Michael D. "Mike" Jager, 32°
State Representative, Iowa House of Representatives
104 Primrose Lane, La Porte City, Iowa 50651–1126
mjager@legis.state.ia.us

An Iowa House of Representatives resolution honoring Masonry demonstrates it is essential for all our sakes not just to talk about unity but also to practice and demonstrate it.

On February 28, 2000, a number of my Brother Masons from across the state of Iowa climbed the steps of the Capitol in Des Moines with a mission on their mind. The General Assembly was set to begin labor for the week after the "refreshment" of the weekend. Unlike Congress, we have no fulltime chaplain, so individual legislators invite a member of the clergy to lead us in prayer. Occasionally, small groups come along as well to lead the House of Representative and its staff in the "Pledge of Allegiance."

This particular Monday, business began as usual with a short prayer from a member's guest. But when the time for the "Pledge" came, a unique circumstance occurred which caught the attention of my fellow legislators who, forced by circumstances, all too often attempt to do two things (or more) at once. A group of men, various ages from different parts of the state, gathered in the well of the House, in front of the Speaker's podium and facing the full House of Representatives.

Joining them were their Masonic peers, elected legislators from both political parties and members of the staff from the sergeant-at-arms on—all Brother Masons. It was a true demonstration of "meeting upon the level" to lead this oath. Following the "Pledge," I returned to my seat to be recognized by the Speaker for House Resolution #109 "honoring Masons and Masonic bodies in the State of Iowa for their continued outstanding philanthropic efforts across our state." After introductory comments, the Chief Clerk read the resolution to the Chamber and placed it for a vote by the body. It passed unanimously (if only all my bills did that!) and became a permanent part of the Seventy-eighth General Assembly and the State of Iowa.

On February 28, 2000, Masons conferred with Brent Siegrist, Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives (center above), about General Assembly Resolution #109 honoring Masonry.

The genesis of this was a brainstorming session held on a Saturday by my Scottish Rite Valley in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. We discussed a number of ways we could draw attention to our good works by focusing on who and what we are as Scottish Rite Masons. We even discussed the public relations firm we, as Masons, were strongly considering hiring to "polish" our image. This PR firm had gone so far as to conduct focus groups of the "right demographic" to test-market Freemasonry.

One might say that Resolution #109 focused a little too heavily on the philanthropic labors of Masonry. After all, it is difficult to quantify fellowship, morality, character building, and "more Light" to the outside world. But the philanthropic efforts listed in Resolution #109 are the fruits of these characteristics.

Even though the impetus for this endeavor came from a Scottish Rite group, I personally thought it was imperative to include all Masonic Bodies. I could have been parochial and limited it to the Scottish Rite, or I could have introduced separate resolutions for Blue Lodge, York Rite, and other Masonic Bodies. But it is essential for all our sakes not just to talk about unity but also to practice and demonstrate it.

In addition, the education process of this resolution was astounding for my fellow legislators, each a decision maker and influential person in his or her respective portion of the state. Many times I heard from one of my fellow legislators, "It's great that someone is doing those good things" or "I didn't realize that this is what Masons do." Resolution #109 shows we need to educate everyone about the work of the Masons.

So today, as I sit at my desk in the House Chamber, I have a glass jar for the Knight's Templar Eye Foundation which is filling up with spare change, some of mine and some from passersby. The computer mousepad at my desk has our Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorder Program logo on it, a memento from attending the Sovereign Grand Commander's Scottish Rite Leadership Conference in Omaha, Nebraska, in March 2000. And my car that sits in the capitol parking lot has a hat with a Square and Compasses on the rear window shelf.

These are the outward manifestations of Masonry. Inwardly, I look at the quotations from A Bridge to Light on the 15th Degree (p. 122, quoting from Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma, p. 237): "The chief obstacles to [Freemasonry's] success are the apathy and faithlessness of her own selfish children and the supine indifference of the world. In the roar and crush and hurry of life and business, and the tumult and uproar of politics, the quiet voice of Masonry is unheard and unheeded."

Michael D. "Mike" Jager is a member of Trowel Lodge No. 216 in La Porte City, Iowa, and was raised a Master Mason in August 1999. He is a member of the Scottish Rite Bodies in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the Scottish Rite Research Society. He is also a member of Tabernacle Chapter No. 52, R.A.M. Crescent Council No. 16, R.& S.M. and Ascalon Commandery No. 25, K.T. in Waterloo, Iowa.