Who Was Hiram, King of Tyre? Editor's Note-The following article was written by Bro. Lewis M. Parker, Past Grand Master oi the Grand Lodge oi New jersey and one of their Grand Instructors. Our Masonic tradition tells us that our Craft had three original Grand Masters. The first of these, Solomon the King of Israel, figures prominently in our Masonic story and is still known as a great personage thirty centuries after his time. The third of this trio is the center and source of our deepest teaching and to him all Masons are bound by a unique tie. But the second of our Grand Masters has only a passing reference in our Ritual and outside of a Masonic Lodge is known only to a few specialists in history. Hiram of Tyre was a monarch who ruled over a powerful kingdom at the peak of its greatness. He and his people deserve to be known better by the Masonic fraternity. The kingdom of Tyre, or Phoenicia, as it was more generally known, was located on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean north of Palestine. Its principal city was the seaport of Tyre, which because of its geographical location became a converging point on the great trade routes. Tyre became one of the foremost commercial centers of the ancient world and grew rich and powerful. R. W. PAST GRAND MASTER'S JEWEL Grand Lodge F. & A. M. of Pennsylvania The Compasses and Square united, with the irradiated Sun, in the center, setting behind clouds, and with the Gavel pendent between the legs of the Compasses. The Jewel is gold, set with a diamond and suspended by a purple ribbon.
LOST and FOUND A Masonic ring has been found in Ashland, Pa. This ring w as found during the Labor Day week-end and turned over to the Worshipful Master of Ashland Lodge, No. 294, Bro. Harry N. Horback. Initials inside the ring read L. E. B. Ring can be returned to its rightful owner by contacting the Secretary of the Lodge, Bro. joseph L. Stabler, R. D. No. 1, Box 143, Ashland, Pa. 17921.
THE PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON Distribution Office MASONIC HOMES Elizabethtown, Po. 17022 (Send FORM 3579 to Above Address)
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Phoenicia has two just claims to high achievement. In the first place, the Phoenicians were among the first known sailors of the world. It is said that they were the first to navigate upon the open sea and to chart their course by means of the stars. Thus to the men of Tyre goes the distinction of being the fathers of modern navigation. They must indeed have been an alert and venturesome race. It is known that Phoenician sailors traveled all over the Mediterranean-sailed through the Straits of Gibraltar, down the coast of Africa, up the coast of Spain and even as far as England. If we wish to romanticize history a little we can see in our mind's eye a sea captain of Hiram of Tyre sailing through the Pillars of Hercules and gazing out upon vast ocean-not knowing that 3000 miles beyond his sight lay a land where 3000 years later the name of his royal master would be perpetuated in Masonic Lodges. As the Phoenicians went about the Mediterranean they founded colonies in various places, the most famous of which was Carthage on the northern coast of Africa. Carthage flourished, and as the parent Tyre began to decline, Carthage carried on the Phoenician tradition. It came into conflict with the rising power of Rome, and after years of furious struggles known as the Punic Wars, Rome was triumphant and Carthage was destroyed. But C arthage almost prevailed-her general, Hannibal, one of the greatest military commanders of all time, took a n a rmy across northern Africa, through Spain and southern France, over the Alps and down to the very gates of Rome before h e was stopped. It is interesting to speculate that if Carthage had conquered R ome, our civilization, which so largely bears the imprint of the Romans, might instead have been influenced by the people of Hiram of Tyre. In the second place, the Phoenicians may claim to a high place in the history of mankind because they were the inventors of one of the first known alphabets. We take the alphabet so much for granted that it is hard for us to conceive of the time when it did not exist. Hiram's people were certainly posse ssed of intellectual curiosity and skill to formulate a way whereby the thoughts of men could be transmitted through other than oral m eans. The Phoenician alphabet influenced the Greek, and the Greek the Roman. In reading these lines you are bearing a certa in mute testimony to the genius of the people over whom our second Grand Master once ruled. Solomon's name and fame are still remembered today while that of his neighbor to the north has been largely forgotten. Solom on was fortunate in having adequate chroniclers ( himself included) which Hira m lacked. Solomon did not equal Hiram in wealth and in worldly power, but he did surpass him in the greater and more enduring values of wisdom and of the spirit. King Hiram of Tyre has been saved from complete oblivion in the dusty tombs of history and is remembered by Freemasons because he gave freely of his resources to help, aid and assist a neighbor in a gr eat a nd important underta king.
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FREE::M:A.SO~ AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF PENNSYLVANIA
VOLUME XIII
NOVEMBER
•
1966
Grand Officers Serving 1n Bermuda Visit Our Grand Lodge Quarterly Three Masonic leaders from Bermuda, representing the Grand Lodges of England, Ireland and Scotland, were guests of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania at the September Quarterly Communication, September 7. Bro. Robert E. Deyoe, R. W. Grand Master, invited the Bermuda Brethren as his special guests in an effort to recognize the courtesies they have extended to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. They were formally received in Grand Lodge by the Grand Master and given an opportunity to speak. While in Philadelphia, the visiting
Brethren and their ladies were taken on a guided tour of the Masonic Homes at Elizabethtown and Masonic Temple, Philadelphia. Before leaving the states, Bro. Talbot, V. W. Grand Inspector for English Lodges in Bermuda, wrote a note to the Grand Master, saying: "I cannot leave this country without trying to express to you our appreciation. The whole visit was staggering to us because of the warmhearted friendship, cordiality and hospitality beyond description. To say 'thank you' is entirely inadequate."
Picture showing Grand Officers representing Grand Lodge in Bermuda and our Grand Lodge Officers. From left to right are Bro. Hiram P. Ball, R. W. Senior Grand Warden; Bro. C. H. V. Talbot, V. W. Grand Ins pector for English Lodges in Bermuda; Bro. John K. Young, R . W. De1mty Grand J\1astcr; Bro. Robert E. Deyoe, R. W. Grand Master; Bro. Earl F. Herold, R. W. Past Grand Master ; Bro. T. F. F. Wyatt, R. W. Distric t Superintendent for the Scottish Lodges in B ermuda; Bro. Ashby B. Paul, R . W. Grand S ecre ta r y , and Bro. T. M . du B . Godct, R . W. Grand Insp e ctor of the Irish Lodges in Bermuda .
NUMBER 4
Freemasonry Is Not a Religion While Freemasonry is religious, our purpose as Freemasons is not that of a religion. We seek no converts. We raise no money for religious purposes. We do not ask our members to subscribe to any religious tenet or dogma. There are some who would make it so in order that they personally might rationalize and excuse their own escape from the claims of religion. Being completely a tolerant organization, there is nothing in Freemasonry that is opposed to the religion a man brings with him into the Lodge. We have none of the marks of a religion. We have prayers, it is true-invocations to Deity, but we have no ritual of worship. We have no symbols that are religious in the sense of the symbols found in Church or Synagogue. Our symbols are related to the development of Character and of the relationship of man to man. They are our working tools-used in the building of life. Freemasonry does not assert and does not teach that one religion is better than another. We do not say that all religions are equal because we admit men of all religions. We do ask a man if he believes in God and that is a religious test only. Belief in God is faith; belief about God is theology. We are interested in faith only and not in theology. When Freemasonry accepts a Christian, or a Jew, or a Mohammedan, it does not accept him as such, but as a man-worthy to be received into the Craft. Freemasonry is a teaching through exemplification in its degrees, of the highest ethical and moral principles known to mankind. There it stops, and there it must stop, else it would become a revolution or a religion.