Whither Are You Traveling?

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Robert E. Jackson

We've all seen the image in movies and television…volunteers are requested, and a line of people step back, leaving the ignorant in a forward position to do the work. I remember laughing at this scene numerous times, but now that I see the behavior so prevalent in society, it's not so funny anymore. I'm not sure if it is society mimicking Hollywood, or vice versa, and I don’t necessarily care at this point. But if any service organization wants to survive, the attitude must change.

Finding people to step forward is becoming increasingly difficult these days, and it isn't just us. Within Scouting organizations, we see similar behavior. Many adults seem to prefer to drop off their kids and walk away, rather than be involved. In some instances, I've even seen some Scout leaders who remain to be heavily involved, even after their kids have aged out. Not because they necessarily want to, but because parents of the active youth simply won't step forward.

Has it always been like this? We hear the stories of the World Wars, when people stepped forward in droves in order to serve their country in any way possible. People would lie about their age, simply to step forward. Was it just the culture of the time, or something that their parents instilled in them? Is the plethora of 'squirrels' such as video games, social media, and 1000 channels on television ruining the trait of volunteerism, or is it the belief that somebody else will do it, so why should I? Yet more questions I wish I could ask my Father.

I can't help but wonder if we as a Fraternity brought this on ourselves. Yes, we aren't supposed to 'ask' people to join, but we do hand them petitions and drop hints. I've done it. This is behavior that my father never would have done. He didn't even talk about the Fraternity. Now, I believe there is some middle ground on which to meet…between the complete mystery of a century ago, and asking people to join today. We do need to be involved in the community, I believe, and show them what we believe and the lessons we teach. But this can't be done without stepping forward. Stepping forward for fundraisers. Stepping forward for service. Stepping forward to do presentations for other groups. Simply stepping forward.

So here is my plea, my Brothers. Don’t wait to be asked, step forward. Your Lodge isn't guaranteed to be here forever. Our history is not a promise of our future, I know that from my father's Lodge, the one that my great grandfather founded. It's gone. It can happen. If you care about your Lodge. If you truly care about the Fraternity. Step forward and volunteer, don't wait to be asked.

~REJ

Robert Edward Jackson is a Past and presiding Master of Montgomery Lodge located in Milford, MA. His Masonic lineage includes his Father (Robert Maitland), Grandfather (Maitland Garrecht), and Great Grandfather (Edward Henry Jackson), a founding member of Scarsdale Lodge #1094 in Scarsdale, NY. When not studying ritual, he's busy being a father to his three kids, a husband, Boy Scout Leader, and a network engineer to pay for it all. He can be reached at info@montgomerylodge.org

At The Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier

by 
Midnight Freemasons Founder

Todd E. Creason, 33°

&
Midnight Freemasons Senior Contributor
WB Gregory J. Knott

Originally published 3/10/17, we thought this would make a good Memorial Day piece.  Too often we forget the real reason we celebrate Memorial Day--to honor our fallen heroes.  We hope you'll spend at least a small part of your day today remembering those that gave everything to protect and preserve the way of life we enjoy as Americans.  TEC/GJK

The first time I saw the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery, I was five years old.  We were in Washington, D.C. on a family vacation.  I remember it very clearly.  That solemn ceremony left a very deep impression on me.  I've watched on television as Presidents on Memorial Day have laid the Memorial Day wreath many times, and every time, I'm struck with that same sense--a mixture of American pride, patriotism, honor, and deep respect for the sacrifices that have been made in the name of freedom. 

Two years ago, I saw the changing of the guard again--more than forty years later.  Fellow Midnight Freemason Greg Knott and I flew to Washington D.C. for a Masonic event, and less than an hour after the plane landed at Ronald Reagan International Airport, we were standing at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  The Boy Scouts were there that day, and during the changing of the guard, they presented a wreath--the same exact ceremony the President takes part in on Memorial Day.  We both knew what we wanted to do on our next trip out--to place a wreath on behalf of Freemasons everywhere to honor our fallen heroes.  In February, we were able to do just that.  Greg and I on behalf of Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL) and with the blessing of Our Grand Master of Illinois, Anthony Cracco.  We also asked the President and Past President of The Masonic Society to join us--Kenneth Davis and James Dillman were only too happy to do so.

 

The reality didn't really set in until I was standing at the top of the steps looking out over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the cemetery beyond as the Relief Commander slowly ascended the steps before us.  The wreath we provided was already in place waiting for us as we descended together in step. 

It was about thirty-five degrees with a thirty mile-per-hour wind, but the four of us barely felt the bracing cold.  We were there to represent Freemasonry, so we left our winter jackets behind in favor of our suits, jewels, aprons, and gloves.  We were about to honor our fallen veterans on behalf of Freemasons everywhere by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. 

Once the wreath was placed, a soldier played Taps.  It was an indescribably moving experience listening to Taps as I fixated on words on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO GOD.  It was an experience I don't think any of us will ever forget.  I certainly won't. 

Left to right: Todd E. Creason, Gregory J. Knott, James Dillman, Kenneth Davis

Afterwards, we stood and watched the guard for some time.  It occurred to me that there had been a guard watching the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, 24-hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, uninterrupted, since I'd been there as a five year old child.  It was that important.  And the honor of being able to serve in that capacity is considered one of the highest honors in military service. 

As we left the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a funeral procession was in progress--something that happens on average twenty-four times a day at Arlington National Cemetery.  Greg Knott and I walked to a large tree in the center of one of the plots to get a better view.  As the horse drawn cassion passed with the flag draped coffin on top, and I looked out across the cemetery at the thousands and thousands of identical stones, I was struck by the high price Americans have paid for freedom.  And yet it's a price that generation after generation of Americans have continued to pay, because in the end, there is nothing more important to who we are as the American people than those freedoms provided us under the United States Constitution.

~TEC/GJK

Todd E. Creason, 33°, FMLR is the Founder of the Midnight Freemasons blog and is a regular contributor.  He is the award winning author of several books and novels, including the Famous American Freemasons series. He is the author of the From Labor to Refreshment blog.  He is the Worshipful Master of Homer Lodge No. 199 and a Past Master of Ogden Lodge No. 754, where is currently serves as Secretary.  He is the Sovereign Master of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees.  He is a Fellow at the Missouri Lodge of Research. (FMLR) and a charter member of a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D.  You can contact him at: webmaster@toddcreason.org

WB Gregory J. Knott is one of the founding contributors of the Midnight Freemasons blog.  He is a Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 in St. Joseph (IL), and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754, Homer Lodge No. 199, and Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington, D.C.  He's a member of the Scotttish Rite, the York Rite, Eastern Star, and is the Charter Secretary of the Illinois High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign-Urbana.  He is also a member of ANSAR Shrine (IL) and the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees.  Greg serves on the Board of Directors of The Masonic Society and is a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society and The Philalethes Society. He is a charter member of the a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter No. 282 (IL) and serves as its Secretary.  Greg is very involved in Boy Scouts--an Eagle Scout himself, he is a member of the National Association of Masonic Scouters.  you can contact him at gknott63@gmail.com

Rededication of the 1778 Trinity Lodge Charter

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Travis Simpkins

The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts dates back to 1733 and Masons in the Bay State are rightfully proud of their nearly-300-year history. Historical interests played a large part in me submitting a petition to Morning Star Lodge in 2015, and it was evident from the beginning that history was very important to others there as well. Just after being initiated, I was proudly told by a Brother that our Lodge, chartered in 1793, was the oldest of the seven Lodges in the 23rdDistrict. I had heard that statement before and I had noted that some of the other local Lodges had been chartered in the 19thCentury, so I just accepted the fact at face value.

That same week, I acquired a very old book pertaining to the history of Morning Star Lodge. I was surprised to see within the first few pages that Morning Star Lodge had actually been formed out of another pre-existing one, Trinity Lodge, which is still operating in the district today. The book listed Trinity Lodge as dating to 1778, yet their website displayed the year 1858. I casually mentioned the discrepancy to the District Deputy Grand Master at the time (and Past Master of Trinity Lodge), R.W. Gregory Stahl. He was well aware of the earlier 1778 date and it was something he had long been battling to restore.

Like most other stories of a Lodge with two charters, the crux of the Trinity Lodge saga was the period of darkness in the wake of the Anti-Masonic sentiments in the 1820's. Trinity Lodge had indeed been formed on January 30, 1778 under the authority of M.W. Joseph Webb and their original charter even bore the signature of Paul Revere, who was Junior Grand Warden at the time. The Lodge flourished for over four decades. Then, like so many others, they went dark in 1826 following the fervor of the Morgan Affair. 32 years later, Trinity Lodge re-formed and was granted a new charter on September 8, 1858. Morning Star Lodge, which had resumed in 1842, could produce their original 18th Century charter and was later re-granted their original 1793 date. The Trinity Lodge charter however, could not be located and the 1858 date stuck.

Fast forward 150 years... In 2008, the Grand Master visited Trinity Lodge for the Sesquicentennial anniversary of the 1858 charter. R.W. Gregory Stahl pointed out a Master's Carpet dating to 1784, evidencing the true age of the Lodge. The Grand Master stated that if the original charter could be located, then Grand Lodge would be supportive of restoring the 1778 date. The hopeful search for the document continued. In 2016, with the diligent help of the Grand Historian, R.W. Walter Hunt, the original 18th Century Trinity Lodge charter (damaged, but still very legible) was located in the Grand Secretary's vault in Boston.

Of all the Masonic events I have attended, the Trinity Lodge rededication ceremony held on January 30, 2018 was one of the most unique and memorable. It's something that doesn't happen often, and I'm not likely to witness anything quite like it ever again. The direct connection with history was palpable. The highly anticipated event was scheduled on the 240th Anniversary of the 1778 charter. The original fragile document, still clearly showing the signature of Paul Revere, was placed on display for all to see. A crowd of a hundred or so came out to the event, organized by Wor. Micheal Leonard, Past Master of Trinity Lodge, and the local news media took note. I personally enjoy attending the “public” events because I can bring my wife along, and she took the photo of the ceremony shown above, which was widely shared all over social media the following day. 

The Chaplain of Trinity Lodge conveyed a heartfelt history to the audience, which was further emphasized by R.W. Walter Hunt, who had played the integral role of finding the actual document. R.W. Gregory Stahl, who had since moved to Ohio, returned for the special event and current DDGM R.W. John F. Sullivan presented him with the Robert W. Johnson Service Award for all of his dedicated efforts in making that day possible. It was an inspirational experience all around, and I was happy to see Trinity Lodge given it's proper and long overdue recognition as the Mother Lodge of the 23rd District in Massachusetts. The Grand Master, M.W. Paul F. Gleason, presided over the well-composed ceremony. He made it official and concluded by saying, “To the Brethren of Trinity Lodge, congratulations on finally getting your birthday back.”

-TS

Travis Simpkins is a freelance artist with clients throughout the United States and Europe. He currently works on projects for the Supreme Council, 33°, NMJ in Lexington, Massachusetts. He also serves as a portrait artist for the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Grand Lodge of New Jersey and other jurisdictions across North America. His artwork is in many esteemed collections, including the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum in Independence, Missouri.

Bro. Simpkins is a member of Morning Star Lodge A.F. & A.M. in Worcester, Massachusetts. He is a 32° Mason in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite- Valleys of Worcester and Boston. He is also a member of Eureka Royal Arch Chapter, Hiram Council of Royal & Select Master Masons and Worcester County Commandery No. 5, Knights Templar.

The Blue & The Orange: Freemasonry & The Orange Order

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

WB Martin O’Brien

The day was overcast and a light drizzle was falling as I made my way through the West Gate of the town of Clonmel, one of the few remaining portions of the old town walls. These walls had held Oliver Cromwell at bay as he laid siege to the town with eight thousand men. For several bloody weeks in 1650 two thousand defenders held the foe at bay inflicting heavy casualties. Cromwell, a name which will forever live in infamy in Ireland, eventually negotiated a surrender with the Mayor John White, agreeing that neither the citizens nor their property would be harmed.

The terms of the surrender were upheld which was in stark contrast to the bloody mayhem typical of Cromwell’s military campaign in Ireland. Forty years later, William of Orange passed these walls unimpeded on his march to Limerick as he put down the Jacobite rebellion after seizing the crown from Catholic King James II. The town of Clonmel was founded in 1209 and it was here that I grew up. I had not been back to my hometown since I had become a Mason and on this overcast day I was making my way through the town to visit a Masonic Lodge I had not even known was there. I had emailed the Grand Lodge of Ireland to learn if there was a lodge close to Clonmel that I might visit during my trip.
   
To my great surprise they had told me there was one right there, in my town and they gave me the name and contact information of the Lodge Secretary. We had emailed back and forth over the preceding months and finally the appointed day had arrived. I turned right onto Nelson street and made my way past the handsome Georgian town homes that marked the character of this area of the town. I had the address and thought I knew where I was going but when I arrived all confidence fled me. There was no sign of a Masonic Lodge to be found. No square and compass anywhere to be seen. No sign indicating that a lodge of Craftsman could be found here. I walked a little further down the street in search of some sign but none being found returned to the address I had written down. I headed up the steps to the bright red door and rang the bell. The small brass plaque to the left of the door told me that it belonged to an accounting firm and as it opened I began running through the apology I would make in my mind.

The door opened and to my great relief there stood Bro. Secretary. He ushered me inside and closed the door directing me to a set of stairs to the left. We took those stairs down to the basement and he explained to me that his Lodge, Donoughmore Lodge # 44, had been constituted in 1845 and had originally owned the old three-story Georgian building we were in. Over time, membership had declined and along with it the financial condition of the Lodge and they had to sell it. It had been purchased by the accounting firm, the name I saw on the brass plaque outside. The accounting firm treated the Lodge well and had allowed them to move their lodge room to the basement of the building.

The Lodge room itself was a small space, the walls covered with the history of these Brothers. One row of wooden benches ran along each of the walls from the West to the East. The room would have been bursting at the seams with twenty Brothers in attendance. We chatted in the Lodge room for well over an hour comparing my experience of Freemasonry in the US to his in Ireland. I asked him why there was no sign outside indicating that a Lodge met at this place. He told me that this was typical of Lodges especially in the south of Ireland. The reason, he went on to say, was that it wasn’t always safe to be a Freemason in the mostly Catholic Republic. This is because of a perception by the general public, not only in Ireland but in the UK as well that Freemasonry is connected with Orangeism.

 In fact, he attributed this, in part, to the change in circumstances for his Lodge. There was a time when the Lodge was able to publicize their good works and announce their charitable activities through the local newspaper. That was until fifteen years or so ago when several of the key papermen had retired and been replaced by staunch Catholics, with the new editor being a Knight of Columbanus. The Knights of Columbanus was founded in Belfast in 1915 and are not to be confused with the Knights of Columbus which was founded in New Haven CT in 1882. Both orders are similar in that they are male only fraternal orders that require members to be Catholics and share a stated aim of propagating the Catholic faith.

The consequence of these new appointments was that Donoughmore #44 now found themselves struggling to get their activities and significant charitable endeavors in print. What struck me most about our conversation however was that Freemasonry was somehow conflated with the Orange Order. I had grown up in Ireland and was very aware of the Orange Order and the sectarian violence that often surrounded their activities in the North of the country. I had never considered them the same as Freemasonry but if such a connection existed in the minds of the Irish then it was no surprise that it wasn’t always safe to be a Freemason in the heavily Republican south. To understand why this is so it is necessary to explain the history of the Orange Order.

The Loyal Orange Institution, or Orange Order as it is more commonly known was founded in County Armagh in 1795. At this time the population of Armagh was evenly split between Catholics and Protestants and sectarian violence was commonplace and carried out by gangs organized to promote the interests of both communities. Most of the contention revolved around the leasing of limited farm land, the competition over which was fierce. These gangs eventually coalesced into The Defenders on the Catholic side and The Peep-o-Day Boys on the protestant side. In September of 1795, at a place called Loughgall, these two gangs met at the Diamond crossroads and commenced battle. This skirmish was to become known as The Battle of the Diamond and after fierce fighting the Peep-o-Day boys proved victorious.

Following the fight, the Peep-o-Day boys marched into Loughgall and there founded the Orange Order. Named for the previously mentioned William of Orange, the Dutchman who had wrested the English throne from the Catholic King James, the Orange Order had set itself the aims of defending the Protestant ascendancy, supporting the crown so long as it assured the Protestant ascendancy and more immediately in 1795, driving Catholics out of Armagh. Emboldened by their victory over the defenders they set about this task in earnest and two months later approximately seven thousand Catholics had been violently driven from their homes and their property and lands illegally seized. With a history like this it is no wonder that the Orange Order is viewed with disdain in by the Catholic population in Ireland. But this doesn’t explain how the Orange Order became associated with Freemasonry.

At the Diamond crossroads, the site of the Battle of the Diamond, there was an inn owned by a man named Dan Winters. Dan Winters was a Freemason and had appealed to his lodge for help when his Inn was threatened by the Defenders. The Lodge, adhering to the non-sectarian principles that are one of the crown jewels of the order did not assist and the Defenders attacked and burned the inn to the ground. Angry at the perceived failure of his Masonic Lodge, he withdrew his membership and along with several other men founded the Orange Order.

The Order was modeled, as so many others have been, on Masonic lines. The Orange Order boasts three degrees, the members wear regalia, although instead of the pure and spotless apron of a Mason, Orangemen wear an Orange Sash. The Order is organized into the local Lodges with the associated grips and words. In addition to these outward similarities, K.C. Jack in his article “The Masonic and Orange Orders” appearing in issue 39 of the Ashlar, tells us that the 19th Century in Ireland saw an upswing of anti-Catholic fervor that Masonic Lodges were not immune from. Citing the numerous Papal bulls that condemn Freemasonry and forbid Catholics to become members of the Craft, Jack tells us that these conditions resulted in the Masonic Fraternity taking on a decidedly protestant aspect in the minds of the public. Several mainly Protestant Lodges in the North went so far as to expel Catholic members and thereafter only allow affirmed Protestants to join. These actions were taken at the local lodge level and not endorsed at the Grand Lodge level.

The fact of the matter is that Freemasonry and the Orange Order are no more connected than Freemasonry and the Elks, or the Moose, or the Odd Fellows. These fraternities have followed after the Masonic model as the oldest and most successful paradigm of Fraternalism that exists. Just as men can be members of the Masonic Lodge and an Elk’s Lodge, so too can a man be a Freemason and an Orangeman. But beyond this and the cosmetic similarity discussed earlier, Freemasonry and Orangeism are chalk and cheese. One promotes the universal Brotherhood of man for the betterment of all mankind and advances a beautiful system of morality to achieve that end, while the other promotes militant Loyalism and maintains deep connections with Loyalist paramilitary groups with whom they promote sectarian violence. For proof of this, one need look no further than the Orange Marches which pass unnecessarily through Catholic areas of Northern Ireland. These marches more often than not lead to violence.

I left Donoughmore Lodge that day with a happy heart for there, I found my Brothers in the Craft just as I would here in the US. We shared a common bond, a common purpose. We met on the level and we parted on the square. One a Protestant, the other a Catholic. Both Brothers.

~MO

WB Martin O'Brien is a Past Master of Cuyahoga Falls Lodge #735 now Star Lodge #187 in Cuyahoga Falls Ohio. He is a member of Cuyahoga Falls Chapter #225 Royal Arch Masons, Cuyahoga Falls Council #144 Royal & Select Masters and a 32° Scottish Rite Mason in the Valley of Akron NMJ.

The Power of Positive Freemasonry

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

I have never been a positive person. Some people refer to themselves as a “glass half full” or “glass half empty”. For most of my life I have been a “the glass is empty and broken in shards on the floor” kind of guy. I am working on this, trying to be more positive as part of my life. I have noticed that the right environment helps when you are trying to find positive light in a world of darkness.

Many years ago, Brother Dr. Norman Vincent Peale (Midwood Lodge No. 1062, Brooklyn, N.Y. and served as Grand Chaplain: 1949-51 Grand Lodge of New York), wrote a book entitled The Power of Positive Thinking: 10 Traits for Maximum Results. The book’s Amazon page describes this book as “An international bestseller with over five million copies in print, The Power of Positive Thinking has helped men and women around the world to achieve fulfillment in their lives through Dr. Norman Vincent Peale’s powerful message of faith and inspiration.”

I have not read this book, but I should, and I may in the future. While reading the books description I realized how much of this book, much like the recent book ”It's Business Time: Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry” by Brothers Robert Johnson and Jon Ruark adapted bestselling business and motivational books to running a successful Masonic lodge.

Amazons description of Brother Peale’s book, claims you will learn these skills:

· Believe in yourself and in everything you do

· Build new power and determination

· Develop the power to reach your goals

· Break the worry habit and achieve a relaxed life

· Improve your personal and professional relationships

· Assume control over your circumstances

· Be kind to yourself

I believe many of these can be concerted to the honorable and glorious purposes of fixing Masonry.

1. Believe in yourself and in everything you do

If you are a Freemason, hopefully you believe in the Craft and it’s teachings. You may, like many of us, be discouraged about Freemasonry’s current state, but I also hope you believe that if we continue to work and move forward we can put it back on a solid foundation

2. Build new power and determination

Each one of us who hold a current dues card has a voice and a vote on how we as an organization moves forward. Therefore, I am always saddened when I hear about a Brother who quits his lodge (and the Craft itself). Each one of us who is active in Freemasonry has a voice and a vote and if we stand together as a group we can eventually have the Fraternity we want. Each member we lose makes us weaker and will delay us in our ultimate goal. We need to stay involved and encourage each other to stay (or come back).

3. Develop the power to reach your goals

We as a group (Local lodge level, Grand Lodge level and nationally) need to know what we want the future of Freemasonry to look like and develop a plan in which we can implement as a group as we strive to meet our goals.

4. Break the worry habit and achieve a relaxed life

So many of us have raised our hands in frustration over the years when we are told we can’t change things in our lodges. I’m sure so many of you have heard, “We’ve never done it that way before” or “Grand Lodge won’t allow that” or “Please don’t do that out of the sake of harmony in the lodge”. So, we as a group have sunk back and quietly given up, and allowed what we know will drive members away to happen.

What we have forgotten is that we are playing the long game. We need to quit worrying and continue to try to make reforms. Eventually, they will happen. We are already beginning to see changes, so relax and remember the tortoise, not the hare.

5. Improve your personal and professional relationships

We must continue to strive to achieve our goals in Freemasonry and continue to make friends and “spread the cement” of Brotherly love. One of the things we strive to achieve in making ourselves better is not just in regards to education, but also making lifelong friendships along the way. Kind of like a “support group” when times get tough. We also need to continually interact, discuss and eventually agree on what we believe the future should look like. The more interactions and discussions we have is the only way we can put the designs upon the trestle board for the future.

6. Assume control over your circumstances

I think this point pretty much sums up everything I have written above. WE as a whole, as a group, need to discuss and plan for the future as we want it to be. We as a group or as the many separate jurisdictions in this country (or the world for that matter) won’t agree on every point, I mean we haven’t for three hundred years, but if we can begin to decide as a group what we want Freemasonry to look like we can be ready for the future when we can put our plans into practice.

Brother Peale lists one more point: “Be kind to yourself”, but for this paper I would like to replace this point with my own, which I feel is more important, “Don’t Quit”

Brother, I know we all get frustrated with the current state of affairs in our Fraternity. Cheap dues, crumbling buildings, boring meetings and in some cases mediocre meals have disappointed a lot of men who were originally excited to become Freemason. When they bring up ideas on how they can make the lodge better they are told to sit down and be quiet until they are Master of the Lodge. (They don’t tell them they will try to torpedo his ideas while he is Master anyway) After a while they begin to feel dejected or disappointed and slowly fade away.

Brother, please remember this. When we lose a member through suspension for non-payment of dues or through a demit we don’t just lose the chance for fellowship, we also lose one vote, one voice, one man who can help make a difference in bringing about the change we are looking for.

The old saying “United we stand, divided we fall” is true Brother. The more of us who stay in the quarries and work toward the future the faster we will be able to rebuild the temple.

~BH

WB Bill Hosler was made a Master Mason in 2002 in Three Rivers Lodge #733 in Indiana. He served as Worshipful Master in 2007 and became a member of the internet committee for Indiana's Grand Lodge. Bill is currently a member of Roff Lodge No. 169 in Roff Oklahoma and Lebanon Lodge No. 837 in Frisco,Texas. Bill is also a member of the Valley of Fort Wayne Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in Indiana. A typical active Freemason, Bill also served as the High Priest of Fort Wayne's Chapter of the York Rite No. 19 and was commander of of the Fort Wayne Commandery No. 4 of the Knight Templar. During all this he also served as the webmaster and magazine editor for the Mizpah Shrine in Fort Wayne Indiana.

What to Expect When You're Expecting - Epilogue

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Darin Lahners

The very first article I wrote for ‘The Midnight Freemasons’ was called: “What to Expect when You’re Expecting: Worshipful Masters Edition”. I wrote it as I was having trepidation upon going to the East in my home lodge of St. Joseph #970. I ended up setting out 5 things to follow as a guide on my way to the East.

1. Relax and have fun! You’re not going to be perfect, but you’ll be okay.

2. Communicate and be open to listening. Exchange ideas with your lodge.

3. Believe in yourself! Your brothers believe in you.

4. Have a plan. A mission statement is a good way to set out your goals in a few sentences.

5. Most importantly, invoke the blessing of Deity always before undertaking any task as Worshipful Master.

Now that my year is almost at a close, it’s time to reflect back on it. I’m going to address the first three items and then break out my Mission Statement.

1. Relax and have fun! You’re not going to be perfect, but you’ll be okay.

I don’t feel like I had time to relax or have fun during my term in the East. I had several things happen that while not in my direct control, contributed to this feeling. We spent a lot of time and money on the repairs for our stairs. Although the process of getting them repaired began while I was in the west, we went with a recommendation and bid from a contractor recommended by our Building Committee chairman. Unfortunately, once the job was done, the wood that was used began to split on the sides of stairs. When we asked him to replace it, he blamed everything on the age of our lodge. He didn’t take responsibility, so the committee chairman took it upon himself to fire the contractor. He then had to bring in another contractor to fix the stairs that were splitting. Needless to say, the effort took several thousands of dollars.

The brother that was going to serve as Junior Warden informed me shortly after being elected that he had been accepted into a program sponsored by his church that would allow him to continue his education. Unfortunately, his classes met on our Stated Meeting night, so he would only be able to make a few meetings. Around the same time, my Junior Deacon had to go back into the workforce and ended up getting a job which was second shift and would also keep him from the meetings. I was essentially two officers down, which I had to replace every meeting. Luckily my Senior Deacon stepped up to fill the Junior Warden’s station in his absence. I was also able to place one of the younger members of the lodge to the position of Junior Deacon from Junior Steward. All of this along with the items below contributed to a stressful time in the East for me.

2. Communicate and be open to listening. Exchange ideas with your lodge.

It’s difficult to communicate and exchange ideas with your lodge when nobody is showing up for a stated meeting. Of course, missing two members that regularly attended lodge meant that we were scrambling for quorum every meeting. There was actually one meeting where I had the bare minimum to open. While we were able to open every meeting, there were members that had missed meetings where we had discussed items and they had been voted on. Members would then occasionally show up for a meeting and question the items that had been voted on in previous meetings. This came to a head last meeting where I felt the choice of our scholarship winner was questioned. To be frank, I lost my temper when it was questioned. I blew up at the brother asking about it. In the not most gentle way possible, with probably not the gentlest of words, I told him that I felt that if he had made the meetings where we had discussed and voted on this, that he could have brought up his objections then. I felt that he was criticizing the decision and took it personally even though he was just trying to point out the original objective for the scholarship. My point is, it’s hard to communicate when there’s very few people to communicate to.

3. Believe in yourself! Your brothers believe in you.

I worked very hard with some other members of the lodge last year when I was Senior Warden to receive the Grandmaster’s Award of Excellence. At our Grand Lodge session as the Master of St. Joseph Lodge last October, we did it. Not only did we receive it, we also were awarded second place in the state for lodges under 80 members. In order to receive the award, there are a number of things that the lodge must do. These items always involve having at least 3 elected officers and a total of 5 to seven members doing them [the GMAE tasks]. For whatever reason this past year, very few members of my lodge were willing or able to make these events. It got to a point where I signed in as a member of another lodge to which I belong so that they would get the credit. While some of these events took place on dates where members couldn’t go because of family commitments or work, I feel that there is little to no desire by the membership to attend any lodge activities, especially ones needed to qualify for the award. It’s hard to believe in yourself and to believe that your brothers believe in you if you don’t share the same commitment to the lodge.

4. Have a plan. A mission statement is a good way to set out your goals in a few sentences.

In order to begin, I want to look back upon my Mission Statement. It was as follows:

I want to make Saint Joseph Lodge a better place. A place for brothers and their families to spend time, and a better asset to the community. A place that men in my community want to join. I want to educate the brethren not only using traditional education, but also teach some of the esoteric meanings of the ritual as well. Lastly, I want to raise some funds by having fun.

So, let’s see if I achieved any of what I set out to do.

I will begin with: “I want to make Saint Joseph Lodge a better place.” It’s a pretty broad statement. There’s two ways to answer it. What is a lodge really? Is it the building or room where you hold your degree work and stated meetings? Or is it the members that gather for the degree work or stated meetings? Every Mason should know it’s both. What did I do to make the Lodge a better place? From the building standpoint, several improvements were instituted. The very first thing we did was we improved the lodge room itself. We had our old degree trestle boards framed to keep them from deteriorating. We installed the internet, a wireless network and mounted a Flat Screen television on the wall so that we could cast the Degree slides from our phones instead of needing to have someone bring a computer and projector into the lodge. Our stairs were in dire need of repair so we had them fixed. We had some boiler repairs that needed to occur also. Finally, I took an old lodge computer and converted into a Chromebook, so that we would have another device to cast from if needed.

The second line of my mission statement covers the Lodge from the member perspective: A place for brothers and their families to spend time, and a better asset to the community. I tried very hard to make our lodge better. I tried to have two separate movie nights for the members and community. On the couple of occasions when I did this, I was able to get a total of 4 members combined at both events including myself. We did have moderate success at holding a trunk or treat event for the local food pantry. The idea that was communicated to our community, was to have them show up and bring items for the food pantry and get candy. I had a total of 6 members including myself show up and help me hand out candy while we collected items for the food pantry. We collected a decent amount for a donation. We also held a chili dinner that we participated with Ogden and Homer lodges. This event brought out a good number of brethren and their families from across the area. We had a good meal and good fellowship as well. I have one more event planned before my time in the East is at a close. We’re having a dinner to recognize the veterans and first responders in the Lodge prior to our stated meeting in June. As of right now, I have one RSVP, but the mail just went out, so I’m hoping that I get more responses.

The next line of the mission statement is the big one: “ A place that men in my community want to join.” During my year as Master, we have had three petitions to join our lodge. We also have one candidate that is an EA but is a college student and has trouble scheduling his next degrees. Of the three petitions, two are now Fellowcrafts and one is getting his EA degree this coming Thursday. I think that getting any new members is doing a decent job, I’m a member of a few lodges where they’re lucky to get a new petition a year.

Did I really make the lodge a place the men in my community want to join? I certainly tried. I advertised on social media to have men come and meet us at a local establishment before our meetings. I tried to have community movie nights as well. We held the trunk or treat as a community event. I used the new materials from the Scottish Rite and posted the short video, “Not Just a Man, A Mason” all over social medians well. I’ve also discussed with the lodge using the Invitation to Petition in order to get new members. We’re giving away our yearly scholarship and teacher of the year award at the High School this week, which is another chance for us to get community exposure. My hope is that maybe one man in the audience will be interested in joining us.

I want to educate the brethren not only using traditional education, but also teach some of the esoteric meanings of the ritual. My biggest failure as Master has been in the area of Masonic Education. Quite frankly, compared to Homer where Education is the first and foremost item at every stated meeting, we have a fair amount of business to get through at St. Joseph. I absolutely tried to institute a meeting structure where Education was the first item, followed by the regular meeting, but it ended up being close to a 2-and-a-half-hour affair. Many of the older membership complained about the length of the meetings. Of course, this had nothing really to do with the education which might have added 10 minutes to the meeting. Some of the older members like to hear themselves talk and like to motion for items on the floor for votes. They also like to have me explain items that we are discussing multiple times because they are hard of hearing, even though they are usually at the front of the lodge. By the time we get to where education is on the agenda, most of the older membership will audibly groan or sigh when I mention it. It’s gotten to the point where at the last meeting, I told everyone that I had an education piece that I would give after the meeting if anyone was interested. Of course, the younger members of my lodge were interested, while the older guys just packed up and left.

The last item on my Mission Statement was a personal goal. Lastly, I want to raise some funds by having fun. At St. Joseph, we have a building with retail space downstairs. We have a renter that guarantees us fixed income every month, so we really don’t have to do any fundraising. The idea for my fund raiser was simply to help bring awareness that our lodge is more than a bunch of guys who dress up and wear aprons. The idea was to show us having fun in a relaxed setting. From my time being a Cub Scout Leader, the best event of every year was always the pinewood derby. So, my idea of having an Adult Pinewood Derby was one that I thought would be well received. As we began planning the event last June, the vision took twists and turns. However, I could not be more pleased to be partnering with some adult leaders from local Scouting units to have our lodge sponsor the event. The fundraiser has become an event with a real date, place and time. The fundraiser will donate a majority of the funds to help local scouting programs, while the Masonic Lodge will receive a small portion of the funds for sponsoring, which I plan in asking the lodge to donate to the Venturing Scout Crew that we charter.

5. Most importantly, invoke the blessing of Deity always before undertaking any task as Worshipful Master.

I know that we open and close every meeting with a prayer. I don’t know that I have really taken the time to pray before writing every email to the lodge. I know I haven’t done it as much as I probably should have. Maybe that’s what made the difference. I guess all I can do is hope to do it more during this next year. You see my brethren, I am hoping to be elected as Worshipful Master of Homer Lodge for the next Masonic Year. Which leads me to add a new item to my guide.

6. Never give up.

One of my favorite movie quotes is probably going to surprise you. It’s from Batman Begins. “Why do we fall, sir?” Alfred asks Bruce Wayne in the scene, and Bruce looks at him unable to come up with an answer, so Alfred says “So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.” Yes, I didn’t accomplish everything that I wanted to during my year as Master in St. Joseph. I made some mistakes, some things were out of my control, and some things just aren’t worth worrying about. I have to learn from my mistakes and refocus my efforts for the coming year at Homer. I am not going to let what happened at one lodge take away from my enthusiasm for the coming year. I have to pick myself up. 

~DAL

WB Darin Lahners is the Worshipful Master of St. Joseph Lodge No.970 in St. Joseph and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He’s a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, a charter member of the new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D. and is the current Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign – Urbana (IL). He is also a member of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. When he’s not busy enjoying Masonic fellowship, Darin spends his time as a DM for his children’s D&D campaign, reading, golfing, watching movies and listening to music. You can reach him by email at darin.lahners@gmail.com.

We Are One EMP Away From Losing Civilization

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

Last week's episode of the Whence Came You podcast (https://bit.ly/2IhxBAr) is well worth a listen. Scott Hambrick, a member of Owasso Lodge 545 in Oklahoma, was Robert Johnson's guest on the show. Brother Hambrick is a founder of the Intellectual Linear Progression program, "an online community developing classically educated men and women using the great books of western civilization." (https://bit.ly/2GafSsU). With a decided preference for hard copy books, Scott notes, "One of the reasons I started this project is because I'm desperately afraid we're one EMP (electromagnetic pulse) away from losing civilization." Robert picked right up on that and they both agreed that is not an issue to be underestimated.

The discussion brought to mind some of the resistance offered when I was an officer in the Missouri Lodge of Research. We worked for a few years to establish the Masonic Library in Columbia. One of the arguments against going to that expense was, "We don't need books anymore. Everything is electronic these days. Books are old-fashioned and unnecessary in this 'modern' age."

I love technology. It was my profession. I want the latest gadget. I want every document I write to be in electronic format. Cloud storage is the way to go. With little reservation, however, I have a message for the world: Don't abandon paper.

In fact, along with that, don't abandon any of the "old time" analog archiving techniques. I mean it. Everything today should be digital... but not exclusively. Why? There are lots of reasons not to turn every document or historical item into a string of ones and zeros, but there are a couple of really good ones.

First, you've got to have the technology to use the technology. I have a boatload of old "floppy disks" around the house; not just the "modern" 3½ inch ones, not just the older 5¼ inch floppies, but the ancient 8 inchers. Try to find a way to read those bad boys today. They're obsolete. They don't even make good Frisbees.

Think that's going back a bit far? You think your CDs are safe? Studies have shown the average life of a CD is about 25 years. Uh-oh! You'd better run and check that Dire Straits CD you bought back in '85. Actually, the professional CDs have a life up to 100 years, but the ones you made... not so much. Besides, who knows if 100 years from now there will be a machine that can read a CD? A thousand years?

The solution? A good old fashioned record player. Really. As you read this, the little Voyager spacecraft has oozed out of our solar system into interstellar space. Know what's on board in case it encounters any extraterrestrials? Not a CD, not floppies, not tape, not an SD card, but a record and record player with pictorial instructions on how to use it. ET probably won't have CDs, but he'll be able to operate that simple gadget.

"Yes," you may agree, "but that's a really special case. There are no ETs around here." Well... probably not. But guess what: the official sound recording media our very own Library of Congress uses is 78 RPM records! Space age vinyl 78 RPM records to be sure but, still, Thomas Edison would be proud of us. And, naturally, original documents and books are its official hard copy storage media.

That brings us to the other big reason – the aforementioned EMP. Even if we do have the technology to read all this material, a single coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun or, God forbid, a nuclear war could wipe it all out in a single instant. Granted, if we ever have a disaster of that magnitude, our biggest problem wouldn't be whether or not we had last year's copies of the Short Talk Bulletin. Still, if we could survive such a disaster, in the long run it would be nice to have our historical documents. Hence, paper, vinyl and analog copies would be mighty handy. That's why the Library of Congress is making sure we keep them around. We all should — with both our personal and public treasures. 

Oh, and by the way, such an EMP episode already happened. Known as the Carrington Event, a major CME hit the earth in September 1859. The only reason it didn't fry every iPad on earth is there weren't many of them around back then. More recently, a small CME in 1989 brought Hydro-Quebec's electricity transmission system to its knees. It can and will happen. Guaranteed.

In 2013, the Masonic Library in Columbia became a reality. It was a vision of Harry Truman that finally came into fruition. Much of its material is online, with more documents being added daily. At the same time though, the library doesn't put everything exclusively into electronic format.

Let's be optimistic and assume there won't be a nuclear war. Doesn't matter: the next coronal mass ejection is right around the corner.

So let's keep pumping out the paper copies. Luddites of the world unite!

~SLH

Bro. Steve Harrison, 33° , is Past Master of Liberty Lodge #31, Liberty, Missouri. He is also a Fellow and Past Master of the Missouri Lodge of Research. Among his other Masonic memberships are the St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite bodies, and Moila Shrine. He is also a member and Past Dean of the DeMolay Legion of Honor. Brother Harrison is a regular contributor to the Midnight Freemasons blog as well as several other Masonic publications. Brother Steve was Editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine for a decade and is a regular contributor to the Whence Came You podcast. Born in Indiana, he has a Master's Degree from Indiana University and is retired from a 35 year career in information technology. Steve and his wife Carolyn reside in northwest Missouri. He is the author of dozens of magazine articles and three books: Freemasonry Crosses the Mississippi, Freemasons — Tales From the Craft and Freemasons at Oak Island.

Three Distinct Knocks

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

WB. Martin O’Brien 

Envision if you will a young man, a man who has grown up in relative financial and material comfort but in moral and spiritual ambiguity. Understand, that this man I am describing is not me but I can tell his story. You may even know him or another person like him. This man, at least he believes himself a man, no event in his life apart from the tearing of pages from a calendar has marked his transition from adolescence to manhood, comes from good stock. Salt of the earth people who were faithful to their creed and mindful of harder times, struggles that they have strived to shelter their son from. This young man is popular and has surrounded himself with friends of like mind and opinion. Perhaps this man has had the benefit of formal education beyond high school and so feels that he knows much and because life has been gentle on him he has faced no adversity to inform him otherwise.

He believes that he doesn't need superstitious religion because he has reason. He is comfortable. More passive than purposeful in his decision making, he goes easily where the tides of life take him. He does what his job requires of him, no more, no less, because he invests his time and energy more fully in leisure pursuits marking time through the week to get to the weekend and when he arrives he imbibes too much and makes morally questionable decisions. Perhaps he treats the fairer sex disrespectfully, allowing his passions to hold sway over that reason that he values over religion. Perhaps he has no male role model to show him there is another and better way.

He lives his life in a repetitious cycle, monotonous week to intemperate weekend over and over again. This pattern is reinforced by his circle of friends, all of whom are equally adrift. Until one day he sees something, a sign on an old brick building, an ancient sign that hints at a different way, a different path the wanderer can take. This sign pulls at something in his mind, perhaps the prick of conscience. 

As this feeling comes to the fore a feint spark flickers in his chest and draws him towards that symbol. Walking forward he begins to leave behind the chaos and apathy that have marked his life to this point and he moves Eastwards, towards something better. He gets the sense that he is drawing closer to something important and his excitement grows but still there is a shroud around the place he wishes to be and he is filled with uncertainty and trepidation. Yet that spark, flickering weakly in his chest, draws him onwards and soon the veil parts slightly revealing a gate guarded by stern faced sentinels that bar his way. 

They examine this traveler, their probing eyes, experienced from long years of labor in the quarries beyond, search for any sign of dishonesty or impure motive. Their examination is thorough and they can see that feint lights inside our supplicant and it is this that assures them of his sincerity. They step aside allowing him to advance through the West gate. Once through the portico he is met by gentle hands welcoming him in friendship, guiding his steps lest he should falter. He is reassured and told to fear no evil, for evil cannot take root in this place. He is prepared for what is about to transpire, taking off the trappings of the world he is beginning to leave behind and pass a threshold into a new way of being. He is given some time, a few moments, in which to gather himself and prepare his mind to receive the priceless gift that awaits him.

He is in darkness by design, his vision taken away the better to align his other senses. He is guided forward until his outstretched hands meet with obstruction. A door. He is told to reach for the heavy brass knocker that adorns it and taking it firmly strike the door with it three distinct times. His hand is shaking with nervous anticipation as it reaches for it. His fingers can trace a shape, the same symbol he found on the side of the building. 

The square and compasses. The knocker rises and falls, One! farewell to apathy. Farewell to the chaos of selfish and disordered thinking. He lifts it again. More forcefully this time the knocker hits the strike plate. Two! As the sound of it fades away so too does the man he was, he is already changed. A third time his hand rises, this is perhaps the first purposeful act he has undertaken, the first real movement towards taking responsibility for himself and his place in this world. Three! The door opens. Though blindfolded he is aware that a light is shining on him from within and that spark in his chest that was once so weak flairs brightly.

~MO

WB Martin O'Brien is a Past Master of Cuyahoga Falls Lodge #735, now Star Lodge #187 in Cuyahoga Falls Ohio. He is a member of Cuyahoga Falls Chapter #225 Royal Arch Masons and Cuyahoga Falls Council #144 Royal & Select Masters.

The Three Apprentices: An Experiment - Chapter Two

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Adam Thayer

This is the second article in a series about a lifelong mentoring experiment I am conducting. Before continuing, you may wish to go back and read the first article (creatively titled “The Three Apprentices: An Experiment - Chapter One”), available HERE.

“Why do you think we say these specific words here?”

When I was doing my individual ritual proficiency examination with my lodge’s Deputy Grand Custodian, those were words that struck fear into my heart. From observing him examine other individuals and lodges, I had found that he had the absolute worst timing with that question; whenever someone was really in the zone with the ritual, he would interrupt and ask why we did something.

At first, it appears that he asks it randomly, but in reality he times it intentionally, but not maliciously. Real degrees often have unscripted interruptions, and knowing how to recover from them seamlessly is an important part of providing the best degree for the candidate.

In addition, the Deputy Grand Custodian who works with my lodge is incredibly intelligent and well learned, and while I always dreaded the interruption, I also knew that I was going to learn a part of the meaning to our ritual that most people wouldn’t even know existed. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to state that he has inspired many of the articles I have written, with that simple question “Why do we do it this way?”

Neil and I have been working very heavily on his Entered Apprentice proficiency. He received his degree back in the middle of February, and we have been meeting regularly at least once a week, and sometimes up to three times a week. Our meetings usually start with catching up on anything interesting he has found, going over different bits and pieces from the EA ritual, then we’ll spend the next hour working through the Questions and Answers lecture.

I cannot describe in words the incredible pride that comes with mentoring a brother through the degree work. Over the past few months, I’ve watched him go from struggling to read the words from paper to being able to recite the ritual back with very few mistakes, and seeing him begin to not only understand the words, but more importantly to analyze their meaning.

“Why do we say this here?”

It’s a question Neil and I have discussed quite a bit as well. As he has become more comfortable with reciting the ritual, we’ve started to analyze what the different portions of it were intended to teach him, and how he can apply them in his own life.

I have attempted to not impart my own Masonic biases on him, and to let him form his own opinion as to the meanings behind the words. I’m not entirely certain how successful I’ve been at that, but I can also say that Neil is highly intelligent, and I don’t believe that I could make him believe something against his will even if I tried. He has already discovered, entirely on his own, some meanings in the ritual that took me a few years to catch on to, and I see a time coming soon where he is teaching me more than I am teaching him!

With any experiment, it’s important to objectively judge results, and I’m afraid that in this I will fail miserably. In addition to being my apprentice, Neil has quickly become a trusted friend, and I cannot help but view his progress through that lens.

Although, isn’t that, by itself, an indication of the success of the experiment? The original stated intention was to minimize the risk of losing a new candidate by doing the exact opposite of what we normally do with our candidates, and I have no doubt that Neil will continue to be very active long past his Master Mason degree.

By the time this article releases, hopefully we will have finished conferring the Fellowcraft degree, and Neil and I will be deep into the esoteric meanings behind the middle chamber, which I’m highly looking forward to seeing his opinion on.

~AT

WB Adam Thayer is a grumpy-ish past master of Oliver #38 in Seward, NE and Lancaster #54 in Lincoln, NE. He continues to be reappointed to the Grand Lodge of Nebraska Education Committee, as well as being an occasional host on the Whence Came You Podcast. He may be reached directly at adam@wcypodcast.com or summoned by placing a certain number of lapel pins in a special pattern around a petition for an appendant body.

Atheism - Exploring the Concept in Freemasonry

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Darin A. Lahners

I might surprise many of you with the following confession: I once was an atheist. What? Freemasonry specifically bans atheists. Please note, I said WAS. I know that we’re specifically not supposed to discuss religion, but for the purposes of this article I need to provide my experiences as background to my broader point. 

CONSIDER THIS A WARNING, IF YOU DON’T WANT TO READ MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES REGARDING RELIGION SKIP AHEAD. 

You see my brethren, I was raised as a Roman Catholic. I attended St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradley, Illinois from Grade 1 to Grade 8. I was an altar boy, I went to Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation. I’ve always had an unhealthy relationship with Catholicism. For example, I can remember my baptism. That’s because I was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church when I was five years old. Long story short, my maternal Grandmother would not bless my parent’s marriage. This meant that the Catholic Church wouldn’t bless my parent’s marriage. Hence, The Catholic Church wouldn’t baptize yours truly. For years after this, my late uncle, Dennis Zajac, recalled that he thought that my father’s name was SOB before he met him. This due to my Grandmother’s insistence on calling him a Son of a….you know what.

As I enjoyed an education in the Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois, I began to question my own beliefs. I started to understand how the Roman Catholic religion took “pagan” Gods and made them into saints as well as their solstice celebrations and made them into Religious Holidays or as they call them Holy Days of Obligation. I studied and minored in Philosophy. My favorite philosophers were for the most part atheists. I also had difficulty with what I saw as a pay for salvation model of organized religion. Time and time again, the topic of the homily would be not regarding the scripture, but regarding how the congregation needed to tithe more to the church. While many of our families were tithing as much as they could, the idea that the Roman Catholic Church would need more money seemed preposterous to me. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just the Catholic Church. It would seem that when I would attend religious services with friends, who were from other denominations, the message was the same. So I turned away from God. I attempted to live my life ethically without the idea of God and an afterlife.

CONTINUE READING HERE IF YOU CHOSE TO SKIP THE ABOVE. 

I don’t know how many of my brethren believe in superstitions, but one that is prevalent in my family is seeing a bird in the house prior to a family member’s death. Prior to my Great Grandmothers death, my brother who was 2 or 3 at the time, came to my dad in great excitement talking about the bird that was in his room. My dad and I quickly ran to my brother’s room. My brother, Scott, was adamant about the bird, his face reflecting the amazement of what he was seeing. There was no bird that we could see, however it was clear to me that it was one that my brother could see. Shortly thereafter, we received the news that my Great Grandmother had passed away. Mother’s Day in 2002 was the last time that I saw my aforementioned Uncle Dennis alive. He and his wife, my Aunt Carol (my mother’s sister) were saying their goodbyes to myself and my family at my parent’s house. What I can only describe as a spectral flaming black bird flew over the head of my Uncle. I knew right away what this meant. I also knew by gauging the reactions of my family that no one else had seen this. He passed away a week or so later of a brain aneurism.

I feel a tremendous amount of guilt regarding this. I remember calling my parents and asking if they knew if Uncle Dennis and Aunt Carol had made it home safely. I didn’t explain to them until after his passing what I had seen. I had only told my wife at the time, what I had seen. I remember emailing my uncle and asking him to go get checked out. I didn’t tell him why, other than I was worried about his health. I didn’t want him to think that I was nuts. Now I wonder and deal with the what-ifs regarding it. Would he have believed me if I had been honest with him? Could I have somehow prevented what happened? I will never know until I meet him again.

There was one positive that came out of this experience. It solidified my belief in the Grand Architect. I knew right then and there that there was something bigger than I. That there were things that science couldn’t explain, my vision of the bird for example. I understood that the world wasn’t just controlled by science, but that science and scientific principles are our understanding of how the Great Architect designed the universe. Science was, to borrow some Masonic ritual from the non-secret (non-ciphered) work of the Grand Lodge of Illinois, the guiding force for ‘That All-Seeing eye whom the sun, moon, and stars obey, and under whose watchful care even comets perform their stupendous revolutions.’ I was, for lack of a better term, brought to light in that moment, many years before it happened in a Masonic Lodge. But the question remains, had I not undergone this supernatural event, would I have continued to be an atheist? But more importantly, for an organization that promotes religious tolerance, why do we ban atheists?

Historically, the operative Stone Masons from whence we came would most likely have been Catholic as they were working on the great cathedrals. In fact, looking at the Halliwell Manuscript, or Regius Poem, which is dated to circa 1390 – 1425, we can see plainly under the points that the very first point says: “Anyone who wants to know this Craft Must love God and Holy Church”. So it can be seen, from the earliest written points in Operative History, that belief in God was without question vital to a man learning the craft of Masonry. This would have then been carried into speculative Freemasonry, but as we can see by the time that Anderson wrote his constitutions that only a belief in God was required, and that a particular religious belief was not: “A Mason is oblig’d by his Tenure, to obey the moral law; and if he rightly understands the Art, he will never be a stupid Atheist nor an irreligious Libertine. But though in ancient Times Masons were charg’d in every Country to be of the Religion of that Country or Nation, whatever it was, yet ’tis now thought more expedient only to oblige them to that Religion in which all Men agree, leaving their particular Opinions to themselves; that is, to be good Men and true, or Men of Honour and Honesty, by whatever Denominations or Persuasions they may be distinguish’d; whereby Masonry becomes the Center of Union, and the Means of conciliating true Friendship among Persons that must have remain’d at a perpetual Distance.”

The argument regarding not allowing Atheists into our Fraternity usually falls back to the standard Freemasonic defense for not changing ritual or bylaws, which is: “That’s the way it’s always been!” However, if we look at the Halliwell Manuscript again, we can see under the fifth article: “The fifth article is very good: That the apprentice must be of lawful blood, The Master shall not, for any reason, Make one an apprentice who is deformed; It is necessary, as you know, That all of his limbs are whole. It would be a great shame on the Craft To make a lame or limping man an apprentice, Because such an imperfect man Would be of little good to the Craft; Everyone must know this. The Craft should have a sound worker; A crippled man cannot work well, This will be obvious right away.” So by this rationale, we shouldn’t allow any man who is missing a limb to become a Freemason, because that’s the way it was. However, somewhere along the way, Grand Lodges came to their senses regarding this, and they changed their by-laws and/or ritual to allow it.

To play devil’s advocate (literally), what would you do if you interviewed a candidate who expressed their belief in God only to find out after election that they worshipped Satan and requested to take their oath on a Satanic Bible? We as an organization preach religious tolerance. If this individual requested this, isn’t it our duty to accommodate them? Now of course I being facetious here, but my point is this, would you trust the obligation of a man taken on Satanic Bible above one taken with no volume of sacred law, or upon on A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking? My guess is that you would trust the atheist more. Shouldn’t what really matters be the character of the man and not the belief/or non-belief in God? Well, yes, but….

Unlike the example of the change of allowing someone missing a limb to become a Freemason, where there was perhaps a one word change in ritual; Allowing Atheists to become Freemasons would fundamentally change the Craft because our core beliefs and rituals are dependent upon a belief in God. To remove God from the lodge, would be to remove the letter ‘G’, from above the Master’s chair; to remove the lodge being dedicated to him and the Saints Johns of Jerusalem, is to remove the foundation of Masonry itself. While I can argue that an atheist can be just as ethical as a man of faith, I cannot envision American Blue Lodge Masonry without faith in God as a core belief. We begin and end our proceedings by invoking the blessing of deity. We ask the candidate almost immediately upon their entrance to the lodge for their very first time to attend to prayer and in whom they place their trust. Their answer is a declaration of faith in deity, and is answered that their faith is well founded.

Furthermore, the ritual makes multiple references to God, the volume of the sacred law and our submission to our faith in deity. In fact, if we use Mackey’s definition of the Great Architect of the Universe, it does a very good job of arguing why Deity is important to Freemasonry: “The title applied in the technical language of Freemasonry to the Deity. It is appropriate that a society founded on the principles of architecture, which symbolizes the terms of that science to moral purposes, and whose members profess to be the architects of a spiritual temple, should view the Divine Being, under whose holy law they are constructing that edifice, as their Master Builder of Great Architect. Sometimes, but less correctly, the title "Grand Architect of the Universe" is found.” Esoterically and allegorically, our rituals cannot be understood without a tie to the belief in the Grand Architect. Our ritual is steeped with references to Old Testament characters which uses them to teach our allegorical lessons of our degrees. The volume of the sacred law is one of the Great Lights of Masonry, and is the rule and guide of our faith.

So, I cannot in good conscience support an Atheist joining regular Blue Lodge Freemasonry given the complex relationship between having faith in a deity and the ritual. Let this be clear, I personally have nothing against Atheism. I just do not see what Freemasonry offers to the atheist other than placing them in an untenable position. Should one want to join, and is willing to be deceitful to do so, then we would never know what is truly in their heart. However, to do so, would be against the Masonic tenet of Truth. As we are taught: “Truth is a divine attribute, and the foundation of every virtue. To be good and true is the first lesson we are taught in Masonry.” If you cannot be good and true, with the Masonic definition of truth being a divine attribute (from God), then you cannot be a Mason. Since Atheists, do not believe in God, then they cannot be true from our Masonic Point of view. Ergo, they cannot be a Freemason in a regular Lodge of Freemasons. 

~DAL

WB Darin A. Lahners is the Worshipful Master of St. Joseph Lodge No.970 in St. Joseph and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He’s a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, a charter member of the new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter No. 282, and is the current Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign – Urbana (IL). He is also a member of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. You can reach him by email at darin.lahners@gmail.com

It is with Great Excitement...

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

R. H. Johnson

Over the past year, I have been able to cultivate a relationship with Robert E. Jackson. I first met him at the 2017 Masonic Con in Attleboro, MA. It was a fantastic event that Ezekiel Bates Lodge had put on for the second time.   Rob and I had dinner together with some other delightful gents and I got to know him. In fact, you may have heard of his temple, Montgomery Lodge in Milford MA, the same lodge that does Brothers Blend Coffee.

Rob and I later connected on Facebook and have since enjoyed great conversation and camaraderie. He's also been able to submit several guest pieces to our blog, right here on The Midnight Freemasons. A list of his writings is below.

Last Sunday I returned from Massachusetts where I had been a panelist at Masonic Con 2018. It was another amazing event, bigger than last year and even more successful. While there, I got to hang out and chat with Rob again. It was a wonderful time. Rob's dedication to the craft and his unique ability to convey and connect to our readers on a fundamental level have marked him favorably. We are pleased to announce that Robert E. Jackson is going ot be joining us as a Regular Contributor.

Please join me in congratulating him and I hope you all continue to enjoy his works.

Rob's past articles:

The 24 Inch Gauge – Size Does Matter
The Importance of a Meeting

The Journey, Not the Destination of Masonry

There is More to Being a Traveling Man than Pins and Mileage

A Master's Work

Robert Edward Jackson is a Past and presiding Master of Montgomery Lodge located in Milford, MA. His Masonic lineage includes his Father (Robert Maitland), Grandfather (Maitland Garrecht), and Great Grandfather (Edward Henry Jackson), a founding member of Scarsdale Lodge #1094 in Scarsdale, NY. When not studying ritual, he's busy being a father to his three kids, a husband, Boy Scout Leader, and a network engineer to pay for it all. He can be reached at info@montgomerylodge.org

~RHJ

Guarding the West Gate: Part Two

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Darin A. Lahners

I recently wrote regarding a dilemma that I was facing in one of the Lodges that I belong to. You can read that article HERE. If you want the TL;DR(Too Long Didn’t Read) version of it, it dealt with my thought process regarding allowing a man into the Fraternity who had a felony conviction. I felt conflicted regarding this, balancing what I felt was every Master Mason’s obligation to guard the west gate against what could have just been a youthful indiscretion. The dilemma was, if a man is the same person at age 18, 19, 20 versus 30, 40, 50, etc. I think that we can all agree that the answer is no.

The candidate joined us for dinner prior to lodge a few nights ago. Both I and fellow Midnight Freemason Greg Knott were able to meet him and investigate him. None of the other brothers seemed to be interested in asking him questions at this time, so I sat next to him and introduced myself. We engaged in small talk, with me asking him what he did for a living and he asked me the same thing. Then Greg and I got down to business. The first thing we asked him was regarding his felony. He was forthright and honest. He was 17, and he and two friends who were younger, fell in with some kids who had been doing something on campus here at the University of Illinois. The short story is that they were caught and the candidate was given a choice. He could plead guilty to the felony as an adult and get parole, or face prison. To complicate matters, he had just had a son. So left with not much of a choice, he chose to remain free to care for his child.

As he was telling us this story, you could see the sadness in his eyes and expressions. I could tell that he deeply regretted that choice. He discussed the difficulty of finding work with a felony conviction. He said he was lucky that his older brother had a business so he could work for him. He learned his brother’s craft and started his own business. He works mostly on contract for realtors and leasing agents in the home improvement business. We also found out that two years ago he was in a terrible motorcycle accident, and he lost a leg. He was going too fast for conditions and the road curved and he dumped the bike. He’s lucky to be alive.

Greg and I asked him why he wanted to become a Mason. He simply stated that he had heard that we were a good organization that did charitable things and he had a desire to do that. He said that he was tired of ‘twiddling his thumbs’ at home, and needed something positive in his life. I explained to him that we also were about improving ourselves as men. He asked us what our expectations of him were. I told him that I would expect him to be an active member. That he would be at the meetings, degrees, and other lodge activities like the charitable activities. He said that he’d do that. He expressed a concern that he wouldn’t be voted in because of his past. I was quite frank in telling him that I was very concerned about hearing he had a record. After hearing that it occurred when he was a minor gave me pause for thought. Yes he was old enough to know better, but not technically an adult. Given that he was forthright in his sorrow over the incident, I saw how he desired to make a change in his life.

We asked him if he believed in God. He affirmed a belief in a supreme being, and that he was Christian. Not knowing much about Masonry, he was under the impression that it was a Christian organization. I explained to him that it is an organization that requires a belief in a supreme being, but leaves it up to you to define what that is. I did tell him that in the York Rite appendant body, the Knights Templar degree is only offered to. Greg then asked him, if this were a job interview, what would you say to me to try to get the job? He answered, that he was a good listener and a hard worker. That he doesn’t complain, and will get the job done.

In my previous article, I mentioned that the candidate’s answer to why he wanted to join would determine my course of action. The fact that he answered that he wanted to help others through acts of charity satisfied me. He didn’t mention himself. He showed remorse for what he did in the past. He wanted to do charitable works in the community. I think he saw this as a way to continue to pay penance for what he did, even if he didn’t say that. Greg and I asked him the difficult questions, ones that usually aren’t asked. We guarded the West Gate.

You are made a Mason in your heart. My brothers, I will be the first to admit I was hasty in a rush to judgement. I looked at the man’s crime, and expected that he’d be some hardened criminal unworthy to join our ranks. I looked him in the eye and apologized that night. I also decided that should he get elected, I would mentor him. I owe him that. He was humble and honest about his past. His heart was pure. He is a good man, and he wants to become better. Isn’t that what we advertise we do?

~DAL

WB Darin A. Lahners is the Worshipful Master of St. Joseph Lodge No.970 in St. Joseph and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He’s a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, a charter member of the new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter No. 282, and is the current Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign – Urbana (IL). He is also a member of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. You can reach him by email at darin.lahners@gmail.com.