Celebrating 100 Years!

By Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Gregory J. Knott

St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 (Illinois), of which I am a Past Master, recently celebrated 100 years with a re-dedication of our lodge building. The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Illinois came to St. Joseph and put on an outstanding rededication ceremony.

I had to give a short presentation on the history of the lodge and with the research I did, gained some interesting insight into our past.

The first reference I found was in 1905 and the efforts of Dr. Harold E. Davis, who was a Dentist in St. Joseph and a member of Ogden Lodge No. 754. Brother Davis and other brothers who resided in the St. Joseph community wanted to have a local lodge instead of having to travel the five miles to the east to attend Ogden Lodge.

In those days in Illinois, to establish a new lodge the other lodges in the area had to vote to give permission for the new lodge to form. Ogden resisted the efforts for many years, as at least 35 of the Ogden Lodge membership was from St. Joseph and thus Ogden stood to lose a substantial number of their members.

Brother Davis, who continued to lead the efforts into 1912, was writing back and forth with MWGM Delmar Darah, who was the Grand Master of Illinois. Grand Master Darah was trying to keep peace and harmony within Ogden Lodge and had to send the District Deputy in several times to mediate. In my review of several letters at the time, I found one that illustrated the atmosphere the best. The letters was signed by no less than 20 members of Ogden Lodge, who were trying to establish the St. Joseph Lodge.

In the letter these brothers stated that Dr. Davis was their spokesman, but he shouldn’t be singled out just because he was leading the efforts. At the close of the letter they talked about an event at a recent Ogden Lodge meeting and objected to comments about Brother Davis; “We strenuously object to the comments about Brother Davis, especially that he has ears like a donkey and brays like an ass.”

Finally in the fall of 1913 at the annual Illinois Grand Lodge Communication held in Chicago, St. Joseph was given a dispensation to form St. Joseph Lodge U.D. The lodge was formally chartered in October of 1914.

St. Joseph Lodge is like most lodges in that our membership numbers have been up and down over the years. We have had brothers who have fought in every war the past 100 years. They survived the depression, helped the community flourish and raised their families here and many have passed on to the celestial lodge above.

The members of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 have been both prominent members of the community and those who worked quietly behind the scenes.

The lodge has been a source of consistency in our town, when so many other things have changed. We are still there to help out with the Veterans events, sponsor the Scouts and award a scholarship at the high school each year. In the lodge we are still helping each other grow within masonry.

We nearly closed our doors and turned out the lights a few years ago, but a few of us decided to take on the challenge of keeping the lodge going and we established a goal of seeing 100 years.

The efforts were definitely worth the work. We have brought in many new members who are now active members of the lodge. We still have a long ways to go, but are working towards our next 100 years.

Today there is great peace and harmony amongst Ogden Lodge No. 754 and St. Joseph Lodge No. 970. As a matter of fact I am a member of both, counting Ogden as my home lodge, having been raised there in 2007 and currently serving as Chaplain.


~GJK


WB Gregory J. Knott is the Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 in St. Joseph (IL) and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL) and Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington, DC. He’s a member of the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, Eastern Star and is the Charter Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign-Urbana. He is also a member of ANSAR Shrine (IL) and the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. Greg serves on the Board of Directors of The Masonic Society and is a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society and The Philathes Society. Greg is very involved in Boy Scouts—an Eagle Scout himself, he is a member of the National Association of Masonic Scouters.

The Secret of Three : Is It Really A Secret?

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

Bro. Lary A. Saladin, Jr., M.P.S.

As Freemasons, we know of the number three. Your first step in Masonry includes three distinct knocks. In Blue Lodge there are three degrees, the last being that of Master Mason, which is the most important degree of all. There were three original Grand Masters and There are three top officers; Worshipful Master, Senior Warden and Junior Warden. There are three greater lights in Freemasonry as well is the three lesser lights. We also know of these three words; Wisdom, Strength and Beauty. The highest degree in the Scottish Rite has two three’s.

Christians: There is the Holy Trinity; The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. The number three is significant in many initiatory and spiritual traditions. There were two additional men that were crucified at the time of Jesus. He was crucified at the third hour, was on the cross for three hours and rose from his grave on the third day. There were three wise men that visited Jesus and left three gifts. Along with Christianity there are an additional two main Abrahamic religions; Judaism and Islam. In the bible, Peter denies knowing Jesus three times then later says he loves him three times. Both 666 and 777 consist of three digits. During his ministry, Jesus raised three people from the dead. Jesus also fulfilled the three offices of Prophet, Priest and King.

Life itself: Time is divided into three parts: past, present and future. Three is the first of four perfects numbers. Why does the number three seem so prominent in our existence? How does Christianity cross-reference with Freemasonry. Is there a connection between the two? We strongly emphasize that we are not a religious fraternal organization and at one point the Catholic Church slandered our craft.

Quite a few of our brethren have discussed with me that the number three is secret in Freemasonry. Is it really? Just in this brief amount of information, I’ve exposed that the number three is everywhere in our lives. It always has and always will be there. Aside from the Freemasons, quite a few other esoteric “groups” surround much of their ritual around this popular number.

~LAS

Lary A. Saladin, Jr., M.P.S. is a music producer, writer, small business owner and a Freemason from the Chicago area. His interests include: Masonic Studies, World History, Music, Mythology, Conspiracy Theories, Mental Health and Self-Improvement. Lary holds the title of Master Mason in Illinois at Riverside Lodge No. 862 under the Grand Lodge of Illinois A.F. & A.M. He will shortly be starting his degrees in the York Rite and also joining the Scottish Rite. As an active member of The Masonic Society, The Scottish Rite Society (S.J.), The Philalethes Society and the Illinois Lodge of Research, Lary continues to educate himself as well as others on Masonic lineage and traditions. Lary recently published his short autobiography about his lifelong battle with depression. “My Struggle, My Battle, My Achievement” as well as a book on Mozart and Freemasonry, both are available on amazon.com by clicking their titles above.

Visit Lary’s official website at: www.larysaladin.com

The Conversation

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

By Steven L. Harrison, 33°,  FMLR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But we know, don't we?

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

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

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

~SLH

Bro. Steve Harrison, 33°, is Past Master of Liberty Lodge #31, Liberty, Missouri. He is the editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine, author of the book Freemasonry Crosses the Mississippi, a Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research and also its Worshipful Master. He is a dual member of Kearney Lodge #311, St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite, Moila Shrine and a member and Past Dean of the DeMolay Legion of Honor. Brother Harrison is a regular contributor to the Midnight Freemasons blog as well as several other Masonic publications. His latest book, Freemasons: Tales From the Craft, will be released later this year.

Cheap Brotherhood

a rebuttal to "Have We Cheapened Our Fraternity?" By: R.W Mohamad Yatim; Living Stones Magazine, October 2014

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Aaron Gardner, 32°, MPS

There was an article in Living Stones magazine this past October that asked a very interesting question. Have we cheapened our Fraternity? The article goes through an entire spiel of what initiation fees and dues cost in various lodges during different time periods.  Right Worshipful Brother Yatim insists his article is not a call to increase dues. However, it is a call to brothers who are able to reach into their pockets and help provide more than what the dues are capable. I am in agreement with RW Brother Yatim that the Fraternity is much more than showing up and paying yearly dues at an ultra low price. It is a requirement for a lodge to effectively manage their budget. I have even written about a lodge budget myself for the Midnight Freemasons. 

I however, cannot get over the fact that he seemingly attacked lodges that typically cater toward the Blue Collar workers. Most of these men show up to their lodges with out suit and tie. They have a suit and tie ready for the one instance they may use them in the year, however, the usual attire for a brother in these lodges are jeans and a button up.  Honestly, some of these brothers show up in work clothes. He further asks if we are supposed to portray the “Cream of the Crop”, the first class citizens of our society are within this Fraternity, how would visitors or a potential candidate see our Fraternity with these individuals in the lodge?  I believe the real question is: Are we making judgments on a brother who works hard all day, comes to lodge before seeing his family and dedicates the only time he has to the Craft; to better his community, his friends, family and himself? 

Have we really cheapened the Fraternity to the point of worrying more about the money than the cause? My brothers, Freemasonry is having a hard time finding the funds to support our many programs. It could be because our retention is low, our dues are lower than what our ancestors paid based of their salary, or, it could be because we continue to live in the glory days. Honestly, I believe it is a combination of it all.  What should we do in order to fix it? Brothers, there are books upon books, articles and podcasts dedicated to fixing our problems as a Fraternity. Our problem is not JUST that we don’t charge enough, it’s not JUST our retention numbers, and it’s not JUST that we are living in the old days. Brothers,  it is that we won’t do anything about it. Our Grand Lodges have pushed out plan after plan, strangling some jurisdictions control. Some Grand Lodges have issued a “Big Government” ideology that tells the lodge verbatim what they will and will not do.

 Is it a control thing? Is possible, but I don’t think it started out as such. I believe the Grand Lodges that are issuing out these laws, originally had no choice because our subordinate lodges failed to do what they were supposed to.  Some were too lazy to keep up with their own bylaws, adopting the “Grand Lodge Basic”.  I have even seen lodges give up their individual rights to vote in Grand Lodge to the Worshipful Master of the Lodge.  It wasn’t because the Worshipful Master was the only vote that mattered in Grand Lodge, it was simply because the members of the Lodge didn’t want to stay in session to hear the issues being brought forth to Grand Lodge. It is not “at the will of the Worshipful Master”. The Worshipful Master’s vote represents the majority of his Lodge.

Brothers, we can point the finger and say what and who is to blame, but that will never solve the issue. It has been expressed and debated multiple times in various forums the reasons we are in this predicament of decline.  It is time to stop talking about it, and do something about it. In my presentation “Man in the Mirror” I ask the commonly referred joke “How many Master Masons does it take to change a light bulb?”  Usually you hear the answers from the crowd, “Three” or “I don’t know…” It’s not a trick question. The answer is One. All it takes is a Master Mason to see the problem, address it and fix it. It all starts with that man in the mirror, The Change you want to see. 

Allow the individual Lodges to determine what is best for their lodge and community. If it means the lodge turns to Tuxedos and higher dues, as long as it works for that lodge to stay alive. If the lodge is mostly blue collar, there is nothing wrong with a brother wearing jeans and a polo to regular scheduled meetings. We are the cream of the crop, brethren. It isn’t about how we look on the outside, but how we conduct business on the inside. From the inside we can change our image, which will change the world. We, my brethren,  are the ones that must step up and say what is right for our lodge. With our participation and discussion with each other inside lodge, we can determine what is right, what is wrong, what works and what doesn’t. Once we do that, retention will not be the issue, appearance will not be the issue, the dues will not be the issue and we will soon realize the glory days are not behind us, but, right in front. 

~AG

Bro. Aaron Gardner, an American Soldier who just recently transitioned into the Reserves after 8 years serving the Active Duty Army. He dedicates the majority of his free time to Freemasonry with his constant studies, writing and traveling from lodge to lodge to learn as much as he can regarding Freemasonry. He likes to relate his everyday life to the Craft and anything he finds he wants to spread to the world. It is his passion to study people, religion, history and Freemasonry. When he isn't working as a Soldier he is dedicating his time to the amazing and supportive Emily, writing about Freemasonry and writing his very own novel. His blog page is Celestial Brotherhood.