Thank You to My Brethren

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Gregory J. Knott

As this year draws to a close I wanted to take an opportunity for a few personal reflections on several brethren who help make this fraternity a great organization.

First is Todd E. Creason, who founded this blog and has been a friend for more than 25 years. His commitment to Masonic education and a willingness to embark on any project to help further this fraternity is nothing short of remarkable. At times when I have gotten discouraged, I only needed to seek a bit of encouragement from Todd and onward we go. Todd has been there with me on this journey since he was on the investigation committee as I petitioned Ogden Lodge No. 754. I owe him a huge thank you for being a true brother and friend.

Robert Johnson is nothing short of an inspiration to so many, including myself. He took on the editorship of the Midnight Freemasons and has helped transform it into what I believe is one of the great lights for education in all of Freemasonry. His dedication to Masonic education is making an impact on not only the present, but the future of the Craft. Week upon week, I can count on listening to a new educational piece on Whence Came You, where Robert has expanded my knowledge on so many subjects. It is huge honor to call him my brother.

No one works harder in the quarries than Sean P. McBride. I met Sean during my first degree and he has been a true friend and brother ever since. Sean is one of these guys who never says no and he is a hard person to say no to when he asks you to take a part in a degree, help with an event, etc. No one exemplifies servant leadership in this craft today more than Sean.

There are a number of brothers in my local lodges of whom I have the greatest respect, for their ongoing dedication in ensuring success of the lodge. Ogden Lodge/Homer Lodge members Denver R. Phelps and Steve Hooper who do more degree work in this area than just about anyone else I know. Carl D. Lewis and Carl W. Lewis who have worked for decades to ensure the lights in Ogden Lodge stay on. St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 Treasurer Eric Buzzard who is always available to work on the building never misses a meeting and can always be counted for an encouraging word.

Just a few of the others I need to mention include William J. Hussey Jr., whose humor and dead straight honesty is exactly what Masonry needs. Brian L. Pettice, who is not only a tremendous ritualist, but has deep insights into the values we seek to espouse and he lives them daily. Michael J. Dooley travels around to our events further than anyone I know. Mike is extremely loyal and can always be counted on to follow through on his word.

The risk of making a list is leaving someone off and no doubt I have. There are countless other brothers whom I have met that make Freemasonry what it is, a special organization that is unlike anything else in the world.

To all my brethren, I extend my sincere thank you in helping me become a better person.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah and prosperous New Year!

~GJK

Thoughts Become Things

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

On a recent high-school tour, I saw a sign inside a classroom that read, "Thoughts become things." I like that idea. I had heard it before, but I wasn't sure where. I thought it might be a quote from an unknown person or something from a book or play. I decided to research it and maybe use it in an article.

So I went where we always go these days to find out — straight to the Internet. The first thing I ran into was this, from a Metaphysics site:

"Thoughts become things when they are given substance with feelings in the Mind."

Bunk.

It is true that thoughts can become things but it takes a whole lot more than "feelings in the mind" to make a thought — some might call it an idea — become a reality.

Good ideas are a dime a dozen; they really are. World peace — there's a good idea. Well, we've been rolling out "Visualize World Peace" bumper stickers for decades and we're still visualizing, aren't we?

Every Master or even Grand Master comes into his term filled with good ideas and the intention to make Freemasonry in general or his Lodge in particular better by the time he leaves. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't.

What are the secret ingredients?

I recently had a great experience working with a group of Brothers and Eastern Star Sisters that turned out a "thing" which had originated as a "thought." Together, we published a book. It was the journal of a former Missouri Grand Secretary who lived almost the entire 19th century. He recorded a first-hand account of Masonic events that took place during that time, not just from Missouri, but elsewhere as well.

The journal had been lost for nearly three quarters of a century. It contained information not known anywhere else about our Craft. Upon finding the journal, it was a "no brainer" for one of our Brothers, then a group of Brothers, to have the seminal thought that we should publish it. Eventually, that thought became a "thing." It didn't happen overnight and it didn't happen with "feelings in the mind."

It happened because over twenty people involved in the project were dedicated and put in a lot of hard work. Dedication and hard work — those, my Brothers, are the secret ingredients.

Steve Jobs, you may recall, had a lot of good ideas; and he knew how to turn those ideas into a lot of good things. I like what he said about thoughts becoming things: "Most people have a disease: they think once they've had a good idea they've done 90% of the work. Coming up with the idea is easy. Working to make it a reality is the hard part."

~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.