‘A birthday look at Thomas Cole’

     

Self-Portrait, by Thomas Cole, 1836, oil on canvas.

Owned by New-York Historical Society.

“My Birthday. Once more has the Wheel of Life revolved [and] again advances on the untried road of Another Year.”

Thomas Cole

Speaking of 19th century American painters who were Ohio Freemasons (see post below), today is the 219th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Cole. He will be associated with New York forever, but it was Lodge of Amity 5 in Zanesville, Ohio where he became a Mason. Born in England, Cole emigrated to the United States in 1818 with his family, settling in Steubenville, Ohio.

It is the Hudson Valley of New York that is inextricably bonded to Cole the artist, thanks to his landscapes depicting, or otherwise inspired by, the scenic region.

Masonic messages are found in Cole’s works. These are not overt, but are recognizable by the initiated eye. I don’t think The Architect’s Dream is among those, but still is worth discussing:

In the distance, an Egyptian pyramid looms over Egyptian, Greek, and Roman temples while, in the foreground, a Gothic-style church juts from the trees. Oil on canvas, 1840.

Cole’s works associated with Masonic thought are his four The Voyage of Life oil-on-canvas paintings from 1842, showing Childhood, Youth, Manhood, and Old Age.

The Voyage of Life: Childhood

The Voyage of Life: Youth

The Voyage of Life: Manhood

The Voyage of Life: Old Age

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC holds and exhibits these paintings. Its website says:

Cole’s renowned four-part series traces the journey of an archetypal hero along the “River of Life.” Confidently assuming control of his destiny and oblivious to the dangers that await him, the voyager boldly strives to reach an aerial castle, emblematic of the daydreams of “Youth” and its aspirations for glory and fame. As the traveler approaches his goal, the ever-more-turbulent stream deviates from its course and relentlessly carries him toward the next picture in the series, where nature’s fury, evil demons, and self-doubt will threaten his very existence. Only prayer, Cole suggests, can save the voyager from a dark and tragic fate.

From the innocence of childhood, to the flush of youthful overconfidence, through the trials and tribulations of middle age, to the hero’s triumphant salvation, The Voyage of Life seems intrinsically linked to the Christian doctrine of death and resurrection. Cole’s intrepid voyager also may be read as a personification of America, itself at an adolescent stage of development. The artist may have been issuing a dire warning to those caught up in the feverish quest for Manifest Destiny, that unbridled westward expansion and industrialization would have tragic consequences for both man and nature.

     

‘Willard Masonic mural being restored’

     

The Spirit of ’76 by Archibald Willard, 1876, oil on canvas.
Click to enlarge.    

Archibald Willard (1836-1918) was an early American artist whose name is not well remembered, but whose signature work is instantly recognizable. A historic figure in Ohio for sure, Willard created The Spirit of ’76 (above), as iconic a rendering in the American imagination as any.

He was a Freemason too and, like any dedicated artist in the fraternity, he painted Masonic themes for Masonic use. It is unknown precisely when, but approximately 1875 Willard created a mural for a lodge located in Bellefontaine, Ohio. The painting, in three sections spanning a total of 13 feet of canvas, depicts King Solomon’s Temple, and was used for degree instruction.

Courtesy morningjournal.com

One section of the Masonic mural.

Last Saturday, The Chronicle reported how the work has been undergoing restoration, and that it will be returned for exhibit inside The Spirit of ’76 Museum in Wellington when complete. Mending tears and holes, and removing nearly a century and half worth of dirt is most of the difficult work being handled by experts at the Intermuseum Conservation Association in Cleveland.

Click here for more on the painting.

This project costs $34,000. A grant of $18,000 from a non-profit called the Ohio History Connection (formerly the Ohio Historical Society) is being put to use, but you can donate by visiting here.
     

‘A strong start in 2020 for the Masonic Society’

     

The Masonic Society is off to a great start so far this year.

January isn’t even over, and we have gained 20 new members. Another 14 lapsed members have returned to us. And we picked up one new subscriber for The Journal of the Masonic Society.

Our annual banquet will be next week at Masonic Week in Virginia, and we already are expecting more than 50 guests. (I know we’ll have more because I haven’t even signed up myself!)

That’s Friday, February 7 at 7:15 p.m. in the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington. Advance registration is required, so click here.

Only $55 per person for a sirloin dinner entrée. Our keynote speaker will be Mark Tabbert, who will present “A Deserving Brother: George Washington and Freemasonry,” including his recent research that went into his upcoming book.

All Freemasons and our ladies are welcome to our dinner.

We will have elections of officers and other necessary business, plus we will discuss plans for the coming two-year term.
     

‘Speakers chosen for Academy’

     

At the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge next time, the presenters will be Bro. Chuck Dunning of Texas and Bro. Victor Julian Avila Ametller of Cuba.

That will be Saturday, March 21 in the Freemasons Cultural Center (1 Masonic Drive) in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Check in at 8:30 a.m., and the program should start at around 9:30. Lunch will be served at noon ($10 per person), and the day will conclude around 3 p.m.

From the publicity:

Chuck Dunning

Chuck Dunning is an advocate, facilitator, trainer, and consultant in contemplative practice, with more than 30 years in the professional fields of higher education and mental health, as well as in Masonry and other currents in the Western esoteric traditions. Chuck’s consistent commitment is to the actual practice of contemplative disciplines to facilitate and enhance experiences of personal growth, social wellbeing, and spiritual initiation and transformation. Chuck’s Craft lodge memberships include Haltom City-Riverside 1331 in Texas, and Albert Pike 162 in Oklahoma.

He also is an honorary member of Sophia 767 in North Carolina, and Ancient York 89 in New Hampshire. Chuck’s Scottish Rite memberships are in the Valley of Fort Worth, Texas and the Valley of Guthrie, Oklahoma. His York Rite memberships are in Texas Chapter 362 and Texas Council 321, both in Fort Worth. He is a Full Member of Texas Lodge of Research.

As a professional, Chuck recently entered semi-retirement from serving as a student affairs administrator and adjunct faculty member at Texas Christian University, and from being a psychotherapist at TCU and in community agencies, hospitals, and private practice.

Victor Julian Avila Ametller 

Bro. Ametller is a native of Cuba and is employed as director of the National Masonic Museum of the Grand Lodge of Cuba, AF&AM. Prior to that role, he was professionally employed in the civil works sector in and around Havana. Victor joined the Craft in 2003 in Roman de la Luz Lodge 201, attaining the degree of Master Mason in 2007. He was first appointed a District Deputy Grand Master in 2015 and has plans to serve as Worshipful Master of Roman de la Luz Lodge in 2020. An active Scottish Rite Mason, Ametller has served in several offices in those bodies, culminating in his coronation as an Honorary Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33º, in September 2016.


If you will attend, you will be asked to pre-register. I think an eventbrite page is coming. If you cannot attend, please know there will be a live stream shown here.
     

‘Way haul away, ye Mariners haul!’

     
It’s Robbie Burns’ birthday, but don’t look for haggis at this Masonic feast. We—more than 250 of us—are seated fairly comfortably inside the Grand Lodge Room of Masonic Hall in New York City, enjoying the camaraderie, conviviality, and near gluttony that is the Mariners Lodge Beefsteak Banquet.

This annual affair is sold out tonight at $150 a plate.

Everything we needed to know was spelled out in our program.

Tonight’s tobacco is chosen! Masonic Hall is smoke-free (must be some bureaucratic snafu), so no pipes at the beefsteak, but no matter. A pinch of Mr. Gawith’s Original every so often will aid digestion, stimulate conversation, and improve posture!

Getting ready to set sail.

Michael, Sal, and Josh.

At a Mariners Lodge festive board, Masons are on port and starboard sides. We were seated amidships.

How many Masons does it take to change a lightbulb? One, when it’s Moore. Actually, Isaac is up that ladder to shoot photographs, which were all over Facebook before long.

Don’t your festive boards have drones keeping an eye on things?

RW Bro. Sam conducted us through the festive board ritual and served as emcee. Grand Master Sardone, in purple, at his right.

If you ever wondered what 250+ Freemasons gorging on beef, lamb, beef, shrimp, salmon, beef, ale, potatoes, and beef looks like.

My mistake for relying on a phone as a camera. Here is our Junior Warden for the night.

The purpose of the aprons is defined clearly and humorously in that New Yorker piece by Joseph Mitchell I mentioned in the first Magpie post on this event, but it was lost on some of the brethren whom I observed eating their ribs and lamb lollipops with the cutlery. They went home with aprons as unsullied as any symbol of purity and innocence. From left: Oscar, Josh, Augustine, Michael, and Sal Corelli.

Close-up shot of the apron. This unforgettable event was described by some present as a Bucket List item. The maritime-themed festive board is something every cheerful Mason ought to experience, but I would hope everyone would be able to take part more than once.

  

‘Cécile Révauger to present Sankey Lecture’

     

Click to enlarge.

One of these years I will travel to Ontario to visit the fine lodges there and to attend a Sankey Lecture, but I won’t be able to do it this time.

That’s a shame because the lecturer for the 11th annual Sankey Lecture will be Professor Cécile Révauger, of the University of Bordeaux, who will present “Enlightenment, Gender, and Race: Personal Reflections on Leading Issues in Masonic Studies.”

The lecture is scheduled for Sunday, March 22 (note the new date) at 3 p.m., and will take place again inside the Sean O’Sullivan Theatre at Brock University, located at 500 Glenridge Avenue in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Admission is free, and there is a limit of five tickets per request. Click here.
     

‘Meet Act and Part podcast is on’

     

Masonic Education is the topic of the first podcast of Meet Act and Part. I do a terrible job of keeping current with the podcasts concerning Freemasonry, but this looks like another great one. Our hosts are Bill Hosler, Greg Knott, and Darin Lahners. They divulge their Masonic credentials on air, so I won’t transcribe them here. The discussion concerns their respective efforts in education.

This was published on Podomatic Thursday. It runs 30 minutes, so check it out. Click here.
     

‘Masonic studies to begin at Portugal university’

     
Lusophone University of Humanities and Technologies (Universidade Lusófona) in Lisbon, Portugal, will offer coursework on the subject of Freemasonry beginning next month. If I understand the website, it is not necessary to be a college student currently to participate in this. Evidently, you would have to speak Portuguese though. Total course hours: 120.

From the publicity (as translated by Google and me):

The ideal of a brotherhood of philosopher-builders has influenced diverse cultural developments to this day. Freemasonry, as a fraternity of men interested in Gnosis and in the elevation of souls to the celestial region, is one of the main and most influential movements of spiritual aspiration in the West. Knowing and understanding the philosophical and spiritual sources of the Masonic movement, and the way they enhanced individual human creativity, is the objective of this course, that will focus on the impetus which gave spiritual and ritualistic philosophical substance.

The main objectives of this course are to know the sources and traditions that flow into the so-called Modern Freemasonry, be it the myths and initiation rites of antiquity, or medieval mystical and knightly ways. We will give special weight, not to a diachronic reading of movements, landmarks, and characters, but to the history of ideas, looking for the lineages of content and hermeneutics that result in Speculative Masonry. Students will see the intersection of Portuguese culture with the so-called Arte Real, be it with regard to literature and poetry, be it in art and even in urban art.

Knowledge, skills, and competencies to be acquired will include the identification and critical analysis of the main currents and movements that were, and are, used in Speculative Masonry as part of its rituals and worldviews.

Program:

Ancient Mysteries

and Philosophies

Section 1: Mystery and Initiation
Section 2: The Hellenist Mysteries and Philosophy

Mystics, Worldviews,

and Abrahamic Anthropologies

Section 1: Templarism and Templars
Section 2: Rosicrucianism
Section 3: Judaism, Kabbalah, and Freemasonry
Section 4: Manichaeism and Freemasonry
Section 5: Freemasonry and Mystique

Freemasonry

and Modernity

Section 1: History and Origins of Speculative or Modern Freemasonry
Section 2: Modern Philosophy and Science in dialogue with Freemasonry
Section 3: New anthropological views: Feminine and Mixed Masonry
Section 4: Freemasonry in Portugal

Freemasonry as

contemporary reading

Section 1: Freemasonry, Symbolic and Art
Section 2: Freemasonry and Portuguese thought


Syllabus

• Freemasonry as Contemporary Reading
• Freemasonry and Modernity
• Ancient Mysteries and Philosophies
• Mystics, Worldviews, and Abrahamic Anthropologies

Teachers:

António Balcão Vicente
Arnaldo Gonçalves
Cátia Mourão
Fernando Marques da Costa
Paulo Mendes Pinto
Renato Epifânio
Rui Lomelino de Freitas


Guest Speakers:

António Ventura
Armindo Azevedo
Felipe Corte Real Camargo
José Eduardo Franco
José Manuel Anes
José Manuel Pereira da Silva
Maria João Figueira
Maria José Tavares
     

‘The unforgettable Journal No. 47’

     

There are merely two and a half weeks to go until the annual meeting of the Masonic Society, which takes place amid the Masonic Week festivities in Virginia, and there will be news coming from that busy night.

In the meantime, Issue No. 47 of The Journal of the Masonic Society is out, and while each issue is a treasure worth leaving to your posterity, this one is unique for its cover art by Bro. Ari Roussimoff. A highly skilled, imaginative, and seemingly fearless artist, Ari (a New York Mason) paints Masonic subjects and themes in ways you’ve never seen. I published some photos of his work on The Magpie many years ago—click here—so you could see the powerful colors and bold technique that characterize his images. He is profiled on Page 17 of this Journal issue, where he explains part of what actuates his brushes:


“Painting Masonic subject matter is always a challenge. Much of what I depict emanates from my subconscious, from my heart. The experience is like being on a journey of discovery, depicted on canvas. And I never really know where this journey is taking me until I get there. It is said in Freemasonry that each person can find meanings that are personal and speak directly to them. This is something I very much believe. And I like to think that in my paintings, I show some of the ways in which Freemasonry has spoken to me.”


Bro. Samuel S. Laucks, II of Pennsylvania gives his “Thoughts About Writing a History of Your Lodge” in which he guides us through the research process. Laucks was lucky. He easily located lodge minutes, financial documents, trustees reports, and other solid sources of facts collected inside his lodge’s safe. Also photographs, correspondence, published programs, and other memorabilia were secured therein, making his research convenient. Elsewhere about the lodge, inside file cabinets, desks, bookcases, and inevitable cardboard cartons, Laucks found more of what he needed. Without the temple, he advises checking with local libraries and historical societies and periodicals. If there aren’t records specific to Freemasonry or to your lodge, you still can gain a contextual understanding of what was going on locally through history, because those events impact the fraternity too. Beware the search engines! Mentions of your lodge in news media most often will consist of obituaries. Naturally, our grand lodges retain troves of information. Taking down oral histories can provide color not seen in formal records. “It was fascinating to hear not only their memories and anecdotes,” he explains, “but also to hear their impressions of why men sought to join the fraternity and participate in its activities during those different time periods.”

An experienced researcher will tell you that the Who, What, When, and Where are not sufficient in relating a history, but the Why is essential; Laucks is in agreement. He concludes: “I believe that a lodge history should not be a purely static document but should provide a sense of optimism and anticipation for that which is to come. The audience should not only be proud of their lodge’s history, but should also be inspired and energized by it as they plan for the future.”

Also on the theme of the sweep of history, MW Bro. David J. Cameron, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, writes “Change 2019.” In this piece, Cameron explains how change is a constant in Freemasonry (despite what we ritually say in our ceremonies about the Craft’s unyielding continuity). He traces growth and decline in membership rolls for the context to explain the need to reconfigure his jurisdiction’s bureaucracy. “Our membership peaked in 1960 at 136,000 members,” his research shows. “Now we have 34,000. But we have a Grand Lodge structure created for over 100,000 members and geared to continual growth.” The downsizing is needed at the macro level also, he observes, relating the comment of a young Mason who balked at being told to take away more time from his family and business in order to visit other lodges in his district. “I was taken aback, and I realized he was right,” Cameron recalls. “We are asking too much.”

Citing an exit poll given in 2013 to Apprentices who quit the fraternity, more than half of the respondents said the time commitment was too much for them. Looking for a way forward, Cameron figures “not less is more, but maybe ‘less often, but more intense’ is more.”

Fellow Canadian Joseph Hatcher, of Winnipeg, intrigues with his title “The Kaleida Code.” In this article, the writer leads us through a small local church where “Masonic symbolism from the nineteenth century also abounds.” Near the village of Kaleida stands an Anglican Church erected in 1892 and originally named St. Mary’s, in honor of the English origins of the family of Bro. William Winram, a historical figure in Manitoba. This church’s cornerstone was laid with full Masonic pageant, and its design, says Hatcher, is laden with Masonic symbolism. That cornerstone, and an arched gateway, and Masonic symbols on headstones in the cemetery are obvious clues, but there are others perhaps apparent only to the initiated eye. You’ll want to read his findings to see what he means.

In biography, Bro. Billy Hamilton of Fort Worth Lodge 148 in Texas writes of Bro. John M. Allen, a considerable man of action indeed. He served in the Navy, then fought for Greece in its war for independence, was present at the death of Byron(!), then fought for the independence of Texas, and played a seminal role in bringing Freemasonry into Texas from Louisiana. I’m tired just from typing that, but the story doesn’t end anywhere close to there. Allen was the first mayor of Galveston, a charter member of the first lodge there—Harmony 6—and was a prominent businessman. A mysterious conflict that involved Masonic jurisprudence arose caused by political divisions of the city, and charges were brought against Allen. What happened? Join the Masonic Society and read all about it!

There’s a lot more for your education and enjoyment. Bro. Raul Sarmiento, also of Texas, writes of “Alchemy in Masonry.” Bro. Alan Schwartz of Illinois treats us to “Conceptual Metaphors in Masonry.” Bro. Brendan Hickey of Pennsylvania submits for your approval “That Good Men Do Something: A Defense of Freemasonry.”

Standard features round out the book. Editor-in-Chief Michael Poll exhorts Master Masons to make absolutely certain they are achieving a thorough and diverse Masonic education. “We should objectively examine ourselves to find our weak spots and do the work necessary to improve in Masonry wherever needed,” he explains. “If, however, we feel that we have learned all that can be learned and need no further education, then I suggest we start over at the beginning of our studies.”

How often does anyone tell you something like that?!

In the “Masonica in Review” feature, we introduce Bro. Michael Moran of Pennsylvania: the new book reviewer. Reviews of useful books and podcasts follow. In pictorials, Bro. Greg Knott takes us across the Golden Gate Bridge, and Bro. John Bridegroom’s “Masonic Treasures” on the back cover decodes a highly illustrated jewel from an invitational order appended to the York Rite.

Stop depriving yourself! Join the Masonic Society. Click here to get started.
     

‘Joppa Lodge singing, performing, and informing’

     
Today is Martin Luther King Day, an apt time to tell you about Joppa Lodge 55’s upcoming special event. From the publicity:

Black History Program

Joppa Lodge 55, PHA

Saturday, February 22

3 to 5 p.m.

Masonic Temple

454 West 155th Street

New York City

Please join the Brothers of Joppa Lodge 55 as we have our annual Black History Program in our 100th year of existence. The Brothers of Joppa will be singing, performing, and informing.

This event is free of charge and open to the public. Make reservations here. We ask only that you bring one toiletry, which will be donated to a homeless shelter.
     

‘Washington’s birthday bash at DeWint House’

     

Magpie file photo

DeWint House historical site in Tappan, New York.

New York Freemasonry will commemorate the birthday of Bro. George Washington with an event at DeWint House next month.

DeWint House is the historical site in Tappan, owned and operated by Grand Lodge, that served as Gen. Washington’s headquarters several times during the Revolutionary War.

For Sunday, February 16, the George Washington Historical Site at Tappan Committee has planned a celebration featuring entertainment by the Sons of Liberty Living History Organization.

DeWint House is located at 20 Livingston Street. Start time is 1 p.m. Attire: casual. Light collation to follow. Snow date: TBD.