<The period for application submission has now expired. Scholarship Recipients will be notified on May 8th via email.>
The Doylestown Masonic Lodge annually awards scholarships of $500 to graduating high school seniors from local schools who have been involved in community activities including volunteer service and have demonstrated a dedication to their high school academic experience.
As we all know ritual is an important aspect of Freemasonry, what we may not pay attention to is the importance it also has on our daily lives. We engage in ritualistic behaviors from the time we wake up until we go to bed. We typically refer to these as habits, but they are no less ritualistic than the work we do within the lodge on any given degree night. The question is: have we lost the importance of ritual, or have we just forgotten it?
The 2017 Medal commemorates 167 Years of Doylestown Lodge. Embossed in the center is a representation of the rough and perfect Ashlar. The Ashlar is a Masonic symbol representing the making of stone from rough to smooth and better able for to be used by the builders. It represents the notion of becoming a member of the fraternity and contributing to its unity. In the spirit of the Blue Lodge, the ribbon is solid blue.
The Bohemian Club is a private gentlemen’s club located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1872 from a regular meeting of local journalists, artists, and musicians, it soon began to accept businessmen, entrepreneurs, university presidents, and military commanders.
Thanksgiving is the busiest time of the year for travel. Before things get too hectic over the holidays, now is the time to make the decisions that will help you manage your time wisely. And since we’re in November, let’s add a twist of Veterans Day into the mix.
Legend says that the Royal Order of the Red Branch of Eri was founded in 1697 BC by the King of Ireland, back in a time when Ireland possessed highly developed literature. An ancient book entitled The Annals of the Four Masters of Ireland tells of the Knights of the Collar of Eri as instituted by King Eamhium and his eight princes over the armies of the four provinces of Ireland, i.e.: Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connaught.
The “Sword of State” is a large ceremonial sword carried before the Most Worshipful Grand Master at meetings of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE). Forged by Bro. George Moody, the King’s Sword-Cutler, the sword is four feet long, from the point of the blade to the crown of the hilt.
While we’re on the subject of clubs, we’re also going to look at the Independent International Order of Owls (no relation to the more popular Order of Owls, an animal-themed lodge akin to the Elks). Founded in 1890, the I.I.O.O was a Masonic-related group that promoted recreation and sociability among its members.
Read more““The Grand Kibosh””
Also known as the Pythagorean Theorem, this equation (a2 + b2 = c2) is the building block of most mathematical problem solving. In basic form, it can tell you how to create a right angle, while advanced versions can measure solar systems. I’d explain how that works in more detail, but it involves a lot of math.
Yes, that was a math joke.
Read more“Euclid’s 47th Problem”
The 166th Anniversary Annual Banquet will be held on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at the Doylestown Country Club.
Social Hour – Hors D’oeuvres – Cash Bar
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Dinner Buffet and Program
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Dinner entrées include: Carved Roast Beef & Turkey, Salmon and vegetable Farfalle
Hors D’oeuvres, dinner salad, dessert, coffee & tea are also included.
Please RSVP by October 14, 2016
He wears a belt full of working tools, is a master of secrecy and owns a tuxedo – but let’s be honest, that evidence is anecdotal at best. However, I submit to you that the Dark Knight is in fact a Freemason, and here is the proof.
Exhibit A. Legends of the Dark Knight #86 – 88 (1996) is a three-part mini-series called “Conspiracy” in which the Caped Crusader investigates a series of murders with loose ties to Masonic legend (amongst the legends of other secret societies). Of all the various murders, Batman immediately recognizes a pattern in three cases and contacts Alfred to confirm his suspicions.
The First Degree Tracing Board is the most extravagant of the three in allegory, and is thus explained; the form of a Lodge is a parallelepipedon in length from East to West, in width between North and South, in depth from the surface of the earth to the height of the heavens. Masonic lodges are situated due East and West to illustrate the significance our ancient brethren attributed to the East, e.g.: the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, higher learning (Greek Philosophy) originated in the East and then spread to the West, etc..
“The Man Who Would Be King” (1888) is a novella by Rudyard Kipling about two British Freemason adventurers in British India who traveled to Kafiristan (a remote part of Afghanistan) to become kings, but instead became “gods” and ultimately lost everything. The story was inspired by real exploits of Englishman James Brooke; and by the travels of American adventurer Josiah Harlan.
Read more“Summer Reading”
There has never been a more sophisticated and dominating hat in fashion than the top hat. The topper’s dominance as the gentleman’s headwear for formal occasions wasn’t truly established until Prince Albert started to favor it in 1850, some 50 years after it was first introduced via an incident which became known as the “The Top Hat Riot.”
Read more“Origins of the Topper”
The most prominent symbol on the Second Degree Tracing Board is the winding staircase of the Temple. Seven is a sacred number, and the seven steps of the staircase may be held to represent the seven liberal arts and sciences referred to in the Degree. The seven steps are interdependent and are strung together as follows:
Read more“Tools of the Trade – 2nd Degree Tracing Board”
Several brothers have asked about the honeybee symbol on the 2016 Master Medal, and with the next presentation also revolving around bees, now seems like a good a time to delve into the topic. The beehive is a commonly used symbol dating at least to Roman times. In medieval heraldry it was considered a symbol of industry.
Read more“The Hive Allegory”
Our own Bro. Peterson is graduating from Temple University. As part of his senior thesis, he has written an extensive paper on Mozart and the masonic influences hidden in the composer’s work. The following sample is paraphrased from Bro. Peterson’s research:
In the mid-18th century, the Austrian government began to suppress secret societies and other exclusive groups, namely the Illuminati. Read more“Masonic Research – Mozart”
Tracing boards are painted or printed illustrations depicting the various emblems and symbols of Freemasonry. They were commonly used as teaching aids during the lectures that followed each of the Masonic Degrees. Sets of three boards, corresponding to the three degrees, were heavily used by the Craft during the 1700s.
Read more“Tools of the Trade – 3rd Degree Tracing Board”
The Masonic ring is a common sight here in the States, but in Europe it is nowhere near as prevalent. Even though modern masonry was born in the UK, our brothers there (and elsewhere in Europe) are often reluctant to make their affiliation with the Craft known publicly.
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, this month we look at the Order of Knight Masons – an invitational, chivalric Masonic order.The Order of Knight Masons was formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1923 for the purpose of governing three degrees previously known as the “Green Degrees.” These were formerly controlled by the Orders of Knights Templar in Ireland (for more than eighty years) and conferred in their subordinate bodies. Read more“Beyond the 3rd Degree – Knight Masons”
