‘Greenwich Tea Time, 250 Years Later’

    

An interesting item in the September trestleboard of New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education 1786 ties together history and current events.

Greenwich Tea Time,

250 Years Later

On Saturday, October 5, the Cumberland County Historical Society will commemorate the semiquincentennial anniversary of the Greenwich Tea Burning, a local pre-Revolution act of rebellion against the Crown that has a Masonic connection.

History remembers how on the night of December 22, 1774, twelve months after the Boston Tea Party, colonists in Greenwich, New Jersey expressed such disdain for British taxation that they burned a cargo of tea owned by the East India Company, the same victim as in Boston on account of its tea monopoly in British North America. Boston had the inundation; Greenwich the conflagration.

Frank D. Andrews, author of The Tea-Burners of Cumberland County, printed in Vineland in 1908 to memorialize the dedication of the tea-burning commemorative monument (fourteen feet of granite with Corinthian columns front and back) in Greenwich, writes:

“With the beginning of the year 1774, the agitation regarding the rights of the colonists and the unjust and tyrannical course of the British Parliament became a subject of general discussion throughout the country. At Greenwich, many sided with the king and condemned any opposition to his authority. Others there were, with an ardent love of liberty who freely discussed the political situation, taking sides with the Boston patriots, commending their action in destroying the tea in Boston Harbor, and giving with a liberal hand toward the relief of the sufferers from the Port Bill which Parliament had decreed as a punishment.”

The action, in short, was the ship Greyhound, bearing tea to Philadelphia, was warned off that port due to a potential Boston-like reception. Seeking a safer landing, the captain diverted into the Cohansey River to reach Greenwich. Amid as much secrecy as possible, the cargo was unloaded and placed inside the cellar of the Market Square home of Mr. Dan Bowen. A group of liberty-minded area men organized and headed to this house. Again, from Mr. Andrews:

“At Market Square, they halt before the building in which the tea is stored, speedily effect an entrance, and soon we may see the boxes passed from hand to hand into the neighboring field where the broken chests and contents form a goodly pile.”

It wasn’t long before it all was set ablaze.

As with Boston, anonymity of the rebels was essential because capture would mean brutal punishment, including death. In time, of course, that jeopardy expired, and partial credit for the raid since has been given to Andrew Hunter, Jr.

revolutionarywarnewjersey.com

The side of the Greenwich monument bearing Hunter’s name.

Born in 1752, Andrew was the son of David Hunter, a retired British Army officer settled in Virginia. David’s brother Andrew, for whom the boy was named, asked David to send young Andrew to him in New Jersey to receive an education. He graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1772 and soon was licensed to preach. Following that uncle’s career, he was attached to the Presbyterian Church at Greenwich.

During the Revolution, he served with distinction in both militia and the Continental Army as a chaplain, even receiving public praise from Gen. George Washington.

njcincinnati.org

Andrew Hunter also was an original member and the first Secretary of the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Jersey.

Andrew Hunter, Jr. was a Freemason, according to RW Joseph H. Hough, author in 1870 of Origin of Masonry in the State of New Jersey and a longtime Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey. In this book, he explains how the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania had issued a warrant on September 2, 1782 to Masons serving in the Continental Army’s New Jersey Brigade, and thus Rev. Andrew Hunter became Worshipful Master of Lodge 36.

After the Revolutionary War, the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in 1784 recalled all warrants it had issued to traveling military lodges. No. 36 complied and ceased to be.

There is no evidence of anyone from No. 36 participating in the organization of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey at New Brunswick two years later, but Hunter reappears in 1787 in Grand Lodge’s records. At the Grand Lodge Communication of December 20, it was ordered that Hunter be invited to give a sermon the following St. John the Baptist Day in New Brunswick, as part of the first Grand Lodge installation of officers celebration. It doesn’t look like he attended, but Hunter’s name is on the roll of visiting brethren at the January 13, 1802 meeting of Grand Lodge at Trenton. Later that year, he was appointed Grand Chaplain.

He was appointed chaplain to the U.S. Navy in 1810, and so made Washington his home until his death in 1823.

Should any brethren find themselves at Gibbon House (960 Ye Great Street in Greenwich) for this 250th anniversary bash on October 5, be sure to raise your glass to the memory of our historic Masonic ancestor.

They’ll be burning tea at three o’clock too!

     

‘Lodge of Excellence in New York (where else?)’

     

Hailing from a lodge named Publicity, the Magpie Mason takes interest in market research conducted in the Masonic world. Yesterday, the Grand Lodge of New York revealed its latest initiative under MW Steven A. Rubin which aims a) to help lodges reflect on their strengths and weaknesses; and b) to have Grand Lodge salute and/or assist as needed.

(I couldn’t help noticing this comes on the eve of the Masonic Restoration Foundation’s weekend, but that is coincidental.)

We, as Free and Accepted Masons, speak of strength in the midway point of our trigradal system, in the Second Degree—the one dealing with mind and senses while ascending certain stairs—when the Pillar on the left hand is introduced. This Lodge of Excellence enterprise starts with a question. From the publicity:

The program begins with a simple survey to help us understand your Lodge’s strengths and identify the areas where we can assist. During the Masonic year, your Grand Lodge Officer will work with your Lodge leadership to complete this 29-question survey in yes/no format. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers—only valuable insights. The information we gather will give us a clear picture of our Lodges and help us to customize programs to assist with Ritual, Administration, Social Activities, and Community Involvement and more.

As Master of The ALR, I started completing the survey, but this obviously isn’t intended for research lodges. The questions concern lodge proficiencies in ritual, education, communication, community relations, social events, charity, and more. Lodges excelling will be recognized appropriately, and lodges needing help, aid, and assistance will receive the same from well informed brethren.

What more could you want?

And where else would you find a resource like this? Excelsior—“Ever Upward”—is New York State’s motto. Lodge of Excellence will enhance Grand Lodge’s efforts to serve our lodges, taking the Craft ever upward.

     

‘Lafayette at the Livingston Library’

    

If you are active at all in New York Freemasonry, you have at least heard about our celebration of the bicentenary of Bro. Lafayette’s history-making tour of the United States, a lengthy visit to all twenty-four states that was prompted by our fraternity to honor the last surviving general of the Revolutionary War. In fact, celebrations are happening around the country now, plus a book by Chris Ruli, published just this week, chronicles Lafayette’s progress from east to west, and from north to south, and back again.

Chris will be the Livingston Library’s guest lecturer, presenting his findings one night next month. From the publicity:

Chancellor Robert R. Livingston

Masonic Library

Live Lecture Series

Thursday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m.

“Lafayette & The Mystic Tie”

RSVP here

Join Chris Ruli as we examine the Marquis de Lafayette’s legacy with Freemasonry and his fraternal activities during his final American tour. 

The presentation is based on Ruli’s new book Brother Lafayette, copies of which will be available at the presentation.

Chris Ruli is a historian and researcher on early American Freemasonry and its often-overlooked relationship with politics and culture. He is an associate director of the Scottish Rite Research Society, Third Vice-President of the Philalethes Society, and a researcher at the House of the Temple in Washington, DC.

The Library will host this discussion in Masonic Hall’s Ionic Room on the sixth floor. Photo ID is required to enter the building.

     

‘Best Practices in College Station’

    

To whet your appetites before the Masonic Restoration Foundation Symposium this weekend, budget about an hour and a half to watch this new episode of the Masonic Improvement podcast. Pete Normand, a past president of the MRF, converses with co-hosts Justin Jones and Dennis Yates on the topic of the best practices set to labor in St. Alban’s Lodge 1455 in College Station, Texas.

Normand helped establish this lodge in 1992 with the specific goal of curating a certain Masonic experience, one far away from what was typical in that area at that time. An antidote to the deleterious mix of tedious meetings, non-Masonic activities, uninspired food, and lackadaisical attire that are the hallmarks of lodges that have given up.

Pete does about 99 percent of the talking in this interview, but it’s all instructive to the attentive ear. Listen to him recount how he explored Freemasonry for years before even learning how to petition for the degrees. How he recognized the lodge experience he inherited was not optimal. How he discovered the components of what some today call an “Observant lodge,” and the smart way to incorporate them into lodge culture.

Some of these ideas later became Grand Lodge law.

To Pete, it’s just common sense “best practices,” and he communicates it in recollections of how St. Alban’s accomplished it. The best kind of lesson.

Find Masonic Improvement on YouTube and your favorite podcast platforms. Feel free to skip the first sixty seconds to spare yourself the grating theme song, and enjoy the conversation.

     

‘To rekindle the rhyme of Regius’

    

Lewis Masonic

I admit I’m trying to stop acquiring Masonic books, but it isn’t easy, and Lewis Masonic isn’t helping. The venerable publisher now has an edition of the Regius Poem that bridges the Middle English to the Modern in a translation that revives the rhyme. From the publicity:

Freemasons throughout the world are finally able to study a 600-year-old manuscript of The Old Charges thanks to an unprecedented translation in modern English that has preserved the original rhyme scheme. For these Brothers, it may provide new and meaningful insight into the history of the Craft from a medieval perspective, which is more about the actual dos and don’ts for ancient stonemasons than today’s Brotherhood and its symbolism. Nonetheless, it offers a lot of recognition when it comes to the origin of modern Masonic practices.

Ever since James Halliwell (1820-99) discovered The Regius Poem in 1842, English-speaking Masons have had to make considerable effort to cope with its language, which dates approximately to 1425. Until now, the manuscript could be read only in its original wording, in modern prose, or in attempts that failed to qualify as poetry. This implies that, in actual practice, the earliest document of The Old Charges has mostly been appreciated for its wisdom and strength—at the expense of its beauty.

Lewis Masonic

To reinstall this trinity, Brother Harry G. de Vries has translated the old text from rhymed Middle English to rhymed Modern English for the first time. It was his aim, he says, to facilitate his English-speaking brothers with a version in which the essential literary ingredient of rhyme would be revived in order to rekindle the poem’s 600-year-old beauty. As a result, it helps bring today’s Masons much closer to the impact the poem would have had on its medieval audiences.

In the foreword, the Dutch author explains why being a native speaker of Dutch may have been a considerable help to understand and translate the language of The Regius Poem. You can check the results of his labor in this edition, in which each left-hand page has the original text and each right-hand page displays the modern translation.

Lewis Masonic

Brother Harry takes you back to a medieval lodge where a travelling word artist served masons the history of their craft as it was seen at the time—after the day’s work had ended. At Lewis Masonic we are sure that this unique version in rhymed modern English will provide Freemasons with a new perspective on the beauty of their Craft.

◆ Limited Edition of 500 only

◆ Printed on Artisanal Textured Italian Paper

◆ Cloth Bound

◆ Beautiful End Papers

◆ 152 pages

◆ 168 x 240

◆ 978-0-85318-655-7

£39.00 ($50) Click here to order.

     

‘St. Alban Masons coming to Philly’

    

St. Alban Lodge 529 in Philadelphia celebrates its sesquicentennial anniversary this year, in part, by hosting the 71st Annual International Gathering of Lodges Named for St. Alban. This will be the weekend of September 13 at the Masonic Temple in the City of Brotherly Love.

In Freemasonry, there used to be an interesting practice of lodges sharing a common name, but that are spread across grand jurisdictions around the country, uniting in a chain and occasionally meeting for fellowship—and, I guess, celebrating how their lodges’ name rocks. For example, there once was a St. John’s Lodge brotherhood.

Of course, the Holy Saints John are integral to Masonic ritual and symbolism, and I imagine every grand lodge in the United States has a St. John’s Lodge, very often numbered first. New York’s eldest extant lodge is St. John’s 1 in Manhattan, dating to 1757.

There is another saint whose name figures prominently in lodge nomenclature around America and beyond: St. Alban. His presence in Masonic culture is not obvious. First, let’s look at some biography, courtesy of Catholic Encyclopedia. Excerpted:

St. Alban. First martyr of Britain, suffered c. 304. The commonly received account of the martyrdom of St. Alban meets us as early as the pages of Bede’s “Ecclesiastical History” (Bk. I, chs. vii and xviii). According to this, St. Alban was a pagan living at Verulamium (now the town of St. Albans in Hertfordshire), when a persecution of the Christians broke out, and a certain cleric flying for his life took refuge in Alban’s house. Alban sheltered him, and after some days, moved by his example, himself received baptism. Later on, when the governor’s emissaries came to search the house, Alban disguised himself in the cloak of his guest and gave himself up in his place. He was dragged before the judge, scourged, and, when he would not deny his faith, condemned to death. On the way to the place of execution Alban arrested the waters of a river so that they crossed dry-shod, and he further caused a fountain of water to flow on the summit of the hill on which he was beheaded. His executioner was converted, and the man who replaced him, after striking the fatal blow, was punished with blindness. A later development in the legend informs us that the cleric’s name was Amphibalus, and that he, with some companions, was stoned to death a few days afterwards at Redbourn, four miles from St. Albans.

With Freemasonry arising in the British Isles, it is easy to understand how the first martyr in Britain could be cited as a kind of spiritual founding father. The earliest mention of him in Masonic literature is found in the Cooke Manuscript from the early 1400s, which is the second oldest known publication in Masonic letters, junior only to the Regius MS, and is the oldest of the Gothic Constitutions. It echoes in Anderson’s Constitutions and in the ritual probably used in your lodge. Cooke, at line 602, briefly says:

“And soon after that came Saint Adhabell into England, and converted Saint Alban to Christianity. And Saint Alban loved well masons, and gave them their first charges and manners first in England. And he ordained convenient [times] to pay for the travail.” (Spelling modernized.)

Another document, known as the Grand Lodge Manuscript, that is said to date to 1583, illustrates more:

England in all this time stood void of any Charge of Masonry, until St. Albons’ time, and in his days the King of England, then a pagan, did wall the town that is now called St. Albons. And St. Alban was a worthy Knight and Steward of the King’s household, and had the government of the realm, and also of the walls of the said town; he loved and cherished Masons right well, and made their pay right good (according the standing of the realm), for he gave them 2 shillings 6 pence a week and three pence to their cheer [food and drinks]; for before that time, throughout all the land, a Mason took but a penny a day and his meat, until St. Alban amended it. He procured for them [the Masons] a Charter from the King and his Council, to hold a general council together, and gave it the name of Assembly; and after having himself [become a Mason], he helped to make men Masons, and gave them a Charge, as you shall hear afterwards right soon.

Personally, I believe St. Alban endeared himself to masons through the act of improving the food and drink allowance! His feast day is June 22. Vivat!

A quick look through a search engine shows there are St. Albans lodges at labor in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, West Virginia and, of course, St. Albans in Hertfordshire!

To register for the Philadelphia event, click here.

     

‘A Friday the 13th Masonic Moment’

    

You’re in luck! Mitch Horowitz will return to Masonic Hall next month for “The Masonic Moment,” a speaking engagement hosted by Aurora Grata-Day Star Lodge 647. From the publicity:

On this special Friday the 13th lecture, historian and scholar of esotericism Mitch Horowitz will explore the origins, meanings, and purposes of modern “secret societies.” Rather than sinister power centers, authentic esoteric thought movements, including Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, and Illuminism, vouchsafe esoteric ideals from deep within ancient and modern traditions and use symbolical philosophy as a means to ethical self-development. Mitch makes particular note of Masonry’s role in instilling values of ecumenism and protection of the individual search for meaning in America—and how Masonry may yet rescue us from the descent of factionalist politics and culture.

As always, Mitch allows ample time for exchange. Following the talk, he will sign copies of his book Modern Occultism.

Tickets, at $40 each, here.

     

‘Rhetoric and the Columbians’ historic membership growth’

    

The Knights of Columbus, the fraternal service order of the Roman Catholic Church, announced recent growth in membership that pushes its enrollment past 2.1 million worldwide, says its senior officer. If this is accurate, and if I’m not mistaken, they now are larger than all Masonic regular grand lodges combined, as the United States accounts for fewer than 900,000 Masons.

Patrick E. Kelly

At their 142nd Supreme Convention, held in Quebec last Tuesday, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly said 92,000 men joined during the past year, making it “one of our best years of growth in a century,” according to La Croix International, a Catholic news source based in France. “In these challenging times, our mission matters. We must start by building up a new generation of Catholic men—men formed in faith and virtue; men prepared to be missionary disciples.”

And that is where it becomes impossible to contrast their gross gain to Freemasonry’s net losses, because the Columbians rally around their church and doctrine, while Freemasons consistently remain confused or uninformed of who they fundamentally are. However, those two states of consciousness produce dissimilar messaging which we can juxtapose:

Freemasonry: 2B1ASK1

Columbians: “Knights come from every stage of life, in countless corners of the world. Join us as we celebrate real role models in a world that needs men who lead, serve, protect, and defend.”

Freemasonry: We make good men better.

Columbians: “No matter what stage you are in your life, we are all on a journey together. Join us as role models in a world that needs men who lead, serve, protect, and defend.”

Freemasonry: Not just a man. A Mason.

Columbians: “You are a key part in bringing a culture of faith to life in your home, council, community, or parish. Let the Knights help you.”

Freemasonry: Where men build meaning.

Columbians: “There is nothing more effective at evangelizing the culture, than regular, everyday people choosing to live their faith in their homes, councils, community, and parish.”

Obviously, Freemasons cannot speak to any particular religious faith, because we are not a religion or an adjunct of any religion, but it is the pride that shines through the Knights’ words that grabs me. They sound assertive, specific, unflinching. We speak timidly in empty phrases from marketing consultants who have no understanding of who we are, because they’ve been hired by leaders who don’t know either.

Furthermore, Freemasonry is tongue tied by a misunderstanding of our own prohibitions of discussing religion and politics. We are enjoined from arguing over sectarian differences and partisan politics, but we can talk ideas. I’ll avoid the word philosophy, because that frightens some of the brethren, but we, as Free and Accepted Masons, may exchange views, impart wisdom, and uphold truth.

We speak of virtue and morality. We too can speak to leadership and service, to protecting and defending.

Coming next week.

The Lafayette bicentenary is upon us; the anniversary of his arrival in New York is days off. Freemasonry is commemorating this, but does anyone not named Chris Ruli know precisely what we’re celebrating?

The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is twenty-three months away. Are we preparing a jubilee for Americanism, a salute to the Freemasons, famous and obscure alike, who risked life and liberty to establish our country? Will we trumpet their ideas, or would doing so mean PoLiTics? 

At the rate I’m going, I can’t say when I’ll finish it, but for months I’ve been drafting a speech that borrows from Masonic oratory of previous generations to portray how Masons once viewed their fraternity, and thereby maybe help today’s brethren find the confidence to talk about the tenets of our Craft. Unlike the Knights of Columbus, Freemasonry cannot speak of any particular sectarian beliefs, but we do speak of God, and we should voice our universal message for free minds and free societies. Masonry has no canonized saints, but we do have our civic heroes who exemplified these concepts, as expressed in various speeches a hundred years ago:

▪︎ Freemasonry is a college of manhood.

▪︎ Its lodges are moral republics and centers of law and order.

▪︎ We offer a sanctuary of friendship and a school for liberty.

▪︎ Masonry is a voluntary league for the promotion of freedom and virtue.

▪︎ We inculcate the principles of equality, the necessity of law, and the excellence of order in all things.

Sensible people who pay attention to life realize we are stumbling through frightening times. Historically, there always have been scary things happening, but today too many institutions we once trusted are corrupted and the social customs that guided us are perverted. We are eyewitnesses to reality being contorted and made nonsensical all day, every day.

‘Rhetoric,’ per the Grand Lodge of New York.

In his Daily Masonic Progress essay today on Substack, titled “Why Freemasons Must Study Rhetoric,” Bro. Darren Allatt writes:

Why does Freemasonry instruct us to study Rhetoric, one of the Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences? This ancient discipline, respected by great thinkers throughout history, holds the power to transform not only our communication but our very thought processes.

Click here.

As Masons, we are called to improve ourselves in all aspects of life. But how does mastering Rhetoric contribute to this journey and what wisdom can we uncover from this timeless art?

In today’s fast-paced world, the art of effective communication is more crucial than ever. Yet many of us, Masons included, often overlook the importance of Rhetoric in our personal and professional lives. This oversight leads to missed opportunities for growth, influence, and understanding. Without a grasp of Rhetoric, we may find ourselves struggling to express our ideas clearly, persuade others, or fully understand the messages around us.

Decent men are looking for stability, order, real equality, virtue, morality, freedom, and manhood. For everybody’s sake, Freemasons ought to be as unapologetically bold and clear in speaking the truth as are our neighbors in the Knights of Columbus. The kind of man we seek will respond.

     

‘Of Philalethes and fairy elves’

    

The upcoming issue of The Philalethes, the quarterly journal of the Philalethes Society, was emailed to members last week as a PDF in advance of the print version. As usual, there are many interesting points within.

I won’t take you page by page, but if you, like me, are curious about “The Fairy Elves Song,” as printed in Cole’s Constitutions of 1728, then W. Bro. Nathan St. Pierre, of Lodge of Nine Muses 1776 in Washington, has what you seek—and then some.

In his “Whilst We Enchant All Ears with Musick of the Spheres: The Esoteric Significance of ‘The New Fairies: Or, The Fellow-Craft’s Song,’” St. Pierre takes us back several centuries to gain an appreciation of the Masonic dinner song. Maybe you know Matthew Birkhead, but there is much more to early eighteenth century Masonic music than what appears in Anderson’s Constitutions.

A few bars of St. Pierre:

Fairies are complex preternatural creatures appearing in poetry, trial documents, popular pamphlet stories, and demonologies across northern Europe in the early modern period. While often associated with Celtic beliefs and folklore, fairies also appear in Germanic, Nordic, and Eastern European tales. They are sometimes used interchangeably with ‘elves’ and are related to creatures such as goblins, hobgoblins, ouphs, and urchins. Fairies could be seen as magical helpers in healing and finding lost goods or as familiar spirits of witches. The reclassification of fairies as demonic entities became more common after the 1563 Witchcraft Act. Shakespeare’s fairies, particularly in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, exhibit these characteristics, operating both benign and malevolent magic and interacting authoritatively with the human world.

Elves are creatures similar to fairies, or interchangeable with them, forming part of a wider realm of northern European preternatural beings. In Old English, an ælf was a spirit associated with a particular environment or element, such as water. Elves could cause sickness in humans and animals, leading to the need for charms to ward them off.

And:

The first time “The New Fairies: Or, The Fellow-Craft’s Song” is presented in its entirety is in A Curious Collection of The Most Celebrated Songs in Honour of Masonry, published for Benjamin Creake in collaboration with Benjamin Cole. In that publication, the song is indicated, “as sung at the Lodge in Carmarthen South-Wales.” This very likely refers to the constitution of Naggshead and Starr Lodge in Carmarthen, South Wales on the 9th of June in 1726. The pillar officers installed that day were Master, Emanuel Bowen; and Wardens, Edward Oakley and Rice Davis. Brother Oakley would soon take this song to London where it would capture the attention of the Masonic world.

Edward Oakley, initially recorded in 1721, was actively involved in the foundation and operation of Masonic lodges both in Carmarthen and London. By 1724 or 1725, he co-founded the Naggshead and Starr Lodge in Carmarthen and served as its Senior Warden in 1726. He later became a prominent member of the Three Compasses Lodge in Silver Street, London, where he served as Senior Warden in 1725 and as Master. On December 31, 1728, Oakley delivered a significant speech outlining the qualifications and duties of Masonic members, emphasizing the importance of spreading architectural knowledge through lectures and books. This speech was published in Benjamin Cole’s edition of The Ancient Constitutions of the Free and Accepted Masons (1728), thus reaching a wide audience.

Much more information and context awaits you in this deep paper, but I zeroed in on what attracted me.

Click here for membership information.

     

‘Rubicon conference: Shapers of Our Ritual’

    

The Rubicon Masonic Society will be back next month for its twelfth annual festive board and conference, this time rallying around the theme “The Shapers of Our Ritual.” Four Masonic educators will take turns discussing the four historical figures who, indisputably, have the most to say about the degrees and other ceremonies in our lodges today.

This will be the weekend of September 27 at Lexington, Kentucky. From the publicity:

➤ William Preston, presented by RW Andrew Hammer

➤ Thomas Smith Webb, presented by RW Timothy L. Culhane

➤ Jeremy Ladd Cross, presented by RW S. Brent Morris

➤ Rob Morris, presented by W. John W. Bizzack

MW Terry L. Tilton, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, will deliver the keynote address at the Festive Board, presenting “The Use of Scriptures in Our Ritual.”

Brethren, it is through ritual that Freemasonry connects us and communicates with us harmoniously through the hourglass of time to teach us its aim and purpose. Come and greet old friends, make new ones, and engage in an in-depth exploration of our ritual and the men who shaped it.

The festive board and conference are separate events; for tickets, hotel, and the rest, click here.

     

‘The Compasses, Quadrant, and Sun’

    

My new ALR Past Master apron from Macoy.

I rarely treat myself to material gifts, figuring I have reached the age when it’s best to stop accumulating things, but I couldn’t resist an apron to commemorate my recent ascent to the East of The American Lodge of Research. As Masonic office-holding goes, this is my last stop.

I’ve been deliberating deeply this year on what my future labors in the Craft ought to look like (i.e., what makes me happy versus what leaves me wanting), and I believe I will limit myself to my three research lodges, unless I join a fourth, while quietly easing away from other Masonic commitments. After twenty-seven years of ceaseless hyperactivity, I am burned out, and there are too many responsibilities that drain my time but bring me little pleasure.

Twenty years ago, I was out of the house seventeen nights a month for this and that meeting; this dropped off steeply long ago but, after I leave the East, it will become more like seventeen per year. The pursuit of happiness for me spells quality over quantity. So, I’m looking at three or four meetings a year of The ALR; four at New Jersey’s research lodge; and maybe one or two with Virginia’s Civil War Lodge of Research, provided it sojourns north of 38° latitude. Plus, it goes without saying, there’ll be time for the occasional lecture here, conference there, the odd symposium, etc.—not to mention table lodges and festive boards. And I want to jumpstart Knickerbocker Chapter of the Philalethes Society. Maybe I’ll stick with AMD. So, possibly, not even the seventeen experiences total each year.

Well, you have to look sharp when you’re that particular, ergo my acquisition from Macoy Masonic Supply Co. shown at top.

Member apron.

Macoy fashions The ALR’s aprons. Not only our officer aprons, but also a smart design for members in good standing. Plus, as of now, because this is the first to be produced, our Past Master apron. They worked with us as we sought to recreate The ALR’s regalia from generations ago, using Harold V.B. Voorhis’ PM apron as a starting point:

Harold V.B. Voorhis’ ALR Past Master apron.

Having this inaugural piece made required patience on both ends of the transaction because I had to be perfectly exact in describing how it must look, and they had to be able to decipher my specs. I thought it would be easy to just request the standard Grand Lodge of New York Past Master design, but rendered in the brilliant colors of the unique materials of The ALR collection—except there seems to be no standard GLNY PM design!

I mean, there are rules—this isn’t Nam—such as how purple and gold are reserved for grand rank (that combo is a bit opulent for my taste anyway), and the Compasses, Quadrant, and Sun may not be joined by the Square (as that composition represents our DDGMs), but the rest seems ambiguous.

Publicity’s PM apron.

The apron presented to our new Worshipful Masters at Publicity Lodge, for example, sport the wreath of laurels surrounding the Compasses, Quadrant, and Sun, but other lodges’ PM aprons do not have the wreath. These aprons are white, with blue trim, and the symbols in silver. Grand Lodge’s law book isn’t demanding on this subject—and that’s good—unless I’m missing it because the tome is hard to navigate.

The ALR Tiler apron.

Also, The ALR has a Tiler this year, so I had to buy him an apron too.

For myself, I prefer the cord & tassel over the elastic belt. I hardly think William Preston wore Spandex!

The process of procuring this apron got me wondering how the Compasses, Quadrant, and Sun combination came to be. Sometimes questions like this can be answered by the Book of Constitutions devised upon the uniting of England’s two grand lodges more than two centuries ago, but it’s not so easy this time. You probably know how, in the end, the English adopted the Square with the 47th Problem of Euclid as their Past Master symbol (Pennsylvania uses it too) but, before that, this C-Q-S design was used for Past Master jewels.

Leicester research lodge’s transactions, Vol. 8.

W. Bro. John T. Thorp, Secretary of Leicester Lodge of Research 2429, presented “The Jewels of the Worshipful Master and the Past Masters” at that lodge’s fortieth meeting on May 28, 1900. Delving into the various official and unofficial literature of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, he found how different rituals, constitutions, illustrations, and other sources document what such jewels supposedly looked like. Several select excerpts:

Here, Thorp quotes the ritual exposure Jachin and Boaz.

And the exposure Mahabone.

And Three Distinct Knocks, obviously.

About that line or string of cords: It surprises me Bro. Thorp was uncertain about this, but then, he didn’t have search engines, but a cord in geometry is “the line segment between two points on a given curve,” according to dictionary.com. Today it is spelled “chord.”

In geometry, the quadrant can give an understanding of the earth’s circumference. In architecture, it is used, for example, in medieval building to add decorative flourishes to already complex designs.

In one understanding of Masonic symbolism, a speech delivered in 1863 puts it beautifully. On November 3 of that year, at Hampden Lodge in Massachusetts, W. Bro. E.W. Clark, upon presenting a Past Master jewel and collar to W. Bro. F.T. Merrick, said, in part:

There is an old adage that “actions speak louder than words.” Accept then, my Brother, this Jewel, not for its intrinsic worth, but as a token of our esteem for you, and when you wear it, may it call to your mind many of those valuable lessons in which you have so often instructed others.

The compass extended on a quadrant will remind you that your sphere of usefulness in this life is only bounded by your ability to perform. Let the Square remind you, although not the symbol of your office, yet God has made all things square, upright, and perfect. And the Sun, in the center of that great light which God has given us to lead us through life, and when you shall have done with life, and shall have passed to your reward, then may that beautiful passage of Holy Scripture be made manifest to you, which says:

‘The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.’

(See The Freemasons’ Monthly Magazine, Vol. XXIII, No. 3, January 1864, for the entirety of that great speech.)

Worthy of a Grand Master, yet fits beneath the driver seat. It’s a ‘half-size’ apron case. Holds an apron or two, writing supplies, cigars, flask, smallish pistol, and sundry items.

Naturally, one needs a case befitting so grand an apron, and I found the above recently via eBay. Sixty-five bucks! Fuhgettaboutit.

So, when you see me in my circumscribed Masonic travels, don’t be surprised if I show off my new regalia. (Andrew says bring your apron to the MRF for the MacBride EA°.) See you around.

     

‘ONYJRW is next month!’

    

UPDATE 9.10.24: Event cancelled.

Buffalo is much closer to Canton, Ohio than it is to New York City. You can’t even compare the two commutes. Canton is about 150 miles nearer to Buffalo. Plus, you could sail most of the way.

Having just learned this, I no longer feel offended by the Buffalo research guys finding partners in Ohio instead of with us in Manhattan, which I’d assumed would have been the obvious choice. That partnership has birthed an event planned for next month that will bring together five research bodies for what they are calling the Ohio-New York Joint Research Weekend. From the publicity:

Call to Assembly

Joint Meeting

September 13-14

Canton Masonic Temple

836 Market Avenue North

Canton, Ohio

The Ohio Chapter of Research, The Ohio Lodge of Research, The Ohio Council for Research and Development are pleased to announce they will host a joint meeting with The Thomas Smith Webb Chapter of Research of New York and The Western New York Lodge of Research.

Friday, September 13

Buffet dinner at 6 p.m., with ladies invited, followed by an evening of paper presentations.

Saturday, September 14

Continental breakfast, followed by additional paper presentations.

Call for Papers: Anyone wishing to present a paper should contact Jeff Slattery here with your title and approximate presentation length. Also, advise if you will need any equipment for accompanying audiovisuals. If possible, please email a copy of your presentation prior to the meeting. Questions may be directed there too.

Click here for hotel information and ideas for activities for the ladies.

I’d go, except it’s way too far.

     

‘Unity Day tickets are on sale’

    

Click to enlarge.

The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania will host Unity Day this time. Tickets went on sale last Thursday ($75 each) for the Saturday, January 25 event at the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia.

Only 600 seats are available (although I’m surprised that quaint little lodge building of theirs can accommodate that many!), so don’t wait too long to book yours. Looks like a great day.

Grand Lodges participating: Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico. Of course, Master Masons from all recognized grand lodges are welcome to attend.

Ritual work:

Entered Apprentice Degree by Garibaldi Lodge 542 of New York.

Fellow Craft Degree by the Masonic Kilties of New Jersey.

Master Mason Degree by the Colonial Degree Team of Delaware.

Open Installation of Officers and the Entered Apprentice/Fellow Craft degrees combined by the Pennsylvania brethren.

Breakfast, lunch, and a commemorative gift are included in your ticket price.

To be honest, I won’t be there. Too far. Too long (7 a.m. to 6 p.m.) a day. Too many people packed inside. I know I wouldn’t enjoy it, but those who attend these things always express their elation and praise, so let that be your guide.

Click here for tickets.