Those Crazy Shriners!

Another Shriner scandal is being reported in the New York Times regarding more issues with the way they handle their money and file their taxes, improper firings, etc.

Really nothing new to the Masonic blogsphere, but this one quote from the article nearly made me fall out of my comfortable chair:

“ The Shriners employed Vantage to handle fund-raising for the hospitals from 1999 through 2003. Out of $46.2 million raised by Vantage, the Shrine received only $2.5 million, according to the report.”

For employing financial whizzes and sitting on the richest endowment ($8 Billion), that seems like a poor choice.

Like I said the Shrine is going through some growing pains, much like the rest of the Masonic world, they just have a lot more infrastructure. :)

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/25/us/25shrine.html?_r=1&th=&adxnnl=1&oref=sl

Renewing Your Masonic Spirit

Washington D.C. and northern Virginia are nothing short of a Mecca for American Freemasonry. It is to Freemasons what Colorado Springs is to Born Again Christians. Here once a year the 1% of the 1% meets for what is called “Masonic Week”, but still to the rest of us regular active Masons it beacons to us like some type of pilgrimage to the place where Washington was raised and to experience the myth of Freemasonry in the cradle of democracy and power in the free world. Even if you aren’t a history a buff, as a member of our glorious fraternity you can’t help feel a level of giddiness when you walk past the Houses of the Temple or the numerous other Masonic landmarks in the area.

Still Freemasonry is far beyond impressive structures and past leaders; it’s about enlightenment and of course the tagline “Making good men better”. In that sense it has been since December of 2007 that I have visited a lodge in the area, and being charged by TO Lodge talks I have been given, I felt emboldened to try a visit to another lodge. Due to timing, it wasn’t any lodge; it was the famed Alexandria-Washington No 22 A.F. & A.M. which meets in the George Washington Masonic Memorial.

Now for the regular readers of my blog, know that I had mixed feelings about the memorial (particularly the rite recruitment), but I do have to say that it is an impressive structure to meet and work in. The lodge room itself is immaculately maintained, the lodge is one of the few left that plays music during the various processions and pauses in the opening, closing, and ritual work. I was also fortunate to witness a Fellow Craft Degree and witness three men being passed. Witnessing this ritual, which is so different than that we perform in Texas, helped wash my soul in the excellence of ritual and the teachings that each of us should strive for when we do the work.

With the festive afterwards, I didn’t leave the Memorial until around 2345, got in my rental, lit up a San Cristobal and drove home listening to WETA 90.9 FM completely content with the world, all the while my mind swimming with esoteric thoughts. I look forward to returning to that lodge in the future. #

The Burning Taper and GOUSA

The two in the subject are completely different, but I thought it would be fun to lump them together.

1) For those that don't know the The Burning Taper author has been locked out of his blog because of a report that it was a spam blog. From his new blog:

Google/Blogger has proven to be unreliable, having blocked my publishing access to a two-and-a-half year old blog because a robot tagged it as a “possible spam blog.” Inadvertent though it (probably) is, not having the ability to write and post at will after doing so for nearly three years is… well, incredibly restricting as well as incredibly liberating.

He is now updating his blog from wordpress, hopefully he will get access back and will be writing again.

2) There was a question about the sovereignty of the new Grand Orient US, from their website:

The official Patent from the Grand Orient of France giving the Grand Orient of the United States of America legal Masonic authority to work in North America was signed in Paris on Friday, the 27th of June, 2008 at 9:15 AM EST. A Treaty of Amity was also signed between the two sovereign Masonic powers.

A thanks goes to Brandt from Euclid lodge who commented about it.

Again, this is for those of you that care.

That Went Over Like a Lead Balloon

Well my first presentation in a lodge room that was solely my own (i.e. not reading someone elses work) was a complete dud in the lodge I presented it in. Honestly it was bound to happen, just didn’t think it would happen my first time at bat. This wasn’t my mother lodge, it’s another local lodge that I am/was considering affiliating with.

Let’s see what didn’t go wrong? The projector worked, the slides were the right version that is always a plus. The downside? I broke the light (I still feel awful about this), the audience was skeptical to the entire concept of Traditional Observance Lodges ever working in Texas “Texas isn’t formal enough for that to work here.” The usual skeptical fare, they are somewhat right. I live in one of the biggest cities in Texas and it isn’t as formal as a small town lodge in Virginia (at least I haven’t sat in a lodge that is as formal). What’s with the additional ceremony? When would they pay the bills? Etc, etc.

But with all chances in life sometimes you win big, sometimes you lose, this time I take it as a lost. Still I must have pride that I put myself out there, and at least got people thinking about something than their lines in the lodge room or how much the rent is that month, even if I made an ass out of myself in the process.

At least I have the long weekend to lick my wounds and try again in my mother lodge.

Texas Freemasonry Video on YouTube

Brother Blake from Gonzales Masonic Lodge #30 made the following video:



He made it for his lodge, but I think that it's pretty good for South Texas overall, check it out when you get a chance!

GOUSA Has Recieved a Patent From GOdF

This is starting to bubble across the internet, but it appears that John Silfko Grand Master of the GOUSA has been given an official patent from the GOdF giving the GOUSA Masonic authority over North America.

This was signed on Friday June 27th @ 9:15am, also a treaty of Amity was signed between the two sovereign Masonic "powers".

Just in case you cared...

Doing Something Positive, Just Not Complaining

I started last night to fall for the bad behavior that seems to infect others who blog. Regardless of it being a Masonic blog or not. I have tried to keep this blog above the sniping that seems to be an easy road to go down, and keep it focused on one thing, my Masonic journey, not be distracted by less than desirable behavior.

The incoming Worshipful Master asked me if I would consider heading up the education committee, since our lodge hasn’t had an official education committee for a while, I thought it would be a positive contribution to the revitalization of thought and helping the lodge out beside sitting in a chair and memorizing a bunch lines (which is equally important, but does less to stimulate Masonic discussion). While I could dust off some of the speeches of the past, talking papers on the third degree or promotion of apendent bodies, I am going to talk about Traditional Observance Lodges. While this topic is pretty well known in the blogsphere, it seems to be a knowledge point lacking in Southern Texas Freemasonry.

It seems that when Texans think of Traditional Observance Lodges, they think of the Grand Masters vision of the “Men we use to be” which is to say 1955 Freemasonry, which is completely different than a Traditional Observance Lodge concept (Less than 72 Members, High Dues, emphasis on the INITIATIC experience, Festive Boards, etc.) So I am working on a presentation using *GASP* a powerpoint presentation, I will present it to my mother lodge and see if there are any other lodges that are willing for me to come out and speak.

I don’t see this as an out right recruitment plan, as more as an education plan. If a club starts so be it (thought I am pretty skeptical that will ever happen) at least it might, just might start the gears turning about other ways to think of lodge outside of sloppy joes, opening, reading of the minutes and closing.

You can sit on the sidelines and bitch, or you can get up and do something, it’s entirely up to you.

Masonic Central – Episode 2 W/ Tim Bryce Thoughts

Listen to the first Masonic Central episode this afternoon while waiting for my air conditioner to be repaired (let me tell you how much fun it is to be in South Texas with no air conditioner on a 92 degree day). I have some thoughts on the subject matter on content:

1) I honestly think that I am the only person in the Masonic Blogsphere that doesn’t think that the Shrine and the Blue Lodge should split. The Shrine is an aspect and apart of our American Masonic Heritage. What makes my statements even more bizarre is that I’m not even in the Shrine, and I don’t have any plans to join. I understand their recruitment tactics leave something to be desired in some states (we’ve never entertained the idea of one day classes in Texas), but it is an organization that exemplifies charity aspect of Freemasonry.

2) I do agree about TO Lodges, I honestly think that two types of lodges need to be made available in the US, the 1950s style lodge and a TO Lodge. That way you have more of a choice of the type of Masonic experience you want to get out of the Craft.

3) I also agree about the on-line Freemasonry discussion groups get really nasty, which is why I don’t pipe up more often about current events.

Overall it’s a good show with more of a round table discussion. I look forward to future broadcasts.

Frank Haas Suing the Grand Lodge of West Vrigina

Wow, see what happens when you come home from work early?

Frank Haas has filed a lawsuit against Charlie Montgomery and Charles F Coleman and the Grand Lodge of West Virginia for his expulsion from Freemasonry.

Read all about it here:

http://masonic-crusade.com/gallery/1/Binder1.pdf

Interesting, I wonder if this is the first time that a brother has sued a Grand Lodge, and what precedence it would set if he would win.

Taylor’s Monitor – Texas

I am sure that most Freemasons reading this have gone to eBay to look for various Masonic items, I purchased my copy of Morals and Dogma (circa 1919) from eBay right after initiation in the Entered Apprentice degree, and read it and found that Pikes thoughts in regards to the EA, FC and MM are fascinating to say the least.

Recently I was lucky enough to come across a real find, Taylor’s Monitor for Texas circa 1905 (for a real steal as well). This book was published 7 years before my grandfather was born, and gives an interesting glimpse into Texas Freemasonry 103 years ago. It shows that song was an integral part of Masonic ritual and that prayer was used more often, the biggest glaring difference is the burial ritual which has been revised multiple times; also it has additional addresses for a chaplain, solider, and foreigner. Here is the address to the solider after initiation:

Our institution breathes a spirit of general philanthropy. Its benefits, considered in a social view, are extensive. It unites all mankind. It, in every nation, opens an asylum to virtue in distress and grants hospitality to the necessitous and unfortunate. The sublime principles of universal goodness and love to all mankind, which are essential to it, cannot be lost in national distinction, prejudices and animosities. The rage of contest it has abated, and substituted in its stead the milder emotions of humanity. It has taught the pride of victory to give way to the dictates of an honorable connection.

Should your country demand your services in foreign wars, and should captivity be your portion, may you find affectionate Brethren where others would only find enemies.

In whatever nation you travel, when you meet a Mason, you will find a brother and a friend, who will do all in his power to serve you; and who will relieve you should you be poor or in distress, to the utmost of his ability and with ready cheerfulness.

Regarding the previous owner(s) I can tell you the book came from an estate sale in Nacogdoches, TX which is home to Milam Lodge #2 AF&AM which has a long and rich history in the state of Texas, the lodge actually was originally in Fort Nacogdoches (they have a great website, go check it out). The owner of this monitor was a Worshipful Master as he has earmarked the order of business section, it also appears that he was DDGM as well, as the duties and installation of the DDGM is ear marked as well. The book is in excellent condition, and has no writing on the inside of it. It has a little wear and tear, but given it’s age, it’s in excellent condition.

I think this is a book I will cherish for the many years to come.