‘Grand Masters fete Lafayette at The ALR’

    

Almost everybody in attendance last night
at The American Lodge of Research.

Research lodges typically don’t get a lot of glitz (it’s safe to say we prefer that) but, twenty-four hours ago, The American Lodge of Research had five grand masters partaking in our celebration of the moment in 1824 when the Marquis de Lafayette was knighted a Templar.

The ALR concluded New York Freemasonry’s celebration of the bicentenary of Lafayette’s farewell tour of the United States, sponsored by the Masonic Order and heavily involving New York. We assembled, appropriately, inside the Colonial Room but, admittedly, this was not exactly the meeting we planned, as fate interfered and kept a special guest from joining us. It was a full evening anyway. Our keynote speaker was David Dixon Goodwin, Past M.E. Grand Master of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar, who explained the early history of Chivalric Masonry in the United States.

Yves and David.

Actually, he began with a recapitulation of the story of the medieval Knights Templar, careful to point out how none of that connects to the modern Masonic Templars, but that “we represent the same values in today’s world.” My takeaway is the KT story in America follows a seemingly boilerplate trajectory we know from Masonry here generally. A whiff of a trace of ritual is in one record in the 1780s. Before you know it, there’s a grand encampment in one state, Pennsylvania being first in this case. Then other states. Big names get involved, such as Thomas Smith Webb, DeWitt Clinton, and Joseph Cerneau. Cerneau’s presence confounds orthodox enforcers of recognition rules (like the Pennsylvanians, I’d say). Then a move to establish a national structure, called the General Grand Encampment gains popularity, albeit without Pennsylvania’s support initially. And then, the grand commandery system we know today is birthed and spreads from six such bodies in 1827 to forty-three in 1900—despite Masonry’s ups and downs during the nineteenth century—to more than sixty today.

The part of the meeting diminished by circumstance was to be a display of Masonic regalia connected to Lafayette. Livingston Library Executive Director Michael LaRocco was scheduled to return to The ALR to exhibit the apron Morton Commandery 4 is believed to have presented to Lafayette, but he was unable to join us. Thanks to Worshipful Master Yves Etienne, we did get to see one of twelve silver chalices used in KT’s ritual libations that dates, at least, to this Lafayette visit to New York.

Columbian Commandery silver chalice used
when Lafayette was made a Sir Knight in 1824.

No way of knowing if the great man drank from this particular goblet, of course, but it was used in the historic ceremony that day more than two centuries ago.

The lodge was blessed with more than the usual showing of visitors. The Most Worshipful Steven A. Rubin, Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York, was accompanied by Grand Treasurer Alberto Cortizo, Senior Grand Deacon Gustavo Teran, Grand Historian Pierre de Ravel d’Esclapon, and Grand Marshal Peter Unfried. Two exceptionally special guests, who sojourned further than from several floors above, were Most Serene (I hope I have that correct!) Malerbe Jacquet, Grand Master of the Grand Orient d’Haiti, who was accompanied by Gaétan Mentor, Past GM of the Grand Orient.

If you’re keeping score, we’re up to four (4) grand masters.

The Worshipful Master is keen on introducing dignitaries and permitting time for their remarks—and presenting gifts. Past Grand Master Bill Sardone, also a PGM of DeMolay International, (five GMs now) was escorted to the East for brief comments, which he always manages to craft with good humor.

Our Worshipful Master gives lots of gifts. Last night our distinguished guests received plaques commemorating the evening. Here, MW Bill Sardone receives his.

In addition, he too spoke of medieval Templar history, recollecting the discovery in 2001 by a Vatican archivist of the fourteenth century trial transcripts and other documents from the prosecution of the military order, and how a collection of reproductions of those documents are in the Livingston Library. (It was exactly seventeen years ago when The ALR hosted the unveiling of those impressive facsimiles next door in the French Ionic Room. A memorable meeting!)

Grand Master Jacquet with Past GM Mentor.

Past Grand Master Mentor, continuing on Templar thoughts, explained that “the Templar ideal is not conquest, but is the mastery of the self” and displays faith and action intertwined. Grand Master Jacquet, speaking French and interpreted by Mentor, spoke of Lafayette as he is known as “The Hero of Two Worlds,” explaining how the Marquis earned that appellation for his role in both the American and French revolutions. Jacquet reminded the brethren (sometimes we forget) of Haiti’s own revolt, gaining independence from France at the close of the eighteenth century.

MW Steven A. Rubin

Always the final speaker in any setting, Grand Master Rubin congratulated the lodge on its efforts in education, and described how the revamped Masonic University and other recent initiatives can cooperate with The ALR and the Livingston Library to help Masons gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of Masonry.

In other news, the backdoor of Masonic Hall again is closed to traffic. The next Stated Communication of The ALR will be next March on a date to be determined. And there is a new research lodge in the works! To be named Veritas, it will focus on Masonic philosophy, rather than history, and I look forward to sharing more information as it becomes available.

     

‘When Lafayette was knighted a Templar’

    

The American Lodge of Research will meet four weeks from tonight for a special Lafayette night.

The ALR

Wednesday, October 29

7 p.m.

Masonic Hall, Renaissance Room

For more than a year, New York Freemasonry has been celebrating the bicentenary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s farewell visit to the United States of 1824-25, and The ALR will close out the commemoration with a look at perhaps an underreported aspect of that history: the day the Hero of Two Worlds was made a Masonic Knight Templar.

Our keynote speaker will be M.E. David Dixon Goodwin, Past Grand Master of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States. We will display artifacts of that fraternally historic day, and a fantastic feast will follow the presentation.

Click here to RSVP for dinner.

Masonic Hall is located at 71 W. 23rd Street in Manhattan. Photo ID is required to enter the premises. Master Masons are welcome. Attire: suit & tie with apron.

     

‘Observant Masonry coming to NY Royal Arch’

    

The 226th Annual Convocation of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the State of New York just concluded—oh, ten weeks ago. I’m finally getting to it.

M.E. Jason P. Sheridan is the new G.H.P. “Chapter Pride” is the motto for his term in office.

Inspired by “Pride in Freemasonry,” the byword of Grand Master James Sullivan during his term a decade ago (Jason was on his staff), Chapter Pride means to remind us to relish the Royal Arch experience.

“I believe strongly that as we lived through the pandemic, we reassessed those values that are most important to us,” said the new GHP in his speech. “It is no longer a constant work life that is key, but flexibility of work that allows us to live our lives to the fullest. Likewise, by focusing back on our individual chapters and feeling the sense of pride when we are with our companions is the most important thing I can communicate as part of my message for 2022. Let the focus be on our chapters.”

One component of Sheridan’s term, with education, communication, charity, and other essentials, is Observant Masonry. Jason is a longtime member of Ancient Chapter 1 in Manhattan, and he also is with Suwassett Chapter 195 on Long Island. Suwassett has adopted elements of the Observant model, and wouldn’t we all be wise to do the same?

Of course excellence cannot be imposed, but chapters desirous of enhancing their Masonic enlightenment now have a resource for guidance. The Observant Chapters Committee promulgates guidelines to follow. (There is a twelve-page booklet, but I don’t think I’m permitted to share the link.)

“Observant Masonry has become a familiar phrase, synonymous with excellence in ritual, education, and the formality of its events and festive boards,” Sheridan also said. “It will not be for every chapter, but there are a number of chapters I know very well that would appreciate this recognition from Grand Chapter.”

The installation of officers on March 5 in Utica was a memorable ceremony. It was fun seeing so many Masons again after prolonged absence caused by the pandemic. Jason was obligated with his hands upon a familiar looking VSL. It resembles the George Washington Inaugural Bible; it was published by the same printer as the Washington Bible, but this edition is improved with illustrations not included in its famous sibling.

GCNY

The day before, I had the good luck to have arrived in time to attend the Order of AHPs. I received the Order in my own jurisdiction in 2006, but hadn’t seen it since. (It’s always scheduled on the Saturday of Masonic Week!) But that was very impressive and touching. My thanks to David D. Goodwin (speaking of Masonic Week), who happened to have been in front of me in the procession into the room, and who reminded me—I hadn’t a clue—of the pass. Whew!

The time and place of the next Grand Convocation will be March 9-11, 2023 in Binghamton. I hope to see you there.

     

‘Masonic Week 2010: Grand College of Rites’

     

Grand Chancellor David Dixon Goodwin, at podium, gets a ‘Standing O’ from the officers of the Grand College of Rites at the annual meeting February 13 during Masonic Week in Alexandria, Virginia. (Click on the photo to see everyone.)

On Saturday morning (February 13), it was time for the Grand College of Rites to meet, install officers, pay some bills, and unveil the new edition of Collectanea.

If you are not familiar with the Grand College of Rites, and if you enjoy reading rituals (that you don’t have to memorize!) and like learning genuinely arcane Masonic history, then please do visit our website and pursue membership. Every year, the College publishes one volume containing either the rituals or the jurisprudence or other defining literature of a Masonic body now defunct. This book is titled Collectanea, and represents the hard work of Grand Archivist Arturo de Hoyos, who also is Grand Archivist and Grand Historian of the Supreme Council, 33º, A&ASR, Southern Jurisdiction.

The 2009 book (Vol. 20, Part 2), contains the 19º to 45º of the Egyptian Masonic Rite of Memphis.

You didn’t know there were degrees beyond the 33°, did you? Well, keep in mind that Collectanea reveals the secrets of defunct Masonic bodies, and Art de Hoyos and the Publications Committee undoubtedly withhold crucial esoterica to prevent any chance of modern day entrepreneurs, however benevolent and well intentioned they may be, from working these rituals and jumpstarting these orders.

If you love reading, then these books are charming ways to learn of the language used by Masons of generations past, especially if you are from a jurisdiction that has made changes to its rituals over the years. For much of this decade, the GCR has been publishing various versions of Memphis Masonry, and I find in their prayers, odes, charges, and other orations some truly beautiful verbiage, the kind of speech totally outdated today, but highly literate and enjoyable. I mean enjoyable to read; I would not want to be a ritualist responsible for conferring this work.

From the 29°, titled Knight of Time:

Time is a great mystery, the general relation in which all things perceptible stand to each other in regard to their origin, continuance, and dissolution. It is a movable image of eternity, or the interval of the world’s motion, illimitable, yet silently ever rolling and rushing on, like an all-embracing ocean tide, on which we and the universe swim like apparitions, which are, and then are not. The means employed at different periods of the world’s history for reckoning Time, have been both varied and numerous. The constellation of the Great Bear was the first great time-keeper. This constellation was at that time much nearer the North Pole than at present, and was seen to revolve around it, the extremity of its tail, indicating the different seasons, as the hands of the clock now indicate the hours of the day. When it pointed to the East, it was springtime; when it pointed to the South, it was summertime; when it pointed to the West, it was autumn; and when it pointed to the North, it was wintertime. The second great time-keeper was the Moon, which revolves around the earth once every thirty days, twelve of its circuits being equal to one of the Great Bear. The third and last great time-keeper was the Sun, which to our ancient brethren appeared to revolve around the earth thirty times during the circuit of the Moon, and three hundred and sixty times during one circuit of the Great Bear.

From the 34°, titled Knight of the First Property of Nature:

The essential, or first part of Nature, of which the sensible universe is now composed (that is neither mind nor force), is called matter. Of the intimate nature of matter itself, we know nothing, but through its external properties only do we know that it exists. The origin of matter is beyond the domain of human knowledge. It is to us not only unknown, but unknowable. Our faculties are so limited that we cannot imagine nor conceive how matter could be originated. We cannot conceive how it could be created out of nothing – how it could have come into existence in any manner whatever. All we know is the simple fact of existence, and must content ourselves with studying the phenomena of its action, and the evidences of its action in the past, and must infer its properties and forces from its action. Contemplating matter as in existence in a chaotic and perhaps nebulous condition, we can form some imperfect conception of the gradual formation of our earth and solar system, and of some of the changes which the earth, its surface and atmosphere, underwent before it was fitted for the abode of man. As a Masonic symbol, matter vividly illustrates the darkness, confusion, and ignorance of the uninitiated and our final advancement from darkness to the light of Masonic knowledge. It also illustrates the dark change which was believed to take place between our earthly residence and that in the A*****u.

M.I. David Dixon Goodwin delivers his allocution, closing his term in office as Grand Chancellor of the Grand College of Rites, as R.I. Franklin Boner, incoming Grand Chancellor, listens.

The College’s officers for 2010:

M. Ill. Grand Chancellor Franklin C. Boner
R. Ill. Senior Vice Chancellor Martin P. Starr
R. Ill. Junior Vice Chancellor David L. Hargett, Jr.
R. Ill. Grand Registrar Craig C. Stimpert, KGC
R. Ill. Grand Treasurer and Grand Registrar Emeritus Gary D. Hermann, KGC, PGC
R. Ill. Grand Registrar Emeritus Herbert A. Fisher, KGC, HPGC
R. Ill. Grand High Prelate Pierre G. (Pete) Normand
R. Ill. Grand Archivist Arturo de Hoyos, The Premier KGC, HPGC
R. Ill. Grand Redactor Lawrence N. Jolma, Jr.
R. Ill. Grand Mareschal Lawrence E. Tucker
R. Ill. Grand Seneschal Sid C. Dorris, III

One of the truly great moments of Masonic Week 2010 was this surprise. Fellow Aaron Shoemaker was called to the podium to deliver his annual report as the GCR’s webmaster, but before he could resume his seat, M.I. Goodwin bestowed on him the College’s Knight Grand Cross for his years of outstanding service. Congratulations Aaron!

And after his installation as our new Most Illustrious Grand Chancellor, Franklin Boner, left, received the Knight Grand Cross from his predecessor, David Dixon Goodwin.