‘The ALR concludes another year’

   

Bill Sardone photo

I hereby wrap up the Magpie month of June with an update from The American Lodge of Research. We met last night for our Installation of Officers and to hear one research work.

RW Bro. Ron, a perennial grand rank guy in New Jersey, who also is a New York Mason, returned to the lectern to tell us the truth, “maybe,” about the Morgan Affair. I don’t mind admitting I wasn’t looking forward to this. The Morgan Affair, despite being a long and complicated story that intersects with a variety of historical threads—including, however improbably, U.S. political history—nonetheless is a well covered topic that everyone knows about. Or so I thought.

Ron surveyed the brethren present to assess their knowledge about it, and I was surprised to see a good portion of the room raise their hands to signify they didn’t know what it was. Therefore, Ron’s presentation was a bigger success. I won’t recount his findings of facts because I still think practically everyone knows the basics of the tale, but his paper delves beyond those basics, and he even got me interested with some of the secondary points he discovered. Nicely done.

Then, it was time for the Installation. W. Bro. Michael, who has been a Worshipful Master so many times that I get chest pains just thinking about it, is our new Master. The Magpie Mason continues to Peter Principle his way upward, so now is found in the West. Bro. Yves (whose name, we just learned, does not have the French grammatical liaison between the first and last names) is in the South. Bro. Michael now is found at the right of the Worshipful Master; Bro. Daniel, who wowed us in March with his philological work, is Junior Deacon. Bro. Dave and Bro. Praveen—God bless ’em—remain at the Treasurer’s and Secretary’s stations. I think that’s everyone. (Our bylaws permit us to seat more officers. We just need more Active Members to seek the mantles.)

MW Bill and Bro. Thomas.

A great surprise was meeting Bro. Thomas, who I found somewhat accidentally via the QCCC website because he serves as the Local Secretary for New York. He also is an experienced lecturer who travels to and from Hungary, speaking on Freemasonry in that nation. It seemed natural to me that he might want to attend our meetings, so I invited him, and now he’s getting involved with us. My marketing background isn’t going to waste!

We saw several new faces, in fact. Bro. Chris was raised to the Sublime Degree a few months ago, and already is seeking out Masonic education. And there were others with whom I didn’t get much chance to chat.

MW Bill congratulates PM Conor.

Arguably, the most memorable moment came when MW Bill Sardone, who I think of pretty much as our godfather, thanks to how mightily he contributed to our relaunch two years ago and for attending our meetings since, invited Past Master Conor to the East for a special presentation. In recognition of his own outstanding leadership during these two years of rebirth, Conor received a special Past Master jewel—One of a kind! Ain’t no other PM of The ALR gonna get one!—crafted by Bro. John Bridegroom himself.

The ALR seal at center.

Despite being put on the spot, Conor rendered a gracious acceptance speech, during which he shared a funny story of how his mother had asked if the lodge wouldn’t present him an award for all his hard work. He explained to her that it’s an honor to serve, but now he can show her he has been presented a nice trophy after all.

In other news, the upcoming book of transactions is still upcoming. It’s my fault. I’m sorry. I’m slowly making progress in the editing. And an altar cloth! I volunteered to have one made, stipulating that I’d rather avoid the thick, plush velvet type, because they are expensive and kind of difficult to fold for storage, and instead will procure a simple blue cotton version. I figured it would be simple to commission something from a local tailor. It’s not that easy, apparently, but I’ll get it done, and will unveil it at our next meeting in October on a date to be announced.

In the meantime, look for us on Zoom, where we will supplement our Stated Communication schedule with periodic online discussions. Magpie readers will be the second to know when these events are announced.

     

‘Hail the Men of the Malt!’

     

The brethren of South Bend, Indiana have done it again.

The Scottish Rite valley there has a long-standing habit of establishing new ways of rallying Masons to good and just causes. A number of years ago, it trailblazed in Masonic education with the launch of the South Bend Research Guild, providing a local venue where Masons could gather and enjoy the benefits of learning about esoteric and other aspects of Freemasonry.

Also, South Bend established a Knights of St. Andrew group to serve the valley in organizational support roles. (And I may be wrong about this, but I think I recall South Bend being the first in the NMJ to adopt this practice from the Southern Jurisdiction, where it originated.)

The brethren also initiated the Green Dragon Guild, leavening the valley’s crucially important hospitality duties with merriment and style.

So, who are the Men of the Malt?

This is quite likely the most significant meeting of Masons since nine guys in Charleston stood in a circle in 1801 and pinned medals on each other!

As Bro. John Bridegroom put it just about an hour ago:

Wonderful consecration meeting of the new Men of the Malt Scotch Tasting Guild at the Valley of South Bend! Started with a great steak dinner. After, we signed the charter, approved the by-laws, and elected the officers, we tasted a wonderful rare scotch. Then we retired to the guild room, where we enjoyed fellowship, more scotches, and planned for a bright future.

Sounds to me like they forgot the cigars, but—hey—it’s their first night. Slainte mhath, brethren!

     

‘A Mark Mason’s marvelous remuneration’

     
As the Royal Arch Grand Chapter of New York’s Grand Representative Near New Jersey (I never can remember the title properly), I am duty bound to stay up to date on the fantastic happenings of all kinds in the Royal Arch chapters of New York. So here is something really cool.

Tonawanda Keystone Chapter 71, way up and out in Amherst, is making a new chapter penny available to the companions there. Actually it is a reboot of a design from the 19th century used by Buffalo Chapter:

Chapter penny obverse.

Chapter penny reverse.

Companions need only attend a chapter meeting and plunk down ten bucks to have one. (Needless to say, these beauties were brought to fruition by Bro. John Bridegroom of The Masters Craft.)

The penny is yet another instructive symbol in Masonic learning. In the Mark Degree—and Tonawanda Keystone Chapter terms this token a Mark coin—it is the compensation paid to a laborer for his daily toil. Its small denomination rings odd to the modern ear, but of course it simply represents any remuneration.

Tonawanda Keystone Chapter convocations are held on the fourth Tuesday of the month, and the companions have an active schedule: the MEMº today, a table chapter October 22, and the Royal Arch Degree November 26. I wish they weren’t 5,000 miles away.

Well done, Companions!
     

‘Bridegroom to present Spring 2018 Truman Lecture’

     

John Bridegroom

I love seeing friends make the rounds on the national Masonic speaking circuit, so I’m happy to see the news of Bro. John Bridegroom being chosen to deliver the Spring 2018 Truman Lecture in Missouri. You may know John from his work as proprietor of The Masters Craft, maker of outstanding Masonic regalia, jewels, and other finely crafted items. And, if you’re a reader of The Journal of the Masonic Society, the lively layout and design of the magazine is John’s handiwork.

From the publicity:

Please join the Missouri Lodge of Research and the Missouri York Rite on June 9 at noon at the Captiol Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Jefferson City as we present our Spring 2018 Truman Lecture Series guest, Bro. John A. Bridegroom, as he presents a talk on the Arts and Crafts of Freemasonry. This lecture will present an introspective look at the art of our jewels and regalia, as well as other aspects of our fraternity, and why we should embrace them. Tickets for this lunch and lecture, open to the public, cost $35 per person. Click here.
     

‘Pennsylvania Academy’s plans for October’

     
The Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge has announced its plans for the October 28 meeting. This flier tells the tale:

Click to enlarge.

     

‘Rewarding loyalty and faithfulness that has no equal’

     
Freemasonry is not the first word that comes to my mind when Syria or Lebanon are mentioned, but the truth is the Grand Lodge of New York established its District Grand Lodge of Syria-Lebanon in 1955, the diamond jubilee of which was celebrated recently with a visit by Grand Master Jeffrey M. Williamson. (New York Freemasons can read all about it in the current—Spring 2017—issue of The Empire State Mason Magazine, a Special Commemorative Edition marking the anniversary.) There are ten lodges comprising the District, seven of which pre-date the District’s existence, with the first two having been warranted in 1924—Syrio-American Lodge 1 and New York Lodge 2.

I think that’s kind of amazing.

Grand Master Williamson traveled extensively, visiting lodges (Suleiman 1905, El Berdawni 1907, Three Pillars 1912, and others), but also taking in the natural beauty and historic locations the land offers. There was a stop at Kahlil Gibran’s tomb, sightseeing amid the Cedars of God, a visit to the City of Ehden, a tasting at Ksara Winery—with the chance to meet RW Asaad Zogheib, mayor of Zahleh—and also time for the pleasures of the hookah!

Courtesy The Masters Craft

This edition of The Magpie Mason began four months ago, when Bro. John Bridegroom of the Masters Craft shared this photo on Facebook. John is the prolific creator of Masonic jewels, pins, coins, and other goods, as well as the Art Director for The Journal of the Masonic Society. I asked the Grand Master about the new medal so I could publish information about it here. He asked me to wait until publication of this issue of the ESM, so here we are.

While at the diamond jubilee celebration, MW Williamson welcomed RW Andre Layoun, PDDGM to the podium, and announced: “In commemoration and celebration of 60 years of loyalty and faithfulness demonstrated by the brethren of the District Grand Lodge of Syria-Lebanon, the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York is pleased to proclaim the creation of a new Grand Lodge medal. This medal is named in honor of RW Khaled E. Tabet, the first District Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of Syria-Lebanon, from 1955 to 1964.”

Writing the article in the ESM, Williamson continues:

“The award consists of a bronze top bar engraved with the words “New York.” Below the ribbon is the round bronze medallion struck with the actual likeness of RW Khaled E. Tabet. Around the medal are engraved the words “Loyalty and Faithfulness.” The medal is suspended on a distinctive red and white ribbon, along with a green stripe running through the center, symbolizing the national flag of Lebanon. This medal will be conferred by the Grand Master to any deserving member within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York, specifically for loyalty and faithfulness to our Grand Lodge.

“The first recipient of the RW Khaled E. Tabet Medal is RW Andre Layoun, who was District Grand Master for 23 years, from 1971 to 1994. His term of leadership within our District Grand Lodge was concurrent with the Lebanese Civil War, which lasted from 1975 to 1990. It is estimated that there were over 250,000 fatalities during this period. RW Andre Layoun’s loyalty to Freemasonry in general and to the Grand Lodge of the State of New York in particular has no equal.”


Huzzah!
     

‘Big news for 2017’

     

Cinema Group Ventures

New Year’s greetings to everybody in Masonic cyberspace, and thank you for reading The Magpie Mason, which begins its ninth full year with this post you’re reading now. I don’t know what everyone has been eating for breakfast lately, but readership has been in the several thousands per day during the past month or so, a reach I don’t think I’ve seen since the golden age of Masonic blogging back in 2009-10. Honestly, it is humbling to learn how what is basically a hobby of mine can be interesting enough to so many others who make time to read it. My thanks to you all.

But the big news for 2017 mentioned in the subject line concerns The Masonic Society, which also begins its ninth year this year.

Next month, The Masonic Society will hold its annual meeting in Virginia. That’s Friday, February 10, amid the Masonic Week festivities to take place at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport in Arlington. This is one of the few events on the Masonic Week calendar that all Masons, their ladies, and friends of Freemasonry may attend. But unlike, say, the Society of Blue Friars meeting, our banquet is not free of charge. The food was terrific last year, and I’m sure it will be again, but we pay in advance. Click here to take care of that.

Our keynote speaker for the banquet will be Michael Poll, a Fellow and Past President of The Masonic Society, as well as the editor in chief of The Journal of the Masonic Society. Mike is owner of Cornerstone Book Publishers, and is a New York Times bestselling writer and publisher, in addition to being a prolific writer, editor, and publisher of Masonic and esoteric books. Additionally, he is a Fellow of the Philalethes Society, a Fellow of the Maine Lodge of Research, secretary of the Louisiana Lodge of Research, and a full member of the Texas Lodge of Research. As time permits, he travels and speaks on the history of Freemasonry, with a particular focus on the early history of the Scottish Rite.

If you plan to attend Masonic Week in any way, or if you live in the Washington, DC area and want to check it out, please make sure you get to this banquet—arguably the highlight of the annual event’s calendar.

Looking later into 2017, The Masonic Society will host its annual conference in Kentucky. “Celebrating 300 Years of Freemasonry” is the theme of this event to take place September 7-10 at the Embassy Suites in Lexington. Our cosponsors are Lexington Lodge 1 (chartered in 1788), the Rubicon Masonic Society, the Grand Lodge of Kentucky Education Committee, William O. Ware Lodge of Research, and Ted Adams Lodge of Research.

More details on everything to come later in 2017, but do anticipate a roster of nationally known speakers, a formal festive board at Spindletop Hall(!), and tours of local attractions, like the Kentucky Horse Park.

The initiative behind this upcoming conference in Kentucky is John Bizzack, a Fellow of the Society, and a member of its board of directors. You may know him through any of the five (I think it’s still five) books on Freemasonry he has written, or through the Rubicon Masonic Society and other educational groups and activities in Kentucky, or from Masonic cyberspace.

Speaking of Masonic cyberspace, The Masonic Society has a new member on our board of directors. Eric Diamond of Chicago joined the team in late 2016 upon the resignation of José Diaz. Eric is a Past Master of Oriental Lodge 33, Chicago’s oldest lodge. Surely you know him from X-Oriente, the podcast—actually the granddaddy of Masonic podcasts—that has been educating Freemasons all over the world since 2004.

The leadership of The Masonic Society is an all-star team, like the Harlem Globetrotters, or the 1927 Yankees, or the ’94 Rangers. The weak link in the chain is myself, but the other officers and the board members are Masons whose work you have been enjoying for years, even if you don’t know their names. Writers, researchers, lecturers, makers of bespoke regalia, officers at the national level—all proponents of improving the condition of the fraternity. (If you have noticed the degree of turnovers in our leadership ranks, let me explain it is because of the demands of serving The Masonic Society. It’s real work. I can name a number of Masonic groups that are happy with the prestige of gathering eminent Freemasons among their leaders, but The Masonic Society asks much of its officers and directors, and sometimes a brother decides it’s better for all concerned if he steps aside to allow for another to carry on the labors.)

The chief labor of The Masonic Society is its quarterly periodical The Journal of The Masonic Society, the 34th issue of which reached members’ mailboxes in December. Under the guidance of Editor-in-Chief Mike Poll and Art Director John Bridegroom, The Journal has a new look and a sharper editorial focus now. (Advertisers, contact me here to place your message in the pages of The Journal.)

Issue No. 34 features:

Fascinating content from the Society’s Fall 2016 conference in California: “Freemasonry on the Frontier.” John Bizzack (there he is again!) offers “The Expansion of Freemasonry into the West: The Pivotal Role of Kentucky, 1788-1815,” in which he explains how America’s first western state was home to American Freemasonry’s westernmost grand lodge, which set about chartering lodges throughout the nation’s north, south, and west regions. This resulted in a kind of standardization of customs and usages based on Kentucky’s own, with results enduring through today.

Knights of the North alum (and possibly the most handsome man in Freemasonry) Bill Hosler, who likes to scatter his lodge memberships among a number of states to keep people guessing, asks “Living Stones or Bricks?” in which he weighs the meanings of making oneself better in the Masonic context.

Barry Denton, also of Kentucky, submits “Thoughts of Freemasons: Freemasonry and the Generational Gap,” that endeavors to make some sense of what Masons of different generations require of the fraternity.

In addition, there are book reviews (with maybe a literary feud in bloom!), poetry, breathtaking photography, the Masonic Treasures feature on the back cover, and much more.

C’mon, it’s $45 a year for membership in the United States. Make it a New Year’s resolution, and join now.
     

‘The five year niche’

     
The Masonic Society marked its fifth year in the service of Freemasonry in May, and President Bo Cline has announced that TMS will commemorate the occasion with the release of a new jewel its members may wear.

Bo says on Facebook:

“In commemoration of the fifth anniversary of our founding, I am proud to announce that The Masonic Society has commissioned a special medallion to be given to new members who join between May 1, 2013 and April 30, 2014. This beautiful medallion was designed and created by our good friend and brother John Bridegroom, and will be mailed to new members along with their patents, member pin, and member card. If you are not already a member, you may be able to apply online here.

“Soon, current members will be able to order this medallion, for a nominal cost (including shipping and handling), from The Masonic Society store.

“Thank you all for your continued support of The Masonic Society.”

Courtesy The Masonic Society

If you somehow do not know, The Masonic Society was founded in 2008, filling a niche in the field of Masonic education by uniting researchers, educators, writers, publishers, curators, and brethren of all backgrounds in their shared enjoyment of exchanging information and ideas. The fruits of the labor are found in the pages of The Journal of The Masonic Society, its quarterly periodical, the twentieth issue of which is out now. Membership is the best $39 you'll ever spend in Masonry.