100th Year of Scouting

Soft night winds bring a bit of chill to the skin yet, nobody really cares. There is warmth from burning logs, cracking as it tumbles down, sending thousands of fiery dust upwards propelled by the breeze. Forest night creatures sing their song, competing and badly losing to a Boy Scout Troop campfire. Forming a loose circle, the boys with their patrol flags slowly waving from the soft breeze, sit on the soft grass while listening to the man we admiringly called, “Sir Frank.”




Scoutmaster.

Note:

Though Sir Frank dropped his working tools for sometime now, it is my distinct honor and privilage to call the first man to sign my petition to receive Degrees in Freemasonry a Brother. Brother Francisco Malicsi.

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Masonic Titles - An Observation

by RmOlano
09-09-09

Honorificabilitudinitatibus -"the state of being able to achieve honours."

In an organization that espouses a notion of equality among members in particular and humanity in general, it is worth mentioning of the widespread use of Masonic titles and its apparent acceptance. The titles come abound such as religious sounding designation--- Most Worshipful, Right Worshipful to self-styled label as Past Assistant Grand Secretary. On a personal level, there are the alphanumerical amalgamation after a name e.g. “32,”“33,” “PDDGM,” “Founding Mmbr,” etc., which sometimes attended by letters before ones name such as “SK,” “VW,” “WB,” and other similar symbology. The long list of letters before and after names sometimes compete with equally long list of Masonic affiliations which at times takes half the page of correspondence. While this practice is a personal choice therefore, could not be characterized as “right” or “wrong,” this writer sometimes wonder where is the real message. Is it in the body of the letter or imbedded somewhere between the alphabets and numbers accompanying the name? There a little doubt as to the object of the effort is to identify oneself to the audience thereby establishing credibility. Although someone can offer divergent rationale, an introduction to an audience is an accepted and civilized etiquette. In the same token, the manner by which one conducts his introduction also establish the rule on how the player intend to play or expected to be treated. When someone is placing heavy emphasis on the importance on titles and decorations thru symbols, this seemingly inconspicuous act could be interpreted as an alligorical attempt to illustrate ones transition from rough ashalar to a polished marble. The perceived state of smoothnes might be indicative of ones apparent understanding of arrival within the arena of Masonic honorificabilitudinitatibus where the number of degrees completed or offices held were deduced as the validation of fruitfull Masonic journey.

The Fraternity is not immune to this concept. Organized entities such as military, religious or even academia carry out this human pleasure world wide. Like any culture, there are rules when, where, and how honorifics are to be practice. From military’s colorful ribbons to announce achievements to feminine laces decorating black robes of Supreme Court female justices, symbols are unspoken message of one-way communication. In armed services, ranks symbolized by uniform collar, shoulder or sleeve badges denotes hierarchy and corresponding demand to adherence with the protocol of military tradition. A salute is given to the rank and not necessarily to the person wearing the insignia. There are times when salute is given when not in uniform, this is because of the respect owed to the individual. In military, true respect is earned by trust and not by dressing up with metallic devises. In the absence of uniform, most civilian entities utilize titles instead. In United States, a judge of court of the law is introduce as “The Honorable John Doe” while the judge will simply introduce himself as “I am John Doe, judge of XX Court” not as “I am Honorable John Doe.” The same rule applies to our Fraternity, someone would introduce a past master as “Worshipful Brother John Doe” who would sign his name as “John Doe, PM” not as “WB John Doe, PM.” Masonic titles such as “Sir Knight John Doe” is a title to be used within the confines of Knights Templar Commandery when in session. Outside the asylum the “Sir Knight” title has the same effect as using “32 Degree” within a Blue Lodge--- it doesn’t carry measurable connotation. There are honorary titles conferred by Universities to invidual such as Doctor in Education, Philosophy, etc. Generally, only those who received the degree in traditional manner are entitled to use the title “Doctor” however, there are segment of receipents that believed otherwise.

Honorifics are words or terms of respect used when referring a person. Its is given and awarded during the moment as recognition to deserving personage. A manifestation of respect, it is earned and at a times very challenging to own in perpetuity. Those who truly recognize the lessons of the Craft will receive the words with humility and with the same passion of wearing a plain lampskin apron rather than the model bedecked with fancy handwork. Indeed, astute student of the Craft understand that vanity loom to its conclusion when his “weary feet shall come to the end of its toilsome journey.”

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Masonic Urban Legend

By RmOlano
07-07-07

The right of visitation quoted by many Brothers is the 14th Landmark in Albert Mackey's Twenty-five Ancient Landmarks. Let us remember that not all Grand Lodges universally accepted those Landmarks as some adopted portion thereof, while others adopted all. Albert Pike challenged Mackey’s assertion and pointed out that no one can visit a Lodge without being vouched for and without the permission of the Master of the Lodge.

Though this is hard to say but this is another example of Masonic urban legend along with no one was ever invited to join our Craft. With numerous volume of books written, one have to show that General Douglas MacArthur asked to be made Mason-on-sight. The same could be said about the long line of UK Royal family who traditionally held the Grand Mastership of both "Moderns" and "Antients” of GLE in their initiative to petition for Degress in Masonry. Let us face it, the "privilege" was offered and accepted for the benefit of both parties. In recent book by Walther Isaacson, Benjamin Franklin, an American Life, our esteemed Brother had to be "creative" to be invited to join in 1730. Asking one to be one is an American tradition/invention. The Continental and until recently English Freemasonry was almost exclusively by invitation only.

In UGLE website, their membership pitch did not say anything about adopting 2B1ASK1 and for clarification I did not hinted either. Postings from various Grand Lodges, from Singapore, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and even Lodge in Wales consistently mentioned of stories of well to do gentlemen of being invited to join the Craft. As of 2002 UGLE website advised any interested person to contact a Brother who will invite him for a chat and if the Lodge is interested, he will get his petition and so on and so forth.

We know that at least in 1730 Freemasonry in States was by invitation and I could only speculate that probably after American Revolution that asking one to be one became practice. Let us be reminded that the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania or New York did not asked UGLE's permission to be a separate/independent Grand Lodge. One could postulate that the new republic wanted to be seen as different and more egalitarian than English brand of Freemasonry. Noteworthy that may be relevant to the concept were that almost half of American forces Generals were Masons, some were from same Lodges, and all State Governors were Masons when the first President of United States laid the cornerstone of either White House or Capitol according to some writings I read sometime ago.

As to the question of George Washington as a Grand Master, in The Temple and Lodge by Beigent and Leigh, the same author who wrote the Holy Blood Holy Grail which, was the basis of Dan Brown's DaVinci Code, mentioned that Washington was offered to be the Grand Master of all Grand Lodges in America but declined thus keeping the current structure of independent Grand Lodges in every State. One could speculate that if Washington agreed then probably he would also agree to be the crowned King of America as some writings revealed as sidelight of American Revolution. Our worthy Brother truly exemplified one of the traits of a true Past Master---wisdom.

There is another prime example of Masonic wisdom which became the cornerstone of the concept erected by our founding fathers. It was not coincidence that Benjamin Franklin, PGM, vision of a young country bear the resemblance of Lodges which forms a larger body known as Grand Lodge. His notion of a system where a Grand Lodge exists to support the need of smaller Lodges bear witness to the striking similatiy of a federal institution supporting the state governments. At least that was the idea and NOT supposed to be the other way around. This my Brethren, is not a Masonic urban legend.

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