The Masonic Society’s 2011 Semi-Annual Meeting held last Saturday in Salt Lake City was a tremendous success by any measure. Before I delve into a recap of the TMS meeting, I’d like to offer a few comments about the Rocky Mountain Masonic Conference, which preceded the TMS portion of the weekend. I hesitate to speculate as to how many brethren attended the RMMC since I never set foot inside the conference room. Suffice it to say that there was a very strong contingent of brethren from the Rocky Mountain States in attendance.
Thursday evening I ventured over to the Salt Lake Masonic Temple, where the Utah brethren had been giving tours of the building to conference attendees. I was too late for a tour, but was able to spend some time meeting some of the brethren, including Grand Master of Utah John Liley. After spending an hour or so there, GM Liley, a very personable fellow, took me on an hour-plus tour of Salt Lake City. For those who have never been there, I encourage you pay a visit to the city, which is certainly one of the cleanest and most beautiful in the entire country. The city lies in a valley about 4300 feet above sea level and is surrounded by the Wasatch mountains, several of which peak at over 10,000 feet. The highest peaks are still snow-covered even though the summer temperatures routinely reach well into the nineties. We then stopped by the RMMC hospitality room in the Embassy Suites and I had a chance to meet and chat with many of the brethren in attendance.
On Friday morning, I arrived at the Embassy Suites early to set up The Masonic Society’s table just outside the RMMC conference room. Our table was right next to one that Bro. Cliff Porter had set up to sell his current book, The Secret Psychology of Freemasonry. I had forgotten that Bro. Cliff and I had met previously at York Rite Week in Alexandria, VA a couple of years ago. It was nice to renew acquaintances and to spend some time chatting about Freemasonry, the great work that Enlightenment Lodge in Colorado Springs, CO is doing, and his trip to the Middle East that he had returned from only a few hours prior to hopping a plane to Salt Lake City. Bro. Cliff was selling and signing books at a very steady pace.
There was a lot of interest in The Masonic Society and I kept quite busy speaking to the RMMC brethren about the mission of TMS both before and after the session and during their several breaks. I ultimately signed up twelve new TMS members over the course of the day. I had discussions with and handed out brochures to many more.
On the opposite side of our table, Bro. David Heathcoate, one of the RMMC presenters, was selling Masonic jewels and books. Bro. David hails from Cheshire, England and has one of the largest Masonic jewel collections in the world. He is a frequent visitor to Salt Lake City as a result of his friendship with PGM of Utah Glen Cook, who owns a home in Scotland that he visits regularly. Bro. David’s lovely wife Carol manned the table during the sessions and was great company while the meeting was in progress. All of the proceeds from Bro. David’s sales go to Masonic charities in England.
Bro. Tom Jackson, former Grand Secretary of Pennsylvania was another one of the presenters. Bro. Tom was in great spirits and looked healthy and rested. This comes as a great relief to many of us who saw him at York Rite Week in Alexandria last February, when he was just out of the hospital and a long way from being recovered from a serious illness.
I regret not slipping inside the door to hear any of the presentations, particularly Bro. Cliff Porter’s. As noted above, Bro. Cliff was already doing quite well hawking his new book. The power of his presentation, however, became apparent to me when the RMMC brethren made a beeline for his table the moment the conference adjourned for a break. There were easily a couple of dozen attendees lined up to buy the book and the comments on his presentation were glowing. I estimate that not more than a handful of brethren walked out of the building Friday afternoon without a copy of the book. I look forward to reading the book as well. Congratulations to Bro. Cliff.
Bro. Chris Hodapp, whom you all know is recovering from surgery for stomach cancer and was scheduled to address the RMMC, sent a brief video that was shown in the RMMC meeting. I was bombarded by brethren who inquired after Chris and wanted to extend their wishes to for a speedy recovery to him. Chris, you were greatly missed by all of us and we look forward to seeing you back in action very soon.
After the RMMC adjourned, I hustled back to the hotel to join the TMS officers and directors in a conference call, during which TMS President Michael Poll conducted our regularly scheduled board of directors meeting. After the meeting, Bros. Ken Davis, Jay Williams, Pete Normand, and I headed downtown for a late dinner at the Market Street Grill. We all enjoyed a wonderful dinner of fresh halibut with Bernaise sauce. Those of you who know Pete also know that he is quite the storyteller. Ken and Jay, both PhD’s, are extremely bright men, not the least bit pretentious, and delightful dinner companions. In my book, there are few things on earth more enjoyable than great food in tandem with engaging company and I was blessed with an abundance of both. After dinner, Bro. Reed Fanning, who I swear knows everyone in the city, gave Pete and I a little taste of the Salt Lake City nightlife as we retired to a local microbrewery for a drink and a cigar before calling it a night.
On Saturday morning, the newly-chartered Utah Mark Master Lodge met to confer the Mark Master degree in the Salt Lake City Masonic Temple. I had hoped to attend, but at 6:30 A.M., my body was still crying for more rest, so I decided to sleep in. My understanding is that a good contingent of brethren showed up to witness the conferral. Ken, Jay, and I arrived around noon to begin setting up for the TMS meeting. We were treated to a quick tour of the building by one of the Utah brethren prior to the meeting. The Salt Lake City Masonic Temple is home to several lodges and appendant bodies, including the Scottish Rite. The building has a number of themed lodgerooms, such as the Moorish Room and the Egyptian Room and has been wonderfully maintained. One of the most unique features is the highly-polished cork floors in several areas of the building. The building is a must-see if you ever get to Salt Lake City.
Bro. Jay Williams led off the meeting with a fascinating presentation on Navajo culture and the similarity between Navajo architecture and that of Freemasonry. All Navajo dwellings are arranged according to a specific plan in which certain household functions are to be carried out in the East, West, North, and South portions of the structure.
Bro. Glen Cook, PGM of Utah, then took the floor and offered a riveting dissertation on the some of the history concerning the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) and its relationship with Freemasonry, particularly with the Grand Lodge of Utah. I’m hopeful that we can convince Bro. Glen to submit his presentation in the form of an article for the Journal of the Masonic Society.
Bro. Ken Davis proffered an interesting new perspective on the much-explored relationship between Tarot and Freemasonry. As those of us who know Bro. Ken have grown to expect, the presentation was well-researched and presented flawlessly. Bro. Ken, in concert with TMS member David Naughton-Shires of Ireland, who is a talented illustrator, is working on a Masonic Tarot deck of cards that will feature images of historically prominent Freemasons on the cards.
Bro. Pete Normand closed out the day with an examination of the history Royal Arch degree. Bro. Pete challenged several of the most popular foregone conclusions about the degree by asking some compelling questions, urging the audience to apply common sense, to take into account the historical context of the times in which the degree was written, and apply all of this to the concept of higher degrees of Freemasonry. Bro. Pete has an easygoing, folksy manner that will captivate any audience and his great sense of humor always shines through. His ability to incorporate his talent for speaking with his vast knowledge of his topic is the reason he is one of the most sought after Masonic speakers in the country.
Once the meeting was concluded, we retired to the Alta Club for our banquet. The Alta Club is a private club located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City just off Temple Square. The club was founded in 1883 and has recently undergone renovations costing several million dollars. The room where we held our banquet could not have been more perfect. It was intimate without being crowded and we all enjoyed a wonderful meal of prime rib or chicken with all the trimmings. Grand Master of Utah John Liley provided a few brief, but appropriate words on the current state of Freemasonry. It was a nice wrap-up to a fabulous weekend.
I would be remiss if I didn’t take the time to commend our hosts for their warm and gracious hospitality. Grand Master of Utah John Liley, who serves as President of the Rocky Mountain Masonic Conference, personally took the time to see that I had transportation from my hotel to events in other parts of the city and on the brink of a very busy weekend with a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders, ushered me around the city in his personal car for over an hour so I had the opportunity to see some of the local sights before returning home. Thank you, Bro. John. I had a great time on the tour of the city and will remember the view from the top of that mountain forever.
PGM Glen Cook, the Chairman of the 2011 Rocky Mountain Masonic Conference, generously allowed The Masonic Society to use his name to procure the Alta Club as the venue for our banquet. He was always available whenever I needed to pick up the phone and ask a question about arrangements at the RMMC hotel or at the Alta Club.
Only a few people know that this meeting came within forty-eight hours of being cancelled. Just three weeks before the deadline, we had only five members signed up to attend and two of those were TMS officers. I e-mailed both Bro. John and Bro. Glen and advised them that it looked hopeless and that we were probably going to have to cancel the entire event in couple of days. Both brothers responded by asking me to give them some time to go out and promote the event and promote it they did. The registrations began rolling in and before it was all over we had forty registrations paid in full. This happened for one simple reason. Bros. John and Glen asked and the brethren of Utah responded. I will be eternally grateful for the assistance of Bros. John and Glen and to the brethren of Utah for responding in such rapid fashion. I hope that The Masonic Society fulfilled your expectations on every front and that you feel like you got your money’s worth.
My own expectations were exceeded far beyond what I ever could have imagined. The hospitality extended to me was second to none anywhere. I made many new friends and had the chance to catch up with a couple of old ones. Thanks, Reed, for being my after-hours host. I had a great time.
Thanks once again to all of our presenters, who were the real heroes of this weekend. We came to Salt Lake City with hopes of adding illumination to the pathway of the craftsmen, to share in Masonic fellowship, and to promote the mission of The Masonic Society. I think we succeeded.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Knight of the York Cross of Honor
Nice things keep happening to me in the fraternity of Freemasons not because I'm anything special, but mostly because I keep showing up. I enjoy being around people and I enjoy working in the organizations that I belong to. As a result, I've been initiated into a few invitational bodies. I'm not one of these guys that chases after titles and honors. I do the things in Freemasonry that I enjoy doing and don't worry about things I have no control over. I do know one thing. I'm extremely humbled when I attend one of these meetings and meet brothers who have done much more than I do for the last fifty or sixty years and are still going strong. It's truly inspiring.
Anyway, last Saturday, May 14, I was initiated as a Knight of the York Cross of Honor in Priory #8 in Fort Wayne. Better known among Freemasons as the KYCH, it is an invitational body that requires you to have presided over a symbolic lodge, a Royal Arch Chapter, a Cryptic Council, and a Commandery of Knights Templar. I was pleased to be initiated along with my great friends Gary Messer and Carson Smith.
It was my great honor to be knighted by Most Eminent Allen Surratt, Grand Master General of the Convent General, Knights of the York Cross of Honor. Allen was visiting from North Carolina. It was a very enjoyable day with many other friends and acquaintances in attendance. My thanks to KYCH Priory #8 for this high honor.
Anyway, last Saturday, May 14, I was initiated as a Knight of the York Cross of Honor in Priory #8 in Fort Wayne. Better known among Freemasons as the KYCH, it is an invitational body that requires you to have presided over a symbolic lodge, a Royal Arch Chapter, a Cryptic Council, and a Commandery of Knights Templar. I was pleased to be initiated along with my great friends Gary Messer and Carson Smith.
It was my great honor to be knighted by Most Eminent Allen Surratt, Grand Master General of the Convent General, Knights of the York Cross of Honor. Allen was visiting from North Carolina. It was a very enjoyable day with many other friends and acquaintances in attendance. My thanks to KYCH Priory #8 for this high honor.
Traveling Down a New Path
On Wednesday, May 4 I was installed as Captain of the Guard of the Adoniram Lodge of Perfection in the Scottish Rite Valley of Indianapolis. This is a great honor for me as I have a great love for our beautiful Scottish Rite Cathedral as well as for the brethren there. I'm an eleven year member of the Scottish Rite and I look forward to serving the Valley of Indianapolis for the next six years and beyond.
I was appointed to the officer line by my longtime friend and brother Nathan Brindle, who was installed as Thrice Potent Master of the Lodge of Perfection the same evening. I'd like to say a few words about Nathan because he has labored long and hard beneath the Masonic radar for many years as a lodge secretary, as Secretary of the Indianapolis Masonic Temple Association, and as Secretary-Treasurer of The Masonic Society since its inception in 2008. I serve as President of the IMTA and as Second Vice President of TMS. If you are in a leadership position in any organization, you want Nathan Brindle as your secretary. He is, first of all, a genius. In addition, he's highly organized, always gets things done on time, has a brilliant analytical mind, and is an absolute whiz with computers and IT, which is how he makes his living. I have no illusions at all about which one of us is more vital to those two organizations and, folks, I assure you it ain't me even if I have the flashier title.
Nathan has never received the amount of recognition that he deserves and I'm very pleased not only for Nathan, but also for the Valley of Indianapolis where he has steadily worked his way through the chairs and is now poised to lead the executive committe for the coming year. He'll do an amazing job and the Valley will benefit tremendously from his leadership. I anticipate that the Supreme Council of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction will reward him accordingly in a couple of years.
Nathan is but the latest in a long line of highly accomplished men to serve as TPM of the Indianapolis Valley. Many of them have not only been great leaders in the Masonic fraternity, but also outstanding Indianapolis community leaders in government, industry, law, and various other fields. I'm looking forward to traveling down this path, but I realize there is a big learning curve and a lot of work ahead and that someday I'll have a huge pair of shoes to fill. Of course, I plan to have a lot of fun along the way.
I was appointed to the officer line by my longtime friend and brother Nathan Brindle, who was installed as Thrice Potent Master of the Lodge of Perfection the same evening. I'd like to say a few words about Nathan because he has labored long and hard beneath the Masonic radar for many years as a lodge secretary, as Secretary of the Indianapolis Masonic Temple Association, and as Secretary-Treasurer of The Masonic Society since its inception in 2008. I serve as President of the IMTA and as Second Vice President of TMS. If you are in a leadership position in any organization, you want Nathan Brindle as your secretary. He is, first of all, a genius. In addition, he's highly organized, always gets things done on time, has a brilliant analytical mind, and is an absolute whiz with computers and IT, which is how he makes his living. I have no illusions at all about which one of us is more vital to those two organizations and, folks, I assure you it ain't me even if I have the flashier title.
Nathan has never received the amount of recognition that he deserves and I'm very pleased not only for Nathan, but also for the Valley of Indianapolis where he has steadily worked his way through the chairs and is now poised to lead the executive committe for the coming year. He'll do an amazing job and the Valley will benefit tremendously from his leadership. I anticipate that the Supreme Council of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction will reward him accordingly in a couple of years.
Nathan is but the latest in a long line of highly accomplished men to serve as TPM of the Indianapolis Valley. Many of them have not only been great leaders in the Masonic fraternity, but also outstanding Indianapolis community leaders in government, industry, law, and various other fields. I'm looking forward to traveling down this path, but I realize there is a big learning curve and a lot of work ahead and that someday I'll have a huge pair of shoes to fill. Of course, I plan to have a lot of fun along the way.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Grand Lodge of Indiana Annual Communication
The Grand Lodge of Indiana held its Annual Communication on Tuesday, May 17 and Wednesday, May 18. I always look forward to attending mostly because it gives me a chance to see a lot of old friends and acquaintances that I rarely get to see and this year was no different in that regard. I do always miss a few, however, since there are several hundred attendees.
This was a typical Grand Lodge with most of the business being routine committee reports. There were several pieces of legislation introduced along with several recommendations by Grand Master Ken Willis. As usual, some passed, some failed, some were withdrawn, and some were held over to next year because they are constitutional changes. There were two resolutions in particlar that drew my attention. The first was a resolution to amend the date when a brother becomes eligible for automatic remission of dues.
Currently, all Indiana Freemasons have their dues remitted for life once they have been a member for fifty years. Fifty years in the fraternity is certainly a long time and the Grand Lodge of Indiana appropriately awards everyone who reaches that milestone a gold pin and certificate in honor of the occasion. Lodges typically hold a special ceremony to present the Award of Gold. Several decades ago legislation was passed that awards lifetime remission of dues to any brother who attains fifty years of membership. At the time it was passed, this was of little consequence. The average lifespan was significantly shorter and, as intended, it was quite rare that someone lived long enough to receive the Award of Gold.
Fast forward to 2011 and we find a significant percentage of Freemasons are fifty-year Masons and putting a financial strain on the lodge because they pay no dues. One of my own lodges has over twenty fifty-year members out of a total of seventy. The resolution introduced would have gradually raised the years of service required to qualify for automatic remission. The resolution stressed that the Award of Gold would still be presented. Remission of dues for brethren unable to pay their dues due to financial problems or illness would have remained available to them just as is it to any brother. The only thing it proposed was that remission of dues would occur after more years of service.
Not surprisingly, a couple of brethren stood up and made emotional arguments in favor of the status quo, not realizing that this is not an emotional issue, but a business decision. Many lodges struggle financially and have difficulty keeping their buildings properly maintained. Grand Treasurer and PGM John Grein reported on Tuesday that remissions of dues of fifty-year members cost the Grand Lodge of Indiana in excess of $900,000 per year in lost assessments. This is totally insane as the problem will not only continue, but continue to get worse. Should the current regulations not be changed, in a few short decades we'll see Masons getting their Award of Gold at age sixty-eight now that we're taking eighteen-year-olds into the fraternity. Anyone with a lick of business sense should understand that it's financial suicide for the local lodges and the Grand Lodge of Indiana as well.
I understand that Freemasonry is a non-profit fraternal organization, but just like any business, we have to make intelligent and responsible financial decisions. Imagine the owners of the Indianapolis Colts saying to a fifty-year season ticket holder, "Thanks for buying those season tickets for fifty years. We appreciate it so much that your tickets will be free for the remainder of your life even if you live to be a hundred." Not likely. So what happens? The resolution gets defeated overwhelmingly.
The other resolution that I was interested in proposed that lodges be allowed to hold fifty-year Award of Gold ceremonies in the lodgeroom on Sunday between 2:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M. Now, you first of all have to understand that lodges are currently permitted to hold social activities, including Award of Gold ceremonies, in any room in the lodge building on Sundays with the exception of the lodgeroom. You may also hold a Masonic funeral service or memorial in the lodgeroom on Sunday.
Once again, a couple of brothers got up and made very emotional arguments about holding lodge activities on Sundays. They were probably both completely unaware of the current regulations, but trust me, being informed is hardly a prerequisite to speaking about a resolution in Grand Lodge. I'll leave it at that. This resolution was soundly defeated as well. After banging my head on the wall a few dozen times, I felt just fine and went downstairs for an enjoyable lunch with some friends.
I wasn't able to stick around for the installation of the new Grand Lodge officers on Wednesday afternoon, but I offer my congratulations to Most Worshipful Bro. Gregg Walbridge on being elected to serve as Grand Master and to all of the other officers as well. Many thanks to MW Bro. Ken Willis for serving the Grand Lodge of Indiana so honorably this past year.
This was a typical Grand Lodge with most of the business being routine committee reports. There were several pieces of legislation introduced along with several recommendations by Grand Master Ken Willis. As usual, some passed, some failed, some were withdrawn, and some were held over to next year because they are constitutional changes. There were two resolutions in particlar that drew my attention. The first was a resolution to amend the date when a brother becomes eligible for automatic remission of dues.
Currently, all Indiana Freemasons have their dues remitted for life once they have been a member for fifty years. Fifty years in the fraternity is certainly a long time and the Grand Lodge of Indiana appropriately awards everyone who reaches that milestone a gold pin and certificate in honor of the occasion. Lodges typically hold a special ceremony to present the Award of Gold. Several decades ago legislation was passed that awards lifetime remission of dues to any brother who attains fifty years of membership. At the time it was passed, this was of little consequence. The average lifespan was significantly shorter and, as intended, it was quite rare that someone lived long enough to receive the Award of Gold.
Fast forward to 2011 and we find a significant percentage of Freemasons are fifty-year Masons and putting a financial strain on the lodge because they pay no dues. One of my own lodges has over twenty fifty-year members out of a total of seventy. The resolution introduced would have gradually raised the years of service required to qualify for automatic remission. The resolution stressed that the Award of Gold would still be presented. Remission of dues for brethren unable to pay their dues due to financial problems or illness would have remained available to them just as is it to any brother. The only thing it proposed was that remission of dues would occur after more years of service.
Not surprisingly, a couple of brethren stood up and made emotional arguments in favor of the status quo, not realizing that this is not an emotional issue, but a business decision. Many lodges struggle financially and have difficulty keeping their buildings properly maintained. Grand Treasurer and PGM John Grein reported on Tuesday that remissions of dues of fifty-year members cost the Grand Lodge of Indiana in excess of $900,000 per year in lost assessments. This is totally insane as the problem will not only continue, but continue to get worse. Should the current regulations not be changed, in a few short decades we'll see Masons getting their Award of Gold at age sixty-eight now that we're taking eighteen-year-olds into the fraternity. Anyone with a lick of business sense should understand that it's financial suicide for the local lodges and the Grand Lodge of Indiana as well.
I understand that Freemasonry is a non-profit fraternal organization, but just like any business, we have to make intelligent and responsible financial decisions. Imagine the owners of the Indianapolis Colts saying to a fifty-year season ticket holder, "Thanks for buying those season tickets for fifty years. We appreciate it so much that your tickets will be free for the remainder of your life even if you live to be a hundred." Not likely. So what happens? The resolution gets defeated overwhelmingly.
The other resolution that I was interested in proposed that lodges be allowed to hold fifty-year Award of Gold ceremonies in the lodgeroom on Sunday between 2:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M. Now, you first of all have to understand that lodges are currently permitted to hold social activities, including Award of Gold ceremonies, in any room in the lodge building on Sundays with the exception of the lodgeroom. You may also hold a Masonic funeral service or memorial in the lodgeroom on Sunday.
Once again, a couple of brothers got up and made very emotional arguments about holding lodge activities on Sundays. They were probably both completely unaware of the current regulations, but trust me, being informed is hardly a prerequisite to speaking about a resolution in Grand Lodge. I'll leave it at that. This resolution was soundly defeated as well. After banging my head on the wall a few dozen times, I felt just fine and went downstairs for an enjoyable lunch with some friends.
I wasn't able to stick around for the installation of the new Grand Lodge officers on Wednesday afternoon, but I offer my congratulations to Most Worshipful Bro. Gregg Walbridge on being elected to serve as Grand Master and to all of the other officers as well. Many thanks to MW Bro. Ken Willis for serving the Grand Lodge of Indiana so honorably this past year.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Pennsylvania Contends with Change (I said the C-word)
In late 2009, R.W. Grand Master of Pennsylvania Thomas Sturgeon introduced a host of sweeping changes in Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania regulations for 2010-2011. Personal conversations with a handful of Pennsylvania Freemasons and plenty of subsequent internet chatter tell me that these changes, now over a year old, continue to reverberate throughout Pennsylvania and beyond. Some of the discussion among prominent Pennsylvania Freemasons has been very public and, to say the least, quite pointed. Pennsylvania is, or perhaps I should say was, notorious throughout the U.S. for their rigid adherence to rules concerning its unique ritual (no printed ritual or cipher), dress, solicitation of new members, and one-day classes.
Like most grand lodges, Pennsylvania has suffered from a steady decline in membership over the last several decades. While many grand lodges began relaxing regulations and tossing aside old customs ten or more years ago, Pennsylvania is somewhat late to the game. R.W. Bro. Sturgeon decided it was time for Pennsylvania to catch up and he made it happen in one fell swoop. Pennsylvania regulations allowed him to do so by edict, a power not universally bestowed on grand masters. Many states require that legislation be passed in grand lodge sessions during their annual convocations to accomplish what R.W. Bro. Sturgeon did with the stroke of a pen.
This was a bold undertaking by R.W. Bro. Sturgeon in my estimation. He can't point a finger at the collective group of grand lodge delegates and cry, "They did it." He's out there on a limb all by himself. He recognized that the future of a lot of Pennsylvania lodges was in jeopardy. He knew that to ignore the issue of dwindling membership was to exacerbate it. He knew that this edict would be wildly unpopular among many Pennsylvania brethren. He certainly knew that he could have assured himself relatively smooth sailing for his two years by simply treading water and handing the predicament off to his successor, as other grand masters had been doing for a generation. Instead he decided to face the problem head on.
It only took a quick glance at the list of proposed changes to know that there were some who wouldn't accept them sitting down. Freemasons are legend within the fraternity for being resistant to change. I'm always amused when I recall a skit put on at the Grand Lodge of Indiana's Founder's Day a few years ago. In the skit, there were two characters, one a young Freemason and the second a seventy-five year member. At one point, the young Freemason says to the older one, "I'll bet you've seen a lot of changes in your time." The older Freemason responds, "Yeah, and I was against every single one of them." That mentality remains much more pervasive than it should in most lodges and goes a long way toward explaining why membership, and, correspondingly, our influence on local communities, sunk to record low levels.
I'm not going to delve into the middle of what has the makings of a public feud between R.W. Bro. Sturgeon and another very prominent Pennsylvania Freemason, in which the last volley was fired in a well-known and widely distributed Masonic publication. I'll simply point out that you can only let a body, human or fraternal, bleed so long before the wound becomes fatal. The changes that have been made in Pennsylvania aren't necessarily the same ones I'd have made although I personally think several of them were long past due. Nevertheless, I commend R.W. Bro. Sturgeon for having the courage of his convictions. None of these changes alone nor all of them combined will turn Pennsylvania Freemasonry upside down just like some of the same ones haven't turned Indiana Freemasonry upside down. Critics will argue that they're toothpaste that can't be put back in the tube. I suggest that we continue squeezing ideas out of the tube until Freemasonry has adjusted to and resides comfortably within 21st Century America as the premier society for the thinking gentleman.
Like most grand lodges, Pennsylvania has suffered from a steady decline in membership over the last several decades. While many grand lodges began relaxing regulations and tossing aside old customs ten or more years ago, Pennsylvania is somewhat late to the game. R.W. Bro. Sturgeon decided it was time for Pennsylvania to catch up and he made it happen in one fell swoop. Pennsylvania regulations allowed him to do so by edict, a power not universally bestowed on grand masters. Many states require that legislation be passed in grand lodge sessions during their annual convocations to accomplish what R.W. Bro. Sturgeon did with the stroke of a pen.
This was a bold undertaking by R.W. Bro. Sturgeon in my estimation. He can't point a finger at the collective group of grand lodge delegates and cry, "They did it." He's out there on a limb all by himself. He recognized that the future of a lot of Pennsylvania lodges was in jeopardy. He knew that to ignore the issue of dwindling membership was to exacerbate it. He knew that this edict would be wildly unpopular among many Pennsylvania brethren. He certainly knew that he could have assured himself relatively smooth sailing for his two years by simply treading water and handing the predicament off to his successor, as other grand masters had been doing for a generation. Instead he decided to face the problem head on.
It only took a quick glance at the list of proposed changes to know that there were some who wouldn't accept them sitting down. Freemasons are legend within the fraternity for being resistant to change. I'm always amused when I recall a skit put on at the Grand Lodge of Indiana's Founder's Day a few years ago. In the skit, there were two characters, one a young Freemason and the second a seventy-five year member. At one point, the young Freemason says to the older one, "I'll bet you've seen a lot of changes in your time." The older Freemason responds, "Yeah, and I was against every single one of them." That mentality remains much more pervasive than it should in most lodges and goes a long way toward explaining why membership, and, correspondingly, our influence on local communities, sunk to record low levels.
I'm not going to delve into the middle of what has the makings of a public feud between R.W. Bro. Sturgeon and another very prominent Pennsylvania Freemason, in which the last volley was fired in a well-known and widely distributed Masonic publication. I'll simply point out that you can only let a body, human or fraternal, bleed so long before the wound becomes fatal. The changes that have been made in Pennsylvania aren't necessarily the same ones I'd have made although I personally think several of them were long past due. Nevertheless, I commend R.W. Bro. Sturgeon for having the courage of his convictions. None of these changes alone nor all of them combined will turn Pennsylvania Freemasonry upside down just like some of the same ones haven't turned Indiana Freemasonry upside down. Critics will argue that they're toothpaste that can't be put back in the tube. I suggest that we continue squeezing ideas out of the tube until Freemasonry has adjusted to and resides comfortably within 21st Century America as the premier society for the thinking gentleman.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Secret Powers of Freemasons Finally Exposed
It was bound to happen sooner or later and today is the day. The most secret of Masonic secrets have finally been laid bare in response to this story about some recent earth tremors in the Midwest. Scroll down from the end of the linked article to a comment by Ella for the bitter revelations, which I've reproduced here since I know my brother Freemasons are madly at work at this very moment getting this removed from the WRTV website.
Ella
Hmmm, Dr. Hamburger, eh?
Let me help you understand what is going on. I could flat out tell you that every conspiracy theory out there is true, but you would not believe that, so let me say this.
There is a rogue element of our government that is made up of a rogue element of the Freemasons. They are, and have been since the 1800's, capable of causing earthquakes. Have you read that Nicola Tesla was rattling buildings in NYC with a pocket sized device that he made? It's true. They are also capable of focusing RF energy onto volcanoes, and the sun. They are doing it all right now, earthquakes, volcanoes, and causing solar flares.
The reason they are doing it now is because they are in the middle of ushering in their New World Order. They have been in control for a long time, though. It's all been set up and is now operating, so they are going to let us know what they are capable of this way. Once you figure it out, you will know that they are not stoppable. They have control of the satellites and the tesla death ray is real and is being used to kill people all over the world. They also make crop circles with it.
They are going to blow some volcanoes in this country. They do not care about us, they want us dead, in fact. They are also dropping metals on us, and morgellons disease, from chem trails. The metals lodge in your brain, and there are fibers that are unknown to mankind in them, that self replicate in your body and come out through open sores. Cyborg is coming.
Each person emits a unique frequency that can be tapped into with an RF signal, easily, and instantly. Our bodies are like cell phones, or radios. We send out brain waves into the air. Our brains are like liquid crystals, and we are electric. Many are tapped, and have been told they will be used, later. Psychiatry covers it up, many, many know what is going on. All Masons know "The Plan".
Have a nice day!
Forewarned is forearmed. If your neighbor is a Freemason, you might want to consider returning all the tools you've borrowed from him and you might not want to let your dog stray over to his house to pee on his petunias any longer. As chronicled above, we don't fool around.
Ella
Hmmm, Dr. Hamburger, eh?
Let me help you understand what is going on. I could flat out tell you that every conspiracy theory out there is true, but you would not believe that, so let me say this.
There is a rogue element of our government that is made up of a rogue element of the Freemasons. They are, and have been since the 1800's, capable of causing earthquakes. Have you read that Nicola Tesla was rattling buildings in NYC with a pocket sized device that he made? It's true. They are also capable of focusing RF energy onto volcanoes, and the sun. They are doing it all right now, earthquakes, volcanoes, and causing solar flares.
The reason they are doing it now is because they are in the middle of ushering in their New World Order. They have been in control for a long time, though. It's all been set up and is now operating, so they are going to let us know what they are capable of this way. Once you figure it out, you will know that they are not stoppable. They have control of the satellites and the tesla death ray is real and is being used to kill people all over the world. They also make crop circles with it.
They are going to blow some volcanoes in this country. They do not care about us, they want us dead, in fact. They are also dropping metals on us, and morgellons disease, from chem trails. The metals lodge in your brain, and there are fibers that are unknown to mankind in them, that self replicate in your body and come out through open sores. Cyborg is coming.
Each person emits a unique frequency that can be tapped into with an RF signal, easily, and instantly. Our bodies are like cell phones, or radios. We send out brain waves into the air. Our brains are like liquid crystals, and we are electric. Many are tapped, and have been told they will be used, later. Psychiatry covers it up, many, many know what is going on. All Masons know "The Plan".
Have a nice day!
Forewarned is forearmed. If your neighbor is a Freemason, you might want to consider returning all the tools you've borrowed from him and you might not want to let your dog stray over to his house to pee on his petunias any longer. As chronicled above, we don't fool around.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Freemasonry and American Legion Face Similar Problems
From the Logansport (IN) Pharos-Tribune:
Indianapolis— A new American Legion policy designed to retain members and shore up national membership could leave state affiliates without revenue that used to flow to the local level, at least temporarily.
The Indianapolis-based organization, the nation’s largest veterans’ group, is keeping the names of 210,000 members recruited through direct mail last year behind a firewall until those veterans renew their memberships, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported.
American Legion officials say the new policy is an effort to make up for a drop in membership. Membership peaked at 3.3 million in 1946 but now stands at 2.4 million, down about 360,000 from its enrollment when the Iraq war started in 2003.
The policy change affects how money flows to local affiliates.
The national organization raised $31.9 million, or nearly 61 percent of its income, from dues in 2009.
When the national office recruits new members, the headquarters keeps the entire sign-up fee of $25. Under the new policy, headquarters keeps dues paid upon the first renewal, too.
Members who join at the local level have their membership fees divided between the local post and the state and national offices.
Jack Querfeld, director of internal affairs at American Legion headquarters, said many new recruits often lingered on the rolls at the state-level offices. Half of them quit because they weren’t socializing or taking part in community service at a local post, he said.
“The departments were very, very bad at retaining members the national headquarters spent money to recruit,” said Hugh Dagley, assistant adjutant for the Indiana affiliate.
Querfeld said the Legion still wants to get new members assigned to a local post.
“We are a community-based organization. That’s where our strength is,” he said.
Dagley, however, worries that direct-mail recruits won’t renew if their only contact for a year is with the national office.
“Sometimes, the changes that look good over there don’t look so good here,” Dagley said.
Legion officials at all levels say they hope to tap into a new generation of veterans — the more than 2 million service members deployed since Sept. 11, 2001. They need the younger veterans to shore up an aging membership.
Vietnam veterans account for 44 percent of the Legion’s current members, while World War II veterans make up another 18 percent.
Indianapolis District Commander Mark Gullion hopes to reach Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans through student veterans’ organizations at IUPUI and Ivy Tech Community College. He said his primary goal is helping veterans get their benefits under the new G.I.
Bill and addressing issues like suicide rates among veterans.
“Some veteran groups were forgotten, and we don’t want to forget the heroes of today,” said Gullion, 58, who served in Vietnam.
Gullion said he also wants to overcome stereotypes of what goes on at Legion posts.
“The American Legion is about the four pillars of community service, working with the veterans,” he said, referring to the Legion’s mission of national security, care for veterans, mentoring youth and patriotism. “It’s our fault we don’t get that word out.”
The American Legion and Freemasonry are fraternal organizations with completely different missions, but some common problems. The article spells out the problems that the American Legion is having in retaining members because the new members aren't hearing from the organization after they join. Sound familiar? The national organization is spending huge amounts of money to recruit new members only to find the local organizations failing to do the necessary things required to retain them. Grand Lodges around the country spend a lot of money on a variety of efforts to bring Freemasonry to the attention of young men who join the fraternity and then demit or get suspended for nonpayment of dues shortly afterward. This has become a pattern in the last few years in Freemasonry. If we won't learn from our own mistakes, perhaps we can learn from those of others.
Indianapolis— A new American Legion policy designed to retain members and shore up national membership could leave state affiliates without revenue that used to flow to the local level, at least temporarily.
The Indianapolis-based organization, the nation’s largest veterans’ group, is keeping the names of 210,000 members recruited through direct mail last year behind a firewall until those veterans renew their memberships, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported.
American Legion officials say the new policy is an effort to make up for a drop in membership. Membership peaked at 3.3 million in 1946 but now stands at 2.4 million, down about 360,000 from its enrollment when the Iraq war started in 2003.
The policy change affects how money flows to local affiliates.
The national organization raised $31.9 million, or nearly 61 percent of its income, from dues in 2009.
When the national office recruits new members, the headquarters keeps the entire sign-up fee of $25. Under the new policy, headquarters keeps dues paid upon the first renewal, too.
Members who join at the local level have their membership fees divided between the local post and the state and national offices.
Jack Querfeld, director of internal affairs at American Legion headquarters, said many new recruits often lingered on the rolls at the state-level offices. Half of them quit because they weren’t socializing or taking part in community service at a local post, he said.
“The departments were very, very bad at retaining members the national headquarters spent money to recruit,” said Hugh Dagley, assistant adjutant for the Indiana affiliate.
Querfeld said the Legion still wants to get new members assigned to a local post.
“We are a community-based organization. That’s where our strength is,” he said.
Dagley, however, worries that direct-mail recruits won’t renew if their only contact for a year is with the national office.
“Sometimes, the changes that look good over there don’t look so good here,” Dagley said.
Legion officials at all levels say they hope to tap into a new generation of veterans — the more than 2 million service members deployed since Sept. 11, 2001. They need the younger veterans to shore up an aging membership.
Vietnam veterans account for 44 percent of the Legion’s current members, while World War II veterans make up another 18 percent.
Indianapolis District Commander Mark Gullion hopes to reach Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans through student veterans’ organizations at IUPUI and Ivy Tech Community College. He said his primary goal is helping veterans get their benefits under the new G.I.
Bill and addressing issues like suicide rates among veterans.
“Some veteran groups were forgotten, and we don’t want to forget the heroes of today,” said Gullion, 58, who served in Vietnam.
Gullion said he also wants to overcome stereotypes of what goes on at Legion posts.
“The American Legion is about the four pillars of community service, working with the veterans,” he said, referring to the Legion’s mission of national security, care for veterans, mentoring youth and patriotism. “It’s our fault we don’t get that word out.”
The American Legion and Freemasonry are fraternal organizations with completely different missions, but some common problems. The article spells out the problems that the American Legion is having in retaining members because the new members aren't hearing from the organization after they join. Sound familiar? The national organization is spending huge amounts of money to recruit new members only to find the local organizations failing to do the necessary things required to retain them. Grand Lodges around the country spend a lot of money on a variety of efforts to bring Freemasonry to the attention of young men who join the fraternity and then demit or get suspended for nonpayment of dues shortly afterward. This has become a pattern in the last few years in Freemasonry. If we won't learn from our own mistakes, perhaps we can learn from those of others.
Grand Lodge of Indiana Announces Area Conference Schedule
From the Grand Lodge of Indiana website:
Our Grand Lodge of Indiana is pleased to announced the new schedule of Area Conferences for 2011. The Grand Lodge of Indiana is pleased to offer several dates and locations for the convenience of the Symbolic Lodges around the state.
The Area Conferences are a fantastic resource for the Symbolic Lodge to learn about programs and resources available from the Grand Lodge. Area Conferences are also an excellent opportunity for more direct Lodge specific questions.
All of these conferences will begin promptly at 7:00 pm. Other details at these locations should be addressed to the individual locations
We look forward to seeing you all at one of the locations listed below:
Tues. March 8, 2011 – Evansville Scottish Rite, Evansville Indiana
Wed. March 9, 2011 – Union Lodge No. 2, Madison Indiana
Thurs. March 10, 2011 – Monroe Lodge No. 22, Bloomington Indiana
Tues. March 15, 2011 – Social Lodge No. 86, Terre Haute Indiana
Wed. March 16, 2011 – Centre Lodge No. 23, Indianapolis Indiana
Thurs. March 17, 2011 – Warren Lodge No. 15, Connersville, Indiana
Tues. March 22, 2011 – Waynedale Lodge No. 739, Fort Wayne Indiana
Wed. March 23, 2011 – Plymouth-Kilwinning Lodge No. 149. Plymouth Indiana.
Thurs. March 24, 2011 – Porter Lodge No. 137, Valparaiso Indiana
Our Grand Lodge of Indiana is pleased to announced the new schedule of Area Conferences for 2011. The Grand Lodge of Indiana is pleased to offer several dates and locations for the convenience of the Symbolic Lodges around the state.
The Area Conferences are a fantastic resource for the Symbolic Lodge to learn about programs and resources available from the Grand Lodge. Area Conferences are also an excellent opportunity for more direct Lodge specific questions.
All of these conferences will begin promptly at 7:00 pm. Other details at these locations should be addressed to the individual locations
We look forward to seeing you all at one of the locations listed below:
Tues. March 8, 2011 – Evansville Scottish Rite, Evansville Indiana
Wed. March 9, 2011 – Union Lodge No. 2, Madison Indiana
Thurs. March 10, 2011 – Monroe Lodge No. 22, Bloomington Indiana
Tues. March 15, 2011 – Social Lodge No. 86, Terre Haute Indiana
Wed. March 16, 2011 – Centre Lodge No. 23, Indianapolis Indiana
Thurs. March 17, 2011 – Warren Lodge No. 15, Connersville, Indiana
Tues. March 22, 2011 – Waynedale Lodge No. 739, Fort Wayne Indiana
Wed. March 23, 2011 – Plymouth-Kilwinning Lodge No. 149. Plymouth Indiana.
Thurs. March 24, 2011 – Porter Lodge No. 137, Valparaiso Indiana
Scottish Rite Foundation Awards Grant to Indiana Freemasons' Hall
The Indianapolis Masonic Temple Association has been awarded a $20,000 grant by The Scottish Rite Foundation of Indianapolis. The money will be paired with a like amount of matching funds from the Grand Lodge of Indiana to complete the first phase of a project that will ultimately result in the replacement of all plumbing lines in Indiana Freemasons’ Hall.
The foundation has awarded the IMTA $47,000 in grants in the last four years. The grants have been used to purchase new draperies in the Reception Hall, a new welcome desk and computer kiosk for the foyer, and new tables and chairs in the Reception Hall.
The Scottish Rite Foundation of Indianapolis is a charitable branch of the Indianapolis Valley of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. It has been awarding grants to various Indianapolis non-profit groups and Indiana Masonic organizations for many years.
Most of you know that I'm President of the Indianapolis Masonic Temple Association so I'm obviously thrilled to receive the funds for this much-needed project. As a member of the Scottish Rite, I'm extremely proud of the many financial contributions the Scottish Rite Foundation of Indianapolis has made over the years as well as its commitment to the Indianapolis community and Indiana Freemasonry.
The foundation has awarded the IMTA $47,000 in grants in the last four years. The grants have been used to purchase new draperies in the Reception Hall, a new welcome desk and computer kiosk for the foyer, and new tables and chairs in the Reception Hall.
The Scottish Rite Foundation of Indianapolis is a charitable branch of the Indianapolis Valley of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. It has been awarding grants to various Indianapolis non-profit groups and Indiana Masonic organizations for many years.
Most of you know that I'm President of the Indianapolis Masonic Temple Association so I'm obviously thrilled to receive the funds for this much-needed project. As a member of the Scottish Rite, I'm extremely proud of the many financial contributions the Scottish Rite Foundation of Indianapolis has made over the years as well as its commitment to the Indianapolis community and Indiana Freemasonry.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Grand Lodge of Indiana Library and Museum
Several brethren spent their Sunday morning toiling away in the Grand Lodge of Indiana Library and Museum located in Indiana Freemasons' Hall. We were able to finish the unpacking of all printed material. The task of separating material to be displayed on the shelves from what will be placed in stored archives is largely finished. There remain many boxes of proceedings to sort through as well as a virtual mountain of copies of The Indiana Freemason, both loose and bound. The Indiana Freemason magazines will be organized into sets and ultimately be made available to individuals and lodges as will duplicate copies of many Masonic books, a good number of them rare treasures.
We also began unpacking some of the museum relics, which we will begin to sort and organize on our next work day. There is still a monumental amount of work to be done, but our goal is to have the facility organized enough to have open for the Grand Lodge Communication in May.
Many thanks to Bros. Chris Hodapp, Bob Zook, Carson Smith, Mark Haworth, and John Bridegroom for giving up their Sunday morning to devote to this work day. An announcement on the next scheduled work day will be forthcoming.
We also began unpacking some of the museum relics, which we will begin to sort and organize on our next work day. There is still a monumental amount of work to be done, but our goal is to have the facility organized enough to have open for the Grand Lodge Communication in May.
Many thanks to Bros. Chris Hodapp, Bob Zook, Carson Smith, Mark Haworth, and John Bridegroom for giving up their Sunday morning to devote to this work day. An announcement on the next scheduled work day will be forthcoming.
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