Aviation, Freemasonry, Tech nerdery, random musings and anything else that interests me.
Brother Gordon Cooper was one of the original seven Mercury astronauts – the first manned mission to space. He also acted as the command pilot for Gemini 5. Cooper was fond of carrying Masonic items to space. He reportedly carried a Masonic coin, a Masonic flag, and a Scottish Rite banner on various missions. He…
While The Masonic Temple in Philadelphia is gorgeous, there were several other grand Masonic edifices in the city prior to its construction. Once such building was the 1855 Masonic Hall, which was consumed by fire. Remnants of that building can still be found in today’s Temple. For instance, the seats in Gothic Hall were actually…
Edward Jenner (b. 1749; d. 1823) was an English physician who was a contributor to the development of the smallpox vaccine. The practice of vaccination was popularized by Jenner, and since then has been used vigorously to prevent several diseases. The terms vaccine and vaccination are derived from Variolae vaccinae (smallpox of the cow), the…
Masonic labor is purely a labor of love. He who seeks to draw Masonic wages in gold or silver will be disappointed. The wages of a Mason are earned and paid in t heir dealings with one another; sympathy begets sympathy, kindness begets kindness, helpfulness begets helpfulness, and these are the wages of a Mason….
From the Facebook page of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania: To honor the recent passing of Past Grand Master Edward O. Weisser, Newtown Lodge #427 F. & A.M., his portrait will be displayed in the Grand Foyer for 30 days. This teacher, small business owner, Philadelphia Mummers String Band Hall of Famer and family man…
I’ve sat in lodge with you a few times. On one occasion I had the pleasure of it as you raised a Brother in Lodge. I definitely wasn’t asleep at the time, but if I was I was most certainly awakened to attention at the most thunderous roar of a call to the JMC on…
I had a most interesting exchange with a non-Mason this morning. He was looking to challenge me on why he should join our fraternity. He asked: “Why should I join when ALL of your secrets and information is in books and online for anyone to look up?” “True”, I said. He seemed very surprised that…
‘Twas the Night before Christmas, and down at the lodgenot a gavel was stirring, and in the hodge-podge.Of aprons and jewels and chairs East and WestYou could savour the silence, most gladly divestAll metal and mineral, it mattered not,Since Christmas was nigh and the coals were still hot.In the hearth of your home place, all…
The Past Master Symbol is a often seen but not so frequently explained Masonic Symbol. It commonly consists of The Compass, Sun, and Quadrant (or Protractor), and in most jurisdictions a Square.The Compass has a familiar interpretations for it is by the Compass that a Mason is reminded to keep his actions within due bounds….
A toast this evening to Bro. Howard Pressman, PM, who laid down his working tools and left us this morning. He was a good man, and not just a man but a Mason, and a very good one at that. He was heavily involved in our fraternity and always willing to go that extra mile…