The Magpie Mason

The Magpie Mason is an obscure journalist in the Craft who writes, with occasional flashes of superficial cleverness, about Freemasonry’s current events and history; literature and art; philosophy and pipe smoking. He is a Past Master of both The American Lodge of Research in New York City and of New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education 1786; and also is at labor in Virginia’s Civil War Lodge of Research 1865. He is a past president of the lamented Masonic Society as well.

Friday, December 31, 2021

‘Fire at Grand Lodge of Ireland’

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     UPDATE: Tuesday, January 4: Courtesy Mr. Paul Gallagher thejournal.ie UPDATE: The Irish Times reports: “Anti-vaccination graffiti” i...

‘And give us a hand o’ thine’

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     Finally, this year is done, but not before a teamwork of media and academia boasts of an achievement in historical research that you an...
Thursday, December 30, 2021

‘RW Thomas Jackson, R.I.P.’

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     Magpie file photo Freemasonry’s most outspoken and indefatigable proponent for upholding standards of excellence from the West Gate to ...
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‘With the solemn and imposing rites of Masonry’

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     A 1908 photo of the monument, which was completed in 1890. Still curious about the time capsule opened Tuesday in Virginia (see post be...
Wednesday, December 29, 2021

‘Masonic relics discovered!’

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     That’s a little hyperbole. The “relics” are common items, but it is pretty cool that they were recovered yesterday from within a time c...
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Tuesday, December 28, 2021

‘Cervisia Lodge for zythophiles’

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    A second (as far as I know) lodge for zythophiles is being organized under the United Grand Lodge of England. You remember Horus Lodge ...
Monday, December 27, 2021

‘Like an untimely frost’

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     Very sad news in these late hours from our Assistant Grand Secretary announcing the death this afternoon of Mrs. Joanne Kessler, wife o...
Saturday, December 25, 2021

‘Merry Christmas’

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     Earthrise, from Apollo 8, December 24, 1968. (NASA photo) The Magpie Mason wishes a Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. May your Ch...
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Wednesday, December 22, 2021

‘Restore a Founding Father’s foundation’

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     Nearly 200 miles northwest of Masonic Hall is the Town of Vestal, New York, in the vicinity of Binghamton, and home to St. Mark’s-Vesta...
Tuesday, December 21, 2021

‘Of mind in me’

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    My lodge didn’t hold a meeting last night, but instead planned a casual social evening with some Masonic learning, and Worshipful Master...
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Thursday, December 16, 2021

‘Unworthy of the obedience of the Lodges’

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      There has been a simple but essential rule in our English brethren’s Constitutions that has endured 300 years. We first encounter it i...
Tuesday, December 14, 2021

‘At this minute in 1799’

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     At this minute—10:20 p.m.—in 1799, Bro. George Washington died at Mt. Vernon. The attending physician, Dr. Elisha Dick, stilled the mov...

‘Robert N. Stutz, R.I.P.’

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     RW Bro. Bob Stutz at the Chancellor Robert R. Livingston Masonic Library’s Freemasonry and the Arts Dinner-Lecture, December 8, 2008. S...
Sunday, December 12, 2021

‘Expect the unexpected (and the expected)’

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     I have to learn to expect the unexpected and remember to expect the expected. Yesterday was one of my busy quarterly Saturdays, with th...
Friday, December 10, 2021

‘Faithful steward of the mysteries’

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     Steward and Tyler. It is the duty of the Steward and Tyler—usually both offices, in small lodges, are conferred upon the same person—to...
Tuesday, December 7, 2021

‘Who, What, When, Where, and sometimes Wyoming’

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     Digitized proceedings from A to W. (Mark Tabbert photo) It seems like it wasn’t even a year ago that I updated you on the digitizatio...
Monday, December 6, 2021

‘Familiar looking coin found in Jerusalem’

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     Eliyahu Yanai/City of David There is something going on lately with amateur archeologists unearthing ancient coins. It seems hardly a m...
Thursday, December 2, 2021

‘Pipe auction to benefit Shriners Hospitals’

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     An auction of smoking pipes next Friday will raise money to battle pediatric catastrophic illnesses, with Shriners Hospitals for Childr...
Wednesday, December 1, 2021

‘Proposed ritual change’

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     In the First Degree of many Craft rituals, the apron investiture is narrated by a quick speech explaining the legendary history of the ...
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