QSA Members Forum
For Masonic Research
The Eagle Feather
An Attempt to Justify the Right of First Nation Brethren to Use
The Eagle Feather
as their
Symbol of Divinity
Equal to the VOTSL used in Lodge by their non-First Nation Brethren.
(By Bro. Vincent Lombardo)
Resignation from Masonry
(How to make a good Man bitter)
Just before Christmas I was made privy to the correspondence which occurred between some First Nation Brethren and the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario regarding the use of the Eagle Feather during the Obligation of a W. Master at his Installation. The brother disclosing this information to me, Bro. Hunter, is known to us, as he has acted in the past as a Lecturer and as Scrutineer in our Lodge. As I did not want to spoil your festivities with such a deplorable occurrence, I have waited until now to inform you of it, so that it might serve to us all as a New Year Resolution — not to succumb to the easy temptations of mediocrity and bigotry, so often alluring when yearning for approval and tranquility, at the expense of rectitude, and at-all-cost avoidance of the onerous task of doing what is right, perhaps not popular among sheep, and only worthy of Eagles.
By writing this I am not in breach of any confidentiality, as the matter is already in the public domain, and is also the subject of a campaign to have the Grand Lodge reconsider this decision. Bro. Hunter himself has encouraged me to support this endeavor, and I see it as a very useful opportunity in my constant striving to bring to you new material for your Masonic development. No matter what may come out of this effort, at least one lesson should be learned by what follows:
Only he who is naked, "wraps himself in the Flag"; and
Only he who has no leg to stand on, — makes use of Bigotry, for his excuse and support.
Now THE FACTS, as they have been communicated to me:
(Please note: I have highlighted in yellow what I believe is crucial for the proper analysis of this blunder.)
• Friday, December 5, 2014 (4:19PM) — email message from Bro. HunterSubject: The Eagle Feather as First Nations Spirituality VSL
To: The Grand Secretary; (via Grand Lodge Secretary for distribution): M. W. Bro. Donald A. Campbell, Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario; R. W. Bro. John C. Green, Deputy Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario; M. W. Bro. Garry Dowling, Custodian of the Work, Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario; cc. W. Bro. Joseph Arnold, Master Elect, St. John's Lodge, No. 20, G.R.C., London, On.; V. W. Bro. Jeffrey J. Smart, Worshipful Master, Richmond Lodge, No. 23, G.R.C., Richmond Hill, On.; W. Bro. Jim Richardson, Worshipful Master, Huronia Lodge, No. 348, G.R.C., Midland, On.; W. Bro. Gordon Bouchard, Immediate Past Master, Niagara Lodge, No. 2, G.R.C., Niagara-on-the-Lake, On (via Worshipful Master of same)
Most Worshipful Grand Master and Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master:
I have had the honour of meeting with you, Grand Master on several occasions, in particular at the installation of W. Bro. Gordon Bouchard, IPM, Niagara Lodge,No. 2, G.R.C. I participated in the presentation of a Masonic Wampum Belt to W. Bro. Gord. I hope the Deputy Grand Master will remember me from the plaque unveiling of War of 1812 Veterans in Richmond Hill. I was initiated, past and raised in Richmond Lodge No. 23, Richmond Hill and have since affiliated with Huronia Lodge No. 348, Midland. I am also a Fellow of the College of Freemasonry.
My very good personal friend and Masonic brother, W. Bro. Joe Arnold is to be installed for the second time on December 9, 2014 at St. John's Lodge #20 in London. It is his fervent wish to take his obligation on the Eagle Feather that is appropriate for his long time practice of Native Spirituality. However, when double checking all arrangements with the London DDGM, he was informed that he could not do so.
The following email from M.W. Garry Dowling was sent as an explanation and in his disappointment and despair, W. Bro. Joe Arnold shared the response with me.
From: Garry Dowling,
W. Bro. Joe,
Sorry — my first response got bounced due to invalid spelling.
Hope this gets through.
Fraternally, Garry
From: Garry Dowling,
W. Bro. Arnold,
Thanks you for your query regarding the eagle feather. Similar requests to use an eagle feather and other 'substitutions' for a book of faith have been received before.
The Ritual Committee has spent much time and effort with respect to the use of alternate Volumes of the Sacred Law.
Our conclusion, with respect to the eagle feather, is that … we will not permit it to be used on the altar in our Masonic lodges in Ontario.
Our decision is based upon the fact that our ritual refers to a "Volume of the Sacred Law" and "Sacred Writings." An eagle feather, while it may be symbolic of bravery, and awarded after certain initiatory rites in the native tradition, cannot be considered or described as a "Volume " or "Writings." The ancient "pagan" religion of the native tribes, as we understand it, is not 'a religion of the book,' unlike the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and others in the assorted religions in the world. The eagle feather, albeit a symbol, and an important one, cannot be defined or considered as "a Volume " or "Sacred Writings."
Hopes this helps clarify the situation.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to give me a call.
Fraternally, Garry
• on the same day from Bro. Hunter to the Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master:
Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master, I am truly shocked and disappointed in Masonry. I am insulted and infuriated that the decision was made from an obvious position of major ignorance concerning the eagle feather and the eagle feather's importance in First Nations culture. I doubt if any First Nations person was consulted in the making of this decision.
For hundreds of centuries, First Nation peoples have held the eagle feather as truly sacred. Like a Bible or other sacred text, the eagle feather represents the expectations, responsibilities and behaviours of a member of First Nations Spirituality. In all ceremonies and gatherings where the truth is needed, holding the eagle feather requires the truth and only the truth from the holder. Perhaps some research would have been appropriate into how the Courts of Ontario and the rest of Canada are increasingly using the eagle feather for swearing in ceremonies.
(Recent References for your review)
Barrie - Eagle Feather
Court open for Eagle Feather
eagle-feather-affirmation-for-courtsLet us be clear. What First Nations follow is a SPIRITUALITY, not an organized RELIGION.
Maybe someone should consider that a culture based on "ORAL" will not have a "VOLUME" or "SACRED WRITINGS". But that does not invalidate the tenets.
Which definition for pagan is being used in this situation? According to the Oxford Dictionary — A pagan is:
1) A person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions;
2) A non-Christian;
3) A member of a modern religious movement which seeks to incorporate beliefs or practices from outside the main world religions, especially nature worship.The Oxford Dictionary gives the following synonyms for pagan:
"heathen, infidel, idolater/idolatress, atheist, non-theist, irreligious person, agnostic, skeptic, heretic, and apostate."
Is that how Free Masonry wants to define First Nations peoples?
So, if a member of First Nations, or someone who has adopted Native Spiritually, cannot consciously do his obligation on the VSL of an organized religion, and he cannot use an eagle feather as per the culture, then he is not able to take his obligation and is therefore being discriminated against.
Since I have taken my obligation on an eagle feather, what does that do to my status in Masonry?
Finally, I appeal to your sense of what is right and hope that you can provide a dispensation for W. Bro. Joe Arnold to use the eagle feather on Dec 9, 2014
Sincerely and (hopefully still) fraternally,
Bro. Hunter
Richmond Lodge, No. 23, G.R.C., Richmond Hill, ON.; and
Huronia Lodge, No. 348, G.R.C., Midland, ON. (Affiliation)
• Dec 9 at 4:02 PM — email message from the Grand Secretary to:
Bro. Hunter; W. Bro. Joseph Arnold, Master Elect, St. John's Lodge, No. 20, G.R.C., London, On.; V. W. Bro. Jeffrey J. Smart, Worshipful Master, Richmond Lodge, No. 23, G.R.C., Richmond Hill, On.; W. Bro. Gordon Bouchard, Immediate Past Master, Niagara Lodge, No. 2, G.R.C., Niagara-on-the-Lake, On (via Worshipful Master of same)
Brethren
Our Constitutional and Ritual rules, together with their interpretation, are made for the benefit of and by direction of our members. Individual deviations cannot be acquiesced to. In order to provide fairness to the majority, continuity must be maintained.
The Grand Master, Deputy, and I, are aware and concur with our Custodian of the Work's interpretation. Use of a feather is not regarded as use of a V.S.L. nor is it permissible, The obligation will be taken on a V.S.L. proper.
Fraternally, Terry Shand.
• December 15, 2014 (2:34pm) — email message from Bro. Hunter to:
W. Bro. Jim Richardson (Worshipful Master, Huronia Lodge, No. 348, G.R.C., Midland, On.) and V. W. Bro. Jeffrey Smart (Worshipful Master, Richmond Lodge, No. 23, G.R.C., Richmond Hill, On.)
Dear Worshipful Master:
I hereby resign from Masonry because I am being discriminated against. I will not be associated with an organization that practices discrimination.
Before I was initiated, I was under the impression that to be a Mason: I had to be freeborn; over the age of 20; believe in a Supreme Being; and be of good report.
I was also told that Masonry urges its members to be faithful and devoted to their own religious beliefs.
What I was not expecting is discrimination because of my Native Spirituality. First Nation culture is oral and therefore does not have a "written" VSL. For hundreds of centuries the Eagle Feather has and is the accepted cultural equivalent of an organized religion's written book. However, Grand Lodge is ruling that the Eagle Feather cannot be used as a VSL. The legal courts of Canada and the Provinces recognize the Eagle Feather for swearing in ceremonies. Grand Lodge is putting itself above the courts. By ruling against the use of the Eagle Feather, Grand Lodge demands that someone of Native Spirituality must lower their principles and pretend to be sincere using a book from another religion when making an obligation. By doing so, those who will not give up their principles are being discriminated against. Equality is constitutionally protected today by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. But Grand Lodge is putting itself above the Charter.
Bro. Hunter
Pertinent E-mails:
RE: The Eagle Feather as First Nations Spirituality VSL
• December 15, 2014 (3:29pm) — email message from Bro. Hunter to his brethren friends:
Resignation from Masonry
To my special friends in Masonry:
After recieving a confirmation from Grand Lodge on their position concerning the Eagle Feather and its use as a VSL and much consideration, I have made the decision to resign from Masonry.
A-ho, miigwech [Amen, thank you].
• December 16, 2014 (12:55PM) — email message from Gordon Bouchard to Bro. Hunter:
Subject: Re: Resignation from Masonry
I am researching this topic and creating a petition. I am asking for a sit down with grand lodge. Please assist me in this.
There is much more at stake than our masonic careers. We can change it for all natives in the future.
• December 16, 2014 (3:46pm) — email message from Bro. Hunter to his brethren friends:
Subject: Eagle Feather as a VSL
Please see the email from W. Bro. Gord Bouchard. W. Bro. is Mohawk and is currently the Immediate Past Master of Niagara Lodge #2, G.R.C. Niagara-on-the-Lake.
He has posted all of this online and has begun to make a petition.
Please support our current and future Native Masons on this important issue.
Please e-mail him you support.Miigwech
The following words, phrases or concepts have caught my attention, and I will expand on them further below:
Much time and effort spent by the Ritual Committee — our ritual refers to a "Volume of the Sacred Law" and "Sacred Writings" — we will not permit it — symbolic of bravery — "pagan" religion of the native tribes — albeit a symbol, and an important one — insulted — major ignorance — truly sacred like a Bible — the eagle feather requires the truth and only the truth — But that does not invalidate the tenets — A pagan is: — religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions — idolater/idolatress — the sense of what is right — to provide fairness to the majority — belief in a Supreme Being and be of good report— discrimination— must lower their principles and pretend.
I will start by giving to all Brethren who have participated in this correspondence the benefit of the doubt, that is, it is taken for granted that all have acted in good faith, and under a strict observance and guidance of the four Cardinal Virtues: Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, and, most of all, Justice.
I will be merciless, if I find in anyone hypocrisy, bigotry, expediency, intolerance, or plain ignorance. — And I do not subscribe to the creed of the Infallibility of the Pope, or of the Grand Master, or of anyone else — making myself available to be convinced of having been wrong, if I am found wrong.
The most important issue to be cleared first is the function of the Volume of the Sacred Law in a Masonic Lodge. Is this book, materially a bundle of cellulose pulp and man-made ink, a sacred object intrinsically imbued with divine or magical powers? — the presence of which, or the touching of it, miraculously transforms the place and the people in it into something else, perhaps higher and holier? Or is it simply a Symbol? — representing to the Brethren the Divinity or Its Will (of the Great Architect of the Universe,) and reminding them of their own sanctity, as temples and likenesses of the Divinity itself, and prompting in them a manner of conduct which is consonant with the precepts described or intuited by reason or faith in the book itself?
And what is the Eagle Feather? Is this wondrous creation of Nature, materially a bundle of outgrowths of the bird's skin, primordially its scales, perhaps insignificant to the myopic eye, but to the inquiring mind a door into the hidden mysteries of nature and science, — is it a sacred object intrinsically imbued with divine or magical powers? — the presence of which, or the touching of it, miraculously transforms the place and the people in it into something else, perhaps higher and holier? Or is it simply a Symbol? — representing to our First-Nation Brethren the Divinity or its Will (of the Great Spirit,) and reminding them of their own sanctity, as temples and likenesses of the Divinity itself, and prompting in them a manner of conduct which is consonant with the precepts orally handed down to them by their ancestors or intuited by them by reason or faith and union with Nature which the Feather itself represents?
Let us take this a bit further, to the extreme, if you will, to test its validity under all circumstances. Let us imagine for a moment, that one or more pages of that VOTSL go missing by wear and tear over the years, better still: that all pages are gone, worn out, and only the cover remains — and no other copy of that book can longer be found in the world … would then that crumbled vestige of a VOTSL, of the "Sacred Writings," still be used in a Masonic Lodge as the Symbol of what ought to rule and govern our Faith and conduct, and on it to obligate our candidates? Now let us be bold, let us go for broke: even this shattered vestige of a VOTSL is now lost. Are we then not to open our Lodges ever again? Are we not to obligate any candidate ever again? Could we then not draw "in chalk" on the altar the image of a VOTSL, lay on it the Square and Compasses, and hold that tripartite symbol in veneration and assign to it the same validity as a Symbol as we used to assign to the pristine Book with the Square and Compasses on it? — — — Be patient with me now, Brethren: stay with me, one step further. Would it be awful, or rather sublime, if we were then to borrow from our First Nation Brethren the Eagle Feather and lay it beside the chalk drawing of the VOTSL, with an explanation to the brethren of its significance, and nobility as a Symbol, before opening the Lodge?
The Grand Lodge of Canada A. F. & A. M. in the Province of Ontario:
"will not permit" the Eagle Feather "to be used on the altar in our Masonic lodges in Ontario," [because] "… our ritual refers to a "Volume of the Sacred Law" and "Sacred Writings." and, "… albeit a symbol, and an important one, cannot be defined or considered as 'a Volume' or 'Sacred Writings.'"
The M. W. Bro. Garry Dowling, on behalf of the Grand Lodge, further states:
"The ancient pagan religion of the native tribes, as we understand it, is not 'a religion of the book,' unlike the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and others in the assorted religions in the world."
At first sight, it would be difficult to argue against Bro. Dowling's position regarding our Ritual's precise reference to a "Volume of the Sacred Law" and "Sacred Writings" and the Ritual Committee's subsequent sanction of the use of various alternate Volumes of the Sacred Law. However, our Ritual also makes precise reference to Ruth IV., 7, in the First; to Judges XII., 6 in the Second; and to Ecclesiastes XII in the Third … Granted, the Eagle Feather has no trace of these chapters and verses — nor do many of those "alternate Volumes of the Sacred Law" sanctioned by the Ritual Committee.
We are not consistent, we pick and choose, we are not fair, we are bigoted, and intolerant; expedient at best. By our short-sightedness we curtail the universality of our science, we deny the benefit of equality to the Spirituality of those who revered their Divinity thousands of years before our "Time Immemorial" even started. And we have completely and utterly lost sight of what those Volumes are meant to be on the altar of our Lodges — a Symbol. Does it make any difference whether that symbol has a blue cover (Masonic Bible), or black (the Jewish Tanach), or green (the holy Quran), or pink, or rainbow, or the black and white of a humble Feather?
How are we then to lawfully open our Lodges, with one of those "Alternate Volumes" lacking the text of Ruth and Judges and Ecclesiastes placed on our altars — and to lawfully administer a binding promise upon them? Are we to subordinate these "Volumes" to the Bible? The Bible of which branch, of which confession? — Fine with me. But do yourself a favor: read what Bro. Krause had to say about this (first and second paragraphs following the picture below).
Therefore — without further study, and without ascertaining whether these conclusions have been reached due to lack of knowledge, or, in the words of Bro. Hunter: "… from an obvious position of major ignorance concerning the eagle feather and the eagle feather's importance in First Nations culture." — I am not willing to reject a priori Bro. Hunter's assertions:
1) "For hundreds of centuries, First Nation peoples have held the eagle feather as truly sacred. Like a Bible or other sacred text, …"
Indeed. And I would add, without prejudice towards no one, that for centuries those "religions of the book," consisted of earlier accounts handed down from generation to generation in songs, narratives, and poetry ORALLY, until some type of Scribe or Pharisee, or Sadducee, or Essene, or Evangelist or Prophet put them down in writing, like Moses, who was "educated in all the learning of the Egyptians," did (somewhere between 1500 and 1300 BC), for the first 5 books (scrolls), recounting events in the first eleven chapters of the Bible that occurred long before his time (such as creation itself, and the flood).
The Qur'an is no exception, and I quote from Wikipedia:
The society during the time of Muhammad was predominantly oral and for this reason he would recite verses of the Qur'an to his Companions and instruct them to memorize it. Due to this, people question whether the Qur'an was ever written and collected during the time of Muhammad. While writing was not a common skill during the Muhammad's time, Mecca, being the commercial center, had a number of people who could write. It is believed, according to some scholars, that up to 48 scribes including Zayd ibn Thabit and Ubayy ibn Ka'b had recorded verses of the Qur'an.
The same holds true for the "Sacred Writings" of the Hindus, and I quote again from Wikipedia:
Transmission of texts in the Vedic period was by oral tradition alone, preserved with precision with the help of elaborate mnemonic techniques. A literary tradition set in only in post-Vedic times, after the rise of Buddhism in the Maurya period, perhaps earliest in the Kanva recension of the Yajurveda about the 1st century BCE; however oral tradition predominated until c. 1000 CE.
All these ORAL traditions, or Revelations, if you like, were clothed with Sanctity (holiness) once they were reduced into "Sacred Writings" by those scribes to suit their own (or their employers') particular needs and ambitions (greed and covetousness); some even claiming their people to having been "chosen" by the Creator as Its favorites among all the peoples of the earth, and striking an exclusive pact or covenant with them! What a terrible, reprehensible and bigoted behavior, attributed to such an omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent and ineffable Being — "our Father." The Father of all creation, of all peoples, of all creatures — including First Nations, and their Eagles! Inevitably these bigoted, partisan Sacred Writings have conflicted with one another, giving justification and rise to massacres, genocides, atrocities, and crimes against humanity since time immemorial, from the walls of Jericho under Joshua to the present-day carnages among Muslims and Muslims, and Christians and Christians of various denominations, and color and gender, and heritage and creed, and any combination of them all. All claiming to do the Will of the same Deity, be it called God, Allah, Jehovah, Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti, Great Spirit, or GAOTU. — Hypocrites all! and we honor their Books by giving them a place in the most sacred place in our Lodges — The Altar.
By what logic do we allow these "Sacred Writings," erstwhile ORAL traditions, to be used as Symbol of the Deity and of Its Will on the altar of our Lodges, while denying this privilege to that other ORAL tradition, that of our First Nation Brethren, symbolically embodied in the Feather of the Eagle?
At one time, when I served you as Master, I paid a visit to an ailing old member of our lodge, a Past Grand Master of great intellect and talents, like few others have been in recent times (with the exception of M.W. Bro. RSJ Daniels, perhaps). In bringing him up to date in the affairs of the Lodge, I informed him of the many applicants who had applied for membership in the Lodge, among them two Muslims and one Jew, and I sought his advice, as to the propriety of having them take their obligation on the Quran and the Tanach respectively. "Over my dead body" he replied, inviting no further discussion. He died a few months later. Meanwhile, I bought both Volumes, and donated them to the Lodge, in time for those applicants to undertake their Masonic duties on the Sacred Writings familiar to them, and since then those Books have been placed on our altar side by side with the Old Book that has been our symbolical Great Light since its first meeting almost one hundred years ago. The picture shows the three Volumes and Bro. Hunter's Eagle Feather (inside the red case) which I placed on the altar on September 26, 2011, when he graced us with his presence and his wisdom.
Contrary to what M. W. Bro. Garry Dowling, on behalf of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, may hold as sacred, more enlighten Jurisdictions have advanced in their notion of universality, by displaying on their altar even more symbolic sacred texts, such as it is the case of the Southern Jurisdiction of Scottish Rite which, in the Lodge Room of its House of the Temple in Washington D.C., proudly display together with the Holy Bible also the Jewish Tanakh, the Muslim Quran, and the Hindu Bhagavad Gita.
In 1818 Bro. Karl Christian Friedrich Krause, in the second edition of his book "Die drei ältesten Kunsturkunden der Freimaurerbrüderschaft" (The Three Oldest Craft Records of the Masonic Fraternity), at pp. =211 - 212= of the second section of the first volume of that work, dealing with the "Furniture" of a Masonic Lodge, on the Question No. 144), "Why is the Bible derived from God to Man in general?" and to the Answer, "Because the Almighty has been pleased to reveal more of his divine Will in that Book, than he has in any other Way either by the Light of Reason or Rhetoric with all its Powers …" he commented thus:
"This dogmatic-ecclesiastical assertion reveals incontrovertibly the school of thought and the religious confession of the Grand Lodge of the English Moderns, and therewith it does not sanction: that Muslims, Jews, Brahma worshippers and Gentiles should be able to be admitted into the lodge, without being converted to Christianity, even if they, in the universal Religion, are simply consistent with, "being a good and faithful man." No one can demand of a non-Christian to answer this 144th question as it is canonically and inalterably [according to rule and inalterable] =211= answered here, for he should then lie and feign. The preeminence of the Bible over any other writing held for sacred by the believer of other faiths, that it contains more of the divine [Will], is indeed firmly set in the above answer: but this also will not be conceded by non-Christians. Compare what I have said about the evaluation of the Bible in the previously prepared Catechism of this work, as well as the treatise about this =212= in the Tagblatte des Menschheitlebens, (Journals of the Life of Mankind) Nos. 50 to 52; finally also the segment on God-fervency [religiosity] in my book: Urbild der Menschheit, (Ideal of Mankind) p. 10 - 12 and p. 28 ff.; p. 305 - 321; p. 420 - 432; p. 449 - 452; and in the System der Sittenlehre (System of Ethics) p. 83 ff. and p. 436 - 454!
Long after the times of Krause, we no longer require Muslims and Jews and all followers of other organized religions to be converted to Christianity before admitting them into our fraternity and into the universality of our science. However, we still come short with regard to our siblings under the GAOTU, all those just and upright men, free by birth, of mature age, sound judgment and strict morals, practicing Native Spirituality, found among First Nations! Hell no! — you reply — we admit them already; and their money (initiation fees and dues) is as good as any others', and as much sought after by our Lodges and Grand Lodge, desperate and afflicted by declining membership and financial means necessary to take care of our crumbling temples and Grand Temple … only, we do not tell them, before taking their money, that their belief in a Supreme Being, and their Native Spirituality is not ALL we require of them. Once admitted, we take them to the altar, and require of them to kneel, and to swear an Obligation on a book which, as I will explain further down, is meaningless — if not even painfully offensive — to them. What then?
Do we invite them to go back to those infamous Indian residential schools and be converted to what our VOTSL, or any other "Volume" represents?
Do we ask of them to forgo and betray their conscience, their morals, and their uprightness and to feign or lie, or pretend to acknowledge that (to them meaningless) Volume as morally binding upon them?
Do we give them back their money, and send them home, humiliated?
The Custodian of the Work should perhaps have taken into consideration, before his ruling, that the third of the three questions put by the P.M. to the candidate before admission is insufficient — and could be seen as misleading or even fraudulent by our First Nation applicants. As Masters, we admitted (gave assent), "That it is not in the power of any man or body of men, to make innovation in the body of Masonry." I have in front of me the 1947 edition of the Book of Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of Canada in the Province of Ontario; and also the 2010 edition of the same Book to compare with. In those sixty years much has been changed or innovated. Why not go a small step further? — and provide our First Nation brethren with the comfort to exercise their beliefs with dignity in their tradition. What harm can it do, and to whom?
From time immemorial (Old Charges) No. I — CONCERNING GOD AND RELIGION — (Title page in the same 1947 edition,)
A Mason is obliged by his tenure to obey the moral law, and if he rightly understand the art he will never be a stupid atheist nor an irreligious libertine. He, of all men, should best understand that God seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh at the outward appearance, but God looketh to the heart. A Mason is, therefore, particularly bound never to act against the dictates of his conscience. Let a man's religion, or mode of worship, be what it may, he is not excluded from the Order provided he believe in the Architect of heaven and earth and practise the sacred duties of morality. Masons unite with the virtuous of every persuasion in the firm and pleasing bond of fraternal love; they are taught to view the errors of mankind with compassion, and to strive by the purity of their own conduct to demonstrate the superior excellence of the faith they may profess. Thus, Masonry is the centre of union between good men and true, and the happy means of conciliating friendship amongst those who must otherwise have remained at a perpetual distance.
By acknowledging (sanctioning) the Eagle Feather of First Nation members as the one symbol of the three Great though Emblematic Lights, and by letting those members give their assent to our duties (obligations) while holding the Eagle Feather in their hand, — is anything contained in the above ancient law diminished or sullied in any way shape or form?
If by now you still subscribe to the position of our Grand Lodge banning the Eagle Feather (as a symbol of the Divinity) from our altars, do yourself a favor, and tear away from your eyes and from your conscience and from your heart the veils of ignorance and prejudice, by reading:
A Brief Exploration Of The Spiritually Of The Eagle
Better still: read, attentively, a rare gem of a booklet found at the Library of the University of Toronto since 1981 (previously held by the Legislative Library of Ontario), written by Arthur C. Parker, 32º of the Buffalo Consistory A.A.S.R.N.M.J.U.S.A in 1919, titled:
American Indian Freemasonry
Have you found much of "PAGAN" in those pages?
What is pagan? Never mind what Bro. Hunter has found in the Oxford dictionary, or what Ron (M.W. Bro. Groshaw) may tell you if you ask him [Ron came to an assembly of dignitaries one day, armed with an Oxford, trying to persuade those present that some words I had used in another paper of mine did not mean what I meant them to mean. — That was rich! but I digress …]
Let me tell you what is pagan:
Placing the hand on the VOTSL for the Obligation, and kissing the same after the Obligation is concluded, is pagan (idolatry); invoking the presence of the Almighty as witness to any of our proceedings is pagan (like the "abracadabra peanut butter sandwich — Poof!" of the Muppet Mumford) and is also blasphemous (as Jesus said in Matthew 5:33-37): Its omnipresence places It there, whether you like it or not. Filling the House of the Lord with smoke (incense,) as it is customary even in this day and age among Anglicans and Catholics, and many others, is pagan, reminiscent of the primitive "Burnt Sacrifices" and/or of the warding off "Evil Spirits" (purification,) or just smoke & mirrors to impress the Meeks — and a health hazard to boot; advancing to the Altar by seven steps, halting and bowing three times is pagan (fear of the supernatural); the Grand Honors are pagan (primitive tribal exuberance — read more about this Here); and I could go on and on for days, but I trust you got the idea. It would be quite sufficient to have the candidate "declare upon his honor" whatever we want him to subscribe to. After all, we have acknowledged him as a just and upright man, and of good report; what more can we ask of a just and upright man, and of such a reputation? And if the candidate wants to place his hand upon his heart or upon the VOTSL, or hold in his hand the Eagle Feather in doing so — let him!
I promised at the beginning I will be merciless, if I find in anyone hypocrisy, bigotry, expediency, intolerance, or plain ignorance; therefore, until I am proven in error, I will hold that this unholy mess is the result of hypocritical, bigoted, expedient, intolerant, or just plainly ignorant, and at times conflicting with one another, utterances, contained in the above-cited correspondence.
"My very good personal friend and Masonic brother, W. Bro. Joe Arnold" [wrote Bro. Hunter on December 5, 2014] "is to be installed for the second time on December 9, 2014 at St. John's Lodge #20 in London. It is his fervent wish to take his obligation on the Eagle Feather that is appropriate for his long time practice of Native Spirituality. However, when double checking all arrangements with the London DDGM, he was informed that he could not do so."
" … In order to provide fairness to the majority," [replied M.W Bro. Terry Shand on December 9, 2014] "continuity must be maintained."
The first item that caught my attention in Bro. Hunter's message of December 5, is the unnamed DDGM for the London District, who gave the first denial to the use of the Eagle Feather, but was never mentioned again by anyone, or copied any of the ensuing messages, which would have been a proper practice. This is odd, and perhaps I read too much into it, and perhaps this Right Worshipful Brother is simply irrelevant to the players, or perhaps of such a higher level of confidentiality, into which our vulgar eyes are deemed not fit to wander. Anyhow:
The next, standing out of the noise, two words in M.W Bro. Terry Shand's reply of December 9 are: majority and continuity.
Continuity is a beautiful word; it denotes tranquility, stability, and even steady progress — when not intended as "staying put"; in other words, "status quo," which I think is what was meant by Terry Shand (M.W. Bro.) by continuity.
I will deal with that "majority" a bit later; now let us look at this continuity or status quo.
The status quo stands diametrically opposite, and is averse to Freemasonry, to everything that Freemasonry represents, to its precepts, its primordial idea, its ideal. Had the status quo been subscribed to by our ancient operative brethren, and by their off-sprung free and accepted fellows, we would still be living in the dark ages, slaves of the Papacy and its monks, fearful of their Inquisitions, uncertain of our lives and destiny, in perennial gloom and doom, miserable excuses of human beings. Had the status quo been the guide and aspiration of the Washingtons, of the Garibaldis, of the Prestons, of the Bolivars, of the Krauses, of the Fichtes, and all the other freethinkers of our fraternity — not a single pace of progress would have been achieved in the world for and towards the emancipation and humanization of the human race. Our assent as Masters of a Lodge to the tenet, "That it is not in the power of any man or body of men, to make innovation in the body of Masonry" ought to be taken liberally, in the sense expressed to the Craftsman with the words: "… but Masonry being a progressive science, … to mark the progress you have made … you are permitted to extend your researches …" This is no status quo; this is progress, gradual, intelligent change, adaptation to changed conditions, to new needs, to new ambitions and I could say more, but — let us look at this majority!
" … In order to provide fairness to the majority," says Terry Shand — — — Who are all these fellows? Are they the majority of the First Nation brethren of this Grand Jurisdiction secretly surveyed by the nameless London DDGM between December 5th and December 9th on the question of the Eagle Feather? Not a chance! Who, then, are those who form this majority? The four or five of them at Grand Lodge?
There are several types of Majority commonly recognized and used; but there is one type one finds only within associations of people, where those who speak from the pulpit, and think they are "holier-than-thou," concoct in their minds and peddle to their fellows as real, veiled in anonymity (without disclosing the identity of those making up this "alleged" majority), like a cohort of ghosts allegedly sharing en masse and in full their views. I am not kidding you, Brethren: this happens all the time. This is a cancer. Just recently Ian (R.W. Bro. Nichols) called all the Past Masters one by one telling them of the horror and concern expressed by "the majority" of (nameless ghost-like) Past Masters in regard to the circulation of a certain paper within our membership. All the Past Masters I spoke with in this regard told me they had not called Ian on this subject, but rather Ian had call them with this concocted information, urging them to join the "majority" in doing something about it … with disastrous consequences to our lodge, from which it will take a very long time for it to recover. I will one day share with you the entire file on this "make-believe Majority," but again, I digress …
My Brethren, this pretend-majority is the ugliest and the most adverse form of degradation of the third tenet, or fundamental principle of Ancient Freemasonry — Truth.
Something else has caught my attention, this time in Bro. Hunter's message of December 15; and in that of Bro. Gordon Bouchard of December 16, which, put together, have caused me to pause and ponder. Here are the words of both, respectively:
"What I was not expecting is discrimination because of my Native Spirituality." and "There is much more at stake than our masonic careers. We can change it for all natives in the future."
Discrimination is not a simple, innocent word. Discrimination is a word pregnant with expectations, with perceptions of wrongs done intentionally, or suffered unjustly; it fosters a festering strife for redress, even revenge and getting-even. It carries a sense of political connivance and complicity and intent. Such appear to me Bro. Bouchard's words: "We can change it for all natives in the future" — no matter how much or how little justified. Intolerance, on the other hand, as ugly as it may be, is more innocent, because it is usually unintentional, the result of closed-mindedness, ignorance, uneasiness when confronted with the unfamiliar, prompting a flight into bigotry. None of this, however, ought to take place or be entertained in a Masonic Lodge.
But now the big question: was any of this necessary?
Bro. Ignaz Aurelius Feßler (May 18, 1756 - December 15, 1839) (left picture), a friend and collaborator of the Bro. Krause mentioned above, at page 3, 3rd paragraph, of his book "Eleusinien des neunzehnten Jahrhunderts" (Eleusinian of the nineteenth century, or "Findings of the united thinkers of philosophy and history of Freemasonry"), reproduced a portion of the work of Bro. Fichte, titled "Briefe an Constant" (Letters to Constant). This Paragraph reads:
"… in the first decades of the eighteenth century, and, indeed, in London, a society came into public notice, which apparently had arisen earlier, but about which no one knew how to say whence it came, what it was, and what it sought. It spread, notwithstanding, with inconceivable rapidity and traveled over France and Germany, into all states of Christian Europe, and even to America. Men of all ranks, regents, princes, nobles, the learned, artists, men of business, entered it; Catholics, Lutherans, and Calvinists were initiated and called one another Brother."
Much has changed (progressed) since the beginning of the eighteenth (1717) century London. With the passing of time the "majority" has evolved in its perception and acceptance of "minorities." All over the world nowadays, in our Lodges meet as brothers not only Catholics, Lutherans, and Calvinists, but also Muslims, Jews, Sikhs and followers of all other religions on earth. We let them wear at our meetings their traditional garments or their religious symbols; and we let them affirm their Masonic duties on the "Book" that symbolizes the belief of their choice — but we do not extend this choice to our First Nation brethren — and this is not fair.
We now allow our brethren to wear their ethnic costumes, their headwear, their distinguishing medals, and exuberant numbers of lapel pins. We even turn a blind eye to the childish, incongruous and of very poor taste, ridiculous display of patriotism seen lately in our Lodges at the Celebration of Remembrance day; we allow them to indulge in make-believe play and childish dressing-ups with scholarly gown; we are consumed and absorbed with form and appearances (protocol and etiquette) — while neglecting, nay! not even knowing where to begin in the arduous journey into the hidden mysteries of nature and science, which ought to be our major occupation. Masonry is, ought to be, a serious endeavor, for grown-ups, not children. There is nothing wrong with some mirth here and there, but serious mirth — not clowning around like fools!
I have asked already: "was any of this necessary?" Let us imagine for a moment that:
• The R. W. Bro. DDGM for the London District was not asked anything in regard to the "arrangements for the upcoming installation of W. Bro. Joe Arnold in the chair of King Solomon at St. John's Lodge #20" (the DDGM, by the way, is not supposed to be there, unless invited);
• December 9 arrives; after the customary business in the First Degree, the Lodge is opened in the Second and the brethren of St. John's Lodge No. 20 confirm their choice of the Master-elect. The Examining Board produces its report, etc., Bro. Arnold is led to the altar, is presented, and the Brethren are told how good, how skilled and proficient he is. He then assents to a series of questions; he signifies his agreement to the Ancient Charges; and he is then asked to advance to the altar, to kneel, and to swear the solemn obligation as regards his duties as Master of St. John's Lodge No. 20, on Judges XII., 6
• At this point W. Bro. Arnold tells his brethren, "Brethren, you have heard me pronounce the word 'S … th' many times before like a true Gileadite" and I now ask you to let me swear this obligation on what is most sacred to me, and in the form handed down to me by my forefathers, and to them by their forefathers for hundreds of centuries before. — — —
I bet you my last red cent, that no one in that Lodge at this point would deny this just and upright man, this Chosen among peers in that Lodge, his wish to express his sincere commitment upon the symbol of his Divinity — the Eagle Feather. Had this occurred, none of this mess, this debacle, this hurt, and this resignation would have taken place. — unless …
Unless — a Bigot stands up [S. and S. of a FC.] and cries out:
"Over my dead body, bei Gott! [by God! — the battle cry of bigots . . . ] The 'Ritual' is the ritual, and there ought to be no exceptions. In our magnanimity we let you in like you were a regular guy; and we turned a blind eye to your beads and headdress. As a token of gratitude you could have shown respect to our customs by wearing, let us say, a graduation cap, or a trench helmet, or a kilt and a feather plumed 'Balmoral' or a turban, or a kippah, or a thagiyah, or a capirote, or a fez, or any one other of the civilized and Christian headgears."
Bro. Arnold — I am mortified, Brethren, I meant no offence. Would you be satisfied if I were to make my affirmation à la Nazarene? according to His wise instructions?
The Bigot, (foaming at his mouth) — Nunavut, pardieu! [none of it, by God!]: according to the ritual, and only by the ritual; or else, I will report you and all these accommodating sympathizers of yours to the Top Cop (the present Most Worshipful Police Superintendent).
Bro. Arnold — Calm down now, Brother Bigot, no need to get excited. I thought of making this occasion special, not only for me, but for all Masons, by extolling for once and in real time the beauties and meaning of our most celebrated Landmark, the Level, that is: Equality.
The Bigot — How dare you! you pagan, idolater, tribal and painted primitive man of drunken descent, to equate your equals to my Equals? There are equals, and then there are others equals; some Equals are more equal than others; one ought to show veneration and respect to natural hierarchy, and obey the Ritual prescribed by such higher Equals; besides, we ["we" refers to that fictitious, pretend-"majority" mentioned before] "we" gave you that Level you and your forefathers were unable to invent in all those hundreds of centuries you brag about, in the first place; it is " our Level," and if you want to use it, you use it by our rules [ritual]; and if you don't like it: you can go back to your shack, to your sicknesses and to your bottle!
Bro. Arnold — What shacks, what sicknesses, what bottle?
The Bigot — The Mansions we built for you; the diseases we brought unto you; and the bad whiskeys we gave you — as a bargain for all the land we took from you a mari usque ad mare [from Sea to Sea to Sea …].
Bro. Arnold — Are you referring to the Davis Inlets of this land, or to the Indian Residential Schools Boondoggle, to the epidemics, the deaths, the abuses, the sordid education at the hand of your Bible-wielding, black-robed, (to you holy) priests and ministers and their minions (from sacristans to bishops, and their pious Sisters), the creators and promulgators of your "Sacred Writings" that came with them all; to all the Ralph Rowes of this land, who robbed our children of their language, their culture, their childhood and their innocence, and who provided apprenticeship and profession and fall from grace to our daughters and their rape and their death in your cities; a "Volume" that to me and my kin folks" is the Symbol of all the atrocities I have just enunciated, and emblematically (symbolically) represents the cause and excuse of brotherly hatred, rape, murder, deceit, covetousness for the possessions of others'; that reminds us of the fords of the Jordan, of the walls of Jericho, of the Christian Crusades, of the Spanish forced conversion or, else, genocide of Jews and Muslims at the hands of Ferdinand and his better-half, Isabella; of the Wars of Religion in Europe; a "Volume" that reminds us of Auschwitz and Dachau and the Balkans; of the Golan Heights; of Shia and Sunni Muslims of the past and present; … should I go on, my brother?
The Bigot — … No. … No, Brother Arnold. For what it's worth, I want you to know that I am not proud of this heritage of mine. A higher ideal of mankind, of higher humaneness among men, of higher justice for all, drew me to the Fraternity, thinking, — hoping — that I could make a difference and promote these ideals. Then I got caught in the frenzied pursuit of appearances, of frills and gold braids, and ribbons and medals, and titles and dressing-up and child-play (Protocol & Etiquette) filling and permeating our halls, and I lost my virginity (innocence and purity of heart and mind), and now I am here in my hypocrisy, denying you a simple wish which is not in any way contrary to all that Freemasonry aims at and professes and should practice. I hope you can find in your heart the Christian sentiment to forgive me, Bro Arnold.
Bro. Arnold — I don't know of anything good about that sentiment, and the adjective you preceded it with is highly suspicious to me, for reasons you well know; but I assure you: my pagan sentiment has been there all the time, and your wish is already granted. What is your name, my brother?
The Bigot — Garry.
Joe — Garry, would you meet me on the Level?
Garry — Yes, of course.
Joe — Garry, do you know the Grip and its meaning?
Garry — Yes, it is the first of the Five Points, the symbol of brotherhood.
J. — I give it to you in that spirit and significance.
G. — I receive it likewise, and with gratitude. My Brother, now that we have met on the Level, may we part on the Square; and may your Great Spirit and my God — "our" Great Architect of the Universe — grant to us, and to our children, and to their children's children to meet and to part in this manner forever.
J. and G. [in one voice]: So mote it be.
How wonderful, how pristine, how Christian! (Christ-like — NOT referring to any of the Christian religions) would have been the solution to the original question — had it be resolved in the manner idealized just above …
I have no information on the proceedings taking place on December 9, 2014, at St. John's Lodge No. 20 in London. I hope W. Bro. Joe Arnold found the patience, the courage, and the goodwill to re-establish and maintain Harmony in his Lodge. I hope Bro. Hunter found the Wisdom to reflect and reconsider his decision to demit, and to give the Fraternity another chance. I hope our M.W. Brethren named above may find the Humility and Wisdom to reflect and to reconsider their ruling; for the sake of Justice, for the sake of Righteousness, for the sake of Masonry in Ontario (and by extension, in the world):
The present real or pretended "Majority" in our Grand Jurisdiction will in a few short years pass to the Grand Lodge above, leaving its descendants in a state of minority. We Free and Accepted, "freethinking" Masons should open up and welcome into our arms all diversities, and not just their bodies and their money, but everything that makes them a diversity, and honors their culture and beliefs as we do ours; and if we do not know enough of these cultures and beliefs, we should study to understand them because, ONE PRINCIPLE remains constant in all space and time: under the Creator we are all siblings, and each one of us, no matter all external diversity, is an image and temple of that Creator; and all of us, without exception, carry His sacred laws and commandments imprinted in our heart, soul and mind — from birth.
We must look beyond the material aspect of our symbols; what a symbol represents can be expressed in many forms, suitable and in consequence to culture and belief; at different times and by different peoples and cultures the Eagle and the Bible, or Quran or Tanach, and the lotus flower, and the fish and the cross and perhaps a thousand more figures have represented and still do the same concept or idea; we are not to close our eyes to them all — only because we are accustomed to ours, and ignorant of the others'.
Garry's reference to "Sacred Writing" in our ritual cannot be taken literally, because it was not meant literally, but symbolically. The precursors of our ancient operative Guild brethren (the Craft) of the Middle Ages: the Romans and the Greeks (and perhaps we can include the Egyptians and the Babylonians) were organized and learned in their (and now ours, though by Jesuits and Jacobite-corrupted) ritual, philosophy and purpose thousands of years before the current Era, and before the emergence of what we now call in our ritual "Sacred Writings". If we grasp and acknowledge this provenance and significance of the symbol "Sacred Writings," we will then be comfortable with, and able to accept as Free and Accepted Masons among us all just and upright men of good report and strict morals, and accept, appreciate, and honor their symbols as well.
Finally (it was about time, you say …) I reproduce here some excerpts from the December 2014 and January 2015 Grand Master's Messages published in the "District Chronicle," Hamilton Masonic District 3. which I believe apply to the contents of this paper. Please note: The text is taken completely out of context.
January 2015, Edition No. 77.
"As Masons, we enjoy this time of year when we can reflect on what has been achieved during the year. There is no doubt that our membership is one of our greatest strengths. We talk a lot about how we can make a difference and we are all truly privileged to belong to a fraternity where we can make a difference in the lives of others every day. It is really important that we continually recognize and appreciate that it is indeed we, as a collective, who make the greatest difference and not any one individual."
December 2014, Edition No. 76.
"Brethren: Improper use of internet, Twitter, Facebook etc. … has become for prevalent, which is not only shedding a negative light on the image of Freemasonry in Ontario, but they are doing a great disservice the many good masons across our jurisdiction.
Yes! Most Worshipful Grand Master, I wish my mother, sister, wife, children, and their friends could read on the front page of the
Toronto Star:
"The Grand Lodge of Canada of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons
in the Province of Ontario
recognizes the First Nation Eagle Feather as a Symbol of the Divinity!"
Hip hip hooray! (Nine times)
Bro. Fichte closes his "Letters to Constant" with this exhortation:
"One who in viewing the deficiency in human relations, the unserviceableness, the perverseness, the corruption among men, drops his hands and passes on and complains of evil times, is no man. Just in this that you are capable of seeing men as deficient, lies upon you a holy calling to make them better. If everything was already what it ought to be, there would be no need of you in the world and you would as well have remained in the womb of nothingness. Rejoice that all is not yet as it ought to be, so that you may find work and can be useful toward something."
Bro. Vincent Lombardo
Rank (made public here for the first time and for this instance only):
Past Master (2001, 2002) Doric Lodge No. 316 G.R.G. - Thornhill, ON.
Past Master (2007, 2010-2012) Quinte St. Alban's Lodge No. 620 G.R.C. - Thornhill, ON.First Principal (1992) University Chapter RAM of Canada No. 241 - Thornhill, ON.Grand Steward (1996) Grand Chapter RAM of Canada in the Province of OntarioLife Member - Mount Sinai Chapter RAM of Canada No. 212 - Richmond Hill, ON.Honorary Member - Doric Lodge No. 316 G.R.G. - Thornhill, ON.Honorary Member - Respetable y Benemerita Logia "Calixto García Iñiguez" - Holguín, CubaHonorary Member - Respetable Logia "Roberto Luis Ferrer Rodriguez" - Holguín, Cuba
Thornhill, Ontario. January 6, 2015
