Christopher L. Hodapp's Blog, page 17

December 15-17: Masons To Celebrate Boston Tea Party's 250th Anniversary in Grand Style!

by Christopher Hodapp

(From the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts Facebook page. As an old ad guy, I have to say I really like their tag line: "Same Men. Different Times." CH)
The Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts has partnered with the Massachusetts Sons of the American Revolution and the Dr. Joseph Warren Foundation to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. From December 15 through the 17th, Freemasons and their families will be joining us from across the country, and we hope...

Ancient & Accepted Rite for England and Wales Drops Trinitarian Christian Requirement

by Christopher Hodapp

The Supreme Council 33° of the Ancient and Accepted Rite for England and Wales  (what American Masons know as the Scottish Rite) announced a significant policy change in its jurisdiction this week. Following a National Conference of Inspectors General, a letter was issued Friday stating that they are removing their longstanding requirement for petitioners to specifically declare a belief in Trinitarian Christianity.
This is an important change in this jurisdiction's membership...

Attorney for Accused Murderer of Texas Mason May Claim Client's "Mental Incompetence"

by Christopher Hodapp

The suspect arrested in the murder of a Freemason outside of the Masonic Hall in McAllen, Texas last July attended a hearing Monday in which his defense attorney asked the trial  judge for more time to research his client's mental competency. 
Julio Diaz, 35, of Alamo, Texas is accused of shooting Brother Robert Wise, 55, on July 10th as he was leaving McAllen Lodge 1110's officer installation ceremony. Security video showed a man resembling Diaz pull into the parking lot in ...

Masonic Hall in Staffordshire, England Set Ablaze on 'Bonfire Night'

by Christopher Hodapp

The Hanley Masonic Hall in Snow Hill, Stoke-On-Trent, in the province of Staffordshire, England was set ablaze Sunday night after a gang of masked youths were seen breaking a window and hurling a lit firework through it. Fortunately, no one was in the building at the time, and there were no injuries. The fire was put out quickly by local firefighters.
Local police are studying surveillance videos and attempting to identify the yobs who were having a fine old time setting fire...

George Washington Made A Mason 271 Years Ago Today

by Christopher Hodapp

A post on the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Facebook page reminds us that Sunday is the 271st anniversary of George Washington's initiation or "making" as a Freemason. 
George was made an Entered Apprentice Mason at the age of twenty in the Lodge at Fredericksburg, Virginia, on November 4, 1752. (There's some confusion over whether he was 20 or 21, because at this moment in time, the American colonies were just shifting over to using the Gregorian calendar.) He ...

Accused Chattanooga Masonic Hall Attacker Faces Federal Charges

by Christopher Hodapp

Kadum Harwood (photo above), the suspected arsonist who attacked the Chattanooga (Tennessee) Masonic Center in September has now been indicted on two federal felony counts by a U.S. grand jury. This is in addition to charges filed by Hamilton County, Tennessee of harassment, burglary, vandalism/malicious mischief, arson and reckless endangerment.
The Chattanooga Masonic Center before the attack
According to the website for WDEF-TV12: 

"The indictment says Harwood 'maliciously d...

Masons In Movies: 'Killers of the Flower Moon'

by Christopher Hodapp

I haven't seen Martin Scorsese's newest film, Killers of the Flower Moon, but Reddit and the Intertubz lit up all week long over a bizarre scene that takes place in a very real Oklahoma Masonic hall.
The movie is about a unique moment in the mid-1920s that dramatically changed the way of life for the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. The discovery of oil on their tribal land set off a huge economic boom that was well covered by writers and photographers at the time. Osage Indians dri...

NEW BOOK: 'Freemasonry From the 1st to the 33rd Degree' (1875) translated by Kamel Oussayef

by Christopher Hodapp

Illus. Kamel Oussayef 33° has just released a new book through the Scottish Rite Northern Masonic Jurisdiction as part of an ongoing program of rediscovering a treasure trove of 18th and 19th century French Masonic manuscripts. Entitled  Freemasonry From the 1st to the 33rd Degree: t he Complete Ritual of the Sovereign Grand Inspector General of the 33rd and Last Degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite,  it is an English translation of an original document in French, writt...

Speaking Saturday at Ohio's Goose & Gridiron Lodge 1717 in Dayton

by Christopher Hodapp

Just a reminder that I'll be speaking this Saturday, October 28th at the Goose and Gridiron Lodge 1717 meeting and Festive Board in Dayton, Ohio. See the lodge website for details. 
On Friday night there will be a pre-event gathering at Jimmies Ladder 11 from 6PM-9PM - not sure I can make that, as I don't know when we'll come rolling in with the Airstream. But I'll try. 
(Somebody needs to build an RV campground closer to Dayton than Brookville. Sheesh. Now, if Masonic halls w...

Why Gen-Z Probably Isn't Interested in Freemasonry and Why We Need To Care

by Christopher Hodapp

Brother Darin Lahners over at the Midnight Freemason blog has written an important essay this week that was inspired by the meme above. I had been working on my own essay along similar lines all week, but Darin has done a far better job than I was doing. Entitled, Why can't we convince Gen-Z to join Freemasonry? You won't like the answer , I strongly urge all Masons — whether they are lodge officers, grand lodge leaders, or simply rank and file brethren — to read it all the w...