Freemasons For Dummies
Time 2021-10-31 22:06:26Web Name: Freemasons For Dummies
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keywords: description:by Christopher HodappMany Masons throughout North America know RW George O. Braatz and his wife Marilyn.Word came this week that Marilyn passed away Monday night, October 25th, at their home in Westerville, Ohio, after battling cancer for the last year. She was 76.
George served as Grand Master (1987-88), and then Grand Secretary (2000-2009), of the Grand Lodge of Ohio. And between 2011 and 2016, he served as Executive Secretary of the Masonic Service Association of North America. In that role, he and Marilyn traveled extensively, visiting scores of annual meetings and other grand lodge events promoting the MSA.
The Braatz's have both been espacially active in Masonic youth groups of Rainbow for girls and DeMolay for boys. There's no way to even estimate the thousands of lives they have touched over the years.
From her obituary:
A native of Genoa, Ohio, Marilyn was a 1963 graduate of Genoa High School, and a 1967 graduate of Bowling Green State University. She was employed at BGSU for more than 30 years in the Dean's office of the College of Education as a communications and program design specialist, and later as a development officer. In 2000, she became a public relations officer for the Ohio Department of Education in Columbus, until her retirement in 2008.
Mrs. Braatz was active for more than 50 years in the Order of Eastern Star in both northwest Ohio and later in central Ohio. She was twice the Worthy Matron of Grand Rapids (now Triune) Chapter, and later Worthy Matron of Worthington Chapter. She also had served each Chapter as its Secretary. In 1977, she was Deputy Grand Matron of District 7 in Lucas, Wood, and Ottawa counties. Later, she served the statewide Grand Chapter of Ohio Eastern Star on several committees and for eight years headed the statewide Chapter Excellence program for local Eastern Star development.
For many years she was the Mother Advisor of chapters of the Rainbow Girls in Bowling Green and Grand Rapids, and still today many women across the state refer to her as "Mom Braatz."
She and her husband, George, traveled extensively around the Ohio and the nation. In recent years, they have spent the winter season in Lakeland, Florida. She loved taking pictures of the places they went, as well as capturing on film many occasions in the lives of her children and grandchildren. She also enjoyed sewing and gardening.George and Marilyn were married in 1967, and they celebrated their 54th anniversary in June.Please remember George and their sons David and Michael, daughter Wendy, and their grandchildren in your devotions.
Funeral services will be held next month on November 12-13. The family will receive friends from 5 pm to 7pm on Friday, November 12, 2021 at Schoedinger Worthington Chapel, 6699 N. High St Worthington, OH, where an Easter Star Service will start at 7pm. On Saturday November 13,2021 additional visiting hours will take place from 9am-11am with a service to follow at 11am at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 100 E Schrock Rd, Westerville, OH 43081.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contribution be made to the Braatz Family Scholarship Program at Bowling Green State University.
Resquiescat in pace.
No comments: Labels:Masonic Service Association,obituary,Ohio Tuesday, October 26, 2021 UPDATED: GL of Georgia Votes For Prince Hall Recognitionby Christopher Hodapp(THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED OCTOBER 27, 2021 6:37AM TO ADD DOCUMENTATION AND VISITATION RESTRICTIONS)
I've had three different sources attending the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Georgia FAM today inform me that the assembled brethren voted overwhelmingly to officially extend recognition to the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Jurisdiction of Georgia. The recommendation was made by the Committee on Recognition, there was no discussion, and the proposed recognition passed "by a landslide."
Still too early yet for many details beyond the recommendation and the vote. However, a couple of documents leading to the vote contain a couple of curious items.
Below is the request for amity/recognition sent to the Grand Lodge last December by Prince Hall GL of Georgia's Grand Master, MW Corey D. Shackleford. My apologies for the fuzzy quality of images. Click them to enlarge:
GM Shackleford states in his letter that their goal is to achieve formal acknowledgement of each other's organization as legitimate, "but to maintain our separate existence." The request included the following "safeguards for both institutions":There shall be no visitation at the subordinate lodge level unless authorized by both Grand Masters;The amity/recognition agreement shall never constitute future merger;There shall be no instance of demitting to the other Jurisdiction, and;If approved and ratified by the GLGA, this request shall not be amended nor revisited within five (5) years of the date of acceptance from the GLGA.In essence, the request seems to simply be that the MWPHGL of GA just doesn't want to be called clandestine or irregular anymore, but not much else. And, as is often the case, they seem very concerned that the big fish might eventually swallow up the littler fish if the Prince Hall brethren get to visit the mainstream lodges.
Or as the old World War I song went, "How are you gonna keep them down on the farm once they've seen gay Paree?"
When the Grand Lodge of Georgia's Commission on Recognition took up the Prince Hall GL request, they added a couple of changes to that list of "safeguards" that are even a little more restrictive:
To wit:Remove the line "unless authorized by both Grand Masters" so it now reads, "There shall be no visitation at the subordinate lodge level."Change the time limit that prevents future amending or revising the agreement from the proposed five year period to ten years.Now, nobody has ever been reckless enough to stick me on a Jurisprudence Committee, but my albeit flawed understandinghas always been that the assembled grand lodge voting members cannot legally prevent action being taken by a succeeding grand lodge for any period of time in the future. That's possibly a jurisdictional difference, but I'd be shocked if that really turned out to be backed up by either of the two Georgia grand lodge constitutions. You can't insist that future grand lodge members can't ever pass new legislation - or you can't enforce it, anyway. It's like a dying man trying to discipline his unborn grandkids by drawing up an odious will. He might feel victorious when he signs it, but once he's dead, he can't prevent them from installing a urinal and a dance floor over his grave once he joins the Choir Invisible. "The Grand Lodge" officially ceases to be when the gavel falls at the annual communication, and does not exist again until the opening gavel of the next year's meeting. The rest of the year, the Grand Lodge is invested in the Grand Master.
(Paging Glenn Cook...)
In fairness, these types of limitations forbidding visitations between mainstream and Prince Hall Grand Lodge members for a fixed "cooling off" period have been more common in recent years, and are almost always requested by the Prince Hall Masons, not vice versa. The approach is to get everybody's members comfortable with the joint recognition idea and hopefully weed out the truly hardcore critics on both sides who would rather curl up and die than let "one of those guys" visit his lodge. After all - after telling your members for 150 years that the other grand lodge in your state is clandestine and irregular, you're going to have members who aren't exactly going to wake up tomorrow morning singing the Rainbow Bright Unicorn song when you announce that everything has changed now.
What seems to be turning into a pattern is that these limitations are agreed to, everybody finds out that Masons are all pretty decent folks in bothorganizationsafter all, and the imagined horrible incidents everybody was afraid of don't materialize. The truly offensive naysayers stay home or demit, or at least learn to hold their wagging tongues. And usually within two or three years, the ban on visitations get lifted.
As I wrote many years ago, getting a grand lodge to change is like steering an aircraft carrier: they're slow to change course, hard to steer, and take forever if you want to stop them.
Nevertheless, the baby step has been taken, and the brethren of Georgia's two legitimate grand lodges are to be commended at last.
And then there were five...
19 comments: Labels:Georgia,Prince Hall,recognition issues Monday, October 25, 2021 JUST RELEASED: Newly Revised 'Freemasons For Dummies' 3rd Edition
by Christopher HodappIt's been a busy and occasionally frantic couple of months around Hodapphäus that has resulted in few stories being covered here. Alice and I have had a convergence of four major publishing projects since June, along with several related road trips. Along with the summer release of RVs Campers For Dummies, we've been prepping two of Alice's historical romance novels for release at the end of the year. But the big news here on the Masonic home front is that Wiley has just released the revised, 3rd edition of Freemasons For Dummies. Amazon began shipping today.
This is the second major revision of the book since it was originally published back in 2005. While the publisher merely wanted a minor updating, I took the opportunity to start at the beginning and completely revise the whole book. If you read it before, it's likely you won't detect much difference in the contents, besides updating things like membership statistics, Prince Hall joint recognition information and other developments in the fraternity over the last few years. I also updated grand lodge contact information and website addresses. But while all of that sounds minor, the new edition is some 40 pages longer than before. I'll leave it to the readers to decide whether that's good, or just an improper use of a wind instrument.
The most obvious change is the new look of the book. Wiley began updating the format of their For Dummies series a couple of years ago, and they wanted Freemasons For Dummies to reflect that new appearance. So there's a whole new cover, and the book itself has been redesigned on the inside. Sadly, gone are the Rich Tennant 'The 5th Wave' cartoons that marked the different sections of the book. And they no longer permit the small icons that mark tips, technical stuff, origins and other points in the text to have any customization. So, the Ask the Past Master and Myth Buster symbols we used originally have been replaced by generic ones. It's the price one pays for being part of a larger brand.If you never saw the original editions, you'll never miss them.
An odd choice is that they have moved the author's dedication, author bio, and most of all, acknowledgements to the very back of the book instead of their traditional placement at the beginning. I suspect this is because of Kindle editions that are set up to automatically open at Chapter 1, so Kindle readers never see any of the front matter in books these days, unless they deliberately flip back to earlier pages. So if you were acknowledged in the previous editions and don't see it in the new one, you still are there. It's now on the last pages instead of the first ones.
Finally, it wouldn't be 2021 without inflationary price increases. Like the new format, pricing the book is out of my hands. The new 3rd edition of Freemasons For Dummies now lists for US$24.99, and US$15.00 (Kindle). If your lodge, grand lodge or research group is interested in bulk order pricing, let me know. Big orders are best done through Wiley's customer service department, and I can usually score you a discount code.
Meanwhile, the 2nd edition of Freemasons For Dummies remains in some inventories around the country and will continue to be sold until those run out. If you are looking for a better deal, Amazon is currently selling it for US$16.49 until those stocks aredepleted. He who hesitates is lost. Or is at least charged full retail.1 comment: Labels:Books,Masonic book,Masonic education,personal Saturday, September 11, 2021 Transform Your Plain Masonic Hall Entrance
by Christopher Hodapp
We had a saying around our film production studio for many, many years: "Where do great ideas come from? Somebody else!"
It's a fact of life that not every Masonic temple can be blessed with being architecturally distinctive. In fact, it's the rare Masonic hall built after World War II that isn't either plain, ugly, boring, or downright ghastly.
The featureless glass-wall front entrance to Porter Lodge 137 in Valparaiso, Indiana is typical for late 1950s and 60s generic storefront buildings. At first glance, it could be an accountant's office, a dental clinic, a social security administration branch, or a hundred other types of offices or stores. There was little about it that instantly identified it as a Masonic lodge unless you saw the square and compass signs up at the roofline - which is actually hard to do if you're driving down the street or walking on the sidewalk.
In fact, the first time I visited the lodge in northern Indiana, I blasted right past it.
Twice.
That's not true any more. Thanks to the artistic design abilities of WB John Bridegroom (art director of theJournal of the Masonic Societyand proprietor ofThe Master's Craft, supplier of custom Masonic jewels and more), the lodge's glass foyer was transformed into a truly unique entryway through the miracle of vinyl graphics.
The actual printing and installation of the vinyl graphics was donated to the lodge by WB Zeno Rossetti.
The result is stunning, and remarkably inexpensive when you consider the enormity of the impact it makes. Now there's no mistaking what this doorway leads to.
If these particular graphics aren't to your taste or liking, that's okay. Start with a blank sheet of paper or a new Photoshop document, and create one that's more suitable for your lodge. The point is that for just a few hundred dollars, a big graphic like this can completely transform your temple building. And if you hate it next year, the vinyl makes it easy to remove and create a new one!
If your town has lots of foot traffic, the downstairs entry to your temple offers the potential to be both welcoming and informative, even if there's no one inside and the doors are locked. For instance,Orange Grove Lodge 293 in Orange, California sits on aprominentcorner on their town square. A Chase bank branch occupies the ground floor, and the lodge is upstairs.
On weekends, the street is often shut down to cars and turned into a pedestrian mall with outdoor dining. So the lodge uses its glass doors to provide a short FAQ to the public: what's Freemasonry about; what's the point; who can join; the lodge website and Facebook addresses; and who to contact for more information.
On the town square side of the building is the more formal entry to the lodge and Masonic Center upstairs. Instead of more signage, they have a large, circular painted-glass square and compass right at eye level. The symbol is illuminated at night and easy to spot from across the street.
These graphics act as 24/7 messengers to the public, whether they are providing information or just simply creating a sense of intrigue and wonder to a curious public.
We still have some members today who cling to the notion that Masons shouldn't ever do anything that even smells like advertising or promotion. This is, of course, balderdash. If you really think our brethren in the 19th century didn't advertise the fraternity, I offer this image of the downtown Masonic temple in Boston in 1895. Bold enough in daylight, it was festooned in so many electric lights that you could have spotted it from low Earth orbit (if you could get there somehow).
3 comments: Labels:advertising,architecture,buildings,Indiana Wednesday, September 08, 2021 California Lodge Restarts Its Youth Groups
by Christopher HodappTurlock Masonic Lodge 236 in Turlock, California got some decent coverage in the local paper this morning. The lodge is bringing back their youth groups, which have been dormant for several years now Job's Daughters for girls, and DeMolay for boys.
From Jobs Daughters and Demolays give young people a space to foster their growth by Pawan Naidu in the Turlock Journal:
Within the lodge they have separate divisions that help young people grow and develop as individuals. Jobs Daughters help young women ages 10-20 while Demolays helps young men ages 9-21.
Former member of Jobs Daughters, Amanda Sargenti Gomez, said she believes one of the most valuable things the organization taught her was the importance of volunteering and giving back to the community.
A very important thing for me was being active in the community by volunteering. During my term as Honored Queen we collected toys and books to take to Shriners Hospital. We also assisted the Masons by serving at their dinner events, she said.
I learned many things from my time in Jobs Daughters. First off, respect for myself, my elders and my peers, as well as proper etiquette. Secondly, I learned public speaking and how to run and organize a meeting. These things have been very important as I developed within my career, said Gomez.
According to former Demolay member James Banta, the Demolays aim to foster that same growth among young men and have a place where they can be among their peers.
I think young men in particular find comfort knowing there are other people out there that feel the same way they do, he said
What sets the Demolays apart from other youth organizations is that it gives their members autonomy about what they want to do.
The members decide what activities theyre going to do. We do have older individuals there to help guide them along, but the members do all the organizing, said Banta.
The Demolays do not adhere to one religion and accept members of all faiths as long as they agree to the values of the organization.
We put our values front and center and as long as you transcribe to those values, youll be welcomed, said Banta.
by Christopher HodappUPDATED Friday 9/11/2021-Instead of posting new articles every time a new letter is issued or becomes available, I am adding updates to this original message. This most recent update adds a letter written by David Kussman in response to Templar Grand Master Johnson's demand for his resignation on September 4th. I also include a rebuttal penned by Past Grand Master Nelson this past week.
As Katherine Hepburn famously quipped in The Lion In Winter,"What family doesn't have its little ups and downs..."
I was hoping for at least one good news story to post between last week's Grand Encampment vs. Great Priory of America CBCS related drama, but, alas, no.Masonic social media was atwitter over the Labor Day weekend with more drama out oftheGrand Encampment of Knights Templar in the United States (GEKT).OnFriday, September 3rd, Templar Grand Master Michael B. Johnson issued a letter to hisDeputy Grand Master, David J. Kussman, calling for his resignation (image below):
On Saturday, DGM Kussman responded to GM Johnson's demand with the following letter:
(Please note that these letters were posted to a public website that was created to call for a special conclave to deal with issues of the last two weeks. I have not obtained them improperly.)
In response, GM Johnson formally removed DGM Kussman from office on Monday in a letter that was circulated to officers, Past KT Grand Masters and others (image below):
Yes, Kussman's removal is at least partially related to the GPA drama and attempts to negotiate some kind of mutually agreeable truce between the two organizations.The word is that the Grand Encampment officer line will be advanced this coming Saturday, September 11th to fill Kussman's vacancy, and a new Captain General will be appointed.
Meanwhile, Sir Knight Ben Williams has devoted today's episode of his Rocky Mountain Mason Podcast, RMM-060, to explaining the ongoing situation within the GEKT. Ben was named by the immediate Past Grand Master Jeff Nelson to chair the Jurisprudence Committee at the Triennial last week when its appointed chairman was unable to attend. HEAR IT HERE.
UPDATED 9/8/2021 4:43PMMy understanding late Wednesday is that Sir Knights Bolstad and Harper shall be advancing to R.E. Deputy Grand Master and R.E. Grand Generalissimo, respectively, and that Past Department Commander James McGee shall be appointed as Grand Captain General.
Two large documents were prepared for the Triennial explaining the origins and opposing positions of the Great Priory of America/CBCS and the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar USA. You need to read both documents to see the disagreement from both sides. These two pdf documents can be accessed HERE.
UPDATED 9/10/2021 11:50PM:Past Grand Master Jeffrey N. Nelson has now weighed in with his own statement in defense of David Kussman:
11 comments: Labels:CBCS,Knights Templar Sunday, September 05, 2021 Petition Calls for Special Conclave Over Grand Encampment/GPA Sagaby Christopher HodappThat took almost no time at all.
In the wake of the official decisions regarding the Great Priory of America CBCS issued last week by Grand Master Michael Johnson of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the US, a website has already popped up with a petition to call for a Special Conclavein an attempt to finally put this issue to rest.
UPDATED 9/8/2021 4:43PM
Two large documents were prepared for the Triennial explaining the historical origins and opposing positions of the Great Priory of America/CBCS and the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar USA. You need to read both documents to see the disagreement from both sides.These two pdf documents can be accessed HERE.
5 comments: Labels:CBCS,Knights Templar Friday, September 03, 2021 It Goes On: Knights Templar GM Johnson Issues Decisions Against Great Priory CBCS
by Christopher HodappIt seems that the troublesome Grand Encampment/CBCS/Great Priory of America issue continues to rise up like the ghostly mists and miasmas that drift over once-bloody ancient battlefields, awakening the souls of the long-dead from their brief slumber 'neath the silent clods of the valley to forever walk the Earth in search of peace.
Or something like that.
At the Triennial of the Knights Templar Grand Encampment of the US last week, the assembled members of the Grand Encampment overwhelmingly voted to nullify former edicts and decisions from the last decade that had forbidden Templar members from belonging to the Great Priory of America (GPA) of the Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cité Sainte (CBCS), and expelled existing members of the GPA from its ranks. The resolution to bury the hatchet passed last week with more than 75% in favor. They also votedagainst a totally separate resolution (again with more than 75%) that attempted to declare the GPA clandestine.
(Forgive the imprecise wording here I'm trying to summarize for the sake of brevity. You can see the actual resolutions HERE at this post from August 24th.)
With a super-majority voting in favor of putting this issue to rest, it would appear that the rank and file Knights are in favor of moving on. Butit seems thatGEKT/GPA feud hasn't ended after all.
Or as said Stephen Boyd said to Charleton Heston after getting scuffed up in the chariot race in Ben Hur,"It goes on!"
After little over a week in office, Grand Master Michael B. Johnson of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the US issued four official decisions (see image below) regarding the actions of the GEKT's Jurisprudence Committee, actions of the immediate Past Grand Master, and the CBCS Great Priory of America during the Triennial. Further, the final notice in his letter declares that, regardless of the vote taken at the Triennial, the GEKT still officially finds the GPA to be an "unrecognized Templar Order operating within the United States of America, in direct conflict with Section 3 of the Constitution of the Grand Encampment" and that membership in the GPA remains incompatible with membership in the GEKT (to enlarge, click images below):
Templars, interested bystanders, and train wreck enthusiasts who have been around for ten or fifteen years want to make this struggle about clashing egos and personalities, and there's no denying that has played a part. But there's a lot more to it besides"Let me in to your snooty club or I'll burn down your tree fort."
The GEKT says the GPA is a competing Templar Order, based on the Latin wording identifying themselves that's found on their originating charter, and GPA says it isn't anything of the kind. Legal arguments center around the minutiae of each organizations' constitutional laws and regulations, and whether the GEKT has any right to claim what they've claimed and do what they've done over the last decade.
Esotericists decry the GPA for holding the CBCS Rectified Rite degree system hostage in the U.S., suitable only for a little clot of Extra Special Masons. Indeed, the GPA declares on its website that the CBCS is "the summit of Christian Knighthood and is the only comparable Order in this country approaching civil knighthood in Europe. It is guarded carefully and only conferred infrequently upon those who are deemed worthy."The GPA is constitutionally restricted to no more than 100 members nationwide, and for much of their 78 year history, it's been less than 48. In fact, the GPA has protested when American Masons have traveled to foreign countries to receive the Rectified Right degrees in another priory, claiming this infringes on their territorial rights over the whole of the United States and, presumably, all of its Masonic citizens, even though the GPA likely would never have invited those traveling Masons to join them. And they have long fought against the formation of additional U.S. priories.
Meanwhile, rank and file Masons want to know "This affects me...how?" Truth is, it doesn't.
While the conflict appears close up to resemble a pair of bellowingmastodonshaving a go at each other over who owns the watering hole, in reality it is a distraction that continues to turn off potential Templar members who want nothing to do with what appears to them to be a pissing match betweenbig-shots. Or as one former Sir Knight said to me years ago shortly before demitting, "The only reason the Templars wear swords as part of their uniforms is so their officers can stab each other in the back."
Not everybody has been following this epic saga for the last eleven years.Right Worshipful Brother Oscar Alleyne gave an onlinepresentation ("What's the Beef?")earlier this week on a RefractedLightpodcast about the origin of the CBCS and Great Priory of America, and the ongoing discord with the Grant Encampment.
Oscar is a talented researcher and a careful presenter his talk does not take sides, and he doesn't assign blame or virtue to anyone in this conflict personally. If you are interested in the history of the Rectified Rite, the CBCS, the GPA and the Grand Encampment's ongoing battle, give it a listen.
Meanwhile, "It goes on..."
UPDATED 9/8/2021 4:43PM
Two large documents were prepared for the Triennial explaining the historical origins and opposing positions of the Great Priory of America/CBCS and the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar USA. You need to read both documents to see the disagreement from both sides.These two pdf documents can be accessed HERE.
2 comments: Labels:CBCS,Knights Templar,recognition issues Thursday, September 02, 2021 So. California Research Lodge Poll: 'Top 10 Books of the New Millennium'
by Christopher Hodapp
Most Masons who read the literature of the fraternity are well acquainted with the classic, must-have works that were primarily published in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries by Preston, Mackey, Pike, Claudy, Newton, Wilmshurst, Hayward, Carr, Cerza and many, many others.But the brain boxes of Masonic knowledge aren't confined to the dusty past.Masonic scholarship didn't just come to a screeching halt the night that the Millennium Bug failed to destroy civilization when the world's computers flipped over to 1/1/01.Two decades into the 2000s, it's clear that we are blessed by many contemporary Masonic authors who continue to provide new discoveries, new insights, and new ways of looking at our lodges, rituals, symbols, philosophy, and even ourselves as Masons.
With that in mind, the latest issue of Fraternal Review, the Southern California Research Lodge magazine, arrived today, and features the results of their latest readers poll, The Top 10 Masonic Books of the New Millennium(so far):Observing the Craft (2010) - Andrew HammerApproaching the Middle Chamber (2020) - Jaime Paul LambContemplative Masonry (2016) - C. R. DunningThe Mason's Words (2013) - Robert G. DavisFreemasons For Dummies (2005) - Christopher HodappExploring Early Grand Lodge Freemasonry (2017) - Chris Murphy Shawn EyerMyth, Magic Masonry (2018) - Jaime Paul LambOperative Freemasonry (2012) - Kirk C. WhiteThe Way of the Craftsman (2017) - W. Kirk MacNultyThe Three Stages of Initiatic Spirituality (2020) - Angel MillarI am proud and humbled (along with being continually astonished) thatFreemasons For Dummiesis on their latest list.Im very appreciative to the editors of the magazine and especially to the Masons who responded to the poll and placed me in the midst of this august group.My thanks especially to managing editor WB Dago Rodriguez and to guest editor Jeriel Smith for their hard work and for conducting this poll.
Given the nature of the rest of the titles, it is even more surprising to me. The bulk of the books are mostly philosophical or esoteric in nature. Chris Murphy and Shawn Eyer's collectionExploring Early Grand Lodge Freemasonryis historic, but also explores thephilosophy, thoughts and goals of Masons during the earliest years of the speculative fraternity.The number one book on the list, Observing the Craft by Andrew Hammer, is a practical guide to forming an observant style lodge. Mine is really the only general knowledge, general introductory book on the whole list.
The editors of the magazine wrote:
"Judging by the voters' choices, it is apparent that today's Masonic readers are interested in the deeper connections Freemasonry enables a man to make with the self. A search for purpose, belonging and service are the themes most of these books touch upon and explore, that we believe has made them notable choices from the voting majority."I will add that ALMOST making the list were (non-Mason) John Dickey's The Craft: How the Freemasons Made the Modern World (2020) and John Bizzack's Island Masonry (2017). Both of these excellent works just needed a handful of votes to make it on the list.
To celebrate the list, the Southern California Research Lodge is offeringthe complete collection of all 10 books in an EXTREMELY limited edition boxed set for $333 (shipping included). Most of the volumes in the NewMillenniumBook Collection are signed by their respective authors.
Just 21 of these rare boxed sets are available and the sale doesn't kick off until Monday, September 6th. So, no early orders, please, and remember their office is on Pacific Time.
For more details, to join the research lodge, or to subscribe to Fraternal Review, go to: www.theresearchlodge.com
No comments: Tuesday, August 31, 2021 Dan Brown's 'The Lost Symbol' Streaming TV Series Premieres Sept. 16
by Christopher HodappThe second official trailer for the upcoming TV series, Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol has been released. Episode 1 premieres on Thursday, September 16th on NBC/Universal'sPeacock streaming platform, and requires a subscription. New episodes will appear every Thursday.
The series is based on Brown's Masonic-themed 2009 thrillerThe Lost Symbolandstars Ashley Zukerman as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon.
By the way, you may be balking at the notion of paying for a $4.99/month subscription to the Peacock streaming channel just to see this one lone series. I know cable TV cord cutting has been the rage for many years now. But, IF you still are among the shrinking audience who still pays for a cable TV package, AND if your cable provider is Comcast/Xfinity, they are currently offering a free year's subscription to the Peacock service.
CLICK HERE for more information about how to activate the offer.1 comment: Labels:Dan Brown,publicity,television,The Lost Symbol,video Monday, August 30, 2021 Illus. Peter J. Samiec Elected As New Commander of Scottish Rite NMJ: Glattly Retires
by Christopher HodappIIllus. Peter J. Samiec 33 (photo above) has been elected and installed today as Sovereign Grand Commander of theSupreme Council of the Scottish Rite Northern Masonic Jurisdiction.
The Supreme Council is meeting this week in Cleveland, Ohio for its Annual Session, and the announcement ofnow-Past CommanderDavid A. Glattly's retirementcame as a surprise to the Rite's rank and file members.
Glattlywaselected to the position five years ago, in August 2016.
Illus. David A. Glattly has retired as Commander for the NMJ
From the Supreme Council's announcement issued today:
The Active Membership of the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction (NMJ) proudly announces the installation of Ill. Peter J. Samiec, 33, as Sovereign Grand Commander on August 30, 2021 at the Annual Session in Cleveland.
The change in leadership comes as Ill. David A. Glattly, 33, announces his retirement from the position.
Commander Samiec has served as Grand Lieutenant Commander under both Commander John William McNaughton and Commander Glattly. He has served as the Grand Almoner since 2015. He was Deputy for New York from 2008-13. Ill. Brother Samiec accepts the honor and responsibility to lead the Scottish Rite at an exciting time of reinvigoration and growth for the fraternity. He extends his sincere thanks to Past Sovereign Grand Commander Glattly for his leadership and dedication to the Scottish Rite during his term.
Said Commander Samiec, Serving the past number of years as Grand Lieutenant Commander and as the Grand Almoner has been an honor for me. As I take on the role of overall leadership of the organization, I want to assure our members that we will continue our trajectory of growth and revitalization. First and foremost, we will continue to listen to our members and respond to their needs. We will be there for our Brothers in distress.
We are living through one of the most invigorating and innovative times in the history of Scottish Rite. My passion for our fraternity, coupled with the energy and vision of our staff, will not settle for status quo. We will continue to aspire and build. We will continue to both lead and serve.
I also sincerely thank former Commander Glattly for helping set a successful leadership transition, concludes Samiec. I wish him and wife Monica all the best in the next chapter of their lives.
Commander Samiec was raised as Master Mason at St. Patricks Lodge #0004 in Johnstown, New York in 1982, and served as the Master of the Lodge in 1988. He served on a number of boards for the Grand Lodge of New York including the Benevolence Committee, the Grand Lodge Educational Assistance, and as a director of the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory.
He has been a Scottish Rite Mason for 38 years. He became an honorary member of the Supreme Council and Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33, in 1998. He is member of the Valley of Schenectady and the Valley of the Hudson.
Past Commander Glattly leaves the Scottish Rite with a legacy of major accomplishments under his leadership:
The Rite researched, designed and funded the very effective "Not Just A Man: A Mason" advertisingcampaign promoting Masonic membership that has been embraced by lodges and grand lodges around the world. These materials continue to be provided to the Masonic community at no cost.The Hauts Grades Academy is the first major educational program offered by the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction for the continued study of the Rite's degrees and its lessons.The Rite's in-house video production team has created an extensive video library of programming.Glattly and the Rite openly embraced live and recorded internet events to communicate with members and to provide engaging programming online several years before the COVID pandemic forced other Masonic organizations to play catch-up in this technology.And the Grand Almoner's Fund has grown dramatically and provided assistance to brethren and their families throughout the jurisdiction.3 comments: Labels:leadership,Scottish Rite NMJIndiana University Establishes New Research Center for Fraternal Organizationsby Christopher Hodapp
Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana is now home to the newly established Center for Fraternal Collections Research (CFCR), headed up by Dr. Heather Calloway.The CFCR will collect, preserve, and provide fraternal objects and ephemera for study and research in a permanent and accessible collection.
During the "Golden Age of Fraternalism" from the end of the American Civil War until the Great Depression, over a thousand fraternal, ritual-based or "secret societies" formed in the U.S. Out of all of those hundreds and hundreds of societies with their millions upon millions of members, few survive today: Odd Fellows, Eagles, Elks, Moose, Foresters, B'nai Brith, Knights of Columbus, Woodmen of the World, Knights of Pythias, Red Men, along with the Freemasons these were the most commonly known American fraternal societies, and they still exist.But every year that passes, less and less evidence of them endures, especially the most obscure ones.
Grand Encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
in Redding, California in October 1900. (Photo: Shasta Historical Society)
For too long, American fraternalism wasn't considered to be important enough for respectable historians to investigate. Yet the fraternal movement was critical to the building and strengthening of American communities, and every bit as important as churches, politics, activism and other local institutions. The "secret societies" were organized to support immigrant and racial groups, religious communities, to provide social assistance like burial or life insurance and retirement homes, to organize early patriotic or labor movements, or just become welcoming social clubs for the community in an increasingly urban society.Current generations have little or no understanding of the very existence and importance of these organizations, and too many of their publications, artwork, artifacts and jewelry disappear into the garbage or get melted down for their precious metals.
At long last, there is a place where this important history can be found and preserved.With this announcement, IU becomes a welcome and secure repository for the quickly vanishing ephemera of American fraternal history.And the initial Board for the Center includes some notable names in the study of fraternalism:If you've been around Freemasonry for a while, you may recognize director Dr. Heather Calloway from her fourteen years at the Scottish Rite SJ headquarters, the House of the Temple in Washington, D.C.In 2018, she was hired as the first executive director of collections for Indiana University. The university has an estimated 220 collections comprised of about 30 million individual objects spread all across IUs many campuses, schools, and departments all over the state.Dr. S. Brent Morris is one of the world's most well-known and respected Masonic authors today. A list of the books he has written or edited and the Masonic organizations he has been associated with could fill a good-sized book by itself. Brent has recently retired from many years as the editor of the Scottish Rite Journal (for the Supreme Council Southern Jurisdiction), and continues to serve as editor for Heredom, the Scottish Rite Research Society's annual collection of papers. Most recently, Brent has resurrected the Masonic Book Club andcontinuesto manage it.Dr. Ken Moder is the founder and director of the J. H. Rathbone Museum of Fraternal Historyin Lafayette, Indiana.If you don't know of Ken and the Rathbone Museum, it has what may be described as one of the largest collections of fraternal organization artifacts, costumes, furniture, rituals and more in the world. Ken has been active in fraternal organizations for many years, including the Knights of Pythias, (Past Grand Secretary, Past Supreme Representative, and Knights of the Golden Spur for Indiana), Dramatic Order Knights of Khorrason, (Past Imperial Treasurer, Past Imperial Prince, and current Imperial Secretary). Ken also is a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, the current president of Masonic High Twelve Club #99 in Lafayette, and a B.P.O. Elk. Ken also serves as a director of the Historical Society for American Fraternalism and the Tippecanoe County Historical Association.Seth C. Anthonyis a Pennsylvania Mason and the creator of the online Museum of Fezology. The site features items from Seths own extensive collection of fezzes, from the apparel of the American Woodmen to the masonic White Shrine of Jerusalem. Seths other collecting interests include banners, jewels, and ephemera related to fraternal organizations that are less well-known.Mark Tabbert has been the director of library and museum collections for the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia for sixteen years. Before that, he was curator for Masonic and fraternal collections at the Scottish Rite Library Museum in Lexington, Massachusetts.Heis the author of American Freemasons: Three Centuries of Building Communities and the upcoming A Deserving Brother,the definitive work about George Washington and his Masonic involvement throughout his life.In 2012 he co-editedSecret Societies in America Other Foundational Studies in Fraternalism. Mark is also a past president of the Masonic Library Museum Association.Wendy Waszut-Barrett, PhDis an author, archivist and artist, specializing in scenic art and stage systems for historic theaters in North America and Europe. For the past thirty-three years, Wendy has documented, preserved, and painted scenes for a variety of performance venues, including fraternal lodges, vaudeville theaters, opera houses, ethnic halls, and film. The preservation of theatrical and fraternal heritage, as well as the continued training of artists in historic painting methodologies and materials, is her passion. Wendy is the president of Historic Stage Services, LLC, a company specializing in historic scenery and stage systems. As an author, Wendys past publications include The Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple: Freemasonry, Architecture and Theatre (Museum of New Mexico Press, 2018), and numerous journal articles. She is a member of the International Organization of Scenographers, Technicians and Theatre Architects (OISTAT), United States Institute of Theatre Technology, the Canadian Institute of Theatre Technology, the Scottish Rite Research Society, and Phi Beta Kappa.The CFCR is located in the new IU Collections, Teaching, Research and Exhibition Center, located in the historic McCalla building on the IU Bloomington campus. Following a $6 million renovation of this one-time elementary school building, the center now provides a safe, climate controlled facility for collections, plus seven display galleries, meeting areas, and a state-of-the-art media digitization and preservation department, all under one roof.
From their announcement:
We are an Indiana University research center devoted to the collecting, protecting, and sharing of fraternal collections for the sake of research and public engagement. We hope to improve scholarship and understanding of fraternal groups, explore their impact on American society, and elucidate their importance across time and to different social groups.
Whether you are interested in famous fraternal traditions such as Freemasonry, influential women's auxiliaries and orders, fraternal groups that served important roles in African American or other communities, or other orders that have served as cornerstones to American cities and towns, we hope that you will find the Center for Fraternal Collections and Research to be an exciting and welcoming place for your academic and personal inquiry.
Scholarly supportFor more than a decade, our own Masonic Library Museum of Indiana has benefitted greatly from our association with the Indiana University/Purdue University/Indianapolis Museum Studies program. Interns from that program have been invaluable to us for adopting proper collections and preservation methods, accessioning objects, creating new displays, and much more. Combined with the IU Bloomington Curatorship Program, Indiana University offers one of the top degree and post-graduate programs in the U.S. for students seeking museum and library careers. So the news of theCenter for Fraternal Collections Researchis an outstanding development.
The center will provide three types of scholarly support to IU students and faculty, non-IU scholars, and the public:
The collection and stewardship of rare fraternal organization materials donated to Indiana University, for the sake of scholarly research.Creating and supporting research related to fraternal studies at the student and faculty scholarly levels.Disseminating research and information related to fraternal studies via public events, academic symposia, exhibitions, media presentations, and publication.
As an aside, Dr. Calloway and several of the Center's board members have also formed the Historical Society for American Fraternalism.As the HSAF website says on its home page, "Understanding American Fraternalism is a means to understand how generations of American built stable communities within restless and ever-changing society."
Central to the HSAF's mission is an up-to-date, comprehensive and searchable list of these groups inits onlineEncyclopediaHERE.)
5 comments: Labels:fraternal,fraternalism,Indiana,library,museum,preservation,universities Older PostsHomeSubscribe to:Posts (Atom)NEW FOR 2021!
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A mythic past.A visionary future.
A legendary brotherhood.
Freemasonry is the largest, oldest and best-known gentleman's fraternity in the world. Historically, it is based on the Medieval stonemason guilds who built the great castles and cathedrals of Europe. Mythologically it is founded upon the building of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, as told in the Old Testament of the Bible.
King Solomon was considered to be the wisest and most just man in history, and the temple he had built to God was said to be the holiest place on Earth. Modern Freemasons likewise use the tools, traditions and terminology of those Biblical stonemasons as allegories for building Temples in the hearts of men, using Solomon as our ideal example of wisdom, justice and faith.
At its core, Freemasonry is simply an attempt to make the world a better place, one man at a time. For each man, it can become as simple or as complicated as he himself desires.
It's said that we are a secret society. We do indeed have secretssecrets that each individual man has to discover for and about himself.
It's not for everybody. It never has been, and was never meant to be. That's the point.
Maybe it's for you.
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Freemasons For DummiesAbout Chris
Christopher L. Hodapp is the author of Freemasons For Dummies, the worldwide, best-selling introduction to the Masonic fraternity; Solomon's Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington D.C. ; and Deciphering the Lost Symbol. His most recent book, Heritage Endures, was published in January 2018.
Since 2009 he has been on the Board of the Masonic Library Museum of Indiana, and serves as its Associate Director and Treasurer. In 2021, Chris was named as Public Relations and Marketing Director for the Grand Lodge of Free Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana.
Chris is also the co-author with Alice Von Kannon of The Templar Code For Dummies and Conspiracy Theories And Secret Societies For Dummies.
As a Freemason, Chris is a Past Master of Broad Ripple Lodge No. 643 and of Lodge Vitruvian No. 767 under the Grand Lodge F he is a member of Indiana's Schofield Lodge 1818 U.D.; and of Internet Lodge No. 9659 in the Province of East Lancashire of the United Grand Lodge of England. Most recently, he was named the Worshipful Master of the Dwight L. Smith Lodge of Research U.D. in Indiana for 2019-21.
In 2018 he was awarded the Caleb B. Smith Medal of Honor by the Grand Lodge FAM of Indiana for his "distinguished service to Freemasonry in Indiana and worldwide."
Chris is a 33 Mason in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite (NMJ), Indianapolis Valley. He is a Past Sovereign Master of Imhotep Council No. 434 of the Allied Masonic Degrees. He is a founding member of Levant Preceptory, a medieval Knights Templar period recreation degree team in the York Rite, and he is an officer of the Indiana College of the Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis. He belongs to numerous other Masonic appendant organizations.
As a Masonic author, in 2012 he was named as Friar No. 101 in the Society of Blue Friars. Chris is a Founding Fellow of The Masonic Society, and was the founding Editor in Chief of The Journal of The Masonic Society. He remains a regular contributor today, and its Editor Emeritus.
He was the editor and a contributor in 2004-5 to "Laudable Pursuit: A 21st Century Response to Dwight Smith" by the Knights of the North, a Masonic leadership think-tank focusing on modern lodge solutions. He has written for Indianapolis Monthly, Heredom, Masonic Magazine, Templar History, the Scottish Rite Journal, the Knight Templar Magazine, the Indiana Freemason , the Phylaxis, and numerous other publications.
Chris was a commercial filmmaker for twenty-three years with Dean Crow Productions in Indianapolis. Hodapp and Alice Von Kannon developed scripts for the History Channel program, Brad Meltzer's Decoded in 2010, and contributed material on conspiracies and secret societies for TruTV and the American Heroes Channel. They have both appeared on National Public Radio, the History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and the American Heroes Channel - most recently in 2017 on America: Facts vs Fiction.
Chris and Alice live in Indianapolis with Sophie the Flying Poodle who has them both answering to basic commands. However, they can frequently be found alarming the wildlife and dazzling the rustics in their Airstream trailer as they crisscross the country. Appropriately, their newest book together is RVs and Campers For Dummies, released in June 2021.
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Sociologists and demographers have been exhaustively studying the steady erosion of local community adhesion for more than 30 years, and time and again the smarter brainboxes in the room zero in on the closures of churches, local committees, and civic and social groups like fraternal lodges that were the hallmark of America for more than two centuries.
Masons everywhere know that we've shrunk in size steadily since 1959. American Freemasons are having a modern-day struggle now internally, much like the Moderns vs. Antients feud of the 1700s. One side says, "Good. We need to get small and exclusive again," while the other says, "No! We need to be bigger and more widespread!" Each thinks the other is doing it wrong, when the truth is much plainer:
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