The Midwest Conference of Masonic Education 2021

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert H. Johnson

The first time I attended the Midwest Conference of Masonic Education (MCME) was in 2019. After a stated meeting, I along with Brothers Scott and Spencer hopped in a car and drove from 10:30 P.M. until 2:00 A.M., attempting to get to Cedar Rapids Iowa. We arrived at the hotel and we all checked in. I think we were passed out by 3:30 A.M. 

We got up after a few hours of sleep and made our way to the conference center where the event was being held. A really great time and really great presentations. But there were only about 22 people there. Which I think I wrote about at the time. It was a bummer. Such an event--a regional one should have had more people. Especially considering this was a multi-state, Grand Lodge-funded educational endeavor. Anyway, I digress. 

Fast forward to a year later in 2020--we obviously couldn't have the event, so it was canceled outright. Fast forward again to 2021. Well, the MCME 2021 just wrapped up last weekend and I can tell you, even for a digital event, they pulled it off and it was TIGHT. 

Our president was our Illinois representative, Scott Dueball. Scott is the former head of the IL committee on Edu. The events this year garnered the attendance of over 60 attendees in a virtual forum that was NOT a webinar. Everyone did great and managed themselves perfectly, e.g. no hot mic issues. The fellowship was strong and so was the education. 

Our sessions this year were themed around allowing Masons to get into what matters with education. Making it simple and sending our attendees home with a profound sense of how easy it can be and some tools to make it happen. 

Chuck Dunning spoke and answered questions about group facilitation of dialog. We then split into several groups and discussed elements of our Initiations, using the tools Chuck had just given us. What stuck out? What did we remember? We all shared and it was excellent. 

Next, we had the state education chair from Ohio, Chad Kopenski give us a talk about "Personalizing Masonry." As usual Chad's talk gave me lightbulb-moments, not unlike the first time I heard him talk in 2019. Then Spencer Hamann (one of our own contributors to this blog) gave a great talk about Logic and its use in Freemasonry today. The focus was really about the cognitive biases we have and how we are under the constant threat of failing Freemasonry and ourselves. (My take away anyway.) It was fantastic. 

Then I was able to read the late great Ed Rund's obituary. Ed was a huge part of the MCME for many years. And finally, they elected a new board and officers. All in all, it was an awesome day of Light. So you're asking, “Why didn't I know about this?” Or maybe, "When's the next one?" Well, I can't offer you an answer to the first question other than to say, *some* Grand Lodges find this conference unworthy of their attention, and do not participate or tell their members about it. But the second question-- I have better answers to. 

Next year's MCME will be in Kansas City, MO! The date is being chosen currently, but as soon as I hear about it, bet your bottom dollar, I'll let you all know. Congrats to all the attendees, education officers, and members who went home from this conference with a new set of working tools. Cheers to the board and executive officers for an amazing event. Thanks to Chuck Dunning, Spencer Hamann, and Chad Kopenski for your great presentations!

I'll see you all next weekend in Massachusettes for Masonic Con 2020ish 😎

~RHJ

RWB Johnson is a Co-Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 2nd N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focuses on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry. He is the co-author of "It's Business Time - Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry", “The Master’s Word: A Short Treatise on the Word, the Light, and the Self – Annotated Edition” and author of "How to Charter a Lodge: A No-Nonsense, Unsanctioned Guide. More books are on the way.

The King Arthur Effect

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Ken JP Stuczynski

*Editors Note* This was to be published in 2017, just before The Grand Lodge of New York's annual communication. The local Masonic paper went out of business before its next issue and so was never published.

Last year, it was proposed to amend the Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of New York to require that Elected Grand Lodge Officers must be Past Masters. Currently, someone who is "merely" a Brother may become Grand Master, at least in theory. The likelihood of such a nomination and election seems infinitesimal, and the potential chaos that might ensue would be great if such did happen. So maybe we should ask ourselves why it was not written that way, to begin with. Perhaps there is another reason.

One legend of King Arthur begins with "the sword in the stone." Anyone who can pull the sword from the stone proves himself to be the rightful heir to the throne. Anyone may try, and hypothetically anyone could succeed. All myth intends a purpose, be it a moral lesson or a deeper message that resonates such with the human heart that it becomes timeless and endures. Surely no well-regulated kingdom would choose someone with no pedigree or experience as a leader. So what is the message?

Such a thing is not a matter of jurisprudence, but a principle. It is not that this or that particular man is qualified, but that any man, in general, can be noble and worthy of even the highest honor. It is not simply a childish fantasy or hope, but the most potent way to pronounce belief in a true meritocracy. This timeless sentiment, refined over the years into a political virtue, was transmitted through Freemasonry to the very founding of our nation. You need not have held office to be President.

This is a very similar argument to the question of [lowering] lawful age in our Fraternity. Are we so afraid of our own bad judgment that we would accept someone unworthy that we must maintain a law that equally rejects all younger worthy gentlemen amidst our ranks? If we cannot be trusted in our judgment to allow younger adults or allegedly less qualified Masons to join or sit in the Grand East, how can we claim to trust ourselves to discern the merits of older adults or Right Worshipfuls? At what point do years and titles supersede character and merit?

These questions may be answered with cold logic, as a matter of law and order. But perhaps the answer will be different if we see it for something more noble and glorious -- a statement of principle and equal opportunity that will sort itself out by our own good judgment and the providence of the Great Architect. It will be interesting to see which view will have prevailed by the time you read this.

{The decision was made to require anyone aspiring to be Grand Master to have served as Master of a Lodge in New York State. It would have been unanimous except for one vote.}

~JP

Bro. Ken JP Stuczynski is a member of West Seneca Lodge No.1111 and recently served as Master of Ken-Ton Lodge No.1186. As webmaster for NYMasons.Org he is on the Communications and Technology Committees for the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. He is also a Royal Arch Mason and 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason, serving his second term as Sovereign Prince of Palmoni Council in the Valley of Buffalo, NMJ. He also coordinates a Downtown Square Club monthly lunch in Buffalo, NY. He and his wife served as Patron and Matron of Pond Chapter No.853 Order of the Eastern Star and considered himself a “Masonic Feminist”.

Fair and Fowl Correspondences

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

RW Spencer A. Hamann

The thoughtful pupil of Freemasonry cannot help but be pleasantly astounded by the various correspondences, both designed and serendipitous, which permeate our Craft. These corollaries irrevocably link the philosophy of the Craft with the whole of the human experience, if one only deems to pull the thread.

Consider the origin and formation of the first Grand Lodge. There is hardly a Mason who has not read or been told the anecdote: four early 18th Century Lodges in London, England decided that in the interest of unity they ought form a “Grand Lodge” or central regulatory body. On Saint John the Baptist’s day in June of 1717, the very first Grand Master (one Anthony Sayer) was duly installed at the Goose and Gridiron Ale House in Saint Paul’s Church Yard.

For many, the story ends here, relocated to little more than a piece of trivia or a few sentences within a handbook. In truth, there is not a great deal on the written record about this event, save for some accounts both before and after the formation, and a few paragraphs in Anderson’s Constitutions. Besides additional research that can be done upon the climate of early Freemasonry, geography, and some of the men present, there appears to be little more to consider about the event.

Let us momentarily take a step back from this topic, and instead turn our attention to a figure of classical Greek Mythology. Orpheus, son of the musical muse Calliope and Oeagrus, King of Thrace, is particularly noted as a musician of exceptional skill. The music he plays on his lyre (an ancient stringed instrument somewhat akin to a small harp, and a thread which itself leads to fascinating occult musical and mathematical correspondences with Pythagoras) has supernatural abilities to charm humans and nature itself, even overpowering the spell of the Siren’s song.

As the myth goes, Orpheus marries the beautiful Eurydice, who not long after their marriage is bitten by a snake and perishes. Overcome with grief, Orpheus journeys into the underworld where he is met with numerous challenges and obstacles in his attempt to bring back his love. So great is his resolve and skill that he uses his music to persuade Hades to allow him to retrieve Eurydice. However, Hades sets one stipulation: Eurydice may follow Orpheus out of the Underworld, but Orpheus is not to look back or Eurydice will remain in the Underworld forever. Orpheus and Eurydice journey out of the Underworld, but as they are on the brink of escape, Orpheus is overcome with a terrible fear that his wife may not be following him. He turns to see if she is still behind him, and in doing so, both sees her faithfully there and loses her forever.

After Orpheus returns to the world of the living alone, he spends the rest of his days in quiet worship of the Sun (Apollo). There are multiple versions of how Orpheus died, but one widely recounted version expounds that he is murdered, playing his music until the very end. He is then transformed into a swan (a possible corollary to the concept of a “swan song”), and the muses place him and his lyre amongst the stars in the heavens.

Interestingly, in classical Astronomy, the 2nd Century AD astronomer Claudius Ptolemaeus (Ptolemy) included the constellation Cygnus, the swan, amongst his 48 recognized constellations. Ptolemy also lists the constellation Lyra, the lyre, which closely neighbors Cygnus. These constellations both in name and proximity can be viewed as an astronomical representation of the Orpheus myth, and are still visible and recognized today in modern Astronomy.

Further tracing the Liberal Arts, as Western Art Music and specifically opera developed, the Orpheus myth was a favorite of early narratives. It is not difficult to see the appeal: the protagonist is a musician who uses music to supernatural effect during the story, and essentially “dies” and returns from death (the underworld) during the story. In fact the earliest surviving opera, written by Italian composer Jacopo Peri (1561 – 1633) and premiered in 1600, was titled Euridice and is essentially a telling of the Orpheus myth.

Whether fans of the form or not, most of us are already very familiar with a part of an Orpheus-inspired opera: the theme “Galop Infernal” from 19th Century French composer Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus opera Orphée aux Enfers, which is more lovingly known as a tune and dance craze by the name of the “Can-Can”.

The mythical, astrological, and musical associations with Orpheus have made him a popular figurehead for performing arts troupes over the centuries. Indeed there have been numerous societies and guilds which have taken up the moniker over the centuries, including the Swan & Lyre Musical Society, which has been active for over 500 years in England.

What does any of this have to do with Freemasonry, or the founding of the first Grand Lodge? As many a philosopher and Mason have asserted over the centuries: the answer lies in the pub. The Goose and Gridiron Ale House, a seemingly nonsensical name, is in actuality a parody of Swan and Lyre, the name of a musician’s guild which also met at the public house. Upon examination, the parody name makes perfect sense: a goose is a bird similar in build to a swan, and a lyre with its many strings, when turned sideways does indeed resemble an iron cooking grate (gridiron). While it is unclear if the pub was named Goose and Gridiron from the start, or if it was actually first named Swan and Lyre and became lovingly referred to as the Goose and Gridiron (in a similar way as one may acknowledge a certain global hamburger proprietor as “the golden arches”), by 1717 the pub was widely known as the Goose and Gridiron, and had a prominent sign hung above its facade with the image of a long necked bird and many slatted rectangular shape.

What becomes additionally interesting is the parallel between the myth of Orpheus and the Craft Lodge Masonic legend of Hiram Abiff. While specifics of each story vary, both tell of an extraordinary individual who leaves the realm of the living and rises back up from the realm of the dead to an ultimately higher realm. This transformation and transmutation through death can also be found in the doctrines of many religions and philosophies, including as Christianity and Alchemy.

Whether our early Brethern made a conscious choice based on symbolic correspondences when they chose the Goose and Gridiron Ale House as the birthplace for the first Grand Lodge is a matter of speculation: there has been no known documentation to surface with any evidence to confirm such a claim. However there need not to have been a deliberate and philosophical decision made to bring this together satisfactorily: even coincidences, by definition, are remarkable events, and whether wrought by the hearts and minds of men or drawn on a far greater trestleboard than they can comprehend, the universe is found to be a remarkable place when one only deems to pull the thread.

~SAH

RW Brother Spencer has a vast and varied set of skills and interests, and boundless curiosity. Drawing inspiration from his love of music and engineering at an early age, Spencer began apprenticing to learn the luthier’s art as a high school freshman in 2003. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2011 with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Musicology, focused on Organology. He now works professionally as a luthier, managing workshops in Illinois and Wisconsin, completing repairs and restorations of fine string instruments, and providing education on instrument history and maintenance. Spencer also enjoys performing music on a variety of instruments, is an avid collector of fine tools, frequently takes commissions for custom work within woodworking, and restores typewriters and bicycles among other antiques. Curatorship and adding value are core to his personal philosophies. Spencer was Raised in 2013, served Libertyville Lodge No. 492 as Worshipful Master from 2017-2018, and currently serves the Grand Lodge of Illinois as their Grand Representative to Wisconsin, District Education officer for the 1st NE District, and is a Certified Lodge Instructor (CLI).

Was the Past Truly Amazing?

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert H. Johnson

A few weeks back, I asked my Grand Lodge about the digitization process for our Grand Lodge Proceedings. For those of you who don't know what those are, they are for lack of a better term, Grand Lodge Minutes.

I know, sounds riveting, right? Well they kind of are. Grand Lodge proceedings have so much information. A years worth of amazing communications, great orations on the craft, who recognizes who, and of course lots and lots of drama...and controversy.

in a vein of coincidence, I accepted a position as the new Webmaster for the Illinois Lodge of Research, and in order to really get things moving, I decided to take a page out of Ill. Bro. Harrison's book. Find the cool stuff in our history and tweet it out. Want more context? Check out the book and read it.

The Grand Lodge of Illinois actually had two iterations. The first from the 1820s-- then they went dark before 1830. They reemerged in the late 1830's or Early 1840s. Why the discrepancy? Well, the first proceedings book for Grand Lodge No. 2 was 1840. But there is a book out there that's dated 1838. So the jury is our until I can examine this book.

I'm currently going through each volume that's been digitized and finding wonderful and interesting things. Some amazing, some scandalous and some...shameful. But we should remember that reading these things should strengthen our fraternity. We read, we reflect, we self correct. Hey--that rhymes. You can thank me later, and if you make it a T-Shirt, send me one.

Here are a few interesting excerpts I pulled for examples in the blog post.

1854 - WHEREAS, it has been represented to this Grand Lodge, that a Brother of Union Lodge 78 has declared that he will oppose the admission of any person, making application [for the mysteries] of Masonry, who does not first distinctly avow to the Lodge his belief [in the] Authenticity of the Holy Scriptures : Therefore— RESOLVED, That, in the opinion of this Grand Lodge, such requirement on the Mason, is unmasonic and contrary to the fundamental law of Masonry; and that no [one] making application to a Lodge for the mysteries of Masonry, should be interrogated [on his] religious belief, further than his belief in a Supreme Being.

The above serves as a reminder that here, in these United States of America, Freemasonry is an organization open to ALL, who profess a belief in a Supreme Being. Beyond this, to ask anything else is-- Unmasonic Conduct. We are not made of a single denomination.

Here is another gem.

1856: Resolution - XXI . Resolved, That, in the opinion of this Grand Lodge, the Wardens of a Subordinate Lodge may preside and confer degrees in the absence of the Master, without regard to their having taken the Past Master's degree.

This one is more historical. It gives us some wild insight. It alludes to the fact that you used to not be able to preside or confer a degree if you hadn't had the Past Master Degree. Could you imagine?

Remember I said they could be scandalous? How about this one?

1856: Suspensions - Suspension Nunda Lodge No. 169 — R. C. Cady, for unmasonic conduct with a school mistress.

One wonders what "unmasonic" conduct with a school mistress entails... In any case, our proceedings have much to offer. History, reflections and even some entertainment. I may write about these findings from time to time. It may be here, it may be a tweet from the Illinois Lodge of Research, or maybe it will be on our blog, "The Lamp" on the ILOR website. I hope you find it interesting.

~RHJ

RWB, Robert Johnson is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 2nd N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatrewhich focus on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry. He is the co-author of "It's Business Time - Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry" and is currently working on a book of Masonic essays and one on Occult Anatomy to be released soon.

A Return to the Tradition of Grand Master Portraits

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Travis Simpkins

Okay, so maybe “return” isn't the right word to use in all cases. Some Grand Lodges, like Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, have kept up the tradition of commissioning oil portraits of Grand Masters from the beginning. Other jurisdictions have always simply relied on photographs to commemorate and honor their leaders. Others still began with paintings and, for any variety of reasons, gradually let the practice fade away.

Over the past couple years, I've been happy to work with the Grand Lodge of New Jersey to help renew the tradition there. In early 2018, Roger B. Quintana was serving as Deputy Grand Master and was planning ahead for his upcoming term in the Grand East. He contacted me about the possibility of having an original oil painting made for his Grand Master portrait. He said that New Jersey had commissioned some oil paintings in the past, but that now the portraits were mostly just large photos. He wanted to return to displaying handmade artwork. We agreed on the details and I presented the completed painting to M.W. Quintana in April of 2018, on the day of his installation as Grand Master of Masons in New Jersey at the Grand Lodge's Annual Communication in Atlantic City. The portrait was well received and I was invited back again this year to present the oil painting I made of his successor, M.W. Gregory J. Scott. And if all goes according to plan, I hope to return to New Jersey for a third time in 2020.

Not all budgets are the same and some buildings just don't have the space to display large artwork. Beyond oil paintings, I've also had the pleasure of creating smaller charcoal drawings of Grand Masters for many jurisdictions. Some have gone to Grand Lodges for display, others now hang in the Mother Lodges of various Grand Masters, some are in private homes. Commemorating our leaders for posterity in an interesting and appropriate way is the important thing, regardless of artistic medium or ultimate destination.

Handmade portraits, conceived by a skilled artist, contain a humanness and a spark of life that can't quite be captured in any other way. Both timely and timeless, they offer a sense of history and tradition: a connection to the past, a vision of the present and a record for the future.

If any Grand Lodge officials, or anyone else for that matter, is looking to return to or begin a tradition of Grand Master portraits, please feel free to reach out to me.

-TS

Travis Simpkins is a freelance artist with clients throughout the United States and Europe. He currently works on projects for the Supreme Council, 33°, NMJ in Lexington, Massachusetts and the Supreme Council, 33°, SJ in Washington, DC. He also serves as a portrait artist for the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Grand Lodge of New Jersey and other jurisdictions across North America. His artwork is in many esteemed collections, including the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum in Independence, Missouri and the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia.

Bro. Simpkins is a member of Morning Star Lodge A.F. & A.M. in Worcester, Massachusetts. He is a 32^°  Mason in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite- Valleys of Worcester and Boston. He is also a member of  Eureka Royal Arch Chapter, Hiram Council of Royal & Select Master Masons and Worcester County Commandery No. 5, Knights Templar.

10 Years as a Freemason

by Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Gregory J. Knott

This week I received a card from the Grand Lodge of Illinois congratulating me on the 10th anniversary of being a Freemason. It caused me to think back over these past 10 years, so I thought I would share a few of those thoughts with you.

I was raised in Ogden Lodge No. 754 along with two of my childhood friends. We went through all three degrees together and it was a special experience to share with these lifetime friends. After becoming a Master Mason, I don’t think I fully comprehended what I just went through or what was still to come.

Ogden is a strong lodge that has been in the community since 1877. Shortly after I was raised, Ogden celebrated our 130th celebration with a lodge rededication ceremony conducted by the Grand Lodge officers. It was impressive and was a nice compliment to the degrees I had just been through.

I started attending meetings regularly and we did the usual paying the bills, reading the minutes and other business. At the time, I really didn’t know the difference and just thought this was what we did. I started attending the pancake breakfasts and we did a roadside trash pick-up. We seemed to be an active lodge.

A few months later, I decided to become a plural member with St. Joseph Lodge No. 970, which is in my hometown. St. Joseph Lodge was on the verge of closure. It was having problems making a quorum and the members that did come were worn out and about to throw the towel in. There were conversations about merging with Ogden (which are five miles apart in distance). But another new brother had also joined St. Joseph lodge and together we had a lot of enthusiasm to make some changes. So, we started brainstorming ideas on how we could grow and improve the lodge. The existing members were very supportive and basically gave us the green light to try anything.

We did numerous things, which I have written about before if you search this blog, and we were able to turn the lodge around. In 2011, we were the first lodge in Illinois to receive the Mark Twain Award from the Masonic Service Association. Additionally, we have won the Grand Masters Award of Excellence on several occasions in the past few years. St. Joseph lodge still has new members coming in and is a very strong lodge. I am very proud we strengthened this lodge and saved it from closing.

Just because I needed more to do, I also joined Homer Lodge No. 199. Homer was also having a problem making quorums and about to close the doors and turn the lights out. Several of the brethren from Ogden lodge also became plural members at Homer and we began the work to turn things around there. Again, we have written about Homer lodge many times here on this blog and you can search for the stories, but this lodge has also stabilized and is growing again.

Two significant changes have happened in the last 10 years that I think are influencing masonry in a positive manner, social media and masonic education.

Masonic education had virtually disappeared from meetings over the last 75 years and the purpose of Masonry had essentially become degree work and boring business meetings. But by the beginning of the 21st century, numerous brothers were asking if there wasn’t more to Masonry than what was being practiced. In 2004 the Knights of the North published Laudable Pursuit, which laid out a framework of how Freemasonry could return to its roots. This work and Chris Hodapp’s book Freemasons for Dummies were a strong influence on shaping my knowledge of what Freemasonry is and should be. My research quickly told me that Freemasonry was much more than I was experiencing.

The other change is social media. Facebook, Twitter, blogs all have become part of daily life this past decade. These social networks became a way to keep me connected to not only the brethren I met in blue lodge, but also the Scottish Rite, York Rite and more. Then I met brothers from all over the country who gave me ideas on how to improve the lodge and encouraged me to keep working towards change. One common theme was repeated over and over and that was Masonic education.

I quickly became a convert in that Masonic education was the key to the future of blue lodge success. Reading numerous online website, listening to podcasts, reading books and masonic discussion groups, I expanded my knowledge and developed a much deeper understanding of Freemasonry. The task was to bring this education back to the blue lodges.

Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one who sought to improve the Masonic experience. Two brothers have had a large influence in helping me gain a greater understanding of what is possible with Masonic education, Todd Creason and Robert Johnson.

Todd, I have known for years, even prior to becoming a Freemason. He was on my investigation committee and is a fellow member of Ogden Lodge and Homer Lodge. We began having conversations of how we could improve our meetings and we kept coming back to education. I was his first guest contributor here on the Midnight Freemasons and am proud to be a part of this amazing group of Masonic brothers who write here.

Robert was someone I got to know through social media. He soon also joined the Midnight Freemasons and eventually becoming the editor. I began listening to his podcast, Whence Came You, which I find is one the finest masonic resources available today. Robert’s continued focus on education, developing a deeper understanding of the craft and applying these principals in the blue lodge, I think is spot on for what Freemasonry needs to thrive.

There have been countless other brothers that I have meet along this journey that I now count among my closest friends. To each of them I owe something for helping make me a better person. Thank you.

Freemasonry, like numerous other organizations is going through change right now, but I firmly believe it is being strengthened as we work towards returning to our roots. It’s been a great 10 years and I look forward to the years ahead. I hope to meet you along the way.

~GJK

WB Gregory J. Knott is the Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 in St. Joseph (IL) and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL) and Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington, DC.

Here I Go Again On My Own...Just Kidding

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert H. Johnson

About this time last year, I was about ready to hop in my friend and Brother’s car to ride down to Grand Lodge Sessions. In fact, I wrote about it and you can read it here. This time around, we’re heading down via the train. A time-honored tradition. This year there are several Masons from the 1st Northeastern district taking the train. We’re taking the Metra to the historic Chicago Union Station, where we’ll meet up in the executive lounge and then take the train down via business class. If all goes well, business class will be full of Freemasons.

I’m really looking forward to the trip this year. Last year I traveled down as my final year of being a District Education Officer and would be installed as a District Deputy Grand Master. This year, I’m going down as, and remaining, a DDGM. I’m looking forward to the fellowship and taking lots of pictures. In fact, I’ll hopefully be documenting the entire experience with my instamatic camera. I hope to capture some great moments. 

Recently, I’ve been remembering some of the hobbies I left behind when I became extraordinarily active within the craft. I’ve been sitting down and playing guitar again, but also, and even more so, I’ve been getting back into photography. I was a photographer and lab technician for almost eight years, and that was ten years ago! Being inspired by Greg Knott’s photos, seeing some of the great shots from our TMR-Con and the photos from the latest MRF symposium, lead me to get back in the saddle. 

Recently, when Scott Dueball decided it was time to buy a new lens for his Canon, I made a recommendation for a fixed 50mm. Seeing him get into it and taking pictures of his new baby made me remember the thrill and fun of taking pictures. So, here I go again...but not alone by any means. See you all down at Grand Lodge.

~RHJ

RWB, Robert Johnson is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Waukegan Lodge No. 78 where he is a Past Master. He also serves as the District Deputy for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focus on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry and is also an avid home brewer. He is currently working on a book of Masonic essays and one on Occult Anatomy to be released soon.

The Cowan

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR 

A few years ago at Missouri’s Grand Lodge session, the Grand Secretary asked me, with approval from the Grand Master, to take some photographs of the tiled Grand Lodge meeting.

We held the meeting in a large conference center jam-packed with over 1,000 Brothers. As I walked around the room trying to figure out the best angles for the photographs it became apparent I wouldn’t get a good photo from the convention floor. Fortunately, there was an office area above with a bank of draped windows overlooking the cavernous meeting room. That, I figured, would give me the best vantage point for the shot the Grand Secretary wanted.

I hauled my equipment upstairs and entered the office. There, I peeked out of each window to determine the best angle for my impending work of art. I selected the appropriate window, opened the drapes just enough to stick my head and camera through, knelt and started snapping pictures.

When I lowered my camera I noticed a flurry of activity on my end of the room. Right below me, Brothers were waving their arms and pointing at me. Some were even heading toward the door. Momentarily, the meeting stopped. The Brothers had exposed a cowan in their midst… and it was me!

Being a man of decisive action, I decided it was time to make a quick exit. “Feet,” I thought, “don’t fail me now.” I grabbed my stuff, whirled around and prepared to make myself scarce.

Too late.

As I stood up, the office door flew open. There, holding his angled rod in front of his body with both hands, legs planted apart, silent and ready for battle, stood the Grand Pursuivant.

Do I need to mention it was an uncomfortable moment?

I didn’t know the man but it was pretty obvious he was a Brother. As a few others began to show up behind him, I introduced myself and told him what I was up to. It didn’t take too long to convince him I was legitimate and the crisis quickly ended. A few smiles even broke out.

I suppose there are some things to be learned from the incident… like, for example we probably should have announced that the photos were being taken. Mainly, however, I learned some Brothers apparently have eyes in the back of their heads, since they were all facing away from me when I took the pictures.

Although I edited the Missouri Freemason magazine at the time I never published the photo. The only use ever made of it was a copy that now hangs in the Masonic Museum at the Masonic Complex in Columbia.

That Grand Pursuivant, Richard Smith, was elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri in September, 2016. We’ve gotten to know each other pretty well and every once in a while we share a smile recalling the way we met.

~SLH

Bro. Steve Harrison, 33° is Past Master of Liberty Lodge #31, Liberty, Missouri. He is the editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine, author of the book Freemasonry Crosses the Mississippi, a Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research and also its Worshipful Master. He is a dual member of Kearney Lodge #311, St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite, Moila Shrine and a member and Past Dean of the DeMolay Legion of Honor. Brother Harrison is a regular contributor to the Midnight Freemasons blog as well as several other Masonic publications. His latest book, Freemasons: Tales From the Craft & Freemasons at Oak Island. Both are available on amazon.com.

The Masonic Pilgrimage

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Robert Johnson, PM

Well, it's just four days until I hop in WB:. Scott Dueball's car and we ride down to Springfield Illinois for the Grand Lodge annual meeting. We call it a pilgrimage because we are called back home per se. It's a time of great fellowship, of rekindling the fire that burns inside the active mason. All year long, I look forward to the Grand Lodge Sessions and to seeing the faces of brothers I only see but once in a great while.

It's a time to gain new insights and learn new things, as the Grand Lodge has panels and learning sessions set up for Masons with a gamut of interests. And don't even get me started on the shopping. I love Masonic trinkets as much as the next Brother, but man...at Grand Lodge, it's definitely over the top. I will definitely be found perusing the tables for hours.

As Grand Lodge Sessions wraps up on Saturday the 8th, I'll be getting ready for the next pilgrimage, all the way down to St. Louis MO. for the Valley of St. Louis's Fall Reunion the following weekend. I absolutely love that old Masonic superstructure in the down town area. If you haven't been there, you have to go. It's just amazing. I hope many of you are getting ready for your own Masonic pilgrimages, whether it's to your Grand Lodge proceedings or a reunion or perhaps its a special time for blue lodge events. Whatever it is, have fun, share in fellowship and stay on the level! See you all when I get back, and of course on the old interwebs.

~RHJ

Interview with the Grand Master of Illinois

by Midnight Freemason Contributors:

Bro. Wayne Greenley

and 

Robert H. Johnson, PM

Anthony R. Cracco, Most Worshipful Grand Master Ancient Free & Accepted
Masons of the state of Illinois.

Quite a while ago, Bro. Wayne approached me about doing a couple of interviews, but not just any interviews. He said, "Robert, let's interview our Grand Masters, see the two messages they have." I though to myself, that's insane, these are Grand Masters, they don't have time for that sort of thing. But, we went for it anyway. Needless to say, both the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Illinois, Tony Cracco and the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Queensland, Dr Gary Bacon said "Sure!". I was stunned. So Wayne got to work with some interview questions, standard stuff really, but questions which cut to the heart of who these gents are, where they've been and to see their vision for our beloved craft. Below is the transcript of the interview with Most Worshipful Grand Master, Tony Cracco. I hope you enjoy. A special thanks goes out to GM Tony for doing this, I know how busy you are. We appreciate it immensely. Laid out here are seven questions and seven answers...

1. When were you first initiated?

GM Tony: I was initiated as an Entered Apprentice in November 1990.

2. Why did you become a Freemason?

GM Tony: I sought out Masonry as an opportunity to provide greater guidance to my life (including getting access to gentlemen who could provide wise counsel and direction), an opportunity to make lifelong friends, and a desire to give back to the people and community around me.

3. What does Freemasonry mean to you?

GM Tony: Our Gentle Craft provides the foundation to help quality men acquire genuine fraternal relationships as Brothers and friends. The knowledge acquired through the study of our Masonic history, the Ritual and other instructional material makes us different in a good way; by incorporating the wisdom of the ages into our daily lives, we can’t help but grow and develop into better men. Also, the ability through the several charitable efforts of our ancient and honorable fraternity to ‘relieve the suffering of others’ is a part of the timeless commitment that we have as Masons both towards our Masonic Family and the broader community.

4. What are your favorite memories being in the lodge?

GM Tony: As both a past Certified Lodge Instructor and Grand Lecturer, the excellent display of our degree work and other ceremonies that make a lasting impression are amongst my favorite. Our unique methods of instruction that have gone significantly unchanged for centuries is beautiful to watch and participate in. Basically, passing on Masonry to new Brothers and reconnecting with old friends through the many lodge activities will continue to be highlights of my experience as a Brother of our wonderful fraternity.
5. If you could go back in time and witness any Masonic event, what would you choose?

GM Tony: I would choose the laying of the cornerstone for the United States Capital. At such a historic event, to stand with Brothers like George Washington and the many shapers of our current way of life in America would be an exceptional experience. To experience firsthand the wisdom of these men acquired in part by their experience in Masonry would have been a genuine honor. As Masons, they promoted the many new freedoms that shape our country today. That time in our Masonic history in this country was a time of pride, visibility in the public and living daily the commitments made in our Masonic obligations.

6. How much of a difference do you feel you have made to (your jurisdictions) Freemasonry?

GM Tony: As Grand Master of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Illinois, it has been a privilege to serve our Illinois Masonic Family and the communities throughout the state that we positively impact. Like leaders of other large organizations, it takes a team of people to drive the success of our business and fraternal affairs in the state. By selecting talented Brothers, staff and volunteers to work on our several projects and operations, I’ve made a difference. By visiting lodges to promote the genuine care that we have for our Gentle Craft that has done so much for me and sharing that passion has inspired the positive actions of others. Through a continued reminder of the fundamental Commitment to one another as Brothers and the promotion of Civil behaviors has reconnected our jurisdiction to the more fundamental components of Masonry. Next, I continue to advocate the balance in both written and verbal communications about the elements of our fraternity that are timeless while similarly challenging us to translate our significant Masonic value to the current age through new communication mediums like video and Social Media. From this last point, we are seeing a positive response from our current Brothers and new men showing interest in Illinois Masonry.

7. What is your message to future Brothers?

GM Tony: Masonry is a time tested and honorable way of life. Though centuries old, our fraternity has demonstrated a flexibility to deliver clear value to the Brothers across those many years. Through our ancient and honorable fraternity, you will find unique fraternal relationships and have several opportunities to experience genuine fellowship. You will grow and develop as a man and Mason through the active study and teaching of the ‘wisdom of the ages’ which is part of our Stewardship to convey. You will join with like-minded men of various backgrounds to serve one another and the people around you through several opportunities to make a difference and contribute; fundamentally, to just Care for others. Overall, Masonry champions what is best in human behavior in how to live harmoniously and provides the means for passing along our Gentle Craft to future generations. Take good care of our timeless institution and translate its value into messages that your future generations will understand.

Well, there you have it. I hope you enjoyed. I'll have Wayne's interview with his Grand Master in another piece coming soon. Wayne scored an audio version as well and we will feature it on the "Whence Came You? Masonic Podcast. Many thanks to all who contributed to get these special couple of pieces done, especially to the Grand Masters and of course, our Aussie correspondent, Bro Greenley!

~WG & RHJ

Bro. Wayne Greenley is member of Mount Pleasant Lodge No. 361 and research lodge Barron Barnett Lodge No 146 both holding under the United Grand Lodge of Queensland. Currently he is studying a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Business at QUT. In his spare time he likes to read, listen to music and research the Craft. He is looking forward to joining other orders when he’s permitted to in the next year and also to soon begin his journey through the progression of officers starting off with the Inner Guard.

Bro. Robert Johnson, PM is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Waukegan Lodge No. 78 where he is a Past Master. He also serves as the Education officer for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focus on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry and is also an avid home brewer. He is currently working on a book of Masonic essays and one on Occult Anatomy to be released soon.

Is the Honeymoon Over?

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Robert H. Johnson

I wrote this and thought "Man, if this wasn't a self affirmation, I don't know what is." Below comes
from the heart and I hope it doesn't pertain to you, but if it does, well... keep going.

You petitioned with eagerness and anxiety. You got the call that you were voted in. You received your first degree and thought, "Okay, not exactly what I expected, but cool." You proved your worth somehow or other and were told you would be receiving your 2nd degree, and more excitement filled your brain. You received your Fellowcraft degree and thought, "Wow, that was a bit more involved. Really cool." Then you make your regular progress and are told you will be receiving your Master Mason degree, "...the highest level in Freemasonry", you are told, ad nauseam.

After the 3rd degree, you sit in the lodge and ponder all there was in the degree; the lessons, the symbols and the incoherent rambling of a lecture you won't understand for years. But one thought trumps all, you are now a full fledged official Freemason. Congratulations!

Fast forward to your first unfavorable thoughts of the craft which started to enter your mind. You remember them. At first you thought you could just sweep them aside like crumbs on the floor. You've been in long enough now, to see the less than favorable peculiarities of the institution you once thought would make you truly a better man. Every organization has it's flaws and now you see them.

Squabbling over bills, dealing with the unwavering dogmatic religious requirements by varying jurisdictions, replacing the carpet, local lodge politics, cliques, appendant bodies playing tug-of-war with base lodge members. The honeymoon is over. Just like real life though, now it's time to get to work and do as "Red" says in the Shawshank Redemption, "Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'."

We come to these times frequently after being involved in the fraternity in a multitude of areas. We serve our lodge and deal with the constant shutting down of ideas, although some stick and work out, fueling you for the next implementation. You then get involved and you move around the lodge, district and maybe even the Grand Lodge, serving as a committee man or chairman, overseeing issues galore. All the while cursing this thing and loving it at the same time. This is the beginning of "Masonic Burnout", typically this happens to our new members, young or old, who want to hit the ground running.

The one thing we need to remember though, is that this is your time to shine. New members will see your zeal, they will see your servant leadership, they will see your tenacity in getting things done and pushing the craft into the next age. You might be struggling to reconcile membership or involvement after coming in and going strong for 2-5 years, and now seeing all the internal dynamics. It's easy to get disenchanted. The important thing to remember here is, that we have all been in that situation. When the thoughts about the fraternity in some way make you wish you didn't have to be involved and maybe even walk away from it all. Don't do it. Keep on pushing. Keep on making your voice heard and change will come and things, like life outside the fraternity, will get better. Be the example.

You are the keystone.

~RHJ

Bro. Robert Johnson, PM is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Waukegan Lodge No. 78 where he is a Past Master. He also serves as the Education officer for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focus on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry and is also an avid home brewer. He is currently working on a book of Masonic essays and one on Occult Anatomy to be released soon.

The Three Secrets Your Grand Master Doesn’t WANT YOU To Know

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Adam Thayer

How about that headline? Pretty exciting, wasn’t it? Definitely made you want to click right through, and see what those secrets might be… Of course, if you’ve been on the internet for any length of time, you recognize this as what is being called “clickbait”. It’s a headline specifically designed to get your attention and get you to view the page, so that the owner can get some of that sweet advertising revenue from your views.

Why does it work? Well, there are two main aspects in play here. First, they are promising you something exciting and interesting, and perhaps even secret. Second, the human brain is oddly wired to find enjoyment in list-formats, because it tells them roughly what to expect, and approximately how long the experience will last. It’s crazy, and psychologists are still trying to figure out exactly why it works from an evolutionary standpoint. For marketers, it doesn’t matter why it works, they just know that it does.

For most of our existence, Freemasonry has avoided the “clickbait” trap of marketing. Instead of making attractive offers to induce membership, we’ve relied on a quiet word-of-mouth campaign to let the public know what we’re about, and gathered new members who came of their own free will. If you’ll indulge me (and if not, why are you still reading this?), I’d like to try something a little different:

Become a Freemason and learn the FIVE SECRET WORDS that can CHANGE the WORLD.

If we marketed Freemasonry like that, how many new men would we have pounding down our doors? Can you picture billboards and radio ads blasting that message, reaching parts of the public that we’ve never reached before?

What quality of men would we get? Would we get the men we want, who are going to contribute to the betterment of the fraternity? Or would we get the curiosity seekers? In short, would we get the best of the best, or the worst of the worst?

Clickbait marketing works, pure and simple, but is it a good fit for Masonry? I once wrote about recruitment in terms of a shotgun and a sniper rifle, and clickbait marketing is the purest example of the shotgun approach. Do we try to attract everyone, in the hopes that we get some good diamonds among the coal? Or do we continue to be selective in who we let in, at the risk of overlooking good men and potentially going extinct due to lack of interest?

The question I keep coming back to is: Don’t we already do this with our Rites? I can’t speak for how your experience has been, but I joined both the Scottish and York Rites on the promise that I would gain a further understanding of the symbolism in our craft, in ways that I could use in my own life to improve myself. Instead, I found ritual that was performed out of a book, by men who didn’t understand what they were trying to teach, and business meetings that were more stuffy and stilted than the Blue Lodge meetings that everyone complains about. Of course, not all areas face the same issues that my region does, so if you’re in a Rite where you’re getting good education, AWESOME! I hope you can help to spread that to other regions that aren’t doing it!

To me, it illustrates the true downside of clickbait marketing: you can attract viewers (or in our case, members) with it, but you won’t necessarily keep them. Even if you have great substance to back it up, you’re going to lose a majority of what you’ve gained; anything easily gained is also easily lost.

Unfortunately, I’m seeing the trend of clickbait headlines creeping into our education as well. On some other Masonic sites out there, I’m starting to notice more and more headlines that read like they’re an article from BuzzFeed or Cracked: “Twelve Secrets Of Freemasonry That You Didn’t Know”, “Four Surprising Men Who Were Masons”, and so on. They’re sacrificing content for clicks, and it shows; it is no surprise to anybody that George Washington was a Freemason, we all are aware of that, and you can’t claim to be shocked to tell us!

(As a side note here, I’m specifically NOT naming those sites, because I still have a lot of respect for them. To the brothers who run them and are doing this: please stop, it’s degrading to all of us.)

I’ve written myself into the worst place for an author to find himself: I have provided the problem, but I don’t have the solution! As a writer, I hate not being able to neatly wrap everything up in a bow for you, but as a Freemason I’m actually pretty happy about it. Freemasonry, regardless of what people tell you, doesn’t always provide the answers, but instead gives you the tools to start finding them yourself.

Now, if you want to find out what the actual answers are, tune in next week when we present “Adam Thayer Provides The Seven Answers That YOUR GRAND LODGE Doesn’t Want You To Read!!!”

~AT

Bro. Adam Thayer is the Junior Warden of Lancaster Lodge No 54 in Lincoln (NE) and the Worshipful Master of Oliver Lodge No. 38 in Seward (NE). He’s an active member of the Scottish Rite, and Knight Master of the Lincoln Valley Knights of Saint Andrew. Adam serves on the Education Committee of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska. You can contact him at adam.thayer@gmail.com

Learning From the Best

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

RWB Michael H. Shirley

For some reason, I hold the position of Assistant Area Deputy Grand Master for the Eastern Area of the State of Illinois. It’s essentially an administrative and troubleshooting position, and I try to assist the Area Deputy and the District Deputies in performing their duties, since they all work much harder than I do. The office comes with one perk I’ll be loathe to give up whenever I resign or am fired: an apron with an elastic waistband, which means I don’t have to dig through the pile of aprons to find one with extra long strings.

It also comes with some privileges, and one of the great ones has been the chance to present the Grand Master’s Pin to newly raised Brethren at the conclusion of their Third Degrees, and to make a few comments about the Fraternity of which they’ve become full members. I have nothing original to say, I hasten to add, because everything I do is based on things two others have already said in the same circumstances. I

take a bit from Right Worshipful Brother Frank Lincoln, District Deputy Emeritus of the 11^th Eastern District of the State of Illinois. Frank is a retired judge, Treasurer of my Lodge (Tuscola No. 332), and an exceptional amateur historian. He always speaks clearly, succinctly, and eloquently; when he presented pins to newly raised Brethren, he normally brought local history to his comments, and I’ve tried to do the same. 

Frank gives it his own flavor, but he told me that he took another speaker as his model, and I’ve done the same. Most Worshipful Brother Noel C. Dicks, Past Grand Master of Masons in Illinois, regularly speaks at Third Degrees, and it’s always a privilege to hear him. I have more of a chance to do that than most, as Noel’s lodge, Arthur Lodge No. 825, is also in the 11^th Eastern District. One of the things he always says is his honors and rank are really superfluous, that appendant bodies are nice and can be important, but that there’s no higher degree than that of Master

Mason. In his concluding remarks at his last address to the Brethren assembled for the Grand Communication of the Grand Lodge of Illinois in 2007, he said, 

I have constantly reminded myself that although I may be the Grand Master, I am not the king of a dynasty or the ruler of a kingdom. I am a Master Mason.

If there’s anything it’s important that I remember in my Masonic journey, it’s that. Whatever I’m called to do, whatever rank or position I hold, I’m just trying to become a better Master Mason. I’d be hard pressed to find better models to emulate than Frank Lincoln and Noel Dicks. The talks they’ve given are eloquent representations of the men they are: Master Masons in the fullest sense of the phrase, good men made better by the Masonic philosophy they’ve lived in service to others. If it is a privilege to hold the office I do, it is a greater privilege to be a Master Mason, on the level with Brethren like them, and all Master Masons everywhere. And when I’m no longer AADGM, I’ll not have stepped down, for I was never truly raised above what I am: a grateful Master Mason, looking for nothing more than to be better today than I was yesterday, and hoping I can find an apron with long strings so I can share Masonic fellowship with my Brethren.

~MHS

R.W.B. Michael H. Shirley serves the Grand Lodge of Illinois, A.F. & A.M, as Leadership Development Chairman and Assistant Area Deputy Grand Master of the Eastern Area. A Certified Lodge Instructor, he is a Past Master and Life Member of Tuscola Lodge No. 332 and a plural member of Island City Lodge No. 330, F & AM, in Minocqua, Wisconsin. He is Past Most Wise Master of the George E. Burow Chapter of Rose Croix in the Valley of Danville, IL; he is also a member of the Illinois Lodge of Research, the York Rite, Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees, Eastern Star, Illini High Twelve, and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon.The author of several article on British and American history, he teaches at Eastern Illinois University.You can contact him at: m.h.shirley@gmail.com

Liking Each Other

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

RWB Michael H. Shirley

I’ve been going to the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Illinois every year since I was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason. It’s been a different experience every time, with new experiences on top of old ones, new friendships made and old friendships renewed, conversations both sublime and mundane, and always a sense of belonging. 

Sometimes my wife, Debra, accompanies me. It’s the only time aside from weddings we both get to dress well, eat well, and have adult conversations in elegant surroundings. The Grand Communication is held in Springfield, our state capital, which is home to the Abraham Lincoln home, the Old State Capital, and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, so there’s a lot for her to do if she chooses when the weird guys in aprons are meeting for various essential and non-essential purposes. 

We went there together for the first time in 2010, had fun with friends at the various banquets, hospitality rooms, and hotel lobbies, and generally enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. After the weekend was over, we were heading home, and I asked her what she thought. Without hesitating, she said, “I like how you guys like each other so much.”

And that really sums up a lot of what I love about the Craft. There’s a reason the first tenet of a Mason’s profession is Brotherly Love. Without that, nothing else matters. Masonry removes the barrier of mistrust that seems to exist in the profane world and that causes others to remain at a perpetual distance from one another. My closest friends in this world are almost all Masons, and it’s not just because they are likeable guys; it’s because they go out of their way to like other people. Deb saw it right away, and if there’s one thing that keeps her patient with me as I spend yet another evening at a Masonic event, it’s the precious gift of Brotherly Love I’ve found in Freemasonry. I find it in the stated meetings at my home lodge and I find it in the Annual Communication of my Grand Lodge. And so I’ll keep going back, year after year, because it renews both my love of the Craft and my connection to my Brethren. With any luck, Deb will come too.

~RWB

R.W.B. Michael H. Shirley serves the Grand Lodge of Illinois, A.F. & A.M, as Leadership Development Chairman and Assistant Area Deputy Grand Master of the Eastern Area. A Certified Lodge Instructor, he is a Past Master and Life Member of Tuscola Lodge No. 332 and a plural member of Island City Lodge No. 330, F & AM, in Minocqua, Wisconsin. He is Past Most Wise Master of the George E. Burow Chapter of Rose Croix in the Valley of Danville, IL; he is also a member of the Illinois Lodge of Research, the York Rite, Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees, Eastern Star, Illini High Twelve, and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon.The author of several article on British and American history, he teaches at Eastern Illinois University.You can contact him at: m.h.shirley@gmail.com

100 Years at Grand Lodge

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

RWB Michael H. Shirley

One evening last year, I discovered that Illinois Grand Lodge Proceedings for the years 1870-1922 were available for download as PDFs, and I spent some happy time doing just that, with no earthly idea what I was going to do with them. This morning I decided to see what was going on in Illinois 100 years ago, just to see what struck me. 

With Brother Henry T. Burnap, Most Worshipful Grand Master, presiding, prayers were offered for the Great War in Europe, but most business was such as we might see today, although the numbers were different. There were seventy-six Grand Lecturers commissioned that year. 10,747 Master Masons were raised, with a net increase for the year of 7,366, bringing the total number of Master Masons in Illinois lodges to 139,271.

Attention was paid to the large number of dispensations given in the preceding year to lodges that just hadn’t gotten around to installing officers within the newly required thirty-day window from election. No doubt things would improve when the lodge secretaries got used to the change, but that didn’t stop some brethren from sending a letter to the Grand Master to ask if they could just go ahead and ignore the regulation for now. The answer was no.

Much space and many photographs were given to the new Royal Arch Masonic Hospital at the Illinois Masonic Home in Sullivan, Illinois, which was built to meet a growing need. 

Eleven lodges were issued replacement charters. Nine had been lost when the lodge building burned, one was so sun faded it could no longer be read, and another had been eaten by mice. The ones lost by fire were replaced at no charge, while the other two were issued for five dollars each.

Things change. 

The Grand Communication doesn’t last for three days, and it isn’t held in Chicago. 

There isn’t anyone left alive who fought in the First World War, the Masonic home was sold a few years ago, we aren’t raising nearly as many Masons as we used to, and none of the lodges issued a replacement charter still exists. It would be easy to mourn and to dwell in the past, and I know some of my Brethren do, even for the way things were ten years ago, never mind 100.

There’s no point to it. Each of us is obligated to preserve our ancient landmarks sacred and inviolate, and everything else is negotiable. Change is inevitable, and holding on to the past for its own sake is not creative, but destructive. The Masonic home was sold because it no longer met the needs of Illinois Masons (there aren’t many Masons from Chicago who want to retire to Sullivan, no matter how nice a town it is), and a new program to assist Masons where they live was created. Population shifts cause some lodges to die and others to grow. We now take care of Grand Lodge business in a day-and-a-half (believe it or not, the number of introductions has decreased a lot, and everyone I know thinks that’s a good trend), and we meet in Springfield, which is far more centrally located. Some things don’t change, to be sure: lodges still wonder if they really have to follow Grand Lodge directives, and the answer is always yes, they really do. But, as we near the 300^th anniversary of the creation of modern Freemasonry, it’s worth remembering that only the essence of the Craft is eternal. Our ancient landmarks are the touchstone for how we live our lives. Everything else is mutable, and as long as we consider things in relation to what is eternal, we will be able to embrace change.

The brethren who met in Chicago in 1915 would doubtless be surprised, perhaps shocked, were they to come to the Grand Communication in Springfield in 2015. The barcode scanners we use to check in with our dues cards would probably cause a few coronaries, and they’d surely wonder why all the smokers were milling around outside. Soon enough, however, they would recognize that that the ancient landmarks have been carefully preserved, and that by them we recognize one another as just and upright Masons. That, I would argue, is what truly matters.

~MHS

R.W.B. Michael H. Shirley serves the Grand Lodge of Illinois, A.F. & A.M, as Leadership Development Chairman and Assistant Area Deputy Grand Master of the Eastern Area. A Certified Lodge Instructor, he is a Past Master and Life Member of Tuscola Lodge No. 332 and a plural member of Island City Lodge No. 330, F & AM, in Minocqua, Wisconsin. He is Past Most Wise Master of the George E. Burow Chapter of Rose Croix in the Valley of Danville, IL; he is also a member of the Illinois Lodge of Research, the York Rite, Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees, Eastern Star, Illini High Twelve, and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon.The author of several article on British and American history, he teaches at Eastern Illinois University.You can contact him at: m.h.shirley@gmail.com