Masonic Principles Are No Secret

A Window for freemasonry II Features 4 Let the Good Deeds Shine by Richard H. Curtis, 33° Masonic principles are no secret. 6 'Charity, Hope and Protection' by Mark A. Tabbert, 32° " Mutual benefit societies were an outgrowth of Freemasonry. 9 Mason on the Mound 12 Masonry and Your Neighbor by Alan E. Foulds by David L. Olmstead, 32° The first perfect game tossed by Why aren't our neighbors Brother Cy Young Scottish Rite Masons? Col1llllllS 16 Soaring Golden Eagles 3 Sovereign Grand Commander 18 Notes from the Southern Jurisdiction by Blaine F. Fabian, 33° The "Nest" is growing to keep up 19 Brothers on the Net with demand ofmembers. 20 Scottish Rite Charities 21 The Stamp Act 8 American Freemasons Due Out this Month· 8 Top Ten American Fraternal Organizations, 1896 • 11 Pitcher Perfect· 11 Masonic Word Math· 13 22 Book Nook New Scottish Rite Credit Card Program Off to Great Start. 142005 "Smart Kids" 24 HealthWise Awards Honors Mari from the Nashua Learning Center. 1.4 "Why I Became a Center Director" • 15 I Can Learn, Inc. • 15 The Boston Marathon· 15 26 Views from the Past Sumner SchoollJlustrates Reading Program's Success. 17 Still going like 60 28 Today's Family in South Bend· 25 A Gift to the Nation: National Heritage Museum celebrates 29 Readers Respond 30 years· 27 Quick Quotes· 29 Adopt-A-Billboard • 30 The Book Shelf • 30 On the Lighter Side· 30 Hiram 31 Footnotes EDITOR SUPREME COUNCIL, 33° Richard H. Curtis, 3)0 Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Mailing Address: Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A. PO Box 519, Lexington, MA 02420-0519 ASSISTANT EDITOR Alan E. Foulds SOVEREIGN GRAND COMMANDER Walter E. Webber, 33· Editorial Office: PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS THE NORTHERN LIGHT (ISSN 1088-4416) is published qUJl1erly in February. May, 33 Marrell Road (Route 2A) Sonja B. Faiola & Beth E. McSweeney August, and November by the Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Lexington, Massachusetts 02421 Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A., as the oificial publication. Printed in U.s.A. 781-862-4410 MEDIA ADVISORY COMMITTEE Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA, and at additional mailing offices. Fax: 781-863-1833 Stephen E. Carpenter, 33°, Chairman Richard J. Travis, 33· POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Northern Light. PO Box 519, Lexington, e-ma!l: [email protected] Donald D. Thomas, 33" MA 02420-0519. William Fox Jr., 33" Copyright 10 2005 by Trustees of the Supreme Council of the Ancient Accepted Internet: lawrence D. Inglis, 33" Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A. WIVW.suprcmecounci I.org William L. McCarrier, 33" 2 THE NORTHERN LIGHT J MAY 2005 "George Newbury envisioned a museum to highlight the greatness of our heritage." - Walter E. Webber, 33' The Growth of a Dream Thirty years ago, then" Sovereign Grand Com tory for one of the largest collections of frater mander George A. Newbury, 33°, had a nal memorabilia in the country. It was this col dream. The Supreme Council headquarters lection that provided the basis for the fraternal had relocated a few years earlier from an office exhibition, "To Build and Sustain," curated by suite in Boston to suburban Lexington. He Mark A. Tabbert, 32°. Using the exhibition re looked around the 22-acre site and envisioned search as a starting point, Brother Tabbert was a museum that would highlight the greatness encouraged to expand his research to publish of our American heritage. a book. III. Brother Newbury embarked on a capital American Freemasons: Three Centuries of campaign among the Scottish Rite Masons to Building Communities is the result of his effort. raise funds for the museum. The net result was The book is very attractive. Of the 200 color il the $6 million structure that greets visitors lustrations, most are part of the museum's col today. lection. But when readers get beyond the first At the dedication, which took place in April glance, they will find a wealth of information 1975 on the 200th anniversary of the Battle of contained within the pages of the book. The Lexington and Concord, the Grand Comman story relates the ups and downs of the Ma der expressed the hope that the museum and sonic fraternity from its arrival in the colonies library "will be a continuing inspiration to the to the present day. people of America to continue to uphold [the This work will not only expand a Mason's principles and noble ideals proclaimed in the knowledge of the craft but also provide the Declaration of Independence] and to hold fast non-Mason with a much better understanding to those ideals through all the years to come." of a fraternity that has attracted so many men Originally known as the Scottish Rite Ma for centuries. sonic Museum of Our National Heritage, the American Freemasons is a fitting tribute to name has been shortened to a more manage the National Heritage Museum's 30th anniver able title - National Heritage Museum. It con sary. tinues to be sponsored by the Scottish Rite Masons of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. In addition to the many changing exhibitions of American life, the facility is also the reposi- Sovereign Grand Commander MAY 2005 /THE NORTHERN LIGHT 3 By RICHARD H. CURTIS, 33° Masonic principles are no secret they appeared to be so far-fetched that "no one could possibly believe them." Silence, however, raises doubt. The William Morgan incident of the 1820s may have come about by a few over-zealous Masons attempt ing to defend the fraternity, although it will never be known whether a Mason was involved with Morgan's disappearance. Yet the incident added fllel to the fire created by anti-Masonic groups, who were looking for an excuse to destroy the fraternity. What ap peared to be a local issue in western New York became a national fiasco. The entire fraternity \·vas tarred with a single brush. The mere fact that a national anti Masonic political party was created added to the confusion within Freemasonry. Lodges closed. Family pressure forced many Masons to withdraw their membership. Politi cal leaders who were Masons tended to disassociate themselves from the he Worshipful Master announced There have been many misconcep fraternity. that he was about to call the lodge tions about the Masonic fraternity. For Freemasonry survived the devastat Tto order, and the Tyler closed the those unfamiliar with the lodge room ing era, and lodges eventually began to door. Whatever transpired inside the scene, there has always been a certain reopen. lodge room was hidden from those out amount of curiosity. Since side the door. Masons have not been ac That scene is duplicated many times customed to talking openly over wherever Masons gather aroWld about the fraternity, it is log the world. Unlortunately, the outsider ical for the non-Mason to as cannot lift the lid to peak inside the sume that the members are room. withholding "secrets" from There is an old story about two non the general public. Masons who were passing by a Masonic Freemasonry's perceived building on the night of a lodge meet secrecy has led to suspicion. ing. The first one wondered how some Many times the fraternity one becomes a Mason. The second re has been falsely accused of sponded, "It takes a long time. See that plotting evil deeds within man at the door with a sword in his the confines of the lodge hand? He's been knocking on the door room. The tendency in the for years and they still haven't let him past has been to ignore the in." erroneous charges because 4 THE NORTHERN LIGHT I MAY 2005 Throughout its history the fraternity has had its detractors. Hitler considered Freemasons a threat to his plans. Com munist leaders refused to recognize the If true fraternal brotherhood spread fraternity as a part of its ideology. Some religious leaders have attempted to ex beyond the Masonic fraternity, ploit Freemasonry as a competing reli giolls sect - whether it is because of a just imagine what kind lack of understanding or the need for a target to strengthen their own base. of world this would be. Mark Falcaff, a Latin American reach as potential members?" the com scholar, considered the Masons' non mittee concluded: confrontational approach toward au "Freemasonry wants to reach fellow thorities as the reason for its en journeymen, seeking enrichment in durance. The lodge provides an outlet body, mind and spirit through partici for Cubans critical of Castro but un pation in a brotherhood committed to willing to openly dissent. It attracts personal growth, good works, and spir "people who do not want to get into ituality." trouble, butat the same time That is a lofty, yet worthy, wish to be free. It's an goal. The best way to attempt to split the reach that goal is to difference." identify our- Castro must selves as see the moral Freemasons lessons of the and at the Freemasonry in Cuba was very pop Masonic phi same time ular prior to the revolution in 1959, but losophy as a exemplify in under the Castro regime was restrained. unifying influ our daily A recent article in the Chicago Tribune ence. Certainly lives the prin- pointed to the growing interest in the that is a position ciples ex- fraternity in Cuba. During the past 15 that could be du pressed in the years, membership has increased from plicated many times Masonic philosophy. 21,000 to 30,000. The emphasis of their over in other hot spots Keith Larson's cover mission is "to foster ethical conductand throughout the world.

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