A Publication of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Kansas

THE KANSAS MASONTHE VOICE OF KANSAS MASONRY

TTHHEE KKAANNSSAASS MMAASSOONNTHE VOICE OF KANSAS MASONRY

By The Kansas Mason StaffNoted expert

on Masonicaprons andregalia, authorand historian,Bro. PatrickCraddock, ofN a s h v i l l e ,Tennessee, willbe speaking atthe 155th An-nual Commu-nication of theGrand Lodge

of Kansas in Salina on March 18, 2011.Craddock, who received his Master ofArts degree (Middle Tenn. State Univ. ’92)and Master of Philosophy (UniversityCollege of Wales – Aberystwyth ’01) inhistory, is a contributing author toEncyclopedia of Tennessee History, C.Van West, ed., as well as a past-curator ofexhibits at the Carter House Museum,Franklin, Tennessee.

Initiated, passed and raised in O.D.Smith Lodge, No. 33, Oxford, Mississippi,he is a life member Hiram Lodge No. 7,Franklin, Tennessee, and the sitting J.W.of Conlegium Ritus Austeri No. 779 inNashville ( as well as a charter memberof same). Additionally, he is the owner ofThe Craftsman’s Apron, manufacturersand providers of the highest qualityMasonic regalia extant.

Bro. Craddock will present one offour Masonic education sessions duringthe Annual Communication. His talk,

“Properly Clothed & Vouched For:Historical Masonic Aprons & Regalia”focuses on the development of theMasonic apron from its origins to thepresent day.According to Craddock, Masons

traditionally were responsible for theiraprons, sometimes making them them-selves, or crafted by a family member, andthey brought them to lodge with them.Additionally, many of these aprons weredecorated with Masonic symbolism fromthe simple to the intricate.“It’s a comparatively recent devel-

opment that Masonic lodges supplycloth aprons to their members andguests,” he said, “but it hasn’t alwaysbeen that way.”Craddock’s presentation will trace the

operative origins of the Masonic garmentand other Masonic regalia through the18th and 19th centuries, showing hand-crafted and machine-made aprons fromAmerica and Europe. His multimediapresentation – the time to be determined– will be open to Masons and their ladiesat no additional charge. The registrationform for the Annual Communicationmay be found in this issue.

Volume #49 February 2011 Issue #1

STRATEGIC PLAN COMMUNICATIONS UPDATEBy Tracy L. Bloom, Deputy GrandMaster, Salina Lodge No. 60

This year, themembers ofthe Council ofA d m i n i s -tration havebeen sharingour progresswith you as weim p l em e n tVision 2010 –the strategicplan you ap-proved at last

year’s annual communication. Thiscolumn concerns an update on theCommunications section of thestrategic plan. As each committeemember was assigned a piece of thestrategic plan, we knew that there’dbe some overlap of each of the pieces,and as a whole. It became evidentalmost immediately that the “Image”and “Communications” committeeswould have something hugely incommon, that being the Kansas Masonand the Grand Lodge Website, the twomost readily available forms of com-

Patrick Craddock

Custom-made apron created by Craddock

Tracy Bloom

ANNUAL COMMUNICATION TO FEATUREHISTORICAL APRON PRESENTATION

IN THIS ISSUEWhat’s New 1

From the Grand East 2

Secretary’s Corner 2

Kansas Masonic Notes 3

The Craft Abroad 5

Correspondence 6

Masonic Calendar 7

Questions Answered 7

Book Review 8

Official Notices 9

Registration Information 12(See STRATEGIC PLAN, pg. 6)

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Spring 2011

The Kansas MasonEstablished 1963

The Kansas Mason is the officialpublication of the Grand LodgeA.F. & A.M. of Kansas, formallyorganized March 17, 1856.

The Kansas Mason is published fourtimes per year from the offices of :

The Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. ofKansas320 SW 8th AvenueTopeka, Kansas66601-1217

Send address changes to: Kansas MasonPO Box 1217Topeka, Kansas66601-1217

The opinions expressed in TheKansas Mason do not necessarilyreflect those of the Grand LodgeA.F. & A.M. of Kansas, its officersor employees.

Articles, news items, and lettersregarding The Kansas Masonshould be sent to the editor. All submissions become theproperty of the Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Kansas.

EditorMichael A. Halleran editor@kansasmason.org

Book Review EditorHoward Duncanbookreviews@kansasmason.org

Questions Answered EditorNolan Sumpquestions@kansasmason.org

No compensation is allowed orintended for any articles,photographs, or other materialsubmitted or published.

NOTE: Permission to reprintarticles or any part thereofappearing in The Kansas Masonwill be granted upon writtenrequest to the Grand Secretaryfrom recognized Master Masons.

Other written requests will beconsidered by the Council ofAdministration.

When reprinted, articles shouldnote “Reprinted with permissionof the Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M.(month and year)”.

By Robert B. PfuetzeSt. Johns Lodge No.113Grand SecretaryWe are now into the busiest time of the year in the Grand

Lodge office. Most of the annual reports have arrived andwe are checking the reports and entering the data into thedatabase. Committee reports and other reports are beingprocessed for the Advance Reports, which has to be printedfor distribution at the annual communication.I want to thank all of the Secretaries who returned their

annual reports on time. To those Secretaries who have notyet sent your annual report and payment of Grand Lodgedues, you are now more than 20 days late. I have grantedextensions to several Secretaries who requested them forlegitimate reasons. Our by-laws clearly state that the penalty

SECRETARY’S CORNER

By Kent NeedhamGreat Bend Lodge No. 15Grand MasterGreetings from the Grand East; this is my last opportunity

to communicate with you through The Kansas Mason. Thisyear has truly flown by, but with your help we haveaccomplished a great deal. Vision 2020 continues to be thefocus of the Council of Administration, although perhapsthe most visible progress are the improvements we havemade in The Kansas Mason and the development of our newwebsite at www.kansasmason.org. Each issue of The KansasMason has brought information regarding one of the four

major areas of focus in Vision 2020. In this issue, RW Tracy Bloom will be sharinghis progress on the communication portion of Vision 2020. Please read hiscomments. Your Grand Lodge officers have continued to answer the requests of the Craft for

emblem presentations and managing the business of the fraternity. Thededications for this Masonic year have been completed but RW Tracy is alreadyscheduling dedication for the 2011-2012 Masonic year. The Council ofAdministration continues to meet regularly via telephone conference, and inperson, to address the many administrative matters of the Craft. The agendas havebeen long, but they are becoming more manageable as we bring closure to manyoutstanding matters. The 155th Grand Communication of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of

Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Kansas will take place March 18 and 19,2011 in Salina. The Council of Administration has committed to make markedchanges in this year’s annual session by providing Masonic educationopportunities that are sure to interest you. We have also made an effort to bringin exciting and talented entertainment for the All-Masonic Banquet. To give youa brief glimpse, there will be four (4) educational sessions that will runconcurrently. We plan to run each session twice so everyone attending will have

THE GRAND EAST

(See SECRETARY , pg. 4)

(See THE GRAND EAST, pg. 4)

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The Kansas Mason

By the Kansas Mason StaffHoop skirts and frock coats were on display during the

officer’s installation at Wyandotte Lodge No. 3 inDecember. In a scenefrom pre-Civil WarKansas, Worship-fulMaster Warren Arnoldtook his oath of officeand Senior WardenTerry Miles, and JuniorWarden Mike Kupschwere installed in periodattire, while their wives,also dressed in thelatest fashions from the1850s, looked on. Thetheme for Installationnight was 1854 -2011,which refers to the dateof Wyandotte Lodge’sformation.In 1854, three Wyandot Indians and five white settlers –

all of whom were Masons –in what is now WyandotteCounty, Kansas, petitioned the Grand Lodge of Missouri toestablish a Lodge of Masons in a Wyandot Indian village.

On August 4, 1854, the dispensation was granted and oneweek later Kansas Lodge U.D. (eventually to becomeWyandotte Lodge No. 3) opened for work. Within two

years, two other lodgesin Kansas were formedand in 1856 the trioformed the GrandLodge of Kansas asAmerica’s Civil Warloomed.

Prior to the instal-lation ceremony, adelicious dinner wasenjoyed by Brethren,their families andfriends. The proceed-ings were then openedwith a Bible Ceremonyby Job's Daughters ofBethel No. 2. The In-stallation of officers was

conferred by R:.W:. Bob Schroeder, Installing Master, W:.B:.Jon Hefton, Marshall, and W:.B:. Jim Rumsey, Chaplain.For more information and photos of the event, visitwww.wyandottelodge3.com.

WYANDOTTE LODGE TRAVELS BACK IN TIME FOR INSTALLATION

WINNERS OF THE 2010 STATE MASONIC PUBLIC SCHOOL ESSAY CONTESTTopic: “How have social networking websites changed the way people interact?”

KANSAS MASONIC NOTES

W:. Bro. Arnold and his officers (courtesy wyandottelodge3.com)

Award Name Submitted By Location

First Place Leah Smarsh Community Daylight Wichita($4000) Lodge #453

Second Place Elisa Rombold Union Lodge #7 Junction City($3000)

Third Place Jordan Mecom Keystone Lodge #102 Coffeyville($2000)

Fourth Place Kaitlyn English Derby Lodge #365 Derby($1000)

Honorable Mention Joseph Nguyen Albert Pike Lodge #303 Wichita($500)

Honorable Mention Carli Dankerbring Delia Lodge #419 Delia($500)

Honorable Mention Kaitlyn Mosher Lawrence Lodge #6 Lawrence($500)

HonorableMention Pha Thao Rosedale Lodge #333 Merriam($500)

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Spring 2011

THE GRAND EAST (Continued from pg. 2)an opportunity to attend two of the four. If you want yourlodge to get the benefit of all four sessions, you will wantto bring at least two of you from each lodge. The sessionsare as follows:

• How To Conduct A Thorough And Proper InvestigationRW Daren L. Kellerman, Delphian No. 44

• Masonic History and SymbolismBro. Patrick Craddock, Conlegium RitusAusteri No. 779, Nashville, Tennessee

• Build Your Lodge’s Strategic Plan RW Rick Reichert, Hancock No. 311 &RW Robert Nelson, Emporia No. 12

• By Virtue of the Letter G: Geeks, Gigabytes & Gmail;Better Masonic Communication Through Technology W Michael Halleran, Emporia No. 12.

We are most excited to bring to youentertainment that you shouldthoroughly enjoy. Bro. Randy Riggle willbe bringing his Las Vegas quality show toSalina for the All-Masonic banquet onFriday evening. The nationally touringproduction of “NOSTALGIA” takes youdown memory lane with your 57’ Chevyas we remember the times and peoplewho changed our lives. You'll be takenback to that fateful day at Pearl Harborand travel through the 40's, 50's, and60's until the first steps are taken on thelunar surface. Nationally touring stand-up comedian Randy Riggle will be yourtour guide on a trip filled with songs andlaughs in this 90 minute one-man show.Randy entertains his audiences with

stories, gun slinging, dancing, and pantomime. Hisobservational humor about the era is complimented withover 50 impersonations and a special tribute to veterans.The entire revue is backed with a multi-media slidepresentation. Join us for an evening of nostalgic memoriesof a by-gone era. Check this website nostalgiashow.comfor information regarding this performance. Get ready toREMEMBER WHEN! His show should be enjoyed by allof us that remember the 1940's, 50's, and 60's. Randy isvery proud to be a 25 year member of our fraternity inPittsburgh, PA.Finally, we will have the usual business to attend to,

including several Bylaw proposals which are included inthis issue of The Kansas Mason for your review. All in all,there should be something for everyone at this GrandCommunication. Please join us in Salina on March 18 and

19 and be an active participant as ourCraft moves forward into the nextdecade. You won’t regret thecommitment.

Brethren, it has been an honorand privilege to serve you, the Masonsof Kansas, as your Grand Master thisyear. The 155th Grand Sessionexperience should be an excitingchange from the recent past as we willhave Masonic education and greatentertainment throughout the sessionas outlined above. I am excited aboutthe future of the Masonic Fraternity inKansas. Come be with us in Marchand “Catch the Vision.” Until then, Ilook forward to seeing you at thevarious events statewide, and asalways, on the level.

SECRETARY (Continued from pg. 2)for not reporting by the due date is that your members willbe denied voting privileges at the annual communication.Each year we have had to do that with several Lodges. It ispersonally embarrassing to your members who are toldwhen the register that they are being denied votingprivileges because their Secretary did not comply with thereporting requirements of Grand Lodge.I am always asked about voting privileges at Grand Lodge.

Some years ago our law allowed only Past Masters and thecurrent elected Master, Senior Warden, and Junior Wardento vote at the annual communication. That law waschanged to allow all current elected and appointed Lodgeofficers and Grand Lodge officers to vote. Now the onlyMaster Masons who cannot vote are those who are neither

a Past Master nor a current officer. Therefore you shouldencourage all of your officers and Past Masters to attendGrand Lodge and to vote on important issues. We haveseveral important by-law change proposals to be votedupon this year. These proposals were mailed to the Lodgesin December, and are printed elsewhere in this issue of theKansas Mason. We hope you will attend and express youropinion. If you don’t vote, you shouldn’t complain aboutthe outcome.I hope to see many of you at our annual communication

in Salina, starting March 18. I have always found thefellowship to be the greatest, and I come home refreshed(at least mentally) and inspired about the future of ourgreat fraternity, and the truly wonderful Brothers in it.

Bro. Randy Riggleof Pennsylvania will provide

entertainment at the All-MasonicDinner with a nostalgic revue.

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The Kansas Mason

THE CRAFT ABROAD

By the Kansas Mason StaffThe Grand Lodge of

Indiana has launched anew online Masoniceducation effort. Begin-ning January 1, 2011, andcontinuing throughDecember 31, 2011, TheWorldwide Exemplifi-cation of Freemasonry2011 Lecture Seriesprovides – free of charge– videotaped lectures

from some of Freemasonry’s most prominent scholars onthe history of the fraternity from the Middle Ages to today. This series features well-known Masonic speakers such

as Brent Morris, Mark Tabbert and Robert LD Cooper,as well as non-Masons such as historians Steven Bullockand Jessica Harland-Jacobs speaking on a wide range ofMasonic topics.Each presentation is broadcast live on Saturdays at 7 p.m.

CST and stored online for two weeks. Viewers who tune inlive on the web will have an opportunity to join with thespeakers in a live conversation on Facebook .The videos and a schedule of upcoming Masonic lectures

may be found at http://www.weofm.org/.

WORLDWIDE EXEMPLIFICATION OF FREEMASONRY - MASONIC ED 2.0

By the Kansas Mason StaffIn the culmination of the much-

anticipated lawsuit brought byexpelled PGM Frank Haas againstthe Grand Lodge of West Virginiaand two former Grand Masters, thejury sided with the defendants inDecember, and refused to grantHaas damages for breach ofcontract or defamation.At issue in the lawsuit was

the claim by Hass thathe had been deniedMasonic due pro-cess when he wass u m m a r i l y

expelled without trial by Grand MasterCharles L. Montgomery in 2008.The jury declined to award Frank J.

Haas, an administrative law judgefrom Wellsburg, any damages.The jury also decided that WVGrand Lodge and PGMs Charles F.Coleman II and Charles L.Montgomery had not defamed Haas bytheir actions.Haas sued the Grand Lodge, as well as

Coleman and Montgomery in 2008,months after Montgomery issued an edictexpelling Haas from the fraternal organization. Haas, who was Grand Master of Masons inWest Virginia from October 2005 to October 2006, testifiedat trial that he attempted to make West Virginia Masonry

more inclusive in terms of nationality, religion, race,and disability. The Grand Lodge of West Virginia does not recognize

Price Hall Masonry, and has strict laws prohibitingmembership in some appendant bodies, as well asrestrictions on admitting members with certain disabilities.Haas’ agenda, which came to be known as the WheelingReforms, were adopted at the 2006 annual communicationin Wheeling. The vote -- in which some members,according to West Virginia law, had full votes and some had

quarter votes -- resulted in a tie, passed with Haascasting the tie-breaking vote himself.

Shortly after the annual communication,Coleman, who succeeded Haas as grandmaster, set aside Haas' agenda through anedict, citing voting irregularities that heand others had witnessed.

The state's Masons became bitterlydivided over Haas' efforts, with somesupporting the progressive reforms whileothers supported the Grand Lodge.

According to a report in theCharleston (WV) Gazette, Bob Allen,Haas' attorney, said after the verdictwas announced that Haas wasvery disappointed, but accepted thejury's decision."We can take a lot of comfort that Mr. Haas

took what he felt was the high ground,morally and ethically," Allen said. "I'm confident

that he'll be able to move forward, knowing that hedid the right thing. If that costs him his membership inMasonry, that costs him his membership in Masonry."

JURY SIDES WITH WEST VIRGINIA GL IN LAWSUIT

Frank Hass(courtesy tmsr.org)

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Spring 2011

CORRESPONDENCEDear Editor,I read your Editor's note in the Kansas Mason today. After

reading the paragraph comparing going to Rotary withwatching re-runs of the Simpsons as reason Masons didn'tbother to participate in Masonic activities, I became a bitirritated. Rotary is a fine service organization of which I ama member. I am active in the Rotary service activities andmeetings. Why not include Boy Scouts, 4-H, church andShrine activities as reasons why members don't attendlodge. Many of the men who would make great Masons areinvolved with their children’s activities as coaches andleaders. My father, grandfather and Uncle were all Masons, in

Scottish Rite and Shrine. They also were active in all threeorganizations. How many Shriners make it regularly to lodge? There are

lots of Shriners who never make it to lodge and probablywould drop their membership if being a member of a lodgewasn't required.I suspect that the real reason for low attendance is lack of

dynamic leadership in our local lodges. To many officersmake it through the ranks without thinking seriously, "howcan I, as Master, make my lodge better?"How can we become a more desirable organization? As a

business owner, I studied ways to market my business. Inorder for any business to survive, the public has to knowyou are there and your purpose and what you have to offer.You must package the product attractively to make it standout from the competition. Reasons to attend meetings overother activities need to improve. Can we do more to makemeetings more interesting? Going through the same dryroutine every meeting doesn't help create enthusiasm forattending.Many committees within the lodge never change

members. Rotating members from committee to committeewould help bring new blood to activities and projects. What

does your lodge do to keep members involved? Whenanother lodge merges with your lodge do you truly makethem feel welcome? Members of my old lodge still don'tfeel fully welcome. For centuries, we never had to toot our horn, as we were

the only game in town. Most men with political andbusiness aspirations joined the lodge as a way to berecognized as a good guy. That all changed in the early1900's when Rotary, Lions and other service clubs werebeing organized. Perhaps we should look at how these organizations

function and take notice of what makes them stand out inthe communityThe time when Masons should have changed the rules

about joining and asking other to join should have been atthe turn of the last century when most of the present dayservice organizations began to compete for the time ofupstanding men. As these organizations grew in stature, theimportance of being a Mason diminished in the eyes of thepublic. What can we do to improve our image? If we don't feel

proud of our organization, how can we expect others toparticipate? Has your lodge done something recently thatthe members can be proud to say they are a member?(Spending a day helping to make repairs to a poor seniorcitizen's home so it will be more livable can do wondersfor your spirit.) We really need to take a hard look at our image in the

eyes of the members who don't attend meetings and thegeneral public if we are going to survive through the 21stcentury. Failure to do so will only result in failure.

Sincerely yours,

Michael J. Miller PM Wyandotte Lodge No. 3

STRATEGIC PLAN (Continued from pg. 1)munications with the Craft. The “Masonic Experience” andthe “Leadership” roles will also be affected by those changesas they are developed over time and more Brothers begintaking ownership of the committees.I hope by now you are enjoying the new look and format

of the Kansas Mason and the updated content that isavailable there. The new website was featured in the lastedition of the Kansas Mason, and if you haven’t taken thetime to visit it, please do so at www.kansasmason.org. Itcontains a wealth of information, including secure pages forKansas Masons only and a secured page for lodge secretaries.If you haven’t taken the time to check it out, please do. Ifyou need the password, please ask your District or Area

Deputy Grandmaster or send me a message atom@kansasmason.org. We have built in comments featurein the website for you to leave feedback or suggestions andI encourage you to do so. Although the website has beenredesigned from top to bottom, we still strive forimprovements, so check back often; it’s a work in progress.You can also find the last five editions of the Kansas Masonposted to the website.With the initial portion of the communications

committee already designed and implemented, we aremoving on to the more complicated and challenging aspectof our charge. The committee has discussed and isdetermining our next steps to improve the communications

(See STRATEGIC PLAN, pg. 8)

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The Kansas Mason

MASONIC COMMUNITY CALENDARGrand Lodge Annual CommunicationFriday and Saturday, March 18-19. Salina.

Mayetta Lodge No. 393 dedicationSaturday, April 2.

Wyandotte Lodge No. 3 Grand Master visitationFriday, May 6.

Minneapolis Lodge No. 143 Picnic MeetingThursday, May 26, Rock City Park.

Junction City Union Lodge No. 7 Memorial Day ServiceMonday, May 30.

Ottawa Delphina Lodge No. 44 Grand Master visitationThursday, June 2.

Pittsburg Lodge No. 187 emblem presentationSaturday, June 4.

Lodge of the Full MoonSaturday, June 11. Picnic meal 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m.,tyled meeting (3°) 9 p.m. Joint Lindsborg No.397and Salina No.60 sponsored event at Coronado Heights“castle”, three miles NW of Lindsborg. Signs.For more information: 785-227-3880.

St. John’s Day CelebrationSunday, June 26.

QUESTIONS ANSWEREDThe Kansas Mason is pleased to receive questions from ourreaders and answer them as time and space permits. Please sendyour questions about Masonic law, etiquette, custom, traditionsor history to the Questions Answered Editor, Nolan Sump atquestions@kansasmason.org .

Dear Editor:I have been a brother Mason since I was a senior incollege and have often held an interest in the Work. Myson is a sophomore and is currently enrolled in a speechclass at our local high school. He recently did a speechon Freemasonry, which highlighted the aspects of itshistory and its appendant bodies. My son is a history buffand after doing the speech, he was interested in joiningdue to the leadership potential it offered him. Sadly, wedo not have a DeMolay Chapter in our city that he canjoin. What advice can you offer to assist him to keep thatmotivation up before he can join in three years? Signed,A Mason from the City

Dear Brother,It is exciting to know your son is interested in developing

leadership skills and has decided upon his local lodge as afuture venue to build upon this interest. Masons should everbe vigilant to strengthen their own and especially theirchildren’s self-confidence and networking skills. Each is abenefit to their attempts in forging a new, positive identityfor themselves in college and beyond. I would recommendgetting him involved in any community activities yourlodge participates in. If you have an annual Mason’sbarbeque where the families are invited, introduce him to

your lodge members and maintain that initial bond createdwith them until he decides to fill out a petition. Even more, encourage him to apply for a Masonic

scholarship next year when he is a junior. The Grand Lodgeof Kansas has a Public Schools committee who isresponsible for developing an scholarship essay contest onan annual basis for all juniors and seniors in Kansas tax-supported public high schools, who plan to attend a Kansastax-supported accredited post-secondary school. The annualMasonic Essay Contest possesses $12,000 in scholarships,with the first place winner receiving a $4,000 scholarship,second place receiving $3,000, third place receiving $2,000and fourth place receiving $1,000 with four honorablementions receiving $500 apiece. As a student interested inhistory, your son may be interested in knowing the title ofour next essay will focus on our state’s sesquicentennialcelebration. Every lodge receives information about this contest early

in the school year. You may contact your lodge secretary formore information about it. The title for this year’s contest is:“Who is the most prominent figure in our state’s 150-yearhistory?” Should your son participate in this, it would be agreat step for him to prepare for college and it willdemonstrate his self-advocacy skills, something of whichany parent, let alone a brother Mason, should be proud.

Spring 2011

8

STRATEGIC PLAN (Continued from pg. 6)at all levels of Kansas Masonry. Technology is a greatthing for the younger generation, and while a lot of ourolder Brothers are embracing the internet, email, textingand yes, even Facebook, we don’t want to leave anyoneout of the communications loop. So, although theseforms of cutting-edge communications are of greatvalue to us, we have to develop a plan that covers everymember from 18 to 104. No plan will be perfect andreach each and every brother every time; people moveand don’t leave forwarding addresses, change email andphone numbers all the time, and never let their lodgesecretary know, but our goal is to reach every member.As the strategic plan enters its second year, we will beasking you for help in updating our membershipdatabase with the most current information about you– the people we want to communicate with.Additionally, we currently are working on improving

the communications between ADGM’s and DDGM’s,and the Grand Lodge office and Grand Lodge Officersand ultimately the Craft and their local lodges. We will

be announcing that change soon, which we think willgreatly enhance and encourage more timely andproductive communication.Finally, we are addressing the issue of how we

communicate with out-of-state Masons who live inKansas and would like to be active in our lodges. If youknow a Mason from out of state who attends a Kansaslodge, please make every effort to communicate withhim of lodge events. Tell him about our website, and ifyour lodge has a website, let him know about that, too.The more we communicate with brother Masons, thestronger our organization will be. We still have a long way to go, and I want to assure

you that your committee on communications isworking diligently to pave the way into the future withtimely and effective communications to all members;we are addressing both technology and traditionalmethods and will soon decide which are the mosteffective ways to touch as many brother Masons aspossible.

an inward chuckle when reading his remarks about theMaster splitting his trousers at an elevating moment inthe third degree?Perhaps the most singular distinction between

American and English Masonry is formality andrecognition regarding Provincial and Senior GrandOfficers in Great Britain. These dignitaries, several ofwhom are usually present at any given meeting, havespecific seats determined by rank and are given specificformal salutes by all except higher ranking officers. TheEnglish lodge attire is much more formalized, includingthe wearing of white gloves. Many of their meetingsinclude wine toasts starting with to the Queen and theCraft. After the meeting, there is a bar and sometimes ameal. The English also have some specialized bluelodges known as Emulation Lodges which featureaccomplished ritualists and do lengthy full ceremonies.The book price is clearly a bargain compared to round-

trip airfare. Even if you intend to visit an English lodge,buy the book as trip preparation.

Reviewed by:J. Howard Duncan,Lawrence Lodge No.6Lewis Masonic, 80 pagesPaperback ($16.95)

BOOK REVIEWSTHE DIRECTOR OF CEREMONIESBy Richard JohnsonThe author surely had no

expectation that his just releasedbook The Director of Ceremonies,published by Lewis Masonic inEngland, would be of interest toKansas Masons. It was written as a very specific

guide to the office of Director ofCeremonies in British blue lodgeFreemasonry. We have nothinglike this office in Kansas as itperforms duties which we have spread over the positionsof Master, Secretary, Senior Deacon, Junior Warden,Tyler, Stewards, and Coach. In effect, the British Directorof Ceremonies is the Manager of lodge proceedings andmeetings. Why should such a narrowly devoted bookabout something we don't have in Kansas be of interestto Kansas Masons? It serves as a highly interesting voyeur experience for

the Master Mason curious about how English Masonrydiffers from Kansas Masonry. In the UK, the Director ofCeremonies is almost invariably a Past Master and ahighly accomplished ritualist. Johnson is no exceptionto these basic characteristics, and he is a skillful writerwith an entertaining sense of humor. How can you avoid

The Kansas Mason

9

OFFICIAL NOTICESPROPOSED CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAW CHANGES FOR 2011

Note that wording to be removed has been struck out, these words for example, and any additions are boldfaced and underlined, these wordsfor example.

Proposal #1

5-239. Felonies and Misdemeanors.

Section 1. DEFINITIONSa. Felony. An offense for which a sentence of death or a term of imprisonment for one year or more is provided upon conviction.b. Misdemeanor. A crime punishable by less than a year of imprisonment in a county jail and/or a fine.

Section 2. CONVICTION OF OR PLEADING GUILTY TO ANY FELONY AND TO CERTAIN MISDEMEANORS RELATING TO CHILDMOLESTATION, CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, OR ANY SEXUAL OFFENSE INVOLVING A CHILD.

a. Felony. Any Mason subject to the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge who has, or hereafter shall be convicted of a felony in any court ofcompetent jurisdiction shall, by direction of the Grand Master, upon the filing with the Grand Master of a certified copy of the courtproceedings showing a conviction of the same, as provide in subsection c hereof, be summarily expelled from Masonry without thepreferring of charges and the usual Masonic trial.

b. Misdemeanors. Any Mason who has, or hereafter shall be convicted of any misdemeanor in any court of competent jurisdiction forany sexual offense involving a child shall, by direction of the Grand Master, upon the filing with the Grand Master of a certified copyof the court proceedings showing guilty conviction of the same, pursuant to subsection c hereof, be expelled, suspended, orreprimanded, depending upon the severity of offense. However, before issuing such order of expulsion, suspension, or reprimand,the Grand Master may refer said matter to the Trials and Punishment Committee for their recommendation as to the punishmentsuitable for the offense. The Trials and Punishment Committee shall forward their written recommendation to the Grand Masterwithin thirty (30) days from the date of the receipt of the request for such recommendation by the Grand Master.

c. Evidence. A certified copy of the court’s proceedings showing a judgment of conviction shall be sufficient evidence to justifyexpulsion, suspension, or reprimand by the Grand Master as provided in Subsections a and b hereof.

d. Right of Appeal. Any Mason expelled, suspended, or reprimanded under the provisions of this section shall be entitled to the rightof appeal as provided by By-law 5-233.

e. Master’s Duty. It is hereby made the duty of the Master of a subordinate lodge, where a member of his lodge has, or shall hereafterbe convicted of felony or misdemeanor hereunder to immediately file with the Grand Master a certified copy of the courtproceedings showing his plea of guilty, verdict of guilty, or special verdict upon which a judgment of conviction may be entered.

f. Grand Master’s Duty. It is hereby made the duty of the Grand Master to promptly execute the provisions of subsections a and b ofthis Section upon his receipt of instruments or documents set out in subsection e hereof.

g. Reversal of Conviction. If the conviction shall be reversed upon appeal in the criminal court, the Grand Master shall set aside anyorder of punishment issued by him under this section and shall reinstate the member without loss of time.

5-239. Crimes Involving Sexual Activities with Children.

CONVICTION OF OR PLEADING GUILTY TO CRIMES RELATING TO CHILD MOLESTATION, CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, OR ANY SEXUALOFFENSE INVOLVING A CHILD.

a. Summary Punishment. Any Mason subject to the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge who has, or hereafter shall be, convictedin any court of competent jurisdiction of a crime regarding sexual activity with or involving a child shall, by direction ofthe Grand Master, be summarily expelled from Masonry, suspended, or reprimanded, depending upon the severity ofoffense, without the preferring of charges and the usual Masonic trial. However, before issuing such order of expulsion,suspension, or reprimand, the Grand Master may refer said matter to the Trials and Punishment Committee for theirrecommendation as to the punishment suitable for the offense. The Trials and Punishment Committee shall forward theirwritten recommendation to the Grand Master within thirty (30) days from the date of the receipt of the request for suchrecommendation by the Grand Master.

b. Evidence. Without limiting other forms of evidence, a certified copy of the court’s proceedings showing a judgment ofconviction shall be sufficient evidence to justify expulsion, suspension, or reprimand by the Grand Master as providedabove.

c. Right of Appeal. Any Mason expelled, suspended, or reprimanded under the provisions of this section shall be entitled tothe right of appeal as provided by By-law 5-233.

d. Duty to Report. It is hereby made the duty of any member convicted of such a crime to notify the Grand Master withinthirty (30) days of conviction and to provide a certified copy of the court’s proceedings. It is also the duty of a memberwho has actual knowledge of another member’s conviction of such a crime to promptly notify the Grand Master.

e. Reversal of Conviction. If the conviction shall be reversed upon appeal in the criminal court, the Grand Master shall setaside any order of punishment issued by him under this section and shall reinstate the member without loss of time.(Amended 2011). (Continued on pg. 10)

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Spring 2011

Rationale: Bylaw 5-239 was adopted to be a tool for summarily expelling, suspending or reprimanding a member convicted of sexual crimesinvolving children. As currently drafted, however, the bylaw is ambiguous and may be read to apply to unintended situations. The revision clarifiesthe types of convictions which may result in discipline without the need for traditional Masonic procedure. The distinctions between felony andmisdemeanor crimes have been eliminated, as under Kansas law, all such crimes are felonies. Finally, the reporting obligations have been revisedto apply to a member convicted and to a member who has actual knowledge of another member’s conviction, rather than the Master of the Lodge.

Submitted by:Council of Administration

Proposal #2

4-207. Objection to Conferring Degree—Any Master Mason who is a member of the Lodge may object to the conferring of any Degree uponan accepted candidate. The objector shall not state the grounds of his objection. The objection must be made by the objector in person, in openLodge. If the objection is made orally by the objector, and recorded at his request, or if it is submitted in writing in open Lodge by the objectorand signed by him, the candidate is barred from receiving the Degree until the first Stated Communication after the expiration of six months fromthat date. If not so submitted in writing, and if not recorded, or if a ballot is demanded after the candidate examination and it results unfavorably,the objection shall remain in force only until the next Stated Communication of the Lodge. The objector may renew his objection, or he maywithdraw it at any time; Provided, That in no case shall the objection continue to be in force after termination of the objector’s membership.Provided further: A member of a lodge that is unable to attend lodge may object to the conferring of a degree by sending hisobjection, in writing and signed by him, to the Secretary of the lodge. The Secretary will read the objection in open lodge and it willhave the same effect as if the objector were present. (Amended 2011). Cross-Reference: By-Laws, Sec. 4-130.

Rationale: A member that is not able to attend lodge but may have knowledge of a reason to stop someone from receiving the degrees ofMasonry should have a way of doing so.

Submitted by:Don E. Robinett, PGM

Proposal #3

3-619. Serving of Alcoholic Beverages—Alcoholic beverages are forbidden in Lodge rooms, except for ritualistic purposes. Theserving or consumption of any beverage having a recognized or indicated alcoholic content in any Lodge room at any communication or socialfunction of any Lodge, ritualistic purposes excepted, shall be deemed an offense against the Body of Masonry. This does not preclude lodgesfrom renting their facilities, except Lodge rooms, to groups where alcoholic beverages are served, but not sold or consumed in accordancewith the laws of the State of Kansas. (Amended 1982, 2002, 2011).

Rationale: The changes to this By-Law DO NOT REQUIRE the use of alcoholic beverage for ritualistic purposes, and DO NOT ALLOW alcoholto be consumed in any lodge room. They would, however, allow each Lodge to choose if alcohol will be permitted at social functions only(outside of a lodge room), and they would allow organizations that predicate their membership on Masonic affiliation (e.g., Scottish Rite, YorkRite) the right to elect to use wine or a non-alcoholic beverage for ritual purposes. The changes will also remove the hypocrisy that currentlyexists where we turn a blind eye to alcohol use at social functions.

The current law that prohibits alcohol at any “social function of any Lodge” is overly broad, prohibiting anything from a can of beer at a lodgepicnic at the lake, to the hospitality suite at Grand Lodge. By this language, members of a lodge cannot meet at a bar to watch a football gamewith the intent of having a beer unless they all arrive there accidentally.

It has been remarked on in past Annual Communications that loosening the alcohol restriction will somehow transform a Masonic lodge into atavern. This is not so. This proposal makes it clear that alcohol will not be tolerated in lodge rooms, and each Worshipful Master will retain theabsolute authority under our Constitution and By-Laws to permit or forbid alcohol at a social event. This proposal does not alter those facts. Nordoes the proposal alter the fact that any use of alcohol during a lodge communication remains strictly forbidden.

It has also been remarked upon that allowing alcohol at a social function of any lodge is contrary to our obligations as Masons. Yet our Masonicforefathers met in taverns, and because of this our lectures teach temperance, not abstinence. If we are willing – as we all are – to trust ourbrethren with our families, our sacred honor, and even our inner-most secrets, we can with safety trust a brother Mason to enjoy alcohol withpropriety at a social function of the lodge.

Finally, the proposed wording, if approved, would insure that no organization that predicates its membership upon Masonic affiliation wouldhenceforth have any problem with our Grand Lodge By-Laws, especially 3-619.

Respectfully submitted,Glenn E. Kohr, PGM

11

The Kansas Mason

Proposal #4

Great Seal—The Great Seal shall be of brass, circular in form, not more than two inches in diameter, bearing the device of a white manGrand Masterholding in his left hand a book, and with his right presenting a square and compasses to an Indian a Native American, who is receiving theimplements with his left hand, and holding in his right a bow and arrows, the whole surmounted with the scroll, “Misteria non Scripta,” andsurrounded by the words, “Seal of the Grand Lodge of Kansas”. It shall remain as it is now designed, and shall be impressed upon all orders,summonses, and commissions, Letters of Dispensation, and Warrants of Constitution. It shall be used to authenticate official documents, issued bythe Grand Master in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws of the Grand Lodge, and when so used such writings shall be attested by theGrand Secretary. Acts of the Grand Master, performed in the exercise of his prerogatives, and his ordinary correspondence with Lodges andBrethren, require no other authentication than his signature. (Amended 2011).

Rationale: When considering the Seal of the Grand Lodge of Kansas and how it is used to simply say it is a white man with a top hat doesn’t dojustice. The Seal is affixed upon orders, summonses, commissions, Letters of Dispensation. Warrants of Constitution, authentication of officialdocuments. Not just anyone can use the Seal. The Seal is as much a symbol of the Grand Master’s authority as his top hat, gavel, and apron.The Grand Master is The head of state for our order. He is responsible for setting regularity between our foreign bodies. He decides whetherappendant Masonic bodies may work in the state of Kansas. The seal of the Grand Lodge should reflect the power and responsibility of theoffice. Indian is not an acceptable term of reference for what is shown on the Seal. My review of information on the Internet would show NativeAmerican. This is more than being politically correct. When I took courses from the KMU a definition of Masonry is courtesy.

Respectfully submitted,Conrad Fischer, PMOrient Lodge #51

Proposal #5

Section 13. Standing Committees—The Standing Committees of the Grand Lodge shall be:

(1) On Credentials; (2) On Reports of Grand Officers;

(3 2) On Finance; (4 3) On Jurisprudence; (5 4) On Trial and Punishments; (6 5) On Masonic Education; (7 6) On Total Youth and Education Public Schools; (8 7) On Lodges and Buildings; (9 8) On Ritualistic Work, consisting of at least five members each; (9) On Reports of Grand Lodge Officers;(10) On Foreign Relations and Correspondence; (11) On Publications; consisting of at least one member each;(12) On Necrology; consisting of one member each;

(13 12) On Membership, consisting of not less than seven members.

The Grand Master shall appoint the members of the above committees as soon as practical after his installation, and they shall serve during histerm of office, subject to such changes as he may deem expedient. (Amended 1949, 1952, 1959, 1969, 1990, 1991, 2011.) Cross-Reference:By-Laws, Secs. 2-113 to 2-124G.

Rationale: The Grand Lodge made changes to the role of Grand Chaplain that eliminate the need for a Committee on Necrology. Revising thespecific structure of number of members of other committees will allow them to be structured to be as functional as required by any circumstance.

Respectfully submitted,Joesphe G. Stiles, PMUnion Lodge #7, Junction City

Proposal #6

Section 4. Title of Grand Officers—The elective officers of the Grand Lodge shall be addressed as follows: The Grand Master as MostWorshipful, and all others as Right Worshipful. The Grand Chaplain shall be styled Very Worshipful. The Other subordinate officers of theGrand Lodge shall be addressed as Worshipful. Past officers shall be addressed as present officers of like rank. (Amended 2011).

Rationale: According to By-Law changes adopted by Grand Lodge last year, the Grand Chaplain is the necrologist. This is the historically andphilosophically correct title for this office, and is used everywhere from the United Grand Lodge of England to the Grand Lodge of Nebraska.

Respectfully submitted,Joesphe G. Stiles, PMUnion Lodge #7, Junction City

Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted MasonsThe Kansas MasonP.O. Box 1217Topeka, KS 66601

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Permit No. 580Manhattan, KS 66502

155th ANNUAL COMMUNICATION M W Grand Lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of Kansas March 18 19, 2011 Masonic Center 336 South Santa Fe Salina, Kansas

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Thursday 1:00 5:00 p.m. - Registration

Friday 7:00 am 3:30 pm - Registration Events: Grand Procession, Open to Public Formal Opening Ladies Luncheon All-Masonic Banquet Saturday Registration NOT available on Saturday Events: Call to Labor Annual Necrology Service Installation of 2011-2012 Grand Lodge Officers, Open to Public Hotel 1616 W. Crawford St., Salina, KS / Phone: 785-823-1739

REGISTRATION INFORMATION LAST NAME:

FIRST NAME:

Member Number:

Lodge Name and Number:

MEAL RESERVATIONS FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 18 th

Meal Choice / # of Tickets

Cost Per Ticket

Discounted - Price After Price Feb. 28th

Total Cost

Ladies Luncheon (Italian Tureen, Salad, Brownie)

Meal with Meat - _________ Vegetarian Meal - _________

$17.50 - $22.50

(Ham, Au Gratin Potatoes, Corn, Rolls, Dessert)

Meal - _________

$12.50 - $16.50

All-Masonic Banquet (6-oz. Bacon-wrapped filet, Vegetables Provencal, Dessert)

Meal with Meat - _________ Vegetarian Meal - _________

$26.00 - $32.00

REGISTRATION FEE - Kansas Masons ONLY

$ 25.00

TOTAL ENCLOSED Make check payable to - - The Grand Lodge of Kansas

$

Complete and return this form by February 28th to: Grand Lodge of Kansas PO Box 1217

Topeka, KS 66601-1217