Whither Are We Traveling? - Part Two

by Midnight Freemasons Contributor

WB Darin A. Lahners

As we continue to explore Dwight L. Smith's seminal work, "Whither are We Traveling?", we begin to explore his answers to the ten questions he posed for self-examination of the state of Ancient Craft Freemasonry in 1963.  The questions he asked are as important and relevant now as they were then. 

Question 1: Can we expect Freemasonry to retain its past glory and prestige unless the level of leadership is raised above its present position?

Dwight begins to answer the question with a story he heard about a man who petitioned a lodge, was accepted and was given his Entered Apprentice degree.  The man never returned to complete his other degrees commenting that the brethren of the lodge might have felt they made a mistake in electing the man due to his lack of interest.  To this, MWB Smith echos the below: 

"But it was not lack of interest that caused him to go out of the door, never to return. It was disappointment and disillusionment. The performance of the Master of that Lodge was such that it constituted an insult to the candidate’s intelligence. Because the head of the Masonic Fraternity in that community was careless and sloppy and crude, because he was attempting to do something for which he was not prepared because he was trying to give “good and wholesome instruction” on subjects he knew nothing about, a good man was lost to Freemasonry.

On first hearing, that story made a profound impression upon me. The more I have

thought about it, and the more I have seen it duplicated, the more I am convinced that the Number One responsibility for any tapering off of membership, any lack of interest and attendance rests squarely upon the shoulders of our Lodge leadership."

Continuing, he makes a point of discussing the men who had served the lodge in the past 100 years as Master, and how each of them probably held positions of importance in their community.  In the case of my Mother Lodge, this is somewhat true.  The men that formed St. Joseph #970 were the doctors, dentists, bankers, newspaper editors in the community.  While many communities still had these in 1963, we have seen not only the number of businesses (and hence business leaders) decrease in small-town America, but we have also seen a number of these positions now being occupied by females who are ineligible for Regular Masonic membership.  However, he does make a coherent point about many meetings he's attended and even lead as Worshipful Master, stating:

"Looking back on some of the meetings the year I was Master, it is a wonder to me the Lodge held together. Many of my meetings were such a first class bore that I would do almost anything to avoid getting trapped in such gatherings today."

He then makes three observations which I will address one at a time:

"1. We must pay more attention to proficiency in the East. 

We make a great to-do over proficiency of candidates. We want to devise some method whereby new Master Masons may be forced to memorize a set of questions and answers. But we do little or nothing to ensure proficiency where it really counts.  A Master is expected to be Master of his Lodge – not a weakling to be pushed around. Theoretically, he “sets the Craft to work and gives them good and

wholesome instruction.” Yet what do we require for election as Master? Simply

that a Brother serve as a Warden. That is all. There are no minimum requirements

as to ritualistic proficiency; nothing regarding history, symbolism, philosophy,

ethics, law, tradition. Only a so-called degree for Past Masters which, in far too

many instances, is a farce. We elect a Master and expect him somehow to become

a leader. It never occurs to us to require evidence of leadership first."

Many states require proficiency for someone to be a Master of their lodge. I know this to be the case in both New York and Virginia. My Grand Lodge does not require this.  Personally, I wish they did. I wish they did because while I consider myself an above-average ritualist in being able to open my lodge 1-2-3 and close it, I have never conferred a degree.  I've learned the ritual, but not being in the practice of conferring them, I do not feel confident in doing so. I've never conferred one because I've never had to.  There have always been men that have been able to do so.  While I understand this is somewhat of a cop-out, the fact is that necessity is the mother of invention or at least the mother of anticipation. I've been enabled to procrastinate because there are men that can do the task better than I, and instead of challenging myself, I've allowed myself to focus on other Masonic activities, like editing and writing for this blog. However, had this been a requirement to serve as Master in my jurisdiction, I believe that I would have risen to the challenge at hand.  

"2. There is far more to being Master of a Lodge than the mere recitation of a

ritual. We are paying the penalty of years of “mass production” practices, and a

bitter penalty it is. When Masters of Lodges are so lacking in imagination and

vision that they cannot conceive of a Masonic meeting unless a degree is

conferred, then we need not expect a revival of interest and attendance and we

need not look for an upswing of membership short of war.

I would a thousand times rather see as Master of a Lodge a man who can provide

real leadership, a man who can give “good and wholesome instruction,” a man

who comprehends what Freemasonry is all about, even if he cannot confer a single

degree. Suppose he can not recite the ritual. So what? There always are those who

are eager and willing to do ritualistic work, but there are precious few who can

provide inspired leadership.

It is high time we start looking about for the best possible leadership and enlisting

the support of men who can lead. But instead, we consider only those who come to

Lodge, those who stick it out in the endurance contest. We “start in line” the man

who is on hand whenever the door is opened regardless of whether he has even the

most elementary qualities of leadership.

If the practice of automatic ladder promotion of officers must be discarded in order

to obtain the kind of leadership we should have, then by all means let us discard the

foolish custom. There is nothing in the winning of an endurance contest, in itself,

that qualifies a man to be Master of his Lodge.

If the so-called “line” of officers must be shortened to enable men of ability to serve their Lodges without devoting six or seven years to minor offices, then what are we waiting for? Why not shorten the line? Is not good leadership for one year more important than keeping a seat warm for six?"

I agree with MWB Smith.  I do believe that not everyone is cut out to be a Worshipful Master.  I also believe that there are some men that are poor ritualists but fantastic leaders.  The ability to lead a lodge is more than knowing the ritual. Many of us can probably name a few times they felt their lodge didn't have adequate leadership due to the Master not being ready for the chair.  In all honesty, this is where having a "progressive" line is a failure.  The leadership of a lodge should be elected on their merits, not just because they are the next person in line.  This also means that men who are good leaders need to mentor those that are not so that they can help teach them to be ones in the future. This will also make sure that there is a succession plan in place. It's not healthy to continue to recycle dais officers, but it's better than putting someone in the East that is not ready.  I also think that we need to honor the wishes of our members who do not want to be put into a leadership position.   

I do think that Dwight is optimistic in his thinking that we can find the best man for the job and enlist them even if they are not coming to the lodge meetings.  If a Freemason can't live up to charges given to him in his degrees which list the expectation of him to come and serve his lodge, then you're most likely not going to find one that will say yes to becoming Master of that Lodge.  Unfortunately, many of our lodges are going to have a handful of members to choose from unless we address the issues that are keeping men away from coming to the stated meetings.         

"3. If Freemasonry is to command respect in the community, then the man who

wears the Master’s hat must be one who can command respect. The young

teacher who did not return for advancement because his entire conception of

Freemasonry was colored by what he saw and heard in the East. The Master of a

Lodge is the symbol of Freemasonry in his community. If he is not a man upon

whom intelligent people may look with admiration, then we need not expect to reap

a harvest of petitions from intelligent men.

Make no mistake. Men judge Freemasonry by what they see wearing Masonic

emblems. They judge a Lodge by the caliber of its leadership. If we persist, year

after year, in putting our worst foot forward, then we can expect to continue

getting just what we are getting now."

On this point, I disagree with Dwight.  A Masonic Lodge is more than just the Master of the Lodge.  The membership of the Lodge is the symbol of Freemasonry in their community.  While I agree that men judge Freemasonry by who they see wearing Masonic emblems, the lodge isn't judged by the caliber of its leadership.  It is judged by the activity it is performing in the community as well as the behavior of it's membership. 

If your lodge isn't active in the community, you are not going to attract new membership.  Men won't know that you exist because you're not doing anything to attract them. While the Master may be the one to set the craft to work and give proper instruction, it is the membership as a whole who are responsible for the labors.  If you're not doing anything, then your lodge isn't healthy.  In order to be healthy, a lodge needs to being doing things by being present in the community.  

Poor behavior by membership in social settings (both virtual and real life) can also have a detrimental impact on a lodge's standing in the community.  As an organization that has core principles that believe in the equality of man, tolerance of other cultures and religions, being a good citizen, the importance of the Liberal Arts and Sciences, and practicing the Masonic Tenets and cardinal virtues; behaving contrary to these on social media or in the community is also going to hurt the lodge's reputation in the community.  How can we convince men in our community (especially younger men) to join our Fraternity when we do not practice what we preach?  Authenticity has been shown in marketing studies to be a critical element for how Gen-Z evaluates products and resources.  If we are not being authentic to our principles and teachings in our own behavior on social media and in social settings, we are only hurting our chances to recruit the men in our community. 

Next week, I continue the article with an examination of Dwight's second question, How well are we guarding the West Gate?  

~DAL

WB Darin A. Lahners is our Co-Managing Editor. He is a host and producer of the "Meet, Act and Part" podcast. He is currently serving the Grand Lodge of Illinois Ancient Free and Accepted Masons as the Area Education Officer for the Eastern Masonic Area. He is a Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No.970 in St. Joseph. He is also a plural member of Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL), where he is also a Past Master. He’s a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, a charter member of Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter No. 282, and a member of the Salt Fork Shrine Club under the Ansar Shrine. You can reach him by email at darin.lahners@gmail.com. 

The Mystery of Oak Island : Masonic connections to a real National Treasure site - Revisit

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

Editor's Note:  This is one of our most popular articles, and as I big fan of the History Channel show, I thought I'd rerun this article which originally was published in 2013.  I would urge you to pick up Steve's book if the subject interests you. https://www.amazon.com/Freemasons-Oak-Island-Speculation-National/dp/1329153758/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Freemasons+at+Oak+Island&qid=1638798889&sr=8-1 

"I'm going to steal the Declaration of Independence."

Accompanied by the thousand yard stare that comes free with every epiphany, that is how Benjamin Franklin Gates (a.k.a Nicholas Cage) matter-of-factly announces where he will find the key to wealth beyond imagination... a hidden map to the long-lost Masonic Treasure.

We all know Ben got the job done in the movie National Treasure, but that was fiction.  Fact is, there is no map on the back of the Declaration of Independence.  There may be, however, a place where that cache is real.  Treasure hunters have speculated that solid evidence about the place may lead them to nothing less than Solomon's treasure, the Holy Grail or the Arc of the Covenant; or maybe all three and even more.  The place is so captivating that, along with others, high profile Freemasons like Franklin D. Roosevelt, John Wayne and Richard Byrd have contributed to the efforts to unearth the potential fortune there.  It has proven to be a stubborn place, not yielding its secrets easily.  Many have tried, some have died
.
What is it about this spot that has led to its link with the Freemasons? Let’s start at the beginning…

The Money Pit

The story or, if you prefer, legend goes something like this:

Oak Island

Along about 1795, eighteen-year-old Daniel McGinnis found a circular depression in the ground on a small Canadian island.  It was beneath an old oak tree with strange markings carved in it, and reports say a block and tackle was hanging from one of the branches.  He figured something had been buried there; something very big and very heavy.  He rounded up two friends, John Smith and Anthony Vaughan, and they started digging.  Today, nearly 220 years later, we're still digging.  Depending on the reports you can read, the effort has led treasure hunters through nearly 200 feet of muck, mud-caked chambers with oak floors, a cement vault with walls seven inches thick, tantalizing artifacts with strange symbols  and, of course, the mother of all booby traps that they still can't bypass.  This isn't the fiction of Benjamin Gates. It's all very mysterious, very real and, unless a bunch of 18^th century guys played history's biggest practical joke, there may be something very important down there.  Legend has it that seven people will die before the treasure is recovered.  It also says the treasure won't be found until there is no living oak tree left on the island.  As of today six men have died in the quest and there is but one oak tree left.  Still, no one knows what is at the bottom of this mysterious place, now known as "The Money Pit," located on tiny Oak Island, a peanut-shaped dot tucked into Mahone Bay, about 40 miles southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia (or about 175 miles east of Bar Harbor, Maine).

It didn't take McGinnis and his friends very long to dig about three feet into the pit where they found a layer of carefully laid flagstones.  To them, this was clear evidence that the hole they had found was not a natural phenomenon and it spurred them to continue the dig, which became increasingly difficult as the hole — 13 feet wide — deepened.  At a depth of ten feet the young men discovered a layer of oak logs laid across the width of the shaft.  This second discovery also encouraged them to keep going.  They found another layer of logs at the depth of 20 feet, and another at 30 feet.  Having dug down 30 feet in a pit 13 feet in diameter was all they could take, and they gave up.

The Onslow Company and the Cipher Stone

The hole sat unattended for eight years until 1803.  Vaughan had a connection with the Onslow Company of Nova Scotia and, on behalf of the original trio, he arranged for it to bring in some heavy equipment to "finish" the dig.  Onslow workers went down another 60 feet before they, too, gave up.  At regular intervals of ten feet, just like the McGinnis group, Onslow found layers of oak logs. The crew speculated the wood layers were there to prevent the dirt filling the hole from sinking and crushing the contents below.  

Replica cipher stone

Onslow found no treasure, but the company made a couple of significant discoveries.  At about 60 feet, the crew found coconut fibers, which were commonly used as packing material; however, the nearest coconut trees were 1,500 miles south of Oak Island, indicating whatever was in the pit was not of local origin.  Perhaps more significantly, at the 90-foot level the men allegedly found a stone slab with strange markings.  Of course, no one could interpret the "cipher stone," as it is now known, but the crew did take it as an encouraging sign.  The stone has been lost, and most historians think it is nothing more than a legend.  Some accounts say the owner of Oak Island took it home and used it as part of his fireplace hearth.  Whatever happened to it, if it existed at all, the supposed inscription was copied.  Two independent scholars have interpreted its inscription to say, "Forty feet below, two million pounds lie buried."  Legend or not, the Onslow crew figured it was on to something and kept digging... but not for long.

Booby Trap

Whether there was a cipher stone or not, digging through the 90-foot level activated a "booby trap" that flooded the pit back up to sea level (approximately the 32-foot mark).  Some researchers have speculated the trap worked on the same principle as a soda straw someone dunks into a glass of water, holding a finger against the top of the straw.  The inside of the straw remains filled with air until that person removes the finger, then it fills with water.  Removal of the cipher stone, or whatever was at that level, broke the seal.  It appeared whoever built the pit constructed a side channel out to the sea and, when the seal was broken, the water rushed in.  Upon being unable to drain the water, the Onslow Company gave up its search.

Reports on the nature of this water trap differ.  Some researchers claim to have found a series of five channels leading into the main channel that fed into the Money Pit.  During a 1995 survey, however, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution filled the main chamber with red dye.  They then observed the dye exiting into the ocean at three different locations.  The scientists there concluded that this meant the pit flooded due to a natural phenomenon, not because of a man-made trap.  Others refuted the findings saying they proved there were multiple water traps, proving the construction to be extremely sophisticated for something built prior to the end of the 18^th century.  Adding to the confusion, in 1897, another group calling itself the Oak Island Treasure Company said it discovered the booby trap tunnel while excavating between the money pit and Smith's Cove to the east.

Later, explorers found a "five finger drain" coming out of the island at Smith's Cove, claiming this proved conclusively the booby trap was real.  Not so, claimed another researcher, speculating the unusual drain was part of a previously unknown salt works. 

More Digging

Many companies and individuals have made attempts to complete the dig since the Onslow company left.  John Wayne owned one of the companies that tried.  Antarctic explorer Richard Byrd also became involved in the project.  In 1910, a young Franklin Roosevelt made the first of two trips to the site, and maintained a lifelong interest in it.

One of the main goals of many of the digs since Onslow left has been to drain the shaft.  Even with some fairly sophisticated modern technology, no one has been able to do it and the Money Pit remains flooded to this day.  Other teams taking core samples gathered by drilling directly into the hole have found new intriguing artifacts.  At 98 feet searchers discovered a layer of spruce.  On below they discovered three links of a gold metal chain.  

The Oak Island Parchment

In 1897, during the same dig in which the Oak Island Treasure Company claimed to have found the booby trap tunnel, workers also drilled into the shaft for core samples.  At the 153 foot level they found seven inches of cement fragments, followed by another seven inches at the 160 foot level.  In between, they found a parchment fragment about the size of a dime, with the letters "w" and "v" written on it (others say the inscription is "VI").  The paper was treated with traces of mercury, assumed to be there for preservation.  Given the configuration of the cement samples, the company concluded the fragment was inside a concrete vault.  In the 1930s, the Chappell, Hedden, and Hamilton dig drilled through the same spot but didn't find any cement.

Contemporary Exploration

The dig site in 1931

Treasure hunters at the site have been less active in recent years.  The last significant dig took place in 2010.  At that time, explorers measured seismic activity and yielded results termed “interesting,” but the latest available published results stem from a 2008 exploration.  Oak Island, especially the area surrounding the Money Pit, may be the most extensively studied piece of real estate in North America.  Modern researchers have discovered metal buried in several places on the island and speculate there are multiple locations where additional treasure, or artifacts, may be buried.  Still, in over two centuries, except for a few tantalizing scraps, no “treasure” has been recovered.

Today, Oak Island is under private ownership.  Until 2011, the province of Nova Scotia scrupulously regulated treasure hunting applications and had a history of being slow to issue anyone a "Treasure Trove License.”  The province issued the 2010 license to the seemingly inappropriately named company, Oak Island Tourism, Inc.,  a consortium consisting of most of the property owners on the island along with a few others.  In 2011, the "Oak Island Act" came into effect which allowed treasure hunting to continue under the terms of the former license.  No reports of significant activity since then, however, have surfaced.

Another group, Friends of Oak Island (friendsofoakisland.com), actually arranges tours.  This group conducted several walking tours during the summer of 2013 and indicated it had plans of continuing to do so.  The island is otherwise closed to visitors. The province of Nova Scotia has considered developing the island as a major tourist attraction, but that project has yet to gain momentum.

Theories

It wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration to say there are countless theories attempting to explain the contents or purpose of the Oak Island Money Pit.   As is usually the case, each of the theories has supporting documents, anecdotes and suppositions to back it up – as well as detractors.  Some think either the British or the French hid funds there to keep them away from their respective enemies during the American Revolution.  Others believe it to be Spanish or even Mayan treasure.  Given the fact that a video probe into a secondary pit revealed grainy scenes of what may be a body, there is speculation that it is the tomb of someone important.  One of the most prevalent theories is that the Money Pit guards the treasure of the infamous pirate Captain Kidd.  Alleged deathbed confessions from members of his crew may support that conjecture.  

Another theory claims the pit is nothing more than a sinkhole.  Those supporting this theory point to recent indications that the findings on the island are more in line with a natural phenomenon.  They contend the booby trap is the result of porous stone found elsewhere in the area.  They also say the oak logs found at regular intervals weren't as regularly laid out as some claim, and that they were just sucked in when the sinkhole was formed.  When it comes to artifacts found there, the gold chain for example, they contend they were planted to spur additional digging.

One of the more creative theories stems from claims William Shakespeare didn't write all of the plays attributed to him, but rather Francis Bacon did at least some of the writing (if not all of it).  Since no original Shakespearean manuscript has ever been found, some believe they will turn up at the bottom of the Oak Island pit where Bacon may have had them hidden.  Proponents of this theory point to the dime-sized, mercury-preserved paper fiber for support.

The speculation rolls on and on with some theories having degrees of credibility and some careening off the wall and flailing in from left field.  Various researchers have proposed the contents of the pit may have come from (among others): the Egyptians, Aztecs, Mayans, Vikings, Portuguese and even, yes... space aliens.  Take your pick.

And then there are the Freemasons.  Whenever there is a mystery, someone is bound to throw in a theory about how those scoundrels the Masons are behind it all.  The Oak Island treasure has all the ingredients – suspected treasure, mysterious and ancient origins, symbolism and complex construction that only some of history's greatest builders could have pulled off.  Many of the Oak Island researchers put the Freemasons right at the top of their list of suspects.

The Knights Templar

Historically, most Freemasons and independent scholars agree Freemasonry descended from the craft guilds of the medieval stone masons.  Still, there are connections some feel indicate Masonic origins stem from the order of warrior clergy known as the Knights Templar, a name which today's York Rite Commandery members have assumed.

Originally formed as a band of knights to protect the Holy Land, the Templars took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to God.  Some have suspected the members of finding Solomon's treasure while they resided at the site of his temple, although no signs of digging are apparent there. Along with that treasure, they also might have discovered the Arc of the Covenant and the Holy Grail.  Over the years the Knights Templar fought, won and seized the assets of their enemies.  Being a monastic order, the Templars paid no taxes and, despite their vows of poverty, became so wealthy they actually formed Europe's first continent-wide banking system.  Rumors swirled about their activities, with detractors claiming they had abandoned their original vows and were engaging in forbidden non-Christian practices. 

By the beginning of the 14^th century, the order had become a weakened military group but was otherwise exceedingly rich and powerful.  The Knights Templar answered only to the Church, and King Philip IV of France became wary of their power and jealous of their wealth.  Philip kidnapped the Pope (who mysteriously died) and eventually replaced him with Pope Clement V, whom Philip controlled.  With the setup in place, Philip struck on Friday, April 13, 1307.  With the blessing of his puppet Clement, Philip orchestrated a simultaneous raid on all Templar centers.  He arrested the knights, confiscated their wealth, charged them with unspeakable crimes and tortured them to gain confessions.

Rumor supported by some evidence has it that some of the knights escaped, grabbed all or part of the great treasure and headed for the hills... the hills of Scotland, where they found refuge in the stonemasons’ lodges.  The treasure, some suggest, went directly to Oak Island, which is unlikely since Europeans didn't learn about the New World for another 185 years.  Others suggest the Templars took the treasure to Scotland where it was hidden in Rosslyn Chapel.

Some suspect the treasure is still hidden at Rosslyn, but searches have yielded nothing but more speculation.  Alternative theories say the Templars forged an alliance with the family of William Sinclair who built Rosalyn.  Later, they contend, Sinclair or one of his descendants had the treasure moved to Oak Island.  

So there you have it.  It's the Templar treasure on Oak Island because the knights bugged out of France with it and took it to an obscure place not yet discovered.  Or, they took it to Scotland with them and years later William Sinclair took it to Oak Island when, in fact, he apparently had a perfectly good hiding place for it at Rosslyn.  If you think there might be just a couple of holes in the Templar theory, fear not.  Other signs point to the Masons, too.

An Uncanny Similarity

The Bible tells us Enoch, seventh man from Adam and the great-grandfather of Noah, was a just and upright man who so pleased God that he did not die; rather, God took him directly to heaven (Hebrews 11:5).  We learn further from Jewish and Masonic legends that God saw Enoch as a man of such virtue he elected to reveal to him His true name.  Enoch dreamed God appeared to him and said, "Enoch, thou hast longed to know My true Name. Arise, and follow Me, and thou shalt learn it."  He transported Enoch to a mountain top where the true name of God was written in the clouds.  God then whispered the name to Enoch and forbade him to say it to anyone.  Afterward, God transported him into the earth through nine arches into a subterranean vault.  There, Enoch found a triangular gold plate containing the true name of God.  

When he awoke, Enoch took the dream as a sign from God and traveled to Canaan, where he dug the nine arch-covered subterranean apartments he had seen in his vision.  The lowest was made of solid rock.  There, upon a pedestal, he placed a triangular plate of gold containing the true name of God.  Above this excavation, he built "a modest temple of unhewn stones" with a secret passage leading into the apartments.  Underneath it all, the pedestal with the gold triangle waited for future generations to find.

And find it, they did.

The Scottish Rite's 13^th Degree is a legend about "recovering that which was lost." Commonly known in the Scottish Rite's Southern Jurisdiction as "The Royal Arch of Solomon," this degree has also been called the "Royal Arch of Enoch." 

In the ceremony of this degree, three candidates emulating workers Adoniram, Yehu-Aber and Satolkin are on a quest to descend through the nine apartments into the lowest vault.   Upon reaching it they find themselves in complete darkness.  When the workers uncover a pedestal, a bright light fills the room.  In this mysterious light, they are able to see the Ineffable Name of God.

Likewise, in the Royal Arch, or 7^th, Degree of the York Rite, three sojourners offer to help rebuild the temple.  Once the three prove themselves to be Most Excellent Masters the council members assign them to clear the ruins of the old Temple in preparation for the laying of the new Temple's foundation.  Eventually, the three workers discover a subterranean vault and two of them use a rope to lower the third into it.  There, on a triangular pedestal, the third sojourner finds "a curiously wrought box, on the top of which were three ancient squares."  Later, the squares are determined to be the jewels of office of Grand Masters Solomon, King of Israel, Hiram, King of Tyre and Hiram Abif.  The box contains a pot of manna, Aaron's rod and a scroll containing the long lost Book of the Law.

Although the items found in the two degrees differ, the existence of the pedestal and the pit are similar.  Additionally, historical commentaries indicate an earlier form of the Royal Arch Degree was more consistent with the 13^th degree in the Scottish Rite.

In other words, legend says Enoch left the ineffable word in the 9^th chamber of a subterranean pit to be discovered at a later date.  Then, in the 13^th Degree of the Scottish Rite or (depending on your interpretation) the Royal Arch Degree, three workers discover it.  This legend of Enoch bears an uncanny similarity to many characteristics of the Oak Island money pit:

McGinnis, Smith and Vaughan discovered and began excavating the Oak Island pit, corresponding to the three workers,  Adoniram, Yehu-Aber and Satolkin who discover Enoch's apartments.

A temple of unhewn stones sat on top of the shaft in the Enoch legend.  The money pit was covered by a layer of "unhewn" flagstones.

Enoch left his treasure in the 9^th subterranean chamber.  Beginning with the first layer of oak logs serving as its roof, to the bottom of the Oak Island pit, there are nine chambers.

The lowest of Enoch's chambers was made of stone. Core samples brought up in 1897 allegedly found a seven inch layer of cement at the 153 and 160 foot levels, indicating the lowest chamber contained a "stone" vault.

In the Royal Arch degree, part of the treasure found was the long lost Book of the Law, corresponding to, according to some, the parchment found within the lowest vault in 1897. 

The workers in the Royal Arch degree strike a rock with a crowbar prior to the discovery of the treasure.  The structure gives forth a hollow sound, which eventually reveals the underlying vault.  Likewise, just prior to ceasing operations, the Onslow Company — using a crowbar — dug up the cipher stone and reported striking a hollow sounding object just below.

Records indicate that very early on in the Oak Island digging process, workers found a rock with an iron ring embedded in it near Smith's Cove on the east end of the island.  In the 13^th Degree, the subterranean vault's door is a stone with an iron ring to enable its opening.

The similarities between the Masonic degrees and the characteristics of the Oak Island dig appear to be more than coincidental.  Regardless of what may lie at the bottom, Masons may have, over time, highlighted or even added facts to symbolize the pit as a representation of the 7th Degree in the York Rite or 13th Degree of the Scottish Rite. 

Blue Lodge and other Symbols

Even if theories corresponding to the Templars and to Enoch seem a bit shaky, many are still determined to pin the origin of the Oak Island mystery on the Freemasons.  It seems there is Masonic symbolism, or perceived Masonic symbolism, all over the island.   However, the Masonic connections on Oak Island, if they are real, are somewhat unique.  Most other theories relating events with possible Masonic origins compare their symbolism to attributes of Blue Lodge Masonry.  Although there are traces of the symbolism of those first three degrees on the island, most of what is there relates to the York or Scottish Rites.

When Freemasons leave signs of their presence, they generally don't delve into the "higher" degrees for symbols.  Symbols from the first three degrees on Oak Island, however are rare.  For starters, there are claims that there were Masonic markings on the tree above the pit.  Unfortunately, the only surviving indication of what those signs might have been is that they were "signs by which Freemasons identify themselves."  Absent the knowledge of what those signs were, we can only speculate they may have been more standard representations of the Blue Lodge.

Other discoveries of symbolism on the island, pointing to the Blue Lodge and beyond are as follows:

Letter "G":  In 1967, workers unearthed a granite boulder with the letter "G" carved into it.  The letter is formed inside a rectangle and  was found on the east side of the island, all items of significance recognizable to Freemasons, with the "G" itself alluding to the core of the ritual with connections to deity and the geometry of operative Masons.

The point within a circle.

Point Within A Circle: A 1936 expedition turned up several stones on the north side of the island near Joudrey's cove.  Gilbert Hedden who was in charge of the dig, reported the stones bore Masonic markings, but was not specific as to what the markings were.  On one stone, however, Hedden found a carving of a point within a circle.  Other markings on the stone appear to be the letter H and a cross flanked by four dots, which some researchers have concluded bear similarities to the Portuguese flag.

The heart shaped stone.

Heart-Shaped Stone: Another author, Mark Finnin, describes the discovery of a handworked heart-shaped stone, which he believes alludes to the sword pointing to a naked heart in the Entered Apprentice degree. (Finnan, Mark. 1997. Oak Island Secrets, rev. ed. Halifax, N.S.: Formac.)

The equilateral triangle.

Equilateral Triangle: There was (most reports indicate it is no longer there), on the south side of the island, an equilateral triangle measuring about ten feet on each side.  Rocks laid out at about one foot intervals formed the shape of the triangle as well as a semi-circle beneath it.  Through the center was another line of rocks pointing due north, with the triangle itself pointing directly toward the money pit.  Some have said the triangle also resembled a crude depiction of a sailing ship.

The Cross: Five large conical stones on the north side of the island form the shape of a Christian cross with a sandstone marking the center point of intersection, apparently alluding to the connection between the Masons and the Templars.  The cross is situated from northeast to southwest with a span of 720 feet and a height of 867 feet.  Due to the distance between the stone markers and the fact they were partially hidden in island undergrowth, the cross was not discovered until the early 1980s.

The Cypher Stone: Reportedly found at the opening to the final deep chamber, the cypher stone itself bore no Masonic markings, but told of a treasure buried below.  Some ascribe Masonic symbolism to it just by the fact that it was encrypted, seemingly implying that where there is encryption, there is Masonry.  Most notably, however, they relate it to the use of the Royal Arch cipher, although the coding on the stone as described was not that of the Royal Arch.

Those are the main items, but there is even more.  Various workmen's tools, corresponding to the working tools of a Freemason, have been unearthed on the island.  Most notably, searchers found a square underneath the finger drains in Smith's Cove.  Of course all Masons are aware of the place the square holds in their ritual, but not all squares are Masonic.  Author Dennis J. King, a Freemason, postulates that separately, the tools might not mean much but together they seem to represent signs and symbols of Freemasonry.  (The Oak Island Legend: The Masonic Angle, 2010).

Oak Island is at the very least an intriguing mystery.  Buried within the legends that have built up around it are certain facts that have made it an enigmatic and captivating place.  From a discovery made by three curious young men over 200 years ago, to the technology fueled digs of today, we still know nothing for certain.  All we do know is there may be absolutely nothing in the pit, or it may be the greatest treasure of all time.  Where is Benjamin Gates when you need him?

[This article was originally prepared and published in The Working Tools Magazine]

~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.

Whither Are We Traveling? - Part One

by Midnight Freemasons Contributor

WB Darin A. Lahners

On November 28, 2021; I celebrated my Ten Year anniversary of being raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason.  Thinking I was being clever, I posted on Social Media a post with the above picture and the caption: "Celebrating my ten year anniversary today...those who know, know".  I received the congratulatory ego stroke that I was most likely looking for when I posted it. However, out of this came an excellent question.  Fellow Midnight Freemason contributor Randy Sanders wrote: "Awesome. What part of you changed in the decade?"  My response was: "Randy Sanders that is an excellent question.  I will just say that I personally believe that I used the common gavel to smooth some of the rough edges of my ashlar.  However, the work in the quarry never ends until I lay down my working tools." 

Randy's question made me realize that as much as the past ten years have shaped me, I still have so much more work to do.  As it is said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, I take the lessons that I've learned (oftentimes the hard way) and use those to help with my decisions in the present which will impact my future.  The future is the only thing we have control over.  We exert that control by the decisions we make here and now.  

 

The title of my article is an homage to one of the most powerful but probably unknown Masonic writings of the 20th century.  "Whither Are We Traveling?" was written in 1963 by Dwight L. Smith who was the Past Grand Master and then the current Grand Secretary of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Indiana Free and Accepted Masons. It is his self-examination of North American Freemasonry.  It is just as valid now in 2021 as it was in 1963.  Also, it is saddening as it is almost 60 years old now and many of the problems he addresses have not been solved in that time.  

MWB Smith begins his work with this: "The Wailing Wall is crowded these days. Masonic leaders, great and small, are lined up, each awaiting his turn to lift his voice in lamentation. The figures show a falling off of membership. Attendance at Lodge meetings is not what it used to be. The thing to do is to adopt this project or that gimmick, and then all will be well. As might be expected, the projects and gimmicks are about as impossible as they are ridiculous."  Sounds familiar right?  Remember, this was written in 1963.  

He continues with what he calls a faulty diagnosis of Freemasonry. 

"At the outset, I may as well precipitate an argument by disposing of the old favorites:

One: Whatever attendance troubles our Lodges may be having are not caused by
television, nor the automobile, nor by bowling, nor togetherness, nor any of the other “busyness” in which our restless society is engaged. A multitude of activities may contribute to a decline in Lodge attendance, but they do not constitute the cause. When we complain of lack of attendance, what we really are saying is that interest is at a low ebb, for in any organization, if there is interest, there will be attendance. No amount of television or bowling or endless “busyness” can usurp the position of eminence a Lodge of Freemasons occupies in a man’s loyalty if the Lodge is in a position to command his loyalty.

The ailment isn’t quite that simple. We are looking at the symptoms – not the disease. The real source of the trouble is within ourselves. 

Two: Such problems as we may have will not be solved by forcing men to memorize a set of questions and answers, nor by cramming books and lectures down their throats, nor by any Big Brother Plan, nor by devoting our energies and resources to other organizations or movements, however worthy they may be.
The cure isn’t that simple, either. The patient’s indisposition will not be relieved by
nostrums. The treatment, too, must come from within."

Dwight offers three basic premises for the current woes we face in Freemasonry. 

"First: The history of Freemasonry is one of ups and downs. If this brief period is one of the “downs,” it is nothing compared to some of the crises through which our Fraternity has passed.

Second: In our membership decline, we again see history repeating itself. It simply is a case of our sins catching up with us. We had a decade in which there was a membership influx that was both unhealthy and unhappy. We ran a production line; we counted new members by the hundreds of thousands; but we could count new Masons only by the score. Now comes the payoff.

Third: Whatever is wrong with Lodge attendance in 1962 was wrong 25 years ago when I was Master of my Lodge. I doubt seriously whether Lodge attendance ever has been “what it used to be.” I had to work by head off to sustain interest in 1937."

Once again, the above sounds familiar doesn't it? 

He comes to this conclusion: "We have only to look at ourselves to discover the cause for whatever unhappy days have come upon us. Our troubles are of our own making. Such corrective measures as we take must go beyond the surface; they must go to the roots of the problem or be of no avail."  

After the above conclusion, he begins his self-examination of the conditions that are causing the problem as he sees it.  He gives ten points which I have quoted below:  

"1. Let’s face it! Can we expect Freemasonry to retain its past glory and

prestige unless the level of leadership is raised above its present position? On

many an occasion in the past 14 years, Masters and Secretaries have come into

my office to ask my advice on what to do about lagging interest. Again and again

I have said, “There is nothing wrong with your Lodge, nor with Freemasonry,

that good leadership will not cure.” I believe that.

2. How well are we guarding the West Gate? Again, let’s face it. We are

permitting too many to pass who can pay the fee and little else. On every hand I

hear the same whispered complaint, “We used to be getting petitions for the

degrees from the good, substantial leaders in the community. Now we are

getting. . . .” Just what it is they are getting, you know as well as I.

3. Has Freemasonry become too easy to obtain? Fees for the degrees are

ridiculously low; annual dues are far too low. Everything is geared to speed—

getting through as fast as possible and on to something else. The Lodge demands

little and gets little. It expects loyalty but does almost nothing to put a claim on a

man’s loyalty. When we ourselves place a cheap value on Masonic membership,

how can we expect petitioners and new members to prize it?

4. Are we not worshiping at the altar of bigness? Look it in the face: too few

Lodges, with those Lodges we do have much too large. Instead of devoting our

thoughts and energies to ways whereby a new Master Mason may find a sphere of

activity within his Lodge, we let him get lost in the shuffle. Then we nag and

harangue at him because he does not come to meetings to wander around with

nothing to do. We are hard at work to make each Lodge so large that it becomes

an impersonal aggregation of strangers – a closed corporation.

5. What can we expect when we have permitted Freemasonry to become

subdivided into a score of organizations? Look at it. Each organization

dependent upon the parent body for its existence, yet each jockeying for a

position of supremacy, and each claiming to be the Pinnacle to which any

Master Mason may aspire. We have spread ourselves thin, and Ancient Craft

Masonry is the loser. Downgraded, the Symbolic Lodge is used only as a

springboard. A shortsighted Craft we have been to create in our Fraternity a

condition wherein the tail can, and may wag the dog.

6. Has the American passion for bigness and efficiency dulled the spirit of

Masonic charity? The “Box of Fraternal Assistance” which once occupied the

central position in every Lodge room has been replaced by an annual per capita

tax. That benevolence which for ages was one of the sweetest by-products of the

teaching of our gentle Craft has, I fear, ceased to be a gift from the heart and has

become the writing of a check. And unless the personal element is there, clarity

becomes as sounding brass and tinkling cymbal.

7. Do we pay enough attention to the Festive Board? Should any reader have to

ask what the Festive Board is, that in itself will serve to show how far we have

strayed from the traditional path of Freemasonry. Certainly the Festive Board is

not the wolfing of ham sandwiches, pie and coffee at the conclusion of a degree.

It is the Hour of Refreshment in all its beauty and dignity; an occasion for

inspiration and fellowship; a time when the noble old traditions of the Craft are

preserved.

8. What has become of that “course of moral instruction, veiled in allegory and

illustrated by symbols,” that Freemasonry is supposed to be? If it is a course

of instruction, then there should be teachers, and if ours is a progressive science,

then the teaching of a Master Mason should not end when he is raised. I am not

talking about dry, professorial lectures or sermons – heavens no! That is the kind

of thing that makes Masonic education an anathema. Where are the parables and

allegories? Alas, they have descended into booklets and stunts. No wonder

interest is so hard to sustain.

9. Hasn’t the so-called Century of the Common Man contributed to making

our Fraternity a little too common? We can not expect to retain the prestige

the Craft has enjoyed in the past if we continue without challenge to permit the

standards of the picnic ground, the bowling alley, the private club and the golf

links to be brought into the Lodge hall. Whether we like it or not, a general

lowering of standards has left its mark on every Lodge in Indiana, large and

small.

10. Are there not too many well-meaning Brethren who are working overtime to

make Freemasonry something other than Freemasonry? It was an unhappy

day when some eager beaver conceived the idea that our Craft should adopt the

methods of the service club, or the luncheon group, or the civic league, or the

Playboy outfit. Whoever the eager beaver was, he lost sight of the fact that one of

the reasons our Fraternity is prized so highly is that it does not operate like other

organizations."

Dwight L. Smith then finishes with this: 

"Well, that should be enough for one dose. The following pages elaborate on the ten points enumerated above. Let me give you fair warning. In the following essays I shall call a spade a spade. Some of my readers are not going to like it. But what I have to say I believe our Craft needs to hear, and it is only for the “good of the Order” that it is said.

I shall propose no bright new ideas – not one. All I am going to advocate is that

Freemasonry remain Freemasonry; and if we have strayed from the traditional path, we had better be moving back to the main line while there is yet time to restore the prestige and respect, the interest and loyalty and devotion that once was ours."

It is my goal in the next few articles to highlight these ten points that MWB Smith elaborates on and to offer my own perspectives on his words.  Like him, I do not intend to pull any punches.  You'll either agree or disagree with him, me, or both of us. I don't agree with some of his arguments as you will see, however, I do believe that his work is a blueprint for Ancient Craft Freemasonry to follow which is still applicable today.  For those of you who like what you've read so far, you can read it here:

http://pictoumasons.org/library/Smith,%20Dwight%20L%20~%20WhitherAreWeTraveling%20%5Bpdf%5D.pdf

~DAL

WB Darin A. Lahners is our Co-Managing Editor. He is a host and producer of the "Meet, Act and Part" podcast. He is currently serving the Grand Lodge of Illinois Ancient Free and Accepted Masons as the Area Education Officer for the Eastern Masonic Area. He is a Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No.970 in St. Joseph. He is also a plural member of Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL), where he is also a Past Master. He’s a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, a charter member of Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter No. 282, and a member of the Salt Fork Shrine Club under the Ansar Shrine. You can reach him by email at darin.lahners@gmail.com. 

Clorox™ Masonry

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Randy Sanders

I personally like to use a few different cleaners and disinfectants around the house. I like certain ones like Clorox™ Clean Up followed by a good rinse of water when disinfecting food prep surfaces. On flooring I might want to use something with a little less bleaching properties but still maintaining that strong disinfectant. Stainless steel cleaners on their own can leave a bit of an oily residue without another clean rinse of water afterward, and glass surfaces, you guessed it, need something that won’t etch the glass.

Freemasonry teaches targeted touch up cleaning in some areas where a good strong cleaner may be needed in others. We as Masons are admonished to whisper tenderly in a brother’s ear when we encounter perceived shortcomings, and that seems synonymous to me with a gentle wipe of a broad-spectrum cleaner. Why would we go deep dive into that brother’s business with a targeted intervention when we could simply offer a few words of coaching or even encouragement in getting past whatever situation we perceive as negative? We must remain cognizant that we do not walk in their shoes, we don’t experience the same situation as the brother, and we certainly don’t know what goes on within that brother’s life even when we are told by the brother. We simply weren’t there inside that brother’s head.

Yet I still see brothers all up in other brothers’ business. I witness brothers and their families talking about other brothers and their families like school children at recess. Why is that? Our own house is so solid that there are no more rough ashlars? We can go critique our brother while he’s doing the best he can? Or put another way, the coming down hard on a brother, tearing him a new orifice, as opposed to coaching and offering to assist in helping him in his time of need? There’s no reason to spray strong acid indiscriminately when a gently applied soft cloth removes the stain. Even if we open ourself to such critique, we should never speak badly about a brother behind his back with very few exceptions, and those based on absolute necessity.

We do need to speak about each other. We need to convey news to other Masons, and we need to keep our lines of communication open. We must maintain legitimate communication no matter what the circumstances. Maybe the easiest test to check the legitimacy of our words is to simply ask, did I say these same words to the brother in question? Did we say these exact same words to the brother before we say them to someone else? Another option, always available to Masons, is silence and leading by example. Communication should be the spreading of brotherly love, otherwise, silence is the Clorox™ Clean Up of Freemasonry.

~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.