The Tao of Masonry

Like a lot of my fellow Masons, there are times when I get really busy with work, family stuff, work, personal health care, work, projects around the house, and work. In the last few years, I have often missed lodge meetings because I’m working until 7 or 8 pm, or because I’ve needed to do something with the kids, or because some other matter has cropped up that I can’t take care of at any other time. I’m sure that this happens to other brothers, too.

That’s why I’m thrilled by Maso-Net, the new program that will be introduced by RW Simon LaPlace, the incoming Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut, that will allow busy Masons to attend their lodge meetings virtually, at their own convenience.  I don’t want to spoil the surprise, which he is expected to announce at his installation as Grand Master during next week’s Grand Lodge Annual Communication, so I’ll just mention some of the highlights of the program.

While there have been online Masonic communities of Masons since the before the internet was available to the general public, they have generally taken the form of text-based message boards. Maso-Net will be completely different in that it will allow lodge members to actually see, and in some cases, attend a lodge meeting in real time.  To accomplish this, Mason-Net will have several components. One will be a Skype-like interface that will connect members directly to a lodge. Participating lodges will be outfitted with a large screen TV on the North wall of the lodge room, with a corresponding webcam positioned in the Northwest and Southwest corners. Maso-Net Members will sign in and be presented with a view of the lodge room that includes the Master’s chair, and the screen will allow the other members to see who has signed in. Maso-Net members, though their own webcams hooked up to their computers, be able to attend the meeting and follow along with the proceedings without missing any of the details. Amplified speakers near the TV screen will allow them to speak during meetings as if they were in attendance.

RW LaPlace initially conceived of this as a way to reach out to older brothers who were unable to attend because of health reasons, but the idea quickly gained ground among the Grand Lodge technorati who, accustomed to live webcam meetings, saw this as a way to keep existing brothers involved. As a Maso-Net member, a brother could work late, and take a dinner break to attend lodge. Users with smartphones (apps for iPhones and Android phones running ICS or better are already being developed) will even be able to attend while on the road, although they will probably need at least a good 3G data connection.

A real advantage to Maso-Net meetings is that a WM will no longer have to worry about a last-minute cancellation on a degree night. A brother assigned to a particular lecture will no longer have to cancel if he’s away on business; the Master of a lodge would even be able to open if he’s out of town. Imagine an older brother delivering the working tools lecture to his grandson from the comfort of his own home — in Florida! Or imagine a District Deputy being able to attend a different lodge meeting every night of the week, and not spending a fortune on gas and car expenses.  This aspect of the program is certainly a way that the Craft can take advantage of new technologies.

Another interesting component to Maso-Net that RW LaPlace is expected to announce will be the ability to sit in on lodge meetings at any time of the day or night by the use of streaming technologies. Participating lodges will begin recording their meetings and using broadband connections, begin uploading those meetings to the cloud. Maso-Net members will then be able to find a lodge meeting and replay it. Members will be able to pause the recorded meeting for a break, or even better, skip through the boring parts.

Still unannounced is just where the video recordings will be stored. The Grand Lodge of Connecticut has its own servers, but as more lodges join the network the data storage itself  would become unmanageable, to say nothing of the capacity for streaming a number of different meetings back to the members. Early reports have suggested Youtube, perhaps a dedicated channel as the perfect storage & replay solution. Obviously, the concern was raised that anybody could view a lodge meeting on Youtube, however, the counterpoint was raised that any non-Mason who viewed one lodge meeting was unlikely to make it a habit of viewing many more. I suspect that talks are underway with Google about the possibility of a private Youtube channel. Another advantage of this would be the ability to upload sections of various degree ceremonies in order for lodges to watch them for the purposes if ritual instruction.

There are other aspects of Maso-Net that will be made public after RW LaPlace takes office. About a dozen lodges will be part of the initial phase, and RW LaPlace will probably announce which ones have been selected after his installation, with more participating every month. Brothers interested in signing up to be a Maso-Net member are encouraged to talk to their District Deputy, who should have the contact information.

As a busy Mason who has been having a hard time getting to lodge meetings lately, I’m happy to see that Connecticut is on the forefront of bringing Freemasonry into the 21st century. Kudos to soon-to-be MW Simon LaPlace, and best wishes for an exciting year in office.

Well, it’s about time that some of the Freemasons came to their senses, and we should all be thankful that Florida has the temerity to lead the way.  I’m talking, of course, about the recent edict by the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Florida who is evicting anyone from the Craft who are not right-thinking, God-fearing Freemasons.

The Masonic online discussion world has been all a-Twitter over this, so there’s no need for me to go over the details, but the essentials (from the Grand Master’s Edict page) are these:

The question has arisen if certain religious practices are compatible with Freemasonry, primarily Paganism, Wiccan and Odinism, and secondarily Agnosticism and Gnosticism.

He then natters on about some legal stuff, and writes:

I. CONCERNING GOD AND RELIGION
“A Mason is obliged, by his tenure, to obey the moral law; and if he rightly understands the art, he will never be a stupid Atheist, nor an irreligious libertine.”……….

And then finishes up with the important part:

Therefore, as Grand Master, it is my Ruling and Decision that none of the above mentioned beliefs and/or practices are compatible with Freemasonry since they do not believe or practice one or more of the prerequisites to be a candidate for Masonry listed above.

Further, any member of the Craft that professes to be a member of one of the groups mentioned above shall tender his resignation or suffer himself to a Trial Commission whose final outcome will be expulsion since there is no provision to allow anything contrary to the Ancient Landmarks.

Furthermore, Freemasonry prohibits the change of any of the Ancient Landmarks, and its members admit that it is not in power of any man, or body of men, to make innovations in the body of Masonry.

It’s about time that somebody took a stand to kick out those trouble-making types who can’t commit to a real religion, and who pick some made-up theology in order to join the fraternity. My only beef is that MWGM Jorge Aladro hasn’t gone far enough.

For anyone who hasn’t been paying attention to Tom Hanks, Nicholas Cage, or any of those TV specials that have come up in the last five years, the Freemasons have very few actual requirements for joining. You must be a man, of lawful age, of good character, with a belief in a Supreme Creator. Some jurisdictions change the qualifications slightly, but those are the basics. Florida, apparently, has gotten tired of non-religious posers who are trying to sneak into the fraternity by claiming to be believers in completely fictitious, made-up religions like Paganism. Personally, I can’t imagine anything good coming from allowing such trouble makers into the Craft. If a real religion isn’t good enough for those people — or as is more likely the case, those people aren’t good enough for a real religion — then they are obviously rebels who will end up causing nothing but trouble for those around them.

My only concern is that Florida is about 240 years too late. Reading through my Masonic history books, I see that quite a large number of Freemasons from that time were also posers who claimed to belong to some movement called Deism. You can tell that Deism isn’t a real religion because they don’t have any churches. But even at that, listen to what those guys believed:

From Wikipedia:

Deism holds that God does not intervene with the functioning of the natural world in any way, allowing it to run according to the laws of nature that he configured when he created all things. God is thus conceived to be wholly transcendent and never immanent. For Deists, human beings can only know God via reason and the observation of nature, but not by revelation or supernatural manifestations (such as miracles) – phenomena which Deists regard with caution if not skepticism. See the section Features of deism, following. Deism does not ascribe any specific qualities to a deity beyond non-intervention. Deism is related to naturalism because it credits the formation of life and the universe to a higher power, using only natural processes. Deism may also include a spiritual element, involving experiences of God and nature.^[17]

So, let’s see: No churches, no bible or holy book, and a God that makes stuff and then wanders off to God who know where. Those guys from back in the late 1700s obviously were not members of a real religion, either. Too bad MWGM Alandro wasn’t around to kick them out of the fraternity, before they got themselves up to no good.

If you’re interested in reading more about this:

GM of Florida Expels Wiccans, Gnostics and Others

An Open Letter to the Grand Master of Florida

More Masonic Purging Florida Style

Friendship Lodge No. 33 was proud to host a visit from MWGM Gary Arseneau, newly installed Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Southern New England on Monday. This was the Grand Master’s “Homecoming” visit, and naturally he was accorded the highest honors and a warm welcome. MW Gary was accompanied by several other new officers of the GL-SNE, several of whom who were invited to help judge a chili cookoff dinner before lodge opened.

The Grand Master’s schedule is pretty full, so we were fortunate to get him to stop by so soon after his installation. To mark the happy occasion, the officers of the lodge presented the new Grand Master with a bottle of single malt for him to enjoy during the very few quiet moments that he will have during the rest of the year.

The evening was not all pomp and introductions, though. WM Ryan Carlson presented the lodge with a recitation of the infrequently heard third section lectures; otherwise known as the  ”Beehive” lectures. WM Ryan recited the entire section from memory for the benefit of five of our newest Master Masons.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation to MW Gary of a bottle of a very old single malt Scotch, presumably for medicinal purposes, as Grand Masters are notoriously prone to headaches.

From MWHMGary

The very full lodge was closed, and the Craft gathered downstairs for refreshment and several hours of friendly discussion. It’s unfortunate that RW Gary probably won’t get many opportunities this year to attend lodge at Friendship, but I’m sure how knows that our best regards attend him no matter where he might be.

Connecticut Freemasons were surprised this week by the actions of their new Grand Master, Most Worshipful Gary William Robert Arseneau, a brother who had previously been known for his temperate character and his prudent decisions.

MW Bro. Arseneau used his first few days as Grand Master to issue the typical pronouncements and proclamations, but then followed up with several decrees which seem completely out of character with the progressive way that Freemasonry has generally been practiced here in the Nutmeg State.

The first pronouncement was so out of character that a number of people initially thought that he was joking, but further investigation prompted him — or rather, his office — to forward this email to the districts:

“While in the past it may have been up to the individual to choose how to wear their Masonic ring, it is the decision of the Grand Master that Freemasons under the Grand Lodge of Connecticut should only wear their rings with the points turned inward, i.e., pointing toward their wrist.  This is no different than the rules and regulations pertaining to the wearing of one’s aprons or jewels in public. Members with the points described in any other fashion will now be considered as subversive, and will be liable to be reprimanded, suspended, or expelled.”

Further communications were just as surprising, both for their content, and for their unusual bluntness in laguage.

On Ritual Seminars:

“Due to the costs involved with hosting the various ritual seminars around the state, the Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education will mail DVD copies of the various National Geographic and History Channel specials to new lodge officers so that they can study on their own time.”

On Officer Training:

“The Grand Lodge can not be expected to fund the coffee and donuts for a few dozen half-awake officers that show up a couple of times a year.”

On the Grand Lodge website:

“We have been wasting money on this website for years. It is my plan to scrap the entire thing, sell off the servers, and move everything over to Facebook and Google Documents. They’re free,  the uptime is better, and if there are any problems, then the members can complain to Facebook or Google for support.”

But the most surprising communication had to do with something that most Freemasons around the state had considered to be a dead issue: The Grand Lodge of Southern New England.

“Because of the large amount of the funds expended in the legal process of finalizing the details, and in the physical construction and remodeling of the building, and because the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations reneged on the arrangement for a merger between their respective Grand Lodges without due and timely notice, it is the decision of the Grand Master that we seek to recover those financial damages in a court of law. ”

Anonymous sources close to the Grand Master have reported that MW Bro. Arseneau had been especially upset with the merger cancellation several years ago because he, himself, had done a large part of the background work. While so far unsubstantiated, he was reported to have said “They only have, what, like two dozen lodges? I say that we sue the hell out of them, and then when they run out of money, we’ll just move in a take over anyway. Then, nobody will left to object to our keeping the ‘A’ in the ‘AF & AM’.”

The word is that the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts will be watching the developments closely, and may offer to buy the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island outright as part of their new public awareness campaign. Connecticut brothers familiar with the workings of the  Massachusetts Grand Lodge have hinted that while it would actually serve little purpose, Massachusetts Grand Lodge officers had been “miffed” that they had not thought of the merger idea themselves several years ago, and see the opportunity as a way to turn the Connecticut failure into their own public image success.

In the meantime, Masons around Connecticut are still reeling from the number of new rules and regulations, and many foresee that lodge meetings for the remainder of the month will need to focus on getting the word out to the Craft.

Members of the Craft who attended the pre-Grand Lodge festivities found the usual warm welcomes from the several groups hosting hospitality suites. Indeed, I’ve written in the past that the real “communication” of the Annual Communication happens outside of the business meetings, as people who haven’t had a chance to see each other in months have a chance to gossip and catch up on the news, learn what’s happening in other districts, and (as the evening wears on), propose ways to “fix” Freemasonry. In some ways, the evening festivities serve the same purpose of reconnecting as do those of weddings and funerals. That is, while everyone is ostensibly there for one purpose, a lot of business ends up happening outside of the original intentions.

The 223rd Grand Lodge of Connecticut Annual Communication was held in Cromwell on Monday, some of the brothers looking a bit the worse for wear after spending some long hours catching up with each other the night before. I have to admit, however, that I was surprised at the rather subdued atmosphere. Gary Arseneau, the incoming Grand Master was scarcely seen on Sunday evening; indeed, many of the higher-ranking Grand Lodge officers seemed to be MIA, as were members of several of the larger Grand Lodge committees, notably the Legal Matters members. Rumors were rife, of course, but that’s to be expected.

On Monday, the business meeting went smoothly, with the notable event being the chartering of Quinta Essentia Lodge No. 500 in New Haven. The lodge was started by a handful of brothers who wanted to return to a more traditional style of Freemasonry, with fewer meetings, better festive boards, and more focused on the history and esoterica of Freemasonry. Also, some of my friends in my other lodge have started a new lodge in a town in the center of the state (ETA: Hospitality Lodge No. 128 in Wethersfield). Again, it will be a small, inwardly focused lodge. With so many lodges having closed in recent years, it’s great to see this kind of activity, and we wish them well.

More pictures available at the Facebook album Grand Lodge 2012.

The big news for Friendship Lodge members, of course, was the installation of MW Gary Arseneau. Gary has been a solid fixture around the state, and we’re all looking forward to seeing how well his vision for the future of Masonry will be carried out. Also from Friendship, our very own WB Jim Vanderyk has been promoted from the lodge chaplain to MWGM Gary’s Grand Chaplain. WB Jim has long been known for his calm demeanor and a repertoire of quick quips. We’re sure he’ll be a great help when MW Gary needs inspiration.

A Worshipful Master noticed there was a newly proficient Master Mason who came to diligently practice the ritual every time the lodge was open. So the WM went to question him: “Dear brother, what are your intentions in practicing the ritual? What do you want?”

The MM said: “More light!”

The WM then picked up a tile and began to rub it very vigorously. Of course, the MM noticed this and asked: “What are you doing?”

The WM said: “I’m polishing it to make it into a mirror.”

The MM asked: “How can you make a mirror by polishing a tile?”

The WM said: “You’re absolutely right, polishing a tile will not make it a mirror. How can practicing the ritual give you more light?”

The MM scratched his head: “Then what am I supposed to do?”

The WM replied: “It’s like an ass pulling a cart. If the cart does not go, should you hit the cart or should you hit the ass?”

The MM had no reply.

The WM continued: “Do you think you are practicing ritual or do you think you are practicing Masonry? If you are practicing ritual, ritual is not degrees, or opening and closing the lodge. If you are practicing Masonry, it is not a fixed form. In the midst of everything that is changing you should neither hold on nor push away. If you keep ritual in the lodge, this is dowsing the light. If you cling to the forms of Masonry, this is not attaining its essence.”

From Zen Masonry

Most lodges probably have a “move up” night, during which the officers will move up and perform the duties of the next station, usually as a way to help the newer officers prepare for the duties that they will most likely have during the next year. Once in a while, Friendship Lodge has a twist on that idea. We sometimes have a “Sideliner Night”, during which we randomly have the regular members draw a position out of a hat and fill it for the evening. We also have a “Shake-up Night”, in which the officers are randomly reassigned to different stations. It’s not really a big deal for the Senior Warden to fill in at the Junior Deacon’s chair, but it’s much more interesting when the newer, junior officers are suddenly promoted into the senior chairs. The other night, the Senior Deacon ended up in the East, and our “Associate Steward” ended up in the West, and our Junior Deacon ended up in the South.

Anyone who has watched experienced officers barely get through an opening ceremony can imagine the smiles (and groans) of the Past Masters watching such a display, but the Friendship officers usually practice several times for any degree ceremony, and so each officer certainly has seen an opening quite a few times during his membership. I happened to be sitting next to our Past District Deputy, and we joked that we’d seen worse at lodges on their regular nights.

Well, okay, maybe I wasn’t joking.

But here’s the interesting part. I was sitting there, watching the displaced officers trying to brazen their way through an Entered Apprentice opening, when I found myself ignoring what they were actually saying, and listening to what they were trying to say. Yes, most of them missed some of  the words, or substituted similar words, or switched phrases around — but that was just on the surface. When you listened closely, the words were wrong, but the ritual itself was right.

Masonic ritual is not simply a ceremony denoting the opening and closing of a lodge. Nor is it (as it seems to be practiced in some lodges) a memory competition designed to show who would make the better officer.  Our rituals, and the lectures during our degree work, are not empty passages, but lessons. Indeed, when the Worshipful Master is charged with giving instruction to the Craft, most people aren’t even aware that the ritual itself, is part of that instruction.

I have seen lodges in which Past Masters critiqued new officers, admonishing them for missing a word in an otherwise well-delivered piece. If that makes that officer concentrate upon the words, will he then begin to miss the underlying meaning, or maybe to miss the overall lesson of that particular piece? Personally, I think so. I’ve seen some officers literally close their eyes and stand , trembling with effort, to deliver a rushed, albeit word-perfect memorized lecture. I’ve seen more than one charge delivered at high rates of speed by men intent upon getting all of the words out lest they forget something and freeze up.

What is the lesson here? What values and precepts are being taught — or learned?

On another note, I’m happy to say that this week marks our Grand Lodge Annual Communication. I’m particularly happy about this one because it has been an excellent year for the outgoing Grand Master, MWGM Jim McWain. Bro. McWain has been a particularly good example of a Grand Master who has been able to blend vision with practicality. We wish him well in the future.

And adding to that, Friendship Lodge will see one of it’s own entering the Grand Oriental Chair: RWB Gary Arseneau will be installed on Monday afternoon. Gary has shown himself to be a dedicated and resourceful Grand Lodge officer for the last ten years, and we’re all looking forward to another excellent year. We understand that we probably won’t get to see as much of him in lodge as we would like, but the members of Friendship wish him well, and hope he gets a chance to visit, with or without his purple apron.

I just got a notice from the Grand Lodge office this weekend, reminding me that our Grand Lodge Annual Communication is only a month away, and outlining some of the issues that we will be discussing and on which we’ll need to vote. As usual, most of them are clarifications and procedural items.This is the dull part about Freemasonry; we sometimes forget that we have an organization, and with an organization comes — eventually — the organizing. You know what I mean: the bills, expenses, regulations, planning, and other issues that need to be taken care of before we can get to the fun parts.

Connecticut meets twice a year — not a hardship in a small state like ours — and it often amazes me that in one sessions we will quickly throw together a regulation, then vote on and pass it, only to modify it at a subsequent session when we realize it wasn’t written up as tightly as it could have been. However, I guess that the alternative is to mull it over for six months, send out proposals to the members, then collect various ideas and alternate proposals, and then re-vote on them. And believe me, you need to get this done before lunch, or else there will be a lot of complaining.

That said, this should be a great Grand Lodge. Since our state long ago squandered its money on some kind of hospital or something, instead of on a fancy Grand Lodge building, we hold our Annual Communications at area hotels. After about 10 or so years in Farmington, last year we moved our Grand Lodge to Cromwell, where the hotel management seemed a little more accommodating to our needs. Those “needs”  were mainly things such as to have a number of small meeting rooms available, to have a large convention room that would be private, and to be able to accommodate a large number of people just meandering around the floors, talking and socializing until the wee hours.

Friendship Lodge is booking a few rooms, and we’re in the mood to throw a party. A nice party. One that will probably last for a few days. Not that we need an excuse, but we have an especially good reason for doing so this year: One of our own is going to be installed at Grand Master.

R.W., Gary Arseneau (he’s the older guy with a beard in this picture) was elected back in October. The Grand Line in Connecticut is a little different from that in other states. We have 9 Masonic districts. The outgoing Grand Master will pick a potential successor from the district from which he came, which means that every year there is a Grand Line officer from a different district. While only the top three Grand Officers are voted on each year, the end result is that we have a progressive line from Junior Steward, right up to the GM. Once in a while somebody will propose changing this, but nobody seems to come up with a better idea, so we stick with it.

Fortunately for us, RW Gary is one of the younger, more progressive minded Grand Officers, and he has spent a good part of his Masonic career on the challenging committees, like Legal Matters and Welfare of Lodges. A bright, easy-going brother, he often fills in as Secretary at Friendship, and he has a wealth of knowledge that he never hoards, but happily spreads around to the lodges inside (and out) of his district. Gary, an engineer in real life, rigged up a series of thumb switches and a light box, and when coupled with a large supply of Masonic trivia index cards, has a traveling “Masonic Jeopardy” show.

Sure, he has his quirks, but we at Friendship are nothing if not tolerant of the quirks of our members. We’re counting down the weeks — no, days, now, since Grand Lodge is literally only a month away. Here’s hoping for a smooth transition, and a successful installation for him.

The Grand Lodge Annual Communication was Monday of this week. In Connecticut, they generally follow a pattern: a disjointed opening (because we all know that Grand Lodge officers can’t do ritual), three hours of introductions, another hour of Masonicare presentations, and then an hour break for lunch (after which there seem to be a lot of empty seats). After lunch, we have a few items of business, some remarks from the outgoing Grand Master, a few rounds of applause, and then a disjointed closing. Although I complain about them all the time, I generally try to make time to participate. Connecticut is a fairly small state, so it’s not that much of an inconvenience, unlike some other states which require an 8 hour drive. However, as it happens, several people at work are out this week, so I probably won’t get out of the office early enough to make the session, or even the installation of the new officers later on.

Not that anybody will miss me, of course, seeing that after today, I will have been stripped of my position as the District Grand Lecturer.
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No, it wasn’t because of my latest April Fool’s prank. It’s simply that they have decided to eliminate the position entirely.

I’m still so not the drama, remember ?

My travels over the last three years have given me a few things to think about with regard to the ritual and ceremonies of the lodges in and around my district.

After the District Lecturer position was created, there were still issues as to what the officers should do and how they should do it. Initially, it was expected that they would help the lodges to improve in their ritual skills, but there were never any definite plans as to how they were supposed to go about doing so. Not surprisingly, some Lecturers did little, for fear of over-stepping some boundary. Others tried things such as helping at rehearsals, or having Q&A sessions on lodge nights, or sponsoring practice sessions. However, without any authority to compel the officers of under-performing lodges to participate, you can imagine that the people most often seen at the practice sessions were those who needed the least amount of help. And again, not surprisingly, some people complained that ritual wasn’t getting any better.

There’s an old joke about how many psychologists it takes to change a lightbulb. The answer is none; the lightbulb has to want to change.

Back in 2005, Connecticut tried to implement some small steps to improve the ritual work. They required that all incoming Masters for 2006 be certified in the ability to open and close a lodge. I was in that first class of Masters, and it was witnessed by the District Lecturer, two District Deputies, and their Associate Grand Marshals. A few years later, the certification job was given to the District Lecturers. I’ve complained a few times that often Senior Wardens would wait until the very end of the year before calling me, meaning that October and November would see me visiting several lodges a week.

It didn’t really help, though.

One of the the point that everybody missed is that some lodges have a very strong internal culture that values good ritual work. Those lodges pass these expectations on to new members in various ways; perhaps by showcasing certain good ritual performers, or by asking new officers to start memorizing lectures as soon as possible, or by holding not just one, but a number of rehearsals for degree work. What usually happens in those cases is that new officers will take up the challenge — especially if they are praised for their good work, instead of being carped at for missing a word or two. Yes, some old-timers have told me that they developed good ritual skills because the old-timers before them were harsh task-masters, but times have changed. Nobody wants to be humiliated into not doing a bad job, they prefer to be coaxed into doing a god job.

What I have noticed is that the men from these lodges have consistently better degrees because they enjoy doing it. And they enjoy doing it because they know that their brothers have encouraged them along. More interesting is that even those who consider themselves to be “poor” performers (compared to their peers) are often much better than the average performers at other lodges.

Lodges like that do not need District Lecturers, except, perhaps, to address some of the finer points of ritual and floor work.

Another point that was missed is that the lodges that really need the most improvement tend to be full of officers who don’t believe that they need any help. Connecticut is very liberal in ritual; we have a printed monitor, but several lodges follow rituals that pre-date the Grand Lodge itself. A few others have somehow managed to create their own, but have been doing so for so long that nobody bothers trying to correct them. To accommodate such differences, the Grand Lodge has a policy, which is summed up as “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty.” So, in the absence of regulation, some lodges have managed to develop “traditions,” i.e., customs that make their work markedly different from that of other lodges.

But a large number of lodges differ simply because they are doing something not just markedly different, but remarkably wrong. When questioned, they simply claim that it’s “lodge tradition,” and expect to be given a pass. Generally, the “tradition’ was an error on the part of one member that was inadvertently passed down to succeeding officers, most of whom learned ritual not from reading the monitor, but from trying to emulate the other officers, and who ended up copying the mistakes as well as the important things.

Connecticut has always had a problem with defining the essentials from the non-essentials, but I think that the overall view of the Grand Lodge itself is to let those lodges alone that are doing good ritual, even if that ritual is not exactly what is in the book. I know that this view drives some of my brothers in other, more rigidly defined states into looking for the smelling salts, but they, themselves forget, that ritual was always fluid and changing, especially in the educational lectures, which often varied from lodge to lodge. It’s a common misconception that the ritual we hear today is the same thing that has been passed down the generations; personally, I believe that this fluidity is one of the most interesting aspects of ritual practice, and should be one of our incentives to travel to other lodges.

Anyway, it’s probably pointless to discuss this any further. As the only official duties of the District Lecturers (certifying that potential Masters can open and close a lodge) were brief, those will now be assigned to the Associate Grand Marshals; the ones in my district are eminently qualified, and they are excellent brothers, as well.

For my part, I’ve been appreciative not only for the support that most of the lodges in my district have shown me, but also for the several lodges that actually asked for my help. It gave me a great opportunity to work with some fine new officers, and hopefully I’ve been able to pass along something useful to them. I w
ish them all the best in the future.

The number 300 now being associated with half-naked, well-muscled Spartans, I didn’t want to confuse anybody with the approximate number of  Masons who attended the Grand Lodge semi-annual communication in mid-October of this year. Last year I complained a bit about the people who come to these meetings and then leave as soon as possible, so I’m not going to revisit that topic. I was, however, pleased to see that all of the lodges were represented, with only one exception — a marked improvement over the last few years. It might be cynical of me to mention that some lodges may have been motivated this year by one of the items to be voted on: the increase in a monetary fine to those lodges that fail to send any representation from $25 (barely the cast of gasoline and lunch) to $250.

I got there about a half hour before the session started, got a coffee (no donut, thanks), and chatted with people I hadn’t seen in a while. When I finally went inside the main room to find a seat, I discovered that the Deputy Grand Master had gone to the hospital the previous night for chest pains (at this point, it seems that he’s fine), and would not be attending. The rest of the officers were in a mild panic because they would have to move up a chair in order to open the Grand Lodge session.  Why is this a problem? Because the nine members come from different lodges, and most of those lodges have peculiar traditions and customs. Since Grand Lodge officers don’t have any rehearsals (ahem), it’s not unusual for somebody to miss a cue. And even for those officers who are familiar with what passes for standard Connecticut ritual, it might have been years since one of them actually sat in that respective chair in a Blue Lodge. What with the rituals for York Rite, Scottish Rite, Eastern Star, Rainbow, the Shrine, etc., in our heads,  it’s a wonder that half the Masons remember as well as they do.

During the break, I twittered “Who certifies Grand Lodges officers, anyway?” This is a reference to my one actual duty as a District Grand Lecturer (as opposed to those duties which I’ve made up for myself), that being to watch a potential Master properly go through the ceremony for opening and closing a lodge.  I meant it to be funny, but after the session when people got home, some of them commented about this  on my Facebook page. Soon, it became  a (yet another!) discussion about the perception that Grand Lodge is perhaps out of touch with what the real needs are in the lodges.

Comments about the ritualistic slip-ups were good natured ribbing, however, one brother brought up some good points on the relatively new practice we have of setting standards (and giving out certifications) for anyone aspiring to be the Master of a lodge.

Brother Frank expressed the general frustration that I’ve heard from others around the state.

“There’s so much emphasis on getting these little certifications these days. Does anyone actually look at a Warden and evaluate whether or not he’d actually BE a decent WM? No. But if he’s good at ritual, and can regurgitate the stuff on the little tests, then he gets the nod of approval. Granted, you need to be a decent ritualist, but that’s only 25% at best of what the job is.”

And he’s right, of course. Being able to memorize a few paragraphs of ritual doesn’t make you qualified to run a lodge. Neither, in fact, does your attendance at a couple of half-day seminars, nor your ability to memorize the various rules and regulations that the Grand Lodge has codified.
Frank sums this up nicely:

“[Grand Lodge] is overly concerned with certifications these days and not concerned enough about whether the Master is making lodge … Read More ENGAGING for this great crop of new Masons we have coming in. We should be concentrating on giving these new guys a great sense of fraternity, and in many lodges that is missing. Passing the WM certification does not guarantee that a WM can LEAD a lodge — and LEADERSHIP is the key.”

Ironically, the Grand Lodge would agree. That’s why in the last couple of years, we have changed the format of our officers seminars from serial lectures to mini-team building exercises. Aspiring Masters and Wardens are arranged in small groups and mentored through various tasks. The exercises are not arbitrary; all of them are based on developing the kinds of programs that have been shown to work well in lodges. Even better, each officer has a chance to talk to the others in his group about possible issues he might face in implementing such programs in his own lodge, and to get input from those in different circumstances.

Does even this type of education guarantee that someone will be a good Master? Of course not. But it’s a step in the right direction, because it makes potential Masters aware that there are various ways to approach developing a program for their year.

The following article by RW Carl Ek is reprinted from the October 2009 issue of The Connecticut Freemasons publication, which is running a series of articles celebrating the 20th anniversary of our mutual recognition. Read other articles in this series: 20 Years.

(Editor’s note: in the span of several months in mid-1989, the Grand Lodge, A.F. & A.M. of Connecticut and the Grand Lodge, F. & A.M., Prince Hall Affiliates, of Connecticut, Inc. crafted an agreement that changed how Masonry operated, not just in Connecticut, but worldwide. In our seventh installment, both Grand Lodges overwhelmingly approved resolutions of mutual recognition. With strong craft support in both Connecticut Grand Lodges, the next question would be the responses of other A.F. & A.M. and PHA Grand Lodges. Would external pressure cause either Grand Lodge to regret — or rescind — their action? A series of stories will appear in Connecticut Freemasons this year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of mutual recognition.)

From Prince Hall Recognition

Connecticut Freemasons knew that Grand Lodges worldwide would respond to their actions of October 14, 1989. What they could not predict was how.
Prince Hall Grand Master Lewis Myrick, Sr. indicated concerns from several Prince Hall Grand Jurisdictions that the A.F. & A.M. Grand Lodges would “swallow them up,” given the size disparity between the Grand Lodges. After he addressed a Grand Masters Conference in Boston in mid-May, 1990, these fears were largely put to rest. Prince Hall Grand Lodges, especially in the western United States, were quite favorable to recognition. Bro. Myrick did note, however, that the Prince Hall Grand Lodges of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania were not supportive.
The A.F. & A.M. Grand Lodge of Nebraska and their Prince Hall counterpart followed Connecticut’s lead, becoming the second state to approve recognition in February 1990. Grand Lodges in Wisconsin and Washington — which had been nearly a century ahead of its time in their initial Prince Hall recognition — quickly followed suit.
Formal letters of congratulations came from diverse places, as well. The Grand Lodge of Quebec, Canada, was most pleased by the vote, but was unsure how it could duplicate it since their counterpart Prince Hall Grand Lodge chartered lodges in both Quebec and Ontario. The Grand Lodge of South Dakota, also very supportive, had a similar concern — their very few Prince Hall Lodges were under the Grand Lodge F. & A.M., PHA of Minnesota. Also, as then Grand Master Leslie M. Spies noted, “we have a relatively small number of Blacks and they are readily admitted into our Lodges if found worthy and well qualified.”
Letters of support also came from Iowa, Germany, New York, and even a Past Grand Master of North Carolina! (This jurisdiction was the 41st United States Grand Lodge to approve recognition, doing so in 2008 after several failed efforts.)
For all of those brotherly acts, there were others that did not fit that category. In January and March 1990, L. Bruce Austin, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, F. & A.M. of Tennessee, communicated to his lodges, noting first Connecticut’s and then Nebraska’s recognition of their respective Prince Hall Grand Lodges. Stating that the “law of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee does not provide for the recognition of more than one Grand Lodge in this jurisdiction…,” he urged “great and extreme caution” in letting a Masons from either state visit Tennessee lodges.
Similarly, Grand Master Ed. W. Quillen, Sr. of Mississippi circulated a letter noting that visitation in those two states was permitted, but that if “there be black members present,” the visitor needs to determine if he holds a Prince Hall membership card. If yes, “you need to remove yourself from that lodge at once.” He goes on to state that if the black Mason was made in a regular lodge, “… you may, at your discretion, remain in that lodge.” How very brotherly!
The most egregious behavior came from the Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana and its Grand Master, the inappropriately named Bro. Eugene F. Love. In his first letter to Connecticut Grand Master Gail N. Smith, he expresses concerns about sitting “with Clandestinely made Masons” and asks for a “statement” before issuing an edict. He notes elsewhere in the letter, concerning Prince Hall Masons, that he has “many friends who are members” and that “They are happy with their program are we are happy with ours.” (Comment: sounds like the old apology: “Some of my best friends are black.”)
Obviously MW Smith’s reply did not satisfy Bro. Love; on December 8, 1989, he issued an edict that “The Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana, F. & A.M. does hereby sever all Masonic relations and/or communications with the Grand Lodge of Connecticut, A.F. & A.M.” This was followed by a similar letter of January 24, 1990 from Hayden P. Davis, Grand Master of The MW Grand Lodge of Arkansas. In it, he declares, “Fraternal Relations … suspended with the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A.F. & A.M. of Connecticut.”
Few probably remember the action of Arkansas, but several Grand Lodges strongly opposed Louisiana’s actions. The Grand Lodge of Quebec thoroughly discredits the “logic” by which the edict was justified, and urged “… your Grand Master to draw on your Masonic toleration and compassion and withdraw this counter-productive and potentially damaging edict.” The letter goes on to suggest that Masonic public relations could suffer greatly should this schism over race be broadcast widely in the media.
Unfortunately, Bro. Love did not withdraw his edict, and a Connecticut Mason’s family did suffer as a result. Worshipful Brother Norman W. Larkin of St. John’s Lodge No. 3, Bridgeport was denied a Masonic funeral when he died in his adopted community of Hammond, Louisiana. He was a decorated military veteran, and in his nine years in Louisiana, had been an active leader in the American Legion, VFW, and DAV, among other groups. Local Masons, incensed at this situation, suggested transporting Bro. Larkin to Texas to perform the service, but the family declined this brotherly offer.
The family had no such ‘charity’ for Bro. Love. Letters from around the country excoriated this Grand Master for causing “a childish feud … over a racial issue” and using Bro. Larkin as a ”
scapegoat.” Another, citing the racial intolerance that was the basis of the edict, said, “This is disgusting ignorance in this day and age.”
Perhaps Bro. Jack Macgregor of Trumbull, then a 35-year Mason, put it best.

“I have been told,” he wrote, “… that Masonic Grand Lodges in every corner of the nation deplore this high-handed behavior, even the members of your own Louisiana lodges.”

Jack went on:

“The fault is yours, Mr. Love, and yours alone. The local Louisiana lodge was willing to perform the rites, but were prohibited by your edict. Only you have severed relations with the Conn. Grand Lodge, and purely on racial grounds. I hesitate to think what would happen to your empire, should the national media become aware of all this.”

Accusing GM Love of still fighting the Civil War, he noted finding no reference “blacks” in any of the Masonic obligations. He notes, “They do, however, refer to a “Fool”. As far as I am concerned, a bigot is a fool.” Cooler heads would eventually prevail, too late for Bro. Larkin and his family, but eventually the edicts were rescinded by both Louisiana and Arkansas.
The issue was not yet ‘put to bed’ internationally, however.
Though documentation is not available, apparently a gathering of the first half dozen or so recognizing Grand Lodges was held in Massachusetts at the request of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE). Bro. Michael Higham, Grand Secretary, was present and, during the discussion, is said to have recommended or suggested (or perhaps ‘demanded’ — as all of the stories are second- or third-hand, or worse, it has been impossible to be certain) that all American Grand Lodges rescind recognition immediately. Then the issue could be studied by UGLE, the world’s oldest Grand Lodge, and everyone could follow their lead once they eventually determined the ‘legitimacy’ of Prince Hall Masonry.
This ‘suggestion’ was not received well by the Americans at the meeting. After some discussion, one representative (perhaps from Colorado, the fifth state to extend mutual recognition) is said to have articulated the thoughts of his countryman. He is said to have told the Grand Secretary that “we kicked your (butts) out of this country 200 years ago, and we’ll do it again if we have to!”
Thus informed of American feelings on the topic, UGLE had no choice but to follow, rather than lead. On September 11, 1996, UGLE resolved to extend recognition to the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Connecticut. It would also offer the same recognition to the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, doing so before the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts!
Nearly 150 years after the start of the American Civil War, and 20 years after Connecticut’s landmark vote, there are 10 states that still have not extended Masonic brotherhood to members of the Prince Hall Affiliates. All were members of the Confederate States of America or claimed by the CSA as such; in all, slavery was lawful until the end of the war.
Readers may draw their own conclusions.
= = =
The author acknowledges with appreciation his thanks to MW Kenneth B. Hawkins, Sr., for allowing access to Ken’s notebook of documents relating to the Prince Hall recognition process in Connecticut. The author also acknowledges the work and website of RW Paul M. Bessel, Executive Secretary of the Masonic Leadership Center, concerning Prince Hall recognition nationwide.