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COVER PHOTO
Celebrating "Old Glory," our American Flag, a circa 1912 vintage illustration of bald eagle and American flag: copyrighted by Victorian Traditions. This WEBSITE is published monthly as an official publication of the
Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America.
Sid Cornelius Dorris III, Grand Generalissimo and Publisher,
2007 Brenthaven Drive, Mount Juliet, TN 37122
John L. Palmer, PC, KCT, - Managing Editor
P.O. Box 566, Nashville TN 37135-0566
(615) 283-8477 (telephone), (615) 283-8476(facsimile)
E-mail: ktmagazine@comcast.net
"Tell US What YOU THINK"
Joan B. Morton Assistant Editor
Mail materials and correspondence, to:
Editor, Grand Encampment of Knights Templar
Post Office Box 478448, Chicago, IL 60647-8448
phone and fax: (773) 489-0689
Material for the Grand Commanderies' two-page supplements
is to be directed to the respective Supplement editors.
Supplement Editors are encouraged to create their own sites
or submit "NEWS" to kych52va@aol.com
Address corrections from members are to be sent to the local Recorders LISTED HERE [.pdf]
JULY: You've all been looking forward to the results of the 40th Annual Campaign for the KTEF: They are in and they start HERE! There is still time to become a part of the EyeRide for Sight. Read all about it HERE, and make your donation now! Grand Master Koon has inspiring words about those who were responsible for our celebration of July 4, and your Grand Prelate Cave has superb comments on the Templar connection to Christianity. Meet your new Managing Editor of the Knight Templar magazine HERE, and let him know what you would like to see in this magazine in the future. Whatever you do, enjoy the issue and this month of celebrating our country! Other Articles include Information on the 27th Holy Land Pilgrimage; The Liberty Bell by Paul C. Rodenhauser; "Patriotism"; When Templar Swords Clash-Part II by SK James A Maples; and, FREEMASONRY's MARK on IDAHO, Boise Idaho INFORMATION [.pdf]
  
Grand Master's Message for July 2008
56 Men
July 4th is a Holiday we celebrate with fireworks, family and fun. For most of us, it’s a warm Summers Day spent enjoying the company of family and friends. But for the 56 men who met as representatives, from all 13 Colonies, and signed the Declaration of Independence, it meant sacrifice for most of them that few today can appreciate.
Of the 56, 24 were lawyers, 11 were shopkeepers, 9 were farmers or had plantations, the balance were professionals of varying occupations. All were well to do men of comfortable means. Their sacrifices were incredible, yet few today remember.
5 of them were captured and tortured by the British before they died. 12 had their homes burned. 9 died of wounds from fighting in the Revolution. 2 lost sons in the war, and another had 2 sons captured. Carter Braxton, a plantation owner, and merchant saw his ships sunk and ultimately, sold all his property to pay his debts. He died a pauper. All were hunted and sought by the British to be punished. At the Battle of Yorktown, Cornwallis had set up his headquarters in the home of Thomas Nelson, Jr., a Declaration signer. Nelson asked General Washington to direct cannon fire on his home. It was destroyed and he died in poverty. The stories go on and on, and most, if not all, are recorded for us to remember. But do we?
The sacrifices our forefathers, many of them Masons have made for this Country and freedom around the world are worthy of emulation. Today our young men and women are fighting to secure freedom for people who don’t speak our language, don’t share our religion, and live half way around the world, but have in common our love of freedom. God bless our service men and women and grant them strength. They chose to be there, they chose to make a difference for their fellow man, and they chose to offer their lives for the way of life they love.
During July, let us not forget what we stand for in the United States of America, and what sacrifices our forefathers have made that we might enjoy Friends and Family in Peace and Freedom on July 4th.
 
Sir Knight William H. Koon II, GCT
Grand Master
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by Reverend Robert J. Cave, KGC,P.G.C.
Grand Prelate of the Grand Encampment
I have written in the past that the Knights Templar is a Christian Organization. I do not think that anyone, knowing our Orders, would dispute this because the whole trust of the Order of Malta and the Order of the Temple is Christian in tone and content. Objectively we know that this is true. We are more concerned in this column with the subjective aspect of it, that is, what makes it Christian for "me" and how does it relate to my life as a Christian?
I have written about the inspiring moment I experienced while taking the Fifth Libation, lighting the candle, and taking the place vacated by Judas because of his treachery, and then being numbered among the Apostles. However, in all of this there is the temptation of overlooking the prayer given by the Prelate in preparation for taking the Fifth Libation.
As I listen to the prayer intoned by the Prelate it is a prayer that could well be offered in a Church Service. It is a prayer for aid to the person who is about to a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. The prayer is asking that the follower be open to the needs of the widow and orphan which is reminiscent of Jesus' words at the end of Matthew 25. The prayer continues by asking that the replacement for Judas as an Apostle be ever ready to hold his sword ready to redress the wrongs of the widow and orphan. The sword here is not necessarily an instrument of war but the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" as stated by Saint Paul in Ephesians 6:17. The prayer concludes with the petition that the pilgrim, when his pilgrimage of life is finished that he be received home by God in the heavenly mansion prepared for faithful followers of Christ. This supplication reminds me of Jesus words to his Disciples in John 14:2, and also the 23rd Psalm.
Hearing this prayer as I prepare for the Fifth Libation and the words accompanying it is a moving and spiritual experience. The experience is more than assuming again the commitment to Christ which I have made in the past in other settings. It is the prayer of the assembled Knights, Christians, for my aid in fulfilling the responsibilities of Christian Discipleship. This certainly connects Templary for me with my Christian faith.
We invite the members of Knights Templar to submit articles illuminating their thoughts on the connection of Knights Templar with Christianity and their faith. Please send them to the Grand Prelate, Rev. Robert J. Cave, at 137 Glen drive, Ridge, New York 11961 for possible publication in the Knight Templar magazine.
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 A Chat With The Managing Editor
ktmagazine@comcast.net - John Palmer, PC, KCT
As you may remember, in the January issue of this publication, Grand Master Koon set forth six goals or resolutions for his Grand Encampment officers. One of those was a resolution “to improve the readability, content, quality, and appearance of the Knight Templar magazine this year.” By pure coincidence, Ms. Joan Morton who has been editing the magazine for several years has announced that she has come to the time in her life when she is ready to retire. We all owe her a great debt of gratitude for putting her heart and soul into this publication month after month and year after year. We will be saddened to see her leave later this year.
The Grand Encampment officers have charged me to try to pick up where Joan leaves off and also to fulfill the resolution made at the beginning of the year. We have established an editorial review board that will review all articles submitted for publication and pick the very best ones to be included in each issue. The chairman of the new board is Right Eminent Grand Commander Rex R. Hutchins. He is well known for his scholarship and leadership in the national Masonic community and will be a great asset to the magazine. We are beginning to make some aesthetic design changes to the magazine and to include some color as we can afford to do so. Readability, quality, and appearance are subjective in nature, and it seems to me that our readership ought to be able to tell us what direction they would like to see us take in the future. I hope
to establish a two way communication with you, the individual Sir Knights, and to tailor the publication to better meet your needs. In order to do that, we need to know what you want to see published. Is our mix of news and feature articles OK? Are we telling you enough about the vision and direction of our leaders? Would you like to see book reviews? How about letters to the editor? Are the “advertisements” and “classifieds” valuable to you? What subject matter would be of interest to you in the feature articles? Are there enough photos and illustrations or too few?
We know that we will never be able to please everybody, but if we are going to meet the Grand Master’s goal, I know I need to figure out how to please some of you. Please send me your thoughts, your comments, your criticisms, and your suggestions
to me at ktmagazine@comcast.net or mail them to PO Box 566, Nolensville, TN 37135-0566. If you like, you can call me at (615) 283-8477, and we’ll discuss what’s on your mind about the magazine.
I look forward to hearing from many of you and to seeing some of you at the departmental conferences.
In Hoc Signo Vinces!
John L. Palmer, PC, KCT
Managing Editor
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The 27th Holy Land Pilgrimage
Plans as of May 19, 2008
from Sir Knight P. Fred Lesley
Committee on the Holy LandPilgrimage
Our Mission: To send to the Holy Land Ordained Christian Ministers who would not otherwise have the opportunity to go.
Our Goal: To send 100 Ordained Ministers on the 27th Holy Land Pilgrimage in February/March 2009.
Permission has been received from our Grand Master, Sir Knight William Howard Koon II, to make plans for the 27th Holy Land Pilgrimage.
The dates for the two Pilgrimages will be February 9-19, 2009, and February 23-March 5, 2009.
Information on the two Pilgrimages has been sent to the Grand Recorder and Chairman of the Holy Land Pilgrimage Committee in each grand jurisdiction.
If you have any questions regarding this great Christian Program, please contact Sir Knight P. Fred Lesley, H.P.D.C., 747 Timberlane Drive, Battle Creek, MI 49015.
Comments on Pilgrim Ministers from the 26th Pilgrimage
Thanks for letting me share this awesome experience with you! We now continue the Pilgrim's journey in our own lives, yet changed; like Moses after being up on the mountain with God, we are transformed by what we have seen and experienced. What a blessing! Thank you for a life-changing journey! May God continue to bless you!
I have returned in body, but a part of my spirit is still running where Christ walked. With each explanation I give, I find myself longing to see the city built on a hill. I can see God's hand in intentionally choosing each one of us ... so we might become a community of the kingdom!
Thank You from a Pilgrim Minister-Northern California!
On February 19, 2008, a dream came true. I was on my way to the Holy Lands with 53 other fortunate clergy. We came from different churches and denominations from around the United States. We were men and women of all ages, young and old; some were just starting out in their ministries, others were in their prime, still others were soon to retire. We were as diverse as the Christian Church, but we all shared one very strong feeling. We all felt so grateful to the Knights Templar for their generdus gift to each one of us. We all felt that we were given such a blessed opportunity to walk where Jesus walked.
To hear the brilliant lectures from our guide Ezra Eini and to see the countryside, the cities, the culture, the ancient ruins and the shrines; I was given new tools and experiences that will enrich my ministry and bring to life Jesus and His story to my congregation. The Bible is no longer just words; it has come alive! This year Holy Week and Easter held new meaning for me and for others because we had just returned from this incredible trip. Thank you! Rev. Jackie Kortright
First United Methodist Church of Loomis
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www.eyecareamerica.org/eyeride
On May 7 four cyclists embarked on a transcontinental bike ride in order to educate the public about eye disease and to encourage the public to utilize EyeCare America's free eye-care programs, including the Senior EyeCare Program.
EyeCare America's achievements over the years have been made possible by its corps of 7,000 volunteer ophthalmologists and its close and long standing partnership with the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. The Knights Templar are pleased to be partnering with ECA on this EyeRide for Sight campaign.
Sir Knights can track the progress of these cyclists and learn more about EyeRide for Sight by HERE
Through EyeRide for Sight, we want to encourage Sir Knights to take action that will help preserve their own vision by also "giving the gift of sight," and showing your support of these caring cyclists riding their way across the country, by making a donation to the KTEF.
"Your donation will help the Knights Templar Eye Foundation continue its mission to preserve sight. For every $25 donated to the KTEF in honor of EyeRide for Sight, EyeCare America will be able to provide someone with the services they need to save their sight," said Sir Knight William Howard Koon, President, KTEF.
This historic ride will cover over 3,000 miles, starting in San Francisco, California, and ending in Washington, DC, and for just pennies per mile, you can help prevent blindness.
Donation to KTEF
$30
$150
$300
$750
$1,050 | Cost per mile
$0.01
$0.05
$0.10
$0.25
$0.35 | People Served
1
6
12
30
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Show your support and receive a "Help Preserve Sight" Wristband!
Whatever your ability to give, your donation is greatly appreciated.
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Taken from: Masonic Americana, 1975 ... Let Freedom Ring ...
THE LIBERTY BELL by Paul C. Rodenhauser
The Liberty Bell, originally a "Province Bell" to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1752, was recast twice by Pass & Stow, Pennsylvania founders, and was mounted in the wooden steeple upon the State House in the month of June 1753.
The Liberty Bell has become an object of reverence because of its association with the War for Independence. It has had an interesting history.
Thomas Lister, Whitechapel, London, cast the "Province Bell" and shipped it to Philadelphia, where it arrived in August of 1752. In September, during testing, the bell was cracked by a stroke of the clapper. Pass and Stow recast the bell, adding oneand-one-half ounces of copper to each pound of the original metal. This reduced the brittleness of the metal but ruined the tone.
Pass and Stow recast the bell once more, this time successfully, and in June of 1753 it was formally placed in the State House tower. The bell bears the inscription from Leviticus XXV: 10: "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof."
The bell was rung when Continental Congress was in session; it proclaimed the Boston Tea Party, and it rang for the first public reading of the "Declaration of Independence." In 1777, when the British were about to occupy Philadelphia, the Liberty Bell was removed to Allentown, Pennsylvania, and was hidden for almost a year in Zion Reformed Church before its return to Philadelphia when the British departed.
It was in July of 1835 that the bell was cracked while tolling for the funeral of Chief Justice John Marshall, Virginia, who served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1801 until his death.
Because of its traditional role in the history of our nation and its symbolic relationship, the bell was not recast. Today the 2,080 pound bell remains in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, as an object of patriotic veneration for millions of Americans.
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Patriotism
Patriotism isn't marching behind a band and puffing out your chest. Patriotism isn't a flash of fireworks one day of the year, and then submerging one's emotions the rest of the year. Patriotism isn't found in the whooping of the crowd or maudlin flag waving.
Patriotism is the sum of three cardinal virtues; faith, hope, and charity-faith in the principles of our government, hope in the future of our country, charity toward all and malice toward none.
Patriotism is that spirit that makes us help our neighbors when they are in distress and extend sympathy when they are stricken-be it the neighbor next door or one a continent away.
Patriotism is the tugging at our heartstrings and a sincere kinship with those who toil in the field or shop in the marketplace, regardless of creed, or color of skin, or bank account.
Patriotism is the emotion that makes a lump rise in the throat when some intrepid spirit strives to achieve something that no human being ever before achieved.
Patriotism is the unashamed moisture that wells into the eyes as one stands before the tomb of, or reads the words of, some great man who has unselfishly devoted his life to all mankind, or one watches Old Glory carried proudly in a parade.
Patriotism is loving one's country, and respecting its traditions and its laws.
Patriotism is standing firm and unselfish for the right, for the common good, for the peace and well-being of all; sacrificing self, if need be, and standing tall and unafraid against all opposition.
Author unknown
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When Templar Swords Clash...Part II
by Sir Knight James A. Marples, VW, 32°
The following is the continuation of a presentation Sir Knight Marples made before a group of Masonic scholars in Nebraska.
Pike was trying hard to build up the respect and esteem for his fledgling Scottish Rite. He sought a grassroots appeal (yet mostly cultivated in urban or cosmopolitan area), and admittedly, he wanted a fast acceleration of growth.
Gouley was wearing a different hat (rather, a different chapeau: that of the Grand Commander of Templars in Missouri). He didn't appreciate Pike's "invasion" by Scottish Rite Deputies aimed at propagating the A.A.S.R. within Missouri to any and all interested Masons. Gouley viewed it (perhaps with a mix of paranoia and pessimism) as a sign that Templar membership would decline if Scottish Rite membership became too easy to obtain and grew too rapidly. To a degree, Gouley's prediction proved largely accurate a century later.
The aspect that hurt Gouley's feelings the most was that Pike refused to listen to him in his role as presiding officer of Missouri's Grand Commandery. Pike chose to rule with a domineering hand and hovered over Gouley from his chair as Sovereign Grand Commander-addressing Gouley as a wayward, Knight Kadosh 30° Mason. That slap of indignation ignited Gouley's temper. He claimed Pike made a "threat" to hold his (Gouley's) sword hilt by the grip of a Kadosh.
Gouley made good on a separate retaliatory threat of his own. He proposed (and his Grand Commandery of Missouri adopted) a resolution denouncing this action and declaring the supremacy of the Missouri Grand Commandery of Knights Templar, acting in tandem with Craft and Royal Arch leaders, as maintaining the sanctity of fraternal relations with an unbroken chain of legitimate Masonic Unity in the state of Missouri.
The Resolution read, in part:
"Resolved, that in vindication of the prerogatives of this Grand Body as the supreme a3thority over the Orders of Masonic Knighthood in this jurisdiction, it is hereby ordered that no Knight Templar holding allegiance to the Grand Commandery of Missouri can be present in any of the bodies of the so-called Ancient and Accepted Scotch Rite and witness or assist in the conferring of any of their degrees upon anyone who has not already received the Orders of Knighthood in a regularly constituted Commandery of Knights Templar."
The resolution painted the Scottish Rite as a newcomer, an outsider, with a not-sosubtle hint of its being irregular.
Pike fanned the flames in a retaliatory response of his own, indicating his official opinion that the American Knights Templar weren't recognized by world Supreme Councils of the Scottish Rite.
Gouley responded that foreign opinion shouldn't tarnish the high opinion held by American Masons toward their Grand Encampment of Knights Templar in America in general. .. and the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of Missouri, in particular.
Gouley was seen as a hornet buzzing around Pike's head. Gouley had no method by which to punish Pike (aside from verbal tirades and statewide missives to Missouri Masons).
Pike, on the other hand, had an "Ace" up his sleeve. Pike used his national office of Sovereign Grand Commander and being a "Active 33°" to bring Scottish Rite charges against George Frank Gouley, 30°, for insubordination and for violating his Oath as a Knight Kadosh.
At the beginning of the Trial, Pike presided, but then retired and Mackey took to the Chair. Evidence was presented and arguments were heard. Gouley was eventually found guilty, and his Scottish Rite membership was suspended.
On the bright side, time often heals most wounds. Gouley mellowed a little, which was good enough to satisfy Pike. Pike later authorized a few "wording" changes and minor policy changes to Scottish Rite ritual. This must have been good enough to partially appease Gouley, even though it didn't address his core concern in any meaningful way.
Soon afterward, Gouley petitioned to be reinstated in the Scottish Rite, and in a magnanimous gesture Albert Pike recommended to the other members of the Supreme Council that this request be granted. And it was granted.
Sadly, that moment of happiness was short-lived, as Gouley died in a hotel fire quite soon afterward.
In my view, this whole episode is an embarrassing part of Masonic history, but I think we can learn many lessons from it and take advantage of possibilities that exist NOW which didn't exist then.
In my opinion, there was blame enough on all sides. Gouley had his faults, but Pike had a few more, which were magnified and amplified during the controversy.
However, I have always believed that assigning levels of fault doesn't accomplish much gain. Furthermore, it is unbecoming to be a fault-finder. Even worse is finding fault with deceased individuals who cannot defend themselves. However, I would like to analyze areas in which "constructive progress" might be obtained in this current age.
Pike hinted that a mutual "treaty" was far superior to Gouley's unilateral demands. His openly saying that some type of mutual accord was desirable revealed that Pike realized in the back of his mind that Gouley might be speaking a grain of truth.
But it is quite obvious that Pike's pride wouldn't allow him to negotiate with Gouley. He even went so far as to say:
"Pardon me also for suggesting that if any treaty or compromise could be entered into, or any preliminary negotiations to that end entered upon, it would not be with the Grand Commander of a State Grand Body that I should discuss the terms, but with only the Grand Master of Templars of the United States who is himself a 33rd."
I admire Albert Pike, and I think he was absolutely right,; that any "treaty" should have come pL the national level. He had no business in direct negotiations with Gouley. But Pike's pouting comment was exactly the remedy which was needed:
Negotiation between the national leaders of both Rites.
Pike was often criticized for bold, controversial thoughts, which border on lunacy. pike was so passionate about getting in the "last word" that he would tread on the edge at the risk of falling off the cliff. Sometimes, Pike's words caused him to fall from public grace, but I think his detractors are often mistaken about what he truly inwardly "meant" as opposed to what he outwardly "wrote."
In an issue of the journal "Masonic Monthly" from the year 1866, a Masonic writer had stern words about Pike, who was still living, and I think that such a contemporary evaluation or critique of Pike is much more valuable than modern-day writers who only add flashy conjecture based upon 20/20 hindsight.
The writer in 1866 said: "It is undeniable that Bro. Albert Pike is a man of fine talent and varied learning." But he went on to criticize Pike for adding too much unsubstantiated Egyptian lore into the Scottish Rite rituals and for sometimes airing a trial-balloon that a Scottish Rite Supreme Council could claim rights over the first three degrees of Symbolic Masonry. The writer felt that Pike's interpretation was essentially fostering a notion that the "higher degrees would have crushed out the meaning of the Blue Degrees." The writer went further by saying: "A strange mixture of truth and error, of nonsense and sound sense is this Brother Albert Pike."
That writer wrote his assessment of Pike totally independently of Gouley, yet it supports the opinion that Sir Knight Albert Pike overstepped into some areas with too much aggression. It would seem that Sir Knight Gouley had a good point that all Scottish Rite candidates should witness the York Rite degrees first AND that there should be Unity among the bodies without jurisdictional interference crossing enumerated lines of authority.
The mistake has been the dividing of power (and prestige) between a split-trunk of the Masonic tree: one branch bent with the fruit of the York Rite branch, the other branch bent with the fruit of the Scottish Rite branch. Pike was envious that not enough candidates would pick fruit from his then-little branch (the Scottish Rite). Gouley was fearful that the additional choice would discourage picking the fruit from his then-large branch (the York Rite).
In my estimation, WE ARE ALL OF THE SAME TREE, and we owe allegiance to the primary root: the Grand Lodge. No healthy tree grows with one half being of full maturity, while the other half remains stunted. The whole tree grows upward and outward in a uniform manner (unless barriers or circumstances intervene). I believe that healthy branches of the Scottish Rite and the York Rite form this healthy "canopy of protection" for all who seek more Light in Masonry.
In the immediate years following the Pike-Gouley spat, there were many Masons nationwide with similar concerns. The original Shriners in 1872, who formed the Mystic Shrine of North America for the purpose of being a unifying ally of both Rites, had a prerequisite that a candidate first hold membership in the York Rite or Scottish Rite (with the implicit blessing that a man join both Rites). Dr. Walter M. Fleming wrote the original Shrine ritual when he had only received the first three degrees of Ancient Craft Masonry. In his book, Parade to Glory, Fred Van Deventer noted that "there can be little doubt that private and informal agreements on the prerequisites for Shrine membership were made among men who sat at the table for thirteen in Fowler's Restaurant" on the second floor of Knickerbocker Cottage, located at 426 Sixth Avenue in New York City. The other Masons in this luncheon club were all Knights Templar Masons in the York Rite and 32° members in the Scottish Rite. Those men waited patiently for Fleming's advancement in Brooklyn's Aurora Grata Consistory and Columbian Commandery before the official founding of Mecca Shrine Center, whiQfl ~ took place September 26, 1872. In the 'same book is Walter Fleming's own account of how he was responsible for many Knights Templar becoming Scottish Rite Masons (and vice versa) with the "two separate series of rites or orders ultimately becoming almost a united family."
Quite radically, Sir Knight Walter M. Fleming was chosen to serve as Eminent Commander of his Commandery, and nearly as rapidly, he became Illustrious Brother Walter M. Fleming, 33°, in that same momentous month as the founding of Mecca Shrine Center (September 1872). The other co-founder of the Mystic Shrine of North America was Sir Knight William J. "Billy" Florence, who was a member of Pittsburgh Commandery of Knights Templar in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Billy Florence was a 32°, but he received the 33° shortly before his death in 1891. For those two Brothers, Companions, Sir Knights, and Nobles, "Masonic Unity" was not a vague notion but a firm belief, which they put into practice.
What can be done today to ensure more Unity between the Rites? Perhaps, nothing can be done to revive a "lost opportunity" thrown aside in the 1860's.
The Shrine has taken a step backward by removing the Rites from its prerequisite list. I believe the Shrine made a grave mistake in doing that. PREREQUISITES are what gave the Mystic Shrine its allure, since the public regarded all Shriners as "high degree Masons" and hence, worthy of admiration.
Nevertheless, It seems to me that Masons of both Rites TODAY can cement the bonds of ancient history and display modern Brotherly love by outwardly noting the HARMONY of both Rites.
We cannot change the past, and from my observations, it seems unlikely that the Rites in America will adopt the Irish, single pyramid, degree progression chart. Our Rites in the USA are too entrenched with the dual-ladder approach, and that is all well and good. It is pleasing that a man can join whichever Rite he wishes according to his time, talents, interests, energy, and finances.
The voluntary system now in place in America may work best for our Brethren here. Both Rites have been openly in view, but human nature being what it is, quite often a Master Mason will say he will join Rite "A" or Rite "B" (or both) and then never get around to it.
Human laziness and the mortal tendency toward procrastination is just as big a threat to membership statistics in the Rites as deaths or suspensions for nonpayment of dues. It is time for us to plug that gaping hole. No one discusses the membership drain caused by "opportunities lost." We have lost many prospective members before they even came to our door, due to misconceptions, ignorance, or even faulty information. By simple cooperation, the Rites could build the moral equivalent of a cement dam or reservoir to build PILLARS OF SUPPORT that are tangible and clear, to strengthen and encourage advancement in both Rites, which in turn strengthens Ancient Craft Masonry.
Mandatory prerequisites may be unwieldy here, but some sort of mutual "treaty" between the Rites in the USA, showing the preferred plan of men having witnessed both Rites, would be a show of support for the method in place in Ireland, and it would be a ratification/validation of the unity among the original Shriners with their foundation-fortifying original prerequisites.
Let us use our Templar and Kadosh swords to literally and figuratively form another "Arch of Steel," which will protect future candidates and members by giving them a canopy of harmony in a unified fashion; offering a clear historical framework showing that the Rites both bear worthwhile fruit which nourishes the hearts and minds of Master Masons (past and present).
An official treaty of friendship can't go back in time to replace opportunities lost, but it could provide a measure of stability by giving an "Official Endorsement" that both Rites contribute mightily to the elevation of a man's individual Masonic education while also adding to the health and beauty of the overall Masonic family. An Official Treaty would counteract back-alley rumors am.ol1g non-Masons or antiMasons. It Could never be sullied by men with fragile egos and biased attitudes. Lastly, it would give new Masons some incentive to "shoot-for." As members of our Fraternity, we need more men who will "aim to attain" certain levels in Masonry. From the perspective of the Rites, we need not only more men eager to climb the whole mountain but more who choose to utilize both pathways to the top.
Will we enact treaties to that effect? certainly hope so.
Sources and Recommended Reading:
Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry by Albert G. Mackey.
Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conclave of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of the State of Missouri, P.M. Pinckard, Bookseller, Stationer and Printer, 508 and 510 Pine Street, St. Louis, Missouri, year 1867.
"Masonic Monthly," December 1866 issue, pages 43-49, Samuel Evans, Editor, published at No. 24 Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts, Charles C. Roberts, Publisher.
History of Kansas Masonry by Ben W. Graybill, published 1974, copyright 1975 by the M.w. Grand Lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of Kansas.
Parade to Glory by Fred Van Deventer, Imperial Historian, AAONMS, Pyramid Books, New York, Revised Edition, October 1965.
Website of Nebraska College MSRICF of Masonic Rosicrucians: http://www.masonic.benemeri to.netlmsricf/papers/marples/marples-41 leaf clover.pdf
Postal Letter correspondence from the Grand Secretary General of the Supreme Council, 33°, for Ireland, Matthew W. Walker, 33°, to James Marples, dated 04 January 2006.
Postal Letter correspondence from the Grand Secretary General of the Supreme Council, 33°, for Ireland, Matthew W. Walker, 33°, to James Maples, dated 22 February 2006.
Sir Knight James A. Marples, VIJO, 32°, Nebraska College M.S.R.I.C.F., is a life member of EI Dorado Commandery No. 1 g, EI Dorado, Kansas, and a member of many other Masonic bodies too numerous to catalogue. For correspondence: James A. Marples at P.O. Box 1542, Longview, TX 75606.
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"Boston Commandery March/Onward Christian Soldiers"
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