Download PDF Unraveling Tall Tales A 21st Century Investigation into the Disputable Masonic Claims that Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett Were Freemasons John W. Bizzack, Ph.D.. PREFACE In matters of history, even a casual concern for accuracy can have staggering rippling effects. Unless proven otherwise, often what is continually reported will be taken…
Download PDF Searching for the Intersecting Masonic and Political World of Henry Clay John W. Bizzack, Ph.D. and Dan M. Kemble This research appears in The Rubicon Masonic Society Transactions, Volume 1, 2023. The research is a product of the collaborative work between Lexington Lodge No.1, the William O. Ware Lodge of Research, and the…
Download PDF GENERALS JOHN BRECKINRIDGE CASTLEMAN AND DANIEL R. COLLIER How Freemasonry Helped Avert a Second Civil War in Kentucky Dan M. Kemble, Past Master, William O. Ware Lodge of Research T he immediate aftermath of the death of Governor William Goebel in Frankfort, Kentucky on February 3, 1900 brought Kentucky to the…
Download PDF The Enigmatic Life Of Major John Belli Merchant, Solider, Spy and Freemason John W. Bizzack, Ph.D.. The Enigmatic Life of Major John Belli is, in part, an excerpt from How and Why Freemasonry Came to Kentucky, Autumn House Publishing 2014, John W. Bizzack, Ph.D., and Notable Men in Kentucky Who Happened to be…
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.
We 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.”
From 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.
Following 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?
Civil 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.