THE PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON Issued Every Three Months By The Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of The Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity af Free and Accepted Ma sons of Pennsylvania and Masonic Jurisdiction Thereunto Belonging, through its COMMITIEE ON MASONIC CULTURE-Charles H. Nitsch, P. G. M., Chairman, W illiam E. Montgomery, Vice-Chairman, Charles S. Reyner, Minor M. Dain, Russell Davis, W. Frederick Warren, George Wollrath, J. Warren McKinley.
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APPROVED AND AUTHORIZED TO BE PRINTED BY
W. leROY McKINLEY Right Worshipful Grand Master Mailing Address: MASONIC TEMPLE BROAD AND FILBERT STREETS, PHILADELPHIA 7, PENNA.
CHARLES H. NITSCH, P. G. M., Editor
Vol. IX
February, 1962
No. 1
850 Masons Honor Grand Master at ''Homecoming" More than 850 Masons attended a Special Meeting and banquet of Frankford Lodge, No. 292 on December 28 to honor Bro. W. LeRoy McKinley, R. W . Grand Master. Bro. McKinley is a member and Past Master of Frankford Lodge. Following the Special Meeting in Frankford Ma§onic Hall, Philadelphia, a banquet was ser ved in the Four Chefs. Representatives from many Masonic Lodges and Masonic Bodies in the Philadelphia area attended the meeting and banquet. Bro. Robert W . Dietrich, Past Master of Frankford Lodge and Grand Sword Bearer, was the toastmaster at the banquet. The Potentate's Men fr om l rem Shrine Temple provided the musical entertainmen t. All those who attended the banquet were given an official certificate of attendance from Frankford Lodge, signed by Bro. Louis J. Winter, Worshipful Master, and Bro. George Soltis, Secretary.
Bro. Nitsch, P. G. M., Heads Reorganized Committee on Masonic Culture Bro. Charles H. Nitsch, R. W. Past Grand Master, was appointed chairman of the Committee on Masonic Culture by the Grand Master. Bro. Nitsch, a Past Master of Crescent Lodge, No. 493, Philadelphia, was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge in 1956 and 1957. He succeeds Bro. William E. Montgomery, a Past Master of William S. Snyder Lodge, No. 756, Harrisburg, who served as chairman of the commit· tee for the past year. Bro. Montgomery was appointed vicechairman of the Culture Committee. Th e other members of the committee include : Bro. Charles S. Bro. Nitsch, P. G. M. Reyner, Past Master of Fort Washington Lodge, No. 308, Fort Washington, and a Past District Deputy Grand Master. Bro. Minor M. Dai n, Past Master of Phoenix Lodge, No. 75, Phoenixville, and District Deputy Grand Master for the 40th Masonic District. Bro. Russell Davis, a member of Emmaus Lodge, No. 792, Emmaus. Bro. W. Frederick Warren, a Pas t Master of Thomson Lodge, No. 34.0, Green Tree, and Junior Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge. Bro. George W ollrath, Pas t Master of Cassia Lodge, No. 273, Ardmore. Bro. J. Warren McKinley, a member of Frankford Lodge, No. 292, Philadelphia. In announcing the reorganization of the
19 New District Deputies Named by Grand Master (Continued from page4)
Bro. William H. Tyson, Past Master of Frankford Lodge, No. 292, the man who signed the petition for the Grand Master to be come a Mason, gives a few instructions to t he Grand Master.
in the creation by this Grand Lodge of the Office of Past District Deputy Grand Mas ter. " The follow ing Brothers have received the honor of Past Dis trict Deputy Grand Master : Herbert S. Muller, Arthur A. Hackman, J. Merrill Oswald, Charles S. Reyner, H. Don. aid Major, William P. Miller, Domer J. Bailey, James W. Sembower, John C. Pillow, George H. Dei ke, Jr., Hugh M. Bell, Edward E. John. son, Benjamin S. Barbour, Paul T. Shive, Lawrence L. Allen, and John W. Rawson. The Grand Master continued : " I am convinced that office was created as one of honor- a promotion- an office where the recipient remains a part of the Grand Lodge famil y, retains a title, retains his apron and is to be recognized officially, but is relieved of th e detailed duties and obligations of a Deputy after ten years of service."
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FREEMASON AN OFF ICIAL PUBLICAT IO N OF THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS
Bro. Sanford M. Chilcote, P. G. M., le ft, presents Past Grand Mas ter's Jewel to Bro. Max F. Balcom at Annual Grand Communication, December 27, 1961.
Committee on Masonic Culture at Grand Lodge on December 27, Bro. W. LeRoy McKinley, R. W. Grand Master, said : " Our Committee on Masonic Culture has done an outstanding job since its inception, first under the leadership of R. W. Past Grand Master, Bro. William E. Yeager, and since his resignation, under that of Bro. Montgomery, both in the field of extending Masonic Education and in the creation and development of our publication under the name of THE PENNSYLVANIA FnEEMASON. " For some time I have had the feeling that the chairman of this Committee should be a Past Grand Master and I am happy to report two things in th is connection. " First, that R. W. Past Grand Master, Bro. Nitsch , has agreed to serve as chairman, and, second, that Bro. Montgomery has agreed to work wi th Bro. Nitsch and to continue as a member of the Committee. "One importan t change which will be made in the activities of the Committee relates to THE PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON. " That publication will take on a different fo rm , as you will see after the March issue. I t wi ll be mailed to all Pennsylvania Masons instead of to the limited number receiving it at present, and will be djstributed from the Masonic Homes at Elizabethtown, where space has already been provided and where some of our Guests will assist as part of an occupational therapy program." This is the first issu e of The Pennsylvania Freernason in which illu s tt·ations have been used to project Masonic informatio n. The use of i.llust•·ations will be continued. The pape•· w ill be expanded to 3 pages and sent to every Pennsylvania Mason in the near fu ture. It wiU be mailed f•·om the Masonic Homes whm·e G uests will be given the opportunity to assist in its distrib u t ion. Send your comments to the Committee on Masonic Cultu•·e, Masonic Temple, Phila. 7, Pa .
VOLUME I X
FEBRUARY • 1962
NUMBER
1
Quotes from Grand Master's Acceptance Address on Dec. 27
Bro. McKinley Becomes R. W. Grand Master of Masons in Pennsylvania Bro. W . LeRoy McKinley, a Philadelphia attorney, is now the Right Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Pennsylvania. He was installed as Grand Master at the Annual Grand Communication in Masonic Temple, Philadelphia, on December 27, 1961. Bro. McKinley succeeded Bro . Max F. Balcom of Emporium, who served as Grand Master for two years. Other Grand Lodge officers incl ude: Bro . Earl F. Herold, of Butler, R.W. Deputy Grand Master; Bro . Robert E. Deyoe, of Oil City, R. W. Senior Grand Warden; Bro. John K. Young, of Philadelphia, R. W. Junior Grand Warden; Bro. Louis Bacharach, R. W . Grand Treasurer; and Bro. Ashby B. Paul, of Harrisburg, R. W . Grand Secretary. Bro. McKinley is the senior partner of the law firm of McKinley and Anthony, the legal counsel fo r Grand Lodge. He graduated from the Law School of the University of Pennsylvania and has practiced law in Philadelphia since his graduation. Bro . McKinley is a member of the Bar of the local, state and federal courts and the Supreme Court of the Uni ted States. He also is a member of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and American Bar Associations, many social clubs and is past president of the Pennsylvania Scotch-Irish Society. A veteran of World War I, Bro. McKinley was very active in the American Legion fo r many years and served as Commander of Philadelphia County. During World War II and the Korean War, he served as legal officer with the Local Selective Service Board, Philadelphia Appeal Board and the State Appeal Board at Harrisburg. A member of Frankford Lodge, No . 292, F. & A. M., he served as Worshipful Master of the Lodge in 1926. He also served as chairman of the trustees of Frankford Masonic Hall for many years. He served as District Deputy Grand Master
OF PENNSYLVANIA
The following are quotes from Bro. W. LeRoy McKinley's address fo llowing his installation as Grand Master of Masons in Pennsylvania on December 27, 1961: " I assume office under extremely pleasant circumstances, with complete harmony reigning in our Grand Lodge. The realization uppermost in my thinking is that those who have preceded me have each performed outstanding services to our Grand Lodge. "We have been most fortunate, my Brethren, in having the type of men who have occupied the East and I approach my task with a full realization of the inany duties and obligations it entai ls . . .." " Wi th approximately 258,000 Masons in 602 Lodges in Pennsylvania, it is, of course, impossible for the Grand Master to be in personal contact with all members or even with all Lodges, and the District Deputies are (Continuecl on page 2 )
Bro. W. LeRoy McKinley R. W. Grand Master
of " D" Masonic District, Philadelphia, from 1948 until he was elected Junior Grand Warden in 1955. Bro. McKinley's Masonic affiliations include: Siloam Royal Arch Chapter, No. 226, Philadelphia; Frankford Commandery, No. 92, Philadelphia; Scottish Rite Bodies, Valley of Philadelphia; and LuLu Shrine Temple. He was crowned an Honorary 33° Scottish Rite Mason in 1958. He served as secretary of trustees of one of Grand Lodge's larger trust funds for 30 years, from 1926 to 1956. Bro. McKinley and his wife, Margaret, have a son, J. Warren McKinley, also a member of Frankford Lodge, No. 292. His son, brother, father, five uncles and grandfather were all members of Frankford Lodge. His brother and grandfather also served as Worshipful Master of the Lodge.
Masons Can Attend Closed Meetings of Yo uth Groups Masons who are members of Lodges in the Jurisdiction of Pennsylvania are now permitted to attend an open or closed meeting of the Order of Rainbow for Girls and Order of Job's Daughter. Decision 238-B states : " To further clarify Decision No. 238 and 238-A, in t he Digest of Decisions, I now direct that a Member of a Lodge under the Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania may attend a meeting of the Order of Rainbow for Girls or Job's Daughters, whether the meeting is closed or open to the general public. " I further direct that it is not permissible for Masons under the Jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge to be Members of either of the above organizations, nor to serve on their Advisory Boards or Committees." The Decision was signed by the Grand Master on December 1, 1961.