Category Archives: The Bee Hive

Posts by Frederic L. Milliken – Through the beehive, Fred brings inspiring, provocative, and controversial posts sure to make you think. In his posts, The Beehive is a place of sharing Brotherly Love, Affection and to approach the controversial with the motto “Damn the torpedoes, full Speed ahead!”

Why? C.A.U.S.E. That’s Why

Posted on by | 13 Comments

Awhile back the Mainstream Grand Master of Arkansas visited the Grand Session of Arizona.  However, he refused to attend any of the ceremonies or meetings of the Grand Session because there were Black PHA Masons present in a tyled Lodge.  He only attended the Grand Session dinner because it was not a tyled session.

Arkansas is Imploding

I passed on this story when it came out because I had just released the Derek Gordon story not long before and I didn’t want to just sit back and constantly nitpick by taking pot shots at Arkansas every other week.  However further developments in the whole Arkansas approach to Freemasonry compels me to once again comment on the situation in that state. At the same time nobody seems to care or think it applicable to their Freemasonry.  Consequently Arkansas Mainstream keeps on imploding while the rest of us in Freemasonry have no comment nor take any action. So once again The Beehive will report what is happening in hopes that someday, someone will think it important enough to do something.

The Arizona story was published by that fine Masonic blogger “The Burning Taper” in his piece “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner?” and here is what he had to say on the subject.

It seems many rank-and-file Masons, in many locales, are becoming more and more fed up with the actions of Grand Lodge leaders.

This short article was sent to The Burning Taper recently. The author wishes to remain anonymous, for fear of retribution for reporting events and expressing his opinion.

Arizona Grand Lodge Annual Communication began with the Royal Banquet on Wednesday evening, June 2, 2010 prior to the official opening of proceedings on Thursday morning.

The Head Table consisted of Arizona Grand Lodge officers and their wives. Seated near them were the visiting dignitaries representing various Masonic grand lodge jurisdictions. There were 13 listed on the list handed out to all attending members. Most were “line” officers representing their State or jurisdiction with two currently sitting grand masters.

The two grand masters attending the Banquet were Most Worshipful Martin E. Warren, Grand Master of Masons from the Grand Lodge, F&AM of Arkansas, and Most Worshipful Lewis R. Brent, Grand Master of Masons from the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Arizona. They were not seated at the same table.

When the Grand Lodge opened in Due Form in the 3rd Degree on Thursday morning the MW Lewis R. Brent from Prince Hall was present, but the MW Martin E. Warren was conspicuously absent. He was not seen in any of the subsequent tiled lodge meetings all day Friday or on Saturday.

It is the custom of the Grand Lodge that, when a pedestal officer (Grand Master, Senior Warden and Junior Warden) leave their stations during the proceedings that they place the Jewel of their office on one of the brothers in the room.

Several times during the proceedings on both days, the Senior Grand Warden Brook Cunningbrook chose a highly decorated Phoenix policeman, who is a member of one of the Arizona F&AM lodges and had been shot in the line of duty, to sit high on the chair located on a pedestal in the West to replace him temporarily. He is black.

There were two other black members of Arizona F&AM lodges present and the Senior Grand Warden had them also replace him in the West. It is quite an honor to do this.

In this case, in my opinion anyway, it was kind of an “in your face” type of gesture to some of the members of the Arizona jurisdiction who have moved to Arizona from one of the 10 states that do not recognize Prince Hall and have complained about having to sit in a lodge with a black man. Whether it was directed towards the Grand Master of Arkansas, I can only speculate.

What’s interesting about this is that the Grand Master of Arkansas spent the money to fly to Arizona only to have dinner. Since it is customary for Grand Lodges to pay for the travel expenses of their grand masters, I wonder if the brethren of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas got their monies worth. Since he did not attend any of the business meetings by sitting in a tiled lodge with a black man but only attended the social functions, it seems to me that he spent a lot of money just for a free dinner and drinks, even if the cost came out of his own pocket.

This obviously was an example of the kind of “Imperial Leadership” prevalent in many jurisdictions and is not restricted to Arkansas alone.

More recently another source, who will remain nameless to protect him from expulsion, alleges that Van Buren Lodge of Mainstream Arkansas planned a visit to view The Oklahoma Native American Indian Degree Team perform in Heavener, Oklahoma. When the Worshipful Master of Van Buren Lodge found out that Black Masons would be present he canceled the trip. Furthermore it is alleged that Arkansas Mainstream Masons present at this decision repeated an Arkansas Grand Lodge directive that prohibits any Masons from the Grand Lodge of Arkansas attending any Masonic functions where Black Masons are present.

This source also contends that the Mainstream Grand Lodge of Arkansas is lying to its membership. He points out that the Grand Lodge Grand Session Minutes of 2010 show lawsuits being won by the GL when if you look for those lawsuits using legal aides, you can see that ARGL lost. Its reminiscent to me of of Orwell’s 1984.

This continuous bloodletting by Mainstream Arkansas has led to the spawning of a support group for suspended and expelled Arkansas Masons. Its name is C.A.U.S.E.

Concerned
About
Unlawful
Suspensions
Expulsions

This group meets in secret as any current members of the Grand Lodge would be expelled.  It also is a service only  available to unjustly suspended and expelled Arkansas Masons and specifically excludes any so dropped for moral turpitude.

Its purposes and objectives are:

  1. Support group
  2. Networking
  3. Legal Aid
  4. Education
  5. Repatriation
  6. To get men out of Masonry thinking about Masonry again

C.A.U.S.E. is open to suspended & expelled Arkansas Masons as well as current members who wish to aid such men. While its membership and place and time of meetings cannot be shared with non members, the group will soon have a website.

This group has a start up membership of about 50 men. Currently C.A.U.S.E. leaders are helping the membership with trying to become members in other jurisdictions, lawsuits against Grand Lodge and esoteric discussions and speakers. It must be remembered in the case of civil action it has been alleged that the Grand Lodge of Arkansas has pulled the charter from some wealthy Lodges and closed them down in order to add that wealth to the Grand Lodge coffers.

Remember that when a Mason is unjustly expelled in one jurisdiction the wrong cannot be corrected in another jurisdiction (although C.A.U.S.E. is trying). All Masonic jurisdictions will mutually support one another in their suspensions or expulsions – no matter the reason. Frank Haas has been the only Mason in modern times to crash this barrier and that was just recently.

If you look at how many men are in C.A.U.S.E., which is only weeks old, and then add in former Masons in the same position from other states, you have a rather large group of disaffected Masons nationwide. These are for the most part good, honest men who have been wronged, and who sometimes seem overly angry and bitter.  They are ripe for being picked up by another Obedience, many who are classified as irregular and clandestine by Mainstream Masonry.

These are men who certain Masonic societies and forums will drop from their membership rolls once they have been suspended or expelled.  To be wronged and then to be shunted, ostracized and damned is something that only fuels the fire of bitterness and hatred.

Yet those in power who do wrong are never chastised by their peers.  They are never held accountable for their actions. There is no recourse to correct a run away, rogue Grand Lodge.

The righteous minded, ass kissing, bean counters left in Mainstream Masonry will pontificate that if there are problems in a Grand Lodge then it is only the business of that Grand Lodge and nobody else’s and all that is needed to correct matters is for the Brethren as a whole to vote to change things.

They haven’t met the Arkansas Grand Master who is alleged to have forcibly removed and expelled an 80 year old member from Grand Lodge Session who made a motion that displeased him who is the same Grand Master who is accused of having committing an immoral act that sacks every brother who attempts to bring him up on charges by expelling them without trial.

Where were all these holier than thou Masons when the Grand Master of Arkansas banned Masonic E-Mail? Where were they when Past Grand Master Frank Haas was snookered into coming to a meeting so that the Grand Master could embarrass him by expelling him in front of his father and friends without prior notice?

The other mantra used by those on the inside is, wait awhile, when all the old guys die off, things will change.  In the meantime – don’t rock the boat.  Very bad advice, indeed. There is no reforming Grand Lodges which function as bastions of the KKK who remake themselves anew with each new generation. When any thought, word or deed, and attempt at making things right is met with instant expulsion without a trial then you have a rogue Grand Lodge out of control that is governing its membership as the North Korean government governs its citizens. The only thing that is going to stop a Grand Lodge like this is action from the outside.

C.A.U.S.E. is not standing around and waiting for somebody else to do something.  It is going ahead to first take care of the hearts and souls of those men who have been so unjustly wronged, and then to mitigate some of the damage being done by a Grand Lodge who only thinks of itself and amassing more and more power.

Perhaps this movement will catch on in West Virginia and elsewhere.

PHA Conference Of Grandmasters Website

Posted on by | 1 Comment

Conference of Grand Masters Prince Hall MasonsOne of the interesting items that Grand Master Wilbert M. Curtis introduced us to at our summer Grand Session of PHA Texas was the new Conference of Grand Masters PHA website.  It is really quite well done.

There are two interactive maps where you can slide your cursor over a state and it will show you the Grand Master of that state or territory with his picture, website and E-Mail address.  Another map will do the same thing for Grand Matrons and Grand Patrons .  Both maps are also broken down into Regions and each Region is also part of the information included in a visit to each state.

When the Grand Masters meet, the Grand Matrons and Grand Patrons also meet at the same time and place.  Including the women with the men in joint but separate gatherings is a constant theme in Prince Hall Masonry.  Not so on the Mainstream side.

The website has a center picture which changes, a touch of Masonic art and symbolism and good color.  It also has a fair amount of information.  You can learn about the origin of Prince Hall Masonry and the origin of the Adoptive Rite among Black women.  Another click will show you all the Grand Lodge websites list alphabetically. Other tabs will bring you to PHA charities and to other Masonic links.

But what I enjoy seeing on the site most of all is the spelling out of the Purpose of the Grand Masters conference along with pictures of the officers and a breakdown of regional heads.  Along with the Purpose are listed also the  Objectives for the Grand Masters and Grand Matrons and Grand Patrons.

To view the  website go here:    http://www.conferenceofgrandmasterspha.org/home.asp

The Prince Hall Site gives you the feeling of some tight bonding among the different jurisdictions.  It also sets a definite agenda while at the same time allowing some time for position papers.

Taking a look at the Mainstream Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America, Inc. I see a site that doesn’t seem to want to show off Masonry, doesn’t emphasize togetherness, is less informational and not quite so elegant.

To view that website go here:      http://www.cgmna.org/index.htm

Contrast the two for yourself and see if you come to the same conclusions.

Furnishing A New Masonic Home

Posted on by | 4 Comments

It’s amazing the myriad details that have to be attended to in building a new Lodge building.  There are committees galore dealing with permits, foundation, framing, supplies, contractor, sub contractors such as a plumber and electrician, code inspections and probably a lot more I have left out.

Pride of Mt. Pisgah LodgeWe have a nice double lot that extends way in from the road as you can see from the picture. The Lodge is all a buzz like little beavers with meetings, phone calls, follow-up meetings on the meetings.  The Master is well organized and the Lodge now has in place the necessary ingredients to get the building raised.  A lot of the inside work will be done by Lodge members.  I can just see myself helping to hang drywall, if that’s how you say it. A tradesman I ain’t.

All the bases seem to be covered except……………………well when I brought up the subject of furniture.  I can’t blame anybody for that because it really is not part of building the edifice.  It’s what comes after.  But after a few merges and renting for a number of years using somebody else’s furniture, my Lodge’s furniture seems to be no more.  Maybe there are a few pieces saved, scattered here and there at members houses for safekeeping, but that remains to be seen.

Since I am going to be little help in the construction of the building, I turned my thoughts to what I could do about getting us some furniture.  We need an altar, East, West and South stations encompassing chairs therein, the three lesser lights, chairs and/or benches for the rest of the officers and the sidelines members and even rods for the Deacons & Stewards.

My thoughts turned to an article I wrote not too long ago where Paul Dean Lodge AF & AM of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts merged with Paul Revere Lodge, sold its building and donated all its furniture to the Lodges of Bangor, Maine who were rebuilding after a fire completely destroyed all that they had. A delegation from Paul Dean participated in the rededication ceremony of Bangor’s new quarters and was lauded before the entire group.  What a great story!

https://freemasoninformation.com/2010/05/masonic-organ-donor-2/

Could there be another Lodge somewhere in the U.S.A. who is also turning in its charter or merging and has furniture that they no longer have a use for? Or as a Brother and friend of mine suggested:

What about commissioning some of it from currently skilled people, some might even be retired and do it as a labor of love for cost. What an opportunity !   ” This Worhipful Master’s Chair designed, carved and assembled by ________________ for the benefit of the lodge and the good of the Craft. AL 6010 “

So if you are reading this and can be of help please get in contact.  It looks like the Lodge building will be raised at the beginning of the New Year and by spring we should have the inside completed. The Master says we are probably going to be able to beat that schedule and have it completed earlier.

Pride of Mt. Pisgah Lodge #135 would enjoy the opportunity to fete and regale all, who would join us in our celebration and aid us in the completion of a Masonic home, with some of that famous Southern Masonic hospitality.

Prince Hall Freemasonry In The Lone Star State

Posted on by | 3 Comments

Prince Hall Freemasonry In The Lone Star State From Cuney to Curtis, 1875-2003

Prince Hall Freemasonry In The Lone Star State
From Cuney to Curtis, 1875-2003

Rev. Bro. Dr. Robert L. Uzzel has penned a very comprehensive look into Texas Prince Hall Masonry from its inception into the 21st century as well as a look into society, politics, and some of the events that shaped the history of the Lone Star State.

After a minimal setting of the stage he tells the story of Texas Prince Hall Masonry through the eyes of each Grand Master and those who surrounded them. We get a look at what each Grand Master said at Grand Sessions, the programs they originated and implemented, the successes they had and the failures that also dogged their tenure.

Uzzel pulls no punches.  He tells all about both the good stuff and the bad stuff. We learn about the Grand Master who was an influential politician, the Grand Master who started as a contractor and bridge builder but later became a Sate Rep., the three Grand Masters who were also church Bishops, the Grand Master who served 20 years in the Grand East, the Grand Master whose house burned down, the Grand Master who spoke of Masons as pathfinders and who banned Duncan’s ritual, the Grand Master whose wife was as prominent in Masonic circles as he was, the Grand Master who was a public school principal and who erected a monument at Brenham, Texas commemorating the formation of the Grand Lodge, the Grand Master who’s tenure saw the failure of the Grand Lodge’s Bank & Trust Company, the Grand Master who was also Sovereign Grand Commander, Scottish Rite, South Jurisdiction and who visited Liberia, the Grand Master who was tried for un-Masonic conduct, the Grand Master who was a District Court judge and the Grand Master who had a protracted legal battle with the Order of Eastern Star.

The first Grand Master of Prince Hall Texas was The Honorable Norris Wright Cuney who was installed as such in Brenham, Texas on August 19, 1875 by Capt. William D. Matthews, Grand Master of the National Grand Lodge. The Beehive honors that date by posting this article on August 19, 2010. Twenty more Grand Masters followed to this date. The present Grand Master, The Honorable Wilbert M. Curtis was installed in 2003 and is enjoying his seventh year in the Grand East.

Along the way many a Grand Master has made many an inspiring address to his Grand Lodge, all readable in Uzzel’s masterpiece. One of the best was this portion of the fourth Grand Master’s address, by the Honorable Abram Grant, to the Seventh Annual Communication on June 7, 1882.

“Assembled in these consecrated walls for the discharge of the important duties entrusted to our supervision, in the full enjoyment of peace, there is every reason for the expression of profound gratitude to the Almighty God, that, despite our frailties and shortcomings, His tender care has been ever manifest, and for humble aspiration that the present session and proceedings may be so conducted that not only shall they profit our venerable craft but also redound to the greater glory of our Heavenly Father, to whose name we ascribe all honor and praise. You have come here to declare your appreciation of the character and the objects of Freemasonry; to record your homage for its founders, and admiration of its splendid charities, and dedicate yourselves to the permanence and perpetuation of its principles.  And we would leave here also for the generations which are soon to fill our places some proof that we endeavored to transmit the great inheritance unimpaired; that in our estimate of its principles, in our veneration of its charities, in our devotion to its morality, in our regard for whatever improves human happiness, we are not altogether unworthy of the high trust confided in us. Other places and other occasions you reserve for strife and disputation, and struggle for mastery and the sharp competitions of life.  But here shall be peace and reconciliation.  Within these walls, the knowledge and the morality, which are of no creed and no party, which are graceful and profitable for all alike, which are  true and real to every mind and to every conscience, and in every brain and heart – these itself – these alone are inculcated here.  Happy, especially, if we shall rouse ourselves to their utmost capacity – if we shall feel that we are summoned by a new notice and by an obligation unfelt before, to an unaccustomed effort to appropriate to our hearts and reason all the countless good which is hidden in the principles and teachings of Freemasonry.”

Uzzel tells us in the concluding epilogue that, “The lives of the twenty-one Grand Masters who have presided over the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas in the past 125 years have influenced and been influenced by many important historical events. Thus it is impossible to totally separate Masonic history from other aspects of history.  Much interesting information can be gleaned by examining the lives of these twenty-one men.”

And if you pick up and read “Prince Hall Freemasonry In The Lone Star State” you shall have a very unique and well assembled insight into the times, the lives and the history of the late nineteenth and all of the twentieth century written from the point of view of the struggle of Black Masonry to surmount and survive all the obstacles put in its path.

I recommend this book most highly.

I Have Decided I Don’t Want To Do Bare Bones Masonry Anymore

Posted on by | 12 Comments

A typical Masonic Lodge will meet in a small sparse building which I call a shack.  It will be a two room affair – a Lodge room and a dining hall both sporting the barest of essentials.  Practicality will over rule lavish luxury. Of course there are exceptions.

Some stately and roomy Lodge buildings can be found in cities where multiple Lodges meet and Concordant Bodies also are tenants. But the number of these more luxurious cousins is a drop in the bucket compared to the large number of suburban and small town Lodges that dot the American countryside.

Rural Lodges don’t have much choice but to be this way.  But city and suburban Lodges could afford much better digs if all the Lodges in a 20 mile radius were to meet in one building.  Our European Masonic cousins have long found this to be the answer to meeting in surroundings of comfort. You can find many English Masonic buildings where up to twenty Lodges meet.

American Masons are wedded to having their own Lodge building which they share with no one just as the American public is wedded to the automobile which they share with no one.  Mass transit may be available but Americans with cars seldom use it. And HOV lanes in Dallas have reduced requirements to just two in a vehicle yet 98% do not take advantage of them. We all have to have our own thing. But in doing so “our thing” becomes too expensive for us to maintain all by ourselves. The result is that many Lodges meet in buildings of somewhat disrepair.

Of course better surroundings could be provided if Lodges were allowed to rent out their building to a wider clientele. But Grand Lodges in their ultimate, know it all wisdom impose so many restrictions on who local Lodges can rent to that no takers can be found. You can’t rent the Masonic Hall to any affair that will serve liquor. That kills most of your wedding reception business. You can’t rent out to women’s Masonry, Co-Masonry or in some cases in Mainstream to Prince Hall Masonry.  You can’t rent to any of the so called clandestine Lodges. It is doubtful you would be allowed to rent out your building to the Knights of Columbus, AA or the NRA.

Then there is the issue of participation. Each new Grand Master tries to outdo the other.  Each new District Deputy tries to make a name for himself by beating the performance of his predecessor.  Each new Master tries to out shine the previous Master. Consequently there are always a host of programs and duties that need to be staffed. Mainstream Masonry also has a plethora of Masonic Awareness/Charitable events which require a boatload of manpower. Masonic Communications become meetings of recruitment. Soon what is expected of a Mason is eating away at all of his free time.

I have decided that I don’t want to do bare bones Masonry anymore.  Masonry on the cheap is not for me.

The organization I belong to will have a beautiful, large building with many rooms.  The floors will be plush carpet or hardwood.  Wall paper and paintings of renowned artists will adorn the walls. I will sit in a large leather chair with a foot rest and a side table beside me. A waiter will bring me a cocktail and my choice of an hors d’oeuvre and an expensive cigar. If I prefer I can sit on the veranda in a rocking chair gazing out at the beautiful view.  One room will have a grand piano for those members who know how to play.  Another room will have a pool table and game tables. Seven course dinners will be served once per week.

I have no desire to be drafted into manning somebody else’s pet project. Instead of doing all the time I would much rather just be. After all I am a human being not a human doing. I will sit and learn about my organization in its giant library.  I will learn the knowledge I want to gain, if not by reading, by viewing presentations in the media room of my organization.

I will attend on the days or nights I have free time and an inclination to do so. My organization will be open for business six days a week but it will make no requirements of me or my attendance other than the dues I pay to belong.

My organization will be there for my edification and pleasure not to work me to death or enlist me in its army.

My organization could be Freemasonry.  Then again it could be not.

Fred Milliken,Freemason Information,The Beehive

The Texas Two Step

Posted on by | 1 Comment

Two significant happenings in the life of Texas Prince Hall Masonry bring news that should be shared with all.

First, the Grand Lodge has reactivated its Newsletter/Magazine.  It used to have one of those glossy printed magazines that became a hassle to publish and a burdensome cost. Slowly over time the Texas Prince Hall Newsletter just faded away and was no more.

This year it has been reactivated in a new format under the superb leadership of Brother Burrell D. Parmer with yours truly as one of his assistants.

Brother Parmer has put together a publications committee team with members from various parts of the state.

The Newsletter called The Texas Prince Hall Freemason is in PDF format and published on the Grand Lodge website. No longer will this be a printed handout with cumbersome, costly mailing processes.  It will be viewable by anybody who would like to visit the Grand Lodge website and any individual could print out their own hard copy if they so desired.

This format makes more sense and costs less cents and is easier to put together.  Brother Parmer believes in the liberal use of pictures in all the stories printed in The Texas Prince Hall Freemason.

Although the first edition will not be out until November, a sample of this quarterly publication, a story on the June 2010 Grand Session, can be viewed by going to the Texas Prince Hall website  – and then selecting Texas Prince Hall Freemason Publication.

The second Texas two step or happening is the progress made in the construction of a new Masonic building for my Lodge, Pride of Mt. Pisgah #135, Dallas, Texas.  The land is now in our hands, materials purchased and the contractors have been lined up.  Right now we are waiting for city approval and permits.  We hope to break ground next month.

Our new building will be a steel framed structure with most of the inside work being done by Lodge members. The grounds, pictured here, stretch far back from the road, so we have plenty of room to accomplish our objectives.

Saturday 8/7/10 Pride of Mt. Pisgah #135 held a BBQ get together on the property.  This was our first event held on the property and a good time was had by all. Junior Warden and chef extraordinaire Thomas Crump, pictured here, cooked up a meal fit for Kings and Queens. Eastern Star and Heroines of Jericho members joined our celebration as well as members from other Lodges.

As a small, struggling Lodge in not the best of economic times, this undertaking is not taken without some sacrifice.

If anyone would like to contribute to the raising of Mt. Pisgah’s new building, contributions would be thankfully received at:
Pride of Mt. Pisgah #135, F & AM
P.O. Box 226111
Dallas, TX 75226

For Whom The Bell Tolls

Posted on by | 1 Comment

Samantha Molny and James Aaron Steel got married in June in Fort Worth Texas.

As my Grandfather was oft to say, “What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?” Steel, you see, is the great-great-great-great grandson of Lawrence Steel one of the founding fathers of Fort Worth and one of a group of ten men who organized Fort Worth’s first Masonic Lodge, #148 chartered in 1855.

Lawrence Steel owned Steel’s tavern, an Inn and stagecoach stop in the old center of Fort Worth. In the belfry of that Tavern hung “Mason” a 16” bell that the family claims was cast in London in 1782.

How and when Steel received the bell is a family mystery but it is a fact that “Mason” was the warning  and celebration system of the early settlers who resided along the Trinity River in Fort Worth in the 1840s and 50s.

“Mason” rang to alert residents of danger, bad weather, mealtime, school sessions, fires, deaths, funerals, the New Year and most pertinent to our case weddings.

Lodge #148 purchased “Mason” from the Steel family in 1871 and has been the caretaker of the bell ever since. “Mason” is not rung often anymore it being a relic of a day gone by. But in June it rang at a Steel family wedding for the first time in 130 years. “Mason” and the Steel family were reunited in a ceremony of union and it can now be said that for that family it was “for whom the bell tolls”.

The Re-dedication of the Structure with Soul and Stability

Posted on by | 1 Comment

History, then and now, in the making, and your chance to help make it a reality for the Canton Viaduct Masonic Memorial. From the Milestone Public Flyer.

The Canton Viaduct

Canton Viaduct, Canton, Massachusetts, is the oldest railroad bridge of its kind in the world and it was the tallest and longest railroad bridge in the world when it was built in 1835.

Background:

Neponset River flowing under the Canton Viaduct

Neponset River flowing under the Canton Viaduct

The Canton Viaduct is the longest and oldest stone viaduct in the Western Hemisphere. The foundation stone was laid in 1834, and it was completed in 1835 by operative stonemasons, many of whom were also Freemasons from area towns and Lodges.

To commemorate the viaduct’s 175th anniversary and the Freemasons who were involved in the construction of this historic structure, it is being proposed that a granite stone obelisk be erected in or near the Canton Viaduct Park next to the waterfall on the west side of the structure near the Neponset Street opening. It is very likely that all of the Towns in the area at that time had Freemasons who worked on the Canton Viaduct.

Masons Marks on the original arch of the Canton Viaduct

Masons Marks on the original arch of the Canton Viaduct

This summer or fall, a celebration commemorating the 175th anniversary of this National Historic Monument is expected to be held in Canton at the site of the structure. It is anticipated that numerous dignitaries, both Masonic and non-Masonic, will be in attendance.

The Vision:

It is hoped that this Monument and Milestone would remind all of the contributions of the Freemasons to the development of industry in America. The obelisk would be 8 feet tall in addition to a buried concrete, four foot deep foundation base on which it would stand. There would be a cavity to hold a small Time Capsule to be opened at the 300th anniversary of the construction of the Viaduct (A.D. 2135), have a number of Masonic
symbols carved into it, alluding to the industrial importance of the viaduct since it was so instrumental in jump-starting industry not only in this area, but in all of greater Boston, as well as the distance to Boston and the distance to the Massachusetts Grand Lodge in Boston.

Canton Viaduct Foundation Stone

The Freemason Square and Compasses carved in the Foundation Stone with the date of April 20, 1834.

Site work (hopefully this would be done by volunteers) would consist of laying cobblestones around the monument in a design such that the obelisk also served as a sun dial. If there is enough interest in funding this project, a Rough Ashlar and a Finished Ashlar would be placed on either side of the monument near the base. Ideally, an interpretive bronze plaque would have listed all the Lodges and donors who participated in the project and possibly donors who participated in Memorial’s construction.

Canton Viaduct cornerstone inscription

Canton Viaduct cornerstone back inscription reads: “FOUNDATION STONE LAID APRIL 20, 1834.” The Operative or Craft Freemasons’ calendar year was 5834 A.L. (Anno Lucis – In the Year of Light).

This could be an excellent public relations tool for the local Freemasonry in general as well as local businesses who contribute in the area. The Time Capsule would also contain the names of donors and all those involved in the project to be remembered when it was opened 125 years from now.

Cost:

The obelisk with all the carvings would cost approximately $6, 450. The Ashlars would be $125 to $150 each. Site work would be an additional $200 or so to cover the cost of cobble stones and other materials. The work is anticipated to be voluntary. Add another $200 for the cost of the base and time capsule. The upper estimate of cost for this project would be approximately $7,150, though that price could vary depending on several factors.

This grand project cannot happen without the cooperation and generous donations of Masons, local businesses, and individuals who would like to help ensure the construction of this highly visible icon to America’s Freemasons and their place in the history of building America. The Obelisk would essentially look like the diagram below.

Reserve a Space in the Time Capsule:

Donors who contribute $1,000 or more will be entitled to place an 8 inch X 11inch photo or document into the Time Capsule with whatever subject matter they choose. Those contributing $100 will be entitled to place a 2 inch X 3 inch photo or document of their choice into the Capsule. Please note, of course, that space is limited. The anticipated date of the opening of the Time Capsule is 2,135 AD, which is 300 years after the completion
of the Canton Viaduct.

Contact:

For more information about this project please contact John Ciccotelli, Master of Blue Hill Lodge at: hirams_beehive@yahoo.com or you can call (508) 636-5253. If you would like to contribute to the success of this historic project, your tax deductible donations may be made out and sent to Blue Hill Lodge, A.F. & A. M., c/o Ralph Staples, Secretary, 28 Wardwell Road, Canton, MA 02021. Be sure to put Canton Viaduct Masonic Memorial on the Note at the bottom of the check. Donations can also be made through PayPal.

To do this, go to the PayPal website, type in the amount you want to donate, enter the email address: bluehillhiram@yahoo.com and click submit. You willr eceive a verification of your donation from Blue Hill Lodge for your tax records.

The Freemason Square and Compasses carved in the Foundation Stone with the date of April 20, 1834. The foundation stone was laid on Sunday, April 20, 1834 with a Masonic foundation stone ceremony to give the structure a “soul” and ensure it’s stability. This day may have been chosen to coincide with Paul Revere’s Copper Mill founding in 1801 or the election of Jacques De Molay in 1292, the last Grand Master of the Knight’s Templar.

The majority of the B & P’s Board of Directors were Freemasons, including President Thomas B. Wales and Joseph W. Revere. President Wales was very involved in Freemasonry and gave three of his clipper ships Masonic names: Morning Star, Hesperus (Evening Star), and Templar. According to Masonic tradition, foundation stones are located in the northeast corner of structures with inscriptions such as the Masonic emblem (square and compasses) and the date, which would most likely contain a time capsule. Freemasons use Fibonacci numbers in their structures and there are examples of these “golden ration” numbers in the Canton Viaduct:

  • The inscription on the back of the cornerstone is recessed into an elongated octagon.
  • The original roadway portal was built through the eighth cavity from the south end.
  • There are 13 voussoirs in each river portal.
  • There are 21 voussoirs in each deck arch.
  • There are 21 deck arches on each side of the bridge.
  • There are 21 cavities in the bridge

Canton Viaduct cornerstone back inscription reads: “FOUNDATION STONE
LAID APRIL 20, 1834.” The Operative or Craft Freemasons’ calendar year was5834 A.L. (Anno Lucis – In the Year of Light).

Operative Freemasons laid the cornerstone (the final stone in the structure) in the south end of the west parapet. According to Masonic tradition this location was selected to it being the farthest distance from the foundation stone located in the northeast corner. There are no Masons marks on the front, back or sides of the cornerstone but there may be some on the other surfaces.

Fred Milliken,Freemason Information,The Beehive

Meet Red Mitchell of The MWPHGL of Massachusetts

Posted on by | 2 Comments

Brother Red Mitchell of Norton Massachusetts was a prime mover on the committee to erect the monument to Prince Hall on the Cambridge common. His hard work and perseverance to see the project completed was noticed by the Sun Chronicle who wrote this article titled,  “Rediscovering A Hero”,  about him and that auspicious occasion.

Norton man’s efforts help honor Prince Hall

Prince Hall was an American patriot, entrepreneur and civil rights activist whose name is considerably less well known than his contemporaries John Hancock and George Washington.

But thanks in part to the efforts of a Norton resident, the life and deeds of the African-American Masonic and educational leader may one day be recounted with the same reverence as those of Martin Luther King and Booker T. Washington.

Cambridge officials unveiled a monument to Hall Saturday on the city common, the same spot where George Washington took command of the Continental Army in 1775.

Red T. Mitchell, a Mason and Norton resident, helped promote the idea of a memorial to a man he calls one of America’s civil rights leaders.

A series of five granite slabs quarried in Africa that form the monument are inscribed with some of Hall’s writings and the biography of the man who agitated against slavery and created the first school for black children in Boston. Mitchell says Hall is also symbolic of African Americans’ role in American independence, which has long been shrouded in history.

Read the entire article at the Sun Chronicle.

Many who have recently delved deeply into the history of Prince Hall, the man, see this African American, not only as the leader of Colonial Black Freemasonry in America but also as A FOUNDING FATHER OF THIS NATION.

Recently Brother Mitchell penned an essay further exemplifying his thoughts on the impact of Prince Hall.

Reflections after watching a Documentary about Jackie Robinson

Red Mitchell July 9, 2010 Norton MA.

Great men and moments in history are not always immediately recognized. Such is the story of Jackie Robinson. Upon reflection of his first game as a major league Baseball player, the tremendous impact it had on race relations led to the comment that, “he is second only to Martin Luther King, Jr. in being the most important black man to have lived in America”.  This may be true in the memory of those who are alive at this time. The personal attacks which each endured were sacrificial as if paying the price for a greater opportunity for their people.

I beg you to consider these quotes. “Your Honors need not to be informed that a Life of Slavery, like that of your petitioners, deprived of every social privilege, of every thing requisite to render Life even tolerable, is far worse than non-existence”. And then this, “Patience, I say, for were we not possess’d of a great measure of it you could not bear up under the daily insults you meet with in the streets of Boston”.

These quotes are on the Memorial honoring the Black Patriots of the revolutionary period of our nation erected on the Cambridge Common.  They are the words of Prince Hall, the principal character of the monument, representing all those unknown and forgotten African-Americans who participated and contributed to the founding of our nation.

Emancipation, or the abolition of slavery in America, is often associated with Abraham Lincoln and the Civil war. We must know that prior to the Revolutionary war, each of the original thirteen colonies had legal slavery. During the eight-year period of the Revolutionary war, slavery as a legal entity in the northern colonies was essentially abolished.

This first “emancipation” was greatly influenced by the many Americans of African ancestry participating in the war, (July 1781 at White Plains NY, twenty-five percent of the American Army were Negroes.) Prince Hall, called the “First black organizer in American History” and “Boston’s most prominent black in the era of the Revolution” was described in this way. ”Prince Hall, an African, and a person of great influence upon his Colour in Boston, being the Master of the African Lodge, and a person to whom they refer with confidence their principal affairs”.

PS: Didn’t Boston have the “first shot” in acquiring Jackie Robinson as a baseball player?

 

Ref::

PBS Television

Forgotten Patriots African Americans and American Indian Patriots in the Revolutionary War. Daughters of the American Revolution

The Black Presence in the Era of the American Revolution 1770-1800, Sidney Kaplan

Prince Hall Life and Legacy, Charles H. Wesley