TNL-February2006

A Window for FreemasonryVol. 37 No. 1 FEBRUARY 2006

Happy 300thBen

6 Franklin’s Masonic Life •9 MasonicWord Math •15 32° Masonic Learn-ing Centers for Children • 16 In Memoriam: Carlton A. Winchester, RichardH. Winship Jr., and Harold L. Hussey • 25 Tabbert Heads to Washington Me-morial •25 Attention Veterans •27 Quick Quotes •30 Tribute to Hiram’sCreator • 30 Hiram• 30 On the Lighter Side

2 THE NORTHERN LIGHT / FEBRUARY 2006

FEBRUARY 2006 Volume 37 No. 1

Features

3 Sovereign Grand Commander

18 Notes from the Southern Jurisdiction

19 Brothers on the Net

20 Scottish Rite Charities

21 The Stamp Act

22 Book Nook

24 HealthWise

26 Views from the Past

28 Today’s Family

29 More Than Just Books

30 Readers Respond

31 Footnotes

Also:

4 Brother Ben’s Legacy

by Alan E. FouldsA tale of two cities’ trust funds.

SUPREME COUNCIL, 33°Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite

Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A.

SOVEREIGN GRAND COMMANDERWalter E. Webber, 33°

THE NORTHERN LIGHT (ISSN 1088-4416) is published quarterly in 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 at Boston, MA, and at additional mailing offices.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Northern Light, PO Box 519, Lexington,MA 02420-0519.Copyright © 2006 by Trustees of the Supreme Council of the Ancient AcceptedScottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A.

EDITORRichard H. Curtis, 33°

ASSISTANT EDITORAlan E. Foulds

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTSSonja B. Faiola & Beth E. McSweeney

MEDIA ADVISORY COMMITTEEStephen E. Carpenter, 33°, chairman

RichardV. Travis, 33°Donald D. Thomas, 33°William Fox Jr., 33°

Lawrence D. Inglis, 33°William L. McCarrier, 33°

Frank R. Preble, 33°

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

Editorial Office:33 Marrett Road (Route 2A)

Lexington, Massachusetts 02421781-862-4410

Fax: 781-863-1833e-mail: [email protected]

Internet:www.supremecouncil.org

THEA Window for Freemasonry

12

American Family TreasuresDecorative arts collection at NationalHeritage Museum.

10

Beethoven’s Ninth

by Jeffrey L. Kuntz, 32°Is it a testament to Freemasonry?

7

Event of the Century

by Milan Vydareny, 32°Special degrees and guests featuredat Valley of Chicago fall reunion.

17

Original art by Michael J. Deas

Columns

4

7

10

The Northern LightGoes AudioMagazine can now be heardon the Internet.

17

“Our Masonic fraternity is so much morethan bricks and mortar.”

— Walter E. Webber, 33º

The True Foundation Stones

FEBRUARY 2006 / THE NORTHERN LIGHT 3

Our Masonic fraternity is indeed blessed with alarge number of architecturally beautiful and signifi-cant buildings. Whether we call them cathedrals,temples or complexes, the buildings have been usedover the years to feed and host millions of visitors.Within their doors there have been thousands of de-gree portrayals, meetings and programs coveringevery imaginable topic in our culture. The bricks andmortar have served us well. Majestic, warm, inviting,cold, austere or monumental are but a few of the ad-jectives that have been used to describe them.

We have adorned many of these buildings withbeautiful paintings, stained glass, brass ornamenta-tion, lighting fixtures, furnishings, fountains andmuch more that would be the envy of Hiram Abif.We have tried to adorn appropriately without opu-lence or pomposity. We have tried to create a bal-ance, and we have been remarkably successful at it.

Many of these structures were built in prior gener-ations. Along with the Masonic tenets that have beenpassed freely from father to son, brother to brotherand generation to generation, we have also inheritedboth the buildings and their maintenance. Thesestructures were built for the most part when Freema-sonry and Scottish Rite Masonry were attracting ex-ceptionally large numbers of new members on a reg-ular basis. In 1928, there were 1.3 million Masons.Membership peaked in 1959 at 4.1 million members.Currently, there are about 1.6 million Masons in theUnited States. Our membership in Scottish Rite (NMJ)in 1928 was 298,538 members, and it peaked in1975 with 513,335 members. Currently our member-ship stands around 231,000.

For varying reasons, Masonry has lost 61 percentof its membership since its apogee in 1959, whileScottish Rite has lost 45 percent of its membershipsince 1975. Consequently, we see an infrastructurethat was put in place for a membership that is far

greater than many lodges and/or Valleys can supportwith today’s escalating maintenance costs.

It would not be financially feasible to replicate thebeauty and ornateness of our structures and furnish-ings today. Yet the older facilities now require signifi-cant energy, planning and finances to support build-ings that all too often sit idle. The costs of utilities, in-surance and maintenance — because of the verygrandeur of the buildings — have become nigh ontoprohibitive.

Even though our society is always evolving, we alltend to avoid change. It is endemic to life itself. Whatthe current situation requires of us is to reevaluatethe relevance of bricks and mortar in relation to thesymbolic foundation stones that are the moral andethical lessons on which Freemasonry is based.

As issues present themselves, I am heartened bythe number of Scottish Rite leaders who say to me,“Our choice is bricks and mortar or program, and ourValley is about program. We have a great story to tell,we are relevant to today’s society, and our lessons areas needed today as they were the day they were cre-ated.” We do not need to be elegantly housed, butwe do need to display the lessons of Scottish Rite ele-gantly.

I am not advocating the wholesale unloading ofour temples and cathedrals, as I enjoy being in themas much as you do. However, if we are to move for-ward as an organization, we need to evaluate thebalance between the physical bricks and mortar ver-sus the programs of Scottish Rite. The physical loca-tion has to be subordinate to and supportive of ourScottish Rite program. After all, our Masonic frater-nity is so much more than bricks and mortar.

Sovereign Grand Commander


BrotherBen’sLegacy

By ALAN E. FOULDS

A tale of two cities’ trust funds

In 1785 a French mathematiciannamedCharles JosephMathon de laCour penned a parody of Ben

Franklin’s famous Poor Richard’s Al-manack.In the tome, which he facetiously

called Fortunate Richard, Mathon de laCour mocked Franklin’s faith in thelongevity of his new nation.As the story goes, hismain character,

Fortunate Richard, established a trustfund inwhich the principal and interestcould not be touched for 500 years.Instead of taking offense, Franklin

wrote to the mathematician andthanked him for such awonderful idea.Although initially made in jest, the

suggestion gave birth to a legacy thatlasted for two centuries, and its resultslive on today.Ben Franklin’s original will estab-

lished a fund that remembered andhonored both his birthplace (Boston)and his adopted home (Philadelphia).He initially planned to leave 2,000

pounds to make the Schuylkill Riverusable for navigation.

Additionally, the city of Boston wasto receive 1,000 pounds. Interest on thismoney was intended to purchasemedals to be awarded to outstandingstudents.Two years later Franklin had second

thoughts. The money for the studentmedalswas to stay in place, but througha codicil in his will the funding for theriver project was removed.He said, “Understanding that such a

sum will do little towards accomplish-ing such a work, and that the project isnot likely to be undertaken for manyyears to come,” he came upwith a planthat he thought would be more usefuland practical.Instead he split the 2,000 pounds be-

tween Boston and Philadelphia. (Thistranslates to about $4,500 for each city).It was his hope that the legacywould

be put to good use in both places untilfar into the future. Terms of the newplan extended until near the end of the20th century. Interest was to be loanedout during the life of the trust. At theend of the first hundred years (1894) aportion of the principal came due in

each city,while the restwas to remain intrust until 1994.He said, “I was born in Boston and I

owemy first instruction in literature tothe free grammar schools establishedthere.”In Philadelphia he remembered how

good friends loaned money to him tohelp establish him in his trade.The rules of the trustwere quite cum-

bersome. In Boston the money was putunder the management of the nine-member board of selectmen (executivebranch of government) together withthe ministers of the oldest Episcopal,Congregational, and Presbyterianchurches in town.They were directed to loan money at

five percent interest to married “artifi-cers” under the age of 25 who haveserved as apprentices in town and havefaithfully fulfilled their duties.

ALAN E. FOULDS, is the Assistant Editor for The Northern Light,and author of the recently published book, Boston’sBallparks and Arenas.

Benjamin Franklin was born on Milk Street in the heart of Boston’s downtown area.This bust on an office building marks the spot.

Franklin presumed that “there willalways be found in Boston virtuous andbenevolent citizens willing to bestow apart of their time in doing good to therising generation, by superintendingand managing” the fund.After a century (1894), “if it succeeds

without interruption,” he asked that themanagers of his donation use about 75percent of the principal for a publicworks project, such as a fortification,bridge, aqueducts, or public buildingsthat would make inhabiting the citymore convenient.The rest of the fundwas to be used for

another 100 years, again for loans. Atthe end of the second term, in the year1994, and “no unfortunate accident hasprevented the operation,” Franklin feltthat the fund would be worth morethan four million pounds.One million was to go to the city of

Boston and the rest to the common-wealth of Massachusetts. He said hewould not “presume to carrymy viewsfarther.”In Philadelphia the “corporation of

that city” was to take charge of its al-lotment.The same rules applied but he added

his own recommendations as to howthemoney should be spent after the firstcentury.He said “If not done before, [the city

should] employ a part [of themoney] inbringing by pipes the water of theWis-sahickon Creek into town, so as to sup-ply the inhabitants.”He also recommended using part for

his original goal of making the rivernavigable.Just as inNewEngland, the trustwas

to end in 1994 with the money beingdivided between city and state.Throughout the first hundred years

the trustmanagers in both communitiesdid their best to live up to Franklin’swishes, but in each case problems arose.In Philadelphia many of the loans

were not repaid. Trust committee chair-man John Thomason reported in 1837“the fund was in the hands of 112 ben-eficiaries, of whom 19 have paid nei-ther principal nor interest, although theaccounts of some have been open for 34years.”Ninety additional cases were in non-

compliance, of which 58 were beyondthe statute of limitations. The Philadel-phia fund did not grownearly as fast asFranklin had predicted.In Boston therewere other problems.

The fundwas growing at amuch fasterrate than its counterpart in Philadel-

phia and there were fewer defaults(only four), but a much smaller per-centage had been used for loans.In 1836WilliamMinot, treasurer, said

that only one loan per year had beenmade during the previous five.Just $1,400 of the $24,000 was lent at

that time, while the rest was investedwith the Massachusetts Hospital LifeInsurance Company.Minot concluded that the benevolent

intentions of the donor were not beingrealized. He appeared to place theblame on those not taking advantageof the opportunity to borrow from thefund.He sarcastically reasoned, “It is not

advantageous to married mechanicsunder the age of 24 to borrowmoney tobe repaid in easy installments at a lowrate of interest, and the improvidence ofearly marriages among that class maybe inferred.”Boston developed another problem,

resulting in court action. Initially thetown’s nine selectmen together withclergy acted as the trustees.In 1822 Boston incorporated as a city,

with a mayor and nine aldermen. Ini-tially the ten new elected officials re-placed the selectmen as fundmanagers.The city treasurer challenged the new

make-up, so the legislature tried to alterthe membership.The state wanted to replace the al-

dermen with private citizens. In 1897the courts ruled against the city, insteadinstalling its own trustees. Still later an-other court overruled the first decision,re-installing the aldermen.As the first hundred years of the trust

came to a close, the two cities made

their decisions on the portions of thefunds coming due.A major portion of the Philadelphia

money was granted to the Franklin In-stitute, a sciencemuseumestablished in1824 to promote themechanical arts, tohonor Ben Franklin and to advance theusefulness of his inventions.Accordingto StaceyMoyers, present-day commu-nications manager at the museum, herinstitution received $133,000. This leftroughly $40,000 in the fund for the fu-ture.The fund managers in Boston de-

cided to finance the creation of FranklinPark as the southern terminus of Fred-erick Law Olmstead’s “Emerald Neck-lace,” a green space that winds its waythrough the city.Franklin’s heirs sued to stop the proj-

ect. The courts eventually ruled in favorof the plan but during the delay thepark was built with other funds.The managers then decided to build

a trade school as the successor to the ap-prentice program,whichwas no longerin use.This plan later grew into a technical

institute with a matching grant fromAndrew Carnegie.The school opened as the Franklin

Union in September 1908. Today it isknown as the Benjamin Franklin Insti-tute of Technology.In Boston the $100,000 remaining

after the first disbursement was rein-vested and grew to five million dollarsby 1994 when the fund was to be re-tired. According to Franklin’s codicilthe entire amount was then to be split,with roughly 75 percent going to thestate and 25 percent to the city. �


Members representing Pennsylvania’s Grand Lodge march on Franklin’s 300th birthday.The structure in the background is the Free Quaker Meetinghouse at the corner of 5thand Arch streets, Philadelphia. From 1790-99 it housed the Grand Lodge.


� After more legal disputing thestate’s legislature made the final deci-sion. In the 1990’s the remainder of thelegacy was turned over to the FranklinSchool, created by the same fund nearlya century earlier.Today there are 388 day students and

the school offers a bachelor of sciencedegree in automotive technology, andboth industrial and engineering associ-ate degrees.Philadelphiawas notwithout its own

wrangling over the fund. Initial planscalled for using the twomillion dollarsto promote the city.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported thatthe mayor suggested financing a com-munity-wide party featuring BenVereen andAretha Franklin.As the newspaper said, “cooler heads

prevailed.” The court of common pleas

ruled that in keeping with the spirit ofFranklin’s wishes the money would beused to assist high school graduatespursuing higher education.Again abiding by the codicil, the fund

was divided between city and statetrusts. The city portion was placedunder the supervision of the Philadel-phia Foundation, a nonprofit pool ofmore than 200 public charities.According to Phil Arkow, communi-

cations director at the foundation, oneof the first tasks was to determine ex-actly what an “artificer” is. He said“Franklin was many things. He was astatesman, an inventor, awriter and ed-itor, but first and foremost, he was aprinter.”“Artificer,” they decided, was a

craftsman. The money has been usedto aid those students pursuing a voca-

tional education. The state’s portion isunder the auspices of a similar groupknown as the Federation of Common-wealth Foundations.Bro. Franklin said in his will that he

did not want to carry his views beyondtwo centuries, but despite setbacks andcontroversies throughout the years hisactions still reverberate.His loans to craftsmen undoubtedly

advanced the industrial base of the na-tion. His legacy funded a successfulschool and strengthened a great mu-seum.To this day even the silver Franklin

medals are still awarded annually inhis birthplace.To paraphrase a great American

statesman who turns 300 this year,“Two thousand pounds saved is aboutseven million dollars earned.”

Three centuries ago Benjamin Franklin was born inBoston, on what is today Milk Street, located in thecenter of the city, between the shopping and financialdistricts. His earliest days were spent here, but as ayoung adult he moved to Philadelphia.Franklin’s earliest association with fraternal organiza-

tions comes in 1727, when he became founder of a non-Masonic “secret society” known as the Leathern ApronClub. Just three years later he claimed that he was plan-ning to reveal all the Masonic mysteries in his newspa-per. Whether or not he was serious, in two months hereceived his degrees in Philadelphia’s St. John’s Lodge,joining the very organization he said he would expose.There he served in several capacities.Franklin was active in an early Grand Lodge in Penn-

sylvania. For a very brief period in 1749 he served asthe Provincial Grand Master, making him the first na-tive-born American to do so. Within a few months hewas replaced by William Allen, who immediately ap-pointed Franklin as Deputy Grand Master.Serving in that capacity he played a major role in the

opening of Freemason’s Lodge in Philadelphia, the firststructure in America built strictly for Masonic purposes.Along with the Grand Master he participated in the ded-ication ceremony.In another milestone for the colonies, Franklin pub-

lished The Mason Book, containing Anderson’s Constitu-tions, the first Masonic book printed in America.In his long Masonic career he assisted at the initia-

tion of Voltaire in the Lodge of the Nine Sisters in Paris.Later he is reported as having been elected as Master ofthat lodge.Ironically, despite his strong ties to the craft he was

conspicuously buried without Masonic honors. Althoughmany of the organizations to which he belonged wererepresented at his funeral, no one from his lodge wasthere in an official capacity.Many theories have been proposed concerning this

omission but the most credible seems to be tied to thesplit between the so-called “Ancients” and “Moderns” ofFreemasonry. In Franklin’s case he maintained allegiancewith the “Moderns,” while his lodges and associatesseemed to gravitate toward the other branch of the or-ganization.

Franklin’s Masonic LifeStatue of Franklin stands in front of

Boston’s old city hall.


Beethoven’sNinth

By JEFFREY L. KUNTZ, 32°

Is it a testament to Freemasonry?

Oneof themost frequently heardclassical tunes today is thatwhich Ludwig van Beethoven

(1770-1827) wrote as the main themefor the last movement of his monu-mental Ninth Symphony.We sing it as a hymn for religious

services. We have heard it on TV com-mercials.We have heard various choraland instrumental arrangements of it inour performance halls and elsewhere.With this rather simple melody,

Beethoven developed his setting for thepoem of Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805),An die Freude, written in 1785, whichhas become known to us as “Ode ToJoy”.The first threemovements of this last

completed symphony of Beethoven arepurely instrumental, while in the lastmovement, the orchestra is joined by alargemixed chorus for the stirring “OdeTo Joy” finale.The Ninth, which became known as

the “Choral” Symphony, was amusicalmilestone, being the first symphonyemploying a chorus and having a per-formance time of a little over an hour.Schiller ’s poem clearly celebrates

some of the main principles of Freema-sonry, especially that of the Brother-hood of Man under the Fatherhood ofGod. One cannot deny this when read-ing a line in the last stanza: “Brothers,beyond the stars surely dwells a lovingFather.”Beethoven’s music greatly enhances

Schiller ’s meaningful and inspiringwords. Perhaps more than any com-

poser before him, Beethoven, evenwithsome of his purely instrumental music,revealed most vividly the power ofmusic to convey a philosophy of life

without the aid of a spoken text.Some scholars believe both

Beethoven and Schiller were Freema-sons, although there is virtually no ev-idence of their membership.It is well known, of course, that

Mozart (1756-91), composer of the Ma-sonic opera, “TheMagic Flute,” and hismentor, Franz Josef Haydn (1732- �

JEFFREY L. KUNTZ, 32°, is a member of the Valley ofWilliamsport, PA. He has published several articles on music,both nationally and internationally.

Color lithograph depicting Beethoven composingthe “Pastoral” Sonata by a brook.

� 1809), were both Freemasons, aswellas theGerman poet-dramatist-philoso-pher, Johann von Goethe (1749-1832).Freemasonry was rather fashionable

in Europe inmuch of the second half ofthe 18th century, and despite the papalbulls of 1738 and 1751, many AustrianCatholics were Freemasons.It must be pointed out, however, that

by the time Beethoven and Schillerwould have joined the fraternity, closerto the beginning of the 19th century,Freemasonry was becoming so op-pressed in central Europe that mostlodge records were either destroyed orsimply not kept. In fact, the order wasbanned in Austria in 1795.Schiller was born just a little more

than a decade before Beethoven, but itis unclear whether or not they actuallymet. It is certain, however, that bothmen had a number of prominent olderMasonic friends and acquaintances, in-cludingGoethe, amutual acquaintance.If Beethovenwas an initiatedMason,

he would have had to be a member ofsome underground lodge. At any rate,as evident in his music and in hiswords, including several entries in hisdiary, Beethovenwas surely influencedby Masonic teachings.Perhaps the best way to put it would

be to quote Paul Nettl from his book,Mozart & Freemasonry, in which hestates that Beethoven was “the incar-nation of Masonic ethics and philoso-phy — aMason without badge.”Some scholars point out several sug-

gestions of Beethoven’s Masonic con-nections.In his book, Music and Masonry,

Andrew Pearmain mentions thatBeethoven’s friend and biographer,Anton Schindler, once commentedabout a handshake when greeting thecomposer “. . . a grip of the hand said

the rest.”Pearmain also writes that Beethoven

superscribed on the first page of theslow movement of one of his stringquartets “Aweeping willow or an aca-cia over the grave of my brother.”This could not have been for either of

Beethoven’s blood brothers, as theywere both alive at the time of thatwork’s composition, strongly hinting apossible Masonic implication.According to Gary Lachman of the

Theosophical Society in America,Beethoven dedicated his Piano SonataNo. 15, Opus 28, to a leading Freema-son, Josef von Sonnenfels.This work, known as the “Pastoral”

Sonata, is centered on the key of Dmajor, which Beethoven is said to haveconsidered the “Godhead” key. Thefirstmovement is in three-quarter time,and begins with three D’s in the lowerbass range.Considering that the number three is

a very important numerical symbol inMasonry, could this suggest a possibleMasonic import, especially being re-minded of the three chords inMozart’s“The Magic Flute?”This “Godhead” key of D major, by

the way, brings us back to the NinthSymphony.Although the first twomovements of

the symphony are built around Dminor, the lastmovement, the setting toSchiller’s “OdeTo Joy,” begins and endsin the “Godhead” D major, tri-umphantly overcoming the strugglesof the D minor movements.There is also a possible numerologi-

cal significance in the numbering ofBeethoven’s nine completed sym-phonies.His third, fifth, seventh, and, of

course, his ninth symphonies possessthat typical exuberant mystical style of

Beethoven, whereas the even-num-bered ones tend to bemore delicate andsomewhat less dramatic. Could thereactually be an esoteric or evenMasonicaffinity here?Maynard Solomon of the Julliard

School of Music, wrote a book, LateBeethoven, published in 2003, in whichtwo of its 12 chapters are devoted tothe Masonic influence on Beethoven’smusic, and another chapter is devotedto the Ninth Symphony. One criticstated that the book could have been ti-tled “The Spiritual Development ofBeethoven.”According to Solomon, Beethoven

had a close friend in Bonn, Dr. FranzGerhardWegeler, who became a promi-nent Freemason after the reestablish-ment of the fraternity in the Rhinelandduring and after the French occupation.Wegeler wrote words for two ofBeethoven’s pieces for use in the Ma-sonic lodge.Regardless of just how active Schiller

was in the actual workings of the Ma-sonic fraternity, he, too, surely espousedMasonic teachings as shown in hisviews verbally expressed in his lifetime,as well as in his writings.Beethoven and Schiller both exem-

plified the victory of man’s spirit overadverse circumstances such as politicalcorruption and oppression.With the coming of the French Revo-

lution (1789) and the influence of theEnlightenment, the idea of freedomanddignity of the individual, and the newspirit of humanism of the time were a


With this rather simple melody, Beethoven developedhis setting for the poem of Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805), “An die Freude,” written in 1785, which has

become known to us as “Ode To Joy.”

Portrait of Ludwig van Beethovenby Gustav Schauer painted

between 1850-1900.


passionate concern for both men earlyin their lives and for many others oftheir generation.Legend has it, in fact, that Schiller

originally titled his poemAn die Freiheit,“Ode to Freedom,” but later changedsomewording to avoid oppositionwithcivil authorities.Whether or not this story is true,

Leonard Bernstein chose to substitutethe word “Freiheit” for “Freude”whenhe conducted the Berlin Philharmonic,choruses, and soloists in theNinth Sym-phony in December 1989 to celebratethe fall of the Berlin Wall.As early as the beginning of the

1790’s, while still living in his nativeBonn, Beethoven already had intentionsof setting Schiller’s poem to music.It was not until 1817, however, that he

even started his first sketches for theNinth. Finally, in 1822, bywhich time hehad become completely deaf, he beganelaborating on the work, completing itin the fall of 1823.Beethoven’s choice of stanzas from

Schiller’s “Ode To Joy” clearly showsthat his moral and religious intentionwas to demonstrate that the power oftrue joy can bring mankind together,and that it is rooted in the divine.Beethoven chose texts that he felt ex-

pressed fundamental truths. He said,“I need a text which stimulates me; itmust be something moral, sublime.”Words such as “God,” “stars,” “hope,”and “longing” were important to him.He revered several poets, but Schillerand Goethe were his favorites.“Schiller’s poems are extremely diffi-

cult for the musician,” said Beethoven.“The composermust knowhow to raisehimself far above the poet. Who can dothat in the case of Schiller?”Solomon states in his book that

Friedrich Schiller was a close friend ofChristianGottfriedKorner, a prominentFreemason in Leipzig.Schillerwrote “An die Freude”when

he was closely associated with Kornerand other Masons there. In fact, thepoemwas often used inMasonic activ-ities.Writer Otto Baensch has gone so far

as to say that the choral finale of theNinth Symphony could represent aMa-sonic ceremony.In Late Beethoven, Solomon, referring

to all fourmovements of the symphony,writes, “. . . thework could be regardedas moving through a set of initiatoryexperiences that are fulfilled by a cli-mactic arrival on Freemasonry’s highestplane of virtue.”

In the first stanza of Schiller’s “Ode,”he makes reference to the EleusinianMysteries, suggesting his possiblemys-tical and fraternal alliances.These mysteries were the pre-Chris-

tian ancient Greek version of the teach-ing of death and resurrection with theassurance of a rapturous eternal afterlifesymbolized in the yearly decay and re-newal of vegetation.Beethoven wrote a proclamatory in-

troductory line of his own to begin thechoral passages of the lastmovement ofthe Ninth, sung by the bass-baritonesoloist:

O Freunde, nicht diese Tone! Sondemlasst uns angenehmere anstimmen undfreudenvollere.

(Oh Friends, no more of these sad tones!Let us rather raise our voices together inmore pleasant and joyful tones.)The soloist then begins the Schiller

poem with the familiar “Ode To Joy”tune, backed by the orchestra, and laterin the stanza is joined by the full mixedchorus.The rest of the text is sung by either

the vocal quartet, the tenor soloist, fullchorus, or quartet and chorus together.At the premiere of the “Ninth Sym-

phony” on May 7, 1824, in the Karnt-nertor Theater in Vienna, Beethoven satin the orchestra indicating the tempi tothe conductor.At the conclusion of the performance,

one of the vocal soloists had to turn thedeaf Beethoven around so he could no-tice the thunderous applause of the au-dience.Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is, in

our time, one of the most popular andmost frequently performed symphonicworks.Every summer for the last decade, it

has been a tradition for the Boston Sym-phony and the Tanglewood FestivalChorus to close the TanglewoodMusicFestival performing the “Ninth.”From this great symphony of

Beethoven flows all the ardor of hisspirit, which, from his youth onward,was, along with the spirit of Schiller,moved by everything high and noble,inspiring them to proclaim their idealsto the world.Perhaps more that any other work of

all symphonic literature, the BeethovenNinth Symphony inculcates and cele-brates the loftiest teachings of our greatfraternity.

MASONICWORD MATH

How to solve: Start with the first word. Add to it theletters of the second word. Then add or subtractthe letters of the following words. Total the remain-ing letters and unscramble them to find a wordassociated with Masonry.

(SUBSTITUTE) + (AVENUES) – (BEST)

+ (NORTHERN) – (VARIOUS) +

(FINGERS) – (NEITHER) + (SAID)

– (FUNGUS) – (DRAINS)

Clue for this puzzle appears on page 3.Answer from previous issue: PHILOSOPHY

=

Walk into the home of RussellWard Nadeau, 33˚, the son ofD. J. and Alice Shumway

Nadeau, and you are transported to ournation’s first centuries.Connected by a shared family history,

the Nadeau’s furnishings — made inthe towns and villages ofNewEngland— offer a glimpse of a past era.ThroughApril 23, themuseum is fea-

turing selections from the collection inthe exhibition “American Family Treas-ures: Decorative Arts for the D. J. andAlice Shumway Nadeau Collection.”The exhibition marks the first time

that a significant portion of theNadeaucollection has been presented to thepublic.The National Heritage Museum is

fortunate to be the promised recipient ofthis wonderful collection of over 1,000furniture and decorative arts objects.Ill. Bro. Nadeau will make the gift to

themuseum in lovingmemory of his fa-ther and mother, D.J. and AliceShumway Nadeau.

The Nadeau collection was not de-signed for show. The furniture bears thescuffs andmarks of commonusage andis untouched by a restorer’s hand.Like the original makers and owners

of the tables, chairs, and clocks in thecollection, the more recent ownersthought of this furniture as functionaltools for everyday living.The Nadeaus cared for their collec-

tion but did not treat its components asicons of art.They appreciated the aesthetic appeal

of the objects, but all of their furnitureand decorative artswere used by adultsand children and subject to the stressesand strains of everyday life.All elements of the collection fit well

into theNadeau home,making it a com-fortable place to live and visit.


AmericanFamilyTreasures Decorative arts collection at

National Heritage Museum

Museum publishes catalogue

The opening of the exhibition coincides with the publicationof American Family Treasures: Decorative Arts from the D. J.and Alice Shumway Nadeau Collection by Ian Quimby.

This hardcover book, priced at $60, features over 160catalogue entries illustrated in color and black and white, anessay by the author, and an introduction by Russell W. Nadeau.

It can be ordered online at the museum’s websitewww.nationalheritagemuseum.org or by phone throughthe Heritage Shop at (781) 457-4108.

Russell Ward Nadeau, 33°

More importantly, each piece in theNadeau collection carries its own fam-ily stories and associations.“American Family Treasures: Deco-

rative Arts for the D. J. and AliceShumway Nadeau Collection” givesvisitors a chance to see highlights fromthe collection and also to consider howone family’s history fits into our na-tional story.The current exhibition displays only

a small portion of this vast collection.Formore informationvisit thewebsite atwww.nationalheritagemuseum.org.


In Russell Nadeau’sdesk room (left) anddining room (right),small objects set outon tables arranged fordrinking or eatingenliven the spaces. Inthe tradition ofdecorator Henry DavisSleeper and collectorHenry Francis DuPont, Mr. Nadeau hascreated a compellingpresentation of afamily collection.Photographs by DavidBohl.

Bed Rug, 1810. Colo-nial-era sleepers wel-

comed the warmth pro-vided by nighttime cov-erings like this bed rug.

The multicolor woolloops sewn on a heavylinen backing kept thebed cozy through coldNew England winters.

According to family his-tory, the initials on thisbed covering refer to itsowner, Anne Hartley of

Webster, Massachu-setts. Loaned by the D.J. and Alice ShumwayNadeau Collection.

Photograph by GeorgeFistrovich.

Stand, 1810. A handwritten note glued to this stand tells us thatEleazer Shirley, an apprentice of cabinetmaker and mill ownerDavid Atwood, made it in Bedford, New Hampshire. Eliza AtwoodClark, David’s daughter, originally owned the stand. Light enough tomove easily, this stand would have served her well as a place to seta candle to provide light for a particular task. Loaned by the D. J.and Alice Shumway Nadeau Collection. Photograph by David Bohl.

Thefall reunion at the Scottish RiteValley of Chicago was billed as a“once-in-100-year” event. It was

born in the service of youth, becauseplans began to take shape at a meetingof the DeMolay International SupremeCouncil in June 2004.Among those attending thatmeeting

were Ill. Gregory R. Klemm, 33°, exec-utive secretary for the Valley ofChicago; Ill.Walter E.Webber, 33°, Sov-ereign Grand Commander for theNorthernMasonic Jurisdiction, and Ill.Ronald A. Seale, 33°, Sovereign GrandCommander for the Southern Jurisdic-tion. All three have known each otherfor a number of years.All three are Sen-ior DeMolays.During the meeting, Commander

Seale approached Ill. Bro. Klemm: “Gre-gory, I want to come to one of your re-unions. And you don’t have to clear itwith Walter. I already have his permis-sion.”Later, Commander Webber told

Klemm, “He (Seale) hasmypermission,but you can’t have him there unless I’mthere, too.”So the groundwork was laid to host

both theNorthern and Southern Sover-eign Grand Commanders at a Valley ofChicago reunion.The reunion was much more than a

brief conversation at a DeMolay meet-ing. It reflected the friendships formedby the principals over long years ofMa-sonic service.

For many years Commander Sealehad worked with the DeMolay organi-zation in Louisiana and eventuallywaselected an Active Member of the De-Molay International Supreme Council.He was introduced to Ill. Bro. Klemmthrough Ill.William J.Mollere, 33°, alsoan Active Member of the DeMolaySupreme Council from Louisiana.Both Mollere and Klemm had each

served a term as Grand Master of De-Molay International. Mollere was theGrand Secretary while Klemm wasGrand Master. When Ill. Bro. Seale be-came SovereignGrandCommander, Ill.

Bro. Mollere was appointed ScottishRite Deputy for Louisiana.The two Grand Commanders had

formed a cordial relationship whenWebber was elected Grand Lt. Com-mander of the NorthernMasonic Juris-diction. At the time, Seale was servingas Lt. Grand Commander of the South-ern Jurisdiction. Both were elected tothe top position of their jurisdiction inthe fall of 2003 and have maintained aclose working relationship.CommanderWebberwas acquainted

with Ill. Brother Klemm through hisservice not only as executive secretaryfor the Valley of Chicago but also as amember of the Supreme Council Infor-mation Systems Committee.There is more to producing an his-

toric reunion than simply gaining the


EventOf theCentury Special degrees and guests featured

at Valley of Chicago fall reunion

By MILAN VYDARENY, 32°

MILAN VYDARENY, 32°, is the webmaster for the Valley of Chicago.

Ill. Martin P. Starr, 33°, greeted Sovereign Grand CommandersWalter E. Web-ber, 33°, and Ronald A. Seale, 33°, during a break at theValley of Chicago fallreunion. Ill. Bro. Starr is a past presiding officer in theValley of Chicago and isalso a dual member of theValley of Santa Fe, New Mexico.


approval of theNorthern and SouthernSovereign Grand Commanders. GregKlemm returned to Chicago and out-lined the proposal to the Valley ofChicago executive committee. It waspromptly endorsed.After clearing up afew minor matters of protocol, workcommenced on preparing for the event.Themost difficult part of the taskwas

determining a reunion date thatwas ac-ceptable to both Commanders, whotravel relentlessly and have schedulesthat are bookedmonths or even years inadvance. Once the dates were deter-mined, other details started to fall intoplace.Commander Seale offered the possi-

bility of a Southern Jurisdiction Valleypresenting a degree during the reunion.Klemm immediately contactedMollereto see if he could provide a degree teamfor the occasion.Mollere recommended

a degree team from the Valley of BatonRouge.The unexpected timing and fury of

hurricaneKatrina not only laidwaste toLouisiana and other parts of the GulfCoast but also finally forced the BatonRouge team to cancel their appearancewhen SouthwestAirlines announced itcould not honor the group’s tickets norrefund the cash paid for severalmonths.The Brethren of Baton Rouge were al-ready facing significant difficulties fromthe damage caused byKatrina, and thisfinal problemmade it impossible to re-alistically continue with the plan. Re-luctantly, Bill Mollere called GregKlemmwith the bad news.Not willing to give up on the idea of

a Southern Jurisdiction degree presen-tation, Ill. Brother Klemm turned to an-otherDeMolay acquaintance, Ill. JohnE.Moyers, 33°,who is theGrand Secretary

General of the Southern Jurisdictionand theActiveMember of the SupremeCouncil from Kentucky. Moyers pre-sented the idea to the officers of the Val-ley of Louisville, who enthusiasticallyagreed to step in for their strandedbrothers in Louisiana.Chicago’s Commander-in-Chief, Ill.

Paul D. Lynch Jr., 33°, was also busywith some innovative planning. AtLynch’s suggestion, the local Valley ofthe Prince Hall Affiliation was con-tacted. After receiving approval fromthe Prince Hall Deputy, the Valley offi-cers agreed to present a Prince Hall de-gree at the reunion.The Valley of Chicago reunion was

remarkable for a number of reasons:• It brought together inChicago both

the Northern and Southern SovereignGrandCommanders. This convergenceof the two Grand Commanders at a �

The record of the Valley of Chicago reunion of1901 is preserved in the Southern Jurisdictionarchives in Washington, DC. Following that re-union, a booklet was prepared, documenting theevent and chronicling the remarks made by thevarious Masonic leaders of the day. The SovereignGrand Commander of the Northern Masonic Juris-diction was Ill. Henry L. Palmer, 33°. His SouthernJurisdiction counterpart was Ill. James D. Richard-son, 33°.At the banquet following the reunion, Com-mander Richardson spoke first. It is evident fromhis remarks that there was at that time a spirit ofvery healthy competition between the Northernand Southern Jurisdictions. Richardson masterfullyentertained the brethren using passages like thefollowing:“. . . We [the Southern Jurisdiction] cannot boastof the magnificent and superb cities which belongto your jurisdiction. We have no such city in our ju-risdiction as the imperial city of New — I beg yourpardon— [laughter] of Chicago [great applause],nor have we a second-class city like New York[laughter], nor Philadelphia and some others thatyou can boast of . . .”Toward the conclusion of his remarks, Richardsonoffered this comment:“It matters not whether you march under thebanners of our Order in the Northern or in theSouthern Jurisdiction. We are all fellow-soldiers,

training in the same cause and having the samenoble purpose. Let us wage incessant warfareagainst falsehood, ignorance and superstition untilthey have vanished from the face of earth, anduntil the cause of religion, of freedom, of equality,of fraternity and of liberty is triumphant every-where.”The record then contains the introductory re-marks of Chicago’s Commander-in-Chief for theNorthern Sovereign Grand Commander, Henry L.Palmer, 33°. This is followed by the notation:“NOTE: We failed to get remarks of Ill. Bro.Palmer.” Following Commander Palmer’s message,the Hon. Richard Yates, Governor of Illinois, spoke.This was followed by six toasts.The meal had been lavish and extensive, featur-ing blue points, darne of salmon, chambord, ten-derloin of beef, sweetbreads regence, squab,desserts and, of course, cigars. Each course was ac-companied by a different beverage: sherry,sauterne, claret, G.H. Mumm’s. The 1901 reunionwas, literally, a different world.The 2005 banquet at the reunion was probablynot as boisterous as the 1901 version, and certainlylacked the variety of beverages and cigars featured100 years earlier, but it was nonetheless enjoyed byall in attendance, satisfied in the knowledge thatthey had just experienced a “once-in-100-years”reunion.

— M.V.

100 YEARS AGO

� Chicago reunion had occurred onlyonce before in 1901,more than 100 yearsago.• It was a unique presentation of de-

grees from the Northern, Southern andPrince Hall Jurisdictions.• The principals involved in the con-

ception, planning and execution of theevent were all connected by a commonthread of involvement in DeMolay In-ternational.While all Valley reunions confer de-

grees and all reunions have ceremoniesthat acknowledge achievement andservice and present awards, the Valleyof ChicagoReunion contained elementsthat distinguish it from the several hun-dred other reunions mounted by theValley, and guarantee its place in historyfor many years to come.Chicago’s reunion programs always

contain an answer to the question,“What is a Scottish Rite Reunion?”

A reunion of the Scottish Rite Bod-ies is more than just a conferring ofdegrees on a class of worthy MasterMasons. It is . . . a meeting of friendswho see each other all too seldom, areunion of classmates of other years.It is an opportunity for members ofthe current class to become more ac-quainted, to be linked together in abond which endures…There was indeed an enduring bond

at this reunion, and it was exemplifiedthrough the two Grand Commanders.The example provided by Brothers

Webber and Seale will likely remain in

thememories of thosewho experiencedit long into the future. The genuinewarmth and brotherly love each has forthe other was immediately obvious to

all who had the good fortune to be pres-ent.The enduring bond was clearly evi-

dent as they sat together enjoying thedegree presentations. It was evidentwhen Commander Webber descendedfrom the East to personally escortBrother Seale through an arch of steel.And it was strikingly evident whenCommander Seale addressed the gath-ering of Scottish Rite Masons.Illinois Grand Master Noel C. Dicks

was received byCommanderWebber inthe same warm and brotherly fashion.The reunion conferred themandatory

degrees as required by Northern Ma-sonic Jurisdiction constitutions, but alsooffered a number of optional degrees.Brethren from the Valley of Louisvillepresented the 14° as it is exemplified inthe Southern Jurisdiction. The PrinceHall Valley exemplified its version ofthe 20°.Following the luncheon on Saturday,

Commander Webber received a checkfor $100,000 from Ill. Richard J. Stephen-son, 33°, on behalf of his StephensonFamily Foundation. The checkwill aug-ment the Chicago learning center en-dowment.


Peter Zelchenko, 32°, was one of the 50 candidates in the Val-ley of Chicago fall reunion. Here are his reflections.

“We are seeing that many Masonic customs and presentationsfrom other places — even from other places within our owncountry — are entirely different from our own. Ironically, the cul-tural varieties in the craft seem to bind us together even moreprofoundly than do the similarities.

“I’ve repeatedly been told that Freemasonry is personal, thateach of us will take away his own impressions and develop hisown actions from the many lessons learned.

“A tapestry of morals was presented to us that weekend. Thevisual images are still clear and yet the depth of meaning stilleludes you and me.

“It is only in the light of the next day that the lessons take formand test us in the world of the real.”

A NEW MEMBER’S PERSPECTIVE

Ill. Paul D. Lynch, 33°, Chicago's Commander-in-Chief, (right) pre-sented Ill. Robert E. Weems, 33°, with honorary membership in theValley of Chicago. Ill. Bro. Weems, who directed the Prince Hall ver-sion of the 20° at the historic reunion, has been a frequent visitor totheValley and for many years has assisted as the guest soloist.


During fiscal year 2005, whichbegan in September 2004, the “Re-ward For Performance” program wasintroduced as a way of providing ad-ditional funds to local learning centersand to provide an incentive for themto increase their fund-raising activi-ties.The program provides a year-end

bonus to centers that raise, throughlocal activities, a percentage of theirapproved operating budgets. Parame-ters are as follows:1. A center with an approved annual

budget of $75,000 or more will receivea bonus of ten percent of the fundsraised in excess of $75,000.2. A center with an annual budget of

less than $75,000 will receive a bonusof ten percent of the funds raised inexcess of 75 percent of its budget.3. A center that raises in excess of

100 percent of its budget will receive abonus of 50 percent for every dollarraised in excess of its budget.

The bonus money may be used bythe board of governors of the awardedcenter, at its discretion, to supplementany budget line item.Fund-raising activities credited for

this bonus program include “sponsor-a-child,” walk or running events, golfand other similar tournaments, aswell as general non-endowment con-tributions to the centers.Excluded are revenues generated

from the calendar appeal, royalties,the Builder's Council program, andendowment money.During the first year of the program

five centers qualified for bonuses:Chicago $38,485Columbus $12,784Cincinnati $2,792South Bend $2,611Madison $1,237

Learning Center Incentives

32° Masonic Learning Centersfor Children, Inc.

Walk-a-thonsA Success Again

This past fall 47 centers partici-pated in fund-raising walks. Takingplace mostly on October weekendsmore than $350,000 was raised.Starting with only two centers justtwo years ago the program hasspread throughout the jurisdiction.Reports from the centers and

their event committees are verypositive, as the walks not onlyraised money but also increasedawareness of the purpose of theprogram.In addition, they provide an op-

portunity for the children, parents,families, and friends to become in-volved in a festive event.Two centers included a running

event with their walk, increasingparticipation and revenues. Theirsuccess has caused many addi-tional centers to consider races andruns, together with their walks fornext year.

In April the children's learningcenters will be participating in theBoston Marathon once again.This marks the fourth consecutive

year that representatives of the cen-ters will be running in the world-fa-mous event. Hailing from all parts ofthe Northern Masonic Jurisdictionare at least 15 runners.Each participant, with the help of

the centers and the Valleys they rep-resent, raise a minimum of $5,000 forthe program. The 2005 event total ex-ceeded $70,000.Joseph J. Berlandi, 32°, executive

director of the 32˚ Masonic LearningCenters for Children, Inc., extendshis gratitude to those who have par-ticipated in the past and havestepped up to take part this year.

Spring ahead

Although the idea is in its earli-est stages, preliminary plans areunder way for a Pennsylvania run-ning relay, connecting the centersin Allentown, Reading, Blooms-burg, and Scranton.The planning committee, led by

Ray E. Feick, 32˚, of the Valley ofReading, is actively involved inwhat is hoped will be an annualevent, eventually including othercenters.Also on the committee are David

Petrosky, 32˚, of Scranton, Ill.Joseph C. Kardelis Jr., 33˚, andJoseph Kelly of Bloomsburg,

Relay for 2007


In Memoriam

Ill. Carlton Alfred Winchester, 33°, an Active EmeritusMember of this Supreme Council for the state of NewYork, died onAug. 5, 2005.Bro. Winchester was born in Oshkosh, WI, the son of

Gerald Higgs and Norma (Bacon) Winchester, on July 1,1917. He attended Jamestown Community College andSyracuse University.He spent his early career in the insurance industry and

retired in 1985 as president of the Anderson-WinchesterInsuranceAgency in Jamestown, NY. He served as presi-dent of the New York Association of Professional Insur-anceAgents and as amember of the board of directors andsecretary of the National Association of Professional In-surance Agents.In 1940 he married Virginia Lapham, who survives

along with their son, William, and three grandchildren.

Bro.Winchester entered theUnited StatesArmy in 1942.A graduate of the Officers Candidate School, he becameamajor in the 766thAnti-AircraftArtillery Battalion. Dur-ing his tour he received the American Campaign Medaland the World War II Victory Medal.Hewas raised aMasterMason in Sylvan LodgeNo. 303,

in 1948, where he was Secretary in 1951 and Master in1984.He completed the Scottish Rite degrees in the Valley of

Jamestown onMay 10, 1951. HewasMostWiseMaster in1965 and Commander-in-Chief in 1977-79.Ill. Bro. Winchester received the 33° in 1975. He was

elected anActiveMember of the SupremeCouncil in 1986and was Deputy for the state of New York from 1989-91.He assumedActive Emeritus status in 1992.

Ill. Richard Harris Winship Jr., 33°, an Active EmeritusMember of this Supreme Council for the state of Maine,died on Nov. 11, 2005, at a Bangor hospital.Bro. Winship was born in Brewer, Maine, the son of

Richard Harris Sr. and Uldene (Goode) Winship on July26, 1939. He attended Husson College, majoring in Busi-nessAdministration, and graduated in 1963. He served inthe United States Air Force as an Airman First Class.He was employed as a salesman for the International

Harvester Credit Corporation in Boston and Baltimore.and later becamepresident of Brake Service andParts, Inc.,of Bangor, from which he was retired.In 1960, he married the former Jane Wilson, who sur-

vives along with their son, Richard H. Winship III of Or-rington; a daughter, Rhonda JaneHogan of Bangor; three

grandchildren, his mother, Uldene, and two brothers.Bro. Winship was raised a Master Mason in Rising

Virtue Lodge No. 10, Bangor, on Dec. 5, 1967.He joined the Scottish Rite Valley of Bangor in 1968, and

continued with the consistorial degrees in the Valley ofPortland. He was Thrice Potent Master of Eastern StarLodge of Perfection from 1986-88 and was Second Lieu-tenant Commander of Maine Consistory at the time hewas elected an Active Member.In 1993, Ill. Bro. Winship received the 33°. He was

elected anActiveMember of the SupremeCouncil in 2001.He was named Deputy for the state of Maine in 2003, butresigned in 2004 for health reasons. He was granted Ac-tive Emeritus status in 2004.

Ill. Harold LaVern Hussey, 33°, an Active EmeritusMember of this Supreme Council for the state of Ohio,died on Dec. 5, 2005.Bro. Hussey was born in Dayton, OH, the son of Jesse

Garfield and Ina (King) Hussey, on Jan. 19, 1918. He at-tended theUniversity of Dayton and Sinclair CommunityCollege, majoring in business administration and mar-keting. He was a member of the United States Air Forcefrom 1942-45, advancing to the rank of Master Sergeant,and was the recipient of an Outstanding Service Award.Brother Hussey was employed at the IBM corporation

from 1946 until his early retirement in 1974. Previously, hewas employed by General Motors Corporation.

Following retirement from IBM, he served as ExecutiveSecretary for the Valley of Dayton from 1977-83.In 1939, he married Lois Winifred Evans, who prede-

ceased him. From this union was born a son, James Gor-don Hussey.Bro.Husseywas raised aMasterMason inConservancy

Lodge No. 661, Dayton, on June 25, 1942.He completed the Scottish Rite degrees in the Valley of

Dayton, on Nov. 13, 1965.In 1979, he received the 33°. He was elected an Active

Member of the SupremeCouncil in 1982, and assumedAc-tive Emeritus status in 1993.

Ill. Carlton A. Winchester, 33°

Ill. Harold L. Hussey, 33°

Ill. Richard H. Winship Jr., 33°


oining the “podcast” move-ment that is sweeping the In-ternet, The Northern Light has

jumped in during the early days.Starting with the November 2005

issue, articles from the magazine, theNorthern Masonic Jurisdiction’s chiefpublication, can be downloaded inaudio format.The process for listening to the arti-

cles is easy. Simply head to theSupreme Council website(www.supremecouncil.org) and select“Northern Light” from the left naviga-tion bar. The resulting page lists thecontents of the magazine. Click on themicrophone icon next to the story andthe audio version will begin down-loading.Use of such software as “RealAu-

dio” or “Windows Media Player” isrequired, but is easily attainable at nocharge if it is not already on your ma-chine.The audio files are recorded in MP3

format for listening directly from your

computer or they can be downloadedto an MP3 player for later use.Although audio programming on

the Internet has been with us for sev-eral years, both live and archived,2005 saw an explosion in the phenom-ena and the introduction of the term“podcast.” Reportedly coined byBritish journalist Ben Hammersley, italready appears in the New OxfordAmerican Dictionary defined as “a digi-tal recording of a radio broadcast orsimilar program, made available onthe Internet for downloading to a per-sonal audio player.”The process has opened a new

world to would-be broadcasters andoffers services to listeners of tradi-tional radio stations in the form ofarchiving.Podcasting allows the average per-

son with only modest means to pro-duce and present radio-like shows.The Internet is now filled with hun-dreds of original presentations andthose from existing radio stations on

subjects ranging from sports to poli-tics, religion, comedy and drama.A few sites even cater to old-time

radio programs. Amajor advantagewith podcasting is that the shows arearchived and can be listened to at anytime without the restrictions of a setschedule, and with the advent ofportable MP3 players, by location.Although several sites devoted to

the new medium have been spawned,The Northern Light appears to be oneof the earliest print publications to doso. The November issue contains allfeature stories found in the print ver-sion. In some cases they are read bythe authors, such as Commander Wal-ter E. Webber’s message, “ATraditionof Caring.”The edition also contains a special

visitor, Ill. Ronald A. Seale, 33°, Sover-eign Grand Commander of the South-ern Jurisdiction, reading a page fromThe Scottish Rite Journal.It is often said that history repeats

itself. As The Northern Light enters thenew world of podcasting, it is remi-niscent of the old days of radio.In the early to middle part of the

20th century, the radio airwaves werefilled with an array of original pro-gramming of all types, but with theintroduction of television, they wererelegated to the world of music andtalk shows.The diversity in content, gone from

traditional broadcasting, appears tohave returned to life in cyberspace.As an announcer of old might havesaid, “Tune in next issue as we bringyou another edition of The NorthernLight, a Window for Freemasonry.”

The Northern Light Goes Audio

J

Ill. Richard B. Burgess, 33°, Administrative Assistant to the Sovereign GrandCommander, was one of many people recording material for the podcast.

Magazine can now be heardon the Internet


Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in late August 2005, and MagnoliaLodge No. 120 of Biloxi, Mississippi, chartered in 1850, was hard hit. The stormblew out the windows and destroyed much of the interior of their three-story brickbuilding, and only one of their three commercial tenants remains. Many of theirmembers lost everything but their house slabs.A structural engineer determined that the lodge could be rebuilt, so the members

got to work with the goal of restoring the lodge to its pre-hurricane condition. Theystripped the lodge room to thefloorboards and brick walls, but inthe process they didn’t forget theimportance of fellowship. Their No-vember meeting, only ten weeksafter Katrina came through, washeld by candlelight. The Master’spodium was a nail keg, the War-dens used upturned garbage cans, and a utility cart served as the altar. Thehighlight of the evening was the presentation of a 50-year pin to LawrenceCorban, Jr., P.M., by Lex Lamey, W.M., and Jimmy Rodriguez, S.D.“Even the Temple of Solomon, so spacious and magnificent, and constructed

by so many celebrated artists, escaped not the unsparing ravages of barbarousforce. Freemasonry, notwithstanding, still survives.” To see more post-Katrinaphotos of the lodge, visit their website http://www.magnolia120.org/, or youcan contact the lodge directly: Magnolia Lodge No. 120, Attn: Paul Davis, Sec-retary, 711AHowardAve., Biloxi, MS, 39530.

Magnolia Lodge Rebuilds After Katrina

N O T E S F R O M T H E

Alabama Governor Bob Riley, 32°, wasinvested with the rank and decoration ofKnight Commander of the Court ofHonor (KCCH) in a private ceremony attheAlabama governor’s mansion. Bro.Riley had been honored by the SupremeCouncil at its 2003 session but was un-able to attend the regularly scheduled in-vestiture ceremony.A32° Mason in theSouthern Jurisdiction must have been amember for at least 46 months to benominated to receive the KCCH, which isawarded for exceptional service to thecraft, the Rite, or humanity. About fourpercent of the members in the SouthernJurisdiction have received the KCCH.Governor Riley’s service to the peo-

ple of Alabama and his dedication topublic education were cited as reasonsfor his selection for this singular honor.His support of education complementsthat of the Scottish Rite Masons in Ala-bama. Through the Alabama ScottishRite Foundation, they work with theeducation community throughout thestate to assist dyslexic children.

The Valley of Huntsville had thehonor and pleasure of performing theinvestiture ceremony for Bro. Rileywhich was witnessed by Ill. Karl F.Reed II, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Alabama; M.W.Gene Anderton, 32°, KCCH, GrandMaster of Masons in Alabama; severalother Grand Lodge officers; Mrs. PatsyRiley; invited guests and wives. Fol-lowing the investiture, a reception washosted by Governor and Mrs. Riley.

Left to right: Ill. Karl F. Reed II, 33°; Ill.G.W. York, 33°, Ceremonial Grand Com-mander, and Hon. Bob Riley, 32° KCCH.

Alabama Governor Bob Riley Receives KCCH

Apron Exhibit Opens atHouse of the TempleAs a way of showing visitors the

diversity of our regalia collection aswell as to give a sense of how apronsvary over time, countries, and or-ders, the House of the Temple librarybegan a display of aprons from itscollection. The result was “TreasuredTextiles: Rediscovering the Artistryof Masonic Regalia,” an exhibit ofabout 60 representative aprons. Theaprons will be displayed throughmid-2006.

A new year full of hope andanticipation is here. What wouldyou like to see this year? Well,here are a few ideas to get thecreative juices flowing.An Internet Square & CompassesClub:While doing some research a

number of years ago for an arti-cle on some aspect of the Stude-baker Corporation, I stumbledacross references to the Stude-baker Square & Compasses Club.As you might guess, it was a

Masonic club for Studebaker em-ployees and retirees. I have yetto learn when it was formed, butit had been around since at leastthe 1890s. More research re-vealed that other companies hadSquare & Compasses clubs, aswell. Many appear to have beensponsored by the employer. Thatwouldn’t happen today.While the Square & Compasses

clubs served a social purpose,they also had a more serious role.Members would discuss and at-tempt to apply Masonic principles to workplace situa-tions. They would analyze aspects of degrees. They at-tempted to determine the “Masonic approach” to reallife situations.As times changed, the employer-based Square & Com-

passes clubs faded away. Inevitable, I suppose. Yet, theSquare & Compasses club concept remains valid.It is my wish that someone will take up the challenge

to launch an Internet Square & Compasses club. Imaginethe opportunities.Online Masonic Library:From small blue lodges to great Scottish Rite centers,

our fraternity collectively possesses one of the world’sgreat libraries. Sadly, most of these books are out of thereach of most Brothers.Why not imitate Google and create an online library.

Books no longer protected by copyright could bescanned and made available online to the Brethren.As for copyright protected books, some copyright

holders will give permission for their books to bescanned. The others could be listed with a brief descrip-tion, author/publisher information and availability byloan or purchase.Such a project would take years to complete.

Nonetheless, an online Masonic library would be a price-less gift to our Brethren and serious researchers.Web Pages, Then More Web Pages:

Masonry at all levels has madetremendous strides with regard to its

Internet presence. Do a Googlesearch for “Masonic” and youget about 3.9 million items.“Freemasonry” produces about2.6 million possibilities. “ScottishRite Masonry” nets about159,000 items, while “MasonicLodge” generates about 438,000possibilities.Still, more needs to be done.

Every blue lodge and every Scot-tish Rite Valley needs to have anactive website. Ditto for Shrine,York Rite, Eastern Star, and all ofthe affiliated organizations.Worry Less About Security:Judging by responses to the

survey I am conducting (yes, youstill may participate — more onthat in a bit), a lot of you areconcerned about information se-curity and identification theft.For example, many respon-

dents indicated they have two ormore firewalls. Several notedthey would never use a creditcard for an online transaction.Then, I received an e-mail

from a Brother. In part, he wrote: “In past columns yousaid it is OK to use a credit card to make purchases onthe Internet. The November AARP Bulletin quotes an ex-pert as saying using a credit card online carries the riskof identity theft. The article quoted the expert: ‘Whenyou provide a credit card, you absolutely run the risk ofsomething nefarious happening to your account.’ Whatdo you have to say now?” Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe hadthe perfect response to such nonsense: “Phooey!”When it comes to identity theft, our society tends to

worry about the wrong things — and we tend to worrytoo much. To be certain, the worry has been fueled bysome rather alarming statistics, the most alarming beingthat ten million Americans fall victim to identity theftevery year. The problem is the statistics are both inflatedand misleading because they include credit card fraudand misuse.Real identity theft is using your identity — name, ad-

dress, Social Security number, etc. — for fraudulent pur-poses, such as securing loans or obtaining credit cards.My suggestion for 2006 is this: Unless you refuse to

use a credit card to pay for a restaurant meal or make astore purchase, use it to make online purchases.

As for other identity issues, keep sensitive informa-tion off your computer, do not transmit sensitive infor-mation via e-mail, use one firewall (you really don’tneed two or more), do not carry your Social Securitynumber on your person and only give your Social Se-curity number when absolutely necessary.

As for the Internet survey, there still is time to partici-pate. Just send an e-mail to me at

<[email protected]>.I wish you a healthy, happy and prosperous 2006.


Wishing you aninteresting 2006

Leigh E. Morris, 33°, works in corporatecommunications for a major utilitycompany. He is a member of the Valleys ofMilwaukee and Springfield, IL.

It is amazing to realize that another year has passedand that we are well and truly in 2006.

The last twelve months have been exciting for me.In May I married a wonderful woman. In August, Iwas pleased to welcome members to our largestBuilders Council Breakfast ever at the Annual Meetingin Grand Rapids. And, as 2005 came to an end, itwas an honor to see both the learning centers andthe National Heritage Museum receive your generoussupport. Nothing can fill me with more enthusiasmand faith that the world will be better in 2006 be-cause we choose to make it so.

Of course, one of the inevitabilities of each year’spassing is the ever-rising number of candles on ourbirthday cakes. At times this provides consternationand a reminder of our youth. How often we think,“If I were younger…”

There is a silver lining to our maturity, I think. Oneis that wisdom seems to replace impulsiveness. Agebrings perspective.

Also, age rewards donors of annuity trusts. Eachyear, six months before your birth date, the return onan annuity trust you might consider is recalculated.As a reward for your longevity, the return increases —more so as you reach your 70s, 80s, and beyond.

The back cover contains information you mightconsider if you would like to support the charities ofthe Scottish Rite and receive income for life plus anice tax deduction (something on everyone’s mindthis time of year).

Since last August, when we first included informa-tion about the charitable gift annuity program atScottish Rite Charities, interest from our fellowBrethren has been substantial.

We received many calls and notes requesting infor-mation regarding annuities. The ages of those callingranged from 65 to over 90 years old. I am happy tosay that a good number of those inquiries resulted indecisions to create a CGA.

The income opportunities, along with the tax impli-cations, were deciding factors in many cases. Theability to ultimately support their favorite charity ofthe Scottish Rite was important as well.

Why don’t you call and see if a charitable gift annu-ity is right for you?

Call Scottish Rite Charities at 800-814-1432 x 3326if this interests you. We are happy to let you knowthe advantages that age brings.

Brethren sojourning in Florida and Arizona willhave an opportunity to meet with GrandCommander Walter E. Webber this spring. Seethe list of scheduled luncheons.

For specific information visit:www.scottishritecharities.org

or call 800-814-1432 x 3326.

Dates:

Wednesday, March 1 Naples, FL

Thursday, March 2 Lake Worth, FL

Monday, March 6 Sarasota, FL

Tuesday, March 7 Winter Park, FL

Sunday, April 2 Scottsdale, AZ


Steve Pekock, 32°Director of Development

Promoting Knowledge and Learning

Looking Toward the Future

Commander Webber Visits Florida and Arizona

Bro. Jean-Pierre Pesca-torewas born in Luxem-bourg City, Grand Duchyof Luxembourg, in 1793and died in 1855. He was aself-made man and becamea very successful merchantand banker when he estab-lished himself in Paris. Hebequeathed to his nativeland his important collec-tion of fine arts and a con-siderable amount of moneyto create a home for elderlycitizens — “The FondationPescatore.” The neo-gothicporch of his home is pic-tured beside Bro. Pescatoreon a stamp issued by Lux-embourg in November2005 to honor this out-standing LuxembourgMason.Bro. Pescatore became a

Mason in 1818 — one ofmany prominent Masons ofthat family name in theGrand Duchy throughoutthe 19th and 20th centuries.His father was a Mason be-fore him as well as three ofhis brothers, two cousinsand the husband of a niece.The mother of the lateGrand Master Antoine We-henkel of the Grand Lodgeof Luxembourg and thefirst Grand Commander ofthe Scottish Rite SupremeCouncil for Luxembourgwas a Pescatore. (Thanks toRoland H. Lacaf, Hon. Gr.Com. SUCOL, Luxem-bourg)

� � �

Sir Joseph Cookwas bornin Staffordshire, England,in 1860 and began his ca-reer as a coal miner. Hewent to Australia in 1885,working there as a mineralso. He entered politics sixyears later, representing theLabor Party in the Parlia-ment of New South Wales.He later joined the partyled by Sir George Reid andwas appointed colonialpostmaster general from1894-98. In 1901 he enteredthe Commonwealth Parlia-ment and served in manyroles. He was one of theAustralian representativesto the Versailles Peace Con-ference and served as highcommissioner in London1921-27 and receiving sev-eral awards includingknighthood. He died in

Sydney in1947.Bro. Cook

received hisdegrees inIndependentLodge No. 8,New South

Wales Constitution, Lith-gow, in 1892. While servingin London in the 1920s heaffiliated with the RoyalColonial Institute LodgeNo. 3556, E.C., in Londonand served as Deputy Mas-ter in 1925. The rank of PastProvincial Grand Deaconwas conferred upon him.He is shown on a stamp is-sued by Australia in 1972.

� � �

Jorge B. Vargaswas bornin Bago City, Philippines, in1890. He began a long andhistoric association withPresident Manuel L. Que-zon in 1918 when he be-

came executive secretary ofthe first Independence Mis-sion to the US (1918-19) ofwhich Bro. Quezon was thechairman. He served inseveral roles in the Senateuntil he joined the execu-tive branch in 1920. As ex-ecutive secretary duringthe six years of the com-monwealth government, hepresided over 18 divisionsof the Office ofthe Presidentand wasknown as “TheLittle Presi-dent.” He diedin 1980.Bro. Vargas

was a member of SinukuanLodge No. 16, under theGrand Lodge of the Philip-pines. He was also a 32ºScottish Rite Mason. He ispictured on a Philippinesstamp released in 1991.

� � �

Born in 1896 in Alameda,CA, James HaroldDoolittlewas gradatedfrom the University of Cali-fornia and M.I.T. He servedin the U.S. ArmyAir Corpsfrom 1917-30 and as a pilotwon several trophies. Hewas employed by the ShellPetroleum Company from1930-40 and returned to theAir Corps in 1940 as amajor. He led a flight of 16B-25 Bombers from the air-craft carrier “Hornet” on abombing mission in 1942.For this service he was pro-moted to the rank ofbrigadier general and re-ceived the Medal of Honor.He retired from the AirForce in 1946. He died in

1993. Gen. Doolittle hasbeen shown on manystamps, including this onefromMicronesia issued in1996.Bro. Doolittle received

his Masonic degrees in 1918as a result of dispensationsby two Grand Lodges.Under a special dispensa-tion from the Grand Lodgeof California, HollenbeckLodge No. 319 voted onAug. 8, 1918 that he receivehis degrees. Because he wasstationed in Louisiana, theGrand Lodge of that stategave Lake Charles LodgeNo. 165 a dispensation toconfer all three degrees onAug. 16, 1918. He laterjoined the Scottish Rite Val-ley of San Diego in 1918and received the 33º in1945.

� � �

Gotthold Ephraim Less-ing, born in 1729, was aGerman playwright, criticand philosopher, often con-sidered the father of Ger-man literature. His lastworks dealt largely with re-ligious tolerance. He diedin 1781.Bro. Lessing was initiated

on Oct. 14, 1771, in theLodge “Zu den drei Rosen”in Hamburg. He wrotemany essays on the craftbut was never active in thework of the lodge. He ispictured on a stamp re-leased by the GermanDemocratic Government(East Germany) in 1977.


Robert A. Domingue is secretary forSt. Matthew’s Lodge, Andover, MA, and

editor of The Philatelic Freemason.

Secrets of Architecture:Numerical Symbolism and Geometry inthe Design of Religious Architecture

by Atilla Arpat. Published in 2004 by Evans Communica-tions Inc., 645 Dunn Avenue, St. John, New Brunswick

E2M 2X4, Canada.

According to the author this book is the result of 25years of intense research to “unveil the secret designprinciples used in architectural planning of Ottoman-Islamic and Christian religious planning.” It is hisconclusion that symbolic numbers have been used forcenturies in constructing churches and mosques.

I began writing this review on the morning that Ileft for Istanbul to attend the Grand Lodge of Turkeyand I developed a deeper interest while visiting thestructures to which he referred. This is especially trueof his references to the works of Sinan, frequently em-phasized by the guides. I hasten to point out, how-ever, that I was overwhelmed by the mathematicalcalculations in the book.

It was sent to me by the author at the request of theGrand Historian of the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia,and I include it in this column because it also appliesthose design principles to the architecture of MasonicTemples, including the Grand Lodge Temple in Penn-sylvania. The book contains a mathematical analysisof 25 churches, ten mosques, five Masonic Templesand one synagogue.

It is his conclusion that the “designs of mosques,and tombs of the Ottomans and of churches of thewestern world of Christianity are the result of the ap-plication of numerical symbolism and thePythagorean triangle.” The numbers applied to thearchitectural design take on religious significance,

symbolizing the greatest of religious figures; i.e.Jesus, Allah and Mohammed.

Arpat’s contention is that there must have been amethodology to convey these secrets to succeedinggenerations. All could not begin from scratch. Hestates that after many years of study and manywrong paths taken, the truth became clear whilestudying Masonic books. He gives much credit toFreemasonry for at the very least preserving and con-veying these secrets.

It is a difficult book for the average person to un-derstand due to the geometric analysis. It is a book,however, that offers a new insight and I would thinkit would be stimulating to the geometrician and defi-nitely to an architect. It is an interesting theory andthe author has presented some convincing analysis. Iwould recommend it for those who have the time tostudy it.

Symbolism of the Blue Degrees ofFreemasonry, Albert Pike’s Esoterika

transcribed and edited by Arturo de Hoyos.Published in 2005 by The Scottish Rite Research Society,

1733 Sixteenth Street, N.W.,Washington, DC 20009-3103. $50.

Most Freemasons who are familiar with AlbertPike are so as a result of exposure toMorals andDogma, that great work that few read completely andeven fewer understand. That book, however, presentsthe genius of Pike. Brother Jim Tresner in 1995 au-thored Albert Pike: The Man Beyond the Monument thatrevealed the human side of Pike. Esoterika showsPike’s dedication to craft Masonry.

For those who fear to read Pike, Esoterika is a re-freshing change in complexity fromMorals andDogma. Bro. Pike penned this work 117 years ago, anda tragedy lies in its not being published for that pe-riod of time because it contains much clear and defin-itive evaluations of our symbolism and also presentsa Pike that too few know. It was not published, how-ever, at the direction of Pike, who mandated that itnot be produced in multiplications of copies or pro-vided to anyone not fit or qualified to teach and in-struct his Brethren. There was a time when I do notthink that I would have understood this logic butnow I feel that I do. Times have changed, however,and I trust the spirit of Pike will forgive Arturo deHoyos for deviating from his instruction.

Bro. de Hoyos is one of the all too few outstandingMasonic researchers and scholars in North Americatoday and he has provided a great service to our craftwith a new edition of this book. He has written theintroduction, critical notes and the appendices incompleting this book and is one of those few whocould have accomplished that task effectively.

It was Pike’s firm belief that the true secrets of


Reviewed by Thomas W. Jackson, 33°

Freemasonry were within its symbolism and that thesymbolism “was either borrowed directly from Her-meticism or the two shared a common ancestor.”

In spite of the fact that he is primarily known todayfor his work in the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, healso firmly acknowledged the primary significance ofthe blue lodge. I quote, “My Brethren, there are manyfields of Masonic labor, and every one must work inthat wherein it seems to him that he can do the mostgood. But, whatever else we may be, we are all MasterMasons, and we all owe to the Masonry of the blue de-grees our first and paramount allegiance.”

If Pike were nothing else, he was a profound stu-dent of the craft and this book reveals his extensiveknowledge of the “blue degrees” and the wisdom de-veloped in years of concentratedstudy of their meaning. I readily ac-knowledge my difficulty in under-standingMorals and Dogma, but Ifound most of this book quitecomprehensible. There are partsthat require considerable concen-tration, but it is worth that effortfor those who truly wish to un-derstand more fully the sym-bolism of blue lodge Freema-sonry.

The text also contains in theappendices, written by the author, achapter on the faith of Albert Pike who has been ac-cused of being atheistic and worse, but by his ownwords, these charges are proven spurious. Also foundhere is a chapter revealing some of Pike’s sources forinformation and a chapter on the four most famous ex-posés of the craft to which Pike frequently refers.

Pike shows a great irreverence in his regard to someof the more notable Masonic writers in this text andperhaps justifiably so. He does so as a result of his ex-tensive research and reveals his rationale for his criti-cism.

In observing the decline in the public prestige ofour craft today, Pike may have been justified in hisreservations concerning the potential of understand-ing by the leadership. Perhaps this work done byde Hoyos may help to dispel that lack of understand-ing. I encourage its reading not only to understand thesymbolism of Freemasonry more fully, but also tomore fully appreciate Albert Pike.

Masonic Questions & Answersby Paul M. Bessel. Published in 2005 by Cornerstone BookPublishers, Charlottesville, VA and New Orleans, LA.

Masonic Questions & Answers, a small paperbackbook, is a compilation of three booklets developed bythe Grand Lodge of Virginia for the purpose of helpingnewMasons when they seek information about

Freemasonry. With the permission of the Grand Mas-ter of Virginia, Bro. Paul Bessel compiled the informa-tion found in these three booklets into this text.

He has added six appendices to it. Appendix Apresents “Definitions of Freemasonry” as proposedby a number of prominent Freemasons, includingRoscoe Pound, Alan Roberts, Albert Mackey, ArthurWaite, W. L. Wilmshurst, Henry Wilson Coil and H.L.Haywood.

Appendix B provides the Dating Systems of Ma-sonic bodies, explaining the name, abbreviation, trans-lation, how the date is computed and the rationale be-hind the system.

Appendix C presents Masonic CommunicationsGroups Using Computers, in which the name of theMasonic group involved is provided, a description oftheir purpose, and the website address.

Appendix D, Masonic Abbreviations, gives theletter abbreviations of the many Masonic organiza-tions in existence.Appendix E, Masonic Book Publishers and Sell-

ers, lists the name of Masonic book publishers andsellers along with the methods of contact.

Appendix F, U.S. National Masonic AppendantBodies, provides the short name, official name, andwebsite address of the Masonic bodies operating in theUnited States.

These appendices supply us with an invaluablesource of information, not only for the newMason, butalso for those of us who are frequently searching for it.

The text in the book is divided into information forthe Entered Apprentice degree, the Fellowcraft degreeand the Master Mason degree.

There are a few explanations that I found confusingand should be confusing to the newMasons, espe-cially the section regarding recognized and unrecog-nized Grand Lodges, regular and irregular Masonry,and clandestine Lodges and Masons.

This book is worth having as a reference book ineach Mason’s library because it responds to questionsthat you may ask or be asked. I would add a caution-ary note. Some of the answers do not apply to everyjurisdiction. For example, the altar is not necessarily inthe center of every lodge room, nor do the Deaconsconduct the candidates in every jurisdiction, and theMasters do not always wear a hat. In addition, not allGrand Lodges review Grand Master’s decisions eachyear, nor do they all require a ballot box for voting.Also, there are Grand Lodges that require a belief inthe Christian religion for membership.

I do not make these observations as a criticism butrather to point out that they are probably applicable inthe Grand Jurisdiction of Virginia but not in all juris-dictions.


THOMAS W. JACKSON, 33°, was formerly Grand Secretaryfor the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. He is Executive Secretary

for the World Conference of Masonic Grand Lodgesand the book reviewer for The Northern Light.

Niacin increasesHDL levelsIt’s important to have satisfactory lev-els of HDL, the good kind of choles-terol, in order to keep the heart andblood vessels healthy. Niacin appearsto be very helpful in both raising HDLlevels and slowing the progression ofatherosclerosis.A study appearing in Circulation

shows that after taking 1,000 mg ofniacin for one year, study subjectsreached their LDL (bad cholesterol)goal of 100 mg/dL , and they hadhigher levels of HDL. At the sametime, niacin slowed the progression ofatherosclerosis about 68 percent.Niacin is an inexpensive vitamin

that is available without prescription.Ask your doctor about niacin.

Brush well for ahealthy heartDevoting five minutes a day to caringfor your teeth and gums is good foryour smile and your heart.The American Dental Association

says gram-negative bacteria that de-stroys bone in periodontal disease canalso damage the lining of arteries orpromote clot formation, leading to aheart attack.Brushing and flossing your teeth

regularly, especially using new toolssuch as specialty picks, powerbrushes, flossers, and rinses, can helperadicate harmful plaque betweenteeth that can easily be missed by sim-ple brushing.

Hypertension treatmentHigh blood pressure is the greatestrisk factor for stroke. In a study of16,648 people reported by Johns Hop-

kins Medicine in Baltimore, about halfwere receiving treatment for hyper-tension. In spite of treatment, how-ever, their blood pressure was notunder control. It averaged 160/100mmHg. That is high above the recom-mended 120/80.During the six years of the study,

137 of the men and women involvedhad strokes. Their average blood pres-sure was 140/90.To avoid stroke, doctors recom-

mend having blood pressure checked.If medication is prescribed, check backto see if it is working well enough.

Prediabetes programResearchers and doctors are workingto identify people with prediabetesand to develop a program to keepthem from full-blown diabetes.Doctors and researchers from

Emory University, the University ofMichigan, and the Department ofHealth and Human Services have de-veloped a pilot program. It is beingused in five states to identify predia-betics and to treat them.

The goal of this ambitious programis to develop a protocol for preventionthat could become a national stan-dard.

Eliminate HDL / LDLconfusionIf you’re like a lot of other people, youhave to stop and think whether HDLor LDL is the good cholesterol.Doctors writing in The New England

Journal of Medicine’s HealthNews sayyou will be confused no longer if youmake this association.HDL, think “Healthy DL.”LDL, think “Lousy DL”HDLmoves excess cholesterol back

to the liver for processing. It’s thoughtof as the blood’s cleanup crew.LDL is the lousy kind. It deposits

excesses of itself on the walls of arter-ies, which increases your risk of heartdisease.

Feed your brainOn days when you have to thinkclearly and well, be sure to optimizethe nutrients that are available to thebrain during that meeting, presenta-tion, or test.Sweet rolls and coffee won’t do it.

They tend to make you crash afterabout one hour. Your brain won’twork very well.Doctors at Harvard Medical School

recommend low-fat milk and whole-grain cereal or eggs, toast, and jam.Intense brain work, say nutritionists

at Yale, is not unlike running amarathon. It just happens to be cogni-tive rather than physical. Your brainruns on the fuel you ingest just likethe rest of your body.For snacks, eat fruit, vegetables,

nonfat yogurt, and energy bars madefrom fruits, nuts, and seeds.


“I’ve put on a lot of weight, but I’lllose it all in the spring.”


Your service to our nation is a gift to all Ameri-cans and to the world. We, as Scottish Rite Ma-sons, thank you. Sadly, some of our Brothers

lie on foreign shores, some in Arlington NationalCemetery, and some in their hometowns. To all ofthese Brothers who paid the ultimate price, we canhonor them no further, than to thank them for ourfreedom by remembering their sacrifice as we seeOld Glory fly.As a veteran of any of our nation’s armed services,

you have insured our freedom, and we would like tooffer you this unique gift as a small token of the ap-preciation of your fellow Scottish Rite Masons. The“Scottish Rite Famous Mason Coin” in either Bronzeor Silver finish with your choice of a famous Masonon the back is yours free. All you have to do is com-plete the tear-out form below and send it to the

Supreme Council office at the address provided.You can carry on the military tradition of Unit

Coins with a “Scottish Rite Famous Masons Coin” byadding your name to our growing list of memberswho are veterans of our nation’s armed forces andtelling us your choice of coin. Please indicate a sec-ond choice, as well.We will send you a coin based on your choice

while supplies last.These coins are a great conversation piece to show

off at a gathering of fellow veterans and a way toopen the door for conversations about Masonry.Help us to provide the honor and respect due to

our veterans by passing on this information to otherveterans who are Masons and encourage them to ac-cept our gift and allow us the opportunity to thankthem for their gift of our freedom.

Name_________________________________________________ Branch of Service___________________________

Address_______________________________________________ Dates of Service ___________________________

City _______________________________ State ________ Zip ____________ Rank ___________________________

Valley __________________________________________________________ Silver _________ Bronze ___________

Please indicate a second choice in case we cannot accommodate your first choice.

� George Washington � Lewis & Clark � Norman Vincent Peale � Irving Berlin

� Benjamin Franklin � Samuel C. Lawrence � Adm. Richard E. Byrd � John Marshall

�Will Rogers � Harry S. Truman

Mail to: Veterans Coins • Supreme Council • PO Box 519 • Lexington MA 02420-0519

AT T E N T I O N V E T E R A N SBrothers in Arms — Brothers in Life

Norman B. Leeper,So. California Research Lodge newsletter:“The author explores the involve-

ment of Freemasonry in the develop-ment of our country and attempts toexplain why such personages asGeorge Washington, Ben Franklin,Harry Truman and hundreds of otherswere drawn to our rituals and princi-ples. It is truly something that shouldbe read by every Mason.”

Cathy Giaimo,The Pennsylvania Freemason:“This book is a true labor of

love for Freemasonry and itsmembers. Not only is this bookwell-researched it is lavishly il-lustrated, demonstrating themany ways Freemasonry hasmanifested itself.”

Leo Zanelli,The Square (England):“This is a superb book: coffee-table

in appearance but also a wonderfulread. This book will tell you not only alot about Masonry, but also many ofthe other fraternal societies that grewup with it. This would be a valuablebook for any library - Masonic or oth-erwise.”

Mark A. Tabbert, 32°, has accepted a positionwith the George Washington Masonic National Me-morial in Alexandria, VA.For the past six years, Bro. Tabbert has been cura-

tor of Masonic and fraternal collections at the Na-tional Heritage Museum, Lexington, MA.

He is also the author of the recently releasedAmerican Freemasons, published jointly by the mu-seum and New York University Press. The book canbe ordered online through the museum’s HeritageShop (www.nationalheritagemuseum.org).Here are just a few of the book’s many reviews.

Tabbert Heads to Washington Memorial

Benjamin Franklin, as a young manof 24 years, months before he hadpassed the tiled portals of any Ma-sonic lodge, unwittingly rendered aservice to the Grand Lodge of Penn-sylvania and Pennsylvania Freema-sons in general, greater in fact thanany other person connected with ourhistory.While in London, 1724-26, the

young printer had undoubtedlylearned something about the craft, themembership of which was then al-most exclusively confined to the nobil-ity and gentry.The knowledge obtained, limited

and vague though it must have been,appears to have quickened the ambi-tious philosophic brain of the youngprinter upon the subject of Freema-sonry, and whetted his desire to benumbered amongst the elect; an ambi-tion not to be realized under existingconditions, as he was then still underthe lawful Masonic age and a journey-man printer, a virtual stranger in thecommunity, and, as a mere soap-boiler’s son, lacking both social and fi-nancial standing.In the year 1727 Franklin organized

a secret society of his own known asthe “Leathern Apron Club,” a name it-self suggestive of our fraternity.In 1731, the name of the club was

changed, and the character of the clubwas also revised, so as to become apurely literary one and took the nameof “Junto.” Its chief element, “secrecy”patterned after the Masonic fraternity,was, however, retained; otherwise itbecame literary in character, or asFranklin himself wrote, “A club formental improvement.”The eventful outcome of this club,

running side by side as it were, withthe craft, was the formation of the Li-brary Company of Philadelphia in1731 and the American PhilosophicalSociety in 1743, in both of whichFranklin was the leading spirit.It was within the Masonic lodge at

Philadelphia, where Franklin had thefirst opportunity of learning parlia-mentary usage by actual practice oroccupying any position of authorityand government.Consequently in St. John’s Lodge,

and subsequently in the Grand Lodgeof Pennsylvania, was laid the founda-

tion of Franklin’s future greatness as aparliamentarian and a prominent fig-ure in all the many and various organ-izations with which he became identi-fied during his long and active publiccareer.Further it is an indisputable fact that

the offices conferred upon Franklin bythe Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, ofthat early day, were the first publichonors held by the great printer andstatesman.To write the history of Franklin as a

Freemason is virtually to chronicle theearly Masonic history of America.The published records of the craft in

his newspaper known as The Pennsyl-vania Gazette supplant the early min-utes of this lodge long since lost or de-stroyed.His connections with St. John’s

Lodge gives us an insight into the fi-nancial affairs of early Freemasonry,as found in the yellowing pages of“Liber B.” His services as Grand Mas-ter and later as Provincial Grand Mas-ter are closely interwoven with theearly Masonic history of this Jurisdic-tion.During the later years of his life he

had an active Masonic career inFrance. There, his activity and inti-macy with the Brethren was intimateand close, both personal and official,even advancing to the so-called higherdegrees.

— Sereno D. Nickerson,The New England Craftsman,

February 1906


1924 has passed into the memoryof years gone by, and 1925 hasstarted on its course. May the newyear bring to each of you a fullmeasure of joy and happiness. Letthe trials and the disappointmentsof the past be forgotten. Let us re-joice rather in the achievements thathave been wrought, the friends wehave gained and all the blessingsthat have come to us, and withhope for our staff and duty for ourguide, walk forth into a new year ofservice.As Masons we have much to be

thankful for. The fraternity isstronger than ever before in all thatmakes for real usefulness.By sincere purpose and united ac-

tion we have been able to bringcheer and comfort not only to suf-ferers in our own circle and aid tothose of our household who were inneed, but also we were permitted torelieve distress in many parts of theworld beyond the sea.Faith in the reality of Masonic

brotherhood has been restoredwhere it had all but been extin-guished by discouragement anddoubt.Adherence to the foundation

principles of the craft has been af-firmed anew in a manner thatleaves no doubt as to the resolve ofthe Grand Lodge of New York tostand and abide by them.1925 has started under way. May

it bring to each of you, who readthese words of greeting, abundanthappiness.

— Robert Judson Kenwamier,Masonic Outlook, January 1925

A New Year

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN,the Freemason

It’s not what you are that holds youback. It’s what you think you are not.

— Denis Waitley

The discipline of writing somethingdown is the first step toward makingit happen.

— Lee Iacocca

Speak when you’re angry, and you’llmake the best speech you’ll everregret.

— Lawrence J. Peter

It is in moments of decision that ourdestiny is shaped.

— Anthony Robbins

Only those who will risk going too farcan possibly find out how far one cango.

— T. S. Elliot

An optimist stays up until midnightto see the new year in. A pessimiststays up to make sure the old yearleaves.

— Bill Vaughan

The real voyage of discovery consistsnot in seeing new landscapes, but inhaving new eyes.

— Marcel Proust

He is wise who does not grieve for thethings which he has not, but rejoicesfor those which he has.

— Epicetus

Agoal is not the same as a desire. Youcan have a desire you don’t intend toact on, but you can’t have a goal youdon’t intend to act on.

— Tom Morris

Apeacock that rests on his feathers isjust another turkey.

— Dolly Parton

What is a scientist? It is a curiousperson looking through the keyhole ofnature, trying to know what’s goingon.

— Jacques Cousteau

Quick QuotesQuick Quotes


Freemasonry, abstracted from itsmoral, is poorly worth the timespent in its study. The whole teach-ings of the institution relate to the in-fluence it should exercise over itsvotaries, and he who takes uponhimself the garb but is not influ-enced by its teachings, spends hislabor for naught, and I had almostsaid is unworthy to be called by theendearing name of Brother. But I canoverlook the shortcomings of my fel-lows when I recall the fact that manis a forgetful being.God has so organized our physical

system that we cannot exist withoutfood and raiment, which are pro-cured by almost incessant labor. Andin our hurry and the bustle of life,we are too apt to forget that it wasnot intended we should live for selfalone. There are duties each owes tohis fellow man. His weaknessdemonstrates this fact. There are in-numerable things he cannot do with-out assistance yet how easily we for-get this and endeavor to rely on ourown strength, alone, bidding defi-ance, as it were, to nature.It is a man’s interest, aside from

selfish considerations, to aid his fel-low-creature in time of need. It is adebt he owes him, and it is recipro-cal, for his neighbor owes a similardebt to him, that should be paidwithout the hope of fee or reward.Thus, it partakes of the essence of

charity. Yet, if I do my neighbor aservice, expecting something in re-turn, it becomes a bargain and sale,and loses that benign quality that isthe essence of all charitable actions.Does Masonry teach these things?

Ay, and more. It teaches the dutyman owes to God and himself as

well as those due to hisneighbor. Nor does it stopeven there. For it teachesthe duties we owe to ourcountry most emphati-cally. If all the human racewere to study the Ma-sonic theory and practiceit, we should have nomore want, no more wars

or bloodshed. Man then could meethis fellow man in confidence as agenerous friend who entered into allhis feelings of friendship for thehuman race.How preferable is all this to our

present condition? Now when wemeet a stranger it is with distrust.We dare not award him the confi-dence of an acquaintance tried bythe proper tests.While all men owe to others the re-

ciprocal duties I have mentioned,more especially do these things de-volve upon Freemasons, and Iwould to God I had the talent orqualification to expatiate upon this.How I would press upon the heartsof my brethren to act so as to pro-duce the greatest amount of goodand redound most to the benefit ofmankind.Certainly, He never intended that

there should be so much suffering onthis earth. The fault must be withourselves. Then, should not wisdomdictate to us the propriety of lookingout to the place whence we haveerred, with a full determination toamend our ways? Policy, if nothingholier, would dictate such a course.Our own welfare demands it.God is no respecter of persons.

Whatever He requires of one He re-quires of all. Let us then humbly ask,what are these duties and at oncewith diligence perform them.I fear I have inflicted too great a

letter upon you. Forgive an old mannear his end, who entertains an abid-ing interest in the welfare of his fel-low men.

— James Moore,The Voice of Freemasonry,

January 1865

An Old Man’s Viewof Masonry

The following excerptsappeared in an 1865 Chicagopublication. The letter waswritten by one of the oldestMasons in the country at thattime.

Dress up your houseNewmailboxes and house numberscan perk up the appearance of yourhome. House numbers are one of thefirst things people see.When choosing numbers, be sure to

pick a size that is large enough to beseen easily from the street and a stylethat is not too ornate to read at aglance.Mailbox posts should be freshly

painted, and mailboxes should cer-tainly not be rusty. From plastic andresin to wood or metal, many stan-dard mailboxes are available at hard-ware stores.Homeowners who want to upgrade

their mailbox have plenty of options,including cast-metal boxes with news-paper holders.

Changing schoolshard on childrenThe new house may be great and theschool system outstanding, but forsome reason, your children are moodyand uncooperative. Why is that?Children want stability. They want

to keep their friends. Young childrenmay be sad, thinking they are the only

ones in the world without a bestfriend. And teenagers don’t want tofight the popularity situation all overagain. They may be reacting more tothe stress of a new school than to themove itself.Educators at the University of Cali-

fornia, Santa Barbara, say it’s very dis-ruptive for children to change schools,but a single school switch isn’t likelyto put a well-adjusted child at risk.There are things you can do to help.• Before the move, explain why it’snecessary and describe the advan-tages of the new location, such aslake, mountain, or park. Familiar-ize them with the area usingstreet maps.

• After the move, get involved withtheir activities at church, PTA,scouts, YMCA, or other groups.

• If the student is a senior in highschool, consider letting him staywith a trusted family for the restof the year.

• Help children stay in touch withfriends through letters, e-mails, ortelephone calls.

Silicone baking pansFlexible silicone pans come in manycolors and can be rolled up or foldedfor storage. Silicone pans are non-ab-sorbent, nonstick, and dishwasher-safe.If you have trouble getting a cake

out of a baking pan without breaking

it, a silicone pan can help. You can justtip the pan over and peel it off.Silicone is popular in kitchens. It’s

used in baking molds, oven mitts, andspatulas. This silicone is a syntheticrubber that can stand up to tempera-tures from about 450 degrees to -40degrees.

Children are comingback to roostMany 20-somethings are having ahard time finding jobs. Theboomerang children are moving backhome to live with Mom and Dad.This year, about 65 percent of new

college graduates went back home tolive at least until they found jobs.Many parents have missed their

children while they were away andare happy to have them back.

Bath vanity too lowStandard bathroom counters and van-ities are just 32 inches high. Unlessyou are 5 feet tall or less, that’s toolow for comfortable washing, toothbrushing, or reaching for your hairrollers.Some builders and designers (and

people who don’t like to stoop so far)are rebelling against the old standard.They say kitchen counters are 36inches tall and there is no reason bath-room counters can’t be the sameheight.If you are comfortable working at

your kitchen counter, a higher bath-room counter could be right for you.

More room in theliving roomIf your living room seems crowded,one of the best ways to gain space is toget rid of the sofa. Get a love seat in-stead. Sofas may be designed to seatthree people, but you know that morethan two rarely sit there.In many living rooms, a pair of love

seats will fit in better than one longsofa because you can split them up.Add a pair of matching lamps, andyou have created symmetry.



The Van Gorden-Williams Libraryat the National Heritage Museum inLexington, MA, announces the pres-entation of “Collection Gems” a newexhibition on display from Aprilthrough November 2006. Featured arerare books, maps and sheet musicfrom the permanent collection. Pub-lished prior to 1870, each example re-lates to travel and exploration, theAmerican Revolution, Native Ameri-cans, Freemasonry, the Civil War, orthe arts. The 30 items help to show-case the breadth of materials found inthe library.Visitors may ask: “When is a book

considered rare?” The age of a book,scarcity, financial or artistic value,and connection to notable people orworld events are all contributing fac-tors. The appearance of many of thebooks as works of art set them apartfrom today’s publications.Before 1850, rags were used in

paper production. The paper did notyellow or become brittle like today’swood pulp product. Illustrationswere printed from etched and en-graved steel or copper plates, givingmore depth to the image not seen inmodern offset processes.Hand-printed engravings were

often individually tipped into edi-tions. Many covers and bindingswere hand-tooled in leather or calf-skin, embossed with gold leaf. Endpapers were decorated by marblingtechniques or other effects.Some of the books featured in the

exhibition have had a profound im-pact on history. James L. Ferguson’sAstronomy Explained Upon Sir IsaacNewton’s Principles interpreted IsaacNewton’s theories for the averageperson for the first time and demon-strated practical uses for Newton’sideas.Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel,

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, originally pub-lished in 1852, was the earliest expo-sure, to a national audience, of thehorrors that slaves were forced to en-dure. The book helped gain support

for the abolition movement leading tothe Civil War.Explorer Elisha Kent Kane, a mem-

ber of Franklin Lodge No. 134 inPhiladelphia, wrote and illustratedhis Arctic Explorations, which depictsimages of the frozen Arctic, unknownto most people, and spawned futurepolar exploration.Among the Masonic books are

British and European items from the18th and 19th centuries. The fron-tispiece of the 1784 edition of Consti-tutions of the Ancient Fraternity of Freeand Accepted Masons was illustratedby Giovanni Battista Cipriani (1727-85), and engraved by Francesco Bar-tolozzi (1727-1815), both London resi-dents at the time and members of theNine Muses Lodge. It depicts Freema-sons’ Hall in London as the backdropof an allegory of Truth with Faith,Hope and Charity in attendance.The 1843 edition of Histoire Pit-

toresque de la Franc-Maçonnerie et desSocieties Secretes Anci-ennes et Modernes byF.T. Baegue-Clavel, fea-tures 25 steel plate en-gravings which in-

clude depiction of the Masonic funer-al for Joseph Warren, Grand Master ofMassachusetts, after he was slain atthe Battle of Bunker Hill, as well asan image of Napoleon wearing a Ma-sonic apron.Maps include A New and Accurate

Map of the British Dominions in the Sev-eral Provinces and Jurisdictions . . ., byThomas Kitchin (d. 1784), publishedin 1763, which defines European re-alignment of colonial control in NorthAmerica following the Seven YearsWar (1756-63), prior to the AmericanRevolution. Carte du Théâtre de laGuerre Actuelle Entre les Anglais et lesTreize Colonies Unies de l’AmériqueSeptentrionale, published in 1778 byJ.B. Eliot, marks the geographic set-tings of the battles of the AmericanRevolution.The rare books and other items fea-

tured in this exhibition are a smallpart of the permanent library collec-tion comprised of nearly 60,000 vol-umes, 1,600 serial titles and over2,000 cubic feet of documents, manu-scripts, and other ephemera housedin the archives.Holdings contain material on

American history including Lexing-ton’s role in the Revolutionary War,other American fraternal organiza-tions whose development paralleledor were influenced by Masonry, anddecorative arts. The library is open tothe public Monday through Saturday,10 am - 5 pm. Other hours may bearranged by appointment.Professional librarians assist

researchers and answer referencequestions in the reading room, as wellas by phone, letter, or through e-mail.Search online at vgw.library.net orwww.nationalheritagemuseum.org.

Collection Gems: Rare Books and Maps

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

Elisha K. Kane (1820-57), author ofArctic Explorations in the Years1853,'54,'55. J.M. Butler and VanIngen & Snyder, Engraver. Publishedin Philadelphia by Childs & Peter-son, 1856.

Helaine Davis is Public Services Librarianof the Van Gorden-Williams Library at

the National Heritage Museum.

Tribute to Hiram’s CreatorWally Miller’s cartoon strip,

“Hiram,” has been appearing in TheNorthern Light since the February 1992issue, and we have been impressedwith his artistic talent. We were sad-dened to learn that Wally passed awayon Oct. 31 and offer our condolence tohis widow. Wally was a member of theValley of Corning, NY, and has alwaysprovided us with a set of strips on anannual basis. We learned recently thatprior to his death he had drawn a size-able collection of cartoons for the mag-azine. Much to our surprise, he had prepared enough for us to includeone cartoon strip in each issue for a number of years. His work in thefuture will appear posthumously.


HIRAM™ By WALLY MILLER

On the Lighter Side

Lines from resumes wehope aren’t true:• My ability to complete proj-

ects on time is unspeakable.• Hope to hear from you

shorty.• Here are my qualifications

for you to overlook.• My fortune cookie said,

“Your next interview willresult in a job.”

• Previous experience:Self-employed (a fiasco).

• I am a rabid typist.• My experience in

horticulture is well-rooted.• Education: College, August

1880 to May 1984.• Special skills: Speak English.• I am sicking an entry-level

position.• Served as assistant sore

manager.• Married, eight children.

Prefer frequent travel.• Education: B.A., LoberalArts.• Objective: To have my skills

and ethics challenged on adaily basis.

• Experienced with office ma-chines and make great lattes.

• Graduated in top 66 percentof my class.

Outdated or Timeless?As a fortunate regular recipient ofyour most excellent magazine I wasvery impressed with the article writ-ten by Ill. Norman R. Buecker, 33˚,“Outdated? Or Timeless Virtues?”(August 2005).

I read the article to the Brethren ofmy craft lodge at their last meeting asin my opinion it refocuses one’s atten-tion as to what Freemasonry is allabout. It created a very favorable re-sponse and some very healthy debatethat generated enthusiasm androunded off a very happy evening.

At the festive side I was ap-proached by Brethren for copies of thearticle and for it to be re-printed in itsentirety in our local Masonic maga-zine.M.J.Forrester, 33˚East London, South Africa


* Three in one. “It is a uniqueoccurrence for one Valley to havethree Thrice Potent Masters all pre-siding in their respective lodges inthe same year,” said Ill. Russell W.Baker, 33°, an Active Member forPennsylvania. This year the Valleyof Reading, PA, has that distinc-tion.Allen D. Moyer, 32°, TPM of

Reading Lodge of Perfection, is amember of the four bodies in theValley of Reading. Ill. Herbert K.Swisher, 33°, TPM of Lancaster (PA)Lodge of Perfection, is a member ofthe other three bodies in Reading.Donald L. Baker, 32°, TPM ofPhiladelphia Lodge of Perfection, isa dual member in Reading.In addition to their duties in their

respective Valleys, all three are ac-tive in the Valley of Reading. Bro.Moyer appears in various degrees.Ill. Bro. Swisher is a makeup assis-tant in Reading. Bro. Baker is a wigassistant and frequent cast memberin Reading’s degrees.

* DeMolay recognition.Sovereign Grand Commander Wal-ter E. Webber, 33°, has been electedto receive the DeMolay Legion ofHonor. The investiture will takeplace at the Scottish Rite MasonicCenter in Cranston, RI, on Sunday,March 26, at 3 p.m.Ill. Brother Webber received the

DeMolay degrees in 1957 at Wash-ington Chapter, Lafayette, RI,where he advanced to the office ofSenior Councilor prior to leavingfor college. He has continued tooffer his support to the young menin the Order of DeMolay.

* Educating Masons. TheValley of Rochester, NY, has sched-uled a Masonic Education Fair forScottish Rite Masons. The two-dayevent will take place at the Damas-cus Shrine Center in Webster, NY,on March 3-4.

Following a kickoff dinner on Fri-day evening, historical reenactorPaul Stillman will portray PresidentTheodore Roosevelt, the Mason.Participating in the program on

Saturday will be Kathleen Ku-tolowski, chairman of the historydepartment at SUNY Brockport andMasonic scholar; Ill. Thomas Jack-son, 33°, book reviewer for TheNorthern Light and former GrandSecretary for the Grand Lodge ofPennsylvania; Mark A. Tabbert, 32°,author of American Freemasons andlibrarian at the George WashingtonMasonic National Memorial, andNelson King, editor of the Phi-lalethesmagazine.The event will conclude with a

panel discussion led by GeorgeNasra, 32°, event chairman.

* Masonic ambassadors.Realizing the need for strong bluelodges to provide a firm founda-tion for the Scottish Rite, theSupreme Council Membership De-velopment Committee has offeredits services to the 15 Grand Lodgesin the Northern Masonic Jurisdic-tion. Ill. James E. Olmstead, 33°,committee chairman and ActiveMember for Ohio, was instrumen-tal in creating a “Masonic Ambas-sadors” program.The Grand Lodge of Massachu-

setts was the first to accept the offerof assistance. The aim of the pro-gram is to train blue lodge ambas-sadors who will advance the mes-sage of Masonry among both lodgemembers and the general public.The Massachusetts training ses-

sion was held in December. TheGrand Lodge of Maine will host atraining session on May 1. Othersare being discussed.

* Detroit relocates. The Val-ley of Detroit was faced with amajor decision. Can the Valley af-ford to remain at the Detroit Ma-

sonic Temple or should it considernew quarters? The building is oneof the largest Masonic temples inthe world and once housed an ex-tensive list of Masonic groups.Moslem Shrine Temple moved to

suburban Southfield a number ofyears ago, and some of the bluelodges have merged.In December, the Scottish Rite

Valley moved into temporary officespace in Dearborn and is currentlynegotiating with the Masonic lodgein that city. The spring reunion willbe held at the Shrine Center.

* Public awareness. TheMasonic Information Center will beintroducing at the Grand MastersConference in February details of anew award for lodges that createeffective awareness programs. Upto 50 lodges will be recognized fordemonstrating energy, innovationand creativity in reawakeningmembers and making the publicaware of Masonry and its values.The program will be known as

the Mark Twain Masonic Aware-ness Award. More complete detailswill appear in the May issue of TheNorthern Light and on the MICwebsite ([email protected]).The MIC is an arm of the MasonicService Association.The MIC has just released a new

booklet, “It’s about Time! MovingMasonry into the 21st Century.”The booklet focuses on the need forpublic awareness to begin at thegrassroots level. Copies of the book-let can be obtained through the Ma-sonic Informa-tion Center,8120 Fenton St.,Silver Spring,MD 20910, orthrough thewebsite.

RICHARD H. CURTIS, 33°Editor

Footnotes*

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

2006A New Year —A-NEW-ity.

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*These rates, current as of 7/1/04,are for a single life. Rates are setby the American Council on GiftAnnuities and fixed for life at thetime you contract for a GiftAnnuity.This chart is for illustrative purposes and is notintended as legal advice. Please consult your at-torney or financial advisor. A Gift Annuity is anirrevocable gift, not an investment. It is not insured by the federal or any state gov-ernment, but is backed by the assets of the Scottish Rite Benevolent Foundation.

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Documents

TNL-February2006