‘Our craving for remembrance and a tangible blessing for posterity’

    

Grand Lodge of Rhode Island

Next Saturday morning, Rhode Island Freemasons will gather at Freemasons Hall in East Providence (222 Taunton Avenue) to commemorate the centenary of the temple’s cornerstone ceremony, which occurred Saturday, October 25, 1924. Today, the building also is the headquarters of the Grand Lodge, but then it was home only to Rising Sun Lodge 30 which, by then, had been at labor half a century, having been established July 4, 1874. From the publicity:

A Century of Masonic Heritage

The magnificent Temple was built in 1924 for Raising [sic] Sun Lodge No. 31 [sic] and was designed by renowned architect William Gilbert Upham of Norwood, Ma. Who was a member of Orient Lodge and specialized in the design of Masonic Temples.

The original Cornerstone was laid on October 25, 1924, by the Most Worshipful Grand Master, Henry C. Dexter and it was rededicated in 1992 when Grand Lodge took ownership of the property.

The ceremony of rededication is an ancient, solemn and significant event in Freemasonry. It marks the renewal of our commitment to our principles of Truth, Relief and Brotherly Love, and the consecration of our meeting place.

Freemasons Halls:

Temples of Virtue

Freemasons Halls have a long history and are rich in symbolism, they are literally Temples erected to Virtue. These buildings serve not only as the physical place where Masons meet but also as enduring material representations of our ideals.

Grand Lodge of Rhode Island

Many Freemasons have enjoyed the brotherhood fostered within these walls. Here, they have become great leaders, shared knowledge, worked together for common goals, and nurtured their dreams. These buildings are silent witnesses to history, having seen generations of men strive to become better versions of themselves and contribute positively to the world.  

These are only a few reasons why the rededication ceremony will be a very significant event. It is definitely something to witness. The ceremony is open to Freemasons of all degrees and the general public and will begin at 10 a.m. with a procession from Haven Methodist Church on Taunton Ave. to Grand Lodge.

Looking back the hundred years, the occasion’s oration was delivered by W. Bro. Chester W. Barrows, Grand Orator, who also served as an Associate Justice of the state’s Superior Court. Excerpted:

We are laying a cornerstone of a Masonic Temple. Freemasonry as an institution is already old. It will continue to exist while men are social beings. It has certain attributes that do not change, but its character at any given time will be affected markedly by the men who then compose it. We are the Rhode Island Masons today. We shall leave our more or less lasting marks on the organization. What shall our imprint be?

Grand Lodge of Rhode Island

We have placed beneath this stone certain temporal and transient things deemed by us of some importance. There, sealed away from mortal sight and corroding air, they will be preserved long after we have been forgotten. Antiquarians, a half century or more from now, when this temple shall be razed to give way to a more glorious one, will curiously examine these tokens, will try to follow the thoughts that influenced us, and to discover what manner of men and Masons we were. Today’s civilization, with all its wonders, will doubtless seem as curious and quaint to them as our ancestors’ does to us. Our Masonic forbears led a simple life as we see it. Their opportunities were limited, but we know their sterling, though stern, worth. What we are, what our influence is upon the Order, in part, is due to what they were. We glory in their pioneering for institutions adapted to free-born men and dedicated to God and native land.  Ours is not to pioneer, but to preserve those institutions. If our efforts shall appeal to those who follow us, as do our grandfathers’ to us, we may feel that this generation is a not unworthy link in the chain of progress.

Chester Barrows

Why do we have a ceremony at the laying of a cornerstone? Because it is traditional perhaps, but what reason is there for the continuance of tradition? What is there here to talk about? Talk often is only the outward evidence of a vacant mind, the rambling of aimless thought. Such is not for us on this occasion. Nor is the fact that here is our own building a cause for boastfulness. Is not the real reason for this occasion that we are doing something which we hope will be worthy of remembrance; something for which we believe our “Children will rise up and call us blessed.” At man’s best, there is always an aspiration to do or say something worth preserving. The endless struggle to be remembered is traceable through the ages. We hate the thought of being forgotten. A few exceptional individuals successfully perpetrate themselves, but most persons fail to do so.

 

As groups, however, men often can succeed when singly they would fail. Among the lasting and proper accomplishments of a group is the erection of a Masonic Temple. When we lay the cornerstone of such a building, we have taken a step toward satisfying our craving for remembrance, as well as left a tangible blessing for posterity. We are warranted in talking about it.

This is a cornerstone. We shall not presume to tell you of the part that it physically plays in the structure. We only know that it rests upon what has been done. It supports what is to follow. It bears the relation to the building that your life and mine bear to past and future human life. As we prove square and true, so will our descendants.

The following year, W. Barrows would be elevated to Rhode Island’s Supreme Court, where he would serve until his death in 1931 at age 58.

Locate your copy of this Grand Lodge’s 1925 Proceedings to marvel at this wonderful speech in its entirety, as well as to peruse the lengthy list of those “temporal and transient things” deposited inside the “beautiful, neatly engraved copper box, hermetically sealed,” placed inside the cornerstone.

Also, I can’t help but claim to have found on other pages a terrific name for a lodge: What Cheer.

What Cheer Lodge 21 was set to labor in 1857 in Providence. The phrase “What cheer?” is elemental to Rhode Island lore and concerns the arrival of Roger Sherman himself upon the shore of the Seekonk River where he was greeted thusly by local Native Americans. Read more about that here.

    

‘Join the procession at the Mt. Vernon cornerstone ceremony’

    

Alexandria-Washington Lodge 22 will visit historic Mt. Vernon in October to dedicate a cornerstone following the extensive rehabilitation of George Washington’s Virginia mansion—and lodges and grand lodges are welcome to join the procession. From the publicity:

Freemasons are summoned from across the United States to celebrate the symbolic Cornerstone Ceremony for George Washington’s Mount Vernon.

Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime historic Masonic event as we dedicate the cornerstone of Brother George Washington’s Mount Vernon on Monday, October 14.

To attend, buy your tickets here. After your purchase, AW22 will contact you about your lodge’s participation.

The mansion has been undergoing an extensive and necessary restoration. Washington’s membership in Craft Masonry underscored his character and demeanor and has lent credibility to the good works of our lodges for more than two centuries.

At the request of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, the stalwart and dedicated stewards of Washington’s home and legacy, the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Virginia and Alexandria-Washington Lodge 22 invite Freemasons throughout the country to witness this historic event. By ensuring a sound foundation for Washington’s Mansion House, we are provided the unique opportunity to serve our Brother and support the preservation of his home and the sharing of his important story for future generations.

The Masonic Cornerstone Ceremony harkens back to the age of stonemason guilds formed to construct the cathedrals of Europe. Laying the cornerstones of buildings in Europe and North America was once an occasion for parades, orations, and general celebrations of the effort. Freemasons continue the tradition of checking the stone to ensure it is sound and symbolically consecrating it with representations of health, peace, and prosperity.

Cornerstone Ceremonies are one of the few public exhibitions provided by Freemasons and offer insight to the tenets of the historic organization.

8 a.m. - Arrive at Mount Vernon

9:00 - Marshaling of Masonic Lodges

9:30 - Grand Lodge of DC Wreath Laying Ceremony

10:30 - Procession of Lodges

11:00 - Procession of the Grand Lodge of Virginia

11:15 - Commencement of Cornerstone Ceremony

12:15 p.m. - Conclusion of Ceremony

12:30 - Lunch on the East Lawn

1:30 - Toast to Washington

2:00 - Event Concludes

Times are subject to change

Order of March

The procession will proceed in the following order:

First Virginia Regiment and Color Guard: Leading the way, they will set the tone for the procession.

Individual Grand Lodges: grand lodges will lead their jurisdiction’s delegation. States will be organized in order according to their date of admissions into the Union.

Subordinate Lodges: Each subordinate lodge will march in its assigned order, following the grand lodge of their states.

This sequence (grand lodges, followed by the subordinate lodges) will continue until all participating lodges have marched and are seated.

Grand Lodge of Virginia: The Grand Lodge will conclude the processional, then begin the ceremony.

Procession Formation: lodges and grand lodges are permitted and strongly encouraged to carry gonfalons (tall, upright banners) at the head of their contingent (flag size only). Horizontal banners are not allowed in the processional.

Prior to the event, each participating group will be assigned a number indicating their marching order. On the day of the event, look for markers with your assigned number to find your designated staging area. A volunteer will guide you to the staging point.

     

‘Capitol cornerstone commemoration Monday’

    

No red-blooded American Freemason needs to be told Monday is the 230th anniversary of the cornerstone-laying ceremony at the U.S. Capitol, and that Bro. Washington himself led the Masonic rites, but maybe you don’t know that a lodge in Delaware will commemorate the historic event with a re-enactment led by the Grand Master.

Doric Lodge 30 even garnered some media coverage already. Looks like fun, and it will be open to the public. Click here for details.

     

‘Jersey research lodge to meet in the Washington Memorial’

    

GWMNM photo

Merry New Year! I wish you a 2023 even more positive than your own hopes for it.

Hey, if you will be in or near Alexandria, Virginia on Presidents’ Day and, especially, the day before, please feel free to join us at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. On Sunday, February 19 at 4:30, New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education 1786 will hold an Emergent Communication in one of the lodge rooms.

The room is booked and Bro. Shawn Eyer will be our speaker, discussing William Preston (I’ll have the specifics on the topic soon).

I’m inviting the brethren of A. Douglas Smith, Jr. Lodge of Research 1949, who meet in the Memorial regularly, and George Washington Lodge of Research 1732, from not far Fredericksburg, and other researchers to enjoy the time with us. You should come too!

The next day, President’s Day, the Memorial will host the centenary celebration of its cornerstone laying ceremony. And the City of Alexandria will hold its George Washington Birthday Parade earlier that afternoon; NJLORE is signed up for that as well, so march with us. It’s a public parade with, I expect, many Masonic groups in formation. It’ll be like it’s 1780 again or something.

     

‘Next February in Alexandria’

    

Courtesy GWMNM

I’m still working on several editions of The Magpie Mason to recap the terrific conference last weekend at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, and I am reminded of the next big event there next February. In fact, registration is open now for the cornerstone re-dedication on February 20, just one of several celebratory happenings in commemoration of the Memorial’s centenary.

Courtesy GWMNM

Click here to see the itinerary.

There will be meetings and tours Friday through Sunday, and your lodge (if you plan ahead) may hold a tiled meeting in one of the Memorial’s lodge rooms! On Monday the 20th, there will be a parade and the cornerstone re-dedication.

Mention of this parade during the events of last week caught my attention. Generally, I am not a parade marcher, but that’s in terms of, say, a Masonic contingent in a St. Patrick’s Day parade or other civic display. This will be Freemasons only on the march like it’s 1740s Dublin or something! For some reason that’s different to my mind, so I believe I will don my new apron (blue borders with rounded flap and edges) and a Past Master jewel (TKS!).

We had a procession from Fredericksburg Lodge to a historical site in town last Friday when some clod in a passing car shouted we Masons are going to hell. The sight of this procession will give them something to howl about!

From the publicity:

All grand lodges, lodges, Masonic groups, and Freemasons in amity with the Grand Lodge of Virginia may participate in the Parade from historic Old Town Alexandria up to the Memorial’s beautiful grounds. The Parade will step off at 1 p.m. The Re-dedication Ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. All individuals attending the events of February 20 should register here. Those who register and attend will receive a special poster celebrating the event.

The Memorial’s traditional Washington’s Birthday Gala will be held on Wednesday, February 22. This elegant formal event, as always, will include a reception in Memorial Hall, entertainment in the Theater, and a Gala Banquet in Grand Masonic Hall.

Click here to read more about the events planned. And seriously, get your lodge or chapter or whatever to book a lodge room for a meeting. And petition the Grand Architect for favorable weather!

     

‘The cornerstone of a Temple of Justice’

    

MW John Hodge

Happy Independence Day to Magpie readers across the United States. Today I am sharing a gem of a speech that was delivered in public on this date in 1894 when MW John Hodge, our then Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York, led the cornerstone dedication ceremony at the Monroe County Courthouse in Rochester.

Hodge was a highly prominent citizen, a leader in business (Merchant’s Gargling Oil!) and government in his part of the state. He died August 7, 1895. His widow funded construction of a hospital in Lockport and named it in his memory.

Hodge served five years as Junior Grand Warden, two as Senior, and one as Deputy Grand Master before being installed into the Grand Master’s chair in 1894. John Hodge Lodge 815, now of the Ontario-Seneca-Yates District, was set to labor in 1897.

The speech says a lot, without running too long, as it weaves Americanism and Masonic theory—the kind of oratory you just don’t hear anymore—at a time when greatness still was thought to be good. Enjoy.

Fellow Citizens:

In accordance with the time-honored custom of the Masonic fraternity, we, who represent that ancient, honorable, and patriotic order, have assembled with you here today, and with the solemn ceremonials of the Craft have laid the cornerstone of a new Temple of Justice for the large community of Western New York, of which the City of Rochester is the geographical, social, and political center.

Postcard of the courthouse.

In peace we have laid this cornerstone, and without fear have performed our work, because the laws of our country which are to be here administered, and the principles of Masonry are in unison in favoring equal justice to all men. The flag of our country, that glorious emblem of freedom floating proudly above us, which today is receiving special honors throughout the length and breadth of the land, like the Masonic creed, shields no favored class, but proffers the assurance of justice alike to the Jew and Gentile, the representatives of all nationalities, and the adherence of all religious and political faiths.

It is peculiarly appropriate that the magnificent structure, whose foundation we have this day laid, should be erected in this beautiful City of Rochester. From the earliest period of the pioneer history of Western New York, Rochester has been foremost in everything pertaining to the development of all the material interests of the State upon the immutable principles of justice. Nature’s bounty of scenic beauty and wealth of material resources have been well supplemented by a patriotic, God-fearing people, whose untiring industry and noble spirit of heroism and self-sacrifice enabled them to patiently pursue to the end the arduous work of subduing the wilderness, and supplementing the virgin forest with beautiful homes and well organized society, now presenting to the world a city which includes industrial and commercial interests, educational, religious, and beneficent institutions, of which any nation of the globe might justly be proud. And especially, in view of her record in educational work in every field of intellectual activity, which has given the country not only many eminent scholars and divines, but also a long list of jurists of well-earned fame for the extent of their legal lore, and the wisdom and justice that have marked their decisions, Rochester may will claim the privilege and distinction of erecting a Temple of Justice that shall be second to none in the land.

Another postcard.

And what of the future? As meritorious as has been the work done by your judiciary in the old courthouse which this new and elegant building is to supersede, much more important, doubtless, to the peace and prosperity of the community will be the decisions to be handed down from the bench of the new courthouse in the far distant future. Law is declared to be the product of human experience. We are living in an era when questions of great importance, not only to individuals, but to aggregations of individuals, and to the peace and good order of society, are constantly arising. Many of these questions, whose solution is of the greatest importance. Law is declared to be the product of human experience. We are living in an era when questions of great importance, not only to individuals, but to aggregations of individuals, and to the peace and good order of society, or constantly arising. Many of these questions, whose solution is of the greatest importance to the parties interested, must be settled for the first time by the courts.  Which, under our system of government, constitute the last resort for the redress of real or imaginary wrongs, and the settlement of differences between the employer and the employees, the rich and the poor, alike.

And is it not at all improbable that some of the very important issues presented by this situation may be argued and decided by the courts to be held in your new courthouse. The future of your new Temple of Justice is, therefore, full of promise, not only in the assurance that it will present an ample field for the full display of all the powers of the most learned and brilliant advocates, but also bring to the bench the opportunity of rendering decisions, which, by their justice and their importance to the welfare of society, will invest the judiciary with an enduring fame, whose luster will stand undimmed through the many successive generations.

Modern times!

Fellow citizens and brethren, our work is done. The cornerstone of this building has been tested by the working tools of our Craft. It has been found square, plumb, and level. The cement that unites it with its brother stone has been spread, and all has been pronounced perfectly done.

This speech and several score more are found in the pages of Jewels of Masonic Oratory, anthologized by L.S. Myler; printed in New York in 1900.

May this be in truth a Temple of Justice, where all men may come and have their wrongs redressed; where oppression and intolerance may be throttled, and the rights of every man, from the humblest citizen to the highest official, be honored and respected. Justice is the platform for all mankind. The people who live upon this great round globe are the creatures of one Great Father, and have equal and inalienable rights, duties, and obligations. Those rights must not be disregarded. Those duties and obligations must not go unperformed. This building whose walls will be reared upon this cornerstone is to be a city of refuge to which the oppressed may flee; and we pray God that it may in truth deserve to prosper, and become the place of concourse for all good men, and from this house the spirit of harmony and brotherly love be disseminated throughout the whole community.

     

‘With the solemn and imposing rites of Masonry’

    

A 1908 photo of the monument,
which was completed in 1890.

Still curious about the time capsule opened Tuesday in Virginia (see post below), I peered into the Masonic history there to learn more. I shouldn’t be surprised, although I am, to find out this wasn’t merely Freemasonry donating items for inclusion in a time capsule, but the cornerstone ceremony was a Masonic rite. And requested by the governor at that.

As I mentioned yesterday, that time capsule dates to October 27, 1887. On December 12 of that year, the Grand Lodge of Virginia convened in St. Alban’s Hall in Richmond for its 110th Annual Communication at which time Grand Master William F. Drinkard recollected to the brethren how the Craft became involved. The following comes from the Book of Proceedings:

On the 27th of October I laid the corner-stone of a monument to be erected in this city to the memory of General Robert E. Lee. This was done at the request of the Lee Monument Association, whose Board of Managers is presided over by the Governor of Virginia, himself a Lee. Governor Lee wrote me a letter stating that it was the wish of the Board that the corner-stone of the Lee Monument should be laid, to use his own words, “with the solemn and imposing rites of Masonry.”

Fitzhugh Lee

Accordingly I convened the Grand Lodge in special communication, and on the day named proceeded to perform the usual ceremonies. The occasion was one never to be forgotten. Thousands and tens of thousands of people crowded the sidewalks of the streets and the doors and windows of the houses bordering on the line of the procession. Thousands made up the general procession. The immense crowd of course could not be accommodated with seats at the site of the proposed monument, but notwithstanding the extraordinary inclemency of the weather (it being both cold and rainy) a large number of persons remained upon the grounds during all the ceremonies. When the work was done it was accepted in a feeling and appropriate speech by Governor Fitzhugh Lee.

The occasion was one that no considerations of inclement weather, or of personal inconvenience or discomfort, could have caused the people of Virginia to neglect or overlook. As when the corner-stone of City Hall was laid, so when the corner-stone of the Lee Monument was laid, the Knights Templar most thoughtfully and generously tendered their services as an escort to the Grand Lodge, and entitled themselves to the credit of having done more than any other one organization to render the ceremonies what [Governor] Lee described them as being—namely, “solemn and imposing.” These are our brethren, and therefore I have deemed it proper for the Grand Master to mention their services. I leave it to others to name the many distinguished gentlemen from all parts of the Union who witnessed and participated in so much of this memorable work as was not under the control of the Masons.

The first Lincoln statue,
dedicated 1868.

For some reason, that wording “solemn and imposing” pinged something in my mind, and it turns out to be a well used adjectival phrasing in the nineteenth century. A cliche, really. I mention it because of its noteworthy appearances in written and spoken words concerning Abraham Lincoln. The occasion of the Gettysburg Address was, according to the New York Times, “solemn and imposing.” Later in the 1860s, the annual ceremony of mourning U.S. war dead, a new national rite conducted at Arlington on the land where Robert E. Lee had dwelled, was described the identical way. On April 15, 1868, the third anniversary of Lincoln’s death, another Masonic ceremony in the rain seen by tens of thousands accompanied the dedication in Washington of the first statue erected in his honor. Bro. Benjamin B. French, the Lincoln Administration’s Commissioner of Public Buildings (and namesake of the lodge in D.C.) recalled in his oration the national mood in the wake of the assassination, and described the funeral procession as “solemn and imposing.”

Anyway, the Grand Lodge of Virginia’s outlay stemming from the Lee Monument that dreary October day totaled $235.32. That’s fourteen dollars more than what it expended for the City Hall cornerstone ceremony. It was a lot of money. In contrast, the Grand Treasurer’s salary that year was $300. It is impossible to transubstantiate the $235 into today’s worthless currency, but in the gold coins of that time, the gold would weigh about eleven ounces, which this morning costs $19,811.

In review of MW Drinkard’s speech, the Grand Lodge’s Special Committee on the Address of the Grand Master reported, in part:

It has been always one of the most impressive teachings of Free Masonry to pay the full measure of honor to those to whom honor is justly due, and for ages they have exemplified this sentiment by laying the corner-stones of monuments erected to testify the admiration of mankind for those virtues which have merited such distinctions.

No occasion in the history of this Grand Lodge has afforded a more sincere and heartfelt satisfaction to the great body of the patriotic Masonic sons of our Ancient Commonwealth than that which afforded them the privilege of participating in the ceremonies of laying the corner-stone, on the 27th day of last October, of a monument designed to faintly express the unmeasured love and the profound admiration which fills every breast within the confines of Virginia for the illustrious man, General Robert E Lee, our State gave to stand, for time, before the world, the exemplar and the monument of every patriotic and heroic virtue.

We congratulate our brethren, that they lived to participate in the proceedings mentioned by the Grand Master.

     

‘C-SPAN tonight: Masonic cornerstone of U.S. Capitol’

     

Courtesy C-SPAN

Today at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time, C-SPAN will broadcast “225th Anniversary of the Laying of the Capitol Cornerstone,” which will feature Washington, DC Freemasons (perhaps re-enacting the historic event, I guess). Representatives from the U.S. Capitol Historical Society and George Washington’s Mount Vernon will be shown, as will, unfortunately, members of Congress.
      

‘Prince Hall cornerstone ceremony in Jersey’

     
Prince Hall Freemasons will gather at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Summit, New Jersey next month to dedicate a cornerstone. From the publicity:

Cornerstone-Laying Ceremony

Sunday, October 16

12:15 to 1:30 p.m.

Pilgrim Baptist Church

77 Morris Avenue

Summit, New Jersey

It has been the custom of the ancient and honorable fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons from time immemorial, upon due invitation, to assemble the Craft and, with appropriate ceremonies, to lay the foundation stones of Masonic edifices, churches, and other public edifices. Having accepted the invitation of Pilgrim Baptist Church to lay the foundation stone, we will convene for that purpose.

Pilgrim Baptist Church in Summit, New Jersey.

This ceremony is open to the public. Grand Lodge officers wear tails with their apron and collar of office. Brothers are dressed with the apron and collar of office.


Have you ever seen one of these celebrations? Definitely worth your while, as it offers a glimpse into a centuries-old tradition in Freemasonry that intentionally is shown to the public. Click here to read part of the Brent Morris Short Talk Bulletin on the subject.
     

‘Journal 28 in the mail’

     

Issue No. 28 of The Journal of the Masonic Society is arriving in members’ mailboxes now. Some of the highlights include:

Editor Michael Halleran considers the importance of candidate proficiency examinations. “It seems clear that suitable proficiency means comprehension—not just a rote recitation—of the experience of the degree, enriched with appreciation of the implements of Masonry and some understanding of the symbolism of the fraternity, as specified by the grand lodge,” he rightly writes. “Sadly, we have all witnessed perfunctory examinations, but these do no one any favors.”

It’s very simple to me: Since Freemasonry uses the building arts metaphorically, we’d view the prospective member as raw material. When your basic building blocks show no understanding of the fundamentals of Masonic thought, you’ll have a fraternity that serves no vital purpose. Just shallow sociability, perfunctory charity—oh, wait.

Bro. Richard Bunn, in his article, draws comparisons between architectural cornerstones installed ceremonially and elements of the Hiramic drama. “If the Freemasons had been farmers, they would have seized upon the metaphor of the seed—as utilized by ancient agrarian societies in their mystery dramas, the most famous example being the Peresphone myth, which elucidates on the esoteric phenomenon of sowing, i.e., the seed, after being buried in the earthen furrow, rises again in the new stalk—but as the Gentlemen Masons were Symbolic builders, they chose the stone, like the medieval alchemists before them, to teach the same lesson of regeneration, or immortality of the soul,” he says in one breath. “Regrettably, with the ceremony of the laying/dedication no longer being in high demand, twenty-first century Freemasons are rarely, if ever, exposed to the profound symbolism attached to one of the fraternity’s most ancient and important observances. The symbolism of the ceremony of the laying of a cornerstone and the Degree of Master Mason are so interconnected that it is my contention that if the mystery drama of the latter did not directly arise from the former, then, the two ceremonies, one public and exoteric, the other private and esoteric, evolved contemporaneously.”

A new feature, “Retrospective,” invokes lessons from the past we ought to take to heart today. This time, a concept from 1864: “The extraordinary and ruinously rapid growth which Freemasonry has experienced during the past few years has only become possible in consequence of a neglect properly to exercise the privilege of the ballot. Hundreds, nay, thousands of improper persons have been permitted to receive the degrees, who, under a proper exercise of the ballot, would never have been allowed to cross the threshold of our institution.”

Yes, that’s from 1864, not 1964.

Speaking of changes, Bro. John Bizzack returns to The Journal with “Paradigms and Periods of Transition in Freemasonry,” in which he explains what a paradigm is and how it works, and how Masons can attain a keener understanding of their fraternity’s need for constancy in Masonry’s reason for being. “The idea has never been for men to change Masonry, but for Masonry to change men. Its core values and lessons can be challenging to incorporate into one’s life,” he writes. “It takes discipline of the mind. It takes effort. But the fraternity offers true camaraderie for those who choose this difficult psychological and philosophical journey. Incredible, life-altering changes occur as a man develops and uses a value-driven moral compass.”

He continues: “The landscape has changed. Freemasonry is indeed in a paradigm shift, one that was readily identified by leaders in the fraternity in the mid 1960s and that set the course for the natural turbulence that follows any time a paradigm begins to shift. That very shift gives us the signature of the fraternity today: dwindling numbers and a sense of baffling urgency to find answers, to stop the revolving door of men in and out after only a couple of years of membership.”

Bro. Mark Tabbert, Director of the Museum and Library Collections at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Virginia, spends a lot of time these days researching and writing what I am confident will be the definitive Masonic biography of George Washington—a comprehensive study of all Washington’s Masonic words and deeds that will serve for generations. His article in The Journal this time is “George Washington Meets a Past Grand Master of England.” How did our future first president’s interactions with the Fourth Earl of Loudoun during the French and Indian War impact England’s military strategy in that conflict? You’ll want to read this one.

In his always engaging regular feature “Masonic Collectibles,” Bro. Yasha Beresiner shares an item that actually cannot be gathered into a collection: a singular ephemeral tract of anti-masonic propaganda from 1698(!). From the pamphlet: “Knowing how that God observeth privilly them that in Darkness they shall be smitten and the Secrets of their Hearts layed bare. Mingle not among this corrupt People lest you be found so at the World’s Conflagration.”

There’s no pleasing some people.

And getting back to cornerstones, Bro. Stephen Ponzillo, a Past Grand Master of Maryland, hits the books to provide some biographical knowledge of the men whose names are inscribed on the silver plaque set into the cornerstone laid in the U.S. Capitol on September 18, 1793. Reflections on brother Masons who ought not be forgotten.

Plus, there are the regular attractions. President Jim Dillman tells us about the upcoming Quarry Project in Indianapolis. In “Book Reviews,” we have six titles of Masonic and related importance, including Frances Timbers’ Magic and Masculinity: Ritual Magic and Gender in the Early Modern Era, and Roscoe Pound’s Lectures on the Philosophy of Freemasonry. “News of the Society” informs us of the many successes enjoyed by various members of The Masonic Society as they pursue their labors in various employments throughout the fraternity, plus some other oddities you may not have heard yet. And, under “Conference, Speeches, Symposia & Gatherings,” is a list of educational and cultural events around the nation upcoming in the next few months.

‘Masonic Treasures’ is the regular feature on the back cover of The Journal. This issue treats us to the tracing board artwork of Bro. Jorge Soria of Grapevine Lodge No. 288 in Texas. Such low tech devices were common in the 18th and 19th centuries as aids to imparting lessons in Masonic symbolism and thought, but were replaced by electronic media as generations passed. However, thanks to artists like Soria, lucky lodges again are able to employ graphic crafts to instruct their candidates through the degrees.

And finally, if you wish to advertise your books, regalia, wares, organized events, or other Masonic-friendly goods and services, please contact yours truly here. Our rate card is here.
     

‘Vacation’

  
If you define a vacation as the act of taking off several days (at least) from work, traveling a notable distance – and one outside your usual orbit – and settling in at one location (at least) for recreation and nothing but, then last week I took my first vacation since the summer of 1994. (Yeah. I know that’s 18 years.)

Provincetown, Massachusetts was my family’s vacation spot every August in the 1970s when I was a child, and it was there I returned for 72 hours of sightseeing, seafood dining, beer tasting, and cigar smoking. The sightseeing included visiting several places of Masonic interest right in the middle of town.

The first stop was obvious: Masonic Place, the address of King Hiram’s Lodge, chartered in 1795 by none other than Paul Revere, Grand Master.

In Provincetown, street signs can be found wherever.

Had I arrived a day earlier, I could have visited the lodge.

Every square foot on Commercial Street is valuable... and occupied. Retail shops, art galleries, inns, restaurants, and other entities are crammed into every possible lot, separated by a network of alleys, driveways, byways, snickelways, and paths. As you can see, King Hiram Lodge has retail space in its frontage, and there is a club in the rear. This Buddhist monk appeared by pure happenstance.

Constructed in the first decade of the 20th century, the Pilgrim Memorial Monument towers over Provincetown from its hilltop perch. Its construction began with a Masonic cornerstone-laying ceremony in 1907, and ended with a Masonic consecration in 1910.

The Monument stands 252 feet. On the way up, you will see dozens of markers placed by sponsoring societies, municipalities, and others who made construction of the landmark possible. Here is that of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.

Also on the grounds of the Monument is the Provincetown Museum. Among the artifacts on display are ephemera concerning Masonry’s role in bringing the Monument to fruition. Here is the printed program for the cornerstone-laying ceremony of August 20, 1907.

A time capsule was enclosed in the Monument construction. Among its contents is a book of Grand Lodge proceedings from 1907.

An outdoor marker on the grounds of the Monument.

As above, so below.

While surveying the scenery from the top of the Monument, I spotted a cemetery. Visiting Provincetown Cemetery, I did not find any grave markers from the 17th or 18th centuries, as I had hoped, but I certainly did come across a number of Masonic headstones, and some of these were notable.

Bro. McIntosh had the Keystone of Mark Masonry
engraved into his headstone.

Bro. Francis P. Smith has a monument illustrated with the Beehive, the Square and Compasses, and the three-link chain of Odd Fellowship. The Odd Fellows of Marine Lodge No. 96 were an important force in the social and philanthropic lives of Provincetown.

Close-up of the emblems.

Bro. Joshua P. Atkins has the S&C inside the Mark Master Keystone.

I do not know if Capt. Ira B. Atkins was a relation
or only a Masonic brother.

This one could not escape notice.

Bro. Reuben Ryder also has the links of Odd Fellowship with his S&C.

I photographed other stones, and there were others still that I did not stop to shoot, but you get the idea.

I left town on Friday morning, taking the scenic route for a while, and when passing through Sandwich, I happened across Dewitt Clinton Lodge, instituted in 1885.

The lodge building was a church constructed in 1847.

The brethren will host an open house on October 20.
The lodge is located at 175 Main Street.

I cannot help but wonder how a street earns the name
Good Templar Place, but there it is in Provincetown.