A group of Master Masons talk about topics of Masonic interest--each from their own unique perspective. You'll find a wide range of subjects including history, trivia, travel, book reviews, great quotes, and hopefully a little humor as well on topics of interest for Freemasons and those interested in the subject of Freemasonry.
by Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor Gregory J. Knott 33°
The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the State of Illinois has numerous programs to help the lodges and its membership. One of these programs is called “Pathway to the East”. It was developed by RWB Wayne Spooner and other brethren as a means to help prepare Master Masons who are or will be the Worshipful Master of their lodge.
I have already served as WM of two different lodges and am back in the chairs to serve a third lodge in the next couple of years. So as I thought about taking the class, I wondered if you could teach this old dog new tricks? After all, I was already experienced, what more would there be to learn.
However, I had heard many good things about this class and decided to sign up. RWB Spooner was offering a virtual classroom opportunity and it fit nicely into my schedule. The format was to spend two Saturdays for about five hours per session to cover the material.
Specifically covered in the course are five pillars:
• #1 - Management Style and Communication Skills
• #2 - Planning and Prioritization
• #3 - Managing Lodge Business Affairs
• #4 - Understanding Masonic Law
• #5 - Ritual Understanding and Exemplification
Materials were provided in advance for each session, giving you time in advance to review what was going to be covered. Each pillar has both a lecture component and time to work during the class on topics such as putting together an annual lodge calendar of events, creating a budget, etc. The pace of the class was just right and the materials were very thorough and extremely useful.
I learned many things in the class that I wish I had used in my previous rounds through the East. At a recent meeting of Ogden Masonic Lodge No. 754, I brought up some of the things we covered and we will be utilizing them in helping to strengthen our lodge operations and activities.
Your grand lodge may have a similar class. If they do, I highly encourage you to sign up and attend, you will find it well worth your investment of time.
~GJK
Greg Knott is married to Brooke and has two adult children Riley and Hayden. He hopes to have left the world better than he found it.
My Brothers, you became my brothers as soon as you took upon yourself the obligation of the Entered Apprentice
degree. When you entered the door of your Lodge for the first time two questions were asked of you. The first
was whether your entry into the Lodge was of your own free will and accord. The second was asked of the
Junior Deacon, who was conducting you on your admission into the Lodge, was whether you were duly and
truly prepared. These two questions are inter-related.
Was your entry into our fraternity of your own free will and accord? Did any one entice you into becoming a
Freemason? When the Investigating Committee spoke to you and your significant other were you asked the
reasons for your desire to become a Freemason? Were you offered a copy of “On The Threshold” a pamphlet
that explains the journey that you are now undertaking or some other material given by your Grand Lodge?
As an extension of the query of your free will for entry into Freemasonry, you should have been informed that
being a Freemason grants you entry into an elite fraternity of brothers. A Masonic Lodge is far more than being
merely a social or charitable organization. The social and charitable activities of your lodge are important. You
may be attracted to the social and charitable endeavors of the lodge. These are certainly laudable activities for
every lodge to undertake. However, a Masonic lodge is also a place for moral and philosophical enlightenment.
As experienced Masons, we envy the path that lies ahead for you in our brotherhood of Freemasonry. After
taking your obligation in the Entered Apprentice Degree, you heard an explanatory lecture on the symbolism
and meaning of the ritual that you had just completed. In the ritual for each of the three degrees in Blue Lodge
Masonry there are some ninety items that require symbolic explanation. The explanations presented to you in
the degrees are only a start in understanding what Freemasonry really means.
Bro. Rollin C. Blackmer edited and produced a series of lectures about our fraternity. His book was entitled,
“The Lodge and the Craft”. It was first published in the year 1923. In the first lecture Bro. Blacker remarked
that in the year 1923 there were approximately 100,000 brethren in the State of Missouri. Of these 100,000
brethren only about 75 men had made a significant study of the symbolism, philosophy, and history of this
Brotherhood to which they belonged.
He went on to state that it was a lamentable state of affairs that the majority of its members were ignorant of
most everything connected with Freemasonry. There are many reasons for this regrettable state of affairs. The first of these reasons lies in the fact that our fraternity is now approaching the 300th year of its existence.
Much has transpired in the past 300 years. The fraternity cries out for its new brethren to take upon themselves
a study of what the principles of our brotherhood really are and mean. You have joined a group of men who are the elite of society. You should consider yourself a Masonic brother to
George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, John Hancock, thirteen signers of our United States
Constitution, and nine signers of the Declaration of Independence. You are a brother to a myriad of other
Freemasons, such as Gene Autry, Ernest Borgnine, W. C. Fields, Clark Gable, Roy Rogers, Davy Crocket,
George M. Cohan, Irving Berlin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, General Douglas MacArthur and General
Leonard Wood. I can go on and on listing the brethren who you can now call your brothers. You are fortunate,
indeed, for having been welcomed into this great fraternity.
Were you duly and truly prepared to enter the Lodge hall to take upon yourself the obligations of Freemasonry.
This query can be considered on two levels.
First of all, you were asked to divest yourself of all metals and wear a suit suitable to your degree. You were
hoodwinked (blindfolded) and a rope (cable-tow) was placed about you. The meaning of these preparation and
symbols were explained to you. In this context you were undoubtedly duly and truly prepared to enter to lodge
hall.
However, were you also duly and truly prepared in your mind and ready to start your journey in Freemasonry?
In Freemasonry, it is true that your family and means of earning a living are predominant. And, I do not mean to
imply that you are expected to become a Masonic scholar, while this would certainly be a laudable
accomplishment. But, it is important that you understand what it really means to become a Mason. Are you duly
and truly prepared to attend the meetings of your lodge, to the best of your ability? A Masonic Lodge is only as
good as the brethren that are active in its affairs.
Are you duly and truly prepared to learn what it means to be a Mason and live according to Masonic precepts?
Freemasonry is an organization dedicated to making good men better. You are already thought to be a good
man or you would not have passed the test of the ballot box and been admitted to your Lodge. A study of
Freemasonry will give you the tools to become a better man. Properly implemented, your family and society, in
general, will applaud your dedication to Masonic principles.
So, my Brother, I welcome you into our fraternity. There are many in your Lodge who will aid your quest into
the philosophy, symbolism, and history of our Order. You should find something that piques your interest in our
Brotherhood. There are five basic areas of interest in studying Freemasonry. These are history, philosophy,
symbolism, law, and ritual (its memorization and meaning). Find an area that is of interest to you and pursue it.
There are dedicated brothers who will help you as you take upon yourself the journey to learn what it really
means to be a Mason.
My Brothers, I will close this presentation with a saying by the noted Masonic author, H. L. Haywood. His
words may indicate to you the basic premise of Freemasonry, “Not More Men In Masonry, But More Masonry
In Men”.
~IG Bro. Ira Gilbert was raised on January 8, 1968 in Isaac Cutter Lodge #1073 and was Master in 1972. Isaac Cutter Lodge merged with Chicago Lodge #437 and he is now now a member of Chicago Lodge. Bro Gilbert is a member of A. O. Fay Lodge #676 as well. He is also a member of the Valley of Chicago Scottish rite. Bro. Ira's dedication to Masonic Education has afforded him the ability to serve on the Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education and the Grand Lodge Committee on Jurisprudence. Bro. Ira comes from a Masonic family, his father being Master of Universal Lodge #985, now a part of Decalogue Lodge through a series of mergers. His father was also a Grand Lecturer. His main interest in our fraternity lies in the philosophy and history of our ritual and in Masonic Jurisprudence. Bro. Ira was a DDGM twice, once in the 1980's and once four years ago. He is also a fellow of the Illinois Lodge of Research and the ILOR awarded him the Andrew Torok Medal as well.
As the Area Education Officer for the Eastern Area of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Illinois Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, I have the distinct pleasure to serve on the Committee for Masonic Education for the Grand Lodge. In order to better serve the membership and also to hopefully give perspective to the Grand Lodge line, I came up with a Masonic Education Survey. I limited the result set to 1000 respondents, which I didn't think we'd come close to reaching. I am pleased to say that I was wrong.
We were able to reach that number, and the results bore out one main thing to me. When asked: "Of the below topics, select the one that you would be most interested in learning more about:
The History of Freemasonry
The History of Our Ritual
American Masonic History
Self-Improvement (Learning non-Masonic skills to improve our Member's lives)
Contemplative Masonry (Basic Applications of Mindfulness and Meditation guided by Masonic Ritual)
The History of the Grand Lodge of Illinois
The Deeper Meaning behind our Symbols and Ritual"
The Deeper Meaning behind our Symbols and Ritual garnered 510 responses out of 968 responses (32 responders did not respond to the question).
Personally, when I think about learning the deeper meanings behind our symbols and ritual, one word comes to mind. That word is Esoteric. In and of itself, the definition of Esoteric is: intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest. I pulled this definition directly from Google for anyone who wants to check it.
In his work: Defining Esotericism from a Masonic Perspective, WB Shawn Eyer states that:
"Freemasons have historically used the term in three ways, denoting:
1. Any of the elements of the Masonic ritual or lectures which are considered secret (i.e., matters reserved for the confines of a tiled lodge, or material that is not “monitorial,” as American Masons might say).
2. Any of the meanings which seem to be implicit, more by design than accident, within the Masonic symbolism, ritual and lectures.
3. Any of the subjects generally included under the rubric of “Western Esotericism,” including kabbalah, alchemy, hermeticism and other mystical pursuits which gained in popularity during the Renaissance period."
However, I have to wonder if I had used Esoteric or Esoteric Studies in the survey if the results would have been similar. I believe that probably would not be the case. In certain Masonic circles, Esoteric or any derivative of the word causes heads to spin faster then Linda Blair's character:Regan MacNeil in the movie: "The Exorcist". It might also cause a reaction like Regan's when she vomits a vile green substance all over poor Father Damien Karras. In any case, I think you get the picture.
The human species seems to generally fear the unknown. The psychological term for this is "Xenophobia". This is the tendency to be afraid of something you have no information about on any level. In some people, this fear can make them intensely upset or anxious when they encounter an unknown or unfamiliar situation. When this occurs, you are said to have developed a state of mind called "Intolerance of Uncertainity". When such fears are not managed, they can be manifested into racist, homophobic, or xenophobic (fear or hatred of foreigners) beliefs. It should come then as no surprise that in context with Freemasonry, when the word Esoteric is mentioned, it can cause strong emotions to come forward.
I've heard concepts that seem innocuous to me like the Chamber of Reflection (as illustrated above under my name) labelled as "Satanic" by other brethren. The outcry which is normally being put forward is that such ideas have no place in a Masonic Lodge, even though the whole second section of the Third Degree serves the same purpose as the Chamber of Reflection as it is intended to inculcate similar ideas regarding one's mortality and immortality upon the mind of the candidate. Nevermind that. Many of the same brethren who gnash their teeth, hit their breasts, and tear their hair out over this concept had no problem using one as part of the Knight's Templar degrees. You know, that Masonic appendant organization that requires an oath to protect and defend the Christian faith of it's membership. I'd ask those brethren why if it's "Satanic" in the Blue Lodge, it is okay in the "Christian" Knight's Templar? One can only imagine what labels these brethren would give the subjects of kabbalah, alchemy, hermeticism, rosicrucianism, etc. all. Could we see their heads explode like Darryl Revok's head in the movie: "Scanners"?
I'm being facetious of course. The point I'm belaboring is that based upon a limited sample size, over half of the brethren of Illinois that replied to the survey seem to have interest in learning Esoteric concepts as it relates to the second of WB Eyer's definition of Estoteric above. I can only speak for myself, but when I joined Freemasonry and advanced through the degrees, I wanted to know why things were done. I know I was given explanations but they were to me unsatisfactory. I have always wanted to know the unknown. Instead of fearing it, I wanted to embrace it. I wanted to believe desperately that there was something, some knowledge, or some purpose behind what I just experienced. Thus, my journey into Esoteric studies began.
I have always believed, and the survey bears this out, that there are a lot of brethren that have the same yearning that I had and still have. Many of us want to believe that there is some deeper meaning behind our symbolism, ritual and lectures. I understand that this area of study isn't for everyone, that there are some brethren that are fine with going through the motions and not questioning why they're doing what they're doing and saying what they are saying. There are some that could care less. This is the tight rope over the great abyss that the rest of us walk when we express our desire to learn about esoterics. This is especially true when those that don't understand why we have this desire to learn hold positions within our Grand Lodge lines.
While esoteric or any derivative of the word might be a dirty word to some, it's also a lost word to many. Much like King Solomon is forced to introduce a substitute word when the Master's word was lost, those that have a desire to learn about the esoteric have had to accept a substitute for their Masonic education in the lodge room. The topics of Masonic History, American Masonic History, Grand Lodge History and the like have been substituted for learning about the Masonic Philosophy behind our Symbols, Rituals and Lectures. While there is nothing wrong with this, those of us that are in charge of Masonic Education understand that it is our job as educators to make sure that everyone is educated with topics that they find interesting. In doing so, We find those that find esoteric study interesting are ignored due to the prevailing attitudes I listed above. The irony of this being that the reason for which Hiram Abiff was murdered was his refusal to give up the Secrets and Word of a Master Mason. It was that esoteric knowledge he possessed which was given only to a select few that drove the ruffians to their murderous desire. My have times changed.
It is obvious that this program will not be for everyone. It is also quite possible that the only ones that care about Esoteric studies in the Grand Lodge of Illinois are the members that answered that they were interested in learning more about the deeper meaning behind our symbols and ritual. I don't believe that is true. As I stated earlier in this article, I believe that there are many members that have the same desire that I possess. These members, like myself, believe that there is some deeper meaning behind our symbolism, ritual and lectures. I see no harm in giving our membership what the desire. If our purpose as stated is to take Good Men and make them Better, then the way to do that is through Masonic Education. If there is a subset that wants this education to be "Esoteric", I see nothing wrong with that. I can only hope that we can convince those members in our Grand Lodge line of the same thing. My hope is that with the survey data, that we can show that there is a place at the table for Esoteric education.
~DL
WB Darin A. Lahners is our Co-Managing Editor. He is a host and producer of the "Meet, Act and Part" podcast. He is currently serving the Grand Lodge of Illinois Ancient Free and Accepted Masons as the Area Education Officer for the Eastern Masonic Area. He is a Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No.970 in St. Joseph. He is also a plural member of Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL), where he is also a Past Master. He’s also a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, a charter member of Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter No. 282, Salt Fork Shrine Club under the Ansar Shrine, and a grade one (Zelator) in the S.C.R.I.F. Prairieland College in Illinois. You can reach him by email at darin.lahners@gmail.com.
As part of last year’s celebration of the 175th Anniversary of the Charter of Olive Branch Lodge 38 in Danville, Illinois, the lodge shared this piece illustrating how connections between the lodge, a few of its members, Abraham Lincoln, and one of those member’s daughters affected each of their lives, as well as the course and history of the nation.
Ward Hill Lamon was the fifth Master of Olive Branch Lodge No. 38. Of Brother Lamon, Brother Gilbert Haven Stephens for the Special Section of the September 29, 1946, Danville Commercial-News, wrote, “We now come to the next master of Olive Branch lodge and find him a man not only well known in the city and county but really a national character—Ward H. Lamon. He came from Virginia to Illinois in 1847 and practiced law, later becoming a law partner with Lincoln. It is said that the partnership was successful because Lincoln did the work but would never charge for his services, while Lamon always collected liberal fees. It was a notable partnership too, physically as well as mentally, for Lincoln was six-feet four and Lamon was six-feet two. Lincoln was quaint, direct, and practical while Lamon was inclined to be flowery and fervid. Above all other characteristics, Lamon was fearless and for that reason Lincoln chose him as his companion and bodyguard on his trip to Washington in March of 1861 when he knew of the threats and plots to assassinate or lynch him.
There were plots revealed almost daily and Lamon had the responsibility of breaking them up. This was hard because the President often broke away from the protection of those who guarded him and would be found walking alone to the stores or on a visit to his friends. Lamon was not present when the President was assassinated.”
While Brother Stephens gave a wonderful synopsis of Lamon’s relationship with Lincoln given the brevity required by breadth of his overall subject, the 100 year history of the lodge, and the space limits placed on him by the medium he was writing for, a special section of the local paper, there were some things he didn’t mention that are important to the subject we are looking at today.
According to author Michael Burlingame’s book Abraham Lincoln: A Life, Ward Hill Lamon, and fellow Olive Branch Past Master Oliver Davis were among those Eighth Circuit attorneys who descended upon the 1860 Republican convention in Chicago and, directed by Eighth Circuit Judge and future Associate Justice of the Supreme Court David Davis, persuaded the delegates to turn from presumptive nominee William H. Seward and nominate Abraham Lincoln as the Republican candidate for President of the United States. So, Lamon’s connection and, through him and Oliver Davis, Olive Branch Lodge’s connection to Lincoln, in some small part, helped to propel Lincoln to the Presidency and lead to the events that would carry the country into civil war and change the course of its history.
Brother Stephens also didn’t mention that among Lamon’s children would be a daughter who would grow up to be a woman, in many respects, ahead of her time. She would deal with personal tragedy and, with the help of another brother from Olive Branch Lodge, find success, see the world, and live life on her own terms.
Former Danville resident and Commercial-News reporter, Kevin Cullen wrote in an article published in the Commercial-News on June 16, 2019, “When Dorothy Lamon Teillard died in 1953, at age 95, the Commercial-News noted that the last local living link to Abraham Lincoln was broken. Teillard was the last surviving child of Ward Hill Lamon— Lincoln’s law partner in Danville, his bodyguard in Washington and his true friend.”
Born on November 13, 1858 to Ward Hill and Angeline Lamon, Dolly, as she was known lived an incredible life.
According to Linda McCarty in her article, ‘Miss Dolly’ Offers Look at Colorful Life New Book Explores Woman with ‘Grace, Strength, Intelligence’, published in the August 20, 2003 edition of The Winchester Star Winchester, VA, Dolly’s mother died five months after she was born and she was raised in Danville by an aunt and uncle. As a young girl, she visited her father in Washington, DC, and related her memories of a carriage ride with her father and the President. In 1880 she was married to William Carnahan of Danville. The couple would have two children. One child died in infancy and a daughter, Ruth, would die of diphtheria when she was nearly four in 1886. In 1885, Dolly’s husband left her and Ruth. Dolly became a single, working mother at a time when that was very rare. 1885 also marked the year that a brother from Olive Branch Lodge offered her a job that would change her life. That brother, General John Charles Black, was at the time the U.S. Commissioner of Pensions. He offered her a job in Washington, D.C. She was eminently qualified and successful in her government career and it enabled her to maintain her independence and offered her opportunities to travel. She took many trips to Europe and eventually married Xavier Teillard, who had tutored her in French prior to one of her Paris trips. The couple would move to France in 1921. Xavier would pass in 1934, but Dolly would stay there until 1941 when World War II would force her to return to the United States.
Undoubtedly though, her connection to a brother of Olive Branch Lodge and his offer to help the child of his Masonic brother changed the course of her life. Brother Black and Brother Lamon also shared another connection as Brother Black’s actions would also contribute to the Union victory in the Civil War and he too would go on to be a National Figure.
Lottie E. Jones in her book, History of Vermilion County Illinois, A Tale of Its Evolution, Settlement and progress for Nearly a Century Volume 1, would say of that brother, “1847 was the year that John Charles Black came to Vermilion County with his mother. He was but a boy of eight years of age and he made Danville his home during his youth and young manhood. It was from Danville he went to college, and in Danville he lived after the war, in which he distinguished himself, was over.”
According to the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Brother Black was born in Lexington, Mississippi January 27, 1839. He attended school in Danville and college at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, graduating after the close of the Civil War. He served in the Union Army from April 14, 1861, to August 15, 1865. Entering the war as a private he would be promoted to sergeant major, major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel before being brevetted brigadier general. He would receive the Congressional Medal of Honor (he and his brother William would be the first pair of brothers to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor). He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1867. He served as Commissioner of Pensions from March 17, 1885, to March 27, 1889. He was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-third Congress serving from March 4, 1893, to January 12, 1895. He was appointed United States Attorney for the northern district of Illinois from 1895-1899. He was commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic in 1903 and 1904. He was a member of the United States Civil Service Commission from 1904-1913.
Brother Black also served the Grand Lodge of Illinois as Grand Orator in 1894 and 1895. Brother Black died on August 17, 1915. He is interred in Spring Hill Cemetery, Danville, Illinois.
All of these people lived in the same times and lived formative parts of their lives in the same place, but they also had other connections in common. They had in common Olive Branch 38 and its lessons of integrity and loyalty—the obligation it instilled to care for each other and their fellow men. They lived these lessons as best they could and provided an example for all of us to follow.
~BLP
Brian L. Pettice, 33° is a Past Master of Anchor Lodge No. 980 and plural member of Olive Branch Lodge No. 38 in Danville, IL and an Honorary Member of a couple of others. He is also an active member of both the York and Scottish Rites. He cherishes the Brothers that have become Friends over the years and is thankful for the opportunities Freemasonry gives and has given him to examine and improve himself, to meet people he might not otherwise have had chance to meet, and to do things he might not otherwise have had a chance to do. He is employed as an electrician at the University of Illinois and lives near Alvin, IL with his wife Janet and their son Aidan. He looks forward to sharing the joy the fraternity brings him with others. His email address is aasrmason@gmail.com.
Socrates, the wise Greek philosopher, said that eloquence is often a way of falsely exalting what is small and of diminishing what is great.
Words may be misused, masked or employed for concealment. That is why we should speak only when our words are more valuable than our silence.
The reason is simple, our words have power to build or to destroy. They can generate peace, harmony, comfort but they can also generate hate, resentment, anguish, sadness. Our M.W King Solomon said in his proverbs: "Even the fool, when he is silent, passes for wise, for intelligent".
Silence is valuable, it is very essential to all Freemasons to listen more than speak, to think and meditate rather than run into action. Both the word and the silence reveal our being.
How much animosity exists in lodges because of gossip, slander and insults? We must learn that when we loose control and wrongly injure our brother we must pursue the sacred courage to go and ask for forgiveness.
Our words should always be positive and generate well-being, produce edification of the soul and consolation to the heart.
Masons should always speak honestly, react with good judgment and without anger and express their opinion with caution. Often, in the debates, we see so many people talking and few willing to listen.
Great men are those who open their mouths only when others have nothing more to say.
God speaks to us in the silence, when the agitation of the soul ceases; when His word sinks deep on us...
~LMA
WB Luciano M. Azevedo holds an MBA and Bachelor in Business Administration. He has published several scientific and philosophical essays and articles in the secular world. As a sommelier he wrote his own column for a major wine magazine for many years. In Freemasonry Brother “Lou” has contributed with many articles from a philosophical basic approach to an ethical decision-making in regards to masonic conduct. He is the current Worshipful Master of Zurich Lodge 1089 of A.F&A.M of the State of Illinois. W. Bro Luciano is also a member or the Grand Lodge Leadership Committee of the State of Illinois, a 32 Degree active member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago and a Shrine Noble of the Medinah Shriners.
In Illinois the office of Grand Orator, in the days before short attention spans, was one of great moment. Charged with speaking to the Brethren assembled for the annual Grand Communication, the Grand Orator’s address was usually quite long. I’m not sure that today’s Masons would sit still for something that would last an hour or more, and any applause in response to such an oration would likely be of relief that it was over, rather than appreciation for the ideas it contained.
That’s a pity, for the ideas contained in the grand orations were usually excellent, and often eloquently expressed. Brother Oscar A Kropf’s Grand Oration in 1916, for example, spoke of each individual’s worth in phrases that inspire:
We are wont to lull ourselves into a state of mental ease by the idea that the great things of this world have fallen to the lot of others; that our efforts are of no particular consequence. Let us explode that fallacy. That there is a giant for every occasion, and the rest of us are mere pigmies, is a mistaken notion. To subscribe to that sentiment, is to minimize individual worth. It is to characterize God's handiwork, created in his own image, as so much mere chaff. Why were we given the power of thought and the capacity to translate that thought into action, but to leave some trace, some impression of our individuality upon this earth? To do less is a disgrace. To accomplish this requires no spectacular achievement which the world applauds. The opportunity for that may never come, and the performance of it may be of doubtful value. But it means the doing well, the common things of every day life. Sanctify and glorify the things which we are inclined to look upon as the ordinary things of every day existence by the thoroughness and splendor of their performance. Be the task however humble, the character of the performer lends it dignity. Be the lists where they may, a character within them will exert an influence which will continue in ever widening circles until their circumference touches the shores of eternity. Usefulness in life's lowliest stations is greatness.
He calls for approaching everything we do according to Masonic principles: with a care for excellence, thoroughness, and dignity. The Brother who sits on the sidelines, waiting for someone else to volunteer because he is not himself a great man, is ignoring the essence of Masonry. We are to be useful, whether in great or small things, and we never know which seemingly insignificant act will have great effects, perhaps years later.
I doubt Brother Kropf thought his words would be read and meditated upon a century after he delivered them, but he would likely appreciate the proof that he was right. The boundary line of our duty is illustrated in every regular and well furnished lodge, but, as Brother Kropf reminds us, if we perform our duty well, with humility and dignity, that circle’s spreading influence will touch the shores of eternity.
~RWB
R.W.B. Michael H. Shirley serves the Grand Lodge of Illinois, A.F. & A.M, as Leadership Development Chairman and Assistant Area Deputy Grand Master of the Eastern Area. A Certified Lodge Instructor, he is a Past Master and Life Member of Tuscola Lodge No. 332 and a plural member of Island City Lodge No. 330, F & AM, in Minocqua, Wisconsin. He is Past Most Wise Master of the George E. Burow Chapter of Rose Croix in the Valley of Danville, IL; he is also a member of the Illinois Lodge of Research, the York Rite, Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees, Eastern Star, Illini High Twelve, and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon.The author of several article on British and American history, he teaches at Eastern Illinois University.You can contact him at: m.h.shirley@gmail.com
One of the benefits of paging through old copies of the
Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Illinois is running across remarkable moments.
In the 1927 edition of the Proceedings, reporting on the eighty-eighth annual
meeting, the Grand Secretary announced that Brother Owen Scott was attending
his fiftieth consecutive Grand Communication, an announcement, it was recorded,
that “was received with great applause.” Nothing more was recorded, which is
odd, since Brother Owen Scott was the Grand Secretary, and was also a Past
Grand Master.
Owen Scott was born on July 6, 1848, on a farm in Effingham
County, Illinois, and remained a central Illinois resident for the rest of his
life. A teacher, attorney, and newspaperman, he served as superintendent of
schools for Effingham County from 1873 to 1881, published the Effingham
Democrat, and served as Mayor of Effingham in 1882, and City Attorney in 1883 and
1884. After moving to Bloomington, Illinois, in 1884, he continued in the
newspaper trade, publishing the Bloomington
Daily and Weekly Bulletins. Elected to Congress in 1890, he served one
term, and in 1899 moved to Decatur, Illinois, where he managed the Decatur Herald, before going into the
insurance business in 1904, from which he retired in 1921.
His Masonic career was equally peripatetic and even more
distinguished. He was initiated on December 17, 1870, passed on January 21,
1871, and raised on February 28, 1871, at Watson Lodge No. 602, in Watson,
Illinois. He affiliated by demit to Effingham Lodge No. 149 in 1873, then by
demit to Wade Barney Lodge no. 512 in 1885, and then by demit to Macon Lodge
No. 8, in Decatur, in 1903; he remained a member of Macon No. 8 for the rest of
his life. He was elected Junior Grand Warden in 1889, and Grand Master in
1895.After his time in the Grand East,
he continued to serve the Grand Lodge on several committees, before being elected
Grand Secretary in 1921. He died in office on December 21, 1928, having
attended fifty-one consecutive Grand Communications.
Which brings us back to his announcement in 1927. Becoming a
Grand Officer of any kind is a remarkable achievement, and to be both Grand
Master and Grand Secretary is truly notable, but Brother Owen Scott thought it
important to announce his fifty years at Grand Lodge, as if it were more worthy
of special mention than his other accomplishments. And perhaps it was. His
fidelity to his trust, his constancy, and his willingness to serve were all
inherent in his traveling year after year to Chicago in service the Fraternity.
And he was not—is not—alone. Perhaps he was more distinguished than most
Brethren who continue to serve Freemasonry, and perhaps he was fortunate in
being able to attend without fail, but there have been and still are other
Brethren who make the trek year after year, serving Freemasonry with their time
and fidelity. Like Most Worshipful Brother Owen Scott, they are worthy of
admiration and emulation, not just for their work, but for their constancy.
They are the Masons who continue to show up to degrees, to work the pancake
breakfasts, to help with roadside cleanup, who attend schools of instruction,
and who cycle through the chairs over a long Masonic life. They’re the ones who
can be counted on. Like Brother Owen Scott, they serve. Like him, they deserve
our thanks.
~MHS
R.W.B. Michael H. Shirleyserves
the Grand Lodge of Illinois, A.F. & A.M, as Leadership Development
Chairman and Assistant Area Deputy Grand Master of the Eastern Area. A
Certified Lodge Instructor, he is a Past Master and Life Member of
Tuscola Lodge No. 332 and a plural member of Island City Lodge No. 330, F
& AM, in Minocqua, Wisconsin. A Scottish Rite Mason, he is past
Most Wise Master of the George E. Burow Chapter of Rose Croix in the
Valley of Danville, AASR-NMJ; he is also a member of the Illinois Lodge
of Research, the York Rite, Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied
Masonic Degrees, Eastern Star, Illini High Twelve, and the Tall Cedars
of Lebanon.The author of several articles on British history, he teaches
at Eastern Illinois University.You can contact him at:
m.h.shirley@gmail.com
I had plans. Plans of grandeur when I was elected to the East. I
thought I would have speakers every week and pull tons of men back to lodge. I
wanted to engage the membership and have many education nights. Alas, I was given a different opportunity. A better opportunity. I was given a ton of degree work. A week
after being installed, I was conferring my first degree ever, a 2nd, as a matter
of fact.
Week after week, I was conferring degrees. It was awesome.
Recently I did four 1st degrees over four weeks. I thought about doing them as a class,
but we felt as a lodge it was more important for the candidate to have that
special experience of an individual night, just for them. Two of my candidates,
now Entered Apprentices were best friends.
These gents had known each other since their childhood years,
joined the military reserves together and now, became Masons together. Now that
we had four new Entered Apprentices and no immediate degree work pending, it
was time to do that other thing I wanted to do: engage the new members and help
them understand the degrees they had just received.
We organized an EA education night, The Entered Apprentice
Academy is what we called it. We walked them through the degree, explained to
them aspects of the symbology and gave them personal stories of our lives in
relation to how Masonry has changed us for the better. We laughed, we had fun
and we learned.
At one point the subject of Clandestine Masonry came up, and two
of my EAs looked at each other and then back at me and said at the same time and
laughing, "Oh we found out about that..." I looked at them puzzled. In
my experience, waiting to talk to the candidates until the 3rd degree about
Clandestine and Irregularity is just too late. I feel you need to tell them
[the candidate] about these organizations well before they go out into the
world as EAs, otherwise they risk being tainted by potential bad information or
in the case I was about to hear, outright slander, hazing and vindictive social
media harassment.
I have made it known that personally, I hold no ill feelings
toward Clandestine or Irregular Masons, as long as it isn't the kind that
gathers just to make money and has an "LLC" or an "Inc." after its name. I
digress.
My EAs proceeded to tell me that one of their co-workers found
out that one of them had just received his EA degree, an auspicious occasion,
no question. However instead of the typical congratulatory words, this
co-worker first, claimed to be a brother as well and then proceeded to
interrogate my EA in a completely condescending manner. And if this wasn't
enough, he did it in public, around other people, citing ritual and all the
rest.
My Brother EA sat there and took it all in, the odd exchange had
him on edge but he kept it together. Finally this co-worker called my Brother
EA a "Clandestine" Mason. As if this wasn't enough he ridiculed the
Brother on social media after finding his picture with me on our social media
page the night after receiving his EA degree. He made derogatory comments and
lambasted him. Again, repeatedly calling him "Clandestine" and
"not a real Mason."
Through all of this, all my Brother EA asked him was, "Let
me see YOUR dues card." This co-worker refused and just kept pushing the
hot buttons. I give credit to my EA for subduing his passions and an urge to
put this co-worker in his place. The co-worker, after being asked to show his
dues card repeatedly, finally did show my EA a card. And guess what? THE
CO-WORKER WAS THE CLANDESTINE MASON!
Apparently when my EA told him the lodge he was from (our lodge
Waukegan 78 AF&AM Grand Lodge of Illinois), the co-worker knew of the lodge and of me. Well, I guess if a clandestine lodge and its members know who you
are, maybe you're doing something right. I'm not one to get easily upset but
this, Brothers, got me a little mad.
So, guess what? I have blurred the names, but here you go, the
business card of the lodge which decided to be decidedly unMasonic, and
egregiously improper. And if this "lodge" or its members has an
issue with this, I suggest you go through the proper channels (contact my Grand
Lodge), or take the time and become a
legit lodge under the Grand Lodge of Illinois or the Most Worshipful Prince
Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois.
We all know what having "Inc." after your lodge name
really means. And for those of you who don't it means, "We take your money
and fool you into thinking we're legit."
In conclusion, let it be known that "The Most Worshipful New
Jerusalem Grand Lodge AF&AM. S.R. Inc." is CLANDESTINE and NOT
RECOGNIZED.
Enjoy the parody video below about Clandestine Masons. It isn't
far from the truth.
~RHJ
Bro. Robert Johnson, 32° is
the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason
out of the First North-East District of Illinois. He is the Master of
Waukegan Lodge No. 78 and Education officer for the 1st N.E. District of
Illinois. He is also a member of the York Rite bodies Royal Arch,
Cryptic Council, Knights Templar, AMD, The Illinois Lodge of Research
and a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago as well as a charter
member of the Society of King Solomon, a charity organization run by
the Grand Lodge of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and
hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre
which focus on topics relating to Freemasonry. In addition, he produces
video shorts focusing on driving interest in the Fraternity and writes
original Masonic papers from time to time. He is also a cohost of The Masonic Roundtable,
a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of three. He works full
time in the safety industry and is also a photographer on the side as
well as an avid home brewer. He is currently working on a book of
Masonic essays.
