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APRIL COVER STORY
Above is a picture of the historic signing of the Agreement between the Grand College of America,
HRAKTP, and the Grand College of HRAKTP situate in York, England. M.E. William H. Koon II,
Grand Preceptor of the Grand College of America, HRAKTP (left), and M.I. E. Peter
Donnison, Grand High Priest, Grand College of the HRAKTP situate in York, England (right).
Joint presentation of the Patent to the Grand College of France, HRAKTP:
left to right: R.E. Lawrence E. Tucker, Grand Recorder, GCA; M.E. William H. Koon II, Grand Preceptor, GCA; M.E. Patrick J. Jaillet, Grand Preceptor, GCF; M.1. E. Peter Donnison, Grand High Priest, GCY; and R.1. Ian Fithian-Franks, Grand Recorder, GCY.
Presentation of Memorial Cubes by the M.E. Patrick J. Jaillet, Grand Preceptor of GCF, HRAKTP:
left to right: Ian Fithian-Franks, E. Peter Donnison, Patrick J. Jaillet, William H. Koon II, and Lawrence E. Tucker.
This WEBSITE is published monthly as an official publication of the
Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America.
Sid Cornelius Dorris III, Grand Generalissimo and Publisher,
2007 Brenthaven Drive, Mount Juliet, TN 37122
Lawrence E. Tucker, Grand Recorder and Editor
Grand Encampment Office
5909 West Loop South, Suite 495, Bellaire, TX 77401-2402
(713) 349-8700 (telephone), (713) 349-8710 (facsimile)
E-mail: gr@knightstemplar.org
"Tell US What YOU THINK"
Joan B. Morton Assistant Editor
Mail materials and correspondence, to:
Editor, Grand Encampment of Knights Templar
Post Office Box 478448, Chicago, IL 60647-8448
phone and fax: (773) 489-0689
Material for the Grand Commanderies' two-page supplements
is to be directed to the respective Supplement editors.
Supplement Editors are encouraged to create their own sites
or submit "NEWS" to kych52va@aol.com
Address corrections from members are to be sent to the local Recorders LISTED HERE
APRIL: Guest Message by SK Fred G. Klein III, KGC, Grand Sovereign, UGICRCC. "From the Grand Recorder's Office", CLICK HERE There is interesting food for thought from Sir Knight Larry V. Tidwell of Texas in the "Prelate's Chapel". There's so much more, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this new edition of your magazine.
Grand Prelates's Easter Message, 2008 "Needed - A Miracle" by SK and Rev. Robert J. Cave, KGC
A MOMENT IN TIME by SK Sid C. Dorris III, RE Grand Generalissimo
What Does "Freemason" Really Mean?by Brother C. Bruce Hunter
Reflections of a Sir Knight by SK Tom Janyssek
  
Guest Message for April 2008
by Sir Knight Fred G. Klein III, KGC
Grand Sovereign of the United Grand Imperial Council
of the Red Cross of Constantine
My Fellow Sir Knights:
The earliest Easter in almost a hundred years is behind us, but Easter is an event we should remember all year. As Christian Masons, Easter is vital to our belief system. Without the reality of Easter, the glory of Christmas would not be. Easter is a clear and present reminder to us of the great sacrifice our Savior made for us and the example He provided.
We all take a great comfort from our religion as Christians, and we all learn when we attend church services, listening to a pastor who has spent many years studying to help us to understand the ramifications of Christianity as a religion and how it affects us-and we should also affect it. As Knights Templar, we have another periodic opportunity, in addition to our attendance at church, to be reminded of the presence of Christ and Christianity in our lives. In the Entered Apprentice degree, we say we want to " ... receive and have a part ... " in what Freemasonry has to offer. In our Commandery the situation is similar. We, as Knights Templar, Christian Masons, need never pass up an opportunity to learn, to deepen our understanding and appreciation for Christianity and for our fellow Knights. Practicing anything makes us better at it, and in the Commandery, we can practice our Christian virtues and develop knightly appreciation and love for our fellow man ... our fellow Sir Knights.
What a great opportunity we have to offer other Christian Masons, to join with us in the fellowship of Templary and promote not only Christ's teachings but also the teachings of Freemasonry. They are similar one to the other, and mutually supportive ... some of them are the same! Let's build our Commanderies so we are proud of them and make them attractive and worthwhile, so those we invite to become Knights Templar will find a challenging and growing experience.
Christ warned us about lighting a candle and putting it under a bushel. It is so with Christianity and with Templary. Let us as Sir Knights take not only our Christian virtues but also our Templar virtues with us into the community so that others may see our goodness and we may glorify our Father who is in Heaven.
Yours in Templary,
Frederick G. Kleyn III, KGC
Grand Sovereign Red Cross of Constantine
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Greetings, Sir Knights:
As we become more dependent on the internet, the Grand Encampment Office Staff is available to respond to your requests and to assist you in various ways-mail, telephone, electronic.
Una Cardenas
una@gektusa.org
General Supply Orders
Routine Bookkeeping
orders@gektusa.org
Supply Orders Media: Books, DVDs
Jewelry: Lapel pins, Cords
John Elkinton
john@gektusa.org
Membership Changes
Database Updates
changes@gektusa.org
Membership Changes
Address Changes
Deaths
Mailing Address 5909 West Loop South
Suite 495
Bellaire, TX 77401-2402
Phone: (713) 349-8700
Facsimile: (713) 349-8710
gr@knightstemplar.org
Office Hours 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monday - Friday
Central Time
REMINDER - SOUTHEASTERN DEPARTMENT CONFERENCE
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee
Robert E. Burleson, RIGHT EMINENT DEPARTMENT COMMANDER
Friday, June 13, 2008 - Saturday, June 14, 2008 - 0rlando, Florida
ALL SIR KNIGHTS, not just Grand Commandery Officers, are invited to attend
the Southeastern Department Conference:
Rosen Plaza Hotel, 9700 International Drive, Orlando, Florida
The Conference room rate of $104 (single or double) is available three days
before and three days after the Conference. Call (800) 627-8258, and
reference "YORK RITE" for the preferred rate.
See the Grand Encampment web site for additional information.
Lawrence E. Tucker, GCT
Grand Recorder
Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America
5909 West Loop South, Suite 495
Bellaire, TX 77401-2402
Web Site: www.knightstemplar.org
Office E-mail: gr@knightstemplar.org
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The Relationship of Templary to Christianity
by Sir Knight Larry V. Tidwell of Texas
As I reflect upon the idea of "the relationship of Templary to Christianity," I immediately think of parallels between Christian origins and modern Templar origins. For example, our Lord's death, burial, and resurrection is the foundation of our faith. The ultimate goal of Christ's tormentors was his annihilation and the permanent silencing of his message. In like manner, the Templars were rounded up, tortured, and killed with the ultimate goal being the permanent elimination of the order.
In both cases a resurrection took place. Jesus Christ triumphantly broke the chains of death and forever left us with the joyous expression of faith: "death is swallowed up in victory. 0 death, where is thy sting? o grave where is thy victory? ... thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
The Knights Templar were resurrected within the ranks of the organization we know and love as the Masonic Fraternity. As Grand Master Jacques DeMolay breathed his last breath in a fiery conflagration, he never dreamed that his beloved Knights would still be alive and well 700 years later.
The interesting connection in Templarism and Christianity is their common bond. Both have their foundation based on the Lord Jesus Christ. Both have a message of hope for the future of mankind. Both try to bring the lost soul into a living personal relationship with the risen Lord. Both will -endure to see the Savior's return because it is He that empowers th,ese organizations with His Holy Spirit for the eternal glory of God the Father.
Sir Knight Larry V. Tidwell is a member of Longview Commandery No. 86, Knights Templar of Texas, and Longview Lodge No. 404 of the Grand Lodge of Texas. He resides at 1608 N. 7th Street, No. 40, Longview, TX 75601-4043
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Grand Prelate's Easter Message - 2008
"Needed - A MIRACLE"
(Mark 16: 1-6, 1 Corinthians 15: 19-26, 57)
by Sir Knight and Reverend Robert J. Cave, KGC
Grand Prelate of the Grand Encampment
Sir Knight and Reverend Robert J. Cave, Right Eminent Grand Prelate of the Grand Encampment, Knights Templar of the United States of America, presented the message below at the 78th Annual Easter Sunrise Memorial Service at the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia, on March 23, 2008.
A general invitation was extended by Most Eminent Grand Master, William Howard Koon II, to the Sir Knights and their families and friends to join the grand officers and their Brother Christian Masons at the traditional Easter Service. For those who were unable to attend the Easter ceremony in Alexandria or who wish to read the message in addition to being there, here we share it with you. Reverend Cave resides at 137 Glen Drive, Ridge, NY 11961.
In the mid-1980s a parishioner in the church I was serving in New York died at the age of 101. The interment of her body was to be at the Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut. I rode up to Bridgeport in the hearse, from New York where I was living, and we arrived at the cemetery before most of the other mourners. As we had to wait for them, the superintendent of the cemetery began talking to me and then invited me to take a tour of the grounds of the cemetery as several well known personalities were buried there. He took me first to the grave of the well known hymn writer, Fanny Crosby. On her tombstone were carved the names of some of her famous hymns, including "Blessed Assurance," "Jesus Is Tenderly Calling," "To God Be the Glory," and others. But this was not the grave he was eager to show me.
The one that was uppermost in his mind was that of General Tom Thumb of Barnum Circus fame. The grave of Tom Thumb contained a 40-foot shaft with a life-size statue of Tom Thumb, who was only 42 inches tall, on top of it. This monument rested on a gigantic slab of concrete covering the whole area of the oversized grave. The superintendent told me that the reason for the slab of concrete was not to hold the statue, but it was placed there because Tom Thumb had left instructions to do so before he died. It seems that Barnum, who lies in the grave adjacent, and Tom Thumb hated each other, and whenever they fought, Barnum threatened that when Tom died and was buried he would dig up his body. Thumb wanted to prevent this from happening.
Part of the thinking in culture suggests that death is the end, that the grave is the last stop, and the finality of life is sealed with concrete, a rock, a boulder, or some other impenetrable substance, so the body should never come out of its resting place.
Surely the disciples and the women who watched the crucifixion of Jesus thought this way on that first Easter morning. They were perhaps familiar with Genesis Five where the family of Adam is listed. A little of each of the family members is told and then it ends for each with the words "and he died." Unquestionably, at this point they thought that Jesus was just another person to add to the list and to give the epitaph "and he died." So they were heart sick, discouraged, fearful, and doubtful about what they thought Jesus had said and done. They were despairing about the future. If ever any group of people needed a miracle to change their lives, it was this group.
And so as the women walked to the grave that morning to perform the one last duty of anointing Jesus' body with oil and spices, they expected to see the stone covering the entrance to the tomb. They said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"
It was then they received their miracle. The stone had already been rolled away. The body was gone, and the announcement came that He had risen. The risen Christ then appeared to them. He later appeared to the disciples. Their lives were changed for God was with them.
They needed a miracle and they got a miracle. And the good news for this Easter morning is that this miracle is for all who have faith in Christ. It is there for you and me. And if we are to be honest with ourselves, many of us need a miracle today. We may need a miracle concerning our health. We may need a new vision of hope. We may need a miracle to restore the excitement in our marriage. In a world as confused and convoluted as ours, we need a miracle that tells us God is present with us and that He will give us strength and power, so that we will live life with the assurance that we can live victoriously. The Resurrection is God's gift to us, and it tells us three things we desperately need to hear this morning.
The Resurrection of Jesus assures us that God is with us. He is loose in the world. He is not shut out in some terrestrial dream world as the deists claim. In John Masefield's drama, The Trial of Jesus, Procula, the wife of Pilate, receives a report that Jesus rose from the tomb. She excitedly asks Longinus, a Roman soldier, "Do you think he is dead?" "No, I don't," Longinus replies. "Where then is he?" Procula asks. Longinus replies, "Loose in the world, Lady, where neither Jews nor Romans nor anyone else can stop him."
That is the very essence of Christianity. The saddest thing I can think of is when Christians think that faith is only about dying and preparation for heaven. Christianity is about living and about God walking our daily pilgrimage with us. He knows our needs, our hurts, our fears, and our sorrows, as well as our joys, because He walks our walk and talks our talk.
In Luke's Gospel Jesus appears to the disciples after the Resurrection and says to them, "Peace to you ... why are you troubled?" Jesus knew that they were terrified and beside themselves with fear, and so He offers them peace and calms them down as He did the sea on a previous occasion. He is now with them and shows them so by offering to let them touch Him. What a wonderful thing to have th/e assurance that God is with us in Christ when our lives are storm-tossed and we are afraid.
About five years ~go my wife had to go into the hospital as an outpatient for a difficult, painful, and fearful test. The first thing you have to do when you go to the hospital is check in with the receptionist, who is more concerned with your insurance coverage than your name and the test you are there for. While we were doing this, I was assuring my wife that she would be OK, reminding her we had prayed about it and that God would be with her. It was obvious to the receptionist that we were Christians. As we were about to leave her office for the next step in the procedure, the woman got out of her chair, went over to file cabinet, removed a sheet of paper, and gave it to my wife. She then hugged her and said "God will bless you."
The words on the paper read:
Good morning!
This is God.
I will be handling
all of your problems today.
I will not need any help,
So, relax and have a great day.
What a difference that made. God was with us in the love and embrace of that woman. He was with us in the words on the paper. His presence was in our lives.
How many times have you stood before an abyss in life and been scared and terrified wishing God was with you? Well, He always is, and when we turn to Him, we will know it. How comforting it is when standing on that abyss to know that He is standing with us, holding our hand to prevent us from falling into it. The Resurrection of Jesus assures us of this.
Secondly, the Resurrection of Jesus enables us to live life on a higher plane because we are strengthened by Him. In Luke's Gospel Jesus gives the disciples the assurance that He would send the promise of the Father upon them. And in John's Gospel He gives them the Holy Spirit which is the promise. Because Jesus left, the Holy Spirit came. The Holy Spirit enables us to have that inner certainty, the ability to rise above our self-imposed limitations, to have an assurance about the future, and to have an unquenchable hope.
Receiving the Holy Spirit changes our lives dramatically. Our negatives are removed. We see life differently. We rise to heights never dreamed of. This certainly was the case with the disciples. Look at the change that came over them. Peter is an excellent example. The fearful Peter who denied Christ three times became the fearless Peter who endured martyrdom.
Norman Vincent Peale who wrote the book, The Power of Positive Thinking, and who was pastor of the renowned Marble Collegiate Church in New York City and who, incidentally, was Grand Prelate of the Grand Encampment many years ago, told this story. A man often came to his church in a wheelchair. He said the man was more agile in handling that chair than many people are on their feet. He had been in the chair since he was 17 years old, when he had been disabled by rheumatic fever. His family was poor. His mother and father both worked, leaving him all alone all day sitting in his chair saying to himself, "useless, useless, useless."
Then one day he said to himself, "I am not useless." He picked up his bible and began to read in earnest. Finally, he was saying to himself, "So what if I have no leg power. I have a sound mind. There is nothing crippled in my mind." He continued to read his bible, and it told him he had soul power. He thought, "I can't run like other guys. I can't use my hands well, but I can use my mind and my soul with the best of them."
He finally figured what he could do. He decided that he could make greeting cards. With his gnarled and crippled hands it took him a week to make the first card, and he suffered indescribable pain. But he sold the card at a profit. When Peale told the story, the man owned a company that made cards by the thousands. Peale concluded, "You can do anything with your mind, if you want to."
And it is true. But first of all we need a change on the inside and that comes through the gift of the Holy Spirit which the resurrected Christ promised.
And we wonder: is there anything that is limiting our lives, yours and mine, this morning? Easter is the ideal time, as we celebrate Christ's Resurrection, to receive the promise of the Holy Spirit and let our lives be changed, to be all that we can be and more than we would be by ourselves.
Of course, the gift is not to be hoarded for ourselves. It must be used ultimately in service to God and others. But first we must be changed by the promised Holy Spirit.
Finally, Christ's Resurrection means that no matter how dark the situation in life seems we can be victorious, for death, the last enemy, has been defeated. St. Paul states in First Corinthians 15: 57, "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
The United Methodist Church is comprised of Annual Conferences, in other words, area dioceses. Each Annual Conference has a yearly meeting. At the meeting the resident bishop makes a report of the state of the church in his area. My bishop told this story at the 2007 meeting.
He said that a minister in our area, a colleague of mine, died in May at the age of 62. Before he died, the bishop met with him just after he was diagnosed with liver cancer. The bishop said that they had a time of conversation, scripture reading, and prayer together. The bishop continued by saying that the conversation turned to a personal testimony by the dying minister and what his faith journey with God in Christ Jesus meant to him. The minister concluded by telling the bishop, "Bishop, God has been so good and gracious to me beyond measure. Whatever happens to me, with this God I cannot lose." This man was victorious because he knew that Christ had conquered death. His impending death was not the end of life.
One of the great preachers of the city of Washington was Peter Marshall, pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church and chaplain of the Senate from 1947 to 1949, when he died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 47. He had the heart attack at home, and as the attendants carried him from his home to the ambulance he said to his wife, "I will see you in the morning." By this he meant the morning of a new day in God's presence beyond this life. He too knew that his impending death was not the end of life. Both ministers lived victoriously.
Someone once said, "Hope is hearing the tune of the song of a brighter tomorrow. Faith is singing the tune today."
That is what Easter is all about. And that is why we are here today. God in Christ is loose in the world, walking with us in our pilgrimage of life so that we are never alone to face life's fears and disappointments. God in Christ fills us with the Holy Spirit enabling us to be all that we can be. And God in Christ has conquered death giving us the assurance of victory and the assurance that life continues beyond the grave.
Thanks be to God as we sing the tunes of glory this morning.
AMEN!!!
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A MOMENT IN TIME
by SK Sid C. Dorris III,
RE Grand Generalissimo
The festivities of this year's Masonic Week, held in February, contained many "Firsts."
The Order of Knights Templar has a close relative known as Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests, made up exclusively of Past Commanders of a Commandery. The membership is limited to 33 Knight Priests per Tabernacle, and only one Tabernacle may exist for every 20 Commanderies of Knights Templar or major portion thereof, or one per Grand Commandery.
The Grand College of America of Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests was first organized in 1935 with warrants and Patents from the Grand College of Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests situate in York, England.
Over the years, the association between the Grand College of America and the Grand College of York, England, the only two Knight Templar Priest orders in the world, was sporadic. Occasional trips were made by leadership of these two orders through the years, but nothing was done on a regular basis. Neglect caused miscommunication and misunderstanding, and over time relations became distant and strained. Communication was lacking, which never is good for strong relationships.
This year; as a result of many phone calls and e-mail exchanges initiated by M.E. Knight Priest William H. Koon II, Grand Preceptor, with the Grand College situate in York, England; an historic Agreement was reached. The agreement calls for a commitment to maintain strong communications between these prestigious orders and defines a procedure whereby the orders may be expanded. As a sign of unanimity, both Grand Colleges, after signing the Agreement, together Chartered a new Grand College for France.
The signing of the Agreement is celebrated on the April cover, and other pictures of these events are below.
Truly, a new day has dawned for the Order of Knight Templar Priests, and the leadership of all three Grand Colleges have committed themselves to building a strong relationship for the future.
Central to the achievement of anything is a lot of hard work by many on both sides of the Atlantic. Sir Knight F. Douglas Draker, Past Sovereign Grand Master of the Sovereign Great Priory of Canada and an Honorary Past Grand Master of the Grand Encampment, acted in a capacity of intermediary to get discussions started. Right Illustrious Ian Fithian-Franks, Grand Recorder of the Grand College in York, and M.E. William H,. KoOn II, Grand Preceptor of the Grand College of America, were in almost daily communications via e-mail and telephone until a rough draft of the Agreement was reached. After all the officers of both orders were informed and it was approved, the final draft was printed and signed on February 8, 2008, in Alexandria, Virginia,' during the Annual Meeting of the Grand College of America.
Sir Knight Sid C. Dorris III, GCT and Right Eminent Grand Generalissimo of the Grand Encampment, resides at 2007 Brenthaven Drive, Mount Juliet, TN 37112-8244.
Joint presentation of the Patent to the Grand College of France, HRAKTP: left to right: R.E. Lawrence E. Tucker, Grand Recorder, GCA; M.E. William H. Koon II, Grand Preceptor, GCA; M.E. Patrick J. Jaillet, Grand Preceptor, GCF; M.1. E. Peter Donnison, Grand High Priest, GCY; and R.1. Ian Fithian-Franks, Grand Recorder, GCY.
Presentation of Memorial Cubes by the M.E. Patrick J. Jaillet, Grand Preceptor of GCF, HRAKTP: left to right: Ian Fithian-Franks, E. Peter Donnison, Patrick J. Jaillet, William H. Koon II, and Lawrence E. Tucker.
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What Does "Freemason" Really Mean?
by Brother C. Bruce Hunter
When and where did the word "Freemason" originate? And what does it really mean? These are among the Craft's most enduring questions, and several answers have been proposed.
The word has been in use since the 14th century, but until the modern fraternity arose in the 18th century, we find it only in a scattering of documents. And it seems no one felt the need to leave us a proper definition.
Of course, the second part is easy. It comes from the French masoun, which refers to a craftsman who works in stone, in other words a stonemason. Since the modern fraternity supposedly descended from medieval stonemasons, there's no problem here.
It's the first part of the word that causes confusion. It apparently served as an adjective to tell something about the stonemason. But what does it tell us?
Possible origins
There are several possibilities. One is that it originally denoted a person who was at liberty. This usually meant anyone who was not a serf (ie. bound to a master or feudal lord) and was, therefore, free to do what he wanted to do.
A good example of this is the ''freelance," originally a knight at liberty to carry his lance anywhere and fight for any feudal lord willing to hire him. But the term had a special meaning for stonemasons.
Since erecting massive structures like Gothic cathedrals required more craftsmen than were available locally, these projects attracted workers from far and wide. It was primarily stonemasons who traveled from place to place to find this kind of work, and as a concession to the practical needs of their profession, they were exempted from many of the regulations and taxes local workers had to deal with. So they really did have more freedom than most craftsmen, and this may be why they were called "free masons."
But nowadays most historians favor another possibility: that ''free mason" was short for ''freestone mason." Freestone was the high quality stone used for decorative work, and carving it required considerable skill. Masons who worked with freestone were elite members of the profession, and today's Freemasons like to think they were the ones from whom the fraternity descended.
On the other hand, it is just possible that we can find the source of the term in more recent history.
From operative to speculative
For the most part, today's lodges trace their pedigree to the Grand Lodge of England, which was organized in London in 1717 to oversee the affairs of several lodges that had existed there for many years.
Although no one knows the pedigree of those lodges, they most likely arose in the wake of the Great Fire of London, which devastated the city in 1666. A massive rebuilding effort was necessary to restore the hundreds of structures the fire had destroyed. And to prevent another fire from devastating the city in the future, Parliament passed a law-the Rebuilding Act-requiring that all new buildings be made of brick or stone instead of wood.
This meant that large numbers of masons had to be brought in from elsewhere, because there weren't enough locals to rebuild everything the fire had destroyed. So the city was desperate to attract as many skilled masons as possible.
To do this, Parliament added a clause to the Rebuilding Act offering workers the freedom of the city for seven years. This simply meant they could come to London and work without joining the local "companies," organizations that amounted to labor unions, which all workers normally had to join to work within the city limits.
The "freedom of the city"
The freedom of the city was a status that had existed in London since 1237. At first it was granted to persons who were free in a sense we have already seen. They were not bound to a feudal lord and were, therefore, "free" to do as they pleased. They could engage in commercial activities, own land, and were originally allowed such quaint privileges as herding sheep, carrying a sword, and acting drunk and disorderly in public without fear of being arrested.
Of course, after the Great Fire the freedom of the city was a little more practical. It was mostly a matter of making it easy for craftsmen to come to London and join the rebuilding effort.
But the Rebuilding Act contained another provision as well. Workers who came and stayed for seven years were granted the freedom of the city for life. Thus they were designated "Freemen of the Citty" of London.
The real origin of the term?
The lodges that organized the Grand Lodge of England were probably formed to serve stonemasons who came to London and earned the freedom of the city in this way. But everyone knew the building boom wouldn't go on forever. Its last major project was St. Paul's cathedral, which was completed in 1710.
After that the city had little need for visiting workers, including all the masons who had come to rebuild the city. And this is probably why the lodges that served them ceased to be craft organizations and evolved into social clubs.
Could this really be the origin of the term ''free mason"? Quite possibly, and we see a clue in a document called Masonry Dissected, which shows what the lodges' workings were like just after the Grand Lodge was formed.
This document tells us that "if any Working Masons are at Work, and you have a desire to distinguish Accepted Masons from the rest...by asking him, how old he is. he replies above Seven, which denotes he has pass'd Master."
Are we to believe that a person could be a master mason when he was seven years old? Of course not. But a man could be a ''free'' mason of the city of London after he had worked there for seven years.
Thus while the words ''free'' and "mason" had been used together for centuries and often described men who traveled to find work, their use by the modern lodge may have a special meaning. It may recall the men who rebuilt London after the Great Fire and who, after their work was finished, settled down to enjoy the freedom of a grateful city.
Brother C. Bruce Hunter has been a student of Masonic history and symbolism for more than thirty years. His research has included affiliation with the Royal Order of Scotland and such research organizations as the Dormer Study Circle, St. Alban's Research Society, Missouri Lodge of Research, and Quatuor Coronati Lodge and he is a former editor of The North Carolina Mason. His books include Inner Workings (Macoy, 2002), The Masques of Solomon (Macoy, 2003), and More Inner Workings (Macoy, 2004), all of which deal with the history and symbolism of the Masonic degrees.
For correspondence with Brother Hunter: P.O. Box 2038, Chapel Hill, NC 27515; e-mail: cbhunt@bellsouth.net
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Reflections of a Sir Knight
by SK Tom Janyssek
I was recently given a business card from Sir Knight Frederick H. Whitty, the R.E. Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of North Carolina. On the back of his card is this formula: the Christian Cross plus the Square and Compass equals Knights Templar. I really took to heart the message that the card displayed and its general intent.
Knights Templar are Freemasons who practice a belief in Christianity. In the eighteenth century Commanderies were formed specifically for Christian Masons and were founded upon the legends of the Medieval Knights Templar of the twelfth century.
All of this reminds me of many years ago when I took the Orders and my time in the room of reflection. We answered the question, "If called upon to draw your sword in a religious cause, will you give preference to the Christian Religion?" And in the conferring of the Knight of Malta, we are told, "Awake! Be not asleep to your duty, but watchful in the faith of Jesus Christ" and of course, the most prominent question of all, "My Brother, do you believe that the Savior died on the Cross for the remission of sin?" These are questions I took seriously, and while taking the Orders, I remember proudly hearing during the course of the day the title "Christian Knight." These were just a few of the inspirational memories of all I encountered that day.
So what is a Christian? Webster's dictionary says that a Christian is a believer in Christianity. Christianity is a religion founded on the teachings of Jesus Christ. A Christian is someone who gives his or her life over to Christ and practices His teachings from God's inspired Word. You were created to become like Christ. From the very beginning God's plan has been to make you like his Son, Jesus. So are we a reflection of Christ in our actions and practices, or is being a Knight Templar a vain attempt to satisfy our egos and to be socially accepted in recognition alone? Do our actions in public mirror those of Christ?
T. W. Hunt has devoted his life to such studies. In his book, The Mind of Christ, he discusses what the characteristics of a Christ-like mind should contain. He said "the natural spiritual state-one that is filled with God's Spirit and growing in Christ-is difficult to maintain. One reason is the constant assault of information on our senses. Tempters have opportunities to take us into realms of thought never known before." Has this happened to us?
As a whole society of friends and Brothers, we seem to have a tendency to look away when it comes to the very existence of our fraternal responsibilities. We start by compromising that our input at a meeting or our time spent at the lodge is sufficient. We hear that Masonry is a way of life, but is it really or have we turned it into our own personal and private club?
We are accountable to a higher level because we chose to be Knights Templar. The Orders have built a bridge between man and his Savior. The title of Sir Knight is one of privilege and should not be taken lightly. The practice of the Christian virtues, as well as the moral and spiritual lessons, pave the way for our lives.
I think back to the life of Jacques DeMolay who was the 23rd Grand Master of the Order of the Temple or Knights Templar. The order was created in the aftermath of the First Crusade of the year 1096 to ensure safe passage of European pilgrims to Jerusalem, and here was a man who was tortured for years and finally burned at the stake for his beliefs and actions in the name of Christ. Reports say Jacques requested that his hands were not to be bound so that he could pray in his final moments as they burned him at the stake. This was a true servant of Christ who represents what being a true Knight is all about.
Rick Warren in his book, A Purpose Driven Life, says "We serve God by serving others." He says ''The world defines greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige, and position. If you can demand service from others, you've arrived. In our self-serving culture with its me-first mentality, acting like a servant is not a popular concept. Jesus, however, measured greatness in terms of service, not status." How do you measure on the scale of being a servant? Better yet, do you show a "humble" servant spirit? Is it one that is serving our fraternity or one that is only looking for acolytes and awards?
Staying focused on what the true meaning of being a Knight Templar is about is entirely up to you! We can stand by with plausibility that we represent Knights Templar and continue to carry on as we have, or we can make a decision that we want and need to practice Christ's teachings and uphold our obligation. The actions, attitudes, and our mannerisms will prevail in our lives if we just embrace Christianity. By the way we live, we have so many opportunities as Knights Templar to show our fellow neighbors and friends just what makes us different.
We have something in Masonry that no other organization can offer. As Knights Templar, we have something no other Masonic organization can offer, and it is up to us to live up to what it represents and the challenges that lie ahead.
Reference:
Rick Warren The Purpose Driven Life, 2002
T. W. Hunt and Claude V. King, The Mind of Christ, 1994
Webster's II Dictionary, 1984
Sir Knight Thomas Janyssek is a member of St. John's Commandery No. 10, New Bern, North Carolina. He resides at 403 Rustic Ct., Pollocksville, NC 28573.
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"Boston Commandery March/Onward Christian Soldiers"
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