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With the recent decision by the Grand Master of Florida on the exclusion of Pagan, Wiccan, or men of other “non traditional faiths” based on the Charges of a Free-Mason, I thought it a good time to look at these mysterious Masonic charges and try to put them into a historical context. I...

The following comes from a piece I wrote in 2007 on the Masonic Traveler blog. It addressed, at that time, question of Freemasonry being a religion. While the ideas may have evolved some over the years, the message in it seems to still bear some resonance in light of the question rearing its...

For some reason, I have noticed a lot of people talking about how religion influences Freemasonry lately. Some folks have proclaimed that the foundations of Masonry are found in Kabbalah or Hermeticism. Others argue that Masonry is essentially a Christian art. Quite frankly, I disagree with both...

On Thursday, August 14, 2014, the Rubicon Masonic Dinner Club will hold its 2nd annual Festive Board in Lexington, Kentucky, featuring Worshipful Brother Andrew Hammer as the guest speaker. It will be held at Spindletop Hall, 3414 Iron Works Pike in Lexington. The reception begins at 6:30PM, and...

The following is an email that I recently sent to a large group of Masons that I thought was worthy of posting here as well. Brother, I hope that this email finds you doing well and enjoying your summer. I wanted to share some thoughts around the current state of the Craft. Many, if not all...

I was scheduled to speak at the William O. Ware Lodge of Research in Covington, KY last night. On the drive over I lost the serpentine belt on the Dummies wagon, and it took nearly three hours to get a tow to the nearest dealer. Fortunately I was only about 25 minutes out of Covington. Master...

The Seal of the Templars I just received my newest issue of the Knight Templar magazine. I do enjoy a number of topics that the magazine touches upon and I'm quite happy when I see it arrive in my mailbox. I begin reading through the magazine and came upon this statement from the managing...

Getting ready to head for Cincinnati, but I just came across this article in Bloomberg about French Freemasonry: Magazines and newspapers all have stories they run in one form or another, year in, year out. The details may differ, but the stories are largely the same everywhere, striking...

Within the Commandery of Knights Templar, there are conferred 3 chivalric orders: the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, the Order of Malta, and the Order of the Temple. The Order of Malta is an order which emphasizes the lesson of faith. The pass degree of the Mediterranean Pass, or Knight of...

Due to the extended power outage caused by the ravenous Sharknados® we experienced over the weekend, show notes are pending (also because Harlan is taking the Bar Exam this week). Jason will get some show notes up shortly (as soon as the power comes back on so he can use the electric pencil...

I'll be speaking at the William O. Ware Lodge of Research No. 999 in Covington, Kentucky (just outside of Cincinnati) on July 30th at 7:30. Looking forward to it! Meanwhile, Alice and I will be in San Antonio, TX this week for the Romance Writers of America convention. Continue reading...

A surprise visit from a listener of the show who was passing through town - Hello Jack! Brother Son is in recovery . . . Harlan is still laughing at him Jason ditches Harlan and the rest of the lodge to hang with Bruce The After Lodge Crew is left unsupervised at lodge - no Master, no Wardens...

I've been in Freemasonry for nearly a decade now. Since my first day as a Mason on a cold day in early February, I have been learning and growing, talking with other Masons online and in person to get a sense of what Masonry is. What I have learned from all these years is that Masonry is not one...

The origins of the Knights of the Golden Circle can be traced to Cincinnati con man George Bickley. University of Cincinnati Civil War historian Mark Lause has a new book out titled A Secret Society History of the Civil War (University of Illinois Press). It’s a look at secret societies...

To mainstream society, the fraternity of Freemasons is still often misunderstood even after the purpose of its existence has been publically known since the transition of the Freemasons from the operative science to the speculative in the early 16th century. Though enlightenment of the...

First-of-its-kind online medical resource to provide ophthalmologists globally with the latest clinical information for treating children’s eye diseases and disorders Knights Templar Eye Foundation A Masonic Charity The American Academy of Ophthalmology today announced a new partnership...

The American Academy of Ophthalmology is partnering up with the Knights Templar Eye Foundation (KTEF) to create an online resource dedicated to children's eye care. Made possible by grants from the KTEF, this center will provide ophthalmologists around the world with the latest information for...

Catch the radio interview on KCUR in Kansas City, MO about the history of the Kansas City Scottish Rite Temple. Featured are Will Moore, author of Masonic Temples, and Bob Harmon, personal representative of the SGIG Valley of Kansas City. Click here. Continue reading...

An Omro man accused of taking funds from the Omro Masons and using them to renovate his residence is now facing criminal charges. From the Northwestern.com website in Wisconsin: John R. Hoeft, 64, is charged in Winnebago County Circuit Court with theft from a business setting of more than...

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