From the West – November 2021

Here are some “fun Facts” about Freemasonry that I bet you didn’t know:

On his famous solo flight across the Atlantic, Charles Lindbergh wore a square and compasses on his jacket as a good luck piece. He was a mason.

It was rumored Napoleon was a freemason but never proven, although he did adopt the title of
“Protector of Freemasonry”. However, his four brothers were masons, many of his Officers, members of his Grand Council for the Empire and 22 of the 30 Marshals of France were also Freemasons. Even his wife, was admitted into a French female lodge in 1804.

When asked of Masonry, President William McKinley explained: “After the battle of Opequam, I went with the surgeon of our Ohio regiment to the field where 5,000 confederate prisoners were under guard. As soon as we passed the guard, the doctor shook hands with a number of prisoners and began passing out his roll of bills. On the way back to camp I asked him, ‘Did you know those men?’ ‘No’ ‘But you gave them a lot of money, do you expect to get it back?’ ‘If they are able to pay me back, they will. It makes no difference to me; they are brother masons in trouble, and I am only doing my duty.’ I said to myself, ‘If that is Masonry, I will take some of it myself.”

Remember, November 10 is our next stated meeting. It is election night so come out and vote on the future of your lodge.

 

WB Jim Van Anda – Senior Warden