The Royal Arch "Widow" Degree

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Judy Gordon

I have a confession. Something I haven’t spoken about. A little over a year ago, I was summoned; not to court, but summoned by King Solomon to appear at Pekin Masonic Temple for Degree work. Degree work?! But I’m not a Mason! As I read the summons, I had to chuckle. Pekin Chapter #25  Royal Arch Masons had summoned a group of Masonic Widows to appear for degree work called “The Royal Arch Widow Degree”. This degree is for women whose husband is out night after night at the Masonic Lodge.

 This degree had not been performed since the mid 60s so Pekin Chapter thought the current widows needed to go through this degree. So, this year they had the degree again and since I went through it last year, I was able to watch it from the sidelines.

 The "widows" are escorted into the lodge room by the royal executioners and are brought in front of grumpy King Solomon. Yes, King Solomon is a grumpy old soul. He asked these poor "widows" to remove their left shoe; this would be evidence of her sincerity and trust in the Order. The shoes are then sterilized in a “decontaminating fluid”. 

The women are escorted around the lodge room by the Grand Master of Ceremonies and are given the “secrets” of the degree. As you know, there are secrets in the lodge room and since I have been through this degree I am not allowed to reveal them. But, as a Royal Arch Widow, King Solomon did reveal a secret. He explained what the letters on the keystone meant. 

We were advised never to divulge them to anyone not entitled to receive them. But on a serious note, this degree has no connection with any Masonic degree, real or imaginary. It’s sole purpose is FUN and to provide entertainment for us women. After the degree work, the widows are presented a lovely wallet sized certificate and a pin.  Oh, I bet you are wondering about the shoes. Well, if you are a Royal Arch Widow, ask your local Royal Arch Chapter to present the degree and find out what happens to your shoes.

~JAG

Judy Gordon is very active in Job's Daughters. She's the Past Honored Queen, and Past Bethel Guardian of Bethel No. 55, Pekin (IL). She received the Cryptic Masons Masonic Youth Leadership Award along with her husband, Ray Gordon in July 2007. She's also Past Matron of the Morton Chapter No. 974 (IL) of the Order of the Eastern Star and Historian of the Emblem Club No. 424 of Pekin (IL). Judy is the recipient of the Degree of Royal Purple (2012) and elected to the Grand Line Illinois Job's Daughters (2015-16). Boaz joined the family in September 2013 and grandmother of 3 wonderful grandsons.

The Military Spouse & The Mason’s Lady

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Aaron Gardner 32°, MPS

If you follow Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, man has a number of needs in order to survive. Physiological needs would include oxygen to breathe, food to eat and water to drink. It continues to security of the basic needs to survive and further up the pyramid you will find something that is often overlooked—Belonging. Our fraternity offers the companionship that one may need in order to feel that sense of belonging; the Military offers the camaraderie amongst other Soldiers. There is just one piece of belonging that the Fraternity and Military does not offer; Partnership and love. As it is said in the Army, “If the Army wanted you to have a wife, she would have been issued.” 

In the military the Service Member’s significant other is known as a "Milso," or Military spouse. In Freemasonry, these women are known as Mason’s Ladies. Both these types of women play crucial roles in the development and support system of the Mason or Service Member. Without these women it is impossible for a Soldier/Airmen/Marine/Seaman to feel that sense of belonging and security while serving their country. A spouse's role is just as important to a Mason as if he were in the Military.

When a Soldier/Airmen/Marine/Seamen deploys he must have the support system his significant other provides back home to secure his mind while overseas. She typically takes care of all the family issues, bills, food, and lives the life of a single mother even though she is married. She is expected to take on the role of both parent figures and is understanding when her man in uniform answers the call to serve his country. There are a number of running derogatory jokes involving Military Spouses, one in particular mentions how the Military Spouse takes the backseat to the Country at all times. However, this may seem true, it could not be more false. If the Non-Commissioned Officers Corps is the backbone of the Army, those in the “Silent Ranks” are the heart.

Just the same as a Military Spouse must understand— a Mason’s lady must understand when her Master Mason must attend lodge. It is known that Freemasonry will never come in conflict with obligations with career, deity or family. However, some Master Masons dedicate a lot of time to the Craft. It is not to take away from those who cannot, instead, a way for that particular Master Mason to fulfill their personal journey. A Mason’s lady is supportive of her husband’s laudable pursuits. If he finds interest in writing and writes about the Craft, she will support his endeavors. That doesn't mean she has to read every article he publishes or attend every dinner, but simply lets him know she admires his efforts. 

When a Brother is asked to travel and speak at another lodge, she may or may not go with her husband. That is ultimately her decision, but it makes things more enjoyable for a brother to be accompanied by his wife. If she does not travel with the brother, it may be for the purpose of work, children and the same duties a military spouse will have to accomplish when a Soldier is deployed. None-the-less, it is always nice to see a brother accompanied by his companion. 

Freemasonry isn't just a Fraternity and the Military isn't just a job. They are ways of life. Freemasonry’s values and purpose should radiate out of a Brother in his daily life. It is about our own personal journey to betterment, and should be a part of who we are. Our significant others are a part of who we are, and they graciously give up parts of us so we can pursue our Masonic path. A Mason’s lady should be respected and not taken for granted. It takes a special woman to be a Military spouse and/or Mason’s Lady. Let us remember our families and those who encourage us as we travel from West to East in search of a better understanding of this life, and remember the following quote about a Military Spouse pertains to a Mason’s Lady: 

“A Happy Wife makes a happy troop, a happy troop makes happy unit. A happy unit makes a good deployment,” or in Mason’s terms: “A happy lady makes a happy Mason, A happy Mason makes happy lodge and a happy lodge is productive.” 

AG

Bro. Aaron Gardner, an American Soldier who just recently transitioned into the Reserves after 8 years serving the Active Duty Army. He dedicates the majority of his free time to Freemasonry with his constant studies, writing and traveling from lodge to lodge to learn as much as he can regarding Freemasonry. He likes to relate his everyday life to the Craft and anything he finds he wants to spread to the world. It is his passion to study people, religion, history and Freemasonry. When he isn't working as a Soldier he is dedicating his time to the amazing and supportive Emily, writing about Freemasonry and writing his very own novel. His blog page is Celestial Brotherhood.

The Mason's Wife and Daughter - A Degree or Degrees Unto Themselves

A Real Deal Masonic Degree You Can Give Your Wife! 

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB. Robert H. Johnson

Okay, so I hope the title drew you in, but this is serious! In my searches for Masonic tidbits and sometimes, what some would call scandalous information, I recently came across an interesting entry. It is from the 1916 edition of Mackey’s Masonic Encyclopedia - And it’s Kindred Sciences. The entry I am writing about is called “The Masons Wife and Daughter" and it references a real degree, or possibly degrees (explained later) that any Master Mason may confer to any woman in his life as long as they meet the requirements. The purpose? To seemingly give a way to be recognized among those of the fraternity. 

Below is the text copied and pasted, but for those who want to see it to believe it, I did find the book, edition and entry on “Google Books” an online scanned version of the text. Below you will see the copied image of this text:

Scanned text from Google Books

MASON'S WIFE AND DAUGHTER . 

A Degree frequently conferred in the United States on the wives, daughters, sisters and mothers of Freemasons, to secure to them, by investing them with a peculiar mode of recognition, the aid and assistance of the Fraternity. It may he conferred by any Master Mason, and the requirement is that the recipient shall be the wife, unmarried daughter, unmarried sister, or widowed mother of a Master Mason. It is sometimes called the Holy Virgin, and has been by some deemed of so much importance that a Manual of it, with the title of The Ladies' Masonry, or Hieroglyphic Monitor, was published at Louisville, Kentucky, in 1851, by Past Grand Master William Leigh, of Alabama. 

A copy of the 1851 published material which
was recently on sale on eBay and sold for $125.00

Not much information exists on this “Holy Virgin” degree that was so popular in 1851 that the ritual was even printed, and that Mackey states it was “…A degree frequently conferred…”. Some fairly basic searches for this book, brings you a library search where the subtext of the title is revealed, and what a surprise it offers! The subtext reads, “Hieroglyphic monitor : containing all the emblems explaind in the degrees of the Holy Virgin and Heroine of Jericho, duly arranged, to which are added illustrations, addresses, & c” I wonder what happened to this degree or degrees, was it absorbed into one of the other appendant bodies open to women like the Daughters of the Nile, the modern version of the Heroines of Jericho or The OES? Without the printed original ritual, we may never know. 

~RHJ

Bro. Robert Johnson, 32° is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the First North-East District of Illinois. He is the Master of Waukegan Lodge No. 78. He is also a member of the York Rite bodies Royal Arch, Cryptic Council, Knights Templar, AMD, The Illinois Lodge of Research and a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago as well as a charter member of the Society of King Solomon, a charity organization run by the Grand Lodge of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts a weekly Podcast (internet radio program) Whence Came You? which focuses on topics relating to Freemasonry. In addition, he produces video shorts focusing on driving interest in the Fraternity and writes original Masonic papers from time to time. He is a husband and father of three. He works full time in the safety industry and is also a photographer on the side as well as an avid home brewer. He is currently working on a book of Masonic essays.