When we refer to the caliber of a good man’s character, his work ethic, resilience, decency, citizenship, faith, family values, and other aspects of what we commonly consider the measure of such a man, we say the man is of good timber.American poet and short-story writer, Douglas Malloch, is credited with bringing that term into popular usage in his 1922 poem, “Good Timber.” The significance of the poem is Malloch’s use of a sagely metaphor that reminds us that, like a tree, a man must consistently bear up against strong winds and other elements of his surroundings, and develop deep roots to nourish growth if he is to live an upright life of value, upon which a premium may be placed. Men who strive hard to surmount struggles of their sum and substance become, like trees, good timber. Some interpret Malloch’s work as a reminder that life without hardship is one of unfulfilled potential.
Read MoreWe all know that Freemasonry is a Fraternity. The word fraternity is derived from the Latin word “Frater” which means “brother” or “brotherhood.” We have each taken an oath giving us the right to regularly come together in private and call each other brothers within our adopted family. There have been hundreds of fraternal organizations established in our country’s history however most have failed to keep the attention and interest of their members and have eventually disappeared or transformed into casual forms of “organizations” “clubs” and “student fraternities.”
Read MoreFrom 1793-1805, England’s growing concern and fear of invasion by Napoleon’s enormous army and navy resulted in Parliament authorizing several watch stations to be built along the English coast and manned by civil servants. The purpose of these watch stations and duties of the lookouts was to serve as the early warning system to an invasion fully expected to arrive by way of the English Channel. Napoleon’s plan to invade England,however, was sidetracked in 1805 as he became more focused on his military campaigns in Austria and Egypt. In 1815, the English army defeated Napoleon once and for all at the Battle of Waterloo and the threat of an invasion completely disappeared.
Read MoreFollowing his installation as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky on October 17, 1957, M. W. Grand Master William O. Ware posed three questions to the Craft assembled: What is Freemasonry? What does Freemasonry mean to me? What do I mean to Freemasonry? All Masons engaged in a serious pursuit of Masonic light will address each of these questions at some point in their Masonic journey. Right now, we will consider the first of Grand Master Ware’s questions: What is Freemasonry?
Read MoreCivil War historians generally agree that the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, although being a relatively small affair in terms of the total number of men engaged on both sides, was fought as fiercely as any of the larger and better-known battles of that war. Soldiers in both armies recognized the strategic importance of Kentucky and, indeed, Union President Abraham Lincoln remarked, “I think to lose Kentucky is nearly the same as to lose the whole game.” Metaphorically, an equally fierce battle is being waged for the heart and soul of American Freemasonry. While relatively few men are engaged on either side, the struggle is a bitter one and the outcome will determine the direction of Freemasonry in this country for the next several
decades.
I come to you today from the George Washington Masonic Memorial, a temple built to the memory of that great man and Mason. The memorial is a landmark of our American heritage that belongs to all Masons in this country. Every Mason should feel that that temple in part belongs to him, as it represents our shared Masonic heritage as well. I speak of heritage because we are living in a time where our heritage seems to be in danger of being forgotten; where the values which built this nation, and which sustained our families in times of trouble seem to be no longer important to some. We are living in a time where many of us appear to no longer understand how we became the nation that was once called the hope of the world.
Read MoreMy Brothers, there are very few countries in the world in which the Masonic fraternity is struggling more than in the United States, simply to remain a viable institution. And yet, there are very few countries in the world, using any measuring criterion, in which the Masonic fraternity showed a greater degree of success than it did in our past. It is a monumental tragedy that the Freemasonry in North America is going through what is perhaps the greatest threat to its survival that we have ever experienced, while Freemasonry in much of the rest of the world is showing the greatest success that it has experienced since shortly after its creation. Consider that 31 new regular grand lodges have been consecrated since the turn-of-the-century.
Read MoreWe call the natural ability to make sound judgments based on observable facts, common sense. As we are told in a quote often attributed to Voltaire, common sense is not so common. Keeping an open mind, no matter one’s bias is a hallmark resting at the core of any research, especially research about American Freemasonry. Another guiding principle for research about Freemasonry and the institutions that surround it, is appreciating the reality that to attain truth is to be open to the possibility that we are simply not right about a lot of things because we do not take into consideration the original meaning or intent of actions,courses, and even simple mottos. The story behind the seal of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts is an example of what research can do when reason is followed. In fact, the term, Follow Reason, appears today as a motto on that grand lodge seal. Following reason is precisely what Masons in that state did in 1880 after a committee in 1857 presented a report that changed the original 1733 seal and motto.
Read MoreSurely the founders of Freemasonry and the authors and revisers of our ritual must have given due regard to this basic problem of life when they designed the ceremonies whereby candidates are inducted into our Craft. Certainly, the central theme of all our rituals is the leading of those blinded by the darkness of ignorance, and bound by the cords of superstition, out into the uplifting light of truth and knowledge. Who can justly deny the design of Freemasonry’s educational aims and activities; but some may doubt whether we are placing proper emphasis on the fundamental objectives of our Fraternity today?
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Had it not been for one sentence appearing in the first published history of Lexington Lodge No. 1 in 1913, John Belli would be but a mere footnote in the history of the first Masonic Lodge in Kentucky. One-thousand copies of J.W. Norwood’s Concise History of Lexington Lodge No. 1, F & A.M – Showing, Without Rhetorical Fog, The Spirit of the Work in Lexington for the Past Century and a Quarter. Norwood, a historian, and Junior Warden of the lodge at the time, coordinated a three-year effort to collect records and images of the 125 years of history of the lodge. Although assisted by others, he is considered the author. One-hundred and eleven years later, only three original copies of the publication are known to exist.
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