Senator Charles E. "Chuck" Grassley, 33°, Grand Cross
135 Hart Senate Building
Washington, D.C. 20510–1501

Members learn from Freemasonry the importance of getting involved and making a difference.

I welcome the recognition of the Scottish Rite Center of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as part of the National Register of Historic Places in the Hawkeye State. (See "Current Interest.") This building is symbolic of the good things Freemasonry stands for, and I am honored to celebrate it and our Craft on this occasion.

It's not the plaque this building will soon bear, nor the building itself, which makes this edifice worthy of recognition. Rather, it is Masonry's ideals and Freemasons themselves that we honor today. They built this edifice and made it worthy of being declared a Historic Place. Brick and stone must not pre-empt the people—past and present—who established Freemasonry in Cedar Rapids and caused the Craft and the city to prosper. Individually and collectively, they have used the teaching of Freemasonry to create a heritage rich in tradition and accomplishment. We, as Masons, depend upon belief in a Supreme Creator and recognize our obligations to carry out His divine plan. It's the people inside the Lodge who make the Fraternity, not the structure itself.

Masonry is often considered the oldest fraternity in the world. Its symbolic foundation reaches to temples in the Holy Land. It can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when guilds of stonemasons labored for generations to build castles and cathedrals throughout Europe. During the 18th century, Masonry formalized its organization with the first Grand Lodge in England.

Across the Atlantic on America's shores, Masonry took hold among those seeking religious, political, and economic independence. We have a proud national Masonic heritage with colonial members including George Washington, Paul Revere, Ben Franklin, and John Hancock. Many of the debates surrounding the Constitutional Convention and the ratification of the Bill of Rights were held in Masonic Lodges. Now, centuries later, we stand here today to honor one of the more than 13,000 Lodges and other edifices of our Fraternity now located throughout the United States.

For more than 70 years, Freemasonry and, in particular, the Scottish Rite have served as cornerstones of the Cedar Rapids community. Generations of local members have attended meetings here. They have shared a commitment to self-improvement and community service. Just as this building is built upon a sturdy foundation, Masonry is a brotherhood built upon the solid principles of personal responsibility, moral character, respect for others, lifelong learning, personal faith, political freedom, dynamic citizenship, active charity, honor, and integrity.

While the Square and Compasses send a signal to the general public that Masons meet here, a Masonic Lodge symbol bears special meaning to those of us who are members. The Square symbolizes virtue, honor, integrity, and truthfulness. The Compasses serve as a spiritual guide challenging us to develop our relationship with God, family, and society. These emblems teach the merits of self-control and improved citizenship. The Lodge serves as a gathering place and unites us in our duty to be of service to our fellow man.

With community projects large and small, the Masons who meet in this building work to make their community a better place in which to live. Whether it is running for the local school board, mentoring youth, leading a scout troop, teaching Sunday School, or volunteering at a nursing home, members learn from Freemasonry the importance of getting involved and making a difference.

I welcome the recognition bestowed today on this Masonic building. Being tapped for the Historic Registry of Iowa is a tribute to this building's past, present, and future. Solid as a rock, a Masonic Lodge symbolizes the moral virtues of humanity, honesty, compassion, love, dignity, trust, charity, faith, patriotism, and knowledge. These qualities compel us toward self-improvement and help us make a positive difference for our families, our neighborhoods, and our country.

The Masonic family emphasizes social, educational, and philanthropic commitment. Each day of every year, Freemasons expend $1.4 million in the United States alone to help those in need and to provide scholarships to worthy students. Masonic philanthropies include the Children's Hospitals and Burns Institutes of the Shrine and the nationwide network of more than 150 Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders Clinics, Centers, and Programs. God Bless this work, the Masons who perform it, and their commitment to making a difference.

As we enter a new millennium, may the next 70 years—both inside and outside these walls—bring even greater personal and civic achievement for Freemasonry and Cedar Rapids.

The above article is based on remarks made on October 9, 1999, by Senator Grassley upon the occasion of the dedication of the Scottish Rite Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as part of the National Register of Historic Places.
Charles E. Grassley
is the Senior U.S. Senator from Iowa and a leading member of several important Senate committees. By profession a farmer, he served as a member of the Iowa State Legislature from 1959 to 1974 and was elected to the 94th Congress in 1974 and to the U.S. Senate in 1980. He was raised a Master Mason in 1960 in his hometown Lodge of Beaver No. 472, which consolidated in 1994 with Black Hawk Lodge No. 65, Cedar Falls, Iowa, where Bro. Grassley is now a member. A member of the Scottish Rite Bodies of Des Moines since 1965, Ill. Grassley was invested with the K.C.C.H. in 1987, coroneted an I.G.H. in 1989, and decorated with the Grand Cross at the 1999 Biennial Session—all in recognition of his outstanding services to Iowa, America, and Freemasonry.