‘Treason and reason in one of those busy weekends’

    

Yesterday, at New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education 1786, W. Bro. Gerald, of Congdon-Overlook Lodge 163, presents his findings on the history of a Pennsylvania lodge chartered in Colonial times at Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

I enjoyed one of those four busy weekends per year I get when there are three meetings squeezed into a 24-hour period: Scott Council on Friday night, New Jersey’s research lodge the following morning, then my AMD council last night. It’s a lot of driving, but it’s been a routine for decades at this point, so I feel obligated.

Scott Council 1, of Royal and Select Masters, meets every other month at Freemasons Hall, home of Union Lodge 19, in North Brunswick, New Jersey. Almost always a good time, and we benefitted from Light from the East, thanks to T.I.M. Michael. He presented a talk on Jephthah from the Book of Judges—his life and times, as well as his importance in Masonic theory and ritual.

In the morning, I was back in the same lodge room for New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education 1786. (Maybe I should just stay the night in a local hotel.) If you want to celebrate America250 in New Jersey Freemasonry, the research lodge is the place to be!

Senior Deacon Glenn examined the treason of Gen. Benedict Arnold vis-à-vis the morality of our gentle Craft’s teachings, leading to a philosophical discussion of what does it mean to be a rebel disloyal to the rebellion. W. Bro. Gerald of Congdon-Overlook 163 (not a member of our research lodge—yet), presented “Basking Ridge #10: The Mysterious and First Masonic Lodge of the Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey.” This history of the origins and life of the lodge, which was located in Gerry’s town, illustrated how central it was to the New Jersey Masonic story.

Magpie file photo

This artifact is found inside the Museum of Masonic Culture at the Trenton Temple.

We segued from Solomon’s Lodge 1 to Haym Solomon to conclude the program portion of our meeting with a screening of the Oscar-winning Warner Bros. short film from 1939 Sons of Liberty. Starring Claude Rains, this was made by the director who would go on to direct Casablanca. The 20-minute biography of Haym Solomon told the story of how part of the Revolution came to be financed.

Charmingly corny, it also inadvertently gives us a look at how patriotism was expressed in an America that still was pro-America. The past is a foreign country, indeed.

Secretary Erich shared the progress being made in the publication of our first book of transactions in a dozen years.

Click to enlarge.

We talked about the Skene Conference coming in August. Buy your tickets already! The line-up of speakers is amazing, and you’re going to miss it? Are you serious?

We ended somberly, noting the death last Sunday of Gordon S. Wood. The Pulitzer-winning historian was an authority on the American Founding. Not a Mason (as far as I know), but he wrote of the Masonic Order of that era, describing its essentiality as a social network that united elites and nobodies in workshops of democracy, learning self-governance through practical local actions. Age 92. Hit by a car. Terrible.

And we were out by noon. A hearty lunch at a nearby restaurant ensued, but attendance was scant due to a variety of other events in the general area, from a ribs cookout to the Rosicrucian College’s convocation to a Third Degree.

I then headed to Hightstown for the quarterly meeting of J. William Gronning Council 83 of Allied Masonic Degrees. It was afternoon still, so I sat in the shade for a time and read the new Collectanea. In the meeting, I milked my Thomas Reid paper yet again, which seemed to have been well received. Reid was the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher whose words are heard in lodges today in our Middle Chamber Lecture. Sovereign Master Robert presented an overview of our actual allied Masonic degrees, explaining why AMD exists and where its role fits in the overall Masonic fraternity as a nexus of philosophy, scholarship, and research.

Looking to our September meeting, a degree will be conferred, which is always a good thing. Read all about it this summer in the Gronning Gazette.

Seriously, a lot of driving. It’s a good thing I like being a Freemason.

     

‘Founding of Semiquincentennial Lodge 250’

    

UPDATE—A photo from the May 2 festivities shows the Charter of Commemoration with the gavel & block of Semiquincentennial Lodge 250.

Rhode Island might not come to mind immediately when contemplating the Revolutionary War*, but their Grand Lodge has devised the novel way of celebrating America250 by chartering a “lodge of commemoration” to be at labor for the coming year.

From the publicity:

Semiquincentennial Lodge 250

Reflect on the Past

Celebrate the Present

Hope for the Future

Semiquincentennial Lodge 250 is chartered as a commemorative lodge dedicated to the 250th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence.

The tenets of Freemasonry have influenced the principles of freedom, equality, justice, and courage that are the foundation of our nation.

Semiquincentennial Lodge 250 celebrates the universality of Freemasonry and the importance of the tenets of our Craft to people throughout the world. It is a lodge that is open to and welcomes, both literally and figuratively, Freemasons wheresoever dispersed.

Semiquincentennial Lodge 250 will be opened officially with the presentation of the charter at the Grand Lodge Annual Meeting on May 18, 2026. All attending the Annual Meeting will receive a copy of this keepsake document.

Semiquincentennial Lodge 250 will be called to recess, but may be called to labor any time during the year at the will and pleasure of its Worshipful Master. The lodge will be officially closed at the Grand Lodge Annual Meeting in May 2027.

Program for May 2

Open Semi-Public

Occasional Grand Lodge

Rick Baccus

Most Worshipful Grand Master

Invocation

Pledge of Allegiance

Prologue and Guiding Principles

Stephen E. Mitchell

Past Grand Master

Reflect on the Past

Raymond A. Geer

Grand Historian

Celebrate the Present

Timothy L. Culhane

Director of Masonic Education

Hope for the Future

Joshua A. Irizarry, Past Master

St. Johns Lodge 1

Providence

Three Voices, One Spirit

Stephen E. Mitchell

Past Grand Master

Formal Presentation of the Petition

to Establish Semiquincentennial Lodge 250 

Gilbert J. Fontes, Jr.

Deputy Grand Master

Introduction of Grand Lodge Officers

and Guests

Benediction

Close Lodge

Rick Baccus

Most Worshipful Grand Master

Petition for charter

May 2, 2026A.D. | 6026A.L.

To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations:

Bro. Rick Baccus, M∴ W∴ Grand Master

The undersigned, petitioners, being, Free and Accepted Master Masons, having the prosperity of the Fraternity at heart, and willing to exert their best endeavors to promote and diffuse the genuine principles of Masonry, respectfully represent,

That, to Honor the Contributions of Freemasons to the Prosperity of our State and Nation and for other good reasons, they are desirous of forming a Lodge of Commemoration within this jurisdiction, to be named Semiquincentennial Lodge No. 250, F. & A. M.

Therefore, they pray for letters of dispensation, or a warrant of constitution, to empower them to assemble as a legal Lodge, to discharge the duties of Masonry in a regular and constitutional manner, according to the original forms of the order, and the regulations of the Grand Lodge.

Scheduled Events

May 2 - The Founding of Semiquincentennial Lodge 250

May 18 - Grand Lodge Annual with issuing of Charter of Semiquincentennial Lodge 250

August TBA - Grand Lodge Picnic and Flag Ceremony

September 27 (tentative) - Time Capsule and Liberty Tree Planting

September 30 - Collegium Luminosum: Speaker on Rhode Island Masonic History

November 14 - Revolutionary Table Lodge

* In all fairness, it is said Freemasons from St. John’s Lodge in Providence were key to the destruction of the HMS Gaspee on June 10, 1772, a dangerous act of tax rebellion a year and a half before the Boston Tea Party.

     

‘Buy these books to celebrate Virginia’s 250th’

    

In addition to what, I’m sure, will be many 2026 Masonic festivities for the 250th anniversary of the Founding of the United States via our Declaration of Independence, and many more 250th commemorations of more Founding events, there will be Masonic milestones too. The Grand Lodge of Virginia, the oldest independent Masonic grand lodge in the country, was organized on this date in 1778. (I’m not talking about provincial grand lodges and other embryony that date to the 1730s. I mean specifically post-Declaration grand lodges in the United States.) Now, the Virginia brethren have allied with Macoy Masonic Supply Co. to contribute to the fundraising for a suitable semiquincentennial celebration.

Books are for sale!

From the publicity:

We are already getting prepared for 2028 when the Grand Lodge of Virginia will be celebrating its 250th anniversary. To keep the costs down so all members can participate, we are creating new ways to raise funds and still serve the Craft in a meaningful way.

The Grand Lodge of Virginia has proudly partnered with the oldest Masonic publisher and supplier—Virginia’s own Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply Co., Inc.—by offering Virginia Masons an exclusive opportunity to be the first to purchase a small piece of Masonic history. 

Over the years, the estates of brethren who have passed to the celestial lodge above donate the books from the departed brethren’s libraries. Some of these books are bought and sold by rare book collectors because they date back to the 1700s and 1800s. Other books are more valuable because of the Masonic knowledge they have within their pages. Many have signatures in the front from brothers who were members of lodges all over the state.

Click here.

Periodically, this collection will be refreshed and additional books will be added to the site. If you would like to receive updates and get more information on the books that are available, please click here and Macoy will send you emails as new items are added to the site.

All proceeds of these book sales will go directly to the 250th anniversary of the Grand Lodge of Virginia. Thank you for your time and consideration, and we hope you enjoy this exciting opportunity!

1778 Society

In addition, Grand Lodge has created the 1778 Society to streamline fundraising for the semiquincentennial festivities. At this time, orders are being taken for breast jewels to be given in recognition of gifts to the Society. Donor levels are Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, and you can read more about that here.

Magpie coverage of Saturday’s meeting of Civil War Lodge of Research 1865 in Richmond is forthcoming, but it was a great day and I’m glad I made the trip.

     

‘Charge your cannons for Fort Ticonderoga’

    

Click to enlarge.

New York Freemasonry loses no time in celebrating the semiquincentennial year of the American Founding. The, I think, first initiative is to be a statewide blanket of festive boards in May to commemorate the Continentals’ victory over His Majesty’s troops at Fort Ticonderoga, way up in Essex County.

Talk about charging your cannons. Vivat!

Mount Defiance Lodge 794, constituted back in 1888, is at labor in Ticonderoga, and I’m sure the brethren will party in high style. Here in Manhattan, I’m curious to see how many lodges under the same roof will try to host similar events at around the same time. At The American Lodge of Research, I’m already working on a festive board for June to mark a different anniversary, so will avoid those potential clashes.