Going to My Grandpa's Home Lodge

My grandpa, my dad, and I at my dad's raising

The great thing about being in Minnesota is that sometimes, if a lodge needs a ritualist for some part, a lot of us will drop everything to help. I've been fortunate to help at a number of lodges and when I was an elected officer of my blue lodge, to have brothers come in to help us out. When I received a phone call from one of my mentors about potentially helping out with some degree work, I just got ready to suit up and head out the door. Then he mentioned the lodge: Fidelity Lodge No. 39 in Austin, MN.

"Fidelity? Really?"

Fidelity Lodge is my grandfather's mother lodge. Grandpa Dick passed away a few years back and even now, it's tough to think about his passing. Grandpa Dick was the man who got me started on my Masonic journey. He's a man I continue to respect, more so each day. When I got the call to help, I was beside myself. How could I possibly say no?

I have always had a major regret. It still eats at me every time I think of it. My grandpa was one of those Masons that joined at a very young age, around the same age that I did, and after a long life, he finally arrived at his 60th year as a Mason. The ceremony for his 60 year pin presentation was scheduled on the same night as a lodge meeting when I was still a Warden for my lodge. Sadly, what I now describe as the rather useless, kinda dumb, pre-meeting program was set for the same evening. Me being a young, dumb officer, I believed that I couldn't miss the rather useless, kinda dumb pre-meeting program so I skipped his 60th year award. He passed a couple years later so I missed all further anniversary celebrations; all potential trips to his lodge to sit in lodge with the man that made me a Mason were never, ever going to happen. I was devastated. When I received the phone call to help, I felt that redemption was possible.

Austin is a little bit of a drive from my house, but I was fortunate to have my mentor drive. We talked and shared stories and just had a real good time. I've visited Austin my whole life but I had never seen the lodge, not even the exterior of the building. This was all new to me. I can honestly say I was nervous. Like teeth chattering nervous.

We got to the door and I started thinking about what went through my grandpa's head when he opened this exact same door the first time he visited the lodge before he even became a Mason. I looked up the long flight of stairs, the really long flight of stairs and I paused.

"This is it," I thought. "This is grandpa's Masonic home."

I got to the top of the stairs and everyone saw us and started shaking our hands. It was as if I had known these men my whole life. One of the first men I met was Otto. Otto is very important to my Masonic story. When I was considering petitioning, my grandpa asked Otto if he knew a local lodge where I could join. He got in contact with my mentor and I was off to the races. I had never met Otto and had only spoken to him once over the phone. Otto is a great man and I had a lot of fun talking to him about my grandpa and the lodge.

I also met Bill who is also a great Mason and was very kind in showing me around the lodge. I was fortunate to have eaten with him and chatted about all things Masonic. And it was great to see Dean again. Dean and I have seen and chatted at Southeast Area events often, for almost a decade now. For the longest time, he was the only Austin Mason I knew and he was always happy to tell me about my grandpa.

Finally, the meal was over and I needed to focus. Ritual is very important to me and whenever I'm the Senior Deacon on this particular degree, I have to get my game face on. Masons in Preston-Webb states know why I'm saying this. Considering where I was, though, it was even more important to me. We had three candidates that night and I wanted to do a great, scratch that, stellar job for them.

Me next to the charter for Fidelity Lodge

As I began my ritual work, I started to look at the benches, at the officers' chairs, the altar, and the large lodge room. In my mind, I saw my grandpa. He was there. He was there listening to me deliver the ritual. He was there smiling with an encouraging glance. He was there as the candidate, experiencing the ritual for the first time. He was there as a long time member, listening again to the important lessons conveyed. He was there with me.

As we finished up the ritual work for the night, I finally sat down in the chair. I was emotionally drained but happy. I looked around. They were smiling. It was as if everyone in the room was saying, "you made your grandpa proud." It was tough not to tear up at that moment.

During the comment section, when everyone in the lodge was asked if they had something to say, I paused to let everyone speak. Finally, I stood up. I told everyone who I was and what the lodge meant to me.

"A lot of you knew my grandfather. My grandfather was a man of few words. I just want to say, 'thank you.'"

I said a few other things but really, I just remember the thank you. We closed the lodge and I went out to chat with everyone. A number of the brothers came up to me and told me little stories about my grandpa. One brother told me that he worked with him on the railroad starting the fire in the engine (and he even said to me that I would never remember his name which turned out to be true.). Another told me about bowling with him. It was great. I was starting to fill in the blanks of his life, a life I had never known.

Bill pulled out a book of members and there was my grandpa's page, right there, open on the counter. I stared at the page a long time. This was his record. This was the record of my grandfather. He had a memorial laid up in this very lodge's records for eternity. As I was leaving, the brothers handed me a mug and pen from their sesquicentennial (and later, they even sent me a thank you card).

As we drove away, the night sky filled with low clouds, I looked out the window at a view that I had seen countless times but one I best remembered as a child. The cornstalks swayed as a late August rain was slowly rolling in and my mind wandered back to that cold and crisp Thanksgiving day in 2005; my family and I entering my grandparents' door, greetings exchanged, and coats doffed and hung. I remember seeing the letter on the counter, a letter from a knightly order, and the long conversation I had with a man I admired then and continue to admire now.

Now that I have my own kids and my dad is a grandpa, I often think about the time when my own kids are grown. What will life be like then? But I try not to tarry too long on that question. I start to play with them and wish they'd stop growing. I wish those little moments could slow down. That I could have just one more hour at the playground, just one more day before he has to start preschool, just one more year before he's getting on a schoolbus. That's the funny thing. When you want time to stop, it speeds up. As one brother told me, "raising children is like this: the days are long and the years are short." The best we can do is try our best to remember and store away those memories in our heart.

I'm going to say something that we never said while you were alive but, Grandpa, I love you, I miss you, your great-grandchildren are doing great, and I look forward to seeing you again.

Found a Picture of my Grandfather at the Minneapolis Valley

Grandpa Jim in the middle with glasses and tan suit

When I first was thinking of Masonry, I assumed that no one in my family was a Mason. Then I found out my paternal grandfather, Grandpa Dick, was a Mason and a Sir Knight. He was the man who signed my petition and led me to a lodge near my house.

A couple of months later, I found out that my other grandfather, Grandpa Jim, was a Mason, a 32°, and an active Shriner. I was floored. Two men in my family were Masons and I had never known at all. When I found out, Masonry felt more and more like it was in my blood. I found out further that several greats and great-greats were also Masons.

At the One Day to Masonry, two good friends and I started looking through the pictures of the different Scottish Rite classes. I knew my Grandpa Jim was a member of the Minneapolis Valley and I checked my phone for his Masonic record (I had asked about a year earlier) and we started flipping through the photos for the class of 1979. It took a bit as classes in those days were huge but then, I saw him; my Grandpa was just smiling back at me.

As I went back to perform my part in the second degree, I looked in the Minneapolis Valley auditorium and thought that in one of those seats, my Grandfather had watched the degrees of the Scottish Rite, absorbing the lessons as he worked his way to the 32°. It really changed how I performed the work, as if I were performing it for him.

I know both my grandfathers keep watch over my family and I know that they have earned their reward in that spiritual building, in the Great Lodge Above. I love you Grandpa Jim and Grandpa Dick and I hope to be able to see you both when I lay down my working tools.

Cornerstone Laying for Newest Masonic Building in Minnesota

I have received a message from Rich Hervieux, the current Master of Minnesota River Valley No. 6, concerning a very rare event in the state of Minnesota. Minnesota River Valley will be moving to a new building. As we are a society of builders, there will be a cornerstone laying ceremony to kick off the renovation. Here's the message from Rich:

Attention all Minnesota Masonic Lodges, Scottish Rite, York Rite, Jobs Daughters and other Masonic bodies and friends.
I am proud to announce a cornerstone ceremony for Minnesota River Valley Lodge # 6 A.F.& A.M. it is being held on October 27th at 11:00 am at the new building, directly beside the American Legion Post on 124th St. between Princeton and Ottawa Ave's. in Savage Minnesota
All are encouraged to attend. This is a historic event as we do not get to build new masonic lodges very often. Your presence will be most appreciated.
Please share this message with all of your masonic friends and lodges here.
Fraternally
Rich Hervieux, Master
MNRV #6 A.F.& A.M

From what WM Rich told me, the cornerstone laying will be performed by the Grand Master and Grand Lodge Officers. There will also be a time capsule. Local media outlets will likely be there as well. As Rich says in the announcement, this is not a common occurrence. Please attend if you can.

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Where have you been? 2012 Edition

As happens about once a year, I have been remiss in my blogging duties. And guess what, it happens at around the same time every year. The reason for this is that the month before summer is when everything is getting wrapped up. Many lodges go dark for the summer because most of our buildings are old and don't have A/C.

I have been crazy busy. My mother lodge, Corinthian Lodge No. 67, is experiencing a major rebirth in interest. We are doing degree work a lot. We are wrapping up the last class on June 5th. It has been an amazing journey as a brother in this lodge. We have seen our lodge grow and prosper and have actually seen positive growth. Degree work can be taxing but thankfully, we have knowledgeable brothers who perform the work well and have the fortitude to keep going.

My other lodge, Faribault Lodge No. 9 has been very good about seeking lessons of the past and using them for growth into the future. The lodge is one of the oldest in the state, actually, it was chartered before the formation of the state, and has a very colorful history. The current Master is writing a history of the lodge and I hope that when he's done with the paper, he will publish it here. (That's right Jimmy, I'm calling you out.)

I was also fortunate to have met WBro. Andrew Hammer of Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22 while he was in MN. Calling him an enlightened Mason is like saying that Tesla was kind of smart. Masonry needs more observant Masons and more observant Masonic practice. I was very impressed and I hope to meet him again to "talk shop."

I was at the Grand Lodge Annual Communication and I'm happy to report that I had a great time. I met Cliff Porter and Rex Hutchens. It was like meeting a couple of rockstars. Knowledgeable and cool are just two of the adjectives I used when I met both of these brothers. Both of them exemplify what observant Masonry should strive to be. I will write more about what I learned at the Annual Communication in a later post.

The Washington Bible on the Altar

It was at this Annual Communication that I was also fortunate to be sitting in the presence of history. The altar bible that was used was the George Washington Inaugural Bible. It was on this Bible that President Washington swore to uphold the Constitution of a very young nation. It was on this Bible that the Executive Branch was born. Owned and safeguarded by the brothers of St. John's Lodge No. 1 AYM, this important document is a symbol of Executive power. I have no words to describe what I felt in that room.

As I am very active in the York Rite, serving my second term as High Priest has been rewarding yet again. We are seeing many petitions as brothers start to see the value in joining Chapter. I'm ready for the excoriating comments but I believe that a Master Mason must go through the Royal Arch degree to really understand the lessons of Masonry. Maybe I'm just biased. (Hate mail protocols engaged)

Upon a lot of reflection, I have petitioned Faribault Commandery. I sat down with several brothers and have come to the conclusion that I can go through with the Orders. My opinions continue to be informed by all of you and I'm curious to experience the Orders and learn what I can from them. (Head shaking emails engaged)

This summer promises to stay busy. I planning a visit to Castle Island Lodge, MN River Valley Lodge, and a whole host of other lodges just waiting to be explored. I also hope to blog more. Masonry is a part of my life and I like sharing it with you.

Please leave a comment below.

GL of MN Annual Communication 2012

Well, this year, I'm very far removed from any important duties. I'm currently the Marshal of Corinthian Lodge No. 67 and a member of Faribault Lodge No. 9. I'm not a line officer in anything but the York Rite nor do I have a vote at the Annual Communication. That means, relaaaaaaxation. I get to sit and listen to the proceedings and see many of brothers I get to see once a year with a sense of calm.

This year proves to be extra exciting. The first big thing at the Annual Communication will be the George Washington Inaugurial Bible. That's right, the Bible that George Washington (and many successive Presidents of the United States of America) took his oath of office to serve as the first President of the United States will be on display. The Bible is owned by St. John’s Lodge No. 1 A.Y.M., F.&A.M., Grand Lodge of New York. This is a very great opportunity for the Masons of Minnesota. You can read more about the Washington Bible by visiting the Grand Lodge website.

Furthermore, the Annual Communications featured speaker will be WBro. Cliff Porter, Past Master of Enlightenment Lodge No. 198 in Colorado Springs, CO. He’s a writer of many great books including his current tome, The Secret Psychology of Freemasonry: Alchemy, Gnosis and the Science of the Craft. He also blogs at the Relevant Mason which is filled with great thought-provoking pieces about Masonry and the practice of Masonry. I am very excited to meet him and gain further knowledge into the esoteric side of our Craft.

It appears that the Annual Communication will be pretty swell this year. I hope to see as many of you there as possible. It’s going to be great.

Lodge as Lab Part 3: Let's travel!!!

Corinthian Lodge claims the great traveling sword of Faribault

In my continuing quest to help out Masters and other lodge officers in coming up with great ideas, I will discuss yet another important task that we took at Corinthian Lodge No. 67 during my year as Master. One project that we took upon ourselves was to meet other lodges throughout our area. The reason is that as Master Masons, we are encouraged to travel as much as possible to different lodges.

Traveling is an essential part of being a Mason. I was told by my grandpa, who was a railroad man, that during the end of the 19th and the start of the 20th centuries, railroad men would meet brothers whenever the crew would come into town, even if the lodge was not meeting on that day. The tracks were a fraternal lifeline connecting brothers from the beginning of their trip to the end. That's why many lodges were built near a railway station, as a welcoming spot for visiting brethren.

During my year in the East, we traveled to many different lodges. We didn't just limit ourselves to only the district but attempted to travel to as many different lodges as we had time for. You see, Minnesota is blessed to have many different types of lodges. We have a Traditional Observance lodge (Saint Paul Three), a British-style Lodge (Sir Winston Churchill Lodge No. 351), and a moon lodge (Accacia Lodge No. 51) just to name a few.

Traveling is a right, a couched right to be sure, but a right nonetheless. Traveling gains you new perspectives, new friends, and a new feeling of Masonic spirit. Before I took the East, we, as a lodge, rarely left Farmington. Farmington was home but sometimes, you gotta branch out and experience the wider world. And that's what we did.

Traveling has added benefits for a lodge. When you travel to a lodge, you become a representative of your lodge. If you represent your lodge well, you can create a connection, a bond with the lodge you visit. When we traveled to other lodges, invariably, we would get one or two guys to travel back to our lodge. As we traveled and shared ideas, we started something more. Lodges worked together on projects, success stories were shared, and we all became better men.

If you're a Masonic officer, plan one trip per month. It really only adds one extra day to your schedule but the payoff is so much bigger than the time you spend traveling. And you know, you've got a dues card, why not use it? Every lodge is special and every lodge has something to offer; you just have to get out there and see the Masonic world around you.

Have you traveled lately? Does your lodge have a travel schedule? What are your experiences in traveling as a lodge? Leave a comment.

Castle Island Lodge U.D.

“So I visited a lodge in Manitoba.”

“Wow, Manitoba, isn’t that like 8 hours from your house? When did you find the time?”

“Actually, I visited the lodge in the spare bedroom of my house.”

“Wait, what?!”

I’ve had one of the most interesting Masonic experiences of my short time as a Freemason; I visited a virtual lodge. In fact, I believe I visited the virtual lodge, Castle Island Lodge U.D. The reason I say “the” is because I don't think there is another virtual lodge in the world.

So what is a virtual lodge? I would describe it as the next logical step after an Internet Lodge. An Internet Lodge is a lodge that is open to brothers of many jurisdictions. It is oftentimes seeking only brothers to affiliate or subscribe as degree work is not their focus. The lodge is instead a marketplace of ideas and a way for the fraternal spirit to spread across the world. An Internet lodge meets in the physical world but corresponds in a variety of Web based ways, email, message boards, etc. on daily basis. Some examples of Internet lodges are Internet Lodge No. 9659 and Lodge Ireland 2000.

A virtual lodge meets online. That's right, online. The brothers assemble online at wherever they are located. The meetings have a ritualistic opening and closing and the business of the lodge is dispensed in the same manner that a physical lodge would. It is a lodge in every sense of the word… well, maybe not every sense. This type of lodge begs the question: what is a lodge? Is a lodge the people or is the lodge the building? Or is it both?

Now for a little backstory: Castle Island Lodge U.D. is a lodge under the Grand Lodge of Manitoba. The name Castle Island originates from their first meeting location which was in Second Life. The lodge owned a virtual island that had a castle as its virtual meeting room and all of this existed within that virtual world. Second Life is a MMO World. describes it

Sidebar: I've used Second Life in the past and in some places, it has redeeming qualities but in many respects, the content and activities that go on in the Second Life world are, to put it delicately, weird.

I visited Castle Island Lodge during its June 29th stated communication. The manner in which Castle Island meets is through an online video conferencing service. I sent the lodge secretary a letter of introduction from my Grand Lodge and was invited to attend the web conference. We ritually opened and began the business of the lodge in the same recognizable format that thousands of lodges do each and every month. After all business was dispensed with, the lodge was ritualistically closed. The brothers performed the duties of the lodge as a lodge. There was a Worshipful Master, Wardens, Deacons, Inner Guard, and an Immediate Past Master. There was a VSL open with the square and compass. Every necessary component of a lodge was there.

This is an important first foray into combining Freemasonry and the Web. The Web is redefining our sense of place and our sense of time. We listen to podcasts and use DVRs. We use telepresence devices to conduct meetings from any place with Internet access or Skype or FaceTime to chat with family and friends. I would describe a virtual lodge as being a place on the Web, each brother tyling his own surroundings and within himself, guarding against the vices and superfluities of his life. Castle Island Lodge is breaking down the conception of what makes us Masons. Can Speculative Masonry work without a physical meeting place? Can we experience Freemasonry wherever we are so dispersed? I think the answer to both these questions is a resounding yes.

I really enjoyed my time with the brothers. I met Grands, Past Grands, and as well as officers of various lodges throughout Manitoba. I've met brothers dedicated to moving our Fraternity forward. I’ve seen a new route that Freemasonry is taking as she enters the burgeoning world of technology.

My opinion is that Grand Lodges need to encourage these types of experiments. Evolving doesn't mean discarding or ignoring what once was, is, or will be nor is Castle Island Lodge an innovation. I'm glad to see a Grand Lodge, like Manitoba, embracing something like this. I don’t think we need to completely dismantle the physical Masonic world and reassemble it online like the laser on TRON because we need those places as well. (I’m not going to lie though; I wish I could have a light disc and light cycle. Dare to dream.)I don’t see a virtual lodge as interfering with our practice or the only way that Masonry should be worked. What I do see it as is a new effort at making connections. That is what Masonry is all about.

When we enter into the lodge door, we enter in the same or similar manner as every other brother of that lodge. Our personal impressions and perceptions belong only to us but the process is completely set before we enter. I’m a man that sees Masonry as a process, not an outcome. Oftentimes, we are driven to outcome-only thinking, how many brothers were raised in a given year?, how much to charity have the members donated?, or how many lectures have we memorized?, but really that’s not the purpose of Freemasonry. We seek new places and new ways to further our light. It’s not the third degree as an end but as a beginning. We are a process-driven organization.

Castle Island Lodge is a new place and a new way for gaining light. The venue may be different but the process is the same. Who knows where this concept will lead except perhaps the Great Architect. But this is something that has to be done. We must investigate new ways of bringing light to brothers. Another lasting benefit is that our infirm brothers may continue to take part in our labors. A brother in a land that is not necessarily hospitable to Freemasonry can still find fraternity. And of course, I know my wife appreciated that it took me 5 seconds to get home.

Of course, some things can never be recreated in the virtual world. You cannot have a festive board with all the brothers assembled around a table. (Although you could each eat dinner and have toasts at each individual location) You cannot use all the modes of recognition and outer lodge chats don’t happen at the pub. I think all these are relative. A virtual lodge, and indeed any lodge with a different take on Freemasonry, will invariably lose one aspect to gain another. The Masonic world like the profane world is a series of trade-offs.

This isn't the one single answer to rule them all but this is an important thread to follow. The lodge will still have to perform the three degrees in the physical world. The lodge will still have to be installed in the physical world. That's okay with me. The idea that brothers from every corner of the globe can and will be available to labor and feel the fraternal bonds of our Craft is revolutionary.

As with all things on the Web, I was reminded by the brothers of Castle Island that this lodge is still improving, or in Google terms, currently in Beta. And just like a Google product in Beta, this lodge and its novel concept will continue to improve. All the parts are working and only minor tweaks will need to be made to be ready for primetime.

I will cherish the new found friends that I have met during my visit to Castle Island Lodge. I want to thank Castle Island’s Worshipful Master, M.W.Bro. Dave Love - (Grand Master in 2009-10)
and
M.W.Bro. Chibu Uson (current Grand Master) - Senior Warden
M.W.Bro. Steve Kane - Junior Warden & Treasurer (Grand Master 1995-96) current Executive Secretary of Grand Lodge
M.W.Bro. C. Rae Haldane-Wilsone - Secretary (Grand Master 1997-98, Gr Sec 2001-2010)
R.W.Bro Bernie Gross - Past Grand Director of Ceremonies and current Grand Historian
R.W.Bro. Norm Pohl - Chaplain (current Grand Chaplain)
R.W.Bro. Jake Mohns - Past District Deputy Grand Master and WM, Mystery Lodge #174 Thompson, Mb.
R.W. Bro. Fred Heinrihs

I will be visiting again in August and I'm very excited with the prospect of presenting an educational piece to the lodge. This is a brave new world but unlike Huxley's dystopian vision of the Fordian World State, technology is here and it's wonderful, ubiquitous, and game-changing. Thanks go out to all the brothers of Castle Island Lodge. I had a wonderful time.

If you’re interested in more information, please use the contact form here. Welcome Freemasonry to the Web, you’re really going to get along well.

Guest Article: Project: Wayfarer

by Matthew Dexter Edmonds, MM

John W. Barkley Lodge No. 621 of F. & A. M. in N. Olmsted, Ohio

trail name: "Forsaken Route"

edmondsmd@att.net

http://www.edmondsmd.info

on Facebook

Brethren, you know the song "Wonderwall" by Oasis? It goes "today was gonna be the day, but they’re gonna throw it back to you. By now, you should have somehow realized what you gotta do..." I'm 27, a Millennial and I've been a Mason for 9 years and a DeMolay for two more on top of that. I was stateside in the Army from 2002 to 2005 where Masonry and its appendants were the only way I "went abroad." I turned majority while serving what was then Alexandria - Washington Chapter, DeMolay International while they were meeting at the George Washington National Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Va. People who meet there generally think like the memorial is just another temple to them. I, on the other hand, found it to be a pleasure doing business in the premiere house of American Masonry. If there are two things I regard highly in my Masonic career, they'd be... that which is unique... and that which is obscure.

I just told you about the unique... now; let me tell you about the obscure. What you probably don't know is that Masonry has a service organization that is registered with the DOD's Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) and the VA's Volunteer Service (VAVS) as a service organization in many of their facilities. It has the same classification as the VFW, American Legion, and the USO in said facilities known as the Hospital Visitation Program (HVP), which is a part of the Masonic Service Association (MSA) of North America. It's probably the original catalyst that led to the formation of the MSA.

Apparently, prior to the MSA, our 49 American grand lodges could not come together to agree on creating such an organization. However, lodges during WWI were requesting to send care packages to Masonic troops overseas and the Federal Government refused to deal with all of them. And in 1918 the MSA was created for the purpose performing services which individual grand lodges can't readily do themselves.

Since then, the MSA has taken on some other interests, such as some of the brochures you may see around your Tyler’s station, disaster relief, the Masonic Information Center (MIC), and short talk bulletins come to mind. I am currently the Deputy Representative to the Masonic Service Association at the Wade Park VA Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. While some MSA HVP's maintain a more robust program of volunteerism, others keep it simple and stick to visiting the patients. The HVP attempts to address the morale and welfare of every serviceman and veteran within a facility, not just Masons.

I've often found that the best opportunities in Masonry are the ones I invent myself. I'm going on a transcontinental hike (or at least I'm going to attempt such a feat) from the Great Northern Peninsula in Newfoundland on the Atlantic Ocean and ending at Cape Alva, Washington on the Pacific. To put it mildly, I've been blessed. I think I should mention that a similar route has been attempted before by Mr. Andrew Surka and is known as the "Sea-to-Sea" by the North Country Trail (NCT, which covers about 3,300 miles of the said 8,000 mile journey). Essentially, there are about 7 major trails in the northern USA which do not connect. And the NCT is considering the feasibility of the route as to whether they wish to finally establish those connections.

It took him about a year to cross the continent. And from what I understand, during the missing links, the path in-between is at the hiker's discretion (which is the case in western ND and most of MT). It seems that he preferred a course which isolated him from civilization to test his ability to cope with it... not to mention that many hikers just like to "get away from it all."

Not me. I'm not much of an environmentalist... I'm a distance person, myself. I project that my course will be different because my mission is different. And my mission is to travel domestic and abroad in support of the MSA-HVP in the United States. To put it mildly, the course, when at my discretion, will favor one thing... town. This transcontinental solo hike is what I call "Project: Wayfarer." Because of the nature of the MSA's 501(C)3, when I start fundraising, I will not be able to solicit donations from non-Masons (however, I can accept them). At the moment I am considering my fundraising options. What I can tell you is this... We will be doing things "electronically (i.e. PayPal or Google Checkout)."

Brethren, on the trail we have what are called "trail angels." Which is if somewhere you see me on the road, don't be afraid to stop by, walk with me, give me a snickers, offer me some place warm to sleep, so on and so forth. I'm probably going to be requesting to sleep on Masonic building grounds anyways… even if it’s outside, under an emergency metal staircase.

Before I conclude, I want to tell you a story. And this one is like another song, only this time by Hank Williams, Jr. (a.k.a. Bocephus) called "The Ride." It's when he gets picked up and the ghost of his father gives him (his career) a lift to Nashville. I was somewhere about 20 miles southeast of Canton, Ohio on the Buckeye Trail field testing a new piece of equipment (like a shakedown cruise). And my return loop put me on a secondary state highway. And I came up on a 3 way intersection and this Buick pulled up and the guy asked if I wanted a ride? And I've hitched before, only this was no ordinary hitch... and he certainly wasn't a ghost.

But he was looking awwwwwwwwwfully dressed up for a rainy Saturday night. Turns out those decals on his tail lights were RAM... the suit he was wearing was red. And he even came complete with a KYCH tie clip. Apparently his blue lodge meets on 2nd Saturdays and he had just got out... and gave me a lift back to town where my car was parked.

Now that you have read Brother Matthew's guest article, I would like to ask all of you to repost, link on your site, tell your friends, tell your lodge, post to Facebook or Twitter, and talk to your Grand Lodge about this plan. I feel very strongly about our brother's goal. If you are a brother in the northern states or southern provinces and would like to help out, please email him or "like" his Project: Wayfarer on Facebook. Thank you Brother Matthew for this article and good luck on your travels.

Sir Winston Churchill 3rd Degree

I was present at a truly amazing event for Minnesota Masonic history, the first raising of one of the newest Lodges in this jurisdiction, Sir Winston Churchill Lodge No. 351. The ranks of the Lodge are filled with many brilliant and distinguished brothers of this state including Past Grand Masters, Monitors of the Ritual Work, Past Masters of many Lodges, and some of the brightest minds in Minnesota Masonry. The Lodge is built upon the traditions of British Masonry, hence it's patron being the great British politician and Brother, Sir Winston Churchill. The Lodge, however, performs the Minnesota work, our own variation of Preston-Webb, which they performed last night in perfect form.

The Lodge moved its charter to the Minneapolis Valley Scottish Rite Temple to perform this Third Degree. The Minneapolis Valley is one of the few Valleys in this country that performs all 29 degrees of the Scottish Rite. I am not a member of the Scottish Rite, but visiting this beautiful and intriguing building has begun to whet my appetite for more Masonic participation. The building is epic, filled with a maze of different rooms and caverns. Strange implements of degrees I haven't taken a part. The library was amazing and the main room raised a canopy like those of heaven, just a beautiful sight to behold.

The idea of putting on this degree in the cavernous confines of the sacred space, with its various Masonic and Scottish Rite adornments defining the experience to be had within. How beautiful and fitting to confer the last and highest degree of Ancient Craft Masonry in this Temple dedicated to our highest aspirations and duties as Freemasons.

The degree work was done with great care and skill, led by Most Worshipful Brother Tom Jackson in the East. The entire degree work was performed, including the lectures, in handsome form. The lectures were crazy well-done by Bob and Doug, the Second lecture by Dan and the full third lecture by John. I really feel that the candidate got something from it. The brothers of this Lodge know their stuff and I was totally impressed. After the degree was conferred, I met with my friend and Brother, Nick, who had just returned from Washington, D.C. and was fortunate enough to sit in George Washington's home Lodge, Alexandria-Washington No. 22, and he returned with a gift for me, a pin from its Worshipful Master for this year. Nick is an extremely well-traveled brother with, dare I say (dare, dare) more knowledge of the Craft than me.

I'll try to get pictures of the event and publish them below.

Sir Winston Churchill, The Start of a New Day

On Friday, November 20th, I visited a meeting of Sir Winston Churchill Lodge #351. This Lodge, although following what is termed the "Minnesota Rite" (a variation of Preston-Webb "American" Rite), it seeks to evoke the sense and sensibilities of the British Lodge way of life. It is a very interesting and different experience than what most brothers are used to.

Sir Winston Churchill is designed as an Affinity Lodge. An Affinity Lodge allows the brothers a better focus on a shared subject. An Affinity lodge can range from a British-styled lodge, a lodge of lawyers, or a Lodge of military men. The Affinity concept has been used for many years in jurisdictions like the United Grand Lodge of England or the Grand Lodge of DC, F.A.A.M. with great success.

Why do I think that Affinity lodges are so successful? I think it has to do with the common purpose or affinity. When a brother joins a lodge, he may not have a direct connection to the other brothers, either via avocation or interest. However, if that brother has that connection, he is more likely to become dedicated to that Lodge.

Sir Winston Churchill Lodge is also a mentoring Lodge. Sir Winston Churchill Lodge will partner with other Lodges to provide strategies for both Lodge leadership and Masonic growth in the state. Mentoring brothers is essential and this should include leaders of a Lodge. The Lodge has between five to seven years to get a brother ready to lead. We can and should help our Lodges in every aspect and SWC is one resource Lodge leaders should take advantage of.

A brother from my Lodge and his father and I went to SWC #351 only knowing what I had learned from talking with the brothers of the Lodge. Sir Winston Churchill #351 is the first Lodge in more than thirty years to meet in downtown Minneapolis. After making introductions, we began a social hour that involved a Emulation ritual degree practice an hour before the stated meeting started.

I have never seen this Rite done in any form and although I knew what I was seeing and hearing, it was like watching "the Office" from UK after watching "the Office" from the US. There are a few things that are different but the basic storyline still remains. The lessons of Masonry are taught through a new perspective. Marcus Aurelius wrote,"everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth." Of course, the more perspectives of the same subject that you have, the better able you are to see the penumbra of truth. The pursuit of truth and understanding requires that you change where you gaze. As I watched the Emulation rite practice, I felt like our operative brothers, walking to another side of the temple to better understand the whole.

I have never traveled Masonically outside my own state. That's right, never, even though I live less than thirty minutes away from the Wisconsin border. I'm steeped in Minnesota Masonry without any broader perspective. SWC #351 has helped me see the wider world. All Lodges do something different but even more so, each Masonic jurisdiction has its own variation on how Masonry is learned. Ritual in Minnesota is not the same as Iowa or Wisconsin; Pennsylvania doesn't even have a staircase. It is great that the brothers of Sir Winston Churchill Lodge are trying something new, giving Minnesota brothers opportunities that we would have to travel many miles to experience.

Masonry is a progressive science and Sir Winston Churchill #351 is a great example of our dedication to evolve. As I said goodbye to the brothers, I began to understand what I was feeling. The air was electric, the mixture of dedicated brothers and a great idea. And that is really what Masonry is, a really great idea pushed forward by dedicated brothers.

If you are in the area and you are looking for a new Lodge experience, check out their new website. This Lodge represents a new and exciting chapter in Minnesota Masonry and I'm thankful to the brothers of Sir Winston Churchill Lodge #351 for helping me to see a new perspective in Masonry. As Sir Winston Churchill said,”for myself, I am an optimist — it does not seem to be much use being anything else.” Yes, I'm an optimist, and this Lodge is the future and what a bright future it is.

Cornerstone Laying at Amplatz Children's Hospital

Today, the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, A.F. & A.M., performed a cornerstone laying at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital. Amplatz Children's Hospital will be a state-of-the-art facility replacing a much less satisfactory situation. The original setup involved the Children's Hospital being located within the adult hospital. This new building will have over 200 beds to provide top care for children and mothers. The hospital will be eco-friendly and will provide many ways for families to stay comfortable while their children are there including overnight rooms. The children will even have control over the lighting and color in their rooms, which has been shown to improve healing.

The purpose of the hospital is to help children and their families overcome extremely challenging times. We were told by the administrator of the hospital that the staff at Amplatz won't just deliver innovations in pediatric care but create them. To understand more about, you can fan them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter. It is a blessing that this state continues to push ahead medical research with the number of teaching hospitals, medical device producers and world class health systems based here. A wonderful video has been produced and can be viewed below:



This is a very proud day in University of Minnesota history. The ceremony was well attended by the brethren of Minnesota and the ceremony was well done,

including a very moving speech delivered by the Grand Orator and a great friend, Bill Callister.


It is no surprise that the Grand Lodge of Minnesota laid the cornerstone for this great work as Minnesota Masonry and the University of Minnesota has a great tradition of cooperation.

The Masonic Cancer Center Fund was originally founded in 1955 to help raise $1 million dollars for a center for terminally ill patients. The goal of the Masonic Cancer Center has changed dramatically from helping terminal patients at the end of life to finding a cure for cancer. The Masons of Minnesota, in 2008, gave the single largest gift to the University of Minnesota with $65 million.

The University of Minnesota is an important center for research and intellectual growth in the state of Minnesota. I'm very proud that our brothers have dedicated their time and money to continue advances in life changing medical research. Masons are pillars of our communities, supporting all those around.

Winston Churchill Lodge #351 Consecration Ceremony and Installation

On August 30th, in the harbor town of Excelsior, I was fortunate enough to see a ceremony for an event that has not happened since 1987, the consecration of a new Lodge, specifically Sir Winston Churchill Lodge #351. Sir Winston Churchill is a Lodge that will exemplify the British Emulation Rite. It has been developed for the purpose of finding something new for brothers, as its ranks are filled with Past Grand Masters, Past Masters and interested brothers, all there to find a new source of light, wisdom and conviviality. It is only fitting that the brothers chose Churchill as their named patron, who stood up while others stayed silent to defend liberty against the most evil threat to ever arise on this Earth.

Churchill knew the dangers of appeasement, the coming onslaught of the totalitarianism, and the descending of the Iron Curtain upon the face of Europe. He proved his mettle through strength of arm, strategic aforethought, and a belief in the rightness in the cause of freedom. Churchill was also a Freemason, having been raised in Studholme Lodge #1591 in 1901. It seems fitting that a Lodge which seeks to exemplify the British Emulation Ritual would choose such a strong personality to emulate and honor.

For any who don't know, British Emulation Rite is practiced by the United Grand Lodge of England as well as other recognized Grand Lodges throughout the world. In Minnesota, we use a modified version of Preston-Webb known colloquially known as the "Minnesota Work" and are constitutionally bound to practice only this ritual in a Lodge constituted in this jurisdiction. Therefore, the Lodge must perform its official work using the "Minnesota Work." However, the brothers of Sir Winston Churchill will exemplify the British Emulation degrees and will continue their study into the rich traditions of English Freemasonry. They seek not to compete with other Lodges but instead present a different experience for interested brothers by sharing the British Emulation as an educational experience. I was given this two page primer explaining the goals and purposes of Sir Winston Churchill Lodge #351 by MWB Tom Jackson:

















As I mentioned, the Grand Lodge of Minnesota has not constituted a Lodge since 1987. Thankfully, through the hard work of the brothers of Sir Winston Churchill,
newly installed Master, WB John Gann, and PGM Tom Jackson, a novel approach to Freemasonry has come into fruition in this state. Most Worshipful Brother Tom McCarthy presided over the event and RWB John Cook, RWB Tom Hendrickson and MWB Andy Rice assisted in consecrating the Lodge. Also in attendance were many distinguished brothers from many jurisdictions to see this most important undertaking, including MWB Akram Elias, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, RWB Alan Tibbets, Deputy District Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, and Worshipful Brother Joseph Howell of Benjamin Franklin Lodge #83, Grand Lodge of Wisconsin. Benjamin Franklin #83 works the British Emulation Rite, following the traditions of English Lodges.


As the officers donned their resplendent blue aprons for the first time, I could sense a change. We are no longer a Grand Lodge based around cookie cutter Lodges struggling to regain interest in the Craft but an organization desirous to be as varied as the members who occupy it. I am thankful to see Lodges trying new things like Saint Paul #3 using a Traditional Observance model, or Sir Winston Churchill Lodge #351 exemplifying the British Emulation Rite. This should be the model, Lodges should find a niche, and they should try new things.

After the installation of WB John Gann as Master and the other elected and appointed officers of Sir Winston Churchill Lodge #351, we began our processional lead by bagpipers to the Irish Pub across the street. I know what you're thinking, “an English-style Lodge meeting in an Irish pub?” Yet, I am happy to report that this Festive Board felt right at home in the dark, Walnut-paneled pub.
In the pub, we were all able to share a meal and toasts using the traditional English style. MWB Elias gave an impressive speech on where our Fraternity is and where it will be going, which was fitting as the brothers of Sir Winston Churchill embark on new territory in Minnesota Masonry. As we gave our final toast and sang our final song, I witnessed, in that dark, pub basement, the refulgent eyes of these brothers, their excitement and zeal casting a brilliant glow throughout the room.

At the end of the evening, some of us met at a bar across the road from Lake Minnetonka sharing cigars, stories, and songs. This gathering at the end of a perfect evening was proof of this auspicious occasion, an occasion of birth and growth, of traditions and experiments. It seems fitting that a Lodge that seeks to further enlighten the Craft would have its consecration in a town called Excelsior, as that word means “ever upward” in Latin, so this Lodge continues ever upward in the cause of Freemasonry. I want to congratulate the brothers of Sir Winston Churchill Lodge #351 for the hard work for making Masonry compelling, heartening, and wondrous. I would also like to congratulate WB John Gann on his installation and MWB Tom Jackson for his leadership during his time as Grand Master to make this Lodge possible. I need only one word to sum up this experience and this Lodge, a word borrowed from Most Worshipful Tom Jackson, “Marvelous.”

++++++++++++++++Update+++++++++++++++++++++++++

9/2/09

I have been informed by Most Worshipful Tom that if you are interested in attending Sir Winston Churchill #351, you can contact the Lodge Secretary, Frank Harris, at fharris (at) usinternet (dot) com or Most Worshipful Brother Tom at tom (at) pro-activemktg (dot) com. If you live in or are visiting the Minneapolis area, you should really check out this fascinating Lodge experience.

District 26 Meetup

I just got back from the District 26 meeting in Red Wing. I have visited the town of Red Wing many years ago but I have never visited the Red Wing Lodge. District 26 consists of a lot of single digit Lodges. The Lodges in District 26 are: Dakota #7, Red Wing #8, Faribault #9, Oriental #34, Carnelian #40, Social #48, and my mother Lodge, Corinthian #67. The youngest Lodge in the District, my Lodge, was founded in 1867. Enough about history and down to the meeting.

We began the meeting with introductions by Worshipful Brother Gary who is our new District Representative. WB Gary has really done great things for Red Wing Lodge and his appointment to DR should prove very advantageous for all of us down here.

After the introduction, we were given a presentation from Right Worshipful Brother Tom, the Senior Grand Warden, (who writes a great blog entitled All Things Masonic) concerning the new Kids ID program (in most places, it is called MasoniCHIP) and the Minnesota Masonic Historical Society. I really appreciate the zeal that RWB Tom has for the Craft and I think that he has the vision to move the Craft forward in this state.

The new Kids ID program will be much more complete than any program that we have done in the past. I am sure everyone reading this has received a presentation concerning the CGMMNA-sponsored Masonichip. This program will involve a digital fingerprint scan, DNA swab and a dental impression. This new system will require more time, in fact, 15 minutes to create an ID packet per child. This is a completely different mindset than the numbers driven program of the past. In the future, the program will involve Lodges seeking partners in the community to administer as well as requiring appointments by parents for their children.

The second part of RWB Tom's presentation was about the Minnesota Masonic Historical Society & Museum. If you hae not already visited the Museum, you are really missing out on the history of Minnesota. Many of the incorporators of the Grand Lodge were integral in the formation of Minnesota. The Grand Lodge of Minnesota was the first corporation in the state. The Historical Society offers the services of volunteers to help Lodges in the state with their own records. I will likely be joining the Society very soon.

We also had Brother John give a presentation on Minnesota Masonic Charities. This time, we were able to see a film from the 1950's. The film was made for the Masonic Cancer on the U campus. It was truly fascinating to see the kind of movement that the brothers had to get things done and money collected to build the great work of finding cures for cancer.

Finally, WB Gary gave us news and reports about our District. I am really excited to work with WB Gary and I know he will help my Lodge continue our rate of growth or renewal. All in all, a great conference.

The Millennial Freemason Visits: Braden Lodge #168

An immediate feeling of welcome, check, Great Ritual Work, check; Great Fellowship, check;  … oh.. hello, sorry, I was busy looking over my “what a Lodge needs for Masonic Renewal” and Braden Lodge #168 is a great example of how Freemasonry is hitting its stride and coming back. I would like to describe how Braden Lodge #168 has accomplished what Lodges must do to begin the Masonic Renaissance.

On Thursday, March 19th, I was fortunate to again enter the Triune Masonic Temple to visit Braden Lodge #168 to watch seven candidates receive their Entered Apprentice degree. That’s right, seven. Also, they had conferred the first degree on another brother earlier who would be joining the class later, making in all eight newly made Masons. When I asked the brothers if that was a common size for degree classes, I was told that it is between seven and ten and sometimes bigger. What, what, what, what?!

I come fr0m a Lodge that does pretty well bringing new brothers into the Fraternity. When I heard that Braden Lodge raises two classes ranging from seven and ten, I wanted to know how. What are their secrets of success?

I think it is rather obvious and other Lodges should take note what  Braden does well for their own success. The first attribute of this Lodge is that they make visitors and newly admitted brothers feel welcome. When you are in an old building built for the practice of Masonry, it can be rather austere and overwhelming. Unless you have a brother to guide you through this new experience, you can be taken aback right out of the door. That is not the case as I entered the door into the Lodge. I was greeted, and after making sure I was in fact a Mason, I felt immediately welcome into Braden Lodge. Also, looking into the faces of my new brothers, I could see also that they felt comfortable within their new Lodge.

The second attribute is that they do quality ritual work. When the ritual is treated with the respect and care that it deserves, the brothers and candidates can feel the electricity in the room. The first degree is always the most important degree to do well. When a new brother goes through the degree work, it is the first time that he will experience Masonry. If the work is done shoddily, lazily, or without proficiency, the candidate’s experience will be cheapened to the point that they may not seek to return to the Lodge to complete the degrees. Braden Lodge did the ritual extremely well and I could see on the candidates’ faces that they could feel the energy within the Lodge Room.

The third attribute is that Braden Lodge has a culture, from what I could see, of fellowship and friendship. Each candidate was given a mentor to work through to the next degree. Mentorship is essential for creating the bonds of brotherhood. However, it isn’t just mentorship that made these newly admitted brothers feel welcome. After the meeting, we continued to talk and chat late into the night as brothers but also as friends.

From all that I saw from the brothers at Braden Lodge, this Lodge and many that are like it, are leading the way to a renewed Fraternity, a Fraternity that seeks to impress upon its members the lessons but also the friendships that are created and maintained through our brotherly ties. I want to congratulate the work of the brothers of Braden Lodge #168 and I also want to congratulate my newly admitted brothers; you have entered the greatest Fraternity that the world has ever seen. I am sure that you will find what you learn here will help you in throughout your life.

I want to thank brother Mitch for inviting me to visit Braden Lodge. I don’t know how I keep experiencing great Masonry at the Triune Masonic Temple after visiting both Saint Paul Lodge #3 and Braden Lodge #168 but  I do each and every time. I am hoping in the near future to complete the trifecta and visit Unizar Lodge #347 which also meets at Triune. I am sure that it will be another great experience in my Masonic travels.

The Millennial Freemason Visits: Saint Paul Lodge #3

I was fortunate enough to have been invited by the Senior Warden of Saint Paul #3, Worshipful Brother Clay, to attend a Special Communication of his Lodge dedicated to education on the 2nd degree. Saint Paul #3 is the oldest Lodge in Minnesota and is our Grand Lodge’s only Traditional Observance Lodge. For anyone unfamiliar with what a Traditional Observance Lodge is, TO Lodges, as they are called, follow a set of guiding principles developed by the Masonic Restoration Foundation. These Lodges believe in ritual work being done well, an Agape or a Festive Board being held after the meetings, a lecture, music piece or some other presentation being given at each meeting to expand the brethren’s formal Masonic knowledge, formal attire being worn, and attendance being expected by all brothers of the Lodge. TO Lodges use a combination of English, North American and Continental European and South American traditions in the practice of Freemasonry. Traditional Observance Lodges do not use different ritual, but are able to take what we have and make it awe-inspiring.

I have never been to a TO Lodge and really didn’t know what to expect. So I donned my newly purchased white shirt, black tie and black suit and went on my way with a brother from of my Lodge, Brother Jon. I have never been to the Triune Masonic Temple on Iglehart and Howell but immediately, I was impressed. The building exudes the greatness and importance that our Fraternity brings to men. The building was built in 1911, a few years before the Farmington Masonic Temple was built. The building is quite impressive and has been especially built for the practice of Freemasonry. In fact, Triune Masonic Temple is one of the few Fellow Craft’s lodges still in existence. This means that the Lodge Room is specifically designed to confer the 2nd Degree on candidates with all the Fellow Craft degree’s symbolism built into the Lodge Room itself. It is truly a remarkable building to see as a Mason.

As I met the brothers of Saint Paul #3, Jon and I were asked to wait to be allowed into the Lodge Room. As Jon and I entered, I knew I was entering a very different Lodge environment by the dim lights and burning tapers around the Lodge Room as the other brothers entered wearing tuxedos and white gloves. It was at this moment that I knew I would be going through a very new and wonderful Masonic experience. I won’t go into detail on how the brothers performed the ritual but I can say that the ritual was done extremely well with great proficiency.

I was truly amazed by how the ritual is treated by the brothers of Saint Paul #3. It is my opinion that it is our ritual that sets us apart from all other social clubs, men’s groups, or fraternities. Our forefathers presented us with beautiful ritual built on a system of morality and thoughtful contemplation. What the brothers at Saint Paul Lodge #3 do is treat Masonry and her ritual as solemn and pensive. I wouldn’t consider myself a perfect ritualist but I have been trying to become proficient in our ancient traditions and when I watch good ritual work performed, I feel a true affinity to my brothers and to Masonry. It wasn’t just the ritual that made this Lodge experience special but also the presentations and musical performances.

As I sat in the dim, candle-lit Lodge room, I listened to two well-written papers on Masonic subjects, one by Worshipful Brother Clay, the other by Worshipful Brother Jim, and closed my eyes as I listened to two beautiful piano pieces, one by Debussy performed by Worshipful Brother Jim and one by Bach performed by Brother Andrew. I wanted to get the full effect of this Lodge experience. I looked about myself and listened intently to the sounds of the ritual, the musical pieces and the periods of silence, searching and finding meaning within each pause, each word, each note and each movement about the Lodge. Although I have no problem with the way my Lodge does its ritual work, I really found this to be a new and refreshing Masonic experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.

We in Minnesota are truly fortunate to have a Traditional Observance Lodge within our jurisdiction. If you are a brother and you live in Minnesota or will be in Minnesota, I would suggest giving this Lodge a visit. If you will be planning to visit Saint Paul #3, please contact their secretary as they need to know how many will be at the Agape or Festive Board after the Lodge meeting. Also, if you are fortunate enough to live near a Traditional Observance Lodge in your state, you need to visit it so you too can be immersed in the Wisdom, the Strength and the Beauty of our Fraternity and to have the same transcendent experience that I enjoyed during my time with the brothers of Saint Paul #3. I was incredibly impressed and I want to thank Worshipful Brother Clay for his invitation to attend a Lodge experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

My First Anniversary in Duluth

As some of you may know, my wife and I went to Duluth to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. Duluth is one of the most beautiful towns in the United States. Whether taking a stroll along the Lakewalk or the Glensheen Mansion, the city seems to present a different place in time; the beauty of the Old West mixed with the trappings of the modern age.

While I did not go to any Masonic lodges or participate in any other Masonic events, I did take some photos of the Masonic Center in downtown Duluth.

The Duluth Masonic Center houses many organizations including 4 Lodges (Palestine #79, Ionic #186, Euclid #198, Glen Avon #306) the Scottish Rite Valley of Duluth, and a Demolay Chapter. Glen Avon Lodge #306 has a very good description of the Masonic Center in Duluth including the removal of four onion shaped towers that originally adorned the building and the antique lodge equipment still in use today. There is also another Masonic Temple in Duluth but sadly, I did not get photos. I am hoping one day to actually visit a Lodge in Duluth but until such time, the facade will just have to do.