Lessons from Masonic History - Equality before God

Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4 AF&AM - February 2006

I was teaching a Saturday morning Masonic Training course for six Entered Apprentices; one of them was a Marine Sergeant and another a Marine Captain. They were sitting next to each other and throughout the first half of the class there seemed to be a noticeable commissioned Officer to non-commissioned Officer rapport going on between the them.

As respectful as they both were being to one another, the environment between them seemed to define an understandable social barrier; I felt it was going exactly against what I was trying to impart to them about our Gentle Craft and it's belief in the equality of brotherhood.

Needless to say, I was concerned that this barrier would prevent a deeper fraternal bond. So upon a sudden epiphany, I took the time to tell them of a picture that I once seen of a drummer boy who was sitting in the East as the Worshipful Master of an Army Lodge, with Brother George Washington as his Commander-in-Chief, sitting cross-legged in the north.

I emphasized the importance of my students to fulfill their duties to their country and to maintain their respect for the military ranks and social obligations that they are entrusted to carry. But as that Drummer boy and Washington, all but the title of Worshipful and Brother gets left outside the door with the Tyler.

My students immediately understood my meaning. The impact was certain and immediately clear and with a smile, the Captain asked the Sergeant to call him Brother within our Lodge and that rapport has since remained a respectful but brotherly relationship.

Even after they have long laid down their working tools, our ancient brethren are still teaching us. What will we teach to those who will one day pick up this mantle?

The Problem with the "Stolen Land - Stolen Lives" Argument of Reparation

The idea of reparations is just as ludicrous as arresting a child for the sins of the parents. If we were to ask the government applies one, then why should they not apply the other as well?  Additionally to the "stolen lives" argument, this "stolen land" argument is likewise ridiculous.  First off, there is no inch of real estate that was ever not taken from someone else and to this day, is still held by force of arms; if not, then why do every nation in the world have a standing military, even if only a defense force?

Face it, previous to European "incursion", American and African tribes both practiced "total warfare", which means when they went to war, the victor would kill off all the men, some of the kids, keep all the women, take over their turf and wipe that tribe totally from existence.  There are over 400 tribes known in North America who were wiped from existence pre-Columbian.  It is more difficult to determine the number of African tribes wiped out pre-Columbian because tribal documentation were not as recorded, but from the history of known ancient African empires tells of vast number of tribes being wiped out.

Before the Europeans arrived in the Americas and Africa, indigenous tribes were wiping each other out and real estate was captured as a reward. Previous to Europeans and Middle Eastern incursions, the practice of warfare by these indigenous tribes of America and Africa was brutal, endemic and a matter of both societal survival and cultural preservation. But in the post-Columbian era of the Atlantic region, there was another player involved in the arena of warfare and land acquisition; a player who by their very presence, would change the rules of engagement.  

Example: The Spanish Jesuits, who first settled Jamestown area and wiped out tribes (because of small pox) and captured Indians and took them to Europe.  One particular Indian known as Paquiquino, who in 1561 traveled with the Spaniards to Spain, Cuba and Mexico, and he saw what they did to tribes there.  He returned to Virginia as a Christian Jesuit Don Luís de Velasco and was a participant in his tribe's wiping out all the Jesuits in Virginia, thus paving the way for the first Englishmen to settle at Jamestown in 1607, on the very land once held by a previously decimated tribe.  

At Plymouth, the Wampanoag tribe that helped save the pilgrims by teaching them how to live off the land; the very tribe that celebrated the first "Thanksgiving" with them, did not do this for altruistic reasons.  The records are clear that the Wampanoag was a smaller tribe that was being bullied and pushed out by the Narragansett tribe.  The pilgrims agreed to an alliance with the Wampanoag, who helped them learn to live off the land, so the Europeans joined them in decimating the  Narragansett, chasing them off and splitting the spoils from the alliance.

These First nations were perfectly fine with continuing this "total warfare" mentality and applied it against both natives and Europeans, such as the lost settlement of Roanoke and the Indian massacre of 1622 at Jamestown.  Unfortunately, the Indians found out that the Europeans were better at this game than they were and because of this, no one has a right to cry foul against Native American when it was their own "modis operendi" which they practically applied to themselves and others.  

As for the enslavement of African tribes, I want to say that slavery is a terrible and loathsome venture which no community of people should ever tolerate or condone. But history is cold in it's factual dissemination and the facts is this; every descendant of someone enslaved here in America is only alive because of slavery.   Again, this is NOT a condonation of slavery, but rather a factual analysis of pattern of history and how the value of a human life altered the standard practice of killing a prisoner, to give that human being the opportunity to live on and with time, offer their descendants the opportunity to elevate themselves and their children from this circumstance, with each successive generation. 

Let me explain: As a matter of total warfare mentality of African tribes, it was a regular practice that the men of the losing tribe were killed on the battlefield.  But when the Muslim enslavement of Africans begun in the 7th century, the leaders of the victorious tribe found that they could sell their male prisoners for valuable wares and this became the practice.  When Europeans chose to get involve in the African slave trade, the biggest advantage to the African tribes selling prisoners was the fact that the Europeans came to them by ship and established local trading posts.  Thus, African tribes would no longer have to make the long trek north to sell their slaves because the buyer came to them.  

Understand the point here. If the tribe that won on the battlefield did not have buyers for their prisoners, they would have killed them outright.  That means the descendants of every man sold into slavery only exist because of slavery.  Their descendants were given an opportunity to struggle and one day cast off the very shackles which preserved their bloodline.  That moment came at the cost of 750,000 lives violently ending in one war, and it compelled an overhaul of society to end it once and for all here in America and that transformation, while slow, continues.  But what also continues is the African slave trade, which to this day is happening and yet none of these advocates of reparation are ever heard attacking what is going on in Africa.  They are silent and disconnected on this issue.

So quit talking reparations because people are not owed a thing if they did not have to experience it themselves and those who did experience it are no longer alive.  If reparations are given for the burdens of an progenitor, should we likewise arrest and execute any person descended from a convict or criminal?  Shall we likewise give all the land in the United States back to all the pre-historic tribes who first came here during the ice age and eventually fell to other tribes during the span of ten thousand years?

Or do we just put an end to all the silliness and move on with life and fixing those very things which impacts life among the living?  

Warbard           

A Break Down of the Second Amendment

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Modern day gun grabbers believe that “well-regulated” means “subject to extensive government regulations” and regularly they tend to tell people: 

“You want people to listen to the last part of the Second Amendment where is says ‘shall not be infringed,’ but you want ignore the part where it says you have to be a ‘well-regulated militia.'”

But are they correct?

There are two key points within the second amendment that needs to be address and in order to properly reference them, we have to go back to the time of our founding fathers and understand why they used the phrasing that they did.

·         First, based on many source documents of 18th century America, there is vast evidence that this wording "well-regulated" actually meant, "property of something (or someone) was in proper working order" referring to something being "calibrated correctly".  Moreover, it was considered to mean; "equally functional in comparison".  But equally functional to whom?  Well that is explained in this next part. 

·         Secondly, from the Dictionary of British History (being that our founding fathers started off British), the intent of the militia was to; “repel any invasion, to secure order locally, and as a regional ‘constitutional force’ to balance royal control of the standing army.’”  So using various 18^th century source information, the American militia had one of two purposes:

a.  When in support of its own government, a militia was used to supplement and enhance the standing army, reinforcing them with self-armed civilians.  An example of this was the Virginia militia under George Washington and the Pennsylvania militia under Hugh Mercer, whose armed colonial civilians complimented the needs of General Forbes during the closing of the French and Indian War.

b.  When working against its own government, a militia was used to counter and repulse the standing army, thwarting them by any means until the people could properly organize.  We have two points of reference here with the minutemen of Lexington and Concord, who as civilians organized and trained themselves, electing their own leaders and defended Massachusetts.  Then we also have the independent companies of Fredericksburg and Culpeper who first elected their leaders and then they self-trained and supplied themselves before marching onto the capital in Virginia.

"... to balance control of the standing army"

So it is perfectly clear that the Second Amendment is more about non-governmental national defense, and not simply personal defense and if it was written out to modern day interpretation by our founding fathers, it would now say:

“As self-trained and well supplied armed civilians, equally functional to the standing army, are necessary to the security of this nation (from enemies without and within, to include our own government), it is the right of the people (as individuals) to keep and bear (affordable military) arms, and this natural right to self-defense (organized or as an individual) shall not be infringed by anyone, as per this Constitution.”

                                                                                      ~ Warbard 

More Ranting from the Left: Let's attack Christians & Corporations while ignoring the Constitution

Leave it to the Left to take a Constitutional issue and turn it into an anti-Christian and anti-Corporation rant.  They said that if it was a successful Muslim company, Christians would be in a tizzy-fit.  

My Response:  If it was about any Muslim company, most Christians (who are Americans) would treat this issue the very same way.  They would do such because it IS about the Constitution and not about religion, while the Left would be over-apologetic to that Muslim owner and coddling their every needs and whim.  Meanwhile, they would vent more anti-Christian rants about every Christian's lack of empathy to this struggling company's needs.

It is simply another warrantless opportunity to whine about Christians while verbally sticking it to individuals who have proven themselves to be financially successful.

A Day To Remember

On this anniversary of Nine-Eleven,

On a day that is riddled in pain,

Before friends and my brethren and my God in heaven,

I give you these gifts to maintain.

A prayer for each innocent taken,

A lament for every hero lost,

A tear for the fragile peace forsaken,

Paid at their own family's cost.

A shoulder for every survivor's anguish,

A hand for those languid in fear,

A praise for each bravery distinquished,

By samaritans who happened by near.

A song for each fallen, remembered,

A clarion to answer their call,

A sword that is forged in its ember,

And a cross that no others may fall.

A warrior who offers his service,

A youth who now rise in defense,

A nation now given a purpose,

Knowing neglect's consequence.

A tempest for those who malign us,

A zephyr for those we call friend,

A candle for all who endures these dark times,

That this evil will one day soon end.

A hope that will be everlasting,

A peace that will one day remain,

A pride in just being American, seeing

That love of life is our sovereign domain.

So on this anniversary of Nine-Eleven,

And the ten years that has traveled on by,

I promise their children and our God in heaven,

that the memory of this day will not die.

Nine-Eleven - Ten Years Later

It saddens me when Americans cite our government's policies as propoganda and terrorist's policies as actions that are justifiable. America was not attacked because we got involved. America was attacked because we got involved and regularly failed to act. This lack of action made us seem as easy prey for those who seek any opportunity to kill that which is not them. The following are quotes from Osama Bin Laden:

“We love death. The US loves life. That is the difference between us two." - November 2001

"Hostility toward America is a religious duty, and we hope to be rewarded for it by God . . . . I am confident that Muslims will be able to end the legend of the so-called superpower that is America." - Time Magazine

"I tell you, freedom and human rights in America are doomed. The U.S. government will lead the American people in — and the West in general — into an unbearable hell and a choking life." - Al-Jazeera interview October 2001

Americans who declare that we need to learn to mind our own business so that the terrorist will stop attacking us needs to understand that terrorist have no desire to stop fighting us; it is their core purpose and everything else is justification to that purpose. Anyone, Muslim or otherwise, who disagree with them are enemies as well. American isolationism has never been the answer either. Up to World War I and World War II, aside from the Monroe Doctrine's desire to protect our weaker American neighbors from foreign colonization, America maintained an isolationist policy. Because of this, over 95 million souls were butchered during 10 years of war over a span of 31 years .

After World War II, we decided to enact policies that made world business our own business and as a result, in the last 60 years that have followed, only 8.5 million total has died in over 20 years of world conflicts such as Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Libya, Panama, Somalia, Yugoslavia, Liberia, Haiti, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, Pakistan, and Afghanistan where we have been directly involved, while a total of 133 independent nations have been freed to follow their own destinies. I would say that the cost of 8.5 million is a significant difference from the previous 95 million and though each life is precious, it is unfortunately not seen as such by our enemies. I would also say that if there is a fault in American policies, it is the expectation that any new democracies that we help establish is going to be friendly to us.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case as the indigenous population will always look to their own interest. Despite this, they generally become peaceful nations in the world with the desire to protect their own interest as well as their own independence. They do however, look forward to American support, although there is a reluctance in knowing that such support comes with strings. For the most part, the strings are not so hard a pill to swallow because it is also in their best interest but the few times when such support become more aggressive or even dangerous, these nations feel cornered by American actions in their region.

There has been many times when American actions have been a benefit to these friendly nations and yet, there has been far more times when we took too long to act or failed to act quickly or properly, and at their expense. History shows that we have failed the Kurds, Kuwaitis, Israelis, Afghans, Somalis, Lebanese and Saudis because we failed to act or acted too late or too little and when we did act, we failed our own troops because we bound their hands and withheld the tools and equipment that they knew was necessary to dispatch their duties. In doing such, we emboldened our enemies and made distant our allies; they rejected us not because we were in their business, but because they feared our lack of action while in their business.

Previous to Nine-Eleven, many Kurds were killed because we promised help and never delivered and when Iraq threatened Kuwait, we promise Kuwaitis safety while dragging out any threat at the Iraqis. We promised support to our Northern Guard Allies in Afghanistan and failed to follow through until after being hit by our enemies. We stood idly by when Ho Chi Minh asked for us to support independence of all Vietnam against the French (North and South), only to turn to communism for salvation, we stood idly by while the Cubans went into Grenada, when Manuel Noriega wrested control of Panama and we stood idly by while our Israeli friends stood vigil alone against the night.

Nine-Eleven has changed all that, our policy is now to act; to deliver a message and stand by that message. There are fewer places in this world that is a threat to world peace, thanks to American policies and those Americans who claim that U.S. involvement in the world is the cause of Nine-Eleven do not understand that terrorist do not need our involvement as justification for their actions, but rather this excuse is merely one of many weapons in their arsenal that can be easily tossed for another. Proof of our success is that post war Iraq is a nation again standing on its own and has as much news being reported as any other democracy in that region, and the people are making their own destiny. Yes, it is a fragile government, but for now it is fending for itself despite all the nay-sayers.

Ten years after Nine-Eleven, there is still much to do, but remember, so much has already been done. God Bless America.

Fredericksburg Masons honor Eagle Scouts from four local troops

Fredericksburg.com - Fredericksburg Masons honor Eagle Scouts from four troops

Freemasonry & Scouting; A Common Heritage

This past Saturday, August 6th, Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4 AF&AM[i], invited local Eagle Scouts to their Masonic Temple to recognize their achievements in Scouting. The event coordinator was Dr. Bruce “Ziggy” Hollmann, who is a Past Master[ii] and Freemason, and has supported the Boy Scouts of America since 1958. Dr. Hollmann managed to bring together four local troops for this event, along with their parents and he then introduced the attending Scouts and their families to Mr. Shelby Chandler, who as the Worshipful Master[iii] of the Fredericksburg Masonic Lodge welcomed them.

They were next introduced to Mr. Freeman Shupe, who as the District Deputy Grand Master[iv] of this area was present to welcome them on behalf of the Grand Master of Masons in Virginia. Other Masonic organizations supporting this event were the International Order of Job’s Daughter[v], the Heroes of ’76 of the National Sojourners[vi], and the Fredericksburg Commandery of Knights Templar[vii].

The Eagle Scouts and Troops that were present for this event are as follows:

Fredericksburg Troop 72 - Timothy Louis & Michael Louis.

Hartwood Troop 1717 - Karl Ast & Charlie Brown.

Fredericksburg Troop 1889 - Thomas Rebbert.

Stafford Troop 907 - Zachary Patterson, Jeffrey Virga, Michael Vance & Alexander Van Curen.

Following a dinner banquet at 6:30 pm sponsored by Fredericksburg Bethel No. 16 of the International Order of Job’s Daughters and the Pledge of Allegiance, the Scouts, Scout Masters and Families were introduced to MSG Jeff St.Onge and CDR Heath Thomas of the National Sojourners’ Heroes of ’76, who presented them with a program on the American Flag. Following this program, Sir Knight Daniel Thompson, a Past Master of Fredericksburg Lodge and a Knight Templar, spoke of the many organizations within Freemasonry and how similar the tenets and standards of Scouting has been to the Masonic obligations. He further explains that the Founder of Scouting in the United States, Daniel Carter Beard[viii], was a Freemason who laid out the close relationship that is now shared between these two organizations.

Following this program, Dr. Hollmann requested that each Eagle Scout step forward and report what Eagle Scout project they took on to earn this prestigious recognition and following this, they were congratulated by the Fredericksburg Master and received their certificate of achievement from the Grand Lodge of Virginia by the District Deputy Grand Master for their contributions to both Scouting and this our community. Dr. Hollmann then closed the evening with a Prayer circle and an admonishment to each Eagle Scouts to remember their obligation.

Dr. Hollmann was Scout Master for Dahlgren Troop 1404 from 1973 to 1995 and has overseen the Grand Lodge of Virginia’s Eagle Scout program in the Spotsylvania, Stafford and King George area since 2000. Fredericksburg Masonic Lodge has supported the Boy Scouts, and has worked to bridge the common history between them by their attendance at the 2005 and 2010 National Jamboree at Ft. A.P. Hill and the 2009 and 2011 Eagle Scout Banquet. As a result of Fredericksburg Masonic Lodge’s support to the 2005 National Jamboree, a new organization within the Boy Scouts of America was established in 2008 known as NAMS[ix] (National Association of Masonic Scouters) which has already registered a few thousand members.

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[i] AF&AM - Ancient, Free & Accepted Masons or Freemaons

[ii] Past Master – A Master Mason who have served as Worshipful Master of a Masonic Lodge

[iii] Worshipful Master – Freemasonry is over 400 years old and their titles reflect this heritage

[iv] District Deputy Grand Master – One of fifty four representatives of the Grand Master of Masons in Virginia

[v] Job’s Daughter – An International Masonic Youth Organization for Girls teaching Masonic principles

[vi] National Sojourners – A Masonic organization of Officers & Senior NCOs of the Armed Forces (past & present)

[vii] Knights Templar – A Masonic Chivalric Order tied to Freemasons who profess Christianity.

[viii] Daniel Carter Beard – along with Ernest Thomas Seton and Robert Baden-Powell were all Freemasons

[ix] NAMS = National Association of Masonic Scouters. See http://www.nams-bsa.org/

From Fredericksburg.com

What is Freemasonry

“Freemasonry teaches us that each member has a duty to their country, their God, their neighbor, and themselves. We are taught not only to hold each life as sacred, but to hold sacred each memory and experience that gives that life meaning. We learn that the greatest battles fought are against the demons within ourselves and the greatest peace one can offer is through eternal vigilance. We are taught to seek the angels of our better nature and with those wings lift up those in despair or in need. We are given the tools of masonry and are taught to build that spiritual Temple within ourselves. As workers and warriors, professors and priests, we move at all social levels and yet as brothers we meet as equals. Our history is that of Sword, Trowel & Song. Our prayers are to the Great Architect of the Universe and our duties are not only to ourselves but to that undiscovered country. We are Freemasons; we are that Light that is not seen until Darkness has fallen. Then do we shine!”

- Warbard -