TNL-August2010

Vol. 41 No. 3 AUGUST 2010

CORE VALUES

OUR COMMON BOND

2 August 2010 / The Northern Light

CONTRIBUTORS

Other Contributors:Jeff Croteau,manager of library and archives at the Van Gorden-Williams Library.Robert A.Domingue is secretary for St.Matthew’s Lodge, Andover,MA, and editor of The Philatelic Freemason.ThomasW. Jackson, 33°,was formerly GrandSecretary for the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. He is Executive Secretary for the World Conference of Masonic Grand Lodges.Leigh E.Morris, 33°,works in corporate communications for a major utility company. He is a member of the Valleys ofMilwaukee and Springfield. John Forberger, 32°, is a member of the Valley of Southern NJ, where he is Thrice Potent Master.He is also serving as Grand Organist for the Grand Lodge of New Jersey.

FEATURED ARTICLES

EDITORAlan E. Foulds, 32°

GRAPHIC DESIGNERBeth E. McSweeney

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTSonja B. Faiola

MEDIA ADVISORY COMMITTEEWilliam L. McCarrier, 33°, chairman

Richard V.Travis, 33° William Fox Jr., 33°Eric Ginette, 33° Donald G. Duquette, 33°

SUPREMECOUNCIL, 33°Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite

Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A.

SOVEREIGN GRAND COMMANDERJohn Wm. McNaughton, 33°

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

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Northern Light,PO Box519, Lexington, MA 02420-0519.

Copyright © 2010 by Trustees of the Supreme Council of the AncientAccepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Ju-risdiction, U.S.A.

Mailing Address:PO Box 519, Lexington, MA 02420-0519

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

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

Internet:www.ScottishRiteOnline.org

Volume 41, Number Three

In This Issue

313

14

15

18192021222426272829

3031

Celebrating PennsylvaniaA Center for American andMasonic HistoryBy Aimee E. Newell

True to the CoreBy James L. Tungate, 33°

In Service to the RiteBy Richard B. Burgess, 33°

Spotlight onthe Rite

8

12

4

16

Message from theSovereign Grand Commander

In Memoriam: Ill. Sidney Baxter, 33°

32° Masonic Learning CentersWord Math

Battleship New Jersey –Taking Your Breath Away

Notes from theScottish Rite Journal

Brothers on the Net

Scottish Rite Charities

The Stamp Act

Book Nook

HealthWise

Views from the Past

Quotables

Today’s Family

More Than Just Books

Readers RespondMasonicMoments

Et cetera, et cetera, etc.

James L.Tungate, 33°,is an Active Member of theSupreme Council fromIllinois, and GrandTreasurer General.

Aimee E.Newell, PhD,is the director of collectionsat the National HeritageMuseum, located atSupreme Council head-quarters in Lexington,MA.

Richard B.Burgess, 33°,is a member of the Valley ofBoston and the assistant tothe Sovereign GrandCommander.

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

The Northern Light / August 2010 3

John Wm. McNaughton, 33º

A Long Journey – The Fourth Degree"Creating a new order of things," Machiavelli once said, "is never easy."

In his 2008 publication, The Degree Rituals forthe Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, Active MemberC. DeForest Trexler, 33°, wrote “Despite itsprominent position as the first of the Lodge ofPerfection, or so called ‘Ineffable,’ degrees, theritual of the 4°, until very recently, has had arelatively languid, uneventful, and uninspiringdevelopment.” He further stated that the prevailingattitude toward the ritual of the old 4° was bestexpressed in a few words by the RitualCommittee chairman McIlyar Lichliter in 1943,“Dead, Dull. Overloaded with symbolism.” Manyagreed that a more dramatic ritual was needed.Nevertheless, no effective steps were taken toaddress the need until recently. In 2005, the new4° was completely rewritten by Active MemberJames L. Tungate, 33°, also a member of theRitual Committee. This new 4° provides us with apreview of the moral truths to be witnessed on thejourney through the Scottish Rite.

Historians have noted that the growth of theScottish Rite throughout the United States in theearly part of the 20th century has been traced tothe new technology developed and used duringthe age of Vaudeville. Costumes, elaborate stagesand scenery drops, and state of art sound effectsall played a great part in creating excitement forexisting members and attracting many newmembers. And perhaps more importantly, thosenew technologies, developed in the early part ofthe 20th century, played a major role inmodernizing the message of the Scottish Ritedegrees.

Certainly, the technology of the 21st centurypresents us with many new opportunities. Onceagain, the Scottish Rite will be using thistechnology to improve the message of ourdegrees for our members. We now have this new4° recorded on digital video disc (DVD) format,available to all Valleys.

This major undertaking is part of an ongoingeffort to make our Scottish Rite degrees andactivities more inspirational, convenient, andenjoyable (I.C.E.). And there are more changes onthe horizon as the Scottish Rite faces the complexchallenges of the 21st century. Some of you mightask, “why change?” Sadly, the answer to thisquestion can be found only a few miles from ourLexington, MA, offices. Just east of lnterstate 95in full view of passing motorists, is what remainsof the world headquarters of the PolaroidCorporation which used to manufacture cameras.They failed to change and are now out ofbusiness.

Machiavelli had it right when he wrote, “Thereis nothing more difficult to take in hand, moreperilous to conduct, or more uncertain in itssuccess, than to take the lead in the introductionof a new order of things because the innovatorhas for enemies all those who have done wellunder the old conditions, and lukewarm defendersin those who may do well under the new.”

With the release of this DVD, a Brotherbecomes a Scottish Rite Mason when he haswitnessed the 4˚ either by viewing the DVD or aspresented by a degree cast. He becomes a 32˚Scottish Rite Mason when he has witnessed the32˚.

This fall, call your local Valley to determinewhen this presentation can be viewed and checkout the new 4°. I think you will enjoy this newScottish Rite experience.

Brethren, the journey of a lifetime has justbegun.

Sovereign Grand Commander


Celebrating PennsylvaniaA CENTER FOR AMERICANAND MASONIC HISTORY

By AIMEE E. NEWELL, Ph.D.

Pennsylvania, the location for the 2011Northern Masonic Jurisdiction’s annual

meeting, has a long Masonic history – andPhiladelphia is a center of American patriotismwith sites such as Independence Hall, the LibertyBell and the National Constitution Center. TheScottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library inLexington, MA, is fortunate to have more than700 objects made in the Keystone State.Highlighted here are just a few of these items inorder to showcase the long Masonic history inthe state, its rich tradition of decorative arts, andits fraternal activities during the 1800s and 1900s.

The Birthplace of LibertyOne of the treasures of the museum and library

collection, which is also one of the first gifts itreceived in 1975, is the “porthole” portrait ofGeorge Washington by Philadelphia artistRembrandt Peale (1778-1860). Peale, who wasthe son of famed American artist CharlesWillson Peale (1741-1827), painted Washingtonfrom life in 1795. He would go on to produceabout 70 copies from that original, advertising itas “The National Portrait & Standard Likeness ofWashington.” The painting in the museum’scollection dates to about 1847 and was originallyowned by Henry Paul Beck, great-grandfather ofthe painting’s donor. Accompanying the portraitwas the original receipt which is now part of themuseum’s archives collection. Peale charged $125for the portrait at the time, a considerable pricewhen many artisans made $1 per day.

While Rembrandt Peale recognized theimportance of Washington to his country as earlyas 1795, many Americans fully embraced theirhistory in 1876 when the Centennial Expositionwas held in Philadelphia. One of the mostpopular attractions at the fair was the glassfactory operated by Philadelphia firm Gillinder

and Sons. Foundedin 1861 as theFranklin FlintGlass Works, thecompany took thename Gillinder andSons in 1867. Theyoffered a full line ofglassware in theLiberty Bell patternwhich may haveincluded the clearglass salt shakershown here. Thispiece is not signed,unfortunately, andother firms alsomade Liberty Bell items, but it does suggest theappearance of the Gillinder Liberty Bell glassthat was made on site at the CentennialExposition which sold in large quantities tofairgoers. This shaker has lettering on both sides.One side reads “1776 / Centennial Exposition /1876,” while the other has the verse “ProclaimLiberty / Throughout All the Land,” from theBible’s book of Leviticus.

Pennsylvania’s Masonic TraditionsFreemasons have come together in

Pennsylvania for almost three centuries. Foralmost as long, Massachusetts and Pennsylvaniahave debated which state has the oldest GrandLodge. While Massachusetts lays claim to theoldest duly constituted Grand Lodge – dating to1733 – a deputation was granted to Daniel Coxethree years earlier in 1730, appointing him asProvincial Grand Master of New York, NewJersey and Pennsylvania. There is little hardevidence to show that Coxe took any steps tofulfill the conditions of his deputation – especially

George Washington(1732-99), ca. 1847,Rembrandt Peale

(1778-1860),Philadelphia.

Gift ofJohn B. Webster.

Photo byJohn M. Miller.


in contrast to Henry Price in Massachusetts in1733, who almost immediately established a locallodge in Boston.

Regardless of which side you take in thisongoing debate, Benjamin Franklin’s 1734 letterto Henry Price, requesting a charter for thePennsylvania Grand Lodge, was accepted and theGrand Lodge of Pennsylvania was dulyconstituted from that point. Today, Pennsylvaniahas 435 lodges and over 114,000 members, whilealso being home to 16 Scottish Rite Valleys withmore than 40,000 members.

The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania secured itsfirst Masonic building in 1802. Located onFilbert Street in Philadelphia, it was dedicated onSt. John’s Day, Dec. 27, 1802. However,membership grew at such a rate over thesucceeding years that the building was outgrownby 1807 and the hunt was on for new quarters. Bythe end of 1807, the Grand Lodge purchased a

vacant lot on ChestnutStreet and began buildingaccording to a plansubmitted to its designcompetition by architectWilliam Strickland(1787-1854).

The new Masonic Hallwas completed in 1809.Unfortunately, the GrandLodge experienced a shorttenure in this building. OnMarch 9, 1819, a chimneyfire spread rapidly,consuming the building.The scene that night isdepicted in an engravingfrom the museum’s

collection, titled “The Conflagration of theMasonic Hall, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.”According to the Franklin Gazette, the fire couldbe seen from New Castle, DE, 32 miles away.Washington Lodge No. 59, was meeting in thebuilding when the fire started. While they did nothave time to close their meeting, the membersdid get out of the building and reportedly no onewas injured or killed.

After the fire, the Grand Lodge found newquarters. Over the following 35 years, they

met in three different locations. Then, in 1855,the “New Masonic Hall” was built on the site ofthe temple that burned down in 1819 – ChestnutStreet between 7th and 8th Streets. Another printin the museum’s collection gives a taste of thesumptuous furnishings used in the new building.The lithograph, by Max Rosenthal (1833-1918),depicts the Grand Lodge room, which wasdecorated in Gothic style, and shows the Master’schair along with the ornate ceiling and walldecorations and the colorful carpeting. Thebuilding as a whole was described as “the mostgorgeous Masonic temple probably in the world.”It was used until 1873 when the currentPennsylvania Masonic building, at Broad andFilbert Streets, was dedicated.

The Scottish Rite Masonic Museum andLibrary has over 200 Masonic jewels in itscollection, including about 54 Past Master jewels.While Past Master jewels honor the sameachievement no matter which Grand Lodgeissues them, they often follow different designtraditions. Pennsylvania offers an excellentexample. Its Past Master jewels incorporate thesymbol of the 47th Problem of Euclid, which isnot used by other states. RepresentingFreemasonry’s English roots, the Pennsylvania

Past Master Jewel for T. Stewart Brown,1866, probably Pennsylvania.

The Conflagrationof the MasonicHall, Chestnut St.,Philadelphia, 1819,John Hill(1770-1850),engraver,Philadelphia.Photo by DavidBohl.

Liberty Bell Salt Shaker, ca. 1876, attributedto Gillinder and Sons, Philadelphia. Gift ofJ. Robert Merrill. Photo by David Bohl.

Fraternal Standard, late 1800s, W.H. HorstmannCompany, Philadelphia. Gift of B. Franklin

Reber. Photo by David Bohl.


Past Master jewel employs the same symbols asthe English example. This jewel is engraved withthe name of its original owner, “T. StewartBrown,” and his lodge, “No. 134 F. and A.M.” Aquick bit of research found that Lodge No. 134,was Franklin Lodge in Philadelphia. Firstinstituted in 1812, the lodge went dark in 1831, acasualty of the anti-Masonic era. In October1846, it reorganized and later merged withRichmond Lodge No. 230, in 1986. According tothe lodge’s history, it took its name “incompliment to Bro. Richard Bache . . . from agrateful sense of his liberality in presenting to thenew lodge its furniture and regalia.” Bache wasthe lodge’s first master and the grandson ofBenjamin Franklin, former Grand Master ofPennsylvania.

According to the membership records at theGrand Lodge of Pennsylvania Library, graciouslyprovided by librarian, Glenys A. Waldman,Brown received the jewel at the end of his termas Worshipful Master in January 1866. He was atrunk manufacturer in Philadelphia and receivedthe first three degrees in 1860.

The Business of Freemasonry inPennsylvania

With all of the Masons in Pennsylvania,merchants and manufacturers recognized thatthese men would be interested in purchasinggoods marked with Masonic symbols. A fraternalstandard, which measures about seven inches highby six inches wide, has an open Bible at thecenter of a square and compasses symbol.Unfortunately, we do not know where or how thiswas initially used, but it does have the maker’sname marked on the back, “W.H. HorstmannCompany.”The W.H. Horstmann Company washeadquartered in Philadelphia and wasestablished in 1816. According to one of theircatalogs, the company was “the oldest and largesthouse in our line of business” and advertised thatthey offered “the most complete stock of goodsand are ready at all times to answer questions andgive all information in regard to the needs ofevery known society.”

In addition to objects made specifically for useinside the lodge, Pennsylvania manufacturers alsoproduced items for the home that carriedMasonic associations. One example is a palegreen glass flask bearing an American eagle on

one side and a bust portrait of the Marquis deLafayette (1757-1834) on the other.

Made around the time of Lafayette’s visit tothe United States in 1824, this flask was probablysold as a souvenir. It is marked “T.W.D.” on thebottom for Thomas W. Dyott (1777-1861) whooperated the Kensington Glass Works inPhiladelphia. In addition to the Lafayette flask,the company produced examples bearing thelikenesses of George Washington and BenjaminFranklin.

Perhaps one of the more well-knownPennsylvania Masonic products is the famous

Dudley pocket watch that has a bridge plate inthe form of Masonic symbols. The museum isfortunate to have five examples of this watch inthe collection – fewer than 2,600 were ever made.William Dudley (1851-1938) emigrated fromCanada after his apprenticeship and worked forseveral American watch companies. In 1920, heestablished the Dudley Watch Company inLancaster, PA, fulfilling a life-long dream.Unfortunately, the company survived only fiveyears, succumbing to bankruptcy, largely due tothe growing popularity of the recently-introducedwristwatch.

The Dudley watch shown here was given tothe museum in 1975 as part of the Willis R.Michael collection. A tool and die maker fromYork, PA, Michael enjoyed collecting andrepairing antique timepieces. Michael was activein both the Scottish Rite and the York Rite. His

Grand LodgeRoom of the New

Masonic Hall,Chestnut Street,

Philadelphia, 1855,Max Rosenthal

(1833-1918),lithographer,Philadelphia.

Photo byDavid Bohl.


collection, which numbered over 400 clocks andnearly 300 watches, included examples from theUnited States and Europe, by a wide variety ofmakers. Over the course of the museum’s first tenyears, Michael’s widow, Ruth, generouslypresented more than 140 clocks to the collection.Michael’s connection to the Dudley watch isparticularly significant. The Masonic emblemswere machined by Michael while Dudley wasworking on his design.

The Scottish Rite Comes to PennsylvaniaWhile new memories will be made in

Philadelphia in August 2010 as the NorthernMasonic Jurisdiction holds its annual meeting,the museum retains memories of anotherPennsylvania annual meeting in the form of asouvenir in its collection. The yellow and whitemilk glass vase is almost 100 years old and seemsto have been presented as a gift, probably at aConsistory-related event at the 1916 meeting inPittsburgh.

Formed with three sides, each face of the vasehas a portrait of a man. One side shows BartonSmith, 33°, the Sovereign Grand Commander atthe time. Smith (1852-1935), who was anattorney in Toledo, OH, held the office ofSovereign Grand Commander from 1910-21. Asecond side shows James Isaac Buchanan, 33°,Deputy for Pennsylvania in 1916, and the thirdside depicts George Wilberforce McCandless,32°, who is identified in his capacity as“Commander-In-Chief ” on the vase.

Buchanan (1853-1931) was born in Canada,but came to Pennsylvania in 1877 when he wasemployed by the Oil City Trust Company.According to his obituary, he would go on to

serve “as an officer of a large number ofmanufacturing and financial projects, and at onetime was represented on the directorates of over30 corporations.” Bro. Buchanan became a Masonin Canada in 1875 and continued hismembership in the United States. He receivedthe 33° in 1890 and was Deputy for Pennsylvaniafrom 1897-1919. McCandless (1869-1950) was anative of Pittsburgh who was secretary andtreasurer of the McConway and TorleyCorporation which made castings, forgings andautomatic couplers. Initiated as a Freemason in1891, McCandless received the 33° at the 1916Pittsburgh meeting, while he was serving asCommander-in-Chief of the PennsylvaniaConsistory.

The 1916 meeting was “preceded by severalinteresting and important events” according

to the Proceedings. Perhaps most notably, theScottish Rite apartments, in the new PittsburghMasonic Temple, were dedicated on Sept. 16 (theannual meeting started on Sept. 20). Two dayslater, James Isaac Buchanan, 33°, and members ofPittsburgh Consistory exemplified the new ritualfor the 32°. According to the Proceedings theperformance “made a deep and lasting impressionby the beauty of the form in which were clothedthe sacred principles of the beloved ScottishRite.” Undoubtedly, the same will be true of theceremonies and rituals marking the 2010 AnnualMeeting.

If you have any objects made or used inPennsylvania – or in any part of the United States– that you would like to donate to the ScottishRite Masonic Museum and Library, pleasecontact Aimee E. Newell, Ph.D., [email protected] or 781-457-4144.

Lafayette Flask, ca. 1824,Thomas W. Dyott,

Philadelphia. Photo byDavid Bohl.

Masonic Pocket Watch, ca. 1920, Dudley Watch Company,Lancaster, PA. Gift of Mrs. Willis R. Michael.

Photo by David Bohl.

Scottish RiteVase, 1916.Photo byDavid Bohl.

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TRUE to the COREBy JAMES L. TUNGATE, 33°

here is a universe of core valuessurrounding us. Most Americansprobably take them for granted, or

are only subliminally or unconsciously aware ofthem in the course of the saturating dailybombardment of media.Perhaps there are some people, likely younger,

who simply are not concerned about core values.But they should be, for these are not superfluousissues, to be tweeted, texted, Facebooked, bloggedor YouTubed.They demand a certain amount of reflection,

circumspection and even thought.We can become cynical about such things.

Corporate society has been quick to use theappearance of a core value to grab attention andattempt to give the inane an extravagantimportance.For decades, Lucky Strike cigarettes had a

code, no less, for its core value: L.S.M.F.T. It wasmasterful psychology to conjure and hone a corevalue as a product slogan and then to encode it,making each of those who could decode themessage an insider.Even today, Americans of a certain age have

absolutely no impediment to translating thatcode: L.S.M.F.T. – Lucky Strike Means FineTobacco.

It was a corporate core value. It told us all thatneeded to be known about smoking this cigarette:here is a cigarette that means fine tobacco, andthat is its “constant currency.” Contrast that witha mere advertising slogan, a catch-phrase not acore value, such as “Winston Tastes Good Like aCigarette Should,” which, grammar aside,describes the experience of tasting this cigarette.Of course, that slogan does not mean the

“Economic prosperity may come and go; that is justhow it is, but values are the steady currency that earnus the all-important rewards.”

— Peter Buffett, Life is What you Make It:Finding Your Own Path

To Fulfillment

T


cigarette has fine tobacco like a Lucky Strike. AWinston apparently just tastes like a cigaretteshould taste, and we do not know if it achievesthat with twigs, chemical flavorings or old socks.Likewise, by definition, the core values of an

organization must not be just slogans. The corevalues of an organization are really foundational.They form the base on which the members ofthat group stand, strive to work and conductthemselves.

Core values are the essence by which itsmembers are known. (“By your values, ye

shall be known.”) Some values are such “steadycurrency” as Peter Buffett calls them that they arecherished and preserved by the members of thegroup, even though society, government andpolitics may change; technology may alter eventhe most commonplace components of life; andhistory may unfold and fold with astoundingpace. Core values are constants.Core values are not descriptions of what men

do; they describe how to be. Core values are notstrategies or maneuvers to achieve selfish goals.Core values are not the tools by which to get anadvantage in business, relationships or life. Theyshould guide men in making decisions,predominate in personal relationships, revealhumanity and show what it stands for.That is not to claim a Scottish Rite Mason is

some blend of Jedi Knight and Eagle Scout.Without question, sometimes it is a substantialpersonal challenge to stand, just and upright, on

the platform of those values. Nevertheless,whatever the challenge to achieve and maintainthose values, the attempt to reach such standardsis still an eminently worthy goal.Examine the accompanying chart. Those core

values of a Scottish Rite Mason are no surprise tomembers of the fraternity. They are found in the4° through the 32°.What may be surprising is that members of the

fraternity so often take them for granted, andrather like good background movie music, thosevalues are unobtrusively ever-present, ready tosupport a scene when needed.What actually may be surprising is to compare

Masonic values to those of other organizations onthe chart. Disney’s core value of “preservation andcontrol of the Disney magic” fulfills expectation,not to mention “absolute, meticulous attention todetail,” which is verifiable by any visitor to DisneyWorld.A drug company has science-based innovation

and profit among its core values? Merck shouldbe congratulated for its honesty. The surprise,however, may be in Sony stating as its first corevalue “elevation of Japanese culture and nationalstatus.”There is an obvious incongruity if not

dissonance between the Sony and its customerswho use its products, for very few, if any, Sonycustomers are really considering they are elevatingJapanese culture or national status by buying aSony recorder. There is also something contrary

The 32° Masonic core values are so strong a force that despite the ebb andflow of society, government, politics, technology and culture, they remainthat bright beacon of Masonic Light undimmed through the centuries,illuminating the perpetual safe harbor sought for generations:

Reverence for GodJustice

TolerationDevotion to countryService to humanity

Integrity

Scottish Rite Core Values


to general American perception of the Japanesework environment to believe Sony holds dear acore value “encouraging individual ability andcreativity.” On the other side of theappropriateness balance is the listing of UnitedStates Army core values.Are not these seven exactly what is expected of

a professional, volunteer armed force? In fact, donot those seven give an accurate sense of what theAmerican public expects of military personneland what the American Army expects of itself ?

What would happen if the organizations andcores values would be switched on this

chart, and how radically different would theworld be if that were to happen?Imagine Sony with Disney’s “nurture and

promulgate wholesome American values.”Consider if Merck had the Army’s core value to“treat people as they should be treated,” or “dowhat’s right, legally and morally.”There goes theprofit?Then again, the Army could not function well

with the Sony asserted value of “encouragingindividual ability and creativity.”There goes thediscipline? Try this as a way of testing the matchof values and organizations.No other organization, no other fraternity, no

other worldwide entity has the unique ScottishRite core of reverence for God, justice, toleration,devotion to country, service to humanity andintegrity.These are not imposed on Scottish Rite

Masons by some corporate committee asundoubtedly happened at Merck or Sony orDisney.These are found within the being of the

Scottish Rite degrees. These values are foundwithin the membership, past and present. Theseclarify and define the distinctiveness of ScottishRite Masons in the world.Consider the legacy of these core values as a

true and lasting Scottish Rite Masonic gift tohumanity through centuries past and thecenturies yet to come: the framework, the gluethat binds one to another, past, present andfuture.These values are the common bond, the

cherished links of Brotherhood.The Scottish Rite core values are so strong a

force that despite the ebb and flow of society,

government, politics, technology and culture, theyremain that bright beacon of Masonic Lightundimmed through the centuries, illuminatingthe perpetual safe harbor sought for generations:reverence for God, justice, toleration, devotion tocountry, service to humanity and integrity.

The Master Traveler

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By Way of Comparison

By way of comparison, here are examples of CoreValues identified by other organizations.

DISNEY - to make people happy.1. Nurture and promulgate wholesome Americanvalues.

2. Creativity, Dream, lmagination.3. Preservation and control of the Disney magic.4. Absolute, meticulous attention to detail

MERCK - to preserve and improve human life.1. Corporate social responsibility.2. Unequivocal excellence in all aspects of thecompany.

3. Science-based innovation.4. Honesty and integrity.5. Profit - from work that benefits humanity.

SONY - to experience the joy of advancing andapplying technology for the benefit of the public.

1. Elevation of Japanese culture and national status.2. Being a pioneer, not following others, doing theimpossible.

3. Encouraging individual ability and creativitiy.

U.S. ARMY1. Courage - Face fear, danger or adversity.2. Duty - Fulfill your obligations.3. Honor - Live up to all Army values.4. lntegrity - Do what's right, legally and morally.5. Loyalty - Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S.Constitution, the Army, your unit and othersoldiers.

6. Respect - Treat people as they should be treated.7. Service - Put the welfare of the nation, the Army,and your subordinates before your own.

NL

Check with your Valley for

local viewing schedule.

OF THE SCOTTISH RITEThe Master Traveler4°

STARRING:

HIRAM aanndd GUIDE GEORGE WASHINGTON aanndd LUMBERJACKSaanndd THE “FOUR CHAPLAINS”

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS:

TThhee MMaasstteerr TTrraavveelleerr

A. A. S. R.NORTHERN MASONIC JURISDICTION

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Presented by Supreme Council, 33°

Directed by Ill. James L. Tungate, 33°

Inspirat ion • Convenience • Enjoyment


INSERVICETOTHERITEBy RICHARD B. BURGESS, 33°

e learn from Masonic tradition aswell as from our ritual that weserve our fraternity and our fellow

human beings “without hope of fee or reward.”For us altruism is enough all by itself, virtue beingits own reward. Nevertheless, in spite of ourteachings and the merit of unselfish service,seemingly all of our fraternal bodies find ways toreward the faithful and exemplary acts of theirmembers.This Supreme Council and the Scottish Rite

have long recognized the value of recognition ofthe outstanding contributions of its members andhave rewarded many individuals and Valleys withsuch awards as the Van Rensselaer MembershipAward, The Gourgas Medal, the MeritoriousService Award, the 33° and the Medal of Honor.Sovereign Grand Commander McNaughton

has created two new awards to recognize theoutstanding accomplishments of some ScottishRite members and even of those who are Masonsbut not necessarily members of the Rite.One of the new medals is the Sovereign Grand

Commander’s Medal for Distinguished Service.Fifteen medals have been presented since thisaward’s inception in the spring of 2009.The following Brothers have already received

this medal together with a framed certificatecommemorating the prestigious award. Thenames of recipients are displayed on a largeplaque near the Sovereign Grand Commander’soffice. Beneath the plaque there is a large bookcontaining a tribute in honor of each recipient.Visitors are encouraged to browse through thepages of the lives of these exceptional men.

Those Distinguished Service Medal recipientsin chronological order are:

Ill. David W. Lovering, 33°Bro. Francis Scott Key III, 32°Ill. Victor M Frederick III, 33°Ill. Dennis R.Williamson, 33°Ill. Malcolm B.Wernik, 33°Bro. John Homa, 32°Ill. James S. De Mond, 33°Ill. Morphis A. Jamiel, 33°Ill. Morton S. Negin, 33°Ill. Robert Johnston, 33°Ill. George E. Proctor, 33°Ill. David J. Smith Sr., 33°Ill. Frederick G. H.Meijer, 33°Ill. Ralph C.Wilson, 33°

WW


The Sovereign Grand Commander may select a recipientthrough his own experience or he is open to receive

suggestions from the Active Membership.The recipient of this prestigious award must have

demonstrated such service to the Scottish Rite as not oftenwitnessed among the general membership.The other newly created award instituted most recently by

Grand Commander McNaughton is the Masonic ServiceMedal. As the name implies this medal is awarded by theScottish Rite to a Brother who best exemplifies the essentialteachings and tenets of Symbolic Masonry such as BrotherlyLove, Relief and Truth through his selfless acts in society atlarge. An important factor appertaining to this award is thatthe recipient need not be a Scottish Rite Brother, but anexemplary Mason.To those of you who have received these awards and to

those of you who will, we offer you are sincerestcongratulations and gratitude for all you have done for theMasonic fraternity in general and for your Scottish Rite in particular.

Ill. Sidney Ross Baxter, 33°1923 - 2010

Bro. Baxter was a longtime contributor to this fraternity –as an Active Member and as assistant to the SovereignGrand Commander, beginning in 1952 with Ill. MelvinMaynard Johnson, 33°. Among his many accomplishmentswas his assistance in developing the BenevolentFoundation, which helped create the Schizophreniacharitable efforts of the organization. He later helped withthe creation of the Abbott Scholarship Fund and theMuseum & Library Fund. In 1995, he became the firstrecipient of the Medal of Honor.A memorial service was held at the Scottish Rite Masonic

Museum and Library with Sovereign Grand CommanderJohn Wm. McNaughton and Past Sovereign GrandCommander Robert O. Ralston participating.

For more information on the life of this Masonic icon,visit ScottishRiteOnline.org.

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Sovereign Grand Commander’sDistinguished Service Medal

Almost immediately after the dedication ofthe learning center in 1994 in Milwaukee,Scottish Rite members began a campaign

to open another center in Eau Claire,WI. Now,16 years later, their dream is about to be realized.As the program was initiated, Brothers in EauClaire immediately saw the impact of earlyintervention, not only on the lives of the studentsbut also on their families. The positive resultsemanating from Milwaukee and other centersinspired the members in Eau Claire to set out todo the same in their region. Initial inquiries failedto turn up any similar nearby programs,so they would not be duplicatingefforts. Their research also showedthat between 4,500 and 18,000students, within an hour’s drive ofEau Claire, were afflicted withdyslexia so a need existed.

Initially the plan was to open asatellite center, but the economic

downturn proved to be a significantroad block. The group was advisedthat all new centers needed to beself-funded through local sources.They were also informed, however,that if a center could demonstratefinancial viability, it would be allowedto affiliate and receive non-financialsupport from the corporation.In mid-2007, the Eau Claire

planning committee was approachedby an attorney who informed themthat his client wanted to see a localcenter created and was willing to

bequeath a generous sum for that purpose. Withfinances less of an issue, the planning committeeset out to build for the future. Today they nowhave more than one million dollars pledged; asuitable site has been obtained within the EauClaire Temple of Freemasonry, and formalapproval from the learning centers board ofdirectors has been received.Plans call for the center to open in September.


32° Masonic Learning Centersfor Children, Inc.

Start with the first word. Add to it the letters of the second word.Then add or subtract the letters of the following words. Total theremaining letters and unscramble them to find a word associatedwith Masonry.

M A S O N I CWORD MATH

(OBLIGATION) + (WONDERFUL) –

(GRAND) + (GREEKS) – (LOWER) +

(TRANSFER) – (RAIN) + (STATES) –

(STUFF) – (SAT) + (GROWN) – (BEGIN)

+ (VAIN) – (SEAT) – (NEVER)

=

Clue for this puzzle appears on page 23.Answer from previous issue: REFLECTION

Eau Claire Joins the Network

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ave you ever noticed that some of life’sgreatest moments come in someunanticipated way? Perhaps you have readthe quote: “Life is not measured by thenumber of breaths you take, but by the

moments that take your breath away.”I believe it to be so. If you are lucky perhaps you can

count more than five such moments when the world wasablaze in glory, satisfaction and unfettered joy.Sometimes the best such moments come when you do

not fully anticipate them. I like to think of them asblessings from The Great Architect of the Universe.Moments like these live on in the trophy room of yourheart. The 15th of May held such a moment for me and, Iwould venture, such a moment for others aboard theBattleship New Jersey as the three Valleys of The ScottishRite of New Jersey collaborated on a high qualitypresentation of what we commonly refer to as “The FourChaplains Degree.”It was a rare moment in Freemasonry. It was a time

when all could anticipate grandeur and a moment thatmight possibly take our breath away but would it deliver?When I arose that morning before sunrise for the trip

to New Jersey, I was full of anticipation. I thought of thestoried fortress for freedom that this great ship had been.I thought of all the men who served aboard her and themagnificence of her gray hull and decoratedsuperstructure. I then thought of the sacrifice of the fourchaplains and how fate had brought them together toserve their fellow man with the ultimate sacrifice. Iimagined the fear in the hearts of those sailors and thecalming influence of these men of God.No amount of anticipation could have prepared me for

the ceremony and celebration of the lives of those greatchaplains that was to me a high water mark of New JerseyScottish Rite Freemasonry. You had to be there. Thevideographer captured scenes but he could never capturethe feeling among those on the fantail of “The Big J.”As the smoke from the cloud machine wafted through

the air and the cast delivered a top rate degree, I stoppedin a moment of realization.

This was, I thought, the high point of my membershipin the Scottish Rite. My eyes welled up and my breathshortened. If only every American could see what I sawand feel what I felt then. It surged to my awareness onseveral levels: Masonic, theological, military and human.I drove home replaying those moments in my mind. It

took my breath away. I hoped it would. I anticipated itcould. But it did. It stole my consciousness.It occurred to me that it is incumbent upon each of us

as Masons to aspire to deliver that degree of emotion andto live a life of integrity so as to promote the opportunityfor more such moments that would take our breath away.How? By our degree work, we can inspire and attract newmembers. By our labors in the quarries, we can perfectour personal ashlar and enjoy the self-satisfaction of a jobwell done, nay, a life well spent.It didn’t end then. My country western jam band

would play at a local firehouse and I was exhausted fromthe day. It was a happy exhaustion. I set up my musicand shared my thoughts on the day’s highpoints with theguys in the band.

When I told them the story of my day on the retiredUSS New Jersey, our drummer almost fell over. He

told me that during his career in the Navy, he wasassigned to her crew to teach electronic warfare. Heremembers those moments on board the ship that, “tookhis breath away.” He raved about how the ride she gaveher crew reminded him of floating on a Cadillac whencompared to life aboard his aircraft carrier. He said it wasthe high point of his career.I wondered as I drove home why I deserved such a

perfect day of Freemasonry and personal satisfaction. Theanswer, of course, is that I hadn’t earned it. It was a giftfrom above. It seemed, upon reflection, that the more Itried to do for others, the more I received. It’s likeFreemasonry and our beloved Scottish Rite.I made a firm resolve that I hope you will share with

me. As we gather to prepare our degree work, or oursocial fun or our charity, may we strive to promote andcreate moments to inspire others and that may, with acertain blessing from above, take our breath away.

Battleship New Jersey — Taking Your Breath AwayBY JOHN J. FORBERGER, 32°

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Scottish Rite Freemasonry is not acollection of buildings, nor is it just aSupreme Council. Although thefraternity does some great work forsociety, that is not what defines us.Instead the primary element of our

organization is its membership. And thatmembership is not a solid bloc. With more than200,000 members it is, by nature, a very diversegroup. To air some of those differing voices, newfeatures are being introduced. On the NorthernMasonic Jurisdiction’s website:ScottishRiteOnline.org, look for “Public Square,”which will highlight the thoughts and opinions ofthe 32˚ Masons. One columnist that we hopewill be a regular contributor is a mysterious writersimply known as “Brother Dogood.” Those ofyou well versed in American history mightrecognize the name as being very similar to thatof “Silence Dogood.” That 18th century writer,by all appearances, was a widow who offeredcolumns with regularity to the New EnglandCourant, a newspaper edited by James Franklin.Although unknown even to James, the real personbehind the pseudonym was none other than Bro.Benjamin Franklin.Who knows? Maybe thismodern Dogood is a distant relative. In any caseBro. Dogood plans on commenting on theconditions, issues, and problems of Freemasonrytoday, and any other thoughts that cross his mind– or maybe, in an ironic twist of history, hermind. In Bro. Dogood’s words the occasionalcolumns “… will try to light a small candle tohelp reveal some of these impediments, so thatonce illuminated, we can step over them.”In this edition of The Northern Light we

present some thoughts from the Valleys. Thesewriters are not so enigmatic.The first comes from Bro. Richard Graeter. In

his final reunion as Commander-in-Chief of hisConsistory he chose to honor Jacques DeMolay,and he explains why.

Itis my pleasure and honor to welcomeyou to the Valley of Cincinnati’s 15thAnnual

Reunion. Thisreunion is special inthat it honors thehistorical figure thatgives inspirationboth to the AncientAccepted ScottishRite, the premierorganization forFreemasons, and toDeMolayInternational, the premier youth organizationdedicated to teaching young men to be betterpersons and leaders.

Jacques DeMolay was the 23rd and last GrandMaster of the Order of Knights Templar. TheOrder was founded in 1119 to protect pilgrimson their way to the Holy Lands. Over the next200 years, the order grew dramatically inpower, prestige, and wealth.

While the Knights Templar are most oftenassociated with their martial prowess, like theBattle of Montgisard, where a mere 500Knights Templar helped defeat Saladin’s armyof more than 26,000, they could not help but

Bro. RichardGraeter, Valleyof Cincinnati.


be influenced by the very enemy they fought.The crusading era in Europe was a dark time ofignorance and fear. But through their contactwith their enemy, the crusading knightsbrought back to Europe the seeds of theRenaissance that had been lost with the fall ofthe Roman Empire. The Muslim “enemy”hadpreserved Aristotle and the classical learningthat now founds the basis of Western culture.So in a very real sense, we owe a debt ofgratitude to both the Christian and the Muslimfor our culture as we know it today.

Sadly, eight centuries later, the Holy Land is stillembroiled with sectarian strife and ethnicconflict. The same ignorant intolerance, greedfor the unearned and lust for power thatbrought Jacques DeMolay to a fiery end at thehands of an avaricious king in league with afaithless pope plague the world as much nowas then.

Jacques DeMolay died a martyr’s death forwhat he believed in, with the words “Spes MeaIn Deo Est” (My Hope is in God) on his lips. In asense, he is still keeping his vigil over wepilgrims on our journey to the Holy Lands. Butthis time, it is not a place to which we travelbut rather a time: the day that humanityrealizes that our hope – the hope of everyChristian, Jew, and Muslim, and indeed ofpeople of all faiths – is in the same God. It isour mission, as Scottish Rite Masons, to lead tothat day where all mankind finally learns to livetogether in peace. So mote it be.

The second is a message from Bro. J. BrianMcNaughton in his position as Thrice PotentMaster. “In Hiram’s Shoes” he talks about choiceswe all make.

Eachof us at one time oranother has stepped intoHiram’s shoes and made

a journey such as those that have gone beforeus. We learned that every day at high twelveour Grand Master would go to the SanctumSanctorum and offer up his adorations to deityand lay his designs upon the trestle board. Weare all versed in the literal interpretation of thisscene as we have played it out countless times.If we were to delve deeper into the penitence

of a humble soul seeking the wisdom and toolsto help shape his moral, physical, and spiritualedifice we find one of the preeminent lessonsof our fraternity. We learn the lesson of choice.We have the choice to knock on Freemasonry’sdoor; to advance to the altar of Masonry, tostep into Hiram’s shoes and pray. If we were tofollow the example of that individual, perhapswe would pray for the wisdom and strength toapply the symbolic uses of architectural toolsto our spiritual lives in the hopes of shapingour hearts, minds and bodies into what might

be pleasing tothe GrandArchitect of theUniverse on theday of ourjudgment.

It is thatparticular choicethat differentiatesus from so manyothers. We oftenhear the phrase“We take good

men and make them better.” Perhaps it is notthe fraternity that makes them better, butrather it provides the setting for an individualto make the choice to better himself. Again wefind the usage and application of choice. At thealtar of Masonry, we make a declaration ofchoice to strive to demonstrate honor andintegrity in all that we do: to love and treat ourBrothers with respect, and to help our fellowBrothers get back onto the correct path if theystray too far.

For some of us, the individual experience ofmaking some of those choices is sufficient tolast a lifetime and is one that we fondly keep inour hearts throughout all of our days. Forothers it is by the shared participation inproviding the setting to be a witness to othersmaking these choices where we find the truesource of our Masonic wages.

It all begins with a choice.

We look forward to featuring more voices fromthe Valleys, whether from the mysterious Bro.Dogood or from you, online atScottishRiteOnline.org in the Public Sqaure. NL

Bro. J. Brian McNaughton,Valley of Fort Wayne.

18  August 2010 /  The Northern Light

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Special 33° Conferral On Tuesday, May 27, Representative Bob Etheridge,

U.S. Congressman for the 2nd District of North Carolina was coroneted a 33° Inspector General Honor-ary Member in a special ceremony held in the Execu-tive Chamber of the House of the Temple. Ill. Etheridge joined the Valley of Wilmington, NC, in 1984 and re-ceived the rank and decoration of a Knight Commander of the Court of Honour in 2005. He is a part-time farmer, was elected to Congress in 1997, and is a member of Lil-lington, NC, Lodge No. 302. Joining his fellow North Carolinian was Ill. David B. Sentelle, 33°, chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Ill. Walter S. Downs, 33°, presided at the conferral.

Front row (l. to r.): Ill. William G. Sizemore, Arturo de Hoyos, David B. Sentelle, Ronald A. Seale, Grand Commander, Bob Etheridge, Walter S. Downs, Dean R. Alban. Second Row (l. to r.): Ill. Leonard Proden, SGIG in DC, S. Brent Morris, Marlin Mills, Deputy in Maryland, Sean Graystone, Matt Szramoski.

Bremond Lodge No. 241 Hosts Sigma Phi Epsilon

On Feb. 20, Bremond Lodge No. 241, Newport News, VA, hosted a cookout for the Brethren of Bre-mond and the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at Chris-topher Newport University.

Over the past four years, Bremond Lodge has enjoyed a special relationship with Sigma Phi Epsilon, a men’s fraternity at Christopher Newport University. Each year the lodge doors are opened to allow Sig Ep to use the facilities for its initiation ceremony.

Since this relationship began in 2006, over 25 per-cent of all Master Masons raised in Bremond Lodge have been members of Sig Ep at CNU, and five of these Brethren have gone on to serve as lodge officers.

For more information about working with college fraternities, contact [email protected].

Submitted by Patrick C. Murphrey, 32°, Master, Bremond Lodge No. 241

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It’s the first Friday in October, the evening air is crisp and people are en-tering the Wichita Scottish Rite with smiles on their faces. The rich scent of chocolate wafts out of the historic building each time the door is opened. Inside, the chocolate fountains are flowing and champagne is tickling the noses of party-goers.

This is not just any party. This is a party with a purpose.

Each year since 2002, the Scot-tish Rite in Wichita has held a fantasy Evening of Champagne & Chocolate to raise money for RiteCare Clinics in Kansas. The first year a little more than $2,400 was raised. The past three years, the

Wichita Scottish Rite has raised an average of $30,000 for the RiteCare Clinic at Wichita State University.

The Scottish Rite makes it pos-sible for therapy costs to be cov-ered by helping to fund the clinic through this annual fundraiser.

Submitted by Lisa Sparks, Executive Assistant, Wichita S. R.

Champagne & Chocolate Help Wichita RiteCare Clinic

If everybody had an ocean, Across the U.S.A.

Then everybody'd be surfin', Like Californ-i-a

Times have changed since 1963 when the Beach Boysrecorded Surfin’ USA. Everybody does have an oceantoday – the Web.Effective use of the Web begins

with the right browser – and folks,Internet Explorer is not the bestchoice.My recommendation continues to

be Mozilla’s Firefox (mozilla.com).Firefox is free and it offers excellentsecurity. Take the time to carefullyreview the information on the Mozillawebsite.Next, effective surfing depends on

effective search engines. Whilescores of search engines areavailable, I believe the best everydaychoice is Bing vs. Google(bing-vs-google.com). This allows youto enter the search subject. The sitethen provides the answers in a splitscreen format – Bing on the left andGoogle on the right.For example, I entered “Scottish

Rite.” Bing’s first choice was a listing ofScottish Rite locations near Newark, NJ, while thesecond choice was the Southern Jurisdiction’s SupremeCouncil site. Google’s first choice was the SouthernJurisdiction’s site and the second was the Wikipediaarticle on our order.No matter which search engine you select, learn to

refine your search. For instance, searching for “ScottishRite pictures” on Google will yield results somewhatdifferent from searching for “Scottish Rite images.”Be as specific as possible in your searches. Don’t enter

“men’s shirts” if you really want “men’s all-cotton Oxfordcloth shirts.”As I’m certain you do, make certain you bookmark

favorite websites. My own first choice for bookmarkedsites is the National Weather Service (nws.noaa.gov).Interested in radar weather? Under “observations” on theleft, select “radar” and then click on your region on themap. If you want weather forecasts and conditionsspecific to your county or city, go to “weather.noaa.gov”and select your state.Are you 55 or older and in search of a job? There are

no magic websites, but Experience Works(experienceworks.org) might just be your ticket. Othergood websites include Senior Service America(seniorserviceamerica.org), Seniors4Hire (seniors4hire.org)and SeniorJobBank (seniorjobbank.org).

If you are looking for ways to get the most out of yourdollars, give Clark Howard (clarkhoward.com) a try. Hisadvice is sound and covers the waterfront. I also likeConsumer Reports (consumerreports.org) and EnergyStar (energystar.gov). And don’t forget to use coupons,which are available at Retail Me Not (retailmenot.com).

For those of you who are looking fora way out of debt or simply want toimprove your financial situation, Isuggest visiting Dave Ramsey’swebsite (daveramsey.com).As we all know, there is a lot of

nonsense out on the Web. So, how doyou separate fact from fiction? A goodresource is Snopes (snopes.com).The best place for online maps and

directions has been the subject ofintense debate for years. Personally, Ifind that MapQuest (mapquest.com) isthe most accurate of the Webresources and usually better thanthose GPS gizmos, such as TomTom,Magellan and Garmin. However, notone of the online or GPS devices canfind our house, but that is notnecessarily a bad thing.Now for a few safety reminders.• Only make purchases from trusted

sites that use encryption technology to ensure the securetransmission of any personal information. You candetermine when you’re sending data securely by lookingat the Web address (URL) in your browser windowbecause “http” will change to “https” when you aresending data protected by encryption. The “s” in "https"stands for “secure.”• Read the company’s security policy, which you’ll find

on its website.• Never, never, never use a debit card to make an

online purchase.• Always print out and save a copy of your order.• Carefully review credit card statements for

discrepancies or entries for purchases you did not make.• You may want to consider using one credit card

exclusively for online purchases.Finally, be on alert for phishing. You can get sound

security advice from the Anti-Phishing Working Group(antiphishing.org). In the meantime, never give your socialsecurity number or other personal information in requestto an email request.As always, I welcome your questions and comments.

Just fire an e-mail to me at <[email protected]> or, if you prefer, you can send a letter tome at PO Box 42, Virginia IL 62691.


By LEIGH E. MORRIS, 33°

It’s Time toGo Surfing


Or so we have been told. Also we have heard thatthere may in fact be too much of a good thing.

In this case the good thing of which I speak ischaritable solicitations by this fraternity.

We are a Brotherhood of good intentions. Amongthe foremost of our values is the notion of charity. It is avirtue that has been spoken by each of us under solemnobligation. Most likely each of us in our own waypractice our philanthropy – literally, love for humanity –on a frequent, if not daily basis.

Over the years our Scottish Rite charities haveflourished because of your giving nature. At the sametime, the number of times and ways that the fraternityseeks your continued financial support has increased.Not only have our requests become more numerous,but at the same time you are receiving increasingamounts of solicitations from your other Masonicbodies. It has gotten to the point that a Brother mightwonder if all this fraternity cares about is his wallet.

To this, our Sovereign Grand Commander says,“Stop!” His foremost commitment is to the reason weare members of the Scottish Rite fraternity – to be partof a community that cares about one another. We hopeyou wish to support the charitable efforts of which thisfraternity is justifiably proud. However, we don’t wantyou to dread opening our letters to you expectinganother solicitation. We prefer to send you birthdaycards, anniversary certificates and news fromyour Valley.

To this end, we are heretofore suspending a numberof our fundraising appeals. Starting now the blueenvelope appeal will be the only jurisdiction-widecharitable direct mail effort. It will support the ScottishRite Benevolent Foundation which will in turn providefunds to all our Scottish Rite Charities.

Fundraising professionals might gasp that we areunilaterally making such a large change. It is a risk tothe income our charities have come to rely on. Howeverwe believe two things:

- We are fraternity first and foremost. Our membersdeserve to be respected as brethren

- As a body of caring and concerned Masons, we willnot waver in our support of the charitable values thathelp define us. We don’t need a constant stream ofletters to remind us of our philanthropic duty to theChildren’s Learning Centers, the Scottish Rite Masonic

Museum and Library, the Leon Abbott Scholarships orthe Almoners Fund.

It is our hope that you appreciate our new directionand let this serve as yet another reminder that we are afraternity that cares about you as much as you doabout your fellow Brothers.

A Marriage of IdealsOur learning centers receive donations for many

reasons and in many ways. We receive a large numberof general donations. We also receive bequests andmemorial donations to support our work to helpchildren with dyslexia.

Recently, Brother Ross and Elinore Pollock decided tohelp our Madison, WI, center in a way we haven’t seenbefore. They got married.

Well, they probably didn’t get married to help thelearning center, but in the end the results were thesame. The Pollocks requested that their friends refrainfrom giving them wedding gifts. Instead, they asked forgifts to be made to the Madison learning center.

Balzac wrote, “One should believe in marriage as inthe immortality of the soul.” The Pollacks have takenthat lofty belief to a higher level. It is trulyheartwarming to know that our members and theirladies demonstrate their values in such selfless ways.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

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

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

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

32° Masonic Learning Centers for Children, Inc.

33 Marrett Road

Lexington, MA 02421

Support a Child at a Learning Center Near You


Born Sept. 18, 1779, inMarblehead, MA, JosephStory was accepted atHarvard University with theclass of 1798, was anexcellent and well-behavedstudent, a member of PhiBeta Kappa and graduatedsecond in his class. He readlaw under Samuel Sewall inMarblehead – later a statechief justice – and SamuelPutnam in Salem, MA.Admitted to the bar atSalem in 1801 he was hiredas counsel to a powerfulRepublican shipping firm.He was elected to theMassachusetts House ofRepresentatives in 1805 andlater was elected Salem’srepresentative in Congress.After a few years in privatepractice he was again electedto the House and served asspeaker in 1811. InNovember of that year hebecame the youngestassociate justice of theSupreme Court of theUnited States beingnominated by PresidentJames Madison. He diedSept. 10, 1845, inCambridge, MA.

The USPS released amini-sheet on Sept. 22,

2009, to honor SupremeCourt Justices. Joseph Storywas one of those honored.He was a member ofPhilanthropic Lodge inMarblehead, MA.

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On June 10, 2008, GreatBritain issued a set of sixstamps to commemorateBritish films. BobMonkhouse is depictedon one. Bob’s is the first facein from the left on thisstamp. Monkhouse was amember of Chelsea LodgeNo. 3098, London and wasraised on Nov. 20, 1964.

Born June 1, 1928, inBeckenham, Kent, RobertAlan Monkhouse was afreelance cartoonist from theage of 12, drawing comicstrips and writing shortstories. He sold his firstjokes in 1944. He trained asa cartoon film animator withGaumont-British at the ageof 17. His first radio show,Works Wonders, took place in1948. He established hisname via the radio in thepost-war years, followed bytelevision in 1953, becomingBBC’s first contractcomedian. He toured the

British Isles in variety,pantomime, summer seasonsand musical comedy as wellas appearing in hundreds oftelevision programs. Heappeared in his first film,The Secret People, in 1952.He won several awardsduring his career. He diedDec. 29, 2003, inEggington, Bedfordshire.

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Amos Andersson ispictured on one of the sixstamps issued by Finland onSept. 10, 2003 to honornoted philanthropists. Bro.Andersson was initiated intoSt. JohannesLodge, St.Augustin,on Oct. 23,1931. Hereceived hisseconddegree onOct. 20,1933, but advanced nofurther. He remained amember of the lodge up tohis death.

Born Sept. 9, 1878, inKemio, Finland, AmosAndersson was a many-sided businessman: amanufacturer, a newspaperpublisher and editor. In1920 he founded a companyto operate the highestcirculation Swedishlanguage newspaper inFinland. He was not onlythe CEO but served aseditor-in-chief between1922-36. He also foundedKonstsamfundet (“The ArtFoundation”) which tookover ownership in 1945 andhas owned the newspapersince then. He was amember of Parliament from1922-26. An author ofseveral books and articlesand one play, he served as“doctor honoris causa” of auniversity in Turku. He wasa benefactor to the Swedish

Theatre in Helsinki, theAbo Akademi and theRome institute “VillaLante.” The Art Museum ofAmos Anderson is locatedin his former home inHelsinki. (In later years heonly used one “s” in his lastname.) He died April 2,1961, in Dragsfjord, Finland

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The USPS recognized fourclassic films with postagestamps on March 23, 1990.One of those films was TheWizard of Oz, in whichBert Lahr starred as theCowardly Lion. Bro. Lahr,was a member of PacificLodge No. 233, New York,NY, joining on Dec. 7, 1918.

Born Aug. 13, 1895, inNew York, NY, Bert Lahrdropped out of school at theage of 15 to join a juvenilevaudeville act and workedhis way up to top billing onthe Columbia BurlesqueCircuit. In 1927 he debutedon Broadway. His first majorsuccess in a stage musicalwas achieved in 1928 as theprize fighter hero of HoldEverything! His feature filmdebut occurred in 1931 withFlying High.

According to his son, Berthadterminalcancer butdid notknow itwhen hesigned tofilm TheNight TheyRaided Minsky’s – his lastfilm. He agreed to shoot anextensive night sceneoutdoors in New York Cityon a cold December night,leading to the pneumoniathat was the immediatecause of his death on Dec. 4,1967, in New York city.

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By ROBERT A. DOMINGUE

Delving Further Beyond the Craftby Rev. Neville Barker Cryer. Published by Lewis Masonic an

imprint of Ian Allen Publishing Ltd., Herswham,

Surrey KT12 4RG, England.

The author is a prominent English Masonic scholarwho has published a number of books on the subject

of Freemasonry. He is a meticulous researcher who hasprovided a valuable service to the craft. I have reviewedseveral of his books in the past.

Delving Further Beyond the Craftis a small paperback that Cryeruses to expand upon KeithJackson's book Beyond the Craft.The author makes it clear thatthis work is not to serve as areplacement for Jackson's worknor in any way a criticism of thatwork but rather as an extensionof his writings relative to the

English Freemasonry outside of the craft lodge.It deals more in details of the origins of degrees and

bodies up to the point where they have taken on thecharacteristic for which they are known today.Most of these degrees are those that many Freemasons

would never have the opportunity to experience.Even though Cryer’s research relates specifically to

English Freemasonry, it is applicable to many additionaldegrees found in American Masonry such as ArkMariner, Secret Monitor, Knight Templar Priests, RedCross of Constantine and various allied degrees.It also, however, delves into the origins of the cryptic

degrees, Mark Masonry, Knights Templar and theAncient Accepted Rite.It is a valuable reference for those with an interest in

Masonic degrees that exist beyond the blue lodge. It isalso interesting to follow the development of thesedegrees from their origins to the present.For many, it involved not only an evolution of the

ritual but also a series of title changes and the body thatconferred it. For those with an interest in theevolutionary development of Masonic ritual, it is worththe effort to read it.

A Handbook for the Freemason’s Wifeby Philippa Faulkes and Cheryl Skidmore. Published in 2009

by Lewis Masonic an imprint of Ian Allen Publishing Ltd.,

Herswham, Surrey KT12 4RG, England.

AHandbook for the Freemason’s Wife is a very smallhardcover book written by the wives of two British

Freemasons as a guide to the ladies,be it a girlfriend, wife, partner orclose relation of a Freemason orsomeone interested inFreemasonry.It is specific for British

Freemasons’ ladies and muchwould not be applicable toAmerican Freemasonry. Forexample; under their questions

how to become a Freemason the authorswrite “wait until you're asked by another Mason.” Irealize this is superfluous in today's environment, but,nonetheless, we still imply that one must ask. They alsoindicate that two black balls are required for rejectionand that is not true in most American Grand Lodges.In addition they state that in American lodges the

Junior Deacon’s badge is a crescent moon in the center ofa square and compasses and in the Senior Deacon’s is ablazing sun upon a square and compasses. This is not soin many Grand Lodges.However, much of it also deals with Masonic

generalities and provides information that would bebeneficial for American ladies as those mentioned above.It includes simple definitions of Masonic terminologyincluding what Freemasonry is; who can become aFreemason; the procedure to become one; what a memberdoes, and the expected requirements from a member.I found it interesting that any Freemason experiencing

genuine hardship may apply for a charitable grant “evenif he no longer belongs to a lodge.”We in America do not generally regard a man as a

Freemason unless he holds membership in a lodge.


Reviewed by Thomas W. Jackson, 33°

The authors propose a theory of the origin ofFreemasonry that I have not been aware of. They statethat in the late 1500s and early 1600s, a group interestedin the promotion of religious and political toleranceformed Freemasonry in an attempt to make better menand build a better world. I'm not sure where this theorycame from, but it would be interesting to find out andwho proposed it.All said it is an interesting book; it does present

information that makes it worth reading for British andAmerican ladies, and Brothers.

The Beauty and Glory of the Day:A Masonic Devotional

by Walter William Melnyk. Published in 2009

by createspace.com

Bro.Melnyk, an ordainedEpiscopal priest, has written

an excellent book in which heinterprets the working tools ofFreemasonry with a spiritualimplication so as to “encourageFreemasons through dailymeditation upon the innermeanings of the symbolicworking tools, to awakenwithin themselves the esoteric art ofFreemasonry, the spirituality of making good menbetter.” It is written as a nonsectarian interpretation so itmay be used by all Freemasons.This book was written as the final step in qualification

for the status of “Master Masonic Scholar” in thePennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge.The author has designed a book to serve as a daily

devotional guide to a weekly cycle utilizing the workingtools that have been assigned for each day of the week.He uses the compasses for Sunday, the working tools

of the Entered Apprentice for Monday and Tuesday, thetools of the Fellowcraft for Wednesday and Thursdayand the square on Friday to meditate upon fairness andfinally the tool of the Master Mason, the trowel, forSaturday.He lays out each day beginning with the morning,

traveling through noon, and finally to the evening,applying the significance of each tool as a devotionalguide to that period of the day.I have never seen expressed the spiritual significance

of the working tools of the craft as well as the authorexpresses them in this small book of only 54 pages, norhave I seen a book that captures as well the essence ofthe meaning. It is well worth the effort to read.

So You Want To Be A Freemason?by Julian Rees. Published in 2009 by Lewis Masonic an

imprint of Ian Allen Publishing Ltd., Herswham,

Surrey KT12 4RG, England.

The author emphasizes in the preface that thepurpose of this book is to fill an empty niche with

the first book written specifically for the non-Mason togive him some guidance concerning the craft.He emphasizes throughout the book that the extent to

what he reveals is limited with the understanding thattoo much knowledge would devalue it, dull the impacton the new candidate and blunt its effect.He also observes that the need for secrecy, fidelity and

obedience is a lesson challenging the commitment ofFreemasons to the oaths of their obligation. A goodanalogy he uses is that an artist or a composer does notreveal what he is doing until it is complete, as to do sowould dissipate its energy and all the impact.Rees makes an interesting observation concerning the

evolution of operative masonry into speculative Masonry.He states that the non-operative gentlemen found in thepractice of stonemasons an “allegory for the building ofpersonal character and human morality.” I had alwaysassumed that the applied allegory was found after theaffiliation to place. He also explains the reason why thediscussion of religion and politics was prohibited in earlyFreemasonry.It is an easily readable book to explain Freemasonry to

the non-Mason, its origins, history, culture and purpose.It is also worth reading even by the educated Mason forit makes observations that answer questions that many ofus may have or it may refresh our memories of what wehave forgotten.It uses some excellent analogies to make clear the

message that he is attempting to convey. He observes apoint that I have learned in mytravels and have beenemphasizing for over the last 20years. Freemasonry is shaped bythe society in which it operatesas well as shaping the society inwhich it exists.I would point out to the

author, however, that hisstatement that there is “scarcelya country in the world where Freemasonryis not established” is incorrect. There are many countriesin the world in which Freemasonry does not exist. Iwould also point out that Benjamin Franklin was not apresident of the United States.



Balance problems maybenefit from tai chiIn some patients suffering fromdizziness and balance disorders, tai chiexercise works when medicationsdon't, according to one study. It isestimated that about half ofAmericans experience balancedifficulties with everyday tasks andhave fear of falling.

Tai chi is characterized bycoordination and relaxation of thejoints rather than muscular tension. Ithas been used for centuries topromote health and well-being.

A study by the New York Eye andEar Infirmary and colleagues showedthat after an eight-week course of taichi, 45 minutes per week, patientswho suffered from imbalance,dizziness and vertigo showed markedimprovement as measured on theActivities-Specific Balance ConfidenceScale.

Antidepressants notbest for all patientsA team led by Dr. Robert DeRubeispooled data from six trials testingantidepressants which showed theywere not more effective than aplacebo pill.

• Some conditions respond toplacebo treatments. In these, thebody's own biochemicals, such asopiates and dopamine, act as naturalmedications. Because placebos andpersonal expectations triggerproduction of these compounds,dummy pills can be almost as effectiveas real ones. In addition to depression,these conditions have beensuccessfully treated with placebos:Hypertension, pain, Parkinson'sdisease, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritisand ulcers.

• The study team found thatantidepressants were more useful onlyfor patients with severe depression.

DeRubeis, a psychologist at theUniversity of Pennsylvania,recommends that doctors think aboutnon-drug options, such as exercise orpsychotherapy for the mildly ormoderately depressed.

A 2008 study reached similarconclusions from clinical trialssubmitted for the licensing of Prozac,Effexor and Paxil.

Low-calorie sweetenersfor cookingSome sweeteners work fine forpopping into your coffee orsweetening cold cereal, but they losetheir sweetening power when exposedto the heat of cooking.

Sweeteners made with sucraloseand stevia hold their sweeteningpower when used in cooking. Theyinclude Splenda, Nevella, NatratasteGold,Purevia, Stevia in the Raw,Sweetleaf and Truvia according toEnvironmental Nutrition.

Screening kids forobesityMedical professionals reporting inPediatrics say doctors should screenchildren age six and up for obesity andrefer them to weight-managementprograms.

The advice comes from the U.S.Preventive Services Task Force whichmakes medical recommendationsbased on the latest research. They saythat overweight kids who participatein moderate to high intensityweight-management plans (frequentlywith their parents) for 25 or morehours over six months usually hadimprovements in their weight.

Today, about 32 percent of childrenand adolescents are obese oroverweight according to governmentstatistics.

Healthy lifestyle cutsrisk of serious diseasesA study of people ages 35 to 65shows that having just four healthyhabits reduces your risk of diseasessuch as diabetes, heart disease andcancer by almost 80 percent.

The research by the Centers forDisease Control and colleagues showsthe association with four lifestylefactors: Not smoking; eating a diethigh in fruits, vegetables, and wholegrains and low in meat consumption;getting a half-hour daily of moderateexercise; and avoiding obesity.Diabetes risk was most sharplyreduced by a healthy lifestyle, whilecancer was affected the least.Avoiding obesity was most effective inreducing risks, followed by notsmoking. The potential for avoidingsociety's biggest killers throughhealthy living is "enormous," say theresearchers.

“Mom, what comes first forcelebrities? Botox or detox?”

HEALTH• Life Line screening

• Cancer screening

• Humana Medicare supplement

• Long-term health care

• LifeConnect

• Dental care

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• Mail order prescription

• Beltone hearing aids

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FINANCIAL• FreeCause (One Cause)

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• MetLife annuity

TRAVEL• Vacation travel benefits

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SMALL BUSINESS• Constant Contact

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MEMBER

The Benefits of Membership

Your Scottish Rite membership certainly comes with the benefits of fraternity and Brotherhood. A host ofadvantages – both monetary and of convenience – are also available. Discounts for products and servicesare there for the asking. New Scottish Rite Masons are enrolled as members of the Scottish Rite MasonicMuseum and Library for one year. Every Scottish Rite Mason in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction alsoreceives a copy of The Northern Light.

Listed here are many of the offerings to our membership.

“In the Masonic fraternity, our first obligation is to our Brethren. For quite some time, the MembershipServices Committee of the Supreme Council has been evaluating products that would be beneficial toour members and that would provide real value. Our members deserve our best efforts.”

— John Wm. McNaughton,Sovereign Grand Commander, NMJ, USA

Check out our Members Center on the ScottishRite website: ScottishRiteOnline.org for the mostup-to-date offerings for our members.

Look for the NEW Member Services booklet inyour mailbox this fall.

Services


1970-2010Excerpts from

The Northern LightSelected views from the past may not necessari ly represent today’s v iewpoint .

When he showed up at the U.S. National Senior SportsClassic in Syracuse, N.Y., this summer, Ill. and Rev. John G.Fleck, 33°, was prepared to face the competition. But Dr.Fleck found himself without any opponents.

As the oldest participant in the Senior Classic, he was alsothe only entrant in the 94-99 agebracket. For the 1,500 meter racewalk, he finished four laps with atime of 19:39:4 to pick up a goldmedal.

According to one source, he is theoldest person ever to qualify for thenational games.

He also participated in the50-meter and l00-meter swimcompetitions and picked up two more gold medals.

“I wouldn’t call it competition,” says Dr. Fleck.” No oneelse from my age group was participating. All I had to dowas show up.”

He not only showed up, but he put on a display thatdazzled the spectators.

“‘Father’ John is an amazing person,” said Dr. Bruce W.Widger, 33°. Ill. Brother Widger, a Supreme Council ActiveMember for New York, served as host for his fellow SupremeCouncil Member during his Syracuse visit.

Dr. Fleck, a retired Lutheran minister, was pastor ofchurches in Baltimore, Md., and Buffalo, N.Y. Following hisretirement, he accepted a position as Grand Prior of theSupreme Council. At that time, one of the duties of theoffice was to edit a four-page monthly newsletter, the frontpage of which usually contained an inspirational message. Heretired from his full-time duties in 1969, as the Newsletterwas being replaced by The Northern Light, but remained asGrand Prior until 1975.

He now resides at the Twining Village Retirement Centerin Holland, Pa., but continues to maintain an active lifestyle.He celebrated his l00th birthday on Oct. 3.

To mark the 40th anniversary of The Northern Light we look back tothoughts and opinions from different eras of the magazine. This issue weexamine its growth and we peruse other offerings from its third decade.

John Fleck, at 99, Competes for Gold Nov. 1991

* Masonry in Hungary. The winds of change areblowing throughout eastern Europe, and Masonry mayonce again become visible in that part of the world. InHungary, for instance, the Grand Lodge wasreestablished on December 27 with the assistance of theGrand Lodge of Austria. Although details are stillincomplete, some sources have indicated that there areonly 63 known Hungarian Masons. Before thesuppression in 1950 there were believed to be 1,400Masons.

It will probably take some time before a HungarianScottish Rite body is instituted, but some HungarianMasons have received Scottish Rite degrees in Vienna.

Footnotes*, Feb. 1990

* FAX it. The SupremeCouncil headquarters recentlyinstalled a FAX machine to serveall departments of theheadquarters and museum.


* Senior Olympics. Reference in the last issue of Dr.John G. Fleck’s participation in the Senior Olympicsduring the summer brought a note from Col. Albert R.Sabarofi, 32°, of Philadelphia. Brother Sabaroff, amember of the Scottish Rite Valley of Allentown, is 81years old. He reports that he has participated in thisevent for a number of years and has won most of hisawards in race walking.


Great opportunities to help othersseldom come, but small ones surround usevery day.

— Sally Koch

We all live under the same sky, but wedon’t all have the same horizon.

— Konrad Adenauer

One of the great lessons in life is to knowthat even fools are right sometimes.

— Winston Churchill

People who fight fire with fire usuallyend up in the ashes.

— Abigail Van Buren

The very essence of leadership is that youhave to have a vision. You can’t blow anuncertain trumpet.

— Theodore M. Hesburgh

Your imagination is your preview of life’scoming attractions.

— Albert Einstein

Progress involves taking risks. You can’tsteal second base and keep your foot onfirst.

— Frederick Wilcox

More people would learn from theirmistakes if they weren’t so busy denyingthem.

— Harold J. Smith

When faced with a challenge, look for away, not a way out.

— David L. Weatherford

Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If yourun into a wall, don’t turn around andgive up. Figure out how to climb it, gothrough it, or work around it.

— Michael Jordan

Experience is not what happens to you.Experience is what you do with whathappens to you.

— Aldous Huxley


QUOTABLES

RECORDING HISTORYOhio photographer landed on Iwo Jima

with camera in hand

Although many fraternities overthe years have been notorious forhazing, such a practice has not been apart of the Blue Lodge initiation.Scottish Rite restricts its ceremoniesto the serious portrayal of morallessons through stage productions towhich the candidate is a spectator.The noted 19th-century Masonichistorian Albert G. Mackey wrote,“The vulgar idea that riding the goatconstitutes a part of the ceremoniesof initiation in a Masonic lodge hasits real origin in the superstition ofantiquity.... The riding of the goat,which was believed to be practiced bythe witches (of the Middle Ages), was

transferred tothe Freemasons;and the sayingremains to thisday, althoughthe belief haslong since diedout.” BrotherMackeywould besurprised toknow that more than 100 yearslater the misconception of theproverbial goat still exists amongmany non-Masons.

— Richard H. Curtis, 33°, editorFeb. 1998

When Bro. Lou Burmeisterstepped onto the sands of Iwo Jimaon Feb. 19, 1945, he was armed witha camera instead of a rifle. He was amember of the 5thAmphibious Corps. Some70,000 marines, under thecommand of HollandSmith, were there to takepossession of an island4-2/3 miles long by2-1/2 miles wide.

Lou’s mission was torecord the battle for theU.S. government. Hemade good use of his4x5 speed Graphic. At thetime a packet of film had only 10photo frames and he was foreverchanging film in the sand.

Lou didn’t see his photographs.He didn’t know they still existed untilyears later. Joe Rosenthal of theAssociated Press became well known

for his photo of the flag raising atopMt. Suribachi. Lou says he had thesame picture, but Rosenthal’s waspublished.

Today Lou and his wife,Anneliese, own andoperate the MedinaCamera and Gem Shop inMedina, OH. There’s awealth of history there, andLou is always willing totalk about his experiencewhen customers ask himabout it.

The photos may bringback memories to those whoserved in the Pacific Theater.

Some of the readers may have goneashore with Lou on that day in 1945.

Lou is a member of MedinaLodge No. 58, and the Scottish RiteValley of Cleveland.

— Al Kessler, 32°,Nov. 1992

The Lodge Goat

* On the scene. Grand Commander Francis G. Paul, 33°, made a rareappearance recently at the site of the 1801 founding of the first ScottishRite Supreme Council in Charleston, SC. He had been invited to witness a33° conferral in that city and was given a tour of some of the spots ofsignificance to Scottish Rite. According to sources in Charleston, he is thefirst Sovereign Grand Commander from the Northern MasonicJurisdiction to visit the site.



Checking your SocialSecurity retirementbenefitsThinking about retirement? Thebenefit at 62 is 70 percent of whatyou would get at age 67; at age 65,it's 87 percent. If you wait until 70,your benefit will be 124 percent of theage 67 benefit.

To discover what the dollar value ofthose amounts would be, you can visitSocial Security's Retirement Estimatorat www.ssa.gov/estimator.

Fed mandatesreal-time trafficinformationNew government rules call for statesto provide real-time information abouttraffic congestion on interstatehighways. States have two years tomake the information available byphone or online.

Within four years, states mustprovide traffic information for majornon-interstate roads in cities,according to the GovernmentAccountability Office.

The Association of State Highwayand Transportation Officials reportsthat many states have electronic

traffic-monitoring systems already.Others are broadening existingsystems or developing new ones.

Right now, Nashville is involved in amulti-million-dollar expansion of itstraffic monitoring system. It will becompleted by 2010. The Tennesseeproject will double the number ofoverhead message boards that warnmotorists of traffic problems. Thetraffic information is available atwww.tdot.state.tn.us.

The Interstate 95 Corridor Coalitionhas a website (i95coalition.org)showing real-time traffic conditions onI-95 from North Carolina to NewJersey.

A similar system is in the UpperMidwest for I-90 and I-94. Informationis given at www. i90i94travelinfo.comor by dialing 511.

The AAA Auto Club says trafficwarning systems can prevent driverfrustration and road rage.

One truck driver quoted in USAToday says he doesn't use Internetsites for traffic warnings, but theoverhead signs are very helpful. Theyprovide instant information on currentconditions.

Poison preventionThe Centers for Disease Control andPrevention has this importantinformation for you.

Medicines: Turn on a light when yougive or take medicines. Readmedication directions. Keep medicinesin their original bottles. Store in a safeplace where they can't be reached bychildren or teenagers.

Household cleaners and chemicals:Keep chemicals, cleaners and beauty

products in their original containers.Always read the label before using.Never mix cleaning products together.Doing so could produce toxic gases.Wear clothing that covers the skinwhen you spray pesticides or otherchemicals. Open the windows and usea fan when using chemicals in thehouse.

Protecting young children: Keepdrugs and chemicals in childproofcabinets that children can't reach.Don't take medicine in front ofchildren, since they often try to copyadults. When giving children amedication, never call it "candy."Caution guests not to leave drugswhere children can find them. Don'tleave your own next dose on thecounter.

Here's how to sell yourstuff on the webThis is a brief rundown of what to sellwhere and how much it will cost you,according to Michael Miller, author ofSelling Online 2.0.

• On eBay: Sellers usually pay 8.75percent of the sales price up to $25,with a declining percentage on largersales, plus upfront fees of 10 cents to$4 or more. This is whether or not theitem sells.

Some of the best items to sell oneBay: antiques, high-end bicycles, rarecollectibles, jewelry that is unique,modern or antique golf clubs,high-end skis, and old or collectibleitems including art.

• On Amazon.com: Sellers set fixedprices and usually pay a commission of15 percent (commissions are lower onelectronics and cameras), plus a99-cent transaction fee. On Amazon,you won't have to pay the listing fee ifthe item doesn't sell.

The best items to sell on Amazoninclude DVDs, CDs, recent electronics,video games and books. Book buyersshop at Amazon.

• On Craigslist: Listing items onCraigslist is free. The listings aredivided into regional websites. Buyersgenerally come to the seller's homeand pay cash.

The best items to sell on Craigslistare furniture, exercise equipment, cars,boats, RVs, musical instruments,regular or low-end skis, common golfclubs and electronics. Sell items liketoys, hand tools and clothing in lots.

“Good news! Your child’s alreadybeen pre-approved for a platinum

credit card.”


The Van Gorden-Williams Library and Archives relieson both gifts and purchases to insure that our collection

stays current in the field of Freemasonry, fraternalism, andAmerican history. Whether it’s a newly published book onFreemasonry or a diary written by a member of the EasternStar during the 1940s, we are always adding new material toour collection.

NEW IN THE LIBRARYWhile the library continues to add to its world-class

collection of rare books on the subject of Freemasonry, themajority of acquisitions throughout the year are books andjournals that insure that library users have access to relevant,well-researched, current material. These range from booksaimed at popular audiences to books rolling off academicpresses.

In addition to acquiring material focused on Freemasonry,fraternalism, and American history, we also collect relatedmaterial that provides a broader historical context to the studyof Freemasonry and fraternalism. This includes books aboutgender (masculinity/manhood/fatherhood), esotericism,costume (for the study of regalia, etc.) and books about“orientalism” and “Egyptomania” (these last two topics areboth related to the West’s fascination with Egypt and theMiddle East in the late 19th and early 20th centuries,something which influenced both the Shriners and thedecoration of Egyptian-themed lodge rooms). Here are just afew highlights of books recently acquired by the library:

Cain, Alexander R. We Stood Our Ground: Lexington in the FirstYear of the American Revolution. Westminster, MD: HeritageBooks, 2004.

Curl, James Stevens. The Egyptian Revival: Ancient Egypt as theInspiration for Design Motifs in the West. New York: Routledge,2005.

Godbeer, Richard. The Overflowing of Friendship: Love BetweenMen and the Creation of the American Republic. Baltimore:Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009.

Goodrick-Clarke, Nicholas. The Western Esoteric Traditions: AHistorical Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press,2008.

Halleran, Michael A. The Better Angels of Our Nature:Freemasonry in the American Civil War. Tuscaloosa: Universityof Alabama Press, 2010.

Seely, David R, and William J. Hamblin. Solomon's Temple: Mythand History. London: Thames & Hudson, 2007.

Nance, Susan. How the Arabian Nights Inspired the AmericanDream, 1790-1935. Chapel Hill: University of North CarolinaPress, 2009.

NEW IN THE ARCHIVESMuch of the archival material that we acquire is what

historians call primary sources – original records, manuscripts,or other unique material that researchers may use tounderstand the past. This year we have already acquired anumber of interesting items, including two diaries and a bookof marks that we acquired by purchase.

The first diary was kept in 1925 and 1926 by Mrs.Florence M. Flieler, Grand Chief of the Pythian Sisters.Flieler, based in Oakland, describes her first five months inoffice after her 1925 installation as Grand Chief of thePythian Sisters in California. Flieler describes visits withother Pythian Sisters in towns in California, mentioning thegifts she received, personal accounts of degrees given,initiating candidates, socializing, attending chicken dinners,and her impressions of hosting Pythian Sisters and Brothers.She describes degree work that was performed successfully,and degree work that wasn’t so successful. This diary gives awonderfully personal view inside the Pythian Sisters. Foundedin 1888, the Pythian Sisters are the female auxiliary of theKnights of Pythias.

The second diary is a five-year account of the life andactivities of Rosa Belle Buck Morton in post-World War

II America, covering the years 1946-50. Morton gives detailsabout her participation in both the Order of Eastern Star andThe Grange (Order of Patrons of Husbandry). In addition tosocial, occupational, and fraternal activities, she also writesabout domestic life at her home in South Ashfield, MA:berrying, canning, pickling, gardening, and making the housecomfortable for her husband, George W. Morton (b. 1874),who was a member of his local Masonic lodge.

This summer we also purchased a wonderful Royal ArchMasonic book of marks which originally belonged to thenow-dark Franklin Chapter, No. 4, located in Norwich,Connecticut. This Book of Marks was produced by the M. C.Lilley Company and includes a pre-printed keystone on eachpage with the center left blank for members to add theirmark. The book contains 200 inked drawings for each MarkMason who joined this Chapter from 1919-22. Many of themarks incorporate the Mason’s initials into a design whileothers reference occupations or military service.

The Van Gorden-Williams Library & Archives is located justoff the main lobby of the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum &Library and is open to the public 10-4:30, Tuesday-Friday, andthe first and third Saturday of each month. Reference assistance isprovided in person, by phone, or by e-mail. You may contact us at781-457-4109 or [email protected].

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

NEW ACQUISITIONS


Planning Ahead

As I was reading through the “Today's Family” (TNL, May2010), I noticed the article on pre-paying a funeral. As a funeraldirector I appreciated the information, however, not all of theinformation was correct. Although I can't speak for all states,Indiana does have some specific rules regarding pre-payingfunerals. In Indiana the funeral home can be sold or closed butthe funds for the funeral will still be available at the time ofdeath. The funds are irrevocably held by a third party andprotections are in place to make sure they are available. We alsohave to gaurantee that the services and merchandise are thesame or of equal or better value as was selected, even if it meansa loss to the funeral home. You might suggest that individualscheck with the state funeral directors associations as well as thenational associations.

Kent S. Priebe, 32°Valley of Indianapolis

Kuntz Kudos

I write from Williamsburg, VA, to express my thanks to Bro.Jeffrey Kuntz for the splendid article “Bro. Sibelius: Finland'sGreat Composer” (TNL, May 2010). As one who has longappreciated Sibelius' work, I found the many details of his lifecontained in the piece to be enlightening and very informative.“Finlandia” is a work that stands alone in the world ofsymphonic compositions.

Lon W. Weber, 33°Southern Jurisdiction

Change Anyone?

Thank you to all the Masonic leaders who support change inour fraternity. I am especially pleased to read about the stancetaken by our Grand Commander, John Wm. McNaughton, 33°,in his editorial (TNL, Feb. 2010). Unlike many of my fellowBrethren, I believe change must occur.

Also, I am very pleased to see increasing coverage of ourfellow Brethren in the Prince Hall Masonic Order. I especiallyenjoyed the articles on Nat “King” Cole and the dedication ofthe Prince Hall Monument.

George Nye, 32°Valley of Indianapolis

Curiosity Abounds

I'm sure that I am not the only one who notices that the GreatLights are in the Fellowcraft position on the two Masonic MarkMedals pictured on page 7 (TNL, Feb. 2010). This excites mycuriosity as these are the first of their kind that I have seen.

Gregory J. Kantak, 32°Valleys of Salem and Boston

Please submit your own Masonic photos to The Northern Light. We are accepting submissions of all thingsMasonic — people, places or occurrences, to share with our readership.You may send your photo to [email protected], or mail your submission to: The Northern Light,PO Box 519, Lexington, MA 02420-0519. Include your name, address and Masonic affiliation. Photos willnot be returned.

While on a business trip to Aalborg,Denmark, I came across a local lodgeone day while I was out sightseeing.I was lucky enough to find Brethren atthe lodge who were preparing thebanquet hall for a 3° that night. Iintroduced myself as a travelingBrother from the United States, andasked if it would be possible to take asmall tour. The Master of the lodgegranted my request, and I saw one ofthe most beautiful and ornate lodges Ihave yet to see. Unfortunately, I wasunable to witness the degree workthat night because of work.Justin G. Waples, Valley of Quincy

While on a cruise to the Bahamas, I was pleasantly surprised to look outfrom my cabin balcony to see a Masonic lodge in Nassau. The lodge is withthe District Grand Lodge of the Bahamas and Turks. I wanted to share thispicture for the Brethren so they might view a picture from the islands.Ward Grossman, Saco Lodge No. 9.

masonicmoments


et cetera, et cetera,etc.TNL IndexEvery five years we compile an indexof the material appearing in TheNorthern Light. Copies are availableupon request. The most recent indexcovers the issues from 2005-09.All previous issues of the index are

also available.For information write to The

Northern Light, P.O. Box 519,Lexington, MA 02420 or [email protected].

Puzzling SituationIn September 1979 a new feature wasadded to The Northern Light, just as itwas nearing the end of its first decade.The magazinebeganprinting itsvery ownpuzzle. Itwas not acrossword,or Jumble,or Sudoku,but auniquegamewith aMasonic twist.Created (and still written) by formereditor, Bro. Dick Curtis, MasonicWord Math has proven to be one ofthe most popular – and durable –facets of The Northern Light.This year marks the 40th

anniversary of the publication. Inhonor of the occasion we offer to ourreaders the chance to dive back intotime and purchase a complete set ofthese enigmatic word games. For a $6check, made out to the SupremeCouncil, we will mail you MasonicWord Math Puzzles, from the pages ofThe Northern Light.Those of you that are already

regulars of the game know that thesecret word comes from within the

magazine. With every copy of TheNorthern Light now online atScottishRiteOnline.org, the samehints can still be found whether ornot you saved your original copy.If you have never completed a

Masonic Word Math puzzle, you arein for a treat. Remember also, it is nottoo early to think about stockingstuffers. Orders received by Nov. 15are guaranteed to be delivered byChristmas.To order your copy, send a check

and your address to: The NorthernLight, P.O. Box 519, Lexington, MA02420.All profits from the sale of the

book will benefit the Sovereign GrandCommander’s Almoners Fund

Marmaduke on theSilver ScreenIn June the movie, Marmadukepremiered. Adapted from the dailycomic strip of the same name, thestoryline follows the Winslow familyand their lovable, but inadvertentlydestructive, Great Dane. It wasdistributed by 20th Century Fox andstars the voices of Owen Wilson andGeorge Lopez.The character was created – and the

strip is still written and drawn by –Brad Anderson, a member of theValley of Jamestown. Longtimereaders of The Northern Light mightremember a feature story on Bro.Anderson in the August 1998 edition.If you don’t have your copy, you candownload it fromScottishRiteOnline.org. Since itsprinting, Brad Anderson has receivedthe 33˚.

Degree DatesDates for the reunions of the Valleysare now available. They can be foundonline at ScottishRiteOnline.org.

4° Shown at LexingtonThe new 4˚ DVD was presented at theScottish Rite Masonic Museum andLibrary located on the grounds ofSupreme Council headquarters.On July 17, in conjunction with

the “all Actives” meeting, candidateswere shown the 4˚ in its newelectronic format, and the Valley ofProvidence presented the 16˚ in amore traditional setting.

Secretaries ConferenceIn June the Valley Secretaries met atSupreme Council headquarters atwhich membership was the theme.In addition to issues dealing with

the operation of the Valley offices, theSecretaries were given presentationson generational differences, the MDSmember portal, membershipinitiatives, communications withmembers and Valley structure.Break-out sessions were also

scheduled, giving the attendees theopportunity to offer feedback andreceive comments on issuesfacing them.

Alan E. Foulds, 32°editor

Celebrating Our40th Year

Proceeds from sales to benefitthe Almoners Fundof the Supreme Council, 33°,

Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, USA

Puzzles collected fromthe past four decadesof the magazine

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

BrotherhoodMaking the world a better place — one man at a time.

Supreme Council, 33°Ancient Accepted Scottish RiteNorthern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A.

ScottishRiteOnline.org

ready,set,GO.

fall reunionsCall your local Valley for details or visit us at ScottishRiteOnline.org for degree dates.

Documents

TNL-August2010