Brother Franklin
Brother Franklin, as you well know, was a pretty inspired man. Father of the bifocal lens, lightening rod, Franklin stove, odometer, proponent of daylight savings time, founder of both the first fire department and the first public library, and not to be overlooked, prominent member of a distinguished body that founded our country, Ben Franklin embodied not only what some term as the movement of the Renaissance, but also a great emerging American nation.
Brother Franklin drew inspiration from a variety of life experiences and life’s inventions. Probably one of his lesser known inventions is a musical instrument known as the glass armonica.
The history of water tuned instruments spans centuries and continents. the Janpanese “Hi”, the Chinese “Fou” and “Shui Chan”, the Indian “Jalatharangini”, the Arabian “Tusut”, and a myriad of European derivatives span the years beginning as early as the 13th century.
One of the earliest European derivatives is recorded in Franchino Gaffurio’s Theorica Musice (1451-1522) which reflects an invention based on a Pythagorean allusion.
Pythagoras, as most Master Masons know, plays a central role in our philosophy, and Pythagoras has some significant influence on the development of music.
This instrument lead to a derivative that actually became quite popular in the European 1600 – 1700 music circuit. The so called verrillon made its way around Europe. It consisted of a table with glasses filled with different amounts of liquid. The performer would stand at one end of the table and strike the glasses with a stick, and was usually part of an accompaniment of instruments.
As the century developed, so did the variations on the verrillon. Rubbing the rim of a glass with a moistened finger actually became the ephemeral form, and it had substantial influence not only in music, but in the cathartical sciences of the day. For example, in G.P. Hasdorfer’s Deliciae Physicomathematicae published in 1677, Hasdorfer writes: “(There is) an account of an experiment with four glasses, filled with brandy, wine, water and salt water or oil. The diverse sounds produced by the contrasting content of the glasses were thought not only to correspond to the emotions aroused by the four “humours” of the human body, but even to have the power of alleviating or curing such disorders as a thickness of the blood.”
Joining Hasdorfer’s epiphany is a story of Richard Pockrich. Richard Pockrich was a brewer, inventor, adventurer and musician. He performed quite extensively with an instrument called the “angelick organ”, which was essentially, a verrillon. He was quite famous, and it was rumored that one day bailliffs showed up to arrest him, only to be so influenced by his playing, that they set him free.
Soon following and joining Pockrich’s prominent status, were renowned performers such as Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787), Ann Ford (1737-1824), Oliver Goldsmith (1730-1774), and Edward Hussey Delaval (1729-1814).
Delaval was predominately influential to Brother Franklin, so much so that Brother Franklin nominated him for membership in the Royal Society of London in 1759.
In 1762, Franklin wrote his friend and colleague Giambatista Beccaria about Puckeridge, and about Delaval’s musical abilities. Furthermore, he wrote: ” Being charmed with the sweetness of its tones, and the music (Delaval) produced from it, I wished only to see the glasses disposed in a more convenient form, and brought together in a narrower compass, so as to admit a greater number of tones, and all within reach of hand to a person sitting before the instrument, which I accomplished, after various intermediate trials, and less commodious forms, both of glasses and construction, in the following manner. “
Brother Franklin referred to this instrument as the “glassychord”, which he then later renamed the “armonica”.
Brother Franklin’s armonica became quite famous, and by the end of 1762, it was being commercially built by Charles James in London and by Hughes and Co, and it became such an influential instrument that it inspired Brother Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to compose “Adagio and Rondo” specifically for Brother Franklin’s armonica.
Here is some further online information and some performances:
http://tinyurl.com/7lfnhgd
http://tinyurl.com/2p2qhg
http://tinyurl.com/6h5sw6t
Masonic Renewal
So our Grand Lodge here in Illinois has got a great group of men in place running it. A couple of the men I know pretty well, the current Grand Master, and the current Grand Junior Warden. The Grand Secretary ain’t too shabby either, but as I am a secretary, I may have a bias. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting the other elected officials, but judging by the company they keep, I trust they are just as talented as the men I have the pleasure of knowing.
In any event, this group recently related to me (not just me alone, I am not that special) about a committee structured to help local lodges lay the foundation to grow their members and their lodge.
There are some impressive names on it, for instance; PGM Neil Neddermeyer, a talented writer and Past Grand Master of Minnesota, and Brother Chris Hodapp, who penned Freemasonry for Dummies, join a rather long list of distinguished names.
The website, http://www.masonicrenewal.org/in.php, has some excellent tools on it to help you and your lodge run in today’s flat world ( I borrowed that from Thomas Friedman btw, he wrote an amazing book called The World is Flat, check it out.)
Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies
The University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts has a rather extensive collection online of anti Semitic and anti Masonic propaganda artwork from 1941-42. It’s an interesting (albeit down right disturbing) collection of imagery with a central theme of alleging Jewish/Masonic plots of world domination. This has been in the back of my mind for a post for a while, but was recently rousted out because our current WM did a rather nice speech on the Forget Me Not lapel pin that became so ubiquitous ( with a notable absence of Masonic emblems ) during World War 2 in Europe.
More here: http://www.chgs.umn.edu/histories/otherness/otherness2.html
Pop Culture Redux
You may remember my recent musing over Masonry and pop culture. The good Brethren over at the Grand Lodge of BC have a rather extensive listing of Masonic references in (among other media and art forms) music, art, and cinema. From the Grand Lodge of BC website: “Some of these references are positive, some are negative, some are amusing; most are merely fictional and therefore marginalize Freemasonry and detract from the good work it does.” As I look down the list, there are at least four albums I personally own and I note that Albert Von Tilzer is listed. You may know Von Tilzer’s work better if you have ever gone down the seventh inning stretch and belted out one of these (no one did it like Harry).
From the GL of British Columbia and the Yukon:
Agents of Change 13 Star General Hip Hop 2004 “Thug Life”
“DAMN THIS NATION freemasons and their unconscious creation”
Amsterdam My Father Was A Mason Pop 1999 Townsend
“Live, Left And Covered”
Angels & Airwaves Alternative 2009 Geffen
Use of square and compasses emblem
Anti-Flag State Funeral Hip Hop 2006 “For Blood And Empire” Columbia
“Skull and Bone, Freemason reigns”
Derek Bailey Mirakle Jazz 2000 Tzadik 702397760320
Image of a lodge third degree tracing board on the album cover.
Brook Benton The Boll Weevil Song Novelty 1961 Mercury Records
“The farmer said to the boll weevil, ‘I see you’re on the square’.” [MISTAKEN REFERENCE]
Irving Berlin Call me up some rainy afternoon Tin Pan Alley 1910 Ted Snyder Co.
“Mum’s the word when we meet / Be a mason, don’t repeat”
Blur Mr Robinson’s Quango Pop 1995 Food/EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (FOODLP14)
“He’s a self-professed savior of the dim right wing / He got respiratory problems and a mason’s ring”
Boxcar Freemason Synth pop 1988 Nettwerk/Arista Records
(You broke the promise)
Celtic Connection Raise the Roof Folk/Roots 1997 16024 The Celtic Connection
“We’ll play the Mason’s Apron ’til the sun comes up.”
W. R. Chetwood The Generous Freemason Opera 1731 Neptune’s Masonic Ode
The first masonic opera.
Clutch Pig Fat Pig Hip Hop 2000 “Jam Room” River Road Records
“I am Jason the Freemason, what you’re selling i do not need.”
Nat “King” Cole Straighten Up and Fly Right Pop 1943 Capitol Records
“everything was on the square.”
Common All night long Rap 1997 “One day it will all make sense” Cut 10
“Mason’s building Lodges we be in garages”
Craig’s Brother Masonic Rock 2001 Tooth & Nail Label, 14604
“Lost At Sea” Cut 3
Dead Kennedys Frankenchrist Punk 1985 Alternative Tentacles
Image of a Shriners parade on the album cover.
Deadsy The Key To Gramercy Park Rock 2002 Commencement
square & Compasses in video.
The Doug Anthony Allstars Jason and Kylie Alternative n.d.
“Let’s play freemason. I’ll chase you ’round the house while you wear silly aprons.”
DJ Vadim feat. Phi-Life Cypher Ghetto Rebels Hip Hop 2002 Ninja Tune
“Mankind destroyers, life I’m chasing those freemasons”
DMX Slippin Hip Hop 1998 Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood
“I been through mad different phases like Masons.”
Dream Theatre A Rite of Passage Metal 2009 Roadrunner Records
“Bound by oath and honour / Like the rose and cross.”
Duck Sauce Barbera Streisand House 2010 Spinnin’ Records
Shriner fezes worn in video.
Carlos A. Duque The Super Secret Symphony Ambient 1995 Instinct Ambient
Square and compasses emblem on cover art
Steve Earle Copperhead Road Country 1987
“Bought it at an auction at the Mason’s Lodge.”
Faith Evans Mesmerized Club 2005 Capitol
Freemasons Mix (8:09), Freemasons Club Dub (7:16)
Falco Rock Me Amadeus Techno 1985 A&M
“1784 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart becomes a freemason.”
Fingertwister Mason Groove Ambient 2001 Digital Structures
(5:27) Chillosophy Code: 4 031345 898119
Freemasons feat. Amanda Wilson Love On My Mind house 2005 Skint Records
Gangstar No Games Rap 2003 The Ownerz
“Do the knowledge to the master builder blowing a spliff, the new millennium Hiram Abiff.”
Gong Master Builder Space fusion 1974 Virgin (CAROL 1664-2)
Why don’t you… “You are my Hiram are you”. You
Grateful Dead Mason’s Children Rock 1995 Ice Nine Publishing
A possible reference to Freemasonry: obscure at best.
Hacienda Narrowed Eyes Trip hop 1998 INFRACom!
“Lazy Mason Fills My Bong” (09:46)
George Harrison P2 Vatican Blues Pop 2002 Brainwashed, Capitol
“I’ll confess, own up, let’s face it / In my concrete tuxedo”
Hieroglyphics All Things Hip-Hop 1998 Domino, “3rd Eye Vision”
“Seen a gang of businessmen pilin’ out the Scottish Rite”
House of Pain Jump Around Rap 1992
“Do you know / about the Masons / about their nation?” “To the 33rd degree, you know that’s me.”
The Illuminati The Illuminati EP Thrash 2005 Liquor And Poker Music
“the ancient cabal of Freemasons that has been allegedly controlling the geo-political landscape”
Immortal Technique The Point of No Return Hip-hop 2004 Caught in a Hustle
“The world is volatile and the street is my education Shaping the nation, like the blueprint of a mason”
K-os (Kevin Brereton) Follow Me Rap 2003 Exit (Astralwerks)
“yo, my war’s against the foundation of a global united nation / when you men rule the world by the codes of the freemason / hallucinated, by the quest for domination / an equation, which equals the battle station.”
Leatherface Fill Your Boots Punk 1990 Roughneck Recordings
“Here comes the judge, you can see the freemason in his eyes”
Laura Is there no help for the widow’s son? Post-rock 2006 Radio Swan Is Down
Masonic Abyss Metal 2008 Scotland
Unreleased : Music For The Apocalypse
Marilyn Manson King Kill 33° Hard core 2000 Holy Wood
See James Shelby Downard.
Nas and 2Pac Thugz Mansion Rap 2004 “Gods Son” Cut 9
“I see faces, cases, judges, masons, lawyers, and cops”
New Bad Things Freemason Love Triangle Alternative 1995 Punk In My Vitamins
PNMV 03-7 7
Paris (Oscar Jackson, Jr.) What Would You Do? Hip Hop 2003 “Sonic Jihad” Guerrila Funk
“It’s the Skull and Bones Freemason kill committee”
Public Enemy Party for your right to fight Rap 1988 It takes a nation of millions to hold us back
“Even Masons, they know it, but refuse to show it”
Penal Colony Freemasons of Enochian Magick Hardcore 1995 5 Man Job (CLP9512)
“We are the sons / The 23 sons /The freemasons of enochian magick”
Rascalz Follow Me Rap 2003 Red1 with K-OS
“Yo, my war’s against the foundation, Of a global united nation, When humans rule the world, By the codes of Freemasons, Hallucinated, by the quest for domination.”
Run-DMC Its Tricky Hip-hop 1986 Arista
A Scottish Rite hat is clearly seen early in the video, although there is no masonic reference in the lyrics.
Scor Zay Zee Great Britain Hip Hop 2004 Out Da Ville
“The Queen wears stolen diamonds, Great Britain
Her husband’s a Freemason, Great Britain”
Secret Lives of the Freemasons This Was Built To Make You Dance hardcore 2005 Astro Magnetics
Soft Cell The Singles Techno 1986 Phonogram Ltd.
“Standing to order at the door of Lodge Pink Flamingo, crying in the rain.” [also see cover art]
Soul Coughing Blue eyed devil Deep Slacker Jazz 1994 Ruby Vroom (Slash/London)
“33 degrees / Six hundred and sixty six / Dig digging it, come on.”
Ray Stevens Shriner’s Convention Comedy 1980 Ahab Music Company, Inc.
“It’s a glorious mess, everybody wears a fez.”
Structure of Lies A Virtue of Silence Metal 2002 “Abacus” Deep Six Records
Misinformed remarks by guitarist Ryan Butler: interview with Roberto Martinelli for Maelstrom
They Might Be Giants She’s an Angel They Might Be Giants 1986 US Bar/None A-HAON 002
I met someone at the dog show
She was holding my left arm
But everyone was acting normal so I tried to look nonchalant.
We both said, “I really love you,”
The Shriners loaned us cars
We raced up and down the sidewalk twenty thousand million times.
Thievery Corporation Warning shots Rap 2005 Cosmic Game
Images of square and compasses in video.
Traditional The Mason’s Apron Irish Reel Trad. Scored for penny whistle
for penny whistle, fiddle and pipes
Albert Von Tilzer Be a Mason
(take it by Degrees) Tin Pan Alley 1916 Broadway Music Corporation
“Mister Mason was a Mason and a good one too”
Trooper General Hand Grenade Rock 1975 MCA (Legend) Records Ltd.
Isabella Band Aid / Wavin’ at the Shrine parade / Eatin’ toast and marmalade / And getting sticky hands
Ultravox Hymn New Wave / Pop 1982 Chrysalis Records
Cover art depicts many masonic symbols.
Unknown Freemason (my dream) Techno 2006 LimeWire download
“I don’t need you, telling me what to do.”
“Weird Al” Yankovic Albuquerque Comedy 1999 Running With Scissors
“where the Shriners and the lepers play their ukuleles all day long.”
Unknown Freemason (my dream) Techno 2006 LimeWire download
“I don’t need you, telling me what to do.”
Vybz Kartel Broad Daylight Hiphop 2009 Day Break Riddim
“Wi reach 33 degrees a masonry / An mi a seh wait / Heights a evil”
AMOR HONOR ET JUSTITA – SIT LUX ET LUX FUIT
I was elected Secretary of Evergreen Park Lodge shortly after I was raised. I think I am going on four years as Secretary now (in Secretary years that’s somewhere around 80).
A couple of years ago Brother Howard Osmon died. He was raised in Drexel Composite Lodge 879, which subsequently merged into Evergreen Park Lodge. His son called me up shortly after Brother Howard died and made arrangements to give me his Masonic collection. Among the usual items of a ritual book, some pins, an older copy of the Illinois Monitor, was a Masonic coin that was dated in 1790.
As it so happens, this coin was made for the Prince of Wales when he was elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England in 1790. It was minted by Brother James Scetchley, who was a printer, publisher, and auctioneer. Brothe Scetchley issued the first Birmingham Directory, published a book in 1790 on Freemasonry, and was a member of the “Twelve Apostles”.
The obverse of the coin is stamped background with chevron and foreground with three pillars, compasses and square extending chevron wise, a dove on a wreath above a globe, two Castor Fiber, and the motto “Amor Honor et Justita” printed in a banner below the chevron. The legend around the edge is stamped, “24 NOV 1790 PRINCE OF WALES ELECTED GM.“
The reverse of the coin has a cupid a midst Masonic emblems in a triangle. The outside of the triangle is stamped with the words “WISDOM STRENGTH & BEAUTY.” You’ll note this stamp is a different font. The legend around the edge is stamped “SIT LUX ET LUX FUIT.”
The edge of the coin is stamped as well with the following: ”I SCETCHLEY FECIT 1794 MASONIC TOKEN.”
Apparently the copper content of the coin is so high that these coins started to become traded as legal tender shortly after they were issued.
There was also a card included with the coin:
I am not sure what Brother Howard did to deserve the coin. Our lodge had to move not all that long ago, and a lot of the records were either discarded or left behind, but, I certainly am thankful to his son for keeping the coin in the Masonic family.
If you wish to know more about medals and coins of the Masonic Fraternity, there is a fairly encompassing book published by Cornell University which can be found here. (go down one page, someone kept the scan test at the beginning)
Peanut Buster Parfait
Our GL has some outstanding elected officials. Men of true character and honor who aren’t afraid to get a little mud on their face, or everywhere else.
GM Swaney takes a bath.
St John the Baptist
EPL had its St. John the Baptist festival last night. It was a resounding success as far as lodge functions go, we had a rather good turnout.
Brother Eric from TP 810 gave a nice presentation on ST. John that ventured on the biblical references, historical references, and Masonic references of St. John.
Brother Christopher Hodapp succinctly covers St. John the Baptist in his book, Freemasonry for Dummies, which actually he put on his blog, and which I will not (rather, will not attempt because Brother Hodapp did it so well the first time) try to recreate.
One item I did notice last night was that Brother Eric dismissed the writings of Josephus. This is a personal choice which I respect, but, I am not so quick to dismiss him as a historian. For those of you who don’t know, Josephus was a 1st century historian and hagiographer of royal ancestry. His works cover the First Jewish Roman War, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the rise of Herod the Great, among others.
Josephus argues in his Antiquities of the Jews
, that Herod killed John to quell any potential rebellion that John may have influence over, which always seemed to me to make sense, because John was a really really popular guy, and he really really didn’t like Herod.
Anyway, if you really want to know the truth, Sam Peckinpah pretty much redid the whole beheading in 1974.
Chemin des Dames
Brother Christopher in France emailed our Grand Lodge here in Illinois this week. Brother Christopher was touring the Chemin des Dames and discovered this:
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Chemin des Dames, it is an area in France that gained prominence as a strategic front during World War 1. Chemin des Dames translated into english means “The Ladies Path” and was given this title because the daughters of the King of France, Louis the XV would travel it frequently. It was at the time the most direct route between Paris and the Chateau de Boves.
Brother Christopher emailed our Grand Secretary asking if there is any information on Compass Lodge 922, and/or the name “Alexander B Grant.”
As it turns out, Compass Lodge 922 was chartered on October 12 1910 by our Grand Lodge here in Illinois under the administration of Most Worshipful Grand Master Albert Ashley. The University of Illinois Library system has a copy of the full proceedings in October of 1911 which reflects the charter. You can read it here. Compass Lodge 922 consolidated with Lakeside Lodge 739 in 1978, and the consolidated lodge of Lakeside Compass 739 merged into Evergreen Park Lodge 1171 in 2003. So logically, when Brother Christopher emailed Most Worshipful Grand Secretary Brother Benny, he referred the question here. I don’t really have much information on Brother Grant however. If you have some insight, please share. However, our Grand Lodge office was able to find this (props out to JH for the find):
Brother Grant’s form 3 doesn’t really show us a whole lot, but if you note the date of death listed it is shortly before the end of World War 1. While this part of the story is saddening, it certainly is heart warming to think of Brother Grant leaving us a note from another era. My thanks out to Brother Christopher for the find and taking the time to contact us, and to our Grand Secretary’s office for taking the time to find Brother Grant’s Masonic record.
As a side note, I remember our Deputy Grand Secretary mentioning that our upcoming web based lodge maintenance program would contain code to allow for a picture to be posted alongside a Brother’s record. At the time I didn’t quite know what to think of that prospect, but given this story, it seems like having a photo of Brother Grant would be nice.
Joseph Haydn, Freemasonry, and The Creation
The Masonic Service Association’s May 2011 edition of the Short Talk Bulletin was written by Brother Christopher Powell, and he presents a rather intriguing and compelling point on Freemasonry’s influence, or maybe more to the point, lack thereof, on Joseph Haydn.
“Time and time again it has been argued that The Creation is a Masonic work but simply on the grounds that Haydn was a Freemason and its famous opening is a setting of words that have particular significance for Freemasons both in the First Degree and, since 1835, the Holy Royal Arch. This argument is not sustainable.”
Brother Powell goes on to argue, convincingly so, that there is Masonic influence in parts of Haydn’s body of work, particularly in the beginning of The Creation, but not in a direct way, and not in the way that has been typically represented. The 2011 May Short Talk Bulletin can be found here if you wish to read it for yourself.
You may, after reading the article, also wish to listen to the compositions for yourself that Brother Powell refers to which can be found here and there and decide if he has a valid point.
PGM Neil Neddermeyer, GL of Minnesota
So, props out to Brother Bob M who sent me a poem last night called The Old Master’s Wages:
I meet a dear old man today
Who wore a Masonic pin,
It was old and faded like the man,
Its edges were worn quite thin.
I approached the park bench where he sat
To give the old brother his due.
I said, “I see you’ve traveled east”
He said, “I have, have you?”
I said, I have and in my day
Before the all-seeing sun
I played in the rubble with Jubala,
Jubilo, and Jubalum.
He scolded, “Don’t laugh at the work my boy,
It’s good and it’s sweet and it’s true;
And if you’ve traveled as you said
You should give these things a due.
“The word, the sign, the token,
The sweet Masonic prayer,
The vow that all have taken
Who have climbed the inner stair.
“The wages of a Mason
are never paid in gold,
but the gain comes from contentment
When you’re weak and growing old.
“You see I’ve carried my obligations
For almost fifty years.
It has helped me through the hardships,
and the failures full of tears.
“I’m now losing my mind and my body
Death is near, but I don’t despair.
I’ve lived my life upon the level,
And I’ll die upon the square.”
Sometimes the greatest lessons
Are those that are learned anew.
And the old man in the park today
Has changed my point of view.
To all Masonic brothers
The only secret is to care.
May you live upon the level.
May you part upon the square.
~~~~~~
After a little digging, I find out that it was written by a PGM of Minnesota, Neil Neddermeyer, and he has done a whole lot of writings. He maintains a fairly rich website: www.cinosam.net.
PGM Neddermeyer, as it turns out, was also the one of the recipients of a huge brouhaha (2/3rds down, look for Attack on an American Grand Lodge) in 2002 when the Brethren of Minnesota voted to recognize the Grand Lodge of France, which apparently ruffled a few overly sensitive collars here and there and caused quite the ruckus.
He wrote a poem about it titled “Disillusioned” which doesn’t leave much to the imagination about his feelings.
