• The World’s Freemasonry by Thomas W. JacksonNot a member of the Masonic Society yet? Sign up now at www.themasonicasociety.com
• Introducing “The Widow’s Son” Cigar by Michael Nemeth
• A Selection of Masonic Acrostic Poetry by Stephen M. Osborn
• Why Hiram? by Leon Zeldis
• The Masonic Conservators by Thomas L. Winter
• The Philadelphia Masonic Temple photos by Michael Stein
• Cover art by Juan Sepulveda
The entire Atlantic Coast of the United States was buffeted in the last few days of October by the winds and waves of Hurricane Sandy, described by the news media as a "super storm." After crossing the shoreline in New Jersey, the storm continued inland. Extensive building and property damage, electrical outages, unhealthy conditions cause by flooding, and widespread disruption of normal living conditions have occurred in a multi-state region.
In particular, New York City and the coastal areas of New Jersey felt the brunt of Sandy. The Grand Lodges of New York and New Jersey have requested a Disaster Appeal to assist their Masonic families who have been injured or who have received extensive damage to their homes.
Please forward any donations you feel appropriate to the MSA. When remitting funds, please mark your check that you wish the donation to go to New York or New Jersey. Unmarked funds will be divided equally between the two Grand Lodges.
Make checks payable to MSA Disaster Relief Fund and send to:
Masonic Service Association of North America8120 Fenton Street, Suite 203, Silver Spring, MD 20910-4785.
MSA is a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization.
Thank you for your assistance for these stricken jurisdictions.
Sincerely and fraternally,
George O. Braatz, P.G.M.Executive Secretary
A group of computer hackers Anonymous goes by the name xPsych0path has accuse Masonichip for unwillingness to accept the forced chipping of children they are working toward mitigating it by disrupting the chipping operation. They have built their own operation, in opposition to this issue. In #OpMasonChip is designed to express publicly their anger. He had the following to say about this operation;Sites attacked were“We are fighting against putting RFID chips inside children by masons they have plan to put chips in all of us and those who don't want it won't be able to buy and sell. So I down all those site's for them” on pastebin.
"But In actual there is no "chip" in Masonichip as it stands for Masonic Child Identification Program and includes Abduction Awareness and "Safe Kids" Education benefits to all children and parents attend events and participate." Masonichip explained on their site.
Nikki Roberts is someone a teacher might call a good “all-rounder”: smart, pretty, lots of friends. Aged 31, she is also a far cry from your typical Freemason. But that, if the Federation of the International Order of Co-Freemasonry has its way, is about to change.
Forget secretive circles of white-haired men locking fingers in strange handshakes, they say. A British branch is in the throes of a thoroughly modern recruitment drive. It is using Facebook and Twitter to sign up new members, particularly young women, to its society.
“A lot of people have misconceptions about what Masonry is,” Ms Roberts says. Not surprising, given that for centuries members of this traditionally male club have refused to divulge what goes on behind closed doors in meetings and ceremonies. “I can say that it [the Freemasons] is an association, a fellowship if you like, dictated by a system of morals, with lot of symbols and philosophy...” Roberts explains. She compares it to an “occult”: “You need to believe in a divine intelligence or supreme being.”
Since joining the Freemasons five years ago, Roberts says her life has been transformed. “I gave up a lucrative job in the City and now I work in health and social care, something more rewarding,” she says. While cohorts at her lodge (one of the only mixed gender orders in the world, the British Federation) range from party-planners to nurses – many of them female – there are other common elements among members, she says. “The kind of people it draws are interested in being good people; we have respect for laws, we like giving to charity... we live by certain morals.” It is a “life-long commitment”, she adds.
The biggest misconception, Roberts says, is that women are not suited to joining the club. “People choose the Masons in order to become more aware and to awaken areas of their mind to their true nature; women, being naturally nurturing and intuitive, are particularly responsive to that.” That, however, is a matter of opinion. Ask Ken Kirk, 86, a former policeman and a member of the strictly-male United Grand Lodge of England and the answer is clear: “Mixed gender orders? Absurd.”
