tnl-february2011

Vol. 42 No. 1 FEBRUARY 2011

FAVORITESFROMTHECOLLECTION

page 4

2 February 2011 / The Northern Light

CONTRIBUTORS

Other Contributors:Richard B. Burgess, 33°, is a member of the Valley of Boston and the Assistant to the Sovereign Grand Commander. JeffCroteau,manager of library and archives at the Van Gorden-Williams Library.Robert A. Domingue is historian for St.Matthew’s Lodge, Andover,MA, and editor of The Philatelic Freemason.Richard P. Lavoie, 32°, is a member of the Valley ofBoston and a Past State (MA) Master Councilor for DeMolay.Leigh E. Morris, 33°,works in corporate communications for amajor utility company. He is a member of the Valleys of Milwaukee and Springfield, IL.Aimee E. Newell, PhD, is the directorof collections at the National Heritage Museum, located at Supreme Council headquarters in Lexington,MA.

FEATURED ARTICLES

EDITORAlan E. Foulds, 32°

GRAPHIC DESIGNER PRODUCTION ASSISTANTBeth E.McSweeney Sonja B. Faiola

MEDIA ADVISORY COMMITTEERichard V.Travis, 33°, chairman Donald G.Duquette, 33°William Fox Jr., 33° Douglas N. Kaylor, 33°Eric Ginette, 33° Donald M.Moran, 33°

SUPREMECOUNCIL, 33°Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A.

SOVEREIGN GRAND COMMANDERJohnWm.McNaughton, 33°

THENORTHERNLIGHT (ISSN 1088-4416) is published quarterlyin February,May,August, and November by the Supreme Council, 33°,Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite,NorthernMasonic Jurisdiction,U.S.A.,as the official publication.Printed in U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid atBoston,MA, and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER:Send address changes toTheNorthern Light,POBox519, Lexington,MA 02420-0519.

Copyright © 2011 by Trustees of the Supreme Council of the AncientAccepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Ju-risdiction, U.S.A.

Mailing Address:POBox 519,Lexington,MA 02420-0519

Editorial Office:33 Marrett Road (Route 2A), Lexington,MA 02421

781-862-4410 • Fax: 781-863-1833email: [email protected]

Internet:www.ScottishRiteOnline.org

Volume 42, Number One

In This Issue

3141517

1819202122242526272829

3031

Curator’s Choice:Favorites from the CollectionBy Aimee E. Newell, PhD

A Concept for the FutureBy Harold L. Aldrich, 33°

Prince HallMasonry and the ManBy Jeffrey Croteau

Recognizing the Members:Scottish Rite Medal forMasonic ServiceBy Richard B. Burgess, 33°

8

10

4

16

Message from theSovereign Grand Commander

Children’s Dyslexia Centers

Two Questions

Ill. Robert J. Moore, 33°

Notes from theScottish Rite Journal

Brothers on the Net

Scottish Rite Charities

The Stamp Act

Book Nook

HealthWise

DeMolay: Making Good Men for Masons

Views from the Past

Quotables

Today’s Family

More Than Just Books

Readers RespondMasonicMoments

Et cetera, et cetera, etc.

The magazine for Scottish Rite Masons of AmericaSM

Harold L. Aldrich, 33°,is the Grand Minister ofState and an Active Mem-ber from New York.

Steven R. Pekock, 32°,director of development forthe Supreme Council, 33°,AASR, NMJ, USA.

Thomas W. Jackson,33°,was formerly GrandSecretary for the GrandLodge of Pennsylvania. Heis Executive Secretary forthe World Conference ofMasonic Grand Lodges.

Catherine C. Swansonis the archivist at the VanGorden-Williams Library.

The Northern Light / February 2011 3

John Wm. McNaughton, 33º

The Fermi ParadoxThe Fermi Paradox has been described in

the scientific community as the contradictionbetween high estimates of the probability of theexistence of extraterrestrial beings and the lackof evidence for, or contact with, these beings.

The age of the universe and its vast numberof stars certainly suggest that if the earth is atypical planet, extraterrestrial life should bequite common. In 1950, the physicist EnricoFermi questioned why, if such advancedcivilizations exist within just the Milky Waygalaxy, evidence such as spacecraft or probesare not seen.

Since 1984, the mission of the SETI (searchfor extraterrestrial intelligence) Institute is toexplore, understand and explain the origin,nature and prevalence of life in the universe.

One possible method to resolve the FermiParadox would be for an organization such asthe SETI Institute to find evidence of theexistence of extraterrestrial life. However, todate, no such efforts have proven successful.

The great silence remains.

Is there a Masonic Paradox? And would it bedefined as the contradiction between the beliefin the existence of what was once a greatfraternity, and the lack of proof of its existencein the 21st century?

The age of the fraternity and its largenumber of members suggest that Freemasonrywas once a place of great fellowship, joy, andenlightenment. However, today it is betterdescribed as a place where the perfection ofritual is stressed, behavior control of itsmembers (for their own good, of course) isemphasized, and the advancement of charitiesthat benefit the secular world is the norm andfew of its members ever attend.

Some day, our Masonic leaders will realizethat they alone can advance the renaissance ofour craft by stressing the importance offraternity and the vows we all took at the altarof Freemasonry. At the same time, they mustunderstand that the recitation of perfect ritual

and maintenance of the sacred landmarks arenot our core values and will never attract newmembers. Throughout the ages, good menhave petitioned the Masonic fraternity and willcontinue to join our craft because they seevalue in belonging to a great organizationwhere they benefit from these important lifelongfriendships.

While there is yet time, as author Jim Collinssuggests in Built to Last, the Masonic fraternitymust eliminate our misalignments: those thatdrive our members away from the core ideologyof our craft and those that impede progresstoward the envisioned future.

The Masonic Paradox, as we understand it,must be resolved soon. In Ecclesiastes 3, weread that there is a season for everything. Thetime for Masonic renaissance must start today.We need to recognize that the “season” haschanged.

In days gone by it was important for ourcraft – as well as religious organizations – tosee to the physical well being of its members,in addition to its core purpose of promotingfraternity. In today’s complex society,governmental agencies seem to be wellfocused on meeting those material needs, butrarely their emotional needs. Many religiousdenominations also have directed their energiestoward temporal problems and issues.

The craft, rather than continuing itsconcentration on the perceived needs of thepast, must do a better job of meeting theneeds of its members in the 21st century.

As a preeminent fraternity, Scottish RiteFreemasonry must concentrate on two areas.First, we must care about each other, andsecondly, we must meet the emotional needs ofour members. If we are able to understand thisvision, the Masonic Paradox will finally besolved.

Sovereign Grand Commander

the Scottish Rite MasonicMuseum and Library, we

are always thinking about our collection ofobjects.Whether planning new exhibitions;building walls and cases for them; acquiring newobjects for the collection; or planning programsthat will relate to the collection, all museum andlibrary staff members work with our collection.By working with the objects day after day, wedevelop favorites – an object that calls out to usfor one reason or another.This is the inspiration for our newest

exhibition, “Curators’ Choice: Favorites from theCollection,” which opened on October 9 and willbe on view until spring 2012. Eighteen currentand former staff members selected the more than120 objects on view and wrote their own labelsexplaining why each object is a personal favorite.Several staff members were drawn to the

inherent beauty or incredible craftsmanship ofcertain objects. A bowl by famed glassmakerLouis C.Tiffany (1848-1933), which wasdonated to the Museum in 1977 by Dorothy A.and Albert H. Richardson, provoked formerRegistrar Jill Aszling to wonder “how did they dothat?” As she explains, she has been “luckyenough to see demonstrations of glass-making,but [is] still amazed at the skill and artistryinvolved.”Another object that shows skillful

craftsmanship is one of my choices – an earlyNew England quilt, from the 1810s or early1820s, that includes a Masonic handkerchiefwhich was carefully stitched to its center.Whilemany people think that a quilt is defined by itsblocks, this quilt represents an earlier style thatcould be put together quickly by an experiencedquilter to keep its owners warm on cold winternights.

The second section of the exhibition offersa “window into the past,” using the

artifacts on view to help draw parallels, orshow differences, between our lives and thoseof our ancestors. Public Programs CoordinatorPolly Kienle selected the “Keep WithinCompass” teapot in this section, in part,because she wondered what kind of teatimediscussions the vessel might have triggered.Although the compass is a central Masonicsymbol, the teapot’s manufacturer may have usedit because its meaning of self-control was familiarbeyond the fraternity.One of the most unusual items in the museum’s

collection is also part of this section – the


Curators’ Choice:FAVORITES FROM THE COLLECTION

By AIMEE E. NEWELL, PhD

Hamilton’sFirst Meetingwith GeorgeWashington,1856, Alonzo

Chappel (1828-87),Brooklyn, NY,

Gift ofMr. and Mrs.

Richard Manney.Photo by

John M. Miller.

At


Bucking Billy Goat made by Greenville, IL,manufacturers DeMoulin Brothers and Companyin the early 1900s. If you have ever taken abehind-the-scenes tour of our storage vaults,chances are you, too, were intrigued by thisobject.We know that it once belonged to an OddFellows lodge in New Kensington, PA.With itsoff-center wheel hubs, the goat gave a bumpy rideto those who rode it – part of a bondingexperience for new initiates.

Our visitors are often curious about how wedecide what to collect.With over 17,000

objects and our library and archives collections,including 60,000 books, 1,600 serials and 2,000cubic feet of archival materials, we take theresponsibility of managing our collection veryseriously. Space, time and money are always finite,and we manage our collection with this in mind.Yet, our collection forms the foundation for themuseum’s programs, exhibitions and activities.Weinterpret the collection in order to educate ouraudiences and to preserve and provide access tothe objects so that American Freemasonry andfraternalism can continue to be studied,understood, and interpreted for generations tocome in the context of American history. To helpus do the best job possible, we rely on our

planning documents, written by trained staff andapproved by the museum’s board, our collectionspolicy and our collections plan.The Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and

Library seeks to be the “historical society forAmerican Freemasonry.”We place a priority oncollecting and preserving objects that help todraw connections between Freemasonry andfraternalism and broader American culture. Justas millions of Americans have integratedFreemasonry and fraternalism into their lives, themuseum’s collection allows us to infuse Americanhistory with the importance of fraternal activityand what it has meant – and still means – tomembers.

We do actively collect, in order to improveour collection and to preserve the past.We

are able to add items to our collection throughgifts and purchases.While we will consider anyand all objects associated with American historyas gifts, we limit our purchases to those objectsthat are either associated with AmericanFreemasonry or fraternalism, or those itemsassociated with the April 19, 1775, Battle ofLexington, MA.Regardless of whether a prospective acquisition

is a gift or a purchase, the museum’s Collections

Fraternal Group, ca. 1915, George D. Elson (1874-1949), Maynard, MA, Museum Purchase. Photo by David Bohl.


Committee assesses it according to specificcriteria. These include: its condition; itsprovenance and history; whether or not itduplicates our existing holdings, and how it fitsinto our identified strengths and weaknesses inthe collection. Although we might like to, wesimply cannot accept every artifact that we areoffered.We, therefore, have a set of guidelinesthat is time-tested and helps us make gooddecisions.The results of some of these decisions are on

view in another section of the Curators’ Choiceexhibition. The objects shown here quickly roseto the top when we were considering theiracquisition, and they also made staff say, “Wehave to include that in the exhibit.” Sometimesthese are objects that are extraordinary orone-of-a-kind. Sometimes the object is morerun-of-the-mill, but is the best example to showhow something worked or why it was valued.One of the extraordinary objects in this section

is Alonzo Chappel’s (1828-87) painting ofAlexander Hamilton’s first meeting with GeorgeWashington. Painted in 1856, the image wasreproduced as an illustration in John FrederickSchroeder’s Life and Times of Washington, whichwas published in 1857. Hilary Anderson Stelling,the museum’s director of exhibitions and audiencedevelopment, chose the painting for theexhibition because she thinks “the painting is agreat example of how, in the 1800s, historypainters tried to put viewers right into importantpast events, to help them imagine, with a dash ofromance or drama, what it was like for theparticipants and witnesses.”

One of the everyday objects in this section isthe October 22, 1765, contract selected by

Archivist Catherine Swanson. On first glance thehandwritten document appointing Hugh Cole(1706-85) as attorney to assist in recoveringmoney due to Edward Hoard will strike manyviewers as unremarkable. But once we learn alittle more about the context of the document, itbecomes a valuable example of how legal matterswere handled prior to the American Revolution.The Stamp Act took effect on November 1, 1765in the British colonies, and, after this, every legalcontract had to be printed on special paperbearing a revenue stamp showing the correct taxhad been paid. This contract has a more personalfeel since it was signed prior to the Stamp Act.

Swanson explains that she likes “the beautifulcalligraphy and flowery language that thecolonists used in legal documents like this one.”

Not every object in our collection isstraight-forward; often we collect things

that are a little bit strange. The Curators’ Choiceexhibition includes a section devoted to theseunusual things. For example, I included a recentacquisition (a photograph of a fraternal group,probably a Moose lodge from Maynard, MA)showing the members dressed in costume for aritual. A quick glance may suggest a theatertroupe or a costume party, but careful study showsthat the men are wearing distinctivemoose-shaped pendants. A second object in thissection was selected by Collections ManagerMaureen Harper. She picked one of our TallCedars of Lebanon pyramid hats because itreminds her of her father and his pride in hiscommunity service.While all of the objects in the exhibition

represent some part of the past, some haveparticularly fascinating connections to historicalevents and people. They bring the past to life. Forexample, the handwritten oath of office fromabout 1640, chosen by Archivist CatherineSwanson, is signed by such well-known men asMiles Standish (ca. 1584-1656),WilliamBrewster (1566-1644) and William Bradford

Quilt with Masonic Handkerchief, ca. 1817, probably New England,Special Projects Fund, Supreme Council, 33°, AASR, NMJ, USA.Photo by David Bohl.


(1590-1657). Looking at this document cantransport us back to the time of the Pilgrims,putting us into their shoes.

The last section in the exhibition highlightsobjects that were chosen because of their

sentimental associations. This is a fitting end tothe exhibition since most of the museum staffwere drawn to their jobs out of a personal love forobjects and their stories. Objects in this sectionwere selected for the memories they evoke withinthe staff – of their childhood or even of their firstfew months on the job. For example, photographsof the museum being built in 1974 and 1975bring back good memories for MaintenanceManager Gerard Marchese who has worked atthe museum since it opened. “It’s interesting tosee how the place was constructed,”Marcheseexplains. “The boiler and chillers for the heatingsystem were lowered into the foundation beforethe rest of the building was built – they were toobig to bring in afterwards. Now we have smallerones, installed 35 years later. They fit rightthrough the door.”Collections Manager Maureen Harper selected

the large composite photographic portrait of theofficers of Connecticut’s St. James Lodge No. 23that appears in this section. “It is so over-the-topamazing,”Harper says. “It speaks to an era longgone. I just wonder what these men’s everydaylives were like.” Former Registrar Jill Aszling isparticularly attached to the Taylor Tot stroller in

the collection. Acquired in 2005, Aszlingremembers gasping at the sight, since it wasvirtually identical to one that her family ownedwhen she was a child. A family photograph ofAszling’s brother in the Taylor Tot accompaniesthe label she wrote.

We hope that everyone who visits theexhibition will experience some of the

same connections to the objects on view that thestaff does.Whether it’s a reminder of a childhoodhobby, a shiver down the spine thinking about aparticular event in history, or even just adouble-take to say, “What is that?,” the museumstaff take pleasure in sharing our collection,forging the connections between all of us. If youwon’t be able to visit the museum in person, youcan see many of the objects that will be on viewon our website. Select the “online collection”option from our homepage atNationalHeritageMuseum.org or the MasonicHistory Resources page and search for somethingspecific or browse all of the entries available.

If you have questions, or want to discuss thedonation of an object for our collection, please contactAimee E. Newell, PhD, director of collections, [email protected] or 781-457-4144.

Taylor Tot Stroller,1952, Frank F. TaylorCompany, Cincinnati,OH, Gift of Mrs. JohnWilley. Photo byDavid Bohl.

A long-held myth hinted that riding a goatwas part of the Masonic initiation.

Bucking Billy Goat, 1900-25, DeMoulin Brothersand Company, Greenville, IL, Museum Purchase.Photo by David Bohl.

ON THE COVER

NL


A Concept for the Future

MMaakkiinngg VVaalllleeyy OOffffiicceerrSSttrruuccttuurreess MMoorree CCoonnvveenniieenntt

By HAROLD L. ALDRICH, 33°

For the past several years the NorthernMasonic Jurisdiction has seen the creation of

a new, three-key-word concept to instillenthusiasm and direction for Scottish Rite -Inspiration, Convenience and Enjoyment, orsimply I.C.E. The Supreme Council has alsohighlighted Scottish Rite’s core values: alwayspresent in our Masonic teachings and now clearlyidentified.The State of the Rite and Strategic Planning

Committee was tasked by Grand CommanderMcNaughton to develop ways to bring“Convenience” to the Rite at every level from theindividual, to the Valley, to Supreme Council.Throughout the jurisdiction members of this

committee have conducted focus groups andrequested feedback on ways to make Valleyoperations more convenient. One continuingtheme in all the responses was to: “Provide thetools that will allow local Valleys flexibility intheir organizational system and officersrequirements.”To accomplish this, the Strategic Planning

Committee proposed amendments to theSupreme Council Constitutions, and they wereunanimously approved by the Active Membershipduring the 2010 Supreme Council ExecutiveSessions in Philadelphia in August. Thesechanges will allow individual Valleys, with theapproval of the State Deputy, flexibility andoptions in developing their officers’ requirementsand organizational structures.

Just what are these changes?

Most importantly, only the presiding officer ofa subordinate body, as well as the Secretary andTreasurer must be elected. All other officers shallbe elected or appointed as provided for in therules and regulations or bylaws governing thatbody. Also, no one shall be elected as a presidingofficer who has not previously served as anappointive or elective officer of a body of theRite. This requirement, however, may be waivedby the state Deputy.There were also several wording changes

regarding vacancies in elective line offices.As a result of these changes, and with the

approval of the Deputy for the state, individualValleys may structure their officer lines so thatthere are fewer elected, advancing officers in abody and additional appointed officer positionsthat are non-advancing. Additionally, a Brother


who has served as anelected or appointedofficer of a subordinatebody becomes eligible forelection as a presidingofficer of any body ofwhich he is a memberand meets all theconstitutional requirements.

Any changes will requireamendments to Valley rules and

regulations or bylaws which must alsobe approved by the Deputy for the state andreviewed by the Supreme Council Committee onConstitutions, Laws and Jurisprudence.

Another “Convenience” project being tested inone state is the “satellite lodge” model.

Specifically the model focuses and builds uponthree definitions of the word “convenient:”• To be near at hand to meet busy schedules andtime constraints.

• To come together regularly through bothphysical as well as non-physical (media driven)site locations.

• To be suitable to personal comfort so as toproduce inspiration, enjoyment and high levelsof personal satisfaction.Under this model the parent Valley will

establish a Scottish Rite presence in Masoniclodges within its area of influence. The ScottishRite presence is not a chartered body itself andmay or may not be an official club. Under the

test model this presence willhave the ability - with thesupport of the parentValley - to conferLodge of Perfectionand CouncilPrinces ofJerusalem degrees.Chapter of RoseCroix andConsistory degreeswill be conferred at

the parent Valley.The Scottish Rite

presence in a lodge setting will

conduct Scottish Rite meetings; promotefraternalism and inspirational programs, events,degree work and other activities that produceenjoyment and high levels of membersatisfaction. Because these meetings areconducted in the lodge setting, it is hoped thatScottish Rite members will become moresupportive of lodge activities and more frequentattendees at regular lodge communications.The parent Valley has created a Valley Support

Group to provide committed, long-termleadership and administrative guidance as well asprogram and financial support for the ScottishRite lodge presence.An organizational modification that has been

implemented in another Scottish Rite Valleyrequires that the top two officers of each Body

serve for a term of two years. These officers aremembers of the Valley Executive Committee thatconducts the administrative work of the Valley.They may, but are not required, to do the ritualparts of their office. The opportunities provided by these

constitutional changes and optionalorganizational structures are numerous. They arelimited only by the creative talents of themembers of our Scottish Rite Valleys. TheStrategic Planning Committee is here to assist inany way possible to enhance and advance the“Convenience” of Scottish Rite in Valleys of theNorthern Masonic Jurisdiction.

For more detailed information on these orother “Convenience” options contact The State ofthe Rite and Strategic Planning Committee,Supreme Council headquarters, P.O. Box 519,Lexington, MA 02420.

NL


Who was Prince Hall and why did hestart his own Masonic organization?

leading citizen in Boston’seighteenth-century black

community, Prince Hall (1738-1807)was an abolitionist who petitioned theMassachusetts legislature to end slaveryand a Methodist who campaigned forschools to educate theAfrican-American children of Boston.Hall was a leather dresser by trade who,in 1777, supplied drumheads to theRegiment of Artillery. Drawn toFreemasonry’s values and opportunities,Hall, a former slave, tried to joinBoston’s Masonic lodges in the early1770s, but was denied membership.

African-American men’s participationin Freemasonry is generally traced back tothe March 6, 1775 initiation of Prince Halland fourteen other black men in Lodge No. 441, aBritish military lodge attached to the 38th Regiment ofFoot. A year later, the military lodge that had initiatedHall was leaving Boston, but before they left, the lodgegranted Prince Hall and his Brethren authority to meetas a lodge, bury their dead, and march in processions forSt. John’s Day. However, they were not given authorityto confer degrees or perform any other “work.” Withthis authority granted to them, Prince Hall and hisBrethren organized as African Lodge No. 1, on July 3,1775, with Hall as Master.

In order to become a fully functioning lodge thatcould confer degrees, African Lodge No. 1, needed to bechartered. Unable to obtain a charter from a GrandLodge in the United States, they appealed to the GrandLodge of England and were granted a charter on Sept.29, 1784, as African Lodge No. 459. It wasn’t until laterthat those lodges and Grand Lodges that descendedfrom African Lodge No. 459, chose to give theirfraternity Hall’s name to distinguish it from the

predominantly white “mainstream” lodges that generallyexcluded blacks throughout the 19th and part of the20th century.

Researching Prince Hall’s Biography

ythology and inaccuracy have dogged historiansinterested in learning more about Prince Hall.

Finding reliable biographical information is challenging.This is mostly complicated by the fact that WilliamGrimshaw's 1903 book Official History of FreemasonryAmong the Colored People in North America contains anumber of factual errors (and some material thatappears to have been purely invented), but was used as adefinitive source for many years, spreading theinaccuracies about Hall’s life much further beyondGrimshaw’s book. The Phylaxis Society, “aninternational organization of Prince Hall Freemasonsdedicated to studying the life of Prince Hall andresearching the history of Prince Hall Freemasonry,” has

PRINCE HALLMASONRY AND THE MAN

By JEFFREY CROTEAU

Cornerstone Laying of Prince Hall Masonic Temple, 1930. James Van Der Zee (1886-1983) New York, NY.

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done an excellent job researching and reporting the factsof Prince Hall's life, while at the same time refuting themany errors found in Grimshaw's book. Their ongoingresearch into Prince Hall's biography is called theGrimshaw Offensive and is published both on theirwebsite and in their magazine, The Phylaxis.

Because so few historical records related to Hall’s lifeexist, putting together his biography remainschallenging. Further complicating this is the popularityof his name; during Hall’s lifetime, at least six mennamed Prince Hall lived in Massachusetts, with three ofthem in the Boston area. In addition to Grimshaw’searlier fabrications, other researchers have sometimesincorrectly attributed biographical details to theMasonic Prince Hall based on records that referred tothe other Prince Halls living during the same period.

Bro. Hall was born in 1738. He was an enslavedperson, the servant of William Hall, who eventuallyfreed him in 1770, writing “he is no longer to bereckoned a slave, but has always been accounted as afreeman by us.” As early as 1777, Hall and othermembers of his lodge demonstrated their anti-slaveryposition when a petition against slavery, signed byPrince Hall and seven other black men, was sent to theMassachusetts General Court (legislature). This wasfollowed by another petition against slave trade andkidnapping that was delivered to the Massachusettslegislature in 1788, signed by Hall.

In 1797, Hall organized two more lodges – AfricanLodge No. 459, in Philadelphia, and Hiram Lodge No.3, in Providence, RI, both of which worked under theBoston charter. Hall’s own lodge, African Lodge No.459, in Boston, saw membership grow modestly overthe 23 years that Hall served as Master. This is partiallybecause Hall and his Brethren were fairly selective inwho they admitted. One researcher has remarked that“compared to all of black Boston, the African Lodgeaccommodated a significant share of comparativelyaffluent African-Americans.” The exclusivity ofmembership in African Lodge No. 459, mirrors that ofother Masonic lodges in colonial America which drewprimarily from the socially elite.

Hall died on Dec. 4, 1807, and is buried in Copp’sHill Burying Ground, one of the sites on Boston’sFreedom Trail.

Who Are Prince Hall Masons?

n most, but not all, states in the United States,they are officially recognized as your Brothers. Ten

mainstream Grand Lodges still do not recognize their

Prince Hall counterparts: Louisiana, Arkansas,Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, SouthCarolina, Florida, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Theorganizational structure of Prince Hall Freemasonrymirrors that of its predominantly white counterparts,and includes the Scottish Rite, York Rite, Order ofEastern Star, Shriners, and most other appendantgroups. Although white men are welcome to join PrinceHall lodges (and some do), the membership of thesehistorically black lodges is almost entirely comprised ofAfrican-American men drawn to the fraternity’s richhistory, which is as old as the United States itself.

Is Prince Hall Masonry different from your ownlocal lodge? As Alton G. Roundtree and Paul M. Besselwrite in their book Out of the Shadows: The Emergence ofPrince Hall Freemasonry in America: Over 225 years ofEndurance, “Prince Hall Freemasonry is not a specialtype of Freemasonry. It uses the same Masonicsuppliers, has similar rituals, adheres to the samephilosophy, acknowledges the same landmarks, andperforms the same Masonic work.” In short, Prince HallFreemasonry descends from the same source – theGrand Lodge of England – as most American lodges,and a visitor from a mainstream lodge would not find aPrince Hall lodge much different from his own.

The Question of Recognition

hroughout most of its history, Prince HallFreemasonry was considered clandestine or

irregular by its mainstream equivalents in the UnitedStates. It is interesting to recall, as Roundtree andBessel do in Out of the Shadows, that

From 1784 to 1813, African Lodge No. 459,was not a Prince Hall Lodge. It was a regularlodge that had not been accepted bypredominantly white American Lodges. Sincethey came from the same source [i.e. GrandLodge of England] and had the sameauthorization, African Lodge, No. 459, did notseek recognition from other American GrandLodges since there was no need to. However,African Lodge might have been seeking socialacceptance. There is no indication that AfricanLodge considered itself to be anything otherthan a regular lodge until its Declaration ofIndependence in 1827.

To many Masons, both Prince Hall and “mainstream,”perhaps the thorniest and most emotional issuesurrounding Prince Hall Freemasonry is that ofrecognition. As recently as 1988, no mainstream GrandLodges recognized their Prince Hall counterparts, untilthe Grand Lodge of Connecticut voted to recognize its

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Prince Hall counterpart in October 1989. Today, 41 outof 51 of mainstream U.S. Grand Lodges have adoptedresolutions stating that Prince Hall Masonry is“regular.” Further complicating this situation is the factthat some Prince Hall Grand Lodges feel that thereshould never have been any question of their legitimacyand do not feel that they need a stamp of approval frommainstream Grand Lodges. Despite these challenges,mutual recognition has been achieved throughout mostof the United States.

Earlier Attempts at Recognition – William H. Upton

uring the 19th century, some mainstream Masonscalled for the recognition of Prince Hall bodies.

One of the most interesting cases involved the GrandLodge of Washington (State).

In 1898, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge ofWashington, William H. Upton, urged his GrandLodge to recognize Prince Hall lodges, defined as thosethat could trace their origins to African Lodge No. 459.Upton did considerable research before reaching hisdecision. His report, “A Critical Examination ofObjections to the Legitimacy of the Masonry ExistingAmong the Negroes of America” was first published asa 137-page appendix to the 1898 Grand Lodge ofWashington Proceedings. The Grand Lodge of

Washington, under Upton’s leadership, passed fourresolutions, one of them stating, in part:

“This Grand Lodge deems it to the best interestof Masonry to declare that if regular Masons ofAfrican descent desire to establish, within theState of Washington, Lodges confined whollyor chiefly to brethren of their race, and shallestablish such Lodges strictly in accordancewith the Landmarks of Masonry, and inaccordance with Masonic Law as heretoforeinterpreted by Masonic tribunals of their ownrace, and if such Lodges shall in due time see fitin like manner to erect a Grand Lodge for thebetter administration of their affairs, this GrandLodge having more regard for the good ofMasonry than for any mere technicality, will notregard the establishment of Lodges or GrandLodge as an invasion of its jurisdiction, but asevincing a disposition to conform to its ownideas as to the best interests of the Craft underpeculiar circumstances; and will ever extend toour colored brethren its sincere sympathy inevery effort to promote the welfare of the Craftor inculcate the pure principles of our Art.”

Despite Upton’s attempts to put brotherhood above“technicalities,” (Upton was likely alluding to theargument against Prince Hall recognition which claimsthat “exclusive territorial jurisdiction” prohibits twoGrand Lodges within a state), his progressive stancecame at great cost. The reaction of the other GrandLodges in the United States was swift and clear: all ofthem severed fraternal relations with the Grand Lodgeof Washington. Finding this situation untenable, theGrand Lodge of Washington rescinded its invitationand implicit recognition of Prince Hall lodges.

Upton continued to make the case for the legitimacyof Prince Hall Freemasonry until the end of his life andasked that no monument, beyond a simple headstone,be placed on his grave until “such a time as the GrandLodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington, orsome other Masonic Grand Lodge now recognized byit, shall unite with some organization of those Masonscommonly known as Negro Masons.” In 1990, nearly acentury after Upton’s attempts, the Grand Lodge ofWashington voted to recognize their Prince Hallcounterparts. Nearly 400 Masons, both black and white,marched together to Upton’s grave to dedicate amonument decorated with Masonic symbols.

Prince Hall Scottish Rite Freemasonry in theNorthern Masonic Jurisdiction

n 1944, Sovereign Grand Commander Melvin M.Johnson, 33°, and five other Scottish Rite

Portrait of William H. Upton, Grand Master of the Grand Lodgeof Washington from 1898-99. From Proceedings of the Grand

Lodge of Washington 1907.

D

I


luminaries met with Sumner A. Furniss, M.D.,Sovereign Grand Commander of the United SupremeCouncil, 33°, Northern Jurisdiction (Prince HallAffiliation) and four members of his Supreme Councilin New York City. Johnson described their meeting asan “adventure in mutual understanding for the commongood.”The two Supreme Councils issued a jointstatement that declared, among other things, that “theexigencies of the racial situation in this country arechiefly responsible for the organic separation of whiteand colored Masons” and that Masonic bodies “whichare legally descended from African Lodge No. 459 . . .have a legitimate Masonic tradition.” The statementconcluded, however, that “these informal and unofficialexpressions are made in full appreciation of thedifficulties of the problems necessarily involved as wellas with full recognition that the final responsibility restsupon the Grand Lodges of Symbolic Freemasonry.”

Two years later, in 1946, Commander Johnson waspart of a committee of Past Grand Masters of theGrand Lodge of Massachusetts appointed to“investigate the subject of Negro Freemasonry.” EchoingWilliam Upton and perhaps drawing on Johnson’straining as a lawyer, the committee bluntly concludedthat

Other super-technical claims of the irregularityof Prince Hall Freemasonry have been made,none of which is sufficiently important from alegalistic viewpoint to require comment. Thereal opposition to Negro Freemasonry is rathersocial than legal.

Their report was accepted and the recommendationswere unanimously voted by the Grand Lodge. This stepforward was short lived. In 1949, the Grand Lodge ofMassachusetts rescinded the approved report, citing“disharmony in American Freemasonry” as a result oftheir report.

Despite these official decisions, the SupremeCouncil, 33°, N.M.J. and the United Supreme Council,33°, N.J. (P.H.A.) remained on friendly terms. Masonichistorian Arturo de Hoyos has noted that in themid-to-late 1940s “a relationship was established [i.e.between the two Supreme Councils] which resulted in acooperative revision of the Prince Hall rituals” from the4° to 32°. These ritual revisions to Prince Hall ScottishRite rituals were done with the full cooperation of theSupreme Council, 33°, N.M.J.

In January 1995, then-Sovereign Grand CommanderRobert O. Ralston and then-Sovereign GrandCommander Samuel Brogdon Jr. of the UnitedSupreme Council, 33°, N.J. met at the Scottish Rite

Masonic Museum & Library and agreed in principle topresent a resolution recognizing the legitimacy of thetwo Supreme Councils. Official mutual recognitionfollowed later that year, with each Supreme Councilagreeing that it would “retain its sovereignty and remainautonomous within its respective jurisdiction.” Since1996, the Sovereign Grand Commanders of these twoSupreme Councils have attended each other’s annualmeetings as distinguished guests.

Prince Hall Memorial on Cambridge Common

oday, Prince Hall is honored in Cambridge, MA,as a Freemason, a civil rights leader, and a

“Founding Father.” On May 15, 2010, Freemasons fromas far away as Florida and Michigan gathered onhistoric Cambridge Common to attend the unveiling ofthe Prince Hall Memorial. The memorial stands only afew feet away from a monument honoring anotherimportant American Freemason – George Washington.The Cambridge City Council established a Prince HallMemorial Committee in September 2005. Over thenext five years an artist was selected and funds wereraised to have the memorial erected.

In a September 2005 resolution, the Cambridge CityCouncil stated that Prince Hall “is primarily known asthe first Black man made a Mason in America” and alsocited that Hall had established a school organized byblack citizens for black children; and petitioned to endslavery and the slave trade. For these and other efforts,the City Council unanimously voted “to honor PrinceHall and his contribution to the city of Cambridge,MA, and the country” by erecting a memorial. NL

Portrait of Dr.Sumner A. Furniss,

33°, from The WinterBulletin (Official

Organ of the UnitedSupreme Council),

Feb. 1, 1946.

Sumner served asSovereign GrandCommander ofUnited SupremeCouncil, AASR,

Prince HallAffiliation, NorthernJurisdiction from

1921-49.

T


Children’sDyslexiaCenters, Inc.

A Scottish Rite Charity

his year many of our children’s learning centerswill take on a new name. The official title “The32° Masonic Learning Centers for Children, Inc.”

has proven cumbersome and less than descriptive. A callfor a review of nomenclature which centered on variousaspects of the name, and on how it could be simplifiedwithout losing its identity or continuity, was taken up bya select committee, and their recommendations wereadopted by the Supreme Council.

Following a thorough examination, the name and logocommittee, consisting of Ill. Brothers Eric Ginette, PeterSamiec, and James Elliott, determined that three distinctissues were involved. First, the corporate name is “longand unwieldy and not easily incorporated into everydaycommunication, signage, or a line on a check.” Thesecond issue is that it contains no identification as towhat the children are learning at the center. Finally, thecurrent name suggests, in the words of the committee,that “only Masons’ children are involved.”

Ideas were solicited as to the elements necessary in anew name. Their research showed that many centersdesire a regional identification as part of the name, whilea significant group felt it important to identify a majorbenefactor. Nearly every opinion solicited expressed adesire for the formal name to be descriptive of theservices that the centers offer.

Building on work performed previously by Bro. StevenPekock, 32°, director of development, the committeeconducted “a prolonged and sometimes lively exchange ofideas” with people at the centers and came to severalconclusions.

To satisfy the need to identify regionally, centers maynow add their host city or town to the name, resulting ina title such as the “Smithburg Children’s DyslexiaCenter.” A major donor’s name could be substituted so itwould read “John B. Doe Children’s Dyslexia Center.”

A qualifying line might be appropriate, spelling outthe major supporter. In that case it would read,“Jonesville Children’s Dyslexia Center, A Scottish RiteCharity.”

It is hoped that, since 15 to 20 percent of allAmericans suffer to a greater or lesser degree from theeffects of dyslexia, its incorporation into the name mayhelp those that wish to support the efforts of the ScottishRite to know the mission of the centers.

It’s Now the Children’s Dyslexia CenterNew name chosen for our learning centers charity

Akron, OHAllentown, PABangor, MEBay City, MIBloomsburg, PABurlington, NJCambridge, OHCanton, OHCentral NYChicago, ILCincinnati, OHCleveland, OHColumbus, OHDanville, ILDayton, OHDetroit, MIEau Claire, WIEvansville, INFort Wayne, INFreeport, ILGreater Boston, MAHarrisburg, PAHasbrouck Heights, NJIndianapolis, INLancaster, PALexington, MAMadison, WI

Milwaukee, WIMoline, ILNashua, NHNew Castle, PANorthfield, NJNorwood, OHPeoria, ILPhiladelphia, PAPittsburgh, PAPortland, MEProvidence, RIReading, PARochester, NYScotch Plains, NJSeacoast, NHSouth Bend, INSouthern IllinoisSpringfield, ILState College, PASteubenville, OHTenafly, NJToledo, OHWaterbury, CTWest MichiganWorcester, MAYoungstown, OH

CHILDREN’S DYSLEXIA CENTERS


Upon first entering a lodge – not yet clothed withthe title “Entered Apprentice” and still knownonly as “the candidate” – an individual is posed

two fundamental questions that will define the rest of hisMasonic journey. Indeed, the answers will determine inlarge part if the journey is to continue at all. The firstquestion: “In whom do you place your trust?” Above allelse, upon whom or what do you rely? What do you knowfor sure, are you willing to bet your life on, are you willingto take a beating for? In the final analysis, this questionseeks to know upon what the candidate relies as ultimatetruth, that upon which his life is grounded.

The second question, closely related to the first:”Whatdo you desire?” In the vernacular: What are you doinghere? What are you looking for? What do you hope tofind? Even though prompted by a faithful Brother, thereturned answer is always the same – wisdom, truth,knowledge, metaphorically identified as Light. And thushaving answered, the candidate, now a Brother, begins hisMasonic journey. For many of us who have spent alifetime in Masonry, the night we answered thosequestions so long ago is but a distant memory. For others,a more recent event is inscribed upon their memories.

More importantly, perhaps, is when each of us lastanswered those same inquiries, so essential to maintainingour character and status of a Mason.

Have our life experiences or our Masonic experiences,both positive and negative, altered our perception and ouranswers to those inquiries? I sometimes wonder if thecraft and each individual would better be served toperiodically return to the lodge, dressed in the garb of the

candidate, and again hear the questions propounded andbe called upon to respond. In whom do you place yourtrust now? What do you most desire now? How has yourexperience in Masonry – be it a few days or many years –affected the inquiry and the answer?

In the truest sense, the wisest among us always remainand retain with honor the status of “candidate.” We

should forever be learning, growing, and discerning newtruths and applying them against our life’s experiences aswe progress in Masonry. Only in that way will ourmembership in lodge or appendant-bodies remain fresh,vital, and challenging. Only when we believe we havecompleted the initiatory experience, have arrived, and are“in,” do the twin dangers of sloth and self-sufficiencypresent themselves. When did we last consider ourselvesas “the candidate”?

May you continue to grow as a Mason, forever be acandidate, and always know in whom you place your trust.And knowing, may you find what you most desire.

– Reprinted courtesy of the Scottish Rite Journal

uestionsBy S.G.C. RONALD A. SEALE, 33°

The Children’s Dyslexia Centers is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3)charitable organization.

It costs $5,000 to tutor one child for one year. Typically, childrenrequire an average of two years of tutoring. Your tax-exemptcontribution can be designated to support a specific children’sdyslexia center or a dyslexia center where theneed is greatest.

For information about making a donation,please call the development office at88 0000--881144--11 443322 eexxtt .. 3333 2266.. Or send a check directly, payable to:

Children’s Dyslexia Centers, Inc.

33 Marrett Road

Lexington, MA 02421

Support a Child at a Dyslexia Center Near You

Only when we believe we have

completed the initiatory experience,

have arrived, and are “in,” do

the twin dangers of sloth and

self-sufficiency present themselves.

NL


Recognizing the MembersSCOTTISH RITE MEDAL FOR MASONIC SERVICEBy RICHARD B. BURGESS, 33°

“Why, I could get one of those!” I wonder howoften we, as Masons, have been at a ceremonywhen one of our Brother Masons is called up toreceive an award from a Grand Lodge, a symboliclodge or from one of the appendant bodies.Sitting there, sharing in the excitement of themoment, how many of us, with just a touch ofenvy, have thought to ourselves, “Good ForBrother Hiram, but I really have worked harderfor the fraternity than he has.When will it be myturn?” Certainly, as Masons we are quick to turnsuch unwelcome thoughts out of our minds andconcentrate rather on sharing the joy of thecurrent recipient’s moment of recognition.Large organizations know full well the value of

a reward system. If an organization such asFreemasonry only concentrates on making awardsto its leaders rather than to its members then it iscondemning itself to a bleak and endangeredfuture.Sovereign Grand Commander McNaughton

has realized that leadership without membershipis the death knell for an organization. Since hismandate began back in 2004, he has initiated newawards which have helped to stimulate theinterest, service and dedication of many of ourBrothers. The Sovereign Grand Commander’sAward for Distinguished Service as well the VanRensselaer Membership Award have beenpresented to several outstanding Scottish RiteBrothers in the past few years. Most recently,Grand Commander McNaughton created a newaward for Masonic service which he haspresented to 17 Masons as of this writing.The Scottish Rite Medal for Masonic Service

is unlike other medals and awards presented toworthy Brothers for exemplary service to theScottish Rite or to the country or community.The Medal for Masonic Service may be awarded

to a Brother Mason who fully embodies thetenets of the Masonic fraternity even if he is not amember of the Scottish Rite.Instead of the usual process by which an award

is decided upon and presented, nominationsemanate from the local level and are based on therecommendations of three of the Brother’s peers.

Scottish RiteMedal for Masonic Service

RECIPIENTS

Wilmer L. Snow July 2010 Decatur, IL

Robert J. Di Pasquale July 2010 Wallingford, CT

William C. Graam August 2010 Indianapolis, IN

Louis J. Raymond Jr. August 2010 Salem, OH

William J. Anderson September 2010 Lincoln Park, NJ

William J. Berenbroick September 2010 Lincoln Park, NJ

Ira S. Epstein September 2010 Lincoln Park, NJ

Wayne P. Cadwell November 2010 Indianapolis, IN

John K. March November 2010 Reading, PA

I. Newton Evans Jr. November 2010 Reading, PA

Lynn G. Brandt November 2010 Reading, PA

Joseph J. Hagan Sr. November 2010 Reading, PA

Benjamin J. Castellamare December 2010 Lincoln Park, NJ

Joseph Leal December 2010 Lincoln Park, NJ

John C. Gray December 2010 Indianapolis, IN

Daniel J. Mays December 2010 Glen Rock, PA

Charles R. Austin December 2010 Salem, MA


State Deputies, Active Members andActive Emeritus Members alongwith Valley Secretaries areencouraged to recommend worthyBrothers in their respectivelocalities. Application forms areavailable through the office ofthe Sovereign GrandCommander or the Valleys.Once the local Brothers

have decided upon a worthycandidate, a form is filledout supported by threerecommendations. Theform is then sent to theGrand Commander’soffice for approval. Themedal is ordered, engravedand shipped directly to the

Valley Secretary who willmake arrangements for itspresentation. The SovereignGrand Commander does not

usually take part in the presentationof this award but endorses it mostenthusiastically, firmly believing that ifleadership ignores membership anddoes nothing to stimulate a sense ofappreciation of worth, then theindividual will quickly lose interest inthe organization.Whether it comes in self awareness or

in the intrinsic form of a medal, such feelingscan only result in good works for our ScottishRite.

Ill. Robert Jaques Moore, 33°1916 - 2010

Bro. Moore was an Active Member of the Supreme Council,having been elected to that position in 1977. He attainedActive Emeritus status in 1991.

He was a graduate of Wabash College and was presidentand owner of a commercial real estate brokerage anddevelopment company. He is survived by two children, twograndchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Ill. Bro. Moore was raised a Master Mason in Mystic TieLodge, No. 398, in 1955.

For more information on the life ofIll. Robert Jaques Moore, 33˚, visit ScottishRiteOnline.org.

The Scottish RiteMedal forMasonic Service

“. . . unlike other medals and awards

presented to worthy Brothers.”

NL

18  February 2011 /  The Northern Light

N O T E S F R O M T H E

Rebuilding the Temple Campaign: $97 Million Goal!

The House of the Temple celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2015. Leading up to this landmark year, the Supreme Council and the

House of the Temple’s Historic Preservation Foundation, Inc., plan to raise $97 million to restore the building and expand upon its ability to serve as an education center. This will be the Supreme Council’s biggest project since the House of the Temple was constructed.

Following this Campaign, and the needed restoration work, the House of the Temple will serve as a center for education, historic preservation, events, and tourism for fellow Masons and all Americans. Similar to the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, the House of the Temple will be a national landmark. —Earl Ihle, 33°, Grand Cross, and Matt Szramoski, 33°, Development Office;

[email protected]

During the Supreme Council’s 1909 session, a resolution was passed to en-large or extend the existing House of the Temple in Washington, DC, or to erect a new one. SGC James D. Rich-ardson was given “full power to do any and all things necessary and proper in

connection herewith . . .” In January 1910, he sent invitations to many re-nowned American architects and asked them to send drawings and designs for a new Temple to house the Supreme Council. Although no design idea had been established by Richardson or the

Council, none of the submit-ted designs resonated with them. Some of the architects were invited to submit new ideas for the building, but again, all were rejected.

In a later submission by architect John Russell Pope, Richardson saw a design that met his vision of a majestic edifice to be the symbol of the Scot-tish Rite Mother Council of the World. Pope’s vision for the new Temple was based on one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient

World, the Tomb of Mausolus at Halicarnassus, Turkey.

Bro. Richardson’s dedication to this endeavor is best illustrated by his own words:

I would prefer to be criticized for building a Temple, considered by some, too fine and costly, rather than for a cheap or mediocre build-ing, surrounded as it will be, by the beautiful structures of our Capital. Better not build at all, than only half way build, while we are en-gaged in the laudable enterprise.

The new House of the Temple was completed in October 1915. It is un-fortunate Richardson passed away on July 24, 1914, before he could see his vision fully completed. The honor of conducting the dedication ceremony and officially opening the House of the Temple went to the new Grand Commander, George F. Moore.

—Jeri E. Walker, Development Office

Rebuilding the templedescRiptive budget

Structural Rehabilitation $24 million

Accessibility and Safety $22 million

Preservation and Education $15 million

Restoration $16 million

Endowment $20 million

tOtAl $97 million

The Most Beautiful Masonic Building in the World

Phot

o: ©

Max

well

Mac

Ken

zie,

Was

hing

ton,

DC

.

Do you worry about yourpasswords?If you said “no,” then I would

suggest there is no time like thepresent to begin worrying.A growing problem involves the

breaches of legitimate websites –two major consumer companiesrecently lost customer data toInternet bandits – allowing the badguys to make off with all sorts ofdata about users including emailaddresses and passwords. Evenwhen such information is encrypted,it is still vulnerable.

Let’s consider passwords.Far too many people use the

same password or a simplevariation of that password for allof their online accounts. Easy?Yes. And it is just plain stupid.An example might be “Missouri1.” Typical simple

variations may be “Missouri2,” “1Missouri,” “Missouri3”and so forth. Internet bandits love these kind ofpasswords and, I trust, the reason is obvious.So often, people choose really dumb passwords. You

would be amazed by the number of people who use“password,” “openup” or “imhere” as their password.These folks are begging for trouble. Many times, userswill use the brand or type of product or service offeredon a site for their password. For example, a bank sitemight be “banker” and a credit card site could be“creditor.”

Then there are the masses who use the names ofpets, children, spouses, birth signs, communitiesand so on. All incredibly obvious and dangerouslyvulnerable. Never use the same password formultiple accounts or variations. Never use simple orobvious passwords. Instead, use a differentpassword for every online account.The best protection is to use a different random

alpha/numeric password for each and every site. Byrandom, I mean something like “zk3fqp63.”Furthermore, you need to change your passwords on

a regular basis. I would suggest once every two to fourmonths.“That’s all well and good,” you say, “but how am I

supposed to remember all those crazy passwords,especially if I must keep changing them? Maybe Ishould just quit using the web to shop, bank and forother services.”Security is a significant problem, but security can be

achieved with little effort on your part. E-banking,e-shopping and e-everything else is far too convenientand practical to ignore. Besides, using a credit card

online is still far safer than giving thatpiece of plastic to a total stranger ina restaurant who then disappearswith it for five or ten minutes.So, the solution is to take

advantage of password managementstorage software.Two of the best known as

KeePass (keepass.info) and LastPass(lastpass.com).Both are excellent. KeePass is

completely free, while LastPassoffers free basic software and apremium package for $1 per month.I urge you to run, don’t walk, toyour computer and check out bothKeePass and LastPass. No matterwhich you pick, you won’t gowrong.Speaking of security, never give

a password or other personalinformation in response to an

email request. Never! And make certain your computeris protected by a firewall.

Changing gears.I’ve received a number of inquiries from readers

wondering if they should upgrade to Microsoft Office2010 and/or Outlook 2010.I have been using Microsoft Office 2010, including

Outlook 2010, on my office Windows computer forabout two months. (Before going further and in theinterest of full disclosure, I am happily using Mac’sSystem OS X 10.6.5 at home.)It takes a bit of time to get comfortable with Office

2010, but on the whole I find it somewhat of animprovement over both 2007 and 2003. So yes, I dorecommend it.

However, I suggest you go with the Office Homeand Student package unless you are using it for

a business or nonprofit organization or absolutelyneed features included in the pricier versions.The basic version of Office does not include Outlook

2010, which I find to be inferior to Outlook 2003.As I have previously recommended, I would suggest

that you use Mozilla Firefox as your web browser andMozilla Thunderbird for email. These products are free,they work and they are intuitive, meaning they are veryuser friendly. Check Firefox and Thunderbird out atmozilla.com.


By LEIGH E. MORRIS, 33°

Great Password -Probably Not

As always, please send your questions and commentsto me <studebaker55@ casscomm.com> or, if you prefer,you can send a letter to me at PO Box 42, Virginia IL62691.


Recently, I had the opportunity to have lunchwith my friend, Brother Jack.Jack is a great Mason, committed to the craft

for more than half a century. He wasinstrumental in establishing one of our earliestdyslexia centers. He is a big-hearted guy and Itruly enjoy spending time with him.Because of my warm feelings for this Brother,

I made an effort to visit Jack whenever I could.However, it seems my friend has beaten me tothe punch and made it my job to visit annually.You see, a few years back, Jack decided to

establish a charitable gift annuity through theScottish Rite Benevolent Foundation. He hadconsidered this option in the past, but that yearsome equities had really appreciated. Thisoption would offer him a win, win, winalternative.First, Jack could receive better income for life

than he was getting through dividends – agood portion of which would be tax-exempt.

Next he could fund the annuity with hisappreciated stocks without incurring capitalgains penalties.Lastly, the annuity would eventually support

the Children’s Dyslexia Center to which he hadbeen so committed.That year I met Jack for lunch, and we set up

the Charitable Gift Annuity.Now I get a call about every year from my

friend. “Steve, I’m a year older,” he might say.“Can I get a better return this year?” And thenwe start a new annuity.And make plans for lunch.On the back cover of this issue of The

Northern Light you will find information thathighlights the advantages of a charitable giftannuity through the Scottish Rite BenevolentFoundation. If this interests you, please call usat 1-800-814-1432 x3326 to find out if theincome for life program is right for you. I lookforward to talking to you about it.

Planning for Lunch

Ill. John William McNaughton, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Ancient Accepted ScottishRite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, has planned 2011 visits to Florida and Arizona. He invites anyBrother who lives in these states or plans to be visiting to attend. These are country club casualluncheons. Ladies are welcome. The 2011 schedule is as follows:

All events have limited seating. Seats must be reserved in advance.Please visit www.supremecouncil.org/FloridaInvitation.pdf to download a reservation form

or call 1-800-814-1432 x3326.

FLORIDAMarch 10, 2011

Greater West Palm Beach/ Pt. St. LuciePGA Country Club, Port St. Lucie

March 15, 2011Sarasota/BradentonPeridia Country Club, Bradenton

March 16, 2011Greater NaplesCountry Club of Naples

ARIZONAApril 3, 2011

Greater PhoenixPhoenix Art Museum

Southern and Western Visitations by theSOVEREIGN GRAND COMMANDER


Sir Richard FrancisBurton was pictured on astamp issued by Uganda onNov. 15, 1989, to honorexplorers. He was a memberof Hope Lodge, Kurracheee,Scinde, India.Born March 19, 1821,

Capt. Burton was anEnglish explorer, translator,writer, soldier, orientalist,ethnologist, linguist, poet,hypnotist, fencer anddiplomat. He was wellknown for his travels andexplorations within Asia andAfrica as well as hisextraordinary knowledge oflanguages and cultures.According to one count, hespoke 29 European, Asian,and African languages. Hisbest-known achievementsinclude traveling in disguiseto Mecca, an unexpurgatedtranslation of One Thousandand One Nights, andjourneying with JohnHanning Speke as the firstEuropeans led by Africa’sgreatest explorer guide, SidiMubarak Bombay. He was aprolific author, writingnumerous books andscholarly articles. He was acaptain in the army of theEast India Company servingin India and, briefly, in theCrimean War. A Fellow ofthe Royal Geographical

Society, he was awarded aknighthood in 1886. Hedied Oct. 20, 1890, inTrieste, Austria-Hungary.

��

Sir George Grey wasborn in 1812 and wasappointed governor of thecolony of New Zealand in1845. He was able toestablish stable British ruleby 1848 and bring thebenefits of Europeancivilization to the Maoris.When the New ZealandConstitution Bill was passedin 1852, his wartimequalities proved to beunpopular, and he was sentto South Africa in 1854.Returning in 1861 for asecond termas governor,he foundmajorproblemswith theMaorisand sharingleadership proved difficult.He was replaced in 1866 butre-entered politics inEngland in 1874 as amember of the House ofRepresentatives. He retiredfrom politics in 1894 anddied in London in 1898.Sir George was made a

Mason in the 83rd FootMilitary Lodge No. 83, I.C.,in 1820. During hisgovernorship in SouthAustralia he joined theLodge of South Australia

No. 1 – now FriendshipLodge No. 1, in Adelaide.He is pictured on a NewZealand stamp issued in1979 as part of a set tohonor notable 19th centurystatesmen.

��

NathanAxelrodwasincluded inthe designof a stampissued onDec. 8,1992, byIsrael tocommemorate the 75thanniversary of films. NathanAxelrod was initiated inBarkai Lodge No. 17, in TelAviv and later affiliated withAhidan Lodge No. 23, inRamat Gan.Born in 1905, Nathan

Axelrod was known as the“father” of the Israeli filmindustry. His drive anddedication are well attestedto in the monumentalarchives he left to posterity,including a filmeddocumentation of everymoment of importance inthe history of the Jewishpeople, during the formativeyears of the nation. He wasphotographer of the firstfeature film created in Israel,“Oded the Wanderer.” Hedied in 1987.

��

Hannes (Johannes)Kolehmainen was bornDec. 9, 1889 in Kuopio, Fin-land, into a sporting family.He became one of the starsof the 1912 SummerOlympics in Stockholm,winning three gold medals.His most memorable wasthe 5,000 meter event inwhich he beat out the lead-ing Frenchman in the finalmeters – in world record

time.He also won the10,000 meter race and thecross country event.He alsowon a silver medal with theFinnish cross country teamevent.His career was inter-rupted by the First WorldWar, but he remained anathlete winning another goldmedal in the marathon dur-ing the 1920 OlympicGames.He helped light theOlympic Flame at the 1952Summer Olympics inHelsinki.He died Jan. 11,1966, in Helsinki.Bro. Hannes Kolehmainen

was initiatedinto SuomiLodge No. 1,on Nov. 21,1947. He ispicturedwinning the5,000 meterrace at the1912 Stockholm Olympicson a stamp issued byFinland on Oct. 9, 1989.

��

Pure Masonic Stamps.Over the past few decades,several nations have seen fitto issue stampscommemorating variousMasonic anniversaries ororganizations. Several ofthem have been illustratedin “The Stamp Act.”Withthe advent of personalizedstamps, individuals andorganizations have been ableto develop their owntributes to the fraternity.One of the most recentexamples of this method ofphilatelic tribute, producedby some individual or groupin Turkey, is shown here.

By ROBERT A. DOMINGUE

Let Me Tell You Moreby Neville Barker Cryer. Published in 2009

by Lewis Masonic an imprint of Ian Allen Publishing Ltd.,Herswham, Surrey KT12 4RG, England.

APast Grand Chaplain of the United GrandLodge of England, Prestonian and Batham

Lecturer, the Reverend Neville Barker Cryer, hasauthored numerous books on the subject ofFreemasonry. Let Me Tell You More is the third ina series. The first two; I Just Didn’t Know Thatand Did You Know This, Too? I wrote reviews onin previous issues of The Northern Light.

Although some of the subject matter is specificallyapplicable to the UGLE, much information contained inthese books provides fundamental knowledge ofFreemasonry that would be beneficial for each of us.There was considerable information contained in thisbook of which I was unaware, and it answered questionsregarding the reason for and the structure and functionof Masonic lodges. It definitely gives cause for us toretain and preserve our heritage.

One advantage to Cryer’s writings for the averageFreemason is that he writes in a style that is easilycomprehensible to the reader. There is no need to sit andcontemplate the meaning of what is written. It isenjoyable reading.

This text is divided into 13 chapters with some veryinteresting titles such as; “Do We Really Need theSecond Degree?,” “The Ancient Office of Warden,” “OurDebt to Ancients and Moderns,” and “Why and Howhas Freemasonry Survived?”

After reading the title to the first chapter “Preparing

the Candidate for Initiation,” I was unprepared for theamount of new information that I obtained on such amundane subject. It provided for me the clearestelucidation that I have ever read regarding thesignificance of this preparation. It would be well for eachinitiate to understand the reasons for him, as well as forour leadership, to comprehend the significance ofretaining these ancient practices.

In the chapter “The Sources of Masonic Practice,” theauthor states that “When two years ago I asked theGrand Master of Pennsylvania if I might acquire a bookof their ritual, he fixed me with his eye, asked what kindof obligation I had taken and then said that his menlearnt all their ritual by word of mouth, and face-to-facewith their predecessors in office.”

“For them, memorizing was, and always had been,their practice from the 18th century.” (For clarification tothe reader this is no longer the practice in Pennsylvania.)

His chapter, “Why and how has Freemasonrysurvived?” is worth the cost of the book. He closes it witha quote from a newly raised young Freemason. “I wouldnot want to see Freemasonry become more open, norwould I want to change lodge ritual or the structure ofthe festive board. Freemasonry is as valuable now, in its

current guise, to the current generation, as it everhas been. I really hope that we start to realize andappreciate that the system, ethos and artifacts wealready have are the best blueprint for oursuccess in the future.”

Let Me Tell You More is simply another goodbook written by a dedicated and committedMasonic scholar writing for the averageFreemason. I recommend it.

A Guide to Masonic Symbolismby Duncan Moore. Published in 2009

by Lewis Masonic an imprint of Ian Allen Publishing Ltd.,Herswham, Surrey KT12 4RG, England.

There are many books being authored by EnglishFreemasons today; some of them are for defining

and clarifying the purpose of Freemasonry, the origin ofFreemasonry and the significance of its mystifyingsymbols. This book is specifically written to explain thesymbols of the craft.

The author is well-qualified to write on the subjecthaving been active in numerous Masonic bodies inseveral countries and holding Grand Rank in a numberof orders. He has also authored histories of a number ofMasonic bodies.

The content of this book concentrates on thederivations of symbols used in craft and Royal ArchMasonry. Although it is specific to English Freemasonry,much of it applies to American Freemasonry as well, due


Reviewed by Thomas W. Jackson, 33°

to the universality of most of the symbols of the craft. Asthe author puts it, “this is an attempt to portray thesymbolic big picture and, so, aid understanding of theindividual symbols . . .”

Moore prefaces the specifics of Masonic symbolismwith a chapter on the origin and history of symbolismand clarifying the Masonic phrase “veiled in allegory andillustrated by symbols.” He traces the lineage of the useof symbolism, back through many earlier societies andsystems that may well have formed the basis to Masonicsymbolism.

He goes into great detail indiscussing the symbolism of andsymbols on tracing boards along withvariations of them that should provebeneficial to those unfamiliar withthem or their meaning. Thechapters include symbolism on thelodge room, the first degree, thesecond degree and the third degree.He also includes a chapter onsymbols no longer used in Freemasonry although somethat are included are still in use in other jurisdictions.

Moore has written an easily understandableclarification of Masonic symbolism although I did find itsomewhat disconcerting, his use of a text on the specificsof symbolism to air personal disagreements andanimosities to some Masonic practices.

Also, I don’t know that I can fully agree with hisobservation, “Any person of good character who believesin a God can join Freemasonry, if he really wants toknow what it is all about. The curious but not reallyinterested are of no consequence to us.”

Information contained in this book should be avaluable resource not only to the newly made Mason andthe uninitiated but also for the active member wishing toexpand his knowledge on the significance of symbolism.

Deciphering the Lost Symbol - Freemasons,Myths and the Mysteries of Washington, DC

by Christopher L. Hodapp. Published in 2010by by Ulysses Press, PO Box 3440, Berkeley, CA 94703.

Best known for Freemasons for Dummies, the authorhas now written a book that perhaps may be

regarded as a critique of Dan Brown’s latest novel TheLost Symbol. Dan Brown has generated an interest inFreemasonry that has not been seen for well over 100years, and it just might be the greatest interest evercreated in that short a span of time.

Although Brown’s book written as a novel and,therefore, with the literary license for not requiringhistoric accuracy, much of what he has written in his pastnovels as well as this one is historically accurate. Hodapp

has undertaken the task of revealing to the readerspecifics where Brown was accurate but also whereinaccuracies relative to Freemasonry have occurred. Healso clarifies particular terminology that Brown applies toFreemasonry – vitriol for example – but which has noMasonic significance but fits well into Brown’s writing.I’m not convinced, however, that what Hodapp refers towere errors or mistakes. They may simply be a lack ofknowledge or the application of that literary license.

This analysis of Hodapp was not meant to be acriticism of Brown but rather to point out thoseinaccuracies to the reader who may not know the factsand accept it as such. Indeed, he gives Brownconsiderable credit in his ability to confront great issuesin his writing which stimulates the reader to thinkbeyond what he normally would. For example; “Scenes inThe Lost Symbol are frequently punctuated withtheological debates and ruminations of the nature ofmankind. This time, he attempts to reconcile the strugglebetween science and faith by exploring a field few hadever heard of before: noetics.”

I appreciate Hodapp’s humor in evaluating the criticsof Brown, “Yet Dan Brown has spawned a vastcountryside of critics eager to tell some 50 or 60 millionof his fans just where he went wrong. Perhaps ourmothers were right when they told us the bullies werebeating us to a pulp and stealing our milk money‘because they are just jealous, honey’.”

Ialso like his expression regarding scientific reasoning.“Faith and reason are not mutually exclusive terms,

and favoring one path over another is not necessarily asuicide pact.” I personally have been a strong proponentof that logic. In the years that I spent in the field ofscience, I never knew an atheist biologist and few atheistsin any field of science.

Now I must point out what I do notregard as an error on the part of theauthor but rather a lack of knowledge.He states, referencing the three degrees,“As the member progresses, eachceremony becomes longer . . .” Thelength of degree ritual depends uponwhat jurisdiction’s ritual is being used.The second degree in Pennsylvaniaritual is considerably shorter than theritual of the first degree. I would alsoadd to his explanation of the requirement of the holybook upon the altar that “there may be two holy bookson the altar and in some cases even as many as three.” Ihave been in Grand Lodges that have had as many asfive holy books on the altar, and I understand there is atleast one Grand Lodge that has seven. (Great differencebetween error and simply lacking knowledge.)



Folate and fish couldprotect your hearingSeveral studies now indicate that lowlevels of B vitamins, particularly folate,are linked to age-related hearing lossin people age 50 and above. Thelatest, reported by Tufts University,shows that people with the lowestlevels of folate (folic acid is itssynthetic form) were 39 percent morelikely to suffer hearing loss.

The daily value for folate is 400micrograms, which can be reachedwith 3/4 cup serving of fortified cereal.

In the Blue Mountains HearingStudy, researchers reported thatconsumption of omega-3 fatty acidsand eating fish were associated withreduced age-related hearing loss.Those who ate fish twice a week were42 percent less likely to suffer hearingloss over the next five years than thosewho ate fish less than once a week.

New treatment forchronic asthmaAbout 22 million Americans sufferfrom asthma, an inflammation of theairways in the lungs that causescoughing, wheezing and shortness ofbreath.

Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic saychronic asthma often causesthickening and twitching of thesmooth muscle lining the airways.Irritants can cause the airways toalmost close down.

A new procedure called bronchialthermoplasty uses radiofrequencywaves to shrink the muscle. It's a verypromising technology for those whosesymptoms are not completelycontrolled. The effect appears to bepermanent, though patients have onlybeen followed for four years.

Unfortunately, because the

operation is so new, most insurersdon't cover it yet. The total costranges from $12,000 to $18,000.Patients must be at least 18 years old.

Those treated with the device had a32 percent reduction in asthmaattacks, an 84 percent reduction inemergency room visits, and a 66percent reduction in lost work days orschool days due to asthma.

Potassium for lowerblood pressureIncreasing potassium intake couldreduce the number of peoplediagnosed with high blood pressure bymore than ten percent, according to astudy published in the Journal ofClinical Hypertension.

Researchers found that where highlevels of potassium-heavy fruits andvegetables are consumed, high bloodpressure affects only one percent ofthe population. At the same time,these people reduced their incidenceof heart disease and stroke.

Good sources of potassium includebananas, apricots, cantaloupe,grapefruit, peas, beans and potatoes.

Good news aboutexerciseNew technologies have helpedresearchers at Harvard to show theexact metabolic, calorie-burning effectof exercise.

Got 10 minutes? If you use it on atreadmill or stationary bike, you canperk up your calorie burn not only forthat period but for an hour afterward.

The doctors measured thefat-burning metabolites in the bloodof three groups of people: Unfitpeople, normally fit people andmarathon runners. The results showedan almost 100 percent increase infat-burning metabolites in fit peopleand 10 times more metabolites in themarathon runners. That was expected,partly because they could run or bikefaster than the others. In the unfitgroup, the metabolites increased by50 percent.

One of their most importantfindings was that, regardless ofphysical condition, exercise willincrease fat burning. As you raise yourfitness level, the fatburning level willincrease as well.

Here's the good news. If you wantto lose a few pounds but don't havethe time, strength or inclination to doa half hour a day, just 10 minutes canbe a big help. During the next hour,your body will continue to burn fat.

Climb the stairs forexerciseExercise physiologists at Missouri StateUniversity say climbing a few flights ofstairs can provide neededcardiovascular exercise and relievestress.

For those who have the opportunityto climb stairs three or four days aweek, it's a great fitness habit.

“The groundhog tests havecome back . . .”

The degree is about to begin. The new initiate isnot quite sure what to expect. There is a sense ofexcitement as he enters the lodge room for the

first time. The initiate is not about to join Freemasonry,but instead, he is joining DeMolay. As a fraternalorganization, DeMolay has many strong comparisons toFreemasonry, not the least of which is the path a newmember takes on his symbolic journey. ADeMolay’s initiation is divided into twodegrees. The first degree is a method ofexplaining the basic tenets of the order. Itinstructs new members on the principles offilial love, reverence for sacred things,courtesy toward others, comradeship,fidelity, cleanliness, and patriotism.Furthermore, the young man is told that

practicing these virtues will better prepare himfor the rest of his life. The second degree inDeMolay presents the initiate with a differentstyle of education. In this degree, a youngman learns of Jacques DeMolay, the namesake of theorganization. DeMolay was the last Grand Master of theKnights Templar. His order was persecuted by the king ofFrance and the Roman Catholic church. DeMolay, whilebeing tortured, remained faithful to the other members ofthe Templars. His example of fidelity is one thatDeMolay asks its members to emulate.In the Order of DeMolay, a young man is asked to be

loyal to his Brothers and to learn from them.Masonrypromotes the idea that it makes good men better.DeMolay, using many of the same techniques, allows foryoung men to become the good men that Masonry canmake better.

Earning the reputation and character of a good man isone of the main goals of membership in DeMolay. In

this vein, a DeMolay learns the principles of the orderthrough its two degrees and carries the teachings into hisdaily life. By participating in the ceremonies themselves, ayoung man better understands the teachings of the order.Similar to a man who becomes involved in Masonry; ayoung man in DeMolay, almost without his knowledge,begins to exemplify the virtues the order has taught. It isnot only performing in the degrees that improves the

character of a DeMolay. The effort of a group of advisorshas a profound impact on the members of each chapter.The advisory council of a DeMolay Chapter is chargedwith the behind-the-scenes work of the local chapter.Instructions are pretty simple. They are to allow themembers to plan their own activities and run their ownmeetings, but they must step in with advice andcounsel when appropriate. Many members of advisory

councils are Senior DeMolays. Many arealso Freemasons. All of the members of thecouncil, including concerned parents,become positive role models for members toemulate. Clearly the teachings ofFreemasonry and those of DeMolay combinein a DeMolay chapter to assist the membersin becoming better men.The leader of a DeMolay chapter is titled,

“Master Councilor.” In the process of becomingMaster Councilor, a DeMolay must serve hischapter in a variety of capacities. He usually

serves as a committee chair for a fundraiser or communityservice event. He must exemplify the ritual of the order.He must also earn the respect of the members of hischapter and the trust of his advisory council. This is adifficult task for many young men who are struggling inthe balancing act of adolescence.

Many Masons were DeMolays. The experiences theyhad in DeMolay prepared them for the teachings

of Freemasonry. The journey of the boy who knocked onhis chapter’s door can many times lead to a Master usinghis gavel of authority.These men of Masonry, who knelt at the DeMolay

altar, have a bond that cannot be broken. Ask around atthe next Masonic meeting you attend. See who was aDeMolay. Ask if it impacted the decision to joinFreemasonry. Ask yourself if you know a young man whowould benefit from DeMolay. Can you see the potentialin him? Can you see his path leading from the chapter tothe lodge? If so, then consider recommending he look tojoin the Order of DeMolay. Your recommendation couldhelp make him a good man who may become a betterman in Freemasonry. For more information on DeMolayplease visit www.demolay.org.


D E M O L A Y :making good men for masons

By RICHARD P. LAVOIE, 32°

NL


The meaning of prejudice is apparent in the word itself. It signifieswhat it says, "to prejudge," to make a decision before hand.

An english sociologist, Dr. samuel Lowery, writing a book on thissubject affirms, as Freud does, prejudice is a mild form of paranoia, ofthe persecution mania, and is caused by the projection of stored-upresentments against some object other than that which caused them.Individuals then must have a scapegoat on which they can releasethese tensions. It is usually a group, a race, or a religion and usuallythere is little realization of the fact. He also makes the observationthat critical approval or disapproval of prejudice affects not only theconscious but also equally strongly the deeper mental processes. It isanother way of saying that if children were taught to regard prejudiceas undesirable socially, and evidence of an unbalanced mindindividually, they would logically seek other outlets for their hiddenaggression.

Dr. Lowery points out that there are four ways in which theproblem can be attacked: (1) from the intellectual standpoint as beingunreasonable, (2) from the emotional or ethical standpoint as beingimmoral or socially disapproved, (3) from the psychological point ofview which tries to discover the motives of prejudice in the individualand deals with them by psychotherapy, and (4) from the social pointof view, as manifestations of some inadequacy in the social structure.

These ways for combating prejudice sound reasonable, but theywill not be easy to realize. We cannot psychoanalyze a wholepopulation. We would all be eligible for treatment, for all of us arevictims of this aberration more or less. To appeal to reason naturallyfails where prejudice already exists and rational arguments arestrenuously resisted. Prejudice is never reasoned into anyone;therefore, it cannot be reasoned out. It is noticeable that our greatwriters and thinkers are not making any great attempts to solve theproblem. Our colleges and universities, where we would expect someaction, are negligent or uninterested. The world may be waiting forthat rare individual who may be entirely free from prejudice to leadthe crusade.

Most of us are always compelled to draw conclusions frominsufficient evidence. These conclusions, at best, are tentative, but wemake the mistake of accepting them as final, and so our mindsbecome littered with prejudices of which we are of times unaware.

— Leonard Wenz, Square & Compass, March 1970

prejudice

LODge OF InsTrucTIOn – DeirFunction and Value?" De subject asstated, and assigned for presentconsideration, requires clariFcation if thediscussion is to be proFtable. As the termis generally used and understood, theLodge of Instruction is supposed to bedevoted wholly to ritualistic drillings andthe endless exempliFcation of ceremonialmovements. Dus conFned in meaning,

its function could be easily stated, andthe value of such teaching would requireno labored process to reach estimate ofvalue. Dis is not to imply that accurateand impressive rendering of the ritual isunimportant. But values in Masonry, aselsewhere, are relative. De ceremonies ofthe degrees are but a means to an end;the end is all-important. Dey arepreparatory in purpose, and must be

DEPENDS ON PROPER DEFINITION

Q u o t a t i o n s s e l e c t e d f r o m t h e p a s t m a y n o t

It is a strongly ingrained habit, for frail humanityto think that at the beginning of a new cycle or

period of time things can be improved, that we canact more wisely, more virtuously and be happier –

This touching trait is another evidence of whatpoets have so often told us that men and women areonly children of larger growth. What magic do welook for in a point of time? It seems that we shall beable to carry out easily in the bright atmosphere ofthe new. “Hope springs eternal –” and it is well thatit is so for most of us, for few would have thecourage to go on without the alluring glamour ofwhat we desire the future to cease to do that – it issimilar to the tension in the racer’s muscles at thewords “Are you set?” when he waits for the“one-two-bang” of the starter’s pistol. And againthere is the taking stock aspect of the matter, sostrongly emphasized by that apostle of commonsense, Benjamin Franklin. It is well to look back andsee what we have actually done – what was doneamiss, too much by far usually – what was leftundone – and how much was actually well done ofall that was possible.

But the “Do it now” signs that not long sincewere so frequently seen in offices and other placeswhere men gathered for coordinated labor, showedthat the time to change is the present, this verymoment. “Tomorrow is also a day,” say the Orientals– and it is true, but it may not be our day. This day,this hour, this is ours and in it we have power to act,and it is now that we must begin the wearisomedrudgery with the common gavel – most primitiveof tools – to knock off the excrescences, to put awaythe vices and superfluities, if ever we hope that therough ashlar of our life and character is to be madea squared and polished stone fit for the wall of theTemple.

— R. J. Meekren, .e Builder, January 1926

THE NEW YEAR

good ideas are not adopted automatically.They must be driven into practice withcourageous patience.

— Hyman Rickover

Intuition will tell the thinking mindwhere to look next.

— Jonas Salk

There's no one way to dance.That's kindof my philosophy about everything.

— Ellen DeGeneres

They say time changes things, but you ac-tually have to change them yourself.

— Andy Worhol

There is no power on earth that can neu-tralize the influence of a high, simple anduseful life.

— Booker T. Washington

I count him braver who overcomes his de-sires than him who conquers his enemies;for the hardest victory is over self.

— Aristotle

You have brain in your head. You have feetin your shoes. You can steer yourself in anydirection you choose.

— Dr. Seuss

sometimes the greatest gain in productiveenergy will come from cleaning the cob-webs, dealing with old business and clear-ing the decks.

— David Allen

every great accomplishment is the storyof a flaming heart.

— Mary Lou Retton

There are no menial jobs, only menial at-titudes.

— William Bennett

unless a commitment is made, there areonly promises and hopes, no plans.

— Peter F. Drucker


QUOTABLES— J. H. Bankehead, �e Liberal Freemason, April 1886

n e c e s s a r i l y r e p r e s e n t t o d a y ’ s v i e w p o i n t .

classed as of the elementary lessons ofthe craft.

Fortunately, there are in somefavored localities Lodges of Instructionthat go farther and reach to higherground. Teaching does not cease whenthe class has reached the "babblingbrook" stage. It goes on from theprimary lessons of mere verbalism tofarther courses dealing with thesigniFcances and interpretations thatare of the very essence and worth ofFreemasonry. De process of advancingthe neophyte to an appreciation and atleast a partial understanding of the"mysteries" is carried through. De"making of a Mason" in such case hasmeaning and value far beyond placingthe tools of mastership in unskilledhands and declaring the full purpose ofthe institution attained by such act.

Dat which is learned as matter ofrote in the usual Lodges of Instructionmay be Frmly Fxed in memory. But asmatters to be acted upon by the brainand turned to the uses of thought theymight as well never have beenabsorbed. Dis is a source of real andincreasing weakness in Masonry, inthat emphasis is laid upon wordsrather than ideas and action. We knowthat greatest stress is laid, in lodges

and grand Lodges, on letterperfection. De average Brother, who ishailed by his fellows as a very paragonof craft knowledge, blessed by thegrand Lecturer, and speedily advancedto the east, is frequently found to bethe veriest ignoramus when it isrequired that he even explain thephrases he so glibly utters. Dus, apremium is put upon mediocrity, evenon manifest mental inferiority. Dewhole craft suffers because men ofnative intelligence and acquiredknowledge refuse to concernthemselves with misplaced emphasis,which too often seem to make up thesum of Masonic experience.

Dere is an important function anda great value to Lodges of Instruction,if these in practice and purpose trulyanswer to the name. De body ofMasons given opportunity offered bysuch agency, if composed of goodmaterial, goes on to an enlargedusefulness and to the constantimprovement of its entire membership.Left to the ministrations of those whodeal only in prescribed words andmechanical exercises, there can be nohope or expectation of progress. For astream can rise no higher than itssource.

the company of the committed

scottish rite Freemasonry is notsomething to which men can go.

rather it is something they may bein. A man is as much a member of itwhen he sits at his office desk aswhen he sits in the gallery at thecathedral. Degree exempliFcation isnot a show, an escape mechanism toavoid thinking about the congo orsouth Vietnam. rather, it is livingdrama, projecting the development ofdurable character, in which, to give itpower, one may become involved.

To restore the prestige ofFreemasonry, commitment is urgentand required.

De call to enlistment should bestandard procedure for a scottishrite “task-force.” “Like a mighty

army,” described the early church as itmoved across the greco-romanworld into Western europe. Howlike an army is the ordinarysuccessful Valley? What are itsdominant objectives?self-preservation or service aboveself ? Is its public image so attractivethat men are heard to say: “I wantin.” Is it big enough forself-criticism? Has it developed apassion to improve? Has it a Fercepride in its total accomplishment? Itwill be a new day for the rite whenthe ranks are Flled by enthusiasticenlistees. De hour is always now.

— John G. Fleck, Newsletter,February 1962


College is well worththe price of admissionWith today's high unemploymentrates, some college graduates whodon't have jobs wonder how they willpay their student loans.

There are programs to help themthrough the lean times, but theirexperiences make parents wonder if acollege education is still worth thecost.

Stories are circulating on theInternet about unemployed studentswho paid or borrowed $50,000 a yearand now owe a six-figure debt. Thosehigh tuition prices were charged byonly 58 colleges last year, according tothe Chronicle of Higher Education.

That's a tiny percentage of thenation's 1,700 private four yearcolleges. Those who attend pubicinstitutions pay average tuition ofabout $7,000 per year, according to areport by the College Board.

To further calm parents ofprospective college students, theaverage loan debt for college seniorswho graduated in 2008 was about$23,000, says a report by the Projecton Student Debt. That's less than theprice of many new cars.

Though the debt level for 2010graduates may be somewhat higher,

almost no graduates regret getting aneducation and feel they would not beas equipped for life without it. It is themost rewarding investment they willmake in their lifetimes.

Restaurant specialsThe first item the waiter tells youabout is tonight's special. But be sureto check the menu.

Similar items can often be lessexpensive. If the special dish is unique,it will likely be more expensive thanother main course dishes.

Calculating how muchpaint you will needPainting your home's interior is notonly a lot of work, it's expensive. Andbecause the color must be custommixed in some cases, you want to besure you buy enough.

A second problem with paint: You'llhave to store leftovers in a placewhere they won't freeze. That ruinspaint.

To calculate the right quantity soyou'll have enough but not too much,follow this advice from MarthaStewart:

• Determine the wall area bymultiplying the height of a room bythe width. Don't subtract any squarefeet for doors and windows unlessthey take up half of the room.

• Divide the total number of squarefeet in all the walls by 450. That's thenumber of square feet one gallon ofpaint will cover.

• Add about 10 percent to yourorder for future touch-ups.

• If you know you will be using twocoats, double the amount of paint youwill buy.

If you calculate correctly, you won'trun out of paint, but you will still haveto find a place to store the futuretouchup material. Because you won'thave very much, you could put it inthe back of a closet inside the house.

Social Security:direct depositThe Treasury is taking steps to savemoney. Starting in March 2011, newSocial Security beneficiaries mustreceive payments through directdeposit. Checks for all Social Securityrecipients must be made by directdeposit by March 1, 2013.

Treasury estimates it will save $400million over five years, of which about$50 million will come from changesfrom the payroll savings bondprogram.

The program requires that workersusing payroll deduction to buy savingsbonds will be required to buy themfrom TreasuryDirect.gov, where theywill be stored electronically.

No paper savings bonds will beissued for payroll savers. Eventually,Treasury wants to eliminate papersavings bonds entirely, but a datehasn't been set.

Live well in a smallspaceRecommendations by Sarah Susanka,author of The Not So Big House:

• If you have two small rooms,create space by removing the sharedwall.

• Bring in the light. One of the bestways to increase the feeling of size isto bring more daylight. Open drapesor install a large mirror to reflect awindow.

• Vary the floor materials. Insteadof having the same flooringthroughout the house, make itdifferent in each room.

• Connect with the outdoors. If youare building, position windows anddoors so the outdoors can be seenfrom inside.

• Create visual vitality. Accent onewall with a saturated paint color. Oruse a spotlight to highlight a piece ofart.

“Does the wet snow make my buttlook too big?”


Who was Daniel D.Tompkins?Daniel Decius Tompkins (1774-1825) was the first

Sovereign Grand Commander, of the Scottish Rite’sNorthern Masonic Jurisdiction from 1813 to 1825. He wasone of New York state’s most prominent citizens. In 1807,he was elected governor, and reelected in 1809, 1811, 1813,and 1815. In 1816, Tompkins was a leading candidate forthe Democratic-Republican party; James Monroe,however, received the nomination for president. Monroeasked Tompkins to be his running-mate as vice president.Tompkins served as Monroe’s vice president for two terms(1817-25). From 1820-21, Tompkins served as GrandMaster in New York.

Tompkins document acquired by library and archivesTompkins appointed numerous people to military posts

throughout his career as governor of New York during theWar of 1812. As governor, he was commander-in-chief ofall the militia and admiral of the Navy for the state of NewYork. The document seen here was created whenTompkins appointed Charles Baldwin to the rank ofpaymaster for the 98th Regiment of Infantry (Clark’s) ofNew York state on March 19, 1814. A note on the reverseof the document by Jasper Hopper, clerk, states thatBaldwin took the oaths required by law for a paymasterand is dated Ononadaga, June 2, 1814.The paymaster’s role was to pay the wages and salaries

to the infantry. Tompkins also had to purchase equipmentsuch as cannons, powder, arms, and fortifications for theNew York state militia. He was forced to borrow and oftenused his own credit to keep the war effort alive because the

state of New York was in deep debt during the War of1812.After the war there was much confusion over the money

he had handled, and although Tompkins had gone intodebt to pay state expenses, he was involved in legal battlesthat kept him from his duties during much of his time asvice president. The issue was not resolved until 1824, whenCongress approved a grant of $95,000 to him.

Tompkins’ role during the War of 1812Tompkins was active throughout the War of 1812. In

1812, he led the recruitment of both militia volunteers andmembers of the expanding Regular Army under GeneralHenry Dearborn, who had begun to assemble an army inupstate New York. Dearborn was one of the major generalsappointed by Madison and authorized by Congress tofight the British.In 1812, Governor Tompkins and the New York militia

officers assembled at the Niagra River border in New York.The militia made a failed attempt at attacking Britishtroops in Canada.Tompkins appointed Stephen Van Rensselaer III

(1764-1839) as major general of the New York volunteers,commanding in the western part of the state. VanRensselaer took the commission with the understandingthat his relative, Colonel Solomon Van Rensselaer, wouldbecome adjutant general of New York and would providethe military experience for the operations in Canada.Stephen Van Rensselaer III, was also a Mason and twiceserved as Grand Master of Masons for New York.In 1814, after Washington, DC, was burned by the

British, the public was outraged. This public response tothe war was quickly turned into legislative action in NewYork. It was voted to increase the pay of the militia by $2per month. New York also recruited 2,000 militia soldiersfor seaboard duty. New York enlisted 12,000 additionalmen as a quota from the U.S. government. “The presentwill be a proud time in the history of our state,”commented Tompkins.

The Van Gorden-Williams Library & Archives is locatedjust off the main lobby of the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum &Library and is open to the public 10-4:30, Tuesday-Friday,and the first and third Saturday of each month. Referenceassistance is provided in person, by phone, or by e-mail. Youmay contact us at 781-457-4109 or [email protected].

More than Just Books . . .Van Gorden-Williams Library & Archives at the National Heritage Museum

Daniel Tompkins and the War of 1812


Remembering Potsy Clark

It was a pleasure to read “. . . Three, Two, One, Hike,”concerning Ill. Ralph C.Wilson Jr., 33°, (TNL,Nov. 2010).Potsy Clark was the coach of the Detroit Lions when [Bro.Wilson] became hooked on the game. Potsy was a classmate ofmy father in the Carthage school system and later played at theUniversity of Illinois. Still later he was a football coach at ButlerUniversity in Indianapolis and the Portsmouth Spartans whichlater became the Detroit Lions.

In 1935, Potsy sent to me a Detroit Lions play book which,by today’s standards, is quite simple.

I send my best wishes to Bro.Wilson and to his continuedinterest in football.

Franklin HartzellValley of Quincy

A Couple of Corrections

I enjoyed the article about Arnold Palmer (“Iced Tea &Lemonade,”TNL, Nov. 2010). I found one error of omissionand one of commission. As to the majors, the PGA was the onlyone he never won. He did, however, win the British Open twoyears in a row. Just call me picky, picky but I had to bring this toyour attention.

John W. QuigleyValley of Columbus

No PGA for Arnie

This is probably one of the thousands of comments you willreceive concerning the fact that Arnie never won the PGA.Thatis the one major that escaped him throughout his career.

David TheurichValley of Steubenville

More Than Pictures

In The Northern Light (“Masonic Moments,” Nov. 2010) I sawphotographs taken by members of lodge signs in Aruba andGermany. I would like to suggest that members also write in theexperiences they had when visiting lodges in a foreign country.

As an example I visited a lodge in Aruba. I was told thatofficers and members dress formally. I had only a white dinnerjacket with me, but I was received most cordially, even though Ifelt like being an Antarctic penguin in transit.

Bernhard KainerValley of Boston

Please submit your own Masonicphotos to The Northern Light. We areaccepting submissions of all thingsMasonic — people, places or occurrences, to share with ourreadership. You may send your photo to [email protected], or mail your submission to:The Northern Light, PO Box 519, Lexington, MA 02420-0519. Include your name, addressand Masonic affiliation. Photos will not be returned.

While on a fishing trip a fewyears ago to Bimini, 50 miles offthe coast of Florida, I ran acrossa little cemetery on the tip ofthe island. Although the tombstone is void of any inscriptiondue to constant exposure to thesalt air, sun and wind, it isobvious a Brother Mason isinterred here by the shape of themarker. It is sometimes surprisingwhere you find a connection tothe craft. Paul Decker, Valley ofAllentown, PA.

This past November I was in Ghent, Belgium, and saw this sign from anoperative mason at a cathedral restoration. Interesting to note that the

symbol is that of a Fellowcraft. Craig Froelich, Valley of Madison, WI.

masonicmoments


et cetera, et cetera,etc.Bro. Alex BirdRecognizedAlex Bird, shipping manager atSupreme Council headquarters,received quite an honor during hisrecent trip to England. While there,he was granted the “Freedom of theCity of London.” It makes him a“freeman” of London. The award isgiven in one of the oldest ceremoniesin the city, dating back to the year1237. According to the city ofLondon’s website “freeman” is a termdating from medieval times, referringto a person “who was not theproperty of a feudal lord, but enjoyedprivileges such as the right to earnmoney and own land. Town dwellerswho were protected by the charter oftheir town or city were often free,hence the term ‘freedom of the city.’”Today’s freemen and free sisters arepeople who have made an impact intheir field of work or in the city.Certain ceremonial and arcane rightsare granted to Freemen. One is theright to drive sheep and cattle overLondon Bridge. Another is the rightto “carry a naked sword in public.”Although initially reserved for citizensof Great Britain or theCommonwealth nations, today thehonor is bestowed globally, oftengoing to world leaders. Bro. Bird is inimpressive company. Others grantedthe freedom of the city includeWilliam Pitt, Dwight D. Eisenhower,Franklin D. and Theodore Roosevelt,Nelson Mandela, Nehru, and manyothers. Congratulations, Alex.

A Bogey onArnold PalmerIn the November 2010 issue of TheNorthern Light we stated that Bro.Arnold Palmer had won the P.G.A.Championship. Alas, as we haveheard from many of you, it was oneof the very few major tournaments

that eluded him. He did tie forsecond in the event on threeoccasions (1964, 1968, and 1970).

Foreign VisitsIt has been suggested by a reader thatmembers tell us a little about theirexperiences when visiting foreignlodges (see “Readers Respond” onpage 30). We agree. Similar to“masonicmoments,” which highlightsyour photography of interestingMasonic subjects, we solicit anyunique stories or anecdotes youmight have concerning a visit to alodge far from home. Please keepthem brief – maybe three to foursentences – and interesting. As spaceand time allow we will publish yourstories either in The Northern Light oronline at ScottishRiteOnline.org. Mailthem to The Northern Light, P.O. Box519, Lexington, MA 02420, or submitthem to [email protected] the title “Masonic Stories.”

The Northern LightStraight to YourElectronic ReaderBeginning with this issue TheNorthern Light is now available fordownloading to your electronicdevice. Your favorite publication willnow be available on your Kindle,Nook, iPad, computer, or whateveryour favorite reading device might be.Also, in the coming weeks, variousother stories from the NorthernMasonic Jurisdiction will be available.To take advantage of this new era

for the magazine, visitScottishRiteOnline.org, go toMember’s center, and click on “TheNorthern Light.”As always, the magazine will be

available in its traditional print formas well as archived onScottishRiteOnline.org.

Read More onPrince HallOn page 10 of this issue we featurePrince Hall, a fascinating character inMasonic, as well as our nation’s,history. Author of the article, JeffreyCroteau, suggests the followingsources for further reading:Coil, Sr., Henry Wilson and John

MacDuffie Sherman, editor, with theeditorial assistance of Harold Van BurenVoorhis. A Documentary Account of PrinceHall and Other Black Fraternal Orders.Missouri Lodge of Research, 1982.De Hoyos, Arturo. “On the Origins

of the Prince Hall Scottish Rite Rituals,”Heredom 5 (1996): 51-67.Roundtree, Alton G. and Paul M.

Bessel.Out of the Shadows: The Emergenceof Prince Hall Freemasonry in America:Over 225 years of Endurance.CampSprings, MD: KLR Publishing, 2006.Skocpol, Theda, Ariane Liazos, and

Marshall Ganz.What A Mighty PowerWe Can Be: African American FraternalGroups and the Struggle for RacialEquality. Princeton, NJ: PrincetonUniversity Press, 2006.Walker, Corey D.B. A Noble Fight:

African American Freemasonry and theStruggle for Democracy inAmerica.Urbana, IL:University of IllinoisPress, 2008.

Alan E. Foulds, 32°editor

The Northern LightP.O. Box 519Lexington, MA 02420-0519

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Documents

ancient accepted scottish

supreme council headquarters

northern masonic jurisdiction

grand minister ofstate

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northern masonic jurisdiction

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