Scottish Rite Masons and their Families VALLEY VOICE September 2013
Valley of Detroit VALLEYVOICE September, 2013 Valley Voice is the official publication of Detroit Scottish Rite. The Bodies of the Scottish Rite, sitting in the Valley of Detroit, State of Michigan, acknowledge and yield allegiance to the Supreme Council, 33 o, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America whose Grand East is in Lexington, Massachusetts. On the Cover: Newly installed officers of the Valley of Detroit Priory of Knights of St. Andrew. TIGER GAME Comerica Park was the destination on Saturday, August 3, 2013, to watch the Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox. The Valley s 40 person party suite made for a very enjoyable time! Another benefit of membership in the Scottish Rite. Ill. John Wm. McNaughton, 33 o Sovereign Grand Commander Ill. David R. Bedwell, 33 o Deputy for Michigan Ill. William J. Dover, 33 o, MSA Active Member for Michigan Ill. Walter F. Wheeler, 33 o Active Member for Michigan Ill. Robert H. Sale, 33 o, MSA Active Member Emeritus Ill. Erwin W. O Dell, 33 o, MSA Active Member Emeritus Ill. Gerald F. Thorp, 33 o, MSA Active Member Emeritus 32ndDegreeMasons.org All correspondence concerning this Publication should be directed to the Executive Secretary of the Valley of Detroit, Timothey S. Marshbanks, 33 o Mailing Address 907 Monroe St. Dearborn, MI 48124-2309 313.724.1907 Fax 313.724.1996 Toll Free 877.320.6432 Email valleyofdetroit@32nddegreemasons.org Editor Ill. David R. Bedwell, 33 o dbedwell@ameritech.net Permission to reprint original articles in the Valley Voice is granted to all recognized Masonic publications with credit to the author and this publication. Copyright 2013 Board of Trustees of the Scottish Rite Bodies of the Valley of Detroit We will strive to be a fraternity that fulfills our Masonic obligation to care for our members
Freemasonry During the Civil War Expel him and expel him quickly, was the Union response to a Brother joining the Confederate Army. By Jeffrey Croteau You have likely heard stories of Masons in the Confederate and Union armies during the Civil War who, because of their fraternal connections gave aid and comfort to wounded or captured enemy Masons. I thought it would be worth dipping into some Proceedings published by Masonic bodies in the Union during the Civil War to see what interesting topics might turn up. It didn t take long before I found something quite interesting. Namely, the thorny question of whether a Mason belonging to a lodge in the Union should be expelled from Freemasonry if he heads south and joins the Confederate Army. As you will see below, there were differing opinions on how to address this real-life issue. In the 1863 Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Indiana, the Address by Grand Master John B. Fravel (1814-1876) looked at the question of whether a Mason who left the Union to join the Confederate Army should automatically be expelled from Freemasonry. His opinion on the matter appears below the heading Decision as to the Expulsion of a Disloyal Mason and is focused on an actual case, brought to him by the Master of a lodge in Allensville, Indiana: On the 12th of July, 1862, the Worshipful Master of Allensville Lodge, No. 81 submitted to me [i.e. Grand Master Fravel] the following question: A Brother in good standing in this Lodge has gone South, joined the Confederate Army, received a commission therein, and is now in arms against the Government of the United States. Can the Lodge expel him? My answer was that for that act alone, he could not be expelled. This decision is founded upon the express declarations set forth in the Second Chapter of the Ancient Charges... Fravel then goes on to quote the passage, and ends by saying, This question possesses much interest to us at this particular time; and as such I esteem it to be my duty to lay the whole matter before the Grand Lodge, not that I apprehend in the least that they will reverse the decision made, but that the Craft may know the precise position which we, as Masons, occupy to the legally constituted Government. Despite Fravel s belief that no one in the Grand Lodge would reverse his decision, there was, in fact, a strongly worded response to Fravel in the Reports from the Committee on Masonic Jurisprudence, which contained a section entitled, On Expulsion of Disloyal Brethren. After a polite introduction, in which the Committee states that the matter was referred to them by the Grand Master and that while he quoted the law as anciently recognized correctly, they did not believe that in the decision, as reported by the M.W. Grand Master, the law is correctly applied. The report goes on to ask that if Canada or Mexico should call together a large army, and with munitions of war advancing towards our
borders, threatening to burn and destroy our cities, lay waste to our country and rob and murder our citizens, whether the Grand Master would rule the same way as he did with regard to the Confederacy. The report ends with little question as to what the Committee on Masonic Jurisprudence thought should be done with a Mason who left the Union and joined the Confederate Army. The heated language makes it clear how strongly passions burned on this topic in 1863: Expel him and expel him quickly; and should you ever catch him engaged in his unholy purposes, treat him just as you would the assassin who, in the dead hour of night, would, with stealth, enter your bed-chamber, and there, while carrying out his purposes of robbery, plunge the dagger to the heart of the wife reposing on your bosom. Your Committee denies, in the most emphatic terms, that there is any law of Masonry contravening or setting aside the first law of nature, [which is] Self-Preservation. Portrait of John B. Fravel in A History of Freemasonry in Indiana from 1806 to 1898. Indianapolis: Grand Lodge of Indiana, 1898. (Courtesy of the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, Van Gorden-Williams Library & Archives.) As can be seen from the example above, although Masons met during the Civil War, the war was never far from their minds - and sometimes called upon them to address questions unique to this period of American history. So the next time you think that Masonic Proceedings are dry and boring think again! Jeffrey Croteau is Manager of Library & Archives at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library. The Van Gorden-Williams Library & Archives is located just off the main lobby of the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library and is open to the public 10-4:30, Wednesday-Saturday. Reference assistance is provided in person, by phone, or by e-mail. You may contact us at 781-457-4109 or library@monh.org. Knights of St. Andrew On Tuesday evening, July 30, the Valley of Detroit Priory of Knights of St. Andrew held their First Annual Installation of Officers including the conferral of the Order of Knighthood on several members. The Knights of St. Andrew is a limited membership, honorary, and invitational service organization within the Valley of Detroit, open to 32 Masons only. The Order aims to grow membership of the Valley, educate our members, and provide special service to the Valley of Detroit and its valued Sublime Princes. For information regarding the Knights of St. Andrew please contact: Corey F. Curtiss at 734-660-0241 or cfcurtiss@gmail.com.
Another Social Gathering exclusively for Valley of Detroit Members and their Guests Aspen Restaurant & Bar Saturday, September 28, 2013 ~ 4:00 p.m. 20333 Hall Rd. ~ Macomb No U of M or Michigan State Football on this Saturday! Only $20.00 per person Join Us for Great Hors d oeuvres Refreshments and Fellowship! Prepaid Reservations Required no later than Tuesday, September 24 www.32nddegreemasons.org or 877.320.6432 Scottish Rite: Northern & Southern Jurisdictions Following the short Valley Meeting on Tuesday, October 8, 2013, Brother Ron Blaisdell will talk about the similarities and differences between what we would see in a Scottish Rite Valley here in the Northern Jurisdiction from those in the Southern Jurisdiction. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. Brother Blaisdell is a life member of both the Valley of Detroit, and the Valley of Orlando, where he lived for seven years, and where he served as an officer in the Orlando Lodge of Perfection. He holds the distinction of being a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor, which he received from the Southern Jurisdiction in 2009.
The Board of Trustees of the Scottish Rite Bodies of the Valley of Detroit 32 o Masons and Their Families 907 Monroe Street Dearborn, MI 48124-2309 Dated Material - Please Do Not Delay Support Your Club Calendar Blue Water Club Harvey E. Isabell 810-327-6856 Port Huron Masonic Temple Rear Door - Lower Level 927 6th Street Port Huron, MI 48060 3rd Monday, 6:30 P.M. Macomb Club Al McKay, MSA 586.773.3093 Roseville Masonic Center 27151 Gratiot Ave. Roseville Last Saturday, 9:00 A.M. Oakland Club Dennis McWilliams 248.435.4107 Jimi s Restaurant 714 S. Washington Royal Oak 2nd Monday, 6:15 P.M. Club of the Lakes Les Ferguson 517.546.1880 Pinckney Masonic Center 210 Mann St. in Pinckney 3rd Sunday, 11:00 A.M. Downriver/Monroe Club Michael J. Stetz, 33 o 313.271.8018 Leon s Family Dining 23830 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn 2nd Saturday, 9:00 A.M. Jackson Club Ken Strobel 517.787.2680 The Country Café 1701 Mitchell Street - Jackson 2nd Sunday, 8:30 A.M. September 2013 10 Honors / All Committee Dinner 19 Board of Trustees 6:00 p.m. 20-21 Regional Leadership/Membership Seminar 22 CDC Annual 5K Walk October 2013 8 Valley Meeting ~ SR history lecture 26 Fall Reunion November 2013 12 Vacant Chair Ceremony (Reception) 14 Board of Trustees 6:00 p.m. December 2013 10 Adults Only Holiday Party January 2014 14 Valley Meeting Movie Night 16 Board of Trustees 25 Mike Halleran Lecture, Festive Board to follow (Reception)