Part 3
FREEMASONRY
FRIENDS, FOES, AND
FOUNDING FA THERS
The United States is still an infant in terms of world history, but it is no less rich for the centuries of baby steps it has taken. American Freemasonry differs from its European counterparts, but its fraternal ties remain strong whether the climate is revolutionary, industrial, or modernized. Eighteenth-century American brothers carefully assembled their New World brethren, while at the same time reaffirming the legends, rituals, and historic and spiritual teachings of the Craft. Europe, along with many other parts of the world, has a long legacy in the Brotherhood. The list of famous international Masons includes a historic roster of prime ministers, royalty, writers, artists, and distinguished military members. From Mozart to Rudyard Kipling to Frederick the Great, Freemasonry’s international contingent has secured a place in history and legend.
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AMERICAN FREEMASONRY
The study of Freemasonry in the United States is in many ways a tour of early American history with a focus on legendary individuals such as Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and George Washington, and events surrounding the American Revolution, including the Boston Tea Party and the signings of the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution. A European fraternity taking root in the New World is no surprise, but the journey it has taken from infancy to adulthood has proven to be fascinating through all its successes and turbulent times.
In contrast to its European brethren, American Freemasonry has a historical advantage in that its origins are slightly easier to establish, but as with all things related to a secret society there are dozens of theories and conspiracies waiting in the wings. In regard to its earliest origins one expert directs attention to a flat stone slab which has cut into its face the year 1606, and a square and compass. Found in the Annapolis Basin of Nova Scotia, on the shore of Goat Island, it is thought to be a gravestone of a French stonemason who had settled in the area in 1605.
One of the first recorded Freemasons in America was a Scotsman by the name of John Skene who was No. 27 on a 1670 roster of Aberdeen No. 1 in Scotland. Skene, who settled on a plantation in Mt. Holly, New Jersey, in 1682, was a Quaker who served as Deputy Governor of the Colony of West Jersey from 1685 to 1690.
Londoner Daniel Coxe, a student of medicine and law, arrived in Burlington, New Jersey, around 1701 where he became active in local politics and served in various governmental capacities. On June 5, 1730, Coxe was awarded a historic position in American Masonry when the Duke of Norfolk, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England, appointed Coxe Provincial Grand Master of the Provinces of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
There is little known about Henry Price before he emigrated to Boston from London, but records show that he was a successful merchant tailor and a Freemason. Clearly a man on a fraternal mission, he set off for England from Boston in 1732 in order to secure a warrant from the Grand Lodge of England, which was required in order to make a lodge official. His mission was a success. English Grand Master Lord Viscount Montague, named Price Provincial Grand Master of New England, which gave him the authority to establish charters in New England. A year after he became Grand Master, his position was expanded to include all of North America.
On July 30, 1733, a group of Boston Masons met with Price at the Bunch of Grapes Tavern, at which point Price selected officers for America’s first Grand Lodge. Now the oldest official lodge in the Western world, it was named St. John’s Lodge. When his authority expanded, Price granted a petition from Benjamin Franklin and the contingent of Philadelphia Freemasons to form their lodge, of which Franklin served as their first Master.
Over the years, Price continued chartering many lodges all over the colonies, and several in Canada, Dutch Guiana, and the West Indies.
As with most membership-based organizations, however, it was only a matter of time before rivalry reared its eternal head. At that point in time, members of the fraternal order were generally men of means—business owners, merchants, manufacturers, and individuals based in art and science. The working class was often omitted from joining the Brotherhood. As such, working individuals formed their Grand Lodge under the auspices of following traditional Masonic practices. This, as it’s been told, led to a great divide among brethren that saw lodges bitterly divided between antient and modern groups.
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THE BOSTON TEA PARTY
One might wonder what the infamous Boston Tea Party has to do with Freemasonry. As it turns out, there’s quite a Masonic mystery attached to the notorious tea dumping that set the stage for the American Revolution.
As history tells it, the phrase “no taxation without representation” became a mantra for colonists who were angered over the 1765 Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts of 1767. One of the loudest protesters was Freemason John Hancock, who later organized a boycott of tea from the British East India Company.
Despite the British government passing the Tea Act, which eliminated the colonial tea tax, ships continued to be turned away from American ports. Then on the night of December 16, 1773, a group of Bostonians calling themselves the Sons of Liberty boarded the ships Dartmouth, Eleanor, and Beaver. Disguised as Mohawk Indians, they boarded the three ships and dumped 342 crates of tea into Boston Harbor, after which they swept the decks clean and made certain the Sons of Liberty were named the perpetrators.
No one knows with any certainty who actually conceived of the infamous raid, so one legend is as good as another. One alternate claim to the Boston Tea Party boasts a significant Masonic spin. In this case, connection to the brethren starts with the Green Dragon Tavern, a building that was purchased by the St. Andrew’s Lodge in 1764. Sometimes dubbed the “Headquarters of the American Revolution,” the downstairs tavern and upstairs meeting rooms were said to have served the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts as well as the Sons of Liberty. (In case you were wondering, the Green Dragon Tavern is still standing at 11 Marshall Street in Boston, Massachusetts. Although no longer a Masonic lodge, it does still serve beer and food such as Mohawk Trail chicken fingers and Red Coat spicy Buffalo wings.)
Allegedly, the Tea Party was planned at the Green Dragon and executed with the help of the Masons. Involved in the planning were Grand Master Dr. Joseph Warren, and fellow Brothers John Hancock and Paul Revere. It was, in fact, Warren who sent his good friend Revere on his famous ride to warn colonial troops of British incursion on April 18, 1775. And the men Revere delivered his messages to? Revolutionary Samuel Adams and Freemason John Hancock.
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FOUNDING FATHERS
For Americans, the term “Founding Fathers” holds special meaning, as it refers to a remarkable group of men who served their country as statesmen, leaders, and patriots. Their stories are fascinating and their perseverance in achieving liberty no matter what the cost earned them a legendary place in American history. These men signed the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, and many took part in the American Revolution. A number of these forefathers were also Freemasons.
It is a common misconception that all of the founding fathers were Masons. This is hardly the case. It is true that many prominent Masons took part in the war and at least twenty signed the Declaration and Constitution, but there were many more non-Masons who participated in these events. Arguably the most famous American Mason, Benjamin Franklin, did indeed lend his penmanship to both documents. Mason John Hancock was a signer, and so was George Washington. Out of a total of ninety-five signatures on the two documents, twenty-two were those of Freemasons.
Those given to conspiracy often claim that the U.S. Constitution is based on Anderson’s Book of Constitutions. They also attribute Masonic connections to individuals, like Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry, who have never been part of the Craft. Another popular myth is that every one of the generals serving under George Washington during the war were Freemasons. In truth there were only thirty-three Masons who served under Washington’s command, which was quite a large number.
Another common conspiracy theory is that when Washington was inaugurated as president, all of the governors of the original thirteen colonies were Freemasons. Masonic research shows that of the thirty individuals who served as governors, ten were members of the Craft.
The subject of how many Masons signed the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution remains a constant source of debate. Lodge records have been able to confirm that a number of Masons did indeed sign both landmark documents, and other scattered records show that a number of the individuals involved entered the Brotherhood sometime after the signings occurred.
A total of fifty-six delegates ultimately signed the famous declaration, and of those, nine were Freemasons:
• William Ellery, member of the First Lodge of Boston (1748).
• John Hancock, became a Mason in the Merchant’s Lodge No. 277 in Quebec, and then moved to St. Andrew’s Lodge in Boston (1762).
• Joseph Hewes, member of the Unanimity Lodge No. 7 in North Carolina.
• William Hopper, member of the Hanover Lodge in Masonborough, North Carolina.
• Robert Treat Payne, member of the Massachusetts Grand Lodge (1759).
• Richard Stockton, Charter Master of St. John’s Lodge in Princeton, New Jersey (1765).
• George Walton, member of Solomon’s Lodge No. 1, in Savannah, Georgia.
• William Whipple, member of St. John’s Lodge in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (1752).
• Benjamin Franklin, Grand Master of Pennsylvania (1734).
Perhaps the most famous statesman of all, Benjamin Franklin, made mention in 1730 of several Freemason lodges in his Gazette. Shortly thereafter, he became a member of the St. John’s Lodge. Six months later on St. John the Baptist’s Day of 1732 he became Junior Warden of the Grand Lodge in Pennsylvania, only to be chosen Grand Master two years later. A free thinker, Franklin then began his correspondence in an effort to secure a Masonic charter.
The majority of Franklin’s lodge gatherings were held in Philadelphia at Tun’s Tavern and also in a Videll Alley building. It was in the latter in 1786 that the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania declared its independence from the Grand Lodge of England. Franklin continued his long and extraordinary career as a diplomat and trailblazer of the American Brotherhood. Near the end of his life, he was still fighting for a cause, this time the abolition of slavery.
Not long after having signed the United States Constitution, Franklin died, but his multifaceted legacies continue to thrive. Even in the 2005 film National Treasure, which features Freemasonry, the protagonist played by Nicolas Cage is named Benjamin Franklin Gates.
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THE WILLIAM MORGAN MYSTERY
In regard to the history of American Freemasonry, there is perhaps no more intriguing a tale than the mysterious demise of William Morgan. The mix of circumstances, evidence, hearsay, public speculation, and alleged abduction and murder weave a fantastic tale perfect for a made-for-television movie. The fact that the case was so much in the public eye is arguably the most crucial element of the mystery, as the eventual outrage and exposure of the Brotherhood and its secrecy led to widespread anti-Mason sentiments and the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party.
A native of Culpepper County in Virginia, William Morgan left his home to spend time working various jobs in Canada and areas of New York. It was 1824 when Morgan settled in the small town of Batavia, New York, and began work as an itinerant stonemason. Referring to himself as “Captain” Morgan, he cited his distinctive military service in the War of 1812.
Some historical accounts show that in 1825 in the Western Star Chapter No. 33 in LeRoy, New York, Morgan was awarded a Royal Arch degree. Experts disagree as to whether he was ever really a Mason (most assert he wasn’t) or had simply lied his way into the fraternity for his own evil gain. Other accounts tell that Morgan showed up at the lodge claiming he was already a brother, which definitely incited suspicion among that lodge’s brethren.
No matter whether he was a true Mason or not, several accounts state that Morgan spent time visiting other lodges and eventually was part of a group which was petitioning for a Royal Arch chapter. However, when the chapter was started, Morgan was denied membership, which unbeknownst to everyone marked the beginning of a powerful public scandal that would shock fraternal brethren around the world.
Morgan’s omission from the new Batavian charter group resulted in arguments and Morgan leaving the fraternity. At that point, he made his intentions clear—he was writing a book that would reveal all the secrets of Freemasonry including their rituals and procedures, and had, in fact, been paid a great sum in advance of the book by David Miller, publisher of a local newspaper, the Batavia Advocate. Morgan’s contract for the book involved Miller, a Mason who for twenty years did not progress beyond Entered Apprentice and was assumed to bear a grudge against the Brotherhood, Morgan’s landlord John Davids, and a man called Russell Dyer.
Rumors of a payment as high as a half-million dollars led Morgan to exacerbate the issue with continual boasting, which only gave rise to anger among the brethren. In order to avert the potential crisis, local Masons ran advertisements in other publications that informed the public to be watchful of Morgan and his undesirable attributes.
As one historian tells the tale, it wasn’t long after that a local innkeeper was asked by a Mason to provide a meal for fifty of his brethren who apparently had no problem revealing that their intention that evening was to attack the Batavia Advocate’s offices. After hearing of their plan, Miller got the word out that he and others were armed and prepared for any attack. The Freemasons never did execute their plan as reported, but the incident did set off a chain of events that led up to the sordid events that followed.
It is said that several Masons then approached Morgan at his residence and arrested him for debts he owed them. He was taken to a local jail in the charge of a jailer who also happened to be a Mason. Miller, upon hearing of Morgan’s incarceration, set about finding the jailer so as to pay off Morgan’s alleged debt; however, it was a Friday evening and the jailer had conveniently departed, leaving Morgan behind bars until Monday.
With the jailer absent, the Freemasons returned to confront Morgan about his scandalous exposé, telling him that if he gave them the book he would go free. After refusing to do so, they went to his home and engaged in a futile attempt to recover Morgan’s work. From there, matters only got worse. By Monday morning Miller paid Morgan’s “debt” and he was released. The Freemasons then turned around and had him immediately arrested for stealing a shirt and tie, and owing another small debt in the town of Canandaigua, about fifty miles east of Batavia, to which he was driven in a carriage and again incarcerated. At the same time, an unsuccessful attempt was made to jail Miller.
As it is told, the entire affair took a major turn on September 13, 1826, when a man claiming to be Morgan’s friend showed up at the jail to pay the alleged debt and secure Morgan’s release. Lotan Lawson, Morgan’s “friend,” encountered the jailer’s wife who cleared the charge and released a highly suspicious Morgan from his captivity. Once outside the building Lawson supposedly insisted that Morgan join him in his carriage, at which point two fellow Freemasons called Chesebro and Sawyer forced the reluctant man into the coach. It is said that those who witnessed the encounter heard Morgan shout “Murder!” as the carriage disappeared from sight.
Where the carriage traveled for the next two days is a source of speculation, but investigators of the day attest that Morgan and his kidnappers made their way over one hundred miles from Canandaigua to Fort Niagara (between the United States and Canada). At some point the kidnappers were joined by Freemason and High Sheriff of Niagara County, Eli Bruce, and made a stop in the town of Youngstown where witnesses heard Morgan inside the carriage.
The fort at Niagara, which formerly contained the federal government’s department of defense, was empty when the carriage arrived on September fourteenth. Investigators later asserted that the fort’s caretaker (who was a Mason) granted them access. For the next few days, Morgan was held inside the fort. It is said that at one point, he was taken by boat across the river to the Canadian border by four Freemasons. According to a ferryman, a meeting between several American and Canadian Masons ensued at which time the American men were willing to transfer Morgan to their cohorts to eliminate him by undetermined means. No plan was apparently reconciled and Morgan was returned to the fort and never again publicly seen.
As with modern-day murder, it is difficult to prove guilt with the absence of a body, and William Morgan’s body was never found. His abduction, however, was witnessed by many individuals and that crime could be proven.
When all was said and done, and without a body to prove murder, kidnappers Lawson, Bruce, Chesebro, Sawyer, and another Mason called Sheldon were convicted of Morgan’s abduction. Protests then ensued over the leniency of their sentences and imprisonment which ranged from one month to just over two years.
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BIRTH OF THE ANTI-MASONIC PARTY
The Morgan Affair began an anti-Masonic fervor that would not be easily subdued. Freemasons in general to this day maintain that Morgan was not murdered but instead struck a financial deal with the American Masons and, with the help of Canadian Freemasons, disappeared into obscurity. A measure of theories have been surmised since the incident, but no one can say with any certainty what really happened to William Morgan.
What can be said is that anti-Masonic sentiment continued to grow at an alarming rate, with the Brotherhood falling under close public scrutiny. Several anti-Mason meetings were held in 1828, and set forth a cycle that focused on everything from the secrecy of the fraternity to the alleged blood oaths in which they participate.
The sociopolitical climate at the time of the Morgan Affair was primed for upheaval and that measure of discontent manifested itself in a third political party called the Anti-Masonic Party. Andrew Jackson was enormously popular and the most prominent Democrat in the country. Though he failed to win the presidency in 1824, his stature was unscathed and he was set to once again run for office in 1828. A lawyer, statesman, and military leader, Jackson was also a Freemason—a Grand Master of the lodges of Tennessee. Naturally, this added fuel to the fire.
The Anti-Masonic Party grew quickly. Several of its candidates even held governorships in Vermont and Pennsylvania. But political and social campaigns against Masons were bitter affairs, and as persecution in society took hold, Masons and their families were denied many freedoms, including no longer being allowed entrance to their schools or churches. The idea that Freemasons considered themselves above the law coupled with their secret blood rituals was unacceptable to the public, and created an atmosphere of paranoia. As a result, the fraternity suffered greatly.
One historian states that 227 lodges were under the Grand Lodge of New York in 1827. Eight years later, that number decreased significantly to only forty-one. In Vermont, every lodge either gave up its charter or simply became dormant. Even the Grand Lodge stopped holding meetings for several years. This decline was also apparent in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
Despite any efforts made by the Anti-Masonic Party, Andrew Jackson won his 1828 presidential campaign against Whig John Quincy Adams. Four years later, the anti-Masons elevated one of their own at a national convention and presented former Mason William Wirt of Maryland as a presidential candidate. A three-way election between Jackson, Wirt, and Whig candidate Henry Clay gave President Jackson a decisive victory, and saw Wirt only carry the state of Vermont.
Though the Anti-Masonic Party began fading away in 1835, the damage had been done and would take over twenty years to undo. Lodge memberships decreased by the thousands in most states and in some cases lodges were abandoned entirely. The abduction and disappearance of William Morgan set into motion a devastating chain of events for American Freemasons, but it wasn’t the first time the Brotherhood had been persecuted— and like their European brethren, they would again see the Craft ascend from the ashes.
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FROM FRANKLIN TO FITCH
Over the centuries, the Brotherhood has taken pleasure in communing with hundreds of influential members of society from leaders of industry to presidents to a host of entertainers and historical groundbreakers. As noted in earlier sections, arguably one of the most well-known American Masons of his day was Benjamin Franklin, who, along with some of the Founding Fathers of the United States, elevated Freemasonry to prominence in the New World.
Benjamin Franklin helped bring American Masonry to the forefront of American life. With an impressive career as a diplomat, scientist, printer, writer, and philosopher, he is often considered to be one of America’s finest statesmen. In 1723, he published Freemasonry’s Anderson’s Constitutions, one of the first books to be published in the New World. In addition, Franklin was one of the thirteen Masons who signed the Constitution, and he served as Grand Master of Pennsylvania.
The thrill of discovery and invention is a natural compliment to the Brotherhood, where Masons seek to enhance their communities and stretch their own educational wings. Many famous Masons carry recognizable names such as Ford, Macy, and Gillette, while others, like John Fitch, may not be as well known. Fitch was the inventor of the steamboat, a discovery that is often attributed to Robert Fulton, who was also a Mason.
The lure of a “secret” fraternal organization such as the Freemasons would, without a doubt, be tantalizing for those taking part in an industrial revolution. It’s no wonder that so many influential movers and shakers joined the Brotherhood.
One such Mason was David Sarnoff, a Russian-born American from modest means who started his career working with the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company in 1906. Sarnoff then worked his way into radio broadcasting at the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) where he eventually organized their National Television Broadcasting Company. In 1929, he met Vladimir Zworykin, inventor of the all-electric camera tube and by 1953, RCA’s television became the mainstay in many American homes.
Mason Lloyd Balfour’s name may not be instantly recognizable, but for generations students have been purchasing their class rings from Balfour Jewelry. And that washing machine that works so hard for every American household? It was invented by Mason Frederick Maytag, whose company originally produced farm equipment, until he discovered a way to run the washer with an external power source.
The film industry also included several prominent Masons. Louis B. Mayer, the man behind the eventual merge of what became Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), was a Mason, and Jack Warner of Warner Brothers Studios was also in the Brotherhood. Also part of the fraternity was Darryl Zanuck, who in 1933 cofounded 20th Century Productions.
Several prominent car manufacturers are also on the Masonic roster, including Walter Chrysler, founder of the Chrysler Corporation; Ransom E. Olds; and perhaps the most revered automobile manufacturer in history, Henry Ford, who invented the first gasoline-powered automobile. By 1903 he founded the Ford Motor Company and began mass producing his vehicles.
Everyone is sure to recognize these two famous masons: Mason Har-lan “Colonel” Sanders made his mark when he founded his “finger lickin’ good” Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Dave Thomas made Wendy’s restaurants a household name with the catchphrase, “Where’s the beef?”
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POLITICAL AND MILITARY MASONS
Freemasonry has established an impressive legacy in the United States and has attracted a long list of powerful men. As a result, many politicians, statesmen, and individuals serving in America’s military forces have belonged to the Brotherhood.
Fourteen United States presidents have been Masons from George Washington to Gerald Ford. Given the high profile of their position, this gave Freemasonry an air of prestige akin to that of the Masonic royal members in Europe. Seventh president of the United States Andrew Jackson was a Mason, as was Harry Truman, and both Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt.
The following American presidents also belonged to the Masonic order:
• James Monroe, a Democratic-Republican, fifth president (1817– 1825).
• James Knox Polk, a Democrat and eleventh president (1845–1849).
• James Buchanan, a Democrat and fifteenth president (1857–1861).
• Andrew Johnson, a Democrat and seventeenth president (1865– 1861).
• James Garfield, a Republican and twentieth president (1881).
• William McKinley, a Republican and twenty-fifth president (1897– 1901).
• William Howard Taft, a Republican and twenty-seventh president (1909–1913).
• Warren G. Harding, a Republican and twenty-ninth president (1921–1923).
Dedicated men in various branches of the American military services took part in Masonry. Naval officer, explorer, and aviator Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd is best known for his 1926 flight over the North Pole with fellow adventurer Floyd Bennet, who was also part of the Brotherhood.
Also known for his distinguished career was Scottish-born John Paul Jones, who served as first admiral of the United States Navy. And not to be outdone was Mason General Douglas MacArthur, commander of the Allied forces in the South Pacific during World War II. Audie Murphy was an actor, singer, and songwriter, but he is best known for having been the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II. Murphy received thirty-three awards, among them the prestigious Medal of Honor. In 1955 he became a Mason, and eventually a Shriner.
Other Masonic military leaders include:
• General Henry “Hap” Arnold, American pilot who served as first general of the U.S. Air Force.
• Omar Bradley, the American general who played a crucial role in the Allied victory in World War II.
• Brigadier General James Doolittle, renowned World War II Air Force pilot.
• John Joseph “Black Jack” Pershing, revered army general who led American forces to victory in Germany during World War I. In 1920, he was awarded the unique rank of General of the Armies.
• Eddie Rickenbacker, legendary American Air Force ace during World War I.
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SCIENTISTS AND AVIATORS
The Brotherhood’s zest for personal growth and exploration could likely account for their members’ involvement in planetary and other-worldly discovery. Several well-known astronauts were Masons, including Neil Armstrong, the Apollo 11 adventurer who on July 20, 1969, became the first man to walk on the moon. Fellow brother and lunar module pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the second to take the giant leap.
Wally Schirra and Virgil “Gus” Grissom were two of the original Mercury Seven astronauts who had the right stuff. Grissom had his legendary lift-off in Mercury 4 and splashdown in Liberty Bell 7, but was unfortunately killed in 1967 in a launch pad fire when commanding Apollo 1. Mason Schirra has the sole distinction of being the only man to fly in the first three space programs—Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo.
The list of scientific and aviation Masons includes:
• Charles Lindbergh, renowned aviator who piloted the first solo nonstop trans-Atlantic flight in 1927.
• Dr. Charles Mayo, who along with his father and brother founded the first official medical group practices in America, the Mayo Clinic. A Master Mason, he was active in the Rochester, Minnesota lodge.
• Albert Abraham Michelson, Prussian-born American physicist and Nobel Prize winner who in the late 1800s first measured the speed of light.
• Andrew Still, the physician considered to be the father of osteopathic medicine.
Also a brother is John Glenn, a former Ohio Senator and Marine fighter pilot who in 1962 became the first American to orbit earth. In 1998, Glenn made a second remarkable journey into space, securing his legacy as the oldest astronaut in history.
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KRAMER IS A MASON?: ARTS AND ATHLETICS
The variety of entertainers, musicians, and athletes belonging to Freemasonry is impressive. The fraternity members range from Oscar-winning actors and composers to baseball legends.
One Mason in particular served both the Brotherhood and the world with class and stellar humor. A fifty-year Mason, Mel Blanc graced the world with cartoon character voices that only a legend could create. The voice of Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and Daffy Duck, among hundreds of others, was a true talent among men. In his distinguished company are other amazing brothers, including magician Harry Houdini who wowed the world with his astounding feats of escapism, and legendary silent screen swashbuckler Douglas Fairbanks. Actor Ernest Borgnine, best known for his role in McHale’s Navy, is a well-known Mason. He continues to serve as honorary chairman of a program that supports a Scottish Rite Childhood Center.
Many actors over the years have been Masons, including Gene Autry, Arthur Godfrey, Clark Gable, Tom Mix, Telly Savalas, and Will Rogers. A number of comedians also took their place in the Brotherhood, among them, Bob Hope, Red Skelton, and Oliver Hardy. Even the entire Ringling Brothers circus family—seven brothers and their father—were Masons.
Other entertaining Masons include:
• Edgar Buchanan, former dentist and actor best known for playing Uncle Joe in the classic television series Petticoat Junction.
• Cecil B. DeMille, legendary film director of such classics as The Ten Commandments and The Greatest Show on Earth.
• Burl Ives, revered singer and actor whose legendary voice can still be heard each Christmas season when he narrates “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
• Al Jolson, singer and actor who made history in 1927 acting in The Jazz Singer, the first talking picture.
• Michael Richards, actor best known for his role as Kramer on Sein-feld.
• Roy Rogers, actor and legendary cowboy.
• Danny Thomas, the actor and philanthropist who in 1962 founded St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
• John Wayne, actor and Hollywood legend.
• Florenz Ziegfeld, founder of the Ziegfeld Follies.
Freemason Duke Ellington was considered to be one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century. His contributions to the music world as a jazz composer, bandleader, pianist, and orchestrator are legendary. Joining him in the Brotherhood is Irving Berlin, himself an exemplary songwriter and musical comedy genius best known for “White Christmas,” “God Bless America,” and “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.”
• Eddie Arnold, country music star internationally famous for his rendition of “Make the World Go Away.”
• William “Count” Basie, legendary jazz pianist, organist, and orchestra leader.
• Roy Clark, singer and country-western star famous for hosting the television show Hee Haw.
• Nat King Cole, singer and jazz musician.
• John Philip Sousa, composer and former leader of the United States Marine Band.
• Mel Tillis, country-western singer, songwriter, and actor.
Several remarkable athletes have served the Brotherhood with distinction, two of them legendary boxers. Professional Irish-American boxer Jack Dempsey had an exciting career during the early 1900s, as he eventually became a five-time heavyweight champion. His most famous bouts were with Gene Tunney. During World War II, Dempsey became a commissioned officer in the United States Coast Guard. Modern-day boxer and Freemason Sugar Ray Robinson was a six-time world champion in two weight classes. He is considered by many to be the best fighter of all time pound-for-pound.
One Mason in particular has been quite successful in the sport of golf. In the 1950s and 1960s, golf was not a major television event, but Arnold Palmer changed that. His charisma and tournament success led golf pros from America to the British Open and elevated the sport to new heights in popularity.
Ty Cobb and Cy Young, both Masons, secured their legacy in the game of baseball. Cobb was the first player ever elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Young, arguably one of the greatest pitchers the game has ever produced, pitched for over two decades and earned additional distinction by pitching the first perfect game in modern-day history. “The Flying Dutchman,” also known as John “Honus” Wagner, was a Mason and considered to be the greatest shortstop in the game’s history.
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FREE THINKERS
Writers, artists, philanthropists, and a wide range of innovative and freethinking individuals have taken part in the fraternal order. Writer and humorist Samuel Clemens, popularly known as Mark Twain, was a Mason, as was writer Alex Haley, author of the groundbreaking novel Roots.
At one time considered to be the richest man in the United States, Freemason and German immigrant John Jacob Astor served as Master of New York’s Holland Lodge No. 8. He later acted as Grand Treasurer of the Grand Lodge of New York. If the Astor name sounds familiar, it is because Astor’s grandson, John Jacob IV, was lost in the sinking of RMSTitanic.
One Mason who achieved great heights was Gutzon Borglum, a Freemason and sculptor who carved one of the most significant American monuments. Driven to create a fantastic and enormous portrayal of American nationalism, Borglum began carving Mt. Rushmore in 1927 with the help of over four hundred sculptors. It was finished by his son Lincoln in 1941. An astounding feat of masonry, Mt. Rushmore features the faces of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt—two of whom were Freemasons.
Other innovative Masons of note include:
• Ezra Ames, prolific eighteenth-century portrait painter who created over 450 works.
• Brad Anderson, famed cartoonist and creator of the comic strip “Marmaduke.”
• Robert E. Baylor, cofounder of Baylor University in Texas.
• Reverend Norman Vincent Peale, Protestant clergyman known for his groundbreaking book, The Power of Positive Thinking.
• Booker T. Washington, former slave and renowned educator who founded the Tuskegee Institute in 1881.
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HISTORICAL MASONS
Perhaps the best parts of historical documentation are those pinnacle moments when astounding goals, feats, and personal journeys have been realized. In the past, there was so much about the planet and its inhabitants that was unknown, and the thrill of discovery was epic. As the modern age progresses, landmarks of history are more often about acts of self-discovery.
No matter the era, a host of Freemasons have, without a doubt, traveled a historic path, whether they were exploring the great unknown areas of the planet or the untapped resources of human interaction. Freemasons have negotiated their way through all types of terrain, from the Great Plains to the frigid Arctic, and their adventures left an indelible mark on history. Even today, it’s hard to conceive just how difficult their tasks were and the strength and perseverance required in achieving what many thought was impossible.
Captain Meriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark were both legendary frontiersmen, explorers, and Freemasons. Together, in 1804, they embarked on their journey west and didn’t stop until they reached the Pacific Ocean. Clark, the mapmaker of the duo, later served as governor of the Missouri Territory. Lewis, in addition to being named a national hero, became governor of the Louisiana Territory. He was also the first Master of a Masonic lodge in St. Louis.
Dr. Parker Paul McKenzie was a Kiowa Indian and a Freemason. When he passed away in 1999 he was the oldest living Kiowa, but that was not his only distinction. During his lifetime, he developed a written language for the Kiowa by creating an alphabet and then recording the words, grammar, and syntax.
Christopher “Kit” Carson and Davy Crockett were, in addition to being frontiersmen, part of the Brotherhood, as was William “Buffalo Bill” Cody. Renowned for being a scout and guide, Cody is perhaps best known for founding the Wild West Show, and for Cody, Wyoming, the city named in his honor.
Yet another famous duo conquered the great unknown, only theirs was a journey of a much different variety. In 1909, Mason and explorer Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary made the amazing journey to the North Pole, becoming arguably the first man ever to do so. It was an astounding accomplishment, one that most individuals felt was an impossible goal. One of Peary’s companions on the trek was fellow Mason Matthew Henson, and together they made history.
Another polar explorer was Anthony Fiala, a former cartoonist and Spanish-American War correspondent who, as photographer on a 1901 expedition to the North Pole, took the first moving pictures of the Arctic region. In 1903, Fiala led his own expedition and succeeded in mapping various Arctic islands.
From epic moments in history to personal claims to fame, Masons have been driven to work for the betterment of the planet and its inhabitants. In some cases, Freemasonry served as a conduit for a better life, in others it showed that when individuals are presented with a challenge and are forced to overcome adversity, they rise to the occasion.
The name Robert Pershing Wadlow may not be instantly recognizable, but his participation in Masonry is well-known. Wadlow’s claim to fame is the fact that at almost nine feet in height, he was the tallest human being on record. Wadlow was accepted into the Masonic youth group, the Order of DeMolay and eventually became an officer. It is said that the fraternity offered him acceptance, a welcome respite from the rest of the world, which at times was less than kind in regard to Wadlow’s astounding height. He passed away in 1940 at age twenty-two.
Immortalized as an American patriot is silversmith, engraver, and Mason Paul Revere, who during the American Revolution made his historic midnight ride to Lexington and Concord. It was April 18, 1775, and the warning he and two others delivered enabled American soldiers to hold back British troops. Revere’s alleged shout of “The British are coming!” and his courageous ride was indelibly recorded in a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
The name James Hoban may not be recognizable, but his work was vital in the building of America’s capital city. Hoban, a Mason and architect, designed and oversaw the construction and later renovation of the White House in Washington, D.C. The Irish-born American was also one of the supervising architects of the Capitol building.
Other historic Masons of distinction include:
• Francis Bellamy, the Baptist minister who in 1892 penned the original Pledge of Allegiance.
• Stephen F. Austin, considered to be the Father of Texas. The city of Austin is named in his honor.
• Rufus Easton, the first postmaster west of the Mississippi River.
Francis Scott Key, writer of the lyrics for “The Star Spangled Banner.”
• Frank S. Land, founder of the Order of DeMolay, a fraternal youth group of Freemasonry for young men from the ages of twelve through twenty-one.
As head of the Central Pacific Railroad, the company responsible for building the first transcontinental line over the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Mason Leland Stanford made history on May 10, 1869, when he hammered in the famous golden spike signifying the final connection of the railways from east to west. He later went on to serve as governor of California and founded Stanford University.
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FREEMASONRY AS RELIGION?
One of the biggest misconceptions about Freemasonry is that it is a religion. It must be said that Freemasons do not claim to be a religion or some type of religious substitute. That doesn’t mean its members aren’t religious, because all of the brethren are required to profess a belief in a Supreme Being. This simply means they aren’t an institutionalized system of worship. They’re a fraternity that encourages its brethren to be active in whichever religion and church they belong to.
For those unfamiliar with Freemasonry, the religious aspects of the Craft can certainly be confusing. Writings about the Brotherhood often mention a bible, Masons meet in temples, many of their symbols have historically religious connotations, and some of their titles contain words like worshipful and priest. It’s easy to see why misunderstandings occur. But in this case, a Worshipful Master, for example, has nothing to do with actual worship as a religious reference. It is, in fact, a title of honor, much like one would address the mayor of a city.
There are several basic elements to consider when analyzing Freemasonry in regard to religion. For starters, the organization has no dogma or central theology, and members are free to practice any religion to which they subscribe. Unlike most organized religions, the Masons have no sacramental offerings or ritual worship, and the Brotherhood does not offer salvation in the traditional religious sense of the word. All Masonic titles are purely symbolic and honorable.
When speculative Freemasonry originated in the eighteenth century most of its members were Christian. As such, the Holy Bible, particularly the King James version, was the Volume of Sacred Law used in most lodges. Freemasons, however, are tolerant of all religions. In lodges with memberships comprising a variety of faiths, several different sacred texts, such as the Koran or Torah, may be used.
A curious criticism, among others, in regard to the Masonic use of the Bible as Volume of the Sacred Law, is their reference to it as “furniture.” This classification, which sounds odd to non-Masons (especially when taken out of context) is not meant to be disrespectful. The use of the word furniture is inclusive to Masons as it stands for “essential equipment” used during lodge meetings. The sacred text is given a place of honor in a lodge, and it lies open on an altar, table, or pedestal.
One of the basic qualifications an individual must possess when applying to become a Freemason is the belief in a Supreme Being and the immortality of the soul. The Brotherhood doesn’t interfere with any member’s religion, their only concern being that all members hold their own faith in a Supreme Being in high regard.
The letter “G” which is commonly used in Masonic symbolism with a square and compass alternately stands for geometry, God, or the Masonic preference, Grand Architect of the Universe. The latter addresses Deity in a nonsectarian manner, which gives brothers the ability to focus on their own Supreme Being. Differences in religion between the brethren don’t really play a part in the fraternity, because religion and politics are not allowed to be discussed in a lodge.
Given that one of the qualifications in becoming a Mason is a belief in a Supreme Being, the question of atheism inevitably arises. As a rule, Freemasonry does not accept atheists. Much like any other membership-based organization, it has certain qualifications for their applicants. The only instances where atheists are accepted are in irregular jurisdictions, or those that are not officially warranted or recognized by a Grand Lodge.
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THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
The independent nature of Freemasonry has historically run counter to the beliefs and tenets of the Catholic Church. The religious tolerance of Freemasonry, considered a virtue of universal nondenominational and nonsectarian acceptance by Masons, is considered by the Church to be religious indifference, in that the sovereignty of Christianity and the Catholic Church is unrecognized. Through a series of papal bulls and edicts, membership in Freemasonry has been grounds for excommunication from the Church since 1738.
While much of the Church’s anti-Masonic rhetoric is ecclesiastical, there is no doubt that a significant element of the early Catholic condemnation of Freemasonry was politically motivated. The Catholic Church was gradually losing its overwhelming political and geographic clout in England and the whole of Europe, and the evolution of monarchies and governments was in constant motion. That evolution was inexorably slipping out of the hands of the Church.
Masonic influence in the eighteenth century in England and Europe was inherently linked with the Protestant movement. By its inherent nonreligious and nonsectarian nature, Freemasonry became, in the eyes of the Church, just as much a threat to Catholic sovereignty as Protestantism. Ironically, the Protestant-based countries of Holland and Sweden enacted measures against Freemasonry in the 1730s, based not on religious grounds, but as reactions to perceived revolutionary threats.
Pope Clement XII issued the first papal bull against Freemasonry in April of 1738. The papal bull offers interesting insight into the Church’s concerns over moral, social, and political issues in its condemnation. Pope Clement’s papal bull begins by describing Masons as members of a society of any religion or sect who are joined together according to their laws by a strict and unbreakable bond, sworn to by oath and on the Holy Bible, and by threat of grievous punishment to an inviolable silence.
Clement continued that the Masonic society, which is held with the greatest suspicion, is depraved and perverted, and by its very secrecy must be engaged in doing evil. The papal bull went on to note that civil authorities in several countries had forbid Masonry as being against public security, and “for some time past appear to be prudently eliminated.”
The papal bull proceeded to incriminate anyone who supported Masonry, associated with Masons, or helped them in any way. The punishment for any of these acts was severe and immediate—excommunication, which is “incurred by the very deed without any declaration being required, and from which no one can obtain the benefit of absolution, other than at the hour of death, except through Ourselves or the Roman pontiff of the time.” The papal bull concluded with an admonition for all Church authorities to actively pursue and punish anyone associated with Freemasonry.
Since 1738, nine Popes have issued seventeen pronouncements in support of Clement XII. These edicts variously encouraged Catholic and civil authorities to be more persistent in their mission to condemn Freemasonry. He deplored the civil authorities who were not paying attention to earlier edicts, and that the calamities of the era were due primarily to “secret societies.” The last edict specific to Masonry in 1884 insists that the purpose of Freemasonry is the overthrow of the entire religious, political, and social order based on Christian institutions, and the establishment of a new state.
Although the Church’s official position has remained unchanged, there was a significant period of confusion in the early 1900s that lasted for decades.
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MODERN-DAY MISUNDERSTANDINGS
In 1917, the Catholic Church issued Canon Law 2335 which stated, “Persons joining associations of the Masonic sect or any others of the same kind which plot against the Church and legitimate civil authorities contract ipso facto [immediate] excommunication.” Taken literally, this law allowed any Catholic to become a member of any Masonic lodge that was not actively engaged in the overthrow of the Church or government. Since Freemasonry has never plotted or advocated the overthrow of any church or state, the door to Freemasonry appeared to be wide open to Catholics, and there is no question that a great many passed through it.
In response to numerous questions from Catholic bishops about the meaning and enforceability of Canon Law 2335, a letter from Cardinal Francis Seper in 1974 stated that there would be no new law on the matter, that canonical law must be strictly enforced, and that the law regarding Masonic membership is reiterated. This decidedly unclear clarification continued to foster an interpretation of Church leniency toward membership in Freemasonry.
A new Canon code was introduced in 1983 that prohibited membership in any association that plots against the Church—without naming Freemasonry at all. The perception of this omission was perceived as a change in Church doctrine, but only for a short time.
Immediately following the release of the new Canon Code in 1983, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger issued a new declaration, which stated that the Church’s negative judgment of Masonry would remain unchanged, and that Catholics who join the Masons are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion. While the threat of excommunication from the Church was softened to denial of Holy Communion, the position of the Catholic Church was clear.
The proliferation of Freemasonry in historically Catholic countries, such as Mexico and most of Latin America, indicates that, despite the official position of the Catholic Church in Rome, Catholicism and Freemasonry coexist peacefully. The relatively long period of silence on the subject from the Church between 1917 and 1984, and the relatively benign punishment of withholding Holy Communion—compared to immediate and unredeemable excommunication—are further evidence that Freemasonry is currently considered to be an insignificant blip on the Catholic Church’s radar.
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LINKS TO ANCIENT MYSTERIES
Freemasonry has long been associated with ancient mysteries and ancient cults. Though there is no proven link to any of the ancient mysteries, it is a popular and intriguing subject for historians, experts, and of course a contingent of conspiracy mongers. Theories of linked associations that have been speculated run the gamut including, among others, Hermeticism, Gnosticism, Paganism, and Cabbalism.
There is no doubt that the study of these religions is fascinating, and many thoughtful cases have been presented in regard to their possible connection to Freemasonry. One of the more intriguing of these mysteries in regard to the Brotherhood is Mithraism.
From the first through the fourth century B.C. there was one dominant religion on the European continent, a “mystery” cult called Mithraism. For over two centuries this religion proved to be a powerful rival to Christianity. Mithras was known throughout Europe and Asia by many names, but he is commonly known as the Persian God of light and truth, who is often associated with the sun.
According to legend, Mithras came down to earth to gather his followers into an army. In a cave, he engaged in a battle against a fierce bull that took the physical form of the Spirit of All Evil. After defeating the bull, Mithras returned to the heavens to judge the dead and lead the righteous. In Mithraic art, he is typically shown sitting atop a bull, a knife in hand, and often depicted with other animals.
Mithraism was an exclusive religion replete with symbolism, ritual, and rich ties to the astronomical world. Ironically, the Christians of the day equated Mithraism with their own doctrines and, having judged them to be similar, deduced that Mithraism was a religion created by Satan for the purpose of leading souls astray.
So hated were the Mithraics by the Christians, that when the Christians finally overpowered the cult they annihilated everything associated with the religion, in fact rebuilding on their destroyed shrines. Only a few underground shrines survived and still exist in Europe.
Symbolism was of great importance to the Mithraics, as they never recorded in writing any of their secrets or rituals. Freemasonry shares many of these common symbols—the sun, moon, stars, globes, and a ladder with seven rungs, much like the seven-runged ladder used in Craft rituals, that symbolizes the ascension of a candidate to higher degrees.
The astronomical symbols are of particular interest. In Mithraism, the seven grades are symbolic of the seven planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the sun and moon). The bull Mithras slays is representative of Taurus, with the other animals often shown with him translating to other signs of the zodiac, and subsequently, the constellations. Ancients looked to the stars and sun in order to track the equinoxes and summer and winter solstices. In addition to his other heavenly duties, Mithras oversaw the changing of the seasons and heaven’s movement. His slaying of the bull denotes the coming equinox.
Another commonality between Mithraism and Freemasonry is the symbolic death used in their respective rituals. The Mithraics used the legend of Mithras slaying the bull and representations of death and resurrection in their ceremonies, much the same way Freemasons use the Legend of Hiram Abiff, particularly in the initiation of the third degree, Master Mason.
In context, it’s easy to see why much time has been dedicated to the study of these two disciplines in combination, and while they do have many symbols in common, they have a great many differences in ideology. No definitive links have been proven and being that the majority of Mithraic history was destroyed, it’s unlikely that a firm connection can be made. The possibility that Freemasonry descended from Mithraism, while highly fascinating, cannot at this point in time be firmly established.
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ANTI-MASONIC SENTIMENTS WORLDWIDE
Freemasonry is one of a handful of organizations that has stood the test of time. Whether one believes it evolved from the time of King Solomon’s Temple or from operative stonemasons of the Medieval age, is secondary to the fact that as a fraternity they remain bonded by the common goals of education and spiritual advancement both for themselves and their communities.
The burden of carrying around the term secret society has, however, resulted in all types of accusations, conspiracies, and persecution the world over. History has shown that over the centuries, more than a few powerful organizations, leaders, governments, and anti-Masonic groups have targeted Freemasonry for a host of alleged offenses including Paganism, Satanism, Luciferian worship, religious extremism, occultism, political corruption, murder, and control of powerful groups such as the Illuminati and Trilateral Commission who are bent on world domination. It is said that anti-Masonry can be broadly categorized into two factions, those who accuse the Brotherhood of anti-Christian or Satanic practices, and those who focus on the sociopolitical activities the fraternity allegedly exploits.
Organized anti-Masonic groups are products of the eighteenth century that have evolved and now have reached a considerable audience courtesy of the Internet. History, however, is replete with anti-Masonic activity ranging from pre-war paranoia to Nazi Germany to the present-day conspiracies surrounding such theories that, for example, Freemasons secretly created a pentagram when they designed the streets of Washington, D.C.
A historical tour of the more prominent anti-Masonic actions, persecutions, and scandals will show that like any other membership-based organization, and most certainly one that is dubbed secret, Freemasons have endured their fair share of strife, paranoia, hoaxes, and bad seeds within the organization who have added considerable fuel to anti-Masonic theories and accusations.
Many years prior to the start of World War II there were already anti-Masonic incidents occurring in Europe that would set the stage for the long period of Freemasonry persecution that would follow. One such intrusion took place in Hungary starting in 1919 when the military forces of the Horthy regime began raiding Masonic lodges in order to pillage and destroy art, libraries, and records which were later displayed at anti-Masonic spectacles.
By the 1920s, the rumblings of anti-Masonry were already pervading Germany, as one of the country’s World War I heroes, General Eric von Ludendorff, with the aid of his wife, began spreading both anti-Semitic and anti-Masonic propaganda. Their inflammatory publications, such as Annihilation of Freemasonry through Revelation of Its Secrets, charged that the Jews and Freemasons were responsible for the German defeat during World War I.
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IL DUCE VS. FREEMASONRY
Italian Freemasons during the 1920s faced a new enemy in the form of dictator Benito Mussolini, whose Fascist Council on February 23, 1923, issued a decree which forced Freemasons who were Fascists to choose between the two affiliations. In response to the threat, the Grand Orient who had jurisdiction over Italian lodges, made clear that Masons were allowed to forfeit their membership in the Craft in order to remain loyal to their country. As a result, many did indeed give up the Craft.
An exception to the exodus was one of Italy’s most prominent Fascists, General Luigi Capello, a World War I commander in the Italian army. When Mussolini issued his decree, Capello, who had at one time served as Deputy Grand Master of one of Italy’s greatest lodges, the Grand Orient, renounced Fascism instead of Masonry. Within the next year, the general—who was allegedly framed—was prosecuted in a lengthy and highly publicized trial in which he was convicted of conspiracy for having given money to individuals planning to assassinate Mussolini. His punishment was a thirty-year sentence of which the first six years were to be in solitary confinement.
By 1924, the persecution of Masons became more apparent as Mussolini issued a declaration stating that the names of individuals who were not Fascists and who belonged to the Brotherhood must be revealed. Committees were then formed to gather all information that could be found pertaining to Freemasons.
Mussolini’s views became even sterner by 1925, when during an interview he asserted that Italian Masonry, under the rule of the Grand Orient of France, was simply a political institution. He did concede that English, American, and German Masonic organizations were charitable and based in philanthropy, but that apparently didn’t apply to the Italians. As such, the Italian Masons were accused by the dictator of being English and French agents who opposed the Italian military. Mass persecution ensued, and ultimately the assassinations of many prestigious Masons resulted.
The Italian Brotherhood was entirely dissolved by Benito Mussolini in 1925, and for the next two years the infamous dictator’s henchmen set forth to desecrate the domiciles of Masons in cities all over the country. During this onslaught, over a hundred Masons were murdered.
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FREEMASONRY IN NAZI GERMANY
Organizations or individuals who possess a certain degree of perceived power are always targeted by those striving for their own measure of power. This is nothing new when it comes to history as groups since the dawn of man have been made to endure all manners of persecution as a result of overpowerment. Like the millions of other individuals who were horribly persecuted in Germany during World War II, Freemasonry fell victim to the onslaught under the Nazi regime and its dictator Adolf Hitler.
Anti-Masonic sentiments were already present throughout the 1920s, so it’s no surprise that Nazi party officials were in 1931 given a “Guide and Instructional Letter” which read: “The natural hostility of the peasant against the Jews, and his hostility against the Freemason as a servant of the Jew, must be worked up to a frenzy.”
It was January of 1933 when Adolf Hitler became the dictator of Germany. On April 7 of that same year Grand Master von Heeringen of the “Land” Grand Lodge of Germany was called to an interview with one of Hitler’s top deputies, Hermann Göring, who at one time himself considered becoming a Freemason. At that interview, von Heeringen was informed that in Nazi Germany there was no place for Freemasonry.
It is said that the Nazi government informed several Masonic leaders that their lodge activities would not be prohibited but that certain new rules must be instituted. In order for Freemasonry to continue, the words “freemason” and “lodge” would have to be banned, international relations and all secrecy must cease, the brethren must be entirely of German descent, and any reference to the Old Testament must be removed from ritual practices.
In compliance with Nazi demands, National Grand Master Dr. Otto Bordes (who later spent nine months in a concentration camp with his wife) and his officers changed their organization’s name from Association of German Freemasons to the National Christian Order of Frederick the Great. The Grand Lodge of Prussia also complied and became the German Christian Order of Friendship.
From there, the situation continued to worsen. Before a large audience, the German Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Walter Darre, proclaimed Freemasons to be the “arch enemies of German peasantry” whose plan it was to sabotage the policies of the Nazi regime. This governmental anti-Masonic attitude resulted in Masons being barred from teaching and from performing other public services.
The Christian Grand Lodges, the Grand Lodge of the Three Globes, All German Freemasons, and the Royal York of Friendship—three of which were the oldest lodges in the country—were dissolved in 1934 under the order of the Premier of Prussia, Hermann Göring. The reason for the dissolution was, of course, that Nazi nationalism rendered the Masons unnecessary and due to their contact with international brethren they could potentially be hostile.
By 1934, the Freemasons would find yet another opponent in Adolf Eichmann, a young Austrian sergeant in the Sicherheitsdienst, a secret security branch of the SS. Eichmann’s work involved listing the names of high-profile German Masons and delving into the international aspect of the Brotherhood. In doing so Eichmann became intimately familiar with what was termed the “Jewish question,” and as a result, his ambitious nature soon made him an expert on the Jews.
Even before the start of World War II, many Freemasons were held in concentration camps. By 1937, many more would enter the camps as the Gestapo continued pillaging Masonic libraries and museums and gathering the names of anyone associated with the Craft. In keeping with the surge of anti-Masonic sentiment, Propaganda Minister Dr. Joseph Goebbels, a staunch anti-Semite and perpetrator of the “Big Lie” moniker, opened Munich’s Anti-Masonic Exposition in 1937 which, given all the looting that had occurred, featured totally furnished Masonic temples.
Apparently, the Nazi regime wasn’t completely successful in their Masonic decimation because five destructive years later, in 1942 and with the war raging, Hitler issued a declaration that blamed the Freemasons and their allies, the “ideological enemies of National Socialism,” for the war against the Germans. Again, the military ran roughshod through Masonic buildings in search of any accouterment they could find to fill anti-Masonic museum exhibitions. The following year, the propaganda machine continued to churn as Heinrich Himmler asserted in a speech that most of the espionage that had been committed against the Germans was primarily accomplished by the Jews and Freemasons.
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A CONTINENTAL PERSECUTION
Before, during, and after the war Freemasons in countries all over Europe were being killed, incarcerated, or scattered to the wind as a result of anti-Masonic governments and dictators. In the Netherlands, for example, there were over six thousand Masons in the country, but only a third of them survived the Nazi incursion. In Austria in 1938, the Grand Lodge of Vienna was taken over by the Gestapo who plundered the lodge and arrested Grand Master Dr. Richard Schlesinger (who died after his brutal incarceration).
In France a 1935 group sympathetic to Fascism called the Interparlia-mentary Group of Action Against Free Masonry issued a bold declaration that “Free Masonry must be struck down,” and that national forces would fight to the death without “truce or respite.” When the Germans defeated France in 1940, the Grand Orient and the Grand Lodge of France were dissolved and their property sold for later use in anti-Masonic museums.
Spanish Freemasons had their own problems, especially after the start of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 when troops under the order of Dictator General Francisco Franco began a Masonic onslaught by destroying temples and brutally executing members of the Brotherhood. In one town, members of a lodge were made to dig their own graves before being executed.
Hundreds of Masons were killed or incarcerated throughout Spain and the Spanish territories of Morocco and the Canary Islands. By 1939, Spanish Freemasonry was outlawed and all offenders who did not repent involvement in the Craft were imprisoned. Franco’s 1940 decree for the “suppression of Communism and Freemasonry” solidified the prosecution of every captured Mason in Spain. Military courts created specifically for purposes of Masonic suppression sent over two thousand Masons to prison for up to thirty years.
The history of Freemasonry in Italy is not only a study of the Brotherhood, but a tempestuous chronicle of the country’s political and societal evolution. The story of the P2 Lodge and the events spawned from its scandal are an anti-Mason’s dream. The bottom line, though, is that the truth of the matter is still not known, and while some facts may be accurate, the speculation remains, at best, just that.
In Freemasonry there exists what are called irregular lodges, meaning those not officially recognized by the Brotherhood. Italy and France have always been highly political countries, especially during times of revolution and, as such, many of their Masonic lodges were literally operated in secret. Italy had many irregular lodges, the country only having been truly united since 1870. Many Grand Lodges had been created in the eighteenth century, but were suppressed until 1860 when Freemasonry was again revived and two Grand Lodges were formed.
From 1926 to 1945, however, Italian Masonry was banned, after which various competing groups emerged under the Grand Orient of Italy or the National Grand Lodge. American Grand Lodges, officially recognized the Grand Orient of Italy and by 1972 it was further recognized by the Scottish, English, and Irish Grand Lodges, among others. The National Grand Lodge remained irregular, with many of its members leaving to join the Grand Orient.
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A REVERENT FORGER
There is nothing anti-Masons enjoy more than a good scandal, and the case of Dr. William Dodd provided just that during the late eighteenth century in England. Both surprising and tragic, his tale was an eye-opening experience for all levels of society, and at the same time served up a bit of bad publicity for his Masonic brethren.
William Dodd was a man in possession of many impressive accomplishments, including a degree in mathematics, among other disciplines. He was also ordained in the Church of England, served as canon of the Priory church of St. John, and is said to have written over fifty books, poems, and theological works. In addition, Dodd was a renowned lecturer, tutored children of the aristocracy, and was a major proponent of charitable organizations.
Dodd’s first mistake was a matter of bribery, a minor scheme which he initiated in 1774 in an effort to secure a fashionable—and free—residence in Hanover Square in London. The home, which had previously been used by a vicar who had recently been promoted and transferred, was given to Lord Chancellor Lord Apsley as a gift to do with as he saw fit. In a moment of stupidity, Dodd wrote to Lady Apsley asking her to persuade her husband to grant the home to an individual who would, after the agreement, be revealed. For her part she would receive three thousand pounds.
Dodd apparently failed in his efforts to write the letter anonymously, as Lord Apsley incited an investigation that ended up at Dodd’s doorstep. The investigators were convinced that Dodd was the culprit. As a result of the king hearing of Dodd’s scheme from Lord Apsley, Dodd was disgraced and was fired from his position as royal chaplain.
In the aftermath, Dodd sought and received help from a former pupil who was now the Earl of Chesterfield, and in no time he received a new residence in the vicarage of Wing in Bedfordshire. Dodd was initiated into St. Alban’s Lodge No. 29 on April 3, 1775, and was also a member of the Nine Muses Lodge. He had covered up his bribery debacle so well that he was accepted into the Brotherhood with no question. Soon after, a new position was created for Dodd and he became the first official Grand Chaplain of England.
One would think that a man capable of such recovery from public scandal, who was a renowned preacher, humanitarian, and Freemason, would have lived happily ever after. Such was not the case. Having been appointed Grand Chaplain for a second term and comfortably situated in a new Freemasons Hall in London with an office created just for him, Dodd went on a Parisian holiday. Not long after, the rumor mill made it known that he was living another life in France and spending a lot of money.
In 1777, Dodd needed a loan and, in attempting to secure over four thousand pounds, he offered the lender a bond which his friend Lord Chesterfield had issued. Dodd received his money, but the lender was suspicious and approached Lord Chesterfield. At that point, Dodd’s forgery was uncovered, and despite all attempts to immediately repay the debt, he was charged and prosecuted. Dodd held out for clemency, feeling certain his former pupil Lord Chesterfield would not wish his prosecution, but that would not transpire.
In an elaborate trial speech, Dodd attempted to plead his case, but to no avail. Within ten minutes, a jury found him guilty, and being that the penalty for forgery at that time was death, he was sentenced to hang. The Freemasons renounced Dodd as well in a unanimous vote which expelled him from the Brotherhood in April of 1777. In June of that year before a huge crowd in Tyburn, William Dodd was hanged for committing the offense of forgery.
Of course, the tale of William Dodd doesn’t end there. The events which transpired after the hanging remain in question as it was said that the Freemasons took Dodd’s body to a house directly after the hanging where a not-quite-dead Dodd was revived and later smuggled to France. This account was allegedly substantiated by a letter written by Dodd to a friend a month after his hanging, which recounted his “resurrection” and his current placement in France.
The flip side of the story is also told, which is that the Freemasons’ carriage was unable to navigate the immense crowd who gathered to witness Dodd’s hanging and could not reach its destination before Dodd actually expired.