May - June 2010 Bulletin

Scottish Riteof Freemasonry

14ELodge of

Perfection

18EChapter

Rose Croix

30ECouncil

of Kadosh

32EConsistory

HOUSTON

SCOTTISH RITE

BULLETIN

May - June2010

2010 Spring Reunion

Adkins, Richard Lee Pickerill, Timothy LonBencs, Branislav Bruno Podvin, Robert FredrickChapa, Joseph A Porraz, Miguel AngelDeCorpo, Louis Joseph Reimert, Jeffery ToddDelcomyn, Andrew Michael Robbins, James DavidFletcher, Clyde Clifton Robinson, William CornellFretwell, Richard Marc Rodriguez, ErnestoGibbs, Aaron David Sharp, Graham JohnGonzalez, Adrian Strickland, James EdwardHalling, Thomas Derek Thomas, Frank Herron JrJenke, Clifford Richard Thompson, Jeffrey ScottJones, Richard Paul Woelk, Shawn MichaelMontgomery, L Alex Wollam, J MichaelNowell, Jimmy Dale Wollam, Jeremy RandallPedroza, Luis German Wollam, Ryan AndrewPena, Ricardo Wylie, Eric Ronald

Yarbrough, Jerry Lynn

Summer Scottish Rite ReunionOur Summer Scottish Rite Reunion is set for Monday and Tuesday evenings July 19 & 20,2010 at Holland Lodge, 4911 Montrose Blvd. The reunion will begin at 6:30 PM. Get yourcandidates now! The summer reunion will consist of the 4th, 14th, 18th on Monday night andthe 30th and 32nd degrees on Tuesday night. These degrees will be conferred using therevised Standard Pike Ritual.

The fee for the Scottish Rite is $175 and should accompany the petition. After a new member attends 4meetings, he is eligible to receive a cap case. For only $1300, he can become an “Endowed Member”. The$1300 includes his degree fees and endowed fees. He saves $75.

HOUSTON SCOTTISH RITE BULLETIN Page 2 MAY - JUNE 2010

M. Douglas Adkins, 33ESovereign Grand Inspector General

of the Supreme CouncilAncient and Accepted Scottish Rite

of FreemasonrySouthern Jurisdiction, USA

Orient of Texas

P. G. ‘Pete’ Normand, Jr., 33EPersonal Representative of the S.G.I.G.

in Texas

J. Weldon Clampitte, 33°Venerable Master

Lodge of PerfectionWilliam J. ‘Butch’ Giles, Jr., 33E

Wise MasterChapter of Rose Croix

Edward C. Herron, 32EKCCHCommander

Council of KadoshJack W. Lester, Jr., 32EKCCH

Master of KadoshConsistory

Allan R. Lazor, 32EGeneral Secretary

Richard C. Townsend, 33ETreasurer

James A. Passamano, 32E KCCHAlmoner

Statement of Allegiance

The several Bodies of the Scottish Rite inHouston acknowledge and yieldallegiance to the Supreme Council of theThirty-Third Degree, the Mother SupremeCouncil of the World, whose SEE is atCharleston, South Carolina, now sitting atWashington, D.C. where Ronald A. Seale,33E is Sovereign Grand Commander, M.Douglas Adkins, 33E is the SovereignGrand Inspector General in Texas.

Houston Scottish Rite Bodies1000 N. Post Oak Rd., Suite 210

Houston, Texas 77055

P. O. Box 20788Houston, TX 77225-0788

Phone: 713-432-1980Fax: 713-432-1980

1-800-825-6976

P.G. ‘Pete’ Normand, Jr., 33°Editor-in-Chief

Victor H. Palla, 33°Managing Editor

website: www.houstonscottish.orgemail: [email protected]

FREEMASONRY AND RELIGION:ADVERSARIES OR ALLIES? by W:.Tim Bryce, PM, MPS [email protected] Palm Harbor, Florida, USA "A Foot Soldier for Freemasonry"

"Through Freemasonry, however, I have had opportunity to break bread with good men ofother than my own Christian faith. Freemasonry does not promote any one religious creed.All Masons believe in the Deity without reservation. However, Masonry makes no demandsas to how a member thinks of the Great Architect of the Universe. Freemasonry is, for all itsmembers, a supplement to good living which has enhanced the lives of millions who haveentered its doors. Though it is not a religion, as such, it supplements faith in God the Creator.It is supporting of morality and virtue. Freemasonry has no dogma or theology. It offers nosacraments. It teaches that it is important for every man to have a religion of his own choiceand to be faithful to it in thought and action. As a result, men of different religions meet infellowship and brotherhood under the fatherhood of God. I think that a good Mason is madeeven more faithful to the tenets of his faith by his membership in the Lodge."

- The Reverend Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

I remember the horror in the eyes of my Irish Catholic in-laws when they discovered I hadbecome a Mason. According to them, the Masons were responsible for all of the unionproblems over the years and were not to be trusted. I also remember the shocked expressionon the face of the rector of my Episcopal Church when he found me participating in aMasonic funeral service at the church. Fortunately, he was a little more understanding andasked me about the fraternity. Up until then, he had been suffering under the misconceptionthat Masons were anti-Christian. Obviously, these are not isolated incidents, overcomingmisconceptions is something Masons have grown accustomed to over the years. I guess itgoes with the territory. Even in our degree work we are charged not to get into argumentswith those who, through ignorance, may ridicule us. I have to question the validity of thischarge in today's world. True, Masons like to maintain a low profile, but make no mistakeabout it, the fraternity is still under attack by religious institutions, which hurts us byclouding the minds of the public and affects our membership. Let me say unequivocally fromthe outset that Freemasonry is not a threat to religion. Instead, it is probably one of thestrongest proponents of organized religion. To become a Mason, a person must believe ina supreme being; an atheist is ineligible to join the fraternity. This criteria is not done tocontest the candidate's beliefs as it is to act as a litmus test of the moral fiber of the person.

I have personally seen men of many different faiths initiated into the fraternity; Christians,Jews, and Muslim. Following this, talk of religion (and politics) is barred from discussionin a Masonic Lodge so that it doesn't cause any contention and discontent between members.True, we offer a nonsectarian prayer to open and close a Lodge, but this is essentially nodifferent than what military chaplains offer in the field and offends no particular faith. If youwere to ask what religion Freemasonry adheres to, you might as well ask what political partywe support (e.g., Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Socialist, Independent, etc.). Frankly,such talk is inconsequential as it is simply not discussed. This is a key reason why Masonsenjoy harmony in the Lodge. We may not agree with each other's religious beliefs but werespect the individual's right to practice his own faith.

(Continued on Page 7)


Mission StatementIt is the mission of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, SJ, to improve its members and enhance the communities in which they live byteaching and emulating the principles of Brotherly Love, Tolerance, Charity, and Truth while actively embracing high social, moral,

and spiritual values including fellowship, compassion, and dedication to God, family and country.

IN MEMORIAM

Name Date of Death

Calvin Russell Andress 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/21/2009

Richard Huston Barker 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/30/2010

Arthur Rene Bergeron 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/25/2010

Robert Vannoy Black Sr 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/10/2010

Robert Henry Blackwell 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/11/2010

Charles Wilmeth Boggess 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/12/2010

Doyle Austin Bond 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/10/2010

Raymond Perez Botello 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/13/2010

Charles Henry Chamberlain 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12/17/2009

Karl Anthony Christen 32° KCCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/3/2010

George Charles Cohee 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/4/2010

Earl Frank Cooper 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12/27/2009

Rolfe Edlee Grammier 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/13/2010

Jack Wayburn Hays 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/13/2010

Leo Dell Johnson 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/20/2010

Jacob Maxim Lebeaux 32° KCCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/14/2010

Francis Stuart Love 32° KCCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/11/2010

Everett Evans Magill Jr 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/16/2010

Arthur Edward McCarble 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/26/2010

Alvy Thomas McQueen 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12/22/2009

Alvin Harold Morewitz 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/3/2010

William Norman Plotkin 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/2/2010

Ernest Rinze Pronk 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/20/2010

Norman Ray Roach 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/7/2010

Robert T Silva 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/2/2010

James Charles Solomon 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/1/2010

Jimmie Eugene Thompson 32° KCCH . . . . . . . . . . . 3/29/2010

The Library

Acquisitions

The Better Angels of Our Nature:Freemasonry in the AmericanCivil War (Hardcover) MichaelHalleran's "The Better Angels ofOur Nature," is an outstanding, in-depth study of interactionsbetween Freemasons during theAmerican Civil War. Halleran'stitle comes from AbrahamLincoln's inaugural address on

March 4, 1861, as he argued passionately before his audienceand the nation to keep the Union together.

It accomplishes what few books about Freemasons are able todo: it explores the legends and long-told tall tales of thefraternity in an academic fashion, with both dispassionateanalysis of the facts, and an obvious passion for the subject.Personal accounts from the Civil War have the effect ofhumanizing the experience, instead of being able to hold it at apolite distance, perhaps because it was the first war that had, notjust commanders, but so many enlisted men educated enough towrite letters and diaries. Along the way, Michael shattersseveral longstanding and cherished Masonic fables, but hereinforces and illuminates far more than he buries. And he findsthe humanity and real truth behind events in the war that pittedbrethren against each other more than any other.

Reveiw by Christopher L. Hodapp “Author”

2009 Top Ten Orients1 Texas 27076 7 Oklahoma 101982 California 19811 8 Virginia 85833 Florida 16408 9 West Virginia 81894 Tennessee 14132 10 Kentucky 77715 North Carolina 107416 Missouri 10526


Allan R. Lazor, 32°

Appointed GeneralSecretary

Allan R. Lazor, 32° of Sugar LandLodge #1141 has been appoint the 16th

General Secretary of the Valley of Houston by Ill. M. DouglasAdkins, 33°, SˆGˆIˆGˆ in Texas.

While quite a few Scottish Rite brothers were already acquaintedwith the new general secretary and many more have had a chanceto meet him since his appointment, not everyone is familiar with hisbackground and Masonic history.

Brother Lazor was born in Victoria, Texas on August 20, 1952, thesecond of two sons of Morris and Flora Lazor, both now deceased.After graduating from Victoria High School, Allan attendedVictoria College on a tennis scholarship and later the University ofTexas at Austin from which he was graduated in 1973. Aftercollege graduation Brother Lazor enrolled in law school at St.Mary's University in San Antonio.

Shortly after beginning his legal education, Allan married JudithAshe of Houston whom he had met both were students at theUniversity of Texas.

During his final year in law school Lazor was initiated as anEntered Apprentice in Alamo Lodge No. 44 and was passed andraised later the same year. Allan became an endowed member ofAlamo Lodge several years later.

After graduation from law school and being admitted to the bar,Allan and Judy moved to Victoria where he began his legal careerand she continued her employment in banking until the birth oftheir son, Stuart.

Soon after returning to Victoria, Allan became a plural member ofVictoria Lodge No. 40, the same lodge in which his grandfatherhad been a member for many years. In 1977 Brother Lazor wasinvested as a Master of the Royal Secret in the Houston Valley.

Allan and Judy moved to Houston in 1979 and lived in HarrisCounty until 2005. They now reside in Sugar Land where Allan isa member of Sugar Land Lodge No. 1141 and currently serves asits secretary.

2009 Top Ten Valleys

1 Dallas 6704 6 Nashville 37822 Knoxville 5361 7 Litte Rock 34113 Houston 5139 8 Fort Worth34004 Guthrie 4348 9 Denver 33305 Tampa 3790 10 St Louis 3239

Calendar of EventsAll Stated Meetings are Tiledunless otherwise indicated.

2010May 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stated Meeting

June 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Duck Hatching

June 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stated Meeting

July 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Holiday (Office Closed)

July 19 & 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REUNION

July 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stated Meeting

August . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DARK

September 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Holiday (Office Closed)

September 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stated Meeting

Feast of Tishri Observance (Table Lodge)

October 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Duck Banquet

October 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stated Meeting

November 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stated Meeting

November 19 & 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REUNION

November 25 & 26 . . . . . . . . . . . Holiday (Office Closed)

December 2-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grand Lodge

Waco, Texas

December 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stated Meeting

Election of Officers

December 23-31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Holiday (Office Closed)


The Arm-In-Arm program is a collection of Clubs andorganizations that are a part of Houston Scottish Rite.

If you have an idea for an Arm-In-Arm group, please contactBrother Lester, Jr., chairman.Currently, the Valley of Houston has the following Arm-In-Armgroups:

The Diogenes Club

The Diogenes Club, named for Greekphilosopher, is composed of Scottish Ritemembers who gather to discuss Masonicphilosophy, history and symbolism. TheDiogenes Club meets after every Scottish

Rite Stated meeting at 10 Downing Street. Reservations arerequired if attending.

Contact: Roberto M. Sanchez, 32°, El Presidentee-mail: [email protected]

Education Forum

If you would like more information on the course you maycontact the General Secretary or stop by the Valley of HoustonEducation Forum which meets on the third Monday of eachmonth at Holland Lodge with a light dinner at 6:30pm. Theprogram and discussion group will start at 7:00pm concludingaround 8:00.

Contact: John Croft, 32°KCCH e-mail - [email protected]://groups.yahoo.com/group/HSRME/.

Vintage Car Group

Do you have a passion for vintagecars like the ‘65 Mustang?

Contact Patrick Mahoney, 32°KCCHe-mail: [email protected]

Hops and Barley Guild

If you are interested or active in Home Brewing andwould like to get involved please contact them.

Contact: Chris Holder, 32°KCCH, Brewmastere-mail: [email protected] Thomas, 32°, Secretarye-mail: [email protected]

Knights of St. Andrew

The Knights of St. Andrew is a 32°invitational organization, organized toprovide service to the Houston ScottishRite.Contact: Chris Jones, 32°, VenerableMaster e-mail: [email protected]

Lunch Club

Would you like to join a group ofbrethren for a monthly social lunchmeeting? If so, we are the group foryou. We meet monthly on the 2nd

Wednesday at High 12 (noon) and lunch is normally served. The location will vary for now but we hope to get apermanent place soon. We normally have some type ofspeaker or program.Contact: Paul Gooch, 32°, Secretarye-mail [email protected] Palla, 33°, President e-mail: [email protected]

Golfers

Any Golfers out there? If you are interested in forming agroup contact Jack W. Lester, Jr., 32°KCCH

Arm-in-Arm ProgramJack W. Lester, Jr. 32°KCCH, Chairman

Arm-In-Arm is an Orient-wide program designed to foster mentorship andfellowship among our membership.


Houston Chapter, Order of DeMolay

DeMolay is an organization dedicated topreparing young men to lead successful, happy,

and productive lives. Basing its approach on timeless principlesand practical, hands-on experience, DeMolay opens doors foryoung men aged 12 to 21 by developing the civic awareness,personal responsibility and leadership skills so vitally needed insociety today. DeMolay combines this serious mission with a funapproach that builds important bonds of friendship amongmembers in more than 1,000 chapters worldwide. The HoustonScottish Rite Sponsors Houston Chapter which meets at 7:30PM on the first and third Wednesday of each month at HollandLodge.Contact: Michael D. Phillipus, 33°, Chapter Advisore-mail: [email protected]

Jack T. Peebles, 32°KCCH, Chairman of the Advisory Councile-mail: [email protected]

Chapter e-mail: [email protected]

Canvas Back Flight, RoyalOrder of the Duck

The Royal Order of the Duck is a socialgroup for members of the Degree teamsand Reunion Committees. If you areinterested in becoming involved with

the reunions or the Ducks Contact: Victor Palla, 33°, Chief Hatchere-mail: [email protected].

¼ ANNOUNCEMENT ½

Canvas Back Fligh #3 will hold it’s annual Hatching at theDouble Eagle Ranch (12606 Settemont, Houston, TX 77085)Friday evening June 4th starting at 5:00 PM. All Ducks in goodstanding are invited Please RSVP to the office by June 1st.

Runners Club

If you enjoy running this is a groupfor you. Just recently they competedthe White Rock half-marathon whichwill directly benefit the Scottish Ritechildren's hospital. The Scottish RiteHospital for Children providesexclusive care to children with a

range of needs. The hospital is regarded as leader in the fieldof pediatric orthopedics. Every aspect of the hospital isdesigned with the needs of the child and family in mind. Yet,not one cent is ever charged in taking care of these children.

Contact: Clint Stevens, 32°KCCHe-mail: [email protected].

Pipes and Drums

The Valley of Houston Pipes and Drums.Training provided.

There is a Yahoo Group for all membersinterested in becoming a member of theValley of Houston Pipes and Drums.Search that name or send Hunter an e-mail

and he will put you on the list. The group will be having anorganizational meeting in the near future, and the particularswill be announced in the Scottish Rite Bulletin, as well as theYahoo! Group.Contact : Hunter Schappaugh, 32° KCCH, Pipe Major e-mail: [email protected]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Valley_Of_Houston_Pipes_And_Drums/

Arm-in-Arm ProgramJack W. Lester, Jr. 32°KCCH, Chairman

Arm-In-Arm is an Orient-wide program designed to foster mentorship andfellowship among our membership.


New Web Site

The Houston Scottish Rite has launch a new web site.After a lot of late night meetings and long work sessionsthe web site committee has brought online a new web sitefor the Valley of Houston. The site is still going throughsome revision and content is still being added, but pleasecheck out the site and let us know what you think.

www.houstonscottishrite.org

Freemasonry & Religion Continued from Page 2

TIM BRYCE ON RELIGION

This is called "religious tolerance," something more people shouldpractice. Opponents to Freemasonry believe the fraternity shouldbe used as a bully-pulpit to preach the gospel of a particularreligious denomination and try to convert people to their point ofview. Hogwash. This is not what we are about. This is a fraternity;a Brotherhood that promotes fellowship, morality, charity,integrity, citizenship, honor, and brotherly love. The ultimate aimof Freemasonry is world peace and harmony, not world dominationas some critics argue. Another gross misconception of the fraternityin the middle East is that Freemasonry originated from Judaism.This misunderstanding is the primary reason why the offices of theGrand Lodge of Turkey was bombed a couple of years ago. Again,this is self-inflicted ignorance as preached by religiousextremists/terrorists in the middle East. If you go into any MasonicLodge you will find a "Volume of Sacred Law" on the Lodge's alterto represent divine guidance. In those Lodges where themembership is primarily Christian, you will find the Holy Bible; ina Jewish Lodge you will find the Torah, and; in the Lodges inTurkey, I will guarantee you will find a Koran (I'll bet the terroristsdid not know this). As an aside, when Masons are initiated, thecandidate's holy book of choice is used in the ceremony.

Over the years, various religions have cast a suspicious eye onFreemasonry; Southern Baptists in the United States, the AnglicanChurch in England and Australia, the Presbyterian Church inAfrica, and, of course, the Catholic Church. The division betweenthe Catholic Church and Freemasonry is an old one dating back inhistory. Frankly, the reasons for the division gets cloudier with thepassing of each year.

Continued on Page 9

Endow Your Membership

There are a few "sure bets" in life that involve no gamble, andEndowed Membership in the Scottish Rite is near the top of thatlist. Whether called Life Membership, Endowed Membership,or Perpetual Membership, it offers a simple and sound way toguarantee your membership in the Scottish Rite for life. At thesame time you are helping build the financial stability of yourValley.

The Statutes of the Supreme Council provide for LifeMemberships. These are actually perpetual endowedmemberships in that the principal of the fund is never expended,thus making an income stream available to the Valley intoperpetuity. Every member should consider purchasing aperpetual membership for the reason that it provides aguaranteed and predictable future income for the Valley.

The fee for a perpetual membership is determined by theS.G.I.G. or Deputy, but cannot be less than $500 for membersunder 75 years of age, nor less than $200 for members 75 yearsand older. The current fee for the Orient of Texas is $1200 formember under 75 years and $400 for member 75 years andover. The fee may be paid at one time or payed over the twelvemonth dues year. Monthly payments for a EndowedMembership can be automatically charged to yourVISA/MasterCard. Once you start the automatic charges, you'llnever receive a bill for dues again, even during the paymentperiod. When your Life Membership is paid up, the automaticcharges stop, and once you start the payment program, yourcosts are guaranteed-you're never subject to dues increasesagain. It's so easy, it's almost painless.


This year Houston RiteCare is providing 15 testing grants for children with speech, language and learningdisabilities. The testing is done by the Robert J. Strudler Diagnostic and Remediation Center at the Universityof Saint Thomas. It is a multi-step process that involves:

An initial interview to determine if there is a need for specialized intervention.

The testing process

A final interview that includes a written report with specific recommendations for instruction.

Five children have already been tested. I would like to share their thanks with you.

Please contact Carole Whitmore at 281-376- 6173, if you know a child who needs testing. For moreinformation about program visit our website at www.houstonritecare.org.

How You Can Help Houston’s Children

PayPal on our website

Check the Houston Scottish Rite Learning Center box on the Annual dues card.

Support our Sporting Clay Shoot, October 1, 2010 – We need teams, shooters, sponsors and volunteers

Kroger and Randall’s Grocery Program

Houston RiteCare

Dear Houston RiteCare,

Thank you for making a testing grantavailable to my son. He is nine years old and in the 4th grade. He is a brightboy and we are really seeking answerson how we can help him succeed inschool. While he does well in Mathand Science, he has reading trackingdifficulties and huge delays inwriting.

Thank you Kindly for YourGenerosity,

Dear Houston RiteCare,

Thank you for all you have done forus. As parents, we always want whatis best for our children. Scottish Ritewas able to provide testing to get ourgirls on the right track. You gave ushope.

We are forever grateful!

The Warriners

Granddaughters of Robert Reed aMason from Deer Park


Freemasonry & Religion Continued from Page 7

"My background is fourteen years of Catholic private schooling,altar boy, etc. Theology (four years) taught by French monksthat came in the US as brothers vs. priest.

We became French Catholic Theology students, so to speak,didn't know there was a difference until later in life. Theteachings were pretty much the same as what I see in Masonry,treat each other with value and respect, the basic 10commandments theme, with the difference being the churchaddition of specific scripture, a typical focus and part ofreligious beliefs, this is what makes a religion a religion.Masonry being non-religious, no scripture to believe in, cannotbe a religion. I know it is hard to understand this when there isa Bible on an altar, prayer is given and things have names likecatechism etc., should fall outside the above statement becauseit does not fit the incompatibility test. How can it beincompatible when it is pointedly non-religious? Masonryprobably does itself a disservice by using the old terms andsymbols that scare people looking for something to be scared of.I have spent plenty of time out in the field, doing crazy thingsto evaluate our military strength, sometimes I was asked, "Didyou see any snakes?" My answer is always the same, "I wasn'tlooking for any." They might be there, I'm sure some exist, butI didn't have or let any of them hinder my mission. I'mconvinced that if you go into the field looking for "snakes" youwill indeed find them. We were taught that each person, not justan ordained priest, has a special relationship with the trinity andno one can judge it but the two concerned. The fear of religiousleaders is that they might lose followers, when they should beconcerned with saving souls and doing good work. If they lookto history, as we did, they will be enlightened as to the mistakesthat are repeated continuously throughout history. I have notseen the basis of the sin that is referenced here, like it is easy tosee, killing an innocent person is wrong. Taking another's wifeor goods is wrong. Brotherhood and passing on an old mouth-to-ear order of words being a sin needs more explaining. I thinkthe author is misinformed and has not done the research andhomework needed to make a clear accurate proclamation. Toogray an area, there is only mortal and venial as far as I know.Keep in mind the background, with all due respect, of thehuman person involved, Germany is very tender about any otherthan mainstream groups because of the Hitler event and theirlack of action against such atrocities. Look how they went crazyover the Scientologists in Germany. I support my church, but itis my church, a church between me and my trinity as taught intheology at Trinity High School in the 1960's. Remember in the60's it was a sin to be friends with a person of another faith.They would lead you to sin. You lead you to sin, not others.Others may need the road map to heaven, we were given it aswere others of other religions. We studied the old and newtestament, everything brought into context of the time it was

written, a year on each. We studied every religion known toman at the time and considered the differences of the teachingand beliefs. I could go on forever, but, I know I'm okay becauseI do not embrace Masonry as a naturalistic religion replacingmy Catholic upbringing and I know plenty of other Catholicsthat are of the same mind. We all hope for the "lessons learned"part of the middle east to surface and hope religious leaders ofall faiths, get over the "I'm the right one" and see the error ofthat way. Unite for peace thru understanding, temperance anddefensive posture, it is the only future we can have or give ourloved ones. What we see today is the other choice. Man is whatmesses up religion. History proves it." - a Past Master fromDunedin, Florida, USA

POLL Wanting to understand the separation of Religion and Masonry,I established some Internet polls through the various MasonicDiscussion Groups I participate in throughout the world. Thequestion was rather simple: "If your place of worship(church/temple/mosque) said you must either abandonFreemasonry or the church, what would you do?" 3 (02%) I would abandon Freemasonry 119 (93%) I would abandon my place of worship and findanother 6 (05%) - I would abandon my faith altogether

The results were to be expected. The overwhelming majoritydid not see any incompatibility between religion and thefraternity, but instead of causing a problem, they opted to moveto another church where they could practice their faith. Only afew others felt it necessary to choose sides. Here is a Brotherwho described why he would abandon Freemasonry: "Well, Iguess I am a stand out in this poll. Being a newer member of alodge I can say without a doubt, I would abandon Freemasonry.I was told from the very beginning that Masonry should neverinterfere with your service to your family, your usualoccupation or your service to God. I belong to my churchbecause I believe and have faith in my pastor. He has the visionof God (through the Holy Spirit and the Holy Bible) and doesHis work within and outside of our church. If I had no faith inthis I could not remain an active member there. Please don'tthink I belong to a cult or follow some nut job out there, ourchurch is full of free thinking men and women who will let theiropinion be known. Our pastor will listen to and consider all freethinking ideas, but when the final decision is made, it is madeaccording to God's word (Holy Bible) and not our pastor's word.That is the reason I would abandon Freemasonry if it camedown to a choice. I am very glad that choice will never have tobe made.


I spoke to my pastor before joining Masonry and although he isnot a member of a lodge we have several members who are. Myonly problem is that there are several Brothers who attend mychurch who are Prince Hall Masons. In Tennessee our GrandLodge does not recognize PH Masons. We treat each other asbrothers anyway without holding any Masonic communication.But that is another discussion all together. Thank you for yourtime to hear me out." - a Mason from Nashville, Tennessee,USA

Another Brother felt entirely different: "What has the Churchdone for me lately? First to criticize. Very dictatorial. Masonrypromotes tolerance and mutual understanding. If the choice wasmandated by my Church, we would cease our association witheach other. For I believe the terrible atrocities committed inthose centuries past were by the Church that did not allow itsparishioners the right to think for themselves. As Freemasonsthis is our most treasured gift and ability. To be able to think forourselves and to teach others of like minds to do the same forthemselves is who and what we are. This is a major reason ourway of life has existed for so many centuries! For if we cannotpractice charity to or for whomever we wish, if we cannot havefellowship with whomever we wish or if we cannot hold a beliefin whatever Supreme Being that we wish, what will oursatisfaction be in belonging to a Church that refuses us thesesimple important pleasures? I for one, like you too, believe inthe life hereafter, and when push would come to shove, myrelationship with my God is not hinged on belonging to aparticular church! My faith in Him is contained in my heart, thesame place my love for our ancient fraternity will live until theday that I die. -Past District Deputy Grand Master, Havre,Montana

OVERCOMING IGNORANCE

As I see it, this division between religion and Freemasonry isprimarily our own doing. True, the ceremonies of the fraternityare well maintained secrets and, as far as I'm concerned, it isnobody's business but our own. After all, Masons have nointention in meddling in the workings of our places of worship,why should others meddle in ours? Aside from this, we havedone a horrible job of communicating to the public about ourstance on religion. One of the best ways to overcomemisconceptions with the public is to develop a one-on-onerelationship with members of the clergy. Let me give you anexample; I know of a Past Master living in Clearwater, Floridawho considers himself a well-read Catholic and activelysupports both his Church and Lodge. He invited his priest overto his house for dinner where they talked for hours aboutFreemasonry and cleared up a lot of the priest's misconceptionsabout the fraternity. I also know of another Brother who retiredand taught Sunday School at his Baptist Church. Initially, his

pastor was very suspicious when he discovered the Brother wasa Mason. But over time he found the Brother to be an honestand honorable man, and an active supporter of the church.When the Brother passed away, the pastor not only wept, heopenly welcomed the Masons into the church to perform aMasonic funeral service. Knowing there is no discrepancybetween practicing one's faith and Freemasonry, I invite allmembers of the clergy to contact a local lodge to discuss thefraternity and to find ways to work together. Better yet, Iencourage all Masonic Lodges to establish a program to meetwith the local clergy and discuss the fraternity. One-on-onemeetings can overcome a lot of problems. Maintaining a totalcloak of secrecy over the fraternity does nothing but cast acloud of suspicion over our motives. We must take a pro-activeapproach to communications as opposed to reactive. Failure todo so leads to rumors and innuendos which only createsbarriers. Do we really have anything to hide? Not really. Afterall, are we the 'Good Guys' or the 'Bad Guys'? We're the 'GoodGuys' who help the needy and try to make the world a betterplace by practicing charity, citizenship, patriotism, honesty andintegrity. Let's continue to leave religion to those institutionscharged with practicing it. To summarize Freemasonry's stanceon religion: Yes, men of many faiths are Masons. No,Freemasonry does not advocate a specific religion. Yes, manyMasons have been (and still are) members of the clergy. No,Masons do not worship Lucifer. Yes, Masons are regularchurch-goers. No, Freemasonry is not a religion. Yes, MasonicLodges have been used by many religious faiths to hold service(Lodges also make their facilities available for boy/girl scouts,civic and governmental organizations, and other non-profitorganizations). Anyone who thinks otherwise probably has ahidden agenda. So, to those religious orders reading this article,what will it be: allies or adversaries? Since Freemasonryrespects religious institutions and encourages its members toattend the places of worship of their choice, why can't religionaccept Freemasonry?

Keep the Faith.

Reprinted with Permission



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Documents

May - June 2010 Bulletin