Labor Day & Freemasonry: Is There a Connection? - Revisit

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Robert H. Johnson, PM

First Labor Day Parade, NYC, 1882

*Editors note: This piece originally was published in 2013. I hope you enjoy and learn a little history in the process!

Labor Day, the very idea of the holiday invokes the excitement of barbeques, back to school for our children and the end of summer. Labor Day is now marked by the first Monday in September, but the first labor day was actually on a Tuesday, Tuesday September 5th 1882 to be exact. It was celebrated for the first time in New York City and was organized by the Central Labor Union.

So who started Labor Day? Well, the answer can not be definitively answered. There are two men who are credited with its creation. Peter McGuire and Mathew Maguire were both labor leaders and worked for the rights of workers. Peter was a carpenter and Mathew a machinist.

Many people ask whether either of these two men were members of our great fraternity, the Freemasons. Of these two men, Peter McGuire was a member of a Brotherhood. It just wasn't the Freemasons. He belonged to the Brotherhood of Carpenters and was quoted as saying something which to me, sounds Masonic in nature...

[There needs to be a day to celebrate those] "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold"

However promising this sounds, neither Peter nor Mathew have any record of being involved or affiliated with the Freemasons.

To find out more and view some truly astonishing photographs related to Labor Day, please visit the United States Department of Labor's website all about Labor Day.

Have a happy and safe Labor Day!

~RHJ

RWB Johnson is a Co-Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 2nd N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He is the current V:. Sovereign Grand Inspector for the AMD in IL. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focuses on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry. He is the co-author of "It's Business Time - Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry", "The Master's Word: A Short Treatise on the Word, the Light, and the Self - Annotated Edition" and author of "How to Charter a Lodge: A No-Nonsense, Unsanctioned Guide. More books are on the way.

The World's Smallest Presidential Library – A Pictorial

 by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FML

Out in my neck o’ the woods, nestled between two iconic presidential libraries – Truman’s in Independence and Eisenhower’s in Abilene – is a third presidential library you may not be familiar with. It is the world’s smallest presidential library.

As you, the reader, skim through your mental database of American presidents and come up empty, let me suggest you may have overlooked the presidential term and accomplishments of Brother David Rice Atchison. That's right. President David Rice Atchison; the man for whom Atchison, Kansas and the Atchison-Topeka-Santa Fe railroad are named.

                        

The account of his presidency goes like this: In 1849, inauguration day, March 4, fell on a Sunday. President-elect Zachary Taylor refused to be inaugurated on the Lord's day of rest and Vice-President-elect Millard Fillmore followed suit, both delaying their inauguration until Monday, March 5. Constitutionally, this left the presidency vacant on March 4. Back then, second in line of succession fell to the Senate President Pro-Temporary, the position Atchison held. Realizing there was technically no president, North Carolina Senator Willie Magum and a group of Atchison's friends descended on his house and woke him up in the early hours of March 4. Magum administered the oath of office and asked Atchison to name him Secretary of State. With that the crowd left and "President" Atchison went back to bed. Later, Atchison reported he spent the bulk of his presidency napping and reading.

To commemorate this auspicious event, Atchison, Kansas, his namesake, has established the "world's smallest presidential library" in his honor. Located in a former AT&SF terminal, the Atchison Library shares space with another Atchison historical figure, Amelia Earhart. Also featured in the museum are Brothers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who set up a base camp in the area.

Upon entering the museum a visitor first encounters a model of a statue commemorating Lewis and Clark's 1804 Voyage of Discovery. The full-size statue sits on the banks of the Missouri River down in Kansas City.

A little farther in, the visitor can see the Amelia Earhart display featuring pictures and artifacts of the aviatrix' life.

The world's smallest presidential library lies beyond those exhibits. One first encounters the "Hall of Presidents." Over the years the Marx Toy Company has produced a miniature statue of American Presidents in which it has included Atchison, who stands directly in front of George Washington in the display.

A Daily National Intelligencer article from March 10, 1849 told the story of his presidency. The museum has an article from another paper which recaps the Intelligencer account and notes Atchison's Salary for that day was $68.50.

Regrettably, Atchison was a supporter of slavery and, in fact, a slave owner himself. When Kansas came into the Union as a free state, Atchison led a pro-slavery militia into the state and was present at a battle that resulted in the burning of the Free State Hotel. A display in the museum offers both sides of the story speculating on Atchison's role in the uprising, showing conflicting accounts and wondering if he was an instigator or a peacemaker.

Among the artifacts of his life, the museum displays Atchison's Whitney Navy, six-shot .36 caliber revolver, which he most likely had with him during the Kansas Raid.

A gargantuan Atchison-Topeka-Santa Fe locomotive sits outside the museum.

David Rice Atchison was a member of Platte Lodge 56, now defunct, and his grave marker in Plattsburg proclaims his status as president. Most historians agree Atchison was not President of the United States. Perhaps agreeing he was the ex-officio president can serve as a compromise as to his status.

Or, perhaps, given today's growing sentiment against those who supported the United States' ghastly "original sin" – slavery, it is best to mark Atchison's auspicious day as an interesting story and otherwise let sleeping dogs lie.

~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.

A Light In The Darkness

by Midnight Freemasons Founder

Todd E. Creason, 33°

I remember many years ago taking a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta—it was a six or seven hour flight in the middle of the night. It was the first time I’d flown at night, and I slept through most of the flight. Every once in awhile, I’d wake up and look out the window. I thought it was odd that every time I woke up and looked out the window we were flying over a large city. The city lights were beautiful across the landscape below. The last time I woke up, I glanced out the window and saw that once again we were flying over a large city. I suddenly realized that wasn’t a city beneath me! We were flying over vast rural areas, and those lights below were barnyard lights from all the small farms spaced out over the miles below. We were flying so far up, those small lights looked very close together, but in reality could have been a mile or more apart from each other.

I was thinking about this again back in November, when President George H. W. Bush passed away. He made a remark in his nomination speech in 1988 about a thousand points of light that baffled many people. Nobody seemed to really get what he was talking about. He repeated that concept of a thousand points of light at his inaugural address in 1989. What’s been forgotten is that he was talking about community organizations like ours. Small points of light in a sea of darkness doing our good works—building men, building stronger communities, serving as pillars of the community, helping those who are less fortunate. I knew what the President was talking about, because I remembered that flight and how all those small lights below looked from far above.

It’s very easy for us to become discouraged at times as Freemasons. We aspire to live by a very different set of rules than other men do, and that can make us feel very much alone at times. We can feel as if we’re living our life by standards that seem outdated to many people in our modern society. We look at the problems of the modern world, and we wonder if all our efforts to improve ourselves, and to make this world a better place aren’t a giant waste of time.

I’ve felt that way from time to time, and when I start thinking like that, I just look at my map. I have a map on my wall at home of the Eastern Masonic Area of Illinois. I have all one hundred Lodges in that area marked on my map with a pin—from above my map looks a lot like that view out of the airplane window so many years ago—that map is covered in pins. And if I were to mark the homes of all the Masons that belonged to all those Lodges? Add all the churches, temples, and synagogues and the homes of all their members.  Add the Odd Fellows Lodges and their members.  The Lions Club.  Rotary Club.  American Legion.  Boy and Girl Scouts.  And there are many more such groups and individuals among us, aren't there?  Why feel discouraged?  I doubt if we marked all those groups and those individuals on our map, we'd even be able to see it for all the pins!

We are not alone in this effort of making the world a better place—each of us carries a light, and  as Masons our Lodges help us focus that light. We’re scattered out all over the state of Illinois, the country, and the world.  But we're hardly alone in this effort.  Millions are with us, and we have a tremendous advantage as lights in the world--even a very small light in the darkness can be seen for many, many miles.

President George H. W. Bush made another comment in his 1989 inaugural speech that I think applies to Freemasons in particular. He said, “The old ideas are new again because they are not old, they are timeless . . .”

A version of this article was originally written for and published by The Scottish Rite Valley of Danville (IL) Valley Echos Newsletter

~TEC

Todd E. Creason, 33° 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 a Past Master of Homer Lodge No. 199 and Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL) where he currently serves as Secretary. He is the Past Sovereign Master of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. He is a Fellow at the Missouri Lodge of Research.(FMLR). He is a charter member of a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter No. 282 where he currently serves as EHP. He is also a member of Tuscola Odd Fellows Lodge No. 316. You can contact him at: webmaster@toddcreason.org

Herbert Hoover and Freemasonry

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

A few accounts claim certain famous men who were not Freemasons intended to join the fraternity but circumstances did not permit them to do so.  Notable among these are Dr. Martin Luther King and President Abraham Lincoln.  King likely was to have been made a Mason upon returning from his tragic trip to Memphis.  Lincoln actually petitioned Tyrian Lodge No. 333 in 1860, but decided not to join until after his presidency, thinking becoming a Mason would look like he was doing so for political purposes.

There has never been any doubt about President Herbert Hoover's Masonic status.  He was not a Freemason.  History nor Hoover himself have never had much to say about why… he just wasn't.

In the unpublished memoirs of prolific Masonic author Ray V. Denslow, however, we learn there is more to the story. Former Secretary of Agriculture, Arthur M. Hyde, lived in Trenton, Missouri, near the town where Denslow resided.  After his presidency had ended, Hoover visited Hyde at his home and a few guests were invited to the affair.  Denslow and his wife Clara were among those fortunate to receive an invitation and he gave the following account:

"Mrs. Denslow and I were both invited to the Hyde home to meet both Mr. and Mrs. Hoover. The evening proved to be in the nature of a reception. I had opportunity to talk privately with Mr. Hoover for a time and to study him and his wife at close range. Mr. Hyde said to him 'this is the young man I spoke to you about.'

I never did learn what he was speaking about, unless it was that Mr. Hyde told me once that Mr. Hoover would petition the Masonic fraternity if he thought he could get in.  The inquiry came before campaign time and I assured Mr. Hyde that he knew, as well as I, that any attempt to present a petition at that time might be regarded as campaign propaganda. He said Mr. Hoover wouldn't consider it in that event and the matter apparently dropped here.

Another interesting thing Mr. Hyde said to me, was that when Hoover attended college in California he was not a member of any college fraternity. Several fraternity men attempted to keep him from going with Miss Lou Henry, later his wife, who was a sorority girl; this angered him to such an extent that he always regarded fraternities with a questionable eye. Not until after his experiences in Europe and this country did he assume a favorable attitude towards them."

Hoover's situation, then, was somewhat similar to Lincoln's — political reasons may have prevented him from becoming a Freemason.  What's more, he may have put off thoughts about joining until it was too late due to a prior negative experience with fraternities.  It's not clear how seriously Hoover may have thought he wouldn't "get in," but it is a near certainty he would have been elected to receive the degrees had he done so.

Lincoln, King, Hoover and probably many others have considered knocking at the outer door but for whatever reason just didn't take that first step; and in the vast majority of cases it's a shame.  The craft most certainly would have been all that much better having them as Brothers.

~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.

Which Bible Will Trump Use?

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Gregory J. Knott

This week Donald Trump will take the oath of office as the 45th President of the United States of America. It has been a tradition since George Washington was sworn in that the President take his oath of office while swearing (or affirming) on a bible of his choice.

The story goes that all the preparations for the first inauguration were made, when at the last minute the realization was made that a bible had not been brought for President-Elect Washington to use in taking the oath of office.

St. John’s Lodge No. 1 in New York City was nearby and they describe on their website the actions in detail:

Everything was ready for the administration of the oath of office to the President of the new government, when it was discovered that a Holy Bible had not been provided on which the President-Elect could swear allegiance to the Constitution. Jacob Morton, who was Marshal of the parade, and at that time Master of St. John's Lodge, was standing close by. Seeing the dilemma they were in, he remarked that he could get the altar Bible of St. John's Lodge, which met at the Old Coffee House on the corner of Water and Wall Streets. Chancellor Livingston begged him to do so. The Bible was brought, and the ceremony proceeded. The stately Washington took his oath with his right hand resting on the Bible which had been opened to Genesis XLIX and L. His head bowed in a reverential manner, he added in a clear and distinct voice, "I swear, so help me God!" then bowing over this magnificent Bible, he reverently kissed it, whereupon Chancellor Livingston exclaimed in a ringing voice, "Long live George Washington, President of the United States!"

George Washington Bible at the Annual Communication 

of the Grand Lodge of Illinois in 2009

The constitution does not require that the President take the oath on a bible, but nearly all of the President’s since Washington have done so. Those that have not include; John Adams who used a book of the law to take his oath, Teddy Roosevelt only used a bible for his second term, and Lyndon Johnson who used a Catholic missal. The St. John’s bible has been used by four other Presidents since Washington; Harding in 1921, Eisenhower in 1953, Carter in 1977 and Bush Sr., in 1989.

In 2013 CBS News did this excellent story on the Washington Bible.

So which bible if any, will Donald Trump use to take the oath of office? Or as some have suggested might he use his book “The Art of the Deal”? We will soon find out.

~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), Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL) and Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington, DC.

Civility & Conscience

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

RWB Michael H. Shirley

At the most recent Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Illinois, A.F. & A.M., Brother Michael Swaney and I conducted the Wardens’ Leadership Seminar for about 200 Brethren. Given that Grand Master Tony Cracco’s has called for an emphasis on civility in person and (especially!) online, we decided that it would be good to use George Washington’s Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour In Company and Conversation as a teaching tool. Rules of Civility did not originate with Washington: most of them have been traced to a French etiquette manual written by Jesuits in 1595. Washington merely copied Francis Hawkins' 1640 translation as a handwriting exercise.

There are 110 rules, which is too many for a seminar, so we winnowed it down to those most applicable to Masonry. It’s the last one, number 110, that I want to talk about here: “Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.” If anything matters to a Mason, it should be his conscience, for Masonry is the very act of putting our consciences to work in the world. We seek to be the best men we can be in all situations, to choose right over wrong whenever presented with the choice. Conscience tells us what’s right and wrong; if we don’t pay attention to it, we’ll stop being able to tell the difference, and that malformation will be visible in our conduct.

As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe put it, “Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows his true image.” Concern for correct behavior is not about outward appearances: it is about giving life to inner light. If our consciences are well formed by the principles of Freemasonry, our behavior will reflect those principles. Brother Washington, who lived his life according to his conscience, understood that. So may we all.

~MHS

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

The Conversation

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

By Steven L. Harrison, 33°,  FMLR

In 1994, over 30 years after Lyndon Johnson assumed the Presidency and over 20 years after his death, the United States government began releasing tapes of his Presidential phone conversations.  Among the first tapes released were those conversations he had just after the death of President John Kennedy.  

On April 15 of that year, Ted Koppel featured the tapes on his Nightline program.  On it, he conducted a roundtable discussion with Johnson biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin and other Presidential historians and journalists.   

One of the most interesting tapes they listened to was a 20-minute conversation Johnson had with FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover on November 29, 1963, one week after Johnson became President.

On the recording, Johnson and Hoover discuss their thoughts on the formation of a group to investigate the assassination — a committee that almost certainly became the Warren Commission.  Then they turn their attention to the facts of the assassination itself, with Hoover updating Johnson with the latest information known by the FBI.  

Those facts, after only one week of investigation are very close to those we know about today, conspiracy theorists notwithstanding.  They discuss Lee Harvey Oswald's activities the day of the assassination, including his capture in the theater.  "There is no question Oswald is the man," says Hoover, "given the evidence we have."  Johnson asks about any relationship between Oswald and Jack Ruby (Rubinstein).  Hoover says they have discovered none.  He explains Ruby was a "police character" who was well known by the authorities and speculates that is how he got into the prisoner transfer area.  Hoover confides, "Dallas police didn't operate with the highest degree of efficiency."

At the end of the conversation, Hoover recommends Johnson consider a bullet-proof car.   Johnson replies, "I want to take every precaution I can... you're more than the head of the Federal Bureau as far as I'm concerned.  You're my Brother and personal friend and you have been for 25 to 30 years."

Upon hearing that last sentence, Koppel asked the panel, "What did President Johnson  mean when he told Hoover, 'You're my Brother?'"  Not a single panelist had any idea what Johnson was talking about.

But we know, don't we?

Lyndon B. Johnson is rarely included in lists of US Presidents who were Freemasons; however, he was, in fact, initiated an Entered Apprentice on October 30, 1937, in Johnson City Lodge #561, at Johnson City, Texas.  He never went beyond the First Degree.  

J. Edgar Hoover, on the other hand, was a 33° Scottish Rite Mason, a York Rite Mason, a member of  Federal Lodge  #1, Washington, DC and a charter member of  Justice Lodge #46 in Maryland.

Lyndon B. Johnson and J. Edgar Hoover were Masonic Brothers; and President Johnson acknowledged it in that historic conversation.

~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.

One Year and Eleven Days

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Robert H. Johnson 32°

An average day in February, a long time ago a child was born who would become one of the Presidents of the Continental Congress and ultimately the President of the United States of America. Of course I am talking about Illustrious Brother George Washington. The time in which Brother Washington was born the Colonies used a Julian Calendar and not the Gregorian we use today. So historically speaking Brother Washington was born on February 11th, 1731.

In 1752 Britain and the Colonies of the new world adopted the previously mentioned Gregorian calendar and it moved Washington's birthday. Not just by a few days either, it moved it a year and eleven days to the now observed February 22nd, 1732. Now that I have you mildly entertained with this fun fact, let me take moment to reflect.

As we in the Craft celebrate Brother Washington's birthday, the rest of the Nation somewhat generically celebrates "Presidents Day", which is interesting since no one has ever actually sanctioned Washington's Birthday as Presidents Day. In their celebrations, which seldom escape the confines of academia, we see the profane revering Brother Washington's morals and virtues through story books, myths and craft projects. At some point something is usually inferred like "They don't make men like that anymore" or "No one has values like that anymore." Well, we know this is false, those values are alive and well within the confines of our graces.

To most people Washington's Birthday means one thing, that they get a paid day off of work or an extra day to play in the snow. On the other hand, to the Freemason, to the true craftsmen of our fraternity, it means a whole lot more. To us and our families, it is a day to remember Brother Washington's utmost values as both a man and a Mason. We can do well to Brother Washington's memory by continuously perpetuating these values and actions in all our transactions with mankind.

Look well to your character Brothers.

~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 belongs to Waukegan Lodge No. 78. 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 a weekly Podcast (internet radio program) Whence Came You? which focuses 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 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.

Theodore Roosevelt And His Bear

by Midnight Freemasons Contributor

Todd E. Creason

In 1902, President Teddy Roosevelt was invited by the Governor of Mississippi, Andrew Longino, on a bear hunting trip.  Roosevelt was known as a keen hunter, and quite a competition broke out amongst the hunters in the party. But while many of the competing hunters had already managed to kill a bear, Roosevelt hadn't.  There was obvious concern about how that might appear--the new President and great hunter coming home empty handed.

Roosevelt's guide and several of his attendants were able to track down a bear, and tied the exhausted animal to a tree.  They brought the President to the site where they had the bear tied up, expecting him to shoot the bear and therefore save his reputation.  But Roosevelt refused to shoot the badly beaten and exhausted animal.  He said simply is was unsportmanlike, and he wouldn't do it.

Radar and his Teddy Bear

The story soon got out, and cartoonist Clifford Berryman drew a famous cartoon of Roosevelt and his bear that became very popular.  In many Berryman cartoons to follow, the little bear (drawn to look smaller and cuter) was always present somewhere in the cartoon.

The public, however, didn't see Roosevelt's actions that day in Mississippi as a sign of weakness at all--but a sign of strength and character.  It actually bolstered his reputation as a moral man, and a decision maker.

Not long after the incident, and the popularity of the cartoons, a man named Morris Michtom got the idea for a new toy--a stuffed "Teddy Bear."  It soon became hugely popular, and has remained so to this day.  And while not fond of being called "Teddy," Roosevelt himself seemed to enjoy having the popular bears named after him.  He gave away many of them during his campaign as he ran for another term as President.

~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 Magnificent George Washington Masonic National Memorial Part 2 of 2

by Midnight Freemason Contributor 

WB Gregory J. Knott

     In part 1, we explored the exterior and the Great Hall inside the memorial.   Further exploration of the ground floor areas finds some exceptional spaces and rooms including two lodge rooms, the replica of the original Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22 room and spectacular theater.

    

     The south lodge room is home of Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22.  This lodge was home of George Washington and was renamed in his honor in 1805.  AW22 was first charted in 1783 and met in multiple locations before moving to the memorial.  AW22 was instrumental in the founding of the memorial and purchased the first lots on which the memorial sits today.

     The replica lodge room is modeled after the original lodge room and contains some important historical artifacts including a chair that Washington used while he was Master of the lodge.

     

Looking East in the replica lodge room.

Looking West in the replica lodge room.

     

     George Washington’s Chair

On the lower level is a room containing displays titled The Forms and Function of American Freemasonry and talks about the evolution of Freemasonry in the United States.  As you enter the display you are greeted by a life size figure of Washington dressed in his Masonic regalia.  Further displays have masonic artifacts and a timeline with history of the growth of the fraternity up through modern day.

     Washington in The Forms and Function of American Freemasonry exhibit. 

To move up the tower to other rooms in the memorial, one takes an elevator.  But this is no ordinary elevator.  The tower gets smaller as you go higher and so a normal straight up and down elevator would not work.  The elevators in the tower are slanted at a 7.5 degree angle to move between the floors.

Upon arriving at the third floor you will find this the Family of Freemasonry Exhibit.  Here the visitor will learn about various appendant bodies of Freemasonry including The Grottoes of North America, Order of the Eastern Star and The Tall Cedars of Lebanon.  

3rd floor exhibit.

       Washington Museum

                                                                               At the top of the memorial awaits the Observation Deck.  An amazing 360° of the Washington metro area awaits you.  The Capitol, Washington Monument, the National Cathedral and more are within eye site.  There can’t be many more awesome views in the world than from this memorial.
    




    Your visit to the memorial will leave you inspired about the life of Washington, his impact on the United States and how the craft played an instrumental role in this development.

~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.

Truman's Entered Apprentice Reply

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

R.W.B. Michael H. Shirley

     One of the joys of reading history is discovering moments that illuminate something in the past, especially about a person’s character. Prominent men and women leave a trail of public and private papers, and historians comb through them, hoping to flesh out stories of great and important events. But it’s the little things, the mundane, that are often the most fruitful.

     Harry Truman, as County Judge, Senator, Vice President, President, and Grand Master of Masons in Missouri, left behind a vast library of documents. His correspondence in particular is worth reading, and one letter he wrote on March 10, 1941, tells something of his attitude toward the caliber of men he called “Brother.” It seems that an Entered Apprentice was wearing the square and compasses about town, and the lodge secretary, concerned about this breach of Masonic practice, wrote the Grand Master to ask what he ought to do about it. Truman replied as follows: 

     “A fellow is misrepresenting the facts, of course, when he wears a Square and Compasses when he has not yet finished the first three degrees. Usually a little reasoning convinces these fellows that they are not helping themselves nor the Fraternity by being forehanded and over enthusiastic. I have had the same experiences at home, and I am sure that if you will tell these fellows just exactly what they are doing, they will stop it.”

     It’s not often that so short a document can illustrate one man’s intelligence, easy authority, and basic decency, but this one does it. In three sentences, he affirmed that the secretary was right in his understanding of Masonic practice, informed him that correction was called for, and exemplified the gentle, respectful, and personal nature of the correction required. It’s a brilliant bit of writing, in a real voice that’s recognizably Truman’s, and thoroughly Masonic. It assigns no motives other than enthusiasm, and assumes the intelligent good will of all involved. 

     Harry Truman was not naïve: he knew evil existed, that there were bad men in the world, and that force was often necessary. But he preferred to start from a position that assumed decency and trust, for he knew if he did not then neither decency nor trust would be achieved. It’s a lesson of history, contained in one short and routine letter, from a too-busy Grand Master and Senator to a lodge secretary: Harry Truman was a Mason to his marrow.

~MHS

R.W.B. Michael H. Shirley is the Assistant Area Deputy Grand Master for the Eastern Area for the Grand Lodge of Illinois A.F. & A.M.  He is the Past Master of Tuscola Lodge No. 332 and Leadership Development Chairman for the Grand Lodge of Illinois. He's also a member of the Illinois Lodge of Research, the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, Eastern Star, and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon. He's also a member of the newly-chartered, Illini High Twelve No. 768 in Urbana-Champaign. The author of several articles on British history, he teaches at Eastern Illinois University.

President of the United States for a Single Day

by Midnight Freemason Conrtibutor

Steven L. Harrison PM, FMLR

     Riding along the winding backroads of northwest Missouri, about a half-hour form my home, I

sometimes stop at an old cemetery just outside Plattsburgh.  Right inside the entrance is a series of arrows pointing to a specific grave.  That grave has a compelling brass marker which proclaims the man buried there was "President of the United States for one day ~ Mar. 4, 1849."  After stopping at the cemetery I sometimes roll my big red Harley trike into Plattsburgh where the townsfolk have erected a towering statue to the man, also proclaiming his presidency.  On occasion, I've even gone on up the road, across the Missouri river and visited "The World's Smallest Presidential Library," which was built in his honor.  The library is located in Atchison, Kansas, which was named after the man, David Rice Atchison.

     Senator David Rice Atchison, a member of Platte Lodge #56 in Missouri, was President pro tempore of the United States Senate when Zachary Taylor was elected president.  Inauguration day in 1849 fell on a Sunday and the devout Taylor refused to attend his swearing in on the sabbath, rescheduling it for the following day.  Taylor's Vice President, Millard Fillmore, followed suit and James K. Polk's term had expired the previous day, technically leaving the presidency vacant.  Constitutionally, Atchison was next in line for the office.

     Hearing this quirky bit of news, Atchison's friend, Judge Willie Magnum, and a group of others descended on Atchison's house and tramped up to his bedroom in the middle of the night.  There, with the confused Atchison in his nightgown, Judge Magnum administered the oath of office.  Brother Atchison went back to sleep and spent the bulk of his "presidency" resting and reading in his home.  He later said this about his auspicious day:

"It was in this way; Polk went out of office on the third of March 1849, on Saturday at twelve noon. The next day, the fourth, occurring on Sunday, General Taylor was not inaugurated. He was not inaugurated until Monday the fifth, at twelve noon. It was then canvassed among senators whether there was an interregnum (which means a time during which a country lacks a government). It was plain that there was either an interregnum or I was the President of  the United States, being chairman of the Senate, having succeeded Judge Magnum of North Carolina. The judge waked me up at three o'clock in the morning and said jocularly that I was President of the United States and he wanted me to appoint him as Secretary of State. I made no pretense to the office, but if I was entitled in it I had one boast to make, that not a woman or child shed a tear on account of my removing anyone from office during my incumbency of the place."

     Historians almost universally agree that Atchison was not officially the president.  It is also true, however, that neither the outgoing president James K. Polk, nor Taylor were president on March 4.  Duly inaugurated, who better than Brother Atchison to fill the gap? If you're not willing to agree that he was at least ex-officio President, just don't mention it around Atchison, Kansas or Plattsburgh, Missouri.


~SLH

Steve Harrison, 32° KCCH, is a Past Master of Liberty Lodge #31, Liberty, Missouri.  He is the editor of the Missouri Freemasonmagazine, author of the book Freemasonry Crosses the Mississippi, a Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research and also its Senior Warden.  He is a dual member of Kearney Lodge #311, St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite, Moila Shrine and is a member of the DeMolay Legion of Honor.

Are Freemasons Weird?

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, PM, FMLR

     I recently attended a non-Masonic function held in a church where the Freemasons had dedicated the building.  Out in the parking lot after the function had ended, I made note of the cornerstone.  Not realizing I was a Mason myself, one of the others in the group gasped, "Isn't that weird!"  

     Weird.  The word echoed through my brain like it had exploded from my 1970s quadraphonic speakers playing one of those old reverberating radio stations.  Weird.  Are we weird?  I mean, I know there are people who think Masons are weird, but they're usually the types I think are weird, right backacha.

     The person who said it, in fact, was a member of the church where we met.  It's a mainstream Christian church that I always thought was pretty open-minded and tolerant.  Not weird.  What's more, on the way in I had seen what I presume to be a parishioner's car with a Shriner's emblem on it.  Is he weird... the church pariah, perhaps?  I doubt it.  And besides, if that was the viewpoint of the church, why on earth did the members decide to have the Masons dedicate it? I can't believe that's the case at all, so I have to believe that collectively, the church members hold Freemasons in high enough regard to have them dedicate the building.  So I figure it must have been that individual's point of view.  It's a view held by a few others, isn't it?

     Freemasons are weird?  Are the men (and women) who support the Shriner's hospitals weird?  Are the people who support dozens of other charities like the Knight Templar Eye Foundation and Scottish Rite Clinics weird?  

     George Washington... was he weird? Omar Bradley? Clark Gable? Will Rogers? Thurgood Marshall? Richard Dreyfuss? Fifteen US Presidents? Peter Marshall?  What mainstream Protestant thinks Peter Marshall was weird? How about the founders of the Mayo Clinic?

     Is the Fraternity whose Lodges served as an early model for democracy weird?  Were many of the leaders of the American Revolution weird?  How about the very first organization to break down class barriers, declaring everyone in Lodge to be equal?  Or the Lodges in Belgium that first put forth the shocking idea that women are equal to men?  How weird is the first organization known to promote worker's rights?  Guess where many of those "weird" leaders in medicine, education, the arts, literature, music and architecture came from.

     I'll admit there are some Freemasons who have done some weird things.  In fact, I'm writing a book about them.  However, for every Freemason who did something a bit offbeat, I'll bet I can come up with a hundred non Masons who were more weird.

     This wasn't the first time I had heard someone express an opinion that Freemasons are somehow weird and it won't be the last.  Still, it perplexes me.  Maybe I'm just a little... well... weird.

     This article has been revised from a similar article the author published in the Missouri Freemason magazine.  The author thanks the Masonic Service Association, whose new pamphlet, "What Has Masonry Done For The World," served as a reference for this article.

~SH

Steve Harrison, 32° KCCH, is a 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 Senior Warden.  He is a dual member of Kearney Lodge #311, St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite, Moila Shrine and is a member of the DeMolay Legion of Honor.

James A. Garfield: Freemason Wisdom

 

James A. Garfield
20th President of the United States

Reposted from 4/11/11


"The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable."

~James A. Garfield

Columbus Lodge No. 246, Ohio

Truth has never been an easy thing, but it's at the core of nearly every faith.  Yet, this simple concept revered over millenia challenges us every day.  How many times are we asked an opinion by a boss at work, and struggle with the decision of speaking our mind, or saying what we know our boss wants to hear.  How many times are we asked if we like the terrible cookies a co-worker brought in, and we simple nod and smile as we choke the rest of it down?  How many times do we witness an injustice being done and decide not to involve ourselves?  Even the best of us, upon reflection, may learn to our dismay that we're at least somewhat dishonest just about every day. 

Sometimes it's easier for us to deflect the truth, or sugar-coat our opinions instead of speaking what we know is true.  Sometimes we do it out of consideration for somebody's feelings, and sometimes we do it out of simple cowardice.  But there is only one truth.  It's up to us, each day, to decide what that truth is, and if we have the strength and fortitude of character to speak it, and live it, or if we're to ignore it and go along and get along in a society that doesn't hold the truth is as high regard as as it once did.  

~TEC  

Freemason Presidents

I caused quite a stir with my blog entries George W. Bush: Freemason Or Not?  and Barack Obama: Freemason Or Not?  Apparently, I am incorrect, and either I'm not high ranking enough in the fraternity to know anything, or I'm part of the global Masonic conspiracy . . . take your pick.  I got quite a chuckle when I read through my email last night.  So, as author of two books on the subject of famous Freemasons, and probably the best authority on the subject of who is and who isn't a Freemason, let me lay it all out for you. 

Here's the whole list of American Presidents that were Freemasons. As I said in the previous post--this information is not a secret!  In fact, in my Famous American Freemasons books, I go in to much greater detail about some of these Presidents' Masonic affiliations.

GEORGE WASHINGTON #1

Member of Fredericksburg Lodge (later No. 4) at Fredericksburg, Va. Charter Master, Alexandria Lodge No. 22, Alexandria, Va., April 28, 1788.

JAMES MONROE #5

Initiated in Williamsburg Lodge No. 6 at Williamsburg, Va., Nov. 9, 1775, but there is no record of his taking any further degrees, however the records of Cumberland Lodge No. 8 in Tennessee, show a reception for Monroe as "a Brother of the Craft" was given for him in 1819.

ANDREW JACKSON #7

Grand Master of Tennessee, 1822-23. His lodge is unknown but he is said to have attended at Clover Bottom Lodge under the Grand Lodge of Kentucky. He was present in lodge at Greeneville in 1801 and acted as Senior Warden pro-tem. The records of St. Tammany Lodge No. 29 at Nashville, which became Harmony Lodge No. 1 under the Grand Lodge of Tennessee, show that Jackson was a member.

JAMES K. POLK #11

Member of Columbia Lodge No. 31, Columbia, Tenn. Exalted a Royal Arch Mason in La Fayette Chapter No. 4 at Columbia in 1825.

JAMES BUCHANAN #15

Member of Lodge 43 in Lancaster, PA. Served as Worshipful Master. Also Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

ANDREW JOHNSON #17

Member of Greeneville Lodge No. 119 now No. 3 at Greeneville, TN.  Believed to be a member of Greeneville Chapter No. 82 Royal Arch Masons, since he joined Nashville Commandery of Knights Templar No. 1 in 1859. He received the Scottish Rite degrees in the White House in 1867.

JAMES A. GARFIELD #20

He was initiated and passed in Magnolia Lodge No. 20, Columbus, Ohio, and raised in Columbus Lodge No. 3O in1864. Affiliated with Garrettsville Lodge No. 246 in 1866, and also Pentalpha Lodge No. 23 in Washington, D. C. as charter member. Exalted in Columbus Royal Arch Chapter, and became a Knight Templar.  Also a member of the Scottish Rite.

WILLIAM MCKINLEY #25

He is sometimes said to have been initiated, passed, and raised in Hiram Lodge No. 10 in Winchester, West Virginia in 1865, but this event most likely took place in Hiram Lodge No. 21 at Winchester, Virginia. McKinley affiliated with Canton Lodge No. 60 at Canton, Ohio in 1867 and later became a charter member of Eagle Lodge No. 43. He received the Capitular degrees in Canton in 1883 and was made a Knight Templar in 1884.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT #26

He was a member of Matinecock Lodge No. 806, Oyster Bay, N. Y.

WILLIAM H. TAFT #27

Made a Mason at sight in Kilwinning Lodge No. 356, Cincinnati, Ohio in 1901.

WARREN G. HARDING #29

Initiated in Marion Lodge No. 7O, Marion, Ohio, 1901. He received no other degree until after becoming President. He was passed and raised in Marion Lodge in 1920, Royal Arch Chapter degrees in Marion Chapter No. 62 in 1921; Knight Templar in Marion Commandery No. 36, in 1921. Scottish Rite and Shrine in 1921.

FRANKLIN D.ROOSEVELT #32

He was a member of Holland Lodge No. 8, New York City, a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite in Albany Consistory, and a member of the Shrine.

HARRY S TRUMAN #33 

He was a member of Belton Lodge No 450; organized and became a charter member of Grandview No. 618. Served as both district lecturer and deputy Grand Master for several years. Elected Grand Master of Masons in Missouri in 1940. He received the first Gourgas Medal of the Scottish Rite, NMJ. He was a 33rd Degree.  He was buried on his library's grounds with impressive rites--it was the first time Masonic funeral services were ever televised.

GERALD R. FORD #38

Ford received the degrees in Malta Lodge No. 405, Grand Rapids, Michigan along with his three brothers. Brother Ford was the 1974 recipient of the NY Grand Lodge Distinguished Achievement Award, the highest honor that can be presented by the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York. He was also a 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason and a member of the Shrine.

AND THERE ARE A COUPLE IN QUESTION . . .

It is believed that John Adams was a Freemason by many Masonic scholars, however, no documentary evidence survives to establish it for certain.  We just don't know for sure.

It has also been argued that Thomas Jefferson was a Freemason--he was known to have attended Masonic Lodge meetings in Paris, and there are several other indications that he may have been a member of the Craft--however, there is no evidence that has survived to prove he was a Mason either.

AND THERE ARE A COUPLE MORE THAT CAUSE CONFUSION!

Lyndon B. Johnson did receive the 1st Degree in Freemasonry, however, he never finished. 

Bill Clinton is not a Freemason.  He was a member of Demolay, which is an organization for boys sponsored by Freemasonry, however, he never joined a lodge when he became old enough.

And of course there's Ronald Reagan.  He's often cited as a Freemason as well.  But he wasn't.  I posted a blog about that called Ronald Reagan: Freemason Or Not? recently. 

And most recently, I talked about George W. Bush and his father George H. W. Bush and revealed the fact there is no evidence to support that either of them are Masons.  I also posted a article about President Barack Obama and the fact there is little to support the contention that he is a Freemason.

That's the entire list of American Presidents who were Freemasons, and hopefully I cleared up a few questions about which Presidents were Freemasons, and those who weren't as well. 

~TEC