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From the Editor's Quarries

Editor's Farewell
As I write this on April 21, I want to say that the current issue will be
my last as editor. I have been editing The-Philalethes two years. I
reached the age of 72 in February, and the ravages of age are becoming
more apparent to me. It is time for a younger editor to take the helm. I
have enjoyed the work of the last two years and the association with mem-
bers of the Executive Council. They have been most cordial; and relations
with the writers have been generally good. To all I say "Thanks." I hope
to continue to do some writing for The Philalethes. I would be remiss also
if I did not mention the good relations we have had with Phil Enabnit and
MAS Media, our printer.

I leave with a deep faith in the future of Freemasonry.

After 51 years in the order, I believe it will continue despite the bad-
mouthing we get from certain "religious" and secular critics with
financial and bigoted axes to grind. As I see it, we also face some perils
of our own making. They are racial and religious intolerance, ineptitude
on the part of many lodge officers and Grand Officers, and lack of knowl-
edge and lack of interest on the part of some members.

The new editor, beginning with the August issue, will be Brother Nelson
King, MPS, our current Membership Chair. He is a younger man, a good
writer, and a good researcher, and can bring a truly international
perspective to us. I am sure he will do an excellent job. I win cooperate
with him in every way possible and ask your patience with both of us
during this time of transition. Manuscripts now on hand will be forwarded
to him for his action. Future submissions should be addressed to him at 2
Knockbolt Crescent, Agincourt, Ontario M1S 2P6, Canada.

                          Oops!!!

I goofed. In the April issue, " Humain" was misspelled as "Humaine"
throughout Brother John Boersma's article "Le Droit Humain" (pp. 46-47).
Brother Boersma had "Humain" in his manuscript. Also, a number of typos
were accidentally printed in Brother Michael Segall's "French Freemasonry
Today." I apologize to all concerned.

Heirloom Masonic Bible does not state that President Thomas Jefferson was
a Mason
The Heirloom Bible Publishers have sent me a copy of their Masonic Bible.
On page 16 of the February issue, this Bible was said to state that
Jefferson was a Mason. The Masonic Bible they sent me does not make that
statement, and we are glad to make this correction. We are seekers of
truth.

ERRATA

We reported the presenter of the toast to the Grand Lodges at the Assem-
bly/Feast/Forum in error. It was Scott M. Sherman, MPS.

                            oOo

Mr. Mark M. Brosz, Sales Manager for Heirloom Bible Publishers, in an
indignant letter to our Editor, takes Mr. Roberts to task for statements
made (or quoted) in "Should We Seek the Truth?" in the February issue. Mr.
Brosz sent the Editor a recent copy of the Masonic Family Edition, and
pointed out that Thomas Jefferson is not listed as a Masonic President.
Good! He insisted on a retraction. I'll retract what I wrote (or quoted)
if Mr. Brosz will send a retraction to the thousands who have bought his
previous versions that claimed Jefferson was a Mason. He says he has "not
received incontrovertible documentation" that James Madison was not a "
Masonic President." (It would be interesting to learn what
"incontrovertible documentation" he obtained that caused him to,
correctly, drop Jefferson as a Freemason.) Actually, there never has been
a "Masonic President" but there have been Freemasons who were President of
the United States. Then, too, what "incontrovertible documentation" does
he have that causes the company to continue to claim Patrick Henry was a
Mason? Frankly, I'm happy to note we're making some inroads in telling the
truth about Freemasonry and its members in high and low places. A.E.R.

                            oOo