A Window for Freemasonry

, ,

Columns

7 Ready, Set, Retire

by Lawrence D. Inglis, 33°

The four stages of retirement.

10 The Degree Journey

by Wayne T. Adams, 33°

Three characteristics of theMasonic rite ofpassage.

Features

4 Founding Father Honoredby Mark A. Tabbert, 32°

Washington artifacts on displayfor museum's 30th anniversary.

16 World's Oldest Masonby Alan E. Foulds

Fred Hale's life spanned 114 years.

6 George Washington Statue, 1910· 13 Museum to Publish New Masonic Book

• 14 Peer Review Committee Provides Positive Feedback· 15 Money Received

for School Partnership· 15 52 Current Learning Centers· 17 Masonic Word

Math· 25 Introducing the Web Store· 25 Your $8.6 Million Christmas Gift• 27 Quick Quotes. 30 The Book Shelf. 30 On the Lighter Side. 30Hiram

3 Sovereign Grand Commander

18 Notes from the Southern Jurisdiction

19 Brothers on the Net

20 Scottish Rite Charities

21 The Stamp Act

22 Book Nook

24 HealthWise

26 Views from the Past

28 Today's Family

29 More Than Just Books

31 Footnotes

EDITORRichard H. Curtis, 33°

ASSISTANT EDITORAlan E. Foulds

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTSSonja B. Faiola

Beth E. McSweeney

MEDIA ADVISORY COMMITIEEStephen E. Carpenter, 33·, Chairman

Richard J. Travis, 33"Donald D. Thomas, 33°Lawrence D. Inglis, 33·

SUPREME COUNCIL, 3]0Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite

Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.s.A.

SOVEREIGN GRAND COMMANDERWalter E. Webber, 33°

THE NORTHERN LIGHT (ISSN 1088-4416) is published quarterly in February, May,August, and November by the Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient Accepted Scoltish Rite,Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.s,A., as the official publication. Printed in U.s.A.Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA, and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes 10 The Northern Light, PO Box 519, Lexington,MA 02420-0519.

Copyright 0 2005 by Trustees of the Supreme Council of the Ancient AcceptedScottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.s.A.

Mailing Address:PO Box 519, Lexington, MA 02420-0519

Editorial Office:33 Marrett Road (Route 2A)

Lexington, Massachusells 02421781-862-4410

Fax: 781-863-1833e-mail: edilor@supremecouncil.org

Internet:www.supremecouncil.org

2 THE NORTHERN LIGHT I FEBRUARY 2005

"Washington's exemplary character

is a quality for all of us to emulate."

- Walter E. Webber, 33"

A Case of First andLasting Impressions

As youngsters we were all entertained by the tale ofGeorge Washington cutting down the cherry tree andpromptly confessing to his father. This image portraysthe rectitude of character, which was the hallmark of hiscareer. My generation (when we were youngsters) al­ways looked forward to Washington's Birthday as aguaranteed day off from school, even if it did not snow,and in New England it snowed frequently. Now we have"President's Day," and Brother George shares the recog­nition with others.

Some have said that future generations may knowless about Washington as the accumulation of historicalevents compete for a student's time. Such an outcomewould be an unfortunate circumstance for a man whohad a profound effect on the freedoms we enjoy today.

Washington was a man of character, a person whoevoked respect even from those who were not fond ofhim. He was a man of great wealth, not only in materialthings but also in those qualities that others seek to em­ulate. He molded the position of chief executive, a posi­tion that is now looked upon as being the most presti­gious in the world.

It is no accident that his picture hangs in most Ma­sonic meeting places. Washington recognized in Ma­sonry something that resonated within him. He wassworn into office on the Holy Bible from St. John'sLodge NO.1 in New York City Whether by oversight ordesign matters little, but he determined that a HolyBible was essential for the ceremony.

He laid the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol with Ma­sonic ceremony while clothed in Masonic regalia. Hepresented his very own chair from his study at Mt. Ver­non to Alexandria Lodge in Virginia so that the lodgemight use it as the Master's chair. (The members laterhonored him by naming the lodge the Alexandria­Washington Lodge.) Washington was the charter Mas­ter of the lodge and is the only president to have servedas Master of a lodge while simultaneously serving aspresident.

Think about what he did for us as a nation. He se­cured our independence with the force of arms. He

played a major role in establishing our form of govern­ment. And after years of service, he retired to becomethe gentleman farmer and master of Mount Vernon.

Washington's singular talents and purposeful charac­ter did so much to win our independence from GreatBritain, to establish our freedoms and to guarantee aconstitutional democracy.

Our gratitude to the man who had the sense, thestature and the moral authority is limitless. He literallybreathed life into the democracy that we are and havebecome.

As we begin to celebrate the 30 years of existence ofthe National Heritage Museum in Lexington, Massachu­setts, it is appropriate that we pay homage to the "fa­ther of our country" with a museum exhibition thathighlights his role as a Mason. You will find greater de­tail about the exhibit within the pages of this issue ofThe Northern Light.

The museum has become one of the largest and mostimportant Masonic repositories in the world. An impor­tant statue of George Washington has come from theValley of Columbus to the museum for the exhibitionand will remain on permanent loan. We are also pleasedto have provided assistance to St. John's Lodge in NewYork City for the conservation of the "WashingtonBible." That item will also be a part of the exhibition.Both Alexandria-Washington Lodge and the GeorgeWashington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria,Virginia, have loaned artifacts for the exhibit.

How appropriate that we as Scottish Rite Masons­through the National Heritage Museum - take the op­portunity to demonstrate, once again, why BrotherGeorge Washington has a unique place not only in thehearts and minds of his forebears but also in the veryfabric of the United States of America. His exemplarycharacter is a quality for all of us to emulate.

Sovereign Grand Commander

FEBRUARY 200SITHE NORTHERN LIGHT 3

Commander Webber was shown abronze statue of George Washingtonrelegated to the Valley's boardroom.

Standing over 7 feet high, it was acopy of the famous jean AntoineHoudon statue made in 1791 (see sidebar). Working with Supreme CouncilActive Member and Grand Master ofOhio, jim Deyo, 33°, the Valley and themuseum agreed to move the statue toLexington for greater public apprecia­tion.

From these two projects it was agreedto create a display of Washington Ma­sonic artifacts.

Washington as aFreemason, 1870.Published by). H.

Powers & Company,Cincinnati, Ohio.

Chromolithographon paper

(78.74.18).

Since the early1800s many pub­lishers have por­

trayed GeorgeWashington as Mas­

ter of a lodge. Sur­rounded by thesymbols of the

craft, two other he-roes and Masons

are included: Presi­dent Andrew Jack­

son and the Mar­quis de lafayette.

john's Lodge No.1 of New York City torestore the priceless "WashingtonBible."

Washington took his oath of office onthe Bible at his first inauguration in1789. It was used by four other presi­dents: Harding, Eisenhower, Carter andGeorge Bush Sr. (Of the four, only Hard­ing was a Freemason.)

Providentially, during a visit to theScottish Rite Valley of Columbus, OH,

A s part of the 30th almiversarycelebration at the National Her­itage M US€Uffi in Lexington,

MA, an appropriate tribute to BrotherGeorge Washington has been prepared,and some unusual artifacts have beenloaned for the occasion.

Alexandria-Washington Lodge No.22 has arranged to send the Master'schair from the replica room at theGeorge Washingtion Masonic NationalMemoriaL The chair is believed to havebeen part of the original furniture fromthe first lodge room in 1802.

Other items include portraits, stat­ues, letters and broadsides relating toBrother Washington.

As the most honored American,George Washington has assumed manyidentities in the nation's culture. Sincethe 17705, Americans have revered himas an irmovative farmer, a loving hus­band, a great military leader, and a wisepolitician and bestowed upon him thetitle of "Father of His Country."

Even today, his prestige and imageare used for countless political andcommercial purposes. What is lessknown is Washington's life-long Ma­sonic membership.

The new display at the National Her­itage Museum will broaden the publicunderstanding of Washington's Ma­sonic life and increase Masonic prideof our distinguished brother.

Sovereign Grand Commander Wal­ter E. Webber was the impetus for thisexciting display. Soon after becomingCommander, he agreed to assist St.

MARK A. TABBERT, 3r, curator of Masonic and fraternalcollections at the National Heritage Museum, is the author ofAmerican Freemasons, fo be published in May.

4 THE NORTHERN LIGHT I FEBRUARY 2005

This bust portrays Washington as theancient Roman hero a farmer who

was called to rule Romeduring an invasion, and thenwillingly returned to his plowonce the danger had ended.

George Washington, 1848,Thomas Crawford (1814-1857),

Marble (78.75.1).Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Manney.

Beginning in September a list of arti­facts was compiled that includedminute books, correspondence and ob­jects from various Grand Lodges andLodges.

Titled "George Washington: Freema­son and Founding Father," the displaywill open on Feb. 18 and run throughJune 12.

The display will begin with variousportraits of Washington. The first,painted by Rembrandt Peale, showsWashington as a general. The second,also by Peale, presents him as a citizenin civilian clothing. Complementingthese is a marble bust made by ThomasCrawford showing Washington in atoga, idealizing him as the Roman heroCincinnatus.

Masonic depictions of Washington inthe display include an early lithographof him from the 1860s, the famous Hat­tie Burdette print of him commissionedfor the bicentennial of his birth in 1932,and a 1980s Masonic symbols andmembership lithograph prominentlydisplaying Washington as a Past Master.

Together with the Bible and thebronze statue, more than a dozen ob­jects will be display.

The oldest artifact is a Union Lodgeminute book from 1782. Connecticutsoldiers formed Union Lodge duringthe siege of Boston in 1776.

Washington visited this lodge duringthe War for Independence. After thewar, the lodge was reconstituted asAmerican Union Lodge No.1 in Mari­etta, Ohio, in 1791.

During the War, Freemasons Watsonand Cossoul sent from France to Wash­ington an embroidered Masonic apron.

Washington later wore this apronduring the cornerstone ceremony of theU.S. Capilol in 1793. On display [romthe Grand Lodge of New York is Wash­ington's thank you letter to Watson andCossoul for the apron.

During his presidency, Washingtonoften toured the country to escape thedemands of government.

Borrowed from the Library of theBoston Athenaeum is a Masonic ad­dress from King David's Lodge No.1given to President Washington whenhe visited Providence, Rhode Island, in1790.

Comprised mostly of JewishBrethren, the lodge included MosesSeixas, the first Grand Master of RhodeIsland, and Moses Michael Hays, thefirst known American Scottish RiteFreemason. Washington's thank youletter to King David's Lodge will also beon display.

Included in the display is a 1791minute book from St. John's Lodge No.3, of New Bern, North Carolina, detail­ing the hospitality of the lodge given toWashington during his tour of theSouthern states.

After Washington refused a thirdterm as president in 1796, the GrandLodge of Pennsylvania sent him a letterthanking him for his service and wish­ing him every happiness.

On display will be Washington'sreply, written in his own hand, thatcloses by saying: ". . may all meetthereafter in that eternal temple whosebuilder is the Great Architect of the Uni­verse."

This urn created by Paul Revere,contains a lock of George Washington's

hair. The urn is ceremoniously en­trusted to each Grand Master of the

Massachusetts Grand Lodge.

Washington only enjoyed three yearsof retirement before he caught a severecold and passed away on Dec. 14, 1799.

Martha Washington asked thatAlexandria Lodge No. 22 help organizethe funeral. All six pallbearers wereBrother Masons and more than 70 localMasons marched in the procession tothe tomb.

Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick, Master ofAlexandria Lodge, conducted Masonicservices.

Across the nation citizens mournedthe loss of Washington, and many Ma­sonic lodges held special services andprocessions to eulogize their departedbrother.

Documenting Freemasons' reverencefor their departed brother, three impor­tant artifacts will be displayed.

From the Grand Lodge of Masons inMassachusetts collection is a copy ofthe Dec. 30, 1799, edition of DartmollthGazette, Hanover, New Hampshire, an­nouncing the death of Washington.

Directly below the notice is an an­nouncement of a planned Masonic me­morial service to be held by localFranklin Lodge, No.6.

Of greater importance is a gold urncontaining a lock of Washington's hair,owned by the Grand Lodge of Massa­chusetts.

Soon after Washington's death, theGrand Lodge requested and receivedfrom Martha Washington a lock of hishair.

In 1809, Past Grand Master Paul Re­vere crafted a gold urn to safeguard it.Holding a special place of honor withinthe Grand Lodge, the urn is >-

FEBRUARY 200SITHE NORTHERN LIGHT 5

... ceremonially entrusted to the newGrand Master when he is installed.

Lastly, as part of the continued broth­erly love and affection of the fraternitytoward Washington, we will display abronze life mask of Washington.

Lent to the museum from the ScottishRite Valley of Milwaukee, the mask wasprobably cast from the Houdon statuein 1910.

Purportedly made from fragments ofRevolutionary War calUlons, it was da­nated to the Valley by Paul H. Gunder­sen, 32°, in 1982, to commemorate the250th anniversary of Washington'sbirth.

The museum is proud to present suchan important collection of Washingtonartifacts.

Through the leadership and broth­erly love of our great fraternity, themuseum's visitors can continuallyappreciate the virtues of our greatestPresident and Mason. ...

/lPort hole" portrait,so named for the painted

stonework ovalsurrounding the image,

shows Washington asCommander~in·Chief of the

United S(at~~Armed Forces.

George Washington,ca. 1847

Rembrandt Peale(1778-1860).

Oil on canvas (75.6).Gift of

John 8artholomew Webster.

George Washington Statue, 1910On Loan from the Scottish Rite Valley of Columbus, Ohio

In 1784 the commonwealth of Virginia authorized the commissioningof a statue of George Washington. Thomas Jefferson, then in Paris, se­cured the famous artist Jean Antoine Houdon to make the sculpture.Leaving other projects behind, Houdon traveled to America accompa­nied by Benjamin Franklin. Houdon stayed at Mount Vernon betweenOctober 2-17, 1785, taking measurement of Washington and makingplaster casts of Washington's face and limbs.

Returning to France, Houdon completed the work in 1791. WhenLafayette saw the statue for the first time he exclaimed: "That is theman himself. I can almost realize he is going to move." The statueremained in the Virginia State House until 1796.

In 1910 the General Assembly of Virginia authorized the Gorham Com­pany of Providence, Rhode Island, to make bronze replicas. This statueis one ofthe first seven made in 1910 and was originally placed inColumbus, Ohio.

The statue combines the many elements of Washington's life, holdingthe cane of a gentleman, wearing a soldier's uniform, with the farmersplow behind him and his arm resting on the ancient Roman "fasces"or bundle of 13 sticks, signifying authority and unity of the 13 originalstates.

In cooperation with the Scottish Rite Valley of Columbus and theSupreme Council, the statue was transported to Massachusetts inlIl.~cember. It is currently undergoing professional conservation byClifford Craine of Daedalus Inc., in Massachusetts, before its unveilingin the museum. The statue will remain on permanent loan at the Lex­ington museum.

6 THE NORTHERN LIGHT I FEBRUARY 2005

By LAWREI'lCE D. II'lGLlS, 33 0

The four stages of retirement

LAWRENCE D. INGLIS, 33°, is Grand Lieutenant Commanderof the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction.

Since retirement, the common ques­tion I hear everywhere I go is, "Hi,Judge, how do you like retire­

ment?" The question is almost alwaysasked with a voice that indicates thequestioner doesn't really believe any­one could possible be happy not work­ing at an accepted occupation. Cansomeone really enjoy retirement?Haven't you lost your worth in life?Who wants a retired guy around?

You can almost read their minds asthey contemplate their own future. Ihave begun to realize that most of themare thinking to themselves, "Howwould I like retirement? Won't I bebored to tears? My spouse doesn't wantme around the house; what will I do?Will anyone care? What will I be worthas a person?"

Have you asked yourself any of thosequestions? There are good answers, butit helps if you prepare. There are severalsteps you can take to ease the transferfrom the demands of employment towhat can be the joys of retirement.

To retire is to conclude one's workingor professional career. That soundspretty good to most young people. But,as they draw nearer to the day, manyotherwise positive men have secondthoughts and dream up W1ique reasonsnot to retire. What causes the dream ofyouth for lots of free time to become aforeboding and mysterious future?

How many men eligible for retire­ment hesitate? Are you one of them?What reward do you expect to receivefor spending more years at work and

forfeiting precious time with your fam­ily and friends doing the things thatyou have always wanted to do?

The Present and Looking AheadI presented a program on retirement

to the Judges of the State of Illinois attheir annual training seminar. Inpreparing, I discovered there were fourdistinct stages. The first starts aboutthree years before retirement. As youtrained for a working career, you canprepare for retirement.

I surveyed many of my retired friendsand colleagues. They uniformly hadone recommendation. Make a list of thethings that you want to do when you re­tire, then do them now. Because when

you retire you won't have time. Themen I know are all busy and enjoyingretirement. Don't worry; there is plentyto do.

What would you like to do? Is yourlife all tied up in your work? If you donot have any nonprofessional ornonwork-related activities, open upyour life and let some light shine in.

As a Mason and member of the Scot­tish Rite, you already have a head starton most men. Don't overlook the re­tirement opportunities open to you as aMason. There is a vast fra ternal andcharitable world waiting for you tomake room in your life. Before you start,there are several important considera­tions.

Retirement for most of us is a jointventure. It affects your spouse. Talk toyour spouse. This is truly a time formeaningful discussion of what youboth want. What does she want? I ~

FEBRUARY 2005 (THE NORTHERN LIGHT 7

am sure she doesn't want to be yourservant or have you take over her life.Spend some quality time discussingand planning what you both want outof life. The time spent will reap a richharvest during retirement.

The number of things you can do islimited only by your imagination. Thereare activities for everyone. My wife andI enjoy handgun shooting. Shooting isnot physically demanding and is an ex­citing hobby. Travel as a couple or ingroups. Investigate Elderhostel. I couldfill this magazine with options and ac-tivities available to you. •

I know men and couples who havetaken college courses, gone whalewatching.. visited museums and taughtreading in our learning centers. Do youhave a talent or special skill? Whom canyou help?

One of my judicial friends is petri­fied by the thought of retirement. Hisfear translates to his wife, who doesn'twant a full-time dependent. He askedme where to start. Knowing him as aman of faith, I told him to go to hispriest and offer to help. I told him thepriest might be in shock when you ask,but the church or synagogue always hasa need for talented people. A day spentpainting the church hall followed by apizza party with all the workers can beflUl and rewarding.

This article is aimed at the social as­pects of retirement, but I would be re­miss if I did not encourage you to up­date your wills and related financial af­fairs. If you are fortunate enough to beable to share with those less fortunate inlife, don't forget the 32° Masonic Learn­ing Centers for Children, Inc., as a pos­sible beneficiary. If you would like in­formation on the centers or any of thenumerous Scottish Rite Charities call orhave your attorney call the office at 1­781-465-3326 or 1-800-814-1432 ext.3326.

Getting your financial house in orderwith appropriate estate planningshould not be delayed. Make sure yourspouse has a clear understanding offamily finances and requirements thatmay some day fall upon her. She shouldbe an integral part of all plans, both so­cial and econom.ic. The more comfort­able she is, the more comfortable re­tirement will be for both of you.

The Last 60 DaysBefore Retirement

This second stage is very important.Don't assume anyone is going to take

8 THE NORTHERN LIGHT I FEBRUARY 2005

care of things for you. Double check allthe requirements of your employment.Some retirement funds require an ap­plication before a pension begins. Checkyour health insurance. Check all bene­ficiary forms for insurance and pensionpayments. If you are about to start So­cial Security, be sure to make proper ap­plication.

The most important thing I did at thisstage is something I highly recommendto you. Sit your spouse down and ex­plain that your life is about to be verydifferent and tell her you want this to bea new lime (or her La enjoy as well. Askher what you can do to make her lifedifferent and easier. I wanted my wifeto have an easier life as welL When wewere finished talking, she knew I reallywanted her life to be better and differ­ent.

"The numberof things youcan do islimited onlyby yourimagination.There areactivities foreverybody. "

You have probably heard the expres­sion "married for life, but not forlunch." One of my dear friends and spe­cial brothers from New Jersey told mehe goes out to lunch with the boys everyday. He makes sure his wife has somespace.

I make many of my own llUlches. Mywife is happy about that, but she won­dered about my judgment when Ibrought a couple of cans ofSpam homewith other items I had purchased forlunches.

I also make an effort to take her out toeat much more than we did when 1worked. Retirement doesn't mean you

suddenly become worthless and help­less. Be prepared to take care of yourselfand your spouse, if necessary. A carefulcheck of criminal case law reveals thata wife never murdered her husbandwhen he was helping with the dishes.

The First 60 Days of Retirement

This third stage is the most criticalperiod. There are new rules for yournew life. Vou must move out of the past,into the present. It is important that youadopt a good viewpoint. Get up, cleanup, and face lhe day. Some men fall inloa pit of self-pity and let themselves go.They feel there is no need to clean upand get the motor running. Your per­sonal appearance and thrust at the be­ginning of retirement and each daythereafter is important.

YOll can be relaxed and busy withoutpressure. This is the time to start doingall the little things you have neglected.It is also an excellent time to look for ex­cuses to get out of the house and giveyour spouse some room to adjust tohaving you around so much more.

One judge I know says, "I have noth­ing to do this coming week," and be­moans his life. All the others say, "I cando whatever I want and can't wait to getstarted." Vou detern"line your attitude.

For the first 60 days, look forward tothe day and crank up the attitude andbody. Sure you're older and the bodyhas its problems, but you have over­come a lot to get this far. With all thegood times available to you, it is no timeto quit.

You will need some activity to getyour mind on the present and off thepast. There are several immediate tasksthat can get you started. I list a few thatworked for other retirees.

1. It is time to release all the clutter inYOllr life. Go through every piece ofpaper and the records that yOll have ac­cumulated. Get rid of everything youdon't absolutely need.

2. Clean up and rearrange your workbench.

3. Take a good look at your wardrobeand give the Salvation Army or somecharity all the things that you have ac­cumulated and have not used or no­longer need.

4. I reorganized my den and pur­chased a new computer and a newprinter I copier I fax machine. Learninghow they operate will keep you occu­pied.

5. Be sure yOll have e-mail. Vou can nolonger put it off. The older you get, the

"The things you do for othersmay seem small to you, butthey can be big to others..,.,

more you will enjoy commu­nicating with friends andfamily bye-mail. Stay youngby keeping in touch with theyoung. Grandchildren knowhow to contact you by e-maitso now is the time to getstarted.

6. Visit the Scottish Rite. Ifyou don't want to go alone,call one of your brothers andinvite him to go with you. Ifrequently carpool to the Rite.It makes the trip more fun.You are the only one who cansentence you to be lonely andsit at home.

7. Visit Blue Lodge. Okay,you promised to keep tl,e se­crets and so you forgot them.Don't worry. Go to the Mas-ter. Tell him you recently retired and\",ould like a refresher so you can visitlodges and attend from time to tinle.He will be pleased to see you.

8. Go to the local library and get acard if you don't have one. With inter­library transfer, they can get anythingyou want. I have been reading and, insome cases, rereading the classics. Whatinterests you? Check all the free videosand DVDs. Right now I have two booksstarted, a video half-finished and thisarticle all cooking.

The list can go on, but the first 60 daysare critical to your enjoyment of retire­ment. Adopt a few of these suggestionsand make some of your own. I guaran­tee before 60 days are up, you will won­der how you had time to work.

I know that I haven't reached some ofyou yet. You want to be convinced andshown that you can be happy in retire­ment. lf you want that light to reallyshine on your retirement, you shoulddecide where you will look and itdoesn't start by looking in the mirror atyourself. Shine that light of your life onsomeone else. That's right. Stop think­ing of yourself and think of someoneelse.

This is your life and you want it to begood, bu t so do all your friends andMasonic brothers. Life isn't alwaysabout big things.

The things you do for others mayseem small to you, but they can be bigto others. Now you have time for doingsome good things for someone else.Adopt some friends in a nursing home.Do it now. Don't wait. Someone needsyou.

For several years, I have had aBrother I visited regularly. The years

have taken several Brothers 1visited. Ifyou visit a Brother, you will know thatyour life still has meaning. Drop in andvisit once a week or as often as you can.

Can you imagine how meaningful allretirees could make their lives if they re­membered just one other person whocouldn't get out? Through a sinlple visityou can bring the sunshine of life intotheir lives. Depending on your ownhealth, you may have to hobble in andhobble out, but someone needs you.Don't let him down.

Don't wait for someone to keep youbusy or enrich your life. Take charge.You can make a difference. Rabbis,priests, and ministers are not the onlyones charged to visit the restricted.There are so many programs where youcan help when you are willing to putyourself second and someone else first.

For 15 years my father-in-law visitedat the local veteran's hospital. He was apart of the Masonic Service Associa­tion's hospital-visitation program. Hewrote letters for patients, played cardswith them, and served the patients inmany ways.

It enriched his life and gave him andthe many other Masonic visitors in thatprogram a purpose to live.

The sunshine he spread carne back tohim and brightened his life. He lived tobe 92, with the last 15 years helpingthose who served our country. There isa place for you. The rewards are notmonetary, but they enrich the soul.

Retirement

The fourth and longest stage is yourretirement. You thought about it; youplanned for it. You have made an effortto adjust. Now you can appreciate life

and the opportunities you have to dowhat you want.

lf you have a life partner like I do,you have someone to share the daysand years ahead. If you are flying solonow or the winds of time leave youalone, as a Scottish Rite Mason you willnever be alone. No one wants you to bealone. You are our Brother and we wantto share with YOll.

Let the Brothers in your local lodgeknow you want to be involved. Thatdoesn't mean you have to remember ormemorize a lot of things. The officerslove sideliners. They work hard to pre­pare their parts and would enjoy haVingyou present. A Scottish Rite reunion isnot a reunion without you. Dig out yourpassport or ask for a new one. Vieweach of the degrees and fill up yourpassport.

We hope you can drive for manyyears, but if the day comes when youcannot, call and ask for a ride. The moreyou make yourself known now themore you will be remembered whenthat sunshine turns to the rain that fallsin all our lives. There are many activitiesother than degrees. Read the noticesand participate.

If you travel south in the winter, par­ticipate in the Masonic activities. If youdon't know how to visit a lodge, ask anactive Brother to bring you up-to-date.It is easy to visit a Blue Lodge and eveneasier to visit the Scottish Rite. All youneed to visit a Scottish Rite Valley isyour dues card.

Enjoy each day. Retirement is won­derful. Sorry, I have to end now and getgoing. There are so many things to do.Best wishes to you, my Brother, in thewonderful adventure of life called re­tirement. "*

FEBRUARY 2aOS/THE NORTHERN LIGHT 9

WAYNE T. ADAMS, 33°, is a Past Grand Masterof the Grand Lodge of Maine.

The term "rite of passage" is com­monly used to describe a signifi­cant milestone following which

we see the world very differently.The first time a boy goes hunting with

his father, the first time he drives thefamily car alone, the first sexual en­counter, the first day of military service,a wedding, the birth of a child. Theseare all events we can describe in detailmany years later. They are milestones,and in subtle ways they change the waywe look at the world.

The term "rite of passage" is alsoused to describe a second, more pro­found experience following which wesee ourselves very differently. It is an ex­perience which causes us to stand out­side ourselves and reflect on where weare, what we are doing, what we wantto be, where we want to go in life and,very important, by whom we want tobe accepted.

The three degrees of Craft Masonryare intended and designed to provide aman with such an experience and togive him insight into his own life.

In the first or Entered Apprentice de­gree, he sees a young man learning thetenets of his profession (brotherly love,relief and truth), guided in the theolog­ical virtues (faith, hope and charity) andinstructed in the cardinal virtues (tem­perance, fortitude, prudence and jus­tice). This is the ideal instruction of ayouth. Each of us would want a son tolearn those things well as a young man.

In the second or Fellowcraft degree,

THE NORTHERN LIGHT / FEBRUARY 2005

Masonic symbols from the three degrees appear in the 1866 lithograph by J.H.Bufford & Sons, Boston. From the National Heritage Museum collection, a

gift of John H. VanGorden (86.52b).

we see a man in the working years ofms for his family and a more productivelife receiving further instruction to de- member of society. That is the ideal, andvelop his abilities and hone his skills to that is exactly what each one of usthe end that he may be a better provider hopes to do.

In the third or Master Mason degree,we learn through the example of Hiramthat at the end of our days when all else

T he three degrees of CraftMasonry are designed to

provide a man with insightinto his own life.

is gone, the only thing that will matterto us is that we have been faithful to ourobligations. That is the ideal. It is whateach one of us hopes for. It is the con­solation we want to find at the end of awell-spent life.

The rite of passage from degree to de­gree which gives us insight into ourown life and values and which gives usthe ideal toward which we shouldtravel has three important characteris­tics:

• It is individual with respect to thedecision to undertake and continue onthe journey. •

• It is experiential with respect to thenature and prominent features of thejourney.

• It is spiritual with respect to thehabits of life it suggests to us.

Those qualities account for the strongemotional hold Masonry has had on theimaginations of men for over 250 years.Let us look at each of those qualities.

An Individual Decision

Almost every man 1know wants to behis own man with his own identity andhis own values and believes that hemust arrive at those values in his ownindividual way. This idea is familiar toMasons.

At the outset, Masonry demands thatevery man's relationship with God berespected. Further, we believe we allcome to Masonry as equals, on the level,just as we come into this world withoutmoral blemish or defect, as square, leveland plumb as a perfect ashlar.

But this is a rough and tumble world.We take some hard knocks and acquiresome rough edges. We pick up habitsand patterns of thought that do not re­flect our better nature. We Masons referto those habits and patterns of thoughtas "the vices and superfluities of life."

At some point along the way mostmen see the need to make an adjust­ment, to get themselves squared away.This is an individual decision. It has tobe made of a man's own free will andaccord. In fact, during our degrees acandidate is asked repeatedly if hisprogress in Masonry is of his own freewill and accord.

We, who are Masons, come to under­stand we are voluntarily trying to re­gain that which is lost and that everystep along the way has to be of our ownfree will and accord.

Indeed, the whole purpose of Ma­sonry is to help us get back from thecondition of the rough ashlar to the

condition of the perfect ashlar.The distance between the two in most

Lodges is only about six feet, but thedistance is not measured in feet. It ismeasured in acquired wisdom, a wis­dom that has to be arrived at freely andindividually.

In each of our three degrees five sep­arate things are going on simultane­ously: A candidate is being obligated. Astory is being told. Symbols are beingtaught. An allegory is being developed,and a philosophy of life is being subtlysuggested. One might ask, "Why gothrough all of this? There must be a sim­pler way. Why not just have someoneget up and explain it like it is?" The an­swer is simple.

Educators are just now discoveringwhat Masons have long known: We alllearn in different ways and at differentspeeds. When in the course of our de­gree journey we present these fivestrands in the form of prose, poetry,prayer, monologue, dialogue, symboland movement, the candidate has theopportunity to observe the interactionamong those strands and absorb theprinciples they suggest in his own in­dividual way and as seems most mean­ingful to him individually.

Masonry honors and respects a manwho is his own man, a man who main­tains his own individuality and whonourishes and guards his own values inhis own way.

A Personal Experience

Almost every man I know believeshis personal values are and must be theproduct of his own experience. As welook back, we realize it is from our lifeexperiences that we learn the most.

Many young people today havetaken an interest in eastern religionsand with the cultures of primitive peo­ples as they search for experienceswhich will contribute wisdom andmeaning to their own lives. Surpris­ingly, this opens up another opportu­nity for Masonry because our degreejourney contains experiences that are, aswe know, a source of great wisdom.Each of our degrees has a pattern, a pro­gression and a purpose. Taken together,they have an overall pattern, progres­sion and purpose.

Our Masonic communications, ormeetings, are quite different from theeveryday things people normally expe­rience. Each of our degrees has a differ­ent purpose, but they follow a similarpattern.

First, we very consciously close outthe noise and haste of the outsideworld. We settle down. We do thisslowly by following a 6 to 8 minuteopening ceremony with which we arefamiliar. When we complete that cere­mony, we are focused. We are centered.

Next, we encounter a story. It is reallytwo stories or legends. The first is thestory of the stonecutter on his life jour­ney which each candidate, which eachMason symbolically takes. The secondstory or legend is of the building of KingSolomon's Temple. Those two legendscome together in the Third Degree.

As we proceed further we beginusing a new language, the language ofsymbols. Many lodges have framedcharts hanging on the wall. An experi­enced Mason does not just see and rec­ognize those symbols. He can actuallyread them and in reading them he un­derstands the story and lessons of thedegree they illustrate. •

FEBRUARY 2005 /THE NORTHERN LIGHT 11

T he degree journey is indi­vidual in that each man

must embark on it of his ownfree will and accord.

> Beyond the legend and symbols,we discover that there is another story,a second story, a story within a story. Webegin to understand that our legendsthemselves are allegories and have dou­ble meanings.

From that discovery, we can go fur­ther and begin to discern the outline ofa Masonic philosophy, a philosophycharacterized by toleration, respect,self-discipline, help and trust. Most ofus, when we get to that point discoverthat this philosophy fits our needs andthe components of our life so perfectlythat we feel we must have had it onceand lost it. We feel it is what we havebeen seeking - not to find as much asto recover.

Finally, having achieved this point,we slowly retreat. In fact our closingcharge tells us, "We are about to quitthis sacred retreat of friendship andvirtue." We retreat back through OUf

closing ceremony and formally closeour lodge.

After the lodge is closed, we repair tothe kitchen or dining roam. We joke andlaugh and chat about the cares and ex­pectations of daily life. We have re­turned to the world of the present. Butfor a few moments, we have journeyedtogether to a place very close to the cen­ter of whom we are, individually, ofwhom we want to be and of what wewant to become.

The Masonic degree journey is expe­rientiaL Anyone can read almost all ofthe degree work, patching together theexposes and plain English texts fromother jurisdictions. There is very little anon-Mason cannot know or find out,but that knowledge alone will not makehim a Mason. What makes him a Masonis the experiential quality of the degreejourney,

A Spiritual Discipline

Almost every person Jknow, church­going or not, believes he or she has ahigher spiritual side that is just as validas anyone else's. Spirituality involvesnurturing the very best that is within us,better enabling us to live out our pro­fessed beliefs. This nurturing is best ac­complished by consciously following apersonal discipline. Such disciplines indifferent forms are associated withmany belief systems.

I recently read a short book, Zen forChristions. It referred to "the EightfoldPath to Liberation from Suffering,"what we might call ways to deal with

12 THE NORTHERN LIGHT I FEBRUARY 2005

the challenges of this world. The eightpaths or disciplines were divided intothree groups: three, three, and two. Iread them carefully and was astonishedto find that the three groups corre­sponded precisely to the themes of ourthree degrees, themes more universalthan we suspect.

Masonry offers two kinds of disci­pline. There is the organizational disci­pline as reflected in the three obliga­tions. Those obligations define aMason's responsibilities to Brother Ma­sons and to the fraternity as a whole.The fraternity has administrative pro­cedures to deal with the failure to com­ply with those obligations.

Masonry also offers a spiritual disci­pline consisting of voluntary and per­sonal duties enforceable only by ourown consciences. Remembering to in­voke the blessing of Deity before anygreat and important undertaking is aspiritual discipline.

Consciously trying in our daily livesto follow the tenets of our profession(brotherly love, relief and truth), to bemindful of the theological virtues (faith,hope and charity), to practice the fourcardinal virtues (temperance, fortitude,prudence and justice) is a spiritual dis­cipline.

Working daily to develop the habit ofsubduing the passions, acting upon thesquare, keeping a tongue of good re­port, maintaining secrecy and promot­ing charity is a spiritual diSCipline.

Taking time from busy lives to viewwith reverence and admiration the glo­rious work of the creation and to be in­spired with the most exalted ideas of theperfection of our Divine Creator is aspiritual discipline.

Very consciously going out of ourway to serve a worthy Brother, remem­bering him in our devotions to Deity,keeping his secrets as our own, stretch­ing forth a helping hand, protecting his

character, guarding his good name andgiVing him timely notice is also a spiri­tual discipline.

Finally, living a life faithful to all ourobligations to God, our neighbors andourselves, the great lesson of the sub­lime degree, Masonry's crowning spir­itual discipline.

These are the disciplines of a Mason.These are the things we are taught wemust do to become living stones for thatspiritual building, that house not madewith hands, eternal in the heavens. Thediscipline of consciously rememberingthese duties as a daily habit and tryingto act on each one of them does not, ofcourse, make one a better person. Itdoes, however, put a person in a frameof mind where it is possible for him tobecome a better person.

Masonry holds that these disciplinesare best taught, exemplified and rein­forced in the company of and with thesupport of men on a similar journey,committed to a similar effort in theirown lives.

The Masonic rite of passage, the de­gree journey is individual in that eachman must embark on it of his own freewill and accord. It is experiential in thatwe believe it is learned by degrees. It isspiritual in that it holds out to everyman the possibility of strengthening hisown character.

The first purpose of every lodge is toprovide a man with that rite of passageand to help him on his journey to theend that he may become a better man.

Then, when he has arrived at theabil­ity to see the ideal that the journey pres­ents to him and has made a commit­ment to live consistent with that ideal,to stand and walk and think and talk asa just and upright Mason, he is acceptedinto a brotherhood as an equal, a fellowtraveler on a journey from darkness tolight. In that moment of acceptance, themystic tie is extended and renewed.*,

Museum to PublishNew Masonic Book

One of the highlights ofthe 30th anniversary of the

ational Heritage Museumin Lexington, MA, will bethe publication of a newbook on Freemasonry.Americflll Freemasons: T"reeCel/II/ries of BI/ildil/g COI/I~

1111/1lities is scheduled for re­lease in May.

Written by Mark A. Tab~bert, 32°, curator of Ma­sonic and fraternal collec­tions at the museum, thebook explores the roleplayed by Freemasons inthe development of thecountry and examinesseven reasons why menhave joined the fraternityover the years. Each reasonis placed in chronologicalsequence.

Bro. Tabbert says thebook does not make predic~

tions for the future ofFreemasonry. "It simply re~

tates the past to the present and showshm·\' Freemasonry's tenets - first es­tablished in the 1700s - continue toadorn both the lodge and Americatoday," he said. "It shows the relation~

ship between the privacy of a Masoniclodge and the public environment ofthe American community."

The extravagantly illustrated vol~

ume offers an overview of Freema­sonry's origins in 17th-century Scot­land and England before exploring itsevolving role in American history,from the Revolution through the laborand civil rights movements and intothe 21st century.

The 280~pagebook, containing morethan 200 color illustrations, is pub­lished by the National Heritage Mu~seLLm in conjunction with New YorkUniversity Press. Most of the items il­lustrated in the book are part of theextensive collection at the museum.

American Freemasons is based on amuseum exhibition, "To Build andSustain: Freemasons in AmericanCommunity," which opened in Lex-

ington in 2002. Bro. Tabbert was as~

signed the task of curating that ex~hibit. After the opening, he was en~

couraged to publish a companion cat~

alogue."As Mark began to work on the

project, he decided that the bookwould expand upon the limited spacewithin a gallery and serve as a lastingrepository of documented researchthat supports the reasons why mil~

lions of men have been attracted tothe Masonic fraternity for more thanthree centuries." said Museum Direc­tor John H. Ott, 32°. "The wealth of in~

formation in our VanGorden-WilliamsLibrary and the ever~expanding itemsin our fraternal collections have beenvaluable assets in Mark's research."

Although the book will not be avail~

able until May, preorders are being ac­cepted through the Heritage Shop atthe National Heritage Museum andthe Supreme Council website(www.supremecouncil.org).The cost of the book will be $29.95plus shipping and handling.

REVIEWER'S COMMENTS

"Masonry has been an integralpart of this country's history: Yetuntil now, no single book hastraced the progress of the fra~

ternity from the early 18th cen~

tury to the early 21st. This beau~

tifully illustrated book is thebest introduction to the Masonicpast now available for brothersand for curious outsiders. "

- Steven C. Bullock, author ofRevolutionary Brotherhood

"From colonial times to the pres~

ent, Masons have always beencentral to community life inAmerica. Mark Tabbert tellstheir story in a fresh and arrest­ing way, explaining Masonicideals and practices and situat­ing Masons among a variety offraternal groups and voluntaryassociations. This informativeand visually delightful book in~

troduces us to a vital aspect ofour nation's civic history. "

- Theda Skocpol,

Harvard University

"One of the most frequentlyasked questions of MSA is,"Where can I find a factual, ac~

curate history of Freemasonry?"Now we have a good answer­American Freemasons. Fraternityis important in the growth of anation and this book tells theamazing story played by theFreemasons of this country: Amust read!"

- Richard E. Fletcher, 33°,

Executive Secretary,Masonic Service Association

"Tabbert contextuaJizes Freema­sonry within the broad sweep ofAmerican history and breaksnew ground in analyzing thetrends of the most recentdecades. With illustrationsdrawn from the rich coJJectionsof the National Heritage Mu~

seum, this volume is visuaJJy ap­pealing as well as intellectuallyrewarding. "

- William D. Moore, University ofNorth Carolina at Wilmington

FEBRUARY 2005/THE NORTHERN LIGHT 13

Peer Review Committee Provides Positive FeedbackRather than resting on its

laurels, the 320 MasonicLearning Centers for Chil­dren, Inc., marked its tenthanniversary by commis­sioning a peer review com­mittee.

Consisting of leaders inthe field of dyslexia, thecommittee conducted astudy to examine whatworks today and whatchanges might be made. Inthe words of Execu tive Di­rector Joseph J. Berlandi,32°, "We want to makewhat we are doing evenbetter."

In January the committeemade its findings public ina forum conducted at theNational Heritage Mu­seum in Lexington, MA.

The purpose of theforum was not simply toannounce the committeeresults, but also to allowdiscussion of the study and the serv­ices provided, in an effort to validateand to improve the learning centersprogram.

The committee, active for one year,includes four highly respected profes­sionals independent of the learningcenter operations.

Dr. Maryanne WoU is director of theCenter for Reading and Language Re­search at Tufts University and a pro­fessor of child development.

Her many honors include the Dis­tinguished Professor of the Yearaward from the Massachusetts Psy­chological Association and author ofan upcoming book, How the BrainLearned to Read, published by Harper­Collins.

Dr. Beth O'Brien, a research coordi­nator, is also associated with TuftsUniversity.

14 THE NORTHERN LIGHT I FEBRUARY 2005

Dr. Gordon Sherman, of the Newgrange Schooland Educational Outreach Center explains datatrends discovered during the peer reviewcommittee's analysis.

Dr. Gordon Sherman is the execu­tive director of the Newgrange SchoolEducational Outreach Center.

As an expert in the field of brain re­search, he is the author of more than80 scientific articles and books.

Dr. Jeffrey Gilger is a professor andassociate dean of research and facultydevelopment in the College of Educa­tion at Purdue University. He alsoserves on the International DyslexiaAssociation board of directors.

After an introduction by Dr. DavidWinters, 32°, executive director of clin­ical affairs for the learning centers, Dr.Gilger presented an analysis of thedata.

Drs. O'Brien and Sherman followedwith results and trends shown by thetests, and Dr. Wolf transitioned thediscussion to the next steps.

The peer review committee willsoon submit a formal written report,

which will be used to de­sign the second phase ofthe review, slated to beginlater this year.

The goa I is to finish thecommittee work in 2006.Following the formal pre­sentations, the floor wasopened for comments anddiscLission.

Included in the audi­ence were notables in thefield, such as Dr. AlbertGalaburda, chief of the di­vision of behavioral neu­rology at Beth Israel Dea­coness Medical Center inBoston, Nancy Hem1essy,president of lOA, and Dr.Judith Birsh, editor ofMlliti-Sellsory Teaching ofBasic Langllage Skills.

Also participating inthe discussion were Dr.Frank Wood, of Wake For­est; Dr. Louisa Moats, au­thor and noted researcher;

Dr. Marilyn Jager Adams, author, andDr. Pamela Hook of the MGH insti­tute of Health Professions.

The coming together of so many no­tables in the field of dyslexia researchwas impressive, and it emphasizedthe importance of the Scottish Riteprogram.

Bro. Berlandi said, "The dynamicsof the day were palpable. You couldfeel the energy among the researchersand clinical people."

The report was very positive, andoffered constructive comments for thefuture.

High praise was given for the learn­ing centers program, while the reviewcommittee made it dear that this wasnot just a rubber stamp.

Bro. Winters commented that thistype of review "is close to unheardot." The committee was given raw

data with no background or guide­lines, and asked to produce an opin­ion on the works of the program.

The idea was to make their conclu­sions as candid as possible.

The creation of the committee andthe charge given to them "was takinga chance," said Winters, but a neces­sary step in continual improvement,and demonstrates the seriousness ofthe Scottish Rite Masons in offeringthis service at its highest caliber.

Dr. Louisa Moats, ofSopris WestEducationalServices,participates in thepost-presentationdiscussion.

Phase I included data from 400 stu­dents of the learning centers, repre­senting all parts of the Northern Ma­sonic Jurisdiction.

Phase II will contain data on nearly3,500 children.

Later in the week, following theforum, the initial findings of the re­view committee were presented to theDeputies, who were at SupremeCOlUlcil headquarters in Lexington,attending their semi-annual meeting.

Money Received forSchool Partnership

Late this past fall it was an­nounced by Brother and con­gressman, Robert Simmons, ofStonington, CT, that the federaldepartments of Labor, Healthand Human Services, and Educa­tion have approved a $100,000grant. The money is to be usedto fund a new learning center atGroton, CT.

The application for the initialgrant, to be distributed in fiscalyear 200S, was submitted inpartnership with the Grotonpublic school system.

According to the plan, theprogram at Groton will havetrained teachers for the site andtutor 20 to 30 children withinthe first two years.

It is the intention of the 32·Masonic Learning Centers forChildren, Inc., with the help ofCongressman Simmons, to applyfor the grant each year, in orderto continue and expand the Pub­lic School Initiative Program atGroton. The program is slated tobegin in September.

52 Current Learning Centers

Allentown, PAAltoona, PABangor, MEBay City, MIBloomsburg, PAGreater Boston, MA (Newtonville)Burlington, NJBurlington, VTCambridge, OHCanton,OHCentral New York (Oriskany)Chicago,ILCincinnati,OHCleveland, OHColumbus, OHDayton,OHDetroit, MI

Erie, PAEvansville, INFort Wayne, INFreeport, ILHarrisburg, PAHasbrouck Heights, NJIndianapolis, INLancaster, PALexington, MAGreater Lowell, MAMadison, WIMilwaukee, WINashua, NHNewark, NJNew Castle, PANorthfield, NJNorwood,OHPittsburgh, PA

Portland, MEProvidence, RIReading, PARochester, NYScotch Pines, NJScranton, PASeacoast NH (Rochester)South Bend, INSouthern Illinois (Belleville)Steubenville, OHTenafly, NJToledo,OHWaterbury, CTWest Michigan (Grand Rapids)Wilmington, DEWorcester, MAYoungstown, OH

FEBRUARY 200SITHE NORTHERN LIGHT 15

Fred Hale, left, and Fred Hale Jr. enjoyed a day at the ballpark.

He maintained an easy tempera­ment and an independent spiritthroughout his long life. He remainedin his own house until he was 107 andkept and used his driver's license until108 - another record, according to thefolks at Guinness. Even at that age heoccasionally got frustrated with slowdrivers.

At 103, while shoveling snow fromhis roof, a TV crew spotted him and hemade the evening news that night.

When he was 109, he moved fromMaine to a town just outside Syracuse,NY, to be near his son.

Despite his routine, he also pos­sessed an adventuresome spirit. At 95,he flew to Japan to visit his grandson,who was serving in the Navy. On hisway back he stopped at Hawaii.

There he donned a set of tropicalshorts and tried his hand at boogie

Every day he took a spoonful ofhoney and bee pollen. According tohis son, when he started the practice,his arthritis disappeared. Fred Jr. fol­lows the regimen today.

In addition to the bee pollen, he kepta regular schedule and seldom variedfrom it. Each day he walked a mile,tended to his garden, and when in sea­son, he canned fruits and vegetables.He also made his own applesauce.

With plenty of practice through themany years, Fred was always readywith an answer for reporters.

One young columnist asked him,"When you do finally pass on, whatwill you say to your Maker?" Withoutmissing a beat, he said his questionwould be, "What took you so long?"

ALAN E. FOULDS, is the Assistant Editor for The Northern Light.

16 THE NORTHERN LIGHT I FEBRUARY 2005

The year was 1890. The firstArmy-Navy football game wasplayed at West Point, and Sitting

Bull was killed just before the mas­sacre at Wounded Knee, SO. Peanutbutter was first marketed, The Pictureof Dorinn Gray, by Oscar Wilde waspublished, and Nettie Hale was givingbirth to her son, Fred.

Just short of 114 years later FredHale died, but not before becomingthe oldest Mason, and, according tothe Gllilllless Book of World Records, theworld's oldest man.

His career, which spanned close to ahalf-century, was spent with the U.s.Post Office, where he served as a rail­way mail clerk. Working chiefly on theBoston and Maine railroad, he spentmuch of that time between Portlandand Boston. He retired 50 years ago.

One of his great passions in life wasbeekeeping, starting at the age of 17and continuing until he was 107. Hehad, at times, as many as 10 hives. Heoften gave lectures on the subject andwas featured in an article in BeelineMagazille.

Another passion was Masonry. Hejoined the Franklin Lodge of NewSharon, ME, and was also a regular at­tendee at Hiram Lodge in Portland.Fred Hale Jr., his son and a ScottishRite Mason, said that his father "didn'tmiss many meetings."

When asked the question every cen­tenarian is posed, "To what do you at­tribute your long life?" he had severalresponses.

Fred and the Boston Red Sox

Fred Hale became somewhat of a celebrity in late2004, during the last month of his life. His baseballteam, the Boston Red Sox, staged a dramatic come­from-behind rush to win the American League pen­nant, and then go on to win the club's first World Se­ries since 1918.

Bro. Hale was seen in an Associated Press photo,published across the country, watching the games ontelevision while sporting a cap with the distinctive red"B" over the visor It was noted in the caption that al­though few people today c~n remember 86 years agowhen the Sox last were victorious, Fred was 27 yearsold, at the time.

Indeed, Fred Hale was not only around to see theirlast victory, but all six Red Sox World Series wins camewithin his lifetime

When the team took the first-ever series, playing the

Pittsburgh Pirates in 1903, Fred was nearly in his teens.In fact, when the club formed, Fred Hale was alreadyten years old. They went on to win again in 1912,1915,1916,1918, and, of course, 2004

Although he listened to, or watched many games ayear, his following of the sport actually came from hisfamily.

His wife, Flora, and later his daughter Carolyn wereavid fans. He took his son Fred Jr to Fenway for thefirst time in the 1930s.

Unlike many watching the games this past fall,though, Fred was quite relaxed. He told the SyracusePost Standard, "If it happens, it'll be good, but I'm notgoing to worry about it"

Needless to say, though, he, along with all Red Soxfans, enjoyed watching the current crew do what somany great teams of the past had failed to accomplish.

ning comeback to win the AmericanLeague perulant, and then go on tosweep the Series in four games.

Ironically, as he watched the break­ing of the so-called "Curse of the Bam­bino" - the supposed hex on theBoston Red Sox since 1918 - he wasfour years older than Babe Ruth him­self would have been at that time.

Hale was married in 1910 to FloraMooers, who died in 1979. They hadfive children, nine grandchildren, ninegreat-grandchildren, and eleven great­great-grandchildren.

Fred Hale's life stretched to cover agreat portion of both national andglobal history, which saw so many ad­vances in civilization, events, discov­eries, and disasters.

He was born when Benjamin Harri­son was in the White House and therewere only 43 stars on the flag. Worldevents, such as the Spanish AmericanWar, the assassination of PresidentMcKinley, and the Great Depressionhad not happened. Inventions such asradio, television, and computers werewell into the future.

His life spanned a period starting 13years before the Wright Brothers flightat Kitty Hawk, and ending 32 yearsafter the last Apollo moon landing.

Possibly, the most telling commentabout his longevity was made almostby mistake. When a friend of his wasasked to comment on Fred's life, hesaid, "I'm probably not the one to an­swer. It's been years since I've seenrum. I think it was at his 100th birth­day party" *'

°~«I

was eleven in 1903 when Boston tookthe first World Series versus the Pitts­burgh Pirates, and was 27 when theybeat the Cubs in 1918.

Together with all Sox fans, he thensuffered through an 86-year champi­onship drought, which ended in 2004.Just two weeks before his death he gotto watch the club as it made a stun-

(CENTURIES) + (PERIOD)

+ (TEACHING)-(GREEN)+

(RUINED) - (INCITE) + (EFFECTS)

(CHAFED) - (PINES) ~5 8b=DDDDDDDDD ~«~ z);, Clue for this puzzle appears on page 10. 0j Answer from previous issue: MONUMENT U.Y <'° •

ISCONAM DORW HAMT. MASONIC WORD MA,0

0WIN O~OM JINOSVIN °lINVH M(lOO INVNOJS1

f10 MASONIC °t~ WORD MATH ~

CL:How to solve: Start with the first word. Add to it the 0

°0 >letters of the second word. Then add or subtract >~ the letters of the following words. Total the remain- U

ing letters and unscramble them to find a word zassociated with Masonry. Q

«(CURSE) ~

boarding. Another grandson, Fred TIl,told the Syracuse Post-Standard, "Hedidn't make it far, but he was keen fornew things."

Fred was also an avid baseball fan,following his beloved Red Sox formuch of his life. He is one of the veryfew fans that were alive for all six ofhis team's championship victories. He

FEBRUARY 2005 !THE NORTHERN LIGHT 17

NOTES FROM THE JOURNAL

COTTISH ITE"OF FREEMASONRV • SOUTHERN JURISDICTION. USA

Southern Jurisdiction Supreme CouncilHonored for Childhood Language Program

During its annual meeting on Nov.19,2004, in Philadelphia, the AmericanSpeech-language-Hearing Association(ASHA) presented its DistinguishedService Award for 2004 to the SupremeCouncil, Scottish Rite of Freemasonry,Southern Jurisdiction, in recognition ofthe fraternity's RiteCare" ChildhoodLanguage Program.

The award, designed to recognizesignificant contributions to theprofessions of speech-languagepathology and audiology, is givenannually to individuals ororganizations for major contributionsto ASHA in consumer advocacy,legislative or other governmentalaffairs activity, public awareness,research, or service to theassociation.

On behalf of Grand CommanderRonald A. Seale, 33", and theSupreme Council, Ill. William G.Sizemore, 33°, Grand ExecutiveDirector of the Supreme Council,accepted the award (photo right) andexpressed the gratitude of all theSouthern Jurisdiction's Scottish RiteMasons for this significantrecognition by America's leadingspeech-language-hearing association.It was noted that the clinics, centersand programs supported by theScottish Rite Masons have grownfrom one clinic in Denver, Colorado,in 1953 to 169 across the UnitedStates today. Recent statistics indicatethat annually 61,077 children areevaluated and/or treated through thefraternal order's RiteCare® Childhood

Language Program. The Scottish Riteis determined to continue andexpand this philanthropy as a serviceto America's children and the nation.

SGC Webber, Hosts SR Research Society Boardinvitation of Webber to hold their 2004 annual meeting.Cooking and serving the delicious dinner themselves, theWebbers were the most gracious of hosts, and Ill. WilliamB. Brunk, SRRS president, expressed the deepestappreciation of all the board members. As a token of hisregard and that of the Research Society, Ill. Bro. Brunk senta complete 10-volume set of Heredom, the annualtransactions of the Research Society, to 111. Bro. Webber,who is a life member of the Society, for his home library.

Pictured left during an informal fellowship hourfollowing the dinner are: (seated) Ill. Bros. Webber, Brunk,Robert G. Davis, (standing) Richard H. Curtis, editor, TheNorthern Light; John W. Boet~er, managing editor, TheScottish Rite Journal; Mark A. Tabbert, 32", curator ofMasonic and fraternal collections, National HeritageMuseum in Lexington; Martin P. Starr, SRRS secretary;Sean D. Graystone; and Pierre G. "Pete" Normand Jr.

(Ir~~A,CI­

5<:ottish Rite Masons \'Helpj"g Chi/drm Com""",icare

,,\ ,{<..iteCare

Sovereign Grand Commander Walter E. Webber, 33",and his wife, Leslie, hosted members of the Scottish RiteResearch Society (SRRS) Board of Directors in their homeon the campus of the NMJ's Lexington, MA, headquarterson Oct. 9. The board members were in Lexington at the

The Scottish Rite Masons of Fairbanks, Alaska, recently erected a sign on the future siteof the new Fairbanks Masonic Center and RiteCare@ Childhood Language and SpeechClinic. Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2005.

Future Center/Clinic Site in Fairbanks, Alaska

18 THE NORTHERN LIGHT J FEBRUARY 2005

mind Your Online manners

When the Internet made itsfirst appearance, I embraced itwith the same caution a manshould take when confronting aporcupine, skunk or anyoneseeking elective office.

Perhaps I was not sufficientlycautious.

Of course, I remind myself theInternet is merely a tool. As such,it is neither good nor bad. How­ever, its very nature seems tohave brought out the worst in agoodly number of fellow hu­mans.

I remember when Englishteachers, Internet promoters andassorted other greatthinkers hailed the in-ternet as a vehicle thatwould encourage read­ing and writing. I sup­pose they were right.One does need to be atleast minimally literateto use the Net. Judgingby an increasing number of e-mail messages that havecome to my attention, "minimal" seems to be the opera­tive word when it comes to constructing anything thateven vaguely resembles a sentence. Consider the follow­ing e-mail message sent by one college graduate to an­other college graduate:

"ar yu goin tgu this afternons meting i dont thnk it iscomand perfurmance but con ie says it wulbd be a goodidca if weall went! let me kno whut u wil doook seya"

If nothing else, this message underscores my long­standing contention that far too many parents are beingshortchanged by the colleges their offspring attend. Italso is an example of what far too often passes for com­munication via the Net. Sure, this example is somewhatextreme, but it does illustrate the apparent contempt somany Net users have for the basic rules of "barely ac­ceptable English grammar."

At the risk of sounding like some wild-eyed radical, Iwant to recruit you to join my crusade to bring amodicum of language civility to the Net. Look, I'm notnearly as fussy as my high school English teacher (wegave her the nickname "English Czarina"), but I do thinkwe all can live with a few simple rules.

1. Use complete sentences. You know, toss in a subject,a verb and those sorts of things. If you are in an upbeat

mood, feel free to mix in an adjective.Use superlatives at your own peril.

Leigh E. morris, 33°, is a communicationconsultant. He was active in the Valley ofMilwaukee before relocating to Illinois.

2. Capitalize as necessary.Proper nouns, proper names,popular names, derivatives andthe first word of a sentence allmerit the capitalization.

3. Punctuate as appropriate.Punctuation is especially impor­tant when it comes to bringing asentence to an end. In mostcases, a neat period or anelegant question mark will dothe trick.

4. Avoid spelling errors. Resist(I know it is hard) the tempta­tion to rely on the spell checker.Instead, make use of a decentdictionary.

5. Be crystal clear. Re­member the recipientof your message can­not hear the tone ofyour voice or read yourbody language. Avoidleaving your messageopen to misinterpreta­tion.

6. Read and reread your message. Careful attention toyour message will go a long way to avoiding mistakes.

7. Never - and I do mean "never" - send an e-mail youwould not want to be shared with the world. Many ane-mailer has been embarrassed when his or her messagewas forwarded.

8. Avoid using your employer's e-mail system for per­sonal messages. Often, employers prohibit the personaluse of company e-mail. In any event, employers haveevery right to snoop.

9. Don't be a fearmonger by forwarding alarmist e­mail. While much of it is silly, many of these e-mail mes­sages scare the unwary and do real harm to individuals,businesses and other organizations. If you are temptedto send something on, first check it out at Urban Leg­ends Reference Pages (vvww.snopes.com) or a similarsite.

10. Avoid sending unsolicited e-mails with largeattachments. All of those forwarded messages thatstrike you as being humorous or interesting may be seenas bothersome junk by others. Ask before you startforwarding attachments.

11. Install and update antivirus software. Not only doyou not want a virus, you don't want to pass viruses onto others. Yes, this advice applies to both Windows andMac users.

12. Spend $5.95 for a copy of The Elements of Style byStrunk and White. Not only is it useful, but it is enjoy­able. That's nothing short of remarkable.

Please send your comments, suggestions and thoughtsto me at <studebaker55@casscomm.com>

FEBRUARY 200SITHE NORTHERN LIGHT 19

SCOTIISH RITE

The Personal Touch: Valley of ColumbusFinds Secret to Successful Fundraising

In this issue, the Scottish Rite Charities spotlight fallsupon the Columbus, OH, Learning Center and the recentgrant-seeking success of its board of governors. Theworld of grant proposals, a necessary strategy to supportall learning centers' continuing growth, is becoming moreand more familiar to volunteers like Dick Luckay, 33°,chairman of the Columbus board.

Recently, Luckay handled a substantial grant request tothe Columbus Foundation with outstanding success. "Westarted the paperwork in plenty of time," he said. "Weadapted the application form that they require and sub­mitted it last fall

"We then invited Lisa Courtice, the foundation's vicepresident for community research and grants manage­ment, to visit the learning center," said Luckay That visitwas carefully planned in advance. "It was a combined op­eration. We made sure that anybody who had somethingto do with the learning center would be present. We alsomade sure to screen our locally produced video about theColumbus center for her benefit."

The day Lisa arrived, she spoke with two parents, oneof the children, one of the tutors, the center's clinical andadministrative directors, Jean Coiner and Judy Coko­nougher, and Luckay representing the Valley of Colum­bus volunteers. "By the time Ms. Courtice left," saidLuckay, "she was impressed."

The board had requested $30,000 to support free tu­ition for eight children for one year "The Foundation wasable to award us $27,000," said Luckay. "I don't have theslightest doubt that thoughtful, sustained, personal con­tact makes all the difference when you're approaching agrantmaker. "

The board also has a grant application pending rightnow with United Way of Central Ohio. After a boardmember mentioned United Way as a possibility, Luckayrequested foundation research assistance from SupremeCouncil headquarters in order to learn more about hisprospect. The development staff provided Columbus withthe information needed to customize a grant request.

Once again, personal contact wasthe key. "I had a number of phoneconversations with United Way in

20 THE NORTHERN LIGHT I FEBRUARY 2005

Promoting Knowledge and Learning

terms of contact and follow-up," says Luckay. "We dideverything in person."

A grant proposal is developed in stages, and UnitedWay staff helped with the process. "Because our first draftneeded reworking, I got to meet the program officerand invited her to come to the learning center," Luckaysaid. As a result, Luckay foresees a positive outcome."It's going to be pretty significant," he remarked.

Join Commander Webberin Arizona or Florida

Sovereign Grand Commander Walter E. Webber will betraveling to Florida and Arizona between February andApril to visit members who are living or visiting in thosestates.

The Florida trip has become a tradition. This year willmark the first such trip to Arizona. His schedule includesvisits and luncheons at the following locations:

Feb. 28 - Winter Park, FL March 3 - Lake Worth, FLMarch 1 - Sarasota, FL April 3 - Scottsdale, AZMarch 2 - Naples, FL

Please call Anouska Ferragamo at Scottish Rite Chari­ties for more information. Her telephone number is800-814-1432, ext. 3326.

Cornerstone Society GrowsThe Cornerstone Society was established last year to

recognize those who have made provisions in their willsto support the charities of the Scottish Rite. Bequests havebeen the cornerstone of our substantial charitable work.Over the past year, more than 100 members have joinedthe society by simply letting us know that they have in­cluded the fraternity in their estate plans. (Members re­ceive a special memento and will be listed in an upcom­ing publication)

What about you? If you've made prOVisions to supportScottish Rite, we can add you to our Society. If you're in­terested but haven't done so, we can provide you infor­mation on how to support all our charities through be­quests Call me at 800-814-1432, ext. 3340, and I willwork with you.

A New AdditionOn Jan. 3, Randall Conrad joined the Scottish Rite

Charities staff as associate director. Randall has a long his­tory of work with museums and charities around thecountry. Over the past year he has provided grant-writ­Ing services that have helped a number of learning centers(including Columbus, OH). He is a welcome addition toour team.

01- + +

Bro. Irwin was raised tothe Sublime Degree of Mas­ter Mason on Sept. 8, 1975,in Tejon Lodge No. 104,Colorado Springs. He ispictured on a stamp re­leased by Ras Al Khaima tocommemorate his lunar ad­ventures.

Sir Thomas StamfordRaffles, administrator, eth­nologist, naturalist andwriter, was the son of a seacaptain in the West Indiestrade. A statue of him wasunveiled June 27, 1887, inSingapore, and that coun­

try pic­tured thestatue ona stampin 1955.He wasinitiatedin theLodgeVertutis

et Artis Aminci, establishedon the Pondaz-Gedeh cof­fee estate near Buitenzorg.He was passed in thislodge but was raised onJuly 5,1813, in the Lodge ofFriendship at Surabaja,Java. He received the 18° inLa Vertueuse Rose CroixChapter, in Batavia.

the elite Air Force Aero­space Research PilotSchool, joined the astronautcorps in 1960. During theApollo 15 mission, he andDavid R. Scott explored themoon from July 31 to Aug.2, 1971, in the lunar rover.

+++

wasmadeaFreema­son in1877 inApolloUniver­sityLodgeNo. 357.

He was also a charter mem­ber of Bulawayo Lodge No.2566 in Bulawayo, Rhode­sia.

While astudent atOxford,Bro.Rhodes

Robert A. Domingue is secretary forSt. Matthew's Lodge, Andover, MA, and

editor of The Philatelic Freemason.

James Benson Irwin wasborn in 1930 in Pittsburghbut later adopted ColoradoSprings as his home. He re­ceived his BS degree fromthe Naval Academy andthen graduated from theAir Force ExperimentalTest Pilot School. As a pilotinstructor he experienced adisastrous training flightaccident with many injuriesbeing sustained. Within 14months he was flying againand, after graduating from

twenties to continue his ed­ucation. After earning hisBA degree at Oxford Uni­versity, he returned toSouth Africa to become animportant figure in theBritish South Africa Co.When gold was discoveredin 1886, he bought land andfounded the AmalgamatedGold Fields of South Africa.He served in the CapeColony Parliament and wasprime minister from 1890­96. Northern and SouthernRhodesia were named forhim. When he died in 1902,he left 6 million pounds topublic service and 10 mil­lion dollars to establish andmaintain the Rhodes Schol­arship Fund.

Cecil John Rhodes, bornJuly 5,1853, in Hartford­shire, England, left gram­mar school at the age of 16to go to Natal in SouthAfrica for his health. He be-came ~..-..-.-~..-..-interestedin dia­mondminingand beganby work­ing a claimwhichproved so productive thathe amassed a fortune. Hereturned to England in his

• On Aug. 20, 2004, Brazilissued four differentstamps dedicated toFreemasonry, a very strongorganization in that coun­try. The design conceptswere suggested by Dr. Re­nato Mauro Schramm, 33°,presidentof the Ma- "'0,50

sonicStampClub ofBraziLThe finalartist wasJoao Guil­herme.The firststamp fo­cuses onthe pillarsof wis­dom, strength and beauty.The second represents theapprentice, polishing therough stone (ashlar). Thethird shows Jacob's Ladderand the fourth the square,level and plumb.

+++

Haym Salomon was amerchant and bankerknown as the "Financier ofthe Revolution" for his con­tributions to the bankruptContinental Army and tothe emerging new nation.Born in Lissa, Poland,about 1740, he came toAmerica in 1772, where hefounded a mercantile andbrokerage business in NewYork City. He was impris­oned by the British in 1776and 1778 in New York as aspy. The second time hewas condemned to deathbut escaped to the Ameri­can lines.

He opened a brokeragebusiness in Philadelphiaand accumulated a fortune,which enabled him to sup­port the war effort and thenew nation. He negotiatedall the war subsidies ob­tained from France andHolland and acted as pay­master general of theFrench forces in America.He died in 1785.

Bro. Salomon was pro­posed to be a Freemason inLodge No.2, Philadelphia,on June 21,1784. He re­ceived the first two degreeson June 23 and was raisedon Aug. 9, 1785. He washonored by the u.s. on oneof the "Contributors to theCause" stamps in 1975.

+++FEBRUARY 2005 /THE NORTHERN LIGHT 21

by Thomas W. Jackson, 33°

Preachers, Patriots & Plain Folks,Boston's Burying Ground Guideto King's Chapel, Granary and

Central Cemeteriesby Charles Chauncey Wells and Suzanne Austin Wells,

Published by Chauncey Park Press, 735 N. Grove Avenue,Oak Park, Illinois 60302 $22.95.

As one might expect, the early burying grounds in thecity of Boston contain the remains of many of the early pa­triots of the United States. As one might alsoexpect, many of these early patriotswere Freemasons.

The Masonic interest in thistext is that it relates, along withseveral other organizations, the lo­cation of the remains of Freema­sons.

The three cemeteries covered inthis book are among the oldest to befound in North America. In the Febru­ary 1999 issue of The Northern Light, Ireviewed Boston's Copp's Hill BuryingGround Guide, authored by CharlesChauncey Wells. He co-authors thisbook with his wife.

According to the authors, there arefive years invested in research in prepara-tion for this text. Included are complete al­phabeticallistings of all known burials, together withdates of death and location within the cemeteries.

It also contains a packet affixed to the rear cover con­taining a map of the three burying grounds with a plotlayout and identification of the graves of some of the morenotable personages buried there.

22 THE NORTHERN LIGHT I FEBRUARY 2005

The book, however, contains much more than the sim­ple location and identification of burial plots. It includesmany photographs of the headstones and the unique epi­thets engraved thereon, and also includes brief biogra­phies of the notable individuals buried in the cemeteries,including their Masonic history, if any.

There are explanations as to the significance of the vari­ous motifs and symbols found upon the tombstones, theirevolution over time, and why they were used. The bookspecifies locations of the various groups within the ceme­teries such as the Catholics, Quakers, Anglicans andAfrican-Americans.

It presents an historical perspective of the men buriedin these places and of their wives. It also discusses theirsignificance in early America. Brief biographical sketchesof the ladies buried there who gained prominence in theirown right are included as well.

Tfound the book to be interesting reading and informa­tive. Anyone with an interest in early burial grounds orearly American history will probably enjoy reading it.

Templars in America,From the Crusades to the New World

by Tim Wallace Murphy and Marilyn Hopkins.Published by Weiser Books, 368 Congress 5treet,

Boston, MA 02210. $17.95.

There has been a marked increase of interest in theKnights Templar in recent years as indicated by the num­ber of new books written on the subject. When I sa,,,, thetitle of this text, I assumed that it would be a rehash ofwhat has been recently written, and to an extent it is.

It does, however, present a ne'vv concept regarding thecreation of the Masonic fraternity, or at least one that I

have not seen well defined before.I found the title of this text misleading, however, for

the discussion of Templars in America is not the sig­nificant subject of this book. Very little of the book'scontent deals with the Knights Templar, and evenless so concerning their presence as a body in Amer­ica.

This does not mean that I found the contents ofthe book uninteresting. Even though much of theirproposal offered nothing new to the academicworld, it did present a fairly detailed discussionconcerning pre-Columbian visits to America.

I developed the impression that the authorswrote with a chip on their shoulders regardingthe failure of the academic world to acceptwhat they are convinced is fact: Columbus wasa relatively latecomer in the exploration of the

Western Hemisphere.It is the authors' proposition that representatives of two

"leading European Templar families," the St. Clairs ofScotland and the Zenos of Venice, set sail in 1396 on theirfirst voyage to visit America. It is also their propositionthat both the St. Clairs and the Zenos are of the Rex Deusbloodline, supposedly descended from the 24 high priestsof the Temple of Jerusalem of the time of Jesus, and

through them, from the ancient initiates of Egypt.According to the authors, the Rex Deus families used

the Knights Templar as a means to transmit their beliefs.With the suppression of this order it became necessary tochoose a new pathway. Freemasonry becomes a vital playerin this narrative when it was decided that those comprisingRex Deus would convey their principles through those out­side of their own hereditary families, with the intent of cre­ating a more heavenly-like existence on earth. Freemasonrybecomes that pathway.

Henry 5t. Clair was chosen Fisher King of Rex Deus, andthus the true heir to the throne of Jerusalem. He was alsothe appointed grand master of the craftmasons. With theassistance of the "hidden members" of the Templar order,he founded an organization from selected candidates of theoperative craft guilds to which they could convey enlight­ened ideals utilizing various branches of knowledge. Here,then, began Freemasonry.

According to the authors,it was through preserva­tion of Templar traditionsthat operative masonrywas transformed intospeculative Freemasonry.The creation of the Scot­tish Rite and the RoyalArch provided themedium that was usedto transmit the sacredand secret knowledge tothose chosen as capableof receiving it. Thus,"Freemasonry alwayshad at its heart thelong-term aim of spread­ing Rex Deus teachings and transformative influ-ence far beyond the narrow confines of the Rex Deus fami­lies."

The voyages to America of Henry St. Clair were "part ofRex Deus strategy to fOlUld a commonwealth based on tol­erance, far from the oppressive hand of Holy Mother theChurch." Through the Masonic fraternity, Rex Deus teach­ings then exerted influence upon the creation of the Ameri­can constitution.

A considerable number of pages are devoted to the de­bate on the builder of the Newport Tower in Rhode Island.The controversy concerning its age and origin is deemed tomake, "the odium theologicwn of the doctrinal disputes ofthe early Christian Church seem like squabbles in a kinder­garten." (Pretty dramatic claim.) There's also considerablediscussion regarding Rosslyn Chapel that you should findinteresting.

The last chapter, "A Modern Voyage of Discovery," ap­~ears to be an irrelevant addendum to the book and stylis­tIcally almost appears to be by different authorship. It re­lates a modern-day sailing, retracing the original route ofHenry St. Clair as proposed by the authors, and discussestheir close association to the Sinclair family.

I only wish that I could find the origin of Freemasonryto be as dramatic and as significant as the authors propose.Although I am inclined to agree with much of their propo­sItIon as It relates to pre-Columbian exploration in the NewWorld, as a reader Jfind their dogmatic declarations irritat­ing. This seems to be a modus operandi of many modern

historical writers, at least as it relates to this subject. I foundthe book to be interesting reading, and whether or not theproposals of the authors are accepted, you might also.

Academy ofMasonic Knowledge

Few Masonic leaders in North America todaywould deny that one of the greatest inadequacies ofour style of Freemasonry in modern times is the fail­ure to educate our membership, not only in the sig­nificance of our craft to the evolution of civil society,but also in its history, the purpose of its ritualism,and its potential to be an ongoing influence for whatis just and right in the world.

The result of this lack of knowledge is producinga lodge leadership devoid of tmderstanding in justhow great we were and just how great we can be.This is a failure not fOlmd in Freemasonry in the restof the world to any major extent.

The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in the year2000, at the direction of the then Right WorshipfulGrand Master, Robert L. Dluge Jr., created the Acad­emy of Masonic Knowledge to help counter that de­ficiency in our practice.

The purpose of the academy was to provide anenvironment wherein an opportunity would exist forthose members who wished to learn and to broadentheir knowledge of Freemasonry, its origins, history,and ritualistic work. It also, however, was to pas­sively stimulate and impart leadership skills in thosewho were active as well as those who had yet tolead. The ultimate goal was to have these brothersreturn to their lodges and spread this knowledgeand love of learning to others.

A major stimulating factor was through requiredreading, which is almost a lost art in today's techno­logical world. After five years, it is stIll too early todetermine the ultimate success of this program but ifwe can judge it on the degree of interest that it hasgenerated, not only in Pennsylvania but also inmany other jurisdictions in the world, it is well on itsway.

What might be most impressive is not only the in­terest that it has generated in the minds of those par­ticipating but also in the great quality and skills ofsome of our members whose quiescence over manyyears has been the result of simply never being chal­lenged to participate or being given the opportunityto do so.

My brothers, we have within our craft outstand­ing minds and great potential. It might pay us greatdividends to try to use what we have in house beforewe lose it.

-T.WJ.

THOMAS W. JACKSON, 33°, was former/V Grand secretaryfDr the Crand Lodge of pennsvlvania. He is Executive Secretary

for the WDrid CDnference of Masonic Crand LOdgesand the bODk reviewer fDrThe Northern light.

FEBRUARY 200SITHE NORTHERN LIGHT 23

Praise for OatmealAnew study shows that antioxidantsin oatmeal help keep plaque fromforming in arteries. The Jean MayerUSDA Human Nutrition ResearchCenter of Aging at Tufts Universitymade the discovery.

Soluble fiber in oats helps lower badcholesterol, reduces heart disease risk,and helps to control blood sugar.

Get a New BottleWhen you refill an empty plasticwater or juice bottle, you could beserving up some dangerous bacteriafor yourself. It's easy for bottles to be­come contaminated. Since most bot­tles never fully dry out, every timeyou refill the bottle you contaminatethe new water inside.

A study by Case Western ReserveUniversity also shows that the moreoften you refill a plastic bottle, themore likely it is that toxic chemicalsfrom within the plastic will leach outinto the water.

Preserving MemoryThough the role of vitamins in pre­serving memory is unclear, re­searchers know that vitamins 8-12, fo­late, and 8-6, are crucial for normalbrain function.

A recent report in Neuropsychologyshows that healthy people with a ge­netic predisposition to Alzheimer'sdisease do better on memory tests ifthey have adequate levels of vitaminB-12 than if they have low levels. Thefinding suggests that nutritional andgenetic factors interact in cognitivefunction.

24 THE NORTHERN LIGHT / FEBRUARY 2005

UYou need more choleserol. The oatbran level in your body is too high."

Boosting ImmunityYou know that exercise strengthensyour heart, tones your muscles, andhelps you maintain an ideal weight,among its other benefits.

New research at Acadia Universityin Nova Scotia shows that people wholift weights for 30 minutes three timesa week have significantly strongerimmune systems than a group thatdidn't lift weights.

Brush Right,Guard Your TeethDentists say people are brushing toohard. Using the wrong technique or astiff toothbrush can cause gum reces­sion leading to periodontal disease.

The American Dental Associationrecommends a soft or extra-soft tooth­brush. Even the softest one, however,causes damage when people brushtoo aggressively or too long.

Coated AspirinLess EffectiveMany people take a daily aspirin toreduce their risk for heart disease, butsome aren't getting the benefit. Itcould be because they are takingcoated aspirin, \vhich is absorbed at alower rate, says Dublin's Royal Col­lege of Surgeons.

Nuts, Fiber, andCholesterolResearchers at the University ofToronto find that a fiber-rich vegetar­ian diet lowers cholesterol almost asmuch as taking a statin. This diet con­sists of foods that lower cholesterolsuch as oats, barley, soy protein, andalmonds. Add a type of margarinethat has cholesterol-lowering com­pounds.

In their study, the cholesterol-lower­ing drug lovastatin reduced choles­terol by 31 percent. The diet reducedcholesterol by 29 percent.

Fighting ExhaustionIf you often feel fatigued, it could betime to head for the treadmill. Re­searchers at the University of Oslo inNorway asked some 6,000 womenabout their exercise habits and howoften they felt tired.

When they followed up 15 monthslater, they found that study subjectswho had exercised at least 20 minutesonce a week were, on average, 30 per­cent less likely to feel fatigued.

A little exercise goes a long way to­ward building strength and beatingexhaustion.

Introducing the Web Store

Brothers visiting the Northern Ma­sonic Jurisdiction's website(www.supremecouncil.org) duringthe last few months have probably no­ticed a new addition. The "ScottishRite Web Store" is now up and "run­ning.

While it may be hard to find planetickets or grea t deals on frozen foodsthere, it is easy to find a wide array ofaccessories for Scottish Rite Masonsand their ladies.

An early version of the web storemade its debut in the late fall and willundergo continual improvement as itis fashioned to provide easy onlineshopping.

A new item that you will find onyour next visit to the store is American

Freemasons: Three Centuries of BuildingCom/1/unities. The new book is writtenby Mark A. Tabbert, 32°, curator ofMasonic and fraternal collections atthe National Heritage Museum.

The book will appear in book storesin May, but you can pre-order yourcopy, and maybe one for your homelodge, by visiting the web store. Pro­ceeds from the sale of this book sup­port the programs of the NationalHeritage Museum.

The web store was created to giveour members access to high-qualityitems with the Scottish Rite logo em­broidered or emblazoned on them.

A benefit of using the web store isthat the profits from the sale of theseitems go to the benevolent fund to fur-

ther support the Scottish Rite Chari­ties.

"We'll be spending the next coupleof months reviewing the operation ofthe store and updating the look andfeel to make sure that we're servingthe members and the charities withthe best site possible," said DavidOlmstead, 32°, public relations andmarketing manager for SupremeCouncil. "Our goal is to offer a widearray of products that can be used forvolunteer recognition in the Valleysand for members to purchase and usewith pride, knowing that they are pro­moting their fraternity on a dailybasis."

Finding the online store is easy andquick. Simply go to

www.supremecouncil.org,

click on the store's button on thelower left corner of the front page andyou are there.

If you have suggestions for the webstore you can e-mail them to:dolmstead@supremecouncil.org.

Your $8.6 Million Christmas GiftIt might seem hard to believe,

but it's true - your MBNA Scot­tish Rite credit card purchases,along with those of your fellowbrethren, have generated mil­lions of dollars for your charitiessince the program's inception in1994.

While it was decided to changeour affinity card program bankassociation at the end of 2004,that doesn't detract from the factthat the tank of gas, the dinner atthe club, and those Christmaspresents have all added up to aconsiderable amount financial sup­port for your Masonic Charities.

"We are very excited about this newopportunity to expand this incrediblysuccessful program and provide re­wards back to our membership," saidCommander Webber.

The new and improved credit cardprogram with our new bank associate,U.s. Bank, will now also feature aVisa® Rewards Card, which will pro­vide members with unique opportuni­ties to earn points toward merchan­dise or an additional donation to theScottish Rite Charities.

u.s. Bancorp is the 10th largest fi­nancial services holding company inthe world, the 7th largest financialservices holding company in the U.S.,and is listed in the New York StockExchange as USB.

The start-up of this program in­cludes an advance on future royaltiesof the program from US. Bank to yourScottish Rite Charities. After eachmember signs up, receives approval,and activates his new U.s. Bank/Scot­tish Rite credit card, US. Bank willgive Scottish Rite Charities an instantcash payment.

Additionally, every time youuse your new US. Bank ScottishRite credit card, U.S. Bank will do­nate a percentage of what youspend to the Scottish Ri te Chari­ties.

If you have a Scottish RiteMBNA credit card, U.s. Bank hasmade it very easy for you to be­come a part of this spectacularnew program by providing no in­terest on purchases and balancetransfers along with no balancetransfer fees for six months.

You'll receive all these benefits,plus enjoy no annual fee. What rea­sons could you have to not open anaccount today?

If you currently have an MBNAcredit card, please note that effectiveJanuary 1, 2005, your Scottish RiteCharities no longer receive any roy­alty payments from your purchases.

To continue your on-going supportof the Scottish Rite, switch to the newU.s. Bank Visa Card today'

Watch for more exciting details ar­riving soon at:

www.supremecouncil.org

The creditor aud issuer of tile Scottish Rite Visa Rewards Card is U.S. Balik National Association NO.

FEBRUARY 200SITHE NORTHERN LIGHT 25

The Futureof Masonry

What is to be the future ofFreemasonry? With increasing fre­quency this question is being asked inMasonic gatherings.

Save in a few instances the spirit inwhich it is asked is not radical, muchless revolutionary. Nevertheless, it)searnest, insistent, and profoundly sig­nificant.

It does not mean that men are losingor have lost faith in Masonry, but thatthey are beginning to realize its latentpower and its hitherto unguessedpossibilities as an instrument for so­cial service and the betterment ofhumanity.

i'l like the classics."

• VIEWS,,1

~V!G~. , ,11(;I " '!

, /! . ~\~ ," \ - "FROM THE PAST

There are those who regret the spiritof restlessness which more and moreprevails in the Fraternity in respect toits future. Surely that is shortsighted­ness.

What we should rather deplore isan attitude of settled self-satisfactionand smug complacency with things asthey are.

Everything advances, improves,broadens, and Masonry must keepstep with the march of mankind, orstep aside.

An institution that does not, willnot, or cannot adapt itself to the con­ditions and demands of the new andchanged time in which we live, isdoomed.

Today thousands of men, especiallyyoung men, are asking of Masonry thevery same question which was askedof them when they knocked at thedoor: Whence came you and whatcame you here to do?

They are not irreverent. They arenot radical iconoclasts. But they knowthat the demand of this age is for effi­ciency, and they are eager to have apart in making Masonry effective inthe fulfillment of the great purpose forwhich it exists.

Between those who will let nothingalone and those who will allow noth­ing to be improved, there is a middlepath of cautious progress and devel­opment.

John Bright held it to be the study ofa ,vise statesman to "make the pastglide easily and safely into the future,without loss"; with which agrees thewisdom of Burke that the useful manis he who has "the disposition to con­serve and the ability to improve."

For, if "\le do not conserve what wehave "\le cannot improve it, or applyit. Nor can we really conserve it with­out constantly improving and apply­ing it.

But we must have not only the wishbut also the knowledge and ability toimprove, else I;\le shall lose what wehave in blunderingly trying to getwhat "ve want.

Therefore, if our young men are toserve Masonry and make it effectivefor its high end, they must be taughtwhat Masonry is, whence it came,what it brought to us from the past,and what it is trying to do in this tan­gled and turbulent world.

So, and only so, can they wiselyconserve its holy and historic traditionand apply its spirit and teachings tothe problems of the present.

- Joseph Fori Newtoll, The Builder,May 1915, Allamosa, IA

I QUALITY MEMBERSHIP IThe pillars of King Solomon's Temple are an important

part of our ritual and to Masons and non-Masons alike, avisible symbol of Freemasonry.

They also suggest a crucial criterion by which to assessthe quality of our Masonic membership. For members areof two types - the pillars and the caterpillars. The pillarsare visible, stable and dependable; the caterpillars arehardly seen, and simply crawl in every now and then.

True, even the caterpillars have their value as statistics.But the only way for Masonry to be an effective movementis to have pillar members.

Declining members have motivated many of us to adoptthe personal goal of "Make a member." It is an essential

26 fHE NOR] HERN LleJHT I I EBRUARY 200:;

goal if our craft is to be, as our mission statement puts it soimpressively, "an organization of excellence for all worthymen."

But there is a second goal that applies to the members wealready have: the goal of "Make a member a better mem­ber."

To make Masonic membership work, we have to workharder at it. In a word, it means making the conscious deci­sion to be pillars, and allowing the craft to know we arethere and can be counted upon.

- Raymond Apple, The New South WalesFreemasol1, October 1993

Living the Tenets ofOur Profession

Are we true to OUf profession asMasons? In answering this question Iam sorry to admit that we are far fromit.

How often it happens that pettyjealousies and bitter heart-burningsarise among Masons, and that broth­ers, feeling thus, vent their spleenwithout regard to the welfare 0; the

This Is Our Age

Whatever words may be usedby the historian to describe thisperiod of history, to the Mason itmust be accepted as "Our Age."

With aU of the perplexities andproblems, with all the turmoil andsordid conditions, it is the time welive in.

Our age is a responsibility thatwe dare not evade. We can foldOUf arms in despair, remain alooffrom all that we do not like abouttoday's picture, or we can resolveto apply our best thinking to thesituation and discharge our obli­gations as Masons have done incenturies past.

We must never let conditionsobscure the truth, that the samestrength of character, the same de­termination which contributed tothe solutions of vexing problemsof other periods in history, mustbe used today with no thought offinding an easy out.

This is not the time for slogans,for the use of ridicule, or fortirades against fate.

It is a time for Masons to dowhat they are trained andequipped to do - to think, to actand to pray.

It is a time for Masons to sepa­rate fact from falsehood; truthfrom propaganda, and to workovertime for all that will result inan America made strong by thespiritual and moral resources ofthe individual.

- Dewey H. Wollsteill,Califomin Freemason,

April-]II"e, 1971

order or the lodge, which they thusdisgrace by producing discord andconfusion in the lodge. One or theother - and often both - may andoften do lapse into a state of profoundindifference towards the whole order,and perhaps withdraw from it en­tirely, thereby becoming mere dronesin the Masonic hive and therefore use­less members of the society and to­tally unworthy of our protections asMasons.

Such feelings are wrong and unbe­coming a Mason, and they are directlyat variance with the principles we allprofess.

Therefore, in withdrawing from thelodge when they can no longer live inpeace and harmony with the officersand members thereof, such members,perhaps, manifest a greater degree ofpropriety in so doing than the lodgedid discretion in first admitting themmembers of the institution.

For, since a body of worthy menmingling together in perfect peaceand harmony, week after week andmonth after month, for the accom­plishment of certain laudable ends,can but result in engendering a spiritof brotherly love and friendship.

This we are taught is a cement thatWl.ites men i.nto one common bond orsociety of friends and brothers amongwhom no contention should everexist, but that noble contention orrather emulation of who best canwork and best agree. It is, therefore,our bounden duty as Masons never todeviate from the minutest principlethereof - ever bearing in remem­brance the tenets of our profession,which teach brotherly love, relief, andtruth, and those truly Masonic virtueswhich admonish us to observe silenceand circumspection.

If brethren were actuated, as theyshould be, by such a spirit, thenpeace, prosperity and happinesswould await them in the future, andwe might in truth and soberness saywith propriety, "Behold how goodand how pleasant it is for brethren todwell together in unity."

- A.J. Sawyer, M.D.,Tile Miclligal1 Freelllasol1, 1870

Never confuse movement with action.- Ernest Hemingway

A great marriage is not when the per­fect couple comes together. It is whenan imperfect couple learns to enjoydifferences.

- Dave Meurer

Careers, like rockets, don't alwaystake off on schedule. The key is tokeep working the engines.

- Gary Sillese

Everyone is wise when the mischief isdone.

- Spanish proverb

A gossip is one who talks to you aboutothers. A bore is one who talks to youabout himself. A brilliant conversa­tionalist is one who talks to you aboutyourself.

- Lisa Kirk

Temptations, unlike opportlmities,will always give you a second chance.

- O. A. Battista

You can't depend on your eyes whenyour imagination is out of focus.

- Mark Twain

An ego trip is something that nevergets you anywhere.

- Suzan L. Wiener

Out of clutter, find simplicity. Fromdiscord, find harmony. In the middleof difficulty lies opportunity.

- Albert Einstein

People judge you by your actions, notyour intentions. You may have aheart of gold, but so has a hard-boiledegg.

-Anon.

Life is what happens while you'rebusy making other plans.

- JolIn Lennon

The first step to getting things youwant out of life is to decide what youwant.

- Ben Steil1

rlBRL't\R~ lUll, JIll "()RTlI~R'"UGH! 27

Writing Your FamilyHistoryWith available software and the Inter­net, it is easier than ever to dig upyour roots for a family history. Use ofwebsites and e-mail can speed up theprocess. For a printed history,familytreemaker.com is good, accord­ing to the Family History Library inSalt Lake City. The software availablefrom geneology.com also offers manyvarieties of family trees. Advice fromexperts includes:

Set aside plenty of time. You'llspend several hours doing it.

• Find stories, not just facts. Checkwith every relative you know to findwhat they have to share.

• Don't be too precise. Names ofpeople and cities change, or may bespelled somewhat differently.

Know the history of the areawhere ancestors came from. A citymay be in a different country fromwhen they lived there.

• Start now. Think of what a treas­Ufe it would be if your great-great­grandfather had written about his life,family, and grandparents. That type ofgift is what you can give to your owngreat-great-grandchildren or nieces ornephews.

28 THE NORTHERN LIGHT I FEBRUARY 2005

Keyless LocksHere's one way to reduce the wad ofkeys in your pocket.lnstall a keylessentry system at your place.

They are convenient for front doof,back door, and garage door. The key­pad by the door is also a plus for par­ents whose kids forget, or lose theirkeys.

The systems are actually more se­cure than a standard deadbolt saysJames Dulley in his column, "SensibleHome." When you press the LOCKbutton, the deadbolt alwt1ys fully ex­tends. If a thief destroys the keypad,the deadbolt remains in place.

Kid's AsthmaDon't tear out the carpeting, buy a hu­midifier, or get rid of the dog. First,get an allergy test to discover what ac­tually triggers your child's asthma.

A new study by the University ofMichigan shows that only half of alldrastic steps parents take are effective.In the case of a humidifier, buying onecould actually make things worse ifthe child has an allergy for mold.

Doctors at the Atlanta Allergy andAsthma Clinics say skin testing isneeded to determine the allergens. Ifthe child isn't allergic to dust mites,for example, throwing out the carpetwon't do any good.

Buying an electronic air purifier tosuck up dust and dander can be awaste of money if the child is allergicto plant pollen and mold, say the doc­tors.

"My folks are away and I have theship. What do you say we go out and

do some crop circles?"

Sports for Kids withGlassesThese are the numbers, according tothe Vision Service Plan:

25 percent of children who partic­ipate in team sports wear glasses orcontact lenses.

54 percent of children say theyenjoyed sports more after they beganto wear corrective lenses.

90 percent of parents with chil­dren \·vith corrective lenses think thattheir child'" pprformancp improvPdafter getting glasses or contact lenses.

Don't Forget YourChangeLast year, passengers left a total of$303,970 in loose change at airportmetal detectors. The U.s. Treasurygets the money.

Los Angeles International Airport,the nation's fourth-busiest, raked inthe most $16,857, says the Transporta­tion Security Administration.

Next time you forget your change,just consider it a donation to the na­tional debt, say the editors of Bl/sill£'SS

Week.

On-the-Job InjuriesWhether it's a part-time or full-timejob, teenagers are twice as likely asadults to get hurt on the job. A work­ing teen can be eager but is inexperi­enced in the areas of work, life, andsafety. Each year, more than 70,000working teenagers are seen in emer­gency rooms because of injuries, ac­cording to the National Institute forOccupational Safety. The cause is un­clear. It could be a combination of im­maturity, lack of training, or a sense ofinvincibility.

Parents should impress upon teensthat there are dangers in every kind ofwork, so being careful is important.

Low on Vitamin C1According to the American JOtimnl ofPublic Henltll, nearly 20 percent of mendon't get enough vitamin C.

It's an important nutrient found inoranges, berries, bell peppers, broc­coli, and leafy green vegetables.

More than Just Boo){s ...Van Gorden-Williams Libmry at th(~ National 1I(~ritage Museum

Extensive Serials Collection at VGW Library

sure a permanent record. The concen­tra tion is on American Freemasonrybut abu include::> publit:atiun:s frumaround the world. We have decadesof issues of the Cabletow from thePhilippines and Elel/sis from Ger­many. Australia, New Zealand,France, Israel. Brazil, and GreatBritain are well represented on theshelves of the library's serials stacks.

Two prominent Masons - Ill. Bros.john H. Van Gorden, 33°, and LouisL. Williams, 33° - played a vital role

.:::::::::_ in the growth of the library.Both were Active Members ofthe Supreme Council and for­mer members of the museum li­brary board. The library wasnamed in their honor.

Van Gorden wrote severalbooks, including Biblical Cliarnctersill Freemasonry, AI/dellt alld EarlyMedieval Characters ill Freemasonry,Medieval Historical Cliarncters illFreemasonry, and Modem HistoricalCharacters ill Freemasol1ry, which areavailable in the library.

Ill. Bro. Williams brought his ex-pertise on the subject of rare Masonicpublications to the project, thus assur­ing that the Library would have anappropriate research collection of thehighest order.

Whether for research, for enlighten­ment or casual enjoyment, Masonicpublications fill a variety of needs fortheir reader.

Our online library catalog atvgw.library.net can be lIsed to deter­mine what serials are available.

The items in the collection do notcirculate, but the library staff is happyto assist researchers in locating the in­formation they seek.

Assistance is provided in person,by telephone (781-457-4109), mail(Van Gorden-Williams Library, 33Marrett Road, Lexington, MA 02420­5703) or e-mail (Iibrary@monh.org).Photocopy and fax service is provid-ed when appropriate. The Library isopen Mon - Sat 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Some are printed profeSSionally.Many are the product of desktoppublishing. Several organizationsoffer issues electronically on a web­site or bye-mail subscription, therebysaving the cost of mailing.

The serials collection also containsgeneral periodicals that shed light onAmerican life and thought on topicsas diverse as politics, commerce, andarchitecture. Anti-Masonic literahueis included in the well-rounded col­lection. Fraternal publications are alsoincluded in the library's holdingsfrom organizations such as the East­ern Star, Prince Hall Freemasonry,Modern Woodmen of America, andthe Shriners. In the collection are spe­cial interest publications such as thePili/atelic FreemaSOll and YOl/r HospitalVisitor.

At the Van Gorden-Williams Li­brary our collection is meant to en-

New Age.From the Valleys come numerous

ScolLish Rile newslellers.Each month more than 200 serials

issues of various types are received inthe library. Included are publicationsthat support the mission of the muse­um and library.

Increasingly, bulletins and newslet­ters arrive in a variety of formats.

Much of the story of Freemasonrycan be gleaned from Masonic serials.They tell an ongoing story weekly,monthly, quarterly, or perhaps annu­ally. And each periodical has its ownstyle and personality.

By definition, serials are publica­tions issued on a regular and continu­ing basis. Through them, a reader canenjoy tracing the threads of an idea orthe evolu tion of an organization.

The Van Gorden-Williams Libraryat the National Heritage Museumpreserves and provides access to seri­als from the 18th century to the pres­ent. This broad and varied collec­tion contains items of historicalimportance.

More than 1,600 titles are repre­sented in the library's serials collec­tion. Most of these are Masonic. Someare beautifully illustrated, some con­tain thought-provoking ideas, someexpand knowledge of Masonry, somefeature words of wisdom, and someentertain with cartoons. Many containsocial news of local figures, projectsand events.

There are scholarly publicationssuch as Heredolll, AI'S Quntuor Coro­llati, and works issued by several Ma­sonic research societies. Regularly is­sued volumes such as theproceedings of various bodies arealso part of the collection and serve asinvaluable reference tools.

The 19th century represents a gold­en era in Masonic publishing. TheAmerican Freemason, the Voice of Ma­sOllry and Family Magazille, and theFreemasoll's Magazille are enhanced bythe charm of attractive bindings, lushpaper quality, elaborate typefaces,and an eanlest formality that inspiresrespect.

Much of the modern magazine-for­matted material is regional. Many ti­tles have been published for decades.From the NMj Supreme Councilcomes The Northem Light and fromthe Southern jurisdiction, the ScottishRite jOl/mal, and its predecessor, Tile

FEBRUARY 200S/THE NORTHERN LIGHT 29

The Book Shelf

On the Lighter Side

• Why do "slow down" and"slow up" mean the samethin ?g.

• Always remember that you areunique, just like everyone else.

Over the years, many membershave written books on 000­

Masonic topics. We occasionally.provide listings and summaries ofthese books that might be ofinterest to our readers.

Tile Book ofMysteries of the Heavells alldtile Eartil, edited by E. A. WallaceBudge. Distributed by Red WheelWeiser and Conari Press, 368 Con­gress SI., Boston, MA 02110. $18.95.

E. A. Wallace Budge translated thisbook from its original Ethiopian forthe first time in 1935. According tolegend it was revealed in the 15th cen­tury by the archangel Gabriel. It pur­ports to layout angelic hierarchy, pro­vide an interpretation of SI. John'srevelation, and discusses the godhead,the trinity, and the birth of Enoch.Reprinted in 2004, the new edition in­cludes a forward by R. A. Gilbert, ex­plaining the evolution of Christianityand religious literature in Ethiopia.

Presidential PasSllges, by Rev. Kenneth V.Kettlewell, 33° Published by FairwayPress, PO Box 4503 Lima, OH45802-4503.

Stories of the many Bibles used dur­ing presidential inaugurations aretraced and researched, from the begin­nings of our nation, until today. Eachchapter focuses on a particular presi-

I'M COLLE.CTIN'BALLOONS

FE.R TH' LODGE.CHARITY BALL.

..

30 THE NORTHERN LIGHT I FEBRUARY 2005

dent, describing how the Bibles wereused and how they were chosen forthat historical role. In many casesthey have been family heirlooms.Others were gifts to the president forthat particular purpose and somewere borrowed for the occasion. In afew cases the Bible was opened to aspecific passage, while in others it re­mained closed.

Chapters cover the inaugurationBibles from George Washington toGeorge W. Bush.

COl/llt Michael Maier: Life mId Writings,by J. B. Craven. Distributed by RedWheel Weiser and Conari Press, 368Congress St., Boston, MA 02110.$16.95.

This book provides an introductionto the works of COUllt Michael Maier,one of the giants of the Alchemical Re­naissance of the early 17th century.The author, Rev.]. B. Craven, has usedhis access to the writings of Maier totrace his career as a physician, his as­sociations with Dr. Robert Fludd, SirWilliam Paddy, and Sir Thomas Smith,as well as his pursuit of alchemy as ascience and as a metaphor for spiritualattainment.

The book was originally publishedin 1914. This 2003 edition contains anew forward by R. A. Gilbert, whichdetails the life and writings of]. B.Craven.

• If you buy a TV set, how comeyou only get one?

• Sometimes I wake up grumpy.Other times I let him sleep_

• Why do tugboats push theirbarges?

• The more I meet people, themore I like my dog.

• Gravity gets me down.

• How come Phonics isn'tspelled the way it sOUllds?

• Despite the cost of living, itremains popular.

• If everythiing is comiJlg yourway, you're in the wrong lane.

• How come people sing "TakeMe Out to the Ball Game"when they are already there?

• Why do "wise men" and"wise guy" mean differentthings?

• You can't have everything.Where would you put it?

• Change is inevitable, exceptfrom a vending machine.

By WAllY MillER

Footnotes*

!Dston's Ball ar s&Arenas

* Published. University Pressof New England has just publisheda new book wri tten by Alan E.Foulds, assistant editor of TheNorthern Light. The project has beenin the works for several years priorto his arrival at the Supreme Coun­cil.

Bostoll's Ballparks & Arenas pro­vides a history of sports in Bostontold through its parks and arenas.We are pleased to see Alan's exten­sive research on the subject come tofruition. The book combines his in­terests in both history and sports.

He highlights "nine wonders ofthe Boston sports world" but alsoincludes many sites that have longsince been forgotten.

For further information about thebook, visit the publishers' websiteat: www.upne.com.

*M . .asonlC mUSlC. There havebeen many Masonic composersover the years, and Nigel Potts hascombined their talents with his ex­pertise at the organ to produce animpressive CD of Masonic organmusic, "So Mote It Be!" The selec­tions were transcribed from theScottish Rite Cathedral within theDetroit Masonic Temple. Nigel is aprofessional organist living in Bay

Shore, NY. The recording was re­leased by JAV Recordings of Brook­lyn.

W. Jean Randall, 32°, organist forthe Valley of Detroit, was instru­mental in making the arrange­ments. A copy of the CD can be ob­tained for $18 (including s&h) fromthe Valley of Detroit, 500 TempleAve., Detroit, MJ 48201. Proceedsbenefit the Detroit learning center.

*Honoring SR leaders.DeMolay International has an­nounced a spring membership pro­gram that encourages DeMolaychapters to honor the Scottish Rite.All new initiates into DeMolaychapters will be included in a"Scottish Rite Membership Class"honoring Sovereign Grand Com­manders Walter E. Webber andRonald A. Seale. Dates of the class­es are from Jan. 15 to June 1. Allsponsors of candidates will receivea "thank you" letter from the Com­manders.

* Abbott Scholarships.The Supreme Council Benevolenceand Development Committee hasmade several changes to the AbbottScholarship program. The mone­tary awards will now be madepayable to the individual recipientinstead of the college or university.This will allow the student to usethe award to purchase books.

A minimum grant of $1,000 hasbeen established for each academicyear.

The application form has been re­vised and is available on theSupreme Council website. Appli­cants can now download the formand complete it on their computer.Valleys are encouraged to down­load the form and have copiesavailable for those students re­questingit.

Eligibility has been extended toinclude graduates from our learn­ing centers.

*DC exhibit. The Octagon,the museum of the American Ar­chitectural Foundation, is organiz­ing an original exhibition focusingspecifically on the significant con­tributions of Freemasons to the de­sign and architecture of Washing­ton, DC. The museum is preparingthe exhibit in collaboration with theGrand Lodge of the District of Co­lumbia and artist Peter Waddell.

Featuring 20 original paintingsby Waddell, complemented byoriginal Masonic artifacts, the exhi­bition will tell the story of the city'sdesign from a new perspective andshed light on the Masonic connec­tions of many historic buildings inthe nation's capital. The intentionof the exhibition is to demystify therole that Freemasons have playedin the nation's architectural historyand to provide a different view­point of various historic events.

Waddell, well known for hiswork as a history painter, has creat­ed several series of paintings thathave served as the foundation forpopular exhibitions at the Octagon.He has worked closely with agroup of Masons to identify topicsfor the paintings.

The exhibition will open on May18 and remain on view throughDec. 31. Educational programmingis planned to accompany the exhi­bition, including walking tours ofarea lodges and Masonic buildings,musical performances, lectures andworkshops. The Octagon is locatedat 1799 New York Ave. NW, a fewblocks from the White House.

RICHARD H. CURTIS, 33'

Editor

FEBRUARY 2005/THE NORTHERN LIGHT 31