‘Hiram Lodge’s 1750 EA°’

    

Hiram Lodge 1 Worshipful Master Clint Potter, who sat in the South for the degree, displays the lodge’s banner despite the breeze yesterday at Fort Nathan Hale in New Haven. My attempt to liven the banner’s color turned his wig blue!

On October 14, 1789, the recently organized Grand Lodge of Connecticut adopted an ordinance that caused every lodge entering an apprentice to forward to the grand treasurer three dollars from the fee paid the lodge by each initiate. I’m guessing that assessment has been increased since then, but what apparently has not changed is the ritual of the EA° worked by Hiram Lodge 1.

Established at New Haven on August 12, 1750, Hiram was chartered by RW Thomas Oxnard, then in his sixth year as Provincial Grand Master of New England under the premier Grand Lodge of England. Because Hiram antecedes its own grand lodge, and—from what I understand—still possesses the Oxnard warrant, it retains the freedom to work its 1750 vintage ritual. That is what ninety of us witnessed yesterday in an outdoor conferral of the First Degree on two candidates for the mysteries of Freemasonry, and that is what drew me to Fort Nathan Hale, site of the initiation.

Grand Senior Warden Mark Hawkins and Grand Senior Steward Bob Eubanks were very pleasant dining companions at the YMA Club and Lounge before the degree.

Not knowing the content of this ritual, I was expecting tradition similar to what unfolds in the ritual exposures Masonry Dissected and Three Distinct Knocks, which date to that general mid eighteenth century era. Instead, I was shocked to find this ritual is almost identical to… to… contemporary Grand Lodge of New Jersey work!

We received a commemorative coin yesterday.

There are a few big differences, but in the floor work and the dialogue among the lodge officers, the Entered Apprentice Degree we saw yesterday is mostly the same as one could see tomorrow night in a New Jersey lodge. Having spent nineteen years in New Jersey Freemasonry, its ritual remains cut, carved, stamped, etc. in my brain, despite my having left there a decade ago for the bluer pastures of New York. Those big differences are:

‣ When imparting the grip, there is a gesture named the “slip of interrogation.” It was shown to me prior to the degree, but I’ve never seen nor heard of it before—and, no, I won’t describe it.

‣ In explaining to the new apprentices the centrality of the Bible to the lodge’s doings, there comes (I think it’s called) the Bible Charge. Also previously unknown to me.

‣ I imagine every lodge has an oration delivered at the apron presentation, but Hiram’s is unlike any I’ve heard or read. It struck me as sounding somewhat modern, so I don’t know what to make of it. I was delighted to see the new apprentices were given quality aprons replete with cords & tassels.

‣ Conversely, and after the fact, I think I discerned something missing from what most of us know. My memory may be failing me, but I think the word of the degree was not imparted to the initiates in that same highly precise way and manner the rest of us might expect. Maybe my mind wandered or I’m just not recollecting it, but I think that was done more simply.

Unsurprisingly, there is no EA Lecture as 1750 predates William Preston’s Illustrations by decades.

I do not know anyone from Hiram 1, otherwise I simply would ask about these things. Anyway, it all comprised a wonderful early evening (we were finished before eight o’clock) and, while the two new Masons looked utterly baffled, I don’t doubt this was a genuinely enlightening experience for them.

The ambiance amid the trees of Fort Hale was what one would expect for an outdoor degree: (very) casual attire among those of us on the sidelines, although some of us wore suits (I left my suit jacket in the car); tiki torches for illumination; bug spray in abundance; spotty audio quality (the mikes were not picking up half of what was being said). The lodge’s ritualists wore period wardrobe.

Wasn’t it too hot on that late August day, you ask? The Grand Architect’s Weather Department couldn’t have been more kind, giving sunlight-gilded azure skies enhanced by a calming breeze that seemed to sanctify the entire scene. Perfection.

Masons from a variety of places were in attendance. In addition to various points around Connecticut, brethren traveled from Massachusetts, New Hampshire (a delegation from Hiram Lodge 9), New York (me), and Pennsylvania. This resulted in diverse regalia on exhibit.

The Pennsylvanians, coming from Richmond-Solomon’s Lodge 3, dating to 1764, in Philly; and even Pittsburgh(!), were on hand because of their induction earlier in the day of MW Shane Dufresne into the Tall Cedars of Lebanon. Speaking of initiations, the TCL is on a roll lately in conferring its Sidonian Degree on grand masters. New Jersey’s MW Omar Morris will enter Elizabeth Forest on Thursday. I think my grandfather was a member there.

I got into town later than I wanted, but still had time for a beer at The Owl Shop. The beer of the week was Coors, which gave me and the bartender a laugh, so I had a glass of Peroni. A perfect lager on a warm summer day. Although not a great distance, the drive is an unpleasant slog through the most crowded highways in the Northeast. Didn’t buy any pipe tobacco this time.

The pre-degree supper was very good. I had a succulent chicken breast with thick zucchini rounds, broccoli florets, and penne. We gathered for the meal about a mile up the street at a historic banquet hall.

IYKYK.

I wish there had been the chance to explore Fort Nathan Hale. Its history involves the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and even the Civil War, although, naturally, there was no fighting then.

The customary group photo. After the degree, everyone gathered in the West just before 8 p.m. Sunset was more than twenty minutes earlier, so it actually was pretty dark when snapping the picture. Some crude editing makes the photo somewhat publishable.

If Hiram plans to repeat this outstanding event, make sure you get there.

     

‘ON SALE: 2026 John Skene Conference tickets’

    

Click to enlarge.

In trying to catch up reporting recent events, I am aware I still haven’t covered the 2025 John Skene Masonic Conference in New Jersey—and now it’s time already to promote this year’s event!

Click to enlarge.

All the details are in these graphics, so there isn’t much for me to add, except, for those who don’t know, John Skene was the first Freemason in the New World. He emigrated from Aberdeen, Scotland, where he’d been made a Mason in 1670, to the West Jersey colony in 1682—and actually became deputy governor after only a couple of years.

Personally, just as a supporter who knows how difficult it can be to secure grand lodge help for such efforts, I thank MW Omar Morris, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey, for his patronage of the event.

Click here to register and purchase tickets.

    

‘2026 John Skene Masonic Conference’

   

Click to enlarge.

And speaking of the 2026 John Skene Masonic Conference (see post below), the organizers have set a time and place. The graphic above has all the information available so far, but I’m sure the conference speakers will be announced before long. See you there.

This time, the conference will have the support of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey, thanks to the kind offices of MW Omar Morris, Grand Master. That’s a big benefit. This time, the conference will be hosted on Grand Lodge’s Burlington campus, which is very near Peachfield, where Skene lived, died, and was buried. In contrast, last year we attended the usual gravesite memorial before commuting sixty miles to the conference in the Plainfield Masonic Temple. Naturally, this year’s arrangement is a lot more convenient. Plus, the Grand Lodge’s patronage may help sell tickets.

If you wonder who was John Skene, well he was a Mason in Aberdeen, Scotland who emigrated to the West Jersey colony in 1682—becoming the first Mason in the New World. Read more here.

Tickets, etc. here.

This reminds me I still haven’t written up last year’s conference. I will! I put it on my calendar for next Sunday.

     

‘New leadership in New Jersey’

    

Gill Raoul Calderon

Grand Master Omar Morris
and Junior Grand Warden Glenn Visscher.

Congratulations are in order upon the huge news pulsating right now from Atlantic City: Omar Morris is the new MW Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey, and RW Glenn Visscher has been elected and installed in the Grand South. Huzzah!

I’ve known both for a long time (Omar is from my former lodge), and I couldn’t nominate Masons more worthy for these top jobs. Personally, being a refugee from that Grand Lodge, I believe the single most important task for the voting members of that jurisdiction is to continue electing decent human beings to their highest offices. The coming four years are looking bright indeed over there.

Congratulations to all.

UPDATE: It’s been brought to my attention that I can be misunderstood in the above to have implied that RW Glenn’s rival in the election is not a decent human being. No such thought occurred to me. Both of this year’s choices for Junior Grand Warden were outstanding, and the Grand Lodge would have benefitted if RW Ron Murad had prevailed too.

     

‘Omar for President!’

    

George Filippidis photo

RW Omar Morris, as George Washington, with MW Richard J. Kessler, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York, at yesterday’s re-enactment ceremony.

Yesterday was the anniversary of the first presidential inauguration of George Washington here in New York City in 1789, and the brethren commemorate the world-changing event with a re-enactment. You might not know this, but Washington was a Freemason (new book here), and the fraternity possesses the very KJV Bible on which he placed his hands while taking the oath of office.

Both were present yesterday inside Masonic Hall for the annual ceremony, with Bro. Omar Morris in place channeling the first president.

Omar was my lodge brother back when I was in New Jersey. He served as the Right Worshipful Grand Marshal during the previous administration there, and, if Providence is agreeable, he will be elected Junior Grand Warden in November—but first we’ll have to see how he does as president!