Category: Education

A question was asked, “If King Solomon’s Temple was built in 967 B.C. and globes were placed on top of the pillars, how did they know the world was round?” This question is quite pertinent because it was not until 1522 that Magellan proved the world was round. How could the men of King Solomon’s…

By Timothy Kestrel Philadelphia’s Tun Tavern Freemason Lodge holds an important place in the History of North America. My heroes Finn and Gus end up in this tavern when they arrive in America, starving and looking for a job in The Rule of Ranging. In Tun Tavern they enlist as road builders in ill-fated General Braddock’s…

All-too-frequently we hear of Masonic leaders being on an ego trip. Or, we hear that they are stumbling over their own egos. Then there are such remarks as, He turned into a monster after he went into office, or whatever happened to meeting on the level? Those comments are not all without some foundation. There…

ANONYMOUS MASONS: These are the Masons who loyally pay their dues but are never seen in the Craft Lodge. They are either incapable of attending (due to a short cable-tow, they live out of town, or simply don’t care), or they joined for the notoriety of being a Mason in the hopes it might help…

by Richard Farris, PDDGM  Many Masons have never sponsored a candidate and many have never even discussed Masonry within the work place, within leisure activities, or even within their own families. It may be that they are uncomfortable with what to say or how to handle themselves. Here are a few tips and thoughts on…

Old English Tracing Boards of the entered Apprentice degree show the Lewis, a peculiar tool of operative masons. The instrument is made of a pair of dovetail wedges, provided with a hook or ring. Inserted in a hole in a large stone, pulling on the hook or ring spreads and locks the wedges securely in…

Masonic organizations have jumped in on the internet social networking craze and established a presence on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. But what about the brothers who could care less about internet socializing and being notified by computer? Have you made sure “The Oldest Social Networking Site,” your Lodge Room, is being…

The movie Office Space has many memorable lines. Perhaps no other is more germane to topic of Lodge Revitalization than “it’s not that I am lazy; it’s that I don’t care”. There is much conversation about what is needed to revitalize Masonic Lodges, retain membership, and move towards a new Golden Age. Frankly, I’m kind…

1. Understand and accept that you will make mistakes. No matter how prepared you are, no matter how much ritual you know, or how well you know it, no matter how many times you may have been in the chair before, you will make mistakes. The point is to own them, don’t hide from them,…

Introduction: According to Wikipedia, A best practice is a method or technique that has been generally accepted as superior to any alternatives because it produces results that are superior to those achieved by other means or because it has become a standard way of doing things, e.g., a standard way of complying with legal or ethical requirements.…