to get a close up look on the world view of Freemasonry.

On a personal note this was, at the time, one of the most memorable conversations I’ve had about Freemasonry and remains one of the most impactful. In this conversation, Jackson clearly (and profoundly) articulates the past, present and future challenges of the fraternity. This is well worth the listen.

More on the web:
Sending A Message of Unanimity
The State of Contemporary American Freemasonry

Masonic Central Podcast

Stephen Dafoe

Stephen Dafoe

In this episode of Masonic Central, originally recorded on October 12, 2008, Greg and Dean are joined by the esteemed author and historian Stephen Dafoe. We dig into all things Templar delving into their historic past and their meaningful significance to Freemasonry today.

It was a great discussion and one sure to illuminate the wide topic of the Knights Templar and Freemasonry.

Some of the topics we dig into include:

The road from batman to Freemasonry

  • Why he joined the fraternity
  • His Templar comic Outremer
  • Why Friday the 13th is so memorable
  • Knights Templar vs. Knight Hospitallers
  • The Mystery of Oak Island

Stephen brings the Templars down to earth and helps shake the illusion of bigger than life personalities that pervade current portrayals of the mythic knighthood. As a bonus, this was a fun episode to record and listen to and it comes out in the conversation. Stephen is a great voice to listen to and Dean and Greg cut it up like they always do. Plus, a few guests pop in with questions and we get down to the real meaning history and secrets of Baphomet!

More from Stephen Dafoe:

More on the web about Stephen Dafoe.

Table Talk Technology and Modern Masonry.

What type of tools do you need to run your Lodge at maximum efficiency? Are there tools to better administer committees, and communication to members? How can we link the membership back into the lodge? This week on Masonic Central we want to look at the various types of tools available on line for for use in the administration and communication in the lodge environment. Listen in on the live show and put in your ¢.02 on what has worked for you and your lodge.

The technology is out there and we want to make some sense of it to make it easier for you to use.

Join us this Sunday at 6PM PST / 9PM EST on Masonic Central as our brother Tim Bryce steps in as a guest host on our famous table talk open forum to tackle the subject of the different types of technology available today.

Masonic Central Podcast

Nelson King and the Philalethes Society

Freemason Nelson King
Br. Nelson King

In this episode we are joined by Brother Nelson King who is the past President and Editor of The Philalethes Society Journal of Masonic Research and Letters, and the first non-United States Citizen to hold those positions. King was the second Mason to ever hold the position of President and Editor of The Philalethes at the same time. In June 2009 Br. King retired to focus on his work with Masonic Relief for Cuba, where he is the Executive Director.

Br. King is a veteran in the halls of Freemasonry, recorded in numerous affiliations across North American Masonry, and is well known for his public oratory, writing proficiency, and capable research.

During the program we discuss The Philalethes Society which was founded on October 1, 1928, and has published numerous articles by and for its members. For many years it was voted the best Masonic publication in the world as its sole purpose was to act as a clearinghouse for Masonic knowledge through the exchange of ideas, researching the problems confronting Freemasonry, and conveying them back to the Masonic world.

Some of the broad areas we cover include:

  • South American Masonry
  • The idea of Masonry and the Cuban revolution
  • The role of the Philalethes Society in comparison to Quatuor Coronati
  • Masonic Scholarship, then and now

Our conversation with Brother King focused tightly on several areas which are little discussed in wide circles including the present the state of Masonic research, Freemasonry in Cuba, the role of the Philalathes Society, and contemporary Masonic research in general.

It is one of the most illuminating conversations on the craft.

This show was originally recorded September 21st , at 6PM PST on the Masonic Central Podcast.

Br. Nelson King passed on August 17, 2011, at age 66.

From his website (now archived):

Nelson King was Born June 13, 1945 in Montreal, received his primary education in Perth Ontario, and graduated from Banting Institute, University of Toronto, 1967. Married to Ellen, and has two children, Christopher, and Victoria and two granddaughters. Nelson was appointed Assistant Editor in 1992 and Editor in August 1994] of The Philalethes Society Journal of Masonic Research and Letters, the first non-United States Citizen to hold these positions

He is also only the second Mason to ever hold the position of President and Editor of The Philalethes at the same time. Nelson is a well-known Masonic speaker, having spoken in the jurisdictions of Alberta, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Costa Rica, Cuba, The District of Columbia, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Jamacia [EC], Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.

Nelson developed the highly successful Internet Masonic Leadership Course. His book Confessions of a Born Again Fundamentalist Freemason has become a Masonic Best Seller. VoicePrint®, The National Broadcast Reading Service Inc. an international broadcasting reading service for the visually impaired has recorded some of his historical articles. Nelson was instrumental if the formation of the Masonic Relief for Cuba Committee. And he serves as the Executive Director of that program. He is also one of the few Canadian Freemasons, listed in latest Edition of the “Who is Who of Freemasonry”.

Masonic Central Pod-Cast Talk Show

What is Masonic Central?
Masonic Central if an interview based weekly pod-cast talk show made by Freemasons for Freemasons. It is hosted by Greg Stewart and Dean Kennedy (see below for bios), and is recorded in front of a live audience of brothers and other interested guests. The show is broadcast LIVE on Sunday evenings at 6pm PST, and available afterward for streaming or download. To see a Calendar of upcoming show, visit our show website at MasonicCentral.com.

The show is hosted on a unique website for people to participate in live interactive pod casts called Talkshoe. You can listen along to a live or to a previously recorded program. Hundreds of people can talk and interact live, thousands can listen in by audio streaming and you can download a pod-cast of the recorded show.

The Player Widget.
This widget allows your visitors to be able to listen directly from the site in which it resides, and it provides call in and participation information for our program.

You can use the player on the left of this page. Click the large arrow button to stream the show, or use the pull down arrow to select a past episode of the show to to play NOW on your computer.

Download
You can also Download a copy of the show to play on your MP3 Player or IPod.
To download the show, first go to the shows Talkshoe website.
Halfway down the page look for Past Shows.
Select the show you desire, then click on the download icon.

Also, you can find us on Itunes by doing an Itunes search for Masonic Central and stream the shows on your computer or download to take them with you.

How to participate in a Masonic Central Live Show.
To call into the show when it is live, dial 724-444-7444 And the Talkshoe Call in ID 19162

To participate in a call via phone only, dial +1-724-444-7444 and when prompted, enter the Call ID 19162 followed by #. If prompted for a PIN, enter the 10-digit PIN you selected (typically your phone number), or enter 1# if you don’t know it.

To participate in the studio audience, call 15 minutes prior to the show going “live” which is at the scheduled time of the show.

If you want to join in the chat-room during the show, and appear with your name, you need to create an account on talkshoe, which is very fast and easy. To create a Talkshoe account, go to talkshoe.com and sign up, then follow the link back to our show from the show posting.

How do I participate in a call if I do not have access to P.C. at time of call?
You do not need a computer to call in. To participate in a call via phone only, at the time of the call, dial +1-724-444-7444 and when prompted, enter the Call ID 19162 followed by #. If prompted for a PIN, enter the 10-digit PIN you selected (typically your phone number), or enter 1# if you don’t know it.

Who are the hosts of Masonic Central?
Greg Stewart is the host and editor of Masonic Central. He is a 32nd degree Master Mason form the Grand Lodge of California and is a member of Hollywood Lodge No. 355 in Tarzana California. In addition to Masonic Central, he is the writer of the Masonic Blog Masonic Traveler, and the editor of the Masonic Information site Freemason Information. Outside of the pod-cast, Greg belongs to several Masonic bodies and is active in his lodge as the chair of several committees. Outside of Freemasonry, Greg is a Brand Manager, Graphic Designer, and web developer. He is very passionate about Freemasonry, history, religion, and their contributions to the fraternity.

To contact Greg, you can send him an email at Masonic Traveler

Dean is the co-host and producer of Masonic Central. He is a past master, Shriner and 14th degree Master Mason from the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia, Canada. He is a proud member of Ad Astra Lodge #130 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. As well he owns a blog called Freemason’s Corner. Outside of Masonry Dean is a father of two (three in a month) and a business owner. He is a benefits consultant/insurance broker. When he is done with that he is running his other business, an e-marketing firm.

To contact Dean, you can send him an email at Dean kennedy

Masonic Central Podcast

Masonic Central at the Movies

Its MOVIE TIME!

Join Greg and Dean in this episode recorded on September 14, 2008, as the show wanders into the film cinema sphere to talk about three of the most iconic masonic films: The Man Who Would be King, Rosewood and National Treasure. This episode has a few “surprise” guests that jump on the air and build on the conversation. Plus we go deep on Sean Connery and his possible connection to Freemasonry (and his hairy chest).

Its something that all Freemasons like to talk about in lodges, during meetings, and on the web, so lets take a minute and look at three films that have Freemasonry at their core, but in three very unique ways.

The movies on the table for the talk are:

The Man Who Would be King

An adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling story of the same name. This is one of those films that Freemasons love–not just for the masonic connection but for the depth of the story around it. The Man Who Would Be King is almost a perfect film, with or without the masonic connection.

National Treasure

Set in a fictional universe, the film’s over the top plot and heroic depiction of the fraternity as the keepers of the Templar Treasure. This film was more valuable than any marketing or advertising the fraternity could have purchased generating years of interest and resulting in a decade of interest in the “secrets” that Freemasonry holds, for better or worse.

Rosewood

The film is not Masonic, per-se, but Freemasonry is an underlying central theme to the story. Prince Hall and Grand Lodge Masonry as they twist together resulting in the destruction of the Black community of the films namesake. This film, while dramatic, is the telling of a real story about the destruction of the Florida community in 1923.

The Man Who Would Be King Freemasonry connection.
National Treasure and its connection to Freemasonry.
the film Rosewood and its connection to Freemasonry.

If you’ve been a mason for any length of time, you’re probably had the chance to watch one or two of these films already. I guarantee it will make for a fun conversation delving into one or all of them.

More Masonic Films.

Masonic Central podcast

Adam Kendall, Curator for the Grand Lodge of California

Listen in as Masonic Central talks with the Curator of Collections, Adam Kendall, with the Henry Wilson Coil Library & Museum of Freemasonry for the Grand Lodge of F. & A.M. of California.

Some of the topics in the discussion will be:

  • Programs of California Grand Lodge
  • The now past Freemasonry and Women Symposium
  • Henry Wilson Coil Library
  • Who was H.W. Coil?
  • Why a library?
  • How California is entering the 21st century.
  • Symbolism in Masonry-its importance (or unimportance)?
  • Ideas on how to help foster Masonic education in lodges?
  • The Masonic Society
  • One-Day Classes and their merits.
  • And some ideas about the future of Masonry.

Adam is a very knowledgeable Freemason and with a definitive “left” coast perspective coming from one of the larger Grand Lodge jurisdictions. It’s going to be a great program and one not to be missed!

Masonic Central Podcast

Paul Bessel and Jerry Samet join Masonic Central

In this episode of Masonic Central, we are joined by Paul Bessel and Jerry Samet who are both prominent Masons in their own right, with Br. Paul having served in 7 Grand lodge offices under the Grand Lodge of Washington DC and Br. Jerry as the Past Grand Master of Washington DC. If those titles were not emphasis enough, Br. Paul is a prolific author and collector of Masonic information, which he publishes on his Masonic website www.bessel.org as well as in print in his 2005 book Masonic Questions and Answers.

Together we talk about some of the deepest topics of Masonry today, including past and present segregation that exists in Freemasonry and their work to better integrate the fraternity and broaden its recognition of Prince Hall Masonry. In the discussion we discover both their successes and failures of the of the concept of modern Grand Master Classes , also known as “One Day Classes”, and we explore some ideas on how to make Masonry interesting and more enjoyable for its members.

In the conversation we delve more deeply into some hot issues of the day including:

  • Racism and Freemasonry
  • The future of the fraternity, and how it will survive.
  • The values and need for the one day class.
  • The role of the web and Freemasonry to broaden and spread Masonic knowledge.
  • And the ever contentious doctrine of Exclusive Territorial Jurisdiction.
  • And the asking of men to become members.

Without a doubt this conversation will open your eyes and raise some eyebrows on the subject matter we covered, no matter what side of the fence you reside. At their heart, these are some very key issues that the fraternity has started to face, but will with increasing frequency, more in years to come.

The original program was recorded August 31, 2008 at 6 PM PST on the Masonic Central podcast.

Jerry Samet passed away in December, 2020.

Jennifer Emick on Masonic Central

Listen as Masonic Central talks to the former about.com alternative religion guide Jennifer Emick, originally recorded on August 24th, 2008

From Jennifer’s bio on about.com:

Jennifer has promoted religious understanding for twenty years, writing for a number of websites and periodicals. During her seven years with About, Jennifer has made numerous radio, newspaper, and pod cast appearances, and consulted with law enforcement agencies around the world on religious ritual and symbolism.

Jennifer is the author of the upcoming Everything Book of Celtic Wisdom.

And from Jennifer Emick:

About Alternative Religion exists to provide everyone from the casual reader to the serious seeker with unbiased, fair, and understandable information about religion’s less-traveled paths, from Asatru to Zoroastrianism and everything in between. About Alternative Religion is the most used resource on the internet for religious symbolism.

“Tolerance of the views and beliefs of others is the first step toward understanding; understanding is the first step toward peace. Tolerance does not mean accepting another person’s beliefs, but recognizing their right to have those beliefs.”

On the show we plan to talk about the many aspects of alternative religion on the net, her work on the about.com site, and why it exists. Some interesting areas to cover will be comparative religion, Hermetics, Gnosticism, and how they relate to Freemasonry (and if so why).

Listen to the program NOW!

Download the Show here.