          This file is copyright (c) 1994 The Philalethes Society and
          uploaded here with permission. All rights including any
          redistribution rights are reserved by the copyright holder.
          Permission to quote from, redistribute or to otherwise use
          these materials must be obtained from the copyright holder
          directly by contacting The Philalethes, Nelson King, FPS,
          Editor, 2 Knockbolt Crescent, Agincourt Ontario Canada,
          M1S 2P6. Tel: 416-293-8071 Fax: 416-293-8634 or 
          CIS: 71202,22
          
          ALL OF FREEMASONRY IS DIVIDED INTO THREE
          PARTS
          by
          H.Edward Struble MPS
          
          All of Freemasonry is divided into three parts, The Past, The
          Present, and the Future. We tend to forget that at one time
          the past was the present and also the future. Is a
          disproportionate amount of thought and print dedicated to
          the past at the expense of the present? Many think so but
          also realize the largest of the three parts might be the past.
          More attention should be paid to the present because if we
          are not concerned enough, there could be no future. At that
          point in time we will be able to spend all of our time
          reviewing the past. For those interested primarily with the
          past, direct some of your attention to making sure the events
          of the present are properly documented and filed for future
          historians. Read of the continued frustration of the noble
          researchers of the Quatuor Coronati as they search for
          documented truth of the past. (Truth: Conceptualism of
          Historical Research by David Crockett, MPS The Philalethes
          Feb.'94) The fact that "the paper cannot refuse the ink"
          means that simply because it has been printed does not
          make it a fact. Allen Roberts FPS crusade against the
          distortion, the rumor, the invented "fact" and rubbery
          research is well known. His effort to purge our history of
          trash has prompted many to take a second look at published
          Masonic information regardless of the source. Most of these
          inaccurate reports are born of incomplete records, lack of
          proper study, conclusions arrived at too rapidly, and old tales
          that have been handed down by word of mouth for many
          years. Our position in time is the present and we all have the
          responsibility of making sure all of the Masonic events and
          activities, taking place today, are properly documented,
          reported and filed for future study. Take for example the
          events leading up to the outburst of anti-Masonic rhetoric in
          the Southern Baptist convention. Much has been reported
          and written, and I'm sure there are more to come, Where
          have all of the documents including copies and tapes of
          speeches of the charges and counter charges been
          gathered in order to preserve the originals. The Philalethes
          Society probably has the greatest inventory of such facts,
          however does it include the early events, that can go
          unnoticed, that gave birth to the subsequent action by the
          conference board? Shouldn't the agenda of the many
          Lodges of Research include a procedure to preserve these
          important sources before they become lost or distorted? 
          Sometime in the future when scholars decide to report on
          this situation, will accurate and complete information be
          available to support thoughtful analysis and renditions?
          Much has been written about the Prince Hall Affiliation.
          Some of it incorrect. Are steps being taken to put to the test
          of truth all of the statements of its history? Is there a
          movement under way to properly document what has
          happened recently, regarding this subject, in the various
          Grand Jurisdictions such as Connecticut, Nebraska,
          California, New York, and elsewhere? Will we be guilty of
          muddying the water by not sorting out the correct reports
          while everything is fresh in the mind of every one? The
          Prince Hall situation is and will continue to be one of the
          outstanding steps forward for Freemasonry in this century.
          Are accurate documented reports being gathered in order to
          preserve everything about this monumental development?
          We are speaking of the present that someday will be looked
          back on and at that time our work will be evaluated by
          Masonic researchers, maybe not yet born. There are other
          subjects that deserve the same attention. For example, the
          movement to invite good men to become Masons. I know it
          is an active program in New York, Pennsylvania, and
          Wisconsin and probably in many other jurisdictions. The pros
          and cons of this movement must be documented and
          preserved. Another forward step, offering the candidate the
          option of either memorizing the work or attending meaningful
          lectures. After attending the lectures the candidate must
          satisfy the lodge that he fully understands what has taken
          place before he can proceed to the next degree. I'm not sure
          but I believe Wisconsin Grand Lodge was the pioneer in this
          effort with their Wisconsin Experience Program. These are
          just a few of the changes, that are, or are about to take place
          in Freemasonry, as it gets ready to step into the twenty-first
          century All of these things are going on in the present and
          will become part of our past. We should take specific steps
          to insure that we leave accurate and documented records for
          those who follow us. Let's make sure our legacy is a great
          deal more in keeping with what researchers should find than
          it has been in the past.