Trigger

Some think it's an urban legend, but it isn't.  Roy Rogers, famed TV and movie cowboy, and a member of Hollywood Lodge 355, really did have his beloved palomino horse Trigger stuffed (actually stretched over a plaster cast) and mounted when Trigger died in 1965. Brother Rogers also commissioned a 24-foot statue of Trigger to sit outside his museum.  The mold for that statue also served as the mold for "Bucky the Bronco," which sits outside the Denver Bronco's football stadium. In 2009, the "stuffed" Trigger sold for $266,000 to television channel RFD-TV, which plans to start a Western museum in Omaha.  Roy's famous dog Bullet was also stuffed and will stand there alongside Trigger.  When the Roy Rogers museum in Branson closed in 2010, developers bought the statue outside for display at the new Apple Valley Village, near Roger's home.

A Leaky Milk Wagon

Edward N. Hines, a member of Ashlar Lodge 91 in Detroit, was an innovator in the early development of highways.   In 1909, he designed and built the first mile of paved road in the world, a stretch of Woodward Avenue between Six and Seven Mile roads in Detroit.  In 1893 he published the first road tourbook and even in the infancy of their development started a movement for highway beautification.  In 1911, a leaky milk wagon he was following led him to develop one of the greatest highway safety features of all.  The wagon was leaking a trail of white milk near the center of the road when Brother Hines got the idea for a white line to separate lanes, a standard feature on every highway in the world today.

Feared Lost

In September, 2001, St. John's Lodge 1 in New York loaned the precious Washington inaugural Bible to the Fraunces Tavern Museum for display.  Located just a few blocks from the World Trade Center, the attacks of September 11 blanketed the area with dust, debris and rubble.  Authorities cordoned off the area and the Brothers feared the priceless relic may have been damaged or lost.  Two days later, Brother Tom Savini, Director of the Livingston Masonic Library, obtained a special escort to the Fraunces Tavern Museum, where he found the Washington Bible intact and unharmed.

The Iconic Bucking Horse

Lester C. Hunt, a member of Wyoming Lodge 2 in Lander, served as Governor and a US Senator from his state.  He may be best remembered, however, for something he did as Wyoming's Secretary of State.  Serving in that position in 1936, he designed Wyoming's iconic "bucking horse" license plate, commissioning famed western landscape artist Allen T. True of Authors Lodge 3456 in London to complete the final artwork.  Every quarter for the remainder of his life, Brother Hunt received a royalty of $3.50 from the state for the use of his design.  Instead of cashing the checks, he endorsed them over to the state treasury.

The Rest Is History

St. John's Lodge #1 in New York has the honor of having the Bible upon which George Washington took his presidential oath of office.  It wasn't planned that way but when Brother Washington was preparing to take the oath, someone noticed there was no Bible to be found.  Aids went in search of one and seeing St. John's Lodge (at the time Lodge #2) across the street they knew it would have a Bible.  They rushed in, borrowed it and, as they say, the rest is history.

Try, Try Again

Sir Thomas J. Lipton, a member of Lodge Scotia 178 in Glasgow Scotland, was known worldwide as the founder of Lipton Tea. The company bearing his name even today remains a global business titan.  Lesser known is the fact that Brother Lipton was also the most persistent participant in the America's Cup yachting series history.  He invested millions of dollars building five yachts, all named "Shamrock."  In spite of his sizable investment and perseverance, he lost every race.

The George Washington Of Italy

Often called "The George Washington of Italy," Giuseppe Garibaldi fought for the independence of no less than three countries: Italy, Uruguay and Brazil.  Somehow in the midst of all this, he found time to be Grand Commander of the Supreme Council, 33° AASR, in Italy as well as Grand Master of Italy.  In the US, he was affiliated with Tompkins Lodge 471 in Stapleton, NY.

The Nuclear Trigger

After World War II, the United States began an atomic weapons testing program at Eniwetok Atoll in the South Pacific. Major General John E. Hull (a member of Oxford Lodge 67 in Ohio) commanded the operation.  On the morning of April 14, 1948 Brother Hull figuratively became the first person to pull the trigger on a nuclear device during peacetime when the US detonated the first atomic bomb there.

The Grand Honors

Baron Johann de Kalb (most likely a member of Army Lodge 29 of Pennsylvania) lost his life rallying his American troops during the Revolutionary War Battle of Camden.  The opposing commander, Lord Charles Cornwallis personally tended to his mortally wounded Brother, who had been shot 11 times.  Then, when Brother de Kalb died, Brother Cornwallis performed the grand honors of Masonry at his funeral.

Dedicated Preservationist

Thomas Armstrong, Jr., Lodge unknown, was a banker, attorney and president of the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society.  He was so dedicated to the preservation of historical sites that, in 1924, he purchased the Pueblo Grande Ancient Ruins and donated the grounds to the city of Phoenix.

The Financial Genius Who Died Penniless

Haym Salomon, a member of King Solomon Lodge 12 in Pennsylvania, was an American Revolutionary hero.  Captured and sentenced to death, he escaped to become a broker who practically single-handedly obtained the funds for the US to fight the revolution.  He also gave financial assistance to several influential leaders including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Edmund Randolph.  He was regarded as a financial genius for his role but, amazingly, he died penniless.

Brotherly Love Recommended

Boston's Old North Church, always associated with Brother Paul Revere's famous ride, was also the venue for the first known "Masonic sermon."  On December 27, 1749, Brother Charles Brockwell delivered the message, "Brotherly Love Recommended" at the venerable site.

Hate Stamps

Following the Nazi occupation in 1941, Serbia issued a series of anti-Masonic, anti-Jewish stamps to promote the Grand Anti-Masonic Exhibition, which opened in Belgrade October 22, 1941.  Each of the four stamps depicts a victorious Serbia defeating plots for world domination.

The Texas State Flag

Brothers Lorenzo DeZavala (Independence Lodge 3) and David G. Burnet (Holland Lodge 1) designed early versions of what is now the Texas state flag.  In 1839, Texas Republic President Mirabeau B. Lamar (Harmony Lodge 6 of Galveston) commissioned Brother Charles B. Stewart (Montgomery Lodge 25) to design the state flag that flies over Texas today.

The First Tyler In Kansas

The first Tyler at a Masonic Lodge meeting in Kansas was a Native American woman. Lydia Walker (Her tribal name was Mendias) served at the station outside while the Freemasons, including her husband Matthew serving as Senior Deacon, met inside. Her house at 350 Troupe in Kansas City, Kansas, served as the Lodge for that first meeting as well as the first meeting place of the Eastern Star in the state.  Ms. Walker eventually became the first Grand Matron of the Kansas Eastern Star.

Light Horse Harry

Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, a member of Hiram Lodge 59 in Virginia, earned his nickname for his skill as a calvary captain during the revolutionary war.  Having served as Virginia's Governor 1792-95, he gave the famous eulogy of Brother George Washington calling him, "First in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen."  Brother Lee was also the father of another famous soldier, Civil War General Robert E. Lee.

Grand Master In Two Hemispheres

Dr. Carlos Rodriguez Jimenez served as the Grand Master of two countries.  He was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Venezuela in 1947, and then served as Japan's first Grand Master beginning in 1957.

A Man Of Incredible Talent

Charles H. Allen, William North Lodge of Lowell, Massachusetts, became the first governor of Puerto Rico after the US freed it from Spanish rule.  A man of incredible talent, he was an accomplished artist, musician and cabinet-maker.  Also an avid gardener, his home, "The Terraces," boasted showcase gardens featuring fountains, a pergola, and a gazebo now located at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Center for Lowell History. Twenty-seven of his landscape and marine paintings are now in Lowell's Whistler House Museum of Art.  As Governor of Puerto Rico, he eliminated the island's debt that had accrued over 400 years of despotic Spanish rule and incredibly left it with over a million dollars in its treasury.

Outstanding Sportsman

John W. Galbreath, University Lodge 631 of Columbus, Ohio, made a fortune in commercial property development.  His business successes, however, were only a means that allowed him to pursue his real passion: sports.  He owned both the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team and Darby Dan racing stables.  As an owner he won three World Series (1960, 1971, 1979) and two Kentucky Derbys (1963, 1967).  Named Outstanding Breeder in 1974, He is one of only four owners to win both the Kentucky Derby and Epson Derby. Oddly, or perhaps as a premonition, this world-class derby winner was born in Derby, Ohio.

Allies And Enemies

Emilio Aguinaldo, Philippine patriot and general, led the only forces ever to fight as both allies and enemies of the United States.  He supported the US in the Spanish-American war, but became suspicious of the US after the war and led his forces in rebellion against US dominance.  Defeated in that effort he eventually became a staunch supporter of the US.  Initiated Jan. 1, 1895 in Pilar Lodge under the Grand Orient of Spain, where he eventually became Master, Brother Aguinaldo retired after the uprising and organized Magdalo Lodge, which met at his residence.  Upon his death in 1964, he had been a Freemason for over 69 years.

Missouri State Flag

Allen L. Oliver, a member of St. Marks Lodge 93, Cape Girardeau, served as Master of the Missouri Lodge of Research in 1955.  He was also President General of the Sons of American Revolution 1946-47 and received the Boy Scouts' prestigious Silver Beaver in 1935. His mother, Marie, designed the Missouri State flag.

Fellowship at 20° Below Zero

Air pioneer and explorer, Brent Balchen, Norseman Lodge 878 of Brooklyn, dropped Masonic flags while flying over both the North and South Poles.  In addition, He also dropped his Kismet Shrine fez on the South Pole while flying over it with Brother Richard Byrd in 1934. Later, he helped organize the Top Of The World Masonic Square Club in Thule, Greenland declaring, "Men need the fellowship and warmth of Masonry at 20° below zero."

The Lewis And Clark Trail

Brothers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out on May 21, 1804 from St. Charles, in what is now Missouri.  Their "Voyage of Discovery" took them to the west coast, laying the groundwork to open the vast, rich west for the young United States.  The journey actually started, however, in Washington DC months earlier, when Brother Lewis began his trip to the Mississippi River.  Today's Lewis and Clark Trail, a series of parks and roads that roughly follows their route, reflects that fact by running from Washington, DC to the Oregon shore.

Nine Day Wonder

Upon his election as Governor of New Hampshire, Joseph A. Gilmore became a "Mason at Sight" April 28, 1863.  He received the 33° AASR (Northern Jurisdiction) on May 7, 1863, just nine days later!

Persistent Stories

Stories persist that Charles Lindbergh, a member of Keystone Lodge 243 in St. Louis, wore a square and compasses sewn on his jacket, and also had a square and compasses attached to his plane's dashboard on his famous flight across the Atlantic.  Most likely, neither is true.  Photographs taken of Lindbergh on the day of his flight show nothing sewn on his jacket.  Also, the few existing pictures of his plane's cockpit from that era show no square and compasses.

Bare Facts

After visiting the Soviet Union Brother Will Rogers wrote a book entitled, "There's Not A Bathing Suit In Russia, And Other Bare Facts."  The publisher declined to put the second part of the title, suggestive by the standards of the day, on the book's cover.

The World's Only Anti-Masonic Monument

The world's only anti-Masonic monument is located in Batavia Cemetery in New York.  Batavia was the home of the infamous William Morgan.  Morgan's full Masonic status is in doubt but it is certain he was initiated into Royal Arch Masonry.  In 1826, he announced he would publish the secrets of the fraternity.  A zealous group of Freemasons, in an attempt to prevent that, kidnapped Morgan and purportedly killed him.  Morgan's fate remains a mystery.  Some believe he is buried at the location of this monument, but the fact is he disappeared after the kidnapping and, despite rumors, was never seen again.  The 20 foot marker in Batavia is only a memorial, not a gravestone. 

Variety Is The Spice Of Life (And Dating)

Brother Will Rogers dated all seven of the Blake sisters before asking the youngest, Betty, to marry him in 1906.  Betty, apprehensive about a life in show business, turned him down.  A year and a half later the persistent Rogers changed her mind and they married.  Betty met Will when he was, what else, on a date with one of her older sisters.

Skyscraper

At 22 stories (302 feet) tall, when it was built in 1897, the Chicago Masonic Temple was the world's tallest structure, with an impressive Lodge room at the very top.  It was so dominant a feature on the Chicago skyline, it brought the word "skyscraper" into popular use. From the top visitors claimed they could see Council Bluffs, Iowa.  Built to last at least a century, wrecking crews demolished it after only 47 years.  Two factors led to its demise.  First, built at a time when architects did not know much about the logistics of tall buildings, several of its rooms at the top served as theaters and places for social gatherings. Unfortunately, the elevators could not handle the large crowds going to those places and the building fell out of favor as a social venue.  Then, in 1939, Chicago began building the State Street subway, which ran underneath the building and would have required an expensive retrofitting of its foundation.  Given that, and the fact that the social set had long since gone elsewhere, the great Chicago Masonic Temple came down.

The Argonaut

Simon Lake, a member of New Jersey's Monmouth Lodge 172, invented the submarine in 1894.  He built the first working unit, the Argonaut, in 1897 and founded the Lake Submarine Company, making a career out of building submarines and consulting to governments wanting to manufacture them.  Even before the turn of the century he had a design so sophisticated he developed a unit with locking chambers so divers could enter and exit the craft.

A New Sport

James Naismith, a member of Roswell Lee Lodge in Massachusetts and Lawrence Lodge 6 in Kansas, held degrees in philosophy, religion and physical education.  He was also an ordained Presbyterian minister and Medical Doctor.  Coaching track at the Springfield, Massachusetts YMCA in 1891, he was confronted with a class of rowdy boys with too much time on their hands in the winter.  In an effort to channel his track team's energy constructively, he invented a new sport the athletes could play inside in the winter. The object was to throw a "soft ball" into a peach basket.  The basket was suspended 10 feet above the floor to prevent "rough protecting of the goal" as Brother Naismith had observed in other sports.  The sport became very popular and proponents suggested naming it "Naismith Ball." Brother Naismith was too modest to accept that and instead named it after those suspended goals, calling it by its common name today: basketball.

Mauritius Cathedral

Francis Edward Rawdon-Hastings, Second Earl of Moira became British Governor General of India in 1813.  He served as 46th Grand Master Mason of Scotland in 1806-07 and Acting Grand Master to H.R.H. George, Prince of Wales 1790-1813.  Upon leaving to become Governor General, the Grand Lodge also appointed him Acting Grand Master of India.  He set sail for his new post and along the way made port on the small island of Mauritius, east of Madagascar.  There, at the request of the citizens of Port Louis, who had learned of his credentials, he laid the cornerstone of the town's new Catholic Cathedral, which is still in use.

No Fighting

A resolution in Massachusetts' Bristol Lodge, founded in 1797, read as follows: "No liquor shall be brought into the Lodge except by order of the Master. Fighting is forbidden during the opening or within 30 minutes of the closing of the Lodge."

Something I've Been Meaning To Do

I haven't lost interest in posting here, but I've turned my attention to something I've been meaning to do for quite a while and have been putting off.  I've been working on uploading my first book to Kindle. 

A few years ago, I wrote a daily blog unrelated to Masonry, and had that on Kindle.  That was a pretty easy process.  Basically, I just pushed the "Hey, Amazon, put this blog on Kindle" button and that was it.  Getting a full book on Kindle is a more complex process. 

On my first attempt to upload the manuscript, I was greeted with "UNKNOWN ERROR."  That was helpful.  Long story short, Kindle doesn't want any formatting and is not fond of pictures.  I'm a picture-kinda-guy and had to strip all pictures out and just submit text, then put the pictures back in one-by-one.  Wah-wah-wah.

I also discovered Kindle (except for the Kindle Fire) won't wrap text around pictures.  I'm putting material from this blog into my next book and had hoped to be able to do that.  Back to the drawing board.  FYI, the Nook format is even a little tougher, because it has file size limitations and, yep, pictures really eat into that.

Anyway, I'll keep posting here, but that's why I haven't been doing so regularly lately.

As far as the book goes, it's out there, but no plugs here.  I'd rather have you join the Missouri Lodge of Research and get a free hardbound copy.

The Goose And Gridiron

The ancient society of the Swan and Lyre, dating back to 1500, described itself as a "Worshipful company of Musicians," and was an effort to organize London minstrels into a guild.  It used as its symbol a swan standing on a crest beneath a lyre and ultimately met at a local tavern.  In the 18th century the tavern owners, in a not-so-veiled attempt to mock the pretentious name of the society, designed a crest with a goose standing in front of a griddle, and named the tavern the Goose and Gridiron.  There, on June 24, 1717, four Lodges met to form what has become modern Freemasonry.

Statue Of Liberty Cornerstone

Officers from the Grand Lodge of New York laid the cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty on August 5, 1884.  On August 5, 1984, officers of the Grand Lodge of New York dedicated a plaque on the same spot, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the event.

Catch A Man Before You Hang Him

It's common knowledge the "shot heard 'round the world" started the American Revolution. Lesser known is the fact that Commodore Abraham Whipple fired the first shot of the revolution on the water when he captured the British sloop Rose. Earlier, in 1772, Whipple also led the first uprising against a British ship when he captured and burned the British schooner Gaspee. Whipple and most of his raiding party that overtook the Gaspee were members of St. John's Lodge 1 in Providence, Rhode Island. After the Rose incident, the sloop's captain Sir James Wallace sent Whipple an angry message: "You, Abraham Whipple, on the 10th of June, 1772, burned His Majesty's vessel, the Gaspee, and I will hang you at the yard-arm. –James Wallace." To this, Brother Whipple replied, "To Sir James Wallace, Sir: Always catch a man before you hang him. –Abraham Whipple"

Poor Man / Rich Man

Coming to the California gold rush late, Brother Alvin Hayward entered a partnership with four other miners and purchased a claim in 1853. The group worked the mine for four years after which his discouraged partners declared it worthless and abandoned Hayward. Completely destitute, Brother Hayward had no choice but to continue working the mine alone. He spent a grueling year continuing to work the mine when, in 1858, he struck a huge vein of gold. With that good fortune, Brother Haywood eventually became the richest man in the state and went on to become High Priest of Sutter Creek Chapter 11. He was so rich he presented the Chapter with a golden altar and solid gold jewels of office.

The Funeral Omnibus

George Shillibeer, Globe Lodge 23 of London, had a successful carriage business, specializing in the manufacture of elegant hearses. He invented a way to make carriages longer and larger than ever before and manufactured those, calling his huge vehicle an "omnibus." With that, he established London's omnibus system, a forerunner of the bus system running there today. Given his successes with those two types of vehicles, he also invented a carriage which combined a hearse and a bus. The public's cool reception and short life of Brother Shillibeer's "Funeral Omnibus" confirms that not all ideas are good ones.

Costa Rica

Father Francisco Calvo, a Jesuit Priest, traveled to Peru in 1865. There a group of Catholic priests introduced him to Freemasonry. Father Calvo was so impressed by the Craft, he was initiated, returned home to Costa Rica and founded Freemasonry in that country. Brother Calvo went on to establish Lodge Caridad 26, where he became Master. He was instrumental in founding the Scottish Rite in Costa Rica and became its first Sovereign Grand Commander, serving in that position until his death nearly 25 years later.

The First Lodge

Freemasonry began in the United States on July 30, 1733. On that date, Brother Henry Price and 18 other men met at the Bunch of Grapes Tavern on King Street in Boston and organized the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, under the authority of Lord Montague, Grand Master of England. At the same meeting they instituted "The First Lodge," which today is St. John's Lodge.

The Iowa Corn Song

Des Moines Brother George E. Hamilton wrote Iowa's "unofficial" state song, the "Iowa Corn Song," for Za-Ga-Zig Shriners to sing at a Shriner's convention in Los Angeles in 1912. The song became extremely popular, with other composers chiming in with their own verses. Brother Hamilton didn't copyright it, not realizing he had written a runaway hit.

The Royal Arch House

The 1832 election pitted Brother Andrew Jackson against Anti-Masonic Party candidate William Wirt. Paul Boynton, a fervent Freemason, declared if his state, Vermont, voted for Wirt, he would leave. As it would happen, Vermont was the only state Wirt took and, true to his word, Brother Boynton moved to Canton, NY. There, to demonstrate his loyalty to the craft, he built "The Royal Arch House," where he lived for the remainder of his life. The building was replete with Masonic symbolism including a central room known as "The Third Veil" and a hidden secret chamber where Masonic Lodges in the area met throughout the peak of the anti-Masonic period.

Freedom Fighters

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Arquitechtura Moral Lodge of Mexico City, and Francisco I. Madero, Lealtad Lodge 15 of Mexico City, led Mexican revolutions exactly a century apart. Both, considered heroes and freedom fighters, were jointly honored when Mexico issued a silver ten-peso coin in 1960, bearing their likenesses. Brother Madero became President of Mexico for a short time but was overthrown in a counter-revolution. He was captured and executed in 1913 while "attempting to escape." Brother Hidalgo faced a firing squad in 1811. The government beheaded his body after his execution, impaled his head on a stake and, as a warning to other insurgents, left it on public display for ten years!

Freedom Fighters

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Arquitechtura Moral Lodge of Mexico City, and Francisco I. Madero, Lealtad Lodge 15 of Mexico City, led Mexican revolutions exactly a century apart.  Both, considered heroes and freedom fighters, were jointly honored when Mexico issued a silver 20 peso coin in 1960, bearing their likenesses.  Brother Madero became President of Mexico for a short time but was overthrown in a counter-revolution.  He was captured and executed in 1913 while "attempting to escape."  Brother Hidalgo faced a firing squad in 1811.  The government beheaded his body after his execution, impaled his head on a stake and, as a warning to other insurgents, left it on public display for ten years!

Sharpshooters

Christian Sharps, a member of Meridian Sun Lodge 58 in Philadelphia, was a machinist who invented the famous Sharps breech-loading rifle in 1848. An important part of the Civil War, the iconic rifle was used by Colonel Hiram Berdan's elite regiment. Owing to the weapons they used, these expert riflemen earned the name "Berdan's Sharpshooters," originating the term still in common use to designate a highly skilled marksman: sharpshooter.

Don Benito

Benjamin Davis Wilson, Los Angeles Lodge 42 and Pentalphia Lodge 202, was a California statesman who became the second Mayor of Los Angeles.  Mount Wilson and the famed observatory that sits atop it were named in his honor.  At a time of acts of unspeakable violence toward them, Native Americans called him Don Benito because of his benevolence toward the tribes in his area.  Brother Wilson is also the grandfather of World War II General George S. Patton, Jr., a man not known for benevolence toward anyone.

Black Sam

Samuel Fraunces, Holland Lodge 8 of New York City, owned the Fraunces Tavern in New York and served as George Washington's household steward from 1789-94. Born in the West Indies, Brother Fraunces was called "Black Sam," indicating he was an African American.  Portraiture, however shows a light-skinned individual and confuses speculation about his heritage.  Researchers have suggested he might have been the son of black and white parents but the fact is, his race remains unknown.

The Illumination

John Fitzgerald Kennedy participated in a Masonic Ceremony on October 6, 1962.  While flying over the area, JFK pushed a button which, by remote control, illuminated a statue the Grand Lodge of Illinois was rededicating.  The statue in downtown Chicago honored Brothers George Washington, Robert Morris and Haym Solomon.

It's Not Polite To Stare

Andrew Bell, primary founder of Encyclopedia Britannica, Holyrood House Lodge 44 of Edinburgh Scotland, was a diminutive man who stood only 4 foot 6 inches tall.  Despite his small stature, the proud Bell always rode the tallest horse he could get. He mounted and dismounted his horse using a ladder, many times to the cheers of onlookers. His features included an enormous nose which occasionally drew stares.  Brother Bell fashioned an even larger paper mache nose, which he could affix over his already large beak and when he caught people gawking, he would put the fake nose on and gawk back giving them the graphic message that it's not polite to stare.

Ecuador Hats?

Eloy Alfaro was an Ecuadorian liberator and President of the country from 1906-11.  His Lodge is unknown, but his Masonic status is not in doubt: his anti-Masonic successor as President had him imprisoned and ultimately killed for being a Freemason!  Following his presidential term, Brother Alfaro lived in Panama in exile.  While there, he imported toquilla hats from Ecuador and sold them to finance his revolution.  The hats were immensely popular and since they came from Panama, were assumed to have originated there.  Named to reflect that fact, "Panama hats" were introduced to the world by Brother Eloy Alfaro, and they actually come from Ecuador.

Impostors

A fraternity that performs so many charitable acts is bound to be the target of fraud.  Those impersonating Masons for financial gain and those appealing to Masonic charities under false pretenses have been around almost as long as the order itself.  Today, with the Internet and mass media, word can spread quickly when a charlatan surfaces.  In times past, such communication was slower and more difficult.  In 1859, Rob Morris, founder of the Eastern Star, published "The Prudence Book." Updated annually, it was an attempt to publish information about impostors, but was discontinued after a short run.  It was found easier to print and distribute "broadsides" as Lodges discovered impostors.  Here is an example of one notice warning Lodges of an impostor from the 19th century.  It reads (sic):

CAUTION! MASONIC LODGE OF RELIEF, MASONIC TEMPLE, Baltimore, July 24, 1877.  A man calling himself "HERBERT SYDNEY," professing to hail from Langthorne Lodge, Stratford, Essex, England is an IMPOSTER.  Information has been received from Langthorne Lodge that no such person is known there. DESCRIPTION. Height about 5 feet 6 or 7 inches: complexion dark: black hair and eyes: bald patch on top of head; hair somewhat thin: black mustache. Professes to be a portrait painter, and ruined by the fire at St. John's, Canada, in June 1876. Reports from Masonic Lodge at St. John's, say that no portrait painter of that name ever lived there, but there had been one named Sydney Herbert Gadsen. The Fraternity is hereby warned against this person, and is furthermore advised to have him arrested, if possible, for obtaining, or attempting to obtain money under false pretenses. He was in Baltimore about a month ago, and succeeded in swindling the Fraternity to a small extent. He then went to Washington, DC. He is believed to be now tramping about, victimizing Masonic Lodges, and the St. Georges Societies. ALBERT LYMAN., M. D., Secretary.