We are in the process of changeing software from Lifetype to Wordpress. Wordpress is a much more robust and featured package that will allow more flexibilty.
It will also give us a mobile site (iphone android etc) along with
better spam control. I have been inundated with spam for the last few
months and finally decided it was time to upgrade. If I didn't know
that the brethren of Grand Lodge were such technophobes, I would have
suspected that they were behind it.
I would and could make the new site available today (it is at www.masonic-crusade.com/wordpress if you want a peek) but I have not decided how to handle the old site and posts. There is history there that I don't want to lose. Once I work that out, the site will be live....
The new Grand Master of Pennsylvania has introduced a new program for this year.
According to an article posted at the Freemason for Dummies website that states: "Well, much of that is changing this year. R∴W∴B∴ Thomas K. Sturgeon,
Grand Master for 2010/2011 has announced an ambitious slate of changes
for the upcoming year, under the aegis "21st Century Renaissance."
Take the time to read the article, and you will note that many of the changes are similar to the "Wheeling Reforms" that were legally voted on and passed here in West Virginia (regardless of what Jerry Lewis espoused his year as Grand Master).
I find it interesting that other jurisictions allow the Grand Master to make sweeping changes without fear of reprisal. Here a legal vote was taken and the majority of the brethren present voted in the affirmative and PGM Haas was still expelled for having the vision to publish his agenda and allow a vote of the brethren.
While this case is VERY different from our cause, it is just another indication that the courts are quite willing to look at masonic law and render a decision.
Regardless of the disinformation that is currently being spread, the civil court is the next step when an organization oversteps its authority and refuses to follow its own rules.
If you have wondered like me, why the MW Grand Lodge of Virginia (our Mother Grand Lodge) has remained curiously silent on our issue, perhaps this will explain why? LINK
It seems they have been silently engaged in a similar lawsuit and in September 2009 were ordered by a Civil Court to reinstate a member who was illegally expelled.
Brethren this is not a rumor or an opinion, it is fact.
A court was willing to tell a private organization that they must follow rules and be fair. It is my belief that the same will happen here!
Please take time to pray for the new leaders of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia.
Pray that as a new slate of officers begins to serve, that they will do just that serve the brethren of West Virginia.
Our heritage is rich and the lessons we learned from the Civil War should be all that we need to end the madness. A nation divided can be reunited and flourish and so can this Grand Lodge.
Rumor has it the cost has now exceeded $300,000? Someone should ask "is that true"? Someone should ask "who authorized the spending of your money"?
This week saw two happenings in the Masonic world that bears notice.
1. The MW Grand Lodge of WV and MW Brother Frank J. Haas's attorneys met in mediation and failed to meet any agreement. The Judge has set a trial date of November 2, 2009.
2. The MW Grand lodge of Virginia apparently lost a 5 year old lawsuit requiring them to reinstate an expelled mason without a vote for fear of prejudice.We do not know all the details but it is clear that the courts are willing to make decisions regarding private organizations when they fail to follow their own rules.
Oh and yes we are still watching and being hopeful that Masonry is brought back into the light in West Virginia......
At the annual session of the MW Grand Lodge of Minnesota AF&AM the following motion was overwhelmingly passed:
Whereas the Grand Lodge of West Virginia has arbitrarily and recklessly ignored the will of their brethren, expelling a Past Grand Master without trial or redress, violating the ancient and accepted customs and tenets of our Fraternity and bring shame and disrepute on all Masons and Freemasonry, and
Whereas they have been named in a civil suit further bringing the Craft into public disrepute and score,
Therefore be it resolved that the Grand Lodge of Minnesota expresses its concern over these actions and will consider suspending recognition of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia upon the recommendation of our External Relations Committee at our next Annual Communication in 2010 if there is not correction of these actions and a renewed willingness by the Grand Lodge of West Virginia to enter into the modern fraternity of Freemasonry."
“The ebb and flow of will is like the movements of the tides... if we cease our vain struggles and lamentations long enough to look away from the personal self...we realize life is going well with us after all.”
Brethren
I have seen the few posts lamenting and ridiculing. We all know those that frequent here who are not with us. We see them gloating. Brethren we must be men enough to admit that they won. The collective voice of Grand Lodge made it clear that there is no desire for change in West Virginia. We must respect that. We need not agree with it.
I do not feel anger. I feel sorrow. I feel as if we failed here. We had high hopes of enlightening the masses. We hoped to reach in and set their inner flame afire! It was not to be. The brethren must reach for this goal themselves. I hope someday that they do.
Finally there is a greater Masonic world that can be explored. Start with the Rites. Join one or both. Both publish a magazine that will give you a glimpse of what is going on in the Masonic World. Make the effort to visit out of state lodges. There you will see that Masonry is alive and vibrant. They will welcome you and you will have an enjoyable time. Read, become educated, learn all there is to learn about Masonry. It is a broad topic and will be a lifetime learning experience.
As for the Masonic Crusade.... we will watch for a time... and pray.
Those of us laboring here thought that the brethren of West Virginia might like to see some news and events going on in the rest of the Masonic world. There are many positive events and Masonry is alive. In the coming weeks we will be posting as much as possible. Please let us know what you'd like to see and read about. Of course if any of the things you read about here interest you, contact Grand Lodge and tell them.
Esteemed Brethren of West
Virginia, and around the world,
Thank you for taking the time to read this
communication. You are being contacted as a true and
faithful brother, who is concerned about the current
state, and future of Freemasonry in West Virginia.
If you are not a brother who is such, simply respond
to this email with the word "un-subscribe" in the subject. If you
find
this of value, please forward these communications to
like concerned brothers, and ask them to subscribe.
Think back to the second I.M. Hiram letter. In it I responded to then Grand
Master Coleman's angry letter to me, ordering me to stop "or else." I
was perfectly contented to leave things go at one letter. But they fanned the
flames. Had they just ignored the letters and dismissed me as an isolated
oddball, I would have never written another letter. But they didn't. They
fanned the flames. THEY created "The Illegal Masonic Crusade."
Before Coleman's response, I was one man. After his response, I grew. I became
hundreds across the state, the nation, and the world. Requests to be included
on the mailing list came pouring in, and I received scores of letters from
across the state, nation and world encouraging me to do my work.
As time went on, I didn't need to write anymore. All I needed to do was cobble
together your thoughts from your letters, and add my signature to the bottom. I
did this because I never intended to be a one man solution; I did this because
you needed a voice. As soon as you had an outlet, you sent your thoughts. As
soon as I received your thoughts, I sent them to the world, and your thoughts
and ideas gained support. You all became I.M. Hiram, because all of you are
Hiram.
I.M. Hiram was a reflection and amplification of YOUR thoughts, YOUR ideas, and
YOUR words. YOU all supported EACH OTHER. YOU were UNIFIED.
In time, masonic-crusade.com
came into being. One of YOU started it, and many, many of YOU started
writing there. It became a public forum for free, unhindered speech as regards
the trials and tribulations of West Virginia Freemasonry. Some
discussions went on for 50 or more posts. All because YOU created a space for
YOURSELVES to speak, and YOU spoke.
Now as Grand Lodge draws near, I write you my final e-mails. There is little
use for me at this point, you have your voice. But I tell you this: YOU will
make the change this year. YOU decide the future of Freemasonry in West
Virginia this year. If YOU do not speak out and make YOURSELF heard loud, and
unmistakably clear, YOU will have no right to complain about anything the Grand
Lodge does from this point forward. The work you accomplish at this years Grand
Lodge session determines the course of Masonry for the future.
YOU can change things, YOU have the power, YOUR quarter votes are a landslide
waiting to happen,YOU ARE HIRAM.
Time is running out! It is running out for those seeking change. Who carries our BATTLE FLAG? We desperately need to find something to focus our attention on—to focus our energies, our intelligence and sense of fair play and equality. Battle lines are drawn and sides have been chosen. What is the point?
We need constitutional change. We need a constitutional convention to discuss a new constitution, a new direction! We have a right, as a Mason, with our high ideals to expect the ultimate in leadership, the best possible choice from the craft, to be able to eliminate politics from our ranks and demand selfless men to lead us into the future.
Brethren, as I have
watched the devastation that Ike has wrought on Texas, it occurred to me that
there is an lesson in Ike for us to see. We have seen the damage wrought by
unrestrained power and even the loss of life (in the Masonic sense). During all
this there is a quiet time that we are in now and I would liken it to the eye
of the hurricane. It is a time of quiet, stillness and yet the foreboding of
things yet to come. It almost seems normal in an eerie sense. (More)
Word is out today thatJudge Berger denied every point of the defendants' motion
to dismiss.This means the Court Case will go on.... Brethren we will have our day in court!
