Archives for February 2011

At The Crossroads Of The Many Paths of Freemasonry

February 26, 2011 by Fred Milliken

Masonic Relevance In The 21^st Century

I am observing many Masonic friends these days going through some deep soul searching as they try to reconcile Freemasonry with their own personal goals and the legacy for society that they would eventually like to leave behind. Many of these soul searchers are Masonic writers or “communicators” of some kind, well versed in the meaning of Masonry. Yet some feel powerless against the rising tide of Masonic irrelevancy as they see it. Others have found some other organization, cause or path that more reflects what they want to do with their life. Still others who revel in the Craft still feel that their active involvement therein robs them of the time that could be spent in other worthwhile pursuits.

We all have our religious, political and moral belief systems to act out in varying degrees of involvement as well as career paths with study in our field of endeavor. All that to which we subscribe so deeply also has to be matched with our commitment to interpersonal relationships, especially our families. All in all sometimes this requires a very difficult balancing act.

Along comes the Information Age which knocks Freemasonry for a loop. In its early stages Masonic leaders either ignored it or refused to accept it. When the inevitable came to pass most of official Freemasonry-dom were “Johnnies come lately.” Many the Freemason who has bemoaned the reduction not only of Craft membership but of Lodge attendance. Many fail to realize, however, how much Freemasonry one can imbibe sitting home in front of the computer. Why leave the house, fight the traffic and dress up in a monkey suit when one can sit by the computer in shorts and T shirt with a slice of pizza in one hand and a beer in the other and get as much out of Freemasonry as those not only attending Lodge but those who are even members. I fail to see the difference between a One Day Class and watching the same thing at home on a good HD-TV. And while Grand Lodges sat on their Internet hands, individual Masons on their own were setting up Masonic websites, discussion forums and producing Masonic videos.

Right about here readers will extrapolate that Internet Freemasonry lacks one crucial ingredient, namely that of personal relationship and bonding and also experiencing Freemasonry “in the flesh.” To that end that Craft keeps blossoming out Side bodies and degree upon degree upon degree to make sure all its members get to really “experience” the Craft. But then how many ways does it take to say the same thing over and over? In its desire to cement the Brotherhood into a membership of dedicated true believers, Freemasonry makes sure that members experience the Craft again, again and again……………..and in the process is sowing the seeds of its own demise.

One only has to look at today’s culture and the different methods of bonding that the next generation has embraced to know that the tired old ways of application aren’t going to work anymore. It’s Facebook, Twitter and texting that dominates today’s communication and consequently its formation of relationships. More and more married couples are telling us that they first met on the Internet. That’s not to say that the message of Freemasonry is in jeopardy; no, the message is timeless but the application generationally deficient. How many Grand Masters do you think have a Facebook page and who tweet and text on a regular basis? It’s not such a far out question when you realize that we have a President hip to such methods and who used them to help him campaign.

Yet Freemasonry is being torn apart by competing methods of application. Again to make sure you got it, there is no problem with the message, it’s the messengers.

One faction is Freemasonry as the buddy bonding society. Candidates are whisked through the degrees at lightning speed. Lodge meetings consist of degrees or business but never esoteric lessons. The Craft is one big social arena where fish frys, banquets, bowling leagues and motorcycle clubs abound.

Another faction is Freemasonry as a charitable society heavily geared to the dispensation of massive Institutionalized Charity, so much so that there is minimal time for social activities and even less time for esoteric study.

The third faction is Freemasonry as a research and study society devoted to the pursuit of knowledge in the context of ethical application. This faction sees Freemasonry as a philosophy and spawns such applications as Research Lodges and esoteric study clubs.

The first three factions follow the tenets of Freemasonry – Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. The fourth does not.

The fourth faction is Freemasonry as a quasi military style society full of rank, privileges, ribbons and medals and the attainment thereof.

Each faction is at war with the other offering the one and only true way for Freemasonry’s salvation. In some areas Freemasonry tries to incorporate all factions in a hybrid super model that not only requires a good amount of money but also an inordinate amount of time commitment. Depending on where you are in the country and what model your Grand Lodge has chosen to pursue decides what type of Freemasonry you are experiencing.

Where does all this leave our Masonic soul searchers?

To properly answer that question we must sign on to the notion that Freemasonry is not society’s savior nor was it ever intended to be. Freemasonry is not a place of doing it is a place of being. In the modus operandi of your life you live out your path or your destiny on two levels. (1) First there is the religion or philosophy that guides one to what courses of action to take. (2) There are the courses of action taken based on the values one has chosen.

All the factions trying to redefine Freemasonry only muddies the waters. Long after Masons in human bodies have departed this world and Lodges have ceased to exist, the thought, the philosophy of Freemasonry will live on. It will never disappear.

It is Freemasonry that creates our value system as Masons. The Craft is designed to do no more than that. Expecting Freemasonry to take the next step of action in implementation of its values is asking too much. That’s an individual decision to be made for an individual path. Like snowflakes no two paths are identical. Therefore, those that feel that Freemasonry is not doing enough are asking from it unintended consequences.

If you want to be a Little League coach, man a soup kitchen, build a playground, visit the elderly in Nursing Homes, be a Boy Scout leader than go do it. Recognize that it is Freemasonry that got you to the point of going to do such. But don’t castigate Freemasonry because it isn’t doing those very things. Freemasonry isn’t doing it’s being. Freemasonry is what gave you the values to go do these things, nothing more, nothing less.

Trying to get Freemasonry to be the be all and end all of life is placing a burden upon it that is far too great. Right now Freemasonry is in meltdown because of unrealized expectations. If feelings of worth and usefulness are things most important to you, then don’t become a professional Masonic social climber, pulling rank and showing off all your medals. Keep Freemasonry in your life simple and focused on its calling. Then it won’t disappoint you but will serve your purpose well.

Brother Hando Nahkur Wins Record Of The Year In Europe

February 23, 2011 by Fred Milliken

The Beehive did a story on classical pianist Brother Hando Nahkur in December.

This talented Brother has just received notice that he has been awarded the record of the year in Germany for his CD DeusExClavier.

Here is his press release:

Hando Nahkur and his second CD “DeusExClavier” (released in 2010 by ERP – Estonian Record Productions) receives international recognition!

Hando Nahkur’s second CD “DeusExClavier” reaches the Top Music Charts in Europe and wins “THE RECORD OF THE YEAR – Die Platten des Jahres ” title by “ZEIT-ONLINE” in Germany:

In the end of 2010, “ZEIT-ONLINE” (one of the most important websites in Germany) announced “DeusExClavier” as “The Record of The Year – Die Platten des Jahres” in Germany. Three new CD releases of 2010 from all over the world were selected to receive the title and “DeusExClavier” was one of them. It is remarkable that Hando Nahkur’s “DeusExCalvier” was the only piano music CD to win the recognition amongst P.Vasks’ String Quartets and M.Reger’s Choir Works.

ZEIT-ONLINE: “Hando Nahkur is one of the greatest new surprises of the classical music scene… With this CD he established himself amongst the greatest pianists..”

Here is the link where “DeusExCalvier” was announced as “THE RECORD OF THE YEAR”:
http://www.zeit.de/kultur/musik/2010-12/platten-des-jahres-2010?page=8

“PIANONews”
“DeusExClavier” receives an outstanding review from ”PIANONews” (one of the most popular Classical Music Journals in Germany).

Performance: 6/6, Sound 6/6, Choice of Repertoire 5/6

Hando Nahkur and his second CD “DeusExClavier” are a marvelous discovery! …The “official” culmination of the record is Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes op. 13.

Nahkur’s interpretation rightfully holds its own even against the legendary versions by Wilhelm Kempff or Martha Argerich.
We will—hopefully—hear very much more from this talented pianist.

Please join the Behive in congratulating this talented young Freemason. You can contact Nahkur on his website: www.handonahkur.com

Discipline is Not Evil

February 21, 2011 by TimBryce

PREFACE: This column, which may seem to be aimed at the education of our youth, is also applicable to the workplace and to Masonic lodges in terms of teaching our junior members how to succeed and climb the ladder of the Lodge hierarchy.

I recently attended a training session for a nonprofit organization whereby the intention was to teach new members the policies and procedures for the organization. I was there to assist. During the course of the program, the instructor explained the protocol for conducting meetings where the public may be in attendance. In addition to “Roberts Rules of Order,” the group had supplemental procedures for recognizing and answering questions from the floor. All of it seemed rather simple and straightforward, but there were a couple of young people in attendance, whom I judged to be in their mid-20’s, who seemed to be baffled by the instructor’s explanation. The teacher patiently repeated the procedure and demonstrated with some examples. This didn’t seem to help as the students were still at a loss as to what the instructor was saying. At this point, other students chimed in to support the teacher and tried to explain the concept to them. I even threw in my two cents. After much cajoling, they finally acquiesced and claimed they understood, but I wasn’t convinced they did.

As I was driving home that night I thought about the two young students and wondered why they were having a problem comprehending what appeared to be a simple concept. Aside from being younger than myself, I judged them to be relatively well educated. “Is it possible that I am more intelligent than they are?” I thought to myself. No, I like to believe I am well rounded, but certainly not in the category of being a genius. In all likelihood, we were probably comparable in terms of intelligence. So, what was causing the problem? Then it hit me, simple discipline.

Both tended to dress rather roughly to work and it wasn’t uncommon for them not to shave. Their speech and manners also hinted of the lack of social graces. Further, after observing their work habits, I found they had a reputation for bucking the system. They were far from stupid, but their nonconformist attitudes tended to get in their way of learning and adapting.

Not long ago I wrote an article entitled, “What’s wrong with a little discipline?,” which described the efforts of Caroline Haynes, a school principal in the United Kingdom, who was raising the test scores of her students by implementing strict discipline in the classroom.

More recently, Amy Chua, a Professor at Yale’s Law School in Connecticut raised some eyebrows with the publication of her new book, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.” which is a memoir of her experiences raising two daughters using strict parenting techniques. This resulted in considerable criticism in the media and by parents who claimed Ms. Chua was too hard on her own children. Maybe she was, but you cannot argue with the end result whereby her children, who are now entering their college years, are intelligent and socially well-adjusted, not to mention excellent musicians. They excelled not because they were inherently bright, but because their mother instilled a sense of discipline in them by challenging them to think and participate.

In an age of permissiveness, where parents tend to be lax in enforcing discipline, people like Caroline Haynes and Amy Chua clearly demonstrate that discipline is not evil, but rather quite beneficial. However, as both people have discovered, there is a general perception by the public that discipline stifles the expression of individuality and creativity. Consequently, parents tend to be intolerant of such things as school uniforms and corporal punishment in public schools.

Consider this, up until the 1960’s there were dress codes in public schools. For example, boys had to wear collared shirts, slacks, and proper shoes. Blue jeans, gym shoes, T-shirts, and shorts were a taboo. Further, there were hair codes which defined length and cut. If anything was out of place, you were sent home. Likewise, girls had similar codes. Dress lengths were checked regularly and there were certain ways you couldn’t wear your hair. Excessive use of makeup was also checked. This all changed in the 70’s when kids rebelled and parents began to insist their children be given certain freedoms which resulted in a “grunge” look that remains with us to this day. Is it any small coincidence that the rebellion of school dress codes in the 70’s led to a similar change in office dress codes in the 90’s? Hardly.

It is not my intention here to make a pitch for student dress codes or the re-implementation of corporal punishment, rather to point out the far-reaching effects from the lack of discipline by parents. As evidenced by the work of Haynes and Chua, there are benefits associated with discipline such as producing a trained mind that knows how to analyze, think, and take initiative to seek the proper answer (which would have certainly helped the two young students mentioned earlier). Discipline also forces the person to assume responsibility and gives them a sense of purpose. As such, it significantly contributes to their maturity. Further, it promotes teamwork by teaching uniformity and commitment. Discipline affects our thinking patterns, speech, common courtesy and decorum, all of which contributes to making a person more socially adjusted.

When it comes to discipline, nobody likes to be pushed, least of all myself, but I have learned to push myself when necessary. As a kid though, every once and awhile I needed a good swift kick in the rear end to get my attention and point me in the right direction. Even a nudge from a caring parent or mentor, given at the right time, can work wonders. That’s what parenting is all about. Unfortunately, not enough people are doing this. Maybe if everyone was required to serve a two year hitch in the military things would be different.

Some people perceive discipline as evil, that it does nothing more than “teaches trained seals how to perform” while sacrificing their creativity and spirit in the process. Such accusations are naive and misunderstand the purpose of discipline which is how to effectively channel skills and creative energies. Discipline represents a process whereby we learn there are consequences for our actions or inaction (“cause and effect”), that there are both right ways and wrong ways for doing things. No great or important object was ever built without some form of discipline. Ask any engineer, architect, musician, inventor, scientist, manufacturer or craftsman; they will all tell you that you cannot build anything of substance without discipline.

No, discipline is certainly not evil, but you have to wonder about the people who fail to instill it. Excuses abound to rationalize why they do not do so, such as they don’t have time, or they don’t want to inhibit their children. Some are plain and simply afraid to do so in fear of the legal system. When parents fail to teach discipline it defaults to teachers, coaches, and employers to do so, which is not necessarily their responsibility and may produce undesirable results. Understand this, for every person who fails to learn some form of discipline, they become a burden on society and, accumulatively, they represent a decline in our civilization.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M. Bryce & Associates (MBA) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim’s columns, see:
http://www.phmainstreet.com/timbryce.htm

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Tune into Tim’s THE BRYCE IS RIGHT! podcast Mondays-Fridays, 11:30am (Eastern).

It’s a connection to eternity

February 17, 2011 by Greg Stewart

Great article in the Boston Phoenix on Freemasonry and the “all-seeing eye of rock and roll.”

Below are just a few of the quotes

The Masons of Amicable Lodge have tattoos curling out from under their button-down shirts. They wear giant rings and waist aprons that look like oversize satin envelopes. They wear ties and medals and amulets. They carry staffs. Each month, they gather to practice secret rituals in Porter Square.

“A lot of people become involved in music because they’re looking for something higher — or to get girls, which is something higher,”…”It’s looking for that thing that’s bigger than you — the first time you hear the Ramones on the radio, it’s that spiritual thing.”

[Free]Masonry fills that need

“We’re born, get old, and die, but the rituals remain the same. It’s a time machine. It’s a connection to eternity.”

I really like that analogy, its a great perspective.

Demons and demagoguery

February 16, 2011 by Greg Stewart

This tale starts in an email I received on Valentines Day. The email was a resignation, a coup de grâce on a loose affiliation based on a common passion about Freemasonry because of a personal (or privately cultivated) belief that this websites general quality was in deterioration.

I can surmise that most who read this site don’t like reading about the fraternal peccadilloes, the raw data of readers to each piece tells me otherwise. The highest day’s readership was on Monday June 22 of 2009 when I published a piece called “My brother’s keeper. Open Racism in Georgia Freemasonry” which, for the record, pulled close to 1500 views on the day it went up. Does it mean people like controversy? No, but it means Brothers want to know what’s going on across the spectrum of Masonry besides who’s speaking where or recognizing who is relevant to someone.

The complaint in this resignation was a building belief that some writers were taking on a voice of schadenfreude (the pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others). It’s an easy line to see blurred, and not a new complaint about the BeeHive. It’s a reason for a few hurt feelings and split relationships that lead to breaks over creative differences.

Through it all the, higher principal in operation on FmI has been to allow free speech with an open door for named authors or free volunteers to contribute to the dialog. My email is right there on the right… If its not a rant, send it to me, I’ll publish it.

In the 6 years that I’ve published this site I’ve received a whopping total of TWO (2) contributions to rebut something published here. I know that the posts are being debated, I go to the same forums you do and I can see when someone somewhere links back to an article, so I know people are talking about the subject matter. But no does. Its easier not to.

For a fraternity that instructs an initiate to seek out understanding for logic and rhetoric, two counter posts seem to smack of a lack of that study.

Maybe that’s the case. Maybe there is a disdain to speak openly about the elephant in the room or to address the problems “over there” when clearly there is no similar problem here. It smacks of the “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” mantra which the Urban Dictionary quotes Dane Cook defining the aphorism by saying “It happened. It only happened there. And it happened far enough away to have any negative effect on the “the here and now”. And anyone who wasn’t there at the time need not know about it. So stfu about it, and move on. But keep the memories.”

It’s the last part that those who want to keep status quo want you to remember: “…stfu about it, and move on.” For those scratching their heads wondering what stfu means, it means “shut the Fuck up” and their saying that because they don’t like to talk about the negative fraternalism, or their being called to task to defend their affiliations, or what they perceived as being so sacred is more subject to social influences than they care to recognize. Clearly, what happens in Masonry over there affects it over here especially in the era of national news coverage. Maybe if we STFU enough, we won’t have to say anything and then behind closed doors we’ll address the problem.

News flash – that’s not happening and no matter how tight we wrap ourselves in the comforting loops of the imaginatively historic “Mystical Tie“ and ignore the reality of what its binding the sooner it will become a noose that will suffocate out the creative life of what should be a bright and shining jewel of society.

It’s happened to me when a family friend who a few months back asked me about my involvement in Masonry (she is one of about 1400 friends on Facebook so she sees a lot of what I publish). She just happens to be very educated, Jewish, a feminist, and a lesbian, and she asked me what was with all this Masonic stuff since she remembered it from her fathers day as being a racist, anti-Semitic, male chauvinist society? Her question: “How can they [Masons] proclaim such high ideals and still be so upside down about religion, women and race?”

After she asked that question she then asked me “How could I be a part of such an organization given my enlightened liberal nature?”

I came up short. I didn’t really know what to say. Would you? My feeble response was to say that I write about it and still a part of it, to make these issues a thing of the past. Personally, I wanted to make racism a non-issue and to change the perception of the “enlightened” so as to see the fairest of the species in the same way that the rest of society see them – as equals.

What I do (and really why this site exists) is to remind my brothers, as Tim Bryce reminds me, and what I believe to be behind what the BeeHive writes is that “the Emperor has no cloths” and that we need to get our heads out of the sand about it.

So, as was so cavalierly published this morning, the author of the “47th Problem of Euclid” is no longer posting on this website and he has eliminated his past few contributions. His departure is because of a profound discomfort “…with where the website is going…” and a belief that it has “…chosen to ally [the BeeHive] with irregular and clandestine Freemasonry rather than commit to helping fix these problems.” But, I suggest that rather than offer a counter point or rebuttal or any significant material contribution – Euclid has chosen to quit publicly and with a flourish which is easier than adding to the conversation and shaping the dialog.

And that’s the reason why Modern Masonry is in the state it is today. When we believe the quality of something to be low (true or not since it’s all about our personal perception), we separate ourselves from it rather than adding to its material betterment.

Healing The Hurt And Moving On

February 15, 2011 by Fred Milliken

The Old Guard just doesn’t get it. The young Masons do. There is a cancer in Mainstream Masonry and it is in need of chemotherapy and radiation. The cancer is the capricious use of unbridled power by Grand Masters across the land. Oh, not all of them govern their Lodges in such a tyrannical manner but enough do to sully the name of Freemasonry.

But the Old Guard is turning a deaf ear and a blind eye to the problem as they tell us: Number one if it is out of their jurisdiction it is none of their business. Number two bringing problems out in the open and publicizing them only destroys Freemasonry. And number three there is a process in place in most Grand Lodges to address grievances and the vote of the entire sitting Grand Lodge can overturn bad policies and remove bad Masons. So what’s the beef?

The Catholic Church has had a problem with pedophile priests. And they used to have the same Old Guard mentality. If molestation occurred in another diocese than it was not the business of congregants to mess in another territory. Bringing the problem out into the open would allow the press to have a field day with the church and destroy it. And above all the Church must be protected even if doing so causes human suffering. And there was a grievance policy in place to address problems.

Why can’t we just keep it in house, so say the Freemason Old Guard, so say the Catholic Church Old Guard? Just keep your mouth shut and we will reprimand the abuser and fix the problem.

But what about the people who were abused? In the case of the Church, what about the children who were traumatized by being violated by those who were supposed to be their protectors? Did the Church provide them therapy to help them return to a normal life? Did the Church comfort them and counsel them? Did the Church bring the matter to justice and provide the afflicted and families with closure?

NO, NO and NO. The Church could not admit any wrongdoing on the part of its clergy lest the Church come under attack and be diminished or destroyed. Above all, at all costs, the Institution had to be protected against anything that would hurt it. So it was necessary to declare the stories of Priest abuse unbelievable. Later when overwhelming evidence to the contrary was unmistakable, the Church demanded that there be total silence and would not help those abused for fear of admitting them right. Don’t you dare go to the police or civil courts the molested were told.

Oh the shame, the human suffering that was not attended to. All those children sexually molested, entire families traumatized, the abused judged as guilty and the abusers left to run free. Oh the shame of it all!

But the course of action by the Church to hush it up and try to handle it internally without allowing the civil police to investigate and attorney generals to prosecute and the press to publicize backfired on it. And when it all came out into the open it was that much harder to deal with and that much costlier to settle with the abused.

Mainstream Masonry is following the same path. It thinks only of the Institution and the good name of Freemasonry not on the unjustly and unfairly expelled Brethren who have been libeled, slandered and abused – and kicked to the curb in the process. What about David Lettelier? What about PGM Frank Haas? What about Mike McCabe? What about Derek Gordon? What about the thousands of other Freemasons who are the victims of Grand Lodge abuse? Do they not deserve to have their good name restored, for justice to prevail, to be reinstated wherever they want to continue their Masonic journey? They are human beings with feelings and emotions. Why must they be forgotten and unsupported, left to flounder on their own after having done nothing wrong? Do we care about human beings in Freemasonry? Do we care what’s been done to these men?

Oh the shame of it all! Freemasonry is so wrought with rules and regulations that it cannot permit itself to right a wrong. Yet Justice is one of the Five Cardinal Virtues.

Not only will Freemasonry not stoop to aid the abused, it will even criticize those who try to help themselves. It’s, “We can’t mess with somebody else’s problem.” Really? Is that what the Volume of Sacred Law on our altars tells us? “How dare a Freemason take his case to civil court.” “It is not healthy for Freemasonry to air its dirty laundry in the public venue.” Hush up, be silent. We don’t care about you we just want to make sure that nothing besmirches the good name of Freemasonry – at all costs.

So what is an unjustly punished man to do? What course of action has he left? Where can he turn? Who even gives a dam?

And if he should sign on to continue his Masonic journey in unrecognized paths, how is he treated? Is his life not one of scorn and ridicule for finding company with those “irregular,” “clandestine” folks? What Freemasonry wants is for him to pass quietly into the shadows while it regards him as a leper.

Oh the same of it all!

But as the numbers of unjustly and unfairly expelled Masons grows the unrecognized avenues available increase. All those Masons in power bemoan the continued rise and popularity of so called “bogus” Freemasonry. Yet it is the very same who help create these alternatives by purging their Grand Lodges of everybody but ass kissers.

Well unrecognized Masonry may be taking on a new respectability. In a recent issue of the Phylaxis Magazine we can find these words?

“Within the Craft of today, ‘regularity’ is of the same substance as religious ‘salvation,’ and more dependent on the magical effects of ‘belief’ and ‘faith,’ than objective considerations. No Mason can provide one definition for regularity without setting aside excuses to account for the numerous cases which would fall outside of the definition.

“They are the same ‘mental muscles’ as are required to articulate the anhypostasis-enhypostasis formula, that are employed to concatenate and articulate the formula for ‘regularity.’ The most honest definition for regularity, which would survive and ‘test’ without caveat, would be to admit that regularity is whatever the sovereign in question says it is, and that one sovereign can not pass upon the regularity of any other; they can only either extend or withhold recognition. It requires one to lay aside commonsense notions to rely on some ‘authority,’ which supersedes reason.”

“Due to the fact that all grand lodges are sovereign, there is no outside ‘authority’ to which any GL owes any deference; likewise there is no basis for any one grand lodge holding another accountable to any particular set of rules or regulations. Except ‘political’ and other types of pressure, the only retribution that one GL can enact against another is to withdraw ‘recognition.’ The complaint is often voiced regarding a grand body not following ‘established’ or ‘agreed upon’ rules, but the fact is that there are very few ‘treaties’ or ‘agreements’ actually in place between grand lodges, and thus the notion that there is some ‘established law’ that binds all Masons is fanciful at best. Neither the Regis Manuscript, Anderson’s Constitution, Mackey’s Jurisprudence nor any other expression of ‘Masonic Law’ is binding upon any Mason individually unless his grand lodge has officially accepted such as binding.”

“For example, like in Christianity, where a man does not receive ’salvation’ as a result of any good deeds or service to humanity, but through his faith that Jesus the Christ is ‘the Lord;’ within Prince Hall Masonry, regularity is not achieved through diligently pursuing the Masonic Principles, but that it is through the ‘blessings’ or ‘authority’ of the Grand Lodge of England, (Scotland or Ireland) that regularity is achieved. This formula for regularity is a ‘witch’s brew,’ used as a ‘strong arm tactic’ to abrogate the Doctrine of Assumption, and force any new Masonic organization to require the assistance of other regular bodies in order to achieve a ‘legitimate origin,’ and ergo ‘recognition.’”

“The Doctrine of assumption is a convention within the natural law which codifies the concept of ‘free will’ and the right of self determination which are inherent within humanity. It was through this doctrine that the first grand lodges, England, Scotland and Ireland were formed. Simply stated, this doctrine would permit any group of men to form any type of lodge or grand lodge whenever and wherever they should so choose. It is this same doctrine which validates African Lodge No. 459’s actions in ‘copying’ its English charter to be shared with other lodges, and for eventually declaring sovereignty in 1827 to ‘legally’ issue charters to lodges thereafter. The only legitimate question that any GL can put to another after it is formed is whether to extend or withhold recognition.”

“Once you consider all the of the ‘hoops’ an organization must jump through in order to get ‘recognition’ without the imprimatur of England, Scotland or Ireland, only an irrational ‘faith’ or ‘belief’ could support any expectation of achieving the designation. For these reasons, many non-Prince Hall African American bodies, several of them over 100 years old and still in existence, have ‘by any means necessary’ fabricated histories which could cause an unsuspecting prospective member to ‘believe’ them ‘recognized.’ Still many others have resigned to ignore or otherwise forego the coveted distinction, and relying instead on the Doctrine of Assumption and the merits of their practice, have formed ‘spurious’ Masonic organizations. Although the ability to claim regularity is a ‘big deal’ within Masonry, it is difficult to state any actual benefits that flow with the designation besides ‘bragging rights’ and the fettered right to visit other regular lodges.” (1)

So we have across the nation thousands of expelled Masons, many of whom were treated unjustly and unfairly. Yet Freemasonry proposes to do nothing about stopping the continuing Masonic purges nor offer any solace for the expelled. Not only will it not stop the injustices but it even refuses to speak out against Grand Lodges who are acting un-Masonically. Mainstream Freemasonry refuses to police itself.

What it does do through the Rite of Exclusive Territorial Jurisdiction and by other means is to maintain a Mainstream monopoly on Freemasonry in each state. Monopolies in business are notorious offenders. Keeping out competition is the essence of maintaining control and being able to operate without being responsible or answerable or held accountable to anyone, most especially the little people. What better way to do this than to declare all other formations of Freemasonry in that jurisdiction clandestine and irregular and thus refuse to recognize them. But the day is coming when the government will step in to regulate Freemasonry and the public, especially prospective candidates, will not care about such distinctions. What they will care about is how well an organization they choose to belong to operates and whether it does so in a legal and moral manner.

(1) Prince Hall The Christ, by the Ruffians, The Phylaxis Magazine, Third Quarter 2010, pages 14-15.

The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry Inc.

February 11, 2011 by Fred Milliken

It had to happen sooner or later. It was only a matter of time. All the racism, homophobia, regulations reminiscent of the US Army, the jockeying for power, the behind the scenes maneuvering, “the smoke filled rooms,’ elections that are a sham, dictatorial tyranny, expulsions without a Masonic trial, pulling of Lodge charters and closing down Lodges for no good reason, refusal to Recognize, withdrawals of Recognition, muzzling of Masonic intercourse, charges of irregularity and clandestine activity, Grand Lodges stealing local Lodge’s property and assets, the blackballing of expelled Masons from every Grand Lodge in the world, secret ballots that kept out blacks but let in the KKK, Freemasonry hijacked by Christian only Masons in some quarters and by secular Masons in other quarters. It seems to mimic our civil politics where one special interest group vies for control and funds versus other special interest groups and where they all proclaim – “It has to be done this way and this way only!”

Why?

That’s the question that Stephen Quest is asking. Why does it have to be done only one way? If we are a fraternity of diversity in makeup why can we not be a fraternity in diversity of practice? If some Masons want to form a Christian only Lodge and others want to form an atheist Lodge, as long as they are adhering to the principles of Freemasonry and actually practicing Freemasonry, why can’t they both go ahead and do what they want? If another group of Masons wants to operate a men’s only Lodge and yet still another group wants to admit women while a third Lodge wants to be women only, why not?

Now no matter what was and what is it is ever changing. And to say that no changes from the Ancient Charges have ever been made or ever can be made is just foolish. One only has to look at “Revolutionary Brotherhood” by scholar Steven Bullock to see how Freemasonry can evolve. The plain fact is that Freemasonry’s violation of civil and gender rights will not forever be permitted by our civil government. Sooner or later the strong arm of the law will intervene and literally meet Governor Faubus at the school house door, to make an analogy, and override Masonic code. You know it, I know it and Stephen Quest knows it.

Initiated 19 August 1981, Passed 30 September 1981, and Raised 28 October 1981 in Gray Lodge Houston TX, Quest became a member of the Houston Scottish Rite Bodies, Ruthven Commandery, Arabia Shrine Temple and Bluebell Chapter OES. Subsequent dual memberships in various lodges around the country notably Glacier Lodge Anchorage, AK and Central Arizona Lodge Sedona, AZ. He was a founding member of Scientia Coronati Research Lodge.

In 2008 Quest withdrew all memberships to affiliate with The Grand Orient of the United States of America.

Quest has withdrawn from the GOUSA after finding the same “Grand Lodge mentality” that has so much characterized Mainstream Masonry.

“Freemasonry doesn’t work anymore,” proclaims Quest. “It’s time for a new paradigm,” he adds. “I don’t buy into this anymore. It’s got to devolve back to local Lodge control.”

And this is precisely the problem in Freemasonry today. It has evolved from a bottom up organization to a top down one that feeds on power and control. At a much earlier time in the history of the Craft, Grand Lodges sat at the will and pleasure of local Lodges wherein the power was concentrated. Today local Lodges sit at the will and pleasure of the Grand Master and owe their very existence to him. One might say we have entered a Masonic era of the cult of personality rather than the assimilation and practice of a philosophy.

This is why Freemasonry is dying, Quest admonishes us. Today’s younger generation are not joining Masonry in large numbers. Many come, he says, to pay their dues and get their ring never to show up again inside a Lodge building. Perhaps it’s because today’s young will not be dictated to. They will not be treated like children. They will not associate with racists or become part of an organization that refuses to open its doors to Black African Americans.

Quest has had two major mentors in his Masonic journey. First in his investigation of Freemasonry prior to joining he fell in love with the works of Manley P. Hall and the words of this author have imprinted onto his spirit a certain guidance system. Later on Dave Daugherty and his organization the “Knights Of Freemasonry Universal,” (KOFU) served as inspiration and a model for the path he has chosen. Daugherty went on to form the “Masonic Peace Institute,” whose mission finds it intertwined into the thoughts of Quest.

When Quest finally came to the decision that the only course of action left was a complete break with traditional Freemasonry, he blended the philosophy of Hall with the vision and mission of the Knights of Freemasonry Universal and the Masonic Peace Institute to form the Foundation Of Universal Freemasonry (FOUF).

FOUF is a Confederation of Independent Masonic Lodges. Quest calls it the ultimate Masonic paradigm.

“Universal Freemasonry has previously been considered an abstract philosophical concept, The Masonic Ideal to possibly be achieved by future generations. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry, Inc. has created a new dynamic devolving Masonic authority back down to the Lodge level from whence it came. Gone is the former quagmire of jurisdiction, recognition and regularity. Here now is Fellowship, Equality and Freedom.”

Quest now in Machesney Park, Illinois and working in Wisconsin has formed a 501c(10) corporation for the purpose of chartering Independent Masonic Lodges. “I’m not going to wait for my grandchildren to solve this problem,” says Quest. “We need a new dynamic to recharge Freemasonry into a 21^st century revitalization, one that respects the individual Mason.”

The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry makes few demands on Lodges it charters. It requires that a minimum of three Master Masons apply for a charter. Once granted the new Lodge must submit its ritual, by-laws and yearly dues of $52. It also must agree that in any matter of disputes as a Lodge that it must submit to a conflict resolution arbitration process provided by FOUF. It must also submit a yearly report. That’s it. Each chartered Lodge can operate under the nonprofit umbrella of the 501c(10) of FOUF.

In forming this Confederation Quest has tried to make it very clear, very plain and very simple that this is not to be a battle or feud with traditional Freemasonry. We are not at war, he would say, we are at peace. Quest would endorse the words of Abraham Lincoln:

“With malice toward none, with charity for all, …let us strive on to finish the work we are in, …to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations (Grand Lodges).”

He makes that very plain in his statement of Principles:

The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry hereby unilaterally declares itself and its members to be in a state of amity and solidarity with all Freemasons whithersoever dispersed around the globe, regardless of reciprocation.

The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry, while renouncing all previous systems of jurisdiction, recognition and regularity as being archaic and harmful to the full expression of the Masonic Ideal, hereby unilaterally declares itself and its members to be in a state of harmony and peaceful co-existence with all present and future Masonic organizations, regardless of reciprocation.

Today’s Freemasonry operates much like civilly our states did before the Federal Union. In the early years of our country states would affix a tariff on goods coming in from other states. Of course the formation of the United States did away with operating in this manner. Now Quest wants to break down barriers in Freemasonry that serve no particular purpose other than to insulate those in power from responsibility, accountability and the observance of individual Masonic freedom and Rights. The politics of Freemasonry and its method of governance is not Freemasonry. Rather it is the principles of Freemasonry and its philosophy and daily practice in the world that really is Freemasonry and Quest’s quest is a free expression thereof without hierarchical hindrance that will truly make Freemasonry universal. And the result will be a truly free Freemasonry with a national American identity not Freemasonry owing allegiance to 51 different fiefdoms.

Statement of Principles

The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry, Inc.

A Confederation of Independent Masonic Lodges

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the Masonic family is the foundation of Universal Freemasonry, and

Whereas disregard and contempt for these rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of our Fraternity, and the advent of a world in which all Freemasons shall enjoy freedom of speech, belief and association has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the Masonic Ideal, and

Whereas it is essential, if a Freemason is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that freedom of speech, belief and association should be protected by a common unifying influence, and

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between all members of the Masonic family, and

Whereas the members of The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry have in their founding documents reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of fellowship in larger freedom, and

Whereas the members of The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry have pledged themselves to achieve the promotion of Universal Freemasonry and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

Now therefore, The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry proclaims this Statement of Principles as a common standard of achievement for all Freemasons, to the end that every individual Freemason and every Masonic Lodge, keeping this statement constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the members of this organization and among Freemasons of all Obediences.

Article 1. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry hereby unilaterally declares itself and its members to be in a state of amity and solidarity with all Freemasons whithersoever dispersed around the globe, regardless of reciprocation.

Article 2. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry, while renouncing all previous systems of jurisdiction, recognition and regularity as being archaic and harmful to the full expression of the Masonic Ideal, hereby unilaterally declares itself and its members to be in a state of harmony and peaceful co-existence with all present and future Masonic organizations, regardless of reciprocation.

Article 3. All Freemasons are created equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of love, peace and harmony.

Article 4. All Freemasons are entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Statement of Principles, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, gender, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Article 5. All Freemasons have the right of freedom of association, freedom of visitation and freedom of membership in any and all organizations as their interests guide them.

Article 6. All Freemasons have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his or her religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his or her religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Article 7. All Freemasons have the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Article 8. All Freemasons are entitled in full equality to a fair hearing by an independent mediator, in the determination of his or her rights and obligations and of any charge against them.

Article 9. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall issue Warrants of Dispensation to form Chapters upon application by any one Master Mason.

Article 10. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall issue Charters to form Lodges and make Masons upon application by any three Master Masons.

Article 11. As the Lodge is the fundamental organizational unit of Freemasonry, Lodges chartered by The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall operate according to their own adopted By-Laws free from interference.

Article 12. Lodges chartered by The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall be religious, secular, masculine, feminine or mixed-gender according to the desires of its members.

Article 13. Lodges chartered by The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall be free to adopt its own Masonic Ritual and work in any language.

Article 14. Members of Lodges chartered by The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry agree to submit to a conflict resolution process to be established by an impartial mediation panel. The services of the mediation panel will be available to all Freemasons regardless of their Jurisdiction, Obedience, or Constitution.

Article 15. All Freemasons are encouraged to participate in the social and cultural life of the community and all Lodges chartered by The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall adopt at least one project per year that benefits the community as a whole outside of Lodge activities.

Article 16. Lodges chartered by The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall be open to visitation by all Master Masons regardless of their Jurisdiction, Obedience, or Constitution, subject to a pledge of silence regarding the workings of the Lodge.

Article 17. There shall be an Annual Communication of The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry which will rotate geographically. At least one day of the meeting shall be open to the public for recognition and participation of all interested Masonic visitors.

Article 18. The Annual Communication of The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry shall have an Altar upon which will be placed A Blank Book and The World Scriptures.

Article 19. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry hereby adopts The Declaration of the Masonic Peace Institute as a part of this document.

Declaration of the Masonic Peace Institute

To: All Inhabitants on Earth

We, the members and supporters of the Masonic Peace Institute,
are committed to the peaceful coexistence of all peoples
no matter where dispersed

To this end we will toil spreading the cement of love and affection throughout humanity
We will work with any like-minded individuals and/or groups, no matter their nationality, culture, color, sex, language, rank, race, residence, or religion

We furthermore, affirm and promote:

The equal dignity and rights of all people
The pursuit of peace, liberty, justice, and compassion for all

The right to the values of enlightenment, through
education and unbiased information

Peaceful conflict resolution

Truth as expressed in all cultures
and recognized by all human beings

Taking responsibility for the consequence of all action,
processes and understanding

The truth as expressed in all religions, philosophy and cultures,
but proselytizing none

The men & women, of all times and from all nations, who have promoted
or do now, promote peaceful civilization

The principles of equality found in the theories of democracy,
without proselytizing any political agenda, action or system

To these ends we will act to:

Establish relations with other national and international peace
organizations

Participate in worldwide events representing the humanitarian
vision of democracy and peace

Conduct surveys or research and disseminate information

Become involved in peace processes where possible, proposing,
participating in, and supporting peace talks and conflict resolution

Support like minded individuals and organizations

May Love, Peace and Harmony Prevail

Article 20. The Foundation of Universal Freemasonry, Inc. has been formed as a 501(c)10

Non-Profit Corporation under the laws of the State of Wisconsin and of the United States of America, dedicated to the cause of Universal Freemasonry and service to the community.

Article 21. This Statement of Principles shall be incorporated into all founding documents including Warrants of Dispensation and Lodge Charters and shall forever stand as written.

Dated this 11^th day of February 2011 at Madison Wisconsin, United States of America.

I have a good friend and Brother in Canada heavily ensconced in its Grand Lodge system, who after reviewing the mess in Arkansas and West Virginia had this to say:

Looking at a lot of the complaints against this or that Grand Lodge, and the rising tides of frustration, it becomes increasingly persuasive to consider ditching the Grand Lodge System entirely, and having like-minded Masons simply create independent, individually Masonically sovereign lodges, as was the case before the formation of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717.

The ancient, “immemorial right” would be exercised. In fact, there is US precedent: George Washington’s lodge, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, was I believe an independent lodge…

Imagine Masonic life and lodges with no Grand anyone, no Grand Lodge rules to follow, and no levies or dues to Grand Lodge. Imagine a Masonic lodge entirely self-governing in ritual, business, regalia, membership and all other Masonic activities….

The concept could also be applied nationally, in which case one would create an Independent United States Lodge, and it would meet, say once every two months, in different locations around the country.

Now, there is a truly revolutionary concept. To coin a phrase, “If this be treason, make the most of it!”

Maybe just maybe if it is time for Mubarak in Egypt to go it is time for 51 power hungry Grand Lodges to go. For under its present constitution today, Freemasonry will not take its philosophy seriously nor will it allow its bonding to become universal. But the Foundation Of Universal Freemasonry will.

We leave you with a charge. Isn’t that how all great Masonic gatherings are ended? This charge by Stephen Quest himself will hopefully inspire you to open new doors in the practice of this ancient and beautiful Craft we call Freemasonry.

The Building Of King Solomon’s Third Temple

by Stephen Quest

The Temple is in rubble, the Crafts are in confusion, and all hope appears to
have been lost. For those Craftspersons who have been traveling the road to
Jerusalem for any length of time at all, it is not that difficult to understand
the reason why. Freemasonry was never intended to be practiced from the
top down or bottom up, and as a result neither of those methods have ever
been successful in bringing the Fraternity to realize its full potential, nor will
they ever be. Freemasonry is not about rules and regulations; it is a matter
of the heart. Freemasonry was intended to be practiced upon the level.

Before the Third Temple of King Solomon can be built the foundation must
be laid, and before the foundation can be laid the ground must be leveled.
All any true Freemason desires is to have the freedom to practice what is
felt in the heart and to have a place to do it. We stand at the threshold of a
dream. Although our principals are timeless, if we do not step boldly into the
future, the full potential of our beloved Freemasonry may be relegated to the
dust bin of historic lore. While the world is quickly moving forward our Crafts
are being left behind. However all hope has not been lost. The system that
appears to be a stumbling block to our progress is actually the stepping
stone into our future. There exists the prerogative to introduce Freemasonry
to its destiny by fiat. Who among you having Freemasonry in your heart, will
also have the courage of your convictions? Who among you will be the FIRST
to put down the setting maul and pick up the trowel?

Freemasonry and the Great Depression

February 11, 2011 by Greg Stewart

This was originally published in January of 2009 on the Masonic Traveler blog.

Freemasonry moves through periods of ups and downs. Like the stock market, there are periods of increases and periods of decreases. Peaks and valleys, plateaus, and depressions, which is normal for any system, especially as nothing remains static, motion is a constant.

Even as Masonry exists in the dimming embers of the post World War II correction period of post war fraternal enthusiasm, I started to ponder another phenomenon that ‘may’ be looming on the horizon, and something completely outside of the corporate body of fraternal control.

It’s no surprise that we are in the midst of an economic downturn. Not quite a depression, at least not to every talking head on the television, but the word has been thrown around, and even our most recent unemployment numbers are inching close to that era of saving your money in your mattress and leaping businessmen from corporate towers. Given the re-visitation to the matter today I’d now consider the state of things as an economic depression for many given the wavering unemployment figures anywhere from 9 to 25%.

In ’09, as today, I stopped to reconsider what this state of things means, from a personal level and from a broader perspective of what it may mean to the fraternity. What I consulted were the numbers from the MSANA, to see what some of the trends were in the last near 100 years. In particular, I was curious to see was what the effects of the Great Depression were in relationship to membership levels in America.

In that period, between 1929 and 1939 (the period of the depression, the membership loss amounted to almost 1 million members from 3,295,125 down to 2,482,291 – a total of 821,834.

How that number came about is difficult to assume. What is obvious is that 1929 and 1930 were relatively stable years. but 1931 onward began a domino effect decrease that lasted for a decade. There could be any number of variables in that equation, large attrition from earlier member bubbles (say 50 years earlier +/-), a loss due to changes in society with the post World War I boom, or you could extrapolate that it was the economic hardship with the Great Depression that caused the loss.

Important to add, in no period, prior to or after, was there a similar decrease in numbers, until you reach the 1959 water mark, and then the whole of American Freemasonry enters the spiral of decrease where it remains today. But between 1929 and 1939, with ten years of economic disaster, increasingly fewer jobs, much lower income, and escalating costs – each of these factors in the Depression had to have some net effect. As mentioned it wasn’t until 1941 that numbers started to tick back up, slowly which you can see it in the graph of American Masonry from the MSANA numbers (1925-2007). There is a definite drop off that takes place that turns around as, conceivably, the economy turns around.

I found an interesting commentary about this period from the Texas State Historic Society as it related to Texas Freemasonry.

As after most wars, Masonic membership showed a dramatic increase after World War I; in Texas it climbed from 94,000 in 1920 to more than 134,000 in 1929. The Great Depression brought an equally dramatic decline, to a low of 95,000 in 1937. A number of local lodges lost their temples, constructed during the prosperous 1920s, and their membership declined by as much as 60 percent. The waning of the depression and the onset of World War II produced the reinstatement of many former members, and after 1945 thousands of new members joined the lodge. Postwar membership reached 245,000 in 1961

The silver lining in this story is that at some point there was a turn around, that the numbers lost were regained, but nearly 25 years later. In fact, in that same article, it says that the loss was only after a significant increase in membership following the end of W. W. II, and the period of gain-loss-gain netted an almost even amount of members. The only real obstacle was the time in which it happened.

But, the numbers in reflection seem to be missing certain aspects of what the numbers reflect today. That difference was in the eras in which the economic crisis took place. In 1929, national membership was at a healthy 3.25 million members. When you start to factor in a 24% loss from the drop in the economy (a Depression), on top of an already steady loss of 20% per decade for the last 4 decades, it means that Freemasonry stands to potentially lose 44% in the next ten years, and which translates into a loss of 652, 717 members. (44% of 1,483,449 members as of 2007).

This would leave North American Masonry with roughly 830,732 members by 2019. Not devastating, but dramatic, but potentially more dramatic if there is a larger drop due to greater attrition (deaths/demits), and if you consider a possible snowball effect: fewer members leading to fewer meetings which leads to fewer lodges which repeats the cycle fewer members and so on… The numbers of loss could continue and grow. And, if the trend since 1959 holds up that there will still be a decrease of roughly 20%, meaning the memberships will continue in a downward trend.

What this all means is open to lots of speculation. The change will start becoming more and more evident as more and more lodges close shop as interest in a particular community wanes or is not nurtured. It seems an inevitable reality to the situation at hand, especially when we start to adjust the lens of its perspective as we read the great debate that just recently took place between the Masonic Line‘s Palmetto Bug and the Beehives Fred Milliken. Does a lodge have dominion over its own building, or is the lodge an instrument of the broader Grand Lodge? The discussion has been relevant in recent judicial decisions regarding break away churches and their mother church, with lower courts ruing with the congregations and upper courts with the denominational organization.

Even the debate over this being a corrective period of membership negates the value of those rank swelling members whose past efforts and dues made it possible for the very lodges we reside in today. Running lean is less a product of managerial ingenuity and more a byproduct of lost marketplace interest. Running lean can work in manufacturing, but in member associations?

Will the numbers (and fraternity) trend the way they did in the 1930’s? Does it necessitate the management our own lodges or to give them over to the parent corporation to manage? What will this economic challenge look like by way of the fraternity? What if it applied a Six Sigma methodology to membership to create a product that meets and exceeds expectations. This is a business measure, but the mystic tie needs to be quantitative in some fashion, right?

Masonic poerty – A Mason and A Creed

February 11, 2011 by Greg Stewart

A MASON

By BRO. CARL W. MASON
From The Virginia Masonic Journal, Richmond, Va
March, 1916

A Mason’s hand is a hand that helps, That
lifts the fallen one ‘
That comes, in need, with a kindly deed To him
whose strength is gone.

A Mason’s heart is a heart that loves The best that
is good and true;
He stands the friend, his best to lend, Under his
banner blue.

A Mason’s eye is an eye that smiles And his a
cheering voice;
He spreads the light, dispels the night And makes
the world rejoice.

Over the earth in stranger lands,
Where distant peoples dwell,
The eye, the grip, the life, the lip, Of love
unchanging tell.

A CREED

By BRO. HERBERT R. GRASSMAN
From Square & Compass, Denver, Colo.,
June, 1915

Hark ye, Masons, men of love,
Men of faith and men of fame!
Listen to the muffled cries
Of men in bondage, bound in shame!

Oh, what ignorance rules supreme!
Oh, what darkness hides the Light!
Oppose and fight all, things unclean
You are champions of the Right!

God in all His glory rules,
Watching over us with care;
He sends us wisdom, love and truth
With our fellow men to share.

Teach men how to see the Light
Not by word of mouth or pen,
But by deeds so kind and bright
Illuminate life’s path. Amen.

Bryce American History Quiz

February 11, 2011 by TimBryce

Last week I asked my readers to take a simple quiz regarding American government and history. I wanted to see just how well we knew some of the basics, such as our governing docs and some historical events. Nothing elaborate, I just wanted to take a pulse of our knowledge in general. 134 brave souls took the quiz for which I give my thanks. I didn’t want the quiz to be complicated which is why I tried to keep it as simple as possible. I could have asked for such things as age and political party affiliation, but I didn’t want to muddy the waters and turn people off.

Out of those who took the test, probably 25 people got a perfect score. I was not surprised by this as I didn’t try to invent a complicated quiz, just something that could give us some fundamental idea of what we know and what we don’t.

The quiz was far from scientific, yet I believe I can draw some conclusions from it based on the input. But first, let’s review the responses to each question. I’ll show both the number of responses and the percentage of the total, followed by my comments.

PLEASE ANSWER ALL 10 QUESTIONS – AMERICAN CITIZENS ONLY

1. Signed in 1620, it is the first governing document of Plymouth Colony as written by the colonists, later known to history as the Pilgrims. It was in essence a social contract in which the settlers consented to follow the document’s rules and regulations for the sake of survival.

22 – 17% – Magna Carta
92 – 69% – Mayflower Compact (CORRECT)
06 – 04% – Pilgrim Declaration
12 – 09% – Plymouth Compact
02 – 01% – Standish Consent and Decree

Comment: I considered this a tricky question as most people are unaware of any American history prior to 1776. I was pleasantly surprised to see how many people got it right. Those that answered “Magna Carta” disappointed me; even though it is an important document that influenced others, it was still developed in England, not America. I consider it significant that people recognized its name though. By the way, the last three, Pilgrim Declaration, Plymouth Compact, and Standish Consent and Degree were figments of my imagination.

2. How many “separate but equal” branches are there in the U.S. Federal Government?

000 – 00% – 1
002 – 01% – 2
131 – 98% – 3 (CORRECT)
001 – 01% – 4
000 – 00% – 50

Comment: People may have gotten other parts of the quiz wrong, but somehow the concept of “three separate but equal branches of government” representing the checks and balances of government has been successfully stamped into our brains. Only three people missed this.

3. What is the following quote from?
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

27 – 20% – Bill of Rights
94 – 70% – Declaration of Independence (CORRECT)
06 – 05% – Gettysburg Address
00 – 00% – Oath of Office
07 – 05% – US Constitution

Comment: The lion’s share of answers went correctly to the Declaration of Independence, but I was surprised to see how many people picked the Bill of Rights. As an aside, many of us had to memorize this section of the Declaration in elementary school.

4. Which U.S. President was NOT impeached?

34 – 25% – Bill Clinton
20 – 15% – Andrew Johnson
80 – 60% – Richard Nixon (CORRECT)

Comment: I expected this kind of response to the question. Richard Nixon resigned before impeachment proceedings could begin. The other two were impeached, meaning to hold trial in the Senate, yet were found not guilty. No U.S. President has ever been forcibly removed from office through peaceful means (assassination is another matter altogether).

5. What is the following quote from?
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,…”

04 – 03% – Bill of Rights
32 – 24% – Declaration of Independence
02 – 01% – Gettysburg Address
00 – 00% – Oath of Office
96 – 72% – US Constitution (CORRECT)

Comment: Most people got this correct, but notice how many confused it for the Declaration of Independence. This particular quote is from the Preamble of the Constitution. Like the Declaration, many of us had to memorize this in grade school, but I don’t think they do so anymore.

6. What U.S. President served as commander-in-chief during World War I?

11 – 08% – Calvin Coolidge
07 – 05% – Warren Harding
18 – 13% – Theodore Roosevelt
03 – 03% – William Howard Taft
95 – 71% – Woodrow Wilson (CORRECT)

Comment: I expected this question to be a little tougher as a lot of us have forgotten the events of nearly 100 years ago. Baby boomers may still be familiar with World War II, but I thought they would surely have problems with the first war, “The War to end all Wars.” I wasn’t surprised that Teddy Roosevelt captured the number of responses that he did simply because of his strong name recognition. By the way, William Howard Taft was the only President who also became Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (and the first to throw out a baseball on opening day).

7. What is the following quote from?
“…and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

001 – 01% – Bill of Rights
000 – 00% – Declaration of Independence
000 – 00% – Gettysburg Address
127 – 95% – Oath of Office (CORRECT)
006 – 04% – US Constitution

Comment: I was flabbergasted that anyone got this wrong. The six who answered “US Constitution” should have read the question more carefully.

8. What is the following quote from?
“…that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

005 – 04% – Bill of Rights
002 – 01% – Declaration of Independence
122 – 91% – Gettysburg Address (CORRECT)
000 – 00% – Oath of Office
005 – 04% – US Constitution

Comment: I was pleased to see most people remembered Lincoln’s speech. Interestingly, Lincoln was not the keynote speaker that day and, because of this, his words were almost overlooked by reporters in attendance. Thank God somebody was paying attention.

9. It stated that further efforts by European countries to colonize land or interfere with states in the Americas would be viewed as acts of aggression requiring U.S. intervention. It asserted that the Western Hemisphere was not to be further colonized by European countries but that the United States would neither interfere with existing European colonies nor meddle in the internal concerns of European countries.

009 – 07% – Emancipation Proclamation
002 – 01% – Kansas-Nebraska Act
000 – 00% – Kennedy Doctrine
116 – 87% – Monroe Doctrine (CORRECT)
007 – 05% – NATO Accord

Comment: I was pleasantly surprised by this one as I had assumed many people had forgotten about the Monroe doctrine, an important document which, to this day, is still in effect. I wonder if those who answered “Emancipation Proclamation” really understood the significance of that document. Probably not.

10. Which U.S. President was NOT directly involved with the Vietnam War?

81 – 60% – Dwight Eisenhower (CORRECT)
49 – 27% – Gerald Ford
01 – 01% – Lyndon Johnson
03 – 02% – John Kennedy
00 – 00% – Richard Nixon

Comment: This was perhaps my most controversial question as some of you argued that Eisenhower sent advisers to Viet Nam. True, but we send advisors to a lot of places. Viet Nam was Kennedy’s “line in the sand” to stop the proliferation of Communism. As to Ford, he inherited the Paris Peace talks from Nixon following his resignation and was in charge when we finally pulled out in 1975. Interestingly, I find younger people have no clue about this war whatsoever.

Conclusion

A few things occurred to me as I was compiling the results. First, the Gettysburg Address is better known than the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The Gettysburg Address is a moving speech but it certainly doesn’t bear the significance of our governing documents.

Second, it seemed to me that a lot of people cannot distinguish between the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. They view them as synonymous documents. For what it’s worth, the Declaration was used to sever Britain’s authority over its American colonies. The U.S. Constitution specifies how the government is to operate. The Bill of Rights is an attachment to the Constitution and specifies the basic rights of the citizens, specifically the first ten amendments. It was greatly influenced by such documents as the “Magna Carta.” All three documents, the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, are important reads that all citizens should be familiar with, not just students in grade school.

Finally, here are the number of correct answers versus incorrect answers submitted on the quiz:

1034 – 77% – Correct Answers
0306 – 23% – Incorrect Answers

In most schools, a 77% would represent a “C” which is probably not as bad as we think. Actually, this number is probably higher than the national average as I like to believe my readers are smarter than most.