‘Monday’s parade info’

    

Bullwinkle Studios/Jay Ward Productions

The Order of March of Alexandria’s George Washington Birthday Parade has been posted—and my group is in the rear.

Looks like we’re ahead of a certain NYC lodge.

New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education 1786, that is. That’s okay. Somehow we’re way ahead of A-W 22, so go figure. Desperately, I tried to court the organizers with a certain picture of Washington—if you catch my meaning—but to no avail. Grand Marshal is George Seghers, by the way.

This will be great. The Grand Architect is taking care of the weather: sunny and 61 degrees forecast. (For the record, I am all for climate change!) There is a new parade route this year, from what I understand.

Normally I’m not a fan of Masons in parades for some reason, but this is very different. There will be hundreds of the brethren, in our regalia, in procession, like it’s 1923 or something. The line-up includes 30 grand lodges, 33 lodges, and other Masonic groups and individuals and “Masonic overflow.” (The Bulgarian grand lodge isn’t even recognized yet. They will make their case before the grand masters conference on Sunday.)

Later in the afternoon, we’ll assemble outside the George Washington Masonic National Memorial to celebrate its centenary cornerstone re-dedication ceremony.

And, hey, if you’re going to be there the day before—on Sunday—please bring your apron to our research lodge’s meeting at 4:30 in the Memorial. Shawn Eyer will be our speaker. (What else are you doing at 4:30 on a Sunday?)

Click to enlarge.

     

‘Another four bits’

Good news coming from the Annual Communication (or, if you must, “convention”) last week of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey: The annual per capita donation to the George Washington Masonic Memorial from each Master Mason of half a buck... has been doubled! The Magpie Mason congratulates MW Bro. Edgar Peppler, a past president of the GWMM Association, and MW Bro. John Ryan, a former member of the Board of Directors, both past grand masters of New Jersey, for proposing the legislation that sealed the deal.


Their explanation of the requested funding:

The George Washington Masonic Memorial was conceived, financed, constructed and is supported and maintained by the Freemasons of the United States to honor the memory, character and legacy of the greatest American citizen, soldier, Freemason and president that ever lived. The mission of the Memorial is: ‘To inspire humanity through education to emulate and promote the virtues, character and vision of George Washington, the Man, the Mason and the Father of our Country.’


It is the only Masonic national memorial in the nation and continues to be financed and forever owned by the Freemasons of the United Sates. We, as Masons and proprietors, have supported the Memorial with an assessment of only 50 cents per member each year since 1994. This request for an increase to $1 per member, per year, is the first increase in 16 years. It will benefit the Memorial as a museum; tourist attraction and destination; research center and library; center for community activities; performing arts center and concert hall. However, first and foremost, it is a Masonic memorial, honoring the memory, character and legacy of our Brother, George Washington. Please take the opportunity to visit your Memorial during the ensuing year.

Actually I think that may be boilerplate text supplied by the Memorial, and believe me, New Jersey hardly is the only or first jurisdiction to make this change, but the brethren did it. The GWMM is enjoying a revitalization of late, as it has been transformed from a quaint tourist curiosity with 1950s era exhibits to a locus of Masonic culture and scholarship. Under Executive Director George Seghers and Director of Collections Mark Tabbert, the Memorial not only is becoming one of America’s top Masonic education resources, but it is actually leading our country as a top learning institution on the international scene.


In 12 months, the International Conference on the History of Freemasonry will hold its biannual meeting at the GWMM, the first time it will convene in the United States. Later this year, the Memorial will co-host the annual meeting of the Masonic Library and Museum Association.


Quite a difference from the days when the Grotto exhibit was hot stuff.


The Memorial also is becoming a revolutionary host of digital data, thanks to its partnership with OCLC, the creator of the ContentDM Database. This resource allows lodges and other Masonic bodies to upload and manage limitless stores of data, be it historical records, inventories and photos of artifacts and documents, membership info, or whatever. A priceless resource for researchers, and a great opportunity for Masonry’s archivists, historians, and those who simply care about Masonic culture and historic preservation.


In addition, the Memorial offers Masonic bodies the opportunity to digitize printed materials. Imagine your grand lodge’s entire library of annual proceedings turned into digital data, searchable, portable, and in all ways modernized. This is HUGE. Read all about it here.


The George Washington Masonic Memorial is realizing its potential to be an agent of change that helps American Freemasonry conserve its great heritage in ways highly useful to the modern man, providing the ideal mix of timeless knowledge and timely technology. The perfect way to begin its second century.

‘2010 at the George Washington Masonic Memorial’

At the meeting on Tuesday night of Northern New Jersey Chapter of Rose Croix, John S. Ryan, 33°, a member of the Board of Directors of the George Washington Masonic Memorial, will discuss the latest news from the Memorial, which celebrates its centennial next month.

Like the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library (see below), 2010 evidently is a year to bring a few new ideas to fruition. The following is a statement from Executive Director George Seghers:

On February 22, 1910, George Washington’s 178th birthday, Masonic leaders from across the nation met in Alexandria, Virginia and formed an association for the purpose of building a great memorial to honor America’s foremost Freemason. February 22, 2010, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association, will be a day of great festivities. In honor of the occasion, the Conference of Grand Masters of North America, hosted by the Grand Lodge of Virginia, will be held in nearby Arlington. Delegates will attend the Association’s Annual Meeting and celebrate the 100th anniversary and Washington’s 278th birthday at the Memorial.

At the Annual Meeting, a new portrait of George Washington as a Freemason will be unveiled. Painted by local artist Christopher Erney, the portrait will be a new interpretation of Washington. Prints of the portrait will be available at the meeting. Complementing the portrait is a new video presenting George Washington as the inspiration for the founding of America and explores the creation of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association. Underwritten by the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma, it will be available on DVD and as a download from the Memorial’s website for Masonic education.

The Memorial’s new logo to commemorate the occasion was also designed by Erney. Since its inception, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association has used as its logo the Washington family crest with a Masonic square, compasses and “G,” with the motto “In Memoriam Perpetuam.” For a new century of service, a new logo has been created, keeping the same elements, it enhances the Association’s Masonic identity. Artist Christopher Erney began his design by enlarging the Washington family crest, making it the focus of the seal, and recreating the Masonic symbols carved into the Memorial’s cornerstone, laid in 1923. The cornerstone was laid by then president Calvin Coolidge, and every U.S. Grand Master, using the same trowel as used by Washington at the U.S. Capitol.

The new design replaces the foliage that surrounded the crest with tools, emblems and symbols of Freemasonry. On either side of the crest are pillars representing Jachin and Boaz, which are topped with terrestrial and celestial globes representing Freemasonry’s universality. Acacia vines of remembrance encircle the pillars. Complementing the globes is the sun in its glory above and the crescent moon below. Connecting the two lesser lights as the crest’s border is a cable tow. At the right, pomegranates represent abundance; on the left a sheaf of wheat represents wealth. Within the wheat are five of six working tools. The sixth, the Square of the Master, is found resting upon Washington’s crest. The new logo is now the Association’s trestleboard to labor “In Memoriam Perpetuam.”

Following the Annual Meeting, the International Order of DeMolay will rededicate the colossal bronze statue of George Washington in Memorial Hall and reaffirm the role of DeMolay young men in Freemasonry. The statue was a gift to the Memorial from the DeMolay, and 2010 marks the 60th anniversary of its unveiling by President and Past Grand Master Harry S. Truman.

On display during the celebration will be the trowel and gavel used at the 1793 Cornerstone Laying of the United States Capitol by George Washington, and the 1752 Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4 Bible upon which the young Washington took his Masonic obligations.The new White House Stones Exhibit will be inaugurated at the celebration. Each stone in the exhibit is marked by one of the Scots Masons who helped build the White House in the 1790s. The stones were discovered during the restoration of the White House during the Truman presidency. Truman had the stones labeled, and one was sent to each Grand Lodge and other Masonic organizations. The exhibit reassembles nearly 50 stones, and includes minute books from Lodge No. 8 of Edinburgh recording the stonemasons’ marks, noting those who had “gone to America.” A matching minute book of Federal Lodge No. 1 will show those Scots masons forming the first lodge in 1793 on White House grounds. The exhibit is supported by the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, Valley of Washington, Orient of the District of Columbia, and by the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia.

The photo above shows the White House stone given to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, which was on display in Philadelphia in 2007.

2010 is a unique celebration year for the Memorial Association. Together we are celebrating 100 years of dedication to Freemasonry’s greatest brother and honoring the countless brothers who built and sustain the Memorial. Equally important, 2010 marks a pledge of rededicated service, trusting in God that the century ahead will be filled with success and achievement. The Association shines as a bright light of Masonry as it fulfills its mission: “To inspire humanity through education to emulate and promote the virtues, character and vision of George Washington, the Man, the Mason and Father of our Country.”