Through  Masonic Windows

by Allen E. Roberts, FPS

A Masonic Leadership Center has be-
come a reality! It happened on August 
12, 1995. There aren't enough superla-
tives to announce what can be a " Lifeline 
of Masonic growth." The Freemason 
who paved the long, stormy path to bring 
into being the United States of America 
must be proudly applauding. Why? Be-
cause Masonic leadership can be 
developed through the Masonic 
Memorial that bears his name. We ap-
plaud the Executive Committee of the 
George Washington Masonic Memorial 
to house this Masonic Leadership Cen-
ter. This Memorial, the only building in 
the United States that is the property of 
all of the Freemasons of the country, con-
tinues to serve all Freemasons where-
soever dispersed! We salute Executive 
Secretary, Donald M. Robey, MPS, 
PGM, VA, for his leadership in this en-
deavor, and for permitting Paul Bessel, 
MPS, to begin the long task of indexing 
and reviewing leadership transactions, 
using equipment in the Memorial Li-
brary. Full details will follow in the 
December issue of The Philalethes. Volun-
teers will be needed to make this Center 
a viable force fordeveloping and assisting 
Masonic leaders as quickly as possible. 
Donations will be necessary to fully util-
ize the means of immediate access and 
transmission. These may be addressed 
to: Masonic Leadership Center, 
GWMNM Library, 101 Callahan St., 
Alexandria, VA 23301.

        *   *   *

Congratulations to William E. Yeager, 
MPS. The Pennsyluania Freemason informs 
us that he has been elected "Most Il-
lustrious Grand Sovereign of the United 
GrandImperialCounciloftheRedCross 
of Constantine. " According to the 
Freemason, this is an invitational body 
of"outstanding Masons who have distin-
guished themselves either through their 
Masonic activities or through public 
service for the improvement of their 
Council, which includes the United 
States, Mexico, the Philippines and 
Japan. " Membership is limited and by 
invitation only. Bill's service for Freema-
sonry doesn't stop here; he has served in 
many areas within the Craft, including 
seven years as a District Deputy Grand 
Master. He had been an active partici-
pant with The Philalethes Society and the 
Allied Masonic Degrees for many years 
in the District of Columbia, as was his 
father before him. We're proud of his 
dedication and work for Freemasonry.

A Masonic Tour of the U.S. Capitol is
now available. This is the creation of an 
Ohio Freemason, Clarence "Bud" 
Brown, MPS, President ofthe U.S. Capi-
tol Historical Society. He has long been
interested in the influence of Freema-
sonry in the early history of the country. 
He is developing plans to cover the in-
fluence of Freemasonry and Freemasons 
during the formative days ofthe country. 
As soon as possible he wants to hold a 
series of seminars on this subject. Wel 
come news, indeed.

  -
 
Unbelievable! Thomas W. Jackson, 
FPS, book reviewer for The Northem 
Light, was condemned by a fellow who 
says he has 32 degrees. The crime? 
Crammed throughout the book re-
viewed, Please Tell Me, the 'author,' Tom
McKenney, had many unsavory things 
to say about Freemasons, not the last of 
which was "Satanist." The reviewer said
the author of that trash "is an unmiti-
gated liar" (I'd have been more graphic). 
Tom Jackson wasn't about to apologize 
for truthfully calling the bigot a liar. He 
added: "I am tired of having these hate-
mongering bigots having a field day at 
my expense and expense of my Brothers. 
Their one great hope for success is that 
they can make these accusations and 
know that no one will respond. This has 
been a characteristic for us for too long. " 
Tom is absolutely correct. It's way past 
time for Freemasonry to stop turning the 
"other cheek. " They must be exposed for 
what they are; con artists and bigots.

  -
 
Kudos to Robert E. Simpson, MPS, for 
his excellent and forthright interview 
with a reporter fro C-Ville, A Charlottes-
ville, Virginia, newspaper. Three pages 
was allocated to a truthful account, and 
it being truthful, it had to be favorable. It 
debunked the "cult" and "conspiracy" 
theory of the anti-Masonic charlatans, 
such as "Pat" Robertson, the multi-mil-
lionaire media preacher in Virginia. Bob 
freely answered every question asked by 
the reporter. He let the reporter take 
pictures throughout the building owned 
by Widow's Sons' Lodge No. 60. The 
reporter closed by writing: "My curiosity 
was quite satisfied . . . I was also pretty sure 
they didn't rule the world, via some sort 
of global shadow cabinet. . . No, they seem 

to be just a bunch of nice guys who'd 
rather not argue politics. More power to 
them. "

  -
 
In Mostly Masonry, of New Brunswick,
Canada, the Grand Master, William H. 
Balser, Jr. said: "I believe the office of 
Grand Master is an office of service, not 
personal satisfaction, although personal 
satisfaction comes with service. " He 
noted that he's a farmer. As such he 
knows that tractors left in the weather and 
not used will rust. "In some ways Ma-
sonry is like farming," he added. "We 
have many 'tractors' which are being left 
in the barn. " He wants these 'tractors' to 
be put to work for the benefit of Freema-
sonry.

  -
 
Joseph A. Walkes, Jr., FPS has written 
PrinceHall'sMission: TheRiseof thePhylaxis 
Society. It is an excellent account of the 
Phylaxis ~ociety from its beginning in 
1973. He covers some of the trials and 
tribulations of Prince Hall Masonry and 
his ~ociety. As he was the founder, its first 
(and only President), the 322 + page 
account is almost autobiographical. It is 
recommended reading.

The Philalethes, October 1995

