The Badge of a Mason

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

Bro. Daniel Lee

Within our Craft, it is universally accepted that a man is first made a Mason in his heart.  I am certainly no exception, however before I was ever made a Mason, I was a cop.  I joined the Cranston, Rhode Island Police Department in 2004 as a rookie patrolman, and remain working there today as a detective assigned to the department’s Special Victims Unit.  After joining Harmony Lodge #9 F&AM in Cranston, Rhode Island in 2010, I was quickly struck by the similarities between Freemasonry and law enforcement— both advocate its members practice moral rectitude, be fair in their dealings with others, treat people as equals, and keep their passions and behavior within acceptable boundaries.  Two Brotherhoods not unalike.  And it is because of the teachings and philosophies that Freemasonry and law enforcement share that I always sought out places where the two would intersect, and I often reflect on ways I can apply my Masonic working tools to my vocation.  I found this to be the “light” of which I was in search.  

That “light” shined a little brighter in January 2019, when I was reading through a Cranston Police Department Retirees Association newsletter that was distributed amongst the department’s active members.  I happened upon a short article written by retired Cranston Police Sergeant and historian James Ignasher about a Cranston Police Chief’s badge engraved with the Masonic square and compass on its back.  This was astounding to me, in that while I enjoyed a multitude of times where my profession and the Craft would converge, none ever incorporated my own police department.  The detective in me took over, and I needed to find out more.

                                                                                                                                        

Chief James G. Miller, 1929

                                                                                                                        City of Cranston Police Department  

                                                                                         Note the difference in style of the badge being worn and the Masonic badge.  

                                                                                                                                             

The badge, it turns out, belonged to James G. Miller (1876-1941), whose career with the Cranston Police spanned over four decades.  Before Cranston was formally incorporated as a city and had a municipal police force, it was an agricultural town of about 1,500 residents patrolled by a variety of constables working under the supervision of an elected Town Sergeant.  Miller, who was born and raised in the Blackstone area of Massachusetts, worked as one of these constables beginning in the late 1890s, and when the city did officially establish its police force in 1910, Miller was one of the original ten patrolmen sworn into it.  By 1912, Miller was serving as the department’s first detective.  

Three years later, in 1915, Detective James Miller became Brother James Miller, as he joined Doric Lodge #38 in Cranston (Initiated:  February 10, 1915; Passed:  May 12, 1915; Raised:  May 26, 1915; and Signed By-Laws:  June 9, 1915).

                                                                                           

Constable James Miller, 1898

Town of Cranston

                                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                    

Some fourteen years after signing the Doric Lodge #38 by-laws, Brother Miller completed his accession through the ranks of the police department, and in 1929 he was named as the sixth Chief of the Cranston Police.  During his tenure as the city’s top cop, Brother Miller was known for his compassion and innovated, forward thinking.  There are practices put in place by Brother Miller that are still used to this day. 

Brother James G. Miller’s grave in Pocasset Cemetery, Cranston.

Which now brings us to his Chief’s badge with the square and compass.  Based on what is known of the Cranston Police during the period of Brother Miller’s time as Chief, the pictured badge did not fit the specifications set forth by the city or police department.  The inconsistent styling of this badge vis-à-vis what was issued to and worn by members of the Cranston Police at that time would lead one to believe that the Masonic badge was what is commonly referred to as a “presentation badge,” or a gift not necessarily meant for every day wear, but for display or as a keepsake.  

Armed with that knowledge, this detective was led to the voluminous archives of Doric Lodge #38, which are now maintained by Harmony Lodge #9, in search of any evidence of when or why this badge was presented to Brother Chief Miller.  Much to my dismay, after a long and thorough search through the minutes and records of Doric Lodge from 1929 to 1941, I did not locate any entry that would allude to the badge being presented to him in or by his own lodge.  And with no discernible markings on the badge by its craftsman, its origins remain somewhat mysterious.

Death Notice of James Miller recorded in the minutes of Doric Lodge #38 (with a misprint of the actual date of death). 

Note the short biography, which was out of the ordinary for death notices recorded in the lodge minutes during that period.

Brother James Miller’s name amongst other brethren in the Doric Lodge #38 necrology from 1941.  Again, note the distinction of his time as Police Chief.

My search for light, however, was not entirely fruitless.  I did locate an entry in the records of Doric Lodge commemorating the death of Brother Miller.  Unlike the other death announcements in the lodge records around the time of Brother Miller’s death, his entry was accompanied by a short biography: “Brother Miller was appointed to the Cranston Police as a special patrolman in 1898 and was later appointed to the regular force and in 1913 became the departments [sic] inspector in charge of all investigations.  In January 1929, he became chief of the Department and served as such until his death.”  The uniqueness of this entry reflects the admiration and respect that the lodge had for Brother Miller and his position within the Cranston Police Department, and is an appropriate tribute to a life of service spent in the quarries of Freemasonry and in the protection of the citizens of Rhode Island.  

Additionally, I discovered that besides Brother Miller, two others of the original ten patrolmen sworn into the Cranston Police upon its formation in 1910 would take the oath and obligation of a Master Mason:  Officer Henry Clay Debow joined Doric Lodge #38 in 1920 and Officer George Smith joined Jenks Lodge #24 in 1922.

Captain Henry Clay Debow, 1929

He was one of the original ten patrolman sworn into the City of Cranston Police Department upon its formation in 1910.  He later joined Doric Lodge #38 in 1920. 

It is said that after Chief Miller’s death in 1941, Brother Debow, an ardent outdoorsman, was tapped to be the next Cranston Police Chief.  Debow however declined the position, due in large part to his desire to remain on the night shift so as not to interfere with the hunting and fishing that he enjoyed during the day time.

Brother Debow, who was raised on farm in New Brunswick, Canada, became a Cranston constable in 1903.  As the Cranston’s city police force was formed in 1910, he too was an original member.  Aside from working along side Brother Miller as a detective, Brother Debow was the first member of the police department to hold the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain.  Ever the outdoorsman, Brother Debow was tapped to replace Brother Miller as Chief upon his passing, but elected to defer that appointment to stay on the over night so as to not interfere with his hunting and fishing that he enjoyed during the day time.  Brother Debow was the first member of the Cranston Police, and possibly the state, to use a dog (his loyal Irish setter, Lady) to track and capture a fugitive.

Brother Henry Clay Debow’s grave in Pocasset Cemetery, Cranston.

Close to a century separates the time that Brothers and fellow Cranston Police Officers Miller, Debow and Smith, and I took our respective oaths—one on the Masonic altar and the other to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution on behalf of its citizens.  Both the City of Cranston and its police department have grown exponentially in the past 110 years.  Upon some personal introspection into my membership in both Freemasonry and law enforcement, I pray that I continue the legacy of applying Masonic teachings usefully to policing.  There may not be a more appropriate time in the history of policing in this country than now.

But perhaps my greatest take away from this research project is this:  Freemasonry is local.  We as Masons justifiably boast about our Brothers who founded this nation, who became President, who are in Hollywood, or who compete in the professional sports arena.  But there are countless Brothers who impact their own local communities.  Men like Jim Miller, Clay Debow, and George Smith.  Three out of the first ten members of my police department were members of our fraternity.  That’s actually a greater percentage of signers of the Declaration of Independence and about the same percentage of U.S. Presidents who were Freemasons.  I would encourage every Brother to go out and discover what impact Freemasonry had on their local communities.  Or better yet, to go make that impact themselves.

~DL

Brother Daniel Lee has been a member of Harmony Lodge #9, F&AM in Cranston, Rhode Island since 2010.  He received his 32nd Degree from the Valley of Providence, and is the Vice President of Rhode Island Chapter #1 of the International Police Square & Compass Club.  He has served with the Cranston, Rhode Island Police Department since 2004, and is currently assigned to the Special Victims Unit as a Detective.  He resides in Rhode Island with his wife, son, and daughter, and enjoys SCUBA diving.  He can be reached at DanLee81@hotmail.com

The Attic

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

In 1816, General William Clark (of the Lewis and Clark Expedition) built what was one of only a few brick houses in St. Louis. Clark used the lower floor for business. Missouri Lodge 12, with its Tennessee charter, met in a room on the second story there from the time Clark completed the house until late 1817. Masons described the house as "poorly adapted for Masonic purposes and inconveniently located." They approached Brother Thompson Douglass, who was constructing a two-story building in the center of town, and persuaded him to add an attic, which the Masons could use. Were that building standing today where it stood in 1817, at its spot in the center of old St. Louis, it would be directly under the gleaming Gateway to the West monument, better known as the St. Louis Arch.

Upon its completion, the Masons moved into the thirty-eight square foot room to conduct their business. There they also founded Missouri Royal Arch Chapter No. 1, and, in 1821, organized the Grand Lodge of Missouri, chartering what today is St. Louis Missouri Lodge 1.

Frederick L. Billon was raised at the age of twenty-two in that very room. Born in 1801, Billon lived to be 94 years of age in a life that spanned virtually all of the 19th century. He served as Missouri's Grand Secretary for many years and thoroughly chronicled Missouri Masonry during that time. In his memoirs, he talks about one particular meeting in that third-story room which he attended on Friday April 29, 1825.

That evening, the young Brother, still a relatively new Mason, ascended the creaky wooden stairs and as he entered the Lodge room, he discovered two visitors. In Billon's words, "we were honored by a visit from our Nation's distinguished guest, our illustrious Brother General Lafayette, on the occasion of his visit to St. Louis, accompanied by his son George Washington Lafayette, on which occasion they were both duly elected Honorary members of our Grand Lodge." The United States had invited the 68-year-old French aristocrat, who had supported our country and commanded American troops in the Revolution, to tour the country.

Billon writes, "This room was used for Masonic purposes… until the close of the year 1833, when Missouri Lodge No. 1, under the pressure of circumstances, ceased her labors for a time, and the Grand Lodge was removed to Columbia Boone County." The so-called "pressure of circumstances" he mentions is a euphemism for the brutal aftermath of the Morgan affair.

For sixteen years that nondescript room provided an auspicious venue for the formation of the Grand Lodge of Missouri and served as its Grand Lodge offices. It also saw the formation of Missouri's first Lodge, the first Missouri Royal Arch Chapter, was a reception room for the great Lafayette, hosted the ceremony honoring him, and saw countless other Masonic ceremonies and events – all this in an attic that was conceived as an afterthought.

It's graphic proof that it doesn't matter where Brothers meet; rather it matters how they meet, act and part.

~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 is 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.

From The Museum To The Lodge

by Midnight Freemasons Guest Contributor

Travis Simpkins

Since joining Freemasonry two years ago, I have often been asked what prompted my decision to submit a petition. I wasn't a very typical candidate. I didn't have a Masonic family connection and I didn't have any friends that I knew to be Masons. So, for me, it really wasn't a plain and direct choice. Rather, Freemasonry was a destination I found on a circuitous path that began in the galleries of a Museum.

Then, as now, I was involved with several different museums: the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Worcester Art Museum, Worcester Historical Museum, the Massachusetts State House and I spent a great deal of time at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The art museums are encyclopedic collections that range from Ancient Art to Andy Warhol. The historical museum and the State House contain objects with a localized American focus. As someone who is equally interested in ancient cultures and colonial history, these collective institutions were the perfect places to be.

I've been intrigued by everything related to ancient Egypt for as long as I can remember. Part of my museum assignments center on creating sketches of works in the collections and I still enjoy spending productive hours surrounded by archaeological treasures from Egyptian tombs. My initial interest in Masonic themes was fostered in those rooms. I don't recall the exact progression of studies that led me from one point to another, but references to Freemasonry's esoteric and stylistic influences are encountered frequently the more you look into the history of modern Egyptology from the 18^th to the 20^th Centuries. I have a curious mind, and through additional reading, I very quickly developed a respect for Masonic philosophy and practice. The concepts of self-improvement and a deep connection with history, which are so inherent within Freemasonry, were things that I found appealing and wanted to learn more about.

Masonic symbols and aesthetics interested me as well, and I'd spend a lot of time admiring a set of silver Masonic jewels created by Paul Revere in 1793 that were on display at the Worcester Art Museum. Also, a nearby gallery housed a collection of arms and armor that were inherited from the Higgins Armory Museum when it closed in 2013. Included among those objects was an early 19^th Century ceremonial sword with a skull and crossbones on the hilt, utilized in the 28^th Degree (Knight of the Sun) of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. My interest was piqued.

While watching a Masonic-themed documentary, I was impressed with the insights of one of the presenters, Dr. Mark Koltko-Rivera. I contacted him, explained who I am and that I was interested in learning more about joining. Brother Mark not only provided me with information, but he also directed me towards another valuable resource: Christopher Hodapp. Bro Hodapp was very helpful and his book, Freemasons for Dummies, was the catalyst in me taking the first step.

In beginning the process of looking at local Lodges, I felt compelled to revisit the Paul Revere jewels at the museum. I had looked at the aesthetics of the jewels many times, admired their beauty, but I hadn't looked very deeply into their background. I suppose, because they were so old, I just assumed that the Lodge from which they originated was no longer active. After taking note that the pieces were on loan from Morning Star Lodge, I looked them up online and discovered that the Lodge was not only still active but that it was located within a mile of my downtown apartment. I did some more research, reading through the long history of Morning Star Lodge, and was fascinated by it's connection to the patriot Isaiah Thomas and other notable figures within the community. That was it. A few days later I sent an email to the Secretary, met with the Brethren and here I am. I can honestly say that it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

After relaying that brief story to fellow Freemasons, they usually ask if there is really much Masonic Art on display in an art museum. The answer is: It depends on how loosely you define the term. Much of what we would consider “Masonic Art”, like tracing boards and such, won't be found in the galleries of a non-specialized collection. However, there are many pieces that fit into the overall theme. Some of the other items I see on a regular basis, not mentioned above, include a medieval Chapter House brought over stone-by-stone from France, Babylonian carved reliefs, Crusader-era swords, a tapestry depicting Godfrey de Bouillon, portraits of George Washington, a cornerstone set in a Masonic ceremony by Paul Revere, marble statues of Gods & Goddesses, dozens of paintings portraying the Holy Saints John and Classical styles of architecture utilized within the museum buildings themselves. There's always plenty there if you look for it.

When mentioning museums and Masonry together, I've found that I am preaching to the choir much of the time. However, I also meet many Brothers who never visit museums. They'll ask what relevance museums might have to an average Masonic Lodge today. Some correlations should be obvious, but my basic viewpoint is that the quest for enlightenment is not by any means a one-way street. If Museums led me to Masonry, certainly it could work the other way around. A couple things come to mind. One is simply practical. Much of Masonic Ritual centers on events, allegorical or not, which take place in Ancient History. The distant past is often an abstract concept to fathom, hard to visualize, and it helps to place things in a relatable context. Objects in museums provide a tangible association with the past, a physical connection with history. Another aspect of Museums appeals to the core purpose of Freemasonry, namely self-improvement... the very thing which initially drew me to the Craft. Walking through the galleries of a Museum, one is surrounded by the wondrous creativity of mankind. And I've found that by looking at the great achievements of others, we can come to discover the true potential within ourselves.

 

- TS

Bro. 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. 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, NMJ- 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.

Bringing Back The Light Part 4: The Museum

by Midnight Freemasons Founder

Todd E. Creason, 33°

The Homer Masonic Temple Museum (IL)

Part 4 of the Bringing Back the Light Series

So thanks to our previous efforts at Homer Lodge No. 199, the former junk room had been cleaned out.  New carpet had been put down, but we didn't really have a plan yet for that spare room.  About the only thing in that room was three glass display cases (leftovers most likely from past business tenants on the first floor).  And we're looking at this huge pile of historic records and artifacts and trying to figure out what to do with all of it--specifically how to tell the story contained in those records and those objects we found up in the attic.  It was a no-brainer.  We could display the best pieces on the walls and in the display cases in our spare room.

And so we went about deciding what we'd put in that room.  We found an old projector, along with two sets of old hand-tinted glass degree slides.  We found several old Master's hats (including a collapsible silk top hat).  There were old collars and jewels from the Lodge, from the York Rite that had a long history of the building, and the Eastern Star.  In fact, once curtains were hung in that room, the curtain tiebacks are actually Eastern Star jewels.  One of my favorite things was something that Greg Knott found rolled up in a tube.  The original 1896 blueprints for the Lodge printed on cloth.  Greg scanned them and we framed one of the best reproductions to display.  Without even trying we filled those cases and the walls with the story of Freemasonry in Homer, Illinois. 

Todd E. Creason examining some old degree slides found in the attic.

But something interesting began to happen as we went along--we began receiving donations.  One of the first items we got was the altar that belonged to a Broadlands Lodge, which had merged with Ogden Lodge some years earlier.  The members of Ogden Lodge wanted to see it put to better use than collecting dust in their back room.  One of Ogden's members died and his daughter donated some of his personal items to the museum, including his Shriners fez.  We have received a few photographs of past members taken during WWII and Korea that we'll be hanging.  Ogden Lodge also donated some beautiful old tracing boards that we have prominently displayed.

The museum is quickly outgrowing our little room.  We have plans to take over the hallway walls and dining room as we get further along.  We also have plans to beginning documenting our present day work as well by hanging some new photos on the walls of our restoration efforts, and our resurgence in the community.  We may be an old Lodge, but we're an active Lodge--the history continues, and we believe the story is a long way from being over.

We've had a few open houses since where we've opened the museum.  We have plans to do that on a more regular basis.  Each time we've opened the Lodge the public, we've collected stories.  Almost always as people look at the photos on our walls and the pictures of our Past Masters, they'll point at something or someone in particular and tell a story about something the Lodge was once involved in, or a story about one of the men or women involved with the bodies that met in our building over the last 160 years.  And I'm sure as we go along, we'll collect many more.

We should all remember that Lodges are often historic places, and we should take the effort to preserve that history, and find ways to share that history with the communities we're in.  If you don't have room like we do in our Lodge, perhaps find out if your local historical society or county museum would be interested in sharing some of your history.  It's been pretty remarkable what the response has been to our little museum, and the reactions we've gotten to it.  

~TEC 

Todd E. Creason, 33°, is the Founder of the Midnight Freemasons blog and is a regular contributor.  He is the 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 a Past Master of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), and currently serves as the Secretary, and is also a member of Homer Lodge No. 199 where he serves as Senior Warden.  He is a member the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, the York Rite Bodies of Champaign/Urbana (IL), the Ansar Shrine (IL), Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees, Charter President of the Illini High Twelve in Champaign-Urbana (IL), and a Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research.  He is a charter member of a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D.  He was named the 2014 Illinois Secretary of the Year Award by the Illinois Masonic Secretaries Association.  You can contact him at: webmaster@toddcreason.org

Suspended NPD — for Twenty-Five Years!

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

Over the years I've seen my Lodge and other Masonic bodies deal with members who don't pay their dues in a variety of ways. It seems there has been a progression of sorts requiring less and less of a financial effort for a Brother to return. Years ago I recall the NPD Brother had to pay the dues for each year missed, plus the current year's dues, to become a member in good standing once again. Then there was a period when the member in arrears had to pay just last year's and current year's dues. Now, for one of the bodies where I am a member, a Brother can re-join just by paying the current year's dues. If things keep going this way I guess we'll have to pay them to come back.

Of course, these men are our Brothers and we do, in fact, want them back; and there are good reasons why some don't pay — hardship and illness being at the top of the list. Every Masonic body I belong to always takes that into consideration and I have seen many meetings where understanding members remit the dues of a Brother who simply cannot pay.

Still, I think we're pretty lenient with NPD. My personal opinion is we probably should be. I mean, how many times have we heard it... "It's easier to keep the members you have than to go out and get new ones." 

With all that in mind, I ran across something that really made me do a double-take — make that a triple-take.

I was going through records kept by a 19th century Grand Secretary in Missouri when I came across a list of suspensions for Missouri Lodge No. 1. The first half dozen entries were for a group of Brothers suspended July 2, 1868, for non-payment of dues. The first line made note that Brother William Stewart was suspended NPD for a period of five years.

"Wow," I thought, "five years — that's pretty stiff."

No, it turns out Brother Stewart got off easy. The next four entries were for members suspended for periods of 20 or 25 years. Twenty-five years for NPD! Now, that sends a message.

The sixth entry was for Brother Maximilian Eller, suspended for a period of 10 years. This line also contained a note that Brother Eller came back after the 10-year suspension ended and paid his dues.

In those records there were other Brothers suspended for 25 years, which seemed to be more or less the standard; but beginning in 1872, with only two exceptions, NPD suspension penalties were: "until paid." 

So apparently, "until paid" became the new standard. One of those original six Brothers, Charles Eager, may have heard about this. Originally suspended for 20 years, the records indicate he returned in 1876 and made restitution. It's not too much of a stretch to imagine he went back to Missouri No. 1 and said, "Hey, look, I got a pretty harsh suspension for NPD but today you're letting guys off the hook if they just pay up. How about cutting me a little slack, too?" 

I doubt he used that exact phraseology but they did, in fact, let him back in.

I have to conclude somewhere along the way Missouri No. 1 decided its penalties for NPD were excessive, and backed off. It's also possible the Grand Lodge somehow stepped in with different standards. Whatever the case, at that point those standards became more closely aligned with those we have today. We may never know why they made that change but it's possible they, too, discovered "it's easier to keep the members you have than to go out and get new ones." 

~SLH

Bro. Steve Harrison, 33°, is Past Master of Liberty Lodge #31, Liberty, Missouri. He is the editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine, author of the book Freemasonry Crosses the Mississippi, a Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research and also its Worshipful Master. He is a dual member of Kearney Lodge #311, St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite, Moila Shrine and 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. His latest book, Freemasons: Tales From the Craft & Freemasons at Oak Island. Both are available on amazon.com.

Missouri's Unique Masonic College

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

From its inception Freemasonry has always been synonymous with continuing education and lifelong learning.  A few institutions have organized continuing education for Freemasons; and the Scottish Rite, in fact, is sometimes called "The College of Freemasonry."

In the mid-nineteenth century Freemasons went beyond Craft education and established a series of Masonic Colleges offering a liberal arts education.  These institutions were loosely connected with the common purpose of providing a variety of levels of education.  One of these, Eureka Masonic College, was the birthplace of the Eastern Star.  While there, in 1849, Rob Morris founded the order so that women could also participate in Freemasonry.

Perhaps the most iconic of all of these institutions was the Masonic College, which the Grand Lodge of Missouri established in 1844 in Philadelphia, Missouri.  Citing inadequate facilities, the Grand Lodge moved the college to its permanent home in Lexington in 1847.  Its purpose was to provide an education for the children of Masons, especially orphans, but it also admitted any child named "Mason," whether having a Masonic affiliation or not.

Among its alumni, the college boasted Missouri Congressman Thomas P. Akers, Lexington Judge John E. Burden, US Senator from New Mexico Thomas B. Catron,  US Senator from West Virginia Stephen B. Elkins, Kansas City businessman Robert Keith, Missouri Governor John S. Marmaduke, Lexington industrialist James C. McGrew and Lexington judge John E. Ryland.

At various times after the college closed in 1859, it served as a classroom for other institutions.  The building closed for two years during the Civil War, after which the Grand Lodge of Missouri deeded the property to the State of Missouri, which used it for a military academy.  The state handed the property back to the Masons in 1871.  Almost immediately, the Grand Lodge transferred ownership to the Methodist Episcopal Church, for use as Central Female College and later, Lexington College for Women.

A 40% scale replica of the original Masonic College building, 

which served as Union headquarters during the battle 

of Lexington, sits on the original site in Lexington, Missouri.

During the Civil War, the College served as Union headquarters during the Battle of Lexington.  There, Confederate troops attacked under the leadership of General Sterling Price, a member of Missouri's Warren Lodge #74.  Although his troops overwhelmingly outnumbered the federal army, the Union put up a surprisingly fierce fight.  Hemp was one of the major agricultural products in Lexington.  At the end of the second day of the battle, Price's men found dozens of large hemp bales stored in the area and in the final Confederate push forward, used them as cover as they rolled them in toward the Union forces.  This tactic proved effective as none of the Union artillery could penetrate the hemp.  Completely overwhelmed, the federal army surrendered.  Given the unique way in which the Confederates had advanced, the battle of Lexington is also known as "The Battle of the Hemp Bales." (Somewhat ironically, Lt. Colonel Benjamin W. Grover, former Grand Master of Freemasons in the state of Missouri, was mortally wounded fighting for the North and defending the Masonic College, which he had helped to establish.)

The building burned in 1932.  Two years later the Grand Lodge of Missouri built a 40% scale replica of the original building on the site and gave it to the city of Lexington "for the perpetual enjoyment of the public."  

The replica building still stands, surrounded by a garden walkway and four brick columns marking the corners of the original structure.

~SLH

Bro. Steve Harrison, 33°, is Past Master of Liberty Lodge #31, Liberty, Missouri. He is the editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine, author of the book Freemasonry Crosses the Mississippi, a Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research and also its Worshipful Master. He is a dual member of Kearney Lodge #311, St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite, Moila Shrine and 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. His latest book, Freemasons: Tales From the Craft, will be released later this year.

Editors note: If you enjoyed this article, I would highly suggest picking up a copy of Illustrious Brother Steve Harrison's latest book; Tales From The Craft. It has many interesting short stories just like this one! 

The Register: Signing Your Name Into History

by Midnight Freemasons Contributor

Todd E. Creason

Signatures from the 1940s

Some time back, Greg Knott wrote a piece for the Midnight Freemasons called Connecting With History And Family.  It was about an experience we both shared recently.  Greg and I attended a third degree at our lodge, and as Secretary of the Lodge, I had the old register out so that our newest Master Mason could sign it as all Master Masons had who came before him.  Greg and I got looking at that old register, pointing at names we both knew.

Greg found his great-great-great grandfather's signature in that book--truly remarkable.  I found the signatures of many old friends, including the man that top-lined my petition--Worshipful Brother Raymond VanBuskirk. I wore Raymond's hat when I was Master of the Lodge, and after he passed away, his daughters gave me his Scottish Rite ring, which is one of my most treasured possessions.  And on the same page Raymond signed more than seven decades earlier, was Bro. Joe Silkey.  Believe it or not, I had the great privilege of presenting him his 70-year pin when I was Worshipful Master.  He passed away last year, but he attended meetings regularly into his 90s.
 

HWB Joseph Silkey

As I looked at those signatures going back to 1877, I realized something.  Every man listed in that book signed it as the newest Master Mason in our lodge--many as young men just as their life was truly beginning.  They were embarking on a new adventure in search of light, and some of them found it in our Lodge.  Freemasonry became important to them.  It may have changed their lives in some fundamental way as it continues to do for so many of us today.  Many went on to serve as officers in the lodge, and forty-six of the men who signed that book served as the Worshipful Master of our Lodge.

But what occurred to me was that when they signed that book, there was nothing below their name.  What came after them was still in the future.  Each signature forming a link in a long chain going back to the beginning of the lodge in 1877.  But they probably didn't understand back when they signed that register that they were responsible for what was to come after.  All those signatures in our book are links to our past--all that came before. But those that sign it last represent the bridge to the lodge's future. 

What's important is what we do today, because what we do today is what keeps the lodges strong, and our traditions there for future generations.  And maybe, if Greg and I are very lucky, in seventy years or so, two Masons will be sitting at my old desk in the lodge and pointing at our signatures in the register . . . instead of paying attention to the degree like they should be.

~TEC

Todd E. Creason, 33° is the founder of the Midnight Freemasons blog and continues to be a regular contributor. He is the author of several books and novels, including the Famous American Freemasons series. He is member of Homer Lodge No. 199, and a Past Master of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL). He is a member the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, the York Rite Bodies of Champaign/Urbana (IL), the Ansar Shrine (IL), Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees, and Charter President of the Illini High Twelve in Champaign-Urbana (IL).

The Masonic Cornerstone of the Magnificent Mile

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB. Gregory J. Knott

      Chicago is one of the world’s greatest cities and has a long Masonic history.  For a while the old Chicago Masonic Temple was the tallest building at 302 fee within the world.   But did you know that the Magnificent Mile – Michigan Avenue is anchored by a Masonic Cornerstone?

      I wasn’t aware of this fact either until I happened upon on it while walking Michigan Avenue.  Michigan Ave. is widely known for its shopping attractions.  Many modern retailers have taken up shop within the area and offer shoppers everything their money can buy.

      The most famous landmark along Michigan Ave is the Chicago Water Tower.  The Water Tower was built beginning in 1867 and finished in 1869 by architect William W. Boyington from Joliet Limestone.  The structure was one of the few survivors of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 started by Mrs. O’Leary’s cow.  It stands 154 feet high and a physical linkage with the Chicago of old.

     When I started examining the building, I found that it contained a Masonic cornerstone properly laid in the northeast corner of the structure.  I was pleasantly surprised to find this connection in the now fully commercialized area.

     The cornerstone contains the name of Jerome R. Gorin Most Worshipful Grant Master.  So who was MWB Gorin?

MWB Gorin was Grand Master of Illinois in 1867 and 1868.  He was born in Hopkinsville, KY on October 12, 1817 and moved to Decatur, Illinois in 1833.  He was an attorney who served in many capacities including city clerk, elected the Illinois legislature and a well-known banker.

      While MWB Gorin was in office, the Knights Templar of Illinois, formed a commandery at Olney, Illinois which was named in his honor.  Today Gorin Commandery No. 14 is still active and is located at Bridgeport, Illinois.

      So next time you are visiting the Chicago Magnificent Mile, keep in mind the Masons were there first to anchor the way!

The Old Chicago Water Tower with the John Hancock building in the background – named after another famous Freemason, Brother John Hancock.

~GJK

WB Gregory J. Knott is the Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 in St. Joseph (IL) and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He's a member of both the Scottish Rite, and the York Rite, and is the Charter Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club in Champaign-Urbana. He's also a member of the Ansar Shrine (IL) and the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. Greg is very involved in Boy Scouts--an Eagle Scout himself; he serves the Grand Lodge of Illinois A. F. & A. M. as their representative to the National Association of Masonic Scouters.