Ramadan

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Erik Marks

For many years now I think: “This year I will study and observe Ramadan.” Then, I don’t. But I do learn a little more and my respect increases. I have celebrated holidays of the religions of my ancestors, Pesach (Passover) and Lent, along with others, and keep seeking to understand the ways billions of people around the world live their devotion. One year, Ramadan was explained to me as the most important Islamic holidays asking of its observant members to fast and to better understand what it means to go without—like so many do every day. It was said to me to be a celebration of charity, hope, and reaching out to humanity. Sounds familiar.

Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, which are: Declaration of faith, Prayer five times per day, Fasting during Ramadan, Tithing or alms-giving, (or service if one doesn’t have a lot of money), and if possible, once a ones lifetime making the Hajj:Pilgrimage to Mecca. As I understand, Ramadan begins at the sight of the crescent following the new moon. Being a lunar calendar, the start of Ramadan changes by about eleven days every year. If the moon is obscured due to clouds, there is a prescribed waiting period and then Ramadan begins regardless of sight of the moon and continues for about 29-30 days. One must fast from sun up to sundown. In most countries that is about sixteen hours. In Senegal, the fasting time is capped at fourteen. In some parts of the world, where the days are the longest, a fatwa(ruling on Islamic law) is issued to shorten the length of fasting so the faithful may observe dutifully and in a humane way. Towards the end of Ramadan, usually in the last ten days though no date is specified, is Lailat al-Qadr, which could be translated as “Night of the decree” or “Night of Power,” when the Word of God was said to be revealed to the Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon Him) in 610 CE. It is a time when one asks for forgiveness, mercy, and prayers for salvation. If one lives in a predominantly Muslim country—there is significant familial and cultural support. If one lives in an area where there is little support outside the household and not in the community, I imagine this practice is much more difficult.

So why write about Ramadan in a Masonic forum? Some of our Brother’s and their families are Muslim, as well as Prince Hall Masons, both stateside and abroad. Muslims make up just over 1% of Americans at about 3.5 million. Globally Muslims make up a quarter of the world population and is currently the fastest growing religion. As Masons, we honor religion and divinity as a central part of our work. In a time of Islamophobia, it seems important to me to understand as much as possible about this important holiday. Like the practices of my ancestors, religious holidays ask us to alter our daily lives in the service of something greater than ourselves. Within this sacred space, we have the opportunity to experience our usual mindset in a less commonly held context—where spirit and divinity are placed at the center of our thoughts. Whether during Ramadan or not, what would it mean to your religious or spiritual practice to observe obligatory prayer five times per day? How would it change the way we approach life? The holiday asks Muslims to give up all food and drink every day to know what it feels like and know viscerally, hunger and thirst. It could be usefully humbling and instructive to consider, even if not a practitioner. As with giving up something for Lent, considering the ideals of Islam and Ramadan could enrich one’s own practices and lead to greater gratitude for the abundance the vast majority of us enjoy daily, often without notice.

~EM

Brother Erik Marks is a clinical social worker whose usual vocation has been in the field of human services in a wide range of settings since 1990. He was raised in 2017 by his biologically younger Brother and then Worshipful Master in Alpha Lodge in Framingham, MA. You may contact brother Marks by email: erik@StrongGrip.org

If You Say Their Name, They Are Not Forgotten

by Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Gregory J. Knott

Civil War Veteran John P. Leedy 1844-1887 

For many years I have coordinated with the local American Legion Post and the Boy Scouts to place flags on the graves of veterans in our local cemeteries.  We are a small town, but now have over 700 veterans on our lists. These veterans served in conflicts ranging from the War of 1812 to more recent conflicts.

One cemetery I save to do by myself.  Located in the rural part of our county, Stanton Friends Cemetery, was founded by the Society of Friends or the Quakers.  There was a Friends Church that met on the site from approximately 1870 – 1915. As this part of the state of Illinois was opening to settlement, those of the Quaker faith were migrating to this area to take advantage of the productive farmland.

The Quaker Church building is gone and those of the who practiced the Quaker religion also have no local presence.  My research shows that the church was dwindling in numbers, and the membership decided to close. I have numerous ancestors buried in this cemetery, including two sets of great-g-g Grandparents.  This part of my family were Quakers and were very influential in the Society of Friends in this part of the US.  

There are 35 Veterans currently buried in Stanton.  They served in the Civil War, WW I, WW II, Korea and Vietnam. Some of the older stones are becoming harder to read, so I have a list with a map to ensure that I can find them each year. Because of my family connection, I make sure that each Memorial Day weekend, the graves of the veterans in this cemetery have a flag placed by their marker, to ensure they are not forgotten.   

As I place each flag, I say the name of the veteran.  Having done this for several years, these seem like old friends that I become re-acquainted with each spring.  By saying the name of veteran, they, for a moment are still alive.  Their service and sacrifice are not forgotten.   It is an easy way for those of us in the present to connect with and be grateful for those of the past.  

This Memorial Day take a moment and say the name of a Veteran who is not longer with us, perhaps they paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.  By saying their name, they are not forgotten.

~GJK

WB Gregory J. Knott is the Worshipful Master of Ogden Lodge No. 754 in Ogden (IL) and a plural member of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 (IL), Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL) and Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington, DC.

Bucking The Trend

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

The Missouri Lodge of Research evolved from a research council formed in 1927 by a group of Masons which included famed Masonic author Ray Denslow and an obscure county judge named Harry Truman. The idea to turn the Missouri Masonic Research Council into an actual Lodge came along in 1938, and was summarily voted down at Grand Lodge because, "We've never done that before."

Two years later, with that obscure judge Truman, now a US Senator, serving as Grand Master, the proposal went through and the Missouri Lodge of Research was born. It bears the distinction of being the only Masonic Lodge, research or otherwise, to having the sitting President of the United States as its Master.

The Lodge flourished over the years, providing members an outlet to meet and discuss topics of interest as well as publishing Masonic papers, articles and books. Early on, it became a mainstay of the Missouri Lodge of Research to provide its members with a book each year, usually one that the Lodge published itself. Many of those books were the products of the Denslows, Ray and his son William, who wrote the epic series 10,000 Famous Freemasons. Those books attracted members not just from Missouri, but from all over the country and even outside the US. 

In time, the Missouri Lodge of Research became the largest US research Lodge and was probably second in prestige only to England's famous Quatour Coronati. As Masonic membership began to decline after the postwar boom years, the Missouri LOR's membership also started to decline but it "held its own" in comparison to other Masonic institutions, thanks mostly to the quality of the books it was distributing.

Then, in 2001, it began distributing a series of books, Lodges of Missouri. This consisted of five volumes which detailed the history of each Masonic Lodge in the jurisdiction. The Lodge distributed one of the five volumes as its annual book for five consecutive years. 

The Lodges of Missouri series was a valuable addition to the history of Missouri Masonry. It was probably unique to the Grand Lodge of Missouri for a Grand Lodge to have such a detailed history of each of its individual Lodges.  Unfortunately issuing the series proved to be a major tactical error. Members outside Missouri had little interest in the series. Even within the jurisdiction, members tired of seeing the books come year-after-year, especially for the volumes that didn't contain their own lodges. 

Membership plummeted. Over that period, the Missouri Lodge of Research lost about half its membership. Not only was it not "holding its own" it was actually losing membership at a faster rate than Masonry in general.

Facing this crisis, the Missouri LOR officers met to come up with a plan to reverse the trend.  Immediately, of course, it began releasing books of more general and popular Masonic interest.  In addition to that the officers took the following measures:

…Established the Truman Lecture Series, bringing in world-class Masonic speakers twice a year to speak at its semi-annual meetings. This series has featured such speakers as Clifton Truman Daniel, Josef Wäges, Alton Roundtree, Arturo de Hoyos, Trevor Stewart, Robert Cooper, Brent Morris, Chris Hodapp and more. 

…Took responsibility for the management of the Missouri Masonic Museum in Columbia.  The museum details the Masonic history of Missouri and elsewhere, and contains unique memorabilia such as Harry Truman's cane and glasses, the Masonic apron of Meriwether Lewis and Wild Bill Hickock's alleged Lodge chair.

…Built a comprehensive Masonic library at its Masonic Complex. The library now contains many priceless artifacts as well as thousands of books, many rare or one-of-a-kind. It also provides an on-line electronic catalog and is working to digitize many of its volumes.

…Enhanced its newsletter, which now contains articles of esoteric and historical Masonic interest as well as being a vehicle to communicate regularly with its membership.

…Sponsors a Lodge of Research Breakfast on the final day of the Grand Lodge session, at which the Fall Truman Lecturer speaks. Arguably, this is the most popular event at Grand Lodge. 

…Established the Pickard Society named after John Pickard, first president of the original Missouri Masonic Research Council. Members may join the Pickard Society by giving small donations. Those donations do not necessarily need to be monetary; they can also come in the form of book donations or even time and effort given to the Library.

…Established the Denslow Society named for the iconic Masonic authors Ray and William Denslow. The Denslow Society's $1,000 membership fee helps insure the future of the Library and LOR programs.

These steps have helped the Missouri Lodge of Research to gain back about half the members it lost over the five-years it published the Lodges of Missouri Series. 

So, in an era when many institutions, not just Masonic, are losing members, the Missouri Lodge of Research is bucking the trend with membership numbers on the rise again. The point is, it can be done but it takes effort, cooperation and resources. To be sure, the Missouri Lodge of Research is unique and the way it turned things around wouldn't apply to most other Masonic bodies. However, the reversal of the decline started when the Lodge of research figured out a way to give its members what they wanted. That's the key and that's what all our Masonic organizations need to do… figure out what the members want and give it to them… easier said than done.

Membership in the Missouri Lodge of Research is $25/year. An application can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/moresearch The books for 2019 and 2020 are the two-volume set Ray V. Denslow's Masonic Journey, the never-before published memoirs of a 20^thcentury Masonic giant.

~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 are 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.

Stop Reacting To The Problem, Respond To It

"Do we value anything as much as our time?"

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Michael Arce

The best conversations on Freemasonry always happen with Brothers from "good" Lodges. Those talks are noticeably different, for starters, they are positive. They begin with "what we are doing," ideas instead of problem-solving. These talks are what make a three-hour train ride home from Grand Lodge (the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York) seem shorter than the chat you had with another Brother over a drink. These moments were the best part of my visit to Grand Lodge in New York City this year.

Reaction vs. Response

Two weeks before I traveled to Grand Lodge, I was talking with a friend about the difference between a reaction and a response. I like the way Quora compares the two. "Reaction is quick. Response takes time. Reaction is emotion-filled. Response removes all emotion. Reaction is often aggressive. Response allows for assertiveness without aggression. Reaction snowballs into unnecessary and prolonged periods of discontent and disagreement. Response resolves conflict quickly." I thought of that conversation when our Grand Master, MW William M. Sardone, proudly announced during his address, that New York State is launching an awareness campaign to address sagging membership numbers. He played two commercial videos while he laid out the distribution details; we were going to reach new men interested in Freemasonry online and in-person. As he said, "New York is going to do something." You can image the sideline conversations that came after that announcement! Soon there will be Facebook ads, billboards in high traffic areas, and operators standing by to take the calls of prospective gentlemen interested in visiting a Lodge. This was not a reaction - this was a response!

The lunch break conversation at my table that afternoon was focused on the Grand Master's announcement. We concluded that MW Sardone was right; Freemasonry was not passed from the greatest generation (who never talked about Lodge), to baby boomers (who didn't know about Masonry), to millennials (who can't find a Lodge). The Brothers I shared lunch with that afternoon were from a Lodge that owns its building and is now struggling to afford the up-keep that has been passed to the incoming Masters for years. I asked the Master, "How would your Lodge be different if you had 300 members back on your rolls?" "We wouldn't have to worry about how we were going to pay for our roof repairs," he instantly replied. "But would your meetings be different," I probed. "I don't know," he said.

"What Night Do You Guys Meet?"

Back to those "good" talks. At Penn Station, our growing party of 12 Brothers heading home from Grand Lodge took in three more traveling men. These three were fresh from Midtown still in their black suits and ties. They didn't have luggage. They didn't stay in a hotel. No, these Brothers took the morning train down from Albany to attend the second-day session, hopped back on the train to make it home for their Lodge meeting that night. The same meeting, come to find out, that was also their election night. I was the fourth in our seating group that included their Master, Senior Warden, and Secretary. We had the best conversation on "culture" that I have shared in a long time. This was the kind of talk that made a two-hour ride home seem like 20 minutes.

How much do you value your time? The first thing I hear when I ask a friend how are things? "I'm busy." Too busy to return calls, answer emails, even come over for dinner with the guys. I get it; we're all busy, that is part of the problem. The other half is we see our time; I'm talking about the "not at work, few hours you get with your family and loved ones on Saturday" time - as that sacred space that would take an act of God to upset. We value OUR time more than anything else. There's a reason why you can order the same thing on your phone and get it to your house tomorrow. Time has value.

What is worth your time to see LIVE? Better yet, what must be done in person? That is where the real value is: the experience. We'll watch the game at home but go to see a three-hour movie in a packed theater because seeing it --- feeling it with everyone else --- makes it better. Does anyone else say, "Monday night is my Lodge night." Followed by, "Well, every 1st and 3rd Monday of the week from September to May." Brothers who value their Lodge time do. And when you meet them, you ask, "what nights do you guys meet again?"

Our conversation eventually evolved into Masonry, as these three couldn't wait to tell me what works in their Lodge. They shared how they onboard new members, how the guys all share in the pre and post-meeting roles (setup and tear down) to close their meetings by 9 PM, and that when a candidate takes his 1st Degree, he feels like he's already a member of that Lodge. That last one was my favorite point. What they were saying wasn't anything new --- it wasn't a directive from Grand Lodge --- they had a culture that was leading from the ground up. The Brothers held each other accountable if you brought a guy in to petition a Lodge, you were expected to be at his degrees and help him with the degree work. Brick by brick. They were raising this Lodge together, building it from individual stones into one common mass. You join a conversation like this, and you can't help but soak up the positive energy.

I asked the Master, how would things be different if instead of three or four candidates a year, they had 15, say from the new Grand Lodge awareness campaign. The Secretary said, "We'd be a little overwhelmed at first..." his voice trailed but before he could finish, "but we'd be able to change our system to adapt," the Master finished. "Yeah, nothing would change why we do it because all of the guys in our Lodge get it, this is what they want," the Senior Warden said. Perhaps that is the larger question we should be asking. If three interested gentlemen showed up at our next meeting, walked in right off the street, would we be ready to greet them? Better yet, would we be a good fit for them? We talked about culture, that shared attitude which drives everything and separates winning teams from the rest of the pack. Good or bad, your Lodge has a culture right now. Here's a quick test you can do to assess your culture. If your Lodge was a store, based on your level of customer service, which one would you be? It's also fair to ask, would you choose to shop there?

Ironically, MW Sardone revealed his updated "Building the Future" Grand Master's pin, on the final day of Grand Lodge, with the additional line "Share the Experience." As we neared the train station in Albany, I needed confirmation from my travel companions as we gathered our luggage to disembark. "You guys meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, right?" I cannot wait to visit their Lodge in September.

~MA

Brother Michael Arce is the Junior Warden of St. George’s #6, Schenectady and a member of Mt. Zion #311, Troy New York. When not in Lodge, Bro. Arce is the Marketing Manager for Capital Cardiology Associates in Albany, New York. He enjoys meeting new Brothers and hearing how the Craft has enriched their lives. He can be reached at: michael.arce@me.com