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 )   	 p`    C G   T i m e s         e x / D 8 D , ,   D q
    !    W              STB-FE98.TXT   	       MASONICINFORMATIONCENTER1997ACTIVITIESManymasonsdonotknowallofTheactivitiesoftheMasonicInformationCenter(MIC)andsoweareusingthisSTBtobringyouourAnnualReportfor1997.--EditorTheMasonicInformationCenter(MIC)makesthefollowingreportconcerningour1997activities.Itwasreportedin1996thatinadditiontothetwobookletsandtwobrochuresthathadalreadybeenpublishedtheMasonicInformationCenterwasworkingonabooklettoexplaintherelationshipbetweenFreemasonryandReligionandagenericbrochuretobeusedbyanyGrandLodgewithintheUnitedStatesandCanada.ThebookletconcerningFreemasonryandReligion,titled"GetALife"ThoughtsonFreemasonryandReligion,hasbeenpublishedandisnowavailable.Wearestillworkingonthegenericbrochure.Itwasdecidedtheearlydraftreliedtooheavilyonpicturesandisnowbeingredone.Booklets/Brochures:TheMasonicInformationCenterhasproducedthreebookletsandtwobrochures.Theyarelistedasfollowstogetherwiththenumbersofcopiesthathavebeendistributed:What'sAMason?425,000ThereIsNoSinInSymbols133,000FactsAboutFreemasonry235,000AResponseToCriticsOfFreemasonrỳ125,000GetALife(newin1997)50,000Total968,000Thebookletsandbrochureshaveprovenvery,verypopularasyoucantellbythenumbersdistributed.Manyofthesepublicationsarebeingusedinstateandcountyfairswherelodgeshaveinformationboothsandfindnotonlythecontentbutalsotheattractivenessofthepublicationsextremelyuseful.WewouldliketothankBillBormanagraphicdesignartistwhohasdesignedthecoversforWhat'saMason,ThereIsNoSinInSymbols,FactsAboutFreemasonry,AResponseToCriticsOfFreemasonry,andGetALife."Focus":TheMasonicInformationCenterhascontinuedpublishingthisextremelypopularnewsletteronaquarterlybasis.Aswehavenotedbefore,manyMasonicpublicationsreprintinformationfromFocus,andwecertainlyencouragethiskindofuse.StatementonFreemasonryandReligion:WeagainencourageallGrandLodgestoadopttheStatementonFreemasonryandReligion,originallypreparedbythisCenterin1993attherequestoftheGrandLodges.ItisimportantthatFreemasonryhasonepositiononReligionandFreemasonrytopresenttothepublicandtothenewsmedia.   	 .h)5   MediaContacts:During1997theMasonicInformationCentercontinuedprovidingthenewsmediawithfactualandaccurateinformationaboutFreemasonry.Herearesomeexamplesoftherequeststhatwereceived:TheLaurelLeader.ThisisalocalpaperprintedinLaurel,Maryland,onaweeklybasis.AletterwassenttothepaperwhichwasnegativeaboutFreemasonry.Inresponse,aMasoncalledtheInformationCenterandaskedifwehadanyinformationtohelphiminrespondingtothisletter.WesentacopyoftheStatementofFreemasonryandReligionwhichthepaperpublishedinfulloverthesignatureofthelocalMason.Thisparticularexampleisgiventoshowthatwecanusesmallhometownnewspaperseffectively.BeaverCountyTimes,Beaver,Pennsylvania.Wewerecalledbyareporterdoinganarticleonfraternalorganizations.Itwasinterestingthatacommentmadeduringtheinterviewwas"WhyareyouaMason?"andwhatisthe"Drawofanorganizationthatjustdoesgoodthings."Theinterviewerwentontosay"Iknowyoudon'tsellinsurance;Iknowyoudon'thaveanationalmagazine;andIknowyoudon'thaveabarselling80beer.WhyareyouaMason?"Thisisanextremelypenetratingquestionwhicheachofusmustanswerinourownway,becausethequestionwillcomeup,perhapsnotalwaysininterviewswiththemediabutintalkswithfriends,relatives,businessassociates,andmembersoftheclergy.Eachmustanswerinhisownway,buteachofusmustbepreparedtoanswerthisquestion.NumerousrequestswereaboutwhetherornottheGreatSealoftheUnitedStatesthatappearsonthereversesideoftheonedollarbillisaMasonicsymbol.Itisnot.ToalloftheseinquirieswesendacopyoftheShortTalkBulletinbyS.BrentMorristitledTheEyeInThePyramid.Butitcontinuestobeatopicofgreatinterestandgeneratesmany,manyquestionsthroughouttheyear.Numerousrequestsarereceivedduringtheyearconcerningthelayingofcornerstones.Thereseemstobearealupsurgeinthisparticularactivity,andthemediaarebeginningtoexpressaninterestastowhyFreemasonsperformthisparticularceremony.AnextremelyhelpfulbookonthissubjectwaswrittenbyS.BrentMorristitledCornerstonesofFreedom.Thisbookhasprovenveryeffectiveinrespondingtomediaquestions.ThestudiothatproducestheseriesforA&ENetworktitledTheUnexplainedcontactedtheInformationCenterforinformationaboutFreemasonrytobepartoftheshowthatwasairedonJanuary8,1998.ItwasalsotherecommendationoftheInformationCenterthatDr.GaryLeazerbeinterviewedforthisshow.Theshowwasbalancedbetweennegativecommentsbyanti-Masonsandpositivecommentsbythoseresponding.WealsocontinuetoreceiverequestsforinterviewsfromthemediaincountriesoutsideofNorthAmerica.WehavebeeninterviewedbymediarepresentativesfromRussia,France,andPolandjusttonameafew.TheseexamplesaretogiveyouanideaofthekindsofrequeststhatcometotheInformationCenter.Alsowritten/phonerequestsfromindividualsareverynumerousandhavesuchawiderangeofquestionsthatitwouldjustnotbepossibletolistthemall.But,wewanttoassureyoueveryrequestthatcomestotheMasonicInformationCenterisansweredandalwaysaspromptlyaspossible.MediaSourceGuides:TheMasonicInformationCentercontinuestohaveitsname,address,phone,fax,website,andcontactpersonlistedinthefollowingsourceguides:I)NationalPressClub,Washington,DC2)Quill.(ThemagazineoftheSocietyofProfessionalJournalists.)3)BroadcastInterviewSource.(Astandardreferenceusedbythemedia.)RelationswiththeCatholicChurch:FollowingtheMarch1996decisionbytheBishopoftheDioceseofLincoln.Nebraska,condemningmembershipinseveralorganizationsincludingFreemasonry,attemptstoworkwiththeCatholicChurchinestablishingbetterrelationshavebeenmade.   	 .h)5   ЇAsaresultofthiseffortarepresentativefromCatholicUniversity,whoistheDeanoftheSchoolofReligiousStudies,attendedourInformationCenterSteeringCommitteemeetinginSeptemberof1997.Thisisonlyabeginningofoureffort,whichwillcontinue,toestablishbetterrelationswiththeCatholicChurch.NationalHolocaustMuseumAsnotedintheDecember1997issueofFocus,theNationalHolocaustMuseumislookingforinformationconcerningFreemasonryduringtheNazierainGermanyandoccupiedEurope.TheHolocaustMuseumwishestohaveadisplayshowinghowtheNazistreatedFreemasonsinthistimeperiod.WebsiteWhilewearestillintheprocessofbuildingourWebsitewedoencourageyoutovisitusathttp://www.msana.comandwealsorequestthatyoutellusanyinformationyouwouldliketoseeaddedtothissite.IsItTrueWhatTheySayAboutFreemasonry?1997sawthepublishingofanewandgreatlyenlargededitionofIsItTrueWhatTheySayAboutFreemasonry?:byArtdeHoyosandS.BrentMorris.Originallypublishedin1994,thisupdatededitioncontainsanumberofnewchaptersincludingasectionwithanexchangeoflettersbetweenS.BrentMorrisandT.N.SampsonofCornerstoneMinistries.Ifyouhavenotreadthisbook,wecertainlyencourageyoutodoso.Itisoneofthebestsourcesavailablerespondingtosomeofthemorevirulentanti-Masons.MasonicTelevisionForumFourprograms,lastingonehalfhoureach.havebeenproducedbyCapstoneProductionsanddistributedtotheirsubscribersin1997.TheMasonicInformationCentercontinuestosupporttheendeavorsofJacksonPolk,PresidentofCapstoneProductions,inproducingthesehalfhourcable-readyTVorlodgeprograms.TheforumisdesignedtoexplainMasonichistory,philosophy,andcurrenteventstocableandMasonicaudiences.Inaddition,theMasonicInformationCenterhasproducedaseven-minutevideo,HowToAccessCableTvwhichshows,onastep-by-stepbasis,whatneedstobedonetogetaprogramshownonCableTV.SummaryofActivities:TheMasonicInformationCentercontinuestorespondonbehalfofMasonrytoquestionsposedbythemedia,bythegeneralpublic,andbyourmembers.Asyoucanseebytheactivitiesnotedinthisreport,wecontinuetogroweachyear.ManyGrandLodgeshaverespondedtoourrequestforabudgetitemintheamountof$1,000.00sothatwecancontinuethiswork,andwearepleasedtoreportthat1997sawmoreGrandLodgesupportthan1996,andwecertainlyhopethatwewillseeanotherincreasein1998.Wedo,again,requestthat$1,000.00bebudgetedforthegeneraloperatingfundoftheMasonicInformationCenter.Thankyouforyoursupport.Thegenericvideowehadtalkedaboutdidnotreceiveverymuchsupportandwecanceledtheproject.Apparently,accordingtothefeedbackwereceived,thereisageneralfeelingthattherearemanyvideos"outthere"andanotheronewasnotneeded.TheMasonicCommunityowesagreatdealtothosededicatedBrotherswhoarepartoftheInformationCenterSteeringCommittee.Theircontributioninhoursandlaborhasbeeninvaluable.EverymemberoftheFraternityshouldrenderahearty"Thanksforallyouhavedone!"tothesededicatedBrethren.Also,wewanttothanktheGrandMastersandGrandSecretariesfortheircooperation,help,andassistancetotheInformationCenter.   	 .h)5   Workingtogetherwecanmakeadifference.THEMASONICINFORMATIONCENTERBROCHURESARESPONSETOCRITICSOFFREEMASONRYBrochurerespondingtoseveraloftheallegedpointsofconflictbetweenFreemasonryandChristiantheology.#BR120$.05each(inanyquantity)plusshippingFACTSABOUTFREEMASONRYBrochureansweringmanyofthemostfrequentlyaskedquestionsabouttheFraternity.#BR-110$.05each(inanyquantity)plusshippingBOOKLETSGETALIFE:THOUGHTSONFREEMASONRYANDRELIGION.12pagebookletdiscussingtherelationshipbetweenFreemasonryandthereligiouscommunity.$.60each(PPD):40%discountinlotsof50ormorecopies,plusshipping.#BL203THEREISNOSININSYMBOLS:16-pagebookletshowingpicturesandexplanationsofsymbolsusedineverydaylifeandsymbolsusedbyMasonsandMasonicrelatedorganizationswithexplanationsabouttheiroriginandmeaning.$.25each(PPD);40%discountinlotsof50ormorecopies,plusshipping.#BL201WHAT'SAMASON?16-pagebookletdescribingtheMasonicFraternityanditspurposes.ExplainswhathappensinLodgemeetingsandanswersmanyfrequentlyaskedquestionsabouttheFraternity.$.25each(PPD);40%discountinlotsof50ormorecopies,plusshipping.#BL202BOOKSISITTRUEWHATTHEYSAYABOUTFREEMASONRY?byArtdeHoyosandS.BrentMoms(forewordandaddendumbyJimTresner).Aresponsetosomeofthemorevirulentanti-Masons,thisbooktakesonseveralofMasonry'scriticsandrefutestheircharges.ForExample:AlbertPikeandthe"Luciferian"doctrine;JamesDaytonShaw's"expose"ofFreemasonry;RonCarlson'slecturesonthe"EvilsofFreemasonry"--allarediscussedandrefutedonapoint-by-pointbasis.The1997SecondEditionisupdatedwith100pagesofnewmaterialadded.AvailablethroughMIC@$7.50(PPD)quantitypurchase(50ormore)40%discount,plusshipping.#BK-510ORDERFROMMASONICINFORMATIONCENTER8120FentonSt.SilverSpring,MD20910Phone:301-588-4010FAX:301-608-3457 %      