Monday, November 18, 2024

2024 University of Minnesota Table Lodge

 

On November 12, 2024, representatives from the University of Minnesota, the Grand Lodge of Minnesota and from Minnesota Masonic Charities gathered at the McNamara Alumni Center for an annual Table Lodge.

The Table Lodge has been a long-standing tradition but was interrupted for a few years due to the pandemic. It felt good to be back on the university campus to celebrate this extraordinary partnership between the Masons of Minnesota, and the University of Minnesota.

Walking into the McNamara Center toward the reception area, I passed the elegantly set dining room. There was an undeniable buzz of excitement in the air to be able to gather together once again.

I had the opportunity to meet several cancer researchers, and children’s health researchers. I also met Dr. Damien Fair of the Masonic Institute for the Brain. Everyone displayed great enthusiasm and passion for their work.   It was inspiring to listen to them discuss their projects, the possible break throughs and advancements, along with the potential for improving the countless lives of people.

The researchers were very grateful for the Mason’s support and explained how important that the funding they receive from the Minnesota Masons thru Minnesota Masonic Charities is extremely important to allow for them to continue their valuable work.

Connie W. Delaney PhD, Dean and Professor School of Nursing

I had a wonderful conversation with Dr. Connie W. Delany, the Dean of the School of Nursing, discussing a wonderful new project she is working on for the Science and Care for Healthy Aging initiative. Her passion for helping people is unsurpassed.

We proceeded to dinner where we were seated in a delightful blend of university staff and Masons. This assigned seating format allowed for the opportunity to meet new people, meaningful conversations, and cheerful banter.

Dr, Rebecca Cunningham President of the University of Minnesota, and CEO of Minnesota Masonic Charities John Schwietz




The Master of Ceremonies for the Table Lodge was the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Minnesota Masons, Foster D. Solem.

PGM Eric Neetenbeck, gave a humorous and lighthearted set of instructions to all newcomers. He reminded all that this is not a drinking game and provided helpful hints on the toasting procedures to avoid splashing, sloshing and spraying their liquid libations onto their fellow dinner guests.

He explained that the toast is completed by shouting with gusto either the French version of Vivat, meaning long live or the British version Huzzah. When it came time for the toast to the University of Minnesota the toast was completed by shouting Ski-U-Mah, the schools victory slogan.  These expressions are to demonstrate enthusiastic support for the subject or person being toasted.

These cheers truly enhance the festive atmosphere of the evening and strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and friendship.

In our Masonic Table Lodge the seven toasts are an essential part of the evening’s celebration. Each individual toast usually represents a shared value, that provides for a moment of reflection, deepening the bonds between the Brothers and attendees in friendship and fraternity.

This year the toasts were a blend of traditional Masonic toasts plus some additions to encompass the projects supported by Masonic Charities and the University of Minnesota.  Below is a listing of the toasts.

Toast 1- To our country (MWB John Cook)

Response - Reed Endersbe 

Toast 2- To a future without cancer (Bro. Chuck Dietz)

Response - Dr. Jakub Tolar, Dean of Medical School  

Toast 3 - To happy hearts and healthy minds of children (WB Roger McNear)

Response- Dr. Joseph Neglia, Head of Department of Pediatrics 

Toast 4 - To healthy aging (Barb Brihn, PWGM) 

Response - Dr. Jim Pacala, Head of Family Medicine. 

Toast 5- To the Grand Master (RTW Keith Reirson)

Response - Grand Master, Foster Solem 

Toast 6 - To the University of MN (MWB Steve Johnson)

Response - Dr. Rebecca Cunningham, President 

The chant here was Ski-u-Mah, the U of M cheer.


Toast 7- Tyler's toast (MWB John Gann)

 

To conclude the Table Lodge, the University of Minnesota Acapella Choir performed “Auld Lang Syne”, which is by Free Mason Robert Burns. The song title is Scottish which means time gone by or long, long ago. 

As a Minnesota Freemason and a supporter of Minnesota Masonic Charities attending this event was incredibility fulfilling.  To meet the people performing the research and to know that my contributions are making a positive impact on the people of Minnesota is gratifying and that the support of Minnesota Masonic Charities has an impact beyond our borders and will have a lasting legacy that impacts future generations. 

It was also pretty nice to meet the 18th President of the University of Minnesota, Rebecca Cunningham, as well and hear her say thank you to Masonic Charities. 



 

 

 


Sunday, November 10, 2024

Veterans Day 2024

Thank you to the Veterans Administration  

 

Sunday, November 3, 2024

The First Annual Minnesota Masonic Charities Pillars Society Brunch

 

On October 27, 2024, Minnesota Masonic Charites held its first annual Pillars Society Brunch in the Dan Patch Hall at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center in Bloomington, Minnesota.

The Pillars Society is a community of generous and dedicated donors who believe in and are committed to the mission of Minnesota Masonic Charities.

The Pillars Society was created in 2006 as a special distinction reserved for supporters who have given $1,000 or more thru cash donations, estate planning or deferred giving.

There are five levels of membership in the giving in outright gifts, planned gifts or bequests which range from Craftsman with a gift of $1000 to Platinum with a gift of $500,000. Other levels are Bronze with at gift of $25,000, Silver a gift of $100,000 and Gold with a gift of $250,000.

Being a member of the Pillars Society, I have a sense of fulfillment knowing that my contributions will help to ensure the future of the charitable work of Minnesota Masonic Charities.

Below is a sample of the partnerships, endeavors, and research that the Minnesota Masonic charities support.

The Minnesota Masonic Home - Established in 1918 the 194-bed facility is on an 80-acre campus situated on the bluffs of the Minnesota river in Bloomington, Minnesota. The award-winning home is a resident-centered facility that provides short term rehabilitation and long-term care.

The Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota.

The M Health Fairview-Masonic Children’s Hospital.

The Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain.

The Minnesota Masonic Children’s Clinic for Communication Disorders.

The Minnesota Masonic Scholarship Program -to date the MMS has given $13 million in scholarships to Minnesota graduating high school students. Future projections are for $1 million to be given away soon with the emphasis on those seeking studies in Nursing, Agriculture, Law Enforcement and Education.

Mission Grants – these are grants given to establish organizations who are working on critical issues and provide valuable services in our Minnesota Communities. Here is just a small sampling of some of those organizations:

The Crescent Cove Respite and Hospice Home – they provide extended care and support to children and young adults that face a shortened life expectancy.

The MAV-V and Eagles Healing Nest – these are organizations which are dedicated to addressing the needs of our Minnesota Veterans.

Matching Grants for Minnesota Masonic Lodges and Order of the Eastern Start Chapters - This program is an opportunity for Lodges and Order of Eastern Star Chapters who are fundraising for a charity event in their community to double their fundraising dollars. Grants are provided up to $10,000 per grant with a limit of $25,000 per masonic organization in a calendar year.

After enjoying a delightful brunch, the attendees were treated to an engaging murder mystery play titled: “Murder at the Dan Patch Racetrack.”

The murder mystery play was a fun adventure. It combined corny humor with suspenseful storytelling, and active audience participation to determine who the identity of the murderer.

As amateur detectives we interacted with the quirky characters, gathering clues, and following twisted plots lines, as the whodunit played out before us.

The play was written and directed by professional Paul Warshauer specifically for the brunch attendees.

The cast of characters included members of Minnesota Masonic Charities and the Grand Lodge.

I can say it was a delightful experience full of laughter and charm watching my fellow masons entertain the attendees and “act” their parts and hats off to all for an outstanding performance with little advance preparation.


The Murder at the Dan Patch Stables was an enjoyable experience, and I hope there is another murder mystery next year.

John Schwietz, CEO of Minnesota Masonic Charities, did divulge a new upcoming giving initiative by the Minnesota Masonic Charities to serve the community. I am unable to disclose any details yet but stay tuned as an announcement will be made soon and I will be writing about that in another post. 

 

 

 

The Cast and the table of participants who deduced the Case


Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Red Wing Lodge #8 Cleans Up


Photo by Shawn Carrick

In 2021 Red Wing Lodge made a five-year commitment to the state of Minnesota-Goodhue County Adopt a Highway program. We adopted a two-mile stretch of Highway 61 on the eastward approach to the city of Red Wing. The Lodge schedules two picks dates each year, in the Spring and again in the Fall. We try to pick a nice day in the Spring and another pleasant day in the Fall, but scheduling around Minnesota weather is a challenge.

 The state has erected two beautiful signs along the highway to mark our pic up boundaries, plus the signs inform the public that Red Wing Masonic Lodge provides for the cleanup for that portion of the highway.



 On September 29, 2024, the members of Red Wing Lodge gathered for our bi-annual Adopt a Highway trash collection day. We have found that clearing trash is a small act that provides many expected and unexpected benefits.

 In 2023, Minnesota volunteers like us spent 99,960 hours picking up litter on state roadways and volunteers collectively gathered 42,170 bags of trash. These efforts saved the state, county and local governments millions of dollars that normally would be spent on cleaning these roadways.

 The two-mile stretch of highway 61 assigned to the Lodge is in the countryside filled with farms, fields, and a country church. Our efforts enhance the natural beauty of the landscape making the travel more enjoyable for all the tourists, day trippers, and motorcyclists who visit the Red Wing area.

 As we were getting some exercise by walking and picking up trash, it was also a great time for the brothers to connect. Two newer members joined us for this pick up, so we had a beautiful day talking and learning more about each other.

 Our Lodge has a Fellowcraft degree scheduled in the next few weeks, so as we walked two brothers worked on the interrogatives, while another brother listened to a brother practiced the Staircase Lecture. I listened intently and acted as Tyler.




 Afterwards we visited a local establishment for refreshments, and our Worshipful Master conducted an Officer meeting.

 It was a day that provided a sense of accomplishment and brotherly fellowship plus a good time had by all.

Friday, August 2, 2024

2024 Grand Lodge of Minnesota Past Grand Masters Luncheon


 On August 2, 2024, the Past Grand Masters of Minnesota held its 14th Annual Luncheon at the Minnesota Masonic Home. 

Mid-Summer is a wonderful time when our lives slow down a little bit for all of us to come together and spend a few hours together over a nice lunch. 

It is also an opportunity for the Deputy Grand Master Bob Davis (if tradition prevails) to unveil his plans for his term of Grand Master. Which will take place in April 2025. 

Bob Davis presented his ideas for Revitalization of Freemasonry in Minnesota. 

We were very fortunate not to have any deaths among us this year. Seventeen Past Grandmasters were able to make the lunch. There were a few others not present who were on vacation, fishing and health related issues. 

It was a great day had by all.  


Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Who is Tubal-Cain?

Two Pickleballs and a Cane

Red Wing Lodge Education

May 6, 2024

 

Who is Tubal-Cain?

Why is his name always on our lips at every Lodge meeting?

Why does he appear in our Masonic Ritual?

Why is he one of the most important names in Ancient Craft Masonry?

Who is this man shrouded in myth and legends, with his origins veiled in the mists of antiquity?

 

I have these questions and I imagine you may have wondered about some of these questions yourself.

So much of what we do in our Lodge Ritual today is based on what our ancient Brothers did over 1570 years ago. My talk tonight is to help us all understand the history and to meaning to our ritual and what we do.

To find the answers to the questions above, I needed to examine Tubal-Cain from four different perspectives: the Biblical, historical, mythical, and Masonic.

But before we can take this journey thru the fog and mists of time, to unravel the legends and the myths, to better understand how Tubal-cain came to be central to Masonry, we need to take off our 21st century eyeglasses and review the history.

If we review our Masonic history, from the perspective of the person who wrote it, and within the time frame when it was written we can better understand it. With an historical perspective, the knowledge of the past becomes fully illuminated, and its strengths enriches our present knowledge.

But first, my Masonic disclaimer, to help guide us to gaining that perspective.

A considerable amount of Freemasonry’s nucleus can be traced to the Judeo-Christian teaching and texts. The Bible was utilized to develop a system of morality using those universal truths to develop our timeless core values.

Also, we need to take into consideration, that during the 18th century when Speculative Freemasonry was taking shape in Europe, Christianity in its many forms played a significate role in people’s daily lives and cultures. This proved to be fertile ground to use religious imagery to incorporate timeless universal moral and ethical teachings into Freemasonry.

But though Freemasonry has many appearances of religious elements, the craft is explicitly non-sectarian. Freemasonry does not promote any doctrine, dogma or sets of beliefs. The Legend of the Craft is a Masonic perspective of the origins of Geometry, along with their perspectives of world history and their involvement in that history.

Disclaimer completed.

The origin of Tubal-Cain is found in the Bible or Volume of Sacred law in Genesis 4:22.

Here are four different translations:

…Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron (King James Version);

…Tubal-Cain who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron (New International Version);

…Tubal-Cain he opened the first foundry forging instruments of bronze and iron (Living Bible)

…Tubal-Cain he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron (Revised Standard Version).

Tubal-Cain was the first artificer-a skilled craftsman who creates or invents things.

To put all of this into more context for everyone, Tubal-Cain appears very early in the Bible story. He is a descendent, only six generations removed, from Adam and Eve. So, he is after the Garden of Eden, but before Noah and the flood.

I’m going to take the time outline Tubal-Cain’s genealogy, for this is the basis for the myths and legends and our Masonic stories.



Now, we turn our attention to the central theme of our story. It is about the transfer of knowledge, the death and destruction of the world, and Two Pillars.

The first story I will discuss was written by the famous first Century A.D. historian Flavius Josephus. He was a Jew that was born in Jerusalem Judea, and a Roman Citizen.

Our story appears in volume one of his twenty-one volume set titled “Antiquities of the Jews”. He outlines the history of the Jews, starting with creation through 93 A.D., as passed down thru the Jewish perspective.

His writing states that Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain, and Abel. Cain murdered Able and fled. Adam and Eve had another son named Seth. He was wise, righteous, and had a virtuous character. Seth had many descendants who imitated his ways.

Seths descendants discovered the science of the heavenly bodies and their orderly array. Today we would say they discovered Astronomy.  His descendants were mindful of Adam’s prophesy or prediction of the pending destruction of the world by either a violent fire or a deluge of water. To protect their discoveries from being destroyed and lost to mankind they erected two pillars.

One pillar was made of brick and the other was made of stone. They inscribed the knowledge they discovered on both pillars. If the pillar of brick disappeared in the deluge, the pillar of stone would remain to teach and preserve their knowledge for mankind. Likewise, if the pillar of stone was lost, the pillar of brick would remain.  They engraved a notation into each pillar that a duplicate pillar of brick or stone was erected.

Josephus writes that both pillars still existed at the time that he was writing, and they were in what is now Syria.

Flavius Josephus was one of the most influential classical historians of Europe and the Mediterranean world during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. But from early on this story was believed to be fictious. It was said that his story was the remaking, similar to, or plagiarized from, the Book of Enoch.

The Book of Enoch is believed to have been written about 200 B.C., earlier than Flavius Josephus writings, however the Book of Enoch was not accepted by either the Jews or Christians.

Josephus two pillars story was extremely popular across western Europe and England, especially among academic’s and chroniclers, for the purpose to connect a lineage for the history of Astronomy to Antediluvian Times.  

Thus, the two pillars story spread across Europe and was recorded and copied by the chroniclers. You know that image of that medieval Monk humped over a desk, writing with a feathered pen, those were the chroniclers.

But there were several chroniclers who took great license and made large changes and modifications to the story. Their corruption of the story misconceives, distorts, and causes confusion around the story.

One chronicler made Tubal-Cain the inventor of music, while another gives him magical powers, and another equates Tubal-Cain and his siblings with the classical Greek gods. 

These are just a few of the stories that have added confusion and misunderstanding.

Now let’s jump forward in time to the late medieval to early renaissance period in England.  The time frame is approximately 1390 to the 1720’s.  This was a time when Freemason’s Lodges were spreading throughout England.

At this time, each Lodge was an independent, autonomous, separate identity that governed themselves. There was no formal regional or national affliction. This is hundreds of years before the Grand Lodge was formed.

Many of the Lodges created formal documents. Some of these were handwritten in the back of the Secretaries Minute Books, others were written on paper or parchment. Some were stitched together into a book form, a few were printed, and some placed into book form by a Bookmaker. Today these documents are referred to as: The Ancient Manuscripts, The Old Charges, The Ancient Constitutions, or Legend of the Craft.

Though these documents were written over hundreds of years, and, in different places, there are many similarities in their content.  They usually contained instructions concerning the behavior of the Craftsman, praise for the seven liberal arts, and usually a legendary fairy like tale of the Crafts creation.

The manuscripts that we call the” Old Charges” contain the very essence of Ancient Craft Freemasonry. Today, we know of about 130 such manuscripts.

When Dr. James Anderson was preparing to write the Constitution for the new Grand Lodge of England, he collected the “Old Charges”, and studied them carefully.  He then made liberal use of them by incorporating them into what we know today as “Andersons Constitution’s”.

The oldest of the “Old Charges” is the “Regius Poem” from 1390. But it is in the Cooke Manuscript from 1450, second oldest manuscript, that Tubal-Cain and his siblings make their first Masonic appearance.

The Cooke Manuscript is also, or the first time, that we see the story of the Two Pillars appear in Masonry.

The manuscript begins with a very long history of Freemasonry. The opening scene begins with the biblical character Lamech, a direct descendent of Adam. Lamech had two wives who produced four children.

Jabel was the discoverer of geometry, the discoverer of living in tents and houses, the first to partition land and divide flocks of sheep.  

Jubal was the inventor of music and song.

The youngest son Tubal-Cain is said to have founded the smith trade, and other crafts dealing with metals including iron, brass, gold, and silver.

The daughter Naamah was the inventor of weaving and other skills.

The children of Lamech heard a prophecy that the Lord was going to destroy the earth by either a great fire or a flood because of man’s sinfulness. They determined that they wanted to preserve the knowledge of their sciences for future generations if there were any survivors.

Since they didn’t know which one of the destructive forces that the Lord would send. They made plans for both scenarios. They built two pillars. One made of marble which would not burn. The other out of brick which would withstand the flood waters. On each of the pillars they inscribed all the information of their seven sciences for prosperity.

There was a great flood, but many years later both pillars were found. One was discovered by Hermes the Philosopher, the other by Pythagoras. Both taught the sciences they found inscribed on the pillars.   

The Cooke Manuscript is written by a very well-educated man who was believed to be a Mason. This is during the time that is a bridge between the Medieval Operative Masons becoming more Speculative Freemasons of the Renaissance era.

But this two pillars story is not a Masonic Original…

Just thirty years before the Cooke Manuscript was written, an English Benedictine monk and chronicler who lived about 125 miles from where the Cooke Manuscript was believed to be written, wrote the same story.

Benedictine Monk, Ranulf Higdon, wrote his version of the Flavius Josephus “Two Pillars” with Lamech, Tubal-Cain, founders of geometry, art, architecture etc. in the “Polychronican”, a seven-volume set of what has been described as the most exhaustive history of the world in medieval times. A very popular best seller at the time.

Interestingly, Higdon’s story is found almost verbatim within the Cooke manuscript.

In Anderson’s Constitutions, which was inspired by the “Old Charges” and which serves as our foundational document for Freemasonry today, there is no specific mention of Tubal-Cain and the Two Pillars story.  However Tubal-Cain appears to be the forerunner of Hiram Abiff, and the Two Pillars story certainly seems to be represented in the symbolic and allegorical connections between Tubal-Cain and certain details of the Masonic story, particularly in relationship to craftsmanship and metallurgy.

It appears that Tubal-Cain was the founder of the craft that Hiram Abiff excelled in, and he was a direct link between the two earliest pillars and those of King Solomons Temple, plus Kings Solomons pillars are not mentioned until much later in 1696 in the Edinburgh Register.

Tubal-Cain and Hiram Abiff both serve as symbolic representations of the virtues that we as Freemasons hold dearly, such as integrity, the pursuit of knowledge and industry.  Tubal-Cain was the first Artificer in forging and metal work and the father of teaching. His expertise in metal work symbolizes human ingenuity and the advancement of human development through mastery and craftsmanship.

In summary, Tubal-Cain is a Masonic Role model for us.

For When We Speak His Name.

We should be reminded to:

Constantly be seeking knowledge and wisdom; and

To work hard and to strive for excellence in our lives; and

To learn and develop new skills and self-improvement; and

To share our knowledge, time, and talent, so that others may benefit.

 

Recommended Reading

“World of Freemasonry” by Harry Carr

“Freemason at Work” by Harry Carr

“The Builder” Magazine September 1923

“Jubal in the Middle Ages” by Judith Cohen-Tel Aviv

“Who Was Tubal-Cain” The Square Magazine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Sunday, May 5, 2024

Red Wing Lodge #8 Adopt a Highway 2024


 On May 5, 2024, Red Wing Lodge took part in its annual event of picking up garbage, and trash for the Minnesota Department of Transporation Adopt a Highway Program. 

We clean up a two mile stretch in both directions on Highway 61 on the Eastward approach into our city. 

This is one of the many ways that our Lodge try's to make our community a better place to live. 


This is just one bag of trash as an example of what we picked up. In 2023 volunteer's from across the state picked up 42,170 bags of trash. Volunteers like us save the Minnesota taxpayers over seven million dollars and helped make our communities a better place.