‘Freemasonry and the pursuit of Happiness’

    

National Archives

‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’

Since the vernal equinox passed a minute ago, I think it’s okay to look to an event coming in late spring. This is far outside my orbit, but Arizona Lodge of Research 1 will host a discussion at its quarterly stated meeting on June 10 that’ll be very timely, with the Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary only several weeks afterward.

W. Ted Cross

At this meeting, Past Master Ted Cross will discuss “What the Founders Meant by Happiness: A Journey Through Virtue and Character.”

This will connect with the course, created with the National Constitution Center, he teaches at Arizona State University. This class, available free of charge online, is a “guided exploration of happiness, virtue, and democracy,” says ASU, describing the subject thusly:

ASU

What does it mean to live a virtuous life in a free society? This course invites learners to explore happiness not as the personal pursuit of feeling good but as an idea closely tied to character, civic responsibility, leadership, and participation in a constitutional democracy. At the heart of this is the belief that self-government begins with government of the self.

Through letters, speeches, essays, and stories from the founding era, learners see how key figures in American history understood happiness as the cultivation of virtue and self-mastery, and how they wrestled—often imperfectly—with questions of moral judgment in both public and private life.

By engaging with these historical examples, learners consider how ideas about character, leadership, moral responsibility, and civic duty shaped the American experiment in self-government and continue to resonate in our civic life today.

12 Self-Paced Modules

Each module combines primary source texts, interpretive essays, and guided inquiry reflection to support reflection on how ideas from the past can inform judgment, responsibility, and participation in a constitutional democracy today, including:

► What does it mean to pursue happiness in a society shaped by competing values and interests?

► How should character and virtue shape leadership, citizenship, and public decision-making?

► What responsibilities accompany individual freedom in a democratic society?

► How can virtue formation, historical understanding, and self government strengthen civil dialogue and civic life, rather than deepen polarization?

On the Masonic side, this research lodge in its social media says:

What Did the Founders Mean by Happiness? What did the Founders really mean by the “pursuit of Happiness?” Not comfort, but character, virtue, and purpose.

Explore these ideas in a new free online course from ASU and the National Constitution Center. Then join Dr. Ted Cross on June 10 at the Arizona Research Lodge 1 Quarterly Stated Meeting, where he will speak on the course and its connection to Masonic philosophy and practice.

W. Bro. Cross is a Past Master of the lodge. You might know him from several appearances on the Craftsmen Online podcast. He was RW Michael Arce’s guest last August 4—click here—to talk about “The Science of Happiness and Meaning.”

At ASU in Tempe, Cross is the Assistant Vice President, Principled Innovation, in the Office of University Affairs, where he “centers on advancing ASU’s ninth design aspiration—Practice Principled Innovation. Ted collaborates with university leaders to embed practices that draw on values, character, civic and intellectual assets to drive human flourishing at ASU and beyond.”

This sounds like an amazing program for Arizona Lodge of Research’s June 10 meeting at the century-old Phoenix Masonic Temple. Remember, Masonic research that reflects on specific Masonic people and events of the past also ought to make the meaning of Masonry an animating energy in our lives now.

Check out Bro. Cross’ other Craftsmen Online appearance, from December 15, on “The Masonic Mind” here.

     

‘Daily Masonic Progress starts now’

    

This morning begins the collaboration of Craftsmen Online and RW Bro. Darren Allatt of Australia, blogger and podcaster extraordinaire. He has been guiding his own audience through his production, “Daily Masonic Progress,” and now he joins Craftsmen Online’s podcast team. His segments will appear on Thursdays.

Craftsmen Online, while based in New York, is not an official voice of the Grand Lodge of New York, although that august authority endorses the independent platform. It was launched about four years ago, during the pandemic, by RW Steve Rubin, now our Deputy Grand Master, and W. Bro. Michael Arce, a veteran broadcaster of many years experience.

Darren Allatt is a Past Master of The Leichhardt Lodge 133, and is a Past Junior Grand Warden of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales & Australian Capital Territory. He has been writing brilliantly on Substack for almost a year. I recommend his blog without any hesitation, mental reservation, etc.

With all that out of the way, you should listen to two episodes of the Craftsmen Online podcast unveiled this morning. Click here to enjoy a 27-minute Arce-Allatt interview. Click here to make your Daily Masonic Progress with the 10-minute debut.

    

‘Craftsmen Online Super Fans unite!’

    

Starting today, Craftsmen Online, the clearinghouse of Masonic education and news launched during the pandemic to keep Light shining, offers content reserved for those who wisely pay the inordinately modest subscription fee. I signed up yesterday (I’m a sucker for exclusivity).

You know the podcast, with its 3,000 episode downloads per month; and you’ve read the blog; and you receive the newsletter; and maybe you’ve attended the Reading Room; and perhaps you’ve benefitted from the ritual education and the historical research (I think that’s everything!), so now we happy few who pony up five bucks a month can partake of:

• subscriber-exclusive podcast episodes with select guest stars
• access to exclusive Zoom meetings with special guests
• podcast episodes without ads
• early access to the episodes

Excerpted from the publicity:

From the beginning of Craftsmen Online, RW Steven Adam Rubin and I have been dedicated to producing quality products. We see this as more than a project to provide a place for Brothers to connect during the pandemic, but as a long-term resource to unite Masons across the internet who seek more Light in Freemasonry.

After three seasons, with our early episodes being broadcast to an audience, thanks to your generous support, we have grown our reach to all jurisdictions in the United States and beyond! Now it is time to offer you, our listener, an opportunity to take your experience to the next level.

Today, we proudly announce the Craftsmen Online Podcast Super Fan subscription. Podcast enthusiasts will be able to listen to our episodes early and ad-free, with special subscriber-only episodes with select guests who go deeper and continue their discussions—and we will offer you the opportunity to interact with these select guests virtually during VIP Zoom webinars.

Bro. Michael Arce

Co-Founder and Podcast Host

The inaugural podcast with paid subscription features Ohio’s Bro. Jason Short, who speaks on “An Exploration of Words and Widows,” in which he delves into Biblical content borrowed for the EA°. There also is a PDF we may download for further tutelage.

The Craftsmen Online Podcast Super Fan subscription comes via Patreon, which marks its tenth anniversary this month. It really is that simple. While Craftsmen Online is created by New York Masons, its content befits all the brethren wheresoever dispersed about the face of the earth. That’s you! Click here to sign up. If you are yet unfamiliar with this top rated podcast and the other attractions of Craftsmen Online, click here to inspect the warrant, as it were.