Private Collection Four

Masonic writings from a private collection, Private Collection Four 48 pages

"Old Tiler Talks" by Carl Claudy -1925

ON SECRETS

"Someone should speak to Brother Filmore," said the New Brother,

thoughtfully, sitting beside the Old Tiler.

"People do speak to him- I speak to him myself," countered the Old Tiler.

"I mean speak to him seriously."

"I speak to him seriously. I asked him tonight how his wife was,"

answered the Old Tiler.

"Oh, you know what I mean! I mean admonish him."

"About what?"

"About his carelessness of Masonic secrets. He runs the lantern and

leaves the slides out where any profane can see them. He takes them

home sometimes and his children can get them and..."

"I appoint you a committee of one to see that his children are all

properly murdered. No child should look at a Masonic slide and

live."

"Now you are kidding me."

"Boy, you are kidding yourself. The only secret about a Masonic

lantern slide thousands of Masons have tried to find, but none ever

have. It is not to be revealed by looking at them."

"I don't understand..."

"No secrets of Freemasonry are to be learned from a Masonic lantern

slide. They are sold to any one who has the price. If there was

anything secret about a lantern slide, making it would be against

Masonic obligations."

"But you said there was a secret..."

"Sure, but not a Masonic secret. Generations of Masons have tried

to learn who designed them that they might slay him with ceremony

and an axe. The harm done leaving Masonic lantern slides where the

profane may see them will come from the poor opinion the profane

gets from the Masonic slide conception of charity and brotherly

love and truth and relief. Some slides representing Time counting

the ringlets in the hair of the virgin give anyone with the

slightest idea of art the notion that Masons are all cubists! We

are trianglists or rightanglists, maybe, but not cubists! Those

illustrations of brotherly love in which one fat man lays a

ham-like arm lovingly about the bull-like neck of a misshapen Roman

gladiator would scare any child who saw it into such a fear of the

fraternity he would probably weep ever time Dad went to lodge...

but as far as giving away any Masonic secrets is concerned-

piffle!"

"You haven't the same reverence for the sacredness of Masonic ideas

as I have."

"Whoa! Boy, you have things upside down. My reverence for real

Masonic secrets is second to none. Your reverence is inclusive;

mine only for what is real. You wouldn't go home and tell your wife

that a lodgeroom has a chair in the east, where the Master sits,

that there is an Altar in the center of the lodge, or that

candidates take an obligation, would you?"

"Certainly not!"

"I would! The scrubwomen see the lodgeroom. If they can be

permitted to view its sacred outlines, I see no reason why my wife

shouldn't. In lodge entertainments we don't move the Altar and

women have entertained us after the lodge was closed, more than

once. Any catalogue of Masonic paraphernalia advertises hoodwinks,

and ours are regularly sent to the laundry, anyhow!

"The real secrets of Freemasonry mean something for you and me,

which is not for the uninitiated. But they are not upon lantern

slides, in the size of the room, the height of the ceiling or even

the place where a Worshipful Master hangs his hat! Circumspection

in speaking of the things of the lodge, as opposed to the spirit of

a lodge, is necessary only that no false idea be given the

outsider. If it were possible to photograph men receiving the first

degree, the profane might laugh, unappreciative of the symbolism

they saw. But do you really think the value of Masonic secrets

would be decreased by such an exhibition?

"A number of men have written exposes of Masonry. Half true, half

manufactured, no one is interested in them. In second-hand

bookstores you can pick them up for a few cents. They are in every

Masonic library. If what they contained really harmed the

fraternity, would the librarians not destroy them?"

"The secrets of Freemasonry are carried in your heart; they are not

what you see with your eyes or touch with your fingers. There is

nothing secret about an organ, or the music books the choir uses,

or the gavel the Master holds in his hand, nor yet the books in

which the Secretary records who has paid his dues. The shape and

form and furniture of a lodge is not a secret, nor the time of

meetings nor the name of the Chaplain! The lantern slide conceals

no secret worth knowing, nor does the chart to which the lecturer

points nor even the carpet laid down the second degree. These are

all but a means of putting a picture in your mind and it is the

meaning of that picture which must be sacredly kept, not the means

which put it there."

"Then you don't think someone ought to speak to Brother Filmore

seriously!"

"No, but there was a brother in this lodge who had to be spoken to

seriously. I did it.."

"Why, who was it?" asked the New Brother anxiously.

"You!" said the Old Tiler.

"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us, what we have done for

others and the world remains and is immortal. -Albert Pike

SOME WORDS FROM YESTERDAY  (1970)

Looking at the overall picture of American Masonry candidly and

thoughtfully, it seems to me the greatest single need of our Craft

today is a membership with a better understanding of what our

Fraternity is and especially of what it is not. Few indeed are the

Master Masons who know what Freemasonry really is; even more rare is

the species with a comprehension of what Freemasonry is not. Seniority

and rank seem to have little relationship to our ignorance. The number

of Masters, Past Masters and Grand Masters who are hazy as to what our

Craft is all about is appalling.

What has happened?

Well, we seem to assume that Freemasonry, is a fly-by-night fad of the

mid-Twentieth Century; something to be tossed hither and yon by every

wind that blows. In the restless, superficial age in which we live, we

are impatient unless our organized bodies have slogans, and carry

banners, and make official pronouncements on about every subject under

the sun, however trivial. We want them to follow the conventional

pattern; to maintain lobbies, to publish aims and objectives, conduct

drives and campaigns, strive to get into the headlines and on the

airwaves, write checks to everything that sounds benevolent and has a

board of directors, and, in general, to have a finger in every pie.

Freemasonry does none of these.

Strange, is it not, that our ancient Craft should have gained for

itself such a preeminent position of honor and prestige when it does

almost nothing in the conventional manner!

Then what is this Freemasonry to which I urge our Brethren to return?

What are its aims and objectives? What does it do?

Perhaps the last place we would expect to find an answer would be in

the First Book of Kings, and even then the answer will come as

something of a disappointment, for it is all so different from the

ways to which we have become accustomed.

Elijah was languishing in his cave on Mount Horeb in the conviction

that of all God's children only he had remained faithful to his trust.

By divine command, Elijah went forth and stood upon the mountain, and

the prophet tells us what happened:

"And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the

mountains brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was

not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was

not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord

was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice."

What does that mean to us this day? It means that Freemasonry erects

its Temples within the hearts of men. Even though we may not

understand what we are saying, we sound forth our purpose in trumpet

tones when, in our own Declaration of Principles, we proclaim,

"Through the improvement and strengthening of the character of the

individual man, Freemasonry seeks to improve the community."

And we tell the candidate for the degrees of Masonry the same thing in

words striking in their simplicity. "The design of the Masonic

Institution," we say to him, "is to make its votaries wiser, better,

and consequently, happier." Not a word about mass action, nor pressure

groups, nor resolutions on matters of state policy. No "pro" this nor

"anti" that. No sales talk for any pet scheme. No great undertakings

to cure the ills of the world by making everyone over to fit a pattern

of our own design. No running about like chickens with their beads off

in search of a do-good project with which to gain favorable notice. No

restless biting of the nails to compete with a service club or a civic

league. No endless "busyness" which loses sight of the objective.

The message of Freemasonry? Just this: that the Lord is not to be

found in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but in the

still, small voice!

The purpose of Freemasonry? Its purpose is the same as it has been

since the day when the stones for King Solomon's Temple were hewn,

squared and numbered in the quarries where they were raised. It is to

take an individual-just one man at a time, mind you, and as good a man

as possible-and try to make a better man out of him. That is all. How

desperately the world needs just that! And if that technique is

outmoded, then the experience of two thousand years is all wrong; the

Parable of the Mustard Seed is horse-and-buggy philosophy; the Leaven

in the Loaf is a cruel hoax.

The mere fact that men do not comprehend its purpose does not mean

that 'Freemasonry has no purpose, nor that its purpose is outmoded -it

only means that the stones are not being well hewn and squared in the

quarries where they are raised..

Freemasonry has not been tried in the balance and found wanting: it

has been found difficult and not tried.

More than anything else today, the world yearns for that same kind of

gentle, healing influence at work in the hearts of men. The Masonic

Institution, which sometimes is looked upon with scorn because it does

not operate in the conventional manner, is prepared to bear witness to

the fact that the conventional way of our age leaves much to be

desired, and to stand upon its own majestic affirmation that the way

to change human systems is to change human fives.

The wise and venerable Dean Roscoe Pound has seen more of life than

most of us, and views history with greater philosophical calm,

perhaps, than any of us Here is his message to his Brethren of the

Craft: "Freemasonry has more to offer the Twentieth Century than the

Twentieth Century has to offer Freemasonry."

Dwight L. Smith

Whither Are WE Traveling?

1970

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brethern:

After reading Bro Dwight's message, I am moved to say something

revolutionary and simple.  Revolutionary in that it discards all of

the self-rightous talk we hear about the Fraternity being some kind of

mythical Order uplifting mankind by its mere existance.  And simple in

that it re-teaches us a lesson from the school playground:  You must

keep your eye on the ball or you cannot catch or hit effectively.  And

without catching or hitting, your game (of baseball) is lost.  What is

this "new formula"?  We must recognise that in order to uplift a man,

we must first initiate him. It is that simple!  Freemasonry is first

and foremost a Rite of Passage.  It has been the great rite of passage

for Western man since the spread of European civilization in the

1700s.  If we keep this in mind and repeat it often, we will keep

membership up by treating each action as one that we would want to be

seen by the uninitiated to encourage him to want to be a member.

Also, we will put our time and energy into activities like Rainbow and

Jobies and DeMolay that bring in family members of the youth for

activities and get them interested in joining the lodge, as well as

visitor's banquets and other things more directly aimed at membership.

Even each unsung act of lodge generosity is seen by someone, who is

then more kindly disposed to our Order. Keep repeating that

freemaonsry is a rite of passage, and magically your purpose as a

lodge becomes clear:  to improve each man and thus mankind by

initiating the influencial and the anonymous alike.  Those who have

the time to come to their daughter's Rainbow activities will see the

lodge and the members, that is a man, a family man, whom I want in my

lodge.  This is only one example, and I could go on, but you get the

idea.  Have a purpose.  Don't invent one just because someone said

that without a purpose the Fraternity would die.  You already have a

purpose:  Freemasonry is a Rite of Passage of the acceptance of adult

men into the fabric of Western society.  The more we keep this in

mind, the more it will be the reality that it once was.

In my not-so-humble opinion,

Bro J. R. Martin, MPS, et al.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dwight Smith refers to this article from the Dec 1961 Philalethes.

Who Killed Cock Robin ?

by ARTHUR H. STRICKLAND, M.P.S., (Kans.)

ALMOST every mail these days brings some Masonic literature containing

articles about poor attendance at Lodges, and losses in membership.

These articles, almost unanimously deplore the fact that memberships

are dropping down, and that attendance is falling off. Many are the

reasons that are advanced as to what causes this unfortunate

situation. This writer has read many of these articles trying to find

in one of them the answer to the problem. All sorts of opinions are

advanced but none seems to offer a solution. The lack of attendance is

attributed to motion picture shows, to the television, to motor cars

and to almost everything else. Also it is stated in some that the

modern idea of "togetherness" in families has hurt the attendance. All

of these things, no doubt, do contribute in some degree in keeping our

members away, but are they the real reason for the lack of enthusiasm

among our members?

It is an old theorem that what is easy to get, is not much

appreciated. It is our opinion that some of our loss in interest is

due to the fact that acquiring Masonic degrees has been made too easy

for the petitioners in recent years. In states where there is a

waiting period between degrees, this has been waived many times by

Grand Masters to permit candidates to hurry through the work. In our

own State of Kansas, the proposition is now being considered of doing

away with all waiting time, and letting the candidates progress as

they please. Some Lodges feel that they are obligated to call

innumerable special communications to rush candidates through as soon

as they are elected. We have done everything that we can think of to

cheapen Masonry. The whole burden has been assumed by the Lodge for

hustling men through the degrees, until all semblance of respect has

been eliminated from the minds of the candidates. Investigating

committees are slack in their investigations, and make reports to

their Lodges that are slipshod and not accurate. Many of these

committees fail altogether to make an investigation, and report with

no information at all.

These things have resulted in a lack of respect for the Order. We have

cheapened the Fraternity to the point that it is seriously reacting

against us. Our stated meetings are permitted to become dull and

uninteresting, and follow the same routine pattern. Officers are slow

to improve their programs, and the long tedious process of reading

minutes, allowing bills, reading correspondence, etc., finally wears

away the resistance of the "sideline" member, and he finally gives up

on the whole thing and stays home. The present day habit of

introducing everyone who has ever held any Masonic office is boring

and tiring to the members, and should be confined to official visits

of the Grand Master or his especially designated representative. This

writer has many times heard members complain of standing for 30 to 45

minutes or more while a long line of so-called distinguished guests is

brought in and one by one painfully introduced.

It is our considered opinion, that attendance at our Lodges will

improve when we start .to make our meetings attractive enough to

appeal to the members, and not before. Our presiding officers should

arrange to have the business handled promptly and efficiently, and

keep the boring features at a minimum. Get the business out of the

way, and then have time for some real "Masonic" activity. It can be

the conferral of a degree, or it can be a talk by some informed

Masons; it can be a paper prepared by one of the members on some

subject that is of interest to Masons; it can be the reading of the

Grand Lodge Laws and Regulations; it can be a reading of the

Landmarks, or the Ancient Articles; or it could be the reading of one

of the Masonic Service Association Short Talk Bulletins.

Any of these features would prove interesting, and when it is noised

around town that the Lodge is holding really interesting meetings, the

members will hear about it and come.

We hold the secret of attendance in our own breasts, and when the

officers make their meetings worthy of attendance, they will find that

the members will respond.

"Who killed cock robin? . . . I said the sparrow . . . "

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: James Sledge <Jasesledge@webtv.net>

Date: Friday, July 09, 1999 3:41 PM

The article by Brother Strickland published in The Philalethes in Dec

'61 "Who Killed Cock Robin" is right on the money with the exception

(IMO) of the following paragraph.

" some subject that is of interest to Masons; it can be the reading of

the Grand Lodge Laws and Regulations; it can be a reading of the

Landmarks, or the Ancient Articles; or it could be the reading of one of

the Masonic Service Association Short Talk Bulletins."

In my 50 years of attending Lodge meetings and I'll put my attendance

record against any Brother, the most BORING portion of any meeting is

for some Brother to READ from some paper for in most cases when a

Brother  reads an article verbatim he usually doesn't  pronounce words

properly and doesn't show any emotion whatsoever.

Using the above mentioned materiel is great but should be used only as

references in a talk about the subject.

I am looking forward to seeing more input on this subject.

Fraternally,

Sledge

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE SHORT TALK BULLETIN    August 1999

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CIRCUMAMBULATION  MEDITATIONS

By: Bates LeGrand

Brother LeGrand is a member of the Texas Lodge of Research and a

Past Master of Richardson Lodge #1214, Richardson, Texas.

Circurnambulation Meditations was first published in the 1997-1998

Volume XXXII Transaction of the Texas Lodge of Research and is

reprinted as the 8-99 STB with permission. This article explains the

meaning of the phrases used in the Bible readings in each of the

three degrees of Masonry. -Editor

Entered Apprentice Degree: Psalm 133

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell

together in unity: It is like the precious ointment upon the head,

that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, that went down to

the skirts of his garment: As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that

descended upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded

the blessing, even life forevermore.

This is one of approximately thirty-six songs of joy and praise that

are recorded in the Book of Psalms, this being one of many written

by King David. He begins by telling us to to observe," "take note,"

"be sure you understand" or "examine closely" the joy and pleasure

that is derived from unity or harmony among brethren.

The Psalmist gives two examples of how valuable the unity is. The

first is that of the precious "ointment" or oil with which Aaron,

Moses' older brother and spokesman, was consecrated as Israel's

first high priest. Expensive as it was, it is evident that it was

used in abundance since it ran from his head to his beard and all

the way down to the hem of his robe.

The second example is that of the dew of Hermon, which was essential

to the success of Israelite agriculture. They usually got the

earlier and later rains, but the dew was necessary to sustain their

crops during the long hot summers in that arid region. Mount Hermon

is the most beautiful mountain in Israel, so one can imagine how

much more beautiful it looked to the Israelites when it was covered

with the life-sustaining dew.

In the same manner, Mount Zion was beautiful to them because

Jerusalem, the Holy City, was built there. Ibis is where they went

to offer their sacrifices and to hold their religious feasts and

where the Lord God made that blessed promise of life everlasting.

This Scripture was probably chosen because unity is essential to the

success of Masonry. The unity we enjoy also adds to the pleasure of

belonging to a fraternity of like-minded brothers, interested in the

same moral and ethical principles.

Fellowcraft Degree: Amos 7:7-8

Thus He shewed me; and behold the Lord stood upon a wall made by a

plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. And the Lord said unto

me, 'Amos, what seest thou?' And I said, 'A plumb line.' Thus saith

the Lord, 'Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people

Israel. I will not again pass by them anymore.'

Amos was a Judean shepherd in the middle 700s B.C. when he was

chosen to be a prophet of God. His main calling was to warn the

people of Israel of their impending destruction if they failed to

repent their sins.

God delivered the nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt about 1270

B.C. by many miracles, signs and wonders including:

1. The Egyptian plagues;

2. The parting of the waters of the Red Sea;

3. Moses' meeting with God on Mount Sinai to receive the stone

  tablets containing the Ten Commandments;

4. Bringing water from a rock to quench their thirst;

5. Giving them manna from heaven for food;

6. Not letting their clothes wear out in forty years;

7. Parting the waters of the Jordan River;

8. Bringing them into the land of Canaan, the "promised land," and

  defeating the idol worshippers who lived there.

After all these and many other miracles, the Israelites continued to

be an obstinate and disobedient people. God tried on numerous

occasions to bring them back into fellowship with Him. They would

usually say they would obey Him, God would forgive them, and then

they would revert to their wicked ways.

Then, in the days of Amos, some five hundred years after the Exodus,

the Israelites had sunk to an all time moral and spiritual low. The

nation was prosperous, but its prosperity was based on selfishness,

unfairness to the poor, robbery, theft and murder. The people

practiced a token worship of God, but they perverted true worship by

paying homage to pagan gods and idols. There was a complete lack of

mercy and justice and absolutely no regard for human life. It was at

this time that God, through Amos, told them that He will "Set a

plumb line in the midst of them"; that is to set a standard of

uprightness and justice for them: and that He will "not again pass

by them anymore"; he will not overlook their sins anymore.

True to form, the people of Israel, being complacent in their

prosperity, did not heed Amos' warning. As a result, Jerusalem was

destroyed, and the people enslaved in Assyria in 722 B.C.

This lesson admonishes us that while God is forgiving, there is a

limit to his patience.

This Scripture was probably chosen because of its reference to the

"plumb," which is one of the working tools of the Fellowcraft

Degree. The plumb is an instrument used by ancient and modem

craftsmen to determine whether an object is perfectly upright or

perpendicular; it has, therefore, become an emblem of the spiritual

and moral uprightness so essential in Masonry.

Masters Degree: Ecclesiastes 12:1-7

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil

days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say 'I have

no pleasure in them'; while the sun or the light or the moon, or the

stars be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain; In the

day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men

shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease, because they are few,

and those that look out of the windows be darkened, And the doors

shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low,

and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters

of music shall be brought low. Also, when they shall be afraid of

that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond

tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and

desire shall fail; because man goeth to his long home, and the

mourners go about the streets; or ever the silver cord be loosed, or

the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain,

or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to

the earth as it was and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.

Most people will agree that one cannot simply read the Bible and

expect to glean all meanings, and lessons. Given the lapse of time

since it was written and the evolution of languages, some research

is required. In no place in the Scriptures is this truth more

evident than in the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is liberally

sprinkled with metaphors. This is particularly evident in

Ecclesiastes 12:1-7, which all Master Masons will recognize as the

Scripture passage read during the Master Masons' Circumambulation.

Ecclesiastes is defined as "one who assembles" or "one who collects

wise sayings." It is liberally translated as "The Preacher." Neither

the date this book was written nor the identity of its author or

authors is certain. Until the l9th century, scholars thought it was

authored by King Solomon, but modem theologians feel that the true

composer is unknown. They believe it is written as if King Solomon

were the author. (This was an accepted literary device at that time

in history). Whoever the author may have been, he is exhorting young

people to avail themselves of God's blessings while they are still

young.

One can read this passage over and over again without actually

understanding its meaning. At least two different Bible

commentaries, however, offer the following explanations:

REMEMBER now thy Creator: here, remember" means more than just

recalling to mind. It means to "reverence, honor, glorify and

worship" God.

In the Days of thy YOUTH: means while men are young.

While the EVIL DAYS come not: pertains to the rigors of old age.

Nor the YEARS DRAW NIGH: means when the time comes near.

When thou shalt Say "I HAVE NO PLEASURE IN THEM": refers to the

sadness of old age.

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars BE NOT

DARKENED nor the CLOUDS RETURN after the rain: refers to the storm

clouds of old age.

In the days when the KEEPERS of the HOUSE shall tremble: the keepers

are the hands and arms while the house represents the body.

And the STRONG MIEN shall bow themselves: refers to the legs

becoming crooked. [Bow is an archaic word, meaning to bend.]

And the GRINDERS cease because they are few: refers to missing

teeth.

And those that look out of the WINDOWS be darkened: indicates the

eyes becoming weak.

And the DOORS shall be shut in the streets: pertains to the ears

[Hearing impaired].

When the sound of the GRINDING is low: pertains to toothless

chewing.

And he shall RISE UP at the voice of the bird: indicates the

inability to sleep, gets up early when the birds start to sing.

And all the DAUGHTERS of MUSIC shall be brought low: indicates the

voice is failing and an inability to sing.

Also when they shall be AFRAID of that which is HIGH: pertains to

fear of heights and the fear of falling.

And FEARS shall be in the WAY: indicates the fear of crime; because

man cannot protect himself.

And the ALMOND TREE shall flourish: pertains to gray hair; referring

to the almost white blossoms of the almond tree.

And the GRASSHOPPER shall be a BURDEN: means man becomes weak,

unable to lift.

And DESIRE shall FAIL: pertains to the loss of physical appetites.

Because man goeth to his LONG HOME: means heaven.

And the MOURNERS go about the STREETS: pertains to the funeral

procession. [Perhaps hired mourners as was the custom in some

societies.]

Or ever the SILVER CORD be loosed or the GOLDEN BOWL be broken: the

picture here is of a golden lamp suspended by a silver cord. The

silver cord comes loose, the golden bowl crashes to the floor, and

the light of life is extinguished.

Or the PITCHER be broken at the FOUNTAIN, or the WHEEL broken at the

CISTERN: this pertains to the water of life. The broken pitcher can

contain no more water. With the wheel broken, water can no longer be

drawn from the cistern.

Then shall the DUST return to the earth as it was: pertains to that

from which God created man.

And the SPIRIT shall return unto God who gave it: Genesis 2:7 tells

us that God formed man from the dust of the earth and breathed into

his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul. So, at

the time of death, man ceases to exist on earth and his spirit

returns to God, who gave it to him in the first place.

It is much easier for a young person to accept new concepts, ideas

and disciplines than one who is older and "set in his ways." By the

same token, it is easier for a youth to accept (remember) God and

his teachings, principles and ordinances than it is for an older

person. Whatever stage of our life, it is imperative that we as men

and Masons "REMEMBER NOW OUR CREATOR."

EMESSAU MOTES  P2

MIC OFFERS NEW BROCHURE

The Masonic Information Center now has available a new full-color,

eight-panel brochure titled "Who Are the Masons?" Meant as a

"generic" brochure for use by Blue Lodges and all other Masonic

Bodies, the new publication provides an attractive, easy-to read

introduction to Freemasonry. It is a perfect handout to give to

prospective members, and it offers a clear description of Masonry

for the general public. Space is provided on the end panel so that a

Lodge, Grand Lodge, or other Masonic Body can Insert its own name as

a point of contact.

A complimentary copy of the brochure can be obtained by writing to

the address below. Larger orders (sold in lots of 50) may be made as

follows:

50 @ $.27 ea. = $ 13.50       500 @ $.23 ea. $115.00

100 @ $.25 ea. = $ 25.00      1000 @ $.20 ea. $200.00

(Plus Shipping) Order from and make checks payable to: Masonic

Information Center, 8120 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910-4785.

8 NORTH AMERICAN DAYLIGHT LODGES

Historical references suggest that Medieval Masonic Guilds often met

on Saturday for such business as proving their apprentices. Logic

would tell us that, just as the first walls were erected on the

north side In order to keep the building area shaded for less time,

so would the meeting be during the day because few except the

nobility and clergy could afford the luxury of candles or lamp oil.

The goals and purposes of this organization shall be the exchange of

fellowship and to foster Masonic ideals amongst the members and

friends of Masonic Lodges which meet, as in ancient times, during

the daylight hours.

MSA is very pleased to provide our readers with an advance notice

that there will be a Conference for North American Daylight Lodges

in Toronto, Ontario, May 26-29, 2000. This is an early notice for

those who might like to plan a trip around the conference.

For more information please visit the website:

httpV/members.home.net/nacdl or contact the Conference Chairman:

Sheldon Kofsky, 11 Cowles Court, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 9A8

FAX: 905-770-3014;E-Mail jmaks@sprint.ca

4. NATIONAL CAMPING TRAVELERS, INC.

A Camping Club exclusively for Master Masons and their families.

"The object of National Camping Travelers, Inc., shall be for the

entertainment and enjoyment of those whose fraternal affiliations

are satisfactory and who use tents, trailers, campers, and other

recreational vehicles to sightsee, have fun, and promote good

fellowship, make friends along the way, and get more out of Life,

Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

National Camping Travelers, Inc., a Fraternal Camping Club, was

founded in 1966 at Gettysburg, PA, by our late Brother Myron Fox and

twenty one other Masonic Families. The Club (NCT) was established as

a call to refreshment for those who enjoy the outdoors for

relaxation and good fellowship.

For Further Information Contact: National Camping Travelers, Inc

P.O. Box 2894 Chesapeake, VA 23327 (757) 4206829

E-mail:nctcamp@pinn.net Website:www.pinrLnet/ - netcamp

Preston Burner  PM  MPS    Hiram's Oasis  is at www.kena.org/hiram

the MSA 1999 catalog is available of you in an a ZIPed attachment by

request-just ask in an e-mail.

PEARL HARBOR AND TIRE

"MIGHTY MO"

By: Randy T. S. Chang

       This STB is the text of an address given to the delegates

attending the Conference of Grand Masters and the Conference of

Grand Secretaries in Honolulu, in Feb. 1999. At that time Randy TS.

Chang was serving as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Hawaii.

These remarks were given aboard the Battleship Missouri, the

"Mighty Mo." -Editor

       Inasmuch as we Freemasons are committed to peace and harmony

among all people, and many outstanding patriotic Americans were

Freemasons who served our country well, and many of them served in

the Armed Forces of this country, both in its founding and in the

wars to defeat tyrants and dictators, we believe it is most

appropriate that we hold our opening ceremony at this very special

place in American History. I am referring to such men as George

Washington, John Paul Jones, Paul Revere, Benjamin Franklin, Andrew

Jackson, David Farragut, Edward Preble, and in later years . . .

Teddy Roosevelt, Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, Theodore

Roosevelt Jr., Ernest King, Homer Wallin, and Marc Mitscher.

       Of the 123 Medals of Honor awarded in World War I, 16 were to

Freemasons. Of the 434 medals awarded in World War Il, 21 were to

Freemasons. Out of 131 medals awarded in the Korean conflict, 3

were to Freemasons. And out of the 240 medals awarded in the

Vietnam Era, 4 were awarded to Freemasons.

       Since we are at Ford Island in Pearl Harbor let us start with

some of the major events that occurred here. World War II began for

the United States at this very location on December 7, 1941. In a

surprise attack the Imperial Japanese Navy's First Carrier Strike

Force struck most of the United States Military Bases on the Island

of Oahu of the then Territory of Hawaii. Pearl Harbor suffered the

greatest number of casualties and the destruction of many ships.

When the Battleship Arizona blew up and sank, 1,177 men were

trapped, some dead and others dying, in a twisted mass of metal,

engulfed in flames. In spite of the most intensified efforts to

extricate the dead only the bodies of 75 men could be removed, and

1,102 are still entombed in the Arizona. When Pearl Harbor was

attacked on that tragic Sunday morning of December 7, 1941, this

berth now occupied by the "Mighty Mo" was part of the area known as

"Battleship Row." Seven battleships were berthed in "Battleship

Row" in a North-South direction positioned as follows: First was

the NEVADA, followed by the ARIZONA which was inboard of the repair

ship Vestal. Next was the TENNESSEE, inboard of the WEST VIRGINIA.

Next in line was the MARYLAND which was berthed inboard of the

OKLAHOMA, followed by the tanker Neosha, with the CALIFORNIA at the

end of the row. These battleships were the main targets of the

Japanese Task Force. All but the Arizona and the Oklahoma were

eventually returned to service. The attack was carried out by two

waves of aircraft and lasted for about two hours. Fortunately, none

of the three U.S. Aircraft Carriers were in port at the time of the

attack. The Enterprise was enroute from Wake Island, the Lexington

was enroute to Midway Island, and the Saratoga was at the San Diego

Naval Base. Equally important was the fact that the Imperial

Japanese Navy did not know the whereabouts of the three carriers.

       Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commanderin-Chief of the Imperial

Japanese Fleet and principal architect of the Pearl Harbor attack,

was a strong proponent of air power and had counted heavily on

destroying the American Aircraft Carriers. Although the attack was

highly celebrated as a great victory by Imperial Japan, Yamamoto

considered it to be a seriously flawed victory because he realized

that the U.S. Carriers posed a powerful threat to any Japanese

plans for further conquest in the Pacific. As events evolved

Yamamoto's fears became a reality, beginning with the Imperial

Japanese Navy suffering a humiliating defeat in the Battle of

Midway on June 4-6, 1942. The vastly outnumbered and under-equipped

Americans inflicted the worst defeat on the Empire of Japan's

forces that they had ever experienced. The Japanese carriers Akagi,

Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu that had participated in the December 7th

attack on Pearl Harbor were sunk, and about one-third of their

pilots, all seasoned veterans, were lost. Many Americans look back

at the December 7th surprise attack as a one-time successful strike

and nothing more than an end in itself. This was not the case. The

Japanese attack on Midway was the initial phase of "Eastern

Operation," Admiral Yamamoto's plan to conquer and occupy the

Hawaiian Islands. Taking Midway was to be followed by occupying the

Island of Hawaii in October of 1942, with the invasion of the

Island of Oahu scheduled for March 1943. The Japanese defeat at

Midway brought "Eastern Operation" to an abrupt halt, never to be

revived. The Battle of Midway turned the tide for the United States

and its Allies in the Pacific. By war's end, all the Japanese

ships, carriers and submarines that had participated in the

December 7, 1941 surprise attack had been sunk or destroyed by the

Americans. As you can see, we are located at one of the most

significant historical sites in the annals of American History. But

there is more to come. Let us leave the days of "Battleship Row"

and the decisive victory of the Americans in the Battle of Midway,

and move on to the "Mighty Mo" and its role in our history.

       She was battleship gray not black like Commodore Perry's ships

in 1853. She made her way into Tokyo Bay on a mission that formally

ended the most disastrous war the world had ever endured. She was

the USS Missouri.

       All the arrangements were made and everything was in place for

the great event. The date was September 2, 1945, and the

representatives of the defeated Empire of Japan boarded the USS

Missouri to sign the instrument of surrender. Overhead General

MacArthur's five-star flag, along with Admiral Nimitz's five stars,

floated beneath the American flag that had flown over the Capitol

in Washington, D.C. on December 7, 1941. Commodore Perry's flag was

flown in from the Naval Academy at Annapolis and draped over a

bulkhead.

       At 9:00 a.m. after the Chaplain had given the invocation and the

recorded playing of The Star Spangled Banner over the ship's public

address system, General MacArthur appeared and stepped directly to

the microphone, and with a single sheet of paper said:

       We are gathered here, representative of the major warring

powers, to conclude a solemn agreement whereby peace may be

restored. It would be inappropriate to discuss here different

ideals and ideology or to meet in a spirit of distrust, malice or

hatred. Instead both the conquerors and the conquered must rise to

that higher dignity which alone benefits the sacred purposes we are

about to serve. It is my earnest hope and indeed the hope of all

mankind that a better world shall emerge, one founded upon faith

and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the

fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance, and

justice. As Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, I announce it

my firm purpose, in the tradition of the countries 1 represent, to

proceed in the discharge of my responsibilities, while taking all

dispositions to insure that the terms of surrender are fully,

promptly, and faithfully complied with.

       MacArthur's speech was without vengeance and stunned the

Japanese delegation who had expected the worst, especially those

who were associated or familiar with Japan's actions following the

surrender of Singapore, the Philippines, and the horrors of

Nanking.

       Two copies of the surrender documents had been placed on an old

mess table. One bound in leather for the Allies, and the other

canvas bound for the Japanese. General MacArthur used five pens to

sign his signature on the documents. He was followed by the

delegates of the Allied Powers. MacArthur handed the first pen to

Lieutenant General Jonathan Wainwright who had taken over command

of the U.S. and Philippine Armed Forces in the Philippines when

MacArthur was evacuated to Australia by order of President

Roosevelt. The second pen went to Lieutenant General Arthur

Percival who had surrendered Singapore. The third pen would go to

West Point and the fourth to the Naval Academy. The last one was an

inexpensive red-barreled pen that belonged to his wife which he

used to sign the "Arthur" in his name, which she gave to their son.

       Getting up from his chair at 9:25 a.m. MacArthur walked to the

microphone and in a steely voice said: "'These proceedings are now

closed." As the Japanese delegation was being led away, he put his

arm around Admiral Halsey's shoulders and said: "Bill where the

hell are those airplanes?" At that precise moment a fleet of B-29

bombers and Navy fighter aircraft came in from the South and roared

across the sky overhead as they flew toward the mists shrouding the

sacred mountain Fujiyama.

       The 01 veranda deck of the "Mighty Mo" has a plaque on the spot

where the Formal Instrument of Surrender ending World War II was

signed.

       The USS Missouri received three World War 11 Battle Stars, five

for Korea, and served in Operation Desert Storm.

       Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, General Douglas

MacArthur, General Jonathan Wainwright, and Commodore Matthew Pent'

were all Freemasons. Grand Master Samuel Hawthorne made General

MacArthur a Mason at Sight in the Grand Lodge of the Philippines on

January 17, 1936. The three degrees were conferred on MacArthur in

the presence of several hundred Master Masons. He subsequently

became a member of Manila Lodge No. 1. Douglas MacArthur and his

father Arthur -MacArthur, who was also a Freemason, are the only

father and son recipients of the Medal of Honor.

       World War II began for the Americans here at Pearl Harbor on

December 7, 1941, and formally ended in Tokyo Bay on September 2,

1945, aboard the USS Missouri.

       My brethren, ladies and guests, you are seated where two of the

most memorable and significant events in American History actually

took place .... I urge you to think about it.

                              STB-JL99.txt

                             MASONIC HISTORY

                             WHAT IS NEEDED

                            By: A. G. Markham

In November 1996, Brother A. G. Markham delivered a paper to Quatuor

Coronati Lodge #2076, titled Some Problems of English Masonic

History. This paper was then printed in the 1997 Volume 110, ARS

Quatuor Coronatorum Transactions. From that paper the July 1999

Short Talk Bulletin was extracted. Because of the length of the

paper we, could not use all of the material and had to delete the

reference notes.

It is the feeling of MSA that this paper has enormous importance for

all Freemasons. We have divided this Short Talk Bulletin into two

parts. Part One-History and Part Two-Recommendations and

Conclusions. The very brief history of early Freemasonry in Europe

is both concise and informative. Part Two, Conclusions and

Recommendations, is very, very significant. In this section Brother

Markham explains the importance of involving professional general

historians, who are not members of the Craft, to help show

Freemasonry as "the remarkable historic institution, beneficial to

humanity, which it is. -Editor

                             PART I-HISTORY

In the 1600s Freemasonry was restricted to the British Isles and was

a private matter, rarely recorded in writing; least of all in

Ireland, and less so in England than in Scotland.

This is a major problem; and it is surprising that we know as much

as we do about English Masonry of the 1600s. It is possible to see

the existence of a remarkable brotherhood of non-operative masons,

based on well recognised custom (including, notably, secret modes of

recognition and those curious archaic documents the Old Charges),

spread more or less all over the nation, crossing class boundaries

in a very class conscious age, harmoniously and convivially uniting

men, including, I would accept, those of differing political

persuasions, and practising mutual charity. But this evidence is

limited in detail and does not extend to dispelling the mystery of

its origins, a mystery, which, though since to some extent cherished

by masons, has also lent itself to misinterpretation by writers,

both masonic and antimasonic.

In Scotland, written records of the 1600s show the existence of a

considerable number of lodges of operative masons, with a proportion

of non-operative brethren, some of them of high social rank, but

without sufficient involvement to take control, so that the lodges

remained operative in overall character as late as the 1720s. A

wider organisation of these lodges is suggested through provisions

of the Schaw Statutes of 1598/1599. Scottish masons had rudimentary

ceremonies of admission, when the secret "Mason Word" was imparted,

and versions of the Old Charges deriving from English originals. It

is certain that Freemasonry existed in Ireland during, at least,

part of the 1600s, but little more is known of it beyond a few

questionable artefacts bearing masonic symbols.

Despite some improvement in the 1700s, lack of evidence, due to

confidentiality, is a continuing problem; but, there is no doubt

that in the 1720s a dramatic upsurge of English Freemasonry took

place following the formation of a Grand Lodge by four nonoperative

London lodges in 1717. This Grand Lodge flourished and greatly

extended the number of lodges under its authority from 1721 onwards,

when the practice started of having members of the peerage as Grand

Masters, though mainly as figureheads. Two areas of masonic ideas

can be associated with this upsurge, the first being moral rules

known as the Charges of a Free-Mason, contained in a Book of

Constitutions compiled at the request of the Grand Lodge by James

Anderson, which was published (openly) in 1723; and the second being

found principally in an exposure (of confidential matters) in

catechism form known as Masonry Dissected, published by Samuel

Prichard in 1730, which is concerned with secret modes of

recognition and related ritual rather than moral provisions.

In the 1720s and '30s these two streams of ideas passed from England

into British territories overseas (particularly the American

colonies) and into continental Europe through France, where, for

example, the exposure written by the Abbe Gabriel Louis Perau, known

as Le Secret des Francs-Macons, published in 1742, describes the

ideas as practised with little variation in France at that time, and

demonstrates, better than anything written in English, why

Freemasonry was received with great acclaim.

But the French were not content with limiting the movement to the

supposed moral customs, secrets and ritual of stonemasons, and soon

related it also to ideals of knighthood, seeing the achievement of

equality more as a levelling up than as a levelling down, as in

England, though the wearing of masons' aprons continued as a

feature. Possibly from an association with a Jacobite Scot living in

France, the Chevalier Michael Ramsay, these knightly ideals were

embodied in numerous additional related degrees, known as "Scottish

Rites", producing a proliferation of ceremonial, but having, in

fact, no clear connection with Scottish Masonry. Some of these

degrees, notably the Strict Observance (which, deriving from France,

was developed in Germany), exceeded acceptable standards, and

brought Freemasonry into disrepute before they disappeared; but

others have, of course, continued respectably and extensively in

developed form up to the present day.

Despite excesses, the masonic movement was successful beyond all

imagination; and within a very short space of time. In 1738,

Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales and, in 1739, Crown Prince

Frederick of Prussia were made masons. Frederick of Prussia was the

future Frederick the Great, who, on his accession as king in 1740,

became a protector of the Craft. Francis Stephen, Duke of Lorraine,

made an English mason as early as 1730, is said to have introduced

masonic ceremonial into his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor in

1745.

In a later period, shortly before the French Revolution, masons

included among their numbers both royalists and prospective

revolutionaries and, later still, not only six of the sons of George

III, but also most of the former non-commissioned officers of the

army of Louis XVI who became Marshals of France under Napoleon. More

significantly, great men, such as Montesquieu , Mozart, Goethe,

Franklin and Washington became members of the craft. Washington wore

a masonic apron in the masonic ceremony which took place at the

laying of the foundation stone of the United States Capitol in the

new city of Washington in 1793.

All this success was achieved despite strong antimasonic opposition

from the Church of Rome, commencing in 1738, and to a fluctuating

extent, from some of the absolutist monarchies of Europe, influenced

by groundless defamations of Masonry, such as allegations that

masons had instigated the French Revolution.

The formation and development of the English premier Grand Lodge

from 1717 onwards may be seen, in retrospect, as the most important

feature in this period of masonic history. When, in the late

eighteenth century, particularly in Germany, excesses arose in the

attempted development of Masonry and its rituals, including attempts

to use them for commercial gain, it was to the pure ideals of

"English Masonry" that a return was sought. Eugen Lennhoff  wrote

with regard to the reforming work of Friedrich Ludwig Schroder:

"... All those superfluities which, in the course of time, had been

added to the simple symbolism of English ritual, with all its

beauty, were cast out by Schroder...''

We have seen that in 1742, Perau, a Frenchman (and the French have

rarely been admirers of English culture) presented Masonry largely

as it had arrived from England as an ideal system. Again, Lennhoff,

when writing of the Charges of a Free-Mason of 1723 referred to them

as:

"... a masonic Magna Charta; the will to avoid anything tending

towards disunion; the yearning for 'friendly alliance with

antagonists' ..."

But English commentators have tended not to appreciate these as

great achievements or even to see them as English.

This is the next problem of masonic history to which I wish to

refer, namely a failure properly to assess the significance of

English Masonry as offered to, and accepted by, the world from the

1720s onwards, a seeming mental short sightedness, which has failed

to grasp the overall historical perspective.

The Charges of a Free-Mason of 1723 have been largely unappreciated

by the accident of being included in the same volume as the

legendary history, written in similar vein to the legendary

histories in the Old Charges (including evident absurdities). Both

have been attributed to James Anderson (seen at the same time,

inconsistently, as innovator of important masonic ideas and author

of history which was not only unreliable but ludicrous); and this

belief has persisted despite the fact that, as will be shown, the

impossibility of such a view as to Anderson was explained by

Professors Knoop and Jones nearly fifty years ago. The result is

that the potential value of examining the Charges and legendary

history to trace earlier tradition has, generally speaking, been

ignored.

The significance of the Charges of 1723 has also been largely

unrecognised, I believe, because of the pre-occupation of modem

masons with ritual; the Charges being seen as a relic to be largely

ignored in preference to ritual. But in the eighteenth century, it

was the Charges with their simple yet profound virtues of brotherly

equality, harmony and charity which enabled Freemasonry to achieve

its lasting success, and to outride persecution by the Church of

Rome, the caprices of absolutist monarchies and the French

Revolution; and which, though emerging into continental Europe and

the wider world with the Enlightenment, were to continue as a living

force when the Enlightenment had become outmoded. Ritual, generally,

was in a varying and unsettled state during that period.

To consider a further point, an implication may be drawn that as

Anderson was Scottish (and the son of a prominent Scottish mason),

the content of the Charges of 1723 is probably Scottish, although

the Charges (which were adopted in the Irish Constitutions virtually

in the same form in 1730) have never been adopted in the Scottish

Constitutions, even now. Coupled with the fact that as the oldest

surviving masonic catechisms are Scottish, and have some resemblance

to Masonry Dissected (though much shorter), and through the Schaw

Statutes and the Mason Word, it would follow that Masonry is, to all

intents and purposes, Scottish in origin. The views of David

Stevenson are recently familiar to us; but David Murray Lyon, an

eminent Scottish masonic historian of a hundred years ago and

protagonist of Scottish Masonry, was ready to allow that when John

Theophilus Desaguliers, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of

England, was welcomed as a brother mason at the Lodge of Edinburgh

in 1721, it was likely that he introduced the Edinburgh masons to

speculative Masonry, Scottish Masonry still being largely operative.

                              PART II-CONCLUSION AND

                              RECOMMENDATIONS

These final points are perhaps the most serious problems of masonic

history, but I shall refer to them briefly in the light of what is

widely known and what I have already said. The first of these is

AntiMasonry. It is clear that there have been adverse reactions

continuously, side by side with evidence of the existence of

non-operative Masonry, from the 1600s to the present day, which have

varied between ridicule and accusations of conspiracy and

subversion. Anti-Masonry has been a happy hunting ground repeatedly

for journalists with nothing else to write about; but, far more

seriously, has been the basis of attacks on Freemasonry by important

religious bodies who have felt impelled to adopt this attitude

apparently in the belief that no one needs secrets unless they have

something wrong to hide. These attacks have been taken to the

extremes of persecution by the Inquisitions of the Church of Rome,

and by absolutist monarchies and Fascist and Communist

dictatorships.

The second of these problems is that, despite its very interesting

historical character, Freemasonry has never been understood by

non-masonic historians as part of general history. I believe that

these two problems should be related together because an

authoritative sympathetic understanding of the history of Masonry,

even with some areas of doubt, might be a useful answer to

Anti-Masonry. The use of professional historians in the tracing back

of early features of masonic history against general historical

background is also important because a reasoned interpretation of

such features may have relevance to its essential meaning.

In these ways, professional general historians would have two main

functions; first, in interpreting, and confirming or resolving the

interpretation, of fragmentary early masonic history against general

background; and, secondly, in interpreting the broad perspectives of

early and later masonic history so as to integrate them as part of

general history.

Masonic historians would also have two important functions here;

first, in furnishing, in an accurate, complete and unbiassed manner,

details of masonic history to form the basis of the work of

historians who were not masons; and, secondly, in bearing in mind

that areas of masonic history which are fragmentary must have

explanations based somehow on fact and reason, and that pursuit of

truth with strict objectivity does not justify emphasising supposed

anomalies without attempting sensibly to resolve them by research

into background history with the assistance of professional

historians.

In the end, one would like to think it possible to show a proper

recognition of Freemasonry as the remarkable historic institution,

beneficial to humanity, which it is; and to demonstrate this

notwithstanding anti-masonic attacks; and despite the incapability

of explaining masonic origins entirely; but with, overall, a better

image, by being more acceptable to reason and being accepted by

nonmasonic historians of high professional standing. It is plainly a

difficult task, but what justification is there for not attempting

it? It is sometimes said that by defining problems one is already

part way towards solving them. This has been a hoped-for objective

of this paper, though with no claim to comprehensive coverage or

success; but as a modest attempt towards the advancement of masonic

knowledge.

STB-NO99.txt

FREEMASONRY IN SOCIETY

By: Michael W. Walker

Bro. Michael Walker is the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of

Ireland. This STB was taken from an article titled "Freemasonry in

Society-Today and Tomorrow," which appeared in ARS QUATUOR

CORONATORUM Vol. 110 (1997). The original article was condensed for

this STB.

-Editor

On his initiation, the Brethren are assured that the candidate is

'living in good repute amongst his friends and neighbours.' He is

therefore, or should be, a peaceable and law-abiding citizen who

gets on well with others. A little later on, the candidate affirms

that he comes 'with a preconceived notion of the excellence of the

Order, a desire for knowledge and wishing to make himself more

extensively useful amongst his fellow men.' Later again, on being

charged, he is told that the foundation of Freemasonry is 'the

practice of every social and moral virtue.' He is exhorted to learn

how to discharge his duty to his God, his neighbour and himself, to

be an exemplary citizen and that, as an individual, he should

practise every domestic as well as public virtue and maintain those

truly Masonic characteristics, benevolence and brotherly love.

Following his second degree, he is told that he should 'not only

assent to the principles of the Craft, but steadily persevere in

their practice.' Finally, following his third degree, he is told

that 'his own behaviour should afford the best example for the

conduct of others.'

Later still, at the peak of his Craft career, on being installed in

the Chair of his Lodge, he consents to a comprehensive list of

instructions as to his attitude and behaviour. All in all, the

entire underlying principle is that by entering Freemasonry and by

his acceptance and practice of its tenets and precepts he should

become a credit to himself and an example to, and benefactor of,

others.

It is expected and hoped that Freemasonry will bring about this

state of affairs but that, in his daily life, a Freemason will

interact with others as an individual and not in his capacity as a

Freemason. Freemasonry is therefore an intellectual and philosophic

exercise designed and intended to make an individual's contribution

to society, and development of self, greater than they might

otherwise have been had he not had the opportunity of extending his

capacities and capabilities through membership of the Order.

What Does Freemasonry Provide?

Election to membership of a Lodge and initiation into that Lodge

are an overt indication and confirmation of one's worth or value;

and recognition of such, by the Brethren. In itself, this should

increase self-esteem and hopefully generate a conscious or

sub-conscious desire to prove worthy of others' confidence and

trust. Subsequent promotions through the second and third degrees

are symbolic of the Brethren demonstrating their satisfaction that

their original choice and decision were correct and that the

candidate is worthy, both innately and by virtue of his zeal,

interest and proficiency in the symbolic Craft, for such

promotions. These additional and consequent marks of esteem should

engender in the candidate further personal satisfaction and

selfconfidence.

The Lodge teaches many skills, often untaught, or not experienced,

elsewhere. A Brother must speak in public, think on his feet, make

decisions, vote on issues, and chair meetings. These are invaluable

assets in all other aspects of his life and for many this may well

be the only opportunity of learning, practising and perfecting

these skills and techniques.

Is Freemasonry a Charity?

Freemasonry is not a Charity, but as in any fraternal setting, the

need of a Brother or his dependents, will receive the sympathy and

support of his Brethren, not always or necessarily, financial.

Charity is a natural off-shoot of Brotherly Love and is promoted

explicitly in the Masonic ethos, but it is not the 'raison d'etre'

of the Order.

The Purpose of Freemasonry

The purpose of Masonry is 'self-improvement'-not in the material

sense, but in the intellectual, moral and philosophic sense of

developing the whole persona and psyche so as, in the beautiful and

emotive language of the ritual, 'to fit ourselves to take our

places, as living stones, in that great spiritual building, not

made by hands, eternal in the Heavens.' Such a hypothetical whole,

developed, complete person must, in his journey through life, and

in his interaction with others, make a more extensive contribution

to society in general, thus realizing and fulfilling his expressed

wish on initiation, to become 'more extensively useful amongst his

fellow-men.' Such are the lofty, lawful and laudable aspirations of

the Order.

Society Today

As world changes happen faster, and in more complex and

unpredictable ways, our natural needs for security, control,

certainty and predictability- are being undermined. This type of

environment is a breeding ground for what is now termed the

'Achilles Syndrome' where more and more people who are, in fact,

high-achievers, suffer from a serious lack of selfesteem-men

apparently more so than women. This is gleaned from an article on

the work of Petruska Clarkson, a consultant chartered counsellor

and clinical psychologist.

Dr. Donal Murray, former Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin and now Bishop

of Limerick, identifies 'a hunger which is not being satisfied.

People need to feel they belong; they need to feel they can be

fully committed to something. The prevailing mood, in Ireland and

elsewhere, is one of disillusionment and cynicism. We have come to

see ourselves as living in a world of institutions and

structures-we think of ourselves as belonging not to a country but

to an economy; we think of our national life and resources in terms

of statistics and of the machinery of Government, rather than of

people and culture.'

Dr. Murray goes on to say 'it is increasingly presumed that the

ideal citizen possesses no strong religious or moral beliefs, or at

least has the decency not to intrude them into the public arena.

Strong moral beliefs are, we are told, divisive; religious belief

is, at best, embarrassing. In other words,' he continues, 'one is

not meant to participate in national life with one's wholeself,

with one's religious beliefs and moral convictions. These are

private matters. We are in danger of trying to build a culture

which regards as irrelevant the very realities which make people

tick. Divisiveness results only when religion and morality are

misunderstood. The individual conscience is worthy of respect

because it seeks the truth, as every human being is obliged to do.'

Freemasons will hardly fail to notice these references to ethics,

morality and truth the very foundation of Masonic teaching and

endeavour. But these cultural jewels-without-price are coming under

increasingly powerful destructive forces which are eroding the

foundation and base on which they rest. Conor Cruise O'Brien-a

distinguished Statesman and commentator-says that 'for as far back

as we can go in history, human discourse concerning ethics has been

infected, in varying degrees, with hypocrisy.' Another commentator

states that the term 'business ethics' is fast becoming an

oxymoron-that is a contradiction in terms; and the Bishop of

Waterford felt it necessary to denounce publicly 'the Cult of

Excessive Individualism.'

What is needed, in all this, is some form of mental sheet-anchor-a.

sort of fixed navigational point like the pole-star which, when the

clouds pass, can be seen and provides the traveller with the means

to identify his exact position and thereby the knowledge to return

to the true path.

Freemasonry-A Part of, or Apartfrom, Society

Every individual, on occasion, is forced to be a little

introspective and ask himself 'who am I and where am F? Even an

organization such as the Masonic Order must also occasionally ask

itself 'what are we and where are we'? What we are has, to some

extent already been dealt with. We are a fraternal organization,

the aims of which are brotherly love, the relief of our distressed

Brethren and their dependents and the search after 'Truth' which we

may express as, and expand into, public and private morality, the

knowledge and fear of God and, following on from that, respect for,

and love of, our neighbour. This respect includes toleration of his

personal viewpoint, his religious beliefs and his political

opinions. If we pursue the aims of the Order, our search should

widen, yet focus our vision, while ever making us more deeply aware

of, and closer to, the Great Architect of the Universe, heightening

our spirituality and deepening our insight into that which we may

never hope fully to understand-and something like the search after

the mystic Grail as sought for, and fought for, by our possible,

even probable operative forebears, the Knights Templar who followed

on, in their own way, from the mythical Knights of the Grail

Romances and Arthurian Legend. There is so much more to Freemasonry

than the shallow depth of today's assessment and its scant

inspection by today's society, obsessed as society is with material

success for the individual rather than his contribution to society.

Into the Next Millennium

I have endeavoured to identify who we are, what we are and where we

are-now it is time to speculate on where we go from here. We are an

unfashionable group whose numbers are falling-not perhaps in the

developing countries, but in the developed world we are viewed as

an anachronism with an ethos which may represent an embarrassment

to many of today's moral lepers. 'Whence comest thou Gehazi'? You

will remember Elisha's devastating question to his servant who had

run after Naaman, seeking to profit from his Master's-that is,

someone else'sperformance and use of his talents.

As those who joined Freemasonry in great numbers after the Second

World War, because they found it the closest alternative or

substitute for the fellowship and support they found within the

Forces, now pass on to their reward, there is no surge of

candidates to replace them. So recruitment becomes a necessity,

though the means and emphasis must be very carefully gauged.

We must try to correct the false perception of us by, in

particular, the media and the Churches for they are the agencies

who can and do formulate and direct public opinion; and both are

highly suspicious and/or antagonistic.

What I am trying to emphasise is that as we move into the next

millennium we must be steadfast in our adherence to the Aims and

Principles and not attempt to obtain public acceptance through

promoting or pursuing non-masonic activities which can only, in the

long term, prove our undoing. We must be patient and bide our time

for we will come again. I have heard it said that the pace of life

and its stresses will get even more frenetic than at present and

that while we may be able to cope with this intellectually, it is

questionable if many can cope with it emotionally. In these

circumstances with the Internet bombarding us with a

Quatermass-like availability of ethical and unethical information

in the privacy of our own homes, I believe that Brother Michael

Yaxley, President of the Board of General Purposes of the Grand

Lodge of Tasmania is quite correct when he writes 'Society does

have a need for a body such as Freemasonry. I believe that this

need will increase rather than decrease. In the next century the

work place will not offer fellowship and camaraderie sufficient to

satisfy the social instincts that people have. Many people will

work at home, linked to the office by computer and telephone.

Others will work in an office with complex but nevertheless

inanimate equipment. The irony of the Age of Communication is that

people spend, and will spend, more time by themselves.'

Conclusion

As the American writer, Henry Adams saw it, 'The Indian Summer of

Life should be a little sunny and a little sad, and infinite in

wealth and depth of tonejust like the season.'

I think that pretty closely describes Freemasonry today-a little

sunny and infinite in wealth and depth of tone-we all can

sympathise with that. A little sad too with memories of past

greatness; and quieter more settled times when bogeymen were not

found everywhere and Freemasonry was a recognised, accepted and

fashionable part of society. Will our time come again? I think it

will-not perhaps an exact replica of the past, for we cannot turn

back the clock, but a slimmer, trimmer version with new vigour and

enthusiasm ready to meet the new millennium.

But remember, Brethren, as we enter and endure 'the Winter of our

discontent' we must maintain our standards and our dignity. There

can be no compromise with quality in any facet of our Institution.

One of Ireland's greatest actors and one of its best-known

characters, Michael Mac Liammoir, was once accused by a critic of

being ,square. ' 'Yes' said Mac Liammoir, 'perhaps you are right,

but so much better to be square than shapeless.' How appropriate

for Freemasonry at this time-let us hold firm to the symbolism of

the square and the compasses and let them be the means of restoring

Ordo ab Chao-order out of mental and moral chaos-as we strive to

readjust emotionally to the crushing pressures and stress of modem

life.

Now Brethren, let me close on one final exhortation taken from the

beautiful language of our ritual-'See that you conduct yourselves,

out of Lodge as in Lodge, good men and Masons'; and remember those

immortal words of Polonius giving advice to his son Laertes as he

departs from Denmark, on his return to France, in Shakespeare's

greatest play, Hamlet'This above all, to thine own self be true;

and it must follow as the night the day, thou canst not then be

false to any man.'

Almost the entire Masonic ethos can be found in those few words-so

easy to remember, so difficult to put into practice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I urge EVERY Mason to become a subscriber to the monthly MSA Short Talk

Bulletins. Order from The Masonic Service Association, 8120 Fenton

St.  Silver Spring  MD  22910-4785  301-588-4010----$4/year, $5

outside USA.

AND, The Southern California Research Lodge, P.O. Box 939

Ashland OR 97520  541-488-:8788   Fax: 541-488-8789   Scrlfam@aol.com

They sell books at a very good price and produce a monthly newsletter

that is superb. Dues are $15/yr (and worth twice that). And, if your

Lodge is a member, your secretary can inform them when you have a

candidate for the degrees and the Lodge will send a copy of "The Craft

and its Symbols" by Allen Roberts to the lodge for presentation at his

initation AND place him on the mailing list for 6 months!! This is the

best thing a candidate can get for his future education.

And Lastly, the Philalethes Society, Bi-Monthly publication--First

year $40, subsequent years $30. send to Philalethes Society, PO Box 70

Highland Springs  VA  23075-0070---804-328-5043. (Also publisher of

many Masonic titles, many authored by Bro. Allen Roberts) ask for a

list. Many of the goodies are gleaned from these publications. Please

pass them along to others on your mailing list.

       PRAYING IN LODGE

        By: Gary Leazer

This STB was originally published in a brochure by the

Center for Interfaith Studies, Inc., and was reprinted in

the September 1999 Scottish Rite Journal. It has been

published as a Short Talk Bulletin with permission.

Bro. Leazer also wrote the 10-94 STB Fundamentalism

and Freemasonry. Rev. and Bro. Leazer is a member of

Clarkston Lodge #492, Clarkston, GA.

-Editor

Critics of Freemasonry often ask, "Do Masons worship

Yahweh, the God of the Bible, when they join in

Masonic worship with Hindus, Moslems, and members

of other faiths?" Let me begin by pointing out that this

question suggests "worship" occurs in Lodge meetings.

This question is intended to set a certain bias against

Masonry before the question is seriously considered.

Worship does not take place in Masonic Lodge

meetings. Worship is the function of a religion. Thomas

E. Hager, Past Grand Master of Masons in Tennessee,

said in an April 22, 1994, letter to Baptist Press , the

official press service for the Southern Baptist

Convention, "Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a

substitute for a religion." Earl D. Harris, Past Grand

Master of Masons in Georgia, has clearly said, "We do

not go to Lodge buildings to worship" (Masonic

Messenger, July 1995, p. 34). Lodge meetings might be

compared to business meetings held in some churches

where minutes of the last meeting are read, bills are paid,

and old and new business are addressed.

The question is a great example of a "circular argument."

This logical fallacy begins with the conclusion: that

Masonic meetings are worship services where men

professing various faiths join together to worship a God

other than "Yahweh, the God of the Bible." The

argument simply travels around in circles until it comes

back to its original statement, concluding that Masons

worship a God other than Yahweh (or Jehovah).

   Praying in Lodge Meetings

Prayers voiced in Lodge meetings do not make the

meeting a worship service. If so, then sessions of the

U.S. Congress would be "worship services" as a chaplain

or invited clergy leads in prayer to open the session.

Congress has been accused of many things, but never of

holding worship services. If prayers make a meeting a

worship service, the same criticism could be leveled

against organizations such as the Lions Club, the Boy

Scouts, and the VFW.

Until recent years, prayers were offered at high school

ball games by clergy in the community. Courts have

repeatedly ruled that prayers may not be offered before

such events. Critics complain that "God has been taken

out of public school" because prayers may not be given

by administrators or visiting clergy at the beginning of a

school day. Students, however, are allowed to pray on

their own initiative, either alone or with other students

who wish to join them in prayer. Masons alone have

been singled out by critics for praying in meetings while

these same critics complain that the official prayers are

not allowed in public schools.

    Praying in Jesus' Name

Some Masonic critics are not opposed to prayer in

Lodge or other meetings, even when non-Christians are

present, but are opposed to the prayer when it does not

conclude with the specific words, "in the name of

Christ." They cite John 14:13-14, where Jesus said to his

disciples, "I will do whatever you ask in my name, so

that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my

name you ask for anything, I will do if' (NRSV).

Bailey Smith, a recent president of the Southern Baptist

Convention, made headlines in 1980 when he said God

does not hear the prayers of a Jew. Smith's position and

that of Masonic critics is that God only hears prayers

ending with "in Jesus' name" or prayers of repentance.

Preschool-age children are taught to pray simple prayers.

They seldom end it with the phrase "in Jesus' name" and

most have not made what evangelical Christians call a

profession of repentance and faith in Christ. Do Masonic

critics believe God hears the prayers of these children?

Are we misleading children when we tell them God

hears their prayers? I believe God hears the prayers of

every sincere person, and I do not think we are

misleading children when we tell them God hears and

answers their prayers.

It was drilled into my head by my professors during

seven years of theological education that a correct

interpretation of a biblical text requires examination of

the surrounding text, which often helps an individual

understand the text in question.

John 14:13-14 can be better understood if we examine

the setting for Jesus' statements. Although his disciples

had been with him for nearly three years, they still had

doubts about him. Philip asked him in John 14:8, "Lord,

show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." That is the

key verse to understand Jesus' teaching in John 14:13-14.

Jesus responded to Philip's question, "Have I been with

you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me?

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you

say "Show us the Father?"

When Jesus said in verses 13-14, "1 will do whatever

you ask in my name," he was claiming deity. He was

saying, "God will hear your prayers if you pray in my

name because "I am in the Father and the Father is in

me."

Jesus did not mean that unless a person concludes his

prayers with the words, "in the name of Jesus," God

would not hear nor answer prayers.

William W. Stevens, my theology professor at

Mississippi College, wrote in his Doctrines of the

Christian Religion (1976), "In my name" means

according to his will and purpose, in direct union with

him. It implies unity of thought and interest. One cannot

pray in the name of Jesus and pray selfishly" (p. 269).

The Expositor's Bible Commentary (Vol. 9, p. 146) says,

"Me phrase 'in my name,' however, is not a talisman

[magic object] for the command of supernatural energy.

He did not wish it to be used as a magical charm like an

Aladdin's lamp."

Men look on the outward appearance and judge others

by the words used in a prayer (Matthew 6:5-8). God

looks at the heart. He knows what we need before we

ask. If the prayer is a genuine desire to talk to the Father

of all creation, He will hear and answer the prayer,

whatever words are or are not used. That is the kind of

God I know from my reading of the Bible and from

hours spent on my knees talking to Him.

During my ministry as a chaplain supervisor in the

Olympic Village during the 1996 Atlanta Olympic

games, chaplain volunteers from six major world faiths

joined together in prayer every day. Chaplains rotated

leading the group in prayer. Out of respect for chaplains

who did not share our faith, we did not always verbally

close our prayers "in Jesus' name."

Rev. James Draper, president of the Southern Baptist

Convention's Life Way Christian Resources (formerly

the Sunday School Board), resigned from Estelle Lodge

No. 582 in Euless, Texas, in 1984 after election for his

second term as president of the Southern Baptist

Convention (SBC) and as the Masonic controversy was

heating up in the SBC. He had transferred his

membership from Dell City Lodge No. 536 in Oklahoma

when he became pastor of the First Baptist Church of

Euless. In his letter of resignation, Draper, who served

one year as chaplain of his Lodge, said he always

concluded his prayers "in Jesus' name."

Praying to The Great Architect

        of the Universe

Masonic critics have long and loudly argued that Masons

do not pray to Yahweh when they pray in Masonic

Lodges. Masonic critic William Schnoebelen refers to

the "generic" god of Masonry, "God-to-the-lowest-

denominator" and "Mr. Potato-Head God" when

speaking of the Great Architect of the Universe

(Masonry: Beyond the Light, pp. 44-46).

Another critic, John Ankerberg, quotes from Coil's

Masonic Encyclopedia to argue that Masons believe

Yahweh (or Jehovah) is inferior to "the universal god of

Masonry" (The Secret Teachings of the Masonic Lodge,

pp. 113-14). Ankerberg's quote is not in the 1995 edition

of Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia, the most recent edition,

except for a single sentence, "The Masonic test is [belief

in] a Supreme Being, and any qualification added is an

innovation and distortion." This sentence is simply a

requirement that men who desire to become Masons

must believe in one God (monotheism). Monotheism is

affirmed in biblical statements such as Deuteronomy 6:4,

"Hear, 0 Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is

one!" No statement in Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia

suggests that Masons believe Yahweh is an inferior God.

The phrase Great Architect of the Universe came into

Freemasonry as early as 1723, according to Coil's

Masonic Encyclopedia, when it appeared in James

Anderson's Book of Constitutions. Anderson, a Scottish

Presbyterian minister in London, did not invent the

phrase. It was repeatedly used by Reformed theologian

John Calvin (1509-1564). "In his Commentary on Psalm

19, Calvin states the heavens 'were wonderfully founded

by the Great Architect.' Again, according to the same

paragraph, Calvin writes 'when once we recognize God

as the Architect of the Universe, we are bound to marvel

at his Wisdom, Strength, and Goodness.' In fact, Calvin

repeatedly calls God 'the Architect of the Universe'and

refers to his works in nature as 'Architecture of the

Universe' 10 times in the Institutes of the Christian

Religion alone" (Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia, p. 516).

If we accept the logic of Masonic critics, then Calvin

must have believed the God revealed in the Psalms and

elsewhere in the Bible is a false god. This, of course, is

absurd, as are all of the Masonic critics' arguments.

Federal Reserve Notes ($1 bills) proclaim "In God We

Trust." The U.S. Mint has not defined "God." It is used

as a generic name for the Supreme Being. Individuals

may define God as they wish. In our religiously diverse

nation, individuals of different faiths will define who

they believe God is. I do not hear people calling for the

removal of "In God We Trust" from Federal Reserve

Notes because not everyone defines God as they do.

Praying with Persons of Other Faiths

On February 9, 1999, Baptist Press posted a story about

several Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

administrators and faculty members visiting mosques

while on a trip to North Africa and the Middle East.

Baptist Press states the administrators and faculty "were

awed by the mosques which provided an atmosphere for

prayer. Though the local worshipers gathered to pray to

Allah [the Arabic word for God], Midwestern's group

removed their shoes [as is the custom in mosques] and

spent time praying to the God of their Christian faith."

Mark Coppenger, president of Midwestern Seminary in

Kansas City, Missouri, was one of the Baptist visitors to

the mosques. Coppenger said, "As we sat, and knelt, and

stood [Muslims perform specific rituals which includes

standing, kneeling and bowing while praying to Allah] in

these moments of praise, confession, petition and

intercession, it occurred to us that Christians would do

well to have a similar location, atmosphere and posture

for prayer." "It is a pity that non-Christians and

sacramentalists [Roman Catholics] have appropriated the

notion of houses of prayer, when ours is the heritage of

orthodox prayer," Coppenger continued, referring to

mosques and Roman Catholic cathedrals and retreat

centers. "We have let them lead in an emphasis on

prayer by default."

When the group returned to Kansas City, Coppenger

decided to provide a place for prayer similar to that in

mosques for seminary students. He removed hundreds of

portable chairs from the chapel and laid down rolls of

carpet. Students were asked to remove their shoes when

they entered the "house of prayer," and a kneeling

position was recommended.

Coppenger, his administrators, and faculty joined

Muslims at prayer in a mosque. They reported they were

able to pray to Yahweh even while Muslims were

praying to God whom they call Allah. Coppenger and his

team even followed the Muslim practice of bowing,

kneeling, and prostrating themselves during the prayer

ritual and still found they could pray to Yahweh. I have

never felt I could not pray as my chosen faith leads me

while standing next to someone in a Lodge meeting who

does not share my faith.

 Freemasons Do Not Worship in

        Lodge Meetings

In conclusion, Masons do not worship in Lodge

meetings. Each Mason freely prays as his faith dictates,

regardless of who is leading the group prayer, because

prayer is ultimately a personal encounter and

conversation between a man and his Creator.

From: Barnes A. Sharitt, Jr. To: Philalethes Subject: PSOC: The Builder Date: Sunday, August 15, 1999 17:06 THE BUILDER An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house, " he said, "my gift to you." What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well. So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized, we would have done it differently. Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.

The TV taking time to warm up brings back memories....Phil

Kids today see reruns of "The Andy Griffith Show" and probably

think life in Mayberry was no more real than what the Clampett

family experienced in Beverly Hills.  However, for many of us,

who grew up in the 1950s and '60s, life did imitate art.  Here is

a list of remembrances that kids today just might not believe

existed except in a TV sitcom.

Being sent to the corner drugstore to test vacuum tubes for the

TV or radio.

When it took five minutes for the TV to warm up.

When Kool-Aid was the only drink for kids, other than milk and

sodas.

When boys could not wear anything but leather shoes to school.

When all your friends got their hair cut at the kitchen table.

When nearly everyone's mom was at home when the kids got there.

When nobody owned a purebred dog.

When a dime was a decent allowance, and a quarter a huge bonus.

When you would reach into a muddy gutter for a penny.

When girls neither dated nor kissed until late high school, if

then.

When your mom wore nylons that came in two pieces.

When all your teachers wore neckties or had their hair done.

When bible reading and prayer started every school day.

When you got your windshield cleaned, oil checked and gas pumped,

without asking, free.  In addition, you got trading stamps, to

boot!

When laundry detergent had free glasses, dishes, or towels inside

the box.

When any parent could discipline and child or use him to carry

groceries, and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it.

When it was considered a great privilege when your parents took

you out to a restaurant.

When school officials threatened to keep a kid back a grade if

they failed - and followed through with the threat.

When women were called, say, "Mrs. John Smith", instead of being

known by their birth names.

When being sent to the principals' office was nothing compared to

the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home.

THE EYE IN THE PYRAMID

By S Brent Morris, P.M.

In, at times, a strongly worded article Dr. S. Brent Morris, a

member and Past Master of Patmos Lodge #70, Ellicott City,

Maryland, has "set the record straight" on the myth that the

Great Seal of the United States represents a Masonic symbol. The

facts are clearly presented, together with several examples of

the use of the "All Seeing Eye" prior to any known Masonic use.

This straightforward article is being presented as a STB so that

Freemasons may have an answer when the question is asked;

"Is the Seal of the United States a Masonic symbol?"

Historians must be cautious about many well known "facts." George

Washington chopped down a cherry tree when a boy and confessed

the deed to his father. Abner Doubleday invented the game of

baseball. Freemasons inserted some of their emblems (chief among

them the eye in the pyramid) into the reverse of the Great Seal

of the United States.

These historical "facts" are widely popular, commonly accepted,

and equally false.

The eye in the pyramid (emblazoned on the dollar bill, no less)

is often cited as "evidence" that sinister conspiracies abound

which will impose a "New World Order" on an unsuspecting

populace. Depending on whom you hear it from, the Masons are

planning the takeover themselves, or are working in concert with

European bankers, or are leading (or perhaps being led by) the

Illuminati (whoever they are). The notion of a world-wide Masonic

conspiracy would be laughable, if it weren't being repeated with

such earnest gullibility by conspiracists like Pat Robertson.

Sadly, Masons are sometimes counted among the gullible who repeat

the tall tale of the eye in the pyramid, often with a touch of

pride. They may be guilty of nothing worse than innocently

puffing the importance of their fraternity (as well as

themselves), but they're guilty none the less. The time has come

to state the truth plainly and simply!

The Great Seal of the United States is not a Masonic emblem, nor

does it contain hidden Masonic symbols. The details are there for

anyone to check, who's willing to rely on historical fact, rather

than hysterical fiction.

Benjamin Franklin was the only Mason on the 1st design

committee, and his suggestions had no Masonic content.

None of the final designers of the seal were Masons.

The interpretation of the eye on the seal is subtly different from

the interpretation used by Masons.

The eye in the pyramid is not nor has it ever been a Masonic

symbol.

THE 1ST COMMITTEE

On Independence Day, 1776 a committee was created to design a

seal for the new American nation. The committee's members were

Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams, with Pierre

Du Simitiere as artist and consultant. Of the four men involved,

only Benjamin Franklin was a Mason, and he contributed nothing of

a Masonic nature to the committee's proposed design for a seal.

Du Simitiere, the committee's consultant and a non-Mason,

contributed several major design features that made their way

into the ultimate design of the seal: the shield, E Pluribus

Unum, MDCCLXXVI, and the eye of providence in a triangle."2 The

eye of providence on the seal thus can be traced, not to the

Masons, but to a non-Mason consultant to the committee.

"The single eye was a well-established artistic convention for an

omniscient Ubiquitous Deity" in the medallic art of the

Renaissance. Du Simitiere, who suggested using the symbol,

collected art books and was familiar with the artistic and

ornamental devices used in Renaissance art. This was the same

cultural iconography that eventually led Masons to add the

all-seeing eye to their symbols.

THE SECOND AND THIRD COMMITTEES

Congress declined the first committees suggestions as well as

those of its 1780 committee. Francis Hopkinson, consultant to the

second committee, had several ideas that eventually made it into

the seal: 'white and red stripes within a blue background for

the shield, a radiant constellation of thirteen stars, and an

olive branch."4 Hopkinson's greatest contribution to the current

seal came from his layout of a 1778 50-dollar colonial note in

which he used an unfinished pyramid in the design. The third and

last seal committee of 1782 produced a design that finally

satisfied Congress.  Charles Thomson, Secretary of Congress, and

William Barton, artist and consultant, borrowed from earlier

designs and sketched what at length became the United States

Seal.

The misinterpretation of the seal as a Masonic emblem may have

been first introduced a century later in 1884. Harvard Professor

Eliot Norton wrote that the reverse was practically incapable of

effective treatment; it can hardly, (however artistically treated

by the designer), look otherwise than as a dull emblem of a

Masonic fraternity."5

INTERPRETING THE SYMBOL

The 'Remarks and Explanations" of Thomson and Barton are the only

explanation of the  symbols' meaning. Despite what anti-Masons

may believe, there's no reason to doubt the interpretation

accepted by the Congress.

The  Pyramid signified Strength and Duration: The Eye over it &

the Motto allude to the many signal interpositions of providence

in favor of the American cause.6

The committees and consultants who designed the great Seal of the

United States contained only one Mason, Benjamin Franklin. The

only possibly Masonic design element among the very many on the

seal is the eye of providence, and the interpretation of it by

the designers is different from that used by Masons. The eye on

the seal represents an active intervention of God in the affairs

of men, while the Masonic symbol stands for a passive awareness

by God of the activities of men.

The first 'Official" use and definition of the all seeing eye as

a Masonic symbol seems to have come in 1797 with The Freemasons

Monitor of Thomas Smith Webb-14 years after Congress adopted the

design for the seal. Here's how Webb explains the symbol.

"And although our thoughts, words and actions, may be hidden from

the eyes of man, yet that All-Seeing Eye, whom the Sun, Moon and

Stars obey, and under whose watchful care even comets perform

their stupendous revolutions, pervades the inmost recesses of the

human heart, and will reward us according to our merits."7

THE EYE IN THE PYRAMID

Besides the subtly different interpretations of the symbol, it is

notable that Webb did not describe the eye as being in a

triangle. Jeremy Ladd Cross published The True Masonic Chart or

Hieroglyphic Monitor in 1819, essentially an illustrated version

of Webb's Monitor.

In this first "official" depiction of Webb's symbol, Cross had

illustrator Amos Doolittle depict the eye surrounded by a

semicircular glory.'

The all-seeing eye thus appears to be a rather recent addition to

Masonic symbolism. It is not found in any of the Gothic

Constitutions, written from about 1390 to 1730. The eye sometimes

in a triangle, sometimes in clouds, but nearly always surrounded

by a glory was a popular Masonic decorative device in the latter

half of the 18th century. Its use as a design element seems to

have been an artistic representation of the omniscience of God,

rather than some generally accepted Masonic symbol.

Its meaning in all cases, however, was that commonly given it by

society at large,a reminder of the constant presence of God. For

example, in 1614 the frontispiece of The History of the World by

Walter Raleigh showed an eye in a cloud labeled '~Providentia"

overlooking a globe. It has not been suggested that Raleigh' 5

History is a Masonic document despite the use of the all-seeing

eye. The eye of Providence was part of the common cultural

iconography of the 17th and 18th centuries. When placed in a

triangle, the eye went beyond a general representation of God to

a strongly Trinitarian statement. It was during this period that

Masonic ritual and symbolism evolved; and it is not surprising

that many symbols common to and understood by the general society

made their way into Masonic ceremonies. Masons may have preferred

the triangle because of the frequent use of the number 3 in their

ceremonies: three degrees, three original grand masters, three

principal officers, and so on.

Eventually the all-seeing eye came to be used officially by

Masons as a symbol for God, but this happened towards the end of

the eighteenth century, after congress had adopted the seal.

A pyramid, whether incomplete or finished, however, has never

been a Masonic symbol. It has no generally accepted symbolic

meaning, except perhaps permanence or mystery. The combining of

the eye of providence overlooking an unfinished pyramid is a

uniquely American, not Masonic, icon, and must be interpreted as

its designers intended. It has no Masonic context.

CONCLUSION

It's hard to know what leads some to see Masonic conspiracies

behind world events, but once that hypothesis is accepted, any

job and title can be misinterpreted as evidence." The Great Seal

of the United States is a classic example of such a

misinterpretation, and some Masons are as guilty of the

exaggeration as many anti-Masons. 7

The Great Seal and Masonic symbolism grew out of the same

cultural milieu. While the all- seeing eye had been popularized

in Masonic designs of the late eighteenth century, it did not

achieve any sort of official recognition until Webb's 1797

Monitor. Whatever status the symbol may have had during the

design of the Great Seal, it was not adopted or approved or

endorsed by any Grand Lodge. The seal's Eye of Providence and the

Mason's All Seeing Eye each express Divine Omnipotence, but they

are parallel uses of a shared icon, not a single symbol.

NOTES

1.   Robert Hieronimus, America's Secret Destiny (Rochester, Vt.: Destiny

Books, 1989), p.48.

2.   Patterson and Dougall in Hieronimus, p.48.

3.   Hieronimus, p.81.

4.   Hieronimus, p.51.

5.   Hieronimus, p.57.

6.   ~ Thomas and W. Barton in Rieronimus, p.54.

7.   Thomas Smith Webb, The Freemasons Monitor or Illustrations of Masonry

(Salem, Mass.:          Cushing and Appleton, 1821), p.66.

8.   Jeremy Ladd Cross, The True Masonic Chart or Hieroglyphic Monitor, 3rd

ed.

(New Haven,

     Conn.:By the Author, 1824), plate 22.

REFERENCES

Cross, Jeremy Ladd. The True Masonic Chart or Hieroglyphic Monitor, 3rd ed.

New

Raven,

Conn.: By the Author, 1824.

Hieronimus, Robert. America '5 Secret Destiny, Rochester, VT.: Destiny

Books,

1989.

Webb, Thomas Smith. The Freemasons Monitor or Illustrations of Masonry.

Salem,

Mass.: Cushing and Appleton, 1821.

"The Hitchhiker"

 In 1949, my father had just returned home from the war.  On

every American highway you could see soldiers in uniform

hitchhiking home to their families, as was the custom at that

time in America.  Sadly, the thrill of his reunion with his

family was soon overshadowed.  My grandmother became very ill and

had to be hospitalized. It was her kidneys, and the doctors told

my father that she needed a blood transfusion immediately or she

would not live through the night.

 The problem was that Grandmother's blood type was AB-, a very

rare type even today, but even harder to get then because there

were no blood banks or air flights to ship blood.  All the family

members were typed, but not one member was a match.  So the

doctors gave the family no hope.  My grandmother was dying.  My

father left the hospital in tears to gather up all the family

members, so that everyone would get a chance to tell Grandmother

good-bye.

 As my father was driving down the highway, he passed a soldier

in uniform hitchhiking home to his family.  Deep in grief, my

father had no inclination at that moment to do a good deed.  Yet

it was almost as if something outside himself pulled him to a

stop, and he waited as the stranger climbed into the car.  My

father was too upset to even ask the soldier his name, but the

soldier noticed my father's tears right away and inquired about

them.

 Through his tears, my father told this total stranger that his

mother was lying in a hospital dying because the doctors had been

unable to locate her blood type, AB-, and if they did not locate

her blood type before nightfall, she would surely die.  It got

very quiet in the car.  Then this unidentified soldier extended

his hand out to my father, palm up.  Resting in the palm of his

hand were the dogtags from around his neck. The blood type on the

tags was AB-.  The soldier told my father to turn the car around

and get him to the hospital.

 My grandmother lived until 1996, 47 years later, and to this

day no one in our family knows the soldier's name.  But my father

has often wondered, was he a soldier or an angel in uniform?

 Sometimes, we never know who God will bring into our lives to

carry out a special mission nor do we know whose lives God will

have us touch.

Unknown

It Is The Mason As A Man Who Has Impacted History

by Thomas W Jackson FPS

For a considerable number of years I have been wondering how an

organization with as much influence as Freemasonry has had over

several hundred years, could fail to be acknowledged for its

contribution to the development of modern civilization and human

thought. I even developed a talk which I titled "How Can They

Ignore This?" In it, I ask those to whom I am speaking how often

they ever saw Freemasonry presented in a history text. I simply was

unable to comprehend how we could be ignored.

With the exception of organized religion, " Freemasonry probably

has created a greater beneficial impact upon the development of

present day civilization than any other organization which has

existed on Earth, and yet, when you read historical documentation

of the evolution of civilization, Freemasonry is rarely mentioned

and, if it is, it is only peripherally.

Last year, the first World Conference of Grand Masters was held in

Mexico City. Out of that conference came the Charter of Anahuac.

The third item in that Charter presented the need of the Craft in

the 21st Century "to fight against. . .ecological depredation,

contamination of the environment. .against . . ., social

instability . . ., and religious commitments in education, "

amongst others.

I have a very serious concern with any proposal that suggests

Freemasonry's involvement in political and/or religious issues, and

item three of the Charter suggests precisely that. There is no way

social and ecological issues can be dealt -with, without involving

politics or religion. This Craft has been able to weather the

storms which wiped out many organizations and even toppled

governments because it stayed above the controversies of religion

and politics.

When I present my concerns about the Charter to some Masonic

leaders, the rebuttal I received was that Masonry must have been

involved in political and religious issues in the past.

Freemasonry's influence in the American Revolution was cited as an

example. They pointed to the actions of men like Washington,

Franklin, Lafayette, and others, as Masonic involvement. In

addition, Simon Bolivar in South America, Lajos Kusata in Hungary,

Theodore Kolokotronis in Greece, Benito Juarez in Mexico, amongst

many other who contributed so much to the concept of freedom, were

examples of political involvement in other countries.

And then, for the first time I began to understand why the

influence of Freemasonry is not discussed in history books. We

cannot deny the impact of Washington and so many others in the

development of American freedom; but it was Washington, the man,

not Washington the Mason, and not Freemasonry that made America

what it is. This is also true of Bolivar, Kusata, Kolokotronis, and

Jaurez and all of the other great patriots of their countries.

The philosophical purpose of Freemasonry always has been to develop

the man-to start with good men and make them better, to increase

the intellectual capacity of the individual, and to give the man

the incentive through our lessons to contribute to making the world

a better place to live.

As an ecologist, I have for more than 35 years expressed my views

on ecological issues and on the population explosion; but I speak

as a man, not as a Freemason. My compassionate thought of life

might have been nurtured in a Masonic Lodge, but, when I speak, it

is not Freemasonry speaking. When Washington acted, it was not

Freemasonry acting. Thankfully, Freemasonry has had great influence

on many leaders, but the man influenced does the acting. Thus we

read about the man in history texts, not the organization.

So, now I understand why Freemasonry does not occupy a prominent

place in history books, but that does not lessen its place in

history. It probably would behoove historians to discuss the

influence of Freemasonry on the man, and perhaps that is starting

to occur.

                       THE MODERN COWAN

                        Floren L. Quick

    In Scotland, the operative Mason knew cowans to be ignorant

builders who put stones together without mortar. They piled rough

fieldstones into a wall without hewing them true, or squaring them.

They masqueraded as Masters, but they did not have the Word.

    Now and again, today - fortunately not too often - we find a

modern equivalent of the operative imposter. One such is the Mason

who manages a place in an officer's line with little or no effect

of his own to deserve it. With only that exertion that is necessary

to maintain his place, he continues to advance in line until he

receives the jewels and honours that he prizes so highly. But he

does not know the Constitution, and he does not understand the

traditions and dignity of the Craft. As a presiding officer, his

vocal ability is more noteworthy than his executive ability; and

when his term is ended, he is seldom seen until another honour or

prize appears to be within his grasp.

    He is a contemporary builder who works without the benefit of

the mortar of real enthusiasm or accomplishments. His structure is

liken unto the rough stone wall, having little beauty of value. He

is the cowans of modern speculative Masonry.

    He is to be pitied, for he is a Masonic failure. His honours

are shallow. Bringing no interest to his position, he received

little of the satisfaction and respect that belong to the real

Master.

    Masonry has failed to reach him with a clear understanding of

those marks of true devotion which she has to offer. He never knows

the opportunities that the Craft makes available to those who

diligently seek them. He misses the opportunities that the Craft

makes available to strive for a just and worthy cause. He misses

the opportunity for continuing fellowship and friendship. He misses

the opportunity for loyalty and devotion. He misses the opportunity

for development of his executive, intellectual and oratorical

abilities. And most of all, he misses the opportunity for service -

to God - to his community - and to his fellow man.

    These are the jewels that Masonry has to offer, but in his

quest for position and honours, the modern cowan misses them. Like

the operative cowan, he does not have the Word.

-reprinted from the Masonic Shimbun in the GLBC Bulletin, Nov. '79

From: "Tony Pope" There may not have been any direct Masonic content in the posting which Bro Feldman forwarded, but I'm sure we all share his concern and horror. Part of the forwarded posting reads: > Those in my parent's generation were dumbfounded. Who ever heard of Gentiles caring about Jews?< It affords me the opportunity to recount (yet again) a heartwarming story about a Jewish synagogue and a Masonic lodge in Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) 155 years ago, which I encountered while researching for a book about Freemasonry in that charming little offshore 1% of Australia. Fraternally, Tony Pope MPS Global Masonic Publications St John's Lodge and the Synagogue The first lodge in the north of Tasmania was St John's Lodge, erected at Launceston in January 1843 under a dispensation granted by Tasmanian Operative Lodge (Irish Constitution) in Hobart. In the same month, the Jewish community in Launceston decided that the time was right to build a synagogue, and they addressed a petition to the Governor for a grant of land for this purpose. Subsequent events led to an unusual demonstration of brotherhood. The census of 1842 shows that there was a Jewish population in Launceston of 58 persons. The Jewish community petitioned Governor Sir John Franklin for a grant of land on which to build a synagogue, and also for land as a burial ground. Both applications were refused, although similar grants had been made to several Christian denominations. This was interpreted by the local newspapers and the general populace as religious bigotry, and when the tiny Jewish community determined to raise the money to purchase land and build the synagogue, they received generous and widespread support from the local newspapers and the Christian community. By mid-1844 they had sufficient funds and called for tenders. It was decided to make the laying of the foundation stone a gala occasion. On Tuesday, 1 October 1844 (the 18th day of Tishri, 5605, by the Jewish calendar), a crowd assembled in pouring rain for the event. A procession was formed outside the meeting place of St John's Lodge, led by the band of the 96th of Foot, followed by the brethren of the lodge in full regalia, with the members of the Jewish building committee in their midst and the remainder of the Jewish congregation at the rear. The band played Masonic airs, "Burns' Farewell" and "The Entered Apprentice", and led the way along St John Street to the chosen land. The lodge minutes record: "On arriving at the ground, suitable prayers were offered up to the Great Architect of the Universe, and a Masonic Anthem, expressly compiled for the occasion, was sung by the brethren, accompanied by the Military Band." After the laying of the foundation stone and dedication by the President of the congregation, Benjamin Francis, assisted by the Master of the lodge, Samuel Fox, they all reassembled and marched back behind the band. As Regimental Quartermaster and Worshipful Master, Samuel Fox provides an obvious link between the regiment and the lodge, but personal links between the lodge and the congregation are more difficult to establish. It is possible, of course, that Samuel Fox was a Jew. There are no contemporary Jewish records of the period, and Masonic records do not indicate religious affiliation. Benjamin Francis may have been a Mason. Some of the phrases in his address, as reported in the local press, had a decidedly Masonic flavour: "My Hebrew Brethren and Christian Friends--The unspeakable and deeply felt pleasure this occasion affords me, can only be known by the great being for whose worship and adoration we are met to found this temple. In the outpouring of my heart at this time, I thank God we are assembled even in the earth's furthest limits, I may almost say in the wilderness, to cement by brotherly love the bonds which have before-time bound the Hebrew community alike, amidst the fiercest political tyranny and the bitterest religious persecution. The bright sun of modern intelligence, however, is fast dissipating the noisome vapours of intolerance and bigotry, and mankind now learn, that their social, moral and religious happiness depend, not in religious dominancy, but rather in the exercise of love, benevolence and good will from one to the other. The example my christian friends have given this day of the absence of religious bigotry will be known in all lands, and shall be remembered when the pulsation of these generous hearts shall repose in their cold grave. May this day then join us in brotherly love and good feeling, and may the Almighty bless us with a contrite heart, health, happiness and prosperity." Postscript The synagogue still stands, as a building on the National Heritage List, but is not used for worship, due to a decline in numbers of practising Jews in Launceston. There was a period when the building was rented to Masons in Launceston for meetings of a Lodge of Instruction. The lodge no longer exists as a separate entity, having merged with two other lodges in the past decade.

UNDERSTANDING

The Old Past Master  by Carl Claudy -1924

UNDERSTANDING

"I have been a Mason for a year now," remarked the Young Brother to the

Old Past Master "and while I find a great deal in Masonry to enjoy, and

like the fellows and all that, I am more or less in the dark as to what

good Masonry really is in the world. I don't mean that I can't appreciate

its charity, or its fellowship, but it seems to me that I don't get much

out of it; I can't really see why it has any function outside of that

relationship we enjoy in the lodge room and the little charitable acts we

do."

"I think I could win an argument about you," smiled the Old Past

Master.

"An argument about me?"

"Yes. You say you have been a Master Mason for a year. I think I could

prove to the satisfaction of a jury of your peers who would <italic>not

</italic>need to be Master Masons; that while you are a lodge member in

good standing; you are not a Master Mason."

"I don't think I quite understand," puzzled the Young Mason. "I was quite

surely initiated, passed and was raised. I have my certificate and my

good standing card. I attend lodge regularly. I do what work I am

assigned. If that isn't being a Master Mason, what is?"

"You have the body but not the spirit," retorted the Old Past Master.

"You eat the husks and disregard the kernel. You know the ritual and fail

to understand its meaning. You carry the documents but for you they

attest but an empty form. You do not understand the first underlying

principle which makes Masonry the great force that she is. And yet, in

spite of it, you enjoy her blessings... which is one of her miracles,

that a man may love and profit by what he does not comprehend."

"Why....I...I just don't understand you at all. I am sure I am a good

Mason..."

"No man is a good Mason who thinks the fraternity has no function beyond

pleasant association in the lodge, and charity. Man, there are thousands

of Masons who never see the inside of a lodge and therefore, perforce,

miss the fellowship. There are thousands who never need her charity and

so come never in contact with one of its many features. Yet these may

take freely and largely from the treasure house which is Masonry.

"Masonry, my young friend, is an opportunity. It gives a man a chance to

do and to be, among the world of men, something he otherwise could not

attain. No man kneels at the Altar of Masonry and rises again the same

man. At the Altar something is taken from him never to return; his

feelings of living for himself alone. Be he never so selfish, never so

self-centered, never so much an individualist, at the Altar he leaves

behind him some of the dross of his purely profane make-up.

"No man kneels at the Altar of Masonry and rises the same man, because,

in the place where the dross and selfish was, is put a little of the most

Divine spark which men may see. Where was the self-interest is put an

interest in others. Where was the egotism is put love for one's fellow

man.

"You say that the "fraternity has no function." Man, the fraternity

performs the greatest function of any institution at work among men, in

that it provides a common meeting ground where all of us, be our creed,

our social position, our wealth, our ideas, our station in life what they

may, may meet and understand one another.

"What was the downfall of Rome? Class hatred. What caused the Civil war?

Failure of one people to understand another, and an unequality of men

which this country could not endure. What caused the Great War? Class

hatred. What is the greatest leveler of class in the world? Masonry.

Where is the only place in which a capitalist and laborer, socialist and

democrat, fundamentalist and modernist, Jew and Gentile, gentle and

simple alike meet and forget their differences? In a Masonic lodge, boy,

through the influence of Masonry...Masonry, which opens her portals to

men because they <italic>are </italic>men, not because they are wealthy

or wise or foolish or great or small but because they seek the

brotherhood which only she can give.

"Masonry has no function? Why, son, the function of charity, great as it

is, is the <italic>least </italic>of the things Masonry does; the

fellowship in the lodge room, beautiful as it is, is at best not much

more than one can get in any good club, association, organization. These

are the beauties of Masonry, but they are also beauties of other

organizations. The great fundamental beauty of Masonry is all her own.

She, and only she, stretches a kindly and loving hand around the world,

uniting millions in a bond too strong for breaking. Time has demonstrated

that Masonry is too strong for war; too strong for hate, too strong for

jealousy and fear; the worst of men have used the strongest of means and

have but pushed Masonry to one side for the moment; not all their efforts

have broken her, or ever will!

"Masonry gives us all a chance to do and to be; to do a little, however

humble the part, in making the world better; to be a little larger, a

little fuller in our lives, a little nearer to the G.A.O.T.U. And unless

a man understands this, and believe it, and take it to his heart and live

it in his daily life, and strive to show it forth to others in his every

act; unless he live and love and labor in his Masonry, I say he is no

Master Mason; aye, though he belong to all Rites and carry all cards,

though he be hung as a Christmas tree with jewels and pins, though he be

an officer in all bodies. But the man who has it in his heart, and sees

in Masonry the chance to be in reality what he has sworn he would be, a

brother to his fellow Masons, is a Master Mason though he be raised but

tonight, belongs to no organization but his Blue Lodge and be too poor to

buy and wear a single pin."

The Young Brother, looking down, unfastened the emblem from his coat

label and handed it to the Old Past Master.

"Of course, you are right," he said, lowly.  "Here is my pin. Don't give

it back to me until you think I am worthy to wear it."

The Old Past Master smiled. "I think you would better put it back now,"

he answered gently. "None are more fit to wear the square and compass

than those who know themselves unworthy, for they are those who strive to

be real Masons."

   The Responsibility of Vouchers on Petitions

                       by Chris Dains, MPS (life)

This article has been developed from personal observations and

experience, and by borrowing from the writings of the late Most

Worshipful Archer Bailey Gay, PGM-VA, Grand Secretary at time of

death.

   Unfortunately, in recent times the West Gates in some of our

Lodges have not been properly guarded; endorsers have failed to

express why an applicant for the degrees is worthy and well

qualified to be a Mason.  Sometimes the character of the man

subsequently admitted is far below desireable standards, and

after being admitted into our households, he has been prone to

cause men of similar qualities to seek from him and obtain their

admission as well. Thus the fraternity no longer has appeal to

those men possessing the quality and high character most desired.

All sorts of scoundrels who should have never been admitted, have

been.  We find alcoholics, pedophiles, homosexuals, even rapists,

pathological liars and others who tend to be bent on changing

Freemasonry to meet their own standards.  Sometimes for the sake

of change they flaunt our laws, customs and traditions in a

manner found primarily in one possessing an anti-establishment or

politically correct attitude.

   To support this claim, witness the number of Masonic trials

conducted annually and reported in the Proceedings of various

Grand Lodges.  Think of all those others who should have been but

never were censured or brought before the bar of Masonic justice.

Their misdeeds are swept under the proverbial rug suggesting

instead it is best to whisper good coulsel in their ears, or else

seek a reformation.  That good counsel and reformation should

have occurred long before they were permitted entry through the

West Gates of our Lodges.  In truth, based on some background

societal standards they should have been denied such honored

opportunity to take upon themselves that great and noble title of

Brother, accorded all Masons from that very first moment they

complete their obligation as an Entered Apprentice. .

   The responsibility of vouchers on petitions is one little

understood by many of our members.  Because of such lack of

understanding, it is one of the duties most frequently shirked by

the brethren generally because they do not understand it. Before

endorsing the petition of anyone for initiation, time should be

taken to discuss the matter with the applicant.  The endorser

should know why the applicant wishes to become a Mason and

ascertain if he knows what he may expect and what may be expected

of him.  He should be asked if he is prepared to give the time

necessary to discharge his duties as a Mason - to attend Lodge,

visit the sick, assist the officers by working on the various

committees when selected, and to devote some of his energies and

thoughts to the study of Freemasonry in order that he might have

a full appreciation of it.

   If, after the interview, the voucher is satisfied with the

applicant's understanding and knows that he is of good moral

character, endorsement of the petition of a friend should be a

source of pleasure.  However, the signing of the petition will

also demand your presence in the Lodge to give voice to your

recommendation for the benefit of the other members present and

prepared to cast their ballot for or against admission.

   Vouchers are and should be rightly expected to be in

attendance when he whom they have seen fit to sponsor receives

each of the degrees.

   Vouchers should never simply state that they know of no

reason why an applicant should not be accorded the rights and

benefits of Freemasonry. Each voucher should be able to state

without equivocation the attributes and character of the man whom

they believe is worthy and well qualified to enter into their

Lodge household.  That is what it is -- each Lodge is a household

unto itself.  Its doors or gates should at all times be securely

guarded against admission of one whose character is flawed, or

whose general conduct and personal habits without the Lodge may

one day serve to bring shame and disgrace upon the household in

particular and Freemasonry in general.

   Guard well the West Gates of our Lodges and do not ever

hesitate to bar the admission of those who may be deemed unfit to

be in our midst, that the reputation of both Lodge and all of

Freemasonry may remain pure and unsullied.

"Old Tiler Talks" by Carl Claudy -1924

WHAT IS MASONRY?

"I've been a Mason six months now and I ought to know something

about Masonry. But there are more secrets in the fraternity I

don't know than those I have been told!"

The New Brother was puzzled. The Old Tiler laid down his sword,

picked up a half-smoked cigar and lit it, and settled back in his

chair.

"Get it out of your system," he invited.

"Is Masonry a religion," continued the New Brother, "or a system

of philosophy, or a childish getting together of men who like to

play politics and wear titles? I have heard it called all three.

Sometimes I think it's one and sometimes the other. What do you

think?"

"It isn't a childish getting together for the love of titles and

honors," answered the Old Tiler. "Men would soon invent a much

better organization for the satisfaction of such purposes. In

fact, he has invented better ones. Men who want to play politics

and be called the Grand High Cockalorum of the Exalted Central

Chamber of the Secret Sanctorum can join these. If Masonry were

nothing but play, it wouldn't live, and living, grow.

"Masonry isn't a religion. A religion, as I see it, is a belief

in deity and a means of expressing worship. Masonry recognizes

Deity, and proceeds only after asking divine guidance. But it

does not specify any particular deity. You can worship any God

you please and be a Mason. That is not true of any religion. If

you are a Buddhist, you worship Buddha. If a Christian, Christ is

your Deity. If you are a Mohammedan you are a worshipper of

Allah. In Masonry you will find Christian, Jew, Mohammedan and

Buddhist side by side.

"Masonry has been called a system of philosophy, but that is a

confining definition. I don't think Masonry has ever been truly

defined."

"Or God," put in the New Brother.

"Exactly. A witty Frenchman, asked if he believed in God,

replied, 'Before I answer, you must tell me your definition of

God. And when you tell me, I will answer you, no, because a God

defined is a God limited, and a limited God is no God.' Masonry

is something like that; it is brotherhood, unlimited, and when

you limit it by defining it you make it something it isn't."

"Deep stuff!" commented the New Brother.

"Masonry is 'deep stuff,'" answered the Old Tiler. "It's so deep

no man has ever found the bottom. Perhaps that is its greatest

charm; you can go as far as you like and still not see the limit.

The fascination of astronomy is the limitlessness of the field.

No telescope has seen the edge of the universe. The fascination

of Masonry is that it has no limits. The human heart has no limit

in depth and that which appeals most to the human heart cannot

have a limit."

"But that makes it so hard to understand!" sighed the New

Brother.

"Isn't it the better for being difficult of comprehension?" asked

the Old Tiler. "A few days ago I heard an eminent divine and

Mason make an inspiring talk. I hear a lot of talks; nine-tenths

are empty words with a pale tallow-tip gleam of a faint idea

somewhere in them. So when a real talker lets the full radiance

of a whole idea shine on an audience, he is something to be

remembered. This speaker quoted a wonderful poem, by William

Herbert Carruth. I asked him to send it to me, and he did; please

note, this busy man, president of a university, and with a

thousand things to do, didn't forget the request of a brother he

never saw before!"

The Old Tiler put his hand in his pocket and took out a

much-thumbed piece of paper. "Listen you," he said, "'till I read

you just one verse of it:

"A picket frozen on duty; A mother, starved for her brood;

Socrates drinking the hemlock, and Jesus on the road; And

millions who, humble and nameless, The straight hard pathway

plod; Some call it consecration And others call it God.'

The New Brother said nothing, held silent by the beauty of the

lines.

"I am no poet," continued the Old Tiler, "and I know this isn't

very fitting, but I wrote something to go with those verses, just

to read to brothers like you." Shyly the Old Tiler continued:

"Many men, banded together Standing where Hiram stood; Hand to

back of the falling, Helping in brotherhood. Wise man, doctor,

lawyer, Poor man, man of the hod, Many call it Masonry And others

call it God."

"I don't think it makes much difference what we call it, do you?"

asked the New Brother.

and an extra:

"Rays of Freemasonry" by Dewey Wollstein -1953

WHAT IS FREEMASONRY?

Try to define it. Freemasonry is a sublime effort on the part of

Masons to give living proof to the world that all men are

brothers. The best definitions are inadequate. Then describe

Freemasonry. It is Understanding, Tolerance, Love, Hope,

Reverence,and Charity, all working through men who believe in the

nobility of mankind, in the God-made destiny of men, and in the

final triumph of good over evil.

Our description is inadequate. Freemasonry is the cabletow that

joins the hearts of Masons. It is felt in prosperity; it tugs at

the heart of the brother in distress and at the heart of the

brother who answers the call of distress. Freemasonry is the

Spirit that goes with a handshake. It is the mystery of Love, the

silent working of Nature. It is God's justice administered by men

who know God's mercy.

Freemasonry is that which brings sweet tears to the eyes of a

father when his son knock at the inner door.

Have we described Freemasonry? No, but there is something else to

add:

Freemasonry is that which dictators despise.

There's a lot of truth in the following conversations

#: 188040 S7/Craft Lodge Issues

   28-May-99  21:27:10

Sb: #188039-freemasons

Fm: Mike Thomas 112540,636

To: john t. betts 112404,2562

John:

>Why should a any young man choose to become a mason when most masons are old

>and only support their lodge out of a sense of duty rather than any benefit

they are >receiving?

It is  my hope is that a man joins the Lodge for the benefits he can bestow

upon his fellow-man, and for the good he can do. One of the main problems with

society around the world is all the followers of the "Me" generation,

regardless of age.  Prehaps this is an over simplification, but if I knew a

man was joining "for the benefits" he would receive, I would vote against his

entrance.

To give direct answer to your questions:

>Why should a any young man choose to become a mason when most masons are

old...

One advantage to the young man is the experience to be gleened from men who

have "been there, done that". Assuming that young man is teachable and not so

consumed with everything he thinks he already knows that he can't learn

anything from the experience of others. It's a sad person who must learn

everything by what he suffers in the school of hard knocks.

> and only support their lodge out of a sense of duty

I think you misjudge many of the motives of these "old" Masons. Certainly,

there is a sense of duty, and even Obligation. Why does a young person think

such is a negative? On the other hand, there is a pride and satisfaction in

supporting and helping the community, the Lodge, and the Craft - and being

united with like minded men working towards a common purpose..

> rather than any benefit they are receiving?

Let me list a few of the "Benefits" I've received:

1.  Organizational Skills in planning and helping Lodge Functions.

2.  Leadership Skills in dealing with varied personalities to accomplish a

common outcome.

3.  Financial Training in assisting and planing and Organizational Budget.

4.  Logistical and Supply Training in forecasting the needs of many social

functions, such as food - materials - facilities for varied events.

5.  Experience in Bereavement Counseling helping a widow or Brother who has

just lost their spouse,  plan for the Funeral as well as future necessities of

life.

6.  Increased mental faculties strengthened by the study and understanding of

the "Work" of a Masonic Lodge.

7.  Increased Tact in resolving disputes that invariably occur as any group of

people work together.

8.  Greater empathy for those in need or going through hard times, as I became

involved in relieving anothers suffering.

9.  A support group of non-judgemental friends helping me to get through my

own trials.

10.  Training in leadership principles in Seminar Settings that would rival

the most expensive commercial training.

Each of these has inadvertently made me more valuable to my employer and thus

indirectly increased, my wages, my standard of living, and given me a higher

quality of home life. No benefits? I disagree. After all of this, however, my

most valued "benefit" has been that I've been able to give to others. All the

benefit I've received has been secondary and as a direct result of my service.

Those joining for "mercenary motives" and not willing to give of themselves

will indeed be sadly disappointed.

Mike Thomas, PM

#: 188041 S7/Craft Lodge Issues

   28-May-99  21:37:05

Sb: #188039-freemasons

Fm: Michael Poll/Sysop 110046,1751

To: john t. betts 112404,2562

       >>Why should a any young man choose to become a mason when most masons

are old and only support their lodge out of a sense of duty rather than any

benefit they are receiving?<<

Hello John,

       Welcome.  Thank you for your comments.

       Your question is one that all Masons should ask themselves.  Why

*should* any young man (or any old man) join Freemasonry ?  Any one who joins

Masonry for reasons of entertainment, social benefits or hopes of personal

gain would be better off never joining.  A Masonic lodge meeting is second

rate entertainment at best.  Anyone who feels that it is only duty that keeps

them in a Lodge, should, IMO, quit.  Any one who feels that they are not

getting enough "benefits" from Masonry should quit.

       Being a Mason requires a real hunger in your soul for personal growth

and a true desire to learn and serve.  It is a great mistake to believe that

Masonry is right for everyone - it's not.

       Why should any young man become a Mason ?  Well, my friend, it is my

opinion that Masons have always been Masons in their heart long before joining

any lodge.  One who is not a Mason at heart will not be one before or after

joining a lodge.  Being a Mason is a life long journey that is *not* for

everyone and *not* to *ever* be considered an easy task or a rewarding task in

the material sense.

       Your question makes very good sense to non- Masons.  For me, your

question might as well be, "Why should Masons eat."  Being a Mason is not

something that I do out of any sense of duty or any seeking of reward. I am a

Masons simply because I am a Mason.  That's about it.

       Best,

       Michael R. Poll