| Please
consider making a donation to the Kena Shriners transportation fund
(transporting the kids to the hospital) Credit cards accepted through
PayPal. |
|
Enter your search terms Submit search form | ||
|
|
|
|
This file is copyright (c) 1998 The Philalethes Society and all rights including any redistribution rights are reserved by the copyright holder. Permission to quote from, redistribute or to otherwise use these materials must be obtained from the copyright holder directly by contacting The Philalethes, Nelson King, FPS, Editor, 2 Knockbolt Crescent, Agincourt Ontario Canada, M1S 2P6. Tel: 416-293-8071 Fax: 416-293-8634 or nking@freemasonry.org or nking@onramp.ca Contents 123 President's Corner 141 Notes on the Second Charge of a Free-Mason by Yoshio Washizu, MPS 144 Through Masonic Windows ON THE COVER See the story on page 140. The President's Corner P123 Regardless of which religious faith or creed any of us may profess, we cannot help but be moved by the message of Christmas. It is a season that voices humanity's longing for peace on earth. As Brothers of the Mystic Tie, we know that wherever the hope of love and compassion is lifted in the hearts of men, then the spirit of Freemasonry is there to sustain and strengthen them. The prince of peace voiced humanity's longing for peace; and Masonry strives to make this possible among men of good will. It seems that the spirit of Christmas and the spirit of Masonry have marched hand and hand through the ages. Century after century, the spirit of universal brotherhood has emblazoned the spirit of Christmas upon its every banner; has carried it to the farthest corners of the earth and spread it in both mansion and shack; in palace and hut. And today, wherever the Yuletide trees brighten homes and corners, where bright
lights burn to give cheer to the lonely and tired, where glad voices sing songs of
great joy, where the laughter of children and happy smiles of our grandparents
round out the hours-there you will read the story of the spirit of Christmas and the
spirit of Masonry. Of course, in Masonry, it matters little the belief system from whence we come,
so long as we have that simple and primitive faith in a Higher Influence that is
capable of moving us to love one another. It is this beautiful universal principle of
religion that permits us to shake hands and meet on the square with good men of
all faiths in essentially every country in the world. The devout Israelite heeds our signs, and lives in accordance with the sacred
teachings of Masonry. The Christian indeed knows that he is a better man because
he is a Mason. The Hindu recognizes the universal language of the Craft and,
speaking a different language, believing in an entirely different system of religion,
and familiar with different laws, rises from the shrine in the pagoda to clasp hands
with a brother from the far West. The Moslem, turning his face toward Mecca in
prayer, or crossing over the desert sands, remembers the sacred obligations he has
assumed as a Mason, and performs to a stranger brother from a distant land the
kindest acts of humanity. Brethren, it is the pure and moral principles of our beloved fraternity that
inculcates charity to all mankind -a brotherhood without boundaries-a faith
without sectarianism-a patriotism without party-a unity of hearts, universal,
embracing a worldwide community of men. Can we not see the message of Christmas here? On behalf of the officers of the Philalethes Society I wish that the spirit of
Christmas and the spirit of Masonry may be always in your heart and home. And I
know you wish us the same. While distance may separate us, our thoughts will
bridge the space between us, and your hopes will be ours wherever you are. From the Desk' P124 000 letters to the Editor Fraternally & sincerely Dear Bro. King. Freemasonry In Turkey Today P125 by Metin Cangoer It was only after the Second World War that the Regular Freemasonry was
proposed. This was during the time that the Secular Democratic Republic of
Turkey was preparing itself for the signature of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights in 1948 at San Francisco. As a matter of fact, the Supreme Council
of the Scottish Rite [Turkey], not regular at that time, had formed some Lodges. A few enlightened dynamic Freemasons, who received the guidance of the Grand
Lodge of the State of New York made a new attempt which resulted in the
creation of a completely new Grand Lodge in Ankara, Turkey in 1956. The Grand
Lodge of Turkey was based on the existing 29 Lodges formed by the Supreme
Council [Turkey], which declared itself a continuation of the regular Supreme
Council [Turkey] established at 1861 at Istanbul by a Charter issued from The
Supreme Council 33; Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of the
Southern jurisdiction. This declaration followed by a renewed Charter issued in
1962 from the same Southern Jurisdiction made the Turkish Supreme Council
continuously regular since 1861. In the meantime The Grand Lodge of Turkey
formed new Lodges taking the figure up to 40 Lodges. The Grand Lodge moved
to Istanbul in 1960 when a Military Intervention occurred. With the same
guidance, The Grand Lodge of Turkey was Consecrated in a Ceremony used by
the Grand Lodge of Scotland. The Consecration Ceremony took place at end of
April 1965. Elections were held on May 2, 1965. Elected was a completely new
administrative body under a young energetic Grand Master Enver Necdet Egeran Some of the older Past Masters had difficulty in accepting the drastic changes
toward a Regular Free and Accepted Masonic Grand Lodge. However, within
eight months the Charters of existing 40 Lodges had been renewed and 3 new
Lodges had been Regularly formed and Consecrated. Eight months later, The Grand Master together with all Grand Officers resigned
and the new elections were held. However before they left the office, the Modern
Ritual, Rules and Regulations used by the Grand Lodge of Scotland were
adopted. So a complete change had materialized and continuity was assured with
the new office bearers. The Turkish translation of the Modern Ritual and all other
documents related with, started in a short time and Regular work has been
accustomed easily. The 40 Lodges (11 of them are added by the Grand Lodge of 1966) which came
into picture right at the beginning of the Regularisation were originated from the
Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite of Turkey, and had no relationship
whatsoever with the 1909 Freemasonry which closed down in 1935 except using
their premises right at the beginning. New Temples have been built and decorated
according traditional custom in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. The Modern Ritual used in the Grand Lodge of Scotland has been translated into
Turkish and used without any changes in the Lodges of Turkey, with the
exception of having been translated into many languages. Since the beginning of May 1965, 149 Lodges have been Regularly established
by Consecration and Charter, and have labored regularly without interruption,
since that time. Out of these 149 Lodges. 73 are active in Istanbul at the Main Temple. Among
them one is a Research Lodge and one is an Education Lodge. 6 Lodges on the Asiatic side working at Yakacik Temple, 3 Lodges in Bursa, 37
Lodges active in Ankara at the main Temple, 1 Lodge in Antalya, 1 Lodge in
Eskisehir, 2 Lodges in Adana 23 Lodges in Izmir at the main Temple, 1 on the
north shore at Karsiyaka, 1 Lodge in Bodrum, 1 Lodge in Marmaris, Marmaris
Lodge No. 134 working at her own Temple. It is with pride we mention that several Lodges in Turkey are working in foreign
languages. In Istanbul Freedom Lodge No. 35 works in English, Hulus Lodge No. 34 and
Hakikat Lodge No. 18 work in Greek, Libertas Lodge No.17 works in German,
Atlas Lodge No. 9 and Humanitas Lodge No. 33 work in French. In Ankara, Dikmen Lodge No. 22 works in English, Baris Lodge No. 21 works in French. In Izmir - Ephesus Lodge No. 42 works in English. There are 10615 Regular Freemasons in Turkey are at the moment. All in good
standing and much attached to Regular Masonic philosophy, ethics and teachings.
The Grand Lodge of Turkey Free and Accepted Masons, publishes two revues
Mimar Sinan and Tesviye bimonthly. We would welcome visiting Brethren to contact our Grand Lodge at Masonic
Hall, Nuru Ziya Sok..Nr. 25 -, Beyoglu, Istanbul, 80500 when visiting Turkey. Tel: (0)212-2492451 Fax: (0)2122494753. The Grand Lodge of Turkey can be
found on the Internet at http://www.mason.org.tr Editors Note. Turkey is the only Islamic State where a Regular Grand Lodge exists. An American Legend P126 A MAN CALLED DUKE If computer technology irreversibly altered our way of life, the "Silver Screen"
likewise irreversibly produced a similar effect, with movies a wish fulfillment
And escape from one world into the day dreams of another. What the Hollywood
"Moguls" began over three quarters of a century ago has mushroomed into an
entertainment colossus whose reach extends into every facet not only of our
nation but virtually the world over, of which the cinema "Palaces" are now just a
small part. In the dimmed light of those "Palaces of Wonder," moviegoers have sat
entranced for over half a century watching John Wayne, as a modern 'knight', give
battle in over 150 good vs. evil scenarios. Whether it was westerns, war films, or
other genres, he was the essence of the classic, self-reliant, individualistic, "All
American Hero," but it was the westerns where he achieved his greatest glory and
which defined his image. His longevity as an actor remains a remarkable feat and with the incredible
legacy of his film work, it is unlikely any star will ever equal that legacy. True, in
his early days, some films were little more than western "potboilers." But, he also
left a legacy of classic cinema, epics such as "Stagecoach," "The Quiet Man,"
"The Searchers," "The Alamo," "Sands of Iwo Jima," "Red River," "True Grit,"
and his final film "The Shootist." Critics have called "The Searchers" the
ultimate western, perhaps the best ever made, and the high point of Wayne's
acting career. There are others, but these few are representative films, which, like
good wine, get better with age. The Duke liked to say he didn't act, but just played John Wayne. Nonetheless, his
colleagues had enormous respect for his talents. In a wide variety of roles, he
touched the emotions of his audience to an unbelievable degree, where his
audience was actually "with him" up on the screen. In "Sands of Iwo Jima," when
his Oscar nominated character died, audiences literally wept, so great was the
Wayne charisma. Often neglected and even panned by movie critics as being only a "western
actor," in their eyes something less than a Barrymore or Olivier, they failed to
recognize the depth of Wayne's acting in becoming the characters he portrayed.
Ignoring the critics, however, the public idolized the Duke and his films. When
John Ford was asked why Wayne starred in so many films and why the public
liked him, Ford replied: "Duke is the best actor in Hollywood, that's all." Unquestionably, Wayne's mere presence on a screen was so magnetic it
transcended the movie itself and became a vehicle for the Duke's own personality.
Not a "method actor," he simply became the character we saw, a true test of acting
ability. From a young Ringo Kid in "Stagecoach," an avenging Ethan Edwards in
"The Searchers," a mature rancher in "Red River," to an aging, dying gunfighter
in 'The Shootist," Wayne's persona integrated into his characters so completely
audiences forgot he was role playing. Physically, he was a big man, standing 6' 4" tall, about 220 pounds, with long
arms, large hands, a graceful stride that suggested quiet strength, and a punch that
has been likened to Jack Dempsey's. He was also an articulate and thoughtful man
with strong political beliefs and a simple code of both country and
professionalism. In his last film, "The Shootist," his character's credo was
expressed as follows: I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do
these things to other people and I require the same from them." The Duke was a straightforward man and both his on and off screen persona throughout his lifetime could well parallel not only the above words but also the Army's motto of "Duty, Honor, Country." A true patriot, he incurred enormous personal debts to film 1960's "The Alamo,"
an epic which was his dream and his passion. Unlike many who fault their
creditors or declare bankruptcy to avoid debts, the Duke simply plunged harder
into his career and slowly climbed out of his financial problems. He loved our
nation and said: "I am proud of every day in my life I wake up in the United
States of America." Of his film, he said: "I hope that seeing the Battle of the
Alamo will remind Americans that liberty and freedom don't come cheap. I hope
our children will get a sense of our glorious past and appreciate the struggle our
ancestors made for the precious freedoms we now enjoy and sometimes take for
granted." After undergoing heart surgery in early 1978, complications led to an extended
recovery period following which he was rehospitalized. Then, in early January
1979, he underwent extensive stomach surgery for renewed cancerous growth.
Against all odds, he survived the operation and on February 10th, returned to his
Newport Beach home to spend what would be his last months with family and
friends. A measure of his stamina was such that he managed to attend the Academy
Awards Ceremony in early April 1979 at the Los Angeles Music Center to present
the Best Picture Award, receiving a thunderous, emotional standing ovation upon
his appearance. On May 26th, his birthday, President Carter signed a bill
authorizing the minting of a special medal for the Duke stamped simply "John
Wayne, Amcrican," words suggested by a long-time co-star and friend Maureen
O'Hara. The medal was a rare tribute indeed in that only a select few individuals
have been so honored by Congress since the first was struck for George
Washington. On June 11, 1979, at the age of 72, John Wayne passed away at the U.C.L.A.
Medical Center in Los Angeles. President Ronald Reagan said: "There is no one
who more exemplified the devotion to our country, its goodness, its industry and
its strength than John Wayne." Elizabeth Taylor: "He gave the whole world the
image of what an American should be." And Jimmy Stewart: "I can't imagine
there's anyone in the country who doesn't know who he is. Kids will be talking
about him long after the rest of us are gone. John will make the history books, as
Will Rogers did, because he has lived his life to reflect the ideals of his country." One story has his father developing tuberculosis in 1915, with the cold winters of
Iowa being left behind for sunny Palmdale, California, while another story relates
to a failed business venture. It was perhaps a bit of both, but in any event the
family settled on 80 acres of barren Mojave desert land and began a small farm. If
the rugged desert area was the kind of life that helped to temper young Marion's
character, it was anything but pleasant for Molly. The house had no electricity~
running water, or toilets, the nearest neighbors were a mile away, and there were
lots of rodents, rabbits, and snakes always close by. The nearest town, if such it could be called, consisted of a couple of churches and banks, hotel, saloons, post Office,. blacksmith shop, real estate office, dry goods store, and a school. Lancaster had not quite yet caught up to the modern world and resembled nothing so much as a frontier town of the "Old West." Records indicate several others had tried and failed, to make a living on the same plot of ground Clyde tried to work. Young Marion would rise early each morning, have breakfast, complete his
chores and then ride an old horse several miles to school where, being tall and
skinny, he often became the butt of other students' jokes. As a consequence, his
imagination would often let him retreat into a "fantasy world" of cowboys,
Indians, and stagecoach robberies, a curious forerunner of things to come. Farm life not proving particularly successful, in 1916 the family moved to the
Los Angeles suburb of Glendale where his father resumed work as a pharmacist
and young Marion performed odd jobs and delivered papers to help family
income, of which there never seemed to be enough. From Molly's standpoint,
however, at least they had a far more comfortable home. It was during this era the
nickname "Duke" emerged, from a family dog by that name. People also began
calling Marion "Duke," a name which he liked and would carry throughout his
lifetime. Being a newcomer and initially feeling somewhat out of place, he was not only
teased by classmates both for his "girl's name" and mid-western accent, he was
often put upon by school bullies. Eventually, he would find refuge in libraries,
eagerly devouring the works of Kipling, James Fennimore Cooper, and anything
pertaining to American history, particularly the "Old West." His imagination was
caught early by the cowboy screen heroes of the era, such as Tom Mix and Buck
Jones and others such as Douglas Fairbanks. A friendly fireman and ex-boxer, noting the bruises of Duke's school tribulations,
gave him boxing lessons and after a few fights the teasing and bullying stopped.
In time, he would change from a shy, awkward, small-town boy in Doran
Elementary School to a robust, good-looking young man at Glendale High. He
became an honor student with high grades, active in several school activities,
popular among his classmates, an active Scout, President of his 1925 Class and an
excellent football player, his athletic prowess enabling him to obtain a football
scholarship at the University of Southern California. U.S.C. was a fairly exclusive and expensive institution whose alumni were
prominent and influential leaders in the Southern California area, with students
generally children of well-to-do families. By then, however, Duke had developed
into a confident and physically imposing young man with both ambition and
tenacity. He would make the varsity football team and was not unduly awed by
his classmates' affluence, even though he worked in his Sigma Chi frat house
waiting tables and doing dishes to finance his living there. While a college student, he. landed a job at the Fox Movie Studio. The canny
U.S.C. football coach provided hard-to-get game tickets to Fox stars, particularly
Tom Mix, and in return the Studio provided summer jobs for the players.
Working as a general prop man, Duke performed just about every possible job the
studio needed done. Later, shoulder and ankle injuries would end his football
career and scholarship, and after his sophomore year he left college to work full
time for Fox. If the story concerning his first stint in front of a camera, possibly apocryphal, is
about a Fox loanout to Warner Bros. to play a member of a football team for a
film in progress, his Carly screen appearances nonetheless appear to have been as
an unbilled extra. It is certain, however, his golden opportunity really came when
he got a minor assignment in the film of an already successful director named
John Ford. Again, he received no billing and it may not have meant much at the time. But,
Ford apparently remembered the young player as one with future possibilities and
their association would, in time, light an enduring flame, one which would
continue throughout their careers. Ford eventually became a close friend and
mentor, although their years together were not always the most amicable, Ford
being a talented director perhaps but also a difficult and hardnosed man. Around 1930, Raoul Walsh was making a film called "The Big Trail," for which
he had hoped to cast Gary Cooper, already a rising star. Cooper's loanout to Fox
failed to materialize, however, and based on a Ford recommendation the Duke
unexpectedly got the part. It was a good film, visually impressive, and the Duke,
now christened John Wayne, got fairly good reviews. And while it didn't shatter
any records in depression era America, at least it opened the door for the young
actor and helped to begin his assent, albeit a slow one, up the Hollywood ladder. During this early period, there were years of minor, even "forgettable," films and
"cliff-hanger" serials - even including a stint in "Riders of Destiny" where he
appeared as "Singin' Sandy," one of the first singing cowboys - but certainly no
threat to Gene Autry or Roy Rogers who would later follow. In June of 1933, now working fairly regularly, he married Josephine Saenz,
daughter of a prominent Los Angeles businessman and Consul for several Central
American nations. They had met years earlier, while he was at U.S.C., and were
immediately drawn to each other but the Duke felt he had needed a steady income
before thinking of family responsibilities. In that the Duke was unwilling to convert to his bride's Catholicism, a Church
wedding was ruled out so a garden ceremony was held at the home of Loretta
Young, with his Sigma Chi fraternity brothers serving as the Duke's best man and
ushers. A son, Michael, was born in 1934, a daughter, "Toni," in 936, another
son, Patrick, in 1939, and a second daughter, Melinda, in 1940. The Duke's breakthrough came in 1938 when, while still only a B-picture player,
John Ford offered a plum - the role of Ringo in "Stagecoach," the film that would
make Wayne a star. Handsomely produced and filled with outstanding talent,
"Stagecoach" turned into a masterpiece which, like Warner's later "Casablanca,"
gets better through the years. The public noticed, the critics noticed, and
Hollywood noticed. The Duke had arrived. In "Stagecoach" and his later films, the Duke changed forever the screen's
traditional image of the "white-hatted cowboy hero," creating instead a tougher,
more deeply dimensional and often brooding western hero. Still, if the film was
the catalyst in Wayne's career, it was not until 1940's "The Dark Command," a
Civil War drama, reinforced his ascending screen presence that Hollywood's
moguls finally recognized his talents. Not a social party type, he eschewed formal occasions when possible, preferring
instead a small coterie of movie pals all of whom made up a hard drinking,
poker-playing group. His wife, conversely, moved through society circles and was
unprepared for his "macho" way of life, the rough camaraderie of his movie pals,
and his dedication to the film world, which resulted in long hours and frequent
absences. On his part, he was both unprepared for and disliked her tight social circle of society friends and priests and her untiring dedication to the Church and its activities. In the eagerness of youth, they had not realized it but the match would be doomed from the start. The young college man Josie had fallen in love with had grown into an aspiring actor whose lifestyle was totally different from her own they simply lived in different worlds. She was also a highly jealous woman and resented the fact that young and virile
male and female movie players were thrown into close proximity with each other,
both on the Hollywood set and on distant locations . And, being a devout Catholic
in contrast to the Duke's easy-going Protestantism simply added another barrier to
the marriage. In 1944, she filed for divorce, gaining custody of the children, but
Wayne always had praise for their upbringing. During World War 11, at age 34, married, and the father of four children, he was
not eligible for the draft. Some say his old injuries were also a factor, albeit
perhaps a minor one, but he also had multiple family responsibilities, including
both his mother and stepmother and her daughter to support. His parents had
separated in 1926 with a final divorce decree in February 1930, whereupon his
father remarried but died in 1937. Duke's marriage was coming apart, there were
the additional costs of his living apart, and the poor investments of his business
managers had left him virtually broke. Duke needed money and had to keep
working - he couldn't leave Hollywood. Always supporting the war effort, however, he toured U.S.O.s, military bases and
hospitals, mingling with the troops, and even toured forward positions in the
Pacific. He also seemingly "won the Pacific War singlehandedly," or so it
appeared, through such films as "Flying Tigers," 'The Fighting Seabees," "Back to
Battan," "They Were Expendable," "Sands of Iwo Jima," "Operation Pacific," and
"Flying Leathernecks." The value of such films on the American public's morale cannot be
underestimated for, in their own way, they symbolized America's spirit and were
important parts of the national mood both during and after the war. In March,
1942, at a Hollywood luncheon of the Associated Motion Picture Advisors, Cecil
B. DeMille said: "The job of motion pictures is to help bring home a full realization of the crisis
and of the deadly peril that lurks in internal squabbles. Ours is the task of holding
high and ever visible the values that everyone is fighting for. I don't mean flag
waving, but giving the embattled world sharp glimpses of the way. of life that
we've got to hang on to in spite of everything." In 1941, while in Mexico on a business-pleasure trip, he had met a twenty year
old fiery Mexican girl, Esperanza "Chata" Bauer, and smitten by her Latin
sexuality they carried on a lengthy courtship. The Duke tended to place women
on a pedestal, ignoring any past history. After his divorce from Josephine, and
against the advice of his friends, who saw Chata as a "party girl," he married her
on January 17th, 1946, at the United Presbyterian Church in Long Beach. While he initially felt she matched his lifestyle, it turned out to be a.volatile and
explosive combination resulting in six stormy years of marriage, ending in
divorce in late 1953. Amid a highly publicized trial, there were recriminations on
both sides with Chata returning to Mexico and passing away in 1954 apparently
from alcohol abuse. Active in the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals, begun in early 1944, along with Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Cecil B. DeMille, Robert Taylor, and hundreds of others, he was a conservative in politics and an outspoken patriot never reluctant to voice his feelings, a trait which sometimes caused controversy. According to his secretary, when replying to criticism of his views, Wayne used a modified version of an 18th Century French Freemason's thoughts: "You may disagree completely with what I say, but I will defend to the death my right to say it." In 1969, he told Time Magazine: "There's a lot of yellow bastards in this country who would like to call patriotism old-fashioned." Wayne was certainly not one of them. His recording of "America, Why I Love Her," released March 1, 1973, sold over 100,000 copies in the first two weeks. After the dark days of 1950's Hollywood, brought on by the specter of "McCarthylsm" and explosive Senate Hearings in the search for Communists in the film industry, the Alliance disappeared but the Hearings' legacy would linger for years. Contrary to some images, he was not an ultraconservative, right-wing extremist but simply anti-Communist. In his last years, when asked about the "Bolshies," he replied: "Communism is quite obviously still a threat. Yes, they are human beings, with a right to their point of view... but you certainly don't want your children to share their point of view. That's all I'm interested in - seeing that they don't disrupt what we've proven for two hundred years to be a pretty workable system, a system in which human beings can get along and thrive." On a 1952 trip to Peru, scouting locations for "The Alamo," ironically later filmed in the U.S., he had met Pilar Palette, a stunning twenty-two year old aspiring Peruvian actress. Although still married to Chata, he nonetheless began courting Pilar and after his divorce, he married her in Hawaii in November of 1954. While accompanying him on his film "shoots" for the first year or two, with daughter Alssa born in March 1956, son John Ethan in February 1962, and a second daughter, Marissa, in February 1966, Pilar's travelling was curtailed as she elected to stay with her children. All in all, it was a good marriage with perhaps predictable occasional spats. But Pilar knew and accepted the Wayne lifestyle, at least initially, and a deep love and affection developed which seemed to strengthen through the years. Still, being a "Hollywood Wife," in this case "Mrs. John Wayne," is not always an easy task for a woman trying to establish her own identity and the Duke's lifestyle eventually took its toll. Pilar became active in several charities and opened a successful interior decorating studio and restaurant, not out of necessity but simply to keep occupied. Interestingly, Duke's three marriages were to Latin women, a type he apparently seemed drawn to perhaps believing they would be more devoted to home and children rather than outside activities. But in 1973, he said: "I still don't understand women, and I don't think there is a man who does." Separated in 1973, but never divorcing, it was an amicable arrangement and they remained close friends throughout his lifetime. It is certain, however, that Pilar was unquestionably supportive of the Duke and saw him through many difficult and turbulent years. It is perhaps a paradox but Wayne needed someone "to be by his side" even though that "side" often proved to be apart. In 1950, he became No. I at the Box Office and would remain in the top 5 a record twenty-three times! He was not only the nation's most popular star and box office champion, his civic achievements were legion. He received countless scrolls, citations, honorary police badges, magazine, military and other awards all honoring his many efforts such as his continuing cancer awareness programs in educating the public, his drug abuse rallies, and countless other endeavors. Then, in April 1970, he fulfilled a lifelong dream by receiving an Oscar for his role as a crusty old marshal in the 1969 film "True Grit," his peers finally officially acknowledging his abilities. Unlike some who have used the forum to spout favorite political or social causes, when receiving his Oscar, the Duke's down-to-earth philosophy and pride in his craft shone forth like a beacon. After a few - very few - introductory remarks, he said: "... I feel very grateful, very humble, and I owe thanks to many, many people. I want to thank the Members of the Academy. To all you people who are watching on television, thank you for taking such a warm interest in our glorious industry." Then he left the stage. The Duke was a complex individual, his private persona sometimes differing from the screen image of an easygoing wandering, footloose cowboy. Perhaps Victorian in some ideas and yet modern in others, it was not easy to "classify" him. For example, along with his large gun collection, he also had a number of impressive art pieces, rare books on the American West, preferred the sea to the plains, was a widely-read and compulsive reader, liked poetry, and enjoyed playing chess. A "workaholic," he rose early every morning, usually before 5:30, arrived on the set early and took satisfaction in a hard day's work. A perfectionist and true professional in his chosen field, knowing not only his own lines but those of his co-stars as well, he had little use for those who took their film work lightly. Prone to quick temper outbursts, he was just as quick to calm down and if he was a "hard-living" man, he never let it interfere with his work. Though he always made efforts to be a good husband and father, and loved his family, their life was not always as harmonious as he might have wanted. His frequent absences were a strain on the family unit and he later indicated there were things he should have done differently. Although the Duke was considered a "man's man," Pilar said "that for a big,
powerful man he was extraordinarily gentle and sentimental, that he never forgot
an anniversary or a birthday and delighted in bringing home gifts to surprise the
family." When asked what it was like to be the son of John Wayne, Patrick
replied, just been the greatest. I couldn't imagine being the child of anybody else.
He was a great dad and a great friend and gave me incredible opportunities." Misunderstandings within families are not a new phenomenon, but they tend to
become magnified when occurring in the families of stars. Show business life,
however seemingly glamorous, can often be a difficult burden to carry,
particularly when it becomes almost an obsession. While some eventually "stop
and smell the roses," the Duke never stopped. As he explained to Pat Stacy, his
secretary and companion during his last years, "a man needed a project,
something to look forward to." It's well established that incessant public attention and curiosity about a star can
frequently be a major problem. Unlike some stars, however, particularly in this
modern era, the Duke was particularly noted by the press for his courtesy, respect
and lack of rudeness with fans. He respected them, recognizing they were
responsible for his success and popularity. In speaking of her father's philosophy, his daughter Aissa quoted him as saying:
"Never lose the common touch. Never think anyone is better than you, but never
assume you're superior to anyone else. Try and be decent to everyone, until they
give you reason not to." In the '50s and '60s his world was changing, however, and he would change with
it. Bogart died in '57, Tyrone Power and Errol Flynn in'58, Gable and Ward Bond
in'60, Cooper in '61 and a close friend and minor cinema player, Grant Withers,
had also passed away. Cagney was retired, Grant followed in '62, leaving only
Fonda, Stewart, and Wayne left of those friends who began their careers in the
'30s and found stardom in the '40s. Not prone to express his inner feelings openly,
he nonetheless felt their absences deeply. If the greats of Hollywood were disappearing, along with them a way of life was
also disappearing. One biographer said: "John Wayne belonged to that great era
of Hollywood when the movies were made to entertain and when star
personalities were involved in nothing more complex than holding our attention
while they searched for honesty, justice, love and happiness." A far cry indeed
from the sex, sadism, gore, and other less than desirable attributes now often on
the silver screen. John Wayne said: "My generation not only cared about picture
making, we cared about the country. The only message we wanted to get across
was pride - pride in yourself, pride in your history." Audiences related to Wayne, watching him grow from a youthful fair-haired
cowboy hero in the '20s to an aging legend of the '70s whose craggy face mirrored
the saga of life. We related to the Duke for his was a saga of the accomplishments
of "everyman," a saga of a man who stood four-square for honesty and integrity,
who stood for the way things used to be, a man larger than life, and a man we
would like to be. One can perhaps argue the relative influence of filmwriters and directors versus
Wayne's personal views, both in preparing scenarios and in directorial actions for
his films. Nonetheless, an underlying philosophy often shines forth, particularly
in the later films when he was in a position to exert significant influence and/or
control, a philosophy reflecting the need for social and economic rights, for
human dignity, for personal worth, for an America where right is right and wrong
is wrong. In brief, Wayne's own philosophy of life is on display. Often, Wayne's film persona can be likened to such Greek romantic heros as
Odysseus or Perseus and their journeys in terms of quests against seemingly
impossible odds. And like the Greek heros, Wayne's characters invariably achieve
their goals. Even in those rare instances where his character does not survive, as
in "Sands of Iwo Jima," he nonetheless emerges as an "icon" of heroic
proportions. A Member of Glendale DeMolay Chapter during his high school days, Duke was also a Mason, like his father before him, receiving his "Blue Lodge" Degrees in July 1970 in Marion McDaniel Lodge No. 56, Tucson, Arizona. A Senior DeMolay, he was also awarded the DeMolay Legion of Honor in I ' 970. In December of that year, he joined the York Rite Bodies in California and became a Shriner in Al Malaikah Shrine Temple. While there have been hundreds of the Hollywood colony involved in the
Masonic Craft, the long and uncertain hours and travel of those in the film
industry often makes lodge participation difficult. Still, we know from
biographical and historical accounts the seriousness with which Craft
Membership is taken. -In an early January 1979 session with T.V. personality Barbara Walters, in what
was destined to be his last interview, when asked about a philosophy that summed
up his thinking, he said: "Listen, I spoke to the Man up there on many occasions
and I have what I've always had - deep faith that there is a Supreme Being. There
has to be, you know, it's just ... to me, that's just a normal thing, to have that kind
of faith." Although not a regular churchgoer, like the great French Freemason Voltaire, John Wayne was a religious man but cared little for organized religion. Raised a Presbyterian, his Protestantism always remained a wedge between him and his Catholic wives. "I don't belong to any Church," he had said. "I believe in God and Jesus Christ, and I pray." Time Magazine quoted the Duke in its August 8 , 1969, issue as saying he would
like to be remembered by the words "Feo, Fuerte y Formal" which, in Spanish,
mean: "Ugly, Strong, And had Dignity." Perhaps more than any other words,
however, a line from "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" could well be the
enduring legacy of "A Man Called Duke": "When the legend becomes fact, print
the legend." Bibliography: 1. Jobn Wayne-american - 1955 - Roberts & Olson - Simon & Shuster 2. John Wayne-my Life With The Duke - Pilar Wayne - 1987 11. The Films Of John Wayne Ricci Zmijewsky - 1970 - Citadel 12. John Wayne -Actor, Artist, Hero - Richard D. McGhee - 1990 - McFarland & Co. 17. The Movie Book - D. Shiach - 1992 - Arness, London by Wallace McLeod, FPS, Executive Secretary The Semi-Annual Meeting of the Philalethes Society was held on September 18
and 19, in Bangor, Maine, in the Sheraton Four Points Hotel, with the
Cornerstone Computer Chapter as the host. On Thursday evening, for those who
arrived early, there was a presentation designed to introduce them to the region,
by the local entertainer and folk-singer, Joe Bennett. On Friday there was a beautiful bus tour. It began by going down to Bar Harbor,
through the countryside bright with autumn leaves; this was followed by an
awe-inspiring cruise of Frenchman's Bay, on the four-mastered schooner, the
Margaret Todd. Then, in the afternoon the bus tour continued with a trip through
Acadia National Park, culminating in the gorgeous view from the summit of
Cadillac Mountain. The formal meeting of the Society took place on Saturday, the theme of the
conference being, "Masonic Research: Relevant or Relic?" It began with a
welcome by William N. Wine, the President of Cornerstone Computer Chapter. A
number of papers were presented, including "History, Heritage, and the Future of
Masonic Research," by Joel Springer III of California; "A Draft of an Entered
Apprentice Catechism," by Harry B. Lyon of Virginia; "Research today: The State
of Anti-Masonry," by Edward L. King of Maine; "From Maine to Canada to
Australia: Masonic Ideals and Punishment in the 1830s," by Wallace McLeod of
Ontario; and "The European Viewpoint on Research," by Martin Barbedor of
France.In the evening there was a magnificent banquet. Among those present was
M.W.Bro. Harold Chute, P.G.M. of Maine, who responded to the Toast to the
Grand Master. At the meeting of the Executive Board, it was noted that our CD-ROM of the
first fifty years of the magazine has been well-received; and that our Web Site on
the Internet continues to receive many visitors. The Business Manager reported
that, as of September 3, the total assets of the Society were 10% higher than they
had been a year earlier. Arrangements have been made for the Society to accept
credit card payments, which will make it easier for members to order memorabilia
or renew subscriptions. Planning continues for the Annual Assembly and Feast in Washington in
February. Once again this year, as a convenience to local members, the banquet
will begin at 7:00 p.m. And we should note that the semi-annual meeting in 1999
will be hosted by the Oklahoma Chapter of the Society-, and for 2000, by the
John Ross Robertson Chapter, of Toronto. Altogether, the Bangor meeting was a great success. Our gratitude goes to the
host chapter; but above all to the chief organizer, Ed King (and his wife Brandy),
who had exerted tremendous efforts, planning every detail meticulously, and
overcoming various frustrations. Bro. King had stepped in as local administrator
only four months earlier, had been forced to change the location of the meeting,
and had suffered a number of disappointments, including last minute
cancellations by some of those who had agreed to be on the program. But even so,
everything was superbly arranged. As one of those who attended (Bro. Charles W.
Munro of Texas) later remarked, "I can tell you that it was one of the best
[semi-annual meetings] that I've ever attended, and also that we missed those of
you who were not able to be with us there." How true! MAN As A RITUAL BEING P133 Man is, by nature, a ritual being. Other criteria such as economic, political,
social, and others can define him; but he can certainly be defined as being a ritual
being. This paper contends that this aspect of man is universal, and not just an
aberration of that group called Freemasons! Man exhibits a "striking parallel between his ritual and verbal behavior. just as
language is a system of symbols that is based upon arbitrary rules, ritual may be
viewed as a system of symbolic acts that is based upon arbitrary rules" (Penner,
1985, p. 824). This parallel can be seen in the history of the various attempts to
explain ritual behavior. "In most explanations, language becomes a necessary
factor in the theory concerning the nature of ritual, and the specific form of
language that is tied to explanations of ritual in the language is the language of
myth" (Penner, 1985, p.824). When considering general approaches to a theory about the nature and origin of
ritual, three approaches seem to prevail. One is the origin approach, which is the
earliest attempt to explain ritual behavior. This is simply an approach in which the
rituals are considered with historical origin. This theory assumes an evolutionary
hypothesis that would attempt to explain ritual behavior through history. It
contains the notion that if one could discover the origin of this ritual behavior, he
would be able to explain the contemporary rituals of man. Robertson Smith, a British biblical scholar, had his theory about sacrifice
published in the ninth edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica (1875-89), which
promulgated the notion that this was attempt by early man to have communion
with their god. "The origin of ritual, therefore was believed to be found in totemic
(animal symbolic clan) cults; and totenism, for many authors, was thus believed to
be the earliest stage of religion and ritual. Then from this original ritual, rituals of
purification, gift giving, piacular (expiatory) rites, and worship were viewed as
developments, or secondary stages, of the original sacrificial ritual" (Penner,
1985, p. 824). Others picked up Smith's theory such as Emile Durkheirn and Sigmund Freud.
Durkheirn was a sociologist, and Freud the famous psychoanalyst. Freud
remained convinced that the origin of religion and ritual is to be found in
sacrifice. Durkheim studied totenism with the Australian aborigines, and thought
he would find it there. He came to believe that "ritual behavior entails an attitude
concerned with the sacred; and sacred acts and things, therefore, are nothing more
than symbolic representations of society" (Penner, 1985, p. 824). A second perspective takes a functional approach to the study of ritual behavior.
Contemporary researchers have discounted the origin-evolutionary approach as
being too inadequate to explain human behavior because no one can verify any of
these ideas. They remain creative speculations, and can be neither denied nor
confirmed. This approach looks at ritual behavior from the perspective of its function within
a given society. This is its primary focus. Scholars are looking for empirical data
gathered from field research within that given society. It isn't looking for the
sweeping, unsupported generalizations of the first approach. Its aim is to explain
ritual behavior in terms of individual needs and social equilibrium. From this,
ritual can be viewed "as an adaptive and adjustive response to the social and
physical environment" (Penner, 1985, p. 824). The strength of the functional approach is that it claims to be both logical and
empirical. It is a claim that is open to serious criticism. For it to be SO, it would
have to clarify such terms need, maintenance, and a society functioning
adequately. This becomes crucial if these terms are to be taken as empirical terms. There are several types of rituals. Though these typologies do not explain
anything, they do help to identify those rituals that are, similar to each other
within and across cultures. One type of ritual can be labeled "imitative." By this it
is supposed that rituals are dependent upon some belief system. The rituals then become imitative in that they repeat some aspect of the belief system (myth). Another typology can relate to the polarities of positive and negative conditions.
Rituals can thus be classified as being positive or negative. Positive rituals are
concerned with acts of consecration (setting apart to make holy) or with renewing.
Acts of consecration or renewing can be directed toward an object or an
individual. On the contrary, negative conditions focus their attention towards
situations that one should avoid or is forbidden. There are many types of these
rituals that focus on prohibition, but one thing that is similar to all is that they
declare that something bad is going to happen if you cross the line! The sacrificial qualities of ritual are another typology. Sacrificial rituals Hare
very complex and diverse throughout the world, nevertheless, they can be divided
into two classes: those in which the participant or participants receive the benefit
of the sacrificial act and those in which an object is the direct recipient of the
action. Finally, sacrificial ritual's distinctive feature is to be found in the
destruction, either partly or totally, or the victim which does not have to be
human or animal. Vegetables, cakes, milk, and the like can be the "victim'' of such
acts. "The total or partial destruction of the victim may take place through
burning, dismembering or cutting into pieces, eating, or burying" (Penner, 1985,
p. 826). Rites of passage can usually be categorized into three areas. One group involves
those types of rituals used as a separation from an old situation of life such as
from life to death. A second group celebrates transitions from one situation to
another such as graduation from school. A third ritual of passage would focus on
incorporation such as baptism. Some rites can stress more than one area, or all. "Rituals of initiation into a secret society or a religious vocation are often
included among rites of passage as characteristic rituals of transition" (Penner,
1985, p. 826). "Initiation rituals can be classified in many ways. The patterns
emphasized by Mircea Smith, in Birth and Rebirth, all include a separation or
symbolic death followed by a rebirth. They include rites all the way from
separation from the mother to the more complex and dramatic rituals of
circumcision, ordeals of suffering, or a descent into hell, all of which are symbolic
of a death followed by a rebirth. Rites of withdrawal and quest, as well as rituals
characteristic of shamans and religious specialists, are typically initiatory in theme
and structure. Some of the most dramatic rituals of this type express a death and
return to a new period of gestation and birth often in terms that are specifically
embryological and gynecological. Finally, there are the actual rituals of physical
death itself, a rite of passage and transition into a spiritual or immortal existence"
(Penner, 1985, p. 826). Rituals generally mark off a particular time of the day, month, year, life, or the beginning of something new. This is generally referred to as "sacred time." When the ritual is connected with a particular place, this is referred to as a "sacred space." Both of these elements are essential or special aspects of ritual. They mark a specific orientation or setting for ritual action. In fact, "the shape, spatial orientation, and location of the ritual setting are essential features of the semantics of ritual action" (Penner, 1985, p. 827). Kyle (1993) wrote an essay concerning the need for ritual in society. He claimed
that we desperately need ritual for our societys elders for both retirement and
preparation for death. Currently retirement means being released from the daily
chore of going to a place of employment (if one can afford to do this). It is a
release from the fragmenting influence of work where we have to divide our time
between family, hobbies, work, and rest. "The problem is that, by the time we
reach retirement age, we have been so conditioned by our jobs and hypnotic
consumption that we don't know how to reclaim our lives for ourselves. We have
lost a sense of individual and collective purpose and direction." Kyle wants to
replace that with new meaning derived from initiatory rituals that every ancient
tribe had in some form or another. This process will give them purpose for their
senior years; not as outcasts but as productive participants with value. When doing a complete analysis of ritual, one would have to include its relationship to art, to architecture, to music, and to the specific objects used in the ritual such as dress, swords, bowls, cups, etc. "When particular ritual objects, dances, gestures, music, and dress are included in the study of ritual, the total structure and meaning of ritual behavior far exceed any one description or explanation of ritual man. Most descriptions are selective and are dependent upon the theory and intent with which rituals are to be studied" (Penner, 1985, p. 827). Rituals confront us, as individuals every day. Most of us use many rituals in being
able to get up in the morning and arrive at work on time. As Freemasons, our
lives are further enriched by our visits to our various Masonic bodies in which all
are heavily involved in the use of rituals. Besides bringing a new initiate into the
fold, we can't even conduct routine business without ritual! Beck and Metrick (1990) suggest that we can even further enhance our lives by
using special rituals that we can devise for our own use. Though I don't believe
they were thinking of Freemasonry when they wrote what I am getting ready to
share, I believe it directly speaks to our situation today. They wrote, "many of the
rituals that are available to us may seem empty. Our needs, as individuals and as a
people, have changed. The traditional rituals may not meet or even recognize our
current needs. When rituals are so finely woven into the fabric of our common
expressions that we barely recognize them for what they are, much less tap into
their inherent power, it is time to take a look at how we can actively bring ritual to
a meaningful and relevant position once again" (Beck & Metrick, 1990, p. 6). 1 believe we loge many new Masons because the ritual is not easily
understandable by them, or the ritual lacks apparent relevance for their lives. They
don't stick around long enough to begin to understand Freemasonry's precepts or
tenets. It might also be possible that a good brother's attempt at conveying ritual
may leave something to be desired. Likewise another good brother might forget
that the purpose of ritual is to convey meaning rather than a simple, but perfect,
recitation of the words. Ritual is important to the survival of Freemasonry. Beck and Metrick suggest that "the purpose of creative ritual is to increase the
balance and connection within ourselves, with each other, the world, and with the
larger-rhythms and energies that bring stability and light to our lives" (1990, p. 6).
"To derive power from a ritual it must, in some way, stand apart from our
ordinary lives. It is not uncommon for us to have so much of our energy and
attention directed toward our daily routines and our goals that our focus becomes
narrowed. We may even become preoccupied with our doubts, our fears, or our
pain. These things can isolate us. We may lose connection with the rhythm in our
lives and the passages that we all share as human beings on the planet. This is
what the existentialist philosopher Martin Heidegger called a state of
'forgetfulness of being' (Beck & Metrick, 1990, p. 7). "There is the state of 'mindfulness of being.' This is a condition of authenticity, of
being fully self-aware and conscious of being the creative composer of one's own
life. Ritual provides us with a way of taking responsibility for our lives through
the use of a metaphoric process. At the time of a milestone or rite of passage, we
can shift our focus from the minutiae of the event to the way the experience fits
into the grand plan of our life. The creativity, drama, and perceptual shift
connected with the ritual enable us to dis-identify with the isolation, confusion, or
fear that may be associated with the passage and to know instead the power of
creativity, action, and understanding" (Beck & Metrick, 1990, p. 7). Certainly,
-we as Freemasons would hope that this would occur when we exemplify a degree
to a candidate, and even to those Brothers sitting on the sidelines! Of special significance to Freemasons, "a well designed and executed ritual is
more than just a dramatic presentation. Through ritual we can enter a state of
timelessness. In this state, we can go beyond the parameters that have described
our perception of reality" (Beck & Metrick, 1990, p. 8). While in our ritual, we
can allow our candidates to experience this ebb and flow of timelessness. Not
only can we "travel" back in time to the building of King Solomon's Temple; we
can also experience death. On a more mundane level, ritual can make a
clock-watcher forget about his timepiece for a little while. Sometimes this altered state of consciousness can be of further value to ritual in
Freemasonry. Not only do we want the candidate to experience the timelessness
just discussed, but we want him thinking differently for awhile. We want him to
be able to think of himself as the character he is playing. We want him to accept
the mantle, and become that character. In so doing, the experience of ritual is
enhanced. More of an experience is gained for the candidate. It will have lasting
effect on him. Likewise, we want him to shed his mundane thoughts, and
experience the grandeur of the moment. That moment is special, and it should
have its time and place. "Ceremonies require at least one person to be as conscious of the meaning, theme
and goal of the celebration or rites as possible. Many, especially the children, will
simply go along with the sights and smells and sounds and be fulfilled, enriched
and fully satisfied by the simplest and earthiest participation" (Nelson, 1986, p.
46). Though the author was speaking of community celebrations and rituals, she
addressed Freemasonry. If you substituted "candidate" for "children," and maybe
some of the folks on the sidelines, that statement would apply to our fraternity.
Candidates are not expected to fully comprehend the first time through a degree
and therefore should simply follow along. Unfortunately, too many of our
Brothers on the sidelines lack a true understanding of our rituals, and merely go
along without full appreciation of the meanings contained within the ritual. I
guess it could be argued that that is one of the beauties of Freemasonry. It can be
compared with the proverbial onion in which each new layer being peeled away
leads to a greater understanding. Thus everyone can be afforded some degree of
understanding regardless of what layer of the onion he is on. Unfortunately, I
believe that far too many are easily satisfied with the outer most layers of the
onion. The one constant that I have found as a student of Freemasonry is that the
more I learn the less, I realize, I know. "A ritual is a kind of drama that takes you out of the limited awareness you mistake in your ignorance for your true self While exalted by ritual, you catch a glimpse of the higher reality. The same sort of thing happens when you watch an engrossing film or stage play. The drama lifts you out of yourself and you become the characters, at least by sympathy" (Tyson, 1992, p. 20). "Stage drama is a degenerate form of magical ritual. Drama was at first wholly
magical and was enacted by the shamans before an audience of either men or gods
to achieve a magical result. Later, it came to be a support for religion, as in the
Greek Mysteries at Eleusis, where the higher cult secrets of Ceres were mimicked
before initiates. Still later, drama appeared in the medieval mystery and miracle
plays, where biblical stories and moral parables were enacted on the steps of the
great cathedrals of Europe" (Tyson, 1992, p. 20). It is from out of these mystery
plays that Freemasonry sprang. Our rituals have been evolving for more than 200
years, and maybe for as many as 800 years, in some form or another. The actual length of time is not important to this paper. What is important is the
relevancy of the ritual to today's society. Some of our Brothers would have us to
believe that our ritual does not speak to our needs today. Some would say it's
outmoded, and that it has outlived its usefulness. If it's not coming at you from
CNN via cable network, or as a fax, e-mail, or cellular phone, somehow it's not
quite right for today. Some would have us alter its delivery so that busy men
could get it all done in one day. Some are not concerned with learning via
"mouth-to-ear," the old-fashioned way. To most memorization is no longer of any
value. Memorization may not be important, in and of itself. Could it be the effort involved in the memorization that makes one more connected, and more a part of the lodge? Could it be the effort that creates the life-long camaraderie with our fellow lodge brothers? Could the process of being involved with the lodge to exemplify the degrees throughout a Brother's Masonic "career" be one of the important elements that makes being a Mason worthwhile? Could it be that our ritual is not outdated, but that we, ourselves, arc the problem? Could it be that we are not as committed to Masonry as our forefathers were? Could it be that we don't talk about Masonry to our friends because it's not "politically correct?" Unlike my contemporary social scientists that rely on empirical data gathered
from the field by researchers, I don't have any objective data to base any
conclusions on. So there are no answers attached to this essay, only questions.
But I will suggest that ritual plays an extremely important roll in the life of
Freemasonry, and that we should honor it and cherish it. It is the thing of which
Masons are made. References Beck, R & Metrick, S. (1990). The art of ritual: A ,guide to creating and
performing your own rituals for growth and change. Berkeley, CA: Celestial
Arts. Kyle, D. T. (1993, October). A call for elder leaders: Prescription for a youth-obsessed culture. Magical Blend pp. 24-29. Nelson, G. M. (1986). To dance with God Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press. Penner, H. H. (1985). The concept and forms of ritual. In Thr Encyclopaedia
Britannica (Vol 26, pp. 824-827).-Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannia Tyson, D. (1992). Ritual magic "at it is & how to do it. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn
Publications. Reflection's P136 Fall begins in our home with one of those small family rituals that has settled into
place over the years without anyone really noticing. My wife makes chili. She only does this when the Arizona temperature drops to the point where she can again inhabit the kitchen. She does not cook in the summer. During this period, the basic food groups in our home are frozen, canned, microwave and takeout. So, when she makes chili, it is officially fall. (Conversely, gin-and-tonics announce the arrival of summer. Easier to make but still rewarding in their own way.) This business of the chili is one of those small family rituals that marks the
passing of our days. Rituals, formal or not, give focus to our lives and a pleasant
consistency. So much these days moves so fast with so little sense of direction
that I take refuge in the rituals that bring a small sense of order to my life. My favorite ritual is Sunday mornings with the Sunday edition of the newspaper.
At first, I was attracted only because the Sunday comics-yes, we did call it the
"funny paper"-were printed in glorious color. It was the first thing I grabbed
before being herded off to Sunday School. It is still the first section I read before
being cooled and tied and herded off to Sunday services by my wife, who insists
upon such things. We have compromised to a degree. We attend the 11 a.m. service. This gives me at least a couple of good, solid hours with the morning paper and my coffee. I begin with the funny papers. Then I go to the book reviews. I grew up reading the essays of the book editor of the Omaha World-Herald, Victor Haas. He was a literate sort with an elegant essay style. I loved his writing. Measuring other book pages against his benchmark has caused me much disappointment over the years. But I continue to hope. After the book reviews, I progress in ritualistic order through the arts, travel, business, sports, local and national news sections. I save the editorial pages for last, so that I can linger over them a bit, either in awe of the excellent opinions expressed therein or in sheer amazement at the cretins who are allowed to expound upon their foolish-and clearly wrongheaded-points of view. The ads I seldom see, my wife having taken possession of them immediately upon arrival. This little ritual, in one form or another, has been part of life in North America, at
least, since 1796, when various weekly papers began issuing Sunday editions. The
daily Boston Globe published on Sunday for a short time, but it was the New
York Herald that began a successful Sunday edition in 1841. The real birth of my Sunday morning ritual came around the turn of the century,
when Joseph Pulitzer and Bill Hearst were battling for newspaper supremacy in
New York City. It was the era of Yellow Journalism-a phrase coined from a
popular cartoon of the period, the Yellow Kid, which was appearing in the papers
owned by both men. It was during this period that the Sunday paper began to be measured in pounds, rather than pages. By the way, it
was Pulitzer's New York World that started the color funny papers. For which I
thank him each Sunday at the 11 a.m. service. Each section of the five- or ten-pound mass that is my Sunday newspaper had its
special beginnings. The editorial cartoon was the brainchild of Brother Ben
Franklin, for example. Sports, business, local news, etc., all had their origins as
news sections long before I was born. And even today, the end result is anything
but finished. Unchanged, however, is the joy of my small ritual each Sunday morning. Even
when I disagree about the relative news value of the lead story, the fact that I still
consider sports writing an oxymoron, and that the editorial pages are frequently in
disagreement with my own enlightened view of the world. All of that aside, there
is still something reassuring, about the took and feel of a Sunday newspaper and
the small, reassuring ritual that accompanies its examination in my home. Rituals
are like that, I guess. This Holday Season Give your Masonic Brothers the gift that will keep giving them new insight into Freemasonry Worldwide Projection of the Values of Freemasonry In Its Actions for the Benefit of Society If there is something in which the majority of contemporary thinkers are in
agreement, is that we are experiencing a world crisis. As somebody said: "God is
dead, communism has fallen, and I myself don't feel so good." From the sublime
to the ridiculous in less than twenty words. There is talk of a crisis of values, the end of ideology, the oil crisis, the ozone crisis, the AIDS crisis, the economic crisis. Sometimes it appears that the word crisis is in crisis because of overuse. The fact is, whether a situation of crisis does exist or not, the sensation of crisis
undoubtedly does, and this is almost the same thing. It is not only anxiety due to uncertainty about the future. The malaise affecting us
has deeper roots, and perhaps less conscious as well. The Angst of our time is
comparable to the sensation of somebody who is sliding down a slope without
being able to reduce his speed, or seeing what. lies behind the net hillock. Worse
still, he doesn't know why he is there in the first place. The "future shock"
brilliantly predicted by a writer a few years ago is no longer in the future, but a
daily reality. Knowledge acquired with great effort in the course of years becomes
outdated in a matter of weeks. We have hardly finished learning a new computer
program when another appears, better than the previous one... and different. The
problems of work, in the family, in society, are becoming more severe. We are
sick of novelties. As another millennium comes to an end, we observe the growing chasm between
our ever accelerating technological progress and the immobility - if not
backsliding - in the moral and intellectual development of the human race. We
should not be surprised, then, if apocalyptic movements and fanatical cults appear
here and there, with increasing frequency. To speak of the new Middle Ages has become hackneyed. Berdiaeff, the Russian
philosopher, writing after World War 1, already gave this tide to one of his books.
The death of God was proclaimed by Nietzsche over a century ago. So let us leave
aside these shopworn concepts, and within the limited space we have available let
us examine instead in what way we might alleviate our condition, even if perfect
solutions are not within our reach. Better light a candle than curse the darkness, says the old Chinese aphorism. This is precisely my intention. It could not be otherwise, taking into consideration the optimist and meliorist vision of the human condition implicit in our Masonic ideology. Freemasonry proclaims the possibility of improving society, starting with the
betterment of the individual. Hence the vital importance our Order assigns to
education, as a means of advancement and rectification, both of the individual and
of society as a whole. Education is the best medicine against prejudice and
intolerance. Education is the highest form of charity. However, education, commented Kraus, is something most people receive, many
transmit, but very few have. The problem, as with so many other philosophical
questions, lies in the definition of our terms. If education is conceived as simply a
transfer of information, we shall fall into the condition observed by Trevelyan: a
great many people know how to read, but are incapable of recognizing what is
worth reading. Condorcet, in 1790, clearly indicated the ends of public education, and the first
objective he postulated is the following: "Offer all individuals of the human
species the means to provide for their needs, ensure their welfare, know and
exercise their rights, understand and fulfill their duties." Please note: not a word
about mere accumulation of knowledge. We could hardly improve on this
definition, even today. Nowadays, data is obtained with utmost ease. It's enough to have access to a
computer terminal, and the whole world of information is at your fingertips. If we
suffer, it's not because we lack information, but because we are overwhelmed by
it. We have a surfeit of information. The importance of education is precisely the
acquisition of a capacity to judge, to categorize, to personally classify and
evaluate the quality of the information received, not only from the factual, but
also from the ethical and teleological standpoints. Particularly in our present world, submerged in a maelstrom of stimuli and
distractions that pull us apart from the essential, where, as noted by Umberto Eco,
the mass media do not restrict themselves to transmitting an ideology, but have
become an ideology themselves, the spirit of serene and academic examination is
a last refuge of the thinking man. The university thus becomes the fortress of Humanism, the forum where all ideas
are brandished and debated within the greatest freedom, restricted only by the
freedom of others . That, likewise, is the function that must assume Masonry in its
Temples, and that is only one parallel among many that link both institutions,
University and Freemasonry. This may be an opportune moment to underline the fact that Masonry, as a social
and historical phenomenon, must be studied as part of the History of Ideas, and its
philosophy, without question, belongs in the stream of philosophical ideas of
Western civilization and is inseparable from it. The same refreshing and humanistic impulse introduced in Europe during the
Renaissance, that led to the study of the classics and brought about a rebirth of
architecture, beginning with Bacon established the bases of the inductive and
experimental method of scientific research that would eventually lead to the
development of present day science. This creative impulse resulted in the
foundation of the Royal Society of England in 1660, the first society devoted to
scientific research, and on the other hand, it found expression in the creation of
the premier Grand Lodge in London, on June 24, 1717. It need not surprise us to
learn that many personalities in science and philosophy were active in creating the
one and the other. Putting together science and philosophy is not accidental. The roots of modern
science lie in Renaissance philosophy - and "Natural Philosophy" was an early
name for physical science. Freemasonry is intimately connected with social changes and the development of
ideas in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. No serious study of the beginnings
of Speculative Masonry, for example, can ignore the role played in English
society at the time by the important influx of Huguenots, fleeing France after the
St. Bartholomew massacre. According to one author, the most important single
English contributor to the Enlightenment was John Locke, who believed in
religious toleration and was in almost unbroken contact with French-speaking
Protestants from 1675 until his death in 1704. A Huguenot, John Theophilus
Desaguliers (1683-1744) who was a scientist of note, had an important influence
on the beginnings of English Freemasonry, serving as its third Grand Master
(1719) and later as Deputy Grand Master for several years. Likewise, a serious study of Masonic philosophy must address the Rosicrucian
phenomenon in the 16th and 17th century, the development of the Hebrew Cabala
and its Christian offshoot, the different semi-secret and semi-occult groups that
flourished in Europe from the end of the Middle Ages until the Victorian age,
from Dante Alighieri's Fideli D'amore through Baron Tschoudy's
pseudo-Templars and down to the Golden Dawn created by Wynn Wescott and
MacGregor Mathers in the last decades of the 19th century. On the other hand, a study of European or Western philosophy that ignores
Masonry is also incomplete. A writer of the stature of Lessing (called the first
German playwright of importance) could author the "Masonic Dialogs", and poets
such as Kipling and Burns wrote many a Masonic poem, apart from the influence
Masonic thought may have had on their work. However, let us return to the theme proposed at the beginning of my talk. Having
observed the prevailing malaise of our "global village" and having established the
validity and placement of Masonic philosophy within an academic framework, we
should focus now our attention on the principles of Masonry, on the one side, and
in what way could they be applied in order to assuage, as far as possible, the
existential anguish of contemporary man. An objection could be advanced, that such study is pointless, because we would
be guilty of hubris if we were to pretend that the discussions held within a Lodge
or any other Masonic context could really affect the course of events in our
society. However, the pen is mightier than the sword. Men pass away, and their memory
fades until only a distant reflection of their presence remains with us. But ideas
stay forever, embodied in words capable of stirring our passions no less today
than centuries ago. And what are those ideas, transmitted by our Order, that we believe capable of
improving the world? I can only graze the surface of our subject. I shall try, then,
to summarize our Masonic teachings in two fundamental principles, like the two
columns at the entrance to King Solomon's Temple. These may not be the same
ideas enunciated elsewhere by other Masonic authors, but I will ask you to bear
with me for a moment. In my opinion, the first fundamental principle that sustains our institution, more important that charity, mutual help, tolerance, and all other virtues that we cultivate, is simply personal responsibility. To Cain's anguished question, resounding from century to century to our days, "Am I my brother's keeper?" we give a ringing and unequivocal reply: 'Yes, I am!". Let me explain a little further. We want to improve the world, but improving the
world is a very complicated and difficult task, depending not only on us, but on
many others, as well as on many circumstances that we are powerless to affect. On
the other hand, our personal improvement, that depends only on our own resolve,
it's our decision and nobody else's. Every human being is capable of polishing his
imperfections, restraining his bad impulses, developing his positive inclinations,
without requesting anybody's permission, under any circumstances, in any place
and time. If we want to, we can be better. Masonry gives us support, shows the way, stimulates us and tends us the
symbolic tools to make our task easier, but in the final account, it's ourselves who
must wield the tools, each at his own pace, following his own music and way
through life. That is personal responsibility. The second principle, no less important than the first, is the possibility of finding a common ground, of working together, involving collaboration and developing feelings of fraternal affection among persons with the most diverse backgrounds, with different social and ethnic origins, speaking diverse languages, belonging to different cultures, religions and political movements. Despite all these enormous differences, which Freemasonry recognizes and accepts, it still insists in demonstrating that there is a common level of humanity that binds us all, a joint yearning towards the far distant goal that makes us fellow travelers on the road to truth. Our ideal is capable of surmounting all inequalities. Working together, we develop our sentiments of Fraternity and Charity,
Tolerance and Assistance. This great principle, which we might call Fraternal
Cohesion, the possibility of establishing and developing links of sincere
friendship among all men, is perhaps our greatest contribution to society, so often
riven by class, religion and politics, not to speak of prejudice and blind hatred. Fraternal Cohesion finds expression both in the spiritual and the material realms.
In the spiritual, by the instant affective communication that develops between
Masons who have never met before, and may never meet again. No less
important, it grows within us, and the assistance given to others miraculously
creates within us a wealth of inner satisfaction and development. In the material,
this principle finds expression in the many works of charity and social benefit
undertaken by Masons institutionally and individually throughout the world, often
under a veil of discretion. The Mason is taught to give without causing offense to the less fortunate. This
discretion has led to a situation where much of our charitable effort is ignored by
the world at large, or attributed to other, non-Masonic sources. How many people
know, for instance, that taken together, Masonic charities in the United States
distribute over 3 million dollars every day, in a multitude of programs, from
children's hospitals to the study of mental disease? Not only hospitals, but
libraries, universities, cultural institutions of every kind, benefit from our
largesse. The same could be said, guarding the proportions, of Masonry in many other
countries. Looking back at the depressing picture of our present world, with
which I started, we can see at once how Freemasonry can and does help, can and
does make a difference. Firstly, Masonry imposes upon us a discipline of thought, a philosophical posture
that demands the rational examination of problems. just as in Marcus Aurelius the
constant remembrance of the fragility of human existence pursues him without
pause, and leads him to disdain the miseries of life, the Mason learns to face with
serenity the tumultuous landscape of daily strife, the strident claims of the media,
the hysterical demands of the merchants of ideologies. Silence is the best antidote
against confusion. Secondly, we face the future with optimism. This is an imponderable factor, but
one that subtly infuses our way of looking at things and strengthens our will,
sustaining a proactive rather than passive stance. The external action of Freemasonry, of course, depends on local circumstances.
Masons have fought for religious tolerance, universal education, the separation of
church and state, the removal of social barriers of every kind. Allow me now to say a few words about Freemasonry in Israel. As you will see,
this has a direct bearing on the subject of our talk. What characterizes Israeli Freemasonry, and has done so from its very early
beginnings at the end of the last century, is its ethnic and cultural-diversity.
Starting with the first Lodges, in Jaffa and Jerusalem, there have always been both
Arabs and Jews working together, of all religious persuasions, speaking many
languages, keeping alive the flame of fraternity even in the most trying
circumstances. Israel's Masonry is composed of a majority of Jews, and a strong proportion of
Christian and Muslim Arabs, much greater than their demographic weight in the
total population. This pluralist tradition has withstood wars and terrorist attacks,
strife and agony. Our Grand Lodge opens three Sacred Books on its altar: the
Jewish Tanach, the Christian Bible, and the Koran. Three Grand Chaplains are
equal in rank. The Grand Lodge seal includes the cross, the crescent and the -Star
of David within square and compasses. Coming from Israel, I bring the direct and irrefutable testimony that Masonic
ideals do work, and that they have proven their worth through scores of years of
uninterrupted conflict. This, however, is no isolated instance. We could give numerous examples taken
from the history of other countries, the United States included. The enlightened
and beneficial contribution of Freemasonry is felt in many forms, through the
activities performed by Masons themselves, not only by the Institution as a whole. As Professor Carvajal once remarked, the University doesn't operate patients or
build bridges, and Masonry does not intervene directly in the life of the country,
but both institutions operate their effect through their graduates and individual
members. The influence of Freemasonry is not limited to what its members do themselves.
The love of freedom, the lesson of tolerance towards others, learned in the course
of Masonic activities, are inevitable reflected in the professional life of its
members, their dealings with others, their way of life as a whole. The influence of
their example spreads like ever widening waves and elicits favorable reactions in
others, contributing to improve human relations, reduce extremism, control the
passions. Whether a judge or an architect, a politician or a merchant, the influence
of Freemasonry contributes to reinforce man's natural impulse to do good, seek
the truth, help others and avoid excess. After reviewing the different theories of values proposed by philosophers, and
their connection with Masonry, the author writes as follows: "Freemasonry
teaches us that the philosophical knowledge achieved must not remain, can not
remain simply theoretical knowledge. Masonry demands action in social life. It is
altogether a system of tasks." "Philosophy, as well, invites to action, because to act is to live, and philosophy is
embedded in life itself... Let us remember Ortega y Gasset, for whom human life
is a manner of doing philosophy". This, too, is Masonic philosophy. We trust in the actuality and effectiveness of
our ideals. We trust in the possibility of improving ourselves, and thereby
improving the society in which we live, and we work diligently, here and now, for
the realization of our objectives. Human beings desire perfection, strive to become better, and if we create the
conditions that will enable them to develop all their capacities, there is no limit to
what can still be achieved. Freemasonry, humanistic and meliorist, will stimulate,
accompany and participate forever in the prodigious saga of human progress. From the Inaugural Lecture pronounced on the establishment of the Dr. Ren 0
Gar0a Valenzuela Chair of Philosophical and Masonic Studies, Universidad La
Repblica, Santiago, Chile, 12 September 1996. (See the cover of this issue) A spectacular two-hundred-year old Masonic painting from Oneida County, New
York, has been restored by the Livingston Masonic Library. The restoration,
performed by highly-trained experts at the Williamstown Art Conservation
Center, in Williamstown Massachusetts, was made possible by a generous grant
of $7500 made by the Harry S. Truman Foundation in memory of R.-.W.-. Albert
1. Cohan. The Harry S. Truman Foundation is associated with Harry S. Truman
Lodge, No. 1066, of New York City. This emblematic oil painting on canvas,
which measures 52-3/4 inches high by405/8 inches wide, was originally used to
assist in teaching the lessons of the fraternity. It is one of two early tracing boards
donated to the Livingston Masonic Library in 1994 by Western Star Lodge, No.
15 of Bridgewater, New York. The Lodge, which had owned the paintings since
their creation, was founded in 1797 and is one of the few Lodges in upstate New
York to have retained its charter throughout the anti-Masonic period. Over the years this work of art suffered from being stored in direct light and in an
environment of shifting temperatures and varying humidity. Significant amounts
of paint flaked off the canvas and large sections of the image were being lost.
Through the foresight, generosity, and cooperation of Western Star Lodge, No.
15, and of the Harry S. Truman Foundation, this important piece of the nation's
Masonic legacy has now been restored and stabilized so that it can inspire
individuals in the years to come. The painting is currently on display in the
Livingston Masonic Library's Manhattan facility on the 14th floor of New York
City's Masonic Hall, 71 W 23rd St., New York, New York. The restoration of Masonic art works is central to the mission of the Livingston Masonic Library, a state chartered non-profit center for the collection, study, and preservation of the Masonic heritage. If you would like to assist the library with its activities, please write to William D. Moore, Director, Livingston Masonic Library, 71 W 23rd St., New York, NY 10010-4171, send e-mail to livmalib@plpeline.com, or call (212) 337-6620. All donations to the Livingston Masonic Library are tax-deductible. Notes on the Second Charge P141 of a Free-Mason The Book of Constitutions of 1723 of the premier Grand Lodge is the first
official publication to provide the code of regulations for modern Freemasonry.
Compiled by Dr. James Anderson, it incorporates the History, Charges of a
Free-Mason, General Regulations and Songs. The Charges and General
Regulations, in particular, have been the basis for our present masonic law. The
Charges consist of six parts-I. God and Religion; II the Civil Magistrate Supreme
and Subordinate; III. Lodges; IV. Masters, Wardens, Fellows and Apprentices; V.
the Management of the Craft in working; and VI. Behaviour. These Charges were
extracted from the old records and, in some parts, expanded. It is the Second
Charge that I am addressing in this paper. It reads as follows: 11. Of the CIVIL MAGISTRATE Supreme and Subordinate A Mason is a peaceable Subject to the Civil Powers, wherever he resides or works, and is never to be concern'd in Plots and Conspiracies against the Peace and Welfare of the Nation, nor to behave himself undutifully to inferior Magistrates: for as Masonry hath been always injured by War, Bloodshed, and Confusion, so ancient Kings and Princes have been much dispos'd to encourage the Craftsmen, because of their Peaceableness and Loyalty whereby they practically answer'd the Cavils of their Adversaries, and promoted the Honour of the Fraternity, who ever flourish'd in Times of Peace. So that if a Brother should be a Rebel against the State, he is not to be countenanc'd in his Rebellion, however he may be pitied as an unhappy Man; and, if convicted of no other Crime, though the loyal Brotherhood must and ought to disown his Rebellion, and give no Umbrage or Ground of political jealousy to the Government for the time being; they cannot expel him from the Lodge, and his Relation to it remains indefeasible.1 It is noteworthy that it includes a passage regarding rebellion and that while
forbidding Masons to be involved in plots against their nation at the outset, it says
a rebel can remain a member of the Craft without being expelled, if convicted of
no other crime. Here is an apparent contradiction. It is puzzling to present-day
Masons that the rebel can retain his membership in his lodge, as long as he is
convicted of no other crime. To figure out this portion of the Second Charge, let
us review the circumstances under which the Book of Constitutions of 1723 was
published. The production of the first edition of the Book of Constitutions (1723) and the
second edition (1738) was Anderson's own project, which is clear from the
minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge held on February
24, 1735: Br. Doctor Anderson, formerly Grand Warden presented a memorial setting
forth, that whereas the First Edition of the General Constitutions of Masonry,
compiled by himself, was all sold off, and a Second Edition very much wanted:
And that he had spent some Thoughts upon Some Alterations and Additions that
might fittly be made to the same, which was now ready to lay before the Grand
Lodge for their approbation if they were pleased to receive them.2 He was originally sanctioned to produce the Constitutions at the Quarterly
Communication of September 29, 1721 when "His Grace's Worship and the
[Grand] Lodge finding Fault with all the Copies of the old Gothic Constitutions,
ordcr'd Brother James Anderson, A.M. to digest the same in a new and better
Method." The Duke of Montagu, Grand Master, appointed 14 learned Brothers to examine Anderson's manuscript and to make a report. At the meeting of March 25, 1722 the Committee of 14 Brothers reported that they perused his manuscript and, after some amendments, had approved of it. B ut it was not published during Montagu's term of office as Grand Master.
Philip Duke of Wharton was to become the next Grand Master. He was only 24
when he was regularly installed Grand Master. If Anderson's account in the
second edition of the Constitutions is to be believed, however, initially he was
made Grand Master in an irregular manner, there are other reports that are at
variance with it, though. Anderson records as follows: Philip Duke of Wharton lately made a Brother, tho' not the Master of a Lodge,
being ambitious of the Chair, got a Number of Others to meet him at
Stationers-Hall 24 June 1722 and having no Grand Officers, they put in the Chair
the oldest Master Mason (who was not the present Master of a Lodge, also
irregular) and without the usual decent Ceremonials, the said old Mason
proclaim'd aloud Philip Wharton Duke of Wharton Grand Master of Masons, and
Dr. Joshua Timson, Blacksmith Grand Mr. William Hawkins, Mason Wardens,
but his Grace appointed no Deputy, nor was the Lodge opened and closed in due
Form.3 Philip, the first and last Duke of Wharton, was born in December 1698 as the son of Thomas, Lord Wharton, who was a loyal Hanoverian and whose ballad of "Lilliburlero" is said to have contributed not a little to the Revolution of 1688. He was eccentric in character, making a political about-face more than once-shifting his support between the House of Stuart and the House of Hanover. He received the title of the Duke of Northumberland from the Old Pretender, while traveling on the Continent. After returning to England, he supported the Hanoverian government and took a seat in the House of Lords. He was created Duke of Wharton by George I. At the time the Book of Constitutions of 1723 was published, he was closely connected with the Jacobites. On May 15, 1723 he made a speech in the House of Lords in defense of Dr. Atterbury. This Jacobite Bishop of Rochester had been in correspondence with the Pretender since 1717 and was arrested in August 1722 and exiled in June 1723. 4 The Duke of Wharton was later involved with the anti-masonic society of Gormogons. In 1724 he left England for good. In 1727 he fought against the British at the siege of Gibraltar and was outlawed in the following year. He died in 1731. It must have been feared that the presence of a Jacobite Grand Master might arouse the suspicion of the government. Several days before the Duke of Wharton assumed the Grand Mastership, "a select Body of the Society of Free Masons waited on the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Townshend, one of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, to signify to his Lordship, That being obliged by their Constitutions, to hold a General meeting now at Midsummer, according to annual custom, they hoped the Administration would take no Umbrage at that Convention, as they were all zealously affected to his Majesty's Person and Government," according to the London journal of June 16, 1722. "His Lordship received the Intimation in a very affable manner, telling them, he believed they need not be apprehensive of any Molestation from the Government, so long as they went on nothing more dangerous than the ancient Sccrets of the Society; which must be of a very harmless nature, because, as much as mankind love Mischief, no Body ever betray'd them." Anyway, noble Brethren would not countenance such irregularities and disowned
Wharton's authority as Grand Master until the breach of harmony was heated by
Montagu at a meeting to be held on January 17, 1723. Having promised to be true
and faithful, the Duke of Wharton was regularly installed Grand Master at the
meeting. He then appointed Dr. Desaguliers Deputy Grand Master and Joshua
Timson and James Anderson Grand Wardens. At this meeting, Anderson
produced the Book of Constitutions, which was again approved with the addition
of the ancient manner of constituting a lodge. Thus the first edition of the Book of Constitutions came to be published. The following advertisement appeared in the Post Boy just over a month later: This Day is publish'd - THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE FREEMASONS, Containing the History, Charges, Regulations, etc., of that most Ancient and Right Worshipful Fraternity, for the Use of the Lodges. Dedicated to his Grace the Duke of Montagu the last Grand Master, by Order of his Grace the Duke of Wharton the present Grand Master, authorized by the Grand Lodge of Masters and Wardens at the Quarterly Communication. Order'd to be publisli'd and recommended to the Brethren by the Grand Master and his Deputy. Printed in the Year of Masonry 5723; of our Lord 1723. Sold by J. Senex and J. Hooke, both over against S. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet. Rebellions were not so rare a couple of centuries ago. There must have been
quite a few Jacobite members and sympathizers among English Masons in the
1720s. Besides, the Grand Master himself was connected with the Jacobite circle
when the first edition of the Constitutions of the premier Grand Lodge was
published. Under these circumstances, the passage concerning rebellion found its
way into the Second Charge. Various Grand Lodges have adopted the Charges of
the Constitutions of 1723. Today some of them include those Charges in their
Book of Constitutions, Masonic Code, etc. with some notation: "approved in
1722"; "reprinted from the Version published in 1730"; "Extracted From The
ancient RECORDS of Lodges beyond Sea, and of those in England, Scotland, and
Ireland, for the Use of the Lodges in London: To Be Read At the making of New
Brethren, or when the MASTER shall order it" (the exact wording used in
Anderson's Constitutions of 1723). They provide the Charges either for reference
purposes or as part of the masonic law. As for some other Grand Lodges, the
Charges are included without any notation, constituting part of their masonic law. Now, rebellion is an organized, armed resistance to the ruler or government of
one's country. By international law it is considered a crime and all persons
voluntarily abetting it are criminals. Rebellion amounting to treason is usually
punishable by death. Resistance to laws is usually treated as a crime punishable
by fine and/or imprisonment.5 The term has another meaning-disobedience to a
legal summons or command (used since the mid 16th century at least, but now
only in Scots Law).6 But Anderson could not have used it in the latter sense. It is true that rebellion is not always regarded negatively, depending on the
circumstances under which it has taken place and also on the standpoint of a
person who passes judgement on it. It can be "a medicine necessary for the sound
health of government" (Thomas Jefferson), while it is labeled as "the sin of
witchcraft" in the Bible (Samuel, XV, 23). But the inclusion of the passage in
question in our Book of Constitutions, Masonic Code, etc. could give the wrong
impression that Freemasonry is lenient with rebels or it could be even interpreted
as the basis for Masons' involvement in rebellions. It should be noted that in England where the Charges of a Free-Mason were first
adopted, the premier Grand Lodge eliminated the reference to rebellion from the
1807 edition of the Book of Constitutions, as shown below CHARGE II. A Mason must be a peaceable subject, never to be concerned in plots against the State, nor disrespectful to inferior magistrates; conforming cheerfully to the government under which he lives, because the welfare of his country is his peculiar care. From the earliest ages, kings, princes, and potentates, encouraged the Fraternity, for their firm integrity and unshaken loyalty-, masonry having prospered most, in the flourishing and peaceful times of every country; the Craftsmen are therefore the more strongly engaged to act agreeably to the rules of their art, in following peace and love with all mankind.7 The current version of the Second Charge, which makes no mention of rebellion either, was already in use in the first edition of the Book of Constitutions (1815) of the United Grand Lodge published two years after the Union of the two Grand Lodges. It reads |