The King's Speech

With the recognition of "The King's Speech" as best motion picture of 2011, it is interesting to note that both George VI (1895-1952) and his speech therapist, Lionel George Logue (1880-1953) were Freemasons.  Initiated in Naval Lodge 2612 in 1919, King George VI was an active member holding many of the highest offices in England and Scotland. WB Logue was initiated in 1908 in St George's Lodge (now JD Stevenson St. George's Lodge 6, Western Australian Constitution), where he served as Worshipful Master in 1919.  King George VI said he considered Masonry to be one of the strongest influences in his life, "The world today does require spiritual and moral regeneration. I have no doubt, after many years as a member of our Order, that Freemasonry can play a most important part in this vital need.”

As a matter of interest, Lodge Brothers reported of the King, "His stammer rarely surfaced when he was involved in ritual."

A Forgotten Brother

His father was Sam Houston's Lt. Governor. His uncle died at the Alamo. At 28, Brother Ahijah W. "A.W." Grimes (1850-1878) was a promising deputy sheriff when notorious outlaw Sam Bass murdered him in cold blood.  Bass cornered Grimes in a general store where he was investigating Bass' suspicious activity.  Another lawman fatally wounded Bass as he tried to escape.  Buried in the same cemetery, Bass' fame and legend grew after his death. Several yards away from Bass' grave, Brother Grimes' memorial reads, "Gone but not forgotten." Unfortunately the broken, weathered tombstone and history's fading memory of Brother Grimes' heroism tell a different story.

Abraham Zapruder

He took the most famous and historic film of the 20th century.  Because he was a Freemason, anti-Masonic groups and other fringe organizations have maintained Abraham Zapruder (1905 - 1970) was standing in Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1963 to "document" the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, allegedly knowing in advance what would happen.  In reality, he happened to be standing in the right place at the right time to create a lasting record of a tragic but historically important event.

The Gun Invented To Save Lives

A member of Center Lodge 23 in Indianapolis, he invented a screw propeller for steamboats, a rice sewing machine, a wheat drill and various items which improved the operation of toilets, bicycles, steam cleaning machines and pneumatic devices.  But Dr. Richard Gatling (1818 – 1903) is remembered almost exclusively for a single invention.  It was a rotating barrel, rapid fire gun which bears his name: the Gatling gun.  Dr. Gatling was a physician who never practiced medicine, but invented the deadly weapon for the sole purpose of SAVING lives.  He felt the existence of such a destructive gun would reduce the need for large armies and save lives caused by the destruction of war and its accompanying diseases.

George Washington's Smile

George Washington's compressed lips in many busts and portraits are exaggerated because he tried to surpress a laugh while artist Joseph Wright was casting Washington's life mask.  In Brother Washington's words, "While in this ridiculous attitude, Mrs. Washington entered the room, and seeing my face thus overspread with the plaster, involuntarily exclaimed. Her cry excited in me a disposition to smile, which gave my mouth a twist, or compression of the lips, that is now observable in the busts Wright afterward made."

Grand Master of Masons of the United States

On January 13, 1780 the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania proposed unifying Freemasonry in the country and elected George Washington as the first Grand Master of Masons of the United States. When the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts failed to act on the matter, the issue faded away and Washington never assumed the office.

Friend To Friend

The Friend to Friend Masonic Memorial in the Gettysburg National Cemetery depicts a scene where the fatally wounded Confederate General Lewis Armistead entrusts his personal effects to  Union Captain Henry H. Bingham, knowing him to be a Brother Freemason. The memorial, a gift from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, is dedicated to the Freemasons of the Civil War, "Their unique bonds of friendship enabled them to remain a brotherhood undivided..."  This incident and other instances of Masonic bonding in the civil war are covered in Brother Michael Halloran's 2010 book, The Better Angles of our Nature: http://amzn.to/g9IDpb

Jack The Ripper Hoax

Conspiracy theorists linking the Jack the Ripper killings to Freemasons (as depicted in the movie From Hell) overlook several important facts. First, many of those claimed to have been involved were not Freemasons. Second, Joseph Sickert, who originated the story, finally admitted it was a hoax in a comprehensive Times of London article. Also, Brother William Gull, alleged to have been the killer, was 72 years old and in poor health at the time of the crimes. Brother Gull had suffered a series of strokes and a heart attack prior to the time the killings started, and he would have been physically unable to commit the gruesome murders. In reality, Brother Gull was a standout physician who, among many other well-known accomplishments, is credited with saving the life of the Price of Wales with one of the first recorded uses of CPR.

George Washington

George Washington (1732-1799), first president of the United States, supreme commander of Continental forces in American Revolution, "father of his country" and preeminent Freemason, was born 279 years ago.  He was initiated in 1752 at the Fredericksburg, Virginia Lodge, served 28 months as the Charter Master of Alexandria Lodge 20, laid the cornerstone of the US Capitol building and was acclaimed as, "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen".

John Glenn

On February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth in his space capsule, Friendship 7. At flight's end an indicator light warned his heat shield was loose.  Glenn therefore kept his retrorockets in place to secure the heat shield and returned to earth in what he described as "a real fireball."  Brother Glenn is a member of Concord Lodge 688 Concord, Ohio.

The Most Daring Act Of The Age

On February 16, 1804, Brother Stephen Decatur, Jr. (1779-1820) led a naval expedition into enemy waters that British Admiral Horatio Nelson called "the most daring act of the age."  In an effort to curtail piracy in Tripoli Harbor, President Thomas Jefferson had dispatched an expeditionary force to the area.  The US Frigate Philadelphia had gone aground, and the enemy captured the vessel.  Fearing the pirates would use the frigate against the US as well as using it as a model to build better ships, the president sent Brother Decatur on a mission to destroy it.  Decatur disguised himself and his men as Maltese sailors, entered Tripoli Harbor undetected in a small two-mast ship, boarded the Philadelphia, defeated the pirates on board, destroyed the frigate and left without losing a single American.  Decatur was initiated October 12, 1799 in St. Johns Lodge, Baltimore.

Ray V. Denslow

Ray V. Denslow (1885 - 1960) was a prolific Masonic author and Grand Master of Missouri, 1931 - 1932.  Among his best known books are Territorial Masonry, A Missouri Frontier Lodge, The Masonic Conservators, History of Royal Arch Masonry in Missouri, Freemasonry and the Presidency and many more.  He was the first Grand Master to open the Missouri Grand Lodge outside of the state, when he presided over a meeting at the dedication of the George Washington National Masonic Memorial.  MWB Denslow was a third-generation Mason whose father and grandfather instilled in him a fervency for the Craft that lasted a lifetime.  So great was his excitement for Freemasonry that he was initiated at the earliest moment possible on his 21st birthday.

Prince Philip

Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, has been a member of Navy Lodge 2612 since 1952.  A man of many titles, he is known for a blunt and caustic sense of humor which has garnered criticism on occasion.  A few examples:

Upon hearing he was about to attend an event where Madonna would sing, he asked, "Do we need ear plugs?"

Constantly at odds with the press, he confronted a reporter at a gala and asked why he was there. The reporter responded that he had been invited.  Philip shot back, "Well you didn't have to come."
"If you see a man opening a car door for a woman, it means one of two things: it's either a new woman or a new car."

Among his charitable works, Prince Philip is patron of the British Heart Foundation.

Masonic Weddings

In the spirit of Valentine's day...  Weddings in Lodges are not very common, but they do take place now and then.  They were more common in the past and today are more prevalent in Europe than in the US.  French Lodges frequently have a "conjugal recognition" ceremony, which is not actually a wedding.  In Turkey, Lodges have a book-length official Masonic wedding ceremony.  In the US, weddings are held in Masonic Lodges with varying degrees of Masonic connection.  Some Lodges with facilities to accommodate crowds only serve as the venue, in many cases with couples who have no connections to the Craft.  Other times, however, Brothers will elect to marry in the Lodge and attribute more significance to taking their vows in the Lodge room itself.

The Masonic Charm Than Named A Town

In 1877, a miner prospecting in the Black Hills of South Dakota staked his claim to a gold mine.  At a loss to name the mine, he noticed the York Rite Chapter charm on his watch chain and called it the Keystone mine. The town of Keystone, SD ("The home of Mt. Rushmore") was named after the mine, its name originating from a Masonic watch charm.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was born 202 years ago this week.  Although he was not a Freemason, he spoke highly of the organization and stated on several occasions that when his presidential term was over he planned to petition the Masonic Lodge in Springfield, Illinois.

Winston Churchill, Artist

Sir Winston Churchill, Rosemary Lodge 2581, London, is well-known as a statesman, author, speaker and historian.  As Prime Minister, he led England through its darkest days of World War II and served a second term as the cold war took root in the early to mid 1950s.  In 1946, during a landmark speech in Fulton Missouri, he warned about the approaching tensions between western and communist block countries and originated the term "iron curtain."  Less known about Brother Churchill is the fact that he was an accomplished artist.  Having started painting late in life without formal training, Churchill created oil paintings which have won critical acclaim and commanded handsome prices.

Mason City, Iowa

Is Mason City, Iowa named after the Freemasons?  Yes... and no... Brother John Long originally named Iowa prairie land along the Winnebago River Masonic Grove in honor of the Freemasons.  Later, Long, Joseph Hewitt and George Brentner renamed it Shibboleth, a name also familiar to Freemasons.  Then, when bringing his family to the area from Illinois, Long's son, Mason, died.  Upon returning to the town, he renamed it Masonville, in honor of his son.  In 1853, however, upon erecting the post office there, the city fathers discovered there were two towns in Iowa with that name, so they renamed it Mason City, the name it carries today.  After incorporation in 1870, Darius Mason became the first mayor.  In the early 1950s, the real Mason City became the fictional River City when Meredith Willson's "Music Man" had its debut.  Today Mason City, Willson's home town, hosts the annual Mason City Band Festival in tribute its rich cultural history.

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan, born 100 years ago today, was not a Freemason.  However, in February, 1988, a group of Masonic leaders, including the Grand Master of DC, met with him and made him an honorary member of the Shrine and Scottish Rite.

David's Temple?

King David wanted to build the original temple, but the Lord refused because David was a man of war: "But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight" (1 Chronicles 22:8 KJV). David did, however provide the design for the temple (1 Chronicles 29:2-6) and provided some of the funding.  The cost of the temple in today's funds is estimated to be 3 to 6 billion dollars.

The Magic Flute

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed his epic opera, "The Magic Flute" in 1791, while a member of the Viennese Masonic Lodge "Zur Wohltätigkeit" ("Beneficence").  Brother Mozart authored the work with its several Masonic allegories to ensure the enlightenment of the Craft would survive the Austrian emperor's tyrannic reign which,among other things, banned Masonic initiations.

Democrats, Republicans, Progressives, Dixiecrats

Four candidates emerged in the hard-fought presidential campaign of 1948: Republican Thomas Dewey, Progressive Henry Wallace, Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond and the eventual winner, Democrat Harry Truman.  Although the candidates were intense rivals and had very different political views, all four were Freemasons.

The iBrother

Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer, is a life member of  Charity Lodge 362 in Campbell, California. He joined the fraternity at the urging of his wife, Alice.  Alice thought the strong moral and spiritual values of the Masons would help improve their failing relationship, and allow them to spend more time together since she was an active member of the Eastern Star.  Masonic values may not falter, but unfortunately, marriages do.  Their marriage failed shortly after "The Woz" was raised in 1980.

The First Masonic Book in America

The first Masonic Book in America was Benjamin Franklin's edition of Anderson's Constitutions.  MWB Franklin published the book in 1734, the same year he became Grand Master of Pennsylvania.