How Will They Know If You Don’t Tell Them?

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Randy Sanders

I always run late and miss the interfaith service on the morning of the Grand Master’s Breakfast.  I don’t know why, but it seems to be a tradition now.  I may just keep that tradition and skip the Sunday service although I hear it’s nice.  The breakfast and fellowship never disappoint, and I seem to find my way to the St. Louis Moolah Shrine Temple about the time the service ends each year just in time to shake some hands and be seated at my lodge’s table. 

This year being no exception, it was a nice cool, rainy break from a run of near or over 100-degree days as I pulled into the mostly full large parking lot.  I knew I would see some of my favorite Brethren from all over the state, and sure enough, they drove sometimes hours and hours to gather for the event.  This year all three youth organizations banded together for the first time to assist in serving the breakfast, and it was nice to see all three orgs working together seamlessly.  The Shriners were fantastic as always and very welcoming in opening up the large hall for the breakfast.  I have the utmost respect and appreciation for the Shriners even though it doesn’t seem to be my path in Masonry.  I encourage all Masons to do a deeper investigation into the Shrine to see if it fits with their path.  The programming was good and moved quickly through many introductions to the speaker and then closing remarks, and a few of us retired to a local cigar lounge for additional fellowship and lofty conversation over beverages of choice. 

Seems fairly pedestrian, right?  Most of us experience some form of Masonic event across regional or even state boundaries, right?  Well, no, and I hope to make this point:  Many don’t know all Masons are welcome and encouraged to attend these functions.  I know many Masons that have never visited even a neighboring Lodge, and that makes me a little sad.  We must communicate and encourage others to attend these events and especially attend events like our Grand Lodge communications.  I often hear those events are for “apron chasers” who belong to all the organizations, or that these events are for officers and those “chasing gold” by wanting to be appointed to higher offices.  Believe me when I say that’s not the case.  Yeah, I suppose we do have a fair number of Brothers who do chase the gold, but that’s no different than any organization, right?  It took me a few years to get past my preconceptions to understand attendance to Grand Lodge functions helps demonstrate your voice, and your voice is important.  Your voice is certainly as important as mine, and probably more so!  

I also had to come to my own realization about those chasing the gold as I used to think the same thing.  I admit I had a jaded view of organizational management when I joined the Craft, and that initial bias carried over to sarcasm and even some dismissive views toward Grand Lodge at the regional and state levels.  After all, what and who were these people to me?  I found out differently as I met and spoke with these fine gentlemen who give up so much time with family and friends in order to serve the Fraternity.  Yeah, we may occasionally get a Grand Master here and there in some jurisdictions that may not be the best, but I found that to be a rarity.  We in Missouri are very fortunate to have a very strong Grand Line both past and present, and I am excited for the future of the Craft.  If you will take the time to talk to your Grand Line officers, your Masonic experience will be enriched.  Taking the time to engage and work with your Grand line officers, or simply showing up at functions to show support makes a difference.  

My Grand Line officers know I’m not chasing aprons nor interested in ever becoming a Grand Line appointee.  How do they know that?  I told them.  I just don’t see Masonic administrative leadership as being my path in Freemasonry when my focus remains on helping others through education, communication, and mentoring.  I also told these same Grand Line officers they could count on me if needed or as needed to get things done.  These private conversations with the Grand Line officers pay off in ways we may never see.  By making our interests known, by making our voices heard, by showing up and simply having a good time in fellowship with our Brethren, we set many wheels in motion behind the scenes.  If you want to serve on committees or serve in other ways, how will they know if you don’t tell them?  If you want to support your Grand Lodge but not serve on committees or by appointment, how will they know if you don’t tell them?  If you are able to provide Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth in some way to your District, Region, or Grand Lodge, how will they know if you don’t tell them?

~RS

Randy and his wife Elyana live near St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Randy earned a Bachelors Degree in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, and he works in Telecom IT management. He volunteers as a professional and personal mentor, NRA certified Chief Range Safety Officer and enjoys competitive tactical pistol, rifle, and shotgun. He has 30 plus years teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Kung, and healing arts. Randy served as a Logistics Section Chief on two different United States federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams over a 12 year span. Randy is a 32nd degree KCCH and Knight Templar. His Masonic bio includes past Lodge Education Officer for two symbolic lodges, Founder of the Wentzville Lodge Book Club, member of the Grand Lodge of Missouri Education Committee, Sovereign Master of the E. F. Coonrod AMD Council No. 493, Co-Librarian of the Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis, Clerk for the Academy of Reflection through the Valley of Guthrie, and a Facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society. Randy is a founding administrator for Refracted Light, full contributor to Midnight Freemasons, and an international presenter on esoteric topics. Randy hosts an open ongoing weekly Masonic virtual Happy Hour on Friday evenings. Randy is an accomplished home chef, a certified barbecue judge, raises Great Pyrenees dogs, and enjoys travel and philosophy.

A Momentous Occasion – Consecrating a New Temple

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Randy Sanders

Historic events might be defined as a point in time whereby we can point to what was, and then we can point to what followed.  Some are rather sudden and unexpected, while others are planned.  In this case, on Saturday, April 2, 2022 years of planning and hard work were realized by Masons throughout the region.  Plans ensued, visions communicated, some not as well as others, suggestions, arguments, agreements, occasional hurt feelings all vented over the years, but as with all great endeavors compromise and unity won the day.  The St. Louis region consecrated the first new building in decades: a new Masonic Temple in Ellisville, Missouri.  For those not familiar with the area, the new location is in the West County area, or put another way call it roughly 20 miles southwest of downtown.  The outside edifice changed little, but the interior was worth the wait. 

The new temple was a gutted and refurbished church and school property in a great, high traffic location bringing together the Naphtali #25 lodge and a couple of York bodies that originally partnered on the “New Temple” built in St. Louis city almost 100 years ago.  That building had been sold, and the lodge/bodies were displaced until this new location could be purchased and renovated. 

The invitations went out last summer.  Then canceled.  Plans for finishing had been tied up with pending inspections, lack of available labor, and with delays, more frustration ensued.  Ironic that patience can be difficult with a multi-year project when our Fraternity hasn’t been in the operative building mode in so very long.  The invitations went out again, this time for the first Saturday in April, and the call was answered. 

We were beyond capacity and standing room only.  A call went out for additional chairs, and a second call and third.  Grand Lodge officers barely had space to circumnavigate, much less ceremonially circumambulate, the Lodge room.  The crowd well exceeded 100, 125 were counted at lunch, and more continued to show up for the actual ceremony.  Worshipful Brother Joe Stewart led a kitchen crew that rivaled any professionals anywhere and turned a modest initial estimate into the excess that fed the unexpected crowd.  The brass band sounded terrific, but the crowd was such they had to play from an open hallway.  Still, the sweet sounds of a live brass band cannot be duplicated.  The Templars, all 6 of them, did close order drill in full dress uniform with a wonderful flag presentation, and the crowded lodge room allowed for them to squeeze into and out of it single-file.  I was both fortunate and honored to grab a chair beside Illustrious Bob Cockerham, 33^rd degree, and SGIG for the Orient of Missouri.  We chatted about the coming reunion and a speech he recently gave at the last local 4 Bodies meetings.  I fully agree with his remarks, and I look forward to how the Valley responds later in the year. 

The ceremony began with the Worshipful Master of the home lodge making opening remarks and calling for the consecration of the building.  Most Worshipful Grand Master Dr. Ty Treutelaar (no, nobody pronounces it correctly the first dozen times) had the crowd in the palm of his hand.  We clapped, we cheered, we roared with laughter, and then the consecration began in earnest.  The full Grand Lodge officers were in their stations.  How often do you see that except at the stated Grand communication?  The Grand Lodge had previously opened in a separate area meeting in a different room in the building, and the consecration ceremony then began immediately. 

Worshipful Brother Mike Hartnett approached me after the ceremony remarking that (paraphrased) Wentzville #46 and Naphtali #25 were well represented.  Naphtali being onsite and the home lodge of the new temple, and Wentzville #46 led and closed the Grand officers.  Puzzled, I asked Mike how he came to that observation.  It turns out this year’s Grand officers include Wentzville Past Masters in the positions of Grand Sword Bearer and Grand Tyler.  In all processions, one leads, and one follows closing the procession.  

Right Worshipful Brothers Jake Thompson and Terry Coppotelli met with me briefly and discussed additional consecration activities in the parking lot as they both scooted off to another Grand Line event, and I headed back home after enjoying the day of momentous ceremony and excellent fellowship.  If elected, I will most likely be installed as Worshipful Master of Naphtali #25 in this building in the summer of 2023, and I look forward to seeing many familiar faces.  Please hold off on throwing the tomatoes until AFTER I’ve been obligated to, and sworn into office…

~RS

Randy and his wife Elyana live near St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Randy earned a Bachelors Degree in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, and he works in Telecom IT management. He volunteers as a professional and personal mentor, NRA certified Chief Range Safety Officer and enjoys competitive tactical pistol, rifle, and shotgun. He has 30 plus years teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Kung, and healing arts. Randy served as a Logistics Section Chief on two different United States federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams over a 12 year span. Randy is a 32nd degree KCCH and Knight Templar. His Masonic bio includes past Lodge Education Officer for two symbolic lodges, Founder of the Wentzville Lodge Book Club, member of the Grand Lodge of Missouri Education Committee, Sovereign Master of the E. F. Coonrod AMD Council No. 493, Co-Librarian of the Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis, Clerk for the Academy of Reflection through the Valley of Guthrie, and a Facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society. Randy is a founding administrator for Refracted Light, full contributor to Midnight Freemasons, and an international presenter on esoteric topics. Randy hosts an open ongoing weekly Masonic virtual Happy Hour on Friday evenings. Randy is an accomplished home chef, a certified barbecue judge, raises Great Pyrenees dogs, and enjoys travel and philosophy.

The Other Elvis

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

His epitaph reads, "A very interesting fella."

His first name is not even on his tombstone. Born in 1934, Elvis Otha Wingo was a young man when another Elvis took the country by storm. I never asked Otha if that was why he preferred to use his middle name but it might have been. After all, back then there was only one Elvis and, make no mistake, there was also only one Otha.

Shortly after being appointed editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine I learned I had an assistant editor who had held the position for years, never wanting to move into the editor's chair. It was, the Grand Secretary told me, a Brother named Dr. E. Otha Wingo. A couple weeks later I went to our Grand Lodge communication and found him in the cavernous hall where we hold the plenary session. We introduced ourselves and had a lengthy conversation about the magazine, Freemasonry, and a few other things. I learned he had earned his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and for many years had been a professor of ancient Greek, Latin, and Mythology at Southeast Missouri State University. As the hall began to fill for our meeting, Otha excused himself from our conversation to attend to another duty. Already impressed by this obviously brilliant Brother, I was stunned when he walked over to a piano, sat down, and began playing. He had neglected to tell me he was an accomplished pianist and served as the musician for our Grand Sessions.

"This man," I thought, "is my assistant editor. I should be his assistant instead."

As assistant editor, RWB Wingo only had one job. For years, even before I became a member, he wrote a column, "To Improve Myself in Freemasonry," which always appeared on the back cover of the magazine. The "back page column," as it was known, and Otha himself were both icons to our Grand Lodge members.

In all the years I knew him, I came to realize our first conversation didn't tell half the story.

Otha grew up in Boonville, Mississippi, The son of Elijah and Edna Goodin Wingo. His parents were sharecroppers, who could barely scratch out a living during the depression years of his youth.  He developed an early interest in playing the piano. His family could not afford such an expensive instrument, so he took a long strip of cardboard and drew the keys on it, using that to learn to play.

At the age of 12, he taught an adult Bible class at Booneville Baptist Church and, four years later at just 16, the child genius was admitted to college, where he studied classical languages. In 1963, his 198-page doctoral thesis. "Latin Punctuation in the Classical Age," proved for the first time that the Romans used punctuation in the written Latin language.

Otha was initiated September 12, 1966 and spent the bulk of his Masonic life as a member of Harold O. Grauel Lodge 672, where he served as Master in 1973. On the Charter Night of that Lodge, Dr. Wingo not only gave a dissertation on the history of the Lodge's formation but also, as the official Lodge prognosticator, told its fortune.

His extensive Masonic resume includes serving on many Grand Lodge committees and a variety of positions. He was District Deputy Grand Lecturer from 1998-2010. In 2007, he was honored by being elected just the 12th Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research, and in 2011 received the coveted Truman Medal from the Grand Lodge of Missouri.

The introspective Brother Wingo was president of Huna Research, a society promoting, in its words, a practical way of life containing elements of philosophy, science, and religion. He succeeded the group's founder Max Freedom and served in that position for 40 years.

Working as a missionary in the 1950s, Otha hitchhiked across Jamaica. He was a personal friend of Mahalia Jackson and, as if his life wasn't busy enough, he was a certified private investigator.

The articles RWB Wingo wrote for the magazine were thoughtful, deep, serious, and even sometimes humorous. They all reflected his thorough knowledge of Freemasonry, its principles, and history. As DDGL he liked to include articles on memory aids to assist Brothers in learning the ritual. He never hesitated to drop in information stemming from his deep knowledge of classical languages and mythology. He also confused us from time to time with titles like "The Anacreontic Ode," and "Simillimum."

I once had the temerity to reject one of Otha's articles. Well… sort of. In 2012, he submitted a column entitled "Traditional Observance." TO Lodges, as they are sometimes called, are much more formal than many of our own Lodges. They follow traditional Masonic practices and the original goals of Freemasonry. They usually include Masonic education and discussion in their gatherings. Members almost always dress in tuxedos, focus on the quality of performing the ritual, and usually observe a festive board at each meeting. Sometimes members' attendance, within reason, is required. Otha's article objectively described the origins and practices of TO Lodges.

Like all of Brother Wingo's articles, "Traditional Observance" was interesting, perceptive, and educational. It was certainly worthy of publication. However, the Grand Lodge of Missouri bylaws prohibits TO Lodges. Not just that, some influential members in Missouri are adamantly opposed to them claiming, among other issues, they are elitist. I called Otha and after discussing the issue, we decided it would be better not to publish it. Within a couple of days, the prolific RWB Wingo sent me a replacement article.

In 2015, after a decade as editor of the Missouri Freemason, and a decade of working with Otha, I moved on to other projects. When the first edition of the magazine came out under a new editor, I picked it up out of the mail and immediately turned to the back cover to read Otha's column. Something struck me as strange. The format was different. The title of the article was "The Back Page Legend." Beneath that were the words, "RWB Dr. E. Otha Wingo, PDDGL, FMLR, 1934-2015." Stunned, I gradually realized I was reading Otha's obituary. I had had no reason to communicate with him since our work on the previous issue, and so the back page of the magazine, the space Otha had owned for years, is where I learned of his passing. Somewhat ironically, it turned out my last edition of the magazine was also his. In losing Brother Wingo, Freemasonry had lost a great talent. 

A decorated Freemason, known to be a loving family man, an author, an accomplished musician, a scholar, a missionary, Sunday school teacher, and even a private investigator – Dr. Elvis Otha Wingo was, indeed, an interesting "fella."

Note: The never before published "Traditional Observance," by RWB E. Otha Wingo, will appear in the next edition of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He will be featured in the next episode of the Whence Came You Podcast.

~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.

The Whiskey Barrel

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Steven L. Harrison 33˚, FMLR

In today's bustling twenty-first century world, millions of people travel across the country quickly, comfortably, and without giving it a second thought. During the mid 19th century, people's desire to make that crossing was no less enthusiastic, but the trip was anything but pleasant. Such was the experience of three men who had made their way across the treacherous plains to the west coast town of Oregon City.

These men, Joseph Hull, P.G. Stewart, and William P. Dougherty, Freemasons, hoped to establish a Masonic Lodge in the area. On February 5, 1846, they placed an ad in the Oregon City newspaper calling for members of the Masonic fraternity to meet on February 21, "to adopt some measures to obtain a charter for a Lodge."

On that date, seven Brothers met and crafted a request for a charter from the closest Grand Lodge which, at that time, was in St. Louis, Missouri, over 2,000 miles away. They found a Brother, Joel Palmer, who was headed back east, instructing him to deliver it to the closest Masonic Lodge, Platte City 56, in St. Joseph Missouri.  

Brother Palmer made that Journey during the summer of 1846. Platte City Lodge then delivered the request to the Grand Lodge of Missouri, which granted the charter for Multnomah Lodge 84 on October 19.

The Grand Lodge sent the charter back to Platte City Lodge but it became difficult to find a suitable person to deliver it back to Oregon. Finally, they entrusted the precious document to Pierre Barlow Cornwall, who began the westward journey on April 1, 1848, over two years after the Oregon Brothers made the request.

When Cornwall reached Fort Hall, Idaho in August 1848, he heard about the discovery of gold in California and abandoned any thought of going to Oregon. He entrusted the charter to two Masons he had met along the way, Joseph and Orrin Kellog, then headed out in an attempt to make his fortune. The Kelloggs finally delivered the charter on September 11, 1848, two years and seven months after the initial request.

After all that time with little or no news of its whereabouts, we can only imagine the thrill the Oregon Brothers must have felt receiving that document. Joseph Hull, who became the first Master, was so excited he called a meeting on that very day! The Brothers met at noon on the second floor of a building owned by Dougherty.  The improvised wardens podiums consisted of a barrel of flour in the East, a barrel of whiskey in the West and a barrel of salt pork in the South, symbolically representing corn, wine and oil.

During the next several hours, the Brothers consecrated the Lodge, elected officers, held three Entered Apprentice, three Fellowcraft, and two Master Mason degrees, wrapping things up sixteen hours later.

One cannot help but wonder if, at the end of such an epic journey capped by that auspicious day, those Brothers didn't break open that barrel of whiskey at the Senior Warden's station and toast the establishment of the first Masonic Lodge in the untamed American West.

~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.

We Forgive You

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

I stood curbside at Chicago's O'Hare Airport waiting for my ride. I was there to speak at a Masonic event and another one of the speakers walked up to me and introduced himself as a Brother from Tennessee. I told him I was from Missouri. As we shook hands he said, "Steve, we forgive you."

I knew exactly what he meant. The story, the Missouri side of it, anyway, had come to me in a sort of bull session I had with the Grand Secretary of Missouri at the time, RWB Ron Miller:

Back about 200 years ago… in fact, exactly 200 years ago, the territory that would soon become the state of Missouri had about 100 Brothers who were members of three Lodges spearheading an effort to form a Grand Lodge. The three Lodges were Missouri Lodge 12, Joachim Lodge 25, and St. Charles Lodge 28, all chartered through the Grand Lodge of Tennessee.

Today, the process of creating a new Grand Lodge might be a formal event accompanied by pomp and circumstance. Back then, however, when communication was a lot slower, things were different. The Brothers from those three Lodges got together, decided the time was right, and, presto chango, declared themselves to be a Grand Lodge. No pomp, no circumstance, no muss, no fuss.

When you stop to think about it, any group today could do the same thing; just get together and announce to the world, "Hey, guys, look at us… we're a new Grand Lodge!" There is one catch. The key to becoming a Grand Lodge is not declaration. It's recognition.

Missouri's uppity declaration did not sit well with the Grand Lodge of Tennessee. It responded to Missouri's claim with a resounding, "Oh, no, you're not a Grand Lodge." It seems the three Lodges combined owed their mother Grand Lodge a total of $17, and it refused to recognize them until the debt was paid. Missouri disputed the claim.

In the meantime, other Grand Lodges granted recognition to Missouri, which ultimately settled the issue and gave Missouri the backing to respond to Tennessee, "Oh, yes we are a Grand Lodge." Subsequent correspondence indicates Missouri did not follow its response with, "Nyah, nyah, na nyah, nyah," but the urge to do so may have been strong.

So at least between me and my new friend from Tennessee this two centuries old dispute now appears to have been settled and the Grand Lodge of Missouri and Grand Lodge of Tennessee can let bygones be bygones.

We're still not paying the $17, though.

~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.