Through
Masonic
Windows

by Allen E. Roberts, FPS

Robert G. King, Editor of The Wisconsin
Masonic Journal (one of the better Grand
Lodge periodicals), wrote of a country
editor. He spends his life "toadying to
vulgarity; all for a few bushels of potatoes
and a few cords of wood per year. " King
likened this to the Masonic editor who is
threatened because he publishes some ar-
ticles and doesn't others. He tells us advice
comes from all drections, and the editor
"demonstrates his incapacity and general
mental disability if the advice is not fol-
lowed." True. And it' particularly diffi-
cult for any Masonic editor (especially the
editor of The Philalethes who publishes
items of differing points of view. Too many
of us wear our biases and prejudices on
our sleeves.

            * * *

Writing in Masonic Light of South
Carolina, the Grand Chaplain tells a story
all of us could emulate. A fellow writes at
least one "Thanksgiving letter" every
day in November to people who made a
contribution to his life. One of these went
to a former school teacher. She answered
it: "I am now an old lady in my eighties.
I am sick and cannot leave my room. I
can't tell you how much your letter meant
to me...[A]fter fifty years of teaching,
yours was the first letter of thanks I ever
received from a former student. You lifted
the clouds for me. " Let us who profess to
be Freemasons ever remember: Every
human being has a claim upon our kind
offices.

           * * *

Wow! Joseph A. Walkes, Jr., President of
The Phylaxis Society is writing a series for
The Phylaxis, titled "They Lie in Wait to
Deceive." He's concentrating on the in-
famous anti-Masons, Martin, Ankenberg
and Whalen. To this point he has concen-
trated on Walter Martin, the fellow who
appeared in the anti-Masonic video series
produced by John Ankenberg. Brother
Walkes, quoting for legal sources, proves
that Walter Martin isn't an ordained min-
ister. More seriously, Martin was accused
by his first wife of " extreme mental
cruelty, " and cruel and disfiguring beat-
ings. It should be pointed out that the men
Walkes is featuring dislike, not only
Freemasonry, but many religious and
other things with which they don't agree.
Interesting!

             * * *

Congratulations to our Editor, Jerry Mar-
sengill, and to the General Grand Chap-
ter of Royal Arch Masons. The latter for
having the good judgment to award its
Silver Medal to the former. No single man
has done more in recent years for the
advancement of Royal Arch Masonry
than has Jerry. Among other things, he
continues to do a superb job as Editor of
its Royal Arch Mason.

            * * *

An outfit called "Milli Vanilli" won a
"Grammy" for singing--but it didn't
sing! It mimicked. The award was re-
claimed. Double standards at work once
again? Of course. The world is loaded
with double standards. When we hear a
politician, and high-ranking officials of
industry or organizations, bombarding us
with words, whose thinking are they really
"singing?" How many "ghosts" are in
the background? Then there's plagiarism.
This has always been rampant, even
among the most revered of men. Who
actually wrote some of the award-winning
books of yesteryear? How many men have
been rewarded in varying ways by decep-
tively using the talents of others? How
many owe their PhD. to the writing of
their thesis by others? How many use the
talents of others to attain high office? Is
deceptive entertaining more insidious
than deception in industry, science and
politics? Appears it is. And this isn't un-
known within Masonic circles.


           * * *

Good work. Nebraska sent all Grand
Lodges a list of its members sojourning
within their jurisdictions. It asked that
they be contacted. In return, Nebraska
asked for a list of their members living
within Nebraska. Several Grand Lodges
reciprocated. The results have been most
promising. Many sojourners now hold
dual membership. Isn't this as it should
be?
            * * *

The American-Canadian Grand Lodge
has a chartered Lodge in Saudi Arabia. Its
members are affectionately called
"Desert Rats." These fellows have been
staying busy helping our service men and
women, even carrying them to their own
homes for meals, showers, phone calls,
and so on. With their "Host a Soldier
Program" (HASP) more than 3,500 sol-
diers were hosted in less than a month.
The Masonic Service Association will pass
along names of Freemasons over there to
the ACGL. This must de done cautiously.
Freemasonry isn't exactly popular with
most of the governments in that part of the
world. At the moment several of us are
hoping to have a Masonic Square Club
formed in Saudi Arabia. When it happens
you'll be informed. It will need all the
assistance we can give it.

             * * *

Note. It's claimed one should never ex-
plain; your friends don't need it, your
enemies won't believe you anyhow. But
here goes.

1. In the last issue I reported that New
York had hired some high-priced "pro-
fessional trainers." A good friend (liter-
ally) informed me that indeed they were
high-priced, and he thanked God they
knew nothing about Freemasonry. I as-
sume (always dangerous) that he assumed
I was talking about our ritual and ritual-
ists. Not so. Those who know me know
that I'm well aware there's much, much
more to Masonry than our ritual. I have
always believed, and I still do, profession-
als must understand the many facets of the
Craft if they are to teach the leadership
what must be done. My friend says these
non-Mason instructors are doing a good
job. Fine. But isn't it strange that we never
quibble about paying high fees to non-
members, yet we expect members, who
are also experts in their fields, to work for
free?

2. One fellow missed my point entirely
about my report on French Freemasonry.
He wants us to know it's the French
National Grand Lodge (FNGL) that's the
only one recognized as legitimate. Again
I ask, "Why?" He, or anyone else, is
invited to try to clear up the ungodly
French Masonic situation. I continue to
plead for understanding and ask, "Why,
with all the kooks without the Craft at-
tempting to destroy it, must we quarrel
among ourselves? Why do we have a
death wish mentality?"

The Philalethes, February, 1991
