-Historical Marker Placed Near t·h e Masonic Temple at Chambersburg On July 30, 1964, an impressive and inspiring ceremony marked the unveiling of an historical marker placed in front of the Masonic Temple, Chambersburg, Pa. The marker was placed by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and carried the following inscription:
Being persuaded that a just application of the principles on which the Masonic fraternity is founded, must be promotive of private virtue and public prosperity, I shall be happy to advance the interest of the society, and to be considered by them as a deserving Brother. -GEoRGE WASHINGTON THE PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON Distribution Office MASON IC HOMES Elizabethtown, Pa. 11022 (Send FORM 3579 to Above Address)
Question: Was Sir Winston Master Mason?
Churchill a
Answer: Yes, Sir Winston Churchill was a Master Mason. He was initiated into Freemasonry as a young man but never took an active part. He was Entered in United Studholme L odge, No. 1591, London, and received his Master Mason's Degree on March 25, 1902, in Rosemary Lodge, No. 2851, London.
MASONIC TEMPLE Built 1823-1824. Oldest Pennsylvania building erected solely for Masonic use and now used exclusively for that purpose. Spared when Confederates burned town on July 30, 1864. The Masonic Bodies that meet in this historic building include: George Washington Lodge, No. 143; General James Chambers Lodge, No. 801; George Washington Chapter, No. 176, George Washington Council, No. 66, Royal and Select Masters, and Continental Commandery, No. 56, Knights Templar. · Bro. Paul G. Pensinger, District Deputy Grand Master of the 4th Masonic District, expressed his gratitude to the Commission for the erection of the m arker, stating: "It stands as a symbol of the community."
Questions & ~nswers
Question: Is President Lyndon B. Johnson a Mason? Answer: President J ohnson received the Entered Apprentice Mason's Degree in Johnson City Lodge, No. 561, A. F . & A. M., Johnson City, Texas, on October 31, 1937. Although he was elected to receive all three Degrees, he never advanced beyond the Entered Apprentice Mason's D egree. Question: Is Vice President Humphrey a Master Mason?
Hubert H.
Answer: Yes, Vice President Humphrey is a Master Mason. He is a Member of Cataract L odge, No. 2, he ld at Minneapolis, Minnesota. Question: What is the difference between a "square" and an "oblong square?" Answer: A "square" is a rectangle with all four sides equal while an "oblong square" is a rectangle with two pairs of sides which may not be equal.
Participants in c eremonies Jnarking the unveiling of an historical marker near the Masonic Temple, Chambersburg, Pa., are (left to right) Bro. Paul G. Pensinger, District Deputy Grand Master of the 4th Masonic District; Irwin Richman, Acting Curator of History of the Stat!) Historical and Museun1 Conunission; Bro. James A. Strite and Bro. Horace l\1. Grayson, Trustees of George Washington Lodge, No. 143, and Bro. Thomas G. Burkey, immediate Past Master of George Washington Lodge, No. 143.
Second Class POSTAGE PAID AT Elizabethtown Pennsylvania
Question: Explain briefly the number of Masonic Lodges in Japan and what Grand Lodge Jurisdictions govern these Lodges. Answer: There are a t otal of twenty-three Masonic Lodges in J apan with a total membership of approximately 3500. Fifteen of these Lodges are under the Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Japan; four are under the Grand Lodge of the Philippines; two under the Grand Lodge of Scotland; one under the Grand Lodge of England and one under the Grand L odge of Massachusetts. The Grand Lodge of Japan is now in good fraternal relations with fifty-eight leading Grand Lodges of the world and is expected to be honored by others to follow, thanks t o the worldwide Fraternity of Freemasonry. Question: What is the total number of Freemasons in the lawfully warranted and duly constituted Lodges of the World? Answer: An approximate figure for this question would be six million Members. Question: What would be the total membership of the forty-nine Grand L odges of the United States of America? Answer: The total membership of t he fortynine Grand L od ges of the· United States is slightly more than four million which is t wo-thirds of the total population of Freemasons in the world.
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Editor's Note: If you hav~ a question on Freemasonry, share it with us. We will make every e ffort to answer it. If per· missible, we will include both the question a nd the answer in this Question a n d Answer column for others to read.
AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF PENNSYLVANIA
VOLUME XII
FEBRUARY
Grand Master's Message The Pennsylvania Freemason has afforded me a unique opportunity to discuss Freemasonry in Pennsylvania with all the Brethren in this Jurisdiction. I have appreciated this opportunity to give you my ideas and to request your full cooperation on various Grand Lodge projects. For instance, I urged Masons in Pennsylvania to contribute more than $250,000 to the Guest Fund at the Masonic Homes at Elizabethtown. This I am now assured will become a reality. I deeply appreciate your generosity. I will give a more detailed report in the next issue. In this issue, I am foregoing my usual column in order that Pennsylvania Brethren will have the unusual opportunity of being the first to read an outstanding article, "A Factual View of Freemasonry," by Bro. Fred Pierce Corson, a Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, Bishop of the Methodist Church of the Philadelphia area, and President of the World M ethodist Council. As President of the World Methodist Council, Bro. Corson has attained the summit of global Methodism and is the titular head of 50,000,000 Methodist s throughout the world. Bro. Corson was a delegate-observer to the Vatican Council in Rome. Last year he was qlecorated by the King of Norway with the medal of the Order of St. Olav, and was the recipient of the Gourgas Medal, the highest honor of the Supreme Council, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern M asonic Jurisdiction. In 1963 he received the World Outlook Award, "Methodist of the Year," and was the first Protestant clergyman to receive an honorary degree from St. Joseph's College. Bro. Corson is not a swivel chair leader; he has logged hundreds of thousands of miles representing the Methodist Church or the United States government. It would not be possible in the space available to give all the accomplishments of Bro. Corson. However, I am deeply appreciative of the time he has taken to express his feelings about Freemasonry. Fraternally yours,
R. W. Grand Master
•
NUMBER 1
1965
A Factual View of Freemasonry BY THE REV. BISHOP FRED PIERCE CORSON A Grand Chaplain, Grand Lodge F. & A. M. of Pennsylvania
Freemasonry has many friends and some enemies. Those who oppose it are to be found among Protestants, Catholics, atheists, fascists and communists. Much of the opposition is the result of half truths or untruths about Freemasonry. Many, especially among the Roman Catholics, are seeking a true image of Freemasonry and because they now see it as it really is, that is, not a "religion" or in opposition to any religion, are coming to appreciate it. One of the fine expressions of the new ecumenical movement is the united efforts of Freemasonry and the Knights of Columbus in human welfare projects. Freemasonry is not on trial except within itself. Bro. Fred Pierce Corson The abortive movements of Grand Chaplain the past to destroy Freemasonry when not inspired by unreasonable and illiterate emotionalism were made possible by movements within the world-wide Lodge which were a denial of the precepts of the Lodge. Among these were Masonic Jurisdictions which were humanistic and not theistic, and groups who used the Lodge to promote anti-clericalism rather than a common brotherhood. In fact, on the record, Freemasonry has been more sinned against than it has sinned. Some very hopeful changes are coming about in the broadening and understanding of brotherhood which are causing all of us to take a new look at each other. When this takes places with Freemasonry, some new and better insights of appraisal and appreciation are bound to appear. Freemasonry is not a religion. It has never claimed to be and has always corrected those of the brotherhood who unthoughtedly would say "Freemasonry is my religion." Freemasonry h as always been a friend and ally of religion. Religious people have found a congenial fellowship within the Lodge and have not been embarrassed by what takes place there. In many respects, Freemasonry may b e called (Continued on Page 2)