Take Off Your Hat!

by Midnight Freemasons Founder

Todd E. Creason, 33°

The picture is of the Illustrious Brother Ernest Borgnine, 33° and Frank Sinatra fight in "From Here To Eternity" (1953)

I wrote this piece a long time ago--you'll see a little dated terminology in use.  It got a lot of lodges thinking (and a few Grand Lodges) and it both delighted and ticked off a lot of people.  Maybe it was because I was one of the first people to say it, but it needed to be said.  It has been said a lot of different ways since. There's still a few "influencer Masons" out there trying way too hard to be relevant.  I think it's worth saying again.

We've all seen that scene in a movie. Some army sergeant challenges his superior officer by saying "if you weren't wearing that hat, I'd teach you a lesson." Of course, the captain takes off his hat, and the two wind up in a fist fight--just two equal men settling a quarrel between them. 

Symbols of rank and authority are respected because they represent something larger than just the one individual. They represent the values of the military or of the law enforcement agency in which those individuals wearing the symbols belong. Those individuals are still human beings, but while they wear the rank and insignia of their office, they represent everyone involved with that organization. They often have to suppress their personal feelings while they are representing the entire group. 

The same is true of Masonry. When we wear our hats, lapel pins, rings, or have that emblem on our bumper, we are out there in the world representing ourselves as Masons. We are still human beings, but when we make that choice to represent ourselves publicly as a Freemason, we need to act like one. We should work very hard to make sure we are demonstrating the core principles and values of the Fraternity that more than 6 million Freemasons belong to world-wide. 

The same is true on social media. I couldn't tell you the number of times I'm disappointed by the way Freemasons behave on social media. A couple weeks ago, I unfriended and blocked a number of Freemasons because I didn't want to be associated with the things they were posting, saying, and doing on social media. I'm not a prude, but I was embarrassed. I don't want our Fraternity tarnished by the poor judgement of a few of our Brothers that seem to lack the good sense to conduct themselves appropriately in a public setting. 

If you're wearing the red fez in your profile picture, then act like a Shriner--that fez represents us all and you should conduct yourself accordingly. And if you display the square and compass on your homepage, then don't get into ugly debates and call people names and generally act like an idiot--again, you represent us all. Part of being a Freemason is learning to subdue our passions and keep ourselves within due bounds. Likewise, if you see that behavior and say nothing to your Brothers that are involved in it, you're contributing to it yourself. When we see our brothers acting foolishly, we should gently try and correct their behavior because it reflects badly on us all. We are, after all, our Brother's keeper. Right? 

Now people will criticize me for saying this. That's a given. They'll say that just because they're a Mason doesn't mean they shouldn't be allowed to express an opinion, post what they want or get into a debate on social media if they feel like it. You're right. We live in a free society that values few things more than free speech. I'm just saying that if you're going to do that, and you can't keep the discussions civil, then do so as an individual, not as a member of an organization that holds in high regard values like tolerance, equality, and harmony. An organization of men from many ethnic, religious, political and educational backgrounds. If you can't represent the best values of the Fraternity, then do us all a favor and don't represent yourself as a Mason. 

In other words, take off your hat! 

~TEC

Todd E. Creason, 33° is the Founder of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is the award-winning author of the Famous American Freemasons series.  He is a Past Master of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL) and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He currently serves as Secretary of St. Joseph-Ogden Lodge No. 970 (IL).  He formerly served the Grand Lodge of Illinois as the State Education Officer. He is a Fellow at the Missouri Lodge of Research (FMLR) and a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville. 

Freemasonry IS NOT For Everyone

by Midnight Freemasons Founder

Todd E. Creason, 33°

Taken at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. (photo by Greg Knott)

Believe it or not, I don't carry petitions in my pocket. I don't walk around handing out petitions the same way banks walk around college campuses handing out credit card applications to students. I'm a quality over quantity guy. I'm looking for specific characteristics. I'm looking for men of good character. I'm looking for men with a desire and a capacity to learn. I'm looking for men who are trustworthy and personable. When I find that guy, that's when I might be inclined to bring up the subject of Freemasonry. I was told recently that makes me an elitist. I disagree. It makes me selective. 

Freemasonry has always been selective. Sometimes we forget that. We get all wrapped up in bringing in numbers, we forget there is a larger purpose. We're supposed to make good men better. Good men. The Fraternity has always looked for men of good report and well recommended. We're not looking for warm bodies, we're looking for men who want to grow--men who possess certain desirable traits.  We want a man that will not only benefit from Freemasonry, but will be a benefit to Freemasonry. 

I have an old friend who is angry with me. I've known him for decades--since we were kids. He was angry that a couple of our mutual friends have joined the Fraternity at my suggestion, but that I've never invited him to join. I decided to spare him my full reasoning and focus on the one thing that makes that impossible--he's an atheist. He just laughed and said that was no problem at all--he said he had no problem saying he believed in the existence of God. 

And that's exactly why I could never recommend him. 

So don't look for warm bodies to fill your rosters--that benefits nobody. What you should be looking for are men who would make good Masons.  When you start looking for those men, you might just be surprised at how many you'll find.

~TEC (originally published 8/22/2026)

Todd E. Creason, 33° is the Founder of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is the award-winning author of the Famous American Freemasons series.  He is a Past Master of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL) and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He currently serves as Secretary of St. Joseph-Ogden Lodge No. 970 (IL).  He formerly served the Grand Lodge of Illinois as the State Education Officer. He is a Fellow at the Missouri Lodge of Research (FMLR) and a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville.

Brother John Wayne On Political Discourse

by Midnight Freemasons Founder

Todd E. Creason, 33°

“This is a good country. With good people in it. Good people don’t always agree with one another. Maybe the best thing we can do in this country is agree to disagree every once in a while.”

~John Wayne

Marion McDaniel Lodge No. 56, Tucson, Arizona 

John Wayne was never shy about expressing his opinions when it came to politics. He was a conservative, and a life-long Republican. He supported candidates that shared his great love of America, and those values that make America great. He was a patriot at heart, and developed friendships with many American Presidents, starting when he campaigned for Eisenhower. Then  Nixon. Ford. Reagan. 

His friendship with Richard Nixon was probably the closest. They exchanged letters frequently, and got together on many occasions. Shortly after Nixon won the election in 1968, the Duke wrote to him and said he better watch himself, because he was thinking about running for President himself. Nixon responded, “Duke is a better title than President!” 

However, even though he was a Republican, he respected every President that was elected by the people and sat in the Oval Office. He sent a telegram to John F. Kennedy after he was elected saying, “Congratulations, sir, from one of the loyal opposition.” He did the same with Lyndon B. Johnson and Jimmy Carter. Jimmy Carter replied to his telegram, “I trust the only area in which we will find ourselves in opposition is that of Party loyalty. I will need your help in the coming years, and hope to have your support.” Carter invited the Duke to Washington, DC to participate in his inauguration ceremonies, and John Wayne accepted. 

When John Wayne died in 1979, it was none other than Jimmy Carter that put what the nation was feeling over the loss of the famous actor into words. He said to the nation, “John Wayne was bigger than life . . . He was a symbol of so many of the qualities that make America great.” 

Somewhere along the way, we have forgotten something that John Wayne understood so well. We are all Americans, and we should always show respect to each other. And we should always put our Country before our politics. 

 ~TEC (originally posted 2/7/2018)

Todd E. Creason, 33° is the Founder of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is the award-winning author of the Famous American Freemasons series.  He is a Past Master of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL) and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He currently serves as Secretary of St. Joseph-Ogden Lodge No. 970 (IL).  He formerly served the Grand Lodge of Illinois as the State Education Officer. He is a Fellow at the Missouri Lodge of Research (FMLR) and a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville.

One From The Archives: A Few Fun Facts About Famous American Freemasons

by Midnight Freemasons Regular Contributor

Todd E. Creason, 33°

published 2007 by Moon & Son Publishing

It's hard to believe it's been 20 years.  I started the Midnight Freemasons in about 2006!

The blog was called "The Midnight Freemason" in the beginning, because it was just me.  I was researching and writing my book "Famous American Freemasons" at the time. That book was published in 2007 (and still available at booksellers everywhere).  But I researched the book and wrote in the evenings after a full day of work.  I was often working on it well after midnight (which is where the title of the blog came from).  But the Midnight Freemason blog was originally created to post interesting facts and stories and research that I didn't wind up using in the book--and I just hate wasting good material!  That's not changed, I have a pastor's blog I'm in the process of doing the same thing with, using it to post stuff I didn't wind up using in the sermon!

It's not very fancy now, and it certainly wasn't any fancier then. This article was one of the first blogs I published.  I still love stuff like this.  Back in the 80s we called them "factoids": 

Here's a few interesting facts you may not know about Famous American Freemasons: 

 

General George Washington

-Although George Washington seemed reluctant to accept the commission as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, he had done very little to try and stop the nomination, and had taken to wearing his buff and blue military uniform every day when the Second Continental Congress met.

John Philips Sousa

-As a boy, John Philips Sousa accompanied his father to Gettysburg with the Marine Marching Band, where he witnessed Abraham Lincoln give his famous speech. He would later grow up to conduct that same band, and would spend his life writing patriotic marches.

Roy Rogers & Trigger

-Roy Roger's famous horse Trigger had a job even before he met Roy.  He was horse ridden by Olivia de Haviland in the Errol Flynn classic film Robin Hood.  Back then, Trigger's name was "Golden Cloud."

Harry S Truman

-Harry S Truman cheated on his eye exam in order to qualify for military service. He once joked that his weak eyesight had always been a problem, in fact, he was unable to play baseball as a boy until his teammates found him a job he could do that didn't require good vision--umpire.

John Wayne

-John Wayne's nickname "Duke" came from his boyhood when he used to run around around town with the family dog--a giant Airedale.  The local firemen used to call the two "Big Duke" (the dog) and "Little Duke" (the boy).

Now wasn't that interesting?

~Todd E. Creason






Todd E. Creason, 33° is the Founder of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is the award-winning author of the Famous American Freemasons series.  He is a Past Master of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL) and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He currently serves as Secretary of St. Joseph-Ogden Lodge No. 970 (IL).  He formerly served the Grand Lodge of Illinois as the State Education Officer. He is a Fellow at the Missouri Lodge of Research (FMLR) and a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville.