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August 2000
DeMolay Chapter In Missouri Celebrates 75 Years Of Service | New Scottish Rite Jewels Available | All Roads Lead To Rome ... Via The Internet | Legacy Campaign Is A Success In Washington State | Russian Center Restoration Fund | Ill. Walter L. Kemmerer, 33°, Named "Freemason Of The Century" | Conference Of Supreme Councils Held In Brazil | Governor Of Wyoming Signs Job's Daughters Proclamation
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Celebrating 75 years of service to God, family, and country felt great at the George L. Walters Chapter in St. Louis, Missouri, when eight young men recently joined the International Order of DeMolay. These new members, together with the hundreds in attendance, were greeted by Bro. James C. McGee, 32°, K.C.C.H., Grand Master of DeMolay International, who addressed the group and presented each new DeMolay with a unique year 2000 DeMolay collector's coin and a special Grand Master's Certificate. The initiation was followed by a delicious dinner, the installation of officers for the ensuing term, and the annual Sweetheart Dance. During the festive evening, several letters conveying anniversary congratulations were read. Among them were letters from Senator John Ashcroft of Missouri, Missouri Governor Mel E. Carnahan, 33°, and the President of the United States. President Clinton wrote: "It is a very American idea that we meet our challenges not through big government or as isolated individuals, but as members of a true community, with all of us working together. Upholding this fine tradition, the members of your organization have given hope and help to countless individuals and families through the years.... You have rightly earned the respect and abiding gratitude of all those you have served."
Submitted by: Bro. Robert W.
Cockerham, 32°, K.C.C.H., Valley of St. Louis, Missouri
The idea of a 32° Jewel was born during the 1998 centennial celebration of the Columbia, South Carolina, Scottish Rite Bodies. Ill. Bro. Thad D. Wilkins, 33°, Valley of Lake Worth, Florida, was there and pleased to see so many of the distinguished Brethren proudly displaying the 33° and K.C.C.H. Jewels they had obtained from his company, Wilkins Brothers Inc. For four decades, Ill. Bros. Thad and Fred B. Wilkins, 33°, Valley of Charleston, South Carolina, have been supplying Scottish Rite Temples with 14°, 32°, and 33° rings as well as Masonic Jewels and specially designed lapel pins, medallions, pyramids, and the like.
Why didn't Masters of the Royal Secret have a 32° Jewel to wear? The Statutes of the Supreme Council provide a description of such a Jewel, but no actual Jewel had ever been authorized, made, and distributed.
Thus, Ill. Bro. Thad proposed preparing a 32° Jewel for consideration. The prototype was subsequently approved by the Supreme Council's Ritual Committee, and now the 32°, K.C.C.H., and 33° Jewels are available through Wilkins Brothers. (See photo above.) Actual size of the Jewels is 5 1/4" X 1 3/4". Prices are as follows: 32° and K.C.C.H. Jewels in quantities of 100 or more, $25.00 ea.; 50–99, $27.50 ea.; 25–49, $29.50 ea.; 5–24, $32.50 ea.; 1–4, $34.50 ea. The 33° Jewel is $59.95 each, and there are no quantity discounts.
For individual accounts, prepayment is required. Please add $6.75 for S/H to your total order. No credit card charges or engraving orders can be accepted. Add state tax when applicable. Florida residents should include Florida State tax. Orders are shipped UPS. Bulk orders from Secretaries or S.G.I.G.s should be forwarded either by fax or letter. Contact information: Wilkins Brothers, Inc., 505 Beachland Blvd., Vero Beach, FL 32963; Tel. 561–231–1488; Fax. 561–231–6453. Secretaries of the Valleys in the Southern Jurisdiction, USA, continue to look to Wilkins Brothers for prompt and effective service with next-day delivery and the convenience of a toll-free 800 number when ordering. No proceeds from sales benefit the Scottish Rite.
It was one of those remarkable occurrences that demonstrates just how small the world has become. During a Masonic visitation in Rome, Italy, on June 5, 2000, Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, Ill. John W. Boettjer, 33°, G.C., Managing Editor of the Scottish Rite Journal, and Ill. Arturo deHoyos, 33°, Grand Archivist and Grand Historian, visited Vatican City. Desiring a photograph of the trio in front of St. Peter's Basilica, Grand Commander Kleinknecht randomly asked a passerby if he would be kind enough to take the group's photo.
To the amazement of the three, the passerby paused, pointed at the Grand Commander, and stated, "You're Fred Kleinknecht!" He then identified himself as Bro. Roberto Rauty, an Italian Freemason. Bro. Rauty publishes Le Luci del Tempio, (Light of the Temple), an independent Masonic magazine. He recognized the Grand Commander from his photograph at the Supreme Council's web page (www.srmason-sj.org).
| Ill. Bros. Arturo deHoyos, Grand Archivist and Historian; Sovereign Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht; and John W. Boettjer, G.C., Managing Editor, Scottish Rite Journal, in front of St. Peter's Basilica during a Masonic visitation to Rome on June 5, 2000. |  |
Among the business matters conducted by Grand Commander Kleinknecht and his entourage was his participation by invitation in a historic hour-long meeting between representatives of the Scottish Rite and a high-level official of the Roman Catholic Church. The Scottish Rite Masons were pleased to discuss the nature of Freemasonry, its history, its purposes, and its philanthropies. Several misconceptions regarding Freemasonry were addressed in this cordial and historic meeting. Out of this meeting came an offer of further contacts with Roman Catholic officials in the United States.
Grand Commander Kleinknecht presented several Scottish Rite books as gifts. These included A Bridge to Light, A Glossary to Morals and Dogma, and Pillars of Wisdom: The Writings of Albert Pike, all by Ill. Rex. R. Hutchens, 33°, G.C., as well as Lodge of the Double-headed Eagle, a history of the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, by Ill. William L. Fox, 33°, and Masonic Philanthropies by Ill. S. Brent Morris, 33°, G.C.
Recently, the Brethren of Washington State held an awards luncheon
to celebrate the success of their Legacy Campaign to provide a
permanent endowment for the Orient's Scottish Rite Childhood Language
Disorders Clinics. A total of $1,590,670 was gifted and pledged
with $793,324 already in investment accounts earning money to
enable the Scottish Rite to continue helping kids to speak. The
balance will come in over the next four years according to the
terms of individual pledges. Many contributors chose to have automatic
debits of their checking or savings accounts each month.
Key to the success of the two-year campaign was its being contracted
to a professional fund-raiser who focused, energized, and organized
the task. Yet the cost of this professional expertise was under
budget for the feasibility study, campaign staff, promotional
materials, printing, postage, acknowledgment and recognition materials,
and the final direct mail program. At the luncheon, recognition
plaques listing all the donors to the Legacy Campaign were presented
to each of Washington State's 14 Valleys.
The groundwork is now in place to promote future growth in the
Endowment Fund. Bequests of over $1.3 million are already making
their way through the legal system. Additionally, the Legacy Campaign
has raised the level of awareness among the Brethren regarding
the great work the Rite does to help kids. This has resulted in
a noticeable increase in participation by the Brethren in the
Orient's annual fund-raising for clinic operations.
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| Campaign leaders were honored at a recent luncheon celebrating the success of the Orient of Washington's Legacy Campaign in support of that state's Childhood Language Disorders Clinics. From left to right above, they are: Ann Blankinship, Honorary Co-Chairman and widow of Past Lt. Grand Commander Jack Blankinship, 33°; Ill. George Jurgich, 33°, and his wife, Vi, Campaign Co-Chairman; Ill. William R. Miller, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Washington, and his wife, Maralyn; and Bro. James G. Fletcher, 32°, K.C.C.H., the Campaign Counsel. |
On March 18, 2000, before a capacity
audience filling the dinning room of the Long Beach Scottish Rite,
Ill. Walter L. Kemmerer, 33°, age 96, was honored as "Freemason
of the Century." Ill. John E. Wallace, 33°, acted both
as Master of Ceremonies and producer of the event. "It was
my pleasure," he said, "to organize this tribute to
this Mason who has long been my mentor and who has done so much
for the benefit of all Masonry. No one has done more to earn this
special title and recognition."
Celebrities added their praise, sprinkled with witty scenarios of events that bonded their friendship with Illustrious Kemmerer. In the order of their introduction, they were: Ill. Thomas M. Boles, 33°, G.C.; Ill. David B. Slayton, 33°; Ill. Davis B. Leonard, 33°; screen and television star Bro. Frank Stallone, 32°; comedian Ill. Norm Crosby, 33°, G.C.; screen and television star Ill. Ernest Borgnine, 33°, G.C.; Ill. Arnold Hermann, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Romania; and Ill. H. Douglas Lemons, 33°, S.G.I.G. in California and Past Lt. Grand Commander. Former President Gerald Ford, 33°, G.C.; Ill. C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander, and Ill. William G. Sizemore, 33°, G.C., Grand Executive Director, sent their congratulations. Along with their remarks, each gave Walter's Lady, Ann Tesulov, their heartfelt thanks for her 23-year companionship and nursing expertise which have kept Ill. Walter Kemmerer active in the Rite. Ill. Arnold Hermann, like so many other participants in the festive evening, noted how Ill. Kemmerer had been a special inspiration in his life. Because of him, Ill. Hermann said, he was inspired to return to his homeland and build a strong foundation for regular Freemasonry in Romania.
From Ill. Joseph E. Witzerman,
Jr., 33°
Valley of Long Beach, California
The XVI World Conference of Supreme Councils was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 22–27, 2000. Representing the Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., were Ill. C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander, Ill. Ronald A. Seale, 33°, Lt. Grand Commander and S.G.I.G. in Louisiana, Ill. H. Wallace Reid, 33°, Grand Minister of State and S.G.I.G. in South Carolina, Ill. Dwight A. Hamilton, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Colorado, Ill. Curtis N. Lancaster, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Utah, and Ill. Arthur J. Kerr, 33°, Deputy of the Supreme Council in the Panama Canal.
This international Scottish Rite conference was hosted by the Supreme Council of Brazil. Sovereign Grand Commanders and their respective delegations representing in excess of 25 nations attended. The theme of the conference related to the permanent struggle against all manners of prejudice and the advancement of peace in the third millennium. In his remarks to the Conference, Grand Commander Kleinknecht noted: "The ancient enemies of humanity still walk among us today. Men continue to destroy their neighbors merely because they speak another language, worship at a different altar, or have a different color of skin. It is a blessing with a responsibility we share, belonging to a Fraternity that exists to aid and improve humanity. We are Freemasons because we recognize that although we are imperfect, we are capable of bettering both our own lives and the lives of our fellowman. And we are Freemasons because we can do this, in the bonds of brotherhood, with men of every race and of any faith. We are the fortunate inheritors of an ancient system of morality, which teaches the best principles of philosophy and inculcates the virtues. And although it is an easy thing to see the weaknesses of other men, we cannot ignore our own. If our beliefs do not manifest into action, it is to our shame."
The sixteenth World Conference was a remarkable experience. It provided the opportunity for world Scottish Rite leaders to meet and to discuss the challenges and the great opportunities before the Fraternity at the dawn of the new millennium.
