THE PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON luued Every Three Months By The Right Worshipful Grand lodge of The Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania and Masonic Jurisdiction Thereunto Belonging, through its COMMITIEE ON MASONIC CULTURE - William E. Yeager, Past Grand Moster, Chairman; William E. Montgomery, G. Edward Elwell, Jr., Frank R. l eech, William A. Carpenter, Charles A. Young and Ashby B. Paul. APPROVED AND AUTHORIZED TO BE PRINTED BY
that with all the millions of people who profess to follow His philosophy, the world remains in somewhat of a chaos rather than in order. The solution is easy-and if accepted and enforced even within the membership of the Craft could prove to be a most powerful influ. ence throughout the world. We must be build. ers, not destroyers; workers, not drones; and above all, doers of His Word, not just hearers only. -W.A.C.
CHARLES H. NITSCH Right Worshipful G rand Master
N oteworthy Masonic Meeting Places
W ILLIAM A. CARPENTER, fdilor
(Continued from page 5)
Mailing Address : The Masonic Temple, Broad and Filbert Streets, Philadelphia 7, Po.
Vol. III
November, 1956
No.4
Peace on Earth Good Will Toward Men Once again, our thoughts turn to the Christmas Season, that time for happy gatherings and expression of good will and peace toward our fellow men. Let us consider peace as it must have been regarded by the Galilean wh ose birth we celebrate this December 25, 1956. He spent His earthly life in bondage to the Roman Legions. That fact He considered un. important. His work centered on the individual. He knew that if the individual was right, society would be right. So He touched the hearts and souls of men. He was the greatest leader that the world has ever known, yet , He never raised an army, He never fought a battle and He never resisted authority. He was, indeed, a man of peace. The peace He gave was within one's self. He taught to "love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you and pray for them that despitefully use you. " His peace was the peace of understanding and love for all men. He constantly admonished his followers to clear their minds and hearts of lust , hate, greed and selfishness. With this accomplished, n othing would remain but peace and love. Wickedness redounds wickedness ; hate breeds hate; greed accrues greediness and all lead to misery. But peace generates love, and love is strong- ever swelling, enduring and overcoming. It is entirely fitting for us at this time of the year, and every day of the year, if you please, to recall the genuine spirit of good will, that true Christmas spirit which should prevail among Freemasons as we live together and work together as a band as Brothers, among whom no emulation should ever exist. This same expression of good will, harmony and friendship practiced within our Fraternity can very well be radiated and reflected in the minds and actions of those with which we have daily contact and association. Strange, is it not,
The structure in question is located at the southwest corner of Fifth and Arch Streets. The present size is approximately 60 feet (on Fifth Street) by 45 feet on Arch Street, although apparently a 10.foot or 12.foot addition has been erected at each end, so that the original part of the building is somewhat smaller than the over.all dimensions indicated above. It is built of brick, two stories high and on the gable end facing Arch Street is a stone bearing the inscription: "By General Subscrip· tion for the Free Quakers Erected in the Year of Our Lord 1783 of the Empire 8." The build. ing has recently been occupied by a supply company, but is now empty. It seems unfor. tunate that this historic old structure was not acquired by Grand Lodge in times past when it doubtless could have been purchased for a relatively small sum. W ishes of this kind, how. ever, are usually made after the favorable opportunity has long since passed. It might be interesting to note some of the items of expense incurred in fitting the new room for Masonic occupancy as charged by Samuel Benge, Upholsterer (noted in pounds, shillings and pence): to Covering to Formes with Green Bays-Brass Nails, Green Bind. ing, Tacks &c 3-9-7 7~ Yds Wilton carpeting at 6/6 Brase nails. Tape. Black Tacks makeing & puting down 3-8-3 18~ Yds Bes t 3/2 Scotch Carpeting @ 5/3 4-16-1 ~ To makeing Brase Nails, Black Tacks Tape & puting down 1- 2- 6 15~ Yd s Crimson Morree n at 3 /9 For Can ipy and Ward in Pedistalls 2-18- 1 ~ To Washing the Six Window Cur. tins, takeing down and putting up again with 1- 2-6 24 new Tosells at 1/6 1-16-{) The above, together with other items including a "frame for the Canipy," "green serge for Wardens Caushine," " 16 yds white bed lace," "repicking haire making and stuffing" and similar expense, totaled 23 -4-10~ .
Evidently the Free Quakers did not care to renew the lease, for as early as August 12, 1799, in the minutes of Lodge No. 2 it is noted that a Committee was appointed to con. fer "on a suitable place for meeting after we leave this." It is in teresting to note that at the same meeting a motion was presented that "one·third of the Initiation fees be placed in the hands of the Grand Treasurer half yearly for the express purpose of Establishing a fund for the building of a Grand Lodge. Ordered to lie over for Consideration." This refers to a plan of Grand Lodge to raise $6,000.00 by subscription to build or otherwise secure a permanent meeting place for Grand Lodge and the local subordinate lodges. Not being able to secure other accommoda. tions, our Masonic ancestors were permitted to meet for a time in the State House (lnde. pendence Hall) under circumstances which will be recited in a subsequent issue.
Who Guards the Portals of Freemasonry? Who guards the portals of Freemasonry? It may rightly be said that three Master Masons guard these cherished portals. And but for the devoted and attentive diligence of these three Master Masons, the virtues of the Craft might be exploited by the ambitious, corrupted by the immoral, or subverted by the seekers of evil power. Each petitioner for the My steries of Freemasonry has within him the will and desire either to perpetuate the Craft in the glory of the past, or to warp and use it to his own ends. Nothing stands between the unscrupulous petitioner and the Lodge except three guards who are appointed by the Worshipful Master as the Investigating Committee. It is true, of course, that each member of the Lodge has the right and privilege of the ballot, but it is equally true that the individual member ofttimes is influenced by the report of the Investigating Committee. Who guards the portals of Freemasonry? Three Master Masons who, if they are vigilant and alert that the petitioner is worthy of a favorable report, will g uard well our portals, but who, if they be heedless and insensible of their responsibilities, will allow a petitioner through the outer door to the detriment of the Craft. The guard or sentinel must alway s be awake and faithful in the dis· charge of his duty . In time of war the sentinel who sleeps may well pay with his life for his slumbers. Today, this very day of our current Masonic year, we wage war-let no man mistake it- war against the most insidious forces that would strangle and crush and dishonor our great Fraternity, and the Master Mason who permits himself to be the sleepful guard may pay with the life of our great Fraternity . Who guards the portals of Freemasonry? All of us, Brethren. Each time we investigate the petition of one who seeks the Mysteries of Freemasonry, we g uard those sacred portals.- W .A.C.
FREEMASON AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF PENNSYLVANIA
VOLUME III
NOVEMBER • 1956
NUMBER 4
A Message from Our Grand Master SUBJECT of great concern to your Grand Master is the matter of providing proper educational material to the more than 252,000 Masons of our Grand Jurisdiction. My immediate predecessor, Brother Ralph M. Lehr, also recognized this need and for this reason, created the Committee on Masonic Culture and appointed Brother William E. Yeager, R. W . Past Grand Master, as its Chairman. After considerable discussion it was finall y agreed that an official publication should be created and made available to all Brethren of our Jurisdiction. Thus was born " The Pennsylvania Freemason." This is the official publication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and is mailed to approximately 92,000 of our Brethren. It is disappointing that more of our members have not availed themselves of the opportunity of being placed on the mailing list. We urge each Brother who is not on the list to contact his secretary. The procedure is very simple and there is n o charge for subscription. It is the gift of the Grand Lodge to the membership. To further add to your Masonic knowledge, each Secretary of our Lodges has been sent the following letter:
A
" By a resolution, adopted unanimously at its September Quarterly Communication, Grand Lodge took another forward step in its program of Masonic education by becoming a member of the Masonic Service Association of the United States. As a result of this membership, all of our Lodges each month will receive a copy of the monthly Short Talk Bulletins published by the Association. " These Bulletins contain a wealth of informational and inspirational material, and it is my desire that they be circulated as widely as possible. The members of your Lodge who desire to do so should be given every opportunity to read them. It will be your duty, as the Secretary of the Lodge, to see that this is done, and, when there is no longer a demand for any particular Bulletin, to file it with the papers of the Lodge. "You will read this letter at the next stated meeting of the Lodge, and then file it in the Official Binder." What is the Masonic Service Association of the United States?
The Association was formed in 1919 as the result of need developed in World War I, of a means by which American Freemasonry could function unitedly in relief for the distressed.
The Brethren who gathered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1918, for preliminary discussion, and again in 1919, for the formation of the Association, knew that more than one bond between Jurisdictions was required. Hence the Educational, Statistical, Informative and other Services to the Craft which this organization has given from the beginning. The Short Talk Bulletin
Started in 1923 as an experiment in Masonic Education, not even its proponents envisioned the speakers library into which it would develop or prophesied the enthusiastic reception of these monthly pamphlets. Written for the average Mason, The Short Talk Bulletin has made its place in Masonic education. Speakers here find addresses on more than 400 Masonic subjects. Libraries use them to ans wer inquiries, writers consult them for subject matter, educational committees use them to instruct new Brethren. The Executive Secretary of the Association is Brother Carl H. Claudy, one of America's outstanding Masonic scholars. Midwest Conference on Masonic Education
On November 8th, 9th and lOth, your Grand Master, accompanied by Brother William E. Yeager, R. W. Past Grand Master, Chairman of the Committee on Masonic Culture, attended the Seventh Annual Midwest Conference on Masonic Education at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Following are some of the subjects that were discussed: "AnalysiS of the Essential Divisions of Masonic Education and Evaluation of Methods Applicable to Each." "What should the candidate be taught?" "Open Discussions on Masonic Publications." "A Review of Some Recent Masonic Books." "Masonic Misinformation." "Topics and Scope of Masonic Research that needs to be done." "The role of the Masonic Education Committee in relation to the Masonic Student." "A Program for the Use of Lodge Talent." "How to Investigate a Candidate." Brother Yeager and your Grand Master fee l much was learned that can and will be passed on for the edification of our Grand Jurisdiction.
(b"~JJ.q~ CHARLES H. NITSCH, Grand Master