green mountain freemason, vol.31, issue 01

WWW.VTFREEMASONS.ORG

THE GREEN MOUNTAIN FREEMASON 1 SPRING/SUMMER 2010

The Secret Teachings of All Ages

An excerpt from Manly P. Hall’s opus, dealing with Masonic symbolism

In the Interests of the Brethren

Part 2 of Bro:. Rudyard Kipling’s tale of World War I-era Masonry

SPRING/SUMMER 2010 WWW.VTFREEMASONS.ORG VOL. 31 NO. 1



June 6th: 5:30 PM-- GRAND COMMANDERY SOCIAL HOUR; 6:30 PM-- GRAND COMMANDERY BAN-QUET. Tickets $27.00

June 7th : 7:00 AM-- HONORS BUFFET BREAKFAST. Ladies invited. Tickets $14.00; 7:00 AM-- KNIGHTS YORK CROSS OF HONOUR. Buffet Breakfast, Members only. Tickets $14.00; 9:00 AM-- GRAND CHAPTER AN-NUAL, Comp. Guy W. Oldenburgh, M.E. Grand High Priest presiding. Distinguished Guests will be received at 9:00 A.M.; 9:30 AM-- GRAND COMMANDERY KNIGHTS TEMPLAR ANNUAL CONCLAVE, Sir Kt. Belford A. Belles, R.E. Grand Commander, presiding. Distinguished guests received at 9:15 A.M. Ladies Program 10:00 a.m. - 11.30 a.m.; Noon-- GRAND COMMANDERY MEN'S & LADIES LUNCHEON. Deli Buffet. Tickets $16.00; Noon-- GRAND CHAPTER-COUNCIL MEN'S & LADIES LUNCH. Deli Buffet. Tickets $16.00; 1:30 PM-- GRAND COUNCIL AN-NUAL, Comp. Alexis J. Parent, Jr., M.I. Grand Master presiding. Distinguished Guests will be received at 1:45 P.M.; 6:00 PM-- GRAND MASTER'S BANQUET, SOCIAL GATHERING, Grand Resort Hotel & Conference Center; 6:30 PM-- GRAND CHAPTER-COUNCIL BANQUET, Comp. Guy W. Oldenburgh, M.E. Grand High Priest, & Comp. Alexis J. Parent, Jr., M.I. Grand Master presiding. Tickets $27.00. Ladies are welcome; 7:00PM— GRAND MASTER'S BANQUET, DINNER, BY TICKET ONLY, Grand Resort Hotel & Conference Center. Tickets: $27.00. White dinner jacket or business suit; Ladies: cocktail dress.

June 9th: 9:00 AM-- GRAND LODGE ANNUAL. Grand Resort Hotel & Conference Center, promptly at 9:00 A.M. Bro. Thomas Johnston, IV, M.W. Grand Master presiding. Credentials Committee available from 7:00 A.M.; Im-mediately following morning session of Grand Lodge— GRAND LODGE LUNCHEON . ALL Master Masons in attendance at Grand Lodge are welcome. There is NO CHARGE for this luncheon. This is sponsored by the Shriners of Vermont.; Lunch Time— GRAND LODGE LADIES LUNCHEON. Ladies will meet in Resort Lobby, then proceed to dining room. LADIES ATTENDING GRAND LODGE ARE INVITED TO ATTEND. Tickets $20.00 each; 5:45 PM— GRAND LODGE BANQUET, SOCIAL GATHERING, 6:30 PM— GRAND LODGE BANQUET, DINNER. Grand Re-sort Hotel & Conference Center. ALL in attendance at Grand Lodge AND THEIR LADIES, are cordially invited to at-tend by reservation only. Tickets $27.00 each. Installation of Grand Lodge Officers 8:00 P.M. Black tuxedo or dark suit, Ladies: dinner dress.

June 13th: VERMONT COUNCIL OF DELIBERATION: Montpelier Masonic Center, 288 Gallison Hill Road, Montpe-lier, VT, Ill. Richard E. Hildebrand, 33°, Deputy for Vermont, presiding. 9:00AM— Registration; 10:00 AM— Ladies’ Program; 1:00PM— Lunch

Please help us welcome very special guest, Bro.۠. Chris Hodapp. Bro. ۠. Hodapp is the best‐selling author of a slew of books on Masonry and its related fields, is the Editor of the Journal of the Masonic Societies, and has appeared numerous times on the History and Channel, Discovery Channel, and on‐line pod casts. He will be appearing at the June 9th Grand Lodge Annual, and his appearance is not to be missed! Books by Bro:. Hodapp: Freemasons for Dummies; Solomon’s Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington, DC; The Templar Code for Dummies; Conspiracy Theories and Secret Societies for Dummies; Freemasons Symbols and Ceremonies for Dummies; and Deciphering the Lost Symbol.



Ancient Mysteries and Secret Societies Which Have Influenced Modern Ma-sonic Symbolism, part 1 Excerpts from Bro.۠. Manly P. Hall’s The Secret Teachings of All Ages (1928), presented to you in three parts.

Masonic Symbolism of the Bennington Battle Monument A non-initiate sheds Masonic light on this quintessential Vermont landmark.

In the Interest of the Brethren Part two of Bro.۠. Rudyard Kipling’s tale of Brotherhood. Set against World War I-era London, the men of Faith and Works No. 5837 live the tenets of the Craft.

From the Desk of the Grand Secretary A special message from Cedric L. Smith, P:.G:.M:., and Grand Secretary of the G.۠.L.۠. of Vermont for the last 19 years.

CONTENTS “Proud To Be A Mason”

THE GREEN MOUNTAIN

FREEMASON

Editorial Staff: Christopher B. Murphy Shawn Brewster

Contributors: Eric Ginette Christopher Murphy Cedric Smith, P:.G:.M:. Phillip Pappas David Young

Grand Lodge Officers: M.W. Grand Master Thomas Johnston

R.W. Deputy Grand Master Philip W. Morton

R.W. Grand Senior Warden Roger L. Crouse

R.W. Grand Junior Warden Errol E. Hinton

R.W. Grand Treasurer Roderick J. Maclay

R.W. Grand Secretary Cedric L. Smith

The Green Mountain Freemason is pub-lished tri-annually by the Publishing Board and is the only official publication of the Grand Lodge of Vermont

You may contact the Editor at:

Phone: (802) 447-3047 Email: [email protected] Mail: 147 Dewey Street Bennington, VT 05201

Publication Office:

Grand Lodge of Vermont, F. & A.M. 49 East Road-Berlin, Barre, Vermont 05641-5390

Postmaster - Send address changes to:

Grand Lodge of Vermont, F. & A.M. 49 East Road-Berlin, Barre, VT 05641-5390

Publication Dates - Please contact the Editor for submission deadlines

Subscriptions - Green Mountain Freemason is mailed or e-mailed to every member of this Masonic juris-diction.

www.vtfreemasons.org

BROTHERS NEEDED! - Were looking for Brothers to make The Green Mountain Freemason better. Become a G.M.F. Field Reporter, whether you’re a novice or a veteran. If you’re willing to share thoughts, research, news, or experiences about Masonry, we want to hear from you. E-mail us at [email protected]

SPRING/SUMMER 2010

VOL. 31, NO. 1

Highlights



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DEPARTMENTS

Dear Brothers of the Mystic Tie,

Welcome to the latest issue of your Green Mountain Freemason. While this is the second issue in which I’ve had a hand in crafting, it is the first in which I’ve played the role as Edi-tor. On behalf of the staff of the G.M.F., we hope you enjoy the fruits of our labor.

It is no small disappointment that this publication has not been pre-sented to you in the frequent fashion it warrants and you deserve. We will be striving in the future to ensure prompt and regular publication. And this is where you can play a role.

In assessing the needs of the G.M.F., what would be the most useful is a Brother or Brothers whose time and talent allows him or them to oversee the actual printing and distribution of this paper. Are you that Brother? Further, we are always interested in receiving submissions for publication. Or perhaps your talent lays in graphic design or page layout? There is room for you, too, Brother.

Is your cable tow of sufficient length so as to be a part of the Green Moun-tain Freemason? Give it a try, and contact us, using the contact informa-tion on page 3. Be well, Brother.

Chris Murphy

Editor

From the Staff From The Grand East Regular comments from our Most Worshipful Grand Master

E-Masonry The best of Freemasonry on-line

Awards and Recognition Awards and other types of recognition bestowed upon the fel-low Masons of Vermont

Masonic Fun Peruse some of the Infamous or Strange Masons in history By Nelson King

The Grand Historian More light through Masonic Education

Travels Are you a Traveling Man? Share your experiences of Masonic Ambassadorship.

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The G.M.F. is for Masons, by Masons. Your input is desired and welcomed. If you have a story or feature idea, we would love to hear it. Did you see something that you didn’t care for? Something you loved? Let us know. Remember, though: above all, be nice. In the sage and genteel words of Sam Rayburn, “Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter [or Mason] to build one.” —Ed.

“Proud To Be A Mason”

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This years’ District Meetings have come and gone. The Holidays are a distant memory and Masonry in all its forms is alive and well in Ver‐mont. The District meetings were a great success. Each presiding Deputy Grand Master provided a individual picture of masonry in his district by sharing the wide variety of activities unique to his area. This provided for all attendees a true Masonic education of our Vermont Masonic heritage. Many of the awards presented were done in the presence of the invited family members and friends. I found this a highly successful method for presentation of awards as it allows us to share our accomplishments and to give our non‐members an opportunity to see masonry at work. I highly encourage public presentation of service and recognition awards to bring to light the success of our organization. The Warm‐Hands, Warm‐Hearts program has been and contin‐ues to be a great benefit to or community members in need. There has been constructive activity in every district with several tons of clothing, shoes, and toys collected and distributed to individual families and com‐munity organizations. I intend to continue this program and will be exam‐ining additional ways this type of program can be adapted to serve a wider population. I thank everyone who participated for the time, effort and imagination each has contributed and welcome any comments for improvement. January marked the beginning of Blue Lodge Annual Meetings. This event provides us a unique opportunity to examine our past suc‐cesses and shortcomings and to set new goals and objectives. I congratu‐late all the brethren who took the time to attend these important forums and to use these sessions as a platform to openly examine the direction of their own lodges. We are all the beneficiaries of the contributions of our predecessors, but it is our responsibility to position our lodges for continued success and relevance for the present and future generations of masons. The leadership of our craft is staffed by volunteers from our ranks, and as we know we develop a progressive line of officers which means we are constantly looking for new officers and committee mem‐bers to serve a multitude of important tasks. The continued success of your lodge is directly related to the contributions of its members and the presiding officers. Take some time to examine your own personal attrib‐utes, skills and importantly what masonry means to you on a personal level and how best you might best use this to move your lodge in a posi‐tive direction. Volunteer your time and share your skills for the success of all, and if you feel you have some talents which you can contribute to any of the over 50 Grand Lodge committees please contact me.

There are many candidates seeking admission into our order who are also active military and are to be deployed to areas of armed conflict who wish to be raised prior to departure. As Grand Master I intend to attend as many degrees as possible to show my personal support for our brethren in the military. I encourage all brethren to support these newly initiated mem‐bers as well as all our active military being deployed to protect our freedoms. Spring has finally arrived and with it the Grand Lodge will sponsor two charity benefits to raise money for our CARE program. The first is our golf tournament to be held the 3rd Monday in May in Morrisville at the Cop‐ley Golf Course. We are looking for players and sponsors to participate and ask each district to consider participation. For those individuals who find the travel prohibitory there will be a second golf tournament at the Crown Point Country Club in Springfield in September. The second Benefit will be a horse‐shoe tournament, which will be held at progressive levels beginning at the local level, progressing to the district level and ending with a state champion‐ship. All of our charity benefits are open to the public and can be an excel‐lent way to share our fraternity with our friends who are not members. Spe‐cific details can be obtained from the Deputy Grand Master from your dis‐trict. I thank you all for the support and guidance you have offered me over the last several months and look forward to further visitations. I do enjoy Ma‐sonic discussions and welcome input from (continued on page 19)

Due to financial circumstances, some kids simply aren’t able to partici-pate in the wonders of summer camp, and that’s where we, as Freemasons, can lend a hand. I would like you to join me in sending a Kid to Camp!

Vermont has over 200 camps and each costs about $400 to send a kid to camp for one week – and I am asking every Masonic Lodge to contribute at least a single $400. Every camp has a long list of ‘needy children looking for scholar-ship funds’ and we would let the camp make the selection. In some situations, your $400 may sponsor a single child; in other circumstances, many families can only meet say, half the cost, and your donation may help more than one child.

I see this as a direct ‘Scholarship Event’ and one of our most impor-tant Masonic Activities – I am expecting that every one of our Lodges will join me in sponsoring at least one child this year – some Lodges will be spon-soring multiple ‘scholarships’ and even individual donors may be making their own, personal contributions. —M. ۠.W. ۠. Thomas Johnston, IV

Please contact Robert Fagge at [email protected] to receive a listing of the camps near you and to record your efforts.



When confronted with a problem involving the use of the reasoning faculties, individuals of strong intel-lect keep their poise, and seek to reach a solution by obtaining facts bearing upon the question. Those of im-mature mentality, on the other hand, when similarly confronted, are overwhelmed. While the former may be qualified to solve the riddle of their own destiny, the latter must be led like a flock of sheep and taught in simple language. They depend almost entirely upon the ministrations of the shepherd. The Apostle Paul said that these little ones must be fed with milk, but that meat is the food of strong men. Thoughtlessness is al-most synonymous with childishness, while thoughtfulness is symbolic of maturity. There are, however, but few mature minds in the world; and thus it was that the philosophic-religious doc-trines of the pagans were divided to meet the needs of these two fundamental groups of human intellect--one philosophic, the other incapable of appreciating the deeper mysteries of life. To the discerning few were re-vealed the esoteric, or spiritual, teachings, while the unqualified many received only the literal, or exoteric, interpretations. In order to make simple the great truths of Nature and the abstract principles of natural law, the vital forces of the universe were personified, becoming the gods and goddesses of the ancient mytholo-gies. While the ignorant multitudes brought their offerings to the altars of Priapus and Pan (deities repre-senting the procreative energies), the wise recognized in these marble statues only symbolic concretions of great abstract truths.



In all cities of the ancient world were temples for public worship and offering. In every commu-nity also were philosophers and mystics, deeply versed in Nature's lore. These individuals were

usually banded together, forming seclusive philosophic and reli-gious schools. The more important of these groups were known as the Mysteries. Many of the great minds of antiquity were initiated into these secret fraternities by strange and mysterious rites, some of which were extremely cruel. Alexander Wilder defines the Mysteries as "Sacred dramas performed at stated periods. The most celebrated were those of Isis, Sabazius, Cybele, and Eleusis." After being admitted, the initiates were instructed in the secret wisdom which had been preserved for ages. Plato, an initiate of one of these sacred orders, was severely criticized because in his writings he revealed to the public many of the secret philosophic principles of the Mysteries.

Every pagan nation had (and has) not only its state religion, but another into which the philoso-phic elect alone have gained entrance. Many of these ancient cults vanished from the earth with-out revealing their secrets, but a few have survived the test of ages and their mysterious symbols are still preserved. Much of the ritualism of Freemasonry is based on the trials to which candi-dates were subjected by the ancient hierophants before the keys of wisdom were entrusted to them. Few realize the extent to which the ancient secret schools influenced contemporary intellects and, through those minds, posterity. Robert Macoy, 33°, in his General History of Freemasonry, pays a magnificent tribute to the part played by the ancient Mysteries in the rearing of the edi-fice of human culture. He says, in part: "It appears that all the perfection of civilization, and all the advancement made in philosophy, science, and art among the ancients are due to those in-stitutions which, under the veil of mystery, sought to illustrate the sublimest truths of religion, morality, and virtue, and impress them on the hearts of their disciples.* * * Their chief object was to teach the doc-trine of one God, the resurrection of man to eternal life, the dignity of the human soul, and to lead the people to see the shadow of the deity, in the beauty, magnificence, and splendor of the universe." With the decline of virtue, which has preceded the destruction of every nation of history, the Mysteries became perverted. Sorcery took the place of the di-vine magic. Indescribable practices (such as the Bac-chanalia) were introduced, and perversion ruled su-preme; for no institution can be any better than the members of which it is composed. In despair, the few who were true sought to preserve the secret doc-



trines from oblivion. In some cases they succeeded, but more often the arcanum was lost and only the empty shell of the Mysteries remained. Thomas Taylor has written, "Man is naturally a religious animal." From the earliest dawning of his consciousness, man has worshiped and revered things as symbolic of the invisible, omni-present, indescribable Thing, concerning which he could discover practically nothing. The pagan Mysteries opposed the Christians during the early centuries of their church, declaring that the new faith (Christianity) did not demand virtue and integrity as requisites for salvation. Celsus expressed himself on the subject in the following caustic terms: "That I do not, however, accuse the Christians more bitterly than truth compels, may be conjec-tured from hence, that the cryers who call men to other mysteries proclaim as follows: 'Let him approach whose hands are pure, and whose words are wise.' And again, others proclaim: 'Let him approach who is pure from all wickedness, whose soul is not conscious of any evil, and who leads a just and upright life.' And these things are proclaimed by those who promise a purifica-tion from error. Let us now hear who those are that are called to the Christian mysteries: Who-ever is a sinner, whoever is unwise, whoever is a fool, and whoever, in short, is miserable, him the kingdom of God will receive. Do you not, therefore, call a sinner, an unjust man, a thief, a housebreaker, a wizard, one who is sacrilegious, and a robber of sepulchres? What other per-sons would the cryer nominate, who should call robbers together?" It was not the true faith of the early Christian mystics that Celsus attacked, but the false forms that were creeping in even during his day. The ideals of early Christianity were based upon the high moral standards of the pagan Mysteries, and the first Christians who met under the city of Rome used as their places of worship the subterranean temples of Mithras, from whose cult has been borrowed much of the sacerdotalism of the modern church. The ancient philosophers believed that no man could live intelligently who did not have a fun-damental knowledge of Nature and her laws. Before man can obey, he must understand, and the Mysteries were devoted to instructing man concerning the operation of divine law in the terrestrial sphere. Few of the early cults actu-ally worshiped anthropomorphic deities, al-though their symbolism might lead one to be-lieve they did. They were moralistic rather than religionistic; philosophic rather than theologic. They taught man to use his faculties more intel-ligently, to be patient in the face of adversity, to be courageous when confronted by danger, to be true in the midst of temptation, and, most of all, to view a worthy life as the most acceptable sacrifice to God, and his body as an altar sacred to the Deity.



Sun worship played an important part in nearly all the early pagan Mysteries. This indicates the probability of their At-lantean origin, for the people of Atlantis were sun worship-ers. The Solar Deity was usually personified as a beautiful youth, with long golden hair to symbolize the rays of the sun. This golden Sun God was slain by wicked ruffians, who personified the evil principle of the universe. By means of certain rituals and ceremonies, symbolic of purification and regeneration, this wonderful God of Good was brought back to life and became the Savior of His people. The secret proc-esses whereby He was resurrected symbolized those cultures by means of which man is able to overcome his lower na-

ture, master his appetites, and give expression to the higher side of himself. The Mysteries were organized for the purpose of assisting the struggling human creature to reawaken the spiritual powers which, surrounded by the flaming ring of lust and degeneracy, lay asleep within his soul. In other words, man was offered a way by which he could regain his lost estate. (See Wagner's Siegfried.) In the ancient world, nearly all the secret societies were philosophic and religious. During the mediæval centuries, they were chiefly religious and political, although a few philosophic schools remained. In modern times, secret societies, in the Occidental countries, are largely political or fraternal, although in a few of them, as in Masonry, the ancient religious and philosophic princi-ples still survive. Space prohibits a detailed discussion of the secret schools. There were literally scores of these ancient cults, with branches in all parts of the Eastern and Western worlds. Some, such as those of Pythagoras and the Hermetists, show a decided Oriental influence, while the Rosicruci-ans, according to their own proclamations, gained much of their wisdom from Arabian mystics. Although the Mystery schools are usually associated with civilization, there is evidence that the most uncivilized peoples of prehistoric times had a knowledge of them. Natives of distant islands, many in the lowest forms of savagery, have mystic rituals and secret practices which, although primitive, are of a decided Masonic tinge. (Continued in the next issue of your Green Mountain Freemason)

Manly P. Hall, 33° (1901-1990) was a Canadian-born author, lecturer, Mason, and mystic. He was made a Mason at Jewel Lodge No. 374, G. ۠.L.۠. of California, on 11/22/1954. His best known work, The Secret Teachings of All Ages: An Encyclope-dic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicru-cian Symbolical Philosophy, was published in 1928, when Bro. ۠. Hall was just 27 years old. The full text of T.S.T.O.A.A. is available for download on the Edward J. Wildblood Jr. Vermont Lodge of Research No. 110 website, www.vermontlodgeofresearch.com.



[The following essay was submitted to the Grand Secretary Cedric Smith by a Ben-nington business man. The author is not a Freemason, but clearly has the respect, knowledge, and inquisitiveness we should hope for in all of our Brothers. As Mr. Pappas has not been initiated into the secrets of our Order, there are some elements of his essay that may not ring true to our duly-raised Brethren, yet the staff of your Green Mountain Freemason felt it important to maintain the integrity of Mr. Pappas’ discoveries, and share them with you, with his permission, thus. –Ed.]

Now that Dan Brown has released his new book and intrigued us with the esoteric world of Freemasonic monuments and landmarks it might be a good time to look at the Bennington Freemasonic monu-ment a little closer. First let's remember the words of John Stewart at the 1891 Dedication of the Battle Monument. He said the monument holds mystic symbolism that is unintelligible to the common mind without the key. One of the keys is the star on the top which repre-sents the sun that came out August 16, 1777, but the monument has more to say than just an allegorical story of the battle. Its very dimen-sions tell one also. Freemasons use symbols as part of their craft, but they also use numbers. 3 and 33 are very symbolic in Freema-sonry. Three’s show up a lot with the dimensions of the monument. The monument is 34 by 37 at the base and rises just over 300 hundred feet if you don’t included the rod and star. The diameter of the star itself is 3 feet 3 inches. The cope stone itself which holds the star is 3 feet high, and was put into place at exactly 3pm on November 25,1889, and at the end of the cope stone ceremony a doxology was sung by thirty voices.

For those that didn’t know the monument actually sits unfinished. Three busts of the three heroes who represent three different states were supposed to be carved above the entrance door in bas relief. We should keep in mind that not all the dimensions are with the number three, for example the thickness of the walls at ground level are 7 feet 6 inches. Put them together and you get 76, our Nation’s birth year.

The Freemasons have a very curious place in our town’s history. Our founder Benning Wentworth was one, as was Ethan Allen and some believe he started a branch of Freemasonry called the Omnian Rite. Vermont's first currency the Harmon Coin has a Masonic symbol on

By Mr. Phillip Pappas

one side. In 1927 Virginia Tanner wrote the original Benning-ton Pageant and includes a strange scene in which Ethan Allen hands Sheriff Ten Eyck a Masonic token, which is then fol-lowed by a strange handshake. Only then does the New York Sheriff leave Breakenridge Farm with no blood being shed.

The strange Masonic coincidences continue in our age. On cer-tain nights when the cloud cover is low enough an image ap-pears on the clouds caused by the overspray of light. Many peo-ple have seen this image, including a high ranking town official. This image is one of the most recognizable symbols the Free-masons use. It’s the Templar Cross and many historians believe the Freemasons are the fraternal descendants of the Templars. In fact at the Cornerstone Ceremony in 1887 on Battle Day the



the Freemasons were escorted to the grounds by the Masonic Order of Knights Templar. If you didn’t know, Masonic Cor-nerstones are always placed in the Northeast Corner, which brings us to another strange coincidence.

The monument was recently vandalized and the last name of the vandal was Cowan. Masons have there own words and Cowan is one of them. To a Freemason a Cowan is an intruder, and by the way, the vandalism took place in the Northeast corner.

The Freemasons have what is called a Grand Hailing sign of Distress which includes the word widow, if I’m not mistaken, the Bennington Battle also has a Grand Hailing sign of Distress which includes the word and used by a famous Freemason by the name of John Stark. Does “Molly Stark sleeps a widow to-night” ring a bell? The last piece of Masonic symbolism has been staring us in the face for quite some time and that is the Statue of Seth Warner at the grounds. Have you ever noticed his pose? Where does it come from and what is he doing. It’s not with right hand like the pledge and Napoleonic Pose are. The left hand is positioned like its holding a dagger and plunging into the chest and this is very much like what one of the Ma-sonic Bloody Oaths looks like. I have only seen three other stat-ues in this same pose. One in Manchester, another in Fort Ti-conderoga, and the last is in perhaps the greatest American Freemasonic building we have, the U.S Capitol. By the way, every single one of these statues is of a Green Mountain Boy. If you are wondering if Seth Warner was a Freemason, the answer is yes. he was a member of the Union Lodge in Albany. The man who designed the monument Philip Rinn was a Freemason, as was Olin Scott, the man who gifted the grounds for the War-ner statue. This monument just might be as deep as it is tall and the Freemasons have left their calling card for future genera-tions.

[Mr. Pappas resides in Bennington, and has declared himself a “friend of Freema-sonry.” We are lucky to have such friends. —Ed.]

One of the standing messages of the Most Wor-shipful Grand Master Thomas Johnston, IV has been for the Freemasons of Vermont to embrace the digital age, to utilize emerging technologies to connect with Brothers across the state and the world, and thus seek further light in Masonry.

With this in mind, your Green Mountain Freema-son will endeavor, in each issue, to highlight some of the best on-line sources for Masonic fel-lowship, information, and entertainment. Let’s begin with resources right within the Green Moun-tain State itself:

• The Grand Lodge of the State of Vermont:

www.vtfreemasons.org, for all the updates from our Barre headquarters

• The Edward J. Wildblood Jr. Vermont Lodge of Research No. 110:

www.vermontlodgeofresearch.com, for images, documents, research and more from the L:.O:.R:. (members of the L:.O:.R:. Have access to thou-sands of additional documents, images, and audio and video files not found on the L:.O:.R:. Web-page)

• The Young Masons Lodge No. 111:

vtyoungmasons.blogspot.com, for Sec. Tobin Winters’ updates on this exciting Lodge.

Additionally, many Blue Lodges within Vermont have webpages or Facebook pages of their own.

A word about Facebook: Facebook is an internet social networking site. It is easy to set up a pro-file for yourself (all you need is an e-mail ad-dress), and doing so will grant you access to Facebook pages for Masonic Lodges and Appen-dant Bodies worldwide, as well provide an oppor-tunity to meet and chat with hundreds of thou-sands of Masons around the globe. If you don’t already have a Facebook profile, go to: www.facebook.com to set one up.



M:.W:. Tom Johnston and the some of the Brothers of Independence Lodge No. 10, Orwell, VT: Robert Hall (60yrs), and blood-brothers Kenneth (55yrs), Robert (60 yrs), Fred (60 yrs), and Alden At-wood (60 yrs); D. ۠.D.۠.G.۠.M. ۠. James Selleck was there, too.

Bro:. Dwight Palmer, of Mad River Lodge No. 77 in Waitsfield turned 100 years old on January 25, 2010. A party in his honor was attended by Masons a’plenty.

Brothers Alden Atwood (center) and his sons, Bruce and Douglas, all Past Masters of Independence Lodge No. 10.

Bro. ۠. Jim Douglas with our own Ann Winter, Secretary to the Grand Secretary, and Owen “Mick” Winter, attend-ing the Scottish Rite black tie gala.

M. ۠.W. ۠.G.۠.M. ۠. Thomas Johnston, IV with Brothers William Wolf and Robert “Butch” Donnelly. Bro. ۠. William was recognized and thanked for his 27 years as Secretary for Charity Lodge No. 43 in Bradford, passing the jewel to Bro. ۠. Butch (who has also taken the East for the Lodge of Research.)

Nick Burdick D.۠.D.۠.G.۠.M. ۠. for Dist. #3, with Bro. ۠. Burton Hilton, and M. ۠.W. ۠.G. ۠.M. ۠. Thomas Johnston, IV. Bro. ۠. Burton was named Citizen of the Year for District #3.

Grand Secretary Cedric Smith, M. ۠.W. ۠.G. ۠.M. ۠. Thomas Johnston, IV, Grand Lecturer George Deblon, and D. ۠.D.۠.G.۠.M. ۠. #11 Donald Webster all celebrate the 55-year mark for Bro. ۠. Stanley Flint.

Want to see your handsome mug in the Green Mountain Freemason? Send your pictures to your humble Editor, Chris Murphy, at [email protected] for possible publication.

Confined by space limitations, not all pictures will be able to be reproduced herein, but we can’t print ‘em if we ain’t got ‘em. So send yours today, and please remember to include as much info on what and who is in the pictures. Many thanks, Brothers.



From the Grand Lodge of Vermont website, another reason to be Proud to be a Mason:

Governor Jim Douglas and M.۠.W.۠.G.۠.M. ۠. Tom Johnston joined together to kick off the 2010 Comprehensive Assessment and Recovery Effort (C.A.R.E.) training at the DoubleTree Hotel in South Burlington on March 30th. Forty-seven attendees, including teachers and administrators, represented nine schools from around Vermont at the session. Their time was dedicated to learning how to help students succeed physically, emotionally and aca-demically. The two-day training, which was free of charge to school teams, took place March 30th-31st, 2010 at the Doubletree Hotel in South Burlington. It helped educators implement a team approach for identifying and responding to factors that contribute to a student’s be-havior or inability to learn such as bullying, substance abuse, depression and violence. Governor Jim Douglas welcomed the participating teams and congratulating them on their dedication to helping Vermont’s children. “These training programs, which have benefited Vermont schools and countless other community members, are an example of Vermonters working together to provide a better educational atmosphere for our children,” the Governor said. “Vermont Freemasons and the National Masonic Foundation are to be commended for their continuing commitment to Vermont's children." Vermont Freemasons have underwritten more than $600,000 in training costs since 1990 to support this program at no cost to attendees. Since that time, more than 232 Vermont schools have been represented at this training. Using certified instructors from the Na-tional Masonic Model Student Assistance Program, the Vermont Masons C.A.R.E. pro-gram is the second longest running program in the United States.



The Chevalier Charles D'Eon of France was born on October 5 1728, and was given the name Charles Genevieve Louise Auguste Andre Timothee D'Eon de Beaumount. He was obviously born of a noble family. He became a Freema-son in 1766 in the Lodge of Immortality, No. 376, which met at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, in the Strand, London, England. He served as Junior Warden in 1769 and 1770. He had many talents; he was an expert fencer and soldier, and an able diplomat who successfully negotiated the Treaty of 1763, ending the Seven Years War in which Austria, France, Sweden and Saxony where united against Frederick the Great of Prussia [who was joined by England]. So what, you say? Nothing

strange about him so far. Well, let's look a bit further. He unfortunately had an effeminate appearance, and occasionally masqueraded as a woman. His enemies in France accused him of being a woman masquerading as a man. Masons wondered whether a woman had been initiated into the Craft. The controversy about his sex caused considerable gambling, and speculation got out of hand. Finally an insurance company filed a petition to have the matter adjudicated. Witnesses testified that he was a woman. About this time he ac-cepted an offer of Louis XVI to receive a generous pension, on condition that he return to France, and resume the garb of a woman. From this time on, with rare exceptions, he wore women's clothes. When he died on May 21 1810, a competent physician performed an autopsy and clearly proved that D'Eon was a man after all.

Let's now return to England and an English Reverend.

The Reverend William Dodd was an English Freemason, who was born in 1729, and died in 1777. He was the first Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of England, in the year 1775. He delivered the oration at the dedication of Freemasons' Hall in London in 1776. He was also the author of many books and literary papers including "Beauties of Shakespeare." Weakness of character in money matters caused him to be tried for the crime of forgery. He had the effrontery to sign the name of the Earl of Chesterfield, in the mat-ter of 4200 pounds sterling. He was convicted of forgery and executed. The affair created great public com-motion and attempts were made both by the City of London, and by 30,000 people who signed petitions to the King to commute the sentence. But [to show how severe English Criminal law was at the time] the sen-tence was carried out. It was one of the last public hanging in England. Not a good ending for a man of God and a Mason.

Now from an Englishman to a Scottish American.

Matthew McBlain Thompson was born in Scotland, and was a member of two Scottish Lodges and a Past Master of one of them. He also affiliated with King Solomon Lodge, No. 22, in Montpelier, Idaho when he settled there in 1881. He later demitted from this lodge. He returned to Scotland, but in 1898 he came back to the United States, where he created the "American Ma-sonic Federation." He promoted the sale of all sorts of "Masonic" degrees by mail, and through paid solicitors or salesmen; they were sent out to organize lodges and grant degrees throughout the United States. [By the way, reduced rates were given for large groups and many joined his special Craft.] In 1915 one of his salesmen was arrested in St. Louis, Missouri, and the postal inspec-tor there decided that it was time to break up the gang. He assigned inspector M. G. Price to the case; he spent two years gather-ing evidence in the United States and also far off in foreign lands. Judge Wade of the United States District Court for Iowa, a non-Mason, presided, and none of the jurors was a Mason. Matthew McBlain Thompson and two others were found guilty of us-ing the U.S. Mails to defraud the public, and were sentenced to serve penitentiary terms of two years and to pay a fine $5000.00 each. In those days this was a lot of money.

Now, let us look at another American.

I have always believed that Ma-sonic Education does not have to be dull, or boring. Why even some of it can be amusing or even down right funny, and to prove it, we're going to talk about Strange or Infamous men who were, or may have been, Masons. We begin with a Frenchman...



In 1847 An American visiting England introduced himself as a Major General George Cooke, LL.D., Chancellor of the Univer-sity of Ripley. He joined Prince of Wales Lodge, No. 259. He became a devoted supporter of the Masonic Charities, and actually became vice-president of the Girls' School, and a life Governor of the Boys' School and a member of the Benevolent Institution. The Grand Master conferred on him the rank of Past Grand Warden, and appointed Cooke his personal representative to the Grand Lodge of New York. A fund was started to place his bust in Freemasons' Hall.

Yes, he certainly seems to be the type of man who would become the ultimate Mason, generous, devoted, benevolent, humane and philanthropic, an indisputable humanitarian. Undeniably the type of man the Craft needs.

But after he had returned to the United States it was discovered that Cooke was a medical quack. He was immediately stripped of all his Masonic honours, and all the money that he had contributed to Masonic Charities was returned to him.

Now let me tell you about a mad Englishman.

Joshua Norton was born in England on February 4 1819. He engaged in a number of business en-terprises in Africa, and emigrated to San Francisco in 1849. He immediately entered the real estate business and accumulated considerable wealth. When he tried to corner the rice market, he lost eve-rything. In order to cheer him up, his friends started to call him "Emperor." On September 15 1859 he proclaimed himself Emperor of the United States. He donned a blue uniform with brass buttons, epaulets, and a military cap. Instead of sending him off to have his head examined, everyone hu-moured him because of his pleasant and cheerful disposition. He rode the streetcars free, attended

theaters without charge, and was supplied with the necessities of life by those around him. When he ran short of cash, he simply drew drafts on his Imperial Treasury. He issued Royal Proclamations that were designed to bet-ter the human race. On Sunday he always at-tended a church. He played no favourites, but visited them all. Merchants and financiers con-sulted him on business matters and apparently he gave them sound advice on these matters.

So what does this have to do with Masonry? Well he was a member of Occi-dental Lodge of San Francisco, and for a time he lived in the Masonic Tem-

ple; some of his proclamations emanated from it. When he passed away on January 8 1880, he was given a Masonic Funeral. Fifty-four years later his grave was moved and a monument was erected over his new grave.

Now to a Scottish Canadian. This is one of my very favourite short but true stories. The story of man who loved his Lodge, and who [I think] also loved his pocketbook.

Miles McGuigan was a member of the 81st Regiment of Loyal Lincoln Volunteers and a member of Merrickville Lodge, No. 55, in St. Lawrence District in Ontario. When he died, it was his last wish that his body be dissected, and then placed in the Merrickville Lodge for future work in the Third Degree. His wishes were carried out, and his bones remained in the Merrickville Lodge until the Lodge Room and building were gutted by fire in 1959.

2010 GOLF TOURNAMENTS

Spring: May 24th, at Noon, the Copely Golf Course, Morrisville, VT.

$50 per player, $100 hole sponsors. Please contact Bro. ۠. John Reen, 373-4970 for information and registration.

Fall: Sept. 20th, at 9am, the Tater Hill Golf Course, Windham, VT.

$75 per player, 4-Man Scramble. Prizes for hole in one, closest to the pin, straightest drive and longest drive. Please contact Bro. ۠. Ed Wilson, 263-5515, for information and

registration.



In The Interest of the Brethren Part two

By Brother Rudyard Kipling

(first published in The Builder, March 1922)

Presently Brother Burges touched on a point which had given rise to some diversity of Ritual. He asked for information. ‘Well, in Jamaica, Worshipful Sir,’ a Visiting Brother began, and ex-plained how they worked that detail in his parts. Another and another joined in from different quarters of the Lodge (and the world), and when they were well warmed the Doctor sidled softly round the walls and, over our shoulders, passed us ciga-rettes.

‘A shocking innovation,’ he said, as he returned to the Captain-musician’s vacant seat on my left. ‘But men can’t really talk without tobacco, and we’re only a Lodge of Instruction.’

‘An’ I’ve learned more in one evenin’ here than ten years.’ The one-footed man turned round for an instant from a dark, sour-looking Yeoman in spurs who was laying down the law on Dutch Ritual. The blue haze and the talk increased, while the organ from the loft blessed us all.

‘But this is delightful,’ said I to the Doctor. ‘How did it all hap-pen?’

‘Brother Burges started it. He used to talk to the men who dropped into his shop when the war began. He told us sleepy old chaps in Lodge that what men wanted more than anything else was Lodges where they could sit—just sit and be happy like we are now. He was right too. We’re learning things in the war.

A man’s Lodge means more to him than people imagine. As our friend on your right said just now, very often Masonry’s the only practical creed we’ve ever listened to since we were chil-dren. Platitudes or no platitudes, it squares with what every-body knows ought to be done.’ He sighed. ‘And if this war hasn’t brought home the Brotherhood of Man to us all, I’m—a Hun! ‘

‘How did you get your visitors?’ I went on.

‘Oh, I told a few fellows in hospital near here, at Burgess sug-gestion, that we had a Lodge of Instruction and they’d be wel-come. And they came. And they told their friends. And they came! That was two years ago—and now we’ve Lodge of In-struction two nights a week, and a matinee nearly every Tues-day and Friday for the men who can’t get evening leave. Yes, it’s all very curious. I’d no notion what the Craft meant—and means—till this war.’

‘Nor I, till this evening,’ I replied.

‘Yet it’s quite natural if you think. Here’s London—all Eng-land—packed with the Craft from all over the world, and no-where for them to go. Why, our weekly visiting attendance for the last four months averaged just under a hundred and forty. Divide by four—call it thirty-five Visiting Brethren a time. Our record’s seventy-one, but we have packed in as many as eighty-four at Banquets. You can see for yourself what a potty little



hole we are!’

‘Banquets too!’ I cried. ‘It must cost like anything. May the Vis-iting Brethren——’

The Doctor—his name was Keede—laughed. ‘No, a Visiting Brother may not.’

‘But when a man has had an evening like this, he wants to——’

‘That’s what they all say. That makes our difficulty. They do exactly what you were going to suggest, and they’re offended if we don’t take it.’

‘Don’t you?’ I asked.

‘My dear man—what does it come to? They can’t all stay to Ban-quet. Say one hundred suppers a week—fifteen quid—sixty a month—seven hundred and twenty a year. How much are Lem-ming and Orton worth? And Ellis and McKnight—that long big man over yonder—the provision dealers? How much d’you sup-pose could Burges write a cheque for and not feel? ’Tisn’t as if he had to save for any one now. I assure you we have no scruple in calling on the Visiting Brethren when we want anything. We couldn’t do the work otherwise. Have you noticed how the Lodge is kept—brass-work, jewels, furniture, and so on? ‘

‘I have indeed,’ I said. ‘It’s like a ship. You could eat your dinner off the floor.’

‘Well, come here on a bye-day and you’ll often find half-a-dozen Brethren, with eight legs between ’em, polishing and ronuking and sweeping everything they can get at. I cured a shell-shocker this spring by giving him our jewels to look after. He pretty well polished the numbers off ’em, but—it kept him from fighting Huns in his sleep. And when we need Masters to take our duties—two matinees a week is rather a tax—we’ve the choice of P.M.’s from all over the world. The Dominions are much keener on Ritual than an average English Lodge. Besides that—— Oh, we’re going to adjourn. Listen to the greetings. They’ll be interesting.’

The crack of the great gavel brought us to our feet, after some surging and plunging among the cripples. Then the Battery-Sergeant-Major, in a trained voice, delivered hearty and frater-nal greetings to ‘Faith and Works’ from his tropical District and Lodge. The others followed, with out order, in every tone be-tween a grunt and a squeak. I heard ‘Hauraki,’ ‘Inyanga-Umbezi,’ ‘Aloha,’ ‘Southern Lights’ (from somewhere Punta Are-nas way), ‘Lodge of Rough Ashlars’ (and that Newfoundland Naval Brother looked it), two or three Stars of something or other, half-a-dozen cardinal virtues, variously arranged, hailing from Klondyke to Kalgoorlie, one Military Lodge on one of the fronts, thrown in with a severe Scots burr by my friend of the head-bandages, and the rest as mixed as the Empire itself. Just at the end there was a little stir. The silent Brother had begun to make noises; his companion tried to soothe him.

‘Let him be! Let him be!’ the Doctor called professionally. The

man jerked and mouthed, and at last mumbled something unin-telligible even to his friend, but a small dark P.M. pushed for-ward importantly.

‘It iss all right,’ he said. ‘He wants to say——’ he spat out some yard-long Welsh name, adding, ‘That means Pembroke Docks, Worshipful Sir. We haf good Masons in Wales, too.’ The silent man nodded approval.

‘Yes,’ said the Doctor, quite unmoved. ‘It happens that way sometimes. Hespere panta fereis, isn’t it? The Star brings ’em all home. I must get a note of that fellow’s case after Lodge. I saw you didn’t care for music,’ he went on, ‘but I’m afraid you’ll have to put up with a little more. It’s a paraphrase from Micah. Our organist arranged it. We sing it antiphonally, as a sort of dis-missal.’

Even I could appreciate what followed. The singing seemed con-fined to half-a-dozen trained voices answering each other till the last line, when the full Lodge came in. I give it as I heard it:

“We have showed thee, O Man, What is good. What doth the Lord require of us? Or Conscience’ self desire of us? But to do justly—But to love mercy, And to walk humbly with our God, as every Mason should.”

Then we were played and sung out to the quaint tune of the ‘Entered Apprentices’ Song.’ I noticed that the regular Brethren of the Lodge did not begin to take off their regalia till the lines:

“Great Kings, Dukes, and Lords have laid down their swords.”

They moved into the ante-room, now set for the Banquet, on the verse:

“Antiquity’s pride, we have on our side, which maketh men just in their station.”

The Brother (a big-boned clergyman) that I found myself next to at table told me the custom was ‘a fond thing vainly invented’ on the strength of some old legend. He laid down that Masonry should be regarded as an ‘intellectual abstraction.’ An Officer of Engineers disagreed with him, and told us how in Flanders, a year before, some ten or twelve Brethren held Lodge in what was left of a Church. Save for the Emblems of Mortality and plenty of rough ashlars, there was no furniture.

‘I warrant you weren’t a bit the worse for that,’ said the Clergy-man. ‘The idea should be enough without trappings.’

‘But it wasn’t,’ said the other. ‘We took a lot of trouble to make our regalia out of camouflage-stuff that we’d pinched, and we manufactured our jewels from old metal. I’ve got the set now. It kept us happy for weeks.’

‘Ye were absolutely irregular an’ unauthorised. Whaur was your Warrant?’ said the Brother from the Military Lodge. ‘Grand Lodge ought to take steps against——‘



‘If Grand Lodge had any sense,’ a private three places up our table broke in, ‘it ’ud warrant travelling Lodges at the front and attach first-class lecturers to ’em.’

‘Wad ye confer degrees promiscuously?’ said the scandalised Scot.

‘Every time a man asked, of course. You’d have half the Army in.’

The speaker played with the idea for a little while, and proved that, on the lowest scale of fees, Grand Lodge would get huge revenues.

‘I believe,’ said the Engineer Officer thoughtfully, ‘I could de-sign a complete travelling Lodge outfit under forty pounds weight.’

‘Ye’re wrong. I’ll prove it. We’ve tried ourselves,’ said the Mili-tary Lodge man; and they went at it together across the table, each with his own note-book.

The ‘Banquet’ was simplicity itself. Many of us ate in haste so as to get back to barracks or hospitals, but now and again a Brother came in from the outer darkness to fill a chair and empty a plate. These were Brethren who had been there before and needed no examination.

One man lurched in—helmet, Flanders mud, accoutrements and all—fresh from the leave-train.

‘’Got two hours to wait for my train,’ he explained. ‘I remem-bered your night, though. My God, this is good! ‘

‘What is your train and from what station?’ said the Clergyman precisely. ‘Very well. What will you have to eat? ‘

‘Anything. Everything. I’ve thrown up a month’s rations in the Channel.’

He stoked himself for ten minutes without a word. Then, with-out a word, his face fell forward. The Clergyman had him by one already limp arm and steered him to a couch, where ho dropped and snored. No one took the trouble to turn round.

‘Is that usual too?’ I asked.

‘Why not?’ said the Clergyman. ‘I’m on duty to-night to wake them for their trains. They do not respect the Cloth on those occasions.’ He turned his broad back on me and continued his discussion with a Brother from Aberdeen by way of Mitylene where, in the intervals of mine-sweeping, he had evolved a com-plete theory of the Revelation of St. John the Divine in the Is-land of Patmos.

I fell into the hands of a Sergeant-Instructor of Machine Guns—by profession a designer of ladies’ dresses. He told me that Eng-lishwomen as a class ‘lose on their corsets what they make on their clothes,’ and that ‘Satan himself can’t save a woman who wears thirty-shilling corsets under a thirty-guinea costume.’

Here, to my grief, he was buttonholed by a zealous Lieutenant of his own branch, and became a Sergeant again all in one click.

I drifted back and forth, studying the prints on the walls and the Masonic collection in the cases, while I listened to the incon-ceivable talk all round me. Little by little the company thinned, till at last there were only a dozen or so of us left. We gathered at the end of a table near the fire, the night-bird from Flanders trumpeting lustily into the hollow of his helmet, which some one had tipped over his face.

‘And how did it go with you?’ said the Doctor.

‘It was like a new world,’ I answered.

‘That’s what it is really.’ Brother Burges returned the gold pince-nez to their case and reshipped his silver spectacles. ‘Or that’s what it might be made with a little trouble. When I think of the possibilities of the Craft at this juncture I wonder——’ He stared into the fire.

‘I wonder, too,’ said the Sergeant-Major slowly, ‘but—on the whole—I’m inclined to agree with you. We could do much with Masonry.’

‘As an aid—as an aid—not as a substitute for Religion,’ the Clergyman snapped.

‘Oh, Lord! Can’t we give Religion a rest for a bit?’ the Doctor muttered. ‘It hasn’t done so—I beg your pardon all round.’

The Clergyman was bristling. ‘Kamerad!’ the wise Sergeant-Major went on, both hands up. ‘Certainly not as a substitute for a creed, but as an average plan of life. What I’ve seen at the front makes me sure of it.’

Brother Burges came out of his muse. ‘There ought to be a dozen—twenty—other Lodges in London every night; conferring degrees too, as well as instruction. Why shouldn’t the young men join? They practise what we’re always preaching. Well! Well! We must all do what we can. What’s the use of old Masons if they can’t give a little help along their own lines? ‘

‘Exactly,’ said the Sergeant-Major, turning on the Doctor. ‘And what’s the darn use of a Brother if he isn’t allowed to help? ‘

‘Have it your own way then,’ said the Doctor testily. He had evidently been approached before. He took something the Ser-geant-Major handed to him and pocketed it with a nod. ‘I was wrong,’ he said to me, ‘when I boasted of our independence. They get round us sometimes. This,’ he slapped his pocket, ‘will give a banquet on Tuesday. We don’t usually feed at matinees. It will be a surprise. By the way, try another sandwich. The ham are best.’ He pushed me a plate.

‘They are,’ I said. ‘I’ve only had five or six. I’ve been looking for them.’

‘’Glad you like them,’ said Brother Lemming. ‘Fed him myself, cured him myself—at my little place in Berkshire. His name



The Brattleboro Masonic Lodge is proud to Honor and Recognize our Veterans, through a traditional Tattoo.

The Agenda is as follows:

•Ceremonies start promptly at 1:00PM at the Brattleboro Masonic Center, 196 Main St, Brattleboro VT – Saturday, July 17th, 2010.

•Tom MacPhee, of the Vermont Sojorners, also Revolu-tionary uniformed, will present their world-famous Building of the Flag.

•Special words from Grand Master of Masons Thomas Johnston, IV, Vermont Grand Masonic Lodge.

•Special words from Senator Bernie Sanders, tireless sup-porter of Veteran and Armed Forces Affairs. The Senator will be presenting an American Flag which has flown over the Capital building.

•Retiring the Colors; closing remarks, and benediction.

Admission is free. Seating will be limited; for reservations, please e-mail contact information & number in party to: [email protected] by July 11, 2010.

was Charlemagne. By the way, Doc, am I to keep another one for next month?’

‘Of course,’ said the Doctor with his mouth full. ‘A little fatter than this chap, please. And don’t forget your promise about the pickled nasturtiums. They’re appreciated.’ Brother Lemming nodded above the pipe he had lit as we began a second supper. Suddenly the Clergyman, after a glance at the clock, scooped up half-a-dozen sandwiches from under my nose, put them into an oiled paper bag, and advanced cautiously towards the sleeper on the couch.

‘They wake rough sometimes,’ said the Doctor. ‘Nerves, y’know.’ The Clergyman tip-toed directly behind the man’s head, and at arm’s length rapped on the dome of the helmet. The man woke in one vivid streak, as the Clergyman stepped back, and grabbed for a rifle that was not there.

‘You’ve barely half an hour to catch your train.’ The Clergyman passed him the sandwiches. ‘Come along.’

‘You’re uncommonly kind and I’m very grateful,’ said the man, wriggling into his stiff straps. He followed his guide into the darkness after saluting.

‘Who’s that?’ said Lemming.

‘Can’t say,’ the Doctor returned indifferently. ‘He’s been here before. He’s evidently a P.M. of sorts.’

‘Well! Well!’ said Brother Burges, whose eyelids were drooping. ‘We must all do what we can. Isn’t it almost time to lock up? ‘

‘I wonder,’ said I, as we helped each other into our coats, ‘what would happen if Grand Lodge knew about all this.’

‘About what?’ Lemming turned on me quickly.

‘A Lodge of Instruction open three nights and two afternoons a week—and running a lodging-house as well. It’s all very nice, but it doesn’t strike me somehow as regulation.’

‘The point hasn’t been raised yet,’ said Lemming. ‘We’ll settle it after the war. Meantime we shall go on.’

‘There ought to be scores of them,’ Brother Burges repeated as we went out of the door. ‘All London’s full of the Craft, and no places for them to meet in. Think of the possibilities of it! Think what could have been done by Masonry through Masonry for all the world. I hope I’m not censorious, but it sometimes crosses my mind that Grand Lodge may have thrown away its chance in the war almost as much as the Church has.’

‘Lucky for you the Padre is taking that chap to King’s Cross,’ said Brother Lemming, ‘or he’d be down your throat. What really troubles him is our legal position under Masonic Law. I think he’ll inform on us one of these days. Well, good night, all.’ The Doctor and Lemming turned off together.

‘Yes,’ said Brother Burges, slipping his arm into mine. ‘Almost

as much as the Church has. But perhaps I’m too much of a Ritualist.’

I said nothing. I was speculating how soon I could steal a march on the Clergyman and inform against ‘Faith and Works No. 5837 E.C.’

(From the Grand East, continued from page 5)

anyone who has a phone, keyboard or pen. I usually plan a work session at the Grand Lodge office on Wednesday or Thursday of each week. If any brother would like to meet me in person during these visits please feel free to call to set an appointment. I am here to serve and welcome any and all ideas and discussions. I look forward to seeing many of you at the Grand Lodge Annual Session June 9 at the Killington Grand Resort. We will have one special visitor Chris Hodapp, the author of Freemasons for Dummies, as well as several other Masonic publications who will be attending this year’s session. Chris will be selling his books at the session, and will be the guest speaker at our Wednes‐day luncheon. Chris is a terrific mason and is always willing to share his ideas and views. If you are not able to attend the annual session, but wish to obtain an autographed copy of any of Chris’s publications please call me and perhaps we can make arrangements to secure a copy.



By Eric Ginette, 33° Grand Historian

A rare view of our Third degree is through the eyes of the Ruffians. Too often they are dismissed as simple foils for the progress of our hero, the candidate. Yet if we stand in their shoes a few minutes, we may be able to appreciate teaching aspects of this degree we have not considered before.

First of all, I am sure life as a workman on the Temple was not that wonderful. It was, after all, hard work. Lifting and positioning heavy stones is not great therapy for the back and spine. The process of creating ashlars was chiefly one of hammering- first with the heavy sledge on wedges for splitting, then with the stone ham-mer against the chisel to slowly chip away the stone. Just imagine how many times the chisel must be struck to square out an ashlar of say 2x2x4 feet! You try lift-ing and striking with a hammer for several unrelenting hours and see how wonderful life feels to you.

I realize they received payment, but with large extended Jewish families I’m sure any surplus was quickly eaten up. What made them Ruffians as different from the other Craftsmen was of course not the circumstances of their life, but their internal attitudes about it. They blamed the rich and powerful for their lowly lot, and over time it is obvious their resentment grew into anger and feelings of revenge. How they must have looked at Hiram as he passed in his fine clothes, surrounded by slaves, a darling of the King! If they could just wrench from his lips the great Secret of Life, then how everything would be different! I imagine their thoughts differed little from all communists down through the ages, only they were ahead of their time and could convince only two others of the rightness of their views.

Instead of working to acquire Wisdom, they sought to attain it by force. As such, they exemplify ignorance making ignorant choices, driven by a greed which has opened up the doors of powerful emotions they cannot control. They allowed their minds to become completely overwhelmed by desire and longing, and were propelled by their suffering to an act of murder. This is not an exotic story. Lots of people all around us have minds totally given over to anger and desire, and are willing to do almost anything to get what they want. The outcome was, however, not as they may have envisioned. Instead of reducing their pain, their suffering greatly increased. Forced from their daily routines, they had to abandon loved ones and family ties only to end up without food or water among some rocks in the desert.

When the Craftsmen go to get the Ruffians, it is traditional in Vermont to have them resist with all their might. In my early years we were taught to tie the prepara-tion room door closed and hide downstairs. All this is great fun, but hardly represents the real attitude of the Ruffians. Had they not just voiced their “imprecations?”

Too often stumbled through without thought, these are the plaintive wails of souls at the end of their wits, the utter voice of despair. To say that they express regret for their actions is a massive understatement. They know they are guilty, feel the weight of that guilt, and freely express it before the King. At this point they are in fact symbols of repentance for the deeds of ignorance. I know I’ve felt this way, haven’t you?

Their repentance, however, does not lead to absolution. They have killed not just a great and good man, but the Mason’s Word, the very secret they had sought. I can see their exhausted kin with tear streaked cheeks recoil from the fearful sentence projected from Solomon’s lips: then you shall die. It makes a comment on whether our choices in life are immutable or not. Certainly, we have the freedom to do with our life what we want. We do not, however, have the freedom to alter the least act or even thought once it is done, once it has flown. Everything we do to others becomes forever a part of us. We may escape the consequences for a while, but we have created our own imprecations.

Well just think of these things the next time you watch the Ruffians unwind their harsh fate. In some ways, we all are Hiram, struck down in the midst of his duty. But in other ways we are the Ruffian whose seething resentment of others is vented in anger, and lost in our own folly.



Brother Christopher Murphy and I, both of Mount Anthony Lodge No.13 in Bennington, traveled across the border to New York State on December 7th 2009 to visit Mt. Zion Lodge #311 of Troy, New York. Mt. Zion meets on the 1st and 3rd Mondays at the Troy Ma-sonic Hall, 39 Brunswick Road, Troy, NY in a beautifully restored estate and grounds which they share with Apollo-King Solomon’s Lodge #13 and several appendant bodies. Our reciprocal visitation was at the behest of Worshipful Master Derick Otten, who, with the Senior Steward, Charles Otten, visited Mt. Anthony during the 2009 Hill Degree. After a fine dinner, with a full bar available, and much interesting conversation, a tour of the Lodge building and facilities, we joined the Brethren of Mt. Zion in their sumptuous Lodge room. The Lodge was first purged, some general business attended to and then the main Labors for the eve-

ning were performed. The Brethren of Mt. Zion put on a splendid Entered Apprentice degree ritual, initiating three new Brothers into the Fraternity in due and ancient form. We sat admiring the ritual work and noting the slight variations in ritual, always a fascinating education in both the universality of Masonic ritual but also its fluidity. We also noted the presence of two additional Officers of the Lodge situated on the left and right of the Senior Warden. These we came to learn are the Senior and Junior Masters of Ceremony and perform much of the same ritual work as our Senior and Junior Stewards, preparing and presenting the candidates for initiation. One of the more interesting points of discussion we had with several of the Troy Brethren was how these wonderful facilities are so successfully managed. The facility not only is home to two Blue Lodges and several appendant bod-ies, but also serves as a community and event center for the City of Troy, run by a Masonic Society-led non-profit corporation. This is an interesting and profitable arrangement for the resident Lodges, appendant bodies and com-munity organizations which use the facility in partnership with the City of Troy. By providing the entire community access it also allows the facility to operate off the property tax roles, a huge burden for many organizations. The arrangement was a fascinating revelation and education on how Masonic Associations can structure their properties so as to maintain the facility and remain solvent. Intrigued by this notion, I was eager to find more information about how these associations might work elsewhere. I was to later learn that the Rutland Masonic Association has organized in a similar manner. According to Brother Rick Boise, a member of the Board of Directors of the Rutland Masonic Association,

“The Rutland Masonic Association was formed and incorporated 110 years ago in the year 1900. It was formed as the building was to be built so that there was a separate controlling body to take care of the building. There are four

The practice of visitation within our own Grand Lodge jurisdic-tion is always a pleasure and an education, meeting and Laboring with fellow Vermont Brother Ma-sons. To extend this practice across a border into a new Grand Lodge jurisdiction is an honorable service of Masonic Ambassadorship that all should aspire to undertake regularly in our Masonic careers. You never know what light you might gain.

A visitation reveals inspiration for more effective Lodge management.

By Br. ۠. David R. Young, 32°



owning bodies of the Rutland Masonic Center: Both Blue Lodges, Center #34 and Rutland #79 and two York Rite bodies, Davenport Chapter #17, Royal Arch Masons and Killington Commandery #6, Knights Templar. The Asso-ciation is presently a 501(c)(7) not for profit corporation. The building expenses are divided based upon member-ship numbers of the owning bodies and assessed to the bodies. … The Board of Directors consists of twelve in number, three from each of the four owning bodies.”

Brother Rick added that the Association and Board are governed by a mostly hand-written set of by-laws “with some areas that have been changed with pasted over typewriter wording,” a rather quaint notion, no doubt relatively common in our own jurisdiction. I also learned that on the other side of the continent, the Grand Lodge of Cali-fornia has adopted guidelines for Masonic Hall Associations within its Masonic Code and a complete information resource guide for Masonic Halls and their Associations in their official Lodge Manual. The Masonic Hall Information sec-tion of the Manual covers Masonic Hall Legal Structure, Hall Association Management, and Finances and Reporting requirements. The Manual states,

“Our Masonic law requires that each Lodge must own its interest in a Masonic facility through a corporation whose Hall Association governs the rental and maintenance of the facility. … Even though there is a legal separation between the Lodge and Hall Association which must be observed … it is important to remember that the Hall Association does not govern the Lodge.”

Actually, it is quite the reverse, as the Manual continues,

“While it is important to respect the separate, legal nature of each entity, the Lodge does have limited rights with respect to the operations of the Hall Association:

1. The Lodge by majority votes elects the directors. 2. The lodge may by majority vote remove any one or more of the directors for any reason. 3. A sale by the Hall Association of all or substantially all of its assets requires approval by a

majority vote of the Lodge.”

In this sense, the Association acts as a Trustee for a Masonic property, a very interesting and important idea, and well worth further exploration. Hopefully, there will be more discussion of this subject in our own jurisdiction and in a future Green Mountain Freemason.

ATTENTION FELLOW TRAVELERS! Brother Robert Fagge is arranging a Masonic trip to London, England in September 2010! The United Grand Lodge of England has arranged for us to be hosted by them at a Lodge meeting Sept 16th and Sept 17th, 2010; plus, they are setting aside a special audience to tour the Freemason’s Hall and Museum in London. Also, they are conducting a special reception and are hosting a Ladies din-ner Saturday the 18th. The UGLE is going ‘all out’ to receive us as Masons and to make our stay not only very enjoyable but memorable! Please contact Bro.۠. Robert at [email protected], or (802) 348-7221



As most of you know that I will be stepping down as your Grand Secretary on June 9, 2010. You elected me to this position of Grand Sec-retary on June 12, 1991 and Brother Brian L. Carley was elected and in-stalled as the 74th Grand Master. At the end of my term, I will have served as your Grand Secretary 19 years. During these nineteen years I have served ten Grand Masters and I have tried to make all ten look good. It has been a great experience serving with the Grand Masters and the Grand Officers.

I can’t begin to recall how many Lodge Secretaries I have had the pleasure working with. They are very dedicated Freemasons who al-ways have their lodge and lodge members in their thoughts. When I first became your Grand Secretary, communication was by mail. Then I had an 800 number installed for their use because the Secretaries would not spend lodge money on toll calls. Now, most of the communication with Lodge Secretaries is by e-mail. How times have changed. In fact most of

the communication with everyone is by e-mail.

I have worked with three different membership programs. The one we are using now is the best. Most of the Secretaries have been trained and I am sure they will tell you it is a great program.

I have worked with 247 District Deputies. They, too, are very dedicated Brothers. They have a great responsibility representing the Grand Master and Grand Lodge in their respective districts. I served as Dis-trict Deputy Grand Master in District No. 9 in 1965 and 1966. I believe it is one of the best positions in Grand Lodge.

When I became Grand Secretary in 1991, the Per Captia Tax was $9.00 and our membership was 10,309. Our Per Captia Tax now is $15.00 and membership around 7,000. I am pleased to state there is an in-crease in the number of men joining our Fraternity.

All the years I have served as your Grand Secretary have been good years, but the year that was the most exciting was 1994 when we celebrated 200 years of Freemasonry in Vermont. That truly was a great and rewarding time for Freemasonry in the State of Vermont.

As I look back on my years spent in this great Fraternity, I have to reflect on January 7, 1957, the night I was raised a Master Mason in Pulaski Lodge No. 58 located in Wells River, Vermont. I often think what I would have done or be doing today if I had not filled out the Petition to join. I have to thank Brother Robert E. Carl-son, a farmer in Newbury, VT. who gave me the Petition and said “Fill it out, you will never regret it.” Of course it was the thing for me to do as my father was a member in Meridian Sun Lodge No. 20 in Craftsbury along with my brothers and uncles. I can truly state that I have never regretted it.

I have accomplished a lot in my Masonic career and have met and made friends all over North Amer-ica. I served as President of the Conference of Grand Secretaries of North America in 2006-2007. What a great experience that was and I am second from the top in seniority of Grand Secretaries in North America. My good friend and Brother Jack Marden from New Hampshire will move up to the number two position in June.

To sum up my Masonic Life I can truthfully say “I am Proud to be a Freemason.”

Cedric L. Smith, PGM

Grand Secretary

My Brothers,



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Permit No. 110

Published by

the Grand Lodge

Of Vermont

green mountain freemason, vol.31, issue 01

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