Fear

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Aaron Gardner

When addressing the Nation with his first inaugural speech, President and Brother Franklin D. Roosevelt gave us a line that we still use today because of how true it really is. He is speaking in regards of the Nation’s future when he says “ The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” He continues to define exactly what fear is, the unreasoning and unjustified terror. Fear holds us back as a nation from doing what we need to do in order to progress further into the future. However, doesn’t it motivate from the other side as well? 

When I was seventeen years old I enlisted in the Army. I didn’t let my fear of the future get in the way, I just signed the dotted line and barely listened to what the recruiter had to say. The truth is, I knew what I was doing before I walked into the recruiting office. I was signing up for new adventures, an education and an experience that few could have on their own. I left for basic training a year later, pumped and motivated but a little afraid of what was to come. I have seen all the movies, TV shows and the Youtube videos of the Soldiers in training, but I knew that it wouldn’t be like that because I did training already for a year with my recruiters and different Soldiers. Still, the uncertainty left a sense of fear in my mind of what was going to happen. 

When I walked up to that door feeling ridiculous in the clothing I was wearing, the hoodwink over my eyes; I couldn’t help but have a sense of fear of what was about to happen as my hand was fixed upon the door to render 3 loud raps. I have been a Soldier for quite some time by now, with tours all across Iraq, Africa, Europe and the United States there wasn’t much to make me feel scared. However, losing a sense that I rely very heavily on tends to put that sense of fear in my heart. I knew there was nothing to be afraid of, by all the research I had conducted regarding Freemasonry, but still I was somewhat exposed and had no choice but to rely on my conductor and other senses to guide me around. Knowing not what I was really getting myself into, the fear motivated me to want more and find out where I was going on this path of enlightenment. 

Here I sit, writing this article with great zeal and love for the Craft and still with some fear in my heart. It isn’t uncommon for me to write an article, complete the entire article and not have it published. I may write it, revise and edit it then decide the article isn’t quite what I was looking for. I fear the article may have some backlash, or that it doesn’t represent Freemasonry in the light that I want to portray it. When this happens I simply save the article into my documents and forget about it. I may eventually publish the articles down the line if I feel that I can reedit them to how I want, or if I feel that my previous fear was irrational. 

Regardless, my fear keeps me going. I write constantly because of my fear. I am afraid that the article may not be good enough for my audience. Making me turn around a different article in order to be better. My fear makes me strive to perfect my ashlar and work on my trestle board of writing. So, is fear necessarily a bad thing? 

The answer to that question is a double edged sword. Yes, it can be a good motivator in what ever you need to be motivated in. It can also cause harm. When we are so afraid to do something that we don’t do it, what opportunities did we miss out on? What in life are we allowing to pass us by? 

For example, I have been in the Army for close to eight years. I am now beginning my process of getting out and adjusting back into the civilian life that I once lived when I was a teenager. Of course, like anyone else growing up I have changed. My views on the world, my opinions, my skill set and everything else about me has changed since I was 17 years old. Not only have I changed but the way of the world has changed. When there were few jobs that I could get, now there are less. It can be very daunting for a Soldier to leave the Army and become a civilian once more, especially with the economy the way it is today. Even more so, what I would like to do when I get out of the Army just doesn’t offer the financial stability that I am used to working for Uncle Sam. 

The future is very daunting indeed, but that doesn’t mean I can just give up on what I want to do. Because of Freemasonry, I have gotten more into writing and that is exactly what I want to do. It can be a very fulfilling life and career, as long as you have you the support system that you need in order to be successful. I would dedicate most my time to researching Freemasonry, writing about it, writing different philosophies on life in regards to Freemasonry, writing my own novels and whatever else comes to mind. Yet, the fear of what will happen will always resonate in my mind and it makes me debate whether I want to reenlist or not. I can not allow that fear to get in the way. I may need to obtain some kind of job outside the Army to ensure I have stability, but one way or the other, I can not allow the fear of leaving what I have known hinder me from what could be. 

Brethren, because of my past experiences I have learned to not let my fears control me.   Because of Freemasonry, I have the opportunity to head forth into the darkness with no known knowledge of what I am heading into. I am equipped with all the tools of Freemasonry so that I can light the way for future brethren who wish to follow the path. I however encourage everyone to make their own path and use the tools that we are given within the craft to light the way, and leave no corner of the world in darkness. 

~AG

Bro. Aaron Gardner was raised as a Master Mason in his hometown lodge of Flushing, Michigan. He has served in active duty with the United States Army for the last seven years in which he has become well traveled around the world. He is currently stationed in Lawton, Oklahoma where he is a member of Triangle Lodge #548. When Bro. Gardner is not defending the nation, he takes great pride in writing articles for his blog Celestial Brotherhood, writing his fiction novel and researching all he can involving the Craft.

Stick A Freemason In It...

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

"I was a Freemason before it was trendy." ~Mr. Burns, The Simpsons

Oh, Freemasonry is trendy, all right; and the "modern" trend, in my estimation, began November 19, 2004.  That's the day a blockbuster film, National Treasure, had its United States debut.  The movie takes you on a wild adventure as competing groups track down and rediscover history's greatest treasure.  Adding to the mystery of the search is the revelation that the loot is the fabled Templar Treasure, hidden and guarded by none other than those enigmatic Freemasons.  The popular film sparked an interest in Freemasonry, with Grand Lodges reporting an increase in inquiries and petitions.

Soon afterward, author Dan Brown released his national bestseller, The DaVinci Code.  The book contained Masonic symbolism and references, some disputed, but once again, interest in Freemasonry surged.  Hollywood, ever mindful of the financial benefits of capitalizing on a popular trend, took notice.  The DaVinci Code movie soon came out, followed by the sequel National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Brown followed with Angels and Demons, another book with Masonic allusions, with a film that followed.  Finally, Brown published his long-anticipated Lost Secret.  In all of these works of fiction, the Masons were generally, but not always, the good guys.  They were also cloaked in mystery.  The Masonic ritual in Brown's books had many inaccuracies, but the general public would not know that.  The end result was that Freemasonry found itself on a pop-culture roll that continues through today.

Now, a slew of Hollywood writers have jumped on the bandwagon.  It seems the new theory is this: to make a story (good or bad) more popular — stick a Freemason in it.  Freemasons are popular and mysterious.  Fiction writers know they can weave interesting, even supernatural, tales into shows involving Masons and, since they are perceived to be so secretive, who is to dispute what is and is not fact?

Apparently viewers are eating it up.  The History Channel, A&E and others are replete with Masonic programming ranging from documentaries about the Freemasons to sinister "exposés."  Even CBS recently tossed its hat into the ring with a segment about the Masons on its popular Sunday Morning show.

Prime-time TV has seen new shows that have followed the trend.  This season alone, at least three popular dramas have gone the "stick a Freemason in it" route.

Sleepy Hollow is a modern-day rendering of Washington Irving's classic short story of the same name.  In the new version, Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman return to life in the 21st century to continue their dichotomous and apparently never-ending battle representing good vs. evil. Crane teams up with a female lieutenant in current-day Sleepy Hollow's police department to fight against the forces wreaking havoc on the town.  Perhaps an interesting enough scenario to those enjoying the genre, the authors have stirred the pot further by making Crane a Freemason.  The series depicts the Freemasons as having mystical powers with secret and magical tools to help ward off the evil forces.  Additionally, it turns out under the leadership of George Washington, they were the architects of a plan to thwart the Apocalypse.

Castle is an ABC crime drama now in its 6^th season.  Its premise: a best-selling novelist, Richard Castle, teams up with a New York homicide detective so he can do research and, together, they end up solving crimes.  It does not have any sort of Masonic undertones but this season, in an episode entitled "Get A Clue,"  the pair are thrust into a case reminiscent of The DaVinci code and Lost Symbol.  The episode weaves a tale with the protagonists bouncing from one Masonic clue to another, culminating in the discovery of a Masonic treasure.

White Collar debuted in 2009 on the USA network.  In this series, a former criminal gains an early release from prison by agreeing to help the FBI solve crimes.  Several episodes this year have chronicled a case guided by an ancient Masonic codex which leads the pair through several Masonic venues, ultimately leading to the solution of the crime and recovery of a great treasure, the sister stone of the Hope diamond.

Without going into too much detail, let's just say none of these shows gets Freemasonry right.  In Sleepy Hollow, we learn Freemasons have tools like "hex candles" with magic powers.  In Castle, we see "Masonic symbols" that aren't Masonic symbols.  In White Collar we find "Masons have their hand everywhere including all the Masonic symbolism on Michael Jackson's Dangerous album cover."  We also learn asking a reluctant Brother — and I quote exactly — "Who will help the widow's son," will induce him to offer minor assistance, in this case a drink of water.

In addition to all this, the granddaddy of all the media attention coming our way this season is a new movie simply called The Freemason.  It's different from the other shows.  It's producer, Joseph James is, in fact, a Freemason.  He didn't "stick a Freemason in it;" he wrapped the entire film around Freemasonry in a well-produced nail-biter of a who-done-it.  Brother James has acknowledged some of the Masonic events and symbolism in the film aren't exactly as you might expect, but that's on purpose: there were some things he felt he shouldn't put in a film.  Yet, more than other shows it's true to the Craft and — big spoiler alert — the Freemasons are the good guys.  

So there you have it.  Pop culture may or may not be getting it right, but trendy we are.  The question is, so what? Are Freemasons prepared for this?  How do we deal with it?  Do we continue to ignore it? Can we take advantage of it?  Do we have a (gasp!) plan?

This trend isn't going to go away anytime soon.  Plans to release films like National Treasure III and The Lost Symbol are in the works.  Maybe it's time we bite the bullet and come up with that plan —  perhaps a plan to help make future Masonic references more realistic; or to help dispel some myths; maybe one to subtly promote the fraternity.

Y'know, when Hollywood makes a medical show, producers hire doctors as consultants.  For legal shows, they consult with attorneys.  How about a few Freemasons as consultants in shows with a Masonic theme?  And just maybe we should work with producers like Brother Joseph James and writers like the Midnight Freemasons' own novelist Todd Creason who know the fraternity and are already casting it in a good light. In fact, maybe we should encourage Brothers James and Creason to team up... that would work for me.

~SLH

Steve Harrison, 33° 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.

H.I.K.E.

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Judy A. Gordon

This is an article by Judy A Gordon originally printed in The Working Tools magazine. 

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

~ Bro. Mark Twain

If you hear me say…”go take a H.I.K.E”.…do not be insulted. In the Job’s Daughters word, H.I.K.E has a new meaning. Here is a brief history of H.I.K.E.;

The HIKE Fund, Inc. (Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment Fund) collects funds to award to children who are in need of hearing aids or other assistive listening devices whose parents or guardians are unable to meet this specific need.

The HIKE Fund, Inc. was created in 1985 by Emma Tedrick and Charles Terrill, the international leaders for Job's Daughters International (JDI). The Fund was developed as the philanthropic project of the JDI, a Masonic youth organization for girls, to give the members of that organization a specific and unique charity to which they were able to devote their energies.

The first years of existence of The HIKE Fund, Inc. was focused on establishment and it’s stability. Articles of Incorporation were filed in the State of Nebraska in 1985, and HIKE was temporarily set up as a 501(c)(3) organization with the Internal Revenue Service of the United States. During the first year of operation, approximately $20,000 had been donated to the fund and awards were granted to seven children in the Philippines. Soon after, a $10,000 base endowment was placed in a certificate of deposit. In 1990, a review of the fund's records brought a final ruling from the IRS for The HIKE Fund, Inc. to be considered a tax-exempt charity.

Since those early years, several things have occurred to increase the reputation and responsibility of the organization.

With increased donations and awards has come increased community awareness. Each year the number of applicants increases dramatically. Fortunately, the revenue of The HIKE Fund has increased such that all worthy applicants are provided funding, although there is a waiting list of up to six months for many applicants.

The price of hearing devices continues to inflate. The HIKE Fund, Inc. awards funds to all children and adolescents from birth to the age of 20 years that have demonstrated both a medical and financial need. Recipients can reapply for an additional award after four years. There is no limit on the number of awards given per family.

As the work of The HIKE Fund, Inc. grew, the organizational structure was modified and the size of the board of directors was increased to better serve the purposes of HIKE. Additional board members have been added and responsibilities have been modified to increase the effectiveness of HIKE.

There continue to be no paid solicitors or paid board members. All members of the Board of Directors and all helpers and members of Job's Daughters who collect the funds are unpaid volunteers and the percentage of donations distributed to needy children approaches 95% of all funds collected.

Many challenges, both structural and financial, continue to challenge the work of The HIKE Fund, Inc. Today though, the fund continues to prosper and has reached over $3,000,000.00 in awards to children with hearing loss in the United States and the Philippines.

The structure of The HIKE Fund, Inc. is such that it allows for the organization of 36 states from Alaska to Texas and from Hawaii to Delaware into a cohesive unit, working towards a common goal.

There is also, a H.I.K.E. Fund Canada, Ltd. which serves similar needs in that country In the near future; there may be the establishment of a HIKE Fund Brazil as the JDI organization in that country has been giving serious consideration in establishing their own branch.” (www.thehikefund.org)

This past weekend, I was able to witness a 12 year old young lady become a recipient of the H.I.K.E. Fund. She received an $1800 check for her communication needs.
On September 21, 2013, Illinois and Missouri had a joint event called the Lincoln/Truman H.I.K.E. The two states had a friendly competition as to which state raised the most money for H.I.K.E. They met at Cahokia Mounds; (IL) went on a hike, ate lunch (proceeds of lunch to H.I.K.E) and gave out awards to the top Job’s Daughter for the most funds collected. Donations raised that day were Missouri $2397.43/Illinois $2471.00/Lunch $455-total for the day $5323.43!!! 

In Illinois, we have an Honorary State Honored Queen and her project is the H.I.K.E. fund. She is selling purple can cozies that say “kids helping kids “ on the front and “HIKE” on the back ($5). Also, the chairman of grand representatives project for the year is H.I.K.E. as well; and she is selling ear buds, which are in a case ($10). Both young ladies are working very hard to collect funds. For more information on H.I.K.E., please contact: Kaitlyn S kaitiebugg14@gmail.com Chairman of Grand Representative or Annaliza H glassman93@yahoo.com Honorary State Honored Queen.

If you know of a child that is in need of a communication device, go take a H.I.K.E., you will be amazed at the results.

~JAG

Judy Gordon is very active in Job's Daughters. She's the Past Honored Queen, and Past Bethel Guardian of Bethel No. 55, Pekin (IL). She received the Cryptic Masons Masonic Youth Leadership Award along with her husband, Ray Gordon in July 2007. She's also Past Matron of the Morton Chapter No. 974 (IL) of the Order of the Eastern Star and Historian of the Emblem Club No. 424 of Pekin (IL). Judy is the recipient of the Degree of Royal Purple (2012) and elected to the Grand Line Illinois Job's Daughters (2015-16). Boaz joined the family in September 2013 and grandmother of 3 wonderful grandsons.

The Twelfth

Ever since he was a profane, this man, now Brother would email me and ask questions. Not long ago, he finally was raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason. Of course I am speaking about Brother Robert Walk Jr.

Brother Robert Walk Jr. is a brand new Master Mason with an old soul, he maintains his own blog On Freemasonry & Humble Pie as well as stopping by "The Midnight Freemasons" every once in a while to give us a guest post. I know Brother Walk had been clamoring for his third degree, but what he didn't know, is that I too was clamoring for it, as it meant I would then be able to invite him to join us here on our little blog.

About a week after Brother Walk's raising, I sent him an official invitation to join us as a regular contributor, needless to say, he accepted. I can not tell you all how excited I am to have Brother Walk's writing talent as well as his eternal bond as a Brother. I know I speak for everyone when I say "Welcome to the group!".


Brother Robert Walk Jr. is the creator and sole writer for On Freemasonry and Humble Pie: a Wordpress blog dedicated to his experiences and journey from being a petitioner, to Initiation, Passing, and to being Raised. A dialysis technician being his main work, he enjoys writing, rock climbing, drumming and craft beer in his free time. He is a Master Mason at Jephthah Lodge No. 222, A.F.&A.M. in Essex, MD.