International Order of Rainbow for Girls

How Do You Become a Rainbow Girl

Becoming a Rainbow Girl is a wonderful journey that offers young women the opportunity to develop leadership skills, build lifelong friendships, and contribute positively to their communities. International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is a youth organization affiliated with the Masonic Lodge, focusing on personal growth, community service, and character development. 

Here is a comprehensive guide.

Rainbow, IORB, masonic youth organization

Understand What Rainbow Girls Is

Research and learn about the organization. Understand its values, history, and purpose. Rainbow Girls is open to girls aged 11 to 20, and it focuses on promoting leadership, personal growth, and community involvement.

Find a Local Chapter

Use the official Rainbow Girls website or contact your local Masonic Lodge to locate a nearby chapter. Each chapter has its own schedule of meetings and events, so finding a convenient location is important.

Attend an Informational Meeting

Most chapters hold informational meetings for prospective members and their parents or guardians. Attend one of these meetings to get a better understanding of what being a Rainbow Girl involves. This is also a great opportunity to ask questions and express your interest.

Meet Membership Requirements

To become a Rainbow Girl, you typically need to meet certain eligibility criteria, which may include being of good moral character, having a belief in a higher power (not specific to any religion), and being recommended by a current member or a Mason.

Complete the Application Process

If you decide to join, you’ll need to fill out an application form. This form might require basic personal information, as well as information about your interests, hobbies, and reasons for wanting to join Rainbow Girls.

Participate in Interviews

Some chapters may require an interview as part of the application process. This is an opportunity for the current members and advisors to get to know you better and understand your motivations for joining.

Attend Initiation

Once your application is accepted, you’ll go through an initiation ceremony. This is a significant event that welcomes you into the organization and teaches you about its values and principles.

Engage in Activities

As a Rainbow Girl, you’ll participate in a variety of activities, including meetings, community service projects, leadership development programs, and social events. These activities are designed to help you grow personally and socially.

Embrace Leadership Opportunities

Rainbow Girls offers various leadership roles within the organization, such as serving as an officer or committee member. Taking on these roles allows you to develop important leadership skills that will benefit you throughout your life.

Foster Friendships

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a Rainbow Girl is the friendships you’ll form with other members. These friendships often last a lifetime and provide a strong support network.

Give Back to the Community

Participate actively in the community service projects organized by the chapter. Giving back to the community is a core value of Rainbow Girls and helps you develop a sense of responsibility and empathy.

Continue Your Journey

As you grow older, you can continue your involvement by becoming a member of the International Order of the Eastern Star or other Masonic-affiliated organizations for adults.

Remember that the journey of becoming a Rainbow Girl is not only about the destination but also about the experiences, skills, and relationships you build along the way. By following these steps, you can embark on a fulfilling and transformative journey as a Rainbow Girl.

Freemason Tim Bryce.

A Fresh Perspective of Freemasonry from a Grand Master

Pursuant to my recent article titled, “Has Freemasonry Lost its Luster?“, I received several comments regarding the piece, including one from Brother Jacques Huyghebaert, PGM from the Grand Lodge of the Czech Republic.

He liked my article and shared with me his outgoing Annual Report & Valedictory Address as Grand Master, a very illuminating read. He has given me permission to share it herein. I hope you enjoy it. – Tim Bryce

R:.R:.R:.

Rank, Regalia and Regulations
vs.
Rites, Rituals and Reflections

by Jacques Huyghebaert

Grand Master’s Annual Report &
Valedictory Address

Prague, 26th April 2015

FOREWORD

Dear Brethren,

As I am at the end of my Grand Master’s term and am submitting to you my final report, allow me to share with you some reflections on the nature of Freemasonry, its current state in the world in general and in the Czech Republic in particular.

I cannot but observe that for the last 70 years Freemasonry has witnessed a continuous numerical decline, losing over 50% of its members worldwide.

The trend has been particularly strong in the U.S.A. in the U.K. and in the English speaking world, where recruitment of new members has reached an all time low and at a time when the average age of Freemasons is now reported to be above 65.
The future of the Craft looks grim in some of these countries…

In contrast, in Continental Europe and in Latin America, where for over two centuries Brethren had been subjected to religious and political persecutions, Freemasonry has since the end of World War II, seen its membership steadily grow. Age distribution among the Brethren is balanced. Old prejudices and lies against Freemasonry have faded away, while public interest and respect for the Order are growing.

What are the reasons behind these evolutions? What is it that makes the two situations different ? Are we in the presence of two distinct types of Freemasonry? I will now review the negative and the positive elements of the situation and suggest a constructive approach to strengthen the genuine values of Freemasonry.

INTRODUCTION

For the general public, particularly in the Anglo-Saxon world, Freemasonry has in the past generally been associated with elite, high rank and public respectability, having counted among its members Kings, Princes, Heads of Government as well as artists, scientists, academics and eminent members of every class of society.

Today however, Freemasonry is sometimes described by non-masons as an out-dated institution, whose members continue to dress in an old fashioned way, wearing gold chains and medals, richly embroidered regalia, parading in solemn processions, using pompous titles and spending their time at the performance of formal ceremonies.

The question that arises is: what that is sufficiently attractive has such a type of organization to offer, in the context of today’s society, to an educated, dynamic mature person, that he would wish to attend Lodge once or twice a month in 2015?

Statistical figures in England. show that for the last 30 years, 4 out of 5 new Brethren, have been leaving Freemasonry within the 5 years following their admission.

This fact demonstrates without any possible doubt that the expectations of 80% of the candidates joining Freemasonry have not been satisfied, resulting in disappointment, followed more or less automatically by their resignation from the Craft.

RITES AND RITUALS

Rites and Rituals are not limited to Freemasonry, they are a universal feature appearing in all human societies, they exist from times immemorial.

Burial sites, found all over the world, confirm that already in prehistoric times, as distant as 100,000 years ago, the corpse of a dead person would be placed, in accordance with certain rules, in a tomb constructed for that purpose, or in a grave intentionally dug into the earth, along with various objects, thus giving the proof of the existence of established burial practices, funeral rites and ceremonies going back to the dawn of mankind and the very emergence of Homo Sapiens.

Solemn ceremonies in ancient times were usually performed in the context of the rites and rituals of prevailing religions and cults, being traditionally associated with major life events such as birth, coming of age, marriage and death.

Rites and rituals were at the root of cultural behaviors governing society by formalizing relationships within the family, tribe and nation.

While in its Masonic sense the word “rite” refers to a system or an organization, covering a number of degrees and ceremonies, like the Scottish or the York Rites, the word “ritual” deals more particularly about the content of the ceremonial activities.

A rite or ritual can be described as an established usually solemn ceremony or act, requiring a particular dress code, performed in a customary way, and consisting in a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, and objects, taking place in a particular place, usually a Masonic Temple or Lodge Hall, according a prescribed order, form and manner, governing both words and actions.

Speculative Freemasonry from its inception in the early 18th century has been characterized by the paramount importance of ritualization in its activities.

REGALIA AND RANK

In addition to masonic rites and rituals, without which it would be difficult for most of us to imagine our Lodge meetings, our ceremonies and degree work are characterized by the impressive place which our customs have conferred to regalia, rank and titles.

Regalia is a Latin word which covered originally the emblems or insignia of royalty, especially the crown, the scepter, and other ornaments used at a coronation.

Each and every Mason begins his career with a plain white apron, to remind him that Masonry regards no man on account of his worldly wealth or honors.

This ritual symbolism is intended to signify to us that the internal and not the external qualities of candidates are the criteria that have to be examined for initiation.

Yet, despite official pretensions of humility, and the ritual statement that Freemasons are equal and meet on the level, concretely, generations of Brethren have been dressing up in impressive ceremonial clothes, eagerly wearing elaborate aprons, collars, gauntlet-cuffs and gloves, as well as breast jewels, medals, gold or silver embroidered paraphernalia and sashes richly adorned with symbols.

Read: Seeing Ghosts in Lodge

The wearing in Lodge of distinctive clothing and costumes, ornaments and regalia on formal occasions is inextricably linked with Freemasonry and still carries a paramount meaning to a vast number of senior Freemasons as the indication and recognition of their pre-eminent hierarchical status, rank and position in the Lodge and the Order.

Important masonic ceremonies are still largely conducted with the pomp and luster of customs and traditions passed down from our 18th century predecessors directly to us, but many of which already existed in medieval pageants and religious liturgy. By contemporary 21st century standards, as existing in developed countries of the world, however we need to ask ourselves if, not only in the eyes of non masons, but also of potential candidates, these old dress codes traditions and usages have not become ostentatious and grotesque remains of a bygone, obsolete age.

THE TRADITIONAL TOP-DOWN HIERARCHY

Characteristics of the authoritarian model

Characteristics of the authoritarian model:

  • From the top of the ladder, when looking down, you see a lot of “shit”
  • From below, you only see “assholes”

Is this the type of Grand Lodge that we want for the future?

RULES AND REGULATIONS

We hear from time to time that Freemasonry is an Order based on hierarchy, where power is vested at the top, while we members are expected to obey and abide cheerfully by all the rules, regulations, edicts and decrees made by our leaders.

While earlier pyramidal forms of government, based on the assumed superiority of its heads, had been the rule for the major part in the history of mankind, the authoritarian model was first challenged and then progressively abolished from the 18th century onwards, except in parts of the world ruled by tyrants and dictators.

The development of speculative Freemasonry has taken place in parallel indeed with the spread of egalitarian principles of Human Rights, and with the ideals of freedom and justice, dear to all Freemasons, which characterize our modern world.

What had been earlier be immutable justification for the divine, royal or natural right invoked by the very few who preside at the top and command, and the imperative duty to obey applicable for the rest of us, materialized in the difference between the high and the low social classes, determining in an absolute manner the relations between men and women, parents and children — is now nearly universally rejected.

The patriarchal role of the wise and experienced man, the teacher and the professional craftsman have been seriously eroded, as we have lost confidence in the relevance of the former codes of dominance and their associated beliefs and behaviors.

As deep, far reaching and rapid social and technological changes have been taking place during the 20th century, authoritarian government stereotypes appear generally today as outmoded, inefficient and inappropriate models.

In contrast with the public trend promoting casual dress codes, simple and informal social relations, including at work, we should examine whether the corollary of the great importance given by Freemasons to rank and title is perhaps not that our Fraternity, in some jurisdictions at least, is at risk of being the victim of too much hierarchy and abusive use of personal power by individuals.

Worse: has the image of poor internal fraternal relations, crippling the reputation of some Grand Lodges, caused by excessive authoritarianism, not become a deterrent for potential candidates to join Freemasonry as well as a direct reason for a number of disgruntled Brethren to resign their masonic membership?

Is it not true, on the contrary, that as genuine Masons, and as taught in our ritual, we should systematically meet on the level and always remember that we are Brethren!

In accordance with the masonic principles which we proclaim, and using common sense, let’s keep administration, bureaucracy, rules, and regulations as light as possible, while encouraging peer-to-peer teamwork, consensus and friendship between the Brethren, the Lodges, the Grand Officers and Grand Lodge.

Thus we will be able to focus on Freemasonry itself and enjoy its benefits.

RITUAL AS A SIGNIFICANT AND MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE

It’s obvious that, if so many men join the Craft, then leave, it’s because when they get in expectations aren’t met.

The common sense thing is to find out why people join, what were/are their expectations before joining the Craft and deliver on that — if it fits.

From the outside, Freemasonry has a sense of mystery and wonder; that there is something valuable to be gained from membership.

Candidates simply don’t get this when they get in. The Masonic ritual is often delivered at ceremonies in superficial, mostly rote ways. New Brethren are asked to start memorizing the ritual, without having been informed in advance about this requirement and without receiving proper Masonic education after initiation.

The on-going trend followed by several Grand Lodges of wanting to ‘change in line with society’ and to recruit and retain members isn’t working.

The recipe to save Freemasonry is to reconnect it with its deeper purpose.

The answer is not to change Freemasonry.

The answer is to understand what Freemasonry is at its core.

WE HAVE ONLY ONE LIFE!

Despite good health, the comforts of modern life and the security of sufficient income, many people these days are dissatisfied with the routine and shallowness of modern life and are looking to reconnect with deeper, more fundamental truths.

What are we looking for, to make our life interesting?

1. A break from monotony

Sitting all the time locked up in an office can be next to unbearable, claustrophobic. Going through life following every day the same dull routine with occasional weekend activities can be extremely insufficient. Widening our horizon makes our life more interesting and gives us a sense of freedom.

2. Spiritual adventure

Learning and discovering new things, exchanging ideas, establishing friendships, studying different cultures is an exciting, unusual, unpredictable journey, which always ends in being an interesting experience or encounter. A full life revolves around constant curiosity and thirst for knowledge. When are old we should be able to look back on our life happily and appreciate the opportunities we took to explore the vast world which surrounds us.

3. A broader perspective

By opening our eyes and mind to discover different people and cultures, in a spirit of tolerance, we are able to enrich ourselves. A thing that is seen as unacceptable to us could be a daily occurrence in another culture. Just because we have been raised to believe in a certain set of beliefs, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s right.

4. The Brethren

A very exciting thing about Freemasonry are the Brethren we meet and the friendships created along the way. Every Mason has a different journey, a different background story that has led him to his present point in his life. Each Brother is unique in his own way. Masons generally like to share where they come from and are interested to learn from each other. Meeting Brethren and establishing friendships leaves undoubtedly a constructive effect on our life as we move forward.

5. Personal Development

Complacency is Toxic! Freemasonry provides an opportunity to learn more about ourselves and the world we live in. All this offers a unique chance to reflect on our life, to analyze where we stand, and decide where we want to go in the future.

6. Just Because.

We only have one life to live! Let us therefore enjoy it to the fullest!

FREEMASONRY INVITES US TO REFLECT

Eternally valid questions and reflections are for example:

  • From where do we come?
  • Where are we going?
  • Who are we?
  • What is consciousness?
  • What is the sense of life?
  • What is the value of friendship?
  • What means initiation?

Freemasonry unlike other groups, does not recruit, it confers initiation.

Masonic rituals and ceremonies operate as an instrument, addressing our emotional senses and delivering practical, personal, spiritual and philosophical advancement.

Trends, environment and conditions change — but the deep mental and emotional nature of the human being does not.

As individuals, we are fundamentally the same, physically and psychologically, as our distant ancestors thousands of years ago.

Freemasonry transcends time and culture.

We make sense of the world and ourselves through the internal languages of mind. We are biologically programmed to react to emotional signals, which experience teaches us, are well conveyed through formal rites and rituals.

Freemasonry creates meaning through the language of symbols and allegories.

THE LOST WORD

In A Bridge to Light issued in 1988, under authority of the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Washington, D.C., Bro. Rex R. Hutchinson wrote that:

“Modern speculative Freemasonry did not spring full blown upon the historical stage at a London pub or tavern meeting in 1717.”

“The operative Masons had already contributed a long legacy of symbolism and tradition that continues to enrich the Craft to this day.”

“Also there are persistent references in Masonic ritual, especially in the Higher Degrees, to relationships with Rosicrucians, Illuminati, Gnostics, Alchemists, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Christians, Essenes, Persians, Hindus and Kabbalists.”

“Whether these presumed relations demonstrate a continuous heritage, of which modern Freemasonry is the linear successor, or simply a source of inspiration is not essential, what matters is the teaching behind the symbols.”

“Whatever the truth of history, the contributions to the symbolism of Freemasonry by the religions, philosophies, mythologies and occult mysteries of the past lie upon its surface for all to see.”

“Rather than being a secret society, Freemasonry is a revealer of secrets. The great truths of ancient man were, in their time, also great secrets and few were admitted into the sanctuaries where these truths were taught.”

“Freemasonry teaches these truths to all worthy men who ask to learn them.”

IN SEARCH OF LIGHT

We all tend to stay in our comfort zone.

The comfort zone can be described as an abstract theoretical bubble, where we feel at ease, in control of our surroundings, and fully comfortable.

Everyone at some point should push his own boundaries to promote personal growth. One way to burst that bubble is Freemasonry

Masonic symbols are the keys to a long, difficult but rewarding spiritual journey, it is a thorny road which we have to travel by ourselves. Our Brethren can help us, but at the end of the day, nobody can do it in our stead.

Initiation does not consist in receiving any type of knowledge that can be written or said, or perceived by the five senses of human nature, but is an introduction to a type of totally different knowledge, where the Brother will learn mainly to use his heart to conceive the beauties of Freemasonry.

Then nothing will remain neither occult, nor secret, for the intention of the Fraternity has never been to hide, but only to transmit through the succession of ages, the most excellent tenets of our Institution.

The sense of symbols, first very obscure, will progressively became clearer, and those words that the young Entered Apprentice can only spell with difficulty, will be read later with ease if he patiently perseveres.

He is guided symbolically when he is given the first letter of the word. But he has to discover the second letter himself. In due time, the third letter will be communicated to him in order that he may uncover the next.

This symbolic approach, held in high esteem among the peoples of Antiquity, is still used today by Freemasons but has nothing to do with a craving for secret or mystery, nor has this method become obsolete.

Much to contrary, far superior to the confusion of words and of languages, Masonic symbols, so expressive, are more fitting than ever to imprint upon the memory wise and serious truths.

Let us hear what Dr. Albert Schweitzer had to say about this:

“When truth, knowledge or wisdom cease to be understood, they do not live any longer in our minds.”

“When knowledge is reduced to a mere dogma that is blindly accepted, it may appear to survive for some time, while its rules are still being slavishly observed. But as its underlying coherence and justification is being lost, truth is soon distorted and breaks into pieces, in the same way that the dead body decays and falls apart under the effects of putrefaction.”

“When truth is communicated directly, without requiring any effort from the recipient, it will not leave a lasting impression, for most human beings live day by day and are not capable of forming their own opinions.”

“So, it is necessary that all elevated ideas, be created again and again by each one of us in ourselves. Only when we attempt to follow with trust the inner road of our individual thought, can we hope to attain living truth.”

“Living and profound reflection does not fall into subjectivism.”

“It drives, by the force of its own intellectual power, notions that Tradition regards as true and attempts to transform them into knowledge”.

To this spiritual path the Masonic ritual alludes, when it states to the candidate at his initiation that he will need to go the same way as all Brothers have done, who have gone this way before him.

By their individual work, Freemasons can contribute to the construction of a better world. By their ideas and the example of their life, Freemasons can help in spreading more fraternal human relations.

Being sincerely in search of “that which was lost”, enlightened by the Wisdom of Silence, fortified by the Strength of Symbols, each Brother has the inner capability to reconstruct the Beauty of the Masonic Secrets in his heart.

THE SITUATION IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Czech Freemasonry was re-born in 1989, starting nearly from scratch after a long period of darkness. Today, we have gained worldwide recognition and respect.

Following our own path and facing our own difficulties, we have escaped so far the terrible numerical decline that has affected Masonic membership in so many countries, where old, experienced and well established Grand Lodges had been operating most successfully in the past.

We have currently 543 Brethren on the roll of our Grand Lodge. The total figure has been hovering around 550 unique members for the third consecutive year.

We hear the positive message from the Grand Secretary’s annual report, that the average age of the Brethren of the Grand Lodge of the Czech Republic has gone down, that we have now over 50 middle aged Entered Apprentices, who have replaced the elderly Brethren who have gone to Grand Lodge above, as well as a number of non-active Brethren who have been removed administratively from the Grand Lodge roll. We also hear that several lodges have many candidates.

Yet, I think that we should not rest on our laurels. I remain convinced that we can do far better in terms of membership. Can do ?  No, MUST do!

Why?

In the 1950s there were over 500,000 Freemasons registered under the United Grand Lodge of England, for a population of 50 million at the time. Masonic membership in the U.K. then peaked at approximately 1% of total population.

With 10.5 million inhabitants in the Czech Republic, 1% of the population would mean over 100,000 Freemasons. Even only 0.5% would mean 50,000 members.

If we were 5,000 Brethren, = 10 times our current membership ! we would represent only 1‰ (1 per thousand) of the male population in the Czech Republic While our Fraternity is interested in the quality, not in the quantity of its members and while it is true that not everybody is fit to be a Freemason, would it not be proof of an incredible arrogance on our side to believe that out of every 1,000 of our countrymen, only ONE has the moral qualifications or the intellectual level to be a Freemason?

With 500 members, we are merely surviving, financially speaking, and, let’s admit it, we fail having reached the critical mass needed to operate as a Grand Lodge. 5,000 members means also concretely: 10x more income!

5,000 is possible, but it will require action, by all of us – at Lodge level! So let’s leave our “comfort zone”, and initiate many more potential candidates!


Brother Huyghebaert can be reached at: jacques.huyghebaert@gmail.com.

Interview With Masonic Author Frederic Milliken, His Life And Times and Texas’ New Intervisitation

I recently had the pleasure to interview one of Phoenixmasonry’s own, Bro. Frederic Millken, Executive Director for the Phoenixmasonry Masonic Museum and Library. Frederic is a prominent and hard working Masonic author. The reason for the interview, however, was the recent intervisitation between the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas and the Grand Lodge of Texas. Frederic has a fascinating personal and Masonic history included here that I hope readers will find as interesting as I have.

Elena Llamas (EL): Frederic, first things first! Give us a bit of your personal background.

Frederic Milliken (Frederic): I was born and brought up in Lexington, Massachusetts the birthplace of the American Revolution. It was the battles of Lexington and Concord that started the Revolution. Lexington came first. Here Paul Revere rode into town hollering, “The British are coming,” the British are coming” (although he probably really said the Regulars or the Redcoats).

Buckman tavern in Lexington, Massachusetts. The Battle of Lexington and Concord took place on April 19, 1775 as, having received word that the regular army had left Boston in force to seize and destroy military supplies in Concord, several dozen militiamen gathered on the town common, and then eventually went to the Buckman tavern to await the arrival of the British troops. Following the arrival of the British army, a single shot was fired, by whom, we still do not know. With this shot, the American Revolutionary War began.
Buckman tavern in Lexington, Massachusetts.
The Battle of Lexington and Concord took place on April 19, 1775 as, having received word that the regular army had left Boston in force to seize and destroy military supplies in Concord, several dozen militiamen gathered on the town common, and then eventually went to the Buckman tavern to await the arrival of the British troops. Following the arrival of the British army, a single shot was fired, by whom, we still do not know. With this shot, the American Revolutionary War began.

When I was 5 years old my father died. My mother worked three jobs to support me and my two sisters. She had a day job, part time night job and a weekend job. On the weekend she manned the Buckman tavern where the Minute Men gathered in the wee hours of the morning of April 19,1775. The Buckman tavern was on the northeast corner of the Lexington Green in 1775 and that same building is still there today. On the northwest corner today stands Simon W. Robinson Lodge where I went to DeMolay and on the southwest corner stands the First Parish Church where my Mom was secretary, her day job.

On weekends at the Buckman Tavern my Mom’s job was to be a tourist guide and she would go through the story of Paul Revere riding into town and the subsequent battle with the British that took place on the Lexington Green for any who wanted to hear. I can remember as a young boy sitting on the stone step just outside the screen door listening to her tell that tale over and over again. That’s why it was such an honor for me later on in life to become Master of Paul Revere Lodge and to participate in a Colonial Degree Team.

Every Patriot’s Day (April 19th) Lexington held a recreation of Paul Revere’s ride and a reenactment of the Battle of Lexington. In the afternoon there was a huge two hour parade. As a DeMolay I marched in that parade.

(EL): At what age did you join Freemasonry and where?

Frederic: I joined Freemasonry at the age of 45 in Plymouth, Massachusetts where the Pilgrims landed.

I worked in the next town over and my wife worked in Plymouth so we had many Plymouth acquaintances. Plymouth Lodge had just completed its brand new building a few years before my arrival. I was initiated in 1989 and immediately went into line as Junior Steward. The next year I jumped to Senior Deacon and three years later was Master. In 1992 I affiliated with Paul Revere Lodge in Brockton, Massachusetts where I lived. It was not long after that I entered Paul Revere’s two year line as Senior Deacon. I was Senior Deacon at Paul Revere the year I was Master in Plymouth. I can remember doing the Masters ritual for the First Degree on a Monday night in Plymouth and the next night, Tuesday, performing the Middle Chamber lecture in the Second Degree in Brockton. Immediately upon affiliating with Paul Revere Lodge I joined the Paul Revere Colonial Degree Team and as Master I brought that team to Plymouth Lodge for a historic night where over a hundred Masons gathered with five District Deputies in attendance, one from Rhode Island, to watch the degree team. I had to get permission for overflow parking from a business next door and hire a policeman to handle the traffic. That experience greatly influenced my philosophy on how, as Master, to put a yearly program together for a Lodge. My theme from then on became, “We Need To Celebrate Our Freemasonry.” And celebrate it we would!

Paul Revere Lodge AF & AM #2
Paul Revere Lodge AF & AM #2
Kilwinning Degree Team performing at Paul Revere Lodge with Bro. Frederic Milliken as Master
Kilwinning Degree Team at Paul Revere Lodge with Bro. Frederic as Master

Kilwinning Degree Team at Paul Revere Lodge with Bro. Frederic as Master

Both Plymouth Lodge and Paul Revere Lodge were high profile Lodges that had a lot going on. Paul Revere Lodge was looked upon as one of the five top Lodges in the state. I was honored to sit in the East in both these Lodges which were in two different Masonic Districts.

Portion Of The Paul Revere Degree Team Prepares To Install Frederic as Master Year 2000
Portion Of The Paul Revere Degree Team Prepares To Install Frederic as Master Year 2000

EL: Please elaborate on celebrating Freemasonry!

Frederic: What I am saying is THINK BIG! Many Lodges meet twice a month and they spend the majority of their time in boring business meetings where the topics of discussion are how much toilet paper should we buy and what do we do for the next fundraiser? How about inviting a guest speaker to enlighten the Brethren?

But even better than that how about planning and executing a big event where many Masons gather for some special brotherhood? When you do that you increase the pride Brothers feel for their fraternity and bolster their enthusiasm for the Craft. That all works for more camaraderie and perhaps more candidates.

After that first big bash with the Colonial Degree Team at Plymouth Lodge I continued to put on Masonic Events as large as I could come up with.

The Grand Daddy of them all was the Colonial Degree Team’s visit to Indiana. Bloomington, Indiana is my wife’s hometown and there you will find Monroe Lodge. Monroe (family name also spelled Munroe) was a natural, the name of the Revolutionary War Masonic patriot I had adopted for the Degree Team.

My correspondence with the Master of Monroe Lodge in Bloomington, Indiana, lasting for more than a year, proved fruitless in trying to put this undertaking together. After I stepped down from the East at Paul Revere Lodge and Monroe Lodge got a new Master talks picked up again and finally it was a go.

So on a Friday morning 18 Paul Revere Colonial Degree Team members boarded a plane for Indianapolis. There we were met by a small bus and a Past Grand Master of Indiana, MW Richard Hickham, and the Worshipful Master, Wor. Gary Denson, and some Brethren from Monroe Lodge. They transported us to Bloomington, about a 2 hour drive, where we stopped at the Bloomington Shrine Club for a steak dinner and welcoming speeches. Afterward we were taken to the state DeMoaly Chateau for billeting.

Paul Revere Colonial Degree Team entering the DeMolay Chateau
Paul Revere Colonial Degree Team entering the DeMolay Chateau

The next morning we were picked up by the bus and transported to the Lodge where we were served breakfast. After breakfast we visited the Lodge room and laid out what the degree would look like for the officers of Monroe Lodge. Then back in the bus we received a tour of Bloomington and Indiana University.

Saturday night we had dinner at the Lodge followed by the degree. The Lodge room was packed! After it was all over we went downtown to an Irish Pub and celebrated. Following that we were bused back to the DeMolay Chateau for some shuteye. The next morning, Sunday, the bus picked us up and transported us back to Indianapolis to the airport. By Sunday night we were back in Boston.

At the Irish Pub with Wor. Gary Denson of Monroe Lodge #22 Bloomington, Indiana
At the Irish Pub with Wor. Gary Denson of Monroe Lodge #22 Bloomington, Indiana

What a great time we all had and how rewarding it was to make new friends. That was really celebrating our Masonry!

EL: What attracted you to Freemasonry?

Frederic: My best friend in school introduced me to DeMolay. Battle Green DeMolay met at Simon W. Robinson Lodge AF & AM in Lexington, Massachusetts. Eventually I became Master Councilor. Our Dad Advisors were Freemasons and I became very acquainted with a Masonic Lodge and some of its workings by belonging to DeMolay. Joining DeMolay was the main reason for my later joining Freemasonry. But there is still another important reason. I reached a stage in my life where I really wanted to associate and become friendly with like minded men, that is those that value honesty, morality and uprightness. I found that every Mason I knew was a good man and that perhaps associating with many good men would keep me from straying into the less than noble world.

Frederic’s DeMolay diploma 1959
Frederic’s DeMolay diploma 1959

When I was elected to become Master for the first time at Plymouth Lodge I gathered an installation team of five Past Masters of Simon W. Robinson Lodge who were also Past Master Councilors of Battle Green DeMolay and all old friends of course. They installed me and my officers.

EL: Tell us more about The Paul Revere Colonial Degree Team

Frederic: The Paul Revere Colonial Degree Team was formed as a tribute to our nation’s Centennial in 1976. It was only supposed to be for that one year but was such a great hit that it continued on and is still active today. Each member of the team dresses in Colonial costume which always includes a tri-cornered hat and takes the name of a Revolutionary War Mason. The Team performs the second and third sections of the 3rd degree. At the end the Team’s Historian gives a lecture on our American Flag and the sacrifices that Colonial Mason’s made to make our country free. At the conclusion each Team member rises and gives a brief bio of the Revolutionary War Mason he represents.

While the Paul Revere Colonial Degree Team performs in its own Lodge its claim to fame is the travelling it does to put on this degree for other Lodges. I accompanied the Team to the 200th anniversary celebration of Provincetown Lodge on Cape Cod, to a Lodge in the state of Maine and to an outdoor degree held in the woods of the Grand Lodge’s retirement home with the Grand Master present, to name just a few. At the retirement home stone stations and altar had been carved out in a clearing in the woods at the bottom of a hill. As Master I took the Degree Team to Plymouth Lodge as we have already heard, to Simon W. Robinson Lodge in Lexington, MA and to Putnam, Connecticut, again to mention just the most memorable.

The visit to Simon W. Robinson Lodge was a really a big time affair. Along with our usual 3rd degree exemplification we also participated in a tri Table Lodge. Three Lodges came together with the District Deputy of that District so that we had three Masters in the East, three Senior Wardens in the West and three Junior Wardens in the south. We started at 4:00 PM on a Saturday and finally finished up at 11:00 PM.

The Putnam, CT performance was our second visit to this Lodge. The first visit was precipitated by a church member of mine who upon selling her house and cleaning out the basement found an old Masonic diploma. It was from the 1800s for a Mason completing his degrees at Putnam Lodge. So, after going through channels, I contacted the Lodge and arranged for us to bring a bus load of Paul Revere members to formerly return the diploma. That got us a return visit 6 months later with the Colonial Degree Team.

Frederic interviewing mother and child for Paul Revere's Child Identification Program (CHIP)
Frederic interviewing mother and child for Paul Revere’s Child Identification Program (CHIP)

EL: What role did you have in the Team?

Frederic: My role was to do the Charge at the end of the degree before the Historian came on. I tried many different charges but eventually settled on one called “The Canadian Charge” in Massachusetts. This charge is known in many other states by a different name. For a historical sketch of this charge see the article penned by a friend here – http://phoenixmasonry.org/a_charge_by_any_other_name_is_still_a_charge.htm

From Grand Lodge of Massachusetts Magazine "The Trowel"
From Grand Lodge of Massachusetts Magazine “The Trowel”

As you remember each member of the Paul Revere Degree Team adopted the name of a Revolutionary War Mason. When I arrived onto the team all the famous names had been taken. With permission from the team leader I researched my own name. I wrote to the Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts Library and asked them if there were any Freemasons that fought in that battle against the British on April 19,1775. The reply stated that of some 70 Patriots that lined up to fight the British some where near 26 were Masons. That was remarkable because Lexington did not have a Masonic Lodge at that time. From that list I chose William Munroe.

William Munroe was a Sergeant in the Lexington Minute Man and he was stationed by the Lexington Green on an all night vigil the night of April 18,1775. He was to warn the Minute Men of any British activity in the area. When Paul Revere rode into town he woke up sleeping Masons in the area and had word sent to Captain Parker the leader of the Lexington Minutemen. Munroe was also the proprietor of the other tavern in town, the Munroe Tavern which still stands today just a stone’s throw down the street from the Scottish Rite National Heritage Museum.

In 1797 William Munroe went into Grand Lodge to receive a charter for Lexington’s first Masonic Lodge with himself as its first and founding Master. He was escorted to the East of Grand Lodge there to be received by Most Worshipful Paul Revere. Hiram Lodge met for some 40 years in the backrooms of Munroe Tavern in Lexington.

EL: Who were the other team members representing?

Frederic: I can’t remember all the names chosen by Colonial Degree Team members but some of them were Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Israel Putnam, John Paul Jones, Paul Revere, George Washington, John Marshall, Henry Knox, Robert Livingston, General Hugh Mercer, Ethan Allen, Patrick Henry, Benedict Arnold, Joseph Warren and of course the honorary American Marquis de LaFayette, These are some of the Revolutionary War Freemasons represented by the Paul Revere Colonial Degree Team.

EL: How fun! What led you to join Prince Hall Masonry?

I was Master of Plymouth Lodge in 1994 when Prince Hall recognition was being worked out. Recognition was formerly signed in 1995. Thereafter I was active in receiving Prince Hall visitations into Paul Revere Lodge. I was very impressed with their Masonic knowledge and work.

A few years later I started to become very active with Masonry on the Internet. There I met and corresponded with such stalwarts as Jeff Naylor, Chris Hodapp, Errrol Hinton, Stephen Dafoe and Theron Dunn to name a few. We all seemed to be involved with the reform Freemasonry movement. And among those reforms was recognition of Prince Hall. These were the days when “Laudable Pursuit” was penned. And I added my 2 cents in, often with biting sarcasm.

When I moved to Texas I joined the Grand Lodge of Texas AF & AM and went to their Grand Lodge Session. I was not impressed with some of the leadership and disappointed with the racial divide that was part of the tradition. I had some unfortunate incidents which I do not wish to go over again.

It was then I figured out that the best way I could work for racial justice within Freemasonry was to join Prince Hall. After all I had been an advocate for many years for Prince Hall recognition across the board in every state. I decided to put my feet where my mouth was and walked on over into Prince Hall Texas. I have never regretted that decision. I love and am much loved.

Prince Hall Texas Grand Lodge - Fort Worth Texas
Prince Hall Texas Grand Lodge – Fort Worth Texas
Rooftop Raising Dallas Texas MWPHGLTX
Rooftop Raising Dallas Texas MWPHGLTX

EL: Any other special personal Masonic history you want to share with the readers?

Frederic: The Fellowship Players of Fellowship Lodge in Bridgewater , Massachusetts, a town close to Brockton, invited me to take the part of Squire Bentley in the Masonic play “A Rose Upon The Altar,” by Carl Claudy. This is a very moving play about a man who disowns his daughter for marrying a man he disapproved of and the discussion that goes on in the Lodge room about his plight and his subsequent change of heart. By removing all Masonic signs, tokens and grips from the play, the Fellowship Players was able to get permission from the Grand Master to perform this play to the public at large.

We played for Lodges, Ladies nights and to the public. I can remember one performance for the Bridgewater Knights of Columbus and their wives and another in New Bedford for Masons visiting from England and their wives and the public.

These performances gave the Craft another way to feel proud of themselves and enthusiastic for their membership in the fraternity. It also introduced non Masons to a little slice of Masonic life and opened the door for a dialogue about Freemasonry.

Lastly it was one of the biggest joys of my Masonic career to be able to do this.

EL: Wow! That is awesome! Now, let’s talk about the recent events in Texas. What are your thoughts on the historic intervisitation between the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas and the Grand Lodge of Texas?

Frederic: I think intervisitation was long overdue and that now that it is here those that have a difficulty with Prince Hall are going to recede into the background and not be heard from hardly at all. A new day has dawned on Texas Freemasonry and it will be one of shared brotherhood. As the two Grand Lodges cooperate in a wide range of efforts together, all the fears and the fairy tales will disappear and we will become one in Masonic purpose and practice.

Prince Hall Grand Master Wilbert Curtis is in the middle with the top hat on and to his left (our right) is the Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas AF & AM PGM Jerry Martin together at the Prince Hall Grand Session June 25-28, 2015. A historic fraternal exchange.
Prince Hall Grand Master Wilbert Curtis is in the middle with the top hat on and to his left (our right) is the Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas AF & AM PGM Jerry Martin together at the Prince Hall Grand Session June 25-28, 2015. A historic fraternal exchange.

There were many forces behind the scene on both sides working for recognition for years and then for intervisitation. I was one of them but also from the Grand Lodge of Texas was Blake Bowden and his website “My Freemasonry.” Many other unknown and unheralded Masons on both sides of the aisle worked behind the scenes, especially to see that we could visit each other’s Lodges. There was literally a ground swell of sentiment from the rank and file that this was something that needed to be done. And I don’t think anything could have come of it all if Prince Hall Texas did not have such a gentle, soft spoken, easy going Grand Master in Honorable Wilbert M. Curtis.

EL: Really? You think Grand Master Curtis’ personality had a lot to do with it?

Frederic: You would really have to get to know the man to see how much his personality has kept the peace. I know that I am nowhere near that personality type. Cross me and I will let you have it, both barrels. But in the face of false accusations, finger pointing, lies and deceit Grand Master Curtis has remained calm, cool and collected. He has not fought fire with fire but rather with brotherly love and affection. He can be firm and commanding but never mean or derogatory. In some tough negotiations he was solid as a rock.

Frederic With Grand Master Curtis At York Rite Conclave
Frederic With Grand Master Curtis At York Rite Conclave

EL: This marks the first time in history that both Grand Lodges sat in a regular session together. How does this feel to you on a personal level?

Frederic: It is exhilarating! To know I have played a small, miniscule part, but one nevertheless, that is rewarding. I think that Prince Hall Freemasonry has been vindicated. I think that some of the misconceptions of Prince Hall will now disappear.

EL: Which misconceptions are you referring to?

Frederic: That Prince Hall Freemasonry is not regular; that it is Clandestine; that it does not perform acceptable ritual; that it is disrespectful to the Craft; that it is rowdy and raucous; that it doesn’t take Freemasonry seriously enough, that its first Grand Lodge was not formed according to Masonic protocol. These are all false misconceptions.

Race relations in the state will improve. My only disappointment was that I was too ill to participate on this historic occasion. But I know that years of opening my big mouth and even at times inserting my foot into it have paid off. That when it came time to choose the fork in the road, I didn’t take what I thought was the easiest path but the one that was the right thing to do. It means my rebel rousing days are over for Texas. However we have nine US Grand Lodges left who still do not recognize Prince Hall. This battle is won but the war is not yet over.

EL: What would you like to see happen in the future?

Frederic: I would like to see the two Grand Lodges do more things together inside and outside the Lodge room. Intervisitation opens up a whole new world to many Masons. Both Grand Lodges can celebrate some Masonic historical remembrances together. They can have a joint Table Lodge. They can join together on some charitable events. They can study Freemasonry together and pull lecturers from each Grand Lodge to speak at the other.

As it stands now each side must apply to its Grand Secretary to visit the other’s Grand Lodges and permission must be granted by the other side. I think that in time this requirement should just disappear and a more free flow of cross visitation assume its place.

They say time heals all wounds. I’m not so sure that is true but I am willing to give it a shot. As each Grand Lodge does more together it will cement the bounds of peace and harmony and brotherly love will freely flow.

EL: Hopefully! Are there other Caucasian Brothers in your Lodge?

Frederic: There was one other Brother who was Caucasian who has since demited and moved away. My Lodge also has a Brother of Filipino heritage.

EL: Do you want to share any racial insights from your perspective?

Frederic: I think that to rehash old instances and war stories does more harm than good. Suffice it to say that there was some animosity between Caucasians and African Americans in the state of Texas that bled over into Freemasonry. Those feelings have not all gone away but we are on the road to peace and harmony in Freemasonry.

All it really took was for some association to take place. I have maintained for years that if you sit down and break bread with a stranger or an enemy or someone you don’t understand, that that act of having a meal together opens up the common humanity you have with each other and promotes a mutual respect. Upon that can be built real friendship.

There will always be people who can’t see beyond skin color. This is not Utopia. Evil exists. But when you greet another Freemason on the five points of fellowship it matters not what race he is.

We would be wise to remember our ritual, “By the exercise of Brotherly Love we are taught to regard the whole human species as one Family – the high and low, rich and poor, who as created by one almighty Parent and inhabitants of the same planet are to aid, support and protect each other.”

Frederic With Brothers from Cote d'Ivoire 2014 Grand Session, MWPHGLTX
Frederic With Brothers from Cote d’Ivoire 2014 Grand Session, MWPHGLTX

EL: Seems like you have a positive and hopeful view of the future.

Frederic: There is only one place to go and that is up. Every close association, every time of togetherness will meld Brothers from both Grand Lodges into fraternal love. We can learn a lot from each other and in so doing we can come closer and closer together. New traditions will soon be formed. Some joint fellowships will become part of those new traditions. As that unfolds disharmony will become a thing of the past. As I said before a new day has dawned on Texas Freemasonry. It will never be what it was again.

EL: Wonderful! Frederic, you are an avid blogger and Masonic author. Tell us about your work and where it can be found.

Frederic: I write in other areas besides Freemasonry but it is my wish that these areas remain separate and unknown to each other. In this manner I can remain more open to other ideas and interface better with people of all different views without others having a preconceived notion of what I am all about. There is nothing worse than an agenda driven person who will not get off your ear. My thing is to approach fields from a point of view that fosters knowledge, education and understanding.

My Masonic writing started on the early well known Masonic websites with forums of the 90s. Masonic Light started by Jeff Naylor and frequented by Hodapp, Dafoe and Dunn gave way to The Lodge Room.com. Here I was in constant discussion on Masonic issues especially with my nemesis Theron Dunn who after he suddenly passed was replaced by Grayson Mayfield. When that Forum died I went on to Master Mason.com and then got out of the forum talk back and forth show altogether.

I formed my own blog “The Beehive” which I merged with Freemason Information by invitation of Greg Stewart. Those forum discussions formed the basis of the articles I then wrote which can be found on either Freemason Information or Phoenixmasonry. It is in these two places that I continue to write but with less frequency.

I have evolved over time. Much of my early Masonic writing was about the abuses of Freemasonry and certain Grand Lodges and the reforms needed. I really took some Grand Lodges to task and I wasn’t afraid to be vocal about it. Some of the high profile cases I wrote about were PGM Frank Haas, Derek Gordon, Mike McCabe, Victor Marshall and Gate City Lodge No 2 and Corey Bryson & Duke Bass Fortesque.

PM Mike Bjelajac, Me, PM Beaux Pettys, Victor Marshall Gate City Lodge No 2
PM Mike Bjelajac, Me, PM Beaux Pettys, Victor Marshall Gate City Lodge No 2

I actually got to meet in person Derek Gordon who resigned from the GL of Arkansas and Victor Marshall who the GL of Georgia attempted to expel because he was an African-American. Mike McCabe was expelled unjustly from New Jersey and Bryson & Fortesque were forced to resign from Florida for not being Christians.

I have gradually steered myself into a more philosophical approach and find great joy in telling the stories of some super Masonic Craftsmen. I was able to meet Masonic artist Ryan Flynn last year and record a session with him about his work.

There are two other places I write for which may not be open to all Masons. I write and deliver articles to the Phylaxis Society and to my Grand Lodge publication “The Texas Prince Hall Freemason.”

EL: You are also Executive Director for the Phoenixmasonry Masonic Museum and Library. Tell us about your work and experience there.

Frederic: It was President and owner David Lettelier who approached me about the position of Executive Director of Phoenixmasonry. He had read some of my writings and liked what he read. One of the first things I did upon coming aboard was to convince David that we needed to get into Social Media. I felt this was where Freemasonry on the Internet was going. So Dave and I put our heads together and opened a Phoenixmasonry Facebook page. I then added Twitter followed by Rebel Mouse. David starting putting many of my articles into the Phoenixmasonry essay session.

Soon I was to open a special Prince Hall section of the main website inaugurating its inception with the William Upton videos which tell such a heart rendering story. We added a few more article writers such as Nelson King and Ian Donald and the poetry of Ezekiel Bey. The Essay section was rapidly increasing. Adding books was very time consuming and proceeded at a slower pace.

Frederic Giving The Charge At Grand Session, MWPHGLTX
Frederic Giving The Charge At Grand Session, MWPHGLTX

But we wanted to give our readers the widest possible choice of Masonic content. It wasn’t long before we started to invest heavily into You Tube videos. We added a You Tube section to our Facebook page. This became very popular.

I spent a lot of time as Executive Director in marketing Phoenixmasonry especially among the Prince Hall brethren. I got the Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas to add a link to us on the Grand Lodge’s website. I worked with David on his project of a 10 year (2009) medallion minted as a thank you to all who had contributed to Phoenixmasonry’s success. That became a tremendous marketing tool as I carried a bunch of them with me wherever I went and gave to many influential Masons one as a gift.

a

My job concentrated on disseminating whatever we were doing to various Grand Lodges, Masonic websites and forums, Masonic Yahoo Groups and an extensive E-Mail list. It was my goal to always keep the name and content of Phoenixmasony on the lips of as many Masons as possible.

I took over the project of getting us a 501(c) 3 status with the IRS, filling out the laboriously long form and making sure all the information was correct. This designation will facilitate contributions to Phoenixmasonry from those who are looking for a good cause to contribute to.

What I started with David to increase our visibility has been continued with the addition of new blood to our team. We have added editorial assistants to our Facebook page who help us add the most interesting Masonic material we can find. We recently added

Phoenixmasonry’s 10 year anniversary medallion
Phoenixmasonry’s 10 year anniversary medallion

you, Public Relations Director Elena Llamas, and you have carried on right where we left off. You have spruced up our Facebook page, created a Phoenixmasonry You Tube channel adding many videos and put Phoenixmasonry on Pinterest, Instagram, Google +, Reddit and Tumblr. It’s a team effort and I am proud what all of us have been able to accomplish. Phoenixmasonry is the most complete and best Masonic website on the Internet.

EL: It is a pleasure to work with you at Phoenixmasonry! Thank you so much, Frederic, for sharing such a fascinating personal history and all you insights. I hope the readers have enjoyed this interview. For more information on Frederic’s work, you can find him at https://freemasoninformation.com.

The Petition Against Clandestine Freemasonry

The following is from a comment posted by Brother Charles M. Harper Sr. on the post Bar Sinister Clandestine Hazing. Upon receiving it, I thought it warranted its own post given the depth to which he explored his ideas. The context to the piece comes as an explanation for why the petition is necessary in this modern age.

Here is a little of the information, from my book, A Spurious State of Confusiondue out at the end of July that provides both extensive quantitative and qualitative research to substantiate my stance that spurious Freemasonry is a problem, what it exactly is in the scheme of the Masonic world, how the problem came to be and what are choices that can be explored to stem the tide.

I expect the Obama Administration, in accordance with the petition, to examine this issue. I think it is inevitable that many will thwart this petition because of political feelings, and somehow, will tie in their dislike of Obama with the intent of the petition. It is human nature and to be expected.

Just some other historical evidence of some legal grounds that can substantiate at least the filing of this petition.

The conviction in the Federal Court at Salt Lake City, Utah, on May 15, 1922, of Matthew A. McBlain Thomson, Thomas Perrot and Dominic Bergera, of using the mails to defraud, was the culmination of efforts of the United States Government, begun in 1915, to have a reckoning with the perpetrators of one of the most ingenious mail frauds, and the most daring and spectacular Masonic imposture in American history.

In 1929 there was filed in the office of the Secretary of State of New Jersey a Certificate of Incorporation of “The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of New Jersey,” under which certificate the incorporators claimed the right to:

Practice and preserve Ancient Craft Masonry according to the Ancient Charges, Constitutions and Land Marks of Free Masonry; to create, organize and supervise subordinate Lodges of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, granting to them dispensations and charters, empowering them to confer the degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason; and to do all things necessary to carry into effect the objects and purposes of this incorporation.

The regular Grand Lodge instituted suit in the Court of Chancery against this spurious Grand Lodge with the result that in 1932 there was entered a decree restraining and enjoining this “Grand Lodge of ancient Free and accepted Masons of New Jersey,” its officers, agents, members and employees,

  1. From using the name or designation “The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of New Jersey.”
  2. From using any name or designation containing the words “Free and Accepted Masons,” or word “Mason,” or “Masons,” in conjunction with either or both of the words “Free and Accepted.”
  3. From practicing, or pretending to practice Ancient Craft Masonry, according to the ancient Charges, Constitutions and Land Marks of Free Masonry; from creating, organizing or supervising subordinate Lodges of Free and Accepted Masons in the State of New Jersey, or pretending to do so; from conferring or pretending to confer the three degrees of Free Masonry known as Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason, or any of them.

South Dakota once had an Italian spurious body, but it has disbanded. Texas has to contend with the clandestine Mexican bodies. Utah has had some experiences, but her most famous contribution to the history of clandestine Masonry was the trial of the notorious McBain and Thompson. That Masonic fraud was there exposed and the perpetrators sent to jail. M.W. Sam H. Goodwin, Grand Secretary, writes of this:

Grand Lodge has not entered the arena against clandestinism, but a great battle against clandestinism was brought to a successful conclusion in the Federal Court in Salt Lake City, and the chief promoters of the Thompson Masonic Fraud (three in number) heard a jury declare them guilty, on ten counts, of using the U.S. Mails to defraud.

In a majority of States, legislation has been passed making it an offense against the law to use the emblems of a fraternal organization without a right, or to adopt and use the name of a pre-existent fraternal, charitable, benevolent, humane or other nonprofit making organization. Some of these laws are very elaborate, others are less specific, but in States where such legislation has been invoked by regular Masonry against usurpation by clandestine bodies, the courts have upheld, or are now in the process of upholding the regular and recognized Grand Lodges of the nation against those who would profit at their expense. – Source: Clandestine – from a Short Talk Bulletin – Dec. 1935, Masonic Service Association of North America

There have been state rulings against spurious masonry, filed by Grand Lodges, since before the 1950’s by Prince Hall Grand Lodges. – Source – Masonic Court Cases

As to the former rulings against Prince Hall and its standing amongst the Masonic Community today, the United Grand Lodge of England established a committee that examined at great lengths the legitimate origins and determined in 1992 that Prince Hall Grand Lodges were indeed regular Grand Lodges, though formed irregularly but consistent with the forming of Grand Lodges during its time of organization. 40 U.S. Grand Lodges now in amity with the Prince Hall Grand Lodge substantiates that they would not be included in such categories as spurious Freemasonry, which is simply not Freemasonry, but the imitation of it.

The word clandestine today is an often misapplied word compared to prior to the Baltimore Convention of 1834. All Regular Grand Lodges are clandestine to some other regular Grand Lodge. Being clandestine in the proper context has nothing to do with proving a standard of regularity that has been substantiated over time by the courts, and is codified by laws in New York state, and other states.

The word ‘clandestine’ falls with unhappy significance upon modern Masonic ears, but it did not in those days mean quite the same thing as it does to Masons of this age, Prior to the ‘Lodge of Reconciliation’ and the formation of the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813, the two Grand Bodies of England, the ‘Moderns’ (who were the older) and the ‘Antients’ (who were the younger, schismatic body) each considered the other ‘clandestine.’ – Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania Proceedings February 3, 1783

clandestine adThe feminine disciplines though irregular, and are thus clandestine to traditional Freemasonry, do have origins found within the Masonic Fraternity definitively from the Grand Orient of France’s requirement their existence would be attached to a traditional all male Masonic lodge and one woman at least was made a Master Mason in a Masons Lodge, though it was against the rules of the Grand Orient, Maria Deraisme. The Grand Orient, at one time determined to be regular, has legitimate origins.

What is often not included in the mainstream discussion of the quantitative effects of spurious Freemasonry, which include more than 450 spurious grand lodges in the United States alone, which collectively boasts memberships close to 400,000 members, and grossing more than approximately $43 million dollars, all in the name of traditional freemasonry. These groups advertise for membership with famous Masons such as George Washington and Fredrick Douglass. What is also not often examined are the horrid perpetuation of racism used to emotionally inspire the continued separation between races within the Masonic institution by the feeding of negative stereotypes gathered through mass generalizations.

Please allow this petition to be supported if nothing else, to bring national attention to fraudulently practiced Freemasonry. Our Fraternity is on a cusp of a great resurgence with a massive return to focus on Masonic education as the center of bonds in the fraternity being created. We need not stand idly by while fraud undermines our progression.

Bar Sinister Clandestine Hazing

Chris Hodapp posted today about a petition to prevent (prohibit, bar, ban, make illegal by presidential power?) clandestine Grand Lodges. Note – the post is now archived.

The text of the petition, which you can read at petitions.whitehouse.gov, says:

Grand Lodges of Freemasons began in 1717, in London, England. All Grand Lodges in the world must have a direct lineage to this Grand Lodge to be Masonically legal. This process in proving legitimate origins has been upheld in the case of Supreme Grand Lodge Modern Free Accepted Masons of the World vs. Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia Docket no. 14374, United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit. Other courts have established this precedent as well. There are only 94 legal Grand Lodges in the United States, the Prince Hall Grand Lodges, and the State Grand Lodges, all having legitimate origins from the Grand Lodge of England, but more than 450 fraudulent Grand Lodges exist, unregulated, committing extreme hazing and fraud on unsuspecting men. Stop the fraud.

Hodapp closes his post with an appeal to “Sign the White House petition…by August 4th. to be considered by President Obama, the petition requires 100,000 signatures (with roughly 400 at the time of my writing).

Your decision to sign is your own. But, before you put finger to keyboard to commit your pixelated signature I thought it would be good form to consider some of the aspects included in the petition itself.

All Grand Lodges in the world must have a direct lineage to [the Grand Lodge of England] to be Masonically legal. I suppose, in a broad context, which would be the case assuming that the UGLE is the chief franchiser of the Masonic Brand. But, since when is the President the arbiter of brand recognition? I’m sure the Supreme Court could weigh in on the matter, but ownership aside, it seems like a Masonic disagreement would be outside the scope of their jurisdiction. Lineage is only important to those who believe it to be so. Would saying all protestant churches are breaking Christian law by not following the lead of Rome?

Historically speaking, it sets the 1717 foundation of the Grand Lodge system as the chronological benchmark for legitimacy. Given that the foundation of a “grand lodge” out of severally existing lodges suggests that the incorporation of the fraternity is where our lineage begins.

The petition mentions a civil case from 1954, Supreme Grand Lodge Modern Free Accepted Masons of the World vs. Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia. That proceeding as essentially about:

This action was instituted by appellee, a Georgia corporation, to enjoin appellant, an Alabama corporation, from engaging in conduct alleged to constitute unfair competition against appellee, and from holding itself out as a Lodge of Freemasons or as a member of the Masonic Fraternity. It was further prayed that appellant be enjoined from using the name ‘Supreme Grand Lodge, Modern Free and Accepted Colored Masons of the World.’

History and jurisprudence was the outcome.  I’ll leave it to you to decipher the legalese.  My take, neither site had a writ or warrant, instead “…both plaintiff and defendant trace their legal origin to a charter issued by a state court [in 1890].

Ironically, a search on Google for the 94 legal Grand Lodges turned up another legal brief involving two ‘clandestine’ Grand Lodges from 1949 – Most Worshipful Lodge v. Sons etc. Lodge – 94 Cal. App. 2d 25

Two actions involving conflicting claims of rival colored Masonic organizations were consolidated for trial. The first was an action for conversion in which a cross-complaint was filed asking damages for fraud. The second action was one brought by the Hiram of Tyre Grand Lodge against the Sons of Light Grand Lodge to enjoin the latter from conducting a grand lodge of colored Freemasonry in California. fn. 1 The trial court found against Light in both actions. Thereupon Light attempted to appeal from both judgments. However, this court heretofore granted a motion to dismiss the appeal in the conversion case on the ground that the judgment [94 Cal. App. 2d 28] was not final, an accounting being required. (Most Worshipful Sons etc. Lodge v. Sons etc. Lodge, 91 Cal. App. 2d 582 [205 P.2d 722].) The present appeal deals only with the injunction action and the first action will be disregarded.

While not delving into the legalese, the outcome, in so far as I can discern from that legal action was:

The position of the courts as regards rival fraternal organizations is well stated in Cuney Grand Lodge v. State (1926), 142 Miss. 894 [108 So. 298, 302]: “The court cannot judicially know what the principles and degrees of free Masonry are, or of any particular brand of doctrine known as free Masonry, if there be differences of organization and principles. That is a matter with which the state is not concerned so long as [94 Cal. App. 2d 35] no fraud is used to deceive a person solicited to join or be received into these orders.”

[8] The injunction in this case went too far. It should have been limited to prohibiting defendant, its officers, agents, servants and employees from representing that its grand lodge and its subordinate lodges were or are the only bona fide grand lodge and subordinate lodges of Freemasonry in California, or making any representation or performing any act which would tend to confuse, in the minds of the public, or prospective members, its organization with plaintiff and its subordinate lodges, or by misrepresentation to attempt to lure away plaintiff’s members…

The findings of Cuney Grand Lodge v. State State said:

State may forfeit charter of fraternal corporation soliciting members by falsely representing that they will be received into regular Masonic lodges throughout the United States, and may restrain re- ceiving members by such means pending trial of forfeiture proceedings. Cuney v. State, 142 Miss. 894, 108 So. 298 (1926) page 31.

So, where does that leave us. I suppose it means if an organization solicits members “by falsely representing that they will be received into regular Masonic lodges” the state can withdraw their incorporation. But, what if no claim is made? And who has the time, or money, to enforce these kinds of actions when it would be an uphill battle to prove who owns the Masonic trademark. But, at the same time, it seems a petition like this deliberately hurts other organizations that may share the name Freemasonry, which takes us into a whole ‘nother debate on what it means to be clandestine. Why lose the trees for the forest when the real issue is violence and hazing.

What the petition comes down to is a plea to stop malicious and dangerous hazing. So, in light of that, I’ve created a petition to make hazing of any kind illegal. Perhaps you’ll consider adding your signature to this petition instead.

Anti hazing literature from Miami University

Anti hazing literature from Miami University

What Makes A Leader

R. Lucille Samuel

R. Lucille Samuel

Some people attain the level of leadership just because they have been around a long time. Some people get to be “head honcho” because they are everybody’s friend and nobody’s enemy. Still others have risen to the top through wheeling and dealing and doing favors expecting favors in return.

Such leaders, after attaining power, rarely ruffle any feathers. They go along to get along. They do things the way they have always been done. They refuse to push people to greater heights or hold anybody accountable for anything. They revel in their honors but do little to further their organization.

None of this describes R. Lucille Samuel, Grand Princess Captain Lone Star Grand Guild of Texas PHA.  Samuel is far from a “Do Nothing” leader.  Rather she is the type that might say, “Let the chips fall where they may but we are moving forward embracing change.”

You will understand where she is coming from and what type of a leader that she is when you read her recent address to the Grand Guild, delivered at her Grand Session and in conjunction with the Grand Sessions of all the York Rite Bodies of The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge Of Texas.

Read the words of a true leader:

 

2013 has been an awesome year for the Grand Guild.  We have had very successful Regional Trainings and our membership continues to excel.

So where do we go from HERE?

Job 5:2

For wrath killeth the foolish man and envy slayeth the silly one.

We need to change our organizational outlook.  We have no peripheral vision.  Most of us can only see straight forward and any type of change is out of the question.  You cannot be afraid of failure.  Your success is not measured by the number of times you fall but upon the way you handle recovery. It is not how high you climb but how you got there.  You must have the courage to take risks.

You cannot lead where you don’t go and you can’t teach what you don’t know.  The key to being a successful leader is earning respect not because of your Title or position.  People who work together will ALWAYS WIN! 

You cannot lead an organization if you are afraid of change or what other people will think.  You have to realize that people will always talk especially those that envy you.  Unfortunately we don’t like to see others succeed.  Instead of giving encouraging words of advice or wisdom we would rather watch others fail.  You do realize that when the Leader fails so does the organization.  A lot of times you will hear the phrase well THEY said.  My interpretation of that is as follows.

The letters in THEY stand for: –  T for Tongue which is a very sharp weapon used against others.  H stands for Hateful things that people will do to see you Fail.  E stands for ENVY of those that feel you are a threat to them.  They aren’t happy so they feel that no one else should be happy.  Y stands for YOU because THEY never said anything YOU did.

We cannot continue to use the same strategies that our Ancestors used.  It may have worked great for them in their time but times have definitely changed, The phrase,  “Well that is how we have always done it,” has to GO!  If we wish to attract members into our organizations that are talented and well educated a Change must come.  You cannot run a well oiled machine on tap water. There is no reason we should not have the largest membership Rolls in the world.  What makes any other organization better than the Prince Hall Masonic Family?

I was told a successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others have thrown at him. Well we don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings because they have been in the Order since the Last Supper. Their wisdom is always welcome.  But we cannot continue to tip toe around others feelings.  The ship needs to sail and those who can’t swim need to stay on the shore.

We are also afraid to share knowledge with others in fear of them replacing us.  Knowledge is power and should not be used as a weapon.  A great leader surrounds themselves with people that have talents and ideas which make the organization shine.  It is a very selfish person that allows their personal gain to deter progress.  Remember that not all people in charge are leaders.  Sometimes it is by virtue of them being in the right place at the right time or there was no one else at the time available.

So what do we do to change that?  Stop nominating your friends instead of the qualified person.  Stop trying to run the Organization alone.  We know you want all the credit and glory.  Share your knowledge and information to all.  Tomorrow is promised to no one.  There should never be a time when one person steps out of a position and someone else cannot step in.  When your organization is losing more members than receiving new members that is a sign.  When your Annual Conference Registration continues to decline Houston we have serious problem!

We need to make a change.  This is a volunteer organization and people will not continue to spend money on Registration and travel to attend meetings that continue to hold the same old programs.  When you have Officers that do absolutely nothing during the Year and you continue to keep them in office people will not support you.  It is so petty of you to threaten people or hold grudges against them just because they run for office against you.  You are not doing anything so get out of the way!  There is no motivation.  When your Annual Session minutes state the same business every year and the only thing that changes is the DATE you are in trouble.

If we do not make a change the Prince Hall Family will dissipate into thin air.  All of the hard work our Trail Blazers accomplished will be in vain.

We have to take charge now and work TOGETHER.  Working against each other we will not survive.  We have to have the Wisdom to know that Music means nothing if the audience is DEAF!  We cannot go back and change the past but we can start today by making a new beginning and become the WINNING TEAM!

Holding grudges against someone for something that happened years ago will not solve anything either.  Most of you don’t even remember why you are angry anyway.  We are not here to become a Social Club but to conduct the business of this Great Order.

People may forget what you said to them but they will never forget how you treated them.

Remember the pessimist sees the difficulty in every situation and the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.    Be an Optimist!

Proverbs 14:33
Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding; but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.

We will never have peace if we never let go of wanting to change the past and controlling the future.  You will never be successful if you have to always ask “What’s In It For Me”?

In closing I ask that we all remember “Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results and not attributes.   

I will continue to lead BY THE CROSS,

R. Lucille Samuel
Grand Princess Captain
Lone Star Grand Guild of Texas PHA
Heroines of the Templars Crusade
International Grand Senior Shepherdess
International Grand Deputy of Texas
International Grand Court of Cyrene Crusaders
“BRING ONE TEACH TWO”

Grand Lodge Of New Jersey Destroys Another Great Masonic Career

403-Copy-300x225The Grand Lodge of New Jersey is at it again. This time it has suspended well respected PDDGM Dennis R. Winter for correcting and disagreeing with Grand Lodge – essentially nothing. And at the same time it has refused to grant him a Masonic trial.

This has become a common tactic of Napoleonic Grand Masters as they use a loophole of suspending indefinitely, perhaps forever, without expelling thereby not being able to be accused of arbitrarily ruining a Mason’s Masonic life.

You might remember that we have been this road before with Mike McCabe who was railroaded out of the Craft in New Jersey for essentially the unMasonic conduct of opening his mouth.

New Jersey has a long history of tight fisted out of control Masonic government.

The bone of contention is once again as it was with McCabe, Landmark #3 which states:

“The Grand Master…may suspend, at his pleasure, the operation of any rule or regulation of Masonry not a ‘landmark’…suspend the installed officers of any Lodge, and reinstate them at his pleasure, and is not answerable for his acts as Grand Master.”

In other words the Grand Master can do as he dam well pleases. There is no limit to his power for this Landmark can overrule every other Landmark in the New Jersey Constitution. It’s a SUPER Landmark. In fact all that is really necessary for New Jersey Mainstream Freemasonry is to just have this one Landmark as it voids all the others anyway.

Furthermore as we exposed 3 years ago in the Mike McCabe story, the New Jersey Landmarks were never voted on by the body of the Craft in Grand Session as required by the New Jersey Constitution. They were never officially approved but merely inserted into the Constitution by taking an end run around the proper procedures of the Grand Lodge as so stipulated in its Constitution. And the powers to be today will never submit the Landmarks to the New Jersey Craft as a whole for approval because they know they would not pass with Landmark #3 in them. So these Landmarks are illegal, the Grand Master’s rulings are illegal and the suspension of Winter is illegal.

Yet the question that needs to be asked is a statement of all power to the Grand Master without limitations really a Landmark? This is what we will explore further but first let’s hear Winter’s story in his own words.

Grand-Lodge-Letters-2-e1384619374343

Image-5-e1384619484560

Image-4-e1384619626458

I was summoned to the Grand Lodge Fellowship Center on August 28, 2013 to meet with the  Grand Master for allegedly “Having issues with the Grand Lodge on the way the Grand Lodge was being run.”

Rather than sitting down as men and as Masons to discuss the issues, the meeting was more of a Police interrogation. (Note: the Grand Master is a retired Police Sergeant from the now disbanded Camden Police Department).

The entire Elected Line was there and I was informed that my conversation was being recorded and I informed the Grand Master that his conversation was being recorded as well. He did not like that.

My issues with the Grand Lodge were 1) I found out that the ads in the Freemason Magazine were Not being paid for; 2) I called the Editor of our privately paid magazine which had an ad in (by Reverend Frank) advertizing Marriages, Civil Unions, and renewal of vows. I took issue with the fact that it looked like we, as Masons were promoting Civil Unions and I do not believe that as Masons, who are taught that the “Holy Bible the Inestimable gift of God to man is given to us as the Rule and Guide for our faith and Practice, and in that Book it states that marriage is between a man and a woman, that we should not have such an ad in our magazine; 3) I found out that a District Deputy Grand Master in one of our Districts tried to qualify a Senior Warden, who had not been elected Master. I called the Grand Instructor and told him what this District Deputy tried to do and he told me that he would talk to the Grand Master about this problem; and 4) I called the Grand Lodge to inform the Grand Secretary that a piece of Legislation that was passed at Grand Lodge was listed incorrectly in the Freemason and since I knew that the Grand Lodge was updating the Constitution, I wanted to make sure that the wording would be correct.

The Grand Master told me that I “berated” the Editor of the Freemason for a half an hour. That  never did happen. We talked about the issues that concerned me. The Grand Master told me that I should know, as a Past District Deputy Grand Master that any Volume of Sacred Law can be on the Alter. I do know that. And I also know that No recognized volume of Sacred Law condones civil unions or gay marriage. He told me that I should know the chain of command, that the Freemason Magazine is the Grand Master’s magazine and if I had an issue 1 should have called him. (I thought, #1 that the Freemason was “OUR” magazine and if someone has a problem with what is published, that they should talk to the Editor of that paper or magazine.)  Note: I did apologize to Grand Master if he thought I did not go through the correct chain of command … He then told me that I should not interfere with another District or District Deputy Grand Master. I told him that my concern was with the entire fraternity and what was being done in this fraternity is being done properly.

After the interrogation was over, the Grand Master told me that “You can go home now”. 

On September 20, after just getting home from giving the Funeral oration for a departed brother of my Lodge(Note: 1 also did a Funeral Oration for another Lodge on the morning of the day that one was to appear for the summons), 1 received a phone call from a brother Mason asking what was going on .. I asked him what he was talking about and he told me that he was just informed that the Grand Master had suspended me. 1 was not officially informed until I received the letter from the Grand Master on September 23,2013. (Emails went out to the Elected Line, Past Grand Masters, all Lodge Secretaries, District Deputy Grand Masters and appendant and coordinate bodies before I was informed of my suspension).

He did this by suspending any By-Law, rule or regulation relating to Title Four, Article XI, and Trial of Charges by (Printed Landmark #3) In addition the wording in this so-called “Landmark” cannot be justified from Mackey’s list of 25 Landmarks or any other adopted Landmarks recognized in this country or by the Grand Lodge of England. To this date I have been suspended even though the preferment and determination of charges has not been made and the Grand Master has not allowed me to have a Trial, even though I have asked for one …

Also take notice that the Grand Lodge of New Jersey has not adopted any Landmarks … Some Grand Masters in New Jersey have used this (Landmark) even though it has not been adopted by our Grand Lodge.

This is evident by the 1903 Grand Lodge proceedings and the Wallis Report of Masonic Jurisprudence and also the Past Grand Secretary’s remarks in The Masonic Service Association’s pamphlet on “Landmarks” which states “Our records from 1903 show that the report of the Committee was received and adopted, but nothing in the report recommends the adoption of the ten “Landmarks”. We have adhered to them even though there was no official acceptance by the Grand Lodge”.

The Grand Lodge Constitution of New Jersey clearly states in Title Four, Part 5. Legal Rulings “Opinions of the Grand Master, in the interpretation of Masonic Law or Landmarks, become established decrees and permanent rules of action only when adopted by the Grand Lodge”.

This Grand Master has violated the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey and denied me my Civil Rights as an American, as guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the New Jersey Grand Lodge Constitution. Title Four, Section 3, Part 3 Protection of Civil Rights: A Lodge cannot derive a brother of his civil rights, such as a resort to courts of justice for the redress of injuries, nor compel him to first submit his complaint to the lodge for its action.

Also, since all of the issues that I had are now being addressed by the Grand Master, it sure proves that they were legitimate concerns.

Please remember, this action by the Grand Master is a vendetta against me. I do not hold the Fraternity in New Jersey responsible for the unmasonic and improper acts of this Grand Master.

As I have told many concerned brethren, there is nothing wrong at all with the Institution of Freemasonry. The problem is that we sometimes elect a brother who really does not understand the fraternity and will abuse the authority of the Office of Grand Master to satisfy a personal vendetta …

Dennis R. Winter, P.D.D.G.M. 21st Masonic District
November 8, 2013

There are three main points to consider in analyzing this abuse of power by the Grand Master of New Jersey.

1) The New Jersey Landmarks were never voted on and approved by the Grand Lodge as a whole. They were never legally passed but merely inserted into the constitution thereby bypassing proper procedure.

2) An unlimited power clause is not a Landmark. Landmarks are the basic principles or cornerstones that define the fraternity. Putting into the Landmarks a tactic is an illegal grab for power.

No other Grand Lodge gives the Grand Master absolute power as contained in the Wallis Committee’s Report of 1903, which attempted to identify 10 specific Landmarks. Specifically parts of Landmark 3, which state:

“He may create lodges by his warrant and arrest the warrant of any lodge.

He may suspend, at his pleasure, the operation of any rule or regulation of Masonry, not a “Landmark.” He may suspend the installed officers of Any lodge and reinstate them at pleasure, and is not answerable for his acts as Grand Master”

The language contained in this part of the new “Landmark”, nor the concept of a Grand Master being able to disregard whole sections of a written constitution is not found in Mackey’s list of Landmarks. No Masonic Jurisdiction in the United States has ever granted their Grand Masters such broad expansive authority based on their Landmarks as New Jersey’s Landmark No.3 suggested.

3) Grand Lodges were never set up to be a tyranny. Grand Lodges were not designed to operate in this manner. This is not the tradition of Freemasonry. Grand Lodges were created to be the administrative arm of a group of constituent, local Lodges.

M.W. Brother Dorworth’s 2013 Masonic Leadership Conference in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania for the Officers of Lodges in New Jersey had a book that was required reading for the participants.

The Book titled Laudable Pursuit: A 21 st Century Response to Dwight Smith by the Knights of the North states under Part Three: the section on “To be invested with what we were divested”. (Pg.12)

1. “Can we expect Freemasonry to retain its past glory and prestige unless the level of leadership is raised above its present position?”

James I of England once purported, it is … “sedition in subjects, to dispute what a king may do in the height of his power.” We give to our Grand Masters the Devine Right of Kings and pray that use such powers wisely. Sadly, our law does NOT take into account the man who believes in his own divinity. Nor does it take into account for the simple man who gets his feelings hurt and retaliates against those who disagree with his actions. Specifically, the power of a Grand Master to suspend a Mason until the next meeting of Grand Lodge must be eliminated. There must be checks and balances in the form of a required seating of a Trial Committee, made up of Past Masters, NOT Past Grand Masters or Grand Lodge officers to rule on the suspension.

[5] Even the Grand Lodge of England in 1723 and until today, who’s country was and is ruled by a Monarch, state in their Book of Constitutions: General Laws and Regulations for the Government of The Craft:,”#15., Abuse of Power by Grand Master: If the Grand Master should abuse his power and render himself unworthy of the obedience of the Lodges, he shall be subject to some new regulation, to be dictated by the occasion; because, hitherto, the Antient Fraternity have had no reason to provide for an event which they have presumed would never happen.

Like the Pope who is absolutely the last word in spiritual matters but not infallible in civil matters, the Grand Master was never intended to have life and death powers over individual Masons or even local Lodges but rather possess the power to organize and manage his jurisdiction while at the same time holding the post of ceremonial leader.

The government of Freemasonry was modeled on the monarchial system that was in vogue in the 18th century, but the Grand Master was a King with a Parliament which means he governed with limitations. Those limitations were the by-laws and the Constitution of his jurisdiction along with voting rights where applicable. It was never intended to be a Fraternity where the average Mason had no civil rights at all and was in a position to be at the whim and mercy of its leader. Those Grand Lodges that are now operating in the United States as tyrannical dictatorships trampling the civil rights of the Brethren at large are illegal, immoral, unconstitutional and totally outside the bounds of Masonic tradition.

The Grand Master of New Jersey has taken this abuse one step further by becoming a bully. There is nothing like sticking the blade in and then twisting it around to cause maximum pain. His latest edict is to prohibit any suspended or expelled Mason from attending an open installation, open to the general public.  It seems as if the motto of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey is – when we screw you over we do it doubly well.

MW DAVID A. DORWORTH
GRAND MASTER

 

EDICT

WHEREAS, The ceremony of Installation of the Officers of a Masonic Lodge is Masonic ritual; and subject to Title Four: By Laws Part 8 paragraph d & Title Seven: Appendix 7.5.8d; and,

WHEREAS, pursuant to Masonic Regulations,(above) an “Open Installation” of Lodge Officers is permissible if the members of the lodge shall have voted therefore, and the District Deputy Grand Master of the District shall have approved of the same; and,

WHEREAS, the authorization of an Open Installation by the District Deputy Grand Master is conditioned upon him being satisfied that the ceremony shall be conducted in a dignified and commendable manner; and,

WHEREAS, the persons who may attend an open installation are Master Masons in good standing, and their invited family and friends, who are members of the community and who may not necessarily be Masons; and,

WHEREAS, since the ceremony will be open to members of the community, and may be their only exposure to Masonic ceremonies, and hence is even more important that the ceremony be conducted with dignity and peace and harmony; and,

WHEREAS, suspended or expelled Master Masons may be tempted to attend such an open installation, and whose presence could disturb the peace and harmony of the Lodge, and also be interpreted as violating the Obligation of all Master Masons to refrain from holding Masonic conversation with suspended or expelled Masons; and,

WHEREAS, the preservation of peace and harmony within this Grand Lodge is of great importance to this fraternity, for the good of the craft and for the preservation of such peace and harmony, it is this Day of November 12,2013.

EDICTED AND ORDERED, that no suspended or expelled Masons, who remain within the penal jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge, may attend any open installation of any Lodge within this Grand Jurisdiction. The District Deputy Grand Masters and Worshipful Masters are directed that in the event that a suspended or expelled Mason endeavors to attend any open installation, they shall prevent the ceremony from proceeding until such time as they are satisfied that the suspended or expelled Mason has departed the premises, or that the installation is to proceed as a closed installation. The identity of the suspended or expelled Mason shall be communicated to the Grand Lodge at the earliest practical opportunity following any such incident.

So Ordered,

M.W. David A. Dorworth,
Grand Master

Dated: November 12,2013
William L. Morris,
Grand Secretary

None of the actions of PDDGM Dennis R. Winter consisted of Masonic misconduct. This is simply a case of a thin skinned Grand Master  who cannot countenance anybody having a different opinion than his and who will not allow, correction, suggestions or input from others in his jurisdiction. And to squash all other Masonic thought and intimidate those who might be considering speaking up he resorts to suspension and expulsion without cause and without due process. This is exactly why Mainstream Freemasonry is in trouble. Grand Lodges and Grand Masters have become control freaks.

Until Mainstream Freemasonry in the United States decides to discipline itself, these abuses will be repeated over and over again. While each jurisdiction has its own sovereignty it does not have the right to change Freemasonry or to make up bogus Landmarks. And when it does those compliant Grand Lodges must threaten those who disrespect Freemasonry with non recognition.

HELP PUT “FREE” BACK IN FREEMASONRY

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

Arkansas Shriners No Longer Have To Be Master Masons

Alan Madsen Imperial Potentate

Alan Madsen Imperial Potentate

This action taken by Shrine International was not made in a vacuum. You will remember that The Grand Master of Arkansas, as the result of a petty squabble, banned all Masons from being Shrine members.

“As a result of all of the foregoing the Grand Master adopted his “scorched earth” policy against Shriners in Arkansas by issuing an edict that anyone who remained a Shriner in Arkansas had to self-expel himself from Masonry by December 15, 2012 or he, without any trial, would expel them from Masonry. Further he would not allow any Masonic lodge to issue a demit from Masonry to any Shriner (rightly fearing that such Masons would join Masonic lodges in other states). This is Masonry as it is presently practiced in the Grand Lodge of Arkansas. – Theodore Corsones

In order to survive the two Shrine Temples in Arkansas had to take on additional members and they, by virtue of the Grand Master’s edict, could not be Masons. Now this ruling by the Shrine only applies to Arkansas, no other states, and is the direct result of the actions of a rogue Grand Lodge purging its jurisdiction from all who will not submit to tyrannical rule.

Previous articles about this subject on this website by the Beehive can be accessed HERE,  HERE and HERE.

The following is a letter issued by Imperial Potentate Alan Madsen

Arkansas Statement

Imperial representatives of Shriners International voted to make a change to its articles of incorporation regarding membership at the 139th Imperial Session. The prerequisite requiring that members of Shriners International are first members of Freemasonry (Masons) in good standing has been amended to exclude the requirement for the state of Arkansas.

This legislation was brought forth by the two Shrine temples in Arkansas following the Arkansas Grand Lodge edict last November that would no longer allow anyone to remain an Arkansas Mason AND an Arkansas Shriner. Shriners International has always had a Masonic prerequisite and regrets that the actions of the Arkansas Grand Lodge made the passage of this legislation necessary to preserve the existence of the two Shrine temples in Arkansas.

Shriners International is committed to maintaining open lines of communication with the Grand Lodge of Arkansas to encourage amicable relationships for current and future Masons and Shriners. This change does not affect other Shriners across the country, and the organization remains a fraternity based on fun, fellowship and the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief and truth. Shriners International’s primary focus continues to be its philanthropic mission to support Shriners Hospitals for Children, a world-renowned health care system with 22 facilities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Yours in the Faith,
Alan “Al” W. Madsen
Imperial Potentate

KKK’s Influence On American Mainstream Freemasonry

I ran across recently an article written about Freemasonry and the Ku Klux Klan in Florida. It’s an interesting article and I will reprint it below with the author’s permission. It follows up on an article I posted Here on The Knights Of The Golden Circle. Be sure to link onto the author’s link to Knights Of The Golden Circle where you can view their first degree.

There is no doubt that the KKK infiltrated Southern Mainstream Freemasonry – more in some states and less in others. It’s a very hard claim to prove as both societies remain mum about their membership. And that’s not to say there wasn’t some infiltration in the North and West also but it was few and far between and didn’t last.

Today we still have the KKK in some Lodges and Grand Lodges mostly in some of the states of the old Confederacy. Every time I make this claim I hear from Brothers who say I found a Black Freemason in Mainstream South Carolina and I found 5 in Texas. Out of 40,000 to 80,000 member Grand Lodges a token half dozen or less of Blacks in these Mainstream Grand Lodges does not prove that these jurisdictions are not racist. While Georgia seems to have opened up a bit led by Gate City Lodge No 2 in Atlanta, I am still looking for my first Black Freemason in Mainstream West Virginia and Arkansas.

What it does go to show is that even in Grand Lodges controlled by White Supremists some local Lodges will raise Black men without retaliation because those in control are afraid of the negative publicity and the threat of civil legal action.

While some of this story employs the SWAG method, the real point to be made is that Freemasonry is radically different across the United States and that in the Beehive’s opinion is not a good thing. The Freemasonry in California is so different from the Freemasonry in West Virginia and the Freemasonry in New York is way different from the Freemasonry in Florida.  In a highly mobile society this tends to be very disconcerting to Brothers who relocate.

After reading this article from the Laws of Silence below I hope you will have a better perspective on the subject.

The Sunshine State

Roy-L.-Cook-Freemason-300x225In March 2011, I dissed Alex Jones’ The Order of Death documentary (Power, Corruption and Lies) for a variety of reasons, one of which is his claim that Albert Pike, whom Jones calls the leader of world Masonry, founded the KKK.  Both claims are demonstrably false.

In the comments that followed, however, Terry Melanson and I discussed the links between Freemasonry, the Knights of the Golden Circle and the KKK. Whether the KGC could be described as “Masonic” is debatable, of course, but I’d have to say it was:  three degrees, passwords, grips, hailing signs, etc.  Freemasonry was, like it was for so many other groups, the KGC’s model, and membership was not mutually exclusive.

Sad to say, the same is true of the KKK.  Whereas the original Klan had no degrees, the second group (now in archive), 1915-1944, had four and the ladies auxiliary, three. Freemasonry influenced its rituals and more than a few Klansmen were drawn from its ranks.

All this exposition is really just a prelude to the following two pictures.  I mentioned the first in an April 2011 post about political vandalism, but at the time I’d forgotten the second.  I don’t think the pictures prove anything beyond the fact that membership in a Masonic Lodge and the KKK were not mutually exclusive, but it will do little dissuade people from thinking one group was the arm of another.

Roy L. Cook, Klansman and Mason

Roy L. Cook, Klansman and Mason

Meet Roy L. Cook, Klansman and Mason, waving his freak flag high from beyond the grave in Oakdale Cemetery, Deland, Florida.

Ignoring these photos won’t make them go away, best to bring them out into the daylight. Personally I don’t see how one could belong to a group promoting universal fraternity and another white supremacy, but there you have it.

This KKK-sponsored page (now in archive) features a photo of Cook’s Klan headstone, but not the Masonic one; it does, however, feature the stone of Imperial Wizard James Colescott (1897-1950). Colescott led the Klan from 1939-1944.  His stone bears the square and compasses.  The page also pictures the stone of one Samuel Grady Roper (1891-1951)–with the square and compasses–and says it belongs to yet another Imperial Wizard. Trouble is, the Sam W. Roper (b. 1895) who led the Klan in 1949-1950 died in 1986 (after having retired as second director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation).  So, given this blatant error, any info on the site must be weighed accordingly.

The Cook grave is located in Deland, Florida.  Colescott died in Coral Gables.  Roper, in Gainesville.  All of them were contemporaries, Klansmen and finished their days in Florida.  Which is not surprising; even a cursory glance at Klan history reveals that Florida has always had a particularly strong, and violent, Klan presence.

Florida, the Sunshine State!

(Gid and I are both Florida natives, we can thus rag on Florida with impunity!)